USA > New York > Oneida County > History of Oneida County, New York : from 1700 to the present time, Volume I > Part 63
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PARIS was settled as early as 1789 by Colonel Rice. This town was for many years the most populous part of Oneida county, yet, aside from its historic churches on Paris Hill, it has no places of particular historic interest.
STEUBEN became the residence of Baron Steuben immediately after the Rev- olution, and his summer residence is given as an illustration in this work on another page.
TRENTON-A place of historic interest in this town is the house of Colonal Mappa, who was the agent of the Holland Company, and, at the time he resided in the town he was one of the most eminent citizens of the State of New York, a man of great culture and high character. The house is now known as the "Wicks Residence" in the village of Barneveld.
WESTERN has the honor of possessing the residence of General William Floyd, a member of the Continental Congress and one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. His residence is still in an excellent state of preservation, and has been the home of a man not less famous in the person of Admiral Montgom- ery Sicard. An illustration is given elsewhere. The remains of these two eminent men rest in the little cemetery connected with the Presbyterian church in the village of Westernville.
This hamlet also has the honor of being the birthplace of Major General Henry W. Halleck, who at one time during the Civil War commanded the armies of the United States.
WESTMORELAND-One of the most eminent early settlers in this town was James Dean, who settled there in 1774. He was a graduate of Dartmouth Col- lege, and came among the Indians at the direction of Congress to aid in influ- encing them in favor of the colonies.
In treating of the cities of Utica and Rome we have given so many facts in regard to their early history that we forbear to go into detail in regard to the
RESIDENCE OF UNITED STATES SENATOR ROSCOE CONKLING
RESIDENCE OF GOVERNOR HORATIO SEYMOUR. THE GOVERNOR STANDING BY A TREE AND HIS WIFE SITTING IN A CHAIR
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early business interests of these particular localities while they were compara- tively unimportant.
It is not our purpose in this work to enter into a detailed statement of the early settlement of each town, as oftentimes the events surrounding the settle- ment of a town are of little general interest. It is, however, true that certain locations were settled by men of such character and standing, that it is but fair to give a comparatively full account of their early becoming residents of this part of the country.
HISTORIC RESIDENCES
The Sanger House, in New Hartford, has long since ceased to exist, but it was the residence of Judge Jedediah Sanger, who was an important element in that town for many years. The house stood in the village of New Hartford in the forks of the road formed by the highway leading from New Hartford to Clinton and from New Hartford to Paris Hill. It was at one time the residence of David V. W. Golden, the Utica merchant, but, after passing through several hands, it was removed to make way for the very handsome new Union Free schoolhouse, and that landmark, with many others, passed away.
One of the historic residences in the county, which has received much at- tention in the past, is that of Horatio Seymour, located in the town of Deerfield. Although Mr. Seymour lived for many years on Whitesboro street in the city of Utica, he was more at home upon his farm than anywhere else, and was a most charming host to any one who paid him a visit. He was interested in agriculture, and was a constant attendant upon the meetings of the farmers in this community.
The residence of Roscoe Conkling is located in what is known as Rutger Place in the city of Utica. It was purchased by him of Thomas R. Walker, re- modeled, and he made it his home from about 1866 to the time of his death, al- though late in life he spent most of his time in New York City, where he practiced his profession.
The residence of Francis Kernan was located on Elizabeth street for about twenty years prior to his death, but before that time his residence was on the easterly side of Chancellor Square, and it was there that he brought up his family. He was one of the most delightful of hosts, and his home was accessible at all times to men of high or low estate.
The residence of James S. Sherman is located on the easterly side of Gen- esee street in Utica, which was purchased by him about ten years since, was re- built, and during the time that he is not obliged to be in Washington his house is the center of attraction of a large number of friends, and his wife is one of the most charming of hostesses.
HOTELS
There are, in many different localities in the county, hoteis that have more or less interesting history connected with them. The first hotel of prominence ever built in the county was located on Whitesboro street in Utica and was built in 1797. It was known as "The Hotel," was a brick structure three stories
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high, and made a very imposing appearance in connection with the small wooden houses around about it. It created great excitement at the time, as being a build- ing of magnificent proportions. Aside from the hotel proper it contained rooms for the meetings of the Masons, and was a famous place of resort.
BAGG'S HOTEL-This was surpassed, however, by Bagg's Hotel, the first building being erected about 1798, but the southern portion of the present hotel was erected in 1812. This hotel has been the scene of very stirring events during its entire existence, and has been the headquarters of great conventions and other meetings of national importance.
BUTTERFIELD HOUSE-Next to Bagg's Hotel the Butterfield House possessed more interesting history than any other within the city of Utica. This hotel was erected by John Butterfield upon the lot upon which the store of John A. Roberts & Company now stands. At the time of its erection it was supposed to be a very elegant hotel, and for some years took the lead of Bagg's, because of its being more modern in its appointments. This hotel was the headquarters of Governor Horatio Seymour when he was the Democratic candidate for pres- ident in 1868, and was the scene of many stirring events during that famous campaign.
THE CENTRAL HOTEL, FRANKLIN HOTEL and AMERICAN HOTEL-Prior to the time that transportation was by railroad a great number of stage coaches ran in and out of Utica. These made their headquarters at the Central Hotel, which was located on the corner of Genesee and Elizabeth streets, where now stands Parker's store, and at the American Hotel, which stood on the corner of Genesee street and the tracks of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad, and where now stands the railroad station of that road and the New York, Ontario & West- ern Rilroad station. Also the Franklin Hotel, which stood upon a portion of the ground where now stands the Arcade. All of these hotels had interesting histories of their kind.
"THE COFFEE HOUSE" (Rome)-Henry Tibbits, grandfather of Jim Stevens, of Rome, in 1830 kept a small tavern which went by the name of "The Coffee House," located on the southerly side of West Dominick street, a short distance from James, and which has long ceased to exist.
PUTNAM'S HOTEL (Rome)-In 1847 Putnam's Hotel, kept by Bela Putnam who was known throughout the country as Prop. Putnam, "Prop." meaning proprietor, was one of the foremost hotels of its time. It was a wooden build- ing, with large steps on two sides, located on the southeast corner of Dominick and James streets. It passed out of existence many years ago.
AMERICAN HOTEL (Rome)-A wooden building, known as the American Hotel and located on the northwest corner of Dominick and James streets, was burned about 1850, together with several stores, the burned section reaching about half way to Washington street. Soon after the fire a new American Hotel was built
UTICA BENE FURRESNING CO.
GENESEE STREET, UTICA, LOOKING SOUTHWESTERLY
BAGG'S HOTEL, UTICA First hotel built in Oneida county, 1813
BUTTERFIELD HOUSE, UTICA Headquarters of Governor Seymour when he was democratic candidate for the presidency in 1868
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at the same location, and for many years bore an enviable reputation. This is the present American Block, which has long been used as an office building, and the hotel has passed into obscurity.
SEYMOUR HOUSE (now Mansion) in Rome, was named for Governor Horatio Seymour, and it is reported that it was named after he had been nominated for the office of governor, but it was one of his unfortunate campaigns, and he was defeated. The day was fixed for the opening of the hotel, Mr. Seymour having been invited to be present and address his fellow citizens, which he did, and it is reported that he said his friends had tried him for a "race," but, finding him of no account in that direction, they now proposed to try him for a "stand."
STANWIX HALL (Rome) has been a famous hotel for many years, and has been a meeting place of politicians to fix up the many slates that have been ar- ranged the night prior to the conventions of both parties for more than fifty years. Some years ago this hotel was extensively remodeled, and is now one of the finest hotels in the county.
There were also in many places throughout the county notable hotels for the accommodation of stages and the traveling public, but these have substantially all passed away, as the means of transportation have done away almost entirely with the utility of the ordinary country hotel.
THE HURLBURT HOUSE (Boonville) is one of the hotels that stands out rather prominently in the county. This hotel was originally built by J. Owen; rebuilt and enlarged by Richard Hurlburt, from whom it takes its name, one of the early settlers in Boonville, a man of unusual ability and very high standing in the community.
There are many other hotels worthy of consideration, but lack of space for- bids the describing of them in detail
PARKS
Although, technically speaking, the subject of parks may not fill the desig- nation generally of historic places, yet they are here classified as such, for the reason that some of the small parks in Utica are historic grounds.
CHANCELLOR SQUARE, consisting of 3.55 acres, was set apart from the Bleecker estate prior to 1810, and it has been the place of many notable meetings. For- merly it was surrounded by a very high picket fence, and was virtually inac- cessible to the public, but through the instrumentality of Daniel Batchelor, who was put in charge of the parks, this was all changed, the fence was removed, a fountain erected, and there has never been any trouble from depredations by the public, which has been allowed to wander at will through it.
STEUBEN PARK, consisting of one acre, was set apart from the John Post purchase prior to 1810, and this was, also, for many years surrounded by a high fence. Through the instrumentality of Daniel Batchelor this fence was
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removed and the park changed in very much the same way that Chancellor Square was changed.
JOHNSON PARK, consisting of .85 of an acre, was donated to the city by Alex- ander B. Johnson and wife October 27, 1845.
BRINCKERHOFF PARK consists of .018 of an acre.
McINCROW PARK consists of .083 of an acre.
KERNAN PARK, consisting of .49 of an acre, was donated to the city by John D. Kernan and wife October 4, 1895.
WATSON WILLIAMS PARK, consisting of 6.57 acres, was donated to the city October 30, 1897, by Mrs. Thomas R. and Mrs. Frederick T. Proctor.
For some time prior to 1908, Mr. Thomas R. Proctor and wife, keeping their own councils, had purchased quite extensive tracts of land lying in the out- skirts of Utica, and had spent a large amount of money in beautifying these grounds, without making it known exactly what was to be done with them. To the great satisfaction of the citizens of Utica on February 21, 1908, these bene- factors of the public donated to the city HORATIO SEYMOUR PARE, consisting of 14.66 acres; ADDISON C. MILLER PARK, consisting of 15.28 acres; TRUMAN K. BUTLER PARE, consisting of .80 acres; J. THOMAS SPRIGGS PARK, consisting of .83 acres; and on July 3, 1909, they made the magnificent gift to the city of the THOMAS R. PROCTOR PARK, consisting of 100.40 acres, and the ROSCOE CONK- LING PARK, of 385.53 acres.
PARKWAY-In July, 1909, the city of Utica purchased 13.25 acres along Pleasant street, and in August, 1910, 1.78 acres, and proceeded to convert this property into a parkway. At the present time there are in the parks and along the parkway about 12 miles of expensive roadways.
There are some other open spaces in the city of Utica designated by the ap- pellation of parks, known as the public bath and certain play grounds.
GROVER CLEVELAND
CHAPTER XXXIV
EMINENT MEN AND WOMEN
If one should visit the rooms of the Court of Appeals at Albany he would discover that there are upon the walls of those rooms the portraits of seventy- one eminent judges and lawyers, and investigation would inform him that of that number eleven were residents of Oneida county. It, therefore, appears that so far as the judges of the highest court of the state and lawyers who have state reputations are concerned, the proportion of those in Oneida county, as compared with the same population elsewhere, is more than ten to one. Not only is the number far beyond the proportion of what it might be claimed Oneida county was entitled to, but the character of the men, whose portraits are shown upon those walls and who were born in Oneida county, or who occupied very high office while residents of Oneida county, was so high it may be said of them that they were not surpassed by any who have occupied high positions upon the bench with them before or since. The names of these illustrious men have ap- peared before in this volume, but we give them again in this connection for the purpose of calling attention to their eminence in the Empire State of New York. They are: Philo Gridley, Samuel Beardsley, Greene C. Bronson, Ward Hunt, Hiram Denio, John Savage, William Curtis Noyes, George F. Comstock, Alexander S. Johnson, William C. Ruger and Charles F. Andrews.
It may be safely said that Oneida county men, in any vocation of life into which they have entered, have been as equally successful as those who selected the bar for their life work.
GROVER CLEVELAND-Undoubtedly one of the most eminent men who has ever been a resident of this county was Grover Cleveland, the 22d president of the United States. Mr. Cleveland was born at Caldwell, N. J., March 18, 1837. While still a small child his father, a Presbyterian minister, received a call to Fayetteville, near Syracuse, N. Y. From there he removed to Clinton, where the father was the pastor of the Presbyterian church. The family afterwards re- moved to Holland Patent. The son received a fair education in the schools at Clinton and Holland Patent, and in 1853 became a teacher in an institution for the blind in New York City, but soon decided to cast his lot in the West. He stopped at Buffalo in 1855, and there entered the law office of Rogers, Bowen & Rogers; was admitted to the bar in 1859, and commenced practice in that city. In 1870 he was elected sheriff of the county, and in 1881 he was nominated and elected mayor of Buffalo. In 1882 he was nominated for governor at the Dem- ocratic convention in Syracuse, and was elected against Judge Charles J. Folger, who had been nominated by the Republicans, by the unprecedented majority of 192,000. This was not in consequence of any opposition to Judge Folger per- Vol. I-33
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sonally, but it was caused by a division in the Republican party. The same con- dition existed in 1884, when Mr. Cleveland was nominated for the presidency and elected over James G. Blaine. He was renominated for the presidency in 1888, but defeated by General Benjamin Harrison: was renominated. in 1892, and elected over President Harrison. After his term of office expired he settled at Princeton, N. J., and died there.
ELIHU ROOT was born in Clinton, N. Y., February 15, 1845; was the son of Prof. Oren Root of Hamilton College. He was prepared for college when he was thirteen years of age, but was not permitted to enter at that age. He graduated, however, in 1864, studied law at Hamilton College and in the University of New York, was admitted to the bar and commenced practicing in the city of New York in 1867. His unusual ability put him, while he was yet a young man, in the front rank among the lawyers in the metropolis. He was engaged in some of the heaviest litigations ever before the courts, and had remarkable success. He was U. S. attorney for the Southern District of New York from 1883 to 1885; was prominent in Republican politics, and opposed to what was known as the "machine;" was a delegate at large in the Constitutional Convention of the state in 1894; was chairman of the judiciary committee in that convention, and the writer is able to speak from personal experience, as he served upon that committee with Mr. Root, that no member of the convention rendered the state a service so valuable as that rendered by Mr. Root, not only in connection with the work of the judiciary committee, but in regard to the entire convention. He was appointed Secretary of War by President Mckinley August 1, 1899, and re-appointed May 5, 1901. He resigned this position and was appointed Secre- tary of State July 1, 1905 by President Roosevelt. He was a member of the commission to settle the boundary questions in Alaska, was elected to the U. S. senate from the state of New York in 1909. He was given the degree of LL. D., by many of the foremost American colleges, and also by many in foreign coun- tries. His administration of public office is so able that no one denies to him first class ability, and some eminent statesmen have said of him, "He is the fore- most constructive statesman of the world."
THOMAS L. JAMES was born in Utica, March 29, 1831, and was educated in the public schools of that city. He learned the trade of a painter, but was naturally a student, and early manifested a desire to become connected with a newspaper. He therefore, went to Hamilton, Madison county, and became interested in the Madison County Journal. He was successful in the management of that paper, and so commended himself to the public at an early date that he was appointed canal collector in 1854. Desiring a wider field of operation, in 1861 he removed to New York City, became an inspector in the custom house, later a weigher of teas and other commodities, and finally was made the deputy collector. He so satisfactorily administered every office held by him that in 1873 he was ap- pointed postmaster of the city of New York. He was afterward offered the New York collectorship by President Hayes, but declined. In 1880 he was of- fered the position of postmaster general, but declined. He was also offered the nomination for mayor of New York by the Republican party, but declined. In
Copyright by Harris & Ewing
ELIHU ROOT United States Senator
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1881 he was appointed postmaster general by President Garfield. After the assassination of Garfield and the ascession of Chester A. Arthur to the presi- dency, Mr. James resigned his position and returned to New York City, where he became president of the Lincoln National Bank and the Lincoln Trust Com- pany, holding these positions up to the time of his death. He received the de- gree of LL. D., from Hamilton College, Colgate University and Fordham Col- lege. Mr. James was for many years high up in the counsels of the Republican party, his judgment received great consideration, and his advice was sought by the highest officers of the nation and of the state.
LYMAN J. GAGE, secretary of the treasury of the United States under Pres- ident Mckinley, was once a resident of Rome and was educated at the Rome Academy. At an early age he removed from Rome to Chicago, where he pro- cured a position in a bank, and, being a young man of unusual ability and en- ergy, he made rapid advances, and in 1868 was made cashier of the First Na- tional Bank of Chicago-the most important bank in that great city-becoming its president in 1882. He had become prominent in financial circles, and was chairman of the finance committee of the World's Fair held in Chicago; was also president of its board of directors. For three years he was president of the American Bankers' Association, and was connected with many great financial affairs in that part of the country. It was largely through his financial ability that the government had so little trouble in raising money during the Spanish war, as he commanded the confidence of all monied men in the country. He also opposed what was known as the "Greenback" craze in the west, and all other wildcat financiering. He retired from business, and is still living with the re- spect of the entire nation.
VICTOR H. METCALF was born in Utica, October 10, 1853. He was educated at the Utica Free Academy; Russell's Military Academy at New Hartford, Ct .; was graduated at Yale Law School in 1876; was admitted to the bar in Con- necticut the same year, and admitted to the bar in New York state in 1877. He practiced law for two years in Utica, and then removed to Oakland, California, where he practiced law successfully and became prominent in politics. He was elected as representative in the 56th, 57th and 58th Congresses, but resigned from that body during the last term to accept the position of Commissioner of Commerce and Labor in the cabinet of President Roosevelt. He was afterward promoted to Secretaryship of the Navy, and served in that capacity under Pres- ident Roosevelt until failing health induced him to resign and return to Oakland, where he still resides.
WILSON S. BISSELL was born in New London, Oneida county, December 31, 1847. While he was young his father removed to Buffalo, and he received his preliminary education in the schools of that city, and took a course in Yale Col- lege. He studied law in Buffalo, and became a partner of Grover Cleveland, afterward President of the United States. Mr. Bissell soon attained prominence at the Erie county bar, and when Mr. Cleveland became president the second time in 1893 he selected Mr. Bissell as postmaster general. He served in that
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capacity with great acceptability to the administration and to the public. Yale University conferred upon him LL. D., in 1893. He died in Buffalo about three years since.
WILLIAM H. H. MILLER was born in Augusta, Oneida county, September 6, 1840; he prepared for college at Whitestown Seminary, and graduated from Hamilton. For a time he taught school, and then entered the Union army, and served in the war of the rebellion. He went to Toledo and studied law in the office of Chief Justice Waite. He was afterwards superintendent of the public schools of Peru, Indiana; later he practiced law at Peru and at Fort Wayne, In- diana. About 1870 he went to Indianapolis and formed a partnership with Benjamin Harrison. Mr. Miller was recognized at the time Harrison became president as one of the foremost lawyers in the state of Indiana, and he became the attorney general of the United States in Harrison's cabinet. It was during his incumbency of that office that considerable excitement arose in California concerning the decisions of Judge Field, one of the justices of the Supreme Court of the United States. One David S. Terry, an attorney had threatened Judge Field with personal violence, and Mr. Miller ordered the U. S. Marshal to pro- tect the judge. The marshal shot Terry just as he was about to make a murder- ous assault upon Judge Field. Questions arose as to the responsibility for the act, and Mr. Miller took the entire responsibility, claiming that the act was done by his direction, and that he was justified on the ground that the government must at all hazards protect its officers of the law. This decision seems to have been acquiesced in by the whole country, as nothing was ever done in regard to the very deplorable incident.
WILLIAM J. GAYNOR was born on a farm in the town of Whitestown, N. Y., in 1851. He attended Whitestown Seminary and also a school in Boston, but remained there only a short time, when he returned to Utica and studied law in the office of Judge Ward Hunt, being admitted to the bar in Rochester. After a short period of newspaper work he commenced practicing his profession in Brooklyn, and soon acquired a lucrative law business. He was appointed judge advocate on the staff of General McLeer, 2d Brigade of Militia. For a number of years gross election frauds had been committed in and about the metropolis, and Mr. Gaynor devoted his energies to breaking up these abuses. He was par- ticularly instrumental in procuring the arrest and conviction of John Y. McKane in 1893. McKane was the Democratic boss and chief of police at Gravesend. This so commended Mr. Gaynor to the public that in 1893 he was elected justice of the Supreme Court by the Republicans and Independent Democrats. After serving fourteen years with credit he was re-elected to the same position in 1907 without opposition. For a time he served as one of the judges of the Appellate Division of Supreme Court in the second department. In 1908 he was elected mayor of Greater New York. He at once showed himself to be the real mayor of the city, instead of merely a figurehead to do other men's bidding.
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