History of Jefferson County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 74

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 74

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In 1802 there were six frame and four log houses in the village of Brownville.

The acquisition to the colony of a man of the temper and spirit of Deacon Oliver Bartholomew was valuable. Ile was amiable and benignaut in manner, yet firm where principle was concerned, and was accustomed to do the office work of an itinerant minister for the new settlement. By invitation he would occasionally hold a religious service on the Sabbath, at the house of Jacob Brown. These were the first religious meetings in the colony.

Prominent among the settlers at this early period was William Webb, the father of Jonathan, William, Silas, and Lewis. He lived and died on the Edward Spicer farm, which was first taken up by Leonard Wilson. John Cole- also took up the farm where he lived and died, and where his son, John, Jr., lived and died, and where his grandson, Byron, afterwards lived. John Cole used to say he had " paid for his farm three times, on account of defective titles."

John Baxter took up land on both sides of Perch river, to the amount of about six hundred acres. Isaac Moffatt, Melvin Moffatt, Abner and Leonard Wilson, Frederick and Richardson Avery, Stephen Stanley, and others, came about this time. In September, 1805, the village of Brown- ville contained twenty-five houses, and was growing rapidly.

THE FIRST PUBLIC-HOUSE

in Brownville was built by Jeremiah Phelps, in 1805, on the site of the present stone hotel. The latter was built, about 1820, by Henry Caswell and a Mr. Emerson. They soon after sold it to a company made up of Wm. Lord, H. Law- rence, W. S. Ely, E. Kirby, I. Shields, and John E. Brown.

In 1805, John Brown (afterwards Judge Brown) bought the lands on the south side of the river, and built the mills there; and in 1806 the first dam was thrown across the river at that place.

About 1805, Samuel Starr took up the farm known as the Starr farm. He built a log distillery down by the brook near his house, where was made the first whisky in the town.

Captain Wu. Knox, Robert Smith, Samuel Peck, Eli- phalet Peck (father of the present sheriff), and Nathaniel Peck helped to clear the Starr farm. Nathaniel Peek married a daughter of Mr. Starr, and was in company with Starr in the manufacture of whisky ; he afterwards removed the distillery to the farm known as the Nathaniel Peck farm. About this time the construction of the Erie canal was much talked of. So incredulous was Mr. Starr as to the accomplishment of such a great work that he said, " When the Erie canal is built I will fill it with whisky."

Jacob Kilborn, father of Alfred, took up and cleared the

farm now owned and occupied by John Prior. The old log house built by him in 1807 is still standing, in striking contrast with the modern and commodious dwelling by its side. Moses Cole settled in another part of the town, and cleared the John Cowan farm. Joseph Rhodes took up the Silas Spieer farm ; a little later James Pride took up the farm now owned by Cyrus Allen. His father-in-law, Mr. Thomas, lived and died on the farm, which Mr. Pride afterwards sold to Win. Vandebogart.

At a little later period Henry Ward brought a stock of goods from Otsego county, which, for a time, was kept in the house built by Collins, on the Dr. Greene place ; the goods were afterwards removed to Moffattsville (Perch River). Ward was succeeded in the mercantile business by Jacob C. and Alpheus Greene, and followed by Isaac Moffatt. Since that time Hugh Smith, with Heury Spicer and other partners, has kept a stock of dry-goods, groceries, etc., for the accommodation of the neighborhood.

Alexander Moffatt, or " Conkey," as he was called, settled about this time in the vicinity of Limerick, where his sons, Aquilla, Jonathan, Hosea, Alexander, and ITinman, lived many years ; Orlando went west. Mr. Smith, the father of Hugh, Ely, and Elias, also located here, and Samuel Shelley, who owned afterwards a mill at Limerick, built by Nelson. Isaac Day also came about this time.

Among the early settlers in the neighborhood of Pillar Point were Horatio Sprague, Eleazar Ball, Peter and Solo- mon Ingalls, Mr. Sherwin, Eliphalet Peck, Isaac Luther, Mr. Burlingame, Daniel Ackerman, Jere. Carpenter, Jesse Stone, Geo. Rounds, James Douglas, Henry Adams, Sam- uel Reed, Mr. Fulsom, Luther Reed, and Henry Ward. Samuel Knap bought and cleared up one hundred and fifty acres of land on the road to Limerick, a part of which is now owned by John Freeman. On one occasion, after the farm was well cleared up, Mr. Knap had under cultivation a field of forty acres of wheat, which was nearly matured. Judge John Brown, who held a mortgage on the farm, passing that way, called on Mr. Knap, and congratulated him on his prospect of a large yield of wheat. In the course of conversation the judge offered to discharge the mortgage on the farm if Mr. Knap would give him that crop. "No," Mr. Knap replied ; " I shall do better than that ; I would not thank God Almighty for a big crop of wheat there !" It was not many days before the field was struck with rust, and the crop was an entire failure; not eveu the straw was fit for use. This produced a deep im- pression on Mr. Knap, and he soon after made public ae- knowledgment of his dependence on that Divine power which he had before defied. During the greater part of his after-life he was identified with the Methodist church of Brownville, and became one of its most efficient mem- bers and liberal supporters. He was for many years the owner of the large and valuable farm now the property and residence of his son, J. C Knap, who in all good things follows in the footsteps of his father.

Jere. Phelps, David Lyttle, and Solon Stone located at Dexter, and later Mr. Willis and Jere. Winegar, and still later Kendall Hursley, Joshua Eaton, Jesse Babcock. Syl- vanus Pool, John T. Wood, James A. Bell, Solomon Moyer, John P. Shelley, and others.

298

HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

Previous to 1805 the county of Oneida embraced all this section, but for convenience of access to county courts, buildings, records, cte., it was thought advisable to divide the county, and an act was passed Mareh 28, 1805, crect- ing Lewis and Jefferson counties from Oneida. A strenu- ous effort was now made on the part of Mr. Brown and others north of the river for the location of the public buildings at Brownville; but other influences prevailed, and Watertown was selected as the county-seat.

In 1807 there were in Brownville one hundred and cighty-one legal voters, with property qualifications. In 1807 and 1818 bounties of five dollars were offered on wolves ; in 1821, cight dollars ; 1806, '8, '9, '11, '12, '20, ten dollars ; 1804, '13, '19, fifteen dollars ; 1815, '16, twenty dollars ; 1814, '17, twenty-five dollars. Fox boun- ties of one dollar in 1815, '20, '21; and of two dollars and fifty cents in 1817, '19; and of fifty cents in 1833, were offered. In 1806 a bounty of ten dollars, and in 1807 of five dollars, was offered for panthers.

February 10, 1807, "The Brownville Library" was formed under the general act, with John Brown, John Baxter, Henry Cowley, Isaac Pearse, John Simonds, Ste- phen Stanley, and Thos. Y. Howe, trustees. This, and a subsequent association, have long sinee been dissolved.

In 1810 the legislature passed an act to improve the navigation of the mouth of the river up to Brownville by eanals and locks. It was thought by making the river navi- gable to Brownville that it would be made a port of entry for the commerce of the lakes, and a shipping port for the produce of the country ; but with so good a harbor and port as was afforded by the bay at Sacket's Harbor, the projeet failed.

Communication for supplies at this time was mainly with Kingston ; potash, a large product from elearing the land of its timber, being exchanged for flour, pork, and other goods. There were two warehouses built for the aeeommo- dation of this trade just below Brownville, small sail-boats being used for this transportation. Just previous to the war of 1812 Congress laid an embargo on trade between Eng- land and the United States. Potash, which in the new settlements was one of the chief products, advanced to three hundred and three hundred and twenty dollars a ton in Montreal, front whence it was shipped to England. This excited the cupidity of traders, and an " embargo road" was opened from the Black river, near Brownville, to near Freneh creek, which, for a time, became a great thoroughfare for smugglers.

From a record made in the clerk's office June 5, 1810, it appears a company was formed called the

BLACK RIVER NAVIGATION COMPANY,

with the following persons subseribers, and the number of shares (at $10) taken by each : Samuel Brown, Jr., 20 ; Jacob Brown, 35 ; Mieah Sterling, 10 ; Benjamin Skinner, 10; John Brown, 20; Wm. M. Lord, 20; Judah Wil- liams, 10; Samuel Starr, 20; Joseph Sterling, 10; Wm. Hunter, 10 ; Richard M. Esselstyn, 10 ; James Shields, 5 ; Gershom Tuttle, 5 ; Thomas S. Converse, 5 ; Amasa Trow- bridge, 10. The commissioners were Ethel Bronson, John Brown, Win. M. Lord, and Thos. S. Converse. March 8,

1811, the company received an amendment of their charter, by which the president and directors were to appoint a col- lector, who should receive from every boat of five tons or over twenty-five cents per ton, small boats fifty cents per ton, for going and returning, provided the receipts should not exceed fourteen per cent. of the capital invested. The company was to finish its work in three years. The time was afterwards extended, and in 1815 wooden locks were built, of capacity sufficient to allow the passage of Durham boats ; and by an advertisement in the Sacket's Harbor Gazette of May 1, 1817, the highest toll for passing the locks was fixed at fifty cents.

About the year 1828 these wooden locks having decayed, they were replaced by stone locks, and in the summer of 1827 the steamer Brownville was built by a company, among whom were Turner and Dodd, Wm. S. Ely, Wm. Lord, Hoel Lawrence, and Edmund Kirby, of this place, with others in Oswego and Ogdensburgh. This boat had a keel of 80 feet ; beam 20 fcet; depth of hold 6} feet ; 100 tons burden ; and engines of 35 to 40 horse-power. She was burned to the water's edge on her first trip to Og- densburgh, but her crew was saved. The hull was towed to Brownville, rebuilt by Captain E. B. Dodd, and soon after sold at Sacket's Harbor, and her name changed to Wm. Avery. Dexter, three and one-half miles below Brownville, is now the head of navigation.

POST-ROUTES.

April 10, 1810, a post-route was established from Utiea, by Whitestown, Rome, Camden, Adams, and Sacket's Harbor, to Brownville; and another from Harrisburg, by Champion, Watertown, and Brownville, to Fort Putnam. April 30, 1816, from Brownville to Cape Vincent. June 15, 1832, from Watertown, by Brownville and La Farge- ville, to Cornelia, at the mouth of the French creek, thenee by Depauville to Brownville. April 12, 1816, an act was passed, allowing Mr. Le Ray to extend the Cape Vincent turnpike-road to Brownville village. By an aet of April 21, 1831, this road was surrendered to the public.

In 1817 a military road was projected, to unite the two prominent stations of Plattsburg and Sacket's Harbor, which was commenced, but only a portion completed. The western extremity from Sacket's Harbor passes through Brownville to Pamelia Four Corners. After being opened by the Government it passed into the hands of the town, and has thus been maintained.

THE WAR OF 1812

eaused mueh excitement in these frontier towns. Jacob Brown, who had been made colonel of the 108th Regiment of New York State militia, received the commission of brigadier-general, and had personal direction of military operations on the frontier during most of the first season. Large bodies of militia assembled here for service, a hos- pital was established, and troops stationed in the village and vicinity at different times during the war. At Pereli River a fort or block-house was put up by voluntary labor on the site of the residence of the late S. F. Spicer. It was de- signed as a place of safety for the women and children, the sick and infirm. It was never used for this purpose, but

RESIDENCE OF JOHN C. KNAPP, BROWNVILLE, JEFFERSON CO., N.Y.

299

HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

served as a storehouse for grain. Another block-house was built on the site of the present Baptist church, but, instead of being used as designed, was afterwards used for religious meetings.

The old inhabitants relate many incidents connected with the War of 1812, to which they or their ancestors were parties, among them the following : The British had some of our men prisoners of war at Prescott, Canada, and were taking them by boat to Kingston, under a boat's crew and guard of about an equal number with themselves. A plan was formed among our men to overpower the guard and take the boat to Cape Vincent instead of Kingston. The watchword " whisky" was to be given, when each of our men was to attack and make sure of his man. The plan was successful; the crew and guard were overpowered, and made prisoners in their turn, and brought to Cape Vincent, and from thence to Brownville.

At this time men were intolerant of those who were sus- pected of being in sympathy with the other side. There is a story told of a resident of the little hamlet of Perch River, who was thought by his neighbors to lack patriot- ism. He lived just beyond the first bridge crossing Perch river. There was another bridge two miles farther up, near which lived Mr. Moffatt, an ardent patriot. At Brownville village the British sympathizer had formed the acquaintance of one Lieutenant Showers, a British prisoner of war on parole. It was agreed between the two parties that Showers, under cover of night, should go to the house of this friend, where he would find help to escape to Canada. Accord- ingly, he started, but, mistaking the road, went on to the second bridge. All was quiet within, but he succeeded in rousing Mr. Moffatt, and in the darkness not recognizing him, said, " Well, I've got here at last !" Mr. Moffatt was a man of quick perceptions, and suspected who he was. He directed him to go back to the first bridge, where he would find the right house. As soon as he had gone, Mr. Moffatt hastily dressed, roused his neighbors, Wait Frank- lin and Benjamin Prior, and, by a nearer way, reached the bridge and secreted themselves under it to await his arrival. They were scarcely hid before his quick steps were heard, and he was quietly followed to the designated house. A candle was soon lighted, and through the window they saw food given him, and heard the two in earnest discourse. Plans were matured for his escape,-names of parties were given on whom he should call for aid, -the listeners hearing all the details. In the mean time, one of their number hurriedly ran and aroused a neighbor, and sent him to Brownville for the guard. Before morning both men were under arrest. The tory was tried for treason ; but, for some reason, severe punishment was not inflicted. He returned after a time to his old neighborhood, where he lived for many years a respected citizen, having learned more wisdom by experience, and having become imbued with more patriotie sentiments.

FIRST TOWN-MEETING.

The first town-meeting of Brownville was held at the house of Samuel and Jacob Brown, and adjourned to the Brownville Hotel March 1, 1803, at which the following town-officers were elected : Jacob Brown, supervisor ; Isaac

Collins, clerk ; John W. Collins, Richard Smith, and Peter Pratt, assessors; J. W. Collins, Ozias Preston, Samuel Starr, commissioners of highways ; O. Preston, Richardson Avery, Henry A. Delemater, Samuel Brown, Benjamin Brown, William Rogers, Abijah Putnam, fence-viewers ; S. Brown, S. Starr, overseers of the poor; S. Brown, San- ford Langworthy, Caleb J. Bates, Sylvanus Fish, II. A. Delemater, Frederick Sprague, George Waffle, Ethni Evans, path-masters ; J. W. Collins, H. A. Delemater, and S. Brown, pound-masters.

Supervisors : 1803, Jacob Brown ; 1804, '05, John W. Collins ; 1809, '10, John Brown; 1811, '12, Josiah Far- rar; 1813, John Brown; 1814, Joseph Clark ; 1815, John Brown; 1816, '17, Walter Cole; 1818, George Brown, Jr .; 1819, '20, Hoel Lawrence; 1821-28, Wal- ter Cole; 1829-33, George Brown (Perch River) ; 1834, '35, Aaron Shew ; 1836, '37, Walter Cole; 1838, Mahlon P. Jackson ; 1839, '40, Alanson Skinner; 1841, William Lord; 1842, '43, A. Skinner; 1844, '45, Charles B. Avery ; 1846, A. Skinner; 1847, Charles B. Avery ; 1848, Arba Strong; 1849, Cyrus Allen ; 1850, Thomas L. Knap ; C. Allen, special meeting; 1851, Cyrus Allen ; 1852, Samuel Middleton (2d) ; 1853, C. K. Loomis ; 1854, '55, Beriah Allen ; 1856, '57, James A. Bell; 1858, Jesse Ayres ; 1859-61, Henry Spicer; 1862-64, Henry Dor- chester; 1865-68, Ezra S. Tallman ; 1869, Henry Spicer ; 1870, Alvin A. Gibbs ; 1875, Walter Zimmerman ; 1876, O. M. Wood; 1877, Henry Binninger.

In 1818 the town raised two thousand dollars towards building a bridge at Pamelia village, and another at Brown- ville village.

At the annual town-meeting, which was held at Perch River, in 1820, after electing a portion of the officers, the meeting adjourned to the house of Edward Arnold, on Penet Square, till the next day. This measure created much excitement, and those living in the southern and eastern portions of the town rallied with all their forces, attended promptly at the earliest moment of the adjourned meeting, organized, and immediately voted another ad- journment, to the house of Elias Bennett, Brownville vil- lage, on the afternoon of the same day, where the vote for town-clerk was reconsidered, and the remaining officers elected.

Being thus robbed of their town-meeting, the settlers on Penet Square and in distant localities demanded a separate organization, which was readily granted ; and all parties, having met at an informal meeting, or convention, at the village, agreed upon a petition to the legislature, which was acted upon before another town-meeting. Accordingly, the town of Orleans, which embraces Penet Square, was set off from this town April 3, 1821.

At the town-meeting in 1821 the clerk read three notices for the division of the town, which were not voted. The first was to annex a part of Brownville to Pamelia ; the second, a part of Brownville to Le Ray ; and a third, to erect four new towns from Brownville and Le Ray. In 1822 a motion to annex P'amelia to Brownville was defeated.

THE FIRST MURDER TRIAL.

"On the 16th of April, 1828, the public was aroused by

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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

the report of a murder, committed near the Pereh River settlement of this town, by Henry Evans upon Joshua Rogers and Henry Diamond, in an affair growing out of an attempt to forcibly eject Evans without legal formality from premises leased by a brother of Rogers. The parties had been drinking, and were quarrelsome. Evans had shut himself up in his house, which was forcibly entered, with threats and abusive language, upon which he seized an axe and mortally wounded two, and badly a third, who recov- ered. He was immediately arrested, and at the June term of the court of Oyer and Terminer in 1828 was tried, the court consisting of Nathan Williams, circuit judge ; Egbert Ten Eyck, first judge; Joseph Hawkins, judge; Robert Lansing, district attorney ; H. H. Sherwood, clerk ; H. H. Coffeen, sheriff. The district attorney was assisted by Mr. Clarke, and the prisoner defended by Messrs. Sterling, Bronson, and Rathbone. The vicious temper and aban- doned character of the prisoner, who, whether drunk or sober, had been the terror of his neighborhood, outweighed the extenuating circumstances, and the jury, after a half- hour's deliberation, returned a verdict of guilty, and he was sentenced to be hung August 22. The sentence was ex- ecuted at the appointed time, in the presence of an inimense crowd from this and adjoining countics. The gallows was on the north bank of the river, nearly opposite the court- house." Objections were raised against the body being buried in the Brownville cemetery, and his friends, after repeated attempts at his burial, were obliged to take his remains three or four miles back from the village, and bury the corpse by night.

Before the division of the town of Brownville it in- eluded the present towns of Lyme, Cape Vincent, Orleans, Clayton, Pamelia, and a part of Alexandria, Le Ray, and Theresa.

The present limits of the town include thirty-three thou- sand nine hundred and ninety-four acres of land almost wholly under cultivation. It is a valuable town for agri- cultural purposes. The land is rich, strong, and productive, and well adapted to general farming. There is very little waste land in the town. Timber has been left to meet the requirements of the farm, giving to every farm its wood lot. The timber is principally beech, maple, hickory, bass- wood, ash, and elm. There are sections where pine and hemlock were found, as well as cedar. These latter varieties served a most valuable purpose for the early settlers for building and -fencing.

Limestone is abundant for building and feneing pur- poses. It crops out in many places, particularly along the banks of Black river, presenting an interesting and singular appearance, its worn surface and deep fissures indicating the action of water at an early period.

The town is divided up into about 350 farms, averaging less than 100 acres cach, but ranging from 50 to 200 or more acres. The productions are hay, wheat, oats, barley, corn, and rye, and potatoes more than sufficient for home consumption ; oats, barley, and hay so much in excess as to be a source of revenue. Hops are raised to a limited ex- tent, but the principal articles of export are butter and cheese, almost every farm of one hundred acres keeping from ten to fifteen cows. Most of the milk is taken to

cheese-factories, which are conveniently located over the town to meet this demand.

Farms are well fenced with boards, rails, or stone wall, and divided into lots of ten to fifteen or more acres. The farm buildings are good, plain, and substantial, many of then of modern styles, with the surrounding grounds well laid out. The older barns are gradually giving place to a better class, both as to style and convenience. The farming population as a class are intelligent and enterprising. The inhabitants of the town are a reading and very generally a church-going people. There are ten church edifices in the town, so situated as to be convenient of access to the inhab- itants. There are twenty school districts in the town, each having a commodious school-house.

By a vote of the town, under the "local option law," the sale of intoxicating liquors as a beverage has not been per- mitted for the last three years.

There are five post-offices in the town, viz .: at Brown- ville village, Dexter, Perch River, Limerick, and Pillar Point,-that at Brownville being a " money-order" office.

Railroad facilities are afforded by the Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburgh railroad, which passes through about eight miles of the town, with stations and substantial build- ings at Brownville village and Limeriek.

The assessed valuation of the real estate of the town in 1876 was $1,656,000. The personal property was assessed at that date at $176,430. The census of 1814 credited one slave to Brownville. This was probably Sylvia Robin- son, the slave of Thomas Bowlsby, brought by him from New Jersey. "Old Sylvy," as she was called, said " she didn't know how old she was; guessed she was about a hundred years old;" and her bent form and trembling limbs indicated an advanced age. Her face was a familiar one upon the street in days gone by, but her remains now rest in the village cemetery.

In 1840 the list of Revolutionary pensioners for Brown- ville was, John Baxter, aged 88; Walter Wilson, 85 ; Selah Burton, 79; David Rimiston, 93; John P. Beecher, 78.

In 1849 the Dexter, Brownville and Pamelia plank- road, five miles and twelve chains long, was commenced, and completed October 5, 1850, but was long since aban- doned. In its place, between Brownville and Watertown, a very substantial macadamized road has been under the management of Alanson Skinner for many years. Since his death (the lease having expired) the road has been given up to the towns of Watertown and Brownville .:

In 1852 the Cape Vincent branch of the Rome, Water- town and Ogdensburgh railroad, connecting at Water- town, was completed, passing directly through the village of Brownville.

THE VILLAGE OF BROWNVILLE

was incorporated April 5, 1828.

The following officers were chosen at the first election, viz. : Thomas Loomis, Jr., Hoel Lawrence, George Brown, Peleg Burchard, Traey S. Knap, trustees; Wm. S. Ely, Asa Whitney, Wm. Lord, assessors; John A. Cathcart, treasurer ; James Shields, collector ; Levi Torrey, constable.

The following persons have been presidents of the board of trustees for the years indicated :

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History of Jefferson County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 74

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