USA > New York > Onondaga County > Onondaga, or, Reminiscences of earlier and later times, being a series of historical sketches relative to Onondaga, with notes on the several towns in the county, and Oswego, Vol. II > Part 12
USA > New York > Oswego County > Onondaga, or, Reminiscences of earlier and later times, being a series of historical sketches relative to Onondaga, with notes on the several towns in the county, and Oswego, Vol. II > Part 12
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32
So common were wolves and bears at this time, that it was not unusual for these animals to be seen passing along the path leading from Cicero to Onondaga, as fearless and uncon- cerned as if entirely among the wild beasts of the forest, or completely domesticated. And from the frequency of these recurrences, these paths were named the bear and wolf paths, and two of the streets running north from main street, in the
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first ward of Syracuse, from this circumstance, are now called Wolf and Bear streets.
The country about Onondaga Lake, up to the year 1800, during the summer season, was extremely unhealthy. Fevers began to appear early in July, and cases followed each other in such quick succession, that oftentimes there were scarce well persons enough to minister to the necessities of the sick, and it seemed as if man and beast were alike afflicted with the same dread scourge. Numbers of the inhabitants perished during the sickly seasons, and cattle and horses were not ex- empt from sickness and death. It seemed to be the chosen abode of pestilence and death.
In 1793, there were but thirty persons at Salt Point all told, and nearly every one was sick at one time, except a man named Patrick Riley, a generous hearted fellow, who carried on Mr. Van Vleck's salt works. He drew all his own wood for salt-block, boiled salt every day and half the nights, and every alternate night watched with the sick, for a period of two months, without a single night of intermission. Dr. Hol- brook, who had then settled near Jamesville, and the first physician in the county, came over every day to visit the sick, and was considered a successful as well as skilful physician. Dr. Burnet is said to have been the first resident physician at Salina, in 1797. During the sickly season the Indians were exceedingly kind and attentive, and furnished liberally to every family a supply of venison and fish, which added great- ly to their comfort.
One of the peculiar characteristics of the Indians was often displayed at their drunken frolics. During the early settle- ment of Salina, whenever they had resolved upon a carousal, they almost invariably divested themselves of all deadly wea- pons, and deposited them in some safe place, in the keeping of a confidential person, and went to the work of excessive drun- kenness with all their might and main. Not unfrequently on these occasions, one of their number would be set apart, ex- pressly to keep sober, and to see that no one injured another in any outbreak of uncontrolled passion.
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At the period of the first settlement of the county, rattle- snakes were numerous in the vicinity of Salina, and if mo- lested, were extremely dangerous; but on the contrary, if suffered to pursue their own way, were considered harmless and inoffensive. On a time, a little son of Mr. Isaac Van Vleck, named Abraham, was out at play. His mother became much alarmed by the violent cackling of the fowls, which were in the highest state of excitement. Mrs. Van Vleck, being in earnest to learn the cause, passed round the house, and there found her little son fondling in his hands and arms an enormous rattlesnake, which twined and writhed around the tender limbs of the child, in the fondest manner, looking de- fiance at the fowls that had gathered around in a circle, and by their noise and bustle, expressed the utmost fear and agi- tation. The frightened mother ran to her nearest neighbors, who soon gathered at the scene. The snake seemed to in- crease his fondness for the child, and no one seemed disposed to meddle with his snakeslip for fear of increasing its danger or their own. At length the mother seized a favorable op- portunity, snatched the child, and ran away with it. The snake seemed angry with the removal of his little friend, coil- ed himself in a hostile attitude, and was instantly dispatched by those present. On another occasion an Indian was acci- dentally bitten severely by one of these poisonous reptiles. Knowing that he must die, he instantly killed the snake, and bit the reptile's head, that he might die the sooner. Within twenty-four hours he was a corpse, having swelled to an enor- mous size and burst.
The first licensed tavern keeper we find in the town of Sa- lina was Mr. Gilchrist, whose house stood near where the in- spector's office is now ; others of the same business soon fol- lowed, and Salina became noted for the excellency of its taverns. A Mr. Carpenter was the first merchant of any con- siderable note, and was connected with the Federal Company.
Mr. Ryal Bingham was the first Justice of the Peace at Salt Point, '96 or '97; he moved there from Three-River- Point. It is related of this Justice, that a man was brought
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before him on a charge of stealing. Upon being satisfied of his guilt, he ordered him to be whipped a certain number of lashes on the bare back. There being no one willing to exe- cute the sentence, the Justice undertook it himself, and to the great discomfiture of the thief, succeeded too well.
Abraham Van Vleck is supposed to be the first male child born in the county of Onondaga-born in the year 1792. About the time of his birth, an Indian had been drowned at the Oswego Falls, by the upsetting of his canoe, and the event bore so heavy upon the friends of the deceased, that the son of Mr. Van Vleck was named by the Indians Ne-un-hoo- tah, which being interpreted, means sorrow for one departed, and by this name he was known among the Indians, who al- ways entertained for him a remarkable friendship, and gave to his father in trust for him a mile square of land, at the outlet of the lake. The title was not recognized by the State. It was customary in those days for the Indians to call all the principal families by their own names. Mr. Van Vleck was called Ka-hunk-a-ta-wah, meaning, one spry enough to skip over water. Mrs. Van Vleck was called Con-o-roo-quah, one of pleasant disposition, and the present Mrs. ('Blennis, a daughter of Mr. Van Vleck, was named Jo-an-te-no; and other members of the family had also Indian names, as well as others of the settlers.
The town of Salina was incorporated in 1809, and the first town meeting held at the house of Cornelius Schoutens, 11th of March, the same year. At this time . Elisha Alvord was elected Supervisor, and Fisher Curtis, Town Clerk ; Rufus Danforth, Martin Wandle, Richard C. Johnson, Henry Bo- gardus, Assessors ; Michael Mead, Wm. Buckley, Jr., and Jon- athan Fay, Commissioners of Highways, &c. 1810, Cyrel Hunt was elected Supervisor, and Fisher Curtis, Town Clerk ; Rufus Danforth, Daniel Wheadon, Nathan D'Lamatter, As- sessors.
In 1798, the Surveyor General was directed by law to lay out the village of Salina. The act is in the following words, viz. : "Be it enacted, that the Superintendent shall, on the
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ground adjoining to the south-east side of Free street, so named on the map of the Salt Springs, made by the Surveyor General, lay out a square for a village, consisting of sixteen blocks, each six chains square, with intermediate streets, con- forming to the streets laid down on the said map, made by the Surveyor General, and divide each lot into four house lots, and deliver a map and description thereof to the Surveyor General, who having approved thereof, shall thereupon pro- ceed to advertize and sell, not exceeding thirty of the said lots in the manner prescribed by law for the sale of the lots laid out at Oswego. Provided, that none of the said lots shall be sold for a less sum than forty dollars, and provided also, that no lot on which there is a building of the value of fifty dollars, shall be liable to be sold, if the owner or occupant thereof shall agree to secure a deed therefor, and pay for the same, at the average price of other lots sold as aforesaid."
The village was laid out, and lots sold on credit, in 1799, and those who had not paid up in 1801, had the time of their payments extended by law.
TI» village of Salina was incorporated March 12th, 1824. At the election under the village charter, Fisher Curtis, Hen- ry C. Rossiter, James Shankland, Jonathan R. Beach, were elected Trustees ; Fisher Curtis was appointed President ; Ash- bel Kellogg, Clerk ; S. R. Mathews, Collector ; Horace Brace, Treasurer ; and J. G. Forbes, Attorney. Among the first acts of the Trustees was to procure a fire engine, and ladders, hooks, and other apparatus for the extinguishment of fires, laying out and improving streets and other things for the pros- perity of the village. By the Book of Records it appears that the first Board of Trustees were not unmindful of their duty, but went zealously into the work assigned them, and made many improvements which have had a lasting tendency to perpetuate the prosperity of the village. In 1825, Thomas McCarthy, Wm. Beach, B. F. Williams, Sylvester F. Peck, and E. M. Knapp, were elected Trustees. 1826, Thomas MeCarthy, E. M. Knapp, B. F. Williams, S. F. Peck, Wm. H. Beach, were elected Trustees; Thomas MeCarthy, Presi-
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dent. The village of Salina is now the first ward of the city of Syracuse.
The Presbyterian Society at Salina, was organized on the 20th day of March, 1810, as the "United Church of Onondaga Hollow and Salina," by the Presbytery of Geneva, and Rev. Dirk C. Lansing minister of the Church. There were but nine members at this time. Previous to this the Presbyteri- ans attended divine worship with the Methodists, and had oc- casional services of their own, by the Rev. Caleb Alexander and Samuel T. Mills. On the 23d of January, 1822, the United Church was divided, and a separate church organized, called the First Presbyterian Church at Salina. The Rev. Hutchins Taylor was installed in March, 1822. A new house of wor- ship was erected in 1823, and Mr. Taylor continued as pastor to September, 1826. Then succeeded the Rev. Mr. Hotch- kiss, one year and a half ; Rev. Hiram H. Kellogg, two years ; James J. Ostrum, three years ; Joseph J. Foot, two years. In July, 1836, Rev. IIntchins Taylor was re-called, and re- mained till some time in 1839. Rev. Joseph Myers preached from December 1st, 1839, to May, 1844. The Rev. Elias Clark during the winter of 1844, and the Rev. Thomas Cas- tleton from 20th of August, 1845, to the present time.
The next religious society were the Methodists, who were organized at an early day, and who erected their house of worship, 1829.
St. John's Roman Catholic Church, in the village of Sa- lina, now Syracuse, was commenced and enclosed in 1829, by the exertions of Thomas Mccarthy and James Lynch, and a few Roman Catholics, and the liberal donations of their Pro- testant fellow-citizens in the villages of Salina and Syracuse, and by collections made by said McCarthy and Lynch, from their friends in Utica, Albany and New-York. Rt. Rev. John Dubois was then Bishop of the Diocese of New-York, and for the two succeeding years, the congregation being small, was visited by clergymen only once a month. The first resident clergyman that attended the church, was the Rev. Francis O'Donoghue, who was the pastor for about six years, and was ฿ 10
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succeeded by Rev. James O'Donnell, who remained in charge of the church and mission some four or five years. After him the Rev. Mr. Haes, now of the Syracuse Church, had charge for several years, and the present pastor, Rev. Mr. Geaurdett, for about three years. Others who have officiated are Rev. Messrs. Drummond, Chartier, Rolf and Cummings.
St Mary's German Catholic Church was erected during the winter of 1844-5. Clergymen, Rev. Messrs. Adelbert, Ina- ma, Xavier, Roth and Theodore Noethen.
About a mile north of Green Point, were formerly the re- mains of a fortification, probably erected by the French, in some of their visits to the Onondaga valley. This may be the ruins of the fort erected by Mons. Dablon, in 1665, (see page 174, Vol. I.)
In the account given by the Jesuit Fathers, of the location of the French fortification, and the colony and mission estab- lished at the same time, there are many striking coincidences with this ground, and the locality described by them. "The spring of fresh water, and a salt fountain, eighty or an han- dred paces distant," &c. (see p.250,Vol.I.) Although there is now no salt spring "issuing from the same hill," yet, fifty years ago there was one, which circumstance, with the old fortification, goes far to identify them as one and the same place, and as no other ruins were noticeable by the first set- tlers, we set it down as the ground upon which Mons. Dablon established his fort. The prospect described by the several missionaries, as being surpassingly beautiful, is still entitled to the same praise, and "the spring of pure, fresh water" bubbles up with the same freshness now that it did two hun- dred years ago, and is as useful at this day to slake the thirst of the weary ploughman, as it was then to cool the lips of the tented soldier, the pilgrim priest, or the wandering savage.
At even a much earlier date, it may have been the strong hold of the Iroquois in the Onondaga country, and may be the same attacked with so much vigor by Mons. Champlain in 1615, (see page 252, Vol. I.)
When the white people came to settle in the neighborhood
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of Salina, this ground was covered with small trees of a uni- form size, indicating that at no very distant period, it had been destitute of timber.
Judge Geddes in a manuscript now in hand, says : "In the summer of 1797, when the Surveyor General laid out the salt lots, I officiated as a deputy surveyor, and when travers- ing the shores of Onondaga Lake, I found between Brown's pumpworks and Liverpool, the traces of an old stockade, which I surveyed and made a map of. Our opinion was, from the truth of the right angles, and other apparent circumstan- ces, that it was a French work. A fine spring of water, rises near by."
The accompanying cut, is a copy of the survey, made by Judge Geddes at this time. The original is now in the Sur- veyor General's office, at Albany.
A
PLANK ROAD.
...
....
....
....
B
.........
.......
ONONDAGA
£
LAKE.
2
A A A A-Parapets. B B-Gateways. C-Spring and Well. .... .- Palisades
On this ground have been plowed up, brass kettles, gun barrels, musket balls, axes, grape shot, &c. Burnt earth and calcined stones, and broken bricks, where their fires had been kept, are to be seen even to this day. In 1794, the ditch
A
W
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was easily to be traced, and some of the pickets were standing. The work embraced about half an acre of land, and from its location, was a place of beauty, convenience and strength.
This work is situated on the farm of Mr. Myrick Bradley, on the bank of the lake. An old deserted house now stands on the site. Cultivation and time have removed all traces of its being.
There was an ancient burying ground at Green Point.
LIVERPOOL was laid out as a village by the Surveyor Gene- ral, and named Liverpool by the Commissioners of the Land Office.
Previous to this, it was called Little Ireland, and was carly a place of considerable notoriety as a salt manufacturing lo- cality.
Jonathan Danforth was the first settler at Liverpool, in 1794, and commenced the manufacture of salt. He was soon followed by Patrick Riley, Joseph Gordon, James Armstrong and Charles Morgan.
John O'Blennis made salt at Green Point in 1794. There were many salt springs which issued all along the high bank of the lake, north of the point, at which, works have at differ- ent times been erected. The first school kept at Liverpool, was by a man named Conner, in his salt works, and the schol- ars were taught, while he carried on the business of making salt. IIis school was then considered the best in the county, and was denominated " the high school," and was patronized by the inhabitants of Salina and Onondaga Hollow.
" Ascension Church," Liverpool, was organized in 1840, and their church edifice erected in 1841. Rev. Messrs. George D. Gillespie, S. G. Appleton and Samuel Goodale, Cler- gymen.
Statistics of the town of Salina, from the State census of 1845 :-
Number of inhabitants, 15,804; subject to military duty, 1,864 ; voters, 3,533; aliens, 1,101 ; children attending Com- mon Schools, 2,353 ; acres improved land, 14,012 ; grist mills,
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4; saw mills, 4; iron works, 4; trip hammer, 1; asheries, 2; Tanneries, 2; Churches, Baptist, 1; Episcopalian, 3; Presbyterian, 3; Congregational, 1; Methodist, 6; Roman Catholic, 3; Universalist, 1; Unitarian, 1; Jews, 1; Com- mon Schools, 26; wholesale stores, 4; retail stores, 103; Gro- ceries, 78; Farmers, 297 ; Merchants, 130; Manufacturers, 147 ; Mechanics, 1003; Clergymen, 21; Physicians, 33; Law- yers, 41.
GEDDES .- In 1793, Mr. James Geddes visited Onondaga, with a view of selecting a location for his future residence, and the next year he came on, and arrived on the bank of the lake, in April, 1794. He had previous to this, formed a company in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, for the purpose of manu- facturing salt. The other members of the company came on the following month of June. The members of this company composed the village, which received its name from the presi- dent of the company, and entered at once into the manufac- ture of salt. The Indians took offense at this, contending, that inasmuch as they had sold to the state of New-York an undivided half of the salt water ; and, as the white people had already taken possession of the salt springs at Salina, that therefore, the springs on the west side of the lake must be- long to the Indians. They did not at all understand the white man's phrase, "tenants in common." Mr. Webster, who lived among the Indians and knew their feelings, and who had considerable influence over them, came to the new works, and advised Mr. Geddes to meet the Indians in coun- eil, and have the matter satisfactorily adjusted .. This advice was followed ; but, the Indians at first refused to treat, re- jected all advances, and refused to accept his presents. The council was dissolved for the time being without any satisfac- tory result. But he took the precaution to leave with Mr. Webster the presents to be given, whenever they would be re- ceived. The Indians smoked and deliberated upon the mat- ter a long time. The presents were enticing, and the salt springs they did not like to yield. Finally this Gordian Knot was severed, by adopting him into the nation, thus making
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him one of them ; and then, as an Indian, he could lawfully use the water. This was rather nice maneuvering, and shows the regard these red men had for their laws, and that there were men of sagacity in those days as well as now. The name given to the newly adopted member of the nation was, Don- da-dah-gwah, which signified, the place where canoes dis- charged their freight, by which name he was always addressed by the older Onondagas, while he lived.
This is the foundation of the village of Geddes. At this time, the salt works were accessible only by a road from Onon- daga Hollow, passing through a swamp, which is now Syra- cuse. It became necessary for the company at Geddes to connect with this road, and by the aid of monies, from a road fund in the hands and under the control of three county com- missioners, and by large contributions, Mr. Geddes made the road from his village, to the road from Onondaga Hollow to Salt Point, cutting a part of the timber with his own hands. The owners of the salt works at Salt Point, were not at all friendly to their neighbors, whom they considered in the light of rivals, and carried their resentment so far, as to withhold assistance in raising a bridge over Onondaga Creek, and to throw out hints, that it could not be raised without them. But necessity became the mother of invention, and made the resources of the directors more fruitful than their most san- guine friends anticipated. The first bent was put together, and shoved off the bank of the creek, the mud sill placed at the foot of the bank ; and by levers, was so managed, that one man could exercise the power of many, applied in the or- dinary manner. The bent was set upright, the stringers from the top of the bank to the bent being placed, so much was planked, and thus a foundation was made from which the next bent was raised, and so on, until the bridge was finished, and the road completed.
Mr. Geddes continued at his first landing place but a short time, (about four years,) when he located on the farm now oc- cupied by his son, Hon. George Geddes, Fairmount. The next person who tried his fortune at this place, was Mr. Free-
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man Hughs, from Westfield, Massachusetts, who located there in March, 1799, at 18 years of age. At that time, there was not a single house in what is now the town of Geddes, except Geddes' Salt Works, which had been abandoned. Here he took up his abode three days and three nights, all alone, and not an individual nearer than Salt Point-a lonely time in- deed, considering the state of the country, the dark and dreary swamps, the wolves, bears and wild cats, by which he was surrounded.
Mr. Hughs has occupied during his residence at Geddes, almost every station connected with the salt business. He has bored for salt, pumped the brine, built pumps, made and laid aqueducts, tubed wells, boiled salt, made barrels, packed salt, inspected it for six years, was a receiver of duties for two years, boated salt, and as a Justice of the Peace, tried those who had evaded the payment of duties.
At one time, while boring for salt, about half way from . Geddes to Harbor Brook, the workmen struck a pine log, 86 feet below the surface, and cut through it with their drills. Several borings have been made along the western shore of Onondaga Lake, but owing to the rock, none has been found as highly impregnated with salt as the wells at Salina and Syracuse. The strongest water is invariably found where the ancient valley is deepest, and in the lowest deposits of gra- vel. One of the earliest and greatest improvements about the village of Geddes, was the making a road from that place to Salina. The ground over which the road was to pass, was a perfect quagmire, filled with thick cedar timber and low brush wood. It was so miry, so thick with underbrush, and so much covered with water, that it was completely impassa- ble, and could not be surveyed by the ordinary methods. In this case, the Surveyor set his compass at the house of Sam'l R. Mathews, at Salina, and took the bearing of Mr. Hughs' Chimney, above the trees, and from this observation the route of the road was commenced, by cutting brush and laying them crosswise on the line of the road, and covering them with earth. The process was slow, but time and perseverance has
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accomplished the work, and an excellent road, perfectly straight between the two villages, is the result. Clearing of the swamp lands has cost, ordinarily about one hundred dol- lars per acre. Logs cover the ground, mixed with peat to the depth of six feet, and in some instances stumps are found far below the surface.
James Lamb, built the first frame house at Geddes, about 1803, and kept a tavern.
The first school house was built of logs, near where the church now stands, in 1804, and afterwards the present brick school house.
The first physician was Dr. Thayer, and lawyers, E. W. Cur- tis and R. S. Orvis, Esqrs.
" Apostolic Church," Geddes, was organized January, 1832, and the church edifice erected the same year. Rev. Richard Salmon and Rev. M. Whiting, clergymen. Religion has made but slow advances at this place, and most of the church-going people attend worship at the city of Syracuse.
In 1848, Geddes was erected a town by itself, including all that part of Salina west of the lake, not embraced in the city of Syracuse.
Although the author is in possession of no recorded histo- rical or documentary proof of a party of about two hundred men proceeding from Fort Schuyler through this country, to aid General Sullivan in his Indian expedition of 1779, yet from several revolutionary soldiers, and particularly a Mr. Hobart, late of Salina, who was one of the expedition, there is no doubt but such was the fact. They were burdened with supplies and baggage. The road which was cut through by them, was easily traced at the time the first settlements were made in the county. They crossed the Onondaga valley at Geddes, and from there to the Seneca River, below Montezu- ma, traces of their march were plain to be seen, trees had been cut close to the ground, and young bushes had filled the path.
The name Harbor Brook, in this town, was obtained under the following circumstances. At the time Sir John Johnson,
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with his Indian and Tory allies, made an incursion into the Mohawk valley, in 1779, the party forming the expedition, had proceeded from Niagara along the Ontario Lake shore to Os- wego, and up the river to Onondaga Lake. For fear of dis- covery, if their boats were left on the lake shore, they run them up this small stream, among the thick bushes and brakes. A party was sent from Fort Schuyler to destroy them, but did not succeed in ascertaining where they were concealed ; but were surprised during the search, taken prisoners, and carried captive to Canada. On the first night of their depar- ture, they encamped for the night at Three-River-Point, where the prisoners were bound and tied to trees until morning. Capt. Patrick McGee, was one of the prisoners, and was so much pleased with the beauty of the place at this time, at the junction of the rivers, that at the close of the war, he se- lected it for his residence, spent the residue of his life there, and was buried on the spot he had previously selected for that purpose. These facts were related by him, during his life.
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