USA > New York > Oneida County > Our county and its people; a descriptive work on Oneida county, New York; > Part 48
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The Methodists had a class in this town as early as 1803, which was supplied with preaching bi-weekly by Westmoreland circuit ministers. A society was organized in 1828, and in 1837 the church in Deansville was erected on a site donated by Thomas Dean; the building was first occupied in 1842 ; it was extensively improved in 1883 and soon after- ward burned. It was rebuilt in 1884.
A Universalist Society had an existence of many years at Forge Hol- low, but is now extinct
The town of Marshall was organized from Kirkland February 21, 1829, and the first town meeting ordered held at the house of George Tinker on the first Tuesday in March of that year. It was so held and the following elected as the first officers :
Supervisor, Isaac Miller, esq .; town clerk, Levi Buckingham; assessors, Charles Smith, Jared J. Hooker, Thomas Lyman; overseers of the poor, Silas Hanchett, James Cawing; commissioners of roads. Joseph Page, John Lapham, Horatio
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THE TOWN OF NEW HARTFORD.
Burchard; commissioners of schools, Calvin Parker, Lorenzo Rouse, Henry L. Haw- ley; inspectors of schools, Truman E. Lyman, Ichabod R. Miller, Joseph P. East- man; constables, Bernard Banker, William W. Bulkley, Pardon Tabor, collector, William W. Bulkley; poundkeeper, Isaac Miller, esq. ; fenceviewers, Hosea Adding- ton, Hamlin D. Corbin, Zadock Cutler, Seth Bath, jr.
Following is a list of the supervisors of the town from its origanization to the present time :
1830, Isaac Miller, esq. ; 1831-33, Levi Buckingham; 1834, Eliphas B. Barton ; 1835, Thomas Lyman; 1836, Levi Buckingham; 1837, Anthony Peck; 1838-39, Marinus Hubbard; 1840-42, Thomas Dean; 1843, Joel K. Greenslit; 1844-46, John Dean ; 1847-49, Horace H. Eastman: 1850, Ashby K. Northrup; 1851, Eliphas B. Barton ; 1852-53, James J. Hanchett; 1854-55, Silas Clark; 1856-57, Oscar B. Gridley; 1858- 59, Charles B. Wilkinson; 1860-64, Lorenzo Rouse; 1865, John S. Mowrey; 1866-67, Seth W. Peck; 1868, R. Wilson Roberts; 1869, Seth W. Peck; 1870-74, Joseph F. Barton; 1875-76, R. Wilson Roberts; 1877-78, Spencer F. Tooley; 1879, J. F. Bar- ton; 1880-83, Julius A. Day: 1884, A. D. Van Vechten: 1885-86, Julius A. Day; 1887-8, L. D. Edwards; 1889-90, Spencer F. Tooley; 1891-93, Marshall B. Peck; 1894-96, Philip Fuess.
CHAPTER XL.
THE TOWN OF NEW HARTFORD.
New Hartford was the last town formed from the once great town of Whitestown, and was erected April 12, 1827. The name had many years earlier been given to the village and was retained for the town. The territory of New Hartford was mainly included in the Bayard and the Coxe patents, as shown on the map herein, and embraces at the present time 16,941 acres. An act of Legislature was passed April 26, 1834, which added to New Hartford a small section of Kirkland. Pre- vious to November 22, 1855, the little village of Clark's Mills lay partly in four towns-New Hartford, Kirkland, Westmoreland, and Whites- town ; but an act of Legislature of the above date small portions of three of those towns were annexed to Kirkland, placing all of the village in that town. (See history of Kirkland.)
The surface of New Hartford is level or gently rolling, except in the extreme east part where there is a low range of hills. The soil is a rich
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calcareous loam. Sauquoit Creek flows northerly through near the center of the town and with its branches affords sufficient drainage. That stream in early years supplied large water power and was an influ- ence in the establishment of the extensive manufacturing interests of the town ; but in later years the volume of water has decreased and steam power has been placed in many of the factories. Through the influence of Judge Sanger, the pioneer in the town, the old Seneca turnpike, con- structed in 1800, passed through the village of New Hartford, giving the place a considerable impetus and making it for a number of years an active rival of Utica. The course of the Erie Canal through the latter village wrought the change that made Utica a city and New Hartford its suburb. The Chenango Canal, and what was the Utica, Clinton and Binghamton Railroad cross, parallel, the northern part of the town, and the Utica and Chenango division of the D., L and W. Railroad follows up the valley of the Sauquoit, with a station at New Hartford village.
Previous to 1788 Col. Jedediah Sanger, born in Sherburne, Mass., probably, February 29, 1752, had purchased 1,000 acres of land lying about equally on both sides of the Sauquoit, and in March of that year he came on to his purchase and began making improvements. He had agreed to pay fifty cents an acre for his land, and it included the site of New Hartford village. Within the year mentioned he sold the part on the east side of the creek to Joseph Higbee for one dollar an acre. Higbee's tract was afterward's found to contain 600 acres. Colonel Sanger was, as seen, thirty-seven years old when he came to New Hartford ; he had received only a common school education and had kept a small store in Massachusetts. In May, 1771, he married Sarah Rider, by whom he had four children. In 1782 he removed to Jeffries, N. H., and purchased a large farm, and kept both a store and a tavern in his dwelling. In 1784 his dwelling and contents were burned, rend- ering him bankrupt. Hearing of the " Whitestown country," he deter- mined to seek a new home, and in 1788 he made the change as stated. He later paid all of his indebtedness to his eastern creditors.
In 1796 he erected the first grist and saw mills on the outlet of Skaneateles Lake, now in the beautiful village of Skaneateles, Onondaga county. He was one of the active and leading partners in the Paris Furnace, which was erected in 1800, and went into operation in 1801. In 1805 he was engaged in the manufacture of cotton.
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THE TOWN OF NEW HARTFORD.
He spent eleven winters in Albany as a member of the Senate and Assembly, to each of these bodies having been elected by the people. He was the first supervisor of Whitestown, and held the office for three successive years. He was appointed first judge of Oneida county upon its organization, and held the office until 1810, when he resigned, as by the constitution and laws his age (sixty years) disqualified him from holding that office. 1
Judge Sanger was thrice married, the last time to Fanny Dench, Oc- tober 3, 1827. He died June 6, 1829, and is buried in the village cem- etery.
Oliver Collins settled, it is believed in 1739, on a farm on the Whites- boro road a short distance from Middle Settlement, where he passed the remainder of his life; he was quite prominent in local, civil, and military affairs and bore the title, " General." A native of Connecticut, he served in the line of that State as sergeant during the Revolution. Soon after his settlement here he was commissioned captain of the militia company, and subsequently rose step by step to the rank of gen- eral. In this capacity he called out the militia under him and marched to Sackett's Harbor where he served in 1814. The militia under Gen- eral Collins numbered nearly 3,000, of whom 2,500 were from Oneida and Herkimer counties. The service and quarters at Sackett's Harbor were very trying on the raw troops, and many deserted. After the close of the war, and when General Collins returned he ordered a court martial for the deserters. In spite of determined opposition the court was held in Utica, and the offenders were ordered to have all their back pay stopped and be drummed out of camp as far as Deerfield Corners to the Rogue's march. The sentence was executed. General Collins retired to his farm and there died August 15, 1838.
John French settled in New Hartford, coming from New Hampshire, about 1792, on the farm afterwards occupied by his son John, who was born on that place in 1797. The father died February 25, 1839. Na- than Seward located about the same time on the farm adjoining Mr. French's on the east. He was subsequently interested in the Capron cotton factory north of New Hartford village.
Capt. David Risley. a Revolutionary veteran, with his brother, Allen, and Truman and Webster Kellogg, settled very early south of New Hartford village and west of what is now Washington Mills. They
1 Jones's Annals,
61
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
built a shanty and began making other improvements. There was no grist mill of much account, if indeed there was any at all, nearer than twenty or thirty miles in Herkimer county, and these pioneers, and probably others, resorted to the well-known method of pounding their grain into coarse meal in the top of a hollowed hard wood stump. Soon after his settlement Captain Risley built and opened a small store on his place ; it was a log building, and he also built a log tavern which was a popular stopping place for travelers. Later he built a large frame store, which became extensively patronized by the pioneers. This building was later removed to Washington Mills where it was used as a dwelling.
Among others who settled south of the village of New Hartford, ac- cording to French's Gazetteer, were two families named Olmstead, and the Seymour, Hurlburt, Kilborn, and Montague families. Henry Black- stone, also, migrated to this town prior to the erection of the county. and settled east of Washington Mills on the farm afterwards occupied by his son, Alfred. His first journey hither was made in company with Zenas Gibbs and Aslıbel Tyler, with an ox team. The Gibbs farm was owned in late years by his grandson, Gould G. Morton. Nehemiah Ensworth came into the town in the fall of 1791 and in the following spring settled on a part of the 500 acre lot on which Mr. Gibbs and Mr. Blackstone had located. Mr. Ensworth's brother, Elihu, came in with him ; the latter was father of Ezra Ensworth.
Very soon after the first settlement was made in this town, steps were taken for the organization of a church. A meeting was held in a barn belonging to Judge Sanger, in New Hartford, on the 27th of August. 1791, and there the Presbyterian church was organized with thirteen members It was organized under the Congregational form, but was changed to the Presbyterian in 1802. The first trustees were Jedediah Sanger, Needham Maynard, Uriah Seymour, first class; Capt. James Steel, Lieut. William Stone, Jesse Kellogg, second class; Capt. John Tillotson, Capt. Joseph Jennings, Capt. Nathan Seward, third class. Rev. Dan Bradley was the first pastor. It was proposed at a meeting that he be given " ten acres of land near Colonel Sanger's old log house as a settlement," and if this land was not of the value of $200, that amount should be made up to him ; he was then to have $160 a year
MORGAN BUTLER.
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THE TOWN OF NEW HARTFORD.
salary, $60 of which should be in cash and the remainder in produce. This probably did not satisfy Mr. Bradley, for at the next meeting it was resolved to "give Mr Bradley $200 in cash as a settlement, and one hundred pounds current money of the State of New York annually as a salary-one- third in cash, the remainder in produce at the cash price, and thirty Chords of good firewood annually, as long as he con- tinues to be our minister ; accepted." On March 5, 1792, the trustees agreed with Colonel Sanger to build them a church at a cost of "seven hundred pounds." The church was mainly built in 1793, though it was not entirely finished until 1796; it was the first church building erected in the State west of Herkimer. The lot on which it stood was donated by Judge Sanger, who also gave a lot in Sangerfield for the benefit of the society.
Among those who settled west of the village were Ashbel Beach, Amos Ives, Solomon Blodget, Salmon Butler, Joel Blair (the last three at what is known as " Middle Settlement"), A. Hill (who located on the farm owned for many years by Oliver Sandford, esq.), - Wyman, and Stephen Bushnell. On the road leading from Middle Settlement to Whitesboro was Joseph Jennings. East of the village of New Hart- ford were Messrs. Higbee, Seward and French. To the south of the village the settlers were more numerous. Eli Butler, a resident of Mid- dletown, Conn .- the same place whence came Hugh White, the first permanent settler in the county-arrived in what is now New Hartford in 1789, and settled on the farm afterwards owned by his grandson, Morgan Butler, the house of the latter being just within the corporate limits of the village. Mr. Butler had been to this region in the year 1785, and purchased farms for three of his sons-John and Sylvester in Paris, and Ashbel in New Hartford. He had a family of four sons and seven daughters, and the daughters and one son, Eli, jr. (father of Morgan Butler), accompanied him here in 1789. Eli was his youngest son, and remained on the farm settled by his father in New Hartford until his death. The farm included three hundred acres.
Of the early schools in this town very little can be learned, the terri- tory being a part of Whitestown until a comparatively recent date. It is known, however, that there were early schools taught in the village of New Hartford.
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
The reader has already found an account of the establishment in New Hartford of the Whitestown Gazette in New Hartford village in June, 1796, by Charles McLean ; it was the second newspaper in this county, and was removed to Utica in 1798. (See history of Utica).
On the farm of Zenas Gibbs, before mentioned, iron ore was early discovered, where an ox had thrown some dirt out of a ditch with his horns. Further prospecting developed considerable deposits and the ore was shipped in large quantities to furnaces in Paris, Litchfield and Franklin. The industry finally declined, and is now abandoned.
The following list of names and dates of death has been collected from the grave stones in the old cemetery in New Hartford, and is worthy of preservation for reference and to add to the list of early set- tlers in the town :
Elder Ithamar Parsons, died July 24, 1828, aged 78 years.
Mabel, his wife, died Jan. 22, 1812, aged 57 years.
Eli Butler, died April 19, 1802, aged 61 years.
Mrs. Rachel Butler, died Sept. 1, 1805, aged 62 years. Ashbel Butler, died March 2, 1829, aged 633 years.
Truman Kellogg, died Nov. 5, 1821, aged 56 years.
Lois, wife of Thomas Gaylord, died May 2, 1806, aged 57 years.
Abel Wilcox, died Jan. 13, 1836, aged 80 years.
Experance, his wife, died June 10, 1811, aged 58 years.
Eunice, wife of William Palmer, died April 5, 1810, aged 21 years.
Jabez Winchester, died Sept. 10, 1838, aged 71 years.
Lucretia, his wife, died Aug. 16, 1834, aged 54 years.
Deacon Ebenezer Cook, died March 29, 1813, aged 67 years.
Abigail, his wife, died Jan. 14, 1814, aged 70 years.
Samuel Wells, died Oct. 7, 1803, aged 41 years.
Dolly, his wife, died Feb. 9, 1854, aged 89 years.
Mrs. Abigal Grosvenor, widow of Captain Seth Grosvenor, of Pomfret, Conn., died Aug. 2, 1816, aged 65 years.
Lucy, daughter of Allen and Lucy Risley, died Sept. 14, 1803, aged 6 years.
Jacob Hart, died Jan. 17, 1812, aged 58 years.
Jane, wife of Charles McLean, died June 15, 1827, aged 21 years.
Captain Elisha Newell, died Nov. 10, 1799, aged 66 years.
Betsy H., wife of Amos Hull, M. D., died Sept. 11, 1798, aged 21 years.
Elizabeth, wife of Amos Hull, M. D., died Oct. 1, 1802, aged 28 years. Eunice, wife of Amos Hull, M. D., died Aug. 5, 1812, aged 33 years: Uriah Lathrop, died April 13, 1814, aged 41 years.
" Mrs. Clemens, relict of Jacob Sherril," died Aug. 8, 1820, aged 83 years. Esther, wife of Joseph Allen, died July 30, 1816, aged 67 years. David Risley, died Aug. 24, 1834, aged 68 years.
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THE TOWN OF NEW HARTFORD.
Cynthia, his wife, died May 26, 1845, aged 76 years. Salmon Goodrich, died Dec. 18, 1842, aged 85 years. King Strong, died April 15, 1854, aged 71 years. Daniel Eels, died July 17, 1851, aged 94 years. Martha, his wife, died May 26, 1834, aged 73 years. Theodosia Eels, his sister, died Dec. 7, 1850, aged 96 years. Ebenezer Dickinson, died May 5, 1845, aged 73 years. Prudence, his wife, died Dec. 29, 1863, aged 90 years. Jotham Gaylord, died Feb. 5. 1807, aged 58 years. Esther, his wife, died March 14, 1838, aged 87 years. Ozias Wilcox, died Dec. 4, 1838, aged 73 years. Betsy, his wife, died Aug. 23, 1831, aged 55 years. Ebenezer Dickinson, Sr., died Dec. 24. 1824, aged 89 years. Mabel, his wife, died March 13, 1827, aged 89 years. Rhoda, wife of Abel Andrus, died Dec. 20, 1828, aged 84 years. Simeon Hatch, died Feb. 26, 1853, aged 86 years Rebecca, his wife, died Aug. 29, 1836, aged 68 years. Lois, wife of Arthur Perry, died Aug. 11, 1819, aged 56 years. Mrs. Ruth Seward, died April 21, 1810, aged 81 years. Mrs. Sarah Lane, died Feb. 26, 1799, aged 47 years. Colonel Nathan Seward, died Nov. 9, 1815, aged 57 years. Martha, his wife, died March 24, 1838, aged 80 years. Samuel Abbott. died May 28, 1814, aged 27 years. Sally, his wife, died Oct. 22, 1817, aged 23 years. Bethuel Norton, died Sept. 11, 1814, aged 74 years. Lois, his wife, died April 11, 1828, aged 85 years. Hart Norton, died Sept. 7, 1837, aged 62 years. Lois, his wife, died March 19, 1813, aged 38 years. Susan, his wife, died March 9, 1837, aged 49 years. Ashbel Mallory, died Feb. 1. 1856, aged 83 years. Mary, his wife, died Nov. 23, 1854, aged 14 years. Gideon Savage, died Feb. 26, 1833, aged 82 years. Sarah, his wife, died June 9, 1840, aged 82 years. Leonard Goodrich, died Dec, 27, 1837, aged 65 years. Susan. his wife, died Feb. 20, 1859, aged 84 years. Rhoda, wife of Samuel Hecox, died Oct. 29, 1807, aged 53 years. William Trowbridge, died April 13, 1814, aged 26 years. Louisa, his wife, died July 4, 1813, aged 25 years. Andrew Miller, died Sept. 30, 1820, aged 41 years. David Miller, died June 2, 1865, aged 80 years. George Peacock, died June 23, 1824, aged 75 years. Elizabeth, his wife, died May 20, 1820, aged 44 years. Thomas Thornton, died Nov. - , 1826, aged 81 years. Rachel Thornton, died Dec. 29, 1816, aged 63 years. Abigail, wife of Baul B. Prior, died Jan. 14, 1808, aged 27 years. Hunting S. Pierce, died March 12, 1826, aged 34 years.
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
Thomas Dana, died Aug. 31, 1817, aged 95 years.
Martha, his wife, died Sept. 14, 1795, aged 67 years. Ezekiel Williams, died Aug. 30, 1849, aged 94 years. Sarah, his wife, died April 9, 1813, aged 55 years. Nancy, wife of Lewis Sherril, died July 18, 1822, aged 38 years.
The first town meeting in New Hartford was held April 24, 1827, at the house of King Strong, and the following officers were elected :
Supervisor, Eli Savage; town clerk, Samuel Dakin; assessors, Ashbel Mallory, Stephen Fitch, Thomas R. Palmer; commissioner of highways, Abel Mosher, Coll- ings Locke, Truman Kellogg; overseers of the poor, Joshua Palmer, Edward Black- stone; collector, Isaac G. Stratton ; commissioners of common schools, Daniel W. Randall, Charles Babcock, Warner Wadsworth; inspectors of schools, Proctor C. Samson, Zedekiah Sanger, James McElroy.
Following is a list of the supervisors of the town from its organiza- tion to the present time ; the list includes the names of many of the prominent citizens of the town in its comparatively recent history :
1828-30, Jesse Shepherd; 1831, Ashbel Mallory; 1832-35, Olliver Prescott, jr., 1836-40, Frederick Kellogg; 1841-42, James Brown; 1843-45, Josiah S. Kellogg; 1846-47, Oliver Prescott; 1848-50, John French; 1851-52, James Rees; 1853, Hiram Shays; 1854-55, Gould G. Norton; 1856-57, John French; 1858, William Huxford ; 1859-61, John B. Winship; 1862-64, George W. Chadwick; 1865-68, James Arm- strong; 1869-70, Henry S. Rogers; 1871, Oliver R. Babcock; 1872, Joseph P. Rich- ardson; 1873, John B. Winship; 1814, Oliver R. Babcock; 1875, Timothy W. Black- stone; 1876 Porter S. Huntley; 1877-79, John C. Roby; 1880-81, R. Abiram Smith; 1882, Richard M. Davis; 1883, John W. McLean; 1884, R. A. Smith; 1885-86, Charles H. Philo; 1887, Johnson C. Dewhurst; 1888, John M. Porter; 1889, Ralph Lee; 1890, George Benton; 1891-95, Albert P. Seaton, 1896, Ladd J. Lewis.
The village of New Hartford was incorporated in 1870, by a vote of 32 to 9 In the next year the boundaries of the village were slightly changed so as to make Sauquoit Creek the easterly village limit. A post- office was established in the village at about the beginning of the century. Dr. Calvin Sampson was one of the carly postmasters and held the office many years.
Manufacturing began early in the village. A man named Butterfield established a factory for making ingrain carpets early in the century, his product being claimed as the first of the kind made in this State ; he removed later to Oriskany. The first cut nails made in the State. were also probably manufactured here by Jonathan Richardson, father of Joseph Richardson. Mr. Richardson died in 1838. A tannery was
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THE TOWN OF NEW HARTFORD.
early established by Thomas and Ezekiel Williams, west of Sauquoit Creek and north of Genesee street. Another was built nearer the creek by Stephen Childs, where a large product was turned out. Messrs. Reed & Allen established a factory for the manufacture of cotton yarn, batting, etc., under the name of the Half Century Manufacturing Com- pany. Their building was burned after it had passed to possession of Armstrong, Baker & Company, and the latter firm then located in what had been the Childs tannery, above mentioned, where they established a large knitting factory. This burned and the present factory of this company was erected.
A paper mill was built here early by Samuel Lyon, who came from Vermont early in the century. It stood above the later cotton factory and was afterwards removed next to the grist mill, which Mr. Lyon had purchased. The business long ago disappeared. A door and sash fac- tory was formerly operated by A. Sweet, in which J. C. Roby after- wards established a batting factory. The building was burned and on the site was erected the present factory of Devine Brothers, who manu- facture buffing wheels extensively.
The New Hartford Cotton Manufacturing Company was organized and erected its main building about 1815-16, under the management of Samuel Hicks. The south addition was built in 1838 by a company formed about that time. The factory is operated by water and steam power, and was burned and rebuilt in brick. It is still operated by the New Hartford Cotton Manufacturing Company-John W. McLean, president ; William M. Osborn, vice president ; James Irish, secretary and treasurer. This company was organized in 1870, with a capital of $150,000. They purchased the mill from John Adams who had ope- rated it since before the war. The product is what are known as bunt- ings and about 150 hands are employed.
There are two factories for canning corn in the village, one operated by the New Hartford Canning Company, and the other by the Excel- sior Canning Company. S. F. Sherman is superintendent of the first and William M. Osborn of the other.
General stores are kept by F. N. Russell and George Ireland, and Joseph Killian has a hardware store. Enoch Morris carries on harness making. The hotel long known as the Entwistle Hotel is kept by Mrs.
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
Fred Durrenbeck ; the Williams House by H. A. Williams, and the Myers House by D. F. Myers.
The village constitutes Union Free School district No. I, and an ex- cellent school is taught, with Frank B. Spaulding, principal, and five teachers. The town is now divided into eighteen school districts with a school house in each.
Butler Memorial Hall was erected in 1889 for the use of the village and contains the post-office, a hall and various offices. It was donated to the place by the late Morgan Butler.
The presidents of the village of New Hartford have been Charles McLean, 1870- 71; James Armstrong, 1872; James Campbell, 1873; Richard U. Sherman, 1874-75; John B. Winship, 1876-9; 1880-1, James Armstrong; 1882, Luther W. McFarland ; 1833, Albert P. Seaton; 1884, James Harris; 1885-7, Albert P. Seaton ; 1888-9, James Armstrong; 1890, Jerome M. Seaman; 1891-2, James Armstrong; 1893-5, Jerome M. Seaman; 1896, George W. Reed.
The village of Washington Mills is situated on Sauquoit Creek about two miles above New Hartford. Frederick Hollister was a business man of Utica, who had been associated in the drug trade there in what was known as " the checkered store." Isaac Mason had established a mill on the site of Washington Mills, which Mr. Hollister purchased in 1840. This was burned and rebuilt by him, and was also painted in colors, giving the local name of " Checkerville" to the place. The second mill, which was of stone, was also burned, with little insurance, and the loss was heavy. But Mr. Hollister had unbounded energy and the firm of Hollister & Stanton built again a large frame mill, to which was given the name " Washington Mill." This ultimately became the property of A. T. Stewart of New York and is still owned by his estate ; it is idle. The post-office was established here between 1840 and 1850, and Adna Ingham was one of the earlier postmasters holding the office fifteen years.
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