Geographical gazetteer of Jefferson county, N.Y. 1684-1890, Part 49

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 49

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).

"The next morning the sun came up clear and bright, and I called a council. I told the men how much damage it would be to me to return, how great a loss not to proceed, and asked them if they were willing to come on. David Starr replied that he would go to h-1 if I would. Though no way desirons of going to the latter place, even in good company, I determined to come on, if such a thing were possible, without a compass or guide. We then set ourselves to work, and felled trees, with which we made an enclosure, into which we drove our cattle, and then shoved them down the precipice, one after another; they went up slantingly on the other side, and much better than we got them down, so that finally they were all safely over, after mueh toil and trouble. 1 then agreed to pilot the company down, took off the ox-bell and car- ried it in my hand, leading the way, and steered a north course by the sun and watch. We had the advantage of a bright sunshine. We had to cross a number of gulfs and one windfall, which was the worst of all. We continued to travel upon the summit of the hill, where we found much fine table-land. The cattle would travel as fast as I could lead the way. One man drove them, and another followed, axe in hand, to mark the trees, and leave traces behind us, so that if we could not advance we could retrace our steps.

" We descended the hill before reaching Deer River. The latter we struck and crossed above the falls, -not far from where the village of Copenhagen now stands, -and, coming on, we succeeded in finding the town line, which was identified by marked trees. * * *

We then changed our course, following the line to the Black River, at Long Falls, where we ar- rived before night. We there found Mr. Wright and his men. They had not arrived more than an hour before us. When seeing us Mr. Wright exclaimed, 'How, in the name of God, have you got here ?' I replied, 'You scoundrel ! You ought to be burnt for leaving us so !' It was a most rascally piece of business, their leaving us as they did. But I suppose the truth was, they thought it impossible for us ever to get through with our cattle. * * *

" My boat, which I had dispatched from High Falls, soon after arrived with my provisions,

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yokes, chains, cooking utensils, &c., &c. The next day we left one to watch our effects, while the others were searching for a desirable location. In a fewdays I selected the farm upon which I now live. principally for the reason that it was the center of the township, rather than for any peculiar advantages it possessed over other portions of the town. * * * Not one tree had been ent here for the purpose of making a settlement, nor was there a white man settled in what is now the county of Jefferson, when I came here. I was the first white settler in the county. I remained here through the summer, and until October, engaged in making a clear- ing. We then returned to Steuben, where my family was, to spend the winter.

" During the summer some families had come into Lowville, and Mr. Storrs had caused a road to be marked from there to the Long Falls, and by that we returned, driving our cattle home again. ** * * I found a living spring of pure water, a few rods before where the public house in this place now stands, which had its influence in deciding my location. Near it I built my first house, and there I kept . bachelor's hall ' two summers, being myself ' chief cook.' My first habitation was a cabin, erected in a few hours' time, with the aid of my men. It was a rude structure, but served our purpose. * * *

"Early in the spring. 1799, I sent on two men to make sugar, before I came on myself. They commenced making sugar, and one day went out hunting, leaving their sugar boiling. The consequence was, the house took fire and burned down, with all of the little it contained. During the winter the Indians had stolen all the cooking utensils I had left, and the potatoes which I had raised and buried the autumn before. I came on soon after. This spring Esquire Mix and family came on; John and Thomas Ward, Ephraim Chamberlain, Samuel and David Starr, Jotham Mitchell, Salmon Ward, Bela Hubbard. David Miller, and Boutin, a French- man, came to Carthage. The above were all young unmarried men, save Mix. We continued our labors through the summer of 1799. but not with that spirit which we should have done, had not a rumor reached us of the failure of Mr. Storrs, and the probability that we should lose, not only all our labor, but the money which I had advanced for my land. But I will not enter into particulars here-let it suffice that I could not afford to lose all I had done and paid, and consequently entered into a compromise with him to save a moity of what was justly mine -of not only what I had actually paid for, but of what I was to have had, for leading the way in this first settlement of a new country, and subjecting myself again to all its discomforts and inconveniences. Consequently, in view of making this my permanent home, I moved my family here in the autumn of 1799. We had a very unfavorable time to come. There had been a snow-storm in which about six inches of snow had fallen. We were obliged to travel on horseback, the horses' feet balled badly: we had sloughs to go through, and altogether it was very uncomfortable traveling in that manner, with children. We arrived at Mr. Hoadley's the first night, and our ox-teams and goods the next day. From there we came to the High Falls, where I had a boat awaiting us, which I had caused to be built for my own use. Here we em- barked with all our goods and chattels, of all kinds, loading the boat to its utmost capacity. so that when all were in it was only about four inches out of water. We spent one night at the Lowville landing, where a family were living. * *

" We arrived at the Long Falls abont noon the second day from our embarkation. The weather had by this time become warm and pleasant. Our oxen arrived soon after by land, we unloaded our boat, put our wagon together, loaded it with some of our effects, set off, and before night reached our "wilderness home." My wife said, in view of the difficulties in getting here, that, if she had anything as good as a cave to live in, she would not return in one year at least. She, of choice, walked from the Falls here, a distance of four miles through the forest. We arrived on the 17th of November, 1799. The weather continned pleasant until the 27th, when it commenced snowing. I kept 15 head of cattle through the winter by browsing them, and they wintered well. Isolated though we were, yet I never passed a more comfortable winter. We had a plenty of provisions; my wheat I had raised here, a very fine crop from seed sown in the autumn of 1798, and my pork, &c., was fatted in Oneida County, and brought here by boat. And, take it altogether, I perhaps settled this country as easy as any one ever settled a new country.' In the spring of 1800 people began to flock into the country by hundreds, and, as my log house afforded the only accommodation for wayfaring men,* we were obliged

"* It is not understood that Mr. Hubbard intended to convey the idea that his house was then the only accommodation in the town, but the only one where Champion village now is. At this time Mr. Mix kept a tavern at Long Falls, on the west side of the river, and Mr. Boutin on the east side, in Wilna. - EDITOR.

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to keep them, whether we would or no. This rush continued two or three years, and was full of incident and interest. * The town settled rapidly, with an intelligent and energetic class of people. Perhaps there was never a more intelligent and interesting people congregated together in an obscure little inland town, than in this within a few years from its first settlement. * *

* We were once honored by having in our midst such men as Egbert Ten Eyck, afterwards first judge of the court, who was then a young lawyer, and married here to one of our beautiful maidens; Olney Pearce and wife, Hubbel and wife, Judge Moss Kent; Henry R. Storrs, who opened an office here, and afterwards became one of the most distinguished lawyers of the state; Dr. Baudry, a Frenchman; Drs. Durkee and Farlie. and many others, too numerous to mention, as well as many ladies of grace and beauty, whom it would be invidious now to particularize. Religious meetings were held on the Sabbath, after old Deacon Carter came into the town, and in very few years, I think as early as 1805, the Rev Nathaniel Dutton came. He was sent out by some missionary society in the East, to form churches in this western world, and coming to this place was invited to remain, which he did, and continued here until the close of his valuable life, in September, 1852, and for the greater part of that time was the pastor of the Congregational Church, which flourished under his ministrations and enjoyed many powerful revivals of religion.

" A house was built at a very early day, on the hill west of the village, which combined the double purpose of a church and school-house. It was an expensive house for the times and community. In a few years it was burned to the ground. The next school-house was also a large one, located across the gulf, on the road to the Great Bend. This was also used as a meeting-house. " Yours, &c., NOADIANI HUBBARD."

The following interesting local history was written many years ago by James Mix, son of the pioneer Joel, and is taken from a diary now in the possession of one of his descendants. It contains many interesting incidents pertaining to the early settlers at West Carthage :-

"In 1798 Joel Mix, from Connecticut, came to the High Falls and assisted in surveying there. He came down Black River, explored Champion, and returned to Connecticut in the fall. Encouraged by General Henry Cham- pion and Colonel Lemuel Storrs, who then owned the land in Champion, in the winter of 1799 he moved to High Falls. Nathaniel Merriam moved him. He then had four children. He left the children with Hannah Merriam, his wife's sister, and with his wife came down the river (then the only highway) with a 'one-horse pung,' to West Long Falls, where Daniel and David Miller, two young men who came with him from Connecticut as workmen, and Auer Terrel had been building a shanty on the bank of the river. On the 13th day of April he went up the river on the ice to High Falls, 42 miles, on foot, stayed the 14th, and on the 15th the ice in the river was broken up, and on the 16th he set out for the Long Falls with a scow loaded with some of his household goods, with his wife's sister, Hannah Merriam, and his four chil- dren, Sylvester, James, Electa, and Sally, and two hired men. They set out in the morning behind the ice (there was no dam, but rapid falls). As night was coming on the scow went more rapidly than they were aware of, and they soon found the scow changing ends and being drawn rapidly in towards the falls. The two hired men were so terrified that their strength deserted them and they were of no use to help manage the boat. But Joel Mix was not the one to shrink from duty in the hour of danger, and while the boat

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was darting rapidly down toward the foaming falls he caught the chain of the boat in one hand, and as the boat swung around he saw the top of a tree which hung over the river some feet from the boat. With a great effort he sprang from the boat and caught with one hand the limb of the tree, and with the other held fast to the chain, his body dangling between the boat and the tree. About the same time that they saw their danger, Hannah Mer- riam called at the top of her voice for help, and was heard on the bank by Mrs. Mix, who was at the shanty, where were also Daniel and David Miller and Auer Terrel, who ran to the river, but could not assist as there was no boat on that side of the river. But they had heard the cry on the other side of the river, where one or two French families had settled, among whom was Joanna Ward and husband and Peter Belmont, and one or two others. All except Ward came speedily across the river and rescued Mr. Mix from his perilous position, where he had hung partly in the ice and water until he was nearly exhausted. They succeeded in landing the boat about nine o'clock that night, about 15 rods below Lake Creek, at the head of the falls.

" After all had safely arrived at the shanty, it being dark and the ice running in the river, those who came over to the rescue thought it not prudent to re- turn that night, and they all stayed in the shanty.

" Mr. Mix cut down the first trees on a small piece and commenced build- ing a house. The boards used in its construction, and all his provisions, were brought down the river by boat. After his house was completed he commenced the erection of a saw-mill, which was put in operation late in the fall in that year. Some few individuals came to Long Falls that summer (1799), among them being Elihu Jones, Samuel Starr, and Noadiah Hubbard, the last named of whom settled in the center of the town, had built a log cabin in 1798, where Champion village now is, and was the principal man of that settlement.

" In 1800 the settlement of the town of Champion was rapidly advancing. In 1801 Joel Mix built a grist-mill on the site of the present grist-mill, which was afterwards called the Coffeen mill. The millwright was Ethni Evans, who afterwards settled and built mills in the locality known as Evans Mills, in the town of Le Ray. Joel Mix was the principal man of business on the west side of the river, John Bossant on the east side, and Noadiah Hubbard in the center of the town. Stephen Hubbard was also a prominent man in the center of the town. He died a few years after settlement here. The first town meeting was held at Joel Mix's house in 1801.

"In 1802, the population increased rapidly. Joel Mix kept a 'settlers' house of entertainment,' a few groceries, and the most necessary farming tools, such as axes, hoes, and sickles. He also built and put in operation a distill- ery. At this time no one thought it a sin to distill and drink moderately, and no one was troubled with delirium tremens.

" The woods were alive with wild animals, and hogs were frequently killed by bears. On one occasion a bear killed a sow near the old mill, in open

A W Elson & Co.Boston

James Il lex

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day, and the settlers immediately instituted a bear hunt and soon succeeded in dispatching bruin.

" The Indians were in great numbers and were very expert in their bark canoes on the rivers. About this time two were occupying a shanty together up the river after the tribe had gone to St. Regis. They had visited the settle- ment at the falls and were seen to go up the river in a canoe. One of the Indians was subsequently found dead on a flat rock in the river near the fer- rying-place, which was afterwards known to the inhabitants as ' Indian Rock.' .(It was out of water the most part of the year before the dam was built.) Mr. Mix was justice of the peace and acted as coroner under the appoint- ment of Oneida County. He summoned a jury, and their verdict was that ' the other Indian was the cause of his death.' Mr. Mix issued a warrant which was placed in the hands of Philo Taylor, an athletic and courageous man, and he arrested the Indian. Mr. Taylor thought he could take charge of the prisoner safely during one night, but the Indian succeeded in making his escape and went to St. Regis, where he told the members of his tribe that his comrade had been murdered by the white men at Long Falls on the Black River, and was found in the river with two bullet holes through his head. At this report the Indians were greatly exasperated, and their chief, with 12 warriors, were preparing to go and massacre the settlers at the Long Falls. But a friendly Indian, who had been acquainted at the falls, and had re- ceived some special kindness. felt that he could not have it so, and went to Judge Ford, at Ford's Settlement (now Ogdensburg), and told him the de- sign of the Indians, and expressed such great anxiety that the Judge felt that he would be sure to do anything he could to prevent the crime. The Judge wrote to Mix, who had visited Ford's Settlement, and told him of the contemplated action of the Indians, and advised that they must use their best judgment. The Indian took the letter and said he would deliver it before he slept. He did so, and immediately disappeared. Mr. Mix consulted with Mr. Bossant, and they thought best to go and meet the Indians. Early the next morning they set out and met them between the Long Falls and Indian River. Most of the Indians were known to Mix and Bossant, and the In- dians recognized them. After a friendly interview they told the Indians that they were glad to see them, and wanted them to go to the Long Falls and find out all they could about one of their tribe who was found dead on a rock in the river. They came with them, a part staying with Mix and the others with Bossant. The next morning they dug up the murdered Indian and found no bullet holes in his head. Mix then told them the decision of the jury, and the chief, after the examination, said, ' White man no kill him. He kill him,' pointing to the accused Indian, who was one of the party. They bound him on the spot, promised the murderer would not live two days, and went away satisfied. By the faithfulness of one poor Indian the inhabitants of the settlement were saved from an awful death.

" Jean Baptiste Bossant owned the farm now owned by Philip Hull. He

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built a potashery on the small creek (then much larger than now) above the road opposite where the barn is now located. This was a great con- venience to the pioneers, and a source of considerable revenue to the owners.

" The land cleared, being new and out of the hard winds, yielded an abun- dance of all kinds of grain. The corn, growing where the ground had pre- viously been burnt over, needed no hoeing, and large crops were raised among. the logs where the brush had been burnt out. In one instance Johnson Tift, residing on the lower side of the farm now owned by Philip Hull, trimmed out the brush on the flat, and among the logs raised over 300 bushels of shelled corn and more pumpkins than could be disposed of. David Miller raised 16 bushels of wheat from one bushel hoed in among the logs.

" Among the first settlers was a colored family from Connecticut, Benjamin and Dolly Buck and two children, Larry and Daniel. Benjamin was a butcher, and also a very expert performer on the violin. He was often called upon to furnish the music at the merry-makings. Dolly, his wife, was an excellent nurse, and was often called to attend the sick.

" About 1806 Joel Mix sold his grist and saw-mills to David Coffeen and Wolcott Hubbel. Mr. Hubbel also opened a small general store. These mills afterwards went by the name of the "Coffeen mills."

" Henry Champion and Lemuel Storrs were the owners of the town of Champion. They offered great inducements to Joel Mix and Noadiah Hub- bard (the first two settlers) to commence the settlement of the town. Mix commenced at the Long Falls, and Hubbard at the center of the town. Both were well situated to assist in a speedy settlement. which they did. Mix built mills, a potashery, and distillery, and kept tavern. Hubbard also kept a tavern, built an ashery, and kept some necessary farming tools, groceries, etc. He made early clearings, raised stock, and soon furnished seed grain for new comers. The town settled rapidly with a very industrious, intelligent, and energetic class of pioneers.

" It is due to Messrs. Champion and Storrs to say that they did not assist nor reward these men for their sacrifice and service. They had to pay for land for their roads, lay them out and work them, pay for surveying, one dol- lar for a contract, with compound interest if not paid punctually, and if they saw fit to renew a contract an additional charge was made. If one were for- tunate enough to succeed in paying all these charges, and the principal, he then had to pay for a deed, and all the expense connected with it. To give every one their due, I have heard it said that Champion gave a piece of land for a meeting-house, and in some school districts a few feet for a school house. These proprietors came on in June every year, got all the money they could, and carried it away with them. They did nothing to assist or encourage the inhabitants, and held their land at a high price."

Among the early settlers at Great Bend was Roswell Gates and Eli Wat- son. The latter had a grist-mill, hotel, and distillery. Daniel Potter kept the

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first store here, Nathan A. Carter was the first blacksmith, and Schamel Reed made the first chairs.

In the Champion Evergreen Cemetery, near where Orson Merrill now resides, two Revolutionary soldiers lie buried, one of whom was the grand- father of Abel P. Lewis, who resides at Black River.

Mr. Mosley and Rev. Mr. Dutton were well-known men of Champion in these early days. Champion village was a place of great expectations : it aspired to be the county seat of Jefferson County. There were two stores in the village, kept by Stephen Hubbard and Judge Hubbard. Judge Hub- bard also owned a distillery, which was tended by Levi Tuttle, and the Judge was the proprietor of the first tavern.

The oldest person living in this town is Mrs. Rachel Loomis, widow of Otis Loomis, who is now 95 years of age. August 9, 1887, her 93d birthday was celebrated, and 62 children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren were her guests, as was also a brother who resides in New York. Mrs. Loomis came to this town from Ilion, Herkimer County, in 1802, with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Asa Harris, who were originally from Connecticut. [Mrs. Loomis died in the autumn of 1889.] The road on which Mr. Harris settled is the one leading from Champion to Watertown, about two miles west of the former place, where he died in 1834 and his wife in 1848.

CHURCHES.

The First Congregational Church of Champion was organized in 1801, and called its first pastor, Rev. Mr. Dutton, in 1805, who was not installed, how- ever, until 1807. In 1819 its membership numbered nearly 400. Some two or more churches have been organized from this one, and, with removals and deaths, in 1876 the membership was only about 14. After being without any stated preaching for about seven years, in 1876 an effort was made to revive the old church. The services of Rev. I. M. H. Dow were secured, who served the church for about nine Sabbaths, when sickness compelled him to leave the field. The church suffered a severe blow by the sudden loss of Mr. Dow, as there was no more regular preaching until February 11, 1877, when the services of Rev. W. T. Osmun were secured through Rev. J. C. Hol- brook, D. D. After preaching two Sabbaths the church and society gave Mr. Osmun an unanimous call to become its acting pastor, which position he held for one year, when Rev. Charles Fifield became pastor. He remained with the church five years, since which time the church has had only occa- sional services.

The First Methodist Church of Champion, located at Great Bend village, was organized in 1826 by Nathaniel Salisbury and Gardner Baker. Their first house of worship, a wooden structure, was built in 1826, about two miles from the present site. This whole territory was then called the " Black River Circuit." Nathaniel Salisbury and Gardner Baker were colleagues upon the

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circuit when the first church was built, which would seat about 300 persons. The house stood upon one of the four corners known as " Francis and Bab- cock Corners," was built of wood, plain, without steeple or belfrey-no daub of paint was ever upon it inside or out, and no cushions were ever upon its seats, except one individual one. Jesse Penfield, Isaac Puffer, F. H. Stanton, and many others were among its pastors. As churches were built at Felt's Mills and Champion village, the congregation here grew smaller, members died, and when it was decided to abandon the " old church " but few mem- bers remained. The church was dedicated at a watch-meeting held Decem- ber 31, 1826, and the last benediction was pronounced January 1, 1887, when the new year was but just dawning. The present house of worship, also a wooden structure, was built in 1887, at a cost of $2,300, about its present value. It will seat about 200 persons, and was dedicated about four months after the old church was abandoned. Wilson Pennock, a local preacher, Jason Francis, Josiah Townsend, and Elijah Francis were the first trustees of the church. About two years after the organization of the church Nathan Fran- cis was appointed class-leader, and has since served in that capacity without intermission. The present trustees are Emerson Peck, E. J. Pennock, and J. D. Pennock. The present church building is modern in style, with a tower 50 feet high, is nicely furnished and carpeted, and is heated by a furnace. It was dedicated free from debt, is in a flourishing condition, with a present membership of 54, and Henry Ernest is the present pastor. The Sunday- school has about 80 members, with Edwin Sweet, superintendent.

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Geographical gazetteer of Jefferson county, N.Y. 1684-1890, Part 49

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