History of Saratoga County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers., Part 52

Author: Sylvester, Nathaniel Bartlett, 1825-1894
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Ensign
Number of Pages: 780

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In the town of Saratoga Springs are several beds of peat of most excellent quality. Edwin L. Carragan, whose resi- dence is one and a half miles west of the village of Saratoga, has on his farm there a peat-bed of singular richness. Upon being taken from the bed and dried, it is ready for burning without any further preparation. Three miles cast of the village are extensive peat-beds owned by Thomas B. Car- roll, of Troy.

III .- EARLY SETTLEMENT.

To write something original of a town like Saratoga Springs, upon which so much has already becu published, may be difficult. Yet it is evident that nearly all the works upon Saratoga have treated mostly of the village, and been devoted especially to tracing the development of the springs and the growth of the village around them. Writers have dwelt, too, upon the brilliant array of distin- guished men. poets, historians, jurists, and statesmen who have resided here in past years. It was a work of honest local pride, a labor of love for her own gifted sous and daughters, to write the annals of Saratoga Springs.

Amos Stafford was the pioneer in the neighborhood of the bridge that bears his name. His children were : 1st, Mary, who became Mrs. Green, of Saratoga, and after the death of her husband was married to John Hicks, and settled at Waterloo, Seneca Co .; 2d, Henry, who settled in Penn Yan, Yates Co. ; 3d, Saumuel, who removed to Victor, Ontario Co .; 4th, Amos, who succeeded to the old home- stead ; 5th, Rensselaer, who settled in Saratoga adjoining his father's place ; 6th, Rachel, who married Anthony Max- well, of Old Saratoga ; 7th, P'hebe, who became Mrs. G. I. Lansing, of Half-Moon.

The children of Amos, Jr., were: 1st, Mary, who be- came Mrs. George Rouse, of Bacon Hill; 2d, Caroline, and 3d, Ann Eliza, both of whom died young ; 4th, -, who became Mrs. James Milligan, and settled in Ohio, and

* We have been assisted in the preparation and compilation of this and several others of the town histories, by Lewis Il. Clark, of Sodus, N. Y.

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HISTORY OF SARATOGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

after the death of her husband married Samuel Bryan and removed to Wisconsin; 5th, Amos P., of Saratoga Springs ; 6th, Samuel Harvey, who died at the age of twenty-one.

The old gun with which Amos Stafford, the pioneer, is said to have killed wolves enough to pay for his farm with the bounty carned is in the hands of Samuel Stafford, of Geneva, Wisconsin. Ile is a son of Henry.

With this pioneer family may also be appropriately men- tioned the three brothers Wagman,-John, Henry, and Nicholas,-who were half-brothers of Mrs. Stafford, and who followed the Stafford family a few years later to this section. Their old homestead is still in the hands of their descendants, being the present residence of Lewis and Nicholas Wagman, in Old Saratoga.

Amos Peck, whose wife was a sister of the Wagman brothers, came nearly as early.

The Stafford neighborhood seems to be the proper place to mention the pioneer Giles Slocum, though his location was in Old Saratoga, half a mile east of Stafford's.

Benjamin French was the earliest pioneer in the south- east part of the town. He came as early as 1780. His house was built on the present farm of Thos. B. Carroll ; it stood on the brow of the hill, overlooking the Kayad- rossera flats. He had, it is thought, twelve hundred acres of land. Before coming to the Carroll place he lived at first in a cabin at the north end of Lonely lake, better known in old times as Owl Pond. Mr. French had a splen- did section on the Kayadrossera flats devoted to meadow. It is said that he used to cut a swath two miles and a half long as a road for those to whom he sold the hay.

His sons were John, Benjamin, and Richard; John owned a large portion of the old farm and passed his life in this town ; Richard removed to Williamson, Wayne Co. ; and Benjamin also went west.

Stepsons of Benjamin French were Jonathan Ramsdell, William Ramsdell, and Silas Ramsdell. Silas moved to Madison county ; William settled and died in this town.

Jonathan Ramsdell, about 1802, settled on what is now the Ramsdell property, at the lake, half a mile south of C. B. Moon's hotel. His house was on the site of the present house of Jefferson Ramsdell. He left two daugh- ters, Mrs. Calvin Avery and Mrs. Benjamin Leggett ; four sons, Jefferson, Morgan, Nelson, and Aaron, all of whom are living. Nelson Ramsdell, proprietor of the Holden Ilouse, Saratoga Springs, is a son of Morgan. An orchard set out on this farm in 1816 is still bearing. The trees were obtained from a nursery grown on what is known as the " drowned lands." An orchard set out by Benjamin French before 1800 has all disappeared.

In early times the settlers along the creek suffered from fever and ague. Some of them were not very permanent inhabitants. Dr. Carpenter, an early physician, used to say that he laid out one season $200 worth of medicine along the Kayadrossera, and that as soon as he had a patient ready to travel he was sure to go without paying for the quinine.

Mr. Abell was a pioneer as early, perhaps, as 1790. A brother of Mr. Abell stopped in Stillwater and purchased the farm of the White Sulphur spring. Early burials in this section were on the Judge James farm, the Ramsdell

farm, the Whitford farm, and at the cemetery still in use in the Curtis neighborhood.

The place now occupied by C. B. Moon was owned for many years by James Green. He purchased it of one Upton, who was probably the pioneer, though it is under- stood that he only remained here a short time. In later years it was owned by George and Horace Loomis and by Mr. Ikelseimer. Two houses of entertainment were opened many years ago, one by Dr. Green and the other on the present place of Mr. Moon. Large parties gathered there in the old times. When wealthy southern visitors thronged the hotels of Saratoga before the war, two hundred aud three hundred would often go out to the lake for a dinner under the shady trees, and these dinners were got up regardless of expense,-fish and game, with costly wines.

The present Lake House of C. B. Moon was opened by him in 1853, and has become widely celebrated among the many visitors whom the annual return of summer brings to Saratoga. Mr. Moon has displayed excellent taste in fitting up the grounds, and much energy in making the enterprise a decided success. The place is very attractive. The house with its neat and convenient appointments, its pleasant parlors, its spacious piazzas, the steep hill-side with its seats and summer-house, its cool shady groves, its ponds and winding walks, together make it a delightful resort. All these things are an excellent prelude to the charms of the lake itself, the sandy beach, the pure air, the fishing, rowing. or sailing. Mr. Moon has added many other attractive features. There is a bowling-alley, and the upper story of the same building affords a splendid view of the entire lake. Steam-yachts and sail- and row-boats are ready for the enjoyment of his guests.

" Moon's Island Driving Park" is also another addition made within a few years. The house is open about four months of the year, and upon its registers are the names of the most distinguished men in the United States, as well as many from foreign lands.

The house is noted for its fish and game dinners, and Moon's fried potatoes are a well-known and far-famed luxury. Nine-tenths of all the Saratoga visitors go out to the lake at Moon's. The drive is a splendid one,-over a finely-graded road of four miles.

Adjoining the grounds of Mr. Moon on the south is the country-seat or summer residence of Frank Leslie, the well-known publisher of illustrated papers. He has a large tract of the uplands devoted to a driving park and to agriculture, with farm buildings of unusual and superior architecture. His residence is on the very bank of the lake, where he has utilized the steep hill-side in every pos- sible form for comfort, beauty, and elegance. Rustic seats, arbors, summer-houses, the water just in front, and the boat-houses, combine to render the place a picture of elegant cultured taste and refinement. The dwelling itself is a perfeet little gem of a home, where many of the best writers of the land occasionally find welcome and rest.

Of the Jewell family, Calvin Avery states that the pio- neers were three brothers,-Asa, William, Staats. The homestead of Asa was the present Thomas B. Carroll place. They probably came about 1800.

The children of Staats Jewell were Isaac, Benjamin,

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Eliza, who became Mrs. Solomon West, Anna (Mrs. Daniel Davis), Bradford, Belinda.

The children of Asa Jewell were a son, Altice, and daughters Rachel and Sarah.

The family burial-ground is mentioned in another place.

Pardon Fish was an early resident. His house was in what is now the open field north from Moon's.

James Green afterwards purchased the place.

Thomas Arnold was an early resident over the lake, in Old Saratoga, nearly opposite the Ramsdell place. He was a son-in-law of Foster Whitford the elder.

John Eddy came from Columbia, Dutchess Co. (he lived near the dividing line of the two counties). He reached Saratoga Springs April 1, 1810, and settled on what is now the Putnam farm. The pioneer house was a little west of the corners, near some trees still standing. lle had two sons,-John W. and Daniel. The section has long been known as Eddy's Corners.

Zachariah Curtis and his brother Henry moved from Stillwater into the present town of Saratoga Springs about the year 1796 or 1797. Their farms were new and unim- proved, bought from the patentees and not from previous settlers, and consisted of about three hundred acres. The first house built by Zachariah stood a little west of the present house of lleury D. Curtis, and that of Henry Curtis just south of the present barn of Joshua Curtis. Zachariah Curtis had six sons, -Gideon, Joshua, Henry, Elias, William, and Channey. Joshua, Henry, and Wil- liam settled in this town ; Elias moved 10 Monroe county, Gideon to Chautauqua county ; Chauncey lives in Schuyler- ville.

The Curtis family were originally frem Chatham, Co- lumbia Co. Henry Curtis died at the age of one hundred and two. llis hundredth birthday was celebrated by a gathering that included more than a hundred of his descend- ants.

David Abel, the pioneer, came from Dutchess county about the time of the Revolutionary war,-probably 1779 or 1780. He first located on what is known as the Tyler Durham farm, southeast of the lake. He was a man ready for any kind of work necessary for a new coun- try. A blacksmith, he shod his own horses and made his own axes ; a carpenter, he built his own house and assisted his neighbors. After a few years-about 1795 or perhaps earlier-he came to this side of the lake, first living a short time on the Andrus Riley farm, and then coming to the present place of Washington Abel, his grandson. His sons were David, Peter, Jacob, Richard. David succeeded to the old homestead. The others went west. Daughters were Mrs. James Barhydt, Mrs. John Whitford, Mrs. Andrus Riley. The large trees around the homestead were set out by David 2d, father of Washington. They form a living permanent memorial of his labors.

Benjamin Avery came from Little Nine Partners, Dutchess county, about 1790, and settled about two miles from Stafford's bridge. Of his sons, James settled in Wil- ton, Edward in Wilton, Frederick in Saratoga, Hiram in Saratoga. Austin died young. Orlin was drowned in the lake. Calvin, the youngest, settled in Saratoga Springs. Daughters were Mrs. John Kelly, of Greenfield, Mrs. Noah

Weed, of Greenfield. Calvin was the youngest of the family, married a sister of Morgan Ramsdell, and is still living. He is the last of the original family, having neither father nor mother, nor brothers or sisters living.

Foster Whitford was an early resident of Old Saratoga, and had a grist-mill known as Mud mills, on a small stream near Snake Head hill. He was there before the Revolu- tionary war, according to the iuformation of his deseend- ants. His grandson, now living, says that his father, John C. Whitford, was born in Old Saratoga, and the family Bible gives that date Sept. 7, 1770. The children of Foster Whitford were John C., who settled in Saratoga Springs, Orrison in Saratoga, Paseo in Saratoga, Earl in Indiana, and Foster in Allegheny. Daughters were Mrs. Lot Birge, Mrs. Eli Foster, and Mrs. John Ward. Lot Birge was an early schoolmaster in this section of country.

John C. Whitford, mentioned above, came to Saratoga Springs 1790 to 1795, and settled where his son, Foster, now resides. The children of John C., the pioneer on this side of the lake, were David Foster, John, Calvin, William, and one daughter, Mrs. Zachariah Curtis. Foster Whit- ford has heard his father speak of his neighbors when he first moved in here, as Mr. Wendover on the present Pen- rose farm, Mr. Swetland on the present Henry Curtis farm, the house being near the old orchard, and Mr. Brundage, in the same neighborhood.

Foster Whitford remembers Dr. Carpenter as the earliest physician. In his boyhood he used to go to meeting at the old Baptist church that stood at what is now Geyser Springs.

Daniel Rogers was connected in the business of the Mud mills with Foster Whitfield, Sr.

Robert Ellis was a very early settler at what is now Gey- serville. It is the impression of William Carragan, who has a long and accurate acquaintance with that neighborhood, that the removal of Mr. Ellis from Schuylerville to this point was about the year 1777. He came with an ox-cart, bringing his wife and two children and a little household furniture. They halted just on the brow of the bluff, near the small creek not far from the present residence of Wil- liam Verbeck. A large pine-tree was cut, the top of the stump smoothed off for the first table, and the body of the cart inverted served as a shelter to sleep under until a log house could be built. In this primitive style settlement was commenced.

Robert Ellis' sons were Robert, Jr., Myron, Charles, and one other. Charles was killed accidentally. Daughters were Mrs. George Peck, Mrs. De Pitkin, Mrs. James R. Westcott, Mrs. Joseph Westcott. With Mr. Ellis eame two other pioneers, Robert Welds and John Scott.

Robert Ellis built a saw-mill just below the present bridge very early. He built a grist-mill about 1818. Mr. Carra- gan remembers that the raising was quite a prominent affair in those times,-a large gathering of people,-a general " good time."

John and Jerry Cady, brothers, moved to the Ellis neighborhood about the close of the Revolutionary war, perhaps as early as 1780. One of the brothers built a house, where Mr. Leggett now lives, at what is called Cady hill ; the other upon the premises that were afterwards the

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tavern-stand. The sons of John Cady were Thomas and Jerry. Jerry Cady, one of the pioneer brothers, went west at an early day. A large portion of the old Cady farm is now the property of George O. Chamberlain, who came to this place in 1823, and whose pleasant residence occupies the sightly elevation near the old tavern-stand.

Eleazer Carragan, though not a pioneer before 1800, was largely identified with this section of the town. He came from Dutchess county in 1811, and settled west of Cady hill, where C. Vandenburg now live. His sons were John, James, Edwin L., Hanson, William, Anthony, Sidney. Hanson and Sidney settled in New Jersey, the others in Saratoga Springs. Daughters were Mrs. Demand Vail, of Saratoga Springs, and Mrs. Charles Glover, of West Milton.

Joseph Cook was from Wallingford, Conn. That town is said to have been originally settled by two of that family name, and the population to-day is very largely Cooks.

Joseph Cook came to East Line, Ballston, in the winter of 1800-180I. He was a cabinet-maker, and his furniture was sold at Saratoga Springs and other growing villages. About 1814 or 1815 he came to what was then known as the Wallace farm. The old house where he lived is still standing near the High bridge, on the railroad, a mile and a half south of Geyser Springs. He afterwards lived a short time in Milton, and then came to Saratoga Springs.

Of his children, Ransom settled at Saratoga Springs, Marcus in Michigan, Andre at Saratoga Springs ; Mary Ann became the wife of Ira Millard, Nelson became an artist of distinction, residing in Italy. He is now (June, 1878) lying dangerously ill at Rome. Truman held official positions at Washington, D. C. Henry and Joseph died young. Julia married Henry Loomis.

Robert Ayers was a soldier of the Revolution. He and six others were apprentiees at Col. Dickinson's tannery in St:Hwater. Without waiting for a legal termination of their indenture they enlisted in the army. After the war was over with, Robert Ayers married a Miss Ashton and bought a farm near the present High bridge, on the rail- road, in the southwest part of the town. He added other lands to his original purchase, and owned finally a tract of several hundred acres, including a portion of the flats along the Kayadrossera. His sons were John, who settled in Saratoga ; Isaae, who went west. Daughters were Mrs. Ilicks Seaman, mother of Reuben Seaman, who now re- sides on the place ; Mrs. Elisha Rockwell, of Milton ; and Mrs. Ransom Cook, of Saratoga Springs.

In the same neighborhood Thomas Brown was an early pioneer, and Mr. Wallace also, whose place Joseph Cook bought in 1813.

REMINISCENCES OBTAINED OF NATHANIEL H. WATER- BURY.

Mr. Waterbury was born in Saratoga Springs, June 18, 1796. Ilis father was William Waterbury, who came from Stamford, Connecticut, to Greenfield in 1787. Ile settled on a part of what was afterwards known as the Elihu Wing farm, now owned by Hiram Rowland. IIe remained in Greenfield but a few years. He had reached this town in 1787 with only eighteen pence in his pocket

and an old seythe. Ile was also " embarrassed," according to the modern phrase, by a debt of seven dollars and fifty cents, incurred to pay the expenses of removal from Con- necticut ; for this he had given his note. Believing that Saratoga Springs would become a place of importance, he removed here in 1794, buying in connection with his brother, Samuel Waterbury, one hundred acres south of Congress street ; a large share of this tract is now divided into village lots. The two brothers had both been en- gaged in the War of the Revolution. They lived in Con- nectient near the line dividing the British forces from the Americans, and were employed in valuable service as scouts. Samnel was wounded, from the effects of which he became entirely deaf. Ile acquired great readiness in understanding what others said from the movement of their lips.

The children of Samnel Waterbury were, first, Betsey, who married Shedriek Seofield, settled in Hadley, and afterwards went to Chautauqua ; second, David, settled in Chautauqua ; third, Hannah ; fourth, Rhena, who married Stephen Washburne, settling in Luzerne and afterwards in Chautauqua ; Phebe, who became Mrs. Dexter Barnes, and Amy, Mrs. Barnhart, both of Chautauqua.

The children of William Waterbury were, first, Sarah, who married Lewis Bradley, first settling in Saratoga, and after a few years removing to Williamson, Wayne Co.

Second, John A., who settled in Saratoga Springs, marry- ing Alice Scofield, of Greenfield.

Third, Rhoda, who married David Foot, of Conway, Mass.

Fourth, Asenath, who became Mrs. James Wright, re- mained a few years in Saratoga Springs, then removed to Pultneyville, Wayne Co., N. Y., and finally to Illinois.

Fifth, Nathaniel H., whose first wife was Cynthia Mather, and his second, Nancy Harrington. He always resided in Saratoga Springs.

Sixth, Robert, died in childhood.

Seventh, Philo R., who married Mehitable Bullard, and settled in Saratoga Springs.

Eighth, William C., unmarried, settled in Charleston, S. C., was a soldier in the Florida war, and died in Charles- ton in 1867.

Ninth; Josiah, and tenth, Marvel, both of whom died in ehildhood.

The elder Waterbury eame to Greenfield in the winter, erossing the Hudson at Waterford. His mother eonld never be induced to visit her sons in Saratoga on account of the danger in crossing over the Hudson river on a scow. In 1787 they went to mill at Ballston. William Water- bury died in 1843. He used to say that when he came to Saratoga, the place of the present village at the springs was a good deal of a swamp, and a hard-looking place any way. He could have bought the whole village for a small sum in those times. Alexander Bryan and Samuel Norton were about the only settlers here then. Bryan lived on the bank northwest of the High Rock spring, and Norton was living a little out, within the town of Greenfield.

The Waterburys bought the one hundred acres of a non- resident. About 1805, William Waterbury bought the Denel place, a tract through which Van Dam street was afterwards laid out.

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IHISTORY OF SARATOGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

In 1794 there were few houses at Saratoga Springs. Nathaniel Waterbury remembers that his father took the children out to see a frame building raised, the first one they had ever seen. It was Union Hall, called by the people generally " Putnam's folly." It was supposed a man must be crazy to erect a three-story house for the accom- modation of boarders. Mr. Waterbury supposes that one Reynolds was a very early merchant. Asa Wright had a store on the northeast side of Front street. John Taylor and Ziba Taylor were also merchants and lumber-dealers near the same place, but on the southeast side of Front street, very near the bank above the High Rock spring. They owned mills ou the houghberry creek.

Alexander Bryan's home was opposite the Taylor store, a log house. On the site is now a stone house. A black- smith-shop was nearly opposite Wright's store, where George Downing worked. He lost his life by the burning of a shanty when he was working at the burning of a coal. Jotham Holmes was an early shoemaker. He afterwards opened the Columbian Hotel, which was burned a few years since. His shoe-shop was in the then village, near the High Rock.

Mr. Waterbury recalls other early settlers, all of them before 1810, and some as far back as 1790.

Sylvester Bishop was a tavern-keeper on the bank op- site the Star spring. Warren Cady another tavern-keeper across the street from Bishop's. John Swain was a lime- burner. IFis kiln was on the bank near the Empire spring. Mr. Devan was a resident near the Empire spring, also Mr. Bevins. John Seabury a little east. Seth Saddler, a farmer, lived on the hill south of the Empire spring. William Patchin was the village fiddler. Joseph Thompson was a earpenter. Samuel Annable lived on the present place of N. B. Sylvester.

Stephen Crawford, a farmer, lived near what is known as Splinterville. This place derived its name from the number of baskets made there. Henderson Crawford, a farmer, lived where the late Wm. Dunning resided ; Robert Crawford at the Four Corners west; David Crawford also near by. These were brothers, uncles of Nathaniel Waterbury.

Caleb Ellis, a farmer, lived where Frank Prior now lives. Ile was a magistrate for many years. James Reed, a farmer, lived just west of Samuel Annable's. Benjamin Benedict, also a farmer, lived in the same neighborhood. Zachariah Curtis was a farmer in the south part of the town ; Henry Curtis in the same neighborhood. Mr. Waterbury helped bury the latter at the age of one hundred and two.

Samuel Wickham was a blacksmith in the Curtis neigh- borhood. One Toms lived in the same vicinity. They were both adepts in the art of story-telling. Of these the fol- lowing were supposed to be good specimens. Wickham said that in the time of the Burgoyne campaign be was taking care of a coal-pit. Being obliged to leave, he was absent twenty-four years. Returning, he found the pit grown over with bushes and small trees the thickness of a man's arm. Taking his spade he thrust it into the ground, and found the fire still bright and the coul just nicely done. Toms was perhaps equal to the occasion. Ile said that being within the lines during the battle of Stillwater, he saw a wagon-load of powder driven up. A red-hot ball struck the

wagon, and an explosion followed. The driver rose upward through the air, passed over the top of the tallest pines, and came down nuhurt.

Robert Ellis was a farmer owning nine hundred acres, extending from the Greenfield line to the Geyser spring.

William Wait was a resident of the Curtis neighborhood, and John C. Whitford also. Richard Searing was a farmer and lumber dealer, lived on the Schuylerville road a mile east. Colonel Searing, of Saratoga Springs, is a son of Richard.

Asher Taylor and Isaac, cousins of the merchants John and Ziba, lived about a mile east of the T'en Springs. Har- mon Ostrander and Abram Ostrander were early residents in the south part of the town. Dr. Cyril Carpenter was the earliest physician remembered by Mr. Waterbury. He lived on the site of the United States Hotel. Mr. Water- bury remembers Charles F. Smith as an early lawyer, and a little later than him Aaron Blake. Archibald Crawford was a farmer in the southeast part of the town. His sons were Daniel, Wallace, and John. John Bemus lived on the present farm of Hamilton A. Rodney. He was a briek-maker.

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History of Saratoga County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers., Part 52

Author: Sylvester, Nathaniel Bartlett, 1825-1894 Publication date: 1878 Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Ensign Number of Pages: 780

Author: Sylvester, Nathaniel Bartlett, 1825-1894
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Ensign
Number of Pages: 780