Landmarks of Tompkins County, New York : including a history of Cornell University, Part 12

Author: Hewett, Waterman Thomas, 1846-1921; Selkreg, John H
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason
Number of Pages: 1194

USA > New York > Tompkins County > Landmarks of Tompkins County, New York : including a history of Cornell University > Part 12

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).

In a letter dated at Albany, February 18, 1810, Mr. De Witt wrote as follows :

The place to which I purpose to go, when I have no business here, is a village of at least thirty houses; and fronts a plain of the richest lowlands. If I should live twenty years longer, I am confident I should see Ithaca as important a place as Utica is now. Its advantages and situation cannot fail of giving it a rapid growth and making it one of the first inland places of trade. There is now no place of its size in the country where there is such a stir of business. The principal inn-a considerable two-story house-besides another respectable tavern, was found quite insufficient for the business. When Colonel Varick and I arrived there, breakfast had been served for thirty people before we got ours. The landlord (Vrooman)-a very respectable man -- has last season built a large three-story house for a tavern.1 I mention these things to show that what I have contemplated for my future residence is not a dreary, solitary country situation.

A few months later, May 10, 1810, and after another visit to Ithaca, Mr. De Witt wrote as follows of the place:

I find this village considerably increased since I was here before. I have counted thirty-eight dwelling-houses, among which are one very large, elegant, three-story house for a hotel, and five of two stories; the rest of one story-all generally neat frame buildings. Besides these there is a school house and buildings for merchants' stores, and shops for carpenters, cabinet-makers, blacksmiths, coopers, tanners; and we have besides shoemakers, tailors, two lawyers, one doctor, watch-cleaner, turner, miller, hatters, etc., etc.

1 This became the Ithaca Hotel, and stood on the site of the present house of that name.

Cayuga Lake

Renuncks 1

87 Davenport's

Fall Creek

Inlet

Sidney's

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Cascadella C"

Č 94

Inleč

95 Smith's

33.80

400 als

Catstill R

- Owego

A&H . 1900 feres B

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Casterline

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D 322

Lyon's

Metts

Middagh

H 400 Blood goods 7932 Real Es linde Simon in this County of Tompkins

c. . 90

60 326 Exchanged for E 12 2332

18 32

D 92

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LANDMARKS OF TOMPKINS COUNTY.

Governor De Witt Clinton also evinced an intelligent interest in the village and believed that it was to become an important municipality. In his personal journal of 1810 he wrote as follows:

The price of a barrel of salt at Ithaca is twenty shillings; conveyance to Owego, by land, six shillings; from Owego to Baltimore, by water, eight shillings. Allow- ing a profit of six shillings on a barrel, salt can be sent from here to Baltimore for one dollar per bushel. Packing-salt sold there last spring for six shillings.

Salt is taken down the country from this place by water as far as Northumberland, Pennsylvania, 150 miles from Owego. It is 120 miles from here to the head-waters of the Alleghany. There is no road but a sleigh-road, in winter, by which salt is conveyed in small quantities: 3,500 barrels will be distributed from Ithaca this sea- son.

Flour will be sent from this place to Montreal, via Oswego, or to Baltimore, via Owego. There is no great difference in the expense of transportation. It will prob- ably seek Montreal as the most certain market.

A boat carrying from 100 to 140 barrels will go to and return from Schenectady in six weeks. An ark carrying 250 barrels costs $75 at Owego. It can go down the river to Baltimore in cight, ten or twelve days, and when there it will sell for half the original price. The owner, after vending his produce, returns home by land with his money, or gocs to New York by water, where, as at Albany, he lays out his money in goods. The rapids of the Susquehanna are fatal to ascending navigation.

Cattle are sent in droves to Philadelphia. Upwards of 200 barrels of beef and pork were sent from this place last spring, by arks, to Baltimore, from Owego, by Buel and Gerc, and sold to advantage.

The situation of this place, at the head of Cayuga Lake, and a short distance from the descending waters to the Atlantic, and about 120 miles to the descending waters to the Mississippi, must render it a place of great importance.

And again he wrote as follows of the operations here of Luther Gere:

Mr. Gere has finished for $2,300 in stock of the Ithaca and Owego Turnpike Com- pany, three miles of that turnpike, from the 10th of April to the 10th of July, with eight men, four yoke of oxen and two teams of horses. Scrapers are a powerful engine in making roads.

He is also building an elegant frame hotel, three stories high, and 50 by 40 feet, with suitable outbuildings and garden. The carpenter's work was contracted for at $1,500; the whole will not cost more than $6,000. Gere is a very enterprising man. 1

These extracts from the notes of men of good judgment, made from personal observation and knowledge, and at the period now under con-

1 Mr. Gere was for many years one of the leading and enterprising men of this county. He owned over 1,400 acres of farm lands on West and South Hills, his tract on West Hill extending from the west line of Ithaca city to the Enfield town line. At one time he had 1,200 sheep on his land. He was president of the old Ithaca Bank, and dealt largely in lumber, the latter business finally causing his failure.

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VILLAGE OF ITHACA.

sideration, shed the clearest possible light upon the conditions and prospects of Ithaca village during its early years; but it must be ad- mitted that midway in its existence it passed through a period of considerable length during which it scarcely seemed to justify the pre- dictions of the prophets from whom we have quoted, and when, more- over, its slow rate of progress and development did not presage the rapid growth of the past ten years. In the early years the merchants, as we have seen, made liberal profits and were perforce given a large patronage ; the exports from the immediate locality were comparatively large, consisting of stock, grain, potash, lumber, tar, 1 etc., and the centering here of two important turnpikes caused transportation through the place of large quantities of the products of other localities, as well as cheapened the carriage on goods brought hither. The valu- able plaster of Cayuga county was in great demand early in the war period of 1812-15, on account of the decline of foreign commerce and stoppage of the former Nova Scotia supply, and immense quantities were brought to Ithaca and sent on southward. It is recorded that 800 teams passed on the turnpike in a day on some occasions, and of course they all left their tribute in Ithaca. Coal, iron and merchandise were brought back by these teams on their return trips. The magni- tude of this business was the moving cause of the later construction of the Ithaca and Owego Railroad. Travel was also large in the old stage coaches which have been described in Chapter VII, and many old citi- zens can remember with what eagerness the far-off sound of the stage horn was daily awaited by the loungers at "Grant's Coffee-House," the "Hotel," or the "Columbian Inn," or, earlier still, at "Gere's." At these famous inns did the weary travelers alight from the old-fashioned thorough-brace coach for a thorough bracing of the "inner man," at bar and board, -two days, only, from Newburg or Catskill !

We quote the following from the American Journal of December 15, 1819:

Through the politeness of a gentleman by the Newburgh Line from New York, we received on Saturday morning, a copy of the President's message, delivered on Tuesday, at 12 o'clock. It was received in New York in eighteen hours and a half from Washington-a distance of 240 miles; was there republished; and (allowing for the time of reprinting and delay in New York) was about three days from Washing- ton City to this place-a distance of four hundred and eighty miles,-a rapidity of communication seldom surpassed in any country.

1 It is a fact that may be a surprise to later generations, that several hundred bar- rels of tar were made here from the pine forests that covered much of the land.

EARLY TRANSPORTATION-FROM AN OLD PRINT.

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VILLAGE OF ITHACA.

But what contributed more, perhaps, than anything else to the pros- perity and prospective importance of Ithaca was the construction of the Erie Canal (begun in 1817 and finished in 1825). This great waterway gave direct and easy communication with the seaboard and limitless markets. Previous to that event the boats navigating the waterway between Ithaca and Schenectady were small, and propelled much of the distance with poles in the face of numerous obstacles. With the building of the large canal boats (though not at first nearly so large as now) were introduced new and more gratifying conditions and led to the remarkable development of the lake traffic, which became a source of large business interests and incoming wealth before the opening of railroads.

The enthusiasm that prevailed over the completion of the canal is indicated by the following letter written from Ithaca to the Columbian, a newspaper of New York city, in September, 1820:

ITHACA, September 6.

READ! REFLECT!

TRANSPORTATION FROM UTICA!

The great advantage to this part of the country from the Grand Canal in the transportation of goods and produce is forcibly illustrated by the following fact :

Capt. W. R. Collins, of this village performed the passage from Utica to Monte- zuma (96 miles) with his boat drawn all the way by one horse, in three days, with a freight of 15 tons. From Montezuma to this place is a passage of one day or more according to the wind up the lake. Before the construction of the canal, six tons were a load for a boat at this season; and to transport that burden from Utica to this village would require from eight to twelve days and the labor of five hands at least.

Considerable has been written and more said about the condition of society in early years. A so-called "Moral Society " (the name of which would apparently indicate an exceptional degree of morality in its members) was organized at an early day and appears to have car- ried its ideas of punishing delinquents and hunting them down with a rather high hand. It is doubtful if any other locality ever produced a counterpart of this alleged organization. It was composed of leading business men, and its ranks were recruited from all classes of society. Uncle Ben Drake was the head, and he was designated "Old Tecum- seh." From time to time, as occasion moved him, he issued his "proclamations," had them printed in "Captain Cudgel's " (James M. Miller's) Castigator, a ten by eighteen-inch folio, and every member of

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LANDMARKS OF TOMPKINS COUNTY.

the society responded; for no excuse was ever countenanced, or if evasion was attempted, a heavy fine was levied upon the offender and its collection enforced. Tecumseh's proclamations were promulgated whenever a show of any kind struck the town. If the proprietor of the exhibition was wise he per- fected an arrangement with the society and paid five dollars into the treasury of the organization. Then Tecumseh recommended his fellow members to attend, and they came in such numbers that at times "standing room" only was ob- tainable. Entrance fees were paid by all at the door and no disorder was allowed, the society for the time being acting as a most efficient police; but woe to the exhibitor who did not recognize the society's claims and scouted its authority. One audacious fellow bid defiance to Tecumseh and proceeded with his show of wax figures, a per- forming monkey and other attrac- tions. The ball room of the old Ithaca Hotel, corner of Aurora and State streets, was secured by this showman, who during the day "TECUMSEH." unpacked and set up Napoleon Bonaparte, Benedict Arnold, John Hancock, Daniel Lambert, Gibbs, the pirate, and other notables. The proprietor acted as ticket taker at the door, foot of the stairs, receiving for admission some few genuine coins, but an unusually large amount of broken bank and counterfeit paper currency. When he mounted to the ball room he found an audience of hundreds, who had saved him the trouble of opening the door, by placing a ladder at a window and entering without the formality of expending a farthing. Soon a fight broke out, the wax figures were stripped and crushed, the proprietor hustled down stairs, and the terrified monkey escaped over the roof of an adjoining building. In the morning Tecumseh started on a hunting

11:

VILLAGE OF ITHACA.

tour with gun on shoulder and returned in an hour dragging the mon- key he had found in a tree in Hill's garden, on the corner of Green and Cayuga streets. He averred it was a dangerous wild beast of a new species, and he had shot it for his own safety and the safety of the people. The showman was furnished with means to pack up his shat- tered figures, and mourning the loss of his monkey, he left town never to return. When Drake died the society dissolved.

The proclamation of Tecumseh relative to this event is worth preservation and ran as follows: " His illustrious Eminence, the Grand President of the Moral Society of the profound city of Ithaca and the surrounding territory; to all subordinate in- stitutions, and to all worthy associates, greeting: Whereas, a couple of Itinerants have presumed to wander up and down within our peaceful dominions, exhibiting a miserable congregation of Wax Figures, and making an abominable attempt at musical performances, on what we have by due inspection ascertained to be a leather Organ, which latter is particularly obnoxious to our refined nervous sensibility ; and, Whereas, they have affected to hold our authority in contempt ; these are, therefore, to command you, wherever you may be, either in Auburn, Owego, or elsewhere, to see that the laws and ordinances of our sublime institution are in due style enforced with respect to this vagrant establishment, and especially toward the aforesaid in- contestibly vituperable engine. All marshals, sheriffs, constables, coroners, and all other executive officers are categorically ordered to be aiding and assisting in enforc- ing this salutary regulation; and all judges, justices of the peace, and other judicial officers of any name, denomination or description whatever, or by whatever term they may be ycleped, are commanded, under the strictest penalties and pains, to refrain from licensing or permitting the aforesaid performance, or in any way coun- tenancing the same. You are at all times to regard our homologous instructions in the light of express commands; and for so doing these presents shall be your suf- ficient warrant and authority.

" In witness whereof, we have caused our great seal to be hereunto appended on this 10th day of the first month of the twentieth year of our illustrious institution. " TECUMSEH."

This somewhat remarkable document was adorned with a ghastly human profile.

The following proclamation succeeded the above, and clearly relates to the same showman, as well as to others:

PROCLAMATION.

His illustrious eminence, the grand president of the Moral Society, of the profound city of Ithaca and the surrounding territories; to all subordinate institutions, and all worthy associates, Greeting: Whereas, by our proclamation under our great seal, bearing date the 10th day of the present month, we have commanded you, wherever you might be, to see that our laws and ordinances were duly enforced, with respect to certain itinerant exhibitions of wax figures, and a vituperable engine, alias a

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LANDMARKS OF TOMPKINS COUNTY.

leather organ, and have commanded all persons in authority, whether judicial or executive, to refrain from licensing, permitting or countenancing the said itinerants, under the severest pains and penalties; and, Whereas, it hath been satisfactorily shewn to us, that the said itinerants were induced to treat our authority with dis- regard, partly through ignorance of our laws and ordinances, but more especially by the wicked insinuations and abominably false and malicious representations of a cer- tain loquacious and limping inspector of beef and pork, and other disaffected per- sons ; and that they have upon just and proper representations, promptly and cheer- fully conformed to the requirements of our ancient and honorable institution; and, Whereas, it appears also, upon more scrutinizing inspection, that the said engine is not made of leather, but composed of the proper materials; now, therefore, these are to signify that it is our sovereign and incontestable will and pleasure, that the restraints imposed by our said proclamation be, and the same are hereby removed ; and all subordinate institutions and worthy members, all judicial and executive officers, are enjoined and commanded to license and permit, countenance and pro- tect the said itinerants in their lawful and necessary functions. , and we do also order and decree, that the aforesaid audacious, mendacious and mutilated in- spector, be put and placed without the protection of our laws, and that all distillers, grocers and publicans be forbidden, under any pretext whatever, to harbor or enter- tain him; and that all decent persons of any age, color or size, be strictly and abso- lutely enjoined not to have any commerce, dealing, acquaintance, discourse, communication or intercourse, or in any wise to cohabit with him.

In testimony, whereof, etc.

TECUMSEH.

The doings of Drake and his society were not confined to traveling showmen; for they assumed the right, and they certainly had the power, to duck an offending citizen in the Inlet; to conduct a trial on a chronic loafer and punish him by some peculiar method; to capture an intoxicated wayfarer from an adjoining town and shut him in some citizen's hog or cattle pen, there to pass the night. It has been as- sumed that the condition of society in early Ithaca was a degree less civilized than in other similar communities; but it is scarcely probable that such was the case. The fact is, the pioneers in such settlements as Ithaca always numbered among them many rough characters, among whom the license for acts that would hardly be tolerated in refined communities of to-day was quite free.

In the language of Mr. King,

The first settlers of a new country are more or less rude and unrefined in their habits and manners, and many acts are excusable among them which could not be tolerated in larger communities. A frequent reason is the absence of female society, and a universal one is the want of those sources and means of enjoyment which a more dense population and more extended association affords. Then, too, new society is composed of a large proportion of young men, whom an enterprising spirit and buoyant hope have led to adventure for the smiles of fortune. Not impelled by

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VILLAGE OF ITHACA.

family cares and duties, nor attracted by the charms of domestic happiness, they seek relaxation and pleasure in pastimes which the more staid and sober perhaps too severely condemn. I have been told that in 1800 there were but two or three mar- riageable young ladies in Ithaca; while there were forty young men. Then again, although they had their ministerial and peace officers, yet there were many pecca- dillos and annoyances which legal process could not reach, and which were not re- strained and suppressed by the mere force of public sentiment. These circumstances and considerations operating and moving thereto, there was formed at a very early period what was called ' The Moral Society.' This society continued in existence for fifteen or twenty years. But the population increased steadily and rapidly, and new and better influences being introduced, tastes becoming more elevated and refined, and the sense of justice more rational and proper, it gradually became less and less popular until it finally dissolved.

And now let us note the arrival of others who came to Ithaca in the first quarter of this century. It is manifestly impossible to speak of all, but it is hoped that those who left their mark in the community and became in any way conspicuous in public life or through their business relations will find somewhere in these pages the recognition they deserve.

David Woodcock came to Ithaca before 1810 and became eminent in political life and at the bar. His career is further noticed in Chapter X. He purchased lots on Owego (now State) street just west of Tioga and running through to Seneca street. One of his daughters married Benjamin G. Ferris, and another Stephen B. Cushing, both of whom were early lawyers of note. Mr. Woodcock died in 1835.

Caleb B. Drake became a resident of Ithaca about 1805, coming from Spencer. He bought of Luther Gere sixty-six feet on Owego street (now the southeast corner of Tioga and State streets), where he lived. He was justice of the peace for the town of Ulysses as early as 1819, and often held that office in later years. He was also an efficient police justice of the village. He reared a large family, and died about 1857.

Joseph Burritt came to Ithaca in 1816, from Connecticut, bringing his wife and his jeweler's tools. The partnership of Burdick & Burritt was formed not long afterwards, and they opencd a shop on the north side of State street. For more than fifty years Mr. Burritt was identi- fied with the business interests of the place, and died in the enjoyment of the respect of the community.

Isaac Beers, coming to Ithaca in 1809, became one of the leading business men of the place, and erected a handsome block on State strect. .

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LANDMARKS OF TOMPKINS COUNTY.

Jesse Grant came here in 1811, bringing with him his son, Chauncey L., who was destined to enjoy a long life of honorable business activity and to become thoroughly identified with public affairs, as will be noted further on.

Jeremiah S. Beebe settled in Ithaca in 1817, as agent for Stephen B. Munn, of New York city, a large land owner on the Watkins & Flint purchase, including thousands of acres in what is now Newfield. Mr. Beebe purchased the store of goods of David Quigg and for years car- ried on a vigorous and successful trade at what was termed " the west end," his most active opponent at the " east end " being William Les- ley, also long a successful merchant. Mr. Beebe was later connected with the milling and manufacturing industries, as will be described in later pages.

David Booth Beers located in the village in 1817, and lived for a time at the old Tompkins House while erecting his dwelling. November 4, 1817, he purchased from John A. Collier the ground on the northwest corner of Aurora and State streets, and there with Nathan Herrick as partner conducted a successful mercantile business. Mr. Beers died an untimely death December 22, 1819.

Stephen Mack was the pioneer printer of Tioga county, and died there in 1814. Very soon afterwards his three sons, Stephen, Ebenezer and Horace came to Ithaca. Stephen was a lawyer of good ability and honorable methods. He died January 7, 1857. Ebenezer learned the printer's art, was for a short time a partner in the publication of the Owego Gazette, but reached Ithaca in 1816, where he soon became conspicuous in the press of Tompkins county. He united the business of bookselling and publishing with printing, and later also that of paper making. He held various political offices, and died in August, 1849. One of his daughters became the wife of Lafayette L. Treman. Horace Mack came to Ithaca in 1817, and was for many years a suc- cessful merchant, bank director, office holder, and identified with various enterprises tending to the development of the place. He died in 1855.

Charles Humphrey settled in Ithaca prior to 1820. He was a man of exceptional ability and became conspicuous in public life; was twice president of the village, member of assembly and of congress, and was otherwise honored by his fellow citizens. William R. Humphrey is a son of his,

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VILLAGE OF ITHACA.

Wait T. Huntington, whose name will be often found in connection with early local public affairs, settled in the village in 1818, and became partner in mercantile business with William R. Collins (an- other thorough-going business man of the place), carried on brewing and other business interests, and was in every way a valuable citizen.

Joshua S. Lee was an early druggist and a public spirited citizen ; and George McCormick, Vincent Conrad, Charles E. Hardy and others were conspicuous in business and public life, in the first quarter of the century and later. These and many other well known names will be found in connection with accounts of the various industries of that period.

Let us now review the business situation in Ithaca at about the year 1820-21, for by that means we shall be able to arrive at an in- telligent estimate of the importance of the place in an industrial sense.

The lawyers who were then looking for business here were L. Tooker, Johnson & Humphrey, Wm. Linn, Stephen Mack and A. Varick. In the columns of the American Journal Amos Lay proposed to publish a map of New York and the greater part of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont and Upper Canada ; scale, seven miles to the inch; price $10. Mack & Searing were to receive subscriptions for it.

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Landmarks of Tompkins County, New York : including a history of Cornell University, Part 12

Author: Hewett, Waterman Thomas, 1846-1921; Selkreg, John H Publication date: 1894 Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason Number of Pages: 1194

Author: Hewett, Waterman Thomas, 1846-1921; Selkreg, John H
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason
Number of Pages: 1194