USA > New York > Lewis County > History of Lewis County, New York; with...biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 45
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The smaller figure is upon the same scale as the larger, and shows the size of the attic story as compared with the main building. The dotted lines repre- sent the arrangement as first planned, for bedrooms, but this intention was changed before completion. It was constructed upon the solitary-cell principle, however, like the main building below, it being
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A. the principal entrance on the west side, fronting upon the main street of the village.
a. The Instructor's stand and desk, commanding a view of every seat in the room. It was also used as a rostrum for exercises in declamation.
apparently thought that the young ladies needed watching while at their studies, as much as the young men.
In connection with the central building and just in the rear there were erected two small low brick buildings, two sto- ries high, and each twenty-two by thir-
338
HISTORY OF LEWIS COUNTY.
ty-two feet on the ground. They were originally intended for single lodging rooms, and these buildings are still re- maining. Of these, the southerly one has been used much of the time as a family residence, and sometimes as a boarding hall. The other has scarcely been used since it was built, although kept shingled and enclosed. These wings were built by Paul Abbott during the same summer (1825) that the acade- my was going up.
LAND GRANTS TO THE ACADEMY.
Before the erection of Mr. Taylor's Academy, the Legislature had appropri- ated one of the mile-square lots reserved in the " Ten Towns on the St. Lawrence which had been reserved for the' en- couragement of literature." In June, 1818, Joseph A. Northrup was appointed to explore the lands applicable, and upon his advice they selected lot 56 in Can- ton, for which a patent was granted to the trustees, March 12, 1819. This lot was sold May 7th, the same year, for about $2,500, and the proceeds had been used for the building that proved a failure. A lot of fifty acres in Martinsburgh had been given by General Martin, but we are not aware as to the money that it brought, or the uses to which it was ap- plied. But whatever the trustees had acquired, had been virtually thrown away, and they were called upon to make new sacrifices. The Legislature had been petitioned for aid in 1810, in 1818, and again in 1821, but without suc- cess, and it became necessary to appeal to the town for further aid.
MEANS FOR REBUILDING IN 1836.
The following extract from the town records in 1836, shows the action that was taken by the people of Lowville upon this subject of rebuilding the academy :-
" It appearing to the inhabitants of the town of Lowville now assembled that the principal academic building of the Low- ville Academy is in such a ruinous con- dition as to be nearly useless, and that it is absolutely necessary to the prosperity of that institution that another building should be erected for the use of said Academy, and it also appearing that the trustees of said academy although desir- ous that another building should be erected have not the necessary means to enable them to do it, now therefore for the purpose of enabling said trustees to erect a building for the use of said acad- emy and thereby secure to it the high standing which it has hitherto main- tained among the literary institutions of the State :-
" Resolved, That application be made to the Legislature of this State at its pres- ent session for the passage of a law au- thorizing and directing the board of Su- pervisors of the county of Lewis at each of their annual meetings, for five succes- sive meetings next, hereafter, to cause to be levied and collected the sum of $500 upon the taxable property of the town of Lowville, in the same manner that other town charges are levied and collected to be expended in the erec- tion of an academic building for the use of the Lowville Academy, in the village of Lowville and that the said application be made by the supervisor of this town in behalf of the inhabitants thereof.
" Resolved, That a committee of five persons be appointed a building com- mittee to be associated with the building committee of the trustees of the Low- ville Academy, and that Chester Buck, Charles Bush, Luke Wilder, George D. Ruggles and Benjamin Davenport be such committee."
By an act passed March 21, 1836, the sum of $2,000 was loaned from the school fund, to be refunded by tax upon the town of Lowville, in five an- nual installments, with interest at six per cent.
A subscription in further aid of the building fund obtained one hundred and ninety-eight subscribers, and a total of $5,244.13, payable as follows :---
339
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF LOWVILLE.
Cash .
$1,604.13
Grain
485.50
Stock
592.00
Lumber
1,088.50
Labor.
586.00
Lime and Sand
206.00
Materials
667.00
Miscellaneous
15.00
MR. TAYLOR'S SUCCESSORS FOR THE NEXT QUARTER-CENTURY
After the release of Mr. Taylor from his contract, May 18, 1831, the Trustees engaged Eliam E. Barney and Cyrus M. Fay as associate principals. The former remained two and the latter three years.
Mr. Fay, the principal, was succeeded on the 14th of August, 1834, by Henry Maltby, who remained until the close of 1835, when instruction was suspended during the time that the edifice of 1825 was being demolished and the new one was going up. It was placed a little in front, and partly upon the site of the former edifice.
The building erected in 1836, was dedicated December Ist of that year. It forms the central part of the present academy, and is of brick, 41 by 62 feet on the ground, and three stories high, besides a stone basement. The contract was awarded to James H. Leonard, at $3,000 and the old materials. As origi- nally built, it had a central hall with front and rear entrance, and stairs to the upper stories. On the north side of the hall was a chapel, and on the oppo- site side two general study rooms. The remainder was devoted to private study rooms, there being eight upon the sec- ond and the same number upon the third story. Some years after, an ex- cellent chemical labratory and lecture room was fitted up in the basement, un- der the direction of Mr. David P. May- hew, then Principal of the academy, as elsewhere noticed.
The new building was dedicated on the Ist of December, 1836, and the first term of the academy thereafter, began the same day, under Henry Bannister, then recently graduated from the Wes- leyan University at Middletown, Con- necticut, Miss Lucy Kimball of Ley- den, being preceptress.
The plan of a boarding academy was continued but a short time after Mr. Taylor left, and has not since been re- sumed, excepting in an indirect way, by providing rooms and furniture by the Trustees.
Mr. Bannister was succeeded in Octo- ber, 1837, by Erastus Wentworth, who remained until his resignation, in April, 1838. He was succeeded a short time by. Harrison Miller, and the latter in 1839, by David P. Yeomans and David P. Mayhew as associate principals.
In the summer of 1841, Mr. Yeomans left, and Mr. Mayhew remained for some years in charge, alone, but from 1843, to 1850, he associated with Frank- lin Moore. In June, 1852, William Root Adams was appointed principal.
SEMI-CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION OF THE LOWVILLE ACADEMY.
Mindful of the interest pertaining to the completion of a full half-century in the history of the academy, its friends prepared to commemorate the occasion.
A public meeting was called at the Bostwick House, (on the site of the Kel- logg House,) on the evening of May 21, 1858, to consider the measures that would be proper, and ascertain the sen- timent of the citizens of Lowville upon the subject. This was followed by other preliminary proceedings which led to the issue of a circular of invitation, dated June 26, 1858, which was numerously signed by former students of all periods, and was addressed to friends and alumni of the academy, wherever they could be found.
340
HISTORY OF LEWIS COUNTY.
This circular of invitation, with its names has a certain degree of permanent interest, and was as follows :-
"LOWVILLE, N. Y., June 26, 1858.
" Dear Sir :- Fifty years have been numbered with the past since the incor- poration of the Lowville Academy, an institution whose sons have gone forth and become important actors on the stage of life, all over the American Con- tinent, in the lands of the Heathen, in the far off 'Isles of the Ocean,' and upon almost every High Sea of the world.
" It is very appropriate that this event should be commemorated by a re-union of the students and teachers formerly connected with the institution, and you are most cordially invited to participate in the celebration of the Semi-Centennial Anniversary of the Lowville Academy, on Thursday, the 22d day of July next, on which occasion the Hon. Daniel Ull- mann, of New York, (a student in 1825,) will pronounce an oration ; Benjamin F. Taylor, Esq., of Chicago, (a student in 1828,) will read a poem ; and Dr. Frank- lin B. Hough, of Albany, (a student in 1837-'38,) will deliver the Historical Ad- dress. The Rev. William X. Ninde, of Adams, (a student in 1848,) will preach an appropriate discourse, on Wednesday evening, the 21st.
" The hospitalities of the village of Lowville are most cordially tendered to all students and teachers who have ever been members of the Academy, and we earnestly hope that you will join in the festivities of our jubilee, as a most happy gathering is anticipated ; and we assure you that you will be most heartily wel- comed, on returning to the scenes of our early life-our Alma Mater-around whose time-honored halls cluster so many cherished memories and pleasant reminiscences of our youthful years.
"As it is impossible for the Home Committee to ascertain the present resi- dence of all the students and teachers, those receiving several circulars, are respectfully requested to distribute a portion of them, and to extend the in- vitation as far as possible to those who were their fellow students.
"Your quarters in some family in the village, will be assigned you by the Home Committee, who will be in at- tendance on the 21st and 22d at the
Academy, at which place all Students and Teachers, immediately upon their arrival, are particularly requested to register their names, place of residence, and time when they were members of the institution. -
Student in
Stephen Johnson, 1808, Depauville, N. Y.
Isaac Foster, 1 808, San Jose, Cal.
Thomas M. Kelley, 1809, Cleveland, O.
Baron S. Doty,
1810, Portage City, Wis.
Walter Martin,
1811, Marshall, Mich.
William Hubbard,
1812, Columbus, O.
Johnson A. Brayton,
1812, Painesville, O.
John White, 1813, Hot Springs, Ark.
Charles Dayan, 1813, Lowville, N. Y.
Elihu Shepard, 1814, St. Louis, Mo.
James D. Doty,
1815, Menasha, Wis.
John W. Martin,
1816, Brooklyn, N. Y.
Levi Silliman Ives,
1817, Fordham, N. Y.
Anthony W. Collins,
1817, Turin, N. Y.
Horace Clapp,
1817, Houseville, N. Y.
Ashley Davenport,
1818, Copenhagen, N. Y.
Danie1 S. Bailey,
1818, Martinsburgh, N. Y.
Morgan L. Martin,
r818, Green Bay, Wis.
John R. Bartlett,
1819, New York City.
Horatio J. Stow,
1819, Lewiston, N. Y.
Hiram Norton,
1819, Lockport, Ill.
Walter M. Conkey, 1819, Norwich, N. Y.
Thomas R. Walker,
1820, Utica, N. Y.
Sylvester Bailey,
1820, Memphis, Tenn.
Harrison Blodget,
1820, Denmark, N. Y.
1821, Utica, N. Y.
Charles L. Martin,
1821, New York City.
Jason Clark,
1821, Plessis, N. Y.
Nelson J. Beach,
1821, Rome, N. Y.
Marcellus K. Stow,
1822, Fond-du-Lac, Wis.
James M. Sturdevant, 1822, Rome, N. Y.
Elijah W. Morgan,
1823, Ann Arbor, Mich.
Lyman R. Lyon,
1824, Lyon's Falls, N. Y.
Lloyd Collyer Yale,
1826, Albany, N. Y.
1826, Martinsburgh, N. Y.
William S. Mayo,
1827, Watertown, N. Y.
'Eliam E. Barney, 1827, Dayton, O.
Danforth N. Barney, 1827, New York City.
Alexander L. Collins, 1828, Madison, Wis.
Palmer V. Kellogg,
1828, Utica, N. Y.
Charles V. Clark, 1828, New York City.
Charles K. Loomis, 1829, Buffalo, N. Y.
David P. Yeomans,
1830, Waterloo, C. W.
James Rockwell,
1830, Utica, N. Y.
Francis D. Fowler,
1830, New York City.
Charles R. Babbitt,
1830, Rochester, N. Y.
Frederick Stewart,
1831, Mobile, Ala.
James W. Davenport, 1832, St. Louis, Mo.
Henry G. Abbott,
1832, Utica, N. Y.
James Burns, 1832, Detroit, Mich.
John D. Fay,
1832, Rochester, N. Y.
William Collins,
1832, Cleveland, O.
Horatio Hough, 1827, Washington, D. C.
Willard Ives,
1825, Norfolk, N. Y.
Henry H. Martin,
Charles A. Mann,
34I
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF LOWVILLE.
Student in
Walter D. Dickinson, 1832, Prescott, C. W.
George I. King;
1833, Quincy, Ill.
Daniel A. Haynes,
1833, Dayton, O.
Howell Cooper, 1833, Watertown, N. Y.
Moss K. Dickinson,
1834, Montreal, C. E.
Willard M. Rice,
1834, Philadelphia, Pa.
Samuel H. Ruggles,
1834, Circleville, O.
John B. Waring,
1835, Cleveland, O.
Francis W. Northrop, 1835, Zanesville, O.
Franklin Moore,
1836, Rome, N. Y.
Levi W. Norton,
1837, Jamestown, N. Y.
Isaac S. Bingham,
1838, Fulton, N. Y.
William E. Abbott,
1838, Syracuse, N. Y.
Francis Collins, 1838, Columbus, O.
Harvey P. Willard, 1839, Boonville, N. Y.
Ira D. Davenport,
1839, Boston, Mass.
John F. Dayan,
1840, Cape Vincent, N.Y. 1840, E. Hampton, N. Y.
Charles S. Williams,
1841, Flushing, L. I.
James Strong,
1841, Cincinnati, O.
Benjamin F. Bush,
1842, Carthage, N. Y. 1842, Yale College.
Joseph F. McMullen, 1843, Milwaukee, Wis.
1843, Greenville, N. Y.
Caleb B. Ellsworth, Henry W. King, A. J. Edgerton, Allen P. Northrop, William House,
1845, Flushing, L. I.
1845, Londonderry, N.H.
Jason C. Easton,
1846, Chatfield, Minn.
Homer C. Hunt,
1847, Ozaukee, Wis.
John B. Foot,
1848, Ogdensburg, N. Y.
James E. Willard,
1849, Austin, Minn.
Guilford D. Bailey,
1850, 3
[ Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas.
Addison C. Miller,
1851, Utica, N. Y.
Wilson M. Powell,
1852, Union College.
Henry L. Smith,
1853, Union College.
Colton J. Reed, 1854, Union College.
C. Fay Willard,
1855, Utica, N. Y.
S. W. Douglass,
1856, Mad. University.
Everett R. Sawyer,
1857, Union College.
Elbridge R. Adams,
1858, Union College.
James L. Leonard, 1839,
John Doig,
1838,
W. Root Adams,
1841,
Home Com.
Leon'rd C. Davenport, 1845,
Charles D. Adams, 1846,
The proceedings came off, very nearly as had been arranged, the principal ex- ercises being held upon a stand near the street, in front of the academy. The sermon by Mr. Ninde, was from the text in I Corinthians xvi : 13. " Quit you like men."
The oration and the historical address were delivered as appointed, but the committee and the participants in the
celebration were sadly disappointed in learning that Mr. B. F. Taylor, who was expected to read a poem, would be unable to attend.
In his reply to the committee that had invited him, he said :-
" Your letter has been to me like a chance note or two of some sweet old song ; it has recalled strain after strain of melodious memories, glittering with the sun that shone then, and the tears that have fallen since. Not that I have ever forgotten my birthplace, nestled there in the woods, or the friends that made me think better of the outer world than it deserved, for it seems as if heaven were so round about them there, that there could be no going thence, without entering paradise.
" In almost any other year, to be pres- ent at such an Anniversary-for alas, in my time, there can be but one-would be a pious pilgrimage, that I should be too much a christian to leave unmade.
* * * * * *
" No invitation has ever been extend- ed to me, that I declined with such pain- ful reluctance as I now decline this. But be assured, my dear sirs, that I shall be with you all in heart on that day, as true as the noblest to the mem- ory of Lowville Academy."
Ten days later, he wrote that he would endeavor to be present, and con- tributed "a little sheaf of rhymes and ut- ter my little song as the birds do theirs, with a free heart, as my summer offer- ing." But at the last moment he tele- graphed that he could not come.
The Home Committee caused the proceedings of this Semi-Centennial Cele- bration, to be printed in a volume of 133 pages, accompanied with several portraits, and an engraving of the acad- emy as it then was.
It should be remembered that the pres- ent year, (1883,) will finish the even pe- riod of three-quarters of a century, and it is an excellent thing to revive old as- sociations, and note down the stages of events, as they are unrolled by time. Of the four original students who attended
Isaac C. Collins,
Samuel W. Johnson,
1844, Chicago, Ill.
1844, Mantorville, Minn.
342
HISTORY OF LEWIS COUNTY.
in 1858, and of very many of more re- cent attendance, we shall see no more. Many who as youth witnessed the former proceedings, are now in middle life and the heads of families-doubtless some are now patrons of the institute in which they were themselves then students.
TEACHERS' CLASSES, CABINET, LIBRARY, ETC.
This academy was for a long period designated annually by the Regents of the University, for the instruction of common school teachers. It has a val- uable library and an excellent collection of apparatus, minerals, etc. In its cabi- net is a sword that once belonged to General Pike, and was presented by him to General Brady on the eve of his de- parture on the fatal expedition against Little York. General Brady afterwards resided at Lowville and presented this memento to Charles D. Morse, who has placed it among other historical relics in the cabinet of the academy.
The Academy Library has received annually, from a time commencing some years before the late war the full series of documents published by order of Congress, forming of themselves a libra- ry of no small extent and of great value for reference.
The " Mystic Society," has its library in the building, under the control and for the use of its members. It is not large, but is well selected.
THE HISTORY THAT HAS ACCRUED SINCE THE CELEBRATION OF 1858.
Mr. Adams remained principal until 1860, when he resigned, (Sept. 22d,) and the Rev. Charles W. Bennett, then late Superintendent of Schools at Schenecta- dy, and a graduate of the Wesleyan Uni- versity at Middletown, was engaged for one year, (Dec. 5, 1860,) as principal.
The want of more accommodation had been for some time noticed by the trus- tees, and mentioned in their board, but no action was taken until the spring of 1860.
In April of that year, plans for an ad- dition were proposed, and William Mc- Cullock, James L. Leonard and William Root Adams were appointed a commit- tee to bring the subject before the public. They reported progress the same month, and the measure being deemed feasible a committee consisting of J. L. Leonard, W. R. Adams and John Doig, was ap -. pointed to get estimates of cost.
They reported on the 24th of April, 1860, that an additional building forty by sixty feet, and three stories high, with a. basement, would cost from $4,700 to $4,800, and a subscription was at once started.
A building committee was appointed, consisting of Andrew W. Doig, Franklin B. Hough, and James L. Leonard, on behalf of the trustees, and of Simon Brown, Lucius F. Wright and John Conover, on behalf of the citizens of the town.
The subject remained under discussion through that year, and at the town meet- ing early in 1861, a tax of $2,500 was voted in aid of the measure. This was confirmed by a special act April 10, 1861, and the building committee contracted with George Perkins, of Rome, the same. month. Application was made to Mrs. Charles King, daughter of Nicholas Low, for assistance, but none was received.
When these improvements were com- pleted, the Academy contained the fol- lowing accommodations, substantially as at present :-
The central part, being the part erected in 1836, has a hall at each end, with separate stairways to the upper stories. Between these on the main floor, is the chapel, thirty-three by forty- five feet in size, finely frescoed, the ros-
343
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF LOWVILLE.
trum carpeted, and the walls adorned with paintings and busts. The former consist of finely framed oil paintings of Isaac W. Bostwick, Mrs. Hannah Bost- wick, James L. Leonard, and Horatio N. Bush, all of whom have been substantial benefactors of the academy. The busts are those of Virgil, Socrates, Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, Lord Byron, Walter Scott, Shakespeare and Dr. Eliphalet Nott.
In the south wing, of 1861, are the office, and furnished apartments for a family, and ample boarding accommoda- tions.
In the north wing, of 1861, is a fine lecture room, with philosophical and chemical apparatus rooms, well arranged for optical experiments in the daytime, and for lectures.
The second story contains three large study rooms, having in all finely ar- ranged desks and seats for 116 students, a large recitation room, a cloak room, students' rooms in the central part, and in the south wing a room for the preceptress and rooms for young ladies. The latter rooms have a separate stair- way to the family apartments below. In arranging the desks in the study rooms, care has been taken that they all face to the north, it being recognized as highly important that students in geography should habitually have the map with its top to the north. The upper story contains a well arranged society hall, the library, and private study rooms.
The summer term of the academy was taught in 1861, while the building ope- rations were going on, in the adjacent Town Hall, now court house, and in the meantime the additions, consisting of a wing at each end, each nearly as large as the main building, were fin- ished, in the summer and fall of 1861. The war being then in the first year, a spirit of military enthusiasm was man- ifested among the students, and a class
was formed by Mr. L'Huillier,* an as- sistant teacher, in the manual of arms, that had much success. Some of the young men who belonged to this class were able to accept offices in the ser- vice, from the efficiency of the training which they received at that time. A stand of arms was procured by the trustees for use on that occasion.
In October, 1861, Mr. Bennett, was invited to renew his proposition for en- gagement, and the terms he submitted were deemed inadmissible by che trus- tees. It led to an effort for the establish- ment of a rival institution under the auspices of the Methodists, to be called "The Black River Institution," and one term was taught the following win- ter in the Session rooms of the new Methodist Church. It was not sustain- ed by those who had given him encour- agement, and he entered the ministry in the western part of the State.
But Professor Bennett,-always true and earnest in his convictions, however thoroughly qualified for the duties of a pastor, and sure to succeed in any pur- suit he might undertake,-was better qualified for teaching than for any other calling. He afterwards spent some years in Germany, in special historical and ec- clesiastical studies, and upon the organi- zation of the Faculty of the Syracuse Uni- versity, was chosen one of its professors. Although eminently fitted for this posi- tion, which he has since filled with great acceptance, it is our opinion that he would be more useful to his denomina- tion, and to the world, if placed in a theological seminary, where his special tastes and attainments would find an ample field for service.
* Mr. L'Huillier, was a young Swiss of fine educa- tion and genteel manners, who had received instructions in military tactics in Europe, and was thoroughly com- petent for this duty.
Among those who were under instruction in tactics, was A. C. Ganyard who lost a limb in the service. He is the author of a volume entitled "The Talisman of Battle, and Other Poems."
344
HISTORY OF LEWIS COUNTY.
While this unpleasant controversy about the academy was pending, and in anticipation of any effort that might be made for procuring State aid for an en- dowment, the trustees of the academy, themselves memorialized the Legislature for like aid. The author was entrusted with this application, and presented it personally before a Senate committee, who made a highly favorable report, but took no further action .* This caused neither surprise nor particular disap- pointment, for the chairman of the com- mittee, (the late Hon. John V. L. Pruyn,) was privately informed of the situation, and told that we expected nothing, beyond placing a bar in our own defense. As for the rest, both the memorial and the report, being written by the same hand, should at least have been consistent with the sole object in view.
The discontinuance of the rival school was followed by conciliatory measures, and there was soon no trace left of the ripples that had disturbed the tranquil surface. Since then, as before, the poli- cy of independence from denominational control, has been steadily maintained.
Mr. Adams returned to the academy in October, 1861, under an engagement to run the institution on his own ac- count, receiving the Regents money, and paying $200 rent. The death of Mr. James L. Leonard, which occurred on the 26th of January, 1867, cast a shadow over the institution, as it was felt in every phase of public interest in town, and especially in the Board of Trustees of the Academy, of which he had long been an active working member. In his will he made a liberal bequest, and his portrait was placed in the chapel of the academy in honor of his memory.
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