USA > New York > Oneida County > Utica > Memorial history of Utica, N.Y. : from its settlement to the present time > Part 15
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161
PROCEEDINGS OF 1824.
Lafayette street; Water street was extended from its termination at the foot of Hotel (Williams) street to the west line of the land of David P. Hoyt; the street now known as Hoyt's alley was opened from Water street to Whitesboro; Charles street was cut midway of the property of Levi Cozzens; and a " private road " for the benefit of Joshua M. Church and John Bradish was opened through the land of Apollos Cooper from Rome street to the canal along the line of the present Pine street. Sewers were constructed on the east side of Genesee street from opposite the clerk's office to Hotel street, from John street to a connection at Main street with the one before opened down Genesee street, on Burnet street, on Charlotte from Elizabeth to Bleecker, and on Bleecker from Burnet to Genesee. Sidewalks were ordered on both sides of Jay street from the packet basin to Bridge street, and on both sides of First from Jay to Broad, except on the north side of that part of Jay which lies between John and First streets. In November a side- walk was directed on one side of Elizabeth from Genesee as far only as Charlotte, and in the following March both sides of it from Genesee to John streets were to be pitched and paved with brick. Moreover it was resolved that in " all cases in which sidewalks are hereafter paved, in pursuance of law or resolution, they shall be paved or flagged with good sound hard brick or square flat stone." A new engine-house was leased from the president on Franklin street, and the lot in the rear of Trinity Church, which had been given to the village for an engine-house by Morris S. Miller and others, was sold to the church. A committee was appointed to treat with Apollos Cooper for six acres of land for a burial ground. The provisions of the ordinance of June 6, 1817, relat- ing to nuisances were now extended to all the streets. Repairs were paid for keeping the town pump in good condition, and Ara Broadwell was armed with full powers as a fire inspector to look after the safety of every tenement. Eight watchmen were now needed to guard the village by turns through the night. The tax for general expenses was fixed at $1,437.25 and the supervisors of the county were requested to levy an additional tax of $400 for the support of the poor. Roswell Holcomb, the former pedagogue of 1797 and 1803 or 1804, was in- stalled as instructor of the public school at a salary equivalent to $350 a year.
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162
MEMORIAL HISTORY OF UTICA.
Milton Brayton and Truman Parmelee formed a partnership at this time to do business in dry goods. To Truman Parmelee a wide and important field of usefulness was presented in the Sunday school. He became a teacher and before he was eighteen was made superintendent, a position which he filled with great satisfaction to teachers and scholars until his removal from the town. His lessons were instructive and full of interest. He was exceedingly patient, gentle, and forbearing. Hand- some and engaging in person his manners also were winning and at- tractive, and his influence over the school was of the purest and strong- est kind. As experience demonstrated to him the defects in the system of instruction which at first existed he applied himself to their correc- tion. In 1824 he published for the use of Sunday schools questions on the historical parts of the New Testament, and this was the first ques- tion book used in such schools in this country. The impressions made by the teaching and example of Mr. Parmelee were deep and permanent and the amount of good he accomplished was very great. The first generation of children born in Utica remember him, and till all are dead will continue to remember him, with love and gratitude. His trade of book-binding he never practiced, but was concerned with Mr. Brayton in trade until his removal to New York about 1829-30. Mr. Brayton was a faithful coadjutor in the good works of his time and especially in the religious enterprises that occupied the attention of Mr. Parmelee.
About 1829 Alrick Hubbell was a deputy sheriff under John E. Hinman. He acted for several years as chief engineer of the fire de- partment and has had few peers in the discharge of duties wherein courage and power over large bodies of men are requisites to success. He was an alderman in 1841, was one of the commissioners for building the present jail, and was twice mayor of the city in 1856 and 1857. In 1858-59 he served in the State Senate. In all of these capacities he made the public interest his object, and Utica has had few officers who have served it more diligently and more faithfully. He was a director in the Utica and Black River Railroad and to the street railroad he gave no little time and attention. As a. stockholder he was interested in many public enterprises and contributed to the growth and prosperity of the city. He was an earnest member of the Baptist denomination, joined the Broad Street Church in 1820, and was its first clerk. He was
163
ELHANAN WILLIAMS - ISAIAH TIFFANY.
a teacher in its Bible class and was not diverted from this duty by public labors, even while at Albany. Of the Baptist Education Society he was a leading member, and for many years rendered good service in the corporation of Madison University, for though he had not enjoyed a liberal education he was yet the advocate and supporter of colleges and theological seminaries.
Elhanan Williams, who had lived in the village since 1807, having graduated at Union College in 1818 and pursued the study of law with John Bradish, was now engaged with him in the office of the Supreme Court clerk. He succeeded to the agent department established by Mr. Bradish, and after the abolition of the old Supreme Court his busi- ness became chiefly that of collecting and loaning money. He died April 15, 1872, leaving a widow and sons still resident.
Three physicians became inhabitants of Utica in 1824, of whom Za- dock P. Maine was just retiring from practice and the others about entering upon its duties. Robert C. Wood after two or three years entered the army as a surgeon and by long and meritorious service rose to the rank of assistant surgeon-general. James Douglas formed an association with Dr. Coventry for the treatment of diseases of the eye, connected himself with the County Medical Society, married a wife, and then removed to Quebec.
A gentlemanly, fine looking man and much valued citizen was Isaiah Tiffany, who had been clerk in the publishing house of H. & E. Phin - ney, of Cooperstown, and came to Utica to supervise the establishment they opened here. As a bookseller he remained until 1868, when he removed from the city. His store was a place of resort for a few leading Democrats and for many intelligent citizens, and himself and his family were of influence in the church and in society.
Another stirring man of the same political party and forward in mu- nicipal interests was Harvey Barnard, paper hanger and dealer in wall paper, who with his sons have held a conspicuous place.
Three hotel- keepers of the time were Abraham Shepard, successively of Bagg's, the United States, and the Coffee House, who finished his career in Utica as a seller of crockery ; Richard Sanger, landlord in turn of the Clinton, the National, the Franklin, and the Coffee House; and Thomas Midlam, of the Catharine, and then a grocer, and lastly keeper of a boarding-house.
164
MEMORIAL HISTORY OF UTICA.
Of several printers now acquiring a knowledge of their work the most memorable because the longest engaged in it in Utica was Rufus Northway, who was publisher of the Oneida Whig and the Daily Gasette. As he pursued the quiet, industrious, even tenor of his way he was marked by all and honored with universal respect. He was an officer of the Reformed Church and superintendent of its Sunday school. He removed to Illinois and died in 1871.
Another who is best remembered for his Sunday school work was George S. Wilson, a man of fervent piety and self-denying faithfulness ; and while the spiritual good of his boys was ever uppermost in his mind he strove also to make them intelligent and useful men. As a place in his class was much coveted and more boys applied than could be received he projected a plan by which his own pupils and other boys might meet often for religious and intellectual improvement. An association was formed called the " Juvenile Society for Learning and doing Good," an unique organization which was officered by its own members, but of which Mr. Wilson was the head. The meetings were held weekly and he never failed to be present, the life and spirit of the whole. Reading and conversation were the staple of the exercises, and their conductor never failed in the ingenuity of his devices to interest and instruct. This society soon increased so as to embrace a large number of boys and he had for several years in the class fifty or more, and happier pu- pils never sat under the instruction of a revered and loving teacher. It was impossible to resist the influence of such a character as his, and he molded the minds and hearts of the scholars, impressing them with his own noble and elevated views. At the same time he edited and printed a small magazine called the Sunday School Visitant. On the completion of his apprenticeship Mr. Wilson entered more fully into his favorite pursuit of Sunday school instruction. He was active in the formation of the Oneida Sunday School Union and afterward of the Western Sunday School Union of the State of New York. Of the last named society he was made corresponding secretary, and about the same time a depository for the sale of Sunday school books was estab- lished in Utica of which he was the manager. He died May 17, 1841.
Henry Ivison came with his father to the place in 1820 while he was yet a boy, and became book-binder's apprentice to. Seward & Williams.
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165
SEVERAL PRINTERS.
With the latter he remained until 1830, and after his father's removal was an inmate in the household of Mr. Williams. Then after a residence of sixteen years in Auburn he established himself in New York, where he carried on an extensive business as publisher of school books.
Other printers apprenticed in Utica nearly at this date, perchance a little later, were Henry Day, brother-in-law of George Dutton, who es- tablished the New York Sun; William Swain, who founded the Phila- delphia Ledger as well as the Baltimore Sun; James O. Rockwell, whose name is to be found in Mr. Bryant's collection as one of the galaxy of American poets, was editor of the Providence Journal and edited it creditably ; Francis M. Hill, a rival poet of Mr. Rockwell, who edited the Kingston Chronicle of Canada and was mayor of Kingston ; Charles N. Everest, who edited the "Poets of Connecticut " and became an Epis- copal minister of repute, and who died early in 1877; Amos E. Law- rence, who also became a Doctor of Divinity ; O. N. Worden, editor of the Louisburg Chronicle of Pennsylvania ; Edward P. Wetmore, brother of Edmund A. Wetmore, who was largely engaged in publishing in Cleveland and Cincinnati ; William Schram, for thirty-one years con- nected with the Poughkeepsie Eagle ; Edward Bright, editor of the Baptist Register ; Francis D. Penniman ; and Cephas Bennett, who be- came a missionary to Burmah, and his brother Dolphas, a later publisher of the Baptist Register.
A copperplate engraver named Vistus Balch, who located himself in the village as early as 1824, found considerable employment as engraver of bank notes, maps, etc. Acquiring reputation he removed to New York and established with others the American Bank Note Company.
A few more of the denizens of 1824 must be briefly summarized : Ammi Dows, forwarder and flour dealer in company with Ira B. Carey, soon removed to New York, but was succeeded by his brother Harry, with whom the title of the firm was in turn Dows & Hurlburt, Dows & Whiting, Dows & Guiteau, Dows & Kissam, and ran on for many years; Thomas Davies was a long continued watchmaker; Stafford Palmer, Charles Churchill, Andrew O. & Norman Downer traded or worked in lumber ; John F. Vedder in leather ; Elisha Cadwell and David L. Per- kins in groceries ; William G. Allyn and John S. Joslin cut marble ; A. W. Latour was a carriage trimmer and Clark Carpenter a wagon-
166
MEMORIAL HISTORY OF UTICA.
maker ; Harry Bushnell, a blacksmith and dealer in hardware, but best known as a comical temperance lecturer; Lawrence Morgan, a dyer; and Dennis Saumet, a barber whose visage was symbolized week after week in a somber looking newspaper wood-cut.
The Board of Trustees created by the election of 1825 consisted of Benjamin Ballou, Riley Rogers, William H. Maynard, Charles Morris, Nicholas Smith, and John R. Ludlow. Capt. William Clarke remained the president. The supervisor was E. S. Cozier and the assessors were Benjamin Ballou, John Bradish, and David P. Hoyt. The officers ap- pointed by the trustees were John H. Ostrom, clerk ; Thomas Walker, treasurer; Ara Broadwell, police constable, etc. The board met fre- quently in the course of the year and, while steadily carrying forward the work of their predecessors, effected a few additional improvements. John street was paved from the canal to Bleecker street and Bleecker from John to Genesee. Lafayette street was also paved as far as Mad- ison lane and a sewer laid beneath it to the lot of A. Cooper and thence to the canal. Washington street was provided with graveled sidewalks from the canal upward and Burnet had a brick walk laid along its eastern side. The only new street of the year was Carnahan, now known as a part of Blandina. A stone bridge was erected across the Starch Factory Creek at a cost of $250, and a like sum was given for an acre and a half of land in Deerfield to supply the village with paving sand. The advantages to be expected from a public market seem to have taken an early hold upon the minds of the board, since at their second session they resolved to erect one upon such place as might be thereafter agreed on. The market had its friends, but it had also its enemies, and it was not long before there sprang up an opposi- tion among the citizens as strong as that which had been experienced some years previously, when the same project was on foot. They were pretty generally arrayed on one side or the other as remonstrants against the location of the market in the square or as petitioners for that location. For the present the market remained where it had been placed.
In the proceedings of this year we find the first notice of the sum- moning of a physician to the public exercise of his professional calling. Dr. John McCall, having reported to the board that a person had come
167
VISIT OF LAFAYETTE.
into the village with the small-pox, was at once made health officer and village physician, and it was ordered that the person so infected be forthwith removed to some safe place and a committee of three were directed to carry the order into effect. Two days later, as if questioning their own authority in making the appointment, a com- mittee was created to confer with the poormaster and ascertain to whom the right of appointment belonged. As for the sick man he was disposed of as such cases have since then almost uniformly been : he was put into a temporary hovel erected for the purpose and there was at- tended in seclusion.
The scholars in attendance on the public school were required at this time to pay three shillings each term, which fee was to be applied to- ward defraying the expense of the teachers. The village tax for the year amounted to one shilling on every $100. Four hundred dollars were raised through the supervisors for the support of the poor.
The two great events of the year were the reception of General La- fayette, the nation's guest, then passing in ovation through the country, and the public celebration of the opening of the Erie Canal just com- pleted throughout its whole extent. Both of these events were replete with interest to the generation who bore a part in them.
"June 9, 1825, the deputations from the general committee of ar- rangements at Utica, of which his honor Judge Williams was chairman, accompanied by Colonel Lansing and his honor Judge Storrs, pro- ceeded to Rome to meet General Lafayette. After fitting honors had been paid him both at that place and at Whitesboro the committee pro- ceeded to conduct him hither. The procession was formed at Whites- boro; the general was seated in the barouche accompanied by Judge Williams and preceded by an escort of cavalry commanded by Gen. John J. Knox. The general was followed by a carriage conveying his son, Colonel Lafayette, Colonel Lansing, Colonel Mappa, and Richard R. Lansing. Next succeeded coaches with his secretary, M. Le Vas- seur, the other gentlemen of his suite, and the Utica committee, Judge Storrs, Lieutenant Simonson, and Captain Wright, of Rome. A large cavalcade of citizens on horseback riding three abreast followed, and were succeeded by a squadron of cavalry under the command of Lieu- tenant Cone. The procession moved rapidly and increased as it passed
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MEMORIAL HISTORY OF UTICA.
from the accession of citizens. All the way the fences were lined and the houses thronged with people manifesting the utmost eagerness to see the favorite and guest of the nation. When the general arrived at the boundary of the village a salute of twenty-four guns was fired. The procession entered Lafayette street, where the troops under the com - mand of Lieutenant-Colonel Ostrom were drawn up on both sides of the way and saluted the general as he passed. The procession entered Genesee street, the crowd of eager spectators accumulating at every step, and passed the bridge over the canal where a triumphant arch was erected surmounted by a flag labeled ' Lafayette, the Apostle of Lib- erty, we hail thee-welcome !' 'The procession moved down Genesee street and stopped at Shepard's Hotel, where the general was received on the steps at the front door by William Clarke, esq., president of the village of Utica, and a speech was delivered by Mr. Clarke followed by a reply from Lafayette.
" The general breakfasted and dined at Shepard's, and in the interval the ceremonies of introduction and the review of the troops were per- formed. An immense number of gentlemen of the county of Oneida and the vicinity were introduced to the general, and at 12 o'clock the ladies were introduced, which ceremony occupied nearly an hour, so great was the number whom patriotism, respect, and affection called to the interesting scene. The troops passed in review before the general, who received their salute standing with head uncovered on the steps of Mr. Shepard's front door. At the particular request of Lafayette the chiefs of the Oneidas were invited to meet him, and among them he recognized two whom he knew during the Revolutionary war. But one of the most solemn and affecting incidents was the interview be- tween the general and the old soldiers of the Revolutionary army. A large number were assembled, some of whom were with him at the at- tack on the redoubts at Yorktown. The deep and keen feelings mani- fested by these venerated men on once more beholding their beloved general, and his frequent exclamations 'Oh, my friend, I know you !' with the impassioned salutations, excited the liveliest symyathies of every heart.
" Over the front door of Mr. Shepard's hotel was placed a splendid transparent painting by Mr. Vanderlip, on which was inscribed in large
Eng by F. G Kernan,NY
169
VISIT OF LAFAYETTE.
letters 'Welcome, Lafayette.' After the general had partaken of a cold collation (the only dinner which circumstances would permit), at which Rev. Mr. Wiley craved the blessing of Providence, the general, by par- ticular request of the President of the United States, visited the family of Alexander B. Johnson, esq., (Mrs. Johnson being a niece of the Presi dent,) who with a few ladies of the village received him with the cordi- ality and respect which all feel. On his return he called for a moment at the house of Arthur Breese, esq., where the Rev. Mr. Galusha de- livered him a neat poetical address. The general then paid his respects to the family of President Clarke and was conducted to the packet boat Governor Clinton, named for the occasion Lafayette, commanded by Major Swartwout, and which had been fitted in tasteful and elegant style for his accommodation to Schenectady. It was drawn by three white horses, which with their rider had appropriate decorations. At the moment of embarkation a salute of twenty-four guns was fired, and when the boat began to move the citizens congregated on the bridges and banks of the canal rent the air with loud and long continued cheer- ing, which was repeated at intervals until the general had passed the compact part of the village. At the last bridge, near the residence of the lamented Judge Miller, little boys threw baskets of flowers into the boat as it passed. The general all the time presented himself to the people and answered their congratulations with bows and expressive gesticulations. The committee attended him to the bounds of the county and a deputation proceeded with him."
The Erie Canal was completed on the 26th of October, 1825, water from Lake Erie was admitted into it at Black Rock, and on this day the first boat ascended the Lockport locks, passed through the mount- ain ridge, and entered the lake. The opening ceremonies were attended with unbounded joy and enthusiasm; cannon were stationed along the banks from one end to the other at a distance of four or five miles apart, and a series of reports was echoed through its length in token of the mingling of the waters ; music and all the festivities that a grand national success can invent were put in requisition to glorify the occa- sion. A flotilla of boats, having on board Governor Clinton and officers of the State government, a committee of the common council of New York, and numerous delegates from towns along the line of the canal,
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MEMORIAL HISTORY OF UTICA.
made the passage from Lake Erie to Sandy Hook. Leaving Buffalo on Wednesday morning it was their intention to be in Utica on Satur- day night, but unforseen delays procrastinated their arrival until Sun- day noon. In the afternoon they attended divine worship at the Presby- terian Church. Early on Monday morning these distinguished guests were received at the court-house, where an address was delivered by Judge Ezekiel Bacon in behalf of his fellow townsmen, to which Gov- ernor Clinton replied. " Of the manner in which the addresses were delivered it was observed that Judge Bacon, who always does such things well, was never more happy. Governor Clinton was sensibly affected and delivered his reply with much feeling. The address ex- pressed in a forcible and eloquent manner the congratulations of the citizens of Utica, and paid appropriate and merited compliments to all those who had planned or assisted in the execution of the stupendous work. The reply of the governor contained a well-turned and well- merited eulogium on the Hon. Judge Platt, who by his exertions in the Senate and in the Council of Revision afforded powerful and efficient aid to the cause of the canals, and to whom also we were first indebted for the favorite and popular expression of 'The Young Lion of the West.'" They then re-embarked and continued their excursion. In the evening the canal was illuminated along its course through the village by floating tar barrels on fire. The committee from Utica appointed to take part in the celebration at New York consisted of Will- iam Clarke, president of the corporation, Jonas Platt, Thomas H. Hub- bard, Charles C. Brodhead, Richard R. Lansing, and Alexander Cov- entry. Elsewhere along the whole line and to the city of New York the occasion was observed with similar demonstrations of delight. Medals were struck, sketches of canal scenes were imprinted on earth- enware, on hankerchiefs, etc., in commemoration of the event.
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