History of Jefferson County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 30

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 30

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To Stephen Van Rensselaer he wrote, December 30, 1799:

"You will allow me the liberty of stating my ideas upon the utility of a road being cut through from some part of their townships upon the St. Lawrence to the Mohawk river. If this could be made a State objeet it would be productive of two good effeets to the proprietors : first, it would save them a considerable sum of money ; and, seeond, it would hold out an idea to those who intend to emigrate of the real value of this country, a strong evidence of which would be the legis- lature's interesting itself. . . .

" It is, in my opinion, unreasonable to expect any very heavy and important settlements to be made unless there is a road which will shorten the distance to Albany. I have taken much pains to ascertain the probable distance to Albany, and I dare venture it, as an opinion, that it will not overrun 150 miles from this very spot. I am confident it will fall rather short than otherwise. This road, onee cut out, will immediately be settled upon, and, if it should be nothing more than a winter road at first, the advantage would be immense.

" The difficulty of getting to this country with families is beyond what is generally supposed. The present road through the Chateau- gay county accommodates the few who emigrate from the upper part of Vermont, but the immense flood of people who emigrate to the westward go there because they have no choice. This road onee opened as contemplated, the emigration would soon turn this way, not only because the distance would be less than to the Genesee, but also because the lands are better and more advantageously situated. If the legislature will not take up the business, I am fully of opinion the proprietors will find their account in cutting out the road at their own expense. . ..

" Vast numbers of the leading farmers in that country have assured me they would go to Albany in preference to Moutreal, if it took them three days longer. Iam confident the commerce that would flow into Albany, through the medium of this road, would very soon reimburse the State for the expense. Those who live on our own side of the river are compelled from necessity to trade at Montreal. This is the case with

# Cataraqui : Frontenac, now Kingston.

HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

113

myself. My inclination is to trade to Albany, but it is impossible, It is highly politie to prevent, if possible, the commerce of this country from falling into a regular system through Montreal; for, when people onco form mercantile connections, it is vastly difficult to divert and turn the current into a new channel. I see no rational mode but having the road cut, to secure to Albany so desirable an object. I have taken the liberty of stating my ideas upon this sub- ject, which, if they should meet yours, I trust and hope you will take such steps as will secure a benefit to the State as well as promote tho interest of the proprietors and settlers."

Concerning this survey, Ford wrote, September 27, 1801, to Thomas L. Ogden, as follows :

" Dear Sir,-I have most impatiently waited until the present time to give you that information upon the subject of the road, which I know you are anxious to receive. It is but a few days sinco Edsal finished the survey ; and Captain Tibbett's setting out for Schenec- tady to-morrow affords me the earliest opportunity I havo had. From the cast branch of Oswegatchie lake to the Ox Bow, and from there on to the High Falls, Edsal runs a line agreeable to the plan proposed by Mr. Morris; and, I am sorry to add, soon after leaving the Ox Bow, he came to a most intolerable swampy and ridgy ground, growing worse aud worse as he progressed, and, before he reached the High Falls, became so perfectly confident of the impracticability of a road, as well as the impossibility of settlement, that he aban- doned the idea, went to Castorville, and from thence to the head of the Long Falls. From the information I had been able to collect from various quarters, I was apprehensive it would he impossible to obtain our object by that route, in consequence of which I directed Edsal, in case he should find it as he really has, to go to the head of the Long Falls, and run a line from there to the Ox Bow; and I am happy to tell you that an excellent road may be had that way, and without adding to the distance. And a further advantage arises by crossing the Black river at the Long Falls : it is, we fall into the Black River road, which saves us the expense of cutting thirty miles. This I view as a great object, particularly so as our distance is not in- creased thereby. . . .

" I have contracted with Edsal for making the road from Louis- ville to the east branch of Black lake at sixteen dollars per mile; the road to be cut and cleared one rod; cradle-knolls and sides of ridges to be leveled; small crossways and bridges over small streams to he made. I have also contracted for eight miles of the road beyond east branch, west, at the same terms, and expect to contract for the whole soon. Where it falls into the road already cut in Madrid and Louisville, deduction is to he made, as much as the cutting of those roads cost.

" From the west line of Madrid to the East Branch (Oswe- gatehie river) is. 13 miles. From East Branch to Ox Bow 26

From Ox Bow to West Branch of Oswegatchio lake (Indian river)

From West Branch to head of Long Falls ( Carthage) .... 13

66 From Long Falls to Shaler's (Turin), (is good road). 30

From Shaler's to Albany, through the Royal Grant and Old Johnstown 90

Allow, that I may not he correct in the last statement

" (though I am pretty sure) 5

190 miles.#

" There will bo the crosswaying and the bridging to be dono; these two things will cost considerable, but running the road as I have laid it out will cost us certainly not more than half as much as it would to go by the High Falls. Edsal says he is confident that the road from Ox Bow to High Falls could not be made for a much less sum than two thousand dollars, and then it would be through a country which would not settle; now we havo a fino country all the way. Tuttlo has paid the monoy, and Edsal thinks he will be able to fur- nish part of the draft you gave me. I shall not want it all this fall, unless the fall should bo a very fino one, in which case I hope to seo the greater part of tho business of cutting done. I have put the peti- tion upon the subject of the county into the hands of Turner and

# These distances are found to be as follows : Oswegatchie river at Heuvelton to Ox Bow, nearly as ahove stated. From Ox Bow to Iu- dian river, 7 miles ; from thonce to Carthage, 163 miles ; from thence to Shaler's old settlement (now Constableville), 32 miles.

Tibhet for signatures, who say they will do all in their power to promote the thing. I shall hring it to Albany with mne.

"I hope I shall have the pleasure of meeting you this winter at Albany, and I hope you will in the mean time do all in your power to help tho thing forward. I expected to have heard from you upon the subject of the road from Salmon river to the townships.

" Pray, has the Patroon consented to our road and subscribed, or does he still cast a languishing eye to Schroon lake ?

" Be pleased to mako my respects to Mrs. Ogden and your family.

" Believe me to he, with every wish for your health and happiness, " Your humble servant,

"N. FORD."

" Thomas L. Ogden, Esq., New York."

This road from Salmon river, referred to, was a part of a system of roads that originated with George Scriba, Nathan Sage, and others, of Oswego county, that was designed to extend from the salt-works to Redfield, and thence through as directly as possible to Champion and St. Lawrence county. A letter by Nathan Sage, before us, on this subject, to Judge Hubbard, of Champion, at a later period (October 24, 1810), says,-

" The first object is to open the shortest route to the Salt Springs, and a communication to the Genesee country, and those parts adja- cent to them. The people south and west are very anxious for this road, and will use all their influence. Mr. Scriba has petitions in cir- culation in those sections. I shall put some in circulation here, and hope you will endeavor to do all you can in your section. I look on this road as of the greatest importance to this part of the State, and make no doubt that if subscribers are obtained, and some careful in- fluential man he employed to attend, and your members influence themselves, aid can he got by a lottery for this purpose."

In a letter to Gouverneur Morris, dated September 27, 1801, Mr. Ford recapitulates the substance of the previous one to Ogden, apologizes for the necessity of going to the Long Falls instead of through the French lands, and adds :

" You will please to say how, and in what proportion, the liberal subscription you have made shall be applied. I lameut that the country through to the Iligh Falls is so had. Should the road he cut through the country will not admit of settlement, consequently the object that way must be abandoned. I have presumed you would not wholly withdraw your patronage, because there are your own lands, as well as part of the French lands, which will be materially benefited. I have contracted for about one-half the road from Louis- ville to the Long Falls, and I expect to close a contract for the re- mainder very shortly. The great object of a road to this country to us all, and that routo being the most practicable one, has induced me to hazard the completion of it upon the subscriptions we have oh- tained. I wish there had been a sum subscribed that would have justified a wider and better road ; but so it is, and we must make the best of it. My contract is to cut out trees cighteen inches and under, sixteen and a half feet wide, cradle knolls, and side hills to be dug down, small crossways, and small bridges over small runs to be made, and stumps to be cut so low as not to ohstruct a wheel, and large trees to be girdled. For doing this I give sixteen dollars per mile. Bridges and crossways are a separate thing, and must be the subject of future contracts. I hopo to have much of the road finished this fall.

" From the lower line of Louisville to the East Branch, which the road crosses about 33 miles from the Forks (site of the village of Heuvelton), 33 miles ; from East Branch to Ox Bow, 26; from Ox Bow to head of Long Falls, 26; from Long to Shaler's, 30; from Shaler's to Albany, by the way of the Royal Grant and Johnstown, 90. I possibly may not be correct in the last distance, but I am pretty confident I am ; but allow 5 miles, gives 210 miles. This is the distance upon this route to Albany, by which your land is brought within 170 miles of Albany, which, I will venture to say, is the most practicable route that will be had to that city from the St. Lawrence.

" I am, sir, as ever, your humble servant,

" N. FORD.

"The Hon. G. Morris, Esq."

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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

To Samuel Ogden Mr. Ford wrote, October 29, 1801 :

" Dear Sir,-I wrote you on the 27th of last month, which I hope you have received. In that I told you I was pushing at the road, and it gives me much pleasure that by a little extraordinary exertion I shall get the whole of it so far completed that I intend finding my way through with a sleigh this winter. If I could have but one month longer I would havo it all bridged; but the season is too far advanced, and forbids my attempting it. I have spared no pains to get the road on the best ground. I was not satisfied with Edsal's first return of the road, and sent him back to explore the ground again between the Ox Bow and the head of the Long Falls, the result of which was better ground and four miles saved in distance. My in-, tention is to set out in January with as many sleighs as I can muster and break the road through, and advertise the thing in all the northern papers, so as to get people traveling through this winter. The present opportunity only gives me timo to tell how much I am,

" Yours,

"N. FORD."

To Samucl Ogden Mr. Ford wrote, November 29, 1801 :

" It is with pleasure I annource to you my having finished cutting the road, and all tho logs are turned, excepting about eight miles, and the party goes out to-morrow morning to finish that ; after which I think the road may be said to be passable for sleighs, although there is considerable digging yet to be done, as well as crossways. If I could have had three weeks longer, I could now have pronounced it one of the best roads in any new country. I have had crossways made over the worst places, and a bridge over the west branch of Black lake (Indian river) eighty feet long, and I should have had the bridge over the east branch (Oswegatchie river), but I was fearful of being caught by the fall rains. That is a bridge which must be twelve rods long.

"If I live and have my health next summer, I will have that a road which shall be drove with loaded wagons, for I have no idea of putting up with such a thing as they have made through Chatauguay, which scarcely deserves the name of an apology for a road. However, I do not know but it will be good enough for the use that will be made of it, after ours becomes finished. I expect the icc will serve as a bridge over the East Branch this winter. From the East Branch, where the road crosses, I have cut a road to this place, and about tho Ist of January I intend to break the road through to the Long Falls (Carthage), and find my way to Albany by this new route."

The road was at first opened by a subscription among the land-holders, and its continuation through Lewis county was long known as the Oswegatchic road. The sums raised by these means proved inadequate to build the road of the character which the country demanded, and narrow, sec- tional, and local jealousics were found to embarrass the enterprisc.

It was next attempted, with success, to obtain State pat- ronage for this work ; and on April 9, 1804, a lottery was created for the purpose of raising the sum of $22,000, to construct a road from Troy to Greenwich, and " from or near the head of the Long Falls, in the county of Oneida, to the mills of Nathan Ford, at Oswegatchie, in St. Lawrence county." The latter was to be six rods wide, and Nathan Ford, Alexander J. Turner, and Joseph Edsell, were ap- pointed commissioners for making it. Owners of improved lands might require payment for damages. $12,000 of the above sum was appropriated for this road. The summer of 1805 was devoted to the location and opening of the road, and on October 26, 1805, Judge Ford wrote:

forming a plan how our lottery money can be laid out to the best ad- vantage, makes me wish for some abler head than mine, to consult, or those with whom I am associated in the commission. To contract by the mile is very difficult, and to contract by the job, comprehend- ing the whole distance, is still worse. After consulting and turning the business in all the ways and shapes it is capable of, I proposed to my colleague the propricty of employing a man of reputation, who had weight of character equal to the procuring of thirty good hands to be paid by the month, and he to superintend the business; the su- perintendent to be handsomely paid, and he to carry on and conduct the business under the direction of the commissioners. This plan we have adopted, and I trust I have found a man who is fully competent to the task, and we shall make our engagements to begin on the 25th of May."

STATE ROADS.

An act was passed March 26, 1803, for opening and im- proving certain great roads of the State with the proceeds of a lottery, to be drawn under the supervision of Philip Ten Eyck, Thomas Storm, William Henderson, Mathias B. Tallmadge, and Jacobus Van Schoonhoven. The fund so raised was intended to be chiefly applied to the opening of roads in the Black river country, and was limited to forty- one thousand five hundred dollars.

Nathan Sage, Henry Huntington, and Jacob Brown were appointed commissioners for opening the road above mentioned, passing through Redfield, and these were, by an act passed April 9, 1804, authorized and empowered to make such deviations on said route as they deemed proper, notwithstanding the provision in the original act.

Jacob Brown, Walter Martin, and Peter Schuyler were appointed under the act of March 26, 1803, to locate the road through the Black river valley, which has since, until recently, been known as the State road, and $30,000 were expended under that act. Silas Stow acted a short time as one of the commissioners, both on the Black river and the Johnstown section, with Brown, Martin, and Schuyler.

By an act of April 8, 1808, Augustus Sacket, David I. Andrus, and John Meacham were empowered to lay out a public road four rods wide, commencing at such place in Brownville or Hounsfield as shall, in the opinion of the commissioners, best unite with the great road leading from Rome to the river St. Lawrence at Putnam's ferry, and pursuing such route as in their opinion shall best accommo- date the public in general, to the village of Salina.

By an act of April 2, 1813, the surveyor-general was " authorized and required to sell and dispose of so much of the unappropriated lands of this State, on a credit of twelve months, lying in the county of Oneida, called the Fish creek land, as shall raise the sum of $4000; and the same is hereby appropriated for improving the road from Sacket's Harbor, on Lake Ontario, to the village of Rome, in the county of Oneida, being the road heretofore laid out by commissioners appointed by the State, and pay the same over to Henry Huntington, Clark Allen, and Dan Taft, who are hereby appointed superintendents to take charge of the expenditures of the said sum, for the objects aforesaid."

An act was passed April 1, 1814, appointing William Smith, George Brayton, and Benjamin Wright to lay out a road from Salina to Smith's Mills (Adams), to intersect

" I have just returned from laying out the State road between Og- densburghand the Long Falls upon Black River, and I am happy to tell you wo have made great alterations (from the old road) for the better, also as well as shortening the distance. . . . The difficulty I find in

# David Seymour, of Springfield, Vermont, the father of George N. Seymour, Esq., of Ogdensburgh.

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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

at that place the State road from Rome, through Redfield and Lorraine, to Brownville. The sum of $5000, derived from duties on salt and a tax on the adjacent lands tliat were to receive direet and immediate benefit from the road, was applied for its construction. The road was completed to Adams, and was long known as the Salt Point road, or State road.

On the 17th of April, 1816, a State road was directed to be laid out from Lowville to Henderson harbor, which was surveycd, but the whole of it was not opened. It was principally designed to benefit lands in Pinekney and the other thinly-settled townships, but never became of publie importance.

A road from French Creek to Watertown was, by an act of April 1, 1824, directed to be made under the direction of Amos Stebbins, Azariah Doane, and Henry H. Coffeen. It was to be opened and worked as a publie road in the towns through which it passed, it being expected that the Commissioners would secure its location in such a manner as to secure the public interests only.

An act of April 18, 1828, provided for improving the publie road between Canton and Antwerp by a tax on lands to be benefited.

By an aet of April 19, 1834, Loren Bailey, Azariah Walton, and Eldridge G. Merrick were appointed to lay out a road along the St. Lawrence, from near the line of Lyme and Clayton to Chippewa Bay, in Hammond. The cost, not exceeding $100 per mile, was to be taxed to adjacent lands ; and in 1836, 1838, and 1839 the aet was amended and extended.

A State road from Carthage to Lake Champlain was, by an act of April 4, 1841, authorized to be laid out by Nel- son J. Beach, of Lewis county, David Judd, of Essex, and Nathan Ingerson, of Jefferson counties. The road has been surveyed and opened the whole distance. Mueh of it lies through an uninhabited forest.

The enterprise of individual proprietors led, at an early day, to the opening of extended lines of roads, among which were the Morris and Hammond road, the Alexandria road, etc. The tour of President Monroe in 1817 probably led to the project of uniting the two prominent military stations of Plattsburg and Sacket's Harbor by a military road, which was soon after begun. A report of John C. Calhoun, then secretary of war, dated January 7, 1819, mentions this among other national works then in progress. The labor was done by relief parties of soldiers from these garrisons, who received an extra allowance of fifteen cents, and a gill of whisky daily. The western extremity, from Sacket's Harbor, through Brownville, Pamelia Four Cor- ners, and Redwood to Hammond, and from Plattsburg to the cast line of Franklin county, only were completed. The care of the general government ended with the opening of these roads, and the portion in this county has been main- tained as a town road.

TURNPIKES.

The " Oneida and Jefferson Turnpike Company" was incorporated April 8, 1808, for thic purpose of making a road, by the most eligible route, from the house of James Tryon, in Rome, by way of David Butler's, in Redfield,

and the south branch of Sandy ereek, in Malta (Lorraine), and thence to Putnam's ferry, on the St. Lawrence. The persons named in the aet were Nathan Sage, Peter Colt, Angustus Sacket, Jacob Brown, David Smith, and Eliphalet Edmonds. Capital, 4700 shares of $25 each. A com- pany with the same name, and a capital of $20,000, was chartered May 3, 1834, but never got into efficient opera- tion. The commissioners named were Elisha Camp, Thomas C. Chittenden, Clark Allen, Ira Seymour, Nelson Darley, and Alanson Bennet.

" The St. Lawrence Turnpike Company," formed April 5, 1810, of twenty-nine leading land-liolders of northern New York, headed by J. Le Ray, built, in 1812-13, a turnpike from a point five and a half miles north of Car- thage to Bangor, Franklin county. They were in 1813 released from completing the termini, which had originally been intended to be the Long Falls and Malone. The road was opened under the supervision of Russell Attwater, and built from the proceeds of lands subscribed for its construction along the route. During the war it was a source of great profit, but afterwards fell into disuse, and the company were, by an aet of April 17, 1827, allowed to abandon it to the public.

" The Ogdensburgh Turnpike Company," formed June 8, 1812, capital, $50,000, and mainly sustained by David Parish, soon after built a turnpike from Carthage to Og- densburgh by way of Antwerp, Rossie, and Morristown. This was also, by an act of April, 1826, surrendered to the publie. Few persons better deserve honorable mention for their liberality in contributing to public improvement than David Parish, whose share of expense in opening the Og- densburgh turnpike was $40,000, and in the St. Lawrence upwards of $10,000. Mr. Le Ray is also equally deserv- ing of remembrance as the early and constant benefactor of these improvements, and his expenditures on these were doubtless greater than those of any other person.

By an act passed March 30, 1811, the governor was to appoint commissioners to lay out two turnpikes. One of these was to pass from Lowville, by way of Munger's Mills, and Watertown to Brownville; the other from Munger's Mills to Sacket's Harbor.

On the 13th of February, 1812, Mr. Lc Ray addressed the following memorial to the legislature :

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

" The petition of James Le Ray de Chaumont, respectfully sheweth : That the St. Lawrence Turnpike Road, leading from the Black River to the town of Malone, in Franklin County, is now opened the whole of tho distanee, and it is expected will be completed in the course of this year. That a direct road leading from tho Black River, opposite the village of Watertown, and intersecting the River St. Lawrence in the town of Lo Ray, would, in the opinion of your petitioners, greatly promote the publie convenience; that tho country through which sueh road would have to pass is in a great moasure uusettled, and the settlement and improvement of which would be mueh promoted by a good road. Your petitioners would also beg leave further to rep- resent that the road leading from the village of Chaumont to the vil- lago of Cape Vineent, on the river St. Lawrence, opposite Kingston, in Upper Canada, a distaneo of about eleven miles, passes through a very level and an unsottled traet of country, and is at present inneh out of repair, and during the greater part of the year so miry as to be ahuost impassablo; that by reason of this road being in such situation, porsons traveling through the Black River country to Upper Canada aro obliged, during the summer season, to submit to

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History of Jefferson County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 30

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