History of Jefferson County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 29

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 29

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Circuits were subsequently formed as follows : 1818, Watertown ; 1821, Indian River; 1826, Le Ray and Watertown ; 1827, Cape Vincent ; 1829, Le Ray and Car- thage, Brownville and Sacket's Harbor, Adams; 1832, Theresa; 1833, Antwerp; 1834, Pulaski and Manns- ville; 1836, Carthage, Mannsville, Rodman ; 1839, Nat- ural Bridge, Evans' Mills ; 1840, Dexter and Pillar Point, Philadelphia ; 1842, Pillar Point, Belleville, Henderson, Ellisburg ; 1846, Three-Mile Bay; 1847, Smithville; 1848, Pamelia Corners, Depauville ; 1849, Watertown, Arsenal Street, State Street ; 1850, Champion ; 1851, La Fargeville.

These in turn were reconstructed, and at the present time the county is divided into two districts and thirty-two stations or charges, as follows : Adams District, Adams, State Street, Watertown ; Belleville, Rodman, Champion, Mannsville, Ellisburg, Lorraine, Henderson, Sacket's Har- bor, Pillar Point, Brownville, Threc-Mile Bay, Cape Vin- cent, Point Peninsula. Watertown District, Arsenal Street,

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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

Watertown ; Black River, Carthage, Natural Bridge, Pa- melia, Evans' Mills, Philadelphia, Antwerp, Sprague's Cor- ners, Theresa, La Fargeville, Depauville, St. Lawrence, Clayton, Alexandria Bay, Plessis, and Grindstone and Wellesley Islands in the St. Lawrence River.

From the original " Black River District" were formed at different times three other districts, as follows: Water- town, 1840; Adams, 1844; Ogdensburgh, 1852. Subse- quently the county was erected into two distriets, as at present.

In 1868 the conference was reduced to four counties, viz., Jefferson, Lewis, St. Lawrence, and Franklin. In 1872 the title was changed to its present one, "Northern New York Conference." At present the conference em- braces the counties of Oneida, Oswego, Jefferson, Lewis, St. Lawrence, Franklin, and a part of Madison, and is sub- divided into six districts, Jefferson County comprising two, as before stated.

The presiding elders of the various districts have been as follows : Black River District, 1820, R. M. Everts ; 1824, Daniel Barnes; 1826, Goodwin Stoddard; 1827, Nathaniel Salisbury ; 1832, Josiah Keyes ; 1833, J. Demp- ster ; 1836, J. Baker. Gouverneur District, 1839, W. S. Bowdish. Watertown District, 1840, N. Salisbury ; 1842, Lewis Whitcomb ; 1844, N. Salisbury ; 1845, L. Whit- comb; 1849, G. Baker; 1853, F. H. Stanton ; 1857, B. Holmes ; 1861, G. Baker ; 1865, J. W. Armstrong ; 1866, J. T. Dayan ; 1868, L. D. White; 1872, I. S. Bingham ; 1876, S. Call ; 1877, B. F. Wood. Adams District, 1853, G. Baker; 1857, F. H. Stanton; 1861, D. W. Roney ; 1865, G. Baker ; 1869, Thomas Richey ; 1873, M. D. Kin- ney ; 1877, I. S. Bingham.

The conference includes within its jurisdiction four insti- tutions of learning, viz., the Syracuse University, the Wes- leyan University, the Drew Theological Seminary, and the Ives Seminary, the latter located at Antwerp, in Jefferson County. It also includes a historical society, Rev. I. S. Bingham, president ; a life insurance association, a board of church extension, a missionary society, a freedman's aid society, and a ladies' and pastors' Christian union.

CONFERENCE OFFICERS .- President, Bishop Thomas Bowman, D.D., LL.D., St. Louis, Missouri ; Secretary, S. O. Barnes, Herkimer, New York ; Trustees-First Class, Isaae S. Bingham, Thomas Richey, Eli C. Bruce; Second Class, Albert E. Corse, Simon P. Gray ; Third Class, Gardner Baker, Isaac L. Hunt.

Statistical .- According to the report of the conference for 1877, there were thirty-two organizations in the county, with a membership, ineluding probationers, of about five thousand two hundred. Attached to the various organiza- tions were about fifty Sabbath-schools, with a membership, including teachers and scholars, of a little over four thou- sand, and about three thousand six hundred volumes in libraries.

The estimated value of church property in the county is placed at about one hundred and seventy thousand dollars. The salaries of ministers range from three hundred and fifty to twelve hundred dollars, and the aggregate paid to them to about nineteen thousand four hundred dollars, being an average of a trifle over six hundred dollars each.

THE BAPTISTS.

This denomination of Christians was among the earliest to organize in the county, and as early as 1808 or 1809 " The Black River Baptist Association" was formed, with the following churches and number of members, the elders of each being given in italics : Adams, 45, Timothy Heath ; Brownville, 47, Timothy Pool; Champion, 25 ; Denmark, 29, Peleg Card; Henderson, 42, Emory Osgood ; Lor- raine, 32, Amos Lampson ; Rutland, 2 churches, of 52 and 34 members ; Turin, 65, Stephen Parsons.

In 1802, Baptist missionaries had begun to labor in this seetion, among whom Peter P. Root and Stephen Parsons were prominent. In 1810 the missionary limits of this body were defined : north of Black river to include Le Ray and the new settlements in St. Lawrence and Oswe- gatchie, and south to inelude Mexico on the Salmon river, and the new settlements contiguous thereto. Solomon Johnson, Emory Osgood, and Martin E. Cook were to spend the ensuing year, five weeks each, and Amos Lam- son six weeks. In 1816 an association of cighty-four ladies in Henderson, styled " The United Female Society," formed for the purpose of promoting foreign missions, memorialized the association, and forwarded $88.74 to aid in this pur- pose. This example was followed by others, and in 1817 reports were received from the Henderson and Ellisburg Missionary Society, the Female Mission Society in Lor- rainc, the Female Mite Society in Rutland, the Female Society in Brownville, the Baptist Female Society in Rod- man, and the Female Mite Society in Ellisburg, who, with the churches, contributed $243.79 for missions. In the same year the " Black River Baptist Missionary Society" was formed. In 1818 several auxiliaries to this were or- ganized, which had but a short duration. In 1818-19, Elder Solomon Johnson was employed several months in missionary labors in St. Lawrence and Franklin counties. The missionary society, up to 1844, had received $7837, of which more than $2000 had been applied to foreign mis- sions, and the balance spent in this and neighboring coun- ties. The "Jefferson Union Association" existed four years, and in 1838 went down. From 1815 to 1819 five hundred and sixteen had been added to the churches, and in 1821 three hundred and seventy-three more. In 1825 four or five hundred, and in 1831-34 more than fifteen hundred. It was during this period that Elder Jacob Knapp first began preaching as an evangelist, and in this county commenced that series of protracted meetings with the Baptist churches that has since rendered his name cele- brated. The excitements raised by his labors were here generally transient, and followed by a reaction. By the report of 1853 there were twenty-six churches in Jefferson, seven in Lewis, and one in Oncida belonging to this asso- eiation. Churches in this county exist at Adams (Davis' Corners), Adams Centre, Adams village, two in Alexan- dria, Antwerp, Steele's Corners, Belleville, Carthage, Clay- ton, Depauville, Great Bend, Henderson, La Fargeville, Lorraine, Le Ray, Lyme, Mannsville, Perch River, Phila- delphia, Rodman, Smithville, Tylerville, Woodville, Water- town, and North Wilna.

On the 28th of January, 1820, Martin E. Cook, Sardis

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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

Little, Emery Osgood, and others were incorporated as the " Black River Baptist Missionary Society." The first mcet- ing was to be held at the brick school-house, near Elislia Morgan's, in Rutland. The association has been continued down to the present time in a healthy and prosperous con- dition. It includes at present all the Baptist churches in Jefferson County, and a considerable number in adjoining counties.

" The Black River Baptist Missionary Society" was some years since merged into the Association. A " Woman's Missionary Society" was organized about 1873, having con- nection with all the churches in the Association. It is a vigorous and industrious body of co-workers.

The following statistics are from the annual report of the Association for the year 1877 :

Whole number of church organizations in the county, eighteen, as follows: Adanıs, Adams Centre, Adams Vil- lage, Belleville, Carthage, Clayton, Great Bend, Henderson, La Fargeville, Le Ray, Lorraine, Lyme, Mannsville, Phil- adelphia, Redwood, Smithville, South Rutland, Watertown, Woodville.

The total membership is about two thousand, and the valuation of church property not far from one hundred and twenty-seven thousand dollars. The value of the parsonages given is eleven thousand three hundred and fifty dollars. The total amount raised by the Association for all benevo- lent purposes for the year was $1649.28.

There are thirteen Sunday-schools reported in Jefferson County, with one hundred and twenty-seven teachers, and a membership of one thousand three hundred and forty. The number of volumes in the libraries is about eight hundred.

Officers of the Association .- Moderator, A. J. Brown, Adams ; Clerk, Rev. S. W. Hatch, Adams ; Corresponding Secretary, Rev. J. O. Perkins, Copenhagen ; Treasurer, C. W. Mckinstry, Threc-Mile Bay; Librarian, H. F. Overton, Adams ; Historian, Rev. J. W. Putnam, Watertown.

" The Free Communion Baptist Black River Yearly Meeting" was organized and adopted a constitution in Sep- tember, 1830, although meetings had been held previously. The limits of this body were defined as bounded west by the Genesee river, south by the Mohawk, and east by the East Canada creek, embracing the country north of Utica within these limits. In 1831, this body reported churches in Alexander, Lyme, and Orleans, where societies had mostly been formed by settlers from Russia, New York, where the sect was by far the most numerous. Subsequent minutes report societies at Hounsfield, Clayton, and Phila- delphia. This body has since been merged in the Free-will Baptist church.

EPISCOPALIANS.

We have been unable to get the general history of this denomination for the county, but each separate organization will be found written in the respective towns and villages where situated. The churches of Jefferson County arc in- cluded in the diocese of central New York.

According to the United States census of 1870, there were ten organizations in the county, with sittings for the accommodation of three thousand four hundred.

CATHOLIC.

The Catholics were among the earliest in the county. M. Le Ray de Chaumont and all the early French settlers were members of this body, and Le Ray himself was aetive in promoting the interests of the young colonies of the " mother church." The oldest church of this denomination in northern New York is located in the village of Carthage, having been organized in 1821.

By the census returns of 1870, the Catholics are credited with twelve organizations in the county, with sit- tings for four thousand four hundred and sixty-six people. A history of each society will be found in connection with that of the towns and villages where the same are situated. The seat of the bishopric is at Ogdensburgh.

UNIVERSALIST.

The earliest organizations of this denomination were in Watertown, 1820, and Ellisburg, 1821.

We have not been able to procure the necessary data for the church at large, but a separate account of each organi- zation in the county will be found in connection with the history of the various towns and villages.

LUTHERANS.

We are indebted to the Rev. F. Shipherd for the follow- ing notice of this sect :

"In the year 1838 the Synod of the Frankean Evangelic Lutheran Church sent the Rev. Henry L. Dox as their missionary, to select any portion of Jefferson County as his field of lahor which he might think most likely to yield the peaceahle fruits of righteousness in re- turn for his lahors. Acting under this commission, he located at Perch River and Stone Mills. He was 'but a youth and ruddy,' but God wrought most astonishing changes through his ministry. Churches were soon organized at Pereh River and at Stone Mills ; hut no record is found which furnishes the particulars respecting their formation. On the 23d of May, 1840, these two churches were blended into one, by mutual agreement, and sixty members were enrolled as constituting the church at Stone Mills. On the 13th of November, 1852, a church was organized at Perch River, consisting of 32 mem- bers, leaving 66 remaining at Stone Mills. Mr. Dox also preached with great success at Shantyville (now Orleans Four Corners), and organized a church, consisting of thirty-three members. The present numher is eighty-eight. A church edifice, of stone, was erected at Stone Mills, ahout the year 1835, at an expense of some $1500. A very neat and commodious house for worship was huilt at Perch River, like that at Stone Mills, on the union principle, and dedicated to the worship of God, February 19, 1852. Mr. Charles B. Avery contracted to huild it for $1340, hut is said to have expended some $1700 upon it. On the following Sahhath a heautiful church cdifiee, very much like that at Pereh River, was consecrated to God's service at Orleans Four Corners. This building is owned wholly hy the Lutheran eon - gregation, and was crected at the cost of $1250. The lot on which it stands was valued at $50; that at Perch River at $85. Mr. Dox seems to have resigned his charge to the Rev. George W. Hemperley in the winter or spring of 1841, who retained this charge, with two short intervals, for more than ten years. Fayette Shipherd commenced his lahors in May, 1852. Unpretending as are these Lutheran churches, they are deemed important auxiliaries in the reform and salvation of "the multitudes with whom they are surrounded." #

By. the last census the Lutherans are credited with four organizations in Jefferson County, having sittings for seven hundred and forty persons. (See History of Towns.)

THE DUTCH REFORMED,

or Reformed Church, have one organization in the county,

From Dr. H ugh's work.

111

HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

located at Alexandria Bay, of which an account will be found in the history of the town of Alexandria. By the last census this society is given sittings for three hundred and fifty.

In addition to the above there were reported by the Jef- ferson County Bible Society three Free Methodist, three Church of Christ, and one Protestant Methodist organiza- tions in the county in 1877.

JEFFERSON COUNTY BIBLE SOCIETY.

The Bible Society of Jefferson County was originally formed January 29, 1817, at the Academy in Watertown. The first officers clected were, Ethel Bronson, president ; Rev. Samuel F. Snowden, vice-president ; Rev. Nathaniel Dutton, second vice-president ; Rev. Daniel Banks, corre- sponding secretary ; Timothy Burr, recording secretary ; Egbert Ten Eyck, treasurer ; Micah Sterling, auditor; and fifteen directors. An address was issued to the public and measures were taken to supply destitute familics. A sys- tematic visitation was instituted, and at the January mect- ing, 1824, it was reported that up to that time 681 Bibles and 457 Testaments had been distributed. The amount received had been $515.78, and the amount paid out $348.67. Ten town associations had been formed, viz., in Adams, Champion, Sacket's Harbor, Rodman, Brown- ville, Orleans, Antwerp, Lc Ray, Watertown, and Ellisburg. Previous to September 20, 1832, the following additional auxiliaries had been formed : Chaumont, Cape Vincent, Rutland, Hounsfield, Perch River, Philadelphia, Evans' Mills, Alexandria, Smithville, North Adams. In 1834 an effort was made to raise $300 to purchase Bibles for foreign distribution, besides supplying the county.

The meetings of the society have been maintained annu- ally to the present time.

We have not been able to procure the various statements for the different years since 1853, but present herewith the last annual statement for 1877 :

The present officers are: President, Hon. Willard Ives; 1st Vice- President, John D. Ellis; 2d Vice-President, John F. Moffatt; Secre- tary, Rev. Richard Keyes; Treasurer, George B. Massey; Auditor, A. H. Coughlan.

The receipts, according to the report for 1876-77, were for Bibles and Testaments sold, $491.14; donations, $118.47.

Condensed statement of contributions by churches and individuals for the year ending December, 1876 :

33 Methodist Episcopal churches. $380.79

9 Presbyterian

275.81

6 Congregational

167.83

9 Episcopal

81.98

7 Baptist

54.49

3 Universalist

52.65

3 Free Methodist

13.47

2 Lutheran 60

5.87

3 Church of Christ

9.65

1 Reformed

20.00

1 Protestant Methodist

3.97

Individuals.

16.86

Total. $1083.37

The last anniversary of the society was the sixtieth, and the annual sermon was delivered by Rev. John Waugh, of Carthage, from Psalms cxix. 105: " Thy word is a lamp."

Rev. Walter R. Long was engaged during the latter part of 1875, and most of 1876, in canvassing the county,- which is done every seven or ten years. October 4, 1876,

he reported business places visited, 490; familics visited, 7394; Catholic families visited, about 1500; l'rotestant families destitute, 338; Catholic families destitute, 539; Bibles supplied to same, 325 ; families who could not read, 140; total calls made, 8052; Bibles devoted to the poor, 246; district schools supplied, 253; hotels supplied, 61.

This society is auxiliary to the American Bible Society, which was organized in 1816.

CHAPTER X.

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.

Roads-Canals-Lake Navigation-First Steamboat-Railways- Miscellaneous.

THE advance of civilization and improvements in every country are in a great degree indicated by the means of public conveyance. In barbarous regions such luxuries as public roads are unknown; the only means of travel and conveyance being on foot, or at most on horseback, by trails and bridle-paths. The most distinguishing mark between the savage and the enlightened nations is, perhaps, the dif- ference in the means of locomotion, both on land and water. The wild and nomadic tribes of the earth have nothing superior to the foot-path and the canoc, while the advanced nations travel by the smoothly-graded turnpike, the far- reaching steel rail, and the magnificent steamer. What an immense disparity between the bark-canoe of the Delaware and the palatial Hudson river steamer, costing a million dollars ; or between the wooden sledge of the Esquimaux, drawn by dogs, and a Pullman or Wagner palacc-car !

The power and grandcur of the Roman empire were il- lustrated and rendered permanent by her grand system of national roads, reaching to the farthest corners of the realm; and their excellence was such that the perfect turn- pike of the present day is compared with the famous Ap- pian Way, as a proof of its thorough construction. The strength of the ancient empires of the Incas and Monte- zumas was in a great measure owing to their complete system of solid and enduring thoroughfares.

The earliest notice taken of highways in the colonial legis- laturc, as appears by any edition of the colonial laws, was in 1691, when the general assembly directed surveyors of high- ways to be appointed. It is probable, however, that antc- rior to that time legislative provision had been made on the subject. Before 1683, highways had been discussed before the governor and council, and the system of laws known as "the Duke's laws" has reference to these modes of communication. No subject on the statute book prior to 1813 had claimed a greater proportion of legislation than the manner of making and repairing roads. Since 1799 turnpikes have participated in these beneficial effects, and received the fostering care of the legislature. In 1721, road commissioners were appointed for the western part of Albany county, " from the bounds of the village of Schenec- tady to the Moquas country, on both sides of the river, and as far as Christians are settled, or hereafter may be settled."

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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

Hendrik Hause, Carl Hansen, and Captain Harman Van Slyk were the commissioners. In 1702,-the first year of Queen Anne,-Colonel Killian Van Rensselaer, Major Der- rick Wessells, John Brunk, and Evart Bancker were ap- pointed commissioners for Albany county. On February 6, 1773, there were appointed highway commissioners for Tryon county ; and those in the German Flats district, then covering the present area of Jefferson County, were Marcus Petri, Nicholas Weaver, and John Cunningham. On the same day, the money to arise from the excise tax in Tryon county was appropriated for highway improvements. April 6, 1784, the election of highway commissioners was pro- vided for in Montgomery, from thrce to five being author- ized, and " as many overseers of highways as needed."

Eighty years ago the region of northern New York was a wilderness, inhabited neither by civilized nor savage beings ; and its only highways were the tortuous trails along which stealthily stole the raiding- and scalping-parties of painted and hideous warriors of the fierce Iroquois and Algonquin. The changes wrought during the past three- quarters of a century are indeed wonderful, and a brief his- tory of the earlier projects in the line of internal improve- ments is useful and interesting. This chapter is largely made up from Dr. Hough's history of Jefferson County.

The presenting of the following petition by Arthur Noble and Baron Steuben to the legislature, in 1791, was probably the first step taken in this section looking towards improvement in the means of communication :

" To the Honorable the Legislature of the State of New York :

" The petition of the subscribers humbly sheweth : That a line of road from the Little Falls, on the Mohawk river, to the falls on the Black river, which runs into Lake Ontario, would be attended with infinito advantages to this State, not only by opening a trade with the flour- ishing settlement of Cadaroque,# and that part of Canada, by which all goods and merchandise could be transported from New York for half the expense that they are by the present route by the river St. Lawrence, but that it would, likewise, very much enhanco the value of a large traet of land that this State has to dispose of, on and near the said river, and very much facilitate the settlement of that country. That it is humbly submitted to the legislature to appoint commis- sioners to explore, lay out, and have said road made, and to appro- priate a sum of money or lands for that purpose, the distance being between fifty and sixty miles ; and your petitioners, as in duty bound, will pray.

" ARTHUR NOBLE. "STEUBEN."

The committee to whom it was referred reported that the. prayer of their petition ought to be granted, and that a bill be prepared and brought in, authorizing the commissioners of the land-office to set apart a tract of land for the purpose of defraying the expense in exploring, laying out, and open- ing the proposed road. We have not been able to ascertain that this was done.

THIE FRENCH ROAD.

Jacob Brown, at a very early day, had taken active mcas- ures for continuing the road which the French settlers had opened to the High Falls, while forming their settlement at the latter place, down the west side of the Black River valley to the St. Lawrence. The first settlers had found

their way into the country by using the navigable channel of the Black river, from the High Falls to the present village of Carthage, or by the tedious and perilous naviga- tion of the lake, by way of Oswego.

In anticipation of settlement, Rodolph Tillier had caused to be opened, at the expense of the French company, a route from the High Falls, cast of Black river, to near the Great Bend, from which it continued in a line nearly direct to the present village of Clayton. A branch from this diverged to the head of navigation on Black River bay, but these roads, though eleared and the stumps removed, had no bridges, and, consequently, were of no use to the early set- tlers. It is said, as an evidence of the incompetence of this agent for effecting these improvements, that, upon its being represented to him that bridges were indispensable to the road, he replied : that he had reserved fifty dollars for the very purpose. This road fell entirely into disuse, and it is doubtful whether a rod of it is now traveled.

THE OSWEGATCHIE ROAD.

The first traveled road in the county north of Black river owes its origin to Judge Nathan Ford, of Ogdensburgh, whose indomitable energy enabled him to encounter the difficulties of a new settlement with a success seldom equaled. He was a man eminently distinguished for his zeal and enterprise in whatever related to internal improvements and the public welfare in general. In his correspondence with the landholders of Macomb's purehasc he frequently urged the matter in the most forcible language, and as these letters will serve not only to convey an idea of the times, but also of the characteristics of the man, we will make from them a few extracts.

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History of Jefferson County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 29

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