History of Jefferson County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 128

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 128

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The population of Theresa in 1845 (the 1st State census after its erection) was 2109; in 1850, 2342; in 1855, 2278; in 1860, 2628; in 1865, 2515; in 1870, 2364; and in 1875, 2361 ; which is hardly an encouraging show- ing, being only an increase of 22 souls in the two decades extending from 1850 to 1870,-the last-named date being prior to the incorporation of the village.

AGRICULTURAL.

A stranger on first entering the town is likely to hold its agricultural capacities in low estimation. The portions, however, which join Philadelphia, Le Ray, and Orleans are good, while the reclaimed bottoms of the lower river (elsewhere mentioned) are very productive ; and even among the ledges and steep hills cattle find execllent pasture. Dairying, particularly the manufacture of cheese, is most in favor, and is found most profitable by farmers. Most of this is done by the factories. Of these there are in the 1

town at present 4, viz., one, of J. P. Douglass, taking the product of 350 cows, and three factorics belonging to Irwin C. Cooper, working the milk of 1100 cows. Besides these there are 4 Limburger cheese-factories,-Phillips', F. Park- cr's, Z. Pool's, and L. Barrett's, at Kelsey bridge, averaging 75 cows each. Total number of cows represented by the factories, 1750. Of those whose product goes to butter or to hand-made cheese, we have no statistics.

There is no Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry in Theresa, neither any agricultural society. The old society in Alexandria held its second (and last) fair at Theresa in 1839, and the present society in that town has its grounds -as are also the grounds of the Redwood Driving Park- just across the line in Theresa, though both are institutions pertaining especially to the village of Redwood, to which the grounds are immediately contiguous.

THE DROWNED LANDS ON INDIAN RIVER.

After making its last leap at Theresa Falls, the Indian river takes a long rest, and for many miles flows slowly, lazily, towards the St. Lawrence, making a descent of not more than two feet in the next sixteen miles of its winding course. All along its margin, until after it leaves the county, there are bottom lands, aggregating more than 3300 acres, which, when the white man first saw them, were covered with soft maple and elm, but which were not sub- merged, except in times of extraordinary high water. The additional flowage caused by the erection of the dam of the old Rossie smelting works, saturating, though not wholly overflowing the bottoms, gradually destroyed this growth, converted the lands into soft morasses, covered with coarse grass and button-bushes, and caused them to become gener- ally known as " the drowned lands." These tracts werc included in the sale of 24,230 acres, made Feb. 15, 1836, by the Antwerp Company to Samuel Stocking and Norris M. Woodruff, who proceeded to dispose of them in com- paratively small lots, and at low prices. Soon the project of draining the entire tract becaine agitated, and it was said in support of this that their condition was detrimental to the general health. The removal of a rock recf in the river above Rossie would accomplish the desired object (the smelting works having been already removed), and for the power to do this the legislature was petitioned. The result was the passage of an act ( April 10, 1850) conferring the desired power on Archibald Fisher, Abraham Morrow, and George W. Clark, as commissioners ; the cost of removal and damages resulting to be assessed on the lands drained. Nothing was done under this act, and a second was passed April 12, 1852, appointing Archibald Fisher, L. W. De Zeng, of Redwood, and A. P. Morse, of Hammond, com- missioners to carry on the work and cut away the recf to the depth of five feet. The hostility of Mr. Parrish again defeated the improvement, and for nearly 15 years more the river remained as it had been.

On the 3d of April, 1865, the legislature passed "an aet to provide for the promotion of the public health, and for draining and reelaining overflowed and wet lands adjoin- ing the Indian river," etc., and provided for assessments on the lands, to cover the total outlay, which was estimated at $6415, including damages for the destruction of the water-

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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

power of D. Parrish and Thomas McRobbie. David Bearup, Franklin Parker, and Charles Lum were appointed commissioners, under whom the work was prosecuted ; but the desired effect was not produced, although the river was lowered to some extent.

Under these circumstances the legislature was soon after- wards asked for a State appropriation for the improvement of the navigation of Indian river at this point; and in response to this petition a grant of $10,000 was made for that purpose, to be expended by Jason C. Morrow, Wilbur F. Porter, of Watertown, and Rodney I. Simonds, of Theresa. Under these gentlemen the work proceeded, but as, at the expiration of the term for which they were ap- pointed, they had expended only a portion of the funds, the balance remaining in their hands was deposited with the State treasurer, as required by the terms of the act; but it was soon discovered by those interested, that, having. been once returned to the treasury, this balance could not be redrawn by new commissioners for the completion of the work, except under the authority of further legislation. Accordingly, a new act was procured, investing George E. Yost, L. W. Tyler, and R. I. Simonds with authority, as commissioners, to draw the balance, and expend it upon the work, which they did in a manner and with a result satisfactory to the projectors, namely, a marvelous enhanee- ment of the productiveness of the " drowned lands." Wherever the plow has been put to them since their re- elamation, it has turned up a soil which is at first sight clayey and untractable, but which, upon exposure, becomes soft and friable, said to be much like the flats of the Mohawk; too rich for oats, but yielding great erops of wheat and corn, and apparently inexhaustible in its fertility. The opinion is freely advanced by some (and it does not seem to be wholly an absurd one) that, on asking legislation for the purpose above-named, the petitioners may have had in view other ends than the promotion of health or of inland navigation, and that the latter, instead of having been improved, las been permanently injured by the lowering of the river-bed.

NAVIGATION OF THE RIVER.

The first navigation of the Indian river in Theresa (other than that by scows and canoes propelled by hand power) was by the little steamer "Iudiant Chief," 70 feet in length, and 11 feet beam, side wheels; engineer and master, C. P. Ryther, now of Carthage. The enterprise was commenced by an association of individuals, each taking one share at $25, except J. A. Haddock who took 2 shares, and E. V. Fisher and George T. Brown, 4 shares each. The hull was built at Indian Landing below the mills at Theresa, was launched April 24, 1858, and had received her machinery and commenced running in the May following. On her start she drew 8 inches of water, and her draft when fully laden was 18 inches. She was run as an excursion boat, wood-drogher and tow-boat for logs, for about five years, then sold to Warren & Gray, who took her by land round the obstructions at Rossie, and placed hier to run between that place and Huevelton. They afterwards took her upon the St. Lawrence, where she was used as a ferry-boat between Morristown and Brockville, and in this service was worn out.

The second steamer on this river was a very small side-

wheeler purchased by Win. D. Chapman, upon the Eric canal, about 1860. He brought it by land transportation to Theresa, ran it for a time for excursions, etc., thien sold her to be taken to Alexandria Bay. The third steamer-a flat-boat, called the " Lady of the Lake "-was built at In- dian Landing, by Mr. Chapman, who also afterwards sold her to parties at Alexandria Bay, but reserved the engine, which he placed in another boat, built by himself at Theresa and called the "Sir John Keach." This boat is still run- ning between Theresa village and the plank-road bridge, 16 miles below, and is owned by Henry Simonds. The other boat, which is still running (and the 5th steamer which has plied on the river at this place), is the " Eldo- rado," built by David Bearnp, Esq., and run under his directions until 1876, when she was purchased by James McAllaster. She is the largest of the five boats which have run to and froui Theresa on the Indian river. Their trade has never been remunerative, and their future pros- peets here are not encouraging.

MILLS AND MANUFACTORIES.

There are several mills and manufacturing establishments in Theresa which merit more than a bare mention, some of which occupy the sites of older establishments of their kind which have passed away by the hand of time, or flood, or conflagration .*

Webster's planing-mill and wood-working shop stands on the site of Le Ray's mill of 1811. This was demolished and rebuilt by Le Ray about twelve years later; was sold to Percival Bullard in 1823, passed to M. B. and Stephen Ashley about 1830, and finally deeayed and was discon- tinued. Succeeded by wood-machine shop, built by Geo. Wilson ; burned in the fire of 1852; rebuilt by Wilson ; burnt in 1859; rebuilt by V. & A. Cooper; was twice carried away by floods, and, after more changes, came into possession of Otis Brooks and - - Jenkins, who sold to Charles Pool, the present owner. It is operated by Webster Bros.

Pool's saw-mill, south side of river, lower dam, was ereeted in 1848, by Z. Pool, Jr .; sold to Charles Pool in 1852 ; burnt in 1859; rebuilt by Pool same year. At one time, a planing-mill and chair-factory was carried on there. It is now only a saw- and shingle-mill.

The Empire flour-mill stands on the site of Le Ray's first grist-mill, before mentioned. The present stone mill was built by Charles Pool, the present owner, immediately after the destruction of his previous one on the same spot,

# Tho most disastrous fire which Theresa has ever known com- meneed at midnight on the 12th of May, 1859, at the mills and shops on the south side of the lower bridge, on which it crossed, to spread devastation on the north side of the river. The property destroyed was as follows: One barn and 2 dwellings (one of these being the " mill house" built by Le Ray in 1811, the first house in Theresa) : two saw-mills,-Pool's and Fisher's; one wood-working shop, owned by G. W. Flower ; G. Wilson's iron-working machine-shop; a saw- mill and foundry, owned by Willis Gregory ; Pool's grist-mill, stand- ing on tho site of the present mill, and the cloth-factory of John C. Collis. The bridge was totally destroyed. The foundry, now Wake- field's, escaped, as it had in 1852, when Wilson's mill and the wood- shop had been destroyed at only a few yards' distance. The great flood in the spring of 1863 also did great damage, carrying away the upper dam, the covered bridge, and other property.

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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

in the fire of 1859. It is equipped with four run of stones.

The chair-factory of A. N. Brittan, at the lower dam, left bank of river, stands on a site purchased by Peter H. Riley of M. B. and S. Ashley, on which, about 1845, he erected a frame blacksmith-shop, which escaped the fire of 1852, but was consumed in that of 1859. Rebuilt as tub and cheese-box factory by Geo. W. Flower ; passed from him to David Augsbury, then to A. N. Brittan ; again destroyed by fire in 1870, after which the owner crected the present works.

Wakefield's Foundry was built by George Wilson about 1848, and employed in the manufacture of stove and agri- cultural implement eastings. Standing like a salamander through the different fires which have scorched it, it has passed through various hands to those of its present owner, Ceylon Wakefield.

Collis' Cloth-Factory, north side of lower dam, is on the seat of the first fulling-mill, built by N. M. Flower about 1822. Flower sold a half-interest to John C. Collis about 1840. Weaving machinery was put in ; Collis bought the interest of Flower after his death ; the mill eseaped the fire of 1852; was destroyed, as has been seen, in 1859; was rebuilt, as at present, by Mr. Collis, to whose estate it now belongs.

Stock well's Tub-Factory and saw-mill, lower dam, north side, is the successor of the saw-mill built by A. Walton, Esq., soon after his settlement here. It was burnt in 1859, and rebuilt by Archibald Fisher ; passed by inheritance to Elbert V. Fisher ; part interest was acquired by Daniel Barnes, and the business of ehcese-box and butter-tub manu- facture added. The present proprietor is E. S. Stockwell.

Gregory's Foundry, destroyed by fire of 1859, was built by George Wilson in 1845 or '46. It stood on north side, lower dam, near the Collis factory.

The upper dam across Indian river at Theresa village was built by Anson Ranney about 1839. He also ereeted a saw-mill at that time, at its northieasterly end, which mill was kept in operation for a few years and then demolished. Its last proprietors were Hildreth & Woolidge.

The Indian river flour-mill, on the left bank of the river at this dam, is a frame building, erected in 1839 or '40 by A. Ranney, the millwright being Isaac Barrett. After Ranney, the next proprietor was A. D. Gardner, and it has passed through other hands to the present owners, Messrs. Snells & Makepeace. It uses 6 run of burrs, and is one of the finest mills in the county.

The Planing-mill, Door- and Sash-Factory, ctc., on the right bank at this dam, is the successor of a similar estab- lishment built by Brooks & Shelcy. The proprietor of the present works is E. D. Sheley, who ereeted them in 1876. A machine-shop (iron-working) has been recently added.

The above comprise all the establishments in the town of Theresa using water-power, except four saw-mills, as follows : The Secber saw-mill on Indian river, about 12 miles above the village, built by Wm. Seeber, about 1825, at a point farther up the river, destroyed by flood, rebuilt by Seeber on present site, and now owned by - Brittan ; the Soper saw-mill, on the outlet stream of the Lake of the Woods, built about 1830 by Lawrenee Goodale of Carthage, then

engaged in considerable lumbering operations in that region, afterwards sold to - Grinnell, and now owned by Or- ange Soper ; R. Gleason's mill, on a small, dry creek enter- ing the river in the northern point of the town, built about 1845 ; and the Suydam mill, between Mill-Site and But- terfield lakes, built by Curtis Mann before 1840, bought by the Redwood Iron Company, and, the power being again in disuse by reason of the collapse of that conecrn, the mill was recently rebuilt by the present proprietor, Mr. Suydam.

In the year 1847, the "Redwood Iron Company," com- posed of Joseph C. Budd, Wm. Bones, and Samuel T. Hooker, commeneed to build a smelting-furnace on great lot No 91, on the west side of Mill-Site lake, for the re- duction of iron ore, supplied by their mines in the vicinity. They started in the fall of 1848, and continued work until the spring of 1850, during which time they produced an aggregate of nearly 1100 tons of iron. The enterprise was then definitely abandoned as unprofitable. The cost of their works was about $8000.

INCORPORATION OF THERESA VILLAGE-ITS PRESENT BUSINESS.

The village of Theresa was incorporated, June 29, 1871, under the general act of April 20, 1870, for incorporation of villages. The first election was held on the 29th of July, resulting in the choice of the following officers : Presi- dent, George E. Yost; Trustees, John Parker, Ambrose Walradt, Gideon Snell, Sr. ; Treasurer, Hiram P. Salisbury ; Collector, Charles Fairbanks. And the trustees appointed Melvin E. Cornwell clerk. The sum of $75 was voted " to procure a Lock-up," and $25 "to procure a Pound." John Parker was appointed to employ a surveyor to survey and map the corporation, and this was done by George Rockwell. The boundaries are irregular, and embrace an area of about 1200 aeres. The present officers of the vil- lage arc, James Cooper, president ; L. W. Tyler, Jacob H. Snell, and Charles Brittan, trustees; Jason C. Morrow, treasurer ; Byron J. Worsley, collector.

Theresa is now a village of nearly 1000 inhabitants, and contains, in addition to the hotels, mills, and manufactories already mentioned, 3 churches, 2 school-houses, the post- office, the railway buildings, 1 banking-house, 2 physicians, 2 lawyers, a Masonic lodge and chapter, 1 job-printing of- fiee, 5 general stores, 3 groceries, 2 drug-stores, 1 boot- and shoe-store, 2 hardware-, 2 millinery-, and 3 furniture- stores, 2 blacksmith-shops, 2 harness- and saddlery-, and 2 wagon-shops, and the fishing-tackle manufactory of Wm. D. Chapman, said to be one of the most extensive and best known of the kind in the country.

THERESA LODGE, NO. 174, F. AND A. M.,

was organized Nov. 28, 1849, with the following officers, viz., John D. Davison, Master; John Moak, Senior War- den ; John Dillenbaek, Junior Warden; Alanson Doolittle, Treasurer ; J. B. Davison, Secretary ; A. Baker, S. D .; A. Morrow, J. D .; George W. Cornwell, Tyler; which list also comprises the names of all the original members of the lodge. The membership is now 161, and the present officers are Jesse D. Moak, Master ; John F. Lambie, S. W .; Charles W. Thompson, J. W .; Hiram P. Salisbury,

BANTA, PHOTO.

1. Lajost

NICHOLAS D. YOST.

The story of the life of this well-remembered citizen is one of humble beginning, of energetic and persistent effort, crowned by far more than the usual measure of worldly success ; the more to be admired and emulated because it was not gained by the surrender of any prin- ciple of right or probity, and was accompanied by the ap- preciation and respect of the wide community in which he was known. His father, William Yost, a native of Johnstown, Montgomery County, New York, was born on the 29th of August, 1779, and was married to Dorcas Doxtater, by which union were born four sons and seven daughters, in all eleven children, of whoin four are still living; one in Virginia, one in Michigan, one in Wis- consin, and one in Montgomery county, New York. Mr. Yost died in Johnstown, August 24, 1860; his widow survived him nearly five years, and departed March 3, 1865. Nicholas Doxtater Yost, the third son of these parents, was born on the 20th of November, 1808, in Johnstown, where he passed the years of his youth, and acquired suen rudiments of education as the common schools of that day afforded.

On the 13th of February, 1834, he was married to Magdalin Hanson, who now survives him. Through all the days of their journeying together, she proved to him a helpmeet indeed, and in her he fully realized the truth of the words of Solomon, "House and riches are the inheritance of fathers; but a prudent wife is from the Lord."

The children of their union were,-Mary E., born November 29, 1834, married Melvin E. Cornwall; George E., born April 7, 1838; William H., born Angust 13, 1840; Ann, born March 24, 1842, married Irvin C. Cooper ; Jennie, born September 2, 1845, married Calvin B. Still, and died February 1, 1871 ; and Ettie J., born November 13, 1852, married George P. Stone.

In March, 1837, Mr. Yost set out from Johnstown in a sleigh, with his wife, infant daughter, and honse- hold goods, all his worldly possessions, to drive through the wilderness to the farm of two hundred and fifty acres in Theresa (then Alexandria), upon which his later life was passed, the homestead now owned by his son William. Much of this property he cleared with his own hands. He was always industrious, and most strictly temperate, and when, after a time, he began to gather the pecuniary fruits of these virtues, he made small speculative transactions in the purchase of cattle and produce, or loaned his funds, without usury, to such as needed and deserved the assistance. From these modest ventures, which rapidly grew in magnitude, was realized his ample competenec. He died September 5, 1870, and was laid in the cemetery at Theresa, beneath a beautiful monument of granite, typical of the solid, practical judgment, the unyielding firmness and perse- verance, and the unshaken honesty, which won the for- tune and the good name that he left behind hin.

CHEESE FACTORY.

RESIDENCE OF J. P. DOUGLASS, TOWN OF THERESA, JEFFERSON CO., N. Y.

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IIISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

Treasurer ; Dorman Walradt, Secretary ; Pereival B. Salis- bury, S. D. ; Abraham M. Walradt, J. D .; Simeon P. Chapman, Tyler. The hall of the lodge is on Commercial street, Theresa village.

A lodge-the " Alexandria," No. 383-was formed in Theresa as early as 1824, but expired about 1828. The Masters of this were William Storm, Dr. J. D. Davison, and Archibald Fisher.

THERESA CHAPTER, NO. 149, R. A. M.,

was organized in January, 1854. The first officers were John D. Davison, H. P .; John Moak, K .; John C. Young, S. The membership is at present 99, and the officers are Jesse D. Moak, H. P .; William M. Lauibie, K. ; Alexander H. Cooper, S. ; Jeremiah R. Sturtevant, C. H .; Percival B. Salisbury, P. S .; Davis Ballard, M. 3d V .; Ceylon Wakefield, M. 2d V .; C. M. Fusk, M. 1st V.

CASSIOPIA LODGE, I. O. O. F.,

was formed at Plessis in April, 1847, and in December of the same year was removed to Theresa, but this is long since defunet.

YOST'S BANKING-HOUSE

is located on Comunereial street, in the village. It is a pri- vate institution established Jan. 1, 1872, by the present proprietor, George E. Yost. Cashier, Jason C. Morrow.

A weekly newspaper, the Theresa Chronicle (Demo- eratie), was eommeneed in this village Jan. 14, 1848, but died in the following July. The press was removed to Madrid, St. Lawrence county. No paper has been pub- lished in Theresa since that time.

THE BLACK RIVER AND MORRISTOWN RAILROAD,

which passes through the west part of the village of The- resa, was commenced in Sept., 1870, and opened for traffic from its southern terminus-Philadelphia-to this point Oct. 29, 1873, though the first train had arrived here Dee. 9, 1872. The first* and present president of the company, David Bearup, Esq.,-to whose perseverance and tireless energy the road owes its existence,-is a resident of this village. The company's agent here is E. V. Fisher. Theresa, like the other towns traversed by this road, issued bonds to aid its construetion. The amount of these was $60,000, for which the town received an equal amount of the stock of the road.

The most discouraging and expensive piece of work in the construction of the line was in Theresa, about one mile south of Redwood. It was the building of 1500 feet of embankment to a height of about 35 feet above the surface, on which a large force was kept at work for nearly three years, during which time, besides the gradual subsidence which was continually taking place, the bank repeatedly dropped below the surface after having been brought nearly to its contemplated height.

SCHOOLS.

The first school in Theresa-then part of Le Ray-was

taught by a Mrs. Castleman, in the summer of 1820, in the log house where she lived with her husband, on the west- erly corner of the forty-acre clearing which Captain John Hoover had garrisoned as a cattle-guard seven years before. She taught only the children of two or three neighboring settlers, and it was not, of course, a public school. The next school was taught by Miss Almira Barnes, at the house of Mrs. Keeler, at the Falls settlement. A third was taught at about the same time by Miss Abigail Salisbury (afterwards Mrs. Percival Bullard), at the house of Carley Smith, on the north side of the river, at the Falls.

The first building erected expressly for school purposes (probably in 1821) was a frame structure, which stood upon a site nearly opposite the present residence of D. Bearup, Esq. The first teacher in this was - Welch, next Freeman Phillips, and soon after Alexander Salisbury and Oshea Goss. The last named taught several terms. Among the surviving pupils of these teachers are Jeremialı Cheese- man, Alanson Cheeseman, Clifford Cheeseman, Jesse S. Doolittle, Miranda Bodman, Martin Bodman, Charles Wal- ton, of Alexandria Bay, and others. The books they used were " Cobb's Spelling-Book," " English Reader," and " Pike's Arithmetic."

By the first annual statement of the commissioners of common schools for Theresa, made April 5, 1842, it was shown that the number of entire school districts was seven, designated as follows, viz., Theresa village, Cheeseman Settlement, Parker Settlement, James Kelsey district, Glass tavern, Hodges tavern, and Keyes distriet, and that the number of joint districts was 11, viz., 3 with Alex- andria, 2 with Antwerp, 3 with Le Ray, and 3 with Phila- delphia ; that the total number of children was 624; that the amount of public school money received and appor- tioned to the districts was $385.07, -that is to say, $309.37 for teachers' wages, and $75.70 library money. The school commissioners for that year were Jesse S. Doo- little, Lodowiek Salisbury, Jr., and Jonathan Hokes. The books then in general use in these schools were " Cobb's Spelling-Book and Juvenile Reader," "Olney's Geography," " Kirkham's Grammar," "Rogers' Arithmetic," and the " English Reader."

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History of Jefferson County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 128

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