Growth of a Century : as illustrated in the history of Jefferson County, New York, from 1793 to 1894, Part 89

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 89

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Reaching Kansas with his family, Brown found, in a prospecting tour, a spot where the Osage river joined the Potawatomie, leaving a wedged-shaped piece of land. This spot he at once named "Osawatomie," and there

he stuck his pre-emption stake. He went to

work and founded the town, being its first president, and the little village prospered re- markably. The place being settled by North- ern and Eastern people, quickly became an object of special hatred to the Missourians, who were well organized and supplied with arms and money, boastfully declaring their ability to wipe out any free-soil town in the State. They did not hesitate to make the country around Osawatomie a favorite camp- ing ground, and one night a party of them were set upon there by free-State men, and over a score were killed in their sleep-a bar- barity they had often practiced upon others.

This attack was bitterly resented, and in June, 1856, a pro-slavery gang attacked the town of Osawatomie, completely sacking it, Brown being only too glad to escape with his life. His wealth and business career were at

SPENCER KELLOGG BROWN.

once dissipated, and as his boldness of speech and determined opposition to the encroach- ments of slavery had made him a marked man, he was forced to leave the State rather than live in constant dread of assassination. He returned East with his family, and has been for many years a resident of Adams.

No name is more indelibly connected with Kansas and the cause of freedom, than " Osa- watomie " Brown's. He was dreaded by the Missourians more than any other man, for he was a good fighter, ever vigilant, and of un- doubted courage. So that Jefferson county has not only contributed statesmen, inventors, scholars and soldiers to the cause of civiliza- tion, but also a leading Kansas free-State fighter. In his noble son, Jefferson county has also contributed one of the martyrs to the " strife engendering " cause of freedom.

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ADAMS.

SPENCER KELLOGG BROWN,

THE eldest son of Osawatomie, was an officer under Porter during the attempts to open the Mississippi to the Gulf. Young Brown was in command of a small force that had been ordered to destroy a certain ferry somewhere in the parish of Baton Rouge, when he was set upon by a strong guerilla band and cap- tured. He was sent to various prisons in the South, but was finally taken to Richmond, Va., and hung after 14 months' imprison- ment, upon the false charge of being a spy. By what process the Confederates reached such a monstrous conclusion, the writer can- not state; but the matter caused much com- ment at the time in all the newspapers of the

North. It is probable that his fate was pre- cipitated by the hatred the pro-slavery men felt for his father, but his official murder may have been deliberately planned as a revenge, for the Federal government hung one or two of the Southern desperadoes who infested the North, intent on arson or pillage.

But viewed in any light, young Brown's death was uncalled for by anything he had done. He was in uniform when captured, commanding a war-like party, and obeying the commands of his superior. His death was only one of the many horrible crimes per- petrated by the insane men who were attempting to carry on a government under the name of the Southern Confederacy.

JESSE SMITH OF SMITHVILLE.

AMONG the many men of prominence in the early history of Jefferson county, was Jesse Smith. His adventurous spirit led to large operations not only in Smithville, Sackets Harbor, Cape Vincent and Clayton, but over the great lakes and down the St. Lawrence river to Montreal and Quebec.

He was born in Massachusetts, February 25, 1784. His parents moved to Nelson, N. H., when he was two years old. Little is known of his early life. It is traditional that his father was in the battle of Lexington, and that he was known as Captain Ezra Smith. Jesse went to Jefferson county, N. Y., in 1804, and settled first in Rodman when the country was new, and began life by clearing land and making potash.

He married Miss Polly Felt, February 12, 1806, and then went to Smithville, the village taking his name. He was the father of ten children, four sons and six daughters, three of the latter dying in infancy. But one of this large family is now living (1894), Mrs. Eliza A. Brownell, of Peru, Indiana. An early record of his life speaks of him as " one of the most energetic and active business men who have lived in the county, and from small beginnings arose to affluence, and con- trolled a business which, for extent and im- portance, has had few parallels." In 1828 Mr. Smith was the Presidential Elector from Jefferson county, the counties then voting separately, instead of the whole State upon one ballot as now.

While living in Smithville he engaged in milling, merchandise and other minor oper- ations incident to pioneer life, and gradually became interested in the commerce of the lakes. About 1823 he entered the hewn-tim- ber business for the Montreal and Quebec markets, and took into partnership Mr. Eldridge G. Merick. They collected the timber from Lakes Ontario, Erie and Huron, and transported it by vessels across the lakes to Clayton, N. Y. There it was made into rafts, where were propelled by sails down the river, scarcely running faster than the cur- rent would have taken them. These rafts

were divided into sections; a large one com- posed of from 20 to 30 sections. At the rapids extra men were taken on, often requir- ing from 200 to 300, with a pilot for each sec- tion.

The business of ship building began at Clayton in 1832, by Smith and Merick. From two to four vessels were built annually, making a total of from 60 to 70, and included most of the splendid steamers of the Ontario and St. Lawrence Steamboat Company's line. The first vessels built were the Jesse Smith and Horatio Gates.

Mr. Smith was a man of remarkable tact in all his business relations. A little anecdote is told of him, showing this trait : He was travelling at one time with a large amount of money in a common carpet bag, and where he stopped for the night he found a rough lot of men playing cards, drinking and carousing generally. He took in the situation at once, and carelessly dropped his bag in a corner, and, with his characteristic shrewdness, slept upon it during the night as a tired man would, though with one eye open, well know- ing his life would have been of little account had these men known the contents of his pil- low.

During the war of 1812, Mr. Smith was associated with Col. Elisha Camp and others of Sackets Harbor, in the comissary depart- ment, and did excellent service. General Brady and Commodore Woolsey were the commanding officers at that time.

Mr. Smith left Jefferson county in 1836, and located in Newark, Ohio. About 1838 he erected a stone building near his home. The lower part was used for merchandising, and the next year he opened the upper rooms for banking, under the firm name of Jesse Smith & Sons. Here he did a very successful business until the great financial crisis of 1847, when, through the failure of others, he was obliged to succumb. This was a severe blow to him, as his great business career, from small beginnings, had been his pride thus far through life. He called his creditors together and said to them if they would give him

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THE GROWTH OF A CENTURY.

time no one should lose a dollar. He kept his word, paid them all and had a balance left sufficient for all the necessary demands of life.

Mr. Smith and Hon. E. G. Merick re- mained life-long friends, each ready to help the other in any emergency.

About 1858 he removed to Peru, Indiana,

where he died January 7, 1867, respected by all who knew him as an honest, high-toned man; one who had filled a wide space in business life, and had come through without a blemish upon his reputation. In this respect he resembled Mr. Merick, who also left a name entirely unsullied.

ALEXANDRIA.

THIS town, bordered as it is, for its whole western margin by the noble St. Lawrence river, is really of more ancient note than any other point in the county except the head of Carlton Island, where the English built a fort in 1760. The first explorer saw this shore in the earliest times, noted the islands, remarked upon the bold and picturesque banks of the river and gave the place a local habitation and a name, long before our century, and many years before people began to come into the Black River country from France or from New England.

The town is bounded on the northwest by the river, on the northeast by St. Lawrence county (town of Hammond), on the southeast by Theresa, and on the south and west by Or- leans. The surface of the town, especially along the river. is generally rough and rocky, but that portion underlaid by sandstone is level, with a thin clayey or sandy soil. All lands having the Potsdam sandstone founda- tion are usually quite level, and whatever soil covers the rock has been deposited there by the erosive and mutative action of the water during the long period of submergence-the original soil. if any, having been swept clean off during the period of deluvial abras- ion. Besides the grand St. Lawrence, this town is well watered by streams having their source in the southern part of the town. But- terfield lake is the largest of the many pictur- esque lakes in this town and Theresa. Mud and Clear lakes are smaller, but highly appre- ciated bodies of water.

The town was erected from Brownville and LeRay, April 3, 1821, by the same act which formed Philadelphia and Orleans. Theresa was by that act included in Alexandria. It was named after Alexander, son of James D. LeRay, who obtained a colonel's commission in the Texas revolution, and was finally killed in a duel. All the early town records are lost, but it is known that James Shurtliff was the first supervisor, Nathaniel Goodell the first clerk, Ashley Tanner assessor, and Allen Cole and Joel Porter inspectors of elec- tion.

The following is the list of supervisors from the organization of the town up to 1854, as given by Dr. Hough. From 1854 the list is continued to 1894, as may be seen on pp. 337-344. This Alexandria list is perhaps in- complete, as the early records were destroyed by fire when the office of the town clerk was burned. James Shurtliff was the first Super- visor, 1822; 1829, John D. Davidson; 1833_5, Jason Clark; 1836, J. D. Davidson; 1837, J.

Clark; 1838, John W. Fuller; 1839-40, Michael Lewis; 1841, Alexander Salisbury, at a special meeting in May, J. Clark; 1842, J. Clark; 1843-9, Harvey D. Parker; 1850, George W. Clark; 1851, Moses C. Jewett; 1852, H. D. Parker; 1853-4, Andrew Corn- wall.

The Thousand Islands, which are now so well known wherever the English language is spoken, and which cover all the river front of Alexandria, are quite extensively treated of on pages 154 to 168n of this History, and the reader is urged to give those pages careful at- tention in connection with the town of Alex- andria. Beautiful as these islands are, how- ever, it was not until 1872 that the great rush to this vicinity commenced. Since that time millions of dollars have been expended in the erection of private homes, hotels and public parks, and in the improvement of these islands.

And now this charming locality attracts people from all parts of the United States and Canada, and from Europe, who spend a por- tion of their summers here, hundreds of whom have built summer homes, some modest but comfortable, while others are more pretentious, and in some cases almost palatial. The scene at night during the height of the season, is gorgeous indeed. At that time the cottages on the islands are mostly illuminated with colored lanterns, and the steam yachts, with their gay parties, go flitting by. the whole scene, like a kaleidos- cope, continually changing, but ever beauti- ful and full of surprises. Among the most beautiful and yet substantially improved of the Thousand Islands, we name Manhattan, one mile below Alexandria Bay, as the most elegant. It is the summer home of Hon. J. C. Spencer. of New York, and of Mr. Has- brouck, the former owner of the famous Hud- son River steamer, Mary Powell.

In 1880 Alexandria had a population of 3,135. The town is located in the third school district of Jefferson county, and in 1880 had 22 school districts, one of which was joint, in which 28 teachers were employed the same number of weeks or more. The whole number of scholars attending school was 931, while the aggregate days attendance during the year was 78,606. The total value of school buildings and sites was $17,400, and the assessed valuation of all the districts was $1,275,061. The whole amount raised during the year for school purposes was $8,602.05; $5,299.11 of which was received by local tax. The first school-house was a primitive log

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ALEXANDRIA.

structure, erected in 1821. It stood on the lot now occupied by the Reformed Church. The first church was that of the Reformed Protestant Church Dutch Society, erected in 1848, and opened for public religious worship in 1851. A fine graded school building was erected in 1884, and in 1885 opened for classes. It has five departments under the instruction of competent teachers.

In 1848 the late Charles Crossmon began keeping hotel at the Bay, but it was not until 1872 that the rush commenced, although many men of note had made it their summer vacation place for years. Among these early visitors were Governor Seward, Martin and John Van Buren, Silas Wright, Frank Blair, Preston King, General Dick Taylor and Rev. George Bethune. In 1872 President Grant and family and a party of their friends accepted an invitation from George W. Pull- man, of palace-car notoriety, to visit his island cottage. In 1872-73, the two fine hotels were thrown open to the public, since which time no watering place has received a better or more elegant patronage.

Alexandria Bay has never been noted for its manufactories, except, perhaps, for the su- perior class of small skiffs and steam yachts built here. It contains two steam saw and lumber-dressing mills, and a goodly number of stores and mechanic shops, including a ma- chine shop, where the repairing of marine machinery is made a specialty. Indian bas- kets, bead work and other curios here find a ready market during the summer season. The village is provided with a steam fire en- gine and other adequate fire apparatus.

The first improvement in this town was made about 1811, by LeRay, who caused a clearing to be made at Alexandria Centre, and this plan was adopted to some extent in Theresa, to afford facilities to first settlers, by supplying them with grain, until it could be raised by themselves. He paid $12 per acre with the ashes and half the first crop, for these jobs, and built a log barn. In 1811, the pro- prietor made the Morris and Hammond road, extending from Hammond village to the Red Tavern, near Theresa, where it intersected another road from the river to Philadelphia. The former was cleared four rods wide, bridged and seeded with grass, but had be- come nearly closed up when it was re-opened as a part of the Military Road, in 1820-3.

Cranberry Creek, about three miles from its mouth, was, during the war, the scene of an engagement that will be detailed in its place. Sales of land commenced in this town and Theresa in 1816, under Mr. LeRay, the pro- prietor. The first contracts were made paya- ble in seven years, and required the settlers, within one year, to build a house, equal to a log house 18 feet square, and to clear one twenty-fifth part of the land contracted, in a farmer-like manner. Prices began at $3, and after 1820, mineral reservations were inserted in contracts and deeds. James Carnegie, Samuel Youngs, Wm. Martin, Moses George, Leicester Hoadley, the Barnes family, a Mr. Root, John W. Fuller, Jere Carrier and others,

were early settlers. The town continued to improve rapidly until 1828, when a sickly season checked its growth, and gave it a repu- tation from which it was slow in recovering.

Alexandria Bay was selected by Cadwal- lader Child, in 1804, while surveying a road from the Friends Settlement to the St. Law- rence, as an eligible site for a port, and, ac- cordingly, a reservation of a mile square was made by Mr. LeRay for a village, which was surveyed out for that purpose by Edmund Tucker, about 1818. Mr. LeRay erected a tavern and warehouse, and for many years a thriving lumber trade was carried on, which continued as long as the supply lasted. This consisted of oak staves, and square oak and pine timber. A considerable amount of valua- ble timber had been stolen from this town, in common with the whole front of the State on the St. Lawrence, before there was any one to assert the title of the proprietors. The lower wharf at this place was built by Fuller & Walton, in 1823, and the upper one by Walton & Hamblin, in 1840. The port has always been a landing place for the American steamers, and was an important wooding sta- tion. About 16,000 cords were sold each year. A custom house was established at this port in 1828, subordinate to the Cape Vincent district, while John B. Esselstyn was in charge of that office. The geology and na- tural history of this section are very interest- ing, and the observer can scarcely advance a step without having his attention arrested by some interesting feature which affords subject for thought and admiration. The rock forma- tion is, like most of the Thousand Isles, primitive, and, every varying, presents a beautiful outline which pleases the eye of the careless observer and furnishes food for thought to the more considerate and studious mind.

This town set a commendable example by holding town fairs and cattle shows for the encouragement of agriculture, in 1838 and 1839, the first of which was held at Plessis and the second at Theresa Falls, then in Alex- andria. The notice of the first was issued in March, several months in advance, and prom- ised the distribution as primiums of not less than $130, the most of which was given by the land proprietors interested in the town. Mr. Marshall, agent of Depeau, was active in originating the first fair, while the second was a popular movement. They were held but two years.

This early effort at the formation of a per- manent Agricultural Society was supple- mented in 1874 by the Redwood Union Agri- cultural Association, of which Hon. W. W. Butterfield was president. It prospered for a while, its principal attraction at its annual meetings being the exhibition of horses, either for speed or show, and was doubtless the means of improving good stock. After some ten years of varied prosperity, the Asso- ciation disbanded about 1882.

CHURCHES AT ALEXANDRIA BAY .- " The Reformed (Lutheran) Church of the Thousand

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Islands " was organized under the following circumstances: In 1846 the Rev. Dr. George W. Bethune, of Brooklyn, N. Y., on visiting the Bay, recognized the need of a Christian organization there, and in that year a Sabbath School was commenced. The church was organized in August, 1851, with 13 members. A stone church building had been com- menced as early as 1848, and was dedicated and opened for public worship May 25, 1851. The Rev. George Rockwell served this church as pastor for 22 years, and proved a most useful and popular preacher, gratefully remembered by all the people who heard him preach. Mr. Rockwell's residence is now at Tarrytown-on-Hudson, but he came to Alex- andria Bay in 1893, to conduct the funeral services of John Walton. The present mem- bership of this society is about 130, under charge of Rev. G. W. Collier. The first church edifice was demolished and rebuilt in a more central locality several years since.

"The First Methodist Church of Alexan- dria Bay " had for its first pastor the Rev. W. M. Holbrook. The present pastor, as ap- pears from the minutes of the last Conference, is Rev. G. N. Warn. The church has seat- ing capacity for 280 persons.

"The Episcopal Church of St. Lawrence " at Alexandria Bay was established as a mis- sion in 1880. They have a neat house of worship, seating 250 persons. At present there is no local rector, the services being con- ducted by such supplies as may from time to time be secured. In the summer season the attendance at this church is quite large.

"St. Cyral Church " (Roman Catholic) of Alexandria Bay, was dedicated in August, 1893. The priest in charge is Rev. Father Michael F. Ambrose, and the organization is in a flourishing condition. Father Ambrose is a popular and acceptable priest, educated in Canada and the United States, and liis suc- cess as a preacher of the most ancient and ex- tensive of all Christian faiths is well assured.

In these several religious organizations the people of Alexandria Bay and the great num- ber of transient residents and tourists each summer visiting there, have no lack of local opportunities for worship. The citizens of the Bay are certainly entitled to credit for the zeal they have displayed for the spiritual welfare of the " strangers within their gates."

The largest island before this town is Wells Island, containing 8,068 acres, and in 1894 had many inhabitants, the number depending largely upon the time of year when the census should be taken. In the height of the sum- mer season there may be 4,000 to 6,000 people at Thousand Island Park alone, the extreme head of the Island, and perhaps 1,000 at Westminster Park, at the lower end. These are summer resorts of a semi-religious char- acter, almost entirely deserted after the first of November, and nearly so by the middle of October. It is probable that the regular winter population of Wells or Wellesley Island is about 500 souls, scattered all over the terri- tory. The rock formation of this, like most

of the other Thousand Islands, is primitive, and presents a fertile though rather strong soil. There are many interesting mineral lo- calities in the neighborhood. Until the na- tional boundary was run by the commissioners provided by the terms of the treaty of Ghent, the British Government exercised authority over Wells, as well as nearly all the other islands in this archipelago.

The following are the officers and trustees of the Westminster Park Association :

President, Hon. A. Cornwall, Alexandria Bay, N. Y.

Secretary, George R. Hanford, Water- town, N. Y.

Trustees, Dr. J. D. Huntingtown, Water- town, N. Y .; W. P. Carpenter, Utica, N. Y .; V. B. Stewart, Utica, N. Y. : J. H. Bronson, Amsterdam, N. Y .; W. H. Nivens, Syracuse, N. Y .; Dr. W. Jamison, Syracuse, N. Y.

Redwood, the most prominent business place in Alexandria. is situated between Butterfield and Edmunds lakes, two of a chain that are bound in close proximity to one another, the names of which, in the immedi- ate vicinity of Redwood, are: Edmunds, Clear, Crystal, Butterfield, Millsite, Sixbury and Lake of the Woods-all of which are well stocked with as great a variety of fish as any inland lakes in the State of New York. Butterfield lake is a famous fishing place, and abounds with wall-eyed pike, pickerel, bass, Oswego, black and large rock bass, and a va- riety of other kinds, some of which grow to considerable weight. The white fish of the Lake of the Woods are the finest caught in this northern country.

The remarkably fine atmosphere and the many mineral springs have caused many to seek Redwood for health as well as pleasure. The remarkable age of those who have a long time lived there, almost makes us believe that had Ponce de Leon come this way, he would have found that fabled spring, the waters of which imparted perpetual youth to whomso- ever drank them.

The mercantile business of Redwood during the fifties and sixties far exceeded that of many much larger places in Jefferson county. Such was the case when Norton & McAllister, H. S. & M. White and the glass works store were in full blast. The glass works kept em- ployed a large force of men, and gave employ- ment to all who had wood lands they wished to clear, the owners of such wood lands set- ting to work every person who had the dis- position to cut cord wood. The grist mill during those years was a strong element in bringing customers to the place.

The present business interests are looked after by Adam Bickelhaupt, general mer- chant.

Holmes Brothers, general merchants.

Christian Ahles, general merchant and boot and shoe dealer.

G. C. Tanner, drugs, medicines and gro- ceries.

Robert M. Clink, restaurant.

Charles A. Catlin, dry goods and groceries.

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ALEXANDRIA.

George A. Hartman, merchant tailor.

Kabel Brothers, dealers in farm implements, general blacksmithing and wagon building.

George Pilger & Son, boots, shoes and gro- ceries.

Giffin & Marshal, livery.

D. H. Smith, hardware.

Peter Bert, undertaker and furniture.

Harry Hollinshead, harness.

George Bailey, harness.

William Courtney, general merchant.

C. S. Reade, hardware and groceries.

Miss Libbie Ahles, milliner.

Miss Mattie Casey, milliner.

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Growth of a Century : as illustrated in the history of Jefferson County, New York, from 1793 to 1894, Part 89

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