Landmarks of Oswego County, New York, Part 23

Author: Churchill, John Charles, 1821-1905; Smith, H. P. (Henry Perry), 1839-1925; Child, W. Stanley
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason
Number of Pages: 1410


USA > New York > Oswego County > Landmarks of Oswego County, New York > Part 23


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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Since 1891 no senator has been elected residing in Oswego county. By the Constitution of 1894 Oswego and Madison counties are united and form the Thirty-seventh Senatorial District.


Members of Assembly elected for one year, with years of service .- Barnet Mooney, of Granby (then Lysander), 1810 (elected from Onon- daga county), 1812, 1814; Theophilus S. Morgan, of Oswego, 1820 (district of Oneida and Oswego) ; William Root (?) 1821 (district of Oneida and Oswego) ; Peter Pratt, of Mexico, 1822 (district of Oneida and Oswego) ; Theophilus S. Morgan, of Oswego, 1823 (Oswego county alone) ; Hastings Curtis, of Hastings, 1824; Chester Hayden, of Oswego, 1825 ; Henry Williams, of Williamstown, 1826; Orris Hart, of New Haven, 1827-28 ; George F. Falley, of Fulton, 1829; Hiram Hubbell, of Richmond, 1830; Joel Turrill, of Oswego, 1831 ; Avery


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Skinner, of Mexico, 1832-33; Orville Robinson, of Mexico, 1834; Jesse Crowell, of Albion, 1835 ; Orville Robinson, of Mexico, 1836.


By act passed in 1836, Oswego county was allowed two members of assembly, both elected for the whole county. Orville Robinson, of Mexico, and Caleb Carr, of Williamstown, represented the county in 1837 ; Arvin Rice, of Hannibal, and John M. Richardson, of Mexico, 1838; Samuel Hawley, of Oswego, and Edward B. Judson, of Con- stantia, 1839; William Duer, of Oswego, and Peter Devendorf, of Hastings, 1840; William Duer, of Oswego, and Edward B. Judson, of Constantia, 1841 ; Peter Devendorf, of Hastings, and Robert C. Ken- yon, of Fulton, 1842 ; William F. Allen, of Oswego, and Alban Strong, of Orwell, 1843-44 ; Thomas Skelton, of Hannibal, and Luna Thayer, of Parish, 1845; Thomas Skelton, of Hannibal, and Reuben Drake, of Redfield, 1846; Orrin R. Earl, of Sandy Creek, and M. Lindley Lee, of Fulton, 1847.


In 1847 the county was divided into two assembly districts. The first comprised Granby, Hannibal, Oswego city and town, New Haven, Schroeppel, Scriba and Volney. The second embraced Albion, Amboy, Boylston, Constantia, Mexico, New Haven, Orwell, Palermo, Parish, Redfield, Richland, Sandy Creek, West Monroe, and Williamstown. The names of members will be given in the order of their districts : M. Lindley Lee, of Fulton, and Andrew Z. McCarty, of Pulaski, 1848; Henry Fitzhugh, of Oswego, and Edward W. Fox, of Richland, 1849; William Lewis, jr., of Oswego, and Luke D. Smith, of Mexico, 1850; Moses P. Hatch, of Oswego (resigned, and William P. Curtis took his place), and Benjamin F. Lewis, of Redfield, 1851 ; Edwin C. Hart, of Oswego, and James T. Gibson, of Albion, 1852 ; De Witt C. Littlejohn, of Oswego, and Charles A. Perkins, of Constantia, 1853 ; De Witt C. Littlejohn, of Oswego, and Azariah Wart, of Boylston, 1854; De Witt C. Littlejohn, of Oswego, and Jacob M. Selden, of Williamstown (con- tested by Andrew S. Warner, of Pulaski, to whom seat was awarded), 1855; Orville Robinson, of Oswego (chosen speaker on the forty- seventh ballot), and Andrew S. Warner, of Pulaski, 1856; De Witt C. Littlejohn, of Oswego (elected speaker), and Leonard Ames, of Mexico, 1857.


By an act passed in 1857, Oswego county was allotted three mem-


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bers of assembly, and the supervisors apportioned the districts as follows : First, Oswego city and town, Hannibal and Scriba; second, Constantia, Granby, Hastings, Palermo, Schroeppel, Volney, West Monroe; third, Albion, Amboy, Boylston, Mexico, New Haven, Orwell, Parish, Red- field, Richland, Sandy Creek, Williamstown.


William Baldwin, of Oswego, John J. Wolcott, of Fulton, and Chauncey S. Sage, of Williamstown, represented the three districts, respectively, in 1858 ; De Witt C. Littlejohn, of Oswego (elected speak- er), James J. Coit, of Hastings, and Beman Brockway, of Pulaski, 1859; De Witt C. Littlejohn, of Oswego (re-elected speaker), William H. Carter, of Hastings, and Robert S. Kelsey, of New Haven, 1860; De Witt C. Littlejohn, of Oswego (re-elected speaker), Richard K. Sanford, of Ful- ton, and Mason Salisbury, of Sandy Creek, 1861 ; Elias Root, of Oswego, Willard Johnson, of Fulton, and Benjamin E. Bowen, of Mexico, 1862 ; Abner C. Mattoon, of Oswego, Hiram W. Loomis, of Palermo, and Harvey Palmer, of Parish, 1863 and 1864; Elias Root, of Oswego, Richard K. Sanford, of Fulton, and Avery W. Severance, of New Haven, 1865 ; De Witt C. Littlejohn, of Oswego, William H. Rice, of Hastings, and John Parker, of Orwell, 1866; De Witt C. Littlejohn, of Oswego, William H. Rice, of Hastings, and Charles Mckinney, of Redfield, 1867; John A. Place, of Oswego, James D. Lasher, of Ful- ton, and Alvin R. Richardson, of Mexico, 1868 ; Benjamin Doolittle, of Oswego, James D. Lasher, of Fulton, and Nathan B. Smith, of Pulaski, 1869; De Witt C. Littlejohn, of Oswego, Abraham Howe, of Fulton, and John Parker, of Orwell, 1870; De Witt C. Littlejohn, of Oswego, Abraham Howe, of Fulton, and Chauncey S. Sage, of Williamstown, 1871; Daniel G. Fort, of Oswego, Thos. W. Green, of Caughdenoy, and Chauncey S. Sage, of Williamstown, 1872 ; Daniel G. Fort, of Oswego, Willard Johnson, of Fulton, and Justin L. Bulkley, of Sandy Creek, 1873; George B. Sloan, of Oswego, Willard Johnson, of Fulton, and Justin L. Bulkley, of Sandy Creek, 1874; Alanson S. Page, of Oswego, Willard Johnson, of Fulton, and Henry J. Daggett, of New Haven, 1875; George B. Sloan, of Oswego, Thos. W. Green, of Hastings, and John Preston, of Pulaski, 1876; George B. Sloan, of Oswego (elected speaker), George M. Case, of Fulton, and De Witt C. Peck, of Mexico, 1877 ; Charles North, of Oswego, George M. Case, of Fulton, De Witt C. Peck, of


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Mexico, 1878; George B. Sloan, of Oswego, George E. Williams, of Fulton, William H. Steele, of Williamstown, 1879. In 1879 the num- ber of members allowed to Oswego county was reduced to two, who were as follows: Patrick W. Cullinan, of Oswego, William H. Steele, of Williamstown, 1880-81 ; Wm. A. Poucher, of Oswego, Byron Helm, of Albion, 1882-83 ; De Witt C. Littlejohn, of Oswego, Gouverneur M. Sweet, of Phoenix, 1884; Henry C. Howe, of Fulton, Gouverneur M. Sweet, of Phoenix, 1885; Henry C. Howe, of Fulton, Danforth E. Ainsworth, of Sandy Creek, 1886-87; S. Mortimer Coon, of Oswego, Danforth E. Ainsworth, of Sandy Creek, 1888-89; Nevada N. Shana- han, of Fulton, Wilbur H. Selleck, of Williamstown, 1890-92. Since 1892 Oswego county has been allowed but one assemblyman, Danforth E. Ainsworth, of Sandy Creek, 1893-95.


Sheriffs .- Sheriffs during the colonial period were appointed annu- ally, in the month of October, unless otherwise provided. Under the first Constitution they were appointed annually by the Council of Ap- pointment, and no person could hold the office more than four succes- sive years ; neither could a sheriff hold any other office, and he must be a freeholder in his county. Since the Constitution of 1821 went into force, sheriffs have been elected for three years, and are ineligible for the next succeeding term. Following are the sheriffs of Oswego county who were appointed, with date of appointment : John S. Davis, Pulaski, March 21, 1816; Peter Pratt, Mexico, February 4, 1820; Orris Hart, New Haven, February 13, 1821.


The following have been elected sheriff, with date of entering office : Orris Hart, Oswego, January 1, 1823; Asa Dudley, Oswego town, January I, 1826; Hastings Curtiss, Hastings, January 1, 1829; William Hale, Pulaski, January 1, 1832 ; Jonathan Case, Fulton, January I, 1835 ; Jabez H. Gilbert, Orwell, January 1, 1838; Norman Rowe, New Haven, January I, 1841 ; Marinus W. Matthews, Pulaski, January I, 1844; Horace J. Carey, Oswego (appointed in place of Matthews, de'ceased), December 5, 1844; Alvin Lawrence, Mexico, January I, 1846; Norman Rowe, New Haven, January 1, 1849; George W. Still- well, Orwell, January 1, 1852; Rufus Hawkins, Oswego, January I, 1855 ; Charles A. Perkins, Constantia, January 1, 1858; Sidney M. Tucker, Pulaski, January 1, 1861; Robert D. Gillespie, Richland, Jan-


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uary 1, 1864; Sidney M. Tucker, Oswego, January 1, 1867 ; James Doyle, Oswego, January 1, 1870; Henry H. Lyman, Pulaski, January 1, 1873 ; Frank S. Low, Pulaski, January 1, 1876; J. Lyman Bulkley, Sandy Creek, January 1, 1879; Edwin L. Huntington, Mexico, Janu- ary 1, 1882 ; Alfred N. Beadle, Pulaski, January 1, 1885 ; John Van Buren, New Haven, January 1, 1888 ; Amos Allport, Scriba, January 1, 1891 ; Wilbur H. Selleck, Williamstown, January 1, 1894.


County Treasurers .- A legislative act of December 16, 1847, pursu- ant to the Constitution, provided for the election of county treasurers, who had previously been appointed, first by the Council of Appoint- ment, and afterward by the Boards of Supervisors of the respective counties. Treasurers are elected for three years. The following per- sons were treasurers of Oswego county by appointment: Peter Pratt, Mexico, 1816; Elias Brewster, Mexico, 1820. Appointed by super- visors : Avery Skinner, Mexico, 1827; Robert A. Stitt, 1839; Starr Clark, 1840; Robert A. Stitt, 1841; Hiram Walker, 1846. Elected : Samuel H. Stone, Mexico, 1849; re-elected, 1852; Henry C. Peck, Mexico, January, 1855 ; Luther H. Conklin, Mexico, January, 1858; and held the office by re-elections to 1879; John Dowdle, Oswego, January, 1879; George Goodier, Oswego, January, 1882 ; re-elected, 1885 and died 1886; E. Eugene Mckinstry, Oswego (appointed by supervisors in place of George Goodier, deceased), February, 1886; Thomas Moore, Oswego, elected in November, 1886; re-elected in November, 1889; and again in 1892.


County Clerks .- The county clerk during the colonial period served as clerk of the Court of Common Pleas, clerk of the Peace and clerk of the Sessions of the Peace, in his county. Under the first Constitution he was appointed and it was his duty to keep the county records, and act as clerk of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas, and clerk of the Oyer and Terminer. County clerks are now clerks of the Supreme Court. The term of office since the Constitution of 1821 has been three years, and the office elective. The following persons were clerks of Oswego county by appointment : James Adams, Oswego town, March 21, 1816; Joseph Davis, Oswego, March 19, 1818; Smith Dunlap, Sandy Creek, February 19, 1821. Elected, with date of entering office : Hiram Hubbell, Pulaski, January 1, 1823 ; T. S. Morgan, Oswego, January 1, 1826; Thomas


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COUNTY CIVIL LIST.


C. Baker, Pulaski, January 1, 1829; Erie Poor, Oswego, January I, 1832; Marinus W. Matthews, Pulaski, January 1, 1835; Daniel H. Marsh, Oswego, January 1, 1838; Andrew Z McCarty, Pulaski, Janu- ary I, 1841 ; John Carpenter, Oswego, January 1, 1844; Jabez H. Gilbert, Pulaski, January 1, 1847; Philander Rathbun, Oswego, Janu- ary 1, 1850; Edwin M. Hill, Pulaski, January 1, 1853; Henry S. Conde, Hastings, January 1, 1856; Samuel R. Taylor, Oswego, Janu- ary 1, 1859 ; Edward N. Rathbun, Oswego, January, 1, 1862; Bernice L. Doane, Pulaski, January I, 1865; Mannister Worts, Oswego, Jan- uary 1, 1868; John J. Stephens, Oswego town, January 1, 1871 ; Brainard Nelson, Oswego, January 1, 1874; Daniel E. Taylor, Granby, January 1, 1877; Merrick Stowell, Oswego, January 1, 1880; John Gardenier, Oswego, January 1, 1883; John H. Oliphant, Oswego, January 1, 1886; Thomas M. Costello, Orwell, January 1, 1889; Will- iam J. Pentelow, Fulton, January 1, 1892; E. E. Frost, Oswego, Jan- uary 1, 1895.


Superintendents and Commissioners of Common Schools .- By a legis- lative act passed April 17, 1843, boards of supervisors were directed to appoint county superintendents of common schools. The office was abolished March 13, 1847. Under this law Oswego county was divided into two districts. Dr. Otis W. Randall, of Schroeppel, was appointed for the Western District, and David P. Tallmadge, of Pulaski, for the Eastern. In 1845 the two districts were consolidated and Dr. Randall was reappointed. He resigned, and Alexander M. Baker, of Orwell, was appointed to fill the vacancy. The office of commissioner of com- mon schools was created in 1856, and that part of Oswego county outside of the city was divided into two districts, which were composed of the following towns: First District, Oswego (town), Hannibal, Granby, Scriba, Volney, Schroeppel, Hastings, Palermo, and New Haven. Sec- ond District-Mexico, Richland, Sandy Creek, Boylston, Redfield, Or- well, Williamstown, Albion, Amboy, Parish, West Monroe and Con- stantia. The first commissioners were appointed by the Board of Supervisors. Since November, 1857, they have been elected on a separate ballot, for terms of three years. The first appointee of the First District was Rev. Theodore M. Bishop, of Fulton, in 1856. He resigned the same year, and John A. Place, of Fulton, was appointed to


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fill the vacancy. In November, 1857, Hiram W. Lewis was elected and served from January 1, 1858, to January 1, 1861. The first com- missioner of the Second District was James W. Fenton. In November, 1857, George F. Woodbury was elected and served from January I, 1858, to January 1, 1861. In the fall of 1858 the Board of Supervisors reorganized the county outside of the city into three districts, as follows: First District-Oswego (town), Hannibal, Granby, Scriba, Volney, and New Haven. Second District-Schroeppel, Palermo, Hastings, West Monroe, Constantia, Amboy, and Parish. Third District-Mexico, Richland, Sandy Creek, Boylston, Redfield, Williamstown, Albion, and Orwell. This threw Hiram W. Loomis into the Second District, of which he continued to act as commissioner, and also threw George F. Woodbury into the Third District, which remained under his charge. John A. Place was appointed to the office in the First District and held it until January 1, 1860. In November, 1859, he was elected for the remainder of the term, which was to expire with the others on Decem- ber 31, 1860. The commissioners of the three districts since then, be- ginning January 1, 1861, have been as follows :


First District-John A. Place, 1861-63 inclusive; James W. Park- hurst, 1864; resigned and Lemuel P. Storms elected to the vacancy ; David D. Metcalf, 1867-72 ; Isaac W. Marsh, 1873-75 ; Robert Simp son, jr., 1876-78; William B. Howard, 1879-81; Clayton R. Park- hurst, 1882-84; David D. Metcalf, 1885-87; William A. Baldwin, 1888-90; Arthur W. Wiltsie, 1891-93 ; re-elected November, 1893.


Second District,-Elias A. Fish, 1861, served about a year, resigned and Willis G. Chaffee, elected to fill vacancy ; Newton W. Nutting, 1864-66; Amos J. Richardson, 1867-69 ; Byron G. Clapp, 1870-72 ; William B. Howard, 1873-75; Fowler H. Berry, 1876-78 ; Harmon D. Nutting, 1879-84; James S. Ludington, 1885-87 ; Tracy D. Blye, 1888-90 ; Hanford L. Stanton, 1891-93; re-elected November, 1893, present incumbent.


Third District .- George F. Woodbury (re-elected), 1861-63 ; William S. Goodell, 1864-66; Orville A. Fobes, 1867-69; George F. Wood- bury, 1870-72; John W. Ladd, 1873-78; Jay E. McGuire, 1879-81 ; Jay B. Cole, 1882-87; Ida L. Griffin, 1888-90; Ferdinand E. Smith, 1891-93; re-elected November, 1893, present incumbent.


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COUNTY OFFICERS, 1895.


Merrick Stowell, county judge, Oswego.


Irving G. Hubbs, special county judge, Parish.


Francis David, surrogate, Phoenix.


F. N. Burleigh, clerk surrogate's court, Phoenix.


Louis W. Baker, special surrogate, Os- wego.


Wilbur H. Selleck, sheriff, Oswego.


William H. Enos, under sheriff, Oswego.


James H. Bean, deputy sheriff and jailor, Pulaski.


Edgar E. Frost, county clerk, Oswego. Brainard Nelson, deputy county clerk, Os- wego.


Nevada N. Stranahan, district attorney, Fulton.


Fred G. Spencer, asst. district attorney, Fulton.


Thomas Moore, treasurer, Oswego.


A. A. Wellington, chairman board of su- pervisors, Oswego.


William E. Lewis, clerk board supervisors, Amboy.


Freelon J. Davis, justice of sessions, Or- well.


Munroe Hubbard, justice of sessions, Scriba.


Arthur W. Wiltsie, school com'r Ist dist., Hannibal.


Hanford L. Stanton, school com'r, 2d dist., Amboy.


Ferdinand E. Smith, school com'r, 3d dist., Sandy Creek.


Louis J. Clark, loan commissioner, Pulaski. Wm. H. Wales, loan commissioner, Scriba. Christopher J. Vowinkel, coroner, Oswego. Robert S. Lindsey, coroner, Constantia.


Mattison M. Haven, coroner, Pennell- ville.


George W. Nelson, coroner, Orwell.


Archibald S. Guthrie, superintendent of poor, Hannibal.


John S. Parsons, clerk superintendent of poor, Oswego.


C. N. Bulger, recorder, City of Oswego.


James Doyle, chief of police, City of Os- wego. Henry R. Carrier, jr., stenographer county court, Oswego. William A. Tillapaugh, crier, Mexico.


Court- Houses and other Public Buildings .- The erection of the first public buildings was not begun until more than two years after the organization of the county. In the summer of 1818 the construction of two court-houses, one at Pulaski and the other at Oswego, was com- menced. The latter was a wooden structure, designed solely as a court- house, though its basement was subsequently used for jail purposes. Its location was authorized by an act passed April 15, 1817 (chapter 281, laws of 1817), which granted to the people of the county block IOI in the village of East Oswego, and appointed Nathan Sage, Levi S. Burr, Richard Goodell, Abner P. Spencer and Alvin Bronson, commis- sioners for the purpose of building a court-house on the block. The act authorized the commissioners to sell all other lands in the villages of East and West Oswego which had been reserved for the purpose of


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erecting public buildings thereon, and directed that the avails of such sales should be appropriated " exclusively to the building and complet- ing of said court-house." The commissioners were directed to com- mence the building within six months after being notified by the super- visors of the county that "competent and sufficient funds, in addition to the proceeds of such sales, had been provided by them and deposited in the treasurer's office of the county, subject to the order of the said commissioners, to build and complete said court-house."


The court house at Pulaski was a more pretentious and very sub- stantial building, the lower part of which was fitted up for a jail. The Building Committee consisted of Simon Meacham, John S. Davis, and Ebenezer Young; the builder was James Weed. This com- mittee, by an act passed March 12, 1819, was authorized to build " a public gaol for the use of said county at such convenient place near the site of a court-house for said county established at Richland," and a tax of $1,500 was provided for the purpose. This act was modified in the execution, and jail facilities as stated above were provided in the basement of the court-house. Both of these structures served their purpose many years.


On March 22, 1822, the Board of Supervisors was authorized to raise $1,750, one half of which, together with $250 raised in 1823, was ap- plied to the work of finishing the court-house in East Oswego; the remainder was used in finishing the "gaol and court-room at Rich- land."


An act of April 21, 1828, formally set apart " that part of the public lands in the village of Oswego known as block 102 on the east side of the Oswego River," for the accommodation of the court-house. By 1838 the jail here had evidently become insufficient and insecure, and on April 9 the Board of Supervisors was authorized to hire so many cells or rooms in the Market building in West Oswego " as is necessary for a county jail," which also served as a city lock-up. On April 12, 1848, the supervisors were directed by act of the Legislature to raise by tax the sum of $4,000 (one-half in 1848, and one half in 1849) for the erection of a jail in Oswego. In the next year their committee was authorized to accept the conveyance of a suitable site, instead of using block 101 of Washington Square, to obtain which considerable


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PUBLIC BUILDINGS.


effort was expended. The site selected and purchased was the one on which the old stone jail now stands, on East Second street near the lake. This structure was erected in 1853, was 45 by 75 feet in size, three stories and basement, and was used until the completion of the new jail in 1888. The latter structure is built upon modern plans, and is one of the best of the kind in the State. Its cost, including $3,000 paid for lot, was $30,000.


By an act of April 11, 1851, the Common Council of Oswego was authorized to levy a tax not to exceed $2,000 for the erection of a fire- proof county clerk's office, which was built soon afterward of brick, on Washington Square. It is a small one-story structure, standing nearly in front of the court-house. On April 6, 1852, the citizens of the town of Richland were also anthorized to build a fire proof clerk's office on a lot given for the purpose by Benjamin Wright, in Pulaski, provided that it be finished by September 1, 1853, and the town was authorized to raise $1,500 by tax. This project was never carried out. Previous to the erection of the clerk's office in Oswego, the records had accumu - lated in considerable quantity, and had been kept at intervals in places which seemed the most secure in Oswego and Pulaski. By common consent they were transferred from the one place to the other with the election of a clerk once in three years. Since 1853 the records have remained in Oswego.


During the session of the Board of Supervisors in 1894 the necessary steps were taken to provide for the erection of a new and much-needed clerk's office. It is to stand on the site of the present office, will be two stories in height, 60 by 90 feet in size, and is to cost $38,000.


In 1858 the Board of Supervisors appropriated the sum of $30,000 for the erection of a new court-house in Oswego. This imposing struc- ture, situated on Washington Square, cost $29,390. It is built of Onondaga limestone, the main part being 50 by 66 feet in size; was erected in 1859-60; and was finished in September of the latter year. In 1891, by order of the Supreme Court, the wings were raised one story ; the interior remodeled and greatly improved; and the whole building refurnished at a cost of $10,707.44.


In 1858 the supervisors also appropriated $5,000 to enlarge and re- pair the court-house at Pulaski, a work that was finished in 1859. This


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building is a commodious and substantial structure and fronts on the public square. On the rear of it a brick annex was added in 1887, two stories high, the building committee being L. R. Muzzy, E. S. Beecher and G. N. Harding.


The first county poorhouse was established in December, 1828, with John Parsons as superintendent, in a small farm dwelling which stood on or near the site of the present poorhouse in the town of Mexico. Near it also stood a log structure in which some of the paupers were ac- commodated. In 1829 a two-story addition was made to the farm house, and the two combined were in use until 1870. At first there were between seventy and eighty inmates, and subsequently 125, including children and insane. Under an act of February II, 1841, a farm of sixty acres was purchased, and in 1859-60 a substantial insane asylum, two stories in height, was erected of brick at a cost of $4,150. In 1870 the old frame poorhouse, which had been used for over forty years, was superseded by the present commodious brick structure. The building committee were John H. Mann, Oren R. Earl and John F. Slocum. The new structure is in the form of an L, with one front facing south seventy-nine feet long, and one east seventy-seven feet. The entire cost of the work was $18,202.28.


Under the provisions of chapter 126 of the laws of 1890, providing for State care of the indigent insane, and acts supplementary thereto, the inmates of the Oswego Asylum have been removed to the St. Law- rence State Hospital for the Insane at Ogdensburg, where they are now cared for at the expense of the State.


The Old Settlers' Association of Oswego county was organized Au- gust 27, 1875, at Oswego (town) Center. The constitution provides that any persons calling themselves old settlers, can join the association by paying the sum of twenty-five cents. The amount thus obtained has been sufficient to run the organization in good shape until the present time. The first officers elected were : B. B. Burt, president; R. H. Tyler, of Fulton, Philo Bundy, of Oswego, Norman Rowe, of New Haven, Noah Wright, of Hannibal, vice-presidents; Simeon Bates, Oswego, Lyman Coats, Oswego town, Carson Wiltse, Hannibal, Schuyler Rhodes, Scriba, Henry P. Fitch, Oswego town, executive committee; F. W. Squires, secretary and treasurer. Mr. Squires has


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ever since served in this position. B. B. Burt was president in 1876, and 1879 to 1885 inclusive ; R. H. Tyler, 1877-8; Lyman Coats, W. R. Worden, and John C. Wells, two years each; Seneca D. Moore is the present incumbent.


Of those who have joined the association in the nineteen years of its existence there are on record the names of 548 males and 145 females. Of that number fifteen were ministers, sixteen were lawyers, nine were physicians and five were journalists. During these nineteen years many persons have died in the county at the age of one hundred years or over. The 693 members are divided among the towns and city as follows: Richland, 127; Oswego City, 94; Mexico, 94; New Haven, 88; Volney, 63 ; Scriba 47; Parish, 27; Granby, 22; Palermo, 22 ; Oswego Town, 17 ; Albion, 16; Hastings, 15; Schroeppel, 13 ; Orwell, 12; Sandy Creek, 10; Constantia, 7; Hannibal, 7; West Monroe, 3 ; Boylston, I. Outside of the county there are in Rochester, I ; Hoo- sick Falls, I ; Rome, I; Ilion, I; Cayuga county, I; Ann Arbor, Mich., I; Chicago, I; and Iowa, I. Of the first set of officers B. B. Burt and Philo Bundy of Oswego and F. W. Squires of Demster are living.




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