USA > New York > Saratoga County > History of Saratoga County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers. > Part 57
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We take a page at random from an old account-book, kept by a merchant in Ballston Spa, in the possession of Mrs. John B. Thomas. The name of the merchant is not given :
Page 110, Oct. 22, 1806. £ s. d.
Solomon Sherwood, Dr. to 1 gal. of rum ...
8
John Griswold, ¥ 1 bbl. of new cider.
S
Joseph Pines, .. sundry merchandise
15
3
Samuel Hollister,
65 lbs. Swedes' iron
I 18
Samuel Nash,
1 gal. molasses.
6
Otiver MiddleBrook,
1 qt. of rum
LITTLE
Photo, by T. J. Arnold, Ballston Spa.
GEORGE G. SCOTT, the subject of this sketch, was born at the family homestead, in the town of Ballston, near the Milton line, on the 11th of May, 1811. His grandfather, George Scott, who was a descendant of Benjamin Scott, an English colonist in Ire- land in the reign of James I., emigrated from Londonderry Co., Ireland, in 1773, and settled on that farm in 1774. For a time it was literally a frontier elearing in the great northern wilder- ness. His wife, who came with him to this country, was a sister of General James Gordon.
In the raid under the leadership of Munro, in October, 1780, when General Gordon and others were captured and taken to Canada, Mr. Scott's dwelling was attacked and pillaged, and him- self stricken down with a tomahawk and left for dead. James Scott, his only son, a noted surveyor during the first third of the present century, was born Jan. 31, 1774, on the Gordon place, in the present town of Ballston, then in the district of Saratoga, in the county of Albany. He always resided within the limits of what is now Ballston, and died there in 1857. ITis wife was Mary Botsford, a native of Derby, Connecticut, who died the same year.
The subject of this sketch, George Gordon Seott, was their only child. He graduated from Union college in 1831, and the same year entered the law office of Palmer & Goodrich, at Balls- ton Spa, where he remained two years, and completed his clerk- ship with Brown & Thompson, of that village. He was admitted to the bar in 1834, and entered upon the successful practice of his profession at that place, which he has continued to the present time.
He married Lucy, a daughter of the late Joel Lec, of Balls- ton Spa.
In 1838 he was commissioned by Governor Marey as judge of the county courts, but resigned before the expiration of his
term. He was elected to the assembly of 1856, and was re- elected to the assembly of 1857. In that year he was elected to the senate from the Fifteenth district. He declined a re-election, and was succeeded by Hon. Isaiah Blood. In 1861 he received the nomination of the Democratie State convention for the office of comptroller, but was defeated by Hon. Lucius Robinson, the present governor.
In 1859 he removed from the Milton part of Ballston Spa into his native town (his residence being on High street, nearly opposite the county clerk's office), and the next year he was elected supervisor of Ballston, and has since been repeatedly re- elected, generally without opposition, and is now (1878) serving in his nineteenth term. He was chairman of the board in 1863 and in 1876. Notwithstanding the various positions which he has held he has never been an office-seeker, they all having been conferred without his suggestion.
In 1876 congress, by resolution, indorsed by the proclama- tion of the president, recommended that, on the Centennial of American Independence in that year, historical addresses relating to counties and other localities should be delivered. Judge Scott was designated by the county officials for the performance of that duty, which he discharged by delivering, in the court-yard of the Sans Souci hotel, at Ballston Spa, an historical address relating to Saratoga County. And in 1877 upon him was conferred the honor of presiding at Bemus' Heights, upon the occasion of the celebration of the centennial of that decisive battle of the Revolu- tion, the interesting ceremonies of which he opened with an appropriate address.
He is now the sole survivor, not only of the old common pleas bench, but of the fifteen senators who have been residents of Saratoga County.
231
HISTORY OF SARATOGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
£
s. d.
John Blood, Dr. to 1 gal. rum.
S
Benjamin Calvin,
14 doz. buttons.
2
3
Samuel Lee,
quire of paper.
1
Raymond Taylor,
= 2 lbs. candles
3
G
Enos Morehouse,
& gal. of rum ..
4
Floyd Wakeman, 12 sugar
12
Daniel Stavu, 4 gal. rum, 98 feet lath .. 9 Benjamin Peek, 1 pair of shoes .. 10
Edward Watrous, Cr. by transportation
2
Solomon Sherwood, Dr. to } gal. rum
1
Abel Curtis, = I piece muslin. 7 lbs. sugar 2
3
6
Edward Wilkes, = } 1b. of tea and 1 qt. of rum 5
6
It is probable this was the old store of Epenetus White, Jr. Another page contains a bill against a citizen who was evidently building a barn. There are seven entries for rum, and four for nuils.
An old day-book, in possession of John H. Westcot, supposed to be from the store of Hewitt & Westcot, the old red store that stood near the Aldridge House, across the street, has many items of interest. We copy from a few pages a list of names, showing early settlers in this portion of the county about the year 1800 or soon after: Philip Sharp, Daniel Starr, Nathan Lewis, James Garrett, John Buck, Wm. Marvin, John Fitch, Levi Kinnicut, George E. White, Ebenezer Robinson, Asahel Simons, Walter Patchin, Nathan Wood, Samuel Pike, Jared Patchin, Levi Kinnient, Peter Darrow, Ebenezer S. Coon, Isaac Patchin, Robert Spear, Joel Lee, Adonijah Moody, James Wilson, John Lee, Saul Parks, Win. Hawkins, John Blood, John Griswold, Levi Benedict, J. and D. McMasters, James Caldwell, James Merrill, James Hawkins, D. and A. Alcott, Joseph Bryan, Joshua Blood, John Burns, James Scott, Aaron Gregory, Dennis Penfield, Isaac Finch, Isaac Dentou, James Gavitt, John Griswold, Samuel Pike, Timothy Hatch, Edward Dolph, Patience Westcot, Elias Lee, John Webb, Calvin Calkins, John Whitehead, James Lloyd, Aaron Sturges, Silas Briggs, Ebenezer Robinson, John Highy, Henry Luscomb, William Bridges, Amos Benedict, Wright Tryon, Stephen Alling, James Mann, Lemuel Wilcox, James Hawkins, John Welch, Powell, and Kellogg. These names are taken from the book under date of September 28, 1802, to November 2 of the same year.
III .- ORGANIZATION.
The record of the first election held in the village is as follows :
" At an election of the inhabitants of the village of Balls- ton Spa, held at the house of David McMaster, on the first Tuesday of May, agreeable to public notice, and in conformity to the charter of incorporation of the said vil- lage of Ballston Spa, granted by the Legislature in an act entitled an act relative to the village of Ballston Spa, passed March 21, 1807, the following persons were duly elected to the respective offices : Joshua B. Aldridge, Stephen H. White, and Nathan Lewis, trustees ; John Warren, David MeMaster, and Archy Kasson, assessors ; Epenetus White, Jr., treasurer ; Eli Barnum, collector ; Wm. Shepherd, clerk ; Elihu Roe and Samis Blakely, constables."
At the first meeting of the trustees, held at the house of Joshua Aldridge, regular meetings were ordered for the Thursday of each week at five o'clock P.M. ; a fine of fifty cents for non-attendance. A drain of timber nine inches in the clear was ordered from near " the northeast corner
of the house now occupied by Anson Bradley, and termi- nating in a straight line to the upper corner of the bridge, west of the house of Jolin Flint." A dock was ordered to be built " at the west side of this bridge near John Flint's house, and running up the creek in a straight line until it intersects a line to be drawn parallel with the west corner of the house occupied by Agus Wells." What sur- veyor was employed to run a line which should be " parallel to the corner of' a house" is not stated.
Lands for streets were ceded by Nicholas Low and Joshua B. Aldridge by deeds dated December 15, 1807. At the second election, in 1808, the same trustees were continued. David McMaster, Peter Williams, and Ezra Ferris were elected assessors, Epenetus White, Jr., treasurer ; Thomas Palmer, clerk ; Farquhar MeBane, collector; Elihu Roe and Thomas B. Burnett, constables.
May 28, 1808, each owner of a dwelling-house was re- quired to have two ladders ready for use in case of fire, ---- one to reach the eaves, another, with iron hooks, to be laid on the roof.
In 1810 the following assize of bread for the village was ordained :
" A loaf of superfine flour to weigh 2lbs. 4oz. for one shilling. A loaf of like flour to weigh Ilb. 2oz. for six- pence. A loaf of common flour to weigh 2lbs. 11oz. for one shilling."
The early records are full of ordinances to protect the spring, to drain the streets in its vicinity, and otherwise to provide for the convenience and comfort of visitors.
The assessment of property for 1817 amounted to $175,650. The highest thirteen taxpayers were Joshua Aldridge, $44.80; Charlotte White, $33.60; Nicholas Low, 870; Andrew Berger, $33.60 ; Epenetus White, $11.20; James Caldwell, $15.40; Farquhar MeBane, $11.20; James Merrill, 88.40; Joseph Perry, $7.28; David Sprague, Raymond Taylor, Moses Williams, Na- thaniel and Stephen Tobey, each $7. The whole number of taxpayers was one hundred and four.
In 1822 the officers of the first Fire Engine Company, No. 1, were appointed by the board : Andrew Watrous, captain ; Rowland A. Wright, assistant captain ; Stephen B. Noble, secretary ; Lyman S. Ballard, steward.
Previous to 1842 no president was elected. The trus- tees, three in number, were equal in authority.
In 1842 the number of trustees was increased to five, and after that a president was annually elected at the first meeting in each year.
The following list of clerks and collectors is added from 1807 to 1877, with the presidents from 1842 :
LIST OF CLERKS, PRESIDENTS, AND COLLECTORS.
Clerk. Collector.
1807. Wm. Shepherd.
Eli Barnum.
1808. Thomas Palmer.
Farqubar McBanc.
1809.
1810. Ilugh Hawkins.
Elihu Roc.
1811.
1812.
1813. Aaron Nash.
Eli Barnum.
1814. =
Oren Sage.
1815.
William ('lark.
1816.
Elijah Taylor.
1817.
Rowland A. Wright.
16
232
HISTORY OF SARATOGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
Clerk.
Collector.
President.
1818. Aaron Nash.
Rowland A. Wright. 16
1819. 44
=
1820.
66
4 €
1821.
«
16
1822.
=
16
1823.
46
16
1824.
Horace St. John.
1825.
John Cutler.
1826.
1827.
46
1828.
66
1829.
Rowland A. Wright.
1830.
1831.
1832.
Aaron R. Pattison.
1833.
Stephen Fox.
1834.
Oliver II. Lockwood.
1835.
Cheeseman Burtis.
1836.
Amariah Ford.
1837. John Manning.
1838. James W. Horton.
Stephen Fox.
1839, 44
Squire Burnett.
1840. John Wait.
Stephen Fox.
1841. G. G. Hawkins.
Harvey N. Ilill.
1842.
Stephen Fox.
James M. Cook.
1843. David Maxwell.
N. J. Seeley.
1844.
=
Harvey N. 1lill.
Renben Westcot.
1845.
66
44
James M. Cook.
1846.
1847. John J. Lee.
4.
1848. "
1849. Joseph E. Westcot.
Albert T. Blood.
Samnel HI. Cook. Abel Mecker.
1852.
1853.
Bernard McKitrick.
L. W. Bristol. Reuben Westcot.
1856. Wmn. B. Litch.
1857. Perc. G. Newcomb.
1858.
1859. Wm. F. Posson.
1860. 4
1861. Joshua B. Boss.
J. 1I. Westcot.
1862. Eph. W. Reynolds.
=
David Maxwell. Levi Weed.
IS64.
Perry Burnham.
Jobn Wait.
1865. 16
Bernard Me Kitrick.
David Maxwell.
1866. David F. White.
1867.
1868. Emery Denton.
Bornard MeKitrick. George G. Scott.
60
€6
HIenry A. Mann.
1871.
1872. 44
44
44
1873.
4 4
66
1875. Chas. O. McCreedy.
Henry A. Mann.
1876.
1877. 66
George II. Barlow.
The action of the village board has always been carefully directed to preserve the springs and provide convenient facilities to visitors.
IV .- BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT.
The springs was the first source of the prosperity of the village. These in time declined, as already mentioned. Joseph Jennings relates that Joshua B. Aldridge predicted the ruin of the main spring if an attempt was made to dig it over and retube it. To those commencing the work he protested. Said he, "My house is full of boarders; you
might as well buru it down and destroy my business that way as to tamper with that spring."
The permanent prosperity of Ballston Spa was finally assured by other causes than the springs. Until 1796 the county had no fixed place for the transaction of its business, but in that year the first court-house was built in the town of Ballston, on what has ever since been known as Court-House Hill. This continued the county-seat until the court-house and jail was burned, in March, 1816. The next struggle to be the capital of the county ended by the designation of Milton as the shire-town, and the selection of a site for the court-house in the village of Ballston Spa. The selection of this point was materially aided by the wise liberality of Nicholas Low, the wealthy landed pro- prietor of early times, who donated to the county the hand- some elevation where the public buildings now stand.
This decision brought the public county business to Ballston Spa, and made it very largely the political, as it is the official, centre of the county.
The excellent water-power furnished by the Kayadrossera was the other permanent source of prosperity, and under all these several influences the village has progressed in population and in conveniences and facilities both for busi- ness and for pleasure, until there are few finer places of residence in the State.
We include in the following notice of the manufacturing interests of the village the paper-mills up the valley, that contribute, in various ways, to the business of Ballston Spa, this being the point of shipment,-the point where a por- tion of the mills are actually situated, and where the pro- prietor of the great chain of mills himself resides. They are not given either in order of time or location, but as seems most convenient to present them for the purposes of description.
The establishment of Allen & Ileaton, miners and manu- facturers of emery, is somewhat recent, but is evidently des- tined to be an important business at Ballston Spa. The works are in the building formerly known as the "oil-cloth factory." The building itself is very old, having been erected in 1812, and the main shaft of the machinery brought from Europe. Allen & Hleaton obtain the emery from the mine at Thurman, in the Adirondacks, and manu- facture solid emery-wheels at the factory here. The mines and the works are under the same management. It is a branch of industry with little or no competition upon this continent. Already, besides wheels, they are putting up the material in the form of seythe-stones,-and the forms and uses to which it may be devoted are perhaps only just begun to be developed.
The building was erected for a cotton-mill. Amos Olcott and Nicholas Low are understood to have been largely in- terested in it. The great " walking-beam" suddenly broke when the factory had been running not more than a month. So much damage was done that the enterprise was aban- doned. The building was used somewhat for a cider-re- finery, but was occupied by no manufacturing enterprise for uearly forty years. About 1850 oil-cloth works were opened in it by Messrs. Booth, Wait, Moore, Wakeman, Thomas. An excellent quality of cloth was produced. The machinery was mostly destroyed by fire in 1875, and the works closed.
1850. J. Oakley Nodyne. 1851. John J. Lee.
Stephen Fox.
George Thompson.
Bernard McKitrick. Reuben Westcot.
Stephen Fox.
George Babcock. W'm. P. Odell.
1854.
1855.
Stephen Fox.
Edw. If. Chapman.
Bernard MeKitrick. John F. Burtles. Bernard McKitrirk.
James O. Leach. Edward Gilbourn. Seymour Chase. Hiro Jones.
1863. Bernard Patchin.
George B. Colony. Perry Burnham.
John 11. Westcot.
1869. Win. J. Jennings.
1870. David Maxwell.
1874. 46
6 4
Albert B. Blood.
S. C. Medberry.
Abel Meeker.
233
HISTORY OF SARATOGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
The Glen Paper Collar Co., of Ballston Spa, was estab- lished in 1868; commencing business in April of that year. The buildings are very old, and were first built for the stor- age of grain in connection with the grist-mill. The foun- dation is peculiarly strong and massive. They had stood unused for some years, when they were devoted to the paper collar business by the firm of Medberry & Mann, who con- tinne the enterprise at the present time. They employ from sixty to one hundred and twenty hands, varying in dif- ferent portions of the year. Their daily production is about one hundred thousand collars. They have recently added the manufacture of paper pails, leasing for that purpose water-power at the Barber planing-mills.
The gas-works of the village were established about the year 1857. The ownership has changed hands several times since the organization, and is now vested in the First National Bank. The present lessee (1877) is James M. Cleish. The average amount burned per night during the year is about three thousand cubic feet.
In 1808 or '10 an iron-forge was established by Ben- jamin Ilall. It stood near the old red bridge. The In- dians used to encamp on the island near that forge.
Paper-Mills .- George West may be styled THE paper- manufacturer of the Kayadrossera valley. Not satisfied with one or two mills, he has extended his operations along a line of more than eight miles. His enterprises have con- tributed largely towards the general prosperity of the town of Milton and the village of Ballston Spa. The present firm-name is George West & Son. The history of Mr. West, even though compressed into the brief space that must be assigned to it here, reads more like a romance than veritable reality. He came to Ballston Spa in 1861, and entered into the employ of C. S. Buchanan, of the Rock City Falls paper-mills. Mr. West was thoroughly ae- quainted with the business of manufacturing paper, having learned it in the best establishments of Devonshire, Eng- land. Perhaps he had derived something of inherited skill from two generations of ancestors that had preceded him in the same line of work. To his complete acquaint- anee with the manufacturing of paper he had also added a thorough knowledge of machinery and practical ability to adapt it to new and improved uses. At the end of one year, with scarcely more than $3000 capital, he made his first bold venture by purchasing the Empire paper-mills, of Rock City Falls, taking the risk of an immense debt. This was in June, 1862. Success followed his enterprise. At his touch business sprang into redoubled activity. The quality of the paper made immediately attracted attention. Eagerly called for in every market around, his first enter- prise grew upon his hands until he was compelled by his own success to increase his facilities. Three years from the commencement of his proprietorship he built the Ex- celsior mills, of Rock City, finishing them in 1866. These were entirely his own work,-dam, roadway, buildings, machinery, everything. At the same time in connection with others he bought the Angell paper-mills at Water- town, and was a partner there until 1870, when he retired from that enterprise to devote himself more closely to the Kayadrossera valley. In the year 1870 his business de- manded still further accommodations, and he bought the
Middle Grove or Jamesville mills up the stream within the town of Greenfield. These he rebuilt with his usual energy, and the same year purchased the Pioneer mill at West Milton. He now had four separate mills, but could not yet keep up with the orders for his paper, and in 1874 he bought the Eagle mill, located at Craneville, two miles above Ballston Spa. In 1875 he turned his attention to the Island mill, formerly owned and run by Jonas A. Hovey as a cotton-mill. This property he bought, consist- ing of three large buildings. The cotton-factory was at once remodeled into a paper-mill, and this required so much of the water-power that the two smaller buildings are not run as paper-works but are used for store-rooms. He signalized the year 1874 by buying at the same time with these "Island buildings" the cotton-mill No. 1, known also as the Union mill, and the woolen-mill near it, and also the fine private residence where he now lives on Milton street. The cotton-mill he leased to other parties. The woolen-mill he turned into a paper-bag manufactory. This career of unequaled courage, rapidity, and energy has only occupied the brief space of fifteen years. It tells its own story.
The firm manufactures manilla-paper, confining all their attention to this one line. Their finished work reaches two hundred tons per month, and they manufacture from eighty to one hundred millions of paper-bags every year, and their orders are steadily in advance of their work. No dead stock is found upon their hands. The care and man- agement of these enterprises has been reduced to an exact system. The reports from each mill per week, the con- densed monthly statements of production and sales, are all models of business forms devised by Mr. West.
Reversing perhaps the usual order, we add the past history of these several mills in Ballston Spa that were purchased by Mr. West, as shown in the previous account : In 1836, Jonathan S. Beach and Harvey Chapman bought seventy-two acres of land, east of Milton street, between Malta avenue and the railroad near North High street, in- cluding all the water-power of the lower dam now occupied by Mr. West. Soon after this purchase they built the west mill of the three on the Island ; this was opened and operated as a woolen-mill for a few years, but finally dis- continued. About the year 1840 Beach & Chapman erected the second or middle building upon the Island ; they sold it in a short time to P. H. MeOmber, and he transferred it finally to Samuel 11. Cook. This was a cotton-mill, and it was in operation down to the year 1861. In the year 1844 Beach & Chapman erected the third mill, the one now run by Mr. West as a paper-mill ; they soon sold this, with the water-power and land still remaining to them, to James M. Cook. This was also a cotton-mill, and was operated until 1861. All of this Island property was then bought by Jonas Ilovey.
The Ballston Spa mill-company was formed in 1838 to 1840, consisting of Beach, Chapman, James Thompson, John W. Thompson, George Thompson, Lebbeus Booth, and others; they bought the land and water-power west of Milton street, north of Gordon creek, and south of the Blood & Thomas property. This was purchased of the Middlebrook family. In early times Daniel Thomas and
30
234
HISTORY OF SARATOGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
Ilezekiah Middlebrook had owned together a very large tract in and around the northern portion of the present village. They divided the property, Middlebrook retaining the water-power and Thomas taking the lands, covered then with valuable pine timber. In after-years the water privileges became far more valuable than the other. The Ballston Spa mill-company did not continue as a corporation, Imt the parties named above as joint proprietors erceted the Union cotton-mill, sometimes known as No. 1. The mill was operated by Ziba HI. Cook and others for manufacturing print eloths until about the year 1855. The same proprie- tors built the brick mill on the hill, the one now occupied by Mr. West in the manufacture of paper bags. This was opened for a knitting-mill, operated by II. Chapman & Son, also by Bassett and Hiro Jones; the latter owning the real estate. It was sold, as was the other factory, to Jonas Ilovey in 1861-65. Mr. Hovey, having thus become the owner of all these mills, operated them, to a greater or less extent, until the time of his death in 1873. In con- nection with his extensive operations here, he built the residence now owned by George West. On this house is said to have been expended $50,000.
Beach & Chapman also built about the year 1850 a woolen-mill, known as the Glen woolen-mill property, now owned by Edwin II. Chapin. It has been occupied by Chapman and others as a blanket- and cloth-mill to the present time. It should also be stated in this connection that about the year 1830, a few years before the formation of the Ballston mill-company, Hezekiah Middlebrook had built the dam and the grist-mill known as the Blue mills.
The original grist-mill built by Daniel Thomas stood farther up the stream,-about the middle of the present pond. When the new dam was erected by Middlebrook, in 1830, it attracted attention as unusually high, and doubts were expressed whether it would stand. All of these several enterprises brought to Ballston Spa a large amount of capital, caused the erection of many dwellings for workmen and others, and now after the various changes of three-quarters of a century, Ballston Spa again has all of its three original sources of prosperity-the county-seat, manufactures, and springs.
The court-house and jail erected in 1819 are still in use. The first permanent office for the county clerk was erected in 1824, near where the railroad crosses the main street. It is a venerable relic of the past,-fifty-three years old. Previous to the building of this, each elerk had taken care of the records in his own office, wherever he might be located.
The building of 1824 was first occupied by the then county clerk, Thomas Palmer. The clerk's office at one time, under Clerk William Stillwell, was in his cabinet-shop, now the residence of G. S. Christopher, on Front street. He also kept the records at his residence on Church street, where Chester Clapp now resides. The valuable papers of the county remained in the small stone building forty-two years, when it was succeeded by the present fine structure near the court-house.
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