USA > New York > Oneida County > History of Oneida County, New York, 1667-1878 > Part 63
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32.52 ; 1820 to 1825, 17.75 ; 1825 to 1830, 18.69 ; 1830 to 1835, 13.34 ; 1835 to 1840, 11.70 ; 1840 to 1845, 7.23; 1845 to 1850, 18.92 ; 1850 to 1855, 11.91 ; 1855 to 1860, 11.96; 1860 to 1865 (decrease), 1.36 ; 1865 to 1870 (in- erease), 14.50; 1870 to 1875, 7.21. It will be seen that with the exception of the five years from 1860 to 1865, during the War of the Rebellion, there has generally been a handsome inerease ; and it is quite probable that the falling off in the single instance is more apparent than real, and mostly owing to an imperfeet eensus. The growth of the State has certainly, on the whole, been gratifying to its people. The population of each of the twenty-four cities of the State for 1875, was as follows :
Albany 86,541
New York,
1,041,886
Anburn
19,649
Ogdensburg.
10,358
Binghamton,
15,518
Oswego ..
22,428
Brooklyn.
482,493
Poughkeepsie
20,022
Buffalo
134,557
Rochester.
81,722
Cohoes.
17,493
Rome,
12,251
Elmira ..
20,436
Schenectady.
12,759
Hudson.
8,784
Syracuse.
48,255
Kingston
20,445
Troy
48,531
Lockport.
12,553
Utiea
32,496
Long Island City ..
15,587
Watertown.
9,992
Newburgh
17.322
Yonkers
17,232
The urban and suburban population of the State in 1875 was 3,256,768, and the rural population 1,442,190. The inerease per eent. in the former for ten years was 34.93, and for the latter only 1.99, showing that almost the entire growth of the State is at present in the cities, towns, and villages. The rate per eent. of inerease for the cities and villages of Oneida County for the same period was 23.44, and the rural population of the county during the same period fell off 4.76 per cent. The suburban population is reckoned in all villages containing 1000 inhabitants. The population of the county is divided between the two classes as follows : Cities and villages, 72,276; rural, 42,059.
Total colored population, 603; Oneida Indians, 64.
A State eensus, taken at various periods, shows the fol- lowing figures for the county according to the State eensus report for 1875 : Census of 1814, 45,228 ; of 1825, 57,847 ; of 1835, 77,518; of 1845, 84,776 : of 1855, 107,749 ; of 1865, 102,713.
A careful footing of the population by towns for 1840 and 1850 makes a material variation from the totals as given in the United States census returns. About 4000 less for 1860. On the whole the advanee in population has been very steady and uniform.
Nationality .- Of the total population of the State for 1875, 3,503,300 were native, and 1,195,658 foreign born. Of the foreign born, 828,499 were in the eities, and 367,- 159 in the State at large. In Oneida County there were 88,500 native and 25,835 foreign born, or about in the proportion of three and a half of the former to one of the latter. The nativity of the population of Oneida County was as follows : Born in the State, total, 83,033; born in the county, 64,595 ; born in other counties of the State, 18,438 ; State of Maine, 108; New Hampshire, 187 ; Ver- mont, 587 ; Massachusetts, 1326; Rhode Island, 244; Connecticut, 1129; New Jersey, 322 ; Pennsylvania, 386 ; other United States, 1178. Foreign : Canada, 982 ; England, 4235 ; the German Empire, 6706 ; Ireland, 8654; Scotland, 684; other foreign countries, 4574. Of aliens, there were 5402.
# There is some diserepaney in these figures.
{ This return must have been very imperfect.
240
HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
POPULATION OF ONEIDA COUNTY FROM 1800 TO 1875.
1800.
1810.
1820.
1830.
1840.
1850.
1860.
1870.
1875.
Annsville
2,837
2,716
2,626
Augusta ..
1,598
2,004
2,771
3,058
2,175
2,271
2,213
2,067
2,233
Boonville ...
393
1,294
2,746
5,519
3,309
4,212
4,106
4,063
Bridgewater.
1,061
1,170
1,533
1,608
1,418
1,308
1,261
1,258
1,307
Camden
384
1,132
1,772
1,945
2,331
2,820
3,187
3,687
3,538
#Constantia.
153
#Champion
143
Deerfield.
1,048
1,232
2,346
4,182
3,120
2,287
2,249
2,045
2,098
Florence
396
640
964
1,259
2,587
2,802
2,299
2,181
Floyd ..
767
970
1,498
1,699
1,742
1,419
1,440
1,209
1,142
Forestport
1,276
1,280
Kirkland
2,509
2,984
3,421
4,185
4,912
4,749
#Lowville.
300
622
2,186
2,514
2,936
3,025
2,796
2,656
2,413
Marey.
1,857
1,687
1,451
1,418
Marshall
1,908
2,251
2,115
2,134
2,145
2,215
#Mexico
240
845
3,599
3,819
4,847
4,395
4,037
4,382
Paris
4,721
5,418
6,707
2,765
2,844
4,283
3,762
3,575
3,593
Reinsen
224
489
912
1,400
1,638
2,384
2,670
1,184
1,166
Rome .....
1,497
2,003
3,569
4,360
5,680
7,920
6,246
11,000
12,251
#Redfield
107
362
#Riehland
947
Sangerfield ..
1,143
1,324
2,011
2,272
2,251
2,371
2,343
2,513
2,913
Steuben.
552
1,105
1,461
2,094
1,993
1,754
1,554
1,261
1,220
#Seriba ..
624
1,548
2,617
3,221
3,178
3,540
3,504
3,156
3,118
#Turin ...
440
2,972
8,323
12,782
17,556
22,524
28,804
32,496
Vernon
1,519
2,707
3,045
3,043
3,089
2,908
2,840
3,007
Verona.
1,014
2,447
3,739
4,504
5,587
5,967
5,757
5,476
Vienna ..
Westmoreland.
1,542
1,135
2,791
3,303
3,105
3,292
3,166
2,952
2,752
Western
1,493
2,416
2,237
2,419
3,488
2.524
2,497
2,423
2,244
Whitestown
4,212
4,912
5,219
4,410
5,156
5,820
4,367
4,339
4,368
$Williamstown
562
#Watertown
119
22,837
33,792
50,997
71,326
85,310
98,537
101,626
110,018
114,335
Sex .- Of the total population, 56,105 were males, and 58,230 females ; showing an excess of the latter of 2125.
Voters .- The total males of the voting age was 31,272, of whom 19,458 were native and 11,814 foreign born (born outside the county).
Military .- Of males of the military age (from eighteen to forty-five years) there were 21.989. Persons of school age (five to eightcen) 30,560, of whom 15,315 were males, and 15,245 females.
Land Owners .- Thesc numbered in the county 14,934, or only about one in eight of the total population.
Illiterate .- The number of persons of both sexes, above the age of twenty-one years, unable to read and write was 1768, which would seem to be altogether inexcusable in the midst of so many educational advantages.
Aged People .- By the State Census of 1875 there were returned as then living in Oneida County the following aged people: Native born white males, one, ninety-seven ycars ; females, one, one hundred and twelve; foreign born white inales, one, ninety-six ; females, one, one hundred and four. Native born colored malcs, one, eighty-nine;
females, one, eighty. These were the oldest individuals of each class named.
Dwellings .- The total number of dwellings in the county in 1875 was 22,349, of which 21,227 were frame, 981 brick, 57 stone, and 84 log. The total value of all kinds was $38,526,082. Of these the frame buildings were val- ucd at $29,793,322; the brick ones at $8,443,150; the stone ones at $283,700, and the log houses at $5910. The greatest number of log dwellings was in Forestport, where they numbered 25, valued at $2030, or about $81 each. The total number of dwellings, of all kinds, in the three leading cities and towns was : Utica, 5269 ; Rome, 2341, and Verona, 1159, these being the only ones having over 1000 each. The total number of families in the county was 24,539; the number of inhabited dwellings, 21,799; the average number of persons to a family, 4.66, and the average number to an inhabited dwelling, 5.24.
ELECTIONS.
The first election by the people in what is now the State of New York, was that of the "Twelve Men," in 1641, under the Dutch rule. The first election under English rule was that of the Assembly of 1665, for the promulga- tion of the " Duke's Laws." The first elections by authority of the people were held in March, 1775, to elect deputies to the Provincial Convention, which met in New York on the 20th of April following, to choose delegates to the
# NOTE .- The towns of Champion and Watertown were set off with the ereetion of Jefferson County, in 1805. The towns of Lowville, Leyden, and Turin were set off to Lewis County at the same time ; and the towns of Constantia, Mexico, Redfield, Seriba, and Wil- liamstown were set off with Oswego County, in 1816. The town of Bengal is now the town of Vienna.
1,481
1,765
2,688
Ava ...
1,027
1,260
1,160
1,022
#Bengal
454
#Leyden
Lee ..
New Ilartford ..
328
1,307
1,766
2,530
3,436
3,460
3,180
3,064
Trenton.
Utiea ...
1,799
241
HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
seeond Continental Congress, which met in Philadelphia on the 10th of May, 1775 .* Previous to the adoption of the State Constitution, in 1777, cleetions were held before the sheriffs, by a poll or viva voce vote. Under the first eon- stitution, elective offieers were limited to the governor, lieutenant-governor, senators, and assemblymen, and the town clerks, supervisors, assessors, constables, and eol- leetors, and all other officers theretofore eligible. Loan offi- eers, eounty treasurers, and elerks of the supervisors were to be appointed as dirceted by the Legislature. All other civil and military officers to be appointed by the eouneil of appointment, unless otherwise designated by the constitution.
On the 27th of March, 1778, an " experimental" law was passed authorizing the use of the ballot in eleetions for governor and lieutenant-governor, but retaining the viva voce system for members of the Legislature. Under the law of 1787 the ballot system was generally introduced. Under the first constitution the governor, lieutenant-gov- ernor, and senators were ehosen by frecholders, aetual resi- dents, and possessed of frecholds of the value of £100 over and above all debts charged thereon. Male inhabitants, who had resided within one of the counties of the State for six months preeeding the election, were entitled to vote for mem- bers of Assembly, provided they owned within the county a freehold of £20, or paid a yearly rent of 40 shillings, and were rated and actually paid taxes. By an aet passed April 9, 1811, these values were changed to corresponding sums in the Federal eurreney, viz. : $250, $50, and $5. No dis- erimination was made against blacks and mulattoes, except that they were required to produec authenticated certificates of freemen.
The eleetive franchise was extended by the constitution of 1821 conferring it on every male eitizen of the age of twenty-one years who had resided in the State one year pre- eeding any eleetion, and in the town or eounty where he offered to vote six months, provided he had paid taxes within the year, or was exempt from taxation, or had per- formed military duty, or was a fireman ; and also npon every sueh eitizen who had been a resident of the State three years, and town or county one year, and had performed highway labor within the year or paid an equivalent therefor. Colored persons were not allowed to vote unless they had been eiti- zens of the State three years, and were possessed of a free- hold of the value of $250 over and above all incumbranees, and had paid a tax thercon.
Under the law of 1787, eleetions were held in every borough, town, distriet, precinet, or ward, under the super- vision of inspectors chosen for that purpose. When the balloting system was first introduced, the boxes containing the ballots were dirceted to be returned by the sheriffs to the Secretary of State in order that they might be eanvassed by a joint committee of the Legislature.
Under the aet passed March 27, 1799, loeal boards were instituted, who were required to inspeet and canvass the ballots, the result to be recorded by the town clerk, who was to return it to the county clerk for the same purpose, by whom it was to be transmitted to the Seeretary of State, and by him also recorded. A board of State canvassers was
instituted, consisting of the Sceretary of State, Comptroller, and Treasurer, who were required to eanvass the votes on or before the 8th of June, and publish the result. By the act of 1787, general elections were held on the last Tuesday of April, and might be continued for five days.
By the act of April 17, 1822, a board of county ean- vassers was instituted, consisting of one inspector of elections from each town, and the Attorney-General and Surveyor- General were added to the board of State eanvassers. The general elcetion day was to be the first Monday in November ; each town and ward formed one elective distriet, and the polls were opened by adjournment from place to place for three sueeessive days. By the act of April 5, 1842, elec- tions were directed to be held in one day, on the Tuesday sueeccding the first Monday in November, and towns and wards were divided into a convenient number of election dis- triets. By this aet the supervisors were constituted boards of county canvassers, which system is still in operation.
Political .- The politieal sentiments of the people of Oneida County are indieated by the following tabulated statement of the vote for Governor at various periods, com- meneing with 1801. The first election in what now eon- stitutes the county of Oneida, was a town-meeting held at the house of Captain Daniel C. White, of Whitestown, on Tuesday, the 7th day of April, 1789.
The meeting was adjourned-" it being more convenient" -to the barn of Hugh White, Esq. At that date the district of Whitestown formed a part of Montgomery County.
VOTES FOR GOVERNOR.
1801. George Clinton ....... 503
S. Van Rensselaer ... 2,042
1846. Silas Wright 5,095
1804. Morgan Lewis ..... 2.108
John Young.
6,433
Aaron Burr. 1,860
1848. R. H. Walworth. 3.678
Hamilton Fish .. 6,159 4,758
1810. Daniel D. Tompkins. 1.899
1850. Horatio Seymour ...
8,330
Jonas Platt. 2,376
1813. Daniel D. Tompkins. 1,895
S. Van Rensselaer ... 2,631
1852. Horatio Seymour .... Washington Hunt .. M. Tompkins.
7.676 6446
Scattering 43
Daniel Ullman.
1,068
1856. John A. King ... 10,852
Amasa J. Parker ...
6,573
Erastus Brooks.
1,746
1824. Samuel Young. 3,230
De Witt Clinton. 4,559
Lorenzo Barrows ... 586
1860. Edicin D. Morgan .. 12,439
William Kelley ... ... 9,039
1862. J. S. Wadsworth .... 10,143
Horatio Seymour ... 9,662
1864. Reuben E. Fenton ... 12,075
Horatio Scymonr ... 10,921
Francis Granger. 5.926
1834. Wm. L. Marcy. 6,523
Win. II. Seward. 6,157
5,511
3,457
1870. S. L. Woodford ...
12,1 19
1838. Win. L. Marcy 6.101
I'm. I. Seward
5,062
1872. John A. Dir .. 12.921
1840. Win. C. Bouck. 7,893
Francis Kernan ... .10,765
I'm. Il. Neward .. 7,101
1874. John A. Dix 11,488
Numnel J. Tilden ... 11.137
1814. Nilas Wright.
7,808
Lucius Robinson .... 12,872
Presidential Electors .- We give the vote for presidential electors, commencing with 1844, not having been able to proenre those of previous elections :
# The first Continental Congress met Sept. 5, 1774.
31
+ Those in italics were elected.
9,308
1816. Daniel D. Tompkins. 1,893
Rufus King 2,327
1854. Horatio Seymour ...
7.870
Myron II. Clark .... Greene C. Bronson. 621
7,521
1820. Daniel D. Tompkins. 1,638
De Witt Clinton 2,773
1822. Joseph C. Yates ... 5,433
Scattering 3-
1858. Edicia D. Morgan .. 10,728 Amasa J. Parker ... 7,993
1826. Win. B. Rochester. 3,072
De Witt Clinton. 4,180
1828. M. Van Buren .. 5,230
Smith Thompson. 5.797
1830. Enos T. Throop. 5,536
Francis Granger. 3,976
1832. Wm. L. Marcy ... 6,170
1866. Renben E. Fentou ... 12,431 John T. Hoffman ... 11,121
1868. John A. Griswold ... 12,555 John T. Hoffman ... 11,295
1836. Wm. L. Marcy .. Jesse Buel.
John T. Hoffman ... 10,819
1812. I'm. C. Bonck 7,115
Luther Bradish. 5.558
1876. Edwin D. Morgan .. 13,943
Millard Fillmore ..... 6,982
1844. Alvan Stewart 1,051
Washington Hunt ...
7,242
1807. Daniel D. Tompkins. 1,779
Morgan Lewis ... 1,728
John A. Dix ..
1817. De Witt Clinton .... 2,482
242
HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
1844. Whig
6,983
Democratie 7.717
Abolition ....... 1144
1846 .- For amendment giving equal suffrage to colored persons, 3877 ; against, 5952.
1840 .- For new school law, 8506; against, 2911.
.
1860.
.. 12,508
=
. 9,011
1864.
... 12,049
.... 10,915
1872.
... 13,384
=
.... 10,079
1876.
66
... 12,844
6.
.... 14,020
POPULAR STATE QUESTIONS.
1846 .- For amended constitution, 7984; against, 2063.
1874 .- For constitutional amendments, 7582; against same, 8166.
TABULAR STATEMENT OF THE VARIOUS INDUSTRIES OF THE COUNTY.
No. of Establish- ments.
Ilands Em- ployed.
Capital.
Wages ..
Material.
Products.
Agricultural implements ..
14
211
$471,603
$92,102
$163,157
$332.390
Boats ...
13
126
80,000
43,500
34,630
131,100
Boots and shoes.
10
545
418,100
319,430
745,515
1,228,806
Boxes, eheesc ..
15
50
34,550
10,110
26,117
50,662
Bread and other bakery products ..
5
12
8,100
2,800
14,790
25,600
Briek.
11
128
43,550
23,370
18,100
66,020
Carriages and wagons.
53
272
352,250
109,201
120,952
384,267
Cars, freight and passenger ..
1
80
20,000
31,042
24,000
55,042
Cheese ..
86
283
200,850
47,853
1,209.704
1,363,969
Cider ..
10
23
10,100
1,107
9,285
13,886
Clothing, men's
24
1499
581,400
155,640
541,662
935,025
women's ...
15
93
24,325
8,189
43,935
70,908
Cooperage
17
41
18,353
7,105
9,837
27,814
1
10
6,000
2,000
7,320
15,150
13
2120
2,769,927
712,690
1.503.463
2,444,375
30
83
272,050
19,200
523,715
622.264
Frames, mirror and picture.
3
10
3.200
3,042
7,650
14,550
23
133
150,200
38,905
60,765
131,540
5
57
81,000
21,500
12,405
60,094
Furs, dressed ...
3
12
7,867
2,350
5,700
14,000
Gas ..
17
115,000
17,300
32,375
97,925
Glass, stained.
18
6,000
5,400
5,290
15,500
Glassware ..
94
135,000
58,715
50,240
123,600
1
17
10,000
3,000
6,500
20,000
Gunsmithing ..
16
12,000
5,000
2,300
10,000
5
23
19,033
11,050
14,285
28,365
llosiery ..
5
213
185,000
62,400
178,240
362,355
Iron, blooms
1
20
40,000
8,640
26,436
38,400
" forged and rolled.
2
210
308,000
129,600
664,810
999,000
66
pigs
1
40
100,000
10,413
23,434
441,264
" stoves, heaters, cte ...
3
90
101,500
52,953
53,153
157,482
Leather, tanned.
30
262
723,914
101,311
917,263
1,278,931
curried ..
10
36
52,686
14,179
244,304
299,403
Lime ..
7
19
10,550
4,522
15,255
23,740
2
11
13.000
1,400
12,765
46,997
Liquors, distilled malt ..
S
44
128,900
12,100
69,196
133,928
Locomotive head-lights.
1
23
30,000
8,500
4,500
21,000
Lumber, sawed
69
312
324,500
77,000
206,797
426.631
planed.
8
111
214,800
40,022
86,707
159,130
Machinery, not specified ...
20
135
163,880
61,630
82,385
193,316
cotton and woolen.
31
57,000
8,300
7,357
24,212
66
engines and boilers.
182
179,000
117,130
227,200
381,895
2
7
19,000
1,670
19,369
25,349
Marble-work, tombstones.
6
27
27,500
10,050
20,400
39,625
Matches.
1
19
25,000
7,108
11,440
28,018
Millstones.
1
17
15,000
7,200
1,275
23,000
Musical instruments, organs. Oil floor-cloth
1
32
75,000
15,000
50,120
120,000
Painting, house and sign ..
37
9,700
14,326
9,375
33,500
2
39
60,000
10,700
60,275
25,000
Patent medicines
15
10,000
1,200
5,588
10.250
Plated ware ...
12
20,800
4,100
24,917
63,028
Printing, newspaper .. job.
6
66
100,000
22,820
12,350
27,000
Roofing materials ..
1
10
25,000
2,280
9,250
16,455
Saddlery and harness
27
86
37,300
18,695
37,916
81,635
Sash, doors, and blinds.
7
110
138,000
56,616
69,525
186,704
Saws ...
13
14,000
5,500
15,500
25,000
Soap and candles ..
21
44,100
5,862
36,249
70,363
Stone and earthen ware.
3
14
26,200
4,200
10,130
16,800
Tin, copper, and sheet-iron ware,
30
123
134,200
44,425
160,691
294,672
Tobacco and snuff. 4 cigars
1
198
182,000
75,978
265,742
430,204
23
92
41,350
25,561
29,248
80,051
Trunks, valises, and satehels.
3
12
11,500
4,000
14,800
30,100
Vegetables, eanned.
1
50
4,000
2,500
9,500
20.000
Wooden warc.
2
26
28,000
7,200
21,950
36,000
Wool-earding and cloth-dressing.
4
10
7,900
1,900
11,650
15,950
Woolen goods.
10
986
1,015,070
349,271
1,216,122
1,857,161
66
6,032
3,585
Free Soil ....... 4008
1852.
7,831
"
.. 8,636
.... 1033
1856. Republican ... 11,174
.... 6,386
Ameriean ...... 1601
1850 .- For repeal of new school law, 7414; against, 6517.
1854 .- For amendment relating to eanals, 7940 ; against, 1098.
1858 .- For Convention to amend constitution, 4486 ; against, 5153. 1866 .- For act to create a State debt to pay bounties to soldiers, 8906; against same, 2644.
1866 .- For Convention to amend constitution, 11,630; against, 1958. 1869 .- For amen.led constitution, 1284; against same, 7264.
2 2254 5
17
4,600
6,160
5,215
13,500
1
14
20,000
8,400
3,000
12,000
Paper, printing.
wrapping
122 1 2
10
30,000
4,500
16,600
40,030
13
97
51,240
32,880
16,150
40,490
castings, not specified ..
20
319
323,880
149,642
195,624
42.298
Coffee and spices, ground ..
1
1,800
7,000
28,167
Cordage and twinc ..
Cotton goods ..
Flouring-mill products.
Furniture, not specified. chairs.
2
2
Gloves and mittens.
1
Ilats and caps.
railroad repairing.
Malt ..
24
2 ,000
7,200
14,015
24,100
Ship-building and repairing ..
7
101,160
1818.
243
HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
MANUFACTURES.
The manufacturing interests of the county, as shown by the United States census returns for 1870, the latest gen- eral statisties published, make the following summary :
There were 1075 establishments using 125 steam engines of 4120 horse-power, and 390 water-wheels with 8174 horse-power. The number of hands employed was 11,175, of whom 7196 were males, 3150 females, and 929 youth. The amount of capital employed was $11,508,438 ; amount of wages paid, $3,610,637 ; value of materials used, $10,- 873,468 ; and value of manufactured goods, $18,111,667.
These figures are taken from the United States census for 1870, for the reason that the State eensus for 1875 gives no statisties of this branch of industry. Additional statisties and information will also be found in the histories of the several eities, villages, and towns gathered from the manufacturers during the present year.
The following interesting article upon the early manu- factures of Oneida County has been obligingly furnished by Mr. Capron :
" WASHINGTON, D. C., May 22, 1878.
"Sın,-In acknowledging the receipt of your letter of April 16, I beg leave to thank you for the request it contains for 'any informa- tion I might change to give concerning the carly establishment of manufactures in Oncida County, with statisties of improvements and progress, names of parties interested, etc.,' since, besides being thus privileged to aid in establishing a more correct history of the county of Oneida, by pointing out several errors in dates that have crept into some of the existing histories of that section, the opportunity is happily afforded me of doing justice to the memory of the pioneers in the introduction of the most important industries ever developed in the Empire State.
" As preliminary to what I may have to offer in regard to the in- troduction of the manufacturing industries of Oneida County, I would remark that, not being able at the moment to refer to manuscript records, I am dependent principally upon memory (which runs back to 1806-7) for the establishment of dates ; but as many incidents con- nceted with the dawning of these industries are interwoven with events in my life, the dates as herein presented may be considered as very nearly correct.
" I would add that it gives me pleasure to testify to the general accuracy of the several histories to which I have referred, so far as the events they record were contemporaneous with my own early history, and also to state that my interest in these documents was heightened by the fact that many of the incidents they mention aro still fresh in my recollection.
" The first cotton-mill erectol in the State of New York was the Oncida Factory, established in 1807. This was of brick, and stood in the vicinity of the site of the present York Mills. It was intended for the production of cotton-yarn only, and was in operation long before the intro luction of the power-loom. The originator of this enterprise was Dr. Seth Capron, the father of the writer of this letter. Associated with him were Counselor Gold?, Theodore Sill, Newton Mann, and others. About this time Benjamin S. Walcott, then a young inan, who afterwards established the York Mills, was induced to emigrate from Rhode Island, because of his knowledge of spinning machinery, which he ha'l acquired under Samuel Slater. Ile began as superintendent of the spinning department, and in 1809 was ap- pointed agent of the mill, which was then in operation. The yarn spun at this mill was sent into the surrounding country to bo woven by hand into a species of cloth resembling tho India 'hum hums' of that period,-a very inferior article. This cloth was three-quarters of a yard in width. The price paid for weaving was from five to six cents per running yard, in barter. Many a yard of this fabric have I, in boyish amusement, hooked up upon the 'tenter-hooks,' in yard folds, as it came in from the wetvers. At this date neither the cotton-gin nor the cotton-picker hal been introduced into general
use, although the foriner was invented as early as 1793, and the latter previous to 1809. The cotton came to the factory in the seed, and the first step in its manufacture was to whip out the seeds and dust with sticks. The cotton was spread upon a net-work of cord drawn across a frame, in meshes of about an inch, the frame being elevated upon legs some two and a half feet from the floor. Through this net-work the seeds and dust fell into the space below. The cotton was then put up in bags and given out to the country-people to com- plete the process of detaching the seeds and separating the fibre pre- paratory to its going directly to the cards, for which labor from three to four cents per pound was paid, in barter.
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