History of Oneida County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 138

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 138

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

His wife died Jan. 11, 1829. He married, for second 65

wife, Mrs. Anna Humphries, widow of John Humphries, and by her had five children, viz., Catharine, Eliza, Ann, Hannah, Harriet, and Bell, all of whom are deceased ex- cept the latter, who is the wife of Captain Andrew Wood, of Remsen.

Photo. by Mundy & Williams.

MILO MITCHELL.

Mr. Mitchell was one of the most successful farmers in Oncida County. He owned, at the time of his death, fourteen hundred acres of the best farming lands of Reni- sen. For fifteen years before his death he retired from the active working of his lands, renting them out. At the suggestion of his son James, he built the first cheese-factory in Remsen, the second in the United States, one built by Jesse Williams in the town of Rome being the first. He served in the town offices of highway commissioner, asses- sor, and justice of the peace. He was a hard worker, ener- getic, of strict integrity, and possessed of an indomitable will. The poor had no better friend. First a Whig then Republican in politics. From the age of fifteen a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, he was a leading spirit in the building of the Methodist Episenpal Churches at Remsen village, Fairchild's, and Prospect. He died March 31, 1870.

JAMES MITCHELL

was born in Remsen, Oneida Co., N. Y., Dec. 26, 1823, the second child and only son of Milo and Catharine Mitchell. He worked at home on the farm to the age of seventeen. He then commenced clerking for J. J. Owen, in Prospect, where he remained two years and a half. He received his education in the district schools of the neighborhood, at the old Oneida Institute, and the academy at Holland Pateut. Taught school two winters and one summer at Prospect.

Was married, Dec. 26, 1844, to Sarah G. Thomas, daughter of John and Sarah Thomas, of Prospect. Mrs. Mitchell was born July 2, 1827. Her father was a native of Wales, her mother of Germantown, Pa. William A. Thomas, a fariner living near Rome, is her only brother.

514

HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

To Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell children have been born as fol- lows: Hinkley G., born Feb. 22, 1846, graduate of the Wesleyan University, Middletown, Conn., also of the The- ological University of Boston, now a student in the Uni- versity of Leipsic, Germany ; Roselleo, boro Jan. 22, 1848, wife of Wm. B. Roberts, living in Remsen ; Edwin B., born Jan. 4, 1850, educated at Fairchild and Falley Semi- naries, practicing law under the firm-name of Brown & Mitchell at Herkimer, Herkimer Co., N. Y .; James Edgar, born Aug. 4, 1853, married Libbie J. Williams, living near his father, and assisting in the conduct of his extensive farming interest ; Milo Jesse, born Sept. 20, 1860, living at home; Katie B., born April 29, 1863, living at home.

Mr. Mitchell engaged in mercantile business at Prospect, and nine years at West Branch, town of Lee. He then purchased the General Root homestead and farm of two hundred acres, situated near Remsen village, to which he has since added one hundred more. He carried on these farms, together with the management of the large landed property of his father. After his father's death, by purchase from heirs, he came into possession of about eight hundred acres of his father's estate, and at the present time works about twelve hundred acres of land.

For the last three years he has dealt largely in cattle. In the management of this large landed property, Mr. M. has proved himself a worthy successor of his father. In politics he has always taken a prominent part in the town. His first vote for President was cast for James G. Birney. Was always a strong anti-slavery and temperance man. He served as town supervisor five years; was elected to the Assembly in the fall of 1853, as a Maine Law Whig, and served on the Maine Law and Claims committees. In his own neighborhood, Mr. Mitchell will perhaps be best re- membered as a Sabbath-school man, having served in the capacity of Sabbath-school Superintendent of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Reisen village continuously for seven- teen years. Both Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell have been for many years members of that church.

DIDYMUS THOMAS.

The subject of this sketch, the fourth of five brothers, was born May 24, 1812, under the shadow of the historic grove in which lies all that is mortal of Baron de Steuben, iu the township named in honor of the illustrious dead.

His parents were natives of Caernarvonshire, North Wales. His grandparents, with eight of their children, landed at Philadelphia in the year 1795, leaving one son in his native land, who attained great eminence as a scholar and poet, under the nom-de-plume of " Evan Prydydd" (Evan the Poct). His writings, since compiled by his son, are now conspicuous in almost every Cambrian household. Thomas Thomas, the father of Didymus, in his youth led a seafaring life, and at the age of twenty-one (having previ- ously become an American citizen, by the act of his father) suffered the indignity of seizure by a British man-of-war, whilst en route from New York to Liverpool in the merchant service. He and two fellow-sailors were impressed into the British service, a species of barbarism then in vogue on the part of England, which was not fully abandoned until the treaty of Ghent, at the conclusion of the second war be-

tween that power and the United States. Directly follow- ing Mr. Thomas' enforced service under the British flag, against the first Napoleon, the vessel to which he had been forcibly transferred engaged a French frigate of superior armament, and during the bloody carnage which ensued Mr. Thomas suffered the loss of his right lower limb, which was carried away by a thirty-six-pound cannon-ball. The engagement was not decisive in consequence of a deuse fog which separated the combatants. His limb was amputated by the ship's surgeon, and he was soon transferred to the hospital at Halifax, thence to London, where he remained until his cure was effected, when he returned to his native home in Wales. He married Miss Mary Hughes, and soon thereafter re-embarked for the land of his adoption, arriv- ing in Philadelphia in the year 1800, where he remained four years ; his father and family having, in the mean time, removed to Trenton, N. Y., whither Mr. Thomas followed them, reaching Steuben in the year 1804. At this time the fame of the baron, and the grand and salubrious hills comprising his patrimony, had become widely spread, and was attracting the Welshi emigrants, of whom Mr. Thomas was a pioneer. And such was his energy, indomitable perseverance, and judgment, although wearing a " wooden leg," none surpassed him as a successful agriculturist, or more satisfactorily discharged public trusts devolving upon him as a citizen. Mr. Thomas survived to his eighty-sixth year, and liad used an artificial limb for the unprecedented period of sixty-five years. Thus, for nearly the space al- lotted to human life, did he endure this great deprivation, the result of British tyranny. But io justice to England, it is proper to state that, although the subject of another government, he was up to the time of his death a British pensioner, an anomalous case, and exceptional throughout the records of English admiralty.

Didymus Thomas was always studiously inclined. He obtained a good academic education, and in early life inter- spersed farm labor with school-teaching, harboring a pre- conceived idea also entertained by his father of devoting himself to the profession of medicine, in which he did em- bark as a student; but the duties developing more and more of that which was repugnant to his nature, the further pursuit of the profession was abandoned, and he entered upon the business of merchandising. Throughout the years to which he devoted himself to this pursuit, as clerk and as principal, fidelity to every trust was his unvarying maxim.

In later years Mr. Thomas was extensively engaged in the manufacture of cheese, using for the purpose a large building (represented in the drawing on another page) which, at the time, was one of the best patronized factories in the vicinity, and the product of which was regarded in the English markets among the best of American make. But owing to the onerous duties imposed, and unreasonable exactions of patrons, unfortunately for himself and the community the business was abandoned, and the premises leased for other purposes. But for many years past he has devoted his time and means to real estate transactions, in which he is extensively engaged at the present time. He has been prominently identified with positions of honor and trust, in- teresting himself actively in all educational interests in the

515

HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

community, discharging the duties of magistrate, supervisor, postmaster, etc., with uniform ability and fidelity, and sub- sequently representing his district in the State Legislature in a manner highly creditable to himself and most satisfac- tory to his constituents, taking an active part in all the im- portant work of the session. A singular circumstance con- nected with his election to the Legislature was the fact,- being then a supervisor, he officially certified to his own election as chairman of the board of canvassers, in which proceedings his opponent also participated as a member of the board of county canvassers. Mr. Thomas has been twice married. His first wife was the daughter of Rev. William G. Pierce, a pioneer in the ministry of his native town. She lived but a few years after her marriage ; one daughter now survives her, who, with her husband, is abroad, and is at the present time sojourning in Wales, revelling in the gorgeous scenes of mountain, valley, and stream ; scenes in the midst of which generations of her ancestors played their parts and went hence.

His present estimable aod accomplished wife is a daugh- ter of John R. Griffith, Esq., deceased, of Philadelphia, who was an honored and successful business man of that city.

Mr. Thomas is an exceptionally rigid temperance advo- cate, having never during his life made usc of alcoholic stimulants or tobacco in any form, nor with money or io- fluence contributed in support of habits which he deems so pernicious.

Of the five brothers, four still live in the town of Rem- sen, and within a few miles of the place of their birth. Still more remarkable is the fact, that the mother and the grandparents of these brothers, together with the eight children whom they brought to this country, all sleep in the little churchyard. Capal-Ucha (upper church) referred to, is shown in the background of the drawing on the left side, only a short distance from the northwest corner of Mr. Thomas' farm, which was erccted by the first Welsh religious organization formed north of the Mohawk River ; and thus, notwithstanding the flight of years, and the mul- tifarious changes they have wrought in their course, the living and the dead of this family still remain in close proximity.

In politics Mr. Thomas has always been an ardent Free- Soil Democrat, but never failing, either by his vote or influ- ence, to promote the cause of temperance.

CHAPTER XXXIX.

SANGERFIELD.

SANGERFIELD is the westernmost of the southern tier of towns in the county of Oneida, and has an area of 19,183 acres. It includes the greater part of township No. 20, of the Chenango " Twenty Towns," and is watered by the east branch of the Oriskany and the west branch of the Che- nango Creeks. Its surface is an upland, from 700 to 800 feet higher than the Mohawk at Utica, and considerably hilly. Along the west branch of the Chenango is what is

known as the Great Swamp, extending from near Water- ville to the southern border of the town, and averaging a mile in width. It was originally covered with a heavy growth of pine and cedar. The soil in the valleys is a rich alluvium, and that on the hills a gravelly loam. The great industry of this town is the culture of hops, which in most years has been a source of large profit to the inhabitants. Stock-raising is also extensively engaged in, and consider- able grain is produced. Bailey's Pond, in the southern part of town, covers about 10 acres, and lies 200 feet above the Great Swamp. It has been sounded to the depth of 120 feet without touching bottom.

Under a law passed in February, 1789, this town was surveyed in the summer of that year. In 1790 and 1791 it was purchased of the State upon speculation, chiefly by Michael Myers, Jedediah Sanger, and John J. Morgan, and a considerable portion of it was subsequently leased in perpetuity. The following is a copy of the record of this case, subsequent to the application of the above-named gentlemen :

" The application of Michael Myers, Jededinh Sanger, and John J. Morgan for the purchase of Townships No. 18 and 20, and the parts uasold by the Surveyor-General of Township No. 19, being three of the Twenty Townships surveyed by the Surveyor-General pursuant to an act passed the 25th day of February, 1789. The two first town- ships, to wit, Nos. 18 and 20, at the rate of 3 shillings and 3 penee per acre, and the parts of No. 19 nosold, as above mentioned, at the rate of 3 shillings and 1 penoy per acre; one-sixth part thereof to be paid on the 1st day of Octuber next, and the residue in two equal payments, the one-half on the 1st of April, 1792, and the remaining half on the Ist of January, 1793, being read and dnly considered. (Accepted.)

" Acres, 67,130 = £10,908, 15 shillings."#

The "Great Swamp" has been drained and converted into valuable meadow-lands, and most of its timber has been cleared away. The town was named from Colonel Jedediah Sanger, one of its original proprietors, and the pioneer of New Hartford. It was formed from Paris, March 5, 1795, and included what is now Bridgewater ; the latter was taken off in 1797. From March 15, 1798, to April 4, 1804, the town of Sangerfield was included in Chenango County, but at the latter date an act was passed annexing it to Oneida.

FIRST TOWN-MEETING, ETC.

"SANGERFIELD, April 7, 1795. " Agreeable to a law in that case made and provided, the Free- holders and Inhabitants (qualified to vote for Town Officers) of Sanger met at the house of Zerah Phelps. After the meeting was opened voted to adjoura to the barn.

" 2d. Made choice of Thomas Brown, Esq., Town Clerk.

"3d. Chosen David Norton Supervisor."

The remaining officers chosen were as follows, viz. : As- sessor, Joseph Farwell, Daniel Brown, and Ezra Parker ; Constables and Collectors, Jonathan Porter and David Chapin ; Overseers of the poor, Oliver Norton and Thomas Converse; Commissioners of Highways, Timothy White, Saul Smith, and Oliver Norton ; Pathmasters, Jonathan Palmer, Eldad Corbet, John W. Brown, James Kenny, Eri Brooks, Philip King, Asahel Hunt, Jesse Ives, Roger W. Steele, John Phillips, Thomas Stephens, Oliver Eagur,

# Documentary History of New York, vol. iii. p. 1072.

516

HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

Zerah Phelps, Joel Blair, Solomon Williams, Benjamin White, John Stone, Joseph Putney, Moses Bush, Elias Montgomery, and Thomas Hale; Fence-Viewers, Ezra Parker, Joel Blair, Nathan Gurney, Uri Brooks, and David Norton, Esq.

" Voted to build two pounds : one at or near the house of Ebenezer Moody, and the other near the house of Ebenezer Hale." These two gentlemen were chosen poundmasters.

" Voted to hold the next town-meeting at Timothy White's dwelling-house."

The Supervisor of Sangerfield in 1796 was David Nor- ton ; for the four years from 1797 to 1800 inclusive the record is incomplete; those since 1801 have been the fol- lowing: 1801, Amos Muzzy; 1802, Oliver Norton; 1803- 4, Justus Tower; 1805, Benjamin White; 1806-9, Oliver C. Seabury ; 1810, John Williams; 1811, O. C. Seabury ; 1812, Josiah Bacon ; 1813, O. C. Seabury ; 1814-20, Josiah Bacon; 1821-23, Reuben Bacon ; 1824-27, Sam- uel M. Mott; 1828, Josiah Bacon ; 1829-31, Samuel M. Mott; 1832, Reuben Bacon; 1833, John Mott, Jr .; 1834, Erastus Jeffers ; 1835, Levi D. Carpenter ; 1836, Erastus Jeffers ; 1837-40, Horace Bigelow ; 1841-42, Julius Tower; 1843, Horace Bigelow; 1844, Otis Webster; 1845, Amos O. Osborn; 1846, Erastus A. Walter; 1847- 48, De Witt C. Tower; 1849, John W. Stafford; 1850- 51, George W. Cleveland; 1852-54, James M. Tower; 1855, Edwin H. Lamb ; 1856, Hull Page; 1857-62, Platt Camp; 1863-76, James G. Preston; 1877-78, Marion B. Crossett. The remaining officers for 1878 are the follow- ing: Town Clerk, E. H. Mott, who has held the office con- tinuously sinec 1852, with the exception of the four years from 1860 to 1863 inclusive; Assessor, William S. Smith ; Overseer of the Poor, Delos C. Terry ; Collector, Marion J. West ; Constables, M. J. West, Isaac H. Benedict, William H. Randell, James D. Terry, William Bardin ; Inspectors of Election, Distriet No. 1, Hermon Clark, C. M. Felton, John B. Jones; Distriet No. 2, W. F. Bayless, A. G. Haven, Frank B. Demming ; Town Collector, Morris Terry, George Beach, Franeis H. Terry ; Excise Commis- sioner, G. N. Loek ; Justices of the Peace, George H. Church, L. G. Williams, George W. Cleveland, Orlando Stetson.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

The article relating to this town which was published in Judge Jones' history of the county was prepared for him by Amos O. Osborn, of Waterville, and from it we make liberal extraets.

In the fall of 1791, Zerah Phelps, who had previously purchased lot No. 42 in this town, sent his hired man to build a log house upon it. This building stood about a mile southeast of Sangerfield Centre, and was the first tene- ment erected for a settler in the town. Mr. Phelps was then a resident of the " Green Woods," in Massachusetts.

" About the first of March, 1792, Minierva Hale and wife, and Nathan Gurney and wife and infant, moved into the town from New Hartfurd, where they had previously resided one or two years. The first day of their journey they reached the house of Simon Hubbard, in the town of Marshall, where they remained overnight. Their con- veyances were ox-teams and sleds. On the next morning, the snow being very deep, they made short yokos for their oxen, and using their

bed-cords for traces, they drove them tandem, and thus plowed their way to their new forms. The distance from Mr. Hubbard's was but about four miles, hut such was the almost impassable state of their route (for road they had none) over hills and logs, across and through creeks, swamps, and thickets, overlaid with at least four feet of snow, that it was quite night before they reached its termination. Mr. Hnle had purchased land adjoining the lut of Mr. Phelps, aud Mr. Gurney had purchased lot No. 40, now in the village of Waterville, and a part of which was afterwards owned by Aaron Stafford, Esq., whose father, Ichabod Stafford, noticed as among the earliest settlers of Augusta, purchased of Gurney. They both, however, proceeded to the house of Mr. Phelps, who had moved into it only two or three days pre- viously, and here they remained until they built houses for them- selves. The three men, their wives, and Gurney's child all occupied the same room, and fur the best of reasons,-it was the only one in the house or in the tuwn. In the month of April, when the heavy body of snow on the ground began to melt, their proximity to the creek became a source of considerable annoyance. After a very warm day and night, for the season, upoe nwaking in the morning, they found a portion of the creek had formed a current directly through the house. A sort of cellar had been dug, large enough for present pur- poses, under the floor in the centre of the room, of which the water had taken possession, and the pork-barrel was merrily waltzing in the eddy. The women remained in bed while the men waded out and cut large logs, un which to make a fire. During the remainder of the day, aod until the water subsided, the women perfurmed all their housework while upon their beds. Mr. Gurney immediately went to work upon his land, and was the first settler in Waterville."

In the month of April following Benjamin White came and settled on a farm ineluded in lots Nos. 39 and 40, the same afterwards occupied by Amos Osborn. The same year witnessed a number of new arrivals. Phineas Owen and the father of Nathan Gurney settled on lot No. 40; and in April and May there arrived Sylvanus Dyer, Asahel Bellows, Nathaniel Ford, Henry Knowlton, Jonathan Strat- ton, and a Mr. Clark. These were all the families in town in 1792. Nathaniel Ford was really the first one of the actual settlers that visited the town, as he had helped survey it io 1789, and located upon the lot then selected.

Early in the fall of 1792 a serious frost occurred, which utterly destroyed the corn erop, and frightened away emi- grants until 1794 ; even those already here thought seriously of removing if the next year should prove as unfortunate.

In May, 1792, Mr. Clark had his leg badly erushed by a falling tree, the accident happening on Saturday afternoon. He was taken at once to the house of Mr. Hale, but newly erected, and made as comfortable as circumstances would permit. A surgeon's presence was necessary, and Mr. Hale, mounting the only horse in town, started in quest of one, carrying a torch to light his way, and being guided only by the moss on the north sides of the trees. He arrived early Sunday morning at Whitestown, but finding no physician there who dared to perform amputation, he proceeded to Fort Schuyler, where he found Dr. Guiteau, who returned with him. The doctor examined the man's leg, but did not wish to operate without the aid and counsel of an older practitioner, and Dr. Petrie, of Herkimer, was accordingly sent for. Upon his arrival, on Tuesday, the two, with the assistance of Dr. Elmer, of Paris, amputated the limb.

The first white child born in the town was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Zerah Phelps, whose birth occurred in July, 1792. This family afterwards removed to Batavia, Genesee Co., where another daughter was the first white ehild born in that town. Mr. Phelps was a member of the first grand jury ever impaneled west of the Genesee River. The

517

HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

first white male child boro in Sangerfield was Seneca Hale, son of Mr. and Mrs. Minierva Hale, the date of his birth being Jan. 20, 1793.

Several false alarms from Indians occurred during the year 1792, and the settlers prudently made friends of the red denizens of the forest rather than in any manner to incur their displeasure. The Indian trail-" Oneida Path"- entered the town about two and a half miles east of its northwest corner, and left it but a few rods west of the southeast corner, and sometimes the Indians were seen along it in considerable numbers while on their fishing and hunting expeditions from Oncida to the Unadilla.

" One afternoon, in the early part of October, all the men in the town, eight in number, were collected together, constructing a bridge over the Oriskany Creek, near the subsequent site of the woolen-fac- tory. While thus engaged they heard the hum of many voices, and a scout who was dispatched soon reported that about 150 Indians, of all sizes, were passing on their path to the Uondilla, about 200 rods from where the men were. Mr. Hale, knowing that if nothing worse happened his wife would be sadly frightened, started for his home, but did not arrive as soon as the Indians. Mrs. Phelps, wbo had just finished baking when she first saw the Indians, left all but her infant and rao to Mr. Hale's, and, co her arrival, Mrs. Hale, who was equally frightened, proposed to run to the men. Mrs. Phelps, however, objected to this, on account of her being burdened with her infant, and at that moment they saw through the window a single Indian approaching the house. Mrs. Hale concluded that the two could conquer him, nod, if not, they would meet the worst as they best could. The Indian, who from his appearance she supposed to be the son of a chief, addressed her in the Indian dialect, which of course was not understood. Mrs. Hale, in haste to see the end of the matter, pole and frightened as she was, assumed ao nir of unconcern, and said, ' If you want anything, use plain language and say what it is; if I have it, you shall have it.' He immediately responded, ' Bread,' and was almost as soon supplied with all she had. The In- dian took ont of his helt of wampum a silver brooch, of the value perhaps of a shilling, and offered to pay for the brend, but this was refused, and he was told it was given him. He left with a smile upon his face, and was soon with his comrades, who were in full possession of Mrs. Phelps' house, and a shout of laughter, which made many broad acres of the forest ring, announced bis arrival. Mrs. Hale said she presumed the merriment was caused by his description to the In- dians of the ridiculous figure she mads when, pole and trembling with fear, she assumed so bold an air while addressing him. Mrs. Phelps, to her astonishment, upon returning to her house found her own bread untouched, and everything precisely as she had left it, as if no one had been there."#

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Oneida County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 138

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