History of Oneida County, New York, 1667-1878, Part 138

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

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For the last three years he lias dealt largely in eattle. In the management of this large landed property, Mr. M. has proved himself a worthy successor of his father. In politics he has always taken a prominent part in the town. His first vote for President was east for James G. Birney. Was always a strong anti-slavery and temperanee man. He served as town supervisor five years; was elected to the Assembly in the fall of 1853, as a Maine Law Whig, and served on the Maine Law and Claims committees. In his own neighborhood, Mr. Mitchell will perhaps be best re- membered as a Sabbath-school man, having served in the capacity of Sabbath-school Superintendent of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Remsen village continuously for seven- teen years. Both Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell have been for many years members of that church.

DIDYMUS THOMAS.

The subject of this sketch, the fourth of five brothers, was born May 24, 1812, under the shadow of the historie grove in which lies all that is mortal of Baron de Steuben, in the township named in honor of the illustrious dead.

His parents were natives of Caernarvonshire, North Wales. His grandparents, with eight of their children, landed at Philadelphia in the year 1795, leaving one son in his native land, who attained great eminence as a scholar and poet, under the nom-de-plume of " Evan Prydydd" (Evan the Poet). His writings, sinee compiled by his son, are now conspicuous in almost every Cambrian household. Thomas Thomas, the father of Didymus, in his youth led a seafaring life, and at the age of twenty-one (having previ- ously become an American citizen, by the act of his father) suffered the indignity of seizure by a British man-of-war, whilst en route from New York to Liverpool in the merchant service. He and two fellow-sailors were impressed into the British service, a species of barbarism then in vogue on the part of England, which was not fully abandoned until the treaty of Ghent, at the conclusion of the second war be-

tween that power and the United States. Directly follow- ing Mr. Thomas' enforced service under the British flag, against the first Napoleon, the vessel to which he had been forcibly transferred engaged a French frigate of superior armament, and during the bloody carnage which ensued Mr. Thomas suffered the loss of his right lower limb, which was carried away by a thirty-six-pound cannon-ball. The engagement was not decisive in consequence of a dense fog which separated the combatants. His limb was amputated by the ship's surgeon, and he was soon transferred to the hospital at Halifax, thence to London, where he remained until his eure was effected, when he returned to his native home in Wales. He married Miss Mary Hughes, and soon thereafter re-embarked for the land of his adoption, arriv- ing in Philadelphia in the year 1800, where he remained four years ; his father and family having, in the mean time, removed to Trenton, N. Y., whither Mr. Thomas followed them, reaching Steuben in the year 1804. At this time the fame of the baron, and the grand and salubrious hills comprising his patrimony, had become widely spread, and was attracting the Welsh emigrants, of whom Mr. Thomas was a pionecr. And such was his energy, indomitable perseverance, and judgment, although wearing a " wooden leg," none surpassed him as a successful agriculturist, or more satisfactorily discharged publie trusts devolving upou him as a citizen. Mr. Thomas survived to his eighty-sixth year, and had used an artificial limb for the unprecedented period of sixty-five years. Thus, for nearly the space al- lotted to human life, did he endure this great deprivation, the result of British tyranny. But in justice to England, it is proper to state that, although the subject of another government, he was up to the time of his death a British pensioner, an anomalous ease, and exceptional throughout the records of English admiralty.

Didymus Thomas was always studiously inelined. He obtained a good academie education, and in early life inter- spersed farm labor with school-teaching, harboring a pre- conceived idea also entertained by his father of devoting himself to the profession of medicine, in which he did em- bark as a student; but the duties developing more and more of that which was repugnant to his nature, the further pursuit of the profession was abandoned, and he entered upon the business of merchandising. Throughout the years to which he devoted himself to this pursuit, as elerk and as principal, fidelity to every trust was his unvarying maxim.

In later years Mr. Thomas was extensively engaged in the manufacture of cheese, using for the purpose a large building (represented in the drawing on another page) which, at the time, was one of the best patronized factories in the vicinity, and the product of which was regarded in the English markets among the best of American make. But owing to the onerous duties imposed, and unreasonable exactions of patrons, unfortunately for himself and the community the business was abandoned, and the premises leased for other purposes. But for many years past he has devoted his time and means to real estate transactions, in which he is extensively engaged at the present time. He has been prominently identified with positions of honor and trust, in- teresting himself actively in all educational interests in the

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community, discharging the duties of magistrate, supervisor, postmaster, etc., with uniform ability and fidelity, and sub- sequently representing his distriet in the State Legislature in a manner highly creditable to himself and most satisfac- tory to his constituents, taking an active part in all the im- portant work of the session. A singular circumstance con- nected with his election to the Legislature was the faet, --- being then a supervisor, he officially certified to his own eleetion as chairman of the board of canvassers, in which proceedings his opponent also participated as a member of the board of county eanvassers. Mr. Thomas has been twice married. His first wife was the daughter of Rev. William G. Pierce, a pioneer in the ministry of his native town. She lived but a few years after her marriage ; one daughter now survives her, who, with her husband, is abroad, and is at the present time sojourning in Wales, revelling in the gorgeous scenes of mountain, valley, and stream ; scenes in the midst of which generations of her ancestors played their parts and went hence.

His present estimable and accomplished wife is a daugh- ter of John R. Griffith, Esq., deceased, of Philadelphia, who was an honored and successful business man of that city.

Mr. Thomas is an exceptionally rigid temperance advo- cate, having never during his life made use of aleoholic stimulants or tobacco in any form, nor with money or in- fluence contributed in support of habits which he deems so pernieious.

Of the five brothers, four still live in the town of Rem- sen, and within a few miles of the place of their birth. Still more remarkable is the fact, that the mother and the grandparents of these brothers, together with the eight children whom they brought to this country, all sleep in the little churchyard. Capal-Ucha (upper church) referred to, is shown in the background of the drawing on the left side, only a short distance from the northwest corner of Mr. Thomas' farm, which was ereeted by the first Welsh religious organization formed north of the Mohawk River ; and thus, notwithstanding the flight of years, and the mul- tifarious changes they have wrought in their course, the living and the dead of this family still remain in close proximity.

In politics Mr. Thomas has always been an ardent Free- Soil Demoerat, but never failing, either by his vote or influ- ence, to promote the cause of temperance.

CHAPTER XXXIX.

SANGERFIELD.

SANGERFIELD is the westernmost of the southern tier of towns in the county of Oneida, and has an area of 19,183 acres. It includes the greater part of township No. 20, of the Chenango " Twenty Towns," and is watered by the east branch of the Oriskany and the west branch of the Che- nango Creeks. Its surface is an upland, from 700 to 800 feet higher than the Mohawk at Utica, and considerably hilly. Along the west branch of the Chenango is what is

known as the Great Swamp, extending from near Water- ville to the southern border of the town, and averaging a mile in width. It was originally covered with a heavy growth of pine and cedar. The soil in the valleys is a rich alluvium, and that on the hills a gravelly loam. The great industry of this town is the culture of hops, which in most years has been a source of large profit to the inhabitants. Stock-raising is also extensively engaged in, and consider- able grain is produced. Bailey's Pond, in the southern part of town, covers about 10 acres, and lics 200 feet above the Great Swamp. It has been sounded to the depth of 120 feet without touching bottom.

Under a law passed in February, 1789, this town was surveyed in the summer of that year. In 1790 and 1791 it was purchased of the State upon speculation, chiefly by Michael Myers, Jedediah Sanger, and John J. Morgan, and a considerable portion of it was subsequently leased in perpetuity. The following is a copy of the record of this case, subsequent to the application of the above-named gentlemen :

" The application of Michael Myers, Jedediah Sanger, and John J. Morgan for the purchase of Townships No. 18 and 20, and the parts unsold by the Surveyor-General of Township No. 19, being three of the Twenty Townships surveyed by the Surveyor-General pursuant to an aet passed the 25th day of February, 1789. The two first town- ships, to wit, Nos. 18 and 20, at the rate of 3 shillings and 3 penee per acre, and the parts of No. 19 unsold, as above mentioned, at the rate of 3 shillings and 1 penny per acre; one-sixth part thereof to be paid on the Ist day of October next, and the residue in two equal payments, the one-half on the 1st of April, 1792, and the remaining half on the 1st of January, 1793, being read and duly considered. (Accepted.)

"Aeres, 67,130 = £10,908, 15 shillings.">

The " Great Swamp" has been drained and converted into valuable meadow-lands, and most of its timber has been eleared away. The town was named from Colonel Jedediah Sanger, one of its original proprietors, and the pioneer of New Hartford. It was formed from Paris, March 5, 1795, and included what is now Bridgewater ; the latter was taken off in 1797. From March 15, 1798, to April 4, 1804, the town of Sangerfield was included in Chenango County, but at the latter date an act was passed annexing it to Oneida.

FIRST TOWN-MEETING, ETC.

" SANGERFIELD, April 7, 1795. " Agrecablo to a law in that case made and provided, the Free- holders and Inhabitants (qualified to vote for Town Offieers) of Sanger met at the house of Zerah Phelps. After the meeting was opened voted to adjourn to the barn.

"2d. Made choice of Thomas Brown, Esq., Town Clerk.

"3d. Chosen David Norton Supervisor."

The remaining officers chosen were as follows, viz. : As- sessor, Joseph Farwell, Daniel Brown, and Ezra Parker; Constables and Collectors, Jonathan Porter and David Chapin ; Overseers of the poor, Oliver Norton and Thomas Converse; Commissioners of Highways, Timothy White, Saul Smith, and Oliver Norton ; Pathmasters, Jonathan Palmer, Eldad Corbet, John W. Brown, James Kenny, Eri Brooks, Philip King, Asahel Hunt, Jesse Ives, Roger W. Steele, John Phillips, Thomas Stephens, Oliver Eagur,

# Documentary History of New York, vol. iii. p. 1072.

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Zerah Phelps, Joel Blair, Solomon Williams, Benjamin White, John Stone, Joseph Putney, Moses Bush, Elias Montgomery, and Thomas Hale; Fenee-Viewers, Ezra Parker, Joel Blair, Nathan Gurney, Uri Brooks, and David Norton, Esq.

" Voted to build two pounds : one at or near the house of Ebenezer Moody, and the other near the house of Ebenezer Hale." These two gentlemen were chosen poundmasters.

" Voted to hold the next town-meeting at Timothy White's dwelling-house."

The Supervisor of Sangerfield in 1796 was David Nor- ton ; for the four years from 1797 to 1800 inclusive the record is incomplete ; those sinee 1801 have been the fol- lowing: 1801, Amos Muzzy; 1802, Oliver Norton; 1803- 4, Justus Tower; 1805, Benjamin White; 1806-9, Oliver C. Seabury ; 1810, John Williams; 1811, O. C. Seabury ; 1812, Josiah Bacon ; 1813, O. C. Seabury ; 1814-20, Josiah Baeon ; 1821-23, Reuben Baeon ; 1824-27, Sam- uel M. Mott ; 1828, Josiah Bacon ; 1829-31, Samuel M. Mott; 1832, Reuben Baeon; 1833, John Mott, Jr .; 1834, Erastus Jeffers ; 1835, Levi D. Carpenter ; 1836, Erastus Jeffers ; 1837-40, Horaee Bigelow ; 1841-42, Julius Tower; 1843, Horaee Bigelow; 1844, Otis Webster ; 1845, Amos O. Osborn; 1846, Erastus A. Walter; 1847- 48, De Witt C. Tower; 1849, John W. Stafford; 1850- 51, George W. Cleveland; 1852-54, James M. Tower ; 1855, Edwin H. Lamb ; 1856, Hull Page; 1857-62, Platt Camp; 1863-76, James G. Preston; 1877-78, Marion B. Crossett. The remaining officers for 1878 are the follow- ing: Town Clerk, E. H. Mott, who has held the office eon- tinuously sinee 1852, with the exception of the four years from 1860 to 1863 inelusive; Assessor, William S. Smith ; Overseer of the Poor, Delos C. Terry ; Collector, Marion J. West ; Constables, M. J. West, Isaae H. Benediet, William H. Randell, James D. Terry, William Bardin ; Inspectors of Eleetion, Distriet No. 1, Hermon Clark, C. M. Felton, John B. Jones ; Distriet No. 2, W. F. Bayless, A. G. Haven, Frank B. Demming; Town Collector, Morris Terry, George Beach, Francis H. Terry ; Excise Commis- sioner, G. N. Loek ; Justices of the Peace, George H. Church, L. G. Williams, George W. Cleveland, Orlando Stetson.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

The artiele relating to this town which was published in Judge Jones' history of the county was prepared for him by Amos O. Osborn, of Waterville, and from it we make liberal extraets.

In the fall of 1791, Zerah Phelps, who had previously purchased lot No. 42 in this town, sent his hired man to build a log house upon it. This building stood about a mile southeast of Sangerfield Centre, and was the first tene- inent erected for a. settler in the town. Mr. Phelps was then a resident of the " Green Woods," in Massachusetts.

" About the first of March, 1792, Minierva Hale and wife, and Nathan Gurney and wife and infant, moved into the town from New Hartford, where they had previously resided one or two years. The first day of their journey they reached the house of Simon Hubbard, in the town of Marshall, where they remained overnight. Their con- veyances were ox-teams and sieds. On the next morning, the snow being very deep, they made short yokes for their oxen, and using their

bed-cords for traces, they drove them tandem, and thus plowed their way to their new farms. The distance from Mr. Hubbard's was but about four miles, but such was the almost impassable state of their route (for road they had none) over hills and logs, across and through ereeks, swamps, and thiekets, overlaid with at least four feet of snow, that it was quite night hefore they reached its termination. Mr. Hale had purchased land adjoining the lot of Mr. Phelps, and Mr. Gurney had purchased lot No. 40, now in the village of Waterville, and a part of which was afterwards owned by Aaron Stafford, Esq., whose father, Ichabod Stafford, noticed as among the earliest settlers of Augusta, purchased of Gurney. They hoth, however, proceeded to the house of Mr. Phelps, who had moved into it only two or three days pre- viously, and here they remained until they huilt houses for them- selves. The three men, their wives, and Gurney's child all occupied the same room, and for the hest of reasons,-it was the only one in the house or in the town. In the month of April, when the heavy body of snow on the ground began to melt, their proximity to the creek became a source of considerahle annoyance. After a very warm day and night, for the season, upon awaking in the morning, they found a portion of the creek had formed a current directly through the house, A sort of cellar had heen dug, large enough for present pur- poses, under the floor in the centre of the room, of which the water had taken possession, and the pork-harrel was merrily waltzing in the eddy. The women remained in hed while the men waded out and cut large logs, on which to make a fire. During the remainder of the day, and until the water suhsided, the women performed all their housework while upon their heds. Mr. Gurney immediately went to work upon his land, and was the first settler in Waterville."

In the month of April following Benjamin White eame and settled on a farm ineluded in lots Nos. 39 and 40, the same afterwards occupied by Amos Osborn. The same year witnessed a number of new arrivals. Phineas Owen and the father of Nathan Gurney settled on lot No. 40; and in April and May there arrived Sylvanus Dyer, Asahel Bellows, Nathaniel Ford, Henry Knowlton, Jonathan Strat- ton, and a Mr. Clark. These were all the families in town in 1792. Nathaniel Ford was really the first one of the actual settlers that visited the town, as he had helped survey it in 1789, and loeated upon the lot then selected.

Early in the fall of 1792 a serious frost oeeurred, which utterly destroyed the eorn erop, and frightened away emi- grants until 1794 ; even those already here thought seriously of removing if the next year should prove as unfortunate.

In May, 1792, Mr. Clark had his leg badly erushed by a falling tree, the accident happening on Saturday afternoon. He was taken at onee to the house of Mr. Hale, but newly ereeted, and made as comfortable as circumstances would permit. A surgeon's presenee was necessary, and Mr. Hale, mounting the only horse in town, started in quest of one, earrying a toreh to light his way, and being guided only by the moss on the north sides of the trees. He arrived early Sunday morning at Whitestown, but finding no physician there who dared to perform amputation, he proceeded to Fort Schuyler, where he found Dr. Guiteau, who returned with him. The doetor examined the man's leg, but did not wish to operate without the aid and counsel of an older practitioner, and Dr. Petrie, of Herkimer, was accordingly sent for. Upon his arrival, on Tuesday, the two, with the assistance of Dr. Elmer, of Paris, amputated the limb.

The first white ehild born in the town was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Zerah Phelps, whose birth oeeurred in July, 1792. This family afterwards removed to Batavia, Genesee Co., where another daughter was the first white ehild born in that town. Mr. Phelps was a member of the first grand jury ever impaneled west of the Genesee River. The

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first white male child born in Sangerfield was Seneea Hale, son of Mr. and Mrs. Minierva Hale, the date of his birth being Jan. 20, 1793.

Several false alarms from Indians occurred during the year 1792, and the settlers prudently made friends of the red denizens of the forest rather than in any manner to ineur their displeasure. The Indian trail-" Oneida Path"- entered the town about two and a half miles east of its northwest corner, and left it but a few rods west of the southeast corner, and sometimes the Indians were seen along it in considerable numbers while on their fishing and hunting expeditions from Queida to the Unadilla.

"One afternoon, in the early part of October, all the men in the town, eight in number, were collected together, constructing a bridge over the Oriskany Creek, near the subsequent site of the woolen-fae- tory. Wbile thus engaged they heard the hum of many voices, and a scout who was dispatched soon reported that about 150 Indians, of all sizes, were passing on their path to the Unadilla, about 200 rods from where the men were. Mr. Hale, knowing that if nothing worse happened his wife would be sadly frightened, started for his home, but did not arrive as soon as the Indians. Mrs. Phelps, who had just finished baking when she first saw the Indians, left all but her infant and ran to Mr. Hale's, and, on her arrival, Mrs. Hale, who was equally frightened, proposed to run to the men. Mrs. Phelps, however, objected to this, on account of her being burdened with her infant, and at that moment they saw through the window a single Indian approaching the bouse. Mrs. Hale concluded that the two could conquer him, and, if not, they would meet the worst as they best could. The Indian, who from his appearance she supposed to be the son of a chief, addressed her in the Indian dialeet, which of course was not understood. Mrs. Hale, in haste to see the end of the matter, pale and frightened as she was, assumed an air of uneoneern, and said, ' If you want anything, use plain language and say what it is; if I have it, you shall have it.' He immediately responded, ' Bread,' and was almost as soon supplied with all she had. The In- dian took out of his belt of wampum a silver brooch, of the value perhaps of a shilling, and offered to pay for the bread, but this was refused, and he was told it was given him. He left with a smile upon his face, and was soon with bis comrades, who were in full possession of Mrs. Phelps' house, and a shout of laughter, which made many broad aeres of the forest ring, announcod bis arrival. Mrs. IFale said sbe presumed the merriment was caused by his description to the In- dians of the ridiculous figure she made when, pale and trembling with fear, she assumed so bold an air while addressing hitu. Mrs. Phelps, to ber astonishment, upon returning to her house found her own bread untouched, and everything precisely as she had left it, as if no one had been there."#

February 9, 1793, Colonel David Norton and his family moved into town from Arlington, Bennington Co., Vt. The colonel kept a diary on his journey the previous year to the western country, on a tour of exploration, from which the following are extraets :

" May 28, 1792 .- Set out from Arlington to view the western country.

" June 1 .- Rode to Whitestown, thirteen miles from German Flats, to James Ferguson's ; from thenec to Colonel Sanger's, four miles; from tbence to Samuel Ferguson's, two miles. Whitestown is mostly level; the soil rich, but poorly watered. The timber is maple, beech, elin, bass, hemlock, and butternut.

" Monday, June 4 .- Went to Clinton, and thonee through tbo In- dian lands, tbo soil of which is excellent, the ground being covered with nettles and other horbage, four miles ; from thenee to the twen- tieth township, which is thirteen miles from Colonel Sanger's, by way of Clinton, and lodged at Stratton's.

" Thursday, June 7 .- A rainy day ; viewed in other parts of tbo town. Land rich, hilly, and well watered. Lodged at Dyer's.

" Friday, June 8 .- Went to view lots No. 41, 38, and 27. Level;

timber mostly maple, with some bass, elm, beech, butternut, cherry, and two cedar swamps, with piue and hemlock; a branch of the Arisca [Oriskany] running through 38, and a small pond on 27. Lodged at Stratton's.

" Saturday, June 9 .- Returned to Colonel Sanger's by Colonel Tut- tle's [Paris Hill], and bought of Colonel Sanger lots Nos. 38 and 27, and tarried at Samuel Ferguson's."

Colonel Norton became one of the most prominent men in the settlement. He was the first justice of the peace, the first supervisor, the first captain and first colonel in the militia, and the first postmaster after the post-office was re- moved to the centre. His name appears almost uniformly foremost in all the early enterprises of the town, be they religious, civil, political, or social. The first wedding in town was that of his eldest daughter, Hannah Norton, and Sylvanus Dyer, whose marriage took place Oct. 30, 1793, the ceremony being performed by Esquire Tuttle, as his first attempt in that line. Every person in the town was invited, and not one failed to be present.

As previously stated, the season of 1792 was disastrous to the crops of the settlers, and matters appeared gloomy enough. However, in 1793 affairs brightened, corn and all other kinds of grain which had been sowu ripened to the greatest perfection, and the hearts of the pioneers were made glad and thicir granaries overflowed with the plenitude of the harvest, and the following year, 1794, witnessed the arrival in the town, during the spring and summer, of about forty families. Among them were Daniel Brown, Saul Smith, Thomas King, Daniel King, Solomon Williams, Samuel Williams, Justus and Ebenezer Hale, and Benjamin Dewey. The latter purchased a lot of Colonel Sanger. It is said he was the creditor of a person for whom, by an ar- rangement, the colonel was to pay the debt in land. The latter accompanied Mr. Dewey to point out to him his land, and took him first to lot No. 44, then bearing a most gloomy and uninviting aspect, but sinee having become very pro- ductive. Dewey, after viewing it to his satisfaction, " felt indignant, and considered it an insult that the colonel should seek to pay an honest debt with such a tangled soli- tary waste, and, turning to the colonel, he impatiently ex- claimed, ' Well, colonel, if you have got any more land just show it, for I'll not take this bear's hole anyway !' "

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History of Oneida County, New York, 1667-1878, Part 138

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

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