Our county and its people. A descriptive work on Jefferson County, New York, Part 63

Author: Emerson, Edgar C., ed
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: [Boston] Boston History Co.
Number of Pages: 1368

USA > New York > Jefferson County > Our county and its people. A descriptive work on Jefferson County, New York > Part 63

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).

A hotel (the Central house, as afterward known), was opened as early as 1812, and among its early landlords were Ezra Stearns, Joseph Bul- lock, W. T. Fiske, Franklin Waite, Thomas Davis, Mr. Pattridge and others. The Cottage hotel was of later erection, and subsequently be- came known as the Empire hotel. This and the Town Hall house comprise the present hotels of the village. About 1819 a distillery was built by Andrew Scott and Seneca R. Soles. Liberty Bates and Isaac

598

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

Burr built another in 1824. Samuel Cook followed with still another in later years, the building being afterward turned into a malt house by Michael Tining. Gad Ackley was an early proprietor of a potash works. Thomas Crandall started a tannery about 1825, and was fol- lowed by Hiram Morley. A furnace was built by John Hildreth about 1830. Later owners were Simeon B. Griffin, N. Palmer, William E. Whitney and Loren B. Palmer. The business was discontinued about 1870. Benjamin Bemis started a carding machine soon after 1825, but his building was afterward changed into a chair factory and was for a time run by Samuel and C. C. Comee.

One of the most permanent industries of the village, and that which has resulted in greater benefit to the people than perhaps any other, was the edged tool shop started by Amos Hudson in or soon after 1820, on the site of the old Ellis oil mill on Bear creek, on the upper part of the village site. Amos Hudson died in 1830, and in 1833 his son, Lucien F. Hudson, took the old shop and began the manufacture of agricultural implements. Mr. Hudson is still an active man, and, al- though now retired from business, he goes to the works almost every day to observe the operations of his sons. The Bear creek property is still in the family, and is run for the manufacture of agricultural implements. The proprietors are Hudson Bros. & Co.

Soon after 1825 Andrew Scott and Thomas Davis built a grist mill just above the village, on what is now called the upper dam on Sandy creek. Later on Turner & Maltby changed the plant into a plaster mill, and were succeeded by Franklin Waite. B. F. Wilds afterward bought the property, but in 1870 sold to George S. Hudson, who estab- lished the furniture manufacturing business now carried on by the firm of George S. Hudson & Son.

The present mercantile interests comprise the extensive seed house of W. A. Dennison (established several years ago by a Mr. Brown); the Monitor grist mill, also eider mill, of Arthur Lee; the general stores of Adele Albro, H. M. Wilds, Bushnell & Spink and A. O. Davis; the Salisbury & Peach cheese factory; F. E. Bonner's drug store; Geo. H. Bettinger's meat market ; C. E. Brooks' grocery store; L. B. Cham- berlain's hardware store; A. P. Dennison's feed mill, and the small shops incident to all rural villages.

This is substantially and briefly the business history of the village, and while in many places similarly situated recent years have witnessed a marked decline in mercantile and manufacturing interests, it is

599

THE TOWN OF ELLISBURGH.

doubtful if Ellisburgh has suffered seriously in this respect, and it is also doubtful if business interests in general in the village have been greater or more prosperous than at the present time. At all events in 1895 the people realized that comfort, convenience and the publie wel- fare required incorporation, hence the necessary steps to that end were taken. The papers were recorded and the incorporation became a fact October 23, 1895. The area of the village tract is 640 acres; its population is 351 inhabitants.

The institutions comprise the district school and the Methodist Epis- copal, Protestant Episcopal and Universalist churches. As is elsewhere stated, the first school house in the settlement was built in 1805. Since that time a good school has always been maintained here. It is now a two-room school, employing two teachers. The building was erected in 1826 or 1827.

'The first church in the settlement was Congregational, and was or- ganized by Daniel M. Dixon and Oliver Leavitt, January 1, 1817, with six members. The first pastor, Rev. Joshua A. Clayton, was installed November 9, 1826. The first trustees of the legally formed society (Nov. 11, 1823), were Amos Hudson, Hiram Taylor, Daniel Wardwell, John Otis, William T. Fiske and William Cole. A house of worship was erected in 1824, but was torn down in 1843. The next year the society was dissolved.

The Universalist church was organized August 26, 1821, with nine- teen members, among whom Isaac Mendell, Silas Emerson, John Clark and Rev. Cornelius Parsons were the leading spirits. The meeting house of the society was built in 1843, and cost $1,500. The church has ever since maintained its organization, although the membership is small and the society frequently without a pastor.

The Methodist Episcopal church was organized March 5, 1832, and has ever since maintained a prosperous existence. The meeting house was built in 1833, on the site of John Rury's former residence. A sec. ond and larger edifice was erected in 1849. The first parsonage was built in 1836, and the second in 1877. The present membership is 44, with 11 probationers. Pastor, Rev. C. J. Middleton.

· Christ church, Protestant Episcopal, of Ellisburgh, was organized Sept. 3, 1879, with ten communicants. The church edifice was erected the same year, and cost about $2,500. The church now has twelve communicants, and is under the rectorship of Rev. A. J. Brockway.

Belleville .- This pretty little village of not quite 400 inhabitants is

600

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

situated in the northern part of the town, on the north branch of Sandy creek, in what is perhaps one of the most productive agricultural dis- triets of the county. From the very earliest history of the town this has been known as a desirable region for farming pursuits, and a quiet and pleasant place of residence. The inhabitants have ever been noted for thrift, and peace and good order have prevailed throughout the community. Here, too, settled some of the most substantial pio- neers of the town, among whom may be recalled the names of Brad- ley and Joshua Freeman, Giles Hall, Metcalf Lee, Martin Barney. James Benjamin, Jedediah McCumber, Elder Edmund Littlefield and others. The settlement ripened into a hamlet, and soon after the war of 1812 a public meeting was assembled to deeide upon a name for the place which should be more appropriate and possess a little more dignity than Hall's Mills, by which it had previously been known. Giles Hall had come here in 1806 and purchased from Jedediah MeCumber a mill privilege on the creek. He built a saw and grist mill, a blacksmith and wagon shop and a trip hammer, and was one of the prominent men of his time. But the people, headed by merehant Calvin Clark, sought another name, and the committee chosen at the meeting referred to selected " Belleville," after a place of the same name in Canada.

Among the other early interests of the village were Samuel Boyden's tannery, John Harris' store and hotel, Calvin Clark's and Laban Brown's stores, and Norman Barney's cabinet shop, although there appears no present means to determine the beginning or ending of any of them. Sometime previous to 1820 Abraham Miller and Rufus Mather built a ehair factory near the mill. Cotton Kimball succeeded to the grist mill, followed by Dr. Elton Hanchett, but the name of Mather's mill was always retained. Other older interests of the same locality were Harvey Dwight's eloth-dressing mill, Luther Mather's carding machine, and still later Samuel Northup's earding and cloth dressing works, the latter afterward passing into the hands of H. II. Harris (about its last proprietor).

Still other local interests which settlers recall were the Central house, built by Matterson Freeman, the building afterward being burned. I. L. Dillon built the hotel named for him in 1873, on the site of the old house. From these primitive beginnings the settlement grew into a hamlet and the latter at length developed into a corporate village. It also enjoys the pleasant distinction of being one of the most aristocratic, cultured and wealthy inland villages in northern New York. In the

601

THE TOWN OF ELLISBURGIL.

years during which this growth was taking place there were many mer- cantile interests, but none of the sons of pioneers can accurately recall the names of all the proprietors. However, among the factors in ham- let history, in addition to those already mentioned, may be recalled the names of Philemon and John Stacey (both prominent builders), Lebbeus Harris, John and Demas Thomas, Samuel Brown and a host of others, all of whom are now dead while the sons and daughters of many of them have removed to other localities.

The present merchants of the village are Keyes & Dubois, Kelsey Bros., Chapman & Doane, general stores; Bradley Barney, notions and jewelry; F. E. Wright, harnesses: W. B. Wright, notions and groceries; S. Church, groceries and drugs; L. J. Wait, hardware; Williams & Hart, grocers and bakers; J. W. Overton & Sons, flour and feed; Scott & Weldon, groceries and meats; Charles Dunham, meats; V. R. Blanden, dentist; Mrs. H. G. Walrath and Mrs. B. Dickinson, milli- ners; M. L. Foreman, proprietor Belleville hotel. The physicians are Dr. E. A. Chapman and Dr. S. W. Frame. The legal profession in the village and town has been well and honorably represented by Mills A. Hackley and E. B. Hawes & Son.

Incorporation .- Notwithstanding the many changes of swiftly passing years, the little village continued to grow, and at length the people felt the need of an order of incorporation that certain local interests might have necessary protection without taxing the town therefor. The Sackets Harbor and Ellisburgh Railroad was opened to traffic in 1853, its line passing through the village. In the meantime the acad- emy had become an institution of great importance in the county and many improvements not otherwise obtainable could be secured through incorporation. The order was granted in the early part of May, 1860, and on the 29th the first village officers were elected as follows: D'AI- ton Dwight, Alexander Dickinson, Daniel Hall, Abner M. Durfee and Calvin Littlefield, trustees; Arthur J. Brown, clerk; Wm. R. Pen- nell, Collins F. Armsbury and Henry F. Overton, assessors; James E. Green, treasurer; Cyrus N. Rowe, collector; F. W. Stevens, pound- master.

During the nearly forty years of corporate existence it is doubtful if there has been any substantial growth in population and commercial importance in Belleville, for during this period nearly all the old manu- facturing interests have passed away,' and a refined, pleasant, health-

1 In 1996 a portion of the corporation was released to the town, thus taking away considerable 76

602

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

ful municipality takes the place of the former village. Indeed, the change is not undesirable, for, with surrounding influences and with its established institutions, Belleville is one of the most desirable resi- dence villages in Jefferson connty. It is five miles distant from the railroad station (Adams or Pierrepont Manor, the Sacketts Harbor and Ellisburgh Railroad having been abandoned in 1862). The present manufactures comprise the Walch grist mill, the Jason Ray & Son saw mill, Carpenter's furniture shop and the Overton butter and cheese factory. The woolen mills, to which reference has been made, have been in existence nearly sixty years and are regarded as a village in- dustry, although at the present time they are not in operation.

The Union academy at Belleville is one of the institutions in which the people of the village and the town feel the greatest pride. Indeed, among the one hundred and twenty eight academic institutions in the state, Union academy ranks eighth in standing and efficiency. The institution had its inception in the work begnn in 1824, when Rev. Joshua Bradley, a Baptist clergyman, organized the Union literary so- ciety at Belleville, and also opened an advanced school in the upper part of John R. Hayes' dwelling near the Mather mill. Elder Bradley soon afterward advanced the manual labor plan of school maintenance, and his theories and arguments carried such weight, that the people be- came deeply interested in the subject, and subscribed to stock in a proposed corporation to secure the erection of a building on a six acre lot generously given for the purpose by Giles Hall. On April 13, 1826, the "Union Literary Society " was incorporated by Jotham Bige- low, Orin Howard, James W. Kennedy, John Hagadorn, Amos Heald, Peter N. Cushman, Wesson Thomas, Pardon Earl, Samuel S. Hawes. Edward Boomer, Sidney Houghton, Benjamin Barney, Samuel Boy- den, Ebenezer Webster, Israel Kelley, jr .. Jesse Hubbard, Hiram Tay- lor, Henry Green, Rufus Hatch, Charles B. Pond, Calvin Clark, John Barney, 1st. Samuel Pierce and Godfrey Barney, who were authorized to erect buildings and maintain a higher academic school, but that the annual income from their investments should not exceed $5,000. The school was at once established agreeable to the spirit of the act, and occupied rooms in the stone church in the village until the completion of the stone school house, which was erected in 1828 and formally dedi- cated January 1, 1829.

population, the Phillips grist mill and the woolen mills, which were previously substantial local industries. In 1877 a serious fire destroyed a large portion of the business section, but the burned buildings were replaced with others more substantial in construction.

603

THE TOWN OF ELLISBURGH.

On January 5, 1830, the institution was incorporated by the state re- gents and received under their visitation and regulations. The first principal was Charles Avery, whose service began in 1829 From that to the present time Union academy (the name was changed in 1861) has been one of the noted educational institutions of the county and state, although twice during its history the corporation was on the point of dissolution. The manual labor plan did not work to the en- tire satisfaction of the trustees, but did not in any manner militate against the standing of the school. It was abandoned after about two years of operation. In the fall of 1837 the school was closed through the prosecution of an action to foreclose mortgage against the prop- erty, but the trustees, with the assistance of Rev. Jedediah Burchard, raised a sum of money sufficient to pay the indebtedness. In 1840 the school was reopened with a generous attendance, the number of pupils being greatly increased in 1841 by receiving those of Rev. J. G. King's " Belleville Methodist and Classical school" which had been opened when the academy closed. The second occasion of threatened dissolu- tion came with the outbreak of the war of 1861-65, when several of the teachers and a large number of pupils enlisted and entered the service, but through perseverance and energy the classes were maintained throughout the period. Soon after the return of peace the subject of endowment was suggested, with final result in an invested fund of $35,000. There are four endowed scholarships; the Frederick Will- iams, $3,000; the Shepardson, $2,000; the Gaylord memorial fund, which was started in 1893; and the J. J. Mather scholarship of $500, established in 1894.

The academy has a present attendance of about 100 pupils, and is in all respects in a healthful condition. During the period of its history, the principals, in succession, have been as follows:

Charles Avery (1829-31), George W. Eaton, La Rue Perine Thompson, Joseph Mullin (afterward Judge Mullin), Iliram H. Barney, Lyman Boomer (1836), Truman C. Hill (1837), Rev. Geo. 1. King (18.10-43), Richard Ellis, Orasmus Cole, Calvin Lit- tlefield (18.15-47). G. S. Ramsey (1847). Richard Ellis (1848), John P. Houghton (1850), J. Dunbar Houghton (1857-61),1 Rev. Benjamen D. Gifford (1864), Rev. Buel A. Smith (1865), E. H. Hillier, R. L. Thatcher (1868), W. W. Grant (1869-73), Henry Carver (1874), George F. Sawyer (1875-78), Uri C. Joslin (1881-81), Henry A. Gaylord (188-1-92), Charles J. Galpin (1892-98).

The present board of trustees comprises Dr. E. A. Chapman, president; N. C.

1 The present academy building was erected and completed in 1856, during the principalship of Prof. Houghton.

604

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

Houghton, treasurer; V. R. Blanden, secretary; and George Bigelow, George E. Bull, J. H. Carpenter, W. B. Doane, F. C. Overton, J. H. Eastman, M. M. Fillmore, S. W. Frame, J. E. Green, W. H. Greene, R. B. Heald, D). M. Kelsey, A. S. Thomp- son. C. L. Lee, C. B. Kennedy, C. Littlefield, J. J. Mather, William Mather, Duane Ormsby, C. M. Overton, J. W. Overton, Henry Powell, A. A. Scott, H. P. Stacey. M. D. Swan, Frederick Williams and George M. Wood. The trustees of the endow- ment fund are Frederick Williams, N. C. Houghton and William Mather.

Rising Light lodge No. 637, F. & A. M., was instituted February 20, 1861, and has since been one of the permanent and useful institutions of the village. The present members number about 100. The past masters have been Wm. Jenkins, Luke Fulton, D. C. Hubbard, H. H. Williams, Lester Muzzy, S. W. Frame, E. A. Chapman, A. E. Wood, James F. Leonard, A. A. Scott. E. A. Chapman.

Collins lodge No. 168, I. O. O. F., was instituted February 4, 1852, and for a period of more than forty years enjoyed a healthful exist- ence, but during recent years interest appears to have abated and meetings are infrequently held.

The Baptist church and society of Belleville was the pioneer religious organization of the town and dates back to the early years of the cen- tury, when Elders Colwell and Littlefield assembled the settlers for divine worship and organized an informal society. Their plan, how- ever, was unsatisfactory to many of the worshipers After Elder Lit- tlefield's death Joshua Freeman and Amos Noyes, with the aid of Deacon Barney and others, presented a new plan of action, and on August 22, 1807. perfected a society organization with eleven members. This society has been in existence to the present time, hence is one of the oldest religious bodies in the county. Occasional preaching was held until 1810, when licenciate Martin E. Cook was called to the pul- pit; was subsequently ordained in the ministry; was chosen as pastor and continued with the church 24 years. The church organization was perfected Dec. 4, 1821, with Matthew Green, Benjamin and John Bar- ney (2d) as trustees. A union meeting house was built in 1819, but through some imperfect understanding litigation soon followed and created a disturbed feeling in the locality. The building was burned in March, 1829. Two years later the present church edifice was erected. It is a comfortable structure and will seat about 400 persons. The present membership is 168. The pastor is Rev. W. H. Brooks. The Sunday school has 108 members.

The First Presbyterian society of Ellisburgh was formed August 28, 1820, and Nathan Burden, Isaac Burr, W'm. T. Fiske, Amos Hudson,

605

THE TOWN OF ELLISBURGH.

Liberty Bates and Royal March were the first trustees. In 1830 a re- organization was effected and a house of worship was built at Belleville. On Feb. 11, of this year, the church united with the Watertown pres- bytery. A new edifice was erected in 1853, but soon afterward the society was dissolved and the building was sold to the Methodist trus- tees.

The First Methodist Episcopal church and society of Belleville was organized May 5, 1841, and soon afterward erected a meeting house in the Wardwell settlement. The building was subsequently removed to the village and was finally sold to the Catholic trustees. The Meth- odist members in this church now number 130 persons, with 125 pupils in the Sunday school. The present pastor is Rev. W. M. Holbrook.

St. John's church ( Roman Catholic) at Belleville, was organized as a parish in 1825. The church edifice was built during the same year. Services are supplied from Watertown. The parish has about twenty families.

Mannsville .- In the southeastern part of the town, on the upper waters of Skinner creek, is the pleasant little village of Mannsville. Among the incorporated villages of the town it has less population than the others, yet from a business point of view it is the most important center, for, being on the line of the railroad, it is the natural and usual starting point in visiting the country adjoining. Col. Samuel Ward- well was an extensive land owner in this part of the town, and through his influence David I. Andrews was induced to come to the Wardwell settlement about 1800 and act as land agent. Soon after his arrival he built a saw mill on Skinner creek on the site of Mannsville, and later on erected one or two dwelling houses. George Andrews afterward had charge of the mill property, but the first dwelling was converted into a tavern and was kept by Joseph Wood. In 1822 Daniel Wardwell came and took charge of the improvements already begun. In 1823 he began the erection of a cotton factory a little below the village site, and in a few months Major H. Barzilian Mann acquired a half interest in the enterprise. The old factory did a snecessful business for a few years, but the entire property was destroyed by a fire February 16. 182%. and was never rebuilt.1 In the meantime, the little hamlet had

1 John Woodard was one of the early landowners in this vicinity, and was also one of the pioneers of the town. He came with his father, Captain Woodard, and six brothers early in the Century and settled in the south part of Ellisburgh. Asa Brown, who is said to have been the s'rengest man in this part of the country, was another pioneer in this locality.

606

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

grown to be of considerable importance, and in 1825 ' was formally named Mannsville in honor of Major Mann and Newton Mann, both of whom were leading factors in its building up. Major Mann died in Whitesboro in 1830. Dr. J. Preston Mann, at one time a physician of the village, and J. Maxey Mann, (a former merchant here) were sons of Major Mann.

Among prominent figures in early village life were David I. Andrews, Joseph Wood, Daniel Wardwell and Major Mann, all of whom have been mentioned. Wm. Earl, who succeeded to the old hotel, was the son of James Earl, the latter a settler in the town in 1811. Later pro- prietors of the hotel were David Stearns, Gardner Millard, Joy brothers, Don C. Bishop, Eli James and Charles Gibeau. About 1826 David Goddard started a small tannery in the village, and thus laid the found- ation for an industry which survived until a few years ago. The old building was originally a distillery, but Mr. Goddard used it as a tan- nery until 1842. The next proprietor was Wm. Baldwin, under whom the buildings were burned and then rebuilt. A fire in 1870 destroyed the second building, but they were again replaced and occupied until quite recently. Baldwin & Douglass, J. H. & H. E. Root and Mr. Kellar were among the later proprietors. Joel Brown and James I. Steele were among the earlier merchants, but just when they began operations here is uncertain. Later business men were Dexter Wilder, Melvin J. Ea 1, Wm. West, John Hughes and others. In 1825, when the post-office was established, Mannsville contained a saw mill, a hotel, a plank school house and three dwellings, but in 1851, when the rail- road was completed and opened, the business interests increased rapidly and the hamlet at once gained a position of prominence in this part of the county. Its population was about 300 in 1855, and the number in- creased about 100 during the next twenty years. In 1863 or '64 J. D. Finster built a grist mill, the same now being owned by Fred Kellar. Finster & Woodward built a planing and saw mill in 1810. It is now owned by Orasmus Woodward. With these interests and those which had survived from still earlier years, it became necessary that the vil- lage be provided with some means of government and protection better than that furnished by the town at large.

On May 16, 1879, the question of incorporation was submitted to the inhabitants of the proposed district, and was carried by a vote of ?2 for and 3: against the proposition. The proceedings were held under the

1 The post-office was established at this time.

607

THE TOWN OF ELLISBURGII.

direction of supervisor I. P. Wodell and town clerk O. Williams. The area of the village was 604.34 acres. The final incorporation papers were in the county clerk's office May 22, 1879, and thereupon Manns- ville became a regularly incorporated village.' At that time the local population was a little more than 400, but during the last 20 years the number has decreased to 365. The public properties consist of the dis- trict school, the primitive fire department (a generous supply of buckets, hooks and ladders; Dr. Potter, chief engineer), and four churches.

On July 29, 1885, much of the business portion of the village was destroyed by a disastrous fire. Among the buildings burned were the large three-story brick hotel, the Disciples church and three dwellings. With commendable promptness, many of the burned structures were at once replaced with others equally substantial, and a new Mannsville succeeded the older village. Although the village has not attracted any special attention as a manufacturing center, it is nevertheless a flourishing little municipality in one of the richest agricultural districts of the county, and has mercantile houses and interests equal to many villages of double its population. Among the present interests may be mentioned the saw mills owned by Fred Kellar and Fred Williams, the Woodward planing mill, the Woodward grist and feed mill, the E. L. Stone cheese factory, and merchants, Sanders & Lewis (gen. store), Bettinger & Parker (groc. and prov.), Duane E. Hurd and W. H. Fox & Son (drugs), Huggins & Beebe and John Hughes (hardware), Albert Jackson (groc, and bakery), W. H. Osborn (furniture and undertaking). Hughes Bros. (meats), H. S. Clark (flour and feed), Engene Wheeler (gen. store), and still others of less note. The public houses are Hotel Gibean (C. S. Gibean, prop. ), and the Mannsville house (Ed Matthew- son and Bert Macumber, props.). The Mannsville Press, a weekly newspaper, was established in 1894 by C. J. Barless, and was continued a little less than one year.

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.

Our county and its people. A descriptive work on Jefferson County, New York, Part 63

Author: Emerson, Edgar C., ed Publication date: 1898 Publisher: [Boston] Boston History Co. Number of Pages: 1368

Author: Emerson, Edgar C., ed
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: [Boston] Boston History Co.
Number of Pages: 1368