Geographical gazetteer of Jefferson county, N.Y. 1684-1890, Part 16

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836- [from old catalog] comp; Horton, William H., [from old catalog] ed
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., The Syracuse journal company, printers and binders
Number of Pages: 1384

USA > New York > Jefferson County > Geographical gazetteer of Jefferson county, N.Y. 1684-1890 > Part 16

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

* Furnished by A. W. Munk, of Watertown.

132

JEFFERSON COUNTY.

annum, but in 1889 was reduced to $2. Buyers doing business on the board pay the same as is charged the factories. At the annual meeting of the fac- tories a patron is chosen to represent the factory at the board, and sell the cheese during the season. This board has proved quite a boon to dairymen, as it brings buyers together in competition, and often it is the case that prices. paid in Watertown are relatively higher than those ruling in New York.

The Jefferson County Butter and Cheesemakers' Association was organ- ized February 2, 1889. According to article 2 of its constitution the objects of this society are to "further promote the interests of the dairymen of Jef- ferson County; to advance the standard of their goods ; to enforce all laws which are now or may hereafter be enacted in their interest ; and by thorough organization be prepared by petition or otherwise to further promote the wel- fare of this association and the interests of the dairymen at large."

The officers of the society for 1889 were: E. A. Ayers, of Rice's, presi- dent ; D. A. Goodrich, of South Champion, James Purcell, of Sterlingville, Anson Miller, of Rodman, vice-presidents ; A. W. Munk, of Watertown, secretary ; R. H. Bent, of Antwerp, treasurer.

JEFFERSON COUNTY GRANGE .*

Previous to 1873 there had been in this county several farmers' clubs, but no attempt had ever been made to organize the farmers into one complete organization for purposes of protection and cooperation. The town of Ellis- burgh had long been noted for the character of its inhabitants. Its early set- tlers were mainly from New England, bringing with them habits of thrift and frugality. For many years successful township fairs were held in Belleville, and a well-attended farmers' club was one of the means whereby the settlers were kept posted and in advance of their brethern in other parts of the county. It is not strange, then, that when the Patrons of Husbandry, com- monly called " The Grange," were beginning to attract attention, that these' hardy and wide-awake sons of toil should be the first to investigate its merits. At a meeting of the Farmers' Club, held at the residence of H. W. Milliard, June 27, 1873, the first Grange in the county, and the fifth in the state, was organized, with 30 charter members. William H. H. Ellsworth was elected master, and V. C. Warriner, secretary. A dispensation was granted by the National Grange, dated July 22, followed by the charter, dated January 26, 1874. Thus was set in motion in this county what was destined to be the greatest and most complete organization of the farming class the world has ever seen. Other towns were quick to begin work in a like manner, and July 5, at the meeting of the Farmers' Club at Watertown, it was voted to start a Grange at the next meeting, which was held July 12, when Watertown Grange, No. 7, was started, with 25 charter members, A. H. Hall being its first master, and Curtis Terry, secretary.

* By F. E. Wilson.

133

JEFFERSON COUNTY GRANGE.

Granges were now rapidly organized in all parts of the county, and it seemed as though they would carry everything before them ; but with the increased membership (and there had not been at this time that close scrutiny as to who should be admitted that came with later years) many of the Granges were made up of characters something like we used to, in the school days, count off buttons on the boys' vests,

"Rich-man, poor-man. beggar-man, thief, Doctor, lawyer, merchant, chicf,"

and a few farmers. Many of the broken-down politicians and sore-heads were quick to avail themselves of an opportunity to join the Grange, with the hope and expectation that in the near future a strong political party would grow out of it. This brought into the organization an element that was foreign and antagonistic to all its aims and objects ; and as the farmers here- tofore had had but limited experience in meetings of this kind, they had but little chance to carry out, compared to the wily politicians, what they would like to have accomplished, and what the Grange was originally intended for.

In the fall of 1874 A. C. Middleton was nominated for state senator by the Grangers of Lewis and Jefferson counties, and although the district was largely Republican, with the assistance of the Democrats, who made no nomination, he was elected by a majority of more than 800. His election so elated many of the members that before another election time had come the aspirants for office was so numerous that jealousies arose in different locali- ties, which caused much dissension in the different Granges. As the discus- sion of politics in the meetings was strictly prohibited by the constitution of the Grange, those who cared more for the good of the order than the spoils of office demanded that all matters of this kind be discontinued in the Grange meetings. The politicians, quick to see that only through united strength could they achieve success, began to drop out, and in a year or so the mem- bership had greatly diminished. Many of the Granges were allowed to die out, and others barely existed.

Not until 1885 did there seem to be much change in the standing of the order. The fire insurance, which had been in operation for several years, the benefits of which were confined to members in good standing, had so far been the means of saving a large amount of money to its patrons. Other insurance companies having raised their rates on farm property, and the con- tinual depression of farm products, caused many of the leading farmers to look around for some way in which they might lessen their expenses. At this time the Grange was the only avenue. The public press, instead of ridiculing the society as formerly, published extensive articles calling the attention of the farmers to the advantages to be derived from a thorough organization. This caused a healthy revival in its favor, and many new members were received.

At the session of Pomona Grange, held in Belleville in June, 1889, a com- mittee was appointed to ascertain the advisability of holding a farmers' pic-

I34

JEFFERSON COUNTY.

nic in August. After quite an animated discussion, as to what the object was in calling such a meeting, it was said to be partly for the purpose of get- ting together, comparing ideas, and, if thought best, to put in nomination a candidate for member of Assembly in the First District, and perhaps a full county ticket to be composed of farmers. This was strongly opposed by many who favored only making a nomination for member. Before the meet- ing closed, however, it was voted to hold the picnic and convention at Hen- derson Harbor, August 8 and 9. No vote was taken as to what should be done at the picnic, but the impression went forth and gained rapidly that nominations would be made, and when the time arrived it was estimated that full 3,000 were in attendance. On the second day of this meeting delegates were appointed from the different towns in the First Assembly District, and called to meet in the village of Adams, August 14, to put in nomination a candidate for member from that district. The delegates met and nominated L. D. Olney, of Rutland, and adopted resolutions setting forth their wants and grievances. Later in the canvass Mr. Olney resigned on account of business relations, and Floyd C. Overton was nominated in his stead. The nomination of the Grangers was indorsed by the Democrats, but the Repub- lican majority of 1,6co in the district could not be overcome, and Mr. Over- ton was defeated by a majority of 172. The result of this so encouraged the farmers that in a few weeks five new Granges were started, and the old ones nearly doubled in membership.

The State Grange held its 17th annual session in Watertown, February 4 to 7, inclusive, the first ever held in the northern part of the state, and was said to have been the largest, in point of numbers in attendance, in its history.

There are now, in the county, about 26 Granges, with a membership of more than 1,600. Of these, " Watertown," " Star," " Indian River," "South Rutland," and " Pamelia " Granges own buildings, while the others rent.

Union Grange, No. 5, of Belleville, has 138 members ; A. A. Scott, W. M .; George E. Bull, secretary.

Watertown Grange, No. 7, has 365 members; W. H. Vary, W. M .; F. E. Wilson, secretary.

Star Grange, of Hounsfield, 73 members ; L. F. Allen, W. M .; A. M. Marsh, secretary.

Mannsville Grange, No. 16, A. P. Williams, W. M .; W. A. Schell, secre- tary.

Champion Grange, No. 18, S. Loomis, W. M .; S. J. Hubbard, secretary.

Indian River Grange, No. 19, of Antwerp, 100 members ; Henry Mason, W. M .; Ezra S. Beaman, secretary.

South Rutland Grange, No. 53, 60 members; C. H. Cramer, W. M .; Mrs. Agnes Johnson, secretary.

Pamelia Grange, No. 68, 130 members; S. N. Gould, W. M .; N. Bur- gess, secretary.

I35

MANUFACTURES.

Philadelphia Grange, No. 114, 60 members ; William Whiting, W. M .; W. G. Mosher, secretary.

Lorraine Grange, No. 111, 40 members ; L. B. Bishop, W. M .; L. S. Pit- kin, secretary.

Three Mile Bay Grange, No. 126, 75 members ; J. W. Taft, W. M .; Charles Kinsley, secretary.

Adams Grange, No. 391, 16 members ; A. W. Bartlett, W. M .; J. A. Bemis, secretary.

St. Lawrence Grange, No. 390, 40 members ; D. S. Rees, W. M .; W. D. Phillips, secretary.

Natural Bridge Grange, No. 497, 122 members ; F. W. Palmer, W. M .; B. B. Smith, secretary.

Depauville Grange, No. 59, 60 members ; E. J. Seeber, W. M .; Alonzo Cheever, secretary.

Adams Center Grange, No. 590, 60 members ; M. E. Dealing, W. M .; A. M. Thomas, secretary.

Thousand Island Grange, No. 593, on Wells Island, 22 members ; Hiram Moore, W. M ; O. T. Greene, secretary,

Cape Vincent Grange, No. 599, 40 members ; John Armstrong, W. M .; William S. Armstrong, secretary.

Plessis Grange, organized January 29, 1890, has 30 members; D. Snell, W. M .; William J. Tilley, secretary.

Texas Grange, No. 532, of Wilna, E. N. Reynolds, W. M .; P. H. Castle, secretary.

Great Bend Grange was organized in March, 1890; A. J. Shew, W. M .; A. J. Wadsworth, secretary.

Kirkland Grange, of Redwood, was organized in May, 1890, with 41 charter members ; O. M. Norton, W. M .; W. H. Marshall, secretary.

A Grange was organized in Theresa village in March, 1889, with 40 charter members ; I. C. Cooper, W. M .; C. B. Still, secretary.

The future prospects of the Granges are very flattering, and it is thought that in a short time they will embrace in their membership 75 per cent. of the farmers of the county.

MANUFACTURES.

The manufacturing interests of Jefferson County have been generally writ- ten up in the sketches of the towns and Watertown city, in which the many important industries of this character are located. In addition to these we are fortunate in being able to give the following history of the paper-mills of this county, prepared by John C. Knowlton, of Watertown :-

SKETCH OF PAPER MANUFACTURE.

The beginnings of the papermaking industry in Jefferson County are to be credited to Gurdon Caswell, who was born in Norwich, Conn., in 1783. He

I36

JEFFERSON COUNTY.

was a tailor by trade, and in 1804 came to Westmoreland, Oneida County. At Walesville, Oneida County, about nine miles west from Utica, was, and still is, a paper-mill on Oriskany Creek, which, in 1804, was owned by Nathan- iel Loomis and his son Erastus. Now Nathaniel had not only a son, but also a daughter, Mary, and the young tailor from Connecticut forthwith fell in love with and married her, and joined his fortunes with his father in-law in the paper-mill. He must have found papermaking more attractive than the tailor's bench, for, in 1808, when the Black River country was the Mecca for so many pilgrims from the Mohawk region, Gurdon Caswell came to Water- town and built the first paper mill on the south bank of the river opposite Beebee's Island, above Cowan's grist mill. This site was about where the easterly end of Knowlton Brothers' wood pulp-mill now stands, and may have been partly in Mill street, for there was no street or bridge there in 1808. The building was a two-story frame structure, 35x50 feet, but a considerable part of the second floor was used for a wool-carding machine. The machin- ery in this mill consisted of a small rag engine, or Hollander, carrying about 150 pounds of rags ; two or three potash kettles set in a brick arch, for boil- ing the rags and preparing the sizing ; one vat for making the paper, sheet by sheet ; and a rude standing press to squeeze the water out of the pack, as the pile of alternate felts and wet sheets was called. After pressing the sheets were taken from the pack and hung on poles to dry, and, if intended for writing purposes, were afterward dipped in sizing, a few sheets at a time, and dried again. There was no steam used in any part of this process ; no chlorine for bleaching; no calendering, the substitute for the latter being pressing between boards.

Such a mill costing from $3,000 to $5,000 would employ four or five men and as many women, and was capable of turning out 150 pounds of paper per day ; but there was little of the pushing that to-day crowds every ma- chine to its utmost capacity. Rags were scarce, the demand for paper limited, and the men had an uncomfortable habit of going on prolonged drunken sprees, when all work must come to a stop. Caswell called the mill " The Pioneer Mill." William Thornton and Gardner White were interested with him in building it.

It continued to make paper till 1833, when Knowlton & Rice, who had bought the mill in 1824, sold the lot and moved the building to their new premises, a few rods further up stream. The old building, as removed, still stands on Factory street, in front of Knowlton Brothers' mill, and is used by them for a storehouse. Caswell's family remained in Oneida County till 1814, when he bought a farm on State street, know later as the Emerson prop- erty, and removed them to Watertown. In 1819 he built his second mill on Factory Square, between N. Wiley's machine shop and Fairbanks's tan- nery, a part of the property now owned by the H. H. Babcock Co. This mill was soon sold to his brother, Henry Caswell, and brother in law, Erastus Loomis, and in 1824 was bought by Knowlton & Rice, who co: tinued to use

137

MANUFACTURES.

it till February 7, 1833, when it was burned with Fairbanks's tannery and sev- eral other buildings.

In 1823 Caswell, in company with Ralph Clapp and William K. Asherd, built his third mill on Sewall's Island, occupying part of the premises now owned by the Bagley & Sewall Co. This mill was torn down about 1830. Gurdon Caswell removed to Clayton, Jefferson County, in 1832, and died there in 1862, aged 78 years.

In 1824 George W. Knowlton and Clark Rice, then living at Brattleboro, Vt., bought of Joseph Fessenden, of Brattleboro, the first two mills built by Caswell for $7,000. For the next 30 years, till 1854, Knowlton & Rice were, with unimportant exceptions, the only paper manufacturers in Jefferson County. In 1833 they abandoned both the old mills, and built on the site now occupied by the easterly half of Knowlton Brothers' mill a new mill, with two rag engines and the first machinery for making a continuous sheet of paper (36-inch cylinder). At first the wet web of paper was wound on a reel, cut open with a knife, and dried on poles as before ; but copper dryers, calenders, and a cutter were added, and the mill ran successfully until 1848, when it was burned on March 21, in a great fire which swept several manu- factories from the south shore of Black River, opposite Beebee's Island. It was immediately replaced by a brick mill having three rag engines and im- proved machinery. The capacity of this mill was 600 pounds to 700 pounds per day. This mill continued to run till 1869, when it was practically rebuilt by Knowlton Brothers and equipped with modern machinery.

In 1854 Knowlton & Rice retired from active business and sold the mill to Brown & Chamberlin, of Dalton, Mass., though either Mr. Knowlton or Mr. Rice retained an interest in the business most of the time till 1861, when · Mr. Knowlton's sons, John C. and George W., Jr., bought the mill, and un- der the name of Knowlton Brothers still continue the business, having added adjacent premises and additional buildings as their business increased.

Up to 1854 most paper-mills had made a great variety of papers, partly to use up all kinds of stock collected and partly to supply the local demand for different kinds of paper. Wrapping paper, news paper, paper for school books and blank books, ruled foolscap, and letter papers were all turned out of the same mill with the same machinery, the main difference being in the quality of the rags used, for all the stock was rags in those days. But after the completion of railroads, and the greatly increased facilities for the ex- change of goods with remoter parts of the country, it was found to be more economical for each mill to have its specialty and confine itself to one line of goods. Thus the Brown & Chamberlin mill-subsequently operated by Chamberlin. Farwell & Co. and Knowlton Brothers-was about this time devoted entirely to the making of writing papers, and so continued till 1873, when its product was changed to colored papers.

In 1854 I. Remington & Sons, then operating a mill at Fayetteville, N. Y., eased the long-idle Juhelville cotton-mill from P. O'Dougherty, and fitted

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JEFFERSON COUNTY.

it up for papermaking, with four rag engines and an 84-inch Fourdrinier machine. The mill was run entirely on news paper. It had a capacity of one ton per day and was, in those days, considered a large mill. The firm was composed of Illustrious Remington and his two sons, Hiram and Al- fred D. A. D. Remington removed to Watertown, and to his energy, busi- ness ability, and mechanical skill much of the development of the paper- making industry in this section is due. In 1863 he became sole proprietor of the mill, and in 1865 organized the Remington Paper Co., now operating one of the most extensive plants in the country. On the expiration of the O'Dougherty lease, in 1867, the mill was removed to Sewall's Island, and in 1869 the first wood pulp machinery was introduced. From that time there has been an almost constant increase of facilities and capacity until now the Remington Paper Co. operates two large paper mills, three wood pulp-mills, and one sulphite fibre-mill, the daily output of paper being 30 tons, all made from spruce logs on its own premises, no rags or other fibre being used.

In 1862 the mill now owned by the Watertown Paper Co. was built by A. D. Remington, at the island end of the upper dam, crossing the south channel at Sewall's Island. This mill was for many years operated by Hiram Remington and Charles R. Remington, a third son of I. Remington. Since 1881 it has been owned by H. Remington & Son.

The mill now owned by the Taggart Bros. Co., on the lower dam in Wa- tertown, was formerly a distillery and flouring-mill, built by William H. Angel. The buildings were purchased by West, Palmer & Taggart in 1866, and paper machinery put in the western part of the buildings. Subsequently all the buildings were utilized for papermaking, part of the product being paper made from manilla rope, which is made into flour sacks on the prem- ises. B. B. Taggart and W. W. Taggart have been identified with this en- terprise from the first, and are now largely interested in the Taggarts Paper Co., owning a fine new mill at Felt's Mills.

Charles R. Remington sold his interest in the Watertown Paper Co's mill in 1881, and in company with his son Charles H. built a mill three miles below Watertown, at Wood's Falls. This mill has a magnificent power, 3.000 to 4,000 h. p., and is equalled only by the Ontario Paper Co's power just below it. C. R. Remington & Son use most of this power in their ex- tensive wood pulp mills.

After the completion of the Sackets Harbor Canal a hand mill was built there about 1836, by Elisha Camp, and was burned on May 23, 1838.

The Great Bend Paper Co's mill, built by George Clark in 1868, was at first intended for a straw board-mill, but machinery was soon put in for making hanging paper. After Mr. Clark's death (1887) the mill was pur- chased by F. A. Fletcher, of Watertown (1888), who associated with himself E. H. Thompson, also of Watertown, and made extensive additions to it, continuing to operate it under the name of Great Bend Paper Co.

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MANUFACTURES.

The manufacture of straw boards was begun in Brownville in 1880, by Haight & Lane Bros. This mill later developed into the paper-mill of the Black River Paper Co., now known as Globe Paper Co.

The development of the paper industry since 1887 has been so rapid that the details must be looked for under the accounts of the several towns. The table appended gives a full statement of all mills now in operation in the county, with the full daily capacity (not average product) of each, and dates of commencement of the business, and also date of organization of present company or firm. The 13 companies operate 14 mills, with 19 Fourdrinier and two cylinder machines, and have a daily capacity of 140 tons.

Business first es-

tablished.

Organization of

present company.

Full daily capac-

ity in pounds.

Kind of paper made.

Knowlton Brothers.

Watertown.

1808

1861

10,000

Colored News

a Remington Paper Co

1854

1865

60,000

Taggart Bros. Co ..

1866

1887

12,000

News and Manilla

Watertown Paper Co.

1862

1864

26,000

News

b C. R. Remington & Son.

1882

18,000

News

& Ontario Paper Co ..

1888

40,000

News

Taggarts Paper Co.

1889

36,000

News

Globe Paper Co

Brownville.

1880

1889

14,000

Manilla

Outterson Paper Co.

1887

8,000

News and Colored

Brownville Box and Paper Co.

1888

8,000

News

Frontenac Paper Co ..

Dexter.

1889

1887

20,000

News, etc.

St. Lawrence Paper Co

1889

20,000

News

Great Bend Paper Co.

Great Bend.

1868

1888

8,000

Hanging

280,000

a Two mills.

b Mill in town of Brownville.

c Mill at Felt's Mills.

Wood pulp .- When the Voëlter process for grinding wood for paper pulp was introduced into this country it was at once adopted by the Remington Paper Co., who started their first wood pulp-mill in 1869.

Owing to our abundant water-power, and our proximity to forests of suit- able timber, there has been, in recent years, a rapid increase in the produc- tion of this pulp, which is now essential for the making of news paper.

The table below gives the names of the mills now in operation. Most of these, it will be seen, belong to the papermakers, and produce pulp for their own consumption. A limited part of the product is shipped to mills out of the county. The date given is either organization of the company, or, in case of some of the older mills, the date when they began to make wood pulp.

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JEFFERSON COUNTY.

a Remington Paper Co .

Watertown.

1869

50,000

b C. R. Remington & Son.

1882

24.000

c H. Remington & Son Pulp and Paper Co

1887

12.000

Taggart Bros. Co ..

1872

6,000

Knowlton Brothers

1884

3,000

b Ontario Paper Co.

1889

24.000

d Taggarts Paper Co. Outterson Paper Co.

Brownville.

1887

6,000

Globe Paper Co.

1888

4,000

Brownville Box and Paper Co.

Dexter.

1888

10,000

Leonard, Gilmore & Co.

1888

5,000

Everitt, Jones & Hunter

1888

5,000

H. Spicer & Sons

Carthage.

1888

5.000

M. R. Diefendorf.

1888

5,000

Great Bend Paper Co

Great Bend.

1888

6,000

Black River Wood Pulp Co.

Black River.

1888

6,000

Empire Wood Pulp Co.

1888

9,000

Jefferson Paper Co

1887

24,000

234,000

a Three mills-the largest one in town of Pamelia, below county house.

b Mills in town of Brownville.

c Milis at Black River.

d Mills at Felt's Mills.

Sulphite fibre. - Two large mills for the production of this new and im- portant addition to our resources for paper stock have recently been com- pleted. This fibre, made from wood, is much more costly than the ground wood pulp, but in strength and color can be made to equal the best rag stock, and is used by all the mills to take the place of rags.

Dexter Sulphite Pulp and Paper Co., Dexter, 1888, daily capacity, 20 tons ; Remington Paper Co., Watertown, 1889, daily capacity, 15 tons.

WAR OF 1812.

For 30 years after the independence of the colonies was acknowledged by the mother country peace brooded over all the land, and the free American states had rapidly advanced in prosperity. The troubles which preceded the declaration of war in 1812 are familiar to all. England, seeming to forget that her American offspring had arrived at maturity and was able to protect its own institutions, and looking upon herself as mistress of the ocean, dur- ing her wars with Napoleon, utterly disregarded the rights of the United States as a neutral nation. Her cruisers would stop and search American vessels and seize such able-bodied seamen as were needed, on the pretext that they were British subjects. An American frigate, not in condition to resist, having been subjected to this indignity almost within sight of an American port, after receiving several broadsides for denying the right of such search, the President issued a proclamation ordering all British ships of war to quit the waters of the United States. Congress also laid an embargo on Americar ve- els, detaining them at home, but afterwards substituted a non-intercourse act, prohibiting trade with Great Britain. Notwithstanding all this, England persisted in her offensive course. All hopes of obtaining

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Geographical gazetteer of Jefferson county, N.Y. 1684-1890, Part 16

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836- [from old catalog] comp; Horton, William H., [from old catalog] ed Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., The Syracuse journal company, printers and binders Number of Pages: 1384

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836- [from old catalog] comp; Horton, William H., [from old catalog] ed
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., The Syracuse journal company, printers and binders
Number of Pages: 1384