USA > New York > Oneida County > Our county and its people; a descriptive work on Oneida county, New York; > Part 31
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Spann Kellogg
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THE CITY OF UTICA.
Pond at about this time became associated with Ephraim Hart in the foundry business and later with Robert Higham in the Vulcan Works at West Utica. Others first noticed in 1825 are A. & S. Lightbody, leather dealers; Hastings & Co., grocers ; Matthew Codd, brewer ; S. A. Sibley, tinsmith; N. F. & J. Vedder, and Peter McDougal, leather dealers.
Alfred Churchill was a new-coming hotel keeper of 1827. He was at first an assistant and soon a partner of Moses Bagg, where he re- mained to 1836, at which time the hotel passed to a stock company of which Mr. Churchill was a member, and he continued to conduct it until his death, January 10, 1865.
Thorn & Curtis now bought out Charles Morris in the forwarding business on Jay street, which continued to recent years. Other names of 1827 are Simon V. Oley, shoemaker ; Abram Williams and Robert Latimore, merchant tailors; William B. Gray, saddler ; J. McElwaine, livery ; Ransom Curtis, general merchant.
Gardner Tracy came to Utica from Lansingburg, where he had been prominent in politics and conducted a paper. Here he began printing and bookselling. He was a man of high character and widely respected ; he died May 25, 1849, and was succeeded by his son George. Elisha A. Maynard was a printer of 1828, who was a partner with Mr. Dauby in the Observer, and the merchants of these closing years of the village existence were Cooper & Ellis, Cornelius Swartout, William W. Backus, John R. Ludlow, F. K Boughton & Co, John Latimore, Alfred Hunt (Stocking & Hunt), Benedict & Roby, Chauncey Rowe, William J. Buck (Dana & Buck), E. S. Comstock, Jonas Fay ; while among mechanics who were new-comers were Philo Curtis, Joseph D. Daniels, Ebenezer Leach, H. S. Bradley, Benjamin F. Brooks; Richard Hunt- ington, silversmith ; Noah White,1 potter; S. H. Addington, stoneware manufacturer ; C. O. Nye, carpenter ; Sylvester Doolittle, boat builder ; Walton & Hardaway, saddlers; Morgan James, lastmaker; J. D. Ed- wards, painter; Z. & P. Lyon, E. W. Blake, merchant tailors; John
1 Noah White and family settled in Utica in 1828. He was a potter by trade and with his son, Nicholas A., formed a business connection with Samuel H. Addington, who owned a pottery where the present West Utica Pottery now stands. Mr. White and his son soon bought out Mr. Addington and for nearly fifty years N. A. White was prominently connected with the works. In 1851 he was a member of the Common Council, in 1858 of the Board of Supervisors, and in 1873 was elected to the Assembly. He died August 9, 1886.
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
Hale, Isaac Bond, masons ; John Mairs, tinner ; Mulford R. Bond, shoe- maker and afterward grocer and hosemaker ; Benjamin Arnott, shoe- maker ; John B. Harrington.
Elisha M. Gilbert began about this time as a dry goods dealer and in 1832 took up the leather business, at first with John Williams. He was prosperous and acquired wealth ; was a director in the Bank of Utica, and donated the chapel to the Westminster church. He died March 16, 1868. Another leather dealer who now embarked in long continued business was Edward Curran, who was successful until his death, June 27, 1858.
Chauncey Palmer, a carpenter, settled in Utica in 1825, and was en- gaged as a builder for fifty-five years. He erected a part of Bagg's Hotel, the Herald building, the Dudley Triangle, the Globe Mills, and many important structures. With Lewis Lawrence he operated the planing mill put in motion by Philo C. Curtis and for thirty-five years had a foundry in connection with his carpenter shop. He died June 10, 1884. Another prominent and esteemed carpenter was John J. Francis, whose parents were children of early Welsh settlers in Utica.
William D. Hamlin, who probably first came to Utica in 1822, was a successful wagonmaker, a director and second vice-president of the Second National Bank and president of the water company. Moses T. Meeker was another coachmaker who afterwards dealt largely in iron and coal and acquired wealth. He died September 19, 1874.
Joseph Shearman, nephew of Ebenezer Shearman, came to live with his uncle when fourteen years old, and about 1830 engaged in dry goods trade ; later he was a partner with his uncle and they remained together till 1840, when both sold out and engaged in cotton manufac- ture at New Hartford, which the nephew continued until 1865 retaining his Utica residence.
As merchants should be mentioned Sylvester Aylsworth, Haynes, Lord, C. Holgate, Ezra Dean, Oliver Obear, Herring & Whiting, Thomas Perkins, John Baxter, Leonard & White, and perhaps a few others who were in business when the village became a city.1
1 Daniel Crouse, long a leading Utica merchant, was born in Montgomery county April 20, 1805. With his brother John he was in business in Canastota until 1853 and afterwards alone until 1860, when he established a wholesale grocery in Utica, of which his son, D. N. Crouse, for a time had the management; this became one of the foremost houses of the kind in the city. He was a pro-
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THE CITY OF UTICA.
The reader who has learned in the foregoing pages something of the personal characteristics and material achievements of so many of the fathers of Utica, will find in the two preceding chapters devoted to the legal and medical professions (as well as in Parts II and III) still further biographical notes of men who were conspicuous in Utica prior to 1832. It has been considered important to give liberally of space to these per- sonal records of early settlers, who with their descendants have made the city what it is, for it will be impracticable to follow in detail the records of later generations, except as they will necessarily appear in the further history of the city at large and its various institutions and industries.
The principal officers of the village under the last two charters have been as follows; those under the first charter (1798-1805) having been lost with the records :
1805-Trustees, Jeremiah Van Rensselaer, jr., Nathan Williams, Francis A. Blood- good, Jerathmel Ballou, and Erastus Clark. Isaac Coe was chosen treasurer and Worden Hammond collector. Of these Jeremiah Van Rensselaer, jr., was elected president, and D. W. Childs, clerk. Talcott Camp was the retiring clerk.
1806-The foregoing officers all re-elected.
1807-The same, excepting the substitution of John Hooker for Francis A. Blood- good. Erastus Clark, president.
1808-Morris S. Miller, Jerathmel Ballou, John Hooker, Nathaniel Butler, and John Bellinger. Morris S. Miller, president.
1809 -- Talcott Camp, president; Solomon Wolcott, John Hooker, Jerathmel Ballou, John Bellinger.
1810-Talcott Camp, president ; John C. Hoyt, John C. Devereux, Rudolph Snyder, . and Abraham M. Walton.
1811-Jeremiah Van Rensselaer, Talcott Camp, Frederick White, John C. Dever-
gressive citizen, active in municipal affairs and director in the Second National Bank. He died September 28, 1877.
James Dutton, a native of Lebanon, Conn., established a dry goods store in 1832, one year after his arrival in Utica. He was long in trade and was successful. He lived many years in New Hartford, was a member of the Presbyterian church and a respected citizen.
Edward T. Manning, a native of Ireland, came to Utica in 1850 and eventually became one of the largest dry goods dealers in the city. Hugh Glenn became his partner April 1, 1879, and about a year later Mr. Manning retired to engage in real estate and insurance with Henry Hop- son. He died February 23, 1883.
Thomas Hosmer Wood settled in Utica prior to 1837 and in that year was followed by his brother, George W. Wood. They engaged in the hardware trade and later were together in the operation of the City Furnace. George W. Wood was especially active in the First Presbyterian church. Thomas H., after the death of his brother, became the head of the firm of Wood, Roberts & Co., but after some years of business prosperity he retired and gave his time to the indulgence of his taste in cultivating and adorning his grounds, the promotion of the Art Association, the study of architecture and kindred occupations. He died in Paris, France, January 14, 1874.
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eux, and E. B. Shearman ; as treasurer John C. Hoyt in place of Mr. Shearman, thus exalted to a trusteeship.
1812-At the charter election held on the 15th of May, 1812, there were but four trustees elected on the first ballot, viz. : Talcott Camp, Jeremiah Van Rensselaer, E. B. Shearman, and Morris S. Miller. Frederick White, of the former board, had left the village and Mr. Devereux was dropped for reason which we may surmise. Mr. Miller was, however, excused from serving and, on a fresh ballot for two, Bryan Johnson and Thomas Skinner were elected. Mr. Johnson also asked to be excused, when Arthur Breese was elected to the vacant place.
1813-Trustees, Talcott Camp, president; Moses Bagg, Montgomery Hunt, Seth Dwight, and Ebenezer B. Shearman. John C. Hoyt was the treasurer.
1814-Trustees, Talcott Camp, president; Jeremiah Van Rensselaer, Nathan Will- iams, Killian Winne, and Samuel Stocking. J. C. Hoyt was continued treasurer and John H. Ostrom, clerk.
1815-Trustees, Abraham Van Santvoort, Augustus Hickox, Gurdon Burchard, Jason Parker, and William Geere. Mr. Van Santvoort was subsequently chosen president.
1816-Trustees, Rudolph Snyder, president; Ezra S. Cozier, Augustus Hickox, Gurdon Burchard, and William Geere.
1817-Under new charter. The first president appointed under this charter was Nathan Williams, and at the first election held under it there were chosen as trustees Ezra S. Cozier and William Williams from the First ward, Jeremiah Van Rensselaer and Abraham Van Santvoort from the Second ward, and Erastus Clark and John C. Hoyt from the Third ward. The assessors elected were Moses Bagg, David P. Hoyt, and Thomas Walker. Benjamin Walker was chosen supervisor and Ezra S. Barnum and Joshua Ostrom constables; John H. Ostrom, clerk; E. S. Barnum and Benjamin Ballou, collectors; Jeremiah Van Rensselaer, overseer of the poor; Judah Williams, treasurer; Frederick W. Potter, poundmaster; Benjamin Hinman, Aaron Eggleston, and Jason Parker fence viewers; James Hooker, gauger; Benjamin Ballou, superintendent of highways.
1818-Trustees, First ward, Ezra S. Cozier and John E. Hinman; Second, Abra- ham Van Santvoort and Enos Brown; Third, Rudolph Snyder and Marcus Hitch- cock.
1819-Ezra S. Cozier, William Williams, Jeremialı Van Rensselaer, jr., David P. Hoyt, Gurdon Burchard, Rudolph Snyder, Wm. Alverson.
1820-Trustees, E. S. Cozier, John E. Hinman, James Hooker, Abraham Culver, Ezekiel Bacon, and Thomas Walker. Rudolph Snyder was appointed president by the State council on the resignation of Judge Williams.
1821-Ezra S. Cozier, president; Benjamin Ballou, jr., John Baxter (1st ward), James Hooker, John Handy (2d ward), Thomas Walker, David P. Hoyt (3d ward).
1822-Trustees, Benjamin Ballou, John Baxter, Ezekiel Bacon, Richard R. Lan- sing, Thomas Walker, and David P. Hoyt. Ezra S. Cozier was the president.
1823-Benjamin Ballou, James Hooker, Ezekiel Bacon, Daniel Stafford, Thomas Walker, Jesse W. Doolittle. John H. Ostrom, clerk.
1824-William Clarke, president; Benjamin Ballou, James Hooker, Ezekiel Bacon, James Lynch, Thomas Walker, Nicholas Smith.
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THE CITY OF UTICA.
1825-Trustees, Benjamin Ballou, Riley Rogers, William H. Maynard, Charles Morris, Nicholas Smith, and John R. Ludlow. Capt. William Clarke remained the president. John H. Ostrom was still clerk.
1826-President, Ezra S. Cozier; trustees, John E. Hinman, Riley Rogers, Abra- ham Culver, Amos Gay, Nicholas Smith, John R. Ludlow: assessors, Benjamin Ballou, John Bradish, David P. Hoyt; treasurer, Thomas Walker.
1827-E. S. Cozier, president; trustees, John H. Ostrom, Augustine G. Dauby, Abraham Culver, Thomas Colling, Amos Gay, Chester Griswold, Augustus Hurl- burt, Nicholas Devereux.
1828-President, William Clarke; trustees, John H. Ostrom, James Platt, Abra- ham Culver, Thomas Colling, Chester Griswold, Augustus Hurlburt, Nicholas Dev- ereux, R. R. Lansing.
1829-President, Capt. William Clarke; trustees, John Williams, R. B. Miller, Abraham Culver, Thomas Colling, Andrew S. Pond, Sylvester Doolittle, Robert McBride, Asahel Seward.
1830-President, Ezra S. Cozier; trustees, John Williams, Chester Griswold, Thomas Colling, Rudolph Snyder, Sylvester Doolittle, A. S. Pond, Robert McBride, R. B. Miller. John G. Floyd was clerk and attorney.
1831-The last election as a village were as follows: President, Ezra S. Cozier ; trustees, John Williams, E. S. Comstock, Thomas Colling. T. S. Faxton, A. S. Pond, Sylvester Doolittle, Rober McBride, R. B. Miller; assessors, Benjamin Ballou, Zenas Wright, Augustus Hulburt, Adam Bowman; treasurer, Thomas Walker; clerk and attorney, John G. Floyd ; surveyor, John Fish.
The act to incorporate the city of Utica was passed by the Legisla- ture February 13, 1832. The first section prescribes the bounds of what shall hereafter be known as the city of Utica. These bounds are as follows :
Beginning at a point on the south side of the Mohawk River where the division line between lots number 90 and 100 in Cosby's Manor strikes the said river; thence running southerly in the said division line to a point fifty chains southerly of the great road leading to Fort Stanwix; thence south 53 east to the easterly line of the county of Oneida; thence northerly in the said county line to the Mohawk River; thence westerly up the middle of the said river to the place of beginning.
Subsequent sections of the act incorporate this district as a city ; divide it into four wards corresponding to the heart of the first four of the pres- ent time; declare that its officers shall be a mayor, twelve aldermen (three for each ward), four justices of the peace, a clerk, a supervisor, a treasurer, an attorney, one or more collectors, four assessors, three con- stables, and authorize the appointment by the council of certain other officers ; name the first Tuesday in March as the date of the annual election ; declare that the aldermen shall be elected by the people and prescribe the mode of election and the qualification of the electors, one
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of which was the possession of a freehold estate of the value of $250 over and above all incumbrances; that the mayor and other officers were to be elected by a vote of the council, who were to fix their com- pensation, excepting only that of the mayor, which was to be $250. Other acts related to the levying of taxes for the expenses of the city, which were placed at $8,000, but if this sum was found insufficient it was subject to increase on the consent or petition in writing of a ma- jority of the taxpayers; to the powers and duties of the council and the various officers, etc
The new Common Council met March 12, 1832. The names of the aldermen were as follows: Ephraim Hart, Rudolph Snyder, John Will- iams, Charles A. Mann, Ezra S. Barnum, Augustus Hurlburt, Robert McBride, Harvey Barnard, Chauncey Rowe, John A. Russ, John H. Ostrom, and Rutger B. Miller. The oath of office was taken and John H. Ostrom appointed clerk pro tem. A mayor was then elected by bal- lot, Joseph Kirkland being chosen the first mayor of Utica. Aldermen Hurlburt and Rowe were appointed a committee to wait on the mayor, who came in and took the official oath. Other officers were then bal- loted for with the following result : Clerk, Thomas Colling; treasurer, Ezra S. Cozier; attorney, David Wager; street commissioner, John McElwaine; police constables, Samuel Hall, Thomas Parmelee ; sur- veyors, John Fish and E. O. Baily. Aldermen Hart and Mann were appointed a committee to procure a seal. Aldermen Mann, Snyder, and Ostrom and the mayor were made a committee to report a code of by- laws, police regulations, and rules for the government of the council. This committee reported accordingly and the report was accepted ; the new ordinances were read before the board at intervals during the en- suing few weeks and were finally adopted in April. Five watchmen were appointed, and in March Levi Ballou was chosen as beadle and a scavenger was appointed for each ward.
On the 9th of April a committee was appointed to sell the free school lot on Catherine street and buy another suitable for common school and fire purposes ; the lot was sold to John R. Bleecker for $300. On the 15th of May it was resolved that the street commissioner be authorized to expend not to exceed $300 on repairing roads · Aldermen Miller, Hart, and Hurlburt were made a committee on the expediency of buy-
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THE CITY OF UTICA.
ing a town clock. June Ist it was ordered that "two bells be rung for the accommodation of citizens "-Presbyterian and Episcopal.
In the first year of the city's history a demon of disease, the Asiatic cholera, swept over the country, ravaging cities especially and gen- erally following lines of navigation. Utica suffered in common with other large communities, but not with the severity of many sea and lake ports. At a meeting of the council June 18, 1832, the follow- ing was adopted :
Whereas, The council has received information that the Asiatic cholera has recently appeared in Canada, and there being just grounds to fear that in a short time it may reach this city, and the common council deeming it incumbent on them to adopt such measures as may be best adapted to prevent the introduction and spread of such disease, therefore,
Resolved, That Drs. Goodsell, McCall, Coventry, Peckham, and McCraith, be and they are appointed (with the council) as a Board of Health. That said Board are hereby anthorized to make such regulations as they may deem expedient to prevent the introduction and spread of disease and to preserve the health of the inhabitants of the city.
Dr. Goodsell was made president of the board and through its effi- cient and timely action the mortality was materially reduced and suf- fering was greatly relieved A temporary hospital was erected in August near the old weigh lock east of the city, fifty bushels of lime were purchased for the use of the poor, and early in July a day of fasting and prayer was appointed. The quarantine limits on the west were fixed at Johnson's Basin, and on the east at Miller's basin. A nuisance committee of two in each ward was appointed and Joseph Kirkland and Dr. Coventry were made a committee to publish daily the condition of the health of the city. About the 15th of August Samuel Hall, John Dickey, Chauncey Phelps, John Y. Pierce, John Cooper, and William Fay were designated to aid the Board of Health, their duty being to care for the removal of the sick and the burial of the dead. The last record of the minutes of the Board of Health is under date of August 13, but their labors did not cease at that time. On September 14 Dr. F. B. Wales, physician in the hospital, resigned and received resolutions of thanks for his labors. At one period during the height of the epidemic the academy was used as a temporary hos pital. Great alarm existed and large numbers fled from the city, some 3,000 persons leaving for various points in the country. The number
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of deaths from August 12 to August 28 was 51 ; cases, 172. By Sep- tember 10 the deaths numbered 75 ; cases, 206. On September II the Board of Health announced that no further danger existed and people could safely return to the city if reasonable precautions were taken. September 25 the local papers published that "the city was never more healthy and not a case of cholera had occurred since its last issue."
The following resolutions are both self-explanatory and significant :
Whereas, Certain individuals now in our city are disturbing the peace of the good citizens thereof, by circulating sentiments which we deem demoralizing in themselves and little short of treason toward the government of our country.
Resolved, That we, the common council of the city of Utica, regard the agitation of the question of Negro Slavery as it exists in the Southern States of this Republic to be highly inexpedient at the present juncture of our National affairs; and that it can only tend to keep alive the dying embers of internal discord, which we fondly hope and believe will soon be entirely extinguished if not disturbed by the zeal of misguided philanthropists.
This is the first public expression in opposition to the work of Abolitionists in the city which we find, and will be further alluded to a little later on.
The Utica and Schenectady Railroad was now before the public and subscription books were opened in Utica on June 17, 18, and 19, 1834, and the citizens took about $4,300,000 of the stock. On the last named day a committee was appointed to designate the city terminus of the road. The report stated that " it shall terminate on the square (so- called) "
General prosperity had reigned since the opening of the Erie Canal, but the first influences of the approaching financial crisis of 1836-7 were now beginning to be felt. There was a need of more extensive banking facilities in the city and as early as 1834 it was stated in a local journal that " money was never more scarce and local banks were discounting no paper."
The Young Men's Association of the City of Utica was founded in February, 1834, its chief objects being the mutual improvement of its members by establishing a reading-room, library, a society for debating, and courses of lectures James Watson Williams was the first presi- dent ; Milton D. Parker and Henry R. Hart, vice-presidents ; William Tracy, corresponding secretary ; James Knox, recording secretary ;
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Ward Hunt, treasurer. For several years it had a vigorous life, but internal discord and partisanship destroyed it, a result that was perhaps hastened by the founding of the Utica Mechanics' Association.
September 1 Ith a committee reported that a different method of pay- ing for pavements should be adopted and recommended heavier assess- ments on real estate. About this time the practice of borrowing money to meet current expenses, a practice that sooner or later seems to over- take all cities, began in Utica, when $3,000 were borrowed for that purpose. November 27 it was resolved that the city will furnish a jail lot if the supervisors of the county will erect a building.
In the year 1833 Rev. J. N. Danforth, agent of the American Coloni- zation Society came to Utica and invited the public to meet him in the Dutch Reformed church on Broad street on the evening of December 21. Several meetings were held between this date and January 10, 1834, and speeches were made to the following resolution :
Resolved, That the meeting deeply deplores the unfortunate condition of the colored population of this country and commends to the zealous support of the philanthropist and the Christian the American Colonization Society, as the instrument under Provi- dence which is best calculated to alleviate the condition of the free negro and secure the ultimate emancipation of the slave.
The burden of the discussion fell chiefly upon Mr. Danforth and Rev. Beriah Green, then president of the Oneida Institute at Whitesboro, though several others participated. It continued two weeks, most of the meetings being held in the First Presbyterian church, which was regularly crowded. Much of the speaking was radical in the extreme and intense feeling was generated in the community. It was a period when abolition was agitated by only comparatively few, but those few were persistent in advocating their cause and unlicensed in their de- nunciation of slavery. The excitement caused by the subject in other communities had led to the introduction in the Utica council of the res- olution before quoted. On September 3, 1835, a public meeting was held in the court room of "the citizens of Utica who are opposed to the proceedings of the abolitionists," at which resolutions denunciatory of the agitators were adopted. Soon afterward the Utica Anti-slavery Society issued a call for a State convention to be held in the city Octo- ber 21, for the purpose of forming a State society. This proceeding
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was opposed at another public meeting held September 3. The Com . mon Council did, however, grant by a vote of seven to four the request of the society to hold the convention in the court room. This was done October 16, and on the next day this action was denounced in a large public meeting, which adjourned to the 21st. On the 20th another meeting was held in the court room in behalf of free speech and the right of the people to peacefully assemble, while disavowing all sym - pathy with the Abolitionists. This meeting was considerably disturbed by intruders and was prematurely adjourned. Prominent among the opponents of the Abolitionists were many leading citizens without party distinction ; they sought only peace in the city and the preservation of the laws, fearing the city would become the theatre of violence and law- lessness which had already been witnessed in other places. The meet ing of the 21st was held for the avowed purpose of preventing the assembling of the convention in a building " erected by the voluntary contributions of the citizens for better and different purposes," as the resolution expressed it. Resolutions were adopted to the effect that agitation of the slavery question was mischievous and wrong; that the delegates to the proposed convention would be regarded only as in- truders, after they had been requested to stay away, and that if disorder and violence followed their coming, " upon them would rest the whole blame and responsibility." A committee was appointed of twenty -five members to go before the convention, report the proceedings of this meeting and respectfully urge the dissolution and departure of the con- vention. This was done and the committee returned and reported that they had found the convention assembled in the Bleecker street church, had read the resolutions before it, and that after a short delay the con- vention had adjourned. Following is the dispassionate account of what followed, from Dr. Bagg's history :
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