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 22
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 22
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
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
Samuel Hibbard and David Hinsdale at one time found a gun barrel on lot number six. They were then boys, and thought to have a little sport. For this purpose they placed the butt end of the gun barrel in the fire, for the purpose of burning off the rust ; after a while the barrel exploded and forced a ball against the stone jambs, which completely flat- tened it. How long this weapon had been charged is unknown, but allowing it to be at the date of other evidences of French occupancy, it must have been near one hundred and forty years. The barrel when found was standing upright in a clump of bass wood bushes, as if it had been leaned against
260
ONONDAGA.
a stump which had decayed, and the clump of shrubbery grown up in its stead. Over thirty ivory combs were found near the same place, many of them in a tolerable state of preser- vation. Wagon loads of old iron have been taken from these grounds.
Mr. Hinsdale of Pompey, at one time had in his possesion three vises, one of which was very large, and the jaws alone weighed forty one pounds. It was beautifully engraved all over, with representations of dogs, bears, deer, squirrels, fishes, birds, and was altogether a beautiful specimen of workman- ship. Another, a hand vise of excellent quality, was sold to Mr. Boylston, a silversmith of Manlius Village, who used it while he continued in the business. Mr. David Hinsdale found a nest of brass kettles, the largest of which would hold two pails full, and the smallest about three pints. They were all bailed, ready for use, and some of the smaller ones were used in Dr. Western's family, and Mr. Hinsdale's family, for several years. The larger ones, being on the outside, were considerably corroded by time and exposure, and were unfit for use. When found, they were nearly buried under the roots of a large tree.
The bone's of a man were found on the surface, partially covered, and with them part of a case of surgical instruments, much corroded by rust. On the late Dr. Western's farm, could be distinctly traced the remains of a small fortification, with a burying place. One grave was opened, in which were the remains of thirteen men. One of the skulls taken from it had been perforated by a bullet, which was found within it. Another skull found in this grave was very much larger than its fellows ; the under jaw would fit completely outside of a common man's, and it is said that the other bones were of cor- responding gigantic dimensions. A vise and other black- smith's tools were found here, as well as gate hinges and many trinkets like those already enumerated. Not far from this last, on the farm of the late John Clapp, at an early day were plainly traceable, the lines of an earthern fortification. Sundry articles, such as musket balls, gun barrels, axes, &c.,
261
TOWNS .- POMPEY-ANTIQUITIES.
have been found upon this ground. The axes were usually made from a straight bar of iron, the eye formed by bending it over, welding it down and hammering out an edge; not at all resembling any tool now in common usc. Near this place were plowed up, several years since, six large, very deep, heavy, and broad rimmed pewter platters. They were found several inches below the surface, one within another ; they are in a very good state of preservation now and plainly bear the impression of the British coat of arms ; probably were once the property of a party of English traders and may have been buried there as a place of safety.
In felling a large pine tree for shingles on Mr. Hibbard's farm, in 1820, after cutting in about a foot, the mark of an ax was found, and also a burned spot, the size of a man's hand or larger. The probability is, that the tree had been " boxed" to obtain turpentine, and when the ancient settle- ment was broken up, the turpentine had been burned out. From appearances, about one hundred and seventy years must have passed away since the ax and fire had set their mark upon this tree. All had grown up solid, and there was no outward appearance of former work upon the tree. On Mr. David Hinsdale's farm, under a large pine stump, was a heap of ashes and cinders, from which the boys in the neighborhood used to extricate almost every variety of Indian relic.
Near Mr. Hinsdale's house, when the land was first occu- pied, and before the plow began its work, there were numer- ous circular elevations made of stones, some twelve or four- teen feet in diameter, and about eighteen inches high. They were arranged in regular rows, some two or three rods apart, and were probably the foundations of cabins, which had been once erected on this ground, which must from their numbers and extent formed a considerable village. Among the curi- ous relics preserved by Mr. Hinsdale, is a pad-lock of trian- gular shape, about three inches on a side. It is almost de- stroyed by rust, but it is a singular piece of mechanism, and must in its day have been quite a formidable opponent to the progress of thieves. He has a knife which has withstood the
-
262
ONONDAGA.
rust and ravages of exposure and time better than any thing yet found. The steel must be of the finest quality, and high tempered, and might now be used as well as ever if it was provided with a handle. He has numerous beads, specimens of wampum, ornaments of red pipe-stone, medals, rings, crosses, &c. &c., which are well worth the attention of the cu- rious. Several brass crescents have been found bearing the inscription, " Roi de France et Dieu." These were probably used for nose and ear jewels. Corn hills were abundant near all the places bearing the marks of occupancy before the plow leveled them, and even now in the forests they are to be found, but not so frequently as in former times. The art of making maple sugar was undoubtedly known to the Indians, for the early settlers all agree that the maple trees in this region bore evident marks of having been tapped. Ax marks were often found six or eight inches from the bark, many of the trees being hollow, caused by frequent incisions. Even the marks made by the rude gouges of the natives werc sometimes made visible in the operation of clearing off forests.
These places of defense and burial were very numerous in the township of Pompey. There are not less than fifteen which have been pointed out to us, and which we have visited. They are scattered through several of the neighboring towns. We might multiply accounts of these relics without end, but enough has already been said, we hope, to attract the atten- tion of searchers after antiquarian truth, and to show that this interesting section was once partially peopled by Europeans, (probably French, long since the discovery of America by Co- lumbus,) whose history is obscure, and can only be imperfectly unraveled by judicious comparisons and plausible conjecture.
Most of the grounds before noted, undoubtedly have been the scenes of hard fought battles, after which the country was probably deserted by the remnant (if any) of whites who once kept their trading establishments here. Villages to a con- siderable extent once covered these hills, and the fate of their inhabitants is, and probably for ever will be wrapped in mys- tery. When, or by what civilized men these fortifications
263
TOWNS .- POMPEY .- ANTIQUITIES.
were built, it were vain for us to inquire ; obscurity draws her doubtful veil over the whole, and we dimly see in the faded traditions and chronicles of the past, that these were the works of architects not barbarian, at a period not exceedingly re- mote. Indian tradition still keeps alive the fact that these grounds have been the theatre of blood ; and such is their ab- horrence of scenes once enacted here, that except in a few very rare instances, they do not visit the regions near the an- cient forts and burying grounds. " Ote-queh-sa-he-eh" is their exclamation-"'T'is the field of blood."
By comparing facts and circumstances as they have fallen under our observation with other historical data, and consider- ing the importance the early French colonists of Canada al- ways attached to the Indian trade, the readiness with which they adapted themselves to Indian manners and habits, and the earnest desire of the Jesuits to establish the Romish reli- gion among them, it may not be unreasonable to suppose, that designing men pushed their way here, and made themselves familiar with the country and its resources, long before colo- nies were established, and individual enterprise may have erected defenses for security, long before they were consider- ed of sufficient importance to claim protection from their gov- ernment. It should also be borne in mind, that the French had always cherished the design of absolutely monopolizing and controling all the trade of the Iroquois. Colonies and military posts were established at Quebec and Montreal, du- ring the first twelve years of the seventeenth century, and these were considerably increased during the twenty-five years immediately succeeding.
The Dutch also had opened a channel of trade with the "' Maquas," during the period that they held possession of New-Netherlands ; but it does not appear, that during their ascendancy, their traders or people formed any permanent residences among the Indian nations west of the Mohawks" country, although the trade was considered lucrative. And the New-England people it is presumed, had troubles enough to engage all of their attention at home, in the protracted and
264
ONONDAGA.
exhausting wars which occurred during the infancy of their settlements. So that it is but reasonable to infer, that the early French adventurers succeeded in so far winning the fa- vor and affections of the Iroquois, as to be allowed to intrench themselves strongly within their territory, as early as 1640 or 1650, and that these ruins now so famous as antiquarian relics in our county, were the works of their hands.
The most interesting and important relic of by-gone days, and the one which has attracted the most attention, and eli- cited the most speculative opinions in this region, undoubtedly is the celebrated stone found by Mr. Philo Cleveland on his farm, since occupied by the late Mr. Anson Sprague. It is about fourteen inches long by twelve inches broad and eight inches thick ; a very heavy, hard, oval shaped stone, evident- ly a boulder, much worn, and from outward appearances, granitic, but perhaps approaching nearer to gneiss than gran- ite ; on it in the centre, is rather rudely engraved the figure of a tree with a serpent climbing it. (See the annexed cut.)
Of course the interpretation would be materially different. It was probably designed as a sepulchral monument, and may have been executed on or near the place where it was found.
The following brief history of this singular relic may not be wholly uninteresting. Mr. Cleveland was picking stones in his field, preparatory to making a meadow, in the summer of 1820 or 1821. It was on a moist piece of ground and to- ward evening, at the close of his day's labors, he raised the stone with his iron bar and turned it on its edge. Mr. C. being weary, leaned against a stump near by, with his hands resting on the top of the bar. While musing in that posi- tion, with his eyes fixed upon the stone, he observed something remarkable about it; and upon taking a nearer view, dis- covered some of the characters and letters above described. He removed it to a pile of stones not far distant, and at the time thought but little of it. Several days afterward he made another visit to the stone, when he found that the rain had washed the dirt clean from it, and the rude engraving was much more distinctly to be seen. This induced him to invite some
TOWNS .- POMPEY .- ANTIQUITIES.
265
Leo, De
022
V/ 1526
X
of his neighbors to examine it, whereupon it was decided to remove it to a blacksmith's shop at Watervale, a small set- tlement near by. It remained there six months or more, and became the subject of much talk and speculation at the time.
Every person who came to the shop, would of course ex- amine the stone, take a horse nail or old file and scrape all the cracks, seams and carvings, giving it somewhat the ap- pearance of new work. The stone was found with the inserip- tion downward, about one-third buried. It is not at all pro- bable that Mr. Cleveland or any of the persons who first saw the stone in the field or at the shop, could have designed or executed the carvings ; besides, there are many persons now living who would bear testimony to its authenticity. It was subsequently removed to Manlius Village, and was visited by several distinguished gentlemen of seience, most of whom were disposed to admit that it was genuine. It remained in this village nearly a year, and was finally deposited in the
266
ONONDAGA.
Museum of the Albany Institute, now under the care of Dr. T. Romeyn Beck, where it still remains an object both of speculation and curiosity ; and so far as the writer of this is informed, it is admitted to be an authentic memorial of anti- quity. The stone and inscription are subjects highly interest- ing to the lovers of antiquarian lore, and to the curious stu- dent.
All attempt to account for, decipher and satisfactorily ex- plain so singular a relic, might seem arrogant in the extreme. A few words will suffice, when we reflect that Mexico had been fully explored and settled by Spaniards previous to 1521, and that those people always manifested an insatiable thirst for gold. Gaspar Cotereal, a Portuguese, had explored near- ly the whole coast of North America, in 1501. The fishing grounds of Newfoundland were well known and occupied by the French, as early as 1505. The French navigator, Ver- razzini, faithfully examined the shores of the United States, in 1525. De Soto's memorable campaign commenced in 1539 and ended in 1542. He penetrated as far north as the 36th degree of north latitude, and explored both sides of the Mis- sissippi for several leagues. During his travels, it is said he fell in with a party of northern Indians, who had with them a Spaniard taken from the party of Narvaez, who had pro- ceeded over much of Florida, ten years before. When these facts are taken into consideration, and the extreme interest then felt by all classes of men, in the development of the re- sources of the new world, the avidity with which daring ad- venturers sought the most distant and imaginary sources of wealth ; and the avarice, cupidity and desperation of these men, it may not appear incredible, that a party of Spaniards, either stimulated by the spirit of adventure, or allured by the love of gold, or driven by some rude blast of misfortune, may have visited this region, lost one of their number by death, and erected this rude stone with its simple inscription as a tri- bute to his memory, as early as the year 1520.
On the hill, about one mile and a half south of Delphi, on lot number one hundred, Pompey, are the ruins of an old fort
267
TOWNS .- POMPEY .- ANTIQUITIES.
and burying place, occupying about eight acres of land. It is situated on an elevated piece of ground, surrounded by a deep ravine made by two small streams, which pass around it and unite on the north, making the form of the elevation tri- angular, or more in shape, like a flat-iron with its point to the north. The principal gateway and entrance was at the north point, and a smaller one on the south side. There was a mound or bastion in front of it. The area of this place of defense was enclosed with a ditch and pickets, which can now be traced throughout nearly the whole circumference, as plain and distinctly as if but recently abandoned. At every place where a picket had stood, a slight depression in the earth is distinctly visible. In one instance, a large tree had fallen, and beneath its roots a cavity was exposed, which had every appearance of having, at some previous time, been the recep- tacle of a post over which the tree had grown, perhaps one hundred and fifty or two hundred years, and left the artificial post to decay beneath its trunk. The timber within this en- closure was of smaller growth than that immediately contigu- ous, consisting of dwarf plumb trees, thorns, small maple and ash trees, bushes, &c. The ground was covered with grass. In one corner of the fort, were evident marks of a blacksmith's shop having been once in full operation there, for various tools have been found belonging to the trade, and also a bed of cin- ders and a deposit of charcoal. Beneath one of these piles were found en cache, a quantity of corn, among which was a quantity of pumpkin or squash seeds, charred, which almost instantly crumbled to dust upon being exposed to the air. A short distance to the south of the fort is the main burying ground, which is quite extensive. One of the peculiarities of this ground, from all others in which we have had knowledge, is that the corpses are buried, one row with their heads to the west, and the next row with their heads to the east, so that the feet of the two rows were towards each other, and very near together, with the arms folded across the breast. Many of these skeletons have at different times been removed, dis- entombed to illustrate science and adorn the cabinets of the cu-
268
ONONDAGA.
rious. The skeletons taken from here, have usually been of a size averaging far above that of common men. Several have exceeded seven feet. Many curious trinkets have been disinterred with these bones, such as arrow-heads, axes, knives, gun-barrels, beads, glass and earthen ware, &c. &c., similar to like named articles found at other places of defense in this vi- cinity. Under the head of one of these skeletons, which had been removed from its resting place in 1814, was found a large flat stone, and upon that a plate of lead, which had become completely oxydized, and upon exposure to the air crumbled to dust. Near this head was found an ink horn and a curious- ly wrought pen, made of one of the small spurs of a buck's horn, from which it was concluded at the time that the subject must have been a man of education, and his occupation that of a secretary or scribe. Within the fort was a large stone about four feet square, upon which were several furrows in regular lines, two or three inches apart, an inch deep, extend- ing nearly across the stone, similar to those on a like kind of stone near the fortification on lot number thirty-three, on the east side of the Hollow. Whether these are significant of any thing, or only the work of fancy, we have not been able to determine. It is supposed by some to be a resort for shar- pening tools, implements, &c., which would seem probable enough, were it not that the stones contain no grit, and the lines are perfectly regular and similar to each other. The indentations denoting the position of the posts or pickets in this work, are about four feet apart, and undoubtedly the in- terstices were filled with saplings interwoven, so as to make the whole a firm and substantial work of aboriginal defense. The palisades were set in the bottom of a ditch, which the early settlers say was in some places six feet deep, when they first saw it forty or forty-five years ago. This work is mainly now on land which has not been cleared. This work is rep- resented by figure one in the cut. About a mile west from this is the remains of another work of similar character, and two miles north of Delphi, in the town of Cazenovia, on lands owned by Mr. William Atwell, is another, which is represent-
TOWNS .- POMPEY .- ANTIQUITIES.
269
ed in the cut figure two. So common are works of this de- scription in this neighborhood, and so extensive are the deposi- tories of the dead, that the most undoubted evidence exists that a numerous population must have, at some prior period, inhabited here.
S
WE
Fig. 1.
BURYING GROUND.
F
8 ACRES .
STOCKADE FORT
....
1
Graves.
5 ACRES
Fig. 2.
....
There is another site of an ancient fortification on a farm owned by a Mr. Sheldon, lately owned by Mr. Elihu Barber, about one mile north of Delphi, on the west side of the Hol-
270
ONONDAGA.
low. The position, appurtenances, &c., of this locality, so nearly resemble the one just before mentioned, that a particu- lar description of it is deemed unnecessary. It is said, how- ever, that when the ground was first plowed a cart or carriage wheel was turned up nearly entire, a circumstance which has not occurred we believe in any other locality. Hills of corn were once distinctly traceable at intervals from one of these forts to the other, nearly the whole distance, which proves this neighborhood to have been cleared up at an carly day, as the trees now occupying this ground are supposed to be at least two hundred years old, large and uniform in size, so close to- gether as not to admit at all of cultivation between them.
Under a very large pine tree, which had been upturned by the wind, on the farm occupied by Mr. James Scoville, was discovered a large bed of charcoal, which must have been de- posited there, judging from the size of the tree, at least two hundred years before. On his farm, also, was an extensive burying ground, where human bones of extraordinary dimen- sions, have been exhumed.
Mr. William Haskins, who was the fifth inhabitant in the township of Pompey, on lot number thirteen, in 1792, says that in first plowing the lands, almost every variety of imple- ment used in agriculture and the common arts, was found in that neighborhood. They consisted of knives, supposed to be of French manufacture, axes, with the English stamp, gun- barrels, some of them with a portion of the stock remaining, abundance of ship-spikes, pump-hooks, a spy-glass, trammel- hooks and chains, &c. In one instance a large quantity of musket balls were plowed up by the side of a rock. The re- mains of a wheel barrow, with the irons entire, also anvils and vises, unfinished gun-barrels and gun-locks, hand-saws and files, fragments of church bells, &c. On this ground the graves were arranged with great regularity, side by side, in rows of ten or fifteen rods in extent ; in the vicinity were other groups of graves, but not in regular order. Upon examination the body appears to have been enclosed in a wooden or bark box. In one grave was found two glass bottles. In plowing, frag-
271
TOWNS .- POMPEY .- ANTIQUITIES.
ments of glass bottles, earthen and china ware were found, and a stone, cut in imitation of a watch.
There is a locality in the town of Cazenovia, Madison County, near the line of Onondaga, on lot thirty-three, town- ship of Pompey, called the " Indian Fort." It is about four miles south-easterly from Manlius Village, situated on a slight eminence, which is nearly surrounded by a deep ravine, the banks of which are quite steep and rocky. The ravine is in shape like an ox-bow, made by two streams, which pass nearly around it and unite. Across this bow, at the opening, was an earthen wall running south-east and north-west, and when first noticed by the early settlers, was four or five feet high, straight, with something of a ditch in front, from two to three feet deep. Within the enclosure may be ten or twelve acres of land. A part of this ground, when first occupied in these latter times, was called " the Prairie," and is noted now among the old men as the place where the first battalion training was held in the county of Onondaga. But that portion near the wall, and in front of it, has recently (some six years ago) been cleared of a heavy growth of black oak timber. Many of the trees were large, and were probably one hundred and fifty or two hundred years old. Some were standing in the ditch, and others on the top of the embankment. There is a bury- ing place within the enclosure. The plow has already done much towards leveling the wall and ditch; still they can be easily traced the whole extent. A few more plowings and harrowings, and no vestige of it will remain. There are nu- merous specimens of dark brown pottery found upon this ground now, and almost every varicty of Indian relic has been found about here, some of which are held in very high estima- tion by the owners. One fact will apply to this locality, that does not we believe to any other of a similar kind. Two can- non balls, of about three pounds weight, were found in this vicinity, showing that light cannon were used, either for de- fense, or in the reduction of this fortification.
There is a large rock, in the ravine on the south, on which are inscribed the following characters, thus, IIIIIX, cut three-
.
272
ONONDAGA.
quarters of an inch broad, nine inches long, three-fourths of an inch deep, perfectly regular, and the lines straight. Whether it was a work of fancy, or had significance, we have not been able to determine. On the site of the village of Cazenovia, we have been informed, there was a fort or embankment. Some persons say it was " roundish," others that it was " an- gular with sides at right angles." Recollections respecting it are very imperfect. Many relics have been found here, indi- cating an earlier occupancy than those usually found in this county. This was on the Oneidas' territory. There is a sin- gular coincidence in the location of the fortifications enumera- ted, which we have never observed until a recent visit. They are nearly all, if not quite all, situated on land rather eleva- ted above that which is immediately contiguous, and surround- ed, or nearly so, by deep ravines, so that these form a part of the fortifications themselves. At one of these, (on the farm of David Williams, in Pompey,) the banks on either side are found to contain bullets of lead, as if shot across at opposing forces. The space between, may be about three or four rods, and the natural cutting twenty or twenty-five feet deep. This goes far to prove the care these architects had in selecting the most favorable situations for defense, and the fear and expec- tation they were in of attacks. We are of opinion that the fortifications in this neighborhood are not more ancient than the period of the French settlement of missionaries among the Onondagas, during the early part of the seventeenth cen- tury. But the more we investigate this subject, the more we are convinced that there were many more of the French es- tablished here among the Indians by far, than has been gen- erally supposed, and their continuance with them longer, for it was a leading feature in the policy of the early French Governors of Canada, and of the French nation, not only to christianize the natives by the introduction of missionaries among them, but also to colonize their country. The nature of the articles found, utensils of farmers and mechanics, hoes, axes, horse-shoes, hammers, blacksmiths' tools, &c., go to prove that agriculture and the mechanic arts, were practiced
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.