Our county and its people; a descriptive work on Oneida county, New York;, Part 62

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 62

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Reuben Wilcox, a veteran of the Revolution, came from Middletown, Conn., about 1791, and settled in the neighborhood of Whitesboro. He purchased a farm a mile west of Jeptha Brainard, paying two shillings an acre. His wife and two daughters came on with him, their slender store of goods being drawn by an ox team. They were the parents of Reuben and Morris Wilcox, both of whom passed long lives in the town.

Col. Gerrit G. Lansing, who served with distinction in the Revolution, came into the town in 1802 and purchased 400 acres, including the site of Oriskany village, the early existence of which was largely due to him.

Among other settlers in the town may be mentioned William G. Tracy, Seth Capron, John Green (who purchased 400 acres on the south- east side of the creek at Oriskany and was father of a family of several sons), William M. Cheever, Benjamin S. Walcott and his family, Capt. Needham Maynard, Dr. Elizur Moseley, Alvan Bradley, Uriah Stevens, and many others of whom sketches are found in Part III of this volume,

The poll of the first general election for Whitestown was opened at Cayuga, and adjourned from there to Salina villege, thence to Rome, and closed at Whitestown. These adjournments were necessary to ac- commodate the voters who were scattered over the great town. As the town records were burned on Tuesday, December 17, 1861, we can only adopt the language of the Jones Annals in describing the proceedings of the first town meeting, as follows :

The first town meeting held in the district (town) of Whitestown was convened at the house of Capt. Daniel C. White, in said district, on Tuesday, the 7th day of April, 1789, "agreeable to warning," and "it being more convenient," the meeting adjourned to the barn of Hugh White, esq., at which time and place they "pro- ceeded as followeth: 1st, chose Col. Jedediah Sanger supervisor; 2d, chose Elijah Blodget town clerk; 3d, chose Amos Wetmore first assessor; 4th, chose James Bron- son second assessor ; 5th, chose Ephraim Blackmer, third assessor; 6th, chose Oliver Collins collector; 7th, chose Hugh White, esq., and Capt. Moses Fort poormasters; 8th, chose George Doolittle, Jedediah Sanger, and Ephraim Blackmer commissioners

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THE TOWN OF WHITESTOWN.

of highways; 9th, chose Jedediah Phelps, Joseph Sowle, Salmon Butler, Amos Kellogg, Nehemiah Jones, and Alexander Parkman constables; 10th, chose Major Gilbert Willett, Amos Ives, Ebenezer Butler, jr., Alexander Parkman, Joseph Jones, Joseph Jennings, overseers of roads; 11th, chose Lemuel Levenworth, Rice Haw- ley, Lemuel Cook, Seth Ranney, Barnabas Pond, fence-viewers; 12th, chose Ebe- nezer Butler, jr., Daniel C. White, poundkeepers; 13th, voted to let swine run at large, yoaked and ringed; 14th, voted that the supervisor appoint the place for hold- ing the next annual meeting. Then that said meeting be dissolved."

The second town meeting in Whitestown was held at the barn of Captain Needham Maynard, on the road leading from Whitesboro to Middle Settlement, April 6, 1790.

The following persons were elected: Major William Colbraith, supervisor; Elijah Blodget, town clerk; Joshua Morse, Capt. Daniel C. White, Lieut. Isaac Jones, Col. Jedediah Sanger, Rozel Fellows, assessors; Oliver Collins, collector; Capt. Amos Wetmore, Capt. James Cassety, overseers of the poor; Capt. Moses Foot, James Dean, esq., George Doolittle, commissioners of highways; Samuel Ensign, Bill Smith, Rufus Blodget, Solomon Kellogg, Joseph Jones, constables; Silas Phelps, Semuel Laird, Raphael Porter, Samuel Wells, Samuel Winch, Ashbel Beach, Amok Miller, William Satchel, Darius Sayles, Jedediah Phelps, overseers of high- ways; John Tillotson, John Barsley, George Langford, Aaron Kellogg, fence- viewers; Lemuel Levenworth, Barnabas Pond, pound-keepers.

"Voted to reconsider the whole votes that have been received as null and void, when the inspectors adjourned the meeting till tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock." " Wednesday morning at ten o'clock April 7, 1790, met according to adjournment. Chose first, Jedediah Sanger, supervisor; second, Ashbel Beach, town clerk; third, Joshua Morse, Capt. Daniel C. White, Lieut. Isaac Jones, Ensign John Tillotson, and Ebenezer Wright, assessors; fourth, Oliver Collins, collector; Capt. Amos Wet- more and James Bronson, overseers of the poor; James Dean, George Doolittle, John Tillotson, commissioners of highways; Samuel Ensign, Bill Smith, John Bullen, Hezekiah Rice, Joseph Jones, Nathaniel Townsend, constables; Silas Phelps, Samuel Laird, John Young, Joseph Farewell, Samuel Wells, Samuel Winch, Jason Parker, Ashbel Beach, William Clarey, Amok Miller, Seth Steel, William Satchel, overseers of highways: John Barsley, Lemuel Levenworth, Barnabas Pond, pound- keepers."

It is of course impossible now to say how many of these early officers were resident in what is now Whitestown, but many of them were. At the town meeting in 1791 Colonel Sanger was elected supervisor ; Ash- bel Beach, town clerk; Ebenezer Butler, collector ; James Wadsworth, Trueworthy Cook, Jeremiah Gould, and some others, overseers of high- ways. On account of the burning of the records, we can give the list of supervisors back to 1862 only, as follows :

1862, George Graham: 1863-64, Samuel Campbell; 1865-66, George Graham;

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()UR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

1867-68, Robert B.Soules; 1869, George Graham; 1870, R. B. Soules; 1871, George Graham; 1872, Charles L. Balis; 1873, George Graham; 1874, Charles L Balis; 1875-76, Lyman L. Wight; 1877-80, Seward W. Baker; 1881, Edward Kernan; 1882-83, Joseph Ackroyd; 1884-88, Robert A Jones; 1889, William S. Reeder; 1890, R. A. Jones; 1891-92, Robert Jamison ; 1893, Federick L. Black ; 1894-96, George H. Graham.

One of the first important duties of Judge White and some of his associates was to provide mills for the new community, which would save them from the necessity of long journeys or laborious pounding of grain in a stump mortar. The first mill in Oneida county was built in 1788 on Sauquoit Creek, on the Whitesboro and Utica road. Judge White, Amos Wetmore and John Beardsley were associated in its erec- tion and it was long known as Wetmore's mill. It was a great boon to the pioneers. A saw mill was built in the same year.

A military spirit was manifested early by the citizens of the town, and within a few years from the arrival of Judge White it was deemed expedient to raise a company of militia. Gov. George Clinton was ap- plied to for commissions for the necessary officers, and he informed them that if a company of thirty men was enrolled the commissions should be forthcoming. The names were soon procured, and the names of the prospective officers were forwarded by the advice of Colo- nel Staring, who commanded the regiment to which the company was attached. William Colbraith, the first sheriff of Oneida county, was chosen captain, and Daniel Clark White, ensign. Both of these officers rose to higher stations in the militia. Whitesboro was an important point until after the war of 1812, and a number of citizens joined the army and navy. Among those who received appointments as midship- men in that war from this town were Samuel Breese, William Inman, Antle Lansing and Edward and Benjamin Carpenter.

A religious society was formed in Whitestown in 1786, and a minister was employed in the person of Rev. Dr. Hillyer, of Orange, N. J. This was the first religious society formed in the State west of Albany. The first regular church was of the Presbyterian faith and was organized at a meeting held April 1, 1793, in Judge White's barn. A constitution was drawn by Thomas R. Gold, Aaron Clark, George Doolittle, Jonas Platt, Stephen Potter, Joseph Root, Reuben Wilcox, and David Will- iams. The name adopted was "The United Presbyterian Societies of

623

THE TOWN OF WHITESTOWN.

Whitestown and Old Fort Schuyler." The society was soon incorpo - rated with the following trustees: Jonas Platt, Joseph Root, Thomas R. Gold, Amos Wetmore, David Williams, John Post, Elizur Mosely, Stephen Potter, Enoch Story, Reuben Wilcox, Arthur Breese, Erastus Clark, and Silas Clark. Of these Messrs. Post, Potter, and perhaps others, resided at Old Fort Schuyler (Utica), and the others in Whites- town. Rev Bethuel Dodd was the first settled pastor and preached his first sermon in the public house of Col. Daniel C. White, on August 20, I794. Mr. Dodd died here April 12, 1804, and his funeral was held in the new church which was built in 1803 and dedicated a short time be- fore his death. Prior to that time for ten years meetings were held in houses, barns and schools houses. The second pastor was Rev. James Carnahan, who continued until October, 1812 The old church was dis- placed by the present brick edifice in 1834, which has been extensively improved. The society was divided in 1813, fifty-seven members going with the Utica society In March, 1830, forty-four members were dis- missed to form a church at New York Mills, and in 1832 the organization of the Oriskany society took away fifty members. In December, 1837, fifty-nine withdrew and formed a Congregational society in Whitesboro.

The village of Whitesboro increased rapidly in population during the first ten years after the first settlement, and for a considerable period it was a rival of Utica and of Rome. One of the earliest merchants of importance was William G Tracy, who carried on a large business and bore the reputation of being an honest man.

In January, 1794, the Western Centinel was founded in Whitesboro by Oliver P. Eaton ; it was the first newspaper in Oneida county and lived about six years. It is further described in another chapter of this volume.

On the 9th of April, :811, was passed an act incorporating the " Village of Whitehall Landing." This name, however, did not seem to suit a majority of the citizens of the place, and, after further discussion of the subject, an act was passed March 26, 1813, entitled " An Act to vest certain powers in the Freeholders and Inhabitants of the Village of Whitesborough, and for other purposes." The bounds of the village were fixed, and Section I read as follows :

Be it enacted by the people of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, that the district of country comprehended within the following bounds,

624

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

to-wit: Beginning on the south bank of the Mohawk River, at the mouth of the Sadaqueda Creek ; thence running southerly on the west line of Cosby's Manor to a point opposite the southerly line of the lot on which stands the Oneida Cotton Factory; thence northwesterly along said line, and to the southwest corner of the house-lot of Arthur Breese; from thence northerly to the intersection of the road leading from the house of Jesse Dodge to the old Genesee road; from thence northerly until the line strikes a point on the west side of the main road leading from Whitesboro' to Rome, where the west line of the Sadaqueda Patent intersects said road ; thence northerly on the line of said point to the Mohawk River; thence down said river to the place of beginning, shall continue to be known and distinguished as the Village of Whitesborough.

No trustees were chosen under this act, and that having been deemed just reason for the act becoming invalid, a third act was passed February 23, 1821. reviving the old charter, and reincorporating the " village of Whitesborough." The Erie Canal was then just completed through the village. A fourth act was passed April 23, 1829, amending the previous charter, no village officers having been in the mean while elected. May 1, 1847, an act was passed amending the eastern boundary of the vil- lage-changing it to Sauquoit Creek.

The first village officers, elected June 15, 1829, were the following, viz: Trustees, S. Newton Dexter, Benjamin S. Walcott, Alvan Brad- ley, Willard Camp, William Eels ; treasurer, Jesse C. Wetmore ; col. lector, Samuel B. Ferguson.

S. Newton Dexter was appointed president, John Stryker village clerk, and Lewis Berry street commissioner. At a meeting of the board, June 26, 1829, a code of by-laws was read and adopted.

It has already been noted that in early years, from 1802 to 1850, Whitestown was one of the two half shires of Oneida county, and in 1802 and thereafter courts were held alternately at the two places. The building of the court house and jail has been fully described. The jail was finished in 1801 and the court minutes for December of that year contain the following entry :

Charles C. Brodhead, sheriff of this county, having informed the court that in pur- suance of a law passed the last session he had accepted of and actually removed his prisoners to the gaol lately built for the county in the village of Whitesboro', it is therefore ordered that from and after the second day of January, one thousand eight hundred and two, instead of the present liberties of the gaol in and for the county of Oneida, as established by the rules of this court, the following shall be and are hereby established for the liberties of the gaol of said county, to wit: (here follow the boundaries) containing three acres of land, agreeable to a map thereof on file, and made by Robert Bordwell.

625

THE TOWN OF WHITESTOWN.

The lot in the village on which the court house and jail were built was donated for that purpose by Hugh White, the original proprietary settler, on the condition that the realty should revert to him or his heirs in the event of a removal of the county seat from the village. The con- tingency finally occurred, and in the absence of Philo White, later a re- sident of the village, the buildings were sold under a decree in chancery for partition among the heirs. On the return of Mr. White in 1859, at which time he took up his permanent residence there, the case was laid before him. As it was evident that his grandfather's intention had been that the donation of the ground to the public should be irrevoc- able, Mr. White took the necessary steps to secure the property, and in 1860 donated it to the town and village for their use as a town hall and council chamber. The conditions of this conveyance provided that the portion of the Public Green in front of the edifice should be improved and taken care of, and afterwards Mr. White donated the remainder of this Green, on condition that the municipal authorities should improve it by laying out walks, etc., and make it a park for the free admission of promenaders, " and the exclusion of all cattle, and the like." He after- wards erected a neat fence around the open portion of the lot, and re- served the right to keep the plat free from weeds and rubbish. The corporate authorities inclosed the Green with a neat and substantial fence which was subsequently removed, and the present park, with its shade-trees and grass-plats, adds much to the natural beauty of the village. The early settlers planted shade-trees along both sides of the main street of the village, and these, grown tall and large, their branches almost interlocking, are stately sentinels along the broad way, which is lined with elegant dwellings and beautiful lawns. The " Old Court House " has been repaired to a considerable extent, and, aside from its uses as a town and village hall, it is the place of many public meetings and social gatherings. Whitesboro was a place of much business when the settlement at Old Fort Schuyler (now Utica) was scarcely worthy of notice ; but by subsequent enterprises being established at the latter place, and from various causes which helped to build it up, Whites- boro became finally a beautiful suburb of the flourishing city of Utica.

The first post office was named Whitestown and was established as early as 1796. Dr. Elizur Moseley was the first postmaster and held

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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

the office many years. He was probably the first physician to perma- nently settle in the village. In 1798 he was appointed sheriff of the county, and later he was an assistant justice. Some of those who held the office of postmaster in later years were W. A. Hobby, Dr. Whiting Smith, Wm. C. Champlin, Alvin Bradley, William O. Merrill, John G. Crain, Charles E. Smith, Ellis Ellis, and others. The present postmaster is Edward Kernan.

Whitesboro has had a fire department since 1831, if not before, and two years later there is record of the purchase of an engine of some de scription which cost $150. An engine was also kept at Yorkville, which was used at Whitesboro as occasion demanded and it was finally purchased by the latter village Other apparatus was bought from time to time, and in 1876 a Silsby rotary steam fire engine was purchased at a cost of about $1,200. This with hook and ladder apparatus are still in use.

There is very little existing record from which to compile an account of the schools of this town. The destruction of the town records ren - ders the task an impossible one. For many years the town was divided into thirteen districts, with a school house in each. Twelve districts are now reported, with a union free school in both Whitesboro and Oriskany.

The following fragment was written some years ago by Leander S. Wood, of New York Mills, and is worthy of preservation :

The strip of land lying on the east bank of the Sadaqueda Creek, from its mouth to the distance of three miles, was settled immediately after the settlement of Whites- boro, by the Wetmores and Leavenworths. Within its limits are now included the villages of Yorkville and New York Mills, the upper part of the latter being in the township of New Hartford. Very soon after the settlement was made a school dis- trict was organized, embracing the whole of the above and some adjacent territory, and a school opened. Soon another district was organized, embracing the extreme southern portion of this, with some more adjoining territory, which now forms the flourishing district at the Upper Mills -- that is Nos. 3 and 4 in New Hartford. In 1826 the New York Mills district, or No. 4 District of Whitestown, was taken from the original district, and some twenty years after the Yorkville district, or Dis- trict No. 6, of Whitestown, was taken off, thus leaving the original district, No. 3, of Whitestown, with about 100 children of school age. This includes New York Mills, No. 1. There are now flourishing schools in all four districts, employing regularly six teachers.

Whitesboro Union Free School has been under the care of the

ROBERT ABLETT.

627

THE TOWN OF WHITESTOWN.

Regents since December, 1891. The principal is Frank B. Van Or- mun, under whom are six teachers. The trustees are Rev. M. E. Dun- ham, George H. Haynes and William Gates.

Among the early manufactures of Whitesboro was a tub and churn factory established in 1824 by Watkins & Griswold in the upper part of the village. It was transferred to Ellis & Co. in 1840, and was burned in 1844. A new factory was built in the lower portion of the village and the business was carried on by Watson, Ellis & Co. until 1873, when the firm again became Ellis & Co. The business was abandoned some years ago.

The manufacture of weaver's reeds was begun here in 1858 by James Brierly, and is still continued by his sons, William and Gilbert.

Several tanneries have had an existence in or near the village, but they have all disappeared with the failure of the bark supply. The last one was established by William Benedict in 1850.

A saw and planing mill was started in 1869 by Williams & Co., who carried on a successful business many years in the manufacture of sash, doors, blinds and specialties. The mill finally passed to Denton & Waterbury, who are now operating it.

Sutton & Quigley began the manufacture of furniture more than twenty years ago. The firm soon became W. B. Quigley & Co. The business was continued on a large scale until the present year, when the concern went into the hands of a receiver. Business is now con- ducted under the name of the Quigley Furniture Company.

B. T. Babbitt's Whitesboro Iron Works were established in 1871, and extensive brick buildings erected. A general foundry and machine business was carried on and about one hundred hands were employed for a time. John Leroy Babbitt accepted the superintendency of the of the works in 1874, which position he has since retained. He has served the village several terms as trustee and one term as president.

The Anchor Knitting Mill was started in 1890 by Robert Ablett, in the old seminary building, which he purchased of the Ellis estate. The business has been very successful, and large additions have been made to the building. The product is knit underwear in cotton and wool and about 250 hands are employed.

General stores are kept in Whitesboro by G. A. Kirkland and H. H.

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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

Victory. Edward Pickett is in the hardware trade, and James Kelly sells boots and shoes.

The two hotels are the Central, kept by John Moehle, and the Park House, kept by Corbitt & Goodwin.

The hamlet and post-office of Yorkville lies between Whitesboro and New York Mills and is substantially a continuation of the latter. It was here that the first grist mill was built, as before noted, but it long ago disappeared. There has always been a small mercantile business done here, and at the present time John N. Cole carries on an extensive business. Robert Cooper has a general store, Charles P. Stone con- ducts a millinery business, and G. M. Relyea a hardware store.

The village of New York Mills is known throughout the State as the site of the celebrated cotton mills bearing that name. Benjamin Stuart Walcott was a native of Cumberland, R. I., and was a descendant in the fifth generation from Capt. Jonathan Walcott who resided in Salem from 1655 to 1669. Benjamin Stuart Walcott was born July 27, 1755, and became engaged in the erection of cotton mills for himself and others. Early in 1808 he was invited by Dr. Scott Capron, who with others contemplated the erection of mills in Whitestown, Oneida county, to come here and superintend the work. Mr. Walcott was at that time one of the proprietors of the mill in his native place and also of the mill at Rehoboth, and was personally engaged in managing the mill at Cen- tral Falls. Associated with him was his son Benjamin S. Walcott, jr., who was left in charge of the latter mill while the father came on to Whitestown. Arriving here in May, 1808, a partnership was at once formed under the name of Walcott & Company. Mr. Walcott returned to Rhode Island in 1809, his place in Whitestown being occupied by his son, Benjamin S. Walcott, jr. The father was a man of excellent natural abilities, with inventive genius of a high order. He died in Seekonk, Mass., May 15, 1824. His son, just mentioned, was born in Cumberland, R. I., September 29, 1786. By act of the Legislature March 17, 1809, the factory in Whitestown had its agents, superintend- ents and workmen exempted from serving as jurors; this is probably the only instance where such action was taken by the Legislature. This cotton factory was the first one established in this State. On the 9th of March, 1810, the members of the firm of Walcott & Company were incorporated under the title of the Oneida Manufacturing Society.

629

THE TOWN OF WHITESTOWN.

From 1808 to 1825 there was no communication with Albany except by team, and in winter cotton and supplies were hauled from New York at a cost of one dollar per hundred pounds. After the opening of the canal a boat owned by this company transported for years goods to Albany and returned with cotton and supplies. In 1813 Benjamin S. Walcott, jr., in connection with Gen George Doolittle, whose daughter he married, organized the Whitestown Cotton and Woolen Mill. This company at once occupied the grist mill known as the Buhr Stone Fac- tory, which was in operation until 1878, when it was taken down. In 1839-40 there was erected near this building a mill of stone, now known as Mill No. 3. In 1825 Mr. Walcott still further extended his opera- tions by forming a partnership with Benjamin Marshall, a wealthy mer- chant of New York, under the style of Marshall & Walcott. In this year another factory was erected which now forms part of the group of the New York Mills. On the Ist of June, 1839, Mr. Marshall sold to Benjamin S. and William D. Walcott part of his interest in the middle and upper group of mills, the lower group being owned and operated by them and for about forty five years afterwards by the Oneida Man- ufacturing Society. On the Ist of January, 1847, Mr. Marshall con- veyed his entire remaining interest in the mills and business to Benja . min S. and William D. Walcott. On the same date Benjamin S Wal- cott conveyed a part of his interest to his second son, Charles D. Wal- cott, and at the same time William D. and Charles D. conveyed a part of their interest to Samuel Campbell, the firm at that time consisting of Benjamin S., William D., and Charles D Walcott and Samuel Camp- bell. Its style was the New York Mills. Charles Doolittle Walcott was born in Whitestown September 14, 1818. He was placed in charge of the upper mill and thus continued until his death September 15, 1852. On the Ist of May, 1856, Benjamin S. Walcott sold his interest in the upper mill to William D. Walcott and Samuel Campbell and on the same day they formed a new copartnership under the style of Walcott & Campbell, but retaining as the trade mark of their fabrics, the New York Mills. On the 12th day of May, 1856, Benjamin S. Walcott, William D. Walcott and Samuel Campbell, executors under the will of Charles D. Walcott, deceased, conveyed the interest of his estate to Will- iam D. Walcott and Samuel Campbell. Benjamin S. Walcott died Jan-

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Our county and its people; a descriptive work on Oneida county, New York;, Part 62

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