History of Oneida County, New York, 1667-1878, Part 165

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

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THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH

in Westmoreland was constituted March 17, 1803, with 11 members. In March, 1804, Ora Butler came to preach to them, was ordained and became their pastor, and continued as such until his death, Jan. 16, 1811. Elders Hascall, Gorton, Kincaid, Wade, Phileo, Beach, La Hatt, Bicknell, Green, Simmons, Reed, and Belden preached here at dif- ferent periods, and Messrs. Kincaid and Simmons were ordained over this church. The Vernon, Verona, Second Westmoreland, and Clinton churches were taken from this, and in time it became extinct. It was the fifth church of this denomination constituted in the county, its seniors being at Whitestown, Deerfield, Paris, and Sangerfield.

TIIE SECOND BAPTIST CHURCHI

is located at Bartlett, and was formed from the old church at Lairdsville, with 12 members, Feb. 21, 1818. A small church building was erected in 1819. In 1836 some of its members withdrew and organized the " Old-School Baptist Church." Elder Caleb Read was the first regular pastor of the second church, in 1826. The present pastor is Rev. G. L. Farr, and the membership not large. A Sunday- school is sustained.

THIE OLD-SCHOOL BAPTIST CHURCH,

located north of Bartlett, has been under the pastoral care of Rev. James Bicknell since its organization in 1836.

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

Its present house of worship was erected in 1838. The attendance is not large.

THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

at Lowell has a membership of 96, and is in charge of Rev. Isaac Turney. The Sabbath-school has a membership of 120, a library of 200 volumes, and is superintended by George W. Revely.

THE FRIENDS' MEETING-HOUSE,

north of Bartlett, was built in 1819, soon after the organi- zation of the society, which latter originally consisted of the family of Nathan Peekham, and Messrs. John Wright and Lawton Barker. Alfred Richardson and wife, from Lansingburg, N. Y., came soon afterwards. The society now has between 60 and 70 members. Until since 1852 the meeting has never had a regularly " recommended min- ister;" at that date Mary A. Peekham, wife of Daniel Peckham, was settled in that capacity. Traveling ministers have visited the locality occasionally ever since the organi- zation of the society. The old frame meeting-house was used until 1871-72, when it was removed and the present building creeted in its place.

The first of this society who settled in this locality were Messrs. Wright and Barker, above mentioned. Daniel Peekham, from Pittstown, Rensselaer Co., N. Y., settled in 1812, and his wife, Lydia Peckham, was the first female member of the society. Mr. Peckham brought with him a family of ten children, of whom Daniel, now living near the meeting-house, was the oldest son and next to the oldest ehild. The Society of Friends in this town is considerably larger than any other in the county of Oneida.

LAIRDSVILLE

is located in the southern part of the town. Samuel Laird has been mentioned as the first settler here. His old log tavern was for some years the most noted one west of Albany. For his first sign he placed one end of a piece of board in a hollow stump, with the other end telling the wayfarer that an inn was before him. He afterwards built a better log house, and extended the ridge-pole far enough to hang a sign upon. Isaac Jones afterwards opened a second publie-house at this place, which before the days of canals and railways was quite a metropolis in miniature.

The Lairdsville post-office was established about 1820-21, through the efforts of Judge Dean and Pomroy Jones. The first postmaster was probably Salmon Cushman, who was keeping a public-house in the village at the time. The mail is at present brought from Clinton, and the affairs of the office are administered by J. B. Jennings.

HECLA WORKS.

In 1800 a blast-furnace, known as the " Westmoreland Furnace," was erected and went into operation at this place, which is located in the southwest part of town. The company which built it was composed of the following persons : Russell Clark, Joel Bradley, Bradford Seymour, Asa Seymour, Isaac Seymour (brothers), and George Lang- ford. They at first used ore which was found near Judge Dean's, but it proved to be inferior in quality, and eon-

siderable quantities were brought from Verona, which eon- tained so much lime that it rendered fluxing unnecessary. Ore was also used from various other localities. The old foundry has been converted into a saw- and grist-mill, and the manufacture of iron at this place is numbered among the things of the past.

The Hecla post-office was established in the spring of 1851. The present postmaster is W. W. Wells. A small store, the mills above referred to, and a few houses, eom- prise what is now " Hecla Works."

SPENCER SETTLEMENT

is a locality in the northern part of town, and was proba- bly so named from Mr. Spencer, an early settler. Elections were in an early day held at his house.

LOWELL

is located in the northwestern part of town, and contains a store, a sehool-house, a church, a post-office, two black- smith-shops, a shoe-shop, and a wagon-shop. Its location was long called the " Two-Mile Traet." The post-office, when first established, was ealled Republican, and afterwards changed to Lowell. The village, or " corners," was for some time ealled Andover, but as there was another post- offiee in the State with that name, it was finally changed. The present postmaster is J. M. Lawrence.

A fire in the village early in September, 1875, destroyed a dwelling, a store, and the old brick tavern known as the " Union Hotel," and the latter has not been rebuilt.

DIX POST-OFFICE

was established in 1876, with George Harris as postmaster, who is still in office. It was named after Governor John A. Dix, and is located at a station on the Rome and Clinton Railway, near Spencer Settlement.

BARTLETT POST-OFFICE

was established about the spring of 1871, and L. B. Good- sell appointed first postmaster. The office was named after the president of the Rome and Clinton Railway, upon which it is located. Previous to its establishment mail was brought from Westmoreland, and for ten or eleven years placed in care of Z. E. Downing for distribution. Walter H. Dawley kept the office from 1873 to 1876, and his father, J. C. Dawley, the present incumbent, has held it sinee the fall of the latter year.

WESTMORELAND,

formerly called Hampton, lies in the eastern part of the town, and contains two dry-goods and grocery stores, two tin- shops, one flour and feed store, one drug-store, three black- smith-shops, one wagon-shop, one harness-maker, one tailor, one cabinet and undertaking establishment, a malleable-iron manufactory, three saw-mills (near the village), a post-office, a hotel, two livery-stables, three boot and shoe shops, and two physicians (H. Warden and A. L. Terpenning). Over the fecd-store is " Halleck's Hall," for public uses. One lawyer, E. L. Clark, practices in Utica ; Prof. L. F. Billings is a music-teacher ; and there are also three churches and a two-story graded-school building. The post-office at this place was established quite early, and originally called

Engraved by

Erastus M.Clark

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

Hampton. Much trouble was experienced from the fact that another post-office of the same name existed in the State, and it was finally changed to Westmoreland, to corre- spond with the town. The place is still occasionally called Ilampton by those who knew it in the days before its name was changed. Anson Smith was one of the early post- masters here ; the present incumbent of the office is N. F. Metcalf.

The Westmoreland Agricultural Society was conducted some ten years, and disbanded about 1876. Annual fairs were held during its existence.

WESTMORELAND MALLEABLE-IRON COMPANY (LIMITED).

In 1850, Messrs. Smith, Buell & Co. erected and put in operation a furnace for the manufacture of malleable iron. Mr. Buell removed to Oriskany in 1857, and estab- lished a factory at that place. The officers of the present company, which succeeds Clark, Metcalf & Co., are: Pres- ident, James M. Clark ; Secretary and Treasurer, Francis M. Metcalf. Clark, Metcalf & Co. were successors to Smith, Clark & Co., and one of the early names of the firm was Smith, Halleck & Co. From 250 to 300 tons of malleable and gray-iron castings are manufactured annually. the work being mostly light harness buckles, etc. The capacity is much larger ; employment is furnished to about 50 hands upon an average, and it is the largest manufac- turing establishment in the place.

The mineral springs at this place were first brought into publie notice in 1837-38, by Samuel Halleck, father of A. H. Halleck, now residing in the village. The water was analyzed by Prof. Noyes, of Hamilton College, and found to possess fine medicinal qualities. It was discovered by Mr. Halleck while boring for coal, which he erro- neously supposed existed in this locality. He erected a large building for boarders, and the place was quite a well- known summer resort for a number of years. The water forced itself in a strong stream through a pipe which had been set in the ground. The property now belongs to Professor A. G. Williams, A M., but is not kept open for the accommodation of boarders or seckers after the life- giving properties of the water.

Among those who have kindly furnished information in this town, and to whom we are greatly indebted therefor, are the veteran, Judge Pomroy Jones, John L. Dean, Z. E. Downing, A. H. Halleck, Rev. James Deane, various members of churches, manufacturers, and many others.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.

ERASTUS W. CLARK.

The name of this venerable man, so long identified with the interests of Oneida County, finds an appropriate place in its history. Commeneing during Washington's admin- istration, his life lay parallel with almost the entire history of the United States.

He was born in Lebanon, Windham Co., Conn., April 4, 1796. His father, Charles Clark, was a descendant of 77

Daniel Clark, who emigrated from England in 1639, to Windsor, Conn.

Receiving only the advantages of a common-school edu- cation, he served an apprenticeship at blacksmithing in his native town. Soon after, he made his first visit to this State, passing through the counties of Oneida and Madison. This journey was made by horse and wagon, and occupied several weeks. Ile was accompanied by Justus Brewster, a fellow-apprentice, who afterwards settled in Verona, in this county, where he died inany years ago. At this time (1817) no locomotive whistle had disturbed the Mohawk Valley, the Erie Canal was but just begun, and Utica was a thriving village of 2000 inhabitants, living mostly on Genesee and Whitesboro' Streets.

Mr. Clark was married in Lebanon, Nov. 13, 1817, to Miss Lucretia HI. Buell, sister of Colonel Abel B. Buell, now residing in Utica.

In 1818 he removed to Schenectady County, and after- wards to Schoharie County, working at blacksmithing.

In March, 1824, he removed to Oriskany, in Oneida County, and engaged in trade and the manufacture of lum- ber. He furnished part of the first lumber used in con- strueting the New York Mills cotton-factories, then in their infaney, now holding a leading position among the industries of this county. While he resided in Oriskany, the Erie Canal was completed, opening a new era in the progressive development of this State and the great West. This event was celebrated with great ceremony, Oct. 26, 1825.

After several years here, and a brief residence in Albany, he removed to Westmoreland, Nov. 26, 1828. Ilere he was engaged in trade, and in the business of sheet-iron and tin-ware manufacturing, being associated with his brothers, L. and C. Clark, and with them built the brick store in that place in 1832. The work was well done by the late Thomas L. Kingsley, of Utica, and his brother, then prae- tical masous and builders.

In October, 1837, he removed to Vernon, where he lived nearly ten years, being engaged in the tin, iron, and stove trade with N. F. Metcalf, now of Westmoreland.

After a short residence in Albany, in 1847 he removed to Oak Hill, Greene Co., N. Y., where he resided nearly three years, and first became connected with the malleable iron manufacture, then in its infancy in this State. This connection resulted in the establishment of the Malleable- Iron Works in Westmoreland, in September, 1850, of which he was one of the founders, and for many years the business manager. To his industry, care, and cautious man- agement the great success of this enterprise is largely due. His associates in this business were Colonel Abel B. Buell, Parker Halleck, William Smith, Asahel Strong, and Simeon B. Smith, of whom Mr. Buell alone survives. In 1871 he retired from the business, having some years previously ceased any active participation in its work. .

About ten years after his return to this town. he suffered a great affliction in the loss of his wife, with whom he had lived happily for nearly forty-three years. Her life termi- nated, after a long and painful illness, May 2, 1860.

Their children were seven in number, as follows :

Delia B. Metcalf, wife of N. F. Metcalf, of Westmore- land, born June 9, 1818.

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

Anna B. Seymour, wife of William B. Seymour, residing in Iowa City, Iowa, born Nov. 22, 1819.

Harriet E. Clark, wife of William J. Clark, of West- moreland, born Dee. 20, 1820.

James M. Clark, residing at Westmoreland, born March 26, 1824.

N. Sophia Clark, born April 18, 1830, died in Vernon, Feb. 12, 1845.

Parker H. Clark, born June 13, 1833, died in Newton- ville, Mass., April 11, 1868.

W. Everett Clark, born March 27, 1838, and now re- siding in Woodhaven, N. Y.

Of his descendants were also eight grandehildren and four great-grandchildren.

In his political associations, Mr. Clark was originally a Democrat, but carly becoming impressed with the evils of slavery, he threw his influence, on all occasions, against its extension, and in 1848 aeted with the " Free-Soil" party. In 1856, he joined in the organization of the Republican party, which had his warmest sympathies during his life. Throughout the Rebellion the government had his earnest and unvarying support. He had no ambition for publie office, but was often chosen for positions of trust. In 1840 he was appointed as deputy marshal for taking the United States census, his work covering seven towns of this county. In 1841 he was eleeted supervisor of the town of Vernon, and in 1842 justice of the peace, holding the office four years. He also received the nomination of the " Free-Soil" party for delegate to the Convention of 1846, for revision of the Constitution of the State of New York.

Liberal in his religious belief, he was always charitable and tolerant towards the views of others. While at Vernon he assisted in the organization of the society there, composed of Unitarians and Universalists, and did much to build it up.

Temperate and careful in his habits, his perceptive and mental faculties were clear and bright to the last. He died quite suddenly, of heart-disease, on the 19th of July, 1878. Thus a wish he had often expressed, that his life might end with only brief notice, and free from the pain and suffering of lingering disease, seemed gratified. A few moments be- fore his death, he was engaged in reading, writing, and cheerful conversation with his physician and friends.

A valuable member of society, a kind and generous pa- rent, aiding in every good work, sympathizing with progress and reform, identifying himself with every loeal enterprise, he was held in esteem and respect by all. In his death one more of the landmarks of Oneida County is removed.

The following remarks, written down by him some years ago, and found, after his death, among his memoranda, may be interesting to his many friends :

" Being about to enter my eightieth year, I ean say, with the Psalmist, ' I have been young but now am old.' I have looked forward in youth into the misty future, dreaming of the happiness to be enjoyed, mak- ing plans uever to be realized, and to be swept away by the first touch of reality. Youth aud old age! How different are the hopes and as- pirations that auimate cach ! The one just setting out in life; the other just finishing his career. The one sees nothing in the future which can cloud his prospects or mar his happiness ; the other sees in the past mauy spots in his history that he would be glad to correct. The one has the most of life's history to learn aud experience; the other has seeu about all there is to see in life, and is waiting the last great change which finally overtakes all. It is not pleasant to grow

old, and feel our strength and powers, both physical and mental, slip- ping from us by degrees, and having no way of staying our course ; but this seems to be the order of Ifim who docth all things well. I am on the down-hill of life, and far down, and am admonished cach day of this faet. My step is not firm, my eyes are dim, and it is diffi- eult to find anything that will assist me to read. My memory is treacherous. I can remember nothing from day to day, and the phys- ieal man is subject to weariness and pain. The sands in my glass are fast running out. My work for good or evil is done.

"' And if to eighty we arrive, We rather sigh and groan than live.'

"So says the Psalmist, and so I find it to be. Yet with abundant means, and surrounded with a family eircle and associations of the pleasantest character, and with a host of warm friends, notwithstand- ing the gloom and suffering of old age, I am desirous to live on."

CHAPTER XLVII.

WHITESTOWN.

BY an aet passed March 7, 1788, the district of Mont- gomery County known as "German Flats," including the entire western portion of the State of New York, was di- vided, and the town of " White's Town" was formed, with the following boundaries, viz. : "Easterly by a line run- ning north and south to the north and south bounds of the State, and crossing the Mohawk River at the ford near, and on the east side of the house of William Cunninghanı, and which line was the western boundary of the towns of Herkimer, German Flats, and Otsego; southerly by the State of Pennsylvania, and west and north by the bounds of the State." William Cunningham's house stood near the foot, and on the west side of Genesee Street, in Utica, midway between Whitesboro' and Water Streets. It will be seen by reference to the map that the territory embraced in the original town of " White's Town" included nearly half the present area of the State. Its population at the time was probably less than two hundred,-a few scattered settlements in the vast wilderness,-and by the census of 1870 the same territory, including about thirty counties, contained more than a million and a half inhabitants. As early even as 1810 the growth in population had been re- markable, the census of that year showing that nearly three hundred thousand people had settled in the vast domain long familiarly known as the " Whitestown country," to which, " way up among the Indians," so many adventurous pioneers from New England had come. Upon the forma- tion of Oneida County, in 1798, the limits of Whitestown were extended to the east about two miles, or to the present line of Herkimer County. The town had been divided by an act passed April 10, 1792, and the new towns of West- moreland, Steuben, Paris, Mexico, and Peru erected, the original name of Whitestown being retained by but a small portion of the territory formerly ineluded. March 5, 1795, portions of Whitestown and Paris were formed into a new town called Cazenovia, and, on the formation of Oneida County, that portion of the town of Frankfort which came within its limits was annexed to Whitestown. From the latter Augusta was formed, while the remainder of Whites- town, " lying within the Oneida reservation, so called," was annexed to Westmoreland. April 7, 1817, the town of

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

Utica was formed from a portion of Whitestown, and April 12, 1827, the last division of the old town was made, and New Hartford was added to the list. The present area of Whitestown is about thirty square miles. Its northeastern boundary is the Mohawk River, back from which extends a broad, level intervale, from which the surface rises to the height of a hundred feet or more, and stretches away in a rolling upland. The waters of Oriskany and Sauquoit Creeks find entrance to the Mohawk through this town, the former in the northeast and the latter in the southeast corner. Beside these, there are numerous smaller streams. Oriskany Creek was named by the Seneca Indians "Ole- hisk'-a," or stream of nettles. Some other features of the town, including New Hartford, received the name "Che- ga-quat-ka" from the same nation, signifying kidneys. Oriskany and Sauquoit Creeks furnish abundant power, which has been extensively utilized for manufacturing pur- poses. The Erie Canal, completed to Whitesboro' in 1819, follows the valley of the river side by side with the four- traek railway of the New York Central Company.

Two miles above the village of Oriskany, on the north side of the road leading to Rome, is the spot where, on the 6th day of August, 1777, the Tryon County militia, under command of General Nicholas Herkimer, on their way to relieve the garrison at Fort Stanwix, were ambushed by the British and Indians, under Colonels Johnson and But- ler and the noted chief Brant, and a severe battle fought, which resulted in the militia remaining masters of the field, although the losses were nearly equal on each side. The gallant Herkimer received a mortal wound, and many of his officers were slain .* The ground was in every way favorable for a successful ambuseade, and had not the men of Tryon County been possessed of great courage and phys- ieal prowess the story would have been differently told. The ravine in which the painted warriors concealed them- selves is not yet shorn of its wildness, and the locality of the tree near which General Herkimer stood when he ve- eeived his wound is yet shown to the visitor, marked at present by a flag-staff.

From the journal of the Committee of Safety of this State in the Revolution is found, under date of Feb. 7, 1777, the statement that a committee was appointed to devise ways and means for manufacturing salt within the State, and they furnished a sample of salt,

" made of tho water of ecrtain springs at Oriskie (Oriskany), about ten miles to the custward of Fort Schuyler (Stanwix), and reported that, from information, it appears to the committee that nine gallons of water will make two quarts of salt.

" Resolved, That said committee devise ways and means to make further experiments in order to ascertain the quality of said water at Oriskie; and if they are of the opinion that salt can be manufactured to advantage, that they proscel, without delay, to procure materials and employ proper persons to carry on the same."

It is probable that nothing further was ever done towards manufacturing salt in that locality, and the location of the " eertain springs at Oriskie" is unknown to even the oldest dweller in the village.

# For a more complete account of this engagement, see General History.

EARLY SETTLEMENTS.

As early as 1756, during the French and Indian war, the colonial soldiers of the British army who passed through this region notieed the beauty and fertility of the country, and, returning, told wonderful stories regarding it, which were generally verified by Indian missionaries.

The attention of the New Englanders was turned to sub- jeets nearer their homes during the earlier days of the Revolution, and it was not until the year 1777 that they again visited this portion of New York. During that year General Larned's Massachusetts troops were with the army which marched under Arnold to the relief of Fort Stanwix, and Sullivan's men, in his famous campaign against the Indians, in 1778-79, were largely from New England. Reeolleeting the beauties and various advantages of the Mohawk Valley, or the region around its head-waters, many removed from their former homes and located in the newly-opened territory. The first permanent settle- ment in the county, and in the State west of the German settlements on the Mohawk, was made within the limits of the present town of Whitestown. The narrative of the settlement of Hugh White, the first permanent settler in what is now Oncida County, is so well given in Judge Jones's "Annals of Oneida County" that we reproduce it here : +

" Hugh White removed from Middletown, Connecticut, in May, 1784, and arrived in what is now Whitestown on the 5th of June. He came by water to Albany, crossed by land to Schenectady, where he purchased a bateau, in which he made passage up the Mohawk River to the mouth of the Sauquoit Creek. His four sons, a daughter, an.l daughter-in-law accompanied him. When he left Middletown he sent one of his sons with two yokes of oxen by land to Albany, who arrived there about the same time as did his father. As the family procee led up the Mohawk in the boat their teams kept even pace by land, and when they arrived at Shoemaker's, a few miles below Utica, on the south side of the river, they found many of the farms in that vicinity unoccupied, and the charred remains of dwell- ing-houses and outbuildings told a fearful tale of the ravages com- mitted hy the Tories and savages. Judge White, looking to the meaus for the future subsistence of his household, stopped at this place, tilled one of the vaeated fields, and planted it with eorn. At the proper season the father and sons returned from their new home at the mouth of the Sauquoit and hoed this field of corn, and in the fall they were repaid for their labor with a bountiful erop. It was harvested and brought up in their boat.

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History of Oneida County, New York, 1667-1878, Part 165

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

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