USA > New York > Seneca County > History of Seneca Co., New York, with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, palatial residences, public building and important manufactories > Part 13
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PLATE
HOLY CROSS "CATHOLIC CHURCH, OVID, SENECA COUNTY, N. Y.
THE PASTORAL RESIDENCE, OVID, SENECA CO., N. Y.
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The Richmond Aqueduct.
J. C. Lauss
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... .... . .. .. ....
PLATE LXVII.
BARBARA BROWN.
AARON BROWN.
RES. OF AARON BROWN, ROMULUS. SENECA Co., N. Y.
PLATE LXVI
HON. SILAS HALSEY.
SILAS HALSEY was born in Southampton, Long Island, October 6, 1743 (old style). He manifested a desire for the study of medi- cine at an early age, and pursued e course of study in Elizabeth- town, New Jersey. In 1764 he returned to his native county, where he remained en honored disciple of Esonlapine until 1776, when, in nonsequence of his patriotio proclivities, he was compelled to leave his home and seek a home in the wilds of Connectiont, where he remained for a period of three years. He resided in Killingworth, Conn., in destitute oiroumstances, supporting bis young and helpless family by great personel exertion end toil, while his former comfortable home was occupied by British officers and aoldiere, who ruined the buildings and laid waste its pleasant surroundings. In 1778 his wife died, leaving him with a family of four small children. In the following year, through the clem- enny of that noble-hearted British officer, General Erskine, he was permitted to return to his desolato and dilapidated homestead in Southampton, where he resumed his medical practice. He served Be Sheriff of the County and in many other official capacities until the year 1792. In April of that year he left his native nounty to seek a home in the country of the Senecas. Arriving some time in the month of May, he ereoted a osbin in the town of Ovid (now Lodi), at Cooley'e Point (Lodi Landing), then in the County of Herkl-
JUDGE SILAS HALSEY.
mer. After sowing eix sores of wheat, and planting & nursery with abont a quart of apple seeds, obtained from an oconpant of the old Indian Orchard at Cooley's Point, he returned, and in the following year came with his family to their wilderness home, far from the buey scenes and haunte of men. He soon took prom- inent rank among the pioneers, and was elected Member of Assem- bly, in which capacity he served eight successive years. He was Member of Congress during the administration of President Jeffer- son, and afterward a member of the State Senate. He was e delegato to the Convention for the revision of the Constitution in 1801, and served in many minor official capacities, anch as Justice of the Peaoe, Supervisor, County Clerk, etc., and was Judge of the County Courte in Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca. His publio employment embraced a period of nearly forty years. Few men, in that carly -day, filled a larger space in the public eye, and fow have left to succeeding generetione a richer example of industry, integrity, and patriotiem.
Death laid his pallid hand upon the strong man, and on the 19th day of November, 1832, he passed away, in the ninetieth yoar of his oge.
The boast of heraldry, the pomp of power, And all that besoty, all that wasith e'er gave, Await alike the inevitable honr; The poths of glory lead but to the grave.
HON. JAMES DOMOTT.
Tar enbject of this eketch ie well identified with the early settlement of Seneca Connty. In fact, a complete history of the County cannot be written withont associating therewith the name of Mr. DeMott. Oo hla paternal elde, as the name indicates, his family is of French extraction, and has been traced by some of the came to the Haguenote. His ancestors, on the maternal elde, immigrated from Holland during the latter part of the six- tecoth century. Among the heirlooms of this event is ao old chest, at least one hundred and eighty-five years old.
Abraham DeMott, the father of James, was born in Somerset County, N. J., March 8, 1751. He married Hannah Van Dorn, his second wife, April 25, 1784. By his Brat wife be had one child -- a daughter ; and by his second wife he had seven children, all living to a good old age except the twin brother of James, who died in childhood. James, the eldest of the sur- viving children by his last wife, was born in Readingtoo, Somerset County, N. J., Jnoe 17, 1786. In the fall of 1779, Oen, Sallivaa successfally com- pleted his campaigu agalast the " Six Nationsof Iadisas," and it is a mom- orable fact that, owing to this more than to any other one eveat, ao early Impetus was given to settle in what was theo called the "Lake Country.', Soldiers rotaruiag to their homes lo the several States, catried with them favorable reports, both of the beauty sod fertility of the conntry through which they had pasrod. Here and there, afterward, one could be found who had retatued and settled somewhere along their old line of march. Oa the 30th of June, 1793, Abraham DeMott and family, with euch stock as could be driven, left Readlagton, N. J., to seek a new home in the wilderness. Thla journey was along Sullivan's lige of march, via Easton, Wyoming, Newton, and the head of Seneca Lake. They arrived at Baileytown (Wil- lard), carly on Sunday morning, just three weeks and four days from tho time of starting. At this time James was seven years old, and asnieted in driving the stock from the head of the lake down to the leading where the family had stopped. For a few months Abraham located temporarily oo Lot 26, in the present town of Lodi, near what afterwards became the home- stead of the late Nicholas Gulick, a Revolutionary soldier, sad also an early estiler. Io a short time, however, he made choice of the northwest corner of Lot No. 9, in the prescot towo of Ovid, contalaing about one hundred and fifty acres of land. Here he resided till the time of his death, which ocenrred on January D, 1834. James was the only one of the sous who made agrioniture a life pursuit. Early impressed with the necessity of an education, to be useful in society, the meagre school advantages of thone days compelled him, ont of necasalty, to depend mainly opon porsonal effort and perseveranco. Endowed with a well-developed, logical mind, and a remarkable memory, hin few advantages in commoa school were turned to good eccoont. Often, when the enjoyment of candle-light was not conve- nient, ho could be seen prostrate before the large dreplace, in the old log honse, eagerly taklag his larsona by the light of a wood dre. It was a trite axiom of a worthy mother, whose courage in adversity never flagged, that
JUDGE JAMES DE MOTT.
"where there is a wlil there is always a way." This was early impressed upon his youthful mind, and proved a healthful stimnlos to persevere in every landable undertaking. Oa atrivlag at his majority ho bad acquired a good common English educatibo, cod bad but few equals in arithmetic sod English grammar. December 16, 1810, he wes married to Alice Hogarth, and oontioned on the farm with his father. Io the wor of 1812 he went oot as lientenant nader Capt. Sutphen to the northern frontier, for which service he wes receiving a pension at the time of his death. In the fall of 1824 he wes elected to the State Legislature on what wes then called the Clintonian ticket. This was under the second Constitution, when Seneca County ment two members. Daniel Rhond was his colleague. He served with such men as Dr. Faulkner, of Livingston, Jodge Bowen Whitlog, of Ontario, and Tharlow Weed, of Monroe. His record as s legislator wes all
that his constituency could desire. Honest and faithful to his truet, he left the legislative hall respected and hooored by his peers. At one time he was actiog Judge of the Court of Common Plena. Naturally, he possessed a legal turn of mind, that was admirably developed, on more than one oc- casion, in his clear and consistent charge to the jury. In 1827 he wes elected a Justice of the Peace in the town of Ovid, and again in 1849. His decisions wero generally considered @oal. Io 1830 he was elected Supervisor, and also re-elected to the satue office in 1845-47. As remarked above, Judge DeMott possessed a legal ture of mind, and it was not uafre- quently the case, io matters of reference, that he was called as counsel. When catisdied (ea he generally would be before he ected) of the justice of bis canse, he never hesitated to measure arma with the moet able counsel, and they found in him "a foersan worthy of their steel." Io argument he Was clear, logical, cad impressively original in style of delivery. It has been aptly said that he was botn a thinker and reasoder, with clear and independent views of mno and eveata. la politica he started out in an early day a Jeffersonian Democrat, and osually acted with that party, ontil Jackson vetoed the United States Bank. Since that time he bas generally beco ia opposition to the Democratic party, and no: wafrequently assuming en independence above all parties. He would often decisim in anmeas- urod terms, with profound disgust, against the prevailing political corrup- tions of the day. Judge DeMott wss a man of medium size, and possessed of a good constitution. With the exception of a sis ysara' residence in Michigan, most of his life was apoat oo the old homestead farm, the greater part of which he purchased upon his return from the West, io 1842. He had been a worthy member of the Methodist Church about forty-three yours previous to his death. He has been married three times. Living alone at an advanced age, without a home or e child to dopead on during his declining years, he wisely concluded upon a third wife, the widow of the late Dr. Peter Covert, a proper companiou for one of his age. He lived, however, only one year and a half from his last marriage. It is gratifying to know that he dually fell to bis owo home, with plesaant sorroundings, where he was well cared for. His ability, honesty, and purity of life are well conceded by all who kaow him. During the lost few years of blu life, although his haaring and vision were considerably blonted by the touch of time, his'memory-a faculty that had always been a remarkable charac- teristic in his Life-remained unimpaired to the last, mod was a source of interest nad gretidcation to numerous friends, who availed themselves of his society as long as he lived. He was able to recount dates and eveots, not only lo the history of ble owa County, but of the State and nation, with enrprising accuracy. A few years aloca, when a brief history of the sev- oral towas in his County was being compiled, the work came to a polot where it could not be successfully completed without depending upon the memory of Judge DeMott. Two eatire ovealugu were spent by the writer at his hoose in listening to an Interesting recital of events that was psoned and poblished os delivered from his lips. He died on the 18th of February, 1676, in the eighty-ninth your of his age.
41
HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
adopted, by a convention of delegates, a State Constitution. A first session was attempted at Kingston, September 1, 1777, and dispersed by an approach of the British. A session was held in 1778, at Poughkeepsie, and annually continued thereafter. Features of the Constitution were obnoxious to the people, since it was framed after the provisions of arbitrary power, and changes were necessary as their inutility became apparent. A General Organization Act was passed by the Legislature on March 7, 1788, at which date the whole State was divided into fourteco counties, and thesc again subdivided into towns. New divisions were made io 1801, making thirty counties and two hundred and eighty-six towns. The Legislature passed an Act, in 1820, recommending a convention of the people to frame a new Constitution. A vote was had in April, 1821, which resulted in a majority of 73,445 for the Convention, which assembled in Albany, August 28, concluded its labors, and adjourned November 28, 1821. The new Constitution was adopted at an election held in February, 1822. The notable changes were relative to a council of revision and appointment and elective franchise. The Council of Revision, assuming to act as a third legisla- tive body, contrary to the Constitution, was abolished by unanimous consent, by reason of the personal and partisan character of its appointments. The powers of both remaining Councils were modified and restricted. Elective franchise was extended, and many offices, till then vested in the Governor, were made elective. The State Legislature is composed of a Senate and Assembly. Silas Halsey, a Seneca pioneer of 1793, was elected Member of Assembly for Cayuga County, annually, from 1800 to 1804, and on the erection of Seneca, March 29, 1804, was appointed the first Clerk of that Connty, and a few days later was elected Member of the Ninth Congress, from the Seventeenth Congressional District of the State. In 1823, the State contained eight Senatorial Districts, the seventh of which was composed of Cayuga, Seneca, Onondaga, Ontario, Wayne, and Yates. State Senators from Seneca: from 1817 to 1820, John Knox; 1820 to 1826, Jesse Clark ; term of office, two years. Jehiel H. Halsey served from 1832 to 1835 inelusive, and John Maynard from 1838 to 1841. Under the Constitution of 1846, Seneca, Tompkins, and Yates comprised the Twenty-fifth District, represented from Seneca, between 1850 and 1852, by Henry B. Stanton. Again, by Act of April 13, 1857, Seneca, Yates, and Ontario were made to comprise the Twenty-sixth Senatorial District, represented by Truman Board- man, of Seneca, from 1858 to 1860; Thomas Hillhouse, of Ontario, from 1860 to 1862 ; Charles J. Folger, for several terms; A. V. Harpending, from 1870 to 1872; and William Johnson, of Seneca, from 1872 to 1876. The present Senator is Stephen H. Hammond, of Ontario. Under the Act of June 29, 1822, Yates, Ontario, Seneca, and Wayne comprised the Twenty-sixth Congres- sional District, and the Representatives from Seneca County have been Robert S. Rose, of Fayette, from 1823 to 1827 ; John Maynard,1827 to 1829; Jehial H. Halsey, 1829 to 1831. Then Rose again in 1830 and 1831, followed by Samuel Clark and Samuel Birdsall, of Waterloo, John Maynard, of Seneca Falls, John De Mott, of Lodi, William A. Sackett, Jacob P. Chamberlain, Theodore Pomeroy (several terms), of Seneca Falls, John E. Seely; and the district is now represented hy Clinton D. MeDougal, of Cayuga.
As a convenient reference in connection with the political record of the County, we supply the lists of Members of Assembly and County officers from the organi- zation of the County to the present time. Districts are apportioned once every ten years, after taking the State census, and it will be seen that from 1815 to 1819 Seneca was cutitled to three members, and from 1819 to 1837 to two mem- bers. Beginning in 1805, each incumbent or set of incumbents held one year ; the dates of service of single members are readily perceived, without being noted here.
Members of Assembly .- John Sayre, Cornelius Humphrey, two terms ; John Sayre, James McCall, Oliver C. Comstock, Robert S. Rose, O. C. Comstock, James McCall, two terms, and David Woodcock. These names hring us to 1816. For 1816, Nichol Halsey, Jacob L. Larzelere, and William Thompson ; for 1817, J. L. Larzelere, William Thompson, and Myndert M. Dox ; for 1818, W. Thomp- son and John Sutton ; for 1819, W. Thompson aud Ananias Wells; for 1820, Thomas Armstrong and Robert S. Rose; for 1821, R. S. Rose aod W. Thomp- son ; for 1822, James Dickson and John Maynard ; for 1823, Jonas Seely and A. Wells; for 1824, J. Scely and Erastus Woodworth ; for 1825, James De Witt and Daniel Rhoad ; for 1826, Benjamin Hendricks and David Scott ; for 1827, D. Rhoad and D. Scott; for 1828, Andrew Glover and E. Woodworth ; 1829, Daniel W. Bostwick, Septimus Evans, and D. Scott; for 1830, Samuel Blain and Septimus Evans; for 1831, John Sayre and Benjamin Woodruff; for 1832, Reuben D. Dodge and E. Woodworth ; for 1833, R. D. Dodge and John De Mott; for 1834, Peter Bockhoven and John D. Coe; for 1835, Caleb Barnum and J. D. Coe; for 1836, Henry Simpson and John G. Tubbs. In 1837, and annually thereafter, one Assemblyman came to the office : John F. Bigelow, Na- than Wakeman, Gardner Wells, Orange W. Wilkinson, Daniel Ilolman, William
C. Kelley, Matthew West, Helim Sutton, Robert L. Stevenson, Alanison Wood- worth, Ansel Bascom, John Kennedy, Jacob G. Markell, Alfred Bolter, Orrin Southwick, Robert R. Stecle, Sterling G. Hadley, David D. Scott, Daniel S. Kendig, James B. Thomas, Benson Owen, Augustus Woodworth, Jacob P. Chamberlain, John C. Hall, William Johnson, Peter J. Van Vleet, James Mc- Lean, W. T. Johnson, George B. Daniels, Lewis Post, Samuel R. Welles, David D. Lefler, Josiah T. Miller, Robert B. Steele, Sauford R. Ten Eyck, Peter Lott, William W. Van De Mark, William C. Hazleton, William Hogan, and Lewis Post, of Lodi, in 1876.
The Board of Supervisors of a county mects annually at the county seat to canvass the votes of county and State officers. It has power to appoint road com- missioners, plank road inspectors, and fix salaries of judges and school com- missioner (above $800 allowed by law), to fix day for town meetings, which must be the same through the county, repair buildings, audit accounts, levy taxes, alter existing or erect from them new towns, and change locations of the county seat, besides other powers and duties tending to the destruction of obnoxious ani- inals and the preservation of fish and game.
Of County Offices and Officers .- Under the first Constitution the State election of officers was limited to Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, Senator, Assemblyman, Town Clerk, Assessor, Supervisor, Constable, Collector, and others. Judges of the Court of Common Pleas were appointed from 1777 to 1822 by a Council of appointment at Albany, and from 1822 to 1846 by the Governor and Senate. Term of office, five years. Prior to 1846 four judges, one of whom was desig- nated as First Judge, were appointed in each county. Under the first and second Constitutions there were no Circuit Judges resident of Seneca County. John Maynard, elected in 1847, and Addison T. Knox, in 1859, both died in office. County courts are held by the County Judge, assisted by two Justices of the Peace, annually elected for that purpose. The courts have jurisdiction in cases of trespass, personal injury, replevin suits, foreclosure of mortgages, sale of real estate of minors, partition of lands, and charge of the insane and drunkards. The following is a list of Seneca County Judges : In 1804 Cornelius Humphrey was appointed, and after him were Benjamin Pelton, in 1809; Oliver C. Comstock, 1812; John Knox, 1815; John McLean, Jr., 1818; Luther F. Stevens, 1823, and Jesse Clark, in 1833. The office became elective in 1846, and James K. Richardson was elected in 1847, John E. Scely in 1851, Sterling G. Hadley in 1855, George Franklin in 1859, Josiah T. Miller iu 1863, Franklin again in 1867, and Gilbert Wilcoxen in 1871. Prior to 1847 a Surrogate was appointed, and the following persons served : In 1804, Jared Sanford; in 181], John Sayre; in 1813, J. Sanford; in 1815, William Thompson ; in 1819, Luther F. Stevens ; in 1821, W. Thompson; in 1827, Samuel Birdsall; in 1837, J. H. Halsey, and in 1843, John Morgan. The office, in 1847, became elective, and in counties having a population of less than forty thousand, merged with the duties of the County Judge. Courts are held by Justices of the Peace, whose jurisdiction, in civil cases, cannot exceed $200 valuc. Fines to the amount of $50 may be imposed, and six months' imprisonment in the county jail inflicted. The District Attorney is the official prosecutor in County criminal cases, and has charge of all suits made in the interest of the County. The officer was appointed by the General Sessions prior to 1846; since then elected for a term of four years. The County Clerks are the custodians of the County records, clerks of Courts of Record, and, since 1846. perform the duties of Clerk in the Supreme Court for the County. Elective, and serve a term of three years. The Sheriff is a peace officer, charged with the execution of court orders; has charge of jail and prisoners ; gives bonds for faithful service; is ineligible to the office for three years following the expiration of his term. Under the Constitution of 1777, Sheriffs were annually appointed by the Governor and Council, and limited to four years. They have been elected since 1822; term, three years. The County elects four Coroners, one each year. Their duty is to attend, when notified, at a place where a dead body is found, summon a jury, examine witnesses, and make a written report to County Clerk. The County Treasurer receives tax, pays orders issued hy Supervisors, aud accounts to State Comptroller for moneys due the State treasury. The office is elective, and the term is three years. A vacancy is filled by appointment of Supervisors until January following the next general election. Superintendents of the Poor take charge of poor-houses and of the poor. Formerly each town supported its own poor, and when a pauper strayed away, he was sent town by town back to his proper residence. On November 27, 1824, County poor-houses were established, and located on farms which were to be worked by the paupers as far as practicable. The office of County Super- intendent of Common Schools was created in 1843 and abolished in 1847, and a School Commissioner, one for cach Assembly District, elected in place. The officer examines and licenses teachers, visits schools, apportions public funds, and reports to the Superintendent of Public Instruction. Cities and villages have special laws, and are more or less exempt from the jurisdiction of the Commis-
42
HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
sioner. Plank-road inspectors are appointed in counties having plank-roads, and are intended to protect the public from paying toll upon roads not properly kept in repair.
A reference to old files of newspapers reveals the fact that a degree of modera- tion prevails at present compared with the severity and excitement of early-day political campaigns. Upon the adoption of the Constitution of the United States, the question of what powers should be delegated to the federal government created a division of sentiment, and parties were formed bearing the names of Republican and Federal. The former desired to restrict, and the latter to enlarge, national prerogatives. Among leading men of the Federal party, from the organization of the County till the close of the war of 1812, were Colonel Myn- derse, Garey V. Sackett, Luther F. Stevens, William Bruce, Pontius Hooper. Lewis Birdsall, and Silas Halsey. Of the Republicans were Jonathan Metcalf, Jedediah Sayre, Israel W. Squier, Henry Moses,-a former Sheriff, and still living, at the age of over ninety years,-Jacob L. Larzelere, and Alphens A. Baldwin. The project of constructing the Erie Canal, begun in 1817 and com- pleted in 1825, created a division of sentiment as to the feasibility of the work. A party who saw in the canal a great work of internal improvement, heartily supported the measures for building, and were termed Clintonians. Another party, who looked upon the undertaking as chimerical, strongly opposed the " tax for the big ditch," and took the name " Bucktails." The press and politi- cians were decided in expression, and party spirit ran high and furnished a school of instruction for ambitious citizens.
A diversion was created in the summer of 1826 by the " Morgan Excitement." In brief, one William Morgan, of Batavia, began a work exposing the scerets of Freemasonry, to be published by David C. Miller. Various efforts were made to suppress the manuscript, and finally Morgan was abdneted, driven towards Rochester, and disappeared. Belief in a strong oath-bound society containing citizens of high civil rank, and exercising the powers of life and death, created apprehension, and caused the organization of an Anti-Masonie party throughout the State. The press of Seneca was active, the feeling was strong, members of the order seceded, and the society temporarily disappeared. Later, came the questiona of tariff and currency. At a Whig meeting, held on March 4, 1838, at Ovid, Daniel Scott was President, A. B. Dunlap and Peter Himrod, Secretaries. The meeting complained of the evils of currency, and the danger of new doctrines and scheming politicians. A resolution was conched in this language : " Govern- ment currency is the currency of slaves, and to usurp the prerogative of the people by snatching away this part of their sovereignty-the true basis of mutual confidence-is a leading step to despotism. The Sub-treasury bill is fraught with ruin to the conatry, and the tragie death of a member of Congress is a sub- ject of alarm : " reference heing made to the death of Jonathan Cilley, of Maine, in a duel with Colonel Webb, of the New York Courier and Enquirer. The Whig party was derived from the Anti-Masonic party, and numbered, among its leaders in Seneca, the well-known names of Garey V. Sackett, John Maynard, Ansel Baacom, Benson Owen, William Knox, J. K. Richardson, Orrin South- wick, John E. Seely, John B. Bliss, and Nestor Woodworth. This latest-named gentleman joined what was called the Frec-Soil party, and was Chairman in the first convention of the party held in the County. The Masonic resolved itself into the Democratic party, and knew such memhers as George B. Daniels, Samuel Birdsall, William Clark, S. G. Hadley, Charles Sentell, John De Mott J. H. Halsey, Robert R. Steele, and Halsey Sanford. On the election of Lin- coln, Hadley joined, and has since continued with, the Republican party. The Native American party, about 1855, fonnd advocates in the persons of Gilbert Wilcoxen and John B. Murray ; the former a leading Democrat, and the latter Republican, at this time. J. K. Richardson took part in the recent Liberal movement headed by Horace Greeley, of the New York Tribune.
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