Growth of a Century : as illustrated in the history of Jefferson County, New York, from 1793 to 1894, Part 112

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 112

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Fuller " was a most genial, pleasant gentle- man, who loved a joke and had a good laugh for every one. He could be stern and fear- less in discharging the duties of an office. It is told that while he was justice of the peace in the town of Rutland, that a young lawyer of Watertown, who has since won distinction, sought to convince him by read- ing portions of the law. "Is that law?" 'Squire Fuller asked. "Yes, that is the law," was the reply. "Well, it is not common sense," and his decision was unchanged. He retained his faculties until stricken by par- alysis, from the effects of which he died, April 20, 1888, aged 92 years.

GORDON P. SPENCER, M. D.,

WAS born in Salisbury, Litchfield county, Connecticut, April 29, 1789. He was the son of Eliphaz Spencer, who, with his two brothers, Thomas and Jared, were among the first settlers of Hartford, Conn. The father of Gordon P. Spencer was a farmer by occu- pation. His mother was the daughter of Thomas and Margaret Hall, of East Had- dam, Conn. He received private instruction in early life under the supervision of Rev. Joseph Crossman and Ammi L. Robbins. He entered Williams College in 1807, and gradu- ated from that institution with honors. He then began the study of medicine with Dr. North, of Goshen, obtaining his diploma from the Medical Society of New London in 1812.

This being the time of the breaking out of hostilities between Great Britain and the United States, he obtained a commission from the Secretary of War, and was ordered to report to the colonel of the Eleventh In- fantry Regiment. He remained at his post with the regiment from that time until the close of the war.

After the army went into winter quarters, the Doctor was engaged in the hospital at Sackets Harbor. The news of peace was received, and Dr. Spencer, on his way to his native State, called to assist Dr. Durkee, of Champion, in attending a man who had his leg crushed, making arrangements with that gentleman for a partnership. Returning to Champion, he began an extended and im- portant medical practice, of long duration and of most enduring success. He finally died in Watertown, where he had removed when too old to practice.

PLEASANT LAKE, in the southern part of the town of Champion, has been for several years a popular resort for picnic parties. A fine grove and dancing hall are among the attractions. A small steamer makes a round trip of the lake, which is very enjoyable. The water is said to be very deep and quite clear.

THERE is a small hamlet in the Southern part of Champion which is known as South Champion.

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THE GROWTH OF A CENTURY.

CLAYTON.

CORSICAN

R. W. & O. R. R. DOCK, CLAYTON.

IT should be an easy matter to write up the town of Clayton, for it is full of inter- esting material. For many years it has occu- pied a prominent position on the St. Law- rence. There was a time when Cape Vin- cent had a better chance for commercial supremacy than Clayton, because the former was the terminus of the R. & W. Railroad. But the withdrawal of the railroad support from the town, and the fact that Clayton has now become the important terminus of a road having direct connection with the greatest system in America, has given Clay- ton a very important and doubtless a per- manent impetus and supremacy. That town is now the grand entrepot for the immense St. Lawrence river travel, which is increas- ing year by year with astonishing rapidity. The year 1894, although phenominally de- pressed in its business relations, saw more people on the river than for many years pre- vious, and the engagements for 1895 promise a large increase over the travel of 1894. Fully 80 per cent. of this immigration passes through Clayton. The railroad service has been surprisingly good, while the Folger boats have never missed a single trip-thus afford- ing swift, certain and agreeable transporta- tion to the vast crowds who visit the great river. The village itself, under these favor- able conditions, is obtaining a permanent growth, and it is now (as it was when Merick & Co. were operating there), the most enter- prising town on the St. Lawrence, above Ogdensburg. It has good banking facili- ties, electric light, a first-rate school, good hotels, fine boat manufactories, extensive wharves, with water deep enough for the largest steamers, and in addition is a beauti- fully laid-out town. We know of no more desirable village for a permanent residence than Clayton. The people are intelligent,

the death rate remarkably low, the business men enterprising and progressive.

In addition to the Folger boats, which make connections with all the trains, there are several steamers that run to different points upon the river, as well as to Ganan- oque. Directly opposite Clayton is the most costly and beautiful summer villa upon the river, the residence of Mr. Charles G. Emery, a wealthy New Yorker.

CLAYTON was formed from Orleans and Lyme, April 27, 1833, and was named in honor of Hon. John M. Clayton, United States Senator from Delaware, an act of courtesy due to Gen. W. H. Angel, who was then a member of the Legislature, and a distinguished Whig. It embraces two fifths of Penet Square, a gore west and another north of that tract, and Grindstone and several smaller islands in the St. Lawrence. The surface of the town is level or slightly rolling. The principal streams are Chau- mont river, which takes a southwesterly course through the town ; and French Creek, which takes a northerly course through the northwestern part, emptying into the St. Lawrence. The town is bounded on the north by the St. Lawrence, on the east by Orleans, on the south by Brownville, and on the southwest by Cape Vincent and Lyme. Among the smaller islands lying within the limits of this town, and occupied as summer homes, are Governor's and Calumet islands. Calumet Island is the property of Mr. Emery, a New York merchant, and he has made there the most extended improvements of any upon the river opposite Clayton village; Round Island, upon which is located the Frontenac Hotel, Washington Island, Little Round Island, and Bluff, Robbins, Hemlock and Maple Islands. Jefferies and Grennell islands, constituting Grennell Park,

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are in this town and are desirable properties. At the first town meeting, held at the house of Mr. Isaac L. Carter, June 4, 1833, the following town officers were elected: Hub- bell Fox, supervisor; B. F. Faxton, clerk ; Gurdon Caswell and Stephen Martin, justices of the peace; Jesse Noyes, Abram Burdick, Beriah Carpenter, assessors; Caleb Closson and James Barney, overseers of the poor; Samuel P. Payne, Lloyd B. Farrar or Traver, Elkanah Corbin, commissioners of highways; Alfred Fox, John Consaul, Jr. and Joseph Mason, cammissioners of schools; Josiah Farrar, David Baker and B. F. Fax- ton, inspectors of common schools; Erastus Warner, collector; Erastus Monroe, T. Haskell, Sydney Spencer and Elbridge G. Tilton, constables.

In 1890 Clayton had a population of 4,411. The town is located in the third school dis- trict of Jefferson county, and in 1892 had 25 school districts, in which 33 teachers were employed 28 weeks or more. The whole number of scholars attending school was 1,063, while the aggregate days' attendance during the year was 96,909. The total value of the school buildings and sites was $21,- 295, and the assessed valuation of all the districts was $1,141,563. The town has an area of 49,244 acres.

CLAYTON VILLAGE was incorporated April 17, 1872, by a vote of the citizens, as pro- vided in an act passed by the State Legis- lature, April 20, 1870. The vote stood 140 for and 51 against the assumption of corpor- ate honors. The first election for village officers was held at the Walton House, May 8, 1872, at which the following were elected: Elijah McCarn, president; S. G. Johnson, William Hawes and S. D. Johnston, trustees; Stephen Hill, treasurer; Charles M. Mar- shall, collector; and C. H. Ross was ap- pointed clerk. The village is situated on the St. Lawrence river, at the mouth of French creek, and was the scene of a brief conflict during the War of 1812. The advance of General Wilkinson's army, under command of General Brown, reached French Creek on the afternoon of November 1, 1813, where it was attacked by a British force of two sloops, two schooners and a strong in- fantry force in boats. Captain McPherson, with a battery of three 18-pounder guns, took possession on Bartlett's Point, now Prospect Park, and returned the fire of the enemy, who were repulsed, but renewed the attack in the morning, when they were again defeated, and forced to abandon their purpose. Three Americans were killed and two wounded, while the loss of the British was never fully known, although it was afterwards ascertained to have been quite severe. The safety of the Americans lay in the fact that the British vessels, with their heavy 32-pounders, fired too high, and thus overshot their foes. Some of their shots have been plowed up on what is known as the Kline farm, now within the corporate limits of the village.

The village was in 1823 named Cornelia. In 1831 the name was changed to Clayton, which it has since retained. It was at one time very generally known as French Creek. In the primitive patent of Penet, the creek and bay are named Weteringhra Guentere.

The village is a terminal station on the Utica & Black River division of the R., W. & O. Railroad, and is a popular stopping place for visitors to the Thousand Islands, who pronounce a summer stay at Clayton the height of enjoyment and repose. Here within sight are many of the beautiful isles forming that most wondrous of archipela- goes-the Thousand Islands. The village was surveyed by Clark W. Candee, in 1824, and re-surveyed in 1833 by Oliver Child. It now contains five churches, one of the best graded schools in Jefferson county, two prosperous banks, several fine hotels, numer- ous manufacturing institutions, a weekly newspaper, telegraph, telephone and ex- press offices, electric light plant, and a popu- lation of about 2,000.

EARLY SETTLEMENTS.

Hough's History of St. Lawrence County is authority for the statement that in 1799 there was a single log hut in this town, probably that of some lumber thieves, who plundered the frontier without restraint or limit during many years before any one ap- peared to show title. Mr. Nathan Ford, the pioneer of Ogdensburg, in a letter to Samuel Ogden on this subject, dated December 27, 1799, wrote :

"There are several persons now cutting timber upon the two upper townships. I have no authority to say anything about the matter ; but vast injury will take place upon the townships, and if there are not measures taken immediately, not less than 30,000 or 40,000 staves. over and above the square timber which is now getting, that will be taken off. Mr. Wilkins took down the names of several who pre- tended to settle ; their motive was only stealing off the timber. The thing is now working as I told him would be the case, and if something is not done about this business great destruction will arise. An example ought to be made, and this cannot be done without sending an officer from Fort Stanwix. They have got the timber so boldly that they say there is no law that can be executed upon them here."

The first permanent settlement in this town was commenced in 1801 or 1802, by a Mr. Bartlett, at a place called Bartlett's Point, about a mile above Clayton village, at the mouth of French Creek. The point has re- cently been surveyed and laid out for sum- mer homes, and is known as Prospect Park. Bartlett had been placed here by Smith and Delamater, land agents at Chaumont, to keep a ferry to Gananoque, but after staying a year or two set fire to his house, so tradition says, and ran away by its light.

In the winter of 1803-04 Smith and Dela- mater undertook the erection of a saw-mill, near the mouth of Wheeler creek, upon which it was built. The expense attending this measure embarrassed them considerably, and contributed to their subsequent failure.

In 1816 Nathaniel Norton, Jr., who had previously been a merchant at Russia, N. Y.,

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came as agent for C. H. and E. Wilkes, owners of 12,000 acres on Penet Square, and adjoining the present village of Depau- ville. Soon after, David and Nathaniel Hol- brook came to the Falls, and with their father, under a contract with Alexander LeRay, the agent of Depau, erected a rude apology for a grist-mill, but upon failure of payment, the premises were sold in 1824 to Stephen John- son and Peter Martin, who had located as merchants and lumbermen. At this time there were but two or three log houses and the rude mills where Depauville now is.

In 1817 Phineas Osborn, father of Thomas S., Schuyler and Phineas A. Osborn, came in from Herkimer county and settled about three miles northwest of Depauville, on what is known as Elm Flat. In 1818 Jere Carter came in and settled near Clayton Cen- ter. He came with his father, who was a great hunter, and told marvelous tales of his hunting expeditions. In 1819 James G. Gloyd came in with his father, Amos, from Vermont, and settled on lot No. 39. In 1820 Adam Fry came from Denmark, Lewis county, and settled in this town. Gaylord Enos came in from Herkimer county in 1824, his first purchase of land being 50 acres from Depau. The first justice of the peace in the town was Gurdon Caswell, and he is be- lieved to be the first paper-maker in Water- town. [See allusion to him in article upon the Clayton Cemetery.]

Grindstone Island is one of the largest of the Thousand Islands, being more than five miles in length and from two to three in width. This island, with many others, was claimed by the St. Regis Indians at an early day, and leased by their agent to British sub- jects for a long term of years. Upon survey of the boundry in 1818, they were found to belong to our government, and in 1823, upon these Islands being patented by the State, in pursuance with an agreement with Macomb, difficulties arose that threatened for a time to result in serious measures, and which have been locally named as the War of Grind- stone Island. A quantity of pine timber had been cut and prepared for rafting, which was claimed by the patentee, but was refused to be given up by those in possession. Find- ing it probable that any attempt to serve legal papers upon the parties alleged to be trespassers would be resisted, a detachment of militia from Lyme, under Captain S. Green, was called out. The timber had mostly been passed over into British waters, and after some firing the party in charge of the timber dispersed. One of the militiamen was accidentally killed by the discharge of his own gun. The question subsequently became a subject of litigation, and was finally settled by arbitration. The first court on Grindstone Island was held April 30, 1889, when S. H. Slate, justice of the peace, was called upon to investigate a charge of assault and battery between two women, sisters-in-law, whose husbands were employed in the quarries at Thurso. The

defendant in the case was fined $30, which was paid.

The islands in this vicinity have many associations connected with the War of 1812, and affairs growing out of the Patriot move- ment, which are detailed in their proper place. [See index.] During the embargo period of 1808, the old French road, that had been cut through from the High Falls to the river at this point, became a thoroughfare for teams laden with potash, and this contra- band trade continued with comparative im- punity till the commercial restriction was removed.

DEPAUVILLE.

DEPAUVILLE, named in honor of Francis Depau, an early settler here, is situated on Chaumont river, at the head of boat naviga- tion, six miles from Chaumont Bay. The place was once known as "Catfish Falls," and above the falls the river was known as " Catfish Creek." It has a telephone and ex- press from Chaumont, two churches (Method- ist Episcopal and Freewill Baptist), an hotel, grist-mill, saw-mill, several stores and shops, and a population of about 300. The first improvement here was made by Simon and Jared White, who came on as trespassers to get out lumber ; but, being warned off by the agent, left a quantity of hewn lumber and removed to Three Mile Point, on Chau- mont Bay, from which place they started, in May, 1817, for the West in an open boat. The party consisted of the brothers, their mother, wives and children-11 in all-and had arrived in Houndsfield, a mile or two beyond Sackets Harbor, where they put up for the night. After leaving this place they were never seen alive. Their boat was found robbed of household goods, several hundred dollars which the men had was gone, and their bodies exhibited unmistake- able marks of violence. The children were found drowned, but the bodies of the women were never found. The first house in this village was erected in 1818 by John Smith. The first store was kept by Peter B. Beadle, agent or clerk for Stephen Johnson. Melzar Fowler, father of Mrs. McCormick, of Chicago, was one of the early traders in Depauville. He lost his life in Watertown from an injury received from a bad-tempered horse.

The first mills were built in 1824; the first tavern was kept by one Winthrop in 1820, in which year, and in the same building, was also taught the first school. The first church edifice was built about 1825, by the Episcopal Methodists.

BANKS OF CLAYTON.

BANK OF CLAYTON .- The first bank in this town was organized as a private institution in the fall of 1876, by A. F. Barker and R. P. Grant, under the title of Bank of Clayton. A. F. Barker was president and Mr. Grant was cashier. The bank was so continued until the fall of 1882, when it was reorgan- ized as a State bank, under the same title,

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CLAYTON.

with a capital of $26,000, and remained so until July, 1884, when Mr. Grant and others purchased Mr. Barker's interest, and it was soon after merged into the Exchange Bank.

The Exchange Bank of Clayton was or- ganized in 1884, under the State law, with an authorized capital stock of $100,000, and a paid up stock of $40,000. The present officers of the institution are those elected at its organization, and are as follows : John Johnston, president ; Jacob Putnam, vice- president ; R. P. Grant, cashier and H. R. Tubbs, assistant cashier. The directors are, in addition to the officers of the bank, Lucien S. Strough, William H. Lingenfelter, George H. Mckinley, John Foley and William C. Clark. The Bank of Clayton was merged in the Exchange Bank soon after the organiza- tion of the latter, and the business of the old organization was discontinued. The Ex- change Bank is one of the prominent finan- cial institutions of the northern part of Jefferson county, and its officers and direc- tors are men of recognized business ability, experience and integrity. The office of the bank is pleasantly located on Water street, commanding a fine view of the famous St. Lawrence river. The surplus of the bank is $20,000.

The Citizens' Bank of Clayton was started in December, 1884, by A. F. Barker, as a private bank, with William Rees president ; A. F. Barker, cashier and A. L. House, as- sistant cashier. The bank was thus con- tinued until October 4, 1887, when it was re- organized as

The First National Bank of Clayton, with a paid up capital of $50,000. The officers were originally and are now as follows: A. F. Barker, president ; William Rees, vice- president ; H. W. Morse, cashier; A. A. Warner, assistant cashier. The directors are : A. F. Barker, William Rees, G. H. Marshall, Charles A. Ellis, Frank L. Hall, James J. Belden, Jerome Snell and H. E. Morse. The surplus is now $23,000.

The Security Building, Loan and Savings Association of Clayton was incorporated in 1889, under the building and loan association laws of the State of New York, with a capital stock of $1,000,000, with shares at $100 each. The officers are: Hon. James Johnson, president ; Charles E. Rees, vice- president ; A. E. Wood, secretary ; William D. Clark, treasurer; George E. Morse, gen- eral manager.

The financial institutions of Clayton are all reliable. They have the peoples' confidence at home, and that shows them well managed.

SECRET SOCIETIES.

THE ODD FELLOWS .- Odd-fellowship had its beginning in Clayton by the organization of Montcalm Lodge No. 69, February 18, 1848. Among the charter members were: John Masson, Hon. John Johnston, William H. Angel, George Brush, Capt. Archibald Marshall, Capt. Leander Holt, Chauncey Pierce, S. D. Johnston, Capt. John Carey

and Capt. George Smith. The first Noble Grand of the lodge was Capt. John Masson. In August, 1853, the lodge lost all of its records and property by fire, which makes it impossible to obtain accurate data of its early history. The lodge was at that time very prosperous, and at once renewed its work in new lodge rooms. The membership was, however, largely composed of sailors and those otherwise engaged in lake and river commerce, and as this business gradu- ally drifted westward, the membership de- creased, until in the year 1856 it surrendered its charter. There was, in connection with Montcalm lodge, a well-organized and suc- cessful lodge of Daughters of Rebecca.

After 30 years of inaction, the fraternity was revived by the organization of Clayton Lodge No. 539, the charter of which bears date August 18, 1886. The growth of Clay- ton Lodge has been steady and vigorous. Its membership now numbers over 100, and the lodge has gained the reputation of being one of the best equipped and best working lodges in the county.

Thousand Island Lodge No. 109, of the Daughters of Rebecca, was given a charter April 10, 1888. The membership is increas- ing, and the lodge is at present in a well- organized condition.

THE FORESTERS .- December 19th, 1889, Court Clayton, No. 171, of the Independent Order of Foresters was organized, with J. E. Liddy, D. D. S., as Chief Ranger ; X. J. Bates, as V. C. R. ; S. H. Johnson, as Recording Secretary, M. E. Frame, as Financial Secre- tary, and H. W. Morse, as Treasurer. Its growth during the past year has been more rapid than that of any secret society that has ever been organized here. There are at present over 50 members, and the present rate of increase will give nearly 100 by the time of the next anniversary of the found- ing of the Court. The officers for the pres- ent term are : S. H. Johnson, C. D. H. C.R .; E. A. Burlingame, C. R .; X. S. Bates, V. C. R .; Brayton Rogers, R. S .; J. E. Liddy, F. S .; R. E. Dingman, Treasurer.

THE MASONS .- Masonic Lodge, No. 296, was instituted in Clayton by charter dated June 11, 1853. The first officers were James Green, W. M .; John D. Augsbury, S. W .; O. W. Cushman, J. W. The lodge is one of the oldest and strongest in the county, and has a present membership of 110. The pres- ent officers are : William H. Rees, W. M .; William Brooker, S. W .; B. E. Wright, J. W.

OFFICERS OF CLAYTON VILLAGE.

Joseph H. Brabant, president ; Nathan Hol- loway, William R. Ratchford, William L. Delaney, trustees; John Foley, treasurer ; Northrop Scott, collector; Herbert R. Tubbs, clerk.

TOWN OFFICERS OF CLAYTON.

Supervisor, William H. Consaul; town clerk, Fred H. LeFaive; assessors, James Hay, Allen Patch, A. E. Lowe.

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THE GROWTH OF A CENTURY.

THE SCHOOLS OF CLAYTON.

THE first school was taught in Clayton in 1825 in a stone school-house near the site of the present school building. Two dis- tricts, Nos. 8 and 22, were afterwards organ- ized, each including a portion of the present incorporated village. A small frame school house was built on the site of the present school building for district No. 8, and a one- story brick school house was built on James street for district No. 22. By resolution passed in May, 1856, the two districts were consolidated into District No. 8, and the sum of $3,000 voted for a new school house. For 11 years following this date the inhabitants were at issue on this question, and separate schools were maintained in each of the school- houses-all efforts to secure better school ac- commodations being defeated.

On October 2, 1866, the sum of $5,000 was voted for a new school-house, which was con- structed the next year, and forms part of the present school-building. This building was increased by an addition costing $5,000 in 1883, and thus improved, forms the present school-building.

In 1889 the school was changed to a Union Free School, and under date of August 19, 1889, received a charter incorporating the academic department under the jurisdiction of the Regents of the University of the State. The school has had a very rapid growth since that date, and is now the largest Union School in the county, employing nine teachers and having a registration of 450. The Academic Department registers over 100 scholars and provides an Academic and Col- lege Preparatory course of study. Its record for advanced and thorough scholarship is not excelled by any school in the county. For the past two years in succession, as a result of a competitive examination, the school has been awarded the free scholarship to Cornell University from Jefferson county.

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Growth of a Century : as illustrated in the history of Jefferson County, New York, from 1793 to 1894, Part 112

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