Our county and its people; a descriptive work on Oneida county, New York;, Part 42

Author: Wager, Daniel Elbridge, 1823-1896
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: [Boston] : The Boston history co.
Number of Pages: 1612

USA > New York > Oneida County > Our county and its people; a descriptive work on Oneida county, New York; > Part 42

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Eldad Smith came to this town from Connecticut in 1800 with an ox team and was two weeks on the way. He settled east of West Camden and was the father of S. L. Smith. John Bryan came from Watertown, Conn., about 1805, driving a yoke of oxen and a horse, and bringing his family. He settled on the Taberg road in the east part of the town. His daughter married Amos D. Mix, father of J. W. Mix.

Col. Israel E. Stoddard came to the town in 1798 and in the follow- ing year went back and brought in his family, settling about two miles north of Camden village, where his son Israel E. now lives. A year or two later he sold out and located one-half mile north of the village on the farm owned by his son John N. He died there April 4, 1859. His children were Cyrus, Samuel, Mrs. Huldah B. Judson, Joanna P., Martha P., Israel E., Cynthia C., and John N.

John D. Penfield was born on a farm north of the village in 1813, where his father settled, and is probably the oldest living native of the

A. C. WOODRUFF.

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THE TOWN OF CAMDEN.

town. He located in the village in 1836, where he has long been con- nected with the milling business and prominent in all public affairs (See biography and portrait in this volume.)

Joel Dunbar settled a little west of the village on the Mexico road, where he had the old Dunbar mill. He was a brother of Horace Dun - bar, and died December 31, 1827.

Other very early settlers who can only be briefly mentioned were Allen Sperry, father of Clark, Anson, Andrew and Sherman Sperry, who settled on Sperry, or Wolcott Hill; the Prestons, Caleb, who died in February, 1813, and Abner (died November 24, 1833), William R. (died August 4. 1834), and Noah (died April 4, 1835). It was from these and others of the name that Preston Hill took its title. Heman Byington, who settled on a farm one-half mile from Camden village and had sons, Rufus and Ira ; he died in September, 1831. Henry Peck, who settled on Wolcott Hill, and died February 24, 1833. Deacon Bennet Cobb, settled on the Taberg road, where H. Giles now owns, and died April 8, 1870, aged eighty-four years. Sylvanus Wilson lived on a farm about two miles north of the village, and died March 17, 1833. Seth Dunbar, father of Horace and Edwin S. Dunbar. Dr. Whitman V Ransom, died November 3, 1817. Jonah Sanford, died November 15, 1824. Oliver Cook, died Decmber 30, 1838, at the age of eighty-three years. Isaac Stone, died November 2, 1839. Bar tholomew Pond, a Revolutionary soldier, who died in 1850 at the age of ninety five years. Martin Stevens, died in 1832. Andrew Tuttle, died October 19, 1829. Lemuel Warner, died July 23, 1824. Will- iam S. Spencer, died August 23, 1831. Eliphalet Johnson, died March 2, 1818. Elijah Bailey, died in August, 1838. Other names will ap- pear in the official list and accounts of industries, etc.

These men and their descendants laid the foundation for the later prosperity of this town. As a farming community it has been pros- perous, a considerable dairy interest having been developed in recent years. There are now several cheese factories in the town. The open ing of the Rome and Watertown Railroad through the town, and later the E., C. & N. road gave the inhabitants excellent facilities for reaching the markets, and inaugurated a marked impetus in Camden village, under which it sprang into prominence as one of the most active and 53

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most enterprising communities of Central New York. While many other towns have stood still or retrograded in population, Camden has steadily advanced. From 2,114 in 1835, it reached 3,187 in 1860, and in 1892 had 3,675. The number of school districts with school houses is fourteen, as it has been for many years.

Camden village was incorporated May 2, 1834, and the first election of officers took place June 27 of that year, resulting as follows :

Humphrey Brown, president; Lyman Curtiss, Hubbard Tuttle, Ammi Hinkley, and Aaron Stone, trustees; Rufus Byington, David Johnson, and George Trowbridge, assessors; Martin H. Stevens, collector; Robert H. Burr, treasurer; A. Trowbridge, clerk.

Following is a list of the presidents of the village from that time to the present :

1835, Humphrey Brown; 1836, A. Stone; 1837-8, A. Trowbridge; 1839-40, Richard Empey; 1841, A. Trowbridge; 1842, Lyman Curtiss; 1843, H. Tuthill; 1844-46, Jefferson Colton ; 1847, Edwin Rockwell; 1848, William R. Paddock; 1849, Baldwin Tuthill; 1850, R. Empey; 1851-53, A. W. Ransom; 1854, Thomas D. Penfield ; 1855, Joshua H. Tracy; 1856-57, Ambrose Curtiss; 1858-59, A. W. Ransom; 1860, A. Curtiss; 1861, J. Munroe; 1862-63, A. Stone; 1864, Stephen Cromwell; 1865-66, Thomas D. Penfield; 1867-68, Stephen Cromwell; 1869, P. H. Costello; 1870, Stephen Cromwell; 1871, George Abbott; 1872, P. H. Costello; 1873-74, Thomas D. Penfield; 1875, Benjamin D. Stone; 1876, A. J. Stone; 1877, Lewis J. Conlan ; 1878, John G. Dorrance; 1879-80, Robert Frazier; 1881, E. A. Harvey; 1882-83, Eugene H. Conant; 1884, J. C. McDonald; 1885, Egbert More; 1886, Robert Frazier; 1887-88, Thomas D. Penfield; 1889-90, B. D. Stone; 1891, A. C. Woodruff; 1892, W. H. Stansfield; 1893, Theron A. Farnsworth: 1894-95, D. T. Wood; 1896, T. A. Farns- worth.

Camden village has long been the center of a large manufacturing interest. In 1832 James Barber and Horace McIntyre established the first foundry. About five years later it was sold to G. W. and Josiah Wood, and Albro Phelps. During their proprietorship the foundry was burned. Meanwhile, in 1859 the firm of Tripp & Fifield established the Eagle foundry and machine shop on Fish Creek. The Wood foundry was not rebuilt after the fire, but the firm acquired the Fifield foundry and began business there, the members at that time being Wood Brothers and Percival, William G. Percival having acquired an interest in the business with Augustus and Henry Wood, sons of G. W. Wood. Later. in 1894, a stock company was formed with a capital of $24,000 in which I. D. West was a member. One of the chief articles of manu- facture is turbine water wheels.

W. J. FRISBIE.

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THE TOWN OF CAMDEN.

In the early history of the town there were, of course, numerous saw mills built on the various streams, which were kept busy in cutting up the timber of the forests which covered the land. As these disappeared many of the mills fell in to disuse. A saw mill has existed continuously for many years in the village and is now operated by Herbert Giles, who took it recently from A. Raymond who had owned it for many years. It was built very early and probably by Timothy Wood. An- other mill is located about a mile northwest and outside the corporation which is run by Walter Russell. It was owned years ago by H. S. Waterman who sold it to Curtiss Covill and he transferred it to Mr. Russel. Another saw mill known as the Dunbar mill is on Fish Creek and was long owned by Horace Dunbar; it was last operated by George Swanson.

A woolen factory was established in early years by John Norton ; it was burned, and the same fate was shared by a second which was erected. C. T. E. Huyck then built the third one, which was operated many years after 1866. It was finally converted into a planing mill by Wakefield & Gardner, and is now operated by George Dana.

Another planing mill was built by Stone & Hammond about 1839. In 1844 Cyrus Allen purchased a half interest and in 1850 became sole owner. It was subsequently burned and rebuilt, and in 1891 was pur- chased by Lewis Perrin who now uses it for the manufacture of desks. The planing mill now run by Horace Rush was built by D. P. Cox about 1853, was burned ten years later and rebuilt by Cox & Stone. The firm afterwards became Stone, Williams & Co. and later Williams & Rush, Jacob Rush being the partner. Mr. Williams retired and Horace Rush succeeded his father.

The Camden Knitting Company carries on one of the largest and most important industries in this section. It had its origin with Willard J. Frisbie (see biography and portrait elsewhere in this work) and Will- iam H. Stansfield, former successful dry goods merchants in Camden, who in 1883 established a knitting factory of small capacity in the build - ing now occupied by the Corbin Lock Company. Their business in- creased and in 1887 they started a yarn factory on the premises formerly occupied by the tannery of P. & P. Costello. In this branch of the in- dustry Charles F. Kendall had an interest and it was carried on under

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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

the name of Charles F. Kendall & Co. The old building burned in March, 1893, but meanwhile, in 1891, the knitting industry was removed to the same locality, where new and commodious brick buildings were erected and the name Camden Knitting Company adopted. About 200 hands are employed chiefly in the manufacture of ladies' and children's ribbed underware. The same company have factories in Syra- cuse and in Utica.

The tannery above mentioned was established in 1847 and was long an important industry ; but the disappearance of bark led to its final extinction. A still earlier tannery was operated by Reuben Bettis and afterwards by Orange Dayton.

What are known as the Grove Mills, on the east side of the river, were built by John Lambie and Levi Wilcox just before 1860. From them they passed to James P. Owen and quite recently from him to Thomas Jackson.

The building of the first saw mill here by Jesse Curtiss has been de- scribed. A distillery formerly existed below the saw mill and a grist mill was erected an the site of the present Camden mill. The latter was built by Lyman Curtiss on the site occupied by the old one erected by his father, Jesse. This property was acquired by Thomas D. Penfield (see biography and portrait elsewhere in these pages) and Thomas Stone and was operated by them until 1860, when Mr. Stone died. The mill was conducted by the surviving partner until 1867, when Benjamin D. Stone, son of Thomas, acquired an interest, the firm name continuing the same.

One of the most prominent industries of Oneida county is the chair works of F. H. Conant's Sons. This business was established in 1851 by F. H Conant, who is succeeded by his sons, E. H. and George F. Conant. About 175 hands are employed.

The firm of Stark & Boehm began the manufacture of wagons and sleighs in Church street in 1864. In 1881 Mr. Boehm retired and in the fall of that year James Stark bought his present shop of J. P. Owen, who had previously carried on the same business there for about ten years. The firm of Boehm Brothers was formed and now carry on a large busi- ness in the same line.

Camden has for many years been the center of a large canning indus-

P. D. Costela

le Castello

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THE TOWN OF CAMDEN.

try, devoted to the preparation of sweet corn for the market. This business is also extensive in other parts of the county. The first factory in the county was established at Camden about 1855 by the Edgett Broth- ers, and ten years later J. W. Mix began the business and for a number of years was extensively engaged. Godfrey & Stoddard built a factory in 1878 on Mad River, which subsequently burned. The Camden Pack- ing Company was formed and established two factories, one a mile and a half west of the village, which had been built in 1874 by J E. Woods, and the other below the village, built by Stephen McCall in 1872. The latter was operated in 1872 by S. S. McCall & Co., and in 1874 by J P. McCall & Co. It was then taken by the Camden Packing Company. A factory was built by James Gerow in 1878, and within a few years of that time others were started by Godfrey & Stoddard, Pliny Phelps, Byron Phelps, W. I. Stoddard, and Paddock Brothers. The factories now in operation are those of Tuttle & Stoddard, east of the village, and that of L. P. Haviland.

The Corbin Cabinet Lock Company began a branch of its industry in Camden in 1891, its principal business being the manufacture of gov- ernment furniture for post-office equipment. The wood work only is done here, the other branches being located at New Berlin, Conn.

The press of Camden village is most worthily represented by the Ad- vance-Journal, a local independent newspaper of high character and in- fluence. The first newspaper in the village was the Camden Gazette, started by E. C. Hatton in 1842. A few years later it passed to E. M. Higbie and closed its existence under him. The next paper was the Northern Light, which shed its effulgence on the world only a short time. Ira D. Brown published it six months in 1852, when Merritt & Stone took it, and employed N. B. Stevens as editor. In 1853 this paper was succeeded by the Camden Courier, E. O'Farrell, proprietor ; this paper had only a brief existence and was followed by the Camden Free- man, started by Wesley Henderson and suspended in 1863. In March, 1864, Jairus H. Munger established the Camden Journal and continued its editor and proprietor until his death in 1878. Meanwhile in 1867 the Camden News was started by Giles & Franklin, which was removed to Coxsackie a year later. On July 24, 1873, W. C. Stone established the Camden Advance, which he successfully conducted until January,

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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

1885, when he bought out the Journal (above described) and consoli- dated the two papers under the name of the Advance-Journal. In 1887-88 Mr. Stone built the brick block in which he is now located, adapting it for a modern country newspaper, and a book and stationery store, both of which he now conducts.

The Camden Library Association was formed in 1891 by a number of women of the village. The first president was Mrs. E. T. Pike and the first secretary Miss Tessie M. Durr. The present president is Mrs. J. G. Dorrance and the secretary and librarian is Mrs. E. C. Case. About 1,300 volumes have been accumulated and pleasant rooms fitted up in the new Town Hall. The institution is accomplishing much good.

Some of the men and firms who have been conspicuous in Camden mercantile business during the past half century are Frisbie & Stansfield, dry goods ; J. G. Dorrance, general store ; C. Curtiss & Son, F. & F. Fifield (later Fifield & Dorrance) ; G. S. Wetmore, drugs; E. A. Har- vey, grocer ; W. C. Carman, grocer; Orth & Tracy, clothiers; Olmsted & Meacham, clothiers ; Samuel B. Hinckley (father of Briggs T. Hinck- ley), Ammi Hinckley, Don A. Gatchell, and E. A. Harvey

Later and present prominent merchants in various lines are Williams & Norton, George H. Smith, A. G. Robson, W. H. Dorrance & Son, L. Hornung, D. Crimmins, G. J. Williams, W. I. Stoddard, D. E. Kennedy, C. O. Biederman, Chas. E. Hendley, C. A. & A. C. Phelps, Robert Aird, B. A. Curtis, Charles E. Orr, Charles J. Durr & Co., S. L. Harding, J. N. Nichols, W. E. Tiffaany, Briggs T. Hinckley.

The first hotel in the village was kept by Elihu Curtiss on what is now Minor avenue, and it is said that the old well of the house is now under the foundation of the Whitney House. The house stood about one- half in what is now the street, and was opened as early as 1803. Jeffer- son Colton kept an early hotel about on the site of Churchill & Tibbit's market ; he is remembered as a fine type of the old time landlord. His house was called the Park Hotel, and was burned June 22, 1867. The Seymour House was an early hotel and stood on the site of B. D. Stone's residence ; it was burned about 1860. Another hotel was early in ex- istence at the lower end of the village.

The Commercial Hotel was built about ten years ago by John Olden, who kept it until his death a year later. He was succeeded by Morse

E. A. HARVEY

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THE TOWN OF CAMDEN.

& Farmer, and others. The present proprietor, C. L. Roberts, pur- chased the property six years ago.

The Whitney House was built by Moses L. Whitney, who had pre- viously kept the Park Hotel, and was kept by him about five years. The present proprietor, D. J. Crimmins, bought it in 1876, and practi- cally rebuilt the house.

The Empire House was built by William Moses after a former house on that site had been burned. The present proprietor, P. E. Malone, took the house in 1889. The Erwin House is kept by M. G. Ronan.

A bank was in existence in Camden under the State law in early years, of which Gen. Lyman Curtiss was at one time president. This institu- tion failed previous to the war of the Rebellion, and Hastings Curtiss then opened a banking house about 1860, which passed to the proprie- torship of Curtiss & Carman ; they failed in 1876.

The private bank of D. G. & J. G. Dorrance was established in 1876 and continued as such until January, 1880, when it was made the First National Bank of Camden, with a capital of $50,000. D. G. Dorrance continued president of the bank until his death, on March 26, 1896, and the office has not yet been filled. (See biography and portrait in this work.) J. G. Dorrance has been cashier from the first. Edwin A. Harvey is vice-president, and Daniel G. Dorrance, son of J. G., is assist- ant cashier.

The entire village of Camden is now embraced in Union Free School district No. I, and a commodious brick building built in 1855, on the site of the one burned two years earlier, accommodates the pupils. A high school and academic department have been inaugurated, below which there are nine grades. Following is the Board of Instruction in 1895-96;

D. D. Van Allen, M. A., principal; Frances J. H. Van Allen, preceptress; asso- ciate teachers: Misses Sarah Davis, Clara E. Curtiss, Emma Gardner, Josephine Lewis, Nellie I. Moore, Minnie Sanford, Lelab J. Sanford. The Board of Education consists of the following: Mr. John M. Young, president; Counselor A. C. Wood- ruff, secretary; Robert Allen, B. A. Curtiss, D. G. Dorrance, M. A., G. F. Morss, James P. Owen, Benj. D. Stone, Geo. J. Williams.

Camden village street lights consisted of oil lamps until 1888 when the Camden Electric Light Company was formed, with M. P. Osborne, manager. He is now practically the owner of the plant which was put

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in operation, and the streets are properly hung with large incandescent lamps.

Public water works were established by the village corporation in 1886, water being brought from Emmons Brook, giving about 175 feet head. About fifty hydrants are placed in the streets and mains laid throughout the principal streets, making an effective agency for extin- guishing fires. The village was bonded for $40,000 to build the system. A fire engine had long been owned in the village, for which a company was organized in 1839, of which Samuel B. Hinckley was captain. The engine was bought at about the same time. A hook and ladder com- pany was organized in 1857, and in the following year A. J. Stone was chosen chief engineer, and two assistants. From that time forward the department was kept on an efficient basis. When the water system was placed in operation the engine was sold. The two most notable fires in the village occurred June 28, 1856, and June 22, 1867. In the latter three churches were destroyed, a hotel, and a number of stores on Main street.

A handsome opera house was completed in 1894 by a stock company at a cost of over $20,000.

In 1894 the village was bonded for $10,000 for a new town hall It is a handsome brick structure and accommodates the fire department, the library, a large hall, offices, etc.

The small village of West Camden is situated in the northwest part of the town on the railroad. The early settlement here of Manning Barnes, and the opening of the tavern have been described. Wilburt Barnes opened the first store in the place and continued in trade a num- ber of years ; he was a son of Manning Barnes. The post-office was established in 1832, with Merrit Munson, probably as the first post- master.

A small mercantile business has existed here many years and at the present time a store is kept by J. C. Leigh. The saw mill and chair factory is carried on by Mott Brothers, and another chair factory estab- lished by A. S. Gibson, is now operated by Cummings Brothers.

The next church organized in Camden succeeding the one described on a preceding page was the Methodist Episcopal. A class was formed in the town before 1805, consisting of seven persons, and another a

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THE TOWN OF CAMDEN.

little later at West Camden. The Methodist Episcopal society of Can- den was organized in 1820 and in 1831 Camden was made a station. A frame church was built in 1852 and rebuilt in 1889. A Wesleyan Methodist church was organized prior to 1840, but disbanded in 1854. A Free Methodist society was organized in August, 1887, and pur- chased the frame church formerly owned by the Wesleyan Methodists. It was remodeled in 1895.

The first Presbyterian church in Camden was organized in Septem- ber, 1867, with thirty-two members who were dismissed from the Con- gregational church for the purpose. The first meetings were held in Curtiss Hall. The corner stone of the present brick church was laid June 30, 1868, and it was dedicated in March of the next year. The total cost was about $18,000.

Trinity Episcopal church of Camden was organized about 1842 with Rev. E. D. Kennicott the first rector. The frame church was erected which was one of the three burned June 22, 1867, and the present brick edifice was built immediately afterwards on the site; its cost was about $8,000.

The Baptist church of Camden was constituted in 1839. In 1844 it became a branch of the society at North Bay and was finally absorbed by the latter. A Baptist society was organized in early years at Hills- boro in the west part of the town, which subsequently disbanded. On December 30, 1870, the First Baptist church of Camden was organized at that place and a frame church was built in the following year.

The second Congregational church at West Camden was organized November 5, 1851, with sixteen members, and Rev. Samuel Sweezey, pastor. He had preached there for some time previous. A frame church was erected in 1858. This building was also occupied by the Methodists of that place.

St. John's Catholic church of Camden was formerly affiliated with St. Mary's of Florence, under which it was a mission for many years. The church society acquired the old Methodist edifice which it used until re- cent years when a new frame building was erected.

Following is a list of supervisors of this town from its organization to the present time :

1800-1, John W. Bloomfield, esq .; 1802, John Rogers; 1803-5, John Humiston 54

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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

1806-8, Israel Stoddard; 1809-10, Elihu Curtiss; 1811-12, Phineas Tuttle; 1813-16, Seth Dunbar; 1817-24, Israel Stoddard; 1825, Seth Dunbar; 1826-28, Israel Stod- daid; 1829-31, Seth Dunbar; 1832, Israel Stoddard; 1833, no record; 1834, Lyman Curtiss; 1835, Garrit Smith; 1836, John Smith; 1837-38, Samuel B. Hinkley; 1839, Seth Dunbar; 1840, Don A. Gatchel; 1841-42, Junius Woods; 1843, Samuel B. Hinkley; 1844-45, Horace Dunbar; 1846-47, Ambrose Curtiss; 1848-49 Edwin S. Dunbar; 1850, George W. Wood; 1851-53, Thomas D. Penfield; 1864, Edwin S. Dunbar; 1855, Jairus H. Munger; 1856-57, Horace Dunbar; 1858, Alfred Chamber- lain ; 1859, Thomas D). Penfield: 1860, Albert Bickford; 1861, Thomas D. Penfield ; 1862, Pliny Phelps; 1863-66, P. C. Costello; 1867-68, Henry S. Waterman; 1869-70, Benjamin D. Stone; 1871-72, Curtis J. Wright ; 1873-74, Spencer J. Upson ; 1875-76, B. A. Curtiss; 1877-82, Thomas D. Penfield; 1883, Benjamin D. Stone; 1884-85, Chauncey M. Phelps; 1886, Thomas D. Penfield; 1887-88, Jabez Ford; 1889-90, Andrew W. Craig; 1891-92, Orson C. Woods; 1893-95, W. H. Gifford; 1896, William S. Peck.

CHAPTER XXXII.

THE TOWN OF DEERFIELD.

The town of Deerfield lies near the center of the eastern boundary of Oneida county. Its surface is mostly a high plateau rising from 600 to 1,000 feet above the Mohawk. A broad intervale extends along the river opposite Utica, parts of which are sometimes overflowed. In the northeast part the surface descends abruptly to West Canada Creek, which forms the boundary of the town in that direction. The soil on the flats is a rich alluvial loam, while on the hills the loam is intermixed with gravel and slate. To the northward of the Mohawk flats rise the noted " Deerfield Hills," from which is viewed a landscape of the greatest beauty, while the scenery in other parts of the town is pictur- esque and grand. Beyond the Deerfield Hills is the valley of Nine- Mile Creek, which rises in this town and flows westward into Trenton. Reall's Creek rises near the center of the town and flows into the Mo- hawk at Utica.

The reader must be referred back to Chapter VII for an account of the settlement in this town before the Revolution (1773) of George J. Weaver (originally Weber). Mark Damuth, and Christian Reall. They

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THE TOWN OF DEERFIELD.

sympathized with the colonists in the struggle for independence, for which offense their settlements were burned in the summer of 1776, and they were driven from their homes, as already described. But these families remembered their homes in the wilderness, and after the cessation of hostilities, in 1784, made their way back to the desolate scene and again began work. In the following year they were joined by Peter, Nicholas and George Weaver (distantly related to the first pioneer), George Damuth, and Nicholas and Philip Harter, who settled in the same neighborhood. (See Chapter VII.)

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Our county and its people; a descriptive work on Oneida county, New York;, Part 42

Author: Wager, Daniel Elbridge, 1823-1896 Publication date: 1896 Publisher: [Boston] : The Boston history co. Number of Pages: 1612

Author: Wager, Daniel Elbridge, 1823-1896
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: [Boston] : The Boston history co.
Number of Pages: 1612