History of Oneida County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 114

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 114

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1871 .- Walter Booth, President; Frederick Gebhard, James H. Capron, William H. Cole, Augustus Sargent, Oliver C. Wood, Trustees.

A new charter was granted in 1871, and under it the following officers were elected the same year : William F. Owens, President; J. T. Comstock, E. B. Austin, J. R. Tharratt, Trustees.

1872 .- William F. Owens, President ; James H. Capron, Samuel Bateman, Dennis Miller, Trustees.

1873 .- Joseph R. Tharratt, President; Nathaniel M. Sargent, Sehuyler C. Thompson, Nicholas Seh weinsberg, Trustees.

1874 .- Henry W. Bentley, President; William H. Gil- bert, William Higby, Nathaniel M. Sargent, Trustees. (Higby was appointed to fill vacaney in place of William H. Cole.)

1875 .- Ephraim Owen, President; William Bamber, Linus Birdsey, Frederick Rauscher, Trustees.

1876 .- Henry McCluskey, President; Harvey J. Lewis, William Bamber, Linus Birdsey, Trustees.

1877 .- Henry MeCluskey, President ; Jacob Burk, Har- din Buek, Harvey J. Lewis, Trustees.

1878 .- William Comstock, President; George M. Sawyer, Jacob Burk, Hardin Buck, Trustees ; Eldridge G. Palmer, Treasurer ; John Avery, Collector.

VILLAGE OF HAWKINSVILLE.

The settlement of this village was begun in 1824, by Sterry Hawkins, David Porter, and Moses Johnson, who, as partners, built a saw-mill on Black River. In 1825 they erected a grist-mill, the same now owned by T. Dal- larmi. The saw-mill was carried away during a freshet in 1869.

A earding- and fulling-mill was built by Stephen Haw- kins, about 1830-32. It was last operated by Orra Martin, and is now out of use.

Some years after the first settlement of the place a tavern was built by Alexander Murray, on the site of the present " Mechanics' Hotel," kept by Mr. Buckley.

Platt Rogers, a shoemaker by trade, located here at nearly the same time with Porter and Johnson. His place is now occupied by Simeon Hayes.

The Hawkinsville post-office was established in the neigh-

borhood of 1850, and Sterry Hawkins was appointed as first postmaster, and from him the office was named. The village was called "Słab City" before the post-office was established. William H. Cole, now a merchant of Boon- ville, held the office after Mr. Ilawkins. The present in- cumbent is Philip Graff, a native of Alsace.

The chair-factory at this place was built originally by Jacob Hilts for Sterry Hawkins. The present proprietor is William Wenneis. Chair rounds and general chair stock are manufactured, which are disposed of in New York City. Ten hands are usually employed, and thus far the annual business of the establishment has averaged from $5000 to $6000, with flattering prospects for the future.

The large tannery east of the village was built in 1852 by William Anderson's sons. It is called the " Eureka Tannery," and is now the property of George B. Anderson. Fifty hands are employed, twenty-six in getting out and hauling bark, and the others in the tannery. About 25,000 hides are tanned annually, valued at about $250,000, and about 5000 eords of hemloek bark are used. Sole leather is manufactured exclusively, and sold principally in New York and Boston. The tannery is 316 by 40 feet in dimensions ; bark-mill, 80 by 30; leach-house, 115 by 30; sweat-pits, 40 by 40 ; engine-house (stone and brick), 20 by 40 ; boiler-room (fire-proof building of stone and briek ), 30 by 40; iron smoke-stack, 65 feet high; cooler, 40 by 20; serub-room, 20 by 30. Power is furnished by Cum- mings Creek, although the tannery stands on the bank of the river. It contains three boilers, a thirty horse-power steam-engine, Hoyt's patent furnace, one hundred and fifty- two square vats, twelve soaks, two rolling-machines, one hide-mill, two bark-mills, two pumps, and a " conveyer" for running " spent tan" from the leaches to the boiler-room. A large boarding-house and eleven tenant-houses have been erected for the use of the workmen and their families. There are also a house for the proprietor, a store, a black- smith-shop, and a carpenter-shop.

When the feeder to the Black River Canal was being dug, in 1840 and before, there was a considerable " floating" or temporary population at this place. Theodore Dennison opened a small store and saloon about 1837-38. The first regular store in the village was built and opened by Whit- man Buek about 1847-48, and is the same now occupied by D. Hayes.

The present " Mechanies' Hotel" was built by Alonzo Brinkerhoff, on the site of the old hotel previously men- tioned. Its proprietor is Dennis Buckley. The " Union Hotel" was built in 1867 by its present proprietor, Matthias Munz. A cheese-factory in the village was established by William Sperl in 1877.

The village now contains a post-office, three stores, two hotels, four blacksmith-shops, one wagon-shop, besides the establishments already mentioned. Black River at this place is a rapid, turbulent stream, and its amber-colored waters foam over the ancient gneissio rock, which outerops in this vicinity.

ALDER CREEK POST-OFFICE

is a small village in the southeast part of town, containing two hotels, two stores, two churches, a post-office, a tannery, a shoe-shop, a carriage-shop, etc., and is distant from Alder

A . L.HAYES.

RB. Shultz

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

Creek station, on the Utica and Black River Railway, about one mile.

The post-office here is on the old Utica and Sacket's Harbor mail-route, and was established about the same time as the one at Remsen. The present postmaster is J. M. McClosky.

The tannery located at this place is operated by W. D. Carter, and does a considerable business in the manufac- facture of unfinished upper-leather.

A telegraph line extends from Alder Creek station through this village to Forestport, on Black River, at the head of the canal-feeder. The latter village, or a portion of it, formerly known as Williamsville, is in this town.

For courtesies extended in furnishing information for the foregoing sketch of the town of Boonville, we are in- debted to the following persons, viz. :

At Boonville Village .- Julins Rogers, S. E. Snow, the family of Israel Kingsbury, Clark Riggs, Rev. J. R. Lewis, N. Schweinsberg, William F. Owens, other members of churches, the proprietors of the various manufactorics, Henry McCluskey, HI. C. Utley, F. V. Graves & Sons, the bankers, Samuel Johnson, W. A. Tanner, Dr. William Cordell, Albert L. Hayes, and many others.

At Hawkinsville .- Colonel James Grindlay, Rev. Earl Rudes, D. Hayes, the manufacturers, Philip Graff, Jonas Hayes, Matthias Munz, W. H. Cole, of Boonville, and others.

At Alder Creek .- J. M. McClusky and others.

CHAPTER XXVI.

BRIDGEWATER.

THIS town, the smallest in superficial area in the county, occupies its southeastern corner, and includes an area of 14,820 acres. Its eastern portion is a part of Bayard's Patent ; a diagonal section in the north and centre belongs to the Coxeborough Patent; and the western portion is the eastern part of town 20 of the " Chenango Twenty Towns." Through nearly the centre of the town flow the head-waters of the Unadilla River, which have here also numerous tributaries. The surface is generally hilly and broken, and the view from the higher summits extends over a wide area. The improvements in this town are of a high order of excellence, and the thrift of its inhabitants is visible on every hand. A very large acreage of hops is raised, as is the case with all the towns in the southern part of the county. The valley of the Unadilla is broad and fertile, and has received the name of " Bridgewater Flats." On its east and west borders the hills are from 300 to 500 feet high, and in many places very steep. Along some of the streams cedar-swamps are found. In the northeast part of town a good quality of limestone is gnarried.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

It has been asserted that the first settler in this town was Joseph Farwell, in 1788. Upon the authority of

Miss Charlotte Ives, daughter of Jesse Ives, we make the following statement :

In 1789, Jesse and Joel Ives, cousins, came to this town to look for land, and selected the place southwest of the village of Bridgewater, upon which Miss Ives now resides. These men were under twenty-one years of age at the time, and unmarried. In 1790 they came back to their claim, and made a clearing upon it of twelve acres, and erected a log house. In the spring of the same year Thomas Brown located on the site of Bridgewater village, where he built the first log honse in town, and was the first actual settler within its limits. With him came his wife, and Miss Mar- garet Lines, and Joseph Farwell.

In 1791 the first frame houses and barns in the town were built by Joel and Jesse Ives. Those erected by the former have long since succumbed to the beating of the elements; the barn built by Jesse Ives is still standing, and the kitchen of his old house is now the front part of the dwelling of Miss C. Ives. It has been somewhat re- modeled. Before the Cherry Valley road was constructed the highway passed between Josse Ives' house and barn. The last-named person removed to Whitesboro' April 1, 1800, just ten years after he had located on his place in Bridgewater. He retained the old place, and in 1832 moved back to it, but returned to Whitesboro' in 1845. He died in 1862, at a ripe old age. Joel Ives died on his place in 1804. His daughter, Mrs. Julia Scott, is now living at the village with her son, Willard J. Seott.

Abner Ives, a younger brother of Jesse, came a year or two after the others had settled, he being married at the time. When the Ives family first came they made the trip from Connecticut on sleds drawn by oxen, and were bnt seantily supplied with the necessaries and comforts of life.

Miss Charlotte Ives has in her possession a gun which was used in the French war of 1755-60, and which also saw service during the Revolution. It was carried at the battle of Oriskany (August 6, 1777) by Miss Ives' great- grandfather,-the maternal grandfather of Jesse Ives. He was in that battle with his son, and the latter fell over a stump or log, and broke both his arms. This gun was also in use at the time of the burning of Danbury, Con- neetieut.

The statement is made by those now residing in town that the Waldo families did not come to this town until about 1792-93, and this may be the fact; but Judge Jones' " Annals of Oneida County" contains the following account of their settlement, in company with Joseph Far- well and family, March 4, 1789 :*

" In March, 1789, Farwell, in company with Ephraim Waldo and Nathan Waldo, removed their families from Mansfield, Connecticut, to Farwell's IIill. They came by the way of Albany, up the valley of the Mohawk to Whitesborough, and from theoce by the way of Paris Hill to Bridgewater. From Paris Hill they were obliged to make their road as they progressed, following a line of marked trees. Their team consisted of two yoke of oxen and a horse, and the vehicle an ox-sled. They arrived on the 4th of March. The snow at this time was about ooc and a half feet deep, but soon increased to the depth

# By Miss Ives' statement, Farwell ename, with Thomas Brown, in the spring of 1790; consequently he could not have brought his family uotil later. There is an error somewhere in dates.

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

of four feet. They had two eows, which, with the oxen and horse, subsisted until the snow left upon browse alone. Upon their arrival they erected a shanty in the most primeval style. Four erotehes set in the ground, with a roof of split bass-wood overlaid with hemloek boughs, with siding composed of coverlets and blankets, formed the first dwelliog-house ever ereeted in the town of Bridgewater. The three families continued in this miserable apology for a house until midsummer, when two of them, having more comfortablo dwellings provided, removed to them, while the other remained for a year. Farwell's house was of logs, built upon the hill where he commenced the previous season. About three years afterwards he erected the first frame house in town."

Among the other pioneers of this town was Ezra Parker, who built a log house in the north part, and opened it as a " house of entertainment." A Mr. Lyman located about the same time, and three or four years later built a frame house, which was afterwards kept as a tavern, long known as " Parkhurst's tavern." This is yet standing at North Bridgewater.

In 1790, according to Mr. Jones, Major Farwell built a saw-mill on the west branch of the Unadilla River, about three-fourths of a mile below its junetion with the Tiana- derha (or Tianadara) Creek. In 1792, Ephraim Waldo built a store and a blacksmith-shop on Farwell's Hill, and these were the first in town. A Mr. Thomas erected a grist-mill the same year.

Judge Jones relates the following incident, and as it has been given us by other parties also we reproduce it here : " Soon after the settlement of the town a son of Ephraim Waldo, eight years of age, while in the woods discovered a small young bear by the side of a log asleep. The little boy, intent upon securing the animal, noiselessly retreated until he found a small elm, from which with his Barlow knife he succeeded in peeling a piece of bark suitable for his purpose. Having fixed a noose in the end of his lasso and ereeping to the opposite side of the log, he had the good fortune to slip the noose over little Bruin's head, at the same time making sure of his prize by tightening the eord so that it could not utter a cry. He was too much of a back woodsman not to know that the dam in such eases is always within hailing distance of her young. Then eame the ' tug of war' in the process of dragging the animal towards home, and which manifested the strongest evidence of its not having been previously broken to the halter. The old bear, soon missing her eub, followed upon the trail a considerable distance until she came to the highway, where, fortunately for the boy, she was discovered and shot by Jesse Waldo. The boy, now free from danger, kept on his way home, where he arrived in safety with his trophy of success in bear-hunting."

Eli Wood, from the town of Sand Lake, Rensselaer Co., N. Y., came to Plainfield, Otsego Co., about 1805-6, and after several changes of location settled, in 1810, in the town of Sangerfield, Oneida Co., where he died. His son, Silas B. Wood, removed to Bridgewater in 1853 or 1854, where he has since resided. He is now seventy-eight years of age, and by bis present feebleness shows that he has performed many a hard day's labor.

Garrett Seott, now a resident of Bridgewater village, is a native of Madison County, where he was born in 1799. His father and grandfather-Amos Scott, Jr., and Sr .- were among the earliest settlers of that county. Willett

Scott, a nephew of Garrett, was at one time proprietor of a private bank at Bridgewater.

Stephen Kirkland, from Saybrook, Conn., settled, on the 11th of July, 1816, upon the place now owned by Asa P. and Nathaniel Kirkland, north of Bridgewater village, on the road to North Bridgewater. Mr. Kirkland left the old home with his family on the 1st day of July ; this was the famous " eold summer," and every morning while on the road there was a frost. The farm on which Mr. Kirkland settled he purchased of a blacksmith named Stewart Ben- nett, who removed to the West the same year. He had built a frame house, which is a part of the present resi- denee. The old place has remained in the hands of the Kirklands sinee they first located upon it, a term of sixty- two years, the two brothers now occupying it having owned it over thirty years. These are the oldest residents on this road. Rev. Samuel Kirkland, the noted missionary and the founder of Hamilton College, was a distant relative of this family.

It is related of Abraham Monroe, who was the proprietor of a " public-house" on the place now owned by John Tuckerman, that he eut a road through the timber on his land, passing elose by his house, in order to receive the traveling custom.

Mrs. Thomas Parkinson, of North Bridgewater, is a daughter of Ephraim Waldo, the person mentioned who, when but eight years old, lassoed and captured the young bear. Mr. Parkinson has been a resident of the town sinee 1847, and came from England the previous year. Ephraim Waldo owned a place in the west part of the town, where he spent his last days. It is now owned by his son, Alvin Wałdo.

In 1804 this town, in common with many others, suf- fered from the effects of a malarial fever, which carried to their graves many of their settlers. That season is vividly recolleeted by those whose memory dates back so far.

Mr. - Southworth, the grandfather of the present supervisor of the town (William N. Southworth), was a Presbyterian minister, and came to Bridgewater from Rome about 1809-10. His daughter, Aurelia, long a resident of this town, is now living in Madison County.

Frederick Peirce, a native of Mansfield, Conn., and after- wards a resident of Windham Co., Vt., came from Brook- line, in the latter county, to Bridgewater in 1796. He was unmarried at the time, and eame with a family named Gurley, with whom he lived for several years. The place upon which Mr. Gurley settled is located a quarter of a mile north of Bridgewater village, and now occupied by Cornelius Conklin. Mr. Peirce was appointed by the Governor a justice of the peace about 1812-13. He also practiced surveying to a considerable extent, although not educated to that profession. Most of the early roads in town were laid out by him. His son, Nehemiah N. Pieree, of the village, has been several times supervisor of the town, and in 1849 represented his district in the Assembly. During the days of militia he took an active part, and on the 13th of August, 1843, was appointed by Governor Bouck to the position of colonel of the 140th Regiment, belonging to the 13th Brigade, 13th Division, New York State Militia, and his title still elings to him.

RESIDENCE OF DR.S. BAILEY, BRIDGEWATER , NEW YORK

"MAPLE DALE" RESIDENCE of W. N. SOUTHWORTH, BRIDGEWATER, N. Y.

LITH. BY L. H. EVERTS, PHILA.

SILAS B.WOOD.

SILAS B. WOOD,

one of the oldest inhabitants of Oneida County, was born in Rensselaer County, N. Y., June 13, 1800. He is the son of Eli and Sibyl Wood. His father's ancestors were of English origin. Silas is the third son of a family of five children. When he was six years of age his father moved with his family to Herkimer County. In the year 1810 the family settled in Sangerfield, Oneida County. Silas had but few advantages for obtaining an education, his youth having been spent at hard labor upon the farm. After reaching his twenty-first birthday, he com- menced life for himself by working on a farm by the month. At the age of twenty-five years he assumed the responsibility of clearing his father's farm from a heavy indebtedness. And right well did he succeed in his endeavors. He and a brother succeeded to the title of the farm, having provided a home for their parents. A few years later they dissolved partnership, and Silas purchased a fine

farm, which he retained possession of until he de- cided to locate in Bridgewater, which he did in the year 1854, purchasing the farm on which he now resides.

February 17, 1830, he was married to Mary Lam- phear. This union was blessed with six children, two of whom are now living. Mrs. Wood died April 20, 1876, and the following year-May 24, 1877-he again entered the marriage state by wed- ding Miss Victoria Kendall. She is the daughter of David and Victoria Kendall, of West Hartwick, Otsego County. Mr. Wood has, until recently, been an unusually hard-working man. His industry has been crowned with success; and now, at the advanced age of seventy-eight, can look back upon a life of labor, yet of pleasure. He is a man of unbending integrity, esteemed and respected by his neighbors for his many sterling qualities as a citizen and friend.

429

HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

SCHOOLS.

About 1796-97 a log school-house was built a mile north of North Bridgewater, near the public-house of Ezra Par- ker, on land now owned by John Tuckerman. The teacher was a male, but his name is forgotten. Esquire Rhodes remembers that he punished a scholar on one occasion by making him " get down on all fours and put his nose through a knot-hole in the floor."

Schools were also tanght carly in the Farwell Hill neigh- borhood and elsewhere, though they were few and scatter- ing, and the children were often obliged to go two or three miles to reach the log buildings, where they learned the rules and rudiments then commonly inculcated by back- woods pedagogues.

The town the present year (1878) contains 11 school districts and 365 children of school age. The apportion- ment of school moneys for 1878 is $935.38. In the records of the town for 1797 appears the following entry : " The Board of Supervisors in and for Herkimer County hereby certify that thirty-six pounds, eight shillings, and twopence is the proportion of school money for the town of Bridge- water for the year 1797."

An academy was established at Bridgewater village in 1826, and discontinned in 1839. During the first ten years of its existence it was very prosperous, and had an average attendance of 100 pupils. A commodious building was crected, at a cost of $2500, and a good chemical and philosophical apparatus furnished ; also a library.

Another school, known as the " Bridgewater Seminary," was established in December, 1847, and in May, 1849, its name was changed to the " Bridgewater Female Seni- nary." This school became very prosperous and had a large attendance, but finally declined, as had the academy before it, and at length was discontinued.

RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES. CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, BRIDGEWATER.

This society was organized March 8, 1798, with thirteen members. In 1805 a house of worship was erected two miles north of the village, in the centre of the town. Io this building meetings were held nntil 1834, when the church was divided and a new society formed at the village, which erccted the present edifice at that place. It was largely repaired and remodeled in 1876; new carpets were laid, and a fine pipe-organ purchased and placed in it at a cost of $800. Among the pastors of this church have been Revs. Jobn Southworth, A. Miller, C. Matchin, Edward Allen, and others. The present pastor is Rev. L. W. Church, of Winfield, Herkimer Co., where he also has charge of a congregation. The membership of the church at Bridgewater is about ninety. A Sunday-school is sus- tained, with an average attendance of sixty ; its Snpcrin- tendent is William H. Brown.

A SOCIETY OF FRIENDS

at one time flourisbed in town, and had a considerable membership. They built a commodious meeting-honse and held meetings for years, but finally became scattered, and in time disbanded.

BAPTIST CHURCH, BRIDGEWATER.

This church was constituted July 12, 1826, with sixteen members. Rev. Amasa Smith was settled as the first pas- tor, and labored here about nine years. During his minis- try the society increased to sixty members. He was succeeded by Rev. Jonathan P. Simmons, in April, 1835, and among the other early pastors were Revs. Jason Cor- win, Daniel Dye, P. W. Mills, and D. W. Smith, of whom the latter afterwards assumed charge of the " Bridgewater Female Seminary." The present pastor is Rev. J. H. Messenger, and the membership about forty. The Sabbath- school has an average attendance of about fifty, and is superintended by Sheridan Arnold. It has six teachers. A cabinet-organ is nsed. The first church built by this society stood npon the hill a short distance west of the vil- lage, and was erected in 1826. In 1840 it was removed nearer the centre of the village, and extensively repaired. About 1862-63, it was destroyed by fire. At that time the Baptists were not holding meetings in it, but it was occupied by the Methodists. The Episcopalians were at the same time holding services in a small building owned by them, and an agreement was made to move this to the Baptist ground, when all three denominations should con- duct their meetings in it. This was carried into effect. At present the Methodists hold no meetings, the Baptists and Episcopalians occupying the church. The Baptists hold regnlar Sabbath services, while the Episcopalians have evening meetings once in two weeks. The membership of the latter society is quite small. Their rector is Rev. J. B. Wicks, of Paris Hill. The church is a frame building.

A SOCIETY OF UNIVERSALISTS

was formed quite early, and a honse of worship erected by them in 1834, in the sonthern part of the village. The first pastor was Rev. L. D. Smith. Revs. Grosh, Brown, and Woolley were afterwards in charge. At present there is no regular pastor, and meetings are not held, although it is probable they will soon be resumed. The number of members of this denomination in the vicinity is small. The church is a frame structure, and is adjacent to a small cemetery.

The Methodists and Baptists hold services in the school- honse at Babcock's Hill, as do other denominations occa- sionally.

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History of Oneida County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 114

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