History of Oneida County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 108

Author: Durant, Samuel W
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Fariss
Number of Pages: 920

USA > New York > Oneida County > History of Oneida County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 108

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"In the autumn of the second season of Brewster's residence io towo the bears committed great depredations io his eore-field. A neighbor, who had recently moved to within about one mile of him, was the owner of a large black sow. In ber perainbulations this ani- mal had also learned the whereabouts of the corn-field, and seemed to vic with Bruin in her snd havoe of the crop. The apology for a fenee was what was known in those days as a ' tree fenee,' which was not a very good barrier against the grunting quadruped. She had often buen foreihly cjected, but as often made a foreible re-entrance. One evening, and ahout dark, Mr. Brewster beard the work of destruc- tion again going on in the eorn- field, some thirty rods from the house, and from the carliness of the hour be conelnded it was the tame and not the wild trespasser. He therefore directed his son, of about twelve years of age, to go and again dispossess the animal. The little fellow demurred, saying that it was of no use. A reiteration of the order, however, eaused hier to start, not, however, in the best possible humor with things in general or the black sow in particular. By the time he had arrived at the point of the animal's depredations he had Inid in, ss instruments of expulsion, a number of good-sized stones. The beast was so busily engaged as not to discover the boy until he was close upon it, and had saluted it with a full volley of stones. At first the animal stood oo the defensive, but another volley enused it to scek safety in flight. Satisfied with the ease with which he had expelled the sow, be returned to the house reflecting upon her expertness in elimbing tho brush aod logs of the fence. He told his father it was of ' no further use to try to keep out the sow, as she could elimb as well as s ent, as she went over the fenee where it was fifteen feet high.' This aroused the suspicions of the father, and he inquired how the beast behaved when he commenced stoning it. The boy replied thut 'she raised herself upon ber hind feet, as if to make fight, when he sent a good big stone, that hit her ic the side of the head, which caused her to run and climb the fence,' as described. By this time the father was satisfied with the nature of the beast the boy had driveo from the field. Ile said nothing, however, for fear of alarming the family. The next morning, upon repairing to the secce of operations, he dis- covered by the size and shape of the tracks that, instead of a sow, his boy had been dealing with a huge bear. The next day two guns were set in the field, and some time in the night following the report of the guns announced that something bad crossed the cord. The

# Jones' Annals.

HON. NELSON DAWLEY.

Photos, by Hovey & Brainerd.

MRS. NELSON DAWLEY.

HON. NELSON DAWLEY,

son of Job and Lovicia Dawley, was born in Peters- burg, Rensselaer Co., N. Y., Sept. 9, 1803. At the age of two, on March 7, 1805, he settled in Florence, Oneida Co., N. Y., in company with his parents. His father was a farmer by occupation, hence Nelson was reared to industry and economy. On the 22d of August, 1827, he was married to Miss Ann Eliza Seger, daughter of Joseph Seger, of Annsville, Oneida Co., N. Y. Mrs. A. E. Dawley was born Dec. 8, 1805. By this union nine children have been born, four of whom are now living. In March, 1829, Mr. Dawley removed into Annsville, and settled on the farm he now owns, situated about a mile west of Taberg. He owns some 225 acres of good land, on which are some good buildings. He is a progressive farmer, and is alive to all the im- provements of the day. In politics he was a Dem- ocrat until 1856, when he joined the Republican party, and since has been one of its active supporters.

He has always been one of the leading men of his town, and his fellow-townsmen have honored him with many official positions. In the fall of 1839 he was elected to the State Legislature, and served one term to the general satisfaction of his constituents. Since 1833 he has been a strong advocate of temper- ance, and by word and action is doing all he can to suppress that great curse-intemperance.

Mr. and Mrs. Dawley have been members of the Presbyterian Church at Taberg for more than thirty- five years.

Farming has been Mr. Dawley's principal business, but in addition to this he has been extensively en- gaged in the manufacture of lumber.

On the 22d of August, 1877, Mr. and Mrs. Daw- ley celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of their mar- riage, and now (July, 1878) they seem to be in the full enjoyment of health, surrounded by the comforts of a happy home.

405

HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

following morning & bear was found dend but a few rods from the scene of operations. It was of the largest size, weighing about 400 pounds.">

One of Mr. Brewster's neighbors, a man nawied William Lord, went to Taberg, Aug. 16, 1816, after some neccs- saries for his family, and some rum for the use of his harvest hands. The distance was about two miles through the for- est, and there was no road to guide him. He crossed Fish Crcek, where the Coalhill bridge is now located, reached Taberg, transacted his business, and just at night started to return home, in a partial state of intoxication. His con- dition, together with the darkness, caused him to lose his way, and instead of rcaching the creck at the usual crossing- place he struck it about forty rods farther up stream, walked off the bank where it was forty feet high, fell upon the rocks below, and rolled into the water. He caught the bushes as he fell, but they were not strong enough to sup- port his weight, and gave way. Two days afterwards, when he was found, the handle of his jug was in his left hand, the bushes in his right, and his neck was broken. The place from which he fell was on the west side of the creek, and opposite the centre of the island above Coalhill bridge. The still water in which the body was found has since been known as the " Rumu Hole."

The following anecdote, illustrating some of the hardships of attending school in the early days of the settlements, is also told by Judge Jones :

" Two little sons of the early settlers were attending the summer term of their district school io 1816. The eldeet was nine, the young- est six years of age. Raio or sunshine, cold or hot, they had to walk three miles in the morning to reach the school-house, and the same distance at night. Two little girls of about the same age re- sided on their road, one mile bearer the school. The eldest girl was a sleoder, delicate thing, while her younger sister was stout and robust. The same disparity existed between the boys, but in the reverse,-the elder being a strong, athletic little fellow, and withal possessed of no indomitable will, that enabled him to do anything which could be done by ao urchin of that nge. Of these four the youngest girl was the only one that possessed a pair of shoes, the others having to walk with bare feet; and even the small girl was not fortunate enough to possess those comfortable accompaniments of shoes,-a pair of stockings.

" Those old enough will remember the 6th of June, 1816. It had been preceded by cold, frosty nights, and on that day it snowed in every part of the county, and in some parts it fell several inches in depth. Cold as was the morning these four children were punctually at school. The school-honse-none too comfortable for pleasant weather-had become so cold by two o'clock in the afternoon that the pupils were dismissed, with directinos to go to the nearest house on their way home. There was a house on the road of the four, about one-fourth of & mile from the school-house. To this honse, by moving in double-quick time, they managed to get; but, to their utter dismay, they found the door fastened and its inmates from home. Here was a dilemma. To retrograde was nseless, for the home of the girls, ooe and three-fourths miles distant, was as nenr ns any iobnb- ited dwelling. Snow was falling, and it was alrendy two inches deep. Our eldest boy's strength of nerve was now put to the test. Nothing daunted, however, he well Inid his plans and at once proceeded to put them in execution. He had that morning-rather clandestinely, it is true-appropriated his father's roundabout, quite too capacious for him, yet possessing two very important advantages,-it shielded him from the cold, and its extensive pockets, one on each side, served as & deposit for all the et ceteras of the school-boy, viz. : n hall, fish-hook and line, top, knife, sling, and whistle,-toys as necessary to the man in miniature as others to those of larger growth. Little could he have imagined to how much more important uses these huge pockets

would he put during the duy. He directed the two girls to walk on as fast and far as they could without freezing, then to sit down and both rub the eldest girl's feet with their hands till he came up. He then took his brother upon his back, with n foot in each pocket and his arms about his neck, aod followed on. When he came up with the girls he put down his brother and told him and the smaller girl to proceed os before, and he took the larger girl upon his back, with her feet in those now useful pockets, and so on hy successive stages until they had arrived within forty rods of the girls' home. Their father, who was chopping in the vicinity of the road, heard the cries of the girls and came to their nid. Our hero then had the eldest girl upon his back, and, without speaking, the father caught the youngest two, one under ench arm, and ran for the house. Our hero said he thought he never saw a man run as fast before, for ere he had gone one-half the distance to the hanse the father returned, and lifting the elder girl from his back, took her under one arm and our hero under the other and soon had them deposited before a good rousing fire. The mother of the girls, previous to the arrival of our hero, had learned from them the whole history of the transaction. On his arrival she at once, in the fullness of her gratitude, loaded him with her caresses. This wouoded his pride, although perhaps a very little of that article would have been excusable, for, as he supposed, he had saved his fellow-sufferers from perishing. She also, by her misjudged kindness, bnd bim sit near to the glowing fire. The pain in his feet soon became almost insupportable, a sickening sensation came over him, his vision became obscured, he grasped at the chair but did not succeed ; his physical powers, which had been so overtasked, gove way, and he fell. The intense agony of the moment was soon lost in a state of unconsciousness. For hours the poor sufferer lay insensi- ble. The first thing he noticed on the return of reason was the kind-hearted woman bending over him, and his father applying some restorative to his feet. It was after dark. His father had started with his team io genson to have saved all the suffering, bnd the school cootioned to the usual hour of dismission. He was wrapped well in warm clothing, put on a sled, and taken home the same evening. His feet were so Incerated by the stones aod sticks in his path, while devaid of feeling, that a number of days elapsed before he could even walk about the house."

One of the early settlers of Annsville was 'Squire Fair- service, who located on the flats a little above Jervis' Mill. He was a noted fisherman, and only remained in the town until the salmon were shut out of Fish Creek, after which he emigrated to Wisconsin, and died in that Statc. Mr. Fairservice, while splitting wood one day, did not notice his little child, which, unobserved, walked directly under the axe and was killed, the descending weapon clcaving its skull.

Adam P. Campbell and Nicholas Armstrong were also early settlers in this town, taking up their residence on the meadow in 1805 or 1806. Dan Taft and a man named Jones located near the site where afterwards stood the tavern of Vincent Taft. A man named Wade settled at the Forks about the same time.

The north part of town began to be settled quite early also, and by the year 1803 several families had taken up their abode in that part of the then wilderness. In June, 1803, four brothers, Benjamin, Jonathan, James, and Abraham Morton, came through from Springfield, Mass. Abraham came a short time before the others, driving through with an ox-team. He stopped a while at Whitesboro', and then moved to the farm in Annsville now owned by Mr. Simmons. The others located in the same neighborhood, Benjamin taking the farm now owned by Jonathan Stanford. The father of the latter, Jonathan Stanford, Sr., married a daughter of Benjamin Morton, and took the old place when the latter moved to Taberg. Jona- than and Samuel Stanford settled in 1805, two years after

# Jones.

406

HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

the Mortons came. One son of Benjamin Morton and three sons of Abraham Morton served in the army during the war of 1812.

A short time previous to the war mentioned, a serious epidemic broke out in this neighborhood, and carried off many of the settlers in the north part of town. Two families, named Hammond and Twist, lost nearly all their members.

Mrs. Lot Sexton, now living in town, is a daughter of Benjamin Morton. Her husband, Lot Sexton, was a son of Amasa Sexton, who located with his brother William in the town of Lee, the latter about 1794 and the former about 1802-3. Amasa Sexton afterwards lived with his son Lot in Annsville, and died in that town.

Peter Abbott, from Windham, Windham Co., Vt., came to what is now Annsville in 1806, and settled in the north part, on the farm now owned by Lorenzo Ward (the old Joho Ward farm). Mr. Abbott was a veteran of the Revolution, having entered the service when but fifteen or sixteen years of age. He saw Major Andre the day before he was hung, and often spoke of him, always remarking on his peculiar beauty. Mr. Abbott's two sons, Captain John F. Abbott (residing on the Rome road, cast of Taberg) and Harvey Abbott (living at Taberg), are the only ones of the family left in town. The others have removed to the Western country. Peter Abbott, Jr., and his brother Joshua, served in the war of 1812.

Lyman and George, sons of Dan Taft, are yet residents of the town of Annsville. The old Taft Hotel stood two and one-half miles southeast of Taberg, on the "State Road," and was destroyed by fire some ten or twelve years since.

Daniel Miller, from Granville, Mass., settled in the north part of this town about 1804, ou the farm now owned by John Whiffin. Part of the house at present standing on the place was built by Mr. Miller. His brother, Eliakim Miller, came in 1814, and purchased the place, and lived upon it until his death, and is buried on the farm. Daniel Miller, after selling out, resided for a time in Lee and Taberg, and finally removed to Ohio. Of Eliakim Miller's family there are now two of the children living in Anns- ville,-Mrs. Nunan, of Taberg, and Smith Miller, near Glenmore. . Mrs. Nunan resided in one school district for sixty-three years before removing to Taberg. Her brother, Asher Miller, served in the war of 1812-15.

Occasional relics of the race which, in years long gone, inhabited this region are yet found in the town, often some feet beneath the surface of the earth. A heavy freshet, previous to 1850, washed away the alluvial banks to some extent at the forks of the creek, and exposed the remains of several large earthen vessels from two to three feet in diameter, with other articles of culinary use. Hearths and fireplaces were also exhumed, and here was evidently the site of a village at some date beyond the knowledge of the Indian or white inhabitants. Flint arrow-heads, stone hatchets, and various other rude articles are found in this town,-evidences of its pre-occupation by a race far superior in knowledge of the mechanic arts to the Indian of to-day, of which no traces remain except these quaint specimens of their handiwork, with an occasional skeleton and the numerous mounds discovered in various parts of the country.

Of their history, the date of their occupation, their habits, etc., nothing definite is known, the shadowy traditions of the Indian tribes throwing but little light of a satisfactory character upon the subject.

SCHOOLS.

As early as 1812-13, a school was taught in a small log school-house which stood on land then owned by a family named Gee, in the north part of town, east of where Jona- than Stanford now lives. The teacher's name was Fanny Hatch. Mrs. Lot Sexton recollects attending this school for one day before her father moved to Taberg.

In the winter of 1812-13, Rachel Hill taught a school in Taberg, in an old log house, and the next summer the house vacated by John W. Bloomfield, who had removed to Rome, was used as a school-house, and Dr. Ashley pre- sided over the school to the general satisfaction of pupils and parents.

The first frame school-houses in the north part of town were built in 1820, one in the Miller and the other in the west district; the latter building was called the " West School-House." The schools of the town are at present in good condition, and compare favorably with those in any other town in the county.

RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.

ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, NORTH OF GLENMORE.

Annsville contains a large proportion of natives of the land of the shamrock, who have taken the places of the ear- lier settlers and their families. A society of Catholics held meetings for a number of years in a small frame church, which stands a mile from the new one, near the Catholic cemetery. Their first pastor was Rev. Father John Lud- den, of Florence. The new frame church was erected in 1875-76, and numbers in its congregation over 80 families. Rev. Father McNulty, of Taberg, is the present pastor.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, GLENMORE.

Meetings have been held here for twenty years or more, in connection with Taberg. The school-house was used until the present frame church was built, its dedication ser- vices being held February 1, 1877. It was erected during the pastorate of Rev. Mr. Wadsworth. Meetings were held quite early in the Miller neighborhood. The present pastor is Rev. T. H. McClenthen, of Taberg, and the class in March, 1878, numbered 27 members.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, TABERG.

The old frame church built by this society has been pur- chased by the Catholics, and is now used by them. The fine new brick Methodist Church has been erected within the past four years, and cost about $8000. The present membership of the society is about 200, with Rev. Thomas H. MeClenthen as pastor, who also holds services at Glen- more, and at a place two and one-half miles southeast of Taberg, where there is a small class. The Sabbath-school at Taberg is in a flourishing condition, having for its Su- perintendent T. B. Allanson. This society was organized in 1838, with nine members, and the frame church after- wards sold to the Catholics was built in 1839.

Photos. by Hovey & Brainerd.

Harrison Silly bridge

Matibela J. Lillybridge

HARRISON LILLYBRIDGE.

The subject of this sketch is of Scotch origin, his an- cestors being among the early emigrants to New England, previous to the Revolutionary war. Ira Lillybridge was born in Stafford, Tolland Co., Conn., June 23, 1795, and married Miss Laura Alden, a native of the same place, on the 2d of November, 1819. Mrs. Laura A. Lillybridge was born Dec. 31, 1799. By this union eight children were born. By occupation he was a farmer, and reared his large and intelligent family to industry and economy. He settled in Annsville in January, 1824, which was his home ever after. His wife died on the 21st of August, 1838, and he married his second wife, Sophrona Merick, a native of Oneida County ; she was born Dec. 16, 1812. As a result of the above union five children were born. Mr. Lillybridge was an esteemed citizen, a kind companion, and an affectionate father. He was a member of the Baptist Church. In politics a Democrat. He held various public offices, among which may be mentioned that of supervisor of the town of Annsville for three successive terms. After living a good and useful life he passed away on the 8th of April, 1848. Harrison is the son of Ira and Laura Lillybridge, and was born at Stafford, Tolland Co., Conn., Dec. 25, 1821, and removed to Annsville with his parents in January, 1824.

On becoming of age he entered into partnership with his father, and engaged with him as a dealer in lumber, besides carrying on the farm. Some four years after the

death of his father he purchased the " old home," which has been his residence since 1824. Mr. Lillybridge is one of the most highly esteemed citizens of the town or county. He is the owner of one of the best farms in the town, said farm being in a high state of cultivation.

He is a Republican in politics. He is often importuned to receive some town office, but always declines, preferring the quiet of home to any official position. In the fall of 1874 he was elected to the State Legislature, and served one term to the general satisfaction of his constituents. He married Miss Matilda Swartwout, a daughter of Peter and Sally Swartwout, of Otsego Co., N. Y., Sept. 30, 1850. Mrs. M. S. Lillybridge was born in Otsego Co., N. Y., August 7, 1825. By this happy alliance four children were born, namely : Flora M., Ella F., John C., and Fred. H., all of whom are living save Ella F., who married Wm. H. Wauzer, of Detroit; she had one child ; Mrs. Wanzer died April 26, 1873.

Mr. and Mrs. Lillybridge are prominent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Taberg. Mr. Lillybridge is a very prominent temperance man, and by word and action is doing all he can do to suppress that great evil -intemperance. As a man Mr. Lillybridge has few equals and no superiors ; he is the very soul of honor, and despises anything low or vulgar. He is truly the representative man of Annsville, and richly merits the confidence reposed in him.

407

HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

A PRESBYTERIAN SOCIETY

formerly existed at Taberg, but the organization has been discontinued, and the frame church in the upper part of the village is not now in use.

ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, TABERG.

This society has held regular meetings since the summer of 1876. The old Methodist Church building has been purchased, as previously stated, and Rev. P. McNulty, the present pastor, preaches to a congregation of about 45 fami- lies. The society has had a resident priest but a little over a year. Previous to the purchase of a building meetings were held at irregular intervals in the town hall, and Taberg was merely an outside mission. Rev. John Ludden, of Florence, preached here occasionally before the church building was purchased.

BAPTIST CHURCH, TABERG.

The Baptist Church was organized February 17, 1831, with 20 members. The first pastor was Rev. Samuel Bloss. In September, 1831, the society joined the Oneida Baptist Association, and reported 36 merubers to that body. For ten years it increased in numbers, and then began to decline; and in March, 1846, it was disbanded. A reor- ganization was effected January 23, 1847, and in 1848 it reported a membership of 56, with Rev. P. P. Brown for its pastor. The original frame church owned by this or- ganization stood where the parsonage now is, and was built a few years after the society was formed. The present neat frame church stands opposite the site of the old one, and was erccted about 1863-64. The present membership of this church is about 130; its pastor is Rev. J. R. Sim- mons. Two Sabbath-schools are sustained, one at the church, and the other in the school-house at the " Forks." George Wbittemore is Superintendent of the one at Taberg, which has nine teachers. The attendance at the two schools numbers 150 scholars. The church is in the lower part of the village, on the south bank of Fish Creek.

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

A branch of the Congregational Church of Camden was formed in Annsville, in 1820, and meetings were held in the two frame school-houses previously mentioned as being the first in the north part of town. This society was organized with fifteen or twenty members ; Rev. Henry Smith, of Camden, preached to them occasionally, and others came at different times. The organization was kept up for a long term of years, but was finally disbanded, and now lives only in the recollection of the "oldest inhab- itants."

VILLAGE OF GLENMORE.

This place is located northwest of the centre of town, and has a small population, of which the majority is made up of natives of " old Erin." A post-office was established here subsequent to 1852, previous to which time mail was received at Taberg. Alfred Blenis was probably the first postmaster. W. W. Barber also held the office early. The present incumbent is John H. Lackey, who also has the only store the place possesses.

There are also a school-house, a church (Methodist Epis-

copal), a shoe-shop, a blacksmith-shop, a saw-mill, a small frame custom grist-mill, and a number of dwellings. Hiram Thorne built the first saw-mill here.

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History of Oneida County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 108

Author: Durant, Samuel W Publication date: 1878 Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Fariss Number of Pages: 920

Author: Durant, Samuel W
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Fariss
Number of Pages: 920