History of Jefferson County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 95

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 95

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On Henderson bay, three miles east of the little village of Henderson Harbor, a Scotch settlement was formed in 1803-7 by John and Duncan Drummond, Charles and Peter Barrie, Duncan Campbell, Thomas Bell, James Crawe, Daniel Scott, and James McCraull, from Perthshire in Scotland. A store was opened by C. Barrie in 1823, in this settlement, and kept several years. Abel Shepard located in the same settlement in 1806.

A paper, showing the balance due from settlers in this town, Jan. 1, 1809, contains the following names of those

# Died January 24, 1850, aged sixty-eight.

t Died July 14, 1843, aged eighty-two.

GEORGE W. COLLINS

MRS. GEORGE W. COLLINS.

RES. or G. W. COLLINS, HENDERSON, JEFFERSON CO., N. Y.

SIMEON MATHER.

RESIDENCE of SIMEON MAT

MRS. MARY MATHER.

R, HENDERSON, JEFFERSON CO., N. Y.

Martha & Whitney

RES. OF MRS. T. O. WHITNEY, HENDERSON, JEFFERSON Co., N. Y.

381

HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

who were living in town at that time: A. Jones, R. Favel, Jeremiah Harris, Horaee Heath, Samuel MeNitt, Amos Hart, Daniel Hardy, Benj. Hammond, Samuel Jones, Daniel MeNeil, Martin T. Morseman, Appleton Skinner, Asa and Ira Smith, Samuel Foster, Wm. Waring, Wm. White, Daniel Pieree, John B. Carpenter, Luther S. Kul- linger, Lodowick Salisbury, T. Hunsden, W. White, and Thomas Bull, who owed an aggregate of $17,734.87, for lands. Dr. Isaae Bronson became an owner of a large traet in 1807, which was sold and settled by a separate ageney. Abel French succeeded Miller a few months in the ageney, and April 8, 1805, an agreement was made between Wmn. Henderson and Jesse Hopkins, by which the latter became the agent of this town and Pinekney, and continued in the employment of Mr. Henderson many years. Some diffi- culty, growing out of the agency, led to the publication of a pamphlet by Mr. Hopkins in 1823, which affords some interesting data relative to the early history of the town.

In 1803-4 but ten families wintered in town. In May, 1806, there were seventy families, generally middle-aged and young people, with small property, but industrious and contented; although many were quite poor, who had ex- hausted their means in getting into the town, and were destitute of provisions. A contraet was made soon after for elearing twenty-five aeres of lands at the harbor, which the proprietor had hoped to establish as a commercial port, and caused to be surveyed into a village plot, to which he gave the name of Naples. The bay was named the Bay of Naples, and high expectations were founded upon the future greatness of this port. On the declaration of war, Saeket's Harbor was selected as the great naval station of the lake, and both Mr. Henderson and his agent were, it is said, being opposed to that measure, averse to having any military or naval operations undertaken at this place. It in consequence lost the opportunity which, with judieious management and decided natural advantages, it might have seeured of being a place of importance.

Mr. Hopkins built a house and opened a land-office near the town of Naples, which he had laid out, the provisions used for his laborers being brought from Kingston, and the lumber from Ellisburg and Saeket's Harbor. In 1807 a small store was opened, and several unsuccessful attempts . were made to bring business to the place. Among other measures, Mr. Henderson procured the passage of a law for the opening of a State road from Lowville to Henderson Harbor, which was laid out from Lowville into Pinekney, but never completed. He also, in 1809, eaused a dam and saw-mill to be built on Stony ereek, near the head of navi- gation, but the former gave way and the enterprise resulted in a total loss. In the next season the dam was rebuilt, and a mill ereeted at great expense. In 1811 a negotiation was held with General Matoon, of Massachusetts, for the sale of the township, but failed on account of the prospects of war. In 1812, Mr. Hopkins erected a large-sized school- house at the harbor, which was to serve also as a place for religious meetings. He also commeneed the building of vessels at this place, the first of which was a schooner of twenty tons. Several large elearings were made on account of Henderson the year previous. In the year 1814 a see- ond vessel, of forty tons, and soon after two others, were

built, and the place began to present the appearance of eon- siderable business. Mr. Hopkins continued in the ageney until 1822, engaged with varied sueeess in a series of speeu- lations, some of which were sueeessful and some very un- fortunate, when, having fallen considerably in arrears, he was superseded in the ageney, and his improvements taken to apply on his liabilities.

About 1817, Samuel Nutting came from Columbus, Chenango Co., N. Y., and settled on the place now owned by his sons, Samuel and Charles Nutting. He was aecom- panied by his wife and one child,-Sally. Mr. Nutting's eldest brother, Simeon, settled previously on the farm now owned by Joseph Fillmore. His brothers, Luther, Ezra, Leonard, and John Nutting, arrived at nearly the same time with the others. The Nuttings were the first perma- nent settlers in this part of the town, and for some years the only ones. Samuel Nutting purchased his place of his brother-in-law, Stephen Reed, who had made slight improve- ments upon it. Reed originally took up considerable land in the neighborhood, but sold it all to the Nuttings. He moved from here into the western part of the town, and afterward lived in Ellisburg and other parts of the county.

Charles Carter, a brother-in-law of the Nuttings, located at nearly the same time with the latter, on a place half a mile west of Samuel Nutting's. These farms are all near the lake-shore, and are among the most fertile in town.

The first actual settler was a trapper named David Bron- son,* who also set out the first orchard, the second being planted by Christian Salisbury. IIe built a log house on low land now occupied by George W. Collins, about the centre of town ; eleared about an aere of ground and sowed it to turnips, seeding it with herd's-grass. In high water his house was flooded, and he was forced to move. Conse- quently he took up his abode farther east, on what is now known as " Bishop street," and finally located in the west- ern part of town, on land now owned by Leonard Seaton. It was on this place that he set out his orehard. Abraham Wilkinson, from Charlton, Saratoga Co., N. Y., settled in Jefferson County in 1806, loeating on Stony island. Three years later he moved to Galloo island, and in the spring of 1812 to Henderson. He was accompanied to the county by his wife and six children. He served during the War of 1812, and died about 1865. His sons, Silas and William Wilkinson, yet reside in the town. Mrs. Silas Wilkinson's father, Paul Stickrey, settled in the town of Adams about 1800, coming from Litchfield, Oneida county. He was a native of New Hampshire. William Wilkinson was a sol- dier of 1812.

Jason Crittenden, a veteran of the Revolution, eame from Massachusetts, and settled in town previous to the War of 1812, bringing his wife and a small family of children with him. Several children were born after he settled here. His son, Harvey Crittenden, who married a daughter of Jona- than Matteson, Sr., of Ellisburg, served fifty-seven days in the War of 1815,-three days too short a time to entitle him to a pension,-and is at present residing in New York City. Members of the family are yet living in Henderson. Jesse Hopkins, fourth son of Joseph Hopkins, in 1805

* Sce previous list.

382

HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

beeame Mr. Henderson's agent for this town. He was born in Waterbury, Connecticut, May 20, 1766. His father was a prominent eitizen, and was repeatedly honored with the publie confidenee. For thirty years he held the office of judge of probate, and died while in discharge of his official duties. At the age of seventeen Jesse Hopkins, on the visit of Generals Washington and La Fayette to his father's house, pleased the latter so well that he was made his aid during a series of military operations in that quarter. His youth prevented him from enlisting in the army, and his love of eountry from accepting the invitation of La Fayette to visit France and engage in a luerative pursuit. He says of himself, in a volume which he published in 1828 :*

" I was in childhood at the commencement of the Revolutionary War, and at its close had just arrived at that age which entitlod me to shoulder my musket,-an age alive to all the interesting events of tho day. Being a son of a Revolutionary patriot, who was a member of the State legislature, I had an opportunity of acquiring considera- ble political information for many years, as well as inhaling that spirit of patriotism which was characteristic of the times. . . . The same spirit which actuated our ancestors in acquiring the privileges we enjoy is as essential to their continuance as it was to their attain- ment ; therefore the youth of this country cannot be too often re- minded of the hardships and trials of various kinds which thoir forefathers endured, and through which they are now enjoying the richest temporal blessings Heaven has in store for man."

" Mr. Hopkins also wrote poetry with mueh taste and flueney, several fine pieces of which still exist ; but, although meritorious, he never allowed them to go beyond the saered preeinets of the family eirele. He first engaged in manu- factures, among which was that of silver-plated shoe- buekles, which soon eame into general use. In 1803 he married at Hartford, but his wife dying soon after, he spent five years in speeulating in the West Indies. After his return he married his cousin, a granddaughter of Samuel Hopkins, D.D., the celebrated divine of Newport, Rhode Island.

" In 1805 he was appointed an agent for Henderson ; where, after various suecess, and, as he elaimed, ill-usage from Mr. Henderson, he was ultimately unfortunate. In the settlement of that town he evineed great publie spirit and devotion to the settlers and publie generally, and eon- tributed largely from his own means towards measures tending to the general welfare. Perhaps his greatest error arose from the tenacity with which he adhered to his fed- eral ereed, and opposed any military or naval operations in Henderson harbor, which would have given that place an importanee it will seareely now attain. This saerifiee of interest to principle was eharaeteristie of the man. HIe ereeted a fine seat at the head of the bay, commanding a prospeet of unrivaled beauty ; and during all the reverses of an eventful life he was characterized by a remarkable ambition and energy of character, which never seemed daunted or lessened, even by the infirmities of age. He died at Henderson, in the 71st year of his age."t

" Joseph Hawkins, a native of Connecticut, settled in Henderson about 1810, where he continued to reside till his death. He took a prominent part in the business of this seetion of the county, and after the war became some-

what extensively engaged in the eommeree of the lakes. In 1828 he was elected to Congress, Mr. Perley Keyes being his opponent ; and while in office was instrumental in pro- euring a reform in the laws that applied to the navigation of the lakes, of which his personal acquaintance had led him to see the necessity. This Act was passed Mareh 2, 1831, which abolished eustom-house fees and substituted salaries, placed British vessels on an equal footing with American, as related to the amount of duties, and fixed the tariff of goods from the Canadas at no higher rates than were charged at the colonial ports. The Aet required the registry of vessels employed in the eoasting or carrying trade, and belonging in the United States. As the law had previously existed, it had operated as a premium for small vessels and a prohibition for large ones, and led to various modes of evasion, among which was the building of large vessels, and flooring up, so that the measurement, by the custom-house rules, would be much less than the actual eapaeity. Mr. Hawkins held for several years the office of eounty judge, and adorned the society in which he lived by his amiable and gentlemanly deportment. He died in Hen- derson, April 20, 1832, aged 50. His friends E. Camp and E. G. Merriek placed over his grave a tablet with the following inseription : 'The navigation of our lakes was relieved from grievous eustom-house fees by his zealous efforts as Member of Congress in 1830.'"±

Amasa Hungerford, from Bennington Co., Vt., settled, in 1810, at the locality now known as Hungerford's Cor- ners, southeast of Henderson Bay. The place had been originally settled by a man named Hart, who built a log house. The present frame dwelling was built by Amasa Hungerford in 1817, and remains in nearly its original shape. It contains a number of ehairs which were made more than a hundred years ago, and were Mr. Hungerford's property. Mr. H. was unele to the mother of the eele- brated poet, John G. Saxe. The Hungerford farm has several times, in the days of the first Jefferson County fairs, taken the first premium, as being the finest, best improved, and best regulated farm in the county. Mr. Hungerford's father, Capt. Amasa Hungerford, was a sol- dier of the Revolution, and never came to Jefferson County, although his wife died here. Amasa Hungerford's place is now the property of his son, Benjamin Hungerford, who is living in Michigan. In 1816, Orrin and Uriah Hunger- ford settled here, purchasing farms near the Corners.

Sylvester Finney, of Warren, Litehfield Co., Conn., re- moved to Oneida Co., N. Y., about 1794, when that county was mostly a wilderness. Of his later removal to Hender- son his son, Rev. Charles G. Finney, the great Congrega- tional revivalist, speaks as follows in his autobiography :

" In the neighborhood of my father's residence we had just erceted a meeting-house, and settled a minister, when my father was induced to move again into the wilderness skirting the southern shore of Lake Ontario, a little south of Sacket's Harbor. Here again I lived for several years, enjoying no better religious privileges than I had in Oneida county."

In 1812, Charles G. Finney left here and went to Con- neetieut, and from thence to New Jersey, locating near

# "Patriot's Manual," embracing stirring and Revolutionary topies. Hough,

Į Hough.

· MRS. E. J. HALL.

RES. or MRS. E . J. HALL, HENDERSON, JEFFERSON CO., N.Y.

RESIDENCE OF W. P. DAVIS , HEN

N, JEFFERSON CO., NEW YORK .

MRS.WM. S. GRIGGS.

WM. S. GRIGGS.

RES. OF WM. S. GRIGGS, HENDERSON, JEFFERSON CO, N.Y.

383

HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

New York City, and engaging in school-teaching. In 1818 he returned to Jefferson County, N. Y., and entered, at Adams, the law-office of "Squire W-," as a student. During his stay here he was converted, and herc began his Christian labors. He afterwards made himself famous as a revivalist in the United States and England, and for a long time was pastor of the First church at Oberlin, Ohio, and lecturer in the seminary at that place. He was born at Warren, Litchfield county, Connecticut, August 29, 1792, and died at Oberlin, Ohio, August 16, 1875, having nearly completed his 83d ycar. The old Sylvester Finney farmn is a mile south of Henderson village. One of Sylvester Fin- ney's sons, Zenas, owned a farm near the upper point of Henderson harbor, now the property of Eaton Alexander. Another son, George W. Finney, became widely noted for his lectures on the subject of temperance. He finally died in California.

THE VILLAGE OF HENDERSON HARBOR

occupies the site of the village of Naples, previously men- tioned. When Naples was laid out a lot of four acres was reserved for a public square, and. donated to the village by Mr. Henderson. On this lot a frame school-house was built by Jesse Hopkins in 1812. The first school was probably taught here in 1813; the teacher was a lady, whose name is now forgotten.

The first school in the town of Henderson was kept in a log school-house, which stood one and a fourth miles south of Henderson village, in the winter of 1808-09. The teacher was Alfred Forbes, or Fobcs. Before the school-house was built at Henderson Harbor, Dr. Elias Skinner, the first physician who settled in town, and who lived here, taught school in one end of his dwelling. He is remembered by those who attended under him as a "brisk wielder of the birch and rule," and had his switches (!) graded in length to reach either a long or short distance, and no pupil was safe from their tender touches, no matter in what part of the room he might be.

John Blanchard taught in the school-house in the winter of 1817-18, and was chiefly remarkable for the accuracy he had acquired in throwing at the heads of his pupils any missile upon which his hand happened to alight. A man named Bancroft taught cither just before or just after Mr. Blanchard. The school-house now in use is a frame build- ing, standing on the hill in the castern portion of the vil- lage, and is the third one which has been crected at the place. One of the three was burned.

Samuel Cole, from Rhode Island, settled at Henderson Harbor in 1812, where he engaged in the tanning and shocmaking business. In 1817 he removed to a farm near Henderson village, which was owned by Thomas Drury, the widow of whose son (Thomas Drury, Jr.) Mr. Cole mar- ried after the death of his first wife. While Mr. Cole was in business at the Harbor he associated with him a man named Dye, to whom he afterwards sold. Dyc disposed of the property to Benjamin Andrus, who afterwards removed to a farm across the bay in the western part of town, and finally to Oswego county. Mr. Cole emigrated from HIen- derson village to the State of Wisconsin, where he died. Ilis brother, Jonathan Cole, who settled at Henderson vil-

lage in 1814, is still residing there, and lias long held thie position of deacon in the Baptist church.

William W. Warner, from Rensselaer Co., N. Y., came to Henderson Harbor in March, 1813. He had in 1811 located on Galloo island, but after the declaration of war and the commencement of hostilities he removed to the mainland. During the season of 1813 he, in company with others, including Jesse Hopkins, built a small schooner called the Henderson, of about 40 tons burden. In Oeto- ber of that year this vessel was impressed into the service of the United States, after which Captain Warner sailed her. This vessel was with the unfortunate expedition of General Wilkinson in the fall of 1813. She was burned after landing the men at Ogdensburgh, to prevent falling into the hands of the British. In the spring of 1814 he built a vessel of fifty tons, called the Lily. She was sold in the spring of 1815, and the Augusta purchased from the Gov- ernment. Captain Warner's death occurred at Henderson Harbor in 1817.

Captain Warner's son, Capt. John S. Warner, began sailing in 1817, and led the life of a sailor until 1861,-a period of forty-four years. Since then he has resided at the Harbor. In 1850 he purchased the " Frontier House," then a private dwelling, and in 1861 repaired it thoroughly and opened it as a hotel, with the present name. He car- ried it on until 1876, when he rented to Capt. Edward White, the present landlord.

. When the Warners first located here (1813), a hotel was kept by Hinckley Stevens, who probably built it. It stood opposite the site of the present "Frontier House," and was kept by Stevens and others until about 1830. While the old hotel was running, a second one was built by a man named Chandler. It was opened in the fall of 1826, and stood on the west side of the road, on the corner south of the present Frontier House. These hotels were all frame buildings. Chandler's was burnt about 1863.

Subsequent to the War of 1812 a considerable business was donc at the Harbor in the way of buying and shipping stock and grain, which at that time went to Kingston. The first wheat cver shipped from here by water was taken out by Capt. J. S. Warner, on the schooner Richard M., and carried to the Genesee river, from whence it was taken to Rochester. In 1842 and '43 .a small steamer, called the John Marshall, Capt. J. S. Warner, made tri-weekly trips between Henderson Harbor and Kingston. During the seasons of 1876 and '77 the steamer J. F. Dayan, Capt. Reuben Warner, plied between Henderson and Sacket's Harbors, connecting at the latter place with trains on the Utica and Black River railway.

Ship-building was largely carried on at Henderson Harbor until recently. The last vessel constructed here was the Jennie White, a schooner of about 350 tons, capa- ble of carrying 15,000 bushels of wheat,-now engaged in the lake trade between Ogdensburgh and Chicago.

The village has a picturesque location on the eastern shore of the bay, and in the summer presents quite a lively appearance, owing to the numbers of people who come here to spend that scason in pleasure. And to no place could they go and find better facilities for enjoyment. Here are all the requirements for fishing and boating, together with

384

HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

the many beauties spread forth by the lavish hand of nature.

HENDERSON VILLAGE.

About 1807-8 a deacon of the Presbyterian denomination, named Fellows, built a saw-mill and a grist-mill* on Big Stony creek, and originated the settlement which has grown into the present prosperous village. These mills soon after- wards became the property of John Putnam, who finally dis- posed of them to Lodowick Salisbury. The latter, in 1812, made general repairs upon them. He had, in 1811, opened the first store in the village, in which, in 1812, Lowrey Bar- ney, now a physician of long practice, was clerk. Salisbury procured a portion of his goods at Utica and Albany, although they mostly came through by night from Mon- treal, and were transported in bateaux. The second store in the town of Henderson was opened in 1809 or'10, about three miles southeast of Henderson village, by Williams & McCumber, and Dr. Barney also clerked for them. These men afterwards engaged in the lumber business, and at last succumbed to bad management or the shortcomings of irre- sponsible creditors.

As early as 1812 a building was erected and occupied by Amos White and James Nash as a carding-mill. These men sold to a company, which was formed May 25, 1814, known as the " Henderson Woolen-Manufacturing Com- pany," of which Elihu Shepard was president. The first trustees were Allen Kilby, Hezekiah Doolittle, Joseph Dickey, Tilley F. Smead, and Chester Norton. A consid- erable sum of money was expended in improvements, in- cluding the building of a woolen-mill. The property finally reverted to the original owners, Messrs. White & Nash. The former carried on the mill and carding-machine for a while, and sold it to Valentine Parker, who, being a mill- wright by trade, converted it into a grist-mill, after selling the machinery to parties at Watertown. Since then it has been operated as a grist-mill, and is now the property of Luther Reed. Parker's father, Joseph Parker, was among the early settlers of the town.

A second grist-mill is running at the village, which was built by George Finney. After placing in it one run of stone, Finney disposed of a share to Alonzo Leffingwell, and the two are the present proprietors. The mill is one of the best in the county, and has a large custom.

A distillery was built by a man named Calkins, about 1810-11, and was the first in the place. Another was afterwards owned by William Henderson, and operated by his agent, Nathan Goodell, as early as 1815-16. Corn was taken by Mr. Henderson in payment for land, and manu- factured into whisky, which brought a fair price in cash.

About 1808-9, Deacon Fellows built his house,-a plank and frame structure,-and opened a tavern, the first at the village. He sold this, together with his mills, to John Putnam, who in turn disposed of the whole property to Lodowick Salisbury. The latter afterwards associated with

him Martin T. Morseman, now of Sacket's Harbor, and the property was subsequently all disposed of to other parties. Salisbury has been dead a number of years.

A short time previous to 1812 a post-office was established at Henderson Harbor, and Mark Hopkins appointed post- master. He was succeeded by Mr. Stevens, father of Shu- bael Stevens, who now lives in the town. The office, after a short time, was removed to Henderson village, on the resignation of the postmaster at the Harbor, and the first man installed as postmaster at the village was Rev. Holland Weeks, a Swedenborgian preacher. His successor was Henderson Spencer. The present incumbent is Charles H. Sprague. Henderson Harbor has been without a post-office since its removal to the village.

Dr. Daniel Barney, the second physician in the town of Henderson, was originally from Rhode Island. In 1794 he removed to Little Falls, Herkimer Co., N. Y., and from there afterwards into Jefferson County, living successively in Rutland, Adams, and Henderson, settling in the latter town in 1807. He died May 19, 1828. His son, Dr. Low- rey Barney, now residing at the village, began practicing in 1814. He received a diploma in 1822 from Fairfield Medical College, Herkimer county.

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History of Jefferson County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 95

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