History of Oneida County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 136

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 136

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The present " Murray House" was built by Frederick Hollister while operating his factories here. In the lower story are two stores and a tin-shop. The building con- tains also a public hall, with a scating capacity of 250 to 300. The present proprietor is E. Adkins.

The Union School occupies a large two-story brick build- ing, erected in 1876. Its cost, including the furnace, was $6000. The school has three departments,-primary, in- termediate, and advanced,-with an average attendance of about 175.

The teachers in May, 1878, were : Principal, Edward M. Jones ; Assistants, Miss Fanny Petty, in charge of the room in which are the primary and intermediate depart- ments, and Miss Emma Mason, who has direct charge of the pupils in the primary department. During the winter term an assistant is employed in the advanced department. The officers of the school board are : President, William H. Barnett; Clerk, A. J. Rhodes.

Petty Post, No. 89, G. A. R., which formerly existed

here, has been disbanded. It was named in honor of Sergeant William Petty, of the 146th Infantry, who was missing and supposed to have been killed at the battle of the Wilderness, Va., May 5, 1864, as he was never heard from afterwards.

Clayville lies in the narrow valley of the Sauquoit, with steep, rugged hills rising high on either side. It bears every evidence of being a manufacturing town of no little import- ance. A very fine cemetery has been laid out to the northward of the village, and is a beautiful spot in which to lay the remains of the dear departed. The village con- tains at present four stores of various descriptions, two millinery and dressmaking establishments, and the usual number and variety of mechanic shops common to places of this size.

HOLMAN CITY.

This place lies over the hill to the eastward of Clayville, and is the centre of considerable manufacturing interests. The first settler in the locality was a man named Cutler, who came here previous to 1800, and put up a " dish-mill," or mill for making wooden bowls, on the " trout brook" which flows through the place. David Holman, Jr.,- father of Hiram Holman, now a resident of the village,- settled about 1812, and purchased the property owned by Cutler, who moved to the vicinity, half a mile below, where he also had a " dish-mill;" a factory for turning hubs being at present located at the same place, owned by J. B. Davis, and operated by himself and his son, I. E. Davis, who also do builders' and cabinet turning and job-work. Cutler finally left the town.

Several families named Potter moved in soon after Mr. Holman. The latter built a small grist-mill on the stream, and a year or two later a saw-mill also. He soon moved his grist-mill farther up the stream, in order to give the sa w-mill more power, as the demand for lumber was so great that he could not furnish it fast enough with the limited power. After a few years he put in a mill near his saw- mill for cleaning clover-seed, and had custom from localities as far away as Litchfield, Herkimer Co.

After Hiram Holman became of age he purchased of his father the upper water-privilege, and about the same time the latter sold a lot to George Mix and Joseph Howe, who built a distillery where the foundry of A. H. King now stands. After his father's death Hiram Holman purchased the old saw-mill and operated it, and in time became the owner of the remainder of his father's property (originally 75 acres, then about half diminished by sale to different parties). After timber became scarce the saw-mill was abandoned and the power transferred to the present fur- nace. The old clover-mill had been made into a distillery (as mentioned), having additions built to it, and was some time afterwards burned down, it being then the property of a man named Briggs, who soon rebuilt it. While the dis- tillery was in operation Hiram Holman ground from 10,000 to 12,000 bushels of grain for it annually, beside doing cus- tom grinding. He finally purchased the establishment, and in turn sold it to Adam Steele, who put the furnace in op- eration. Its present manufactures are plow-castings, pipe- skeins for wagons, stove-plate, etc., and a patent grapple hay-fork. Six to eight hands are employed.

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

On the upper mill-privilege now stands a cabinet-shop, owned by Cooper & Son, who employ from three to five hands and do a good business. At one time a shop was in operation here for manufacturing blacksmiths' drills, and was'owned by Tunis Leroy. The lot on which it stood he purchased of Hiram Holman. Leroy finally sold out and went to Pennsylvania, where he died.

Briggs, while running his distillery, kept a small store. Before this, William Holman, brother of David Holman, Jr., who came a few years after the latter, bought a lot of his brother and built a house and small grocery-store upon it, which was the first in the place. He moved away from the village, aud David Holman, Jr., built a store near where Hiram Holman now lives, and carried it on until compelled by ill health to discontinue business. He died soon afterwards. His father, David Holman, Sr., came to the place some years after the son had settled, and finally died here.

After the distillery went down the business of the grist- mill of necessity declined, and Hiram Holman and his brother George W. built a mill for manufacturing cotton- batting and yarn, which they operated a few years, or until the large mills farther down the creek went into the same business. The building was then rented to Mix & Kendall, who manufactured " draw-shaves." A man named Wells was for a time associated with them. These men afterwards made hoes for a man named Smith, who finally removed to Grand Rapids, Mich., where he is now engaged in the hardware business. After the manufacture of hoes was discontinued, cabinet-work was carried ou upon a small scale, together with the manufacture of boxes, saw-frames, etc., and the property was eventually sold to Charles Cooper, the present proprietor of the cabinet-shop.

A colored man named Wigdin had a small shop here at one time, in which he turned wooden bowls, which he peddled around the country.

The place now has a blacksmith-shop, a wagon-shop, and a shoemaker, besides the establishments already mentioned. There is also a wagon- and sleigh-shop a short distance down the stream, owned by Benjamin G. Chapman, and another party has recently purchased a small power here, with the intention of putting up a building in which to manufacture block maps.

Darius Dunham, grandfather of the present George D. Dunham, and the Stedman, Potter, Baker, and other fam- ilies, were among the early settlers in the eastern part of Paris. Zachariah P. Townsend, an early resident of the adjoining town of Litchfield, Herkimer Co., finally removed to this town, and lived in it until his death, at an advanced age. His widow occupies the old place southeast of Sanquoit.

To the many who have aided us in gathering the fore- going items we return sincere thanks. Among them may be mentioned J. V. H. Scovill, of Paris Hill; Dr. L. Bishop, Colonel C. S. Butler, and H. D. Brownell, of Sau- quoit ; B. T. Randal, of Cassville; Esq. Albert Barnett, G. W. Burt, and others, at Clayville; and Hiram Holman, of Holman City; together with the various pastors, mem- bers of churches, and many others.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.

STEPHEN CHAPMAN

was born in Rhode Island in 1798. When three years of age his father came to Bridgewater, Oneida County, N. Y., where he purchased a farm. Stephen spent his boyhood days upon his father's farm, receiving such educational advantages as the district school of that day afforded. Nothing of special importanee occurred until Feb. 28, 1822, when he was married to Miss Betsey, daughter of David and Huldah Holmes, by whom he had two children,-John H., born Nov. 27, 1822; George W., born June 11, 1833. Mr. Chapman was a progressive, energetic farmer, his only aim in life to succeed in his chosen calling ; and that he con- quered success, the only evidence needed was the farm upon which he lived until his death, which occurred in 1875. In his religions affiliations he was a Baptist, and a prominent supporter and a zealous member of that organi- zation, in which he officiated as deacon for twenty-seven years. In polities he was a Republican. He had no desire for political preferment, the duties of his business and his family absorbing his entire attention. His devoted wife, who is all that is expressed in the term amiable and intelligent, is still living at an advanced age.

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

REMSEN.

THIS town is in the northeastern portion of the county, and has an area of 23,364 acres. A strip in the south part lies in Servis' Patent, another on the west in Steuben's Patent, and the balance is included in the Remsenburg Patent. It was named from Henry Remsen, one of the original patentees of the latter, and was formed from Nor- way, Herkimer Co., March 15, 1798. It is watered by the Black River, West Canada Creek, and Cincinnati Creek, with their tributaries. Its surface is in general very hilly and broken, and its soil such as is peculiar to this part of the county. The present inhabitants of this town, with few exceptions, are Welsh. Owing to the fact that some errors have crept into the heretofore published histo- ries of this town, we copy extracts from the lecture de- livered at Remsen in 1851, by Hon. Didymus Thomas, still a resident in the village :

. . . " By the act erecting the county from Herkimer, it was enacted that all of the town of Norway lying in the said new county of Oneida should be crected and organized into a new town, to be called Remsen. Thus we find that, unlike most other towns, the town of Remsen was organized by the Legislature, without any petition from, or action, or movement on the part of the inhabitants of said town. This was in the year 1798, March 15, just four years after the arri- val of the first settler on said tract of land. The first white inhabit- ant of that part of tho town of Norway now constituting Remsen was Shubael Cross, of Massachusetts, who, in March, 1794, left the valley of the Mohawk at Utica, and with his family struck into the forest, and formed u line of marked trees along the valley of Cincin- natus Creek, through the site of the present village of Remsen, and finally stopped and put up a log cabin at what has since heen called Burrett's Milla, now called Boardwell Settlement, and there struck

508

HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

the first blow, and felled the first tree, and made the first clearing within the present limits of the town of Remsen, and there eon- structed the first grist-mill in town; and, instead of using the fine water-power there, it was propelled by wind, and in place of stone to grind he used pestle to pound and mash the corn,-possibly, and very probably, hollowing out the top of a large stump for a mortar, and n spring-pole for pestle, as usual with pioneers. Subsequently he put up the first saw mill, a little below the site of the Boardwell saw- mill, and getting wet in that cold stream (well known to our fisher- men) gave him a cold, which, for a season, caused a derangement of his mental powers, and finally ending, as near as I can learn, in the first death in town, and that of the first pioneer, who was the first constable and collector in town ; and the body, without the benefit of clergy or the solemnities of burial-service, was placed in the lap of its mother earth in the wilderness of Crosstown.

" The following year, 1795, Shubnel Cross was followed by three more with their families; John Bonner, a native of England, moved here from Vermont, and took up the lot afterwards owned and occu - pied by Jenkin Jones. Subsequently he moved West, where a son re- sided, and where he died. Of him and the noted hunter and Indian- killer, Green White, of this town, is told rather an amusing anecdote. Whilst ont on a hunting tour they had a falling out, which ended in a fight. Green White being small in stature, but smart and nimble, for a spell pelted Bonner rather uncomfortably, but Bonner finally getting hold of him, and being a large, powerful man, and good- natured, as strong men generally are, crushed White to the earth and there held him. Finally, when White saw there was no chance for him, says he, 'Bonner, what's the use to fight ? There's no one to see who whips!' Bonnner at once released him, and they were friends again.

" At the same time with Mr. Bonner, Mr. Barnabas Mitchell and Amos Bull, with their families, moved into town, said Mitehell being the father of Mrs. Polly Van Slyke, the first-born of the town of Rem- sen, who settled on the land since owned an l occupied by his son, Milo Mitchell, where he lived for a series of years and where he died. Amos Bull settled on and cleared the land which was long called Bull's Commons, and later the 'Camnp Farm,' which place he left in disgust, -believing (as others ilid for years) the place to be not worth fencing, even where cleared,-and removed to the town of Floyd, where he died.

" These four first settlers were soon followed by Ephraim Hollister, father-in-law of Judge Storrs, of Trenton, who followed brick-making on the Mitehell 'Bryn y Gloek' farm, and who, in April, 1798, was elected the first supervisor of the town of Remsen, at the first town- meeting, held at the log dwelling of Samuel Howe, at Cross Settlement, and who was the first justice of the peace in this town. Ile subse- quently removed to Trenton, where he diod."

A Mr. King arrived about this time also, and kept the first public-honse. His daughter is supposed to have been the first person married in this town, having cutered the bonds of wedlock about 1800. Stephen Hutchinson also came early, and located on the Price farm ; he was subsequently elected the first overscer of the poor, and in his barn was delivered, by an itinerant missionary, the first religious dis- course ever preached in Remsen.

The pioneer settler of the village of Remsen was Peter Becker, who built a small log cabin, subsequently selling the same, with his one-hundred-acre lot, to Deacon Platt, of Steuben. The cabin was soon after set on fire and burned. About the same time Joseph Brownell bought the one-hun- dred-acre lot on which stands the upper tavern. He was one of the three road commissioners elected at the first town- meeting. He soon sold his place to Oliver Smith, and re- moved, probably to the town of Steuben. Gershom Hinkley, a surveyor, was elected highway commissioner in his place. On the farm of the latter, at Fairchild Corners, was erected the first school-house in town.

James Smith and his son, Joab, settled about 1795. The former kept a public-house in 1797, on the place after-

wards occupied by Captain Root. The son died at Sacket's Harbor during the war of 1812. There came also about the same time Jacob Dayton, Nathaniel Rockwood, Solo- mon Gillett, Percz Farr, Ebenezer Dodd, William Platt (the monomaniae money-digger), Philip Scott, the first physician in town, who lived on the Richard Morgan place, and for several years after the organization of the town officiated as town clerk, and Rev. Edmund Tefft, the first resident minister. He was a Baptist, and an inveterate snuff-taker, and was wont to take a pinch in the middle of his discourse.

The first Welsh settler in this town was David Jones, father of Mrs. John Pugh, of Remsen village, who took up the Billings lot, on the Steuben Road. The first Welsh- men who came here were great curiosities to the earlier settlers, and when William Tefft, a native of Remsen, saw one for the first time (who happened to be Thomas Thomas, tben of Steuben, and afterwards of Remsen), he could hardly tell which was the greatest curiosity, his face as a Welsh- man or his wooden leg.

"In the year 1803, Broughton White, and his brother- in-law, Lemuel Hough, moved into town from Steuben, and started an ashery in company, on Steuben Street, and after- wards Esquire White opened a small grocery-store in a log building on the site of the present store, where he kept a few goods, principally to exchange for ashes ; this being the first store ever opened in the village of Remsen. . . . Es- quire White subsequently put up a part of the yellow build- ing adjoining the store, which is said to be the oldest frame building now in the town of Remsen." Broughton White, Esq., sold out his store to John Mappa and Jacob Belticher, who subsequently disposed of the property to Heman Ferry.

The cast part of town, commonly called " Ninety-six," was settled about 1816. The first frame building erected in this part of town was a barn belonging to " Uncle Tom Nichols."

About the year 1808, David Manual, John James, Grif- fith I. Jones, John Owens, and Hugh Hughes, from Wales, located in town. Griffith O. Griffiths, of Remsen village, recently deceased, was the first Welsh child born in the State west of the Hudson River.

THE FIRST TOWN-MEETING

was held in 1798. The carly records of the town are miss- ing, and it is impossible to give the names of those elected at that first meeting. Hon. Pomroy Jones, in his "Annals of Oncida County," has fortunately given the Supervisors of the town up to 1851, as follows: 1798, Ephraim Hol- lister ; 1799-1808, Gershon Hinckley ; 1809-19, Brough- ton White ; 1820-21, James Sheldon ; 1822-23, Zalmon Root ; 1824-25, Luther Conkling; 1826-28, Lemuel Hough ; 1829-34, Henry R. Sheldon ; 1835-38, Mather Beecher ; 1839-43, Evan Owens; 1844, Thomas R. White ; 1845, Obadiah J. Owens ; 1846, Griffith O. Griffiths ; 1847, Andrew Billings; 1848-49, William H. Thomas ; 1850, Evan Jones. Mr. Jones held the office through 1854, and the Supervisors since have been : 1855, Joseph H. Montagne ; 1856-58, Didymus Thomas ; 1859, Samuel Lamb ; 1860-61, John J. Vaughn; 1862, William H. Owen ; 1863, James Mitchell ; 1864, William H. Owen ;

MRS. J. B.WITHERELL.

J. B.WITHERELL.

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

RESIDENCE OF JEROME B. WITHERELL, REMSEN , ONEIDA Co., N. Y.

RESIDENCE OF C.R. THOMAS.

SAW MILL.

TANNERY.

J. R.THOMAS' RESIDENCE.

BABTIST CHURCH

VIEW DE SAW MILL , TANNERY AND RESIDENCES.of J.R.Nº C. R.THOMAS, REMSEN, ONEIDA CO ., N. Y.

LITH. MY L.H. EVENTS.PHILADELPHIA.

509

HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

1865, Morgan Owen ; 1866-67, Silas Moore; 1868, Wil- liam A. Thomas ; 1869-72, James Mitchell ; 1873-74, Evan G. Williams; 1875-76, Richard R. Jones; 1877- 78, John R. Thomas. The balance of the officers for 1878 are : Town Clerk, George E. Pugh ; Justice of the Peace, William P. Jones; Assessor, Richard Richards; Commis- sioner of Highways, Richard J. Thomas ; Overseers of the Poor, Hugh R. Hughes, Thomas Roberts; Collector, John H. Jones ; Constables, John H. Jones, John H. Williams, John W. Roberts, Thomas J. Williams, Edgar Mitchell ; Town Auditors, Samuel Lamb, Francis J. Evans, Lewis Francis; Inspectors of Election, District No. 1, Edgar Mitchell, George W. Owen, Fred. C. Phelps; District No. 2, Stephen James, Luther Davis, William H. Smith ; Game Constable, William M. Jones; Sealer of Weights and Measures, Robert Edwards; Commissioner of Excise, Griffith Richards.

SCHOOLS.

The first school in town is referred to in Mr. Thomas' lecture. The first district school in the village was built in 1814; the first meeting of the inhabitants of the dis- triet for school purposes having been held September 4, 1813. At this meeting Joseph Halstead was moderator, and Herman Ferry clerk. The first trustees were John Platt, Lemnel Hough, and Ezra Green. In December, 1813, it was voted by the board " that Broughton White be instructor of said school for this winter." Austin Ward was another early teacher, and also taught singing-school. He was several times candidate for Governor of the State on the abolition ticket. This first school-house was a frame building, and stood in the upper part of the village.

The town contains eleven districts, including two joint districts in connection with Forestport and Trenton. The number of school children is 380, and the average attend- ance, 160. The amount of school moneys paid to districts for 1878 is $1127.94.

RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.

The first religious organization was a Presbyterian so- ciety, which was formed at an early date in Remsen village. It has become extinct.

The oldest Welsh religious society is the Calvinistic Methodist, which has several churches, including one in the village. The Welsh Congregationalists and Baptists, organized at nearly the same time, are next in age. Each denomination has a church in the village; the Baptist organized in 1832, and the Congregational in 1837. There is also a Methodist Episcopal Church in the place, which is the only society other than Welsh in the towo.

The town contains twelve churches at present, viz., three Welsh Congregational, two Welsh Baptists, four Welsh Calvinistic, two Methodist Episcopal, and one Wesleyan (also Welsh). One of the Congregational Churches is lo- cated in the eastern part of town (near the Wesleyan Church), and has taken the name of that locality,-" Ninety-six."

THE VILLAGE OF REMSEN

was incorporated by an aet of the Legislature passed in 1845. On the first Tuesday in May of that year an elec- tion was held, at which the following officers were chosen,

viz. : Trustees, John H. Smith, Andrew Billings, Griffith B. James ; Assessors, Thomas R. Hawley, G. B. James, Morgan Owens; Fire-Warden, Mather Beecher; Clerk, Evan Jones ; Treasurer, John T. Griffiths; Collector, Josiah Griffiths.

July 19, 1845, the trustees appointed the following fire- men : George P. Bridgman, Morgan Owens, John Edmunds, Owen E. Jones, William L. Williams, William E. Lewis, Thomas Jones, Edward James, Henry Crosby, Griffith J. Griffiths, Istac W. Roberts, Delos Bearhyte, A. H. Doty, Francis Prindle, Seth Wells, Jr. These were ordered to "appear in uniform adopted by themselves." This company was called " Engine Company, No. 1." Isaac W. Roberts was chosen foreman, and a uniform adopted consisting of red coat and black tarpaulin hat. A hook-and-ladder com- pany was organized July 19, 1845, with nine members, having John T. Griffiths as foreman. A small hand-engine was procured, and for some years the village rejoiced in the possession of an efficient fire company. It at length becanie disorganized, and finally disbanded.

An election was held again in 1846, which through some informality was found to be illegal, and the officers of 1845 held over. The trustees since 1847 have been :

1847 .- Z. D. Root, Mather Beecher, Isaae W. Roberts. 1848 .- G. A. Yeomans, N. C. Phelps; O. J. Owens. 1849 .- F. W. Buckingham, J. H. Smith, Z. D. Root. 1850 .- Morgan Owens, Fred. E. Hale, Jonah Griffith. 1851 .- No record.

1852 .- William E. Owen, Griffith O. Griffiths, Josiah Griffith.

1833 .-- Griffith O. Griffiths, John R. Jones, Robert P. Williams.

1854 .- Morgan Owen, James Owens, William W. Thomas.

1855 .- No record.

1856 .- A. C. Herron, G. O. Griffiths, Didymus Thomas.

1857 .- No record.

1858 .- Henry W. Roberts, Delos Bearhyte,* R. P. Williams.

1859 .- Morgan Owens, S. Donglas, D. Bearhyte.

1860 .- G. O. Griffiths, William W. Thomas, William E. White.

1861 .- D. Bearhyte, W. H. Williams, W. S. Evans. 1862 .- Same as 1861 ; also same in 1863.

1864 .- G. O. Griffiths, J. Mitchell, John D. Griffiths.

1865 .- James Mitchell, Morgan Owen, Josiah Griffith. 1866 .- Richard R. Jones, William H. Williams, Robert W. Roberts.

1867-68 .- No record.

1869 .- John P. Samuel, Robert W. Roberts, Hugh Hughes.

1870 .- William W. Thomas, Evan G. Williams, Row- land Anthony.

1871 .- No record.

In 1872 a new charter was obtained under the general act for incorporation of villages. The officers elected in that year were : President, Dr. R. H. Wiggins; Trustees, Joseph Roberts, R. W. Roberts, " Jink" Jones.

* Also written Burhyte.

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

1873 .- President, Dr. R. H. Wiggins; Trustees, R. W. Roberts, Thomas J. Anthony, Evan Roberts.

1874 .- President, Dr. R. H. Wiggins ; Trustees, Rich- ard R. Jones, Jenkin Jones, Thomas O. Roberts.

1875 .- President, Dr. R. H. Wiggins; Trustees, R. W. Roberts, Hugh H. Thomas, John P. Samuel.

1876 .- President, Joseph I. Francis; Trustees, John P. Samuel, Hugh H. Thomas, R. W. Roberts.

1877 .- President, R. W. Roberts; Trustees, Joseph P. Samuel, John R. Ellis, Hugh H. Thomas.

1878 .- President, Richard R. Jones ; Trustees, John R. Ellis, Richard Richards, Owen S. Evans ; Treasurer, George W. Owen; Collector, William J. Jones; Corpora- tion Clerk, D. Spencer Anthony.

William Platt, who settled at the village in 1795, built a small grist-mill on the creek, and its foundation is now a part of the mill owned by Matthew Jones. There were several brothers named Platt who settled in this town, Steuben, and Boonville, and erected mills.

The early settlers of the village came mostly from the town of Steuben, after the death of the Baron ; they were in every instance intelligent and capable men, and made good eitizens.

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History of Oneida County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 136

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