History of Oneida County, New York, 1667-1878, Part 122

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

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457

HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

tho occasion of a young man being drowned. At the funeral ho was requested to read that sermon, and after a prayer by Captain Foot, he did so. The text upon which the sermou was founded was 1 Samuel, xx. 3 : ' There is but a step between me and death.' Her grave was first dug on the green, but it being thought too wet, she was buried in the south part of the present burying-ground, which was then a part of her father's farm."

Major Barnabas Pond dug her grave, as well as every one in that burying-ground, until they numbered more than one hundred.

The above was the first death among the settlers. The second was that of Thomas Fancher, Jr., who was killed by a falling tree in 1791, and the third was that of Mrs. Mercy Stebbins, wife of Judah Stebbins, Jr., aged twenty- six years.

The young people of the settlement were not exempt from the emotions which lead to the union of hearts, and, as in the history of all neighborhoods, there was of course a first wedding. In 1788, then, on the same day, Elias Dewey wedded Anna Foot, and Andrew Blanchard was made happy in the possession, as his wife, of Mary Cook. Elias Dewey built his house on the land where now stands the residence of Judge Williams. A public wedding was also celebrated the same year,-that of Roger Leverett and Miss Elizabeth Cheesebrough. The ceremony was per- formed in a log house which stood upon a knoll on the road to Utica, cast of Slocum's bridge. Jason Parker, of Utiea, afterwards widely known as a stage proprietor and mail contractor, was one of the invited guests. On the 25th of November, 1790, William Stebbins and Lydia Branch were married by the Indian minister, Rev. Samson Occum.

The first white child born in the town of Kirkland was Clinton Foot, who died before reaching manhood ; the sec- ond was Fanny Kellogg, daughter of Captain Amos Kel- logg, and afterwards the wife of Orrin Gridley; the third, Julius Pond, Esq., born July 26, 1789; and the fourth, James D. Stebbins, born Sept. 11, 1789.

Among the settlers who arrived in 1789 was Jesse Cur- tiss, who, it is said, " brought on his back from the log huts in Utica a skipple (three pecks) of secd wheat." In the fall of the same year he built the third frame house in town, the first having been erected by Colonel Timothy Tuttle, and the second by Ebenezer Butler, Jr. All were put up in this year, 1789. The circumstances of the build- ing of Mr. Curtiss' house are thus described by Judge Wil- liams, and illustrate the remarkable perseverance of the dwellers in the wilderness :

" About the 20th day of October, 1789, the snow fell to the depth of nearly two feet, upon a bed of mud not much less ; the weather becatuo cold and inelement, and most forbidding to the wayfarer and laboror. Precisely at this time, a settler, zealous to build a framo house beforo the winter should set in with its full severity, went to Captain Cassety's saw-mill, and for three days and two nights, alone, and without rest or intermission, continued to saw the lumber neces- sary for the building. When tho task was ended his hands wero glazed as if by fire, from using so constantly the cold iron bars of tho saw-mill ; ho felt himsolf well repaid, however, for all his toil and fatigue, for in a few days he reared a frame dwelling sixteen feet square. That dwelling is now (1848) the kitchen of Mr. Horatio Curtiss, and that diligent settler was Jesse Curtiss, already montioned."

This building at last descended to the uses of a shed in the rear of the barn owned by Mr. Curtiss' youngest son, and in 1874 was yet standing.

Frame barns were also erected in 1789,-one by Judah Stebbins, on the farm now owned by John Elliott, and a second on the Kellogg property east of the village.

The first horse brought into town is said to have been owned by Captain Moses Foot, and was soon stolen by the Indians. William Carpenter and Nathan Marsh, who came in 1789, each owned a " noble steed," whose speed and bottom were so remarkable that the fame of these animals has been preserved through the succeeding generations. Their owners set out on horseback at a certain time for the city of Albany ; " Jesse Curtiss and Bartholomew Pond started on foot at the same time, and arrived at Albany some hours before them !" Nearly all the labor requiring animal power was performed by oxen in the early days of the settlement.

Besides Jesse Curtiss, the following persons settled in 1789 : Timothy Pond, Eli Bristol, Joel Bristol, Jonah San- ford, Samuel Curtiss, John Curtiss, Ebenezer Butler, Theo- dore Gridley, Bartholomew Pond, Rufus Millard, William Marsh, and William Carpenter.

The crops of the year 1788 became insufficient in 1789 to supply the wants of the settlers and those of the new- comers constantly arriving, and in the latter year famine, with all its horrors, stared them in their faces. The stock of wheat flour and the old erop of potatoes were exhausted, and to such straits were they reduced that when planting- time came the eyes of the potatoes were cut out and put in the ground, while the remainder was carefully preserved for the table. Those who were fortunate enough to secure a portion of wild game, or a supply of ground-nuts or leeks, considered themselves lucky. Finally a company of men started for Fort Plain, Montgomery County, to obtain sup- plies, if possible, on some terms. There they found a farmer and miller named Isaac Paris, who listened favorably to their appeal. He loaded a small flat-boat with flour and meal and sent it up the Mohawk to the mouth of the Oris- kany, where its cargo was transferred to a log canoe made by the settlers, a party of whom were there to meet it, and by means of paddles, ropes, and setting-poles it was worked up the creek as far as the present Clinton factory. From thence it was transported in carts to the village, where great joy was occasioned by its arrival. Mr. Paris was paid in ginseng, which abounded in the forest, and which he was willing to accept in lieu of silver and gold, which the settlers did not possess. The roots of this plant were dried in bundles and shipped from the American seaports to China, where they were supposed to be an antidote to the plague.

It was perfectly natural that the name of Mr. Paris was held in high regard ; aml in 1792, when a new town was erected, including Clinton, it was called Paris by the inhab- itants as a tribute to their generons benefactor. Scarce as food temporarily became, the settlement on the stream of nettles continued to grow.

Thomas Hart removed to Clinton in 1792, and in com- pany with Seth Roberts opened a store in the building erected by Ebenezer Butler, and in which he had pre- viously traded. Mr. Hart was appointed one of the judges

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

of Oneida County some years previous to his death, which occurred Feb. 11, 1811.

In 1793, Judah Stebbins ereeted the first two-story house in town. With his own hands he " rived" or split the clap- boards upon this house from pine-trees.

The following chapter of

INCIDENTS

is from Rev. Mr. Gridley's " History of Kirkland," and was compiled from various authorities,-among them being Judge Williams' Address, Jones' " Annals," Mr. Tracy's Lectures, " Memoir of Rev. Samuel Kirkland," and others.

The Indians who occupied this region were wont to come in from the chase or other expeditions with all the noise attendant upon the orgies of Tam O'Shanter's witches or the inhabitants of the infernal regions, and tramping and whooping and demoniacal howling often kept the settlers awake in fear and trembling. Mrs. Amos Kellogg used to relate that " often, when alone in her house, engaged in domestie duties, perhaps with a child in the cradle, In- dians would open the door without knocking, and steal in softly, with moecasined feet, unperceived, and, tapping her on the shoulder, say, with deep, guttural voice, 'Indian want tater; Indian hungry ; me want tater.' Trembling with fear, yet feigning unconcern, she uniformly gave them what they desired, and they soon left her without molestation. Sometimes it would be a squaw, with sad face and mourn- ful voice, drawing her blanket about her shoulders, and whining, ' Me hungry ; senape (her husband) gone, pap- poose dead ; ine hungry !'"

Mrs. Eli Lueas told of bands of Indians coming to her father's house at evening, and requesting to stay over night ; when, leave being granted, if none were intoxicated, they would streteh themselves on the floor of the kitchen, with their feet towards the fire, croon a while at each other, and fall asleep. They rose at daybreak, and silently left the house, seldom purloining anything from it.

Rev. Samuel Kirkland often fed from 70 to 100 Indians at his house during a week's time. When they came drunk he locked them up in his corn-house till they were sober.

Among those of the Stockbridge tribe who were promi- nent in this region, were John Quinney and his brother Joseph, John Metoxin, Captain Hendricks and his strong- minded but excellent wife Lydia, and Mary Doxtater and John Kunkerpot. The latter had in his boyhood spent some time at Dartmouth College, and on his return bade fair to become a prominent and useful man ; but " blood will tell,"-and it proved true in his case,-for he became eventually indolent and vicious. " He was oftener drunk than sober," says Gains Butler, "yet he was witty and keen in repartee. When one of our citizens bantered him about the black mark put upon Cain, he replied, ' Perhaps it was a white mark !'"

In the history of Hamilton College, in another part of this volume, it is mentioned that Rev. Mr. Kirkland brought some Indian boys to his house at Clinton to pre- pare them for entering the academy when it should open. They were taught in a log school-house on the kuoll in front of the Lueas place. One was named David Cusick, and afterwards became somewhat distinguished. Mr. Kirk-

land, while teaching him the catechism, propounded one day the usual question, " Who made man ?" " God," was the reply. " And who made woman ?" "God." " And how did he make woman ?" "Out of old husks, I guess !"

The following story of the " fine, fat steer" is told by Hon. Pomroy Jones in his " Annals," and also by Judge Williams, as follows :

" In 1787, Theodore Manross, who had eommeneed a elearing on the farm for many years occupied by Jesse Wood, about a mile south of Clinton, missed from his herd a fine, fat steer. Suspicion soon fell upon a party of Oneida», who, led by a chief ealled Beechtree, had for some days encamped on the hill south of him, and were dig- ging ginseng in the vicinity. Search was made ; their encampment was deserted, and the fresh offals of the animal were found near by, secreted. A party of ten or twelve active and resolute young men was soon formed. Moses Foot was their eaptain, and among the com- pany were Jesse Curtiss, Levi Barker, and several other familiar names. The Indian trail was fresh, and their path through the net- tles and undergrowth was as plain to the sharp eyes of the eager pursuers as a beaten track to the traveler. They followed them to Paris Hill, then to the Sauquoit Creek, a little north of the present village, and thence down the stream. As they came near New Hart- ford, the track was so fresh that it was manifest they were close upon the Indians. Soon they spied them marching single file; and taking a little eircuit they eamc into the path before them, and turning towards them met them face to face. 'Stop !' said Captain Foot to Beechtree, their leader : 'you have stolen and killed the white man's steer.' 'Indian has not killed the white man's steer,' replied Beechtree, leaping forward and drawing from his belt his long hunting-knife. Quick as thought Captain Foot raised a heavy eane, and brought it down with convincing forec upon the naked head of Beeehtree. Ile winced, and settled down beneath the powerful blow. It was enough ; the party surrendered, and on search being made the hide and bell of the missing animal was found in the pack of one of the Indians, who bore the expressive cognomen of Saucy Nick. This was pretty good proof. As the modern and fashionable defenses of sleep- walking, insanity, and the like were not known to these untutored wild ones, they frankly confessed the deed. The prisoners were marehed baek in a body, and forthwith were confined and guarded in the house of Colonel Timothy Tuttle, standing on the site of the present Royce mansion. Mr. Kirkland was immediately sent for, and by permission of the guard they sent a swift messenger to Oncida to summon their friends and chiefs to their assistance, sending a message to them, at the same time, to drive over a certain cow as a means of settlement for the wrong committed.

"Before the morning sun had risen high their friends appeared, led by the wise and venerable Skenandoa. The negotiation was ear- ried on in the house of Mr. Tuttle, mainly between Captain Foot and Skenandoa, Mr. Kirkland acting as interpreter, and finally it was agreed that the Indians should give the cow, which had been driven from Oneida, to Mr. Manross to make him good, and the ginseng which they had dug to the party of young men who had pursued them to pay them for their time and trouble. The whole matter was coneluded before noon, and this resolute conduct of the settlers en- tirely prevented the recurrenec of similar aggressions.

"Saucy Niek was alone sullen and revengeful. The theft was more especially charged to and proved upon him ; and on the march from New Hartford to Clinton he had had a bitter wrangle with one Lemuel Cook, who, if all accounts are true, was as much entitled to the appellation of ' saucy' as Niek himself .. Ilis abusive speech had sunk deep into the Indian's memory, and his ardent longing was for revenge and blood. Soon after he unsueecssfully attempted to kill Cook at Fort Schuyler, and the next season, as Cook was plowing on his farm (now ownel by Mrs. Luther Comstoek), an Indian arrow whistled swiftly past his ear. The hand that sent it, though unseen, could not be mistaken, and Cook, warned of his danger, soon sold his farm, and returned to Connectieut."#

Mr. Cook finally died at the house of his son, in Claren- don, N. Y., May 21, 1869, aged one hundred and four

# This account varies somewhat from Mr. Jones'. See Chapter III.

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

years. Five generations of his descendants were present at his funeral. He was always fond of telling stories, one of his favorites being that of " the fine, fat steer and Saucy Nick."

Heinrich Staring, afterwards first judge of Herkimer County, was captured by a strolling party of Oneida Indians late in the month of November, 1778. He was carried past the site of Clinton, and kept for the night where the village of Deansville now stands, in a deserted log wigwam on the cast bank of the Oriskany. He managed to loosen one of the withes from his arm, and free himself by climbing from a small window six feet from the floor. He had taken off his shoes, and in his hurry to escape forgot to put them on. He followed the Oriskany several miles, running in the channel of the streamu for some distance to throw the Indian dogs off the scent, and crossing to the other shore. On reaching the trail frou Oncida to Fort Schuyler, he crossed the ercek about half a mile northwest of the present village of Clinton, and pursued the trail to the fort, at which place he found a canoe which had floated down the Mohawk and lodged in some willow bushes near the landing. He took possession of it, and by a vigorous use of the paddles, aided by the current, soon reached home.

Barnabas Pond kept a tavern in Clinton. A young Oneida chief called with his wife one day and drank between them a dram of rum. They returned in the afternoon with five others, and wanted more rum. Mr. Pond, who made a practice of never giving an Indian drink if he appeared intoxicated, refused the demand for half a pint of liquor. The Indian showed a piece of coin, and said he wanted to treat his friends, promising not to drink a drop himself. Major Pond then gave him the rum, and he, true to his word, handed it over to his friends. They thien turned to leave, when the major reminded the chief that he had not paid for his liquor. " Haven't got no money, and can't pay for it." " Not so," said Pond ; " you showed me the money before you had the rum, and now you have lied about it."

" What you say ?- I lie !" shouted the savage, at the same instant springing forward with his drawn knife. The major, a strong and courageous man, " struck the uplifted arm of the Indian between the elbow and shoulder, causing the knife to fly out of his hand, then gave him a blow across the throat, and at the same time tripped up his feet and brought him to the floor." The major, in relating it, said the Indian " fell like an ox knocked down in a slaughter- house." Shortly he recovered his breath, and arose to his feet, when he threw his handkerchief to the major, who took out his pay, and returned the balance and the knife. The chief and his wife both refused to take them, and the whole party went away. The chief came afterwards and apologized, and Major Pond forgave him, provided he be- haved well in the future, and then went and brought the handkerchief and knife to their owner. He again refused them, however, and here the matter ended .*

Among the Brothertown Indians were several noted char- aeters, including David Fowler, Elijah Watupe, John Tuhi, and Dolphus Fowler, who came with others to the region of Deansville before the Revolutionary war. Most of them, through fear of the Iroquois, returned to New Eng-

land during the war, although a few, among whom was Elijah Wampe, remained. The latter was one day return- ing from Fort Stanwix to Brothertown, when he was met in the path by a hostile Indian, who pointed a rifle at him. Wampe sprang forward, struck up the muzzle of the gun, so that the bullet passed over his head, then quickly dis- patched his adversary with his knife. Wampe then bore the Indian's gun in triumph to the fort, and afterwards returned to his land in Brothertown. Ile finally, however, for protection, took up his abode under the guns of Fort Stanwix.

Skenandoa, the famous Oneida chieftain, who died May 11, 1816, was brought to Clinton and interred by the side of Rev. Samuel Kirkland, with huposing ceremony. Platt- kopf, auother chief of the Oneidas, was noted for his clo- quence. In September, 1799, Dr. Timothy Dwight, President of Yale College, accompanied by Tutor Jeremiah Day, started on a tour of observation through the State of New York, intending to visit Niagara Falls and Buffalo. At Lairdsville, in the town of Westmorelaud, he turned aside to visit Rev. Samuel Kirkland, at Clinton, and from the latter place he wrote as follows :

"In the morning of September 26 we made an excursion to Brother- town, an Indian settlement in the town of Paris. I had a strong in- elination to see Indian life in the most advanced state of civilization found in this country, and was informed that it might probably be found here.

" Brothertown is a tract of land about six miles square, which was given to these Indians by the Oucidas. . . . Here forty families of these people have fixed themselves in the business of agriculture. They have eleared the land on both sides of the road, about a quarter of a mile in breadth and abont tour miles in length. Three of them have framed houses ; the rest are of logs. Their husbandry is geuer- ally much inferior to that of the white people.

" They are universally eivil in their deportment. The men and boys took off their hats, and the girls courtesied as we passed by them. . . . These people receive annually $2160 from the State, out of which their schoolmaster and their superintendeut receive pay for their services,

" At this season of the year they unite with the Oneidas in gather- ing ginseng, and collect a thousand bushels annually. It brings them two dollars a bushel. Most of it goes to Philadelphia, and thence to China. It is, however, an unprofitable business for the Indians. They are paid for it in cash, which many of them employ as the means of intoxication. This is commonly followed by quarreling, and some- times hy murder ; but much less commonly than among the Oneidas."

Another Indian who became famous was Samson Ocenm. He was born at Mohegan, near Norwich, Conn., in 1723. He carly embraced the religion of the whites, and finally became quite a noted minister and teacher. In 1786 he formed a colony in this town and Marshall, on the Oriskany Creek, of 192 Montauks and Shinecocks from Long Island, several Mohegans from Connecticut, and a number of Nar- ragansetts from Rhode Island, with a few representatives of other tribes who had become wasted, and ministered to them and the neighboring Stockbridges. Ile was the com - poser of the hymn beginning,

" Awaked by Sinai's awful sound."

He died at New Stockbridge, N. Y., in July, 1792, aged sixty-nine years. The name of " Priest Occum" is yet revered by the descendants of all who were acquainted with him.

Good Peter, a convert of Rev. Samuel Kirkland, and an

# This aecouut differs somewhat from Mr. Jones', given in Chapter III.

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

Oneida chicf, was another character among the Indians noted for his persuasive eloquence.

When the first settlers on Dean's Patent, in Westmore- land, heard of the arrival of the emigrants at Clinton they started to find them, knowing only that they were several miles south upon the Oriskany, above an Indian clearing, on the site of the present village of Manchester. They followed the Indian trail, crossed the creck at the clearing, and took a southerly course up the valley. Soon they dis- covered a number of cows feeding in the woods, and Joseph Blackmer, a leading man in the party, full of sport, " raised his coat tails above his head, shook his hat, and made such a succession of hideous noises that the frightened cows started for home on a run, and thus showed the company the way to the settlement at Clinton. Many and hearty were the greetings between the new neighbors, and the good-will which then sprang up continued to grow and flourish ever afterwards."

Judge Williams mentions that in the fall of 1790, " as Mr. Jesse Curtiss and three or four others were returning from meeting one Sunday afternoon,-their path lying through a field near the house now occupied by Mr. Gunn, -they heard an unusual rustling in the corn, and on searching for the cause soon discovered two bear cubs busily engaged in breaking down and destroying the ripen- ing corn. Forthwith they set upon them, and, despite their grunts and cries, by dint of kicks and blows soon dis- patched them. The same afternoon, Mr. Bronson (who lived in the house now occupied by Samuel Brownell) on returning from meeting found the old mother bear sitting quietly on the steps of his door, little dreaming of the sad calamity which had even then overtaken her children." Mention is not made of the fate of the mother.

" The streets and cross-roads of the town were carly designated by names. The street leading past the homestead of the late James D. Stebbins was called Brimfield Street, because it was wholly settled by inhabitants from Brimfield, Mass. The present borough of Franklin was loug styled Sodom, though we never knew that it was noted for its depravity. Post Street, running southeast from Franklin, was so called from Darius Post and his three sons,-Titus, Ethan, and Darius, Jr.,-who came from Vermont at an early day and settled on adjoining farms in that district. The street leading to Utica once rejoiced in the name of Toggletown, because the roadside fences were once 'toggled' together at the end of each section. That portion of the town which lies between one and two miles east of Clinton has long been christ- ened Chuckery. Judge Williams says, 'The story goes that in Massa- chusetts, according to established custom, the Governor's proclamation for Thanksgiving was read in all the churches. Then, as now, he called upon the people to render a tribute of gratitude for the bless- ings of Providence upon their farms, their fisheries, and their iner- chandise. In Egremont, some mischievous wag, possessing himself of the copy of the proclamation which the clergyman had prepared to read to his congregation the next Sabbath, changed the word, fish- eries to chuckeries, and so the unsuspecting pastor read it, to the no small edification of his audience ! Soon after this a company of col- onists from Egremont came westward, and settling on the hills east of this village, gave this odd name to their resting-place.'"

The joke did not even end here, for a colony of Kirk- land people who removed many years ago to the town of Fenner, Madison county, dubbed their little settlement " New Chuckery." It has since been corrupted into Perry- ville, and the memory of its former name, and the incident which originally caused it to be given, remains but a dream of the past.

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History of Oneida County, New York, 1667-1878, Part 122

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

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