History of Oneida County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 73

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 73

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Other ncw-comers of this year were Solomon P. Good- rich, a dealer in books, and also teacher of a select school for young ladies ; Flavel Bingham, a jeweler; Frederick White, who opened an extensive general store, including a very large stock of hats and caps ; Benjamin Hicks, a hat- ter, and a noted military man ; and Edward Baldwin and William Rees, two noted Welshmeo.

A somewhat noted individual visited Utica during the year 1802,-the Rev. John Taylor, of Westfield, Mass. He was on a missionary tour to the Mohawk and Black River countries, and kept a journal of his travels, which may be found in the " Documentary History of New York." In the course of his journeyings he stopped in Utica at several different times, and had opportunities of observing the people, their habits, business, etc. Like many of his New England congeners, he seems to have been somewhat bigoted, and consequently illiberal, and therefore scarcely competent to do justice to the people of the new settlement, who, like all pioneers, were probably somewhat lacking io that crystallized form of society which men call polished and highly cultivated; and quite probably their outward observance of religious forms and ceremonics was not quite up to the straight-jacket standard which then governed the people of the Connecticut Valley. We quote from his journal :

"This is a very pleasant and beautiful village, but it is filled with a great quantity of people of all nations and religions. There is but a bandful of people in this place who have much regard for preach- ing, or for anything in this world. Eight years last spring there were but two houses in the present towo-plat. There are oow above ninety. Utica seems to be a mixed mass of discordant materials. llere may be found people of ten or twelve different nations, and of almost all religions and sects, but the greater part are of ao religion. The world is the great object with the body of the people."

But with all this " ungodliness," the reverend gentleman relates that he persuaded three hundred of the people to come out and hear him preach. He made a curious dia- gram of the place,-half map and half picture,-showing

the location of every building in the towo, or at least all except out-buildings.

There were many important additions to Utica during the year 1803. David Ostrom, a soldier of the Revolu- tion, had removed from Dutchess County about 1790, and settled in New Hartford, subsequently removing to Paris, and finally, about 1803, locating in Utica. He held the office of county judge from the organization of Oneida County io 1798 to 1815, with the exception of three years. Al- though not educated for the bar, he was admitted to prac- tice as an attorney in 1812, and opened an office in Utica in the same year. He represented his district io the As- sembly for many years, and was a judge of the Court of Common Pleas. In 1804 he was landlord of the "Coffee- House," which stood on the ground occupied by the Devereux Block, and was for some time village magistrate. He died from an attack of paralysis, March 17, 1821, at the age of sixty-five, very generally regretted.

This year witnessed the arrival of Dr. Marcus Hitch- cock, a native of Connecticut. He had studied medicine with Dr. Amos G. Hull in New Hartford, and opened an office in Utica; but becoming dissatisfied with the profcs- sion, he engaged in the drug business in company with Dr. John Carrington, a brother of Dr. Samuel Carrington, the second postmaster of the village. Dr. Hitchcock bought ont his partner, and was about the same time appointed postmaster, which office he held continuously from 1803 to 1828. He continued the drug business for twenty-five years, when he was forced to suspend. In 1836 be re- moved to Terre Haute, Ind., where he died about 1853.

Dr. Solomon Wolcott, Jr., was also an arrival of the year 1803. He entered into a partnership with Dr. Francis Guiteau, Jr., and together they practiced their profession and carried on the drug business, until 1807, when they dissolved, and Dr. Wolcott continued business by himself for about two years, when he took in his brother, Waitstill H. Wolcott. Io 1813 he gave up the mercantile branch to his brother, and devoted himself wholly to the practice of medicine. He was in partnership for a short time in 1814 with Dr. Daniel Barker, and in April, 1815, was ap- pointed surgeon's inate in the temporary government hos- pital established for the benefit of the sick and wounded soldiers from the frontier. About the latter date he was also made a judge of the Common Pleas Court. Subse- quently he became involved, and lost most of the handsome property which he had accumulated. He borrowed money from the banks to a large extent, and erected several build- ings, among others the large wood building afterwards used for the Utica High School. He declined rapidly from the day of his failure, and died of a sudden illness in October, 1818, aged forty-nine years.

Thomas Walker, another prominent citizen, was born in Rehoboth, Mass., Nov. 18, 1777. He was of good colo- nial stock, and learned the printer's trade with that emi- nent member of the craft, Isaiah Thomas, of Worcester.

Mr. Walker came to Oneida County, and on the 17th of August, 1799, in company with his brother-in-law, Ebene- zer Eaton, commenced, at Rome, the publication of a news- paper, called the Columbian Patriotic Gazette. This was the third newspaper published in Queida County, the two

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

preceding ones having been the Western Centinel, at Whitesboro', in 1794, and the Whitestown Gazette, at New Hartford, in 1796.

In March, 1803, Mr. Walker removed his office to Utica, and changed or eurtailed the name of the paper to the Columbian Gazette, which he continued to publish for a period of twenty-two years, with eminent success. At first it was a small dingy sheet, ten and a half by twelve inches in dimensions, and located at 44 Genesee Street. The sign was a large square one, containing a portrait of Ben- jamin Franklin.

Mr. Walker was instrumental, in connection with Silas Stowe, a resident of what is now Lewis County, in estab- lishing new post-routes and offices in the region now con- stituting the counties of Lewis and Jefferson.

During the war of 1812-15, Mr. Walker was collector of the United States internal revenue for this distriet. In 1825 he sold the Gazette to Samuel D. Dakin and Win. J. Bacon, who also became owners by purchase of the Patriot, and the three earliest publications of the county were united in one, called the Sentinel and Gazette.

Mr. Walker filled various positions in the Utica banks and was a trustee of the academy and also of the Presby- terian Church, and was prominently connected with the Masonie fraternity. He died June 13, 1863, in his eighty- sixth year. His wife was Mary Eaton, and a relative of the somewhat noted General William Eaton, who, at the head of a small mixed force, captured the city of Derne, in Africa, in March, 1805, during the war with Tripoli.

John H. Lothrop, noted as a lawyer, farmer, editor, mer- chant, and banker, was a settler in Oneida in 1795 er 1796. He was born in New Haven, Conn., May 1, 1769, and received his education at Yale College. He studied law with Judge Hoster, of Hartford, and subsequently visited the Southern States, spending some time with General Na- thaniel Greene, near Savannah, Ga. Influenced by Colonel George W. Kirkland, a son of Rev. Samuel Kirkland, whom he met in the South, he came to what is now Oneida County. In February, 1797, he married Miss Jerusha Kirk- land, and commeneed the business of farming at Oriskany. " Within less than a year he became insolvent by indorsing for his brother-in law, Colonel Kirkland, and went upon the limits."* His next employment was as a copyist in the office of the county elerk. In 1803 he became editor of the Whitestown Gazette and Cato's Patrol, changing its name to Utica Patriot, and located in Utica to conduet it. He seems to have been in the mercantile business for a short time in 1804, in company with Ralph W. Kirkland. The editorship of his paper not requiring all his time, he also served as deputy in the office of the clerk of the Supreme Court.

In 1809 he erected a fine dwelling, since occupied by the Jolinsons. He sold his house, and also disposed of his paper in 1811, and removed to New Hartford, where he remained about five years, engaged in the practice of the law, when he was appointed cashier of the Ontario Branch Bank, and again returned to Utica, where he continued until his death, June 15, 1829. Mr. Lothrop was an accomplished scholar,

a fluent writer, and something of a poet. He was also pos- sessed of fine social and conversational powers, and was an inimitable wit and story-teller .. The late brilliant actor, Hackett, was then a merchant of Utica, and in after-years he often rehearsed the laughter-provoking stories of Mr. Lothrop. Mr. Lothrop was for many years connected with Hamilton College in the capacity of trustee and secretary of the board. His wife, the daughter of Rev. Samuel Kirkland, survived him many years, and died Feb. 20, 1862. His family was a numerous one, and his children have risen to eminence in various walks of life.

Ira Merrell, one of the publishers of Mr. Lothrop's paper, was the son of Bildad Merrell, who came into the county in 1798, settling first at New Hartford and remov- ing subsequently to Holland Patent.

Ira learned the printer's art with William MeLean, and when the latter sold out his paper he associated himself with Asahel Seward, a fellow-workman, and did the pub- lishing for Mr. Lothrop, which business he continued for some three years. He was afterwards foreman in the office of Seward & Williams. At a later date he did the press- work of the Western Recorder, published by Merrell & Hastings ( Andrew Merrell and Charles Hastings).

He carried on printing also on his own account, and among his issues were a Welsh hymn-book, in 1808; a Welsh catechism ; a reprint of " Divine Hymns and Spir- itual Songs;" an abridgment of " Milnor's Church History;" a volume of sermons, ete. He lived in Utica for a period of thirty years, and was a ruling elder of the Presbyterian Church. About 1833 he removed to Geneva, Ontario County, where he took charge of the Geneva Courier.

Asaliel Seward was the eldest son of Colonel Nathan Seward, of New Hartford; born in Waterbury, Conn., August 19, 1781. He learned the printer's art of William McLean, and afterwards worked as a journeyman in various places in New York and New England. As has been stated in the notice of Ira Merrell, he entered into a part- nership with that gentleman in the publication of the Utica Sentinel, and continued his connection with that paper, with various partners, until 1824, when he sold to Messrs. Dakin & Bacon. In 1806, Mr. Seward established the business of book-printing and binding, and soon after, in connection, opened a book-store. About 1814 he beeame associated with Mr. William Williams in the book busi- ness, and this firm continued for many years, its transae- tions constantly inereasing until it became the heaviest house in the Mohawk Valley. A leading feature of their business was the publication of Noah Webster's elementary spelling-book, of which they had purchased the exclusive right of publication for the western district of New York. This was continued for a period of fourteen years, and brought the firm an annual income of $2000. The works they issued were chiefly school-books, though they engaged in the publication of religious and secular works to a greater or less extent. An unwise arrangement, entered into with a Philadelphia publishing house, eventuated in the failure and discontinuance of the firmu.

From the date of his withdrawal, in 1824, Mr. Seward was not subsequently engaged in aetive business, but lived a retired life in the place once occupied by Colonel Walker.

# Dr. Bagg.

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

He died January 30, 1835. His wife survived him thirty years, and died in January, 1865. Their children were three sons and three daughters. The latter died young, but the three sons are still living in Utica.

William Williams was the son of Deacon Thomas Wil- liams, of Roxbury, Mass., and born in Framingham, Octo- ber 12, 1787. He came with his father's family to New Hartford, and to Utica in 1803, in company with Asahel Seward, of whom he learned the printer's trade. About 1808 he became a partner with Mr. Seward, and continued until 1824, when the firm dissolved. Mr. Williams con- tinued the business for several years, and issued a large number and variety of books. About 1828 he formed a partnership with Messrs. Balch & Stiles, engravers. About 1829-30 he became editor of the Elucidator, an Anti- Masonie paper. Shortly afterwards he became financially involved in the dowofall of a Philadelphia publishing house, and closed up his business. He subsequently removed to Tonawanda, Erie Co. He died on the 10th of June, 1850, in Utica, to which city he had returned a short time before.

Mr. Williams was ever conspicuous in all the various projects and movements inaugurated for the benefit of his town, and the general welfare. Though a man of peace, he was exceedingly patriotic, and when in 1813 Sacket's Harbor was threatened and help was needed, he raised a company and was on the road within thirty hours. After the war he became a conspicuous member of the fire de- partment, and eventually its executive officer.

When the dreaded Asiatic cholera visited Utica, in 1832, he nobly stayed by and gave his whole time, day and night, to the necessities of the sick and dying nntil stricken him- self, from which attack he narrowly escaped with his life. He was an active member of various religious organizations, elder of the Presbyterian Church, superintendent of the Sunday-school, and president of the Western Sunday- School Union.

Another bookseller was George Richards, Jr., a son of George Richards, a printer of Portsmouth, N. H. In November, 1803, he opened the "Oneida Book-store." In December of the same year he was advocating the establishment of a circulating library, and made a generous offer of his own books.

In February, 1804, he came very near being burned ont, presumably in the fire which destroyed Post & Hamlin's store, and near which he was located. He sold out in 1809, and left the place. During two and a half years of his stay in Utica he was clerk for the village trustees, and was an efficient officer, if we may judge by the correspond- ence which took place between him and Talcott Camp, the president, on the occasion of his resigning.

Samuel Stocking was a new-comer of the year 1803. He was born in Ashfield, Mass., June 10, 1777, and came to Utica in June, 1803. He had learned the trade of a hatter, and worked at it in Westfield, Mass. On his arrival in Utica, having no considerable amount of means, he par- chased a stock of furs on credit and began business, and was eminently successful from the start.

In the course of a few years he became acquainted with the noted John Jacob Astor, with whom he subsequently

had extensive dealings. His business grew to large pro- portions, and by this means and a judicious investment in lands he amassed a handsome property. He was a village trustee, a director of the Bank of Utica, and of the Sav- ings' Bank, and also of the Utica Academy ; and was a liberal donor to the Female Academy, the Oneida Institute, and various other institutions, and identified with all char- itable objects of the place and neighborhood. His death occurred on the 1st of March, 1858.

Among other arrivals in 1803 was that of James Dana, a son of George Dana, who belonged to a Huguenot family. He was born in Ashburnham, Mass., May 29, 1780. He left his home soon after arriving at the age of manhood, and started west. Arriving at Schenectady he tarried a year, and then pushed on as far as Utica, where he hired to Gurdon Burchard, who was engaged in the saddlery and hardware business. About 1806 he began business on his own account, and a few years later gave up the saddlery portion, but continued the hardware branch a portion of the time in company with his son, Geo. S. Dana, until 1850, when he retired, having amassed a handsome for- tune. He was for many years a director of the Bank of Utica. He died in January, 1860, at the age of eighty years. His wife, a daughter of Seth Dwight, dicd in September, 1870. Among their numerous children were James Dwight Dana, professor of natural science in Yale College, and author of " Dana's Manual of Geology," and Wm. Buek Dana, proprietor and editor of the Merchants' Magazine, New York.

David P. Hoyt, from Danbury, Conn., was a prominent citizen of Utica from 1803 until his death in 1828. He was a tanner and currier and also a shoemaker, and for many years carried on his trade on Genesee Street, above Whitesboro'. His tannery was on the latter street. He had one hundred and ten vats covered with buildings, and, what must have been a novelty in those days, a wind-mill for grinding bark. He also had a warehouse on the canal after its completion. He filled various offices,- trustee of the village, director of the Bank of Utica, and representative in the Assembly. He died in 1827, at the age of forty-nine years, leaving a widow and nine children. His wife was a woman of remarkable business capacity, and assisted materially in acquiring the property. After his death she married Alexander M. Beebee, who also died in 1856. During the remainder of her life Mrs. Beebee lived with her youngest son. She died Ang. 5, 1875, at the advanced age of ninety-two years.

The year 1804 saw many substantial additions to the population of Utica,-professional men, mechanics, and merchants. Among them were David Wells Childs, from Pittsfield, Mass., who became a prominent attorney, but died comparatively young, of consumption ; Abraham Var- ick, Jr., who was for many years agent for the Holland Land Company, and a busy speculator and dealer in real estate, in manufactures, and conspicuous in various enter- prises at Clinton, Yorkville, Ithaca, Oswego, etc. He died in New York City, whither he had removed in 1842.

Dr. David Hasbrouck, a native of Shawangunk, Ulster Co., N. Y., studied medicine with Dr. James G. Graham, and formed a partnership with Dr. Alexander Coventry, of

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Utica. He was the first secretary of the Oneida County Medical Society. In 1815 he removed to Kingston, Ulster Co. He died in Schenectady, in October, 1823, at the age of forty-five.

Dr. Christian Stockman, from Germany, established here the drug business, which he continued until about 1820, when he bethought himself that he could make money faster and easier by taking a party of Indians to Europe for ex- hibition. He accordingly tried the experiment, but made a miserable failure, and on his return voyage, chagrined and disappointed, ended his life by plunging into the sea.

Abijah, Anson, and B. W. Thomas, merchants and me- chanics; Hngh Cunningham, a merry Irishman, merchant, builder, and distiller ; Isaac Coe, a merchant; Judah Wil- liams, father and son ; Walton, Turner & Co., forwarding and commission merchants; Enos Brown; Augustus Hickox, and others, were also settlers of 1804.

In 1805 a new charter for the village was obtained, more comprehensive in its provisions and covering a larger terri- tory, including the whole of lots 98 and 99.

The necessity for a change in the existing order of things had been felt for some time, and the matter assumed tan- gible shape in the following petition to the Legislature, which was presented on the 12th of February, 1805 :

" To the Honorable the Legislature of the State of New York, in Senate and Assembly convened :

"The petition of the freeholders and inhabitants of the village of Utica, in the County of Oneida, humbly showeth :

" That the rapid increase of buildings, basiness, and population, seems to demand a police better regulated and more enlarged than at present the said village enjoys, particularly with respect to fires and the prevention of public nuisances; That year petitioners have already, in many instances, experienced a want of power in the in- habitants of said village, ond the Trustees elected by virtue of the law under which the affairs of said village are now regalated; That a greater number of firemen are requisite than is at present allowed ; That the population of the village is very rapidly increasing toward the west and south, so that the bounds of the same as now settled in these directions are too much limited; That a great portion of the in- habitants of said village are in the habit of consuming bakers' bread, and there being no assize of bread, the poor, as well as others are obliged to pay for that necessary article a greater price than is paid in New York and Albany; That it is found impossible in many cases to carry into effect the laws respecting swine, etc., running at large io the streets, having no power to distrain and impound, and the owner being frequently unknown.

" For these and other reasons, your petitioners therefore pray that your honorable body will grant to the frecholders, inhabitants, and trustees of said village powers similar to those enjoyed by the vil- lage of Poughkeepsie, in order that the above and many other exist- ing evils may be avoided. That the bounds of said village may be extended, and that the annual meetings of the inhabitants of said vil- lage may be bercafter on the first Tuesday in April in each year. Signed as follows :

"B. Walker, Erastas Clark, Ira Dickenson, N. Williams, Elkanah Hobby, Aylmer Johnson, Moses Bagg, Jr., Thomas Skinner, Wm. Webster, John C. Hoyt, Daniel Thomas, Samuel Webster, B. Brooks, S. P. Goodrich, Thaddeus Stoddard, Gardon Burchard, Talcott Camp, Caleb Hazen, D. Tarner, Wm. Fellows, Augustus Hickox, E. B. Shearman, M. Hitchcock, Samuel Ward, Philip J. Schwartze, David Hasbrouck, Benajah Merrell, Joseph Ballou, Frederick White, Abraham Williams, Elisha Capron, David W. Childs, John Adams, James Brown, Watts Sherman, Ab'm Varick, Jr., Thomas Ballou, James Dana, N. Batler, Joseph Ballou, Thomas Walker, Jer. Van Rensselaer, Jr., Thomas Jones, J. Ballon, Christian Stockman, Eli- sha Rose, Apollos Cooper, Bryan Johnson, Obadiah Ballon, Benja- min Balloa, Francis A. Bloodgood, James Hazen, Jason Parker, John B. Murdock, David Stafford, Judah Williams, Jr., Francis

Guitean, Jr., Eph'm Wells, Willett Stillman, John Hobby, John Bissell, John Mayo, Charles C. Brodhead, Evan Davies, Rufus Brown, Ezekiel Clark."

THE SECOND CHARTER.

The prayer of the above petitioners was granted, and a new charter received the sanction of the Legislature on the 9th of April, 1805, securing all the privileges asked for. It fixed the bounds of the village on the east, as they are for the city of to-day, on the county line, and extended them on the west to include lot No. 99.

" The freeholders were declared a body corporate, with power to raise among themselves a tax not exceeding $1000 in one year for public buildings, fire expenses, and necessary improvements. Five trustees were to be elected annually, at a meeting of freeholders to be held on the second Tues- day of May. Any person who declined to serve when so elected was liable to a fine of $25. To these it was given to fix the price of bread, assess all taxes, appoint twenty-five firemen, make all by-laws necessary for pro- tection against nuisances, and for the general regulation of municipal affairs, and to them was intrusted full power to enforce the same. The president whom they should ap- point was required, in addition to his duties as presiding officer of the board and superintendent of the public in- terests, to look after the utensils used at fires, while the trustees were to serve also as fire-wardens. There was to be appointed also, at the annual meeting, a treasurer and a collector, who were to reecive a compensation for their services."*

At the first annual election the former trustees presided, and Abraham Varick acted as secretary. The first trustees chosen under the new charter were Jeremiah Van Rens- selaer, Jr., Nathan Williams, Francis A. Bloodgood, Je- rathmel Ballou, and Erastus Clark. Jeremiah Van Rens- selaer, Jr., was chosen president of the board, D. W. Childs clerk, Isaac Coe treasurer, and Worden Hammond col- Jector.

UTICA IN 1805.

The following remarks concerning the place we copy from " Pioneers of Utica" :

" The village, it is evident, had now taken a start, and was growing with some degree of vigor, and this start would seem to have begun from about the year 1794, as will be seen from a glance at the few data we possess. The three log shanties of the Bleecker map of 1786, and as observed by a passing settler of 1787, bad, in 1790, hardly in- creased in number, for this is the sum of them given by Morse in his earlier ' Gazetteer,' and William Miller, of Trenton, found no more in 1793, when he first passed through the place. In 1794 there were, according to Judge Jones, about ten resident families, or, according to a settler of that date, seven or eight houses, although two Welsh emi- grants, on their way to Steuben, counted, the next year, only four hoases and a barn on Main Street. In 1796 the number of houses, says Morse, had inoreased to thirty-seven, and in 1798, Dr. Dwight estimates their number at fifty. Maude, two years later, tells us there were sixty, while another authority rates the population of 1801 at two handred souls. In 1802 the number of houses, as we learn from Rev. Mr. Taylor, had grown to nearly ninety, and in 1804, when Dr. Dwight was here again, he found 'one hundred and twenty houses and a long train of merchants' stores and other buildings.'

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History of Oneida County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 73

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