Our county and its people; a descriptive work on Oneida county, New York;, Part 51

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 51

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).

509

THE TOWN OF REMSEN.

G. Griffith; 1883-85, John S. Kent; 1886-87, William A. Thomas; 1888-89, William J. Jones; 1890-91, David H. Jones; 1892-93, Griffith Morris; 1894-95, B. H. Kent; 1896, Clinton R. Thomas.

The foregoing list adds considerably to the record of names of early as well as later settlers in various parts of the town, and also indicates to what a large extent the region is settled by Welsh who are worthy of holding responsible positions. Silas Kent was another who was among the very early pioneers of Remsen, and here his son Chester was born January 1, 1802, and became a prosperous citizen. William Rob- erts settled in the town in 1820 on the old State road, with his wife and two sons, Robert and Hugh, both of the latter having been born in Wales. They became prosperous farmers. Milo Mitchell, son of the pioneer, Barnabas, became one of the most successful farmers in the county ; he was born in Remsen October 26, 1797. He built the first cheese factory in this town and the second one in the United States, and held several town offices. The family history of many other prom- inent settlers in Remsen is given in Part III of this work.

The first school house in this town has been mentioned as situated at Fairchild Corners. The first meeting of the inhabitants for school pur- poses was held on the 4th of September, 1813, when districts were formed and the first district school house was built on the following year. The first trustees were John Platt, Lemuel Hough, and Ezra Green. In December, 1813, it was voted that "Broughton White be instructor of said school for this winter." Austin Ward was another early school teacher, and also taught singing. The first school house was a frame building and stood in the upper part of the village. New districts were gradually formed until in 1860 there were fourteen. After the erection of Forestport the number was reduced to eleven, in- cluding two joint districts in connection with that town and Trenton. There are now ten districts with school houses and twelve teachers are employed. An academy was founded in Remsen village many years ago, which prospered for a period, but finally declined and closed its existence.

The settlement of Remsen village gradually increased in numbers and it became a center for the large lumber business of the town. The construction of the Black River Railroad through the place gave it an

510

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

impetus and the business interests developed rapidly. William Platt, who settled here in 1795, built the first small mill on the site of the later one. John G. Jones erected a carding mill in early years on the creek some distance below the village. The ruins are still visible. In later years A. C. Herron built a grist mill in which either steam or water power could be used. This was afterwards occupied as a butter tub factory. It is still standing and used for shops. Among the early merchants of the village were William and Heman Ferry; the latter removed to Utica and the former to Michigan ; he was father of Thomas Ferry, U. S. senator from that State. Dr. Bill erected a part of what became the Dawson Hotel at an early day ; he removed to Ohio. He was the first physician in the village and practiced many years. Horace N. Bill, once editor of the Roman Citizen, was his son.

Remsen village was incorporated in 1845 and on the first Tuesday in May of that year an election was held and the following officers were chosen :

John Smith, Andrew Billings, Griffith B. James, trustees; Thomas R. Hawley, G. B. James, Morgan Owens, assessors; Mather Beecher, fire warden; L. Evan Jones, clerk; John T. Griffiths, treasurer; Josiah Griffiths, collector.

A fire company was appointed by the trustees on the 19th of July, 1845, consisting of the following men : George P. Bridgeman, Morgan Owens. John Edmunds, Owen E. Jones, William L Williams, William E. Lewis, Thomas Jones, Edward James, Henry Crosby, Griffith J. Griffiths, Isaac W. Roberts, Delos Bearhyte, A. H. Doty, Francis Prindle, Seth Wells, jr.

The grist mill is operated by Richard Bros., and stores are kept by R. G. Griffith, R. O. Griffith, O. R. Griffith. and Owen J. Roberts ; D. S. Davies has a jewelry business and T. I .. Morgan, tailoring. The Bristol House is kept by Brant & Gansway, succeeding on March 1, 1896, Friend Bristol The Pierce House is conducted by Pierce Dines. John H. Williams also keeps a hotel. At Bordwell Town, as it is kuown, is a saw mill run by Menzo Bordwell, and what was formerly the tannery is now used by the Porpoise Lace Company, who started in the fall of 1895.

The election in the village in 1846 was declared illegal through some informality, and the officers of 1845 held over. The trustees from that time to the organization under the new charter were as follows :

511

THE TOWN OF ROME.

1847, Z. D. Root, Mather Beecher, Isaac W. Roberts; 1848, G. A. Yeomans, N. C. Phelps, O. J. Owens; 1849, F W. Buckingham, J. H. Smith, Z. D. Root; 1850, Morgan Owens, Fred E. Hale, Jonah Griffith: 1851, no record; 1852, William E. Owen, Griffith O. Griffiths, Josiah Griffith; 1853, Griffith O. Griffiths, John R. Jones, Robert P. Williams; 1854, Morgan Owen, James Owens, William W. Thomas; 1855, no record; 1856, A. C. Herron, Griffith O. Griffiths, Didymus Thomas; 1857, 10 record; 1858, Henry W. Roberts, Delos Bearhyte, R. P. Williams; 1859, Morgan Owens, S. Douglas, D. Bearhyte; 1860, G. O. Griffiths, William W. Thomas, Will- iam E. White; 1861, D. Bearhyte, W. H. Williams, W. S. Evans; 1862-63, same as 1861; 1864, G. O. Griffiths, J. Mitchell, John D. Griffiths; 1865, James Mitchell, Morgan Owen, Josiah Griffith; 1866, Richard R. Jones, William H. Williams, Rob_ ert W. Roberts; 1867-68, no record; 1869, John P. Samuel, Robert W. Roberts, Hugh Hughes; 1870, William W. Thomas, Evan G. Williams, Rowland Anthony. There is no record for 1871. In 1872 a new charter was obtained under the general law, and the following officers for that year were elected: President, Dr. R. H. Wig_ gins; trustees, Joseph Roberts, R. W. Roberts, "Jink" Jones. The village presi- dents to the present time have been as follows: Dr. R. H. Wiggins, 1872-75; Joseph I. Francis, 1876; R. W. Roberts, 1877-80; 1881-83, record missing; 1884-86, Robert W. Roberts; 1887, George E. Pugh; 1888-91, Owen R. Griffith; 1892-93, Robert R. Griffith; 1894-96, R. R. Jones.

The village has an excellent graded school, with two teachers.

At one period there were twelve churches in this town, most of them Welsh. The number is now reduced to five. These are the Baptist at Remsen, which was formerly a Welsh Congregational and burned in 1892, and was rebuilt aud changed to a Baptist in February, 1894.

The Methodist Episcopal church in the village and the Calvinistic M. E. church have had a long existence, and the Welsh Calvinistic society, a mile and a half east of the village, is an old one.

CHAPTER XLIII.

THE TOWN OF ROME.

Four years after the then large town of Steuben was set off from the great town of Whitestown (1792) and on the 4th of March, 1796, the town of Rome was erected from Steuben. The town of Floyd was formed at the same time, which with Rome took all of the southern part of Steuben, Rome occupies nearly the center of Oneida county, and

512

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

its territory was almost wholly included in the Oriskany and Fonda's patents, as seen by the map herein. The Mohawk River flows south- easterly through the eastern part of the town; Wood Creek flows west through the northwest part while Fish Creek forms the northwest boundary. Canada Creek flows north across the western part of the town. The surface of the town is nearly level, and in the western part are extensive swampy tracts, to which reference has been made in early chapters of this work. The soil is a highly productive gravelly loam.

The inhabitants of the town met in their first town meeting at the dwelling house of Ebenezer Claflin, on the first Tuesday in April, 1796, and there elected the following officers :

Supervisor, George Huntington; town clerk, Ebenezer Wright, jr. ; assessors, Chester Gould, Gershom Waldo, Daniel W. Knight; overseers of the poor, Thomas Wright, William Walsworth; commissioners of highways, Bill Smith, Elijah Wells, Caleb Reynolds; constables, Samuel Reynolds, David Waldo; fence-viewers, Asa Tyler, Matthew Brown, John Williams; collector, Samuel Reynolds; poundmasters, Nathan Thompson, Matthew Brown; commissioners of schools, Chester Gould, Sheldon Logan, Abijah Putnam.

Besides the election of these officers, the usual regulations for the simple government of the new town were voted.

The settlement at Fort Stanwix long prior to the Revolution by John Roof and a few others has been already described in an earlier chapter. He made his settlement in 1760, two years after the fort was built, and remained until driven away by the siege of the fort in 1777. His first son was also named John and was born August 28, 1762, without doubt the first child born in what is now Oneida county. When the Roof family were forced to abandon the improvements they had made they left their possessions in charge of one Conrad, who was afterward killed in the fort. The buildings were all finally destroyed, to prevent their occupancy by the enemy, and Colonel Gansevoort gave Roof a certificate that the property destroyed was worth 800 pounds. The family were never reimbursed for their loss.

The vicinity of Fort Stanwix was probably without inhabitants after the siege, until 1784. In May of that year Jedediah Phelps and James Dean located within the limits of what is now the town of Vienna. They built a log house and a shop, and in the latter Mr. Phelps carried

513

THE TOWN OF ROME.

on his trade as silversmith. A flood in the spring of 1785 practically dislodged them and Mr. Dean removed to what is now the town of Westmoreland, while Mr. Phelps located at the fort, where he remained until after 1800. After continuing work at his trade two years and passing a few years on the Oneida Reservation, he located as early as 1806 on a large tract of land near the site of Verona village. A few other settlers came to Fort Stanwix in 1785-87 ; it is recorded by Judge Jones in his Annals that his father told him that in 1787 there were five houses there.

Ebenezer Wright brought his wife and six children to Fort Stanwix in 1789, and soon acquired 196 acres of land at what became known as Wright Settlement. In 1790 settlers came in quite rapidly. In 1795 a grist mill was built on Wood Creek near the old arsenal site, which was a great convenience to the pioneers. In 1796 the Clark and the Hin- man families settled on the Whitesboro road ; Silas Matteson, grand- father of the late O. B. Matteson, settled about the same time on what was the county poor farm, and Thomas Selden, jr., grandfather of the late N. Hyde Leffingwell, came at that time.

In 1790 John Lansing, jr., who owned large tracts of land in the northern part of Oneida county, leased to the following five persons 100 acres each, all the leases being dated in June : To John Wright, son of Thomas Wright, one of the early settlers of Rome, what has been known as the Gates place, fifty acres, and fifty on the opposite side of the road known as the Waters place; to Moses Wright, brother of John, 100 acres next north of the latter, lying on both sides of the highway ; to Asa Knapp the next 100 acres on the north ; to Elijah Weeks 100 acres north of Knapp, mostly on the west side of the present highway and extending down to the Mohawk; to Jasper French (before mentioned), a surveyor, 100 acres mostly on the east side of the highway. The rent for these lots was to be eighteen bushels of wheat, payable in Albany.

By that year (1790) leases had also been granted in the Wright Set - tlement to the following: Seth Ranney, David I. Andrus, Nathaniel Gilbert, Rozel (or Roswell) Fellows, Ebenezer Wright, jr., Willett Ran- ney, jr., Benjamin Gilbert, John Wright, Moses Wright, Asa Knapp, Jasper French, Elijah Weeks, Elijah Root, Chester Gould, and Elisha Walsworth.

514

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

Thomas Wright, Willet Ranney, sr., and Bill Smith probably accom- panied Ebenezer Wright in 1789, when he came on to make his settle . ment. Smith at first located near the fort, but as early as 1800 was living on the road to Floyd, and later on the Peter Williams farm. In 1810 he kept a small store on Dominick street in Rome. David I. An - drus and Nathaniel Gilbert came into the town either the same or the following year, and in 1791 lands were leased in the Wright Settlement to Dyer McCumber and Abner Pitcher. Other early comers previous to 1800 were Colonel D. W. Knight, about 1790; Jesse Childs, about 1792 ; Joseph Otis, 1793 ; William West, 1793; Edward Simmons, 1793 ; · Calvin Hurd, about 1794; John Simons, and Jonathan Brainard, 1794; Daniel W. Lamb, John and Daniel Ashby, about 1795; Rufus Barnes (father of Rev. Albert Barnes), 1795 ; Israel Denio (father of Judge Hi- ram Denio and of Israel and C. D. Denio, of Rome), about 1797 ; Cor- nelius Van Wormer, Zaccheus Abell, Abiather Seekill, Peter Lampman, " Pigeon " Palmer, Luke Usher, and Benjamin Taylor, about 1800. Some brief details of the settlement of these pioneers are at hand. Jesse Childs lived at the fort a short time and then located on a farm north of Ridge Mills, east of the Mohawk, in the Selden neighborhood. About the same time that he located there the families of Solomon, John, and David Williams came in from Connecticut, and with Daniel Ashby and William Brewster, from Groton, Mass., settled north of the Ridge. Da- vid I. Andrus lived at the Wright Settlement before 1800, and held a lease for 138 acres of land near the Ridge from George Clinton, made in 1790. He operated a distillery before 1800 at the Ridge and about 1804 moved to Jefferson county. The three Williams brothers settled on land on the Mohawk a short distance above the Ridge Mills. David had served in the army at the fort and was familiar with the locality. His youngest son was Jesse Williams, who has been elsewhere mentioned as the orignator of the cheese factory system in this country. Solomon Williams was great-grandfather of B. W. Williams, a former postmaster of Rome. Joseph Otis came from Fort Ann, N. Y., in 1793 and settled in the Selden neighborhood ; with him were Lot and Simeon Fuller, who located in what is now Steuben. Mr. Otis was among those who responded to the extra inducements offered by the owners of the Fonda patent to bring in settlers, and came with his young wife and

515

THE TOWN OF ROME.

entirely without means. A road had been surveyed and opened two years earlier from the Ridge via what became known as Penny street northerly towards the covered bridge. In July of that year (1793) a road was surveyed by Moses Wright, as an extension of the one just de- scribed, which extended to the covered bridge over the Mohawk, going around the hill and nearer the river than the present road. On the op- posite side of the river from the bridge stood a mill at that time owned by Roswell Fellows. Asa Knapp lived on what has been known as the Philander and Philemon Selden place. Mr. Otis assisted Benjamin Wright in the survey of thousands of acres of land. Rufus Barnes was a shoemaker by trade and a tanner. In January, 1796, he purchased an interest in a lease from Henry Wilson on Penny street and built a log house, and about 1801 built a shoe shop and a tannery on the place. Near the Barnes place lived Israel Denio, who was a blacksmith ; his father-in-law. John Robbins, settled as early as 1791, and came from Bennington, Vt. His coming to this locality was doubtless an induce- ment to Mr. Denio to follow him. The latter located at first in what is now the town of Floyd, near the Rome line, and about 1797 removed to the Wright Settlement, where he built a blacksmith shop; he followed his trade at several different points in the vicinity. His son, Hiran, who was to become eminent at the bar, was born in May, 1799. (See Chapter XXII.)

Others who settled early in the Wright neighborhood were Gideon Butts and Grant Wheat about 1802, on what was called Canterbury Hill; John Butts in 1803 ; Daniel Kirkland, son of Joshua, about 1807, and the latter came in about 1811; Hazel Lathrop about 1807; and Daniel Butts, Samuel and Asa Smith, Zacheus Abell, Samuel Williams, and Asa Colburn (the latter with his family) all came in early and con- tributed by their toil to change the wilderness into a beautiful and pro- ductive country.

Thomas Selden, jr., from Stamford, Conn , came about 1796, and set- tled on half of a 100-acre tract which John Lansing, jr., had leased to Jasper French. Mr. Selden was grandfather of the late N. Hyde Lef- fingwell, of Rome, and after he had purchased Mr. French's improve- ments he returned to Vermont for his family, bringing them and his aged parents back into the wilderness in the winter of 1795-6. Thomas

516

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

Selden, sr., the aged father, walked the whole distance, though the roads were very bad, driving cows and oxen ; the women and children rode in a sleigh. Thomas, jr., built a frame house about 1800 and with Roswell Edgerton and John Ely, engaged largely in building and con- tracting. It is believed they built the early grist mill of Col. Samuel Wardwell at the Ridge, the " red mill " for Mr. Lynch and the factories at Factory Village, a suburb of Rome. Roswell Edgerton came from the same neighborhood as the Seldens and settled on the road leading to Delta.

Dr. Elijah Clarke was a pioneer physician in the Wright Settlement neighborhood, coming as early as 1794 ; until about 1812 he practiced over a large territory. On what is known as Canterbury Hill in that neighborhood, other early settlers were Joshua Kirkland, who was liv- ing there in ISI1 ; John Butts settled about 1803 ; Col. D. W. Knight about 1790; Gideon Butts about 1802 ; Daniel Kirkland, son of Joshua, about 1807 ; Zaccheus Abell, Samuel Williams, Asa Colburn, Daniel Butts, Samuel and Asa Smith, and Abiather Seekill. Of these Gideon Butts was the pioneer on the hill and Grant Wheat was next. The lat- ter walked from Connecticut in 1801, carrying his gun and fifty pounds in a pack. Several of these settlers took part in the war of 1812, mostly at Sackett's Harbor.

Joseph Otis came on from Fort Ann, N. Y., in March, 1793, and set- tled in the Selden neighborhood ; it will be noted that this locality was then in what is now Steuben. With him came Lot and Simeon Fuller. The then owners of Fonda's patent were at that time surveying it into lots, placing them in market, and offering extra inducements to settlers with limited means. Mr. Otis was among those who responded, and came on almost entirely without means, a young man, with his second wife, a lady but nineteen years of age, and a year old daughter by his first wife. About two years before a road had been surveyed, worked, and traveled from the Ridge, via what is now "Penny street," northerly towards the covered bridge, ending near the present residence of Amos M. Potter. In July of the same year (1793) a road was surveyed by Moses Wright, intended as a continuation of the above highway, to the present covered bridge over the Mohawk, running around the hill and nearer to the river than it does at present. The road was changed

517

THE TOWN OF ROME.

within a few years. Mr. Otis moved into the dwelling of Willett Ran- ney until his own log house could be built. Mr. Otis aided Benjamin Wright in making surveys of thousands of acres of land in this part of the State and in fixing the boundaries of Oneida, Oswego, Jefferson and Lewis counties. Between Mr. Otis and the Fellows mill also settled early William Brewster, Daniel Ashby and Dea. Daniel W. Lamb.

About 1793 David, John and Solomon Williams settled on the Mo- hawk a short distance above Ridge Mills. David Williams had served in the Fort Stanwix garrison and like many other soldiers, was doubt- less attracted hither by what he had seen of the country at that time. John Williams died in 1848, aged ninety ; David in 1837, aged eighty- six, and Solomon in 1852, aged ninety-eight. The latter was grand- father. of the late B. W. Williams, and Jesse Williams, the founder of the cheese factory system, was the youngest son of David.

Roswell Fellows, before named, probably made his settlement as early as 1790, at which time there was no road farther north than his loca- tion, except the Indian trail. A few years later and before the year 1800, Mr. Fellows, Hope Smith (a settler in that vicinity) and Luther Miller built a grist mill on the Mohawk a mile or more east of Mr. Fel- lows's place and opposite what was long known as Barnard's Mills. The latter mills were built by Mr. Fellows prior to 1793, on the west side of the Mohawk, and near the site of the covered bridge. Later on John Barnard, the enterprising Roman, bought the mill, and hence the name, A saw mill was also located there and quite a thriving business center gathered around in the early years. The pioneers of Wright Settlement and its vicinity carried their grain to Whitesboro before the building of these mills.

As early as 1800 Dr. Thomas Hartwell lived on a farm of 100 acres on the road to Whitesboro about three miles east of the city. He was father of Dr. J. P. Hartwell who practiced, and kept a tavern on the road to Delta on the corner of two roads, one of which ran easterly to the Mohawk River at the site of the covered bridge. This corner is about a mile southerly of Elmer Hill. About 1800 Nathan Peggs settled on that corner and kept a tavern. He was father of Deacon Richard Peggs of Rome. Timothy Wood was next in this tavern and was followed by Josiah Tallmadge.

518

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

Opposite this corner and before 1800 Roswell Fellows, great-grand- father of the late B. W. Williams, of Rome, kept a tavern; this was the second tavern north of Fort Stanwix.

In the western and southwestern parts of the town early settlers were Richard Brown (1801), J. B. Green, Jonathan Williams, Daniel W. Haz- ard, Daniel Williams, Amos Scofil, John C. Brewster, Lyman Thayer, Richard Brown, jr., Joseph King, Eleazer Dunham, Ephraim Covel, and others.

In tr. ing the history of Rome village it is necessary to describe what is Known as the Expense Lot. This was a tract originally em- bracing 397 acres and bounded as follows :

Commencing on the south side of the Mohawk, and not far from Mr. Parry's brick- yard; thence running southwesterly towards the poorhouse, about 240 rods; then northwesterly about a mile, towards Canal Village; then northeast about 150 rods, towards St. Joseph's church, passing south of that building, and crossing the track of the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad at Henry street, and up that street to near the track of the Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad, where Expense street extended would cross it; thence north up that street to a point about half-way between Court and Embargo streets; thence easterly, crossing the blocks diagonally, and passing near the house of Mr. Charles Keith, on the corner of Court and Washington streets, and so on diagonally across West park to James street ; and thence nearly down Park alley, and crossing the Black River Canal near the bathing- house of H. W. Barnes, and so on to the Mohawk; then following that stream down to the starting point.

On the 29th of November, 1875, the agents for the Expense Lot pub- lished a notice that on the 9th of January. 1786, they would meet " for the purpose of attending to the balloting for, and drawing by lot" the several parcels surveyed. At that meeting there were present the com - missioners and agents, with Judge Visscher and Jelles Fonda. In the drawing made at that time the De Lancey one fifth was set off to the State, one of the parcels thus disposed of being a tract of 960 acres in the northwest corner of the patent embracing with other lands the Rome cemetery and most of the farm formerly owned by Asa C. Huntington and later by Dr. H. H. Pope ; also another parcel of 460 acres east of Factory Village. The portion of the city site east of Washington street and next north of the Expense Lot was set off to William Livingston and Alida Hoffman, 460 acres, and included the old burying ground, the sites of the Presbyterian church, the court house, St. Peter's church,

519

THE TOWN OF ROME.

the East Park, and Factory Village. The portion west of Washington street and north and west of the Expense Lot, including West Rome, was set off to those claiming under George Clarke ; and the portion of the Rome swamp, south of the Expense Lot, and between that line and the county house, was set off to those claiming under Thomas Wenham. On March 17, 1786, the Expense Lot was put at auction and bid off by Dominick Lynch, a New York merchant, for 2,250 pounds. This was his first purchase in this vicinity-the nucleus of the Lynch estate in Rome

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 51

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