History of Jefferson County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 124

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 124

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Felt's Mills is a place of considerable business, having a variety of manufacturing interests, of which the principal one is the tannery of C. C. Veber. This business was established by a stock company incorporated in 1857. The original ineorporators were: Merrill Coburn, Martin L. Graves, Russell Wilmot. Le Roy Wood, Benjamin Crossett, aud Orlin Wheeloek. It remained under the control of a stock company for a few years, and then passed into the possession of Mr. Coburn, who in 1866 formed a copart- nership with C. C. Veber, under the firm-style of Coburn

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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

& Veber. In 1868 the former gentleman retired; since which time Mr. Veber has conducted the business alone. He employs on an average ten men, and the annual product of the establishment is 288,000 pounds of sole leather. The other manufacturing establishments are: cheese-box factory and saw-mill, owned and operated by H. Marshall ; pump-factory, by D. C. Wheeler; carriage-factory, by Charles Roberts ; cabinet-shop, blacksmithy, and grist-mill, owned by Samuel Manser, and conducted by Ed. McDonald.

The business interests of the village are represented by one general store, kept by Sam. C. Cross & Co., two gro- ceries, a hotel, of which F. L. Rockwood is proprietor, a post-office, with James M. Smiley as postmaster, an express office, and a depot of the Utica and Black River railroad. It has a neat and substantial Union church edifice and a good district school, a cemetery, and about three hundred inhabitants.

The " Felt's Mills Burying-Ground Association" was incorporated March 29, 1852, with the following officers : Henry W. Chapman, president ; O. A. Tooker, vice-presi- dent ; Elijah Graves, secretary ; Samuel Felt, treasurer ; Paschal P. Carpenter, sexton. The above, with Hugh and Joshua Roberts, also constituted the board of trustees. The association was incorporated under the Act of April 29, 1847, relating to rural cemetery associations. No organiza- tion has been kept up of late years.

THE POST-OFFICE

was established in 1824, and William Brown was appointed postmaster, but failed to qualify. Subsequently, Merrill Coburn was appointed. The mail was carried through from Watertown to Alexandria Bay one day and returned the next, making a tri-weekly mail. This was the first official recognition of Felt's Mills. Prior to this it was called Truckville, which name is still used by some of the older inhabitants. There are various reasons assigned for the assumption of the name, but that of Mr. O. A. Felt doubtless is correct. He says the name arose from the organization of a " Truck Company," which was formed to truck off worthless and indolent characters, but which was in reality a sort of humorous burlesque on the boys of " ye olden time."

Felt's Mills is pleasantly situated on Black river, about eight miles from Watertown, on the Utica and Black River railroad. It possesses an excellent water-power. By an act of April 1, 1841, the island here was taken from the town of Le Ray and annexed to Rutland, by which each town has a bridge to support.

TYLERVILLE

(South Rutland post-office) is situated iu a narrow val- ley, on Sandy creek, and at an early day it acquired some importance from its being the seat of a small woolen-factory, that was erected by

THE RUTLAND WOOLEN-MANUFACTURING COMPANY, formed September 25, 1811, with a capital of $25,000, and the following parties as signers of the articles, the first three being trustees : Ethel Bronson, Daniel Eames, Josiah Ty- ler, Thomas Hill, Abel Doolittle, Eber Ingalsbe, and John

Oaks. This factory was the first in the county, and it is claimed one of the very first in northern New York. On the 19th of September, 1817, the factory and machinery were sold to Daniel Eames for $400, the enterprise having failed of success soon after the close of the war on ac- count of the influx of British woolen goods. The build- ing was subsequently sold by Mr. Eames to Albert Boying- ton, and was by him used for a dwelling-house. The latter sold it to Dr. A. W. Porter, who rented it as a residence, and owned it until his death. His widow sold it to Ar- nold Webb, who used it as a tenant-house until 1875, when he disposed of it to the Kellogg Brothers, who con- verted it into a creamery, for which purpose it is still used. We have been thus explicit in bringing down the history of this old fabric, because its now venerable antiquity entitles it to historical notice.

A building for carding and spinning by water, and an- other for hand-looms, were built at this place in 1812, and got in operation the following winter. High prices were necessarily paid for wool, which embarrassed their opera- tions, and on the 13th of April, 1814, an act was passed allowing $5000 to be loaned from the State treasury to Ethel Bronson, in behalf of the company, security being given. All of these interests ceased about 1850, and the buildings were abandoned and torn down. This necessarily retarded the growth of the place.

Among the early settlers of Tylerville were those whose names appear above, Joel Webb, Erastus Lathrop, Na- thaniel Frink, Jonathan Smiley, and others. In 1805, Mr. Lathrop erected a grist-mill on the south side of the creek, and operated it up to about 1815. He was succeeded in the business by Joel Webb and Jonathan Smiley, who con- tinued operations until about 1821, when they disposed of the property to Frederick Tyler. He carried on general milling in the old structure about five years, when he de- molished it, and utilized such of the material as was of suf- ficient worth in the erection of another mill on the north side of the creek. About 1830 he sold the new mill to Elijah Holmes, who conducted the business for a decade or more, when it passed into the possession of Nathaniel Wads- worth, and he, about 1855, sold to Henry Andrews, who tore it down and built the present mill on the south side of the creek, which he continues to operate.

SAW-MILLS.

Contemporaneously with the erection of the old grist-mill, Nathaniel Frink built a saw-mill, which remained in the Frink family up to about 1830. It then passed into the possession of Giles and Harvey Doud. Those owning the mill since the Messrs. Doud disposed of it have been Henry Andrews, Homer Hecox, John Babcock, Even Evans, and Hiram Hadcock, the present owner.

THE FIRST STORE

was erected by Josiah Tyler (father of Lucy Ann Eames)' about 1810. He put in an assorted stock of general mer- chandise. He was succeeded by Frederick Tyler. The merchants since have been Messrs. McCue, Grinnel, and Lacey. After the closing-out of business by the latter firm no store was kept in the village until about 1840, when

C. POOR. D.E. DEXTER. BENT CHAIR STOCK FACTORY of BLACK RIVER, JEFFERSON CO., N.Y. POOR AND DEXTER, PROPRIETORS .

D. DEXTER AND

SON , MANUFACTURERS OF CANE AND WOOD SEAT CHAIRS. BLACK RIVER. JEFFERSON CO., N. Y.

DAVID DEXTER.

E. A. DEXTER

A.G. S. DEL

RESIDENCE of H.P. DUNLAP, RUTLAND, NEW YORK.

[CABINET WARE ROOMS.

W. S. WILCOX , CABINET WARE & UNDERTAKING WORKS, BLACK RIVER, JEFFERSON CO., N. Y .

501

HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

Simeon Oaks started a store, and continued actively engaged either as sole proprietor or senior partner until his death. The business is now conducted by his grandson.

The post-office was established here in 1820, and Calvin Chipman was the appointec. The present incumbent is J. B. Vischer. Tylerville now contains two general stores, one harness-shop, one blacksmithy, one creamery, a grist- mill, saw-mill, one hotel, post-office, two churches,-one Baptist and one Union,-a good public school, and about 100 inhabitants.

BLACK RIVER,*

locally known as Lockport, is a post village, pleasantly located on both sides of Black river, in Rutland and Le Ray. Improvements commenced here in 1806, by the erection of a saw-mill by Isaac and Harvey Cleveland. The mill being destroyed by the flood of 1807, was rebuilt the same season. In 1818 there was but one house on the Rutland side of the river. About 1815, Andrew Middle- ton and Christopher Poor erected a mill at some distance below the present village, where a branch of Black river issues from a subterranean passage, and affords a mill privi- lege. Francis Butterfield moved from Antwerp to Black River in 1826, and at that time there were but four fami- lies on the Rutland side of the river, namely, Bariah Pen- niman, Eli Penniman, Thomas Scott, and one other not now remembered. Francis Butterfield erected the first frame, in 1826. It was a primitive affair, 22 by 24 feet. In 1830 or 1831 he built the first hotel. In 1832 the first bridge across Black river was constructed, the expense being chiefly borne by Mr. Butterfield and Christopher Poor, many others contributing labor and material.

The post-office was established here about 1832, and Dr. Albert Parsons, a son-in-law of Mr. Butterfield, was ap- pointed the first postmaster. He held the office three or four years, and then Mr. Butterfield received the appoint- ment, which he held for about fifteen years.

The first store was put up by Levi, Francis, William K., and Philander Butterfield, four brothers, who carried on general merchandising, lumbering, etc.

The main feature of the place is its manufacturing interests, which are greatly facilitated by the excellent water- power obtained there. The principal establishment is that of

DAVID DEXTER & SON,}

proprietors of one of the oldest chair-factories in the State, having been established more than sixty years. The firm manufacture all kinds of chairs, and have acquired an ex- cellent reputation for the quality of their work. They have one of the best water-powers in northern New York, and their factory is supplied with all the modern improvements in machinery and general appointments.

POOR & DEXTER.

The above firm is composed of Christopher Poor and D. E. Dexter, both of whom are enterprising young men, and natives of Jefferson County. They are engaged in the

manufacture of bent work for chairs, tables, and coach-rims, being the successors to C. Poor. They commenced some three years ago with Marshall's Improved Patent Bending- Machine, a very ingenious and highly serviceable inven- tion, with which they are enabled to make the most diffi- cult bends in nearly every kind of timber with great pre- cision and certainty. Their works are located on the Island, in the town of Rutland. They are quite successful, and are constantly increasing the capacity of their works. They are prepared to do all kinds of work by sample, and in any quantity to suit customers.

W. S. WILCOX

is the proprietor of the coffin- and casket-works, which were established by him in 1849. He manufactures coffins, metallie cases, and caskets, and does a general retail trade in the undertaker's line. He furnishes all the necessary accoutrements for funerals, such as robes, shrouds, caps, etc.

DAIRY INTERESTS.

Rutland is one of the best dairying towns in the county, and is excelled by few in the State. It is situated on the summit of the Trenton limestone formation, and although to one entering it from Watertown it appears elevated, it is less so than the country farther east and south ; and one cause of its peculiar fitness for grazing is, doubtless, in the abundance and excellence of its springs of water.

Statistics at hand show that in 1875 Rutland produced 777,000 lbs. of cheese, and 183,200 lbs. of butter. From a careful personal estimate of the season's (1877) product, we can reasonably place the number of pounds of cheese at 1,000,000, and of butter, at 200,000. There are nearly 4500 cows owned and pastured within the limits of the town. The number of regular cheese-factories in Rutland is nine, and they are owned and operated by the following persons, namely, B. P. Smith, Thomas Maines, William Fuller, Henry C. Eames, Parkinson Brothers, Timothy Bailey, W. Case, David Hamblin, and H. M. Campbell. There are two regular creameries, operated by Kellogg Bros. and B. Hines, respectively. The former manufactured during the season (1877) about 25,000 lbs. of butter, of an excellent quality and delicious flavor ; the latter about 18,000. The products from private ereameries would probably reach nearly 200,000 lbs.

The reputation of the town for the production of an ex- cellent quality of butter and cheese is well sustained and richly deserved; and the exceptional good prices these products demand is, perhaps, the best criterion by which to judge of their merit.

TRAGEDY.

November 30, the inhabitants of Rutland and adjoin- ing towns were thrown into a state of the most intense excitement over the murder of an eleven-year-old daughter of Mr. A. Conklin, a well-known resident of Rutland. It appears that a young man named Frank Rettan had, for some cause, become angry at Sarah Conklin, the victim, and on the afternoon of the date above mentioned, as she was returning from school by way of the Humphrey woods, he waylaid her, and clubbed her to death. The youthful cul-

# See also under head of Le Ray.

t See illustration elsewhere in this work.

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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

prit was convicted, and senteneed to the penitentiary for life ; being then, we believe, about fifteen years of age.

RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES, ETC.

The subject of religion received early attention from the early settlers of Rutland. The first record we have in re- lation to religious matters is of a visit to the settlements in Jefferson County, by the Rev. James W. Woodward, in 1802. He collected $1 in Adams, 50 cents in Watertown, $3.47 in Rutland, $1.50 in Champion, and 25 cents in Brownville,-Rutland contributing more than all the other settlement combined. The records of religious societies in this town, generally, are not as full as might be desired.

THE RUTLAND BAPTIST CHURCHES.

The Baptists appear to have been the pioneers in religious services. As early at least as 1806, the Rev. Mr. Maltby held services in both North and South Rutland, and a great revival was the result of his labors. It is presumed that a society of this denomination was at that time organized, but there do not exist any definite data to determine this accurately. Meetings continued to be held in both parts of the town. They were held for North Rutland in Charles Fuller's barn, about 80 rods west of Elisha Clark's, in Rut- land Hollow. A church cdifice was erected near Deacon Fuller's on David Veber's land, in 1821. Martin E. Cook was the first preacher in the new church. Some of those who preceded him were Elders Wilkie, Morgan, and Card. Elder Palmer Cross preached in the church several years.

It appears that prosperity did not attend the early cfforts of the church, for we find that it disbanded, July 22, 1837, and that it was reorganized by a council on the 27th of September following, with 28 members. In June of the preceding year they had been received by the Black River Association, under the charge of Elder Alvah D. Freeman, who remained till September 14, 1839. In December, 1839, Justus Taylor succeeded, and May 7, 1840, was dis- missed. Elder Sardis Little began June 20, 1840, and continued till January 6, 1842. In the latter year, by a vote of the society, the North Rutland church was removed to the Great Bend, in the town of Champion, where it has since flourished. Some of the successors in the pastorate since Elder Little were Elders John Wilder, Sylvester Davis, D. D. Reed, Hartshorn, and Lorenzo Rice.

The " Baptist Society of South Rutland" was formed November 11, 1833, with James Brown, Stephen Brai- nard, and Milo Maltby, trustees. This society, in con- cert with the Methodists and Universalists, in 1843 erected a Union church, the only one in Tylerville, until 18-, when they built their present edifice, at a cost of about $5000, and transferred their interest in the Union house to the other two societies. The new Baptist church was erected in the summer of 1869, and dedicated in July, 1873; the dedicatory sermon was preached by Rev. L. E. Spafford. It is built of wood; is a neat and substantial building, and will comfortably seat about 350 persons. The lot was donated by Arnold Webb, and is a part of the Webb home- stead. The present membership of the church is 65; present Pastor, Rev. E. H. Lovett ; Deacons, Stephen Seamans and V. O. Brainard ; Clerk, Jesse Hopgood; Trustees, Welling-

ton, Brown, Jesse Hopgood, Franklin A. Oaks; Clerk of the board of Trustees, Arnold Webb.

There is a flourishing Sunday-school connected with the church, which has 46 scholars and 9 teachers, and of which O. V. Brainard is the superintendent.

A Baptist church was formed at Black River (Lockport), in 1837, and the next year joined the association and re- ported thirty-nine members. It never had a meeting-house, and has long since ceased to report.

THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

This religious organization was formed January 12, 1808, by the Rev. Wm. Lathrop, a missionary from Ver- mont, consisting of ten members, namely, David Tyler, Amos Mallory, Thomas Converse and wife, Samuel Porter and wife, and William Parkinson and wife. Amos Mal- lory and David Tyler were chosen the first deacons.

The "First Religious Society of Rutland" was formed Fcb. 8, 1808, and Ethel Bronson, Timothy Tamblin, John Read, Thomas Converse, and Ebenczer Hayward were elected trustees.

It may be mentioned, as indicative of the strict Puritan- ism of the early fathers of the church, that Amos Mallory was objected to for the office of deacon on account of not having a wife, a deficiency which is contrary to the letter of the law. We are not informed whether they required him to qualify for the office by complying with the Scrip- tural advice on this subject. The first prudential com- mittee was formed Oct. 26, 1815, consisting of David Tyler, Amos Mallory, Ethel Bronson, Jonas Bronson, Levi Hall, and Rev. Daniel Banks; the latter of whom became the first pastor, and was ordained over this church and that of Watertown, Oct. 26, 1815. Previous to him, the clergy had been, the Rev. Messrs. Lathrop, 1808, Enos Bliss, 1810, - Leavenworth, 1813. On January 20, 1824, the Rev. Adams W. Platt was ordained, and re- mained till July, 1829, when he dissolved his connection with the church. On the 24th of February, 1824, the church numbered 87 members, the total up to that time having been 116, of whom 23 had united by letter and 77 by profession. Of the latter, 30 joined in 1817, and 18 in 1822-23. On December 22, 1823, it was resolved to unite with the Presbytery, retaining the former plan of . government, but placing themselves under their watch and care. This was done Jan. 20, 1824.

In 1835, July 5, the Rev. David Spear was employed for a stated time; in 1838, Rev. Mr. Morton; and in 1839, Rev. J. H. Rice. November 25, 1841, the Rev. Hiram Doane was installed over the church. Rev. James Douglass, in September, 1850, was employed for one year, at the end of which time he left to fill a professorship to which he had been appointed, in Genesee College, Lima, New York. In his absence, the Rev. Henry Budge was employed for one year; and in May, 1853, Pro- fessor James Douglass, having resigned his chair in the college, received a unanimous call from the church society to become their pastor, and in September of the same year was ordained and installed over the church. His succes- sors have been Reverends Cheney, Bradnac, and Albert Lee, the present incumbent.

WM.D.MIDDLETON.

MRS. WM. D. MIDDLETON .

RESIDENCE OF WM. D. MIDDLETON, RUTLAND . NEW YORK .

RESIDENCE OF C. MIDDLETON, RUTLAND, N. Y.

503

HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

For a series of years meetings were held in a school- house, until the first church was erected opposite the resi- dence of Henry Hopkins. The old site was exchanged for a new one, upon which the present edifice was erected in 1841. It is of wood, with a belfry-tower in which there is a bell; it has a good instrument for the choir, and an ample session-room in the basement. The house will com- fortably seat about 300 persons. The present membership is about 50; congregation, 150. The church officers are Harland P. Dunlap and Francis Underwood, deacons ; Tal- cott Mervin, Harland P. Dunlap, George Hammond, Henry N. Kimball, and W. A. Winslow, trustees. There is a flourishing Sunday-school connected with the church, num- bering about 100 teachers and scholars, and a library of 500 volumes. The present superintendent is Henry T. Hopkins.

BLACK RIVER CIRCUIT.

In order to give a succinct and elaborate history of the Methodist Episcopal church in the town of Rutland, it will be necessary to include a portion at least of the history of the Black River Circuit, which is now entirely included within the towns of Rutland and Le Ray. Particularly is this requisite, as the old Rutland Hollow appointment is the oldest within the circuit, and one of the most ancient in the county. It was originally organized in 1821, under the name of " Le Ray Circuit," and was then, with all the territory of northern New York, " Black River District," and within Genesee Annual Conference.

The first records of the circuit now in existence were made at a Quarterly Conference held in Pamelia, Sept. 22, 1821, of which R. M. Evarts was Presiding Elder, and Israel Chamberlayne and Josiah Keyes were the Circuit Preachers. The latter failed in health in December of that year, and Hezekiah Field, then a local preacher, was ap- pointed in his stead. The first Quarterly Conference. con- sistcd of the above, and Robert Middleton, Local Preacher ; Andrew Middleton and John Townsend, Exhorters ; John Parish, John Wilson, Elkanah Corbin, Philip Sunbury, and Wm. Taggart, Class-Leaders ; Wilson Pennock, Jesse Holmes, Lyman Ackerman, and Patrick S. Stewart, Cir- euit Stewards.

In territory the circuit then embraced all within its present bounds, together with all of what is now Brown- ville, Pillar Point, Point Peninsula, Cape Vincent, St. Lawrence, Clayton, Depanville, La Fargeville, Pamelia, Philadelphia, Carthage, Natural Bridge, Copenhagen, and Champion, and had within its bonnds twenty-three appoint- ments.

It does not appear that there was but a single church, as there is no mention made of any other, and that one was just rebuilt after having been burned, which is still stand- ing and in good repair in Rutland Hollow, and is one of the regular preaching-places in the present Black River Circuit. As trustees of church property were not then members of the Quarterly Conference, no record of the ex- istence of any of sneh officers appears until Ang. 22, 1822, when John Parish, John Gould, John Angsbury, Jesse Holmes, Robert Middleton, and P. S. Stewart were ap- pointed " trustees to receive a deed of a lot of land from Bro. Gould for a parsonage house." This " lot of land"

was somewhere in the town of Pamelia, but just where does not appear. . . . During the early years of this circuit the Quarterly meetings were held once in a year at the " Rnt- land Hollow meeting-house," but at other times in the woods and groves when the weather and the season would permit. . . . This eireuit was the pioneer in its recognition and adoption of the various institutions of the M. E. church. In 1827 the Quarterly Conference resolved, " That they feel it their duty to promote the interests of our Traet and Sunday-school societies by every consistent means in their power," and in March, 1828, the same body " formed themselves into a Sunday-school society auxiliary to the Sunday-School Union of the M. E. church," and ap- pointed a full board of officers, as follows: N. Salsbury, P. E., president; H. Field, L. P., vice-president ; Ralph Clapp, secretary and treasurer; Gardner Baker, preacher in charge; Wilson Pennock, P. S. Steward, Elijah Smith, Silas F. Spicer, Josepli Graves, Samuel Gilbert, J. Hemingway, Elisha Clark, W. II. Hodgkin, Thomas Potter, and Benja- min Walts, managers. The following is the list of preach- ers appointed on the original Le Ray Circuit, the Le Ray and Watertown Circuit, the Le Ray and Carthage Circuit (as in 1829-30), and now, since 1849, Black River Cir- cuit :*

Israel Chamberlayne and Josiah Keyes; Isaac Smith and Benjamin Deighton ; Enoch Barnes and Chandler Lambert ; John Escamback and James Lowdon ; James Brown and J. Escamback ; N. Salsbury and Gardner Baker (the same also in 1827) ; J. H. Hawley, David II. Kingsley, Jesse Penfield, James Brown (the last four sup- posed to have been assisted by local preachers, as no juniors are given) ; D. H. Kingsley and Robert Middleton ; Lewis Whitcomb and D. W. Bristol; Enoch Barnes and Ross Clark; James Irving and A. J. Phelps; W. D. Moore and B. Deighton ; N. Salsbury and Friend Freeman ; N. Sals- bury and Jesse Penfield (failed in health and was succeeded by Morenas Thrasher) ; Jesse Penfield and John Thomp- son ; Nathan R. Peck and W. W. Ward (same iu 1842) ; Samuel Orvis and Isaac S. Bingham ; A. E. Munson and John F. Dagan ; Stephen F. Fenton and John F. Dagan ; S. F. Fenton and T. W. Thompson ; Alban M. Smith (1847-48); Henry O. Tilden (same in 1850); Isaac Hall (in 1851-52); Ebenezer Arnold, S. Hitchcock, Royal Houghton (1855-56); Oliver P. Pitcher (2 years) ; J. C. Killane (2 years), H. O. Tilden (2 years), Enos E. Kel- logg (3 years), Moses Lyon (2 years), Joseph H. Lamb (2 years), Loranus C. Corbin (3 years), Benjamin F. Wood (3 years), I. S. Bingham, W. M. Holbrook, the present incumbent.

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History of Jefferson County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 124

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