History of Clinton and Franklin Counties, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 74

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 74
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 74

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 first settlers at Saxe's Landing, or " The City," were Timothy Sullivan, Jabez Ransom, Horace Morgan, Francis Chantonett, William Lawrence (father of Putnam Law- rence, of West Chazy), Capt. Ladd, John Douglass, and Nathaniel Douglass, most of whom settled there previous to the year 1800. The first frame house was built in 1800 by Capt. Ladd, of Isle La Motte, and is still stand- ing. In that old house Putnam Lawrence, of West Chazy, so well known in this county, had the honor of being born, with the high distinction of being the first male child born in the town of which there is any record or tradition. This was in 1801. The house originally stood near the site of the big poplar-tree at the north end of Saxe's stone store. Lengthy additions were subsequently made, which were destroyed by fire in about 1844. But the original building had been previously removed about fifty rods south, and on Hiram Ladd's premises, and is now occupied by John Chisholm. In old times it served as a school-house, church, town-hall, etc.

William Lawrence, father of Putnam Lawrence, figured quite largely in the first business at the landing. He built a rude wharf, and in 1802 constructed a tannery, the first in town. In 1807 he put on considerable style and built a two-story house, the first in town, which is still standing. The old oak frame having been re-clapboarded, it has re- newed its age and looks as young as ever. The nails for this house were made by hand, from rods bought of Esquire Forbes, of Caanan, Conn., a noted manufacturer of anchors, nail-rods, etc., in those days.

Judge Matthew Saxe, from whom the landing is famil- iarly named, came there in 1808, erected a new wharf a few rods south of the old and temporary structure of Mr. Lawrence, which is uow extinct. Saxe built store-

houses, and for many years did a large business, laying the foundation for a handsome fortune. As the country back from the lake became settled, the business at the landing increased. The entire town of Chazy, portions of Cham- plain and Mooers, in fact, all the northern part of Clinton County, received its merchandise and shipped its products through this channel. Not till the construction of the Ogdensburgh and Lake Champlain and Plattsburgh and Montreal Railroads did she yield her sway over this com- merce. Her glory then departed and she passed into ob- scurity, like Port Jackson, Port Kendall, and other places that were once important centres of commerce.

Judge Saxe died of apoplexy in 1836, dropping in- stantly while at work in the hay-field. It was considered an incident of so much importance that a post, painted red, was erected on the spot where he fell, and remained there inany years.

Three sons of Judge Saxe-William Saxe, George Saxe, and Henry Saxc-still reside at the landing. The old stone store is kept open as a sort of office, but no trading is done. A fourth brother (Matthew) is a wealthy miner in Oregon. Saxe the poet is their cousin.

These men have held prominent positions in the busi- ness, politics, ctc., of the county, and each has a handsome property. William H. Saxe is a director in the First Na- tional Bank of Champlain.

Seth Gregory was one of the first American-born citizens in town, settling here in 1795, but exactly at what point we do not know,-probably at first near the landing. He came originally from Norwich, Conn., in 1776, residing from that time till 1795 at Ballston Spa, Saratoga Co. The mother of Mrs. Dr. T. De Forris, of Plattsburgh, was his second wife. A son, Henry Gregory, now resides on the old homestead of his father-in-law, Dr. Carver, at East Chazy, or the " Five Nations," as it was then called.

Lieut. McPherson was one of the first settlers at Chazy Landing. He was a Scotchman. His son Robert was in trade at Chazy several years, and afterwards went to Aurora and Buffalo, at which latter place he died. He was a popular and worthy man.

Amasa Adams settled in the east part of the town, north of Chazy Landing, about 1808 or 1809, and engaged in farming. He was a justice of the peace, and filled other town offices. He was a great hand for public occasions, and was especially regular in attendance at all public exccu- tions. Several of his descendants still live in town on the old homestead.

Alexander Fereol settled very early in the northeast part of the town, and raised quite a family. Some of his de- scendants live in the locality.

Jonathan and Henry Ladd settled very early in the east part of the town. Jonathan Ladd established the first hotel at the landing. Henry Ladd is still living at an advanced age northwest of Chazy Landing, and the family is otherwise substantially represented in the town.

In 1807 five families, the heads being Septa Fillmore (cousin of Millard Fillmore), Seth Graves, Levi Hazen, Eliazer Graves, and John Bronson, moved up from the landing, a distance of three miles, to what is now known as East Chazy, but which was known for many years as

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TOWN OF CHAZY.

" The Five Nations," some of the old people still using the title. The origin of the name is reported as follows : A company of traders from the south stopped at the landing to purchase furs. On inquiry of the landlord, old Chanto- nett, he told them there were no furs for sale there, but that there was an Indian village three miles west, called " The Five Nations," in honor of the old Indian confed- eracy, where they could doubtless purchase lots of furs. They started for the village with high expectations, and just before reaching there found these men working on the road, and told their mission and the directions they had received. "There," exclaimed one of the party, " that's one of old Chantonett's tricks." In these days we would call it a " big sell." But it gave to the village a name for many years.

Few strangers riding into Chazy from the south will fail to observe the three stone buildings on the left-hand side of the road, near the bridge, on the south side of the river-bank, and bearing evidence of considerable age. This is the old homestead and business quarters of the late Solomon Fisk, who settled in Chazy in 1807, and for many years was one of its principal business men and a pillar of the Methodist Church. The first or south building was his residence, the second his office and shoe-shop, and the third his tan- nery, or building for dressing leather, the vats being in the rear and nearer the river. Exactly the date of their con- struction we do not know, but perhaps not till about 1825, as he came to Chazy a poor man and worked his way up by degrees. He first lived in a log house a little south of these buildings.

For over fifty years Mr. Fisk was one of the central fig- ures in the Methodist society of Chazy, holding the offices of class-leader and steward the entire time. He had an ardent attachment for the church. Throughout his life his house was a Methodist rallying-point, it being a sort of home for Methodist ministers, some of whom still live to tell of his fraternal hospitality. He died March 23, 1859, aged seventy-two years.

Solomon Fisk was the brother of Samuel Fisk, of Isle La Motte, owner of the famous marble quarry, and of Ira Fisk, who lived in the brick house about two miles north of the Brick Tavern, on the east road leading to Chazy village.

Almon D. Fisk, a son of Solomon, was the inventor and patentee of the celebrated metallic coffins. He was also the inventor of some excellent patterns of stoves. Dr. S. N. Fisk, who married a daughter of Capt. Lemuel North, was another son. And the wife of Rev. N. B. Wood is a daughter of the late Solomon Fisk.

Hiranı Fisk, of Isle La Motte, the present owner and occupant of the Fisk homestead in Chazy, has fitted it up in a style greatly foreign to its former modest proportions.

Judge Alexander Scott and Ebenezer A. Scott, whose place of nativity was near Troy, in this State, settled for a time in Alburgh, Vt. After a residence there of a few years they sold out and removed to Chazy, before the year 1812. Alexander kept a store in the lower part of the village, and Asher in the upper part. Not long after they took up their residence in Chazy, Alexander built a fine stone church and made it a present to the Methodist con-

gregation. It cost about $7000, and was certainly a mag- nificent present for those days. One of his daughters mar- ried the late Col. George Lesley, and another married Lafayette Carver, brother of A. G. Carver, of Plattsburgh. The third daughter died at Troy some years since. He left but one son surviving, Charles M. Scott, who married the eldest daughter of Solomon Fisk, and now resides in Wis- consin, and not far from Green Bay.

"Asher Scott and family, with the exception of one daugh- ter, who resides in Buffalo, removed to California in about 1850. The daughters all married well. Matthew, the old- est son, is now in the custom-house department in Japan, and George, the younger, is a merchant in Salt Lake City.

In the early part of this century Elisha Ransom, a native of Deerfield, Conn., with three or four brothers, settled in Chazy, and were always noted for their probity, kindness, and Christian bearing. Elisha for some time officiated as a magistrate in the village, and occupied the red house near North's present grist-mill. His sons, Roswell, Ichabod, and Wells, purchased 200 acres of land about three miles south- west of the village, each occupying his proportionate share. They all spent most of their days on their farms, and were an industrious, respected, and thrifty people. Roswell and Ichabod were for many long years deacons in the Presby- terian Church, and were reckoned among its main pillars. Roswell left several children, among whom are the present postmaster of Plattsburgh, Capt. H. D. Ransom, Augustus Ransom, who occupies a portion of the homestead, and Mrs. R. O. Barber. Ichabod also left several children, among whom are Rev. C. Ransom, of Dannemora, and Mrs. Parley Heaton.

Dr. Ransom, a brother of Elisha, owned and occupied till his death the place now occupied by Fayette C. North. His children, Elijah, Luther, Saron, and Amanda, were his successors. Elijah occupied his father's place for many years, and afterwards removed to Mooers. Luther built the store-house north of the present residence of J. C. Hubbell, and for a time occupied it as a store. He afterwards settled in the West.

The other brother of Elisha died at an early date, but left a numerous progeny, most of whom are scattered in different parts of our great country.

Epaphraditus and George Ransom, who were cousins of Roswell, settled on Sciota Ridge, where they lived and died. The former left several children, and among them are Mr. Ferdinand Ransom, who occupies the homestead, and Mrs. Andrew Dunning and Mrs. Wilcox.

John M. Grant was a prominent man in the town for a good while. He was a Scotchman, and settled at Chazy village at the opening of the present century. He occupied a house that stood on the site of the residence of James F. Gilbert. During the war of 1812 he performed several acts of patriotic bravery. Lived where Dr. Carver after- wards resided.

Septa Fillmore was one of the first settlers at Chazy vil- lage. His farm included the lower end of the village. He built Clark's hotel about 1815 or 1816, and kept hotel there for many years, and died there. He reared a large family, and some of his descendants still reside in town. During the war of 1812 he commanded a company of militia.

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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

George Root settled quite early in the town. He mar- ried a daughter of Elisha Ransom, and among his other accomplishments was an excellent fifer.

Benjamin Graves was an early sheriff of the county for three terms, and lived at Chazy village and at the lake, and later at Plattsburgh. He was a prominent and useful man in town and county, and reared quite a family. A daughter married Daniel Douglass, and resides near the lake.

Samuel Tennant was a farmer in the north part of the town at an early day, and was town clerk in 1805, 1806, 1808, 1809.

Thomas Wait was a merchant at Chazy, and was town clerk in 1807. He occupied a house where Asher Scott subsequently resided.

Among the early settlers of Chazy was Capt. Lemuel North, who commanded a company of cavalry during the war of 1812. He first went to the town of Champlain, and with his elder brother Abijah purchased a tract of land a little over a mile northwest of the present village of Coopersville, the eastern bounds of which extended to the Big Chazy River. After a time the brothers purchased another large tract of land, about one mile cast of Chazy village, lying upon the Little Chazy River. Abijah remained upon the farm in Champlain, and represented the district in the Legislature several times. The captain took up his resi- dence on the Chazy purchase, where he continued to reside for many years. The house which he occupied stood about midway between the village and the Commins place. John North, his elder son, soon after his marriage, occupied a house on the north bank of the river, and on the west side of the highway then leading from near his father's house to near the Guy Ransom place. The captain, in later years, purchased the Jonathan Douglass mansion, in the village, where he continued to reside until his death. It is now owned and occupied by his son Alexander. Capt. Lemuel North was an enterprising, industrious, and frugal farmer, of quick preceptions and great decision of character. He died a few years ago, while returning from an agricultural fair near Saratoga.

Russell C. North, son of Abijah, settled in Chazy village, and for many years traded where Abare & Richards now are.

John, son of Lemuel, inherited much of the spirit and enterprise of his father, and was for many years one of the leading business men of the town. In connection with his sons, P. F. North and F. C. North, purchased all the mill- sites in Chazy village, which are still owned by the latter.

He had three sons, P. F. North, F. C. North, and Chauncey North. The latter is dead. A sister, Julia A. North, married Henry Copeland, of Brandon, Vt., and re- sides there.

Lucy North, daughter of Lemuel, married Dean Delance, of Chazy, formerly of Whitehall, and now deccased, and re- sides at Chazy at an advanced age.

Both the living sons are worthy representatives of the captain, and have held prominent positions in the town. P. F. North has filled the office of justice of the peace for several years.

Among those who settled in Chazy, and had arrived at

the age of manhood previous to the war of 1812, we know of but one who still remains and maintains the active rela- tions of life. It is Hon. Julius C. Hubbell, usually spoken of as Esquire Hubbell. Though ninety-one years of age, he is remarkably vigorous and robust physically, and his mind is clear and memory good. Esquire Hubbell came to Chazy in 1808, and commenced the practice of the law, which he has followed, more or less, during his entire busi- ness life. His little stone office, which can hardly fail to attract the attention of strangers, is one of the landmarks of Chazy. It was built before the war, and has been occu- pied by him ever since. In it he has dispensed law and justice, performed the duties of various town offices, and rendered various public services. During the war it was a sort of headquarters for the officers of both armies. Gen. Dearborn, Gen. Forsyth, Col. Riley, Gen. Izard, Gen. Hampton, Gen. Pike, and other officers of the American army occupied it, and when our forces were driven back British officers took possession and used it for a headquar- ters. The building looks like a little fortification; the walls are two feet or more thick, and when our officers were there they facetiously talked of planting cannon there and using it as a fortress.

Esquire Hubbell held the office of issuing commissary for the Northern army, stationed at Chazy and Champlain, which brought him in constant communication with our officers. When the British took possession he was treated with consideration and kindness by the officers, and allowed considerable freedom inside of their lines. He was per- mitted to go on board their fleet, lying at Saxe's Landing, a few days before the battle. Our flcet had lain there a portion of the summer, and sailed away a short time before. He had frequently been on board and witnessed the drill, and had thus a fair opportunity for forming an opinion of the qualities of the two naval forces. The British officers knew it, and asked him what he thought of the probable results of the battle. He told them they would be defeated, and gave as his reason that the Americans could manage their guns with the greatest facility, which was fully dem- onstrated in the engagement, the Americans firing three times to the British twice.

On the morning of the 11th of September, as soon as Mr. Hubbell had learned positively that the fleet had sailed for Plattsburgh, he hitched up his horse and started for Cumberland Head, then inside of the British lines. Riding with considerable speed, he arrived at the lake-shorc, on what is now the Hagar place, just as the British vessels rounded Cumberland Head. From this point he witnessed the naval engagement. His position, directly opposite the line of battle, and right between the two squadrons, was such as to enable him to see distinctly the movements of both, and observe the effects of the firing.

Immediately after the surrender he took a skiff, and, rowing to the American flag-ship, was the first citizen to board her after the engagement. He it was of whom his- tory speaks, that, congratulating Commodore McDonough on the victory, received the reply that the honor all be- longed to God,-an incident illustrating the commodore's deep piety. Mr. Hubbell also visited the British flag-ship, and saw the noble form of Capt. Downie as it lay in the

Photo. by Howard & Co., Plattsburgh.

WILLIAM ATWOOD.

The subject of this sketch is a lineal descendant in the eighth generation from John Atwood, who came to America in the " May Flower," in 1620, and settled in Massachusetts. The first John Atwood had a son John, and he had three sons, and from one of these is William Atwood descended.

William Atwood, Jr., son of William and Hannah Atwood, was born on the farm where he now resides in West Chazy, April 10, 1809.

William Atwood, Sr., was the son of William Atwood, and was born Feb. 17, 1772, in Plymouth Co., Mass. He removed to Shorehanı, Vt., where he lived several years, and then settled in Chazy, in 1801. His grandfather, named Nathaniel, was born in Massachusetts.

William Atwood, Sr., was married to one Hannah Atwood, June 29, 1804. They had a family of five children, viz. : Lorenzo, Jacob, William, Lydia, and Jonathan. He was a farmer. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, and was in the memorable battle of Plattsburgh Sept. 11, 1814.

He was captain in the State militia for a number of years. In politics a Jeffersonian Democrat. He held several town offices, and was the first postmaster in West Chazy. He was a man respected by all who knew him. He died Oct. 31, 1857. His wife died Sept. 8, 1859.

William Atwood, Jr., left home at the age of eighteen to learn the cloth-dressing trade. He fol- lowed it for eight consecutive years at Schuyler Falls, West Chazy, and Chazy. He then resumed farming where he now resides. He was engaged for seven- teen years as a merchant at West Chazy. In 1836 he went to Wisconsin, and stayed one year.

Mr. Atwood is one of the largest farmers in Chazy, and is one of the representative men of the town. In politics he was formerly a Democrat, but when the Republican party was organized, in 1856, he joined it. Hc has been assessor and supervisor of Chazy, besides holding several other minor offices. He mar- ried, Jan. 2, 1834, L. A., daughter of Harvey and Lucy Church, of Fairhaven, Rutland Co., Vt. She was born there June 16, 1814, and settled in Chazy in 1828 with her parents.

Of this union five children have been born, viz. : Lucy R., Mary L., Z. Calista, Emma G., and Ed- wina H.,-all of whom are married and settled in life.

Harvey Church was a native of Connecticut; was a tanner and currier, shoemaker, and farmer by oc- cupation. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, and held the commission of captain. He married June 28, 1807, settled in Chazy in 1828, and died Feb. 17, 1851. His wife died Jan. 17, 1875.

( PHOTOS. BY HOWARD & CO. )

WM. ATWOOD.

MRS. WM. ATWOOD.

RESIDENCE OF WM. ATWOOD, WEST CHAZY , CLINTON COUNTY, N. Y.

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TOWN OF CHAZY.

embraee of death. He marked a wonderful contrast in the appearance of the two vessels. The American deek was eleared, and the dead were piled up and covered, while on the British vessel the demoralization was so great that the deek was yet strewn with the dead and wounded, and in utter confusion.

Probably no man in the county to-day has so full a per- sonal knowledge of the events of the war as Esquire Hub- bell. He has related to us many interesting faets, which we shall use in their proper plaee.

Esquire Hubbell was appointed postmaster in 1814, and held the office for eighteen sueeessive years. He held the office of town elerk for a long period, and also justice of the peace under Whig and Demoeratie administrations. His politieal opponents used to support him on the ground of publie convenienee.

In 1843, Mr. Hubbell was elected to the Assembly by the Democrats, receiving the then large majority of over 700. He seeured the aet loeating a State-prison at Dannemora, and was re-elected in 1844.

Esquire Hubbell has been elosely identified with the First Presbyterian and Congregational Church of Chazy from a period very soon after its organization.

The wife of Esquire Hubbell, who died a number of years sinee, was a daughter of Judge Moore, of Champlain, and sister of the late Amasa C. Moore, of Plattsburgh. His son, J. W. Hubbell, married a daughter of Judge Beek with, of Plattsburgh.

Among those who studied law in Esquire Hubbell's office were Robert L. Cook, Hon. Charles Severanee, brother of George Severanee, of Chazy, Hon. George Stevenson, of New York City, and the late Hon. Lemuel Stetson.

Matthew Thomas settled very early near Chazy village, and Amos Oney about a mile and a half west of Chazy village.

Thomas Cooper lived, at the opening of the century, at Suekertown. He had a son Jabez.

Thomas Cummings was also an early settler near Chazy village, and was taken prisoner by the British in 1812.

Deaeon Wells also lived at an early day in the same loeality.

A man by the name of Minekler lived about half a mile distant. A man named Stetson lived early on the main road from Chazy to Lake Champlain.

The first settler in what is now known as West Chazy was Stephen Atwood, who came here from Shoreham, Vt., about the year 1799. Some time during the previous year a yoke of oxen belonging to Mr. Platt, who lived on the Boynton farm, just north of Plattsburgh village, strayed into the woods, and after they had been gone several days he offered Simeon Wood, who was at work for him at the time, $5 in eash if he would find them. Wood started off, and after searching several days struek their trail on the bank of the south braneh of the Little Chazy River, some distanee south of West Chazy village, and from that point traeked them baek and forth through many devious wind- ings in this what was then a dense wilderness of hard-wood, and particularly through a large level traet covered with a luxuriant growth of nettles, upon which the cattle had evi- dently fed for a considerable length of time. Ile followed

the traeks, and finally found the oxen on the Angell Flats, near where Seiota village now is. They had been gone for several weeks and were wild as moose, and took fright when he came up with them, running towards the lake. He fol- lowed them and they ran to Monty's Bay, where they took water, not so much to eut off the seent from their pursuer, perhaps, as to eool themselves after their raee in the hot July weather.

Here Sim. Wood eonvineed them in some manner that he was their friend, and after a while they consented to eome out of the water and be driven baek to Plattsburgh along the lake-shore as far as Woodruff Pond, and thenee aeross the marsh to their old home on the Boynton meadows.

This was during the summer of 1798, and the next win- ter Simeon Wood went baek to Shoreham, where he spent the eold months among his friends, and on one oeeasion, as he and his old eronies sat around the fire of the village tavern listening to Sim's yarns about the strange country in which he had spent the preceding summer, he told this wonderful adventure of his after the lost oxen ; " and," said he, " while I was on that hunt I discovered a traet of the handsomest land you ever sat your eyes on, more than a thousand aeres as level as a house floor, and so rieh that the nettles grow nearly as high as my head ; splendidly watered too by a spring-fed stream that is choek-full of trout." His rose-colored reports indueed three brothers, Stephen, Joab, and William Atwood, and Heman Hiekok, to remove at onee with their families to the promised land. Their high expectations were not fully realized, but the indueements were sufficient for them to remain ; where they all lived, and died at a good old age. The same summer, 1799, Stephen Atwood, with the help of a man by the name of Huggins, eut down eight aeres of timber where the old Atwood stone mansion stands, about a mile south of the village, now owned by Levi Atwood, the only son of the original settler, and oeeupied by one of his three sons, Lewis Atwood. The ehopping was eommeneed early in the season, probably in June, as soon as the leaves were fairly out, and in the Sep- tember following Sim. Wood went up through the wilderness again from Plattsburgh and burned the opening over, eleared the land up, and sowed it to winter-wheat.

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History of Clinton and Franklin Counties, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 74

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