Growth of a Century : as illustrated in the history of Jefferson County, New York, from 1793 to 1894, Part 117

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 117

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During the war of 1813, a company of Silver Grays, composed of old men and boys not liable to military duty, was formed in Wood's Settlement, but was not called to serve, except to guard the beach and mouth of Sandy creek.

In the spring of 1814 a complete victory was gained, with slight loss, by a detachment of troops guarding a quantity of military

stores from Oswego, under Lieut. Woolsey, which had entered Sandy creek, and were attacked by a detachment from the British fleet.

The aboriginal remains of Ellisburgh have given occasion for some to believe that they were concerned with buried treas- ures, and this being confirmed by the sup- posed indications of the divining-rod, led in early times to explorations for them, de- spite the guardianship of the spirits of the murdered, who, according to the most ap- proved demonologists, are ever placed sen- tries over concealed coffers. The projectors of these speculations were in some instances charged with making money out of the credulous victims of superstition, by sell- ing provisions, and, in several instances, the diggers were almost frightened out of their senses by ghosts and demons. Some were fleeced of substantial property in pur- suit of imaginary wealth, and others lost the respect of sensible men by the favor with which they regarded these follies.

In 1828 there occurred a sickness that was remarkable for its fatality, more especially in the vicinity of the lake, where scarcely a single person escaped an attack. It contin- ued through the summer months, which were remarkable for their intense heat, with copious showers, alternating with clear sky and hot sun. The lake was very high, and the marshes were flowed. The disease assumed the type of a malignant typhoid fever, and was very general, ex- tending along the entire frontier. being es- pecially severe in the vicinity of marshes and standing water.

Ellisburgh has sent a number of her peo- ple to Illinois and Wisconsin, those in the former State mostly locating near St. Charles, where they have accumulated con- siderable property, now of value, owing to its proximity to the city of Chicago, and the quality and quantity of its agricutural productions.

Rufus Richardson, one of General Wash- ington's life-guards during the Revolution, settled in the town very early. He died September 16, 1681, aged 81, and was fol- lowed by his wife, who had reached the age of 90, on June 4. 1851. Their son Freeman, now also deceased, was a soldier of 1812. The old Richardson farm is in the north- west part of the town.

The Eastman, Mason, Hossington, Wo- dell, Noble, and other familes, were among the early settlers, and some of the finest farms and best improvements in town are now owned by their descendants.

EARLY ROADS.

The first road which is described on the town records, was laid out October 7, 1803, and is recorded as follows: "Beginning near the end of a road cut out on the Sixth Town from Levi Schofield's to Hungry Bay, and where said road interesects a division line of Great Lot 54 on said town; thence (by courses given in description) to the

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ELLISBURGH.

south line of the town of Adams, meeting a road laid out by the commissioners of said town to the said line."

Following is the survey of a road "laid out by the commissioners of highways for the town of Ellisburgh, in said town, December 20, 1803. Beginning at the road near the house of Lyman Ellis, on the north line of lot No. 76, thence north 81 ° west along said line 164 chains and 66 links, until it inter- sects the road laid out from Christopher Edmunds' to the town of Adams."

A road was laid out May 12, 1804, sur- veyed by Lyman Ellis. "Beginning on the east line of lot No. 25 in said town, where the road that is laid out running from Jere- miah Mason's to Joseph Holley's intersects said line; thence north along said line 154 chains and 75 links, until it intersects the road leading from Asahel Hossington's up to the south side of the north branch of the Great Sandy creek, to the town of Adams, laid out by actual surveys."

Another road laid out August 30, 1804, and also surveyed by Lyman Ellis, is de- scribed as follows: "Beginning at the south end of the town of Adams, at the southeast corner of William Thomas' land, at the south end of a road laid out on the town of Adams, at a 'small beach sapling,' thence south 45° west, 5 chains, to a maple tree standing on the line of the road laid out by the commissioners of the town of Ellisburg, in the year 1803."

A road laid out June 21. 1804, surveyed by Lyman Ellis. was as follows: "Beginning on the lot No. 76, at the mouth of Bear creek, so called, thence (by bearings given) to the west line of township No. 1, 5} miles and 15 chains." Another road, laid out at the same time, is recorded as "Beginning on the ridge, so called. where the road leading from the mouth of Bear creek, so called, to the west line of township No. 1, crosses said ridge; thence (by bearings given) to the south branch of Big Sandy creek, and to the road by Mr. Isaac Burr's."

At a special town meeting, held July 24, 1813, the following named persons were chosen as the first school commissioners and inspectors for the town of Ellisburgh: Com- missioners, Oliver Scott, Elijah Woodworth, William Case: inspectors. George Andrus, Lyman Ellis, George Jenkins. Oliver Scott was released from the position of school commissioner, and Asa Averill appointed in his place. In 1813 and 1814 the town was divided into 17 school districts, and public school buildings were first erected during those years. Schools had previously been taught by subscription, in houses built in the same way, or in any buildings which could be conveniently used. The first school- house bears the date of August 9, 1805:

A grist mill was built on Sandy creek, in the upper part of the present corporation of Belleville, some year previous to 1820, by Abraham Miller and Rufus Mather, of Marl- borough, Wyndham county, Vermont. Not long after this, and previous to 1820, they

deeded about an acre of land to Owen How- ard, upon which he bult a chair factory, and carried on quite an extensive business for a number of years. Miller & Mather after- wards sold out to Cotton Kimball, who built the frame grist-mill. The first mill was one of the old-fashioned frame struc- tures common at that day. The dam was near the mill. Kimball removed this dam and built one about half a mile above the mill, and dug a " ditch " raceway.

THE LAKE-SHORE.

The lake-shore in this town is nearly a straight line, and is bordered by a low ridge of sand-hills, scantily covered with trees at a few points. but mostly composed of drift- ing sands. Behind this is a large marsh, that extends several miles each way from Sandy creek, in which are open ponds. These marshes are without timber, are covered with sedges, aquatic plants and wild-rice, and when the lake is low a con- siderable portion of them may be mowed, but in high water they are mostly flowed. A large part of the marsh remains unsold, and is used as a kind of common. Where capable of tillage it is found very productive.

The lake-shore has been the scene of many wrecks since the country was settled, the first within the memory of those living, hav- ing occurred in the fall of 1800, when a small schooner from Mexico to Gananoque, Capt. Gammon, master, was lost off Little Stony creek, and all on board perished. A boat with eight men, that was sent in search of the vessel, was also swamped, and all hands were drowned.

About 1807 a family was located by Mr. Benjamin Wright, at the mouth of Sandy creek, to afford aid to shipwrecked persons, and since that period this lonely dwelling has sheltered many a suffering sailor, who might otherwise have perished. Within the memory of the present tenant, who has occupied the premises thirty years, the fol- lowing vessels have been wrecked on this coast, and several near the house : Atlas, Asp, Huron, Fame of Genesee, Two Sisters, Victory, Hornet, Three Brothers, Medora, Burlington, Caroline, Henry Clay, Neptune, Napoleon, White Cloud and several others, names not known, of many of which the entire crews were lost, and of others a part were saved. These are but a part of the whole number that have been lost liere.

In 1829 a survey of the mouth of Sandy creek was made by order of the general government, with the view of improving it for a harbor. The estimated cost of the work was $36,000, but nothing was ever done towards effecting this. A warehouse has been erected at the head of navigation. on each branch of the creek, but these are little used at present. Sandy creek is a lawful port.

The fisheries in Mexico bay, and in front of this town, have within a few years assumed much importance, and recently gillnets have been introduced and used, at

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THE GROWTH OF A CENTURY.

great distances from the shore, in deep water. It was found that the placing of these before the mouth of streams injured the fisheries, and the subject was made a matter of complaint to the board of super- visors at their session of 1853, who passed an act by which it was forbidden to place seines or nets across or in the waters of Skinner creek, and the north and south branches of Big Sandy, in Ellisburg, or within eighty rods of the mouth of either, under penalty of $50.

WOODVILLE,

A small village on North Sandy creek, about three miles from its mouth, formerly Wood's Settlement, was settled by Ebenezer, Ephraim and Jacob Wood, sons of Nathan- iel Wood, of Middletown, Vermont, who crme in to look for lands with Orimal Brewster, Simeon Titus, Ephraim Wood, Jr., and Hezekiah Lefflingwell, in the fall of 1803. Messrs. E. & E. Wood purchased, May 26, 1804, for $2,294.80, a tract of 754 acres, and in March, Ephraim Wood, with a daughter and three sons, came in to make a home, his brother Ebenezer remaining to settle the estate. Rev. Nathaniel Wood, their father, an old man, came on in June, 1804. Obadiah Kingsbury, Oliver Scott and others, came the same year. A small inill was built, and in 1805 got in operation. In 1805, Ebenezer Wood, Nathaniel Wood, Jr. (Reuben Wood, afterwards Governor of Ohio, and later a resident of Valparaiso, South America, was a son of Nathaniel Wood), Mosely Wood, Samuel Truesdale, and families came in, and several young men. A field of corn was planted by the Woods on the marsh, as late as June 7, pro- ducing an immense yield, which greatly raised the reputation of the settlement and the hopes of the settlers.

When the Woods came in they followed the old Redfield turnpike into Adams, and the balance of the way cut their own road. The mill spoken of above was built by them. A paper-mill was built here about 1846 by the Messrs. Clark, and is still standing.

Oliver Batcheller, an old resident in Woodville, came here from Stratton, Wind- ham county, Vermont, in the winter of 1808-9. He had been here the year previous and examined the country, and the general aspect being favorable, he made the location as mentioned. He was but twenty-two years old at the time. In 1815 he married Polly, a daughter of Ebenezer Wood.

Soon after Mr. Batcheller settled at Wood- ville, he built a blacksmith-shop on the ground now occupied by the store, at the south end of the bridge. He afterwards moved a short distance up the creek, and built a second shop and put up a trip-ham- mer. His first shop was the first one in the village.

The first attempt at merchandising in the village, was made by Ebenezer Wood, who brought in a few such goods as were neces- sary for the use of the settlers. This was

soon after he came, and in the spring of 1809, he had a few articles still on hand. The first regular store, however, was opened by Nathan Burnham, who settled here in 1812, and carried on the business for some time. The first hotel was kept by Ebenezer Wood, in his dwelling, which stood directly in front of the spot occupied by the residence of Nathaniel Wood. The present hotel was built for a dwelling, probably by Nicholas Meade, a shoemaker, and converted into an hotel some time afterward.

A school was taught in the village pre- vious to the War of 1812.

A postoffice was established some time between 1820 and 1830, previously to which time the people had received their mail at Adams, Ellis village and other places. The first postmaster was Asa Averill; the second was Augustus Victor Wood, who occupied the office for 17 years.

LIFE-SAVING STATION.

This station was established in the autumn of 1876. It is situated at the mouth of the Big Sandy creek. The building is of wood, 45 by 20 feet in dimensions, and the station is provided with the necessary apparatus. The crew consists of a captain and six men. The eastern coast of Lake Ontario is a dangerous locality in time of storms, and this station is of great benefit to those who are exposed to the perils of the deep.

THE BAPTIST SOCIETY OF WOODVILLE

Was formed January 27, 1825, with Eben- ezer Wood, Oliver Scott, Amaziah Fill- more, Pedro Scott, William Ellsworth and Abijah Jenkins trustees. The church was formed by the Rev. Asa Averill.

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF WOODVILLE Was formed November 22, and a society December 14, 1836, of which Ebenezer Wood, Oliver Batcheller and William Gray were trustees.

The first bridge across Sandy creek at this place was an open structure of wood, built in the summer of 1808. It was planked over, and stood across the stream where the dam now is. The King iron bridge was erected in 1869, at a cost of $6,000, and consisted of two spans. The Wood saw-mill stood where the grist-mill now is. The latter was built in 1825 or 1826 by Sam- uel Cook.

RURAL HILL P. O.

The first settler here was Jedediah Hill, who located in the spring of 1815. The place afterwards passed into the hands of his son, Eben, then to a brother of the latter, John, who sold it to Amasa Hunger- ford, Jr. On the death of the latter it be- came the property of his brother, Philo Hungerford.

The locality was known for years before the establishment of the postoffice, as Buck Hill, from the fact that it was a great re- sort for deer, and large numbers of these animals were killed here by the early set-

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tlers. Edward Burnham opened a store be- fore the establishment of the office, calling it the "Rural Hill Store," and the office received the name of "Rural Hill Post- office " in consequence. It has had at differ- ent times several stores and shops, a tavern, etc., but at present there is very little busi- ness in the place.

[The articles upon Pierrepont Manor, Ellis village and Mannsville, were prepared by Mr. George Allen, of the Manor. His style is pure, and his descriptions are characterized by a rigid adherence to facts-a commenda- ble thing in a historian.]

PIERREPONT MANOR

Is situated 19 miles south of Watertown, and on the line of the R., W. & O. R. R., and commands a distant prospect of the lake. It lies 620 feet above tide-water, and 385} feet above the lake. It contains two stores, two hotels, one saw-mill, three blacksmith shops, two churches, and a large seed business is carried on by W. H. Grenell.

In March, 1805, Joseph Allen, with Pardon Earl and Arnold Earl, from Galway, N. Y., came in by way of Redfield to Adams, and thence worked their way through the forest to Bear creek, and settled on the site of the present village of Pierrepont Manor. Wil- liam Case, William Tabor, William Lewis and two or three families by the name of Simmons settled here soon after.

Joseph Allen was born at Westport, Mass., in 1768. Mr. Allen was a minute-man dur- ing the Revolutionary war nearly three years, and when a young man worked at vessel- blacksmithing at Providence, R. I. About 1793 he removed to Galway, N. Y. He sold his farm there in 1804, and in the fall of that year came to Bear creek and purchased 240 acres of land at $3 an acre. The place was in the midst of a wilderness. At this time he built a log house on the ground north of "the green," on the spot where his son Elihu carried on blacksmithing for many years. His eldest daughter, Nancy, was married to Joel Brown in 1803, who settled in Ellisburg the same year one mile south of South creek-now Giddings Bridge. Mr. Allen built a frame addition to his house within a short time, and opened an inn. He was a blacksmith by trade, and when he first came he built a shop in which to carry on his business, and worked at the trade until about 1818, when he was succeeded by Joseph Pope. Elder Leander Cowles, a Methodist preacher, also did something in the same line. About 1818 Mr. Allen built the hotel which is still in use and continued keeping public-house until about 1823, when he was succeeded by Joel Brown. Mr. Allen was supervisor of the town of Ellisburgh in 1808 and 1809, and at one time held the office of magistrate. He died Sept. 13, 1838.

Pardon Earl, after 1807, became the local land agent and a man of extensive business. He was supervisor of the town five years.

He died in 1844, at the ripe age of 62 years. The place took the name of Bear creek, from the stream on which it is located, and retained the name until about 1840.

A frame school-house was erected about 1811 on the north side of Bear creek ; the name of the first teacher was Orson Fuller. A few years after, a school-house was built about on the site where the Episcopal church stands; William Case at one time taught there. The building was burned about 1824.

In 1822 the agency of the landed estate, derived by Hezekiah B. Pierrepont from Wil- liam Constable, and which comprised a large fraction of what was known as the Macomb purchase, was assumed by William C. Pierre- pont, and he opened a land-office at Pierre- pont Manor in that year. About 1826 he built his residence near the office and there he made his home the remainder of his life. He was married in 1830 to Cornelia Anna Butler, of Oxford, N. Y., who died Dec. 10, 1871. Mr. Pierrepont did an extensive busi- ness for many years. He died Dec. 20, 1885, aged 82 years.

A post-office was established about 1840 with the name of Pierrepont Manor ; Thomas E. Williamson was the first postmaster.

Thomas Loomis started a tannery here about 1835, and potash works were owned by Joel Brown.

THE CHURCHES OF PIERREPONT MANOR.

ZION CHURCH (Episcopal) was organized January 4th, 1836, Amos C. Treadway being at that time rector. William C. Pierrepont and Thomas Warren were chosen church wardens, and Thomas Blenking, Jr., Cornel- ius M. Tabor, Jason Marsh, Harvey Allen, Pardon Earl, Thomas E. Williams, Robert Myrick and John Allen were elected vestry- men. A church edifice had been erected the summer previous by Mr. Pierrepont, at a cost of $3,000, which was consecrated by Bishop Onderdonk August 16, 1836. The rectors have been Rev. Messrs. A. C. Tread- way, Nathaniel Watkins, Josiah E. Bartlett, C. B. Ellsworth, William Paret, William Lord, J. A Sanderson, John Muir and A. J. Brockway. During the pastorate of Rev. William Paret a parish school house was built, and opened for use September 10, 1856, and continued a number of years, and was especially prosperous while Rev. Mr. Paret was rector. He resigned his pastorate in 1864, which had covered a period of nearly 10 years. Mr. Pierrepent, in his will, made provision for the endowment of the church.

FREE CHURCH .- An orginization, known as the "Free Church and Society of Pierrepont Manor," was effected February 26, 1855, with nineteen members, Rev. Stephen H. Taft, of Christian Union fellowship, the minister in charge. The trustees elected were Loren Bushnell, Albert G. Earl, Hiram Allen, Benjamin. Randall, Samuel Bemis, Franklin Waite, William Williams. A church edifice was built the same year. Mr. Taft, a man very active in reform movements, was

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pastor four or five years. Much of the time since, the pulpit has been occupied by Metho- dist and Baptist clergymen,

On the farm once owned by Joseph Allen, and west of the former rectory, at one time were found in considerable numbers pieces of earthen ware, the remains of an Indian camping ground.

A very melancholy railroad accident oc- curred near this place, on the evening of May 6, 1852. A locomotive, while running backward, came in collision with a hand car containing a party of young men and ladies of this village, and three of the ladies were killed and one severely injured.

A steam grist mill and saw mill were built here by W. C. Pierrepont about 1848, and in use for a few years. Several years ago the grist mill building was removed and made into a store.

Two stores and several buildings were burned in the fire of June 16, 1887. One of the buildings was the corner store built by W. C. Pierrepont at an early day. E. J. Robinson re-built on the same site.

Among the business people at Pierrepont Manor are: E. J. Robinson, general mer- chandise ; and Miss Jennie Jones, staple and fancy dry goods, wall paper, drugs, groceries and general merchandise.

MANNSVILLE.

MANNSVILLE is situated on Mannsville or Skinner creek, and is on the line of the R., W. & O. R. R., 21 miles south of Water- town. The name Skinner, as applied to the creek, is for a man of that name who re- sided near its source. At an early day the place was known as Little Sandy.

A settlement was commenced here as early as 1811 by David I. Andrus, in the interest of Col. Samuel Wardwell, of Bristol, R. I., who owned much landed property here and also at the Wardwell Settlement and South creek, now Gidding's Bridge. Mr. Andrus, originally of Connecticut, was a resident of Rome, Oneida county, as early as 1789, and therc married Sally Ranney. He first came to this section in company with David Fox, about 1800, and at that time or soon after settled at what is now known as the Ward- well Settlement, acting as agent for Colonel Wardwell. Mr. Andrus built the first saw- mill at Mannsville, which stood on the site of the present Main street grist-mill; the first dwelling was also erected by him on the site of the present hotel ; he also built a house where the Shepard residence stands. Several years before the settlement was com- menced at Mannsville, Mr. Andrus had made improvements at South creek, also called Andrus Settlement, and it was there he carried on an extensive business. He died in 1831. His son George had charge of the mill property at Mannsville in 1814-15.

The first house built was afterwards made into an inn, and it is thought the name of the first landlord was Joseph C. Wood. William Earl, born in Galway, N. Y., in

1796, was a son of James Earl, who settled in Ellisburgh in 1811, purchased it of the pro- prietor, Mr. Jackson, in 1837. Mr. Earl kept the hotel about 15 years, and under his charge the place was always a favorite with the public. He died in 1880. In 1852 Daniel Stearns became proprietor of the hotel, and succeeding him have been Gard- ner Millard, Joy Brothers, Don C. Bishop, Eli James, Charles Gibeau.

As late as about 1823, Mannsville con- tained a tavern which stood on the site of the present hotel; a saw-mill and also a plank school-house, which was near the creek. There were three dwellings, one on the Philip Wheeler corner, one opposite the hotel and one at the northerly limit of the present village. The first school taught in the old red school-house on Lorraine street, was in 1826.

The present name was adopted by a vote of the citizens on the establishment of a post- office about 1825, and was named in honor of H. Barzilian Mann. Major Mann was a person of enterprise, good social qualities, and his death was much lamented. He died at Whitesboro in 1830, aged 37 years. His son, J. Preston Mann, practiced medicine at one time in Mannsville in company with Dr. Kinney, and in later years was in New York. J. Maxey, also a son of H. B. Mann, was in the mercantile business here.

Mannsville was incorporated as a village in 1879, and Allen M. Wardwell was elected president, and Leonard A. Martin, Orrin H. Balch, Everett L. Stone, trustees; B. N. Bailey, clerk.

On the night of July 29, 1885, Mannsville suffered a severe loss by fire in the business portion of the village, and included hotel, a large threc story brick building, the Dis- ciples Church and three dwellings. The fire originated in the rear of Hurd's drug store. The loss was estimated at $76,000, on which there was an insurance of $46, - 000.

The Mannsville Press, a weekly publica- tion, was commenced in 1894. C. J. Bar- less is the editor.

Mannsville is a thriving village of 400 in- habitants, and its citizens have always shown a commendable public spirit. The well-kept streets and lawns are a subject of favorable comment, and its location, to- gether with its society, must continue to make it an attractive place.

The first tannery in the village was started by Daniel Goddard about 1826, at which time he settled here, coming origin- ally from Massachusetts. The building which he purchased and converted into a tannery, had been a distillery, and was pur- chased by Major H. B. Mann. Mr. God- dard continued business until 1847. In 1849 William Baldwin purchased the tannery, which was afterwards burned. Mr. Bald- win rebuilt it, making it one of the largest tanneries in the county; this also was burned about 1870, For years he carried on

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Growth of a Century : as illustrated in the history of Jefferson County, New York, from 1793 to 1894, Part 117

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