Our county and its people; a descriptive work on Oneida county, New York;, Part 54

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 54

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Waterville was incorporated April 20, 1870, and at the first charter election Daniel B. Goodwin was elected president ; E. H. Lamb, George Putnam, E. S. Peck, trustees; Horace P. Bigelow, treasurer. The suc- cessive presidents of the village have been George Putnam, elected 1872 ; held the office to 1877; D. Smith Bennett, 1878; Reuben Tower, to 1883; E. C. Terry, 1884 ; Reuben Tower, to 1886; A. R. Eastman, 1886; I. D. Brainard, 1887-88; F. H. Coggeshall, 1889-90; W. W. Waldo, to 1896, succeeded by F. H. Coggeshall. The village has an excellent fire department, owning a steam fire engine, ample hose and apparatus, with a company for both the engine and hose cart. The village is on what was the Utica, Chenango and Susquehanna Valley Railroad, the opening of which took place in November, 1869, giving a marked impetus to the business growth of the place. Among the lead- ing business men of the village are the following : O. E. Wood, general store, who succeeded C. R. Nash in 1896; P. H. Landers, succeeded W. F. O'Connor in 1895; S. S. Bissell succeeding W. J. Bissell's Sons, drugs ; William Jones, succeeded Jones & Marvin in 1893, drugs ; D B. Collins, clothing, began in 1890; Beers & Davis, succeeded William D. Jones in 1893, wall paper, paints, etc .; E. G. Brown, drugs; A. H. Wilber, clothing, and many minor business establishments Many new business blocks of modern character have been erected in recent years, and aside from the general depression incident upon the low price of hops, the village is in a thriving condition.

One of the largest industries of the kind in the whole country is car- ried on here by the New York Hop Extract Company, organized in

₩

W. P. LOCKE.

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THE TOWN OF SANGERFIELD.

1870. In April, 1873, W. A. Lawrence was elected superintendent. J. R. Whiting became sole licensee of the company for extracting from hops under patents, and soon afterward become president of the com- pany. In 1875-76 the business was removed from New York city to Waterville, the center of the hop district. A large plant was erected with capacity of extracting 20,000 pounds of hops per day. Here an immense product of acknowledged purity is made and finds a market throughout the country.

One of the oldest permanent industries in this county is the drain tile and brick manufactory of P. B. Haven & Son, which was founded in 1812 by John Haven, who came in from Connecticut From primi- tive methods of early times this business has advanced until now it is conducted on the most modern and successful lines. In 1836 P. B. Haven, son of John, took possession of the works, made many improve- ments in methods and about 1855 added the drain tile industry. Two years later an iron tile machine was put in and in 1864 A. G. Haven, son of P. B., became a partner with his father. Horse power brick and tile machinery was used until 1880, when a modern outfit driven by a forty horse power boiler was introduced. Since then every valuable device has been added for the production of brick and tile. Twelve hands are employed.

The schools of this town are in excellent circumstances, there being in 1895 twelve districts with school houses, and a prosperous Union school in Waterville. The building was erected in 1872 at a cost of $20,000. The whole number of children attending the schools of the town in 1895 was 790.

There are now three post-offices in this town; Waterville, Sanger- field and Stockwell, the latter having been established in the southern part of the town, at the place known as Stockwell Settlement, with C. D. Marsh, postmaster. The post-office at Sangerfield has been in ex- istence since early years, Col. David Norton holding the office of postmaster from 1808 to 1829, when he died. There has always been a small mercantile business there and a few shops.

The first church society in Sangerfield was the "Society of Lisbon, Sangerfield," formed about the beginning of 1796, as the outgrowth of efforts made in 1794 to found a Congregational society and secure

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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

regular preaching. Services were regularly held from January, 1795, to March, 1797, with occasional preaching. The Society of Lisbon was formally organized March 15, 1797, with eighteen members; the first settled pastor was Rev. James Thompson. A house of worship was erected in 1804, on the village green at the Center, the land con- stituting the green having been conveyed to the society in October, 1796, by David Norton, Ebenezer Hale, Justus Hale, and Oliver Nor- ton. In 1823 the society divided and about one half organized the First Presbyterian church. The church was removed in 1824 a little to the north, and in 1846 it was demolished and the present one erected. In after years the Congregationalists at the Center attended the church at Waterville and the old church was occupied by an Episcopal mission, services being held in connection with Stockwell Settlement, Oriskany Falls and Augusta Center.

The Baptist church at Waterville was organized in December, 1798, and the first preaching was by Elder Peter P. Roots; the first settled pastor was Elder Joel Butler, who began in 1799. In 1800 a church was built on the green, the land having been granted by Benjamin White. In 1877 the church was extensively improved and its career has been one of prosperity.

The First Presbyterian church at Waterville was organized May 19, 1823, with twenty persons from the first Sangerfield church, as before stated. Rev. Evans Beardsley was the first stated supply, and in 1824 Rev. Daniel C. Hopkins was installed the first pastor. The first church building was erected on the green in 1823 ; it was sold to the Method- ists in 1844, and a frame church built on the site now occupied by a handsome brick edifice which was erected in 1872, at a cost with the lot of $37,000. The church is active and progressive.

Grace church (Episcopal) Waterville, was organized in 1840, and Rev. Fortune C. Brown was the first rector. In 1842 the church was erected which was afterwards transferred to the Welsh Congregational society, and in 1854 the present church was built.

The Methodist, Episcopal society at Stockwell was formed in 1843, and the old Presbyteriani church building was purchased. This was sold in 1848. In April, 1847, the second Methodist society was organized and the present @ urch built at the Settlement. In 1857 Waterville was

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THE TOWN OF STEUBEN.

organized as a separate Methodist society, it having previously been in a circuit with other places; it was made one of three appointments under charge of Rev. F. W. Tooke-Waterville, Sangerfield and Stockwell. The frame church in Waterville was built in 1860.

The Welsh Congregational church at Waterville was organized in 1852, and occupied the church sold to them by the Episcopal society.

St. Bernard's Catholic church in Waterville was organized about 1850 and has grown to a large congregation, and has a substantial church.

The town records are incomplete from 1797 to 1800 inclusive; after that year the list of supervisors and their years of service is as follows :

1801, Amos Muzzy; 1802, Oliver Norton; 1803-4, Justus Tower; 1805, Benjamin White; 1806-9, Oliver C. Seabury; 1810, John Williams; 1811, O. C. Seabury; 1812, Josiah Bacon; 1813, O. C. Seabury; 1814-20, Josiah Bacon ; 1821-23, Reuben Bacon ; 1824-27, Samuel M. Mott; 1828, Josiah Bacon; 1829-31, Samuel M. Mott; 1832, Reu- ben Bacon; 1833, John Mott, jr .; 1834, Erastus Jeffers; 1835, Levi D. Carpenter ; 1836, Erastus Jeffers ; 1837-40, Horace Bigelow ; 1841-42, Julius Tower ; 1843, Horace Bigelow: 1844, Otis Webster; 1845, Amos O. Osborn; 1846, Erastus A. Walter ; 1847-48, De Witt C. Tower; 1849, John W. Stafford; 1850-51, George W. Cleveland; 1852-54, James M. Tower: 1855, Edwin H. Lamb; 1856, Hull Page; 1857-62, Platt Camp; 1863-76, James G. Preston; 1877-80, Marion B. Crossett; 1881, Horace P. Bigelow; 1882-84, George W. Cleveland; a special election was held in December, 1884, and George Beach was elected to succeed Mr. Cleveland, deceased; 1885, George Beach; 1886-90, Reuben Tower; 1891, Lewis D. Edwards; 1892-96, Charles M. Felton.

CHAPTER XLV.

THE TOWN OF STEUBEN.

This town was set off from Whitestown on April 10, 1792, and its area has been several times slightly changed. The towns of Floyd and Rome were taken off in 1796, and Leyden (now in Lewis county) and Western in 1797. Small parts of Western and Remsen were annexed in 1803, and a small section was set off to Remsen ir 1809, leaving the town with an area of 26, 126 acres. The town takes its name from Baron Steuben, the account of whose patent of 16,oc acres is given in Chapter X; the larger portion of that patent is inc ded in this town,

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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

with a part of the Holland patent in the southern part, and small sec . tions of other tracts in the western part, all shown on the map herein. The Cincinnati Creek forms a part of the eastern boundary and the town is well watered by several small streams which flow into that creek or into the Mohawk or Black Rivers. The soil is a gravelly loam well adapted to grazing. Stone quarries from which good building stone have been taken, have been worked. The surface of the town is the highest of any north of the Mohawk and is much broken by lofty hills and deep valleys, particularly in the northern part, where hills rise to a height of from 800 to 1,200 feet. Starr's Hill, so named from Capt. David Starr, an early settler upon it, was long considered the highest land in the county, but it is now settled that this distinction belongs to an eminence in the southern part. From the top of Starr's Hill most beautiful views are obtained, extending over Oneida Lake on the west, to Rome and Utica to the southward, and taking in the Black River valley on the northeast. Other high points in Steuben are Bowen's Hill, so called from a seaman of that name who lived there in early years; Dutch Hill, which took its name from the fact that numerous Dutch families settled on and around it; and Penn Mount. These with their intervening valleys give a variety of picturesque scenery that is not excelled in the county.

As the town of Rome was embraced originally in Steuben, the first town meeting was held at Fort Stanwix, " at the house lately occupied by Seth Ranney, on the first Tuesday of April, 1793," as given in the town records. There the following officers were chosen, the list includ- ing several of the pioneers of what is now Steuben, though most of them were from near Fort Stanwix :

Supervisor, Roswell Fellows; town clerk, Jedediah Phelps; assessors, Abijah Put- nam, Henry Wager, David 1. Andrus, Samuel Sizer, Abel French ; commissioners of roads, Hezekiah Welles, Daniel W. Knight, Ebenezer Weeks; overseers of the poor, Thomas Wright, Reuben Beckwith; constables, Samuel Dickinson, Edward S. Salis- bury, Jasper French ; collector for the west side of Mohawk River, Samuel Dickin- som ; collector for east side of same, Edward S. Salisbury; pathmasters, Clark Put- nam, Benjamin Gifford, Alpheus Wheelock, Abiel Kinyon, Lemuel Beckwith, Stephen Sheldon, Frederick Sprague, William Walsworth, James Ranney, William West, Joseph Biam, Thomas Parker, Ebenezer Bacon, Samuel J. Curtis, Charles McLen, Simeon Woodruff. David Starr, Isaac Lathrop; fence-viewers, Jonathan Waldo, Bill Smith, Asa Beckwith, Abraham Brooks, Ephraim Potter; poundmaster, Thomas Wright.

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THE TOWN OF STEUBEN.

The second meeting was voted to be held " at the new dwelling house of Roswell Fellows." After the subdivision of 1796, setting off Rome and Floyd, the town meeting of 1797 was held, according to the records, at the "house of Silas Fowler, that of the late Baron Steuben, Dis- ceased."

The distinguished services of Baron Steuben in the war of the Revo- lution are well known and need not be recounted here. In partial recognition of such services, the State of New York granted him in 1786 a tract of 16,000 acres of land, the territory of which constitutes a large part of what is now the town of Steuben. The baron died No- vember 28, 1794. Between the date of the land grant to him and his death, he passed his summers on his patent and his winters in New York. During this period he leased his lands as he had opportunity, usually in 100 acre tracts at from ten to twenty dollars for each hun- dred acres, and at the time of his death there were about twenty fami- lies residing on the patent. On the 4th of July, 1790, he gave a dinner to all the people on his lands and neighboring settlers. It is recorded that wherever he found a worthy soldier he would present him with a farm of from 40 to 100 acres. It was his purpose to erect a large man- sion on his possessions, but his death prevented the consummation of his plans, and the building of a log house and other minor improve- ments was all that he was able to accomplish. Previous to his death he had directed that his remains should be buried in the forest that he had begun to love so well. His wish was carried out, and hisaide-de- camp and adopted son, Colonel Walker, reinterred them where they now re- pose and deeded fifty acres of land to the First Baptist Society of Steu- ben, on condition that five acres including the grave of the baron, should be fenced and kept in a state of nature. In 1824 a plain monument was erected over the grave, which was replaced in 1870-71 by the im - posing one which now marks the resting place of the patriot.

The first person to take up a permanent residence in what is now Steuben was Samuel Sizer, who about 1789 came in to take charge of the improvements contemplated by Baron Steuben. In the spring of 1792 Capt. Samuel Fuller, a veteran of the Revolution, located on the Steuben patent and brought in his family early the following year. He was father of Major Russell Fuller, a prominent citizen who several times

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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

was elected supervisor. Capt. David Starr, also a Revolutionary sol- dier, settled on the hill which bears his name, having taken a durable lease from Baron Steuben. Several of the early settlers had borne arms under Steuben and they naturally sought homes near his own.

Capt. Joseph Ingham came from the Bermuda Islands and settled in Steuben in 1800. The remains of his wife who died January 17, 1804, are buried on the top of Starr's Hill, where lie also the remains of Will- iam Davies and his wife. Daniel Barnes came to the town in 1794, from Middletown, Conn., built a house and made other improvements on the farm owned in recent years by John Griffiths on Starr's Hill; he then went back for his family, returning to his settlement in the spring of 1795. He was a Revolutionary soldier. Among other settlers in the neighborhood of Starr's Hill were Noadiah Fairchild, and Joel and Samuel Hubbard, from Middletown, Conn. In 1793 Noadiah Hubbard took the contract for constructing the canal locks for the Western In- land Navigation Company at Little Falls. He had first settled at Whitestown about 1791, where he made the first brick and the first lime. He located in Steuben about 1792, and removed to what is now Jefferson county in 1798. Elisha Crowell was also an early settler in the Starr's Hill neighborhood.

The first settler at what became Steuben Corners was Stephen Brooks, who came from Connecticut about 1791 and located on the place sub- sequently owned by his grandson, John W. Brooks. A son of Stephen Brooks, named Stephen, jr., born in 1791 or 1792, was probably the first white male child born in this town.

Moses Adams came in from New Marlborough, Mass., and settled in 1793 on the farm afterwards owned by Allen Clark; he afterwards removed to the farm occupied in recent years by Rowland Evans, east of Steuben Corners. His son Aaron, born in June, 1796, served in the war of 1812, as did also his father.

Among the very early settlers of the original town of Steuben then including Western (see history of Western and Remsen) were repre- sentatives of the thrifty Welshmen so many of whom have found homes in Oneida county. Prominent among these were the Griffiths families, from one of which sprang Griffith O. Griffiths, who was born in Steu- ben in 1796, and died in April, 1878. He was a contributor to the

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THE TOWN OF STEUBEN.

press and was well informed on local history, and previous to his de- cease he wrote the following interesting account of Welsh settlements :

In the month of March, 1795, about twelve families took their leave of their native country and embarked on board the noble ship that bore them safely across the Atlantic, and they arrived in New York after a passage of fourteen weeks. After a short stay in New York, five of the said families, namely, Griffith Rowland, William Williams, Evan Owens, Hugh Roberts, and Owen Griffiths, making in all about eighteen persons, left the city of New York, and started for some more favorable portion of the country, for the purpose of forming a settlement. They embarked on board a sloop, and came up the Hudson River to Albany, from there by iand to Schenectady, where they chartered a bateau, and wended their way up the crooked Mohawk, making very slow headway, until at length they arrived at the present city of Utica, which then contained one frame building, and eight or ten log cabins. The only hotel was kept in a log house located where Bagg's Hotel is now situated. During their stay at Utica, they concluded to go to the town of Steuben, in Oneida county, which is situated about twenty miles from Utica. In a few days they pre- pared for their journey by chartering a wagon drawn by four oxen and a horse to lead. Into this wagon they packed all their materials, children, etc., and were soon on their way to their new home. Such was the situation of the roads in those days that from five to seven miles was all they could make in a day. Leaving Utica early in the morning, they reached the foot of Deerfield hill the first day, where they were obliged to stay over night without any accommodation but the great wilderness, and the canopy of heaven to cover them, and the rain pouring down during the whole night. Each one having to select his own lodging, if they succeeded in getting alongside of a log or tree they thought they were doing well. One heroine, with her infant, about three weeks old, got under the root of a tree that had turned up by force of the wind, where she supposed she was secure from the elements. But when daylight came she found, to her surprise, that her infant was richly adorned with ringlets formed of the American-not free-soil, which had found its way quite plentifully in the ridges formed by the flesh around her neck and arms, etc.

Next morning, after wringing the water from their clothes, they soon prepared for their day's journey. After considerable struggle and toil, they succeeded in reach- ing a log shanty that was erected and occupied by some jobbers that were engaged in clearing land at a point about one-half mile north from South Trenton. They were very kindly received and cared for, when they got a good night's rest after a hard day's travel of five miles. The third day they reached Trenton village, four miles farther north, where they found some settlers, and were of course accommo- dated. The fourth day, 15th September, 1795, they made out to reach their place of destination, which is in the vicinity of the yellow store, in the town of Steuben, where they found five or six families of Americans, who had preceded them the year pre- vious, and who were very kind to them, sharing with them their hospitalities until they were able to support themselves.

Their first object was to select suitable locations, which they did within the range of about one-half mile, where they were soon at work felling trees and building their log cabins, which were their only recourse for habitations. They had to resort

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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

to the elms for a covering for their houses, as well as for a part of their furniture such as tables, bedding, etc. Their sofas were made by splitting a basswood log into parts, turning the flat side up, and driving four pegs into the round or bottom part, which answered for legs. Their French bedsteads were made by driving four posts into the ground, laying cross-sticks on to them, then finishing off with elm-bark for the bottom. In some instances they would select a building spot where they could find a large maple or birch, which they felled, using a part of the body for one side of their dwelling, leaving the large stump in the centre, which was used for a table. The remainder of their furniture to correspond. During the first years of their resi- dence in their new home there was no grist mill nearer than Whitesboro, some twenty miles distant, and but one horse in the town, which was owned by the Americans, and was used as a common carrier to carry grist to the mill. There being no road most of the distance, except a path through the woods, with marked trees for guide-boards, the settlers were frequently overtaken by night, and so dark was the forest that it was with the greatest difficulty that they found their way out. But the old gray was always true to her trust, and so well acquainted with the road they gave her the rein and bid her go, the driver holding on her tail behind if there chanced to be more than one of the settlers along. Their only chance was to follow in the footsteps of their predecessors, thus successfully finding their way out of the woods.

The next summer a grist mill was built and in operation within four miles of the settlement, which dispensed with further difficulty of that nature. Owing to the great distance they had come, and the many difficulties they had to contend with, their limited means had become nearly exhausted. Consequently the men were obliged to leave their wives and children to guard their castles, while they were seeking employment to obtain means to support themselves and families. During their absence the women were frequently annoyed by wild beasts, which were then quite numerous. Their howls during the night were fearful, and even in the day- time Mr. Bruin would frequently be seen prowling around, seeking whom he might devour ; and sometimes would be successful in catching a porker, even in the door- yard, and walk off in triumph.

In the year 1796 the first Welsh child was born in town, or in Oneida county, or even west of the Hudson, as far as can be ascertained, who still lives in the vicinity with his family. His wife is the infant mentioned as being secured under the roots of the upturned tree during the first night of their travel from Utica.

Thus they remained in their solitary condition without the comforts of life or the means of grace, until the latter part of 1798, or early in 1799, when they were joined by several others whom they had left at New York. Among them were Deacon William C. Jones, William Griffiths, Robert Griffiths, John Parry, William P. Jones, etc., most of whom were professors. They soon on their arrival established a prayer meeting, which was held at the dwelling-house of William C. Jones. Although neither of the first settlers spoken of were professors of religion, still they were brought up under the immediate influence of the religion of Jesus Christ, and they had become very much attached to it, and were taking quite an interest in the cause. As evidence of this fact I would here mention one incident, which some one may profit by. At the time the first prayer-meeting was to be held, one of the mothers

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THE TOWN OF STEUBEN.

was living at service eight or nine miles distant from the settlement. Such was her attachment to the good cause, and anxiety to be present at the organization of the first prayer meeting among the Welsh in their new home, that she walked all the way on foot through the wilderness, carrying her infant, who was about four months old, in her arms. What a contrast between the past and present! At the present day it is often too much of a task to even cross the street on a dark night to attend such meetings. After this they continued to hold their meetings every Sabbath, until the year 1801, when there was quite a large immigration into the settlement. During the fall of that year Rev. John G. Roberts came from Ebensburg, Pa., and settled among them, when he preached the first Welsh sermon to quite an audience for a new country, which had convened at the dwelling-house of John Jones, situated on a part of the estate of Robert Thomas, deceased. After this they continued to assemble every Sabbath to hear the word of God. Also, they held their weekly or class meetings regularly, most of the time at the house of William C. Jones, although there was not any regular church organization until the year 1804, when they formed a union church, with Rev. John G. Roberts for their pastor. A part of the members were formerly from the Calvinistic Methodists, and a part from the Congregational church. So they remained together, in union and love, for many years, under the pastoral charge of Rev. John G. Roberts and Rev. William G. Pierce.

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Our county and its people; a descriptive work on Oneida county, New York;, Part 54

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