USA > New York > Madison County > History of Madison County, state of New York > Part 18
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the county seat was removed in 1817 to Morrisville, an institution of learning grew up in its place, which exerted a beneficent influence upon the interests of community.
From 1830 to '35, here, as in all sections of Central New York, there seemed to have been given a new impetus to all departments of business ; the manufacturers and mer- chants invested heavier and expanded their trade ; many farmers, having relieved themselves from debt and accu- mulated snug competencies for declining years, yielding to the impulse for improvement, now came forward and invested in village homes. During this period, several of the old and substantial blocks, now to be seen on Albany street, were built. All those handsome cut stone buildings, then the style in the eastern cities, were erected at this period, which gave Cazenovia an enviable reputation for its beauty.
In 1840, the census states that this village contained 1,600 inhabitants, 250 dwelling houses, one Presbyterian, one Baptist, one Congregational and one Methodist Church, three taverns, ten stores, two printing offices, one bank, the Oneida Conference Seminary, one woolen factory, one grist mill, one saw mill, one machine shop and iron foundry, one distillery, and one paper mill.
The manufacturing facilities of the Chittenango, devel- oped a new growth to the village along the course of the stream, where new streets were laid out and were rapidly built up. At all periods the village seems to have been making progress in some direction. Since 1850, large blocks have risen, and some of the most beautiful residences have been built. Within a few years marked progress has been made in building. Among the many changes, we designate the fair proportions of the Ten Eyck Block, built in 1871. An " item " clipped from the "Oneida Dispatch," of Aug. 16, 1872, tells us that " the Reymon store is almost complete. It will be an ornament to the place. The Burr block is approaching completion ;" it is a building "that
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will not only be useful, but ornamental and beautifying to the locality." It also adds that a small steamboat named "Lottie," which is about thirty feet long, and will carry thirty or forty passengers, built by Mr. Charles Parmalee, has been launched upon the lake.
The enterprise of Cazenovia in perfecting the beauty of her natural scenery, in developing the agricultural resources of the town, and in facilitating the means of commerce, is characteristic of its leading men. Its fair, sunny lake, with convenient boats for pleasure and for the sport of angling,- for Owahgena is yet stored with her native yellow perch, and other families of the finny tribe, perhaps beyond what it was in the pristine days of the Iroquois, *- the delightful drives and beautiful walks among groves around the lake ; the romantic road. where the Chittenango rushes and splashes around great fragments of rock, and wild looking, precipitous ledges overhang the swift flowing stream ; where the atmosphere is aromatic with the breath of cedars, and where an adamantine road bed leads to the wild gorge of the Chittenango Falls ;- these attractions, and many others, have made this village a delightful summer resort for the nature-loving, pavement-weary dwellers of large cities, who, coming here, find the luxury of refined homes and cultivated society superadded to the attractions of nature.
Agriculture has been encouraged and developed to a high degree ; a tour through the town will corroborate this statement. Smooth meadows, well cultivated fields, cleanly kept woodlands, first-class farm buildings, and the evidences of wealth everywhere, on the hills as well as in the valleys, proclaim skilled training in agriculture.
*"About sixty-four years ago, Amasa and Ezra Leland took forty-five pickeral from Leland's pond, in the town of Eaton, and put them in our lake. For this service they received $40, this amount being raised by subscription in our town. A law was then passed by the Legislature, that no pickerel should be taken from Owah- gena for ten years; and thus our waters were stocked with the beautiful fish which have afforded so much amusement to fishermen, and supplied our table with delica- cies. "-Republican. 1
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Machinery has superseded hand labor almost invariably. Now, the farmer's refined daughter, pining for an out-door frolic, or what is more in her praise, ready and willing to assist in a pressure of farm work, may don her sun hat and gloves, take her seat upon the "mower," and in a few hours perform the same work, which in the days "lang syne," required half a dozen strong men to do in the same time, bowed to the tedious labor of the scythe, with garments saturated with sweat, and backs blistering under the July sun. A comparison between ancient and modern farming, is frequently indulged in by those who can remember when the first furrow was turned in town with a Mohawk wheel- plow, on the lot belonging to David Schuyler, near the out- let of the lake.
In reviewing works of enterprise for. the public welfare, we find there are many instances of individual munificence which, we much regret, we are compelled to pass over. One instance, however, we record :- Those stone fountains by the road side,-one in Dist. No. 9, on the road to New Woodstock, one in Nelson, and one at the foot of the lake, -bearing the simple inscription "L. L."* carved on each, will perpetuate the memory of one who, having wealth, expended it in this and many another noble benefaction. (Note c.)
MANUFACTURES.
Cazenovia was noted for manufactures at a day when other towns were only making slow progress in agriculture.
About 1810, Luther Bunnell's trip-hammeries did an ex- tensive business, employing a number of workmen. Nehe- miah White built a chair shop at a very early day, which was bought out by Ebenezer Knowlton, who also built an oil mill about 1815. Both of these were operated by Mr. Knowlton many years, had a good reputation, and drew trade from a wide circuit round about. Mr. Lincklaen and Mr. Starr built the first woolen mill in 1813. Starr was un-
*Ledyard Lincklaen.
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successful, owing to changes brought about by peace be- tween the United States and Great Britain, and sold to Matthew Chandler & Son .* This was the first woolen fac- tory in Madison County. John Williams & Son purchased of Chandler in 1828, and manufactured woolen goods on a large scale for that day. This firm continued to increase and improve till about 1834, when the mill was burned. Mr. Williams was regarded as a model manufacturer. As a business man his character was above reproach. He sub- sequently, with others, built the Shelter Valley Mills.
The Cazenovia Paper Mill was built by Zadoc Sweetland about 1810, on the Chittenango, within the limits of the cor- poration. For forty years Mr. Sweetland was gradually in- creasing his capital and enlarging his business. It event- ually passed into the hands of his sons, under the firm name of "Sweetland Bros.," who at one period manufactured a ton per day of all kinds of paper. It was burned in 1859 or '60, and was rebuilt by them. The dam, furnishing the power, was carried away in the great spring flood of 1865, which also swept off almost every bridge and dam between Erieville and Oneida Lake. The property was then pur- chased by Henry Munroe, who rebuilt the dam and put all in good order. It was afterwards partially destroyed by fire, then rebuilt ; then again overwhelmed by a conflagra- tion which left little. It remains now (1871,) a ruin, but will probably ere long be again restored.
The tannery of Dardis & Flanagan was built before 1830, by Rufus & R. G. Allen. For two score years, while the hemlock forests of the surrounding towns were melting away, this firm, with a large corps of employees, transacted business on an extensive scale. From the beginning to the present time it has been a prosperous concern, and valuable to the country around as a marketing point for the several
*About 1820, Mr. Chandler originated the idea of wire harness for weaving looms, and Ezra Brown invented machinery for making wire harness, and the busi- ness was very prosperous for a time,
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raw materials it most required. It is situated on the Chit- tenango, some distance from the corporation.
Before 1810, there was a small tannery in the east part of the village which was for many years owned by John Wil- liams. Rufus Allen, before building his works in the Chit- tenango Valley, purchased this of Mr. Williams and carried on the business here.
Cedar Grove Woolen Mill was built about 1837, by E. S. Jackson & Son. It was purchased by Henry Ten Eyck in 1850. Mr. Ten Eyck manufactured woolen tweeds. The mill had five sets of machinery, run by eighty hands. There were a number of dwelling houses, all occupied. The works were in fine order and paying well, when in 1852, the establishment was burned. Mr. Ten Eyck lost heavily and many people were thrown out of employment.
Seven or eight years ago (in 1863 or '64), L. E. Swan built, on the grounds of the Cedar Grove Mill, a manufac- tory of binder's paper board, which is still in operation.
Shelter Valley Woolen Mill was built in 1848, by the firm of Williams, Ledyard & Stebbins, of a capacity for three sets of woolen machinery. Tweeds were mostly manufac- tured here. With forty or fifty hands this mill turned off 2,500 yards per week. In 1869, the factory was burned. On the same site, Messrs. Williams & Stebbins are (1871,) erecting a new mill on an improved plan, at a considerable outlay of capital.
Fern Dell Sash, Blind and Door Factory, was built by Ledyard Lincklaen in 1851. It is now (1871) owned by O. W. Sage & Co. The firm employ about forty-five hands and six teams ; use about 1,000,000 feet of pine lumber, twenty barrels of glue, two tons of finishing nails, and fifty reams of sand paper annually. They also turn out about 18,000 doors, 15,000 pairs of blinds, and 250,000 lights of sash each year.
All the foregoing manufactories were and are situated on the Chittenango Creek, a short distance from each other,
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in the following order : The old Williams factory on Farn- ham street, between Albany and Williams streets ; the Caz- enovia Paper Mill next down stream ; the Cedar Grove Woolen Mill a short distance from the last, just outside the corporation ; next down stream the Tannery; next the Sash and Blind factory ; and still further down the Shelter Valley Mills. On South street was situated the old Dis- tillery and Brewery of John Hersey, an institution of the past, widely known and largely patronized in its day .* The Eagle Foundry was built on Albany street, south side, east of the creek, (Brewery Lane) by Elisha Allis, about 1842, but was subsequently moved up stream. It passed through various hands, and is now (1871,) carried on by Mr. James Dodge.
Among the manufactories are, a Morocco Factory, located east of the village between Nelson and Peterboro streets, established by Mr. Phinney about 1851, a fine General Machine Works on Albany street, (where the oil mill stood) owned and successfully conducted by Marshall O. Card, and a Lock Factory, where the American Lock Co., under the superintendence of Mr. Felter, make a variety of locks of excellent quality, well secured by ingenious mechanism from the arts of burglars.
Bingley Mills, about two miles from the village, on Chit- tenango Creek, was one of the early flouring mills of this section. It has been owned by Mr. William Atkinson since September 12th, 1831 .; This is a longer time than any other mill in town has been run by the same man. There is a saw mill near here, and some mechanics have also lc- cated near by. Some sixteen houses give Bingley quite the appearance of a hamlet.
Madison County Bank was organized in Cazenovia, the
*Many persons still living along the route, will remember the long and toilsome winter trips of Hersey s teams, performed as late as 1833, from Cazenovia to Utica, each hauling the standard load of two hogsheads of spirits.
+ Died in 1871, since the above was written.
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date of its charter being March 14th, 1831, with a capital of $ 100,000. Its first President was Perry G. Childs. It performed a successful business during the years of its ex- istence, up to the expiration of its charter, January Ist, 1858.
The Bank of Cazenovia was incorporated February 21st, 1856, with a capital of $ 120,000, secured by stocks and mortgages on real estate. The first board of directors were : Charles Stebbins, Ledyard Lincklaen, Benj. F. Jar- vis, John Hobbie, David M. Pulford, Austin Van Riper, Lewis Raynor, Reuben Parsons and E. M. Holmes. The first officers were: Charles Stebbins, President ; B. F. Jarvis, Cashier. It survived the panic of 1857, and well maintained its reputation as a reliable institution. In 1865, it was changed to the National Bank of Cazenovia, with a capital of $150.000. Its present officers (1870) are : B. F. Jarvis, President ; Cyrus Parsons, Vice President ; C. B. Crandall, Cashier.
CENTRAL NEW YORK CONFERENCE SEMINARY.
In 1824, the project was originated to establish a Con- ference Seminary in Cazenovia. The proposition was, to take the court house and remodel it suitably for school use, and so release the Methodists-who had purchased it for a place of worship, and were in debt-from their oppressive liability. The public mind was, at the time, active in enter- prises ; various improvements were being originated ; liter- ature was on the advance, and receiving encouragement everywhere, and facilities, at this point, for higher grades in education, seemed to be imperatively demanded. Rev. Charles Giles, one of the most prominent ministers of the Conference, in his " Pioneer," writes :-
" At this favorable juncture, I was fully convinced that the time had come for our Conference to engage in a public literary enterprise. Learning being an auxiliary to religion in every department of the Church, we, therefore, greatly needed a liter- ary institution, under the supervision and patronage of the Con- ference, and Providence, at this time, was opening a way for us to engage effectually in the undertaking."
A village meeting was called ; much public spirit was mani-
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fested, and the movement seemed to be indeed timely. It was embraced in the plan that the institution was to be conducted upon liberal principles ; sectarianism was to form no branch of instruction ; the students would be left free to attend any church of their choice. Rev. George Gary, Perry G. Childs, and John Williams, of Cazenovia, did all that could be done to give form and tangibility to the design, and Rev. Charles Giles carried it up to the next annual Conference to obtain official action upon it. The project seemed visionary, but a resolution was passed which gave sanction to the plan. Says the above writer :- " Still, some of the members imagined that it would end there, and perish like Jonah's gourd ; but no ; we were then provided with authority for action ; hence we moved onward, constitution- ally and with zeal, to test the liberality of our friends and the community around us. After struggling with opposition, and enduring many cares and embarrassments, our efforts were crowned with success, and the seminary finally became estab- lished."
It was incorporated as the " Seminary of the Genesee Conference," in 1825 ; it was the first institution of that grade established by the Methodists on the American con- tinent. In 1829, the Oneida Conference was formed from a part of the territory belonging to the Genesee, and the name of the seminary was changed to "Seminary of Gene- see and Oneida Conference." In 1835, it was changed to " Oneida Conference Seminary," which name it retained until 1868, at which date a new Conference was formed, embracing Oneida, Oswego, Madison, Onondaga, Cayuga and Cortland counties, and named the " Central New York Conference," that of "Oneida Conference " being dropped. Subsequently, the seminary has taken on the name of the Conference as last instituted.
The court house was a substantial brick building, stand- ing on a conspicuous and beautiful location ; it formed the nucleus of the present seminary buildings. In 1830, the court-house building was remodeled and added to, and now the whole presents a pleasing and noble appearance.
From an historical poem, delivered by Rev. Dwight Wil- liams before Conference in Cazenovia, April 19, 1868, the subjoined is extracted :-
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" At the Conference call [1830]
The young Oneida, with beginnings small,
Musters her sons. Where now yon classic pile
Lifts up its towers to greet the sunlight's smile,
The first our infant Conference was called ;
The Court-House building, old and yellow walled, Was then both learning and religion's shrine, And here our fathers met for work divine. Ah, well ! perhaps our Conference was nursed Within our honored Alma Mater first ;
Give her the double honors she hath earned
Since first the fires upon her alter burned.
These walls of stone,* within whose shadows we
Convene to-day, were resting silently
Within the deep primeval ledge,
Nor yet had known the touch of chisel's edge ;
Our ark had but a transient resting-place,
And on yon Chapel fell the precious grace,
As once on Obed Edoms' house it fell,
And friend and stranger felt the charmed spell."
Rev. Nathaniel Porter was the first Principal of the institution. How he labored to establish the Seminary with a respectable reputation and give it a high standing ; how he toiled to elevate the M. E. Church in the vicinity ; how he bore the heaviest burdens and toiled unceasingly until his energies were exhausted, is vividly remembered by many whose hearts were deeply in the cherished work. Dr. Porter went from Cazenovia to New Jersey, in 1830, to recruit his broken health. The anticipations of his friends failed, for he died in Newark, in that State, August II, 1831, in the 31st year of his age. He was talented and successful, and in his death there passed beyond the constellation of the M. E. Conference a bright star of light, distinguished for its brilliancy, purity and warmth, growing all the more bright as it passed away.
Rev. Augustus W. Smith succeeded Dr. Porter as Prin- cipal. The subsequent Principals we name in their order as follows :- W. C. Larrabee, George Peck, G. G. Hapgood, Henry Bannister, (continued 15 years,) E. G. Andrews,t
* The Methodist Church.
Served twelve years,-he is now one of the Bishops of the M. E. Church.
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A. S. Graves, and W. S. Smyth, who is the present incum- bent. In 1840, the number of pupils was 327, in 1871, 555. The Seminary has ever maintained a high standing, num- bering among its pupils many who have from time to time gone forth to fill the most honored stations in society. Our Legislative Chambers, our Judicial Halls, have noble men who trace their fitting for usefulness back to the kindly walls of Cazenovia Seminary. Our institutions of learning, our missions in India, China and other quarters of the globe, are filled with earnest laborers, talented men and women, who hold, with love and reverence, memories of the careful guidance and wise training of this, their Alma Mater.
In 1870, the Seminary buildings were improved, and a large addition was put on. In every respect the old build- ings were made convenient by modern appliances, and beautified by modern art. Its facilities for accommodating its increasing patronage have been greatly enhanced. The trustees have secured a new charter of incorporation, and a corporate seal ..
PROMINENT MEN.
THEOPHILUS CAZENOVE "was the first General Agent of the Holland Company. When the Company made their first pur- chase of lands in the interior of this State and Pennsylvania, soon after 1790, he had arrived in this country and acted as their agent. In all the negotiations and preliminary proceedings connected with the large purchase of Robert Morris, of this region, the interests of the Company were principally confided to him. His name is intimately blended with the whole history of the title. When the purchase was perfected he was made General Agent, and under his auspices the surveys were com- menced. The author can only judge of him from such manu- script records as came from his hands. These exhibit good business qualifications and great integrity of purpose. In all the embarrassments that attended the perfecting of the title, he seems to have been actuated by honorable and praiseworthy motives, and to have assisted, with a good deal of ability, the legal managers of the Company's interests."*
He returned to Europe in 1799, ending then his connec-
* Turner's History of the Holland Purchase.
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tion with the Company. He resided for a considerable time in London, after which he went to Paris, and we believe it was in M. De Talleyrand's home that he died.
JOHN LINCKLAEN.
Very much of Mr. Lincklaen's active part in the early history of this county, will have been gathered from the history of the town of Cazenovia, and it may lend to his name sufficient interest to justify a brief personal mention of his life ; one in which a bold and adventurous spirit was controlled by a firm character, and one which, commenc- ing in the gay life of European capitols, ended peacefully in a home of his own making in the New World.
Jan von Lincklaen was born in Amsterdam, Holland, December 24, 1768. His boyhood was principally passed in Switzerland, where he was educated by a private tutor. At the age of fourteen he entered the Dutch Navy, remain- ing in the service for some years, and attaining promotion to the rank of Lieutenant under Admiral De Winter. While in this service be visited the most important places in Europe and Asia, and passed some considerable time at Smyrna and Ceylon.
In the year 1790, he came to this country under the patronage of Mr. Stadnitski of Amsterdam, the principal director of the Holland Land Company's affairs in America.
In the year 1792, he penetrated the wilderness of Central New York, and surveyed the land subsequently purchased by the Holland Land Company, and early in the following year (1793), intrusted with the agency of the tract, he commenced the actual settlement of Cazenovia, naming it after his friend Mr. Cazenove, an Italian. Young, active, and persevering, he turned his attention to the needs of his new settlement, and at once commenced laying out roads, building bridges, erecting mills and ware- houses, and all that a new home demanded, and he soon found himself surrounded by a prosperous community, in
JOHN LINCKLAEN. Founder of Cazenovia.
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the place where his refined taste had induced him to make his new home.
In this active way he labored for nearly thirty years, and won for himself a reputation for integrity and accuracy, and proved himself in all ways a friend to the poor, and a neighbor devoted to the welfare of his townsmen.
John Lincklaen's name was also connected with the Holland Purchase in the Genesee country. According to the then existing laws of this State, those of the Holland Company then in Holland, could not purchase and hold real estate, being aliens. After several changes in the trustees, and transfers of portions of the land, sanctioned by the Legislature, the whole tract of the celebrated "Morris Reserve," containing about three and a quarter million acres, was deeded to the individuals, in their own names, who represented the three separate branches of the Holland Company. These were :- Herman Leroy, John Linck- laen and Gerrit Boon. In conveyances of these vast estates made subsequently, we find the names of Herman Leroy and Hannah his wife, John Lincklaen and Helen his wife, Gerrit Boon, Paul Busti, William Bayard, James McEvers, the Willinks, and others.
His acquaintance embraced many learned and distin- guished men, (among them Talleyrand, at the time seeking in America a refuge from European disturbances ;) and his reading, as evinced by his library, was varied and extensive, in English, Dutch and French. He rendered the English language with purity and ease, for which we have the excellent authority of President Nott, of Union College, who said that he knew of no foreigner who used our. language so correctly as Mr. Lincklaen. His tastes were scholarly and literary, which gave to his graceful per- son, always elegant in dress and manner, an air of refine- ment, and which marked him as one of nature's superior types of men. His high sense of honor, his deep love of integrity, together with his fineness of organization,
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placed him beyond the ordinary mind ; hence there seemed between himself and the mass a distance, perhaps affecting his general popularity, which was not the offspring of pride, but was, rather, owing to an awkwardness in adapting him- self to the mass. Between himself and Peter Smith there existed intimate business and friendly relations, their friend- liness being in a great measure cemented by harmonious views in politics, both being Federalists. Frequent visits were interchanged in which Gerrit Smith, then a youth, often participated. In those days Gerrit Smith learned to admire and love Mr. Lincklaen, whose fine and noble qualities, in all the years that have passed, he has cherished and revered ; and now he says :- "in my eye Mr. Linck- laen was a beautiful man, a lovely character."
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