USA > New York > St Lawrence County > Gazetteer and business directory of St. Lawrence County, N.Y. for 1873-4 > Part 26
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* The Indian name of this village was Tewatenetarenies, meaning "a place where the gravel settles under the feet in dragging up a canoe." + Census of 1870.
¿ A history of the Press is given on pages 72-4.
§ We are favored with a communication from Mr. William H. Wallace relative to the water works of the village, which we give entire.
" The village of Potsdam has an excellent system of water works both for domestic and fire purposes. At the annual charter meeting held in January, 1871, a committee of five citizens was appointed to devise a plan of water supply and report at a subsequent meeting. In March following they made a report to a meeting of citizens called to hear the same and take action thereon. In their report they recommended the adoption of the Holly system of water supply. Their report was unanimously adopted. The necessary legislation was immediately procured and the works completed and put in operation about the first of December, 1871. The works, with the additional water pipes laid in the summer of 1872, have cost fifty thousand dollars. The water building is a substantial three story structure of Potsdam sandstone, in which are placed two of Holly's patent elliptical rotary pumps, driven by two turbine water wheels of four and seven feet diameter respectively, together with Holly's patent hydrostatic pressure gauge for controlling the pressure of the water in the street mains and pipes. The water is taken from a coarse filter well in the center of the Racket River, conducted thence in a 12 inch iron pipe laid in the bottom of the river and forced by the pumps directly into the street mains and pipes. There are now laid about four miles of street water mains, and thirty- one double fire hydrants, together with fifteen water gates in the different street mains. These works were erected under the supervision of the trustees of the village of Potsdam, and are to be placed under the direction and control of three water commis- sioners to be chosen for terms of three years by the village trustees, and are under the immediate charge of a superintendent of water works appointed by the village trustees. The water works in case of fire can throw directly from the fire hydrants four inch streams of water, at the same time, 80 feet high."
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1866, upon the recommendation of Victor M. Rice, then Super- intendent of Public Instruction, creating a commission com- posed of the Governor and principal State officers " to receive proposals in writing in regard to the establishment of Normal and Training Schools for the education and disci- pline of teachers of the common schools of this State." The trustees of St. Lawrence Academy,* located at Potsdam, tendered to the Normal School Commission all the property of the Academy. The village of Potsdam voted $12,000, the county of St. Lawrence $25,000, and the town of Potsdam $35,000, for the erection of a building, and this total sum of $72,000, in addition to the property of the Academy, was accepted and
the school located at Potsdam. All this was accomplished in the face of many difficulties and some strenuous opposition. Oct. 9, 1867, the title of the site was conveyed to the State, and the building, which occupies the site of the Academy building, was afterwards accepted. April 27, 1869, the school was organ- ized under the efficient principalship of Malcolm MacVicar, LL. D., who still retains the position. The wise management of the school and the diffusion of knowledge concerning it have effectually disarmed all opposition.
The Potsdam Fire Department was organized in 1857, and con- sists of Engine Co. No. 1, with fifty members, Rescue Hose Co. No. 1, with fourteen members, Raquette Hose Co. No. 2, with twelve members, and Relief Hose Co. No. 3, with twelve members.
The Bay Side Cemetery of the town of Potsdam is beautifully located on the west side of Racket River, about one mile south of the village of Potsdam. It consists of about thirty-eight acres, most of which is laid out into lots, separated by walks and drives. The Bay Side Cemetery Association was organized Oct. 30, 1865.t
The Racket Valley and St. Regis Valley Agricultural and Hor- ticultural Society was organized in August, 1870, and held its first fair at Potsdam in October of that year. The grounds owned by the Society consist of about twenty acres, lying about one-fourth of a mile north-east of the town hall in Potsdam village. They are level and every part is visible from any point
* The St. Lawrence Academy was established in 1813, through the efforts of Benj. Raymond, and incorporated in 1816. It was conducted with efficiency and success until the establishment of the splendid institution which succeeded it-the Normal and Training School.
+ The first trustees were, B. Usher, E. D. Brooks, T. S. Clarkson, 2d, A. N. Deming, E. Hitchings, J. H. Seeley, Geo. Richards, H. C. Riggs, H. H. Peck, H. M. Story, Edward Crary and W. W. Morgan ; and the first officers, B. Usher, President; H. C. Riggs, Vice-President; T. S. Clarkson, 2d, Treasurer; and Edward Crary, Secretary.
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within the inclosure. Commodious buildings have been erected for floral, agricultural and mechanics halls, offices, &c., and a half mile trotting track laid out and graded. The fairs have been very successful. The amount in 1870 (including the amount received on over 100 life memberships,) was over $6,000; in 1871, over $5,000; and in 1872 over $6,000 .*
POTSDAM JUNCTION,+ (p. v.) incorporated in the spring of 1871, is situated at the junction of the O. & L. C. R. R. and the branch of the R. W. & O. R. R., in the north part of the town. It contains two churches, one graded school, with an academic department, three dry goods, four grocery, two drug and one hardware stores, two hotels, one tin, one harness, two jewelry, two carriage, one marble, one shoe, three blacksmith, one gun- smith and three milliner shops, a sash and blind factory, two saw mills, (one with gang of saws) a flouring mill, an extensive steam planing mill, a lath mill, a broom handle factory,a machine shop and furnace, a shingle mill and about 1,200 inhabitants.] A destructive fire occurred here June 11, 1871, which destroyed some twenty buildings, all constructed of wood, comprising over thirty business places and residences. A substantial brick block of stores and offices has been erected on a portion of the burnt district and several wooden structures have taken the places of others burned. The growth of the village dates from the opening of the O. & L. C. R. R. through the town, and is largely due. to that event and the prescience and liberal efforts of the late Hon. B. G. Baldwin.§
BUCKS BRIDGE, situated on Grass River, in the west part, contains two churches, one store, a blacksmith shop, carriage shop, two saw mills, two shingle mills, a planing mill and a few dwellings.
* The first officers were Charles O. Tappen, President; E. W. Foster, 1st Vice-President; Luke Usher, Treasurer; and H. M. Story, Secretary. Meetings are held annually for the election of officers and the transaction of other business.
+ Formerly known as Raquetteville, from the river, which also bore that name.
¿ The population in 1870, according to the census of that year, was 966.
§ Hon. Benj. G. Baldwin was born at Bradford, Vt., May 13,. 1806. He graduated at Dartmouth College, and studied law with Hon. Horace Allen, of Potsdam, with whom, after being admitted to the bar, he became a law partner and practiced in the courts of this State until about 1842, when he formed a co-partnership with Hon. Wm. A. Dart, then practicing law in Potsdam. His connection with Mr. Dart continued until 1849. He filled acceptably and with marked ability and fidelity many offices of public trust, prominent among which were those of Surrogate and Clerk of this county and Registrar of Bankruptcy. His generous benefactions to the village corporation of Potsdam Junction have intensified the respect which his personal character was sufficient to command. He died at his residence in Potsdam Junction, Jan. 21, 1873.
POTSDAM.
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WEST POTSDAM, (p. o.) situated a little north-west of the center, five miles west of Potsdam, contains a church, store, gun shop, blacksmith shop, shoe shop and a few dwellings.
CRARYS MILLS, (p. o.) situated in the south angle, on the lines of Canton and Pierrepont, contains a church, two stores, a grist mill, saw mill, carriage shop, blacksmith shop, harness shop, shoe shop, tannery and about twenty dwellings.
Crarys Mills Lodge, No. 665, I. O. of G. T. was organized April 29, 1871, and has 123 members.
GLENWOOD, (formerly Hewittville,*) situated upon a fine water privilege on Racket River, two and one-half miles, below Potsdam, contains an extensive gang saw mill, with four gangs of saws, a planing mill, lath and shingle mill, broom handle factory, blacksmith shop and several dwelling houses.
YALEVILLE, situated one mile south-west of West Potsdam, contains a carriage shop, blacksmith shop, cooper shop, cider mill and ten to fifteen dwellings.
SISSONVILLE, situated upon Racket River, one and one-half miles below Potsdam, contains an extensive saw mill, with six gangs of saws, four planers, a lath mill, broom handle factory and twenty-two dwellings.
Settlement was commenced in June, 1803, by Benjamin Raymond,{ as agent for the proprietors, who, in May of that
* It derived this name from the late Dr. Henry Hewitt, who was the first to discover its natural advantages. He bought the property, spent large sums in its improvement, and sold to Eastern men, who, under the firm name of E. King & Co., enlarged the mills and made other extensive im- provements, but owing to the financial embarrassments and the feeble efforts of those into whose hands the property subsequently passed the work languished and an air of decay settled upon the place. This com- parative desuetude continued with only spasmodic interruptions until the advent of Messrs. Burnham & Osborne, who soon imparted to the place an air of prosperity.
+ Benjamin Raymond was born at Richmond, Mass., Oct. 19, 1774. He received such scholastic advantages as his native town afforded, and while a young man he removed to Rome, N. Y., where he became acquainted with Benj. Wright, under whom he engaged in the surveys in Northern New York, and in the meantime acquired such a knowledge of the lands in that section as led to the selection of this town for subsequent settle- ment, for which, through the influence of his friend Wright, he obtained the agency. He was actively identified with the improvements in Pots- dam during the first thirteen years of its settlement, and in 1816, having relinquished the agency of this town, he removed to Norfolk, for which town he became the agent about 1810, and settled in the village which bears his name, where also he was prominently engaged in business in company with Henry McVickar-a connection which was maintained un- til the death of the latter. He was appointed one of the first justices of the peace upon the erection of the town, which office, as well as that of Supervisor of the town of Potsdam, he held for many years. On the 8th of April, 1808, he was appointed judge and justice of the county court ; and in 1823 he was employed by a committee chosen at a convention to
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year, in company with some half dozen others, left Rome with a bateau laden with mill irons and provisions, and proceeded by the slow and fatiguing route of Oswego River, Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence, to Point Iroquois, near the west line of Waddington, where a portion of the load was left, and whence they proceeded to cut a road through the forest to their desti- nation-the site of the village of Potsdam. They struck the river about half a mile below the falls, to which they ascended by means of a raft. A temporary hut was constructed on the rocks west of the river, and a saw mill got in operation the same year. Lines for roads were surveyed during the summer and a road to Canton was so far cleared of underbrush as to admit the passage of teams. Ebenezer Patterson moved his family into the town the same year, and his is believed to be the first family that settled in the town. Mr. Raymond made a small clearing and made arrangements for moving his family into the town the first year and the next year he brought in his family. In 1804 he erected a grist mill and house. The latter was the first framed dwelling in town, and the grist mill was got in operation the following year. During this year Wm. Smith, Gurdon Smith,* Benjamin Stewart, John Delance, David French, Chester Dewey, Joseph Bailey, Bester Pierce, Roswell Parkhurst, Wm. Bullard, Abner Royce, Reuben Field, and others came in, some only to select farms, on which they began improvements preparatory to settlement, and others to settle immediately. In 1805 Judge Raymond opened a small store for the accommodation of his settlers, and the settlements were increased this year by Horace Garfield, Timothy Shepard, Jabez Healey, John Fobes, Oliver Boyden, Ansel Bailey and brothers, Giles Parmelee, David Corey, John Smith and others
concert measures for securing a canal from the St. Lawrence to Lake Champlain, to examine the route, a project he early advocated and did not relinquish until the idea was abandoned in consequence of a railroad project over the same route. In 1824 he engaged with Benj. Wright as engineer and assistant on the Delaware and Chesepeake canal, and while employed in that service he sickened and died of a prevailing fever at St. Georges, New Castle, Delaware, Sept. 26th of that year.
* Gurdon Smith was born Feb. 12, 1775, at Windham, Conn., where he resided till 21 years old, when he removed to Rome, N. Y., where he be- came acquainted with Benj. Wright, and becoming interested in the science of surveying, he studied it and prepared himself to assist in the survey of the lands in this section of the State. While engaged in this service in 1799, he was despatched from St. Regis by Benj. Wright, who had engaged to survey lands in the Great Purchase, to ascertain how far Racket River was navigable and what places were most suitable for pro- vision camps. He proceeded by boat to Norfolk, and thence by land to the site of Potsdam village, where he spent the night under the shelter of . a fallen pine. He is believed to be the first white man who ever trod the ground occupied by that village, and is so far as is known. It is related that he discovered there a solitary tuft of timothy grass, whose origin can only be conjectured.
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by this name,* and an association of individuals from New England, the principal among whom was Wm. Bullard, who on the 28th of November of the previous year purchased for $8,656.04, a tract of 2,427 acres, about two miles north of Pots- dam, with a view of establishing a colony with a unity of interests. In 1807 they formed an association consisting of Wm. Bullard, the projector and agent, John Burroughs, the clerk, Manassa Smith, Nathan Howe, Ammi, Thomas and William Currier, Isaac Ellis, Alba Durkee and John McAllaster, and styled The Union. Their affairs were submitted to a vote of the members and a majority ruled. The property invested was held as com- mon stock, and a settlement was made in January of each year, each sharing in the proceeds in proportion to the amount in- vested and labor performed. No control was exercised over the religious or political views of individual members. They met with some degree of prosperity, and in 1813 numbered about fifteen families.t Their affairs were managed apparently with strict fidelity, and their dissolution was attended with the most friendly feeling.t
Levi Swift, Charles Cox, Asa and Ira Perrin, Abram Collins and many others settled in 1805, and in that year the land around Potsdam for some distance was contracted to actual settlers.§ In July in this year also the first death in town
* These Smiths were from Turnbridge, Vt., and were relatives of Joe Smith, the founder of Mormonism.
+ Spafford's Gazetteer of New York.
"In March, 1818, in this settlement, a great excitement was produced by finding in a hen's nest an egg, on which was inscribed in white and raised characters, yery legibly, the words-'Wo! wo! to those that deny the Trinity.' Like the golden egg of the fable, this prodigy, and the hen that laid it, attracted the greatest curiosity, and hundreds from the sur- rounding country flocked thither to wonder at the miraculous denuncia- tion, and satisfy themselves by actual inspection of the prodigy. It is said that $500 were offered for the hen, and that this sum was refused.
"Numbers were exceedingly alarmed, and others looked upon it as a direct communication from Heaven, while still another class, said that it was a trick of some mischievous person, and that the characters were first traced with hot tallow, and. then eroded by immersion in vinegar." The latter, if not correct in theory, doubtless hit upon the true motive. The extract is from Hough's History of St. Lawrence and Franklin Counties.
§ The following named early settlers, named in the order of their pur- chases, contracted for lands in the years indicated : In 1803, Christopher Wilson, Jabez Healey, John Fobes, Moses Patterson, Elihu Knights, Asa Knapp, Elias Champion, Gurdon Smith, Joshua Conkley, Francis Whit- ney, John DeLance, Benjamin Stewart, Giles Parmelee, Sylvanus Eaton, Archibald Royce, Wm. Smith, Chester Dewey, Nathaniel Bailey, David French, Esau Rich, Reuben Ames, Barnabas Ames, Benj. Bailey, Howard J. Pierce, Newel B. Smith, Ansel Bailey, Ebenezer Hubbard and Ebenezer Patterson; in 1804, Ebenezer Parkhurst. Jun., Wm. Ames, Barnabas Hogle, Thomas Bowker, David Covey, Jehiel Slafter, Joseph Wright, Lebeus Johnson, Bester Pierce, Roswell Parkhurst, Alvin Mills, Reuben Field, John Bowker, Spalding Waterman, Wm. Bullard and associates and Ezra Crarey ; in 1805, Ezekiel Wilson, Paul Raymond, Jehiel Slafter, Horace
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occurred. The person was James Chadwick, a young man from Tyrringham, Mass., whose death was occasioned by the falling of a limb of a tree. The first birth was a daughter in the family of Wm. Smith, and occurred the previous year. In 1809 a bridge was built across the river at Potsdam, and in 1810, Judge Raymond erected a building, which was used as a school and meeting house, and which he subsequently conveyed to the St. Lawrence Academy, an institution which he was mainly instrumental in establishing, and which, in an important sense tended to promote the growth and prosperity of the town.
The settlement at West Potsdam was commenced by Gurdon Smith, from whom it was formerly known as Smith's Corners ; and that at Yaleville, by Moses Patterson, in 1806, but received its name from Barnabas Yale and sons, John and Lloyd C., who settled there in 1836. Isaac Buck settled at Buck's Bridge in 1807, and from him the place derives its name. Mr. Buck was from Shoreham, Vt. In 1809 he built a saw mill and cleared some forty acres of land, and about this time he opened a store there.
The First Presbyterian Church of Potsdam, at Potsdam village, was organized with eleven members, June 9, 1811, by Rev. Messrs. A. Petten- gill, A. Parmelee, E. Wright, J. Winchester, Amasa Blanchard and Salmon Gray. Their first house of worship, the first one in the village, was erected in 1821; the present one, which will seat 650 persons in the auditory and 250, in the session rooms, in 1871, at a cost of $32,000. Their first pastor was Rev. James Johnson; the present one is Rev. Edward B. Fur- bish, and the present number of members is 200. The property of the Church is valued at $36,000. The expenses of the Society are defrayed by voluntary weekly contributions. The salary of the pastor is $2,000 per annum. The slips and seats are allotted once each year .*
The First M. E. Church of Potsdam, at Potsdam village, was organized with four members, Nov. 12, 1820, (three others joined Dec. 24th following) by Rev. Wm. W. Rundall, who, and Rev. Josiah. Kies, were the first pastors. Their house of worship was erected in 1869. It will seat 500 persons. The Society has about four hundred members. Their pastor is Rev. Lafayette D. White. The Church property is valued at $2,000.+
The First Baptist Society of the village of Potsdam was organized with thirteen members, Jan. 9, 1824, and erected its house of worship, which will seat 350 persons, in 1858, at a cost of $5,100. Rev. Rupee Batchelor was the first pastor; Rev. Charles E. Bascom is the present one. There are eighty-nine members. The Church property is valued at $12,000.₺
Garfield, Ebenezer Jackson, Dyer Bottum, Elijah Stevens, David French, Azariah Orton, David Hendee, Levi Wyman, Josiah Fuller, Wm. Pike, Charles Cox, Benj. Pratt, Levi West, Jeremiah Gilmore, Abraham Collins, Samuel Harris, Levi Swift, Frederick Currier, Josiah Fuller, Ai Powers, Asa Goodnow, Abner Royce, Jun., Andrew Patterson, Timothy Parker, . Luther Savin, Wm. Isham, Timothy Shepard, Larned Rich and Moses Patterson .- Hough's History of St. Lawrence and Franklin Counties.
* Information furnished by Mr. Milton Brown.
+ Information furnished by Rev. L. D. White, the pastor.
¿ Information furnished by Rev. Charles E. Bascom, the pastor.
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The M. E. Church, at Bucks Bridge, was organized with thirty-five members, about 1830, and in 1834, erected their house of worship, which will seat 500 persons, at a cost of $1,500. The first pastor was Rev. John Seys; the present one is Rev. S. Boyd. The Church property is valued at $1,400 .*
Trinity Church, (Protestant Episcopal) at Potsdam village, was organ- ized with fifteen members, March 23, 1835, by a convocation, of which Rev. Richard Bury, the first pastor, was chairman, and Judge Zenas Clark, secretary. The corner stone of their sanctuary was laid June 3, 1835, and the building was completed in the spring of 1836. It cost, with subsequent improvements, $9,000, and will seat 350 persons. The present pastor is Rev. Henry R. Howard, and the present membership, 140. The Church property is valued at $15,000.+
St. Mary's Church, (Catholic) at Potsdam, was organized with 450 mem- bers, in December, 1850, by Rev. James Mackey, the first pastor, and the first church edifice was erected the same year. The present one was erected in 1858, at a cost of $8,000, and will seat 700 persons. There are 732 members who are under the pastoral care of Rev. Joseph Taney. The Church property is valued at $10,000 .*
The First Methodist Episcopal Church, at Potsdam Junction, was or- ganized with thirty members in 1855, by Rev. Thomas Richey, the first pastor. Their house of worship was erected in 1866, at a cost of $5,000, one-half the present value of Church property, and will seat 250 persons. There are 100 members. The pastor is Rev. Charles W. Brooks.§
The Congregational Church of Potsdam Junction, was organized with twenty members in June, 1858, by the St. Lawrence Convocation. Their church edifice was erected in 1860, at a cost of $3,000, and will seat 250 persons. The first pastor was Rev. Elijah W. Plumb. The Society con- sists of eighty-three members, but is without a pastor. The Church pro- perty is valued at $6,000 .!!
The Seventh Day Adventist Church, at Bucks Bridge, was organized with fifteen members, May 5, 1862, by M. E. Cornell. Their church edifice was erected in 1856, at a cost of $800, and will seat 150 persons. The first pastor was Rev. S. B. Whiting. There are twenty-seven members, who are without a pastor, and their preachers are mostly evangelists. The Church property is valued at $1,000.T
ROSSIE ** was formed from Russell, Jan. 27, 1813.tt A part of Fowler was taken off April 15, 1816, a part of Hammond, March 30, 1827, and a part of the latter town was annexed Feb. 7, 1844. It lies upon the south-west border of the county, be- ing separated from the St. Lawrence by the town of Hammond,
* Information furnished by Mr. Warren H. Wright.
+ Information furnished by Rev. Henry R. Howard, the rector.
¿ Information furnished by Rev. Joseph Taney, the pastor.
§ Information furnished by Rev. C. W. Brooks, the pastor.
# Information furnished by Mr. B. G. Baldwin, church clerk.
f Information furnished by Mr. Henry Hilliard.
** Pronounced Ros-see, with the accent on the last syllable, and named from Rossie, daughter of David Parish, the proprietor.
++ The first town meeting was held at the house of Reuben Streeter, Sept. 16, 1813, and the following named. officers were elected: Reuben Streeter, Supervisor; Geo. W. Pike, Town Clerk; H. G. Berthrong, Jedediah Kings- ly and Benj. Pike, Assessors ; Simeon Stevens, Diamond Wheeler and Al- vin Wright, Commissioners of Highways; Elias Teall, Constable and Col- lector; Samuel Bonfy and Silvius Waters, Overseers of the Poor; and Isaac Austin, Pardon Babcock and Diamond Wheeler, Justices of the Peace.
ROSSIE.
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and contains 23,367 acres. The surface in the east part is level, but in the west it is broken by ledges of gneiss, limestone and sandstone. It is much cut up by the steams which cross it, and its business is considerably affected thereby. The Oswe- gatchie crosses the town twice in the central part, forming the Ox Bow a little south of the line in Jefferson county. Indian River and Grass Creek flow through the west part, and the cen- tral part is also crossed by Yellow Lake and a small stream which connects it with the Oswegatchie. Vast quantities of iron and lead ores have been mined in the town, the former in the east part, near Somerville, and the latter in the west part, near Indian River. Mining operations in iron ore were com- menced in 1812 and have been continued with some interrup- tions till the present time. The Caledonia mine has been most extensively wrought and ore is now shipped hence by railroad. At this mine in March, 1873, a boring was made below the present workings with a diamond drill, which, after passing through sixty-five feet of rock, struck a vein of iron ore, which it penetrated to the depth of forty-eight feet without passing through it. This ore yields sixty per cent of pure iron of the best quality .* There are two iron mines in the vicinity of Somerville which are very productive, yielding 200 tons of ore per day and fifty-five per cent of pure iron. Iron of an excel- lent quality is made from the ores obtained here, and when the iron is reduced by a cold blast it possesses in a high degree those qualities imparted by the chilling process, which render it es- pecially fitted for those applications which require hardness combined with strength. A blast furnace was erected at Rossie in 1813 and got in operation in 1815, and was the first one built in Northern New York. Although the existence of lead in the town, as is traditionally reported, was known to and used by the Indians, no measures to work it were instituted until 1835, on the 11th of December of which year, Bliss T. Nash, having previously united with four others from Oswegatchie, for the purpose of making mineral explorations, and discovered the locality of the lead, entered into a contract with David Parish, ostensibly for the purpose of searching for ores, by which it was stipulated that he should pay a tribute of fifty cents per ton for iron ore and seventy-five, for lead ore, should mines of either be found, that all the ore should be smelted in Rossie and that a ten years lease should be granted under these con- ditions. Mr. Nash soon after sold the right to John C. Bush. His associates disapproving this action applied for redress, and
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