History of Oneida County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 97

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 97

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"I found myself, soon after leaving this consecrated spot, alone in the woods, in the midst of & band of Indians, 'as drunk as lords.' They looked like so many evil spirits broken loose from Pande- mooium. Wild, frantic, almost naked, and frightfully painted, they whooped, yelled, and daoced around me in such hideous attitudes, that I was seriously apprehensive they would end the farce by taking off my scalp by way of a joke. I had luckily picked up the word Sago, the salute of friendship, of which I made copious application, constantly extending my hand to the most active of them, by whom it was cordially accepted.

"On my arrival at Fort Stanwix, I found the whole plaie around the fort covered with Indians of various tribes, male and female. Many of the latter were fantastically dressed in their hest attire,-in the richest

t These were the Oneida instead of the Mohawk Indians.

# The writer falls into the current error of the day that Herkimer was defeated. See general history of the county.

# Marinus Willett.

367

HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

silks, fine scarlet clothes, bordered with gold fringe, a profusion of brooches, rings in their noses, their ears slit, and their heads decc- rated with feathers. Among them I noticed soms very handsome countenances and fine figures.

" I luckily procured a sleeping-place in the garret of the house in which Governor Clinton-and the eight other commissioners, also John Taylor, Esq., of Albany, Indiao Agent, Egbert Benson, Esq., of New York, and a man with a large white wig, by the name of Dr. Taylor, were quartered. The sight of this wig fixed the attention and ex- cited the mirth of many of the Indians, one of whom I noticed making strong efforts to smother a langh in the doctor's face, since nothing conld appear more ludicrous and grotesque to an Indian than a bushy white wig.

" I continued several days at the Treaty, passing my time most agreeably in associating with the Commissioners, and much diverted by the novel and amusing scenes exhibited in the Indian camp. The plain in the vicinity of the fort has already been laid ont into a town plot; a few honses have been erected, and alec saw-mills and other improvements, at a distance of a mile on Wood Creek."

"The object of this great treaty is to procure a cession from the Indians of territory lying west of Fort Stanwix, in this State, and extending to the great lakes. Fort Stanwix was built in 1758, by the British government, at a cost of £60,000, and is situated on an artificial eminence, near the river ; a large area around it is entirely cleared. Here Colonel Gansevoort, in 1777, sustained a terrible siege, until relieved by Arnold, when St. Leger made a precipitate retreat, abandoning most of his camp equipage and munitions. The French ambassador, Connt Moutier, and the Marchioness De Biron, are now encamped within the fort, under a marquee formerly used by Lord Cornwallis. This enterprising and courageous lady has exposed herself to the greatest fatignes and privations to gratify her unbounded curiosity, by coming all the way from the city of New York to witness this great and unusual assemblage of savage tribes.

" In contemplating the position of Fort Stanwix, at the head of batean navigation on the Mohawk River, within one mile of Wood Creek, which runs west towarde Lake Ontario, I am led to think it will in time become the emporium of commerce between Albany and the vast Western world. Wood Creek is indeed small, but it is the only water communication with the great lakes; it empties into the Oneida Lake, the outlet of which unites with the Onondaga and Oswego, and . discharges into Lake Ontario at Fort Oswego, where the British have a garrison. Should the Little Falls be ever locked, the obstructions in the Mohawk River removed, and a canal between that river and Wood Creek at this place be formed, so as to udite the waters flowing sast with those running west, and other canals made, and obstructions removed to Fort Oswego,-who cao reasonably doubt that by such bold operations the State of New York has within her power, by a grand measure of policy, to divert the future trade of Lake Ontario, and the great lakes above, from Alexandria and Quebec to Albany and New York ?

"The object of the present treaty is the purchase of an immense territory, estimated at eight millions of acres, and now owned and chiefly inhabited by the Six Nations of Indians. The sovereignty of this tract has been in dispute between Massachusetts and New York. These States have at length made an amicable division, assigning four millions of acres to each.# The former has since sold her right of domain to a company of adventurers, who have por- chased pre-emption from the Indiane. New York, by this treaty, has accomplished the same result. This vast territory, therefore, is now opened, withont any impediments, to the flood of emigration which will pour into it from the East. Many hardy pioneere have already planted themselves among the savages; and it is probable that the enthusiaem for the occupation of new territory, which now prevails, will in the period of the next twenty years spread over this fertile region a prosperous and vigorous populatioo.

" I left Fort Stanwix with the intention of passing down Wood Creek to Lake Ootario, indulging the idea of extending my tour to Detroit. Under the strong presentiment that a canal communication will be opened, sooner or later, between the great lakes and the Hudson, I was anxions to explore its probable course. A hard rain com- mencing, and the obstacles I found to exist in the creek, induced me, however, to abandon the ardnous enterprise and return to Fort Stan-

wix. The attempt afforded me the gratification of sailing west for the first time in the interior of America."

On the 1st of September, 1791, Mr. Watson left Albany, in company with Jeremiah Van Rensselaer, and again vis- ited this locality. They traversed nearly the same route pursued by Mr. Watson in 1788, to the German settle- ments on the Mohawk. The object of this journey was partly of a business character, but principally to gratify Mr. Watson's previously-awakened curiosity regarding the country, and to scrutinize the opinions on the subject of inland navigation, which had been suggested by his former investigations.

From Schenectady they dispatched two bateaux, with six men and ample provisions for six weeks, and proceeded by land to meet their fellow-voyagers, Van Cortlandt and Bay- ard, with the boats at Herkimer. The journal of Mr. Watson describes this journey as follows :

" September 4 .- We proceeded on our journey with a miserably- covered wagon, and in a constant rain, till night, which brought ns to Major Schuyler's mills, in Palatine, settled by the descendants of German emigrants, intermixing on all sides with the enterprising sons of the East, between whom mutual prejudices ran high. These feelinge will gradually bs overcoms by intermarriages, and other modes of intercourse. Thue far the German and Dutch farmers have been, in a manner, totally remiss in cultivating the first rudiments of literature, while the descendants of the English in New England have cherished it as a primary duty. Hence the characteristics of each people are distinctly variant. . When literature shall begin to shed its benign rays over this benighted race, then, and not till then, the Germans, the Dutch, the Yankees, will dismiss all local illiberal preju- dices and distinctions, and in twenty or thirty years the shades of discordance will be hardly perceptible. The whole will amalgamate, and all be dignified by the general name of American ; speaking the same language, and possessing the same genius and education.

"I have noticed with pleasure that the German farmers begin to use oxeo in agriculture instead of horses. For this salutary improve- ment they are indebted to the example of the New England men.

" I am induced to believe, should the Western canals be ever made, and the Mohawk River become in one sense a continuation of the Hudson River by means of canals and locks, that it will most clearly obviate the necessity of sending produce to market in winter by sleighs. On the contrary, it would be stored on the margin of the Mohawk io winter, and he sent in the summer months by bateaux, to he unloaded aboard of vessels in the Hudson.

" The bottome or lowlande along the Mohawk are laid off into rich ioclosures, highly cultivated, principally by industrions Germans. Narrow roads and contracted bridges still exist.

"On the south side of the river the country is thicker settled, and many pleasant situations, old farms, and wealthy farmers appear ; but these evidently are far behind those of Germany or England in the profitable science of agriculture. We crossed a new wooden bridge near Schuyler'a mills, seventy-five feet long, with a single arch snp- ported by framed work above. I was glad to notice this, as an enter- ing wedge to more extended improvements.

" September 7 .- This morning we ascended Fall Hill, over a craggy road of one mile. From its summit we commanded an extensive and picturesque view of the surrounding country in the north, partly set- tled, but generally in nature's original brown livery, spotted here and there hy an opening.

" We left the Little Falls on our right, and descended into the rich settlements of the German Flats. At Eldridge's tavern, near Fort Her- kimer, we overtock our hateanx, all well, and embarked the same evening, stemming fourteen miles against a strong current, with an awning spread over our heads. Each boat was manned by three men, two in the bow and one in the stern to steer. They occasionally rowed in still water, setting with short poles, at the rapids, with sur- pricing dexterity. In this mode their average progress is three miles an hour, equal to truckshute traveling in Holland; but it is ex- tremely laborious and fatiguing to the men. At night we encamped in a log hut on the margin of the river.

* Many of these statements are somewhat ambiguous.

368

HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

" September 8 .- A pleasant sail of ten miles this fine. morning brought us to Old Fort Schuyler. Here we were joined by General Van Cortlandt and Mr. Bayard, who were waiting for us, which com- pletes our number to thirteen.

" From Little Falls, thus far, the river is nearly competent to inland navigation, with the exception of a serious rapid, and a great bend at the German Flats, called Wolf-riff, which must be subdued either by a cut across the neck of land, upwards of one mile, or by removing the obstructions.

" An Indian road being opened from this place (now Utica) to the Genesee country, it is probable the position at Fort Stanwix and this spot will become rivals as to the site of a town, in connection with the interior, when it shall become a settled country.

" If, however, the canals should be constructed, I think Fort Stan- wix will take the lead at a future day. Such was my impression when there in 1788. Since that only a few houses and stores have been erected here, also a tolerable tavern to administer comfort to the weary traveler, which I experienced the want of three years past. In the afternoon we progressed thirteen miles, meeting many obstruc- tions in consequence of the cruel conduct of the new settlers (who are wonderfully increased since I was here), filling the river with fallen trees cut on its margin, narrowing it in many places, producing shoals where the deepest waters had been accustomed to flow, and impeding the progress of our boats. We pitched our camp on the right bank of the river, in the midet of woods. All hands fell to work, soldier- like. We soon had a roaring fire and our tents pitched,-open on one side to the fire, and closed at each end with canvas. We found an excellent substitute for feathers, laying our buffaloes on hemlock twigs; although the ground was extremely moist, we were effectually protected from any inconvenience. We enjoyed a pleasant night, with ten times more comfort than we could in the miserable log huts along the banks of the river.

" September 9 .- At noon we reached Fort Stanwix, to which place, with some aid of art, the river continues adapted to inland naviga- tion for hoats of five tons burthen. Emigrants are swarming into these fertile regions in shoals, like the ancient Israelites, seeking the land of promise.

"We transported our boats and baggages across the carrying- place, a distance of two miles, over a dead flat, and launched them into Wood Creek, running west. It is a mere brook at this place, which a man can easily jump across. In contemplating this im- portant creek, as the only water communication with the immense regions in the West, which are destined to bless millions of freemen in the approaching century, I am deeply impressed with a belief, considering the great resources of this State, that the improvement of our internal navigation cannot much longer escape tbe decided attention of our law-makers, and more especially as it is obviously practicable. When effected, it will open an uninterrupted water communication from the immense fertile regione in the West to the Atlantic. But more of this as I advance in iny travels.

"The situation of Fort Stanwix appears destined to become a great city. It lies in an open plain,-healthy, and exactly at the point where the eastern and western waters unite. There is a large clearing about the old fort, with two or three scattering houses. No progress has, however, been made since I attended the treaty here in 1788, although the plan of a city is now contemplated.

" September 10 .- This morning our bateaux began to descend Wood Creek, with the aid of a mill-dam which had been filled just above. Some of our party at the same time descended hy land on a tolerable wagon road to Canada Creek six miles.

" Although aided by the sluice, we progressed with infinite diffi- culty. In many placee the windings are so sudden and so short, that while the bow of the boat was plowing in the bank on one side, her stern was rubbing hard against the opposite shore. In some places our men were obliged to drag the boats by main strength, and in others the boughs aod limbs were so closely interwoven and so low as to arch the creek completely over, and oblige all hands to lie flat. These obstacles, together with the sunken logs and trees, rendered our progress extremely difficult, often almost impracticable.

"From a superficial view of this important creek, it appears to me the great difficulties may be surmounted, - First, by cutting away all the bushes and trees on its banks; second, by cutting across the necks, and removing all sunken logs and trees ; and, lastly, by erecting substantial sluices or inelined planes at given distances, so as to continue a head of water from sluice to sluice. This

creek in its present state may be considered a natural canal, from ten to twenty feet wide.

"Bateaux which ascend the creek, and frequently the descending boats, at this season, are dragged by horses traveling in the water. This is a work of incredible fatigue and difficulty,

"The accession of Canada Creek more than 'doubles the size of Wood Creek.

" September 11 .- Last night and this day we were inundated by heavy rains, which our tent was unable to repel; in consequence we were all exposed in the most uncomfortable manner. In the inter- vals of showers we amused ourselves by catching fish. Salmon, Os- wego bass, catfish, chubs, trout, pike, are the fish common in this river. Salmon are sometimes caught at the mill-dams, near Fort Stanwix.

" September 12 .- At 3 o'clock we reached the royal block-house, at the east end of the Oneida Lake. The innumerable crooks and turns in Wood Creek carried us to every point of the compass. Should the Western canals be ever attempted, I am persuaded this creek may be shortened at least one-third. The lands on each side of Wood Creek are low, and heavily timbered with beech, maple, oak, elm, linden, and, near the lake, some white pine. Bears are plenty, and deer scarce. At two miles from the lake the river sud- denly widened, and we took to our oars. Fish Creek, one mile nearer the lake, falls into Wood Creek from the north, and is about one hnn- dred feet wide. Tbence to the lake the stream is bold and spacious. We caught a catfish as large as a common-sized cod, measuring five inches between the eyes.

"September 13 .- This morning we wrote home by a boat coming from the West loaded with hemp, raised at the south end of Cayuga Lake. What a glorious acquisition to agriculture and commerce do these fertile and extensive regions in the West present. in anticipation ! And what a pity, since the partial hand of nature has nearly com- pleted the water communication from our utmost borders to the At- lantic Ocean, that art should not be made subservient to her to com- plete the great work !

" Immediately after breakfast we embarked, doubled a point of land, and entered the Oneida Lake with our sails filled to a light easterly breeze. The lake opened to our view, spreading before us like a sea. We glided smootlily over its surface, and were delighted with a charming day. On the south is the Oneida Reservation, at present inhabited hy the Oneida nation of Indians. The country lies flat for eight or ten miles, and then swells into waving hills. On the north it is generally low, but heavity timbered.

"This lake is thirty miles long, and from five to eight broad. We are now sailing parallel with the Ontario Ocean, which I hope to see, and at least enjoy in delightful anticipation the prospect of a free and open water communication from thence to the Atlantic, via Albany and New York.

"In giving a stretch to the mind into futurity, I saw those fertile regions bounded west by the Mississippi, north by the great lakes, east by the Allegheny Mountains, and south by the placid Ohio, over- spread with millions of freemen; blessed with various climates, enjoy- ing every variety of soil, and commanding the boldest inland navi- gation on this globe; clouded with sails, directing their course toward canale, alive with boats passing and repassing, giving and receiving reciprocal benefits from this wonderful country, prolific in such great resourcee.

"In taking this bold flight in imagination, it was impossible to re- press a settled conviction that a great effort will be made to realize all my dreame.

"Near the west end of the lake are two small islanda, on one of which resides a respectable Frenchman, who came from France a few years since, and has voluntarily sequestered himself from the world and taken up his solitary abode upon this island, with no society but his dogs, guns, and library, yet he appeared happy and content.

" This lake is extremely turbulent and dangerous, a small brecze producing a short, bobbing sea, in consequence of its shoal waters.

"The bateauxmen commonly hug the north shore as safest, as well as more direct from point to point. On that side these points project less into the lake than on the south shore. The wind soon rose to a brisk side gale, which occasioned such a dangerous agitation as obliged us to make a harbor at Twelve-Mile Point, near which we noticed two large bears walking along the shore in majestic confidence.

"We trolled with our lines and caught some bass. The day con- cluded with heavy rains and a violent squall. In spite of our tents we were much wet and half suffocated with smoke.

MORRIS W. MORRIS.

369

HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

"September 14 .- Early this morning we embarked and proceeded across the lake, rowing, with a light breeze jo our favor. Wo passed the Seven-Mile Islands (already mentioned) after stopping to break- fast on the north shore; soon after which the shores suddenly narrowed, and we found ourselves opposite Fort Brewerton, at the entrance of the Onondaga Rivor, which is a very shallow stream.

" We landed at the old fort, where we found two families and n band- some improvement. After refreshing ourselves under tho first Chris- tinn roof which had sheltered us in five days, we commenced deseend- ing the Onondaga River with an ensy current. The river is generally about 300 feet wide. It is nineteen and three-quarters of n mile to Three-River Point. In its length there are three or four pretty long rapids; but these obstructions enn easily be removed, and a boat- channel formed.

" Wo observed in many places on this river small piles of stones, which, we woro told, are thrown up by salmon, where they enst their spawn to protect them from other fish. These waters nbound in ent- fish, sahnoo, bass, cel, and corporals, all very fine and fat. They are caught in eel-weirs, formed by the Indians thus : two walls of looso stones nre thrown up, obliquely desecoding aeross tho river to a point, where they are taken, nt a small opening, in baskets or eel-pots. Salmon are caught at the Oswego Falls in the night, by spenring them as they vault up the falls, by the nid of torchlights."

On the 30th of September, 1799, Rome was visited by President Dwight, of Yale College, and in his " Book of Travels" he thus describes the place as it then appeared :

"The village of Rome is a very unpromising copy of tho great exemplar from which it has derived its oume. The land on which it is built is poor, aod surrounded by alders or half-starved trees. The houses are about twenty in number, and decent in their appearance ; the whole aspect is uninviting. The proprietor of the ground, a gen- tleman of New York, believing, ns proprictors usually do, that his Innds will soon be very valuable, has taken effectual caro to prevent them becoming so by distributing them into small house-lots, de- manding excessive rents, and adopting other un wise measures. The canal, through which, when the outlets are open, rons a sprightly stream, adds oot a little cheerfulness to the village. Nor is this tho only benefit derived from it by the inhabitants. The base of their settlement is composed almost wholly of small round stones. The canal being dug to a depth considerably lower than their cellars, heretofore wet and troublesome, hns effectually drained them. The water also, in the upper part of the wells, which was of a bad quality, bas by tho same means been drawo off; and tho remainder, flowing from a deeper source, has become materially sweeter and better. Wo examined the loeks of the ennal, and were not a little surprised to sco the bricks composing the locks already beginning to moulder away, although the work had been finished little more than two years. I have scen no good bricks io this region. In fire-places they soon burn out; whenever they are exposed to the weather they speedily dis- solve."

The bricks in the canal-locks were very large, but did not answer the purpose, and were soon after replaced by stone. The contractor for the building of the Rome court- house in 1806 used these bricks in its construction. When that building was destroyed by fire in 1844 they were again used in the walls of the house on the corner of George and Court Streets, since the property of F. H. Thomas.

It is not possible at this day to determine the exact loca- tion of the houses of the persons who located near Fort Stanwix in 1760, but it is probable they were very near the fort, and on the opposite side of Dominick Street, in Rome. In a letter written to Colonel Gansevoort, in Sep- tember, 1778, by Major Cochran, then in temporary com- mand, he mentions the number of murders committed by prowling Indians, and states that a man going out in the field' near the fort to catch a horse was tomahawked and scalped by Indians, " the latter being fired upon in return by the sentinel who was in the Brodock house."

After the destruction of Fort Stanwix, in 1781, the gar- rison was removed, and the settlers, being left withont protection, and finding it unsafe to remain, also left the vicinity, and as far as can be learned there was not, in 1783, a single white settler in what is now the city of Rome.

In May, 1784, Jedediah Phelps, in company with James Dean, located on Wood Creek, not far from where the United States Arsenal was afterwards built, erected a log house and a shop, the latter used by Mr. Phelps as a place for carrying on his trade,-that of a silversmith and brass- founder. In the spring of 1785 their place was inundated by high water in Wood Creek, and Messrs. Dean and Phelps were obliged to live for three weeks in the garret of their log house, and cook their meals at the forge of the shop; the latter they reached in a canoe, to which they descended from the garret of the house by means of a lad- der. This year (1785) Mr. Dean settled in what is now the town of Westmoreland, and Mr. Phelps came to the fort. He built a house and a sbop, and carried on his business for two years. The precise location of his old house and shop cannot now be ascertained. In 1797 he removed to a part of the Oneida Reservation, then recently purchased from the Indians. As early as 1806 he owned a large tract of land near Verona Village, and on one occa- sion, when he and his son John were hunting wolves, they discovered iron ore at the roots of an upturned tree. This ore-bed was for a long time the source of supply for the Taberg furnace, and Mr. Phelps and his son, as discoverers, obtained a royalty on the ore, making a handsome fortune from the sale. In 1816, Mr. Phelps sold a half-interest in the ores on the farms in Verona to John W. Bloomfield, the first supervisor of the town of Camden. In 1819, Mr. Phelps removed to Barre, Genesee County (now Albion, Orleans County), and died near that place in 1849, aged nearly ninety-six years. When he first came to Fort Stan- wix there was one white man,-a Frenchman, living there with the Indians,-not an actual settler, so that Mr. Phelps was, so far as can be ascertained, the first white person who located in town subsequent to the Revolution.

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History of Oneida County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 97

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