History of Oneida County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 41

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 41

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" We likewise unanimously desire our brethren in the other distriets of this county to join with us to instruct our representatives not to consent to the repealing of any laws made for the safety of the State, against treason or confiscation of traitors' estates, or to passing any new acts for the return or restitution of Tories.

" By order of the Meeting,

" JOSIAH THROOP, Chairman." " May 9, 1783.

At a meeting of the frecholders and inhabitants of Cana- joharie district, in the County of Tryon, held at Fort Plain, in the same district, on Saturday, the 7th day of June, 1783, the following resolves were unanimously subscribed. Lieutenant-Colonel Samnel Clyde in the chair :

" Whereas, In the course of the late war, large numbers of the in- habitants of this county, lost to every sense of the duty they owed to their country, have joined the enemies of this State, and have, in con- junction with the British troops, waged war on the people of this State; while others, more abandoned, have remained among us, and have harbored, aided, assisted, and vietnalled the said British troops and their adherents, and by their example and influence have enconraged many te desert the service of their country, and by insults and threats have discouraged the virtuous citizens, thereby inducing a number to abandon their estates and the defense of their country ; and whereas, the County of Tryon hath, in an especial manner, been exposed to the continued inreads and incursions of the enemy, in which inroads and ineursiens the most ernel murders, robberies, and depredations have been committed that ever yet happened in this or any other country, neither sex nor age being spared. insomnch that the most aged people of each sex, and infants at their mothers' breasts, have inhumanly been butchered ; our buildings (the edifices dediented to the service of Almighty God nat excepted) have been redneed to ashes; our property destroyed and carried away; our people carried through a distant wilderness into captivity among savages (dear and faithful allies of the merciful and humane British !), where very many still remain, and have, by ill nsage, bean forced to enter into their service;

" And whereas, Through the blessings of God and the smiles of indulgent Providence, the war has happily terminated, and the freedom and independence of the United States been firmly established;

" And whereas, It is contrary to the interests of this conntry, as well as contrary to the dietates of reason, that those persons who have, through the course of an eight years' ernel war, been continnally aid- ing and assisting the British to destroy the liberties and freedom of America, should now be permitted to return to, or remain in, this county, and enjoy the blessings of those free governments established at the expense of onr blood and treasure, and which they, by every un warrantable means, have been constantly laboring to destroy ;

" Resolved, That we will not suffer or permit any person or persons whatsoever, who have, during the course of the late war, joined the enemy of this State, or sneb person or persons remaining with us, and who have any way aided, assisted, victualled, or harbored the enemy,

or such as have corresponded with them, to return to, or remain in, this district.

" Resolced, That all other persons of disaffected or equivocal ehar- aeter, who have by their examples, insults, and threatenings occasioned any desertions to the enemy, or have induced any of the virtuous eiti- zens of this county to abandon their habitations, whereby they were brought to poverty and distress, and all such as during the late war have been deemed dangerous, shall not be permitted to continue in this distriet, or to return to it.

" Resolved, That all such persons now remaining in this district, and comprehended in either of the above resolutions, shall depart the same within one month after the publication of this.

" Resolred, That no person or persons, of any denominations what- ever, shall be suffered to come and reside in this district, unless such person or persons shall bring with them sufficient vouchers of their moral characters, and of their full, entire, and unequivocal attachment to the freedom and independence of the United States.

" Resolved, That we will, and hereby do, associate under all the ties held sacred among men and Christians, to stand to, abide by, and carry into full' effect and excentien all and every the foregoing resolutions.

" Resolved, That this district does hereby instruet the inembers in Senate and Assembly of this State, from this county, to the ntmost of their power to oppose the return of all such person or persons as aro comprehended within the sense and meaning of the above resolutions.

"Ordered, That the preceding vetes and proceedings of this district be signed by the chairman, and published in the New York Gazetteer. "SAMUEL CLYDE, Chairman."

As a further evidence of their loyalty and patriotism the naine of Tryon County was changed, upon petition of the citizens, on the 2d of April, 1784, to Montgomery County, in honor of General Richard Montgomery, who fell in the gallant attack upon Quebee, Dee. 31, 1775.

With the return of peace began the process of colonizing the western lands, which has been in progress from the be- ginning of the settlements on the Atlantic coast until the present time.

" Westward the Star of Empire takes its way ; The four first acts already past, The fifth shall close the drama with the day. Time's neblest offspring is her last."

The soldiers from New England, who had served in the armies of Bradstreet, Amherst, Arnold, Clinton, and Sulli- van, had noted well the beauty and fertility of the Mohawk Valley and Western New York, and as soon as there was a guaranty of peaceable occupation they were not slow to take possession of the " land of promise."

Settlements were commeneed in Oneida County, then a part of Montgomery, as early as 1784, and others soon fol- lowed, and the growth and prosperity of the country were the special remark of travelers.

The following extracts are from the journal of a trip through the State of New York, by Captain Charles Wil- liamson, the agent of Sir William Pulteney and Governor Hornby, who visited this region in 1792. The captain died of yellow fever at Havana, Cuba, in 1807. This jour- nal is in the collection of the Massachusetts Historical Society :

" After leaving Schenectady I traveled over a most beautiful conn- try eighty miles to Fort Schuyler (old Fort Schuyler, the site of Utiea), where I forded the Mohawk. This extent was the scene of the British and savage cruelty during the late war, and they did not cease while anything remained to destroy. What a contrast now! Every house and barn robnilt, the pastures erowded with cattle, sheep, ete., and tho lap of Ceres full. I next passed through Whitestown. It would appear to you, my friend, on hearing the relation of events in this western country, that the whole was fable; and if you were placed in Whites-

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

town or Clinton, ten miles west from Fort Sebuyler, and could see the progress of improvement, you would believe it enchanted ground. You would there view an extensive, well-built town, surrounded by highly- cultivated fields, which spot in the year 1783 was the ' haunt of tribes' and the hiding-place of wolves, now A flourishing, happy situation, containing about six thousand people." Clinton stands a little south of Whitestowa, and is a very large, thriving town. After passing Clinton there are no inhabitants apou the road until you reach Oneida, an Iodiao towe, the first of the Six Nations. It contains about five hundred and fifty inhabitants."

WAR OF 1812-15.

We have no satisfactory means of information touching the troops that were enlisted from Oneida County during the last war with Great Britain. The muster-rolls are many of them destroyed, and of those among the files at Albany it is difficult to find what is required, for the company rolls are filed in the name of the commanding officer, which it is necessary to know before the proper rolls can be found.

Oneida County furnished quite a number of men for the various arms of the service during the contest, mostly enlisted for short terms of service. It is stated in Mr. Jones' annals that the first detachment from the county went to Sacket's Harbor, under command of Colonel Bel- linger, in 1812. Major Samuel Dill, of Rome, accompanied the detachment. Governor Tompkins appointed Joshua Hathaway quartermaster-general of the State militia, and ordered him to proceed to Sacket's Harbor.t

In the fall of 1812 the militia of Oncida County were called out en masse, probably for thirty days, and ordered to Sacket's Harbor, and the 157th, commonly known as the " Rome Regiment," commanded by Colonel John West- cott, marched to that post. Among thie officers were Lieu- tenant-Colonel Joshua G. Green, Captains Rudd, Fillmore, Church, Grannis, Hinckley, and Peck, Adjutant Samuel Beardsley, Paymaster Jay Hathaway, and Surgeon Henry H. Smith.t

In Dr. Bagg's book we find some interesting items, but no connected history of organizations. We quote the fol- lowing from the doctor :

" In the latter part of February, 1813, about 60 volunteers were en- rolled at Utiea, among whom were included some members of its inde- pendent infantry company. They formed a new company attached to the 134th Regiment, and were commanded by Captain William Wil- liams. Of its men the only names that can be recalled were John Grove, orderly sergeant, Joho George, and Theodore S. Faxton. The company remained one month at Smith's Mills, when they were paid off and dismissed. Another company of the 134th Regiment, termed the Silver Grays, was commanded by Nathan Seward, of New llart- ford, and among its men was Tburlow Weed, from Utica. It was prob- ably at this time, also, that Nathan Williams went out as major of the regiment, Nicholas Smith as lientenant becoming adjatant, and John E. Hinman as quartermaster.

" Early in the war a drafting took place at the hotel, when a nam- ber of men were mads soldiers. In September, 1814, the regiment was called out, bat continued only a montb under arms, and witbout active service. At this time Benjamin Ballou was captain of a com- pany, and Nicholas N. Weaver orderly sergeant,-subsequently pro- moted to captain, Ballou having been disabled by sickness. Thomas

Skinner, of Utica, was commissioned captain in a regiment of ar- tillery, but declining to serve, his place was filled by the first lieuten- ant. Some half-dozen individuals from Utica had previously volan- teered at Baffalo, and were in the engagements near that place.

"Six young men of the neighborhood were calisted as midshipmen during the course of the war, viz. : Samuel Brecse and William In- man, of Utica; John G. Young, of Whitesboro'; Antill Lansing, of Oriskany ; and Edward and Benjamin Carpcoder (Carpenter ?), of Whitesboro'.

"There was a recruiting station here under the charge of Captain P. Mills, of the 23d Regiment. The hospital, which was cared for hy Dr. Solomon Wolcott, was on the Kimball farm."

The following items of interest, made up from a diary kept by Dr. Alexander Coventry; of Utica, are taken from Dr. Bagg. They forcibly illustrate the make-up and be- havior of the different branches of the service, and the lights and shadows of incipient military life. The propor- tion of transportation will strike any soldier who served during the great rebellion as one of the reasons why the militia, in particular, were so lax in their discipline and so totally unreliable in the field :

On the 22d of June, 1812,§ two expresses passed through Utica, one for Canada and the other for the frontier, with news of the declaration of war against Great Britain. On the 13th of August the first troops, consisting of 130 mnen and horses belonging to the flying artillery, from Lancaster, Pa., passed through on their way to the seat of war. They are described as being very dirty, and brown as Indians, variously dressed, most of them young, and largely made up of foreigners.

In September, a body of 800 drafted men from Albany camped at Utica for a week. They are credited with robbing orchards, potato-fields, and hen-roosts. During their stay they were increased to 1600, drafted men and volunteers. They were from the southern and eastern counties of the State, young and able-bodied, but undis- ciplined and unmanageable. They were under command of General Dodge. On their departure, September 15, a train of 100 wagons followed them, a circumstance in itself indicative of effeminacy and lack of experience. About the 20th of September the 5th United States Regiment, recruited in Maryland, and under command of Colonel Milton, passed through the place. They are described as being dirty, and saucy to their officers and clamorous for their pay, which was six or seven months overdue. They threatened to stack their arms, and were only pacified and persuaded to resume their march when the colonel obtained some money from the bank, and dealt them an allowance.

On the 22d of September two companies of light artil- lery, from Baltimore and Philadelphia, marched through the town; and on the 30th, 90 sailors passed, on their way to Sacket's Harbor. Of these the doctor states that one-third were negroes and the rest mostly foreigners.

On the 5th of October, 150 men, including the crew of the "John Adams" (sloop of war), under command of Lieutenant Pettigrew, with 50 wagons, arrived and bivou- acked in Utica for twenty-four hours, when they passed on towards Buffalo. These are described by the Scotch doctor as having " some blacks, some foreigners, and more long-

* This estimate is probably much too bigb.

t Mr. Jones states that on his arrival nt Sacket's Harbor, Colonel Mitchell, of the regular army, wbo was in command, immediately ten- dered it to him; but there must be some mistake, as a quartermaster has no command as a field-officer except over the transportation, and this in a subordinate capacity.

į Jones' Annals.

¿ War was declared on the 18th of June.

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

spliced Yankees than any other parcel." He thinks these composed the worst set that had yet passed through the place. " They broke into barns, stole geese, and even stole from one another. Two of the men were whipped with the cat." On the day these departed, 130 more, with 20 wagons, marched through. On the 10th of October, 130 United States marines, well uniformed, and presenting a soldierly appearance, passed through; and on the 13th another of the same description followed; and on the 14th came 190 " Republican Greens," though why they bore this title we are not informed.

On the 24th of October, the 23d United States Regiment arrived from Albany. They numbered 300 when they left that city, though it would seem that they had already suffered somewhat by desertion. This regiment is described as wearing a drab uniform with red facings, and having good warm great-coats. They stacked arms at Utica, and complained of receiving no pay.The officers sucecedcd in raising sufficient funds to distribute two dollars to each man, and furnished them a double allowance of grog, when, on the 27th, they resumed their march for Niagara .* About the same date 130 inen belonging to the field artil- lery also marched through. The winter mostly put a stop to the movements of troops. Several detachments were quartered for two winters in and around Utica,-at the Coffee-House, in one Potter's barn, on the Hopper farm, at New Hartford, and in other places.

On the 16th of February, 1813, the Baltimore volun- teers, to the number of 190, under Captain Moore, broke in the door of the hotel, and took forcible possession. During this month straggling horsemen were passing, but nothing of consequence occurred until the 6th of April, when a detachment of 150 light horse came to Utica from Sacket's Harbor, from which they were forced to remove for lack of provisions. On the 13th of the same month 150 more had arrived, and on the 15th several hundred of the artillery marched towards the west.

On the 24th and 25th, about 500 soldiers were in Utica, and 100 sailors, belonging to the famous frigate " Constitu- tion," halted at Deerfield Corners. These latter were prob- ably being taken west for service on board the lake-fleet. They departed on foot for Sacket's Harbor. They came from Boston to Utica in carriages. : Following them came 500 horse and foot, who passed ou towards Buffalo. They were clean and healthy-looking.

During April and May soldiers were constantly passing. The 2d United States Regiment, under Colonel Burn (or Burns), "a Southern gentleman of property and accom- plishments," was in Utica on the 12th of' May, and on the 14th the high grounds above the village were covered with tents.

On the 15th and 16th, not less than 900 men are re-

ported as passing through from Massachusetts, a portion of them under Major Nye. They complained of their rations like all new soldiers, and claimed that they did not get their twenty-two ounces of salt meat and one and a half pounds of biscuit. They were opposed to the invasion of Canada, and generally discontented. A large number had been left sick along their line of march. Four days later they moved on, accompanied by troops of dismounted cavalry. On the 23d of. May, some 500 or 600 men, mostly belonging to the 21st United States Regiment, slept in the barns of Deerfield, grumbling, like the rest, about the war and pour rations. Oo the 26th, a column, estimated at from 500 to 1000 men, passed through the place, and on the same day an aid of General Pike was in the place, on his way cast with the British colors taken at Little York (now Toronto), where the gallant general fell mortally wounded in the moment of victory.

The doctor records that " a blackguard corps" spent two days, June 4 to 6, at Deerfield Corners, where they broke into a house and destroyed the furniture, under the plea that the owner was a Tory. About the 15th of June there arrived 300 of the 14th United States Regiment, and a rifle company. Oo the 16th, the 49th English Regiment passed through as prisoners of war. In the latter part of the month, and forepart of July, the town was thronged with sailors on their way tn Sacket's Harbor ; and on the 10th of July, 270 men, belonging to the 3d and 25th Uni- ted States Regiments, were on the streets. On the 22d, a salute was fired in honor of the arrival of General Henry Dearborn, though it was whispered that he was under arrest or in disgrace, on account of not wearing side-arms. On the 9th of August, about 100 British prisoners, consist- ing principally of Canadian militia, with a few English reg- ulars, were in the village, and about a dozen of them dined with Judge Miller.

All through the summer and autumn months,. troops and sailors were passing .and re-passing, and Utica was stirring with military display. On the 15th of October, two companies of Walleville's ( English) Regiment, taken on board transports on the lake, went through as prisoners of war. These were noticed as being a fine body of men, some of them being over six feet in height. They all spoke German, and some of them French, and were stated to have belonged to the French service, but being captured by the English they had enlisted in their service. On the 31st day of October, 700 or 800 regular United States sol- diers from Fort George passed through the place. The roads were exceedingly muddy and bad, and they had been twelve days on the march, and were nearly destitute of shoes and many of them sick. Two hundred had been left on the road unable to travel. All the shoemakers' shops in the place were ransacked to furnish them shoes.

On the 3d of November, Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry was in Utica, and the citizens honored him with a grand publie dioner.

Additional information-all that we have been able to obtain-will be found in the history of the various towns of the county. We have not been able to learn anything of importance regarding the part taken by the citizens of Oneida County in the Mexican war.

# It is astonishing how strong the love of spirits is in the average soldier. The writer well recollects, when Sherman's army was en- enipod near Raleigh, N. C., of seeing the 2d Division, 15th Army Corps, cut away an immense causeway for the purpose of draining a mill-pend, covering some 10 or 15 neres, in which some one had reported there were several barrels of whisky sunk. Tho failure of the corps on this occasion was said to have been the first experienced in its military career.

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IIISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

A United States arsenal, fully equipped for business, and including a magazine of supplies, workshops, officers' quar- ters, barracks, etc., was erected at Romo in 1813. The work was superintended by Major Dalliba, of the ordnance department. (See history of Rome.)

MILITIA OFFICERS OF 1811-12.

The following list of officers is copied from the rolls on file in the office of the county clerk at Utica. From a note at the bottom of the roll it would appear that a part of them belonged to the Third Brigade :

Brigadier-Generals .- Oliver Collins, Joseph Kirkland, IIenry MeNeil.

Colonels .- William Stone, Caleb Clark.

Majors .- James Dodd, Samuel Dill, David Curtiss, Gardiner Avery, Jaines Lynoh, Eleazer Dickinson, Theo- dore W. Sill ( Artillery). Jonathan Tower, John Westcot.

Captains .- Francis Brown, Amos Wetmore, William Hubbard, Gordon Caswell, Fortune C. White, Orrin Grid- ley, John Harris, Joseph Stone, Asa Bullock, James Gar- diner, Jacob Hovey, Timothy L. Bacon, Ichabod Davis, Samnel Shepherd, Jr., Edward Grannis, Zimri Howland, G. Chamberlain, Rice Austin, Benjamin Rudd, Peleg Mat- teson, Asa Baker, Daniel Butts, Joshua Northrup, Edward Grannis, Edward Fuller, Ichabod Cole, Enos Githert (Ar- tillery ), John Wright (Cavalry).

Lieutenants .- Amos Woodward, Bradford Seymour, Sal- mon Laird, Nathan Rose, Seth Hastings, Henry Bingham, Stephen Leonard, Bridge Wakefield, Samuel Comstock, Nicholas Smith, Albion Smith, W. B. Savage, Abram Catlin, Abel Dewey, James Lynch, Rollin Blount, Chester Andrews, Nathan Eells, A. Earms, John Z. Hartwell, Ed- ward Allen, Dan Bosworth, Calvin Church, Aronah Wright, Jos. A. Clark, J. G. Greene, Ezekiel Clark, Seth Langdon, Gates Peck, A. Spencer (Cavalry); Paul . Taft (Cavalry), Charles Wylie ( Artillery), Levi Green (Ar- tillery).

Ensigns .- Abel Downey, Job Herrick, Saml. Comstock, Frederick Kellogg, Barnabas Cook, Rollin Blount, Oren Betts, Win. B. Savage, James Sage, A. W. Gridley, Amasa Rowe, Job Herrick, Calvin Pierce, Eliphalet Hotchkiss, Reuben Daggett, Roswell P. Hayes, A. W. Gridley, Abel Mosher, Abram Young, Jared Vining, Amasa Hinckley, Jonathan Tibbits, Hazacl Lathrop, Ely Wheelan, .Joseph IIalleck, William Parker, Aaron Smith, Simeon Fuller. -

Cornets .- John Williams, Joel Parker.

Adjutants .- Timothy L. Bacon, Wm. Williams, Jonah Bacon, Joshua Bushnell.

Quartermasters .- Jonah Bacon, Silas Judson, Waitstill Wolcott, Warren Kent.

Paymaster .- Jesse Doolittle. .. .

Surgeons .- Roswell P. Hayes.

Surgron's Mate .- Zenas Huntington.

Brigade Inspector .- Richard Sanger.

Names of officers on file in the county clerk's office be- longing to the One Hundred and Fifty-seventh Regiment New York Militia in 1818 : Colonel, John Westcot ; Lieutenant-Colonel, Benjamin Rudd ; Major, Joshua G. Green ; Surgeon, George Brown; Quartermaster, B. B. Lansing; Paymaster, B. B. Hyde; Adjutant, Robert G.

Clark ; Captains, Wm. Talcott, Jonathan Tibbits, Joseph Halleck, David Hill, Simeon Fuller; Lieutenants, John Bailey, James Snyder ; James Knox, Milton Bird, Abner Chase; Ensigns, Chester Hayden, Peter Hartwell, James Powell, Benjamin Wiggins, Harvey Phelps.

Officers of the rifle company attached to the One Hun- dred and Fifty-seventh Regiment, 1818 : Captain, Archi- bald T. Frink ; Lieutenant, Jay Hathaway ; Ensign, Amos Flint. .

Part of the officers of the Seventy-second Regiment, 1818 ; Lieutenant-Colonel, Ichabod Davis; Major, Henry Sheldon ; Lieutenants, Aaron White, Andrew Billings, Ensebins Ball ; Ensigns, Stephen Brooks; Matthew Buck ; Surgeon, Jeremiah Carrier.

CHAPTER XV.

CIVIL ORGANIZATION.

The Dutch occupation-Surrender to the English-Organization of Colonial Government-Original Counties and Subdivisions-Or- ganization of Oneida County- Organization of Towns-The Courts -Board of Supervisors-County Institutions.

THE territory now comprising the " Empire State" was originally settled by immigrants from Holland or the Nether- lands, in 1613. Like most nations, the Dutch did not for- get to be patriotic, and out of respect to "fatherland" they named their possessions " New Netherlands." *..

Flourishing settlements were soon springing up, and the Dutch continued to hold possession of the country until 1664, when the English sent a powerful squadron against them, and the redoubtable Peter Stuyvesant was compelled to succumb to superior force, and the colony passed under the banner of England. The colony was granted to the Duke of York, t by Charles II., in 1664, and out of con- pliment to its new proprietor its name (province and city) was changed to New York. Fort Orange was at the same time changed to Albany, in honor of the Duke's Scottish title. The city and colony were taken by the Dutch again in 1673, and held until the following year, when the juris- diction was finally transferred to England, who held control until the War of the Revolution once more caused a change of masters

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History of Oneida County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 41

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