USA > New York > Madison County > Our county and its people : a descriptive and biographical record of Madison County, New York > Part 17
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J. D. Turner was an early settler in the southwest part of the town; he was father of George and Robert. Thomas Wilson settled a mile west of Fenner Corners and died there in 1822. Erastus Woodworth came from Rensselaer county and settled a mile east of Fenner Corners and later removed to a farm a mile and a half west of the Corners, now occupied by Mrs. Philip Dwyer. Benjamin Woodworth settled about two miles northeast of the Corners, where his son, Major George Wood- worth, subsequently resided. Col. Elisha Farnham, a native of Hamp- ton, Conn., was a settler in the south part of the town in 1797 and died in 1848. Ithuriel Flower, Amos Webster, and others, settled in the south part, and Samuel and Zattu Payne in the east part. Timothy Foster, who located on a farm adjoining the Thomas Wilson place on the south, was early killed by a falling tree. Russell Ransom and Drake Sellick came in early, and from about 1810 to 1830 the population in- creased rapidly.
Other names found among those of early settlers were John Miles, Daniel Torrey, Jared Merrills, Joseph Maynard, David Foskett, Hiram Roberts, James Walker, Truman Beeman, Lot Pickens, Solomon Field, Hezekiah Hyatt, Daniel R. Baxter, Seth Smith, 2d, Oliver Brownson, Seba and Linus Ensign and Jonathan Bump. The names of Hungerford, Cushing, Dickinson, Eddy, Faulkner, Gordon, Hess, Hill, Jones, Keeler, Loundsbury, Laird, Stafford, Sayles, Stoddard and Wilbur are also conspicuous among the families who have been instrumental in building up the town and its institutions.
The first town meeting for Fenner was held in the school house
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" near David Cook, Jr.'s," on May 6, 1823, and the following officers elected: Daniel M. Gillet, supervisor ; Sardis Dana, clerk ; John Need- ham, William Esselstyne, and Ralph J. Gates, assessors; John F. Hicks, collector; John Needham and Samuel Nichols, overseers of the poor; Samuel Ives, Amasa Ives, jr., and Noah Blakelee, commission- ers of highways; John F. Hicks and William Nichols, constables; Sardis Dana, William Doolittle and Daniel Pratt, commissioners of common schools; John Needham, jr., Federal Dana and Erastus E. Park, inspectors of schools; David Cook, poundmaster.
The first trade operations in Fenner were begun, as before indicated, at the Corners, where it was generally believed a village would be founded. The earliest merchants were Martin and Daniel M. Gillet. They were succeeded ere long by Charles F. Kellogg, who came from Cazenovia and opened a store in the building in which the Gillets had traded. Hiram Preston, also from Cazenovia, and Martin Woodworth were merchants of many years ago. The post-office was not estab- lished until after 1820.
The first physician in the town was Dr. Daniel Pratt, who came from Belchertown, Mass., where he was born, in company with his brothers, Jonathan and James, the former of whom has been noticed as the first physician in Madison, and the latter in Eaton. Daniel studied medicine with his brother Jonathan, returned to his native town in 1804 and settled in Fenner in 1814.
There were no business interests of any kind at Perryville until long after the county organization, with the exception of the old mills, the original of which was erected by Richard Card soon after 1800, to be succeeded in 1824 by the second one, built by Enoch Dykeman. A tannery was established there at a very early date, to which Oren S Avery succeeded in 1817 and added an extensive boot and shoe manu- facturing business. There was no physician there until about 1809, when Dr. John Didama came from Germany and settled for many years of practice; he was father of the now venerable and honored Dr. Henry D. Didama, of Syracuse.
Only one church was formed in this town previous to the organiza- tion of the county. This was the Fenner Baptist church, organized August 23, 1801, as the Third Baptist Church of Christ in Cazenovia. When the town of Smithfield was set off, the title was changed to The Baptist Church in Smithfield. The original membership numbered seven persons, all but one of whom had recently been baptized. The first
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pastor was not called until January, 1803, when Elder Nathan Baker began preaching every two weeks; he was voted "$1.50 for the six Sab- baths on which he has served us." Meetings were held in dwellings and school houses until 1820, when a meeting house was built. Jacob Crap- sey preached in 1804-5, and for many years the changes were frequent and cannot be followed here. The meeting house was greatly improved at a cost of $3,000 in 1879, and the society is still in active existence.
The first school taught in Fenner, as far as known, was in an old ashery in what became district No. 9. When the first school house was erected is not known. Joel G. Downer, many years a merchant in Bridgeport, who removed to California many years ago, was the first native of that district who engaged in teaching. In Mrs. Hammond's work on this county she credits that old school with educating three physicians, Drs. Welcome Pray, Federal C. Gibbs and Andrew S. Douglass; a lawyer, Lewis Pray; and a minister, William B. Downer. Also Robert Stewart, later president of the National Bank in Chitten- ango, and his brother, Daniel Stewart, president of the Morrisville Bank.
This completes the story of the settlement and organization of all of the old towns of Madison county, and traces their simple history down to about the date of the formation of the county. Enough has here been already written to show beyond question not only that this region was fortunate in the conditions surrounding the opening of the lands to settlers, but also in the class of men and women that was attracted hither by those conditions and the natural features of the locality. No limited section of this State, we may freely assert, ever had more broad-minded, fair dealing and energetic proprietors to open territory to the pioneer than John Lincklaen, Peter Smith Col. William S. Smith and Justus B. Smith, under whose auspices, as we have seen, most of this county was settled. As a consequence, the best of the old families of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Vermont halted on Madison county lands, instead of following the westward flowing tide of migration to the Genesee country or elsewhere. Here they found fertile soil, beautiful lakes and streams, a varied land surface, and the towering old forests that supplied them with lumber and wood. That those sturdy, God-fearing pioneers fulfilled their purpose in coming hither is seen to day in every village, hamlet and neighborhood in the county.
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CHAPTER X.
GENERAL PROGRESS IN THE COUNTY.
During the half century that succeeded the date of the organization of Madison county events of the greatest importance took place in this country in which every community was directly interested to a greater or less extent. Among these significant occurrences were the war of 1812-15, the construction of the Erie Canal, the inception and building of the early railroads, the construction of the Chenango and other canals, the introduction of plank roads and their construction in all parts of the State, the introduction of the magnetic telegraph, all be- tokening in an astonishing degree material advancement and intellec- tual progress, and the rapidly incoming triumphs of peaceful civiliza- tion. On the other hand, during the period in question the country passed through two dark seasons of financial calamity and distress, the evil influences of which extended to every business center, were reflected to the rural districts and caused prolonged depression in all trade and industrial operations. Moreover, just as the last of these periods of financial stress was approaching its close, the black clouds of war hovered on the country's horizon, from which a terrific storm was soon to burst.
If the inhabitants of Madison county, because of their geographical situation, did not share so generously as some other localities in the fruits of the long series of events that brought in their train innumer- able blessings, neither did they, for similar reasons, suffer to so great an extent from the widespread financial and business depression and disaster just mentioned. Progress in this county as a whole, though always gradual, has at the same time been sure and in the main satis- factory. Earnest and persistent labor has here found its adequate re- ward, good citizenship has been respected and in many cases highly honored, and home-loving contentment has prevailed on every hand.
The conditions surrounding the erection of Madison county, its ex- tensive subdivision in the year following its organization, and particu- larly the location of the county seat at Cazenovia in 1810, caused much
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dissatisfaction and repeated efforts were made between that date and 1815 to divide the county into two, or to remove the county seat to some other point. The feeling of dissatisfaction had its origin largely, as would be naturally inferred, in the inconvenience to the settlers in traveling to the most distant part of the county for the transaction of public business. It was not that the inhabitants of outside towns be- lieved their own localities any better for a county seat than Cazenovia, but that they wanted it located in a more central part; and it was a most reasonable desire. The agitation of the matter was active and prolonged, its chief promoters being prominent residents of those towns that could reasonably claim their own merits for the purpose in view. The records regarding the location of the first county seat are meagre. The subject of dividing Chenango county and creating Madison county was undoubtedly agitated during the few years prior to 1806, and there is an existing record of the holding of a special town meeting in the then large town of Cazenovia on June 12, 1804, two years before the county was formed, at which a committee was appointed to meet the commissioners appointed by the Legislature to consider this subject. The committee were Dr. Isaac Lyman, Jeremiah Clark and Jeremiah Griffith. When Madison county was erected the town of Sullivan was made a half-shire, with Hamilton, which had previously been a half- shire of Chenango county, and the courts were held alternately in these two towns until 1812. Later attempts were made to create two half- shire towns in Madison county, as will be seen. Following is a ver- batim record of the proceedings of the first meeting of the Madison county Board of Supervisors:
Oct. 7, 1806. Met in school house near James Shethers (?) in the town of Sullivan. Present-Erastus Cleveland, Hamilton,
Steven Hoxie, Brookfield,
Lemuel Kingsbury, Cazenovia,
Jacob Patrick, Sullivan,
Jeremiah Gage, De Ruyter, Esqs.
The Bord chose Erastus Cleveland, Esqr., President for the present year and Thomas W. Phelps Clerk.
Resolved, That this Bord allow five Dollars for full grown Wolves and Panthers, Whelps half price.
Resolved, That each Collector retain his Collection fees for the money he pays the Supervisors out of the same.
Resolved, That Lemuel Kingsbury be the Treasurer of said County during the pleasure of the Bord of Supervisors.
Resolved, That the Treasurer procure sufficient Bail to the amount of Five Thou- sand Dollars for the faithful performance of his duty.
.
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Resolved, That the Bord appoint Jacob Patrick to Determine as to Bail to be ob- tained of Lemuel Kingsbury, County Treasurer.
Aside from this brief record, measures were adopted for the equitable division of the money in the treasury of Chenango county. The "Town Contingencies," so called, for the first year were $1,435.75; "County Contingencies, " $671.38 The valuation was placed at $1,343, 001.
From this time until 1810 the county seat question, and occasionally the division of the new county, were before the people in some of the towns. For example, in 1809, a meeting was held in Lebanon to con- sider the subject of "centering the county," and delegates were ap- pointed to meet those of some of the other towns; the Lebanon dele- gates were John W. Bulkley, Dr. John Clarke, and Malatiah Hatch, all prominent citizens. In this same direction the people of other towns chose delegates to meet and settle this important matter, which, in the records, is always spoken of as " centering the county." Arnold Ballou and Asa Dana were two of the delegates from Smithfield and with Nehemiah Huntington were pledged to the policy of "not locating the County Seat at present;" the meeting was held July 13, 1810. All through the agitation of this question Smithfield was an active and per- sistent rival of Cazenovia, advancing the argument that the town was more centrally situated than Cazenovia, Hamilton, and other towns. It is presumed from what is found in the records that Cazenovia, Smith- field, Eaton and Hamilton were the towns that were actively favored for the county seat, the others, as a rule, merely expressing their pref- erence for one of the four. The vexed question was finally settled in favor of Cazenovia, and an act of the Legislature dated April 2, 1810, ordered the building of a court house and jail under certain limitations. The commissioners to superintend the erection of the buildings were John Lincklaen and Eliphalet S. Jackson; but for some unex- plained reason the Board of Supervisors at their meeting in 1810 adopted the following :
Resolved, That new commissioners be appointed and chosen by Ballot, for super- intending the building a Court House and Gaol and after balloting it appeared that the following Gentlemen had a majority of votes-to wit, Hon. Peter Smith, Hon. John Lincklaen, and Eliphalet S. Jackson, Esq., Therefore,
Resolved, That they be Commissioners for the purpose aforesaid.
Progress on the building was not very rapid, for it was not completed until 1813. In the mean time, on the 14th of October, 1812, a commit- tee was appointed by the supervisors from their number to examine
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GENERAL PROGRESS IN THE COUNTY.
the accounts of the building commissioners, and they reported at that time that $3,507 had been paid out, and that $2,000 had been received of the treasurer. Although little appears in the public records to show it, this selection of the county seat was satisfactory to only a limited number of the inhabitants of the county outside of Cazenovia, and the question of its removal to some other point was not permitted to rest until a change was accomplished. The first court house was built of brick, and preparatory to the change proposals were received in 1815 by the supervisors for its purchase. Benjamin Coman offered $1,500 for it; Job Kilbourn $1,200, and Joseph Burr the same. It was not then sold, and a resolution was adopted that it be sold at auction in the following February. This was not carried out, and in October, 1817, the supervisors appointed Nehemiah Huntington, John Knowles, and Amos Crocker a committee to sell the building for not less than $1,500. They were not successful until the beginning of the following year. A special meeting of the supervisors was held February 3, 1818, when the offer of Benajah Williams, Frederick Wilcox, jr., Martin Keeler, William Andrews, Lewis Stanley, John Daniels, Jonathan Clough, John Rowling, and Isaac Pierson of $1,800 was accepted; this sum was to be paid in three annual payments. As elsewhere de- scribed, the building became a part of the Cazenovia Seminary struc- ture.
While these proceedings were in progress, an act was passed by the Legislature on the 17th of March, 1815, by the provisions of which the act of 1810 establishing the county seat at Cazenovia was repealed and providing "that the court-house and gaol in and for the county of Madison shall be erected on the third great turnpike road, within one- half mile of the dwelling house of Thomas Morris, of the town of Eaton." The act also provided for the raising by tax of the sum of $2,000 at the second ensuing meeting of the Board of Supervisors and a like sum at the third meeting. Another act was passed April 16, 1816, directing that the courts be held at Cazenovia "until the said court shall be adjourned to the court house to be erected in Eaton." Still another act was passed April 17, 1818, requiring the supervisors at the next meeting to collect and pay into the county treasury, the sum of $2,000, and at their second meeting the same amount, "for the purpose of erecting and completing a gaol in said county." Thomas Greenly, David Gaston and John Matteson were appointed as building commissioners. These public buildings and others are further referred to in another chapter.
11
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
During this period and while the inhabitants of Madison county were thus busily engaged in the settlement of their own difficulties and the establishment of their own institutions and industries, the country at large approached and passed through its second struggle at arms with Great Britain. No extended account of that conflict is needed here; it is found described in all general histories of the country, and its only direct connection with this county was through the participation of a considerable number of its inhabitants on the battlefields, the prevail- ing anxiety caused by the proximity of some of the important events of the struggle at Oswego and Sackett's Harbor, and the effect upon busi- ness and industry of all kinds.
Early in the century began the acts on the part of England that finally culminated in a declaration of war by Congress. Through orders issued by the British government and decrees made by Emperor Napo- leon, all American commerce in neutral ships with either of these nations was suspended. American sailors, claimed as British subjects, were seized on American vessels, and the right to board American ves- sels for this unjust purpose was one of the claims set up by Great Britain. These and other outrages continued until further forbearance was impossible. Late in October, 1807, Congress inaugurated opposi- tion by laying an embargo on all vessels in American harbors. This measure, necessary as it may have appeared as a general policy, was disastrous to the mercantile and shipping interests of the whole coun- try. The embargo act was supported by a large part of the Democratic party, but was strenuously opposed by the Federalists. These parties were not very unequally represented in Madison county in 1807-8. Judges Peter Smith and Oliver Brown were both ardent Federalists in 1807 and supported Governer Lewis in opposition to Daniel D. Tomp- kins. In the year named Sylvanus Smalley, Democrat, and John W. Bulkley, Federalist, were elected to the Assembly. The war meas- ures, which were bitterly denounced and opposed along the seaboard, and with good reason, found many supporters in this vicinity.
A militia brigade was formed in Chenango county previous to 1806, in which year the following Madison county citizens held commissions : Capt. Noyes Palmer (afterwards major-general); Capt. David Mat- thews of Sullivan; Lieut. Ethan Clark, of Leonardsville; Ensign Oliver Clark, of Lenox; Ensign Peter Chappell, of Hamilton, and Lieut. Oliver Babcock and Adjutant Phineas Babcock, brothers, of Clarks- ville.
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GENERAL PROGRESS IN THE COUNTY.
On June 1, 1812, President Madison sent a confidential message to Congress, in which he reviewed the causes of complaint against Great Britain and asked for a decision as to what course should be pursued under the circumstances. It was well known that the president fa- vored open retaliation. By one of the great political parties he was urged by ridicule as well as threats to declare war, while the other, in which were many whose personal interests were already suffering, per- sistently opposed such a course. Madison's message was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations which, on June 3d, made a report favoring the president's views and accompanied by a bill declaring war against Great Britain. An attempt was made to include France in the declaration, which failed. After much debate and amid the greatest excitement throughout the country, Congress passed the bill on July 18, and on the 19th the president issued a proclamation announcing the fact and appealing to the people of the country to support the government in its war policy.
Military operations were promptly inaugurated in all parts of the country. On the northern frontier and in near proximity to Madison county, steps were taken in 1812 for placing a naval squadron on Lake Ontario, at each end of which there was an important gateway through which the enemy operating from Canada could send expeditions to act on land or water. Numerous craft were purchased by the government and added to the Oneida, which was then the only armed vessel on the lake. Commodore Isaac Chauncey made his headquarters at Sack- ett's Harbor in the fall of 1812 and soon blockaded Kingston harbor with several vessels until the ice closed it in. Late in the autumn, in anticipation of an attack upon Ogdensburg, Gen. Jacob Brown was sent thither, where he arrived on October 1. He was none too early, for on the next day a flotilla of British vessels with about 750 men from Pres- cott, attacked the place, but they were soon repulsed. During the year 1813 the march of military events was rapid. Sackett's harbor was the chief depot of military and naval supplies on the northern frontier, and presented a tempting prize to the enemy. About noon of May 28, 1813, Sir James L. Yeo, commanding the British squadron, arrived off Sackett's Harbor from Kingston, with six armed vessels and forty bateaux carrying more than 1,000 troops. The harbor was feebly pro- tected and a prompt assault would have resulted in its capture; but the appearance of a few American gunboats, transporting a regiment to the harbor frightened away the enemy. An attack was made on the next
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day, and the Americans, believing the port would be taken, burned stores worth $500,000. The British at the same time seeing the hurry- ing to and fro of the Americans, fled in disorder to their vessels and the whole squadron sailed away. Sackett's Harbor was not again mo- lested, but was kept garrisoned throughout the conflict.
In June of that year an attack was made on Oswego by armed ves- sels, but their fire was sharply returned from the fort batteries and from the Growler, an armed vessel then in the harbor, and the enemy retired.
The principal military event of 1813 in the north was Perry's mem- orable victory over the British squadron on Lake Erie on the 10th of September, killing 200 and capturing 600 of the enemy and winning for himself undying fame. Operations were active also on the Niagara frontier that year, and culminated on the last day of December in the burning of Buffalo and Black Rock, a deed which the British justified by the previous burning of Newark on the Canada side by the Ameri- cans.
Early in 1814 it became apparent that the British intended a more vigorous prosecution of the war. The victories of the allies over Napoleon had relieved thousands of English soldiers and early in the summer 15,000 of Wellington's bronzed veterans were sent over to Canada. The inhabitants of central New York, as well ås elsewhere, received the news with deep concern. During the winter and spring the forces on either side of the St. Lawrence and the lakes made prep- arations for a determined struggle for the future control of Lake On- tario. Commodore Chauncey added largely to his fleet at Sackett's Harbor, which was finally armed and provisioned from Albany by way of the Mohawk, Oneida Lake, Oswego River and Lake Ontario. With him awaiting these stores, a large quantity of which were accumulated at Oswego, an auspicious opportunity was presented for a British attack upon that port. As soon as the ice left the lake at Kingston, Sir James Yeo sailed out with eight war vessels and about 3,000 men, and on the 5th of May appeared off Oswego. Fort Ontario had meanwhile been somewhat strengthened by five artillery companies under Colonel Mitch- ell, and the schooner Growler still lay in the river. Mitchell acted promptly when the British fleet made its appearance. He sent horse- men through the surrounding country calling on the militia to come to the aid of the garrison; the Growler was sunk in the middle of the river, and the crew and officers joined Mitchell at the fort. An old
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GENERAL PROGRESS IN THE COUNTY.
twelve-pounder cannon, was also sent down near to the shore a little west of the fort, to prevent an anticipated landing at that point. When the fleet had anchored, fifteen boats put off for the shore under protec- tion of a heavy cannonade from the vessels, to which Mitchell replied from the fort. But the old twelve-pounder was the decisive factor in the affair, for when the boats had approached quite near, the gun was fired directly among them with disastrous and demoralizing effect. Sev- eral boats were shattered and many of their crews were killed or wounded. A few more shots from the old gun, and the flotilla rowed hastily to the fleet which soon sailed away.
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