USA > New York > Warren County > History of Warren County [N.Y.] with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 48
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41I
PATENT AND TOWN OF QUEENSBURY.
land to Fort Edward, where it was again made into rafts and floated to market ; all of this created an era of activity unusual in settlements no older than this.
In all new communities the principal business of town officers is the laying out of roads and improving those already opened. Highways are almost the first and prime necessity of the pioneers. The town records of Queensbury for the first quarter of a century after its existence as a town are largely com- prised of road statistics - too voluminous for us to attempt their reproduction. Reference has already been made to the several earliest roads. In 1796 we find record of a " road beginning at the north end of a piece of land sold by James Ferriss to Nehemiah Platt, beginning upon the town line between Kingsbury and Queensbury, and running south," etc. In the same year is recorded the opening of a " road beginning at the center of what is called the four corners by Benjamin Wing's store, and running," etc. This was surveyed by Reuben Beck. Another began "at the crotch of the roads south of Josiah Vernor's store." In 1806 the road districts were somewhat altered by Joel Winship and Henry Spencer, as commissioners, and a new district formed. Three new roads were opened in that year, while in the year 1802 there were about twelve roads laid out; in 1803 fifteen, and so on. In 1808 there were twenty-seven road districts; in 1842 thirty-nine.
In 1813 the first newspaper in Warren county, always the accompaniment of industrial enterprise and vigorous growth, was started at Glens Falls, as the reader has already learned in the pages devoted to the press of the county. In that year the county was organized, and general prosperity and thrift prevailed on every hand. Other industries sprang into existence ; a cotton factory was established, of which John A. Ferriss and a Mr. Gould, of Albany, were pro- prietors. Here cotton yarn was merely spun at first and distributed to the busy housewives, who wove it into cloth. With the war prices of that period, " factory cloth " commanded from fifty to seventy-five cents a yard. About 1830 looms were introduced and cloth was made for exportation. The factory, which stood on the south side of the river, was burned in 1832. Dr. Bethuel Peck had charge of this business for a number of years.1
A distillery, also, was in operation at this early day. It was run by a man named Pease, who subsequently removed to Vermont, according to the mem- ory of early inhabitants. Such an establishment was needed in olden times, when whisky was consumed in a large majority of families, and no public occasion was considered as properly conducted without a supply of spirits.
1 Bethuel Peck was son of Daniel Peck, who was originally from New Hampshire and was a Revo- Intionary soldier. Dr. Holden says : " It is not known with certainty what causes led the subject of this sketch to Glens Falls, but it is believed that he was brought along by some of the return gangs of raftsmen, who, in the early days of the settlement here, rafted the lumber to market down the Hudson River. He acted for a time as office boy for Dr. Levi Rugg, with whom he then continued the study of medicine, and after attending lectures at Fairfield, N. Y., he received his diploma. He was elected to the State Senate in 1839 for a term of four years. He afterwards erected a brick building in Glens Falls, to which he gave the name of ' the Glens Falls Druggist,' and, associated with Dr. Mr. R. Peck, carried on that business for a number of years. He died July 11th, 1862."
4
412
HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
Wool-carding and cloth-dressing were carried on " on the east side of the north end of the bridge," by Forbes & Gookin, Messrs. White & Winston being proprietors.
All this indicates clearly the general thrift and progress, when the country was again stirred by mutterings of war. It was but natural that this region should be affected by the approaching struggle, and enlistments began in the county, while general industrial progress and the advancement of settlement was for a time checked.
A fac simile of one number of the early newspaper mentioned is in existence. It consists of four pages, each about four by seven inches. The subscription price was $1.50 a year. In this number (dated September 23d, 1813) is a call for volunteers (as detailed in the preceding general county history of that period); a sheriff's writ against the personal property and title to lot 19, in the town of Athol, belonging to David Cook; the announcement that the first and second squadrons of cavalry (Seventh Regiment) would parade at Fort Miller Falls on the 28th; the marriage notice of Jonathan M'Comber, of Queensbury, and Lydia Newton, of Kingsbury, by Daniel D. Scott, esq. ; and several advertisements. Miss Rice returns thanks for the liberal support of her school at Glenns Falls and announces its removal to the second floor of the academy. "Terms of tuition, two dollars per quarter." Forbes & Gookin advertise " cotton carding done at the cloth factory of White & Winston, on the east side of the bridge at Glenns Falls." Avery Benedict advertises his drug store, and adds that "Saratoga and Ballston Mineral Waters are con- stantly kept." The regular meeting of the Mechanical Association is an- nounced to be "held at John Derby's hotel; H. Spencer, 2d, secretary." Other marriages noticed were those of Joseph S. Winston to Jane Ann Lewis ; William Tierce to Sally Stewart; John Velie to Hannah Brown, and Joel Dean to Susan Brown. The only editorial is devoted to a bitter criticism of the war- The following is a characteristic extract from it: -
" What then is at this moment our real situation ? At the end of two cam- paigns, which have been attended with an expense of more than $80,000,000, and of more than 10,000 lives; at the expiration of two years of war - of a war whose avowed object was the conquest of the Canadas, of a Country con- taining less than one-fourteenth our population, we find ourselves, through the valor of our generous seamen, in possession of Lake Erie and of two incon- siderable forts."
Notwithstanding " war prices" and the general effects of a war era, local improvements were not neglected and settlement soon regained its former ac- tivity. The lumbering interest was developed to a marvelous business and furnished a majority of those who became prominent and wealthy citizens with the means for their material advancement. Mercantile establishments multiplied and domestic manufactures increased as the demands of the town
413
PATENT AND TOWN OF QUEENSBURY.
grew in extent, and few localities in the State gave better promise for the fu- ture. At the time when the resources of the State were so materially ad- vanced through the building of the Erie and the Northern, or Champlain, Canals Glens Falls was one of the most populous and thrifty villages in north- ern New York, and the town at large partook of the same prosperity. The construction of the Glens Falls Feeder was a source of congratulation and sat- isfaction not only in this town, but throughout the county; it brought cheap and convenient means of transportation directly to the doors of the village and gave an impetus to all industries. Boats passed through the feeder in 1830; but it was not finished in its present dimensions until 1832.1
So important was this water-way considered that weekly arrivals and de- partures of boats were chronicled in the press, and there was a general feeling of relief from the former restricted commercial situation. Transportation companies were formed and a heavy business transacted in this line.
It was about this time, also, that the inhabitants of the county first had their hopes raised by the project of building a railroad from Saratoga Springs to Glens Falls. It is quite probable that this enterprise was a direct result of the building of the feeder ; one successful project of this character is very apt to lead to others. Under date of January 25th, 1831, the following notice appeared in the Messenger :-
"Notice of application to Legislature to incorporate the subscribers and their associates as a company to make a railroad from Saratoga Springs to Glens Falls with the privilege of extending the same to the head of Lake George and also from the outlet of Lake George to Lake Champlain.
" JOHN BAIRD, " PETER B. THREEHOUSE."
It was more than thirty-five years later before Warren county was given railroad communication with the distant world ; but the community was con- tinually awakened during that period with announcements similar to the above. In the absence of swifter transportation, a line of stages was put on about this time to run between Glens Falls and Troy. The stages made trips on alter- nate days for some time.
During this same period and, indeed, for some years later, wolves and pan- thers were still being slain within the limits of the county, if not in this town. The newspapers chronicled in 1837 the destruction of an old panther and two
I " It affords us much gratification to announce to the inhabitants of this county, that a canal hoat passed safely through the thirteen locks in the Glens Falls Feeder ; a number of gentlemen from Sandy Hill and this place availed themselves of a passage on the boat, to witness a sight which had long been desired but which they had almost relinquished the hope of beholding. The prospect of this work being finished cannot fail of proving a matter of much rejoicing to this county, as a navigable feeder is of deep importance to its present as well as its future prosperity. From an examination of the locks we confidently expect in a few days to have the pleasure of announcing an uninterrupted pas- sage from and to this place, which, if finally accomplished, cannot but reflect credit on Colonel Sher- wood, under whose superintendence it has been effected."-Warren County Messenger, Nov. 4, 1830.
414
HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
young ones in Johnsburgh, and another was killed on the shore of Lake George in Bolton about the same time.
The financial crisis in 1837 was greatly felt in this region and many were brought from wealth to penury, through the weakness of commercial credit and general depreciation of every kind of security. Prices of the necessaries of life advanced enormously; money was very scarce and a period of financial distress ensued from which recovery was the process of several years.
From this time on to the present, the annals of the town reflect a steady, healthful growth in all material directions, as will be seen, with only the shad- ow of the great Rebellion, which for five years overwhelmed the entire country. Of this momentous struggle we have given a general account, as it relates to the county at large ; and fortunately, before it became impossible, Dr. Holden accumulated most valuable statistics of the part taken in the war by the town of Queensbury, which here find their appropriate place.
" With the tidings of the fall of Fort Sumter, a call was made, numerously signed by citizens of the village, irrespective of party, for a public meeting at Nu- man's Hall, a building which stood on what is now mostly a vacant space, be- tween Cosgrove Music Hall, and the Glens Falls Opera House. A large and en- thusiastic meeting, presided over by the Hon. Keyes P. Cool, resolved that this community should do its share and be fully represented in the coming struggle. Two persons, namely, the writer of this book1 and Mr. George Clendon received authorizations from the adjutant-general of the State to raise companies in response the first call of the president for volunteers. The ranks were speedily filled and the companies mustered for service by Colonel H. K. Colvin of the Thirty-first New York Militia. They were joined by another company (I) of stalwart men from the north part of Warren and Essex counties. These three companies received the honors of an ovation given them by the citizens of the village, a purse was made up and given to each company, and they were es- corted to Fort Edward by the fire department of the place. The same day they reached the military rendezvous at Troy, where in due time they con- solidated, as Companies E and F, with other companies from the neighborhood and formed the Twenty-second Regiment N. Y. Vols. under the command of Colonel Walter Phelps, jr., of Glens Falls. It subsequently formed a part of the famous Iron Brigade of the First Division, and First Army Corps.2 (See military chapter for history of the Twenty-second Regiment.)
" From that time forward, scattering recruits from Queensbury were con-
1 Dr. A. W. Holden.
2 " With the first enlistment of two years' volunteers, as there was no bounty, either local, State or general, offered, recruits were backward in offering their services, until guarantees were given that in case of their death or disability their families should be provided for. This assurance was met by two subscription papers amounting to about ten thousand dollars each. Of this sum nearly one-half was collected and disbursed; the bonnty system then coming in, dispensed with the need of any further assessments or collections. "
415
PATENT AND TOWN OF QUEENSBURY.
tinually pouring to the front, filling the ranks of the regular army, supplying deficient quotas from other sections of the State and county at large.
"With the progress of the war,1 and its prospective continuance, new calls were made, new levies demanded. The question was no longer one of patriot- ism, the claim was obligatory, its effect compulsory; month by month new reg- iments were raised, and new companies furnished. Nearly an entire company of Glens Falls boys was recruited for a District of Columbia regiment.
" The Ninety-first, Ninety-third, Ninety-sixth, One Hundred and Fifteenth, One Hundred and Eighteenth, One Hundred and Twenty-fifth, One Hundred and Fifty-third, One Hundred and Fifty-sixth, One Hundred and Sixty-ninth and One Hundred and Ninety-second Regiments were represented by com- panies or detachments of Glens Falls volunteers, while scattering representa- tives might have been found in half the regiments of the State, and every branch of the service. After the boys in blue began to return home from ex- pired enlistments, many of them re entered the army, resolved to see the thing through. In this way what was known as the veteran regiments were speedily filled out and returned to do good service in the war. In this way the Second New York Veteran Cavalry, and Sixteenth New York Heavy Artillery received large accessions from this vicinity.
"The volunteer system of 1861 was found on brief trial to be entirely in- adequate to the exigencies of the war. It took, however, a long time before all the machinery incidental to a new and hitherto untried system worked itself into thorough and harmonious operation. No quotas were assigned, and no records, coming within the scope of this article, were kept either by the State, or general government in that or the following years. It was not until March, 1863, that the general government made an enrollment, and through
1 " One of the early efforts of the war was the issue of vast volumes of paper currency which speed- ily became known as greenbacks. A counter result was the almost immediate withdrawal from cir- culation of the specie of the country even to the copper and nickel issue. The consequence was, a great temporary distress for the want of small change. The country was flooded in a few weeks with a bogus brass currency, composed of tradesmen's cards. Postage stamps for large and small amounts were temporarily used, and one enterprising manufacturer of nostrums went so far as to enclose them in metalic cases bearing the stamped names of the remedies. In this emergency, the corporate anthorities of Glens Falls issued in the fall of 1862, what were known as corporation shinplasters, to the amount of $5,000, in denominations of fifty, twenty-five, ten and five cents. With the issue of postal currency by the general government, came a general law forbidding corporations or individuals from circulating such money, so it was called in and cancelled the following year."
Statement (October 20th, 1864) of the amount of fractional currency issued and redeemed by the village of Glens Falls and the expenses incurred in issuing the same :-
Whole amount of fractional currency issued.
$5,129 10
Interest accrued and deposits
74 30
Bills redeemed
$5,203 40 $4,703 05
Expense printing, etc.
390 15 5,193 20
Balance
$ 101 20
Leaving unredeemed $ 326 05
416
HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
its provost marshal in each Congressional District began its assignment of quotas. The following statistics appear on the files of the adjutant-general's department at Albany for the year 1862 :-
Population of the town of Queensbury. 7,146
Number enrolled liable to military duty. 1,107
Number of exempts embraced in above return 86
Number liable to draft. 1,02I
Quota of Queensbury under the calls of July and August, 1862,1 221 Number furnished to fill quota as above. 208 Deficit carried forward. 13
"During that dark period of the Rebellion which preceded the emancipa- tion proclamation, Governor Morgan appointed in each Senatorial District a committee of three gentlemen, who, in conjunction with sub-committees desig- nated by them in each county, were known as the war committee, whose busi- ness seems to have been, without any specifically defined duties, to assist in making up the complement of troops required of each locality. The late Hal- sey R. Wing was the member who represented Queensbury on that committee, and very efficiently and patriotically did he discharge that duty, for, besides his time, his labor and his money, he gave his two sons, Edgar Murray and George Henry, as an offering upon the altar of his country.
" There at length came a time in our history when money had to be raised to pay bounties, in order to save the trouble and reproach of a draft. A special town meeting for this purpose was called on the 26th of July, 1864 (less than three months after the great fire which had burned out the heart of our village, and destroyed upwards of one million dollars worth of property) at which one hundred thousand dollars were voted to pay the volunteers.2 Bonds were
1 " The call in July was for three hundred thousand three years' men. The call in August was for three hundred thousand nine months' men. These two amounts were consolidated in one assignment and equalized, so that an enlistment for three years represented and was equivalent to four enlistments at nine months. There were but very few nine months' troops mustered from this State. The large proportion were three years' men."
2 Of this amount the Glens Falls Bank took shares amounting to $13.225, the Commercial Bank $16,400. The balance was taken by private parties, the Hon. Jerome Lapham alone bearing upwards of ten thousand dollars of the amount. The bonds were so apportioned that an equal proportion ma- tured each year until they were all cancelled.
" Besides the amount already specified other sums were appropriated during the same year as ap- pears bv the following resolutions passed at the annual town meeting :
"' Resolved, That there be raised $109.60 for to pay expenses in recruiting Capt. Fassett's com- pany.
" ' Resolved, That there be raised $108.87 to pay expenses in recruiting Capt. Arlin's company.
"' Resolved, That there be raised $106.42 to pay expenses in recruiting Capt. D. Cameron's com- pany.
" ' Resolved, That there be raised $109.80 to pay George Conery and William Cosgrove for taking up a note drawn by M. W. Coville for recruiting purposes.
"' Resolved, That there be raised $1,354-73 to pay a note dated Dec. 20, 1862.
" ' Resolved, That there be raised $7,015 to pay a note drawn for bounty money.
" ' Resolved, That there be raised $1, 890. 12 to pay a note held by Jerome Lapham.
417
PATENT AND TOWN OF QUEENSBURY.
issued representing this sum, and twice to its credit be it said, that these secu- rities were all quickly taken at home, and have long since been canceled. At the town meeting referred to, the following gentlemen were chosen as a per- manent war committee of the town, whose services, onerous, arduous and re- sponsible, were continued to the end of the war, viz: Jerome Lapham, Halsey R. Wing, William A. Wait, I. J. Davis, George Conery, Lifelet Harris, F. A. Johnson, jr., Stephen Brown, R. M. Little.
" Most of these gentlemen gave a large per centage of their time to this undertaking. They offered bounties, and expended money to pay volunteers, sent agents both north and south to procure substitutes and fill the quotas re- quired by the draft ; looked after the soldiers' families at home, and superin- tended the investment and liquidation of the town bonds.
Statement of the quotas assigned to Queensbury, Warren Co., 16th district of New York, and the credits applied thereon, under calls for troops.
Credits. Quotas.
Quota under call of February 1, 1864.
149
March 14, 1864 62
211
Credits by new recruits. 179
" veteran volunteers 13
" draft of 1863. 46
238
" surplus June 30th, 1864
27
Quota under call of July 18th, 1864.
128
Credits by new recruits.
157
" veteran volunteer.
I
158
" surplus on call of July 18th, 1864
30
Credits by new recruits
36
66
regular army. 3
4
43
Deficiency on call Dec. 19th, 1864.
3
War Dept., Adjt. General's office,
Washington, D. C., February 9th, 1874. (Official) THOMAS M. VINCENT, Assist. Adjutant General.
Albany Feb. 12th, 1874, Official copy, J. B. STONEHOUSE, Asst. Adj. Gen.
" ' Resolved, That there be levied and raised $4,845 to pay note in the Commercial Bank drawn by citizens for bounty of $300 each.
" ' Resolved, That there be raised $612.32 to pay note given to pay expenses of reception of 22d Regiment.'
" At a special town meeting held December 19th, 1864, the following resolutions were passed :
" ' Resolved, That the sum of $30,000 be raised by the town for the purpose of paying bounties into the military and naval service of the United States.
"' Resolved, That this money be collected in five equal installments of $6,000 each with the amount of interest unpaid thereon.
"' Resolved, That $2,467.76 be raised for the purpose of paying bounties.'"
27
Quota under call of December 19th, 1864.
46
66 " draft
Adj. Gen.'s office,
418
HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
" At the termination of the war there remained a considerable balance in the treasury, and chiefly through the active agency of the late Halsey R. Wing, it was decided after due deliberation to appropriate it to the erection of a sol- diers' monument. The subject was submitted to the action of the annual town meeting held 6th March, 1866, when the following resolutions were submitted to the people and adopted : -
" Resolved, That to commemorate the services and sacrifices of the soldiers of Queensbury, who during the war of 1861-65 fell in battle or died from wounds received or disease contracted in defense of the Union ; and in mem- ory of our late fellow citizens Daniel V. Brown and Edward Riggs, who, while going to South Carolina as agents of the town under the directions of the town war committee, were lost at sea on the eighth day of January, 1865, the sum of eight thousand dollars be and the same hereby is appropriated by this town meeting, towards defraying the expense of erecting a suitable monument or cenotaph in such appropriate place as can be procured in or near the village of Glens Falls.
" Resolved, That the sum of five thousand two hundred and sixty-four dollars and thirty-nine cents, military funds, in the hands of the supervisor, be appro- priated toward the monument.
" Resolved, That Jerome Lapham, R. M. Little, Wm. A. Wait, Lifelet Har- ris, Stephen Brown, I. J. Davis, George Conery, H. R. Wing, the members of the town war committee now residing in town, and M: B. Little in place of F. A. Johnson, jr., no longer a resident here, be and they are hereby appointed a committee to receive the said funds and according to their discretion disburse the same for the purpose of this appropriation.
" Resolved, That the Legislature be and hereby is requested to legalize by law the appropriation made by the foregoing resolutions and that a copy of them be transmitted by the town clerk to our Member of Assembly, the Hon. David Aldrich, for presentation to the Legislature.
" Resolved, That there be raised two hundred and sixty dollars and seventy- eight cents to indemnify the loss of Edward Riggs to be paid to his sister Ellen Riggs.
" Resolved, That there be raised three hundred and twenty-nine dollars and five cents to indemnify Daniel V. Brown for the loss of his private property, the same to be paid to Mrs. D. V. Brown.
" Resolved, That there be raised one hundred and twenty-five dollars to indemnify William Cosgrove for a gold watch, lost with D. V. Brown at the time of his death.
" The committee above named, after examining several designs and exert- ing careful and mature deliberation in the premises, adopted a plan (with some alterations) which was submitted by R. T. Baxter, at that time a resident of the village, a dealer in and manufacturer of marble and monumental work and en-
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