Landmarks of Oswego County, New York, Part 71

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 71

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The Pulaski National Bank had its beginning in the State Bank of J. A. Clark & Co., which was organized September I, 1862, with J. A. Clark as president and Charles A. Clark as cashier, and which was per- manently discontinued about 1871. The first named institution was

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LANDMARKS OF OSWEGO COUNTY.

chartered July 31, 1865, with Charles A. Clark as president and James A. Clark as cashier. It had a capital of $100,000, of which $50,000 was paid up. In 1874 Lewis J., a son of James A. Clark, was appointed assistant cashier. The present board of directors is composed of Ella M. Clark, president, L. J. Clark, Charles A. Peck, Mrs. Nellie T. Peck, and Mrs. O. H. Peck. The present brick bank building was erected in 1882.

In November, 1894, the Pulaski Business Association was organized with J. L. Hutchens as corresponding secretary. It is composed of the enterprising business men of the village, and was formed for the pur- pose of fostering and encouraging local manufacturing and commercial interests.

Pulaski village has a thrifty population of 1,517. Since 1850, when the railroad was commenced, it has gone forward with substantial growth and steady development.

Port Ontario, "a city of unrealized possibilities," situated at the mouth of Salmon River, has an early history which almost rivals that of Oswego, of which place it became an active rival for shipping and other lake interests. It was the site of the first permanent settlement in Richland, and from an early day was regarded as a natural harbor. Some time prior to 1836 John L. and Asa C. Dickinson, Elias Camp, and Colonel Robert Nickles, conceiving the idea that a city must spring up here, organized the Port Ontario Company and immediately sur- veyed a large tract of land into building lots, " the usual size " of which was "67 by 174 feet." Colonel Nickles was the surveyor, and in that year he made an elaborate map of the " Village of Port Ontario," which is now in the possession of L. R. Muzzy, of Pulaski. Beginning at the lake it describes the property in substance as follows: On the left is Selkirk Lake, and a few rods above a slip with piers on either side is indicated. The mouth of Mill Creek is designated " Mill slip." On the right are three slips, Nos. 3, 2, and I respectively, and opposite No. I are Kewana and Meadow Islands, while between these is Great Day Island. Then comes Salmon Island, over which a bridge connects the two shores. Just below is Bird Island, and opposite this, on the south bank, is the hydraulic canal, running up and parallel with the river. Above the bridge are Susan F., Genesee, Maryann, Martha, Surveyors,

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THE TOWN OF RICHLAND.

Maria, Crab, Julia, and Adcane Islands. Two public squares, one on either side of the river, are indicated on the plat, while on the south side is a lot reserved for school purposes.

The new city was announced with a flourish of trumpets, and lots sold at exorbitant prices. April 24, 1837, the village was incorporated, and May 16 the Legislature chartered the Salmon River Harbor Canal Company, which was organized for the purpose of constructing a canal " from the original lake to the village of Port Ontario." The capital stock aggregated $350,000. In November, 1837, the Port Ontario Aurora was established. It was "printed for the proprietors by L. W. Cole at the corner of Bridge and Pulaski streets." It was a large four- page sheet, edited by E. J. Van Cleve, and a copy dated December 6, 1837, contains the following advertisements :

O. E. Dwight, painter; Mercy Clark, tailoring and mantua making; Libbeus Marshall, cabinet maker; J. O. Olcott. blacksmith; K. Manwaring, lime, etc .; Robert Nickles, " village lots in First ward, Port Ontario, for sale;" Robert Nickles and A. H. Lawrence, agents for lands in Jefferson, Lewis and Oswego counties; Port Ontario House (4th ward), S. Mason proprietor ; Selkirk Hotel (1st ward), J. M. Stacy and B. Ripson pro- prietors; J. S. Nickles and Smith & Potts, general merchants; J. Palden, boots and shoes ; H. L. Allen and J. Conover, carpenters; H. M. Cross, marble, etc. ; Isaac Young, grocer ; Stephen L. West, blacksmith; James Gore, jeweler ; Mitchell & Pride, tailors ; Caleb Wells, shoemaker.

Afterward N. W. Fisher became a general merchant and John Meacham & Co. and Shepard & Gillespie established a forwarding and commission business.

In 1838, after an existence of about six months, the Aurora was pur- chased by a Mr. Dickinson and moved to Pulaski, when it was united with the Advocate under the name of the Pulaski Advocate and Aurora.

In 1838 a lighthouse was built and in 1855 it was refitted. The contractors of the original structure, which cost about $8,000, were Joseph Gibbs and Abner French. For several years it remained un- used, but recently it has been relighted and is now maintained. A post- office was obtained and is still continued, the present postmaster being Perry Hardy, who succeeded S. A. Smith in May, 1887. The sanguine hopes of the enterprising progenitors were never realized. Trade and commerce were diverted to other centers and Port Ontario was left a quiet rural hamlet, beautified, however, by a wide expanse of water.

Richland Station (Richland post-office), a small village in the north- 89

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LANDMARKS OF OSWEGO COUNTY.

east corner of the town, from which it derives its name, is principally noted as a railroad junction and transfer point in shipping coal, etc. It dates its existence from the completion of the railroad, before which it had only a saw mill and a house or two. Among the merchants here have been a Mr. Aldrich, Ira Doane, Captain Sprague, S C. Davis, Monroe Wright, William Averill, James C. Van Epps, Lafayette Erskine, O. D. Moore (father of the present postmaster, Fred M.), and Charles Field. Those now in business are G. H. Mellen, William D. Streeter, and J. P. Washburn. Henry H. Mellen, a cousin of G. H., was for several years a prominent business man here, being postmaster, hotel keeper, and station agent. Mr. Field established and for a num- ber of years actively conducted a trout farm near the village. Among the hotel proprietors may be mentioned O. D. Moore, where John Doneburg now is; Albert Wright, the oldest landlord in Richland Sta- tion ; Mr. Frost, who was succeeded by his family; and Henry H. Mellen, who built the Trout Brook House in 1853.

Holmesville (South Richland post-office) is a station on the Syracuse division of the R., W. & O. Railroad, south of Pulaski and was named in honor of the large family of Holmes who settled in the vicinity at an early day. Of their number was Jabin Holmes, a native of Cherry Val- ley, N. Y., and a pensioner of the war of 1812, who lived to over 100 years old. He was the father of Norton P. Holmes. A tannery flour- ished here until March 14, 1886, when it was burned. The present postmaster is George L. Varney, who succeeded Isaac L. Rich.

Daysville is a post-office and station on the Oswego and Richland division of the R., W. & O. Railroad. Its principal business interests are the saw, cider, and shingle mill and evaporator of D. E. Huff and the general store of Brown & Co. Florence L. Brown is postmistress.

Churches .- The first religious organization in this town was the First Congregational society and church of Richland (in Pulaski), which was organized at the house of Erastus Kellogg on the 22d of January, 1811; the certificate of incorporation was filed in the county clerk's office Feb- ruary 25 of that year. The society had its beginning, however, in a preliminary association of nine persons in Pawlet, Vt., namely, Thad- deus Harmon, John Meacham, Levi Meacham, Joel Harmon, Simon Meacham, Lucy Meacham, Olive Hall, Polly Meacham, and Ruth Harmon,

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THE TOWN OF RICHLAND.

who met for the purpose before their departure for Richland, their future home. The first trustees of the church society, elected January 22, 1811, were Timothy Maltby, Silas Harmon, Rufus Pierce, John Meacham, Erastus Kellogg, Dr. Moses R. Porter, and Simon Meacham. Until 1817 this little band of worshipers held services in private dwell- ings. In that year they established their spiritual home in the school house which then stood on the site of the old Cross land office in Pulaski. Later they removed to the vicinity of the present Baptist church, and after the court house was erected in 1819, meetings were held therein. In 1827 the first edifice, a frame structure, with galleries, was erected at a cost of about $2,000: It stood on Church street and was subse- quently converted into a school house, the last service being held in it July 9, 1865, by Rev. David Spear, then in his eighty- fifth year. He had also preached the first sermon in the building after its completion and administered the first communion to the congregation. A new church was built in 1866-7 and dedicated April 24, 1867, by Rev. Laurens P. Hickok, D.D., LL.D., president of Union College. It cost $15,000, of which sum $1,500 were contributed by Deacon Simon Meacham. The first pastor, Rev. Oliver Leavitt, accompanied the little colony from Pawlet to Richland and was installed December 24, 181I. He remained until August 27, 1818, and among his successors were :

Rev. Oliver Ayer, February 20, 1822, to April 12, 1826; Rev. George Freeman, De- cember 7, 1827, to January 22, 1830; Rev. Ralph Robinson, March 23, 1830, to January 28, 1846; Rev. Thomas Salmon, August 2, 1846, to June 15, 1847 (died December 4, 1854); Rev. Fayette Shepherd, May 19, 1855, to April 19, 1858; Rev. Lucien W. Cheney, October 10, 1858, to November 10, 1864. The successor of the latter was Rev. James Douglas.1 The present pastor is Rev. A. S. Emmons.

1 Rev. James Douglas, son of Amos, was born in Franklin, N. Y., May 7, 1823, and died at Oberlin, Ohio, April 11, 1891, his remains being brought to Pulaski for interment. Amos Douglas was born in Stephentown, N. Y., June 21, 1779, and died March 19, 1857. He was descended from the New London family of that name and was graduated from Williams College in 1798. Ad- mitted to the bar at Albany in 1801, he began practice at Franklin, N. Y., in 1802, where he became the county judge and surrogate, and where he was active in founding the Delaware Literary In- stitute, of whose board of trustees he was secretary twenty-two years. Rev. James Douglas was graduated from Hamilton College in 1845 and from Auburn Theological Seminary in 1850. For three years following he was professor of Latin and Greek at Genesee College, N. Y. August 15, 1853, he was ordained and became pastor of the Congregational church at Rutland, whence he removed to Pulaski and was installed pastor of the First Congregational church December 1, 1864, a position he filled with extraordinary ability until January 9, 1883, when he resigned. In 1886 he accepted a lectureship in the Theological Seminary of Oberlin College, where he remained until his death. He was an eloquent sermonizer, a profound thinker, a lucid writer and a sympa- thetic friend.

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LANDMARKS OF OSWEGO COUNTY.

In 1817 the first Sunday school was organized with Dea. Simon Meacham as superintendent, and during the next year a library was established.

The Methodist Episcopal church of Pulaski had its beginning in a series of meetings of this denomination which were held in the dwelling of John Ingersoll and the tavern of Pliny Jones as early as 1811. The society was probably organized as a class, if not as a church about 1813. Besides private houses and the tavern of Mr. Jones, services were held with more or less regularity in the school house in Pulaski until the erection of the court house, when the members shared the hospitalities of that building in common with other religious organiza- tions. In 1832 the church edifice was erected on Salina street on the site of the subsequent residence of Charles Hubbard. Many years after- ward the present structure was built, which was remodeled and repaired at a cost of $2,600 and reopened for service December 18, 1888. Among the early preachers were Revs. Calkins, Bibbens, McNine, Ful- ler, Whitcomb, Chapin, G. C. Woodruff, Bowdish, Hawkins, A. J. Phelps, Orlando C. Cole, William Jones, S. B. Crosier, and others. The present pastor is Rev. Anson D. Webster, who is also the confer- ence treasurer. The society has about 230 members. The church property, including the parsonage, is valued at $9,200. The church is in the Oswego district of the Northern New York Conference. The Sunday school has an average attendance of 120 scholars.

The Baptist church of Pulaski was organized at the court house June 9, 1828, in compliance with a resolution adopted at a conference held May 17, of that year. Prior to that time Rev. Nathaniel Gitteau, " a very acceptable preacher," who died in 1827, formed the Baptists of the vicinity into a class for religious worship, and presided over them in the capacity of a temporary minister. The recognition services creating the new society were solemnized by Rev. R. T. Smith, Rev. Enos Ferris, and Rev. Timothy Brewster, and T. C. Baker was elected church clerk. On July 12 Benjamin Snow, sr., and T. C. Baker were chosen deacons. The constituent members were :

Jason Lothrop, Benjamin Snow, T. C. Baker, R. Clyne, Eli Greene, Horace Phillips, John Hendrickson, Sylvester Hills, Oliver Allen, Mrs. Allen and daughter, Mrs. William Hale and daughter, Sibyl S. Baker, Lavina Snow, Delia Doane, Betsey Jones, Polly

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THE TOWN OF RICHLAND.

Hendrickson, Charlotte Way, Amanda Weed, Susan Phillips, Lovina Meacham, Ann Fellows, Cynthia Bass, Eliza Bragdon, and Fanny Manwarring.

At a metting held August 31, 1829, the project of building a church was inaugurated, but the edifice was not finished and occupied until the summer of 1834 The pastor during this period was Rev. Jesse Elliott. Several years later, and during the pastorate of Rev. S. J. Decker, the structure was repaired, enlarged, and for the first time dedicated. The last sermon was delivered in this edifice July 22, 1894. Upon the original site, fronting on the south park, the society has erected a new frame building at a cost of about $7,500. The corner stone was laid September II, 1894, and the edifice was dedicated in May, 1895. The first pastor was Rev. Jason Lothrop ; his successors have been :

Revs. Jesse Elliott, I. N. T. Tucker, C. B. Taylor, A. Webb, Charles Marshall, Thomas Bright, W. I. Crane, Lawson Muzzy, S. J. Decker, M. V. Wilson, G. A. Ames, M. B. Comfort, J. J. Townsend, D. D. Owen, J. N. Steelman, and D. J. Bailey, the present in- cumbent. The deacons are J. W. Wood, E. F. Smith, and Ephraim Averill. Benjamin Snow, jr., is church clerk. The society has about 165 members, and a Sunday school of nearly 200, scholars, with J. L. Hutchins as superintendents.

St. James Protestant Episcopal church of Pulaski was organized at the Court House August 10, 1846, Hon. Andrew Z. McCarty presid- ing at the meeting, with the following vestry : John David and Andrew Z. McCarty (wardens); John Box, jr., Daniel McCarty, Jerome B Smith, Joseph T. Stevens, John A. Rose, Alden Crandall, Frey Lane, and J. C. Rhoades, vestrymen. The founder and life-long warden of the parish, and one of its most influential members, was John David, who main- tained lay-reading whenever a vacancy in the rectorship occurred. The church was finished and consecrated February 27, 1850, by Rt. Rev. William H. De Lancey, bishop of Western New York, at a cost of $2,500. It was then regarded as one of the handsomest edifices in the diocese. It is 30x90 feet and was designed by Upjohn, of New York. To aid in the erection of this structure Hon. William C. Pierrepont, of Pierrepont Manor, Jefferson county, contributed $500 and for the rec- tory he gave $1,000. The earlier rectors of the parish were : Rev. Edward De Zeng, Henry Stanley, Gordon M. Bradley, Andrew Oliver, Joshua L. Harrison, Moses E. Wilson, Peter B. Morrison, Milton B. Benton, Gilbert B. Hayden, and others. The present rector is Rev. Robert Paul.

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St. John the Evangelist's Roman Catholic church of Pulaski was built in 1888, the corner stone being laid on August 28, of that year. It stands on the corner of Park and Niagara streets, cost about $2,500, and was consecrated January 16, 1889. The first pastor was Rev. Father Barrily.

The Baptist church of South Richland was organized at the house of Col. Robert Gillespie on the 7th of October, 1817, and four days after- ward Rev. Enos Ferris was installed the first pastor. He served many years and during the earlier existence of the society meetings were held in private dwellings or barns. In 1840 the church edifice was com- pleted, the first service therein being held on April II of that year. The society now has about thirty-five resident members, under the pastoral care of Rev. Jabez Ford, supply. The last regular pastor was Rev. G. W. Lewis, who closed his labor there March 1, 1894. The value of the property is $2,800. The superintendent of the Sunday school is B. D. Burdick.

The Methodist Episcopal church of South Richland was organized by Revs. G. C. Woodruff and Gardner Baker in June, 1840, with the fol- lowing constituent members : Solomon and Betsey Erskine, Phoebe Erskine, Betsey Dickinson, Rhoda Stewart, Sebern Dickinson and wife, George H. English and wife, Timothy Steele and wife, Levi Cary and wife, and Jonathan Sherwood and wife. For eighteen years services were held in the school house, the charge being at first a part of the Pulaski circuit, subsequently (1844) a part of the Mexico circuit, and finally (1851) a separate station. In 1858 the present edifice was built and dedicated, the meeting on the latter occasion being conducted by Rev. George Sawyer, presiding elder, and Rev. J. H. Burnett, the pas- tor in charge. The structure cost $800. The society is now under the pastoral care of Rev. H. R. Northrup. The Methodists at Daysville and vicinity maintain services in a Union church at that place, which was erected many years ago, at an expense of $400. The congrega- tion is connected with the South Richland charge. The two societies have a membership of about 170 The entire church property, includ- ing a parsonage, is valued at $3, 100.

The First Methodist Episcopal church of Richland station was organ- ized as a society at the school house in that village on November 15,

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THE TOWN OF SANDY CREEK.

1886, with about twenty members, by Rev. B. Day Brown, the first pastor. It was incorporated and in 1887 the present frame edifice was erected, the dedication of which took place April 24, 1888; it cost about $1,500. The first board of trustees consisted of H. H. Richardson, James Beeman, and E. D. Wells. The present trustees are E. D. Wells, James C. Knight, and A. D. Bonner. The pastors have been Revs. B. Day Brown, Truman Weed, W. J. Hancock, and W. H. Jago, the pres- ent incumbent. This church is connected with the Orwell charge.

The Church of Christ (Disciples) of Richland Station had its begin- ning in the labors of Elder John Encell, who came there May 1, 1874, and held a series of meetings in the vacant store of H. H. Mellen A society was organized June 16, 1874, with about thirty-six members, and on August I their present edifice was commenced ; it was dedicated June 16, 1878, and is valued with lot at $1,200. The first pastor was Rev. W. T. Newcomb, who was succeeded by Rev. C. E. Wells. The present incumbent is Rev. Gilbert L. Harney. This was the first church at Richland Station and has always maintained a steady growth.

At Port Ontario religious services were held at an early day and have been maintained with considerable regularity down to the present time. An outgrowth of the work was the erection of Bethel church, which was dedicated January 9, 1850. Baptist services are conducted here by Rev. D. J. Baily, pastor of the Baptist church of Pulaski.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

THE TOWN OF SANDY CREEK.

The town of Sandy Creek, lying in the extreme northwest corner of Oswego county, was set off from the north part of Richland on the 24th of March, 1825. Its boundaries have remained unchanged; its area comprises 24,347 acres. Originally it was included in the great Boyls- ton tract and formed a part of the survey township of " Rhadamant," or No. 10, and at the time of its first settlement was the property of the heirs of William Constable, of whom H. B. Pierrepont was the principal.

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LANDMARKS OF OSWEGO COUNTY.

It is bounded on the north by Ellisburg in Jefferson county, on the east by Boylston and Orwell, on the south by Richland, and on the west by Lake Ontario.

The surface is generally rolling and has a westerly inclination, the eastern border being about 500 feet above the waters of the lake. Dense forests originally covered the whole area, and for many years afforded much remunerative employment. Large quantities of valuable timber were converted into ashes, which in turn were manufactured into potash which was long almost the only product which could be sold for money. As late as 1860 there were eleven saw mills, two shingle mills, and other kindred establishments in active operation. Now only remnants of the primitive forests remain.

The soil consists of gravelly loam and disintegrated shale, and pro- duces excellent crops of grain, hay, corn, potatoes, and fruit, and forms one of the most fertile sections in the county. It is drained by several small streams, nearly all of which have rapid currents interrupted by falls, and furnish valuable water power. The principal stream is Sandy Creek, which flows westerly through the town into an arm of Lake Ontario. This arm is nearly landlocked and has been known as Little Sandy Pond, or as North and South Ponds, because of its irregular out- lines. It is the only considerable indentation of the coast of Lake Onta- rio in Oswego county. This pond, so called, was known among its earliest visitors as Wigwam Cove,1 and those who have studied the locality generally agree that an Indian village once existed on the ad- jacent shore. Numerous relics have been discovered which substantiate this belief. On the farm of Ira Allen perfect arrowheads Were found last year (1894).

In 1615, five years before the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock, Champlain landed a body of French troops and about 300 Huron In- dians on the shore of Wigwam Cove. Hiding their canoes in the rushes he marched to the Onondaga country, where he was defeated, and re- turning, he embarked his forces and went up the River Trent in Canada.

! This is a much more euphonious name than the one commonly applied and besides is historically correct. At the personal request of two prominent citizens of the village of Sandy Creek, who have assisted materially in procuring information for this volume, and who have taken an active interest in the collection and preservation of local history, the name Wigwam Cove is used in these pages instead of North Pond, and South Cove instead of South Pond.

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THE TOWN OF SANDY CREEK.

From this and subsequent events the indentation acquired the name of Wigwam Cove.

Wigwam Cove embraces over 1,000 acres, while South Cove has an area of from 200 to 300. A line of sand, once considered worthless, divides the coves from Lake Ontario, and extends along the shore for a distance of five miles, being broken near the middle by an estuary or outlet. This stretch of sand has long formed the base of operations against the white fish which frequent the waters of the coves in large numbers. As many as 13,000 have been caught in a single haul of the seine, but a more common number is 5,000 to 6,000. In later years these fish have decreased in number, yet the place still maintains its reputation of being one of the best fishing grounds in the Empire State.

Outside of the villages of Sandy Creek and Lacona the chief industry of the town is farming, with dairying as the principal branch. There are several cheese factories in operation, the first one having been built in Lacona by Samuel M. Blodgett, the present proprietor being Irvin E. Finster. There are also three saw mills and a shingle mill. Con- siderable attention is given to fruit raising.

Sandy Creek was the first town in the county to develop natural gas fields, and their development is mainly due to the enterprise of George L. Hydorn and Orson S. Potter. May 26, 1888, the Sandy Creek Oil and Gas Company, Limited, was incorporated with a capital of $5,000, and with

Oren R. Earl, president; Orson S. Potter, vice-president; G. N. Harding, secretary ; Albert Powers, treasurer ; G. L. Hydorn, general manager; and these and E. H. Sargent, A. R. Cook, E. C. Upton, G. W. Hollis, William McConnell, Perry Bartlett, William S. Goodrich and H. H. Cole, directors.

Drilling was commenced that year on land owned by O. G. Staples, and gas was struck February 2, 1889, at a depth of 500 feet ; the boring was continued to a depth of 1,240 feet. A second well was sunk in the following winter, a third in the spring of 1890, two more the same year, a sixth in 1891, followed by three others, three in 1892, and two in 1893, all in or near the villages of Sandy Creek and Lacona. The highest pressure was 400 pounds per square inch, which was reached in well No. 9. In both villages the gas is utilized 90

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Landmarks of Oswego County, New York, Part 71

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

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