History of Jefferson County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 47

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 47

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ney, S. W .; John II. Smith, J. W .; Benj. Lewis, Scribe ; Morris Livingston, Treas. The present officers are : Merrill L. Raymond, C. P. , Levin Phillips, H. P. ; Charles Drexel, S. W .; Robert J. Holmes, I. ; Janics White, J. W .; Wm. Howard, Treas .; Thomas I. Graves, F. S .; John B. Hart, D. D. G. P. for Jefferson district. Number of members, 68.

INDUSTRIAL.

The " Jefferson County Industrial Association," a joint- stock company, was formed in May, 1843, at Watertown, having for its object a union of labor and capital after the plan of Fourier. It at one time numbered nearly 400 persons, but after existing a little more than a ycar it was dissolved. . An establishment was formed two miles cast of Watertown, at Cold Brook, in which vicinity about 600 acres of land had been purchased, mechanic shops fitted up, and conveniences for families erected.

" The Watertown Mechanics' Association" was formed August 13, 1844. The objects of the association were the cultivation and improvement of the moral, social, and intel- lectual faculties, by diffusing information upon subjects connected with the mechanic arts, by exhibiting improve- ments, by discussing the principles of mechanism, collect- ing statistics, and in such other ways as might be deemed useful. Mechanics, artisans, and manufacturers might be- come members of the association by signing the constitu- tion, and paying one dollar in semi-annual payments. Fairs might be held at such times as might be appointed, and weekly discussions and debates were held. The following officers were elected at the first meeting ; viz. : William HI. Robinson, president ; Gilbert Bradford, first vice-president ; W. Y. Buck, second vice-president ; Avery Thomas, record- ing secretary; George Martin, corresponding secretary ; James H. Ryther, treasurer ; John A. Haddock, collector ; Lorenzo Finney, O. L. Wheelock, C. E. Hubbard, John Jordan, Timothy Turner, managers; George Burr, A. Freeman, A. H. Burdick, commissioners finance. The association continued its organization until 1861, and then dissolved.

" Mechanics' Mutual Protections" were formed at Water- town, Brownville, and Theresa, but were of short continu- ancc.

" The Watertown Manufacturers' Aid Association" was formed in 1875, to promote the objects indicated by its name. Under the auspiccs of the Association, a " history of the settlement and progress of Watertown, and a descrip- tion of its commercial advantages as a manufacturing point, its location, its unsurpassed water-power, its industries, and general features of attraction to capitalists and manufac- turers," was published in 1876, the same being compiled by Mr. C. R. Skinner. The book was very neatly printed by the Times-Reformer press, and is a credit to the house, the Association, the compiler, and the city whose claims it ably advocates.

The first article of the constitution of the association is as follows : "The object of the association shall be to make an organized and systematic effort to develop and aid the manufacturing interests of the- city of Watertown."

Its first and present officers are as follows : Gen. Bradley Winslow, president; Dr. H. M. Stevens, vice-president ;

Charles R. Skinner, cor. secretary ; W. C. Haven, record- ing secretary ; John F. Moffett, treasurer; board of trus- tees : Bradley Winslow, Jno. C. Streeter, Chas. W. Sloat, C. D. Palmeter, Moses Eames, Rozelle H. HIali, Levi A. Johnson, Thomas S. Graves, A. D. Remington.

JEFFERSON COUNTY (POMONA) GRANGE, PATRONS OF HUSBANDRY,

organized May 4, 1876, with Luke Fulton, Master, and S. R. Pratt, Secretary. Numbers 75 members.

WATERTOWN GRANGE, NO. 7,

was organized July 12, 1873, by C. D. Beman, of Waukon, Iowa, deputy of the National Grange, with twenty-five charter menibers, A. II. Hall being elected Master; G. C. Bradley, Overscer; Jno. W. Tamblin, Lecturer; L. D. Olney, Treasurer ; and S. Curtis Terry, Secretary. Elliott Makepeace was Master in 1874-5, and L. D. Olney, 1876-7. W. O. Tolman has served as Treasurer, and L. T. Sawyer as Secretary, continuously since Jan., 1874. The member- ship had doubled at the election of 1874, and at the close of the year was nearly treble its charter members. Since then large additions have been made both by initiation and the consolidation of two neighboring granges with Water- town Grange. The present officers are: Master, L. D. Olney ; Overseer, Henry' Barbour ; Lecturer, Elliott Make- peace; Steward, W. A. Lyttle ; Assistant, Chas. Wilson ; Chaplain, Samuel Green ; Treasurer, L. T. Sawyer; Secre- tary, W. O. Tolman; Gate-Keeper, Gco. B. Kimball ; Ceres, Mrs. Adaline Olney ; Pomona, Mrs. Angeline Make- peace ; Flora, Mrs. Frances Fuller ; Lady Assistant, Mrs. Fanny Green ; Executive Committee, W. C. Baker, Gco. H. Kimball, Frank Haddock.

"Sovereigns of Industry," organized -, with W. A. Portt, President, and W. A. Lyttle, Secretary.

MUSICAL.

The first instrumental organization effected in Watertown was one known as the " Watertown Band," organized in 1835. Capt. Rugg led the band with a "C" clarionct, the other members being John Parmelee, "C" clarionet ; Fay Horth, "F" clarionet ; Dr. Sikes, "serpent ;" Fred. White and Geo. Bascom, " bassoons ;" Cronkite, " B" bugle; Albert Barney, " valve trombone ;" Charles Clark, piccolo. This organization continued until 1841, and often furnished music for military reviews and general trainings. One notable occasion was a review in 1839 at Brownville, when several distinguished military dignitaries were present.

In 1841, the " Watertown Sax-Horn Band" was organ- ized, with James Elder as leader. It contained eleven Sax-horns, a tenor drum, and cymbals. This organization continued until about 1856, when the first Watertown Cornet Band was organized, under the leadership of Mr. Elder and several of the best musicians of the old Sax-horn band. This organization continued up to the breaking out of the rebellion, when a number of the members enlisted and went into the service. The organization, however, was preserved to the end of the war by Thomas Forrester, who filled up the vacant places in it with other musicians. In 1867, M. L. Elder assumed the leadership, and continued

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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

in the position until some time in 1868, when the band was reorganized under the leadership of Prof. H. M. Lewis, with the name of " The Old Watertown Band," and con- tinued thus up to 1871, when the Davis Sewing-Machine Company purchased new instruments for the band, and gave the use of them to the organization on condition the name " Davis Sewing-Machine Co. Band" was assumed, which proposition was acceded to. The personnel of the organization at that date was the same substantially as now, viz. : Leader, Henry M. Lewis, 1st cornet ; M. L. Horth, 2d eornet; Thomas Forrester, E-flat clarionet, Geo. Jones, 1st B-flat cornet ; James Bonner, 2d B-flat cornet ; Austin, solo alto ; Fay Horth, 2d alto; Win. R. Baker, 1st tenor ; I. D. Graves, 1st tenor; Walter Bliss, 2d tenor; N. S. Snell, 2d tenor; Silas J. Snell, baritone; Joseph Horton, tuba ; S. Green, tuba ; Frank Horth, bass drum ; L. Hutch- ins, tenor drum; Edw. Trowbridge, cymbals. This or- ganization, with but few changes in members, continues to the present time. In 1874 the band competed for and won the $1000 international prize at Toronto, Ontario, having as competitors much larger bands, among them the Hamilton (Ont.) band, of twenty-eight pieees, and the Grand Trunk band, of Toronto, with thirty-three pieces. The evening following the tournament, the U. S. Consul, Hon. A. D. Shaw, a Jefferson County man, gave the band a grand re- ception at the Queen's Hotel. A grand ovation and ban- quet was tendered the band by the citizens of Watertown on its return at the Woodruff House. The reputation of the organization is second to none outside of the great cities for the rendition of difficult or classical musie. The band has serenaded civil officers of every grade from " aldermen to President of the United States," doing that pleasing

service for President U. S. Grant on his visit to Watertown. On the visit of the Count and Countess St. Paul Le Ray de Chaumont to Carthage, a few years ago, the band was engaged in the reception of the distinguished guests, the descendants of the pioneers of Jefferson. In Sept., 1877, the band was again reorganized under the name of the Watertown City Band, and incorporated with the following officers : Soranus H. Tripp, president; Austin Jones, viee- president ; Norman S. Snell, secretary ; S. D. Graves, treas- urer; Henry M. Lewis, musical director ; the remaining members being the same as in the D. S. M. band. The band is splendidly uniformed and well drilled in marching movements, and present a finc appearance on parade, be- sides charming the ear with their exquisite harmony. It is the just pride of the city, whose eitizens gather about the park on pleasant summer evenings in crowds, to listen to " the concord of sweet sounds," that float out upon the evening air from the silver-throated helicons.

"The Watertown Amateur Orchestra," composed en- tirely of amateur artists, was organized December, 1874. It comprises eleven instruments, viz. : 1st violin, John W. Miller, conductor; 2d violins, W. W. Scott (sec'y. and treas.) and John Gutzman ; viola, Geo. Yager ; basso, H. L. Baldwin (president) ; 1st and 2d clarionet, Frank Horth and De Witt Graves; flute and piecolo, D. J. Pease ; cor- net, L. M. Waite; trombone, Jason M. Fenn.

" The Watertown Choral Union" was organized in 1873, and consists of sixty-five members, with officers as follows :

President, John C. Knowlton ; Vice-President, C. R. Rem- ington ; Sec'y., M. B. Sloat ; Treas., E. Q. Sewall ; Con- ductor, Samuel Adams; Vice-conductor, Fred Seymour.

LITERARY.

The "Young Men's Association" was formed by the ap- pointment of officers, December 3, 1840, and the adoption of a constitution, which provided for the annual election of a president, two vicc-presidents, a recording and correspond- ing secretary, a treasurer, and eleven managers, who were to constitute, together, an executive committee, appoint a librarian, and have the general charge and supervision of the interests of the association. Citizens of Watertown, between the ages of sixteen and forty, might become mem- bers by paying one dollar admission fec, and two dollars an- nually. An act of incorporation was passed, April 17, 1841, by which D. D. Otis, O. V. Brainard, S. S. Cady, Abraham Reamer, J. M. Clark, George R. Fairbanks, and Samuel Fairbanks, were constituted a body corporate, under the name of "The Young Men's Association for Mutual Improvement in the Village of Watertown, with the usual liabilities and immunities, and power to hold rcal and per- sonal estate, to an amount not cxeeeding $10,000."

The introductory address was delivered by the Hon. Jo- seph Mullin, December 17, 1840, and weekly lectures and debates were continued during the winter seasons. A li- brary with about 400 volumes was opened April 3, 1841, and had increased to nearly 2000 volumes, when the prem- ises occupied by the association were destroyed in the great fire of May 13, 1849, and no further efforts were made to revive it.

The first officers elected were D. D. Otis, president ; Or- ville V. Brainard, first vice-president; Ithamer B. Crawe, second vice-president ; Joseph Mullin, corresponding secre- tary ; W. Genet, treasurer ; Geo. W. Hungerford, S. Fair- banks, James F. Starbuck, A. M. Corss, R. Barnes, J. H. Dutton, J. C. Patridge, F. W. Hubbard, K. Hannahs, M. Beebee, and T. H. Camp, managers.

"Factory Square Lyceum" was, in its day, one of the institutions for good in Watertown, and proved a good edu- eator for the times. It was organized about the year 1845, and continued to hold its meetings regularly until 1848, or thereabouts, in a hall in the building then known as Sew- cll's Hall. Among the prominent members of the Lyceum were Jonathan Sawyer, Nathaniel and John Farnum, Lewis C. Therry, A. D. Button, Samuel Haddock, John M. Si- gourney, and Gilbert Bradford. Many able essays and stoutly-contested discussions were read and conducted under the auspices of the Lyeeum, including a course of geologi- cal lectures by a noted geologist of that day. Other lcc- tures were delivered by Judge Mullin, Prof. O. B. Pierce, H. D. Sewell, and other prominent men.

RELIGIOUS.

"The Young Men's Christian Association" was organ- ized in 1869, by such men as Geo. B. Massey, John F. Moffett, F. R. Farwell, Geo. L. Davis, Homer Bartlett, C. C. Case, Wm. M. Penniman, and others of that stamp of character, Mr. Case being the first president. The associa- tion occupies a suite of rooms in Washington IIall block,

( A. M. GENDRON, PHOTOGRAPHER, WATERTOWN. N. Y. )

PLINY MONROE.

MRS. PLINY MONROE .

RESIDENCE OF PLINY MONROE WATERTOWN, N.Y.

L. D. Hill

LORENZO Dow HILL was born in Richfield, Oneida county, New York, July 31, 1808. His father, Asa Hill, was a native of Holleston, Massachusetts, and his mother, Catharinc Hill, of Connectieut. Mr. Hill came into Oneida county in 1800, re- maining there until 1810, when he removed with his family into the town of Rodman, Jefferson County, where he and they enjoyed the pleasures, and endured the hardships and privations consequent upon pionecr life, remaining upon the farm, changed by his own hand from a forest to cultivated fields, for more than forty years. Mr. Hill died in 1856, aged eighty-six years ; Mrs. Hill, in 1859, aged seventy-eight.

Lorenzo, at the age of eighteen years, by an arrangement with his father, was allowed to launch upon " life's troubled sea," and carve his own fortune. He was employed by the late Judge Egbert Ten Eyck upon his farm, and his industry and fidelity to, business secured him a good and unchanged home, and constant employment for four years ; when at the age of twenty-two, he purchased fifty acres of land in the southeast part of Watertown, upon which he commenced farm- ing for himself.

At the age of twenty-four he married Miss Amanda R., daughter of Septimus G. and Dorothy Adams, of Watertown. Mrs. Hill had received the advantages of a good education in early life, and followed the profession of teacher with marked success for a series of years, which profession she abandoned, and assumed the dutics and responsibilities of domestic life. Having spent several years upon their farm, and upon his ad- joining farm in Rodman, they sold the whole to his brother, Calvin P. Hill, and removed to Burr's mills, in Watertown, having purchased the " Deacon Caleb Burnain farm," so called, of one hundred and eighty-seven acres, where Mrs. Hill died August 4, 1850, at the age of forty-two years, leaving two daughters, Caroline A. and Emma C. These daughters both

survive their parents. Mr. Hill married, for his second wife. Mrs. Elizabeth Welch, daughter of Hosea and Chioe Brown, of Ohio, who survives him. He also leaves two sons, children of the second marriage, to accompany their mother through the remainder of life's journey.

Mr. Hill was a model farmer, as the condition of his pre- mises has always attested ; was a man of indomitable industry, energy, and perseverance; and by their application, with eeon- omy, frec from parsimony, seconded and assisted by his partners in life, he became one of our first farmers in wealth and im- portance, leaving a liberal inheritance to those for whom he had labored so long aud faithfully.

In 1869 he left his farm, which he retained until his death, in charge of his son-in-law, Mr. George R. Bell, and removed to the city of Watertown, for the double purpose of relieving himself and wife from the labors and cares indispensable to conducting the business of a farm, and the accomplishment of the higher object of increasing the facilities for furnishing his sons, Herbert M. and Lorenzo D., with an education. The former is now a student in Hamilton College, and the latter in the High School of the city of Watertown.

In politics, Mr. Hill was a Republican, never participating in political excitements or sceking political preferment.

In 1840, Mr. Hill united with the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he remained a consistent working member for the balance of his life, appropriating liberally of his means and time for its sustainment. He was a man of sound judg- ment, shrewd, eautious, and safe in his business, always avoiding contingent and illegitimate enterprises ; decisive, firm ; a good neighbor, a cousistent Christian, a valued citizen ; kind and indulgent, not only in his family, but to all. He died at his residence, No. 92 Franklin street, city of Watertown, August 14, 1877, honored and respected by all who knew him.

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where a free reading-room, library, and geological and min- eralogical cabinet are maintained, and kept open to the public. Publie religious services are also held every Sun- day afternoon and Monday evening, the same being under charge of a board of managers appointed by the several Protestant churches of the city. A course of lectures has been maintained cach winter since the organization of the association, also a coffee-room has been kept open one or two winter seasons. There are at present one hundred and twenty sustaining members in the association, who have paid into the treasury ten dollars each for the furtheranee of its objects for 1877-78. The present officers and mana- gers are as follows : President, John D. Huntington ; 1st Vice-President, Clark Witherby ; 2d Vice-President, Fos- ter Rhines ; Treasurer, Geo. B. Massey; Corresponding Secretary, W. M. Penniman ; Recording Secretary, T. C. Murray ; General Business Secretary, F. Z. Wilcox ; Man- agers, First Presbyterian church, Henry J. Munson, H. D. Waite ; Stone Street Presbyterian church, Ed. Bush, Lewis Emmerich ; State Street M. E. church, John F. Moffett, C. D. Palminter ; Arsenal Street M. E. church, Jesse M. Adams, P. Norton ; Baptist church, Dr. C. M. Johnson, John Frost. The association published a monthly periodical called the Christian Witness, during the years 1875-76.

BENEVOLENT.

The "Catholie Benevolent Society" was organized in 1860, with twenty-three members, Captain John Lacy being chosen the first president. The present offieers are James Carlan, president; John Muldoon, vice-president ; John Hardman, corresponding secretary ; Michael Hogan, treasurer ; William Mooney, door-keeper.

The " Knights of St. Patrick" Society was organized in 1869, the first officers being James Muldoon, president ; Edward Kennedy, vice-president ; Thomas Durkin, secre- tary; Wm. J. Farrell, corresponding secretary ; Peter Clasey, treasurer. The succession of presidents has been as follows: James Muldoon, 1869-71; Edward Kennedy, 1871-72; William Haffarty, 1873-75; John Hartigan, 1875-77. The society has about sixty members.

"St. John Baptiste Benevolent Society" was organized 1876, and suspended the same year. E. De Marce was the president, and John Picket the secretary.

THE HOUSE OF SHELTER for friendless and fallen girls and women was instituted April 25, 1877, at which date the first public meeting was held in the Y. M. C. A. rooms, a preliminary meeting having been held on the 17th of April preceding. Forty-nine ladies were present at the second meeting, and "The Ladies' Christian Union" was organized, which mnet from week to week until September 1, when the "Shelter" was established at 111 Washington street, in a rented house, with Mrs. Weeks as matron and two girls as inmates. This number inercased to six at one time. The " House of Shelter" is still young, but it is one of those real charities which, organized and maintained by the noble women of our country, extend their sheltering arms to the unfortunate of the female sex, and are therefore worthy the benison of every good citizen. The founders of this charity hope much for it. The officers of the society are Mrs. D. W. Baldwin, president; Mrs. J. G.

Harbottle and Mrs. W. Sage, vice-presidents; Mrs. C. A. Simmons, sceretary ; Mrs. Wm. W. Wood, treasurer. Membership, 393.

The struggle of the Greeks for independence excited the sympathics of our citizens in common with other sections of the State, and on December 19, 1826, a meeting was held at D. Hungerford's hotel, in Watertown, to express their interest in the measure. A committee was appointed to solicit subseriptions, and the contributions, aggregating quite a sum, applied as intended. In 1847 the citizens of Watertown contributed for the relief of the Irish, who were suffering from the failure of the potato-crop, about $400 in money, and some $3000 worth of articles collceted was sent from the county for this object.

REFORMATORY.

" The Jefferson County Temperance Society," auxiliary to the State society, was formed by a convention assembled for the purpose in January, 1846. The formation of town soeietics was strongly recommended, statistics of intemper- ance to be collected, and strong efforts made to stop the sale of ardent spirits by withholding licenses by vote at a popular election, which had been a short time previously directed by the legislature to be held.

A "Carson League" was also formed in 1853 for the en- forcement of the laws regulating the sale of ardent spirits.

SONS OF TEMPERANCE .- This order arose in 1846-47, and spread rapidly throughout the Union. Divisions were established in Watertown as follows: Morning Star, 156; Meridian, 303. In March, 1851, there were twenty-eight divisions and 1116 contributing members in Jefferson County ; but they ceased to work in 1854-56, and other organizations took their places, notably the Good Templars.

GOOD SAMARITANS .- " Cataract Lodge, No -," was formed at Watertown, February 22, 1853, with seventeen charter members, but suspended soon after.

GOOD TEMPLARS .- This order succeeded to the place left vacant by the Sons of Temperance, and began to number its adherents in 1853. In Watertown the following lodges were instituted : " Cascade Lodge, No. 37," with 40 members, George H. Harlowe, now Secretary of State of Illinois, being the first Worthy Chief Templar, and II. F. Ferrin, Secretary. In 1854 " Union Harmony Lodge, No. 128," with 22 members, was instituted, L. M. Stowell being the first W. C. T., and W. W. Wright, Secretary. In 1855, on the lapse of the Grand Lodge of the State of New York, both of the foregoing lodges surrendered their char- ters, and between that year and 1866 no lodges existed in Jefferson County, or Grand Lodge in the State. In the latter year the order revived, the Grand Lodge was re-es- tablished, and the present organization, " Watertown Lodge, No. 90," was instituted, August 20, 1866, at Odd-Fellows' Hall, with thirteen charter members, HI. F. Ferrin being W. C. T., and C. II. Seever, Secretary. The membership of the lodge increased rapidly, insomuch that it numbered at the close of the first quarter 187. There have been at one time on the rolls of the lodge 492 contributing members. It has initiated 1200 members, and can point to more than one hundred reformed drinkers who have kept the pledge they pronounced before its altar. The present officers of the

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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

lodge are Lysander H. Brown, W. C. T .; Miss Fanny Pierce, W. V. T .; M. V. Rose, Secretary ; Myers Thompson, Treasurer. H. F. Ferrin, the first W. C. T. of the present lodge, was the Treasurer of the Grand Lodge of New York from 1867 to 1871 inclusive, and during that time dis- bursed $118,000.

In 1874 there were 1000 lodges in the State, with a membership of over 100,000. There were in 1869-70 forty-nine lodges in Jefferson County, with 4600 members, and every county officer at or about that time was a member of the Good Templar lodges. In September, 1868, the Grand Lodge met in Watertown, with 531 lodges repre- sented. In 1867 a " county lodge," the first one in the State, was formed in Watertown, to operate as a district grand lodge, composed of delegates from the subordinate lodges of the county. It has met once each quarter in various parts of the county ever since. . The first W. C. T. of the county lodge was James Johnson, and the first Sec- retary, H. F. Ferrin. The present county chief is Samuel Hopper, of Antwerp, and eight constituent lodges send delegates to the sessions of the county lodge.

THE WATERTOWN REFORM CLUB was organized De- cember 18, 1875, by McKelvey and Dobney, temperance evangelists, with forty members, the first officers being as follows : President, John I. Inglis : Vice-Presidents, Moses Cross, W. H. Semple, J. G. Harbottle ; Secretary, George Dawson ; Treasurer, E. A. Dory ; Chaplain, Thomas Nor- ton. Prominent among the workers for the organization and maintenance of the club were Judge F. W. Hubbard, Dr. J. D. Huntington, Rev. J. W. Putnam, and J. J. Porter. During the winter of 1876 the club sent several effective speakers into the country round about, to evangelize in its cause, with good results. In March and April of 1876 the membership ran up to over 800, but fell off again, as work became plentier, later in the spring. The club now numbers 150 members, and claims that less than ten per cent. of its heaviest membership have relapsed to their former dissipation. The club-rooms are at present in the American Hotel building. The present officers are George Dawson, president ; Peter Major, Jr., vice-president; M. G. Dillenbeck, secretary ; C. W. Seger, treasurer ; Thomas Norton, chaplain ; Hon. F. W. Hubbard, W. H. Semple, S. M. Douglass, executive committee.

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History of Jefferson County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 47

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