History of Oswego County, New York, with illustrations and Biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 51

Author: Johnson, Crisfield. cn
Publication date: 1877
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts & co.
Number of Pages: 798

USA > New York > Oswego County > History of Oswego County, New York, with illustrations and Biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 51

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Patrick Glynn, private, Co. L, 2let Cav. Enlisted January, 1864. Morris Pekeman, private, Co. K, 81st Inf. Enlisted Sept., 1861; ro- enlisted January, 1864.

Ambrose Marealine, private, Co. K, 8Ist Inf. Enlisted Sept., 1861. Michael Daley, private, Co. K, 147th. Enlisted August, 1862. Jehn Beland, private, Co. B, 81st Inf. Enlisted September, 1861. Peter Wright, private, Co. G, 147th. Enlisted August, 1862.

Themae Glynn, sergeant, Ce. K, 147th. Enlisted September, 1862.

Alenzo Arden, private, Co. B, 81st Inf. Enlisted April, 1864; pro- meted corporal.

Frederick Becksted, private, Co. B, 81st Inf. Enlisted October, 1861 ; re-enlisted Jannary, 1863; 2d sergeant.

Charles Becksted, private, Co. B, SIst Inf. Enlisted October, 1861; re-enlisted January, 1863; drum corps.

Joseph Cigler, private, Co. A, 81st Inf. Enlisted February, 1863. Chas. Bradshaw, priv., 81st Inf. Enl'd Oct., 1861 ; re-enl'd Apr, 1865. George Rosell, private, 12th Cnv. Enlisted Aug., 1862; prom. scrgt. Silas W. Litchfield, private, Co. G, 81st Inf. Enlisted Nev., 1861. William Sharpe, private, Co. G, 16th Cav. Enlisted May, 1863. Jeseph Myers, private, Co. E, 158th Inf. Enlisted March, 1864. William H. Myers, priv., Co. K, 158th Inf. Enlisted November, 1863. John Nihoof, private, 21st Bat. Enlisted October, 1862.

Levi Nihof, private, Co. I, 24th Inf. Enlisted April, 1861 ; re-enlisted in 21st Bat., January, 1864.

Edward Ringwood, private, Co. F, 81st Inf. Enlisted Oct., 1861; re- enlisted 24th Cavalry.

Ira Lockintelley, private, Co. H, 81st Inf. Enlisted October, 1861 ; re- enlisted in 81st Infantry.

Henry E. Cheeney, private, 16th Engineers. Wounded ; got fever in hospital; enlisted Jan., 1862; discharged ; died nt Oswego. Sylvester Stone, private, 81st Iuf. Enlisted January, 1862; killed at Cold Harber.

William Blair, private, 81st Inf. Enlisted January, 1862. Levi Blair, priv., 8Ist Inf. Enlisted Jan., 1862; killed at Petersburg. Joseph Blair, private, 24th Cav. Enlisted Feb., 1863 ; shot on pieket nt Petersburg.

James Campbell, private, 110th Inf. Enlisted August, 1862; died at Baton Rouge.

Thomas Dolnu, priv., 81st Inf. Enlist'd Jan., 1862; kill'd at Fair Oaks. John land, sergeant, 24th Inf. Enlist'd Sept., 1862; killed at Bull Run.

John Harvey, priv., 24th Inf. Enlisted April, 1861 ; died at Oewego. William D. Brunot, corporal, 24th Iof. Enlisted April 26, 1861; died at Washington.

John Hagerty, private, 21st Cuv. Eulisted January, 1864; killed on pieket duty, Shenandoah valley.

Burtin Adkins, private, 34th Iown Inf. Enlisted August, 1862; pre- moted to enptain ; died at Fort Blakely, Ala.

Jeremiah Farrell, private, 24th Cav. Enlisted Feb., 1863; died at hospital, D. C.

Joseph Walker, private, 147th Inf. Enlisted Sept., 1862; killed at battle of Wilderness, Vn.

Florence Adkinson, private, 24th Cav. Enlisted Jan., 1864; missed nt Petersburg; not heard from since.

Jacob Grubb, private, 149th Inf. Enlisted Sept., 1862; promoted corporal; died at Atlanta.

Richard MeGrath, private, 147th Inf. Enlisted Sept., 1862; promoted 1st sergennt; killed at Weldon R. R., Va.

Daniel Dailey, private, 146th Inf. Enlisted Aug., 1862; died at New Orleans hospital.

James D. Johnson, private, 53d Ill. Enlisted 1861; killed in Tenn. Jehn Dailey, priv., 147th Inf. Enlisted Aug., 1862; killed at Petersh'g. John Green, private, 24th Inf. Enlisted April, 1861; transferred to a Buffalo regiment; not heard from sinee.

HISTORY OF THE TOWNS.

OSWEGO.

TuIs town was formed from Hannibal April 20, 1818. A part of Granby was annexed May 20, 1836. It lies upon the shore of Lake Ontario, upon the west side of Os- wego river. Its surface is generally rolling, ending in a bluff shore upon the lake. The streams are Eight-Mile, Rice, Snake, and Minetto creeks. A fall in Oswego river, within the limits of this town, affords an abundance of water-power. The underlying rock is principally red sand- stone. The soil is a gravelly loam. Bowlders and water- worn pebbles are scattered over its surface, making it very stony in places. There are sixteen school districts in the town.

The first settlement was made by Asa Rice, from Con- necticut, in 1797, who came down the Oswego river and along the beach to lot No. 2, where he landed with his family and erected a log or pole shanty just high enough to stand up in. Two or three families came in with Mr. Rice, but none of them remained during the winter, he (Mr. Rice) being the only permanent settler. Upon the completion of his shanty, which his friends assisted in building, he produced a small bottle of wine that had been well cared for, and proposed that the new home in the forest have its name, which was given and christened " Union Village," which name it still retains. Mr. Rice found many hardships and privations to endure, it being late in the fall ; and winter setting in earlier than he expected they found themselves short of provisions, and an infant child of theirs actually starved to death.

In 1800 came Reuben Pixley, who purchased of Mr. Rice about fifty acres of land, remained a few years, and finally sold to a Mr. Brace. Mr. Pixley's family suffered greatly for want of provisions, and be was obliged to hire a blacksmith from Oswego to hunt game for him to keep his family from starving, which was easily supplied, there being plenty of deer and some bears in the vicinity. Daniel Burt settled in 1802; Nathan Nelson was an early settler, and a Mr. Beckwith settled in 1804; Eleazer Perry in 1805; Jonathan Buell (on lot 29) and Jacob Thorpe in 1806; and Daniel Robinson in 1809. Nathan Drury, from Mas- sachusetts, settled on lot 30 about 1810, and it is said that Mr. Drury, in order to raise a crop of corn, was obliged to keep watch and drive the bears from his fields. Erastus Todd was one of the early settlers, and was the first on lot 13,-Oswego Centre, or more familiarly known as Fitch's Corners. Chauncey Coats, from Massachusetts, settled on lot 12 in 1814, and first lived in a log house covered with

ash bark. Mr. Coats was a very athletic man, being six feet two and three-quarter inches in height, and was at that time considered the strongest man in Oswego County, once lifting an iron press, in Oswego village, weighing one thou- sand pounds, after all others had failed. Nathan Farnham, from Bennington, Vermont, settled on lot 2 in 1813, on the farm now owned by Mr. McCracken. Mr. Farnham made a purchase on lot No. 3 in 1816, where he now resides, and is eighty-four years old, born December 24, 1792. Abram M. Clark, from Connecticut, settled on lot No. 3 in 1816, purchasing from time to time until his farm com- prised three hundred and thirty-seven acres. Land at that time was worth ten dollars per acre. Mr. Clark now re- sides on said lot, and is seventy-seven years of age. Selden P. Clark also settled on the same lot at the same time, where he now resides, and is seventy-four years of age. Daniel R. Green is now a resident of the southeast corner of lot 3. Daniel Pease, from Massachusetts, settled on lot 11 in 1813 or 1814. Levi and Alfred, sons of Daniel Pease, and grandsons of Asa Rice, now reside on lot 11. Later, on lot 11, came C. G. Park, about 1850, where he now resides. Sylvanus Bishop, from Onondaga county, on lot 4 in 1813. Lot 24 was settled in 1815 or 1816 by Mr. John Griffin, who erected the first log house in this vicinity, which stood just north of where William Stephenson now resides. John Dunsmore, from Massachusetts, made a pur- chase of one hundred and thirty acres on the same lot in 1825,-lot first owned by the Bleekers, of London (land speculators). Mr. Dunsmore was seven days coming from Otsego to this place, a distance of one hundred miles, making the journey with ox-teams, and sold one yoke upon his arrival for fifty-five dollars. Seymour Coe, Sr., from Massachusetts, later from Onondaga county, settled in Pa- lermo in 1818, and removed to Oswego town in 1831 or 1832, on lot 12. Since the above facts were collected Mr. Coe has passed away, in the ninetieth year of his age.

Schuyler Worden, from Cayuga county, was a pioneer on lot 29 (Minetto) about 1819. Mr. Worden states that it was all a wilderness at that time, there being no roads laid out except the fifth street and river road. Mr. Worden is yet living on said lot, and is seventy years old.

Wm. J. Forbes was the first settler on lot 22, in 1818. Joseph Rice was a pioneer on lot 36 (" State's hundred.") No farm in this locality was settled earlier. He and Arvin Rice cut the road through from Fulton, coming with a yoke of cattle, on the farm now owned by Edwin W. Hunting-

200

ELI WILDER

RESIDENCE OF ELI WILDE

EDITH P. WILDER

GO, OSWEGO Co., N. Y.

]

HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.

201

ton. Lot 36 was first owned by Francis Lent. Stephen Tilden, from Vermont, settled on lot 9 in 1821, on lands now owned by Vincent Sabin and son and B. P. Duteher. A Mr. Foster was a pioneer on lot 26, on lands now owned by John S. Furniss. Samuel Furuiss made a purchase on said lot in 1832. John Ostrander settled in Oswego village, in 1828, near the first dam. At that time there were only a few families in what now comprises the populous city of Oswego, though many emigrants came in at this time. Ruloff Duteher, from Dover, Skaneateles county, was a millwright, and assisted in the building of the first mills at Oswego. Lot 31 was drawn by Joshua Foreman for ser- vices rendered in the Revolutionary war (as were nearly all the lots westward from the Oswego river by other soldiers), and subsequently purchased by a Mr. Collins, who owned it for many years, and finally gave it to his son, Lee Collins. Abel Wilder, from Madison county, purchased four hundred and fifty-seven acres, on lots 31 and 32, of Ansel Frost, in 1838. Mr. Eli Wilder, a son of Abel, now owns one hundred acres of the original purchase. On this lot, on Eight-Mile creek, was erected, in a very early day, a saw- mill by William Lewis, which was rebuilt, in 1838, by Eli Wilder, and subsequently by other parties; but, with de- creasing interests in the milling business, it failed to be cared for, and has long since gone down.

David Gray, from Saratoga county, settled on lot 21 in 1812. Wm. Moore and Paul Whittemore, from Onondaga valley, came at the same time. The first clearings and im- provements in this locality were made by them. There were no roads nor even marked trees to the village of Oswego.

Silas Green, a Revolutionary soldier, and a native of Coventry, Rhode Island, settled on lot 38-the northwest lot of the township-in 1824. It was later owned by Nor- man Green (son), who remained on said farm about forty- four years, and is now owned by Garrett Louis.

On lot 84, among the early settlers, as early as 1817, were Cephas Weed, Jonathan and Justin Eastman.

Lot 78, on lands now owned by W. H. Johnson, was settled by Job Perkins, Mr. Chambers, Ebenezer Perkins, Samuel Sanders, Anson Taylor, James Gillis, Jason Peck, and Heman Rice.

On lot 76 were Mr. Godfrey, Godby, and Oswell as early as 1817.

Elihu W. Gifford, from Washington county, New York, settled on lot 92 in 1812, and subsequently on lot 91, where he died in 1848, on lands now owned by his heirs. Mr. Elihu Gifford ran and kept the mill built by Silas Crandall from 1813 to the time of his death.

John Parkinson, from England, settled in Oswego town, on present farm of W. R. Worden, in 1833, clearing said farm. David D. Gray cleared a portion of lot 21, where Mr. Parkinson now resides, in an early day. Lot 17 was undoubtedly settled by Rudolph Dutcher and a Mr. Tilden, in about 1817 or '18. Mr. Nathan Lewis states that these gentlemen were here when he came, which was in 1822, and had been for a few years. There was but little land cleared at that time. James Stevenson was owner of one hundred and eight acres on the northwest corner of said lot as early as 1822. The first house built at Southwest Os-

wego was a log one in 1820. The first blacksmith was Stephen Cobb, about 1833 or 1834. The first store was kept by Asa Watson, in 1844 or 1845.

The first frame house in Oswego town was built by Asa Rice, on lot 2, about 1810, and a portion of this house, known as the Carson house, is still standing. Mr. R. also built the first frame barn.

The first brick house erected was by Daniel Robinson, about 1830 or 1835, on lot 9. Mr. R. had on his farm a clay-bed, and manufactured bricks for sale. Oswego town contains a number of clay-beds of considerable size, some of which are turned to practical account in the manufacture of bricks, there being some five or six yards in different parts of the town, all doing a good business ; for instance, the Fitch yard, at Oswego Centre, which mannfactures five hundred thousand to one million bricks annually.

Mr. Asa Rice sowed first wheat, eleared first ground, planted first crops, and set ont first orchard, on lot 2, get- ting some trees in the vicinity of the fort, and bringing some down the river from Onondaga county.

The first road in town was the river road from Oswege through to Minetto and Fulton, and surveyed in 1810 or 1811.

Wm. Moore was the first surveyor, and laid out the Fifth street road in 1813. Mr. Jesse Gray informs ns that it was a terrible road, and, though the distance was only three miles, the first time he attempted to go to Oswego he got lost and was obliged to stay in the woods overnight. Mr. G. settled on lot 14 in 1826, the pioneer of the lot being a Mr. Brown, about 1822. Mr. G. is now seventy- four years old.

The Hannibal road was very heavily timbered, and when it was surveyed the trees were felled either way from the centre of the road, and the settlers had to travel around the stumps to get along. The bridges were made of logs.

The first birth was Thomas Jefferson Rice, in 1801. The first marriage was Augustus Ford and Miss Rice, in 1800. The first death was an infant child of Asa Rice, in 1798. A later marriage was that of Montgomery Perry and Mehetabel Rice, about 1812. A later death was that of David Gray, June 6, 1813.

UNION VILLAGE

was named by Asa Rice, as before stated. It was on this lot that the first settlements west of the Oswego river were made, and very many improvements. Here was kept the first school by Susan Newell, in a little log cabin just south of the four corners, in 1813.

The first school-house built was a frame one, in 1816, on the present site of the cobble-stone school-house; size, twenty by thirty feet.

The first saw-mill was erected by Messrs. Rice & Brace, on Rice creek, about 1810 or 1811. The first flouring- mill was on same ereck, in 1813, built by Samuel Farn- ham, and was destroyed by fire in 1869. There was also a tannery built in this vicinity by a man named Nelson, which was rather a primitive affair. A cloth -dressing establishment was erected on the same lot about 1825, by Willet R. Willis.

The first store was kept by Mrs. Neland, from Massachu-

202

HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.

setts. The first tavern was a log building, about 1810, and Lemuel Austin was the pioneer landlord. It was subse- quently taken by Wm. Lewis, and later, about 1813, by Jacob Raynor. The rates in those days were two shillings for meals, a sixpence for lodging, and whisky three cents per drink.

The first blacksmith was Arthur Brace, and the shop built was by him at this place. First carpenter was Ches- ter Brace. Mrs. Rice and her daughter did the weaving for the people of this locality. There were no distilleries, but Mr. Rice used to make what was known as metheglin, made from honey,-a very sweet and pleasant drink. Our informant tells us that people used to come from the village of Oswego to get " metheglin," and it being such a pleasant drink, they would get merry before they were aware of it, and would usually feel full as well or better the second day.

The first physician was Dr. Coe, from the eastern part of New York. The first mails were carried on foot by Mills Brace, once a week, from Oswego to Salina (now Syra- cuse). Later they were carried on horseback by a Mr. Garrison.

Union Village of to-day has one hotel, kept by Walter Phillips ; a grocery, by B. B. Bradway ; a large cider-mill, by Mr. Bradway, which was built by Mr. Mollison, about twenty years ago, and is doing a fine business ; one black- smith-shop, by N. K. Hammond; and contains about twenty residences.

TOWN OFFICIALS.

The first town-meeting in Oswego town was held at the school-house in the village of Oswego, on Tuesday, May 5, 1818, when the following officers were elected, viz., Eleazer Perry, supervisor ; Wm. Dalloway, town clerk ; Henry Eagle, Henry Everts, and Eleazer Perry, Jr., assessors ; Nathan McNair, Wm. Fay, Jr., and Erastus Todd, com- missioners of highways ; Nathan McNair and Eleazer Perry, Jr., overseers of the poor; Asa Dudley, collector; Asa Dudley and John S. Newton, constables ; Alvin Bronson, Samuel B. Beach, and Jno. Moore, Jr., commissioners of common schools ; Walter Colton, Geo. Fisher, and Wm. Moore, school inspectors ; Alvin Bronson and Samuel B. Beach, commissioners of gospel lots.

The succession of supervisors from 1820, to date, has been as follows, viz., Jonathan Demming, Matthew Mc- Nair, 1821; Alvin Bronson, 1822-1824; M. McNair, 1825-1830 inclusive; Geo. Fisher, 1831; Joel Turrill, 1832; David P. Brewster, 1833; Jacob N. Bonesteel 1834-1835 ; W. F. Allen, 1836-1837 ; Patrick H. Hard, 1838; Walter W. White, 1839; M. McNair, 1840; W. W. White, 1841 ; Daniel H. Marsh, 1842; Joel Turrill, 1843; Jas. Platt, 1844; Luther Wright, 1845 ; Leander Babcock, 1846-1847; D. H. Campbell, 1848; Lewis A. Cole, 1850-1851 ; Silas Cushman, 1852-1854 ; John Car- penter, 1855-1856; Stanton S. Gillett, 1857-1858; John H. Mann, 1859; Simon G. Place, 1860; John H. Mann, 1861-1862 ; Jno. S. Furniss, 1863-1865 ; Jno. H. Mann, 1866-1869; William J. Stark, 1870-1871; Thomas G. Thompson, 1872; John G. Warner. 1873; Ira L. Jones, 1874; Lyman Coats, 1875 ; T. S. Brigham, 1876-1877.

Among the first town clerks were W. Dillaway, 1820-

1821; Jonathan Demming, 1822; Edmund Hawks, 1823 -1824; and Robert Cooley, 1825-1826. List of justices from 1830 as follows, viz., Calvin Sheldon, Wm. G. Ad- kins, J. J. Fort, Jno. H. Lord, Wm. Lewis, Jr., S. D. Pierce, John M. Casey, Nathan Farnham, Curtis Sever- ance, J. M. Casey, John Praut, H. P. Dwight, Moses Whitney, D. S. Goddey, John M. Casey, Jas. M. Crolius, H. Gray, W. Goodenow, D. S. Colby, Stephen Colb, S. S. Gillett, John Carpenter, Harvey Gray, J. Pilling, L. A. Cole, M. S. Clark, N. K. Hammond, Henry P. Fitch, D. D. Colby, S. S. Gillett, A. C. Mann, John Gordinear, D. D. Blodgett, S. S. Gillett, B. B. Place, H. J. Cody, D. D. Colby, Jas. W. Brown, B. B. Place, H. P. Fitch, D. D. Colby, J. W. Brown, H. P. Fitch, E. B. Colby, J. W. Brown, Le Roy Pease, and H. P. Fitch, in 1877.

MINETTO METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

On the 15th day of November, 1848, the male members of the Methodist Episcopal church congregated at the Dennis school-house, town of Oswego, with Rev. M. H. Gaylord and Samuel L. Lent presiding, Abraham Fort secretary ; and, pursuant to an act of the revised statutes, proceeded to organize the first society of the Methodist Episcopal church of the town of Oswego, and the trustees were as follows, viz., Mynard Grovesbeck, Daniel Scott, Robert Fulford, Abraham Fort, and Le Roy Burt. Among the first members of this society were George and Betsey Burch, Mynard and Pheoba Grovesbeck, Samuel and Catherine Lent, Caroline Brown, Caroline Armstrong, Sally Dennis, Dibby Rheubottom, Perry and Myra Chase, Miss Everts, John and Eleanor Myers, Robert and Sarah Fulford, and Harry Miller and wife. Mr. Miller was one of the pioneers of this locality, and on Sabbath used to go from Oswego town to Fulton, by marked trees, to church ; he was also the first class-leader in this vicinity. The first meet- ings of this society were held in the above-named school- house. The church, which is yet standing, was built in 1849 ; cost, seven hundred dollars; size, thirty by forty ; dedicated in the fall of 1849, by Rev. Hiram Mattison. Following are some of the officiating clergymen : Rev. Smedley, Rev. Smith, Rev. Coupe, Rev. O. Squire, C. L. Dunning, Revs. Plank, Lathrop, Nichols, White, Mason, . Wood, Allen, C. C. Beebe, and Charles Harris, present pastor. There has always been a Sunday-school connected with the church. Jonathan Buell was the first superintendent ; present superintendent is Ira L. Jones; number of pupils, sixty ; volumes in library, one hundred and fifty.

THE FIRST METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF SOUTH- WEST OSWEGO

was organized December 9, 1872, from the Oswego Centre circuit, which was set aside from the general circuit, includ- ing Hannibal, Sterling, etc., in 1859, and meetings were held at Minetto and Oswego Centre. At the organization of this church in 1872, the following persons were incor- porated as trustees, viz., James Wiltse, Vincent Sabin, Benjamin P. Dutcher, John A. Taylor, O. Barstow, E. A. Carnrite, and William E. Stevens.

Some of the preachers in charge from 1859 are as fol- lows, viz., R. L. Frazier, George Plank, A. Shaw, D. Fur

RESIDENCE OF LEVI PEASE

VEGO, OSWEGO COUNTY, N. Y.

203

IIISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.

geson, A. J. Cotrell, F. A. O'Farrell, George C. Wood, Charles E. Beebe, W. F. Purrington, and T. L. Allen, present pastor. First church edifice was erected in 1873, and dedicated February 4, 1874; it is a small brick building, finely finished, with belfry and bell. The size of the audi- torium is thirty by fifty feet, with a vestibule in front ten by twelve feet. It was finished under the supervision of Mr. P. M. Schoonmaker; has a seating capacity of two hun- dred. Salary of the elergy, five hundred dollars. The Union Sunday-school of this church was organized in 1874; its first superintendent was O. Barstow, who has held the posi- tion ever since. Has a goodly number of pupils, and a voluminous library.

THIE BAPTIST CHURCHI OF SOUTHWEST OSWEGO

was organized about 1852, with a membership of some thirty-five. The following are the names of early mem- bers : William Curtis, Stephen Cagg, C. G. Park, a Mr. Mervin, Mrs. C. Dunsmore, and Mrs. Newell; first stationed preacher was Rev. Edward Lawton. Meetings were held two years in a wood-honse (which was finished off for the purpose), just south of O. Barstow's store. First church building was creeted in 1854; a frame structure, size, thirty- four by sixty feet, and is still used for their place of wor- ship. The pastors are as follows, viz., Rev. HI. Powers, Isaac Butterfield, Rev. Morley, Rev. Mr. Parkhurst, Wm. C. Corbin. Present pastor is Rev. W. C. Johnson. Pres- ent membership is about one hundred. Salary of clergy, four hundred dollars. First superintendent of Sunday- school was James McLean, next was John D. Andrews. Present superintendent is E. C. Pasko. Number of pupils, one hundred and eight; number of volumes in library, one hundred and four. The first Sunday-school was organized about two years after the building was erected.

Of the organization of the Grange society of Oswego town, we have as yet no account, although the history of the county grange will appear in the general history. Our historian for Oswego town was referred by several of its eiti- zens to a Mr. Lockwood, present Master of one of the subordinate lodges, to get the records of the society, and after driving some four or five miles found Mr. Lockwood, who utterly refused to give any information or to condescend to refer him to any one who could give the desired informa- tion. Mr. Lockwood knows the history of the county, and don't deem it necessary for any of his fellow-citizens or future generations to have any records of the past or present ; therefore, if we should fail to give the records of this society, the patrons will please pardon.

OSWEGO TOWN AGRICULTURAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY

was chartered in 1870, and grew ont of an organization known as the Union Village Farmers' club, which was

organized March 13, 1869, with T. tì. Thompson as presi- dent ; D. R. Green, secretary ; J. S. Bishop, corresponding secretary ; and S. L. Parsons, treasurer. This organiza- tion started with only eight or ten members, and at present has a membership of one hundred and fifty. Present officers are as follows, viz., T. S. Brigham, president; D. R. Green, vice-president ; Fred. E. Stewart, secretary ; Le Roy Pease, treasurer. The members of the society saw the need of having some place suitable for their meetings, and, being an enterprising people, took hold of the matter ; in 1870 they erected a fine town hall, and on June 23, 1870, they, as well as many from the city, congregated for dedica- tion services.

The hall is situated on the farm of T. G. Thompson, about three miles west of the city, in one of the most beauti- ful locations that could be chosen. The building, which is erneiform, was designed by Gardner Bros., of Oswego city, and built by D. I'. MeAuley, also of the city of Oswego. The main part, which is used as an audience- room for the regular meetings of the society, is thirty by forty-six feet, and the hall proper is thirty by sixty-five feet, with an ante-room, used as kitchen in festival time, ten by thirty feet, in the rear. It is also provided with dining- rooms, etc.

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History of Oswego County, New York, with illustrations and Biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 51

Author: Johnson, Crisfield. cn Publication date: 1877 Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts & co. Number of Pages: 798

Author: Johnson, Crisfield. cn
Publication date: 1877
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts & co.
Number of Pages: 798