USA > New York > Lewis County > History of Lewis County, New York; with...biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 63
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This village, which since the estab- lishment of the town and postoffice of New Bremen, is gradually losing its old name, is situated on Crystal creek, about one and a half miles from Black river, in the midst of a very level region of light loaming soil, which extends south into Watson and with but moderate undulations, north-eastward to the Beaver river. Improvements began about 1826, and one of the first erections was a saw-mill. A rake factory was built about 1840 and run several years, and a grist-mill in 1847. The first mer- chant in the village was Samuel Stevens. About 1853 a building, 40 by 100 feet, was erected for a machine shop, in an- ticipation of the completion of the "Sackett's Harbor and Saratoga Rail- road," the route of which was to pass near, and the work on which had been commenced. The premises remained idle until 1859, when an addition of 40 by 150 feet was made to it for the pur- pose of a tannery. The firm conducting this business was at first S. Branaugh & Co. It passed into the hands of David A. Stewart, in the fall of 1868, and it was sold under foreclosure of a mortgage to John Watson, of New York, March 25,
* Mr. Illingworth was an Englishman. He died May 4, 1847, aged 86 years.
+ We had intended to mention in connection with our notice of Mr. Dayan, on page 319, that the name was originally spelled "Dauan," from which it was changed by his father after his removal to America.
491
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF NEW BREMEN.
1875. On the 15th of April, of the same year, it was bought by Hiram Gowdy, of Lowville, by whom it has since been run. It is known in the trade as "Crystal Creek Tannery," has 150 vats, and can manufacture 35,000 sides of sole leather a year. It uses about 3,500 cords of bark annually, and employs twenty men.
About half a mile below, on the same stream, is a sash and blind factory, run by S. S. Kling. A small grain-mill is run in connection with this factory, by A. B. Virkler. There is also a saw-mill, planing-mill, grist-mill, and cheese box factory upon this stream.
The village of New Bremen (or Day- anville) has a Methodist church, a two- story school house, and a small amount of local business in the way of stores, blacksmith shops, etc., and some thirty dwellings, but its nearness to Lowville has prevented it from becoming much of a place for business or trade. The name of the postoffice was changed to New Bremen, in May, 1848.
An instance of longevity occurred in the case of George Shultz, of this town, who died January 9, 1873, aged 96 years.
Mr. John F. Mann, who traded here some years, represented the county in Assembly in 1868. He died May 12, 1878, aged 54 years. The Polish noble- man mentioned in our account of Diana had his residence in Dayanville at one time.
A small part of the village of Croghan, or "French Settlement" is in this town.
A part of the village of Beaver Falls, (further noticed in our account of Cro- ghan) is in this town, viz: Two gang saw-mills, with lath mill, planers, etc., an inn, (William H. Fredenburg's,) and a few dwelling houses.
Near Naumburg, in Croghan, but in this town, is the Limburg cheese factory of A. Burrington, Philip Beyer and Watson M. Van Amber.
About three miles below New Bremen village, on the river bank, B. Van Am- ber has a steam saw-mill and planer.
The " Illing worth Bridge," on the road between New Bremen and Lowville, was first built by Thomas Puffer, about 1833, taking the place of a ferry formerly kept there. It was kept up at the joint ex- pense of the towns which it connected for several years, but has for some years past been assumed and maintained by the State-as crossing a navigable river that forms a part of the canal system of the State. The approaches to this bridge on the Lowville side are liable to over- flow in spring and fall, there being per- haps two weeks in a year on the general average, during which there can be no crossing except in boats. Some funds have been expended by Lowville to- wards the construction of a dyke, but the work is incomplete, and therefore useless, because so long as any part re- mains unfinished, it cannot be used in high water.
PROCEEDINGS AT SPECIAL TOWN MEET- INGS DURING THE WAR.
December 22, 1863 .- The town author- ized the Supervisor and Town Clerk to give their official bonds for the payment of bounties of $200, and appointed a committee, consisting of John Herrick, Peter Back, and Patrick Sweetman, to obtain certificates as to those who en- list.
August 15, 1864 .- A town bounty of $100 was offered for volunteers, and to be paid also to drafted men and substi- tutes. The Supervisor and James H. Morrow were to borrow $3,000 on the credit of the town. Alexander Y. Stew- art and Peter Back were appointed to procure enlistments.
September 5, 1864 .- In addition to the bounty last offered, the sum of $400 was offered and town bonds were directed
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HISTORY OF LEWIS COUNTY.
to be issued payable in equal install- ments on the Ioth of February, 1865 '66, '67 and '68.
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.
The Methodists held meetings in this town several years before a church was erected. The large school house in Day- anville had been built with reference to use as_ a house of worship, but diffi- culties were interposed by a claim of rent, and on the 19th of February, 1849, a legal society was formed as the First Methodist Episcopal church of New Bremen, David A. Stewart, Griffith Meredith,* Peter Van Atter, William Holmes, Egbert Arthur, John Wake- field, Frederick Ford, Simeon Dinslow, and Alexander Y. Stewart were chosen first trustees, and a church edifice was completed and dedicated September 20, 1849, at a cost of $1,206. A camp meet- ing held in August, 1848, near the vil- lage, by appointment of the Black River Conference, contributed to strengthen this society.
A Lutheran and a Catholic church (St. Peter's) were built about 1850, the for- mer on the road to the French Settlement, and the latter on a road leading east from Dayanville.
The Lutheran church has apparently been abandoned. The Catholic church is attended from Croghan.
The Reformed Church of New Bremen was formed August 6, 1873, the Rev. John Boehrer, pastor ; Wm. Wolseman, George Fahed, Elders ; Charles Spring- field, Christian Miller, Deacons, and also trustees.
The Evangelist Baptist Society of New Bremen was incorporated August 5, 1867, Christian Virkler, John S. Farney, and Christian Hershey, being the first trustees.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF OSCEOLA.
This town was formed from West Turin, February 28, 1844, in accord- ance with a vote of that town, embrac- ing Townships 8, or Rurabella, and 13, or Hybla," of the Boylston Tract. The Board of Supervisors, on the 22d of November, 1867, annexed the northern part of this town to Montague. The part thus set off included lots I to 38 of Township 8, which had then begun to settle in the west- ern part, and whose business connections were altogether toward the north.
The name was applied at the request of a young lady in New York,t in memory of the celebrated Seminole chief, whose career forms an important item in the history of Florida. This warrior was a half-breed, and was first known by his father's name Powell, but received the title of As-se-o-la (as pronounced in the original dialect), because he could drink a greater quantity than others of a drink of this name taken preparatory to the fast and feast of the green-corn dance. He arose to the rank of chief by the force of his native talent, and began and continued the bloody wars which for years wasted the southern frontiers. The superior numbers and discipline of our troops having turned the war against the savages, Osceola with a train of seventy followers, came into the camp of. Gen. Thomas S. Jessup, in October, 1837. They were detained and sent pris- oners to Fort Moultrie, near Charleston, where he languished and died in the January following. His detention has been severely censured, but facts seem to indicate that his intention was to cap- ture the place and release some prisoners
* Mr. Meredith died March 22, 1882, aged nearly 80 years.
* Hybla was a town in Sicily. Rurabella is a mon- grel term for "fine country."
t Miss Jay, now Mrs. Henry E. Pierrepont. She presented a set of blank record books to the town for the name
493
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF OSCEOLA.
had he found it practicable, but if not, to return and continue the war. The In- dians had been told, that when willing to remove, they should be received and protected, and they were made to under- stand that they could not return when they once came in. Osceola's party. under these circumstances could claim no alternative but removal.
Some of the settlers proposed to call the town Greenfield, in compliment to the resident agent, but on suggestion of the present name, it was approved at a pub- lic meeting called for the occasion.
Supervisors .- 1844-'48, Sey mour Green ; 1849, John Marsden ; 1850-'52, S. Green ; 1853, J. Marsden ; 1854-'56, S. Green ; 1857, Henry E. Griffin ; 1858, Anthony Rowell ; 1859, J. Marsden ; 1861, Will- iam Rowell; 1862, S. Green ; 1863, Den- nis O'Connell ; 1864-'65, Junius A. Cowles; 1866-'71, William Rowell; 1872, J. A. Cowles ; 1873-'74, William Rowell; 1875-'76, Abraham F. Vandawalker ; 1877-'78, Seth Bullock; 1879-'80, A. F. Vandawalker ; 1881, Junius A. Cowles.
Clerks .- 1844, John Roberts ; 1845-'46, Roswell A. Hubbard ; 1847, Washington Shorey ; 1848, R. A. Hubbard ; 1849-'50, David Dunn ; 1851-'52, Jas. Roberts ; 1853 -'54, Jas. Mitchell; 1855, Jairus Rowe; 1856, Henry E. Griffin ; 1857, Henry J. Baker; 1858, John Gibbs; 1859, John Bain ; 1861, Geo. A. Shorey ; 1862, John Bain ; 1863-'64, Sylvanus Williams ; 1865, Michael Quinn; 1866, S. F. Dyer ; 1867- '70, George W. Vandewalker,; 1871-'72, H. H. Wemple; 1873-'74, Samuel J. Grif- fith; 1875, H. H. Wemple; 1876, Seth Bullock ; 1877-'78, John Knopp; 1879, Wm. Rowell ; 1880-'82, Edward Rolling.
The survey of the outlines of Town- ship 13 were made as follows :-
W. line North, 687 ch., 65 1ks. (1795). M. Mitchell.
N. line S. 80° E. 764 ch., 19 1ks. (1795). M. Mitchell.
E. line S. 30° W. (1795). W. Cockburn. S. W. (Patent line), N. 68° 50' W. (1794).
Area 37,041 1-2 acres by Wright's sur- vey. Length of lines, 204 miles, 70 1ks. Cost of survey, £204 17s. 6d.
It was subdivided by Benjamin Wright in 1795, into 151 lots, and re- surveyed in 1839. The note book of Moses Wright, an assistant who was running a line in this township in 1797, has the following entry which sets forth some of the hardships of a land sur- veyor :--
" This 9th day of October, it being Monday, had the pleasure of running all day in the coldest rain I ever was sensi- ble of. The rain that fell the day before yesterday, last night and to-day, raised the brooks and creeks over their banks, and what gave me the worst feeling is, that the hard, pinching hand of Poverty, seven days ago took all the rum."
In another place the weary and rum- less engineer records :-
"Lots 112, 113 : 30 chains up the high- est hill that ever was. 5,000,000,000 feet high !"
Had he stopped seven cyphers short, he might have represented without exag- geration, the rise from the flats of Sal- mon river to the high lands which border it, but his hand once started on the cyphers, he let it run !
Township 8 was subdivided into III lots, by B. Wright in 1805, and contains 28,419 53-100 acres. While surveying in this region in 1795, Mr. Wright re- marked, that the beavers were building a dam on the north branch of Salmon river, that would flow 400 acres of land.
In December, 1795, a negotiation was pending for the purchase of Township 13, by John Bernard, of Rome, who pro- posed to form a company for this object. The price then proposed was two dol- lars per acre, payable by installments in four years, with interest from April 20, 1797. The bargain was not closed from the inability of Bernard to find associates.
In 1805, a road was cut out from Fish creek across township No. I (now Lewis),
494
HISTORY OF LEWIS COUNTY.
and 13 and 8 in this town, to the line of 7, with the design of intersecting the State road in Redfield, but the north end and the portion south of the Ma- comb purchase were never cut out, and the route soon relapsed into the state of nature. It entered Township 13, on lot 137, and in Township 8 crossed lots 96, 85, 84, 73, 62, 61 and 50. In the fall of 1805, James Constable and Hezekiah B. Pierrepont, two of the executors of the estate of William Constable, crossed these towns by this road, and the follow- ing journal of the former will be read with interest :--
"Sept. 7. After breakfast set off from Fairservice's (in Western) towards Fish creek, the first two miles passable for teams, but the rest of the distance to the creek not cut out at all, but it is easy ground and not heavily timbered, and the people promised to do it this fall without fail. Forded the creek, and on the other side our road begins. The ascent from the creek very well done, and the cutting appears to be according to agreement, although the clearing out of the timber is occasionally neglected. The soil of the whole of No. I is very indifferent, the timber mostly hemlock, except sometimes beech or a hard mossy birch, the face of the country uneven and ridgy, though not much stony. I fear it will not settle speedily. The southeasterly part of No. 13 not much better, though we have occasionally some better timber, ash, bass, &c. As we advance to the Salmon river we find better land fit for settlers; some good swales and very little hemlock. Forded the river, it being here a small stream, and there being some grass for our horses we stopped to bait them and our- selves. A fire being soon kindled each man cut his slice of pork, toasted or fried it, and we made a hearty meal. The brandy brought with us and the water made a good drink. Passed on, the land improving till we came to the 13 and 14 mile tree, to a good spring and a brook where there was a good hut of the road makers, and although we might have gone two or three miles fur- ther before dark, yet Fairservice being
doubtful whether we should meet such good accommodations, it was determined to remain here for the night. Another cause was, that we got some hay for the horses. We made our fire, cooked our pork and made our meal with an excel- lent appetite. Our horses were not neg- lected.
" Sept. 9. After sleeping pretty sound- ly till daylight, the weather seemed likely to turn to rain, and we resolved to proceed on through the road so far as to insure our getting to Redfield in the course of the day, as the provisions would not hold out longer. Went on to the 18 mile tree, and at another hut pre- pared and ate our breakfast of pork and bread, with brandy and water for tea. I found these articles less palatable at this meal than the others, however the pork improved (?) very mildly. We went down the road some miles further, leav- ing No. 13 and going on to No. 8, and found the latter very good land, such as settlers will not refuse. The road is equal to roads as new as it is. The weather looked threatening, and to be sure of reaching Redfield in good time, we took a course southwest to strike the state road, and coming to a good stream which was at first supposed to be Salmon river (it is certainly a branch of it), as it afforded some grass for our horses we thought it a proper place to halt and re- fresh. Accordingly dinner was provided as usual; we ate heartily, and finished the last of our brandy. We had now to pass through the woods, the south part of No. 7 and north part of Redfield, which was very difficult to ourselves and dangerous to our horses, from the swamps and heavy fallen trees covered with underbrush. We struck one of the main branches of the river, but the brush and fallen logs prevented us from keep- ing the bank, and the high ground was a hemlock ridge which occasioned us much trouble, but after a good deal of fatigue we came to the State road about two miles from Ingraham's, when it be- gan to rain and we were nearly wet through before we got there. The rain did not continue long, and we set out for Johnson's tavern in Redfield, half a mile beyond Butler's, where we arrived early in the evening a good deal tired with this day's journey. It is a better
495
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF OSCEOLA.
house than Butler's, and we were well provided for in supper and sleeping.
"Sept. 9. Mr. Pierrepont having oc- casion to see a man who lived off the road respecting his lands in No. 13, set off very early intending to follow us on to Rome, but having found the man near, he came and joined us at breakfast, and we all set off together. They are work- ing upon the road and improving it much. The causeways are mostly new laid and covered three inches with sand or other earth, so that the travelling on them is equal to any part. Stopped at Lyman's, II miles, and at Waring's near Fish creek, but we decided to eat the last dinner cooked by ourselves in the woods at the creek and went there, hav- ing bought some brandy on the way. The weather was very hot, but after kindling a fire and bathing in the creek, we ate with as good an appetite as ever. After dinner we paid and discharged Fairservice, and set off lor Rome, in- tending to see the new causeway lately finished near that town, but the road not being cut through, we had difficulty to get to it. We succeeded, and it was worth the pains. The length is two miles, of equal sized logs 18 feet long and covered with earth, so that the trav- elling is excellent. Arrived at Rome late in the evening. Not liking the thought of White's beds we slept in the hay-loft, and made out pretty well."
Portions of Townships 1 and 13 were sold by Wm. Constable, July 25, 1801, to John Jones, John McVickar and John Rathbone, of New York, in payment of notes and endorsements of William and James Constable, to the amount of $95,- 704.50. Lynde Catlin received a con- veyance January 28, 1804, of the whole or a greater part .* At the time the set- tlement began about two-thirds of No. 13 was owned by the Pierrepont family, and the remainder by G. Lynch,
Goddard, - - Bush, J. W. Taylor, J. Lawrence, Gentil, - Stewart, Jefferson Insurance Co., - Pratt, Gerritt Smith, - Lyndes, S. Stev- ens, J. and Edward McVickar, Lynde
Catlin, Bishop Moore and Wm. Consta- ble, together amounting to fifty-one scattered lots.
Township 8 was divided among the Pierrepont heirs January 1, 1853, as fol- lows: To Wm. C. Pierrepont, lots 17 to 19; 28 to 31 ; 39 to 44 ; 50 to 86; 92, 93, W. part of 94, 95, 96, 110 and III. To Maria T. Bicknell, 87 to 91 : 97 to 109 ; Seymour Green, agent. To E. G. Mi- ner, 1, 2, 6, 7, part of 3 and 8; Diodate Pease, agent. To M. C. Perry, (in trust) parts of 4, 5 and 8 ; 9 to 16; 20 to 27 ; 32 to 38 ; 43 to 49; Diodate Pease, agent. A few settlers have located upon the ex- treme northwest corner (since annexed to Montague), but the remainder of that township is still as it was when our first edition was published in 1860, a wilderness. One Saunders was the first settler in this part of the town.
The first persons who came into this town were Jabez Green, Christopher Devine and Harvey Potter, who loca- ted on lot 138 about 1822, without title, but did not remain. Samuel W. Nash also located soon after, a little above, but not permanently. In 1826 one Clark burnt off a windfall, a mile south of Salmon river, and planted corn, which yielded abundantly, but was claimed and entirely harvested by bears. This wind- fall was the track of a tornado that had passed across the town three years before, and the fire, when applied, ran through it with tremendous energy, sending up columns of flame and smoke, which were observed to an immense distance, the former by its reflections upon the clouds at night, and the latter by its dense som- bre masses by day.
The first agent of the Pierrepont estate in this town was James S. T. Stranahan of Brooklyn, but then of Florence, Oneida county. Settlement was delayed by various causes, among which was the failure of the proprietors of scattered lots, to unite in an agency
* Deeds, Lewis County, A, 53.
496
HISTORY OF LEWIS COUNTY.
for the opening of roads and other im- provements necessary for bringing the town into market. In July, 1839, Sey- mour Green was appointed Pierrepont's agent in No. 13, with power to sell lands at $1.50 cash, or $2 on a credit of four years. A road was marked out from Florence village northward, nearly across the township, and reports favora- ble to the tract gaining currency in the surrounding country, the landless rushed forward to secure a homestead with such avidity, that between the first of September and Christmas, nearly 18,000 acres were sold under contract with the intention of settlement. The north part of Redfield (No. 7 or Greenboro) was opened under the same agency, and in the above period 1,000 acres were con- tracted upon that township. In May, 1840, the proprietor, in six days, issued 68 contracts and 22 deeds, and received $4,000 in cash. The lands sold amounted to 11,996 acres, and the price to $25,219. 35. The following winter was unusually severe, and in 1842 half the lands sold had reverted. As there were no town officers accessible for laying out roads, whatever was done in this line, devolved upon Mr. Pierrepont, the owners of scat- tered lots being generally indifferent as to these improvements. In 1843, there were 250 inhabitants, two school houses and 60 children. In 1848, 1,600 acres were under contract, and 5,491 acres were deeded. In 1850, there were 400 inhabitants in town. The settlers were mostly from the older towns around. Several families came from the factories at Oriskany, and some from the public works upon the suspension of 1842. The northern part of No. 13 is called “ Ver- mont Settlement," from the original lo- cality of the settlers. The first family that actually settled with title, on Town- ship 13, was that of Robert Russell, on lot 139, in December, 1839. They win- tered here alone, and in the spring were
joined by Ira and Thomas Hulbert and others. Roswell A. Hubbard, William G. Smith, Lyman Wellman, David Sho- rey, Silas A. Fox, Henry J. Baker, Anthony Rowell and others, were also early settlers. Mr. Green,* the agent, settled in 1842, and at the first town meeting in 1844 there were 37 voters. The first birth was that of Russell Chase, the first marriage that of Captain Ed- ward Humaston and Jane Smith, and the first death that of Agnes Russell, a child eight years of age. The first school was taught in 1844 by Jerusha Wetmore, and the first two framed school houses were built in that year. The town had in 1860, five framed and one log school house, and two joint districts, of which the school houses were in Red- field. A road, authorized by law in 1859, was laid out by Seymour Green and Diodate Pease from the Vermont Settle- nient to Martinsburgh, a distance of about twelve miles from one clearing to the other, and about 23 miles from the court house to Osceola village. At present the distance around is about 70 miles by the nearest public thorough- fare and over 50 by the nearest passable road. This road was nearly or quite cut out, and for some years the non-resi- dent highway taxes of adjacent lands were applied, but it is now wholly aban- doned, and growing up.
The principal business point in town is at Osceola village and postoffice, or as it is usually called, "The River," situ- ated in the deep narrow intervale of Salmon river, five miles from Florence, and thirteen from the R. W. & O. R. R. station at Camden. The first saw-mill in town was built by William Roberts, in
*Mr. Green was born in Washington county, and when he received the agency was living in Oneida county. A political opponent many years since, applied to him in derision the title of the "Osceola chief," which was accepled among his friends, and by which he became widely known. As supervisor, assemblyman and local magistrate, he took an active part for many years in public affairs. IIe died in this town while this volume was in press, at an advanced age.
497
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF PINCKNEY.
1841. A tannery, two hundred feet long, was erected on the south bank of Sal- mon river, in 1859, by Cowles, Sliter & Co., for the manufacture of sole leather, chiefly from Spanish hides. It was dis- continued about 1871. It had a capacity of about 30,000 sides of sole leather a year.
The census of 1880 reported a popu- lation of 92 in Osceola village. The place has a hotel, (owned and kept by Sylvanus Williams ;) two stores, (Alonzo Barlow, and Richard Chase, Jr .; ) a cooper shop, (Samuel E. Thayer;) saw- mill, on Salmon river, (Williams & Jack- son ;) and steam saw-mill, (William P. Griffith.)
In the north part of the town, is a saw-mill, owned by Albert J. Brockway ; another, near the center, owned by Ben- jamin Jackson, and one in the eastern part owned by Almanson Whitford. There are also in town a wagon shop, (Edward Rolling;) blacksmith shop,(John Knapp;) two oar shops, (Oscar T. Dyer, and William H. Payne ;) and a cheese factory, (Martin V. Dubois.)
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