Growth of a Century : as illustrated in the history of Jefferson County, New York, from 1793 to 1894, Part 109

Author: Haddock, John A. 1823-
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : Sherman
Number of Pages: 1094

USA > New York > Jefferson County > Growth of a Century : as illustrated in the history of Jefferson County, New York, from 1793 to 1894 > Part 109

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The present officers of the town of Cham pion are as follows : Supervisor, Charles A. Beyer ; town clerk, L. E. Bossuot ; justices of the peace, O. F. Dodge, James Burhans, Edward Payne, Obed Pierce ; assessor, Em- erson Peck ; commissioner, of highways, C. A. Loomis ; overseer of the poor, O. L. Cut- ter ; collector, C. H. Clark ; constables, Orin Fletcher, F. H. McNitt, E. F. Austin, Peter Clow ; game constable, Orin Fletcher ; ex- cise commissioners, Ives B. Loomis, S. E. Rice, J. I. Locklin.

One and a half miles from the present vil- lage of Champion, towards Great Bend, is a hamlet known as the " Huddle," where mills and a distillery were erected several years before the war, but they are now only a memory.

It has been intimated that Champion had been contemplated as the probable center of a new county. A special meeting was held November 13, 1804, to choose delegates to discuss this measure, and Egbert TenEyck, Olney Pearce and John Durkee were chosen by ballot for this purpose. At the same meeting the two latter were recommended for appointment as justices of the peace. Champion and Brownville were both com- petitors for the original county seat, but a compromise was finally made on Watertown.

During the year 1812 the town was visited by a fever, which baffled the skill of the phy- sicians, and proved fatal in nearly every case.

We have stated that the town was owned at the time of settlement by Henry Cham- pion, of Colchester, and Lemuel Storrs, of Middletown, Connecticut. On May 12, 1813, an instrument was executed between them, by which the latter conveyed, for $18,300, his half of the sums due for lands in this town and Houndsfield, but this conveyance not being delivered during the life-time of Storrs, was subsequently confirmed by his heirs.

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THE GROWTH OF A CENTURY

THE VILLAGE OF CHAMPION

Is situated near the center of the town, upon the main road, at the point at which it is crossed by the Great Bend and Copenhagen road. It has about 200 inhabitants, three churches, Methodist, Episcopal and Congre- gational, a hotel, one store, in which is the postoffice, a blacksmith shop, a school-house and cheese factory.

THE CHURCHES OF CHAMPION.

THE Methodists first organized a legal soci- ety December 30th, 1825, with M. Andrews, Wilson Pennock, Jason Francis, Elijah Fran- cis and Josiah Townsend, trustees. A sec- ond society was formed April 11, 1827, and a church was built two miles from Great Bend. The present church at Champion was dedi- cated in 1853, by Rev. Moses Lyon, Jesse Penfield, pastor. The present pastor is Fay- ette G. Severance. The edifice was thor- oughly repaired in 1893, during the pastor- ate of Rev. Henry Ernst, at a cost of $1,300. Present membership is 140. The church at Great Bend was built by Rev. C. E. Beebee, pastor. Both churches are neat and comfort- able and the societies in a flourishing condi- tion. Total membership 200. There are 150 members in the Sunday schools. The Ep- worth League at Champion has 70 members, and a Y. P. S. C. E. at Great Bend, has 60 members.

The first religious organization in the county is believed to have been formed in June, 1801, by the Rev. Mr. Bascomb, who was sent out on a missionary tour by the Ladies' Charitable Society of Connecticut, and on that date formed a Congregational church. The numbers that first composed it were small, and only occasional preaching was enjoyed until 1807, when the Rev. Na- thaniel Dutton was ordained. Mr. Dutton maintained for over 40 years the pastoral re- lation with the church, and became in a great degree identified with the religious move- ments, not only of the town but county, and was instrumental in effecting numerous church organizations in this section. The first trustees were Jonathan Carter, Abel Crandell, Joel Mix, Noadiah Hubbard, Joseph Paddock and John Canfield. The church has no pastor at the present time, and does not maintain regular service. The pres- ent trustees are L. W. Babcock, Fred Carter and J. Austin Hubbard.

ST. JOHN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH, of Cham- pion, was organized by Rev. Jedediah Wins- low about 1868, with 15 members in the parish. The present church was built in 1888. Regular services are held by Rev. C. T. Raynor, rector, membership 25. The present officers are : O. W. Pierce, senior warden; Elwyn Hill, junior warden; Edwin Hubbard, Nelson Bellinger, Orin Fletcher, Allen Russell, Eugene Phillips and Augustus Babcock, vestrymen.

SCHOOL DISTRICT No. 1, of the town of Champion, is said to be the oldest in the town and in the county. It has at the pres-

ent time 20 pupils on the roll and has gradu- ated eight teachers during the past six years. The teacher is Edward Mitchell. Miss Par- nell Hubbard, of Watertown, in 1893, deeded three acres of land in trust for the town of Champion to Merritt Smith, the sole trustee of the district. This property had been form- erly given by General Champion to Noadiah Hubbard, the first supervisor of the town, for a church site, and the General promised a bell for the privilege of having his name in- scribed upon the same. It is said that 80 Mexican dollars were added in the metal to improve the sound. The church (Congrega- tional) which was dedicated December 25, 1816, was afterward taken down, being in a very bleak locality, and moved to the valley and the site abandoned for church purposes. It is intended at some future time to erect a new school house where the church stood.

GREAT BEND.

This village is situated mostly upon the south side of Black river, at the base of the peninsula formed by the Great Bend, and at the point where the Chasnais line crossed the river. Among the first settlers in this portion of the town were a large number of Martins, who come from the east, and located upon the road leading from Great Bend to Carthage, since known as Martin street ; prominent among them were Enos, Mason, Timothy, Samuel, Harry and Captain. James Colwell and Samuel Fulton located near the village about 1805.

The first white child born in this portion of the town was the wife of Elisha Barr. A bridge was built as early as 1804, but was swept away by the spring flood of 1807, which was very general in this section, and of extraordinary height. It was soon rebuilt.

In 1840 a substantial covered bridge at this place was burned, and a few weeks after an act was passed authorizing a loan of $2,500 to the town of Champion, $750 to Le- Ray, $2,000 to Wilna and $750 to Pamelia, for building bridges over Black river, among which were those at this place and Carthage. These loans were to be paid by a tax, in eight equal annual installments.

The first mill at Great Bend was built by a Mr. Tubbs, who also constructed a dam across the river in 1807 for Olney Pearce and Egbert TenEyck, who had purchased a pine lot of 100 acres in the vicinity. Henry G. Gardner subsequently became interested in the improvements, and in 1807 the mill which had been destroyed in the flood of that year, was rebuilt. In 1809 a distillery was put in operation, and in 1816 the premises were sold to Watson & Gates, who, in 1824, conveyed them to Charles E. Drake. A destructive fire occurred at Great Bend, March 5, 1840, by which all of the business portion of the vil- lage was destroyed, including the grist-mill and bridge. The loss was estimated at $20,000. The mill was immediately rebuilt on an ex- tensive scale.

509

CHAMPION.

During the high water in the spring of 1862 a crowd had collected upon the bridge, attracted by the unusual height of the river. While they were watching the flood wood and timber that were being carried over the dam, an old, deserted mill, standing a short distance above the bridge, was sud- denly loosened from its foundation and car- ried with such violence against the bridge as to sweep it from its position. The greater number of those upon the bridge succeeded in reaching the shore in time to avert the ac- cident. A son of Mr. Fox, the miller, with Charlie Lewis, a companion, were not so ·fortunate. Young Lewis was carried down the river for several miles, but finally suc- ceeded in reaching the shore. The Fox boy was not secn after the accident until his body was found, several weeks later, upon the bank of the river.

THE BAPTIST CHURCH at Great Bend was formed October 16, 1826, with Moses C. Merrill, Elisha Jones, Thomas Campbell, Elisha Bentley, Moses Miller, Sidney Hast- ings and James Thompson, trustees, but had no church edifice until a house of worship was erected in 1842, by the Society in North Rutland, who rebuilt at Great Bend, and formed in January of that year a society, with Cicero Potter, Miner C. Merrill, Thomas P. Francis, Daniel Potter and Henry G. Pot- ter, trustees. The church was completed and dedicated in December, 1843, at a cost of $1,400.

The society has no pastor, and maintains no regular services, but the pulpit has been supplied by theological students. The last preaching was in September, 1894, by A. C. Watkins. The present trustees are Ira Pad- dock, Leander Muzzey, Wallace Olds, D. N. Locklin, C. Speidell. O. F. Dodge, clerk. The membership is about 50.

TRINITY CHAPEL, at Great Bend, was built in 1875, through the instrumentality of Mrs. M. B. S. Clark, assisted by her friends, acting under Rev. L. R. Brewer, now Bishop of Montana. She was made deaconess of the same and had charge of the Sunday school. They have no regular rector, but during the summer months are supplied by students, and in winter by Rev. W. H. Bown, of Water- town. Mrs. Clark was a daughter of the great iron-master, James Sterling, and sister of the celebrated singer, Antoinette Ster- ling.

SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 9 at Great Bend, has about 40 scholars. The school building was erected by Wesley Briggs, about 20 years ago, and is worth $800. Miss Joanna F. Austin, of Carthage, teacher, and F. X. Zapf, sole trustee.

The principal business at Great Bend is as follows :

The Freeman Housc, Frceman Brothers, proprietors, in which is the telephone office.

The custon grist-mill, saw-mill, wood- working mill and shingle manufactory, owned by Chauncey H. Clark and conducted by Sisson Brothers.

Frank D. Bigarel's general store, James Read, manager.

H. H. Clark's general store, in which is the postoffice, Enos E. Briggs, postmaster.

George Speidell's cigar manufactory.

The O. K. cheese factory, owned by S. H. Sieber, built in 1889, by E. H. Olmstead and F. A. Knapp, from whom it took its name.

Two blacksmith shops.

Office of American Express Company, A. L. Graves, agent. He is also station agent and telegraph operator.

The Great Bend Paper and Pulp Company was incorporated in February. 1868, with George W. Clark, president; James Sterling, secretary ; Herman Burr and Lewis H. Mills, stockholders. Their establishment was situ- ated on the south bank of Black River, at Great Bend, on its present site in the four story stone building erected by the late Charles E. Clark in 1845, and used for a grist- mill. In 1868, George W. Clark made an extensive two-story addition in the rear. After the lapse of five years, Messrs. Clark & Mills purchased Mr. Burr's interest and manu- factured brown hanging paper, substituting rags for straw, which had previously been used almost exclusively. Mr. Clark died in April, 1887, and Mr. Mills conducted the business until 1888, when the mill was sold to F. A. Fletcher, of Watertown. Its present owners are: F. A. Fletcher, president; F. X. Zapf, secretary, and E. H. Thompson. They manufacture wall hanging-paper, using all their own mechanical pulp and procuring some chemical pulp from Watertown. The output is about six tons in 24 hours, employ- ing 22 hands. It is the principal industry of the place.

WEST CARTHAGE VILLAGE.

WEST CARTHAGE, in the town of Cham- pion, was incorporated March 18, 1889. The first officers were : President, M. P. Mason ; trustees, Philip Hull, S. G. Van Pelt and L. W. Babcock ; W. B. Van Allen, clerk. The present officers are : President, Dr. G. D. Hewitt ; trustees, John Gillett, Philip Hull, J. H. Burhans ; F. P. Phillips, clerk.

From West Carthage a view is obtained which clearly demonstrates how very near is that grand forest known as the Western Adi- rondacks. Plainly along the eastern horizon the blue hills bound the view, while in the nearer distance may be scen the rising promi- nences which indicate the mountainous char- acter of that locality, and right at the feet of the beholder rolls the noble river whose rush- ing waters give life and activity to so many water wheels, and make more easy the con- stant struggle of life.

In 1804, David Coffeen removed from Rut- land to the west side of the river, opposite Carthage, and in 1806 built a mill on that side of the river, which was the first hy- draulic improvement at that place. Finding the supply of water in the channel in- sufficient, he constructed a wing-dam partly

510

THE GROWTH OF A CENTURY.

across the river, which was completed by LeRay, upon his commencing his iron-works at Carthage.

IN 1834, Joseph C. Budd, William Bones, and Benjamin Bentley erected a blast-furnace in Champion, west of the river, opposite the village of Carthage, which was 26 feet square at the base and 32 feet high. It was run but four blasts, the first two on bog ore alone, when it was abandoned in 1836. About one thousand tons of iron were made at this fur- nace with the cold blast. No castings were made here. The parties owning it had, in February, 1833, purchased of A. Champion about three hundred and twenty acres, op- posite Carthage, which were surveyed into a village plat and sold to parties in New York, who caused a new survey and a map to be made by Nelson J. Beach. The speculation failed, and the property reverted to Cham- pion, who sold it to V. Le Ray.

What is known as the "Cadwell house," in West Carthage, is undoubtedly the oldest dwelling in that vicinity. It is now owned by Mrs. John Kellogg, and is certainly over 75 years old.

Henry D. Cadwell, for whom the house is named, had an extensive dry-goods store in West Carthage, over 40 years ago, receiving lucrative patronage. He sold out after a while, and is believed to have spent the last days of his life in Watertown.

The lot for the West Carthage school was purchased in April, 1857, and the school- house built the same year. In 1869 it was rebuilt and made into three departments. The principal is Professor George W. Miller, assisted by Miss J. Carrie Lamb and Miss Adele E. Bossuot. There are 158 scholars. Mr. James W. Burhans is the trustee, and Mr. L. E. Bossuot, the clerk.

The West Carthage Cemetery Association was formed April 20, 1893, with the follow- ing officers : President, E. T. Buck ; vice- president, E. D. Rice; secretary, C. A. Beyer ; treasurer, W. B. Van Allen ; trus- tees, W. B. Van Allen, E. T. Buck, E. D. Rice, W. J. Perry, E. F. Austin, C. A. Beyer. The intention was to purchase a lot and add to the grounds, but for lack of funds, nothing definite has yet been done in that direction.

THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH of West Carthage, was organized in Carthage by Rev. N. Dutton, the first pastor, March 31, 1835, with 12 members, and was called the First Congregational Church of Car- thage. Services were held in the stone school-house, on School street. The church was afterward divided, some of the members forming the present First Presbyterian Church of Carthage, and the people of West Carthage forming themselves into a Congre- gational Society. In 1852 a house of worship was erected, at a cost of $2,000. In October, 1893, ground was broken for a needed ad- dition, which was completed, and the church re-dedicated January 10, 1894. This increased the property by $2,100, and the whole is val-

ued at $5,000. The exterior is much im- proved, and the interior much more conven- ient for the accommodation of the increasing congregation. Under the guidance of the present pastor, Rev. Jessie B. Felt, the society has been increased by 30 members during the past year. The present member- ship is 120 ; number in Sunday school, 150 ; teachers and officers, 18. Superintendent of Sunday School, Seward W. Merrell ; assist- ant superintendent, Sedate Knowles. The present trustees are John Rogers, Byron Bedelle, Philip Hull, Sylvester Graves and L. W. Babcock; W. I. Thompson, clerk. The society has a Senior and Junior Christian Endeavor Society and Ladies' Aid and Mis- sionary Society.

THE FREE METHODIST CHURCH of West Carthage was organized June 6, 1894, by the Rev. E. N. Jinks, of Black River, and consisted of 16 members. Services are held every Sunday in the O. T. Green block, in West Carthage, by Rev. A. A. House, the pastor. The society has purchased a lot in West Carthage, opposite the public school, and are erecting a wooden structure, which will cost about $1,000. The first trustees are Charles B. Merrihew, Emuel Hastings and John J. Lyon. A Sunday school has also been organized, with 35 members.

BUSINESS OF WEST CARTHAGE.

L. E. Bossuot, general store.

C. A. Beyer, drugs and groceries.

Charles Dezotell, meat market.

J. J. Wilson, blacksmith.

N. W. Ackerman, photographer.

Mrs. Wm. Hammond, green-house.

Benjamin Archer, market gardener.

C. J. Hull, physician and surgeon.

George D. Hewitt, physician and surgeon.

C. H. Wilcox, plain and ornamental painter. Orville Cutler, undertaker.

C. Knepler, manufacturer of chairs.

Hutchinson & Clark, Carthage roller mills, wholesale and retail dealers in flour, grain and hay.

W. S. Farrar, manufacturer and dealer in shingles and lumber.

Scott M. Gibbs, manufacturer of sash, blinds, doors, moulding and stair work.

E. E. Brace, manufacturer of doors, sash and blinds. J. W. Brace, manager. Augustus Maxwell, pulp mill.

Harvey Farrar, manufacturer of pails and tubs.

Meyer & Ross, manufacturers of fine furniture.

M. P. Mason, manufacturer of map rollers and feather-duster handles.

Charles Cooley, spring-bed manufacturer. Fayette Herrick, proprietor of Star steam laundry.

Martin Howard, manufacturer of fine hosiery.

It is a pleasure to say that Champion is a temperance town, no liquor-selling being al- lowed within its limits. There was a time, 40 years ago, when tippling was very common.

511

CHAMPION.

THE HUBBARD FAMILY.

NOADIAH HUBBARD, the pioneer settler of Jefferson county, New York, was born in Middletown, Connecticut, October 11, 1765. He was the son of Noadiah Hubbard and Phoebe Fairchild, his wife, of English an- cestry ; descended from George Hubbard, born in 1616, who emigrated to this country, and in 1640 married Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Watts, of Hartford, Connecticut. In early colonial times the family settled in Middletown, and there are descendants still on the old homestead. The ancestral man- sion, which is built of brick, is still standing, a land-mark, and so substantial that it is good for a thousand years if kept covered. The predilections of Noadiah Hubbard were for the sea, but after making several voyages to the West Indies he gave it up, in compli- ance with the wishes of his mother, who had lost her first husband and eldest son when on a voyage, and therefore could not endure the thought of another so dear to her being exposed to the same perils. He spent several winters very happily in Guilford. His op- portunities for acquiring an education were limited, as were those of most young men of that period.

In May, 1791, he left the paternal roof to seek his fortune in the West. Previous to this he had been solicited by General Wads- worth to accompany his nephews to the Gene- see country and aid them in forming a settle- ment there on the large tract of land he had purchased.

After exploring the country in various di- rections, he finally settled in the town of Steuben, Oneida county, and not far from the place selected by the Baron Steuben for his residence. They were neighbors for the short time the Baron survived, and he was once called upon when the Baron was seized with apoplexy, which soon proved so fatal, (1794.)

Noadiah Hubbard paid a visit to his native place in the winter, and on January 30, 1794, he married his early love, Eunice Ward, a beautiful maiden, and transported her to his forest home. But previous to this, in 1793, he was offered a contract for the construc- tion of canal locks at Little Falls, which he accepted.

Mr. Hubbard spent several summers on his farm in Steuben, but in the autumn of 1797, Lemuel Storrs, a large landed proprietor, came there, and induced him to accompany him to what is now called the town of Champion, on a tour of exploration to the then unbroken wilderness.

Subsequently to this first visit, as an in- ducement to come to Champion and lead in the settlement of this new country. Mr. Storrs offered him 2,000 acres of land in any part of the township where he chose to lo- cate, for the sum of $1.50 an acre, and the agency of all his lands. The common market price was $3.00, and for that was sold to the

settlers. He accepted the offer, paid $500 down and selected his 2,000 acres in the center of Champion. Reserving enough for himself, he sold the remainder to various individuals. He made improvements and cleared many acres, but, before he moved his family, news came that Mr. Storrs had failed, and this led to a compromise by which he re- linquished all the contracts for the land he had sold and what remained unsold, receiv- ing a deed for 100 acres only for the $500 paid.

Mr. Hubbard continued to act as an agent of various other land-holders through a con- siderable part of his active business life, and was associated in every project for its im- provement until incapacitated by age. An officer in the War of 1812 ; appointed judge in 1813 ; many times acting as supervisor ; was deeply interested in the formation and subsequent sustentation of the Agricultural Society, the second one in this State.

He erected the first church edifice in the county of Jefferson, and at his own expense, expecting to be reimbursed by the sale of the pews ; but he never received the first cost of the same. He also erected several school- houses, and built the plank-road from Great Bend to Copenhagen-eleven miles-when 84 years old, showing his indomitable energy and perseverance. His private business was extensive and various. He was one of a mercantile firm almost from the first settle- ment of the town, and kept a store for many years in company with his sons.

In 1815 he built the stone store, which stood, until within a few years, next to the hotel. In 1820 he erected the stone house where Miss Georgie Hubbard now resides, the only direct descendant of Noadiah Hub- bard remaining in the village of Champion. She is the daughter of Henry Ward Hub- bard.

HIRAM HUBBARD, the eldest child of Noa- diah Hubbard, was born in the town of Steu- ben, Oneida county, New York, October 30, 1794. He was one of three sons whom their parents brought part of the way on horse- back to Champion in November, 1799. When still a youth, he was sent to Fairfield academy, Herkimer county. It became necessary for Noadiah Hubbard to recall his son from school, young as he was, and place him in the store to conduct the business there. This, then, was the end of Hiram's scholastic edu- cation. The firm conducted a large and suc- cessful business, and, as was customary in those early days, they ran a large distillery and ashery, in connection with the dry-goods store.

February 13. 1823, Hiram Hubbard mar- ried Charille Matilda Sherwood, eldest daugh- ter of Dr. Jonathan Sherwood, then of Champion. Hiram Hubbard died in Water- town, in 1888, aged 93, and his wife April 24, 1893, aged 90.

512

THE GROWTH OF A CENTURY.

WARD HUBBARD, son of Noadiah, was born in Oneida county in 1797, and, came with his father to Champion in 1799. He was a prominent farmer, and held several town offices. He married Clarissa S. Fish. They reared seven children.

FREDERICK W. HUBBARD was another son of Noadiah, an eminent lawyer and respected citizen. He rose to be one of the judges of the Supreme Court of the State, and a more formal notice of him will be found on p. 267. Two of the daughters of Noadiah became the wives of Hon. Robert Lansing, of whom an extended sketch may be found on page 264. Another daughter became the wife of Hon. George C. Sherman, a distinguished lawyer and a succesful man, a more extended sketch of whom will be be found on p. 265. Miss Parnell Hubbard, another daughter, is a lady of considerable literary ability, and re- sides in Watertown (1894). This has proven a very long-lived and distinguished family, Joel, Fairchild, Bela and Stephen Hubbard were brothers of Noadiah. Joel, one of the most distinguished of these, came to Cham- pion either with or soon after Noadiah. The numerous descendants of these families have been distinguished for their business ca- pacity and for the prosperity which has at- tended their efforts. Like the descendants of Noadiah, they have been noted for their longevity, which is indubitable evidence of the purity of the blood from which they -

sprang. They are a numerous progeny, and to trace out individually the several families would require the largest kind of an ances- tral tree.

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Growth of a Century : as illustrated in the history of Jefferson County, New York, from 1793 to 1894, Part 109

Author: Haddock, John A. 1823- Publication date: 1894 Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : Sherman Number of Pages: 1094

Author: Haddock, John A. 1823-
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : Sherman
Number of Pages: 1094