History of Clinton and Franklin Counties, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 83

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 83
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 83

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close to the track. Between the shafts is an engine-house, 36 by 52 feet, into which a compressor for air-drills, with pumping and hoisting apparatus for both shafts, are to be put in operation immediately. The miners here nearly all came from " lot 81," about a mile and a half away (where there is another rich mine belonging to the company), and they eall the place " 82," probably by a simple rule of pro- gression.

About two thousand eight hundred feet to the westward is Separator Brook, and here we find the central point of interest. An engine-house, 40 by 50 feet, with slate roof, has been erected, with two " pits," for housing locomotives, adjoining which is the machine-shop, 36 by 65 feet, with a second story for a carpenter-shop. This department will be furnished with iron lathes, planers, drills, and other tools needed to repair or build engines and machinery, or to do car work, with a pit for locomotives needing repairs or changes. Near by is the depot, 80 by 30 feet, and the engine-house, 40 by 50 fect, for a 200 horse-power engine, designed to drive the separator, tools in the machine-shop, hoisting apparatus, etc. On the other side of the brook is the separator, 40 by 60 feet ; above on the slope are the roasting-kilns, alongside of which is a side-track from which ore from all the shafts, to be separated, will be dumped directly into the kiln, and thence worked down to the ground- floor of the building, which will be furnished with a Blake crusher and a revolving Conkling separator. A few rods above is a substantial dam across the brook, which serves. also as a bridge, and which will furnish water for washing the ore, and the cars are to be loaded direct from the sepa- rator and hoisted by the engine on an elevated track to the main track. The foundation-walls of all these buildings are carried down deep, below the frost, and are of gneiss roek laid in cement ; a plank-road, wide enough for teams to pass each other, has been laid down the brook to the old separator below, and as elsewhere about the works nothing appcars to have been omitted which could promote the facility and effectiveness of business operations. It was the first plan to carry the main line in below, at the old separator, but a wise after-thought determined this change, which brings the main track where it is most necded, along the line of the ore-vein and its openings. This was about the roughest spot ever seen a few weeks ago,-a deep gully passing through the centre of it, and the rough, stcep ground strewed thiek with ugly bowlders.

A few rods farther west is what is known as the Scpa- rator Brook Shaft, where the work has but just commenced, but the ore shows the same rich characteristics as elsewhere along the vein. Here the hoisting and pumping machinery and air-drills will be worked from the main engine-house.

Still following the track and vein westward we come to the "Richardson" Opening, forty fect decp, forty-four feet long, and twenty-one fect wide. Here a steam hoisting apparatus is in operation, and stcam-pumps and air-drills will soon be at work.

A few hundred feet farther north is the Old Pit, con- sisting of several shafts alongside near each other, some seven hundred fect in length, and the deepest 200 feet. In the engine-house an air-compressor is working the drills in the mine, and the hoisting and pumping machinery. The

mouths of the openings have been timbered up and closed to the weather, and nothing outside indicates what is going on below except the puffing of the steam works, and cars loaded with ore, which come crecping up out of the depths.

Here the ore-vein takes a sharp curve to the northwest down the slope, and about five hundred feet beyond is the " Weston" Opening, a new one, with engine-house and preparation for the introduction of air-drills, etc. This marks the western limit of mining operations at present, it being about seven thousand feet from the Williams opening, but the vein has been traced for several miles farther yet. At present about one thousand fcet in length of the vein is uncovered in the six openings, and the average width is from twenty to twenty-five feet, making an actual working surface of twenty thousand fcet, which is being continually in- creased. The vein appears to be well defined, and inereases with the depth in thickness and purity.

At present between 200 and 300 miners are at work, and the average daily product is about 450 tons. Descend- ing to the village below, we find the old separator and saw- mill busily at work, and a splendid new two-story store, 65 by 40 feet, with basement, having a cement floor, with separate compartments for roots, vegetables, wet groceries, etc .; on the first floor the main sales-room, with vault and first-class safe, office, etc., all elegantly finished ; and on the upper floor is an assortment of dry- and fancy-goods, cloth- ing, ctc., while at one corner is an apartment in which we find the master-mechanic, J. Obrist, surrounded with drafts of water-wheels, mammoth triple bellows for the forge at Belmont, and other machinery for the entire works, his busy brain and hands furnishing working plans for the complicated, many-sided, mechanical problem which is being worked out here in the heart of the wilderness. A short distance on the road to Chateaugay Lake, four miles away, is a new Catholic church, erected under the ener- getie supervision of Father Decorie, of Redford, and now nearly ready for consecration, and all about are found the same signs of activity.

At Plattsburgh an elevated track has been built, from which ore will be dumped from the "jimmy" cars upon a shute into the broad-gauge cars below, for which a side track has been built. For the present it is expected that about 40 car-loads of ore per day, or sonicthing over 200 tons, will be brought down to Plattsburgh, which amount will doubtless be increased as things get into good working order.

The future of this great enterprise is hard to forceast ; but judging from the past, from present activity, the won- derful advantages here afforded for making charcoal iron, and the indomitable enterprise and perseverance of the managers, great developments may be expected ; among which it is reasonably safe to count one or more mammoth blast-furnaces, and perhaps rolling-mills and other works, in which the ore will be smelted and manufactured into merchantable products on the ground. At present the prospect appears good for a continuation of the railroad line down the Chateaugay Valley to Belmont, where the 16-fire Catalan forge of the company is located, and thence onward to Chateaugay Station or Malone, and perhaps to the St. Lawrence, near Fort Covington, in which case this

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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

line would play an important part in the transportation of the rich products of the West to Eastern markets.

Another consideration, which in the rush and hurry of business has perhaps been to some extent overlooked, is that the Chateaugay Railroad line, from Plattsburgh to Lyon Mountain, is undoubtedly destined to become a great favorite with the public for pleasure excursions, etc., and especially for summer tourists, rising, as it does, gradually in thirty-four miles to the highest average level of the great Adirondack plateau, and running around two mountains, past Chazy Lake and the Lyon Mountain trail, ten miles through the dense old primeval forest, in which, doubtless, scores of deer are startled many times a day by the whistle of the locomotive, as it wakes up new and strange echoes on the slopes of Birch Hill, Roosevelt Heights, and John- son and Lyon Mountains. Already a hotel is talked of as among the probabilities for next season, and there is little doubt that a plank-road will soon be built from either the east or west side of Lyon Mountain-connecting with the railroad, a nearly level route, and a large portion of the distance through the wilderness-out past Goldsmith's, Loon Lake, Hunter's Home, Wardner's, on Rainbow Pond, and Paul Smith's, on St. Regis Lake, the whole distance being, it is said, only about twenty-five miles, from either the Ore-Bed or a point near Bowen's kilns, some two or three miles west of Saranac station. The chances at pres- ent seem to be that the road will be built from the terminus of the railroad at the Ore-Bed, not only for business rea- sons, but also because this route would be far the more popular one with tourists, giving them the entire circuit of Lyon Mountain, and the wilderness railroad ride of ten miles into and near some of the best fishing-grounds in the Adirondacks.

The opening of the plank-road, as indicated, from either point, would undoubtedly work great changes in Adiron- dack travel, and constitute an inducement for parties to visit the great wilderness, who have hitherto been repelled by the thought of the long, slow, up-hill stage-rides, but who would look upon a dash of two hours and a half in an easy coach, through the fresh wilderness, over a nearly level grade, as a pleasure rather than a hardship. What- ever the result may be, the public will watch closely the progress of this gigantic enterprise which is doing so much to develop the wealth of the great wilderness-once latent, but now beginning to exert its influence in swelling the tide of prosperity, resulting from the revival of the iron trade in all sections, depending largely upon that interest.

CHAPTER LVII.

ELLENBURGH.

Geographical and Descriptive-Natural Features and Productions- Early Settlement and Settlers-Stores-Public-Houses-Physicians -Lawyers - Highways - Railroads - Civil Organization - First Town-Meeting-Supervisors and Clerks from 1831 to 1879 inclusive -Town Officers in 1879-Notes from the Records-Statistics.

GEOGRAPHICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE.

THIS town lies upon the west border of the county of Clinton, northwest of the geographical centre, and embraces

a superficial area of 112 square miles. The town of Clin- ton forms its northern boundary ; its southern is the town of Dannemora; and on the east lie the towns of Altona and Mooers, all of which are in Clinton County. The towns of Chateaugay and Belmont, in Franklin County, form the western boundary. The census of 1875 gives the population of the town at 2374.

NATURAL FEATURES AND PRODUCTIONS.

The surface of the town is an upland, mountainous in the south and rolling in the north, with an inclination towards the northeast. Ellenburgh Mountain, in the south part of the town, attains a considerable altitude. The soil is generally sandy, but in many cases is covered by a rich vegetable mould. In different parts of the town it is well adapted for the raising of hay, of which large quantities are cut. Stock-raising, dairying, and the raising of potatoes occupy a large share of attention, and the cercals are pro- duced in abundance. Lumbering is extensively carried on.

The town is well watered and drained. The north branch of the Chazy River flows through the central and northeast portions of the town in a northeasterly direction, and affords a good water-power. The English River flows easterly across the northern border. Graves' Brook flows north- easterly through the eastern part of the town. The south branch of the Great Chazy River touches the southeast cor- ner. Besides these, divers small streams exist. A portion of Upper Chateaugay Lake enters the south west corner, and a portion of the Narrows, which connect it with the lower lake, passes through the town.

Considerable iron ore is found in different parts of the town.

EARLY SETTLEMENT AND SETTLERS.

The first white person who ever set foot within the pres- ent limits of the town of Ellenburgh is believed to have been James Hanchett, who " came in 1796, but left soon after." The cause of his coming and the motives for his departure are alike clouded in mystery.

The first permanent settler was Abner Pomeroy, who came from Vermont in 1803 and located near Ellenburgh Corners. But the further settlement of the town progressed slowly until about the year 1812, when Aaron Broadwell and Lewis Ransom came, the latter of whom had previously settled in Chateaugay, where he was chosen the first super- visor of that town.

During and soon after the war of 1812 the Military turnpike, between Plattsburgh and Fort Covington, was put in passable condition, and where this turnpike crossed the north branch of the Chazy River, Lewis Ransom, who in the mean time had returned to Plattsburgh and tried the mercantile business, erected a log tavern in 1822, and here the first nucleus of a permanent settlement was formed.

But no great advancements were made in the direction of forming homes and clearing lands till Harriet Murray, through her husband and agent, made an offer of a deed of 50 acres to the first ten permanent settlers of the town. Under the stimulus of this offer, in 1823, Benjamin Hinds settled here, building a log house near where C. G. Dominy now lives. Mr. Hinds was followed by Joseph Sevy, Samuel Hasseltine, Pardon Daily, Marshall Perry, W. Jennings, Jr.,

Photo. by Fay & Goodell, Malone.

JOHN W. HAVENS.

The Havens family is ef English origin, and came to this country at a very early day.

Samuel Havens, the grandfather of John W., was a native of Rhode Island, and near the close of the last century moved to Essex Co., N. Y., where he commenced clearing land, and was one of the pioneers of that locality. Prior to the war of 1812, he located in the town of Chazy, Clinton County, where he passed the remainder of his life. He had a large family, of whom three sons-Hiram, John, and Jona- than-grew to years of maturity.

John, the second son, and the father of our subject, was born at Essex, Essex Co., N. Y., about the year 1795. He removed to Clin- ton County with his father, where, in subsequent years, he located as a farmer, and became a useful member of society. During the war of 1812, he was a member of Capt. Vaughn's company of militia- men, and in the engagement at Plattsburgh, Sept. 11, 1814, was one of the army of patriots. He married Achsah, daughter of Shubael Bur- dick, ene of the pioneer settlers of the town of Chazy, and a native of Verment, who had five children; one of these died at an early age; the others were John W., Delia M., Caroline H., and Gilbert L. Of these Delia M. resides at Tompkins, Jackson Co., Mich., and is the wife of Horace B. Foote; Caroline H. is the wife of Ben- jamin F. Fields, of Fair Haven, Vt .; Gilbert L. is a resident of Leadville, Col. John Havens dicd in Belmont, Franklin Co., in 1867, and his wife in 1863, in the same town.

JOHN W. HAVENS, the oldest of the children of John and Achsah Havens, was born at Chazy, N. Y., Jan. 27, 1822. His parents being poor, his early life was naturally uneventful and plain. Ilis educa- tienal advantages were such as the common schools of his day afforded. He resided at Chazy and in Champlain until he was eleven years old, when he went to Redford, in the town of Saranac. Here he worked in the employ of the Redford Glass-Works, and was in occasional at- tendance upon the district school until Aug. 1, 1836, when he com- menced clerking in the store of the Redford Glass Company. Ile remained in this position until June, 1842, and during these years derived much of that mercantile experience that has proven so useful te him in his subsequent life. After the date above stated, Mr. Havens returned to Champlain, and enjoyed the benefit of an academical course of six weeks at the Champlain Academy. This terminated his educational career. He next entered the store of Nye & Iloyle, of Champlain, as a clerk, and remained from May, 1843, until Octo- ber, 1844, when an event occurred that left a lasting impress upon the life of young Havens, changing, it may be, its entire current, and manifesting, in a strong degree, that independence of character and judgment which has since been recognized as an important factor ef his life.

It was during the pendency of that sharp political contest between the old Wbig and Democratic parties that Mr. Havens, true to those principles that have since actuated him to so great an extent, and feeling an ambition to make his views on tho questions of tho hour known in a public mannor to his friends, accepted an urgent invita- tion to deliver a political speech in tho school-house at Champlain. At the appointed time his voice rang high in support of tho principles and traditions of the Democratic party, and in advocacy of tho pres- ervation of the rights of the individual and Stato against the aggres- sions and domands ef a strong centralized government. This lod to his discharge from the employ of the firm, its mombers boing Whigs.

Notbing daunted, Mr. Havens gathered togother his meagre worldly accumulations, sent a strong letter to the Plattsburgh Republican, ex- planatory of the whole affair, and en Nov. 12, 1844, located in the town of Ellenburgh, as a clork for R. C. North. Hero he remained

until 1846, when the store was discontinued, and Mr. Havens set up business on his own account. Since that period he has been continu- ously in trade, either alone or in connection with the several mercan- tile enterprises that are more particularly considered in connection with the history of the town, and in 1879, he is one of the leading merebants of Ellenburgh, wielding an influence second to none in the town, and universally respected for his decision of character, integ- rity of purpose, and correct business principles.

As may be expected, Mr. Havens, having commenced so young and sacrificed so much for the party of his choice, has proven true to his record, and maintained in an earnest and forcible manner the principles of the Democratic party. This statement admits of but one qualification, that of the campaign of 1856, when, influenced by over-zealous friends, and yielding his judgment to their solicitations, he espoused the cause of the " Know-Nothing" party. This he soon repented of, and placed himself again in the ranks of the Democratic party.

Mr. Havens has filled many public positions of trust and responsi- bility, and wielded a commanding influence in the county. He was supervisor of the town in 1846, 1866, 1867, 1868, 1869, 1870, and 1871. In 1847, he was chosen a justice of the peace, and was re-elected for terms covering a decade of years, and again in 1862, serving four years. In 1849 and 1850 he was one of the associate justices of the Court of Common Pleas of Clinton County. In 1853 he was appointed loan-commissioner of the State by Governor Seymour, and served two years. In 1871, Mr. Havens was a candidate for the office ef State senator ef the Sixteenth Senatorial District, but having only one week's time for campaigning, was defeated in a Republican dis- trict by his opponent, Hon. Samuel Ames, of Keeseville. In 1876 he was the Democratic candidate for the Assembly from Clinton County, but, though he carried the full strength of his party, again suffered defeat, this time by S. P. Bowen, of Plattsburgh.

Mr. Havens has been twice married. Ilis first wife was Philura Loomis, ef Chazy, to whom he was united Feb. 14, 1842, but who died soon after marriage, leaving no children. May 5, 1845, Mr. Havens was married at Burke, Franklin Co., to Caroline E., daughter of Miner Lewis, of that town. This lady bore him a family of ten chil- dren, and died in October, 1875. The names of the children were Frances M., Amelia M., Agnes M., Imogene M., Rodney L., Rodman W., Herbert E., Carrio M., Wallace W., and a child that died in in- fancy. With the exception of Agnes, this large number of children are still living.

Perhaps no more appropriate closing can be made of this sketch, nor the special characteristics of Mr. Ifavens be better described, than by a few extracts from a phrenological examination of Mr. Havens, made by Prof. S. R. Wolls, tho well-known scientist of New York City, in 1868. He says,-

" You have a tolorably strong and well-formod frame, but you have a largo brain. Tho nervous system predominates over the vital, and yon nro some- thing like a business man who consumes not only the interest on his capital, but who occasionally draws upon the principal. . . . Phrenologically you should be known for your love of liberty, sense of independence, desire to have your own way, to bo your own man and master. . . . You seek to do right, nre gov- orned by moral principle, and hold rigidly to your convictions. . . . You are a good judge of character and need not be deceived by strangers. . . . If educated for either of tho learned professions, Inw, medicino, or divinity, the law would be tho first, medicine and surgery the second, theology the third. If in the law, yon would gravitate towards statesmanship, and take an active part in political affairs, but you will never remain long on the fenco; yon take sides, and those who know you at all will always know where to find you. . . . Yon are not a man of ono idea or capacity, but can do one thing almost as well as another."

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TOWN OF ELLENBURGH.

Mr. French, and Eli Hasseltine, all of whom received their homestead frce, according to promise. Israel R. and Ed- ward Carpenter, two brothers, came here in the fall and spring of '26 and '27.

The first birth in the town was that of a son to Benja- min Hines and wife. It was christened Lloyd Rogers Hines, after Lloyd Rogers, a great land-owner, who made his little namesake a present of 50 acres of land. The first marriage was that of Smith Delemater to Phebe Esta- brook ; and John R. Murray, another heavy land-owner, built the first saw- and grist- mill on the stream, near Ran- som's tavern, previously to which the settlers were obliged to get their grain ground at Mooers.

About the year 1820, Mr. Rogers gave notice that he would give a deed of 50 acres to each of the first two set- tlers on his mile square, which extended from three and a half miles west of the centre to the county line west. Not a great while after this, Moses Craig commenced a clearing on this tract, and sold out to other parties, who also sold to Jeremiah O'Brien, who subsequently obtained a deed to the 50 acres, according to promise, which we believe was the first and last deed Mr. R. ever gave in this town. This farm was the one lately occupied by Reynolds Brown.

In about the year 1822, Abner Kent and wife came through by marked trees from the centre, and struck their tents a few rods north of Moses Craig's clearing. The first three nights they lodged in their new home they peeled basswood barks, and, using one-half for a bed, took the other half for a covering, and enjoyed these comfortable lodgings till a log hut could be thrown up, Mrs. Kent her- self assisting in rolling the logs to their places. Herc they eleared a large farm, raised a large family of children, all grown up and married years ago Mr. Kent never suc- cecded in obtaining a title to this farm, and a few years ago moved to Michigan with his two sons and two daughters, where he now resides. This farm is now occupied by Stephen Goodspeed.

In 1830 the town of Ellenburgh was set off from Mooers, and named after Ellen Murray, daughter of John R. Murray. the principal proprietor of township No. 5 of the Old Military Tract, which included a large portion of the new town.

About 1832 the first road was laid out down the river, through what was then a dense wilderness; and about the same time David S. Daniels and Amos Aldridge settled ncar where the railroad crosses the river below, and Wm. Lawrenee, of Chazy, built a saw-mill, with a single gate, at the same point. Settlers also began to loeate farther up the river, and in course of time the first settlement at Ransom's Log Tavern, which stood on the very spot now oceupied by John W. Haven's store, came to be ealled the " Corners," because herc was the four corners of the two roads, the Military Turnpike and the road passing down parallel to the stream. This was a wild region in those days, being in the midst of a dense wilderness extending many miles in all directions.

Perhaps it will prove an interesting task to consider more in detail the names of those hardy pioneers who had the fortitude to settle in this then uninviting locality.

Raymond B. Holt and Israel W. Holt came from An- 40

dover, Vt., in March, 1833, when the country was wild and unbroken. Israel W. located where Ryland Holt now resides, and engaged in farming, taking up 68 acres of land. Here he passed his life. He had a family of six children, of whom three daughters and a son now reside in town. Diantha became the wife of Lyman Carpenter ; Evaline became the wife of Henry Rowell ; Rylanda is the wife of Chas. Downs; Ryland, the son, occupies the old homestead.

Raymond B. Holt located where Jarvis Pike now re- sides, and at first engaged in farming. He then took charge of the Murray grist-mill, and ran it for eighteen years. At the close of that time he worked in different branches of mechanical art. About the opening of the Rebellion he engaged in farming on the Henry Schutts farm, in Ellenburgh, which he had purchased in 1840. That has been his principal business sinee. His wife's name was Ruth Ewings, of Chester, Vt. He had a family of ten children,-six boys and four girls,-all of whom reached years of maturity. They were Israel M., Jason, Elzina, William, Almina, Curtis E., Nelson D., Adeline C., Jefferson, and Louisa A. Of this large family Israel M., Almina (wife of G. A. Stearns), and Louisa A. reside in town.

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History of Clinton and Franklin Counties, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 83

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