History of Oneida County, New York, 1667-1878, Part 167

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

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Mrs. Nancy R. White (née Nancy R. Hampton) was horn in Salisbury, N. O., October 7, 1802; was married to Colonel Philo White, of the same place (formerly and at present of Whitestown, N. Y.), May 9, 1822; and died in. Whitestown, November 29, 1877. In the varied chances of life there had heen assigned to her a broader and more responsible sphere of action than falls to the lot of most of her sex. For more than half a century she was the devoted companion of an honored hushand, bearing him two daughters as their only offspring (both now deceased), the elder of whom was the wife of Gov- ernor John W. Ellis, who died at the early age of forty years, while in office as the executive of his native State. Those best acquainted with the life and character of Mrs. White have borne the following testimony to her exalted worth :

" Mrs. White was one of the excellent of the earth. Blessed with a vigorous intellect, few surpassed her in discernment, or in the nice observance of all those delicate amenities of life which contribute so largely to human happiness. Her whole life was a hright example for others, and her end was blessed with the fullness of a hope that she is now enjoying that bliss- ful rest promised to those who die in the Lord."

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

White, Esq., at which time an'l place they ' proceeded as followeth : Ist, chose Colonel Jele liah Sanger Supervisor ; 2d, chose Elijah Blodget Town Clerk; 3d, chose Amos Wetmore First Assessor; 4th, chose James Bronson Second Assessor ; 5th, chose Ephraim Blackmer Third Assessor ; 6th, chose Oliver Collins Collector; 7th, chose Hugh White, Esq., and Captain Moses Fort Poormasters; 8th, chose George Doolittle, Jeledinh Sanger, and Ephraim Blackmer Commis- sioners of Tlighways; 9th, chose Jelediah Phelps, Joseph Sowle, Salmon Butler, Amos Kellogg, Nehemiah Jones, and Alexander Park- man Constables; 10th, chose Major Gilbert Willett, Amos Ives, Ebenezer Butler, Jr., Alexander Parkman, Joseph Jones, Joseph Jen- nings, Overseers of Roads; 11th, chose Lemuel Levenworth, Rice Ilawley, Lemuel Cook, Seth Ranney, Barnabas Pond, Fence-Viewers; 12th, chose Ebenezer Butler, Jr., Daniel C. White, Pound-Keepers ; 13th, voted to let swine run at large, youked and ringed ; 14th, voted that the supervisor appoint the place for holding the next annual meeting. Then that said meeting be dissolved.'"

The second town meeting in Whitestown was held at the barn of Captain Needham Maynard, on the road leading from Whitesboro' to Middle Settlement, April 6, 1790.

" The following persons were elected : Major William Colbraith, Su- pervisor ; Elijah Blodget, Town Clerk ; Joshua Morse, Captain Daniel C. White, Lieutenant Isaac Jones, Colonel Jedediah Sanger, Rozel Fellows, Assessors; Oliver Collins, Collector; Captain Amos Wetmore, Captain James Cassety, Overseers of the Poor; Captain Moses Foot, James Dean, Esq., George Doolittle, Commissioners of Highways; Samuel Ensign, Bill Smith, Rufus Blodget, Solomon Kellogg, Joseph Jones, Constables ; Silas Phelps, Samuel Laird, Raphael Porter, Sam- ucl Wells, Samuel Winch, Ashibel Beach, Amok Miller, Win. Satchel, Darius Sayles, Jedediah Phelps, Overseers of Ilighways; John Tillot- son, Jolin Barsley, George Langford, Aaron Kellogg, Fence-Viewers; Lemuel Levenworth, Barnabas Pond, Pound-Keepers.

" Voted to reconsider the whole votes that have been received as null and void, when the inspectors adjourned the meeting till to- morrow morning at ten o'clock." " We.Inesday morning at ten o'clock April 7, 1790, met according to adjournment. Chose first, Jede liah Sanger, Supervisor ; seeund, Ashbel Beach, Town Clerk ; third, Joshua Morse, Captain Daniel C. White, Lieutenant Isane Jones, Ensign John Tillotson, and Ebenezer Wright, Assessors; fourth, Oliver Collins, Col- lector; Captain Amos Wetmore and James Bronson, Overseers of Poor; James Dean, George Doolittle, John Tillotson, Commissioners of lligh- ways; Samuel Ensign, Bill Smith, John Bullen, Hezekiah Rice, Joseph Jones, Nathaniel Townsend, Constables; Silas Phelps, Samuel Laird, John Young, Joseph Farewell, Samuel Wells, Samuel Winch, Jason Parker, Ashbel Beach, William Clarey, Amok Miller, Seth Steel, Wil- liam Satchel, Overseers of Highways; John Barsley, Lemuel Leven- worth, Barnabas Pond, Pound-Keepers.

" Montgomery County, 88. :- This certifies that the frecholders, and other inhabitants of Whitestown, being met in said town for the pur- pose of choosing town officers, on Tuesday, the 6th day of April, 1790, did on said day collect fifty votes for Major William Colbraith, and thirty-four votes for Colonel Jedediah Sanger, for Supervisor, and William Colbrath was declared to be Supervisor. Then procce led to the election of other officers; but many people being deprived of the privilege of voting for Supervisor, etc., mored to have the proceed- ings of the day made null and void, which passed in the affirmative. The meeting being then adjourned to Wednesday, the 7th inst., at ten o'clock in the morning, at this place. Wednesday, ten o'clock in tho morning, met according to adjournment, and the poll-list being opened and kept open till about five o'clock in the afternoon, at which time the poll-list was closed, and npon canvassing the same, found that Jedediah Sanger was unanimously elected Supervisor, with the number of 119 votes, which choice was publicly declared in said meeting, and that he hath produced a certificate from Hugh White, Esq., that he has taken the oath of office.

" Attest for ELLIAn BLODGET, Town Clerk. Attest for ASUBEL BEACH, Town Clerk."

These proceedings undoubtedly seem quite singular to most people of to-day, but the hardy pioneers were nearly all sons of New England, and their propensity for standing up for their rights, as well in town-meetings as elsewhere,

is well known. They considered it unfair for any to be deprived of the privilege of easting a vote, and in order to give all a voice stayed proceedings a day longer, and de- cided unanimously on the second ballot, with which result most probably all were satisfied.

At the town-meeting in Whitestown in 1791, Colonel Sanger was re-elected Supervisor; Ashbel Beach, Town Clerk ; Ebenezer Butler (afterwards of Pompey), Collector ; James Wadsworth, of Geneseo, Trueworthy Cook, of Pom- pey, Jeremiah Gould, of Salina, and several others, Over- seers of Highways.

From the present book of town records is gleaned the following list of Supervisors, from 1862 to 1877, inclusive : 1862, George Graham ; 1863-64, Samuel Campbell ; 1865- 66, George Graham ; 1867-68, Robert B. Soules; 1869, George Graham; 1870, R. B. Soules; 1871, George Graham ; 1872, Charles L. Balis; 1873, George Graham ; 1874, C. L. Balis; 1875-76, Lyman L. Wight; 1877, Seward W. Baker. The remaining officers for 1877 were as follows : Town Clerk, Staey B. Waters ; Assessor, Joseph Gibson ; Collector, Henry C. Reeder; Commissioner of Highways, John Thomas; Auditors, Hiram A. Crain, Jolm S. Capron, John HI. Allyn ; Sealer of Weights and Meas- ures, Martin V. Gorton ; Exeise Commissioner, Edward Kernan ; Justices of the Peace, Benjamin S. Graves, Samuel P. Steves ; Overseers of the Poor, Joseph Row- land, John Parkhurst ; Constables, Thomas Tobin, Matthew E. Hastings, James A. Bates, L. B. Cooper ; Inspectors of Election, 1st District, M. V. Gorton, John McPhreson, G. A. Hemingway ; 2d District, George H. Haynes, George R. Pike, John Shirley ; 3d District, Thomas Boulton, Daniel H. Shaw, John G. Bradmeyer (the third man in each distriet appointed by the board).

EARLY SCHOOLS .*

"The strip of lan'l lying on the cast bank of the Sadaqueda Creek, from its mouth to the distance of three miles, was settled immediately after the settlement at Whitesboro', by the Wetmores and Leaven- worths.f Within its limits are now included the villages of York- ville and New York Mills, the upper part of the latter being in the township of New Hartford. Very soon after the settlement was made a school district was organized, embracing the whole of the above and some adjacent territory, and a school opened. Soon an- other distriet was organized, embracing the extreme southern portion of this, with some more adjoining territory, which now forms the flourishing district at the Upper Mills, -that is Nos. 3 and 4 in New llartford. In 1826 the New York Mills District, or No. 4 District of Whitestown, was taken from the original district, and some twenty years after the Yorkville District, or District No. 6, of Whitestown, was taken off, thus leaving the original district, No. 3, of Whites- town, with about 100 children of school age. This includes New York Mills, No. 1. There are now flourishing schools in all four dis- triets, employing regularly six teachers."

Whitestown contained in 1876 thirteen school districts with 1552 children of school age (between five and twenty- one years). The apportionment of school money for the same year was $2826.09.

RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES. " In the year 1786 the settlement of Whitestown had so far increased that its inhabitants formed a religious society,

# By Leander S. Wood, of New York Mills. + Written on town records Levenworth.

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IHISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

and employed as a minister the Rev. Dr. Hillyer, of Orange, N. J."* This was in accordance with the customs of the Puritans, and was the first religious society formed in the State west of Albany.

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, WHITESTOWN.

On the 1st day of April, 1793, a meeting was held in the barn belonging to Judge Hugh White, for the purpose of organizing a religious society. Thomas R. Gold, Aaron Clark, George Doolittle, Jonas Platt, Stephen Potter, Joseph Root, Reuben Wilcox, and David Williams were appointed a committee to draft a constitution. Judge White was chairman of the meeting, and while those present were discussing the subject of the denomination of their society, he remarked that it would perhaps be " better to send for some good man, and let him bring his prin- ciples with him." The organization was finally named " The United Presbyterian Societies of Whitestown and Old Fort Schuyler," and was soon after incorporated, with the following persons as trustees : Jonas Platt, Joseph Root, Thomas R. Gold, Amos Wetmore, David Williams, John Post, Elizur Mosely, Stephen Potter, Enoch Story, Reuben Wilcox, Arthur Breesc, Erastus Clark, and Silas Clark. Of these, Messrs. Post, Potter, and perhaps others, resided at Old Fort Schuyler (Utica), and the balance in Whites- town.

The first pastor settled over this church was Rev. Bethuel Dodd, who preached his first sermon here on the 20th of August, 1794, in the public-house of Colonel Daniel C. White. Mr. Dodd died April 12, 1804, and his funeral was held in the church, which had been but a short time previously dedicated, meetings having been held for ten years in various buildings. This building was erected in 1803. The second pastor was Rev. James Carnahan, or- dained Jan. 2, 1805. He was dismissed on account of ill health, Oct. 25, 1812. Rev. John Frost was called Nov. 4, 1812, and retained his position until Feb. 5, 1833, when he was appointed general agent for the Oneida Institute. He was afterwards settled in Waterville, and died iu Whites- boro'.

The first church owned by this society was 60 by 45 feet in dimensions, and cost $4508.45. The present brick church was erected in 1834, at a cost of $5105. Several organizations have sprung from the old society. Feb. 3, 1813, the church was divided, and 57 members set off to the Utica Church. March 18, 1830, 44 members were dis- missed to form a church at New York Mills. In 1832 the church at Oriskany was formed, taking 50 members from this body. Dec. 26, 1837, 59 persons withdrew, and formed a Congregational Church at Whitesboro'. The old church is now known as the " United Society of Whites- town," and is under the pastoral care of Rev. Leicester J. Sawyer. Its membership in April, 1877, was 133. A fine Sabbath-school is connected, which numbered at the same time 191. Mr. Sawyer is the Superintendent. The school has a library of several hundred volumes. With two excel- lent organs and a fine choir, the society is well provided with music.

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF WHITESBORO'.

The first Baptist minister who visited this region was Rev. Stephen Parsons, of Middletown, Conn., who had nu- merous friends and relatives in the " Whitestown country." Ile came carly in 1796, and during this visit baptized five persons. In June of the same year he revisited the place, and organized, on the 18th of that month, the first Baptist society in Oneida County, with seven members, including the five he had baptized on his first visit, and two others, the meeting for organization being held at the house of Caleb Douglass, who was elected first clerk and first deacon, and was afterwards ordained as an elder, Jan. 7, 1802. He was the second pastor of the church, the first having been Elder Parsons, who had charge from December, 1796, to December, 1802. Elder Douglass was invited Jan. 14, 1803, to become the pastor, and the invitation was accepted in May following. In March, 1803, six members were dis- missed to unite in forming a church in Westmoreland. Elder Parsons removed the same year to Mexico, in the " Black River country,"-now Oswego County,-where he died, in 1820, from the effects of a fall in his barn. Elder Douglass was pastor of the church at Whitesboro' for thir- teen years, and was released from the charge in May, 1816. He was followed by Elder Elon Galusha, who had become a member of the church in 1815. In December, 1817, a council was called to recognize the church in Rome as a regularly organized Baptist Church. Another was called in 1818 to organize a church in the north part of Westmore- land. Among the pastors who followed Elder Galusha, the latter resigning after a pastorate of fifteen years, were El- ders A. L. Covill, Clessen P. Sheldon, Jireh D. Cole, Sam- uel R. Shotwell, William Clark, and others. The present pastor is Rev. H. J. Rowlands. The society has a mem- bership of about 230. The Sabbath-school numbers about 150 members, with George C. Law as Superintendent. A small library and two organs belong to the school and church. The present house of worship is the third one owned by the society, the first having been converted into a dwelling because it was too large, and the second removed and used since as a store, because it was too small for a church.

ST. JOHN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF WHITESTOWN.

Through the efforts of S. Newton Dexter, principally, this organization was formed, and Rev. Benjamin W. Whitcher was appointed first deacon in 1844. The latter afterwards resigned his charge and united with the Roman Catholic Church, after having stated his reasons for so doing. During his connection with St. John's he was an active and influential worker. In 1853, Philo White, then a resident of the State of Wisconsin, while on his way to South America on a diplomatie mission, met, in New York City, Rev. William A. Matson, who solicited him for aid to build a church in his native village. Mr. White subscribed sev - eral hundred dollars towards the object, and the corner-stonc of the church at Whitesboro' was laid by Bishop De Lan- cey, June 19, 1855. Dr. Matson, then rector, officiated here and at Oriskany, and edited a religious paper published at Utica, called the Gospel Messenger. St. John's parish was organized Aug. 1, 1844. Among its rectors have been

# Tracy's Lectures.

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

Revs. Jacob S. Shipman, who went from here te Mobile, Ala., thenee in turn to Lexington, Ky., and Fond du Lac, Wis., and is now in New York City; Henry Stanley, who afterwards died at Little Falls, Herkimer Co., while rector of Immanuel Church at that place; Henry Darby ; E. W. Hagar, of St. George's Church, Utica, who officiated here some four years, and was afterwards appointed chaplain in the United States Navy ; E. 4. Lewis; E. Bayard Smith ; and Robert L. Mathison, -- the latter now in charge of both St. John's at Whitesboro' and St. Peter's at Oriskany. The communicants to St. John's number about 60. The church property is valued at $1000.

FIRST METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF WHITESBORO'.

A class of this denomination was formed here in con- nection with New York Mills in November, 1876. A Jegal organization was not, however, completed until Dec. 5, 1876, when the society was incorporated, with about 40 members, which has been the average since. The Baptist parsonage was purchased and fitted up for a house of wor- ship. It will seat about 200 persons. Rev. II. Skeel is the first and present pastor. A Sabbath-school was organ- ized some time previous to the formation of the church society, and numbered in February, 1878, about 35 mem- bers, beside teachers. Its Superintendent was then A. M. Phraner. It has a library of about 200 volumes.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH AT NEW YORK MILLS.

This society was organized in 1826, meetings having previously been held in various parts of the village. " In 1825, Mr. William N. Pearne, first book-keeper at the mills, and a preacher also, was instrumental in starting a Methodist class, which soon numbered a hundred persons, in which were interested Rev. Mr. Giles, Mr. George An- drews, and Rev. John Harvey, the latter one of the earliest settlers in the place, and still in the office of the company."* The present fine brick church was built about 1872, at a cost of over $25,000. The edifice in use before this was also a large brick structure, and was burned about 1871, immediately after the second service had been held in it, subsequent to the expenditure of about $10,000 for repairs. The membership of the society Feb. 5, 1878, was between 200 and 300. Its pastor is Rev. H. Skeel, who also con- duets services at Whitesboro'. A Sabbath-school is kept in a flourishing condition, with Samuel Lce as Superintendent. It has a library of over 600 volumes. A large pipe-organ, manufactured by George N. Andrews, of Utica, is used during church services, and the Sabbath-school has a cabi- net-organ.

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF NEW YORK MILLS.

As early as 1818 a Presbyterian Sabbath-school was organized here by Ezra Wood, a member of the Presby- terian Church of Whitestown, and long sustained by him. This was the second Sunday-school organized in Oneida County, and one of the earliest west of Albany. Benjamin S. Walcott, one of the proprietors of the New York Mills, aided largely in forming the school, and fitted np a room in

the Oneida Factory, where the first session was hekl, attended hy thirty persons. This school was discontinued through the winter, but was soon made a permanent institu- tion. From this beginning sprang the present society, which was formed in March, 1830, with 44 members from the church at Whitesboro'. The meeting for organization was held in the Methodist Episcopal Church, Rev. D. C. Lansing, D.D., presiding. There were also present Revs. Noah Coe, John Frost (then pastor of the church at Whitesboro'), and Elders Amzi Hotchkiss and Lather Holbrook. Several meetings were held,-some in the school-house and others at the homes of the elders. The first elders elected were Benjamin S. Walcott, Ambrose Coan, and Ezra Wood. The first pastor was Rev. George Foote, installed March 23, 1831. He was dismissed Oct. 7, 1832, and on the 16th of February, 1833, Rev. Lewis II. Loss was installed as second pastor. The first church was a wooden structure, built soon after the organization of the society, and stood where the present building is. It burned down in February, 183f, having caught fire from a large stove in the basement. It was insured for $1000. The present brick edifice was built the same year, at a cost of $3000, and stands on the same foundation as the former honse. It is 55 by 35 feet in dimensions, with a basement. This church was dedicated Oct. 28, 1835, by Rev. Beriah Green. Since Mr. Loss the pastors have been Revs. Ira Pettibone, N. Dwight Graves, R. R. Kirk, Chester Fitch, V. Leroy Lockwood, and Charles B. Austin, the latter having been stated supply since March 1, 1876.

Of the elders of this church partienlar mention may be made of a few. Benjamin S. Walcott, who began busi- ness at this place in 1809, was a native of Cumberland, R. L., where he was born in 1785. He was for many years at the head of the cotton business of the New York Mills. He did much towards building up both church and schools in his adopted home, and one of the chairs of Ham- ilton College, which he, with his son ( William D. Walcott), endowed, bears the name of Walcott. He died Jan. 12, 1862.

Ezra Wood was born in Rhode Island in 1781. In 1812 he removed to Utica, and in 1818 to New York Mills. The first house erected at this place where no alcoholic drinks were used at the "raising" was built by hint. He was twice a delegate to the General Assembly, and was sent many times to Presbytery. Two of his sisters -Mary Puffer and Iney Barnes-were among the carly teachers of the Sabbath-school which he established here. He died Dec. 16, 1870, in the ninetieth year of his age.

Ambrose Coan, the last of the original elders of this church, had been an eller in Whitesboro'.

Dr. Norton Porter, who was elected eller in July, 1834, was one of the carliest physicians who came to Oneida County. He was a student in the Vermont Medical Col- lege, and became an eminent member of his profession. He died Nov. 18, 1852.

Among others have been Robert McFarlane, Rufus Lyman, Jonathan Law. Nathan Lee, Almon Rockwell, I. W. Hand, Albert Marcellus, Daniel Thomas, Salmon Holmes, Solomon Prentiss, Solomon Stark, David Shapley, B. S. Graves, and Charles McLean.

* From a historical discourse delivered by Rev. Charles B. Austin, of the Presbyterian Church at New York Mills, Sept. 10, 1876. 78

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

On the breaking out of the war of the Rebellion, in 1861, thirty-six members of this church responded to the call for volunteers. Of these a number distinguished themselves. Twenty-one returned alive, viz. : Major Ezra S. Wetmore, Lieutenant W. Stuart Walcott, Lieutenant E. Barton Wood, George Smith, Thomas Beveridge, Jr., Mathew Wilson (members of the church); Major David B. Magill, Cap- tain John W. Walcott, Captain Andrew Bayne, Henry Sinclair, William McNab, Frank H. Walcott, Charles A. Shaw, Henry Jones, James Swan, James Rowland, Frank Miller, David Miller, Andrew C. Bayne, James Hinchcliffe, Thomas Johnson (members of the society). Fifteen laid down their lives for their country or died from the effects of hardships. These were James Bayne, Edward Rowland, David Beard, Charles McNab, William Curle, James Young (members of the church); Donald Bayne, William Rat- cliffe, Charles Fox, Daniel Ross, Hugh Ross, Augustus Smith, David McNab, Ira Hand, Eugene Wood (members of the congregation or Sabbath-school). The names of those who died are inscribed upon a costly monument in the village cemetery, erected at the expense of Hon. Samuel Campbell,-one of many proofs of his generous patriotism.

The membership of the church has always been good, although subject to fluctuation from various causes. The Sunday-school has been very flourishing, the average at- tendance for years having been over 200. A primary or infant school has a membership of about 60. Mr. Robert Hughes has held the post of chorister for more than twenty years.

WELSH CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHI, NEW YORK MILLS.

Many of the operatives employed in the extensive works of the New York Mills cotton manufacturing company are natives of the mountains of Wales,-the "land of song,"- and about 1852 a society of Welsh Congregationalists was formed here, and a church erected. The present member- ship is from 55 to 65. Mectings are held every Sabbath, the pulpit being usually supplied by Rev. Dr. Jones, of Utica. The church has no regular pastor, its last one having been Rev. Thomas M. Owens. A Sabbath-school is kept up, under the present superintendence of Stephen S. Wil- liams. About 1870 the church, a frame building, was re- paired at an expense of about $1200. It is located in the northern portion of the middle village.

ST. PETER'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH, ORISKANY.

This parish was organized and incorporated in May, 1830, under the administration of Rev. Marcus A. Perry. The brick church now standing is the only one cver pos- sessed by the parish, and was built in 1833-34. It has been several times remodeled, and the value of the prop- erty is now estimated at $3000. Meetings were first held in the school-house. This parish has been in charge part of the time of the rectors of St. John's at Whitestown, and a part of those of St. Paul's at Holland Patent, in the town of Trenton. Among the rectors here have been Revs. Erastus Spaulding, Benjamin W. Whitcher, Henry A. Neeley (now Bishop of Maine), William Baker, William A. Matson, Jacob S. Shipman, Henry Stanley, Henry

Darby, William T. Gibson, Alexander HI. Rogers, William N. Irish, W. H. Dcan (now of Holland Patent), and the present incumbent, R. L. Mathison. St. Peter's was conse- crated by Bishop Onderdonk. The communicants to this church numbered in February, 1878, about 60. Sabbath- schools are connected both here and at Whitesboro', the one at the latter place having the larger attendance.

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History of Oneida County, New York, 1667-1878, Part 167

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

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