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 26
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 26
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
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any statistics of the rise and progress of the Baptist Society of Skaneateles.
An academy was established at Skancateles in 1840, but has since been merged in a consolidated school. Lydia Mott, a Quakeress, established a boarding school for young ladies, on the western shore of the lake, many years ago, which be- came very celebrated. Mr. Mekeel was a teacher. It was named " The Hive."
A newspaper was first published at Skancateles under the title of the "Skaneateles Telegraph," (Antimasonic,) edited by William II. Childs. "The Columbian," (Whig,) was es- tablished in place of the Telegraph, in 1830, by John Graves, and now published by M. A. Kinney. Skaneateles Democrat first issued 1838, by William M. Beauchamp, present publisher William H. Jewett. The first Justice of the Peace in this part of Marcellus, was Ebenezer R. Hawley, Esq., who was afterwards Sheriff of the county. The records of this town were consumed by fire in 1835. The first town meeting was held in the Presbyterian meeting house, 1830.
The first grist and saw mills erected in this town were by Judge Jedediah Sanger, of New Hartford, Oncida County, in 1796, at the outlet of the lake.
The first bridge was built in 1800, by the Seneca Road Company. It was twenty-four rods long by twenty-four feet broad, and stood upon fourteen posts. It has been twice re- built, the last time in 1842, reducing the length to twenty- four feet.
There are no natural curiosities of note in this town. There are some petrifactions on the banks of the creek, common to limestone regions, such as branches of trees, leaves, insects, &c. The banks of the creek exhibit the various strata of rocks to great advantage, but as they are similar to those in other parts of the county, in other places described, we for- bear repetition.
A steamboat was first started on the Skaneateles Lake in 1831. It never worked well, and after awhile was converted into an ordinary sail boat. On the 4th of July, 1848, a new
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steamboat was placed on the lake, which makes her regular daily trips, to the head of the lake and back, with all desira- ble speed. It is named "Skaneateles," a neat, commodious and fast sailing boat, commanded by Capt. Hecox, who is said to be the oldest native born citizen in the town, and Dr. E. H. Porter, the next. The State have constructed a dam across the outlet of the Skaneateles Lake, for the purpose of retain- ing the water for the use of the Jordan level of the Erie Ca- nal. This forms a vast reservoir, eighteen miles long, by from one to two miles broad, and four feet deep, from which to draw during the dry season. There is a peculiarity about the stream which empties this lake. As it passes over a bed of limestone some two or three miles north of the village, a large portion of the water, full one half, in dry seasons, seemed to disappear among the fissures of the rocks, and no where was it known to re-appear. In order to save the water, the State have expended large sums of money. The channel has been turned, and the bottom chinked with small stone, clay and grout, so that at present there is but little waste. Man- ufacturers speak highly of the softness of the Skaneateles water for washing and cleansing wool and other manufacturing materials. The lake is the highest in the State, some two hundred feet higher than Otisco, and one hundred higher than Owasco, on either side of it, situated among the shale above the limestone stratum, and is also mainly fed by streams which are not impregnated with lime, which renders the water soft, pure and limpid.
On leaving Skaneateles Village, passing down the outlet, we come to Dorastus Kellogg's extensive woolen factory, a large distillery and two grist mills. At Mottville is a grist mill, woolen factory, machine shop and iron foundery. Then is Weed's grist mill, a woolen factory and four saw mills. At the Hart lot is a grist and saw mill and a distillery, using over two hundred bushels of grain per day, and fattening twelve hundred hogs.
There is a succession of falls at the outlet of the lake, none exceeding twelve or fourteen feet. The principal one is on
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community farm, now owned by Samuel Sellers, about four miles north of the village. Here the stream falls over a ledge of limestone, from which are quarried excellent stone for build- ing, window-caps and stools, door steps, &c. In fact this stream is one of the most valuable in the county. In addi- tion to its durability, the fall is so gradual, and yet so steep, that the water may be used over and over again, once in fifteen or twenty rods, all the distance from Skaneateles to Elbridge, and might be occupied to triple the extent that it is at pres- ent. Mottville is a smart little manufacturing place, between Skaneateles and Elbridge, having a Church, Post Office, &c. Other Post Offices in this town are Mandana and Rhoades.
The village of Skaneateles is one of the most lovely and picturesque in western New-York. From this village the eye measures about half the distance of the lake to the south, a mile and a half in width. On the shores, are no bogs or marshes to disfigure the prospect ; the rich velvet like green of the gradually sloping banks of the lake, seem to be resting on the water's brink. Villas and lawns give a charm which distance lends to the view. The woodlands, clothed in the richest green, rock and rustle their foliage in the wind, and the golden grain of the cultivated fields waves in the breeze. The herds and flocks graze in slothful competency over the luxuriant pastures, and the light bark glides gracefully over the sweet bosom of the water. The hum of prosperous busi- ness is heard amid the rattling of rail road cars, the clinking of hammers, the rumbling of machinery and the rushing of water falls, and the happy faces and the happy homes of the citizens, invite the settlement of many more among them. The society, the schools, the scenery and the prospects of business, are all wholesome and flourishing, and it may be said, without fear of contradiction, that few if any villages present so many great and desirable advantages. It contains about fourteen hundred inhabitants.
Statistics of Skaneateles from census of 1845 :-
Number of inhabitants, 3,827 ; subject to military duty, 386; voters, 867; aliens, 96; children attending Common
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Schools, 703; acres of improved land, 20,483 ; grist mills, 4; saw mills, 4; iron works, 2; trip hammer, 1; ashery, 1; clover mill, 1; Tanneries, 2; Churches-Baptist, 1; Presby- terian, 1; Methodist, 1; Universalist, 1; Quaker, 1; Com- mon Schools, 18; taverns, 5; stores, 11; groceries, 4; far- mers, 544; merchants, 10; manufacturers, 44; mechanics, 408; clergymen, 7 ; physicians, 6; lawyers, 6.
CAMILLUS .- This was one of the original townships, num- ber five of the military tract. It was included in the town of Marcellus, at the first organization of the county, and was erected into a town by itself in 1799. The first town meeting was directed by law to be held at the house of Medad Curtis, who was elected Supervisor, and Daniel Vail, Town Clerk. The early records of this town were destroyed by fire several years since, and there is no town record farther back than April, 1829.
The first white settler of this town, was Capt. Isaac Lindsay, about the year 1790, and directly after, his brothers James, William and Elijah Lindsay. They bought their land for two shillings per acre ; it was lot No. 80. Nicholas Lamberson settled in this town in 1793, William Reed, Selden Leonard, Mordecai Ellis, a family named White and David Hinsdale and others previous to 1806. Squire Munro settled on lot 81, now in the town of Elbridge, in 1799. His sons John, David, Nathan and Philip A. Munro were then young men, and have since been known throughout the county for their enterprise, industry, intelligence and wealth. Thomas Corey who was killed by a fall from a wagon, was an early settler in this town, as well as Isaac Brown, Nathaniel Richman, Jacob Chandler, John Hess, John Paddock and two of the name of MeCracken. David Munro, settled at Camillus, where he now resides, in 1808. At this time the heavy labor was principally performed by the settlers, by what was usually termed "bees," to which a general invitation was extended to all the able bodied men of the town ; chopping bees, logging bees, husking bees, &c., were customary, and usually ended in a frolic.
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The first frame house was erected by Isaac Lindsay, on lot No. 80, in 1795. There were but two frame houses, at the village of Camillus, in 1808. David Munro erected a substan- tial frame house in 1810. The White family had erected a frame house at Amboy, about the same time, and Capt. Kim- berly also ; none east, had been erected at this time till you came to Judge Geddes, and none west to Elbridge. A log school house was erected first, in 1808; previously there had been no schools in town, and but little attention paid to edu- cation. This was succeeded by a frame school house in 1813. When the country was first cleared, crops of all kinds were abundant; there were no roads passable for loaded teams, and no means of transporting the surplus produce to market, con- sequently there was a great waste of grain ; much of it was thrown to swine and other stock. As settlers arrived the de- mand was more active, and in 1802, there was a great scarcity of the necessaries of life. Wheat could scarcely be bought at any price, and twenty shillings per bushel was the lowest price it could be obtained for at all, and corn from ten to twelve shillings a bushel. The first surplus raised for market was in 1805, when it was carried to Albany, on sleighs. Thou- sands of bushels of wheat have been since, annually transport- ed to Albany from this town, by sleighs and wagons, previous to the building of the Erie Canal.
The north branch of the Seneca Turnpike was incorporated in 1806. And in 1807 and 1808, Squire Munro and his sons built so much of this road as passed through the township of Camillus, about cleven miles, and the stock is still owned by them or their survivors, which they received as a compensation for the work.
A Post Office was first established at Camillus in 1811, and David Munro appointed Post Master. James R. Lawrence, P. M., 1824. Grove Lawrence and Robert Dickey, succeeded. Bellisle, Windfall and Wellington, are Post Offices in this town.
The first Presbyterian Society and Church was formed at Camillus, in 1817, and their house of worship erected in 1822. Their clergymen have been Rev. Messrs. Spicer, Chadwick,
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Taylor, Stockton, Harrington, Ward, Robinson and Williams. Methodist Society organized in 1831. A Presbyterian Soci- ety was organized at Amboy, 1846, and erected a house of worship the same year-Messrs. Lathrop and Sherwood, min- isters. A Baptist Society was organized at Bellisle in 1834, under Elder Daniel D. Chittenden.
Post Office established at Bellisle in 1830, George Kimber- ly, P. M. Isaac Lindsay kept the first tavern in town, in 1793, Thomas Corey in 1801. John Tomlinson opened a store first in town, in 1808, at Camillus village. Munro & Benedict in 1810. Gould and Hess, Hoar & Webber, William A. Cook, John C. Ellis, &c. James R. Lawrence opened the first law office in town, in 1815. Grove Lawrence another, in 1821. Other lawyers have been, Samuel Hammond, Daniel Pratt, D. D. Hillis, &e. Dr. Isaac Magoon established himself as a physician at Camillus in 1808 ; succeeded by Dr. Richards.
The first gristmill erected in town was at Camillus village, in 1806, by Squire Munro, William Wheeler and Samuel Pow- ers, and a saw mill at the same time. A saw-mill was first erected at Amboy, by Joseph White, in 1805, and a fulling mill in 1801.
There is at present at Camillus village, a large grist mill, owned by Phares Gould & Son, with three run of stones, and a saw mill. In 1848, the new "Novelty Mills," by Weston & Dill, were completed, and are driven by steam. There is also a large steam saw mill in operation, a woolen factory, turning machine, lath mills, &c. &c. There are about seven hundred and fifty inhabitants in Camillus village.
The soil of the town of Camillus, is thought by the occu- pants, to be inferior to none in the county, and judging from the general appearance, the magnitude and multiplicity of crops, their estimation is not overrated. In the hills south of the turnpike, are inexhaustable beds of plaster, which is quar- ried and sold in great quantities, and is unsurpassed in quali- ty. The first plaster discovered in the United States, was in this town, by William Lindsay, in 1792. His attention was acci- dently arrested by a portion of the white semi-transparent rock
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projecting from the side hill, a little south of Camillus village, on lot number ninety. A large block of it was taken to his house and examined by sundry persons, who at the time, were unable to determine what it was. It was at length ascertained that it was plaster, and equal to that brought from Nova Sco- tia. De Witt Clinton, Samuel Young and other distinguished individuals visited the spot, in 1809. Josiah Buck bought the land at once, and the fame of the new plaster beds spread abroad far and wide. Specimens of it were sent to Europe to be tested or compared with the plaster of Paris, and it was found to be equal to that. In 1808, a company of one hun- dred and fifty shareholders, (shares fifty dollars each,) was formed, for working the same. Judge Forman took two hun- dred shares, and others, ten, five, three, two and one, each, till the whole one thousand shares, were taken up. Judge Forman was chosen president of the company, and Josiah Buck was the principal manager. By 1812, the beds had been thoroughly opened and explored, and large quantities in the stone, were carried off eastward, and to the southern tier of counties. Since which, the trade has been flourishing and lu- crative. Some of the finest specimens of the foliated trans- parent selenite variety, have been obtained at these beds, which from its transparency, is often termed alabaster.
In the recent excavations, made for the enlargement of the Jordan level of the Erie Canal, were thrown out large bodies of cemented gravel, or conglomerate rock, about two feet thick ; underneath this, lies a bed of gravel uncemented. From this, it appears that a change in the formation of the mate- rials, which at present compose the earth, in this section, is fast going on, and that ere long, what are now termed gravel beds, will soon become solid rock, near the surface of the earth.
There are excellent quarries of gray limestone in this town, and a stratum of sandstone intermixed, as noticed in the town of Elbridge. Calcareous Tufa abounds in the hills, which makes excellent lime, and is called " basswood limestone." It is considered the most obstinate material to grade of any thing known. It being too porous to hold blasts of powder,
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ind yet so firm as not to be easily broken. There are numer- us calcareous deposits all along the foot of the hills, in the Nine Mile Creek valley. When the Erie Canal was excava- ved through the farm of David Hinsdale, in this town, innu- merable sea-clam and other marine shells, and bones of fish were found, firmly embedded in the hardpan or tenacious clay, about two feet below the surface. Upon exposure to the air, they all crumbled to dust.
Recently, efforts have been made in this town, to explore what has long been considered by some, to be a bed of coal ; a shaft has been sunk to the depth of about twelve feet, on a hill about two miles south of Camillus village. Detached pieces of Anthracite coal are said to have been found. The proprietor, Col. Bull, is at present (1848) making prepara- tions for a thorough exploration for this desirable mineral, with much assurance of success.
COL. JOHN DILL, was a native of Shawangunk, Ulster County, New-York. He was a son of Robert and Hannah Dill, whose ancestors came from Holland. John Dill was born 27th of November, 1757. His early advantages for school education were not liberal ; he however acquired a good English education, was an excellent arithmetician, learned much from observation and from the society of distinguished men of those times, with whom his family were familiar. At an early age he became a practical surveyor, and was noted for his accu- racy and dispatch. On the breaking out of the Revolutionary war, he entered what was then termed, the five months ser- vice, as a volunteer Orderly Sergeant in the company of Capt. John Graham, Col. Paulding's regiment, under Gen. Alexan- der McDougall, and was in one of the battles in the vicinity of New-York. In October, 1777, he was stationed at Fort Montgomery, in that portion called Fort Clinton. A small creek separates the two. At this time it was taken by the British. The battle continued until late at night, which en- abled those at Fort Clinton to escape. He with others, swam the creek, passing under the wall of Fort Montgomery. He afterwards went up the North River with the Americans, in
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pursuit of the British fleet and army, to Esopus, now King- ston, the capital of Ulster County, which the British burned. After the surrender of General Burgoyne, he returned with the army to the vicinity of New-York. After his first term of service expired, he enlisted a second time (1777) in a corps of artificers. He was of an ingenious turn of mind, could turn his hand to almost any kind of mechanical labor, and be- came very useful in this branch of the service. His command- ing officer was Capt. James Young. Afterwards, the com- pany was commanded by Capt. James Shephard. The follow- ing is a copy of his discharge from this company :
" The bearer, John Dill, having served three years as an artificer in Captain Shephard's company, and the time being fully expired that he did engage for, he is now discharged the service, and has leave to return to Shawangunk.
Fishkill, Dec. 14, 1780.
J. BALDWIN, Col. and Com. of Artificers."
At the time of his discharge, Col. Christopher Ming, who had command of the Quarter Master's department in that di- vision of the army, took a fancy to him, and invited him to take a place in his staff, which offer he accepted in 1780. After a short term of service under Col. Ming, he became ac- quainted with Quartermaster General, Timothy Pickering ; and through his influence, received a commission in his de- partment. In this situation he remained to the close of the war, being generally on duty in the vicinity of New-York, West Point, and other places on the North River. After the war, he was retained in the service by Gen. Pickering, at Newburgh, assisting in the arrangement of the papers of the Quartermaster General's department, which were finally boxed up and deposited in Philadelphia. These papers con- sisted of bills settled and unsettled, certificates and evi- dences of debt. These certificates &c., were many of them given for stock, grain, forage, &c., which had in many instan- ces been forcibly taken from the owners, for the subsistence of the army. The claims were to be adjusted, and Gen. Pick-
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ering was charged with this duty. The associates of Major Dill at this time, were Henry Demblar, Peter Anspaw and Peter Tenbroeck, the latter of whom subsequently settled at Onondaga Hollow. These claims were generally satisfactorily arranged by General Pickering and his assistants. After the new Constitution was adopted, Dr. Cochran, a distinguished surgeon of the army, was appointed loan officer, with powers to settle these liquidated debts, and to his office Major Dill was transferred. Many of the claims had been transferred to the hands of speculators, who had bought them up, in many instances for little or nothing. These claims were made at length a funded debt, and Dr. Cochran and Major Dill finally settled them to the satisfaction of all parties.
After the close of these affairs, he moved to New-York, opened a broker's office, and continued there little more than a year ; after which, in company with his old associates, Hen- ry Demblar and Peter Anspaw, he set up a store of goods at Middletown Point, New-Jersey, where they carried on an ex- tensive business till 1808, when he again returned to his na- tive county. Here he received the appointment of Brigade Major and Inspector for the counties of Ulster and Orange, which office was then both highly honorable and lucrative. In 1812 he was chosen one of the Electors of Ulster County, for President and Vice-President. He came to Onondaga in 1813, spent some time with his old associate, Peter Tenbroek ; after which he joined his brother, Judge Samuel Dill, then residing at Auburn, Cayuga County, where he was for some time engaged in making sale of military lands of which he was the owner. In 1828, the brothers removed to the town of Camillus, where he lived very much respected and beloved. He was never married. In personal appearance, he was lit- tle above middling stature, straight, well proportioned, pos- sessing a keen blue eye, and rotund countenance. IIe always had the air of a military man, always walked erect, with a firm martial step. In his dealings with his fellow men, he was never arrogant, but upright and generous to a fault. To conclude, he was a perfeet specimen of a gentleman of the old
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school. He died at Camillus, 21st September, 1846, in the 88th year of his age, highly esteemed for his many virtues, beloved for the amiability of his temper, and mourned as a kind neighbor and estimable friend. This feeble tribute is due to his memory as a patriot of the Revolution.
Statistics of the town of Camillus, taken from the census of 1845 :-
Number of inhabitants, 2,967 ; subject to military duty, 329; voters, 679; aliens, 75; children attending common schools, 806 ; acres of improved land, 15,847 ; grist mills, 3; saw mills, 8; fulling mills, 1; carding machines, 1; woolen factory, 1; ashery, 1; tanneries, 2; churches-Methodist, 1; Presbyterian, 2; common schools, 11; taverns, 7; stores, 5; groceries, 6 ; farmers, 505; merchants, 11; manufactories, 6; mechanics, 135; clergymen, 6; physicians, 6; lawyers, 3.
ELBRIDGE .- This town was organized in 1829, and con- tains about thirty-seven lots of the original township of Ca- millus. The first settlements made in this town were in 1793. Josiah Buck, who surveyed the township of Camillus into lots, in 1791, came to this town 1793, with his family, in a large wagon, and settled on the lot now owned by Col. John Munro. A log, a large one of oak, by order of Squire Mun- ro, was left without molestation for a number of years, as a memorial of the place where the first settlement was made in town. The large elm tree is still standing in the road, a lit- tle west of Mr. Munro's house by the side of a clear running brook, where Mr. Buck, with his family, took shelter till he could erect a comfortable cabin. They lived several weeks with no shelter but the forest, and the wagon served for parlor, kitch- en, wardrobe and sleeping apartments. On this account the tree was highly venerated by the people in the neighbor- hood. Robert Fulton came in the same year a little after ; and James Strong in 1794. Col. Chandler and Dr. Pickard an Indian root doctor, came soon after. A Mr. Potter came as the first blacksmith, 1795, and James Weisner and Nicholas Mickles, settled in town in 1796. Isaac Strong erected a
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saw mill in 1795, and a grist mill in 1798. The inhabitants who first settled in this town, had to go to Jamesville to mill. William Stevens located here in 1794, and built a saw mill about a mile west of Elbridge. He also built a store, now standing, and set up Dr. John Frisbie in it, in 1797, the first in town. Mr. Levi Clark built the first frame school house, in 1801. Josiah Buck kept the first tavern in town, 1793. Moses Carpenter another, soon after. William Stevens was the first Justice of the Peace in this town, 1794.
First settlers in the vicinity of Jordan, were Zenas Wright and Aaron Wright, in 1797; Martin Tickner, Reynalds Co- rey, Isaac Smith, Jonathan Rowley and Jonathan Babcock, came on the following year or soon after.
The first town meeting for Elbridge as a separate town, was held April, 1829, at the house of Horace Dodge. Squire Munro was chosen Moderator; Seneca Hale, Secretary ; Timothy Brown, Supervisor ; James McClure, Town Clerk.
Post Office first established 1825, Seneca Hale P. M. Suc- ceeded by Frederick Benson, 1828 .. Previous to the establish- ment of a Post Office here the inhabitants received their mail matter at Skaneateles.
Jordan is a place rapidly increasing in size and consequence. Several large three and four story brick buildings, have been erected within the last two years, on the banks of the canal. There are 4 churches-1 Presbyterian, 1 Methodist, 1 Baptist and 1 Episcopalian. There are 2 grist and flouring mills, 3 saw mills, pump and machine shop, 2 furnaces, an oil mill, 6 dry goods stores, 1 hardware and sheet iron shop, 2 drug stores, 5 groceries and victualing shops, 4 storage and forwarding houses, 1 large distillery, consuming over 200 bushels of grain per day, and fattening over 1,200 hogs. There is also a flour- ishing academy here, which has been incorporated about seven years. It is subject to the visitation of the Regents of the University, and has drawn as much as $400 from the Litera- ture Fund in a single year. A newspaper was published at Jordan in 1831, entitled the Courier, by Frederick Prince ;
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