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 156
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573
HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
improvements in his absence. Mr. Van Eps came to the month of the Oriskany in 1785 and established a small trading-post, bartering with the Indians mostly for furs, and occasionally taking a pack and making a trip to the Oneida Castle. On one of these occasions he met a half- breed Indian named Nicholas Jourdan, with whom he stayed over night. His wigwam was west from Vernon Centre, on the west side of Scanandoa Creek, whichi at the time was very high and full of salmon. The Indians that night speared about half a cord of them by torch-light, and Van Eps ate one of the finest of them for his breakfast the next morning. A few apple-trees were then standing on Jour- dan's improvement. The clearing where his wigwam stood was known as " Nicholas' lower place," and another, owned by him on the east side of the creek, farther up, as "Nicholas' upper place."
Van Eps continued his business at Oriskany until prob- ably 1787, when he left and moved into the town of West- moreland, and built a small log store on the farm of Judge Dean. In 1792-93 he erected a building north of the Westmoreland furnace, in a portion of which he placed liis stock of merchandise, and in the other began keeping house, having been married to a Miss Young, of Schenec- tady. He was the first merchant in Westmoreland, as he had been in the county, and supplied both settlers and Indians with such articles as they needed. He became master of the Oneida dialect, and transacted all his business with the Indians in their own language. When his patent in Vernon was granted he immediately built a store upon it, on the flat in the eastern part of what is now Vernon village. In this same building Gershom Hubbell kept a tavern for a short time for the accommodation of emigrants.
Mr. Van Eps built a small dwelling at the village in 1798, and moved into it and opened his store, being the first merchant also in this town. He conducted his business here with much profit, and in 1809 removed to Schenec- tady. He continued for some time as a partner in business at Verooo, but eventually withdrew. In 1828 his wife died, and in 1829 he moved back to Vernon, where he was the same year married to Miss Sarah Uoderhill. He died, universally regretted, in 1844.
Samuel Wetmore, the first supervisor of this town, was elected to the Assembly about 1820, was magistrate for many years, and for seventeen years a deacon in the Baptist Church at Vernon village. He ranked as one of the best citizens of the town, and died Nov. 8, 1826, aged sixty years.
William Root, Esy., who died in 1846, settled in town about 1796. He was a prominent man in the settlement, and in 1821 was elected to the Assembly.
Gideou Skinner was another of the early settlers of the town. " A young man and unmarried, with a wallet of provisions, he pushed into the forest in advance of any set- tler. The first day he built a frail hut for his abode, and commenced cutting the timber around it. Just at sunset, for the first time, a thought of his exposed position as to wild beasts came over him, for he was without dog or gun. On the spur of the occasion he fell to work and cut down a large, hollow elm which stood near his hut. He firmly barricaded with heavy timbers the open end, leaving but a
small aperture for his ingress, and providing a sufficient log with which to stop that when he had entered. With his trusty axe, with which to ' pare the nails' of any assailant that might attempt the removal of the defenses, he retired early to rest and slept quietly and soundly through the night, naught in the least disturbing his repose. He says this was all of fear he ever experienced in his forest home. Mr. Skinner was the first person who ever lodged at Vernon Centre. During the first season of his residence on his farm, business called him from his home to the westward. He supposed that he had started sufficiently early to enable him to return before dark, but he was mistaken. It was a dark, cloudy evening, and when he arrived at the Centre he found it utterly impossible to thread his way through the tangled forest and find his little improvement that night. It not being very cold, he concluded to take lodgings by the side of a large log that lay on the ground, which was afterwards covered by the first meeting-house built upon the town plat."*
Stephen Parkhurst came to the town of Vernon in 1802, and located at "Turkey Street," two miles cast of Oneida Castle, where the shops belonging to the Oneida Community now stand. Mr. Parkhurst had previously kept a public- house in Rome in company with a man named Walker. He was married in 1803 to Sally Gibson, then living in Westmoreland. He kept a tavern at "Turkey Street" in a building now out of existence. His father, John Park- hurst, located in Whitestown, on the Oriskany battle-ground, and lived in that neighborhood until his death ; he owned 700 acres of land, and settled there in 1789, coming from Connecticut. He also kept a public-house, which stood where Mrs. Gibson now lives. Mrs. Gibson and Mrs. Landfear were members of the Parkhurst family, and George Parkhurst, grandson of John Parkhurst, owns a portion of the old place. The wife of the elder Parkhurst lived to the great age of one hundred and three years.
LOCAL NAMES.
Turkey Street is a name given to a portion of the old Seneca turnpike, east of the village of Oneida Castle. This name was applied from the fact that a number of the first settlers went to the Oneida Castle in the night and stole several turkeys from the Indians. They were found out, and the locality in which they lived was given the above appropriate title. Originally its eastern boundary was a large hemlock-tree standing on the south side of the road, west of the house of Captain William Grant. This tree fell a few years after it was declared the boundary, but its prostrate form still marked the eastern terminns of the " street." A council of the inhabitants a few years later decided that Captain Grant must become a citizen of " Turkey Street," and as he could not easily move west of the tree, that must be drawn east of him. To accom- plish this twelve yokes of oxen were hitched to it at mid- night, and ere long it was left in its new position, some thirty rods east of the captain's residence ; his surprise on seeing it when hie awoke the next morning was very great. About twenty-five years after the name was established it
Jones' Annals.
574
HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
was considered expedient for the inhabitants to change it; and on a certain Fourth of July, amid the flashing of powder and the gurgling of rum, it was with considerable flourish duly named " Union Village." The honors of the new title were modestly borne until
"_ The dying flame of day Through the chancel shot its ray,"
but on awakening the next morning the citizens of the locality found themselves as much in "Turkey Street" as ever, and no further attempt has since been made to change it.
Cooper Street runs parallel with, and one or two miles north of the Seneca turnpike, and received its name from the fact that most of its early settlers were coopers.
Hotel, or Webster Street, begins about two miles south- west of Vernon village, near the former residence of Esquire William Root, and leads thence south to Sargeant's Patent. The dwellings of the first settlers along this road were built in " hovel style," the roof being without a ridge, the front portion of the building the higher, and a moderate pitch in the roof from front to rear. This occasioned the name " Hovel Street." The five families named Webster, all among the first settlers in town, settled side by side on this street, and from that circumstance it received the name " Webster Street."
EARLY SCHOOLS.
The first school in the town of Vernon was taught at the Centre by a Mr. Sessions, later a merchant of Newport, R. I., in a log house erected for the purpose.
The first framed school building in town was erected at Vernon village soon after 1798, and was used both as a school-house and church for some years. Two academies formerly existed, one at Oneida Castle and the other at Vernon village. The one at Oneida Castle was established by a Mr. Bronson, who for some time taught in it. It has been converted into a union school, with two departments in the winter and one during the summer. Miss Harriet Wells had charge in the summer of 1878. The only school at Oneida Castle previous to 1818 was one kept after the Lancasterian system and attended by the Indians. A Bap- tist Missionary Society established a school for them sub- sequent to 1818, and the minister, Rev. Mr. Powell, was the teacher. The Indians also had a blacksmith-shop and other industrial institutions. The lot on which they con- gregated annually on the 1st of June, to receive their an- nuities, was called the " Butternut Orchard," from the fact of there being an orchard of butternut-trees upon it. This is now the property of Silas Adams.
The academy at Vernon village was established in 1833, mainly through the instrumentality of Salmon Case. It was duly incorporated, and was maintained until 1876, when its property was transferred to the trustees of the union school, under whom its affairs are now administered. Schools were taught in this village probably previous to 1800, as the inhabitants were very intelligent, and their moral standing was of the best. The town has at present eleven school districts, and its schools are in fine condi- tion, with a large attendance.
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.
The first religious organization in the town of Vernon was formed in 1803; it was located at Vernon Centre, and was Congregational in its mode of government. It is now Presbyterian, and is known as the " Vernon Presbyterian Church." Rev. Mr. Bogue was the first pastor, and was followed by Rev. Calvin Bushnell, who came to town in 1811, and preached here and in the Presbyterian Church in Vernon village until 1817, when he was settled as pastor of the latter. The first church was erected in 1812, and rebuilt in 1839. It is yet standing. Its present member- ship is about 125, and its pastor Rev. F. M. Tripp, of Angusta, who also preaches at Augusta Centre. The Sun- day-school has an attendance of about 80, a library of 450 volumes, and is superintended by E. J. Norton.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, VERNON CENTRE.
This society was formed in 1826, and in 1828 the pres- ent frame church was erected, and dedicated in January, 1829. In 1850 the spire was demolished by a lightning- bolt, but has since been rebuilt. The membership of the society is about 100. The pastor is Rev. S. M. Crofoot, and the Superintendent of the Sunday-school is Henry Bea- con. The school has an attendance of about 70, and a library of 180 volumes.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, VERNON VILLAGE.
The town of Vernon was long called " Mount Vernon," as was also the village, and the above society, when organ- ized in June, 1805, was called the " Mount Vernon Pres- byterian Society.' The present frame church was built by subscription in 1815, but has since been extensively re- paired .. Rev. Calvin Bushnell, who had previously preached here and at Vernon Centre, was installed pastor over this congregation exclusively in 1817. In 1829 he was dis- missed, and removed with a colony to Lisbon, Ill .. Rev. Aaron Gunnison succeeded him the same year, and the next pastor was Rev. H. P. Bogue, who resigned in January, 1840; his place was filled the following April by Rev. R. C. Brisbin, who remained until 1845. Rev. Henry Darling, Rev. Isaac P. Stryker, and others have since been in charge. At present there is no regular pastor. The members number about 90, and are residents of the immediate neighborhood. Russell Freeman is the Superintendent of the Sunday-school, which possesses a library of about 350 volumes.
BAPTIST CHURCH, VERNON VILLAGE.
This society was constituted Oct. 22, 1807. Among its carly pastors were Revs. Calvin Philco, J. C. Harrison, N. N. Whiting, J. J. Fulton, William Pepper, J. W. Gibbs, J. P. Simmons, Demas Robinson, A. Kenyon, Seymour W. Adams, and P. Goo. In June, 1878, Rev. Mr. Cub- berly, of Madison University, was preaching, but not yet ordained. According to the minutes of the last Association, the membership in September, 1877, was 96, and will not vary far from that number at present. A Sunday-school is sustained, with 11 officers and teachers, 49 scholars, 239 volumes in the library, and Albert Brown, Superintendent. Another Sunday-school in charge of this church meets in the school-house at "Turkey Street," and has a member-
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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
ship of 76. The pastor at Vernon preaches evening ser- mons here to a congregation composed mostly of members of the church in the village.
THE UNITARIAN CONGREGATIONAL SOCIETY
of Vernon was organized in March, 1841, and the church edifice formerly used by the Indians, and located immedi- ately west of the present factories of the Oneida Commu- nity, was moved to Vernon village, and dedicated Sept. 20, 1842. The Indians held services in it until the last of the Oneida Reservation was sold. The first pastor was Rev. Henry Emmons, of Boston, Mass., who took charge Ang. 31, 1843. Meetings have not been held by this society for a number of years, and the doors of the old church are closed.
THE METIIODIST EPISCOPAL SOCIETY
at Vernon village was organized about 1830-32, and the present frame church moved in 1838-39 to the lot on which it now stands from its original position in the northwest part of the present corporation, where it was built soon after the society was organized. The members in June, 1878, numbering about 70, were in charge of Rev. A. R. Warner as pastor. The Sabbath-school has a fair library ; its Superintendent is Charles Clinch.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, ONEIDA CASTLE.
A Presbyterian society was organized and a house of worship built subsequent to 1830. This church is now under the pastoral charge of Rev. A. Cochran, of Dur- hamville (town of Verona). Its members number from 75 to 100. The first meetings of the society were held in the school-house; the present frame church is the only one the society has ever used. A Sunday-school is sustained, with a good attendance; J. Wilson Chappell is its Super- intendent. This is the only religions organization in the place, or which has ever had a recognized existence here, and its house of worship is the only one the village has ever possessed.
VILLAGE OF ONEIDA CASTLE.
Section one of the act incorporating this village, passed by the Legislature May 26, 1841, reads as follows, to wit :
" ¿ 1. All that part of the town of Lenox and county of Madison, and of the town of Vernon, county of Oneida, contained in the fol- lowing bounds, to wit: Beginning at the southeast corner of the lot of land situate in said town of Lenox now owned and occupied by John Adle; and thence running westerly in a direct line to the south- west corner of lot number fifteen of the second Oneida purchase of 1829; thenee northerly in the west line of said last-mentioned lot in a direct line to the north bounds of the lot belonging to Timothy Jenkins, in said town of Lenox; tbence easterly ou the west bonods of said Jenkins' lot to the Oneida Creek ; thence northerly down said creek to a point where it shall meet a right line with the west line of Tenth Street, of said village of Oneida Castle, as laid out by John Randall, under the direction of S. De Witt, late Surveyor-General of this State; thence easterly on the north line of said Tenth Street, in said town of Veroon, to the easterly line of said village, as laid out hy said Randall as aforesaid; thenee southerly on said easterly line to the Oneida Creek ; and from thence in a direct line to the place of beginning, shall hereafter continue to be known and distinguished by the name of ' Oneida Castle,' and the freeholders and inhabitants re- siding within said limits are herehy constituted a body corporate hy the name of ' The Trustees of the Village of Oneida Castle.'"
The first village election was held at the school-house in said village on Tuesday, May 3, 1842, when the following trustees were chosen, viz. : Robert Perry, Rufus Peckham, Horatio Stevens, Hulbert G. Wetmore, Nathan F. Graves. Robert Perry was chosen President of the Board, and James Tomlinson appointed Corporation Clerk. Daniel Lamb was appointed Collector and Treasurer, Jeremiah Thomas Poundmaster, and Timothy Jenkins, John Smith, and Stephen Parkhurst Fire-Wardens. The Trustees from 1843 to 1878 have been the following persons :
1843 .- Albert Patten, Robert Perry, John W. Eddy, Daniel Lamb, Nathan F. Graves.
1844 .- Henry Cranston, Daniel Shelley, Erastus Stod- dard, Samuel Babcock, James F. O'Toole.
1845 .- Joseph G. Wells, Erastus Stoddard, John Bus- well, Suel Newhouse, Samuel Gliddon.
1846 .- Nathan F. Graves, Robert Perry, Stephen Park- hurst, Henry Cranston, A. J. Stanford.
1847 .- Albert Patton, Edwin C. Brown, Daniel P. Hutchinson, Erastus Stoddard, James Tomlinson.
1848 .- John Merrill, E. W. Dodge, C. H. Wells, D. P. Hutchinson, Waterman Harrington.
1849 .- J. P. Sherwood, J. Tomlinson, H. G. Wetmore, Robert Perry, John Buswell.
1850 .- William H. Brackin, Robert Perry, Gaylord Joslin, Joseph Y. Wells, John B. Eddy.
1851 .- E W. Dodge, John Tomlinson, Rufus Peck- ham, Ephraim Randall, D P. Hutchinson.
1852 .- O. B. Marsh, E. W. Dodge, Rufus Peckham, Robert Perry, Horace Forbes.
1853 .- A. J. Sanford, D. P. Hutchinson, W. Harring- ton, J. Y. Wells, J. M. Hill.
1854 .- W. S. Rockwell, A. J. Sanford, C. H. Wells, J. W. Eddy, Daniel Shelley.
1855 .- C. M. Jenkins, C. H. Wells, H. G. Wetmore, W. S. Rockwell, Juba Lee.
1856 .- C. H. Wells, H. G. Wetmore, William F. Green, Robert Menzie, H. T. Brown.
1857 .- John L. Bridge, Patrick H. Hood, Hiram T. Jenkins, William S. Rockwell, C. H. Wells.
1858 .- John Adle, Jr., Oliver P. Root, J. L. Bridge, Philander N. Cowen, Henry Cranston.
1859 .- O. P. Root, H. G. Wetmore, Billious Avery, John J. Adle, Harvey T. Brown.
1860 .- D. G. Dorrance, J. L. Bridge, H. T. Jenkins, O. P. Root, George D. Davis.
1861 .- Daniel G. Dorrance, Hiram T. Jenkins, George
D. Davis, Oliver P. Root, Billious Avery.
1862 .- H. T. Brown, William Huggins, Wm. Thomas, Calvin Wells, Curtis Robinson.
1863 .- C. Robinson, Amos Bridge, H. G. Wetmore, C. H. Wells, H. T. Brown.
1864 .- H. G. Wetmore, Amos Bridge, E. D. Beebe, H. T. Brown, C. B. Hotchkiss.
1865 .- C. B. Hotchkiss, C. H. Wells, Billious Avery, Thomas Joslin, Amos Bridge.
1866 .- Billions Avery, Amos Bridge, H. G. Wetmore, Albert Patton, C. H. Wells.
1867 .- D. G. Dorrance, C. H. Wells, Elcazer Carr, Al- vin Smith, Hamilton Lamb.
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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
1868 .- H. G. Wetmore, John Hovey, Randall J. Bur- lison, C. H. Wells, George Davis.
1869 .- C. H. Wells, Daniel Osterhout, Hamilton Lamb, Asa A. Potter, Eleazer Carr.
1870 .- J. C. Sherwood, J. G. Hovey, H. Lamb, James Kloek, William Mathewson.
1871 .- C. H. Wells, H. G. Wetmore, A. H. Lamb, C. W. Chappell, James Klock.
1872 .- Horace Luce, H. Lamb, C. A. Hill, M. L. Carr, H. S. Cranston.
The general aet for the incorporation of villages was passed by the State Legislature April 20, 1870; on the 23d of December, 1872, an election was held in the village to determine whether it should become a corporation under the provisions of said act, and the vote was twenty to nothing in favor. The first election of officers under the Dew charter was held Jan. 11, 1873, at which time the fol- lowing officers were chosen, viz. :
President, James B. Avery ; Trustees, James Klock, J. L. Bridge, C. H. Wells ; Treasurer, H. Luce ; Collector, L. Budlong ; Clerk (appointed), M. L. Carr.
The annual election for the same year was held Mareli 18, and resulted in the choice of Hamilton Lamb, Presi- dent, and C. H Wells, J. G. Hovey, and Frank Hyde, Trustees.
1874 .- President, George R. Morrison ; Trustees, J. L. Bridge, C. A. Hill, A. H. Lamb.
1875 .- President, C. A. Hill; Trustees, F. Hyde, James Klock, Van R. Moyer.
1876 .- President, James B. Avery ; Trustees, Daniel Osterhout, John W. Mainc, Henry E. Millard. This board held over for 1877.
1878 .- President, Daniel E. Teal; Trustees, Clarence Ney, Calvin H. Wells, M. L. Carr; Collector, Leander Budlong ; Clerk (appointed), James B. Avery; Treasurer (appointed), A. P. Dodge, M.D. At a subsequent meet- ing J. B. Avery was appointed Treasurer in place of Dr. Dodge.
The first hotel in the village was kept by John Otis, Esq., and stood on the site of the present lower hotel owned by Mr. Coon. Mr. Otis is remembered as being a very fine man and a good landlord. The house has been several times repaired and enlarged, and is yet standing; the last addition was built by Calvin Wells. Another large two-story frame hotel stood on ground now owned by Mrs. Carr. Its proprietor previously kept a small publie- heuse just west of the lot on which stands the present " White House." The large building was finally destroyed by fire. Previous to 1824, Stephen Parkhurst had a small hotel east of the one now owned by Mr. Coon, and in that year moved it to its present location opposite the " White House," enlarged it, and kept it for eight or ten years. About 1833-34 he built the present " White House," which is now conducted by his daughters.
The post-office at this place was established a few years previous to 1818, and George Baldwin, then practicing law in the village, was appointed the first postmaster. Stephen Parkhurst was his successor, and held the office for twenty years, and after him Timothy Jenkins was ap- pointed. The present ineumbent is Benjamin Burleston.
The first mercantile establishment at Oneida Castle was owned by Andrew Van Alstine, who was succeeded by Thomas Hooker. The old Van Alstine stand was opposite the present " White House." The present stone store building was erected about 1834 by Eliphalet Hotchkiss.
The earliest physician in the village was Dr. John Mor- rison, who was a master of his profession and an excellent gentleman. One Dr. Jenks praetieed here a short time, and moved to another locality. Dr. Morrison finally emi- grated to the State of Wisconsin, where he died from the effeets of eating hot maple-syrup. He sold his practice here to Dr. Hurlburt G. Wetmore, who was succeeded by Dr. Martin Cavana, and he by Dr. A. P. Dodge, the present and only physician of the village.
A short sketch of Hon. Timothy Jenkins is here appro- priate. This gentleman was born in Barre, Worcester Co., Mass., January 29, 1799. When eighteen years of age he removed to Washington Co., N. Y., and for two years attended the academie schools at Salem and White Creek. In 1819, when twenty years of age, he came to the town of Vernon, and for three years taught school at Vernon Centre and Clinton. He finally began studying law, and was a student in the offices of Judge Beardsley and W. H. Maynard, Esq., of Utica, and I. Ford, Esq., of Her- kimer. He was admitted to practice as an attorney of the Supreme Court in 1825, and began practicing at the vil- lage of Vernon, where he remained until about 1832, when he removed to Oneida Castle, which continued to be his home during his life. About 1839 he induced his mother and sisters to remove from Massachusetts and take up their residence ncar him.
He was married in 1822 to Florilla Tuttle, daughter of Captain David Tuttle, of Vernon Centre. His wife died about a year later, and he was married to her sister about 1829. Mr. Jenkins' widow and an only daughter (now the wife of Jerome Hickox) are the only members of the family living, the son who survived him, Hiram T. Jen- kins, having deeeased July 29, 1868. The latter was a graduate of Hamilton College in the class of 1852, and at the time of his death was one of the mest prominent law- yers in the county. He was born at Oneida Castle in 1833. He had been elected district attorney in 1859, and was serving a third term when he died. Charles M. Jen- kins, the eldest son of Timothy Jenkins, was buried Dec. 24, 1856, just three years before the death of his father. Mr. Jenkins (senior) accepted of no office that was ineon- sistent with his professional progress. He was for ten years attorney for the Oneida Indians, who regarded him with the greatest affection. He was prosecuting attorney for Oneida County from 1840 to 1845, and in the latter year took his seat in the 29th Congress. As an M. C. he ranked among the foremost, and in his law practice was regarded as among the ablest members of the bar in the State. He served also in the 30th and 32d Congresses. He had originally been a Democrat politically, but in 1855 united with the Republican party. He was a prominent member of the Unitarian Society at Vernon, which he had largely aided in forming. His death occurred at three P.M. of Saturday, Dec. 24, 1859, at Martinsburgh, Lewis Co., N. Y., whither he had gone to attend the Supreme
HON. TIMOTHY JENKINS.
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