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 14
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 14
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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
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operations, and the work was abandoned till the following spring, when it was again renewed with vigor, and before the sickly season again returned, the mill, race and dams were all completed. But here a new difficulty arose. A mistake had been made in the level; the water would not flow into the race, and the only supply was to be obtained from the small stream on which the mills stood, which at some seasons of the year was limited and precarious. Thus situated, he resolved to push his dam across the river, and at once set about the work. It was again suspended on account of sickness among the workmen, and it was not till late in autumn that Dr. Bald- win finished his dam, saw his race supplied with water, and his mills in successful operation. Desirable as this object was, it did not compensate for the personal sacrifices already made. Although but the second year since the first blow was struck, the settlement had already assumed the appearance of a log town in the wilderness. Many succeeding years the same dif- ficulties were experienced. The same malignant disease vis- ited this favorite spot, and many were brought by it to pre- mature graves.
The Seneca River, being a public highway, and much used as such, it became immediately necessary to provide for the passage of boats around the dam. Dr. Baldwin therefore con- structed a canal and lock for that purpose. In 1808, he pe- titioned the Legislature for permission to ereet a dam, locks and a canal, at that point. The State having previously trans- ferred its title to the " Inland Lock Navigation Company," could not with propriety grant privileges to Mr. Baldwin. He thereupon purchased of said company, their right and interest to all the waters, between the outlet of Oneida River and Cayuga Lake. In 1809, the Legislature granted his petition for such erections and improvements. Indeed, such was the difficulty in ascending those rapids, and danger in descending them, and so great had been the loss of property on the hid- den rocks in the channel, that it was considered by the State and the Company, very desirable to have the improvements made, inasmuch as the Company long before had ceased to ex-
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pend money for the improvement of those waters. This right was granted to Dr. Baldwin, and his assigns, for twenty years. The collection of certain tolls was authorized upon all boats passing through said canal and locks. At first the amounts collected were small, but with the growth of the country and increase of business they increased, and in time would have repaid the outlay, had not the State changed its policy and taken the entire subject of internal improvements, under its own control. The completion of the middle section of the Erie Canal, rendered nugatory the business of the original routes, since which this canal and the locks have been only a bill of expense, instead of affording revenue. In 1809, the dam across the river was swept away by a heavy spring freshet, and such was the nature of the damage sustained, that it be- came necessary to erect a new dam, which was not completed till the following year, when six saw mills under one roof were soon after put in successful operation by Dr. Baldwin. He this year erected a toll bridge across the river under provi- sions made by statute, upon the site now occupied by the free bridge.
About this time, a new grist mill of enlarged dimensions was erected by Dr. Baldwin, near the site of the present woolen factory. The same was afterwards converted into a woolen factory, and was subsequently burned down. He used his efforts successfully to procure the laying out of the State Road, between Onondaga Hill and Oswego, and also the act to be passed, authorizing the construction of a turnpike from Westmoreland to Sodus Bay, and expended considerable sums of money in these enterprises. The village continued pros- perous and flourishing until 1819, Dr. Baldwin being the main-spring of all its principal movements. The diversion of the business usually done on the Seneca River to the Erie Canal, seemed for a time to paralyze every interest, and the village continued to decline, until the growth of the surround- ing country rendered its water-power more valuable; when new energies and new investments of capital, awakened new- improvements ; since which time, it has been steadily, if not
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rapidly advancing, and is now the most populous and flourish- ing village in the county. In 1819-20, such portions of the village as had not previously been sold, passed into the hands of Messrs. Stephen W. and Harvey Baldwin, the two eldest sons of Dr. Baldwin, by whom it is still hold. These enter- prising gentlemen made many improvements about the village, by rebuilding the toll bridge, enlarging the canal and locks, and rebuilding the dam. They also made extensive purcha- ses on the Van Buren side of the river, laid out village lots, erected mills, and constructed a canal on that side of the river, and thus identified both sides in one common interest. Since 1807, saw mills have been erected almost without number. In 1808, Dr. Baldwin erected one with six saws and carriages. In 1824, Messrs. Start and Mott erected a mill with two saws and carriages. In 1826, Mr. James Johnson built a new mill with four saws and carriages, and Messrs. Stephen W. and H. Baldwin, a mill with a gang of fifteen saws. Start and Mott's mill burned down in 1834, and was re-built in 1847 by Richard M. Beach. In 1839, Thomas P. Campbell erected a mill with two saws and carriages. In 1848, Howard & Cook erected a mill with two saws and carriages. All these mills are furnished with buzz saws for cutting slabs into lath, and for other slitting purposes. Several grist mills have been built from time to time, but the best one was erected by Sandford C. Parker, in 1836-7. It is one hundred feet long by sixty feet broad, four stories high besides the basement ; is calculated for ten run of stones, has six run in operation, and is capa- ble of manufacturing two hundred barrels of flour, daily, be- sides custom grinding. There is an extensive woolen factory, called Kellogg's Woolen Factory, two tanneries, a set of planing machines and sash factory, two furnaces, two plaster mills, four carriage making shops, seven blacksmith shops, &c.
There are at present, (1849) over two thousand inhabitants in the village of Baldwinsville, seven stores, four taverns, seven lawyers, seven physicians, three clergymen, three meeting- houses for the Presbyterian, Baptist and Methodist societies. A few years since, an attempt was made to effect a change
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in the name of the village; but the older inhabitants and early settlers who had been eye witnesses to the trials and hardships encountered and endured by Dr. Baldwin and his family, with a just appreciation of his services with a kind and grateful remembrance for his memory, with singular unanimity remonstrated against the measure, and defeated it.
The village was incorporated with the name of Baldwins- ville, in 1848, under the provisions of the general law for vil- lage incorporations. There is not within our knowledge a lo- cality, which in its early settlement, was attended with so many difficulties as this ; and perhaps there is no village with- in our borders, where the improvements made by its first founder, haveresulted in greater benefits to the surrounding country. A towing path on the north bank of the Seneca River, extending from Mud Lock to Baldwinsville, connects it with the Oswego Canal, and the rail road from Syracuse to Oswego passing through the eastern extremity of the village, is just completed. Having command of the whole volume of the waters of the Seneca River with a fall of ten feet, it fur- nishes one of the best sites for hydraulic works in this section of the country, and being surrounded by a country of great fertility and beauty, it must ever be a place of great and in- creasing importance.
Betts' Corners is a thriving little village in this town, with two churches, a tavern, one store, about forty dwellings, and the Lysander Post Office.
The town of Lysander was not fully organized until 1798, when the Supervisor, Mr. Asa Rice, who lived near Oswego, re- ported for the town, including the townships of Lysander, Han- nibal and Cicero, the number of " fifteen" inhabitants, and the valuation of taxable property for the town was estimated at fifteen hundred dollars. Mr. Rice was supervisor till Hanni- bal was erected a town by itself. The old records of the town are not to be found. The records now in the Clerk's office, go no further back than 1808; at which time we find some of the principal town officers as follows, viz. : Elijah Snow, Supervisor, and James Adams, Town Clerk; Henry Emerick,
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William Wilson, James Clark, Assessors. In 1809, Elijah Snow, Supervisor ; and Cyrus Baldwin, Town Clerk. 1811, Elijah Snow, Supervisor; - Williams, Town Clerk. 1812, the same. 1813, Jonas C. Baldwin, Supervisor; - Wil- liams, Town Clerk.
Dr. Baldwin opened a store at Baldwinsville, in 1807, and continued to 1813. Judge Otis Bigelow commenced selling goods in the village of Baldwinsville, in 1813, and still con- tinues ; he is now the oldest merchant in the county. John Hammill opened a store in 1816. Baker,& Wallace; in 1816; Jonas C. Brewster, 1821; Luther Badger, 1823; Robins & Wells, 1832 ; Sandford C. Parker, 1835; John H. Tomlin- son & Co., 1838 ; and D. C. Lusk & Co., 1846.
Reuben S. Orvis, commenced the practice of law here first, in 1816 ; Samuel H. Hammond, in 1826; afterwards, Cor- nelius Pugsley, and others. Dr. Jonas C. Baldwin, on his first arrival at Baldwinsville, practiced medicine when necessary, till other physicians arrived. Dr. Cyrus Baldwin, established as a regular physician in 1814; Dr. Silas Wallace in 1816.
Post Office first established at Baldwinsville, in 1815; Jo- nas C. Baldwin, P. M. He was succeeded by Stephen W. Baldwin, Otis Bigelow, Austin Baldwin, and Daniel T. Jones.
The first Presbyterian society at Baldwinsville, was organ- ized in 1813, and an Episcopal society, styled Grace Church, in 1838. There is a Methodist church at Cold Spring, a Dutch Reformed at Plainville.
Some of the ministers at Baldwinsville, have been Rev. Mr. Davenport, in 1814, died 1821 ; Rev. Messrs. Wait, Moulton, Baldwin, Morrell, R. Salmon, G. B. Engle, Willett, Beach, Williams, Merwin, Brown, Wheeler, Walker, and others.
The first newspaper established at Baldwinsville, was pub- lished in the spring of 1844, by Samuel B. West, and entitled the " BALDWINSVILLE REPUBLICAN." In October, 1846, it was transferred to C. Marks Hosmer, and entitled the " ON- ONDAGA GAZETTE." Since the 26th of January, 1848, it has been conducted by Shepard & Hosmer.
The Seneca River is notable for its fish. Cat-fish are caught
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from ten to thirty-five pounds weight, each, and eels from one to six pounds, each ; salmon were in former years abundant, but since the erection of dams across the Oswego River, this noble fish has entirely disappeared from the Seneca. Smal- ler fish are numerous and various in kind.
The year 1816, is memorable throughout the country, as "the cold year." It is said that frosts occurred during every month. Crops were much injured and the Indian corn quite destroyed. That crop being the principal reliance of the Indian tribes in this vicinity, and with no provisions for the then approaching winter, they were in danger of being cut off by famine. Under these circumstances, a deputation of chiefs, from the Oneida nation, were sent to Dr. Baldwin, (they knowing him to be a man of wealth and benevolence,) to request him to furnish them with provisions for the winter. After some inquiries as to their necessities and number, Dr. B. agreed to furnish provisions for one-half of the nation. Early in the winter, therefore, they came on, about 250 in number, and encamped in a wood in the vicinity of the vil- lage, and near where the railroad now crosses the road lead- ing to the new bridge, and remained there until the next spring, drawing their rations daily, like a small army.
This well timed benevolence of Dr. Baldwin, saved these destitute people from starvation ; while the remainder of the nation were fed and carried through the winter by the charity of other individuals.
During the winter, Harvey Baldwin, (late mayor of Syra- cuse,) second son of Dr. B., being on a visit home, permission was asked by the chiefs to adopt him as their son, which re- quest being granted, they assembled in grand council, and af- ter great ceremony, such as is customary with Indians on oc- casions of this kind, gave him the name of " Cohongoronto," by which name he is still known among the Oneidas, and which interpreted, signified a boat having a sharp prow, con- structed for the navigation of rapid waters, and which was intended as emblamatical of the profession of law, in the study of which he was then engaged.
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At Cold Spring, three miles east of Baldwinsville, are the remains of an old fort, circular in form; and enclosing at least, three acres of ground, with a gate way. When first discovered by the whites, it had a ditch about it, four feet deep, and an embankment outside and inside the ditch, the outside one being a little the highest. Trees of large size were found growing on the embankment, and also in the ditch.
At the time Dr. Baldwin constructed his canal, before re- ferred to, many Indian relics, such as hatchets of stone, flint arrow-heads, pipes, &c., were found several feet below the surface, thus showing that this locality had at a remote period, been a favorite resort of the red man of the forest.
Statistics for the town of Lysander, taken from the census of 1845: Number of inhabitants, 4506. 392 subject to military duty, 1027 voters, 66 aliens, 3 paupers, 1186 chil- dren attending common schools, 23508 acres of improved land, 2 grist-mills, 13 saw-mills, 1 fulling-mill, 1 carding-ma- chine, 1 woolen-factory, 5 tanneries, 1 Baptist church, 2 Pres- byterian do., 4 Methodist do., 1 Dutch Reformed do., 1 Uni- tarian do., 21 common schools, 2 select do., 13 taverns, 7 stores, 4 groceries, 480 farmers, 11 merchants, 12 manufac- turers, 198 mechanics, 10 clergymen, 9 Physicians, and 3 at- torneys.
CICERO .- This was one of the original townships, (number 6,) of the Military Tract. At the organization of the coun- ty, it was included in the town of Lysander. The township was set off into a town by itself, in 1807. It now contains about fifty-one lots of the original township, or about three hundred and twenty-six thousand acres of land.
A Mr. Dexter, a blacksmith, was the first white person who settled in this town, in 1790, opposite to Fort Brewerton, where he lived several years. Mr. Oliver Stevens settled on the north side of the river, in 1789, and cultivated a gar- den in the town of Cicero. A few years after, he moved to the south side of the river, where he died in 1813. Ryal Bingham settled at Fort Brewerton, 1791, and subsequently
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moved to Salina. Mr. Stevens kept what was called a Boat- man's tavern, furnishing provisions and other necessaries, to those who passed that way. Ile carried on quite a trade with the Indians, in furs, peltry, &c., which at that early day, were abundantly afforded in all the country. Fort Schuyler was the great mart at that time, for the sale of furs, &c., and there, Mr. Stevens sold and exchanged his merchandize for his stock in trade. Mr. Stevens sometimes spent his winters at Salina, where in 1802, his son, J. L. Stevens, late Judge of Onondaga County Courts, was born. At that time there were no wagon roads or physician, nearer than Dr. Needham, of Onondaga Hollow. All the first settlements in this town were made along the river and Oneida Lake. John Leach settled at Cicero Corners, and for several years kept a tav- ern in a small log cabin, about 1802.
The first settlers suffered very much from fever and ague, and other diseases common to new countries, and sometimes they were not a little distressed for want of food. Elijah Loomis, was the first settler at South Bay, on the lake shore, in 1804. He and his wife now (1847) reside on the lot he first purchased. They have lived together sixty-four years. He was a Revolutionary soldier, and received a pension. Mar- tin Woodruff settled near him the same year. Their near- est neighbors were at Brewerton, five miles distant.
In 1791, John Thayer, an old acquaintance of Oliver Ste- vens, came to Salina, and hearing that his friend had located at Fort Brewerton, (twelve miles distant,) he determined to make him a visit. It being winter, the undertaking was some- what hazardous, but possessing a resolute mind and hardy con- stitution, he thought he could overcome all obstacles. He was directed to follow the Indian trail and blazed trees, but during his journey, he became bewildered, lost his way, and roamed about the woods three days and two nights, without shelter or food. He at last struck the Oneida River, several miles west of Stevens, and in attempting to cross the ice, broke through, got his legs and feet wet, and before he arrived at his place of destination, his feet were badly frozen. He
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suffered severely for several weeks, when his feet began to mortify. He was then conveyed to Dr. White, of Cherry Valley, on a sled by hand, where both limbs were amputated above the ankle. He is now (1847,) living at Palermo, Oswe- go County, hobbling about on his stumps, has some property, and enjoys very good health for one so advanced in years, comparatively cheerful and happy.
About the year 1811, sometime after the first settlement at South Bay, two small girls of the name of Shephard, went into the woods to look for the cows near night ; after searching sometime in vain, they found themselves unable to trace their way back. The neighborhood was alarmed, and arrangements were speedily made for their recovery. The woods were scoured for twenty miles around, the most vigilant search was made day and night, and it was not till the third day at even- ing, that the little wanderers were found, snugly ensconsed, fast asleep, beside an old log, unharmed. Their only food had been ground-nuts, wintergreens, &c., upon which they had subsisted. Patrick McGee, settled at Brewerton, in Cicero, in 1791, and that year erected the first frame house in this town, which was occupied as a tavern by him, and af- terwards by Jonathan Emmons. It was located near where the Brewerton House now stands. It was a great place of resort for boatmen and townsmen.
In 1813, Jonathan Emmons was authorized by Legislative enactment, to establish a ferry across the outlet of Oneida Lake, at Fort Brewerton, town of Cicero, with exclusive priv- ileges. A man, known familiarly as Tory Foster, first settled in the east part of the town. He frequently boasted of his cruelties towards his countrymen, during the Revolutionary war. He was under Sir John Johnson and Brant at the Cher- ry Valley and Wyoming massacres, and in their numerous in- cursions into the Mohawk country. People became so exas- perated at him, at a late period, on account of his hostile relations and boastings, that he had frequently to flee and hide in the woods for several days at a time, to escape the vengeance of his neighbors. He one day went into the black-
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smith shop of the late Judge Tousley, at Manlius, and com- menced relating his cruelties and exploits against the Ameri- cans in the Revolutionary war. The Judge, then at the anvil, sledge in hand, listened patiently for some time ; at length his patience became exhausted, he seized a heavy bar of iron and struek at him with his full strength. As luck would have it, the force of the blow was arrested by the iron striking a beam overhead. The miscreant instantly left the shop, not caring to continue his favorite theme in the presence of American patriots, contented to escape with his life. His ears were both cropped off before he came to this town. He wore his hair long to prevent the exposition of his disgrace.
Formerly, fish were abundant and easily caught in the river and lake ; they consisted of salmon, pickerel, pike, perch, bass, catfish and eels, of a superior quality, all of which are now taken in great abundance, except salmon, which since the erection of dams across the Oswego River, have not made their appearance. Fish and venison constituted a great proportion of the provisions of the carly settlers.
The distance of the first settlers to their nearest neighbors was twelve miles, (at Salina,) where settlements were made at an earlier period. The only means of getting there was on foot, following the Indian trail, which was much used by the natives, in passing from Onondaga to their fishing grounds, a practice which they continue to some extent up to the present time. What in 1791 was a low uninhabited wilderness, has since become a thickly settled and populous town, and promi- ses to rival the best towns in the county, in richness of soil, variety of products, and wealth. There are some splendid lo- cations for country seats along the river and lake shore, and ere long will undoubtedly be eagerly sought for by the elite, of our new-born city, for their country residences.
At the time the town was first settled it was overrun with bears, wolves, panthers and wild-cats. Deer were numerous, and the taking of beaver, foxes, muskrats and otters, formed a chief occupation for the trappers, who made of it a lucra- tive business. Two moose were killed by the Indians, near
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the north line of the town, in the year 1789, since which the animal has not been seen in this part of the country.
After the farmers began to raise sheep to some extent, wolves were very troublesome, often making serious inroads into the flocks. In February, 1819, in order to exterminate these vagrants, it was resolved, by some of the principal in- habitants, to get up a wolf hunt, and scour the town of Cice- ro, and root them out. Accordingly arrangements were made, advertisements were published in all the county papers, hand- bills were circulated throughout the county, the " chasseur" spirit of the county was on the qui vive. Many of the prin- cipal men at Salina, Manlius and Onondaga, entered into it with great spirit and glee. The author, then a mere boy, joined in the great expedition. On the day appointed, about sunrise, a line of men near ten miles long, about one rod apart, was formed across the town, from east to west. At the ap- pointed signal, the whole line moved northward, towards the Oneida Lake, with a view of driving the wolves out upon the ice and shooting them down at pleasure. The line moved on in good order, amidst the blowing of horns, the hallooing of boys, and cracking of rifles. After marching upwards of six miles to the lake, the hunters found they had only driven a few frightened deer before them, some of which were killed. Some hunters had preceded the line for the purpose of killing deer as they passed them; not a wolf or bear was seen during the whole route. But it seems to have had a good effect, for the howl of a wolf has not been heard in town since.
In the Cicero swamp there are said to be a few swamp rat- tle-snakes, much smaller than those occupying more elevated situations. They seem to possess the same characteristics, dispositions and poisonous qualities ; they are nearly black in color, have a dull sleepy look, but seldom bite unless provok- ed; they usually give timely notice of their whereabouts by shaking their rattles.
The intercourse of the carly settlers of this town with the Indians, was frequent and of the most friendly character. They were usually honest, but rather slack pay-masters if
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trusted. It was once quite a place of resort for the Oneidas and Onondagas, on account of hunting and fishing.
The first meeting house in town was built of logs for the Presbyterian Society, at Cicero Corners, 1819 ; a frame one in 1830. The first settled minister was the Rev. Truman Baldwin, a Presbyterian, who occupied the station several years, afterwards went west, has recently returned, and taken charge of his former flock. The next organized religious so- ciety was a Baptist one, in 1832, at the same place, which continued such, a few years ; but a majority of the congrega- tion, embracing new views, called themselves Campbellites, re- tained possession of the house, and in effect broke up the so- ciety ; they never had a settled minister, but held their meet- ings regularly. The society is small, and their increase not very rapid. Afterwards, the Methodists built a church in the east part of the town. Except the first named, these churches are respectable frame buildings, painted and finished in modern style. Previous to the erection of churches, the different re- ligious societies held their meetings in the school houses usu- ally built of logs.
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