History of Oneida County, New York, 1667-1878, Part 114

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

USA > New York > Oneida County > History of Oneida County, New York, 1667-1878 > Part 114

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For courtesies extended in furnishing information for the foregoing sketch of the town of Boonville, we are in- debted to the following persons, viz. :

At Boonville Village .- Julins Rogers, S. E. Snow, the family of Israel Kingsbury, Clark Riggs, Rev. J. R. Lewis, N. Schweinsberg, William F. Owens, other members of churches, the proprietors of the varions mannfactories, Henry McCloskey, H. C. Utley, F. V. Graves & Sons, the bankers, Samuel Johnson, W. A. Tanner, Dr. William Cordell, Albert L. Hayes, and many others.

At Hawkinsville .- Colonel James Grindlay, Rev. Earl Rndes, D. Hayes, the manufacturers, Philip Graff, Jonas Hayes, Matthias Munz, W. H. Cole, of Boonville, and others.

At Alder Creek .- J. M. McClusky and others.

CHAPTER XXVI.

BRIDGEWATER.

This town, the smallest in superficial area in the county, ocenpies its sontheastern corner, and includes an area of 14,820 acres. Its eastern portion is a part of Bayard's Patent ; a diagonal section in the north and centre belongs to the Coxeborough Patent; and the western portion is the eastern part of town 20 of the "Chenango Twenty Towns." Through nearly the centre of the town flow the head-waters of the Unadilla River, which have here also numerous tributaries. The surface is generally hilly and broken, and the view from the higher summits extends over a wide area. The improvements in this town are of a high order of excellence, and the thrift of its inhabitants is visible on every hand. A very large acreage of hops is raised, as is the case with all the towns in the southern part of the county. The valley of the Unadilla is broad and fertile, and has received the name of " Bridgewater Flats." On its east and west borders the hills are from 300 to 500 feet high, and in many places very steep. Along some of the streams cedar-swamps are found. In the northeast part of town a good quality of limestone is quarried.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

It has been asserted that the first settler in this town was Joseph Farwell, in 1788. Upon the authority of

Miss Charlotte Ives, daughter of Jesse Ives, we make the following statement :

In 1789, Jesse and Joel Ives, cousins, came to this town to look for land, and selected the place sonthwest of the village of Bridgewater, upon which Miss Ives now resides. These men were under twenty-one years of age at the time, and unmarried. In 1790 they came back to their elaini, and made a clearing upon it of twelve acres, and erected a log honse. In the spring of the same year Thomas Brown located on the site of Bridgewater village, where he built the first log honse in town, and was the first actual settler within its limits. With him came his wife, and Miss Mar- garet Lines, and Joseph Farwell.

In 1791 the first frame houses and barns in the town were built by Joel and Jesse Ives. Those erected by the former have long since succumbed to the beating of the elements ; the barn built by Jesse Ives is still standing, and the kitchen of his old honse is now the front part of the dwelling of Miss C. Ives. It has been somewhat re- modeled. Before the Cherry Valley road was constructed the highway passed between Jesse Ives' house and barn. The last-named person removed to Whitesboro' April 1, 1800, just ten years after he had located on his place in Bridgewater. He retained the old place, and in 1832 moved back to it, but returned to Whitesboro' in 1845. He died in 1862, at a ripe old age. Joel Ives died on his place in 1804. His danghter, Mrs. Julia Scott, is now living at the village with her son, Willard J. Scott.

Abner Ives, a younger brother of Jesse, came a year or two after the others had settled, he being married at the time. When the Ives family first came they made the trip from Connectient on sleds drawn by oxen, and were but scantily supplied with the necessaries and comforts of life.

Miss Charlotte Ives has in her possession a gun which was used in the French war of 1755-60, and which also saw service during the Revolution. It was carried at the battle of Oriskany (August 6, 1777) by Miss Ives' great- grandfather,-the maternal grandfather of Jesse Ives. He was in that battle with his son, and the latter fell over a stump or log, and broke both his arms. This gun was also in nse at the time of the burning of Danbury, Con- neetieut.

The statement is made by those now residing in town that the Waldo families did not come to this town until abont 1792-93, and this may be the fact ; but Judge Jones' " Annals of Oneida County" contains the following account of their settlement, in company with Joseph Far- well and family, March 4, 1789 :*

" In March, 1789, Farwell, in company with Ephraim Waldo and Nathan Waldo, removed their families from Mansfield, Connectient. to Farwell's Hill. They came by the way of Albany, np the valley of the Mohawk to Whitesborough, and from thence by the way of Paris Ilill to Bridgewater. From Paris Hill they were obliged to make their road as they progressed, following a line of marked trees. Their team consisted of two yoke of oxen and a horse, and the vehicle an ox-sled. They arrived on the 4th of March, The snow at this time was abont one and a half feet deep, but soon increased to the depth

# By Miss Ives' statement, Farwell came, with Thomas Brown, in the spring of 1790 ; consequently he could not have brought his family until later. There is an error somewhere in dates.

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

of four fect. They had two eows, which, with the oxen and horse, subsisted until the snow left upon browse alone. Upon their arrival they erected a shanty in the most primeval style. Four erofehes set in the ground, with a roof of split bass-wood overlaid with hemloek boughs, with siding composed of coverlets and blankets, formed the first dwelling house ever erected in the town of Bridgewater. The three families continued in this miserable apology for a house until midsummer, when two of them, having more comfortable dwellings provided, removed to them, while the other remained for a year. Farwell's house was of logs, built upon the hill where he commenced the previous season. About three years afterwards he ereeted the first frame house in town."

Among the other pioneers of this town was Ezra Parker, who built a log house in the north part, and opened it as a " house of entertainment." A Mr. Lyman located about the same time, and three or four years later built a frame house, which was afterwards kept as a tavern, long known as " Parkhurst's tavern." This is yet standing at North Bridgewater.

In 1790, according to Mr. Jones, Major Farwell built a saw-mill on the west branch of the Unadilla River, about three-fourths of a mile below its junction with the Tiana- derha (or Tianadara) Creek. In 1792, Ephraim Waldo built a store and a blacksmith-shop on Farwell's Hill, and these were the first in town. A Mr. Thomas erected a grist-mill the same year.

Judge Jones relates the following incident, and as it has been given us by other parties also we reproduce it here : " Soon after the settlement of the town a son of Ephraim Waldo, eight years of age, while in the woods discovered a small young bear by the side of a log asleep. The little boy, intent upon securing the animal, noiselessly retreated until he found a small ehm, from which with his Barlow knife he succeeded in peeling a piece of bark suitable for his purpose. Having fixed a noose in the end of his lasso and creeping to the opposite side of the log, he had the good fortune to slip the noose over little Bruin's head, at the same time making sure of his prize by tiglitening the erd so that it could not utter a cry. He was too much of a backwoodsman not to know that the dam in such cases is always within hailing distance of her young. Then came the ' tug of war' in the process of dragging the animal towards home, and which manifested the strongest evidence of its not having been previously broken to the halter. The old bear, soon missing her eub, followed upon the trail a considerable distance until she came to the highway, where, fortunately for the boy, she was discovered and shot by Jesse Waldo. The boy, now free from danger, kept on his way home, where he arrived in safety with his trophy of success in bear-hunting."

Eli Wood, from the town of Sand Lake, Rensselaer Co., N. Y., came to Plainfield, Otsego Co., about 1805-6, and after several changes of location settled, in 1810, in the town of Sangerfield, Oneida Co., where he died. His son, Silas B. Wood, removed to Bridgewater in 1853 or 1854, where he has sinee resided. He is now seventy-eight years of age, and by his present feebleness shows that he has performed many. a hard day's labor.

Garrett Seott, now a resident of Bridgewater village, is a native of Madison County, where he was born in 1799. His father and grandfather-Amos Seott, Jr., and Sr .--- were among the earliest settlers of that county. Willett

Scott, a nephew of Garrett, was at one time proprietor of a private bank at Bridgewater.

Stephen Kirkland, from Saybrook, Conn., settled, on the 11th of July, 1816, upon the place now owned by Asa P. and Nathaniel Kirkland, north of Bridgewater village, on the road to North Bridgewater. Mr. Kirkland left the old home with his family on the 1st day of July ; this was the famous "eold summer," and every morning while on the road there was a frost. The farm on which Mr. Kirkland settled he purchased of a blacksmith named Stewart Ben- nett, who removed to the West the same year. He had built a frame house, which is a part of the present resi- dence. The old place has remained in the hands of the Kirklands since they first located upon it, a term of sixty- two years, the two brothers now occupying it having owned it over thirty years. These are the oldest residents on this road. Rev. Samuel Kirkland, the noted missionary and the founder of Hamilton College, was a distant relative of this family.

It is related of Abraham Monroe, who was the proprietor of a " public-house" on the place now owned by John Tuekerman, that he cut a road through the timber on his land, passing close by his house, in order to receive the traveling custom.

Mrs. Thomas Parkinson, of North Bridgewater, is a daughter of Ephraim Waldo, the person mentioned who, when but eight years old, lassoed and captured the young bear. Mr. Parkinson has been a resident of the town since 1847, and came from England the previous year. Ephraim Waldo owned a place in the west part of the town, where he spent his last days. It is now owned by his son, Alvin Waldo.

In 1804 this town, in common with many others, suf- fered from the effects of a malarial fever, which carried to their graves many of their settlers. That season is vividly recollected by those whose memory dates back so far.

Mr. - Southworth, the grandfather of the present supervisor of the town (William N. Southworth), was a Presbyterian minister, and came to Bridgewater from Rome about 1809-10. His daughter, Aurelia, long a resident of this town, is now living in Madison County.

Frederick Peiree, a native of Mansfield, Conn., and after- wards a resident of Windham Co., Vt., came from Brook- line, in the latter county, to Bridgewater in 1796. He was unmarried at the time, and came with a family named Gurley, with whom he lived for several years. The place upon which Mr. Gurley settled is located a quarter of a mile north of Bridgewater village, and now occupied by Cornelius Conklin. Mr. Peirce was appointed by the Governor a justiee of the peace about 1812-13. He also

practiced surveying to a considerable extent, although not educated to that profession. Most of the early roads in town were laid out by him. His son, Nehemiah N. Pierce, of the village, has been several times supervisor of the town, and in 1849 represented his district in the Assembly. During the days of militia he took an aetive part, and on the 13th of August, 1843, was appointed by Governor Bouek to the position of colonel of the 140th Regiment, belonging to the 13th Brigade, 13th Division, New York State Militia, and his title still clings to him.

RESIDENCE OF DR.S. BAILEY, BRIDGEWATER , NEW YORK.

"MAPLE DALE, RESIDENCE OF W. N. SOUTHWORTH, BRIDGEWATER, N. Y.

LITH BY L. H. EVERTS. PHILA

SILAS B.WOOD.

SILAS B. WOOD,

one of the oldest inhabitants of Oneida County, was born in Rensselaer County, N. Y., June 13, 1800. He is the son of Eli and Sibyl Wood. His father's ancestors were of English origin. Silas is the third son of a family of five children. When he was six years of age his father moved with his family to Herkimer County. In the year 1810 the family settled in Sangerfield, Oneida County. Silas had but few advantages for obtaining an education, his youth having been spent at hard labor upon the farm. After reaching his twenty-first birthday, he com- menced life for himself by working on a farm by the month. At the age of twenty-five years he assumed the responsibility of clearing his father's farm from a heavy indebtedness. And right well did he succeed in his endeavors. He and a brother succeeded to the title of the farm, having provided a home for their parents. A few years later they dissolved partnership, and Silas purchased a fine

farm, which he retained possession of until he de- cided to locate in Bridgewater, which he did in the year 1854, purchasing the farm on which he now resides.

February 17, 1830, he was married to Mary Lam- phear. This union was blessed with six children, two of whom are now living. Mrs. Wood died April 20, 1876, and the following year-May 24, 1877-he again entered the marriage state by wed- ding Miss Victoria Kendall. She is the daughter of David and Victoria Kendall, of West Hartwick, Otsego County. Mr. Wood has, until recently, been an unusually hard-working man. His industry has been crowned with success; and now, at the advanced age of seventy-eight, can look back upon a life of labor, yet of pleasure. He is a man of unbending integrity, esteemed and respected by his neighbors for his many sterling qualities as a citizen and friend.

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

SCHOOLS.

About 1796-97 a log school-house was built a mile north of North Bridgewater, near the public-house of Ezra Par- ker, on land now owned by John Tuckerinan. The teacher was a male, but his name is forgotten. Esquire Rhodes remembers that he punished a scholar on one occasion by making him " get down on all fours and put his nose through a knot-hole in the floor."

Schools were also taught early in the Farwell Hill neigh- borhood and elsewhere, though they were few and scatter- ing, and the children were often obliged to go two or three miles to reach the log buildings, where they learned the rules and rudiments then commonly inculcated by back- woods pedagogues.

The town the present year (1878) contains 11 school districts and 365 children of school age. The apportion- ment of school moneys for 1878 is $935.38. In the records of the town for 1797 appears the following entry : " The Board of Supervisors in and for Herkimer County hereby certify that thirty-six pounds, eight shillings, and twopence is the proportion of school money for the town of Bridge- water for the year 1797."

An academy was established at Bridgewater village in 1826, and discontinued in 1839. During the first ten years of its existence it was very prosperous, and had an average attendance of 100 pupils. A commodious building was erected, at a cost of $2500, and a good chemical and philosophical apparatus furnished ; also a library.

Another school, known as the " Bridgewater Seminary," was established in December, 1847, and in May, 1849, its name was changed to the " Bridgewater Female Semi- nary." This school became very prosperous and had a large attendance, but finally declined, as had the academy before it, and at length was discontinued.

RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES. CONGREGATIONAL CIIURCII, BRIDGEWATER.

This society was organized March 8, 1798, with thirteen members. In 1805 a house of worship was erected two miles north of the village, in the eentre of the town. In this building meetings were held until 1834, when the church was divided and a new society formed at the village, which erected the present edifice at that place. It was largely repaired and remodeled in 1876; new carpets were laid, and a fine pipe-organ purchased and placed in it at a cost of $800. Among the pastors of this church have been Revs. John Southworth, A. Miller, C. Matchin, Edward Allen, and others. The present pastor is Rev. L. W. Church, of Winfield, Herkimer Co., where he also has charge of a congregation. The membership of the church at Bridgewater is about ninety. A Sunday-school is sus- tained, with an average attendance of sixty ; its Superin- tendent is William H. Brown.

A SOCIETY OF FRIENDS

at one time flourished in town, and had a considerable membership. They built a commodious meeting-house and held meetings for years, but finally became scattered, and in time disbanded.

BAPTIST CHURCH, BRIDGEWATER.

This church was constituted July 12, 1826, with sixteen members. Rev. Amasa Smith was settled as the first pas- tor, and labored here about nine years. During his minis- try the society increased to sixty members. IIe was succeeded by Rev. Jonathan P. Simmons, in April, 1835, and among the other carly pastors were Revs. Jason Cor- win, Daniel Dye, P. W. Mills, and D. W. Smith, of whom the latter afterwards assumed charge of the " Bridgewater Female Seminary." The present pastor is Rev. J. HI. Messenger, and the membership about forty. The Sabbath- school has an average attendance of about fifty, and is superintended by Sheridan Arnold. It has six teachers. A cabinet-organ is used. The first church built by this society stood upon the hill a short distance west of the vil- lage, and was erected in 1826. In 1840 it was removed nearer the centre of the village, and extensively repaired. About 1862-63, it was destroyed by fire. At that time the Baptists were not holding meetings in it, but it was occupied by the Methodists. The Episcopalians were at the same time holding serviees in a small building owned by them, and an agreement was made to move this to the Baptist ground, when all three denominations should con- duct their meetings in it. This was carried into effect. At present the Methodists hold no meetings, the Baptists and Episcopalians occupying the church. The Baptists hold regular Sabbath services, while the Episcopalians have evening meetings once in two weeks. The membership of the latter society is quite small. Their rector is Rev. J. B. Wicks, of Paris Hill. The church is a frame building.

A SOCIETY OF UNIVERSALISTS

was formed quite carly, and a house of worship erected by them in 1834, in the southern part of the village. The first pastor was Rev. L. D. Smith. Revs. Grosh, Brown, and Woolley were afterwards in charge. At present there is no regular pastor, and meetings are not held, although it is probable they will soon be resumed. The number of members of this denomination in the vicinity is small. The church is a frame structure, and is adjacent to a small ecmetery.

The Methodists and Baptists hold services in the school- house at Babcock's Hill, as do other denominations occa- sionally.

TOWN RECORDS.

The town of Bridgewater was formed from Sangerfield, March 24, 1797. From the records we find that the

" Annual town-meeting opened in Bridgewater, April 4, 1797. Agreeable to a law in that case made and provided, the freeholders and inhabitants (qualified to vote for town officers) met at the house of Colonel Thomas Convers, in Bridgewater.

" 1st. Voted to choose town officers by ballot."

The following were the officers chosen, viz. : Surpervisor, Thomas Brown, Esq .; Town Clerk, Aaron Morse; Assess- ors, James Kinnee, Esq., Eldad Corbit, and William Mor- gan ; Overseers of the Poor, Ezra Parker, John W. Brown, and Alexander Tackles; Road Commissioners, Levi Car- penter, Jr., Job Tyler, and James Benham, Jr .; Con- stable, John Mitchell; School Commissioners, Asher Flint, Thomas Brown, Esq., and Jonathan Porter; Collector, John

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

Mitehell ; Fenee-Viewers, Ebenezer Barker, Joseph Moore, and Abijah Babeoek.

"Voted, that there be a pound built near the house of Ephaphras Moody.

" Chose Joseph Moore trustee and committee to built said pound, and likewise pound-keeper.

" Voted, that said pound be built with logs."

The following pathmasters were then chosen for the dis- triets, in the same order as they are named, from one to twelve: Zerah Brown, Ebenezer Barker, Jonathan Condy, Jesse Hall, Asher Bull, Asher Flint, Joseph Gardnier, Jonathan Utley, Jr., Stephen Gordon, Elijah Thompson, Truman Blackman, and Jesse Carpenter.

"Voted, that swine run at large, with yokes, from the 15th of April to the 20th of November.

" Voted, that rams shall not run at large from the 20th of August to the 20th of November.

" Voted, that boars shall not run at large after the 1st of May next on any condition whatever.

"Voted, the annual town-meeting for 1798 be holden at the house of Asher Bull.

" Voted, that the late town clerk of Sangerfield deliver up the town books to the town elerk of Bridgewater.

"Voted, that the supervisor of Bridgewater negotiate all matters to final settlement with the supervisor of Sangerfield. .

" Voted, that this meeting be dissolved."

On the 1st of March, 1798, the following persons paid to the town of Bridgewater $5 each as innkeepers' licenses : John W. Brown, Timothy Andrews, Ezra Parker, and Joseph Farwell. On the 9th of the same month Thomas Converse and Timothy Andrews paid their back license for 1797.

In the winter of 1801-2 the smallpox broke out, and numbers were afflicted with it. By-laws were adopted by the town board for devising means wherewith to cheek its progress and eare for those who were sick.

The Supervisors of Bridgewater from 1798 to 1877 in- elusive have been the following persons, viz .: 1798-1800, James Kinnee, Esq .; 1801-2, Job Tyler; 1803, Asher Flint; 1804-6, Peabody Fitch; 1807-13, Daniel Rindge; 1814, Samuel Jones, Jr .; 1815-17, Willard Crafts; 1818, Oliver Brown; 1819-21, Samuel Jones; 1822, Willard Crafts ; 1823, Sardius Denslow ; 1824, James A. Rhodes; 1825-26, Sardius Denslow ; 1827, Willard Crafts; 1828, Samuel Jones; 1829, Peleg Brown; 1830-31, Absalom L. Groves ; 1832-35, Laurens Hull; 1836, Levi Carpen- ter; 1837, Peleg Brown; 1838, Theodore Page; 1839, John F. Trowbridge; 1840, James A. Rhodes; 1841-42, Peleg Brown ; 1843-44, Oliver R. Babeock ; 1845, Oliver B. Brown ; 1846, Milton Converse; 1847, John South- worth ; 1848, Everett Lewis; 1849, Samuel De Wolf; 1850, Elisha Baker; 1851-54, Peleg B. Babeock ; 1855, Nehemiah N. Peiree; 1856, Elisha B. Brown; 1857, William N. Southworth ; 1858-60, Peter B. Crandall ; 1861-62, Albert A. Steele; 1863-64, Milton Converse ; 1865-66, J. Jerome Budlong; 1867-69, Nehemiah N. Peiree; 1870-71, Albert N. Bort ; 1872, William Foote ; 1873-74, A. N. Bort; 1875, Gould H. Parkhurst; 1876- 77, Newton Sholes.

The following are the officers for 1878: Supervisor, William N. Southworth ; Town Clerk, H. T. Mallory ; Justiees of the Peace, George H. Burgess, G. H. Park-

hurst, Joshua W. Chase, I. D. Peekham, and William N. Southworth (the term of the latter expires Dee. 31, 1878, and that of Mr. Burgess begins Jan. 1, 1879) ; Assessor, W. Harrison Briggs; Commissioner of Highways, David S. Wood; Overseer of the Poor, W. Henry Hayes ; Col- leetor, James Tefft ; Town Auditors, James H. Tompkins, John B. Tuekerman, and Albert N. Bort; Inspectors of Election, Orson J. Woleott, Henry B. Hook, and Fred. A. Holmes ; Excise Commissioners, Adelbert W. Daggett, G. Taylor Brown, and John Bliven.

VILLAGE OF BRIDGEWATER.

This thriving village is located in the south part of town, near the line of Madison County. The place began to grow in 1810, upon the completion of the Cherry Valley Turnpike. Previous to that date the principal settlement was on Far- well's Hill, at the county line, about half a mile farther south. There were at the latter place two taverns, one of them in Oneida County and the other in Madison; two stores, an ashery, a Masonie lodge, a post-office, and a eon- siderable number of dwellings. When the above-mentioned highway was construeted on a route passing north of the hill, business followed it, and the new settlement sprang up, while the old one rapidly declined. The post-office was removed to Bridgewater, where it has sinee remained. In those days the mail was carried by a "post-rider" from Utiea, The present postmaster at Bridgewater is William C. Marsh.

The hotel known as the " Hibbard House" was built by Levi Bostwick, probably previous to 1812. He continued as its landlord for a number of years. The building has been enlarged to double its original eapaeity, and in various ways improved. The house at present, under the manage- ment of A. C. Hibbard, has achieved popularity throughout the surrounding region, and is the favorite resort for trav- elers. An excellent livery is kept in connection.

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History of Oneida County, New York, 1667-1878, Part 114

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

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