History of Jefferson County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 119

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 119

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The other public-house at the village was built and opened by Mr. Crofoot about 1825. One of its first land- lords was the unfortunate Cyrus Dodge, who was instantly killed in Philadelphia by the bursting of a cannon July 4, 1829. It was kept by John Cross in 1829 and 1830, by Chas. G. Bunnell in 1831, by Wm. Mosher in 1833, by Daniel Rogers in 1834. Hiram Cross was one of its early pro- prietors, and its last was Dr. French. It is the same build- ing now occupied by Washburn's store and market, on Main street.

A hotel was opened at Sterlingville before 1840 by Rufus Hatch, and was kept as a public-house for many years. The annual town-meeting was held at this house in 1852, during the proprietorship of Seth Hatch. The Sterling- ville House, now kept by William Conley, was built and opened by Frederick Van Ostrand in 1841. At Barber's

corners, 22 miles east of Philadelphia village, was formerly a tavern, kept by Van Ostrand, Van Valkenburgh, and others ; also at Pogeland, near Antwerp line, among whose landlords were Van Ostrand and Daniel Smith. This house was destroyed by fire.

MILLS AND MANUFACTORIES.

The Philadelphia Flour- Mill is a successor of the first grist-mill, built by the Townsend brothers in 1805, stand- ing on, or nearly on, the same site. The old mill, passing into the possession of John Strickland, Sr., in 1809, and from him to Edmund Tucker, was rebuilt in 1825,* with 3 run of burrs, and was then, and for years afterwards, con- sidered one of the best mills in the county. In 1836 it was sold by E. Tucker and Miles Strickland to Samuel Rogers, who took possession on the 1st of January follow- ing. His purchase also included 40 acres of land and several houses adjacent to the mill.

In 1845 he sold it to Houck & Frazier, and in 1848 the present mill was built by George Frazier,-Houck having withdrawn. It has since passed through several hands, among which were those of S. Graves, Frederick Happ, Holmes & Scofield, Clark & Brown, and Robert Melrose. It is at present owned and run by William McNeil and Henry Ford.

Aldrich's Saw-Mill, on the lesser arm of the river, where it is divided by Pine-Tree Island, at the village, was built about 1826 by Hamblin & Crofoot, and was included in the property sold by E. Tucker and Miles Strickland to Samuel Rogers in 1836. After that time it was used as a butter- tub factory for a time ; then returned to its original use. It is owned by Martin E. Aldrich.

The Plaster- and Feed-Mills of John Wait, located on the island below the iron bridges at Philadelphia village, were started in 1872 by the present owner, in a building erccted about 1851, by Henry Baxter, as a machine-shop. It was afterwards carried on as a flax-mill by Hamilton Childs, then became the property of John Cooper, from whose estate it was purchased by Mr. Wait.

Farnham's Tannery is on the easterly side of the river, at the village. Built in 1842, by James Shortt, from whom it was purchased by H. E. Farnham, the present owner. It is 45 by 82 fect in dimensions, and produces 6000 sides of leather yearly.

Potter's Cabinet Works occupy the building formerly used by Milo Shattuck as a clothiery, and both this and the wagon-shop adjoining receive their power from the canal constructed by Horace Ball for his fulling-mill, more than half a century ago.

Monroe Bros'. Suw-Mill, on the upper dam at the village, was built by William Strong, and after him was run by Bracket Ackerman. This establishment does a good business.

The Sterlingville Grist- Mill, and the saw-mill at the same place, were built, and are now owned, by Caleb Ess- ington, proprietor of the Sterlingville forge.

Of mills and manufactories which have existed in Phila-

* The old saw-mill built by the Townsends was at this time demol- ished and not rebuilt.

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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

delphia in times past, may be mentioned the foundry built by Aaron Baxter, and the machine-shop (iron-working), by Henry Baxter, both located on the island at the village, and both carried away by flood; the first saw-mill built by Wil- liam Strong, which stood near Farnham's tanncry, now deeayed and gone; and the old white saw-mill, a short nile below the village, on Indian river, upon or near the site of which Otis Brooks is now erecting a tub- and cheese-box- factory.

A saw-mill was built at Sterlingville as early as 1824, by Hamblin & Crofoot, for Edmund Tucker, but said to have been owned by Joseph Bonaparte. Another was built at the same place by James Sterling in 1836. No vestige of either is now remaining.

SCHOOLS.

The first school was that taught by Anna Comstoek, in 1810, in the frame dwelling which John Strickland had added to the block-house purchased by him from Thomas Townsend. Miss Comstock was also the first teacher of the school in the Quaker meeting-house, which was built in 1810, and used for school purposes until 1827. A few only of the teachers' names can be brought to memory. Mr. - Blaekman taught a short time in 1816, but soon bceame siek, and was succeeded by Elias Roberts. Miss Anna Striekland taught in 1818, and Samuel Rogers in the winter of 1821-22, for a compensation of $11 per month, he having a school of about 30 pupils. The first school districts, numbering from 1 to 4, inclusive, were laid off Sept. 28, 1822, by John Strickland, Jr., David Mosher, and James Bones, school commissioners. In that year the amount of school money received from the town eol- leetor was $13.56, and an equal amount was received from the county treasurer; total, $27.12. Distriets Nos. 1 and 3, however (the last named being the Quaker settlement), supported six months of teaching; district No. 2, three months; district 4 not being mentioned. Books then in usc, Introduction to English Reader, Webster's Spelling-Book, Comly's Grammar and Geography, Adams' Arithmetic.

Ten years later (1832) the report of the school eommis- sioners of Philadelphia (Hiram Hinman and David Tueker) to the State superintendent showed that the publie money for schools received from county treasurer was $60.80, and from the town collector, $51.64; total, $112.44; appor- tioned to distriets 1, 2, 3, 7, and 8, and joint districts 6 and 18; that the amount paid for teachers' wages, in addi- tion to the publie money, was $236.88 ; that the duration of teaching in the year averaged 8 months and 2 days ; that the number of children taught was 376; and that the school-books in use were Cobb's Spelling-Book, The English Reader, Adams', Rogers', and Daboll's Arith- metics, Murray's and Renshaw's Grammars, and Willett's Geography.

About 1835 a bitter controversy sprung up and continued for a long time concerning the management of the school on the eentre lot. On the one side were the trustces of the lot, backed by the Orthodox Quakers, and on the other a large part of the inhabitants outside of the sect. On the part of the latter it was charged that their children, although fully entitled to all the privileges of the school, were ejected

therefrom for no reasons save those of a sectarian character ; that they (the trustees) had misapplied funds arising from the rents ; that they had employed improper and incom- petent teachers, and (later on) that they had abandoned the school and converted the house into a dwelling, etc. The management retorted that no misapplication of the funds had been made, and that in any view of the ease they were accountable to the meeting, and to that body alone, for the faithful execution of their trust; that they had been unwarrantably interfered with by attempts to employ and in- stall objectionable teachers; and that as regarded the exelu- sion of children from the school, no seetarian discrimination had been made, nor had there becn any exclusion except for improper conduct, which, they more than intimated, was not only excused, but incited, by the parents themselves. These are but a few of the charges and recriminations of that controversy, a correct account of which, in all its phases, could hardly be given, even by one who was present to witness the quarrel, but which to the historian, who must gather the facts now, after the lapse of forty years, would be a task hopeless and impossible. These events resulted in the erection of a school-house by the distriet (No. 3), upon land donated by John F. Latimer, Esq., in 1837. This building was some years since remodeled into a dwell- ing, the same now occupied by Robert M. Cooper. Some years later (1851), Messrs. Sloeum and Townsend, for the Quakers, built a small frame school-house at a spot now a short distance south of the track of the R., W. & O. rail- road, on the road to the house of Aaron Child. It is now the dwelling of Elisha Rogers. A school was taught in this for some time, the objeet probably being to avoid the possibility of a reversion of the eentre lot to the heirs of Le Ray by reason of a failure to comply with the conditions upon which it was given.

The number of districts is now 10, and the number of schools 11, allowing for the two departments taught in dis- triet No. 3 (Philadelphia village), where a male and a female teacher are employed during the year, the former re- ceiving about $12 per week, and the latter $6.50. Higher salaries than these were formerly paid in this district. Here 3 terms are taught,-winter, spring, and fall,-aggregating about 38 weeks. The school-house is the old Quaker church, but the erection of a new building is in eontem- plation. In the other distriets of the town the yearly ag- gregate of terms seldom much execeds the required duration of 28 weeks. The teachers employed are nearly all females, who receive from $4 to $6 per week. The school officers are distriet trustees, one or three in each district, at their option.

The schools in Philadelphia village are now taught in the old (second) Quaker meeting-house, which, with about five acres of land,-the meeting-house lot,-was purchased by the district from the society in 1869, for about $1800. A part of this lot has since been sold, leaving about two aeres as a school lot. It is execedingly well located, and a new house will probably soon be erected on it.

The " Philadelphia Library" was formed Sept. 13, 1831, with Edmund Tucker, Alvah Murdock, Henry W. Mar- shall, Jocl Haworth, John F. Latimer, Samuel Rogers, Azel Danforth, Weeden Mosher, and John R. Taylor, trus-

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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

tees. It has not been kept up. The volumes remaining are in custody of John F. Latimer, Esq.

RELIGIOUS.

THE PHILADELPHIA CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

This church was formed of the old society of " the friends of Christian union in Philadelphia," reinforced by members of the Presbyterian church. The first entry upon their record is of a meeting of the friends of Christian union, held June 28, 1859, at the house of John Wait, at which An- drew Miller, John Wait, Lucius Smith, Bracket Acker- man, Francis D. York, William S. Nichols, and Nathan R. Whitney were elected trustces. Two days later another meeting was held, at which James W. Beers, James H. Cooper, and Cyrus Mosher were chosen a building com- mittee to raise subscriptions preliminary to the erection of a church, and it was also " voted to take the Wash- burn site at $75." On July 7, at a meeting, the committee reported $420 subscribed, and on July 14 it was again voted to take the Washburn site. The next entry is of date June 28, 1860, and shows that the church had been erected in the mean time, viz., " The regular yearly meet- ing of the friends of Christian union met in the Philadel- phia church," etc., the chair being taken by Rev. James Gregg, who continued to preach to them for some years.

On Wednesday, January 29, 1868, at a council of dele- gates from the Congregational churches of West Carthage, Lisbon, Richville, Antwerp, and Copenhagen, "for the purpose of reorganizing this church on the basis of the Congregational polity," it was "voted to receive this into the fellowship of Congregational churches." The persons taking the covenant, and subscribing to the confession of faith under this reorganization, were Rev. Josiah Newton, John Wait, L. J. Smith, Mrs. A. S. Newton, Frances Mur- dock, Sarah M. Smith, Edward Pitcher, Eliza Sprague, Mrs. H. H. York, and E. A. Scofield. Mr. Newton served them until Rev. A. B. Dilley became their pastor on June 1, 1873. He remained until July 2, 1874, when he was succeeded by Rev. N. F. Nickerson, who is still in charge. The present membership (1877) is 59; 23 males and 36 females. The house of worship of this congregation is on Antwerp street, near the centre of the village.

The Presbyterian church, which united with this after the reorganization on a Congregational basis, was itself a Congregational church, organized with thirteen members in 1841, by Rev. N. Dutton, of Champion, who continued as their minister for several years. The society was incor- porated under the general law, Feb. 8, 1841, with Nelson Ackert, Milo Shattuck, Abijah Ford, Peter Bethel, and Alvah Murdock, trustees. Before 1860 the church was changed to the Presbyterian form, and so remained until merged with the Congregationalist as mentioned. In the first year of their organization they had, in union with the Baptists, erected a church on Main street, in the village, costing $1600; and in this they worshiped until the fusion, when their interest in the edifice was purchased by the Baptists.

THE M. E. CHURCH OF PHILADELPHIA.

The first Methodist society in the town of Philadelphia

was formed March 9, 1838, the trustees being William Powell, George Sim, Theodore Cross, Charles R. Sweet, and Stephen Post. In the same year they erected a church building on William Powell's land, in the neighborhood known as Pogeland, near the town-line of Antwerp, in which some of the society resided. This organization con- tinued until 1867, when the few remaining members de- cided to sell their building and unite with the church at the village. The church at Philadelphia village was organ- ized in 1843, with Sterling Graves, Richard Crabb, Benja- min Allen, and Nelson Chadwick, trustees. Their house of worship was erected the same season upon the main road, at the southerly end of the village, on land purchased of Elizabeth Mosher. They met here for fifteen years, but in 1858 a large and most desirable lot (the present site) was purchased of Jesse Roberts upon the opposite side of the street, and to this the church was removed, enlarged, and rededicated. In the following year a parsonage was erected on the same lot. The estimated value of this church property is $4500.

The following are the ministers who have served the church, and the dates of their appointment : Rev. Elijah Smith, 1843; S. W. Thurston, 1845 ; L. D. Gibbs, 1846 (died in the charge) ; John R. Lewis, 1847 ; T. D. Sleeper, 1848; J. N. Brown, 1850; Wmn. H. Blanchard, 1851; Silas Slater, 1852; A. S. Nickerson, 1853; J. Penfield, 1855 ; C. Phelps, 1856 ; G. S. Watson, 1857 ; M. Thrasher, 1859; J. H. Burnett, 1861; A. F. Wheeler, 1863; A. M. Fradendurgh, 1865; S. C. Goodell, 1867 ; D. Simonds, 1869; H. O. Tilden, 1870; O. M. Witters, 1872; H. G. Miller, 1873; H. Hesselgrave, 1874; and S. F. Kenyon, 1877. The present trustees are Abel Wilson, Henry Hart, H. S. Houghton, A. W. Potter, and Theodore Con- way. The present membership is 119. The Sabbath- school is under the superintendence of Asa E. Macomber. The attendance is about 90.

A class of 29 members belonging to this charge worships in the Union church at Sterlingville.

ST. NICHOLAS CHURCH (CATHOLIC).

This church cdifice was built in 1838-39, on a site do- nated by Mr. La Farge, on Black creek, a short distance above Sterlingville. The cost of the building was about $800. The present priest in charge is Rey. Father Plunkett. The worshipers are numerous.

THE BAPTIST CHURCH OF PHILADELPHIA

was organized at the house of E. D. Woodward, in Phila- delphia, Nov. 5, 1840, with the following constituent members : William York, Heury York, Walter Colton, Nathan Frink, Henry Colton, E. D. Woodward, Sister Colton, Diana Baker, Mrs. Cloyse, and Laura Taylor. The organization was approved by a council from the churches of Watertown, Le Ray, Antwerp, and Antwerp and Fowler. Sermon on that occasion by Rev. Charles Clark, and of fellowship by Rev. Philander Persons; charge by Rev. Syl- vester Davis. A society (corporate) was formed Dec. 14, 1840, with E. D. Woodward, Elias Roberts, Walter Colton, Jesse Smith, and Henry York, trustees.

For a time they met for worship in a barn, then for a

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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

few months in the school-house, and then, in 1841, in union with the Congregationalists, they erected their present house on Main street; the cost being about $1600. They became sole owners, by purchase of the other party's in- terest, about 1868. The first pastor of this church was Rev. Ashbel Stevens, then came Rev. John Wilder ; and these have been succeeded by Revs. Chas. H. Havens, S. L. Bulas, J. F. Bishop, Henry Ward, Lorenzo Rice, Joseph B. Drummond, Charles Bailey, Elijah G. Blount, Loren G. Brown, and Henry Ward (a second term), their present pastor. The membership is now 73.

Auxiliary to the church is a flourishing Sabbath-school, now under the superintendeney of Dexter Allis.

THE FREE BAPTIST CHURCH OF PHILADELPHIA

was organized at the house of William Chadwick July 25, 1852, by a council of which Elder Samuel Hart was moderator and Elder M. H. Abbey clerk. The constituent members were William Chadwick, Irene Chadwick, Samson Hildreth, Lucinda Hildreth, Leland M. Smith, Lovina Bemas, Anson Chadwick, Angeline I. Chadwick, and Clarissa Eddy. For many years their meetings were held in the Whitney school-house, but they purchased, for $515, a half-interest in the Baptist church building, after the Presbyterians had withdrawn from its joint occupation with the Baptists. Each share in this property is now valued at $1000. Their first pastor was Elder Samuel Hart, whose successors in the desk have been Elders William Whitfield, J. W. Hills, - Johnson, J. J. Allen, B. F. Jefferson, William G. Willis, J. B. Collins, and Henry Ward, who still serves them.

THE UNION CHURCH EDIFICE

at Sterlingville was built by an association of citizens under the management of George Clark, Caleb Essington, and Thomas Delancey, trustees. The object in view was to provide a suitable place where Christians of any denomina- tion might meet for religious purposes, and this original intent has been adhered to. It has been used as required by Episcopalians, Universalists, Baptists, Methodists, Dis- ciples, and others. The two last named hold regular mect- ings there at the present time. It was completed in 1856 at a cost of $1800, the architect and builder being James Murray.

THE DISCIPLES' CHURCH.

The first meetings of this people were held in the town of Philadelphia soon after 1850; their first preachers being Revs. - Benedict, Oliphant, B. F. Bush, and others. The organization as a church was made about 1864, with 22 constituent members, under charge of Rev. - Parker, of Illinois, who remained in their service one year. Afterwards came Rev. Mr. Olin, Rev. John Hamilton, Rev. Mr. Good- rich, who remained only six months, and the present pastor, Rev. John Boggs, who came in the spring of 1877. Mect- ings for communion are held every Sabbath in the Union church at Sterlingville. Preaching in the same place once in four weeks. The present membership is about 50. A Union Sabbath-school, under the superintendency of Joseph Essington, is held weekly at the Union church.

THE OLD QUAKER GRAVE-YARD.

This ancient burial-ground, adjoining which the first Quaker meeting-house was afterwards erected, was com- menced in 1807 by the interment of the victims of the malignant fever of that year. Its first occupants were John Merrick and two children of Robert Comfort, but it is not known which of these was the earliest. Five or six persons attended the funerals, and Mr. Oliver Child recollects hear- ing mention of the circumstance that a man was sent to chop and clear a spot for the graves. The Quakers, by a rule of their sect, were forbidden to erect monuments, even of the most modest kind, over the departed, and for nearly a quar- ter of a century the rule was enforced in this ground, in regard to all, whether Friends or otherwise. The first stone erected herc was to the memory of Alanson Mosher, in 1831, after which the prohibition became a nullity. The first sexton, or person having charge of the ground (and of the meeting-house when built), was Stephen Roberts, and the office descended from him to his son Elias.

THE TOWN BURIAL-GROUND AT PHILADELPHIA VILLAGE.

It became apparent, after thirty years of use, that the Quaker ground would soon be inadequate to the require- ments of both Friends and townspeople, and, besides, the antagonism then recently developed in property and school matters had extended even to "God's acre." A town burial-place was needed, and negotiation was made for a spot adjoining the grave-yard of the Quakers, and being a part of their meeting-house tract. A deed for this was ex- ecuted February 15, 1840, to Miles Strickland, as supervisor of the town, by Joseph A. Child, Harmon Ackert, and Jacob Chase, trustees of the Le Ray monthly meeting, and Cadwallader Child, John Townsend, and Jason Merrick, " acting trustees of the estate and funds arising from a donation made by James D. Le Ray de Chaumont," etc., conveying forty five one-hundredths of an acre " for the purpose of a public burial-ground, agreeable to the statute in such cases made and provided." The first interment in this was of the wife of Jesse Smith. The area was small, and, after some years, an addition becanie necessary, and was laid out upon the northeasterly side. Few interments are now made, cither in this or in the Quaker ground.

THE PHILADELPHIA CEMETERY.

After about twenty years from its laying out, the town burial-ground seems to have come to be considered as insuf- ficient or inconvenient, for, at the annual town-mecting in 1859, William Allis, Seth Strickland, and Henry Wilson were appointed a committee "to procure a piece of land, not less than two acres, suitable for a public burial-ground, at some place within one mile of the village of Philadelphia, and present the account of the same to the town auditors." . . . Nothing was accomplished by this committee, and at the next annual meeting John F. Latimer, Charles D. Nims, and Thaddeus Scofield were appointed to procure such a lot, within two miles of the village, and they were authorized " to lay out a portion of said land into lots, and to sell the same." At the meeting in 1861 they reported in favor of a site on land of Seth Strickland, and that it

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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

eould be procured for $525, which was at once voted for the purpose.

The purchase, however, was not then consummated, Striekland demanding a higher price for the land; and it appears that the matter was thus held in abcyance for two years, for, at the annual meeting in 1863, it was resolved that a committee be appointed "to negotiate with Seth Strickland about his land, or to do any and all things ne- cessary to get a piece of land for a burying-ground, ... and to report at next meeting." In the mean time, however, the committee had found that the ground selected was wholly unfit for the purpose designed, being at times completely saturated with water. Accordingly, at the meeting in 1864, it was "resolved that the action of the committee be ap- proved in canceling the deed from Seth Strickland."

The Strickland negotiation being abandoned, a tract of about 4 acres was purchased of John H. Comstock, this being a part of the Thaddeus Scofield farm, and lying on the Sandy Hollow road, westerly from the village about 1} miles. A committee was appointed to lay out the cemetery " according to plan, and to sell and deed to purchasers 200 lots, at prices not less than $1.50, nor more than $5; and in no case to sell more than 2 lots to any one person." The cemetery gives general satisfaction, the main objection to it being that it must be approached over an exceedingly bad road. It is now the principal place of interment for the townspeople, and many transfers to it have been made from the old ground in the village.

THE BURIAL-GROUND NEAR STERLINGVILLE,

which was commenced, and is used chiefly by, inhabitants of that village and the neighboring region, lies just across the river, in the town of Le Ray. The ground-about one acre-was purchased of Aaron Comstock, in 1850. The first interment in it was of Aaron Bristol, in the early part of 1851. James Sterling, the originator of the works which made the village of Sterlingville, was buried here in 1863.

The burials of the Catholics have been made in their church-yard at Sterlingville; but as this proved a wet and unsuitable ground, they are now discontinued, and many transfers have been made from this to their ground at Carthage.

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History of Jefferson County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 119

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