USA > New York > Madison County > History of Madison County, state of New York > Part 55
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Judging from the present state of politics, one might imagine from the foregoing, not knowing his character, that he had not only been an office-holder, but an office-seeker. Such a conjecture, however, would be far from the truth ; not one of the whole number was conferred through the least effort, solicitation or expenditure of money on his part,
Judge Fuller was one of the directors of, and a stock- holder in the Madison County turnpike road,* which passed through Peterboro and connected the Seneca road at Chit- tenango, with the Cherry Valley road at Madison. He was also one of the directors, and the secretary and treasurer of the "side cut," from Chittenango to the Erie canal, which was completed under his superintendence, simulta- neously with the middle section of the Erie, at a much less cost than the capital subscribed.
Judge Fuller has for many years been a resident of Schenectady, his native place. Although he has reached the advanced age of eighty years, and is somewhat infirm physically, yet his heart is still young, his spirits buoyant, his well cultivated mind remarkably clear and strong.
* Since this road was abandoned as a toll road, for want of adequate receipts to meet the expense of keeping it in repair, and surrendered to the towns through which it passed, Hon. Gerrit Smith has very greatly improved it at his own expense in the vicinity of Peterboro.
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We append here a brief notice of the three brothers of Judge William K. Fuller,-Samuel, George K., and Edward, -all of whom were natives of Schenectady, graduates of Union College, and eminent men :- Samuel completed his medical studies in the city of New York, and established himself as a physician and surgeon in Chittenango about the year 1818. Edward, who also completed his medical studies in New York, became a partner of Samuel in 1824. In the course of their joint practice, each acquired an excellent reputation for skill and integrity. Edward ceased to practice his profession about the year 1834. Samuel continued to practice until 1866, when with his family he moved to New York city, where he died the year following, in the 73d year of his age. George K. came to reside in Chittenango about the year 1820. He had not resided there long before Mr. John B. Yates constituted him his general agent, and superintendent of his farming, mercan- tile and manufacturing concerns at Chittenango. He acted in that capacity until the decease of Mr. Yates in 1836. As an acknowledgment of his faithful services, Mr. Yates left him by his will a legacy of $5,000, and appointed him one of its executors. He was engaged in the trust thus confided to him till the final settlement of the estate, which from unavoidable circumstances did not occur till 1852. Possessed of sound judgment, clear perceptions, great mor- al courage and generous temper, he was well adapted to the positions allotted to him in life. He was a liberal pat- ron and trustee of the Polytechnic school at Chittenango, and though much averse to holding public office, he was once or twice induced to serve as supervisor of the town. He died at Chittenango in the year 1858, in the 59th year of his age.
CHURCHES.
The Presbyterian Church of Chittenango Village was organized as early as 1816, with about 20 members. On the formation of the Reformed Dutch Church, the Presby-
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terians joined with it. About 1830 the society was again revived prospering greatly under the ministrations of Rev. Mr. Smith. About 1833, they resolved to build a church, although the pecuniary responsibility rested on a few. Dr. Samuel Kennedy, Mr. Hall and Mr. Thomas Living- ston, were the building committee. Heavy debts rested on those who became responsible, and when the society declined, about 1840, the building was sold to the Baptist society. The Presbyterians again joined themselves to the Reformed Dutch Church.
The Reformed Dutch Church of Chittenango, was organ- ized in 1827. There had been previously religious meet- ings held in the Bethel, and in the Polytechny, but the needs of the village required better accommodations for religious services. John B. Yates, who was a member of the Reformed Dutch church, obtained assistance among the churches of that denomination, which with subscriptions among the citizens, enabled them to erect in 1828, a fine substantial building at a cost of between eleven and twelve thousand dollars. The first pastor was Rev. Andrew Yates. The following pastors have served since :- Rev. Wm. H. Campbell, Stephen Alexander, James Van Vost, James Abell, the latter pastor seventeen years. Also Rev. Mr. Talmadge and Rev. J. H. Enders.
The M. E. Church of Chittenango .- This society was organized September 9th, 1833. Its originators were J. I. Walrath, Daniel Walrath, J. B. Knowles, William Metcalf and A. Comstock. Its first pastor was Benjamin G. Pad- dock. The old Church was built in 1836, and was burned in 1862. In 1862 and '63 it was rebuilt.
Baptist Church of Chittenango .- This society was organ- ized previous to 1840, and purchased their meeting house of the Presbyterians. The first pastor was Elder Houston. In the course of time the society declined and sold their house to the Roman Catholics in 1862 or '63. Since the latter date, however, the society has revived and has become
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a strong and influential body. A fine new church edifice has been erected.
The Canaseraga Church .- This edifice was built about 1828, by the Universalists and Methodists. It was then called the "Free Church." The property was deeded in the beginning to the Universalists, but the Methodists con- tinue to occupy it and keep it in repair. There was a time when the Episcopalians chiefly occupied it.
Churches at Bridgeport .- The Baptist Church was origi- nally built by the Baptists and Methodists, and was used alternately by each. Difficulties, however, grew out of the joint ownership, and in 1869, the M. E. Society built a new house. Its erection was due to the perseverance of the Rev. Mr. Lyon, pastor in charge. Mr. Russel Adams, of New York, formerly a resident of Bridgeport, donated largely for the building of this Church.
Episcopal Church of Chittenango .- In the year 1850, arrangements were made with Rev. A. P. Smith, Cazenovia, to hold regular religious services here, who continued his services from year to year. The parish was organized about 1856, at which time Mr. Sandford Cobb and Mr. Joseph Sanger were constituted first wardens. The church edifice was built in 1866, at a cost of about $5,000, and was the same year consecrated by Bishop Cox. Through the instrumentality of Mrs. Kellogg, wife of Hon. Charles Kellogg, and the young ladies of the village, the funds were raised with which the church was built. Rev. Mr. Smith has been the officiating clergyman from the beginning to the present time, with the exception of one year when the Rev. Geo. Southwell was pastor.
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CHAPTER XV.
SMITHFIELD.
Boundaries .- Geography .- New Petersburgh Tract .- Adven- tures with Indians .- Original town of Smithfield .- Pioneer Families and Early Settlers .- First Enterprises .- Peterboro in 1806 .- Execution of Mary Antone .- Panther incident .- Notices of Citizens .- The Evans Fund .- Peterboro Academy. -Orphan Asylum .- Biographical Sketches ; Judge Peter Smith ; Hon. Gerrit Smith .- Siloam .- Churches.
Smithfield is an interior town lying north of the center of the County. It is bounded north by Lenox, east by Stock- bridge, south by Eaton and Nelson, and west by Fenner. It was formed from Cazenovia March 13th, 1807. Fenner was taken off in 1823, and a part of Stockbridge in 1836. It is now the smallest town in Madison County, having but 15,- 246 square acres of land. It is the only town in the county not traversed by a railroad, but in the matter of wagon roads it excels. The second turnpike of this County, the "Oneida Turnpike," passed through Peterboro from Oneida to Cazenovia ; it was a famous road in its day and is now a well kept highway. The "Peterboro Stone Road," which passes through this town on its way from Morrisville to Canas- tota, is no doubt the best road of its class in the County.
The surface of this town as a whole is a hilly, rolling up- land. One of the largest branches of the Oneida creek rises in the large swamp lying west and northwest of Peter- boro. From here the stream courses southerly past the cen- ter of the town, then turns to the southeast and finds its
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way to the valley of the main creek through a deep gulf in the southeast corner of the town. On the ridge bordering this creek to the northward rise a few springs, the united waters of which form the origin of the Cowassalon, which passes northerly through Siloam and thence on out of the town. The general character of the soil is a sandy and gravelly loam, well adapted to the culture of grain. Lime- stone and gypsum are found in the northeast part. The most extensive marl bed in the county is found on the land of Gerrit S. Miller, in the swamp before mentioned, where at least four hundred acres are underlaid with a shell deposit of unascertained depth .* This swamp was apparently once the bed of a lake. Mineral waters are found in various parts of the town ; near Siloam is a spring possessing min- eral properties of great strength.
Smithfield was the tract of land obtained of the Oneida Indians in 1795. While living in Utica in 1794, Mr. Smith obtained of this tribe the lease of the "New Petersburgh Tract," (thus named from Peter Smith,) comprising an area of 50,000 acres, embracing a large part of Augusta, Onei- da County, a portion of Stockbridge, and nearly all of Smithfield, Fenner and northern Cazenovia. This he di- vided into four allotments. At this time a law had been enacted in Congress which forbade the Oneidas selling their lands to the white settlers. There was, however, nothing in the act to prevent their leasing their lands for any length of time ; therefore Mr. Smith obtained posses-
* Believing marl to be of inestimable value as a fertilizer, Col. Miller submitted a portion of this marl to the examination of Prof. Norton, agricultural chemist of Yale College, who gave his decision in the following words :- "This earth is a marl, and I have no hesitation in pronouncing it one of excellent quality ; the carbonate of lime, you will observe amounts to about eight-tenths of the whole ; the very small quantity of carbonate of magnesia and the trace of phosphoric acid, adds materially to its enriching qualities, although it is present in small quantities.
Marls are seldom richer in lime than this is, and if it abounds on your farm, you have a most valuable source of fertility, unless you are a limestone formation and well supplied."
In accelerating the chemical changes of redeemed swamps, the Professor recom- mended the application oflime-more particularly quick lime-and decidedly in this form of marl ;- he says : " It not only supplies a want in the soil, but ameliorates the chemical condition."
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sion of this tract by a lease extending for a term of 999 years. The Oneidas were then divided into two parties, known respectively as the "Christian" and " Pagan" par- ties. The Pagan party was strongly opposed to the leas- ing to Mr. Smith, while the Christian party, with the chief of the Oneidas, the celebrated Skenandoah at their head, upheld him in the rights they had given him. Skenandoah was Mr. Smith's warm personal friend. Immediately upon the arrival of the surveyors upon the tract, there arose a great commotion among the Indians. The Christian party were stationed at the foot of Stockbridge hill, near the site of the old house known as "five chimneys," and by their presence were felt to be a protection by the surveyors. However, the wily Pagans, to avoid any arbitration with their peaceably disposed brethren, eluded their vigilance, and secretly taking a circuitous route, came down in war- like attitude upon the defenceless party, surveying at the time, in and about the present village of Peterboro, then a dense wilderness. Here the attack was made by the Indi- ans, near the point where Elias Sager now lives, in the north part of the village. A hatchet was thrown by an In- dian, which struck and severely injured the hand of Joseph Annin, one of the surveyors. The compass and chain were then broken and the surveying party driven from the tract. Being out-numbered, unarmed, and far from the habi- tations of white men, they were glad to seek safety in flight. Col. Thomas Cassity,* then of Canajoharie, but a
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*This old pioneer of Augusta, and most able and useful man of the day, (1795) in company with Peter Smith, built the first grist mill at Oriskany Falls. He was also the first justice of the peace, and the first supervisor of the town of Augusta. On being elected to the latter office, there was no other justice in town, and he swore himself into office before himself. As this qualifying was not strictly legal, its legality was never questioned.
Col. Thomas Cassity, was in his youth at Detroit, then a British military post, taken a few years previously from the French. His father, Capt. James Cassity, was a British officer stationed at that point. When news came to this then far off fort that hostilities had commenced between the colonies and the mother country, and that the troops there were expected to fight for King George, Capt. Cassity and his son Thomas (the latter then 17,) rebelled; they were American born and would not bear arms against their countrymen. Matters soon culminated ; the
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little later of " Cassity Hollow," (named after him,) now Oriskany Falls, whose thorough knowledge of Indian char- acter, and intimate associations with the Oneidas gave him great influence among them, assisted Mr. Smith in adjust- ing his difficulties with the Pagan party, and his proceed- ings were no further interfered with by them. His opera- tions however, were watched by Congress, and this body deputed Timothy Pickering to come to Oneida to arrest Mr. Smith's influence over the Indians. Mr. Pickering on arriving addressed them at a great meeting held at " Butter- nut Orchard," near Oneida Castle, his speech being given through an interpreter. Mr. Smith, having acquired the Indian language, and being able by long custom to speak it fluently, replied to Mr. Pickering in a speech in the In- dian dialect, reminding them of their long and intimate acquaintance and extensive business relations, calling upon any or all present to say if, in all their dealings or inter- course he had practiced deception or fraud, or had ever attempted to wrong them in any manner whatever. The speech was remarkable for its force and clearness, and appealing as it did to their understandings and sense of justice, he sustained himself triumphantly, and re-establish- ed his influence over both parties of the Indians.
Captain's superior officer was informed of the fact, and an altercation ensued, in which the officer either threatened, or actually attempted violence upon the Cap- tain. Young Thomas stood by with a loaded musket ; quick as thought he brought it in range of the officer and shot him down, then turned and fled with the swift- ness of a wild animal, deep into the Michigan woods, and was effectually lost to all pursuers. His face was not again seen in civilized life till many years after, when he appeared suddenly among his friends, in the lower Mohawk country. He had been adopted by, and all that time resided with the western Indians. He was him- self ever reticent as to the experiences of those years of self-banishment, only say- ing that he had lived with the natives ; but tradition has it that he had a native wife during those years and furthermore, that he was the father of the renowned Chief Tecumseh.
Col. Cassity, after reaching the great age of nearly 80 years, met his death about 1835, by accident; he took from a shelf a bottle which he supposed con- tained spirits, and drank from it hastily a large swallow; it proved to be sulphuric acid ! He died in great agony a few hours after.
Capt. James Cassity after being so effectually defended by his son, was taken a prisoner to Lower Canada and kept there several years. Subsequently he resided with or near his son at Oriskany Falls. The remains of father and son rest in the " Dug-Way Cemetery," in South Augusta, the locality of their graves being unmarked and now past identification.
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In 1795, in a treaty with the Oneidas, the State pur- chased a large share of their Reservation, which purchase embraced Mr. Smith's tract. He had leased much of the eastern part of his tract, before this purchase, to white set- tlers, for a term of 21 years ; but the State thus coming into ownership, the Legislature, in 1797, passed an act providing that those who had obtained leases of Mr. Smith, should have a patent from the State, upon their paying $3,53₺ per acre. The large proportion not leased before the treaty, Mr. Smith was required to pay the State for at the same rate, in order to obtain his own patent. The State, how- ever, compromised with him by allowing a certain sum for his original lease of the Indians, which reduced the price actually paid by him for the land to about $2 per acre. Thus he acquired title to all that portion not leased by him to the white settlers, amounting to 22,2993 acres.
In accordance, therefore, with the said act of the Legis- lature, these settlers accepted the terms and became pur- chasers of the State. Their lands lay in Augusta and Stockbridge, being of the "New Petersburgh Ist allotment," and with the exception of a strip about a mile wide extend- ing across the southern part of Stockbridge and into Augusta, to the amount of six lots in the latter town, was no more included in the New Petersburgh tract. This "strip," of the Ist Allotment is that portion of those towns retained by Mr. Smith, and forms what is denominated the " L." * The sales to those settlers under Mr. Smith's twenty-one year leases, therefore, reduced the Ist Allotment to the dimensions of the L, and the New Petersburgh tract was, thereafter, composed of that and the 2d, 3d and 4th Allot- ments.
The original town of Smithfield included within its lim- its a few tiers of lots at the west end of the first Allotment, the whole of the second and third Allotments excepting the
* The Ist Allotment was composed of 74 lots; 55 in Augusta, 14 in Stock- bridge, and 5 in Smithfield.
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west tier of the third-which west tier and the whole of the fourth Allotment were in Cazenovia-together with that part of the "Mile Strip Tract" lying east of lots 28 and 29. The present town embraces the two western tiers of the first Allotment, the whole of the second excepting the tv. o western tiers and that part of the Mile Strip lying north.
Settlement commenced early in New Petersburgh. Jas- per Aylesworth, the first settler of Smithfield, came in 1795, and opened a clearing in Peterboro. He had no family, and therefore was sole inhabitant for a short time. Oliver Trum- bull came in with his father's family (who settled in Fenner a short time after) and took up a farm about half a mile south of Peterboro. Seth Griffin came the same year.
We remark here that in 1795, Utica (Old Ft. Schuyler) was the nearest market, and thither through the woods, guided by marked trees to the old Genesee road, the sparse popu- lation of all this section of Madison County wended their way to market. At that time John Post, a clever Dutch- man, was merchant and postmaster at Utica for all this region, and Jason Parker carried the mail between Albany and Utica. The arrival of half a dozen letters for people of this far off section was a remarkable incident which sometimes happened-as we find indicated by the following advertise- ment of "Letters remaining in the post office at Fort Schuy- ler," published in the "Western Sentinel," Sept. 23d, 1795, the oldest issue of that paper known to be extant :- "Jede- diah Jackson or Asahel Jackson, Clinton ; Stephen Burton, 2, Whitestown ; Oliver Trumbull, Fort Schuyler." These men were then or soon after residents of this and adjoining towns.
From the Madison County Directory of 1868 and '69, the following, from the pen of Hon. A. A. Raymond, is ex- tracted :-
"The Trumbulls and Griffins had families, and all of them lo- cated on lot 33, Second Allotment, being the first lot south of No. 26, on which is Peterboro. Aylesworth was unmarried, and came as the hired man of Judge Smith, and in that capacity
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felled the forest trees on the village plat, then an untouched wilderness which had never before been made to echo to the sound of the axman's blows and the hourly crashing of falling trees. How long he continued in Judge Smith's employ is not known ; but at an early day in the history of the town he mar- ried a daughter of John Taft, Esq., another early settler who lived in town. Mr. Aylesworth endured the privations incident to the early settlers. On one occasion he brought a five-pail kettle on his back from Utica, to make maple sugar ! Some of his first supplies and provisions he brought from Utica in the same manner. He became a permanent resident of the town and was an enterprising and successful farmer. One only, of the large family he reared remains in town.
Ithamar Bump settled on lot 41 in 1797, where he continued to reside until removed by death, Aug. 14th, 1815. Soon after his first settlement in town, he was joined by his father, Ichabod Bump, and in the course of a few years, Moses, Nathan, David, Jonathan, Gideon and Jacob, brothers of Ithamar, and a sister named Hannah, the wife of Ebenezer Bronson, all became res- idents of the town. In their physical characteristics this was a peerless family. The brothers were all large, well developed men, averaging six feet in hight, with great muscular power, and as wrestlers and for personal prowess (qualities highly prized in those days,) were a terror to the athletes of the county. Some of them were enterprising and successful farmers, among whom Ithamar, especially, was an industrious, upright and esteemed citizen. His descendants to the third generation still live in town, and include some prominent business men. The old pa- triarch, Ichabod, died Dec. 22d, 1823, in his 90th year.
Capt. Joseph Black came in about the year 1798. Where he first located is not certainly known, but in the fall of 1802, he was on lot 59, N. P. second Allotment, and in 1803 or '04 he be- came a prominent contractor for the construction of a large sec- tion of the old "Oneida Turnpike," which was made under his immediate supervision. He was proverbially upright and relia- ble, insomuch that to this day the question is sometimes asked by those who knew him and still remember him, whether this generation furnishes any specimens of such unswerving integri- ty. His memory is precious, and 'though dead he yet speaketh.'
Between the years 1798 and 1805, many valuable men came in and settled as farmers in different parts of the town, but chiefly on the two southern tiers of lots on the Mile Strip tract. On this Mile Strip tract and contiguous thereto were Jacob and Sam- uel Walker, Allen Bill, David Shipman, Solomon Merril, sen., and sons, Robert Streeter, Gideon Wright, Jabez Lyon, Shad- rach Hardy, David Tuttle, Ezra Chaffee, Mrs. Moody and her sons David and Samuel, Mrs. Matteson and her sons John,
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Abraham, Eli and Nathan, Barzilla and Amos Northrup, Sylva- nus Matthewson and sons Winchester and Stephen, Stephen Risley, Moses Howe, Salmon Howard, and Francis Dodge. On the two southern tiers of lots were Edward Bliss, Wright Brig- ham, John Lucas, Rodman Spencer and sons, David Blodget, Alpheus Thompson, John Ford, Reuben Rich, Andress Love- land and others. Most of these, with many more not named in the list, settled permanently, became prosperous farmers, and valuable men and citizens, and were equally worthy of more than this passing notice, as were those before referred to at greater length."
A few additional particulars of early settlers we give in this connection :- John Taft emigrated from Connecticut, and located on Lot 33. Shortly before his decease he sold this farm to John Pray. During his last illness he expressed a desire to be buried in an orchard he had planted on the farm. His wish was complied with, and for many years the traveler who passed along the adjacent highway could dis- tinguish the marble slab in the northeast corner of Mr. Phipps orchard, (a subsequent owner,) which marked the grave of John Taft, one of the original settlers.
Elder John Pray was an eccentric " Six Principle " Bap- tist minister, well remembered by the oldest inhabitants for his odd speeches and peculiar ways. He was from Rhode Island, and lived with his sons John and Jonas Pray, on the old "Pray farm," to a good old age. He died in 1830, leav- ing numerous descendants.
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