USA > New York > Oneida County > Rome > Our city and its people : a descriptive work on the city of Rome, New York > Part 4
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built with posts and rails." The bounty of 1801 for killing squirrels and birds was revived. A special town meeting was held September 27, and one hundred dollars voted to be raised for the support of the poor in town.
1804 -Town meeting held at the house of David I. Andrus. Fence viewers voted at four shillings per day. "No bounty to be paid for killing wolves." "The same bounty to be paid as heretofore for kill- ing squirrels and birds." Voted, "that each assessor shall procure one pourd each of nux vomica for the purpose of killing wolves." . Voted, " that all cattle found at large within half a mile of any tav- ern or grist mill to be impounded."
1805 .- Town meeting held at the house of Moses Wright Voted, " that no bounty shall be paid for the ensuing year for the destruc- tion of crows, squirrels and birds." Voted, " that five dollars be paid for every wolf killed in town the ensuing year." Voted, "that one hundred dollars be raised for the support of the poor." Voted, "that lawful fence shall be four and a half feet high and well erected." The poundmasters for this year were Joshua Hathaway, M. Brown, jr, and Moses Wright.
1806 .- Town meeting held at the school house. The commissioners of highways were James Lynch, Benjamin Wright, and George Hunt- ington. Voted ." that colts and sheep be restrained from running at large at any time." The by laws were quite full this year as to what should run at large and what should not
1807 .- Town meeting was held in Stephen White's hotel A pound was directed to be built in the southwest part of the town near the house of Charles Wylie, and another in the southeast part near the house of Clark Putnam, and the pound near Matthew Brown's was dis- continued. It was again voted prohibiting "horses, cattle and hogs run - ning at large within half a mile of any tavern or grist mill."
1808 .- Town meeting held at Stephen White's hotel Eleven by-
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TOWN MEETING PROCEEDINGS.
laws were passed relative to horses, hogs, jacks, sheep, and cattle, running at large. A bounty of fifteen dollars was voted for each wolf killed in Rome:
'1809 .- Town meeting held at Stephen White's hotel. Voted, "that fence viewers' fees to be two shillings per day." The bounty on wolves and panthers was fixed at fifteen dollars.
1810 .-- Town meeting was held this year at the court house for the first time. The officers were chosen by ballot, one at a time. It was voted " that there be no fines on creatures impounded." The bounty on wolves was fixed at twenty dollars.
1811 .- The town meetings from now on until 1852 were held at the court house, except in 1834, in which year it was held at the Coffee House, on account of court being in session. In 1852 it was held at the Seymour House; in 1853 at Jacob Stevens's; in 1856-60 inclusive at the 'Seymour House. In 1861 and each year thereafter until Rome was made a city the town meetings were held at the court house. Cattle, hogs, horses, etc., were prohibited this year from running at large within half a mile of any tavern or grist mill.
1812 .- A bounty of twenty dollars was voted on wolves. Fence viewers were allowed two shillings per day.
1813 .- The Legislature having in June, 1812, appropriated the inter- est of a certain fund for the maintenance of common schools and given it to towns that should raise a like sum, a special town meeting was held in Rome pursuant to call, June 14, 1813, at which Benjamin Wright, Philip . Robinson, and Ebenezer Wright were elected school commis- sioners, and the following were elected school inspectors : Joshua Hathaway, Isaac G. Green, Moses Gillett, Daniel Butts, Moses Wright, I. N. Hinckley Another special town meeting was held pursuant to request of freeholders, September 18, 1813, and $220 were voted to be raised for the support of the poor of the town.
1814 .- The school commisioners of the preceding year were re-
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OUR CITY AND ITS PEOPLE.
elected, and the same inspectors, except Theophilus Waterman in place of I. G. Green. Voted that school commissioners should receive one. dollar per day each; and that the town raise $500 for support of the poor. This year the town was divided into twenty-five road districts, and the boundaries defined.
1815 .- Town voted to raise $500 for support of the poor. The town clerk was directed to procure a standard brass yard to be kept in his office for the use of the town.
1816 .- $500 was voted for the support of the poor. Voted, "that the poor be set up at vendue by the overseers of the poor, and go to the lowest bidder and be by them supported, and the poormaster shall give timely notice of the sale." Voted, " that the town pay a bounty of 75 cents on all foxes killed in the town of Rome."
1817 .- No business was transacted in this town meeting except the election of officers.
1818 .- George Huntington, James Sherman, and Samuel Beardsley were elected school. commissioners. Five hundred dollars was voted for the support of the poor. The bounty on wolves was fixed at twenty dollars each, and on foxes at six shillings each. It was voted that the town raise for schools the same amount as it received from the State. Gates Peck, Daniel Green, James Sherman, Joshua Hathaway, and E. Wright were appointed a committee to draft a code of laws for govern- ment of the town.
1819 -- The town was divided into twenty seven road districts and their boundaries defined. $400 was voted for the support of the poor. A bounty of $25 was voted for wolves and seventy-five cents on foxes. .
1820 -Four hundred and fifty dollars was voted for the support of the poor. Voted that a committee of three be appointed to report the feasibility of purchasing a poorhouse for the town. B. B. Hyde, E. Worthington, B. P. Johnson were appointed such committee. Fence
EDWARD COMSTOCK.
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TOWN MEETING PROCEEDINGS.
viewers' fees were fixed at two shillings per day. A bounty of $20 was voted for wolves, and seventy-five cents on foxes. S. B. Roberts, James Slierman, and Oliver C. Grosvenor were elected inspectors of schools.
1821 .- It was voted " that one piece of paper contain all the names of town officers after this meeting, and a poll list be kept." Collector's fees fixed at three per cent. Twenty dollars bounty on wolves was voted. Overseers of the poor were authorized to provide a house and garden for the support of the poor and that $250 be raised for the poor.
The following is a list of the supervisors of the town of Rome, from its organization down to 1869, the date of the organization of Rome city : 1797, Abijah Putnam ; 1798 to 1801, Thomas Gilbert; 1802, Clark. Putnam; 1803, Henry Huntington ; 1804, George Huntington ; 1805, Clark Putnam; 1806-07, Thomas Gilbert; 1808, Samuel Dill; 1809, Henry Huntington ; 1810-11, Samuel Dill; 1812-13, Bill Smith ; 1814, George Huntington; 1815-16, Wheeler Barnes; 1817, George Huntington ; 1818-20, Samuel Beardsley ; 1821-22, Rufus Barnes ; 1823-26, Jay Hathaway; 1827-28, George Brown; 1829-30, Henry A. Foster; 1831-32, Numa Leonard; 1833-34, Henry A. Foster; 1835-36, Jesse Armstrong; 1837-38, Harold H. Pope ; 1839-40, James Merrill ; 1841-42, Adam Van Patten ; 1843-44, Enoch B. Armstrong ; 1845-46, Giles Hawley; 1847, John Niles; 1848-49; Alfred Eth- ridge ; 1850, Allen Briggs; 1851, Benjamin N. Huntington ; 1852-53, Stephen Van Dresar; 1854, Bradford C. Dean ; 1855-58, Giles Haw- ley ; 1859-60, Alfred Ethridge; 1861-68, Giles Hawley ; 1869, Enoch B. Armstrong. (Continued in official list of city.)
The surface of the town (now city) of Rome is for the most part level, and before it was drained by the construction of the Erie Canal and private sewers was marshy in many places, the swamp southward from Fort Stanwix being impassable during nearly the entire year. Unless 6
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OUR CITY AND ITS PEOPLE.
in a very wet season, it can now be cultivated over its whole area, and many fine gardens are found where originally the life of man or beast was endangered by an attempt to cross. In the northern or eastern portions of the town the surface is higher and gently rolling, with quite abrupt bluffs along the Mohawk and smaller streams.
The various streams which water the territory included in Rome are the Mohawk, which enters from the town of Western on the north, flows southward to the city proper, and thence eastwardly (forming the boundary between Floyd and the southeast part of Rome) in a winding course between the towns of Marcy and Deerfield on the north, and Whitestown and the city of Utica on the south, into Herkimer county ; Wood Creek, which flows southerly to the city, thence westerly, receiv- ing Canada Creek at the southeast corner of the town of Verona, forni - ing the boundary between Verona and Rome for a number of miles, and on to Oneida Lake; Canada Creek, which flows southward across the town from Lee, and enters Wood Creek as mentioned ; Fish Creek, also coming from the north, and forming the boundary for some dis- tance between Rome and Vienna, thence across a corner of Vienna to its junction with Wood Creek near the outlet of the latter into Oneida Lake. There are also numerous smaller streams, tributary to both the Mohawk and Wood Creek.
Rome includes on the west a portion of town number two of Scriba's Patent; in the northeast a part of Fonda's Patent; in the southeast a large portion of the Oriskany Patent; in the southwest a small part of Coxe's Patent, the Smith tract, and a portion of the Perache tract.
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VILLAGE INCORPORATION AND CIVIL LIST.
CHAPTER VI.
VILLAGE INCORPORATION AND CIVIL LIST.
The village of Rome was incorporated in 1819, with the follow - ing boundaries, to wit: "Commencing at the junction of the Erie Canal' with Wood Creek, near the white house called the 'Clark House,' and thence down the canal to the west line of George House ; thence on a line of said farm to a poplar tree south of the old2 canal ; thence to the east corner of Fiero's barn; thence to the north corner of Jacob Tibbits' barn ; then north to the east corner of Bloomfield's garden ; thence northward to Wood Creek ; thence down the creek to the place of beginning.".
The first election- for village officers was held on the first Tuesday in June, 1819, at the court house, James Sherman, esq., justice of the peace, presiding. The following were the officers chosen : Trustees, George Huntington, Charles Wylie, Joshua Hathaway, Pliny Darrow, Bela B. Hyde ; assessors, William Wright, Samuel Beardsley, Arden, Seymour; clerk, Benjamin P. Johnson ; treasurer, Arba Blair ; col- lector, Archibald T. Funk.
In 1824 it was "Voted that a tax of forty dollars be raised for com- pleting the burying-ground, and that it be left discretionary with the trustees to raise the same, should they not succeed in raising suffi- cient to complete the same by subscription ;" also " Voted, That a tax of thirty dollars be raised for repairing the town pump and well near the hotel."
At a meeting of the board July 5, 1852, the following preamble and resolutions were adopted :
1 Old Erie Canal.
2 Inland Canal.
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OUR CITY AND ITS PEOPLE.
Whereas, This board has received information that the remains of the lamented Henry Clay are to pass through this place, on the express train, at ten o'clock P. M. . to-morrow, and
Whereas, It is eminently proper that some expression should be made of the pro- found grief which the death of this illustrious patriot has spread over the community, therefore
Resolved, That between the hours of ten and twelve o'clock the bellsof the several churches of this village be tolled, the minute guns befired, and that all occupants of places of business be requested to close the same during the time above mentioned.
In 1853 the village was divided into three wards, the portion east of James street being the First ward ; that west of James street and south of Liberty the Second ward; and west of James and north of Liberty the Third ward.
The trustees of the village from. 1820 to 1834, inclusive, were the fol- lowing persons, viz :
1820-21 .- George Huntington, Elijah Worthington, Stephen White, Elisha Walsworth, Numa Leonard.
1822 .- Same, except Wheeler Barnes was elected in the place of Stephen White.
1823 .- Wheeler Barnes, Joshua Hathaway, Simon Matteson, George Brown, Dennis Davenport.
1824-25 .- Wheeler Barnes, Arden Seymour, Simon Matteson, George Brown, Numa Leonard.
1826 -George Huntington, John W. Bloomfield, Jay Hathaway, Elisha Walsworth, Henry A. Foster.
1827 .- John W. Bloomfield, George Huntington, Henry A. Foster, Martin Galusha, Jay Hathaway.
1828 .- J. W. Bloomfield, Jay Hathaway, H. A. Foster, Seth B. Rob- erts, Arden Seymour.
1829 .- J. W. Bloomfield, Jay Hathaway, Seth B. Roberts, Francis Bicknell, Lyman Briggs.
1830 .- Alanson Bennett, Bela B. Hyde, Noah Draper, James Mer- rills, Sylvester Wilcox.
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VILLAGE INCORPORATION AND CIVIL LIST.
1831 .- Bela B. Ilyde, Henry Tibbits, James Merrills, Sylvester Wil- cox, Joseph B. Read.
1832 .- A. Bennett, Alva Whedon, James Merrills, Francis Bicknell, Jay Hathaway ..
1833. - No record.
1834 .-- Jesse Armstrong, John Stryker, Alva Mudge, Samuel B. Stevens, Virgil Draper.
From 1835 to 1849, inclusive, the records of the village have been lost or misplaced, and it is impossible to give the trustees for those years. From 1850 to 1869 they were as follows :
1850 .- Edward Huntington, Oliver J. Grosvenor, Andrew J. Rowley, Stephen Van Dresar, Henry C. Mallary.
1851-52 .- Enoch B. Armstrong, Roland S. Doty, Woodman Kim - ball, Sanford Adams, Marquis D. Hollister. :
1853 .- President, Alanson Bennett. Ist ward, H. S. Armstrong, E. A. Gage, E. M. Hinkley ; 2d ward, Stephen Van Dresar, J. Lewis Grant, Publius V. Rogers ; 3d ward, M. L. Kenyon, Zaccheus Hill, Henry Hayden.
1854 .- President, B. J. Beach. Ist ward, Gordon N. Bissell, James L. Watkins, A. McCune; 2d ward. J. L. Grant, M. Burns, Richard". Peggs; 3d ward, James Walker, S. Scofil, C. P. Williams.
1855 .- President, Marquis L. Kenyon. ist ward Harrison Jacobs, E. A. Gage, Moses Wingate ; 2d ward, Michael Burns, Henry T. Utley, Eri Seymour ; 3d ward, R. G. Savery, J. H. Gilbert, M. L. Brainard.
1856 .- President, George Barnard. ist ward, A. W. Cole, Joseph Higgins, Robert Whitworth ; 2d ward, H. H. Pope, J. J. Armstrong, John Ward ; 3d ward, A. . H. Edgerton, Edward Dickinson, John J. Parry.
1857 .- President, George Barnard. Ist ward, Henry O. South worth, Robert Whitworth, Jacob P. Hlager ; 2d ward, John Ward, Thomas H. Pond, Daniel Hager; 3d ward, A. H. Edgerton, George. W. Taft, Edward Smith. .
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OUR CITY AND ITS PEOPLE.
1858 .-- President, George Barnard. Ist ward, Henry O. Southworth, Paul Schneible, Robert Whitworth; 2d ward, John Ward, Daniel Hager, Glen Petrie ; 3d ward, A. H. Edgerton, G. W. Taft, Edward Smith.
1859 .- President, George Barnard. . Ist ward, Alva Mudge, II. C. Case, H. C. Mallery ; 2d ward, H. H. Pope, John Ward, D. Hager ; 3d A. H. Edgerton, E. P. Wait, R. E. Lee.
1860 -l'resident, George Barnard. ist ward, Charles F. Bissell, Henry C. Mallery, Nathaniel Hazelton ; 2d ward, H. H. Pope, Adam Kochersperger, John O'Neil; 3d ward, Robinson E. 'Smiley, N. Hyde I.effingwell, Zaccheus Hill. .
1861 .- President, George Barnard. Ist ward, H. C. Mallery, Jacob Rastizer, George Merrill ; 2d ward, A. K. Adams, H. H. Pope, Peter Quinn ; 3d ward, William J. Walker, Daniel Cady, Nicholas Moran.
1862 -President, George Barnard, Ist ward, H. C. Mallery, M. W. Rowe, Peter Rathmund ; 2d ward, H. H. Pope, A. K. Adams, Peter Quinn ; 3d ward, Z. Hill, E. A. Allen, Jeptha Matteson.
1863 .- President, George Barnard. . Ist ward, D. B. Prince, H. Ed- monds, R. Whitworth ; 2d ward, H. H. Pope, A. K. Adanis, Thomas Flanagan ; 3d ward, J. Matteson, Z. Hill, E. A. Allen.
1864 .- President, David Utley. Ist ward, M. Maloney, Martin Se- ger, Daniel L Ketcham; 2d ward, John Harrington, John Spellicy, Peter Quinn; 3d ward, James Walker, John D. Ely, Harvey D. Spencer.
1865 .- President, E. B. Armstrong. I'st ward, Joseph Higgins, Orson Knowlton, James Elwell ; 2d ward, John Reifert, Jolin Hook, Thomas Flanagan ; 3d ward, Samuel. Wardwell, James Walker, G. H. Lynch.
1866 .- President, George Barnard, jr. Ist ward, H. O. South worth, Orson Knowlton, Joseph Higgins; 2d ward, John Reifert, John Hook, Thomas Flanagan; 3d ward, James Walker, Lewis Gaylord, Sylvester F. Tremain.
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VILLAGE INCORPORATION AND CIVIL LIST.
1867 .- President, James Stevens. ist ward, Lawrence Gaheen, James Elwell, Peter Rothmund ; 2d ward, Nicholas. Kapfer, Thomas Flanagan, John Spellicy ; 3d ward, Griffith W. Jones, Lewis Gaylord, William Jackson.
1868 .- President, James Stevens. Ist ward, Peter Rothmund, James HI. Carroll, George H. Brodock ; 2d ward, Henry W. Tibbits, Fred Rostizer, Thomas W. Edwards; 3d ward, William Jackson, Lewis; Gaylord, B. W. Williams.
1869 .- President, Edward L. Stevens. Ist ward, James H. Carroll ; 2d ward, Jolin Spellicy ; 3d ward, Ackley P. Fuller. A portion of the old board held over this year, according to the new regulations for the election of trustees, etc.
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OUR CITY AND ITS PEOPLE.
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CHAPTER VIL.
EARLY BUSINESS AND BUILDINGS IN ROME.
Let us refresh the memory of the older residents and impart infor- mation to newcomers by calling attention to the fact that some forty- five years ago a person standing at the Erie Canal bridge and going up James to Dominick, down Dominick to Spring, up Spring. to Liberty, and thence to George street, would describe very nearly the boundaries of Rome at that time (about 1850). It is true that James street was nearly if not quite built up to Thomas street and the so-called Stewart Buildings were on George street, west side, continuing from Liberty to Park street, and the arsenal and Mr. Howland's residence on Dominick street, beyond George, but aside from those and a few other buildings' scattered here and there in different parts of the village, and with the exception of Factory Village and Canal Village, the foregoing was Rome as it would appear on a map of about 1850 .. Embargo was opened from James to Washington street. and no farther, and there were only two or three houses thereon. Court street was opened to Washington, but only two or three buildings .were there. All north of Court street and west of Washington was a pasture. It is the purpose of this chap- ter to note principally the improvements and changes made during the quarter of a century following 1850, while later on we shall attempt to describe the Rome of still earlier years, as well as that of more recent times. For convenience and better understanding of the matter it is taken up by streets.
James Street .- This is one of the oldest streets in Rome and was named after James Lynch, eldest son of Dominick Lynch, the pioncer. About forty-five years ago the old burying ground was considered
VIRGIL DRAPER.
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EARLY BUSINESS AND BUILDINGS.
quite out of town and Thomas street was the northern limit of the set- tled portion, there being but one dwelling beyond, that of Lynden. Abell, southeast corner of James and Bloomfield. James street was ยท then considered as finished ready to be fenced up, as if the growth of Rome in that direction had reached its utmost limit. With the excep- tion of the erection of a few additional dwellings, that portion of the street between Liberty and Thomas remained until about '1866. Briefly alluding to the fact that between 1850 and 1870 the brick blocks on the west side of James street from the Erie Canal to near the Mudge block (now owned by Dr. Kingsley), on the corner of Dominick street, and the blocks opposite from Stanwix Hall, to the corner were all erected as well as the north part of the American block, and the build- ings opposite from the Merrill block now containing the express office, to the Tallman livery stable, we call more particular attention to those buildings erected between 1865 and 1870. These were the Commer- cial Hotel, what was formerly the store of Henry Hayden, the Kings- ley block, O. Knowlton's place, Charles Tuttle's store, and the corner. Passing up James street we find three or four dwellings erected before . reaching Thomas; street. North of the latter street and east of James, were five dwellings erected between 1867 and 1870, covering the en- tire vacant grounds between Thomas street and F. E. Bacon's resi- dence. Going onwards towards the burying ground we find that lands used in 1866 for farming purposes, were converted into village lots be- fore 1870 and that seven dwellings on the west side of the street and four on the top of the hill were erected in the period under considera- tion.
Washington Street .- This is another of the oldest streets of Rome and was probably named after the Father of his Country ; but there were scarcely any buildings on it in 1850. The sites now occupied by H. D. Spencer, John D. Oxner, Jim Stevens, A. P. Tuller, M. M. Da- vis, formerly I. T. Miner, and what were the J. J. Bradt and the Col. J. B. ?
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OUR CITY AND ITS PEOPLE.
Bradt places and the Earl Batcheler residence with some surrounding . territory was used as late as 1850 as a cow pasture. Messrs. C. Comstock and E. Huntington about 1847 purchased of George Clark the block bounded by George and Washington streets, with Court street on the south, and subsequent thereto purchased lands west of there extending to and across Wood Creek. They opened streets, laid out their lands into village lots, brought them into market, and all that part of Rome in that direction has grown since then to what it now is.
Forty-five years ago a two story frame building stood where Zion church now stands, was used as a school house and was all the public school accommodation Rome then offered . The members of Zion church then owned and held service in the building now owned and oc- cupied by the Universalists and which edifice was ample for their then members. The site now occupied by the brick block of four dwellings; erected by Mudge & Doty, near the foot of the street, was occupied by the late residence of the Rev. Moses Gillett and known as the Gillett place. It is now owned by Dr. W. J. P. Kingsley.
About that period Washington street was graded and a plank road made its entire length, costing about $1,000, the expense of which was collected by- the village clerk without extra compensation; to make the burden of tax as light as possible. Between 1866 and 1870 the splendid residence now in the Greenfield estate was erected.
About 1870-71 R. W. Pritchard built a brick store three stories high on the corner of Dominick street, now occupied by Roth Brothers. Next to and adjoining this block Norman King erected a brick build ing and a part of the same block, and of the same height. Seidell & Baldwin built in close proximity a brick block of the same height, while George Payne in conjunction with Seidell & Baldwin, erected a brick building to be used for shops; this latter is now occupied by Mr .. Payne's son.
Dominick Street .- This is one of the oldest streets and with James
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EARLY BUSINESS AND BUILDINGS.
were the only two streets Rome had when, in 1796, when the map of "Lynchville" was made by Dominick Lynch. At a still, later period and not far from 1800 another map was made on which the name of Lynchville 1 was retained and the following streets laid down : Domi- nick, Washington, James, Liberty,, Madison, Court, Embargo, Jay, Thomas and Bloomfield. None of these, however, was opened to any extent until about 1850, except the four named first.
We cannot ascertain that the number of streets which Rome had in about 1800, as above mentioned, were materially if any increased until about 1850. The purchase of the Clark lands and bringing them into market about that date gave Rome a new impetus; the number of streets in 1870 was seventy-six.
Extensive research has enabled us to present a full statement of the kind and situation of every building which stood on Dominick street prior to 1870, and incidentally to locate them with reference to present occupants. As originally laid out Dominick street extended from the Mohawk River on the east to Wood Creek on the west. Prior to 1836 and before the change of the Erie Canal. in Rome to its present location, ' the street did not run directly over the Black River Canal where it now does, but instead turned off south at an angle of forty-five degrees where the late Mr. Draper's residence was, and crossed where the Black River Canal now is. At that time the Black River Canal was not constructed, but in its place was a feeder connecting the Mohawk River with the canal of the Western Inland Lock Navigation Company. At the point where lock No. I is situated there was then an arched bridge over the feeder and a gate to regulate the flow of water through the feeder. Over this bridge the street crossed and then turned north to its present
' When or why the village came to be called Rome does not clearly appear, but it is stated that prior to 1800 a number of the then leading citizens of the village were present and when the question came up as to what name should be given to the place, George Huntington; who was a lange land owner about Rome, remarked that there were many classical names given to places in this State, but none had as yet been called after the " Eternal City," and he suggested Rome.
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