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 67
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old factories is considerably greater than it has been in past years, is reason sufficient to account for the large increase in sales. From the opening of the board down to the 1st of August the transactions have amounted to 157,649 boxes. But these large sales have been accompanied by the lowest prices ever paid since the establishment of the board, the top price during the last week of July being 7g cents. In fact, the entire season has been one of depres- sion. The existence of the board, however, has enabled its members to obtain the highest market prices, and has estab- lished rates for hundreds of factories all through the coun- try. In fact, the quotations of the Utica market are the standards upon which not only very extensive cheese ope- rations are conducted, but upon which also immense quan- tities of milk are sold to ereameries as well as factories.
The officers of the Board have been as follows :
1871 .- President, T. D. Curtis, Utica; Vice-Presidents, C. D. Faulkner, Utica; C. W. Smith, Ilion; Levi Wheaton, Trenton ; David H. Burrell, Little Falls ; Harris Lewis, Frankfort; Secretary, E. J. Wickson, Utica ; Treasurer, L. L. Wight, Whitestown.
1872 .- President, T. D. Curtis, Utica ; Secretary, E. J. Wickson, Utica; Treasurer, L. L. Wight, Whitestown ; Executive Committee, E. D. Ellis, Deerfield ; C. W. Smith, Frankfort; A. L. Blue, North Gage.
1873 .- The same officers were re-elected.
1874 .- President, Edward J. Wickson, Utiea; Vice- Presidents, C. D. Faulkner, Utica; Levi Wheaton, Utica ; J. J. Davis, South Trenton ; Secretary, Walter I. Ashton, Utica; Treasurer, L. L. Wight, Whitestown ; Executive Committee, E. G. Ellis, Utica ; C. W. Smith, Ilion ; A. L. Blue, North Gage.
1875 .- President, Elward J. Wiekson, Utica; Vice- Presidents, C. D. Faulkner, Utica; J. J. Davis, South Trenton; H. J. Baker, Schuyler's Like; Secretary, E. G. Ellis, Utica ; Treasurer, L. L. Wight, Whitestown; Ex- ecutive Committee, Levi Wheaton, Utica; A. L. Blue, North Gage; C. W. Smith, Frankfort. At a meeting of the Board, November 8, of this year, President Wickson . tendered his resignation, on account of his intended de- parture for California, and L. L. Wight was elected to fill the remainder of the unexpired term.
1876 .- President, L. L. Wight, Whitestown; Vice- Presidents, G. A. Smith, Cassville ; L. D. Johnson, Bur- lington ; J. P. Mattoon, Vienna ; L. C. Smith, Cedarville ; Secretary, H. M. Kennedy, Utica ; Treasurer, A. L. Blue, North Gage; Executive Committee, C. W. Smith, Ilion ; Levi Wheaton, Utica ; J. J. Davis, South Trenton.
1877 .- President, L. L. Wight, Whitestown; Vice- Presidents, C. T. Wheeloek, North Winfield ; L. J. Wing, Unadilla Forks; J. P. Mattoon, Vienna ; William Scher- merhorn, North Gage; Secretary, L. C. Smith, Cedarville ; Treasurer, C. W. Smith, Ilion ; Executive Committee, J. J. Davis, South Trenton; Levi Wheaton, Utica; G. A. Smith, Cassville.
1878 .- President, L. L. Wight, Whitestown ; Vice- Presidents, C. T. Wheclock, North Winfield ; L. J. Wing, Unadilla Forks; J. P. Mattoon, Vienna; W. L. Chapman, Clockville ; Secretary, Benj. D. Gilbert, Utica ; Treasurer, C. W. Smith, Ilion ; Executive Committee, J. J. Davis,
255
HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
South Trenton; Levi Wheaton, Utica; Geo. A. Smith, Cassville.
THE RULES AND REGULATIONS
now in force at the Utica Dairymen's Board of Trade are as follows :
" Ist. The payment to the treasurer of $3.00 by main factories, and $1.00 by branch factories, constitutes a membership of the Utica Dairymen's Board of Trade. By tho payment of 50 cents, any per- son will be allowed the privileges of the salesroom for one day.
" The above rule will be strictly enforced, and all persons violating the same will have their names published in the market reports of the Utica Herald.
" 2d. Members only are entitled to all the privileges of the sales- room.
"3d. Each salesman shall enter upon the register the number of boxes of cheese or tubs of butter offered by him that market day.
" 4th. There will be a bulletin board arranged in a conspicnons place in the room, upon which will be posted all telegrams and othor in- formation of interest received from New York, Littlo Falls, and other markets, and to which board all members are entitled to free access. " 5th. No seller shall accept the offer of a non-member, provided the same price will be given by a member.
" 6th. All transactions of this Board shall be considered cash transactions ; the cheese, butter, or other articles to be paid for ou delivery, unless otherwise especially agreed.
" 7th. There shall be a Board of Arbitration constituted for tho purpose of hearing, adjusting, and settling all differences which may arise from timo to time between buyers and sellers, and it is an ex- press understanding and agreement hy and between such and all the members hercof, that such settlosent by such Board of Arbitration shall be final and conclusive. The said Board of Arbitration shall be chosen and constituted as follows: In case of difference between two parties or interests, the snid parties or interests shall cach choose one member of the Board, nad the two members thus chosen shall select a third, and these three shall constitute the Board of Arbitration, and have appropriate jurisdiction.
" 8th. All bargains between members inade at the salesroom or else- where, verbally or otherwise, shall be considered binding, and to be lived up to and carried out by each of the parties thereto ; and a fail- ure of either party to perform his or their part shall be considered sufficient canse for expulsion from said Board.
" 9th. With a view of avoiding the many disputes and contentions which have arisen heretofore respecting short weights, it shall be no- derstood, and is so agreed upon, that where a difference or discrepancy is found in the weights of butter or cheese on arrival in market, if within six days after shipment, a legally appointed weighmaster's certificate of such discrepancy, with expense of certifiente attached, shall be considered a standard to settle by.
" 10th. It is essential, and for the interest of all, that each of the foregoing rules be strictly observed by each member of the Board, and any cases of violation of such rules shall be considered a suffi- cient reason for calling a committee to look into the facts concerning such violations, and report what action, in their opinion, had best be taken by the Board to avoid a repetition of the same.
" 11th. It is understood that where a factory has more than one salesman, either one or all of said salesmen shall be admitted on pre- sentiog the factory's ticket of membership. Also a buyer and his agent shall be admitted on the one ticket, whether owned by the prin- cipal or the agent.
" 12th. It shall be proper for a member of this Board to be accom- panicd, when admitted to the salesroom, by a neighbor or friend who is not interested in buying or selling, without additional charge; but it is understood that this is a matter of courtesy, and any violation of good faith will be deemed a breach of the rules of the Board.
" 13th. Amendments to these rules and regulations may be made at any regular meeting of the Board, by a majority vote, provided no- tiec of the proposed amendment has been duly given at a previons regular meeting."
ONEIDA COUNTY FARMERS' ALLIANCE.
This association, as its name indicates, is composed of the farming community of Oneida County. The incipient
steps to its organization were taken by members of the Central New York Farmers' Club, and the first meeting was held at the court-house in Utica on the afternoon of March 13, 1878.
The meeting was called to order by Jonathan Jones. Mr. T. D. Curtis read the call for a mass meeting of the farmers. Lorenzo Rouse, Esq., was made chairman of the meeting. Mr. Hoxie, of Whitestown, was made tempo- rary secretary.
A committee of five was appointed to draft resolutions, who reported the following :
" The farmers of the county of Oneida, in mass meeting assembled, do hereby resolve :
" That we organize a County Farmers' Alliance, to co-operate with the New York State Farmers' Alliance, in procuring snch legislation as shall promote the great underlying industry of agriculture, and sceure justice to the farmers.
" 2d. That assessment and taxation should be equitable, and every class of property should bear its just and proportionate share, ex- cepting property for public purposes.
"3d. That the owner of real estate should pay the taxes thercon ; but if his real estate is encumbered hy mortgage, the receipt for taxes should be a legal demand on the holder of the mortgage for a share of the taxes proportionate to the relation which the amount of snch mortgage bears to the assessed valne of the real estate on which it rests.
" 4th. That railroads should not be permitted to charge freight or passenger rates that discriminate against tho citizens living along the lines of said roads; and that unfair competition for through freight, which prompts railroad companies to make up their losses by putting extra charges on way freight, ought to be prohibited by Federal statute.
"5th. That we are opposed to free canals, which mean general taxation for their support, but in favor of low tolls, which shall only be sufficient to pay for repairs and superintendeuce.
"6th. That we demand such modification of the insurance laws as shall legalize the mutual system of insurance now being adopted by the fariners.
" 7th. That we demand a reduction of official salaries to the point where they will be commensurate with the service rendered, and an abolition of the contract system of doing publie work, whereby so much corruption bas been engendered, and so much robbery per- petrated.
" Sth. That we ought to have a national department of agriculture worthy of the name and the great interests which it represents, and a State Board of Agriculture to labor for the promotion of agricul- tural interests of the State, we believing that those who pay taxes have some right to say for what purpose the taxes shall be used.
" 9th. That we recognize in manufactures, commerce, and trade, useful adjuncts to the great industrial interest imposed upon man- kiod by nature ; and while we favor their healthy growth and devel- opment, we protest against their control of the Government, and against its efforts to set them above the primal occupation of man,- agriculture.
" 10th. That our common schools are the bulwark of our free in- stitutions, and the hope of the future progress and glory of the nation. Therefore, we demand such changes in the fundamental law as shall make them free from sectarian control and disturbance, and such reform io their management and teachings as shall include the principles of the natural sciences, which are useful in the mechanic arts and the common pursuits of life.
" 11th. That we recommend a system of public improvements,- national, State, aod local,-by which wealth would be added to the country and laborers provided with employment."
These resolutions were adopted.
A committee was then appointed upon organization and nominations, consisting of Messrs. Curtis, Williams, Cleve- land, Wight, and Talcott, who reported the following con- stitution, which was accepted and adopted :
" Ist. This organization shall be called the Oneida County Farmers' Alliance.
256
HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
" 2d. Any person engaged in the pursuit of agriculture may become a member of this Alliance by asseoting to these articles and paying the sum of fifty cents.
"3d. The officers of this Allianee shall consist of a President, Vice- President, and ono additional Vice-President for each town in the county, a Secretary, and Treasurer, all of whom shall be elected annually ; also, an Executive Committee of three, whose term of office shall be three years, one to be chosen each year; those chosen at the first election to hold office, one for one, ono for two, and one for three years, the term of each to be determined by themselves ; and these three, with the Presidcat, the Secretary, and the Treasurer, shall constitute an Executive Board.
"4th. There shall be an annual meeting of this Alliance in the city of Utiea, on the first Thursday in October, at one o'clock, P.M., at which meeting the officers shall be elected for the ensoing your. Special meetings may be called by the President whenever so desired by the Executive Board.
" 5th. The Alliance may, at any regular meeting, adopt by-laws or standing rules for its proceedings.
" Gth. This constitution may be amended by a vote of two-thirds of the members attending any regular meeting."
Officers .- The following officers were elected, and are the present incumbents : President, W. W. Wheeler, Tren- ton; Vice-President, A. Meeker, Camden; Secretary, T. D. Curtis, Utica ; Treasurer, S. A. Cleveland, New Hartford ; Executive Committee, Morgan Butler, New Hartford ; David Gray, Marcy; O. B. Gridley, Waterville; Vice-Pres-
idents from towns : Annsville, Henry Hall; Augusta, D. Miner ; Bridgewater, W. H. Parkhurst; Camden, Francis Park ; Deerfield, Giles Smith; Florence, Ira Griffin ; Floyd, Thomas D. Roberts; Marcy, Charles Edick ; Marshall, Ira C. Jenks; New Hartford, J. B. Winship; Paris, G. D. Dunham ; Rome, J. Talcott ; Sangerfield, A. O. Osborn ; Trenton, George G. Chassell ; Utica, Jonathan Jones ; Vernon, C. C. Phelps ; Verona, George Benedict ; Vienna, J. P. Matoon; Westmoreland, H. H. Tyler ; Whitesboro', Dr. L. L. Wight; Steuben, J. C. Owens.
The objects of the association are semi-political, the members being pledged to work for the best men for polit- ical positions and civil offices, and by every legitimate means to advance the interests of the class which they rep- resent.
Meetings are held alternately in the different towns of the county.
Many of the members of this organization are also mem- bers of other similar institutions.
The society is strongly organized, well officered, and ably managed, and is already assuming a prominent position in the field of agriculture and in the political arena, in both of which relations it is laboring for the benefit of the pro- ducing classes, and against all forms of monopoly.
Schedule of Assessed Valuation and Taxation, January 18, 1878.
TOWNS.
Acres.
Equalized Val- nation, Real and Personal.
Amount to be paid to Super- visors.
Whole amount Town Charges.
Whole amount County Charges.
State Tsx.
Total Tax.
Annsville.
36,316
$SOS,449
$3,264.02
$3,297.46
$2,096.62
$2,029.89
$7,423.97
Augusta.
16,703
1,167,355
5,559.38
5,567.98
3,027.41
2,931.05
11,526.44
Ava
22,488
250,780
1,172.85
1,172.85
650.36
629.67
2,452.88
Boonville
43,985
1,340,332
2,523.29
2,812.62
3,476.00
3,365.37
9,642.69
Bridgewater
14,820
854.578
2,498.93
2,498.93
2,216.26
2,145.71
6,S60.90
Camden
31,438
997,345
1,863.64
1,863.04
2,586.50
2,504.18
6,954.32
Deerfield
22,500
958,625
3,354.25
3,354.25
2,486.09
2,400.96
8,234.90
Florence
33,473
400,303
3,059.73
3,095.92
1,038.14
1,005.10
5,139.16
Floyd
20,050
047,711
1,245.28
1,252.05
1,679.77
1,626.30
4,558.12
Forestport
48,478
80,043
926.74
1,013.61
207.58
200.98
1,422.17
Kirkland
19,716
2,340,796
9,395.43
9,678.91
6,070.59
5,877.38
21,604.54
Lee
27,771
914,902
2,731.67
2,981.67
2,372.70
2,297.18
7,651.55
Marcy
19,065
893,975
2,443.92
2,443.92
2,318.42
2,244.63
7,006.97
Marshall
19,322
1,212,278
601.79
853.72
3,143.91
3,043.84
7,041.47
New Hartford
16,941
2,524,865
1,697.00
1,811.91
6,547.95
0,339.55
14,699.41
Paris
18,041
1,759,754
5,147.31
5.147.31
4,563.72
4,418.47
14,129.50
Rome ..
44,562
6,384,512
22,037.36
2,182.67
16,557.51
16,030.53
54,828.62
Sangerfield
19,188
1,525,912
3,591.61
3,841.61
3,957.28
3,831.33
11,630.22
Steuben
20,126
683,253
1,465.93
1,405.93
1,771.94
1,715.54
4,953.41
Trenton
27,292
1,308,920
4,794.64
4,800.01
3,394.54
3,286.50
11,481.05
Utica.
5,500
19,715,430
30,391.11
30,639.24
51,129.75
49,502.41
131,271.40
Vernoa
23,710
1,395,196
733.79
988.47
3,618.28
3,503.12
8,109.87
Verona ..
41,790
2,907,245
5,001.28
5,264.28
7,539.61
7,299.65
20,103.54
Vienna.
38,102
500,870
6,400.15
6,443.40
1,298.95
1,257.61
8,999.96
Westera
33,055
891,157
3,007.22
3,097.22
2,311.12
2,237.56
7,645.90
Westmoreland
25,741
1,329,731
1,758.22
1,758.22
3,448.51
3,338.74
8,545.47
Whitestown.
15,482
3,231,406
4,057.55
4,068.42
8,380.29
8,113.56
20,550.17
Totals.
736,305
$57,854,403
$131,849.37
$134,602.54
$150,038.89
$145,263.50
$429,894.71
RemseQ ..
23,364
828,680
1,135.22
1,196.33
2,149.09
2,080.69
5.426.11
NOTE .- There are several inferior items which are not shown in this tahle, hut which are footed in the totals. There may be apparent dis- crepaneies in the various columns and footings, but they are all taken from printed reports, and are probably typographieal errors.
FRANCIS KERNAN.
Francis Kernan is the son of General William Kernan, who emigrated to this country from Ireland about the year 1800. William Kernan came to the city of New York, where he remained a year or two, and then went to Steuben Co., N. Y., where he purchased wild land situate in what is now the town of Tyrone, Schuyler Co. He immediately settled upon this land, and commenced the life of a farmer. He there married Miss Rose Stubbs, who was also a native of Ireland, and who, with her parents, had removed in 1808 to the neighborhood where
Quin, Esq., at Watkins, in what was then the county of Chemung, and is now the county of Schuyler.
In the summer of 1839 he came to Utica, and entered the office of Joshua A. Spencer, Esq., as a law student. In July, 1840, he was admitted as an attorney and solicitor of the courts of the State of New York. He immediately became a partner with Mr. Spencer.
In 1843 he married, at Utica, Miss H. A. Devereux. He has resided in Utica ever since 1840, and has been actively engaged in his profession.
-
0
RF
Photo. by Churchill, Albany.
William Kernan had settled. Francis Kernan is their son: He was born in 1816, on the farm where his father first settled, and where his parents continued to reside until, when far advanced in years, they removed to Utica, N. Y., where they died.
Francis Kernan resided with his father and mother on the farm till 1833, when he was sent to Georgetown College, in the District of Columbia. He pursued his studies at this institution until the summer of 1836, when he returned home, and in the fall of that year commenced the study of the law with his brother-in-law, Edward
He was reporter of the Court of Appeals from 1854 to 1857. He was elected a member of the General Assembly of the State Legislature for 1861; was elected to the House of Representatives of the United States in 1862; was a member of the State Constitutional Convention in 1867-68; was the Democratic and Liberal candidate for Governor of New York in 1872; was elected to the United States Senate as a Democrat, to succeed R. E. Fenton, Liberal, and took his seat in that body March 4, 1875. His term of service as senator will expire March 3, 1881.
1
HISTORY OF THE VILLAGE AND CITY OF UTICA.
CHAPTER XX.
THE VILLAGE OF UTICA.
MANY of the prominent cities and towns of our country owe their founding and subsequent growth and development to natural causes, principally to geographical location. This is especially true of New York, New Orleans, Boston, Chicago, St. Louis, and San Francisco. Rochester, Lowell, Minneapolis, Holyoke, Rock Island, and many others, owe their beginning, growth, and prosperity to the fact that they are located at the centres of great hydraulic power.
A few cities in the Union have been built from artificial causes : Indianapolis is a notable example, because the fact of its being the capital of a wealthy State does not neces- sarily make it a great city. The invention of the stcam- engine and its general introduction have contributed largely to counteract and overbalance the natural advantages of location which formerly built up large cities.
The causes which have combined to wake a wealthy and prosperous city of Utica seem to have been almost wholly artificial, and, we may add, in their application purely acci- dental.
The first mention of this locality in any public document is probably that contained in the grant of the "Cosby Manor,"* by George II., in 1734.
Though the trail of the Oneidas crossed the Mohawk at this point, the fact seemed to have been of no special im- portance, as no village of the nation was ever located herc. The trail which followed the Mohawk Valley to Fort Stao- wix also crossed at the foot of Genesee Street, but the Indian towns, or " castles," were located in other places. The navigation of the river was, perhaps, as good above this point as below, until after the junction of the West Canada Creek ; in fact, Fort Stanwix was the head of bateau navi- gation, and for years was looked upon as the coming location of a " great central city." The fact that a small stockade fortification was erected here at an early date does not seem to have given the place any special advantages, for many years after Old Fort Schuyler was built, and, in fact, until after it had been removed, Whitestown and New Hartford were more important business points than Utica.
Undoubtedly the starting-point in the race for supremacy was the date of the opening of the turnpike-road from old Fort Schuyler towards the west. As this was improved and extended, travel and traffic naturally drew off from the more roundabout route via Fort Stanwix, and Utica began to be an important landing-point for goods, which position
it maintained until the advent of the Erie Canal, a portion of which, between Rome and Utica, was opened for business in October, 1819.
Utica possessed one superior natural advantage, which, however, was not developed until the country in its imme- diate vicinity was cleared up and comparatively well settled. It was located at the point where the hills trended away from the river, making the central valley much broader, and in- cluding within its background of highlands some of the finest aud most productive lands in the State. Here, also, the beautiful valleys of the Sauquoit and Oriskany Creeks opened out upon the Mohawk, and their fertile lauds and subsequently finely-developed water-power teuded still fur- ther to the upbuilding of the town, which the Erie and Chenango Canals, and the advent of steam-power and rail- ways, have continued and accelerated to its present import- ance. Whitesboro', Oriskany, and New Hartford for a time contended for the foremost position, but ere long suc- cumbed to the force of circumstances which they could not control.
A fort was built at this point in 1758, and named Fort Schuyler, in honor of Colonel Peter Schuyler, a prominent officer during the French war, and an uncle to the still more noted General Philip Schuyler of the Revolution.
It was a plain earthwork with low parapet, and strength- ened by a strong stockade, and stood near the present inter- section of Second Street and the Central Railway. It is stated in Dr. Bagg's work that Ballou's Creek formed a sort of bayou near its mouth, with water deep enough for the boats in use in the Mohawk, and here was the landing. The fort is supposed to have been built as a protection to the landing, and as a storehouse for army supplies. It does not appear conspicuously in the history of the Mohawk Valley, and was most probably a work of no great import- ance. There is no record of its ever being garrisoned by any important command. In the time of the Revolution, and subsequently, it was called " Old Fort Schuyler," in contradistinction to Fort Stanwix at Rome, which, during the same period, was called Fort Schuyler, in honor of General Philip Schuyler. Its name was changed by bad taste when Colonel Dayton was sent with a garrison to repair and put it in a state of defense in 1776. Both these fortifications are long since leveled, and their sites occupied by dwellings and marts of trade. The ground occupied by Old Fort Schuyler is now covered by the tracks and build- ings of the New York Central and Hudson River Rail- road.
Mr. Jones states, in his annals, that old Fort Schuyler probably fell into disusc soon after the close of the French war. He also states that a block-house was erected at a period previous to the close of the Revolutionary war,
# For history of this grant see Chapter VII.
33
257
258
HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
which stood on or near the site of the old fort .* The Oneida Indian name of the locality was, according to Mor- gan, Y'a-nun-da-da'-sis ; and after the fort had fallen to ruin they christened it Twa-da-ah-lo-da'-que, meaning ruins of fort. The Indian pronunciations differed so widely, even among members of the same nation and tribe, that it was extremely difficult to get the correct sound and repro- duce it in written English.
The Cosby Manor was surveyed in 1786 by John R. Bleecker, a son of Rutger Bleecker, and subdivided into lots, and numbered consecutively. The present city of Utica lies mostly between and covering the lots from No. 82 to No. 104. These lots were laid out as near as possible at an angle perpendicular to the general course of the river, and extending to the south and north lines of the manor, a distance of about three miles on either side of the stream. The extreme dimensions of the manor were eleven miles and seventeen chains in length along the river, and six miles in width. A little less than one-half of the tract is included in the present county of Herkimer. The lots, according to Dr. Bagg and Mr. Jones, were from sixteen to seventeen chains in width.
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