USA > New York > Herkimer County > History of Herkimer county, New York > Part 38
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The Great Western Turnpike passes through this town, but it existed as a roadway, although more crooked than at present, long before the turnpike company was formed in 1802. The company took possession of the road, straightened and otherwise improved it and charged toll. What has been known as the "Steuben road " is partly in this town, some of it having been discontinued. It received its name from Baron Steuben, who was desirous of opening a highway from his home in Oneida county to the village of Herkimer, and accordingly employed a large number of men for that purpose. He laid out the road on the high land between the Mohawk and West Canada Creek, so as to avoid bridging the small streams that flow to the river and the creek. An early road was opened during the Revolution, from near the former resi- dence of Judge Staring, where the turnpike crosses Staring Creek to the river, and where there was a good fording place. It was long ago
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TOWN OF SCHUYLER.
abandoned. The State road, laid out by commissioners appointed by the State, leads from West Canada Creek through " the Bush." There are four bridges across the Mohawk in this town, two at the east and two at the west end.
With no village of importance in a favorable locality, the town of Schuyler received little direct benefit from the opening of the rail- roads through the valley. Even if it had been otherwise, the proxim- ity of the inhabitants to the thriving city of Utica would have precluded any consequent growth from the railroad. The town population is almost wholly of farmers, and many of the older families, especially of the northern part, have gone away and their lands have passed to the possession of others.
The first town meeting in Schuyler was held on the second of April, 1793, at the house of Captain George G. Weber. The following officers were elected :
Francis Gniteau, town clerk; Isaac Brayton, supervisor ; George Witherick, G. G. Weber, W. Fanning and J. Stafford, sr., assessors; Ezra Pain, John Ladd and Thomas Nicholas, commissioners of highways; Abel Austin, collector; James Denslow, Abel Austin and Andrew Bennett, constables; John Warren and Peter Fox, poormasters; James Cary, James Denslow, John Warren, Nicholas Weber, David Andrew, Nicholas Staring, Nathaniel White and Thomas Cain, pathmasters. The spelling of these names is as they appear on the records.
Following is a list of supervisors of this town, and date of their in- cumbency :
Isaac Brayton, 1793-96; William Fanning, 1796-98; lIenry Coffin, 1798-1800 ; Benjamin Larned, 1800-02; Asaph Mather, 1802-04; Robert Burch, 1804-07, 1814- 15; Gideon Johnson, 1807-14-15-26; Thomas Burch, 1826-29; Joshua Mather, 1829-31- 32-34; Lovel Burch, 1831-32; Calvin Wood, 1834-36; Nathan Budlong, 1836-38 ; Nathan Budlong, jr., 1838-39-40-41-42-44; George Burch, 1839-40; Vaughn Sweet, 1841-42-44-45; Henry N. Staring, 1845-47 ; Charles B. Ingham, 1847-49; Samuel Budlong, 1849-51; Warren Richardson, 1851-52 ; Erasmus W. Day, 1852-55, 1859-60; John W. Davison, 1853-54, 1860-62; Leland L. Kane, 1855-57, 1862-71; Warren D. Budlong, 1857-58; James B. Ladd, 1858-59, 1871-73; John M. Budlong, 1873-74, 1877-83; Warren W. Richardson, 1874-76; W. V. Minott, 1884-85; Duane M. Richardson, 1886-91; Rufus H. Smith, 1892.
The town of Schuyler has been represented in the Legislature of this State by Robert Burch in 1811 and 1812; Olmsted Hough in 1813 ; George Burch, son of Robert Burch, in 1840; Harris Lewis in 1857 and 1858; and Erasmus W. Day in 1869.
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HISTORY OF HERKIMER COUNTY.
It is known that the German early settlers held regular religious services from the first, as they did in all the towns in which they dwelt. The first building in which public services were held was llasenclever's, and the first building erected for church services was the school- house (intended also for school) already alluded to in district No. 4. This building was erected by personal contributions and was used for many years for school and church purposes. It was removed in 1836 to make room for the present school-house.
The Baptist society at East Schuyler erected a church building in 1821-22, on the site since occupied by the stone school house of district No. 3. In 1833 this building was taken down and again crected about a mile east of West Schuyler. The membership declined, the church became disorganized and the owner of the land demolished the building under his lease.
In 1835 the Methodist Protestant church, a small society in "Stone Arabia " and " the Bush," feeling the need of a larger and more com- modious place of worship than the old square-roofed school-house afforded, consulted with the few aged members of the old Lutheran society, and with others who were not members of any religious society, and all united to build a meeting house. At the first meeting the fol- lowing persons were chosen trustees: Francis H. Pruyn, Daniel Bridenbecker, Philip Finster, Frederick Rima, Peter Finster, Jacob P. Oyer and Peter Rima ; and Alexander Johnson was elected clerk. The house was built by J. D. W. Heald on a site donated by Peter Finster. This church was occupied by the Methodist Protestants, although occa- sionally other denominations had services there for thirty- two years, when it was suffered to decay, and was finally sold and taken down.
In June, 1853, the people of West Schuyler held a meeting prepara- tory to building a church. A small Methodist society had existed there for some time and was then under care of Rev. T. D. Mitchell. It was resolved to build a church with room for Sabbath-school, to be called " Embury Chapel." William Budlong, Hiram Tanner, Warren Day, William Vivyan and E. W. Day were elected trustees. The result of this action was the erection of the present church over which Rev. Stephen Cobb is pastor. On the 7th of August, 1865, a meeting of Methodists was held, with Rev. L. J. Cooper as chairman. Gilbert
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TOWN OF NEWPORT.
Palmeter, August Klock and George Widrig were elected trustees, and it was resolved to erect a church to be known as "The First Methodist Protestant Church of Schuyler." The plans were consummated in the erection of the church near the Miller cemetery, northeast from West Schuyler. The Methodists built a church at the " Windfall," in 1866, at a cost of about $2,000, which is still in existence. Another Methodist church was built in the Staring neighborhood in the central part of the town in 1862. No services are now held here and the membership is small in all the churches thus described. At East Schuyler a Union church was erected in 1868 on the site of the old Protestant Methodist and Lutheran church by Free Methodists and others. The trustees were Newell Miller, John Sheaf, Daniel Oyer, Ira Finster, and A. L. Johnson. Irregular services are held here.
CHAPTER XXIV.
THE TOWN OF NEWPORT.
N EWPORT lies in the western part of the county and is bounded on the north by Russia ; on the east by Fairfield and Norway; on the south by Schuyler and Herkimer, and on the west by Oneida county. It was formed from Herkimer, Fairfield, Norway, and Schuyler, April 7, 1806. The surface of the town is broken by ridges of highlands which rise from 400 to 500 feet on each side of the narrow intervale of West Canada Creek. This stream flows southeast across the town near the center. White Creek flows southerly through the eastern part. The soil is clayey loam, with some gravel on the high lands. A part of Hasenclever's and Walton's patents, and portions of the second and third allotments of the Royal Grant constitute the town. There were no settlements in the town prior to the Revolution.
Daniel Campbell, of New York city, obtained title to the land where Newport village is situated in July, 1786, of the commissioners of forfeitures, but he did not settle on it. William, Ephraim and Benja- min Bowen purchased this land in 1788 and 1789. Christopher Hawkins
406
HISTORY OF HERKIMER COUNTY.
was the first permanent settler in Newport and became its first super- visor. He was from Providence, R. I., and the town received its name from the fact that many of its early settlers came from the State in which the city of Newport is situated. Hawkins first came into the town of Fairfield and removed to Newport in 1791, settling on the farm south of the village now owned by the heirs of David D. Crumby. In the spring of 1791 Hawkins erected a small house for the Bowens on the lands they had purchased. In 1793 Benjamin Bowen built the first saw-mill in the town, and the next year put up a grist-mill, both of which were on the West Canada Creek in the limits of the present village of Newport, and on the site of the present mill. Soon following the pioneers came Joseph Benchley, William Wakely, John Burton, Stephen Hawkins, George Cook, Edward Coffin, John Nelson, John G. Green, John Churchill, George Fenner, and William Whipple, all of whom settled prior to 1798; and Israel Wakely, Westel Willoughby, Levi Bowen, and Sherman Wooster came soon afterward. These families were all from New England. Churchill, Coffin, Green, Bowen and Nelson purchased lands on the west side of the creek, and the others on the east side and near the site of the village. Descendants of several of them are now living in the town. The first death was that of Silas Hawkins, in 1793. The first school was taught by Abby Justine in 1795, near the village site William Wakely kept the first hotel in 1793 near the present residence of Dr. J. B. Holcomb. George Cook was the first merchant and his store was near the site of the Catholic church. Nahum Daniels occupied the corner of Main and Bridge streets, where the hotel is ; it was formerly a store kept by Samuel Perry, father of the late Stuart Perry. John Burton owned the farm afterwards occupied by his son Darius, now owned by William Reynolds. John Burton was a carpenter and built for Benjamin Bowen the house now occupied by Miss Frances Waterman.
The first town meeting held after the organization of the town was held on the 3d of March, 1807. Westel Willoughby was chosen mod- erator and the following officers were elected :
Christopher Hawkins, supervisor; Phineas Sherman, town clerk ; Stephen Brayton, Cyrus Butterfield and Seth Smith, assessors; Dan Post and Joseph Terry, overseers of the poor ; William Wakely, Joseph Benchley and James Keith, commissioners of high- ways; Elisha Enos, jr., and Thaddeus Ketchum, constables; Elisha Enos, collector; Elisha Enos, Jairus Bragg, Jabez Lyon and Elnathan Stephens, poundkeepers.
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TOWN OF NEWPORT.
The usual votes were taken to control horses and cattle, offering bounties on wild animals, etc., and on the 9th of March, 1807, the town was divided into twenty road districts. The first census of the town, taken in 1807, showed 199 heads of families. The first board of school commissioners was elected in 1813, and consisted of Sherman Wooster, Darius Hawkins, and Samuel Keith.
Following is a list of supervisors of the town of Newport from its organization to the present time :
Christopher Hawkins, 1807-16; 1823; Sherman Wooster, 1817-22, 1824-33 ; Ilenry Carter, 1834-36; Standish Barry. 1837, 1843-46 ; Daniel Post, 1838 ; William S. Benchley, 1841-42; Henry L. Ward, 1847, 1867-71; Aaron G. Swift, 1848-50; Harvey Farring- ton, 1851-52 ; John C. Harris, 1853 ; Ira L. Cady, 1854-57; John G. Barry, 1858-59; 1861-66; Nathan Bowen, 1860; John H. Wooster, 1865 (resigned in April) ; Richard K. Brown, 1872; William Getman, 1873-74 (resigned) ; Henry G. Burlingame, 1875-76; Waldo Sherman, 1877; Henry W. Dexter, 1878; A. J. Browne, 1879, 1885; Warren A. Brayton, 1880-1882; C. J. Mather, 1883 ; Thomas E. Merritt, 1884, 1887 ; Daniel P. Wooster, 1886; George H. Hurlbut, 1888; Frank E. Pearce, 1889, 1890; Clinton A. Moon, 1891; Fred D. Mather, 1892.
The settlers in Newport down to about 1830 continued to come from New England; but after that time and following the opening of the Erie Canal, many emigrants from Ireland located in the town, and at the present time probably constitute, with their descendants, one quar- ter of the population, most of them being among the farmers.
Col. Standish Barry was born at Baltimore, Md., in 1794. He removed to Newport with his father-in-law, Capt. Ezra Pierce, in 1816, and engaged in mercantile business there and at Middleville, continuing until 1847. In the last named year he was elected clerk of the county and held that office two successive terms. At the organization of the Newport Bank, in 1858, Col. Barry was chosen cashier, and occupied that position several years ; he was also at one time vice-president of the National Herkimer County Bank, at Little Falls. In September, 1861, he was appointed assistant treasurer of the United States by the late Gen. Francis E. Spinner, holding that office at the time of his death, which occurred at Newport, October 20, 1866. His widow, Mrs. Lydia C. Barry, is still living at Newport. Col. Barry's surviving chil- dreu are : John Barry, Mrs. Sherman Wooster and Mrs. Jane B. Pom- eroy, of Newport; Mrs. A. M. Mills, of Little Falls,
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HISTORY OF HERKIMER COUNTY.
The elder Sherman Wooster came to Newport in 1804, was super- visor several terms, and was father of the venerable Sherman Wooster, who still lives in the village. Henry Carter was an early merchant. William S. Benchley kept tavern in the village many years, and at one period was engaged in the manufacture of hats Jeduthun Steele, Ralph Waterman and William F. Fraser were lawyers in Newport be- fore 1825. Daniel Post was a prominent early farmer two miles east of the village. The late Harry Waterman was for many years a promi- nent citizen, and identified with the business interests of the town. Stuart Perry, the inventor, was born here in 1837, and lived at what has long been known as " Perry's Park," in which formerly stood the house of Dr. Westel Willoughby.
Newport is essentially a dairy town and one of the best in the county. There are four prosperous cheese factories in the town, and since the opening of the railroad and its recent extension by the Adirondack and St. Lawrence Company, the markets are easily accessible.
The Village of Newport-Was incorporated March 20, 1857. and on the 5th of May the first officers were elected as follow: President, Linus Yale; trustees, John G. Barry, Hezekiah S. Bowen, Elijah Holmes and William S. Benchley ; assessors, Jeremiah Fenner, Arza Newman, George B. Hawkins ; clerk, Clinton A. Moon.
The following have been presidents of the village since its incorpora- tion :
Linus Yale, 1857 ; John II. Wooster, 1858 64; William Getman, 1865-69; Albert M. Mills, 1870, 1871; Elisha Thornton, 1872; George W. Payne, 1873; Henry W. Dexter, 1874, 1875; Albert J. Browne, 1876. 1877; William A. Ingham, 1878; George H. Hurlburt, 1880; E. P. Iladcock, 1881; A. J. Browne, 1882; T. E. Merritt, 1883; Jesse A. Perkins, 1884; D. P. Wooster, 1885; A. J. Browne, 1887 ; D. P. Wooster, 1888; J. T. Davis and F. D. Mather, 1889; Thomas Bowen, 1890; W. A. Ingham, 1891 ; II. W. Dexter. 1892. William E. Stroup, Benjamin K. Brown, and Howard Voorhees are trustees ; Charles L. Fellows, clerk.
The stone bridge across the creek at Newport was built in 1853 and cost $4,000. The residence of Sherman Wooster was built by his father in 1816, and its substantial walls are nearly as perfect to-day as then. Dr. Westel Willoughby was a prominent citizen of the village in early years and provided himself with a beautiful home on the eastern shore of the creek. (A further sketch of Dr. Willoughby will be found in the chapter on the medical profession.)
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TOWN OF NEWPORT.
Bank .- The Dairyman's Bank was established in Newport in 1853, and continued in existence until 1857. Harvey Doolittle was the prin- cipal founder and manager. He was also cashier and largely interested in the Agricultural Bank at Herkimer, which failed and carried with it the Dairyman's Bank, causing a loss to depositors of about thirty per cent. In 1858 the Bank of Newport was organized under the banking laws of the State, with William W. Sweezey as president, and Standish Barry as cashier. This institution was continued thus until 1866, when it was reorganized as a national bank, with a capital of $50,000. Varnum S. Kenyon was made the first president under the new organization, and William Getman cashier. Upon the death of Mr. Kenyon in 1874, George H. Thomas was elected president and has held the office ever since. Mr. Getman died in 1873 and Joseph T. Wooster was chosen cashier, and is still in that position. The present directors, besides the two officers named, are D. B. Wooster, Elisha Thornton, H. W. Dex- ter. The deposits are about $90,000, with surplus and profits of about $38,000. The bank building on the corner of Main and Bridge streets was erected in 1854 by the firm of Perry & Sweezey, composed of Sam- uel Perry, Stuart Perry, and William Sweezey, who were then extensive dealers in butter and cheese.
Manufactures. - Within recent years Newport has awakened to the fact that she is in possession of valuable water power ; that her shipping facilities are good and being rapidly made much better through the build- ing of the new railroad, and that manufacturing enterprise is one of the chief elements in the healthful growth of a village. This feeling has led to the establishment of several properous concerns, which will be followed by others. A tannery was built at Newport in early years, which was being operated in 1846 by Orin Brown, who sold it in that year to Henry Waterman. Afterwards it passed through the hands of H. G. Burlin- game, Snell & Ingham, and Luke Snell. In 1889 Mr. Snell sold it to the Newport Improvement Company, an organization of citizens formed for the purpose of advancing the interests of the place. By this com- pany the property was leased to Woodin & West for a period of forty- nine years, on advantageous terms, provided they would operate a factory. They immediately established a plant for the manufacture of knit underwear and continued until June, 1890, when they sold out to
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HISTORY OF HERKIMER COUNTY.
the West Brothers, who immediately doubled the capacity of the fac- tory, and now employ seventy-five hands, mostly girls. Their large product finds a ready market. The firm is composed of Eugene and George West.
The Adirondack Knitting-Mills were started in December, 1891, and now employ thirty five hands, making ladies', misses' and children's jersey ribbed underwear in various kinds of fibre. The company was organized with a capital of $5,500, with M. N. Pearce as president, C. A. Moore, secretary, and W. A. Ingham, treasurer.
The saw-mill in Newport is now operated by the estate of Henry G. Burlingame and the grist-mill by Michael Gallagher. F. D. Mather, M. N. Pearce, D. Wells, Dr. L. C )exter and M. J. Brett are pros- perous merchants in the village ; and E. C. Spellman and Samuel Hodge are proprietors of the Spellman House and the Ingham House respectively. The postmaster is George Hurlbut, who succeeded F. D. Mather. Hon. Elisha P. Hurlbut, ex-justice Supreme Court, resided here for several years after 1855, and removed to Albany.
In 1861 a committee was appointed by the trustees of the village to buy a fire engine with the fund that had been raised for that purpose, amounting to $802. The engine was purchased of Cowing & Com- pany, of Seneca Falls, and is still in use. The company is designated as Wadsworth Fire Company, No. 3. The engine-house was built about 1876, with a village lock-up in the lower story. A chief of police is appointed by the trustees, Henry Joubin now filling the office.
Schools and Churches .- Previous to its incorporation in 1847 the vil- lage of Newport was divided into school districts, one on each side of the creek. With the incorporation of the place the two districts were consolidated with the view of establishing a graded school ; but in spite of the efforts of several prominent citizens to this end the project failed, and the old school-house continued to be occupied until 1875, when the present commodious school building was erected. The district was or- ganized as a union free school district in 1877. There are now eight school districts in the town.
Besides the churches now in the village of Newport, there were formerly three others, all located near the hamlet known as Martin's Corners. These were a Welsh, a Baptist and the old Roman Catholic church, all of which have substantially disappeared, as far as societies
411
TOWN OF NEWPORT.
and congregations are concerned, the churches in the village receiving a large share of those who formerly attended at that point. In New- port village there are four churches - Methodist, Baptist, Universalist and Roman Catholic; but the material for their history is very meager. The Universalist church had its origin in an organization of March 28, 1842, composed of persons who joined together to erect a church under the name of the Newport Union Association; the union embraced Universalists, Unitarians and Episcopalians. Soon afterward the two last denominations failed to support stated preaching, and the property passed to the Universalists according to the compact. In January, 1843, the Universalists and Unitarians organized under the name of " The First Christian Society of the Universalists and Unitarians of the Town of Newport." December 28, 1844, a new constitution was adopted, giving the society a distinctive Universalist character. On the Ist of March, 1858, the society title was dropped and the name of " The Church of the Reconciliation of the town of Newport " added. Previous to the erection of the present building meetings were held in the school-house and in the old stone church of the Baptists. The present church was built in 1843. The building has been improved and repaired recently. There has not been regular preaching in this church for some time.
The date of the organization of the Methodist church in Newport is unobtainable ; but previous to its organization the Methodists were in union with the Presbyterians and erected the building that was sold to the Catholics in 1844. Between that year and 1871 the Methodists had no church edifice here. In June, 1871, the president building was dedicated, and the parlors were added in 1887. The present pastor of the church is Rev. Rev. W. F. Ball, who lives in Newport, and preaches here and at Poland. He has been in Newport since 1884.
The present Catholic church building was purchased of the Method- ists and Presbyterians in 1844 through Henry Waterman. The Cath- olic society is organized under the name of St. John's, and is connected with the Church of the Assumption of Middleville. In 1844 the parish was ministered to by Rev. Father John Herbs, who was succeeded by Father Fitzgerald, and he by Father Keating. Father Thornton was the next pastor, and was succeeded by Father Burke. In 1875 Rev. Father Henry Herfkins came to the church and still remains in charge.
412
HISTORY OF HERKIMER COUNTY.
CHAPTER XXV.
THE TOWN OF NORWAY.1
T' HE town of Norway was organized April 10, 1792, by act of Legislature.
Its boundaries included the towns of Fairfield, Russia, Ohio, and Wilmurt, and that portion of Newport lying easterly of the West Can- ada Creek in Herkimer county ; portions of Oneida, Lewis and Clinton counties; all of Hamilton, and a large portion of St. Lawrence. About thirty-five towns are now located within its former limits. Fairfield was taken off in 1796; Remsen (Oneida county), in 1798; Russia (as " Union "), and a part of Newport, in 1806, and Ohio (as " West Bruns- wick ") in 1823. Since that date no boundary changes have occurred.
The surface of the town is elevated and rolling. It is drained by numerous small streams flowing northward and westward into Black and White Creeks, tributaries of West Canada Creek, and a few rivulets flowing easterly into Spruce Creek, a tributary of East Canada Creek. An elevated ridge extending from southeast to northwest, through the central portion of the town, forms its geographical backbone, or " grand divide." Before settlement an unbroken forest of splendid timber covered the whole surface, composed mainly of maple and beech, with a generous sprinkling of birch, elm, basswood, butternut, and ash, and a border of hemlock along the streams. A narrow strip of ever- green timber extends along the northern border of the town, and sev- eral small cedar swamps are located in the eastern part. The soil in the main is strong and rich, and admirably adapted to grazing.
One event that antedates the coming of the first pioneers deserves mention : In October, 1781, Butler and Ross, with a force of British tories and Indians, came from Canada, via Oswego, and engaged in a murdering raid in the Mohawk valley. Near Johnstown they were so roughly handled by the American forces under Colonel Willett, that
1 Prepared by Fred. Smith, of Norway.
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TOWN OF NORWAY.
they were forced to retreat, and chose a direct route for home through the unbroken wilderness. On the night of October 29, 1781, Butler camped about four miles northeast of Norway village, and the location has since borne the name of " Butler's Ridge." Colonel Willett left Fort Dayton, now Herkimer, the same day with some 400 patriot sol- diers to intercept the enemy. He followed up West Creek to a point near where Middleville is now located, and then struck through the for- est in a northeast direction, and camped a mile and a half southerly of Butler. His scouts discovered the tory camp during the night, and early next morning both armies were on the march. Near the Black Creek fording place the rear of Butler's forces were overtaken and a skirmish ensued ; one or two soldiers were killed, and here Norway soil drank the blood of the Revolution. The allied forces of Butler made a hurried retreat across the present town of Ohio, closely followed by Willett, and at West Creek the notorious Butler was killed and the pur- suit abandoned.
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