History of Lewis County, New York; with...biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 47

Author: Hough, Franklin Benjamin, 1822-1885
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Syracuse, New York : Mason
Number of Pages: 712

USA > New York > Lewis County > History of Lewis County, New York; with...biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 47

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David P. Mayhew, a native of Spen- certown, Columbia county, N. Y., grad- uated at Union College in 1838, and on the 25th of September, 1839, became as- sociated with D. P. Yeomans as one of the principals of the Lowville Academy. After the withdrawal of Mr. Yeomans in 1841, he was left in sole charge, but afterwards for a time was associated with Franklin Moore, a native of Low- ville, and a graduate in Union College in the class of 1843. Mr. Moore was af- terwards principal of the Rome Acade- my, but for a long period has been, and

is now a clerk in the pension office at Washington.

Mr. Mayhew left Lowville in June, 1852, and was for a year or so teacher of a private school in Watertown. In 1853, he removed to Ohio, and after filling for a time the office of City Superintendent of Schools in Columbus, he went to Michi- gan. He was employed as a teacher, and afterwards as principal of the State Nor- mal School at Ypsilanti, but has long since retired from the profession, and settled in Detroit, where he now resides.

David Prentiss Yeomans, a graduate of Williams College in 1837, was at Low ville from 1838 to 1841, when he was ap- pointed Professor of Chemistry, and principal of the Preparatory Department of Lafayette College, at Easton, Pa. He resigned there September 19, 1845, and removed to Kingston, in Canada, near which place he afterwards practiced as a physician.

Of the remainder of the principals of the academy, some notice is already given. Mr. William Root Adams, who has held the office longer than any other, is a native of this town, his father, Dr. Ira Adams, having formerly practiced as a physician. He graduated at Union College in 1851, and has devoted most of his life to the duties of a teacher, hav- ing been principal of the academy in all more than thirty years.

The semi-centennial proceedings of 1858, mention the following names of ladies who have held the office of Pre- ceptress :-

Miss Emily Porter, 1824-' -.

Deborah Wilbur, 1827-'28.

Lucy Stow, 1827-'28.

Abigal Tomlinson, 1828-'30.

Fannie Easton, 1830.

[Mrs. Ethridge, Little Falls.]

Julia Smith, 1831-'32. [Mrs. E. E. Barney, Dayton, Ohio.]

66 Mary Miller,

1835.

.. Juliet Foster, 1835.

= Caroline Williams, 1835.

Lucy Kimball, 1836-'38. [Mrs. H. Bannister, Evanston,

Mrs. - Lathrop,

1837.

Eleanor Noyes, 1840-'58 (?)

Miss Sarah Taylor, 1851-'52 [Mrs N. B. Sylvester, Sara-

Ann Gleed,

1852-'54. [Mrs. Homer C. Hunt, Chi- cagn, 111 ]

" E. E. Blinn,

1857-'60.(?) [Mrs. S. W. Johnson, New Haven, Conn. ]

[Mrs. Nelson J. Beach. ] Deceased.

[Mrs Wilson, Montreal.]

111.]

toga Springs.]

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HISTORY OF LEWIS COUNTY.

As most of the lady teachers have been employed by the principals, their names do not appear upon the records of the trustees, and cannot here be in- cluded.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

The first school was taught in this town by Miss Hannah Smith, a sister of Mrs. Elijah Baldwin of Martinsburgh, in a little log school house near the lower mill. Samuel Slocum taught in 1804, and was one of the earliest male teach- · ers in town. The first public provision for schools was made in March, 1813, under the general school act then newly passed. Amasa Dodge, Robert Mc- Dowell, and Moses Waters, were ap- pointed first commissioners, and with these, Isaac Clinton, William Sacket, Benjamin Hillman, Benjamin Davenport, Chester Buck, and Daniel Kelley, In- spectors; $70 were voted to schools the first year : and in 1815, 456 scholars were reported as attending school, between the ages of 5 and 15. In 1842, the town passed a resolution inviting the resident clergy to visit the schools.

A stone school house was built on the site now occupied by the First Nation- al Bank of Lowville, (Lanpher Block,) and remained in use until about 1854, when a brick school house was built in the north part of the village, by Morris D. Moore. It had two rooms, and as compared with what had been, it was a fine affair.

No graded school has hitherto been established in the village, but a few years since, the notoriously inadequate accommodations of the district school house in the northern part of the village led to the discussion of measures for amendment, and various projects were proposed. This finally led to the erec- tion of another school house near the creek, upon Valley street, in the southern edge of the district, and to the

thorough renovation of the old building. By these means, the wants of the vil- lage, as they were considered by those who had direction in these affairs, were satisfied; and no complaints have since been heard from these causes. Among other plans proposed at that time, was the incorporation of the academy with the public school system, as has been done by most of the academies through- out the State within the last quarter of a century, but questions were raised as to the effect this would have upon cer- tain vested funds which the academy had received, and this probably pre- vented anything from being done.

MASONIC AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS.

The " Lowville Lodge," No 134, of Free Masons, was organized March 5, 1869, for the election of Trustees, under the statute, and elected William L. Bab- cock, David A. Stewart and Sherman Phillips. It dates as a society from June 13, 1848.

The "Lowville Chapter," No. 223, of Royal Arch Masons, was incorporated under Chapter 317, Laws of 1866, with John Conover, Rufus L. Rogers and Horace Bush, as Trustees. These to- gether own the upper part of a block adjoining the " Kellogg House," which they have fitted up for their meetings.

The Odd Fellows formerly had the " Adelphi Lodge," No 308, in Lowville village, but its charter was given up many years since.

The "Good Templars " have had a Lodge in the village for several years.

The Lowville Tent, No. 124, of " Rechabites," was formed May 5, 1882.

MUSICAL ASSOCIATIONS.

The " Union Band" formed in this vil- lage about 1826, was the first that was organized in the county, and maintained existence several years.

353

HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF LOWVILLE.

A " Sax-horn Band " was formed in the fall of 1857, and had an existence when our former edition was published.

The " Lowville Cornet Band," of more recent origin, existed for some years, and has since been discontinued, but an- other one has been more recently or- ganized.

THE LOWVILLE LITERARY CLUB.

This is an informal association first organized in the fall of 1861, and meets one evening in each week, during the winter season, for the reading of books and articles upon selected subjects, to which the conversation of the evening is chiefly limited. At first, there was a supper provided at each meeting, and the occasion proved so interesting that the meetings were continued about forty weeks in succession. Of late years there is no entertainment whatever provided, but the meetings have been well attended, proving a means of re- fined, intellectual enjoyment to all who participate, and occasions of interest to strangers who may happen to be present. The Club has scarcely a formal organ- ization, and is without records or funds. There is no form of election, or roll of membership. At each meeting, some person is designated to preside at the next meeting, and sometimes a com- mittee for the selection of subjects. As first started, it was understood and agreed upon verbally, that the Club should have no constitution nor even a name, and that it should hold together so long as it proved agreeable to those attending, and no longer. This is about all there is of it, down to the present day,-a pleasant and rational oppor- tunity for intellectual enjoyment, and friendly social intercourse. These Lit- erary clubs have been formed in some other villages in the county, but they are of much more recent date.

COMPLETION OF THE RAILROAD TO LOWVILLE VILLAGE.

This event occurred in the autumn of 1868, and was an occasion of great re- joicing. A cannon in charge of the mili- tia company of the villages, was mounted upon a platform car, and announced the approach of the excursion train long be- fore its arrival, and thousands of citi- izens from all the country around stood ready to welcome the stranger. A col- lation was in readiness, and speeches intended for immortal fame, were said . upon the occasion. Among the prepar- ations, was a triumphal arch, erected over the track in front of the station, with the floral inscription "Welcome" upon it. We do not believe that there was any one of the ladies who prepared this device, but that had seen a locomo- tive-engine-but they had undervalued its dimensions altogether, and when the machine came along, it rudely knocked down what it could not go under.

From this time forward, excepting an interval when an embankment gave way in Turin, in the spring of 1869, causing the death of Superintendent Crocker, the village has scarcely been a day without punctual railroad service. The exceptions have been for a few hours at a time in winter, from drifting snows, and when the Rome and Watertown R. R. was closed from this cause for weeks together.

Town Railroad Debt .-- By an act passed April 6, 1866, the Supervisor, with James L. Leonard and DeWitt C. West, were appointed to issue bonds for the pur- chase of stock in the Utica and Black River R. R. Co., not exceeding $100,000 in amount, for not over ten years at not over seven per cent. Not more than ten per cent. might be redeemed in a year. The transaction was not to be done un- til a majority in number and amount of property of the tax-payers had first con-

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HISTORY OF LEWIS COUNTY.

sented in writing duly acknowledged. The bonds were to be sold at auction, at not less than par, and the stock might be exchanged for the railroad bonds, or sold with consent as above. By an amending act passed May 9, 1867, not over 15 per cent. could be paid in one year.

Bonds to the full amount, were issued in 1867-'68, and $14,500 were paid by town tax in one and two years. The re- maining $85,500 was re-funded in 1 872-'73- '74-'75-'76-'77, in new 7 per cent. bonds running 5 to 20 years, but mostly for the shorter term. By acts of April 19th, May 7th, 1880,these have been since re-funded at lower rates, viz : $55,000, August 10, 1880 ; $15,000, February 10, 1881, and $15,000, February 10, 1882. The present debt, (July 25, 1882,) is as follows :- $9,200 at 4 per cent .; $1,000 at 414 per cent. ; $23,200 at 47/2 per cent. ; $300 at 434 per cent. and 51,800 at 5 per cent. The interest amounts to $4,058.75 per annum. The dividends on the stock have paid the interest every year excepting one or two, and at present fall, but $58. 75 short. The present bonds run from 5 to 20 years from the date of issue, and have always been chiefly owned in town, and by a small number of persons.

The report of the Railroad Commis- sioners of the Town of Lowville, made to the Board of Supervisors, at their an- nual session in November, 1882, was as follows :-

" Gentlemen-The undersigned, Rail- road Commissioners of the Town of Lowville, appointed under the law au- thorizing the bonding of said town for the construction of the Utica and Black River Railroad, beg leave to report to your honorable body as follows :-

" There remains unpaid of the prin- cipal sum of the bonds issued for said purpose $85,500, which bears interest as follows :-

$ 9,200, bear interest at 4 per cent. 1,000, bear interest at 414 per cent.

23,200, bear interest at 472 per cent.

300, bear interest at 434 per cent. 51,800, bear interest at 5 per cent.

"The entire amount of bonds issued, have been funded so that instead of an annual interest charge of $5,985, as was paid prior to August 10, 1880, there is now but $4,058.75 to be paid as interest, upon the $85,500 of bonds issued by said town; the annual saving of interest be- ing $1,926.25. Your commissioners have received two dividends from the rail- road company, upon the $100,000 of stock held by the town in the road ; one of 2 per cent. about April Ist, and one of 3 per cent. about October Ist. These two dividends received since our last report, amount to $5,000 net, of which the semi-annual interest due August 10, 1882, amounting to $2,029.38, was paid, leaving a balance of $2,970.62, with which to pay the interest falling due February 10, 1883, which will be $2,- 029.38. There will probably be a divi- dend from the railroad company some time during April next, which will be sufficient to meet the interest falling due August 10,1883. Your commissioners are of the opinion that it will not be necessary for the town to raise any money to meet interest upon its bonds.

FREDERICK S. EASTON, RUTSON REA,

Com."

The committee of the Board of Su- pervisors in their session in November, 1882, reported as follows, concerning the railroad debt of the Town of Low- ville :-

" The undersigned committee on rail- roads, to whom was referred the report of the railroad commissioners of the towns of Diana and Lowville beg leave to report * * * * *

" That from the report of the Railroad Commissioners of the town of Lowville, we find that the interest on its outstand- ing bonds for the year 1882, has been and was paid, to the sum of $4,058.16. That there has been received in dividends on the stock held by the town of Lowville, of the Utica and Black River Railroad, the sum of $5,000, leaving a surplus in favor of the town of Lowville, of $941 .- 24, which surplus, and the anticipated dividends from said railroad for 1883, will be sufficient to meet the interest

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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF LOWVILLE.

falling due on the Ioth day of February next, and on the ioth day of August, 1883, on its outstanding bonds. And therefore, it will not be necessary to raise any money by tax upon the taxa- ble property of the town of Lowville for that purpose.

O. D. COLLINS,

G. H. P. GOULD,

Committee."

CHARLES D. BOSHART,

FIRST TELEGRAPH.

The Montreal Telegraph Company's wire reached. Lowville November 8, . 1865, and was an event of local interest. It connects with the Western Union Tel- egraph at Port Leyden, and with the exception of the railroad line is the only one in the county. Copenhagen is served by a loop from Deer River, and Constableville by one from Lyon's Falls. The construction of this telegraph line was largely due to the late James L. Leonard, then President of the Bank of Lowville. It is understood that the poles were erected at his expense.

A line was constructed along the rail- road two or three years after it was opened. It is not intended for the pub- lic service, and is used as such only at stations having no other line.

Telephone lines run from Rome to Boonville by way of West Leyden, and from Port Leyden to the Moore River tanneries. The village of Constableville had an extension to that place from Boonville under discussion at the time of our writing.

FIELD-MEETING OF THE ALBANY INSTITUTE.

On the 12th of September, 1872, a large party from Albany, chiefly mem- bers of the Albany Institute, with friends from Troy, Utica and other places, vis- ited Lowville for the purpose of holding a "Field-Meeting." After their recep- tion at the court house, they were all

assigned as guests in the village, and in the evening a meeting was held, at which Dr. Hough and the Hon. J. O'Donnell delivered addresses. The next day the party in carriages visited the Lowville Mineral Spring, Chimney Point and Whitaker's grove, and at the latter place met by previous arrangement, a large pic. nic party of citizens of Martinsburghand Turin. In the evening another meeting was held at the court house, at which pa- pers were read by Dr. George T. Stevens, of the Albany Medical College, Prof. Le- Roy C. Cooley, of the State Normal School, and H. A. Homes, State Libra- rian. The subject of the last paper was " Town Libraries," and the suggestions offered led to the formation of a Library Association, whose collections are now in the rooms of the Young Men's Chris- tian Association, in Lowville village.

LOWVILLE MINERAL SPRINGS.

In the summer of 1872, a hotel was erected a mile and a half west of the vil- lage, near a sulphur spring. It has been run as a summer boarding house for sev- eral years, but for the last two or three years has been closed. It is located in a quiet grove, and is admirably situated for family boarding by those who seek retreat from the cities in the warm sea- son. A pretended analysis of the waters of the spring at this place was published, but we do not include it here, believing it to be not trustworthy.

LOWVILLE RURAL CEMETERY.

The idea of a Rural Cemetery was discussed between James L. Leonard and Dr. F. B. Hough, in February, 1860, and they at that time went over the ground since dedicated to this purpose, and noticed in detail the advantages offered. It was then proposed to throw a light bridge over the north branch of the creek, and use the valley (then full of

356

HISTORY OF LEWIS COUNTY.

cedars,)with an entrance and a receiving vault on Dayan street. The name of "Cedar Vale Cemetery " was then sug- gested as suitable, under such a plan. Mr. Leonard afterwards bought for this express purpose, the land given by will, on the point between the creeks, and the project was often presented and urged by both, but not with results.

A meeting for legal organization was finally appointed, for the evening of Jan- uary 26, 1867, but a little before the hour fixed for business, Mr. Leonard died. It was at first thought best to postpone it, but on further reflection, it was decided to honor his memory, at that solemn hour, by carrying into effect a measure that he had so much cherished in life .* Articles were filed January 28, 1867.+ Dr. F. B. Hough, Charles D. Adams, J. Carroll House, Eliada S. Merrell, D. C. West, H. S. Lanpher, Charles H. Curtis, Norman Gowdy, John Doig, George D. Brown, Rutson Rea, and Charles D. Boshart, being first trustees. F. B. Hough was chosen President, R. Rea, Treasurer, and J. C. House, Secretary.

The trustees employed Benjamin F. Hatheway, of Stamford, Ct., to prepare a map, and make and record a survey.

* In the remarks made by Dr. Hough at the dedica- tion services, he said :

"Some here present will remember the impressive occasion, and can recall the deep feeling of desolation which this bereavement laid heavily upon us ; the sense of newly imposed obligations which were created, and the firm resolves then taken, by united efforts, to fill in some degree the void in society which this great and sudden loss had occasioned."

The legal formalities of organizations not having been perfected during the life time of Mr. Leonard, his bequest failed, but his heirs-at-law stood ready to carry out his known wishes, and willingly quitclaimed their interest in the land-about eleven acres. The associa- tion bought about ten acres from Charles S. Rice, three and a half from George Jackson, and a corner from Morris D. Moore, to secure the boundaries now owned.

+ Recorded in Book No. 2, Miscellaneous Records, p. 168, Lewis County Clerk's office. The following persons attended the first meeting : De Witt C. West, Rev. John Baily, Eliada S. Merrell, Norman Gowdy, Rutson Rea, Hiram S. Lanpher, W. Hudson Stephens, James V. Miller, De Witt C. Finch, Cornelius E. Stephens, Henry Harford, John Conover, Isaac Puffer, F. B. Hough, Lewis Scott, Charles D. Adams, William Haswell, Henry E. Turner, and Francis B. Morse.

The Catholics being then just about starting a church in Lowville, an ar- rangement was made with Bishop Con- roy, of Albany, by which one section of lots (section I,) in the south part was re- served for their exclusive use, and no other place of burial was to be conse- crated by them in town, so long as any portion of this section remained unsold.

This cemetery occupies a commanding point overlooking the village and valley, and extensive improvements have been made in the way of entrance, carriage- drives, fountains, a dwelling for the keeper, a receiving vault, etc. The cem- etery was dedicated October 9, 1867, the Rev. John B. Foot delivering the prin- cipal address, and the proceedings were printed in permanent form.

On a conspicuous point in the ceme- tery, overlooking the village and the val- ley, is a lonely "soldier's grave," with a modest headstone bearing the legend- "CHRISTIAN VIGO TYCHO HOLM. Born in Copenhagen, Kingdom of Den- mark, September 30th, 1839. Died in Albany, N. Y., Oct. 12th, 1865. Man Proposes : God Disposes."

The strange story of this young man's life, may be of interest to our readers. One day in October, 1864, while the au- thor of this volume was in charge of a public office at Albany, a stranger was introduced at the dining table of the house where we were stopping, as " Mr. Emerson." He was polite, well-dressed, but extremely cold and reserved in his manner, and evidently sinking with con- sumption. He had arrived in the night train from Buffalo, was totally unac- quainted with the city, and apparently had no employment and sought none. By a change in the household arrange- ment, some days afterwards, we were brought more closely together. Up to this time he had been silent, but now we found him free to converse, and remark- ably well informed on a wide range of

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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF LOWVILLE.

subjects. He said that he had lived in early life in Iceland; he had traveled much in Europe, was familiar with sev- eral European languages, and had seen a great deal of the United States. He had served through the two years of the Ist N. Y. Vols. as a private and after- wards was a captain in a Pennsylvania regiment raised in a day or two, after the Battle of Gettysburgh, to assist in guard duties after our army had left. In our work then in hand, he at once took a deep interest, and proved himself able to master almost any new subject with surprising facility. His executive talent in writing, and in the drafting of statis- tical tables and the like, was even more wonderful.

Returning one evening, we noticed that he had been weeping. On pressing him to know the cause, he admitted that he was without money. It was after- wards learned that he had pawned, one after another, various pieces of jewelry and clothing that he had brought,and that the tickets had been forfeited by delay. We procured for him a place in the city hospital, and visited him often. In the winter, as we came to have a home of our own in the city, he became a frequent and welcome visitor, being still able to get out on pleasant days. In fact, he improved under the treatment, and be- gan to hope for returning health. But he came one day at an unusual hour, and full of trouble. There had been a change of physicians, and it was decided that as his case was incurable, he must go ;- there was no other place for him but the poorhouse. We called soon after and gave him a few dollars for present need, and until a place could be found, and when we called next day, he had gone they knew not where. But he came around the next Sunday and we learned that he was earning a little in a cigar shop. It was the first we knew of his skill in that line, which he said he had

learned casually, without an apprentice- ship, and that in health he could make a thousand cigars in a day, the usual rate of a skilled workman being about three hundred.

In a little while, we gave him work on the State census, and he soon proved his ability in that line, as he appeared to do in whatever he undertook. He could answer two hundred letters in a day, and he was the only clerk we had, in all the preliminary labors of the year. He was requested to stop whenever he was weary, and always to go away and rest, as he felt the need. He very seldom consented to rest while there was any- thing to do, but towards the end of June he was obliged to suspend work. We sent him to our home in Lowville, di- recting him to remain till he felt better, but expecting that he never would re- turn. He went, staid a few days, but soon hastened back to Albany, fearing as he said, that he might not live to see us again. He was at once prostrated, and night watchers were employed. On the evening of the third day, word was brought that he was dying. We has- tened to his room, and found him seem- ingly about to expire. He feebly waved a sign for others to leave the room, and when alone we knelt upon one knee by the side of the couch where he lay, to listen to what he might whisper,-for he- could not speak aloud. Placing one arm around our neck, he in the most loving tone and terms, expressed his gratitude for all that we had done, and then told his real name, as above inscribed. He gave the name of his father, who was an officer in the Danish Navy, and bade us write to him that he had died among strangers, but not without a friend. He had a message to a sister, but two years old when he left home, and a wish about his burial, and the disposition of his little effects.

He permitted a Lutheran clergyman

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HISTORY OF LEWIS COUNTY.

to be called, and after religious conver- sation and a prayer, the greater part of those present withdrew and left him for the night. He was a little better the next day, and lived some two months afterwards. Our evenings were spent together, and the secret being now half told, he could relate some incidents of his life. He was chief clerk in the tele- graph office at Copenhagen, although but fifteen years of age, when a distin- guished American arrived to negotiate for the franchise of a submarine tele- graph to America, by short sea lines to the Faroe Islands, Iceland and the Amer- ican coast. Being the only one in the office who spoke English, he served as interpreter, and became deeply inter- ested in this stranger. It was decided from reasons that he did not mention, that he should go to America. His father procured him a passage ticket, gave him a hundred dollars for a begin- ning and he left.

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History of Lewis County, New York; with...biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 47

Author: Hough, Franklin Benjamin, 1822-1885 Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Syracuse, New York : Mason Number of Pages: 712

Author: Hough, Franklin Benjamin, 1822-1885
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Syracuse, New York : Mason
Number of Pages: 712