History of Oneida County, New York, 1667-1878, Part 97

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

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"' Fort Stanwix.

"' My first son, John Roof, was born 28th of August, 1762.

"'My first daughter, Susannah, was born 9th August, 1766.

"' My second daughter, Barbara, was born 30th October, 1771.

"' My second son, Adam, was born 16th May, 1773.

"' My third daughter, Mary (or Maria), was born 5th April, 1777.

"' Canajoharie.

"' My third son, Daniel, was born 8th March, 1779.

"' My fourth son, Martyn, was born 19th April, 1783.

" ' My fifth son, Andrew, was born Ist of July, 1785.'

" From the foregoing, positive evidence is furnished that five of the Roof family were born at Fort Stanwix during tho seventeen years that family were residing here, before the siego of Fort Stanwix ; one of them but a few months before the siege commenced. Mr. Philip Roof, who furnishes the facts, is a grandson of Martyn above named.

" The object of this communication (to-day is tho 101st anniversary of tho raising of the siego of Fort Stanwix) is to put in print, and thus preserve in a better and more reliable form, a record of the names of the first white children born within the present bounds of this county. It is not unlikely that within a few years all original data in proof of such interesting facts will be lost, or be beyond the reach of antiquarian scarchers. It may not be amiss to suggest to the Oneida County Historical Society the preservation of this record among its archivos. It is proper to mention again in this connec- tion that at the time the Reuff family resided at Fort Stanwix there were four other families residing here, viz., Bartholomew Brodock, William Klein, Thomas Mayers, and - Steers. Unto one or more of those families children were born at Fort Stanwix, before the Revolutionary war. The daughter of Mr. Steers was the one who was shot and scalped while outside of the fort blackherrying a few days before the siege commenced. Descendants of that Brodoek family are yet resideuts of Rome."

Another Revolutionary pensioner, named Samuel Pettit, of Mayfield, N. Y., with whom Mr. Simms had an inter- view in July, 1847, stated that he was a soldier under Captain Sacket, stationed at Fort Stanwix at the time it was burned (May 13, 1781). The pickets inclosing the fort were not burned, but the fortress was consumed, ex- cept its bomb-proof, which was saved by throwing dirt upon it. Mr. Pettit, with others, was playing ball at a little distance from the fort, when the alarm of fire was given. One of the barracks occupied by Lieutenant Daniel Dennison was on fire, and he (D.) offered any man a guinea who would get his sword, which hung not far

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

from a window where the flame was just bursting out. Pettit rescued the endangered blade at the risk of losing his own life, and was considerably scorched in the opera- tion, but received the thanks of the owner and his well- carned guinea. The origin of the fire was by some attributed to incendiarism. Mr. Pettit said, however, that a pit of charcoal had very recently been burned close by the fort, to be used in repairing some of the arms, and thought the fire originated from brands still burning being carried into the armory with the coal, as that was where it was first discovered.

The following return of the forces in Fort Stanwix, be- longing to Colonel Gansevoort's regiment, in April, 1779, is from the original document now in the possession of Ed- ward Huntington, Esq., of Rome: One colonel, Peter Gansevoort ; one lieutenant-colonel ;* one major ; six cap- tains, Aorson, De Witt, Jansen, Bleeker, Gregg, Tiebont ; one captain-lientenant ; eight lieutenants ; nine ensigns ; one adjutant ; one paymaster ; one quartermaster ; one sur- geon ; one quartermaster-sergeant ; one fife-major ; twenty- two sergeants ; sixteen drummers and fifers. Of the rank and file, 246 were present fit for duty ; 19 were on the sick list and present, and 7 sick and absent; 98 were "on com- mand ;" 9 ou furlonghs. Total, 379 rank and file. There were wanting 127 men to complete the rolls. The docu- ment is signed by " Peter Gansevoort, Colonel Third Now York Regiment." The Captain Gregg named was the same who figured in the affair with the Indians and the " faith- ful dog," related elsewhere in this work.

The following article, including extracts from the jour- nal of Hon. Elkanah Watson, describing the condition of Rome in 1788 and 1791, is taken from the issue of the Rome Sentinel for Sept. 4, 1877, and will be found very interesting to the citizens of the place to-day. Mr. Watson was born near Plymouth Rock, in Massachusetts, and when fifteen years of age commenced an apprenticeship in the mercantile house of John Brown, of Providence, R. I., the founder of Brown University. He was an active partici- pator in the War of the Revolution, and before its close went abroad and traveled much in Europe. Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, General Washington, Lafayette, and others of the time. were his personal acquaintances and friends. He was abroad when the news of Cornwallis' sur- render reached Europe, and had the good fortune (through letters of Dr. Franklin) to be acquainted with Edmund Burke, Fox, and Sheridan. He was present in the House of Lords when King George III. read his speech acknowl- edging American independence. This was the 5th of De- cember, 1782. He was then not quite twenty-four years old. His death occurred exactly sixty years from that day, when he was nearly eighty-four. After the Revolution Mr. Watson traveled much in this country, and kept a journal of his travels. In 1856 his son, Winslow C. Watson, pub- lished, in book form, memoirs of his father, giving extracts from his journals of travel.

Mr. Watson was at Fort Stanwix in 17SS, at the time of the treaty with the Indians, and again, three years later,- in September, 1791. In his first journey here, after men-

tioning Albany and Schenectady, and describing his stay over night at Johnson Hall, in Johnstown, he speaks of having reached a " miserable log tavern," six miles east of old Fort Schuyler (now Utica). After leaving that tavern he describes his journey as follows :

EXTRACT FROM THE JOURNAL :

" September, 1788 .- From Colonel Sterling's I begau to traverse the wilderness bordering upon the Indian territory. The road is almost impassable : I was upwards of three hours in reaching the Mohawk opposite old Fort Schuyler, a distance of only six miles. Here I re- luetautly forded the river, being alone aud without a guide, and both shores alive with savages. laving fasted 24 hours, in consequence of a severe headache the day previous, I was by this time excessively hungry and fatigned. As there was no tavern, aud only a few seat- tering honses, I proceeded to an old German log house, on the margin of the river, and intereeded for something to cat. At length, after munch difficulty, I prevailed on an ill-natured German womau to spare me two ears of green corn and some salt.

" The road from thenee to Whitesboro' continued as bad as possible, obstrueted by broken bridges, logs, and stumps, and my horse, at every step, sinking knee-deep in the mud. I remained oue day re- ernitiug at Judge White's log house, the founder of the settlement, and slept in his log barn, with horses and other animals.

" Whitesboro' is a promising new settlement, situated on the south side of the Mohawk River, in the heart of a fine tract of land, and is just in its transition from a state of nature into civilization. The settlement commeneed only three years since. It is astonishing what efforts are making to subdue the dense and murky forest. Log houses are already sea tered in the midst of stumps, half-burnt logs, and girdled trees. I observed, however, with pleasure, that their log barns were well filled. A few years ago land might have been bought for a trifle; at present the lots bordering upon the river have ad- vaneed to three dollars per aere, and those lying a few miles back, to one dollar per acre.

« Settlers are continually pouring in from the Connecticut hive, which throws off its annual swarms of intelligent, industrions, and enterprising emigrants,-the best qualified of any men in the world to overcome and civilize the wilderness. They already estimate 300 brother Yankees on their muster list, aud in a few years heuee they will undoubtedly be able to raise a formidable barrier to oppose the inenrsions of the savages in the event of another war.

" At Oriskany I passed a small tribe of two hundred Indians, the remnant of that once powerful Mohaukt nation, which was the former terror and dread of the New England frontier. On ascending a hill, I approached the place where the intrepid General Herkimer was drawn into a fatal ambush, and miserably defeated, in 1777.4 Herkimer was a gallant but inexperienced leader, and here perished, with nearly half his army, formed of the patriotie yeomanry of the Mohawk Valley. Just before reaching this sanguinary battle-field, I met two Germans familiar with its incidents. They conducted me over the whole ground, and in corroboration of the fact, of which they assured me, that many of the slain, who were scattered through the woods, were never in- terred, I noticed numerons human bones strewn upon the surface of the earth. This movement was intended to suecor Fort Stanwix, then besieged by St. Leger.

" I found myself, soon after leaving this eonscerated spot, alone in the woods, in the midst of a band of Indians, ' as drunk as lords.' They looked like so many evil spirits brokeu loose from Pande- monium. Wild, frantic, almost naked, and frightfully painted, they whooped, yelled, and danced around me in sneh hideons attitudes, that I was seriously apprehensive they would end the farce by taking off my sealp by way of a joke. I had Inekily picked up the word Sago, the salute of friendship, of which I made copious application, constantly extending my hand to the most active of them, by whom it was cordially accepted.

" On my arrival at Fort Stanwix, I found the whole plain around the fort covered with Indians of various tribes, male and female. Many of the latter were fantastically dressed in their best attire,-in the richest

+ These were the Oneida instead of the Mohawk Indians.

# The writer falls into the enrrent error of the day that Herkimer

was defeated. See general history of the county.

Marinus Willett.

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

silks, fine scarlet clothes, bordered with gold fringe, a profusion of brooches, rings in their noses, their ears slit, and their heads deco- rated with feathers. Among them I noticed some very handsome countenances and fine figures.

" I luckily procured a sleeping-place in the garret of the house in which Governor Clinton and the eight other commissioners, also John Taylor, Esq., of Albany, Indian Agent, Egbert Benson, Esq., of New York, and a man with a large white wig, by the name of Dr. Taylor, were quartered. The sight of this wig fixed the attention and ex- cited the mirth of many of the Indians, one of whom I noticed making strong efforts to smother a laugh in the doctor's face, since nothing could appear more ludicrous and grotesque te an Indian than a bushy white wig.

" I continued several days at the Treaty, passing my time most agreeably in associating with the Commissioners, and much diverted by the novel and amusing scenes exhibited in the Indian camp. The plain in the vicinity of the fort has already been laid out into a town plot; a few houses have been erected, and also saw-mills and other improvements, at a distance of a mile on Wood Creek."

"The object of this great treaty is to procure a cession from the Indians of territory lying west of Fort Stanwix, in this State, and extending to the great lakes. Fert Stanwix was built in 1758, by the British government, at a cost of £60,000, and is situated on an artificial eminence, near the river ; a large area around it is entirely cleared. Here Colonel Gansevoort, in 1777, sustained a terrible siege, until relieved by Arnold, when St. Leger made a precipitate retreat, abandoning most of his camp equipage and munitions. The French ambassador, Count Moutier, and the Marchioness De Biron, are now encamped within the fort, under a marquee formerly used by Lord Cornwallis. This enterprising and courageous lady has exposed herself to the greatest fatigues and privations to gratify her unbounded curiosity, by coming all the way from the city of New York to witness this great and unusual assemblage of savage tribes.

"In contemplating the position of Fort Stanwix, at the head of bateau navigation on the Mohawk River, within one mile of Wood Creek, which runs west towards Lake Ontario, I am led to think it will in time become the emporium of commerce between Albany and the vast Western world. Wood Creek is indeed small, but it is the only water communication with the great lakes; it empties into the Oneida Lake, the outlet of which unites with the Onondaga and Oswego, and discharges into Lake Ontario at Fort Oswege, where the British have a garrison. Should the Little Falls be ever locked, the obstructions in the Mohawk River removed, and a canal between that river and Wood Creek at this place be formed, so as to unite the waters flowing east with those running west, and otber canals made, and obstructions removed to Fort Oswego,-who can reasonably doubt that by such bold operations tho State of New York has within her power, by a grand measure of policy, to divert the future trade of Lake Ontario, and the great lakes above, from Alexandria and Quobec to Albany and New York ?

"Tho object of the present treaty is the purchase of an immense territory, estimated at eight millions of acres, and now owued and chiofly inhabitod by the Six Nations of Indians. The sovereignty of this tract has been in dispute botween Massachusetts and New York. Theso States have at length made an amicable division, assigning four millions of acres to each." Tho foriner has sinco sold her right of domain to a company of adventurers, who have pur- cbased pre-emption from the Indians. New York, by this treaty, has accomplished the samo result. This vast territory, therefore, is now opened, without any impediments, to the flood of emigration which will pour into it from the East. Many hardy pioneers have already planted themselves among the savages; and it is probable that the enthusiasm for the occupation of new territory, which now prevails, will in the period of the next twenty years spread over this fertile region a prosperous and vigorous population.

"I left Fort Stanwix with the intention of passing down Wood Creek to Lake Ontario, indulging the idea of extending my tour to Detroit. Uuder the strong presentiment that a canal communication will be opened, sooner or later, between the great lakes and the Hudson, I was anxious to explore its probable course. A bard rain com- mencing, and the obstacles I found to exist in tho creek, induced me, however, to abandon the arduous enterprise and return to Fort Stan-

wix. Tho attempt afforded mne the gratification of sailing west for the first time in the interior of America."

On the 1st of September, 1791, Mr. Watson left Albany, in company with Jeremiah Van Rensselaer, and again vis- ited this locality. They traversed nearly the same route pursued by Mr. Watson in 1788, to the German settle- ments on the Mohawk. The object of this journey was partly of a business character, but principally to gratify Mr. Watson's previously-awakened curiosity regarding the country, and to scrutinize the opinions on the subject of inland navigation, which had been suggested by his former investigations.

From Schenectady they dispatched two bateaux, with six men and ample provisions for six weeks, and proceeded by land to meet their fellow-voyagers, Van Cortlandt and Bay- ard, with the boats at Herkimer. The journal of Mr. Watson describes this journey as follows :

" September 4 .- We proceeded on our journey with a miserably- covered wagon, and in a constant rain, till night, which brought us to Major Schuyler's mills, in Palatine, settled by the descendants of German emigrants, intermixing on all sides with the enterprising sons of the East, between whom mutual prejudices ran higb. These feelings will gradually be overcome by iutermarriages, and other modes of intercourso. Thus far the German and Dutch farmers have been, in a manner, totally remiss in cultivating the first rudiments of literature, while the descendants of the English in New England have cherished it as a primary duty. Hence the characteristics of each people are distinctly variant. When literature shall begin to shed its benign rays over this benighted race, theu, and not till theu, the Germans, the Dutch, the Yankees, will dismiss all local illiberal preju- dices and distinctions, and in twenty or thirty years the shades of discordance will be hardly perceptible. The whele will amalgamate, and all be dignified by the general name of American ; speaking the same language, and possessing the same genius and education.

" I have noticed with pleasure that the German farmers begin to use oxen in agriculture instead of horses. For this salutary improve- ment they are indebted to the example of the New England men.

" I am induced to believe, should the Western canals be ever made, and the Mohawk River become in one sense a continuation of the Hudson River by means of canals and locks, that it will most clearly obviate the necessity of sending produce to market in winter by sleighs. On the contrary, it would be stored on tho margin of the Mohawk in winter, and be sent in the summer months by bateaux, to bo unloaded aboard of vessels in the Hudson.

" The bottoms or lowlauds along tho Mohawk are laid off into rich inclosures, highly cultivated, principally by industrious Germans. Narrow roads and contracted bridges still exist.

"On the south sido of the river the country is thicker settled, and many pleasant situations, old farms, and wealthy farmers appear : but those evidently are far behind those of Germany or England iu the profitable science of agriculture. Wo crossed a new wooden bridge near Schuyler's mills, seveuty-fivo feet long, with a single arch sup- ported by framed work above. I was glad to notice this, as an enter- ing wedgo to more extended improvements.

" September 7 .- This morning we ascended Fall Hill, over a craggy road of one milo. From its summit we commanded an extensive and picturesque view of the surrounding country in the north, partly set- tled, but generally in nature's original brown livery, spotted here and there by an opening.

" Wo left the Little Falls on our right, and descended into the rich settlements of the German Flats. At Eldridge's tavern, near Fort Her- kimer, we overtook our bateaux, all well, and embarked the same evening, stemming fourteen miles against a strong current, with an awning spread over our heads. Each boat was manned by three men, two in tho bow and ono in tho stern to steor. They occasionally rowed in still water, setting with short poles, at the rapids, with sur- prising dexterity. In this mode their average progress is three miles an hour, equal to trucksbute traveling in Holland; but it is ex- tremely laborious and fatiguing to tho meu. At night we encamped in a log hut ou the margin of the river.

* Many of those statements are somewhat ambiguous.

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

"September 8 .- A pleasant sail of ten miles this fine morning brought us to Old Fort Schuyler. Here we were joined by General Van Cortlandt and Mr. Bayard, who were waiting for us, which com- pletes our number to thirteen.

" From Little Falls, thus far, the river is nearly competent to inlaud navigation, with the exception of a serious rapid, and a great bend at the German Flats, called Wolf-riff, which must be subdued cither by a cut across the neck of land, upwards of one mile, or by removing the obstructions.

"An Indian road being opened from this place (now Utica) to the Genesee country, it is probable the position at Fort Stanwix and this spot will become rivals as to the site of a town, in connection with the interior, when it shall become a settled country.

" If, however, the canals should be coustructed, I think Fort Stan- wix will take the lead at a future day. Such was my impression when there in 1788. Since that only a few houses and stores have been erected here, also a tolerable tavern to administer comfort to the weary traveler, which I experienced the waut of three years past. In the afternoon we progressed thirteen miles, meeting mauy obstruc- tions in consequence of the cruel conduct of the new settlers (who are wonderfully increased since I was here), filling the river with fallen trees cut on its margin, narrowing it in many places, producing shoals where the deepest waters had been accustomed to flow, and impeding the progress of our boats. We pitched our camp on the right bank of the river, in the midst of woods. All hands fell to work, soldier- like. We soon had a roaring fire and our tents pitched,-open on one side to the fire, and closed at each end with canvas. We found an excellent substitute for feathers, laying our buffaloes on hemlock twigs; although the ground was extremely moist, we were effectually protected from any inconvenience. We enjoyed a pleasant night, with ten times more comfort than we could in the miserable log huts along the banks of the river.

" September 9 .- At noon we reached Fort Stanwix, to which place, with some aid of art, the river continues adapted to inland naviga- tion for boats of five tons burthen. Emigrants are swarming into these fertile regions in shoals, like the ancient Israelites, seeking the land of promise.

" We transported our boats and baggages across the carrying- place, a distance of two miles, over a dead flat, and launched them into Wood Creek, running west. It is a mere brook at this place, which a man can easily jump across. In contemplating this im- portant creek, as the only water communication with the immense regions in the West, which are destined to bless millions of freemen in the approaching century, I am deeply impressed with a belief, considering the great resources of this State, that the improvement of our internal navigation cannot much longer escape the decided attention of our law-makers, and more especially as it is obviously practicable. When effected, it will open an uninterrupted water communication from the immense fertile regions in the West to the Atlantic. But more of this as I advance in my travels.

"The situation of Fort Stanwix appears destined to become a great city. It lies in an open plain,-healthy, and exactly at the point where the eastern and western waters unite. There is a large clearing about the old fort, with two or three scattering houses. No progress has, however, been made since I attended the treaty here in 1788, although the plan of a city is now contemplated.

" September 10 .- This morning our bateaux began to descend Wood Creek, with the aid of a mill-dam which had been filled just above. Some of our party at the same time descended by land on a tolerable wagon road to Canada Creek six miles.

" Although aided by the sluice, we progressed with infinite diffi- culty. In many places the windings are so sudden and so short, that while the bow of the boat was plowing in the bank on one side, her stern was rubbing hard against the opposite shore. In some places our men were obliged to drag the boats by main strength, and in others the boughs and limbs were so closely interwoven and so low as to arch the creek completely over, and oblige all hands to lie flat. These obstacles, together with the sunken logs and trees, rendered our progress extremely difficult, often almost impracticable.

"From a superficial view of this important creek, it appears to me the great difficulties may be surmounted, - First, by cutting away all the bushes and trees on its banks; second, by cutting across the necks, and removing all sunken logs and trees ; and, lastly, by erecting substantial sluices or inclined planes at given distances, so as to continue a head of water from sluice to sluice. This

creck in its present state may be considered a natural canal, from ten to twenty feet wide.

"Bateaux which ascend the creek, and frequently the descending boats, at this season, are dragged by horses traveling in the water. This is a work of incredible fatigue and difficulty.

"The accession of Canada Creek more than doubles the size of Wood Creek.

" September 11 .- Last night and this day we were inundated by heavy rains, which our tent was unable to repel; in consequence we were all exposed in the most uncomfortable manner. In the inter- vals of showers we amused ourselves by catching fish. Salmon, Os- wego bass, catfish, chubs, trout, pike, are the fish common in this river. Salmon are sometimes caught at the mill-dams, near Fort Stanwix.

" September 12 .-. At 3 o'clock we reached the royal block-house, at the east end of the Oncida Lake. The innumerable crooks and turns in Wood Creek carried us to every point of the compass. Should the Western canals be ever attempted, I am persuaded this creek may be shortened at least one-third. The lands on each side of Wood Creek are low, and heavily timbered with beech, maple, oak, elm, linden, and, near the lake, some white pine. Bcars are plenty, and deer scarce. At two miles from the lake the river sud- denly widened, and we took to our oars. Fish Creek, one mile nearer the lake, falls into Wood Creek from the north, and is about one hun- dred fect wide. Thence to the lake the stream is bold and spacious. We caught a catfish as large as a common-sized cod, measuring five inches between the eyes.

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History of Oneida County, New York, 1667-1878, Part 97

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

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