History of Clinton and Franklin Counties, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 52

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 52
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 52

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).

The property acquired during this period was not so large, but the business character, principle, and habits which he formed, the thorough knowledge of mankind which he acquired, and the extensive acquaintance which he made with business men, have been of incalculable advantage to him.

In 1836 he settled in Plattsburgh, and there commenced and continued for over thirty years the first and only whole- sale business carried on in Clinton County. This embraced not only dry-goods and Yankee notions, but also the manufac- ture and sale of tinware upon a large scale. He personally superintended and directed this business about eleven years,

when he gave up its chief care to a partner, and devoted his own time, with characteristic energy, sagacity, and suc- cess, to the business of a private banker.

In 1864 he organized the Vilas National Bank of Platts- burgh, of which he has since been president. In 1868 he abandoned the wholesalc business and confined himself to banking. He subsequently, however, became an exten- sive dealer in wool, lumber, iron, timber-lands, and stock.

Mr. Vilas has ever manifested a decided interest in what- ever his well-balanced judgment assured him would promote the welfare of Plattsburgh and Clinton County.

The older citizens recall with interest how the dullness of the times and the great difficulties of doing business in Plattsburgh and Clinton County were relieved by the build- ing of the Saranac River Plank Road and the Plattsburgh and Montreal Railroad. They also recall the material and efficient aid given to these public enterprises by Mr. Vilas ; indeed, it is no injustice to others to say that he, more than any one individual, was instrumental in organizing and pros- perously maintaining, during his connection with them, both of these roads.

The existence, high standing, and prosperity of the Northern New York Insurance Company, which, after pay- ing or securing all its policy-holders, was dissolved a few years since, were chiefly due to his management as its pres- ident. He has also been a liberal supporter of the churches and schools of Plattsburgh, both by his means and counsel. Politically, he is, and always has been, a Democrat.

Aug. 6, 1836, he united in marriage with Harriet H., daughter of James Hunt, Esq., of Pinckney, Lewis Co., N. Y. His family consists of six children,-three boys and three girls.

SHEPARD P. BOWEN,

son of Nathan and Clara Bowen, was born in the Province of Quebec, Canada, of American parents, March 28, 1824. His grandfather on the maternal side, John P. Brown, was a sol- dier in the war of the Revolution. Mr. Bowen remained with his parents until fifteen years of age, when he went to Vermont, where he attended the common schools, completing his education at Brownington Academy, Vt. In 1846 he came to Plattsburgh, where he remained a short time, and then went to Saranac and entered the employ of Jackson, Morgan & Co., as clerk in a store. Here he stayed three years, and then was successively employed as clerk of the Saranac Mill Company, George H. Parson & Co., and Hewitt & Stoddard. In 1854 he embarked in the general mercantile business at Saranac, and also commenced the manufacture of iron, in which business he has been exten- sively and successfully engaged to the present time .*

In addition to the extensive iron-works owned by Mr. Bowen, in Saranac, he also owns a controling interest in the Saranac Horse-Nail Company, of which he is president, sec- retary, and general manager.

This company was originally organized in 1875 in Ver- gennes, Vt., by Elric Nichols and John W. Lynde, of Platts- burgh, Henry M. Mitchell, of Burlington, and Mr. J. D. Kingsland, of Vergennes. Mr. Kingsland had been engaged

# See History of Saranac.

I. F.Vilas

& PBowen

197

TOWN OF PLATTSBURGH.

in the manufacture of nails at Vergennes since 1874, The company was reorganized in 1878, with Mr. Bowen as sec- retary and general manager, and the business removed to Plattsburgh.

Land was purchased a short distance above the lower dam, and the work of constructing a dam and building was pushed forward by Mr. Bowen with much vigor, and in November, 1878, the factory was completed, the machinery was brought from Vermont and set up, and on November 21st the first nails were manufactured. The building is a brick structure, one hundred and fifty feet long by forty feet wide. Fifty men are employed, and the daily product is one ton of fin- ished nails. It is a fact worthy of note that Mr. Bowen mines the ore and manufactures the iron used in the manu- facture of these nails.

Mr. Bowen remained in Saranae until 1868, when he removed to Plattsburgh, and occupied the place which he had previously purchased, known as the old " Lowell Man- sion," which he rebuilt and beautified at a large expense.

In 1852 he united in marriage with Susan, daughter of Hon. George Parsons, by whom he had one child, now the wife of H. C. Jillson, of Whitehall, N. Y. His wife died in 1853, and in 1854 he married Emily J., eldest daughter of Philip W. Signor, and their family consists of four chil- dren,-three daughters and one son.

Mr. Bowen has ever manifested an interest in public af- fairs, and while a resident of Saranac represented that town in the board of supervisors during the following years, 1855 -58, 1861, 1865-68, and was a member of Assembly in 1875, '76, and '77. While in the Assembly he served on the committees of railroads and manufactures, and in 1877 was chairman of the committee on internal affairs. He was one of the charter members of the First National Bank, and is a present director of the same.

Religious matters have ever claimed a good share of his attention, and he is at present a trustee in the Methodist Church, of which denomination he has been a member over twenty years.

LUCRETIA MARIA DAVIDSON*

was born in Plattsburgh, Sept. 27, 1808, and died Aug. 27, 1825. Her father, Oliver Davidson, was a physician of respectable attainments, a man of worth and endowed with an ordinary intellectual capacity. The mother, however, possessed qualities of a superior class. She had an exquis- itely nervous organization, was highly imaginative, and im- pressed with peculiar romantie sensibilities. The father was endowed but slightly by the national trait of acquisition. He was poor, and at times, I think, the family were in nearly indigent circumstances.

Lucretia wrote verses when four years old, substituting her ignorance of writing by copying letters from printed books; but the carliest of her productions preserved were written in her ninth year.

Her father brought to my office one day in the autumn of 1824 a small manuscript volume, which he said contained poems by his young daughter. It was nicely arranged and copied in a neat and chaste chirography. If my mem-

ory is correct, the volume embraced " Amir Khan" and numerous fugitive pieces. I read the productions with amazement and admiration, but confess that I did not then adequately feel the force and brilliancy of her wonderful powers. I was probably impressed by the idea of her ex- treme youth, and its incompatibility with great intellectual performance.

I became intimate with the family, and often met Lucretia in society and at public assemblies. She usually attended the social balls, but was too sensitive, retiring, and diffident to participate in the festivities, except as a spectator. I remember to have abandoned the floor to sit by and enjoy her conversation.

As I recall her appearance after the lapse of so many years, she was very beautiful. She was not tall and rather, I think, petite; she would not have been, perhaps, pro- nounced elegant or handsome. Her figure was delicate, a pearly complexion, as I remember it, tinged with a roseate hue ; her hair was long, massive, and deeply black ; her eyes dark, large, and lustrous; and her whole countenance beaming with the radiance of intelligence and genius. The shrinking modesty I have mentioned was apparent in all her life and deportment.

At this time the advantages of elevated female education in Plattsburgh were limited, and the family embarrass- ments forbade Lueretia securing any abroad. Moss Kent, a brother of Chancellor Kent, and a gentleman of wealth and benevolence, who had recently become a resident of Plattsburgh, learning of her reputation and surroundings, sought her out and, if he did not distinetly adopt her, assumed the charge and responsibility of her education. He sent her to the celebrated institution of Mrs. Willard at Troy ; but this great bounty proved to Lucretia a fatal gift. The peculiar and unlooked-for privilege stimulated all the hidden energies of her nature, and, in yielding to her insatiate desire for knowledge and culture, she labored beyond her strength. Her fragile physical system was unable to sustain the ten- sion upon her brain and nerves. After struggling for a few months against the progress of an insidious malady, she came home to die.

I occasionally met Mr. Kent riding with Lucretia, in the vain hope that the balmy air of early summer might revive the drooping, decaying plant he had eherished with so much affection and care. .

I frequently visited her chamber in the last days of her life, and my eyes never rested upon a sadder spectacle. As my memory recalls the scene, she lay in utter unconscious- ness,-disease had beelouded and delirium inflamed her noble intellect,-a bright hectic spot strangely contrasted with the pallor of her cheeks; her luxuriant raven tresses were strewn in disheveled confusion over her pillow.

Every aid that affluence and love could invoke was sum- moned to her dying bed, but neither tears, nor science, nor prayers availed.

It is pleasant to observe that the pathiway to her grave, although her dust has been mouldering there almost sixty years, is worn as by the footprints of pilgrims to a sacred shrine. When I last visited it, fresh flowers were scattered on a new-raised mound, a graceful and touching honrage to worth, loveliness, and genius.

# By Winslow P. Watson, Sen.

198

HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

Although a large part of the productions of Miss David- son were destroyed, I think, chiefly by herself, two hundred and seventy-eight pieces were preserved. These were col- lected and, with a memoir by Prof. S. F. B. Morse, published in 1829. They were afterwards reproduced with a more elaborate life by Miss C. M. Sedgewick.

Pope, at the age of twelve,

"Lisped in numbers, for the numbers came,"

Cowley wrote verses at fifteen, and Chatterton, " the won- drous boy," was a recognized poet at eleven years; but I believe it is the general verdict of the literary tribunals of both hemispheres that Miss Davidson equaled, if she did not excel, either of these.

A highly eulogistic notice of her works, written by Robert Southey, was published in the London Quarterly Review.

What would have been the achievements of Miss David- son, had she lived to the development of matured powers, is now only a matter of painful speculation. An illustrated edition of her works was edited by her brother, M. O. Davidson, issued in 1871.

Margaret Miller Davidson, the sister of Lueretia, was born at Plattsburgh March 26, 1823, and died at Ballston, Nov. 25, 1838. She was removed from Plattsburgh at so youthful an age that her life is scarcely within the scope of your work. Dr. Davidson, soon after the death of Lucretia, carried his family to Saratoga County, there, in a new occupation (dentistry), to struggle with relentless, adverse fortune. Margaret emulated the example of her sister, and closely resembled her in the same bright intel- lectual qualities. The poems of Margaret were arranged and published with a notiee by Washington Irving.

It is my impression that Mrs. Davidson, singularly the mother of these daughters, herself subsequently appeared in the literary field, both in prose and verse, but with what suecess I am unable to state.

Lieut. L. P. Davidson, who also died at an early age, had revealed bright evidences of the same remarkable family trait of poetic genius.

CHAPTER XLIII.

ALTONA.

Geographical and Descriptive-Natural Features-Early Settlement and Industrial Development-Pioneer Incidents-Stores-High- ways-Railroads-Civil Organization-Town Officers-Statistics- Villages and Hamlets-Schools-Religious-Burial-Places-Notes and Incidents-Military History-Soldiers of the Wars of 1812 and 1861-65.

GEOGRAPHICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE.

THIS town lies north of the geographical centre of the county, and is bounded on the north by the town of Mooers, in the same county ; on the south by the towns of Danne- mora and Beekmantown, also in Clinton County ; on the east by the town of Chazy; and on the west by the town of Ellenburgh, both in the same county. The superficial area of the town is 101 square miles, and the population, as given by the census of 1875, is 3445.

NATURAL FEATURES.

The surface of the town is a rolling upland, with a slight inclination towards the northeast. The soil is light and sandy, and a considerable portion of it is not under cultiva- tion. The western part of the town is quite heavily tim- bered ; but this is being rapidly felled by the axe of the woodman to feed the saw-mills and iron-forges which abound in the town. The surface of the town is underlaid by Potsdam sandstone, and in some places hundreds of acrcs are covered with the naked rock. The South Branch of the Chazy River is the principal stream in the town. En- tering the town from Dannemora, at the southeast corner, it flows in a northeasterly course through the town, and joining the North Branch of Clazy River at Mooers Forks forms the Great Chazy River, which flows easterly to the lakc. Its principal tributaries in the town are Wood's Brook, which rises near the south line of the town, and flowing northerly enters the river near the centre; and Graves' Brook, which flows through the northwest eorner of the town through Forest.

EARLY SETTLEMENT AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT- PIONEER INCIDENTS.

Many faets of interest relating to the early settlement and pioneers of the town the reader will find in connection with the history of the town of Chazy.

Eighty years ago the entire town was a dense wilderness ; thick forests of timber covered its surface; the woods teemed with wild animals, and the streams were alive with the now rare and erafty trout. Civilization had, as yet, made no effort to reelaim this territory from its virgin wildness.

A rough road was cut through a portion of the town leading from Plattsburgh to the St. Lawrence road as early as 1796, and over this simple pathway Benjamin Graves, the first settler in the town of Chateaugay, accompanied by several hired men,-Levi Trumbull, Joshua Chamberlin, Kinkade Chamberlin, Ethan A: Roberts, and Jared Mun- son, besides a wife and four children,-had transported his entire household effects, suspended to the yoke of a pair of steers and on the back of a single ox.

About this time Simeon Wood, the first settler of the town of Altona, comes to view. Hc was originally from Shoreham, Vt., and had with his family taken up a resi- dence in Plattsburgh, then in the infancy of its growth and development. With Yankee enterprise and spirit he here here devoted himself to any pursuit by which he was en- abled to turn an honest shilling.

On several occasions he had been compelled to go out into the wilderness country, now known as the towns of Chazy and Altona, in search of stray cattle, or for hunting purposes. One of his first visits was in search of a cow which Gen. Woolsey had lost. The general offered Wood a pair of new boots to find the cow. So, accompanied by John Lindsey and George Gross (a Dutchman), he started out. After a long search the cow was found buried in the earth, with nothing but one horn protruding, while a huge bear stood guard over the precious remains. A sharp struggle ensued, but the bear, after being wounded by Lindsey's rifle, was killed by Wood, with a club which he

MRS. DAVID BRADFORD.

DAVID BRADFORD.

RESIDENCE OF

DAVID BRADFORD, ALTONA, CLINTON COUNTY, N. Y.

199

TOWN OF ALTONA.

cut for the purpose. The last seen of Gross was a " flying Dutchman" making rapid progress towards Plattsburgh, his eoat-tail standing out in the wind, and his face indicating the most abject fear of the brute whom his laughing com- panions had already słain.

Another visit made by Wood was an occasion when he went bear-hunting in the same traet. Coming across a deer he shot it, and placed its quarters in a beautiful spring on the present Prindle place, near West Chazy. Still an- other was the hunt after the steers, described in the history of Chazy.

On these several occasions Simeon Wood had been most forcibly impressed with the fine character of the country which he had explored. This, added to the fact that his wife was an invalid at Plattsburgh, and that her physician had advised that she be taken where she could obtain pure spring water to drink, induced Wood to move out to that wild country, and to locate himself near the spring in which he had hung the choice bits of the deer which he had shot.

Accordingly, in the year 1800, he transported his wife and nine children to his new home; the former, being un- able to walk, was drawn on a dray which Wood had himself made. The road from Beekmantown (then the western- most frontier of Plattsburgh) was so rough that he had to cut his way a great part of the distance. He located his rude log hut near the present residence of Rev. Mr. Prin- dle, and close by the spring of water that had been a prime object in his coming. The house contained a large fire- place, and two doors stood opposite each other. A horse was led right through the house, in one door and out the other, and by this means huge logs were dragged to the fire for burning. Keeping this going for a single season re- quired three aeres of timber, and upon this land Wood planted his grain, and raised a fine erop of wheat. At this point he remained six years, and two more children were added to his family, making eleven in all, and bearing strong testimony to the favorable medicinal effects of the spring water upon Mrs. Wood. One of these children was Mathilda K. Wood, born May 30, 1802, and who was the first child born in town.

Wood next removed to the town of Chazy, and built a house near where Wood Bros.' separator now stands. At this point he erected a grist-mill, which he exchanged, prior to 1811, with Kinner Newcomb for a tract of 420 acres of land on the Plattsburgh and Ogdensburgh road, and which, with the exception of 58 acres, is now owned and occupied by Smith Wood, his son.

Here, also, Neweomb had a tavern, which stood within ten feet of the present residence of Smith Wood, and the eellar of which can still be traced.

At this point Simeon Wood carried on a profitable busi- ness for many years as innkeeper, and here he remained, engaged also in farming, the remainder of his days. His first wife died at Chazy. For a second, he married Miss Sarah Smith, who also bore him 11 children, making 22 in all,-a truly patriarchal family, which his descendants say was not only for the purpose of populating the country, but to keep chipmunks out of the cellar.

Of the first 11 children of Simeon Wood, Atwood re- sides in Michigan, Elijah in St. Lawrence County, Phoebe

is the widow of Henry MeFadden, at Beekmantown, and Sabrina is the wife of Preserved Smith, and resides at Moira, St. Lawrence Co. Two were killed in the war of 1812,-John at the battle of Plattsburgh, Sept. 11, 1814, where he was a member of the band; and Simeon, who was killed at Lundy's Lane, under Gen. Scott.

Of the second 11 children of Simeon Wood, Smith, Henry H., and Stanley live in town,-Smith on the old homestead, Stanley nearly opposite, and Henry H. about a mile distant. Another son, Simeon, resides in Michigan.

Soon after the year 1800, Lyman Clothier, Eliphalet Haseall, Daniel and Robert Baker, Thomas Cudworth, Simon Goodspeed, and Daniel Robinson located in the town. This period may, with some propriety, be called the era of tavern-keeping. This seemed to be the chief object of those who settled at this time. The Plattsburgh and Og- densburgh road had been roughly laid out through the town, and travelers made such slow advanees over this principal highway to the St. Lawrence River that they were obliged to make frequent stops at the various small inns that were erected every few miles along its course.

Lyman Clothier had the first of these, and for that pur- pose built the house in which Kinner Newcomb followed him. This has been referred to as the house in which Simeon Wood passed the last of his days.

Daniel Robinson, often known as "Governor," ereeted a tavern about half a mile south of the old road, near the Beekmantown line.

Eliphalet Haseall erected his house on lot 103 of the Duerville patent, where the widow of Royal C. Mott now resides. His sign was that of large moose-antlers. Joshua Daniels, John Mott, and Royal C. Mott kept it afterwards.

A son of Robinson, Lewis, called the " Young Governor," about 1810 built a tavern on lot 95 of the same patent, known as the Rowlanson Place. He kept it a good inany years, and died there. Some of his deseendants still reside in town. His daughter, Samantha, now occupies the old place. Calvin and Lewis live in Chazy, Eleazer lives in Plattsburgh, Matthew lives near Potsdam.

Prior to the war of 1812, Messrs. Lummis & Platt lo- eated in town and built a log tavern on the north side of the turnpike, where Hiram Welch now resides.

Abner Pomeroy came very early, and located on lot 158 of the Refugee patent. He built a log house and two frame barns there for Gen. Benjamin Mooers, and kept tavern. A few years after, Benjamin Mooers came, and occupied it about three years. John Mooers, a relative, and a sea-captain, followed him, and a dozen others followed as innkeepers. The McGregor family now occupies the place.

Simon Newcomb located quite early on the old Farrel place, and kept tavern there for a good many years. Ethan Allen and - Fisk lived with Mr. Newcomb for some time. Andrew Farrell subsequently purchased the place, and kept it for a great many years.

One of the most important of these taverns was at the " Gate" some cighteen miles west of Plattsburgh, where the turnpike crosses the main branch of the Clazy River, which point was for many years known as " Trout Place," on account of the abundance of trout in the river.

200

HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

Some four or five miles west of Trout Place, the turn- pike crossed another clear stream which swarmed with trout, and here, soon after the war of 1812 closed, Benja- min Graves, a Revolutionary soldier, who was one of Gen. Washington's body-guards, and received from him the present of a fowling-piece for his fidelity (and father of Jerry Graves, for many years crier of Clinton County court), built a log hotel, and after him the stream came to be known as Graves' Brook.

Besides these, at the same time pioneer tavern-keepers and pioneer settlers, others came in from time to time, until they were almost as thick as the huckleberries that covered the soil.

But other settlers soon followed, who were brought there for other reasons. Asa Stiles, Samuel Eaton, and Grove Page came in early, and located on the turnpike near together, and engaged in cutting timber and making potash. They remained about four years.

Samuel Couch was an early settler on the turnpike, and attended to the gate.

George Douglass lived at an carly day on the original Simeon Wood place. Ezekiel Douglass, his oldest son, served in the war of 1812.

Smith Ripley settled at quite an early day in the southeast part of the town, and engaged in farming. His son Peter is a farmer near the Atwood place.

Stephen Goodspeed and Isaac Marsh settled in town at quite an early day on the turnpike, near West Chazy. Goodspeed erected a red-stone house, which is still standing.

Simeon Goodspeed settled at an early day where Wil- liam T. Atwood now resides. A daughter married Daniel

Bassett.

Apollos Austin settled quite early where Nelson Peryea resides. His son, of the same name, resides in town, and is a pensioner of the war of 1812.

Jeremiah Walker was another early settler on the turn- pike. His son Hiram still resides in town.

A family of Smiths also lived at quite an early day on the turnpike, in the Stiles and Page locality. Alpheus Smith was the head of the family.

David Vineent was the first settler on the turnpike in the northwest part of the town. A man by the name of Collins was the first settler in the Sherlock neighborhood. The Dake family lived on the turnpike over a quarter of a century ago.

SHERLOCK'S MILLS.

The pioneer settler at Sherlock's Mills was S. N. Pike, who located on Graves' Brook in 1852, the east line of his farm being also the east line of the town of Ellenburgh and west line of Altona, Graves' Brook crossing this line about two miles south of the point where the same line crosses the Military Turnpike at the old Hammond Hotel, and three miles south of where it crosses the Ogdensburgh and Lake Champlain Railroad at Dannemora Station. A road runs straight on the town-line, with the exception of a few slight detours to avoid rough spots, to near the foot of Chazy Lake, and thence to Clinton Prison, and is planked nearly the whole distance. Mr. Pike at first built a log house, this whole country south of the turnpike, and north too, being at that time a dense wilderness, with the ex-

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History of Clinton and Franklin Counties, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 52

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