History of Lewis County, New York; with...biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 74

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 74

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Hubbard, Ashbel, died September 5, 1852, aged 82.

Jones, Roland, died January 23, 1858, aged 82.

Kentner Amos, died January 30, 1858, aged 68.

Lyman Mrs. Calvin, died May 14, 1862, aged 67.

Lyman Ezekiel, died July 4, 1844, aged 84, (was a Revolutionary pen- sioner, but not one of the early settlers. He left 9 children, 58 grandchildren and 38 great-grandchildren.)

McDonald Alex W., died February 6, 1851, aged 60.

Markham, Ebenezer, died February 17, 1815, aged 66. His son of same name died January 19, 1848, aged 73.

Miller, Jesse, died November 25, 1863, aged 85.

Markham. Silas, died January 17, 1824, aged 35.

Markham, Titus, died September 5, 1858, aged 66.

Miller, Jeremiah, died January 27, 1852, aged 67.

Moore, Nathaniel, died December 8, 1840.

Noble, Gad, died March 14, 1838, aged 68.

Northrup, Lyman, died May 13, 1857 aged 72.

Palmer, George, died February 6, 1835, aged 76.

Payn, Joseph, died November 14, 1851, aged 80. His wife Eunice died April 1852, aged 73.

Payn, Mary, died April 18, 1843, aged 80.

Phelps Noble, died August 16, 1854.

Plumb, Samuel, died September 4, 1839, aged 67.

Rea, Peter, died July 28, 1862, aged 85. Rea, Elizabeth, wife of Peter Rea, died April 14, 1843,

Rees, William, died September 14, 1858, aged 82. He was born in Wales, May 3, 1776, and emigrated in 1801. Settled on the Coolman place near High Falls.

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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF WEST TURIN.

Rees, James, son of the preceding, died recently at an advanced age.

Sherwood Dr. Jonathan, was born in Williamstown, Mass., studied medicine with Dr. Willoughby of Herkimer county and first settled in Champion. About 1818 he removed to Turin, and died March 15, 1829, aged 49 years.

Smith, Trumbull, died March 11, 1862, aged 80.

Williams, Job, died February 1823, aged 51.

Williams, John I., died December 28, 1861, at Collinsville, aged 68.

Wood, Joel, died October 14, 1837, aged 83.

Wood, Nathaniel, died May 23, 1845, aged 50.

COLLINSVILLE.

This little village is on the East road, one and a half miles west of the Falls, was formerly known as High Falls Vil- lage, and received its present name from Levi and Homer Collins. It was an im- portant business point in former times, and Jabez Foster, Levi Collins, John Hooker, Richard Coxe and others car- ried on extensive mercantile operations at or near this place. The Collinsville Institute was incorporated by act of May 2, 1837, which appointed Dr. David Budd, John Whittlesey, Hezekiah Sco- vil, Ela Merriam, Alburn Foster, Jabez Rockwell, Jehiel H. Hall, Morgan Cum- mings, Rev. Russel Way, and Sylvester Hart, trustees. A school was taught in the basement of the Union church, a few terms, by A. W. Cumming, when the enterprise died out. It was never recognized by the Regents, and issued but one catalogue. The Rev. Andrew W. Cumming, who taught this school, was born in Brockville, Canada, and had not finished his studies when at Collins- ville. He went from thence to Gouver- neur, and was for two years a Methodist minister at Fairfield. He was a teacher at Cazenovia several years, and then went to Lebanon, Ill. ; was at McKen-

dree College, and then at the Holstein Conference Seminary. He was for some years engaged in female education in the South, and in 1875, was chairman of the faculty of the University of South Carolina, at Columbia.

Dr. David Budd, above mentioned, was born in Schoharie, September 30, 1798, attended one course of lectures at Philadelphia, received a diploma from the Schoharie County Medical Society June 10, 1821, and removed in that year to this town. He died in Turin village November 4, 1848, having held for sev- eral years the offices of Judge and Jus- tice of the Peace. He was a man of scientific attainments, and devoted some portion of his time to mineralogy. His son, Dr. Charles D. Budd, engaged in medical practice in Turin until his death in the fall of 1881.

The business of this village has been almost entirely transferred to other places, there being but one small store kept by Mr. Dana Loomis.

LYONS FALLS.

This is the name of a small village and postoffice at the High Falls, where the Black River canal enters the river which is navigable from this place to Carthage. The falls themselves, and a narrow strip about three acres in extent on the west side belonged to the Brant_ ingham Tract. A lot of fifty acres adja- cent, was bought about 1835, upon spec- ulation by an association, and was for many years held in undivided posses_ sion. The water power belonged to Caleb Lyon at the time of his death. In 1829, an act was procured for a manufacturing company at this place, rather to call attention to its facilities than with a view of actual construction. The water power now amounting to seventy feet fall, including the State dam above, has hitherto been improved

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HISTORY OF LEWIS COUNTY.

only by a saw-mill, and is now entirely unoccupied. If the question were asked, why this great natural advantage has remained unimproved, and why it has not long ago grown into a great manu- facturing village, or city, it might be answered, that it was ruined by specu- lation. About the time of the canal ex- citement in 1836, it was surveyed out on the west side into lots, and portions were bought and held in the expectation that some one else would make the im- provements that were to give it value. The point between the village around the Forest church was also mapped out and engraved, but to this day it is wholly without improvements, other than the church.

We have been informed that there would now be no great difficulty in obtaining titles. The business of Lyons Falls is now soon enumerated, and is as follows: A hotel, "The Walton House," (John Nebbergall, proprietor) ; a saloon, (M. F.Walsh); a custom mill,(N. Cottrell); a store, (A. M. Church) ; a wagon shop, two blacksmith shops, and a dry-dock, at which several boats have been built dur- ing the past season. The only church is on the east side. The Methodists hold meetings in a hall upon alternate Sab- baths.

Since the above was written, and just before these pages go to press, we understand that the water-power of the Falls has been purchased by parties who intend to erect an extensive pulp-mill for the manufacture of paper stock from wood by the chemical process.

The High Falls during freshets, pre- sent a scene of wildness and grandeur well worthy of a visit, but in low water the torrent is confined to narrow chan- nels worn in the gneiss rock, down which it rushes with immense force. Tradition relates that in the Revolution, a white man pursued by Indians, leaped safely across these channels and escaped

from his pursuers, who paused at the verge of the fearful chasm, and dared not fire their pieces at the heaven-pro- tected fugitive. Several fatal accidents have happened here. In May, 1837, two men named Graves and Brown were drawn under the falls in a boat one Sunday and drowned. The body of the former was found a year after at an island below, having apparently been buried in the sand most of the time.

On the 5th of May, 1842, a son of Noble Phelps, aged 5 years, playing in a skiff above the falls, was drawn into the current. Mr. J. Lewis Church see- ing the peril, seized a log-hook from the mill yard, sprung upon the bridge, dropped down on the slope of the pier, caught the boat as it was passing down the falls, and saved the child's life at a great risk of his own. On the 9th of January, 1857, John Post, Jr., aged 22, while cutting ice in a flume above the falls, stepped upon a cake which broke and dropped him into the stream. He passed over the falls immediately, and his body was not recovered until some months afterwards. Accidents result- ing in death, or very narrow escapes, happened at this place, upon various other occasions, but we are unable to give the details.

PROCEEDINGS OF TOWN MEETINGS IN WEST TURIN, IN REFERENCE TO THE WAR.

August 8, 1862 .- A bounty of $50 offered, and a committee appointed, consisting of Seth Miller, Sanford Coe, Jonathan C. Collins, Lyman Smith, A. E. Plumb, and Schuyler C. Thompson, to secure a subscription of $1,095 to indemnify the supervisor.

August 1, 1863 .- The town directed that $300 should be paid to each man drafted and declared liable, and the same for substitutes.

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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF WEST TURIN.

December 21, 1863 .- A town bounty of $200 offered, the money to be borrowed, and a committee consisting of Jacob Back, Levi Crofoot, Benjamin F. Potter, and James C. Duff, was appointed to carry this into effect.

At the annual town meeting in 1864, the supervisor was authorized to borrow money and pay a town bounty of $300.

June 20, 1864 -- A special meeting held to fill the quota. The men who may be drafted to fill the quotas for 500,000 men, were to be paid $300 each.

August 15, 1864 .- A motion was put that the sum of $100 be offered to each person who obtained a man that is counted on the quota, but this was lost by a vote of 128 against to 37 for.

December 12, 1865 .- A special town meeting was held, to dispose of the $4,568.22 received back from excess of money paid for filling quotas. It was used in reducing the tax.

RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.

Missionaries named Hart and Robin- son, from Connecticut, came through the country and held meetings at an early day. During the summer of 1796, regular prayer meetings were held.

Baptists .- About 1803, a revival oc- curred, in which most of the converts joined the Baptists. A church was formed at that time, under Rev. Stephen Parsons, from Middletown, and for several years was much the most thriv- ing in town. A Baptist society was legally formed in this town June 15, 1835, with Aaron Parsons, Jesse Miller, and Nathaniel Wadsworth, trustees. After existing at Constableville several years, it has become extinct.

An independent Baptist society was formed March 22, 1842, with Newton Clark, Benham Webb, Edwin Payne, Jason Paine and Horace C. Ragan, trustees, but no edifice has been built.

The First Baptist Church of Constable- ville was organized October 9, 1869, by eight persons, viz : Riley Brainerd, Rev. Milton E. Fisk, Hannah Brainerd, Anna S. Fisk, Aurelia Miller, Harriet Crofoot, Margaret Roberts, and Mary C. Rob- erts. The first pastor, Rev. M. E. Fisk, remained till his death, June 12, 1876, and supplies were obtained for short periods, until Elder Baily began, August 22, 1880, and has since continued. This church has an edifice dedicated March 7, 1872, and is not connected with any Association. It will not admit members of secret societies to its fellowship, and makes this an essential point in its organ- ization. The society owning this church property was incorporated January 3, 1871, with Edward Payne, Riley Brain- erd and Wm. R. Wadsworth as trustees.

An Open Communion Baptist church was organized in this town about 1812, from the Baptist church previously ex- isting, in which Jeduthan Higby* and Russell Way + became prominent minis- ters. They mostly resided near Collins- ville. They are now much reduced in numbers, but continue to hold their covenant meetings.

Presbyterian .- About 1803, a Presby- terian church was formed, which be- came Congregational, and its meetings were removed to Turin village. On the 14th of February, 1843, the Constable- ville Presbyterian church was organ- ized by the Watertown Presbytery, con- sisting at first of four males and eleven females. A Presbyterian society had been legally formed June 13, 1835, with Edwin Miller, Nathaniel Wood and James Miller, 2d, first trustees, and changed to Congregational, October 22, 1838.

* From Middletown, Ct. His son of the same name became a Presbyterian minister, and an associate of the scandalous Gerry of Denmark.

+ Elder Way was from Middletown. He died at his home in Collinsville, February 23, 1848, aged 68 years. His Father, Moses Way, died in this town April 7, 1813, aged 67 years.

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HISTORY OF LEWIS COUNTY.

Protestant Episcopal .- The first church edifice built in town, and the first of its denomination north of the Mohawk valley, was St. Paul's church, which stood about a mile north-east of Con- stableville, near where the Canal turn- pike ended. This society was organ- ized April 7, 1817, at the house of Levi Collins, in Collinsville. The first ves- trymen were Nathaniel Merriam and Thomas Alsop, and the first wardens, John Kentner, James McVickar, Giles Foster, William Constable, Walter Dewey,* Willard Allen, Calvin Roberts, George Davis, and Timothy Miller. A Bible and Prayer Book society was formed in connection with this church, in 1817.

Arrangements were first made to build of stone near Collinsville, but the influence of Geo. Davis, T. Alsop and others determined its final location. The first Rector was Joshua M. Rogers, who was sent hither as a missionary, and labored with great zeal and suc- cess to promote the objects of his mis- sion.t He was succeeded by the Revs. Amos G. Baldwin, Edmund Embury, Lawrence Sterne Stevens, and for a short period by others. Mr. Stevens removed from this town, to the western part of the State. St. Paul's Church was consecrated by Bishop Hobart, Aug. 16, 1818,; and the grounds were deeded to the society in October of that year. The edifice having fallen into de- cay was taken down, and its location being inconvenient, the society was re- organized January 30, 1835, under the Rev. Mr. Embury for the purpose of re-

building in a more convenient site. Ed- ward Mc Vickar and Wm. VanCoughnet were chosen wardens, Seth Miller Jr., Wm. Constable, Edwin Miller, Brock McVickar, Wm. D. Shaler, Jas. C. Duff, Bryant Collins and Bard McVickar ves- trymen. During that year St. Paul's chapel was built on the south border of Constableville village, upon a site deeded to Trinity church, N. Y., from which it received $600 in aid of the building. This church is at present attended from Turin, by the Rev. Wm. Hooker.

Methodists .- The Methodist Episcopal Church of West Turin, was formed June 15, 1835, with James Crofoot, Benjamin Phillips and Zenas Allen, as trustees, but no church was built under this organization.

A Methodist Episcopal society was formed in 1849, with John R. Scovill, David C. Higby and James Crofoot first trustees, and a chapel named the " Ebene- zer" was built in that year, about two miles west of Constableville, on Crofoot Hill, at a cost of $1,050. About half this cost was defrayed by James Cro- foot and his sons, William, John, Levi and Benjamin. Other sects assisted, and may use it to some extent. The society was incorporated April 2, 1850, and re-incorporated February 28, 1870, with Horace Clark, Horace R. Higby and Hiram Conover as trustees.

A society known as the Methodist Episcopal Church of West Turin, was formed at the Union Meeting House in Constableville, December 13, 1852, with Bryant K. Collins, David Fairchild, Nor- man Higby, James Crofoot, William L. Hunt, and Stephen Murphy, as trustees. It had for its object the building. of a Methodist parsonage in the village of Constableville.

Welsh Methodists .- On the 13th of March, 1848, a Calvinistic Methodist Church (Welsh) was formed at Collins- ville, with John Hughes, Evan Roberts,

* Dr. Dewey died at Collinsville, February 26, 1821, aged thirty-five years. Mrs. Deme (Collins) Dewey, died August 6, 1864.

+ Mr. Rogers was born at Hudson, N. Y., May 15, 1782, of Baptist parents. He was ordained deacon in 1816, and as priest in 1817. In 1833 he accepted a call to Trinity church, Utica, and in 1851 resigned and re- tired to Easton, Pa., where he died March 1, 1858. He was buried near New York.

# Two years before this date, there were but two Episcopal families in this vicinity. In 1817, there were sixteen communicants.

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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF WEST TURIN.

Edward Reese, Robert Evans and Rob- ert Morris, trustees. The name was changed July 3, 1849, to " The Calvin- istic Methodist Church of Turin," but no edifice was built by them until 1855, when the society was re-organized Janu- ary 22d, and a neat church edifice built in that year. The first trustees under this organization were Rev. Thomas Williams, Thomas Lewis, Evan Evans, John Lloyd, John Hughes and Griffith T. Williams. A church of this sect was formed in Constableville, March 13, 1848, and has a small edifice. In both of these the Welsh language was used.

Union Churches .- After some attempt to build separately, the Presbyterian, Open Communion Baptists, Baptists and Methodist Episcopal churches united in 1835, and built a union meeting house in Constableville. This was after- wards burned. A union meeting house was built at Collinsville, of stone, in 1836, by the Presbyterian, Congrega- tional, both Baptists, and Protestant Episcopal sects, each to use it in pro- portion to subscription. The society was formed September 29, 1836, with Ansel Stocking, Lyman Lane and Lyman Hoadley, trustees. The church was once thoroughly repaired, but is now, we believe, not used.

A German Union Evangelical Church was formed December 5, 1854, with George Long, Samuel Miller and An- drew Hays, trustees. Their first pastor was the Rev. - Wetzel, who was succeeded by Rev. Joseph Hartmann, who remained from November 1849 to November 1851. The succession has since been : Rev. C. A. Behrens, Jan- uary 1852 to March 1853; Rev. G. L. Gohring, September 1, 1854, to Septem- ber 1, 1856; Rev. Frederick Kunzler, June 1859 to June 1863 ; Rev. Andrew Leupp (transient); Rev. Alexander Ober- lander, summer of 1864 to April 1867; Rev. August Braemer, November 1,

1867, to September 1868 ; and (after a vacant year). Rev. Theodore Cludius, who has been in charge since September I, 1869. The first edifice was built on the site of the present one, which was built a few years since, and accommo- dates about 200. The sect belongs to the "Evangelical Synod of North America." They number here about eighty families. Mr. Cludius has a charge in the Town of Lewis named "St. Paul's Church " with a small building at West Leyden.

Roman Catholics .- The church of St. Michael in this town, four miles south of Constableville, was first built by a society legally formed, November 2, 1843, having as trustees, Casper Houck, Joseph Bali, Jacob Detenbeck, Joseph Ryan and Nicholas Kresbeck. The church proper was formed about 1834, and the first chapel was built in that year or the next. It was rebuilt under the Rev. - Tappert, in 1851, on the plank road near the summit of the land divid- ing the waters of the Black and Mohawk rivers. It is of ample size and has a bell. Preaching is done in the German lan- guage, and a German school was opened adjacent in 1857. For some years this church was under Franciscan friars from Syracuse, and for many years under the same priest as at Croghan. At present two monks of the Franciscan order are in charge. It is intended to establish a small convent here, the foundations of which are begun, for the purpose of having a sisters' school.

The next Catholic church in town was St. Mary's, mostly supported by the Irish, and situated half a mile west of Constableville. It was built in 1846 under the ministry of Father Howard, whose successors have been Sheehan, Carroll, J. Craven, and Jas. A. McKenna. The church was burned by a field fire, May 11, 1879. Loss about $3,500. A

HISTORY OF LEWIS COUNTY.

582

legal society was formed April 28, 1874, with John M. Goldrich, John B. Mur- phy and John Byron as trustees. Since the fire a church has been commenced in the village, but is not finished. A third church of this denomination, named

St. Peter's and St. Paul's, was built in 1854, near Fish creek in the extreme south-west corner of the town. It is attended from St. Michael's church, and is also almost entirely supported by Germans.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

COL. SETH MILLER.

Colonel Seth Miller, son of Seth Miller and Mary Wadsworth, of Farmington, Conn., was born November 9, 1797, in the new settlement situated in the vicinity of what is now known as the village of Constableville. Settlement was begun in this locality by people from Connecticut, in 1796. His father was among these early pioneers, and with them experienced the discomforts and rigors of life in a new and unbroken region. He as well as others of these hardy adventurers, was obliged to journey to Whitestown to procure the necessary seed for his crudely broken soil, to pro- cure the necessaries of life for his family, and to find a grist-mill for grinding his scanty supply of grain, and each inhabit- ant in those primitive days was his own beast of burden, carrying the necessary loads on their backs a distance of some thirty-five miles. Here in this region, which seems to the people of this gen- eration, so uninviting, Mr. Miller was

born, and lived his life of usefulness. In 1819, he commenced business as a mer- chant at Constableville, which he con- tinued successfully upon the same spot of ground where he began, until his death, October 28, 1867. Merchandising in those days, as well as farming, was attended with difficulties. During the early part of his mercantile career, when going to New York to buy goods, he went as far as Albany on horseback. But the men of those days were made of sturdy material, and hardships did not daunt, nor long journeys discourage them.

Mr. Miller was interested in all the improvements in the new country, being one of the proprietors of the Rome Turnpike and the Rome and Turin Plank road, in both of which he was a director during their continuance. He was the first Postmaster in Constable- ville, and held that office from its estab- lishment in 1826, with an interruption of three or four months, until September, 1853. The receipts of this office for the

583

HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF WEST TURIN.

first quarter of its existence, were $4.12, and for the last quarter of his official term, about $65.00. Politically, Mr. Miller was an active Whig and Re- publican, and was a warm supporter of the government.

Colonel Miller acquired his military title from his connection with the State

factory. Perhaps a lack of the false pride which characterizes too many of the present generation, had something to do with the satisfaction of the bride and groom on that memorable day in their lives. Mr. Miller's wife survived him nearly thirteen years.

They had nine children : Stephen T .;

[COL. SETH MILLER.]

militia, in which he held the rank of Colonel, and in the prosperity of which he took much interest.

He married, June 11, 1822, Laura Todd, of Salisbury. He used to amuse his grandchildren by describing the carriage in which he brought home his bride, which was a strong, well-painted, two-horse lumber wagon. As this was as stylish a conveyance as could be found in those days, it was entirely satis-

M. Eliza, who married Rev. H. W. Morris ; Cornelia D., who married P. M. Kent; Watts T .; Emily S., who. married Isaac Burrell; Charles; Jane L., who married John H. Stotsenburg ; Charles A .; and Helen M., who married Dr. James T. Young, all of whom sur- vived him, except Charles, who died at about two years of age, and Mrs. Morris, who died about two years before his death.

584

HISTORY OF LEWIS COUNTY.

«LATTLE

[BENJAMIN F. POTTER. ]

BENJAMIN F. POTTER.

Benjamin Franklin Potter, was born in the town of Floyd, Oneida county, September 29, 1817. His father was Joseph Potter, a native of Vermont, born March 16, 1775, who married Phebe Adams, February 1, 1795. She was born December 26, 1774, and was also a native of Vermont. Mr. Potter lived in Floyd with his parents, until he was sixteen years of age, when the family came to Lewis county, and located in Turin. He was the youngest of eight children, and inherited from his parents the energy and perseverance characteristic of natives of the Green Mountain State. Early in life he was thrown upon his own resources, and compelled to carve his name and fortune unaided. He received the education

which the schools of those days afforded, and for some nine years taught school during the winters, and worked on a farm in the summer months. About the year 1840, he resolved to better his con- dition by removing to the West, and spent several months in traveling through the Western States in search of a site for a new home. It was his inten- tion to locate somewhere near the Mis- sissippi river, but sickness came upon him, and he returned to Lewis county, fully satisfied that this region was good enough for him.

In 1850, he moved upon the farm where he lived the remainder of his life, and on which he erected fine and spacious farm buildings. Mr. Potter was one of the most extensive hop growers in the county, and for nearly twenty years of his life was largely engaged in the ship-

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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF WEST TURIN.

ment of venison to New York and other markets.

He was a life-long Democrat political- ly, and during the War of the Rebellion he was one of the most active in securing for his town her quota of volunteers, often neglecting his private business for his country's good. He was elected to represent his town on the Board of

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History of Lewis County, New York; with...biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 74

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