History of Jefferson County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 123

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 123

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Among the first to settle in this town were Samuel Porter and family, who experienced many hardships, being obliged to send to Whitesboro' to mill, a distance of nearly seventy miles, the journey being performed with an ox-tcam. It is said that straggling Indians infested the scttlements when new, and proved annoying by pilfering or openly plunder- ing the property of the settlers in the absence of the men at their work.

In 1803 there were but nine farms occupied in or near the Rutland Hollow road. The occupants were William Newton, John Cotes, John Eddy, Morgan Starks, Robert Adams, Stutely Weeks, and three men by the name of Maltby. There were but two familics settled between the Hollow and what is now Felt's Mills, namely, those of Elisha Veber and Jacob Fuller. At the latter place a very few settlers had located. Among those who settled in the north part of the town about this time were Richmond Howland and his brothers, Rufus and David, Jonathan Graves, Asa, Elisha, Elias, and Archibald Clark, Asaph Chase, Reuben Scott, David Wilcox, Enoch Eddy and family, and David Veber. Zelotus Harvey had previously settled on the farm now owned by Henry Orvis. He was for many years a very prominent and useful citizen of the town, as a teacher, magistrate, supervisor, and inspector of common schools.

Among the incidents that retarded the prosperity of many of the settlers of the town was the following : A man by the name of John Harris, having a contract to deliver spars at either Montreal or Quebec, bought all the nursery-pine on the Le Ray plains. Many of the settlers, thinking it a favorable opportunity to get a little ready money (an article very scarce in those days), contracted to deliver the spars on the banks of the river at $5 each. All, except Enoch Eddy and Asa Ness, who delivered 100, after delivering a part failed to fulfill their contracts, as it cost much more to deliver them than they were to receive. In floating the spars down Black river eleven men were drowned, and those who failed in their contracts were sued by Harris for damages. This reduced many of them to poverty.

The father of the present Ezekiel Andrus migrated from Utica to this town in the spring of 1800, bringing with him his family, which consisted of himself and nine chil- dren (his wife having died several years before). His con- veyance was a two-wheel cart, onc yoke of oxen, and a horse, -the horse carrying part of the time two and oftentimes three of the girls of the family on their way to the " Black River wilderness." One of the girls afterwards became the wife of Danford Earl, another of Warren Spaulding. A bark shanty sheltered the large family until a more com- modious dwelling could be provided. Four of the chidren are still living, the united ages of whom is 336 years, viz. : Ezekiel, 85 ; Elisha, 83; Mrs. Frederick Woodruff, 87; Uriah, 81.

Ezckicl Andrus is now the oldest living inhabitant, in point of priority of settlement, in Rutland, and among the very oldest in the county, having lived seventy-seven years consecutively in the same town. Allan and Gershom Tuttle came a few years later. Joseph Russell came " on a look" in 1800, and permanently in 1802, and located on what is now the Stebbins farm. He died recently at the age of ninety-six, and was for some years the oldest man in the town. Peter Thompson, now the oldest man living in town, was born in 1782, and came to Rutland in March, 1816.

Among other early settlers might be mentioned Asa Clark, who was born on the farm his father settled Decem- ber 10, 1806. Asa Clark, Sr., camne to the town in 1804, and brought his family from Vermont in 1806. He died in March, 1854. Elisha and Archibald Clark came in about the same time. Trustrin Frink, Andrew Middleton and his four sons, Robert, John, Andrew, and Samuel ; Renel Randall, father of John D. Randall ; L. D. Olney, James, Samuel, and John L. Wilson. In the central part of the town, Joseph Hopkins, father of Henry and grandfather of Henry T. Hopkins; Daniel Eames, C. P. Kimball, M.D., Alexander Warner, Robert Hardy, Andrew Dunlap, Wil- liam and David Howland, Asa Parkinson, father of Phin- eas and James Parkinson ; John Stebbins, father of Lyman Stebbins; Jocl Webb, father of Arnold Webb, who was born on the place upon which he now resides nearly three- score and ten years ago ; Eli Kellog, and Sylvester, his son, now proprictor of the hotel at Tylerville.

The pioneers of Rutland were mostly from the New England States, and were generally intelligent, robust, and industrious. They were distinguished for their sound common sense, their love of justice, and an admixture of singular Puritan simplicity, as seen by reference to their early religious records. They took an active part in the educational and moral development of their adopted resi- dence, and were in the main a capital class of people for the settlement of a new country. They were generally poor, but, being thrifty, they usually overcame the difficulties of their position ; and those who became permanent settlers got along nicely, financially and otherwise.

GEOLOGICAL AND NATURAL PHENOMENA.

There are several deeply-interesting geological features in this town, which are due to the latest, and, indeed, almost the last, of the agencies which have modified the earth's surface. Across the northern part of the town, nearly par- allel with Black river, and about two miles distant, is Rut- land Hollow, a remarkable valley, worn in the limestone, like the valley of a river, but entirely destitute of any run- ning stream that could have produced it. Near the middle is a marshy spot, from which the water flows off in both directions, and then appears to be continued across Water- town, Hounsfield, Adams, and Henderson, to the lake, although in some places interrupted and scarcely perceptible.

Along the edge of the terrace of limestone which under- lies the town, and at an elevation of nearly four hundred fect above the lake, is distinctly to be observed the trace of an ancient beach, proving that the lake once washed these bluffs, and covered the low country north and west. Both of these features in geology will be again noticed.

CHANCY D. HUNTINGTON

L. D. OLNEY.

MRS. L. D. OLNEY.

RESIDENCE OF L. D.OLNEY, RUTLAND, N. Y.

RESIDENCE OF CHAS C. HARDY, RUTLAND, NEW YORK.

497

HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

On the Dr. C. P. Kimball farm (now occupied by his son, Henry M. Kimball), near Burrville, is a remarkable copious spring, the same that is mentioned by the Rev. John Taylor, in an carly missionary tour through the country .*

In the newly-settled district embraced in townships 2 and 3 the men were mostly in the prime of life, fond of athletic games, and, at their gatherings, would often indulge in amusements that are now nearly obsolete. Among these, wrestling at " square hold" was csteemed as a sport that afforded the fairest test of personal strength and agility, and a successful wrestler would, in those days, acquire dis- tinction wholly unknown at present. On a certain occasion, about 1803, a bet had been made by a No. 1 man " that his town (Rutland) could throw everything in No. 2" (Watertown); and as this challenge was too direct to be evadcd, about a hundred men assembled, by appointment, at G. Tuttle's, in the edge of Rutland, to settle the ques- tion, the victors, besides the consolation of beating their adversaries, being promised all they could eat and drink. After various preliminaries and much discussion, it was agreed that each town should choose a man, and that they would abide by the result of this single contest. David Coffeen was chosen by No. 3, and Turner by No. 2, but after a long trial neither succeeded, and night put an end to the contest. The parties separated, with the agreement that they should settle the question when they next met, which accidentally happened some days after, and the ques- tion of supremacy was decided in favor of Rutland.

There does not appear to have been any action taken by the town at their annual meetings during the War of 1812 with reference to drafting or enlisting men; but many volunteers and drafted men from the town served in the army. A company of Silver Grays, consisting of about forty, mostly Revolutionary soldiers, whosc age exempted them from militia service, was organized under Timothy Tamblin as captain, and Levi Butterfield as lieutenant. They were at Sacket's Harbor for several weeks, and erected near the site of Madison barracks a defense, which was namcd Fort Volunteer.

Judge Ethel Bronson continued in the agency of his brother's estates in this country till his death in 1825, and in September, Major George White, an active and prominent citizen, who had lived in town almost since its first settle- ment, was appointed, and continued till the lands were sold and accounts settled with the proprietor. On the 13th of April, 1846, the last of the lands were sold, it being an island near the village of Black River. Most of the settlers enumerated in the previous list came in and commenced improvements immediately.

FIRST BIRTH-FIRST DEATH.

The first child born in the town of Rutland was Harriet, daughter of Charles and Lois Kelsey. She became the wife of Alfred Pardee, who eventually settled at the bend of the river, in Champion. Towards the close of her life she became partially deranged, and finally committed suicide by drowning in Black river in the spring of 1863. The first twin children born in town were Robert and William

Middleton, sons of John Middleton. Robert died at Felt's Mills ; William is still living.

The first death was that of Relicf, wife of Francis Torme, who was killed by lightning, Aug. 16, 1804.

The first physician was Dr. Hugh Henderson, who com- menced practice in the town and vicinity as early as 1802.

THE FIRST INN-FIRST MILL.

There is a question as to whether Dr. Hugh Henderson or Levi Butterfield opened the first tavern. But as the records show that the town-meetings were held at the house of the latter in 1803, '5, and '6, it is probable he opened the first public-house, now generally called Rutland Centre. The county map of Burr gives the name of this place as " Brooksville," from Curtis G. Brooks, an early and promi- nent settler, but it has never been known by this name among the inhabitants.

The first grist-mill in the town and county was erected in the year 1800 by David Coffeen, who had received a gift of ten acres (to be confirmed when the mill was finished) at the present village of Felt's Mills and on Mill creek, near its mouth. This primitive mill was indeed rude and hum- ble, but very useful for the settlements throughout the county. It was put in operation in March, 1801, and was resorted to from great distances. The millwright was Samuel Parker, and the first pair of mill-stones were made from bowlders of gnciss, found in the vicinity. This mill opened a new era in the business of milling, which had been previously accomplished by pounding in stump-mortars rudely scooped out.

The first saw-mill in town was crected at Felt's Mills in 1801. About the same time the first frame house in town, and one of the very first in the county, was erected by Wolcott Hubbell, on the lot known as the Jacob Tooker lot, now owned by Wn. Roberts, and situated nearly oppo- site Felt's Mills school-house. The remnant of the old structure is now used as a barn.

INCIDENTS.

An event in the early history of the town that caused much sympathy was the death of Avery Worden. On the afternoon of the 26th of February, 1810, the first school exhibition held in the town of Rutland was given at Heath's tavern, Rutland Centre. The school was taught by Charles Dayan, afterwards a prominent citizen of Lewis county, member of congress, senator, ctc. It being something new, the house was crowded with spectators. Ezra Worden and his brother Avery, aged 12, started for home afoot about 6 P.M., the snow being fully five feet deep. The road between the turn west of O. Phillips' and the Hollow road had not been opened that winter. In passing over that part of the road at the top of the hill, Avery became so overcome with cold and weariness that he could go 110 farther. Ezra attempted to draw him through the snow,. but only succeeded in drawing him about one hundred rods, when, his strength failing, lic was obliged to leave him in order to obtain assistance. He proceeded to Benj. Wecks' house near the Hollow road, where he arrived between eleven and twelve o'clock. Mr. Weeks and Robert Sword put on their snow-shoes and went after Avery, whom they

# Documentary History of New York, vol. iii. p. 1144. 32

499

HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

found alive, but he died before he could be got to a house. Ezra became unconscious soon after arriving at Mr. Wceks', and remained so about twelve hours. He was frozen even worse than his brother, and only by superior endurance was his life saved.

In connection with the perils of the pioneer life, may here, perhaps not inappropriately, be noticed those of one who, at a later period, lived and died in this town. The events happened at an carly period and a distant locality, but the account will interest many who were personally acquainted with their heroine :

" Mrs. Elizabeth Parkinson, who died in Rutland, June 26, 1822, at the advanced age of 84, was a native of New Hampshire, having married for her first husband Mr. Peter Poor, and with him moved to the town of Bethcl, in the State of Maine. Here she was residing with her husband and two children in the year 1781, in the autumn of which year the savages came down upon that recent and defense- less settlement to seek for scalps and plunder.

"These savages were instigated to maurauding and mur- derous expeditions by the bounty offered by the British for scalps. They entered the house of Mrs. P., with two of her neighbors already captured and bound, and made inquiry for her husband, who was fortunately absent at the time. After having atc, plundcred, and rioted as they pleased, they went in quest of Mr. Poor, and without her knowledge found him, and on his refusing to become their prisoner shot him and took his scalp in their sacks. Mrs. P. fled from her house with her children, and waded the Androscoggin at as great a depth as she dared, in order to avoid being traced by the Indians, and at night lodged in the forest. Meanwhile, her husband had been discovered and taken up, and in the first house she dared approach she beheld his mutilated and bloody corpse. This was a heart-rending scene; and yet it was met with Christian fortitude. She was soon composed and sat down to her Bible, which she had not forgotten to take along with her, and opened the 46th Psalm, and when she came to the 10th verse she responded in her heart, 'I will be still.' She buried her husband, then took her children with her upon a horse and started for her friends. The road was, at best, only a foot-path, winding through a dense forest, over hills, and across bridgeless streams. The journey was made as fast as possible by day, and through the night she composed herself as well as she could, being compelled to lodge upon the ground, with no covering but the dense branches of the woods. There were beasts of prey to seek her life, and none to preserve and defend her but her Maker.

" She afterwards married Mr. William Parkinson, with whom she moved to Sharon, in this State. They were indigent in circumstances, and, as usual in new countries, Mrs. P. endured privations, and labored hard to assist her husband in maintaining the family. She earned some money by weaving, and on Saturday of each week would travel on foot five or eight miles with the articles she had woven, receive her pittance for the work, and return to her family. She afterwards removed to Rutland, where her husband soon died, and where she finally rests from her labors."*

CIVIL ORGANIZATION.

This town, embracing its present limits, or as designated in the original survey as township No. 3, of the Black River Tract, was taken from Watertown April 1, 1802. The first town-meeting was held at the house of David Cof- feen, and adjourned to the house of Levi Butterfield, at next meeting, March 7, 1803. The first town officers ehosen were: Henry Coffeen, Supervisor ; Jacob A. Wil- liams, Clerk ; Abel Sherman,f Zelotus Harvey, William Coffeen, Assessors ; Levi Heath, Solomon Thompson, Ger- shom Tuttle, Commissioners of Highways; Benjamin Eddy, Constable and Collector. In addition to the above there were chosen two pound-masters, three fence-viewers, twelve path-masters, three deer-reeves, six hog-reeves, and a com- mittee of three to settle accounts with Watertown.

Wolf bounties of $10 were offered in 1803, "7 '8, '14, and of $15 in 1805-6. Fox bounties of 50 cents in 1816, and of $1 in 1818. In 1811-12 a law was passed re- quiring Canada thistles to be cut "at the full moon, in June, July, and August," under a penalty of one dollar.

The list of supervisors from the organization of the town to the present comprises the following names : 1803, David Coffeen ; 1804-5, Clift French; 1806, Ethel Bronson (failed to qualify, and Perley Keyes appointed) ; 1807, Ze- lotus Harvey ; 1808, Hugh Henderson (at a special meeting in April, Ethel Bronson to fill vacancy) ; 1809-13, Judah Williams (in July, 1813, Jonathan Smiley to fill vacancy) ; 1814-20, Jonathan Smiley ; 1821-23, Ethel Bronson ; 1824-26, Amos Stebbins ; 1827-35, Joseph Graves ; 1836; John Felt; 1837-40, George White; 1841-42, Aaron W. Potter; 1843, Joseph Graves; 1844, David Howland; 1845, Gardner Towne; 1846-47, Merrill Coburn ; 1848-49, Asa

Clark, Jr .; 1850-52, Martin L. Graves ; 1853, John Sher- man ; 1854-55, Orlin Wheclock ; 1856-57, George W. Hazelton ; 1858-60, Andrew C. Middleton ; 1861-62, George Town; 1863, Asa Clark ; 1864-66, George W. Hazelton ; 1868, A. C. Middleton ; 1869-70, Samuel Frink ; 1871-72, William Southworth ; 1873-74, Harlan P. Dunlap ; 1875, William Southworth ; 1876-77, George W. Smith.

Previous to 1830 Justices of the Peace were appointed by the Governor and Council. We have not been able to ascertain who first received appointments, but among those who served as Justices were Zelotus Harvey, Daniel Eames, Perley Keyes, Ethel Bronson, Archibald Clark, Joseph Graves, Levi Hale, and Merrill Coburn.

The township officers elected at the annual town-meet- ing of the current year (1877) were as follows, namely, George H. Smith, Supervisor ; Byron J. Smith, Clerk ; Samuel Frink, Jackson Tamblin, Cyrus B. Gipson, John W. Beecher, Justices of the Peace; Silas Weller, D. W. Wheeler, Warren Johnson, Highway Commissioners; Wil- liam Southworth, Asa Clark, Henry T. Hopkins, E. Clem- ents (appointed), Town Auditors ; Samuel Frink, Daniel J. Eames, Eli Kellogg (appointed), Inspectors of Election

# From an extended obituary notice published in the New York Observer, December 10, 1842.

¡ Dr. Abel Sherman, the first sheriff, was born in Brimfield, Mass., and removed to Clinton, Oneida county, from whence, in 1802, he settled in Rutland, on the south road, where he subsequently lived and died.

PHOTO BY GENDRON

PHOTO. BY GENDRON.

- MRS. PETER POHL. -

RESIDENCE OF PETER POHL, RUTLAND, NEW YORK.

- PETER POHL. -

ASA PARKINSON.

MRS. ASA PARKINSON.

RESIDENCE OF P.C. & J. B. PARKINSON, RUTLAND, NEW YORK.

499

HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

Dist. No. 1; Arthur H. Tueker, Charles C. Hardy, Edmund MeOmber (appointed), Inspectors of Election Dist. No. 2; Charles C. Hardy, Collector ; Taleott Mer- vin, Orville Brown, Gardner Griswold, Commissioners of Exeise ; Stanley W. Brown, John C. Gipson, Robert C. Hardy, Matthew Parkinson, Constables ; Robert C. Hardy, Game Constable.

FELT'S MILLS.

The village of Felt's Mills was first settled in 1800. A grist-mill was commeneed that year, and finished the year following. The first grist brought to that mill was by William Hadsall, of Champion, and was so full of mill- stone grit that it was seareely fit to be eaten. This was the pioneer mill of Jefferson County, and the proprietor of the town gave David Coffeen, the miller, ten aeres of land as a reward for his enterprise in ereeting the same. The mill stood on the ereek, near where the lower bridge spans it. The dam was ereeted about eight rods south of the south bridge over the ereek ; and the water was conveyed through pine logs dug out, as there was no saw-mill to saw plank for a flume. In 1804 another mill was built farther down the creek. The first dam was abandoned and a new one con- structed, in order to obtain more water. This mill was built by Wolcott Hubbell. It had two run of stone,-one run was an Esopus, the other a Washington burr. The mill passed into the hands of Barnabus Eldridge, and from him to Barnabus and Omie La Grange. In 1813 the mill was purchased by John Felt, by whom it was eondueted until 1821, when he built dams aeross Black river, and erected the present stone mill. In 1822 the old mill was abandoned. The stone mill continued in the possession of John Felt until 1858, when it was sold to Charles H. Bart- lett. It has sinee been owned by different parties, among them William Griswold & Son, and is now the property of Samuel Manser, and operated by Edward MeDonald.

The first saw-mill was built in 1801, and passed through the same hands the grist-mill did, namely, John Felt and his predecessors. The original mill was torn down in 1818-19, and a new one was built on the same site, which, in 1828, passed into the hands of Jason Franeis; it has been demolished, and nothing stands in its place.

A carding-machine was built at an early day on the west side of the ereek. In 1813 it was owned by George Choat. George Oaks, Merrill Coburn, and William Usher were severally interested in the shop at different times. The building was washed away during the high water in 1862.

Mr. O. A. Felt, son of John Felt, from whom the village receives its name, thus diseourses on the primitive manu- facture of whisky :

" There used to be places where liquor was sold. John Felt started a distillery in 1813, and ran it almost uninterruptedly till the spring of 1833. Within a radius of two miles there has been within my recollection four distilleries, namely, those of John Felt, Ashbel Symonds, Jacob Fuller, and Elisha Yeomans, Jr., where liquid death and damnation was dealt out freely ; and whisky was a lawful tender here as much as cischols were at Chaumont. As an illustration, when the church near Francis' Corners, in Champion, was being built, quite a number paid their subscriptions in whisky."

The first merchant was Jenison Clark, who kept a small

assortment of goods; after him eame Willian Brown, who kept but few goods on his shelves. Since 1828 there have been stores up to the present time.

The first tavern was opened by Win. K., son of Levi Butterfield, one of the first settlers of the town of Rutland, in 1825.

The first school taught was in an old house which stood just below the present residence of J. C. Cross; it was con- tinued there until a house was built on the site occupied by the present sehool-house. It gave way to an octagonal stone school-house in 1832, which, in 1852, was torn down and the present school-house built. The school distriet in 1828 was divided, and a new distriet formed from this and parts of other distriets. It was the year that General Jackson was elected president, henee the name of Jackson school- house and the Jacksonville distriet. Among the early teachers were Jacob Fuller, Gardner Towne, John Felt, and Elijah Graves.

THE OLD ROCK.

" There was situated in the centre of the 'place on the green,' as it was ealled, a roek which was about eight feet over, nearly eireular in form. The north side rose perpen- dieularly from the ground about three feet, then slanted off southerly to the ground. The ' old roek' used to be the place of general resort, where the sports of the younger people were carried on, and where the elder people sinoked and told stories. The general elections were held in the month of April up to 1822. On that day the young men and boys used to gather in and play ball. They usually brought with them plenty of eggs, maple-sugar, and milk ; the distillery furnished the whisky with which they made egg-nog. So they used to drink egg-nog and play ball all day long,-and go home sober at night. The old men used to sit on the roek and keep tally."

In 1808, a bridge was built to the Island, and soon after another to the north bank, which was swept off in 1811. Several have been sinee construeted, and one, an iron bridge, was swept away in the freshet of 1873. Another iron bridge has sinee been built. The expense of bothi was about $10,000. In 1821, as before stated, a damı was built aeross the river. In 1823-4 a saw-mill was ereeted on the Island; and in 1842 another and larger one, lower down ; sinee which time, up to within a seore of years, a very extensive business in lumbering has been carried on at this place, from two to three millions of feet of pine lumber having been sent to market annually. The Pine Plains, which were immediately adjacent on the north bank of the river, furnished for many years the logs for supplying these mills, but this souree having been mostly exhausted, very little business in this line is now done.

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History of Jefferson County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 123

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