USA > New York > Gazetteer of the State of New York: embracing a comprehensive view of the geography, geology, and general history of the State, and a complete history and description of every county, city, town, village, and locality, Part 2 > Part 29
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The District School Journal, organ of the State School Depart- ment, was removed to Syracuse from Albany in 1847, and published 2 years by L. W. Hall, and 1 year by Barnes. Smith & Cooper, when it went back to Albany.
The Syracuse Rrrrille, daily, was started in 1848 by Wm. L. Palmer & W. Summers, and was continued until Jan. 1, 1850.
The Free Soil Campaigner. a campaign paper, was published 3 months in 1848 by Agan & Summers.
The Clay Banner, a campaign paper, was publisbed about the same time from the Journal office.
R. Ward, and was continued about 1 year.
The Crystal Fountain was started in 1848 by A. B. F. Ormsby, and continued 3 months.
The Adventist was published 3 months in 1849 by L. Delos Mansfield.
The Literary Union was commenced April 7, 1849, by W. W. Newman, J. M. Winchell, and James Johonuot, and was continued about 1} years.
The Free School Clarion was published a few months in the fall of 1849 by Wm. L. Crandal.
The Liberty Party Paper was started July 4, 1849, by John Thomas, and was continued 2 years.
The Central City, daily, was published a short time in 1849 by Henry Barnes.
The Syracusean, mo., was established in 1850 by Wmn. II. Mose- ley. In 1851 it was changed to
The Syracusean and United States Review, and in 1856 to
The Syracusean and Onondaga County Re- view. It is still issned occasionally.
The Syracuse Independent was published about 3 months in 1850.
The Evening Transcript was started in 1850 by Washington Van Zandt, and continued about 2 months.
The Archimedian was commenced in 1850 ; B. F. Sleeper, pub- lisher, and John Abbott, editor. It was discontinued in 1851.
The Central New Yorker was begun in 1850 by L. P. Rising, and was continued but a short time.
The Family Companion, mo., was published a short time in 1850.
The Temperance Protector, semi-mo., was commenced in 1850 by Win. H. Burleigh, and was continued about 2 years.
The Carson League was started in 1851; Thomas L. Carson, publisher, and John Thomas, editor. It was continned about 2 years, when it was removed to Albany.
The American Medical and Surgical Journal. mo., was started Jan. 1, 1851, by Potter & Russell, and was continued until 1856.
The Journal of Health was issued about 6 months by S. H. Potter in 1851.
The Onondaga Demokrat (German) was started in September, 1852, by George Saul. In October, 1856, it was changed to
The Syracuse Democrat, and is still continued by the original proprietor.
The Deutsche Republican (German) was issued a short time in 1852.
The Free Democrat was started in 1852 by J. E. Masters, pub- lisher, and R. R. Raymond, editor. In February, 1853, it was changed to
The Syracuse Chronicle. The paper was owned by a joint stock company, and edited by R. R. Raymond about 1 year, when George Barnes became proprietor. In June, 1855, Samuel H. Clark bought the concern, and S. W. Ar- nold assumed the editorsbip of the paper. In February, 1856, the office was burned, and the paper was merged in the Journal.
The Evening Chronicle, daily, was issued from the Chronicle office during the continuation of the weekly paper.
The Seraph's Advocate, mo., was started in the fall of 1852 by Miss Keziah E. Prescott, and was continued I year. La Ruche, a French paper, was started in 1852 by A. L. Walliot. A few uuinbers only were issued.
The Wesleyan was removed to Syracuse from New York, Jan. 1, 1858, by Rev. L. E. Matlack. In October, 1856, Cyrus Prindle became editor; and the paper is still issued by him.
The Juvenile Instructor, semi-mo., is issued from the Wesleyan office, and is under the same management.
The Reformer was publisbed a short time in 1854 by A. Pryne. The Unionist. mo., and
The Union Herald. mo., were issued from the Reformer office. The Evangelical Pulpit was started in January, 1854, by Rev. Luther Lee, and was continued about 2 years.
The Home Circle was published by L. W. Hall about 1 year in 1855.
The American Organ, daily, was commenced in 1855 by Way & Minier. It soon passed into the hands of H. P. Winsor and continued about a year.
The Onondaga Hard Shell was started October 26, 1855, and was
477
ONONDAGA COUNTY.
embarking in canocs, went up the St. Lawrence to Lake Ontario, coasted along the lake to the mouth of Oswego River, and went up that river and settled upon the Seneca, near Three River Point. The nation finally divided into five tribes, and the central or Onondaga tribe went up the valley and settled near Onondaga Lake. Upon first entering the co. they found it inhabited by the Alleghans, or "Mound Builders," a tribe supposed to be akin to the Aztec tribes of Mexico, and one considerably acquainted with agriculture. The Iroquois gradually drove tlicm off and took possession of their lands. The celebrated League of the Five Nations is said to have been made about 100 years before the first Dutch colony was planted at Manhattan,-though there are many reasons for believing it was of a much older date. The principal villages of the Onondagas were along the shore of Onondaga Lake and Creek. The first visit ever made by a white person to the Onondaga country of which any record has been preserved was that of Samuel Champlain in 1615.1 In the summer of that year Champlain, with 10 Frenehmen, accompanied a party of Hurons in an attack upon the Iroquois. A battle was fought before the principal fort of the Onon- dagas ; but the invaders were repulsed with loss and were obliged to retreat.2 The French at an early period saw the necessity of obtaining the friendship of the Five Nations, the most powerful of all the Indian tribes. To this end, Jesuit missions were established at an early period, and one of the principal stations was at the seat of the Onondagas. The first missionary that ever visited the Onondaga country was Father Isaae Jogues, in 1642. He was afterward murdered by the Mohawks at Caughnawaga, Montgomery eo. In the course of the next hundred years more than 60 missionaries were sent to this region, and at different times many of them were murdered.8 In 1655 a colony of 50 Frenehmen under the guidanee of the priests, and with the consent of the Onon- dagas, made a settlement on the N. shore of Onondaga Lake, near the principal Indian village. For some time the colony flourished, and large numbers of the Indians were converted and baptized ; but at length the Indians became jealous of their neighbors, and in March, 1658, they determined to exterminate them. A friendly Indian having exposed the plan, the whites managed to eseape.4
discontinued after the publication of the sccond num- ber. Supposed to have been edited by J. J. Peck and Jolın A. Green, jr.
The Syracuse Daily News was started in 1856 by C. B. Gould, but was discontinued in a short time.
The Syracuse Zeitung (German) was started August 15, 1855, by Otte Reventlow, and was continued a short time.
The Syracuse Weekly Courier was started October 1, 1856, by F. L. Hagadorn. In November, 1858, it passed into the hands of Halsted & Co. and was changed to
The Onondaga Courier, under which title It is still issued.
The Syracuse Daily Courier-started at the same time as the Weekly-was changed by Halsted & Co. to
The Central City Daily Courier, aud is still pnb- lished ; II. S. McCollum, editor.
The Syracuse Central Democrat (German) was started July 2, 1858, by Joseph A. Hofman, and is still centinned.
The State League was started in Aug. 1858 by Thomas L. Carson. and is still continued.
The Skaneateles Telegraph was started in 1829 by William H. Child, and was continued several years.
The Columbian was cominenced in 1831 by John Greves. The paper afterward passed into the hands of Milton A. and George M. Kinney, and was continued until 1853.
The Friendly Visitant, a child's paper, was cominenced in 1833 by Joseph Talcott, a member of the Society of Friends. In 1837 it was changed to
The Child's Companum. and was continued several montlis. The Acorn was established by Mr. Talcott in 1841, and was con- tinued 2 or 3 years.
The Skaneateles Democrat was commenced in 1840 by William M. Beanchamp. It was subsequently is- sued by W. H. Jewett. Philo Rust. and Jonathan Keeney. About 1851 it passed inte the hands of Harrison B. Dodge, by whom it is still issued.
The Naval Bulletin was issued from the Democrat office a short time in 1843.
The Minerva was issued a short time in 1844 by W. II. Beau- champ, and was finally inerged in the Democrat.
The Juvenile Repository was published at Skaneateles in 1838 by Luther Pratt. In 1840 it was removed to New York, and soon after discontinued.
The Citizens' Press was published six months at Onondaga Ifol- low in 1832 by Russell Webb and James S. Castle.
The Fayetteville Times was published at Fayetteville in 1836 by Henry W. De Puy.
The Communatist was started at Mottville Nov. 27, 1844, by John A. Collins, as the organ of the Skaneateles community. It was continned about 1 year.
The Baldwinsville Republican was started in 1844 by Samuel B. West. In October, 1846. it passed into the hands of C. M. Hosmer and was changed to
The Onondaga Gazette. In 1848 it was issued by Sheppard & Hosmer, aud is now published by S. Van Alleu.
The Jordan Tribune was established in 1849 by P. J. Becker. In 1853 it was changed to
The Jordan Transcript, and is now issued by Nathan Burrell. jr.
The Daily Record was established in February, 1858, under the auspices of the Franklin Institute, Syracuse. It is published daily during the session of the Me- chanics' Fair of the Franklin Institute; Ansou G. Chester, editor.
1 It is possible that some of the French or Spanish adven- turers who flocked to this country about the commencement of the sixteenth century may have penetrated into the wilds of Central N. Y. In 1820 a farmer in Pompey found a stone, mostly buried in the earth, upon which was drawn the rude form of a tree with a serpent twined about it, and the inscription, Leo De Lon, VI, 1520. It is supposed that it was placed to mark the grave of some carly adventurer.
2 It is supposed that Champlain and his party came in by way of Oswego, and across the country to wbere Brewerton now stands. At this place they captured a party of Onondagas engaged in fishing. They then proceeded to the Onondaga fort, supposed to have been situated on Green Point, nhont 1 mi. N. W. of the principal salt springs. The fort was assaulted ; but it was so bravely defended that the Ifurons despaired of taking it, and retreated. They were pursued by the Onondagas uutil they embarked in their canoes upon Lake Ontario.
8 The principal of these missionaries who have left recorde concerning the Onondaga country are Fathers Le Mercier, Da- hlon. Cholonec, Le Moyne, Quien, Le Jeuue, Ragueneau, and Lallemant. Father Lallemant is the first one who mentions the salt springs, in his journal bearing date of 1645-46. At times these missionaries seemed to meet with considerable success ; hut the intrigues of the rival French and English Governments, who were striving to secure the friendship of the Indians, con- tinually thwarted their work, and rendered their lives at all times insecure.
" Through the influence of the Mohawks, the Onondagas agreed to murder the French, and the day was fixed for the per- petration of the deed. A young Frenchman, who had obtained considerable influence with the chief, persuaded him to have a general feast a few days previous to the proposed massacre, and, while the Indians were sleeping off the effects of the debauch, the French launched upon the lake several light boats, which they had secretly constructed in the granary or storeroom of the Jesuits' house, aud set off as rapidly as possible. The next day the Indians were surprised that thic French did not leave their houses, but waited until near night before they broke iu. They were completely astonished to find that the French had disap- peared, and-entirely ignorant of the construction of the boats -they ascribed the escape to supernatural means.
478
ONONDAGA COUNTY.
It is reported, upon the authority of the missionaries, that the principal chief of the Onondagas invited the French to establish another colony among them, for the purpose of instructing the In- dians in the arts of civilization. Accordingly, in 1665, a number of French families, under the guidance of the missionaries, came into the country and located near the Indian fort and village which stood in the vicinity of the present village of Jamesville. After living in peace for about 3 years, they were visited by a party of Spaniards who came in from the s., and the Indians be- came jealous of both and murdered them all.1 It is supposed that several other attempts were made by the French to colonize the country, as numerous remains of French works arc found in several places.2 In the wars that ensued between the English and French the Onondagas borc their part, and were generally allies of the English. In 1695, Count Frontenae, the French Go- vernor of Canada, invaded the Onondaga country ; but he retired after burning a few villages and murdering one old man. During the Revolution the Onondagas espoused the English cause, and many of their warriors, under the leadership of Brant, were engaged in the various attacks upon the frontier settlements. On the 19th of April, 1779, Col. Van Schaick, at the head of 150 men, invaded the Onondaga country by the way of Oneida Lake. A skirmish was fought near the s. w. limits of the present city of Syracuse, in which the Indians were defeated.3 In the fall of the same year, Col. Gansevoort, at the head of 100 men, was detached from Gen. Sullivan's army, at Geneva, and sent through the country of the Cayugas and Onondagas to complete the work of destruction which had been commenced. The villages of the Onondagas were burned, their corn was destroyed, and their sacred council fire was put out. In revenge, small bands of the Indians attacked the defenseless frontier settlements upon the Mohawk and committed the most horrible atrocities.
In 1788 a treaty was made with the Onondagas, in which they ceded to the State all their lands except the Onondaga Reservation." The land thus obtained, and another tract lying w. of it, were set apart for bounty lands to Revolutionary soldiers, and became known as the Military Traet.5 It included all the lands lying within the original limits of Onondaga co., and now constituting Onon- daga, Cayuga, Cortland, and Seneca, and parts of Tompkins, Oswego, and Wayne eos.
1 It is reported that 23 Spaniards came up the Mississippi, Ohio, | Springs Reservation was subdivided in 1821-24, by Jolin Ran- and Allegany Rivers to Olean, and thence across the country to dall, jr. Onondaga, under the guidance of an Iroquois. They had been 5 The Military Tract was laid out into 25 townships, each in- tended to contain, as nearly as possible, 60,000 acres; and each township was subdivided into 100 lots. Three more townships were afterward added, making 28 in all. The following is a complete list of them :- informed by the Indians that in the N. there was a lake the banks of which were covered with something shining and white, which they understood to be silver. Their disappointment was great when they found that the Indians meant salt instead. A quarrel arose between the French and Spaniards, which resulted in the murder of both by the Indians.
2 In many of the old fortifications have been found tho re- mains of French arms and merchandise, and a variety of re- mains evidently of much older date. The French doubtless found tho fortifications partly built, and took possession of them. Iu Pompey were found several of these, and a considerable amount of land cleared; and it is supposed that quite a flourish- Ing French settlement was here utterly destroyed at a period not long anterior to the Revolution.
3 The official report makes the Indian loss 12 killed and 34 prisoners.
4 The original Onondaga Reservation was a tract of land bounded on the E. by the military townships of Manlius and Pompey, s. by the townships of Pompey and Marcellus, w. by the townships of Marcellus and Camillus, N. by the townships of Camillus and Manlius and the public Reservation bordering upon Onondaga Lake. The N. E. corner was originally at the former N. E. corner of Syracuse. The Reservation was about Il} qui. long N. and 8. by 9.3 mi. wide E. and w., and inchided parts of the present towns of La Fayette, Camillus, Geddes, De Witt, and the city of Syracuse, and all of Onondaga. In 1793 it was purchased of the Indians, reserving a tract in the 8. E. corner 4} mi. N. and S. by nearly 4 R. and w., and subdi- vided into 221 lots, mostly of 250 acres each, exclusive of the sq. mi. originally granted to Webster by the Indians in 1788. The Lots 8 to 19, 25 to 33, 39 to 47, and 53 to 65, inclusive, were made no account of, having been converted into a public Salt Reservation. Tlic remainder were sold in 1796. The second pur- chase was that of Feb. 25, 1817, being a strip 1; mi. wide from the E. side of the tract reserved in the first purchase, and was sub- divided into 27 square lots of 160 acres each. The third purchase was that of Feb. 11, 1822, being a strip & mi. wido from tho s. end of that remaining after the purchase of 1817. It was sub- divided into 7 lots. The present reservation is 4 mi. N. and s. by a little less than 2} E. and w., containing-exclusive of 300 acres in the N. w. portion, granted by the Indians to Ephraim Webster in 1823- about 6,100 acres. It is situated one-half in Onondaga and one-half in La Fayette. The number of Indians remaining of the once powerful Onondaga Nation, as reported by the last census, is 349. An Indian school is tanght; but it has had little success. The condition of the tribe has visibly improved within the last few years, and they appear to be slowly learning the arts of civilization. The Onondaga Salt
T'p No.
Township.
Present Towns.
County.
I
Lysander .....
2
Hannibal
Lysander and s. part of Granby ... Town and w. part of city of Oswego, Hannibal, and N. part of Granby ...... Victory and Ira, and N. parts of Conquest & Cato. Mentz and Brutus, and parts of Conquest, Cato. Montezuma, Throop, and Sennet
Onondaga. Oswego.
Oswego.
3
Cato ... .....
Cayuga.
5
Camillus.
6 7
Cicero .. Manlius
Van Buren and Elbridge, and part of Camillus ..... Clay and Cicero ... Dewitt and Manlius, and part of Salina .. Fleming, Auburn City, and Owasco, most of Throop and Sennett, part of Aurelius, and 1 lot in Montezuma.
Cayuga.
9
Marcellus ....
10
Pompey ......
11
Romulus .....
Skaneateles and Marcellus, parts of Spafford and Otisco . Pompey, most of La Fa- yette, 3 lots in Otisco .... Romulus, w. parts of Fa- yette and Varick, 4 lots in Seneca Falls.
Onondaga. Onondaga. Seneca.
I2
Scipio
Scipio and Venice, s. part of Ledyard. 5 lots in Niles, and small poiut (N. w. cor.) of Moravia ... Moravia, Sempronins, and most of Niles
Cayuga.
13
Sempronius
Cayuga. Onondaga.
14
Tully.
and part of Spafford .. Tully. s. part Spafford, and Otisco ... Scott and Preble.
Onondaga. Cortland.
4
Brutus
Cayuga. Onondaga. Onondaga.
Onondaga.
8
Aurelius ...
479
ONONDAGA COUNTY.
The first white person that took up his residence within the limits of the co. after the Revolu- tion was Ephraim Webster, an Indian trader, who located his trading house on the banks of Onondaga Creck, near its mouth, in 1786. The next year he was accompanied by another trader named Neukerck, who died in the spring of 1787 and was buried near the trading house. In 1788, Asa Danforth and his son Asa, and Comfort Tyler, from Mass., came in, and located on the present site of Onondaga Valley. The salt springs soon became generally known and attracted many immigrants to this region. The State reserved for salt purposes the territory surrounding the lake and known as the Onondaga Salt Springs Reservation, embracing the greater part of the old town of Salina, now the towns of Salina and Geddes, and the city of Syracuse, all of which, except the land needed for the manufacturing establishments alone, has since been sold. In the treaty with the Indians, the salt springs were to be jointly used by the whites and Indians forever. The salt business immediately became important, and has since kept pace with the growth of the country. It is now one of the most important branches of business carried on in the State, and is constantly increasing.1
Townships of the Military Tract, continued.
Tp No.
Township.
Present Town.
County.
15
Fabius
...
Fabius
and N. parts of Truxton and Cuyler
16
17
Ovid .. Milton ..
Ovid, Lodi, and Covert ...... Genoa ...
18
Locke
Locke and Summer Hill and Groton ..
19
Homer
Homer and most of Cort- landville
Cortland.
20
Solon
Solon, Taylor, and s. part Truxton and Cuyler ..... Hector
21 22 23
Hector. Ulysses Drydeu
Ulysses, Eufield, & Ithaca,
nearly the whole of Dry- den ..
Tompkins.
24
Virgil
Virgil, most of Harford aud Lapeer, and 2} lots iu Cortlandville, and 1 lot (20) iu Freetown ...... Freetown, Cincinnatus, & most of Marathon ..... Junius, Tyre, Waterloo, N. part of Seneca Falls ..
Cortland.
25
Cincinnatus.
Seneca.
26
Junius .......
27 29
Galen
Galen and Savannalı E. part Wolcott and Butler, and Sterling.
Cayuga.
Junius was added to compensate those who drew lots after- ward found to belong to the "Boston Ten Towns;" Galen, to supply those who belonged to the Hospital Department, and who at first were not provided for; and Sterling, to satisfy all the remaining claims. The U. S. granted 100 acres to each of the soldiers in Ohio; and it was lett optional with them to sur- render this claim and receive the whole 600 acres in this State, or to retain the claim and secure but 500 acres. The 100 acres reserved was taken from the S. E. corner of each lot, and bo- caine known as the State's Hundred. A charge of 48 shillings was made upon each for the survey : and in default of pay- ment a reserve of 50 acres, known as the Survey Fifty, was made.
1 The first mention in history of the Salt Springs of Onondaga is found in the journal of Father Lallemaut, who visited this region in 1645-46. He speaks of a salt spring, and of a fine spring of fresh water, coming ont of the same bank, within 80 or 100 paces of each other, on the margin of the lake. Fatber Le Moyne, who visited the country in 1654, speaks of a spring which the Indians told him was fouled by an evil spirit. He made a personal examination of it, and niado some salt from the water, which he carried to Quebec. Otber missionaries of an early period make frequent mention of the salt springs ; and before the English occupied the country the Indians had learned how to manufacture salt.
At the time of the first settlement the salt spring was located upon the marsh, immediately in the rear of the site of the present Salina pumpbouse, and the salt water came up from the bottom. The Judians had excavated a hole, which was con- stantly filled with water to the surface of the ground. In 1789, Asa Danforth and Comfort Tyler came down from Onondaga, and brought with them a kettle, which they suspended from a pole supported by 2 crotchied sticks; and in this they made the first salt ever manufactured by the present race of settlers. In about 12 hours they made 13 bushels of salt; and, secreting their kettle in the bushes, they went home with the product of their day's labor,-feeling richer tban they would had they discovered a miue of gold. For several years it was customary for the settlers from all the surrounding region to bring kettles with
them and manufacture sufficient salt for their own use. Tho first settlers of Salina came in 1790, and principally located upon the summit of the bluff above the salt springs. Most of them came with the intention of entering into the manufacture of salt. At first kettles suspended from polee were used exclu- sively ; but in a short time it was found more convenient to rest the kettles upon a pile of stoues. The "works" were afterward covered to protect the manufacturer from the weather. The first caldron kettle, set in an arch, was used by Jamies Van Vleck, iu 1793; and in a short time caldrons were exclusively used. Two kettles were afterward used, and additions have been made from time to time, until 20 to 104 kettles are now put in a single block. The first salt made nuder a permanent building was manufactured by Elisha Alvord, as agent of the Federal Company, organized in 1798, and consisting of Asa Danforth, Jedediah Sanger, Daniel Keeler, Thomas Hart, Ebenezer Butler, and Hezckiab Alcott. A new well, about 30 feet deep, was dug a little N. w. of the original one; and a building was erected large enough to contain 32 kettles, set in 8 arches of 4 kettles each. From this time the works increased rapidly in size and number. The manufacture of salt was commeuced at Geddes, iu 1793, by James Geddes, and in Liverpool about the same time, by John Danforth. The first wells at the old village of syra- cuse wore opened in 1830. By continuous pumping. the water in the wells becomes less and less salt, -the shallow wells failing first. This renders the constant opening of new wells a matter of necessity. The first solar works were con- structed iu 1821, by a company formed for that purpose. The introduction of the solar vats produced so much opposition that the Legislature was obliged to pass special laws for their pro- tection.
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