USA > New York > Saratoga County > History of Saratoga County, New York : with historical notes on its various towns > Part 23
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This, the pioneer hotel at what is now the great watering place, had but a room or two on the ground floor, with a chamber overhead, reached by a rude ladder. In sight of it were sixteen Indian cabins, filled with their savage occupants. In rocky ledges near by were numerous dens of rattle-snakes. There were so many of them at the Springs that the early visitors often had to hang their beds from the limbs of the trees to avoid them.
Attracted by the saline properties of the mineral waters, the wild animals were numer- ous at the Springs. Nightly the wolves howled and the panther screamed; daily the black bear picked berries in the little clear- ings, and the wild deer and moose came down with their fauns to drink from the brook, which ran near by, and has since been known
as the Village brook, whose Indian name was the Pet-to-wa, while yearly the eagle built her nest on the tops of the towering pines, whose giant forms covered all the landscape with a sea of verdure.
Such was the style and such were the sur- roundings of this first hostelry of the wilder- ness Springs of a hundred years ago, which led the way in the long line of magnificent structures that have since graced the modern village.
THE FIRST PERMANENT SETTLER.
In 1776 Arnold was succeeded by Samuel Norton. Both Schouten and Arnold had re- mained only during the summer, but Samuel Norton came to stay through the year, and he therefore was the first permanent settler. Schouten and Arnold had no title to the land, and were therefore mere trespassers; but Nor- ton before he came had permission in writing from Isaac Low, the owner of the land, to oc- cupy and improve a farm in the vicinity of of the "Salt Spring" at Saratoga. Norton took possession of the Schouten house in the fall of that year, and continued to make im- provements during the next season of 1777, but at the approach of Burgoyne's army from the north Arnold became alarmed for the safe- ty of his family and removed them to a place of less danger. Then for six years the Springs were left without a single white inhabitant.
In the meantime nature, always aggres- sive, was fast resuming her wild sway, and the little Schouten clearing was fast growing up to bushes and thorns, when in the spring of 1783, one of Arnold's sons resumed its oc- cupancy. Samuel Norton and his brother, Asa, came originally from Wales, where they belonged to a good family, some members of which had held high official positions. They first settled at New Bedford, where Samuel married Sarah Deems. Their children were: Samuel, Asa, Isaiah, Rhoda, Sarah, Polley, Louise and Cora. One of Samuel Norton's grand daughters, a Mrs. Howland, then liv- ing on the cast side of Saratoga Lake, a few
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years since told the writer that her grandfather at one time was eleven months in succession without seeing a white visitor at the Springs. They come oftener now.
In the fall of 1787 Gideon Morgan bought the Norton place, and in the same year sold it to Alexander Bryan. Bryan became a per- manent settler, and remained many years.
Bryan the same year took possession of Schouten's house. On the opposite corner, on the ground now occupied by the Stone house, still known as the Bryan house, Bryan built another log house, which he opened as a tavern for the accommodation of summer vis- itors.
These two rude log houses thus situated on the opposite sides of Rock street, at its junc- tion with Front street, were the only " hotels" at Saratoga Springs until Gideon Putnam laid the foundations of the Grand Union in 1801.
Bryan was famous as one of the patriot scouts of the Revolutionary war. It was his practice to visit both camps, carrying intelli- gence, but he was always true to the American cause. He continued to reside at the springs for more than thirty years, when he retired to the county of Schoharie, where he died at an advanced age. He possessed a strong consti -- tution, a sound and vigorous mind, and a be- nevolent and kind disposition. The poor, the miserable, and the unfortunate were objects of his care, his kindness, and his charity; but his eccentricities often involved him in diffi- culties with his neighbors, and at times dis- turbed the tranquility of his most intimate friends.
IV .- THE PLANTING OF THE MODERN VILLAGE - GIDEON PUTNAM, ITS FOUNDER.
As the settlers came on, a little hamlet grew up around the first rude clearing at High Rock, which long afterward was known as the Upper Village.
In the year 1790 a new era dawned upon Saratoga Springs. It was the advent of a new race, as it were, of sturdy New Englanders,
strong and energetic men, who were destined to be the founders of the modern Saratoga, which rises to-day (1893) in all its fairy-like magnificence and beauty above the more hum- ble scene of their early labors.
In that year (1790), about the time that Benajah Douglas, from Lebanon, and Nicho- las Low, from New York, were making their first purchases at Ballston Spa, Benjamin Risley and his two sons-in-law, Gideon Put- nam and Dr. Clement Blakesley, came to set- tle at Saratoga Springs.
Risley was a prominent citizen of Hartford, Connecticut, and a man of considerable wealth for those days. The property he brought with him was the foundation of the wealth of Sara- toga Springs, aside from the landed interests of the Waltons and Livingstons. Upon com- ing to the Springs, Risley bought of Catharine Van Dam and others several lots of land situ- ate on the north side of Rock street, between Catharine and Front, upon which he built a tavern shortly before the year 1800, and after- wards kept by Thaddeus Smith, and known as the "Yellow House."
The children of Benjamin Risley were six daughters : Theodosia, who married Dr. Clem- ent Blakesley, the first physician at the Springs, who, after he came, lived for some time in the Schouten house ; Phila ( in honor of whom one of the village streets is named), who married Matthew Lyon, who established the first news- paper at the Springs-even the name of this pioneer paper is forgotten. Lyon afterward removed to Washington; Doanda, married Gideon Putnam ; Mary, who married Asher Taylor; Laura, who married Judge Pease, of Ohio ; Nancy, who married a Mr. Lawrence, who was a member of Congress from Louisi- ana. The daughter of Nancy was the Mrs. Donaldson who presided at the White House during General Jackson's administration.
Gideon Putnam was a relative of Gen. Israel Putnam, of Revolutionary memory, and was undoubtedly a man of the indomitable energy and perseverance above his fellows which
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should belong to one fitted to become the founder of this great watering place.
In the year 1800 there were two rival com- petitors for the position of the " world's great- est watering place,"-Saratoga Springs and Ballston Spa -- but Ballston Spa then had nearly ten years the start. Large hotels and boarding houses had been erected there by the Messrs. Douglas and Low, shortly after 1790, while the only accommodations at Saratoga up to and before 1800 were the two log huts near High Rock spring, and the "Yellow House," built a year or two before.
Gideon Putnam was the man at Saratoga Springs to comprehend the situation. In that year Congress spring was still surrounded by its primeval woods, mostly towering pine trees. In that year Gideon Putnam bought a lot of land contiguous to Congress spring, upon which now stand the Grand Union and Con- gress Hall. Cutting down and clearing off the heavy pine timber, in the year 1801, he began the erection of Union Hall.
Union Hall, out of which has developed the Grand Union, was the first large and com- modious hotel erected for visitors at Saratoga Springs, and was the foundation of what was long known as the Lower Village, a hamlet which grew up around it as the settlers came in, between which and the Upper Village, nearly a mile away, for many years stood a long stretch of primeval woods.
It will readily be seen that the Lower Vil- lage, and not the Upper, was the beginning of modern Saratoga, of which Gideon Putnam rather than Dirck Schouten has the honor of being the founder.
The timber for Union Hall was hewn from the tall pines that stood on its site. It was the first large building erected at Saratoga Springs, and the day it was raised people from all the towns near by gathered there to see what they called " Putnam's folly." The idea of build- ing a three-story house near Saratoga Springs, large enough to accommodate seventy guests, was then deemed preposterous in the highest
degree, but in spite of their sneers Putnam pushed his enterprise to its completion, and the brilliant result in these after years has more that fulfilled his fondest anticipations. After thus founding the Grand Union, Gideon Putnam laid out the new village which sprang up around Congress spring. In laying out this village he displayed great liberality. The streets especially were laid out very wide .* Everything else was laid out commensurate with the future watering place, which Gideon Putnam seemed to see rising up in the future with prophetic vision.
On his map, which is now extant, Broad street is laid out in front of Union Hall one hundred and twenty feet in width. This is the origin of the beautiful street now called Broadway.
The children of Gideon Putnam and his wife, Doanda Risley, were five sons and four daughters. The sons were : Benjamin, Lewis, Rockwell, Washington, and Lorin ; the daugh- ters were : Betsie, Nancy, Aurelia, and Phila. Of the sons, Benjamin's children were Amelia, Gideon, Laura G., Charles E., and John R. The children of Lewis were Mervin G., Lorin B., and William L. The children of Rock- well were Elizabeth and George R. The chil- dren of Washington were George W., Walter, Florence, and Anna. The child of Lorin was Caroline. Of Gideon Putnam's daughters, Betsie married Isaac Taylor ; their children were : Putnam, Washington and Eliza. Nancy married Frederick Andrews; their daughter was Caroline. Aurelia married Joel Clement ; their children were William H., John, Mary, Caroline C., and Frances. Phila married Abel A. Kellogg, and their children were Laura and Sarah.
In about the year 1794 two brothers, John and Ziba Taylor, settled at Saratoga Springs. They seem to have been the pioneer merchants of the place. They first opened a small store in the old Schouten house, thien owned and occupied by Mr. Risley. They afterward built a small log house about fifty rods north of
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High Rock, in which they also placed a stock of goods. They afterward became extensive land owners in the neighborhood, cleared up the country, built several mills, and became prom- inent in affairs. John Taylor owned and first developed the "Ten springs," now the Excel- sior spring, built, and resided there many years. Ziba continued in business in the upper vil- lage. The two brothers married sisters. John married Polly and Ziba married Sallie, daughters of Richard Searing, an early settler of Greenfield. Ziba's children by this mar- riage were Julius, Miles, Harry, Laura, and Mary, wife of Dr. John H. Steele. The chil- dren of John were Calvin, John Mills, Betsey, and Laura. We now have traced the history of most of the pioneers of the village of Sara- toga Springs from its rude beginning in 1771 up to the year 1800. Of those who moved into the village and town of Saratoga Springs after the year 1800, our space will not permit such particular mention. For such mention we re- fer the reader to our biographical pages.
V .- THE MINERAL SPRINGS
of Saratoga have long been world-renowned. They occur in the narrow valley of the village brook, whose Indian name is Pet-to-wa. This brook takes its rise in the low-lands which lie to the westward of the village, where it is fed by numerous springs. Running easterly through the village, it crosses Broadway nearly under the soldier's monument, into Congress Spring park; thence turns first northerly, thence easterly, its waters at length finding their way into Saratoga lake. Along the val- ley of this stream, within a distance of two miles, are situate nearly all the natural min- eral springs of Saratoga.
The origin of these springs is set forth in the chapter on Geology in this volume.
It would seem that underneath the valley of this little brook is a deep sunken basin in which lies a fossil ocean, so to speak, in whose ancient bed lime stones and slates ac- cruing there were deposited. Out of this
sunken basin of still briny waters-out of this still fossil ocean bed, filled with rocky strata, forced by the natural gases therein generated, rise the mineral waters of Saratoga.
And now the village of Saratoga Springs owes not only its wonderous growth but its very existence to the rich mineral fountains that within its boundaries bubble up from the earth's bosom, burdened with their sweet mis- sion of healing.
These mineral springs were first brought to the notice of scientific men and physicians by Dr. Constable, of Schenectady, who exam- ined the mineral waters at Saratoga and Ball- ston in the year 1770, and pronounced them highly medicinal.
In 1783 Dr. Samuel Tenneya, regimental surgeon, stationed at Old Saratoga, called the attention of the medical faculty to these wa- ters. He addressed a letter upon the subject to Dr. Joshua Fisher, of Boston, which was published in the Memoirs of the American Acadmy of Arts and Sciences, vol. 2, part I, 1793.
Dr. Samuel L. Mitchell, LL.D., of New York, said it was one of the remarkable inci- dents of his life, "That in the year 1787 he visited the Springs at Saratoga, while sur- rounded by the forests, and ascertained ex- perimentally that the gas extracted from the water was fixed air, with the power to extin- guish flame and destroy the life of breathing animals."
But the first scientific examination of these waters was made by Dr. Valentine Seaman, of New York, an eminent physician and one of the surgeons of the New York hospital. In 1793 he published a work entitled “A Dissertation on the Mineral Waters of Sara- toga." To him very justly belongs the honor of first developing the true character of these waters by chemical experiment.
The year 1795, Dr. Vandervoort published the result of his experiment on the Ballston waters.
In the summer of 1817, Dr. John H. Steele
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published " Some observations on the mineral waters of Saratoga and Ballston," and in 1831 his larger book, entitled "An Analysis of the Mineral Waters of Saratoga and Ballston."
In 1844, Dr. R. L. Allen published the first edition of his work, entitled "A Historical, Chemical and Therapeutical Analysis of the principal Mineral Waters of Saratoga Springs." For further information in regard to these springs, their history, etc., the reader is re- ferred to a list of works relating to Saratoga Springs in Wm. L. Stone's " Reminiscences of Saratoga and Ballston," page 441, for to give further details in relation to these matters is entirely without the promised scope of this volume. We, however, append a list of the principal springs :
Carlsbad Spring. Champion Spouting Spring.
Columbian Spring.
Congress Spring.
Elmwood Spring.
Empire Spring. Eureka Mineral Spring.
Saratoga Vichy Spring.
American.
Marsh.
Arlington.
Moor's.
Cedar Bluff.
Morey.
Clarendon. National.
Columbian. Russ.
Commercial. Saratoga.
Congress Hall.
Sheridan.
Continental.
Spencer.
Empire.
Temple.
Everett.
Grove.
Franklin. United States.
Grand Union. Vermont.
Holden.
Victoria.
Flagler.
Washburne.
Todd.
Waverly.
Huestis.
Windsor.
Kenmore.
Worden.
Kensington.
Woodbridge Hall,
Lafayette.
did array be seen in the same city or village, so near each other.
Of a truth, this whole village is crowded with hotels, the largest, grandest, best ap- pointed in the world, within a stone's throw of each other, and glittering with more than oriental splendor. When lighted up of a sum- mer evening, and enlivened by strains of sweetest music, the streets filled with gay promenaders, the wit, the wealth, the fashion, and the beauty of half the world all there- the scene presented is like that of some fairy land. Surely has some enchanter with magic wand touched those old rude hotels of a cen- tury and a quarter ago and transformed them into palaces, not unlike those famous in East- ern story.
As we have just said of the mineral springs, it is not within the promised scope of this work to recount their history, however inter- esting that may be, but must refer the reader to numerous works published on the subject. We can do nothing more here than give a list of their names :
Delphi. Mansion.
Excelsior Spring.
Favorite Spring.
Saratoga Victoria Spring. Union Spring.
Hamilton Spring.
Hathorn Spring.
United States Spring. Washington Spring.
High Rock Spring.
Lafayette Spring.
White Sulphur Spring of Spring Avenue.
Patterson Spring.
Pavilion Spring.
White Sulphur
Red Springs.
Spring of Saratoga Lake.
Royal Spring.
Saratoga A Spring .
VI. - HOTELS.
The hotels are its pride and crowning glory. Nowhere else in the world can such a splen-
Saratoga Imperial Spring.
Saratoga Kissingen Spring. Saratoga Magnetic Spring.
Saratoga Starr Spring.
Geyser, or Spouting Spring.
OF SARATOGA COUNTY.
11
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
CHAPTER II.
VILLAGE AND TOWN OF SARATOGA SPRINGS (CONCLUDED.)
I .- CHURCHES.
THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
Was organized and recognized as such twenty- three years before any church of any denom- ination existed in town.
Before its organization the Baptists in this vicinity were members of the first Stillwater church at Bemus Heights, which arose in 1762, and became unusually large.
The church at Saratoga Springs was first called Kayaderrossera. It was organized Oc- tober II, 1793.
October 20, 1804, a committee was chosen to stake out the grounds for a new church, which they did about two miles from the village, at Guyserville. In 1808, December 28, they voted to build a house there, 38 x 28, two stories high and gallery. This house was built and stood there and used by the society until 1822, when they removed to a house on the site of their present church on Washington street. In 1833 they built a parsonage.
From 1793 to 1800 they had no settled pas- tor. The first pastor was Elisha P. Lang- worthy. They had preaching in the forenoon and afternoon, and in those days they had no stoves, so they did not see fire from the time they left home to the time they reached it again. The preacher preached with his overcoat and mittens on.
THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
The congregation was organized January 15, 1816. Its first meetings were held in the village school house on the site of what is now the First Baptist church edifice. It was received under the Presbytery of Albany, Au- gust 19, 1817. Its first pastor was the Rev. Darius O. Riswold.
This church has had three places of wor-
ship. The first was a frame building and is still standing on the corner of Church and Matilda streets, and is a part of the Commer- cial hotel. It was consecrated December 6, 1820. The second was a brick edifice situated on the corner of Broadway and Caroline streets. It was commenced in 1838 and dedi- cated 1842. The third is the present church edifice, which was finished and dedicated July 26, 1857.
THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
The First Methodist Episcopal society within the present town of Saratoga Springs was organized in 1818, Friend Draper and John Lovejoy, preachers. Saratoga Springs set off in 1833, J. D. Moriarity, preacher.
The first house of worship was situated on the corner of Broadway and Greenfield avenue; was erected in 1826. Benjamin Grif- fin and W. P. Lake, preachers on circuit. The second church erected and dedicated in 1841. Ephraim Goss, preacher. This church was rebuilt in 1870. Dedicated March 20, 1871.
THE PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
The formal organization of Bethesda church was at a meeting held in a chapel on the north- east corner of Congress and Putnam streets, on the 4th of October, 1830. This was then missionary ground, under the charge of the Rev. Edward Davis, of Ballston, who officiated as rector at this organization. On the 29th of May, 1841, a special committee was appointed to fix the site for a church edifice. Three dif- ferent sites were offered, and the present one finally chosen. The building on Washington street was begun in 1842, and first occupied in an unfinished condition in 1844.
The first rector of the parish, after the long continued missionary labors of Messrs. Davis and Babcock, was the Rev. William Frederick Walker.
The church was remodeled and greatly im- proved, assuming its present condition in 1887, under the rectorship of the Rev. Dr. Joseph Carey.
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THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH
The first mass ever celebrated in Saratoga Springs was in the fall of the year 1834, by the Rev. Father Kelley.
For some years after the celebration of the first mass there was no regular or stated time for the attendance of a priest. With a view of providing a church edifice, John Costigan, on the 13th of September, 1839, purchased in his own name the lot of ground on which St. Peter's church now stands, with the building thereon known as the "Lyceum," with the sole design of converting the building into a place of Catholic worship, and the vacant por- tion into a cemetery.
The first resident Catholic pastor appointed at Saratoga Springs was Rev. Anthony Far- ley, who began his duties in the month of September, 1843. The building of the pres- ent church edifice was brought to a successful close, and the church was dedicated on the 15th of August, 1853, Father Cull priest in charge. St. Peter's church edifice has been extensively improved and repaired, Father McDonald in charge.
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
The first Congregational church of Saratoga Springs was organized March 8th, 1865. Its original membership was about fifty. The first pastor of this church was Rev. E. N. Sautelle, D.D., who was installed in 1865.
The church edifice occupied by this congre- gation was erected in 1868. It is situated on Phila street, just out of Broaway.
THE SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
On the 31st of August, 1869, the corner stone of a mission chapel was laid on the corner of Spring and Regent streets by Rev. Dr. John Woodbridge, then the pastor of the First Presbyterian church, and the originator and promoter of the new enterprise. The com- pleted edifice was dedicated by him on the 30th of January, 1870.
Rev. James N. Crocker was placed in charge
of the mission work until the organization of the present church society, in August, 1871. The church was received into the Presbytery of Albany on the 10th of October following ; the Rev. Dr. Crocker the first pastor.
SECOND BAPTIST CHURCH.
In the - spring of 1873, the First Baptist church established a mission in the Morrissey Hose house on South street. As winter ap- proached they moved to warmer quarters, by consent of the board of education, in a room in the Spring street school house. The pres- ent chapel, on the corner of Regent street and Union avenue, on February 7, 1874, was com- pleted.
This society was then a combination of Sunday schools, and was organized under the name of the Union Avenue Baptist Sunday school.
The new church society was organized Feb- ruary 22, 1876; Rev. Daniel Corey, first pastor.
The church was recognized by a council of churches, which was held on June 1, 1876.
THE FIRST FREE METHODIST CHURCH.
This church was organized October 2, 1865. First pastor was Rev. A. B. Burdick. The church was built in 1869, and dedicated by Rev. B. T. Roberts, January 8, 1870.
THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL ZION CHURCH.
This church was organized in June, 1863. The building was used for a Mission Sabbath school, which was attached to the church. The building was destroyed by fire in 1866. Rebuilt in 1867. Rev. J. Boler first minister.
UNIVERSALIST CHURCH.
A society formed in an early day in Saratoga Springs, and a church edifice was built on the corner of Woodlawn avenue and Church street, in which the congregation worshiped for many years. The church edifice afterward went out of their hands, and since then no regular stated meetings have been held. The society still keeps up its organization and listens to able ministers of its denomination.
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THE FIRST SOCIETY OF SPIRITUALISTS.
This society was organized a few years since. It has no regular lecturers, but able speakers of the denomination are invited to hold meet- ings, which are held regularly at the Court of Appeals room, in the Town hall.
II. - SCHOOLS.
COMMON SCHOOLS.
On the 12th of March, 1812, a meeting was held at the house of Moses Stickney, in the village of "Congress Spring" (as it was then called ), for the purpose of organ- izing a school district and building a school house. This was to have been built by sub- scription, but a year later the general school system of the State was inaugurated, and this enterprise became the regular work of district number fifteen of what was then the town of Old Saratoga. In 1819 the town of Saratoga Springs was set off from Old Saratoga, and this district became district number one of the latter town. Until about 1845 number one was the only school district in Saratoga Springs, as it was then called. Ultimately there were four school districts of the town of Saratoga Springs, located within the bounds of the village of Saratoga Springs. These were numbers one, two, three and eight-eight was afterward changed to number four.
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