History of Oneida County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 63

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 63


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32.52 ; 1820 to 1825, 17.75 ; 1825 to 1830, 18.69 ; 1830 to 1835, 13.34; 1835 to 1840, 11.70 ; 1840 to 1845, 7.23; 1845 to 1850, 18.92 ; 1850 to 1855, 11.91 ; 1855 to 1860, 11.96; 1860 to 1865 (decrease), 1.36; 1865 to 1870 (in- crease), 14.50; 1870 to 1875, 7.21." It will be seen that with the exception of the five years from 1860 .to 1865, during the War of the Rebellion, there has generally been a handsome increase ; and it is quite probable that the falling off in the single instance is more apparent than real, and mostly owing to an imperfect census. The growth of the State has certainly, on the whole, been gratifying to its people. The population of each of the twenty-four cities of the State for 1875, was as follows :


Albany .. 86,541


New York.


1,041,886


Auburn.


19,649


Ogdensburg.


10,358


Binghamton ..


15,518


Oswego ..


22,428


Brooklyn.


482,493


Poughkeepsie


20,022


Buffalo


134,557


Rochester


81,722


Cohoes.


17,493


Romc ..


12,251:


Elmira ..


20,436


Schenectady


12,759


Hudson


8,784


Syracuse.


48,255


Kingston


20,445


Troy


48,531'


Lockport ..


12,553


Utica.


32,496


Long Island City.


15,587


Watertown.


9,992


Newburgh ..


17.322


Yonkers


17,232


The urban and suburban population of the State in 1875 was 3,256,768, and the rural population 1,442,190. The increase per cent. in the former for ten years was 34.93, and for the latter only 1.99, showing that almost the entire growth of the State is at present in the cities, towns, and. villages. The rate per cent. of increase for the cities and. villages of Oneida County for the same period was 23.44, and the rural population of the county during the same period fell off 4.76 per cent. The suburban population is reckoned in all villages containing 1000 inhabitants. The population of the county is divided between the two classes as follows : Cities and villages, 72,276 ; rural, 42,059.


Total colored population, 603; Oneida Indians, 64.


A State census, taken at various periods, shows the fol- lowing figures for the county according to the State census report for 1875 : Census of 1814, 45,228 ; of 1825, 57,847; of 1835, 77,518; of 1845, 84,776 : of 1855, 107,749 ; of 1865, 102,713.


A careful footing of the population by towns for 1840 and 1850 makes a material variation from the totals as given in the United States census returns. About 4000 less for 1860. On the whole the advance in population has been very steady and uniform.


Nationality .- Of the total population of the State for 1875, 3,503,300 were native, and 1,195,658 foreign born. Of the foreign born, 828,499 were in the eities, and 367,- 159 in the State at large. In Oneida County there were 88,500 native and 25,835 foreign born, or about in the proportion of three and a half of the former to one of the latter. The nativity of the 'population of Oneida County was as follows : Born in the State, total, 83,033; born in. the county, 64,595 ; born in other counties of the State, 18,438 ; State of Maine, 108; New Hampshire, 187 ; Ver- mont, 587; Massachusetts, 1326; Rhode Island, 244; Connecticut, 1129; New Jersey, 322 ; Pennsylvania, 386 ; other United States, 1178. Foreign : Canada, 982 ; England, 4235 ; the German Empire, 6706 ; Ireland, 8654 ; Scotland, 684; other foreign countries, 4574. Of aliens, there were 5402.


* There is some discrepancy in these figures.


t This return must have been very imperfect.


240


HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.


POPULATION OF ONEIDA COUNTY FROM 1800 TO 1875.


1800.


1810.


1820.


1830.


1840.


1850.


1860.


1870.


1875.


Anosville ..


2,837


2,716


2,626


Augosta .....


1,598


2,004


2,771


1,481 3,058


1,765 2,175


2,271


2,213


2,067


2,233


Boonville ..


393


1,294


2,746


5,519 1,418


1,308


1,261


1,258


1,307


#Bengal


Camden


384


1,132


1,772


1,945


2,331


2,820


3,187


3,687


3,538


#Coostantia.


153


#Champion


143


1,232


2,346


4,182


3,120


2,287


2,249


2,045


2,098


Florenco


396


640


964


1,259


2,587


2,802


2,299


2,181


Floyd


767


970


1,498


1,699


1,742


1,419


1,440


1,209


1,142


Forestport


1,276


1,280


Kirkland


2,509


2,984


3,421


4,185


4,912


4,749


#Lowville.


300


# Leyden


622


2,186


2,514


2,936


3,025


2,796


2,656


2,413


Marcy ..


1,857


1,687


1,451


1,418


Marshall


1,908


2,251


2,115


2,134


2,145


2,215


Mexico


240


845


3,599


3,819


4,847


4,395


4,037


4,382


Paris.


4,721


5,418


6,707


2,765


2,844


4,283


3,762


3,575


3,593


Remsen.


224


489


912


1,400


1,638


2,384


2,670


1,184


1,166


Roine.


1,497


2,003


3,569


4,360


5,680


7,920


6,246


11,000


12,251


#Redfield


107


362


#Richland


1,143


1,324


2,011


2,272


2,251 1,993


2,371 1,754


2,343 1,554


2,513 1,261


2,913


Steuben


552


1,105


1,461


2,094


1,220


#Seriba


624


1,548


2,617


3,221


3,178


3,540


3,504


3,156


3,118


*Turin.


440


2,972.


8,323


12,782


17,556


22,524


28,804


32,496


Vernon


1,519


2,707


3,045


3,043


3,089


2,908


2,840


3,007


Verona.


1,014


2,447


3,739


4,504


5,587


5,967


5,757


5,476


Vienna


Westmoreland.


1,542


1,135


2,791


3,303


3,105


3,292


3,166


2,952


2,752


Whitestown


4,212


4,912


5,219


4,410


5,156


5,820


4,367


4,339


4,368


# Watertowo.


119


22,837


33,792


50,997


71,326


85,310


98,537


101,626


110,018


114,335


Sex .- Of the total population, 56,105 were males, and 58,230 females; showing an excess of the latter of 2125.


Voters .- The total males of the voting age was 31,272, of whom 19,458 were native and 11,814 foreign born (born outside the county).


Military .- Of males of the military age (from eighteen to forty-five years) there were 21.989. Persons of school age (five to eighteen) 30,560, of whom 15,315 were males, and 15,245 females.


Land Owners .- These numbered in the county 14,934, or only about one in eight of the total population.


Illiterate .- The number of persons of both sexes, above the age of twenty-one years, unable to read and write was 1768, which would seem to be altogether inexcusable in the midst of so many educational advantages.


Aged People .- By the State Census of 1875 there were returned as then living in Oneida County the following aged people : Native born white males, one, ninety-seven ycars ; females, one, one hundred and twelve; foreign born white inales, one, ninety-six ; females, one, one hundred and four. Native born colored males, one, eighty-nine;


# NOTE .- The towns of Champion and Watertown were set off with the erection of Jefferson County, in 1805. The towns of Lowville, Leyden, and Turin were set off to Lewis County at the same time ; and the towns of Constantia, Mexico, Redfield, Seriba, and Wil- liamstown were set off with Oswego County, in 1816. The town of Bengal is now the town of Vienna.


females, one, eighty. These were the oldest individuals of each class named.


Dwellings .- The total number of dwellings in the county in 1875 was 22,349, of which 21,227 were frame, 981 brick, 57 stone, and 84 log. The total value of all kinds was $38,526,082. Of these the frame buildings were val- ued at $29,793,322 ; the brick ones at $8,443,150; the stone ones at $283,700, and the log houses at $5910. The greatest number of log dwellings was in Forestport, where they numbered 25, valued at $2030, or about $81 each. The total number of dwellings, of all kinds, in the three leading cities and towns was : Utica, 5269; Rome, 2341, and Verona, 1159, these being the only ones having over 1000 each. The total number of families in the county was 24,539; the number of inhabited dwellings, 21,799; the average number of persons to a family, 4.66, and the average number to an inhabited dwelling, 5.24.


ELECTIONS.


The first election by the people in what is now the State of New York, was that of the "Twelve Men," in 1641, under the Dutch rule. The first election under English rule was that of the Assembly of 1665, for the promulga- tion of the " Duke's Laws." The first elections by authority of the people were held in March, 1775, to elect deputies to the Provincial Convention, which met in New York on the 20th of April following, to choose delegates to the


3,460


3,180


3,064


Western


1,493


2,416


2,237


2,419


3,488


2,524


2,497


2,423


2,244


#Williamstown.


562


1,307


1,766


2,530


3,436


1,260


1,160


1,022


Bridgewater


1,06L


1,170


1,533


1,608


3,309


4,212


4,106


4,063


454


Deerfield.


1,048


Lee.


New Hartford


947


Sangerfield.


328


Treotou


Utica ..


1,799


2,688


Ava ......


1,027


HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.


second Continental Congress, which met in Philadelphia on the 10th of May, 1775 .* Previous to the adoption of the State Constitution, in 1777, elections were held before the sheriffs, by a poll or viva voce vote. Under the first con- stitution, elective officers were limited to the governor, lieutenant-governor, senators, and assemblymen, and the town elerks, supervisors, assessors, constables, and col- lectors, and all other officers theretofore eligible. Loan offi- cers, county treasurers, and elerks of the supervisors were to be appointed as directed by the Legislature. All other civil and military officers to be appointed by the council of appointment, unless otherwise designated by the constitution.


On the 27th of March, 1778, an " experimental" law was passed authorizing the use of the ballot in elections for governor and lientenant-governor, but retaining the viva vocc system for members of the Legislature. Under the law of 1787 the ballot system was generally introduced. Under the first constitution the governor, lieutenant-gov- ernor, and senators were chosen by freeholders, actual resi- dents, and possessed of freeholds of the valne of £100 over and above all debts charged thereon. Male inhabitants, who had resided within one of the counties of the State for six months preceding the election, were entitled to vote for mem- bers of Assembly, provided they owned within the county a freehold of £20, or paid a yearly rent of 40 shillings, and were rated and actually paid taxes. By an act passed April 9, 1811, these values were changed to corresponding sums in the Federal currency, viz. . $250, $50, and $5. No dis- crimination was made against blaeks and mulattoes, except that they were required to produce authenticated certificates of freemen.


The elective franchise was extended by the constitution of 1821 conferring it on every male citizen of the age of twenty-one years who had resided in the State one year pre- eeding any election, and in the town or county where he offered to vote six months, provided he had paid taxes within the year, or was exempt from taxation, or had per- formed military duty, or was a fireman ; and also upon every such citizen who had been a resident of the State three years, and town or county one year, and had performed highway labor within the year or paid an equivalent therefor. Colored persons were not allowed to vote unless they had been eiti- zens of the State three years, and were possessed of a free- hold of the value of $250 over and above all inenmbranees, and had paid a tax thereon.


Under the law of 1787, elections were held in every borough, town, distriet, precinet, or ward, under the super- vision of inspectors chosen for that purpose. When the balloting system was first introduced, the boxes containing the ballots were directed to be returned by the sheriffs to the Secretary of State in order that they might be canvassed by a joint committee of the Legislature.


Under the act passed March 27, 1799, local boards were instituted, who were required to inspeet and canvass the ballots, the result to be recorded by the town clerk, who was to return it to the county clerk for the same purpose, by whom it was to be transmitted to the Secretary of State, and by him also recorded. A board of State canvassers was


instituted, consisting of the Secretary of State, Comptroller, and Treasurer, who were required to eanvass the votes on or before the 8th of June, and publish the result. By the act of 1787, general elections were held on the last Tuesday of April, and might be continned for five days.


By the act of April 17, 1822, a board of county can- vassers was instituted, consisting of one inspector of eleetions from each town, and the Attorney-General and Surveyor- General were added to the board of State canvassers. The general election day was to be the first Monday in November ; each town and ward formed one elective distriet, and the polls were opened by adjonrnment from place to place for three successive days. By the aet of April 5, 1842, elec- tions were dirceted to be held in one day, on the Tuesday succeeding the first Monday in November, and towns and wards were divided into a convenient number of election dis- triets. By this aet the supervisors were constituted boards of connty eanvassers, which system is still in operation.


Political .- The political sentiments of the people of Oneida Connty are indicated by the following tabulated statement of the vote for Governor at various periods, com- meneing with 1801. The first elcetion in what now eon- stitutes the county of Oneida, was a town-meeting held at the house of Captain Daniel C. White, of Whitestown, on Tuesday, the 7th day of April, 1789.


The meeting was adjourned-" it being more convenient" -to the barn of Hugh White, Esq. At that date the distriet of Whitestown formed a part of Montgomery County.


VOTES FOR . GOVERNOn.t


1801. George Clinton .. 503


S. Van Rensselaer ... 2,042


1846. Silas Wright .. 5,095


1804. Morgan Lewis ... 2,108


Jolin Young .. 6,433


Aaron Burr. 1,866


1848. R. H. Walworth 3,678


1807. Daniel D. Tompkins. 1,779


Hamilton Fish ...


6,159


Morgan Lewis ....... 1,728


John A. Dix .... 4,758


1810. Daniel D. Tompkins. 1.899


1850. Horatio Seymour ...


8,330


Jonas Platt ... 2,376


Washington Hunt ...


7,242


1813. Daniel D. Tompkins. 1,895


S. Van Rensselaer ... 2,631


1852. Horutin Seymour .... Washington Hunt .. M. Tompkins ..


7,676


1816. Daniel D. Tompkins. 1,893


Rufus King 2,327


1854. Horatio Seymour ...


7,876


1817. De Witt Clinton. 2,482


Scattering 43


IS26. Danicl D. Tompkins. 1,638


Myron H. Clark .... Greene C. Bronson. Daniel Ullman


1,668


De Witt Clinton .. 2,773


1856. John A. King ..


16,852


1822. Juseph C. Yates 5,433


Amasa J. Parker ... Erastus Brooks ..


1,746


1824. Samuel Young. 3,236


De Witt Clinton 4,559


1826. Wm. B. Rochester ... 3,072


De Witt Clinton ..


4,180


1828. M. Van Buren ... 5,230


Smith Thompson ... 5,797


1830. Euos T. Throop ... 5,536


Francis Granger 3,976


1832. Wm. L. Murey. 6,470


Francis Granger. 5,926


1834. Ww. L. Marey ... 6,523


Win. H. Seward. 6,157


1836. Wm. L. Marcy .. 5,511


Jesse Buel. 3,457


1870. S. L. Woodford ...... 12,149 John T. Hoffman ... 10,819


1838. Win. L. Marcy. 6.101


Ww. H. Seward 5,062


Francis Kernan


1874. John A. Dix. 11,488


1842. Wm. C. Bouch


7,115


Samuel J. Tilden ... 11,137


Luther Bradish 5,558


1844. Silne Wright ...


7,808


Millard Fillmore. 6,982


Presidential Electors .- We give the vote for presidential electors, commencing with 1844, not having been able to proenre those of previous elections :


# The first Continental Congress met Sept. 5, 1774.


31


+ Those in italics were elected.


6,573


Scattering 34


1858. Edwin D. Morgan .. 16,728 Amnasa J. Parker ... 7,993 Lorenzo Barrows ... 586


1860. Edwin D. Morgan .. 12,439 William Kelley. 9,039


1862. J. S. Wadsworth .... 10,143 Horatio Seymour ... 9,662


1864. Reuben E. Fenton ... 12,675 Horatio Seymour ... 10,921


1866. Reuben E. Fenton ... 12,431 John T. Hoffman ... 11,121 1868. John A. Griswold ... 12,555 John T. Hofman ... 11,295


1872. John A. Dix .. 12,921 10,765


1840. Wm. C. Bouek. 7,893


Wm. H. Seward. 7,164


1876. Edwin D. Morgan .. 13,943


Lucius Robinson .... 12,872


9,308


646


7,521


621


1844. Alvan Stewart .. 1,651


241


242


HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.


1844. Whig.


6,983


Democratie .... 7,717


Abolition ....... 1144


1848.


6,032


.... 3,585


Free Soil ....... 4008


1852.


7,831


.... 8,636


....... 1033


1860.


... 12,508


1864.


... 12,049


.10,915


1872.


... 13,384


.... 10,079


1876.


... 12,844


.... 14,020


POPULAR STATE QUESTIONS.


1846 .- For amended constitution, 7984; against, 2063.


1874 .- For constitutional amendments, 7582; against same, 8166.


TABULAR STATEMENT OF THE VARIOUS INDUSTRIES OF THE COUNTY.


No. of Establish- ments.


Hands Em- ployed.


Capital.


Wages.


Material.


Products.


Agricultural implements ..


14


211


$471,603


$92,102


$163,157


$332.390


Boats ..


13


126


80,000


43,500


34,630


131,100


Boots and shoes ..


10


545


418,100


319,430


745,515


1,228,806


Boxes, cheese ..


15


50


34,550


10,110


26,117


50,662


Bread and other bakery products ...


5


12


8,100


2,800


14,790


25,600


Brick ..


11


128


43,550


23,370


18,100


66,020


Carriages and wagons.


53


272


352,250


109,201


120,952


384,267


Cars, freight aod passenger.


1


80


20,000


31,042


24,000


55,042


Cheese.


80


283


200,850


47,853


1,209.704


1,363,969


Cider.


10


23


10,100


1,107


Clothing, men's.


24


1499


581,400


155,640


541,662


935,025


" women's


15


93


24,325


8,189


43,935


70,908


Coffee and spices, ground ....


1


9


1,800


7,000


28,167


42,298


Cooperage.


17


41


18,353


7,105


9,837


27,814


Cordage and twine.


1


10


6,000


2,000


7,320


15,150


Cotton goods ..


13


2120


2,709,927


712,690


1,503,463


2,444,375


Flouring-mill products.


30


83


272,050


19,200


523,715


622,264


Frames, mirror and picture.


3


10


3,200


3,042


7,650


14,550


Furniture, not specified. chairs,


5


57


S1,000


21,500


12,405


60,094


Furs, dressed.


3


12


7,867


2,350


5,700


14,000


Gas.


2


17


115,000


17,300


32,375


97,925


Glass, stained


2


18


6,000


5,400


5,290


15,500


94


135,000


58,715


50,246


123,000


1


17


10,000


3,000


6,506


20,000


1


16


12,000


5,000


2,300


10,000


5


23


19,033


11,050


14,285


28,305


Hosiery


5


213


185,000


62,400


178,240


362,355


Iron, blooms


"20


40,000


8,640


26,436


38,400


=


forged and rolled.


210


308,000


129,600


664,810


999,000


pigs


1


40


100,000


10,413


23,434


40,490


=


eastings, not specified.


319


323,880


149,642


195,624


441,264


"


stovos, heaters, etc.


96


101,500


52,953


53,153


157,482


Leather, tanned ..


30


262


723,914


101,311


917,203


1,278,931


Lime


7


19


10,550


4,522


15,255


23,740


Liquors, distilled.


11


13,000


1,400


12,765


46,997


malt ..


8


44


128,900


12,100


09,196


133,928


1


23


30,000


8,500


4,50€


21,000


Lumber, sawed


312


324,500


77,000


200,797


420,631


S


11!


214,800


40,022


86,707


159,130


20


135


163,880


61,630


82,385


193,316


2


31


57,000


8,300


7,357


24,212


1


97


51,240


32,880


16,150


40,030


3


182


179,000


117,130


227,200


381,895


Malt


2


7


19,000


1,670


19,369


25,349


Millstones.


1


17


15,000


7,200


1,275


23,000


14


20,000


8,400


3,000


12,000


Oil floor-cloth ..


1


32


75,000


15,000


50,120


120,000


7


37


9,700


14,326


9,375


33,500


Paper, printing


2


39


60,000


10,700


60,275


101,160


1


10


30,000


4,500


16,600


25,000


Patent medicines


15


10,000


1,200


5,588


10,250


Plated ware.


2


12


20,800


4,100


14,015


24,100


6


GG


100,000


22,S20


24,917


63,028


Saddlery and harness.


27


S6


37,300


18,695


37,916


81,635


Saws .....


2


13


14,000


5,500


15,500


25,000


Stone and earthen ware.


3


14


26,200


4,200


10,130


16,800


Tin, copper, and sheet-iron ware


30


123


134,200


44,425


160,691


294,672


Tobacco and snuff. cigars


4


198


182,000


75,978


265,742


430,204


Tranks, valises, and satchels


3


12


11,500


4,000


14,800


30,100


Vegetables, canned.


1


50


4,000


2,500


9,500


20,000


Wooden ware ...


2


26


28,000


7,200


21,950


36,000


Wool-carding and cloth-dressing ..


4


10


7,900


1,900


11,650


15,950


Woolen goods.


10


986


1,015,070


349,271


1,216,122


1,857,101


I


10


25,000


2,280


9,250


16,455


Sash, doors, and blinds


7


110


138,000


56,616


69,525


186,704


Ship-building and repairing ..


2


17


4,600


6,160


5,215


13,500


Soap and candles.


5


21


44,100


5,862


36,249


70,363


6


27


27,500


10,050


20,400


39,625


1


19


25,000


7,108


11,440


28,018


Musical instruments, organs.


1


2


Printing, newspaper .. " job


2


24


23.0. 0


7,200


12,350


27,000


10


36


52,686


14,179


244,304


299,403


23


183


150,200


38,905


60,765


131,640


Glassware ...


2


Gloves and mittens ..


Gunsinithing.


Hats and caps.


1


2


20


3


Locomotive head-lights.


planed.


Machinery, not speci6ed.


"


cotton and wooleo.


railroad repairing.


engines and boilers ..


Painting, house and sign ..


wrapping


23


92


41,350


25,561


29,248


80,051


1856. Republican ... 11,174


6,386


1850 .- For repeal of new school law, 7414; against, 6517.


1854 .- For amendment relating to canals, 7940; against, 1098.


1858 .- For Convention to amend constitution, 4486 ; against, 5153. 1860 .- For aet to create a State debt to pay bounties to soldiers, 8906; against same, 2644.


1866 .- For Convention to amend constitution, 11,630; against, 1958. 1869 .- For amended constitution, 1284; against same, 7264.


1846 .- For amendment giving equal suffrage to colored persons, 3877 ; against, 5952.


1849 .- For new school law, 8506; against, 2911.


American ...... 1601


9,011


Roofing materials.


Marble-work, tombstones .. Matches.


curried.


9,285


13,886


243


HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.


MANUFACTURES.


The manufacturing interests of the county, as shown by the United States census returns for 1870, the latest gen- eral statistics published, make the following summary :


There were 1075 establishments using 125 steam engines of 4120 horse-power, and 390 water-wheels with 8174 horse-power. The number of hands employed was 11,175, of whom 7196 were males, 3150 females, and 929 youth. The amount of capital employed was $11,508,438; amount of wages paid, $3,610,637; value of materials used, $10,- 873,468; and value of manufactured goods, $18,111,667.


These figures are taken from the United States census for 1870, for the reason that the State census for 1875 gives no statisties of this branch of industry. Additional statisties and information will also be found in the histories of the several eities, villages, and towns gathered from the manufacturers during the present year.


The following interesting article upon the early manu- factures of Oneida County has been obligingly furnished by Mr. Capron :


" WASHINGTON, D. C., May 22, 1878.


"Sia,-In acknowledging the receipt of your letter of April 16, I heg leave to thank you for the request it contains for 'any informa- tion I might chance to give concerning the early establishment of manufactores in Oncida County, with statistics of improvements and progress, names of parties interested, etc.,' since, besides being thns privileged to aid in establishing a more correct history of the county of Oneida, by pointing out several errore in dates that have crept into some of the existing histories of that section, the opportunity is happily afforded me of doing justice tu the memory of the pioneers in the introduction of the most important industries ever developed in the Empire State.


" As preliminary to what I may have to offer in regard to the in- troduction of the manufacturing industries of Oneida County, I would remark that, not being able at the moment to refer to manuscript records, I am dependent principally upon memory (which runs hack to 1806-7) for the establishment of dates ; but as many incidents con- nected with the dawning of these industries are interwoven with events in my life, the dates as hercin presented may be considered as very nearly correct.


"I would add that it gives me pleasure to testify to the general accuracy of the several histories to which I have referred, so far as the events they record were contemporaneous with my own early history, and also to state that my interest in these documents was heightened by the fact that many of the incidents they mention aro still fresh in my recollection.


" The first eotten-mill erected in the State of New York was the Ogeida Factory, established in 1807. This was of brick, and stood in the vicinity of the site of the present York Mills. It was intended for the production of cotton-yarn only, and was in operation long before the introduction of the power-loom. The originator of this enterprise was Dr. Seth Capron, the father of the writer of this letter. Associated with him were Counselor Gold, Theodore Sill, Newton Mann, and others. About this time Benjamin S. Walcott, then a young man, who afterwards established the York Mills, was induced to emigrate from Rhode Island, because of his knowledge of spinning machinery, which he had acquired under Samuel Slater. Ile began as superintendent of the spinning department, and in 1809 was ap- pointed agent of the mill, which was then in operation. The yara spun at this mill was sent into the surrounding country to he woven by hand into a species of cloth resembling the India 'hum hums' of that period,-a very inferior article. This cloth was three-quarters of a yard in width. The price paid for weaving was from five to six cents per running yard, in barter. Many a yard of this fabric have I, in beyish amusement, hooked up npon the 'tenter-hooks,' in yard folds, as it came in from the weavers. At this date neither the cottoo-gin nor the cotton-picker had been introduced into general


uss, although the former was invented as early as 1793, and the latter previous to 1809. The cotton came to the factory in the seed, and the first step in its manufacture was to whip out the seeds and dust with sticks. The cotton was spread upon a net-work of cord drawa across n frame, in meshes of about an inch, the frame being elevated upon legs some two and a half feet from the floor. Through this net-work the seeds and dust fell into the space below. The eotton was then put up in bags and given out to the country-people to com- plete the process of detaching the seeds and separating the fibre pre- paratory to its going directly to the cards, for which labor from three to four cents per pound was paid, in barter.




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