History of Oneida County, New York, 1667-1878, Part 96

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

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John Philly

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

lution and zeal which know no failure, and has been known for his integrity in all transactions with other men.

Mr. Thorn, in middle life, was active in the political circle, and known in politics as an old-line Whig, but during his later years an unswerving member of the Demo- eratic party, and during his carcer in Utica has held the office of alderman of his ward for several terms.

His first connection with the church was in 1825, since which time he has been a supporter of church interests, and identified himself with all enterprises tending to ele- vate society. He is a member of the Episcopal Church of Utica in 1878. In the year 1825 (November), he married Miss Mary Ann Bennett, of Albany, born Aug. 21, 1807. By this union he had eight children,-Stephen S., James Edward, Samuel S., William B., Anna E. (deceased, wife of George H. Wiley, of Utica), Joseph C. (deceased) Francis S., Sarah E. (deccased). Mrs. Thorn was a mem- ber of Graee Church, but became a member of St. Joseph's congregation upon its organization. She was a devoted wife and mother, and left at her death, Jan. 11, 1875, a large eircle of friends, who have the happiest memory of her exemplary life and deeds.

Mr. Thorn still survives, and is able to look back through the history of Utica, and review the various changes and improvements from a small village to one of the fiuest and most beautiful citics of the State.

JUDGE PHILO GRIDLEY

was born at Paris, in this county, Sept. 16, 1796. He was youngest son of Asahel Gridley, a respectable farmer of that town, in comfortable but not opulent cireumstanees. In the ordinary course of events he would have been brought up on the farm and have followed rural pursuits ; but a strong relish for books induced his parents to yield to his desire of obtaining a liberal education. Having completed his preparatory studies he entered Hamilton College, then presided over by the venerable Dr. Backus, at the opening of that institution in 1812, and he grad- uated Bachelor of Arts at the Commencement in 1816.

His was the first full class that graduated there, some of whom have gained considerable prominenee in the world. Judge Gridley retained throughout his life a warm interest in his alma mater, which was reciprocated by the latter. The college conferred on him the degree of LL.D., in 1848, and he was for several years, and at the time of his death, August 16, 1864, a trustee. A few years prior to his death he delivered an eloquent and highly-interesting address before the association of the alumni, and contributed to- wards its funds at one time the sum of $1000.

After leaving college he commenced the study of the law, for a time with Thaddeus M. Wood, of Onondaga, and with Othniel Williams, of Waterville, father of Judge Williams, of Clinton, and was admitted to the bar as all attorney at the October term of the former Supreme Court, lield in this city, in 1820, and at the expiration of the time required by the rule was advanced to the grade of coun- selor. He commenced the practice of the law at Water- ville, in this county, and after a few years removed to the flourishing village of Hamilton, Madison Co., where he remained until raised to the bench. It was here that he

developed those traits of mind and character which gave him such deserved eminence in his profession. The char- acteristies which led to his success were strength, vigor, industry, and indefatigable perseverance. He possessed great acuteness and discrimination, but those traits did not, as is frequently the case, degenerate into mere ingenuity, for in him they were regulated by a broad base of common sense. His temperament was ardent, intense, and vehement in an eminent degree, and he was capable of sustaining labor in the preparation of causes beyond that of most men by reason of robust health. No case of importance eame into his hands which he did not investigate, both as to the law and the facts, to its utmost depths ; consequently, he came to trial and argument fully prepared, and was seldom if ever taken by surprise. His persistence was not less marked ; for where irresolute or even common minds would consider themselves vanquished, he had that marked rceu- perative power that enabled him by his elocution, his ardent, impetuous, and passionate manner, to take the judge and jurors by storm.

His client's case was his case, and such was his prestige in the palmiest days of his career that it became a proverb " that the litigant who secured Mr. Gridley had more than half won his cause."

Having by his practice in Madison County laid the foundation for the ample fortune which he eventually acquired, and having held for several years the office of district attorney, in July, 1838, he accepted the appoint- ment of circuit judge of the Fifth Judicial Circuit, made vacant by the resignation of Judge Denio, and the next year he removed with his family to this city, where he afterwards resided. Under the constitution of 1846, Judge Gridley was elected one of thirty-two judges comprising the Supreme Court of the State. The terms of those first elected were fixed by lot, and he was then assigned to serve six years, at the expiration of which he ceased to hold any public offiee. It was during the last mentioned term of serviec that he was attacked by the disease which saddened all the remainder of his life, and finally brought it to a close.

By the laws of the State he was obliged to serve the last year but one as one of the judges of the Court of Appeals, and he entered upon that duty at the commencement of the year 1852. At the close of his career as judge he entered upon the practice of his profession, which finally, on account of continued ill health, he was obliged to leave. His quick- ness of perception, his thorough knowledge of the law, and great experience, rendered it a pleasure to address him upon legal questions. Judge Gridley was entirely independent of all popular or extrancous influences in the decision of questions and cases.

An instance exemplifying this occurred during the Pat- riot war. He found, upon opening the court of Oyer and Terminer at Watertown, a large number of persons in jail awaiting trial on indietments for violation of our neutrality law. The district attorney was not prepared with his wit- nesses, and showed good cause for retaining the prisoners until the ensuing teriu. But the community had become greatly excited against the prosecution and in favor of the alleged offenders, aud the most inflammatory appeals were

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

made to the judge on the injustice of retaining them in prison. An attempt at rescue by force was apprehended.

Judge Gridley was not to be moved. In a calm and dignificd address he explained the law, the duties of the officers of justice, and declared the determination of the court at all hazards to hold the prisoners until a fair and proper trial could be had. This resolute conduct had the effect to allay the storm.

But Judge Gridley's name ultimately became honorably associated with the Patriot war in a much more conspicuous manner, and so as to fix upon him for a time the eyes of both Europe and America.

presiding judge addressed himself solely to the discharge of the duty which the law devolved upon the court,-the ascertainment of the legal guilt or innocence of the pris- oner. His firm and impartial demeanor, and his able discharge of his arduous and delicate duties on this occa- sion, merited and received the highest encomiums in this country and abroad.

It will strikingly illustrate how completely he had ab- stracted his mind on this occasion from all extraneous con- siderations to state that as soon as the jury had retired the judge calmly took up the calender, and called a civil cause for trial.

Photo. by Williams.

hindley.

He was the judge who presided at the trial of Alexander McLeod, upon the issue of which was supposed to depend the question of a war with England, which apparently would be averted should it result in a conviction only by a collision between the State and National governments. On account of public feeling on the frontier, in Niagara County, where McLeod was indicted for murder, the Supreme Court sent the cause to Oneida County for trial. The progress of the trial was watched with the utmost attention at home and abroad. Ignoring entirely on the one hand the excite- ment of a certain class of the people who were clamoring for the blood of McLeod, and on the other the grave polit- ical questions to which a conviction would give rise, the

Judge Gridley's acquaintance with books was extensive, especially for one so exclusively devoted to a single pursuit, and his relish for literary criticism and historical and scien- tific researches was marked.

In the year 1826 he married Miss Susan, eldest daugh- ter of Colonel John Williams, of Waterville, Oneida Co., an estimable lady, who has been the ornament and solace of his domestic life. She was born June 3, 1804, and survives in 1878.

Their children are, Catherine, died at the age of sixteen ; Charlotte, wife of Montgomery H. Throop; Cornelia, wife of Enos T. Throop, of New York ; Caroline; and Mary, wife of Stephen Sicard, of Utica, New York.

HISTORY

OF THE

TOWNS AND VILLAGES OF ONEIDA COUNTY.

BY P. A. DURANT.

ROME.

CHAPTER XXI. CITY OF ROME.

The original Town of Rome-The Village of Rome-Rome City.

THE region around the site of Fort Stanwix abounds in rich and varied historic lore, and at this day much that could have been gathered years ago is forgotten, and the task of compiling a truthful history of the locality is one attended with many disappointments and an immense amount of labor. Through the efforts of various local writers, however, and especially those of D. E. Wager, Esq., of Rome, many chapters have been published in the columns of the local press, which are worthy of preserva- tion, and from these we have culled largely, using also all records which were attainable, and receiving much informa- tion from the descendants of various families which located here at an early day. This chapter will treat more partic- ularly of the local history of the town, village, and city of Rome; and in the general history of the county, in another part of this volume, will be found accurate accounts of the movements of the various English, French, American, and Indian forces which contested for supremacy where now is a flourishing city, and up and down the beautiful

" Vale where the Mohawk gently glides On its clear winding way to the sea."

On the 10th of April, 1792, the town of Steuben was created from a portion of Whitestown, and included in its limits what is now Rome. The first town-meeting for Steuben was held at the house of Seth Ranney, " near Fort Stanwix," on the first Tuesday in April, 1793, and Roswell Fellows was chosen supervisor, and Jedediah Phelps town clerk. Mr. Fellows held the office until the

TOWN OF ROME

was formed from a part of Steuben, by an act passed March 4, 1796. The town of Floyd was also formed from Stcu- ben at the same time. The first town-meeting in Rome was held at the dwelling-house of Ebenezer Claflin, on the first Tuesday in April, 1796, agreeable to the act by which

the town was created. At this meeting it was " Voted, That Daniel Haws build a good and sufficient pound for the Town of Rome, near the dwelling of Benjamin Gilbert;" also, " Voted, Matthew Brown build a good and sufficient pound for the Town of Rome, near his dwelling-house ;" " Voted, That hogs be a free commoner, if they have good and sufficient yokes on, the year ensuing ;" " Voted, That every man take care of his own Rams."

At an extra town-meeting, held Nov. 30, 1801, it was, " On motion, Voted, That ten dollars be allowed and be paid to any person or persons who shall kill any panther, wolf, or wildcat within the town of Rome (in case the person is not entitled to a bounty from a neighbouring town), as well as for any of those noxtious animals which may be discov- ered within the limits of Rome and pursued into a neigh- boring town and there killed ; which circumstance of the killing shall be proven to the satisfaction of one or more Justices of the Peace of this town."

"On motion, Voted, That a bounty of one cent be allowed and paid for each chipping or red squirrel, and two cents for each gray and black squirrel, killed within the town of Rome between this and the first of April next, to be proven before any Justice of the Peace."

At the annual town-meeting for 1802 it was " Voted, that a bounty of one cent be allowed and paid for each blackbird and bluejay, & six cents for each crow, killed in the town of Rome the ensuing year, to be proven before any Justice of the Peace in said town." Also, " Voted, That the sum of fifty dollars be raised in the town of Rome for the encouragement of the destruction of wild, noxious animals, such as wolves, panthers, wildcats, crows, jays, blackbirds, &c." It was voted to raise $100 for the same purpose in 1803. In 1804 no bounty was paid on wolves, but the bountics remained the same for birds and squirrels. Each assessor in the town was this year directed to "procure one pound of nux vomica for the purpose of killing wolves." A lengthy " Rec't for Poisoning Wolves" was inserted in the fore part of the volume of town records, and it would seem that the inhabitants of Rome at that day were greatly

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

troubled by these animals. They were extremely method- ieal in the manner of ridding the neighborhood of the pests, the " Receipt" mentioned being earefully written out and plain directions given for the use of the poison, of which nux vomica was the principal ingredient.

The following officers were elected at the first town- meeting (April, 1796), viz .: Supervisor, George Hunting- ton ; Town Clerk, Ebenezer Wright, Jr. ; Assessors, Chester Gould, Gershom Waldo, Daniel W. Knight; Overseers of the Poor, Thomas Wright, William Walsworth ; Commis- sioners of Highways, Bill Smith, Elijah Wells, Caleb Reyn- olds ; Constables, Samuel Reynolds, David Waldo; Fenee- Viewers, Asa Tyler, Matthew Brown, John Williams ; Col- leetor, Samuel Reynolds; Poundmasters, Nathan Thomp- son, Matthew Brown; Commissioners of Schools, Chester Gould, Sheldon Logan, Abijah Putnam.

The following is a list of the supervisors of the town from 1797 to 1869, inelusive: 1797, Abijah Putnam ; 1798 to 1801, Thomas Gilbert; 1802, Clark Putnam ; 1803, Henry Huntington; 1804, George Huntington ; 1805, Clark Putnam ; 1806-7, Thomas Gilbert; 1808, Samuel Dill ; 1809, Henry Huntington ; 1810-11, Samuel Dill ; 1812-13, Bill Smith; 1814, George Huntington ; 1815-16, Wheeler Barnes; 1817, George Huntington ; 1818-20, Samuel Beardsley ; 1821-22, Rufus Barnes ; 1823-26, Jay Hatheway ; 1827-28, George Brown; 1829-30, Henry A. Foster; 1831-32, Numa Leonard; 1833-34, Henry A. Foster ; 1835-36, Jesse Armstrong ; 1837-38, Harold H. Pope; 1839-40, James Merrill ; 1841-42, Adam Van Patten; 1843-44, Enoeh B. Arm- strong ; 1845-46, Giles Hawley; 1847, John Niles ; 1848-49, Alfred Ethridge; 1850, Allen Briggs ; 1851, Benjamin N. Huntington ; 1852-53, Stephen Van Dresar ; 1854, Bradford C. Dean ; 1855-58, Giles Hawley ; 1859- 60, Alfred Ethridge; 1861-68, Giles Hawley; 1869, Enoch B. Armstrong.

The surface of the town (now eity) of Rome is for the most part level, and before it was drained by the eon- struetion of the Erie Canal and private sewers was marshy in many places, the swamp southward from Fort Stanwix being impassable during nearly the entire year. Unless in a very wet season, it ean now be eultivated over its whole. area, and many fine gardens are found where originally the life of man or beast was endangered by an attempt to eross. In the northern or eastern portions of the town the surface is higher and gently rolling, with quite abrupt bluffs along the Mohawk and smaller streams.

The various streams which water the territory ineluded in Rome are the Mohawk, which enters from the town of Western on the north, flows southward to the eity proper, and thenee eastwardly (forming the boundary between Floyd and the southeast part of Rome) in a winding course between the towns of Marey and Deerfield on the north, and Whitestown and the city of Utiea on the south, into Herkimer County ; Wood Creek, which flows southerly to the eity, thenee westerly, receiving Canada Creek at the northeast corner of the town of Verona, forming the bound- ary between Verona and Rome for a number of miles, and on to Oneida Lake; Canada Creek, which flows southward across the town from Lee, and enters Wood Creek as men-

tioned ; Fish Creek, also coming from the north, and form- ing the boundary for some distance between Rome and Vienna, thence aeross a corner of Vienna to its junetion with Wood Creek near the outlet of the latter into Oneida Lake. There are also numerous smaller streams, tributary to both the Mohawk and Wood Creek.

Rome ineludes on the west a portion of town number two of Seriba's Patent ; in the northeast a part of Fonda's Patent ; in the southeast a large portion of the Oriskany Patent ; in the southwest a small part of Coxe's Patent, the Smith traet, and a portion of the Peraehe traet.

The Erie Canal erosses from west to east, following the valleys of Wood Creek and the Mohawk River ; and the Black River Canal is eonstrueted from Rome northward along the upper Mohawk. Railway facilities are afforded by the New York Central and Hudson River Railway, which follows the route of the Erie Canal from Rome east- ward, and westward bears southward into the town of Ve- rona ; the Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railway, running northwest from Rome, and entering the town of Annsville at its south line, near Fish Creek ; and the Rome and Clinton Division of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railway, which leads from Rome southwardly to Clinton, connecting at that place with the Utiea, Clinton and Binghamton Division of the same road.

EARLY SETTLEMENTS, INCIDENTS, ETC.

On a map of the "Siege of Fort Stanwix," in another part of this volume, will be noticed, west of the fort, the representation of a tree, which was termed the " sealping- tree." This name was probably given from the following eireumstanee, as related by one of the officers then in the fort: "Three little girls went out to piek berries. While thus engaged, about one hundred rods from the fort, the reports of four guns were heard in quick sueeession, and a party of soldiers hastening to the spot, met one of the girls returning towards the fort with her basket in her hand, having two balls in her shoulder and the blood streaming down her person. The other two girls were found shot and sealped, one of them dead, and the other died soon after being taken into the fort. The savages who fired the shots fled into the woods and eseaped. One of the girls who was killed was a young lady twenty years old, named Caty Steers, and the daughter of a man living at that time in the neigh- borhood of the fort."

J. R. Simms, of Fort Plain, New York, had interviews in 1846-47 with an old Revolutionary pensioner named John Roof, who had held a colonel's commission during that war. His father lived near the site of Fort Stan wix prior to the Revolution, and there he was born, August 28, 1762, being beyond a doubt the first white child born in Oneida County. He was christened on an oceasion when Sir William Johnson was at the fort, accompanied by a party of military men from below. General Herkimer, then a captain, was one of the number, and stood as godfather to the boy. It is presumed that the ceremony was per- formed by an Episcopal elergyman.

Colonel Roof mentioned to Mr. Simms the names of several persons who were living at Fort Stanwix in 1777, and said they settled there about 1760. From his pro-

LITH. BY L. H. EVERTS, PHILA, PA

THEL

RESIDENCE OF A. ETHRIDGE, ROME, NEW YORK.

PHOTO BY HOVEY

Henry Patrick

LITH. BY L. H EVENTS, PHILA , PA

RESIDENCE. OF HENRY PATRICK, ROME. ONEIDA CON Y

365

HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

nunciation it was difficult to give the exact orthography, but as near as could be given they were named (beside his father) William Kline, Thomas Mears or Mayers, a Mr. Broothock or Brodock, and a Mr. Steers. They were all located in the same neighborhood, cultivated some land, assisted boatmen over the " carrying-place," traded for furs with the Indians, and lived comfortably. Roof was keep- ing a public-house near the fort at the beginning of the war, and was the only one licensed to do so in the western part of what was then Albany County. He was a captain of militia under General Herkimer at the battle of Oriskany, and had been on terms of friendship with him for years.

Colonel John Roof stated that he was at the Herkimer mansion after the battle of Oriskany, and saw the general's leg amputated, and helped a young man, about his own age, named Nicholas Dygert, to bury it. The stump bled profusely after the operation, and the general grew con- stantly weaker. He spoke to young Roof, saying, “I guess you boys will have to take up that leg and bury it with me, for I am going to follow it."

Colonel Roof further stated that the noted Oneida chief Skanandoa, who acted as colonel among the Indians, sent a young man to notify the Roof family of the approach of the enemy in 1777, when they were yet some miles distant. The settlers at first all took refuge in the fort, but had finally to abandon their possessions ; and the Roof family, acting on the advice of Colonel Gansevoort, dropped down the valley to the General Herkimer house, and occupied a part of it until the next season, when they removed to Canajoharie, and occupied a stone house which stood at the foot of " Academy Hill." There Mr. Roof, Sr., resumed his occupation of tavern-keeping, and so prominent a citizen did he become in that locality that for nearly half a century the settlement was known as Rooftown, or Roof's Village.

When Captain Roof became obliged to abandon his pos- sessions at Fort Stanwix, he left them in charge of one Conrad, who was afterwards killed in the fort. The build- ings were finally destroyed, in pursuance of Colonel Ganse- voort's orders, so that the enemy should not make use of them, and the colonel gave him (Roof) a certificate that the property destroyed was worth £800. After the war the family made several unsuccessful attempts to obtain from the government some compensation for their loss. The im- poverished condition of the country at that time rendered it necessary to ignore many just claims, and the Roof family was but one of a large number who suffered in this way.

The following article we find in the columns of the Utica Observer for Aug. 24, 1878. It is presumably from the pen of D. E. Wager, Esq., who has contributed largely to the history of this region :

"INTERESTING REMINISCENCES.

" The First White Children born in Oneida County.

" ROME, August 22, 1878.

" TO THE EDITOR OF THE UTICA OBSERVER :

" There is no desire to open the discussion as to who was the first white child or children born withiu the present limits of what is now . Oneida County, for that question has been pretty effectually settled in favor of the John Roof family. It will bo remembered that in that discussion the fact was established beyond contradiction that John Roof (originally Johannis Reuff) settled at Fort Stanwix in

1760. That was two years after the fort was built. Here Mr. Reuff resided from that time until driven out, with several other families, by tho siege of Fort Stanwix in 1777. The Reuff family then located at Canajoharie. Mr. Philip Roof, an intelligent gentleman of seventy ycars, a grandson of Johannis Reuff, and now a resident of New York City, in a recent letter to the writer hereof, furnishes interesting facts concerning the births and names of the first white children in what is now Oneida County. He writes that while on his summer visit to the old home at Canajoharie, he found in possession of a great-grand- daughter of Mr. Reuff an old decd, bearing date May 2, 1778, from George Schimling to said Johannis Reuff, conveying 659 acres of land. This deed covered the old homestead of Colonel John Roof (son of Johannis), and also the same land on which the village of Canajoharie now stands. The date of this deed shows the purchase was made in the spring of the next year, after the destruction of Mr. Reuff's property at Fort Stanwix, and when he and his family were driven away from this fort. Mr. Roof writes that on the back of this deed is a record, in the handwriting of Johannis Reuff, of the names, places, and times of the birth of his children. The writing, by reason of age, has become quite indistinet to tho naked eye, but by the aid of a magnifying glass it can bo deciphered. It is sup- posed that this record was made on the back of the deed in conse- quence of the loss of the family Bihle, which contained the original record at the timo the Reuff family were driven from Fort Stanwix. The list, as copied from the back of that deed, reads as follows :

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History of Oneida County, New York, 1667-1878, Part 96

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

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