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 58
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He accumulated a large property by careful management, and at his death left it with his children, desiring only a plain slab of marble erected over his grave. He was twice married, both wives being of New England origin. By the first he had three children, viz. : Lovwell, Sherman, and Rebecca. By the second, who was a lineal descendant of Edward Rawson, who was born in Dorsetshire, England, 1615, he had seven children, all dying in infancy except Augusta and Willard Johnson. Accompanying will be found a biography of the son.
Willow Hobson
HON. WILLARD JOHNSON.
THE subject of this sketch is of New England parentage, his father, Lovwell Johnson, having been a native of the State of Massachusetts. He was born in the town of Volney, Oswego County, on the 16th day of May, 1820. He attended common school at an early age, and subsequently was a student at Mexico Academy, Oswego County, and coneluded his studies at Caze- novia Seminary at the age of fifteen years.
In the year 1852 he engaged in the lake and canal transporta- tion business, residing at Fulton, New York, and continued it for about twelve years. Afterward he became a contractor, and completed several important works for the State and national governments, among which may be mentioned the improvement of the Mississippi River at Rock Island, and the construction of a lock in the Illinois River, which is probably the largest in the world, being three hundred and fifty feet long, seventy-five feet wide, and thirty feet high, and capable of accommodating twelve ordinary canal boats at once. He has successfully completed contracts which amount in the aggregate to fully five million of dollars.
Mr. Johnson has always been a Democrat of the old school, and for many years he has been prominent in the councils of that party.
During the rebellion he was classed as a War Democrat, and gave his influence and means freely to the cause of the Union.
In 1862 he was elected to the Assembly without opposition, and co-operated heartily in all measures designed to sustain the national government in the contest which it was then waging against armed treason. Subsequently he served two years on the War Committee of Oswego County. He was also a member of the Board of Supervisors in the years 1861 and 1862. In 1860
he was a delegate to the memorable Charleston Convention, and was afterward also a delegate to the National Democratic Con- vention at Chicago, in 1864, in New York in 1868, and in Balti- more in 1872. During the five war years he was a member of the State Committee. It will thus be seen that Mr. Johnson's political experience is extensive and varied, and there are really few men in central New York whose counsel is held in greater estimation.
Hle still holds to the political creed of his earlier years, and is very popular among the Democrats of Oswego, and indeed among men of both parties.
Mr. Johnson is a man of modest, unassuming deportment, and seldom ever addresses the house, believing in action rather than words.
He was successively elected a member of the State Legislature for the Second District of Oswego County for the years 1873, 1874, and 1875.
His large experience, ripe judgment, and active mind are of great value in the practical work of legislation, and his seat is seldom unoccupied during the session.
He was married September 9, 1847, at the age of twenty- seven, to Miss Mary Gasper, daughter of Colonel John Gasper, of New England parentage. To Mr. and Mrs. Johnson were born four children, viz. : Willard Rawson, Mary Pauline, John Lovwell, and Mary Augusta Johnson. Of these, the eldest son lived to the age of fourteen years, and died March 29, 1864 ; the eldest daughter only lived three years, and died December 6, 1855 ; the second son, John Lovwell, and the youngest daughter, Miss Mary Augusta, live at home, in Fulton, New York. Mrs. Johnson died November 22, 1870.
227
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
Abram Van Valkenburgh was elected a constable of Mexico in 1798, and appointed a justice of the peace for Fredericks- burgh in 1810. After years of valuable service he died at Salina.
The third settler of the town was John Van Buren (a cousin of President Van Buren), who came from Kinder- hook, and settled near Battle island in 1796. Ile at first located on the west side of the falls, but soon after came to this side, and built a house near where his grandson Vol- kert now resides. Mr. Van Buren had five sons, viz., Peter, John, Jr., Jacob, Volkert, and David.
The youngest, David, was born in this town in 1798, is still living, and is now the oldest resident. Peter was half-brother of the others, and was the father of John Van Buren, who lives near Bundy's Crossing. He held office before this town was formed, being a constable for Mexico in 1803-4.
Jacob, the third son, married a daughter of Whitman Church, who came into town in 1809. Miss Church used to relate, in illustration of the difficulties attending the pur- suit of pleasure in the early days, that the first dance she ever attended was at Van Valkenburgh's, when the dancing music was no more nor less than the melodious voice of a colored woman, a servant of a neighbor named Peter Sharp.
Volkert, the fourth son, lived near the old homestead, and many years ago owned a large traet of land, the grist- mill at Battle island, and a saw-mill on Black ereek, near by.
David, the youngest son, was born in the fall of 1798, as before stated. His first going to school was at the foot of Seneca hill, the teacher being Benjamin Robinson, who began his labors there as early as 1804. Young David afterwards went to school one summer in Van Valken- burgh's barn. A school-house was built a quarter of a mile south of "Orchard Lock" in 1810. Mr. Robinson was the teacher in both places, and in 1812 taught on the other side of the river.
The fourth settler, John Waterhouse, located at the " Lower Landing" in 1797, and died in 1799, his being the first death in town. His children were Nathaniel, John, Jr., Benjamin B., Artemisia, and Harriet.
The eldest son died in 1800, and the other two moved to Indiana in 1837. In 1851, B. B. Waterhouse visited his old home, and related that in 1797 there was no house nor clearing on either side of the river between the falls and Three Rivers point.
At this time there was a road or path from Van Valken- burgh's to the falls on the east side. It was a very poor one, as may well be supposed.
The fifth settler, Ebenezer Wright (before mentioned as surveyor), located at the " Lower Landing" in 1800, and was a prominent man of that period. He was appointed a justice of the peace for Mexico in 1804, and for Fredericks- burgh in 1809, and was the first and only supervisor of the latter towu while it retained its first name, as will be shown hereafter. When the town was changed to Volney, in 1811, he was elected assessor at the first town-meeting. After this he moved to the west, and died there.
Besides the settlers already named a man by the name of Darley located near the falls, and one John Hooper made his home in the vicinity prior to 1800. During this
year a man by the name of Eaton, a native of Scotland, came hither in company with John Bakeman, and these two were the first to occupy Steen's location, their hut being near the corner of First and Oneida streets, in the present village of Fulton. They opened a quarry in the bank of the river for the purpose of getting out furnace hearths, but the quality of the rock not being well adapted for the purpose, they opened another quarry on Harper's location, which proved satisfactory. Underwood & Bronson built a saw-mill the same year (1800) at the falls for Masters & Goodell, which was the first in this locality.
In 1801 a blacksmith lived at the Lower Landing, by the name of John Masters, who afterwards moved to Oswego. Cornelius H. Miller came to Oswego Falls in 1806, and settled on Steen's location, which is the north part of the present village of Fulton. Ile subsequently moved to the west side of the river, just north of the outlet of Lake Neu- tah wanta.
The first grist-mill in the vicinity was built at the falls in 1808, by Joshua Forman, and was owned by the State. It had only one run of stone, and would probably grind the grain but little faster than a man would with a mortar and pestle. As late as 1817 it was the only one in all this region. Dr. Bissell and Noah A. Whitney came to the falls in 1807, and took charge of the mill.
The former was the first physician in town, and was succeeded by Dr. Anson Fay in 1810. Mr. Whitney was a very prominent man, and held many important offices. He was appointed justice of the peace for Fredericksburgh in 1809, being one of the first three in that town. The first was Samuel Tiffany, appointed in 1808, who lived at the foot of Seneca hill, north, and the second was Ebenezer Wright, appointed in 1809.
Mr. Whitney was the first postmaster in town, having been appointed as such at Oswego Falls, in the autumn of 1810. His first return to the post-office department, made January 1, 1811, was for the snug sum of eighty cents. Mr. Whitney was succeeded in the office, April 1, 1815, by James Lyon, who held it until February 14, 1829, when it was discontinued, being crowded out, as it were, by the Fulton post-office, which was established May 29, 1826, Lewis Falley as postmaster. The circumstances were as follows :
In the early days the Upper Landing and Lower Landing were the only places of business in the vicinity. After a time buildings were ereeted and business was carried on be- tween the two landings, until in 1'826 there was more of a village there than at either of the other two points. The whole locality, including both landings and both sides of the river, was called Oswego Falls. Mr. Lyon was post- master of Oswego Falls, his office being at the upper land- ing.
The village people thought it ought to be kept where the most people were, and besought Mr. L. to remove it thither. This he refused to do. Then they petitioned for the establishment of another post-office, and their request was granted by the government, the name of " Fulton" being given to the new office, in honor of the illustrious inventor of the steamboat. Of course the greater part of the business went to the village office. Mr. Lyon, seeing
228
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
too late how the affair was likely to turn out, removed his Oswego Falls office to the village, locating it directly across the street from the other. But after a while he gave up the contest, the Oswego Falls office was discontinued, and the name of Fulton was thenceforth borne by the village, which was, in time, to include both the upper and lower landings. If Mr. L. had moved his office before the new one was established, doubtless the locality on the east side of the river would have been known as Oswego Falls to this day.
We will say further in regard to Mr. Lyon, that he came to the falls in 1813, and was interested with Mr. Forman in the reservation, and in the tract on Harper's location. He also took charge of the mills, and entered into the for- warding business as a competitor of Brackett. He opened a store soon after his arrival, was in trade for a number of years, and finally moved to Oswego.
Ichabod Brackett came to Oswego Falls in 1809, and built a frame house and barn on the knoll east of the resi- dence of the late C. G. Case. He entered into the forward- ing business, and had a shed for a warehouse, at the foot of Yelverton island.
In 1813 he built a good warehouse, and carried on the forwarding business for many years. Other persons who came to the Upper Landing before 1812 were John Hol- lister, John Eno, Samuel Hyde, Joseph Easton, James Easton, Alex. Campbell, Noah Rust, and Amos Foster.
Mr. Joseph Easton was quite prominent as an office- holder, having been town clerk in 1815, supervisor in 1817, and appointed a justice of the peace in 1815, '20, and '22, and elected in 1827 and '31. He was appointed associate judge of the common pleas in 1822, and again in 1828.
He was from Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and came into town in 1810. He built the little frame house, just east of the Lewis house, very early, and died there in 1832.
Mr. Rust was the father of Richard, now living in Ful- ton, and settled in 1811, about where De Graw's new brick mansion now stands. Mr. Foster settled in 1810, near W. S. Nelson's present residence.
We will now drop down to the Lower Landing and see who came there from 1800 to 1812. Samuel Holland, Isaac Crocker, and Jeremiah Taylor settled there as early as 1810.
The two former were in the mercantile business there in 1811. Mr. Taylor kept a small store about the same time. The firm of Crocker & Holland was afterwards changed to Holland & Falley. A young man by the name of Norman Hubbard was a clerk for both firms,-a promising young gentleman, who died in early life. Daniel Falley settled at this place in 1813. He was the father of Lewis and Geo. F., men who acted prominent parts in the history of the town. Mr. Falley at one time owned a good share of the present village of Fulton, and was the first class-leader of the Methodist Episcopal church there in 1813.
Peter Sharpe, one of the earliest pioneers of Oswego, located near Van Buren's about 1806. Peter Althouse settled near Orchard Lock in 1808. He was the father of a large family, among whom were Andrew, now living near the old homestead, and Peter, who resides in Granby. The former went to school with David Van Buren, at Van Val-
kenburgh's barn, and also at the first school-house. He is the second-oldest resident of the town. Whitman Church came from Kinderhook, New York, and located near Van Buren's in 1809. He was a grandfather of Carlon and Whitman Church, now residing at Fulton.
According to our best information, Mr. Church put up the second frame building in town. Shortly after its erec- tion, Mr. C., who kept a few sheep, undertook to protect them at night by herding them under one corner of the house. Wolves at that time were more numerous than sheep, and one night they crept under the house and killed six or eight sheep without disturbing the family who slept overhead ! Mr. Van Buren called on Mr. Church the next morning before he was up and startled him with the abrupt question : " Hallo, neighbor! are you going to sleep all day and let the wolves kill all of your sheep ?"
As early as 1806 four men came to what is now Volney Centre, and encamped for the night in Major Van Valken- burgh's hunting-shanty, just north of the corners, where they slept soundly, with the dense forest all about tliem and the wild beasts for sentinels.
In the morning they selected their future homes and pre- pared to build their cabins. Their names were Gideon Sey- mour, Gideon Candee, William Dean, and Amos Bishop. Mr. Seymour kept the first hotel at that point ; was elected assessor at the first town-meeting of Fredericksburgh, in 1807 ; was re-elected in 1808; died at Volney Centre in March, 1817. Mr. Candee was appointed justice of the peace in 1810, and was one of the prominent men of the town.
A curious incident is connected with the early life in Volney of the two gentlemen just named. In 1808 the young people of Mexico wanted to get up a " log-house dance" at Calvin Tiffany's, about one and a half miles northeast of the present village, as Mr. T. had just opened a log tavern at that point. There was a reasonable num- ber of young men in the vicinity, but very few girls. Sher- man Hosmer, Nathaniel P. Easton, and a young man named Hatch put their heads together to see about getting some girls from Oswego Falls. At first they proposed to take a boat at Vera Cruz (now Texas), go up the lake to Oswego, and then up the river to the falls ; but fearing the ladies to be invited might be afraid to go by water, they aban- doned that project to go on foot through the woods. They provided themselves with an axe and pocket-compass, and started from David Easton's, who lived about a mile and three-quarters north of Vermilion, taking a " bee-line," as they supposed, for the falls, and marking the trees as they went along. Before reaching that point, however, they came to a settlement, previously unknown to them, which proved to be what was afterwards Volney Centre.
Here they found three young women, two of them being hired girls of Mr. Seymour and Mr. Candee. These were promptly invited to walk at least fifteen miles to the dance, which they were very willing to do if their employers and parents would consent. The latter objected at first, but finally concluded to let them go if they were willing to run the risk of the bears. So in the morning the three conples started through the woods for Easton's, crossing brooks and marshes, the girls taking off their shoes and stockings when
MRS. J. H .DISTIN.
J. H. DISTIN
JERRY.
RESIDENCE of J.H.DISTIN, VOLNEY, OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
CARLO.
1.
F. VANT.
MRS. F. VANT.
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RESIDENCE OF F. VANT, MOUNT PLEASANT, TOWN OF VOLNEY, OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
229
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
water impeded their progress. They stopped at Easton's overnight, and the next day went on to Tiffany's and danced all the next night. The next forenoon they all came back to Easton's and went to bed, and could not be aroused until the next morning. Then the young men escorted their companions home the same way they had come, stayed all night at Volney Centre, and returned the next day, making six days in all. Colonel Hosmer, one of the party, who died recently at the age of ninety-one, related the above incident to the writer about two years ago.
The next settler near Volney Centre was Jesse Coe, who located on the E. M. Baldwin farm in 1808. He was the father of Mrs. Ziba Kendall, of Fulton, and Charles Coe, of North Volney. Jobn Bristol and his two brothers set- tled on what is now " Bristol hill" in 1810, and John Duren located near by the same year. Mr. John Bristol was a leading man, and held many official positions. IIe was appointed a justice in 1814, and again in 1817. He was commissioned the first postmaster of Volney.
Roger Nelson, father of W. S. Nelson, settled on the present Wallace Gardner farm in 1811, but removed to the old Luther Wood farm in 1823. Captain Asa Whitney located a little east of the present village of Fulton about 1810. He was a captain of militia in the war of 1812, and was present with his company at the engagement with the British, May 5, 1814.
A good portion of the men of Volney were in that company, and while the battle was raging their wives, sis- ters, daughters, and sweethearts, becoming alarmed at the thunder of cannon as it rolled up the valley, held a " grand council" to decide whether to flee to their old homes or re- main and brave it out. They decided to stay, and ere long their friends returned to them.
Thomas Hubbard, of Hubbard's Corners, with his brother Ansel, came from Pittsfield, Massachusetts, in 1811. The former is still living in town, and is a sprightly old man of eighty-seven, familiarly called "Unele Tom." He came by way of Salina and Liverpool to the " Upper Landing," and thenee to his first stopping-place, near C. B. Baldwin's. He remained there until early in 1812, when he removed to his present residence. His conveyance into town was an ox-sled, the snow being four feet deep on the level. In coming from Liverpool to the Upper Landing, Mr. H. thinks be cut down as many as a hundred saplings to make way for his team.
One afternoon during the first summer Mr. Hubbard got lost while looking for his cattle. Night came on, the howl of a wolf was frequently heard, and Mr. Hubbard soon became aware that he was followed. After a while he came to a point he knew, and took a " bec-line" towards home, passing the house of Samuel Graham, who then lived where Esquire Rowlee now does. Mr. Graham had just brought home some nice sheep from Oneida county, and Hubbard advised him to put them in the barn, offering at the same time to help. Graham replied that he was not afraid of the wolves. That same night Uncle Tom's wolf came along and took one of Mr. Graham's best sheep for his supper.
In early times the corn was often destroyed by "old Bruin." To check his ravages, Mr. Hubbard went on foot to Phineas Chapin's, about two miles south of Jennings'
Corners, after a bear-trap. weighing sixty pounds, and brought it home on his back. He had the pleasure of catching two bears, the trap in one ease being suspended on a tree seven feet from the ground. Mr. Hubbard was a hard-working pioneer, and has probably chopped and cleared more land than any other man now living in town. He was elected a justice of the peace in 18-47, and served four years.
Samuel and Richard Graham came from Paris, Oneida county, and settled near each other in 1811. The latter was the father of Seth C. Graham, and located where his son now resides. He was one of the officers elected at the first town-meeting of Volney in 1812.
Oliver Burdick, father of Norman E. Burdick, came into town in 1810, and located near Simpson's Corners. Ile was elected assessor at the first town-meeting of Volney, was appointed a justice of the peace in 1813 and again in 1821; he was also appointed an associate judge of the common pleas the latter year. Ile was elected supervisor in 1814, and was re-elected at various times, holding the office in all seventeen years. Only one supervisor in the county ex- ceeded that time, which was Henry Williams, of Williams- town, who held it twenty-two years. Mr. Burdick was very economical in behalf of the town, which was doubtless the reason for his being kept in office so long.
Jonathan Hooker settled opposite Burdick on the old Luther Wood place about 1810, and was one of the officers elected at the first town-meeting of Volney in 1812. IIe was appointed a justice of the peace in 1814 and 1820.
James Parker settled near Drake's Corners in 1811, and voted at the first town-meeting of Volney in 1812. IIe is now living on the south shore of Lake Neatah, in Granby, at the age of eighty-nine, being the father of James Par- ker, Jr., of Oswego Falls, and Linus Parker, of Volney.
Captain Joel Wright came from Columbia, Herkimer county, and located on the Allen Wood place in 1811. Ile was one of the few who went with Captain Whitney to Oswego in the war of 1812. After the war be received a commission as captain, by which title he was afterwards known. During all the latter part of his life his residence was at Ilubbard's Corners.
The Gaspers-John, Freeman, and Joseph-from Pitts- field, Massachusetts, took up their places in 1813. John subsequently kept a hotel at Volney, and another still later in Fulton. He is now living in Fulton, a sprightly old man of eighty-five. Freeman lived a long time just east of ITubbard's Corners, but for a few years past has resided at Fulton. Joseph, the youngost, delivered a Fourth of July oration in Jonathan Ilooker's barn in 1814 or '15, that being the first effort of the kind in that locality. Ile died several years ago.
Ira Ives came into town in 1815, and is still living where he first located.
James Bondy settled just below the " Orchard Lock" in 1810. His brother Elisha came soon after, and settled at " Bundy's Crossing," that name being derived from him. David Osborn and Eliphalet Trembly came from Albany and located near the " Orchard Lock" in 1813.
Jason S. Markham, from Madison county, is another of the early settlers, a blacksmith by trade, who, by industry and economy, has acquired a competency. Simeon Coe
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HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
settled at Strong's Corners in 1812, and died in Palermo in 1832. He was the father of Mrs. Cornelius Miller, of Granby, and Mrs. Griswold at North Volney. John Ken- dall, father of Jacob and Otis Kendall, settled just east of Volney Centre in 1812.
In 1811 three families located in the south part of the town, then known as the " sixteenth township;" those of Adin Breed, Josiah Smith, and Alvin Wheelock. The first named was from Litchfield, Herkimer county, and settled on the farm now owned hy Mrs. Parker. He held many town offices, and finally moved to Three Rivers point. Mr. Smith came from the same town, and settled on the farm now owned by E. Peckham. Harvey W. Smith, now one of the oldest residents of the town, is one of his sons.
Mr. Wheelock also came from Litchfield, and located on the farm now owned by L. B. Babcock. Abram Bell came from Massachusetts in 1813, and also settled in the south part of the town.
It would be impracticable in a mere general sketch of a town so early settled as Volney to mention individual set- tlers who came after the war of 1812, and, doubtless, the names of many who came before that era have escaped our research.
Slaves were owned here as late as 1817, and probably later. On the town records is the following entry :
" I certify that Bell, a negro woman, a slave belonging to me, had a male child on the 27th day of July last, whose name is Richard, or Dick.
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