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 80
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 80
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He has made nearly all the improvements on his present farm, a fine view of which may be seen in another part of this work.
The captain owns one of the best farms in the county, and is regarded a model farmer. He married Caroline M., daughter of Joel and Elizabeth Smith, of Champlain, Feb. 8, 1838. She was born in Champlain, Nov. 11, 1811, and is one of a family of seven children.
Joel Smith was a native of Athol, Mass., and settled at Rouse's Point at a very early day, having come from Or- well, Vt., where his two eldest children were born. His wife, Elizabeth McRobert, was a native of Scotland, and eame to America with her mother when she was four years of age. Her father had previously died. They settled in Sudbury, Vt. Mr. Smith was a farmer. He settled in Chazy about 1823. Mrs. Smith died in 1827, and Mr. Smith died in 1841.
Capt. Brown is a Democrat in politics. He had one daughter, Carrie E., born Feb. 23, 1842, in Chazy, received a good education, and married John H. McCuen, of Chazy, Jan. 21, 1875. Of this union two children were born, viz., Mary Elizabeth and Carrie B., both in Chazy. We subjoin the following :
" In Chazy, on the morning of June 25, 1879, of pleuro-pneumonia, Mrs. Carrie Brown McCuen. A husband is left to mourn, and two beautiful children, just at the age when their winning ways are so attractive ; and also are bereft her aged parents. Carrie was their only child, and, as her health had always been good, it seemed to them as if it were impossible for her to die, leaving them sorrowing.
"She was a lady of an upright life, of dignified bearing, one whose home-duties were never neglected. Her sickness was very brief, but in her last hours she gave herself into the keeping of her Lord, and we trust we can say of her, ' It is well.' Her death cast a gloom over the community, and her funeral was largely attended. The services were in charge of Rev. Mr. Robbins. Many were the floral offerings, among them a wreath entirely of forget-me-nots. Her remains were embedded in white roses. The sorrow of friends was softened by these surroundings.
"Carrie is gone ! We respect her memory, and trust when all mys- teries are explained that we shall not ' see through a glass darkly,' but shall know why she was called away so early."
CHAPTER LIV.
CLINTON.
Geographical and Descriptive-Natural Features-Early Settlement and Settlers-Pioneer Incidents-Public-Houses-Stores and Mer- chants - Physicians - Earliest Highways-Civil Organization- First and Subsequent Town Officers -- Officers in 1879-Statistics- Villages and Hamlets- Churubusco --- Frontiers-Wrightsville- Clinton Mills-Post-Offices-Schools-Religious History-Catho- lies-Historic Notes-Conflagration-Destruction of Clinton Mills, May 14, 1877-Industrial Pursuits-Military History-Soldiers of 1861-65.
GEOGRAPHICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE.
THIS town forms the northwest corner of the county of Clinton. Its northern boundary is the Province of Que- bec, and the southern the town of Ellenburgh, in Clinton County. On the east lies the town of Mooers, in the same county ; and on the west the town of Chateaugay, Franklin Co. The superficial area of the town is 63 square miles, and the population, as given in the census of 1875, is 2374.
NATURAL FEATURES.
The surface of the town is generally level, the geological dip being towards the northwest. The highest elevations are near the southern border, and attain an altitude of 1050 feet above the level of Lake Champlain. The soil is mostly underlaid by Potsdam sandstone, which has an unusually light color in this section. The soil is a light, sandy loamn, capable of supporting but a thin growth of forest-trees.
No streams of much consequence exist in the town, and the water-power is therefore small. The north and south branches of English River flow easterly through the north- eastern corner ; and Crystal Creek takes the same course a short distance south. Brandy Brook is a small stream in the southern part of the town, and Marble River drains the western section.
In the northeastern corner of the town quite extensive mineral deposits, chiefly iron and lead, are to be found.
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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, NEW YORK.
EARLY SETTLEMENT, SETTLERS, AND PIONEER INCI- DENTS.
The earliest settlement made in the town was along the Old Military Turnpike, which passes through the south- western part of the town, and in the northwestern eorner at the Frontiers. The settlers at this latter point were mostly from Vermont, and reached their loeation by a la- borious and tedious journey around thruogh the older town of Chateaugay. Among the earliest settlers were Junio Howard, Asa Smith and family, Ebenezer Gates, George Peters, Dorus, Stephen, and Caleb Martin, John MeCoy, Benjamin Roberts, William Hunter, Esek Hinds, Cornelius and Amos Austin, and Ira Laughlin.
Junio Howard, accompanied by his wife and family, came from Vermont in 1817 or 1818, and made one of the first permanent settlements in the town. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, and was present at the battle of Plattsburgh. He came on the turnpike to Chateaugay, and thenee through the " south settlement" to lot 88, where he located. His daughter, Rhoda S. Howard, born Feb. 7, 1819, was the first ehild born in town. Junio Howard, son of the first settler, resides south of the old homestead. Soon after the settlement of Junio Howard, his father, Antipias, and his brothers, Osiah, Richard, and Merritt, eame and located on lot 89.
Asa Smith eame very soon after, from Canada, and located on lot 88. He was a native of Vermont. His sons, Ira, Royal, and Martin, accompanied him. The family is not now represented.
Dorus Martin eame from Grand Isle, Vt., about 1823, and located on lot 88. He remained in town and raised a family. A daughter, Minerva, is the widow of Franklin Towns, and resides in town.
Caleb Martin, father of Dorus, eame from Grand Isle, Vt., in 1827, with his family, consisting of his wife and children,-Walker, Dewel, Allen, Thomas McD., and Hes- ter A. Allen is the only son who remained permanently in town. He was six years of age when he eame, and still resides at the Frontiers.
Ezek Hinds, the first Methodist preacher of the town, located on lot 89, in 1826. He married Sarah MeCoy, half-sister to Allen Martin.
Stephen Martin, a son of Jona. Martin, one of the early settlers in the northeast corner of Chateaugay, eame to town about 1826, and located on lot 90. Upwards of twenty years ago he removed to St. Lawrence County.
Calvin Johnson located about the same time, just beyond the town-line, in the town of Chateaugay.
Ebenezer Gates and the Ford family also located about the same period on lot 90.
George Peters eame from Vermont soon after 1820, and located on lot 89. William Hunter, his son-in-law, located on lot 87.
Zepheniah Grimshaw came from Rhode Island, and located at an early day on lot 87.
Cornelius and Amos Austin, brothers, came at an early period, and also located on lot 87.
John MeCoy was one of the first settlers in the town. He came from Grand Isle, Vt., in the year 1825, and located on lot 88, in connection with Dorus Martin, his
half-brother, and engaged in potash-making. He built the first saw-mill in town on lot 87, assisted by Allen Martin, which began running in 1850. He carried it on seven or eight years.
Ira Laughlin, a blacksmith, from Vermont, eame quite early, and located at the Frontiers, where he carried on blacksmithing, and was the first in the town.
Norman Starks lived at an early day at the Frontiers, and took up the lot now occupied by Allen Martin. He removed from town about 1847 or 1848.
Charles D. Bachus eame to the Frontiers about 1835, established a store, and also carried on farming. The store was on the Canada side of the line, and Jacob Abbott was in partnership with him in the store.
Along the turnpike a few settlements were made before those at the Frontiers, but the most of them were subse- quent to that period.
Benjamin Roberts located there about 1815, and kept a pioneer tavern for many years. Jonathan Raee was another early settler along the turnpike west of Roberts. John MeCabe eame afterwards and occupied the place.
Asher Parmenter, John Huxley, Messrs. Hollister and Chamberlain, Thomas Benham, and a few others, were among the first settlers along the turnpike. The latter located near the Franklin County line.
Settlements were also made at an early day in the south and southwest part of the town. William Taylor was one of the first of these. John P. Bishop and Willard Olds were also early on the ground. John Boomhower located in that seetion of the town in 1844, and was an industrious and influential farmer. His sons A., D., and O. Boom- hower are among the leading citizens of the town.
The Canadian rebellion of 1836 and 1837 added largely to the population of the town. Patriek Sweeney, Edmund O'Neil, and Edmund Powers, son-in-law of O'Neil, settled first on the road running south from the north road to Chateaugay. A number of French and Irish eame in soon after and loeated in the same vicinity. The greater num- ber, however, settled near what is now Churubusco. Slocum Clark and John Richardson settled on lot 75, north of the summit, about 1835. Joseph Willette was one of the first settlers on lot 66, the same on which Churubusco stands, and located there about 1836 or 1837.
John Deso, John De Forge, John Bean, Peter Butro, Antoine Melarsh, and Franeis Melarsh were among the earliest settlers north of Churubusco. Francis and John Sampieha settled early on lot 75.
The eastern part of the town was only oeeupied at a recent period, and a great part of it is yet a wilderness. R. W. Adams & Co. commenced business in 1865, at what is now Clinton Mills and vicinity, and the settlement of that seetion has been made by the employees of that firm, most of whom have been and are transient persons. The town now contains a large foreign population.
PIONEER INCIDENTS.
The early settlers of the town came into a wild and heavily-wooded country. Save where the small elearings were made by them, or the modest bridle-path wended its way through lines of blazed trees, all was an unbroken wil-
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TOWN OF CLINTON.
derness, concealing in its shady recesses, or rocky fastnesses, a large number of wild animals. The adventures of the pioneers with these were sometimes quite thrilling. It was no pleasing experience for the housewife, when left alone during the working hours of the day, to see the expectant face of a gaunt wolf, or a hungry bear, peering in at the open door of the humble log hut, and to successfully resist their attacks required the greatest skill and self-possession.
Osiah Howard was a great bear-trapper, but on one occa- sion paid dearly for his temerity. Having captured a large one in a trap one day, he unloosened the chain which bound the latter to a tree, and putting it over his shoulder, attempted to drag the bear home by the leg. But the brute, mindful of the effectiveness of an attaek in the rear, turned upon him, and seizing him by the hips, lacerated him terribly, so that he was glad to escape with his life from her angry attack. By this means he gained a lesson that was of value to him for a long time thereafter.
Wolves, too, were an object to the huntsmen of that carly period. Aside from the benefit that acerued to the entire country by their destruction, a large bounty was paid by the the town for their heads, so that wolf-speculators were numerous.
'Mr. Hollenback, of Chateaugay, and Asa Smith, of Clin- ton, formed a partnership for the capture of wolves one season, and on one occasion, after a long effort, Smith suc- ceeded in capturing an animal towards which he bore par- ticular maliee. Seizing a club, he began to flog the wolf unmercifully, when the latter in his struggles broke his paw off, and with wild howls escaped to the woods. Smith not only lost his wolf and bounty, but learned in another form that " diseretion is the better part of valor."
PUBLIC-HOUSES.
The first inn that was kept in the town was that of Ben- jamin Roberts, on the turnpike, that has already been re- ferred to.
Benjamin Calkins erected the house occupied by Allen Martin, at the Frontiers, for a tavern in 1841 or 1842, and kept it for ten or twelve years.
Henry Lloyd kept a public-house on the north road to Chateaugay about 1857 or 1858, and kept it three or four years. He was succeeded for two years by Noah Lloyd.
John McCoy kept tavern for about three years at the Frontiers, in 1852 or 1853, opposite Allen Martin's dwell- ing. The same gentlemen also kept the first hotel at Churu- busco shortly after, in the house now occupied as a residence by Orlando Boomhower.
Elias Obry next built the Clinton House, at the same point, and kept it two years. James Humphrey, Orra Harris, William Gilland, and Mrs. Hannah O'Conners, the present proprietress, have been there since.
Newel Coucher and Thomas Anderson have also kept public-houses at Churubusco.
STORES AND MERCIIANTS.
Charles D. Bachus established the first store at the Fron- tiers in 1835, in partnership with Jacob Abbott. It stood on the Canadian side of the linc.
John McCoy established the first store on this side of
the line in 1843, where Carlisle Coonley's store stands in 1879.
George and James Abbott, who resided in Canada, erected the store opposite in 1847, and traded there a decade of years. Thomas Cunningham is now in trade at that point.
The first store at Churubusco was established by Carlisle Davidson. A man by the name of Sewell was next in trade at that point, and occupied a little log store. John Humphrey, who had clerked for Sewell, succeeded. The present store was built in 1865, and has been occupied by John Humphrey, Humphrey & Boomhower, and in 1879 by Rufus R. Humphrey.
A good store has always existed at Clinton Mills, in con- nection with the business operations of R. W. Adams and his associates.
The only physician whose services the town has enjoyed has been Dr. R. W. Wilding, who located at the Frontiers during the Rebellion of 1861-65, and practiced at that point a few years. He then removed to Churubusco, where he is now in practice.
The earliest highways laid out through the town were the " Old Military Turnpike," over which Benjamin Rob- erts, the first settler of Chateaugay, passed with his com- panions in 1796, and which was put in good condition by the military in 1817; the road leading from Chateaugay east to the Frontiers ; the road leading south from the latter to the turnpike, sometimes called the " Lost Nation" road ; and the roads leading north from Churubusco to the Canadian line.
RAILROAD.
The Ogdensburgh and Lake Champlain Railroad passes east and west through the town, having stations at Clinton Mills and Churubusco. The first train passed over it in the summer of 1853. It has greatly benefited the town, and added materially to its wealth and population.
CIVIL ORGANIZATION.
The territory of the town lies within township No. 6 of the old Military Tract. It was set off from the town of Ellenburgh, and made a separate town under the name of Clinton, by virtue of an act of the Legislature, passed May 14, 1845.
The electors of the town failed to choose the necessary town officers, in accordance with the provisions of law, and on July 28, 1845, the following officers were appointed by Kennington Bitgood, Chauncey Sperry, and John Shedden, Jr., justices of the peace, viz. : Supervisor, Michael Roberts; Town Clerk, John McCoy ; Town Superintendent of Com- mon Schools, Allen Martin ; Commissioners of Highways, Edward O'Neil, Thomas Ryan, Marcus Bitgood ; Assessors, Heman Spafford, James Allen, Junio Howard, Jr .; In- spectors of Elections, Thomas Burke, McDonough Martin ; Constables, Ela Hollister and Hiram Smith ; Poormasters, John Boomhower, Jeremiah O'Neil.
The records of the town have been so poorly kept and so negligently arranged and cared for, that it has been next to impossible to gather much information from them. The following is the most complete list of supervisors and elerks that could be obtained :
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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, NEW YORK.
SUPERVISORS.
Michael Roberts, 1845; Anson Hogle, 1846-48; Lemuel C. Wrisley, 1849; Reuben W. Smith, 1852-54; John M. Humphrey, 1855 ; Anson Hogle, 1856; Reuben W. Smith, 1857 ; Anson Hogle, 1858 ; John M. Humphrey, 1859-60; Patrick Ryan, 1861; John M. Humphrey, 1862; Patrick Ryan, 1863-64 ; Timothy O'Neil, 1865 ; Patrick Ryan, 1866; A. D. Boomhower, 1867; John Looby, 1868; Reuben W. Smith, 1869 ; Antoine Poupor, 1870; P. Cun- ningham, 1871; Antoine Poupor, 1872; Rufus R. Humphrey, 1875-79.
TOWN CLERKS.
1845, John McCoy ; 1846, Dorus Martin; 1847-48, L. C. Wrisley ; 1849-53, Thomas Ryan ; 1854, T. Robinson ; 1855, Dorus Martin ; 1856, Thomas Rogers; 1857, James Fohy ; 1860-61; Matthew Sweeney; 1862-67, John Looby ; 1875-76, Orlando Boomhower ; 1877, Roger O'Mara; 1878-79, Thomas Anderson.
The following officers were chosen in 1879 : Supervisor, Rufus R. Humphrey; Town Clerk, Thomas Anderson ; Collector, James Hayes ; Justices, W. V. Smith, Patrick W. Fahy ; Overseer, Michael O'Neil; Assessors, Patrick Bowles, Patrick Sweeney ; Inspectors of Election, Thomas Heffernan, William Hanby, John Brady ; Town Auditors, Richard Burke, Patrick Ryan, John Laby; Constables, James Stevenson, George O'Neil, A. M. Silver, Michael Ryan, B. Grimshaw ; Excise Commissioner, Thomas Mc- Sury.
STATISTICS.
The census of 1875 reports 375 dwelling-houses in the town. The number of acres of improved land was 13,507, and of unimproved, 26,486. The cash value of farm-lands was $555,285, and of farm-buildings, $65,443.
VILLAGES AND HAMLETS.
CHURUBUSCO, known as Summit Station, on the Ogdens- burgh and Lake Champlain Railroad, is the only village in the town. It contains a Roman Catholic church, a store, two public-houses, the town-house, a railroad-station, and a number of dwelling-houses.
The post-office was established in 1852, and the first postmaster was Alexander S. Anderson, who filled the office for a number of years. John Humphrey, John McCoy, and A. D. Boomhower, the present incumbent, have filled the office since.
THE FRONTIERS is the name bestowed on a hamlet in the northwest part of the town, lying partly within the Canadian linc. It is one of the earliest settlements in the town, and contains two stores, a blacksmith-shop, and several dwellings.
A post-office was established here in 1842, and John McCoy was the first postmaster. Allen Martin, Daniel Coonley, Anson Hogle, and Carlisle Coonley, the present one, followed.
WRIGHTSVILLE is a small hamlet on the western border, where settlements were also made at an early day. A post- office was established there soon after the Mexican war. The first postmaster was Lemuel C. Wrisley, who was fol- lowed by Standish Gage, who held the office until it was closed.
CLINTON MILLS is a manufacturing hamlet, situated on the south branch of English River, in the east part of the town, and is a station on the Ogdensburgh and Lake Cham- plain Railroad. It contains a saw- and planing-mill, black-
smith-shop, and a few dwelling-houses. The first postmaster at this point was Mr. Irwin, followed by Damon Roberts, C. C. Thomas, John T. Lee, and Albert Laport.
SCHOOLS.
The first school in town was taught in an old log house that stood on lot 89 on the Chateaugay road. Mary Em- mons was the first teacher, in 1821. Sarah Hinds taught in 1826. Anna Calkins was an early teacher at the same point.
The next school-house was the one at Blutro's Corners, and the next at Frontiers.
RELIGIOUS HISTORY.
The only organized church in the town is the Roman Catholic, at Churubusco. The Methodists have a preaching- station at Clinton Mills, which is connected with the charge at Ellenburgh Depot.
The first mass was held in the town about 1850 in the depot at Cherubusco, and at various private houses. Rev. Father McCabe was the celebrant.
A small church, which is part of the present structure, was erected soon after. It was enlarged to its present pro- portions ten years ago.
Rev. Father Thieres officiated next for several years, and was followed by Father Edmund De Pauw, now sta- tioned at Chateaugay.
The first resident priest was Father Nolan, who re- mained in charge of the parish five or six years. Father O'Rourke, now of Port Henry, followed for cighteen months. The present priest, Rev. John Conlon, assumed charge in June, 1879.
The parish includes stations at Ellenburgh, Forest (in Altona), and at Clinton Mills. At the former point is a neat house of worship belonging to the denomination. The number of families in the parish is estimated at 300 at Clinton, 400 at Ellenburgh, and 12 at Forest. At Churu- busco a fine brick parsonage was erected in 1878, and a barn in 1879. The cemetery belonging to the denomina- tion at Churubusco was laid out soon after the organization of the church.
NOTES.
The first child born in the town was Rhoda S. Howard, Feb. 7, 1819 ; the first marriage that of Cornelius Austin and Fanny Hall, in 1822; the first death that of a child of William Hunter, in 1820. Mary Emmons taught the first school in 1821, Benjamin Roberts kept the first inn, and John McCoy kept the first store, and operated the first saw-mill. Esek Hinds, in 1826, was the first preacher in the town, and Dr. R. W. Wilding is the first physician.
CONFLAGRATIONS.
The town was visited by a severe fire on May 14, 1877, which resulted in great destruction. The forest and fallow fires, which had been sprining up in all directions for several days previous, were finally fanned into fury by a terrific west wind, little less than a hurricane. Nearly all of the vil- lages and business centres were threatened with sudden de- struction. Ellenburgh, Altona, Forest, and other points were saved only by dint of the most desperate efforts of the
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TOWN OF CLINTON.
citizens, while the two thriving settlements of Clinton Mills and Cannon's Corners (town of Mooers) were in a few hours swept away, leaving several hundred people destitute and homeless.
Clinton Mills had previous to the fire grown to be a promising village of about 400 inhabitants, mostly in the employ of R. W. Adams & Co. It was nieely laid out. Most of the houses, of which there were nearly 50, were neat frame buildings, many of them owned by their occu- pants, and well furnished. The signs of general prosperity and thrift were universal. Mr. John T. Lee, the enter- prising agent, had a delightful residence with all the sur- roundings of an attractive home. There was a handsome school edifice, used also for a church, with a daily school attendance of 50 pupils. The steam-mills were said to be the largest and best on the line of the Ogdensburgh road, and were run by two 80 horse-power engines. Their store was claimed to be the largest in Clinton County, and was well stocked with all lines of goods. But where all was so prosperous and promising only two frame houses, three log houses, and a couple of barns remained after the fire. The loss was $300,000, partially insured.
A fire had been burning several days in a fallow about one and a half miles west, on the Summit road. Towards noon the great gale arose, before which the fire came down the road, which was covered with shingle saw-dust, with great rapidity, and, as the workmen were at their dinners, the whistle blew the alarm. A number of small houses on the outskirts were first in flames, when the fire communi- cated with the large stock of logs between the road and the mill. The whole force was concentrated in an effort to ar- rest the fire in this direction. A powerful stream of water from a large force-pump was kept constantly playing, and pails and all other resources brought into requisition, but in vain. The large heaps of logs burned like tinder. Be- fore four o'clock, the mill, store, and entire village were in flames and 'nearly consumed. The depot, owned by R. W. Adams & Co., was one of the last to go. The station agent, Mr. James Lansing, stood at his post till about four o'clock, when he telegraphed to Mooers Forks as follows: " The other end of the building is on fire-I am going !"
While the men were battling the flames at the mill, their homes were swept away. Little furniture or household goods, or even clothing, was saved. Many families saved only the articles which they wore upon their backs. What little time the men had was given to rescuing the children and taking them to places of safety. The women performed many heroic acts. Mrs. James E. Winters carried an in- valid lady in her arms over a mile. The teams all being in requisition, small children were put into buggies and drawn out of the village by men and women. Articles thrown into the streets for safety were quickly on fire and con- sumed. Indescribable confusion prevailed. Cattle went bellowing through the streets, and rushing wildly into the flames, perished. One cow, with hair all on fire, was saved by directing a stream of water upon her from the hose. A large number of swine perished in their peus. Three cars loaded with lumber were burned.
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