USA > New York > Herkimer County > History of Herkimer county, New York > Part 30
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Among the few families who settled in this town during the Revolu- tion were John Faville and Cornelius Lamberson, both natives of New Jersey. Faville was born in 1749, and in early life was engaged in
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HISTORY OF HERKIMER COUNTY.
boating on the Mohawk River. He settled in the southwestern part of the town on a farm owned in recent years by Harry Burrell. His son, William Faville, was born in the town December 19, 1785. In 1795 he removed to the northwestern part of Manheim, where he erected a grist mill previous to 1800. He was the father of eight sons and four daughters, most of whom located in Salisbury and Manheim. The family has always been a prominent one in the eastern part of the county. Cornelius Lamberson settled on the farm owned recently by his grandson, Joshua W. Lamberson, in the southern part of the town. HIe reared a family of seven sons and one daughter. He was father of Addison Lamberson, now of Dolgeville.
Major Jonathan Hallett was a revolutionary officer and settled early in the town-about 1787, in the western part. His son, Stephen, was born in the town in 1787, and remained a resident until 1820, when he engaged in mercantile business in Fairfield. He was sheriff of the county from 1821 to 1826.
Jabez Ayers came to the town from Massachusetts in the spring of 1792, settling on wild land near the site of Burrell's Corners. His son, Stephen, born in Braintree, Mass., February 10, 1770, came here with his father, and later settled a mile or more west of him in what is now Fairfield. He was a practical surveyor and located many of the early roads in this section. He represented the county in the Assembly in 1836, and died in 1850.
Stephen Todd came from Wallingford, Conn., in 1792, and settled at what is known as Diamond Hill, on the State road. His son, . Stephen, jr., came with the family and subsequently studied medicine and was for many years one of the leading physicians of the county. He also engaged quite extensively in agriculture ; was elected to the Assembly in 1821, and died at his home in 1827.
Nathan Metcalf came from Berkshire county, Mass., and settled in the extreme southern part of the town in 1794. Abial Pratt came here in the same year and purchased a farm of Alvarius Hopson. A year later he returned to Massachusetts, but in 1799 came back to his farm which he cleared and improved, and lived upon it until his death at the age of ninety two years. The homestead was about half way between Salis- bury and Salisbury Center. He was member of Assembly in 1828.
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TOWN OF SALISBURY.
Jonathan Cole came with Mr. Pratt in 1794, and settled on the adjoin- ing farm, where he resided until his death. He was one of the first assessors of the town. Abijah Ford settled early in 1794 near Diamond Hill, opened a tavern before 1800, and kept it until his death. The early town meetings were held at his house. In the same year Asa Sheldon settled about two miles west of the site of Devereaux.
Atwater Cook, a native of Connecticut, settled in Salisbury early in 1795, locating first at what is known as Ives Hollow, and subsequently on a farm just west of Salisbury Corners. His son, of the same name, was born in Salisbury, December 17, 1795, and became one of the early successful farmers and dairymen and one of the prominent and influ- ential citizens of the town. He was for many years a justice of the peace ; was supervisor, and in 1831 and 1839, was chosen to the As- sembly. He died at his home February 14, 1853. His son, James J. Cook, was born July 13, 1822, and also became one of the prominent citizens of the town. He was sheriff of the county from 1859 to 1861, and for many years a member of the board of supervisors. During the War of the Rebellion he held the office of United States provost mar- shal for this Congressional district, and at the time of his death was a member of the committee for the construction of the new county build- ings. He died at Salisbury, September 4, 1880.
Aaron Hackley came from Wallingford, Conn., in 1795 and settled at what is now known as Burrell's Corners, where he carried on a store and a tavern. He was one of the first justices of the town.
Silas Thompson was a native of Chesterfield, N H., and for a time drove the six yoke teams of oxen in hauling boats on the river around the rapids at Little Falls. In the fall of 1795 he came to Salisbury and soon afterward purchased the farm now owned by the estate of William J. Thompson. He died in 1858.
Joseph Munson and Moses De Witt came from Connecticut in 1795 and settled on farms near Salisbury Corners. Other early settlers were Cornelius Humphrey, Eliphalet Taylor, Samuel Bennett, and William Lee, who became permanent and useful citizens and left descendants.
Amos Ives was a native of Wallingford, Conn., and came to Salis- bury in the spring of 1795, settling about two miles north of Salisbury Corners, where he was a successful farmer. He died at the residence of
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HISTORY OF HERKIMER COUNTY.
his son at Salisbury Corners in March, 1841. He was father of seven sons and one daughter. Truman Ives was his youngest son and was three years old when bis father settled in Salisbury. He learned the trade of wool-carding and cloth-dressing and in 1818 established that business about half a mile north of Salisbury Corners, which he success fully carried on until 1860. He was also an extensive farmer and owned a large estate, which he transferred to his sons, John and James H., in 1860. Anson Ives was an elder brother of Truman, and the fol- lowing interesting reminiscences were published by the Little Falls Journal and Courier in 1876, in a reference to him :
He was a son of Amos and Lucy Ives, and was born in Wallingford, Conn., March 19, 1785. He was the fifth of a family of eight children Amos, Ambrose, Simeon, Lucy, Anson, Orren, Samuel and Truman, all of whom are now deceased except Tru- man, the youngest, who is in vigorous health at eighty-six. All lived to a ripe old age. This family of ten persons removed from their home in Connecticut to this county in May, 1795, coming the whole distance in a cart drawn by two oxen and one horse. The journey to Little Falls required fourteen days. From this place to Salis- bury was almost an unbroken wilderness, the route having to be followed by marked trees. They were one day in going two miles, and put up for the night at a tarern kept by a man by the name of Doxtater, a short distance north of the present resi- dence of Chauncey Cook. On the next day they reached Burrell's Corners and tarried over night in the small red house (still standing) just east of the old church which was burned fifteen or eighteen years ago. The day following they arrived at the happy home of Atwater Cook, the elder, grandfather of James J. Cook, esq., who admitted them to a share in his log cabin. Here they resided several months, until they could erect a log house of their own on a lot adjoining, purchased of Mr. Cook. They had all been neighbors and intimate friends in Connectiont. Anson while yet a boy left his father's house and went to Greene county, where he .esided five years. From there he went to Onondaga county, N. Y., where he and two other brothers contracted to chop eight hundred cords of wood. flere he was drafted into the United States service and stationed at Oswego, remaining there till peace was declared. For this service he received a land warrant for one hundred and sixty acres of land and a pen- sion of $12 per month to the time of his decease.
It is from the Ives family that Ives Hollow takes its name, and there John and James H. Ives established several industries. They became very large land owners, engaged extensively in dairying, owned large interests in several cheese factories, carried on mills and also ex- tended their business operations into other parts of the country. John Ives was twice supervisor of the town and James II held the same office four terms and was sheriff of the county.
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TOWN OF SALISBURY.
Alvarius Hopson came from Wallingford, Conn., to Salisbury in 1793, bringing a large family with him. He first settled about a mile west of Salisbury Center, but in the following year sold his land to Jonathan Cole and Abial Pratt and purchased other property a mile southeast of Salisbury Center. There a few years later he joined with Samuel Bish- op and built a saw-mill on Spruce Creek. About 1799 he sold his farm to John Marsh, and in recent years the place was occupied by the grandson of the latter, Abram M. Marsh ; it is now occupied by G. A. Marsh. Mr. Hopson soon afterward settled permanently a little south of Salisbury Center, where he died about 1825. He was the father of six sons and five daughters, and his descendants became prominent cit- izens of this county. E. R. Hopson, now of Dolgeville, is a great-grand- son of Alvarius Hopson. His grandfather's name was David, one of the six sons of Alvarius, and his father was James (2d) who was born in 1800 and died in 1860. The family of E. R. Hopson consists of Elton J., born June 30, 1851 ; George D., born December 30, 1855; Mary E., born December 13, 1858, now wife of James F. Weatherwax. Mr. Hop- son has taken the lead in this vicinity in dairying operations, and when the Cold Brook cheese factory was established in 1863, he became part owner and sole manager of it. The product of the factory ranked as first class. Mr. Hopson enjoys the confidence and respect of the entire community. James Hopson was also a son of Alvarius, and came with his father to Salisbury. He was an early merchant and farmer and an influential citizen of the town. His son, Cornelius D. Hopson, was a farmer and died in 1864. He left four children, all of whom now reside in Kansas, except Martha C., who married P. W. Casler, living at Lit- tle Falls. Other later members of several of these families have re- moved from the town.
Among others of this town who are worthy of mention in connection with its growth and development are Jonathan Burrell, an early settler at Burrell's Corners. His son, W. F. Burrell, who was born there in 1818, became the proprietor of Burrell's mills at that place and was ex- tensively engaged in the manufacture of cheese-boxes, broom handles, lumber, etc. He was for years a member of the firm of Burrell, Ives & Co., extensive makers of cheese-box material in this State and Michi- gan. He was supervisor of the town in 1872 and 1873.
41
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HISTORY OF HERKIMER COUNTY.
Orren Tanner was born in Salisbury in 1806, and spent most of his life as a successful farmer. He had seven children. His wife was a daughter of Alvarius Hopson.
William J. Thompson was born in Salisbury in 1819 and was reared on the farm on which he passed his life. His father was Silas Thomp- son, before mentioned, one of the pioneers of the town.
Among the pioneers from Connecticut who settled in Herkimer conn- ty was Noah Smith. He located in the town of Norway and had a son Samuel, who settled in the town of Salisbury in 1822, where he is still living at the great age of ninety-three years, in the enjoyment of the respect of the community. George W. Smith, the well-known attorney of Herkimer, is a son of Samuel, and was born in Salisbury in 1823. He left that town in 1844, studied law with Capron & Lake in Little Falls and with Judge Graves of Herkimer and was admitted in 1848. During the following three years he was editor of the Northern State Journal at Watertown, and then settled in Boonville and began practice. Hle was elected county judge of Oneida county in 1859 and in 1860 removed to Utica, but returned to Boonville two years later. He re- mained there until 1870, when he settled permanently in Herkimer and has been in practice there since. In 1876 he was nominated by the Democrats for Congress but was defeated, although he ran ahead of his ticket in Herkimer county, and was again defeated for the same office in 1886. In 1880 he was a delegate to the Cincinnati convention, and in 1882 was elected to the Assembly, where he was distinguished for his clear style and eloquent speeches.
Sketches of many other residents of the town will be found in a later department of this work.
The first mill of any kind in operation in this town was a saw-mill built about 1795 by John Garner on Spruce Creek about half a mile north of Salisbury Corners, which locality bears the name of Ives Hol- low. The site has had a mill ever since, which was in possession of J. & J. H. Ives and is now carried on by the latter. The first grist-mill in the town was erected about 1800 by George Spencer, near Diamond Hill, on a small tributary of Spruce Creek. This mill, although it was of great convenience for a time, was not long-lived on account of the failure of the stream. A second mill was built not long after the first,
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TOWN OF SALISBURY.
by Cornelius Humphrey, on Spruce Creek about one and a half miles north of Salisbury Corners. Zophar Tuttle, from Wolcott, Mass., who came here in 1798, was the first miller here and he and Friend Cook subsequently purchased it. The mill was operated nearly fifty years.
About the year 1805 Dr. Stephen Todd started a distillery at Dia- mond Hill, taking this means of using the grain that he was forced to accept in payment for his services. The business was profitable and, as usual in such circumstances, others embarked in it, so that by about 1815 there were five distilleries in the town, and all doing a lucrative business. As grain raising declined, these industries were abandoned and the last one has disappeared.
The first tavern, kept by Aaron Hackley in 1795 at what is Burrell's Corners, has been mentioned ; he also kept the first store there. Abijah Ford opened the second tavern at Diamond Hill, and about 1800 Nathaniel Dibble opened the third about a mile east of Salisbury Cen- ter. Joseph Cahoon and Isaiah Kenyon were merchants in the town as early as 1797.
The first road laid out in this town, as shown by the records, was under date of May 15, 1797, by Jonathan Hallett, Joseph Munson, and William Lee, jr., commissioners. It is the road now running from the west line of the town to Burrell's Corners, Salisbury Cor- ners, Salisbury Center, and thence to Devereaux. The State road, so called, running from Johnstown to the Black River country, crosses the southwest part of Salisbury. The road from Salisbury Center north to Jerseyfield Lake and thence to Morehouse, in Hamilton county, was laid out in 1845. The Manheim and Salisbury Plank Road Company was chartered December 23, 1848, and the charter was renewed in 1878 for thirty years more. The road ran from Little Falls through the northwesterly part of Salisbury to Gray, in the town of Norway. The Little Falls and Salisbury plank road, running from the former place through Salisbury Center to Devereaux was built in 1848. These roads are substantially abandoned as far as plank toll roads are concerned.
The dairy interest in this town has been and is important, although not so much so as formerly. Salisbury is one of the towns claiming the introduction of this industry, Atwater Cook and Dr. Todd being the first
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HISTORY OF HERKIMER COUNTY.
to practically abandon grain growing and turn their attention to grazing. For many years each farmer made his own cheese, but the era of cheese factories came, and in this town they were especially prosperous. The Avery & Ives cheese factory, two miles east of Salisbury, was built in 1862, and for several years its product reached 200,000 pounds. The Cold Brook factory was established in the spring of 1863 by E. R. Hobson, J. D. Lamberson and the Ives brothers. Cook, Ives & Co.'s fac- tory at Salisbury Corners was built in 1865 ; the factory at Burrell's Corners in 1869, and the Beaver Creek factory, near Diamond Hill, in 1873. There are now three factories in operation in the town.
Burrell's Corners .- This locality, once known as " Yankee Corners," was in early days the center of business in the town. It received its name from Jonathan Burrell, who came from Berkshire county, Mass., and permanently located here in 1803, and has already been mentioned. llere were situated the earliest business establishments in the town- Aaron Hackley's store and tavern, an early grist-mill, and the vicinity was more thickly settled than other parts of the town at an early day. Jonathan Burrell, and later his sons, carried on various branches of busi- ness at the Corners. There is very little here now to distinguish the neighborhood from the surrounding country, except a blacksmith shop and a cheese factory.
Salisbury Center .- This little village, as indicated by its name, is situated near the center of the town. Business was first attracted to the locality by the building of a grist-mill in 1802 by a man named Plum (or Plumb), which was followed by another in 1810, which was built by Cornelius Drake ; the second one stood a little below the first, and about on the site of the present mill, now operated by William 11. Elwell. This mill was erected by Edgar Darling in 1846-47. Au- gustus Frisbie was one of the early settlers at the Corners, and built the first frame house, which he converted a few years later into a hotel, the first in the place. Mr. Frisbie also erected and operated the first wool-carding and cloth-dressing works in 1810, and a few years later Stephen Avery established similar works. William Peak was an early merchant and perhaps the first. The mercantile business of the place previous to 1820 was of little importance, but in that year Henry Marshall opened a general store and carried on quite an extensive busi-
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TOWN OF SALISBURY.
ness. Stores are kept at the present time by Frank Loucks and Robert Hicks. A small tannery was built here in 1806 by Nathaniel Peck ; he was a shoemaker and tanned his own leather. A larger tannery was erected by Sherrill & Reed about 1825; these have disappeared with the failure of the bark supply, with the exception of the small estab- ment now operated by John Deitz. The cloth-dressing works long ago disappeared and there is no establishment of the kind in the town. J. F. McDougall carries on the saw mill at the Center, with planing- mill, shingle-machines, etc., and a shoe-peg factory has been operated a number of years by Kingsley Bros. on the site of the tannery formerly operated by John C. Pitt. The post-office was established here about the year 1825, with Dr. Hiram Hadley as postmaster. R. H. Hicks is the present incumbent of the office. Small harness and blacksmith shops complete the list of business concerns in the village.
Devereaux .- This busy little village is situated on the East Canada Creek on the eastern line of the town, a part of its buildings being in Fulton county. The place was formerly known as " Nicholsville, " from Elder Martin Nichols, who was one of the early settlers and came before 1800. He erected a frame building for his dwelling, which was afterwards enlarged and kept by others as a hotel. He also built the first grist-mill here about the year 1800, and a saw-mill was built about that time by either Mr. Nichols or Alexander Boyd. Elder Nichols also built a church in which he preached for a number of years. It was eventually burned and the Baptist church built upon the site. Jesse Potter was an early settler and built for himself the first house in the place. Aaron Bartlett erected the first tannery on the east side of the creek about the year 1826. It fell into disuse with the failure of the bark supply. One of the earliest merchants here was Asa Wilcox, and Dr. Elliot Jacobs was the first physician. The post-office was established about 1820 under the name of "Nicholsville," and about 1832 the name was changed to " East Creek," and a few years later to its present title, after Henry Devereaux, who settled here about 1834 and became a prominent merchant. There are now two churches here, noticed further on, four stores, kept by S. McLean, N. Perkins, Bliss Kibbe (who is also postmaster), and D. Helterline. J. C. Livingston carries on the grist-mill and D. Helterline has a butter-tub factory and
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HISTORY OF HERKIMER COUNTY.
the saw-mill. There are three hotels which are kept by Peter Ward, John Moon, jr., and J. Rowley.
Salisbury Corners is a hamlet on the State road in the southwestern part of the town. The immediate locality was first settled by Hiram Wooster, a Connecticut farmer, who came about 1800. In 1811 the first tavern was built by Amos Griswold, who also came from Connect- icut. William Brooks was the first merchant and erected his own store. There is very little business done here at the present time, a small store and a tannery only being kept.
What has been known as " Diamond Hill, " from the finding of quartz crystals in the rocks, is a settlement on the State road about one and a half miles north of Burrell's Corners. A paper mill was at one time in operation here, and W. F. Burrell carried on a saw-mill, cheese- box factory and turning works.
The first carding machine was established by John Standring about 1800, and was located at Diamond Hill, being operated by water from Spruce Creek. The mill was burned a few years after its erection and a larger one with machinery for cloth-dressing built in its stead. Au- gustus Frisbie built a similar factory at Salisbury Center in 1810 and in 1814 another one was established by a stock company, on Spruce Creek, north of Salisbury Center, owned in subsequent years by Truman Ives.
Tanning has been very largely carried on in this town, the first tan- nery having been built by Col. Amos Griswold about 1802, a mile north of the site of Burrell's Corners. To this one were added from time to time others, and down to about the beginning of the war period, this was one of the chief industries of the town. There is now only one tannery in the town, carried on by John Dietz.
Churches .- The first meeting-house in this town was erected about 1795, at what is now Burrell's Corners, under the auspices of the Pres- byterian denomination. It was occupied as a church until 1831, when that denomination built a new church at Salisbury Corners, and the old church was converted into a wagon shop. It subsequently burned. The church at the Corners is still standing, but is unoccupied as such. Rev. Caleb Alexander, the touring missionary of early times, wrote as follows of the Presbyterians at Salisbury at the beginning of the century :
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TOWN OF SALISBURY.
Tuesday, November 19, 1801. - Rode east four miles to Salisbury. Called upon Aaron Hackley, esq., and preached a lecture on Titus iii., 5, 6. A decent congregation in the school-house. There is a Presbyterian church of thirty-six members, belonging to the Northern Associate Presbytery of Morris County Presbytery. A Baptist church has lately been established here. There has been in this place, last summer, much at- tention to religion, and almost every convert has joined the Baptist communion through the vigorous exertions of the Baptist teachers itinerating. Salisbury contains 1,694 souls, and a Presbyterian meeting-house.
A Baptist church was organized at Burrell's Corners in 1800, where meetings were held for a time, and afterward at Salisbury Corners, until about 1831, when the society united with the Universalists and erected a union church. This building was subsequently, and now is, occupied by the Baptists alone, the other society becoming extinct. There is a Baptist church at Devereaux, in which George Fisher is the present pastor.
The First Universalist Society of Salisbury was organized at the house of Stephen Pratt, in December, 1822. On February 28, 1830, a new organization was effected at the house of Abial Pratt and the so- ciety was incorporated.
The union church of Salisbury Center was erected in 1830, princi- pally by the Universalists, and by the Presbyterians and Baptists. Its cost was about $2,600, and it was dedicated in October, 1830. It is only used occasionally at the present time.
The Methodist Episcopal church at Salisbury Center was organized in 1826, by Rev. John W. Wallace with about twenty members. In 1828 the society began the erection of a frame church. It was used while still unfinished for about two years, and was finished in 1830. In 1870, during the pastorate of Rev. G. W. Howland, it was remod- eled and repaired, and rededicated by Bishop Peck. Rev. Amos Rich is the present pastor in this church, and the one at Devereaux.
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HISTORY OF HERKIMER COUNTY.
CHAPTER XV.
THE TOWN OF MANHEIM.
M V ANHEIM lies on the eastern border of the county and on the north bank of the Mohawk River. It is bounded on the north by Salisbury; on the east by Oppenheim in Fulton county ; on the south by Danube, and on the west by Little Falls and Fairfield. Six of the large lots in Glen's purchase, a part of the fourth allotment of the Royal Grant; the whole of John Van Driesen's, Snell and Tim- merman's, and part of Rev. l'eter Van Driesen's patents ; a part of Vrooman's patent, and some small grants made by the State are in this town. The town was formed from Palatine, "Montgomery county, on the 3d of March, 1797, and it remained a part of that county until April 7, 1817, when it was annexed to Herkimer county. It received its name from Manheim in Germany. The surface of the town rises from the intervales of the Mohawk to the northern border where it reaches a height of 500 feet above the river. The soil is a gravelly loam on the uplands and a fertile alluvium on the flats. Cathatachua Creek flows through the town near the center, and Gillett Creek south- east across the northeast corner ; both are small streams. East Can- ada Creek flows along the eastern boundary of the town, furnishes excellent water power and is beautified by several picturesque cascades within the limits of the town.
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