Geographical gazetteer of Jefferson county, N.Y. 1684-1890, Part 40

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 40

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).

About 1800 Jacob Brown brought to his new home a bride. Her maiden name was Pamelia Williams, daughter of Captain Judge Williams, of Williams- town, a lady who proved herself in every way worthy of her distinguished hus- band. During the same year Charles Welch and Otis Britton, from Remsen, settled here. They took a job of chopping out a road from a point on the river, at Brownville, to the ferry at Chaumont, a distance of 10 miles. They began their job in November, but before it was completed a heavy fall of snow came; their shoes were worn out. They could get no others, and were obliged to finish their work and travel to Herkimer County, a distance of more than 80 miles, in their bare feet. Before leaving, however, they assisted

287

TOWN OF BROWNVILLE.

Samuel Britton, an uncle of Otis, to put up the body of a log house. By some mishap Otis had his leg broken, and was drawn on an ox sled to Floyd, Charles preceding the team with his axe to clear the road. The following fall Charles Welch married Eunice, daughter of Moses Cole, of Newport, and they settled in this town and commenced house-keeping in the little log cabin built by the Browns and used for a smoke-house. Nathan, twin brother of Charles, came in with him, and they took up a farm in the Parish neighborhood, where a son was born to Charles and Eunice, the first white child born in the new town north of Black River, and named Charles. Charles Welch afterwards settled on Prospect hill.

The first bridge at Brownville was built by Oliver Bartholomew, at the mouth of Philomel Creek, in the summer of 1802, and the price, $1,000, was raised by subscription. This bridge was carried off by the great flood in the spring of 1806, and was rebuilt by Mr. Bartholomew and his sons in 1807, on the site of the present bridge.

The first public house in Brownville was built by Jeremiah Phelps, in 1805, on the site of the present stone hotel. The latter was built about 1820, by Henry Caswell and a Mr. Emerson, who soon afterward sold it to a company made up of William Lord, H. Lawrence, W. S. Ely, E. Kirby, I. Shields, and John E. Brown. In 1805 John Brown (afterwards Judge Brown) bought the lands on the south side of the river and built the mills there; and in 1806 the first dam was thrown across the river at that place. In 1805 Samuel Starr built a log distillery down by the brook near his house, where was made the first whisky in town. Nathaniel Peck married a daughter of Mr. Starr and was in company with him in the manufacture of whisky ; he afterwards removed the distillery to what was known as the Nathaniel Peck farm.

Alexander Moffatt, or "Conkey," as he was called, was the first settler in the vicinity of Limerick, about 1805. A Mr. Smith, Samuel Shelley, and Isaac Day were also early settlers here. Mr. Shelley once owned a mill at Limerick.

Among the early settlers in the neighborhood of Pillar Point were Horatio Sprague, Eleazar Ball, Peter and Solomon Ingalls, Mr. Sherwin, Eliphalet Peck, Isaac Luther, Mr. Burlingame, Daniel Ackerman, Jere. Carpenter, Jesse Stone, George Rounds, James Douglass, Henry Adams, Samuel Reed, Mr. Fulsom, Luther Reed, and Henry Ward. Samuel Knap bought and cleared up 150 acres of land on the road to Limerick. Jere. Phelps, David Lyttle, and Solomon Stone located at Dexter, and later Mr. Willis and Jere. Wine- gar, and still later Kendall Hursley, Joshua Eaton, Jesse Babcock, Sylvanus Pool, John T.Wood, James A. Bell, Solomon Moyer, John P. Shelley, and others.

After the erection of Jefferson County a strenuous effort was made by Mr. Brown and others to have the county buildings located here ; but a greater influence was brought to bear in favor of Watertown, and that village was se-

288

TOWN OF BROWNVILLE.

lected as the county seat, greatly to the disappointment of the settlers in Brownville.

In 1802 there were six frame and four log houses in the village of Brown- ville. In 1807 there were in the town 81 legal voters, with proper qualifications. The bounties on wolves ranged between $5 and $25 between 1806 and 1821. During the same years fox bounties were from 50 cents to $2.50. In 1806 a bounty of $10, and in 1807 of $5, was offered for panthers.

The navigation of the mouth of Black River, up as far as Brownville, was a subject of much importance in the early days. It was thought that by mak- ing the river navigable to Brownville it would be made a port of entry for the commerce of the lakes, and a shipping port for the produce of the country. In 1810 the legislature passed an act to improve the navigation of the mouth of the river up to Brownville. With so good a harbor and port as was af- forded by the bay at Sackets Harbor the project failed. June 5, 1810, the Black River Navigation Company was formed. The object of the company was the construction of locks at the rapids in the river at Fish Island (now Dexter). In 1815 wooden locks were built of capacity sufficient to allow the passage of Durham boats. About 1828, these wooden locks having de- cayed, they were replaced by stone ones.

April 10, 1810, a post route was established from Utica, by Whitestown, Rome, Camden, Adams, and Sickets Harbor, to Brownville ; and another from Harrisburg, by Champion, Watertown, and Brownville, to Port Putnam; April 30, 1816, from Brownville to Cape Vincent; June 15, 1832, from Watertown, by Brownville and La Fargeville, to Cornelia, at the mouth of the French Creek, thence by Depauville to Brownville. April 12, 1816, an act was passed allowing Mr. Le Ray to extend the Cape Vincent turnpike road to Brownville village. By an act of April 21, 1831, this road was sur- rendered to the public. In 1817 a military road was projected to unite the two prominent stations of Plattsburgh and Sackets Harbor, which was com- menced, but only a portion completed. The western extremity from Sack- ets Harbor passes through this town to Pamelia Four Corners. After being opened by the government it passed into the hands of the town.

On the announcement of the declaration of war Brownville became the seat of much activity and excitement, from its being the headquarters of General Brown, who had the personal direction of military operations on this frontier during most of the first season. A hospital was established here, and troops were stationed in the village and vicinity at various times during that period. The greatest alarm prevailed throughout the country upon the arrival of the first tidings of war, but this soon wore away.

The inhabitants living on Perch River on receiving the news were greatly alarmed, from their supposed exposure on the frontier, and some of the timid ones resolved to leave the country. To dissuade them from this it was proposed to build a block-house, which was forthwith done by voluntary labor, but when completed only served as a storehouse for the wheat of a

289

TOWN OF BROWNVILLE.

neighbor. The apprehensions soon subsided, however, and men resumed their customary pursuits, except when occasional drafts, or general alarms, called out the militia, or the emergencies of the service required the assem- bling of teams for the transportation of the munitions of war. Prices of produce were, of course, extremely high, and from the large amount of gov- ernment money expended here the basis of many fortunes in the county were laid at that period.

Samuel Brown, the father of Jacob Brown, resided in Bucks County, Pa., on the banks of the Delaware River. He was a man of wealth, and Jacob, with an older brother, was being educated at an academy in Trenton when his father, through unfortunate speculation, sustained financial reverses, and Jacob, at the age of 16, was obliged to leave school and become the teacher of his younger brothers and sisters. He afterwards taught a large school at Crosswicks, N. J., in the meantime preparing himself for his chosen profes- sion of land surveyor. He spent a year as surveyor in the Miami country, Ohio, thus early developing those sterling qualities of energy and self-reliance that fitted him for pioneer life, as well as the arduous duties of his brilliant military career.

The Brown family was now casting about to retrieve their fortunes, and Jacob, as well as his father, had strong proclivities towards a home in Ohio, and, with that in view, had entered into some negotiations for a tract of land now the site of the city of Cincinnati. These plans were not matured, and Jacob returned to New York in 1798 and took charge of a Quaker school ; and while thus engaged formed the acquaintance of Tillier, the agent of Chassanis, and the prospect of coming into the Black River country was dis- cussed. Tillier accompanied him on a visit to his father's house, and a writ- ten agreement was entered into by which Tillier agreed to pay all the expense of a prospecting trip, whether he purchased or not. In February, 1799, hav- ing closed his school in New York, he proceeded to the French settlement at the High Falls, finding his way from Utica by marked trees. Here he remained to complete his plans, making several journeys to Utica, and return- ing with such supplies as would be needed in his projected trip.

In March he launched his boat upon the swollen waters of Black River and floated down to Long Falls (Carthage), and thence, in company with two men by the name of Chambers and Samuel Ward, and a few hired men, he took the route of the " French road," so-called, which Tillier had caused to be opened at the expense of the French company from the High Falls on Black River to Great Bend, thence nearly direct to Clayton or French Creek. Traveling this road until they thought they had gone far enough, he struck off towards the river, which he reached at the Basin, one and a half miles be- low the present village of Brownville, Here he heard the sound of a waterfall and followed the river up till he came to a point where a creek,* swollen by

* Philomel Creek, so named by Mr. Brown from hearing the song of a bird resembling the nightingale, or philomela, among the trees that skirted its banks.

19*

290

TOWN OF BROWNVILLE.

the spring freshet, poured its torrent of waters into Black River. This creek did not then run in its present channel, but at a point near the present rail- road bridge it made an angle, and found a channel down through Scrabble Hollow into the river. A straight channel was afterwards cut through the rocks to the river, as at the present day.

It was the intention of Jacob Brown to establish himself at the head of navigation, and believing this creek would afford water sufficient for mills and all manufacturing purposes, and the river below need but little im- provement to make it navigable for boats, he determined to locate here, and thus began the settlement of Brownville.

He first set about clearing land, and built a log cabin. In the meantime he sent for his father's family, who arrived May 27, 1799, having found their way by the tedious navigation of the Mohawk, Oneida Lake, and Lake On- tario, pitching their tent at night on the shore and resuming their way by day. When the family arrived the log house had neither roof nor floor, door or window. It was built of pine logs, and a sail cloth taken from the boat and stretched across the upper timbers served as a roof. The openings for doors and windows were closed as well as possible by quilts and blankets. In this rude domicile, 20 feet square, were gathered the 20 persons, male and female, old and young, who composed this little colony.

At this time there were not more than three families within 45 miles, and nothing like a settlement for 24 miles, all north of Black River being a dense wilderness. The Brown family at this time consisted of Samuel Brown and wife, Christopher, Jacob, John (afterwards Judge Brown), Joseph, Mary, Ben- jamin, Samuel, Hannah, William (who was drowned in Lake Erie while act- ing as aid to his brother, Major General Brown, during the War of 1812), Abi, and Joseph. With them had come George Brown, a relative, with his two sons, Henry and Thomas, aged respectively 14 and eight years. These hardy pioneers endured hardships and overcame obstacles which would now be considered almost impossible even to those enured to the hardest kind of manual labor. Do we who are now enjoying the fruits of their toil ever stop to consider how fortunate we are that we were not men and women here 100 years ago ?

Thomas Y. How, from Trenton, N. J., a graduate of Princeton College, was one of the pioneers in this town, and brought with him his patrimony of $10,000. He loaned large sums to the Browns to aid them in carrying on their enterprises. He took up 100 acres of land on Perch River flats, which Jacob Brown engaged to clear for him. Mr. How was an agreeable companion and valuable acquisition to the colony, but as a business man he was not successful.

Edmund Kirby,* son of Ephraim, was an officer in the Revolution, a member of the Order of Cincinnati, and afterwards judge of the Supreme

* From Hough's History of Jefferson County.

291

TOWN OF BROWNVILLE.

Court of Connecticut. He was born at Litchfield, Conn., April 18, 1794, and entered the army in 1812, as lieutenant, and served during the war upon the Northern and Western frontiers. From 1815 to 1820 he was stationed at Detroit, and in the latter year he joined Major-Gen. Jacob Brown at Brown- ville, as an aid de camp. From 1821 to 1823 he discharged the duties of adjutant-general at Washington, and in 1824 was appointed to the pay depart- ment, and again took post at Brownville. From 1832 to 1840 he was engaged in the Black Hawk Creek and Seminole wars, in which he was actively em- ployed, as well in the fulfillment of his duty as the exercise of humanity to the sick and wounded, for whom he voluntarily encountered many dangers. During the Mexican war he was chief of the pay department, and disbursed many millions of dollars. A volunteer aid to General Taylor at the storming of Monterey, and in like capacity to General Scott at Vera Cruz, Cerro Gordo, Contreras, Cherubusco, Chepultepec, and the Mexican capital, he was ever distinguished for courage, bravery, and devotion to his country's cause. He died at Avon Springs, N. Y., August 20, 1849, and was buried in Brownville cemetery with military honors, where a granite monument has been erected to his memory. Major Kirby married a daughter of General Brown, and subsequently purchased his family estate in the village of Brown- ·ville.

CHURCHES.

The First Presbyterian Church, located at Brownville village, was organized March 18, 1818, with eight members, and Rev. Noah M. Wells was the first pastor. Their church edifice is a wooden building, cost $2,000, and will comfortably seat 300 persons. The present value of church property is $2,000, including grounds, etc. The present membership is 56, and Rev. Alfred S. Vail is the pastor. The Sunday-school has a membership of six teachers and 60 scholars.

St. Paul's Episcopal Church at Brownville was organized October 13, 1826. The first rector was William Linn Keese ; the first wardens were Thomas Y. How and Thomas Loomis. Asa Whitney, Tracy S. Knapp, Sylvester Reed, S. Brown, William S. Ely, Peleg Burchard, Edmund Kirby, and Hoel Lawrence were the first vestrymen. We have not the data for giving its present condition and officers.

The Methodist Episcopal Church at Brownville village was organized August 3, 1829, by Joshua Heminway, H. W. Chapman, S. Knap, Isaac Meecham, Daniel Case, and William Lord, trustees, and at its organization had a membership of 20. Rev. B. Phillips was the first settled pastor. Their house of worship, a wooden structure, was built in 1831, at a cost of $2,000. It will comfortably seat 300 persons, and is now valued, including grounds and other property, at $3,000. Rev. Charles E. Beebee is the present pas- tor. The Sunday-school has a membership of nine teachers and 50 scholars.

292

TOWN OF BROWNVILLE.

The Universalist Church at Brownville village was organized in 1847, by Luther Rice, its first pastor. A church building was erected in 1847, costing about $2,000, with a seating capacity of 250. It has no present organiza- tion.

The Methodist Episcopal Church, located at Dexter village, was organized in 1847, with 50 members, and Rev. S. F. Danforth was the first pastor. Their first house of worship, a wooden structure, was built in 1874, at a cost of $2,000. It will seat 200 persons and is valued at $2,500. The present number of members is 60, under the pastoral charge of Rev. Mr. Beebee, of Brownville. The Sunday-school has six teachers and 50 scholars.

The First Presbyterian Church of Dexter, located at Dexter village, was organized July 2, 1839, at a public meeting held in a school-house, after a sermon by Rev. Marcus Smith, pastor of the Second Presbyterian Church in Watertown. At its organization it consisted of 18 members, and Rev. Dex- ter Clary was the first pastor. The house of worship, a brick structure, was built in 1849, will comfortably seat 300 persons, and is valued, including grounds, at $3,000. The society is one of the strongest in the village of Dexter, and has 63 members. There are at present no regular services. The Sunday-school has a membership of 300.

All Saints Protestant Episcopal Church, at Dexter village, was organized with 100 members by Rev. F. Rogers, the first rector, in 1839. The present house of worship, a wood structure, was built in 1839, at a cost of $2,000, about its present value. It will seat 250 persons. It has a congregation of about 400, and Rev. J. Winslow is the rector.

The First Universalist Society, located at Dexter village, was organized by T. Broadbent, J. Maynard, Solon Stone, David Baker, Eleazer Parker, and F. W. Winn, the trustees of the society, September 5, 1841, and Rev. H. L. Hayward was the first pastor. Rev. Dr. Richard Fisk, of Watertown, now holds services on alternate Sundays. Their church edifice, a wooden struc- ture, was built in 1841, at an original cost of $1,500. It was repaired and painted in 1887, and is now valued at about $2,000, It will comfortably seat about 250 persons. The Sunday-school has a membership of 10 teach- ers and 40 scholars.

The First Methodist Episcopal Church, of Pillar Point, was organized Jan- uary 9, 1836, the first trustees being Isaac Luther, John D. Ingerson, Smith Luther, Lyman Ackerman, and Stephen P. Brackett. It has been once or twice reorganized. Their house of worship will seat 250 persons and cost $2,000, about its present value. The present membership is 95, and Clem- ent E. Hoag is pastor. The Sunday-school has a membership of 25 teach- ers and 135 scholars.

The Brownville Baptist Church* (at Perch River) was organized Septem- ber 7, 1806, and at an ecclesiastical council, held at the house of John W.

* Hough's History of Jefferson County.

293

TOWN OF BROWNVILLE.

Collins, October 10, they were fellowshipped by delegates from Champion, Rutland, and Adams. It at first numbered 10 members. Elder Sardis Lit- tle was ordained over this church January 10, 1816, and preached many years. A society was legally organized April 25, 1825, at which Melvin Mof- fatt, Walter Cole, George Brown, Nathaniel Peck, and William Webb were chosen trustees. It was reorganized February 11, 1833. In 1827 they erected a stone church at a cost of $2,800. Previous to 1812 they had built a log church, and in the war enclosed it with pickets, but the defense was never completed. Here the timid ones of the settlement were accustomed, in the early days of the war, to spend the night, enhancing each other's fears by relating tales of massacre, but these apprehensions were ridiculed by the more reflective, and were soon laid aside. A Baptist church was formed on Pillar Point in 1838, and the next year reported 30 members.

A Union church building was built at Perch River in 1851, at a cost of $8co. It comfortably seats 400 persons, and is now valued, including grounds and other property, at $1,000. Elder Zimmerman was the first pastor. It is principally used by the Methodists, who have a society of 25 members un- der the pastoral charge of R. F. Whipple. The Sunday-school organization consists of six teachers and 40 scholars.

FAMILY SKETCHES.

Samuel Plumb, born in 1722, was a native of Stonington, Conn., where he died. Hle mar- ried Grace Babcock, also of Stonington. Of their children, Nathaniel Plumb was born April 4, 1760, and in 1802 emigrated to Brownville, where he remained until his death, in 1841, aged 81 years. He married Annie, daughter of Sanford and Anna ( Babcock) Langworthy, of Con- necticut, and their children were 12, of whom George C. Plumb was born in Oneida County, whence he removed to this town in 1803, where he now resides, at the advanced age of 85 years. He married, first, Betsey A. Moffitt, daughter of Melvin; and second, Mary, daughter of William and Persis (Moffitt) Robinson, with whom he is still living at Brownville village. Charles P. Plumb, son of Nathaniel, was born in Brownville, in 1811. He was married three times. His first wife was Levina S., daughter of Fleury Keith, who was at one time a men- ber of the state legislature; his second marriage was with Elmira, daughter of Joel G. Stacey; and his third with Sarah, daughter of Waters Allen, of Martinsburg. Lewis County, N. Y. He had two children, viz .: Sanford, who served in Co. I, 110th N. Y. Vols., and died at New Orleans in February, 1863, aged 23 years; and Pamelia A. (Mrs. J. P. Trapett), of San Francisco, Cal.

John Cole, a native of Montgomery County, came to Brownville in 1802, among the early settlers, and located upon a farm on road 15, near Perch River, now known as the Cole farm. In the early days the town meetings were held upon this farm. Mr. Cole died here at the age of 81 years. He married Polly Waters, and their children were Walter, Samuel, John, Betsey, Abigail, Margaret, Clarissa, and Polly. John married Elizabeth, daughter of Seth and Mary Cole, of Bennington, Vt., and they had children as follows: Mary, Eliza, Caroline, George, Jane, Edward, and Byron. The latter, born in this town, where he now resides, married Annie, daughter of Clement and Betsey (Hamilton) Hawley, of Perch River, and they had four children, viz .: Earl B., Josie M., Grace D., and John. Francis Cole, brother of John, the early settler here, served in the Revolutionary war and was made prisoner by the Indians at Fort Stanwix. when 15 years of age, and was taken to an island in the St. Lawrence River, and sold or given to a merchant in Lower Canada, where he remained many years. He finally removed to this town, and later to Watertown, where he died.

Jonathan Emerson, a native of Massachusetts, came to Brownville in 1804, among the first settlers. He married Tabitha Dunliam, also a native of Massachusetts, and they had 12 chil-

294

TOWN OF BROWNVILLE.

dren. One son, John, married, first, Mary Freeman, of Herkimer County, in 1839, and they" had three children, viz .: Angeline, Clark, and Eli. His second wife, Lizzie White, of Oswego,. bore him one son, Edgar J. He is a prosperous farmer on road 4, in this town.

Benjamin Prior, a native of Rhode Island, came to this town in 1805, and here remained until his death. He married Mrs. Julia A. Allen, of Amsterdam, N. Y., and of their seven children, John Prior married, first, Lonisa Prior, and second, Mrs. Francis Martin, daughter of John and Hannah (Welbon) Newton, of this town. Mr. Prior died January 17, 1887, aged 77 years. He was a successful farmer. His widow survives him. Oscar F. Prior married Mariah Lee, of Verona, Oneida County, daughter of Noah and Lucy (Keith) Lee, and their children were Benjamin F. and Noah L. Mrs. Prior survives her husband at the age of 68 years. Noah L. married Martha J., daughter of Nathan and Emeline (Hamblin) Clark, of Lyme, and they had three children, viz .: John N., Jesse E. (deceased), and Charles O. Mrs. Prior survives her husband, who died in 1886, aged 41 years.

Jacob Kilborn, son of John, who was a native of Litchfield, Conn., and a Revolutionary sol -. dier, came to this town in 1805, finally locating in Clayton, where he died, May 17, 1851, aged 81 years. He married Catharine Knapp, of Adams, Mass., in 1796, and she died in 1864, aged 93 years. Their children were Alfred and Alphens (twins), Joel, Chauncey, Hannah, and Lydia .. Alfred was born in Adams, Mass., September 23, 1798. He married Eliza C., daughter of Samuel and Esther (Hildreth) Cobb, of Orleans, in February, 1838, and they had one child,. Frances E., who married Charles C. Steele, of Brownville.

Josiah Bonney was born near Cape Cod, Mass., and in 1808 settled on a farm in this town .. He served at Sackets Harbor in the War of 1812, and died in Brownville in 1848, aged 61 years. He married Betsey Morse, of Vermont. Of their five children, George married Betsey, daugh- ter of William and Rhoda (Gould) Knox, of Brownville, and they had children as follows: Brayton and Amelia G. (deceased), Emma L., and Madison. Mrs. Bonney survives her hus- band at the age of 71 years. Their daughter Emma L. married Oscar C. Wilson, and resides on the homestead farm. Madison Bonney, of this town, married Ella E., danghter of Benja- min S. and Annie E. (Irwin) Horr, of Stone Mills, and their children are Florence M., Mabel I., George S., Raymond H., and Grace G. William Knox, father of Mrs. Betsey Bonney, served in the War of 1812. He was born in Tunbridge, Vt., and when 19 years of age removed to Sackets Harbor, and cut the first tree where that village now stands.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Geographical gazetteer of Jefferson county, N.Y. 1684-1890, Part 40

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