History of Clinton and Franklin Counties, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 115

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) 1n; Lewis, J.W., & Co., Philadelphia
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 922

USA > New York > Clinton County > History of Clinton and Franklin Counties, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 115
USA > New York > Franklin County > History of Clinton and Franklin Counties, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 115

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).

Mr. Wheeler has been a member of the Republican party sinec its organization, and was previously a Whig. In June, 1876, he was nominated for Vice-President of the United States by the National Republican Convention, assembled in Cincinnati, and is the present incumbent of that officc.

SAMUEL C. WEAD.

At the time of the persecution of the Huguenots in Franee, the latter part of the seventeenth century, three brothers named De Grasse fled to Holland, thence to Eng- land, and subsequently emigrated to America. They set- tled near each other in Conneetieut, and the name was anglieized by translation to Weed.

The youngest of the brothers settled at Danbury, Conn., where his son Samuel also resided. From this place Jacob, son of Samuel, removed to Pawlingstown, N. Y .; subsc- quently to Lanesborough, Mass., and later, in 1786, with his family to Pittsford, Vt. Jacob Wead, Jr , f was the fourth son in a family of six sons and three daughters. He was born in Lancsborough, in 1777. In 1800 he married Sybil Clark, daughter of Samuel Clark and Luey Lawrenee. The latter was a sister of Jonathan Lawrenee, one of the pioneers of Northern New York. Of their family, two daughters and one son lived to a mature age. The daugh- ters were Mrs. Hiram Horton, of Malone, and Mrs. John L. Russell, of Canton, N. Y., and the son was Samuel Clark Wead, the subject of this sketeh.

Samuel C. Wead was born at Brandon, Vt., Sept. 20, 1805, and in 1815 came with his parents to Malone. His father, Jacob Wcad, was an enterprising pioneer, and pur- chased a mile square of land, together with a saw-mill, in the northern part of the town, in the locality now known as the " Forge." He died in 1837.

Samuel C. attended sehool at Potsdam, N. Y., and Mid-

dlebury, Vt., and in 1824, while yet in his minority, went into the mercantile business in Westville, Franklin Co., N. Y., in company with the late Guy Mcigs, under the firm-name of Meigs & Wead. They also engaged exten- sively in lumbering and the manufacture of pot and pearl ashes.

In 1826 they went to " the Portage," on the Chateau- gay River, in Lower Canada, where they continued the same business for two years; Mr. Wead spending the sum- mers at Montreal and Quebec selling the lumber.

In 1828, Mr. Wead removed to Malone, and took his father's business at the saw-mill the following year. Mr. Meigs having joined him here the business was extended by building and operating a forge, a hemp-mill, and a rope- walk. From this time until Mr. Meigs' death the partner- ship continued. The old firm of Meigs & Wead werc en- gaged during a period of twenty-five years in merchandise, lumbering, dealing in eattle and horses, and in the manu- facture of iron, stoves, and brick. They also built and for some years ran a steamboat on the St. Lawrence River. In 1831 they built "the old stone store" which stood on the site now oeeupied by the National Bank of Malone, and in 1853 erected the store now occupied by Messrs. Thompson & Sons, on the corner of Main and Mill Streets.

The firm had purchased a large tract of timber land in Grantham, Canada East, on which, after Mr. Meigs' death, Messrs. Wead, Meigs & Co .- S. C. Wead, Edwin L. Meigs, and Isaae P. Wilson-built a large steam saw-mill, where for many years they earried on an extensive business. This firm was dissolved in 1865, by sale to Mr. Wilson. On the death of Mr. Meigs, Mr. B. S. W. Clark, now (1879) superintendent of public works of New York State, be- came associated with Mr. Wead in the mercantile business, and this partnership continued until 1863, under the firm- name of Wead & Clark. In 1856, Mr. Wead, in company with B. H. Man, engaged in the lumbering business at Titusville, which was continued until 1865, when the mill- property and timber lands in this eounty were sold to James H. Titus, by whom they were subsequently sold to A. B. Parmelee & Son.

Mr. Wead, in 1868, in speaking of his old partner, Mr. Meigs, with whom he had been associated in business nearly a quarter of a century, said, " Business in this country was hard and attended with great labor and hazard, and ours was not an exception to that of others. Very few of the inen who commenecd at or about the time we did suc- eeeded, and seores of them failed. Mr. Meigs was one of the most economical, persevering business men I cver knew, and much of our sueeess is due to these traits in his char- acter."

Jan. 1, 1834, Mr. Wead was united in marriage with Eliza A. Faller, who died April 26, 1844, leaving one son, who reached maturity, the late Col. F. F. Wead, of the 98th New York Volunteers. Oet. 20, 1845, Mr. Wead married Mary E. Kasson, of Burlington, Vt., who survives him. Their family consists of three sons,-Charles K. Wead, Professor of Physies at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and Leslie C. and Chester H. Wead, twins, now residing in Malone, N. Y.

Mr. Wead was prominently identified with every measure

# Appleton's Cyclopædia.

+ Jacob Weed changed the name in his branch of the family to Weed, which has since been followed by his descendants.

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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY, NEW YORK.

tending to advance the interests of Malone and Franklin County. He was quiek in pereeption, prompt in decision, and efficient in action. Having no political aspirations, he was never influenced by hope or fear of popular favor, and whatever he believed to be right had his earnest advocacy.

During the dark days of our civil war he was actively engaged in forwarding the interests of the nation, and gave abundantly of his time and money in raising troops. His eldest son, who had just reached a vigorous manhood, was one of the first in the county to enlist, and after three years of service fell on the field. Mr. Wead's death oe- eurred May 11, 1876.

We cannot more fittingly close this brief and imperfeet sketch of the career of this publie-spirited citizen than by two tributes of his friends,-the first published in the Franklin Gazette the week after his death :

" Among the public enterprises which enlisted Mr. Wead's co-operation, the Bank of Malone-now the Na- tional Bank of Malone-was perhaps the most important. This institution owed its existence mainly to his efforts. From its foundation in 1851 till his death he remained its president-always watching over its welfare with a sort of paternal solicitude. We need not remind our readers of the great and constant impetus thus given to the commer- eial advancement of Malone. He will also long be remem- bered for his zeal and activity in behalf of our railroad,- joining hands with his friend and neighbor, the late Hiram Horton, in opening to Northern New York, through this instrumentality, a new career of wealth and prosperity. Recognizing the importance of manufactures as an element of material progress, he recently built and put into sueeess- ful operation a quite extensive paper-mill, which affords employment to a considerable number of persons, and is already finding a wide market for its products.

" Mr. Wead was a true friend of education. One of the founders of Franklin Academy, and a member of the Board of Trustees from the outset, he was its president from 1855 to 1867, and president of the new Board of Education from 1867 to 1874. During all these years he was constant in his attendance at the meetings, and unflagging in the per- formance of every duty that devolved upon him. His views upon educational as upon other subjeets were always entirely practical. And it is not too much to say that to his sterling common sense and intelligent supervision our schools owe more of their success than to any other eause whatever. Our school system was indeed his pride, and nothing seemed to gratify him so much as the annual ex- aminations in the several departments. If Mr. Wead had done nothing for Malone beyond what he did for its schools, that alone would entitle him to the affectionate remembrance of all its citizens.

" In all the relations of life-as a man of business, hus- band, father, friend-Mr. Wead was fully deserving of the rare confidence and respeet which he enjoyed. There was never a more honest man. He was incapable of dissimu- lation in any matter. So strong was the popular convie- tion, not only of his judgment and discretion, but of his integrity and singleness of purpose, that his support of any measure of local interest was always the strongest eom- mendation to publie approval."

From a letter of a life-long friend, written some time after his death, we extraet the following :

" Before all other things, Mr. Wead was a man of busi- ness. Endowed by nature with decision, caution, persever- anee, a clear perception of values present and prospective, and an instinetive knowledge of men, he stepped into the arena of business well armed for confliet and vietory. If these qualities gave him a large advantage over his fellows, and stimulated in a high degree the money-making side of his character, he also knew and feared this result. In his later years, especially, he warred against that 'covetousness which is idolatry,' an evil to which such men are specially liable, by enlarging his liberality in giving; often, also, by refusing advantages that were within his reach. All who met him were impressed with the strength of his character as a business man, and it was easy to see that in this line he was born to be a leader of men.

" In his social relations observers from different points would have seen somewhat contradictory characteristics. No kinder or more devoted husband and father could be found ; while the outside world, specially in his earlier manhood, would have called him cold, stern, and forbid- ding. Hc buried his first wife and all her children, and lookers-on wondered at his calmness ; but this arose not from want of feeling, but from his power to be wholly master of himself. But as the years passed on, even to the outer world his apparent sternness and coldness changed to mildness and sympathy. His religious profession, made in the strength of his manhood, wrought more deeply in his character with advancing age. To those who knew him best, that mellowing and softening of the rougher and more selfish elements of human nature was manifest, which is perhaps the best evidence of the true divine life. He was no enthusiast or fanatic in religion or any thing else ; and while he made no pretense to exalted benevolence, he was ever ready to contribute time, labor, and money to the common good. He looked well to his own interests, and at the same time promoted the interests of his neighbors ; and this, after all, is the way in which each man best serves his kind. Mr. Wead will long be remembered throughout Northern New York, and by a large cirele of business and personal friends in this and other States, as a successful man of affairs, who aimed 'to do justly, love merey, and walk humbly with God.'"

ISAAC PARKER,

son of Isaae Parker, was born in the town of Poultney, Vt., on the 16th of June, 1791, and settled in the town of Malone, Franklin Co., N. Y., in the spring of 1806, in company with his parents, his father having come here the fall before and purchased a traet of land and built a log cabin. His father was a farmer by occupation. Isaae, Sr., died in 1813, and his wife died while a resident of James- town, N. Y., at the advanced age of ninety. Isaae Parker was married on the 1st of January, 1818, to Sarah E. Cul- ver, daughter of Philo Culver. Of this union the follow- ing children were born, viz. : Sophronia (deceased), Amanda (deceased), Sarah, Emerson (deceased), Lucy A., Newell W., Malvin, and Judson W.

TOWN OF MALONE.

425

Mr. Parker settled on the farm now owned by his son- in-law, Gardner Childs, at an early day. He was one of the most successful farmers in the county. He was exten- sively engaged in the growing of hops, and by judicious management became quite wealthy. He assisted in the building of the Ogdensburgh and Lake Champlain Railroad.

LITTLE

ISAAC PARKER.

In politics he was a Republican. He and his wife were prominent members of the Baptist Church of Malone. He was very liberal to his church and hospitable to the poor. He died June 5, 1866, leaving a good name. His wife died on the 30th of January, 1864.

Philo Culver and Sarah Adams (his wife) were settlers in the town of Malone, Franklin Co,, N. Y. Their chil- dren were as follows: Samuel, Sarah E, Amanda, Esther, Lucy, Mary, Charlotte, and Philo. Philo Culver's father was private secretary to Gen. George Washington during the Revolutionary war.

REV. ASHBEL PARMELEE, D.D.

The traditions of the Parmelee family carry the name back to a common ancestor, Maurice de Parmelie, of Bel- gium. He lived near the city of Liege. His coat of arms had this motto, "Beatus qui patitur."

While Belgium was under Philip II., of Spain, Maurice -being a prominent reformer of the Church of Rome -- emigrated in 1567 to that part of Holland then held by the Stadtholder, William of Orange, to escape the persecutions of the Duke of Alva and his " Bloody Council," established for the purpose of enforcing the cdicts of the Spanish In- quisition. Maurice settled at HIclvoetsluys. While the Dutch held New York, one of his descendants, Johanes Van Parmelee, received a grant of land fronting upon the Hudson, and extending back into Connecticut. It does not appear that he ever enjoyed this grant. A son of Johanes moved to England ; a son of his came to America in 1635.

The descent is traeed down to Hezekiah Parmelee, who married a Miss Hall, and lived in Durham, Conn.

SIMEON PARMELEE, the son of Hezekiah, and the father of Ashbel, was born in Durham, Conn., in 1740. In 1757, when seventeen years of age, he enlisted in the colonial army, and served under the British flag in the war between England and France till its close. He was at Fort Stanwix (Rome), at Oswego, and at the capture of Fort Niagara, July 24, 1759, by Sir William Johnson. Some years later he married Jemimah, the daughter of Nehemiah Hop- kins.

In 1775, when the British colonies of America were ad- vancing to that step taken July 4, 1776, at Philadelphia, he enlisted as a private, and was soon made an orderly ser- geant in the Continental army. Leaving his wife and two children, he accompanied that army in its invasion of Can- ada. He was at the capture of St. John's, in September, and of Montreal, Nov. 13, 1775.

After this he came back with that part of our army which returned by the way of the Sorel River to Crown Point. Here he was taken down with the smallpox, then prevailing in the ranks. Other diseases set in, from which he never fully recovered, although living to the age of eighty. He died at Westford, Vt., in 1820.

ASHBEL PARMELEE, the third son of Simcon and Je- mimah Parmelee, was born Oct. 18, 1784, at Stockbridge, Mass. The parents were both active members of the Con- gregational Church.

When Ashbel was three years old the family moved to Pittsford, Vt., and engaged in agriculture. For the first ten years they lived in a log hut. After that a substantial house was erected. At this time there were four sons and two daughters. Of these sons the oldest lived and died a farmer. The other three afterwards became Congregational ministers. When ten years of age, Ashbel eame near losing his life, while coasting during a school recess. He was carried home unconscious, and so remained for some weeks. With this execption, up to his eighteenth year, he seems to have enjoyed good health, and did his full share in the duties imposed by his father's calling as a farmer.

He was about medium height, with a frank, open coun- tenance that spoke intelligence and truth, a bright blue eye that twinkled with fun and mischief, a tongue that could hold its own in argument, a Roman nose, a high forchead, light hair, a slight but extremely athletic frame. His early comrades say that in youthful sports, playing ball, wrestling, lifting, flectness of foot, and endurance at hard labor he excelled. His good nature, sprightly ways, fondness for a joke, quickness at repartec, and unyielding firmucss for the right, attracted his associates to him.

In the autumn of 1802, and when eighteen years old, Mr. Parmelee was converted, and united with the Congre- gational Church. It was a marked and happy event in his life. His thoughts now turned to the Christian ministry, and his resolution was soon taken. He felt the necessity of a thorough education, as preparatory, and was determined to have it. For the two years following his time was ap- portioned between study and teaching. His health failing, he started in the spring for the Newfoundland fisheries. He went to Troy, from there by schooner to New York,

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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY, NEW YORK.

from there on a packet to New Haven. The vessel eame near shipwreck, but escaped.

After a few days' visit with his unele, Dan Parmelee, in Durham, Conn., he engaged service with the captain of a Stonington fishing-boat for the summer. The vessel did not sail, and the trip was abandoned. The summer was spent at his unele's, teaching school by day and studying the Latin grammar at night. He returned to Westford in the fall. One Caleb Burge had a school at Benson-at which his brother Simeon and his cousin, Josiah Hopkins (both afterwards distinguished D.D.'s), were already attend. ants-where the Latin and Greek languages were taught. Ashbel joined the school.

For the next two years his eyesight became so defeetive that, while he made some progress in his studies, it was mainly by retaining what his fellow-students read aloud to

He spent a year with Rev. Lemuel Haynes, at West Rutland, studying theologieal works and devoting some time to the classies. The next year was spent in the same way with Rev. H. Weeks, of Pittsford, having four or five fel- low-students, as at Rutland, and gathering most of his knowledge through their kindness in reading aloud to him in rotation. His memory thus became very retentive.

Sept. 29, 1808, the Rutland Congregational Association held its session at Granville, N. Y. Mr. Parmelee here was licensed, and here his aetive life of fifty-four years as a minister commeneed. His health began to improve. On his return from Granville he was invited to preach at Cam- bridge, Vt. He remained there about six months, and had a call to be settled, which he declined. During his stay some twenty were added to that church. In the mean time he had made a visit to Malone, N. Y., and married Lucy

LITTLE

Photo. by Fay & Goodell, Malone.

him. During this time he taught school one term at May- field, N. Y., and another at Whiting, Vt. Then he entered a store as elerk at Pittsford.

At his twenty-second year, his want of proper education, his destitution of pecuniary means for college training, even if his health eould stand the strain, eaused him to seriously reconsider the resolution made four years before. It seemed as if the Creator had hedged up his path. He had some tempting offers to enter other pursuits. At this eritieal juncture his clerical friends, who appear to have discovered some merit in the young man for the ministry, clustered around him, and besought him at onee, with the education which he had, to commence and pursue the study of theol- ogy, bearing, as well as he could, the surrounding embar- rassments. The advice was accepted, and he never faltered afterwards.

Winchester, Feb. 10, 1809, to whom he had been engaged in Vermont. She is said to have been a beautiful woman, above the common height, with black hair and eyes, a sweet singer, well educated, lovely in disposition, and devoutly pious.

This visit to Malone subsequently opened the way to a more extended acquaintance. He then preached six months in Hinesburgh. While there twenty-five new members joined his church. That church gave him a eall, which was also declined. An invitation came from Malone, where a Congregational Church had been organized in 1807. Hiram Horton, Sr., one of its pioneers, made Mr. Parmelee a visit to seeure his services. They had known each other well in Vermont. At first the invitation was not received with favor, and a sleepless night was spent in overcoming objections. Mr. Horton would not leave until he had the

427

TOWN OF MALONE.

assurance that Mr. Parmelee would come and at least spend a few weeks.

Mr. Parmelee reached Malone the second time in October, 1809. The village was then in its infancy. The old acad- emy, lialf completed, and arranged with apartments for school, court-house, and jail, and a few dwellings made up the settlement. On the 20th of December, 1809, a call from this church to take the pastoral charge, signed by Hiram Horton and five others, committee, etc., was extended to Mr. Parmelee. It was accepted.

The original eall and acceptance are before us as we write, and also the note for four hundred dollars, given Feb. 8, 1810, payable one-third in money and two-thirds in grain, for his first year's salary, and signed by Hiram Hor- ton, Abijah Abbott, and Silas Johnson, trustees. Also some original verses, set to original music, in "Malone par- ticular metre," volunteered by a Vermont friend to be sung at the ordination. We copy part of one verse :

"May Ashbel Parmelee A lasting blessing prove, And faithful servant be, To lead our saints in love."

An eeelesiastical council met in Malone, Feb. 7, 1810, and ordained Mr. Parmelee, and the next day, after the usual forni, installed him as pastor. Rev. Lemuel Haynes was the moderator, Rev. Chauncey Cooke the scribe. The scribe made the introductory prayer, the moderator preached the sermon. Rev. Simeon Parmelee, an elder brother, and still living at Oswego, at the age of ninety-eight, gave the charge. All of these persons came from Vermont for this serviee. Rev. Martin Powell, of Mooers, made the con- cluding prayer. The nearest elerical neighbor then was at Montreal on the north, at Mooers on the east, at Saratoga south, and Watertown west.

Mr. Parmelee was now embarked on a sea where he acted as pilot for thirty-six years, and over which his boat floated for fifty-two years till his death, in 1862. In the brief space allotted here, how can we, with any justice to his memory, cover that period ?

It will be impossible to enter into details of ministerial efforts, of hard struggles, which inevitably accompany the profession, of spiritual battles and worldly battles, of warm friends and bitter enemies, of want, sicknesses, disappoint- ments, deaths, and final triumphs. We can bnt trace the skeleton outlines of his busy life.

His eyesight was soon wholly restored. His health im- proved rapidly. Ilis constitution became strong and vigor- ous. It seemed to defy fatigue. He went at his work with a will, and with the zcal of a young crusader starting for Palestine. Two sermons on Sunday ; in the evening, con- ference. Thursday evening he usnally gave a lecture in some outside neighborhood, often two lectures in a week. Saturday evening was devoted to prayer-meeting. And substantially this continned during his whole pastoral life at Malone. Other duties, fully realized only by one in the' same position, kept him constantly employed. There was little repose to body or mind. And he enjoyed this very activity.

In 1811-excused for a while from his church-he spent three months in missionary work between Malone and

Watertown ; the next year another three months in Clinton and Essex Counties. The travels then, and for years after- wards, except in winter, were mainly on horseback, and he carried a pair of saddle-bags,-a change of clothing in one side, sermons and papers in the other. What reminiscences are buried in those old saddle-bags !

During these two years his church gradually increased. He lived in a house that stood on the site now occupied by Dr. Gay on Elm Street. In the fall of 1812, after him- self felling the trees, he erected the central part of the house on Webster Street, which remained his home till death. The building was afterwards enlarged.

The war of 1812 came on. For three years things were in a bad shape, spiritually and otherwise. When the decla- ration of war first became public, Mr. Parmelee was in Con- necticut. He started home immediately by the way of Westford, Vt., where he and his brother Simeon got a team, and eame to Malone to take the family out of the reach of danger. The citizens earnestly solicited him to remain, and he did so. The team returned empty. The village was so near the Canada border that great consterna- tion existed from fear of invasion and pillage.

After the unfortunate battle at Chrysler's Farm, Nov. 11, 1813, the sick and wounded American soldiers were first brought to French Mills (Fort Covington), then to Malone, which became a hospital. The headquarters of Gen. Wilkinson's army were at the old Harrison House, opposite Mr. Parmelee's residence. Maj. McPherson and Lieut. Bell boarded three months at his table. Soldiers were dying almost daily. Mr. Parmelee, without pay, acted as chaplain, attending on the sick, and performing the funeral rites for the dead. Most of these officers were Southern men,-some quite civil and others quite the reverse. Both rank and file were sore under the recent defeat across the St. Lawrence. All the evils that attend war were here.

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History of Clinton and Franklin Counties, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 115

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) 1n; Lewis, J.W., & Co., Philadelphia Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & co. Number of Pages: 922

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) 1n; Lewis, J.W., & Co., Philadelphia
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 922