USA > New York > Madison County > History of Madison County, state of New York > Part 20
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David Paddock, Gideon Foster, Samuel Bowen, James Nye and David Mayne, sen., also came early.
Samuel Bowen kept the first store opened in the town, on the side hill, just north of the corporation, on the turn- pike (or plank road).
James Nye located on Lot 54, where he cleared a beau- tiful farm, and resided many years.
David Mayne located at the head of the reservoir ; he reared a large family, several being daughters, all of them dying in youth. This family were at one time prominent. David Mayne, jr., was a surveyor and teacher, a Justice of the Peace for many years, and a member of Assembly. He was a man of great memory, of good judgment, and was
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highly respected. One of his sons resides on the home- stead, the other is a teacher in Rochester.
Aaron, Belden, Isaac and Nathan Paddock, young men, came with their mother from Dutchess County, and located north of DeRuyter. All were afterwards married and re- mained in this vicinity. At one time they also were a prom- inent family.
Holbrook and Hitchcock came in 1802, and took up their farms adjoining DeRuyter, in the town of Cuyler. Being so near the village, where they transacted business, they were reckoned as belonging to DeRuyter.
The first death in town was that of Gideon Foster, which occurred in 1796. It was early in the spring, and the scarcity of food for cattle compelled all the settlers to resort to browsing. Mr. Foster, in his labor of this kind, over- taxed his strength, and brought on an aggravated form of hernia, to which he was subject, which terminated in his death in forty-eight hours. Any decimation of their small numbers caused real sorrow in this community, and the suddenness of this event, removing one by death, was there- fore felt as a calamity. A burial ground was then laid out, on the farm of Eljah Benjamin, and here, for the first time, the earth closed over the body of a white settler. This spot was for many years the only burial ground of this vicinity ; the remains of many of DeRuyter's pioneers are resting here.
Dr. Hubbard Smith was the pioneer physician and was the only one for many years. His practice was an extensive one, and he was universally esteemed. Dr. Smith early built the house which is now the boarding house of the De- Ruyter Institute. He was the first Postmaster of DeRuy- ter.
The first school house in town was a log structure built on lot No. 20, near the Messenger tavern. Eli Gage was . the first teacher, in the winter of 1799.
Frederick, the fourth son of Elijah Benjamin, was the
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second white native (as the records show) of DeRuyter, born in 1798. He received his fine and healthy physical, moral and mental education in this town ; to the influences of his home was he indebted for the true manhood he bore with him to the home of his adoption in Belvidere, Ill. He died in the autumn of 1868, aged seventy-four years.
We have the names of several who came previous to 1805 : Abram Sutton, from Westchester County, N. Y., John Pierce and wife, from New York ; Dr. Ephraim Otis, from Saratoga, N. Y. ; Job Webb, from Hudson, N. Y., and Benjamin Stratton.
Tiddeman Hull and his son George, came from Hudson, Columbia County, N. Y., in 1805. They located in the town of Cuyler, Cortiand County, about two miles from DeRuyter village ; living so near, they were regarded as a part of the same brotherhood of pioneers. Their "meet- ing" (Friends,) was at DeRuyter, and their business was transacted there. These men cleared a large farm. At this period DeRuyter village had only about six log houses. A little building containing a few goods, situated where the meat market now stands, was called a store and was kept by one Gray. There was more business transacted at other settlements in the vicinity than here. The mills of Paddock & Benjamin exhibited considerable enterprise; the Hulls, however, at a period somewhat later, but previous to 1815, built a grist mill and saw mill, and kept a store of goods at their place in Cuyler, and thereby drew a considerable trade from the DeRuyter settlement. George Hull also manu- factured cast iron plows, having obtained the right from the patentee by paying two dollars on every plow he made The first cast iron plow made in Cortland County was. turned out at George Hull's establishment, and he sold the first one that was bought in Madison County. George Hull is yet living in DeRuyter village, (June 22, 1871,) aged eighty-five years.
The Harts, two brothers, came from Connecticut and
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located near the village, but over the line in Cortland County. Abram Hart soon settled in DeRuyter village.
Richard Worth came about the same period, (1805,) and Joseph Mitchell came from Dutchess County in 1807. The latter had a wife and family of several children.
Stephen Bogardus was another from Columbia County. It is related that he moved from there in a wagon, bringing with him his household goods, a barrel of old irons, (being a blacksmith,) among which he packed $2,000 of specie, for safety along a route where sometimes highway robbers lurked, knowing that emigrants often possessed nice little sums of money which they had carefully husbanded for years, to help them on in the new country.
Matthew Wells came into this town from Petersburg, Rensselaer County, N. Y., in the year 1800. He located permanently on lots No. 3 and 4, Tromp Township (125 acres,) and lots No. 129 and 130, Road Township, (89 acres,) making one of the most beautiful and productive farms of the county, containing 214 acres. His family con- sisted of one son, Matthew, jr., who was ten years old when the family moved, and five daughters. They all lived to be married, and all died in consecutive order from the youngest to the oldest. Of the family of Matthew Wells, jr., there were twelve children, eight sons and four daughters, only four of whom are now living. J. B. Wells of DeRuyter, is one of the sons.
Eleazer H. Sears was one of the settlers about this time. His family was quite prominent for many years; Stephen G., George S. and Francis Sears, his sons, all now deceased, were influential men.
Jonathan Bentley, a native of Richmond, Rhode Island, was married in Easton, N. Y., his wife being a native of Westerly, Rhode Island. They removed in 1808 to De- Ruyter. Hampton S. and the late Gen. Z. T. Bentley, their sons, were children at this time. Mr. Bentley improved a handsome farm, and reared and educated an influential
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family. The son, H. S. Bentley, died a few years since in Michigan. Gen. Z. T. Bentley, died in Oneida in 1870 .* Eli Spear became a settler here previous to 1809.
Benjamin Merchant was also an early settler, and took up a large farm at the head of the reservoir. His eldest son, Bradley, now resides on the farm. M. R. Merchant, another son, is a merchant of DeRuyter village. Hon. Joseph Warren Merchant is still another of this family.
While the vicinity of DeRuyter village was being fast populated, other sections of the town were receiving their share of emigrants. Jonathan Shed came in from Brim- field, Mass., in the year 1800, and settled on lot No. 118. From him and his locality, comes the name of " Sheds Cor- ners." The original frame house built by Mr. Shed was erected previous to 1812, and stood at the north end of Alverson B. White's dairy barn, in 1870.
Levi Wood also came from Brimfield, Mass., in the year 1803, and took up lot No. 135. His first purchase, which was from Mr. Lincklaen, consisted of III acres, for which he paid $5 an acre. The price of land had doubled within the past two years, and the increase continued for a few subsequent years. Mr. Wood sold a portion of his land the next year at $7 per acre. Levi Wood was born in the town of Munson, Hampton County, Mass., in 1778, and is consequently now (1869,) ninety-one years old. He still resides on the noble farm he redeemed from the wilder- ness. The " Oneida Dispatch," in the autumn of '69, men- tioned the fact that "Levi Wood, who voted for John Adams, and at every Presidential election since, was pres- ent at election (in DeRuyter,) and cast his vote for Grant and Colfax." The aged veteran is still in possession of ex- cellent physical and mental health.
When Mr. Wood returned east for his family in 1804, he took a route leading through Georgetown, and found not one family from DeRuyter to Lebanon.
* See " sketches " at close of chapter.
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The first frame house built at Sheds Corners was erect- ed by Pliny Sabins about 1808. D. M. & A. D. Gardner reside (in 1870,) where Mr. Sabins built.
The first frame barn was built by Caleb Wood, and stood near the saw mill, on land belonging to Mrs. W. I. Alvord. As there were no saw mills in the town at that date, (1806,) the timbers, rafters, braces, &c., were hewn. The boards, all pine, were drawn from near Cazenovia vil- lage. The men who assisted at the "raising" came from distances of five miles around.
The first school house in this district was a log one, sit- uated on the south side of the road, east of where Levi Wood resides. Ample territory was embraced in this dis- trict, and the large families of the pioneers made a full and flourishing school.
As late as 1812-13, school was taught at Sheds Corners in a log house, but during 1813, the first frame one was put up, where Willard M. Smith's garden now is, on the north side of the Georgetown road, near the corner. Jonathan Shed was the first teacher.
The first death at Sheds Corners was Daniel Alvord, about 1809.
Among the early settlers in this vicinity were : Daniel Alvord, from Northampton, Mass .; David Weeks, from Long Island ; Caleb Wiley, Benjamin Northrup, John Leet, from Sherburne, Mass .; Dwight Gardner, from Brimfield, Mass. ; Joseph Holmes, native of Munson, Mass.
A number of Quakers came in soon after 1800, and settled in a romantic spot which was named Quaker Basin. Among these families may be mentioned the Russels, Woods, Rings, Shephards, Breeds, Abram Sutton and others, men of considerable competence, whose sober, in- dustrious habits have left an indelible impress upon the character of the town. Abram Sutton came early and set- tled a half mile north of DeRuyter village; he reared a large family and a prominent one. The only surviving son, Allen, resides in this village.
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In 1816, the "Friends" meeting house at " Quaker Basin " was built, and is still standing, a specimen of the archi- tecture common among the Friends all over the country at that day. It was built of excellent material, which its shingled sides have protected from decay, in spite of the wind and weather of more than a half century. Its builde was Abram Sutton, who performed the job for the sum of $999,-one dollar less than the figures of any other bidder.
There is a locality east of DeRuyter village, on the line of the Midland Branch, called Crumb Hill.
Sylvester Crumb and Grace, his wife, came from Rhode Island about 1803. Eight sons came with them, Sylvester, jr., William, Joel, Culver, Hosea, Sands, John and Wait. Sylvester, jr., who had preceded them to the town of Brook- field, two years before, now joined his father on his removal to DeRuyter. The father and most of the sons, when they reached manhood, settled upon the hill which has since borne their name. The land they took up was a dense wilderness, and as they were poor, and but little could be raised the first year, they experienced great privations for a time.
Col. Elmer D. Jencks came into this town from Smyrna, in 1809. He was a native of Lenox, Mass., and emigrated to Smyrna when that town was a dense forest. He located a mile north of DeRuyter village, where he carried on a dis- tillery on the Messenger farm. He continued this business till 1814, when he removed to the village, and entered the mercantile business in a store located a little west of the corners. The same building is now (1871,) owned by Lewis Sears, and is situated west of the M. E. Church. In 1817, Col. Jencks built a store on the northeast corner, now oc- cupied by Daniel Scott ; from this time on he continued in the same business about forty years.
In 1809, DeRuyter village could boast of a tavern, kept by Daniel Page, and a store, kept by Eli Spear, the latter situated on the southwest corner where he afterwards kept Q
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store and tavern together. Page's tavern and Spear's store were frame buildings, and there was a small collection of houses, mostly log. A saw mill, then owned by Lawrence Barker, stood on the location of the present one owned by J. H. Crumb ; also, Eli Spear had a potash located perhaps ten rods from the southeast corner. Daniel Watson built about this time the first frame house of the village.
In 1812, DeRuyter was a post-village. The census of two years before (1810,) gave the town-still including the present territory of Georgetown, be it remembered-a pop- ulation of 1,503, with 253 heads of families. There were then, also, three grain and eight saw mills.
During, or a little subsequent to the last named date, the fourth Great Western Turnpike,-from Cooperstown to Homer,-was being built, which was completed about 1815. This gave a fresh influx of inhabitants to this section, though the growth of DeRuyter village was gradual.
The first school house of the village was built about 1812, and was for many years the only one.
In 1816, came the "cold season." There was a frost in every month. The crops were cut off, and the meagre harvest of grain was nowhere near sufficient for the needs of the people. The whole of the newly settled interior of New York was also suffering from the same cause. The inhabitants saw famine approaching .* What little grain there was that could be purchased at all, was held at remarkable prices, and this scant supply soon failed. Jon- athan Bentley at one time paid two dollars for a bushel of corn, which, when ground, proved so poor that it was unfit for use ; throwing it to his swine, they too refused the vile food. Every resource for sustenance was carefully hus- banded; even forest berries and roots were preserved. The spring of 1817 developed the worst phases of want.
*The alarm and depression so wrought upon the feelings of the community, that a religious revival ensued; and during the summer, Elder Hudson Benedict, Baptist minister, baptized sixty converts in this town.
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In various sections of the country, families were brought to the very verge of starvation! One relates that he was obliged to dig up the potatoes he had planted, to furnish one meal 'a day to his famishing family ; another states that his father's family lived for months without bread, save what was obtained in small crusts for his sick mother, and that milk was their chief sustenance. When the planting season arrived there was no seed grain in De Ruyter, so the inhabitants combined and sent Jeremiah Gage to Onondaga County to canvass for wheat and corn. He was absent several days, and the people, all alive to the impor- tance of his mission, grew discouraged, fearing there was none to be found. At length he was seen approaching along the road where the head of the reservoir now is, his wagon loaded, his handkerchief fastened to a pole and hoisted, fluttering in the breeze, a signal of joy and plenty. A crowd quickly gathered ; there was great rejoicing and tears stood in strong men's eyes. Each family repaired to Gage's house to receive their quota of grain, and every household that day was glad. Although a backward season, that of 1817, furnished sufficient for a fair winter supply.
The first quarter of the ninteenth century was now pass- ing ; it had exhibited a phase in history not to be repeated here in all after time; and in passing it is well to record any anecdote illustrating the peculiar trials the inhabitants had to contend with, the exciting occurrences that engrossed their attention, and the nature of the enjoyments they found amid so many privations. As one of these we quote the following from a newspaper :-
" In the early days the huntsmen found plenty of deer, while the bear and wolf roamed the forest in unconscious freedom. Notwithstanding the Onondaga Indians frequently encamped on this eastern branch of their favorite Tioughnioga, and made this town a part of their vast hunting ground, yet these bold brute prowlers kept the settlers ever on the alert to guard their flocks, who in their journeys were usually prepared for a defensive war- fare, should an encounter occur.
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" An incident, illustrating the royal freedom of the black bear, occurred in the year 1796. David Paddock, with his two young nephews, David and Elijah E. Benjamin, were crossing the hill west of DeRuyter village, when they observed that the small dog which accompanied them came running in from its circuitous rambles, exhibiting much fear. However, it again ran off, but in a short space of time returned, pursued by a huge black bear. The three were unarmed, and their only resort was in climbing trees. Their fright was great, and their haste rapid, though they wisely selected trees too small for the bear to ascend easily, yet large enough to enable them to get beyond her reach. Mis- tress Bruin, on arriving at the spot, deliberately sat down, com- placently looked at her captives for some time, and probably calculating her chances of securing them to be small, and not being in a ravenous condition, finally arose and marched majes- tically away into the depths of the forest, to the infinite relief of the three prisoners.
At one time the wolves considerably decimated the flocks at Sheds Corners. Levi Wood lost a number of sheep in their frequent raids, and at one time a bear killed a fine hog for him.
In 1809, there was a great turn out to capture a wolf, which was killed upon the hill west of the Rich mill.
Thus the settlers were compelled to sustain a perpetual war- fare with the untamed forces of animate and inanimate nature, while privations were many, and the appliances of comfort were few. Rude furniture, much of it of their own manufacture, graced their humble dwellings, while every article brought from their native homes was guarded with tender care. Implements of farming were of the most primitive fashion. The brush drag, the cumbrous imperfect plow, and other articles few in number, and unhandy in use, were all our forefathers could afford. All early transportation was done on horses' backs, and the settler knew well what a severe task it was to perform a journey to mill, which, previous to the building of the Rich Mills, was made over the hills to Onondaga settlement, or up to Cazenovia. The first one-horse wagon owned in this section, one informant says, be- longed to Squire John Gardner, about 1820.
After the supplies of ready cash, brought by the settlers when they came, were exhausted, they had but scanty means for ob- taining money. In the earliest days nothing they had, brought cash but " black salts," which every farmer manufactured from the ashes saved from "burnings." As soon as clearings pro- gressed, wheat was raised, but which, for years, brought only five shillings a bushel. Wages were extremely low, and each man preferred to change works with his neighbor rather than pay money.
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And yet, with all their hardships, they prospered ; their wants were few, and their few pleasures were keenly enjoyed. It was remarked by an aged lady, that when there were but few families, living quite distant from each other, a visit was enjoyed to the utmost, and there was no fear of criticism, gossip or backbiting to mar the full flow of friendliness. Modern fashionable calls and tea-parties, from the very hollowness of the pretensions made, suffer much in comparison with the noble friendship de- veloped amid trials.
As population multiplied, and demands of a social nature increased, parties of pleasure sweetened the days of toil. An afternoon's visit, perhaps a "bee " of some nature, a " quilting," a "wool picking," or maybe a "husking," is planned, to which the young ladies for many miles around are invited,-the young men in the evening coming in on horseback to spend the remain- ing festive hours, perhaps bringing a violinist with their party. After the work of the "bee" is completed, and refreshments freely dispensed, a few hours of gay amusement terminates the party, when each gallant places his fair partner upon his horse behind him. Her long custom to this manner of riding, enables her to sit with ease and grace, with only the firm grasp of her little right hand upon the coat of her protector, under his right arm. The "pillory" is sometimes used, but oftener dispensed with, the well trained horse being perfectly gentle un- der his double burden.
However, accidents did sometimes take place. One is relat- ed which happened to a young lady of De Ruyter, who, with her companion, was riding home from a party held in the vicin- ity of Sheds Corners. During the evening a heavy shower had fallen, and, as the party started, our fair equestrian, clad in white, even to the dainty white kid shoe, gathered up her muslin dress, and enveloped in a protecting cloak, took her seat upon the horse at the back of her escort. All went well, and a pleas- ant chat they were having, when ascending the steep hill south of Sheds Corners, by the quick movement of the horse as he sprang up an unusually steep ridge, her grasp was suddenly loos- ened, and the dignity of the damsel received a mortifying humiliation as she alighted in the mud, while her kids and snowy muslin were rendered quite unpresentable. Her considerate companion reassuringly assisted her to her place again, yet her great embarrassment found no relief until she bade him "good night," and closed her father's door as he rode away.
An instance of the intractibility of a horse on a similar occa- sion is also related. This party was also held in the same neighborhood. At its conclusion, when nearly all the company had mounted their horses, each beau with his respective partner
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seated at the back of his saddle, it was found that one horse re- fused to submit to the burden. Repeated efforts were made, but each time the young lady took her seat the disobedient animal unseated her. Two young men then mounted the horse, and after a short time in training he apparently yielded to the ar- rangement. Our persevering heroine again sprang to her place, when the mad animal, with heels flying in the air, once more un- ceremoniously compelled her to alight. It was evidently unwise to further attempt this course, and at last the young man found it was necessary to lead his horse the whole distance home, a mile and a half, that his fair partner might ride in the saddle.
Incidents like the foregoing furnish material for many a hearty laugh at their own expense, by the survivors of those sportive scenes ; and not only do these find pleasure in such recitals, so also does the veteran schoolmaster delight in recounting the pleasures of "boarding round ;" of the abundant luxuries and merry makings at each new home he found, in his revolution around the district ; of the days when teachers' wages were $8 a month in winter, and six shillings a week in summer. It is re- lated that a gentleman well known in public circles, thirty- five years ago taught a summer school in this town for $1 a week. He was a competent and highly esteemed teacher, and the price he received was greater than had been previously paid. Com- mon schools in the past seem to have furnished education almost without money or price, nevertheless the schools of DeRuyter have been her glory and her strength. They have nurtured and sent forth into the world a class of distinguished and highly en- dowed spirits.
But very much of the credit for this, must of course be awarded to the teachers employed, who were often very fortunately selected. Among these was David Mayne, Esq., who taught many years in De Ruyter, and was regarded by all heads of families as the teacher best qualified to train the youth. He taught several consecutive seasons in the Burdick district, and was sought as teacher in all sections of the town. He was loved and respected by his pupils everywhere ; from him they received instruction in morals and religion as well as in learning; to him a large number of De Ruyter's citizens, once his pupils, are in- debted for a correct formation of character. Our public men whom this town has sent forth, who have made them- selves honored abroad and have adorned the positions they
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occupied, are largely indebted to David Mayne for the elements of their education and the founding of right prin- ciples and noble manhood. Among those who were his pupils, we mention Gen. Zadock T. Bentley, attorney and counselor at law ; Paul Chase, well known as a long time teacher and rare scholar ; Dr. Phineas H. Burdick, A. V. Bentley, Esq., J. B. Wells, Esq., Hon. John F. Benjamin, M. C. from Missouri ; Albert G. Burdick, Esq., Sanford M. Green, an eminent lawyer and recently one of the Judges of the Supreme Court of the State of Michigan ; the late Joel Burdick, Esq., Hon. James W. Nye, U. S. Senator from Nevada, and the late Hon. Henry C. Goodwin, M. C. from this Congressional District, and formerly District At- torney for Madison County.
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