USA > New York > Madison County > History of Madison County, state of New York > Part 49
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Physicians .- Among the earlier physicians were the following :-
Dr. Parker was located at the Indian Opening several years, but afterwards removed to a new residence a half mile east of the village. Though possessing some peculiar constitutional traits, he had the reputation of being a well read, skillful physician.
Dr. Elijah Putnam, originally from West Cambridge, Mass., came to Peterboro in 1801. In March, 1802, he located a half mile east of Madison Center, where he resided and continued to practice about forty years. He was a worthy respected man and christian gentleman, as well as an excellent physician. He spent a few of the last years of his life in the village, with his son, Henry Putnam. His death occurred in January, 1851, in his eighty-second year. His son, Dr. John Putnam, residing in Madison vil- lage, succeeded him in practice.
Dr. Jonathan Pratt came into town early, and lived near where Samuel G. Cleaveland now resides. He was a highly respected citizen as well as a skillful physician. Dr. Pratt, of Eaton, and Dr. Pratt, of Fenner, were his brothers. He practiced several years, when he lost his life by accident in falling from a ladder.
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Dr. Samuel Collister practiced medicine a number of years at the Center with Dr. Putnam, with whom he studied. He was considered a physician of superior skill, and his death at middle age was much lamented.
Dr. Daniel Barker, having taken a part in the war of 1812, came to Madison in 1815, and established himself in the village. Here he was a successful practitioner through life, dying but a few years since. He was popular profes- sionally, and was a man of influence. As a man of talent, and as a gentleman in the true sense, he had few superiors.
CHURCHES.
The Congregational Church of Madison, was organized September 6, 1796, by Rev. Eliphalet Steele of Paris. Ten members composed the organization. The barn of John Berry was used for the meetings. In 1802 a meeting house was commenced at the Center, which was finished and dedicated about two years after. Rev. Ezra Wood- worth was the first pastor. He was sent out to preach by Rev. Jonathan Edwards, the renowned divine. The meet- ing house after standing twenty years at the Center, was taken down and rebuilt on a new site, on the north side of the road nearly opposite where it stood before. In 1856, it was again taken down and rebuilt in Madison village, where it still remains.
The Baptist Church of Madison was formed December 20, 1798, at the house of Moses Phelps near Solsville. Rev. Joel Butler, was the first pastor. The meeting house was built at the "Opening" about 1802. (Note o.) Elder Salmon Morton was ordained in this house June 23, 1802, and preached here twelve years. In 1833, the society built a new house of worship at Madison village. It has recent- ly been improved at considerable cost.
A Society of Friends was early organized in this town, and built a small meeting house. The society is now extinct, and their building is unused and falling to decay.
The Universalist Church of Madison was early established
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in the village. The present edifice was built in 1821. This church is at present markedly prosperous under the pastoral care of Rev. A. H. Marshall.
Methodist Episcopal Church of Madison village, was organized with a class of seven persons, at an early date. Solomon Root was prominent in erecting the Chapel in 1840. During the present year, under the labors of Rev. Samuel Babcock, a fine enlargement has been made, also thorough repairs at considerable cost.
The Methodist Church at Bouckville, was organized at Solomon Root's house, by the Rev. Barak Cooley. Solomon Root was the first Class Leader. The first Methodist Chapel, of this part of the country, was built on Mr. Root's farm near the town line. In 1852, the society erected their church at Bouckville.
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CHAPTER XIII.
NELSON.
Boundaries .- Geography .- Township No. 1 .- Large Company of Pioneers in 1793 .- Settlement of Northeast Quarter .- Incidents .- Early Enterprises .- Richardsons, and other Pio- neers .- Incidents .- Early Churches .- Customs of the Day .- Encounter with a Bear .- Deaths by Accident .- Incidents .- Erieville .- Nelson Flats .- Churches.
This town is bounded north by Fenner and Smithfield, east by Eaton, south by Georgetown, and west by Cazeno- via. It is one of the central towns of the County. Its surface is broken by successive ridges bearing in a north- easterly and southwesterly direction, which form the contin- uation of the watershed, dividing the waters flowing north and south. At a number of points, the opposite flowing streams have their source within a few rods of each other. At the "Tog Hill House," (a former hotel on the turnpike,) the water falling from the eaves of the roof take opposite directions,- from one side mingling with the northward bound streams, form the other with those flowing southward.
The principal stream of this town, is the Chittenango Creek, which has two considerable branches. The largest of these rises in Fenner, and enters this town in the north part, courses southerly, then westerly, and in the northwest quarter unites with the other branch from the south, where the two form the main Chittenango, then a stream of much volume and power, flowing to the north through Cazenovia. The south branch has its source a short distance southeast
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of Erieville, and is fed by numerous rivulets from springs in the hillsides. This, and a tributary from the east, supplies Erieville Reservoir, which was constructed in 1857, at a cost of $10.884,73, covers an area of 340 acres, and lies at a considerable elevation above the Erie Canal of which it is a feeder, and is distant from the canal about 18 miles. The Eaton Reservoir, which supplies the Chenango Canal, lies partly in this town on the southeast border.
The soil of Nelson is generally of a gravelly loam, well adapted for grazing. The sections denominated in years past, the " cold hills of Nelson," are now productive dairy farms. Factories for making butter and cheese, are to be seen at frequent intervals. Published agricultural statistics, place this town high in the scale for its dairy and other exports.
Two State roads were laid out through this town, at an early day ; one passing through the south part of the town, entering it from Eaton, across the land afterwards flowed by the Eaton Reservoir, passing over the hills through Erieville to Woodstock, thence to Union and Pompey Hill in Cazenovia ; the other, coming from Morris- ville, passing directly west through the town near the cen- ter. The Skaneateles Turnpike, afterwards constructed, took the general course of the former. The Cherry Valley Turnpike, built about 1806, took a more northwesterly course than the State road from Morrisville, passing through Nelson Flats to Cazenovia. The Syracuse and Chenango Valley Railroad, now being constructed, crossed the town of Nelson, entering in the northwest quarter and passing out near the center of the south line.
Nelson was Township No. I, of the Chenango Twenty Towns, and according to its first survey, contained 27,187 acres. It was purchased by Col. John Lincklaen, and added to his Road Township Purchase in 1793; and when Cazenovia was organized in 1795, this Township was inclu- ded in it. By an act of the Legislature, passed March 13,
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1807 ; it was detached or formed from Cazenovia, the inhabi- tants naming it "Nelson," in honor of Lord Nelson the British Admiral. The first town meeting was held in a barn belonging to Rufus Wever, located where the State Road intersected with the road from Nelson Flats to Erie- ville. The barn was of sufficient capacity to hold the assemblage of voters, it being fifty-two feet long, by about forty wide ; and if not the first, was one of the first frame barns of the town. It is still a good barn. The first Supervisor was John Rice; the first Justice of the Peace, Jedediah Jackson. But three men who were old enough to take part in the town meeting, are now living in the town ; these are Benj. Wadsworth, David Case and David Card.
In 1793, Jedediah Jackson and Joseph Yaw came from Vermont, to locate land in Township No. I, for a company who proposed to emigrate from that State. The situation of the land pleased these commissioners, and the northeast quarter of the township was purchased. Accordingly, in 1794, twenty families came on from Pownell, Vt., and settled that quarter, and also other parts of the township. The names of these pioneers, together with others who came during the same and following year, are as follows :- Jedediah Jackson, Oliver Alger, Ebenezer Lyon, Levi Neal, Daniel Adams, Thomas Swift, Esquire Howard, Luther Doolittle, Joseph Carey, John Everton and his three sons, Rufus Wever, David Nichols, Noel Johnson, Nicholas Jencks, Jeremiah Sayles, Capt. Mallory and his seven sons, Seth Curtis, Daniel Madison, Joseph Yaw, Amos Rathbone, Eliphalet Jackson, James Green, Sylvanus Sayles, Daniel Cooledge, Isaac Cooledge, Roger Brooks, Robert Brown, Solomon Brown, Thomas Tuttle, Jesse Tuttle, Isaiah Booth, Jesse Clark.
When the company of pioneers were near the end of their journey, they encamped for the night in the woods just outside the Nelson line. The families of Jedediah
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Jackson and Rufus Wever were camped together. Early next morning two young ladies of the party, one a daughter Mr. Jackson, the other of Mr. Wever, each resolved to be the first to enter the new town. These active young women had a lively foot race till they came to a stream bridged only by a log. Neither paused for ceremony, for on the other side of the "rolling flood " before them, lay the soil of the new township, which each with flying feet was striving to be the first to reach. Miss Jackson succeeded in getting upon the log first by just one step ; but Miss Wever, agile as any wild denizen of those primitive woods, sprang also upon the log, pushed her rival off, and with swift steps gained the opposite shore. Her gay laugh rang out loud and clear as she looked back upon Miss Jackson at the other end of the log, whose face was a picture of mingled mirth and chagrin. This little incident served to enliven the camp, and with cheerful hearts the company went on and took possession of the unbroken forest of Nelson. Miss Wever afterwards became the wife of Nathan Smith, and Miss Jackson the wife of David Fay. Rufus Wever jr., now living, was an infant one year old when his father came on with this company of settlers.
Rufus Wever's first purchase in the State of New York, was a large farm where Utica now stands, which he bought of the patroon of Albany, Stephen Van Rensselaer, with- out previously seeing it. On going to it to take possession, he found that an old man had "squatted" upon it. Not wishing to drive him off, he went back to Van Rensselaer and offered to give up his claim if he could have his money back. This was done, and thus Mr. Wever let a splendid bargain pass from his hands. So, with his money, he came on with his former neighbors to Nelson. He had a large family,* who settled around him. His large farm is now
*From an ancient record, copied from the Town Register of Pownal, Vermont, we have the following statement of the births of the children of Rufus Wever and Hannah, his wife, pioneers :- "Mary, born June 17, 1770; Hannah, born May 11, 1772 ; Elizabeth, born March 4, 1774; Orrilla, born March 31, 1777; Debo-
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owned by his son Rufus, and the first frame house he built -probably the oldest frame house now standing in Nelson -is still the home of this son.
Jedediah Jackson located on the hill, a short distance west of the Flats ; here he built the first tavern, which was also the first frame house of the town. It was a large fine building for those days. When the turnpike, which passed his house, was changed in its course, he converted it into a frame house, where he spent the remainder of his years.
Joseph Yaw located west of the center. He was a cap- tain of Militia, a Justice of the Peace, a man of position and highly respected.
Roger Brooks was probably the first cabinet maker of the town. Many articles of his handicraft, rare specimens of mechanism, are still doing service in the homes of the old families. He was a substantial citizen, whom all respected and loved ; hence was a valued member of the new set- tlement.
Daniel Adams, who settled north of the Flats, was a prominent citizen and useful man in all stations he was called to fill.
Asahel Jackson was another of the prominent and useful men of Nelson in the early days, both in town and county.
Joseph, Chauncey, and David Case, brothers, came from the town of Simsbury, Hartford County, Conn., at or near the beginning of the present century. They located in the then unbroken wilderness, in the west part of the town, where they gradually developed large farms, Joseph and Chauncey occupying the homesteads of their own founding
rah, born Aug. 26, 1781 ; Sarah, born June 9, 1784; Phebe, born Aug. 14, 1786; Rufus, born May 1, 1793." Of these, Sarah died May 6, 1800; Hannah, the wife of Archibald Bates, died Jan. 22, 1806; Mary married Noel Johnson ; Eliza- beth married David Nichols; Orrilla married Nathan Smith; Deborah married William Sims, who settled in Cazenovia ; Lydia married Joseph Sims, who was for a time a farmer in this town, who subsequently removed to Cazenovia; Rufus, jr., married Amy Smith, and lives on the homestead. Rufus Wever, the pioneer, was born in 1746, and died in 1814.
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till their deaths. Joseph died in 1855, aged 89 years ; Chauncey in 1860, aged 86 years. David Case still (1872,) resides on the farm he first purchased, in his 94th year. These three men were present at the meeting to organize the town of Nelson; they were highly respected, valued, and useful citizens. Lester and J. Milton Case, sons of Joseph Case, reside in Cazenovia. The former was a mem- ber of the Legislature in 1858, and also a member of the Constitutional Convention in 1867 and '68. Luna, daugh- ter of Joseph Case, married Mr. Geo. Garrett, and resided in Wisconsin till her death, which occurred recently.
William Knox and David Hamilton, brothers-in-law, came early, and took up adjoining farms in the east part of the town. They were from Blandford, Mass. Quite a lit- tle colony came from the same place soon after-probably about 1805-among whom were the Simons, Blairs, Stim- sons, and John Knox, a brother of William. John Knox, on his arrival, took the farm first located by his brother. Mr. C. D. Knox is on the farm originally taken up by his father, and S. W. Hamilton, son of David, also succeeds to the paternal homestead.
William Knox moved from Blandford in the winter, with one horse and an ox team, and was fourteen days on the journey. Mrs. Knox, during the journey, knit a pair of cotton stockings in the long evenings where they stopped for the night, which are still in existence. When they ar- rived in Township No. I, they were obliged to proceed the rest of the way to their location by marked trees. The young wife-they had been but a short time married-was very homesick ; she could not readily become reconciled to their forest home. Every surrounding was uncongenial ; the snow-laden forest was all around their log cabin, the woods so dense that many trees could be counted, looking from the broad fire-place upward through the ample chimney top ; the comforts of life were few, and as to society, there was scarcely any availably near, in the depths of winter. She
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often related how her heart was cheered one night by the sound of sleigh bells ; a riding party from Cazenovia had lost their way in the woods, and drove past their door. An angel's visit could not have been more opportune than was the jingling of those bells in the quiet night time to the homesick woman.
EARLY ENTERPRISES.
On one of the head branches of the Chittenango, some distance north of Erieville, the first grist mill was built by a Mr. Annas. Oliver Pool afterwards became the owner of this mill, and moved it a short distance to lengthen the dyke. Subsequently he built a new mill upon the same stream near by.
One of the first taverns of the town was kept by Luther Doolittle in the northeast quarter, about 1800. It was not a very pretentious institution, being a log structure, with barn, &c., attached. There is nothing now on the site. Another inn was built by Eldad Richardson, on "Eagle Hill," not long ofter 1800. For years, the tall Lombardy poplars, which stood so conspicuously against the sky upon that lofty height, in front of the hostelry, seemed literally to beckon the way-worn traveler, bound west, onward, and up the sharp acclivity, inviting him to refreshments and rest beneath their shadow. To those who had once traversed the Skaneateles Turnpike over Eagle Hill, these trees, seen afar, were an assurnace of wayside comforts at hand. We ought to add, however, that Richardson's first tavern here was a log building, with limited conveniences ; the bar- room, dining-room and parlor being one and the same.
The first store in town was kept by Eliphalet Jackson, in a small log house at Nelson Flats, on the west side of the swamp, and a little way on the ascending ground-near Lot No. 20 The second store was kept by Jacob Tucker- man, sen., in a log building in Erieville. A Mr. Mallory built the first frame tavern building where the present one stands, and Tuckerman succeeded him as landlord. Eri
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Richardson, (one of the five brothers,) succeeded Tucker- man, and as a token of the esteem in which he was held by the citizens, his name was in part given to the little ville, which was at that time growing in importance. Thereafter, Erieville * became one of the well and widely known points on the Skaneateles Turnpike. The present hotel was built by Thomas Medbury about 1820.
Previous to 1815, James Tinsler built a saw mill on the lot now owned by Mr. Wightman, on the turnpike, nearly half way from Erieville to Woodstock. About 1816, he also built a tavern at the same point. He had previously had a tavern and grocery building here, which stood upon the same site and was kept by a Mr. Powers. These men, however, were not the first here ; a man by the name of Green kept this inn and grocery a number of years before them. Tinsler moved into his new tavern and became his own landlord.
In 1796, five brothers-Eldad, Eri, Lemuel, Asa and Benjamin Richardson-came in from New Hampshire, and settled in and near where Erieville now is. About the same date, or a little later, John Hamilton, sen., and his six sons, Moses Smith, Ezra and Isaac Lovejoy, Erastus Grover, Asa Carey, Haven White, Richard Wilbur and Enos Cha- pin came in and settled in different localities in this town. Many of these were from Massachusetts. Joshua, Robert and Garner Wells, came about 1798, and settled on the hill above " Pool's Mills." William and Joseph Sims, brothers of Horatio, also settled in this town and Cazenovia. Jere- miah Clark located north of Erieville. He built the first saw mill about 1800 ; it stood where now is the outlet of the Erieville Reservoir. Israel Patterson and Oliver Stone located in the south part of the town ; Richard Karley in the northeast quarter ; Abner Camp in the southeast corner. Camp's location being so near the Eaton line, and "Camp's
* Should have been originally written " Eriville."
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Pond" being within the town of Eaton, a sketch of him is given in that town. The Hopkins also in the southeast part, are mentioned in the Eaton chapter. David Welling- ton settled on Lot 137, near the Eaton Brook Reservoir, in 1797. Thomas Ackley and Benjamin Hatch, from Plain- field, Otsego County, settled in the same locality. Aaron Lindsley, Moses and Solomon Clark, Jesse, Abner and Seth Bump, came previous to 1800, the three Bump broth- ers settling in the most northern part of the town. Cal- vin Farnam came in from the Mohawk country at an early date. Luke Jennings, from Long Island, settled on the farm now owned by John Clark, opposite the Nelson Rich- ardson place. Isaiah and Ezra Booth, came from Conway, Conn., in April, 1800 ; Ezra located on the north half of the lot now owned by his grandson, Levi Booth, on the State Road in the neighborhood of the Welsh meeting house.
Judge Ebenezer Lyon and his wife Chloe, came from Wallingford, Vt., and located on Lots No. 78 and 79, in Nelson, in 1794. He was one of the first Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of Madison Co., his term of office being in the years 1806, '07, '08 and 'og. He was also Supervisor for fifteen years. Judge Lyon lived the remain- der of his life on the farm he first took up. His son, Elephas Lyon, lived there after him. The original frame house he built is still standing. In his neighborhood there are three of those old mansions standing which were built when the country was new. These belong to the families of Lyon, Burton and Card.
Jeremiah Blair was one of the early settlers in this town and his descendants still reside here. Matthew Blair set- tled in the Knox neighborhood. The Blairs were from Blandford, Mass.
Jesse Carpenter from Wooster, Mass., settled in Erieville, in 1808. Elijah and William, his sons, settled here also, the latter subsequently moved to Ohio, while Elijah re-
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mained in Erieville. From Jesse, the Carpenters of Nelson have descended .*
It has been stated that the first death of a white person in Nelson was that of Mrs. Bishop, which occurred in 1800. This may be a mistake, as a stone in the Lyon Cemetery bears the name of " Anna, wife of Daniel Constine, who died May 15, 1795."
David Wellington came into this town about 1797, from Cheshire, N. H., with a pack of clothing, constituting all his earthly goods, upon his back. He selected his Lot-No. 137, now occupied by Isaac Blair,-in the section now bor- dering on the West Eaton Reservoir, making his purchase of John Lincklaen. Here he cleared one acre of land, got in the area to wheat, built him a log house, and then returned to Cheshire and brought on his wife. Both were poor but they had a large fund of common sense, were en- dowed with physical health, strength and activity, and were skilled farmers of that day. Their log house was shingled with elm bark, the floor was split logs, leveled off with the ax ; the door was the only part of the house made of sawed lumber, which was hung on wooden hinges, and its leath- ern latch-string was pulled in every night. Joshua Wells, also of Cheshire, came on to Nelson with an ox sled, in the first winter of Wellington's house keeping, and stopped at Wellington's house for a time ; and here was born the first white child in Nelson-Palmer, eldest son of Joshua Wells, in 1798. Also during the same year was born Mr. Wel- lington's oldest child, Lucy, who in process of time, became the wife of Silas Hopkins. David Wellington was the first Justice of the Peace in Nelson, which position he held for about twenty years. He was a man of good judgment, capa- ble of seeing the right and the wrong of an issue, clearly.
Job Wood, Samuel Salisbury and Benjamin Wadsworth
* Dr. Carpenter of Erieville, and Alpheus Carpenter a noted mechanic engaged upon the railroads of Michigan, are of this family. The Harris' family among whom are Dr. Harris and Rev. Mr. Harris of Georgetown, are descendants of Jesse Carpen- ter.
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came in from Bennington, Vermont, in 1802. Wadsworth and one of the other men alternately managed the team, which consisted of eight yoke of oxen and one horse. To this unusual team was attached a vehicle, quite as unusual ; two pair of ox-cart wheels, heavy axles, a long reach, and an enormous hay-rack, constituted it! It was loaded with hay, cornstalks, corn, &c., on which this long array of cattle were to subsist on their journey ; also, underneath the mass of forage was stowed away provisions, axes, log-chains, va- rious tools, &c., for use in the new country. Mr. Wads- worth was a lad but 16 years of age when he arrived in Nelson. He is still living, at the great age of 86, and is fond of indulging in the comparison of the traveling speed of to-day with seventy years ago ; it took him seventeen days and a half to reach here with his oxen and cart ; a journey which can now be performed "between sun and sun."
Eber Sweet, from Schoharie County, was an early settler near the " Temple." Richard Salisbury and Alonzo Morse, two pioneers, married daughters of Mr. Sweet ; he also had sons who located near him, all of whom are now dead.
Simeon Hascall came to Nelson from Granville, Hart- ford Co., Conn., in 1799. He reared a large family, which became scattered, though some of his descendants are located in different parts of the county. There is an anecdote related of his two daughters, which was con- firmed by Mrs. Sally White, one of the two, who often related it, to her childern during her life time :- When settlements were sparse and Nelson nearly all woods, these yound ladies went some distance through the forest to a " quilting," starting for home in the evening. There was no moon ; the woods soon became so dark that neither they nor their horse upon which they both rode could keep the path, and consequently they became bewildered. They therefore decided that the wiser course would be to climb a tree and remain for the night. Tying their horse to a
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