Growth of a Century : as illustrated in the history of Jefferson County, New York, from 1793 to 1894, Part 116

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 116

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).

DANIEL GARLOCK was born in Danube, N. Y., and came to Clayton in 1851. He mar- ried Almira Zoller, of Pamelia, daughter of Jacob and Nancy (Rider) Zoller, and their children are Lucinda, Hattie, Rhoda, Nancy, Ella, Emma and Alvin. The latter was born in Danube, N. Y., and came to Clayton with his father. He married Addie, daughter of Ephraim and Alvira (Osborn) Halliday, of Clayton, and his children are Lester, Hattie, Charles, George, Jay and Addie. His wife died in February, 1885, aged 37 years. He is a farmer on road 6, in this town. Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Garlock still occupy the farm on road 8, where they have residcd 35 years.

HENRY HEYL was born in Germany, and when 28 years of age located in Orleans, subsequently removing to Clayton, where he died in 1879, aged 74 years. Hc married Catharine Heldt, of Orlcans, and their chil- dren were Philip, George, Wendle, Catherine,

546

THE GROWTH OF A CENTURY.

Henrietta, Maria and Henry. The latter was born in Orleans, and now occupies the home- stead farm on road 77, in this town. He has served the town as justice of the peace and highway cemmissioner.

SYLVESTER WALRATH was born in St. Johnsville, and in 1855 located in Clayton. He married, first, Laney Gray ; second, Grace Perry, and third, Eliza Osborn, and his children were George H., Maryette, Lutheria, Ella, Rose, Merrett S., Fred, Ambrose and Grace. He resides in the vil- lage of Depauville. Mr. George H. Walrath served in the late war, attained the rank of second lieutenant, and died of typhoid fever at Fortress Monroe. Rose Walrath married Frank C. Fox, who died in Idaho in 1887, aged 35 years. She had two children, Hattie and Winfield H., and resides in Watertown.

JOHN SWART was born in the town of Florida, and came to Clayton in 1856, where he now resides. He married Emily, daughter of Benjamin and Emily (Stephens) Kent, of Clayton, by whom he has two daughters, Gertrude and Mamie. Gertrude married Edgar A. Burlingame, who is one of the merchants of Clayton village.

JOHN C. SHIRE was born in Sheffield, Canada, and in 1857 located in Clayton, where he now resides. He married Almira, daughter of Alonzo and Caroline (Neely) Wheeler, of Kingston, Canada, by whom he has a daughter, Ida M., who married Horace G. Gould, of Clayton.

JOHN J. ALLEN was born in Stephentown, and in 1859 came to Clayton. He married Alma J. Wheeler, of Clinton, N. Y., daugh- ter of Arnold and Hannah (Dilley) Wheeler, and their children are Sarah J. Smith, of Le- Raysville, Ida May and John J., Jr. John J. Allen served in the late war, in the Christ- ian and Sanitary commission, is a Freewill Baptist clergyman, and resides in Depau- ville, where he has preached several years. He was located in Philadelphia four years ; Byron, N. Y., two years; Three Mile Bay, four years ; Scriba, N. Y., four years; Addi- son, N. Y., two years; German Flats, N. Y., three years; Middleville, N. Y., one year, and Newville, two years.

JOHN GRAY was born in Clyde, N. Y., and in 1866 came to Clayton. He married Nancy, daughter of Lodowick and Julia (Suits) Dil- lon, of Alexandria, and their children are Frederick, Nettie, George, Richard, Edith and Burton. Mr. Gray is a farmer, on road 39, in Clayton, where he has resided 18 years. He served in the Civil War in Co. K., 10th N. Y. H. A., three years, and was honorably discharged.

JAMES R. BABCOCK married Lucretia, daughter of Columbus and Friendley (Fisher) Evans, of Alexandria, and their children are De Alton E., Allis S., Julia M., Sarah P. and Jennie M. Mr. Babcock is a farmer on road 39. In 1875 he built the Clayton cheese factory, near the village, which he still owns and conducts. Ebenezer Fisher served in the Revolutionary War. Daniel Babcock

served in the War of 1812, and drew a pen- sion.

ROBERT P. GRANT, son of William, . of Scotch parentage, was born in Stonington, Conn. He was a cousin of General Grant's father, and was a captain of militia. He died in Liberty, N. Y. His wife, Elizabeth, daughter of Major General Crumb, bore him three children-Lucy, Benjamin and Isaac. The latter was born in Liberty, and died in Neversink, N. Y., in 1865, aged 43 years. He was a general merchant, and a prominent man in the town. He married Hannah, daughter of Peter Leroy, of Neversink, and they had eight children. Robert P. Grant, eldest son of Isaac, married Lettie C., daugh- ter of Daniel and Isabelle (Love) Hayes, of Boonville, and they have a son, Robert D. In 1874 Mr. Grant went to Fort Madison, Iowa, and engaged in the banking business with Senator W. G. Kent, and in 1876 he located in Clayton, where he now resides, and is now cashier of the Exchange Bank.

DR. GEORGE M. MCCOMBS married An- nette, daughter of Danford and Lucy J. (Rogers) Weaver, of Clayton, and their chil- dren are Ray G., Ross, Carl E. and Alice C. Dr. McCombs studied medicine with Dr. H. G. P. Spencer, of Watertown, and graduated from the Bellevue Hospital Medical College in 1877. In 1880 he located in Clayton, where he has since practiced with marked success. William J. McCombs married, first, Martha, daughter of Robert Ellsworth, of Canada, who bore him two children, Esther and George; and second, Alzada, daughter of Thomas and Alzada (Hudson) Rees, of Clay - ton. He has been engaged in the drug busi- ness in Clayton village for the past eight years, and has served the town as clerk.

BENJAMIN W. DEWEY was born in Hart- ford, and came to Clayton in 1882, where he now resides. He married Ellen D., daughter of Frederick and Rebecca Hallett, of Smith- ville, and their children are Alwin H., Hol- land B., Hartley F. and Clinton M. His son, Holland B., is an undertaker and dealer in furniture in Clayton village, and is a gradu- ate of the United States College of Embalm- ing, New York City. Benjamin Cole, grand- father of B. W. Dewey on the mother's side, served in the Revolutionary War, and was one of General Washington's staff.

PERRY CASWELL, long a resident of Clay- ton, was born in Westmoreland, Oneida county, April 6, 1864. His father was Gur- don Caswell, the first paper-maker in Water- town, who lies in the Clayton cemetery, he having died in 1862. He had the benefit of the common schools of Watertown, having been a pupil of Sewel Brintnall, a school teacher of the early days of Watertown. Gurdon Caswell kept an hotel on the corner where the American Hotel stood for so many years. He also built three separate paper- mills in Watertown, including one which stood upon the spot where is a part of the present Bagley & Sewall works.

Perry remained in Watertown until his

547

CLAYTON.

father emigrated to Pembroke, where his father rebuilt another paper-mill. After three years the family again returned to Watertown, when Perry began work in his father's paper-mill to learn the trade of paper-making. In 1835 he came to Clayton, going into business as a boot and shoe dealer, in which he continued until 1879, when he gave up active business, his advancing years rendering him partially unfit for close busi- ness pursuits. He has been postmaster at Clayton, justice of the peace and coroner- besides many less important positions. Mr. Caswell is a highly respected member of the M. E. Church, having been one of its first organizers. In his 86th year he is an able, conscientious citizen.

G. E. THIBAULT was born in 1852 in Clay- ton, and has always resided in that village. He was educated in the common schools of Clayton. He was clerk for W. W. Angel for 18 years, at last associating with his brother in 1889, and forming the firm of G. E. & J. O. Thibault, who are the successors of Mr. Angel.

J. O. THIBAULT was born in Clayton in 1857. and had the benefit of the same schools as his brother. His business was that of house carpenter, but he entered trade with his brother in 1889, and is the junior member of the firm of G. E. & J. O. Thibault. They are both good business men, and enjoy the confidence of the business community.

DR. AMOS ELLIS, who died at Clayton in 1879, in his 69th year, was an able and most popular physician. His ancestors came originally from New England, settling at first in Adams. The Doctor was born in Brownville, January 9, 1810, but his parents removed later to the village of Clayton, and there the Doctor became the leading physic- ian. His medical education was received at Fairfield Medical College, Herkimer county, and subsequently studied with Dr. Walter Webb, of Adams. He began to practice in 1833. But few men in the profession left behind them memories more enduring than Dr. Ellis. He was a kind man by nature, and that made him popular with his patients. His son, Charles A. Ellis, conducts a drug business at Clayton, and is a successful and popular business man. In addition to drugs, he keeps on hand. as do many of the stores in Clayton, a more or less extensive stock of camp supplies, fishing tackle, confectionery, etc., to supply the requirements of the great army of summer residents who annually in- vade Clayton and the other towns from Cape Vincent to Alexandria Bay.

HON. JAMES JOHNSON was born in Frank- fort, Herkimer county, N. Y., May 3, 1824; moved with his father, March, 1836, to Depauville, Jefferson county. He received a common-school education, worked at the carpenter and joiner trade until he was 28 years of age, when he commenced buying produce for the New York and Boston markets. He opened a general store at Depauville in 1854, where he continued in

trade until 1867. He commenced mercantile businesss in Clayton in 1870, and continued in same until the present date. He served as town clerk of the town of Clayton in 1855, and continued as such for four successive years ; was elected justice of the peace in 1859, and has served as such 18 years ; elected supervisor of the town of Clayton in 1865, and served as such two terms; was elected sheriff of Jefferson county in November, 1866, and served the full term of three years. He was elected Member of Assembly from the Second District of Jefferson county in 1870. Served as a member of the Board of Education of Clayton Union Free School 18 consecutive years, and was president of the board during that whole term of office. Was appointed one of the commissioners for dredging Chaumont Bay, by Gov. Fenton, in 1868. He married Deborah Fry, January 1, 1843, and they have three children : two daughters, Mrs. S. V. Frame, of Clayton, and Mrs. H. W. Streeter, of Rochester, N. Y., and Solon H. Johnson, the obliging post- master at Clayton.

Mr. Johnson has fully rounded out his life thus far, and received all the honors his neighbors and friends could confer upon him. A wholesome man to know.

W. H. THORPE, the intelligent jewelry dealer at Clayton, has been in business there nine years. His store is a model of neatness, and his assortment unusually fine for a country town. He came to Clayton in 1885, from Pottstown, Pa. He was a native of Havana, N. Y., and had a natural inclination towards mechanism, resulting in his becom- ing an expert watchmaker. His square deal- ing and industry are the best guaranty of his success.

ALFRED Fox was born January 30, 1807, at Pompey Hill, Onondaga county, N. Y .. He received his education at a common school; came to Jefferson county in 1832; was for years town school commissioner, or "inspector," as it was then called; was supervisor of the town for several years; was in the Legislature from the old third district of Jefferson county in 1850; was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention at Baltimore in 1852; was appointed custom house officer at Cape Vincent, and held the office from 1853 to 1857. He was twice married ; for his first wife he married Miss Lucy Hawes, of Fabius, Onondaga county, N. Y., by whom he had six children, three of whom are now living. She died in May, 1841. For his second wife he married Miss Olive C. Bent, of Watertown, by whom he had five children, four of whom are now living. Mr. Fox died March 13, 1880, of pneumonia, and was followed two weeks later by his wife, she dying of the same disease.

WILLIAM Ross was born in Ireland, and married Eliza Bennett, both of Scotch descent. They came to America in 1860, and began farming near Heuvelton, St. Law- rence county. They brought four sons, John

548

THE GROWTH OF A CENTURY.

1st, William James 2d, Thomas B. 3d, and Hugh, who died in infancy. Another child was born whom they also named Hugh, now a resident of Chicago, and soon to be admit- ted to the bar. In 1862 the father, with his sons, John, William and James, enlisted in the Union army and did valiant service. The father and John were in Company G, 142d N. Y. Vol. Infantry, under command of General Curtis. The father was in all the engagements of that regiment, until disband- ed at Ogdensburg, in June, 1865. He is now a pensioner, residing at Potsdam, N. Y. John lost an arm at the battle of Chapin's Farm, and was discharged in 1865. He was in the battles of Petersburg, Cold Harbor, Bermuda Hundred and Chapin's Farm. James was sergeant in the 13th New York Cavalry. John is now a business man in the village of Clayton. He married Mary T. Washburn, daughter of Rev. George Wash- burn of the M. E. Church. She died in the spring of 1870, aged 19 years. In 1871 he was again married to Martha Ann Todd, of De Peyster, St. Lawrence county, and they have a family of five girls and two boys. He is a member of the Episcopal Church, and has been appointed lay reader by Bishop Huntington.

GEORGE WILLOX, a citizen of Clayton, came into that town in 1892, but has been a resident of Jefferson county, except when he was in the army. He was born in 1820, in the town of Pamelia. He married Miss Louise Hunter, in 1840, and they have raised seven children. He learned to be a carpenter in Watertown with Mr. Charles E. Hubbard, working upon the O'Dougherty property in Jewettville, and other buildings. In 1862 he enlisted in Capt. Gould's company (L,) New York Heavy Artillery, and was discharged for disability, incurred in the line of his duty. He is now a pensioner.

Mr. Willox is best known in Clayton as a carriage-builder, his shop being on James street, west of State. He is a good citizen, and bears his 74 years with wonderful vigor aud force, showing him to be temperate and abstemuous.

His first wife died in 1891. In 1894 he married Mrs. Mary E. Schell, of Clayton, who is sharing his earthly pilgrimage.

JOHN HENRY GRAVES came to Clayton from Ulster county, about 1843. He had married Miss Margaret R. Gibbons before he came to Clayton, and there his numerous family were born-eight boys and one daughter. The children were: William T., Samuel G., Han- nah M., Peter H., Abram J., John H., Jr., Charles E., Alfred P., Joseph F. All of these children, who are now living, reside within three miles of Clayton. Mr. Graves, Sr., erected the first grist-mill in Clayton, just below the bridge at the mouth of French Creek. Previous to that, those who desired grinding of grain were obliged to visit Omar or Depanville. Mr. Graves died March 20, 1855. His wife died in 1893, aged 65 years. Joseph F. Graves, son of John H., has pur-

sued the calling of his father, and has con- tinued the retail store, where he resides, near the grist-mill. In 1880 he married Miss Mary Marshall, who died in 1881. He mar- ried Miss Margaret E. Baird in 1871, by whom he had one child. Mr. Graves is a useful, respected citizen, continuing along upon the same line followed by his father. He is a member of the Odd Fellows, and has passed through all the chairs in that popular and meritorious organization.

JAMES A. TAYLOR, born in Gananoque, Ontario, in 1824, is commander of Albert Dennis Post, G. A. R., at Clayton. He served in the 186th N. Y. Volunteer Infan- try, and was afterwards 1st lieutenant in the 10th New York Heavy Artillery. He came to the town of Orleans in 1836, and removed to Clayton in 1887. He has been commander of several vessels upon the river, and is a well-known and highly respected citizen. In 1850 he married Miss Julia A. Cornwall, and they have raised two daughters, one of whom is dead : the other is wife of Mr. Pierce, a real estate operator in Watertown. Capt. Taylor is a wholesome man to know, stand- ing deservedly high among his acquaint- ances, but highest among those who know him best.

AMONG the men who are hard to interview in preparing the business records of a town, we will name W. A. Webster, who conducts, through Mr. W. A. Dygert, next to the largest lumbering and manufacturing busi- ness in Clayton. Mr. Webster hails from South Hammond, St. Lawrence county, but Mr. Dygert resides in Clayton. The concern employs some 25 men, many of them skilled mechanics, and the work turned out is of an excellent character. The success of such an establishment is traceable directly to the changed conditions now prevailing compared with days past, in the erection of dwellings, especially frame buildings. These shops make up the doors, sash, blinds, the paneling, the wainscotting, even the cor- nices, turn the newel posts and the ornaments for the balustrades; and about all the old- time "house carpenter " has to do is to put these various belongings together, joining them on to the frame and the studding, nail on the clap-boards and the shingles, and the result is a home fit to hold a king, if he chances to come that way and call. The Strough & Brooks works are conspicuous in this outfitting, as well as Mr. Webster and Mr. Dygert. Both are good concerns.

We have given as many family sketches as we have room for, and probably will be charged with more or less favoritism. It is generally the case that people who are left out of history are the ones who complain of the History's imperfections-forgetting that if they had been more communicative when approached, and manifesting more interest in the work, at the proper time, they might also have been rescued from oblivion by the printed page.

549

ELLISBURGH.

THIS town, embracing Minos and Hender- son (No. 6, as designated on the surveyor- general's map), was erected from Mexico into a township on February 22, 1803; the first town meeting being held at the house of Lyman Ellis. at which the following town officers were chosen: Edward Boomer, supervisor; Lyman Ellis, clerk; Caleb Ellis and Amos B. Noyes, overseers of the poor; Jeremiah Mason, Samuel Rhodes, and Benj. Boomer, commissioners of highways; Mat- thew Boomer, constable and collector; Abiah Jenkins, constable; John Thomas, Christopher Edmunds and Dyer McCumber, fence-viewers; C. Ellis, Jeremiah Mason, Timothy Harris, Benj. Boomer, D. McCum- ber. Joseph Holley, overseers of high ways.

SUPERVISORS.

1803, Edward Boomer; 1804-5, Lyman Ellis; 1806, Nathaniel Wood; 1807, L. Ellis; 1808-9, Joseph Allen; 1810, Orimal Brew- ster; 1811-14, Lyman Ellis; 1815-16, Ebe- nezer Wood: 1817, L. Ellis; 1818-20, Par- don Earl; 1821, E. Wood; 1822-23, P. Earl; 1824-29, Wadsworth Mayhew; 1830, Daniel Wardwell; 1831-36, Jotham Bigelow; 1837, Ezra Stearns; 1840, W. C. Pierrepont; 1841- 42, Ezra Stearns; 1843, Wm. C. Pierrepont; 1844, John Littlefield; 1845, James Jones; 1846-47, Wm. C. Pierrepont; 1848-49, John Clark; 1850, Alvah Bull; 1851-52, Jas. I. Steel; 1853-54, Alexander Dickinson. For lists from 1854 to 1894, see pp. 337-344.

This town derives its name from Lyman Ellis, of Troy, who settled as a proprietor in 1797, and who afterwards for several years acted as an agent. He died in town, March 13, 1847, aged 87. His character is briefly summed up in his epitaph : "Mod- esty, honesty, and charity adorned his walk in life."

April 11, 1796, Marvel Ellis, of Troy, N. Y., contracted with Wm. Constable for the purchase of this town, excepting a marshy tract each side of Sandy creek, near the lake, which was afterwards included, and a tract of 3,000 acres, in the southwest cor- ner, sold to Brown & Eddy. The sum of $22,111.50 was paid, and a deed given, March 22, 1797, upon which a mortgage was given back upon the balance, amounting to $98,943.45. This mortgage embarassed the early sales, and confidence was not re- stored until the property had reverted to the Constable estate, some years after- wards.

The greater part of the town was sur- veyed by Calvin Guiteau in 1796, except the eastern part, that was surveyed by Nelson Doolittle, and the 3,000 acre-tract in 1800, by Benjamin Wright, of Rome; the latter, in 1808, surveyed the whole town. A prop- osition had been received from Moody Free- man for the purchase of the town, but a bargain was not effected. The town, in-

cluding the marshes, which in dry seasons afford wild grass, but which are often flowed, contain 54,721 acres.

In the spring of 1797, Marvel and Lyman Ellis, brothers, and both interested in the purchase, found their way into town, the lat- ter with the view of permanent settlement. In the fall of the same year, Caleb Ellis, having met with Lyman Ellis at Rome, was casually introduced with the expectation that a relationship existed, but none was found; yet the interview resulted in an invitation to settle in the new town. Caleb Ellis accord- ingly visited the town, and selected a farm on the south branch of Sandy creek, at a place where one Waldo had the year previ- ous erected a hut for hunting.

Many men were employed by Lyman Ellis the same season, who had at its close built a dam and saw-mill three-fourths of a mile be- low the present site of Ellis village, and the mill was got in operation the same fall, but was partly swept off early the next spring by a flood. In the winter of 1797-8, Wm. Hicks, with Mr. Buller and B Pierce, remained in town, and in the spring of 1798, Caleb Ellis and family, Robert Fulton, Elijah Richardson, Hezekiah Pierce, Chauncey Smith, Wm. Root. Vial Salisbury, Isaac Waddle, Abram Wilcox, two men by the name of Thornton, and others, came into town with Lyman Ellis to rebuild the mill and erect a grist-mill; but nearly all were taken sick, and the pioneers were reduced to great suffering from want of provisions and necessary medical attendance.

To supply the place of mills, Mr. Ellis and his settlers constructed, after models of their own device, those primitive mortars used from necessity in all new settlements, and made by boring and burning a cavity into the top of a hard wood stump, over which was suspended a pestle by a spring-pole. With much diffculty, during the season, the saw-mill was again fitted up and the dam re- built; the iron and heavy freight, as well as the furniture of settlers, having been brought into town in open boats by way of Wood Creek and Oswego.

The first corn and potatoes raised in the county by the present race of settlers was by Lyman Ellis in 1797, who also, in 1798, was probably the first to raise winter wheat.

The first death in Ellisburg was Mary, a young daughter of Caleb Ellis, and the first death of an adult was that of Samantha Howard. The first birth is said to have been that of Ontario Pierce, a son of Hezekiah Pierce, in the summer of 1798.

The winter of 1798-99 was one of remark- able severity. Snow fell on the 29th of Oc- tober and lasted till the 20th of April.

In the spring of 1799 the dam of Ellis was again swept off and the mill partly destroyed, when this and the frame of a grist-mill were removed to the present village above, and the latter was got in operation about 1803.

550

THE GROWTH OF A CENTURY.

January 22, 1803, George Tibbets and James Dole, of Troy, were appointed agents for Ellisburgh, and in 1807 were paid for their services in land. In the same year, Benja- min Wright, of Rome, succeeded as general agent for the estate, and fixed his residence at Pulaski, where he continued in the capac- ity of surveyor and agent until employed on the canal surveys.

No incident worthy of remark occurred until 1808, when the Embargo act was passed. that led to much opposition from the Federal party in this county, and was in some places on this frontier systematically violated.

In September, 1808, an event occurred in this town that created great excitement at the time. We take it from accounts pub- lished in the Albany Gazette, Oct. 10, 1808: " A party from Oswego, under Lieutenant Asa Wells, entered Sandy Creek, and after seizing a quantity of potash, under the Em- bargo laws, proceeded to the house of Cap- tain Fairfield, surrounded it, and seized and carried away a swivel. Mr. F. being absent, his lady made complaint to a justice, who issued a warrant. The constable was intimi- dated, and called upon his fellow-citizens to aid him, when about thirty men took arms and went with him, but Wells' men pre- sented bayonets, when they desisted, and twenty of the men went off. Lieutenant Wells ordered the remainder to be disarmed and bound, when they were taken, with the swivel, to Oswego. On the evening of the 25th of September the same party returned, as reported, for the purpose of taking the magistrate and constable who had issued the

papers. A warrant against Wells and two others, for felony in breaking open a house, was issued at Sackets Harbor, and given to Ambrose Pease, a constable, to execute, who, after examining the law, raised the hue and cry, and assembled about 200 persons in Ellisburgh, where a consultation of several magistrates was held, and the next day at sunrise about seventy or eighty men, armed and equipped, volunteered to aid in the ar- rest; but the magistrates durst not issue the order for their march, being apprehensive that some excess or injury might be done, and the question having been raised whether a constable had a right to demand aid be- fore he had been resisted, the armed men were advised to disperse, and the civil officer requested to proceed to apprehend Wells and the others, without the force of the county. This proceeding was charged by one of the political parties as an attempt of the other to resist, by force of arms, the execution of the laws, and mutual criminations were ex- changed with much bitterness."

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.

Growth of a Century : as illustrated in the history of Jefferson County, New York, from 1793 to 1894, Part 116

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