USA > New York > Madison County > History of Madison County, state of New York > Part 34
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Nathan Brownell was at one time quite extensively en- gaged in the mercantile business here, having his store on the corner opposite the store now kept by Mr. Nash.
About 1835, a select school was established at Hubbards- ville, which was taught by a Mr. Niles of Lebanon. It was largely patronized. This school continued with varied suc- cess, yet maintaining an excellent reputation, when it was incorporated in the year 1850, as the Hubbardsville Acade- my. This was due the enterprise of the citizens, and the exertions of Prof. P. Woods, who was the first teacher after the charter was granted. The school was very successfully conducted for a time. It has since become extinct. In 1837, the school building was erected.
At present, Hubbardsville has one store, Clark Nash, proprietor, a post office, grist mill, saw mill, and a fine school house, where religious meetings are held.
Calvin Hubbard, from whom this place is named, is still living, at a very advanced age. He has been a successful farmer, as his broad and well tilled acres show. Those beautiful maples along the street, from Hubbardsville to the Center, were set out by him.
David Dunbar, also an early settler of Hubbardsville, was another superior farmer. James H. Dunbar, son of David Dunbar, purchased a farm of H. P. Potter, and being an ac- tive, energetic man, he became one of the most scientific
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farmers of this section. He was awarded the first premium by the Madison County Agricultural Society, in 1851, as having the best cultivated farm in the county.
A rich farming country surrounds Hubbardsville, East Hamilton, and extends to the southward along the. Chenan- go. It betokens good soil and well directed labor and care of the husbandman. Undoubtedly, competition has stimu- lated effort. Fine farm houses are everywhere to be seen, and the town exhibits no more beautiful farms in all her borders. It is one of the great hop growing localities of the State. Hubbardsville is the home of the prominent hop contractor, Mr. Charles Green.
The Ackley farmers of East Hamilton, have been con- spicuous in agricultural societies, having frequently been awarded premiums for their stock.
The large farm taken up by Ezekiel Lord, (two miles south of East Hamilton on the old turnpike,) is one of the best of that section, and is now under superior cultivation under the care of his grandson, O. B. Lord, Esq., who owns it. The Lord farmers have been foremost among ag- riculturists.
Stephen Brainard was one of the early successful farmers and public spirited citizens, so useful in all communities, and especially valuable in the new country.
The Nash family, who were among the earliest settlers of this section of Hamilton, were from Plainfield, Herkimer County. Their descendants are numerous in various parts of the town. Clark Nash, Esq., merchant at Hubbards- ville, is of this family,
HAMILTON CENTER .- As in several towns in this county, the center was selected by some of the inhabitants as the place for the village of the town, and in Hamilton Center the first Congregational Church of the town was built, about 1800.
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Prominent among the early members were the names of Patrick Shields and wife, Abijah Snow, Abijah Poole, Eli Ackley, Elisha Swift, Daniel Nash, Thomas Foster and his wife, Mrs. - Hubbard, Dea. Jonathan Stevens, Stephen Brainard, Ezekiel Lord, and many others of the early set- tlers. About 1840 the church was removed from the Cen- ter to Poolville.
The Universalist Church was established by Rev. Na- thaniel Stacy, the widely known and gifted evangelist of that denomination.
In the center burial ground, nearly all the early settlers were buried, and so loved and sacred has the spot been held by the families, that many of their members, dying while sojourning in distant places, have been returned to mingle their dust with their kindred.
The proposed village at the Center, however, did not thrive, for as soon as business men saw better prospects in other localities they hastened to avail themselves of such facilities. There is now some twelve or fifteen dwelling houses at the Center, and the Universalist Church.
Southwest of East Hamilton, and a half mile south of Poolville, on the old turnpike, there used to be a tavern which held forth for many years, for the benefit of the turn- pike. Its proprietor, Moses Campbell, owned an ashery, near by, which, as many as fifty years ago, was the center of a great excitement, it being the resort and hiding-place of counterfeiters. They were detected in their nefarious proceeding ; the officers of the law came in upon them, broke up their gang, and some of the number found a home in State Prison.
POOLVILLE .- About 1825, this village received its name from the Messrs. Poole, who built up its manufacturing works. Mr. James Williams was one of the early propri- etors of the soil.
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Isaac Poole was first engaged in the Shattuck clothier mill, south of Poolville. In 1825, the Pooles built a woolen factory, in the firm name of Isaac & Randall Poole. It was a small establishment, where, chiefly, satinets were made. This was one of the first woolen factories of this county.
In 1826, Caleb Loud and Elias Hunt came from Boston, and set up a boot and shoe manufactory, the business being carried on under the firm name of Amos & Isaac Poole. The boot and shoe factory employed from thirty to forty women, and the wholesale business was quite extensive. Mr. Loud also built a tannery, the one now owned by Mr. Henry Berry.
In 1827, Mr. Randall Poole was killed by accident, which caused a change in the firm name. Mr. Poole's death cre- ated a great deal of excitement. We have the following statements concerning the lamentable affair : Mr. Poole had entered the factory early, to open the gate preparatory to starting the wheel, for the water was frozen about it. While engaged in this work, and alone, he received a fatal blow upon his head, in what manner it is not known ; the appear- ances only left his friends to conjecture that it was probably from the slipping of some implement he was using as a lever, or from something falling. He was found, not long after, lying upon the ice, dying. This occurred Dec. 12, 1827.
After this, Amos Poole belonged to the factory firm, and later, Mr. Loren Snow* joined his name to the Pooles.
In 1830, Mr. Enos Wood moved into Poolville, and set up a machine shop, and there made factory machinery, in which he was engaged for several years.
About 1835, Mr. Nathan Eaton removed to Poolville and purchased the Poole factory. Mr. Eaton improved the
* Loren Snow was one of the first men of the village, a thorough-going, active business man, a main pillar in church and society. He was an architect and builder by trade, and prosecuted that business to a large extent. In many of the villages of this county are fine and substantial buildings constructed by Dr. Loren Snow. He subsequently removed to Freeport, Illinoi., where he died, and where members of h s family still reside.
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works, opened a store, and.run a large ashery in connection. He prosecuted a large business for a number of years.
During the period between 1830 and '40, Poolville, with her various manufactories, her shops, stores and tavern, was wearing an air of thrift and enterprise unheard of be- fore. The Congregational Church was removed here, and a Methodist Society had been organized, (they subsequently built themselves a house of worship,) many tasteful cottages had been built, and altogether, it was a very pretty and live- ły village.
There came a time, however, when woolen manufactories declined throughout the country. This mill at Poolville, like others, run down, and the business was finally given up and the mill sold. It was in time converted into a grist mill which is now owned by Mr. James Jackson. The boot and shoe firm removed, and that business ceased. Mr. Enos Wood removed to Pierceville where he continued his ma- chine works for the Pierce Factory Co. In Poolville, Mr. Allen Wood, now senior member of the firm of Wood, Ta- bor & Morse, of the Engine Works at Eaton, first started as machinist with his uncle, Enos Wood.
There is now in Poolville, one store, one tavern, some mechanic shops, a saw mill, grist mill, tannery, and about thirty dwelling houses, and the M. E. Church.
In South Hamilton, one William Comstock, suffering with delirium tremens, killed his father and mother with a spider, cut out their hearts and roasted them on a stove. He plead guilty and was sent to State Prison during life. He is now living, an old grey headed man, having been a prisorer fourteen years, and is the oldest prisoner in that institution.
HAMILTON VILLAGE.
Lots No. I and 2, and Nos. 19 and 20, which make the village corporation, were purchased-No. I by Timothy
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Rogers, Daniel Brown and Thomas Hart ; No. 2 by Elisha Payne ; No. 19 by Samuel Payne ; No. 20 by Theophilus Pierce.
Elisha Payne made the first frame building in the town, a barn, the timbers of which, including the braces and rafters, were hewed. The barn is still in existence, owned by Mr. Patrick. Squire Payne (as Elisha Payne was better known,) kept tavern in his first dwelling immediately after his ar- rival and settlement here. In 1802, he built his new tav- ern, which stood on the corner of Broad and Lebanon streets. This was a fine building for that day, and has re- mained a landmark until the present year. It has, this sum- mer, been removed to make place for the new block being built .* It was found on moving the building that its joists and rafters, as well as its frame were all of hewed timber, quite strong, and in a pretty good state of preservation.
There was a small frame tavern, built before this of 1802, which stood where the Park House now is, as early as 1800. It was a small house with two rooms facing the south and with a shed running back on the east.
As early as 1800, Payne's Settlement had, besides the two taverns above mentioned, a frame school house on Broad street, a square roofed building standing on what was then the public green, at the head of the present Park, which was afterwards moved near the site of the Union School building ; a frame dwelling house on Broad street, the residence of Dr. Greenly, and the frame house of Ben- jamin Pierce. Joseph Colwell was keeping store on the corner of Broad and Lebanon streets where Mr. Woodruff now is. This was the first store of the village. Mr. Col- well continued at the same stand until 1816, when in com- pany with Capt. Steere, he built the brick store, on the site of the present store of Foote & Gaskill. The frame of Mr. Colwell's first store is still in existence, and is the frame of
*The new block built by our enterprising townsman, Adon Smith, Esq., is of brick, modern and complete in its fair proportions.
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Rev. Mr. Ludden's barn. There was also at that period a saw mill belonging to Ichabod Wheeler, located on the Chenango, not far from the present grist mill, and a small grist mill at the same place, in which Mr. Wheeler had an interest. This mill was subsequently taken down to make place for the present grist mill built by Mr. William Pierce.
The Baptist denomination organized a society as early as 1796 and held meetings in the school house.
So rapid were the improvements, in and about the settle- ment, that by 1806 large portions of land were cleared and most bountiful crops were growing, small orchards were set out, and each farmer (all the inhabitants were farmers then,) was getting into comfortable circumstances. The manufac- ture of salts, the only money paying business of that day was quite extensively carried on.
During 1808 and 1809, the noted French refugee, Louis Anathe Muller, made his residence in this village. The house he occupied is yet standing next the M. E. Church. Muller was very quiet, reserved and non-committal in his manner while living here, and many believed him to be Louis Phillippe. When he had completed his Georgetown mansion, he removed there.
In 1809, Payne's Settlement, as the village was still called, had comparatively but few inhabitants. These men were, however, of sufficient stamina to predict prosperity to the growing village.
The village had so increased that they succeeded in obtaining a charter, incorporating the village of Hamil- ton, bearing date April 12, 1812.
At this period, Rogers & Pierce owned the grist mill and saw mill, situated near the place where the Utica, Clinton and Binghamton Railroad depot has been recently located. The Park House, which was built and kept by Artemus How- ard for many years, had succeeded the little frame tavern. Although it was a house of no small pretentions for that day, and was justly famous for its excellent management, yet its
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appearance was exceedingly modest, when compared with its present style. Repairs, additions and modern arrange- ments, have quite transformed the little tavern of 1812 into the present Park House.
A store was kept by Clark & Dorrance, and had been for some years on the location opposite Squire Payne's tavern ; it stood nearly on the same ground where Mr. Fairchild now lives. Charles T. Dearing, (who was Revenue Collec- tor during the war of 1812,) afterwards succeeded to the lo- cation of Clark & Dorrance, where he traded till 1816, when he and Henry M. Graves, individually, built on the opposite side of the street, one-half of those brick buildings which were added to by the other half after 1820, and now form the brick block on the southwesterly side of Broad street.
A small, red building, standing where the present book store now is, which was built years before by Dr. Greenly, and rented for a store to Graves & Dascom, was now (in 1812,) kept by Graves & Fargo.
The Baptist meeting house, built in 1810, was situated near the center of the village, on what was then the village green, near the north end of the Park ; its precise location was afterwards used for Broad street .*
Therefore, as is shown above, the village, in 1812, had two taverns,-Squire Payne's and the little tavern which grew into the Park House ; three stores, viz: the one kept by Graves & Fargo, in the small building above mentioned, the Colwell store on the Woodruff corner, and that of C. T. Dearing, who had succeeded Clark & Dorrance ; the school house, which had been moved to its location near the Union school house, where town meetings were held ; the Baptist meeting house, and about twenty-five dwellings.
In 1816, a new impulse was manifest, which resulted in the upspringing of various enterprises.
*Haight & Chappell built a distillery about 1810, and kept it for a time. finally passed into the hands of Deacon Osgood.
B2
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As before stated, Dearing & Graves built the half of those brick buildings on the southwesterly side of Broad street, that year ; also Joseph Colwell and Capt. Steere built the brick store, which was afterwards taken down and re- built by Capt. Steere, and which is now the hardware store of Foote & Gaskill. The old brick Academy was also built in 1816. Between that date and 1820, the Baptist Educa- tion Society perfected those measures which gave Hamilton village Madison University.
` Although the village was the home of some of the most eminent lawyers and talented political men of that day, and the rendezvous of great military companies and the ground of their parades, also the mercantile center for a great ter- ritory round about, yet the desire to promote the cause of education became the paramount idea which actuated the important movements of those days. The leading minds of the village were deeply imbued with its sentiments, and freely used their means in the object. As a first step, the Academy was originated. Its first trustees, who were also its founders, were : Elisha Payne, Thomas H. Hubbard, Thomas Greenly, Peter B. Havens, Esek Steere, Joseph B. Peck, John Foote, Samuel W. Osgood, William Pierce, 2d, George Lawton, Nathaniel Stacy, Thomas Wylie and John G. Stower .*
The Academy building, a brick structure, was erected in 1816, on the site of the present residence of D. J. Mitchell, Esq., corner of Broad and Pleasant streets. The lower story was used for the district school, which was in fact, the primary department of the Academy. In the second story the Academy was held. Its first principal was Gen. Nathaniel King.
In 1820, when the Baptist Education Society located their school in Hamilton, it was opened in the third story of the Academy building, which they occupied till 1823 ;
*Of the above named trustees, John Foote is the only survivor, at the date, July, 1872.
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then they erected their first edifice, the Stone Academy. After the removal of the Theological School into their own edifice, the trustees of the Brick Academy had the third story taken off. The Hamilton Academy was incorporated by the Regents of the University of the State of New York, Febuary 23, 1824.
Professor Zenas Morse succeeded Gen. King as Principal. He was assisted by lady teachers, the first of whom was Miss Emily Hayes.
In 1827, the Theological Institution built their first edifice on the hill, (the western,) and their stone building in the village was rented by the trustees of the Hamilton Academy, to be used for the male department, and the brick building was used for the female department. This institution, then under the supervision of Prof. Morse, ranked second in the State, i. e., next to the Albany Academy.
The old Academy was justly regarded by the citizens with pride ; it is spoken of in terms of affectionate remem- brance, and regret that it was allowed to run down. Its decline was owing to a variety of causes ; the University Grammar School incorporated in 1853, withdrew numbers of young men, and the Board suffered a heavy loss in the burning of the brick building in 1855. They were after- wards induced to supplant the Academy by the Female Seminary.
According to the Regent's report, Hamilton Academy had at one time 130 students, 67 pursuing a classical course ; number of volumes in its Library, 831 ; value of Library and apparatus, $1,500. The Academy went down about 1857.
The Hamilton Female Seminary was first opened by Mr. Clinton Buell, who bought the residence of Dr. Havens on Broad street, remodeled it and commenced his school in 1856. It was incorporated by the Regents of the Univers- ity of the State of New York, Jan. 17, 1856. Mr. Buell conducted the school about three years, when he was suc-
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ceded by Misses Wallace and Fields. Misses Waters and Hastings, Preceptress and Assistant, conducted it for a time, under whose skillful and efficient management, the Seminary was highly successful as a school, though it was not, and had never been from the beginning, a financial success. Subsequently, the school was discontinued for a time, until it was revived under the charge of Rev Charles A. Raymond, who had formerly been Principal of a Semi- nary of like character in Virginia. This was in 1861, or about that time. After two years labor Mr. Raymond left the school, and it was again discontinued.
The Regents' report of 1859, gave to Hamilton Female Seminary, the number of students, 158; those pursuing a classical course, 117; value of Library and apparatus, $778 ; number of volumes in Library, 427.
After both academy and seminary had ceased to exist, the stone building was taken down, and its site is now oc- cupied by a dwelling.
In 1866, the Female Seminary was resuscitated by the present proprietor, Prof. Goodenough, who, co-operating with the wishes of some of the citizens, and with the assist- ance of a small subscription from some of them, purchased the old seminary, and opened a school again in the fall of that year. Since that time the school has been successfully conducted, by M. M. Goodenough, A. M., Principal, Mrs. M. M. Goodenough, Preceptress. All the facilities for a first-class boarding school has been combined with a day school. It has turned out several classes of graduates.
The old district schools of Hamilton have been merged into the Union School. In 1853, School Districts No. I, 14 and 17 were consolidated. The district elects three trustees each year for a term of three years, and the trus- tees, when organized, form a Board of Education, and have the charge of the school, the district being withdrawn from the jurisdiction of the School Commissioner of the County, or, at least, so far as the examination and licensing of teach-
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ers is concerned, that duty being given to the Board of Education.
The present corps of teachers (1872,) are, Mr. E. P. Sis- son, Principal ; Miss Jennie Hemingway, first, and Miss Lucinda Blakeman, second, Assistants; Miss S. Leonard and Miss Lucy Rice, Intermediate Department ; Miss Phebe Sisson, I rimary Department.
This school was formed when the Union School move- ment was yet an untried scheme in this county. Its founders were the first Board, of which Charles C. Payne was first Preside.it, who) continued in this office for nine years, resigning when it had become successfully estab- lished. It required a vast deal of energy, tact and perse- verance to overcome the prejudice against the movement.
The school, on the average, numbers from four to six hundred pupils. It is endowed with the library and appa- ratus of the old academy. The standard of instruction is high, and the graduating classes show a thoroughness of training which would do credit to any academy in the land.
Madison University, (which is sketched at length here- after,) and the other schools of Hamilton village, have justly been her pride from the earliest days; and yet, while it would seem that the energies of the people were being wholly spent in building up those schools, there has been quietly at work a wise regulating force, which has kept the bone and sinew healthy, and given the village stamina. This regulating power is found in the various industries, of which it is well to speak further, and to which the pen returns.
From 1815, onward, there was a steady increase in mer- cantile and mechanical pursuits. Many of the old firms were so prosperous as to continue up to a late day, some of them being still in existence.
From 1834 to 1837, during the building of the canal, great activity in trade prevailed. More than a score of stores and shops suddenly found existence, which were not, however, permanent institutions. Some of the old and per-
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manent firms increased largely, and some very fine build- ings were erected by them, which are still an ornament to the village. Mr. Hiram Savage, in company with Mr. Manning, Mr. Boone and Mr. Wheeler, commenced the Ex- change buildings. Mr. Savage had been one of the old firms of the village, having opened the tin and hardware business at an early day, in a shanty on the location of the present drug store of Bonney & Welton. He subsequently bought out and repaired the premises on Lebanon street, which he occupied so long as he remained in business here.
The Exchange, of which Mr. Savage was one of the build- ers, was put up in sections of brick, Mr. Manning building that section next the canal, Mr. Savage the one now occu- pied by the marble shop, Mr. Boone the one now occupied by the harness shop of Mr. Buell, and all of them, together with Mr. Wheeler, the section on the west end.
The Commercial Block was built during that period, which was also the enterprise of different individuals. The Eagle Hotel, so conspicuous from the country side of Ea- ton street, was erected as one of the needs of the times .* A third tavern was built by Mr. Wadsworth on Lebanon street near the canal, which Rufus Bacon, afterwards, for many years owned. This building, no longer needed as a hotel, has been converted into a tenant house and is now oc- cupied by five families. Mr. C. C. Payne opened a brick yard, and from the brick made there he built his own house, on Payne street. All those fine brick dwellings to be seen on that street, besides many others in the village, were erected about this period.
Mr. - Mott first established the mercantile business on a substantial basis. His sons, Smith and Addison Mott, succeeded him ; and on their retiring from business, it passed into the hands of a son of Smith, Mr. C. M. Mott, who perpetuates the good reputation of their house.
The oldest house in the cabinet ware trade is that now
*We have not the names of thebuilders of other blocks.
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belonging to Hall & Leach on Lebanon street. It was formerly the property of Erastus Wheeler who purchased it of the original proprietor, Mr. James Higgins, who came in 1810, and opened the first cabinet shop of the village on Madison street. He continued here in business until 'about 1825, when he sold to Erastus Wheeler, who had previously learned his trade in this shop. About 1834, Mr. Wheeler removed the shop to Lebanon street, where it is yet stand- ing, being added to by newer buildings. It is one of the old landmarks. The works increased rapidly and during the term when Wheeler & Parker constituted the firm, an engine was put in. C. B. Gardiner purchased Mr. Wheeler's interest in 1850, and it continued in the firm name of Parker & Gardiner until 1866, when Gardiner & Hall owned the property. The firm name is now Hall & Leach. No trade in town has been more successful, for so many years, than this. Generally some dozen workmen are employed.
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