USA > New York > Jefferson County > Our county and its people. A descriptive work on Jefferson County, New York > Part 81
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Within its present limits Rodman e ntains 25, 208 acres of land; and as good land for general agricultural purposes as can be found in the Black river tract, except, possibly, certain small stony areas in the southern portion. Butter and cheese have for many years been the chief staple products, indicating this to be an excellent hay and grass region (in which respeet it is doubtful if the county has a better town), but at the same time in the thoroughly cultivated localities potatoes, corn, oats and other cereals yield abundantly and profitably. The lands bordering on Sandy creek are especially fertile, some of the farms rank-
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ing among the best south of Black river. The land surface is quite hilly, and is considerably broken by the deep ravines of Sandy creek and its branches, Fish and Gulf creeks. The soil generally is a stony, gravelly loam, a character in a measure indicated by the presence of at least three sulphur springs, but the latter are of no special importance among the natural features of the town.
The first town meeting was held March 5, 1805. at the house of Simeon Hunt. The officers then elected were as follows: Thomas White, supervisor; George H. Thomas, town clerk; Osias H. Rawson, Cyrus Stone and William Rice, assessors ; David Nichols, Simeon Hunt and Calvin Clifford, commissioners of highways; Pe- ter Yandes, collector and constable: Jonathan Davis and Robert Stewart, poormas- ters; George H. Thomas and John Fassett, fence viewers; Simeon Hunt, pound. master.
Previous to the meeting for the election of officers, and on November 4, 1804, the inhabitants assembled in a special meeting to elect three persons to represent the town at a conference held at Denmark to dis- cuss the new county project. The committee appointed comprised William Rice, Cyrus Stone and Simeon Hunt. The record contains the proceedings of a meeting specially called for February 8, 1806, to elect three justices of the peace, and Titus B. Willard, Titus King and Jonathan Davis were chosen. This may have been the way in which the inhabitants expressed their preference as to the persons whom they would have serve in the office, but at that time justices were appointed by commission from the governor.
The records also indicate a disturbed feeling in the town during the years preceding the war of 1812, when the embargo laws went into effect. Of course the inhabitants were seriously affected by the re- strictive provisions of the law, for pot and pearl ashes were then among the chief productions of the locality. On January 12, 1802, a meeting was held and William Rice, Cyrus Stone and Ebenezer Moody were appointed a committee to represent the town at a convention held in Watertown, at the house of Joseph Clark, "on the 13th inst., to take into consideration the military situation of the county." The records further disclose incidental action by the town during the period of the war, and while this territory was not threatened with British invasion the same patriotic feeling existed here as elsewhere. All able bodied men were among the enrolled militia, and some of them saw service at Sackets Harbor and elsewhere on the frontier.
Notwithstanding the depression of the period, Rodman continued to
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grow in number of inhabitants and industries. As early as 1810, there were 214 families in the town (Township No. 9 had previously been set off) and the inhabitants numbered 1,277. At that time there were four grist and six saw. mills, a fulling mill, a carding mill, and three dis- tilleries. There was no regular meeting house, yet a Congregational society was in existence and held services in the school house. Ten years later the inhabitants numbered 1,735, and 2,890 acres of land were cleared and under cultivation. The industries then included seven grist and eight saw mills, three fulling mills, two carding machines, six asheries, and five distilleries.
The farmers of that period raised large quantities of wheat and corn and considerable rye. They had no market for their surplus product, and the erection of several distilleries along Sandy creek offered the means of converting the surphis into whiskey, a readily salable com- modity, and then an article of diet and refreshment on nearly every family table. Among the early owners of distilleries on the creek were Hiram Slocum, Asa Davis, W. J. Nichols and C. W. Mckinstry. At the present time the town has not one distillery, while the saw and grist mills number not more than four or five. In 1820 nearly 18,000 yards of domestic cloth was made in families in the town, but it is doubtful if in the past year so much as a single yard was manufactured. However, as otherwise indicating the growth and changes in the population in Rodman, recourse may be had to the census report, from which is taken the following facts:
In 1810 the population was 1,272; 1814, 1,481; 1820, 1,755; 1825, 1,719; 1830, 1,901; 1835, 1,798; 1840, 1,702; 1815, 1,691; 1850, 1,784; 1855. 1,752; 1860, 1,808; 1865, 1,651. 1870, 1,601; 1875, 1,466; 1880, 1,517; 1890, 1,287; 1892, 1,220.
The greatest population was attained in 1830, after which for a period of about thirty years there was a gradual though not material decrease in number of inhabitants. Beginning about 1865 there was a marked decline which has been continuons to the present time; and it is a fact, if the census reports are reliable authority, that the number of inhabi- tants now in the town is less than in 1810. This condition is in a meas ure accounted for in the fact that during the period of carly history there were numerous small farms in the town, which in later years were joined with other parcels and owned by husbandmen who worked on a larger scale, and in fact were compelled to do so to secure the best results. There are in Rodman at this time about sixty farmers owning and working tracts of more than 130 acres, and some of them between
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200 and 300 acres in extent. Therefore the greatest material loss to the town has been in number of inhabitants rather than in established agri- cultural pursuits. In this respect Rodman has not suffered more seri- ously than other towns similarly situated.
During the period of its history, there have been established within the limits of the town several hamlets or trading centers, principal among them being Rodman, Unionville and Whitesville, located from west to east along Sandy creek. The other settlements are Whitford's Corners (West Rodman, sometimes called Toad Hollow), in the west part, near the Adams line, and Tremaine's Corners, in the southeast part of the town.
Rodman village is located on Sandy creek just below the mouth of the Gulf stream, as commonly known, and is the most important of the settled localities of the town. About 1803 Simeon Hunt built a log house at the point where these streams unite, and opened it as a tavern, thus establishing the trading point. The settlers, however, in making improvements were not at all influenced by the action of others who preceded them and built wherever the best opportunity offered. Thus the store which Michael Henster and Joshua Priest opened (about 1809) was located on Dry Hill, near what is now called Dillon's Corners. It was at this place that Nathaniel Harrington laid a wager to lift a hogs- head of whiskey with two men seated upon it, and readily accomplished the feat.
About 1810 Nathan Strong built a grist mill at Rodman, near where the present mill stands. He operated it for many years and then sold to Moses Slaughter. The next owner was O. M. Cooley, who bought the property in 1861, and in 1879 sold a half interest to Egbert Cooley. In 1881 the mill was burned. Then the Rodman milling company was organized, rebuilt the mill and have ever since operated it with a fair degree of success. The officers are O. M. Woodward, president; O. R. Porter, secretary and treasurer. In 1840 Joseph Brown built the Rod- man tannery, which was soon afterward bought by Hiram Herring and by him operated until his death, in 1881. The Hiram Herring tanning company succeeded, but two years afterward sold to Levi Washburn. The buildings were burned about 1888.
These industries, and others up and down the creek, had the effect to draw considerable trade to the village, and thus established a busi- ness center of some prominence in early years. Now, the grist mill, the cheese factory and one or two small industries comprise the manu-
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THE TOWN OF RODMAN.
facturing interests, while the surrounding farming country contributes to maintain the village stores. The merchants are Paul Banhl, E. M. Bullock and W. J. Wyman, general stores; E. A. Cooley, grocer and jeweler, and A. C. Hughs, hardware. The hotel, the Washburn house, is kept by M. G. Wilson. The public buildings comprise the Congrega- tional and Methodist Episcopal churches and the district school.
The Rodman union seminary was one of the old and well known in- stitutions of the village and town, and one which, in its way, was the source of much good to the people. The frame building, two stories high, was erected in 1840, and stood on land which was conveyed in trust to the trustees of the Harrison society, for the purpose of a school by the heirs of Nathan Strong. The structure was built by vol- untary subscription, and cost about $1,200. On December 8, 1810, the name Rodman union seminary was adopted, and thirteen trustees were appointed to control its affairs. For several years the institution was maintained as a select school, but later on the increasing advantages of the common school system had the effect to diminish the attendance at the seminary and cause its ultimate downfall.
Union lodge, No. 397, F. & A. M., of Rodman, was organized March 21, 1824, with forty-three members, and Levi Heath, master; William P. Mckinstry, senior warden; Philo Parker, junior warden. Mr. Mc- Kinstry was the second master, but in 1827 the lodge was dissolved on account of the masonic troubles of that period. The jewels and other lodge property were distributed among the members. After the period had passed the lodge was revived and resumed work under the old name and number, but the records covering this time (previous to 1860), are not to be found. In August, 1860, a reorganization was effected under the designation of Rodman lodge, No. 506, F. & A. M., which from that time has been one of the most worthy institutions of the town. The members now number 104 persons. Since 1860 the masters have been llermon Strong, Orson M. Cooley, Arnold C. Hughs, George C. Parker, John R. Washburn, John N. Parker, Richard M. Maloney, Julius B. Lyon, S. S. S. Spink, Chester W. Snow, Oliver R. Porter, Delbert J. Washburn, Lewis F. Richmond and P. W. Simmons.
The Congregational church and society of Rodman is one of the old- est religious organizations in the county, dating its history tothe prim- itive meetings for worship held as early as 1803, when Rev. Mr. Wood- ward, a missionary worker from the east, was in the field. On Septem- ber 22, 1805, the society was formed by Rev. Ebenezer Laselle, of
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Watertown. The original members were Reuben and Laura Tremaine, Aaron and Sally Loomis, William and Lydia Dodge, Nathaniel Nichols, David Cory and Nathaniel Crook. No regular services were held until 1808, when the Rev. David Spear was employed to preach for the so- ciety. He was installed as pastor in September, 1809, and served in that capacity until the fall of 1865, a period of fifty-seven years. The HIarrison society was organized in connection with this church July 17, 1809, Reuben Tremaine, James Loomis, Asa Davis, Simeon Hunt, Jonathan Wyman and D. Eastman being the first trustees. In 1815 the society caused a neat frame meeting house to be built in the vil- lage. On April 24, 1834, the Harrison society changed its name to the Congregational society of Rodman. A new church edifice was built in 1850, and was dedicated in March, 1851. The building was substan- tially remodeled in 1877. The present number of members is eighty- nine. The pastor is Rev. John Kincaid. The Sunday school was or- ganized in 1820. Its membership now is 152; E. J. Rider, superin- tendent.
The Methodist Episcopal church of Rodman dates its history to the year 1804, when a class was formed, including in its membership Ebe- nezer and Anson Moody, Richard Dye, John Fassett, Thomas White, Alpheus Nichols, Ebenezer Blackstone and Peter Yandes. Early meet- ings were held in log school houses, and also in John Fassett's dwelling. Among the earliest Methodist preachers to visit the town were Isaac Puffer, George Gary, Elisha Wheeler, Lewis Whitcomb and John Demp- ster. In 1829 several classes were formed and a circuit was organized in the town. In 1847 the first meeting was held in Rodman village, in the old red school house which stood on the site of the present school building. In that year a meeting house was begun, and was finished in 1849. In March, 1848, the first Methodist Episcopal society of Rod- man village was regularly organized with Elam Cooley, Hiram Buell, Winson D. Allport, James W. Brown, Alanson Kinney, Isaac Jenks, Almanson Tibbitts and Truman Tuttle, trustees. In 1876 the church edifice was enlarged and repaired. The village church forms a part of a circuit of M. E. societies, and is perhaps the strongest of the three. The total membership is 160, with three probationers. The pastor is Rev. Henry Ernest.
Unionville, or Zoar, is a small hamlet on Sandy creek, about a mile above Rodman. In the present history of the town it is of little note, but three-quarters of a century ago was a place of some consequence.
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THE TOWN OF RODMAN.
In this vicinity Howe Nichols built a grist mill as early as 1809. 1n the same locality, also, and about a mile above the settlement, was the old Reuben Smith saw mill and potashery. In early days this hamlet could also boast of a hotel, a small cabinet shop and two stores, but for the last twenty- five years the place has been without either of these interests. The last merchant was Isaac Shenillier.
Whitesville (East Rodman post-office), is the name of a hamlet in the the extreme northeast corner of the town, and was named in allusion to Thomas White who settled here in 1802, and in the next year built the first grist mill in Rodman. White was sub-agent for the sale of lands in this locality, and the prominence he thus gained, together with the convenience of his grist mill, led to the settlement. The old Benja- min Stillman tavern was built on the creek road below this place, near where Wm. Dodge now lives, probably as early as 1812, and was a famous resort in its day. The early town meetings were held there. At what time or by whom a store was opened is not known, but one has been kept in the vicinity many years. The present merchant and post- master is S. R. Moore. The saw mill and hotel here were owned by WV. D. Waite, who was accidentally killed in the mill in the spring of 1892.
In this part of the town a Methodist society was organized, and at Boynton's corners, below the settlement, the old meeting house was built about 1829. About twenty years later the Rodman village society withdrew and built a house of worship at their village, whereupon the class in the Whitesville locality also took steps to build for themselves. The old edifice was out of repair, and in 1858 a new structure was erected at this village. This church is a part of the Rodman circuit.
Tremaine's Corners is a post hamlet in school district No. 10, where a cheese factory has been operated several years. The place is without other industries or business interests. A Methodist class has been in existence here for some time and forms a part of the Rodman circuit. Meetings are held in the school house.
In the western part of the town, on the creek south of the locality known as Whitford's corners, also as West Rodman and Toad Hollow, is the Moses Slaughter grist mill. It was here that the so called Union company began making and distilling whiskey about 1828. A set of stones were placed in the building and grinding was done. Later on the distillery part was changed into a tannery by Joseph Davis, and both were run by him about ten or twelve years. In 1865 another " run of
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stone " was added. Mr. Slaughter was the next owner. The mill is not run continuously. Among the other early industries were Ileath's saw mill, and Abram Burr's cloth mill which was carried away by high water. The West Rodman cheese factory was started in 1870 by A. H. Ileath. The only factory now in this part of the town is the North Rodman, of which Fuller, Dillon & Sill are proprietors.
Among the proprietors of cheese factories twenty and more years ago were A. H. Heath, Anson Miller O. G. Heaton (1864). The old butter makers on a large scale were C. C. Vrooman, Milan A. Fassett, E. L. Simmons and HI. C. Spencer.
Supervisors .- Thomas White, 1805; Jonathan Davis, 1806-9; Enoch Murray, 1810- 11; Samuel C. Kanady, 1812-13; Abel Cole, 1814; Nathan Strong, 1815-30; William M. Winslow, 1831-32; Ora Cooley, 1833-36; George Gates, 1837; Nathan Strong, 1838; Thomas Waite, 1839-40; Ora Cooley, 1841; Henry C. Strong, 1812; Herman Strong, 1843; Henry C. Strong, 1844-45; William Sill, 1846; Dennis M. Waite, 1847; Benjamin F. Hunt, 1848-49; Alanson Tibbitts, 1850; George Gates, 1851-52; Ora Cooley, 1853; John Pauling, 1854; Gaines Tremaine, 1855; William Gilbert, 1856; Ora Cooley, 1857; Oliver C. Wyman, 1858-59; Nathan Strong. 1860-63; Hliram H. Taylor, 1864-65; Oliver C. Wyman, 1866-67; William Christie, 1868-72; Orin D. Hill, 1873-74; George A. Gates, 1875-78; J. R. Washburn, 1879-82; Simeon H. Gates, 1883-84; William J. Wyman, 1885-90; Harrison S. Dean, 1891-95; Reuben Z. Smith, 1896-99.
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
THE TOWN OF RUTLAND).
In 1796 the proprietors of the eleven towns constituting the Black river tract divided the lands among themselves. In that apportionment William Henderson received townships Nos. 3, 6 and 9, or, as now known, Rutland, Henderson and Pinckney. Previous to the division, and in the same year, Benjamin Wright had surveyed and designated each of these towns by number. After having become possessed of his share, Henderson conveyed a portion of the lands of No. 3 to actual settlers through the agency of Asher Miller and Abel French, and the remainder was sold and conveyed to Dr. Isaac Bronson, of Greenfield, Conn., who appointed as agent his brother, Ethel Bronson. The latter
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served in that capacity until his death, and was then succeeded by George White, who completed the sale to settlers.
This, in brief, is a history of the land titles in Rutland after the Black river tract was surveyed and laid out. Its previous history is detailed in one of the general chapters of this work, hence need not be repeated here. When Mr. Wright made his survey and division into townships he traversed the region and carefully noted the natural features of each town, that the proprietors and subsequent purchasers might have a thorough understanding of the character of the region intended for settlement. In relation to this town the worthy surveyor reported as follows:
"Along the river very rocky, and some very good land; very few streams empty- ing into the river. There is a very fine mill stream and various mill seats near the Black river, where it falls into the river; a fall of sixty feet, very curious indeed for mills. Along the river there are two falls of fourteen and six feet, which together with the rapids, that extend for a number of miles, make up a great fall in the river. The east line is very fine country and handsomely timbered with maple, beech, bass, ash, butternut, elm and some pine and hemlock; on the south line there is a pretty good country, and timbered with maple, beech, bass, ash, elm, birch and hemlock. Along the line on the west side, it is a very good traet of land, and well timbered. This town appears to be exceedingly good; all the waters are clear and good, and are formed altogether from springs which arise on the land. The town in general is most excellent soil, and very well watered, with large and small streams, and I think would answer any person's expectation for settling. Contains 27,604 acres."
It sometimes seems remarkable that Benjamin Wright in traversing the Black river region and carefully noting its natural physical features, should have utterly failed to record some fact relating to its previous occupancy by the Indians, for traces of that period must have been clearly noticeable one hundred years ago. Indeed, in all this vast region no special locality showed more plainly the former presence of the red man than in Rutland, and the pioneers who came here in the early years of the century not only found the ruins of Indian villages and fortifications, but frequently found the natives themselves, who appeared reluctant to leave their old favorite resorts.
One of the largest and rudest Indian structures ' discovered in Jefferson county was found in Rutland, four and one half miles east of Water- town, on the farm formerly owned by Abner Tamblin but now by Ilerman L. Allen, traces of which still remain. It is situated about a
I From Aboriginal Monuments of New York, by E. J. Squier; published in " Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge, " in 1819.
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
quarter of a mile back from the brow of Rutland Hill, which presents a bold and in some places a precipitous bank, but notwithstanding its elevation, the surface has numerous depressions or basins which are wet and marshy. Upon a slight elevation in the midst of one of these surfaces, and still covered (1849) with the primitive forest is found the Indian work represented in the accompanying cut.
It will be seen that the work of fortification is exceedingly irregular; that the lines are interrupted by several wide openings, which are quite too broad to be regarded as gateways. The embankment is not of uni- form dimensions, and in some places it is elevated not more than a foot or eighteen inches by four or five feet base, while at others it is three feet high. The ditch is also irregular in section, scarcely exceeding a large plow-furrow in depth and width. In fact the work seems imper- fect and to have been constructed in haste for temporary purposes. Within the area, which is quite uneven, are several small accumulations of stones which bear marks of fire. Upon removing them there was found ashes and other burned matter, among which was a carbonized ear of corn. A small but entire vessel of pottery of considerable sym . metery of shape was also found here some years ago. Human bones
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THE TOWN OF RUTLAND.
have been discovered beneath the leaves, and in nearly every part of the trench skeletons of adults of both sexes, and also of infants, have been found covered only by vegetable accumulations. They seem to have been thrown together promiscuously. They have also been found in a narrow depression, resembling an artificial trench (indicated by a dotted line in the plan), and caused by the subsidence of the earth in a cleft of the limestone substratum. These skeletons, from all accounts, do not seem to have been much decayed, and no difficulty was experi- enced in recovering them entire. The skulls were in some cases frac- tured, as if by a blow from a hatchet or club. These circumstances would seem to imply, not only that the work was occupied at a com- paratively late period but also that this was the scene of one of those indiscriminate massacres so common in the history of savage warfare.
It is said that many of the skeletons exhumed from this place had broad, flat jaws, with rows of double teeth in each, and that their skulls showed retreating foreheads and great prominence of occiput. One of these skeletons was of a man of colossal size. Excavations are also said to show hearths, fire places, broken pottery, etc., on two different levels separated by accumulations of earth and vegetable mould from one to two feet thick, as if the place had been twice occupied. These discoveries tend to show that this is doubtless the oldest work of ab- original construction thus far found in the county, and that while it was at one time the abiding place of the Iroquois, as many of the articles found are of their handiwork, yet it was originally constructed and oc- cupied by another tribe or race many years before the formation of the Iroquois league in the middle of the sixteenth century.
From the bank of the terrace near this work a very extensive and beautiful prospect is commanded.
The woods are now all cleared away and the land where once the fortifications stood has been under cultivation about ten years; and while the banks have been partially obliterated by the plow, indistinct traces of the work yet remain. The diagram here presented was made in 1849 and fairly represents the work as it then appeared.
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