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 19
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 19
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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
DEEP SPRING .- (Indian name, Te-ungh-sat-a-yagh.)-This is a curiosity which once possessed considerable notoriety. It is situated on the county line, near the Seneca Turnpike, east from Manlius Village, about three and a half miles. The cavity is circular, about sixty feet in diameter at top, drawing nearly to a point at bottom, tunnel shaped, and about thirty feet deep. A copious stream of water issues from the rock on the east side, except in seasons of severe drought, when its size is much diminished. It glides along the bank, from half way down the side, and looses itself at the bottom. Large trees have grown on the side, forming an impenetrable shade in summer. These are literally covered with the names, and initials of names of persons who have visited it from the time
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of its first discovery, till post coaches were withdrawn from the road ; since which time, visitors have been far less frequent, and now have almost entirely disappeared. One of the dates on an ancient beech tree, is 1793. The Indian path from Oneida to Onondaga passed near it, as did the first laid out road through the county. It is noted on all the old maps, published by the Surveyor General, and was the starting place of all the old surveys of the Oneida Reservation, and was a noted watering place for persons moving to the western country, as well as for those who settled near it. Thousands visited this spring in early times as a curiosity, and to taste its pure and sparkling water.
It has been often related by an Oneida Indian called Peter, that in the time of the Revolutionary war, a small party of Indians surprised six white men at this spring, who had de- scended it to drink. They are supposed to have been a scout- ing party from Fort Schuyler. They were much frightened at the appearance of the Indians, who found them perfectly de- fenseless, having left their arms on the bank above. As the Indians approached for the same purpose, and neither mis- trusting the presence of the other, it may be supposed that both parties at first, were not a little surprised. The Indians, however, having every advantage, instantly recovered them- selves, gave a terrific yell, encircled the brink of the spring, and as the terrified soldiers attempted to pass them, they were struck down with tomahawks and scalped. This catastrophe had such an effect upon the mind of Peter, who was one of the party, that it never ceased to haunt him while he lived. He used to say with peculiar emphasis, "It is the only deed I ever committed which the Great Spirit has never forgiven me." At the time, he felt so much remorse that he buried his shirt, which had been sprinkled with the blood of one of the victims. Many tragic scenes have undoubtedly been en- acted in this vicinity, for it was no uncommon occurrence to find arrow heads, hatchets, bullets, bayonets and other war- like implements in the immediate neighborhood of this spring. There is a tradition that a severe battle was fought there be-
B 15
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tween the whites and Indians during the Revolution. (See life and writings of De Witt Clinton, by W. W. Campbell, page 185.) It is now owned by Mr. Thomas A. Clark. Wm. W. Sayles kept a tavern near it, in 1794. There is a tradi- tionary account of the passage of a detatchment of General Sullivan's army through the Onondaga country, south of the Onondaga castle. It is said that a sharp skirmish was fought between this party and the Onondagas, near La Fayette, where a small Indian settlement was destroyed, and that they passed a night on the flat near the deep spring.
During the period of the early settlement of the country, foolish and infatuated men conceived the idle notion that near this spring, large treasures of gold and silver had at some pre- vious time been secretly buried. Several places were selected as imagined depositories of hidden wealth. Hundreds of holes were dug in different places where their mysterious min- eral rods pointed out the identical spot where the precious metals were hid. Their work was always conducted in the night. One of the grand secrets of their art was, that in digging, the person at work must not look from the place where the supposed treasure lay, and during all their opera- tions must keep the most profound silence. If a word was spoken. or an eye lifted from the spot, the treasure was sure to vanish.
ICE HOLE .- There is a large cavity in the rocky ledge, north of the residence of David Moulter, near the south-west corner of lot sixty-nine, which becomes filled with ice during winter. Owing to the depth at which the congealed mass lies, (being some fifty or more feet below the surface,) and the rocky precipice facing to the north, the sun and warm weather make but a faint impression upon it during the summer sea- son. Tavern keepers and others from Manlius Village, in old- en times, used frequently to resort to it. for the purpose of obtaining the cooling crystal, which was often removed in large quantities, for use, on public occasions. Many a tumbler of punch has been cooled on fourth of July celebrations with ice procured from this cavern. There is a similar " Ice Hole"
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north-west from the old church, east of Jamesville, on lot eighty-two, some sixty feet below the surface of the earth, where ice of excellent quality may be always obtained.
WATER FALLS .- There are two considerable falls of water in this town, one on the east and the other on the west branch of the Limestone Creek, south from Manlius Village, about one mile. The fall on the east branch is somewhat larger and affords excellent sites for mills and machinery, and has been more or less improved since the first settlement of the town. Now owned and occupied by Samuel L. Edwards, Esq. The channel at the edge of the precipice, is about forty-five feet broad, and the breadth of the rocky chasm below, is about one hundred and sixty feet ; the water falls somewhat broken, about sixty-five feet, and above the falls, the rapids fall some twenty feet more, making in all, about eighty-five feet. The chasm widens to the north-west. The banks are rocky and precipitous, formed of different strata of limestone. These falls are considerably resorted to by parties of pleasure during the summer months.
The falls on the west branch of the Limestone, are nearly of the same height as those on the cast branch. The stream is not as wide, nor does as much water flow over the preci- picc. It is a place of considerable resort for visitors, for pic- nic parties, and frequently for large religious meetings.
GREEN POND .- There are two bodies of water called by this name in the town of Manlius, three and a half miles north from the village, on lot fifty-six. The upper one is nearly circular, about one hundred rods in diameter, surrounded by hills varying from fifty to a hundred feet in height. In some places approaching the lake abruptly ; at others, with a beau- tiful slope. A dense evergreen wood skirts it on all sides, the shadow of which is beautifully reflected from the soft green mirror like appearance of the water. It is said the waters of these lakes differ from those of Scotland, Switzerland and other elevated portions of Europe. There, the surface is said always to present a bright silver like appearance. This dif- ference may be accounted for, in the different qualities of the
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waters. The depth of the lake may be from one hundred to two hundred feet. Its surface is about six feet below the sur- face of the Erie Canal. There are deep sinks or caverns in the surrounding hills in all directions, varying from ten to thirty feet in depth. These hills are all filled with gypsum, which may be dug at any place in any quantity. The sides of this lake are formed in a secondary deposit of red shale, covered with a greenish white marl. The trees that have fal- len into it are whitened by a limelike deposit. The bottom is covered with a dark brown marl, and the waters at the bottom are said to be highly charged with sulphureted hydrogen, without any saline properties. It is excavated in the lower part of the second deposit of the Onondaga salt group, and the red shale below that deposit. This lake is forty-four feet above the level of Onondaga lake, and is of importance, show- ing that deep excavations exist along the range of gypseous deposit, and that the excavation of Onondaga valley is not an anomalous one. Professor Silliman, in one of his journals, thus speaks of this lake: "The bottom is a grass green fer- riferous slate ; the sides white shell marl, and the brim black vegetable mould; the waters perfectly limpid. The whole appears to the eye to be a rich porcelain bowl filled with lim- pid nectar. But to the taste it is the true Harrowgate water, and readily convinces the visitor of the correctness of its name-Lake Sodom."
The shores are remarkably bold. There is no inlet above ground to this lake, and but a very small outlet at the east side, which connects it with the other green pond, about half a mile below. There are several kinds of fish found in these ponds, but they are so scarce and shy, that the taking affords but little sport; various aquatic plants, and many perfect pet- rifactions of plants and leaves, are found along its shores. It is a place of considerable resort in the summer season, and well repays the visitant for his pains. The lower Green Pond so nearly resembles the one just described, that a description of it would be a mere repetition. Dr. L. C. Beck, (Nat. His. St. N. Y.) thus speaks of this lake : "Water drawn from the
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depth of one hundred and sixty-eight feet, was found to be strongly charged with sulphureted hydrogen. On being af- terwards tested, it blackened silver powerfully, and gave co- pious precipitates, withi solutions of oxalates of ammonia and muriate of barytes, indicating the presence of sulphureted hy- drogen and sulphate of lime. Its specific gravity was scarcely above distilled water, and contained not even a trace of oxide of iron. Thus we have here a spacious sulphur bath, a fact which exhibits, in a most striking manner, the extent and power of the agency concerned in the evolution of this gas."
MINERAL SPRINGS .- There is a sulphur spring of consid- erable power, a short distance south of Manlius Village. It has a strong surphurous taste ; the water is perfectly limpid, emitting a strong sulphurous odor. It has been analyzed, and is said to contain sulphureted hydrogen, a small portion of carbonic acid, sulphate of soda, sulphate of magnesia, carbo- nate of iron and carbonate of lime, and is considered beneficial in cutaneous diseases and highly diuretic. Tufa and excel- lent specimens of petrifactions, are found in the vicinity of this spring.
About a mile north-west of Manlius Village are three springs very near each other, all of which are feebly charged with sulphureted hydrogen ; have also a slightly saline taste, and contain sulphate of magnesia. Temperature usually about forty-eight degrees Fahrenheit. A milky deposit is apparent where the stream passes off. Many persons are said to have received benefit from bathing in the waters. They cleanse and purify the skin, and are considered useful in many cuta- neous diseases. They have, at a former period, been consid- crably resorted to, and have acquired some reputation in the vicinity. Sometimes called Elk Horn Springs and Balsley's Springs.
According to the census of 1845, Manlius has the following statistics :-
Total population, 5,602 ; persons subject to military duty, 520 ; number of voters, 1,243; aliens, 128; number of chil- dren attending Common Schools, 1,150; acres of improved
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land, 20,483 ; grist mills, 7; saw mills, 14; fulling mills, 2; carding machines, 2; cotton factories, 2; iron works, 1; Ash- eries, 1; clover mill, 1; tanneries, 4; Churches-Baptist, 2; Episcopalian, 2; Presbyterian, 2; Methodist, 4; Roman Cath- olic, 1; Academies, 2; Common Schools, 22 ; Select Schools, 3; taverns, 19; stores, 14; groceries, 21; farmers, 633; merchants, 25; manufacturers, 15; mechanics, 309; lawyers, 11; clergymen, 16; physicians, 9.
DE WITT .- MOSES DE WITT .- The subject of this sketch was a descendant from an ancient, illustrious and honorable family of Holland, who at an early period emigrated to New- York, a branch of which settled in Orange County. Moses De Witt, was born on the 15th day of October, 1766, in the town of Deer Park, anciently called Peempack, on the banks of the Neversink, in the county of Orange. His father was Jacob Rutzen De Witt, a brother of the mother of De Witt Clinton. The family mansion of the De Witts, had been built as a sort of castle, for defense against the Indians, and during the old French war, and the war of the Revolution, had been strong- ly fortified by rows of palisades and other defenses, the walls being of stone, and of immense thickness. It was occupied by a garrison during the Revolution.
Moses De Witt received a part of his early education with his distinguished counsin, De Witt Clinton, (being two years his senior,) under the instruction of Thomas White, an Eng- lish gentleman, of liberal education, and an excellent teacher, with whom his favorite pupils made rapid advances in their studies. This gentleman was always particularly attached to his early friend and pupil, Mr. De Witt; was with him much of his life, and closed his eyes in death. Moses D. Burnet and Thomas Rose, of Syracuse, were relatives of Moses De Witt.
At the time General James Clinton, (who was an uncle of Moses De Witt, ) and David Rittenhouse, Esq., were appointed commissioners, on the part of the States of New-York and Pennsylvania, for running the boundary line and settling the boundaries between the two States, Moses De Witt was se-
TOWNS .- DE WITT .- MOSES DE WITT. 231
lected as one of the Surveyors, to assist in establishing that line. This work engaged the commissioners about three years, during which time young Mr. De Witt proved himself a skil- ful surveyor and engineer, and retired from that service, with the approbation and high encomiums of his employers.
When the Military Tract was ordered by law to be laid out and surveyed, he was appointed one of the principal assistants of the Surveyor General, Simeon De Witt, (his uncle who had been a distinguished engineer in the army of the Revolution,) in plotting and laying out the said tract, who, with Abraham Hardenburgh, laid out and surveyed the several townships, and afterwards surveyed and subdivided the townships into lots, with the assistance of sundry surveyors.
For his important services to the State, as a surveyor, he received several thousand acres of land, scattered throughout the Military Tract, and along the southern tier of counties, bordering on Pennsylvania. At the time of his death, he was considered one of the greatest individual landholders in west- ern New-York.
He was appointed Surrogate of Herkimer County, at its organization in 1791; was appointed a Justice of the Peace for Herkimer, at the same time, and was the first man who exercised the duties of that office on the Military Tract.
In 1793, he was appointed a Major of militia with Major, afterwards General Danforth; the two had charge of a bat- talion. At the organization of Onondaga County, in 1794, he was appointed a Judge of the Courts, Surrogate and Jus- tice of the Peace, and was chosen the first Supervisor of the town of Pompey, in April, 1794. He resided on lot number three of Pompey, (since La Fayette) which lot had been drawn by his uncle, General James Clinton, and he also purchased fifty acres adjoining, in the present town of De Witt, in or- der to secure a valuable water power, on the Butternut Creek, where he had contemplated making extensive improvements. But before the development and accomplishment of his plans, his hand was stayed. He was cut down like an untimely flower before its fragrance had been shed, or its beauty and
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excellence admired. He was arrested in his prosperous ca- reer, in the midst of activity and usefulness. He had scarcely attained the age of manhood, when the last dread summons called him from the flattering prospects which were before him and already within his grasp, to scenes of higher reward. He died at his residence, south of Jamesville, of billious fe- ver. The angel of death, with an aim,
"Sure and steady as the eye of destiny,"
claimed him for his own. He had acquired an extensive rep- utation for honesty, integrity and virtue, combined with a rare capacity and talent for business. The few who yet remember him, speak of him as a young man of uncommon promise, and it has often been remarked, that "in him, western New-York lost her pride, and the county of Onondaga, her ablest man." He was borne to his grave followed by an immense concourse of citizens and friends, leaving a reputation unspotted, and a character untarnished. His remains were buried with mili- tary honors, in a small family burying ground, about a mile south of Jamesville, and are covered with a marble slab, bear- ing the following inscription :-
" Here lie the remains of MOSES DE WITT, Major of Mili- tia, and Judge of the County Courts; one of the first, most active, and useful settlers in the county. He was born on the 15th day of October, 1766, and died on the 15th day of Au- gust, 1794,"-being only twenty-eight years of age.
The same stone bears this further inscription : " Also of his brother Egbert De Witt, born 25th of April, 1768; died 30th of May, 1793.
Jacob R. De Witt, Esq., died Dec. 18th, 1821, in the forty- sixth year of his age."
DE WITT .- This town was originally a part of the town- ship of Manlius, and was set off from it in the spring of 1835. and named after Moses De Witt, Esq. The first set- tler in this town was Benjamin Morehouse from Freder- icksburgh, Duchess County, New-York. He arrived 26th April, 1789, with a wife and three small children, following the Indian trail from Oneida to Onondaga. Soon after his
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arrival he erected a log house on the flat, a few rods west of the old church, three and a half miles west of Manlius Village. At that time it was called the Kasoongkta Flats; but soon after his arrival, it received the name of Morehouse's Flats, by which name it was for a long time known. Mr. More- house here opened the first tavern kept in the county, in 1790. From his dignified deportment, he soon received the distin- guished sobriquet of Governor, from travelers and the few surrounding inhabitants. Mrs. Morehouse is supposed to be the mother of the second white child born in this county. Sa- rah Morehouse was born at her father's residence on the 16th day of February, 1790, and is now living a maiden lady at Lockport, Niagara County. Mr. Morehouse's nearest neigh- bors were Asa Danforth and Comfort Tyler, at Onondaga Hollow, seven miles distant. In 1791, he carried a plow- share on his back to Westmoreland, to be sharpened, and while the blacksmith was doing the work, he proceeded to Herkimer, purchased thirty pounds of flour, and returned on foot, with flour and plowshare on his back. This was the first wheat flour introduced into his family after their first arrival, except a small quantity brought along at that time. This small grist of flour which had been procured at so much la- bor, from necessity, lasted near a year. The lack was eked out at the stump mill.
JAMESVILLE and vicinity was settled during the years from 1790 to 1800, by Moses De Witt, Daniel Keeler, Dr. Hol- brook, Jeremiah Jackson, William Bends, Stephen Angel, Stephen Hungerford, Jeremiah and James Gould, Roger Mer- rill, Caleb Nortrup, Benjamin Sanford and others. The vil- lage was at first called Sinai.
Jeremiah Jackson erected the first dwelling entitled to the name of frame, in 1797. Joseph Purdy opened the first black- smith's shop about the same time. In 1798, Matthew Dum- fric built a distillery, malt house and brewery, and manufac- tured the first beer and whiskey made in the county. Oliver Owen erected a saw mill in 1795. Mr. Trowbridge kept the first tavern at Jamesville, in 1804, afterwards kept by David
.
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Olmsted, in 1806, then considered the best tavern west of Utica. Benjamin Sanford built the mills in 1803. Mr. Hungerford started clothing works about the same time. " The Jamesville Iron and Woolen Factory" was chartered in 1809, and a Post Office established same year, Thomas Rose, Post Master. Moses D. Rose succeeded him. The name of Jamesville was adopted at the time the Iron and Woolen Fac- tory was incorporated; the name was given by the Legislature, and was first published and proclaimed at a great fourth of July celebration, held at Jamesville, 1810. First school- house for Jamesville was erected east of the village in 1795, Polly Hibbard, Teacher, succeeded by Susan Ward. The first school in Jamesville, was in 1806.
Congregational Church erected in 1828-Ministers, Rev. Daniel Marsh, Rev. Seth J. Porter, Rev. Messrs. Beach, Smith, Myrick, Day, Morse, Buck, Folts, Lewis, Terry, Ham- lin and Vail. Methodist Society erected their church 1831, Rev. George W. Densmore and William W. Rundell, Preach- ers at that time.
Protestant Episcopal Church edifice, erected 1829, Rev. Burton H. Hickox, Missionary. Sundry clergymen from Manlius, Fayetteville and Syracuse, have officiated there. The parish has never had the exclusive services of a clergy- man for any stated timc.
John Post, from Utica, was a merchant one mile east of Jamesville, in 1802; Robbins & Callighan, 1804; Keeler, 1805.
Esquire Eager opened a law office at Morehouse's Flats, at an early day ; Moses D. Rose and Luther Badger were students in his office.
Dr. Holbrook was the first physician at Jamesville, and was the first physician who located on the township, 1791. It is said, the Doctor presided at the first public meeting held in that section of the country, convened at Morehouse's tav- ern, for the purpose of taking preliminary measures for the division of Herkimer County.
Mr. John Youngs settled at Orville, 1791, and was there
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alone for some time ; but soon inhabitants settled near him. He kept the first tavern in that part of the town. The set- tlement first went by the name of Youngsville. Mr. Youngs erected the first frame house there-was for a long time a Jus- tice of the Peace, and the first in the township of Manlius.
The falls below Jamesville are somewhat interesting as a curiosity. The water falls about thirty feet perpendicular ; the breadth of the creek at the fall is about forty fcet. Its rocky chasm and sublime scenery, connected with the immense and inexhaustible beds of gypsum and water lime, and the ex- tensive works for their manufacture, render this a very desi- rable place for the researches of the geologist, or the rambles of the tourist. There is a tradition alive, that at the time the French colony, located a little south of Jamesville, were mas- sacred ; one escaped, and was pursued, overtaken and killed, near these falls. The first gypsum discovered in the township of Manlius, (now in De Witt,) was on lot eighty-one, in 1811. The first discovered in the United States was in the town of Camillus, 1792. (See Camillus.) It had previously been brought from Nova Scotia, and was called Nova Scotia plas- ter ; and before this, it had been brought here from France and Germany, in limited quantities, under the name of Plas- ter of Paris. Dr. Franklin first introduced it into the United States, as a vegetable stimulant. Robert Livingston first in- troduced it into the eastern part of the State of New-York, in 1805. The use of gypsum as a dressing for vegetable pro- ductions, was first made known in Germany, about the year 1767. Plaster is now an article of trade which brings to this county, yearly, a large amount of money. It is sold at the mills, ground, for one dollar and fifty cents per ton ; and de- livered in the rock, on the canal, at from seventy-five cents to a dollar per ton. It is estimated that there are annually sold, from the several beds in Onondaga County, from eightcen thou- sand to twenty thousand tons. Water-lime was discovered in this town, first in the county, 1819, or '20, and is now pre- pared for market, in large quantities, principally in the towns of Manlius and De Witt.
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Nathan Beckwith, in sinking a well about a mile east of Jamesville, in 1807, discovered a large cavern. It has been explored to some extent in a south-westerly direction from the entrance at the well. The depth at the entrance of the ca- vern, may be about twenty feet ; height of the cavern at the entrance, about seven feet ; width near five feet. These di- mensions continue six or eight rods, when the space becomes contracted to a width just sufficient for a single person to pass through. It soon becomes broader. The size is very far from being uniform, the top in some places being not more than three or four feet from the bottom. Dog-tooth spar, stalactites and stalagmites, are numerous. A small stream of water runs along the bottom. The man who dug the well, while in the act of drilling a hole of some ten or twelve inches, his drill suddenly sunk into the cavity up to the bulge. Upon with- drawing the drill a strong current of air came up and contin- ued until the hole was sufficiently enlarged for the purposes of a well. The stream of air would instantly extinguish a lighted candle, and after it was enlarged, would keep coals alive and in a glow. A melancholy circumstance is connect- ed with the discovery of this cave. A young gentleman and lady, residing in Cazenovia, and newly married, came out on a pleasure ride to see the cave. It was on a very warm day, in the month of August. They descended into the cave and remained there near three hours. They became completely chilled ; both were taken suddenly ill, and both died within one week from the day they entered the cave. The entrance is now closed, so that there is no admittance to it.
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