USA > New York > Madison County > Our county and its people : a descriptive and biographical record of Madison County, New York > Part 9
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Rev. Roswell Beckwith settled in Cazenovia in 1807; he was a Baptist minister and died in 1836. Bishop Tucker settled early in the southeast part of the town about two miles east of New Woodstock, and his chil- dren located on farms near by. Abiel Ainsworth, many years a deacon
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
and prominent member of the Baptist church, and Reuben Bryant were also early settlers; the latter located a mile east of Cazenovia village. The names and something of the lives of many other pioneers and later residents of this town will appear as we proceed and in Part II.
The inhabitants of this town, in common with those of other locali- ties, adopted measures very soon after their homes were established, to to provide their families with religious teaching. Within six years from the date of the first settlement, a religious organization was per- fected, and meetings had been held almost from the first. On Novem- ber 13, 1798, a meeting was held at the school house near the lake for the purpose of electing trustees for the Presbyterian congregation, at which Samuel S. Forman, Jedediah Turner, sr., Samuel Coats, sr., Asahel Jackson, Jeremiah Clark and Joseph Williams were elected, to be known as " The Trustees of the First Presbyterian Congregation of the town of Cazenovia." The trustees held their first meeting Novem- ber 17, 1798, when it was resolved to circulate a subscription paper to . raise funds in cash or produce, payable at John Lincklaen's mill near the lake, for the support of preaching. About a month later when the trustees again met the subscription stood as follows:
Jeremiah Clark $31.00
Samuel Forman 777.50
Jedediah Turner 19.00
Samuel R. Coats 39.00
Asahel Jackson 81.00
Joseph Williams 45.50
$293.00
Samuel S. Forman was chosen treasurer. On March 2, 1799, the trustees agreed to invite Rev. Joshua Leonard "to tarry with us awhile and preach."
At a later meeting it was agreed to allow him "$6 per Sabbath and pay all his expenses of board and horse-keeping, provided he does not settle with us." In April, 1799, after meetings had thus far been held in various places, sometimes inconveniencing many attendants, it was determined to raise a further sum of money and establish regular preach- ing at one place. Authority was therefore given the trustees to raise not to exceed $400 a year for three years for this purpose. This society organized May 17, 1799, under ministration of Rev. John Leonard, with the following members: Jedediah Turner, Jacob Dannals, John Tap-
SETTLEMENT OF TOWNS.
pan, Samuel Ruggles Coats, Anne Howd, Mary Dannals, Eunice Coats and Alethia Root; in the same month Mr. Leonard was engaged at a salary of $300 a year, and he was installed June 6, 1798, at the house of Simeon Garrett. New trustees were then elected and instructed to place a pulpit and seats in the school house which then stood just across the outlet bridge, where the present street turns toward the railroad station. Pastors succeeding Mr. Leonard were Revs. John Brown, 1813-29; Charles White, 1829-32; Eleazer S. Barrows, 1833-41; James Radcliff Davenport, 1844-46; E. J. Gillett, 1847-49; George S. Board. man, 1850-65; Nathaniel P. Campfield, 1865-68; David Torrey, 1869- 80; Wilton Merle Smith, 1881-84; Douglas Putney Bernie, 1885-90. The present pastor is Rev. S. E. Persons. A parsonage was built in 1816 at a cost of about $1,000. The first church building, erected in 1809, was occupied without material change until 1834, when improve- ments were made costing nearly $800. In 1841 a number of members left this society and formed a Free Congregational church, which built and worshiped in what became the Concert Hall. The session house connected with the Presbyterian church was built in 1854, and a new parsonage costing about $5,000 was erected in 1870.
The Baptists in this town organized a society almost simultaneously with that of the Presbyterians. Among the Baptists who settled near the site of New Woodstock were a number of active, zealous young men from Woodstock, Conn. Soon after the arrival of Rev. Joshua Leonard, as before mentioned, they were favored occasionally with preaching by Elder Nathan Baker, a licentiate from Pompey. In 1800 Elder James Bacon came on from Torrington, Mass., and through his efforts a church was organized the following year. On the 18th of March of that year the little band met and, as the record says, "hav- ing conversed about articles, both as to doctrine and practice, found ourselves so far agreed that we voted to send for a council to come and look into our standing." They then numbered only ten, but six others were baptized that spring, and the sixteen were fellowshiped June 17, 1801, at the house of Isaac Morse. Elder James Bacon was an old man and was succeeded in 1804 by Rev. John Peck, who continued there thirty-one years. Among later pastors of the church were Revs. John F. Bishop, Daniel Putnam, I. K. Brownson, John Fulton, N. Mumford, B. Morley, H. Garlick, P. C. Bentley, A. Le Roy, J. N. Tolman, and the present pastor, Rev. J. J. Keyes. A small log meeting house was built by this society in 1802, which was occupied until a few years later
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
when the church united with the Presbyterians in building a frame edi- fice. This was soon outgrown and in 1815 the present building was erected; it has been much improved since that time. In 1820 a num- ber of members of this old society withdrew to form a church in Caz- enovia village. No other church was organized in this town until after the formation of the county, though services were held in early years by the Methodists.
The records of this town from its formation in 1795 to 1804 are not in existence, which deprives the historian of the lists of early officers and probably of other material of value. The oldest record found gives the proceedings of a meeting held at the house of Capt. Ebenezer Johnson on the first Tuesday in March, 1804. At this meeting Luther Water- man was chosen moderator, and it was " Resolved, to reimburse Lem- uel Kingsbury, the sum of six dollars and eighteen cents for bad taxes." It was further "Resolved, that members of this meeting may wear their hats while attending said meeting, and that for the accommoda- tion of the people, we adjourn and meet on the common. Met accord- ingly and proceeded to choose town officers by ballot." The principal officers chosen were as follows: Supervisor, James Green; town clerk, Eliphalet S. Jackson; assessors, Ebenezer Lyon, Oliver Bugbee and Asa Dana; commissioners of highways, Isaac Morse, Asahel Jackson, Asa Dana; collector, Elisha Williams.
It was further resolved at this meeting, "that there be twenty Dol- lars of the town's money delivered to the town clerk for the purpose of procuring books for the use of the town, and that he be requested to draft off such of the old books as he shall think necessary, and as a compensation, he shall receive whatever it shall be judged to be worth by the Supervisor and Justices of the Peace of said town." It is a fair inference that the town clerk neglected to carry out his instructions re- garding the records, which will account for their absence in the early years.
It was further resolved, "that a bounty of twenty dollars shall be given by the town of Cazenovia for each wolf which shall be killed the ensueing year by any one or more of the inhabitants of said town; " another resolution provided for shutting up hogs. Road districts and pathmasters were then named and the meeting adjourned.
A special town meeting was held June 12, 1804, at the house of Eb- enezer Johnson, at which important measures were adopted relative to the perplexing question of where to locate the county seat. A com-
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SETTLEMENT OF TOWNS.
mittee of three was appointed to meet the commissioners appointed by the Legislature to act in the matter. The names of the committee were as follows: Dr. Isaac Lyman, Jeremiah Clark, Jeremiah Griffith.
The old records are full of data regarding the opening of new roads, building bridges and other public improvements. For example, in the year 1803 the amount paid out for repairing bridges was $121. At the annual town meeting for 1805 it was voted to divide the town into three districts, for each of which was to be nominated an assessor and à commissioner of highways. The sum of $20 was appropriated for maintenance of a pound, which it was voted to build in the north part.
The post office in Cazenovia has an interesting history which is, for- tunately, traceable back to the beginning of its existence. It was prob- ably opened by Mr. Lincklaen soon after his arrival and may have been partially maintained at his expense until its revenue was sufficient for the purpose. The document here inserted, which is still preserved, indicates that the office was under government control as early as Jan- uary, 1800, and is of deep interest in itself:
P. O. at Cazenovia, N. Y., in Acct. current with the General D. O. from 1st Oct., 1799, to 1st Jan'y, 1800 :-
Dr.
To postage of letters which remained in office last qr $ 1.5612
" postage of unpaid letters received from other offices this qr 18.68
" postage of letters undercharged from other offices this qr 1212
".postage of paid letters sent from this office this qr 33.5912
$53.9612
To balance as above, being amount of postage collected on letters this qr 51.6612 amount of postage on newspapers and pamphlets this qr 96
Cr. 52.6212
By postage of letters overcharged and sent this qr 58
" postage of letters now remaining in this office, 1.72
" balance carried down 51.6612
53.9612
" Coms. on 51 D. 66 12 c. Letter Postage, at 30 per cent $15 50
" Com. on-D. 96 c. Newspaper Postage at 50 per cent 48
15.98
" bal. due to the General P. O. paid Mr. Lincklaen, Esq , as per receipt, 36.6412
E. E. Jan'y 1, 1800 52.6212
S. S. F., P. M.
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
Rec'd Cazenovia, Dec. 31, 1800. of Samuel S. Forman, P. M., in this place, thirty dollars and ninety-two cents, being the balance due this qr. as per acct. J. Lincklaen.
The post-office was kept in Mr. Forman's store, but was removed to the store of Jabish N. M. Hurd as early as 1803, when Mr. Hurd was postmaster. He was succeeded in 1821 by Jesse Kilbourn, who kept it nineteen years. The later postmasters have been Justin Dwinelle, about two years; William Phillips, a short period; Rensselaer Jackson, to 1853; George Brown, 1853 to 1861; Seneca Lake and C. Hyde Beckwith, the latter holding it only about six months, not being con- firmed by the Senate; E. Bowen Crandall, 1867; John W. Howson, 1871 to 1883; F. M. Taylor, who was soon succeeded by Andrew Dardis; he died while in office, as also did his successor, William Crandall. John W. Howson was then again appointed in 1891 and held the office until 1896, when George W. Salisbury was appointed and is now in the office.
This town has been the site of a number of manufacturing industries of considerable importance, which, with the great changes of modern time in the production of goods of various kinds, have passed away; but, aside from the mills built by Mr. Lincklaen, before mentioned, none of the early industries was established before the erection of the county. Before that year (1806) a considerable mercantile interest had come into existence and the inhabitants could find at their doors nearly all the necessities of their households. The store opened by Mr. For- man was in a part of the first log building erected, near the foot of the lake, in close proximity to the site of the residence of L. W. Ledyard. The agreement between Mr. Lincklean and Mr. Forman in connection with this store and other operations relative to the settlement was as follows:
Articles of agreement made and concluded on in Philadelphia this seventeenth day of March, 1793, between Mr. Jno. Lincklaen of the one part and Samuel S. For- man of the other part, viz .: the said Forman engages to go with the said Lincklaen in the back parts of the State of New York, to form a settlement and take charge of all Merchandize as is assigned to him, transact the business under the directions of said Lincklaen, and in his absence said Forman to superintend generally the busi- ness to the best of his abilities.
The said Lincklaen on his part engages to pay the said Forman for his services Five hundred Spanish Milled Dollars per annum; one-half payable in six months from the commencement of the year, and the other half at the expiration thereof, in the city of New York, or the place of establishing the business, to be at the said Forman's option. Also the said Lincklaen engages to pay all expenses of said Foreman, viz. :
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SETTLEMENT OF TOWNS.
Travelling expenses, boarding, washing, lodging and every other expense that un- avoidably accrues while in the employ of said Lincklaen, and also will further give said Forman one hundred acres of land within the township where the store and settlement is to be fixed.
This agreement to continue for one year only, commencing on the twenty-fifth day of March instant in New York-the said Forman agrees to give up the said Land if the parties hereof do not agree for more than one year, or said Forman do not put a settler on it-the said Lincklaen agrees to pay said Forman's expenses back to New York (City) on the dissolution of their agreement.
In Witness whereof, the Parties have hereunto interchangeably sett their hands & seals, the day and year first above written.
Signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of P. JACOB SCHWARTZE.
N. B .- The word all [which we have marked with an * for convenience of reference] in the twentieth line from the top on the preceding side was inter- lined before the signing.
J. LINCKLAEN ANTZ. SAMUEL S. FORMAN.
The store established by Mr. Forman was subsequently acquired by himself and he continued in the village as a merchant about thirty years. The last store building occupied by him stood on the southwest corner of the public square. He removed to Peterboro and later to Syracuse.
Jabish N. M. Hurd settled in the village about 1800 and was a mer- chant in a store that stood on the northwest corner of the square next to the site of the Presbyterian church; he continued in business until about 1827, when he removed to Albany and there died, Eliakim Roberts was in trade in the village as early as 1803, on the southeast corner of the square, on the site of the Stanton House. Jacob Ten Eyck was also in mercantile business in the village from about 1804 and conducted a large trade to about 1830. Jesse Kilbourn, from Litch- field, Conn., settled in the village in 1806 and engaged in mercantile trade which he continued to his death in 1842. He was a prominent citizen, held several offices and was elected to the Assembly in 1832.
As will be seen from the foregoing pages of this chapter, the town and village of Cazenovia in 1806, when Madison county was formed, was a stirring, prosperous, though small, community, that was rapidly increasing in numbers. Two or three lawyers were already seeking, and probably finding, business in the village, and Dr. Isaac Lyman began practice in his profession in 1799 The Masonic Order, which so closely follows in the footsteps of the pioneers in every part of the country, formed United Brethren Lodge No. 78, on the 9th of May,
6
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
1799, with Jeremiah Clark, master, and the forest was being cleared away to make room for the attractive homes that soon appeared through- out the town.
The only remaining town to be noticed, that was organized previous to the formation of the county, is De Ruyter, which was erected March 15, 1798, from Cazenovia and then included the present towns of Lincklaen, Otselic and Pitcher, which were set off at the time of the formation of Madison county, and Georgetown, set off April 7, 1815. On this date a small part of Cazenovia was annexed. The town was named from Admiral De Ruyter, of the Dutch navy, and at the sug- gestion of John Lincklaen, the pioneer. It is in the southwest corner of the county and bounded north by Cazenovia, east by Georgetown, south by Lincklaen, and west by Fabius and Cuyler. Its present terri- tory lies wholly within the Gore. The surface is a hilly upland the elevations rising from 400 to 500 feet above the valleys, through which extends the valley of the upper Tioughnioga; this stream, with numer- ous small tributaries, flows in a general westerly direction, giving the town abundant water and drainage. The soil on the hills is sandy and gravelly loam of good quality, watered by frequently appearing pure springs, rendering it admirable for grazing. . In the valleys is found a rich alluvium, well adopted to the various grains. The farmers of the town, as will be seen further on, have always given their principal at- tention to dairying.
The northwest part of the town is underlaid with the rocks of the Hamilton group, and in the other parts the Ithaca group comes to the surface. Neither of these rocks has been extensively quarried in this town. What is now a branch of the Lehigh Valley Railroad (formerly the Utica, Ithaca and Elmira and later the Elmira, Cortland and Northern) extended across the northern part of the town and through De Ruyter village.
Settlement was begun in De Ruyer in 1793 by Elijah and Elias Ben- jamin, brothers, and Eli Colegrove, the Benjamins coming from Dutchess county and locating in the northwest corner of the town on 150 acres which constitute the farm of Benjamin Merchant. Elias soon moved to the Philander Burton place a mile north of the village site. Both brought their families with teams of horses. Elijah had three sons who came with him, Elias P., David, and Elijah E., and five other children were born after his settlement. He sold his improve- ments in 1808 to Benjamin Merchant and removed to Cuyler. Elias
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SETTLEMENT OF TOWNS.
P. Benjamin married a daughter of Joseph Rich, of De Ruyter, settled on Mr. Rich's farm and operated his mills. David Benjamin married another daughter of Mr. Rich and also settled on the farm, whence he removed about 1820 to Ohio. Elijah E. Benjamin settled on his father's farm in Cuyler, but subsequently removed to De Ruyter, where he lived to a great age. He had thirteen children, one of whom was Horace Benjamin of this town. Frederick Benjamin, born in De Ruyter in 1794, was the first white child born in the town. After be- ing twice married he removed to Belvidere, Ill., about 1836 and there died. Charles Benjamin, son of Elijah, settled in De Ruyter, followed shoemaking and died in the village.
Elias Benjamin, the other pioneer of that name, was a shoemaker and followed that occupation some years on the Burton farm; he subse- quently removed to Lincklaen and thence to Truxton, where he died leaving no children.
Eli Colegrove was from Rhode Island and settled near Elijah Benja- min's homestead; he afterwards moved to another farm a little farther north and died there. His original homestead has been divided into smaller places.
A prominent settler of 1795 was Joseph Messenger, who located about a mile north of the village and built a double log house in which in 1796 he opened the first tavern in the town. For many years his house was a popular resort for the many who were seeking homes in this county and on the Military Tract, who always found there a hospi- table reception. In the same year Samuel Thompson settled on the Thomas Doan place and resided there until his death at the age of ninety years. He was a crack shot and a noted hunter, which gave him the local appellation of Leather Stocking. Among his children were Langdon, Hiram who was killed by a falling tree, Jefferson, Har- riet (married Epaphras Leet), Laura, and a daughter who became Mrs. Pulford. William and Thompson Burdick, brothers, were pioneers of 1795, and settled a little south of the site of the reservoir. They raised large families and were ancestors of the numerous families of that name in this vicinity. At about this time, also, Russell Walker settled in the vicinity of the Burdicks; he was grandfather of Henry S. Wal- ker, now a merchant of De Ruyter village.
Daniel Page, Gideon Foster and Eleazer Gage were pioneers of a little later date, the former coming from Dutchess county and settling in the village, where he built the first public house in the corporation ;
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
it was a log building, which was replaced about 1806 by a frame struc- ture which stood until recent years. Mr. Page was a practical surveyor and did not remain long in the town, but a hotel was kept in the build- ing he occupied at intervals until 1863. Gideon Foster died in the spring of 1796 from hernia produced by over-exertion, and was buried on the farm of Elijah Benjamin; this was the first death in the town.
Eleazer Gage brought in with him his sons Justus, Jeremiah, Ira and Ebenezer, all of whom had previously married, and settled about a mile north of the village site. Justus settled where Charles Weeks now lives and died there in 1830. Capt. Jeremiah located where Dwight F. Taylor now resides, two miles north of the village; he kept a tavern there several years, but removed to the village a few years before his death, which took place in 1844. Ebenezer settled where Horace Wells recently died. Ira was the first school teacher in the town, be- ginning in 1799 in a log building which stood on the farm occupied in recent years by Isaac Higley, which had been erected for a dwelling; he removed in early years to Ohio. The Gage families were once numerous in this section, and had many members who were much re. spected.
In about the year 1800 Jonathan Shed, from Brimfield, Mass., settled in the northeast part of the town at the corners that still bear his name. Matthew Wells settled about the same time, and Darius Benjamin and Samuel Bowen soon after. Mr. Wells was a native of Hopkinton, R. I., and removed thence to Rensselaer county, N. Y., and from there to De Ruyter, settling three miles north of the village, where he died in 1852. Darius Benjamin was a brother of the two pioneers of that name and settled within the present village corporation; his farm was sub- sequently divided into village lots.
Levi Wood, from Munson, Mass., lived for a time in Brimfield in that State, and came to this town in 1803; he brought in his family the following year and located on lot 55. About the same time Sylvester Crumb came on from Rhode Island and settled on what has ever since borne the name of Crumb Hill, four miles east of the village; he died there at an early day.
Joseph Rich was from Woodstock, Conn., and settled in this town about 1807, purchasing the Elias Benjamin farm, as before stated; this became the well known Burton farm. He and his wife both died there, and their two daughters (their only children) married sons of Elijah Benjamin. Mr. Rich built in 1807 a saw mill and in 1809 a grist mill
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SETTLEMENT OF TOWNS.
on the branch of the Tioughnioga, which flows through the farm; the the site of the mills was about a mile north of the village. They were the first mills in the town. These mills were operated until the con- struction of the reservoir for the supply of the Erie Canal, which de- stroyed the privilege. The grist mill was converted into a cheese factory, elsewhere noticed, the original mill having been rebuilt in 1836 ; the saw mill was taken down and the frame used in building an addi- tion to the grist mill. There was another saw mill on the site of the vil- lage, which was built soon after settlement began, on the site of which a later one was built by Joseph Crumb; there was also an early grist mill at the village.
Jonathan Bentley and Benjamin Merchant were pioneers of about the year 1808. The former was from Rhode Island originally, but re- moved to Washington county, N. Y., while young. When he came to De Ruyter his two sons, Hamilton S. and Zadock T., accompanied him. He located on fifty acres in the north part of the town and there died in 1841. Benjamin Merchant was from Woodstock, Conn., and purchased Elijah Benjamin's farm, where he resided a few years and died from an epidemic disease. His son Bradley succeeded to the farm and also died there. Bradley had sons, M. R. and Rollin, who lived in De Ruyter, and Warren, who moved away.
At about the date now under consideration a large number of Friends (Quakers) left the Hudson River country, Saratoga, Westchester and Dutchess counties, and settled in De Ruyter and in the adjoining towns of Cuyler and Truxton. Prominent among them were Job Webb and Benjamin Stratton, from Hudson; Abram Sutton, who became a prom- inent citizen and was father of Allen Sutton, and carried on a large tanning business with his sons many years; John Shepard, from Sara- toga; James Hunt, father of William, Elihu, and other sons who became heads of families; Nathaniel Wright, from Saratoga county; John Pierce, from New York; Reuben Barnard, from Columbia county, who settled on Crumb Hill; John Gifford, a preacher from Troy, who set- tled two miles south of Crumb Hill; Ephraim Arnold, a tanner, who settled in Quaker Basin, and Beman Hoag also located in that section; Capt. Francis Bunker, who had commanded a vessel on the Hudson, settled with his family about a mile north of the village; David Wood and John Hewitt, from Saratoga county; Richard North, from Colum- bia county, who settled first in the village and removed to the south hill; Joseph, Thomas and Benjamin Mitchell, brothers, the latter a
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