USA > New York > Madison County > Our county and its people : a descriptive and biographical record of Madison County, New York > Part 32
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The Oneida Rubber Tire Works of Theodore Coles are doing a large
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business in the industry indicated by the name. All kinds of rubber tires for vehicles and bicycles are produced. The business was begun in 1896.
The manufacture of cigars in Oneida has long been an important in- dustry. The firm of Powell & Goldstein (Julius M. Goldstein, J. E. Powell), established about 1879, now employs about 175 hands, and their product reaches more than 6,000,000 cigars annually. Since Mr. Powell's death Mr. Goldstein has carried on the business alone under the old firm name. Other cigar manufacturers are J. M. Bennett, Kenny Brothers, and Bennett & Hard.
Some of the hotels of Oneida have large historical interest to local readers. The fact of the building of the Railroad House by Sands Higinbotham and his securing the stoppage of every train here for re- freshments has been noticed a few pages back; it was a shrewd move and brought the first hotel a good patronage, at the same time that it gave the railroad company a right of way which is now very valuable. The Railroad House was what is now the Allen House, although to a small extent enlarged. The actual building of this house was begun in 1838 by S. H. and Ira S. Hitchcock. It was finished and in April, 1839, was opened by Henry Y. Stewart. He kept it only a year when Erasmus Stone became proprietor and was landlord until 1845. Robert Wear came from Massachusetts and then kept the house about two years, when it passed to John W. Allen, who made it a popular public house for many years. E. B. Kenfield is present proprietor.
What is now the Madison House was formerly a dwelling and was rebuilt for a hotel by David Blodgett, who kept it a few years. After several changes it came under proprietorship of R. H. Northrup and was called the Northrup House. J. V. Richardson is the present pro- prietor.
What was formerly a residence begun by O. T. Burt of Syracuse was purchased and finished by Heman Phelps, then superintendent of the railroad, who occupied it from about 1840. In about the year 1860 it was purchased by the Messingers and moved forward and altered into a hotel. Chauncey Bacon kept it as the Bacon House a few years and finally bought it. It had other names and finally passed to the present owner, Barney Ratnour; Charles H. Moshier is proprietor.
The very numerous merchants of Oneida who have been in business during the past twenty-five years cannot, of course, find mention here in detail. Many of them will be found in Part III of this work and
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their business careers noticed in that connection. Among the older and more prominent ones, some of whom are still in trade, may prop- erly be mentioned the following: William J. Farnam, successor of his father, S. H. Farnam, who began business here in 1862; Kimball & Dunbar, whose business was started nearly forty years ago by Turner & Farnam; Munroe & Parsons, whose business began in 1887; Water- man & Hodges, which is a lineal successor of the clothing business started by C. I. Walrath as far back as 1846; M. J. Dewey, who is known throughout central New York as a successful piano and music dealer of nearly thirty-five years past; Meader & Lype, successors of Cole & Meader, who began in 1869, the present firm in 1878; Dwight Chapin, one of the oldest established news stores in central New York; C. A. & D. H. Walrath, T. G. Seeley, S. H. Farnam, S. Chapin and S. Chapin, jr., Henry Rivenburgh, William Lyle, Doliver House, Thomas Angel, John M. Kennedy, William C. Lawrence, J. M. Goldstein, S. H. Water- man, William E. Hazeltine, William M. Baker, John E. Stone, Simeon and Elijah Kenyon, Allen S. Clark, Theodore Carter, J. W. Warner, Dwight Chapin, L. J. Myers, B. S. Teale, Rhody Toher, James F. Cody, Thomas Coniff, A. H. Niles, James H. Niles, C. W. Mott, William Mott, C. W. Chappell, John Maxwell, Sands H. Goodwin, Theodore Hand, Walter E. Northrup, A. B. French, M. J. Dewey, H. M. Rey- nolds, E. Emmons Coe, Ambrose E. Sawyer, William S. Leete, A. E. Loomis, J. V. Richardson, Ezra Clark, Seymour Harvey, C. F. Polley, T. E. Main, Loring Munroe, James N. Bates, E. E. Coon, Albert Mar- cellus, R. B. Ruby, R. W. Hill, Alonzo Randall, A. W. Barker, Sidney W. Moore, George and August Schubert, R. A. Stewart, Thomas O'Brien, G. A. Quackenbush, Charles House, William R. Williams, Prentice D. Cheney, George F. Avery, N. L. Cramer, Lawrence Kenna, Charles E. Remick, John Barrett, E. C. Saunders, W. I. Tillotson, R. B. Downing, Herbert Douglass, Norman Lype, W. Jerome Hickox.
In recent years the wholesale trade of the village has developed into importance, considering the size of the place. Such houses as that of Douglass & Downing, in wholesale groceries; Clark, Whitman & War- ner, dry goods and clothing; Kimball & Dunbar, hardware, paints, etc .; H. Rivenburgh, crockery and glassware; J. H. Cool, drugs, etc .; Eells & Mott, carriages and wagon supplies; and others give the village a prominent business position among the thriving communities of the State.
The Oneida Chamber of Commerce was organized in 1889, for the
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promotion of general business interests in the town through induce- ments that might be offered to manufacturers and tradesmen to locate here, and the individual welfare of existing interests. Nearly all the leading business men of the village became members and the organiza- tion has been able to effect much benefit. The officers are R. B. Down- ing, president; W. E. Douglass, vice-president; James A. Babcock, secretary; G. L. Scheifele, treasurer. There is a board of fifteen di- rectors, and committees are appointed on manufacturing, public im- provements, finance, transportation, membership, insurance and license for sale of merchandise.
There have been less newspaper changes in Oneida than in most vil- lages of its size. This is, however, partly due to the fact that the first one was not started until 1851, when the Oneida Telegraph made its appearance under the editorship of D. H. Frost. The paper was dis- continued in 1854 on account of Mr. Frost's failing health. A few months later John Crawford became owner of the property and em- ployed Ira D. Brown as editor, giving the paper the name of the Sachem. Mr. Brown was an excellent writer and the paper gained un- der his control. In 1863 the name of the paper was again changed to the Dispatch, and Edward H. Spooner became a partner in the business. In 1866 the establishment passed to Purdy & Jackson, and in 1870 Mr. Purdy retired and Myron M. Allen took his interest. In July, 1880, Al- bert P. Potter, then city editor of the Syracuse Standard, acquired, Mr. Allen's interest and the firm became Jackson & Potter. Mr. Potter re- tired and the firm became Jackson Brothers (D. A. & L. C. Jackson), which continued until the death of the senior member of the firm. The paper was then published by the Dispatch Printing Company until April, 1899, since which date it has been conducted by the Oneida Dis- patch Company, the firm consisting of R. J. Fish and Charles E. Roberts; the latter is editor and manager.
In October, 1856, Levi S. Backus started the Democratic Union in the village of Hamilton, this county. He sold it the following year to W. H. Baker who in 1863 moved the plant to Oneida. Mr. Baker con- tinued in the business with marked success, considering the size of the place until his death on June 15, 1872. On the 1st of August, 1872, the present firm took possession of the establishment and for more than twenty-five years have made the Union one of the best country news- papers in the State. Sketches of the lives of Mr. Baker and Mr. Maxon will be found in Part II.
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The Oneida Post, now published every Saturday by Hugh Parker, was established in 1883 by the Post Publishing Company, the first num- ber being issued December 15, 1883. It is now an eight page paper, Republican in politics. Mr. Parker succeeded Rathbone & Ryan. R. J. Fish, Charles Parks and others have at different times been connected with the paper.
The Oneida Free Press was started as an independent weekly in 1880 by W. Hector Gale, a practical printer and native of Oneida. It was discontinued in March, 1896, on account of the ill health of the proprie- tor
The oldest religious organization in Oneida is St. John's Episcopal Church which was organized May 6, 1843, under charge of Rev. Ste- phen H. Batlin of Rome. The first wardens were William V. Wins- low and Hulbert G. Wetmore. From that time until 1858 the little congregation was ministered to by six or eight different pastors. In the year named Niles Higinbotham with characteristic generosity gave the society a lot and a chapel was erected thereon. Services were kept up by different pastors from other places until March, 1860, when Rev. Edward Pidoley became the first rector. Pastors who have succeeded him have been Revs. W. H. Van Antwerp, H. V. Gardner, George G. Perine, George T. Le Boutellier, George P. Hibbard and John Arthur. In 1873 the chapel was enlarged and on July 15, 1895, the corner stone was laid for the present beautiful church.
At a meeting held at the house of Sands Higinbotham early in 1844 it was resolved by the nine persons present, including Mr. Higinbotham and his son Niles, to organize a Presbyterian church. The services of Rev. James Nichols were soon afterwards secured and he preached in a school room on Madison street. The society was organized at a meet- ing held March 1, 1844, and the organization was perfected under the title of the Trustees of the Oneida Depot Presbyterian Society, with James Stewart, Jeremiah Cooper, and S. H. Goodwin, trustees. A building committe was appointed to join with the trustees in collecting money with which to build a meeting house. The society was incor- porated March 25, 1844, and the formal organization took place on the 13th day of June, with thirty members, twenty of whom were from the Wampsville church, The name then taken was the Presbyterian Church of Oneida Valley (subsequently shortened by dropping the last word) and David Blackman, Heman Phelps, James Stewart, Jeremiah Cooper and Charles L. Gardner were chosen elders. The meeting house was
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dedicated in January, 1845. This church was superseded by the one now in use. Rev. James Nichols was called to the pastorate in Febru- ary, 1845, and continued until 1851, when he was followed by Rev. C. R. Gregory, who remained until 1864. Later pastors have been Revs. Charles E. Robinson, D. D., George D. Baker, and Rev. Samuel Jes- sup, D. D.
The Baptist Church Society was organized in 1842 at Oneida Castle, with thirteen members. Rev. Seymour Adams was the first pastor, preaching one-third of the time, and Rev. D. D. Ransom the remainder until the church was removed to Oneida in 1848. On April 4, of that year the name was changed to the Oneida Baptist Society, and Henry Marshall, Ralph K. Ellinwood, and B. B. Stoddard were elected trus- tees. In 1848 Elder L. S. Huntley became pastor. A meeting house was built in 1849, which was occupied until 1888 when the present handsome edifice was erected. In March 1849, the Oneida Castle con- gregation was added to the church, which is now in a prosperous condi- tion under the ministrations of Rev. Charles C. Maxfield.
The Methodist Episcopal Church of Oneida was organized November 25, 1850. Services in this faith had been held here some years previ- ously, but not with regularity. Rev. W. E. York was the first pastor; he was settled in 1850 and served one year, preaching in the morning here and afternoons at Oneida Castle. A subscription was solicited and under the charge of David A. Parkhill, George Parkhurst, and Reuben Pomeroy, as building committee, a meeting house was erected. The first trustees were Sidney Rivenburgh, Ford Pilcher, George Parkhurst, Reuben Pomeroy, A. W. Stevens, James Bonner, and Aaron Yale. Rev. Isaac Foster succeeded Mr. York after one year and during his pastorate the present brick edifice was built; it has since undergone ex- tensive changes and improvements. The usual long succession of pas- tors have served this congregation, ending with Rev. J. F. Beebe.
St. Joseph's Catholic Church was the outgrowth of an organization formed with the ultimate purpose of erecting a meeting house for the accommodation of those who had been attending at the German Catho- lic church in Durhamville. When they were ready to build the bishop insisted upon the formation of a society, which was done under the above title, and the church edifice was built in 1893. Its cost was about $5,000. A school building was erected in 1898. About sixty families attend the church, which is under the pastoral care of Rev. B. W Goossens.
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The history of St. Patrick's Church in Oneida begins with the pro- ceedings of a meeting held in the spring of 1843, at which it was re- solved to build a meeting house. Previous to that time there had been no regular Catholic services held in the little village, where there were only ten or twelve families of this faith. A small wooden structure was accordingly built and the congregation began to prosper, paying for the church and largely increasing in numbers by 1851. In that year the mission at Oneida was separated from the Rome parish, and Rev. Patrick Kenna was sent here. In the spring of 1851 was begun the erection of the now old St. Patrick's church on the corner of Main and Walnut streets. The building was of wood and cost about $2,800. Father Kenna died in 1856 and was succeeded by Rev. John McDer- mott, who died in the following year. He was succeeded by the Rev. James A. O'Hara, who continued until 1857, when he went to Syracuse to begin his long period of ministration to the congregation of St. Mary's church in that city. Rev. James Maurice Sheehan came to St. Patrick's church in 1859, remaining until 1862, when he was followed by Rev. William F. Sheehan. He remained five years and was fol- lowed by Rev. William Fennelly, whose pastorate continued twenty years, until 1886, when he died. He was succeeded by Rev. James A. Kelley, who is still in charge of the parish. The present beautiful and costly edifice was erected in 1888-89. The tenth anniversary is to be held in 1899, for which purpose the edifice will be redecorated, three marble altars built and a large organ installed. The church owns a fine rectory on Main street and a cemetery of thirty-five acres.
St. Paul's German Evangelical Church was organized during the pas- torate of Rev. Jacob Vosseler, who was sent here by the Conference in 1890. Previous to that year services had been held by Revs. Jacob Burkhardt, who divided his time between this place and New London from 1878 to 1880; Phillip Spaeth, to 1882; Samuel Bean to 1883, from which time the Conference made no appointment until 1887. Rev. H. P. Merle was then appointed, and was succeeded by Rev. Henry Horn, who was followed by Rev. Vosseler, as stated. Services had thus far been held in the session room of the old Presbyterian church and in the G. A. R. hall. The church edifice was dedicated in 1891. The present pastor is Rev. A. Luescher.
The Free Methodist Church was organized about 1875, by Rev. B. T. Roberts. The membership increased and about ten years later a small meeting house was built. The pulpit is now supplied by two
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women evangelists. A Methodist society of colored people has been in existence here many years and is now in charge of Rev. M. H. B. Ross.
The remaining village of most importance in the old town of Lenox (now Lincoln), is Clockville, which is now only a small hamlet about two miles south of Canastota. In early years there was an active busi- ness interest here, before trade was drawn northward by the construc- tion of the railroads. As stated on a previous page, the place took its name from the Klock family, of whom Conrad was the father and settled here with his sons, Joseph, John and Conrad, in 1792. Descendants of this family have been prominent in this vicinity many years. The little settlement that gathered about the mill and stores at this point was known for a period as Shippeville, from an old tavern-keeper named Shippe The place took its present name when the post office was established. Peleg Card was the first postmaster, and was suc- ceeded by Col. Stephen Chapman, progenitor of a very prominent family in the history of the town and father of B. Frank Chapman, who succeeded in the office. Among later postmasters, the list of whom cannot be made wholly complete, were Frank Blye, Lyman Hicks, Harry Simons, Robert B. Beal, Charles Miller, J. Otis Tuttle, S. K. Pettitt, Robert B. Beal again, and George Way, the present official.
Thomas Lawrence was a settler here in 1806 and built the stone house near the village, which is still standing; he was a progressive citizen and did much for the improvement of roads, built an early plaster mill, etc. He died May 9, 1866. Harry Simon was an early blacksmith, settled here in 1827 and died at an advanced age. Marvin Keeney was a settler here of 1834 and held the office of justice of the peace. In 1836 there was a grist mill in operation, two stores, two taverns, a saw mill, two churches and about seventy dwellings in the place. In 1840 the population was 250 and the business interests had not much advanced.
The trip hammer shop was established at Clockville prior to 1820 and excellent scythes and other implements were made many years. It was long ago closed up. There was another similar shop, called the upper shop to distinguish it from the first one, but did not long remain in operation. A third trip-hammer shop was put in operation in 1827 by Peter Parsalian. This was afterwards occupied for a wagon shop and was finally converted into a cheese factory by Nathaniel Kaiser. All of these buildings have disappeared.
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The Clockville grist mill was built in 1827 by Brooks & Nye, who sold it to Gerrit S. Sayles. It was burned in 1856 and rebuilt by Giles Cranson. Austin A. Watson owned it later and in 1875 sold it to Will- iam Clow. It was burned down in 1896. The iron work for this mill was made by Harry Simons, before mentioned.
It is not now known just when the saw mill was built nor who by, but it was probably in operation as soon as the grist mill. The old mill is still in existence, with a cider mill and cheese box factory in connec- tion.
There was an early grist mill built in 1820 by J. D. Nellis, on the road to Lenox Furnace. Other later owners of it were S. Bennett, H. H. Hathaway, Wright & Baker, and S. Pettitt. The building is still in existence. In 1866 Joseph L. Mansfield founded a factory here for the manufacture of horse hay forks, which developed into a very suc- cessful business. It was carried on in a building that was formerly a woolen factory which was established by Colon Brooks about 1840. Other implements were made at this factory, which ultimately passed to Patten & Stafford, who manufactured wheel rakes, as noticed a few pages back.
In olden times the taverns at these turnpike villages did a thriving business and several were in prosperous existence in this vicinity. The tavern of old Shippe has been mentioned, and in early years another was kept about a half a mile from the village, at the Corners, by a man named Fort. In 1827 Charles Lints opened a public house which was subsequently conducted by Peleg Card and by his widow after his death. Solomon Wilcox was the owner of the house at his death in 1866, and his widow sold it to William Skinner. He improved it and sold to Daniel Betsinger, who sold it to Charles Suits. It then took the name of the Suits House, or the upper house, to distinguish it from the lower house. It has ever since been kept as a hotel.
The lower house was opened in 1827 by a Mr. Bowman. Daniel H. King was later a proprietor until 1866 when it was sold to Frederick Hubbard. After that time the house had numerous proprietors. It was burned about five years ago.
Clockville had its early lawyer in the person of Stephen Chapman who settled there in 1820 and was for many years a prominent and respect- ed citizen. He was followed by his son, B. F. Chapman, who was in practice until 1880, when he moved his office to Oneida. George W. Chapman practiced here some years; but the place is now without a resident practicing lawyer.
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Physicians of past years were Drs. Avery, Mitchell, Charles McCon- nell, who settled here in 1876, and Messinger. There is no physician there now.
Of the earliest mercantile operations at this place little is now known. As before stated there were two stores in 1836, and ever since there has been one or two containing stocks sufficient for the local needs. Ben- jamin Bort opened a shoe shop in 1850 and was soon succeeded by J. D. Walrath, who about 1852 put in a general stock. In 1853 the store was closed but reopened by H. H. Hathaway, with a stock of drugs. He sold a year later to Giles S. Cranson, who subsequently sold his stock at auction and closed the store. J. D. Walrath reopened it and was succeeded by J. Otis Tuttle, and later S. K. Pettitt, J. L. Law- rence, Dudley Johnson, and Frank Clow, the present proprietor.
The so-called upper store also has had numerous proprietors alter- nated with periods of idleness, among them being S. K. Pettitt, H. H. Hathaway, Levi Miller, Charles Miller, and others. It is now conduct- ep by John Ritter.
Rufus Fancher established a boot and shoe shop in 1857, in which business he was succeeded by his son, F. M. Fancher, who subsequently closed it out.
This place was formerly in school district No. 4 of the town of Lenox. The first school meeting here was held at the house of Stephen Chap- man in June, 1814. The trustees were then Stephen Chapman, John I. D. Nellis, and David Fowler. Measures were taken to build a school house resulting in the erection of a building twenty-four feet square which cost $100. The first teacher was Peleg Card. In 1820 the num- ber of the district was changed to 6, and in the next year Samuel Glid- den taught; he was succeeded the next winter by Julius A. Spencer. A new school house was finished in the fall of 1824, 24 by 30 feet dimen- sions and costing $350. This was occupied until 1853 when the present building was erected.
A church site on Oak Hill was deeded in 1832 to the trustees of The First Methodist Protestant Episcopal Society of Lenox, consisting of Sylvester Beecher, Silas Sayles, Isaac I. Forbes, Christian Kilts, and John Seeber; the deed was from Christian and Catherine Kilts. A meeting house was at once erected on the lot and the church continued in existence some years. It was subsequently disbanded and the land passed to the possession of Stephen Chapman.
The Methodist Episcopal Church of Clockville was organized June
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28, 1848. Rev. Calvin Flint and Adam Klock presided at the meeting, and Mr. Flint, Adam Klock, John T. Parkell, Thomas Lawrence, George Best, and B. F. Chapman were elected trustees. This society purchased from Mr. Capman the old Methodist church and moved it to its later site. It is in use for a town hall. The usual long succession of pastors has ministered to the congregation. The present church edifice was built in 1894.
The Baptist Church of Lenox was organized in 1847 and the meeting house was built in the next year. Most of the original members were residents of the Mile Strip, where it was at first determined to build a church. It passed out of existence many years ago.
Clockville is the largest business center in the new town of Lincoln created by the division of old Lenox, as before described. The bound- aries of the new town are shown approximately on the map herein. The town contains 14,889 acres and has an assessed valuation of $452,- 875. In 1897, the year after the division, H. H. Hathaway was elected supervisor. In 1898, Levi J. Carver was elected to the office.
There is still a small business interest and post-office at Wampsville, the settlement of which has been described. Irene Cobb is postmis- tress. The post-office was opened about 1824 with William Spencer, post- master ; he kept a public house on the turnpike, and an early store, where Thomas T. Loomis was the first merchant. Franklin Johnson, Ward & Case, and Ward & Smith were later merchants. A. A. Loucks began trade in 1879, succeeding Rush Parkhurst and still continues. The Wampsville Presbyterian Society was organized in April, 1828, at the school house and James Stewart, Jared N. Avery, and Elisha Cranson were the first trustees. A meeting house was built in 1832, and was ex- tensively repaired in 1872.
Oneida Valley is a hamlet in the extreme northeastern part of the new town of Lenox, where there is a post-office, with Fred C. Parker, postmaster. A hotel has been kept here many years, the building hav- ing been burned in 1876 and rebuilt, after which it was kept by J. O. Goff, and others. August and Andrew Anderson formerly kept a store, as also did Daniel Farnham. A hotel and a store are now in existence here.
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