History of Jefferson County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 85

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 85

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Mr. Brown is a plain, unassuming man, and has, unaided and alone, carved out for himself sufficient competenee to place him beyond the apprehension of want in his deelining years. He is now in his 76th year, and looks down to the end of life's journey as only a little way.

A. W. TWINING,

son of William and Ovarida Twining, was born on the farm where he now resides, in the town of Champion, Jefferson County, New York, September 3, 1822. His father settled on the old homestead in 1818, eoming in from Massachu- setts. A. W. enjoyed such educational advantages as the distriet schools offered, with the addition of a short time at Lowville. His youth was spent on his father's farm, and on reaching his majority he worked the farm in partner- ship with his father for a few years. He then purchased a farm of seventy-five aeres, and has made several changes since. In 1858 he purchased the homestead of his father, upon which he has sinee resided, an illustration of which can be seen on another page in this work. In polities he has always been a Republican. He is a good praetieal farmer and a respectable citizen.

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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

Nordich Ambbardo

MRS. NOADLAHI HUBBARD.

NOADIAH HUBBARD,

the pioneer settler of Jefferson County, New York, was born in Middletown, Connecticut, October 11, 1765. He was the son of Noadiah Hubbard and Phebe Fairchild, his wife; of English ancestry ; descended from George Hub- bard, born 1616, who emigrated to this country, and in 1640 married Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Watts, of Hart- ford, Connecticut. In early colonial times the family set- tled in Middletown, and there are descendants still on the old homestead, and the ancestral mansion of brick is still standing and occupied by them, and, as the present occu- pant says, is good for a thousand years if kept covered. The predilections of Noadiah Hubbard were for the sea, but after making several voyages to the West Indies he gave it up, in compliance with the wishes of his mother, who had lost her first husband and eldest son when away on a voyage, and therefore could not endure the thought of another so near to her beiug exposed to the same perils. He spent several winters very happily in Guilford. He then learned the trade of eloth-dressing, and also attended an evening-school. His opportunities for acquiring an ed- ucation were limited, as were those of most young men of that period.

In May, 1791, he left the paternal roof to seek his for- tune in the west. Previous to this he had been solicited by General Wadsworth to accompany his nephews to the Genesee country and aid them in forming a settlement there on the large tract of land he had purchased. He was also urged to join a party, of whom General Parsons, of Revolutionary memory, was one, in formning the first white settlement in Ohio, at what is now called Marietta.

Both these propositions he declined on account of the re- ported unhealthiness of those localities.

In New York State he first located at Whitestown, and there burned the first brick-kiln, and made at the same time the first lime ever burned or used there. At this time there was but one framed house in what is now the city of Utica, owned and occupied by John Post. In the autumn of this year he bought fifty acres of land on the south end of Mr. Leavenworth's farm, supposed to be the same on which the York mills now stand. The next and the following winter he worked at his trade in Little Falls, returning to his farm in summer. But having never been accustomed to chopping and clearing land he found the labor too severe, and consequently sold his improvements to Benjamin Johnson. This he always spoke of as his first speculation. After exploring the country in various diree- tions he finally located in the town of Steuben, and not far from the place selected by the Baron Steuben for his resi- denee. They were neighbors for the short time the Baron survived, and he was onee called upon when the Baron was seized with apoplexy, which so soon proved fatal. (1794.)

Noadiah Hubbard paid a visit to his native place in the winter, and on January 30, 1794, he married his early love, Eunice Ward, a beautiful maiden, and transported her to his forest home. But previous to this, in 1793, he was offered a contract for the construction of caual locks at Little Falls, which he accepted ; went to Middletown, Con- necticut, hired the requisite number of men, procured oxen for the work, and whatever else was necessary, returned to Little Falls, and his company were the first to break ground

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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

on this first eanal in the State of New York, if not the first in the United States. The eanal was eut in one summer. The company by whom these locks were undertaken is known in the history of the State as the " Great Inland Lock Navigation Company." The object was to open water communication between the Hudson river and the great lakes by means of the Mohawk river, Wood creek, Oneida lake, Oswego river, ete., and these loeks at Little Falls were necessary around the rapids at that place ; long since superseded by the " Grand Erie Canal." (He received one dollar a day for his services, and thirteen dollars a month for each man, having to board them out of it. He paid to cach man nine dollars per month.)

Mr. Hubbard spent several summers on his farm in Steuben, but in the autumn of 1797, Lemuel Storrs, a large landed proprietor, came there, and induced him to accompany him to what is now called the town of Cham- pion, on a tour of exploration to the then unbroken wilder- ness. (I refer you to " Hough's History of Jefferson County" for his own aecount of that expedition, page 121.)

Subsequently to this first visit, as an indueement to come to Champion and lead in the settlement of this new country, Mr. Storrs offered him two thousand acres of land on any part of the township where he chose to locate, for the sum of twelve shillings an aere, and the ageney of all his lands. The common market price was three dollars, and for that was sold to the settlers. He accepted the offer, paid five hundred dollars down, and selected his two thousand acres in the centre of the township. Reserving enough for him- self, he sold the remainder to various individuals. He made improvements and cleared many acres, but, before he moved his family, news came that Mr. Storrs had failed, and this failure led to a compromise by which he relin- quished all the contracts for the land he had sold and what remained unsold, receiving a deed for one hundred acres only for the five hundred dollars paid. The town- ship was a valuable one, and they realized a fortune from it. I say they, for Gen. Henry Champion, the brother-in- law of Mr. Storrs, had stepped in to his relicf, and became a partner in this land spceulation.

Mr. Hubbard continued to act as an agent of various other land-holders through a considerable part of his active business life, and being an early settler in the county. he was associated in every project for its improvement until incapacitated by age. An officer in the War of 1812; ap- pointed judge in 1813; many times acting as supervisor ; at first having to go to Hutchinson county, and subse- quently to Rome, previous to the present division of the counties; was deeply interested in the formation and sus- tentation of the Agricultural Society, the second one in this State. (See " Hough's History," page 401.)

He ereeted the first church edifiee in the county of Jef- ferson, and at his own expense, expecting to be reimbursed by the sale of the pews; but he never received the first cost of the same. He also erected several school-houses, and built the plank-road from Great Bend to Copenhagen -eleven miles-when eighty-four years old, showing his indomitable energy and perseverance. His private business was extensive and various, as well as his public. He was one of a mereantile firm almost from the first settlement

of the town, though he never gave to that his personal attention, further than to go to the city occasionally to purehase goods.

PHOTO. BY LEWIS, CARTHAGE.

HIRAM HUBBARD,

- of Champion, the eldest child of Noadiah Hubbard, was born in the town of Steuben, Oncida county, New York, October 30, 1794. He was one of three sons whom their parents brought part of the way on horseback to Champion in November, 1799. From that period to the present this has been his home. His absenees have been few and far between. When still a youth he was sent to Fairfield academy, Herkimer eounty. In the year 1812 the typhoid fever was epidemie in Champion and very fatal; many heads of families were swept away, and among them his uncle Stephen Hubbard, a man estecmed in every relation of life. IIc was the manager of the mercantile firm of N. & S. Hubbard. Upon his death it became necessary for N. Hubbard to recall his son from school, young as he was, and place him in the store to conduct the business there, as he had his hands full of other and outside work. This, then, was the end of his scholastic education. The firm con- ducted a large and successful business, and, as was eustomary in those early days, they ran a large distillery and potashery, in connection with the dry-goods storc. The business was condueted as above until 1836, when N. & H. Hubbard dissolved partnership and gave up the entire mereantile and other business connected therewith. At one time they owned and eaused to be operated a grist- and saw-mill on Deer river, in the town of Denmark, and in connection with that they also had a dry-goods store.

On the 13th of February, 1823, the subject of this sketch was united in marriage with Charille Matilda Sher- wood, eldest daughter of Dr. Jonathan Sherwood, then of Champion. They have had six children, of whom three sons and two daughters are living.

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

RUSSELL WILMOT .

MRS. RUSSELL WILMOT.

RUSSELL WILMOT.

RUSSELL WILMOT came of good old Connecticut stock. His father, Asher Wilmot, came to Cham- pion in the year 1804, and bought the farm on which he lived for the remainder of his life. The farm then came into the possession of his son Russell, whose it was until the day of his death. It is not often in these days of change and emi- gration that a man lives in one place from infancy to three score years and ten. And when this is the case, it is generally indicative of some qualities of head and heart that are worthy of imitation.

All that knew Russell Wilmot respected him for

his simplicity and frankness, his sterling integrity, his love of truth and right and justice, his contempt for all deception and meanness. His character was formed and grounded in the old-fashioned ways of honesty and straight-forward dealing. He died honored and regretted by his neighbors and fellow townsmen, while the sad vacancy in his own im- mediate household can only be appreciated by those who also have been called to suffer the loss of friends.

Russell Wilmot died in Champion, aged seventy- two years.

JACOB FULLER.

N.J. FULLER.

MRS. N.J. FULLER.

( PHOTO'S. BY BANTA, WATERTOWN. )

RESIDENCE AND DAIRY FARM of N.J. FULLER, CHAMPION, N.Y.

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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

In 1836, Mr. Hubbard retired from aetive business, and has sinee carried on a small farm,-enjoying the profits of a rented farm near by. The buildings, which were nearly all of stone and substantially built, besides his own house and store, have been converted into farm-buildings. The old distillery is a farm- and dairy-house, while the ashery makes good, warm stalling for eows. Sinee retiring from ac- tive business he has led a quiet, uneventful life in the bosom of his family and in the stone mansion where he first earried his wife a bride, fifty-four years ago. They continue to enjoy good health for their advaneed years.

ALPHONSO LOOMIS

was born in the town of Champion, Jefferson County, New York, August 29, 1808, and was the son of John Loontis. The first record of the family in Anteriea is that Joseph Loomis came from Braintree, Essex county, England, and settled at Windsor, Connecticut, in 1638, where many of his descendants still reside. John Loomis came from Con- neetieut, and settled in Champion during the earliest settle- ment of the county. Alphonso made his home with his father until he was about thirty years of age, although he had previously purchased for himself a farm. On the 21st of March, 1838, he united in marriage with Lueina Carter, and immediately afterwards removed to the farm where he lived during the remainder of his life, and where his esti- mable widow now resides. He died there on the 15th of December, 1875, leaving a wife and two children to mourn his loss. They had three children, namely, Selinda C., wife of Egbert S. Flint ; Sanford C., deceased ; Mary L., wife of Wayne A. Humphrey.

In polities Mr. L. was an outspoken Republican. In religion a sincere and devoted member of the Congrega-

tional ehureh at Champion, to which he united more than thirty years ago. He was an honest man, a kind and ae- eommodating neighbor, an affectionate husband and indul- gent father, and a Christian gentleman. Lucina Carter, widow of the above, was born November 22, 1812. Her father, Asa Carter, eame from Connectieut and settled in Jefferson County about the year 1800. Her mother was a native of Massachusetts. She lived at home until her marriage with Mr. Loomis. She is now in her sixty-fifth year, is quite aetive, and enjoys good health. She has been a member of the Congregational eltureh for more than half a century. In her domestie relations she has ever been a kind mother, a true and dutiful wife, and an admirable housekeeper.

NORMAN J. FULLER,

son of Jacob Fuller, was born in Rutland, July 26, 1830. His father settled in Rutland in 1804, and resided there until his death in August, 1859. Young Norman received his education at the distriet school of his native town, and assisted his father on the farm during his life. In the spring following his father's death he removed into Cham- pion, and settled on the farm where he now resides.

In the winter of 1867 he was married to Mrs. Jerusha Ann King, by whom he had three children, namely, Alfred N., Ella S., and Emma J.

On the 18th of February, 1872, he sustained the loss of his estimable wife, who was an admirable housekeeper and an agreeable companion. Mr. Fuller has a farm of three hundred acres of land, and, together with farming, earries on dairying extensively. On his farm he lias one hundred aeres of fine timber. Mr. F. is a gentleman of intelligence, a good praetieal farmer, a sound business man, and a good eitizen. (See illustration, ete.)

CLAYTON.

A RETROSPECTION of three-quarters of a century carries us back to the earliest settlement of what now constitutes the town of Clayton. We are informed, on reliable au- thority,* that the first permanent settlement was perfeeted in Clayton, in 1801 or 1802, by one Bartlett, at a place that still bears the name of Bartlett's Point, and situate about one mile from Clayton village. He had been placed there by Smith & Delamater, land agents of Chaumont, to keep a ferry to Gananoque, Canada, but, after staying a year or two, set fire to his house, as tradition has it, and ran away by its light.

The topography of Clayton is diversified in character

and somewhat difficult of accurate deseription. In places it is hilly, with outeroppings of stone; but the larger por- tion of it is level or rolling. The soil is generally a sandy loam, and in the localities where the land is free from stone is quite fertile and productive. All the cereals common to the State, and fruits and vegetables, are raised in the town, which is alnost cxelusively devoted to agrienlture. The town is watered by French creek and Chanmont river. It is bounded ou the north by the St. Lawrence, and on its border eommenees the head of the Thonsand Isles, many of which are in sight at various points in the town and present a very picturesque appearance. Among the most important, opposite Clayton, are Grindstone, Washington, Bluff, Abels, and Hemlock. Nearly the entire group of

# Hough's History of Jefferson County, 1851.

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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

these islands (with Wellesley island off Alexandria town) were claimed by the St. Regis Indians at an early day, and leased by their agents to British subjeets for long terms of years. Upon survey of the boundary in 1818 they were found to belong to the United States Government, and in 1823, upon these islands being patented by the State, in pursuance of an agreement with Macomb, difficulties arose that threatened for a time to result in serious measures, and which have been known locally as the " War of Grindstone Island." A quantity of pine timber had been eut and prepared for rafting, which was elaimed by the patentee, but was refused to be given up by the parties in whose pos- session it was. Finding it probable that any attempt to serve legal papers upon those alleged to be trespassers would be resisted, a detachment of militia from Lyme, under Captain S. Green, was called out. The timber had mostly been passed over into British waters, and, after some firing, the party in charge of the timber dispersed. One of the militia-mnen was aceidentally killed by the discharge of his own gun. The question subsequently became a sub- jeet of litigation, and was finally settled by arbitration.

Another incident occurred in this town that has its par- allel only in the theft of a town-meeting, as related of Brownville. A saw-mill had been erected in the vicinity, it is said upon a verbal agreement, which subsequently became a subject of difficulty between Mr. La Farge, the proprietor, and the lumberman. The latter resolved that he would neither comply with the terms demanded nor allow others to enjoy the fruits of his labors ; and early one morning, not long after, the timbers of a saw-mill were seen floating in the bay, no one professing to know how they eame there, and it is supposed to have been in some way connected with spiritual manifestations, more especially as spirits were often brought in quantities to the village of Clayton for smuggling into Canada.

The proprietors of Penet's Square Corners, on the Bay of French ereek, near Clayton village, anticipating that this property would possess value as the site for a village, subdivided four of the mile squares nearest the corner, the one on the bay into sixty-four lots of ten aeres each, and the three others into sixteen lots of forty acres each. In balloting for a division, each owner drew a proportionate number of these lots, which, like the large traet, were num- bered from west to east, and back, commencing at the north- west and ending at the southwest corners. The expeeta- tions of the proprietors were never realized, for no village ever existed there.

THE SETTLEMENT OF THE TOWN.

In 1799* there was a single log hut in the town, at French Creek (Clayton), probably that of some timber thieves, who plundered the frontier without restraint or limit during many years before any one appeared to show title. Nathan Ford, the pioneer of Ogdensburgh, in a let- ter to Samuel Ogden on this subjeet, dated December 27, 1799, wrote :

" There are several persons now cutting timber upon the two upper townships. I have no authority to say anything about the matter,

but vast injury will take place upon the townships, and if there are not measures taken immediately, not less than thirty or forty thou- sand staves, over and above the square timber which is now getting, will be taken off. Mr. Wilkins took down the names of several who pretended to settle ; their motive was only stealing off the timber. The thing is now working as I told him would be the ease, and if something is not done about this business great destruction will arise. An example ought to be made; and this cannot be done without send- ing an officer from Fort Stanwix. They have got the timber so boldly that they say there is no law that can be executed upon them here."

To Gouverneur Morris he wrote, July 16, 1800 :

"I was in hopes I should have heard something about the road before now. If there were a land communication to the Mohawk river, we should all experience less depredations. The difficulty of a communication to the southern part of the State is well known to the timber thieves, and they count upon the almost impossibility of bringing them to justiee."

As these lands were not within Ford's jurisdiction, he could only advise in the matter ; but in one or two instances in which he was direetly interested he adopted a course that put an effectual stop to these robberies. In the portion of this town embraced in Penet's Square there was more of this lawless plunder, because for several years after the traet began to settle there was no resident agent or acknowledged owner. This state of things led to many abuses, and gave rise to incidents that will be specified in our account of Orleans, which then comprised the whole traet.

As before stated, the first permanent settlement was made by one Bartlett in 1801 or 1802. In 1803, Smith & Delamater, land agents, eame in, but only remained long enough to attend to their business. In 1816, Nathaniel Norton, Jr., who had previously been a merchant at Russia, New York, eame as agent of C. H. and E. Wilkes, owners of twelve thousand aeres on Penet's Square, and adjoining the present village of Depauville .; It is related of him that while residing in Herkimer county he became so eecen- trie that his friends got his means placed in the hands of the comptroller. On one occasion he required some money. He went to the comptroller and got into conversation with him, in the course of which he was asked whether he knew a man down his way named Nathaniel Norton. He did not answer, but kept up the talking, and was invited to dinner. He made quite a pleasing impression on the eomp- troller, and finally told him that he was N. Norton, Jr., and inquired whether he acted insane or eeeentrie. The official answered in the negative, and finally restored him control of his property.

In 1817, Phineas Osborn, father of Thomas S., Sehuyler, and Phineas A. Osborn, came in from Herkimer county and settled about three miles northwest of Depauville, on what is known as Elm Flat. The three sons above named are all residents of the town. Sehuyler lives in the village of Depauville, where he has dwelt sinee about 1832.

In 1818, Jerry Carter came in and settled near Clayton Centre. He eame with his father, who will be remembered as a good hunter, and the teller of marvelous stories eon- neeted with his hunting expeditions.

In 1819, James D. Gloyd came in with his father, Amos, and settled on lot No. 39, within forty rods of where he (James D.) now resides. They came from Vermont. In 1820, Adamı Fry eame from Denmark, Lewis county, New York, and

# Hough's History of St. Lawrence County, p. 262.

+ His power of attorney is dated June 20, 1820.

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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

settled on the farm now occupied by George Hawes. He has been a continuous resident in the town ever since, and now lives with his daughter, Mrs. Diana Thompson. In 1824, Gaylord Enos came from Herkimer county and settled on the farm now occupied by William Baxter. He purchased the first fifty acres of Depau, and improved the land, purchasing more from time to time, and finally erected the fine house that now stands on the place.

Among other old settlers might be mentioned Jerry Carter, Joseph Adams, Daniel Abbey, William Thompson, J. Wilson Wright, Thomas Faire, E. M. Winslow, Alfred Fox (for many years supervisor, justice of the peace, and local leader of the Democratic party), Luther Brown, A. Buskirk, Solomon Ingalls, Hosea Randolph, - Dixon, Amos Richards, James Bothel, - Davis, Major Abiatha Joy, James Rankin, Thomas Fetterly. The last nine were soldiers in the war of 1776. Repeated inquiry has failed to ascertain anything definite concerning any of these, except Thomas Fetterly. He was born in Mont- gomery county, New York, in the year 1764, and entered the service at the age of fourteen. He acted as waiter in the officers' mess, and had the honor, he averred, of waiting on General Washington on several occasions. He removed to the town of Clayton in 1837, and died there in 1841. His brother, Peter Fetterly, and father of Mrs. L. Staring, served in the war of 1812 as a regular soldier at Ogdens- burgh ; and a son of Mrs. Staring, Jonas, sacrificed his life in the service of his country in the rebellion of 1861-65. The above facts constitute a commendable record.

CIVIL ORGANIZATION.

The town of Clayton, which embraces two-fifths of Penet's Square from the west side, with a small tract north and a triangular gore west of that patent, was detached from Orleans and Lyme and organized into a separate town by an act of the State legislature, approved April 27, 1833. The first town-meeting was held at the house of Isaac L. Carter on the 4th of June following. The name was given in honor of Hon. John M. Clayton, United States Senator from Delaware.

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History of Jefferson County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 85

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