USA > New York > Clinton County > Plattsburgh > History of Plattsurgh, New York from its first settlement to January 1, 1876 > Part 2
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used principally as a wheelwright and cabinetmaker's shop, until about the year 1859, when it was torn down and a saw-mill erected by Mr. Tefft in its place.
Having " glanced " at the early history of that portion of the one hundred acres, which is directly connected with the mill privileges at this place, let us return to the time when the twelve building lots were laid out, in 1791. These lots extended west as far as the west line of the one hundred acres, which was about ten rods cast from the present line of Catharine Street, and included all the territory now bounded north by Cornelia Street, south by the brow of the hill in rear of Broad Street, and east by Margaret Street, as laid out between Cornelia and Brink- erhoff Street, and that line continued to the river. They contained in all about forty-three acres of land, and were of uniform depth, east and west, but varied in width from seven to eleven rods. Although these lots were surveyed and apportioned in 1791, I do not find that any portion was occupied until 1797, when Doctor Chauncey Fitch bought number two, north of the present Court House, and the same year erected a dwelling on the east end of the lot. In February of that year, number five was con- veyed to Mrs. Phebe Ketchum, who, as appears from the record of deeds, lived on the lot in the month of Septem- ber following. The next year, William and James Bailey purchased about one-fourth of an acre in the southeast corner of number five, near the present site of Reed's jewelry store, upon which they erected a store, sub- sequently occupied by Bailey & Platt. Theodorus Platt had a small office, near a deep ravine south o
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this store. These buildings fronted upon the unoc- cupied lands of the mill owners. At that time there were no other buildings in this section of the settlement until you reached the vicinity of the block-house, on the " south road." Near this block house, Peter Roberts had built a blacksmith shop. Beyond were several dwellings erected on one of the gift lots. Prior to 1795, Nathaniel Platt had become the owner of all the land on the south side of Broad Street, west of the " building lots" of the mill proprietors. These he had laid out into 17 building lots, called the city lots, of which 12 lay to the west of the block-house, and 5 to the east.
A building stood on the north bank of the river, a. few rods west of the present railroad crossing, then or soon afterwards occupied by Platt & Mooers, as a store. Next cast, was the residence of Peter Sailly, erected in 1795-6, with a store-house and ashery upon the bank of the river opposite his dwelling. Next east of Mr Sailly's, stood a dwelling-house, built by Charles Platt, and then occupied by Benjamin Graves, and beyond were three or four dwellings, and on the bank of the lake a block-house, which was then used as a Court-House and Jail. On the east side of the river, John Clark had built a house upon the site of the old Fredenburgh house, which was occu- pied by him and subsequently by Israel Green, as a tav- ern. A small store-house stood on the margin of the river, back of this building, at the place then called " Clark's Landing." There were also two buildings on " the point," which had been built by Jacob Ferris. In September, 1793, John Lewis Fouquet purchased the lot
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now owned by Mr. Lansing, upon which he erected a dwelling, and soon afterwards Zephaniah Platt built the " homestead," now known as the "government house."
These buildings, with the mills and the mill-houses attached, constituted, about 1798, nearly the entire settle- ment within the present limits of the village. Up to this time, no streets had been projected or opened; the only thoroughfares being the common highways, leading from the surrounding country to the "proprietors' mills," as they were called. These highways were four in num- ber. One known as the "Cumberland Head road," passing along the north bank of the river to the foot of the bay ; another known as " South Street," which lead past Roberts's blacksmith shop, to the settlements in the western and south-western parts of the township; another known as " the road to Beekman's Patent," which inter- sected South Street near the Roberts shop, and a fourth known as the " Peru Road," which crossed the bridge and ran along the east bank of the river and the shore of the lake, to the mouth of the Salmon River and beyond. There was also a short road from Clark's tavern to the two Ferris buildings on the point. South Street, between Theodorus Platt's office and Roberts's shop, was a crooked way, passing through the pine bushes along the margin of a ravine.
Although its population at this time could not have exceeded two hundred and fifty, the village had never- theless become a place of considerable importance. Plattsburgh was the shiretown of a large tract of country,
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extending to Lake George on the south and to the banks of the St. Lawrence on the west. Courts were held here, at which the principal citizens of the county as- sembled, as officers, jurors, witnesses or suitors, or to confer together in relation to the political and local ques- tions of the day. Its merchants controlled the business of a large section of country, collecting pot and pearl ashes and furs for export, and sending, yearly, long rafts of timber to the Quebec market. When the inhabitants of the ten townships upon the river St. Lawrence peti- tioned the legislature of 1802 for the organization of the county of St. Lawrence, they based their application upon the "extreme difficulty, troubles and expenses, jurors and witnesses must be subject to, in attending at such a distance, together with the attendance at Platts- burgh for arranging and returning the town business." A similar complaint, three years before, by the inhabi- tants of Crown Point, had resulted in the organization of Essex County. These changes did not affect the busi- ness or prosperity of the village, while it relieved the inhabitants of Crown Point and of ten townships from a most serious inconvenience.
In Winterbothant's America, vol. ii. p. 324, the author refers to the early prosperity of the village, and the intelligence of the first settlers, in the following quaint language : " They have artisans of almost every kind among them, and furnish among themselves all the materials for building, glass excepted. Polite circles may here be found, and the genteel traveller be enter- tained with the luxuries of a sea-port, a tune on the
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harpsicord, and a philosophical conversation." This was Plattsburgh in 1792.
It is well known that New York was originally a " Slave State." The " institution," however, never flour- ished in this or in any of the Northern States-a result, if we may judge from the efforts of Massachusetts to continue the slave-trade, attributable more to the in- fluence of climate, than to the principles of the people. Gerrit Smith encountered and was repulsed by the same obstacles of climate, when, a few years ago, he attempted to settle the blacks among the hills and snows of his Franklin County lands. The influence of a northern climate led to the enactment of a law, in 1798, for the gradual emancipation of slaves. This was followed, in 1817, by an act declaring that all slaves, born after July 4, 1799, should be free ; if male, at the age of 28, or, if female, at the age of 25.
In 1790, the whole number of slaves in the State was 21,324, of which seventeen resided in this county. In 1800, the number in this county had increased to fifty- eight. From this time the number gradually decreased. In 1810, as shown by the census, there were but twenty- nine slaves in the county.
The town records show that on the 16th day of August, 1794, the " negro man Hick, and Yane, his wife," were manumitted by Judge Treadwell. In September following, Hick bought his daughter Cynthia of the Judge for seventeen pounds ($42.50). Judge Treadwell, about this time, also manumitted his man York; Brist was manumitted by John Addams, in April, 1803, and
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Will, in November, 1804. On the ist of January, 1806, Benjamin Mooers manumitted his "negro girl, Aun," and Robert Platt gave "Gin" her freedom, in May, ISo6. On the 6th of January, 1808, the executors of Zephaniah Platt manumitted Cato, and in May of the same year, Peter Sailly, manumitted Dean and her three children, Francis, Abel and Caty. William Bailey, also, on that day, manumitted his man Pete.
The town books also contain the records of the birth of sixteen children, born of slave mothers and held to service. Some of these are still living and reside in this county. One, born on the 28th of December, 1814, was named Sir George Provost-a compliment of which the commander of the British forces at the siege of Plattsburgh was probably never informed, and could not, therefore, fully appreciate.
I have referred to two block-houses, as standing here in 1798. One stood on the bank of the lake, on the farm of Elric L. Nichols; the other was within the present bounds of Broad Street, near the residence of the late J. D. Woodward. This latter was erected for the protec- tion of the inhabitants at the time when the whole coun- try apprehended a general Indian war. For several years the settlers in that locality were accustomed to pass the night within its walls. This block-house was never used for any other purpose than as a house of refuge from fan- cied danger. The one on the lake shore was built in 1789, and was at first intended for a jail. [Sce act passed March 3, 1789, which recites that the inhabitants of Clinton County are disposed to build a block-house at
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Plattsburgh, to be used as a jail, &c.] It was afterwards enlarged and used as a court-house and school-house, and as a place of public worship. The court-room was not completed until 1796. At the annual town meeting in 1806, it was voted to repair the old block-house, with a brick chimney, and glaze it, and that it be used as a Poor- House.
On the 9th June, 1788, the leading men of the county met in this village to take their official oaths of office and organize our county government. Melancion L. Wool- sey administered the oath of office to Judge Charles Platt, who, in turn, " swore in " Mr. Woolsey as County Clerk. Then the other county officers approached the table, signed the roll and severally swore that they would support the Constitution of the United States ; that they renounced and abjured allegiance to "all and every foreign King, Prince, Potentate and State, in all the matters, ecclesias- tical as well as civil," and that they would faithfully per- form the duties of the office to which they had been ap- pointed. Benjamin Mooers took the oath as Sheriff, and Abraham Beman, Stephen Taylor, and Zacheus Peaslee, as deputies; John Fontfreyde and John Stewart, as coroners ; Theodorus Platt, as surrogate; Peter Sailly, William McAuley, Pliny Moore, and Robert Cochran, as Associate Justices; Charles Platt, Theodorus Platt, Wil- liam McAuley, Pliny Moore, Murdoch McPherson, Wil- liam Beaumont, George Tremble, Robert Cochran and Charles Hay, as Justices of the Peace; and Kinner New- comb, as deputy clerk.
The first Court of Sessions for the county of Clinton
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was held in October, 1788. Judge Chas. Platt presided, assisted by Theodorus Platt, Pliny Moore, Peter Sailly, William McAuley, and Robert Cochran, as Associate Justices. Benjamin Mooers was Sheriff, and Melancton L. Woolsey, Clerk. The coroner, four constables and seventeen grand jurors were in attendance. Of the latter sixteen were sworn in and one was set aside "for refusing to take the oath of allegiance." This jury, the first grand inquest which assembled in Northern New York, closed its labors by indicting two of its members for official mis- conduct.
They were tried at the next term of the court, when one was acquitted and the other convicted and fined. The courts were very strict to enforce prompt attendance on the part of jurors and officers. The records are filled with orders imposing fines upon dilatory constables and grand and petit jurymen. The Bench was not always overlooked. In 1825, two of the Associate Judges were indicted for " not attending at court the first day," and two others, in 1827, for the same ofense. At this day (1876) a venerable old gentleman resides in the village who remembers that, in 1828, he was indicted for the heinous crime of " holding stakes at a horse-race," and wonders why, now-a-days, people can publicly sell pools at horse trots under the auspices of our agricultural societies.
The minutes of the Oyer and Terminer for 1828 in- form us that one Andrew Clark was indicted " for inveig- ling a misdemeanor." What offense against the peace of the people and their dignity the seductive Andrew at-
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tempted to wheedle with soft words, is not stated .. It was evidently of a local character, for the Circuit Judge ordered the case to the General Sessions.
In August, 1796,. Judge Egbert Benson, of the Su- preme Court, presided at the first Oyer and Terminer held in the county. Terms of this Court were subse- quently held here by John Lansing, Jr., James Kent, Morgan Lewis, Smith Thompson, Ambrose Spencer, Wm. N. Van Ness, Joseph C. Yates, Jonas Platt, and John Woodworth. Reuben H. Walworth held his first Circuit in this county, in June, 1823. These Courts f were held at the old Block-House untili 803, when a Court- House and jail were completed on one of the twelve build- ing lots. This new building cost $2,751. It was burnt by order of General Macomb, during the siege of Plattsburgh, in 1814, was rebuilt in 1815-16, and again destroyed by fire in 1836. At this last fire, the outer walls remained uninjured, and form the walls of the present Court- House.1
The first trial for felony before the Oyer and Termi- ner was in 1797, Judge Lansing presiding, when one David Smith was convicted and sentenced to imprison- ment for ten years at hard labor. He was to be confined in the jail of Albany County until the State Prison was ready for the reception of prisoners. The court showed no mercy to counterfeiters. At the June term, ISos, Judge Smith Thompson presiding, Thomas Munsel, David Ransom, and William Barns, were convicted of this offense
1 The June term in 1797 and in 1798 was held " at the Block-House in Willsborough."
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and each sentenced to be imprisoned for life in the State Prison, in the city of New York, and David Langly was sentenced to fourteen years' imprisonment for "attempt- ing " to pass counterfeit money. Between the years 1825 and 1837, fifteen persons were convicted as counterfeiters and seventeen for breaking jail. Of the last, six escaped in the fall of 1828. The last was a "General Jail Delivery," through a hole cut into the court-room above the prison.
In olden times, the administration of the laws was attended with more ceremony and parade than at the present day. The Presiding Judge was escorted from his rooms to the Court-House, by the sheriff and his officers ; the attending deputies and constables bearing long white wands, or white staves tipped with black. As the judge, with measured step, picked his way through the dust or mud of the unpaved streets, the surrounding crowd would wonder, as did the citizens of " Sweet Au- burn," when they looked upon the well-filled head of the village master. Although many of the forms and ceremonies of those early days were not in harmony with the republican character of the people, there was much to admire in the refined and educated dignity of the bench, and the courteous tone and manner of the bar.
· I cannot here omit a remarkable instance of the care manifested by the local judges for the comfort of impris- oned debtors. The records of the Common Pleas show that immediately upon the completion of the new Court- House, an order was made that "a passage from Caleb
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Nichols's tavern to the new Court-House be added to the jail yard and liberties." The debtors, however, had rea- son to complain of one clause of the order. The passage was confined to a space three feet in width, and was to be in a strait line. This order remained in force until May, 1 805, when the limits of the jail were extended to a line " one half of a mile from the Court-House, in all directions," and from that time debtors, like their more prosperous neighbors, could use both sides of the streets when returning from the tavern.1
Another instance of the sympathy of our local judges for the distressed, occurred in 1805, in the case of The People against Charles Langley. The defendant had been indicted for horse-stealing and let to bail. Subsequently he had removed from the State on proceedings being instituted against him by the town authorities, on a complaint of his being the putative father of an illegitimate child. On appli- cation made by the bail to be released, the following order was entered in the minutes of the court :
" May 7, 1805. The defendant having been committed en suspicion of stealing a horse, was, on appearances of favorable circumstances, admitted
1 The jail limits, as established in 1804, indicate the buildings in the vicin- ity of the Court-House at that time : "From the Court-House south to the house of Abram Travis, and from there to the houses occupied by Caleb Nichols, Marinus F. Durand, John Nichols, George Marsh, Theodorus Platt, Jesse Kilburn, Benjamin Wood, and the new house owned by said Kilburn (corner Broad and Margaret streets), and the brew-house (opposite the present Post Office) ; also, north from the Court-House, to include the house lately occupied by Chauncey Fitch and now by Kilney Grey, and thence eastwardly, to the houses occupied by David Broadwell, Abraham Beeman, Peter Sailly, James Savage, and Charles Parsons, Jr." On the east they included " the forge, mills and buildings belonging to the works on the north side of the forge ditch, also, the fulling-mill and shop, and Israel Green's house and lot, and the saw-mill on the river, near the bridge, and the grist-mill and dam."
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to bail, and found sureties in $50 for his appearance at this Court ; but being afterwards threatened, in consequence of an amour, he was forced to fly. The Court thereupon discharge the sureties from their recognizance, but order it continued against the principal. Court then rose till 2 o'clock in the after- noon."
Could a Court be more tender of the feelings of a prisoner or of the pockets of his sureties; and can we wonder that after such an exhibition of its sympathy, the Court adjourned for refreshments !
Prior to the year 1800, there were but three resident attorneys in this village: Adrial Peabody, who was admit- ted to the bar in 1795, and Caleb Nichols and Eleazer Miller who were admitted in 1796 -- 7. Before this time the principal business of the Courts had been transacted by attorneys residing at a distance, who travelled the cir- cuit with the judges. In May, 1802, Silas Hubbell and Jonathan Griffen were admitted to the Clinton County bar; John Warford in 1805; Julius C. Hubbell and Giliad Sperry in ISOS; Reuben H. Walworth, John Palmer, and Asa Hascall in 1810; William Swetland and Miles Purdy in IS11, and John Lynde in 1812.
The resident physicians, prior to 1812, were Doctors John Miller, Chauncey Fitch, Oliver Davidson, and Ben- jamin J. Mooers. The first three named, with the other physicians of the county, organized the Clinton County Medical Society, in this village, on the 6th day of Octo- ber, 1807. Doctor Mooers commenced the study of medi- cine with Doctor Miller, in the summer of Iso6, and was examined and licensed to practice medicine in Jan- uary, 1812. He had, however, practised extensively for nearly two years prior to his admission as an assistant to Doctor Miller.
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During those early days, the waters of our river and bay abounded with fish of great size and most delicious flavor. In the months of June, July, August and Septem- ber, salmon were caught in large numbers, with seine and spear.1 The water at the mouth of the river was then of sufficient depth to float the largest lake craft of the day. Vessels loaded and discharged their cargos in front of Mr. Sailly's ashery, on the north side of the river, and at Clark's Landing, near the present stone mill, on the south side. About the year 1810, Nathaniel Z. Platt built a store-house on "the point," east of Fouquet's. The building was burned at the time of Col. Murray's raid, in 1813, and was soon afterwards rebuilt. Carlisle D. Tylee built a wharf on the point, at the mouth of the river, near the site of the present railroad machine shop, in 1816, and in August of that year commenced charging for goods landed there. In the winter of 1817-18, Mr. Platt applied for a grant of land under water, "for the purpose of erecting a permanent wharf for the accommodation of vessels." A. store house and dock were built the next summer. Until this time, pork, beef, &c., were unloaded by casting the barrels into the lake and towing them ashore.
Referring to Col. Murray's raid recalls two anecdotes connected with that event. The Colonel was walking up River Street with Col. Durand and Mr. William Gilliland, who were interceding for the protection of the private prop- erty of the citizens. The day was very warm, and when near- ly opposite the present livery stable of Stave & Ransom,
1 Salmon were caught here in large numbers as late as 1825, but the price had increased to one shilling per pound.
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Murray took off his hat and, with his handkerchief, wiped the perspiration from his forehead. While thus engaged, a paper dropped from his hat. Gilliland adroitly dropped his own handkerchief over the paper and picked it up unobserved. This paper, on a subsequent cxamination, was found to contain information as to the best mode of attack on Plattsburgh, together with a map of the encamp- ment and military works at Burlington. It was in the handwriting of one Joseph Ackley, who, about a year previous, had moved into the village from Canada, and then resided in the small white house on Oak, near the (now) corner of Couch Street. His two daughters were attending school at the Academy. A few days after Murray's departure, Ackley was arrested, and, on an examination before the Justices of the Peace, having admit- ted that he was the author of the letter, was sent to Albany, but no one appearing against him, he was set at liberty, and, with his family, returned to Canada. He was no doubt a British emissary, more deserving of punishment than William Baker, a sergeant of the 103d regiment British Infantry, who was executed as a spy on the 26th of March, 1814.
With the militia called out at the time of this raid, came Capt. Sherry's company of N. Y. State Infantry. When the Captain reached the bank of the Saranac, and saw the British vessels rapidly nearing the shore, he addressed his men with a few soul-inspir- ing words, and, pointing to the approaching boats, ordered them to "fight or run as occasion might require." It was an order timely given and promptly obeyed. The men
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did run, and if report is true, did not stop until they reached the south bank of the Salmon River, near the present village of Schuyler Falls. Considering that Mur- ray had 1400 men under his command, the "occasion " seemed to require it. An officer during the late rebel- lion improved upon Capt. Sherry's order by adding --- "and as I am a little lame, I will start now."
It is a fact worthy of note, that for many years boats passing through the lake did not enter our bay, but re- ceived and discharged the freight shipped to or from the village at Cumberland Head. The "Head " occupied a prominent place in the carly history of the town. Stores were established there in 1786-7 by Peter Sailly, John Fontfreyde, and others. It was for many years the Port of Entry for the District of Champlain, where all entries of merchandise subject to duty were required to be made. It had also a direct communication with Grand Isle by ferry. Many of the most prominent citizens of the town, including Benjamin Mooers, Theodorus Platt, Peter Sailly, Marinus F. Durand, John Ransom, John Addams, Melanc- ton L. Woolsey, and William Coe, had resided there. In August, 1815, John Nichols became the proprietor of the tavern at the old Ransom landing, and gave notice through the columns of the " Republican," that he would run a stage between his house and the village, " for the partic- ular accommodation of passengers in the steamboats." Until 18r7, Mr. Nichols's wharf was the only landing in this vicinity for the steamboats.
Notwithstanding the natural advantages of its location, and the intelligence, enterprise and industry of its inhab-
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