Growth of a Century : as illustrated in the history of Jefferson County, New York, from 1793 to 1894, Part 134

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 134

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LYME.

ORIGINALLY the town of Lyme embraced the present towns of Lyme and Cape Vin- cent, together with the adjacent islands and so much of the present town of Clayton as lies west of the original boundary of Penet Square. It was erected from Brownville by an act of the 6th of March, 1818. It was named by Eber Kelsey, who was the pioneer settler of Cape Vincent, who came to this county from Lyme, Connecticut.

The first town meeting was held on the 3rd of March, 1818, three days previous to the signing of the act which made it a town, though it was known that the act had passed the Legislature some time before. At that meeting Richard M. Esselstyn was elected supervisor ; John Dayan, clerk ; John B. Esselstyn, Luther Britton and Benjamin Es- tes, assessors ; R. M. Esselstyn, James M.

Craw and Benjamin T. Bliss, school commis- sioners ; J. B. Esselstyn and L. Britton, over- seers of the poor ; John M. Tremper, Eber Kelsey and Thaddeus Smith, fence viewers and pound-masters ; Elnathan Judd, John Dayan and Joseph Rider, highway commis- sioners ; Alexander Gaige and Danicl Rob- bins, constables.

Up to. and including 1853, the supervisors were ; Richard M. Esselstyn, 1818-22 ; John B. Esselstyn, 1823; William Ainsworth, 1824 ; John B. Esselstyn, at a special elec- tion in September to fill a vacancy pro tem ; Willard Ainsworth, 1825-32 ; Otis P. Starkey, 1833; Jere Carrier, 1834-35 ; Minot Ingalls, 1836 ; Isaac Wells, 1837 ; Philip P. Gaige, 1838; Roswell T. Lee, 1839; Philip P. Gaige, 1840 ; Timothy Dewey, 1841; Wil- liam Carlisle, 1842 ; Alcxander Copely, 1843 ;

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William O. Howard, 1844 ; Theophilis Peug- net, 1845 ; Isaac Wells, 1846-47 ; A. Copely, 1848 ; P. P. Gaige, 1849; Henry Cline, 1850 ; Ezra B. Easterly, 1851; David Ryder, 1852 ; William Carlisle, 1853. For lists from 1854 to 1894, see pages 337 to 344.

Jonas Smith and Henry A. Delemater were the first settlers in the town. They came from Ulster county, New York, as agents for LeRay, with several others, among whom were Timothy Soper, with his brothers James and David R., M. Esselstyn and Peter Pratt. They came in a boat by way of Oswego, in 1801. sailing into Chaumont Bay, named on old maps "Nivernois " bay, after the Duke de Nivernois, a French nobleman. It was also called " Hungry Bay." They as- cended Chaumont Bay about two and a half miles and began a settlement on the north bank of the stream, at what is now known as " Old Town Spring." They built a double log house for a store and dwelling, and also a frame building, but the location was found to be inconvenient and unhealthy, and it was abandoned. In 1803 they established them- selves where the present village of Chau- mont stands, which was surveyed into a town-plot the same season. During that year Smith & Delemater erected a saw-mill on the site of the Copely mill ; a warehouse was built, and Luther Britton opened the first tavern where the Elliott House stood, and later occupied the old Coffeen House, a stone structure which is yet standing on the north side of the bay, in a good state of preservation. Afterward Samuel Britton opened a tavern, but finally removed to the shore of the St. Lawrence river, opposite Linda's island. Before settling in Chaumont he traded the lot on which the court-house in Watertown now stands for a barrel of whisky.

Several families from Ulster county loca- ted here at this time, and for a year or two the settlement flourished ; but in 1806 Smith & Delemater failed, lake fevers were preva- lent, several deaths took place, and the growth of the village received a check. The first death was that of Timothy Soper, who was drowned in 1802. In 1805 a vessel was begun by a New Yorker by the name of Jones, who died before it was finished. Nancy Smith opened a school that year, being the first teacher in Chaumont. Delemater cleared the first land on Point Salubrious, so named by LeRay because of its freedom from malaria, in 1802, on a farm afterward owned by Harry Horton, who settled there in 1810. The first actual settler on the Point was James Horton, in 1806. Its freedom from sickness and the importance of its fish- ing interests, promoted its rapid settlement. By 1805 Daniel and John Tremper had set- tled on the Point and Henry Thomas had opened a store of goods at Chaumont. Other early settlers on the Point were Silas Taft, Stephen Fisher, David and Joseph Rider.

For several years Sackets Harbor was de- pended upon for milling, and because of the

difficulty and danger in passing Pillar Point in rough weather, boats were sometimes de- layed several days, in many instances causing great distress from want of flour and meal. On one occasion a boat was driven ashore on Pillar Point when returning from Sackets to Point Salubrious with several grists for different families, it being usual to join to- gether when milling was to be done ; and to keep from starving the crew were obliged to heat flat stones on which to bake a batter of flour, mixed with lake water without salt, into something resembling pan-cakes.

The first Fourth-of-July celebration ever held in Jefferson county took place at Chau- mont, at which about 200 people assembled. The national salute was fired from an anvil, and there was no lack of refreshments, the great rendezvous for the day being Britton's tavern.

At the breaking out of the War of 1812, there were but few families in the settlement, and by the advice of General Jacob Brown, a block-house was erected on the north shore of the bay, near the old Coffeen House. Luther Britton managed to create a stampede among the settlers on Point Salubrious, which, at that time, was by far the largest settlement, and they hastily left their homes to avail themselves of the protection of the block- house, and, incidentally, of course, of the comforts of Britton's tavern. Mrs. Harry Horton, however, utterly refused to avail herself of the protection of the block house, and after staying a few days away from her home at Point Salubrious, went resolutely back, saying that if she had to be killed she would rather die on Point Salubrious than in a block-house. Finally a detach- ment of British soldiers came and assured the people that if they would tear down their block-house their property should be respected, which they at once proceeded to do ; and so ended the fortification at Chau- mont. The timber of which the block-house was built, or a part of it, was made into a raft and floated to Point Salubrious and erected into a school-house. The old Charles McPherson store was also built of it, and in a cooper-shop built by H. S. Pomeroy, and now owned by De LaCour Pomeroy, of Chaumont, is a huge door-post made of a piece of timber from the old block-house, which shows the loop-holes for musketry. The block-house was armed with an old iron gun which was found on the isthmus of Point Peninsula, and purchased by Jonas Smith, of the firm of Delemater & Smith, for two gallons of rum. Elisha Camp, of Sackets Harbor, purchased it afterward for $8, and it was taken to Ogdensburg and finally captured by the British. Jonas Smith's house, yet standing on Water street, was formerly the residence of Augustus Solar.

Several Quaker families came on with Musgrove Evans in 1818, but a residence of two or three years, during which time several deaths had taken place among them and

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much sickness prevailed, served to persuade them of the unhealthiness of the locality, and they abandoned it. In the meantime they had erected a little church, where they held divine worship according to their peculiar forms, their leader or pastor, if he may be so called, being a man by the name of Pryor. The little Quaker church is now the residence of Mr. Frank James.

The settlement on Point Salubrious was the scene of the first exhibition of woman's will as a factor in public matters known in the county. When a road was laid out to the Point, it was calculated to go directly through the center of the Point, having the farms front on the road, with their back boundaries next the shore. The houses already erected stood facing the water, and the road ran around the Point next the shore, the farms, of course, extending from each way back to the center of the Point. Now this very pleasant arrangement was to be en- tirely changed; and, as their husbands seemed willing, and as they were not, the women concluded to resist the proceedings. Providing themselves with axcs and hatchets they turned out, as an old lady informant, who was one of the participants, though but a young girl at the time, quaintly says, "to a man," and as fast as the men opened the new road the women filled it up again with brush and trees which they felled into it, until the men gave up in despair, and the women had their own way, as usual. The road to this day is where they wanted it, and is a monument to woman's will and her ability to effect what she desires. "Oh, my !" said the old lady, laughing "you just ought to have seen how those women made the brush fly."

In 1803 a State road was laid out through the village from Brownville to Port Putnam, on the St. Lawrence, and partially if not quite cut out that year. In 1815 Mr. LeRay was authorized by an act of the Legislature, March 31st, to build a turnpike from Cape Vincent to Perch River, at or near where the State road crossed the same in the town of Brownville. The crossing at Chaumont was by ferry until 1823, when Vincent LeRay and others procured the passage of an act author- izing the construction of a toll-bridge, which was to be completed before the close of 1824. The parties to the contract having failed in its performance, an act was passed in 1849 which authorized the highway commissioners to borrow on the credit of the town a sum not exceeding $5,000. With this money a substantial stone bridge was built.

That part of Chaumont Bay next to the isthmus which connects Point Peninsula with the main land, became early known as Hungry Bay, and has therefore been con- founded with "La Famine," as laid down on old French maps. That they were dis- tinct localities, and named at datcs wide apart and from entirely different circum- stances, is very probable. Late rescarches have fully settled the question as to the loca-

tion of "La Famine," or the Bay of Fam- ine, of the French maps. That was un- doubtedly at the mouth of Salmon river, and its occasion was the expedition of De la Barre, who was Governor of Canada from 1682 to 1685, against the Six Nations in 1684. When the expedition reached Salmon river it was so enfeebled by sickness and reduced by death, and without provisions, that the In- dian tribes were fully aware of its condition, and it had to be abandoned.

The name of "Hungry Bay " originated from an entirely different circumstance, which occurred in 1777, 93 years later. When Colonel Barry St. Leger reached Os- wego, after his signal failure to capture Fort Stanwix, he embarked at once for Montreal, leaving his command to follow as best they might. The command, on its way to attack Fort Stanwix, had stopped for several days. at Deer, now Carleton Island, from which place it embarked in two or three small ves- sels and a large number of batteaux, for Os- wego. On the return of the army, after its defeat, the expedition re-embarked for Montreal, but were overtaken by a terrific storm and scattered. Several of the bat- teaux were driven across the isthmus which connects Point Peninsula with the main land, into the upper part of Chaumont Bay ; many of the soldiers were drowned, their boats were rendered useless, their stores were nearly all lost, and they had no knowledge of where they were, nor of which way to go to reach the St. Lawrence river. Finally the few survivors were discovered by a party of Indians, who gave them food, and after they had buried their valuables, among which was a military chest or two, the Indians piloted them to the river near Carleton Island, which they reached, to their great relief, and thence they went on to Montreal. It is but a few years since a gentleman from Brockville made several unsuccessful attempts to locate the spot where the military chests were buried, having in his possession minute di- rections written by his grandfather, who was one of the party ; but so changed was every- thing that he failed to locate the spot. It is less than 30 years since the wrecks of the batteaux were plainly visible. That there must have been visitors at least on Point Sa- lubrious previous to the settlement there by James Horton, in 1806, is evidenced by the fact that Mrs. Horton dug up a couple of steel spear-heads and a sheep-bell ; the latter is now in possession of her grand-daughter, Miss Mary Ryder, of Chaumont. These arti- cles were found more than 80 years ago. The bell is roughly made of heavy sheet-iron, brazen with brass or copper to give it sound, and riveted in the style of the old-time sheep and cow-bells, familiar to the people of two generations. The query is: Who buried them on Point Salubrious so long be- fore 1806 that the spcar-heads were well nigh eaten up by rust when found ?

An important industry at Chaumont is the quarrying of building stone. The compact

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blue lime-stone taken from the quarries there is found to be superior to all others for canal work, and it has no superior for building purposes. It is distinctively classified by Professor Hall as "The Black River Lime- stone ;" but in the classification of Professor Emmons, it is designated as "Isle La Motte Marble," being found in the same geological strata with that particular lime-stone, and analagous to it in structure. It is a clearly defined mass of greyish-blue stone, lying be- tween the birds-eye lime-stone, which forms the surface rock, and the Trenton lime-stone beneath. Its fossils are clearly distinct from the strata either above or below it, among which occur several beautifully marked corals. A superior lime is also burned here, which is to become, at no distant day, a very valuable business. At this writing it is understood that the quarrying business will be carried on by an incorporated company, who will materially increase the output and add largely to the efficiency of a business hereto- fore too much scattered among smaller firms.

The fishing interests of the town were at one time superior to any other. About the year 1816, and for many years thereafter, not less than 10,000 barrels of herring, otherwise known as "ciscoes," were caught yearly, aside from large quantities of whitefish, pike, pickerel, mascullonge and bass. Now, owing to various causes, the fishing industry has dwindled away to almost nothing.

THE FIRST SCHOOL

In the town was started by Nancy Smith, in 1805, in a log-house on the south side of the bay. This was the only school until one was begun on Point Salubrious, in the school- house constructed of the timbers of the block-house, rafted there for the purpose, as related elsewhere. The cause of education has been by no means neglected, and both Chaumont and Three Mile Bay have fine school buildings and an able corps of teach- ers in each, who have brought their respec- tive schools to a high degree of perfection.

CHURCHES.

As already stated, the first church organi- zation in the town was that of Quakers. The next was that of the Baptists, formed on Point Salubrious, by Elder Joseph Maltby, September 25, 1816, at which time 26 persons united. This society disbanded in 1838, and the First Baptist church and society was formed at Three Mile Bay on the 6th of March, 1839, and in 1840 they erected a church edifice at a cost of $2,500. Isaac Wells, Roswell Herrick, Henry Powers, Epenetus Cline, Nathaniel Wells, Richard Guile and Charles Wilcox were trustees.

As early as 1827 a Free Communion Bap- tist church was formed at Three Mile Bay, by Elder Amasa Dodge, of which organiza- tion no records are to be found ; but on the 6th of July, 1841, a Free Will Baptist church was formed by Elder Dodge, and on Decem- ber 18, 1843, a society was formed, with

Charles Leonard, Rufus H. Bartlett, Henry Leonard, William Northrup and Charles Cas- well trustees. This society built a church the next year at a cost of about $1,000. A Baptist organization was started on Point Peninsula in 1824, as a branch to the Point Salubrious Socity ; but it did not long main- tain a separate existence. The present Bap- tist Church at Three Mile Bay is in a flour- ishing condition.

PRESBYTERIAN .- The Presbyterian Church of Chaumont was organized in the year 1831 The meeting for this purpose was held in the village school-house September 22, 1831. Rev. John Sessions and the Rev. George L. Boardman were present to represent the Presbytery of Watertown. Some 18 persons were enrolled, of whom no less than 11 bore the name McPherson. The first elders ap- pointed were William McPherson and Elam Clark

It was not until some 10 years later that a house of worship was erected, the Rev. J. A. Canfield being pastor of the church, and S. Massey, William McPherson, R. Mills and P. Beasom being elders. The present pastor is the Rev. William W. Cleveland. He was born in Windham, Conn., in 1832; was edu- cated at Hamilton College and Union Theo- logical Seminary, New York city. He has occupied, previous to his installation in Chaumont, the pastoral office variously at Southampton, L. I., Eaton, Madison county, and Forestport, Oneida county, New York.

The present church is an unusually taste- ful and pleasant building. A good parson- age also is owned by the congregation. The present elders are Morris J. Carey and Charles McPherson.

METHODIST .- The first society of this de- nomination was organized in 1834, on Point Peninsula, and was supplied with preaching from Cape Vincent for several years. The territory now embraced in the Three Mile Bay charge was formerly included in the Cape Vincent circuit.

The church at Three Mile Bay was organ- ized in 1838, with five members. In 1845 a church edifice was erected. The society on Point Peninsula had no church building until 1880, when one was erected at a cost of $2,800. In 1877, D. W. Aylesworth organ- ized a society at Chaumont, and erected a church at a cost of $5,000. The trustees are : R. E. Horton, A. Vandewalker, E. A. Hayes, I. O. Banks and E. Jaquay.

There was a Universalist organization per- fected in 1850, but the preaching was irregu- lar ; no place of worship was ever erected, and finally the society went down.

SHIPBUILDING.

IT is not now necessary to enter into par- ticulars regarding this, formerly one of the great industries of the town. It was carried on at Chaumont, Three Mile Bay and on Point Peninsula, though the largest share was done at Three Mile Bay, where Asa Wilcox built the greatest proportion of vessels. The

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tonnage of the vessels constructed by him from 1835 to 1852 amounted to 6,410 tons. Between 1832 and 1837 several vessels were built on Point Peninsula. At Chaumont, vessels aggregating nearly 3,000 tons have been built, but of late years the industry in all these places has nearly or quite died out.

SOCIETIES.

MASONIC .- Lodge No. 172, F. & A. M., was instituted January 30, 1850, with 11 members. It is now in a flourishing con- dition, has a large and healthy membership. It meetings are held on the first and third Mondays. Its present officers are : J. Shep- hard, W. M .; Wm. Foster, S. W .; Geo. Her- rick, J. W .; W. J. Linnell, Sec'y ; Chris. Getman, Treas .; D. W. Fisher, S. D .; Frank Lucas, J. D .; E. Goves, Marshal ; Chauncey Simmons, Chaplain ; Jno. Wilson, Tyler.

E. V. MATHEW POST, G. A. R., No. 441, Three Mile Bay, organized January 2, 1884, meets first and third Thursdays. This is one of the best posts in the county. Its present officers are : Commander, R. E. Horton ; S. V., J. W. Wilcox; J. V., Orville Fish; Q. M., O. F. Hentzie; Adjutant, Theo. Lake ; Off. Day, C. Spicer; Q. M. Serg't, Gid Chapman ; Com. Serg't, M. Wells; Chap- lain, M. J. Carey. The post has a member- hips of 59. The following is a complete list of the old soldiers, G. A. R Post at Chaumont, now living: W. W. Enos, R. E. Horton, Duane Hilts, Marshall Blodgett, J. W. John- son, George Fisher, Hiram Wallace, John Fredenburg, David Ault, J. M. Horton, W. D. Horton, D. W. Fisher, R. I. Horton, James Myers, James Lynts, E. Govro, M. J. Knapp, Dorus Herkimer, S. W. Schermer- horn, I. O. Banks, Jacob Arnold, Warren Morehouse, John Wilson, Geo. P. Swindt, M. J. Carey, Peter Fry, O. Harris, D. H. Linds- ley, Charles Lingenfelter, John Northup, S. B. Collins, T. D. Mayhew, J. P. Rector, Wm. Graves, Lester Angel, C. Spicer, James Buchanan, O. F. Hentze, J. M. Wilcox, M. Hayes, Theo. Lake, John Combs, Orvil Fish, David Mount, Gardner Smith, V. R. Faulk- ner, Chas. Rickitt, Merrit Wells, Gilbert Chapman, A. C. Pennock, E. B. Moore, Dorr Horton, Abram Roof.

FORESTERS .- Court Chaumont, No. 895, organized September 21, 1894, meets second and fourth Mondays. The officers are : W. S. Daniels, C. D. H. C. R .; A. Daniels, C. R .; J. M. Donoughue, V. C. R .; Geo. W. Babcock, F. S .; F. Dunham, R. S .; E. Jaquay, Treasurer. Three Mile Bay has also a flourishing court of Foresters.

THE TEMPERANCE SOCIETIES .- Chaumont Lodge, I. O. G. T., No. 844, has a member- ship of 78, and is also in a flourishing con- dition. There is also a flourishing lodge at Three Mile Bay, but space forbids giving a list of officers. They are both doing a good work.

The present regulations and course of study of the Chaumont Graded School were adopt- ed in 1881. It is divided into four depart-

ments : Primary, Intermediate, Grammar and High School.

Under the current regulations the present teachers are : Principal, W. J. Linnell ; In- termediate, Mrs. W. J. Linnell; Primary, Miss Della Govro ; Assistant, Miss Harriette Knapp.

HOTELS.

Of these Chaumont has two, the Peck House and the National. The first is an old and well-known stand, and has a wide repu- tation. It is conducted by Mr. L. Crouse, who is well and favorably known to the travelling public far and near. He is a first- class landlord, in that his guests are carefully cared for and made to feel at home. The cusine is excellent and well served ; good rooms, good beds, and in fact all that goes to make up a pleasant stopping place for the tired traveler. Extensive stabling, where the horse is well cared for, is one of the features of the house.

The National Hotel is in charge of B. J. Saxe, and is a fine house. It was not origin- ally erected for a hotel, but is the Wilcox resi- dence transformed into a public house, and a very attractive one. Those who claim to be authority on the question say that mine host Saxe keeps one of the best houses in the county. At all events Chaumont has no lack of hotels.

SEED HOUSE.

For several ycars the seed house at Chau- mont has been a prominent business interest of the place. From comparatively small be- ginnings it has grown into an extensive and far-reaching business, affording many oppor- tunities to farmers for profitable crops, and furnishing employment to many people.

In the successful inauguration and building up of their now extensive business, Rogers Bros. have become as well known to the seed trade as any of the Northern New York growers, and not only well known, but fav- orably, their grades being equal to the best, and their standing in market not surpassed. It is not at all necessary to enter into any minute description of their establishment, it being in arrangement very much like all others of the kind, but well suited to its needs.

BUSINESS OF CHAUMONT.

W. W. Enos, dealer in hay.

Copley Bros., manufacturers of lime, lum- ber, butter, cheese, hay and grain. They are extensive farmers and produce dealers.

Childs McPherson, grocer and druggist and village undertaker.

The Peck House, Louis Crouse, proprietor.

The National Hotel, B. J. Faxe, proprietor.

D. J. Pennock, livery stable.

Wm. Clement, livery stable.

Aaron Vrougham & Son, blacksmith.

Capt. Frank Phelps, builder and owner of vessels. He also has a saw-mill.

Jacob Lowrey, blacksmith.

Capt. D. C. Reed, wagon-making and re- pairing.

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THE GROWTH OF A CENTURY.

The Adams-DuFow Company, managers and proprietors of extensive quarries about Chaumont.

W. O. Thompson, architect and builder.

H. W. Jewett, M. D., physician and sur- geon.

A. A. Getman, M. D., physician and sur- geon.

O. J. LaFontain, M. D., physician and surgeon.

A. J. Dillenbeck, dealer in coal, farming implements, wagons and sleighs.

I. O. Banks, dealer in coal and hay.

D. C. Wheeler, dry goods, boots, shoes and clothing.

G. P. Swind, harness ware.

Rogers Bros., seed growers.

A. J. Shepard, groceries and bakery.

E. Jaquay, merchandise and drugs.

A. L. Byam, clothing, boots, shoes, hats, caps, gent's furnishings. He is also post- master.

George Bros., hardware, stoves and agri- cultural implements.

Walter N. Van Doren, groceries, etc.

A. L. Byam, postmaster. J. J. Dillenbeck, coal dealer.

Moses Knapp & Son, house painters.

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Growth of a Century : as illustrated in the history of Jefferson County, New York, from 1793 to 1894, Part 134

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