History of Jefferson County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 132

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 132

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In order to make the proportions of the proprietors of the Black River Tract equal, he eastern portion of the town of Worth was divided among them. Rcekoning from north to south, these traets were, Harrison and Hoffman, 1283 ; Henderson, 649; Low, 1576; William Constable, 947 ; the remainder to Harrison and Hoffman, 22,004 acres. A portion of these lands are in what is known as the "mile strip," an unlotted tract a mile wide, extending along the eastern side of the town. In the northwestern part of the town Daniel McCormick and Charles Smith made purchases, which afterwards became the centre of the first settlement. Abel French, an active and prominent

agent of MeCormick and Smith, secured the services of Joseph Crary to make the first surveys in November, 1801, and May, 1802. The town was only partly surveyed, and subsequently was lotted in such a way that several duplicate numbers oecur, which has oceasioned some trouble. French was also instrumental in the formation of the first settlement. Passing through Herkimer county, from his home at Den- mark, he succeeded in indueing a company of citizens, residing at Litchfield, to purchase, in common, a large tract in this town. Timothy Greenly, Joseph Wilcox, and Elihu Gillet were appointed a committee to visit the tract and report upon the advisability of making a purchase upon the proposed basis. Their report being favorable, a contract was concluded, July 22, by which they agreed to pay French, as the representative of McCormick and Smith, $7622 for the northwest quarter of the town. Afterwards a deed was executed to them, in trust, for themselves and their associates, and a mortgage given. The tract was divided into lots (it comprised the nine great lots in tlie northwest corner), and drawn by ballot by the company, who paid over money as they might be able to their com- mittee, and received bonds for the delivery of deeds when the purchase-money should have enabled them to produce a clear title. Besides the committee mentioned, the com- pany consisted of Asaph Case, Leonard Bullock, W. Flower, Eli Gillet, Lodwick Edwards, John Griswold, Ezekiel Chever, Phineas Rose, Joel Caulkins, Abram Ford, Nathan Matson, Asa Sweet, John Pinear, Phineas Stevens, Elijah and David Richmond, John and William Sagas, John Houghtailing, and perhaps a few others, all from Herkimer county, and mostly natives of Connecticut.

Among the first to scttle in the town were Asaph Case and Leonard Bullock. They came in the fall of 1802, and settled on lots 7 and 8, some of their families residing there at the present time. The latter had three children-Electa, Alanson, and Charlotte-on coming to Worth, and had nine more born to him. Of the twelve, eleven grew to mature years, but only four have survived to the present,-two sons, Leonard and Hiram, and two daughters, Juliette and Esther. Leonard Bulloek was born in 1817, and has resided upon the farm taken by his father sixty years con- tinuously. Contemporary with the Case and Bullock families was that of Elisha Gillet, one of the company's committce. Of the Gillet family, David, George, Elihu, Alanson, and Mrs. Leonard Bullock are yet citizens of Jefferson County. Mr. Bullock's first house was built entirely of logs. There was no floor, door, or window in any part of it. The roof was made of hollow basswood logs, split, and so laid that every alternate one formed a trough to carry away the water. A blanket hung up served

532

LEVI WILCOX.

MRS. LEVI WILCOX .

RESIDENCE OF LEVI WILCOX, WORTHVILLE, N. Y.

MRS. LEONARD BULLOCK

LEONARD BULLOCK.

RESIDENCE OF LEONARD BULLOCK, WORTH , N. Y.

533

HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

for a door, and the earth, smoothed down and covered with leaves, served for a floor. A large Dutch chimney supplied a place where they might cook their scanty meals. The following year Joseph Wilcox came, by way of Redfield, making the journey, in the month of March, with an ox- team hitched to a sled. There were no roads nor bridges, and their only guides were blazed trees. Reaching the Sandy creek, then swollen by a recent freshet, they were at a loss how to cross it. But the strong native sense of the true pioneer is equal to any emergeney. A tree was felled across the stream, so as to forin a foot-bridge, over which the load was carried piece by piece; the oxen were then urged into the stream and swam across, carrying the sled with them; and then a bed-cord was fastened in turn around the neeks of their three hogs, and these, too, were safely piloted across, although it was at first feared that they had met a fate similar to that which had befallen the swine of the Gadarenes, when the common eneiny of man had taken refuge in them. Upon reaching the spot selected for his home, Mr. Wilcox erected a log house, which had a puncheon floor, bark roof, and for a window a sheet of paper, oiled so as to admit the light. It had a chamber floor, too, but, as it was made of elm bark, the utmost caution was required in the movements of the occupants. The winter winds, too, would sometimes ruthlessly take away a portion of the roof, admitting the snow to the depth of several inches, so that it was not uncommon to be obliged to shovel away the snow before those in bed could descend to the room below.

Sterling Wilcox, then a lad of fifteen, came with his father, and for seventy odd years has lived near the spot where they first broke the quietude of the forest. He served in the War of 1812, and has always been an active, useful citizen. Nearly all the others of the Litchfield company came in 1803, working their way to their destination with great difficulty. After this was reached, their labors and trials were by no means ended. Living remote from the settlements below, they had no roads except wood-paths, and no veliieles but drags formed from the crotch of a tree and drawn by oxen. However, the settlements grew apace and had attained respectable proportions, when the war broke out and filled the country with alarm. Many de- serted their homes and went back to their native places. Several cold seasons followed, causing others, who had braved the terrors of war, to follow, until the settlements were al- most depopulated. Then the mortgages were foreclosed, bringing hardships upon those who remained ; for all had, by the terms of the contract, made themselves liable for the failure of one, and much of the land reverted to the pro- prietors.

From this time until 1828 the history of the town is uneventful, and in 1830 it was yet comparatively new and unsettled, as will be seen from a list of the names of those then residing in Worth : Joseph Wileox and his son, Sterl- ing; Daniel Wilcox ; Asaph, Abel, and John Case; E. West, John Russell, Chester Bushnell, Andrew W. Craig, John Wilson, Paul Pryor, Peter Wakefield, Joseph H. and Venus C. Rising, Joseph Totten, James Potter, Zadoe Hale, Henry, Erastus, and Richard Lyon ; Leonard and Alanson Bullock, Joel Overton, Boomer K , Charles, and

Lyman Jenks ; William, Simeon, and James Houghtailing; Eli, Elihu, David, and George Gillet ; Leonard Parker, Daniel and Joseph Caulkins, and Nathan Matoon. Among those who came to Worth this year was Albert S. Gillet. He at onee identified himself with the town, and he, as well as his brother Lorenzo P., are well known in Worth's his- tory. The organization of the town in 1848 gave it all- other impetus, which resulted in the formation of settlements in the central and south western portions.

MILLS AND FACTORIES.

The manufacturing interests of Worth are limited chiefly to saw-mills. The first attempt to build one was made by Leonard Bullock, about 1808, on the Saudy creek, on lot 7. The work had progressed as far as the raising of the frame, when a foreclosure on the land of one of the com- pany obliged him to postpone it. The building was never completed. In 1810, Joshua Miles built a saw- and grist- mill under one roof, on the Sandy ereck east of the Corner. Miles selected his millstones from the roeks in the woods, and very ingeniously constructed a mill with the few simple tools at his command. He operated the mills five or six years, then sold to Timothy Greenly, who, in turn, sold them to Abner Rising. They remained the property of the Rising family while in use. The grist-mill was for a long time the only one in the town, and until it was built the settlers had to carry their grain to Adams or Whites- ville, which usually took two days.

A saw-mill was next built, about 1816, by Joseph Wilcox and Green Kellogg, near the Corners, and on the site of the present grist-mill. To ereet the latter, a company was formed in 1856, composed of A. S. Gillet, L. P. Gillet, Abel Case, Sterling Wilcox, Leonard Parker, Horace R .. Chafin, and Boomer K. Jenks, who bought the mill-site of John Henderson, and offered it, together with a cash bounty, to Pealer and Fox, who erected the mill in 1860. It is a two-story frame, has two run of stone, and is capa- ble of doing fair work. S. B. Kellogg is the present pro- prietor of both mills.

In 1857, a saw-mill was erected just below the first mill by Abel Case. This has been remodeled and enlarged, and is now a first-class mill, having cireular and upright saws, a planer, matcher, and lath-saws. A. S. Gillet owns and operates this mill, whose capacity in times of fair water is ten thousand feet per day.

The Gardner brothers built a mill on the site of an old wood-turning establishment, a short distance up the ereck, about 1850. For many years it was known as the Tueker mill, and at present is the property of a Mr. Spear. In the neighborhood of this, Henry Prouty, in 1863, erected a very good saw-mill, which is at present supplied with a shingle-machine, and turns of a large amount of work.

The Worth Centre mill was built by E. Cornell, about 1862, and is the most extensive in the town. Vast quan- tities of lumber are manufactured annually, and nearly every grade can be supplied. Employment is given to ten hands, and the establishment is, in every sense, first-class for this region.

Other mills had been built on the Abijah ereek, by William Houghtailing and J. M. Aekley. The former,

534

HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

while the property of Brown & Haddock, was destroyed by fire. The latter has been out of use for many years.

A cheesc-factory was built at Worthville, in 1867, by a stock company, at a cost of $4000. The company con- sisted of Leonard Bulloek, Levi Wileox, C. C. Moore, B. B. Brown, and J. H. Rising. The factory was operated by them a year, then sold to Abel Bigford, who has leased it to A. MeNeal, the present operator. Lueius Mandigould started a factory in the western part of the town, in 1870, but it was soon discontinued.

SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES.

About 1807 the first distriet school in Worth was taught in Asaph Case's barn, by a Mrs. Nobles. Her husband died in the town, and she moved to the west. She had ten or twelve pupils from the Case, Russell, and other families. In the winter of 1808, Ruel Canfield taught a school in a part of Timothy Greenly's house, in Rodman, near the " corners." Miss Betsey Bugbee taught a school in a log house, a few years later, in what is now known as district No. 2. She was carried to and from her duties by an ox- team hitched to a sled. About this time a log house for school purposes was erected at the " corners." This was supplanted by other small log and frame houses, where A. S. Gillet taught for a number of years, about 1830.

In 1845 the present structure, a frame, was built. There are six distriets in the town provided with respectable build- ings. The one at Worth Centre is especially neat, and re- markable for its generous proportions. In 1876, the pub- lie money apportioned to Worth for the support of schools amounted to $552.31.

RELIGIOUS.

At an early day the Methodists held religious services in the town, and organized a class which has had a strug- gling existenee until the present. The membership is thirty-one, and there is no regular leader. Weekly ser- viees are held in the Union church in connection with the Lorraine charge.

The Protestant Methodists have religious services at stated times at Worth Centre, but they have no regular or ganization. The Baptists and other denominations also have occasional services.

The " Worthville Union church" is the only house of public worship in the town. It was erected by a eommit- tee appointed for this purpose, composed of Leonard Bul- loek, Levi Wileox, and L. D. Munroe, in 1875. It is a frame with a very attractive exterior, costing $3000, and has sittings for 250 people. The church is controlled by a board of seven trustees, appointed by the holders of sub- scriptions to the building fund. The use of the building is accorded to all, irrespective of ereed. A Sunday-school is conducted in the church in the summer. It was organ- ized many years ago in the old school-house, but has not retained its orginal organization.

CEMETERIES.

There are several cemeteries in Worth, all controlled by the town board. One of the oldest is on lot No. 9. Elisha Sweet was one of the first interred in the town. The old

cemetery having poor drainage, a more favorable spot was selected on lot No. 8. This has been well kept, and con- tains some fine tablets and head-stones.

ROADS.

Provision was early made for putting the roads of Worth in a good condition. In 1849, $200 was voted for this pur- pose, and subsequent appropriations have been made. Good roads now lead to Adams, on the R., W. & O. R. R., the principal point of shipment for the town.

CIVIL ORGANIZATION.

At a special election held at the house of Benjamin Gates, in Lorraine, Feb. 6, 1810, the division of Worth from Lorraine was unanimously voted, but the War of 1812 prevented the immediate carrying out of this vote. No further action was taken until 1848. In that year the division was ordered by the Legislature, with a provision that the first meeting be held at the school-house at Wil- cox's Corners, on May 2; that the town officers of Lorraine residing within the limits of Worth were to exercise the funetions of their respective offices until the next ensuing election ; and that Mathew Fox, Jonathan M. Aekley, and Albert S. Gillet be a board of cleetion, with the power of justices of the peace. The election resulted in the choice of the following offiecrs, 43 votes being polled : Supervisor, A. S. Gillet ; Town Clerk, Daniel Wilcox ; Justices of the Peace, A. S. Gillet, Riley W. Green, Jonathan M. Ackley ; Assessors, George W. Gillet, Albert Nichols; Coms. of Highways, Leonard Bullock, Levi Smith, William Bell ; Constables, Levi Wileox, Ozias E. Elmer, Newman A. Hawley ; Overseers of the Poor, Boomer K. Jenks, Sterling Wileox ; Collector, Mathew Fox ; Supt. Com. Schools, Robert R. Bell.

Since 1848 the Supervisors have been : 1849, A. S. Gillet; 1850, Riley W. Green ; 1851, Jonathan M. Ackley ; 1852, Riley W. Green ; 1853-4, Jonathan M. Ackley ; 1855, David Gillet ; 1856-7, Lorenzo P. Gillet; 1858-62, Carlton C. Moore; 1863, Solomon B. Storm; 1864-9, Carlton C. Moore; 1870, Solomon W. Kellogg; 1871-2, Henry V. Jenks; 1873-4, Jonathan M. Ackley ; 1875-6, Henry V. Jenks ; 1877, Samuel B. Kellogg.

From the town records the following interesting excerpts are made :

1855.

"Voted, That it shall be considered a penal offense for any person to suffer any neat cattle or hogs to run at common within 40 rods of any place of public worship on the Sabbath day, between Nov. 1 and May 1; and such offender shall be guilty of misdemeanor, and shall pay a fine of $1.00 on complaint of any person for each offense, onc- half to be given to the support of the poor, the other half to the com- plainant."

"Voted, That any person who shall suffer any dog to be caught in any house of public worship in said town in the hours of religious service, the owner of said dog shall forfeit a fine of $1.00, one-half to be given to the support of the poor, the other half to the complainant ; and if such dog shall be found in any house of public worship with- out any owner, such dog shall be immediately killed. Joseph H. Rising is appointed to dispose of any dog that may be found as above stated."

"Voted, That any person who shall suffer any buck to roam at large in said town between Sept. 1 and Dec. 1 shall forfeit the sum of $5.00 on complaint, and the buck and all to go to the com- plainant."

535

HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

In 1877 the supervisor was instructed to use his influence against the renewal of any charter to plank-roads as turn- pikes in the county of Jefferson. In 1876 the office of supervisor was ticd between Henry V. Jenks and Henry L. Grimshaw, each having received 109 votes. The total number of votes cast in 1877 was 221.

WORTH CENTRE.

This is a hamlet of a dozen buildings, near the centre of the town, on the Abijah creek. The first settlement here was made about 1850, by E. Cornell. The country was then in a primitive condition, and Mr. Cornell's house was as rude as that of the first settler fifty years before. But roads were built to the Centre and farms opened until quite a neighborhood was gathered; and when the saw-mill was erected its future was assured. A small storc was opened at this point about 1874 by E. Cornell, and a post-office established, with daily mails from Adams via Worthville. Ezra Cornell is the postmaster. Mr. Cornell also manufac- turcs and deals in all kinds of lumber.

WORTHVILLE.

This village, formerly known as Wilcox's Corners, is located on both banks of South Sandy creek, and has a popu- lation of about 100. The village is one mile south of Rodman, and two southeast of Pinckney, in Lewis county, and was the centre of the early settlements, Joseph Wilcox having made the beginning at this place. The situation is pleasant, and it will always remain the largest trading- point in the town. The history of its mills has been de- tailed elsewhere.

A store was opened here in 1849, by Lorenzo P. Gillet, who erected a large two-story frane house on the southeast corner for this purpose. A portion of the house was used for a tavern. He was succeeded, in 1858, by A. S. Gillet, who conducted both places until 1866. The store was then closed and the building used for a tavern only, by Horace Struter, Ormsby Moon, Alanson Pettengill, Levi Calvin, landlords in the order named. John Doanburg is the present proprietor. In 1858 an opposition tavern was started on the corner opposite, by Orlin A. Chase. A large hostelry was erected, but the profits were too meagre to reward the owners. Duane Earl and Leonard Parker were also among the hosts. The building is at present occupied as a residence.

Another store-house was erected in 1865, down the street, where Henry L. Porter opened a stock of goods. The place passed into the hands of George D. Macomber in 1871, who has been in trade there since.

Blacksmith-shops were conducted at an carly day, and at different periods, by Canfield, Elihu Gillet, and Egelbert West, all prior to 1840. Richard Lyon followed, and built a shop east of the village. Albert Harrington has worked here a number of years. His present shop is west of the village, on the Sandy creek, and is operated by hydraulic power. Wagon-shops are conducted by David II. Atkins and L. H. Spaulburg, established in 1860 and 1875 respectively.

A summary of the business of Worthville shows,- grist-mill, S. B. Kellogg; saw-mills and lumber-dealers, S.

B. Kellogg, A. S. Gillet; store, George D. Macomber ; blacksmiths, A. Harrington, Joseph Crawford ; wagon- makers, David H. Atkins, L. F. Spaulsburg ; shocmaker, Charles Young; joiner, Charles Valicr; coopers, Daniel Wilcox, Grant Van Broeklin; postmaster, George D. Macomber.

The post-office was established in 1848, with L. P. Gil- let as postmaster. The mail route was from Adams via Lorraine to Copenhagen in Lewis county. Richard Lyon was the carrier, going on horseback once a week. A sub- scription on the part of the citizens of Worthville secured a semi-weekly mail. In 1865 a tri-weekly mail was sup- plied. At present (1877) there is a daily service from Adams to Worth Centre via Worthville. Other post- masters at this point have been Henry Hitchcock, A. S. Gillet, and H. L. Potter.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

LEVI WILCOX.

In the year 1805, while yet Jefferson County was an alınost unbroken wilderness, Joseph Wilcox, a native of Connecticut, emigrated to the present town of Worth. At that time there was but one other family in the town. He purchased 150 acres of wild land, built a house, and moved into it with his family, which at that time consisted of his wife and six children. This old pioneer couple lived to advanced ages-the wife dying at the age of 76, and the old gentleman at the age of 88.

Sterling Wilcox, the son who succeeded to the old home, was born in 1791, and has lived in Worth since 1805, on the same spot, and now, at the advanced age of 86, is a hale old gentleman, in possession of all the faculties and intelligence of his earlier years. He was married in 1818 to Miss Sarah Smith, of Lorraine, by whom he became the father of six children,-Lydia, Philura, Levi, Caroline, Gil- bert, and Charles,-all of whom are living and have fami- lies except the last-named two. Mrs. Sarah Wilcox died March 22, 1867, aged 67 years.

Levi Wilcox, the present owner of the old Wilcox estate, was born Nov. 26, 1825, and was united in marriage with Miss Mary Fox, of the same town, in 1847. Two children have been born to them, Emma G. and Gilbert H .; the daughter is deceased. Gilbert H. is married to Miss Eva M. Brown, of the sante town, and resides at home with his parents.

Thus can be seen three generations of this old pioncer family all living together in one family to-day, on the same spot selected by the great-grandfather of the younger mem- bers of this family.

The farm consists of 220 acres, and is one of the finest in the county. Mr. Levi Wilcox has recently created a very fine and commodious house near the old home, which adds much to the beauty and comforts of this old landmark of Jefferson County. Elsewhere in these pages may be found a fine view of this old home, with portraits of Levi Wilcox and his excellent wife.

536

HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

LEONARD BULLOCK.

One of the very earliest settlers of the town of Worth was Leonard Bulloek. He eame originally from the State of Rhode Island to Oneida county, N. Y., and from thenee to the present town of Worth, in Jefferson County, in 1802. He here loeated a traet of land which has ever sinee been the home of himself and his deseendants. He built a log shanty and eommeneed elearing up his land. He was married to Miss Bathsheba Haneoek, and at the time of his settlement in Worth was the father of two children. The whole number of children reared by this worthy couple was twelve, four sons and eight daughters, who all grew up to manhood and womanhood except one son, who died in infancy. Mr. B. lived to the age of 55, dying in 1828. His wife survived to the age of 82, dying in 1860.

Leonard, the present owner, and next to the youngest of

these twelve ehildren, was born Jan. 3, 1817. He was reared a farmer, and after his majority bought out the other heirs, and thus beeame possessed of the old home farm, where he was born and on which he has resided all his life.

At the age of twenty he was united in marriage with Miss Martha Gillet, of Worth, the daughter of Elihu Gillet, another old settler of Worth. To them have been born three children,-Emily L., Levi S., and Leonard C. Levi died at the age of ten years. Leonard C. and Emily are both married and settled on portions of the old home- farm.

The farm owned and oeeupied by Mr. B. consists of 320 acres of the finest farming lands in the town. By reference to another page in this work, the reader will find a fine view of his residence, together with portraits of himself and wife, presented as a legaey to his children and the future generations of Jefferson County.

MILITARY AND NAVAL.

REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIERS-MILITARY AND NAVAL OPERATIONS IN THIS VICINITY DURING THE WAR OF 1812-15-BIOGRAPHY OF PROMINENT OFFICERS . OF THAT WAR-THE CANADIAN RE- BELLION, 1837-40-WAR OF THE REBELLION OF 1861-5- HISTORY OF ORGANIZATIONS-ROSTERS AND ROLL OF HONOR.

QUITE a number of the surviving soldiers of the Revolution settled at various periods in Jefferson County, some account of whom will be found in the history of the various towns and villages. The fol- lowing list of Revolutionary pensioners residing in the county in 1840 is from Hough's history. As all the soldiers were not necessa- rily pensioners, this may not include the total number. A number of the towns of the county are for some cause left out of this list, whether from inadvertence, or because there were no soldiers in them at the time, we are unable to say :

ADAMS .- Peter Doxtater, 88 ; Lucy Thompson, 73; Cynthia White, 77; John Merriam, 84; Abel Bassett, 80; Danforth Doty, 85.

ALEXANDRIA .- George Rappole, 89; William Carter, 83; Daniel Whorry, 75; Edith Patten, 80; Ephraim Hogert, 84; Peter Lutz, 76; Abram Newman, 81.

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History of Jefferson County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 132

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