Our county and its people. A descriptive work on Jefferson County, New York, Part 84

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 84

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A society of the Disciples of Christ was formed in the town in 18:1, composed of auxiliary societies of Black River and Felt's Mills. The society now has no active existence in the village. The same may also be said of the Universalist society, which is referred to in the history of Felt's Mills. The circuit at one time comprised Black River, Felt's Mills and Tylerville, but has no present organization.

On lot No. 29, in the eastern part of the town, is the mission of St.

I The M. E. church in Rutland dates back in its history to about 1506, when a meeting house ( said to have been the second in the county ) was built in Rutland Hollow, a short distance north of the point where the Black River road leaves the Rutland Hollow road. The building was burned. but was replaced in 1-21, and was used as a house of worship many years. It became dilapidated, services were discontinued, and about last the structure was torn down. The Hal low was for many years a part of a circuit with Black River, Felt's Mills and Sanford's Corners. The pastor generally lived in Black River village, although Rev. Mr. Salisbury, who was once on the circuit, lived in the Hollow.

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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

Joseph's church, established about fifteen years ago for the convenience of the Catholic families of Rutland and Champion. It does not support a resident priest, and services, when held, are conducted by Catholic clergymen from Watertown. It was formerly supplied from Copen- hagen.

Supervisors .- David Coffeen, 1803; Clift French, 1804-5: Ethel Bronson, 1806, failed to qualify and Perley Keyes appointed ; Lelotus Harvey, 1807: Hugh Hender- son. 108, succeeded in April by Ethel Bronson; Judah Williams, 1809-13, succeeded in July of the last year by Jonathan Smiley: Jonathan Smiley, 1814-20; Ethel Bron- son, 1421-23; Amos Stebbins, 1924-26; Joseph Graves, 1827-35; John Felt, 1836; George White, 1837-40; Aaron W. Potter, 1841-42; Joseph Graves, 1×43; David Howland, 1844; Gardner Towne, 1945: Merrill Coburn, 1846-47; Asa Clark, jr., 1848-49; Martin L. Graves, 1850-52; John A. Sherman, 1853; Orlin Wheelock, 1854- 55; George W. Hazleton, 1856-57: Andrew C. Middleton, 1858-60; George Towne. 1861-62; Asa Clark, 1563; George W. Hazleton, 1864-66; A. W. Hardy, 1867; An- drew C. Middleton, 186%: Samnel Frink, 1869-70; William Southwick, 1871-72; Ilarlan P. Duulap, 1973-71; William Southworth, 1875: George W. Smith, 1876-79; Charles Roberts, 1880-82; B. J. Smith, 1983; Jay W. Waldo, 1884-86; L. D. Olney, 198 ;: Jay W. Waldo, 1988; Charles Roberts, 1849; Carl H. Frink, 1890-91; Her- man L. Allen, 1891-99.

CHAPTER XXXIX.

THE TOWN OF THERESA.

Away back in the early years of the century Benjamin Wright, the pioneer surveyor and explorer, informed James Le Ray that the high falls on Indian river offered abundant and never failing water power for any mills which the proprietor might feel disposed to build at that point. This information determined Le Ray to make a clearing and found a settlement, to accomplish which he caused a road to be opened from Evans' Mills to the falls during the year 1812. He also caused 40 acres of land to be cleared on the present J. P. Douglas place, and another tract of 100 acres in the next year, which James Shurtliff pur- chased and settled upon in 1815. A few years later the proprietor en- gaged Musgrove Evans to survey a thousand acre tract for a village site, although many years passed before the hamlet was in fact established. A mill, however, was built, but before its completion Anson Cheeseman

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THE TOWN OF THERESA.

moved into the building and occupied it as a home. The lumber eut from the land was made into rafts and floated down the river to market at Rossie and Ogdensburgh. The cleared tracts were then sown with grass seed and made excellent pasture for Mr. Le Ray's live stock ; and if local accounts be true, in 1813 the proprietor kept on these lands about 500 sheep, 60 head of cattle, and 20 horses. However, the war was then in progress, and the herdsmen in charge of the stock lived in constant fear of a sudden invasion of the region by the British. The tract, too, was surrounded with an almost boundless extent of heavily timbered wild lands, and ravenous animals were frequently seen in the region. This was about the only occupaney of this part of the county previous to 1817, when Mr. Le Ray began the sale of land to settlers.

Such, in brief, was the early history of the town now called Theresa, but the pioneers found evidences of a still earlier occupancy, for all along the banks of Indian river, and all around the shores of the mul- titude of small lakes in the north part of the town, the whites discovered traces of the Indian occupation. Indeed, this group of lakes was one of the most favored Indian hunting and fishing grounds in the entire northern country, just as in more recent years the region has been re- garded and called the sportsman's paradise, and even to the present day is a much frequented resort for hunters and fishers. This miniature lake system comprises no less than a dozen bodies of water, ranging from half a mile to several miles in length. and all tributaries of Indian river. They are known as Butterfield, Grass, Moon, Hyde, Crystal, Sixberry, Mill site, Red and Muskalonge lakes and Lake of the Woods, but not all of them are wholly within the bounds of the town. A small part of Edmund and Clear lakes extends from Alexandria across the Theresa line. The principal water course is the Indian river, a stream of considerable size, which enters the southeast corner of the town from Le Ray and thence flows north and northeast into St. Lawrence county. These several lakes suggest the peculiar physical features of the town, and also something of its geological formation. The land surface along the river is much broken, and is traversed by ridges of gneiss rock, with very fertile intervales. A portion of the town is underlai d with sandstone, and here the surface is level or gently undulating. The northern portion is almost perfectly level, in certain localities 111- desirably so, yet rich, fertile and productive to a remarkable degree. In the vicinity of several of these lakes various mineral deposits have been found, a fair portion of which was iron ore. It was developed to

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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

some extent in 1847 and following years, for which purpose a furnace was built near Mill-site lake, but long ago passed out of existence.

As has been stated, the pioneers of this region found scattered evi- dences of the former Indian occupation, but they also found unmistak- able traces of a white occupancy of more recent date than the aboriginal period. It is a known historical fact that Indian river was a thorough . fare for trade and traffic for the smugglers of the embargo period of county annals, but the high falls made necessary a carrying place, for no river eraft could pass them. It was therefore the custom to carry goods from the upper to the lower level, requiring the use of two flat bottomed boats. These remained after the period had passed and were found and used by the pioneers in their early settlement of the town.

The territory comprising Theresa was originally a part of great lot number four of the Macomb purchase, and passed as a part of the vast tract to the Antwerp company, thence to James de Le Ray, by whom it was again surveyed and subdivided for purposes of settlement and development. It was this worthy proprietor who caused the "jobs " to be cleared; it was he who caused the primitive mills to be erected at the falls during the years 1810-11, and he, also, who sent the live stock to be fattened in the splendid pasture lands that followed the elearings. The outbreak of the war had the effect to retard development, but as soon as that period had passed the worthy proprietor again turned his attention in this direction and the settlement was founded.

Captain John Hoover and John A. Evans were probably the first whites to live within the limits of the town, but theirs was only a tem - porary occupancy, for they were sent here to watch the stock grazing on the clearings. They were here in this work in the early spring of 1813, but when his services were needed on the frontier later on in that year, the doughty captain returned to Le Ray, assembled his con - pany and went at once to the harbor. In July his company took part in the affair at Goose creek, and after it was over the men returned to Sackets llarbor by the way of Indian river, passing the cabin the herdsmen had occupied at the high falls, where the captain left his men and resumed charge over the stock, with no other company than his wife and a single hired man. On one occasion, soon after the captain's return from the frontier, he discovered five British soldiers spying about the premises. They soon entered the barn and remained during the night. The captain then returned to his cabin, which he securely

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THIE TOWN OF THERESA.

barricaded for the night, but at carly dawn went out and took a posi- tion where he could see and not be observed; and when the soldiers came out of the barn he challenged them "after the maner of a sen- tinel, demanding who they were, to which they replied, 'friends.'" Hle then ordered them to come forward and lay down their arms, upon which two of them approached him while the others turned and fled. Hle assured the two that they should not be harmed by " his regiment," if they were orderly, and disarming them, ordered them to mount their horses and conducted them without further trouble to Sackets Harbor.

While there was no permanent settlement in the town previous to about 1817, Mr. Le Ray continued his improvements, and in 1814 caused a bridge to be built across the river at the falls, and about 1818 he had Mr. Evans survey and lay out the village tract of 1,000 acres. In the next year he built a grist mill and a tavern, the latter being burned in 1820. In the meantime settlement was begun and the town began making permanent history. The pioneers were James Shurtliff. Anson Cheeseman and Col. Sinesa (or Sinecy) Ball, all of whom came in 1812. Mr. Shurtliff located on the clearing, and soon afterward opened his house as an inn for the accommodation of new arrivals and travelers through the region. He was one of the early justices of the peace, an earnest Presbyterian, and a man much respected in the com. munity. lle died in Plessis August 1, 1846. Colonel Ball settled on the old military road, two miles west of the falls, He had a large fam . ily of children, and several of his descendants became persons of note in the county. Anson Cheeseman came into the town in the fall of the year, and was connected with the saw mill, for which he furnished the supply of logs. He also assisted in the construction of the grist mill in the next year. Ilis surname is still well known in the town.

The settlers who came in 1818, so near as can be determined, were Benjamin Barnes, Jesse Doolittle, Curley Smith and Zalmon Pool. Barnes settled east of the river, above the upper falls, and is remembered as a local M. E. preacher, also as briekmaker and mason, and withal a valuable asquisition to the settlement. Jesse Doolittle came from Watertown and located abont a mile from the upper falls. Cur- ley Smith located at the lower falls, and started a blacksmith shop, setting up his establishment in the open air. Sylvester Bodman and Dudley Chapman came in 1820, and while the same year may have witnessed still other arrivals the names can- not now be determined. Abraham Morrow was one of the most prominent settlers in 1821. Among the other settlers in the town abont or soon after this time may be recalled the names of Jeremiah Cheeseman, Joseph Miller, Mr. Moyer, who settled near the Shurtliff improvement; James Lake, near the body of water once called llide lake; Eliphalet Emery, also in the same vicinity. There were also Ebenezer 102

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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

Lull, the first storekeeper; Mrs. Keeler, the widowed sister of Anson Cheeseman, and who brought to the settlement two sons and a daughter; Allen Cole, who located near the Orleans line; Henry Morey the first carpenter ; Augustus Soper, on the west Theresa road, and also Nathaniel Parker, Austin Bates, Samuel Hall, Michael Cook, Benjamin Allen, David Morgan, Job Whitney, Mr. Castleman (the squatter on Le Ray's land), Col. Artemas Baker (the second blacksmith), Nathan Starks (another early blacksmith), Seymour Murray (the first shoemaker), and perhaps others equally worthy of mention, but whose names cannot be recalled.

Gen. Archibald Fisher, a man of especial prominence among the early settlers, came from New Hampshire about 1820 and located for a time near the Orleans line, but later on removed to the village site. He became general of militia and was otherwise conspicuous in public affairs in the vicinity. Lodowick Salisbury came about the same time and settled on the military road. His son, Alexander Salisbury, was the first supervisor of the town, and was president of the Redwood glass company. Azariah Walton came about 1822, but removed to Alexan- dria Bay, and was for nearly twenty years connected with the customs office.

Daniel Strough also came about 1820, setting on the military road. He was a shoemaker by trade, but a farmer by occupation in this town. In his family were ten children, and among them Samuel W. became perhaps the most prominent. His life, except about three years spent in New York, was passed in Theresa. He was a farmer, but also dealt in other productions. He was in all respects a self-made and self-re- specting man; was well educated, and a noted school teacher for many years. He was not an attorney, but as a man of understanding was the general and safe adviser for the whole townsfolk. His wife was Emeline Tallman, who bore him four children, viz. : Byron J., Elnora (Mrs. William A. Snyder), Lucien S. and Perrin A. Strough.

The military road, to which frequent reference has been made, was lain out and partly built during the years 1818 and '19. It was the re- sult of a tour of this part of the state by President Monroe in 1812, and was designed to connect Plattsburg and Sackets Harbor. It extended from the harbor to Brownville; thence to Pamelia Four Corners, Red- wood and Hammond, passing through what afterward became this town. For many years it was an important north and south thoroughfare through the town and increased settlement along its route. However, let us turn briefly to some of the early events of town history, and to the persons connected with them.

The first birth was that of Ursula Cole, May 26, 1819, the daughter

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THE TOWN OF THERESA.

of Jacob Cole. She afterward became the wife of Jacob Ostrander. The first marriage was that of Erastus Clark and Kate Underwood, in 1820. The second event of the kind was the marriage of Andrew Stone with Hannah, daughter of James Shurtliff. The first death was that of Thompson Doolittle, son of Jesse Doolittle, and the date, Nov. 18, 1820. Dr. James Brooks was the first physician, who came in 1822, and died in 1823. Dr. Samuel J. Gaines was the second physician, and was soon succeeded by Dr. John D. Davison, who came from Pamelia in 1824. Dr. Gaines died Sept. 22, 1865. llis sons James and Nathan Gaines were later physicians in the town. The first grist mill was be- gun in 1820, and was built by Samuel Case for Mr. Le Ray. It stood on the site where a similar structure has since been maintained. Noah Ashley was the first miller. In 1823 the property was sold to Percival Bullard, and by him to Marcius and Stephen Ashley about 1830. Later owners were Salisbury, Kelsey & Co., and Stokes and George Wilson. The building was burned in 1852, but was rebuilt by Mr. Wilson, and was afterward operated by Wilson & Humphrey, David Burr and Charles Pool until it was again destroyed by fire in 1859.

In 1819 Mr. Le Ray caused a tavern to be built in the village settle- ment on the site of the present Getman house. Mr. Stephenson was first landlord, but in the fall of 1821 the building was burned. A see- ond hotel was built on the same site in 1824. It was of brick, and for many years was known as the "Brick tavern." Gen. Fisher was its owner and landlord, and under his proprietorship was a famous hos- telry. This was the first brick building erected in the town or village, the bricks for which were made by Benjamin Barnes, who came to the town in that year. The second brick building was the dwelling house of Nathaniel W. Lull, standing on Main street. The brick used for this house were also the handiwork of Mr. Barnes. As has already been said, Benjamin Barnes enjoyed a certain prominence in the local- ity as a local Methodist preacher, and an earnest, faithful worker in all which pertained to the spiritual as well as the temporal welfare of the villagers He died in the town March 21, 1864.

Jonathan Thompson, who has previously been mentioned, started a tannery on what was known as Barnes' creek, in 1822. In that year a second like industry was established by Nathaniel Lull on the ground where now stands the railroad station. It was abandoned, however, after about ten years, and long before the railroad was built through the village. Thompson soon removed his tannery to the site of the

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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

foundry of more recent years, near the south end of the lower bridge. Here he also built a currier shop, but later on sold his property to John S. Casler. In still later years Almond Thwing built a tannery in rear of where the American hotel now stands. Charles Thwing afterward owned the business, and he and Mr. Eddy built still another tannery (about 1860) on the river, above the falls. This became the more re- cently known Cooper tannery, but after it had been sold Cooper built another which was discontinued after a few years' operation.

In 1822 Nathan M. Flower came from Cherry Valley to the falls on Indian river, as the village settlement was then known, and started a full- ing and cloth dressing mill on the site of the Collis woolen factory of later years. He was well skilled in his trade but his works were subsequently destroyed by fire. Mr. Flower was a prominent personage in the new community and held several important town offices, notably that of justice of the peace. He died in the village April 4, 1843. Ex-Gov. Roswell P. Flower and Anson R. Flower, of Watertown, were sons of Nathan M. Flower.

Nicholas D. Yost came to Theresa from Johnstown in 1837 and pur- chased a considerable tract of land. He then possessed moderate means, but by a life of prudent economy and excellent business judg . ment he amassed a competency. During his active life Mr. Yost was unquestionably one of the best business men in Theresa. He was liberal, generous and honest, and respected all through the north part of the county. Mr. Yost died Sept. 5, 1870, but the surname is still in the town and represented in the best interests of the region. George E. Yost, banker, of Theresa, was one of the children of Nicholas D. Yost.

Outside of the Indian river valley there was little attempt at devel- opment, other than in regular agricultural pursuits. Our narrative has necessarily been confined chiefly to the improvements made in and about the village settlement, for few indeed were the enterprises founded in other localities, unless we except the several hotels which once had a part in the early history of the old military road. One of the first attempts in this direction was made by Benjamin Pease about 1825, when he built a log tavern on the road near the Le Ray line; but his was an unpretentious structure, drew but little trade, hence was soon closed. Soon after this the military road became as noted for its many public houses as the little village at the falls was noted for its variety of industries. Among the first to open an inn was Lodowick

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THE TOWN OF THERESA.

Salisbury, of whom previous mention has been made, who began busi. ness soon after 1825. In 1827 Elias Holbrook came down from Le Ray and opened the second hotel on the road, the same afterward kept by Austin Bates, and still later by landlord Hodges, by whom it was named " Ilodges' tavern." About 1828 John L Farrar built a public house near the Le Ray line. Landlord Farrar also made and sold pumps, and his hotel was afterward run by Austin Bates, Marcius B. Ashley and Mr. Shufta. It was afterward called the "Shufta tavern." in allusion to P. Shufta, one of its latest landlords. From the same person was derived the name Shufta's corners, which has endured to the present time while the old tavern was long ago numbered among the things of the past.

About 1828 llenry R. Morey came from the village and built the famous " Red tavern" at the cross roads north of Colonel Bull's place. This was a noted stopping place in early times, and was famous for the "good cheer" dispensed to the weary traveler along the military road. The later proprietors were Hiram Becker, Elias Glass, Austin Bates and perhaps others before the house was closed. About 1828 Daniel Strough kept a hotel on the highway leading to La Fargeville, but the building was soon afterward put to other uses. Warren Parish was probably the first hotel keeper at West Theresa. In the north part of the town, on the north side of Red lake, John Graves tried the ex- periment of opening a hotel to be patronized chiefly by fishermen and hunters in that region; but the enterprise proved unsuccessful from a business point of view.

From what has been stated it must be seen that the settlement of this part of Theresa (then Alexandria) was accomplished quite rapidly after Mr. Le Ray first opened the way in 1817, and while there is no present means of determining accurately, it is believed the number of in- habitants in what is now Theresa in 1840 was about 2,000. The sub- ject of a new town had been discussed at the annual meetings for sev- cral years, but no definite action was taken previous to 1841, when a division of the territory was agreed upon.

Organization .- The creating act passed the legislature April 15, 1811, and by it Theresa was brought into existence; and was so named in allusion to Mlle. Theresa, the daughter of James D. Le Ray, and the wife of the Marquis de Gouvello, of France.

In accordance with the provisions of the act, the first town meeting was held at the public house kept by Marcius B. Ashley in Theresa village, April 11, 1841, when

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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

officers were elected as follows: Percival D. Bullard, town clerk ; Abraham Morrow, Michael Servis, Osman Caswell, justices of the peace; Richard Hoover, assessor ; Barney N. Hansen, Jonathan Hakes, commissioners of highways; Stephen Scott, commissioner of common schools; Samuel W. Strongh, Ichabod Cronkite, inspec- tors of common schools ; Samnel T. Brooks, overseer of the poor: Isaac L. Hunting- ton, Jeremiah R. Hungerford, Albert W. Covenhoven, constables.

Previous to the law creating the town of Alexandria Salisbury had been elected supervisor of Alexandria, and under the act as a resident of the newly erected town he was continued in office for the year.

Throughout the period of its history, Theresa has been known as one of the best agricultural towns of Jefferson county. The pioneers and early settlers here were a determined, strong and intelligent set of men, many of whom came to the region with but little means, but through the inspiring influence of Le Ray they went earnestly at work, and in the course of a few years established for their locality a stand- ing and reputation equal to that of any civil division of the county, when natural advantages are considered. True, the Indian river afforded water power as good as the Black river, and while the lakes were in no wise a hindrance to local progress they were never consid- ered important factors in the town's advancement and prosperity. The above results, however, came from the energetic action of the first set- tlers and their descendants. The north part has never been thickly populated, the exceedingly level character of the land surface prevent- ing its fullest development, yet in this region are some of the best grazing lands of which the county can boast. The lake region has its attractions and advantages, offering a multitude of sporting resorts, and withal a beautiful display of nature's marvels, but hardly a factor in promoting the welfare of the people in the accustomed pursuits of business life. The institutions were firmly established long before the subject of town division was suggested, and that end was sought for the convenience of the inhabitants living remote from the central por- tion of the town. The high falls, as Theresa village was formerly called, has ever been a more important trading center than Alexandria Bay, while the splendid water power furnished by the river has given the village a prominent place among the manufacturing centers of the region ; yet it is doubtful if at any time this water power has been less utilized than the present. This is due to existing conditions rather than lack of public spirit on the part of the people.

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Our county and its people. A descriptive work on Jefferson County, New York, Part 84

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