History of Oneida County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 98

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 98

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A few other settlers came in 1785-86, and Judge Jones, in his " Annals of Oneida County," says that when his father came to the county, in January, 1787, " there were three log houses at old Fort Schuyler, seven at Whites- boro', three at Oriskany, five at Fort Stanwix, and three in Westmoreland."

About 1795-96, when much alarm was felt in this re- gion regarding the hostile attitude of the Western Indians, a block-house was built in Fort Stanwix, octagonal in shape, and during the administration of President John Adams a company of regulars was stationed in it, com- manded by one Captain Cherry. This block-house stood very nearly in the centre of the fort.

The first settlements in Rome, outside of the vicinity of Fort Stanwix, were at Ridge Mills, the Wright Settlement, and " Penny Street," in the northern and eastern portions of its territory.

WRIGHT SETTLEMENT.

Early in 1789, Ebenezer Wright, Sr., came to Fort Stanwix with his family of six children. Mr. Wright had

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

served in the American army as a lieutenant during the Revolution. During the year 1789 the family remained at the fort, cultivating small pieces of ground and raising corn, potatoes, etc., for use the following winter. In the mean time Mr. Wright and his sons began a clearing on a tract of 196 acres at the " Wright Settlement,"* and the saine year built a log house on their farm, which was un- doubtedly the first one erected and occupied by a permanent settler (Phelps and others staying but a year or two on their places) after the Revolution. A house built subsequently, about 1796, by Mr. Wright, Sr., was long kept as a tavern, and in it was organized, iu September, 1800, " The First Religious Society in Rome." The Wright family was among the most prominent of Rome's early settlers, and the " settlement" took its name from them as the pioneers of the locality.

A few years previous to the commencement of the present century the town of Stamford, in the southwest part of Vermont, sent a number of families to colonize the then western. wilderness of New York. Among them were the Clark, Hinman, Matteson, Smith, and Selden families. Clark and Hinmant settled about 1796, near where the asylum now stands in Utica,-the Clarks on one side and the Hinmans on the other of the road to Whitesboro'; Silas Matteson, father of the late Simon Matteson, and grandfather of Hon. O. B. Matteson, located about the same year on what is now the County Poor Farm, in Rome; Esquire Smith settled the same year on the farm now owned by George Hammill; Thomas Selden, Jr. (grandfather of N. Hyde Leffingwell, of Rome), came to this locality in 1795, and settled on half of a 100-acre parcel which John Lansing, Jr., had leased to Jasper French. He purchased Mr. French's " betterments," including a log house west of the highway, nearly opposite the present frame residence on the 50 acres. He took an assignment of the lease from Mr. French, covering the 50 acres, made all necessary arrangements, and returned to Vermont for his family, bringing them and his aged parents back with him in the winter of 1795-96. The roads were extremely bad, and a portion of the way lay through trackless snows. Mr. Sel- den, Sr. (also named Thomas), walked all the way, driving the cows and a yoke of oxen, and otherwise assisting. He was sixty-three years of age at the time. The females and children rode in the sleigh, driven by Thomas Selden, Jr. The elder Selden was a veteran of the Revolution, and had been a confidential scout for General Washington.

Thomas Seldeo, Jr., cleared up his lands, built a frame house about 1800, and, in company with Roswell Edgerton (a relative by marriage) and John Ely, carried on an ex- tensive business as contractors, in getting out timber, erect- ing buildings, etc. Among the buildings said to have been erected hy them were the grist-mill of Colonel Samuel Wardwell, at the Ridge, the Lynch (red) grist-mill, and the cotton- and woolen-factories in Factory Village (Rome). They also had the contract for cutting the first road through the Rome swamp to the site of the Poor-House, and when the Erie Canal was constructed they had a contract at or

near Stony Creek, between that place and New London. They were somewhat crippled in resources by this latter contract, and their farms were only saved by their sons stepping in and helping them through.

Thomas Selden, Jr., served in the war of 1812, and was at Sacket's Harbor in the company of which Bill Watson, late of Watson's Hollow, in Rome, was lieutenant.

Mr. Ely, one of the firm of contractors, is supposed to have settled very early near the fort. He afterwards rc- moved to a farm north of the Butts neighborhood, and later farther north.

Roswell Edgerton came to Rome from the same locality the Seldens emigrated from. His homestead was on the road leading from the Westernville road (near the present Williams Cheese-Factory ) across to Delta, in the town of Lee.

Charles Leffingwell, the father of N. H. Leffingwell, came to Rome in 1802, and the father of Israel Denio in 1795. These families, in common with all others that season, suffered much during the " cold summer" (1816) from the loss of their crops, and the consequent dearth of edibles the following year. Wheat was scarce at three dollars per bushel, corn brought one dollar and a half per bushel, and other articles were worth fully double former prices.

In 1790, John Lansing, Jr., owner of large tracts of land in the northern part of Oneida County, leased to the following five persons 100 acres each, all the leases bearing date in June of that year, and the territory comprised in- cluding the Selden neighborhood :

To John Wright, son of Thomas Wright, one of Rome's earliest settlers, what is known as the "Gates place," 50 acres, and that on the opposite side of the highway, known as the " Waters place," also 50 acres; to Moses Wright, brother of John, 100 acres next north of the latter, lying on both sides of the highway ; to Asa Knapp, the next 100 acres north ; to Elijah Weeks, 100 acres north of Knapp, mostly on the west side of the present highway, and run- ning down to the Mohawk ; to Jasper French, a surveyor, 100 acres, mostly on the east side of the highway. The rent for these lots was 18 bushels of wheat for each 100 acres, payable in Albany. The lot leased to Jasper French was the same on which Thomas Selden, Jr., located in 1795.

In 1790 leases had been granted in the neighborhood of the Wright Settlement to Seth Ranney, David I. Andrus, Nathaniel Gilbert, Rozel (or Roswell) Fellows, Ebenezer Wright, Jr., Willett Ranney, Jr., Benjamin Gilbert, John Wright, Moses Wright, Asa Knapp, Jasper French, Elijah Weeks, Elijah Root, Chester Gould, and Elisha Walsworth.

When Ebenezer Wright, Sr., came to Fort Stanwix, from Connecticut, in 1789, he was probably accompanied by his brother, Thomas Wright, Willet Ranney, Sr., and Bill Sinith, all of whom located in the vicinity of the fort at first. David I. Andrus and Nathaniel Gilbert came either the same year or the next. In 1791 lands were leased in the Wright settlement to Dyer MeCumber and Abner Pitcher. Other early settlers, all previous to 1800, were Colonel D. W. Knight, about 1790; Jesse Childs, about 1792; Joseph Otis, 1793; William West, 1793;

" This neighborhood was originally ealled "New Fairfield."

+ Mr. Ilinman, the father of the late John E. Hinman, was sheriff of Oncida County in 1821 and 1822, and again from 1828 to 1832.

PHOTOS BY NOVET & BRAINEMO, ROME, N. Y

L.ZENANA LEFFINGWELL.

N. Aya Soffung will

N. HYDE LEFFINGWELL.

The founder of the Leffingwell family in Oneida County was Charles, who was the son of Phineas, and was born in Norwich, Conn., March 6, 1780. In his youth he was an apprentice to the carpenter and joiner trade, which business he followed during his life. Arriving at the age of man- hood, the prospect of obtaining work in his native State not being encouraging, he decided to remove west. He located in Oneida County, March, 1802.

He was married, Feb. 28, 1808, to Electa, daughter of Thomas Selden, che being born in Stanford, Vt., July 29, 1787, and came to this county with her parents in 1795. Their family consisted of five children, none of whom are living at the present time except the subject of this memoir. This aged couple lived together over sixty- two years. The latter part of their life was made pleasant and happy by the care and attention of their dutiful son. The honored head of the family, after arriving at a ripe old age, was called to his last resting-place July 11, 1870. His companion in life aurvived him only a little while, closing her eyes in peaceful repose March 6, 1871.

N. Hyde Leffingwell was born in the town of Western, Feb. 4, 1809. His father being in reduced circumstances, he only received a common-school education. In 1823 hia father removed his family to the village of Rome, and young Hyde became a clerk in a general store kept by Brown & Hollister. He remained with that firm till 1827, when they dissolved. He then became a clerk in the

office of the collector of canal-toll, under Bela B. Hyde, who was a cousin of his father, and who also issued the firat clearance and shipping bill on the Erie Canal. In 1835 he entered into partnership with Mr. Hyde in the storage business, which continued thirteen years, when Mr. Hyde retired. The business was continued by Mr. Leffing- well till 1851, when, on account of ill health, he gave up all active business.

He was united in marriage, Feb. 11, 1840, to L. Zenana, daughter of John and Harriet Humaston, ahe being born Feb. 10, 1819, in the town of Vienna, Oneida County. They had three children, two of whom are now living: Z. Elizabeth, born Oct. 12, 1846 ; Charles M., Sept. 3, 1851.

The life of man ia not only made of prosperities, but is forced to bear with many adversities, and none is so hard to overcome as the loss of a loving wife. Mrs. Leffingwell died April 5, 1867, not only mourned by husband and children, but by a large circle of sympathizing friends.

Politically he has always belonged to the Democratic party, has held a large number of town offices, being one of its present supervisors. He is also a director in the Fort Stanwix National, and trustee of the Rome Savings Bank.

What can be more pleasant for a man who has arrived at an advanced age, than to look back on the many pleasures and sorrows of life, and to think he has always been held in reverence and respect by friends and neighbors, and that his memory will be preserved for years to come ?

DANIEL M. CROWELL.

MRS. RUTH CROWELL.

PHOTOS BY MOVEY & BRAINERD . ROME. N Y.

LITH BY L. H EVERTS & CO., PHILA, PA.

RESIDENCE OF D. M.CROWELL, ROME, ONEIDA CO., N.Y

Photos. by Hovey & Brainerd.

ELIJAH CROWELL.

MRS. ELIZABETII CROWELL.

DANIEL M. CROWELL

was born in Middletown, Middlesex Co., Conn., March 29, 1798, being the eldest son of Elijah and Elizabeth Crowell. In the spring of the following year his father removed to Steuben, Oneida Co., N. Y., where the subject of this sketch passed his early life working on his father's farm and teaching school.

His father was a member of the militia of Oneida County, and that body of men being called into active service for the protection of Sacket's Harbor during the war of 1812, young Daniel, though but sixteen years of age, took his father's place in the ranks, and marched with the rest of his comrades to protect that point from British invasion. On the death of his grandfather his parents, in 1817, removed back to the old homestead in Connecticut, taking their family with them. They both lived to be over ninety years of age, ending their days in that State. Dec. 6, 1821, he was married to Ruth, daughter of Samuel and Sarah Crowell, she being a native of Middletown, Middlesex Co., Conn., having been born April 2, 1797.

Not seeing much of a chance to prosper in his native land, Mr. Crowell decided to move west, and in the spring of the year following his marriage he loaded his household goods on an ox-cart, and in company with his wife they bid good-bye to old Connecticut, and started for Oneida County, which then was the western wilds of New York State. Traveling an average of twenty-five miles per day, their journey of two hundred miles was soon accomplished. They located in the town of Steuben, and their worldly goods at that time consisted of two yoke of cattle, an ox-cart, a brass kettle, bedstead, three chairs, and a three-legged table, which were borrowed; also a cow.

But the Lord had blessed them with good constitutions, energy, and a disposition to accumulate ; and, with His aid, and their own individual exertions, they started on the rocky and rugged road which leads to success. Mr. Crowell con- tinned to be a resident of Steuben till 1840, when owing to ill health he removed in that year back to Connecticut, where he remained until 1845, when he again returned, taking up his residence in the town of Steuben until 1849, when he located in Rome, on the farm where he now resides, which he purchased of General Jessie and Colonel E. B. Armstrong.

Six children came to bless his fireside and make home pleasant, one of whom, John G., lived to manhood, but he died in 1854 from the effects of an accidental injury ; his wife soon followed him, leaving an only son, Edgar W.

Thus left an orphan, Edgar was the pride and the comfort of this childless couple ; in him all their love was centred, and in his success in life they hoped to see their name live and be handed down to posterity. His grandfather wishing him to receive a college education, sent him to Hamilton College; while there he contracted the scarlet fever, and died very suddenly in his twenty-first year.

Politically he belongs to the Democratic party, casting his first vote for President of the United States for James Madison for his second term of office. Though he has been solicited a number of times to serve his county and town in various public offices, has always refused ; but during the time of his second residence in Connecticut he was elected to represent his native county in the State Legislature of that State, in 1843.

He is at present a member of the First Baptist Church of Rome, and has been a deacon in churches of that denom- ination for over forty years. He has always given largely of his means for the support of religion. His wife was also a member of the same church. Dec. 6, 1871, there gathered at his family mansion friends from far and near to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of his marriage, and the following lines are appropriate to the occasion :

For fifty years we've journeyed on Together on life's way ; Our locks, ooce fair to look upon, Are mingled now with gray.

We've shared each other's toil and carcs ; A Father's love hath blessed ; And ere another fifty years We hope with Him to rest.

The last lines of the above verse have partially become a fact. Mrs. Crowell, the loving companion and helpmate of her husband for over fifty years, passed away from life March 16, 1878, leaving sweet memories only to cheer his saddened heart, for as a wife she had been a treasure on earth. Mr. Crowell, though over fourscore years of age, enjoys good health, and is highly respected by those who know him ; and looking back over the pleasures and perplexities of a life which is now drawing to a close, he is to-day the only living representative of his family. Two generations have passed away before him, and still he is left., and still we hope he will be left to add year after year to his so far worthy and useful life.

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

Edward Simmons, 1793; Calvin Hurd, about 1794; John Simons and Jonathan Brainard, 1794; Daniel W. Lamb, John and Daniel Ashby, about 1795; Rufus Barnes, father of the distinguished divine, Rev. Albert Barnes, 1795; Israel Denio, father of the late Judge Denio and of Israel and C. D. Denio, of Rome, about 1797; Cornelius Van Wormer, Zaccheus Abel, Abiather Scekill, Peter Lamp- man, "Pigeon" Palmer, Luke Usher, and Benjamin Taylor, about 1800.

Of the above-mentioned persons, Jesse Childs, who came probably in the winter of 1792-93, lived at the fort a short time, and then removed to a farm north of Ridge Mills, and east of the Mohawk, in the Selden neighborhood. About the same time the families of Solomon, John, and David Williams, from Connecticut, and Daniel Ashby, Deacon Lamb, and William Brewster arrived from Groton, Mass., and settled north of the " Ridge."

David I. Andrus lived at the Wright Settlement previous to 1800, his lease in 1790 for 138 acres of land east of the Mohawk, near the Ridge, being from George Clinton. He carried on a distillery at the Ridge late in the last cen- tury, and about 1804 removed to Jefferson County, where he became prominent as a contractor and builder.

David, John, and Solomon Williams, mentioned above, were brothers, and located on land on the Mohawk, a short distance above Ridge Mills. David Williams served at one time in the garrison at Fort Stanwix, and the acquaint- ance he at that time formed with the region around the fort undoubtedly led him to remove there, and induce his brothers to come also. The youngest son of David Wil- liams was Jesse Williams, so well known through this region as the inventor of the famous cheese-factory system, and the pioneer in that business. Solomon Williams, who lived to be over ninety-eight years of age, was the great- grandfather of B. W. Williams, the present postmaster of Rome.

West of David Williams' farm was that of Roswell Fel- lows, who settled early in 1790. Mr. Fellows was a very large man, weighing over five hundred pounds, and at his funeral, in 1813, it required the united services of eight strong men to bear his coffined remains to the grave, and the outer door and posts of his dwelling had to be removed in order to get his body out of the house. After his set- tlement Mr. Fellows sold half of the 200 acres he had located to Nathaniel Tracy, who settled about 1800.

Nathan Peggs settled in the same neighborhood about 1800. He was from Vermont, and kept a tavern on his place. This tavern was continued for many years. Mr. Peggs was succeeded as " mine host" by Timothy W. Wood, and he by Josiah Talmadge. It was the place, on the 4th of July, for " general training" headquarters, and the scene of various other sports, such as the citizens of the town in those days knew how to enjoy.

Next north of Roswell Fellows lived his son, Cyrus Fel- lows, father-in-law of B. W. Williams, Esq., of Rome, and north of him lived Gates Peck, who settled in 1803, and served as a soldier during the war of 1812.

Hope Smith settled in the same locality about 1813. He was a native of Rhode Island, and a veteran of the Revolution.

Joseph Otis, mentioned in the foregoing list, came from Fort Ann, Washington Co., N. Y., in March, 1793, and settled in that part of Rome (then Steuben, Herkimer County) known as the "Selden Neighborhood." With him came Lot and Simeon Fuller, who settled in what is now Steuben. The then owners of Fonda's Patent were at that time surveying it into lots, placing them in market, and offering extra inducements to settlers with limited means. Mr. Otis was among those who responded, and came on almost entirely without means, a young man, with his second wife, a lady but nineteen years of age, aud a year- old daughter by his first wife. About two years before a road had been surveyed, worked, and traveled from the Ridge, via what is now " Penny Street," northerly towards the covered bridge, ending near the present residence of Amos M. Potter. In July of the same year (1793) a road was surveyed by Moses Wright, intended as a contin- uation of the above highway, to the present covered bridge over the Mohawk, running around the hill and nearer to the river than it does at present. A mill, owned by Roswell Fellows at that time, stood on the opposite side of the river at the bridge, and is now better known as " Bar- nard's Mills." Asa Knapp's house then stood on the site of the later residence of Roswell Edgerton, since known as the Philander and Philemon Selden place. The road as then laid was changed to its present location within a few years. At the time Mr. Otis settled, Willett Ranney was living upon the place in after-years occupied by Henry F. Ely. Mr. Otis moved his family into the house with Mr. Ranney, and lived there until he could erect a suitable log house for himself. In addition to his farm labors Mr. Otis assisted the late Judge Benjamin Wright in the survey of thousands of acres of land, and in establishing the lines of the coun- ties of Oneida, Oswego, Jefferson, and Lewis. His oldest daughter, Abigail, was married very early in the history of the settlement, to Latimer Bailey, who, about 1814, worked in the fulling-mill or factory at the Ridge, then operated by Samuel Wardwell.

Bill Smith lived on the road to Floyd as early as 1800, and later, on the farm now owned by Peter Williams. About 1810 he kept store in a small frame building which stood on Dominick Street, in Rome, as will be mentioned elsewhere.

Rufus Barnes, mentioned in the foregoing list, came to Rome as early as July, 1795, and possibly some months earlier. He had learned the trade of boot and shoe making, and acquired a knowledge of the currying and tanning pro- cess. In January, 1796, he purchased an interest in a lease from Henry Wilson, on " Penny Street," and built a log house. In 1797 he was married. About 1800 or 1801 lie built a shoe-shop and a tannery on his place. The red frame house, still standing, was built in 1801. Mr. Barnes' son, Albert, afterward eminent in the ministry, and for many years pastor of one of the leading churches in Philadelphia, Pa., was born in the old log house, Dec. 1, 1798.

Near the Barnes place lived Israel Denio, the " country blacksmith," who located probably early in 1795. His father-in-law, John Robbins, settled as early as 1791, and came from Bennington, Vt. His removal to this

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

loeality was very probably the cause which induced Mr. Denio to settle here. The latter at first located in what is now the town of Floyd, near the Rome town line, and about 1797 removed to the Wright Settlement, where he built a blacksmith-shop; about 1812 he changed his loca- tion to " Penny Street," and about 1815 removed to what is now known as the "Crosby Corner," where he built another shop and carried on his business for many years. His son, Hon. Hiram Denio, was born in May, 1799. He was five months younger than Rev. Albert Barnes, and the two were schoolmates together in their boyhood, and fast friends through life. Mr. Denio began the study of law at Rome, in the office of Jay Hatheway, afterwards read with Wheeler Barnes, and was admitted to practice. He became in time one of the most eminent jurists in the Union .*

Dr. Elijah Clarke settled as early as 1794, and lived north of William West, in the Wright Settlement neigh- borhood. In 1811 he was the practicing physician for all that section of country. He left Rome at an early day. In the same neighborhood, and on what is known as "Can- terbury Hill," were living in 1811, Joshua Kirkland, who settled in 1811 ; John Butts, settled about 1803; Colonel D. W. Knight, about 1790; Zaceheus Abel, Samuel Wil- liams, Asa Colburn (whose parents came with him) ; Gideon Butts, settled about 1802; Daniel Kirkland, son of Joshua Kirkland, about 1807; Grant Wheat, about 1802; Abiather Seekill, early in present century ; Daniel Butts, Samuel and Asa Smith ; Hazel Lathrop, settled about 1807, was cap- tain of a company of militia in 1812, and went to Saeket's Harbor during the war. These people were nearly all from Canterbury, Conn., and from that place " Canterbury Hill" took its name. Gideon Butts and family were the first settlers on the " hill," and Grant Wheat eame next. The latter walked through from Connecticut to Rome in 1801, carrying his gun and a pack weighing 50 pounds. He re- turned to Connecticut in the fall of the same year, and came back in 1802 to make a permanent settlement. He also went to Sacket's Harbor in 1812. John Butts came with him from Connecticut, or very shortly after, as he settled about the same time.

The first highway laid out in the town of Rome was on the 29th of March, 1791, being the one which now runs north and south through the Wright Settlement. It was only 160 rods in length originally, beginning near the late residence of A. Vredenburgh and running northerly past Captain Wright's.

RIDGE MILLS.

On the 15th of June, 1790, John Lansing, Jr., of Al- bany, leased to Elisha Walsworth, " for the term of three lives and not less than 31 years," the southern part of lot 59, in Fonda's Patent, containing 159 acres of land, and including the present site of Ridge Mills and the settlement surrounding, and about 100 acres to the north, now a part of the Deacon D. M. Crowell farm. The eastern boundary of the lot was east of the Mohawk River, and nearly par- allel with it. By the terms of the lease Mr. Walsworth and his assigns were to pay on the first day of each Febru-

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History of Oneida County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 98

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