History of Oneida County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 169

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 169

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Among the early settlers in the neighborhood of Whites- boro' was Reuben Wilcox, a veteran of the Revolution, who came here with his family from Middletown, Conn., about 1790-91. He purchased a farm, a mile west of the village, of Jephtha Brainard, for which he paid two shil- lings per acre, and cut a road through to his place from the main street of the village. He was accompanied by his wife and two daughters, and drove through from Mid- dletown with an ox-team, bringing what household goods they could conveniently carry. Mr. Wilcox was by trade a builder (master mason), and was also a farmer. He and his wife, Hannah (Johnson) Wilcox, were both natives of Connecticut. They were the parents of six children,-three sons and three daughters,-all but the two elder daugh- ters being born in Whitestown. The only members of the

March 3, 1789, a bill was passed by the Assembly to raise money in Montgomery County to liquidate claims arising therein for the erection of a court-house and jail at Whitestown. Montgomery County then had seven Assemblymen, including Heory Staring (Starring, as then printed), who presided at the first court of record within the present limits of Oneida County, held at Now Hartford in January, 1794.

t Jones' Aonals.

Removed from old Herkimer County jail.

¿ In 1860.

|| Since removed.

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

family now living are Renben and Morris Wileox, both residents of Whitesboro'. The former was born in 1794, and the latter in 1796. Morris Wilcox has been married sixty years, and his partner through so long a period is still living.

A post-office, named Whitestown, was established here as early as 1796. Dr. Elizur Moseley was appointed first postmaster. He held the office so long that when he left it he was probably the oldest postmaster in the United States. He was among the earliest physicians who located here, and possibly the first. In 1798 he was appointed sheriff of Oneida County, whichi office he held until No- vember 5, 1800. He was an assistant justice of the county court in 1798 .* The following is believed to be a nearly correct list of the postmasters here since Dr. Moseley, viz. : W. A. Hobby, Whiting Smith, M.D., Wil- liam C. Champlin, Alvin Bradley, William O. Merrill, Whiting Smith, M.D., John G. Crain, Charles E. Smith, M.D., Ellis Ellis, L. A. Sawyer, and the present incum- bent, Charles E. Smith, M.D.

A fire company was organized November 26, 1831, with Uriah Hobby, Captain ; John Watkins, First Lieutenant ; Alvin Bradley, Second Lientenant, ; Secretary and Treas- urer. The members were William Hobby, C. W. Wright, Uriah Hobby, Thomas R. Gold, H. Blodget, Thaddeus Smith, Harvey Bradley, N. P. Barnard, Alfred Loomis, Chester Buck, Edwin Watson, Robert Roberts, H. Warner, I. P. Frost, J. Wheeler, Jesse C. Wetmore, Samuel Pierce, Alvin Bradley, Daniel Estes, Samuel G. Flagg, John Wat- kins, Amaziah Palmer, Nathaniel F. Edgerton, Theophilus Smith, N. Ten Broeck, Samuel Hubbell, Smith B. Hatch, Abner Loomis, Zarah Cole, William Williams, John Wicks, Truman E. Lewis, Nelson Church, William Becbe, Heury Thurston.

From the village records it seems that an engine was purchased in 1833, at a cost of $150. (This may possibly have been a single payment, instead of the full price.) The village of Yorkville also possessed an engine, which was kept in repair by the authorities of Whitesboro', and used by them in case of necessity. It was finally purchased by them in 1844, for $300. The village was visited by sev- eral fires in 1861, and 507 feet of new hose were purchased in 1862 of the citizens, who had secured it on private account. At various times new hose, ladders, buckets, and other necessary implements were purchased, and in 1876 a Silsbee rotary steam fire-engine was procured, at an expense of about $1200. It had been in use for a short time at Ilion, Herkimer Co., but was as good as new. The present fire organization is called the " Niagara Fire and Monitor Hose Company, No. 2, of the village of Whitesboro'," and has 38 members. Its officers are : Foreman, P. C. Rider; Secretary, J. F. Reid ; Treasurer, Robert A. Jones; Chief Engineer, John C. Eberly ; En- gineer of Steamer, William G. Stone.

The village has three police constables, viz. : Benjamin A. Hartman, Robert P. Casler, James Stevenson, and con- tains a "lockup," or "calaboose," for prisoners. The principal hotel is the " Park House," located at the north- east corner of the village park.

WYANDOTTE LODGE, F. AND A. M.,

organized at Whitesboro' about 1815-20, was long a flourishing institution, but it has been disbanded, and the numerons members of the Masonic fraternity residing in the village attend Lodges in the city of Utica. Among the prominent Masters of " Wyandotte Lodge" was Hon. For- tune C. White. Many of the influential citizens of the place were members. The only secret order now in the village is a small Lodge of Good Templars.

THE WHITESTOWN BANKI

was for many years one of the main institutions of the vil- lage and county, and possessed a capital of $150,000. Its first president was S. Newton Dexter, and the second Judge' Bruce, of Canastota. The failure of the bank occurred about 1862-63, at which time Israel J. Gray was cashier. The old bank building is now used as a " grocery."

WHITESTOWN SEMINARY.

This celebrated temple of education is located in the lower part of the village, in the midst of beautiful grounds, and is pointed to with just pride by citizens both of the village and county. A full history and description of it will be found in the educational chapter of this work.

MANUFACTURES.

The waters of Sauquoit Creek have from an early period in the settlement of Oneida County been made to drive the machinery of various manufacturing establishments, and the Erie Canal has also been utilized for like purposes. Promi- nent among the industrial establishments of the village is

B. T. Babbitt's Whitesboro' Iron- Works, which were es- tablished by B. T. Babbitt in October, 1871. The build- ings now in use were crected immediately, with the excep- tion of the large brick structure nsed as a machine-room and foundry. The articles manufactured are various kinds of machinery, steam-generators, pumps, tanks, castings, ete. One hundred men is the average number employed. The works are under the superintendence of Mr. Babbitt, who spends a portion of his time here.

Saw and Planing Mill .- This establishment was put in operation by Messrs. Williams & Co., the present propric- tors, in 1869. From one to two million feet of hemlock lumber are manufactured annually, besides a large quan- tity of sash, doors, blinds, awnings, and general building material. An average of about fifty men is employed. The " Wagner Spring Bed" and the " Centennial Mattress" are also manufactured.

Furniture-Manufactory .- Messrs. Sutton & Quigley es- tablished this business within a recent period. The present firm is W. B. Quigley & Co. Ash and black walnut are principally used. Twenty to twenty-five men are employed,

* We do not find his name among the assistant justices of 1798. There was then no County Court proper; the court answering to it was that of Common Pleas. The County Courts were created by the Constitution of 1846.

t These military titles are certainly very unusual in a Fire Depart- meut, but, as there is no accounting for tastes, they may have been bestowed.

# Incorporated in 1839, with a capital of $100,000.

623

HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

and the shop has a capacity for manufacturing from $30,000 to $40,000 worth of furniture annually.

The ice business is quite extensively engaged in, and Messrs. Minot & Davis have in the past winter (1877-78) built a large iee-house on the bank of the canal, opposite the furniture-manufactory. The ice is cut from the eanal, which is here much eleaner than in other seetions.

Among the tanneries which have at different times been carried on here is the present one owned by William Bene- diet, in the upper part of the village, near the canal. It was established by Mr. Benediet in 1850, and the value of manufactures has reached, ineluding currying, $25,000 an- nually. At present business is light. Four hands are employed.

Reed- Manufactory .- Established by James Brierley in the spring of 1858. " Weavers' recds" are manufactured for use in cloth-factories. Messrs. Brierley & Son at present carry on the business, occasionally employing an additional hand.

Tub, Pail, and Churn Factory .- Established in 1824 by Messrs. Watkins & Griswold, and a building erected in the upper part of the village. In 1840, Ellis & Co. be- came proprietors, and in 1844 the factory was burned. The present building, in the lower part of the village, was after- wards erected, and the business carried on by Messrs. Wat- son, Ellis & Co. until 1873, since which time it has been managed by Ellis & Co., the present proprietors. The pails, said to be the best made in the State, are manu- factured from pine, as are also the tubs, while the churns are made of white oak. From twelve to fifteen hands are usually employed, and $15,000 to $20,000 worth of goods are produced annually.

Whitesboro' contained in January, 1878, beside what have already been deseribed, two hotels, a wagon-shop, four blacksmith-shops, a harness-shop, seven stores, a frame dis- triet school-house, four churches, with perhaps a few other shops, ete., not enumerated.

YORKVILLE.

East of the Sauquoit Creek, and adjoining the village of Whitesboro', is Yorkville, containing two hotels, a store, a blacksmith-shop, a shoe-shop, a carriage-shop, and a pork- packing establishment. The village extends south to the canal, and, although really only a continuation of the vil- lages of Whitesboro' and New York Mills, is honored by a title of its own. The grist-mill previously mentioned, known as " Wetmore's Mill," stood in the western part of the village, a few rods south of the main road leading to Rome.

Oliver and Sylvanus Gardner engaged in the pork-paek- ing business at this place in 1865, and the work is still continned by the former. From 1700 to 2500 hogs are packed annually, the meat being mostly disposed of in the central and northern portions of the State. From eight to fifteen hands are employed.

S. Hoxie, agent for the celebrated " Unadilla Valley Stock Farm," located in Oswego County, resides here. The improved Duteh and Holstein eattle are raised, and have gained an excellent reputation in this country .*

VILLAGE OF NEW YORK MILLS.

The settlement of the strip of land on the east side of Sauquoit Creek, including the sites of Yorkville and New York Mills, is previously mentioned. The village of New York Mills is in three settlements, or divisions, of which the " upper village" is in the town of New Hartford, and the middle and lower in Whitestown. The post-office is located at the middle village, and was established subse- quent to 1831, with Seth Maltbie as first postmaster. The mail was for a long time, previous to the establishment of the office, brought by stage from Whitesboro'. The present ineumbent of the office is E. M. Stiles.

The village of New York Mills is widely known from its being the place where are located the extensive mills of the New York Mills Cotton Manufacturing Company. A short historieal sketch of this institution has been kindly fur- nished by Leander S. Wood, of the lower village, and is here subjoined :

"ONEIDA MANUFACTURING SOCIETY .- In the winter of 1807-8 a joint-stock company was formed in Whitestown, of which IIon. Thos. R. Gold, Hon. Theodore Sill, General George Doolittle, and Jesse W. Doolittle were prominent members. This company was incorporated by the Legislature, under the name of the 'Oneida Manufacturing Society,' with a nominal capital of $200,000, and chartered with bank- ing privileges. Mr. Walcott, of Rhode Island, as their representative, in 1808 erected a three-and-one-half-story briek building, known as the 'Oneida Factory.' It was built on the Sadaqueda Creek, now most commonly called Sauquoit, about one mile from its confluence with the Mohawk River. In 1809, Mr. Benjamin S. Walcott, as agent of the company, procured the requisite machinery and began to card and spin cotton, making mostly coarse yarn, which was put out to families to weave. Two or three years' experience convinced Mr. Walcott that to secure an even and uniformly good quality of eloth he must secure the services of a skilled weaver, who would open a shop and personally superintend the preparing of the yarn and the weaving. Mr. J. W. Doolittle, of Utica, ugent for getting the weaving done, secured the services of Ezra Wood, then recently from Rhode Island, to come to Utica and open such a shop. This was done in 1812, and there he continued to run six looms till March, 1818, when Mr. Waleott, having had some power-looms built at the factory, en- gaged Mr. Wood to remove to the factory and run them. In a very short time they were successfully running, these being the first power-looms in the United States west of the Hudson River. The number of looms was increased till the mill was filled.

" March 13, 1828, the factory was burned, and in two months the same company began building a new one of stone, of larger dimen- sions, on the same site. The next year it was in successful operation.

"Some three years after the weaving was commenced, Mr. B. S. Wal- cott relinquished the agency of the Oveida Company to his brother, Mr. William Walcott, and in 1825 he, in company with Messrs. Ben- jamin and Joseph Marshall, built the ' New York Mills,' about a half- mile above, on the same stream.

"The 'Oneida Manufacturing Society' continued business, under the ioanagement of Mr. William Walcott, enlarging from time to time, till 1851, when they sold out to the ' New York Mills Company,' then as now under the control of Waleott & Campbell. Since that time the 'Oneida Factory' has been known as ' New York Mills No. 1.'"

The building erected in 1825 is a stone structure, and is generally known as the " old mill." The stone wing in the rear was built in 1828, and the north portion of the build- ing (brick) was ereeted in 1852, under the direction of Samuel Campbell. Soon after this Mr. Marshall retired from the firm, and Mr. Walcott's son, W. D. Walcott, and Mr. Campbell became partners with Mr. Walcott, Sr., whose death, in 1862, left the firm as at present, consisting of Messrs. W. D. Walcott and Samuel Campbell.

In 1842 the stone mill at New Hartford (now the

# See County Societies, Chapter XIX.

624

HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

" Upper Mill" of the company) was built by the same par- ties who erected the Middle Mill in 1825. A new mill was built at New Hartford about 1868. The bleachery at the Lower Mill (or No. 1) was built between 1855 and 1859, and began work in 1860. The use of steam has become a necessity at all the mills except during high water. The average volume of water has greatly dimin- ished in the creek from what it was formerly, owing prin- cipally to the destruction of the timber in the country which it drains.

The total number of operatives employed in all the Mills is about one thousand ; the cloths manufactured by this company are among the best in the United States, and as such have become justly celebrated. Hon. Samuel Camp- bell, one of the firm, became noted some years since as the owner of the best selling herd of short-horn cattle ever dis- posed of in this country, ten head bringing the enormous price of $280,000.

The middle and lower settlements at New York Mills together contained in January, 1878, seven stores of various kinds, one blacksmith-shop, a tailor-shop, two district school buildings, three churches, two physicians. A stage-line plies between here and Utica, which also carries a mail.

VILLAGE OF ORISKANY.

From Judge Jones' " Annals of Oneida County" the following extract is taken regarding the Indians who form- erly resided on the site of the present village of Oriskany :

" It has been incidentally mentioned that a branch of the Queida tribe of Indians resided at Oriskany. When Judge White settled in Whitestown they occupied six lodges or wigwams. Colonel Han Yerry resided in a log cabin, which stood just back of the hoose formerly occupied by Mr. Charles Green, on the casterly side of the Oriskany Creek. The other five cabins stood on the westerly side of the creek. Colonel Han Yerry bad two sons, Cornelius and Jacob, and one danghter, Dolly, who married one of the Denny family at Oneida. Hendrick Smith, who afterwards lived in the south part of Vernoo, at the Indian orchard, was the head of one of the families on the west side of the creek. . . . Colonel Han Yerry, . . . in the Revolution cspoused the cause of the king. A few months after the arrival of Judge White at Whitesboro', his son, Philo, called at the colonel's house at Oriskany, but found that the family were all absent except the colonel's wife. After talking awhile upon various subjects, the woman proceeded to remove the buck and bedding from one corner of the room, and then taking up a portion of the floor brought to light a ten-gallon keg, which she soon unheaded. This keg was filled with silver plate, which she carefully took out, piece by piece, and exhibited to her guest. Some of the articles were very valuable, and among them was a heavy and highly ornamented silver tankard. After thus showing the ware it was carefully returned to its hiding- place. In looking about the room Philo counted eight brass and copper kettles, of various sizes, and about the premises were many kinds of farming utensils. As Mr. White was subsequently passing down the Mohawk, he called at the public-house kept by the widow of General Herkimer, and in conversation with the widow he mentioned the keg of silver plate, and particularly the massive tankard, describing many of its ornaments. From this description the widow at once recognized it as one which had been pillaged from her house during the war. It is probable that the plate, kettles, and agricultural implements were plundered from the suffering inhabitants of the valley of the Mobawk. " The precise year in which the Indian settlement at Oriskany was broken up, or whether they all left at the same time, has not been ascertained, but it is certain that they all left previously to 1793."

Among the celebrities who for a short period resided at Oriskany was Ephraim Webster, for many years distin- guished as a member of the Onondaga Indian nation, and Indian agent and interpreter.

" He was born in 1752, at Hampstead, N. H. In 1773, with his raft, be removed to the banks of the Hudson, in this State, and in 1778 he enlisted in the army of the United States, and served to the close of the Revolutionary contest. Returning to his home, he found that the quiet pursuits of agriculture were incompatible with his roving dis- position and love of adventure. Furnished with a small stock of goods, be left home for the purpose of trading with the Oncidas, with whom he had had some acquaintance during the war. This was probably in 1784, as he was present at the treaty of Fort Stanwix of this year. After surmounting many difficulties in ascending the Mohawk, bis partner having become discouraged and returned home, Webster located himself at Oriskany, where he established a trading- house. Here he remained two years, doing a successful business and mastering the Indian language. In the spring of 1786 he accepted an invitation from the Onondagas to remove his goods and business to Onondaga. . . . He was adopted into the Onondaga tribe, married an Indian woman, by whom he had several children, and received 640 acres of land, the title to which was confirmed to him by the State. During the Indian war of 1788-94 he was employed, on account of his knowledge of Indian language and customs, to gain intelligence in the country of the Miamia. In 1812, with the commission of captain in the militia, he proceeded to the Niagara frontier with about 300 Onondaga warriors under their chief, La Fort, who was elected also head war-chief of the Six Nations, and who fell at Chippewa. Webster acted as interpreter between General Brown and the Indians, and La Fort died in his arms.

" Webster died at Tuscarora in 1825, and was buried at Onondaga. For many years he conformed to the habits and dress of the Indians to such a degree that it was difficult to distinguish him from a native. Upon one occasion, before the British had surrendered Oswego under Jay's treaty, he was suspected by an officer at that place of being a white man and spy ; but such self-possession and self-command had he acquired, that although plied with liquor and many devices re- sorted to to throw him off his guard, he was discharged as a real Indian. After the death of his Indian wife he married a white woman of a very respectable family."#

The village of Oriskany owes its origin to the enterpris- ing pioneer and manufacturer, Colonel Gerritt G. Lansing, who came here from Albany in 1802. He served with distinction in the American army during the Revolution. The following notice of him is in Dr. Bagg's " Pioneers of Utica," published in 1877 :

" Born at Albany, Dec. 11, 1760, Colonel Lansing entered the army, at the beginning of the war, und served until its close ; was present at several important hattles, and at Yorktown, under Colonel Hamilton, he led the forlorn hope as lieutenant. In 1802 this gallant soldier and true gentleman of the old school settled at Oriskany, and lived there on his pension and his patrimony until his death, on the 27th of May, 1831 .¿ Both in the army and after his removal to Oneida County, Colonel Lansing was distinguished for his high integrity and his patriotism, as well as for his ability and his enterprise. His wife was a daughter of Colonel Edward Antill, an Englishman by birth, but an officer of the Revolutionary army high in the confidence of General Washington. After her husband's death, she lived in Utica until her own death, on the 24th of August, 1834. She possessed in an eminent degree the qualities that adorn true womanhood."

Colonel Lansing purchased four hundred acres of land at Oriskany, extending back (southwest) from the Mohawk River, and on the northwest side of Oriskany Creek. About 1810 he erected a grist-mill on the site of the pres- ent one, and also a saw-mill. The property afterwards passed into the hands of John R. and Garrett Bleecker, of Albany, who removed the old mill and built the present stone structure about 1832. The iron-work was put in

# See Jones' Annals.

t This orthography is from county records ; spelled also Gerrett and Garrett.

# The notice of Colonel Lansing's death, published at the time, gives the date as the 29tb, instead of the 27th.

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

this mill by B. E. Williams, still a resident of the village. James A. Reynolds was agent for the Bleeckers at the time, and his brother built the mill. It has since been several times enlarged and repaired.

A Mr. John Green was among the early settlers of Oriskany, and purchased about four hundred acres of land on the southeast side of the creek. He was a farmer, and the father of several sons, all well and favorably known in the community .*

William M. Cheever, also one of the earlier comers, owned a large farm just above the village.

A long-remembered event in the history of the village was the visit to it, June 10, 1825, of the Marquis de La- fayette, who on that day visited his companion in arms of the Revolution,-Colonel Lansing. Many arc yet living who recollect the occasion, and speak of the delight and honor felt by all at seeing the noble Frenchman who had aided the colonies in their struggle for independence. The general was accompanied by a numerous escort, and was himself much gratified at meeting, after a lapse of nearly half a century, the comrades of camp and field whom he had commanded .* -

During this same year (1825) the Erie Canal was com- pleted. On its enlargement at Oriskany, in 1849, a large quantity of human bones and various ornaments were un- earthed, of which the following, published in the Oneida Morning Herald, is a description :

"ORISKANY, October 27, 1849.

" MESSAS. EnITons,-In excavating for the enlarged canal we bave discovered some ten or more skeletons of the aborigines, f and with them aot a few ornaments aad medals. The remains are very moch decayed, and exhibit evidence of having been interred a very long time. The bodies appear to have been placed in troughs, prepared in the Indian modes of forming canoes; that is, by burning a log to a flat surface, and then keeping the fire in the centre. Faiat traces of wood at the sides of the skeletons, and also coals, seem to warrant the correctness of my suggestion. I have assisted ia removing & number of them, and found, in two instances, three or four bodies placed together, and the limbs radiating from a centre. We found three,-a maa, woman, and child,-the head of the woman lying between the man's arm and side, aear the shoulder, and the child's bead apparently on her bosom ; the man with a portion of the con- tents of his mediciac-bag, consisting of the boaes of a bird or animal, uniforialy of a bright-greeo color, well polished, and wooad with bark or skia to protect the Indian beauty and semi-transparency ; the woman's ornamen's consisting of beads about the size of peas, and variously colored, some of them stilf retaining the sinew on which they were strung. Together with these I fonad a rosary of beads, apparcatly of ebony, about half an inch in diameter, though so frail as to fall into dust on the slightest pressare. These were strong on a brass chaia, some of the links still being in the beads. Among these, aad probably attached to the rosary, was a medal of the reign of George the First, 1731. Several medals have beca fouad with dates 1731 to '36, and one with, I think, a Spanish inscription. I have one handsome medallion head of George, the King of England, on one side; on the other an Indian shooting a back with a bow and arrow from behind a tree. There is no date on it. It is aboat the size of a dollar. The ear and nose ornaments are made of the celebrated red pipe-stone. Some pipes have beea fouad,-one splendid one, speaking Indiamicine,

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History of Oneida County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 169

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