Our county and its people; a descriptive work on Oneida county, New York;, Part 50

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 50

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).

The Union school in Clayville was opened in 1871, and in 1876 a large two story brick school building was erected at a cost of $6,000. Clayville was incorporated in 1887 and the first officers were elected in September of that year. W. J. Millard served as president until the fol- lowing March, and was then re-elected for one year. He was succeeded by C. B. Gormond, and in 1890 A. J. Rhodes was elected and has served ever since.

Sauquoit .- The earliest settlers on the east and west sides of the creek where grew up the little villages of East and West Sauquoit have been briefly mentioned. In early years the west part became known as "' Savage's Corners," and the east part as " Methodist Corners," and " Bethelville." When the post-office was established in 1820 (with Ho- bart Graves, postmaster) the place was officially named Sauquoit. Mr. Graves was a merchant in the east village, and a few years later the post- office was removed to the other side and Stephen Savage made post- master ; he was succeeded in 1832 by his son, Frederick S. Savage. The earliest settlers were followed by William Babbitt, William M. Winship, David Ostrom, Captain Abner Bacon, Charles Cooledge, Zenas Merrill, and Camp Parmalee, in or near the west village ; while on the east side settled Lieut. Spencer Briggs, Baxter. Gage, and on the hill, Simeon Coe, Elisha Wetmore, Moses Campbell, jr., and Elkanah Hewett, and northeast of the village, Josiah Hull, Nathan Robinson, Moses Camp- bell, sr., and Howe Nichols. At South Sauquoit came in 1789-90,

499

THE TOWN OF PARIS.

Titus Gilbert, sr., Allyn Gilbert, and Theodore Gilbert, 2d, and Ephraim Davis. This particular locality was early known as "Davis's Forge," or " Farmers' Factory." Captain Bacon first kept the tavern in the valley, and the first store was kept by Drs. Dick and Jack Perkins, who were succeeded by Judge James Orton ; he added a store and sold out to Stephen Savage in about 1806 Mr. Savage built a store about 1812 on the southwest corner of the Presbyterian church lot; he also owned the grist mill at one time and in partnership with Naaman W. Moore established the paper mills. His old store was later kept by R. E. Kaple, Peter Kneaskarn and Solomon Rogers. The old Savage hotel was kept in later years by Paul R. Miner, Stephen Medbury, and Joseph Mason, and was burned April 5, 1862, and rebuilt by Mr. Mason on the present site. The first merchant at East Sauquoit was Martin Hawley, and Henry Cram opened a store soon afterwards. Mr. Hawley removed to Paris Hill and was succeeded by Hobart Graves, later by Hobert Graves, jr., who had for partners at different periods, John Milton But- ler, William W. Hickox and Ezra C. Southard. Other merchants were Mills & Hale, Solomon Rogers (with different partners), J. M. & A. Gray, sons of Jordan Gray, Erastus Everett, M. L. Hungerford, Davis & Day, Birdsall & Hull, William H. Royce, James Moulton, Miller & Nichols, and others.

In 1828 Austin Graves built the hotel at the Burning Spring, South Sauquoit, designing the establishment for a watering place. After pass- ing through several hands it was burned in March, 1859. Major Will- iam Gere built the first tannery at East Sauquoit, which a few years later passed to Josiah Mosher who, with his sons, George W. and S. Emerson, operated it some years. Major Gere afterwards operated the tannery built by John Curtiss. These have passed out of existence. Major Gere was also a partner with A. Jenks in an oil mill at South Sauquoit. Deacon Abijah Hubbard manufactured wagons many years opposite the tannery, and a little south of his shop was the organ fac- tory of Oliver Prior, who was a pioneer in the invention of the early reed organs. Other shop keepers in the two villages were Asahel Cur- tiss, Ezekiel Hawley and General 'Gates, saddlers ; the Royces, James Seaton, George and Daniel Griggs, H. Norton Robinson, John Olm- stead, Major Gere, Zabine Luce, Samuel Robbins, George Tinker, M. L.

500

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

Antisdel and Samuel Cheeney, shoemakers; Stillman Wells, Nehemiah Walton and David Loring, cabinetmakers : D. Sheldon Marsh, Hiram and Titus Gilbert, Roswell Eastman, George W. Holman, Alpha Smith and John Seaton, millwrights; Daniel Wells, Captain Knight, T. L. Switzer, blacksmiths; U. T. Harvey, Elkanah Hewitt, A. L. White, Daniel Bacon and Benjamin Allen, tailors. At one time there were eleven distilleries in this town, four at Cassville, two at Paris Hill, one at Holman City, and a brewery at Clayville. John Butler was the pio- neer distiller. Among early physicians in town were Amos G. Hull, Elnathan Judd, Seth Hastings and David Larrabee, at Paris Hill; Dick and Jack Perkins, Spaulding Pierce, Leverett Bishop, Rufus Priest, Aaron B. Bligh, Jeremiah Knight, Ansel and Asa Tyler, C. N. Palmer and C. A. Ostrom, at Sauquoit ; Barzilla Budlong at Cassville, where some of the others also practiced.

William L. Mould, an Englishman, came to this town early and for a few years operated the " Farmers' Factory Mill," between Sauquoit and Clayville, His sons, W. F. Mould & Brothers, bought the grist and saw mills of Henry Gilbert January 1, 1853, and made extensive repairs and improvements. What was known as the Friendly Woolen Com- pany was formed about 1812 by a company of Quakers who came to Sauquoit, purchased the Abner Bacon saw mill which they rebuilt and added other shops. They then built a woolen mill and began its opera- tion. It did not prove remunerative and the property passed to Thomas Dean. In 1824 it was purchased by Kellogg Hurlburt, Abner Brownell and John Chadwick (who were then proprietors of what became the Chadwick Mills in the edge of New Hartford). They converted it to a cotton factory and changed the name to Franklin Mill. In 1827, after one year's operation, the firm divided and Hurlburt and Brownell con- tinued the business. Later, in 1877, while being conducted by Mr. Brownell's sons, the factory was burned and not rebuilt.

Between 1840 and 1845 A. Brownell & Co. built a cotton factory just below Sauquoit village, which was operated at the same time with the Franklin Mill. In 1873 the machinery was removed and the Sau- quoit Silk Manufacturing Company was organized, which put in new machinery for the manufacture of certain silk products. Nearly 100 hands were employed and the factory was prosperous many years. It

501

THE TOWN OF PARIS.

was closed in 1895 while being operated by Stelle & Son, who had long been connected with the business.

An academy was established in Sauquoit, by raising a fund by sub- scription, and a contract made with L. W. Thomas to properly fit up the building, the school to be held meanwhile in the basement of a church. It was intended that the academy should be an advance upon the select school that had been held in the upper story of the old school house. A meeting of the subscribers to the fund was held April 9, 1844, and seven trustees were elected. The building was in due time occupied. The teachers were Professor Barber, assisted by his wife and Miss Kate Tuttle, with Miss Kittie Roberts, music teacher, and George W. Eastman, teacher of penmanship and bookkeeping. At the winter term of 1845-6 the school opened with 200 scholars. Professor Barber subsequently went to Texas and the school declined until 1850, when Rev. Moses E. Dunham assumed its management and brought it back to its former standard. After his departure another period of decline came on and the building needed repairs. In 1866 the people raised another fund of about $1,700, put the structure in good repair and en- gaged Aaron White as principal. The school now opened with over 200 scholars ; but this prosperity was not steadily maintained, and vari- ous teachers were employed in efforts to keep the institution alive. In 1878 the building was again repaired and T. H. Roberts engaged as principal. Under his management a fair degree of success was attained. The institution was merged in the Union School in March, 1895.

Cassville .- This village is in the southern part of the town and near the junction of the two railroads. The first settlers here were Amasa Burchard, Elias and Mark Hopkins, and Eleazer Kellogg, who came in 1803. The post-office was established about 1830 under the name of Paris Hollow, with Dr. Aaron Bligh postmaster. The name was changed to Cassville in 1835. Elias Hopkins built a saw mill here, on the site of the present grist mill. Amasa Burchard soon after built the present grist mill on the site of the former one, and in 1804 erected a carding mill on the site afterwards occupied by the tub factory and later by a cheese factory. The settlement gradually extended up the bluft southward and a distillery was built on each side of the road up the bluff, one by Thompson Snell and the other by Marsh & Stanley.

502

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

Michael Foster erected a tavern which was subsequently torn down, and Norman Merrill, the merchant, built his residence on the site. East of the village, at Richfield Junction, the railroad station, considerable busi- ness is carried on. Among the prominent settlers and residents of this part of the town may be mentioned Nathan Randall, who settled north of the village in 1807 ; he was father of Abel and Bishop T. Randall. The Monroe and the Brownell families were prominent settlers in this vicinity. George Smith and R. A. Webb built a tannery and carding mill in 1826 on the south branch, which long ago disappeared Farther down the stream stood an early saw mill, and below the road to Paris Hill Grove W. Bagg manufactured farmers' implements about 1850. John, Joseph and David Budlong were pioneers north of the village. Deacon Charles Allen settled about 1799, and James Rhodes about the same time. The Budlong family had many descendants and has con- tributed much to the advancement of Cassville. Calvin A. Budlong built an early store in Cassville, conducted it many years and was suc- ceeded by Norman Merrill, who continued in trade to 1889, a period of forty years. This old store is now conducted by U. L. Loomis. Mr. Budlong built and kept a second store after he sold out to Merrill, and was succeeded therein by Thomas H. Hughes, and he by Abner Sea . man in 1876. Bentley & Roberts are now in that store. Lorenzo Palmer was another early merchant.

Justus Childs settled in Paris about 1831 and was an extensive farmer east of Cassville, and a prominent citizen and officeholder. West of Cassville Roswell Cossitt was a pioneer distiller and his sons, Stephen and Miles, were prominent farmers. Asa Stanton, Val Pierce, Isaac Walton, and others settled on the Paris Hill road.

Holman City .- This is a hamlet east of Clayville where considerable business was done in early years, when it bore the local title of " Log City." In 1798 Seth Leonard Cutler settled here and started a shop for turning wooden bowls, at the same time working at carpentering. After he moved away Lenthel Eells had a saw mill on the site of Cutler's fac- tory, where J B. Davis and his son made hubs in later years. In 1812 David Holman settled here and built a grist mill, a saw mill and later a clover mill ; the latter was converted into a distillery which was operated many years by George Briggs ; it was finally burned. The grist mill

503

THE TOWN OF PARIS.

declined after the burning of the distillery, and William H. Le Roy and Jeremiah Wells built on the site a shop for making draw shaves; hoes were also made there. It was afterwards changed into a batting factory, and later into a cabinet factory, passing through various hands in the mean time. Early stores were kept here by William Holman, George Briggs, and others. In 1830 Tunis V. Le Roy, sr., a skilled mechanic, invented the first upright power drill and began its manufacture here in 1839; it was an important industry.

Hops have been raised in this town to a considerable extent, but not as largely as in some adjoining towns. In later years attention has been more largely given to dairying and the production of milk for shipment to New York. This has been made possible by the building of the Utica and Chenango Valley Railroad through the town in 1869, and later the branch to Richfield Springs and on southward. The town is now divided into thirteen school districts with a school house in each.

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

1794, David Ostrom; 1795, George W. Kirkland; 1796-97, Jesse Curtiss; 1798, Thomas Hart; 1799-1805, Jesse Curtiss ; 1806-07, Isaac Miller ; 1808-17, Jesse Curtiss ; 1818, Ebenezer Griffin ; 1819, Henry McNiel; 1820-23, Jesse Curtiss; 1824-27, Othniel Williams. The act dividing the town and creating Kirkland was passed April 13, 1827, and a second election was held for Paris, at which Henry McNeil was chosen supervisor; he was re-elected in 1828. 1829, Jared P. Todd; 1830, Henry McNiel ; 1831, Theophilus Steele; 1832, Jeremiah Knight; 1833-34, Jared P. Todd; 1835-37, Constant H. Wicks; 1838, Jeremiah Knight; 1839-43, Naaman W. Moore (William Gallup was elected justice of the peace in 1839, and held the office fifteen years); 1844, George M. Brownell; 1845-49, David J. Millard; 1850-51, Sterling A. Millard ; 1852-53, William S. Bartlett; 1854-55, Eli Avery; 1856, William Gallup; 1857, Justus Childs; 1858-59, Barzilla Budlong; 1860-62, Harvey Head; 1863-64, F. S. Savage; 1865, D. J. Millard; Mr. Millard resigned on account of ill-health, and Harvey Head was appointed to fill vacancy; 1866, Eli Avery; 1867, Eli C. Green; Mr. Green resigned, and Samuel B. Rhodes was elected at a special meeting to fill vacancy ; 1868-70, Harvey Head; 1871-72, Martin L. Hungerford; 1873-75, Harvey Head; 1876-77, William F. Mould; 1878-79, Harvey Head; 1880-81, A. J. Rhodes; 1882-83, Seth W. Smith; 1884-87, Charles L. Marshall; 1888-91, Dr. David A. Barnum; 1892-96, Charles L. Marsh.

The first settlers of Paris had scarcely become located in their wilder- ness homes before they took steps to form a church. A meeting was held at the house of Timothy Tuttle in Whitestown on August 29, 1791, where Solomon and Sibil Wright, Timothy Tuttle and his wife Mehit-

504

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

able, and Reuben Fowler, under direction of Dr. Jonathan Edwards, of New Haven, Conn., acting as moderator, formed the "Second Church of Christ in White's Town." The first pastor was Rev Elipha- let Steele, who was installed July 15, 1795 ; he continued until October, 1817. This church has had an uninterrupted existence and during a part of its career was one of the most prosperous in the county. In later years it was governed under the Presbyterian form.

St. Paul's Episcopal church, Paris Hill, is the oldest of that denomi- nation in this State west of Johnstown. A meeting was held February 13, 1797, of which Gideon Seymour was chairman, at which the follow- ing were chosen the first vestrymen of the new society: Uri Doolittle, Benjamin Graves, Peter Selleck, Epaphroditus Bly, Selah Seymour, Thomas Stebbins, George Harden, Noah Humaston, and Silas Judd. The name adopted was St. Paul's Church in Herkimer county. The first minister was Rev. Robert Griffith Wetmore, who performed bap- tisms on November 14, 1797 ; there is no evidence that he remained in the parish. Other early pastors who preached occasionally were Revs. Father Nash, Philander Chase, John Urquhart, Mr. Thatcher and Mr. Judd. From 1809 to 1814 Rev. Amos G. Baldwin preached here a quarter of his time, in Utica one half, and a part of the remainder in Fairfield. The frame church at Paris Hill was built in 1818 ; but there was an earlier and smaller one, built about 1800, and used later as a dwelling.

The Presbyterian church at Sauquoit was organized at the house of Abner Bacon in January, 1810 ; but an attempt had been made and preliminary steps taken to perfect an organization in 1795. Between that year and 1810 meetings were held in the school houses. The final organization comprised 26 members, and in the spring of 1810 Rev. Ezra Woodworth began preaching as stated supply. In August of that year the first steps were taken towards providing a church building, and in the spring of 1811 a site was selected on the east side of the creek and the foundations laid. The site was then changed to the lo- cation of the present church. The building was not entirely finished until 1814, but was used in its unfinished condition. It stood until 1843 when it was demolished and the present building erected.

The date of the formation of a Methodist class at Sauquoit is lost in

505

THE TOWN OF PARIS.

the past ; but a church was in existence which was much out of repair in 1816. In later years it was largely improved and used as an acad- emy. The present brick church was built in 1842.

The Baptist church at Cassville was organized sometime between 1820 and 1830 and a frame church was erected This was subsequently burned and the present substantial edifice erected on the site in 1868. A Presbyterian Society existed at Cassville at one period and built a church in the year following the erection of the old Baptist church. The society passed out of existence.

The Clayville Presbyterian society was organized by nine members who were dismissed from the Sauquoit church for that purpose in 1856. In September, 1858, a subscription was started to collect funds for the building of a church, which resulted in the erection of the present building. The first regular pastor was Rev. M. E. Dunham. The society owns a parsonage.

St. John's Episcopal church, Clayville, was incorporated July 9, 1849, with 21 members. Services had been held about two years previously and funds raised for the building of the handsome brick edifice, which was finished in 1849 at a cost of nearly $20,000, Rev. William Baker, then preaching for St. Paul's church at Paris Hill, preached here in 1847, once each month. The first wardens were John Wicks and Ezra Brown. The site for the church was deeded by the Empire Mills Company.

The Methodist Episcopal church at Clayville was organized about 1863, and has continued a prosperous existence since.

St. Patrick's Catholic church, Clayville, was built in 1864 and ded- icated in 1865. The first Catholic pastor who visited the place was Father Patrick Carraher, many years before the building of the church. The church was organized by Rev. Father Coughlin of Clinton, who was succeeded by Father O'Reilly. The parish is large and thriving. 64

506

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

CHAPTER XLII.

THE TOWN OF REMSEN.

Until recent years this town occupied a large area in the extreme northeast corner of Oneida county, much of which was covered by the original forest. Remsen was reduced to its present area of 23,364 acres by the erection from it of the town of Forestport in 1869. Most of the territory of the present town was included in the Remsenburgh patent ; a small section in the south part was in the Servis patent, and another small section in the west part in the Steuben tract, as shown on accom . panying map. Remsen was erected simultaneously with the formation of Oneida county (March 15, 1798), when it was set off from Norway, Herkimer county, and named after Henry Remsen, one of the original patentees. Black River forms the northern boundary of the town, and Canada Creek the southeastern boundary ; it is further watered by Cin- cinnati Creek, Baker Brook and small tributaries. The surface of the town is well elevated and generally hilly and broken, while the soil is a light sandy loam. A very large portion of the inhabitants of this town are of Welsh descent.

Settlement began in Remsen previous to the formation of the town, with the arrival of Shiubael Cross from Massachusetts, who in March, 1794, came on westward, left the Mohawk at Utica and with his family turned northward into the forest. He made a line of marked trees along the Cincinnati Creek through the site of Remsen village, and halted and built a log cabin at what became known later as Burritt's Mills, and afterwards as Bordwell Settlement, now Porpoise Glen. Mr. Cross was an energetic pioneer and he soon had a piece of land cleared, and built later a wind-power grist mill. This was followed by the erec- tion of a saw mill, both of which were of great utility to the settlers in that section. Mr. Cross took a cold from getting wet in the creek, lost his mental balance, and finally died, his death being, probably, the first in the town,

507

THE TOWN OF REMSEN.

In 1795 three more families came into the town ; these were John Bonner, Barnabas Mitchell and Amos Bull. Mr. Bonner was an Eng- lishman, but came in from Vermont and settled on the lot afterwards owned by Jenkin Jones ; later he moved west. Mr. Mitchell settled on land afterwards owned by his son Milo Mitchell, and his daughter Polly, who became Mrs. Van Slyke, was the first white child born in the town. Amos Bull settled on the tract which was long known as Bull's Com- mons, and later as the Camp farm ; discouraged with the land and his prospects he removed to Floyd, where he died.

These pioneers were soon followed into the town by Ephraim Hollis- ter, father-in-law of Judge Storrs, who followed brickmaking, and who was elected the first supervisor of the town.

Stephen Hutchinson and a Mr. King located in the town about this time, and a daughter of the latter and her husband were probably the first persons married in the town, about the year 1800. Mr. King kept the first public house. It is recorded that the first religious service of a public character was held in Mr. Hutchinson's barn on what became known as the Price farm ; he was the first overseer of the poor of the town.

The site of Remsen village was settled early by Peter Becker, who built a small log cabin on his hundred-acre lot, afterwards selling the property to Deacon Platt, of Steuben. The log cabin was soon after- ward burned.

About the same time Joseph Brownell purchased the 100 acre lot on which the upper tavern was built. He was one of the first three road commissioners of the town. He soon sold out to Oliver Smith and left the town; Gershom Hinkley, a practical surveyor, was elected road commissioner in his place. It was on the farm of the latter at Fairfield Corners that the first school house in the town was built.

James Smith and his son Joab came into the town about 1795, and the father opened a tavern in 1797 on the place afterwards occupied by Captain Root; the son died at Sackett's Harbor in the war of 1812. At about this time the families of Jacob Dayton, Nathaniel Rockwood, Solomon Gillett, Perez Farr, Ebenezer Dodd, William Platt, Philip Scott (the first physician in town and an early town clerk) and Rev. Edmund Tefft, the first resident minister, settled in the town. The names of other early comers appear further on.

508

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

This town and those adjoining it in the eastern part of the county are very largely settled by Welsh. The first of this nationality to locate here was David Jones, but it is not known in just what year he came. Steuben and Trenton, adjoining, already contained a large number of these thrifty citizens. Mr. Jones took up the so called Billings lot, on the Steuben road. In the year 1803 Broughton White and his brother- in-law, Lemuel Hough, came in from the town of Steuben, and Mr. White subsequently opened a small grocery in a log building on the site of the later store in Remsen village; it was the first mercantile estab- lishment in the town, and Esquire White's chief returns for his goods were ashes. He sold out, after making further improvements, to John Mappa and Jacob Belticher, who in turn transferred it to Heman Ferry.

The eastern part of the town remained substantially a wilderness un- til a number of years after settlement had progressed in the western part. It bore the local designation of "Ninety-six," and the first set- thers came in there about 1816. About the year 1808 the Welsh fam- ilies of David Manual, John James, Griffith I. Jones, John Owens, and Hugh Hughes, all from Wales, settled in the town, and were succeeded by many others who with their descendants contributed largely to the prosperity of the community. It is recorded that Griffith O. Griffiths, of Remsen village, now deceased, was the first Welsh child born in this State west of the Hudson River.

It is unfortunate that the earliest records of this town are lost, but it is known that the first town meeting was held in the year of the town organization (1798), in the log dwelling of Samuel Howe, at Cross Set- tlement ; Mr. Howe was the first justice of the peace of the town. The list of supervisors of the town, however, is complete, through the record in the Jones Annals; they are as follows :

1798, Ephraim Hollister; 1799-1808, Gershom Hinckley; 1809-1819, Broughton White; 1820-21, James Sheldon; 1822-23, Zalmon Root; 1824-25, Luther Conkling; 1826-28, Lemuel Hough; 1829-34, Henry R. Sheldon; 1835-38, Mather Beecher; 1839-43, Evan Owens; 1844, Thomas R. White; 1845, Obadiah J. Owens; 1846, Griffith O. Griffiths; 1847, Andrew Billings; 1848-49, William H. Thomas; 1850-54, Evan Jones; 1855, Joseph H. Montague; 1856-58, Didymus Thomas; 1859, Samuel Lamb; 1860-61, John J. Vaughn; 1862, William H. Owen . 1863, James Mitchell; 1864, William H. Owen; 1865, Morgan Owen; 1866-67, Silas Moore; 1868, William A. Thomas; 1869-72, James Mitchell; 1873-74, Evan G. Williams; 1875-76, Richard R. Jones; 1877-78, John R. Thomas; 1879-80, Evan G. Williams; 1881-82, William

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Our county and its people; a descriptive work on Oneida county, New York;, Part 50

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