History of Clinton and Franklin Counties, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 42

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 42
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 42

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).

Intermediate Department: Miss Lizzie Sanger, Principal; Miss Kittie S. Woodruff, Miss Mary R. Haynes, Assist- ants.

Broad Street Primary : Miss M. Kate Sperry, Principal; Miss Minnie Hall, Miss Dora Percy, Assistants.

Hamilton Street Primary : Miss Alice L. Olds, Principal; Miss Fannie M. Palmer, Assistant.

Oak Street Primary : Wm. H. Phillips, Principal ; Mrs. Kate Mason, Miss Maggie B. Letson, Miss Anna Kavan- augh, Assistants.

Elizabeth Street Primary : Miss Ruth E. Newcomb, Principal ; Miss Mary O'Brien, Assistant.

Cornelia Street Primary : Madame Kelley, Principal ; Miss F. H. McClecry, Miss A. D' Amour, Miss C. O'Con- ner, Miss A. Frechette, Miss A. Oliver, Assistants.

The present board of education is as follows :

Hon. Andrew Williams, George L. Clark, Hon. Smith M. Weed, Bernard Mckeever, Hon. William P. Mooers, Everett C. Baker, William W. Hartwell, John H. Sanborn, George H. Beck with, John W. Lynde. President, William P. Moocrs; Secretary, Everett C. Baker.

Committees .-- Teachers : G. H. Beckwith (Chairman), W. P. Mooers, E. C. Baker. Buildings, repairs, and sup- plies : E. C. Baker (Chairman), S. M. Weed, W. W. Hart- well. Finance : J. H. Sanborn (Chairman), J. W. Lynde, B. Mckeever. Course of study : S. M. Weed (Chairman), G. H. Beckwith, J. H. Sanborn, A. Williams, G. L. Clark, with Superintendent J. E. Myer. Regents' examination and teachers' class : G. L. Clark (Chairman), J. H. Sau- born, J. W. Lynde. Visiting : W. W. Hartwell (Chair- man), E. C. Baker, W. P. Mooers. Auditing: B. Mc- Keever (Chairman), A. Williams, G. L. Clark,

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

PLATTSBURGH-(Continued).

Ecclesiastical History-The Presbytery of Champlain-The Presby- terian Church-The Methodist Episcopal Church-Trinity Church -St. John the Baptist's Church, Roman Catholic-St. Peter's Church, French Catholic-Mission House and Convent d'Youville -Jewish Synagogue-The Baptist Church-The Baptist Church of West Plattsburgh-Wesleyan Methodist, West Plattsburgh- Cadyville Wesleyan Methodist.

THE PRESBYTERY OF CHAMPLAIN .*

THE Synod of Albany, at its session in the city of Albany, Oct. 7, 1812, divided the Presbytery of Columbia into two, and made the churches north of the south line of Essex County the Presbytery of Champlain, to be consti-

tuted by the Rev. Amos Pettengill, of Champlain, on the 13th of January, 1813. This failed to be done on account of the inconvenience of holding the mecting at the ap- pointed time. By further act of the Synod at Troy, Oct. 13, 1813, it was directed that at the earliest possible time the Presbytery be constituted, which was done at Platts- burgh, Feb. 9, 1814, the Rev. Joel Byington, of Chazy, preaching the sermon. The ministers present on this occa- sion were the Revs. Frederick Halsey, Joel Byington, and William R. Weeks. The Rev. Amos Pettengill, who was absent, was also enrolled as one of the original members. At the same meeting the Rev. Ashbel Parmelee was upon his request received as a member. The Rev. F. Halsey was the first moderator, and the Rev. W. R. Weeks the first clerk. For its permanent officers, the Rev. Wil- liam R. Weeks was made stated clerk, and Elder William P. Platt treasurer. The first records are in the writing of Mr. Weeks, and their first submission to the Synod was Oct. 7, 1814, when it sat at Newburyport, Mass., and had Dr. Jonas Coe, of Troy, as its moderator.

In February, 1815, the Presbytery addressed a circular to those churches within its bounds, or in the counties of Essex, Clinton, Franklin, and St. Lawrence, which were of the Congregational order, but some of them served by pastors belonging to the Presbytery, inviting them to join the Presbytery on the plan of union recommended by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, and the General Association of Connecticut; the chief feature of which was that cach church might send a delegate to the Presbytery, with all the rights of the eldership in that body, the church in turn submitting to Presbyterian super- vision of its acts and records.

The first narrative, February, 1815, of the state of re- ligion in the Presbytery, represents its field as covering " the four counties of Essex, Clinton, Franklin, and St. Lawrence, being about one hundred and fifty miles in length and about one hundred in breadtb. The county of Essex contains about 10,000 inhabitants, 11 towns, a number of small churches, and but two licentiates. Most of the people are, therefore, perishing for lack of vision. In that of Clinton, which has an equal number of souls, there are 5 towns, 4 churches, and but one licentiate, the war having driven the ordained preachers from their respective churches in that region. Franklin contains about 4000 inhabitants, 6 towns, 1 church, and 2 ordained ministers ; vice and gener- ally disorder prevail. In the county of St. Lawrence, con- taining 14 towns and about 9000 inhabitants, there are 6 churches, 3 ordained preachers, and 1 licentiate, 10 towns being destitute of the preaching of the gospel. This short review of this northern tract of country, in this destitute, perishing state, the Presbytery consider, cannot fail of pro- ducing in the mind of the General Assembly emotions of commiseration. When they consider a territory having within its limits 36 towns and but 9 preachers, we confi- dently hope they will make every possible exertion to supply the destitute."

In July, 1818, action was taken with reference to the formation of a Missionary Society and County Bible So- cicties.

At this early day Presbytery was accustomed to inquire

* By Rev. E. A. Bulkley, D.D.

RESIDENCE OF G. H. BECKWITH , PLATTSBURGH N. Y.

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TOWN OF PLATTSBURGH.

about the salaries of pastors, and if they were well paid, and when they were not to confer with the churches about their obligations; in 1818 we find it reported that the salary in Malone was $500, well paid ; that another pastor had felt called to remit $100 of his $500; that another had no regular support; that in Madrid the salary was $400, and the people " very kind and accommodating;" in Beekmantown, $250 and wood; in Plattsburgh, $800.

At this time a committee was appointed to endeavor to establish Sabbath-schools in the several towns.

In October, 1818, we have the somewhat anomalous occurrence of the Presbytery's meeting at Williston, Vt., and installing one of its members over the Congregational Church there.

In 1821, petitioncd Synod to divide Presbytery and form a new one in St. Lawrence County.

In 1821 a revised form of government and discipline was submitted from the General Assembly, and adopted. As the progress of the Church called for new or modified legislation, neither the Assembly nor the Presbytery hesi- tatcd at it.

In 1821, as indicative of relations to another denomina- tion, it was resolved " that our churches be authorized to receive members from the Baptist Church to their commu- nion and fellowship in those cases where the Sessions arc fully satisfied as to their piety, and their disposition to be silent on the subject of their peculiar sentiments."

In 1824 the Presbytery declared itself opposed to ad- mitting emigrants from the national churches of Europe to ordinances solely on the strength of recommendatory let- ters.

In 1826 the Presbytery disagreed with the decision of the Assembly against the legality of marrying a deceased wife's sister.

In 1827, in connection with temperance, the Presbytery resolved " as a body and individually, in the fear and by the grace of God, that we will abstain entirely from the use of ' ardent spirits,' unless seriously prescribed in case of sick- ness by a respectable physician ; also that we will not give it to our children, friends, domestics, and laborers, unless prescribed as above, and that we will use all proper means to induce others to do the same." Similar testimony against intemperance was given in subsequent years at dif- ferent times.

In 1828 a circular was addressed through the Boston Recorder to the churches of New England in reference to the evils arising from their members emigrating to this part of the country, and not bringing testimonials and fulfilling Christian duty.

In 1832 the opinion of the Presbytery was expressed against the validity of Romish baptismn.

In the same year efforts were begun to establish a manual- labor school for those who were seeking an education, es- pecially for the ministry ; but after pursuing these efforts for a number of years the attempt was abandoned.

In 1833 it was resolved that " this Presbytery regard the traffic in slaves, or the holding in bondage of our fellow- men, of whatever complexion or country, as a high-handed immorality, opposed to the law of God, and should be con- demned and reprobated by every Church of Christ."

After the division of the Presbyterian Church in 1837, this Presbytery adhered to what was called the " Constitu- tional (or New School) General Assembly," and remained in that connection till the reunion, in 1870.

About the same time the labors of Jedediah Burchard, the revivalist, caused much excitement in the Presbytery, and were the subject of a memorial to it, which was not answered, however, by any definite judgment, owing prob- ably to a conflict of opinion.

Marriage between members of the churches and Papists Was discouraged, and made a disciplinable offense.

The growing of hops in connection with the manufacture of beer was disapproved.

It was declared not to be right for members of the churches " to purchase articles of clothing in Canada sub- ject to duty, and wear them home without reporting- them to the custom-house officers."

In 1848 the revision of the Articles of Faith of the church in Plattsburgh, by the pastor (Mr. Dobie), led to a prolonged consideration, and the requirement that the divine sovereignty and purposes should be more definitely stated in them.

As early as 1860 the question of rotary eldership arose, and Presbytery declared that in case any church wished to adopt it there was no rule against it.

The Presbytery showed sympathy with the earliest efforts for reunion. Its delegates cast the first votes for the ac- ceptance of the proposed plan in the Assembly of 1868. And when it was consummated, in 1870, the Rev. Dr. Bulkley was made the convener of the new Presbytery, at Plattsburgh, and thus, meeting with the same church in which it was constituted fifty-six years previously, the Presbytery of Champlain was started upon another period of its history. Since then it has pursued its usual routine of business in the care of the churches. It now enrolls 19 ministers and 17 churches. The membership of these churches, by the report in January, 1877, was 1737; since that date probably 200 have been added. Their contribu- tions in 1875 for congregational purposes and benevolence were $33,863.

The following is a list of the ministers who have been members of the Presbytery of Champlain, in the order of their uniting with it ; present members (1876) in italics :

Rev. Frederick Halsey, February, 1814, Plattsburgh ; Rev. Joel By- ington, 1814, Chazy ; Rev. William R. Weeks, D.D., 1814, Platts- burgh ; Rev. Amos Pettengill, Champlain ; Rev. Ashbel Parme- lee, D.D., Malone, original members.

Rev. James Johnson, May, 1814, Potsdam, received.

Rev. Thomas Kennan, 1815, Bangor, received.

Rev. Jonathan Wineester, 1815, Madrid, received.

Rev. Nathaniel Hewitt, D.D., 1815, Plattsburgh, ordained.

Rev. Hiram S. Johnson, 1815, Hopkinton, received.

Rev. Stephen Kinsley, 1817, Beekmantown, ordained.

Rev. Samuel W. Whelpley, 1818, Plattsburgh, ordained.

Rev. Joseph Labarec, 1819, Champlain, received.

Rov. Reuben Armstrong, 1821, Westport, received.

Rov. Mosos Parmelee, 1821, reeeivod.

Rev. Jacob Hart, 1822, Chateangay, ordained.

Rev. Cornelius Loughran, ordainod.

Rev. Asa Messer, 1823, Essex, received.

Rov. Henry Slater, 1824, Jay, received.

Rov. Silas Wilder, 1825, Lewis, received.

Rev. Moses Chase, 1826, Plattsburgh, ordained.

Rev. Honry Boynton, 1827, received.

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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

Rev. Samuel L. Crosby, 1827, ordained. Rev. Joseph Butler, 1827, ordained. Rev. Oren Brown, 1827, received.

Rev. James J. Gilbert, Beekmantown, received. Rev. Samuel Marsh, 1827, Moers, received.

Rev. Solomon Lyman, 1830, Chesterfield and Keeseville, received. Rev. John L. Edgerton, 1830, Peru, ordained. Rev. Frye B. Reed, 1830, Clintonville, ordained. Rev. William Loekhead, 1830, ordained.

Rev. Horatio Foote, 1831, Champlain, received. Rev. John H. Savage, 1831, Ogdensburgh, received.

Rev. Moses Ingalls, 1831, received.

Rev. Ezra D. Kinney, 1831, Champlain, received.

Rev. Joel Fisk, 1832, Essex, received.

Rev. Charles Doolittle, 1833, Clintonville, ordained.

Rev. Elisha H. Hazard, 1833, Jay, ordained.

Rev. Bliss Burnap, 1834, Bangor, ordained.

Rev. A. D. Brinckerhoff, 1834, Champlain, ordained.

Rev. Solomon Williams, 1834, received.

Rev. Leonard Reed, 1834, Moriah and Plattsburgh, ordained.

Rev. Ovid Miner, 1834, Peru, ordained.

Rev. Aaron Foster, 1835, Constable, received.

Rev. R. F. Lawrence, 1835, ordained.

Rev. W. F. Curry, 1836, received.

Rev. Phineas Bailey, 1836, received.

Rev. James Miller, 1836, ordained.

Rev. Charles F. Halsey, 1836, ordained.

Rev. Robert V. Hall, 1836, Laprarie, L. C., received.

Rev. John Merlin, 1836, received.

Rev. Peter Paul Osunkerhine, 1836, St. Francis Indians, ordained.

Rev. Benjamin B. Newton, 1836, Plattsburgh, ordained.

Rev. Charles M. Seaton, 1837, Mooers, ordained.

Rev. Silas B. Woodruff, 1837, Westport, etc., ordained.

Rev. Edwin E. Wells, 1838, Chazy, etc., ordained.

Rev. J. D. Moore, 1838, ordained.

Rev. David Dobie, 1838, Huntington, L. C., and Plattsburgh, ord'ned. Rev. C. C. Stevens, 1839, Chazy, received.

Rev. C. B. Cady, 1839, received.

Rev. P. Montague, 1841, received.

Rev. Stephen Cook, 1841, Peru, received.

Rev. Z. M. P. Luther, 1841, Beekmantown, ordained.

Rev. R. T. Conant, 1841, Clintonville, ordained.

Rev. Joseph T. Willett, 1842, Whallonsburgh, ordained.

Rev. Asahel Bronson, 1843, Clintonville, received.

Rev. Cyrenius Ransom, 1843, ordained.

Rev. John Mattocks, 1844, Keeseville, received.

Rev. Benjamin Marvin, 1844, Bangor, received.

Rev. Andrew M. Millar, 1844, Chateaugay, ordained.

Rev. Stephen H. Williams, 1845, ordained.

Rev. Henry Herrick, 1847, Clintonville, received.

Rev. E. S. Barnes, 1847, Chazy, received. Rev. Charles Gillette, 1848, Fort Covington, received. Rev. Henry Morrell, 1848, Bangor (French), ordained. Rev. Alanson D. Barber, 1849, ordained. Rev. Rufus R. Deming, 1849, Huntington, L. C., received.

Rev. Silas G. Randall, 1850, Essex, ordained.

Rev. Peter II. Myers, 1850, Clintonville, ordained. Rev. N. Leighton, 1851, Champlain, received. Rev. John Bradshaw, 1851, Crown Point, ordained.

Rev. Thomas Charbonnel, 1853, Champlain (French), ordained. Rev. John R. Herrick, D.D., 1854, Malone, ordained. Rev. Louis Brandon, 1855, ordained. Rev. Selden Haynes, 1855, Keeseville, received.

Rev. Edward B. Chamberlain, 1856, Plattsburgh, ordained.

Rev. John S. Stone, 1857, Ausable Forks, received.

Rev. John R. Young, 1858, Plattsburgh, received. Rev. Jonathan Copeland, 1859, Champlain, received. Rev. Smith P. Gamage, 1859, received. Rev. Royal P. Wilder, 1859, India, received. Rev. Moses Thatcher, 1859, Peru, received. Rev. Asa E. Everest, 1860, Mooers, received. Rev. John Campbell, 1860, ordained.

Rev. George Ransom, 1861, ordained.

Rev. John H. Beekwith, 1862, received.

Rev. George T. Everest, 1864, Ausable Forks, received.

Rev. Edwin A. Bulkley, D.D., 1865, Plattsburgh, received. Rev. Henry E. Butler, 1865, Keeseville, ordained.

Rev. Archibald Fleming, 1865, Constable, received.

Rev. Chandler N. Thomas, 1865, Fort Covington, ordained. Rev. Ebenezer M. Toof, 1865, Beekmantown, received. Rev. Charles N. Wilder, 1866, Essex, ordained. Rev. Thomas Thompson, 1868, Chateaugay, received.

Rev. William Whittaker, 1868, Champlain, received.

Rev. Oliver W. Winchester, 1868, Beekmantown, received. Rev. Charles D. Flagler, 1868, Ausable Forks, received. Rev. Pitson J. Abbott, 1869, Chazy, received. Rev. Charles H. A. Bulkley, 1869, Malone, received.

Rev. Benjamin Merrill, 1870, Ausable Forks, received.

Rev. Frederick H. Judd, 1870, Port Henry, received.

Rev. Francis B. Hall, 1870, Plattsburgh, received. Rev. John H. Perkins, 1873, Mooers, received. Rev. James W. Grush, 1873, Chateaugay, received. Rev. William B. Stewart, 1873, Port Henry, received. Rev. Thomas A. Hamilton, 1874, Beekmantown, received. Rev. Daniel W. Cameron, 1874, Moriah, received.

Rev. Cyrus Offer, 1874, Chazy, received.

Rev. Charles S. Richardson, 1875, Malone, received.

Rev. John Cowan, 1876, Essex, Vt., received.

Rev. Theodore B. Williams, 1876, Mooers, received.

CHURCHES OF THE PRESBYTERY: THOSE NOW ENROLLED IN ITALICS ; DATE OF ENROLLMENT.

Plattsburgh, 1812.

Bombay, 1831.

Stockholm, 1815.

Essex and Willsborough, 1832.

Hopkinton, 1815.

Jay, 1832.

Potsdam, 1815.

Chazy, 1833.

Canton, 1816.

Huntington, L. C., 1838.

Beekmantown, 1817.

Ausable Forks, 1839.

Champlain, 1817.

Flackville, 1839.

Malone, 1817.

Whallonsburgh, 1840.

De Kalb, 1818.

Westville, 1842.

Constable, 1822.

Chateaugay Basin, L. C., 1843.

Fort Covington, 1827.

Port Kent, 1844.

Duane, 1827.

Keeseville, 1845.

Bangor, 1827.

Burke, 1846.

Chateaugay, 1827.

Bangor (French), 1851.

Moira, 1827.

Bedford, 1858.

Mooers, 1828.

Vermontville, 1860.

Clinton ville, 1828.

Port Henry, 1861.

Peru, 1830.

Belmont, 1871.

Ellenburgh, 1830.

STATED CLERKS OF THE PRESBYTERY.

Rev. Wm. R. Weeks, D.D., from organization to 1815.

Rev. James Johnson, 1815.

Rev. Ashbel Parmelee, D.D., 1816, '18, and '23.

Rev. H. S. Johnson, 1816.

Rev. Frederick Halsey, 1823.

Rev. Moses Chase, 1827.

Rev. Solomon Lyman, 1833.

Rev. Ovid Miner, 1835.

Rev. Charles Doolittle, 1836.

Rev. Benjamin B. Newton, 1838.

Rev. Charles M. Seaton, 1839.

Rev. David Dobie, 1846.

Rev. Stephen H. Williams, 1856.

Rev. Jonathan Copeland, 1863.

Rev. Edwin A. Bulkley, D.D., 1868.

THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

On the 10th of November, 1792, when the little settle- ment of Plattsburgh consisted of a few scattered buildings, a public meeting was held at the Block-House for the pur- pose of " choosing trustees to take in charge the temporali- ties of the congregation of the town, and to form a corpo- ration by the name and style of the Trustees of the Pres-

WILLIAMS

Bigelow, Plattsburgh.

W. W. Thomas

WILLIAM WARREN THOMAS, the subject of this sketeh, has known a life of extended travel and exciting adventure. His quiet demeanor would not indieate his real eharaeter- isties ; but from early life he has been animated by an intense desire to see with his own eyes the places so graphieally deseribed in the books of his early reading. He is the son of Jared Thomas, a farmer, and was born in Kingsbury, Washington Co., N. Y., in 1832; his grandfather was Capt. Israel T. Thomas, of Revolutionary fame, who was of Welsh origin.

Mr. Thomas' father's first wife was Susanna Jones. His second wife, mother of the present Mr. Thomas, was Mary Sweet ; she was born Feb. 17, 1787, and was a Quakeress. She gave her son the best education of the publie sehools of the time. He evineed a fondness for reading, and his delight was to seeure a story of sea adventure, full of thrilling ineidents of shipwreck and danger.

When about sixteen years of age his brother returned from a sea voyage; the natural effeet of liis experienees, related to his younger brother, inflamed his desire the more to see the world. He therefore was found at the age of eighteen starting on a voyage to the Aretie Oeean on the vessel which earried his brother. The quiet bravery that was not deterred by all he had read of suffering in the high latitudes of the north exhibits the eharaeter of Mr. Thomas 'Time has more fully developed him. He is not demonstra- tive, but quick to comprehend, eool under all cireumstanees, and brave in a quiet but effective way.

This first voyage took our young adventurer towards the Aretie Ocean via Cape Horn and Behring's Straits, but the straits were inaeeessible from iee, and it was only on a second visit that he sueeeeded in pushing his observations as far north as 71º north latitude.

Going and returning he visited many ports on either shore of the Pacific Ocean, and saw many phases of bar- barie life. He was at Hong Kong when Commodore Perry ealled there on his way to negotiate the treaty with Japan.

Returning home in 1853 he remained until the spring of

1857, when the love of adventure and hope of advaneing his interests, impelled him to visit Kansas at a time long before law and order had assumed sway in that country.

Mr. Thomas was an eye-witness of many a seene of vio- lenee and eruelty, as well as of heroism and self-sacrifiee, during this eritieal phase of politieal life in this territory.

Always ready with his vote on the side of freedom, he was prevented by the quiet Quaker element in his nature from taking part in the strife of arms ; nevertheless, he was one of the witnesses at the birth of freedom, and cognizant of the terrible effort to strangle it then and there. He has lived to see Kansas a powerful and prosperous State.

Returning to New York he engaged for about a year in the manufacture of lumber, when the impulse seized him to visit the Paeifie eoast onee more. Crossing ria Panama, in 1859, he made an exploration of California, Nevada, Idaho, Columbia, and Washington Territory, engaged in mining, and took away more money than he earried there. He was strongly tempted at this time to visit Chili and Peru, where Henry Meigs, formerly of San Franeiseo, was developing the railway system of those eonntries, but this was given up. He seriously contemplated going into the lumber business at Honduras, but gave up the enterprise and returned home, engaging in the lumber business, in 1865, at Elsinore, Clinton Co., N. Y.

In May, 1867, he married Mary E., daughter of Isaae Hammond, of Plattsburgh. In 1871 he sold out his busi- ness, and, as usual, just at the right time. He has made a sueeess in life, has been fortunate in the time of going into enterprises, and equally fortunate in the time of going out of them.

His present cireumstanees are what would be ealled easy. His home is on his farm two miles west of Plattsburgh, though the recollections of the elimate of California will no doubt induee him to take up his permanent home in that Golden State.

Mr. Thomas is naturally religions : as early as 1855 he beeame a professor of religion, and is at present connected with the Presbyterian Church of Plattsburgh.

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TOWN OF PLATTSBURGH.

byterian Church and Congregation of Plattsburgh, and to call a minister."

At this meeting John Addams, Chas. Platt, Nathaniel Platt, Melaneton L. Woolsey, John Ransom, and Nathan Averill were chosen trustees. Nothing further was done until two years later, when Rev. Frederick Halsey, at that time a licentiate of the Presbytery of Long Island, visited this place, and for a time preached from house to house. In the fall of that year-1794-he was permanently settled here; two years later-1796-he was duly installed, and in October, 1796, organized the first church in Northern New York. This pioneer organization consisted of 18 mem- bers, as follows: Ezekiel Hubbard, John Stratton, Abner Pomroy, Wm. and Mrs. Badlam, Moses Corbin, Elizabeth Addams, Catherine Hageman, Catherine Marsh, Lucretia Miller, Phebe Platt, Esther Stratton, Mary Addams, Ste- phen and Mrs. Mix, Martha Coe, Wm. Pitt Platt, and John Culver.

The period of Mr. Halsey's pastorate of fourteen years- from 1796 to 1810-has been characterized as " one of the stormiest our world ever beheld, when the blasphemous sentiments of the French revolutionists threatened the overthrow of religion in Europe, and poisoned the minds and corrupted the morals of thousands, even in this north - ern wilderness of the new world." (" Dobie's Discourse.") Through such a time Mr. Halsey fulfilled his ministry with decision and prudence, abiding in the truth and faithfully applying it; the membership of his church increasing to 85. " He was eminent as a friend of youth ; as a peace- maker, and as a reprover of immorality; his reproof being characterized by such suavity of tone and manner that it seldom failed to take effect." An interesting memorandum has been published ( Plattsburgh Republican)-his " Book of Accounts"-in which were the items of payment to- wards his salary of £100 per annum (the pound in York currency worth $2.50), and these include not alone cash, but various commodities,-corn, wheat, hens, pigeons, salt, apple-trees, " the making of a gown," by William Coe's wife. The total amount gives a yearly average of a little over £74, instead of the promised £100; and there still remain in the hands of his son, as interesting relics, unpaid notes of many hundreds of dollars. At the close of his pas- torate, Mr. Halsey retired to a farm upon the outskirts of the village, and besides cultivating it, taught school both at the academy and at his home, and supplied the pulpits of neighboring churches. He died Aug. 8, 1838.

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History of Clinton and Franklin Counties, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 42

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