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 89
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The central idea of his short life was the thorough reor- ganization of the militia of the United States, and he had drawn up a complete and systematic plan for the accom- plishment of that object. He desired a place in the war department in order that he might effect the reform he had planned. In March, 1861, President Lincoln wrote a letter to the secretary of war, instrueting that officer to detail Colonel Ellsworth to the " special duty of adjutant and in- spector-general of militia affairs for the United States." The letter was never officially transmitted, on account of the jealousy of the officers of the regular army.
While Ellsworth was lying sick at Washington the cloud of war broke upon the country. Ile was aroused by the shock, and his ill health vanished. In a few days he was in New York, proceeding thither without assistance or au- thority. Organizing the First New York Zouaves, he was speedily back in Washington, with his muen mustered into the service for the war. After a few days of drill and dis- cipline they were ordered to eross into Virginia and eo-op- erate in the attack on Alexandria. On the 24th of May, 1861, while descending with a rebel flag which had been flaunting treason from a house which had once sheltered Washington, he was shot by the owner of the house. A Union soldier, almost in the same instant, shot the assassin. Two lives thus went out into eternity, but how different the memory of each! One was the hero and martyr, dying for human liberty, to be forever enshrined in the hearts of his countrymen ; the other dying the death of the traitor, to be remembered only with infamy.
Words ean pay no fonder tribute than those from the pen of the sainted Lineoln, written to the father and mother of Ellsworth :
" In the untimely loss of your noble son, our affliction here is scarcely less than your own. So much of promised usefulness to our country, and of bright hopes for oneself and friends, have rarely been so suddenly darkened as in his fall. In size, in years, in youthful appearance, a boy only, his power to command men was surprisingly great. This power, combined with fine intellect and indomitable energy, and a taste altogether military, constituted in him, as seemed to me, the best natural talent in that department I ever knew."
The personal appearance of Colonel Ellsworth at the time he organized the United States Zouave Cadets is thus de- scribed :
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HISTORY OF SARATOGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
" At this time he was the picture of a soldier. IFis form, though slight, was of the size of the elder Napoleon ; the head poised like that of a statue, covered by curling black hair; dark eyes, bright and serene; a nose like that you see on Roman medals; a slight moustache, just shading the lips that were continually curving into sunny smiles. His voice deep, but musical ; his address soldierly, sincere, and courteous ; his dress tasty and faultless ; the fascination to gather friends and keep them ; a cavalier of the days of romance, stainless, loyal, and brave."
In military matters he was a strict disciplinarian, espe- cially in keeping up the moral tone of his men, prohibiting, under pain of dismissal, all intemperance and profligaey.
CAPTAIN EPHRAIM D. ELLSWORTH.
The Ellsworth ancestors came from England. George, the grandfather of Ephraim D. Ellsworth, was a resident of Half-Moon, Saratoga County, before the Revolution. When
Photo, by Baker & Record, Saratoga Springs.
EDEllsworth
Burgoyne invaded the territory he joined the Continental army, at the age of fifteen, and was in the battle of Bemus Heights, and at the surrender of Burgoyne, after that de- cided victory. He married Sarah Reynolds, a native of Rhode Island, and had fourteen children.
Ephraim D. Ellsworth, his son, and father of Colonel Ephraim Elmer Ellsworth, was born in the town of Half- Moon, Saratoga County, May 22, 1809. Previous to his nineteenth year he learned the tailor's trade in Waterford, and afterwards worked at it in Troy, and in Jonesville, in this county. In 1836 he married Phebe Denton, of Malta, and located for the prosecution of his trade at Mechanic- ville, where he has resided ever since, except an absence of about ten years, employed in the government service.
On the 16th of November, 186], he was commissioned, by President Lincoln, captain in the ordnance department, and assigned to duty at Fortress Monroe. This position, however, he soon resigned, and was assigned to the charge of the Champlain arsenal, at Vergennes, Vt., where he re- mained about ten years, returning to his home in this county in the fall of 1871.
At the time of the Fenian raid he rendered prompt and efficient aid to the governor of Vermont by issuing arms and ammunition. By an accident, which happened to him at that time, he was disabled. The government has justly renewed his leave of absence from year to year, continuing his salary without requiring of him active service.
Captain Ellsworth had one other son besides Elmer, who died in Chicago, quite young.
REV. F. S. PARKE.
The life of the Rev. F. S. Parke is an apt illustration of the trials, privations, and hardships that have characterized the early lives of many of our most successful ministers.
Born at the town of Hancock, Berkshire Co., Mass., on Aug. 24, 1807, of pious, God-fearing parents, he early re-
REV. F. S. PARKE.
alized the blessings of religion and adopted a religious life. Brought up in the Presbyterian faith, he was at first in- clined to unite with that body, but on the 3d day of June, 1827, he was baptized into the fellowship of the Baptist church at Egremont, Mass., by the Rev. Enos Marshall. The church to which he joined himself, feeling that he had especial gifts which called him to preach the gospel, recom- mended him to adopt the profession of the ministry, and on the first Saturday in November, 1830, voted him a license to preach. He immediately entered upon the work.
On Nov. 10, 1831, he was ordained in accordance with the regular forms of the church as pastor of the Baptist
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HISTORY OF SARATOGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
church at Hancock, Mass. On Dec. 7, same year, he removed, with his invalid wife, to that place, and en- tered upon the active duties of his pastorate. His salary was but $200 a year, $50 of which went for rent and fuel, leaving the meagre balance to sustain himself, wife, and servant for a whole year. As a consequence, his life was a hard one, and his trials many. His entire capital at this time consisted of this salary and about fifty dollars' worth of books and clothing, -a striking cou - trast to the lives of the young members of the clerical pro- fession of the present day. Yet amid all these privations Mr. Parke continued faithfully to discharge his duties, re- lying upon Providence for grace to sustain and guide him in the darkest hours.
The second pastorate of Mr. Parke was at Nassau, N. Y., where he had charge of the First Baptist church, at an annual salary of $250. He assumed the charge on April 1, 1833, and continued pastor for two years.
His third pastorate was at West Troy, N. Y., where he remained as pastor of the Baptist church for four years. He entered upon the discharge of his duties in May, 1835, at a salary of $400. Here the clouds of adversity that had hitherto overshadowed his life began to dissolve, and the years passed at West Troy were years of peaceful, calm enjoyment. In 1836 fifty persons were added to his church. He also supplied three stations from here, the one at Cohoes being in a prosperous condition, and the
seed from which grew the present influential choreh at that place.
In September, 1839, Mr. Parke received and accepted a call to become the pastor of the Baptist church at Clifton Park. This was a large and flourishing church. Elder Abijah Peck, who was the founder of this church, was as yet its acknowledged pastor. With this church Mr. Parke remained for eleven years, enjoying at times the special tokens of divine favor. He also preached in many school- houses in the vicinity.
On the 1st day of May, 1866, Mr. Parke took charge of the Second Baptist church of Half-Moon, where he labored for eleven years to this date, May, 1878, at the same time having charge of the First Baptist church of the same place for three consecutive years. He is still at the same place.
Mr. Parke has been a member of the Baptist church for fifty-one years ; he has been an ordained minister for forty- seven years ; he has lived and labored in the county of Saratoga twenty seven years, being pastor of five of its churches ; he has been a member of the Saratoga Baptist Association thirty-three years, and has preached in every Baptist meeting-house in the county.
Ife has been three times married; his first wife living but seven years after marriage, his second for twenty, and his third is still living. All were excellent women and suc- cessful pastor's wives. He has four children now living.
GALWAY.
I .- GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION.
GALWAY is one of the western towns of the county, a little south of the centre. It is bounded north by Provi- dence, east by Milton, south by Charlton, and west by the county line. It contains twenty-two thousand two hundred and eighty-four acres of improved land and fifty-five hun- dred and twenty-one of unimproved, and of this last amount thirty-nine hundred and ninety-five are woodland.
The population in 1875 was nineteen hundred and forty- one. The town is wholly within the limits of the Kaya- drossera patent, containing parts of the fourteenth and sixteenth allotments.
The following legal description of this town and the defi- nition of its boundary lines is from the revised statutes of the State :
"The town of Galway shall contain all that part of said county bounded easterly by Milton ; southerly by a line running from the southwest corner of Milton west, along the south bounds of the four- teenth allotment of the patent of Kayadrossera to the west bounds of the eonuty ; westerly by the bounds of the county ; aud northerly by Providenee."
II .- NATURAL FEATURES.
The surface is gently undulating in the southern part, and in the north rises into rounded hills, of considerable elevation, forming a portion of the Kayadrossera range of mountains. Running through the town from east to west, a little north of the centre, is a strip of lowland, in which several small creeks originate and run to the east and west. Chnetenunda ereek rises near the northwest corner of the town, flows southward, and is made to supply the reservoir of the Amsterdam mill-owners. This reservoir is one and a half miles west of Galway village, and when full covers about 530 aeres of surface. Leaving the reservoir, the stream flows in a generally southwesterly course to Amster- dam, and empties into the Mohawk river. Feegowesee creek rises in the north centre of the town and flows east- erly into the Kayadrossera creek. In the southeast a branch of the Mourning Kill rises, and flows eastwardly, emptying into the Kayadrossera, at Ballston. The soil is generally sandy, intermixed with considerable clay and some gravel, and is quite productive.
III .- EARLY SETTLEMENT.
The first settlement in the, town was made on Scotch street, about a mile south of Galway village. The settle- ment extended from the cemetery north of Galway village south through Galway and Charlton. The settlers were all Scotch emigrants, and from this fact the street became known by the name of Scotch street.
The first settlers were William Kelly, John and James Major, and John McHarg, who came in October, 1774. They were followed soon after by John and Moses MeKind- ley, John MeClelland, Joseph Newland, William McCart- ney, Mr. Mc Williams, Mr. Bell, and others.
William and Helen Kelly settled about a mile south of Galway, and, with the industry and thrift for which the Scotch people are so famous, soon had a pleasant home started in the midst of the wilderness. This homestead, constantly improving, has passed from generation to gener- ation, and is now owned and occupied by two of their grand- children, William and Robert Kelly. The first white child born in the town was their daughter, Elizabeth, who was born November 1, 1774.
The Major brothers settled a little farther south. One of them, James Major, was killed by a falling tree, on Sept. 11, 1776, and was buried in the cemetery at Galway. Ilis was the first death in town, and he was the first person buried iu that cemetery.
John McClelland was born in Glaston, shire of Gallo- way, Scotland, Dee. 21, 1754, and came to this country and settled in Galway when he was about twenty years old. Ile married his wife, Jane, in the mother country. She was born at Coal Ilill, England, Dec. 2, 1755. They set- tled on the first four corners south of Galway, and the last house occupied by them stood on the northeast corner. John McClelland was a man of unusual capacity for busi- ness, and at once became prominent among his neighbors. In 1780 he embarked in the mercantile business, and opened the first store in town. He prospered greatly, and aceu- mulated considerable property. Ile was often called to official positions by the voice of his fellow-citizens, and ever acquitted himself creditably of the duties of his position. Ile was the first supervisor of the town, and served three years. Ile was then, in 1794, elected as member of As- sembly from Saratoga County. He served in this capacity in 1794, 1796, 1797, 1806, and 1808. He was appointed a judge of the court of common pleas in 1806. He died April 12, 1819, aged sixty-four years. His wife died Nov. 8, 1824. They lie side by side in the Galway cemetery.
About four years after, a colony of settlers came from Centrehook, R. I., and settled near York's Corners, in the northeastern part of the town. Rev. Simeon Smith was the principal man, and he was accompanied by his parents and three brothers-in-law, Simeon Babcock, Reuben Matti- son, and Joseph Brown.
At a subsequent period, probably soon after the close of the Revolutionary struggle, a settlement was begun in the southwestern part of the town by some ten or twelve fami- lies from New Jersey. Among them were John Hinman,
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THOMAS MAIRS.
RESIDENCE OF THOMAS MAIRS, GALWAY, N. Y.
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HISTORY OF SARATOGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
James Hayes, Richard Paul, Peter Anderson, Mr. Harri- son, Mr. Hedding, and Dudley Smith. They were nearly all from near Elizabeth, N. J., and the settlement at once received the name of Jersey Hill, which it still retains. Still nearer the southwest corner, Duncan Stewart, John McMartin, James Clizbe, and Mr. Ferguson settled about the same time.
James and Mary Hays were from Newark, N. J., and settled on the land southwest of the corners, at Jersey Hill. They came from Schenectady by an Indian trail, and brought their household treasures on pack-horses through the almost trackless forest. They had two sons and two daughters. But one, the youngest son, is now living. IIc, James D. Hays, resides in Galway. He was born about the time of his father's death, and was twenty years younger than his youngest sister.
Job Cornell lived near the boundary line between Mas- sachusetts and Rhode Island, and married Sarah Wood. In 1788-90 they moved to Galway, and settled abont three and a half miles north of Galway, near the town line of Providence. Job, Jr., was born in 1789, and lived on the homestead until he died, in 1837. His son, William Cor- nell, is the only descendant now living in Galway. He resides at Mosherville.
Pilgrim Darkce married Hannah Holmes, and at the close of the Revolution came and settled about one-half mile east of West Galway. They had a family of six sous and five daughters, of whom but one is now living in Gal- way. His name is Eber C. Durkee, and he resides on the old homestead. Mrs. Eunice Phelps, of Steuben county, and Mrs. Mary Wheeler, of Michigan, are two other living children. The rest are dead.
Augustus L. Stone was a son of Lewis Stone and Sally Warren, who were married in New York and came to Gal- way in 1794. He has been a contractor on public works for upwards of thirty years, and has now retired from active business to enjoy the fruits of his labors.
The families of the oldest settlers have nearly all become extinct, and but little is known about the early life of these hardy pioneers. That they had much to contend against, and that they by untiring industry and indomitable energy succeeded in creating homes, building up villages, establish- ing schools and churches, and redeemed the wild forests by transforming them into pleasant and productive farms, speaks their meed of praise. They are gone, but their works live after them, and the Present reaps the fruits of the harvest on the fields where the Past sowed the seed amid toil, privation, and hardship.
Thomas Mairs was a son of Thomas and Margaret Mairs, Argyle, Washington county, and settled in Galway in 1822. Embarked in the mercantile business in 1829, and is doing a general dry goods and grocery business at the same place in which he began forty-eight years ago.
The first church in the Scotch Street settlement was located in this town ; and the first pastor, Rev. James Mairs, also resided here.
When the early settlers came through the woods from Schenectady they did not reach their destination till late at night, and said they were much annoyed by the " dogs" along the way, who kept up a continual howling and barking.
On being informed that the " dogs" were wolves and fo.ces they were quite alarmed, and felt thankful for their pres- ervation from harm.
Prominent among the citizens of the town was General Earl Stimson .. He was a large land-owner near the centre of the town; owned fine buildings on the hill known as Stimson's Corners, where he kept a store, hotel, and board- ing-house, and engaged in the meat-packing business; he also owned two other stores, one at Fonda's Bush and the other at Galway. He was a model farmer, and kept every- thing about his farm in perfect order, and by his example stimulated others to a careful and improved style of farming. Hle was member of Assembly in 1818, and, being a presi- dential elector in 1840, cast his vote in the electoral college for William IJ. Harrison. Ile was a liberal, progressive, public-spirited man.
Colonel Isaac Gere was another prominent citizen who held several offices conferred upon him by his fellow- citizens. He was supervisor, one of the commissioners to build the county court-house, member of Assembly, and State senator, and always deeply interested in works and matters of public interest and ntility.
Among those citizens of the town who have held public office, and not mentioned above, are James Warren, mem- ber of Assembly from 1799 to 1803; Othniel Looker, member of Assembly, 1803 to 1804; Nehemiah Cande, member of Assembly, 1809 ; Avery Starkweather, member of Assembly, 1812 and 1814, and associate judge of the court of common pleas, 1815; Ebenezer Couch, member of Assembly, 1832 to 1833; Jesse H. Mead, member of As- sembly, 1841 ; Azariah E. Stimson, member of Assembly, 1843; Nathan Thompson, presidential elector in 1824, who voted for Henry Clay ; Ira Brockett, member of As- sembly, 1863 to 1864; and Lewis Stone, who was a judge of the court of common pleas in 1843.
Among the carly settlers previous to 1795 we name Lewis Rogers, Hackaliah Foster, Eli Smith, Elias Stillwell, John Munro, James De Golia, Philo and Burr Dauchy, Asa Kellogg, Philip Green, Edmund Wait, Wait Palmer, Benajah Moon, Restcome Potter, Arnold Lewis, Samuel Jones, Isaac Fay, Josiah Bartlett, and William Waggoner. Doctor Pixley was an early physiciau in Galway.
IV .- ORGANIZATION.
This town was erected from Balls-Town, March 7, 1792. It then comprised the territory now embraced within the limits of the towns of Galway, Providence, Edinburgh, and the western part of Day. In 1796 Providence was taken from Galway, reducing it to its present dimensions. The name originally given to the place was " New Gallo- way," and it was so called as early as 1785. The name was given by the early settlers, who were Scotch people, and named it in honor of their former home, the shire of Galloway, in Scotland. When the act ercating the town was passed, through error or oversight the name was Hi- bernicized, and the town called " Galway."
The first meeting of the new towu was held in the April succeeding the passage of the act, and John McClelland was elected supervisor and Wait Palmer town clerk. The
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HISTORY OF SARATOGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
record of this meeting was lost, and it is not possible to give any further proceedings. The town-meeting of 1793 was held at the store of Smith & Stillwell, on the 3d of April. The following town officers were elceted, viz .: John McClelland, supervisor ; Eli Smith, town elerk ; Ebenezer Smith, John Munro, Thomas Disbrow, assessors; Lewis Rogers, Asa Kellogg, Joseph Wait, commissioners of high- ways ; Ebenezer Smith, Philip Green, poormasters ; Benajah Moon, Wilson Green, Ahira Smith, constables ; Benajah Moon, Wilson Green, colleetors; Ebenezer Smith, Wait Palmer, William Neal, James Freeman, Judah Chase, Joseph Garrison, fence-viewers and damage-prizers, at four shillings per day ; Barnet Stillwell, poundmaster; and a list of forty-seven pathmasters. By-laws were enacted forbidding unyoked hogs to run on the commons between May 1 and November 1; forbidding rams running at large from September 1 to November I ; forbidding stallions over one year old from running at large; and authorizing the purchase of a copy of the laws of the State. The meeting was adjourned to meet in one year at the barn of David Brown. In 1795 the town-meetings began to be held at the Baptist church, then new, and after 1806 were held sometimes at the Baptist and sometimes at the Presby- terian church, and finally began to be held at the tavern at a somewhat later period.
On the 6th day of April, 1808, a black child (slave) was born at the house of Gershom Potter, in Galway. The fact was recorded the 1st day of January, 1809, by Martin Cook, who was town elerk at that time. There are several entries in the records relating to the vile eurse of slavery, from which our land is now happily freed. In 1813, Abraham Fonda sold a " certain slave," known as " Lun," to John Pettit, and he entered into an agreement to free the said Lun in nine years from that date, and to " deliver to the said Lun," at that time, " two cows and ten sheep of a full middling quality." Lanton Hicks and Ebenezer Fiteh witnessed the signing of the document, and Eli Smith, town clerk, placed it on record April 6, 1813. In pursuance of this article, in the year 1822, Abijah Com- stock and Asa Cornell, who were then overseers of the poor, were called upon to examine Lun, and Kate, his wife, to see if they were of sufficiently ability to provide for and maintain themselves. In issning the necessary certificate they took oeeasion to express their " anxiety to encourage acts of humanity," and their willingness " that all should enjoy the inalienable right of liberty."
Another one of these documents reads as follows, viz. : " Know all men by these Presents, That I, Thaddeus Jewett, purchased from Peter Yates a black woman by the name of Molly, together with her child, a boy by the name of Ilarry. The aforesaid child was born Mareh the 17th, 1813."
And again, July 25, 1815, John Pettit and Abijah Smith, overseers of the poor, certified to the ability of William Reynolds, "a slave to Joseph Pinney," to take care of and inaintain himself.
A special town-meeting was called, and met on the 26th of November, 1795, at the house of Ilaekaliah Foster, to consider the question of dividing the town. A motion to divide it by a line running parallel to and six miles north
of the southern boundary was voted down, and the distance of the dividing line from the southern boundary was finally fixed at seven miles and twenty rods.
A by-law passed in 1802 reads as follows, viz .: “ Be it further enaeted by the said town that there shall be the sum of Twenty Dollars paid in Said Town for the Incor- idging of Killing Wolves ; and thatis if any Person should Kill or Ketch a wolf in said Town they must Deliver the same or a Skelp of the said wolf within thirty-six ours to John McClelland and Adam Swan, Esqs., Who shall be Judge of the same, and Say Whether Such Person is entitled to the above Bounty or not."
The matter of estrays furnished by a perusal of the records affords considerable amusement. Among the animals ad- vertised are the following, viz. : " A Brindle- Cullered Bull- Calf, and a pale-Red Ileffier Calf;" " A black heifer, with a white face two years old, and a black heifer, with a white tuil one year old ;" " A Dun-Coulered Stear ;" " One Yew ;" " A heifer with a loin back ;" "One specled pig ;" " A Pail-Red cow, with a white stripe over her baek, and on her belly a brown faec ;" and " A Read heifer, with a white face one year old, come into possession of John Gilbert about the 1st of October with a erop of the left
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