USA > New York > Otsego County > History of Otsego County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 42
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Kellogg, Melville N., enl. Feb. 1864, in Co. 11, 152d N. Y. Vols. ; killed in battle of Wilderness, May 5, 1864.
Marr, Henry, enl. Sept. 3, 1862, in Co. H, 152d N. Y. Vols .; absent without leave.
Mallory, Samuel, enl. Oct. 3, 1862, in Co. II, 1524 N. Y. Vols .; discharged.
Mills, Elisha R., enl. Sept. 6, 1862, in Co. 11, 152d N. Y. Vols. ; received a fur- longh and failed to return.
Luce, Harry J., enl. Sept. 10, 1862, in Co. HI, 152d N. Y. Vols. ; discharged. Pickens, Edwin, enl. Ang. 28, 1862, in Co. II, 1524 N. Y. Vols .; discharged. Spilsbury, Henry, enl. Aug. 27, 1862, in Co. 11, 152d N. Y. Vols. ; discharged. Sherman, Alanson, enl. Oct. 6, 1862, in Co. 11, 152d N. Y. Vols. : discharged. Sherman, Etsou, enl. Aug. 26, 1862, in Co. 11, 152d N. Y. Vols .; discharged.
Sherman, Delavau, enl. Sept. 22, 1862, in Co. 11, 1524 N. Y. Vols. ; wounded in battle of Wilderness, May 6, 1864; discharged.
Stevens, Rozzel, enl. Aug. 28, 1862, in Co. HI, 152d N. Y. Vols .; discharged. Stevens, Lucius W., enl. Oct. 6, 1862, in Co. I, 152d N. Y. Vola. ; in battles of Wilderness, Spotsylvania Conrt-House, Hatcher's Run, Reams' Station, and Burgess' Farm; mustered out with regt., July 13, 1865.
Stevenson, Chias. W., enl. Sept. 3, 1862, in Co. H, 1524 N. Y. Vols .; in battles of Wilderness, Spottsylvania Court-House, Hatcher's Run, Reants' Sta- tion, and Burgess' Farm ; mustered out with regt., July 13, 1865.
Richards, Philander, enl. Aug. 30, 1862, in Co. H, 152d N. Y. Vols .; killed in battle of Wilderness, May 6, 1862.
Walker, Squire S., enl. Sept. 13, 1862, in Co. H, 152d N. Y. Vols. ; received a fur- lough and failed to return.
Weeks, Jolin, enl. Aug. 28, 1862, in Co. II, 1524 N. Y. Vols .; in battles of Wil- derness, Spottsylvania Court-House, flatcher's Run, Reams' Station, and Burgess' Farm ; received a medal from President Lincoln for having cap- tured rebel colors.
Weeks, Jolm R., onl. in Co. H, Ist N. Y. Mounted Rifles, Oct. 8, 1861 ; in bat- tles around Suffolk and Petersburg; mustered out with regt., 1865.
Weeks, James R., enl. in Co. H, Ist N. Y. Mounted Rifles, Oct. 8, 1861 ; died at Fortress Mouroe, Va., March 18, 1862.
Heenl, Adelbert, enl. Sept. 1861, in Co. G, Serrell's Engineers; in battles of Roanoke Island, Morris Island, and Folly Island; discharged.
Roxford, Horatio N., eul. in Sept. 1861, in Co. G, Serrell's Engineers; died at Fortress Monroe, March 6, 1862.
Downing, Arthur, enl. Sept. 1861, in Co. G, Serrell's Engineers; in battles of Roanoke Island, Morris Island, and Folly Island ; dis. in 1864.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
PETER S. SMITH, M.D.,
was born in the town of Kortright, Delaware Co., N. Y., Dec. 25, 1812, being the son of Elijah C. and Electa Smith. His father was born in the town of Chatham, Co- lumbia Co., N. Y., in 1788, and at seven years of age he .came with his father to Kortright. In 1812 he was mar- ried, and settled on a farm in that town, where he endured all the dangers and privations incident to frontier life. In 1819 he removed to Meredith, in the same county, still carrying on the business of farming. His family consisted of twelve children, of whom can be said, no nobler sons or worthier daughters have gone forth to bless the world. Mr. Smith ended a busy life Oct. 29, 1874, at the age of eighty-six years.
The subject of this sketch passed his carly life on his father's farm, and what education he received was obtained at the district school ; but at the age of twenty-four he at- tended medical lectures at Fairfield college, in Herkimer Co., N. Y., where he remained for two courses of lectures. In the spring of 1838 he attended college at Woodstock, Vt., where he received his diploma in June of that year.
PETER S. SMITH, M.D.
The following year he commenced the practice of medicine in East Franklin, Delaware Co., and Oct. 10, 1839, was married to Betsey Tuttle, who was a native of the town of Meredith, Delaware Co. Their family consisted of four children, two of whom are now living, -Clinton, born Oct. 9. 1841 ; Charles L., born Jan. 8, 1847,-both being natives of Delaware county, the former still a resident there, and the latter residing in Nebraska.
Dr. Smith's wife quietly passed away from earth March 16, 1847. He was subsequently married to Mrs. Luey Sceley, Sept. 16, 1847, and in the following year he re- moved to the town of Hartwick, Otsego Co., where he has since practiced medicine. . His second wife died Jan. 7. 1863. He again married, Sept. 7, 1864, choosing Lydia R .. daughter of Isaac S. Ford, of Richfield. as his companion. She was born in Salisbury, Herkimer Co., N. Y. Their family consisted of only one child, who died in infancy.
Dr. Smith was originally a member of the Democratic party, but being opposed to the extension of slavery. in 1856 he joined the Republican ranks, of which party he has since been an active worker. He has held several town offices, hav- ing been supervisor during the years 1862 and 1863. He has regularly attended the Baptist church, and has given largely of his means for the support of various churches in his town. Dr. Smith is esteemed by his friends and neigh- bors not only for his skill as a practicing physician. but also for his good qualities of head and heart, which make him a worthy friend, a good neighbor, and an enterprising townsman.
167
HISTORY OF OTSEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
TORRY J. LUCE
.s. a native of this county, being born in Middlefield, Ajel 5, 1795, and was the son of John and Sally Luce. Hlu father carried on the business of blacksmithing and farming. His life was passed in the mercantile business.
He was married March 14, 1825, to Huldah Eliza, daughter of Amasa and Sarah Peters, she being born in
Photo. by W. G. Smith, Cooperstown, N. Y.
the town of Hartwick, April 2, 1807. Her father was one of the early settlers of that town, having removed front the State of Connecticut, of which he was a native, about the year 1790. Their family consisted of Rufus P .. born in Middlefield, May 12, 1826 ; Caroline L., born June 13. 1828; Cynthia Ann, born May 17, 1830, who died in infancy ; Dolphus Skinner, born March 17, 1832, died Oct. 17, 1876,-the last three were natives of the town of Butternuts ; Henry James, born in Hartwick, March 5, 1817.
Mr. Luce was a member of the Democratic party, and Ial various town offices, having been supervisor, justice of the peace, ete. He was a member of the Universalist church, as was also his wife.
1
CYRUS SHORT
was born in Hartwick, Nov. 22. 1824, being the youngest .f a family of fifteen children. Amasa, his father, was a native of Connecticut, born July 7, 1772, and emigrated to this town in 1794, and was married in 1799. His site. Elizabeth, was born in Greenbush, Albany Co., Feb. 29, 1782. Ilis father was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and sacrificed his life to establish the independ-
ence of his country. He died Dee. 9, 1844; his wife survived him but a few years, she passing away Ang. 15. 1851. Cyrus passed his early life on his father's farin. and has pursued that business ever since, being located on the same farm at the present time which his father cleared and settled when he first came to this town. He was married Oet. 13, 1845, to Mary M., daughter of George and Polly Murdock, old settlers of the town of Hartwick, where she was born Ang. 24, 1827. Their family consists of nine children, seven of whom are living. Adaline A., born April 2, 1847, died Aug. 31, 1848; George M., born Sept. 15, 1848, died Oct. 31, 1851 ; William, born Oct. 25, 1850; Annie M., April 16, 1853; John HI., Nov. 15, 1855 ; Charles D., June 19, 1859; Ella M., April 3, 1863; Fred. L., April 8, 1868; Gilbert C., July 31, 1872. All natives of the town of Hartwick.
For over twenty-five years Mr. Short and wife have been active members of the First Presbyterian church of Mil- ford, and his children, William, John, Annie, and Ella. also are members of the same church. Politically, he belongs to the Republican party.
CHAPTER XLIII.
TOWN OF LAURENS.
Organization-Geographical -Topographical - First Settlers and their Locations-Incidents-Initial Events-First Town-Meeting -Officers Elected-Supervisors and Town Clerks from Organiza- tion of the Town to 1878-Present Town Officers-Agricultural and General Statisties-Area-Equalized and Assessel Valuation -Population from 1814 to 1875.
LAURENS was formed from Otsego on the 2d day of April, 1810. It is an interior town, lying southwest of the centre of the county, and is bounded as follows, viz. : on the north by New Lisbon and Hartwick ; on the east by Milford and Onconta ; on the south by Oneonta and Otero ; and on the west by Morris. Otego creek flows nearly south through a fertile and productive valley. With the exception of this valley the surface is a rolling upland, the soil consisting chiefly of a sandy and gravelly loam, and is generally productive.
Interest always attaches to those courageous spirits who leave the comforts of civilization, and threading their way into an uninhabited region, first ercet the standard of civil- ization in the wilderness. To Joseph Mayall is the houor in- scribed of being the first white settler within the boundaries of the present town of Laurens. He located. in 1773. about one mile north of the village of Laurens, on one hundred aeres of land which had been given him by the proprietors of the patent. He was a man of great courage, and during the Revolutionary struggle became somewhat celebrated as an Indian fighter. In consequence of his numerous con- tests with the Indians they learned to respect him and his family. Although by birth an Englishman, he early : spouse! the cause of the colonists, and at the close of the war was singled out as a victim by the Tories, who resolved to inflict condigu punishment upon him for the course he had pur- sued. While hunting he was accosted by three unen. with a request to pilot them to the fording plice on the Susque-
168
HISTORY OF OTSEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
hanna. He cheerfully acceded to their wishes, and upon reaching the ford his gun was taken from him, the lock removed, and the barrel returned to him, and at the same time was notified that he was their prisoner, and must pro- ceed with them to Canada. He remonstrated with his captors, telling them inasmuch as the war had elosed they had no right to make him a prisoner. But all in vain, and he finally coneluded to accompany them and watch his chance to eseape. Upon crossing a branch of the Susque- hanna, in order to better secure their prisoner, one erossed to the opposite shore, one was stationed in the middle of the stream, and the other was to aecompany the prisoner. Quick as thought Mayall dealt his companion almost a death-blow on the head with his gun, which felled him to the ground, and at the same moment seized the gun of his prostrate foe and fired it at the one in the stream, whom he wounded. The one on the other side of the stream shot at Mayall, and missing his mark, fled into the forest. He wended his way to Cherry Valley, bringing with him the guns of his assailants, together with his own, and deposited them with Mr. Campbell. It is said that the barrel of Mayall's gun was bent nearly to a semicirele with the vio- lenee of the blow. His family subsequently moved to Alleghany county, Pa.
Soon after the advent of Mr. Mayall came John Sleeper, a Quaker preacher, who emigrated with his family from Mount Holly, N. J., in 1774, and settled on a traet of land embracing two hundred aeres, which were donated to him by the proprietors of the patent, in consideration of which " he was to build a grist- and saw-mill. This settlement was made with a view of founding a Quaker colony in the locality, which, however, was stopped by the war of the Revolution. Mr. Sleeper being considered neutral, his house was often the halting-place of both Indians and col- onists on their way from Cherry Valley to Unadilla. In June, 1778, five months before the massacre, Captain Mckean,-who at that time was in command of a body of rangers at Cherry Valley,-while on a scouting ex- pedition to Unadilla, arrived at the house of Mr. Sleeper, who informed him that " Brant had that day been at his house with fifty men, and would return there that night." MeKean looked around the house with the eye of a soldier ; observing that it was built strong and of logs, he remarked, " Your house, friend Sleeper, shall be my fort to-night ; I have with me five good marksmen, and I am not myself deficient in that qualification of a soldier." Sleeper re- monstrated, saying, " he wished to remain neutral; that he would be involved in difficulty, and iu the end would lose his property, probably his life." MeKean finally with- drew, and took possession of a vacant house a mile or two distant. It was on this or another scout, a short time afterwards, that MeKean wrote a letter to Brant, and fastening it in a stick, placed the stick in an Indian path. He blamed him for his predatory warfare, and challenged him to meet him, either in single combat or with an equal nutuber of men, adding that if he would come to Cherry Valley and have a fair fight they would change him from a Brant into a Goose. He received this challenge, as ap- pears by a letter written soon after to Percifer Carr, a Tory, living in Edmeston.
The day before the massacre of Cherry Valley, Mr. Sleeper started for New Jersey, and upon arriving at Cherry Valley was urged by his friends to remain overnight. But he re- fused, and continued his journey to Bowman's ereek, sev- eral miles distant, and thereby saved his life. The day following this butehery a party of savages passed through Laurens and robbed the family of Mr. Sleeper and burned their buildings. Brant came soon after and, finding Mrs. Sleeper still there, exclaimed, " My God ! Mrs. Sleeper, are you alive ?" She replied, " Yes, but they have taken all of our property." Brant charged the destruction of the property upon the Senecas, saying " that they would kill their best friends," and offered to pay for the loss, but Mrs. Sleeper being of the Quaker faith refused, as she believed that he had eome wrongfully by it. The family soon after returned to New Jersey, suffering terribly on the way.
At the elose of the Revolution in 1784, and when peace again reigned throughout Tryon county, Mr. Sleeper and family retraeed their steps and settled on their old location, and rebuilt the mills which had been destroyed by the In- dians and Tories.
The old mill mentioned above as having beeu burned by the Indians and Tories was a rude structure, located on the east end of Main street, in the village of Laurens. It was built of logs, and the lower stone was attached to the upright shaft, the upper stone being fast. When a man eame to the mill he poured his grain into the hopper, took out the " toll," raised the gate, and the mill began to grind. Mr. Sleeper would say, " When your grist is ground shut down the gate." Every man attended to his own grist. Mr. Sleeper died in 1794, and Mrs. Sleeper in 1811. They reared a family of seven sons and five daughters. One son, Joseph H. Sleeper, settled on a portion of the original pur- chase. He died in 1830. A son, Hudson Sleeper, resides on the old homestead.
In the year 1794, Mr. Sleeper sold his grist- and saw- mills and 1000 aeres of land to Griffin Crafts, of honored memory.
Mr. Crafts came from Cherry Valley. He was a man that manifested much interest in all matters concerning the publie good, and did much to advance the general welfare of the county and the community wherein he resided. He opened the first tavern, and was the first supervisor of the town, in 1811. In 1815 he disposed of his mills, farmis, distillery, ete., to his son, General Erastus Crafts, who was also a prominent man. He received his title from being in the old State militia. He was a soldier by nature, and so far excelled in military matters that he attracted the atten- tion of General Harrison, who offered him the position after- wards held by General Scott. He was member of assembly in 1810, '13, and '14, the second supervisor of the town, and officiated iu the latter capacity at various times for thirteen years.
Hle married a sister of Judge W. W. Campbell, of Cherry Valley, and their family consisted of four children, viz .: Julia, a daughter, married a son of David II. Little, of Cherry Valley, and is now deceased ; a son. William, was killed in battle during the late Rebellion ; a daughter. Caro- line, married her deceased sister's husband, and resides in Rochester, N. Y .; a son, Laurens, resides in Toledo, O.
169
HISTORY OF OTSEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
Corral Crafts died April 3, 1851, aged seventy-one, and w .. buried at Cherry Valley.
Richard Smith, a bachelor, is said to have been the third wttler in the town. He came from Philadelphia, and pur- «havi about 5000 aeres of land, the most of which he sub- wquently disposed of in small lots. He ereeted the first fame house in the town.
Among the pioneers were Erastus and Ezra Dean, who Attled in about the year 1805, and opened the first store. The former was a prominent man and was the first town derk, in 1811. A sou, Delos W. Dean, occupies the old beanestend.
Chanucey Strong, from Greene county, settled in about the year 1811, and was a furniture-maker.
Samuel Allen came from New Jersey in about the year 1793, and settled south of the village. The old homestead was subsequently owned by a son, Samuel, and a grandson, Albert, both of whom reside in the village.
In the south part of the town a prominent early settler was Nijah Griffith, who came from New Jersey. He took an active interest in the affairs of the town, was supervisor five years, and also served a number of years as justice of the peace.
In the locality known as Butts' Corners, Jacob Butts, an honored pioneer from Windham Co., Coun., settled in about the year 1790. He penetrated the wilderness alone, aul, after building a log house, returned to Connecticut, packed up his household goods, and with his wife, a wagon, sake of oxen, and a single horse, started for their forest . home. It required no small amount of courage in that early day to undertake a journey of several hundred miles, over almost impassable roads and through a forest which at night resounded with the, howls of wild animals; but Mr. B. and his companion were ready to face the hardships of pioneer life, and after a weary journey of twelve days arrived at their log cabin, and there erected the standard of " home."
"Our forest life was rough and rude, And dangers closed us round ; But here, amid the green oll trees, A home we sought and found."
They reared a family of eight children,-five sons and three daughters. Two sons reside in the town, Harvey and tiden, who, with their children, occupy the old homestead.
Amos Preston was also an early settler in this vicinity. He came from Connecticut in 1789.
...
J. Whitcomb was a pioneer who located soon after Mr. Batts. A son. David, now at the advaneed age of seventy- five years, is living in Morris.
Coincident with the settlement of the above was that of Nathan Newell, also from Connecticut. A son, Nathan, :. il- in the town of Middlefield.
A large land-holder and active pioneer was Solomon Har- ( .... who emigrated from the " land of steady habits" and - tied on Otego ereck, about two miles above Laurens, and . sesquently moved to a location west of Laurens, where !... had purchased one thousand acres of land from the Pago patent. He erected a gri :- and saw-mill, and sold a I tion of his land to settlers, and the locality became known as Harrison's Mills, now called Brewster's Mills.
A son, Win. Harrison, lives on a farm between Butts' Corners and Laurens. A portion of the old homestead is in possession of a granddaughter, Mrs. John Ward, who resides in the village of Morris.
An old settler at Butts' Corners was a Revolutionary soldier, uamed Potter. In 1810, Ezekiel Benedict, also a soldier of the Revolution, located in this vicinity. In about 1800, Amos Mathewson, from the " Green Mountain State," " took up" land adjoining Jacob Butts on the south.
Among the first preachers of the Society of Friends who raised their voices in the wilderness of Laurens was Calvin Straight, who settled north of the village about the year 1800. Two sons, William and Samuel, are farmers in the vicinity of Butts' Corners.
Where Aaron Eldred now resides, his father, Solomon Eldred, was an early and respected settler from Vermont.
In the locality known as West Laurens, Daniel Weath- erby, from Rhode Island, was a pioneer. He had four sons, Samuel, Henry, William, and Daniel ; some of their descendants are residents of the town. Daniel Dunbar, the father of Delos W. Dunbar, eame from Massachusetts in about 1800, and located between Laurens and Butts' Cor- ners. Silas Gilbert settled in about the year 1800, and purchased land of Jacob Butts. James I. Thorn located in 1800, north of Butts' Corners.
Rufus Tucker, wife and children, eame from Connecticut in 1792, and settled in West Laurens, on the Otego patent. Their family consisted of six sous and three daughters. Rufus, Jr., succeeded to the possession of the farm. Six children are now living, viz. : Ezra resides in this town, Erie in the village of Morris, Leroy is a merchant in the village of Laurens, Mrs. Eveline Perkins resides in the town of Morris, and Mrs. Maryette Hyatt and Mrs. M. Lull in West Laurens.
An early settler above Laurens, on the Mount Vision road, was Dr. Ezer Winsor, who came from Rhode Island in 1794. He had a family of nine children. Amos, a prominent citizen of the county, who was sheriff in 1842. resides in the town, on a farm adjoining the old homestead, and Morris in Grand Rapids, Mich. Dr. Winsor died in 1834, at the age of sixty-six years.
Harvey Kenyon, and Harvey Keyes and sons, Omer and Josiah, are old residents of Mount Vision.
Benjamin Tiffany was a worthy pioneer in the vicinity of Gilbert's lake, having settled in 1794. One son. Mr. Thomas Tiffany, is the sole surviving member of the family. and resides at Mount Vision.
Another honored pioneer of Laurens who settled in about the year 1793 was Daniel Eldred, who located about two miles west of Mount Vision. Ile, together with six sot -. subsequently moved to New Lisbon, and in 1837 to Mich- igan, and settled on Climax Prairie, to which a neples who was with them gave the name. One daughter. Mrs. Thomas Tiffany, is the only member of the funily left in the vicinity.
Gilbert's lake derived its name from Benjamin Gilbert. 1 Revolutionary soldier from Connectient, who settled in it- vicinity soon after the war. Two great-grandsons; L ; i and Morris, live on the estate.
Au honored pioneer in the village of Laurens was D:
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HISTORY OF OTSEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
Allen Harrington, who came from North Brookfield, Wor- cester Co., Mass., in about the year 1800. He was a successful practitioner, and his ride extended over a large territory. A son, Orlando, resides in Oswego Co., N. Y., and a son, Samuel H., is a practicing attorney in the village of Laurens. Mr. Harrington has in his possession an interesting relic, being the original parchment decd, with a map of the Otego patent, in which is conveyed 2000 acres of land by Thomas Wharton to John Smith, dated Febru- ary 3, 1770, lots 25 and 50 embracing 1000 acres cach. On this map the Otsdawa and Oneonta and Otego creeks are shown, and Onconta is spelled Onabrienton creek.
A worthy pioneer is Cyrus Hudson, who came into New Berlin, Chenango county, from Rhode Island, in 1816, and in 1818 to Laurens, and settled two miles below the village, where he bought a tannery and five acres of land. He con- dueted this business until 1832, when he sold out and moved above the village, where he still resides, at the advanced age of eighty-two years, with a daughter, Mrs. Caroline Curtis. Two sons, Stephen T. and Horace, are hardware merchants in the village; Henry resides in New Lisbon, Cyril in 'Onconta, and one daughter lives in Chenango county, and one in Monroe.
A prominent and public-spirited man, and one who has ever manifested a lively interest in the publie welfare, is Hon. William C. Fields. He came from Delaware county to Laurens in 1826, and has been largely engaged in the woolen and cotton manufacture, owning the cotton manu- factory, which was erected in 1847. He was also many years engaged in the mercantile business. He has oecu- pied many official positions within the gift of his fellow- citizens. He represented his town in the board of super- visors two years, was county clerk three years, justice of the peace seventeen years, and was a member of the Fortieth Congress.
An active pioneer was John Philips, who located a short distance above the village of Laurens, and operated the factory in connection with Hon. William C. Fields. He was prominently identified with the progress of the town, and was highly respected by his fellow-citizens. He died in 1877.
Hon. Levi S. Chatfield, now a prominent lawyer of New York city, came to this village in 1827, and studied law in the office of IIon. Samuel L. Bowne. He was admitted to the bar, and practiced law in this county until elected to the office of attorney-general of the State. He was also a member of the constitutional convention, a member of the assembly, and speaker of the assembly, He resides in Jersey City, and practices in New York.
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