USA > New York > Lewis County > History of Lewis County, New York; with...biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 14
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"I hurried to his side, and dipping some of the cool water of the creek in the hollow of my hand, dashed it into his face. As he partially recovered he began to give utterance to the struggling fancies of his returning consciousness.
93
LITERARY SELECTIONS.
'' I thought,' said he, 'I was showing little Alice my water-wheel. Poor thing, she died years and years ago, but it seemed to me that I had her in my arms again and that the wheel was going, and she was looking at it.'
" Opening his eyes and seeing a stranger thus bending over him, he started at once to his feet with a look of mingled surprise and alarm. While I was endeavoring to make some sort of apology for my involuntary intrusion, he turned upon his heel, and without saying another word, slowly retraced his steps down the gorge. In a few moments he passed around a bend of the stream, out of my sight.
" After the old man had gone, the laughing waters again entranced me with their pearly splendor. The sun sank slowly down behind the western hills, shedding his blood-red effulgence over the smoky drapery of the landscape, which was now putting on its garb of sadness-its robes of mourning for the dead and dying beauties of the summer. But sadder than all things else was the heart of that old man, now mourning over his buried hopes."
He then describes the former history of this old man, Joseph Dunklee, as he afterwards learned by inquiry. He had seen better days, and inherited a com- fortable estate, including a farm and a mill, in one of the New England States. He had a genius for mechanics, but was indolent and shiftless. As he experi- mented and wasted time and estate, in vainly endeavoring to realize his ideas, he was finally ruined, after spending his means upon an enterprise that was to be a complete suceess. The farm and mill were sold by the sheriff, and Dunklee and his wife Eunice and little Alice were soon to be sent forth, wanderers, from their once happy home. But not together; for little Alice, before the day of sale, took sick and died. He found his way to this region of country, and lived for some years in extreme poverty, but con- tinually dwelling on his vision of a water-wheel-an object of derision with
those who could find heart to jeer him about these fancies of the brain-until, at length, with his meek and patient wife he found a home in the poor-house, and rest is a pauper's grave.
In his second part of "The Two Water-Wheels," Mr. Sylvester describes a visit to the Burden Iron Works and horse-shoe and spike factory, in the lower part of the city of Troy, with its vast machinery, driven by a majestic water-wheel, the largest in the world, and says : ---
" As I stood gazing at this ponderous wheel, a vague impression arose in my mind that I had seen it before. When, or where, or whether I had not dreamed it all, I could not at first conceive. In another moment, however, scenes that had lain dormant in the memory for years flashed into consciousness. Then the busy scene in which I stood, faded away. I was again in the gorge of the little stream that runs through the vil- lage of Lowville, and the waters were dashing and foaming over the Silver- mine Falls. I saw the old man Dunklee, with white locks streaming in the wind, with extended arms holding up his little Alice to see his water-wheel. But the vision of the past vanished as quickly as it came, and I was again conscious of the sharp reality. 'No! no!' I cried, 'this is not Dunklee's water-wheel, it is Bur- den's.' Dunklee never saw his own wheel save in dreams. Here was Bur- den's wheel a tangible reality. Burden had never seen Dunklee-had never heard of him or his wheel-neither had Dunklee ever seen or heard of Burden. Yet both had conceived the same idea, and both had comprehended alike the magical mysteries of mechanism and of motion. But one was a dreamer and the other was a worker. How vast the dif- ference in the result of their lives! Dunk- lee's dreams never found expression in outward works, never lifted an arm in useful labor, never filled a single mouth with bread.
" Burden, too, embodied his concep- tions, and they have become tangible shapes, working out wonderful results. His horse-shoes ring over the pavements.
94
HISTORY OF LEWIS COUNTY.
of a thousand cities in the Old World and in the New. At Shiloh, at Antietam, at Gettysburg, at Malvern Hill, in the Wil- derness and before Richmond, in Sheri- dan's ride and Sherman's march, each fiery hoof that pranced along the peril- ous edge of battle, was shod with shoes from Burden's Works. Each iron rail that forms a link in the almost endless chain of railway that stretches from the Atlantic to the Pacific, helping to bind the silken chain of commerce round the world, is fastened in its bed with spikes from Burden's mill. Thus Burden light- ened labor of her drudgery, and relieved civilization of her wants. Thus has he given employment to a thousand willing hands, and filled a thousand homes with bread.
"But can nothing be said for poor Dunklee? Are not the world's inven- tors after all, the superiors of the world's workers? Is not invention itself the highest kind of work? Without the in- ventors, the world's mere workers would be but senseless plodders.
" Burden possessed in a high degree, the gift of inventive genius, coupled with rare executive ability. But nature is seldom thus prodigal in her favors, and poor Dunklee was gifted with as high con- tractive powers as Burden, but like nine- tenths of his class, Dunklee lacked the faculty of getting on in the world."
*
* *
This reference to inventors leads us to notice one who spent a portion of his early life in Lowville,-who was sur- passed by but few that ever lived, in the wonderful fertility of his inventive power, but who, like many gifted with genius, yet wanting in the faculty of turning it to their profit, died poor. We refer to Walter Hunt, the inventor of the sewing machine, and of scores of other ingenious and useful contrivances, from some of which, others, with little or no real merit as inventors, grew rich, and in some instances acquired colossal fortunes.
In " Knight's American Mechanical Dictionary," (iii. 2101,) we find the fol-
lowing statement of the greatest of his inventions :-
" Between 1832 and 1834, Walter Hunt, of New York, made and sold sewing machines which embraced a curved eye- pointed needle at the end of a vibrating arm, and a shuttle making what is known as the lock stitch. He neglected to pur- sue the business, which consequently at- tracted little attention at the time. His extreme versatility prevented success ; his inventions absorbed his time, and he seemingly had none left for securing the pecuniary results of his genius. He just missed, and by mere inattention, one of the grandest opportunities of the centu- ry. The main features of his machine had been patented eight years, (previous to Hunt's application), to another in- ventor,-Elias Howe. When Hunt ap- plied for a patent in 1854, it was refused him on the ground of abandonment, * * *
* The legal point was with Howe, and bitterly Hunt rued his care- lessness. He declared he would invent imitation stitch work more accurate than the original; the result was the pa- per collar, with imitation stitching."
In an article in " The Galaxy," (1867,) iv, 471, entitled, "Who Invented the Sewing Machine?" the priority of Mr. Hunt's invention is fully stated, and it is shown that a working model, clumsy, but correct in principle, was made in his shop on Amos street, New York, by him and his brother Adoniram F. Hunt, and that one was exhibited by the latter in Baltimore, in 1835, in actual opera- tion. Some of these early machines afterwards came into possession of Singer & Co. They were first sold by Hunt to George A. Arrowsmith, with the rights belonging to them, but the latter never profited by the purchase, or anyone else. The number of useful in- ventions conceived in the brain of Wal- ter Hunt, was prodigious. Over twenty patents were issued in his own name, and a host of others, like the sewing machine, were lost from abandonment, or because they were not quite perfected. Grammatically speaking, his success was
95
RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS.
always in the " paulo-post future tense," a little after, some other future event- that did not happen.
Mr. Hunt was a Hicksite Quaker, fond of theological discussion, and well-read in Scripture,-honest and strong in his convictions, and intellectually and mor- ally, ranking high ; but in business mat- ters he was simple as a child, pledging the profits of his inventions before they were finished, and always overwhelmed with debt. He died in New York City, in June, 1859, aged about sixty years. His brother, Adoniram F. Hunt, resided many years in Warren, Ohio, and was a watchmaker. His brain, too, was of the inventive kind, but less productive, and as to profits, quite as barren. Dr. James S. Bradish, a nephew, showed some of the family trait in the way of invention, but without results.
Another inventive genius, a native of Martinsburgh, where he spent his youth and learned the cabinet-maker's trade, might also be mentioned. This was Hiram Pitcher, a brother of Edwin Pitcher, and cousin to most of the now older class of this name in that town. He settled at Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and was a prolific inventor, and to some extent a patentee. A multitude of his ideas, some of really great merit, were never patented, and like many others of this class, he died poor. His death oc- curred at Sterling, Kansas, some four or five years ago.
CHAPTER XI.
RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS AND SOCIETIES.
Methodist Episcopal Church in Lewis County.
FROM the systematic way in which the records of this denomination have been kept and published from the
beginning, it is an easy thing to present them very nearly complete. We will, therefore, in this place, in addition to the notices under the different towns, give a connected summary of the succession, from the date of first record down to the present.
Conferences .- This county was includ- ed in the " New York Conference " till 1809, and in the " Genesee Conference," from its formation, in 1809, down to 1828, when it was taken in by the " Oneida Conference." In 1836, the " Black River Conference " was form- ed."* In 1869, the " Central New York Conference " included at least, a part, and in 1873, the "Northern New York Conference" included the whole, with some that had not been associated be- fore.
Districts .- The " Black River District " began to appear in the records in 1821, and the presiding elders, while it lasted, were as follows :-
1821-'22. Renaldo M. Everts.
1823-'25. Dan. Barnes.
1826. Goodwin Stoddard.
1827-'30. Nathaniel Salisbury.t
1831-'32. Josiah Keyes.
1833-'35. John Dempster .;
1836-'39. Gardner Baker.
The Herkimer District was formed in 1840, and in 1840-'41, Aaron Adams was Presiding Elder. It included for a time the south part of the county.
The Watertown District was also formed in 1840, and in 1840-'41, F. Salis- bury was Presiding Elder. In 1844-'47 it was Lewis Whitcomb ; but in the mean- time, it ceased to include any part of the county.
* Incorporated by special act, April 17, 1841, and em- powered to hold real estate, not exceeding $200,000,and an income of not over $10,000 per annum.
+ Died at Rome, February 18, 1876, aged 82 years.
# Mr. Dempster was sent on a mission to Buenos Ayres, in South America, in 1841. He returned in a year or two, and was for a short time stationed at the Vestry Street Methodist Church, in New York city. He was then appointed a professor of Theology, in the Methodist Biblical Institute, at Concord, New Hamp- shire.
96
HISTORY OF LEWIS COUNTY.
In 1843, the Gouverneur District was formed, and in 1844 the Adams Dis- trict. The former for a year or so in- cluded some part. The latter now in- cludes the whole of the county. Its Pre- siding Elders have been as follows :-
1844-'45. Lewis Whitcomb.
1 846. Nathiel Salisbury.
1847. Isaac Stone .*
1848-'49. George C, Woodruff.
1850-'51. George Gary.t
1852. A. T. Phelps.
1853-'56. Gardner Baker.
1857-'60. Freeman H. Stanton.
The southern part of the county was in the Rome District, many years after its formation, but now this district in- cludes no part of the county.
SESSIONS OF CONFERENCE.
These have been held annually, and since the formation of the Black River Conference, as follows :-
1837. Potsdam, August 9.
1838. Fulton, August I.
1839. Turin, July, 31.#
1840. Pulaski, July 29.
1841. Rome, July 21.
1842. Watertown, July 20.
1843. Syracuse, July 19.
1844. Potsdam, July 31.
1845. Mexicoville, July 9,
1846. Lowville, June 17.
1847. Malone, June 16.
1848. Adams, July 5.
1849. Fulton, June 20.
1850. Rome, June 26.
1851. Oswego, July 2.
1852. Ogdensburgh, June 25.
1853. Watertown, June 2.
1854. Camden, May 31.
1855. Weedsport, May 30. 1856. Syracuse, June 18.
* Born in Hoosick N. Y., March 28, 1797, died in On- ondaga September 10, 1850, having served in ministry 30 years.
+ Mr. Gary was born in Middlefield, N. Y., Dec. 8, 1793. and admitted Lo trial as a preacher, while but fifteen years of age. Having been employed many years in New England and Central New York, he was in 1834, appointed lo take charge of Oregon mission, where he remained four years. He died at Camden, N. Y., March 25, 1855. having labored 46 years, of which 23 were as a presiding elder, 6 as a missionary, and 16 on circuits or stations.
# Held in a grove south of the village.
1857. Potsdam, June 3.
1858. Jordan, June 2.
1859. Canton, May 18.
1860. Rome, April 18.
1861. Pulaski, April 24.
1862. Oswego, April 23.
1863. Watertown, April 15. 1864. Adams, April 13.
1865. Potsdam, April 19.
1866. Fulton, April 19.
1867. Syracuse, April 17.
1868. Malone, April 18.
1869. Watertown, April 15. 1870. Ogdensburgh, April 21. 1871. Adams, April 27. 1872. Canton, April 10.
1873. Utica, April 16.
1874. Carthage, April 29.
1875. Mexico, April 28.
1876. Potsdam, April 5.
1877. Watertown, April 18.
1878. Rome, April 10.
1879. Lowville, April 9.
1880. Ilion, April 14.
1881. Oswego, April 13.
1882. Malone, April 12.
1883. Watertown, (State street,) April:
BLACK RIVER CIRCUIT.
In 1804, this circuit was formed com- prising the whole county and much be- sides. The duties of a circuit preacher in those days must have been very ardu- ous, as they were required to travel great distances, over very poor roads. The appointments to this circuit were as follows :-
1804. Griffin Sweet, Asa Cummins.
1805. Griffin Sweet, Seymour Ensign. 1806. Mathew Van Duzan, William Vredenburgh.
1807. Datus Ensign.
1808. Mathew Van Duzan, Luther Bishop.
1809. Luther Bishop, William Jewett.
1810. Joseph Willis, Chandley Lambert.
18II. William Snow, Truman Gillett.
1812. Joseph Kinkread.
1813. Isaac Puffer, Goodwin Stoddard. 1814. Chandley Lambert .*
* Mr. Lambert was born in Alford, Mass., March 27, 1781, entered the ministry at 27 and labored about twenty years. He finally settled in Lowville and died March 16, 1845.
97
RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS.
1815. Ira Fairbank, James Hazen.
1816. Ira Fairbank, Goodwin Stod- dard. Joseph Willis.
1817.
1818. Andrew Prindle, Abraham
Lippet.
1819.
1820.
Andrew Prindle, Henry Peck. Nathaniel Reeder, Joseph Wil- lis. Benjamin Dighton. Chandley Lambert.
1821.
1822.
1823. Truman Dixon, Squire Chase, Elijah King, (sup.)
1824. Benj. G. Paddock, Nathaniel Salisbury.
1825. Benj. G. Paddock, Squire Chase .*
1826. Isaac Puffer, John Ercanbrack.
1827. Isaac Puffer, Isaac Stone.+
1828. John H. Wallace, Isaac Stone.
1829.
Calvin Hawley.
1830.
Josiah Keyes, L. Whitcomb.
1831-'32. Anson Fuller.
1833.
C. Northrop, Frederick H. Stanton.
1834 -- '35. Elijah Smith.
1836. R. Houghton, J. Downing.
1837.
R. Houghton, C. H. Austin, W. Cummings.
1838. Isaac Puffer, Eleazer Whipple.§
1839. Darius Mason, [one to be supplied.]
1840-'41. John Roper, John Thomas.
1842. M. H. Gaylord, S. D. Fenton.
1843. Stephen D. Fenton, Reuben Reynolds.
During the latter years, the circuit had been narrowed down by the formation of others, while this remained in charge of the "remainders," scattered around the margins and in waste places, and by
the time the circuit ceased, these had been otherwise provided for.
We will present the circuits in the order in which they were organized, explaining in notes any facts that relate to them :-
LOWVILLE.
1831. John S. Mitchell.
1832 .* Benjamin Phillips, Schuyler Hoes.
1833 .* Luther Lee, R. Stoddard.
1834. Luther Lee, J. L. Hunt.
1835.
Isaac Stone.
1836.
E. B. Fuller, F. Hawkins.
1837. Elisha Wheeler.
1838 .* E. Smith, John Thompson.
1839 .* Elijah Smith, John Thompson.
I 840. Wm. W. Ninde.t
1841. Squire Chase.
1842-'43. James Erwin.
1844. Harvey E. Chapin.
1845. W. Wyatt, R. Lyle, (sup.)
1846. W. Wyatt, T. S. Bingham.
1847-'48.
G. Sawyer.
1849-'50. Lorenzo D. Stebbins.
1851- 52. M. D. Gillett.
1853- 54. John F. Dayan.
1855-'56.
Ward W. Hunt.
1857-'58. Darius Symonds.}
1859. J. L. Hunt.
1860-'61. John W. Armstrong.
1862. E. E. Bruce.
1863-'64. William Jones.
1865-'66.
W. S. Titus.
1867.
C. W. Brooks.
1868-'70. Charles H. Guile.
1871-'73. Henry W. Bennett.
1874-'76. Sidney O. Barnes.
1877-'79.
M. D. Kinney.
1880-'82. W. F. Markham.
WATSON.§
1833-'36. (Supplied.)
1840-41. Isaac Puffer.
1845. Richard Lyle.
1846. H. O. Filden.
1847 -- '48. A. S. Wightman.
1874. Wm. C. Empey.
* Lowville and Martinsburgh.
+ Born December, 1809 ; married Mary M. Moore,
of Lowville ; died at Delta, N. Y., February 27, 1845. ¿ Did not remain, although thus appointed.
§ A mission during the earlier of the above years. Supplied from Lowville for some years.
* Mr. Chase was born in Scipio, N. Y., February 15, 1803, was licensed to preach in June, 1822, and was soon after received on trial in the Genesee Conference. He preached at various places in this and Oneida Con- ference, and in 1831 was appointed presiding elder of Potsdam District. In 1836, he was sent by his own re- quest on a mission to Liberia, where he remained about two years, when he returned with greatly impaired health. In 1841, while at Lowville, the opportunity for returning to the African mission offered, and he again sailed to Liberia, where he remained till March, 1843. He died at Syracuse while attending Conference, July 26, 1843, and was buried at Houseville. IIe married Julia, daughter of Eli Rogers, of Martinshurgh,
# Mentioned, in 1837, as the " Black River and Mar- linsburgh Circuit."
+ Died September 10, 1850, aged 53.
§ Died February 19, 1856, aged 71.
98
HISTORY OF LEWIS COUNTY.
1875.
L. B. Knowlton. (Supplied.)
1869-'71. E. W. Jones.
1872. G. W. Miller.
1873-'75. Soranus C. Corbin.
1876-'77. C. E. Hawkins.
1878-'79. J. Staunton.
1880-'82. W. M. Holbrook.
1840-'41. James Erwin.
1842. J. E. Downing.
1843. Lorenzo D. Stebbins.
1844-'45. Allen O. Wightman.
1846. Hiram Shepard .*
1846-'47. George C. Woodruff.
1848. R. N. Barber.
1849-'50.
Benj. S. Wright.
1851-'52. Eleazer Whipple.
1850-'51. Royal Houghton.
1853.
Wm. B. Joyce.t
1852. D. M. Rogers.
1854-'55.
R. E. King.
1853- 54.
E. Smith.
1856-'57.
Lucius L. Palmer.
1855. T. D. Sleeper.
1858. G.W. Elwood, T. B. Shepherd.
1856-'57.
Isaac Hall.
1859. H. M. Church, A. T. Copeland. H. M. Church.
1860-'61.
Lucius L. Palmer.
1861.
Spencer R. Fuller.
1862-'63.
D. Stone.
1862. G. G. Hapgood.
1864-'65.
William A. Nichols.
1 866.
H. C. Abbott.
1865. Chamberlain Phelps.
1867-'69.
J. W. Roberts.
1866. C. Phelps, A. McLaren.
1867-'69. A. M. Fradenburgh.
1870. (To be supplied.)
1871-'72. W. W. Tutheroh.
1873. Dan. Marvin, Jr.
1874-'75. Eugene H. Waugh.
1876-'78. Anson Cheeseman.
1879-'81. Sanger Dewey.
1882. Isaac Jenkins.
COPENHAGEN.
1840-'41. William W. Wood.
1842. Silas Slater, Jr., I. Puffer.
1843. Harris Kinsley, [Wright.
1844. David Ferguson, Benjamin S.
1845. Isaac Hall, Benj. S. Wright.
1846. Isaac Hall, A. S. Wightman.
1847. Hiram Shepard, G. W. Plank. 1848. Hiram Shepard, Silas Kenny.
1867. (To be supplied.)
1868. Lewis W. Phelps .;
1 869.
E. W. Wheeler.
1870-'71. L. B. Knowlton.
1872. Z. B. Hitchcock.
1873-74. N. Edgar Bush.
1858-'59. Lucius L. Palmer.
1860-'61. Cyrus Phillips.
1862. N. R. Barber.
1863-'64. Edwin S. Cheeseman.
1865-'67. Charles H. Guile.
* Died in Malone, May 25, 1863.
+ Died in Oswego county, March 17, 1869.
1868. Thomas Ritchie.
1876.
1877-'79. D. D. Parker.
1880-'82. (Supplied.)
MARTINSBURGH.
TURIN.
1844-'45. Jesse Penfield .*
1847-'48.
H. O. Tilden.
1858-'59.
S. Cheeseman.
1873. Hiram M. Church.
1874-'75. H. W. P. Allen.
1876-'78. D. W. Aylesworth.
1879-'80. A. G. Markham.
1881-'82. C. W. Brooks.
NEW BREMEN.+
1849-'50. O. Lathrop.
1851. L. L. Adkins.
1852. Benjamin Brundidge.
1853- 54. T. D. Sleeper.
1855-'56. Frederick J. Whitney.
1857. Benajah E. Whipple.
1858-'59.
O. Holms.
1860-'61. William B. Joice.
1862-'63. Anson Cheeseman.
1864-'66. Silas Slater, Jr.
1849-'50.
Abram M. Smith, T. D. Brown. O. C. Lathrop.
1851-'52. 1853-'54. W. W. Hunt.
1855. L. Clark.
[(sup.)
1856-'57. Rufus E. King, Silas Slater,
1875-'76. R. O. Beebe.
1877. James McFee.
1878.
(Supplied.)
1879-'80.
James R. Crofoot.
1881-'82.
(Supplied.)
* Died at Lee Center, Illinois, June 6, 1869. + In the first years a Mission church.
¿ Died in Martinsburgh, February 28, 1871.
1863-'64. Robert Barber.
1870-'72.
Cyrus Phelps.
1 860.
1849. A. S. Wightman.
99
RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS.
NEW BOSTON. (Mission.)
1849 to '56. (To be supplied.)
1857. Gidcon P. Jones.
1858. (To be supplied.)
1859. Lucius B. Ford.
1860-'61. Michael Taylor.
1 862. G. W. Plank.
BARNES' CORNERS.
1863. G. W. Plank.
1864-'66. William S. Chase.
1867-'68. Lester Brown.
1869. Lewis W. Phelps.
1870-'71. E. W. Wheeler.
1872. N. Edgar Bush.
1873-'75. (To be supplied.)
1876-'77.
H. A. Harris.
1878-'79.
P. LeClair.
1 880. (Supplied.)
1881. James R. Crofoot.
1882.
A. J. Cottrell.
WEST TURIN.
1851. John Slee.
1852-'53. W. I. Hunt.
1854-'55. Lucius L. Palmer.
1856-'57. Lucius Whitney.
1858-'59. Pomeroy Wright.
1860. J. Wells.
CONSTABLEVILLE.
1861.
James Wells.
1862.
E. Smead.
1863-'64. Morrell T. Hill.
1865-'66. Samuel Salisbury.
1867 .* Samuel S. Salisbury.
1868-'70. M. M. Rice. 1871-'72. B. F. Wood.
1873-'74. William C. Smith.
1875. J. H. Buell.
1876. J. H. Buck.
1877. T. L. Allen.
1878-'79. H. A. Harris.
1881-'82. (Supplied.)
PORT LEYDEN.
1867-'70. B. F. Wood.
1871-'73. Oliver P. Pitcher.
1874-'76. Merritt N. Capron.
1877. N. E. Bush.
1878-'80. E. S. Cheeseman.
1881-'82. B. F. Wood.
* Constableville and Port Leyden in 1867.
CROGHAN. (Mission.)
1856- 59. Michael Taylor.
1 860. (To be supplied.)
1861. Anson Cheeseman.
1862. (To be supplied.)
1863.
W. C. Smith.
1864-'65. (To be supplied.)
1873.
Abel S. Barter.
HARRISVILLE. (Ogdensburgh District.)
1 863. E. A. D. Farrell.
WEST MARTINSBURGH.
1867. Silas Slater.
1868. (To be supplied.)
1 869. Silas Slater.
1870. (To be supplied.)
1871. Z. B. Hitchcock.
1872-'74. L. E. Knowlton.
1875-'76. W. Merrifield.
1877-'78. L. L. Davy.
1879-'81. L. B. Knowlton.
1882. F. B. Stanford.
MONTAGUE.
1867-'70, (To be supplied.)
1871-'72. A. S. Barter.
1873-'74. (To be supplied.)
1875. A. Miller.
1877-'78. (To be supplied.)
1880-'81. F. B. Stanford.
1882. W. C. Empey.
GREIG.
1870. H. E. Chase.
1871. (To be supplied.)
STATISTICS OF MEMBERSHIP.
SABBATH SCHOOLS AND PROPERTY OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN LEWIS COUNTY, AS REPORTED IN 1882.
Mem- børs.
Sab. Scb'ls.
Probation-
Members.
Teachers.
Scholars.
Churches.
Value of
Churches.
Value nf
Parsonages.
Baroes' Corners.
6
104
201
100
I
$ 1,500 $
500
Constablevills.
10
88
33
175
2
6,000|
1,000
Copenhagen
160
24
160
2%
3.000
1.500
Lowvills.
8
220
21
134
1
12,000
2,500
Martinsburgh
21
158
31
164
3
5,000
500
Montague.,
34
51
14
97
1
1,600
800
New Bremen
10
60
16
90|
2
3,000
600
Port Leyden
14
:55
26
195
12,000
2,000
Turin
10
160
80
210
10,000
1,800
Watson
10
68
32
162
2
2.000
500
West Martinsburgh.
12
90
14
85
2
2,200
600
Total ..
137 1,314 261 1,562 21% $58,3.0 $12,300
+ With Harrisburgh, in 1867, '68, '69, '70. In 1814, with Barnes' Corners.
Circuits.
ers.
Full
Number of
2
3
100
HISTORY OF LEWIS COUNTY.
PRESBYTERIAN.
The Watertown Presbytery includes this county. It was formed in 1830, from the St. Lawrence Presbytery, which was organized from that of Oneida in 1816, and held its first session in Martinsburgh in the fall of that year. The Reverends Jas. Murdock, Isaac Clinton, Samuel F. Snowden, Jeduthan Higby, Jr., and Da- vid Banks (of Watertown), were original members of this body. The principal facts concerning the union and with- drawal of churches, are noted under the towns where they severally occur.
CONGREGATIONALISTS.
The Black River Association was formed at Lowville, Sept. 1, 1807, by delegates from churches at Leyden, West Leyden, Turin, Lowville, Denmark, and six towns in Jefferson county.
THE FREE COMMUNION BAPTISTS
The Free Communion Baptists were first organized in this county in 1813, by persons who had belonged to the Baptist church, but who were led to differ upon doctrinal points, probably through the influence of persons from Russia, Herkimer county. The Black River Yearly Meeting adopted its Constitution in September 1830, and embraced the re- gion between East Canada creek and the Genesee. In the spring of 1844, this sect was merged in the Free-Will Baptists and their number in Lewis county has become very small. They were in 1860, and we believe still are, embraced in the St. Lawrence Yearly, and the Jefferson Quarterly Meetings. Small societies exist in Diana, Harrisburgh, Lowville, West Turin and Watson.
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