History of Jefferson County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 106

Author: Durant, Samuel W; Peirce, H. B. (Henry B.)
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 862

USA > New York > Jefferson County > History of Jefferson County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 106

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Four years after Brown settled at the place where the village now is, Dr. Baudry, a Frenchman, who had been sent by Le Ray to choose a location for his residence and land-office, arrived at this place, and after having made thorough examination of other eligible points to which his attention had been invited in different parts of the purchase made his selection here, and at once commenced prepara- tions for the erection of the proprietor's house.

The felling of timber was commenced in the fall of 1806, and the sawing was done at Brown's mill in the succeeding winter and spring. Early in 1807 the frame was made ready and raised under the superintendence of Ethni Evans, who, probably, was also the master-carpenter of the whole work. The house was not entirely finished when the proprietor came to occupy it in 1808; but he took possession as it was, amid the smoke of the burning log-heaps upon the clear- ing. The site was upon a commanding eminence, half a mile southwest from Brown's, and near the head of his mill-pond. It was covered with a heavy growth of de- ciduous trees, principally maple and elm. In thinning the grove, discrimination was made against the elms in many cases, and, while they were marked for destruction, the maples and beeches were left. A broad opening was cut from the main entrance of the house, along the plateau, to the brow of the hill overlooking the pond, and from thence an unrivaled prospect was had, down the valley of Pleas- ant creek, over the roofs of the incipient village. "The heir-apparent to the princely palaces and garden of Passy" had abundant reason to be pleased with his new home in the wilderness !

The first agent in charge of the land-office at Le Rays- ville was Moss Kent, a brother of the chancellor. When M. Le Ray returned temporarily to France in 1810, leav- ing his son Vincent in charge of his affairs, Kent re- mained to assist in their management. His residence was in the household of his patron. In 1816 he retired from the agency, and was succeeded in that position by Samuel C. Kanady, who held it until his death in 1835. In 1816, Le Ray returned from France, bringing with him his daughter Theresa and her husband, the Marquis de Gou- vello. They were then just married, and their visit to Le Raysville was prolonged to about a year. Le Ray remained for many years, making his home, most of the time, at his villa. During these years he was constantly busy with his improvements : building mills, promoting settlements, and endeavoring in every way to advance the interests of those who had located on his lands.

The post-office of Le Raysville was established in the spring of 1818, upon the first opening of the mail-route from Denmark to Wilna, by way of this village. Prior to this, the mail for the land-office and for the people of Le Raysville and vicinity had come via Champion, being usually brought from thence by Mr. Le Ray himself, who was never weary of obliging the people of the town. The first postmaster at Le Raysville was Samuel C. Kanady, who resided in the village, though employed in the land- office at the villa. He held the office until his death in 1836. His successors have been - Whipple, William Phelps, Ennis Mosher, Horace Grover, Albert Mosher, and William S. Phelps. The first physician of the village was Dr. Horatio Orvis, who had at first located with his father, where J. J. Kinney now lives, but soon after came to Le Raysville. He continued in practice for a great num- ber of years.

The first public-house, called the Le Raysville hotel, was opened about 1810. One of its early proprietors was Amasa Barber. It has been recently closed, and the village has now no public-house. Another hotel was started on the east side of the creek, by Curtis Mann, and was after- wards kept by several proprietors, among whom were Mar- vin Kingsbury and Stephen Macomber. It is now a dwell- ing house. The first and only store in the village was owned by Mr. Le Ray, and was for some time carried on in charge of a clerk named Devereaux ; afterwards (about 1820), by Martin Hubbard, then by S. C. Kanady. It is still in existence, owned by W. S. Phelps.

Mills and manufacturing industries have been very few in Le Raysville. The saw-mill of Benjamin Brown passed to the hands of Curtis Mann, then to S. C. Kanady, and later to Wm. Phelps. It has been several times rebuilt, or, more correctly, several mills have occupied the site, the last hav- ing bcen erected by Wm. S. Phelps in 1856, of which nothing now remains but the foundation and some rusty iron-work.

A very considerable business in cabinet-making was done for many years by William Phelps, who came to Le Rays- ville in 1814, and opened his trade in a shop which he built the following year, on the east side of the main street. Af- terwards he built the stone shop on the west side, which may still be seen there, but it has years ago ceased to be used in the business for which it was erected. Upon a small trib- utary entering the creek upon the east side a saw-mill was built many years since by Curtis Mann, and afterwards sold to Wm. Phelps. An axe-helve factory was added by Leon- ard Fortune, and is now owned by Charles Mosher. The saw-mill is the property of Heman Wafel. At one time a box-factory was there, but has been discontinued.

In 1825 the work of demolition of the Le Ray residence was commenced, to make room for the erection of a more elegant and luxurious one. It was built of stone, and smoothly plastered upon the outside. The main building was built with about 60 feet front, and nearly or quite the same depth. Attached to this was a wing, large enough for a mansion in itself. A lofty portico on the southerly front was supported by four massive columns. Internally, the finish was of the best. In those days there were no planing and moulding machines to turn out fair-looking but

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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

trashy work ; all was done by the slow hand-process, and in this ease, at least, there was no slight or sham. Alfred Vebber, who now lives about two miles from Evans' Mills, was busy for months in making the doors, of cherry-wood paneled with choieest maple. All was of the best material and workmanship. The mansion was completed in 1827, and was at that time said to be the most splendid establish- ment west of the Hudson. In this mansion Le Ray lived and dispensed an elegant hospitality for a period of about 5 years before his return to Franee, which oeeurred in 1832. Onee more he came to America, and spent a few months at Le Raysville, in the year 1836, then made a final return to France, where he died, on the last day of the year 1840, at the good age of eighty years.

During his life, Monsieur Le Ray de Chaumont was respected and beloved by the people of the county of Jef- ferson, and sinee his death he is only mentioned in terms of affection and eulogy. He was extremely liberal in the encouragement which he gave to public improvements and to the promotion of education and religion, giving sites for school-houses and ehurehes, and often supplementing these gifts by donations of material and money. To such as were indebted to him by reason of land-purchases, he was more than indulgent. Those who settled on his traet he seemed to regard as under his especial protection, to be de- fended against distress or destitution from whatever eause. In his household a majority of the servants were natives of La Belle France, but a few were colored Americans, and among the latter was a negress named Rachel, of great age, and consequently of great assumed importance, who was not too old to be extremely desirous of gaining recognition and respeet from her French fellow-servants, and who, as a means to that end, treated those of her own color with searcely dis- guised contempt. There are those still living in Le Ray who remember how in their childhood they went timidly to the mansion with blackberries for sale, and how they were met and repulsed by Aunt Rachel with the sharp re- mark, "No ! don't want no blaek b'rys ; got a heap too much black round dis yere house now" (with a look of disdain at her colored eo-servitors). But when the children had turned away with heavy hearts, a light tap was heard at the window, and they saw the kindly master of the house beekoning them to him. Perhaps at that moment he was entertaining a marquis or a marshal of France, but, if so, he exeused himself to his guests, that he might gladden the little ones' hearts by purchasing their wares which he did not need. Such aets showed that innate benevolence which made him universally popular and esteemed.

The land-office remained at the Le Ray manor until about 1836, when it was finally removed to Carthage. The last agent here was Patrick Somerville Stewart, who sue- ceeded Mr. Kanady at the death of the latter. Jules R. Payen, a French gentleman, became the purehaser of a traet of 2000 aeres of the Le Ray lands, embracing the manor-house, where he made his residenee, and where he died July 26, 1862. His daughter, Mrs. Wm. S. Phelps, of Le Raysville, is the present owner of the mansion and lands surrounding it.

The stately house, the office once so busy, the conserva- tory, and all things that the hand of man placed there, are

desolate and dceaying, but the beech and maple groves are as grand, their shade as deep, and their foliage as gorgeous as ever, and the little stream flows as merrily through the grounds, with waters as copious and as marvelously clear as on the day when all this beauty first charmed the eyes of Le Ray de Chaumont.

SLOCUMVILLE.

This place, located one mile below Lc Raysville, on Pleasant ereek, consists of a saw-mill, grist-mill, store, and woolen-factory, owned and operated by Caleb Slocum, son of Samuel G. Slocum, from whom the place received its name.

The commencement here, made in 1813, under the patronage of Mr. Le Ray, was the ereetion of a powder- mill by a young Frenehmnan, named Desjardines, whom the proprietor had sent hither from France for the purpose. He was a pupil of the Polytechnie School of Paris, and was supposed to have discovered a new process of manufae- turing the explosive. But if the process was new it was certainly not an improved one, for the powder produced was of the most inferior quality, though it was utilized to some extent for blasting purposes. The experiment proved a failure, and was soon abandoned. At the collapse a large quantity of alder wood, prepared for charcoaling, was left on hand, as also about 1000 kegs, intended for powder, but afterwards put in use by the people of the vicinity as sap- buekets. The grist-mill, built about the same time, eon- tained the first burr-stones in Le Ray, they having been sent from France for this especial purpose. The flour it made was excellent, and its eustom was consequently very large. The first miller was a Frenchman, named Bidrot, imported expressly for this service. A brick house was ereeted, and is said by some to have been the first dwelling- house of that material built in Jefferson County ; but this is not elearly authenticated. The powder-mill was eon- verted into a manufactory of potato-starch, which never proved more than moderately successful. The property afterwards went into the possession of S. G. Slocum, as mentioned, and from him deseended to the present owner. The factory, the only establishment of the kind in Le Ray, manufactures eoarse woolens, and is operated with sueeess. It is the sueeessor of an old-time elothiery-mill, put in operation there many years ago.

BLACK RIVER VILLAGE

is located in the towns of Le Ray and Rutland, being divided by the Black river, which at this point is spanned by a fine iron bridge, built in 1875, a previous bridge of the same material having been carried away by flood. An account of that part of the village which lies in Rutland will be found with the history of that town.

The site of the Le Ray portion of the village, lying on the north bank of the river and about 2} miles southeast from Sanford's Corners, was embraced in a traet of 150 aeres, purchased in about 1828 by Christopher Poor, from Alexander Le Ray, as agent for the Chassanis traet ; this purchase, of course, covering all the water-power of the north side, which was Mr. Poor's chief inducement in making the selection of this spot. He had been an early

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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

settler in Rutland, from whence he removed to his new purchase in Le Ray on Christmas day, 1829. The house which he had erected to receive his family was where J. T. Davenport now lives. During the preceding summer he had, with some assistance from other residents of the vicinity, built and completed the first bridge across the river, at the point where it is crossed by the present iron bridge. That, and several succeeding bridges in the same place, have been carried away by freshets.

The first grist-mill was built by A. Horton, about 1836, on the river-bank, a little distance above the bridge. This mill afterwards became the property of Christopher and Peter Poor, and during their proprietorship it was destroyed by fire about 1842-43. The present flour-mill, known as the Lockport mill, and standing at the northerly end of the iron bridge, was commenced, about 1845, by Oliver A. Fer- guson. He, however, advanced no further in its construc- tion than the building of the whecl-pit and preparation of timber for the superstructure. It was afterwards taken by Matthew Poor, R. G. Vaughn, and Henry Chapman, who completed it in 1849. From these proprietors the mill passed to A. H. Herrick, then to Jewett Bros., and from them, through various hands, to the present owners, Messrs. Warren & Ingraham. It is equipped with four run of burrs, and does excellent work.

The first saw-mill was built at the time of the construc- tion of the dam, in 1831, jointly by Christopher Poor and Coburn & Hubbard. The mill was erected solely by the firm. They carried it on for some ycars, then sold it to Wm. K. Butterfield and his brothers. This was burnt at the same time that Poor's grist-mill was destroyed. It has never been rebuilt. The second saw-mill, occupying a site on the river-bank below the Coburn & Hubbard mill, was built by Wm. K. Butterfield, and was destroyed also by fire with the grist-mill, to which it was adjacent. It was rebuilt by Joseph Fuller, and afterwards carried away by the flood which destroyed the first iron bridge. It has never been rebuilt since that time. A planing-mill and wood-working machine-shop was built by Peter Poor, about 1848. After a time it passed to the possession of Andrew Poor, the present owner, who at one time used it as a chair-factory. It is now used as a box-factory, and for other wood working purposes. It has thus far escaped destruction by flood or fire.

The wood-working shop and box-factory of D. H. Scott & Son, standing on the river below Poor's, was built by Hinman & Middleton, about 1860. It was afterwards purchased by D. Dexter & Son, of Rutland, and by them used for a time in their business of chair-manufacturing. It was for two years used as a place of worship by the Free Methodists of Black River. From Dexter & Son it passed to the present owners.

On the river-bank, upon the lower side of the iron bridge, at its head, is a building which was erected for a machine- shop (iron-working) by Isaac and Joseph Howe, who car- ried on that business for some years, then sold to Thomas Matthews, who used it as a joiner's shop. It is now owned by the Lockport Mill proprietors, and used by thein for storage.

The first to commence merchandising in the Le Ray scc-

tion of the village was Robert H. Van Shioick, who in 1832 or '33 built and opened his store on the westerly side of the main street, a short distance above the head of the bridge. It passed to the hands of the present owner, Mr. P. Thurs- ton, who, about 1848, transformed it into a hotel, the first and only public-house of the village. This has been abandoned, and the store-tavern is now a private dwelling. The second store was opened by S. L. Mott, about 1852. It stood be- tween the hotel and the head of the bridge. Matthew Poor became its proprietor in November, 1866, and continues such until the present time.

Besides the establishments above mentioned, the village of Black River, in Le Ray, comprises a school-house, a church (the Free Methodist), a wagon-shop, two blacksmith- shops, and about 250 inhabitants.

SANFORD'S CORNERS.

It is a frequent remark by the old inhabitants of Le Ray, that this cross-roads cluster of buildings instead of being called Sanford's should have been named Woodruff's corners, from Roswell Woodruff, its first settler, who came in 1804. Later on it was for some years known generally as "Jewett's Corners," "Jewett's School-House," and " Capt. Jewett's," from Ezekiel Jewett, who purchased the farm of Mr. Woodruff, and became, in that particular, his successor.

Mr. Sanford, from whom the Corners were named, erected there a stone building, with the intention of opening a store, but this was never done. The brick hotel, which is still standing west of the railroad track, and is now, or has recently been, used as a Limburger cheese-factory, was built and opened by Oliver Pierce aboout 1825 The post- office was established in 1828, and was kept in the brick tavern, Mr. Pierce being the first who was appointed to the office of postmaster. The present postmaster is Harlan Dunn, who is also the station-agent. The first school-house in Le Ray was built at Sanford's Corners. The Union church edifice, built in 1853, will be found noticed elsc- where in this volume.

At the opening of the Watertown and Potsdam, now the R., W. and O., railroad, in 1854, the station was, for some cause not easily explained, established more than half a mile to the. southwest of the settlement of Sanford's Corners, and received its name. The business of the place is repre- sented by a hotel and small store at the station.

JOACHIM.

This was the name given to a projected village by Lu- cien Murat, in honor of his father, Joachim Murat, king of Naples and marshal of the empire under Napoleon, who said of him, " He is the right arm of my defense ; a Pala- din in the field , the best cavalry officer in the world." He bore aloft the imperial eagles on a hundred fields of victory ; and it has often been said that, had his plume waved and his sabre flashed amid the dun smoke of Waterloo, Wel- lington might have spared his famous invocation, for nei- ther Blucher nor night could have saved him. And now this chieftain's name liad descended upon a country saw- mill and tract of land surrounding it in the quiet agricul- tural town of Le Ray ! The location was upon the Indian

GENDRON, PHOTOGRAPHER. WATERTOWN, N. Y.

MRS. RANDALL BARNES.

RANDALL BARNES.

HOMESTEAD OF RANDALL BARNES RESIDENCE OF H.W. BARNES, EVANS MILLS, JEFFERSON CO., N . Y.

RESIDENCE OF A. F. MARSHALL, BLACK RIVER, JEFFERSON CO., N. Y. INVENTOR OF IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR BENDING WOOD.

D.H.SCOTT & SON, MANUFACTURERS OF PACKING BOXES OF ALL KINDS, ALSO AMERICAN CLOTHES DRYERS, BLACK RIVER, JEFFERSON CO., N. Y.

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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

river, below the bend, and within a short half-mile of the town-line of Philadelphia. At this point a saw-mill had been built in 1822, by Arnold Miller, from whose possession it had passed to that of Samuel Makepeace. From him it was purchased, with the land belonging to it, by Murat, who in 1834 rebuilt the mill, as the first step towards the establishment of a village. The next was the ereetion of a grist-mill, which for a time was used for dancing parties and other merry-makings of a more questionable eharaeter. A large hotel was commeneed, but never brought to com- pletion.

A number of small frame dwellings were put up, and with such rapidity as to eause the remark among the towns- people that Joachim was growing at the rate of a house every day. A residence was built for Murat's own use, at which, during the periods of his oeeupaney, he held a sort of protraeted carnival. A capacious store was also among his enterprises, and he filled it with a very large stoek of goods, purchased on eredit in New York. In this an ex- tensive trade was carried on and continued for a consider- able length of time; but at last the inevitable end eame. The matter-of-faet creditors from the eity seized on remain- ing goods, store, and whatever else they could find uneov- ered, and the prospects of the village of Joachim were obscured in permanent eelipse. From the ineeption to the final collapse of the enterprise was a period of nearly three years. The machinery of the flour-mill was sold, and re- moved to Salmon river. The hotel project was abandoned, and its cellar has been filled up. The unsubstantial dwell- ings, so rapidly built, have all disappeared. The store has 1 been remodeled as a dwelling-house, and is now occupied by Isaac Sixbury. Another store languished there for a time, . under proprietorship of Mr. Shattuck, but this was soon abandoned. The saw-mill alone remains. It has been repaired since the days of Lueien Murat, and is now owned and operated by Robert Sixbury, a grandson of the cen- tenarian of the same name.

INGERSON'S CORNERS.

This name is applied to a neighborhood and eross-roads located about two miles southeast of Evans' Mills. It is so called from Mr. Isaae Ingerson, the first settler at this point. Near him was settled Mr. Elisha Schofield. In the very early days it was supposed that this would bceome the site of a village. A wagon-shop and blacksmithy was started here by Aaron Rose, and a considerable business in that line was done. One of the apprentices of Rose was Harry Weed, who afterwards established business at Evans' Mills; and Rose himself also removed there at a later time. A sınall tributary of West creek passes this place, and on this small stream a saw-mill was built about 1822, by Job Anthony and Alvin Clark. It was, however, one of the kind known as " dry mills," and was of short continuanec. For some unknown cause this neighborhood has received the name of " Bedlam," and is so most generally designated. Its village aspirations have long sinee faded away.

OTHER MILLS, HOTELS, ETC.

On the north side of the Black river, opposite the vil- lage of Great Bend in Champion, is a hotel, built about

1833, by King Potter, and for some years kept by Henry G. Potter, who also started a distillery at the same place. A store was opened here as early as 1824 by Daniel Potter, and continued for several years. The store and the distil- lery have ceased to exist, but the hotel is still kept open under the proprietorship of J. & G. Freeman.

On the north side of Black river, opposite Felt's Mills, there is no settlement. The island in the river at this point was formerly a part of Lc Ray, but was set off to Rutland about 1835. Upon this island was a tannery and some other improvements, owned by John Felt.

A store was opened at an early day by Thomas Ward, near the present residence of Joseph Bichet, on the road from Evans' Mills to Le Raysville. This was continued for many years, with apparent prosperity.

At the " Five Corners," a mile southeast of Sanford's, a hotel was opened by Benjamin Butterfield, in the house now the residenee of Alvin Scofield.

Churehill's saw-mill, on Pleasant creek, below Slocum- ville, was ereeted by H. C. Churchill: It is not among the oldest of the mills in the town. A mill was built half a century ago by Alvin Clark, on Gardner's creek, near where it enters Indian river. This is among the things of the past. On West creek, a mile north of Sanford's Corners, a grist-mill was built by Abraham Jewett, about 1830. It was afterwards used as a plaster-mill, and a manufactory of water-lime was established there, but none of these are now in operation. Upon a small stream near the residence of M. Walts, in the west part of the town, was a very old grist-mill, built by - Taylor; also a saw-mill, at the same place, probably built later; and on a small stream which flows into Indian river, below the bend, Benjamin Bentley, in 1823, built a saw-mill, which was kept in opera- tion for years, and was finally worn out and abandoned.

CHURCHES.

LE RAY PRESBYTERIAN.

On . January 13, 1814, a meeting was held at the house of Elisha Seofield, at Ingerson's Corners, for the purpose of organizing a Congregational church society. This was the first attempt made for the organization of any religious society in the town of Lc Ray. The meeting was presided over by Rev. Nathaniel Dutton, of Champion. The fol- lowing-named persons were then organized into a visible church : Elisha Scofield, Abigail, his wife, Ruel Kimball, Hannah, his wife, Gersham Mattoon, Nancy, his wife, Ezra Sayer, Elizabeth S., his wife, Widow Mattoon, Mrs. Cheese- man, afterwards the wife of Joseph Tuttle, Abner Cheese- man, and Hannah Parker. Ruel Kimball was elected to the deaconate, and was chosen standing moderator and elerk.

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History of Jefferson County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 106

Author: Durant, Samuel W; Peirce, H. B. (Henry B.) Publication date: 1878 Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts & Co. Number of Pages: 862

Author: Durant, Samuel W; Peirce, H. B. (Henry B.)
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 862