History of Oneida County, New York, 1667-1878, Part 111

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

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Lower Woolen-Mill .- This building was originally erce- ted for a tannery and currying establishment by Aaron Burley, as early as 1816. Subsequently the same person operated it as a custom grist-mill and distillery, beginning about 1824-25. The present proprietors are Messrs. E. & W. D. Hicks, who have operated a woolen-factory in the

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

building since 1863. A general assortment of cassimcres, flannels, and yarns are manufactured, and work is given to an average of fifteen employecs. Two sets of machinery are used.

The brewery at this place was originally built by a man named Hines, although a distillery stood early on the ground, owned by Elisha Fowler. The present proprietor is Eugene Smith, who has crected all the buildings (frame) except the stone malt-house. About ten hands are employed, and from 6000 to 7000 barrels of ale and lager are manufactured an- nually. The mash-tub has a capacity of 100 bushels; 50 barrels of beer are made at once ; mashing and grinding are done by the aid of a ten horse-power steam-enginc. The malting capacity is 15,000 bushels. The grain used is pur- chased from farmers in the vicinity. About 2000 barrels of beer and ale are retailed to customers.

A post-office was established here about 1828-29, and David Murray, who came here in 1827 and opened a store, was the first postmaster. Previous to this time the mail was carried on horseback from Vernon through to Madison Village, Madison Co., via Augusta Centre, which latter place was the post-office for this town. The present incum- bent of the office at the Falls is John M. Howe.

The hotel now occupied by Andrew Sargent was built about 1836-37, by John Stebbins, at the time the Chenango Canal was completed. It has since been cularged and im- proved. Mr. Sargent has occupied it since 1845. His father, Samuel Sargent, located at Madison, Madison Co., in 1814, and during the last few years of his life lived with his son at the Falls.

Josiah Willard owned a tract as early as 1821, on the corner where the "Sargent Block" now stands, and there have been others in the village at different periods.

Oriskany Falls Engine Company, No. 1 .- A hand-cn- gine, manufactured at Sencca Falls, was purchased in 1871, and this company was organized immediately afterwards. and chartered by the State in 1873. The company joined the State Firemen's Association in 1874. It had assisted, up to the middle of May, 1878, in extinguishing seven fires, none of them eausing a heavy loss. It has about 40 mem- bers, and is officered as follows : Foreman, Eli Hicks; As- sistant Foreman, Clark Maynard ; Treasurer, E. J. Dudley; Clerk, A. T. Brock.

The Douglass Hose Company has 10 members, and its officers are : Foreman, Charles T. King ; Assistant Foreman, C. T. Walter; Treasurer and Clerk, the same as those of the engine company.

The Oriskany Falls News .- A job printing-office was established in 1869, by the present proprietor, Fred. G. Williard, and in January, 1872, the publication of a small, two-column folio monthly, called the Monthly Advertiser, was commenced by him. Two issues were printed, after which it was enlarged to a threc-column folio, and ealled The Weekly News. It has also been issued as a seven- column folio, but was finally reduced to its present size, 16 by 22 inches, four columns, and the name changed to The Oriskany Falls News. It is devoted entirely to local interests.

Rescue Lodge, No. 489, I. O. G. T., was organized carly in 1877, and in May, 1878, had about thirty members.

A lodge-room has been fitted up in the basement of the Congregational Church. The officers for 1878 are the following persons, viz. : W. C. T., Charles Walter ; W. V. T., Sarah Munson ; Secretary, Clark Maynard; Assistant Secretary, Bertha Baker ; Financial Secretary, Julius Gla- zier ; Treasurer, Ella Glazier; Chaplain, David Spears ; Marshal, Amenzo Brown; Deputy Marshal, Florence Bentley ; P. W. C., Truman H. Cox, M.D .; I. G., Nina Thompson ; O. G., David Jeffers ; R. H. S., Edith Brown ; L. H. S., Hattie Britt; Lodge Deputy, Mrs. D. J. Lamb.

The village contained, May 14, 1878, nine stores of various kinds, three shoc-shops, two blacksmith-shops, three saloons, two livery-stables, a barber-shop, a cooper-shop, an undertaking- and cabinet-shop, two meat-markets, and one extensive coal-dealing firm,-Messrs. Putnam & Abbott. These are in addition to the churches, hotel, manufactures, cte., already mentioned. There is also a brass band, having ten pieces, under the leadership of E. S. Bergan. A neat stand was erected for their use in the spring of 1878. The beautiful cemetery belonging to the village contains about four acres.

AUGUSTA CENTRE.

The post-office at this place is called Augusta, and is the oldest one in town. Winthrop H. Chandler held the office a good many years, it being located in his store, which stood opposite (east of ) the present store of Henry M. Hawley. He was probably not the first incumbent. The present postmaster is Mr. Hawley, who has the only storc in the place.

A hotel was kept here soon after 1800 by Jared Moss, and was burned down about 1820. Another building was put up on the same ground, and occupied for some time as a tavern, and is now used as a dwelling. Others have kept public-house here in a small way, but there is no in- stitution of the kind in the place at present.

The village has now one store, a post-office, two church societics, a school-house, a blacksmith-shop, a wagon-shop, and a shoe-shop.

VILLAGE OF KNOXBORO'.

This place was originally called Cook's Corners, and afterwards Knox's Corners, but was finally changed to Knoxboro'.

The post-office was established here about 1850, and the first postmaster was James C. Knox, who has held the office ever since, with the exception of one Presidential term (Buchanan's), when Ephraim Hart was postmaster.

James C. Knox & Son (J. Theodore Knox) are carrying on the storc established in 1811 by John J. Knox, father of the senior member of the present firm. From this family the place derives its name. J. C. Knox, in com- pany with others, established what was known as the "New York Loek Company" in 1861, and carried on the manu- facture of locks at this place for four or five years.

John J. Knox and others established a brewery here in the neighborhood of 1820, " to keep folks from drinking whisky." It was afterwards sold to parties from New York City, who manufactured malt and shipped it to that place.

The old union church has been transformed into a union school building, the upper floor being fitted for a

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

public hall. The school has two departments, and an at- tendanee of about one hundred. Its principal is R. C. Schermerhorn.

The hotel in this village was built by one of the Cooks, as early as 1805-10. It was kept for many years by Timothy Smith. Its present proprietor is P. M. Van Evera.

The Knoxboro' cheese-factory was established by Marvin J. Knox, in the spring of 1861. The present factory was built by him and William M. Fairfield, in 1862. Mr. Knox died before it was entirely completed, and George Helmer purchased an interest and helped finish it. Mr. IIelmer is the present proprietor. In May, 1878, this factory was re- eciving 1700 to 1800 pounds of milk daily. There are two other factories in the towin, two of the three making cheese exclusively, and the other cheese and butter.

The grist-mill east of Knoxboro' was built by Charles Fish, and is a brick structure, standing on the site of a frame one previously owned by him, and afterwards trans- formed into a woolen-factory, which was operated a number of years. Between the village and the grist-mill a distil- lery was carried on in an early day by Abner Ranney, and there have been numerous others in town ; also several saw- mills, one of which stood on the small stream in the village. All have gone into disuse, and been mostly removed, except the old one at the grist-mill mentioned.

Knoxboro' contains at present (1878) two stores, two blacksmith-shops, a earriage-shop, a tin-shop, two 'shoe- shops, millinery and dress-making establishments, etc., besides churches, sehools, hotel, ete., already mentioned. The location of the village is pleasant and commanding, near the summit of the west hill, overlooking the valley of the Skenandoa for a number of miles, and containing nu- merous fine residenees, the property of some of the wealth- ier citizens of the town.

For information furnished, and favors extended while gathering items for the history of this town, we are under great obligations to Elisha Fowler, A. Sargent, Sidney Put- nam, and others, at Oriskany Falls; James C. Knox and others at Knoxboro'; the town clerk (for use of records) and others at the Centre; and the proprietors of manufacto- ries, ete., pastors and members of churches, and many whose names are not now recalled. Special obligations are due to Mrs. Andrus Root, of Deansville, for the use of a copy of Rev. O. Bartholomew's historical sermon, delivered at Augusta Centre in 1847.

CHAPTER XXIV.

AVA.

THIS town lies eentrally on the northern boundary of the county, and includes portions of Matchin's and Adgate's Patents, with several smaller grants to other parties. Its area is 22,488 aeres. Its surface is high and rolling, and the town was originally covered with a heavy growth of timber, which proved a source of considerable income to the settlers Nmner- ous mills for the manufacture of lumber have been erected,

but since timber has become comparatively scarce, they have mostly been abandoned or torn away. Through this town flow the head-waters of the Mohawk River, and the west- ern boundary is formed by Fish Creek. Besides these there are numerous smaller streams, in all of which the brook trout abounded in great numbers in the days of the early settlement, and in whose waters many of these speckled beauties are still found. In Moose Creek, Isaac Knight used to boast of eatching a wash-tub full in a day, but that stream now contains but few. Tributaries of Black River also have their sources in this town, and nearly all the streams furnish considerable water-power.

To the northward of Ava are the dense forests of the northeastern portion of Oswego County, where yet the deer, wolf, and bear are found, and an occasional panther makes the woods ring with his hideous notes. This town was mueh troubled, during the first years of its settlement, by these animals, especially by the wolves, which made sad havoc among the few flocks of sheep possessed by the settlers, and the bears were not too conscientious to carry off an occasional pig or calf.

THE SETTLEMENT

of the town was begun quite early, considering the distance of the locality from the common thoroughfare along the lower Mohawk, past Fort Stanwix and the "Carrying- Place," and down Wood Creek.

In the year 1797, Ebenezer Harger came from Connec- ticut to Whitestown, and in 1798 removed to this town, and located three-fourths of a mile east of what is now Ava Corners.

Zephania and Abner Wood eame soon after, and about 1800 their numbers were augmented by the arrival of Philo Harger, Benjamin Jones, Lemuel Wood, and Justus Beardsley.

Eli Mitchell, from Massachusetts, eame to the town of Western about 1803, and settled with his wife on Webster Hill. Their daughter, Jerusha, was born in that town in 1804. About 1807-8 they moved into Ava, and settled on the farm now owned by their son, Eli T. Mitchell, in the southeast part of the town. The old log house in which they lived stood a short distance northeast of Mr. Mitchell's present residenee, and has long been removed.

Rickerson Kenyon was also an carly settler, locating south of the Mitehell place, and Joseph Hunt lived in the neighborhood of Ava Corners.

Daniel Buek, also from Massachusetts, located abont the year 1800 on the farmn now occupied by his son, Jonathan Buek, in the northeast part of the town. The latter per- son was born on the place in December, 1804, and has re- sided upon it ever since. Daniel Buck was a soldier during the struggle for national independence.

Isaac Knight came to this town about 1798-99, from the State of Rhode Island, and settled a mile northeast of the Buck place ; the farm now (1878) being occupied by Fen- ner Roekwood.

Northwest of this, on the Moose Creek, a saw-inill was built quite early by Remember Kent, and was kept in use for many years. In 1877 the old dam gave way, and the mill has been abandoned.

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

Silas C. Morse, of Ava Corners, is a grandson of Silas Morse, who settled very early in the town of Western, east of the village of Delta. He adopted a boy and a girl, named White, who took the name of their foster-father. The adopted one, Silas W. Morse, was born in the town of Western in 1797, and died in 1848. He was for some years a resident of the town of Lee.

Among other early settlers of the town were Messrs. Bates, Barnard, Fanning, Adams, Beck, Tiffany, and others. Solomon Bates was from New Lebanon, N. Y., and settled in 1800. The first saw-mill in town was built in 1801, by Philo Harger and Benjamin Jones, on the east branch of the Mohawk. The first birth of a white child was that of Chauncey Harger, who was born in March, 1800.

The early schools in this town were institutions of the day, and the same log buildings were here used as were the style in all other parts of the county at that time. In the eastern part of the town the children were obliged to go two and three miles to schools in what is yet Boonville, Ava being then included in the latter town. There was in that part of town no school until a very few years before the ereetion of the new town.

The school districts in Ava in 1878 number 10, and the number of children of school age, by the last report, was 371. The apportionment of moneys paid to distriets for teachers' wages, etc., for the school year of 1877-78, was $944.63.

RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.

GERMAN EVANGELICAL CHURCH.

Meetings have been held by the Germans of this town for forty years or more, and the place of congregating for worship was long the old school-house in District No. 9; meetings were also held in the dwelling-house next east. The present frame church, situated in this district, was built about 1860-61. The membership of the society is small, and the pastoral labors are performed by Rev. Henry Graves.

A SOCIETY OF FRIENDS

at one time had an existence in this town, and a house was built by them for public worship. They were long ago the only religious society in town, although members of various denominations resided within its limits.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, AVA CORNERS.

This society was organized in 1868, and the present neat frame church erected in 1869. A local preacher held ser- vices for one year, after which Rev. William C. Empey was installed as the first regular pastor. The present pas- tor is Rev. Mr. Woodward, a student of the Syracuse Uni- versity. The membership of the society is not large. A Sunday-school is usually sustained.

ORGANIZATION OF TIIE TOWN-ELECTIONS, ETC.

The town of Ava was ereeted from Boonville, by an act of the Legislature, passed May 12, 1846, entitled " An act to erect the town of Ava from the west part of the town of Boonville, in the county of Oneida." This act is as fol- lows, viz. :

"The people of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows :

"¿ 1. All that part of the town of Boonville, in the county of Oneida, lying west of the following described line, to wit: Beginning on the south line of the town of Boonville aforesaid, at the southeast corner of lot number twenty-two of Matchin's Patent, and running thence nortlierly along the east lines of lots twenty-two and twenty - one to the northeast corner of lot number twenty-one aforesaid ; thence westerly to the southwest corner of lot number one hundred and eighty-six of Adgate's Patent; thence northerly along the west lines of lots numbers one hundred and eighty-six, one hundred and fifty-eight, one hundred and thirty-three, one hundred and eleven, ninety-two, seventy-six, sixty-two, fifty-one, and continuing the same course across lot number two hundred and two of said Adgate's Patent to the northwesterly line of said town of Boonville, is hereby erected into a separate town by the name of Ava.

" ¿ 2. All the remaining part of the town of Boonville shall con- tinue to be and remain a separate town by the name of Boonville.

"¿ 3. The first town-meeting in the town of Ava shall be held on the fourth Tuesday of May, 1846, at ten o'clock in the forenoon, at the house of Joshua Coleman, in said town, and at such town-meet- ing Isaac Knight, Horace Hoyt, and Truman Harger, or any two of them, may preside, aud for that purpose shall possess all the powers and duties of Justices of the Peace.

"¿ 4. All subsequent annual town-meetings in said town shall be held on the same day as is or shall be provided for holding annual town-meetings in the respective towns in the County of Oneida.

"¿ 5. This act shall take effect on the fourth Tuesday of May, 1846."

According to the provisions of the above act, the first town-meeting for the town of Ava was held on the date set forth, and the following officers elected, viz. : Supervisor, Henry Capron ; Town Clerk, Horace Hoyt; Justices of the Peace, Samuel Jones, Truman Harger, John Cronk, Jeremiah Rowley ; Collector, Ezekiel R. Preston ; Asses- sors, Jonathan Buck, David Rankins, Ephraim S. Adams; Superintendent of Common Schools, Horace A. Buck ; Commissioners of Highways, Nathan Shippy, Artemas Young, Daniel Edgerton ; Overseers of the Poor, Samuel Hunt, Hiram Cronk ; Constables, Nathan R. Tiffany, Noah Nelson, John S. Bush, Archibald McDonald; Sealer of Weights and Measures, Horace Hoyt.

The Supervisors of this town, from 1847 to 1877 inclu- sive, have been the following-named persons : 1847, Henry Capron ; 1848-49, Horace Hoyt; 1850, Henry Capron ; 1851-52, Silas C. Morse ; 1853, Horace Hoyt ; 1854-55, Walker Adams; 1856, Reuben Knight; 1857, Peter A. Flint ; 1858-59, Henry E. Shaver; 1860, Samuel Hunt ; 1861, Stephen L. Bates ; 1862-64, Jedediah Edgerton ; 1865-66, James H. Capron ; 1867, Samuel Hurlbut ; 1868, Selden Palmer ; 1869, Silas C. Morse ; 1870-71, John M. Edgerton ; 1872, Peter A. Flint; 1873, Selden Palmer ; 1874, Smith M. Capron; 1875, Silas C. Morse; 1876, James H. Bellinger ; 1877, Luke Jones.

The officers for 1878 are as follows, viz. : Supervisor, Gideon Vary ; Town Clerk, Philip Hammes; Justices of the Peace, George Oster, Richard Chase, Jr .; Assessor, Addison Sawyer; Commissioner of Highways, Andrew Kilts; Overseer of the Poor, Fred Heury ; Collector, Syl- vester Butler; Constables, Sylvester Butler, William Welch, Charles Knight, Hadley Buck ; Inspectors of Election, District No. 1, Adam Ruth, Charles Doty, Selden Palmer ; District No. 2, Edward Mackin, James H. Franklin, Milo Gukins; Town Auditors, Charles Castle, George C. Van Dyke, Andrew Hurlbut ; Commissioner of Exeise, Fred. W. Swigelson.

419

HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

AVA CORNERS.

This is a thriving village in the south part of the town, and has daily connection by stage-line with the city of Rome. It contains a hotel, a harness-shop, two blacksmith- and wagon-shops, a post-office, two stores, a Methodist Episcopal Church, and one physician (J. C. Frazier).

A post-office was secured here quite early through the efforts of a man named Bancroft, who was probably the first incumbent. It is said his name was reversed as a title for the office, and it was called " Croft Ban." However this is, it is now Ava, this name being given from the cap- ital of the Burmese Empire, in Asia, and the town derived its name from the post-office. The present postmaster is Fred. Mangang.

A Mr. Kingsbury erected the first hotel in the place, on the site of the one now owned by George Briggs. The frame of the latter building was erected in the summer of 1850, by a man named Bec, who sold out to Morse and Shaver, and they finished it, and conducted it for a number of years.

The old Joshua Colman house, in which the first town- meeting was held in 1846, is now occupied by Silas C. Morse. This gentleman elerked in the first store at the Corners, which was opened by Horace Hoyt in June, 1846.

Among those who have furnished information to us in this town are Silas C. Morse, Mrs. E. T. Mitchell, Jonathan Buek, members of churches, and others whose names are not recalled. Our thanks are due to all.

CHAPTER XXV.

BOONVILLE.

THE town of Boonville lies on the northern border of Oneida County, and is one of its largest divisions, contain- ing an area of 43,985 acres. It ineludes portions of Ad- gate's and Matchin's patents, and lies in an elevated region, the head-waters of the Mohawk and Black Rivers and Fish Creek being found within its borders. Black River flows in a northwesterly direction across the eastern portion. All the streams abound in fish, the speckled trout being quite common, and in the south part of the town is a large pond, whose outlet is a branch of Black River. The Black River Canal enters the town near the southwest eor- ner, and passing northerly through the village of Boonville, leaves the town on the north and enters Lewis County. A feeder to this canal, nine miles in length,* has been constructed from the village to Williamsville or Forest- port, on Black River. The Utica and Black River Rail- way affords ample facilities for shipping and travel, and connects the two great valleys of the Mohawk and the St. Lawrence, both noted for their beauty, their historieal in- terest, and the extent of their commerce. The Black River Canal enters, about two miles south west of Boonville village, the ravine through which flows the Lansing Kill, an import-

ant tributary of the Mohawk. This ravine is noted for its wildness, and is barely of sufficient width in places to admit the passage of the stream, canal, and tow-path, while on either side uplift the rugged walls of limestone to the height of 200 feet.

This town was originally covered with a dense growth of timber, the principal varieties being pine and spruce, and for many years a large amount of lumber was manufactured. At present the supply is limited, although there are yet several mills in the town.

The surface is uneven, and in places quite hilly. The soil is generally sandy, and in many places the surface is dotted with huge bowlders,-relics of the drift period,- whose sides have been worn smooth by constant motion for ages during the terrible grinding commotion attendant upon the glacial epoch, and by the action of the elements.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

" The first settler of the territory now included in Boonville was Andrew Edmunds, who removed there in the spring of 1795. He was agent for Mr. Boon, f or more properly for the Holland Company, and a number of men were in his employ or under his direction. During this season they erected a saw-mill, and made other preparations for the settlement. A grist-mill was also commenced, and the boards sawed, but in kiln-drying the boards so that they could be worked they unluckily took fire and were all consumed. This so much de- layed the grist-mill that it was not put in operation until the next spring."#

The year 1796 witnessed numerous arrivals of settlers, and among them we find the names of Luke Fisher and son, Phineas, Silas, and Martin Southwell, Asahel and Eze- kiel Porter, Aaron Willard, Jacob Springer, Jeptha King, Hezekiah Jones and son, a Mr. Stockwell, and three young men named King. Many of these were employed by the Holland Company, while others selected farms and began clearing away the unbroken forest.

Jotham Snow, from Worcester Co., Mass., located in the town of Boonville in 1804; he had lived in Leyden, Lewis Co., since 1798 or 1799. The farm he located on in Boon- ville was three miles south of the village, and is now the property of George Tubbs. Mr. Snow's son, S. E. Snow, born in this town in 1809, has been engaged in mercantile business in the village since 1854.

Jacob Rogers, a native of Stonington, Connecticut, and later from Springfield, Massachusetts, came to Boonville with his family in March, 1796. He was a shoemaker and tanner by trade, and before coming here had worked a short time in Utica. He also, in 1795, worked for the company at Boonville. In 1799 he established a tannery at this plaec, and operated it several years, but was finally obliged to abandon that business on account of ill health, and sub- sequently moved upon a farm. He was a member of one of the early militia companies, and held a lieutenant's com- mission therein, but owing to his affliction he was not called upon to serve during the war of 1812-15. His son, Julius Rogers, who was born in the village in May, 1799, is still a resident, and has never lived a year away from it. The elder Rogers, when he first came, stopped in a house with John

# Stated in Dr. Hough's Gazetteer to be 123 miles.

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History of Oneida County, New York, 1667-1878, Part 111

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

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