History of Saratoga County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers., Part 92

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

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 92

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In politics he was formerly a Whig, but united with the Republican party at its organization, and has firmly ad- hered to the principles of the party ever since. He has frequently been solicited to accept the nomination for As- sembly from his distriet, but deelined. He represented his town for several years in the board of supervisors, where his aetive business habits made him a valuable member.

He has been a regular attendant upon the services of the Presbyterian church, and has contributed liberally to its support, but is not a regular member.

At the age of seventy-four years Mr. Mairs is still living, engaged in active business, bearing upon his face the evi- dences of a life well spent and of duty well done, and the consciousness within that he has performed his allotted task on the stage of life with honor to himself and credit to his family. His life is a fitting exemplar to the young of how many and great things can be accomplished by fidelity to duty, honesty of purpose, and stability of character.

Lovisa Stará

Squire Stark

RESIDENCE OF SQUIRE. STARK, EDINBURGH , SARATOGA CO.,NY

EDINBURGH.

I .- GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION.

EDINBURGH is one of the towns in the western tier, and the second from the north. The south half is square in form, the north half triangular. It is bounded north by Day; east by Day, Corinth, and Greenfield; south by Providence ; west by the counties of Fulton and Hamilton. It contains fifteen thousand eight hundred and thirty-seven acres of improved land, twenty-five thousand four hundred and sixty-five of unimproved, and of this last amount fiftceu thousand and sixty-four are woodland. The population in 1875 was fourteen hundred and eighty-one.

The town of Edinburgh contains a part of the patent granted to John Glenn and others; also a part of the Northampton patent granted to John Maee and others; and the entire Livingston patent of four thousand acres granted to Philip Livingston and others, Nov. 8, 1760.

In the revised statutes of the State this town is described and its boundary lines defined as follows :

" The town of EDINBURGH shall contain all that part of said county bounded southerly by Providence, westerly by the bounds of the county, northerly by Day, and easterly by Corinth."

II .- NATURAL FEATURES.

The Sacandaga river enters at the southwest corner of the town, and flows in an irregular northeast course across it. Along the river are flats averaging in width about one mile ; back from these is an elevated plain of varying extent and gradually rising into lofty hills. The Kayadrossera ridge in the south is high, rough, and rocky. The soil is inclined to be light, but is stronger and richer than the lands of the lower valley.

There are no large bodies of water in the town. Johnny- cake lake and one or two other small ponds lie among the hills of the southeast part. The principal streams are Beecher's creek and Batcheller creek.

III .- EARLY SETTLEMENT.

The fertile lands of the Sacandaga valley, covered with a heavy growth of pine-trees of great size and beauty and other forest-trees, attracted carly settlers to the town. It begau to be settled soon after the treaty of peace with England that ended the long struggle for Independence. Of the very earliest pioneers but little can be ascertained. The distance of time vi scures the memory, and the drop- curtain of death shuts down and out the view. The earliest settler of whom any definite information can be gained was Abijah Stark, a nephew of Gen. John Stark, the hero of Bennington. Ele came in 1787 with wagons and horses from Coleraine, Mass., cia Ballston and the Fish Ilouse, and settled on the east side of the Sacandaga river, near the west line of lot 23 of the Northampton patent. At that

time the country was an almost unbroken wilderness; here and there a small clearing or natural opening might be seen, but the face of the country was almost universally covered with the primitive forest. Stark was accompanied by his wife (formerly Elizabeth Newell) and two children. Here he began his labors and carved out a home for himself and his descendants. He sowed his first wheat in the spring of 1788, and it is believed to have been the first wheat raised in this town. He and his family were subjected to all the discomforts and perils of frontier life. At one time a fierce hurricane swept down the valley, laying prostrate everything that stood in its track. His cattle were in the woods, and, unfortunately, in the path of the storm. At night they did not come home, and search was begun. Soon, by the aid of the tinkling bell aud subdued lowing of the cattle, they were discovered penned in among the fallen timber. Axes were brought and the timber cut away till they were reached, when it was discovered that they had entirely escaped injury, and with grateful lowings were soon wending their way homeward. Ile had a family of ten children,-eight sons and two daughters. Three sons and one daughter are still living. Allen N. Stark and Mrs. Olive Wait live in Watertown. Stephen lives in Warren county. Squire married Lovisa Iligley, and lives on the homestead. His family consists of six children, two of them living at home. An old Indian and his squaw lived on the flats about two miles northeast of the Fish House at the time of Stark's settlement, and continued to reside there for some years.

Nathaniel Bass, Jonathan Anderson, Samuel Randall, and Sylvanus Westcot were early settlers in the Stark neighborhood.

James and Amy Partridge moved from Connecticut in 1795, and settled on lot 7 of the Northampton patent. They had uine children : Thomas, Rebecca, Ruanna, Polly, Frederick, August, Roxa, Eunice, and James. James, the youngest child, was born in 1797, and still lives at the age of eighty years, hale and hearty, on the homestead, within a stone's throw of the site of the house in which he was born. He is without doubt the oldest resident of the town, having lived in it for eighty years. His wife was a grand- daughter of Philip Fraker, an early settler of considerable prominence in Day.

Doctor Gaylor, Hezekiah Ranuey, Willard Trowbridge, Jordan Sprague, and William Davis were early settlers in the Partridge neighborhood. Isaac Denning settled very early in the east part of the town, near the Day line. It is said that he built the first grist-mill in town, in 1793. It is certain that it was built before 1800. It stood on the north bank of Beecher's creek, at the river-road crossing, on the present site of the brick mill. It was a small mill,

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HISTORY OF SARATOGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

built of hewed logs. Isaac Deming died in 1816, aged

fifty-eight years.

John and Mehitable Sumner, with their five sons and their families, and five daughters, came into Edinburgh from Ashford, Connecticut, some time previous to 1800. They settled near the road that crosses the river below Batchellerville, on the north side of the river. John, Jr., lived a little farther down the river. Robert, still farther down the stream. Amasa lived about one-third of a mile north of Beecher's Hollow, on the State road. Benjamin lived about half-way between Beecher's Hollow and the Fish House, on the farm now occupied by William Part- ridge. John Sumner built the first saw-mill in the town, about 1800. It was located on Batcheller creek, near the site of Noyes & Early's measure-factory. Robert and Benjamin served in the Revolution ; Benjamin was taken prisoner and conveyed to England in chains. The long confinement and galling fetters produced fever-sores from which he never fully recovered, and which eventually caused his death. He was buried on his farm, and the spot where rest the bones of this unsung hero is unmarked by stick or stone. Robert Sumner was the first supervisor of the town, and served in that capacity for four years. There were five girls in the family. Polly married Jona- than Smith, and lived to reach the age of one hundred years, dying in 1862. Betsey married George Bradford, and lived to the age of ninety-four years. Mehitabel married Willard Trowbridge. Sobrina married a Benson. Percie married James Perry, and died in 1861, aged seventy-nine years. John Summer was a cousin of the father of America's great senator, Hon. Charles Sumner. Solomon Sumner, who lives near Beecher's Hollow, is a relative of John Sumner.

Samuel Cheadle was an early settler in the part of the town west of Beecher's Hollow. LIe married Rhoby Sprague about 1797. This wedding is supposed to have been the first in the town.

Samuel Downing was another settler in the western part of the town, living close to the county line. Ile lived to the great age of one hundred and three years, and died but a year or two since. On his one-hundredth birthday he shouldered his axe, marched to the woods, and felled a tree in honor of the occasion. A large erowd had gathered to witness the event, and the tree was quickly split up into walking-sticks and carried away for mementos.

John and Betsey Ilill came from Saratoga to Edinburgh in 1801, and settled northwest of Beecher's Hollow. They had five children, Elizabeth, William, Phoebe, Asa, and Imcy. Phobe, wife of John Akley, is still living in Edinburgh, near Beecher's Hollow.

Other early settlers in this western part of the town were Abel Brown, Charles and John Rhodes, John Hamil- ton, George and Oliver Edmonds, John Cook, and Timothy Miller.

Ely Beecher was one of the most prominent individuals in the affairs of this town during its early existence. lle was a young man, connected with John Fay in a store at the Fish House, or, more properly, Northampton. He mar- ried there Diadama, a daughter of Sylvanus Westcot, and moved to Beecher's Hollow about 1802. He bought the

Isaac Denning grist-mill, and built a store a little northwest of the present store occupied by T. D. Yates. IIe was a very stirring, energetic, and clear headed business man, and his ventures were generally well planned and sueeessful. He also purchased the Ellithorp distillery, which stood on the site now occupied by Cameron's tannery. In 1808 he owned the first carding-mill. This was afterwards, in 1817, replaced by a larger one, but the business declined, the machinery was disposed of, and the building is now used as a cabinet-shop. In 1827 he built the present brick grist-mill on the site of the old one. In 1825 he built the present store. He was quite prominent in town politics, and was supervisor seventeen years, and served in several other offices. His family consisted of eleven children, all of whom are numbered with the dead. He has but three living descendants bearing his name. George and Emma Beecher, his grandchildren by his son Callender, live in Saratoga Springs, and Emily Beecher, daughter of Ely T. Beecher, lives in Northville, Fulton Co. Beecher's creek and Beecher's Hollow were named after this pioneer, and perpetuate his name and fame. He died in 1865, at the age of eighty-eight, full of years, honored and respected by his fellow-townsmen.

James Goodwin was one of the first settlers at Beecher's Hollow. He lived where Leman Partridge now does, was justice of the peace for many years, kept an inn at an early day, was prominent in church and town matters, and re- spected by all. Israel Woodford was the first town clerk, lived a little south of Goodwin's, and moved to Onondaga county about 1812.

Anson Fowler kept an early store, lived on the river- road near Beecher's Hollow, and removed to the west.

Samuel Stinson lived near the present hotel at Beecher's Hollow, and had the first blacksmith-shop in town, about 1800. He afterwards removed to Galway, and died there in IS23, aged eighty-four. Several of his grandchildren are living in Day, and Mrs. Susan Copeland, living in this town, is a grandehild.

Daniel Washburn, Asahel Trumbull, Ezekiel Harris, Joseph Olmstead, and Guy D. Culver were carly residents near Beecher's Hollow.

Benjamin Akley came from Coxsackie to Edinburgh in 1801. Settled about one mile southwest of Beecher's Hollow, on the river-road, in about the centre of the Livingston patent. Of his seven children, two sons are now living, Ananias, in Stony Creek, Warren Co., and John on the homestead. He is a well-preserved old gentle- man of eighty-six years, who superintends the work of the farm, and even turns in and works, when circumstances re- quire, with remarkable strength and vigor for one of his age. To his active mind and retentive memory we are in- debted for many important facts in this history.

Azariah Ellithorp and his wife, Elizabeth, removed from Guilford, Vt., in sleighs, and arrived in Edinburgh in the month of February, 1802. They settled on lot 10 of the larger Livingston patent, on the farm now occupied by his son Solomon. Their family was made up of five boys and three girls. Two of these children are living, Azariah, aged eighty-seven, and Solomon, aged seventy-eight, both in Edinburgh. Solomon has served four times as supervisor,

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HISTORY OF SARATOGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

and was a member of Assembly in 1824. Peter Van Vleck came to Edinburgh from Schenectady in 1800 or 1801. Ile settled on the river-road, pretty well towards the present line of Day. While living here the first religious meetings in the neighborhood were held in his barn. In 1807 he moved to the Samuel Rogers place at Day Centre.

Jonathan Smith, Sampson Ilosley, Aaron Van Patten, Hudson Benson, and Philander Hewitt were early settlers along the river-road northeast from Beecher's Hollow.

John Gordon, a native of Hesse, in Germany, was im- pressed into the army, and with his fellow-soldiers hired out to the British government to fight the battles of the Revolutionary war. He was placed in Colonel Baum's command and marched against Bennington. He was among the prisoners captured by the American forces, and soon after joined the American army, and fought with them through the war. At the elose of the Revolution he mar- ried Susan Whitman, in Massachusetts, and removed to Henniker, N. H., where he lived till, in 1804, he came to " York State," and settled in Edinburgh on the south side of the river, on lot 4 of the larger Livingston patent. His children were named Mary, John, Elizabeth, Daniel, Zach- ariah, Susan, Edward W., Thomas, Andrew, Hollis, and Sally. None of these are now living in this town. Ed- ward W. married Abigail Wight about 1816, and had nine children. Of these John, Alvah, Daniel Y., and Sally A. live in Edinburgh. Daniel Y. lives on the old homestead.

Isaac Noyes, with his wife, Sarah, and seven children, settled in Edinburgh in 1807, near Batchellerville. He was a farmer, and bought the Sumner saw-mill. Soon af- terwards he sold a half-interest to Ambrose Batcheller. Ile also owned a grist-mill that stood a little farther down the creek. He was very prominent in church matters, and the success of the Congregational or Presbyterian church was largely due to his untiring efforts and unselfish devo- tion. He died Sept. 6, 1826, aged sixty-one years. His wife survived him, and died in June, 1847, in her eightieth year. Their family were named respectively Levi, Isaac, Henry, Jane, Enoch, Sarah, and Percy G. Of these Levi lives in Broome county, at the advanced age of eighty-five. Isaac lives on the homestead near Batchellerville, and is a worthy successor of his esteemed father. He served as supervisor five terms. Jane Noyes lives in Batchellerville ; Percy G., in Edinburgh ; Joel lives in Illinois ; Hon. Isaac Noyes, Jr., who served as member of Assembly in 1875-76 and 1876-77, lives at Batchellerville, and is engaged in manufacturing measures and barrel-covers, in connection with his brother-in-law, Stewart Early. He has served as supervisor.

Patrick Cain was an early settler about one mile south of Batchellerville, on the river-road.

Elias and Mary Manning settled in Milton in 1793. They removed to Edinburgh in 1808, and settled near the county line west of Beecher's Hollow. Elias Manning was a carpenter, and noted for his skill in handling the broad- axe. He helped to hew the timber for the Fish House bridge, and the smooth timbers bear testimony to his careful work- manship. He removed to Broadalbin after living here a few years. Two of his sons-Samuel and Melzor-live in Edinburgh, at Batchellerville.

One of the oldest citizens of the town is Mr. Samuel Snow, now over eighty-eight years old. He came to Edin- burgh in 1815. His children are living in the town.

The Batcheller family have contributed largely to the interests of the town. They started and for many years have carried on the business that created the village which bears their name. Ambrose and Sally Bateheller came from Vermont in 1808, and settled about a mile from Batchel- lerville on the south side of the river. They began farming, and Ambrose purchased one-half of the mill-property of Deacon Isaac Noyes and engaged in the manufacture of wooden-ware. They had five children,-Sherman, Samuel, Lucy, Sally, and Rensselaer. Sherman and Lucy are dead. Samuel and Rensselaer live at Batchellerville, and Mrs. Sally Shiles lives in Hamilton county.

Sherman Batcheller left two children. IIelen M. Conk- ling lives in Saratoga Springs. George S. graduated at Yale College, and began the practice of the law. In 1862 he was commissioned lieutenant-colonel of the 115th Reg- iment New York Volunteers, and went with them to the front. Ile was afterwards appointed inspector-general of this State, and served in that position for some time. Sub- sequently he went to Egypt, and is now a judge in the Khedive's court.

Samuel has three children. Hiland G. is a lawyer in New York ; Ada T., wife of Hon. Isaac Noyes, Jr., and Marion A., wife of Stewart Early, reside in Batchellerville.

Rensselaer has three children. John and Albert live in the town of Day. Oliver Il. was a student at the United States Naval Academy, at Annapolis, Md., at the time of the breaking out of the Rebellion. He was graduated soon after with the rank of midshipman, and placed on board one of the ships of the fleet that sailed against Mobile, Ala. He participated in that action, and afterwards in the fight at Port Hudson. He was there on board the ill-fated " Missis- sippi," which ran aground in point-blank range of the rebel batteries, and had to be abandoned. Midshipman Bateli- eller was detailed to fire the vessel, and was the last man except the captain to leave its deck. He passed through the battle uninjured, and was promoted for meritorious ser- vices. He is now lieutenant-commander in the United States navy, and is stationed at the Charlestown navy-yard, near Boston, Mass.

The Batcheller family came originally from West Brook- field, Mass.

Anthon De Golia came to this section from Steuben county. He lived in Edinburgh, then in Northville, and finally settled about one and a half miles south of Batch- ellerville, on lot 21 of the Northampton patent, in 1837. Ile was a carpenter, and worked at his trade in addition to attending to his farm. There were nine children. Mrs. Samuel Batcheller, Mrs. Thomas Wren, Mrs. Tabor, and Lucien De Golia are the only ones residing in Edinburgh. Henry M. and Jane B. Torrey came from Vermont in 1827, and settled in the Gordon neighborhood. They had six children. Silas HI., David A., and Emily, wife of E. D. Ellithorp, are still living in Edinburgh. Silas has served as supervisor for three years, and was chairman of the com- mittee appointed to examine and report on the books and accounts of Mann, the defaulting county treasurer.

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HISTORY OF SARATOGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

Among the early settlers in the Gordon neighborhood were Justus Olmstead, Abraham B. Walker, Jacob and James Armstrong, Joseph King, and Daniel Deming.

In the north and northwest part of the town Joseph Corey, David Cole, John Greenfield, Thomas Grimes, and John Kinnicut were early settlers.

Other early settlers whose residences are unknown, but all of whom resided in the town previous to 1805, and most of them as early as 1802, were Thurston Wells, Ephraim Potter, Joshua Wells, Jonathan Townsend, Elisha Mix, William Feller (all previous to 1801), James Cooper, Jacob Groat, Ebenezer Getchell (previous to 1802), Amos Cook, Dr. George Benham, Samuel Darance, Stephen Walker, Jesse Worden, Job King, Andrew Petty, Moses Crane, Jacobus Filkins, Ezra Bartlett, Jesse Barker, and a man named Parmenter, who was carried off by the Indians.

The first woolen-mill or clothiery was built by Palmer Monroe, in 1808. It was located near the foot of Beecher's Hollow. In 1821 it was sold to Isaae Brewster. Martin HI. Butler afterwards purchased it. It is still standing, and is used by Chester D. Butler as a machine-shop.

The first tannery was built in Beecher's Hollow, in 1825, by Lyons & Prindle. It passed through many hands, and is now owned by George F. Cameron. Tanning, currying, and shoemaking are carried on there now.

Arad Copeland built a carriage- and blacksmith-shop at Beecher's Hollow in 1870.

The first bridge across the Saeandaga river, in Saratoga County, was built in the fall of 1801 and the winter fol- lowing. It was about two miles below the Fish House, was built of hewed timber, in three spans, and was between two and three hundred feet long. Robert Sumner, Daniel Washburn, Jr., and Jordan Sprague were the building committee, and their bills were audited by James Goodwin and Willard Trowbridge. This bridge was destroyed, and in July, 1827, a floating bridge, built of logs and plank, and chained to the bank at either end, was built, at an expense of $150. It was built where the present bridge stands. Azariah Ellithorp, Samuel Noyes, and Ely Beecher were the committee in charge of the work. In 1844 the bridge was built as it at present stands.

Daniel Washburn and Ely Davis went with their teams, and carried soldiers of 1812 to Waterford, which was the place of rendezvous for this section.

The first distillery was built by Azariah Ellithorp, in 1801, on the present site of Cameron's tannery. It was sold to Ely Beecher, within a few years of its erection.

Dr. Edson was an early physician in the Washburn neighborhood.

IV .- ORGANIZATION.

This town, the third in the county in extent of surface, was originally a part of the town of Providence. In the spring of 1801, on the 13th day of March, it was erected into a separate township, and was called " Northfield." How this name came to be conferred is not known, but it was a very appropriate name for the broad fields of the Saeandaga valley, that lay stretching away to the north from the more thickly settled part of the town of which it had been a part. In 1808, however, it was decided to

change the name, because of another township having pre- vionsly adopted it, and an informal meeting was called at the residence of Esquire James Goodwin to deeide upon its future appellation. Two stories are told as to the de- rivation of its present name. One is that Mrs. Goodwin agreed to brew a mug of steaming flip for the company if she could have the privilege of naming the town ; that her offer was accepted, and that she called it Edinburgh. The other is that George Bradford, a Scotchman who lived in Hadley, wished it to be called after the capital of his native land. At any rate, whichever be true, it is certain that " Edinburgh" was the name chosen, and that the new town was christened with the beverage prepared by the housewife's skillful hands.

Upon the passage of the act erecting the town, an elec- tion was called to choose officers and transact the necessary town business. It was held at the house of Esquire James Goodwin. Following is a copy of the record of the pro- ceedings of the first meeting :

" At a meeting of the inhabitants of the town of North- field, assembled for the purpose of choosing town officers, at the dwelling-house of Esquire James Goodwin, elected Israel Woodford town elerk for the year ensuing.

" Robert Sumner, supervisor.

" Willard Trowbridge, Jordan Sprague, Jonathan Smith, assessors.

" Thurston Wells, Sampson Hosley, Ephraim Potter, commissioners of highways.

" Daniel Washburn, Jr., John Sumner, overseers of the poor.

" Jordan Sprague, collector of the town tax.

" Jordan Sprague, Abel Brown, constables.

" Daniel Washburn, Jr., Charles Rhodes, Joshua Wells, David Cole, Jonathan Townsend, John Hamilton, Arba Perry, Samuel Rogers, James Andrus, Reuben Cornwell, Nathaniel Bass, overseers of highways.

" Esquire James Goodwin, Elisha Mix, Daniel Wash- burn, Jr., fenee-viewers and damage-prizers.

" William Fellow, Isaac Deming, pound-keepers.

" Legally voted to raise fifty dollars for the support of the poor.

" Also voted that hogs shall run at large.

" Likewise that the next annual town-meeting is to be held at the dwelling-house of Esquire James Goodwin.

" ISRAEL WOODFORD, Clerk.

" NORTHFIELD, April 7, 1801."

The following items of interest are from the records of the town :

In 1802 it was decided that hogs might run at large, but it specified that they should wear " a good and sufficient yoal."

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History of Saratoga County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers., Part 92

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