Our county and its people; a descriptive work on Oneida county, New York;, Part 52

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 52

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The price paid by Mr. Lynch for the Expense Lot was then consid- ered large, but he evidently saw the prospective importance of the place. In July, 1786, he added to his purchase the 460 acres set off to Livingston and Hoffman, and in the next year he bought of the Com- missioners of Forfeiture the 460 acres east of Factory Village which had been set off to the State. Other parcels bought by him previous to 1800 increased his holdings to about 2,000 acres. Mr. Lynch laid out the village site as early, probably, as 1796. giving it the name Lynch- ville (see map of 1810). The name Rome was not applied to the place until some years later and under precisely what circumstances is not now known. Mr. Lynch adopted the very objectionable plan of giving perpetual leases for his lots, instead of deeds of sale, and in case the annual rents were not paid the land was to revert to the owner. On July 30, 1796, twenty-eight lots were leased to the following persons : Matthew Brown, jr., Michael McGrath, Sheldon Logan (what is now the Empire Block), Joshua Hathaway (" Elm Row"), and John Barnard, the latter leasing twenty-two lots on Dominick street. Three years later, in 1769, the site of the Merrill Block and other premises were leased to George Huntington perpetually, at an annual rent of twelve bushels of wheat, payable May I of each year. It is possible there were also other leases in Lynchville where the rent was to be paid in grain.

It will be remembered that settlement on the site of the village had already begun. When Ebenezer Wright came in 1789 there were two log houses on the road to Newville, in one of which lived William Col- braith, the first sheriff; a log house near the old arsenal site in which Jedediah Phelps lived, and two other log houses ; the only frame house stood near the site of the G. N. Bissell residence, and a log house near

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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

the site of the old St. Peter's church. The Ranney family, Bill Smith (before mentioned), and a Dutchman named Dumont, lived near the fort. A man named Armstrong lived at the junction of Wood and Canada Creeks. These were all the houses then constituting Rome. In 1793 John Barnard kept a tavern near the site of the old Baptist church, and in the spring of that year George Huntington came to the place, bringing a small stock of merchandise which he began selling in Barnard's tavern. Mr. Barnard was an enterprising man and secured the good will of Mr. Lynch. He engaged quite largely in early build- ing operations, but finally became involved, made an assignment and in 1799 conveyed to Caleb Putnam seventy-two acres of land, most of which was composed of the so called "pepper-corn lots." These lots lay in the southern and swampy part of Mr. Lynch's purchase, and one of them was usually given as a bonus to persons who leased more valu- able lots. The rent named for each one was " a pepper corn payable on the first day of May in each year, if lawfully demanded, for the term of ten thousand years, and after that twenty cents annually for each lot." The land conveyed to Putnam by Barnard is now very valuable, extend - ing south from the Erie Canal and including the site of the railroad station. On his land Mr. Putnam built the first tannery in this region, which did considerable business. Mr. Putnam was killed by an accident in 1819.

Soon after his purchase Mr. Lynch began making various improve - ments to enhance its value and render it attractive to settlers. In 1804 he built a dam across the Mohawk above the the dam of the Inland Canal, and opened a raceway to the river on such a course that it dis- charged its waters into the river at the other side of " the bow " where the old red mill was erected in the same year. About 1810-12 Mr. Lynch built a woolen factory where the soap factory of Brodock & Co. stood ; it was burned in 1817. Previous to 1820 he built a cotton fac- tory farther down the race-way, which was burned in 1849. A saw mill built in the same vicinity in 1863 and a wrench factory in 1865, were both subsequently burned.

The building occupied by Mr. Lynch as a residence when he was here, and by his son James previous to 1810, stood where H. K. White re- cently lived. It was a large square frame structure and occupied the

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THE TOWN OF ROME.

space which had been covered by the southeast corner of Fort Stanwix. The Lynch dwelling was burned about 1825. Quite early in the cen- tury Mr. Lynch built as many as thirty five tenement houses in the village, stores multiplied, taverns were opened and various kinds of shops accommodated the inhabitants. Previous to 1800 a public house called the Rome Coffee House was built and was kept in that year by Solomon Rich; he was succeeded about 1804 by Parker Halleck, who was a tailor and worked in his bar room. The Masons had a lodge in the upper rooms. In 1839 the lower part of the Coffee House was con- verted into stores. What became the site of another hotel of early date was first occupied by a two story frame house, the site of the later Northern Hotel ; Judge Beardsley lived there about 1820 ; it was burned about 1838 and J. M. Orton, a cabinet maker, built on the site a part of the structure which was purchased about 1850 by Jacob Stevens and converted into a hotel ; after being called by him the Fremont House and later the Tremont House, it finally took the name of the Northern Hotel.

Among the prominent early settlers and business men of Rome vill- age may be mentioned the following : George and Henry Huntington, Alva Mudge, R. S. Doty, P. B. Langford, Frank De Ryther, David Utley, C. Grosvenor, Glen Petrie, J. & E. B. Armstrong, Dr. H. H. Pope, J. D. Ely, J. B. Bradt, G. N. Bissell, N. H. Leffingwell, B. B. Hyde, the Wardwell Brothers, Daniel Cady, Jeptha Matteson, Rufus Keeney all of whom were men of character and determination, whose capacity for business, united with their public spirit aided in the up- building of the place and the development of its resources.

Water was supplied to the early inhabitants from town wells, one of which was situated in the intersection of James and Dominick streets, and another at Washington and Dominick; still another at the corner of James and Embargo streets.

On the site of the later American block, corner of Dominick and James streets, was early a three story frame hotel built previous to 1800 ; it was transformed into stores about 1843, after having been conducted by many different landlords. In 1799 Cicero Gould kept a tavern in a building next to the site of the Presbyterian parsonage.

About the year 1800 John Barnard built a two story hotel on the 66

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site of the present Stanwix Hall ; while on the south part of that site Nathaniel Mudge, sr., had a grocery as early as 1812. Among those who kept the tavern in early years were Benjamin Hyde, sr., Enos Gil- bert, Elisha Walsworth, Thomas Ford, John A. Ford, who gave it the name, Stanwix Hall, and in 1843 erected a brick building on the Mudge premises. Since that time a hotel has always been kept there and has passed through various hands.

On the site of the Merrill block, corner of James and Dominick streets, a store was kept as early as 1804 by a Mr. Devereux. Norman Judd carried on a pottery as early as 1813, some distance from the west side of James street. George and Henry Huntington operated an ashery in early years, and Elijah Worthington built a hat factory about 1822.

Previous to 1820 there was not a building of any kind south of the canal between the New York Central Railroad and the poorhouse, the whole space being covered with a swamp. Through it a road had been constructed on a causeway. In 1817 the Legislature granted a charter to Jeremiah B. Brainard and Isaac G. Green and their associates to con- struct a toll turnpike across the swamp on that route. The road was built and began taking tolls October 20, 1819. In 1819 Mr. Brainard built the tavern long known as the Mansion House, and as other build- ings sprang up in that vicinity on account of the opening of the canal, the locality became known as Canal Village. The Mansion House was the first building erected on the south side of the canal, and the second one was built the same year and extended across the canal ; it was used as a warehouse (the first one in Rome), and later as a brewery by John O'Neil ; it was subsequently burned. The so- called " Canal Cof- fee House " was built in 1824 by Daniel Whedon, and in 1826 John O'Neil erected a grocery building west of the Mansion House. In the same year Hiram Whedon built the first dwelling in that locality. Dur- ing the first ten years of the existence of Canal Village its growth was slow, but the change in the route of the canal in 1844 called away from the locality its Yankee element, and it then immediately and rapidly began to fill up with foreign population. The opening of the canal and later of the first railroad through the village gave it a marked impetus, as seen by the census figures further on.

The village of Rome was incorporated in 1819, and the first election

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held on the first Tuesday in June of that year. The following officers were elected :

Trustees, George Huntington, Charles Wylie, Joshua Hathaway, Pliny Darrow, Belah C. Hyde; assessors, William Wright, Samuel Beardsley, Arden Seymour ; clerk, Benjamin P. Johnson; treasurer, Arba Blair; collector, Archibald T. Funk.

The usual village ordinances were adopted, and the machinery of the civil government ran along without serious interruption through the later years.

In 1853 the village was divided into three wards, that portion east of James street being the First ward ; and west of James street and south of Liberty the Second ward; and west of James and north of Liberty street the Third ward. The village was governed by five trustees until 1832, after which three trustees were elected for each of the three wards, over whom was chosen a president. The presidents from that time until the organization of the city were as follows :

1853, Alanson Bennett; 1854, B. J. Beach; 1855, Marquis L. Kenyon ; 1856-63, George Barnard; 1864, David Utley; 1875, E. B. Armstrong; 1866, George Barnard, jr. ; 1867 and 1868, James Stevens; 1869, Edward L. Stevens.

Rome was incorporated as a city under an act passed February 23, 1870. The following is a list of the mayors elected from that time un- til the present :

1870, Calvert Comstock; 1871 to 1874 George Merrill; 1875 and 1876, Samuel B. Stevens; 1877 and 1878, Edward L. Stevens; 1879 and 1880, George Barnard; 1881 and 1882, Edward L. Comstock; 1883 and 1884, Frederick E. Mitchell; 1885 and 1886, Edward Comstock; 1887 to 1890, James Stevens; 1891 and 1892, E. Stuart Williams; 1893 and 1894, Samuel Jillett; 1895 and 1896, W. J. P. Kingsley.

Following are the principal officers of the city for the year 1896:

W. J. P. Kingsley, mayor ; Charles Carmichael, recorder. Aldermen : First Ward, Edward H. Walworth, Adelbert F. Sayles, James H. McLean; Second Ward, George M. Mclaughlin, Joseph Reh, Frederick Lewis; Third Ward, Alois Mertz, James H. Grogan, William J. Cramond; Fourth Ward, George Erhardt, Henry S. Wetherbee, Charles T. Hayden; Fifth Ward, Lyman A. Martin, Oswald P. Backus, Abram W. Honsinger.

The earliest religious society in Rome was organized in Wright Set- tlement at a meeting held September 28, 1800, though a preliminary meeting was held a few days earlier at which four persons signed a con- fession of faith ; they were Joshua Hathaway, Ebenezer Wright and Grace, his wife, and Daniel W. Knight. At the second meeting nine

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other persons were added to the roll. The little society prospered and was incorporated in January, 1802, the first election of trustees taking place on January II, resulting as follows : Daniel W. Knight and John White, one year ; Benjamin Wright and Oliver Smith, two years ; Clark Putnam, three years. The title chosen was " The First Religious Soci- ety of Rome." There was no regular pastor over the society for the first six years of its existence, but services were held frequently, as shown by different subscription lists for the payment of ministers. In October, 1807, Rev. Moses Gillett was installed pastor of the church, after which year the pulpit was regularly occupied. Down to that time services had been mostly held in the school house on the park. In De- cember, 1806, a subscription was started to raise money with which to build a church edifice. A sufficient fund having thus been assured a lot was purchased for $180 on Court street, and there the church was erected. In January, 1831, a second church was organized, which was united with the first one in June, 1847. The building of the second society stood on Washington street and was sold to the Welsh Metho- dists. Rev. Dr. James H. Taylor, the present pastor of this society, succeeded Rev. Peter Stryker, D. D.

The Baptist church was organized at Wright Settlement in December, 1810, with seventeen members, and Elder Dyer Starks was the first pastor. The corner stone of the present church edifice was laid Sep- tember 13, 1826, and the present handsome stone edifice was erected in 1872-3. In 1870 Rev. H. H. Peabody assumed the pastorate of the church and has occupied the pulpit ever since.

Zion Episcopal church was organized August 15, 1825, and Rev. Algernon S. Hollister took charge of the little flock. The lower story of Masonic Hall, corner of Washington and Liberty streets, was leased for eight years and there services were held. This lodge room was purchased by the church in 1833 and enlarged and fitted up for church purposes. It was occupied until 1851. In 1850 the lot on the corner of Liberty and Washington streets was purchased and there on Sep- tember 5, 1850, the corner stone of the present church edifice was laid; the building was consecrated in September, 1851. The building was enlarged in 1867. In 1885 a handsome stone memorial hall was erected to the memory of Rev. Mr. Clarke. The latter was succeeded Febru- ary 1, 1881, by John H. Egar, the present pastor.

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St. Peter's Catholic Church was organized and the building of the old edifice begun in 1838; the structure was completed in 1840, under the labors of Rev. Father William Beecham He remained with the church more than forty years and until his death in March, 1876. He was suc- ceeded by Rev. Father A. Murphy, and still continues. In 1893 was commenced the erection of the magnificent stone edifice on James street, which is to cost $150,000.

St. Mary's Catholic church .- German Catholic priests came to Rome in 1845 and after two years' labor took steps toward the erection of a church. In 1848 a wooden building was erected on the corner of James and De Peyster streets. The first resident pastor was Rev. Florian Schwenninger. On May 18, 1871, the corner stone of a brick church was laid on the lot on the north side of Liberty street ; this building cost over $20,000.

First M. E. church-The first Methodist class formed in Rome was in 1799 on the Turin road three miles north of the village. The first preacher here was Rev. Jonathan Newman, who came about 1791. In 1803 the class moved over to the Ridge and joined with the Methodists there in worship. In Rome village a class was formed prior to 1820, and worshiped in a school room in the American block. In 1824 a church building was begun near the court house, which was finally and after great effort completed in 1829. It was enlarged in 1850 and there the society worshiped forty years The present brick edifice was com- pleted in September, 1869, at a cost of about $45,000. The first trus- tees of this society were Oliver Greenwood, Preston H. Grover, Joshua Hathaway, Stephen White, George Walsworth, Jeremiah Steves, and William Penfield. The present pastor is Rev. David S. Pierce.

The Liberty Street Methodist church was organized in 1863, as the Court Street church, with Rev. P. H. Wilds, pastor. In 1879 the church property on Court street was exchanged with the Welch Con - gregationalists for their Liberty street property.

A Free Methodist church was organized in about 1870, and occupied a building on Embargo street.

The Welch Calvinistic Methodist church was organized in 1847 and formerly occupied a frame building which had been used by the Second Congregational Society. A few years since a brick edifice was erected on North Washington street.

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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

St. Joseph's Protestant Episcopal (German) church was organized by the German families living in Canal Village in 1840, under the name of St. Mary's church and purchased a lot on the corner of James and De Peyster streets. Owing to internal differences over a site for a new church another society was organized in 1871 called St Joseph's. A site on Ridge street was purchased in April of that year and the pres- ent brick edifice built under the administration of the present pastor, Rev. Bernhardt Werner. In December, 1876, the congregation trans- ferred their allegiance from the Roman Catholic to the Protestant form.

Trinity German Lutheran church was organized in 1848, and the church edifice erected in 1853. The first pastor was Rev. Mr. Wetzel. In the spring of 1893 the church was rebuilt at a cost of about $3,400.

St. John's Evangelical Lutheran church was organized in 1869, and soon erected their frame church building on North Madison street. Rev. Charles A. Wiegel has been pastor for twenty years past.

The Welsh Congregational church has been alluded to in mentioning the Court Street M E. church. The organization was effected and the exchange made for the Court street property in 1879. Rev. M. M. Hughes is pastor and services are held in Welsh and English.

The First Universalist church was organized about 1837 and long held meetings in the court house. In 1851 the Masonic hall, which had been fitted for church purposes by the Episcopalians, was purchased. Regular preaching has not always been maintained.

The first public school house in Rome was built on the southeast corner of the park, and in it were held some of the early courts, as re- lated in Volume I. That building was used for school purposes until about 1819, when it was removed and a frame school house erected on the site of Zion church. This was burned some years later and the Liberty street school succeeded it. The first schools outside of the vil- lage of Rome were in the Wright neighborhood, where a log school house was built prior to 1800. About 1816 another school house was built on Penny street. Shadrach Hathaway was the first teacher, as far as known, in the old school house in the park, within the walls of which a number of scholars attended who afterwards became eminent men.

There is no available data from which to compile a detailed history of

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the schools of Rome from about 1820 down to the incorporation of the Rome Academy. This institution was founded in 1835 and was re- incorporated by the Regents of the University March 15, 1849. The three- story brick structure was built in 1849, and is still in use. In 1850 the Liberty street school building was erected. This building was extensively improved and enlarged in 1891. In 1853 an appropriation of $300 was made for the improvement of the school building in Canal Village, which had been meanwhile erected. The present building, corner of Ridge and James streets, was built in 1868.

The free school system was not adopted in Rome until 1869, although efforts were made on several occasions in earlier years, beginning with 1861. The change was finally effected under the following resolution, which was adopted at a meeting held July 3, 1869:

Resolved, That a Union Free School be established within the bounds of school district No. 5 in the town of Rome, pursuant to the provisions of chapter 555 of the laws of 1864, and the amendments thereto.

The old academy was adopted as the academical department of this district, and the property was transferred to the Board of Education. The academy opened in 1869 with ninety- seven pupils.

In 1870 the Liberty street school was thoroughly repaired, and in September the second and first floors were occupied, the third floor having been abandoned as dangerous. In 1891 the building was again improved and the top floor fitted up and occupied by the 7th and 8th grade scholars ; a fire proof tower was erected by which to reach this floor.

In January, 1871, the Thomas street building was first occupied ; it was erected in the previous year. In 1872 the academy was thoroughly repaired and the seating capacity increased to 200. In the fall of that year a reorganization was effected and the advanced pupils of the Lib- erty street school were transferred to the academy.

In 1874 a site was purchased on the east side of South James street, on which was a building which was remodeled in the interior and fitted up for school purposes. It was opened with a school in the fall of 1874. In January, 1875, the new school building on Third street in East Rome was opened and the old one on Dominick street was transferred to the Common Council for fire purposes. In 1876 the building in West

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Rome was repaired and improved, and the capacity imcreased to eighty pupils In 1890 a lot and dwelling were purchased on South James street in which a school was opened.

The present superintendent of schools is W. D. Manro, who assumed the office August 1, 1893. The Board of Education is Dr. T. M. Flan- drau, Edward Comstock, William R. Huntington, Albert H Golley, Jerome Graves, William H. Van Wagenen.

A fire engine was purchased for the village probably in the early years of the century, but the exact date is lost in the past. A second one was bought in 1825, and on the 6th of June of that year the trus- tees of the village appointed twenty citizens members of a fire company. Fire company No 2 was formed in May, 1827, comprising fourteen members, to which were added twelve more in August. The Rome fire department was incorporated by the Legislature April 12, 1855. In 1866 the first steam fire engine was purchased which cost, with a large supply of hose, etc., about $8,000. Iu 1867 a second steamer was purchased. The first of these was sold to the Rome locomotive works and in May, 1884, a new steamer was purchased at a cost of $3,400. In April, 1896, the other old engine was traded for a new Clapp & Jones steamer. The fire and police commissioners for 1896 are Thomas G. Nock, Willey L. Kingsley, Howard C. Wiggins, T. J. Mowry. Leonard Briggs is acting chief of the fire department, and Michael Hagerty is chief of police.

The Rome water works were established in 1872 and are owned by the city, bonds having been issued to the amount of about $172,000 for the purpose. The plant comprises two horizontal, double action pumps, with a capacity of eighty-four gallons per revolution. The usual press- ure is about fifty pounds to the square inch, but this can be greatly in- creased. The water is elevated sixty five feet into a reservoir twenty- one feet deep and 297 feet in diameter, with capacity of 9,000,000 gallons. There are now about 2,000 consumers, and the pressure is such that there is very little need for fire engines. The water works are in charge of the Water and Sewerage Commission, comprising in 1896, W. J. P. Kings- ley, ex-officio, chairman, John S. Baker, H. S. Bedell, A. R. Kessinger, and J. S. Haselton. H. S. Wetherbee is superintendent.

A sewer system has been inaugurated during the past year, under

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a law passed in 1893 authorizing the issue of bonds to the amount of $240,000.

The post-office in Rome was established about 1798, with Matthew Brown, jr., postmaster. He was succeeded by Joshua Hathaway in 1810, who held the office until his death in 1836. His son, Jay Hatha- way, then took the office until 1849, when R. G. Savery was appointed. He was succeeded in 1852 by A. J. Rowley, who was followed in 1857 by Daniel E. Wager. E. H. Shelley succeeded him in 1861, who was displaced in 1866 by S. P. Lewis. Mr. Shelley was re-appointed in 1867, and was succeeded in 1870 by B. Whitman Williams. The next postmaster was S. M. Palmer, who was succeeded by James D. Corcoran, and he by William E. Scripture. The present official is Charles H. Dunning, who succeeded Mr. Scripture, December 1, 1893.

Rome has in the past possessed excellent and liberal banking facilities. The oldest bank now in existence is the First National, which was in- corporated as the Rome Exchange Bank in 1851, and began business in August of that year with R. B. Doxtater, president, and F. H. Thomas, cashier. It was organized as a national bank in 1865, with a capital of $100,000. J. G. Bissell has been president since 1889; William R. Huntington, vice-president.

The Central National Bank was organized in 1854 as the Oneida Cen- tral Bank, and changed to a national bank in 1865, with a capital of $100,000. It failed in December, 1894, and is now in the hands of Jim Stevens, receiver.

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Our county and its people; a descriptive work on Oneida county, New York;, Part 52

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