History of Oneida County, New York, 1667-1878, Part 102

Author:
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Fariss
Number of Pages: 932

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"No. 11 .- Where C. F. Greene's drug-store is there was a small 7 by 9 frame building. Francis Bieknell, in 1816, bought out a man whose name is not remembered, but who then kept a jewelry shop there, aud had for some time previous, and Mr. Bieknell then occupied it. That structure not long since was opposite Mr. Bissell's residence.

FEEDER

37 36

RIVER

WASHINGTON

383

HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

"No, 12 .- The next lot west was ' Bill Smith's.' It embraced part of the lot covered by Mr. Greene's drug-store, and the other stores of W. Atkinson and R. Keeney. In 1793, John Barnard built a small frame one-story tavern on the site now occupied by Mr. Atkinson's store. Bill Smith, about 1810, owned the premises, and converted the tavern into a store. Fifteen years later it was changed into the ' Checkered Store,' and enlarged. Stairs were then made on the east and west ends, outside, so as to go to the offices overhead.

" No. 13 .- On the west end of 'Bill Smith's lot,' and where R. Keeney's store is, a small frame building stood as carly as 1810, It was after that used for a saddler's shop, and before 1825 the late Jay Hlatheway kept store there. Just west of that store was an alley, running to the rear of the lot. That alley is about where the store of Archer & Snyder now is.

" No, 14 .- Just west of that alley was a two-story framne building, gable end to the street, It was erected about 1810, by Alex. Lynch, for a store. It was afterwards known as the 'Hollister Store.' It occupied the sites now occupied by the drug-store of George Scott and the shoe-store of G. T. Jones,

"No. 15,-About where the office or bar-room of the Willett House is William Boden had a chair-shop a's carly as 1820, in a small 7 by 9 frame building. The building had been there some time before.

" No. 16 .- In 1804, Nathaniel Mudge, Sr., lived in a small frame house which then stood between the Willett llouse site and the old Bank of Rome. There Alva Mudge was born in the above year. A few years after, that building was removed to the site on Liberty Street now occupied by the residence of Edward Huntington, and where Zelotus Lord, the 'village shoemaker,' resided for many years.

"No. 17 .- On the sites of the 'Spencer Hall Block,' and the stores of R. Dunning, James Walker, and Peter Toepp, stood a long double frame house, known as the 'Long llouse.' B. B. Ilyde and Benjamin Wright owned the house, and resided there before 1820. It was erected by John Barnard about 1800.

" No, 18 .- Mr. Sweatman erected a small frame structure about 1810, on the site now occupied by Evans' meat-shop. Mr. Sweatman used it for a harness-shop. In that building the Oneida Observer was pub- lished in 1818, by E. Dorchester.

" No. 19 .- On the corner of Washington and Dominick Streets, where B. W. Williams has his marble-works, Caleb Hammill erected a frame dwelling before the war of 1812, and resided there; after him Reuben Iloag occupied the premises for a blacksmith-shop.

" No. 20 .- In 1810 and carlier, Marinns W. Gilbert lived in a small frame honse on the site now occupied by the Pritchard Block.

" No. 21 .- The 'Grosvenor Lot' was next west; on the east end, Chauncey Filer, before 1810, erected the dwelling known in later years as the ' Grosvenor Ilouse' (now a. part of Mrs. Stevens' boarding-house).

" No. 22 .- On the west end of the 'Grosvenor Lot,' Mr. Filer erected his carpenter-shop,-a building afterward used as a dwelling.

"No. 23 .- Tho old double house caves to street (on ' Purdon Lot'), yet there, was erected as early as 1804. Mrs. Bradley (sister of Luke Frink) resided there in 1817, but who before that we could not asecr- tain.

" No. 24 .- On the site now occupied by the residence of Charles Northup, a small frame dwelling stood as early as 1810. John Lewis, father of L. L. Lewis, resided there in 1817, but who before him we cannot learn.

" No. 25 .- On the west end of John Hook's lot, a small frame house stood about 1800. Mr. Elliott lived there in 1810, and after him Elijah Snell.

" No. 26 .- Where the house of II. W. Barnes now is, a small red frame dwelling was erected soon after 1800. Simon Matteson lived there before 1820, but who before him our old residents don't know. There was a dwelling east and one west of this building, but whether as early as 1810 we could not learn.

" DOMINICK STREET-SOUTH SIDE.

" No. 27 .- A frame blacksmith shop, in the war of 1812, stood just west of what is now Black River Canal ( then feeder of Inland Canal). The first one who worked there, as our oldest residents remember, was Asa IIolden, father of E. B. Ilokden, Turin, Lewis Co .; after him, and beforo 1820, Lyman Briggs. It stood opposite the Lynch Ilonse,

" No. 28 .- On tho west end of the blacksmith lot was a small frame tenement, ocenpied by Mr. llolden, and afterward by Mr. Briggs.

" No. 29 .- On the site now occupied by the house of the late Geo.

Barnard stood a small frame house, where Elisha Burrows (father of Captain Orange Burrows) resided in the war of 1812 ._ Who before him, no one now living remembers.

"No. 30 .- Next west, and the house is there yet, was Luke Frink's residence. lle built it as early as 1810, and resided there as many as twenty years, and was a well-known Roman. The house is now oe- eupied by Mr. Besley.

"No. 31 .- Next west was a sixty-six foot lot, leased in 1798 to Rufus and Joseph Easton. Afterwards, and in August, 1800, a man by the name of Samuel Edes lived in a small frame dwelling, and he mortgaged the premises to Samuel Starr, at above date. Numa Leonard owned that building, and used it for a hat-shop, and the room overhead for a justice office, near sixty years ago. It was sub- sequently changed into a dwelling, and is now occupied by Mrs. Servey. It now stands on Luke Frink's lot.

" No. 32 .- The next building west, as early as 1810, was a small tenement on the site now occupied by the residence of C. E. Saulpangh, and is the kitchen part of that house. Tradition says it was sixty-five or seventy years ago a store. Numa Leonard resided there, and before 1820 built the front or upright part.

" No. 33 .- On the site where Dr. Flandrau resides, Robert Dill lived before 1800, and probably built the old part (since torn away). Ilenry IIuntington bought of Robert Dill in 1807, and erected the house now there.

" No. 34 .- Very near where the alley is, between the Opera-House and Ilill Block, stood, as early as 1804, a two-story frame building. It was occupied in 1810 by James Sherman (father of Mrs. Judge Foster).

" No. 35 .- Before 1800 John Barnard erected on the site of Pell & Co.'s hardware store a frame dwelling, and resided there for a while. It was used as a store by Bill Smith about 1814, and about 1823 it was added to and converted into a tavern.

"No. 36 .- About 1808 Gurdon Huntington kept a store in a frame building which theu stood where the First National Bank is. It was a sort of lean-to to ' Rome Coffee House.'

"No. 37 .- ' Rome Coffee-1Iouse' was a tavern erestel before 1800, on the sites of the stores of E. 11. Shelley an 1 11. W. Mitchell. It was a three-story building, with a wing or lean-to on each side. Solomon Rich kept that tavern in 1800.

" No. 38 .- On the site now occupied by drug-store of G. N. Bissell & Co., stood very early in the present century a small red frame tenement, one story high. Jay llatheway kept store there as early as 1814, but who before him no one now remembers.

"No. 39 .- Where the store of J. D. Ely now is, a two-story frame building was erected soon after 1800, and occupied before 1810 by Dr. Mathew Brown for a drug-store; afterward by Stephen llubbard for a store, he having his residence on the opposite side of the street (' No. 10'). West of this store was an alley.

" No. 40 .- Where the bakery of Mr. Cheney is, and west of above alley, was a small frame tenement, occupied soon after the war of 1812 by Miss Marsh (she who was afterwards Mrs. Ardon Seymour), as a. millinery-shop. It was probably erected by Dr. Brown or Mr. Ilubbard. About 1820 there was a small frame building where G. JJ. Leach's storo is, then used by Dr. A. Blair as his office and drug-store; but as we cannot learn that it stood there as early as 1819, we have not got it down on our map.

" No. 41 .- The next building west was on the site now occupied by Spencer, White & Co.'s store. It was a story and a half frame building with a lean-to, next to alley, built by John Bernard abont 1800, and ocenpied in 180I by the late William Wright as a store.

" No. 42 .- As early as 1799, a frame building stood on the grounds now occupied by the stores of Miner & Sons and T. L. Kingsley. It was known as the 'MeGrath House.' In that year the Columbian Gazette was published in that building. In 1807. Deacon Elijah Wor- thington purchased the premises, which also inelnded the ground now occupied by the store of J. C. Smith. Onr old residents deseribe that house of sixty and more years ago as a two-story, caves to the street, a door and hall in the centre of the building.

" No. 43 .- On the west end of above lot, and where J. C. Smith's now is, Mr. Worthington (who was a hatter), in 1810, erected a small frame building for a hat-shop.

" No. 44 .- West of above lot, and on the site now occupied by the store of W. Willard Smith, Nathaniel Mudge. Sr., erected. in 1804. a story and a half trame building for a tin-shop. It was used in the war of 1812 as a recruiting otlice. West of this lot was an alley.

384

HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

"No. 45 .- Where the store of Williams & Edwards now is was a small frame tenement occupied as a dwelling near sixty years ago by Ephraim Shepherd, and after, for many years, was Judge Roberts' office. Who used it before Mr. Shepherd no one now can tell.

" No. 46 .- On the site of the 'Tremont House' stood a two-story frame dwelling, with a wing on the east. The oldest inhabitants remember that a Dr. Alden resided there about 1816, and Judge Beardsley about 1810. It was quite an old house when first remembered.

"No. 47 .- Not far from 1800, a two-story frame dwelling, large enough for four families, and called the 'Catterfield House,' stood on the site now occupied by the Hammann & Benner Block. It was built and owned by Caleb Putnam. It was torn down by a mob about 1827.

"No. 48 .- The Ethridge Corner was leased to Michael Frost before 1800, and Nathaniel Mudge, about 1810, lived in a story and a half frame dwelling on that corner. David Warner resided there afterwards.

" No. 49 .- Before 1816, Mr. Cooley lived in a small frame house on ' Peggs' place,' and had a gunsmith-shop in the rear. The house was there years before that.

"No. 50 .- Next to Peggs' place was a 7 by 9 frame tenement, used by Parker Halleck as his tailor-shop as early as 1812. It was in that building the first regular Sabbath-school of Rome was started.

"No. 51 .- Parker Halleck lived in the house now occupied by W. C. Purdy. That house was there before 1800, is strongly built of yellow pine, and wrought nails were used in its construction.

"No. 52 .- Where the double frame house is, near the brick block of Dr. West, a small frame tenement stood about 1800, erceted by John Barnard. The first resident there, as now remembered, was Tockle Herupstreet (grandfather of General Hempstreet). That was about 1815.

"Between '51' and ' 52' were two or three small frame tenements at an early day ; but our oldest residents can't place those buildings there before ISI0.

" JAMES STREET.

"No. 53 .- Opposite the Armstrong Block, an'l near the canal, Caleb Putnam resided in a frame dwelling as early as 1800. His tannery and grounds covered the site between that house and where the rail- road now is.

"No. 54 .- On the corner where Stanwix Hall is, N. Mudge, Sr., before 1812, had a grocery-store in a small red frame building, fronting on James Street, and extended back on what is now Whitesboro' Street.

"No. 55-On the rear end of the Stanwix Hall lot, fronting towards the canal, a double frame house stood seventy years ago; it was occupied by Judge Dill, and afterward by N. Mudge. It stood a few years ago on the north bank of the old canal, a little east of South James Street.

"No. 56 .- Where C. E. Saulpaugh's store is, John Barnard, about 1800, erected a two-story frame building 40 by 50 feet, with piazza in front. It was kept as a tavern in 1812, by Benjamin Hyde, Sr., and called ' Farmers' Hotel.'

"No. 57 .- Opposite "Farmers' Hotel' was the frame store of George and Henry Huntington, standing there from 1800 to 1850. There were no other buildings on James Street (except ' No. 35') between that store and Dominick Street.

" No. 58 .- A small frame tenement stood, before 1810, not far from the insurance-office of Smith, Pond & Co. It was occupied in 1814 by Judge Wardwell as a law-office, and after that by Foster and Hayden. Our oldest residents don't remember back of Judge Wardwell's occu- pancy.

" No. 59 .- The ' Huntington School-House' stood on or near the site of the meat-shop of G. Petrie, and was erected about 1800. It was a frame one-story building, with chimney in the centre of the room.

"No. 60 .- On the corner of Nellis' livery, George Huntington's frame barn stood seventy years ago.

" No. 61 .- Where the butcher-shop of Winkelmeyer is, David I. Andrus had a meat-shop in a 7 by 9 frame structure, as early as 1804.

"No. 62 .- David I. Andrus lived, in 1804, on the site of Judge Roberts' house, and in what is now the kitehen part of that dwelling.

" No. 63 .- The house where Jesse Walsworth resides was erected about 1807, by the late William Wright.

"No. 64 .- On the site of 'Elm Row,' Joshna Hathaway crected a two-story double frame honse, opposite Judge Roberts'. That house was erected before, or very soon after, 1800. It now stands on George Street.

"No. 65 .- Near the site now occupied by Knowltou's saloon was a

small frame tenement, used by Mr. Hathaway as his office and post- office for thirty years.

" No. 66 .- The house on Dr. Scudder's lot, corner of Liberty and James Streets, Amos Flint erected about 1810.

" No. 67 .- Next to it, north, was a small frame house, oeeupied as early as 1810 by Ashbel Anderson.

"No. 672 .- There was another small house next north, occupied fifty years ago by Lansing Wall, a tailor. The corner, where Geo. Merrill resides, was built upon by Mr. Soper at an early day, but whether that house was built before 1810 we could not learn.

" No. 68 .- The house on the corner of Park Alley and East Park was erected by Russell Bartlett as early as 1810.

"No. 69 .- B. B. Hyde resided in the house on East Park, where A. H. Brainerd resides, as early as 1811, but who before him we can't tell.

"No. 70 .- The First Church (or Presbyterian ) was erected in 1807-8. It was a large frame building, and a few years ago stood on the site of the Court Street Methodist Episcopal Church, and was burned down. Before its ercctiou the society worshiped sometimes in Seth Ranny's barn, sometimes in the school-house, sometimes in Gould's tavern (No. 4), and sometimes in Geo. & H. Huntingtou's store (No. 57). It had no regular place of worship until after 1807.

"No. 71 .- The ' school-house' iu Rome stood, in 1800 and 1810, in the southeast corner of West Park, and it was there where courts were held in Rome until the Court-House was erected in 1806. It was a high, square, frame building, with ' hip roof.'

" No. 72 .- The ' Tryon House,' on James Street, near the West Park, was erected about 1807 by Festus Clark, Chauncey Filer being the carpenter.

" No. 723 .- A two-story house stood on the grounds of G. W. Pope's late residence as early as 1810. The father of Asa Graves resided there near fifty-five years ago. It was old then.

"LIBERTY STREET.

" Fifty years ago there was a tin-shop of Sylvester Wilcox's where E. B. Armstrong resides ; but as we could not learn as it was there in 1810, we have not marked it down on our map.

"No. 73 .- On the west end of E. B. Armstrong's lot, fronting on Liberty Street, were two small houses, both old fifty years ago. Josiah Dickerson lived in the east one.

"No. 74 .- Sylvester Wilcox lived in the west one.

"No. 75 .- A sinall, yellow frame building over sixty years ago occupied the site where D. P. McIlarg's brick residence now is. It was an old building then. Mrs. Alden resided there before 1820, but who before her is not remembered.

" No. 76 .- Before 1810, a frame dwelling stood on the site now oc- cupied by Wheeler Armstrong's residence. Dr. Blair lived there in 1810, and erected a wing to it.

" No. 77 .- About 1810, Gurdon Huntington resided in a story and a half frame house on the site now occupied by the residence of B. N. Huntington. That building is now on Washington Street, the residence of Dr. Cowles. It is stated that Mr. Gilbert crected the house about or soon after 1800.

" No. 78 .- Where the residence of Mr. Edward Huntington now is, stood, in 1810, the frame tenement ('No. 16') which had been re- moved from Dominick Street.

"No. 79 .- Near the residences of S. W. Mudge and Dr. Scudder, Oliver Greenwood had a blacksmith-shop as early as 1805. (See 'No. 10.')

" No. 80 .- As early as 1810, Oliver Greenwood lived in a two-story frame house on the site of the present residence of S. W. Mudge.

" A building stood on the corner of James Street and Floyd Road, where Mrs. Bellamy resides, at an early day, but whether before 1810 or not we could not learn. It was once occupied by Timothy Jervis, father of J. B. Jervis; also a dwelling (John Wentworth's house) on the site of John G. Bissell's residence, on Floyd Road. John Barnard's tavern was erected before 1793, on or near the site of the old Baptist Church, but we can't learn as it stood there in 1810. The State Arseual stood on the site of the Catholic Church in 1810, and a small, old house stood on the brow of the hill near there, occupied some fifty years ago by Daniel Matteson. The foregoing are not on our map, as few, if any were in use in 1810 as we can learn, except the State Arsenal. Thomas Veazie lived, not far from 1810, on the site now occupied by the residence of J. J. Armstrong, on what is now Liberty Street; he had a wagon-shop just west of his house. As it could not

385

HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

be ascertained whether Mr. Venzie resided there before 1810, those buildings are not down on our map. To go to his honse at an early day was like driving into an open lot. Old-fashioned hay-scales, fifty years ago, stood in what is now the street in front of his house."

In 1828 some of the pickets and the block-house of old Fort Stanwix remained, the latter much decayed and full of bullet-holes. Nelson Dawley, now of Annsville, had the contract for leveling down and clearing away the block- house and the western portion of the fort, preparatory to the erection in that year of a dwelling by Wheeler Barnes. This house, now occupied by Alva Mudge, stands near the southwest corner of the fort, and the large chiu-tree at the west window was but a siuall sapling in 1804, said to have stood on the parapet. One of the men employed in leveling down the fort was John Healt. It is said that many wagon-loads of cannon-balls were dug out and drawn away, also that at some depth in the ground bars of lead were found piled crosswisc. Could the fortification have been left as it stood, and the site converted into a park, the citizens of Rome would have before them to-day the only important work in all the colonies which never fell into the hands of an enemy during the Revolution ; but the hand of the destroyer was unstayed, and it was cleared away. Upon its site are erected beautiful and costly residences, and the grounds have been elegantly and tastefully laid out, yet there is scareely an inhabitant of the place but wishes the fort had been preserved as a reminder of the trying seenes of " a hundred years ago." Fort Bull, to the west- ward, on Wood Creek, has fared better, and may yet be seen in perfect outline, and almost as fresh as if constructed within comparatively a few years.

During the exciting period of the French Revolution many of the citizens of France fled for safety to America, and stayed until the trouble was over. Atuong those who came to this country, and in the course of their travels found themselves in the then infant village of Rome, were Talleyrand, the famous statesman, and Volney, the his- torian. The wife of George Huntington, and mother of Edward Huntington, Esq., now of Rome, entertained these distinguished guests at her house in the absence of her husband, and often mentioned the fact afterwards. It is possible that Mr. Huntington met them at some other time and place, but it is not kuown at present whether he became acquainted with them.

Another notable event in the history of the village was the visit of the Marquis de Lafayette, in 1825, during his tour of the country. At a meeting of the village trustees, April 21, 1825, it was

" Resolved, That the following gentlemen compose a committee on the part of the village to receive General Lafayette on his arrival here, viz., Joshua Hathaway, Henry Huntington, George Hunting- ton, Bill Smith, and William Wright.

" Resolved, That the Trustees of the village be a committee to make arrangements for his reception."

The general, on his arrival, debarked in the evening near the United States Arsenal, from the packet on which he was going east, and was escorted to the " American House" by a procession bearing tallow candles ! He held a levee at the arsenal and another at the " American," after which he boarded the canal packet at the " Mansion House," and went on his way. Of the delegation appointed to receive

him, Colonel B. P. Johnson, in command of the militia, was on horseback, in his regimentals, and Colonel Arden Seymour had command of the cavalry. When crossing Wood Creek Colonel Johnson's horse became restive, and, making a sudden plunge forward, left his gallant rider " sitting as flat in the mud as a tailor ever sat on his bench." Colonel Seymour dismounted and offered his own horse to Colonel Johnson, who accepted it, and the " pro- cession" moved along. At the hotel a colored man, who had been one of General William Floyd's servants, and had come from Western to see the general (Lafayette), was introduced to him. Lafayette, in speaking of Revolu- tionary times, remarked, " Dere vas var den ; no fighting now."

The village of Rome was incorporated in 1819, with the following boundaries, to wit : "Commencing at the june- tion of the Erie Canal* with Wood Creck, near the white house called the ' Clark House,' and thence down the canal to the west line of George House ; thence on a line of said farm to a poplar-tree south of the oldf canal; thence to east corner of Fiero's barn ; thence to north corner of Jacob Tibbitts' barn ; then north to the east corner of Bloom- field's garden ; thenee northwest to Wood Creek ; thence down the ereck to the place of beginning."

The first clection for village officers was held on the first Tuesday in June, 1819, at the court-house, James Sherman, Esq., Justice of the Peace, presiding. The following were the officers chosen, viz. : Trustees, George Huntington, Charles Wylie, Joshua Hatheway, Pliny Darrow, Bela B. Hyde ; Assessors, William Wright, Samuel Beardsley, Arden Seymour; Clerk, Benjamin P. Johnson ; Treasurer, Arba Blair ; Collector, Archibald T. Funk.

In 1824 it was " Voted, that a tax of forty dollars be raised for completing the burying-ground, and that it be left discretionary with the trustees to raise the same, should they not succeed in raising sufficient to complete the same by subscription ;" also " Voted, That a tax of thirty dollars be raised for repairing the town pump and well near the hotel."

At a meeting of the board held July 5, 1852, the fol- lowing preamble and resolutions were adopted :

" Whereas, This board has received information that the remains of the lamented Henry Clay are to pass through this place, on the express train, at ten o'clock p.M. to-morrow, and

" Whereas, It is eminently proper that some expression should be made of the profound grief which the death of this illustrions patriot has spread over the community, therefore

"Resolved, That between the hours of teu and twelve o'clock the bells of the several churches of this village be tolled, that minnte- guns be fired, and that all occupants of places of business be requested to close the same during the time above mentioned."

In 1853 the village was divided into three wards, the portion cast of James Street being the first ward ; that west of James Street and south of Liberty the second ward ; and west of James and north of Liberty the third ward.

The trustees of the village from 1820 to 1834, inelusive, were the following persons, viz. :

1820 .- George Huntington, Elijah Worthington, Ste- phen White, Elisha Walsworth, Numa Leonard.

" Old Erie Canal, + Inland Cana !.

386

HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

1821 .- Same as 1820.

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History of Oneida County, New York, 1667-1878, Part 102

Author: Publication date: 1878 Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Fariss Number of Pages: 932

Author:
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Fariss
Number of Pages: 932