History of Clinton and Franklin Counties, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 75

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 75
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 75

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).

FIRST HARVEST AND FIRST BUILDING.

The next year, 1800, there was a plentiful erop, and Stephen Atwood eame on to harvest his wheat and settle permanently. He eut, hewed, and framed timber for a barn twenty feet square. The raising of that barn was a notable event. Nine men were present : three Atwoods, Stephen, Joab, and William ; two Domineys from Beekmantown Cor- ners ; Mr. Newton, from Shoreham ; Sim. Wood, Mitehell, and Howe from near where the Beekmantown stone church now stands. The roof was covered with bark and the sides were left open, and here the first erop ever raised in West Chazy was stored during the winter of 1800. The old frame still stands near the stone mansion already mentioned, and ought to be earefully preserved as one of the most aneient relies of modern civilization of which West Chazy ean boast. The next season Stephen and Joab Atwood built the first saw-mill, just above where the bridge leading west from the village crosses the Little Chazy River. This

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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

mill was driven by a " flutter" whecl, and had only one up- right saw. It was abandoned after a few years.

The first house in West Chazy village was a log structure which stood near the site now occupied by Victor Wood's residence. This was erected by Simeon Wood, probably in 1802 or 1803. Stephen left one son, who still resides on the old homestead. Joab left several children, but none of them remain in this section. Of the children of William Atwood two remain, Mrs. Thomas McFadden and William Atwood, who resides on the homestead of his father, a short distance south of the village, and is the proprietor of a large tract of rich farming land in the vicinity and the large sugar-bush west of the village. Daughters of Mr. Atwood married Dr. Larkin, of West Chazy, H. A. Wood, of Clay- burgh, C. J. Farrel, of West Chazy, and G. B. Goewey, of Chazy, respectively, while another resides at home.

In the war of 1812, William Atwood, the first, organized a company of Chazy militia, which he commanded during the war and at the battle of Plattsburgh. Heman Hickok was first lieutenant, and Samuel Bailey second lieutenant, then called ensign.

Capt. Atwood was a large land-holder, and owned the south half of the village, giving the ground for both the churches and the school-house. He died in 1857.

Anselm Goodrich, who was one of the earliest settlers, came in 1809, at which time the Sim. Wood house was oc- cupied by William Eldred, the blacksmith, whose shop was on the opposite side of the river. Mr. Dudley lived where McFadden's hotel now is, and at that time (1809) these two were the only dwelling-houses within the present limits of the village. Mr. Goodrich settled one mile west, on the place now occupied by his son, Chauncey Goodrich. About one hundred rods below Goodrich's house, which is on the north branch of the river, Ormes' saw-mill was built, soon after the first settlement of the town, and immediately below it Sim. Wood erected the first grist-mill, taking the water from Ormes' mill-pond through a canal. Simeon Wood was the father of Smith Wood, who now lives on the Military Turnpike, a short distance from "The Gate," for- merly known as " Trout Place," where the turnpike crosses the Great Chazy River, and where there was once an ex- cellent hotel, when nearly all the travel from Plattsburgh west passed over this road.

In 1783 three men left Middletown, Vt., with their fam- ilies, to settle on an uninhabited island in Lake Champlain, -now known as North Hero. Their names were Solomon Wood, Nathan Hazen, and Alexander Gordon. The wife of Wood had but one child, an infant. It was mid-winter. They were detained on the road and suffered great priva- vations and hardships, and even after they got permanently settled endured great inconveniences.

William Lawrence canie to the island a few years later, and in course of time wooed and won the daughter of Sol- omon Wood, who, under the naine of Persis, had attained the age of seventeen years.

Solomon Wood and his son-in-law, William Lawrence, removed from North Hero to Chazy Landing in 1800. Mr. Wood resided on a farm near the landing a number of years, and in 1810 removed to Hemmingford, Canada, where lie accumulated quite a property. But, refusing to

swear allegiance to the king during the war, his property was confiscated, and he was compelled to flee to the States. His son, Amasa Wood, father of the Woods now residing at West Chazy, then under nineteen years, was served by the British with conscription papers, but escaped into the States before they were able to muster him into the army. We believe he was in the American service. After the war the Woods resided in a small log house, half a mile north of West Chazy village, and Amasa Wood bought the old saw-mill of which mention has been made.

The genealogy of the Lawrences is very complete, back to the original family, who came over in the " Mayflower." Mr. Lawrence informs us that he remembers well a powder- horn which his father had that was brought over in the " Mayflower." A picture of the " Mayflower" was carved upon it, and the name of William Fellows. In the early part of the seventeenth century, Jeremiah and Isaac Law- rence settled in Canaan, Conn., and from them descended all the Lawrences,-not only the Chazy Lawrences, but Amos Lawrence, Samuel Lawrence, and other great New England capitalists.

There have probably been few families more remarkable for longevity. Of the nine children of William Lawrence, eight are now living, as follows :

Putnam Lawrence, West Chazy, aged ... .....

Higby Lawrence, West Chazy, aged. 75

Louisa, wife of Esek Angell, Fond du Lac, Wis., aged .. 70 Orilla, wife of William Howard, Omro, Wis., aged ..... 68 Jane Ann, wife of Rev. R. E. Johnson, Forestdale, Vt., aged .. 66

William Henry Lawrence, Beekmantown, aged ... 58 Persis Maria, wife of the late Henry Hubbard, Fort Wayne, Ind., aged ... 52 Maryette, wife of the late Edward Lewis, Fort Wayne, Ind., aged 49

Total 516

Average .. 643

The seventh child, Mary Ann, wife of David McKee, of Sackett's Harbor, died in 1879, aged fifty-five. Persis Lawrence died on April 19, 1878, aged nearly ninety-five.

Putnam Lawrence has four children living,-D. W. Law- rence, James K. Lawrence, Mrs. Luman A. Phelps, and Mrs. Milo Marshall.

Higby Lawrence has two sons living, Wm. S. and Clark, who, though young, are assuming a prominent position in the West. They got their start in life in company with Hon. S. P. Bowen, in the iron business on the Saranac. William S. Lawrence, who married a daughter of P. W. Signor, of Plattsburgh, is at the head of the extensive manufactory of agricultural implements at Kalamazoo .. A daughter is the wife of Charles Comstock, M.P.

In 1818, William Lawrence moved up from East Chazy, and a copartnership was formed between himself and Amasa Wood, and the business enterprises of West Chazy were fairly inaugurated. A grist-mill of two run of stone was constructed below the saw-mill, a frame building. The Woods and Lawrence moved up to what is now the village. Lawrence built the yellow house which now stands opposite the Wesleyan church. This was in 1819, and it was the first residence of any pretensions in the village. One in- cident connected with the erection of this building is of especial importance. There was no suitable place for hold- ing town-meetings and elections. Mr. Lawrence offered to

PHOTO'S BY HOWARD & CO.

LEVI ATWOOD.

MRS. LEVI ATWOOD.

LEVI ATWOOD.

The subject of this sketch is a lineal descendant of the eighth generation from one John Atwood, who came from England in the ship "May Flower," and set- tled in Massachusetts in 1620.

He is the only living son of Stephen and Mercy Finch Atwood, and was born in the town of Chazy, Clinton Co., N. Y., Jan. 5, 1810, His father, the son of Jacob Atwood, was born in Warwick, Massachusetts, Septem- ber, 1777, and settled in Chazy, on the farm now owned by his son Levi, in 1799. He had previously lived in Shoreham, Vt., from 1786 until he settled in Chazy.

Stephen Atwood was a successful farmer, and a man respected by all. In politics he affiliated with the Democratic party. He held several town offices, such as commissioner and assessor. He died in June, 1852. His wife was born in Massachusetts July 3, 1791, and came to Chazy when. a girl. She was of English ori- gin. She died Dec. 6, 1871.

Levi Atwood was reared a farmer, and has continued as such until the present time. He inherited his pa- rents' home, and has added to this, till he is one of the large and substantial farmers of West Chazy.

He has been a dealer in stock more or less, but farm- ing has been his chief pursuit. He married Permelia,

daughter of Abijah and Anna Lewis Prouty, and grand- daughter of Jacob Prouty, Feb. 13, 1831. She was born Aug. 30, 1808, in Granville, Washington Co., N. Y., and came to Chazy in February, 1830. Of this union six children were born, viz .: James Lewis, married, and has a family of six children, and is living on the old homestead; Stephen A. (deceased); Jacob P., married, and now living in Iowa; Theodore Orlando, married, has a family of four children, and resides on a part of the home-farm; Amelia Antoinette, married Herbert McFadden, has one daughter, and resides on a farm in West Chazy. Mrs. Levi Atwood was a mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church. She was an esteemed lady, and one whose influence was on the side of right. She died Oct. 20, 1872.

Mr. Atwood is a staunch Republican. He held the responsible office of assessor of West Chazy for nine consecutive years, and was re-elected for three years more, but declined to serve. He was a first lieutenant in a State militia company for four years.

Mr. Atwood retired from active life some twelve years before the death of his wife, and left the farm, moving into the village of West Chazy. Since the death of Mrs. Atwood he lives with his children.

ASA STILES.

LAURA SARTWELL.

ASA STILES.

Asa Stiles, Jr., son of Asa Stiles, Sr., was born in He- bron, Conn., Aug. 14, 1792. During the early part of his life he was engaged in farming. His father was a teamster in the Revolutionary war, and a soldier in the war of 1812.

Asa Stiles, Sr., settled in Shoreham, Vt., in 1794, and removed to Chazy in 1801, and remained there till his death. Asa Stiles, Jr., settled with his father in Chazy. He married Laura, daughter of James and Ruth Ferguson Hedding, Jan. 3, 1816. He followed farming until 1830, when he formed a copartnership with Judge William Hed- ding, and followed the mercantile business with him for fifteen years. He then built the brick store opposite the hotel in West Chazy, and continued in trade until 1857 or 1858. In politics he was a Democrat.

Mr. and Mrs. Stiles joined the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1817. He was very liberal towards the church, and the poor found in him an earnest friend. He was often superintendent of Sunday-school and steward of the church. He was one of the most highly esteemed citizens of his town, a man beloved by all. He dicd Aug. 10, 1863, and was buried at West Chazy.

THE HEDDING FAMILY.

James Hedding, Sr., was of English origin. The first that we know of him was when he was a resident of Dutch- ess Co., N. Y. He was a farmer by occupation. Ile was a man of considerable prominence in the community, and his general character accorded much with the prevailing habits of the times and of the state of society around him.

James Hedding, Jr., son of James Hedding, Sr., was born in the town of Pine Plains, formerly known as " The Nine Partners." He was a farmer by occupation. He had a family of fifteen children, of whom twelve lived to be men and women. Mrs. Stiles was the twelfth child, and the only surviving one of this large and intelligent family.

Mr. Hedding removed to Starksborough, Addison Co., Vt., in 1791, and lived there until 1805, when he removed with his family to Plattsburgh, and into the town of Chazy

in the year 1808. He and his wife were buried in Chazy. Among the most prominent of his family, of whom we know, were his sons Elijah and William.

Elijah Hedding, son of James Hedding, was born in the town of Pine Plains, Dutchess Co., N. Y., June 7, 1780, and settled in Starksborough, Addison Co., Vt., in 1791. He became in time a great preacher, and a bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church. For a more extended history of this wonderful man's career, see a work entitled " Life and Times of Bishop Hedding," by D. W. Clark, D.D.

He was buried in the beautiful cemetery just below Poughkeepsie, on the east side of the Hudson, where a noble monument has been erected to his memory, which bears the following inscription :

"HEDDING'S MONUMENT."

On the side fronting to the west, and within a circular wreath, is the simple inscription :

" ELIJAH HEDDING, P.D. Born June 7, 1780. Died April 9, 1852."

On the opposite side is the following :

" This monument has been erected as a memorial of one whose name is honored in the Church of Christ."

He was for fifty-one years an itinerant minister, and for twenty-eight years a bishop in the Methodist Episcopal Church. In his earlier ministry he performed an astonish- ing amount of labor, and endured many hardships. He was a man of unaffected simplicity and dignity of manners, of decp and consistent piety, of sound and discriminating judgment, a well-read theologian, an able divine, a pattern of Christian propriety and integrity, and a model bishop.

As an expounder of ecclesiastical law and discipline he has had no superiors, and his judicial decisions are regarded with profound veneration in the church. His last sickness was protracted and painful, but was endured with a constant resignation. His last hours were peaceful and triumphant. Future generations will rise up to bless his memory.

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TOWN OF CHAZY.

build this house for that purpose, as well as a residence, putting in large folding-doors, etc., if the town would hold its meetings there one-third of the time, they being held the other two-thirds at East Chazy and at Chazy Landing. In accordance with this arrangement, the yellow house was the town-hall for many years. It was also used for religious services.

Wm. Lawrence died in 1842, after a successful business carcer at Chazy Landing, erecting the first tannery at that place, at East Chazy, and shortly after at West Chazy.

About the year 1819, Amasa Wood built a residence on the corner where Wardner's store stands, and in about 1828 built the residence now owned and oecupicd by A. G. H. Wood, east of Woods' store.

Amasa Wood was born in 1794, married in 1818, and died in 1863, aged 69 years. He was a man of deep re- ligious convictions, scrupulously conscientious, an earnest supporter of the church, and by his devotion to its spiritual welfare did much for its support in its early days. His house was a common resort of Methodist clergymen, and in it and in his barn and cabinet-shop meetings were fre- quently held.

Mr. Wood was a wheelwright and millwright, and super- intended the construction of all the mills in the vicinity. He was a carpenter and joiner also, and also a cabinet- maker,-in fact, a mechanical genius. He was a quiet, in- dustrious, and kind-hearted citizen.

Miss R. A. Howard was born in Bridgewater, Mass., in 1792, and removed from Benson, Vt., to West Chazy in 1817, where she married Amasa Wood in 1819. Mrs. Wood was a woman of more than ordinary ability and of indomitable perseverance.

Mrs. Wood lived to see a large family of boys grow to manhood and enter successfully into the pursuits of life with temperate, industrious habits and a fair competency. They are now the leading business men of West Chazy and Wood's Falls. Mrs. Wood died in November, 1878, at the age of cighty-four.

There are six of her sons living at West Chazy, all in partnership in one business or another: Victor A. Wood, Orville K. Wood, W. E. Wood (Eugene), A. G. H. Wood, at West Chazy ; and A. B. Wood and W. W. Wood at Wood's Falls. The firin-name at the Falls is Wood Broth- ers, and at West Chazy is O. K. Wood & Co. In the lower part of the village at West Chazy they have a lumber-mill with one of Lane & Brock's eireular saws, also a single-gate upright saw, and manufacture all kinds of lumber exeept lath.

In 1857 they constructed a large brick store on the cor- ner of the old Wood premises, which they occupy exclu- sively. The post-office, kept by A. G. H. Wood, of which Mr. M. Morah is the efficient deputy, is kept in this building.

The Hedding family have also been early and promi- nently identified with the history of West Chazy. James Hedding, the father of Bishop Hedding, was born in Duteh- ess Co., N. Y., resided there and in Vermont and elsewhere till 1802, when he settled on what afterwards was the MeDonough place, on Cumberland Head, and in 1805 he re- moved to West Chazy. He married but once, but they raised a patriarchal family, fifteen children, of whom twelve lived to

manhood and womanhood. The oldest of these children was Bishop Elijah Hedding, who was born in 1780, experienced religion while young, entered the ministry before he was of age, advanced rapidly in position and influence, was elected bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church of the United States in 1824, the fourth bishop in the Methodist Epis- copal Church of this country, and died in the year 1852. He was senior bishop at the time of his death, and may with propriety be called one of the . founders of American Methodism. Bishop Hedding never resided in Chazy, but he preached all through this section in 1801, having re- ceived the Plattsburgh circuit for his first appointment, with Rev. Elijah Chichester for his senior. The circuit extended along the entire west side of Lake Champlain, from Ticonderoga to St. Johns, in Canada, and from the lake to the wilderness and the mountains of the West. " Here," says his biographer, Rev. D. W. Clark, D.D., " he endured more than it is possible to describe of the toils and privations of early itinerants. The journeys were performed, not upon steamboats nor railroads, nor yet in good carriages and by casy stages upon turnpikes, but on horseback, through rough and miry ways, and through wildernesses where no road as yet had been cast up. A complete journey round the circuit was performed in each month."

Bishop Hedding purchased the farm on which his father located in West Chazy, known as the Ketch place, which he gave to his sister, Laura Styles, for taking eare of the old gentleman in his declining years. The place is now owned by Mrs. Purdy and Lemuel Brown.

Judge William Hedding, of West Chazy, well known in this county, and who died about ten years since, was a brother of Bishop Hedding. He was a prominent mer- chant for many years, and took a prominent position in the politics of the county.

Orson Hedding, who died in 1866, aged only forty-five, was a son of Judge William Hedding. At the time of his death there was no more promising man in the county, par- ticularly in political circles, and his loss was deeply felt. He was very liberal and publie-spirited, and if his life had been spared would no doubt have been foremost in all public enterprises.

Mrs. Laura Styles, of West Chazy, a well-preserved and intelligent lady of eighty years, is the last of the brothers and sisters of Bishop Hedding. Simeon Hedding, a brother, died recently at an advanced age.

, Asa Styles was a prominent man in Chazy's early history. He was born in 1792, came to the town of Chazy with his father in 1801, married Miss Laura Hedding in 1815, was a prosperous merchant in West Chazy for thirty-five years, fifteen years in company with Judge Hedding, and accu- mulated a large property, which he distributed liberally for charitable and religious purposes, but left a handsome com- potency for his widow at his death, which occurred in 1863.

Ira Chamberlain, a native of Tedford, Vt., came to Beek- mantown between 1805 and 1809, residing where Heury Lawrence now lives. His wife was a daughter of old Capt. Dewey, of Barre, Vt. They moved into West Chazy soon after the war. Mr. Chamberlain was a farmer, and died in 1857, at the age of seventy-two. His wife died in 1852.

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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

They had five children,-three boys and two girls. The only son now living is Minor Chamberlain, of West Chazy. The two daughters married Hedding brothers.

Gen. Ira P. Chamberlain is well remembered in this county. He was born in 1802, and died in November, 1872. He held numerous local offices, was justice of the peace twenty years, also postmaster for some time. For a number of ycars he held the rank of brigadier-general in the New York militia {infantry), the brigade covering the district of Clinton and Franklin Counties. This was in the days of general trainings, and the position was of consider- able importance. Gen. Chamberlain was a large, well- proportioned man, and, dressed in full uniform, made a fine-looking officer. Lewis Chamberlain, the other brother, died in 1858.

Minor Chamberlain was born in 1817, and has lived in town most of his life, and almost everybody knows him. He has held the offices of supervisor, justice, county clerk, and clerk of the board of supervisors, and inspector of common schools under the " old Mosaic law." He was married to Lucy Hedding, daughter of the late Judge Hed- ding, in 1852.

The Townsend family settled very early in the west part of the town. Rufus and Amasa Townsend were quite prominent for many years. They subsequently removed to St. Lawrence County, where Amasa went to the Legislature several terms.

The McFadden family settled at an early day in the west part of the town, and are still creditably represented.

Charles and " Deacon" Brown settled very early in the west part of the town, and engaged in farming. They were early identified with quite a strong Baptist Church that existed in that locality. Lemuel and Rollin Brown reside at West Chazy. Ira died a few years ago.

Reuben Smith and George Douglass settled at a very early day about a mile west of West Chazy. Thomas Paine also lived at a very early day where Jason Paine now lives.

Anselm Goodrich settled near the Douglass place at an early day.

Dottifer Bunker lived near West Chazy in 1818.

Timothy Lewis settled quite early about two miles north of West Chazy.

Samuel Clark came from Canada, and settled at quite an early day about two miles north of West Chazy. The family is still represented here.

Almon Witherill lived very early in the same locality.

Timothy Lewis settled about the same time in the Clark settlement.

At an early day, probably not long after the close of the last war with Great Britain, Jeremiah Hedges and brother, and O. and I. Mansfield, built saw-mills on nearly opposite sides of the Corbeau River, on or near the site of the present buildings of the Sciota Manufacturing Company, at the depot. These were obliterated many years ago, and we understand the families and their descendants have all died or moved away.

The Angells .- About 1815, Asa Angell settled about a mile and a half west of what is now the depot, where he raised up a family, from whom all of the Angells at Sciota

and Mooers are descendants, giving to the locality the name of Angellville, which it retains to this day, although the Angells and nearly all others have moved away. For many years it was a smart business locality for those times. Mr. Angell located and retained possession of considerable land, built a saw-mill and other improvements. A. M. Angell, his son, well remembered in this county, succceded him in business. Among the business enterprises in which he engaged in later years was the manufacture of barrel- heads in the rough (the process of turning not having then been introduced). Basswood abounding in the section, it was particularly adapted to the business. The heads were shipped to New York in large quantities. But financial reverses overtook him in 1857-58, owing chiefly to the failure of parties in New York whose paper he held, and subsequently to the destruction of his factory by fire. He did not rebuild, but sold out to Nichols & Lynde.

Thomas Bedell, now residing at Sciota, is one of the oldest settlers now living. Joseph Ober, father of John Ober, came to the vicinity in 1819.

TAVERNS. .

· The first hotel in town was in a log house at the landing, kept by John Douglass, Esq. He was succeeded by Francis Chantonctt and Horace Morgan. Chantonett was an cc- centric as well as rough man. He taught his children to swear like pirates till they were eight years old, and then told them they had arrived to the years of understanding and must stop the use of profane language, or he would use the whip, which he did freely, as the old inhabitants well remember. Portions of the sign-post of the old log tavern are still standing in front of William H. Saxe's residence.

Subsequently, Jabez Ransom built a frame hotel, with a comparatively spacious dancing-hall, which for many years was the great resort of the worshipers of Terpsichore.

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History of Clinton and Franklin Counties, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 75

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