USA > New York > Chenango County > Norwich > History of the first one hundred years of the First Congregational Church, Norwich, New York, 1814-1914 > Part 8
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Mr. Maydole was a remarkable mechanical genuis and became a very shrewd business man. With thorough honesty and integrity unbounded, he had nothing to cover up. With courage unlimited, rugged, hard working and strong of muscle, he was sure to suc- ceed, and he certainly did.
Many years ago it was asserted that the name May- dole was originally MacDougal and that it was changed to the simpler form because it was easier written and spoken. Be that as it may, it will never be changed back to the original, for " D. Maydole, Cast Steel " has gone to the farthermost bound of civilization in all the world; and even the Simplified Spelling Board could not change it now.
Alexander Maydole, the father of David, learned the trade of shoemaker in Albany. He then went to Schoharie County and worked several years; then located at Sharon on the well known " Cherry Valley Turnpike " and married Anna Van Valkenburgh in 1798. Her father's name was Adam. They had twelve children. Nine of them grew up. The father died in 1818. Of these children, David was the sixth. Pru-
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dence was enforced on him as well as industry, as his father was in very moderate circumstances. The les- sons were thoroughly learned so that he never forgot them as long as he lived. Winters he was at school in Meeley Hollow for some years; after which the family moved to Texas Valley, Cortland county (now Marathon), onto a small farm. His mother was an excellent woman and of very good judgment. She brought up the family well. She taught them the homely virtues of honesty, industry and prudence. From 1818, when his father died, David worked for farmers in the neighborhood summers and attended school winters, until 1822, when he became 15. In Jan- uary of that year, he became an apprentice in the black- smith shop of James Glover in Oxford,-one of the oldest trades known to men, and generally looked upon as a very hard, dirty and less liable to be remunerative above a bare living, than anyother; and yet it was the starting of David Maydole's fortune and fame. The papers were drawn by Lieut. Gov. John Tracy and David chose Mr. Glover as his guardian. The appren- ticeship continued six years. Then he wanted a busi- ness of his own. His brother, Jacob, was running a shop in Eaton and David secured a partnership with him, in the fall of 1828, which lasted two years. Then he sold out to Jacob (1830) and worked for Gardner and Abbott a year. In 1831 he went to Lebanon as partner of Daniel Abbott in the Edge Tool business and remained two years. He then went back to Eaton and bought out Lyman Abbott, who had a chair factory and water power. David turned it into a blacksmith shop and made edge tools and carriage springs, in which he did a good business, having four fires running. In 1837 he thought to enlarge his business, so in com- pany with hi: brother.James, who was a blacksmith, he bought the Gardner and Abbott Scythe factory and water power and 60 acres of land. Spent a year in
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working the farm and getting ready for business,- nothing more. When the title was delivered, it was found to be imperfect and they refused to take it. David then thought it a good time to leave Eaton for some other location, so in 1840 he moved to Norwich and formed a partnership with Levi Ray, who was carrying on a blacksmithing business in the " Old Stone Shop " on East Main street, which was still standing until a few years ago, when E. L. Smith tore it down and erected the substantial brick store on the same ground.
Mr. Maydole's part of the work was edge tools and carriage springs, at which he had become an expert, and had a wide reputation in this vicinity. In 1848 Arnold and Daniel Wait had built a carpenter shop on the ground whereon is now the wood part of the Ham- mer shop. The power was the waste water from the canal above the lock which was just east of the shop. Mr. Maydole leased one half of the Wait shop and half the power and in his own name opened up the tool and spring business; and about this time began making adze-eye hammers. I cannot find just when it was, but think it was at some time during the partnership with Ray; some large buildingwas being put up in the village -possibly the Methodist or Episcopal churches. James Parton tells the story in " Captains of Industry." Six carpenters came from out of town to help in the work. One of them forgot to bring his hammer and went to David Maydole to have one made. Whether he was sent there or not does not appear; or whether he went to the shop nearest his job, and it happened to be May- dole's. If this was the way of it, the job was the Epis- copal Church, probably as it was very near the Ray Stone Shop, and was built in 1834-5. I quote from Par- ton :- " Make as good a hammer as you know how. This was touching David in a tender place. Perhaps you don't want to pay for one as good as I know how to make. Yes I do, I want a good hammer. The black-
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smith made him one of the best. It was probably the best hammer that had ever been made in the world, since it contained two or three improvements never before combined in the instrument. The man was very much pleased and showed it to his companions. All of them left an order for a hammer. Then the contractor ordered one, intimating that the one for him ought to be better than the others. I cannot do it, said David. When I make anything, I make it as good as I can, no matter who it is for." Then the storekeeper of the vil- lage ordered two dozen." It looks as though Parton thought there was but one storekeeper in town at that time, whereas there were nearer 40. If he had said the hardware storekeeper it would probably have been true and that one would have been Hiram Weller; and it is more than probable that he was the one. Whoever he was he got the hammers, and David Maydole was started in the hammer making business.
Mr. Parton came to Norwich in 1873, on an engage- ment to deliver a lecture. This was the time he got his notes about Mr. Maydole for the book mentioned. The lecture was one of the course given by the Young Men's Association. He was to be here all day, so some of us invited him to take a walk and see the village, which, of course, we were very proud of. We suggested that he might enjoy a trip through the Hammer factory, to which he assented, and we went in. Mr. Maydole was in the office. Mr. Parton was introduced and Mr. May- dole said he would show us through. He took much pains to explain carefully to Mr. Parton the process of making hammers; and when he returned to the office, Mr. Maydole gave him a hammer. Mr. Parton spoke his thanks into Mr. Maydole's ear and wound up with: " Well, Mr. Maydole, you make a pretty good ham- mer.' Instantly Mr. Maydole's body straightened up in great dignity, and he shot out, like the crack of a pistol-" No Sir! I don't make a pretty good hammer.
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I make the best hammer that's made in the world, Sir."
The adze eye he ought to have patented, as well as other vital improvements in hammers, but he did not; nor did he advertise-but once. That was January 15, 1849. In the summer of 1848 the Wait and Maydole shop burned all up, causing a loss of $1,500.00 more than the insurance. This was a very severe blow to Mr. Maydole. It would have crushed many men. During the fire he was so dazed that men had to hold him by main strength, he was so determined to rush into the seething furnace to try to save his property. By the next day, when all that was wood had been devoured and everything was ruined, he was himself again, and with splendid courage was planning for a new building. He very soon had bought out the Waits and he was planning for bigger things than he had thought of before. Nine months after this, came this short adver- tisement in the Chenango Union, and presumably in the Chenango Telegraph also :
" David Maydole advertises that his new shop is all going making hammers, axes and edge tools." That told the whole story. In present day phrase, " That was goin' some." This building covered the same ground as the other; it was of wood and still remains as built, except that a third story was put on it in 1856 to provide more room. It will probably be replaced by brick in a few years. About this time, Mr. Maydole found it not an easy matter to keep the business going. Several times he went around to the stores and bor- rowed ten, fifteen, twenty, twenty-five dollars or what- ever the merchants could spare, to enable him to pay off his help. When the money came in he would go around and return it. No one ever refused to loan him at these times. They knew it was entirely safe. My father was one of the loaners, I remember.
Nelson B. Hale became a partner with Mr. Maydole in 1853. He was, though a farmer's son, a very thorough
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business man; and though he was in the factory less than two years, he had in that time introduced ideas into the business which were of great advantage to the business and to Mr. Maydole. The latter was very, quick to see the advantages and to adopt the ideas. With all his misfortunes ,Mr. Maydole never lost faith in himself, nor in the business. The panic of 1857 re- duced the amount of business somewhat, but it went through all right and when trade started again, he was ready for it. He never used any questionable methods, no matter what the temptation was. No hammer was stamped with his name that was not as perfect as constant inspection and care could make it. In 1849 he received a silver medal from American Institute, New York, for perfection in hammers.
Mr. Maydole was a skillful and inventive merchanic. Several times, when some article was needed in the manufacture of hammers ,he would invent a machine to make it; and he was also ready to adopt new methods when there was any advantage to be gained by their use. Up to 1876 he had used hand forging entirely. About that time he became convinced of the advantage, both in time saved and better results to the steel in the use of presses, so he bought and installed them. Many of the forgers who had been in his employ for many years, were very much incensed and tried hard to stop it. Some of them went so far as to quit; but he went ahead and put in the presses. All who stayed were given good jobs and no time lost. When any came back he gave them work just the same as the others. He held no re- sentment against any.
Mr. Maydole was never called by any familiar name, nor nickname. Somehow, no name but David Maydole seemed to just fit him, and yet he was very friendly and kind with the men, and many of them had abundant evidence of his desire to help any of them who were in need.
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January 13, 1854, Mr. Maydole's mother, Mrs. Anna (Van Valkenburgh) Wiles, died in Cincinnatus, N. Y.
He married (first) May 5, 1830, Mary Madelia, Hartshorn, daughter of Jacob Hartshorn, long a magis- trate of Lebanon. She died in 1843. He married (sec- ond) Charlena Dickinson in 1846,-daughter of Abner Dickinson of Preston. She died May 10, 1898. Mr. May- dole died October 14, 1882.
While Mr. Maydole was an apprentice in Oxford, he was converted and united with the (then) Presbyterian Church in that village. He was afterwards a member of the Congregational Church in Morrisville. He joined this church June 29, 1840 by letter from Congre- gational Church of Eaton, N. Y. Mr. Maydole was very loyal to his church. He had twice been elected trustee. By will he bequeated $1,000.00 to it, which was put into the new organ in 1884.
He gave a great deal to his church. After the re- pairs of 1874, at the first auction of the new pews, he undoubtedly intended to have the first choice of the pews; but it developed that Mr. Chapman had made up his mind to the same thing. They were both at the sale, but I cannot remember which started the bidding. Everybody knew " what was up " so no one else bid. The bidding between these two stalwarts soon ran up to $30.00 where it stood in favor of Mr. Maydole. By and by Mr. Chapman said $31.00, which, after a while Mr. Maydole raised to $32.00. Just as it was to be struck off, Mr. Chapman said $33.00, which Mr. May- dole decided not to raise, so Mr. Chapman got it. This never happened before, and I am sure it never will again. Selling church pews was the rule for the first half century of this church, and was the cause of a great deal of ill feeling and real hardship both to the members and to the trustees. The fire which wiped out the church building in 1858, wiped out also all the deeds of privately owned pews for ever. The Gospel
.
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plan is fast coming into favor-absolutely free pews and weekly contributions, also voluntary, " according as God has prospered you." It takes a long time and a good deal of argument to get people to trust God, and it is doubtful if they will be willing to do it entirely this side of Heaven; but that is the ideal and we are slowly working toward it. " Have faith in God, He will bring it to pass."
Rev. Hiram Doane followed Mr. Bush and began the oversight of the church, January 6, 1856; and July 15, was installed by Chenango Presbytery. When I say that Mr. Doane was a Congregationalist, the statement should be writ in large capitals. Truman Enos had at last found a man as strong a Congregationalist as he. After Mr. Doane had got well into the work of the church, it became evident and inevitable that the church would return to Congregationalism. Mr. Doane was firm in that faith, and with great tact and persistence led the church in that direction.
The " returning to the old love " was much more disastrous than the breaking away in 1836. Then there were but two of the membership who were forced out; now there were perhaps a dozen. Then it was the most prominent man in the church; the man who, more than any other, had brought the church into being-himself and his wife were forced out; now it was several of that class-prominent and influential members and families who still held very decidedly to their Presby- terian faith. Probably the most prominent among them was Charles A. Thorpe, a prominent lawyer of Nor- wich, and his family-Mrs. Susan M. Thorpe, and their three daughters-Sarah S., who married William S. Thomas in 1855, and moved to the west before the crisis came; Elizabeth (always called " Lizzie), wife of Horace G. Prindle, also a prominent lawyer of Nor- wich, and county judge for four terms; and Mary S., who was then unmarried. These were accounted the
REV. HIRAM DOANE. The Eleventh Pastor of First Congregational Church, Norwich, N. Y., 1856-1860.
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leaders in the opposition. They were all very intelli- gent people and fluent talkers. They did not hesitate to say what they thought of the attitude of the majority.
Mr. Thorpe was born June 26, 1796, in Butternuts, Otsego Co., N. Y. He no doubt attended in his boy- hood the schools in his native village and made good progress, for in 1812, when he was 16, he entered Ham- ilton College at Clinton, N. Y., from which he grad- uated in 1816, and very soon entered the office of Judge Campbell, in Cooperstown, and began the study of law. He was admitted in October, 1820; practiced about a year in New Berlin and then went to Oxford as partner with Judge John Tracy, who had but a few years be- fore entered upon the thirty and more years of his distinguished public career in various State offices. Mr. Thorpe was, a little later, a partner in the office of " Count " Henry Van Der Lyn, in Oxford. In 1828 he moved to Norwich and formed a partnership with David Buttolph, which was continued five years. They were in a little office which formerly belonged to James Birdsall, located on the west side of South Broad Street, just north of Chapman's store. The next year he married, November 12, Miss Susan Miller Avery. She was born May 6, 1805. They joined this church on confession, May 7, 1848, and soon became prominent and efficient in its work.
After the partnership with Mr. Buttolph expired, Mr. Thorpe opened an office by himself in Norwich, which he continued until 1846, when the state of his health compelled him to retire from business entirely.
" Squeer Thap," as he was generally called by the older men of the village, had not aspired to public office; but he became justice of the peace for one or more terms. He had been a good lawyer, but as a pen- man he was not a success; and many were the stories current fifty years ago, about the troubles court officers
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were put to in deciphering Mr. Thorpe's legal papers. One of these had to do with a summons which he wrote returnable in South New Berlin. The Court had con- vened and was ready for the case, " when lo and be- hold " the officers were in the same predicament as Belshazzer. The Astrologers and the Soothsayers were not able to read the " writing," so an officer was dispatched to Norwich for Mr. Thorpe, and the Court waited until he came and played the part of Daniel, when the Court resumed business.
He was very enthusiastic in his zeal for the build- ing of Norwich Academy in 1843-44. He was on the Board of Trustees for several years and was Presi- dent, I think, most of the time. As the close of the spring term of 1857 drew near, the Chapel of the Academy being too small to hold the crowd which always attended the exhibition exercises, and the Bap- tist Church not desiring that it should be held in their audience room, as had been done for a few previous years, it being the largest hall in the village, Mr. Thorpe, President of the Board, proposed to procure Floral Hall, on the Fair Grounds, on West Main Street. The students as a body protested. Floral Hall had been used as a cattle pen during the winter by Jed. R. Wheeler, Jr., and was totally unfit for the purpose, unless it were thoroughly cleaned and painted. Evi- dently Mr. Thorpe wanted the students to make "a bee " and clean it themselves, but when he found that they were not so disposed, he proposed to start a dollar subscription and so raise the money for the renova- tion; but it had been delayed so long and the building was so manifestly unfit, the students rebelled. It was of further importance because the Principal, Prof. David G. Barber, and the Science and Lauguages teacher, Prof. Albert Gould, were not going to remain longer in the faculty; and they were to be presented with souvenirs. They were very highly esteemed. The
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students therefore procured carriages and transported themselves with the teachers to Sherburne. Mr. Med- bury put on a fine dinner; after which, and around the table, the Exhibition was held, all of which was very satisfactory to those present. Hon. Samuel H. Barnes, one of the trustees, favored very strongly the conten- tion of the students, saying that they were right and Mr. Thorpe was wrong. In telling the circumstances, he summed it all up in this laconic sentence: " Squeer Thap thought he could raise a hell of a breeze on a dol- lar, but he didn't make it out."
This was one side of Mr. Thorp's nature-he was very persistent in whatever he wanted to do; and yet he was a thoroughly Christian man, fastidiously honest in all his intercourse with his fellow men; a thorough student of the Bible and made a very valuable Bible class teacher. Now that he had leisure, he made a pro- found study of the wandering's of the Hebrews through the Wilderness; and himself drew a large map showing their route and their triumphal entry into Palestine. The text of the description of this map he used as a lecture before Sunday schools and churches. It was very interesting, although it gave the impression that he was a crank on the subject. Hon. Samuel S. Randall says of him : " Mr. Thorpe was an excellent and pains- taking lawyer; and a most worthy, exemplary and estimable citizen." February 14, 1840, he bought the house which stood on the same ground now covered by the M. E. Church and lived there many years. This home was the abode of sociability and friendliness, and many were the social gatherings within its walls, presided over by the parents and the estimable daugh- ters. They were very well known and esteemed by the best people in Norwich. He was elected trustee of the church five times and was devoted to its interests, as were also his wife and his daughter, Mary. Lizzie was not a member.
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Mrs. Thorpe was just as irreconcilable as her hus- band, regarding the attitude of the majority in the church breaking away from Presbyterianism. Mr. and Mrs. Levy Ray, Mr. and Mrs. Abner Warner, Deacon Samuel W. Williams and several others consorted with Mr. Thorpe and his family. Many hard things were said and Mr. Thorpe was summoned before the church; and again a church trial was on in full tilt; which re- sulted in Mr. Thorpe's name being dropped from the roll of members, with most of those who were with him; and later, he was excluded and Deacon Williams deposed from the deaconate. The talking, however, was not all on one side.
This drastic action resulted in a Presbyterian Church being organized about the middle of July, 1859, composed of the recalcitrant members. The use of the Academy Chapel was engaged; Rev. Hiram Dyer was engaged as pastor, and services established there. This, however, did not settle the controversy; and a good deal was said against those in the church who favored the proposal of breaking away from the anomalous position in which the church was then being held. They claimed to be the real owners of the property and called on the others, who were largely in the majority, to surrender it to them, which was, of course, flatly refused and the Congregational majority summoned the opposition to appear and show cause why they should not be censured and compelled to leave the church.
Rev. Hiram Doane, who was called by the majority, accepted the call and began his labors Sunday, January 6, 1856, and July 15, following, was installed by Chen- ango Presbytery. January 30, 1857, the Standing Com- mittee of the Church resigned and the church by a resolution adopted by a vote of the church, declared that hereafter it would administer its affairs accord- ing to Congregational forms as generally understood.
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This resolution was signed by Deacon Elijah Chamber- lin and twenty-five male members.
Thus matters stood Sunday, February 2, 1858, at which date, in the early morning, the " Old Meeting House " took fire and within two hours was literally wiped off the map. While it was saddening to all the members, it was really a blessing in disguise; for the " meeting house " could no longer be a bone of conten- tion. Neither faction could build, nor could they sell the lot had they desired.
Of course there was no service that morning; but The First Baptist Church, through their pastor, Rev. Lyman Wright, generously offered the use of their audience room for an afternoon service. This was accepted and Mr. Doane held services there. The story was told then, and was lately printed in the Congrega- tionalist of Boston, that Mr. Wright, at service that morning, gave notice that the Congregational Church was burning and that he had " offered the use of our audience room to that church for an afternoon serv- ice and it had been accepted. We will close with the Doxology." We appreciate the joke; and something may have been said which could, by a little change, be made to appear as stated in the story, but the fact remains that the fire started about 5 A. M. and was all burned out at 7 A. M .; and as church services did not begin until 10:30 A. M., Elder Wright could not have given notice that the church was burning. He did offer the use of the church and it was thankfully used; and we have no quarrel with the joker whether it was true or not.
Very soon the chapel of the Academy was secured and regular services resumed. They were continued there during the spring and summer, until November, when 168 South Broad street was secured from Raw- son Close. It was a store, and had been used by him as a furniture sales room. It was fitted up with a pulpit,
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and a platform for the choir. A cabinet organ fur- nished the instrumental music, and Miss Nettie C. Pike was engaged as organist. Mr. John G. Pike, her father, was chorister. Miss Pike had been organist in the church since 1855. A man by the name of Babcock had an organ factory in Guilford in the early '40's. He made one for the Baptist Church and, I am con- fident, that he made the one in the Congregational also; and about the same time, which was probably soon after the Stone Baptist Church was built-1844-45. Miss Pike was to begin a new engagement as organist the very day the church burned.
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