History of Onondaga County, New York, Part 63

Author: Clayton, W.W. (W. Woodford)
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., D. Mason & Co.
Number of Pages: 840

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HISTORY OF ONONDAGA COUNTY, NEW YORK

made nearly all the improvements on his fine farm, a view of which may be seen in this work.

In politics, he was first a Whig and then a Re- publican after the formation of the latter party. Mrs. Wyckoff is a member of the Baptist Church. Mr. W. is now in his 65th year, living respected by all who know him, surrounded by intelligent chil- dren and all the necessary comforts of a happy home.

THEODORE EDWARD CLARKE.

Theodore Edward Clarke was born January 23, 1806, in the village of l'ompey Hill, Onondaga County, N. Y. He was a son of Hezekiah and Lucy ( Bliss) Clarke. His early educational advan- tages were excellent. After pursuing a course of study at Pompey Academy, he entered Oneida Institute at Whitesboro, Oneida County, N. Y., and was occasionally employed as an assistant teacher. Theodore D. Weld, who was a teacher and lecturer in the Institute. said of him : " He had a happy faculty of illustration, and of convey- ing his ideas to his class" He afterwards entered the office of Jchiel Stearns, M. D, of Pompey Hill, but at the end of six months he was compelled on account of failing health to abandon his studies. Dr. Stearns said of him : " He is the most rapid and thorough student I ever knew. The technical names with which these studies abound seemed to be no hinderance to his rapid progress." Theodore D. Weld writes of him on receiving the intelligence of his death : " My heart aches and bleeds ! Few ! how few ! have so grown to it as Theodore E. Clarkc. What loathing of all shams ! What truc apprecia- tion of the kernel of things." The Rev. Jared F. Ostrander says : " For logical acumen, for profound, abstract thought, for far-reaching and comprehensive views, for bold excursions into the unknown, he had probably few equals."

His compositions, both in prose and verse, from boyhood up, shadowed forth a mind of no ordinary cast. He was most deeply and heartily interested in all the great moral and religious questions of his time. In him total abstinence found a never-wav- ering advocate. He read with avidity the pro- foundest writings of the schools, and discussed and criticised them very familiarly. He purchased a residence in Baldwinsville and lived there with his sister and aged mother until his death, which oc- curred at Syracuse, October 26, 1853.

DEACON JERATHMAEL HUNT.

Son of John and Anna Hunt, was born in Union,

Tolland county, Conn., January 3, 1794 He was reared a farmer and continued to follow that occu- pation throughout his active life. In Feb. 1801, he came to this county in company with his parents and settled near Navarino. His father died August 16, 1828. his mother about 1803, and were both buried on their own farm.

Deacon J. Hunt married Miss Lucy Bliss of this town, December 25, 1817, and after forty years of married life she died in November, 1857. She was a worthy member of the Baptist Church of Syra- cuse, N. Y. On the 23d of September, 1858, Deacon J. Hunt married Miss Eliza Clark, a native of Westerlo, Albany county, N. Y. She was born December 1, 1802 ; her parents were natives of New England, and were among the earliest settlers in Albany county. Mrs. Hunt was Principal from 1829 to 1839, of the "Asylum for Orphans and Destitute Children " at Albany, N. Y., and on the 27th of April, 1845, she became Principal of the " On- ondaga County Orphan Asylum," located at Syra- cuse, N. Y .. and continued to hold that responsible position until the date of her marriage with Deacon Hunt. In her official position she was very effi- cient and performed her duties exceedingly well, and has many warm friends all over this county and State, and even in other States, who treasure her memory, and only think of her with the tenderest affection. Hers has been a noble life, full of good deeds and the memory of them can only be pleas- ant to her in her declining years. She has been a member of the Baptist Church for more than sixty years, and Deacon Hunt for more than forty years.

The Deacon is one of the most liberal mien of that great denomination, having aided in the build- ing of several houses of worship. He and his wor- thy companion are bright and shining lights of the church, and are greatly respected by their neigh- bors. He has been a very successful farmer, but whatever he has made has been by industry and economy ; many a mid-night hour has witnessed him at work in the field. In politics he was at first a Whig and then a Republican. Deacon Hunt is the owner of one of the best homes in Onondaga, a view of which, with portraits of himself and wife appear in another part of this work.

DAVID CHAFEE,

Father of Ralph Chafee, was born in Ashford, Conn, July 25, 1772. He came to Onondaga in 1799, and worked for Col. Comfort Tyler, in haying and harvesting. Returning to Connecticut, he taught school one winter, and in the spring came

( PHOTOS BY W V RANGER, SYRACUSE )

MRS J HUNT

DEACON J HUNT

RESIDENCE OF JERATHMAEL HUNT. ONONDAGA , NEW YORK

Photos, by W. V. Ranger.

David Chafur

Mary Chafee

DAVID CHAFEE.

Among the pioneer families of this county noue are more deserving of an honorable mention on the pages of our county history than the Chafee family, and, as an individual member of it, David, perhaps, is the most prominent and successful. He is the son of David and Eunice Chapman Chafee, and was born in Onondaga township, February 16, 1805. Elis father, David, was a native of Ashford, Windham county, Connecticut, and was born July 25, 1772, and married Miss Eunice Chap- man, November 27, 1800. Mrs. Eunice C. Chafee was born in Connecticut, June 2, 1780.

David Chafee, Sr., settled in Marcellus before 1799, and soon after removed into this town, near Navarino, where all of his eleven children were born, namely, Louisa, Ralph, David, Abner, Comfort T., Guy, George, William II., Eunice, Joshua, and Polly.

David Chafee, Sr., was a farmer, and carpenter and joiner by occupation, and reared his family to industry and economy. In politics a Whig. He held the office of justice of the peace for many years. He died September 18, 1847, aged seventy-five years. Eunice Chafee died July 11, 1831.

David, Jr., had common-school advantages for an education, going to school a few months in the winter, and working on the farm summers. He purchased a farm of one hundred and eighteen aeres in Marcellus (Tyler Hollow ) in the fall of 1833, and married Miss Betsey Kinyon, February 6, 1834.

Miss Betsey Kinyon was born January 21, 1811, in Otisco. Her father, Benjamin Kinyon, was a native of Connecticut, and was one of the early pioneers to this county, and settled in Otisco.

By the union of Mr. and Mrs. Chafee three children were born, namely, George, Byron R., and Alice. George died while young, aged two and one-half years; Byron R. died at the

age of twenty-nine years; and Alice married William M. Haines, and is now living in Iowa.

Mrs. D. Chafee was a member of the Baptist church at East Navarino, and was a very worthy lady. She died February 25, 1849, and was buried at East Navarino, in " Pine Grove Cemetery."

Mr. Chafee married Miss Mary Lewis, July 23, 1851. She is the daughter of Chauncey G. and Huldah Tucker Lewis, and was born in Pompey, Onondaga County, December 21, 1818.

Chauncey G. Lewis was born June 3, 1791, in Massachusetts. Removed to New Hartford, Oneida county, New York, when a small boy, and thence to Pompey Hollow in 1802. He married Huldah Tucker, a native of Woodbridge, Windham county, Con- necticut, March 16, 1815. She was born September 21, 1796. and died July 31, 1873, and Mr. Lewis, July 7, 1874, in Pompey.

Mr. Chafee has had two children by his second wife, namely, David, Jr., and Betsey M. David, Jr., died June 10, 1857, aged five years, seven months, and ten days. Betsey married William J. Bassett, and is now living in Liverpool, Onondaga County.

Mr. Chafee was reared a farmer, and, in connection, has worked at the carpenter's and joiner's trade. Mr. Chafee settled in Onondaga Valley, April 1, 1872, on the place where he now resides. IIe bnilt his present fine home in 1872. In politics he affiliated with the Republican party. Has held nearly all the important offices of his town, such as school commissioner, justice of the peace, supervisor of the town, and assessor, and in all these several offices discharged the duties imposed upon him to the general satisfaction of his coustit- uents. Hle is now an old gentleman of seventy-three, hale and hearty, surrounded by all the comforts of a happy home.

Photos, by W. V. Hauger, Syracuse.

RANSEL S. KENYON.

ELIZABETH KENYON.

RANSEL S. KENYON.

Rangel S. Kenyon was born in Rhode Island, January 5, 1790. His ancestors were among the earliest settlers of that State. During the War of the Revolution they did good service for their country, and were ever found ready to assist in the cause of Independence.

While yet a boy, Ransel S, was enrolled in the State militia, and was a member of a company called " The Governor's Life Guard," and after that were termed " Minute Men." ITis regiment was called out once during the " War of 1812." He was married to Miss Elizabeth Card, a native of the same town and State as himself, when he was nineteen years of age. In 1816 his family, consisting of self, wife, and four children, followed an older brother to the county of Onondaga, N. Y. In 1819 he united with the Methodist Episcopal church, and was ever afterwards a consistent Christian, doing all in his power to advance the cause of Christ and build up fallen humanity. For two years, known as the " Cold Summers," he conducted the business of a grist-mill, and many a grist went away untolled, idthough his own family was in great need. Soon after he removed to Otisco, and remained two years, and then returned

to his own home in the town of Onondaga, which he purchased of Philip Van Cortland. Upon this he lived until his death, which occurred September 10, 1877.

Mr. Kenyon was a hard-working, industrious farmer. He paid for his farm by boiling salt at the "Salt Springs" in winter, and working upon his land in summer. Albany was the nearest market in those days. There were no railroads and no canals. Syracuse was unknown as such, and had only one log cabin. He lived to see " Old Onondaga" transformed from a wilderness to one of the best and most flourishing counties in the State ; Syracuse to change from a single log cabin to a mighty inland city of more than fifty thousand inhabitants ; he lived to see the greatest improvements in science, art, and agriculture, ete., that the world has ever seen. He has reared seven sons and four daughters to he good, respected citizens. He has also seen his grandchildren reach manhood's years. llis was a green old age. He was able to labor till he was eighty-five. When he passed away, Onondaga lost a good citizen and his children a kind father. He lived respected, and died regretted by all who knew him.

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HISTORY OF ONONDAGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

back and selected a place a little north of Amber, on land since owned by Jonathan Davis ; after chopping down an acre of timber he left it and selected Lot No. 208 in the town of Onondaga, which he purchased of the State upon an article of agreement at $2.00 per acre, paying interest there- on at six per cent., for a term of years. November 27, 1800, he married Eunice Chapman, daughter of Joseph Chapman, of Manlius, and lived on the place

above referred to till his death, September 18, 1847, having raised a family of eight sons and three dangh- ters, all of whom are living, except the youngest, who died January 12, 1878, aged 57 years and 10 months. Mr. Chafee served the town as Assessor in the years 1808-'9 and 1816, and was at that time Justice of the Peace, and at one time taught school.

Daniel Chafee settled on the lot north of Lot No. 208, in 1800.

MARCELLUS.

MARCELLUS, as laid out in 1794, was one of the eleven original towns of the county, and comprised all the townships of Marcellus and Camillus and all of the Onondaga Salt Springs Reservation west of the Onondaga Creek and Lake. A part of Onondaga was taken off in 1798 ; Camillus in 1799; a part of Otisco in 1806; and Skaneateles in 1830. A part of Sempronius, Cayuga County, was annexed in 1804, and a part of Spafford in 1840. The town at present contains but about thirty lots of the original township, No. 9 of the Military Tract, or about one-tenth of the original town as first set off upon the organization of the county.

The surface of this town is a rolling upland, broken by the deep valley of the Nine Mile Creek, which extends north and south through the center. The declivities bordering upon this creek are steep, and rise from two to five hundred feet in altitude. The falls, of which there are several, furnish a large amount of water power. Lime and gypsum are abundant. The soil is generally a deep, black loam, formed by the decomposition of the Marcellus shales, intermixed to some extent with clay, and is among the richest and most valuable for agricultural purposes.

Nine Mile Creek is the principal and only stream of note in the town. It is the outlet of Otisco Lake, and passes through this town from south to north. It received its name from the fact that it is nine miles from Onondaga Hollow which at the time the first settlements were made at the Creek was the nearest settlement on the east. It was also nine miles to Buck's, the nearest settlement on the west.

EARLY SETTLEMENTS.

William Cobb appears to have been the first white settler in the town, on the East Hill, east of Nine Mile Creek, in 1794. The same year Cyrus Hol-

comb settled on the West Hill, and Samuel Tyler at Tyler Hollow. The families of Conklins, Bowens and Codys became residents of the town about the same time, and a Mr. Curtis and family settled temporarily on Nine Mile Creek. The first per- manent settlers here were Dan Bradley and Samuel Rice in the fall of 1795, and Dr. Elnathan Beach the following winter. The latter, in 1796, erected the first frame house in the town, near the dwelling house of Curtis Moses, of a later day. The second frame house was erected by Judge Bradley, and the third by Deacon Rice. In 1806 there were nine dwellings in the village.

From this time settlements grew rapidly in differ- ent parts of the town.

Among those who settled on the West Hill were Nathan Kelsey, Thomas Miller, and Col. Bigelow Lawrence. The latter had eight sons who settled in sight of one another on the east and west hills, viz : Joab, Peter, Bigelow, Rufus, Calvin, Jepthah, Levi and Dorastus Lawrence. Martin Cossit settled in the village in 1798, and Samuel Wheadon on South Hill in 1800. He was followed, in the same neighborhood, by Josiah Frost, Philo Goddard, Nathan Healy and Enoch Cowles. Caleb Todd, Nathaniel Hillyer, Richard May, Martin Goddard. Terrence Edson, Reuben Dorchester and William F. Bangs, were early settlers on the East Hill at a later day.

James C. Miller and sons were the first perma- nent settlers in the northeast portion of the town. Mr. Miller had six sons, all except one of whom, and himself, died within a short time after their settlement. Settlement at the falls (Union Village) was begun in 1806. A paper mill was erected there in 1807 and grist and saw mills in 1808.

Most of the early settlers of Marcellus were from Massachusetts. Some were from Connecticut and

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HISTORY OF ONONDAGA COUNTY, NEW YORK,

Vermont They paid a high regard to religious duties and great attention to the training of their children in moral and intellectual pursuits. The establishment of schools was therefore carly a matter of public attention. The first school was established in 1796, and was taught in a log school house during the summer by Miss Asenath Law- rence, daughter of Col. Bigelow Lawrence. During the two successive winters the school was taught by Dan Bradley, afterwards Judge Bradley, who, on account of his interest in the education of the young. volunteered his services He was the first male teacher in the town. A frame school house was soon after erected on nearly the same ground, and was occupied till tSo7 ; after which school houses were erected in the village and on the West Hill.

The first mill of any description erected in the town was a saw mill on Nine-Mile Creek. It was built by Samuel Rice and Judge Bradley in the fall and winter of 1795.6, and stood a short distance above the stone mill of Mr. Talbot. The inhabi- tants were so few at the time that the proprietors had to get help from Camillus to assist in raising their mill. Before the grist mill was built in 1800, the inhabitants had to go to Manlius, fifteen miles, or to Seneca Falls, twenty-five miles west, which usually took two or three days. The first grist mill was built near the saw mill in 1800 by Mr. May and Mr. Sayles. For several years it was a great relief to the inhabitants, for it did all the cus- tom work for the town and part of Onondaga and Camillus.

The records of this town prior to 1830, were destroyed by fire, so that the names of the first town officers cannot be obtained. It appears, how- ever, by the act of 1794, that the first town meet- ing was ordered to be held at the house of Moses Carpenter, about a mile cast of the present village of Elbridge, and it was probably so held. The record of the Board of Supervisors shows that William Stevens was Supervisor from 1794 to 1797; Samuel Tyler, in 1797, and Winston Day in 1798.

· The voters of Marcellus had at first to go down to Camillus to poll their votes. This they considered a hardship, and in 1796 mustered all their forces, out-voted the Camillus people, and carried the next town meeting up to Marcellus ; so that the first town meeting in Marcellus proper was held in 1797 at the house of Samuel Rice. The log house at which this election was held stood nearly opposite the house afterwards belonging to William Leonard, now owned by the widow of Justice North.

Samuel Bishop opened the first law office in the

town, in Iso1, and B. Davis Noxon, the next in I SOS

HON. DAN BRADLEY. - We have already referred to Hon. Dan Bradley in our notes upon the early settlers. He was one of the most distinguished citizens of Marcellus. Born in Haddam, Conn., on the 10th of June. 1767, he graduated with distin- guished honors at Yale College in September, 1789, and received the degree of M. A, at the age of twenty-three. In October, 1790, he was licensed as a preacher of the Gospel, and was pastor of the church in Whitestown, (New Hartford,) till 1795, in September of which year he settled in Marcellus. His business was that of a farmer, and he reduced farming to a science, both practically and theoreti- cally. It has been said that the improvement of agriculture in the County of Onondaga and in this whole section of the country, was due more to his influence than to that of any other man. As a patron and advocate of agricultural societies he was among the first, and to his opinions and influence many of the prominent advantages derived by the State from the law of 1819 was unquestionably owing. He was elected President of the first Onondaga County Agricultural Society, in 1819. His numer- ous articles published in the volumes of the State Agricultural Reports and his contributions to most of the agricultural journals of the day, established

conclusively the interest he felt in his favorite pur- suit and the zeal and intelligence he brought to its support. He was appointed a Judge of Onondaga County Courts in 1801, and first Judge of the County in ISos, which office he filled with great credit till he resigned and was succeeded by Judge Forman in 1813.

Judge Bradley died at his residence in Marcel- lus, September 19, 1838, aged 71 years.

Mention ought here to be made of Rachel Baker, whose experience in devotional somnium, so called, in this town, from 1812 to 1816, furnishes the most remarkable case of the kind on record. A full history of her case may be found in the Transac- tions of the Physico-Medical Society of New York, vol. i, page 395. See also Clark's Onondaga, vol. ii, page 294. This lady was subject to nightly paroxysms or trances, lasting usually about three quarters of an hour, in which, with body and limbs as rigid and motionless as those of a statue, and in a state entirely unconscious to herself, she pro- nounced sermons or religious discourses of a high devotional character. These discourses were pre. ceded by prayers, her face turned upward to heaven. The only motion the spectator could perceive was that of the organs of speech. "She began with

MARCELLUS WOOLEN MILLS, LUCIUS

PRIETOR, MARCELLUS, NEW YORK .

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HISTORY OF ONONDAGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

a text, and proceeded with an even course to the end, embellishing her discourse with fine meta- phors, vivid descriptions and poetical quotations." She usually passed from her trance state into that of regular and natural sleep, and awoke in the morning without any knowledge or consciousness of what had transpired.

She was born at Pelham, Mass., May 29, 1794. At the age of nine her parents removed with her to Marcellus. She was finally cured by Dr. Spears, in 1816.

VILLAGE OF MARCELLUS.

The first store in the village was opened by Dr. Elnathan Beach in 1796. He kept dry goods, gro- ceries and medicines, and continued in business till his death in 1801. Lemuel Johnson succeeded him, and built a new store.

Deacon Samuel Rice kept the first tavern ; then General Humphreys and William Goodwin. In 1799 the first postoffice was established at the vil- lage, Dr. Elnathan Beach, Postmaster. Samuel Tyler was the first Justice of the Peace, appointed as early as 1798 or 1799.

Dr. Elnathan Beach came to the town as a prac- ticing physician in 1795. A year or two after he erected the first frame house. He came from Cheshire, Connecticut, where he was born and educated. He was an active and prominent citi- zen ; entered considerably into public life ; was Sheriff of the county in 1799 and held the office till his death, in 1801.

INCORPORATION.

At an election held June 4th, 1853, at the house of John Carpenter, it was decided by a vote of forty-one to ten to incorporate the present village of Marcellus. At the first charter election, held July 23, 1853, the following officers were elected : President, Wm. J. Machan ; Trustees, Elijah Row- ley, Isaac N. Soules, Isaac Bradley, Daniel G. Coon; Assessors, A. H. Cowles, Chester Moses, and J. Taylor ; Clerk, H. T. Kennedy ; Collector, Joseph Taylor ; Treasurer, G. N. Kennedy ; Pound-Master, Avery Willson. In 1854, Edmund Akin was elected President, Isaac N. Soules, Vice-President, and I Bradley, J. G. B. White, Nathan G. Hoyt, Trustees.

The following is a list of the Presidents of the village of Marcellus from 1855 to 1877: Luke I. Tefft, 1855; Stephen Cobb, 1856-'57 ; Daniel G. Coon, 1858 ; Cornell Crysler, 1859 ; William Well- ington, 1860 ; Chester Moses, 1861; John H. Cowles, 1862-'63; E. R. Howe, 1864; Chester Moses, 1865-'66; Ira Bush, 1867 ; Chester Moses,

1868 ; Thomas Rhoades, 1869-'70 ;Oscar J. Brown, 1871-'72 ; Newton G. Case, 1873 ; D. G. Coon, 1874 ; Isaac N. Sherman, 1875-'76. The officers for 1877 are as follows: President, Isaac N. Sher- man ; Trustees, James C. Sayre, James Axten, and Albert Curtis ; Treasurer, William B. White ; Col- lector, James Johnson ; Clerk, Thomas Walker.

MANUFACTURES.

EAGLE PAPER MILLS, H. J. Lawless & Co .- These mills were erected in 1844, by Messrs. Reed & Case, who sold the property to John F. Jones. In 1875, the present firm was organized, and have since conducted the manufacture of Rag Wrapping Paper and Print Wrappers. The mills are located at Mar- cellus Falls, and are among the leading paper manu- facturing establishments in this section of the State.

LUCIUS MOSES, Woolen Mills, Marcellus. Estab- lished by William J. Machan and Chester Moses in 1849. Brick buildings erected in 1849, 1864 and 1871. The mills are run by water-power, and have four sets of cards. The capital is $60,000, and 75 hands are employed. Office 329 and 331 Broadway, New York.

MARCELLUS STONE MILLS, S. M. Bronson, pro- prietor. These mills do both merchant and custom work. The first mill was built in 1827. The pres- ent mills have a capacity of about forty barrels per day, besides custom grinding, the business of the present proprietor dating from 1875. The water- power is a fine one.

SHERMAN BRO'S, Paper Mills, established in 1865. Manufacture Straw Wrapping Paper. The mill is the first on the creek below Marcellus vil- lage, and employs nine hands.

MARCELLUS FALLS FLOURING MILLS, Rollin & Rathbon, proprietors. Built in 1875, with four run of stones, on the site of the old mill. These mills manufacture merchant and custom flour- capacity fifty barrels of the former per day, and four hands employed.

PHOENIX PAPER MILL, A. Robinson, proprietor. Established in 1873. Capacity two tons per day, Straw Wrapping Paper. Buildings erected in 1872. This paper mill employs twelve hands.

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History of Onondaga County, New York, Part 63

Author: Clayton, W.W. (W. Woodford) Publication date: 1878 Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., D. Mason & Co. Number of Pages: 840

Author: Clayton, W.W. (W. Woodford)
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., D. Mason & Co.
Number of Pages: 840