USA > New York > Saratoga County > History of Saratoga County, New York : with historical notes on its various towns > Part 28
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EARLY SETTLEMENT.
The first settler was Isaac Mann, who came in 1750. In 1762 the whole body of members of the Congregational church in Canaan, Con- necticut, numbering one hundred and one per- sons, voted to remove to Stillwater, and did so remove, or a majority of them. The Palmer family, prominent in the history of the town, came in before 1774, of which George Palmer
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was the pioneer. Another name prominent in Stillwater, connected with revolutionary mem- ories, is that of the pioneer John Neilson. Another prominent early settler was Har- manus Schuyler, who came in about 1770. John Bemus, whose name is also associated with the revolutionary contest, was an early pioneer. The campaign of 1777 found him keeping tavern within the American lines, near the river. The American intrenchments ex- tended westerly over the uplands of his farm, hence the historic name, Bemus Heights. It is a matter of history that he was keeping this tavern as early as 1762.
Among other pioneers who came before the Revolution was Ezra Buell, the old guide who went over the battle grounds at Bemus Heights with visitors for many years. Others who came before the Revolution were : Ezekiel En- sign, Amos Hedgman, John McCarty, Everet Vandenburg, Joan Taylor, proprietor of the Taylor House, of historic memory; Isaac Coulter, Joel Ketcham, Asa Chatfield, Philip Munger, Capt. Ephraim Woodruff, John Hun- ter, John Fellows, Rev. Robert Campbell, the early minister who came with the Congrega- tional church to Stillwater ; Cyprian Watson, the Patrick family, Anariah Plumb, Simeon Barber, Jeremiah Taylor, Gabriel and Isaac Leggett, Reuben Wright, Anthony Collamer, Elisha Andrews, Mrs. Elizabeth Lossing Glea- son, a relative of the historian; Cornelius Vandenburg, Henry Metcalf and James Baker. Daniel Hall was an early surveyor.
An interesting event in the early history of this town is the fact that in August, 1764, the Scotch-Irish colony, under Dr. Thomas Clark, that afterward became so prominent in the set- tlement of Salem, Washington county, came from New York to Stillwater, and remained there, some two hundred of them, for nearly two years.
Among others who came between the years of 1763 and 1800 were : Dirck Swart, county clerk, and George Clark, purchaser of mills and lands.
CHURCHES.
The Congregational church of Stillwater, at the " Yellow Meeting House," was organized at Canaan, Litchfield county, Connecticut, June 26, 1752. In April, 1762, a fast was duly ap- pointed to know their "duty with respect to moving to Stillwater." It was then fully agreed that this church should so remove. Before the war of the Revolution they erected a commodious house of worship near the west bank of the Hudson, opposite the mouth of the Hoosic, which was afterward removed two miles west of the river, where they established their cemetery by its side. This house be- came known as the " Yellow Meeting House of Stillwater." In February, 1852, at a church meeting, it was resolved to change the form of church government to Presbyterian.
First Baptist church of Stillwater is the ori- gin of some of the most important churches in this county. It was organized in 1762. Among the ministers before 1800 were Samuel Le- land ;. Beriah Kelly began preaching in 1771.
The Presbyterian church at Ketcham's Cor- ners was organized in 1866. The first minis- ter was William M. Johnson.
The Methodist Episcopal church of Ketch- am's Corners. A careful search shows that this was about the earliest point in the county of preaching by this denomination.
Presbyterian church of Stillwater. In this society, February 13, 1794, Samuel Bacon was elected elder and Charles Moore deacon. They were ordained on the 2d of March following. In 1816 a united body was formed, bearing the expressive name, "The First Presbyterian Congregational church of Stillwater." This body was dissolved, and the Presbyterian church reorganized March 11, 1818. Rev. Dirck C. Lansing was the first pastor. The first house of worship was built in 1791. In 1842 it was taken down and a brick edifice erected in its place.
The Second Baptist church of Stillwater. At a covenant meeting of the First Baptist
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church, held July 30, 1836, it was voted to build a meeting house at Stillwater village, now called the Second church. The first pas- tor was Rev. Isaac Wescott. Another church was erected in place of the first building, and was dedicated September 3, 1873.
Methodist Episcopal church of Stillwater. This church was first attached to the church at Mechanicville under one pastor. This con- tinued until the spring of 1857, when the Meth- odist Episcopal church of Stillwater was duly organized. The first church edifice built by the society was erected in 1846. Reuben Wescott was the first pastor.
The Catholic church at Stillwater was or- ganized about the year 1774.
SCHOOLS.
The first schools were supported by sub- scription, and held in private houses. A school house was built before 1800 on the hill in Stillwater village. Walter Broughton was an early teacher in this school. Another early school was in the Thompson neighborhood, near where the Connecticut colony first built their meeting house. At Stillwater village an academy was erected about the year 1847. After it failed it was succeeded by a union school organization, which was formed May 2, 1873.
SOCIETIES.
There was a masonic lodge chartered at Stillwater, October 22, 1791, known as the Montgomery Lodge. January 30, 1799, a warrant was granted to hold a Mark Master's lodge at Stillwater. These bodies existed down to the troubles in 1830. The modern organization, under the name of Montgomery Lodge, No. 504, Free and Accepted Masons, was formed June 22, 1860.
II .- WATERFORD.
The town of Waterford was formed from Half Moon, April 16, 1816. It lies at the junction of the Hudson and Mohawk rivers, in the southeast part of the county. The town
contains three thousand five hundred and nineteen acres of land.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
An account of the early settlement of the town of Waterford, forming as it then did a part of Half Moon, is given in the general history of the county. To that we append the following account of early settlers: Moses and Ira Scoll were merchants and grain dealers, and did an extensive business. In 1788 they were among those who had an inn-keeper's license. The Levisie name appears early in the annals of Waterford. Daniel Van Alstyne was a lawyer of Waterford in 1788. Aaron Comstock was also there in 1788. William Waldron was a prominent pioneer; John Clark was a resident before 1790; Aurie Banta was there in 1788; the Davis family settled early in town. Flores Banker was an old surveyor. Other early settlers were Isaac Keeler, John Pettit, Duncan Oliphant, and John Van Dekar.
Waterford village was incorporated in 1801. The first trustees were: Hezekiah Keatham, Jacobus Van Schoonhoven, Matthew Gregory, Isaac Keeler, John Pettit, Duncas Olephant, and Thomas Smith. Waterford is one of the largest and most substantial villages of the county.
CHURCHES.
Grace Protestant Episcopal church was or- ganized September 17, 1810. July 1, 1811, they bought the Methodist meeting house. After repairing and refitting it, the building was consecrated by Bishop Hobart, August 30, 1813. May 20, 1814, Rev. Parker Adams was called as the first rector. The old Methodist chapel, remodeled into Grace church, contin- ued until the great fire of 1841, when it was burned. Soon after a new brick church was built, which again, in 1865, was enlarged and remodeled.
The Presbyterian organization was formed in Waterford before the year 1800. The Re- formed Dutch church, the organization of earlier times, erected their house of worship
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on the southwest corner of Middle and Third streets. The Presbyterians then united with them. In 1797 this church united with the Presbyterian church of Lansingburg in calling a pastor, the Rev. Samuel Blatchford, for the two congregations. The union with the Dutch church was continued until 1826, when a sep- aration was had, and the Presbyterians built a new church.
The Baptist church society was organized in 1821, united with the Shaftsbury society in 1822, and left it to join the Saratoga association in 1834. The first minister was Rev. Mr. Willey. The society first worshiped in the old school house, dividing the time with other denomina- tions. It was not until 1842 that a house of worship was erected. This house was remod- eled twice, the last time in 1867, when a beau- tiful church was completed at a cost of nearly $20,000.
It does not appear that Methodist ministers were appointed for Waterford until about the year 1830, but it was a part of Methodist work thirty years earlier, for a chapel was erected soon after 1800, which they sold to the Epis- copalians in 1810. In later years the church has had a vigorous and prosperous existence. The congregation is large, and they have a convenient and spacious house of worship.
SCHOOLS.
Waterford was the place where Mrs. Emma Willard taught for some years before she en- tered upon her long and distinguished career as principal of the Troy Female seminary. Her seminary here was on Second street, since changed into a block of three dwellings, south of the railroad depot.
The free school system dates from about the year 1854.
SOCIETIES.
An early masonic lodge was formed here, known as the old Orange Lodge of Masons, No. 43. In 1848 the lodge was recrganized and James M. Austin, since a distinguished mason, was the first master.
Waterford Lodge of Good Templars, No. 231, was instituted April 2, 1867.
Maple Valley Lodge, No. 427, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was instituted May 19, 1875.
BANK.
Saratoga County bank was incorporated May 21, -1830; capital stock one hundred thousand dollars. In December, 1856, the capital was increased fifty thousand dollars. In May, 1865, it was reorganized into a Na- tional bank. In 1872 it became a State bank.
III. - WILTON.
The town of Wilton was formed from North- umberland, April 20, 1818. It lies a little northeast of the center of the county. The Palmertown mountains, with their steep, rocky slopes and broken forest-covered summits ex- tend across the southwest corner. The cen- ter and south are gently undulating. The town contains twenty-two thousand and one acres of land.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
The first settlement of what is now the town of Wilton, but then long before known as Pal- mertown, was begun by two brothers, William and Samuel Brisbin, in 1764. They were sons of James Brisbin, who is mentioned before as the first settler of Northumberland. They made clearings, built a saw mill, and cut roads to their lands. When the Revolution came on they abandoned their little settlement.
In 1770 Rowland Perry, with a family of eight sons, whose names were Samuel, John, Benjamin, Absalom, Roswell, Artemus, Row- land and Joseph, settled in the town. In 1782 four brothers - James, William, John and Alexander MacGregor - two of whom came to this town, James and William. From this family Mount MacGregor derives its name. In 1775 Reuben Stiles, from Rhode Island, moved to Wilton and made a settlement, ever since known as Stiles' Corners. Others who came were Benjamin Phillips, Stephen and Ebenezer King, William King, John Laing,
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Peter Johnston, Robert and James Milligan, John Kendrick, Enoch Pence Broadstreet, Dudley and Joseph Emerson, Edward Bev- ins, David Adams, Hugh Groesbeck, Isaac Ingersoll, John Douglass, Isaac Hoag, Jona- than Pendle, James Shearer, John Jaycox, William Comstock and Robert MacGregor. Others who came to Wilton were Stafford Carr and a man by the name of Slate. He built a mill on Loughberry creek in 1795. Nathaniel Newberry settled on the General Hawley place, Joseph Pearsall on the David- son farm, and Mr. Gleason on the John Brill farm. The first store was opened in 1795 by Isaac Austin, on the present land of Mr. Mer- rill. Walter Doe kept a store very early at Emerson's Corners, afterward moved to Wil- tonville, and was in trade there for many years. After him, the place is often called Doe's Cor- ners. The regular physicians of early times were Dr. Timothy Bloodworth, Dr. Vail and Dr. John Floyd Williams. The early lawyers were Aaron Blake and Cornelius Smith.
CHURCHES.
Union church of Emerson's Corners was erected very early, probably in 1805-6, under the leadership of Lebbeus Armstrong, the Congregational minister of Moreau. It does not appear there was any church organized at that time, and the house has since been an independent affair - not connected with any church organization. The meeting house has been opened for all denominations, but owned by none, but is the absolute property of the people who built it.
The Baptist church of Wilton was organ- ized in 1815. Meetings were held in school houses, private houses, and the Union meet- ing house at Emerson's. The brick house was built about the year 1854. The removal of members to other towns, the death of some, together with other things, weakened the so- ciety, until 1874, when all the members but three took letters to Greenfield or Saratoga Springs, and service ceased.
Methodist Episcopal church. Meetings by Methodists were held in very early times, many years before there was any house of wor- ship, except the Union house at Emerson's Cor- ners. In later years the society, aided largely by the citizens not connected with the church, has erected a fine house of worship. The house was built in the year 1871. The cor- ner stone was laid by the Rev. Dr. Bostwick Hawley.
The South Wilton Methodist Episcopal church and that of Emerson's Corners are to some extent united in the same organization. At South Wilton there is a neat chapel, and for a long series of years services have been held therein.
1
The London Protestant Methodist church of South Wilton has a chapel in the same part of the town, which was built in 1833. Sylves- ter Sherwood was an early class-leader; Deyoe Esmonds, minister.
SOCIETIES.
A Good Templar's lodge has existed many years in the Baptist neighborhood.
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ADDENDA TO GENERAL HISTORY.
SARATOGA COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.
The act of the legislature to provide for the formation of county agricultural societies was passed May 15, 1841. The friends of the movement were prompt in Saratoga county to commence action in accordance with its pro- visions. The county clerk, Archibald Smith, issued a call, and the first meeting was held at the court house, June 24, 1841, but little more than a month after the act had received the executive approval. Howell Gardner, of Green- field, was appointed chairman, and Archibald Smith, of Ballston Spa, secretary. The fol- lowing resolution was adopted, after ample consideration had been given to it:
" Resolved, That an agricultural society be formed in this county, pursuant to the provisions of said statute."
A committee of five, consisting of Calvin Wheeler, A. J. Chadsey, Judiah Ellsworth, Increase Hoyt and J. A. Corey was appointed to draft the constitution and by-laws. The first officers chosen were: President, Howell Gardner, Greenfield; first vice president, Cal- vin Wheeler, Providence; second vice presi- dent, Jacob Denton, Saratoga Springs; treas- urer, Hiram E. Howard, Milton; correspond- ing secretary, Archibald Smith, Ballston Spa; recording secretary, John A. Corey, Saratoga Springs.
The annual fairs were held for two or three years at Ballston Spa, and then for ten years consecutively at Mechanicville. At the expi- ration of this period the society located per- manently at Saratoga Springs, purchasing grounds and erecting the necessary fixtures.
These were sold about 1870, and in 1871 the society secured a lease for twenty years of the beautiful grounds at Glen Mitchel. No fair was held in 1866, on account of the fact that the State society held its annual fair at Sara- toga Springs.
SARATOGA COUNTY BIBLE SOCIETY.
The formation of the American Bible society will ever be regarded as a most remarkable era in the history of Bible societies in this coun- try. But before that was formed nearly sixty local societies already existed, thirty-five of which united in forming the American Bible society, on the 8th of May, 1816.
The Saratoga Bible society was organized on the 24th of August, 1815, nearly one year before the formation of the American Bible society, which was the first society formed in the United States. To give anything like a de- tailed history of the county society for these sixty years and upward of its existence, its steady progress and wide, extended usefulness, however pleasant it might be, would be wholly inconsistent with the designs and limits pre- scribed to this volume. The first officers were as follows: President, Rev. Samuel Blatch- ford, D.D .; vice presidents, Rev. Dirck C. Lansing, Rev. James Mairs; corresponding secretary, Rev. Gilbert McMasters: recording secretary, Rev. Reuben Sears; treasurer, Eli- sha Powel, esq.
SARATOGA COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY.
The Saratoga County Medical society was organized at the court house in Ballston Spa,
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the first Tuesday in July, 1806. William Pat- rick was chosen chairman of the meeting, and John Stearns secretary. In attendance were Drs. Daniel Bull, William Patrick, John Stearns, Asa C. Barney, Elisha Miles, Sam- uel Pitkin, William C. Lawrence, Billy J. Clark, Thomas S. Littlefield, Daniel Hicks, Elijah Porter, Alpheus Adams, Ephraim Childs, Jesse Seymour, Grant Powels, Sam- uel Davis, Isaac Finch and Francis Pigsley. The meeting being in order for business, the
following officers were elected for the ensuing year:
President, Dr. Daniel Bull; vice president, William Patrick; secretary, John Stearns ; treasurer, Samuel Davis.
HOMEOPATHIC MEDICAL SOCIETY OF SARATOGA COUNTY.
This society was organized in 1863. Its annual meetings are held on the second Tues- day in July.
SARATOGA COUNTY BIOGRAPHIES.
WRITTEN PRINCIPALLY BY
SAMUEL T. WILEY AND W. SCOTT GARNER.
H ON. CHARLES S. LESTER, the oldest in active practice of the lawyers at the Saratoga county bar, is a fine jurist and a man of good literary ability. Heis a son of Charles Gove Lester and Susan W. (Smith) Lester, and was born at Worcester, Massachusetts, March 15, 1824. He traces back his Ameri- can ancestry to Andrew Lester, of England, who came about 1640 to New London, Con- necticut. Of his descendants, Simeon Lester (grandfather) was a native of Connecticut, and went to Vermont, where his son, Charles G. Lester (father), was born. Charles G. Lester was a graduate of Vermont university, and subsequently became a leading merchant of Montreal, Canada, where his firm went down in the financial depression that there followed the war of 1812. From Canada Mr. Lester removed to Worcester, in the Bay State. He died December 15, 1834, at forty- four years of age. He wedded Susan Wells Smith, who passed away September 25, 1864, when in the seventy-third year of her age.
Charles S. Lester was left at an early age by the death of his father, to do for himself in the great battle of life. Through the exertions of his mother and by his own efforts, he ob- tained a good academical education at Wash-
ington academy of Salem, New York. Leaving school, he entered the law office of Crary & Fairchild, with whom he read from Septem- ber, 1841, to October, 1843, when he removed to Saratoga Springs, where he completed his legal studies in the office of his uncle, Hon. John Willard, then circuit judge and vice- chancellor of the Fourth circuit. On his twenty- first birthday he was admitted as a solicitor and counsellor in chancery by Chancellor Walworth, the great jurist. In May of the same year he was admitted as an attorney in the supreme court, and formed a law partner- ship with William Cullen Bockes, a talented and eloquent lawyer and the youngest brother of Hon. Augustus Bockes. This partnership was dissolved in a few months by the death of Mr. Bockes, and Mr. Lester then practiced alone until he admitted his three sons- Charles C., John Willard, and James W., into partnership with him under the present firm name of C. S. & C. C. Lester. He was a democrat until 1860, acted with the war democrats during the late civil war, and since its close has been thoroughly identified with the Republican party. In 1859 he was nom- inated for district attorney by the democrats, and elected by a flattering majority, although
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the Democratic party was in the minority in the county. He served as district attorney for three years, and his services were so satis- factory that at the close of Judge Hulbert's term in 1869, he was nominated and elected as county judge, which office he filled for six years with honor to himself and credit to the county.
On September 20, 1849, Judge Lester mar- ried Lucy L. Cooke, daughter of Timothy Cooke, of Otsego county, this State. They have four children, three sons and one daugh- ter: Charles Cooke, John Willard, James Wes- cott, and Susan. The sons were graduated from Union college, read law, and since their admission to the bar have been in partnership with their father. They also constitute the well-known firm of Lester Brothers, and do an extensive loan and real estate business. Mrs. Lester is an intelligent, cultured and amiable woman, who is highly respected by all who know her. The only daughter is now the wife of Dr. Bernadotte Perrin, professor of Greek in Yale university.
Judge Lester has been a trustee since 1854 of the First Presbyterian church, the beautiful site of whose present church edifice he selected. He has always taken a deep interest in the. progress of Saratoga Springs, and during the earlier years of his life served his town and village as clerk, justice of the peace, supervi- sor, trustee, and president of the board of trustees. He also served as president of the Commercial bank for several years. He has a neat and tasteful residence on Upper Broad- way, where he and his wife entertain their many friends. He posses literary ability, has delivered several excellent public addresses, and has frequently contributed interesting and well appreciated articles to the current litera- ture of the day. In 1854 the corporation of Yale college, on account of his literary stand- ing, conferred on him the degree of A. M., and he has since then added to his knowledge of the old world's nations and institutions by three extensive tours through Europe, while he has
made three trips to California and Oregon to more closely study the manners, customs and life of the people of the Pacific slope.
As a prosecutor, Charles S. Lester dis- charged his duties with ability and fearless- ness, and as judge he presided over the courts of the county with fairness and impartiality, and gained quite a reputation for his rapid and correct dispatch of business, and as a jurist he ranks high on account of his careful and accurate interpretation of the principles of law as applied to the civil affairs of the com- munity. As a counsellor he is safe and far- seeing, and in 1872 was selected by A. T. Stewart, the "Merchant Prince," as his local agent and confidential counsel at Saratoga. After Mr. Stewart's death, Mr. Lester and his sons continued as counsel for Mrs. Stewart during her life-time, and for Judge Hilton as her executor since her death.
Judge Lester is a close student and a hard working lawyer, and has been prominently connected with most of the important litiga- tion of the county for a quarter of a century. He has argued many cases with masterly abil- ity and great success in the supreme court and the court of appeals, and the briefs printed in connection with these cases are enduring monuments to his industry, energy and legal learning. He is learned, faithful and diligent, and in his intercourse with the bench and the bar has always been uniformly courteous and honorable.
Like all men of positive character, Judge Lester has intrenched himself in the hearts of his devoted friends, and has defied the oppo- sition and hostility of his enemies, yet his course of life has been such that he commands the respect of those who most strongly oppose him.
G EORGE R. F. SALISBURY, one of
the young and progressive members of the Saratoga county bar, and now counsel for the villages of Schuylerville and Victory Mills, is a son of Captain Amos M. and Lucinda
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(Welch) Salisbury, and was born at Schuyler- ville, in the town of Saratoga, Saratoga county, New York, August 10, 1863. The Salisbury family is of English descent, and can be traced back five generations to William Salisbury, who was a native of Swansea, Massachusetts, where he married Elizabeth Daggett. After his marriage he removed to the town of War- ren, Rhode Island, where his son, Amos Salis- bury, was born April 14, 1774. Amos Salis- bury married Mary Turner, who was born in 1775, and the youngest of their three children was George Salisbury (grandfather), who was born at Troy, this State, June 10, 1805. George Salisbury was an extensive rope man- ufacturer of his native city, and died at Troy in 1839. He was a whig in politics, and mar- ried Belinda Wager, by whom he had two children, Amos M. Salisbury and Elmira (Sal- isbury) Morrison. Amos M. Salisbury (father), was born April 2, 1837, at West Troy, New York. He received a common English edu- cation, and with his father-in-law, Maj. Alon- son Welch, was engaged for several years in the steamboat business between Schuylerville and Stillwater. They owned and ran three boats, carrying passengers and freight. Mr. Salisbury left the steamboat business to enter the Federal army as a member of the Northern Black Horse cavalry. When the cavalry was disbanded he became a contractor and sutler. After the war Captain Salisbury engaged in his present business of farming. He is a re- publican in politics, has held nearly all of the more important of the village offices of Schuy- lerville. He was also for a few years employed in the custom house in New York city. He is a member of Schuyler Lodge, No. 676, Free and Accepted Masons, and Home Chapter, No. 176, Royal Arclı Masons. He married Lucinda Welch, and to their union was born four children: George R., Jennie A., Alonson L., and Amos C. Mrs. Lucinda Salisbury was a daughter of Major Alonson Welch, wlio was of Irish descent, and a distant relative of president Andrew Jackson. He was a prom-
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