Onondaga's centennial. Gleanings of a century, Vol. II, Part 11

Author: Bruce, Dwight H. (Dwight Hall), 1834-1908
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: [Boston] : The Boston History Company
Number of Pages: 1094

USA > New York > Onondaga County > Onondaga's centennial. Gleanings of a century, Vol. II > Part 11

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).

Jacob L. Sherwood. Charles Annable, H. P Bogardus, and E. D. Cobb were prominent as early justices of the peace. In 1835 seven licenses were granted to sell spirituous liquors, viz. : to Washington Hamilton, Joseph Thompson, George F. Grinnell, George W. Hol- brook, John N. De Groff, James Norris, and Nathaniel Snell. Of the fourteen licenses issued in 1840 eleven were for taverns and three for groceries, and besides the above, permits to sell liquor licenses were granted between 1835 and 1850 to the following tavernkeepers: David Merrill, David S. Miller, Ephraim Hull, Liberty G. Ludington, Alex- ander Miller, Henry Shattuck, Bevil G. Wiborn, Amos Bronson, John I. Devo, Nelson Haight, Oliver O. Gilson, Robert Ward, Philip Morris, Solon Foster, Jacob Folk, Walker Knapp, and Thomas Burns.

Prominent among other early residents of the town of Dewitt should also be recorded the names of

James L. Willard, J. Henry Smith, Jonathan Hotaling, Lawrence Van Valken- burgh, Sheldon Sweeney, Josiah P. Wheeler, John B. and Lemuel Hawley, Abram M. Black, Samuel O. Walker, Henry Winne, Abram Hilton, James D. Kent, John W. Beebe, Benjamin P. Baker, Archibald M. Stephenson, Peter Combs, Gideon C. Ferris, Henry G. Dixon, George W. Murray, Sidney Lewis, Joseph Y. Miller, Isaac K. Reed, Joseph Livingston, Hubbard Hymes, Francis F. Allen, Edwin A. Knapp, Edwin Schuyler, Harrison T. Abbott, Leonard P. Mosher,'Chapman W. Avery, and Matthew M. Conklin.

Returning to the village of Jamesville we find that it continued to grow rapidly during the first quarter of the century. A little east a school, the first in the town, had been established in a building erected for the purpose in 1796, by Polly Hibbard, who was succeeded by Susan Ward. In 1806 a school was opened in the village and three years later (1809) a post-office was established with Thomas Rose as postmaster. He was followed by Moses D. Rose. In 1809 the "Jamesville Iron and Woolen Factory" was incorporated, and from the legislative act creating this concern the place derived its name, which was first

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published and proclaimed in a great Fourth of July celebration held there in 1810. Since then it has been known as Jamesville. Meantime relig- ion had received a marked impulse in the vicinity, the Union Congre- gational Society being organized in September, 1805. Soon afterward, between 1806 and 1809, a church was built on the Daniel B. Marsh farm, now owned by Daniel Marsh, about one mile east of Jamesville. After about 1829 the edifice was used as a barn and some fifteen years ago it was burned. Among the early members were Deacons Messen- ger, Barnum, Levett, and Hezekiah Weston. Daniel B. Marsh was one of the first preachers. In 1827 the society began holding meetings in Jamesville and in 1828, under the pastorate of Rev. Seth J. Porter, a church was built, which was burned about 1882. In 1892 a new edifice was erected at a cost of $2,000. At the time of the removal the society had 247 members, prominent among them being Isaac W. Brewster, David Smith, Horace B. Gates, Amos Sherwood, and Leonard Hawley. In December, 1843, the society adopted the Presbyterian form of gov- ernment and in March, 1870, the name was changed to the First Presby- terian church of Jamesville. In 1832 several members seceded from this society and organized a Dutch Reformed church, which survived only five or six years.

In 1821 William M. King built a grist, plaster, and cement mill on the creek about one and one-half miles north of Jamesville, and carried on an extensive business for some time. In 1869 A. B. King became proprietor and rebuilt the establishment.

The opening of the Erie Canal in 1825 marked an important epoch in the history of Dewitt which had now become largely divested of its primitive conditions. During the first quarter of this century the Seneca (south) and Genesee (through Orville) turnpikes were busy thoroughfares of travel. Taverns, country stores, and other enter- prises flourished and increased in numbers. Mills and manufacturing interests contributed to the general prosperity, while agriculture ad- vanced in proportion as the forests receded. The canal, accessible to Orville by a "side-cut," afforded thenceforward a better route of trans- portation and had a wholesome influence upon the town at large.

The north part of Dewitt seems to have remained open for later set- tlers, among whom were Isaac Carhart, James and Walter Wright, Abraham Delamater, the Britton family, Erastus B. Perkins, Nathan- iel Teall, and others. These located in the vicinity of Collamer, which was early known as Britton Settlement. In 1828 an M. E. church was

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organized there with Rev. Austin Briggs (first pastor), Adam Har- rower, Erastus B. Perkins, Walter and James Wright, John Rowe, Abraham Delamater, and Isaac Carhart, as trustees, all members of a class over which Rev. Seth Young had previously ministered. In 1830 a house of worship was built and about 1841 the society was reorgan- ized by Rev. A. E. Munson. In 1857 the church was repaired and re- dedicated as the First M. E. church of Collamer. A post-office was established there before 1835, in which year Nathaniel Teall was post- master; more recently James E. Stewart served in that capacity. Mean- while the Presbyterians of this part of the town had instituted services of their denomination, and in October, 1842, the First Presbyterian church of Collamer was organized at the "Britton Settlement School House" with seventeen members, among them being John and Deb- orah Furbeck (parents of John I. Furbeck, prominent in his lifetime), Deacons Dwight Baker and Andrew Fuller, Sarah Baker, Prudence Smith, and Elders Porter Baker, Orlando Spencer, Samuel Baker, and John Powlesland. The first pastor was Rev. Amos W. Seeley, who was followed by Revs. A. C. Lathrop, B. Ladd, Marcus Smith, J. M. Chrysler, John M. Perkins, and others. An edifice was erected in 1843 at a cost of $600. Collamer grew into a hamlet of considerable impor- tance.

Before 1840 two more churches liad sprung into existence in James- ville. As early as June 6, 1825, Episcopal services were held at the house of Elijah C. Rust, and on July 13, 1831, St. Mark's Protestant Episcopal church was organized there with the following members:

John Millen, Hiram P. and Mary Ann Holbrook, John Crankshaw, Mrs. John P. Ives, Mrs. Colby Dibble, Harriet Gillespie, Helen Post, Phebe Wales, Abigail Sal- mon, Catherine Littlefield, Mrs. Reed, and others. The first rector, Rev. Seth W. Beardsley, served from 1831 to 1836, and after him came, among others, Revs. Mar- shall Whiting, James Selkrig, Charles W. Hayes, Julius S. Townsend, H. H. Loring, M. L. Kern, J. L. Gay, J. E. Barr, J. H. Bowman, Dr. Babcock, and J. E. Pratt.

In 1832 a church was erected just east of the Kortright House near the railroad. It was remodeled in 1874 at an expense of about $2,500, and burned in October, 1877. Another frame edifice costing $2,000 was built and consecrated about 1880. The Methodists had for several years maintained class meetings in Jamesville and vicinity. In 1832 they organized a church, known as the "Fourth Society of the M. E. church in Manlius," with Egbert Coleman, Moses Chapman, Darius Sweet, Abraham Van Schaak, and Cornelius Cool as trustees. Soon

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afterward the present edifice was erected. Among the early prominent members were Harry Avery, Jonathan Hotaling, and Martin Connell.

Turning again to the prominent settlers of the town it is pertinent to add the names of John B. Ives, Amos Sherwood, Nathaniel Gillett, Dr. Smith, Dr. E. E. Knapp, Smith Hibbard, George W. Holbrook, B. S. Gregory. Joel Kinne, Thomas and Jacob L. Sherwood, Robert Dunlop, Enos K. Reed, John Jones, Gorton Nottingham (father of Jacob A. and Benjamin C., of Syracuse), Van Vleck Nottingham, Henry Notting- ham, Charles Hiscock, Joel Knapp (died May 15, 1864, aged seventy- one). Dr. D. A. Sherwood (died in 1864 at the age of sixty-four), and Vliet Carpenter, son of Nehemiah, of Manlius. Gorton Nottingham was born in Ulster county in 1809, settled on a farm in Dewitt in 1833, and died January 21, 1890. Van Vleck Nottingham, son of Jacob and Eleanor Nottingham, was born in Dutchess county in 1814, came to this town in 1833, and died in Syracuse in January, 1896, universally respected and esteemed. He left six children : Henry D., of Pompey; Dr. John, Edwin, and William, of Syracuse; Frank, on the homestead ; and Thomas W., of Syracuse. He was the first president of the Dewitt Farmers' Club, which was organized January 12, 1861, served as presi- dent of the Onondaga County Farmers' Club, and had been a loan commissioner for many years. Robert Dunlop, son of Robert, a native of Ayrshire, Scotland, was born in Albany in 1810, and came to James- ville in 1833. He founded the well known Dunlop mills, and was ex- tensively engaged during his active life in milling and manufacturing cement, waterlime, plaster, etc., being succeeded by his son Robert Dunlop, jr., who owns five large lime kilns; the Lanark flouring mills, built by Robert Richardson in 1823, and now using four runs of stone and four sets of rolls for grinding; and the old cement and plaster mills erected, one in 1836, the other in 1868. These are all situated on Bit- ternut Creek, north of the village of Jamesville, and on the same stream is also a barley mill erected in 1840. South of the village are the Feeder mills, which were built by Robert Dunlop, sr., in 1847, at a cost of $10,000. Robert Dunlop, sr., was for many years one of the leading and most enterprising men in this section. He was one of the original directors of the Syracuse and Binghamton Railroad, was presi- dent of the old Syracuse and Jamesville Plank Road Company, super- visor of the town, and a trustee of St. John's School at Manlius.

In 1845 the town contained 267 militia men, 645 voters, 705 school children, 13,026 acres of improved land, three grist mills, two saw

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mills, a fulling mill, three carding machines, a tannery, five churches, fifteen common schools, six taverns, three stores, six groceries, 282 farmers, 110 mechanics, seven physicians, and two lawyers. Of these and other enterprises Jamesville had three stores, two tailors, three blacksmiths, two wagonmakers, a harnessmaker, two hotels, three churches, two flouring mills, one lime and plaster works, a plaster mill, and one tannery. The latter, operated by Jacob I. Low, was formerly conducted by Elisha C. Rust. It was located east of the rail- road and on the south side of the Seneca Turnpike, southeast of the hotel, and was finally converted into a plaster mill, which was run by Harlow C. Bryant. Portions of the tannery are still standing. Mat- thew Caldwell at an early date started a blast furnace and blacksmith shop in a stone building, the walls and ruins of which are still visible. The power was utilized in 1892 by the pearl barley mill of Ryan Brothers.

Hiram P. Holbrook and Robert Fleining, partners, were early mer- chants in Jamesville on the site of Daniel Quinlan & Son's present store and later where the Avery block now stands. Other merchants in that village were Alvin P. Gould, Samuel Hill, Reed & Conkling, Connell & Co., and Mr. Sanford. Among the present merchants are Daniel Quinlan & Son, Elbert G. Avery, and Abram A. Wright, who was preceded by Wright & Reed and they by Wright & Crofoot. The postmasters since about 1830 have been Isaac W. Brewster, George M. Richardson, Lemuel Hawley, Isaac K. Reed, Dennis Quinlan, Abram A. Wright, and Dennis Quinlan again, incumbent. Of blacksmiths there were Asa Cadogan, Charles Puffete, David Dodge, Mark Pixley, and John Perrett, and at the present time Josiah Holbrook, George W. White, Callaghan McCarthy, and Franklin J. Perrett. Josiah G. Holbrook was born in Pompey on June 24, 1827, and came here in December, 1845. He is a son of Adolphus W., who was born in that town in 1793 and died there in 1849, and a grandson of Josiah, jr., who came to Pompey with his father, Josiah Holbrook, sr., from Spring- field, Mass., in 1792. Josiah, sr., and Josiah, jr., died on the home- stead, the former about 1799 and the latter in 1831; both were Revolu- tionary soldiers as were also Dr. David A. and Barach, two other sons of Josiah Holbrook, sr. Josiah G. Holbrook was elected collector of Dewitt in 1855 and justice of the peace in 1856, served as assistant assessor of internal revenue from 1862 to 1868, supervisor in 1871-76, and member of assembly in 1878.

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The old Holbrook tavern in Jamesville was built by a Mr. Hunger- ford on the site of the present Kortright House, and was rebuilt and kept by George W. Holbrook, son of Dr. David A., until 1852, after which it passed at various times into the hands of Thomas Kimber, Amos Sherwood, Gilbert Trass, Charles A. Chapman, Chapman W. Avery, and Jacob L. Kortright, the latter having been a hotel propri- etor here since 1866, building the present structure in 1877-78. The old Hamilton House, just west of the creek, was erected and kept by Washington Hamilton, who died about 1869. Since then it has been leased, the present proprietor being George Goodfellow. The village has had as harnessmakers B. J. Lowry, Wason Wyborn, and R. W. Bristol; as shoemakers Lemuel Hawley, Jehiel Thorn, Jacob L. Sher- wood, and Thomas Moynahan; as wagonmakers Benjamin S. Gregory, Thomas D. Green, and the latter's sons, Emulus F. and Erasmus S. G. W. Burhans & Son also have a sash and blind factory in operation. Henry D. and Irving A. Weston started a machine shop a few years ago and later built up quite a business in manufacturing bicycle special- ties. Henry D. died January 1, 1893, and since then his widow and Irving A. Weston have carried on the establishment. The building was formerly occupied by Colby Dibble as a chair factory. On October 14, 1877, the business portion of the village was destroyed by fire, en- tailing a loss of $50,000. The conflagration consumed the Kortright and Clark Hotels, four stores, four or five dwellings, a church and five barns. The enterprising citizens soon recovered from this serious blow and rapidly restored nearly all the burned structures.

Before or very soon after the middle of this century all of the old important stage routes were discontinued. The canal nearly or quite su- perseded these lines running east and west, and the opening of the Syra- cuse and Utica Railroad on July 4, 1839, completely wiped them out of existence. This railroad, passing through the town and the present village of East Syracuse, and forming the nucleus of what is now the great four-track route of the New York Central, gave a decided impetus to agricultural affairs, but injured permanently the then promising future of Jamesville and Orville (Dewitt), which had become centers of no little activity. The former, while it never regained its old-time prestige, was benefited in a measure by the completion of the Syracuse and Binghamton Railroad, which was opened through the village October 23, 1854. But an unexpected reaction turned the volume of trade into Syracuse and at the same time wrought permanent injury to nearly all manufacturing and commercial interests.

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THE TOWN OF DEWITT.

During the war of the Rebellion, from 1861 to 1865, the town made an honorable as well as a conspicuous record by contributing a large number of her patriotic sons to the Union cause. The various quotas were filled with promptness, and quite every citizen took a creditable part in that perilous hour.

The village of East Syracuse is the growth of the last twenty-five years or less. In October, 1872, the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad Company purchased from Rufus R. Kinne, Elijah Clark, Eugene Bogardus, and the Carpenter estate 150 acres of land upon which to locate freight yards, round houses, and shops, and there established a division termini station between Albany and Rochester. Several miles of freight tracks were laid, and by the summer of 1873 the place had assumed considerable activity. The inhabitants were largely railroad employees, many of whom erected comfortable and at- tractive homes for their families The settlement of the village was rapid. Indeed, it sprung up almost as if by magic. Hotels, boarding houses, stores, shops, etc., came into existence, and within a short time a Railroad Y. M.C.A., with a library and reading room, was instituted, and ever since maintained.

The First Presbyterian Society of East Syracuse was organized in the district school house on March 8, 1875, under the direction of Ed- mund S. Walker, then a missionary of the Presbytery of Syracuse. Elijah Clark was chairman of the meeting, J. Q. Baker acted as clerk, and five trustees were appointed, viz. : John Jones, Eugene Bogardus, John A. Henry, E. J. Evans, and Vliet Carpenter. In choosing a name for this pioneer religious organization in the place Mr. Clark insisted upon East Syracuse, which was adopted, not only for this body, but for the village. During the following summer a church was built, the funds being raised through the efforts of E. S. Walker and John Jones. The contract was given to John A. Henry for $875, but when com- pleted and furnished the edifice cost about $2,000, the lot being donated by Ellis & Upton. At this time the settlement contained but one high- way, now Manlius street. On January 27, 1876, the church was or- ganized by a committee appointed by the Presbytery of Syracuse, con- sisting of Revs. E. G. Thurber, W. S. Franklin, and J. M. Chrysler, and Elders Schuyler Bradley, and E. S. Walker. Three ruling elders were elected, viz. : Edmund S. Walker, E. J. Evans, and John Jones, and on the same day the edifice was dedicated. The first pastor was Rev. J. M. Chrysler from April, 1876, to September, 1878, and since

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November of the latter year Rev. Isaac Swift has been in charge. A new church is now (1896) in process of erection. St. Matthew's Ro- man Catholic church was built in 1880, under the pastorate of Rev. Michael Clune. The Methodist Episcopal church was organized in 1881, and among its promoters were H. L. Lawrence, J. E. Richard- son, William Powlesland, William Strong, and Alva Burnham. Their church edifice was erected in 1882. Both of these bodies are flourish- ing. Emanuel Protestant Episcopal church was built in 1883, the ex- pense being borne by the late William H. Vanderbilt, then president of the New York Central Railroad. It has always been a missionary parish.

The Young Men's Christian Association was organized in May, 1881, through the efforts of Mr. Stowell, then secretary of the Syracuse rail- road branch. In August Charles E. Head was appointed the first regular secretary, the New York Central Railroad Company paying his salary of $600 a year. His successors have been W. T. King, H. S. Parmalee, B. F. Hodges, George J. Buck, S. Charles Greene, and Dana Conklin. The building was erected in 1888, and dedicated April 2, 1889, the railroad company contributing $1,000, and Cornelius Van derbilt at different times $1,000 more.

The first school house in what is now East Syracuse was built in the fall of 1832, the first teacher being John Carhart, and when the rail- road yard was established the school numbered forty pupils. In 1878 the building was enlarged, and in 1884 four more rooms were added, making eight in all. In 1882 Prof. W. J. Jewell organized it into a graded school and continued in charge until June, 1886, when Prof. George E. Milliman was made principal. In March, 1887, the present Union Free School was organized, the board of education being E. S. Walker, president; Alva Burnham, George M. Weaver, E. M. Wheeler, and Charles Manahan. Prof. S. McK. Smith took charge of the new institution and continued to 1891, and was instrumental in organizing the academic department, which was placed under the Regents in Novem- ber, 1884. Mr. Walker was president of the board until September, 1893, and 1. W. Allen served as a member from August, 1887, to Aug- ust, 1894. The present handsome school building, costing about $36,- 000, was erected in 1891, first occupied January 1, 1892, and completed and dedicated November 28, 1893. The school now has an attendance of 600 scholars and eighteen teachers under Prof. E. H. Chase as.prin- cipal. A fine reference library for the school and a circulating library

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THE TOWN OF DEWITT.

for inhabitants of the district, comprising more than 1,000 volumes, has been placed in the academic department at a cost of nearly $2,000.

East Syracuse was incorporated as a village on November 21, 1881, the first officers being Charles C. Bagg, president ; George M. Weaver, Edward Fitzgerald, and Isaac E. Peters, trustees; Samuel Wills, treas- urer; Edmund S. Walker, collector; Leonard Curtiss, clerk. Among those who took an active part in the incorporation were Dr. E. L. Thomas, O. C. Hinman, Alva Burnham, Smith Rice, E. S. Walker, Edward Fitzgerald, Rev. Michael Clune, and A. R. Walker. These were prominent residents, and contributed by their energy and enter- prise to the material prosperity of the place. Among others who have likewise aided in local advancement are:

Marlow B. Wells, Joseph Bloser, John L. Kyne, William Strong, H. G. Storer, Al- vah Burnham, Melville W. Russell, William Wilcox, Joseph H. Damon, Rufus R. Kinne, E. F. Bussey, Ambrose Ames, Howard Ames, Perry H. Bagg, Andrew F. Behr, John Binning, jr., Frank and Thomas Burke, William W. Bush, Jesse W. Clark, Clinton L. Dean, Norris Eaton, Alexander D. Ellis, John W. Evans, Louis H. Ford, William Fry, George W. and Henry Goodfellow, John G. and Martin Guth- man, Charles Hoard, Gerrit S. Horton, William B. Hudson, Henry Jones, Charles P. Manahan, Dr. Adelbert W. Marsh, Fred A. Marshall, Thomas McDermott, Victor Miller, Rev. Francis J. Quinn, Dr. Herbert E. Richardson, George Roberts, George Sink, Frank N. Snyder, Leroy E. Taber, William H. Temple, Henry Tiffany, Leon- ard B. Webb, Lewis H. Woodworth, William Worden, and Elijah Clark.

The East Syracuse News was established in December, 1884, by Edwin F. Bussey and John L. Kyne, under the firm name of Bussey & Kyne. In Angust, 1887, Mr. Kyne became the sole owner, and has ever since continued in editorial charge, making the paper one of the brightest weeklies in the county. He is a prominent citizen, active in all worthy enterprises, has diversified business interests, and has always taken keen interest in the advancement of the village. In February, 1894, the East Syracuse News Company was incorporated with James E. Ratchford, president; A. E. Oberlander, vice-president; John L. Kyne, secretary, treasurer, editor, and manager, all of whom still re- tain their respective offices. On March 1, 1891, C. J. Sawdey began the publication of the Onondaga Gazette as editor for a stock company. Afterward it passed to Hon. John A. Nichols, as owner, and Melville W. Russell as editor, and on December 1, 1895, John A. Nichols, jr., son of the above, purchased and still continues the well-edited and popular paper.

In 1886 the village contained one dry goods store, a furnishing store, two general stores, two drug stores, one hardware store, a news stand,

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one jeweler, a confectionery and tobacco store, one shoe store, three groceries, a meat market, one bakery, two milliners, four dressmakers, an undertaker, four shoe shops, four physicians, two coal yards, five hotels, eight boarding houses, two carriage shops, two blacksmith shops, a sewing machine dealer, one steam grist mill, four churches (Methodist Episcopal, Presbyterian, Emanuel Episcopal, and St. Matthew's Roman Catholic), and about 2,250 inhabitants. The popula- tion of the village in 1880 was 1,009, and in 1890, 2,331. The large sash, door, and blind factory, planing mill, and lumber yard of A. Ames's sons were started in 1886. This was the first important manu- facturing industry in the place. East Syracuse derives its water supply from a reservoir near Jamesville, the mains supplying also the latter village with water for fire purposes. The water system was constructed in 1893 at a cost of about $75,000. The village fire department consists of two hose companies, one engine company, and a hook and ladder company.

On February 12, 1873, the present Chenango branch of the West Shore (then the Chenango Valley) railroad was formally opened, giv- ing a new impetus to the sparsely populated hamlet of Dewitt Center, through which it passes, as well as contributing to the resources of East Syracuse. For many years Dewitt Center had been quite an impor- tant shipping point on the Erie Canal, especially for grain. Stephen Headson, an enterprising citizen, engaged extensively in general mer- chandising and in buying grain and produce, and in 1870 built a sub- stantial brick business block and warehouse. In 1871 he became the first postmaster.

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Onondaga's centennial. Gleanings of a century, Vol. II, Part 11

Author: Bruce, Dwight H. (Dwight Hall), 1834-1908 Publication date: 1896 Publisher: [Boston] : The Boston History Company Number of Pages: 1094

Author: Bruce, Dwight H. (Dwight Hall), 1834-1908
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: [Boston] : The Boston History Company
Number of Pages: 1094