Our county and its people : a memorial record of St. Lawrence County, New York, Part 30

Author: Curtis, Gates
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason
Number of Pages: 1328

USA > New York > St Lawrence County > Our county and its people : a memorial record of St. Lawrence County, New York > Part 30
USA > New York > St Lawrence County > Our county and its people: a memorial record of St. Lawrence County, New York > Part 30

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).

John Lyttle, son of William Lyttle, was a captain of a rifle company in the War of 1812, and is mentioned in the chapter on that war and the defence of Ogdensburg. He was also a justice of the peace more than twenty years, and a resident of Lisbon nearly forty years. He died June 28, 1843.

In 1803 Dr. J. W. Smith came from Chester, Mass., and located at Galloupville, where he first practiced medicine, and soon extended his business into surrounding towns. He removed to Ogdensburg in 1807. Dr. W. Carpenter also settled in Lisbon at an early day, and was suc- ceeded by Dr. William A. Campfield, who came from Ogdensburg. The latter had a long and successful practice.

During the War of 1812 Mrs. James Flack felt unsafe so near the scene of active hostilities, and mounted a horse, took her four months old child and rode to Plattsburg, and thence to Hebron, Washington county. Mr. Flack, father of Garret, became an extensive lumberman in St. Lawrence county.

Mrs. Truman Reynolds, of Lisbon, with her two children, was in the barracks at Ogdensburg, with her soldier husband, when the British captured the fort in February, 1814. She, with others, was allowed to hastily pass out on the ice, whence she witnessed the burning of the shelter she had so suddenly left. The following summer she rode on horseback to Sackett's Harbor to visit her husband, who was stationed

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THE TOWN OF LISBON.

there. William H. Reynolds, a deacon in the Congregational Church, and a life resident of Lisbon, who died a few years ago, was one of the children with the mother in the barracks just before it was burned ; the other, a little girl, eventually became the wife of James North.

Stephen Van Rensselaer, having become the owner of a tract of land, March 3, 1795, running from the Galloup Rapids back into the town of Canton, began improvements in that fall by building mills thereon. D. W. Church was employed to erect the mills, and in the summer of 1804 a wing dam was run out from the shore sufficient to form a head of three or four feet. A frame building, fifty by seventy feet and three stories high was put up, in which was a saw mill and two run of rock stone ; this was the first mill in the town. The mill was driven by two flutters, or undershot wheels, twenty odd feet long. The building was painted red, and long bore the name of " The Red Mills," which name soon superseded the name of "Galloupville." Shortly afterward the son, Henry Van Rensselaer, came into possession of the property, and in September, 1836, he rebuilt the mill in stone, with a view of erecting a stone dam from the main shore to the island, a distance of 1,200 feet. The estimated cost was $50,000, and a fall of six to eight feet would thus give sufficient power to drive mills and factories of all kinds re- quired. He obtained an act, passed April 6, 1850, authorizing him, his heirs and assigns, to erect the dam for hydraulic purposes. He also obtained a permit from the Canadian authorities to dam the water to flow around the island into the Canadian channel. The dam was not built, as the mills were burned soon afterward, the ice destroyed the wing dam a few years later, and the project was abandoned as it was found impracticable to build a stone dam for the sum estimated by the engineer.

As the settlement increased the necessity for a mill to grind prov- ender was more apparent, and Samuel and Joseph Smithers obtained a lease of a strip of land along the shore on Livingston's Point and the Lalone Island, in the year 1874, for ninety-nine years. They built a wing dam about half way to the island and secured about five feet head, and erected a saw-mill and grist mill, with a shingle mill. George Sparrowhawk and Hugh Lalone had an interest in the saw-mill at one time. After a few years the mills were destroyed by fire and were not rebuilt.

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HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.

At one time Galloupville, or " The Red Mills," was quite a business place, and contained the only post office in the town ; besides a hotel, stores, blacksmith and other shops, doctors, lawyers, mechanics and laborers. After the mills went down the village was soon abandoned.

Flackville took its rise at the building of the turnpike from Ogdens- burg to Parishville in 1818. Thomas Craig built a small hotel there, and John P. Flack built an ashery, a store and a carriage shop. James Flack purchased the hotel and rebuilt it on a larger scale, greatly im- proving the place, and from him it took its name. A post- office was established there, two churches were soon erected-Methodist and Presbyterian-and the place soon became the business center for that part of the town.

Lisbon Centre .- Previous to the laying out and working of the Ogdensburg and Lake Champlain Railroad in 1848, which railroad crosses the town of Lisbon diagonally, there was only a farm house on the Flackville road near where the railroad crossed it. This house with a small farm was owned by James Rowen, who permitted the building of a blacksmith shop near the railroad for the repair of the laborers' tools ; the shop was conducted by Robert Armstrong Samuel Wells

built a small boarding house or hotel for the accommodation of the work- ing men on the road and shortly afterward built a larger one of stone. A Mr. Dix, of Ogdensburg, built a store. The railroad company built the present depot, and Joseph E. Robinson was placed in charge of the station. Mr. Robinson was born in New Hampshire, September 6, 1814. At his majority he went to Cumberland, Md., and was con- nected with the B. & O. railroad several years, after which he became a contractor on the public works at Cumberland. He married a Miss Collins in the spring of 1846. A few years later he returned to his eastern home and engaged in the construction department of railroad building. A few years later he was employed on the O. & L. C. road during its construction from 1848 to 1850, thereby acquiring the title of "Boss Robinson." He lived in one end of the depot, keeping gro- cery store with the assistance of his son for more than fifteen years. During this time he purchased a farm near by on which he spent his remaining days ; he died February 15, 1888. The place being located near the center of the town gave it the name of Lisbon Centre. As busi-

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THE TOWN OF LISBON.

ness increased, more stores, shops and houses were built, and at the present time (1893) there is a population of about two hundred, four stores that keep a general stock, a millinery shop, a cabinet shop, a shoe shop, a carriage shop, three blacksmith shops, a hotel, post-office, a physician, a splendid town hall in place of the former one, and three fine churches. A steam saw mill was built just south of the village and operated a few years by G. W. Flack and his brother about 1865 ; they also sawed shingles and ground provender. The mill was burned and in 1873 John Kent built a saw and grist mill in the village, which was driven by a thirty-five horse power engine. The mill did a fair business a few years when it was burned.

E. Dilling built a steam saw and grist mill at his place near the river in 1878, which was sold a few years later to James North, who removed the machinery to his place near the Centre, where it has since been successfully operated.

During the epidemic which pervaded the country in 1813, great numbers died and Lisbon is said to have suffered more severely than any other town in the county. The unusual cold summers of 1816-17 caused great suffering in consequence of short crops and want of pro- visions. Corn sold for $2.50 per bushel, potatoes, $1.00 and wheat in the same proportion. The wild game about here and the fish caught in the St. Lawrence constituted a large part of the food used.

The Indians located on Indian Point, previously mentioned, were very lawless and troublesome, and the inhabitants of Lisbon gladly united with those of Oswegatchie in a petition to the Legislature to have them removed, which was accomplished in 1807. During the war of 1812-15 there was very little hostile demonstration in the town of Lisbon ; yet threats and rumors of raids kept the people in constant fear. During the fall of 1813 a company of about sixty dragoons were established at the house of Peter Wells, four or five miles back from the river on the Canton road. About a dozen of these rode out to Galloupville, stopped at Scott's hotel and placed several sentries around the house. During the night a party of 200 men from Canada landed on Tibbets's Point, came down and surprised the sentinels and surrounded the house. It is said that the dragoons made a very gallant resistance, but were over- powered by the unequal numbers. During the melee several escaped

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HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.

to the woods. One named Smith was shot and another named Mercer was wounded and brutally stabbed with bayonets several times after resistance ceased, and he was left for dead, but subsequently recovered ; it was found impossible for the British to take Smith and Mercer alive. Two dragoons, Scott, the landlord, and his son, and all the horses that that could be found were taken to Canada.

During the cholera epidemic in 1832 a board of health was formed, with Dr. Wooster Carpenter as health officer. The river opposite the house of Obadiah Platt, and not less than three hundred yards from the shore, was assigned as quarantine ground for craft from Canada.

On the IIth of March, 1828, a circulating library was incorporated in Lisbon, with Wm. Marshal, Andrew O'Neil, Albert Tyler, John Glass, Joshua G. Pike, James Douglass and James Moncrief, trustees.

In the early days the usual bounty of $5.00 for destroying wolves, bear and panthers, was offered by the town authorities. In the war times of 1812-15 no special town meetings were called to offer bounties to induce the people to enlist, yet this town nobly responded to the calls of the nation. During the war of the Rebellion several meetings were called as follows: At a special town meeting held August 30, 1862, a bounty of $50.00 was voted to each volunteer from the town, who should enlist on or after the 22d day of the same month. On the 24th of December, 1863, a bounty of $400.00 was voted to each volunteer from the town, and certificates of indebtedness were issued to those who enlisted on or after the date of the meeting to fill the quota of the town on the call of the president, dated October 17, 1863. At a special meeting August 13, 1864, subsequent to the presi- dent's of July 18, 1864, for 500,000 men, bounties of $300 each were voted to volunteers from Lisbon who had enlisted or re-enlisted between July 13, 1863 and January 1, 1864. At a special meeting held Febru- ary 28, 1865, a bounty of $100 each was voted to " volunteers, recruits and substitutes," to fill the quota of the town of Lisbon on the call of December 19, 1864. All meetings and their proceedings in regard to bounties, other than the above mentioned, were rendered by these acts null and void.1

1It may be said here in this first town history of the volume that the action of Lisbon regarding the payment of bounties to volunteers was substantially repeated in the other towns of the county and at approximate dates.

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THE TOWN OF LISBON.

A town hall was erected in Lisbon Centre a number of years ago, which in course of time became inadequate for its purposes, and hence in 1889 a new one of more modern style and commodious size was erected at a cost of $4000.

The New York State Hospital, which is in process of building in the northwest corner of the town, is described in an earlier chapter of this work.

Following is a list of the supervisors of the town so far as can be ascertained, a portion of the early records of the town having been lost. Alexander J. Turner, the first supervisor elected in 1801, was re-elected several years thereafter, when Robert Livingston is supposed to have been elected and served a few terms; then followed : 1814-15, George C. Conant ; 1816-17, James Thompson ; 1818, Bishop Perkins ; 1819-20, Robert Livingston ; 1821-28, Wesson Briggs ; 1829, John Thompson ; 1830-35, George C. Conant; 1836, Joseph Chambers ; 1837, G. C. Conant; 1838-39, David C. Gray ; 1840-41, Charles Norway ; 1842, William H. Reynolds ; 1843, D. C. Gray ; 1844, G. C. Conant; 1845- 49, Wm. Brigggs ; 1850-51, Aaron Rolf; 1582-53, David G. Lyttle ; 1854-56, Wm. Briggs; 1857-61, Ira Wallace ; 1862-69, Alexander A. Martin; 1870, Samuel Wells ; 1871, Alex. A. Martin ; 1872-76, Andrew Tuck; 1877, Samuel Wells ; 1878-83, James W. Bailie ; 1884-93, My- ron T. Stocking.

Religious Belief and Organizations .- In all ages and from the rec- ords of whatever country we may seek information, among the numer- ous tribes and nations of the earth, and even among the relics of ex- tinct races, we shall find some external evidence of their belief and adoration of a Supreme Being. Priests, sacrificial altars, religious cere- monies, and temples or palaces consecrated to religious worship, all bear conclusive testimony that men are naturally religious beings. Long before Jehovah had made special manifestations to his chosen people, the Jews, and while the minds of men were more or less obscured by dense moral ignorance, unable to penetrate the future, we find them consulting divinity by oracles and seeking to propitiate his anger or merit his protection by prayers, vows and offerings. Neither the prejudice of passions, the false reasoning of philosophy, nor the ex- ample of men in power have been able to destroy or weaken this tend-

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HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.

ency of the human mind to reverence and worship an omnipotent, om- niscient deity.

Such inclination can proceed only from first principles, which form a part of the nature of man ; from tendencies implanted in the heart of man, and had he persisted in the purity and simplicity of these first principles, his moral progress would most certainly have hastened the dawn of the millenium. But the errors of his mind and the vices of his heart-sad effects of the corruption of humanity-have strangely dis- figured the original beauty of his primitive nature. After men had re- lapsed into idolatry and wickedness, as evidenced by the impious at- tempt to build a tower of Babel, God called Abram, a man of faith, out of the land of the Chaldees, to be the ancestor of a race chosen for an exalted destiny, the father of a multitude in whom " all families of the earth should be blessed." The last words involve the crowning bless- ings of the Old Covenant, the Promise of the Messiah. Agreeably to this call, Abram accompanied by his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot and their servants, crossed the Rivers Euphrates and Jordan and reached the valley of Shechem, where he built the first altar to the Lord. Here he received the second promise : that his seed should possess the land. These promises in the course of time were fulfilled, and through that faith and obedience to the Lord which were so exemplified by Abram, the Jewish people established a church which, in its spiritual and exter- nal splendor, wielded an influence among the nations worthy of imi- tation.

But through the influence of the usurpers, the Herodian families, and the introduction of foreign customs, the temporal dominion of the Herods opened the way to the destruction of the Jewish nationality. Following close on this state of affairs came the cry from the wilderness, "Prepare ye the way, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand," and God, through his son Jesus Christ, was made manifest in the flesh.

After Christ's public ministry in teaching the covenant, his death and ascension, the Christian church became established by his disciples, which church has been continued by the followers of the Master, under the names of the various denominations, down to the present time.

It always has been and no doubt will be true for all time to come, that man will worship a Supreme Being in some way (expressed in

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THE TOWN OF LISBON.

creeds) peculiar to their understanding ; therefore it is proper for them to enter into covenant relations with each other for mutual benefit and protection.

In presenting the following sketches of church history in Lisbon, and in those of other towns in later pages, especial care has been taken to represent the facts without color or prejudice, as gleaned from the rec- ords and from such other sources as were deemed reliable. Each society seems to have been organized at a time when most needed to assist and direct those of a certain class to a higher and better standard of religious truth. Contemplating the good that has been done by the various denominations, we may truly say that the guiding hand of Providence has led his people through these many years (since the reign of the red man of the forest), and has thus raised the standard of his kingdom among us, which we trust will be continued with the same liberality and unity of spirit to the end of time.

The foregoing may be applied to each church organization, brief sketches of which will be given in the history of the several towns in the order of their organization.

* * *

Presbyterian, or what may be termed close communion, psalm sing- ing united Presbyterians, was the character of the first religious organi- zation in this county, and it was effected through the efforts of Rev. Alexander Proudfit, who was up from Salem, N. Y., visiting old neigh- bors at Galloupville. They having no religious meetings in the place, he conducted services for them several Sabbaths, and succeeded in or- ganizing a church November 15, 1802. The following named persons were some of the congregation, and also trustees of the society : A. J. Turner, John Tibbits, jr., John Farewell, William Shaw, Benjamin Stewart, and Reuben Turner. Rev. Mr. Sheriff, a Scotchman, became their first pastor in 1804. A frame church was built by Mr Thomp- son, where the society continued to meet for a number of years. After most of the people had moved away or back into the interior of the town the church members became scattered and were soon disorga- nized. A place called Wells's Hill, about half a mile north of what is now Lisbon Centre, was quite a point for business, and the few mem- bers living there made an effort to revive the church and succeeded in

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HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.

reorganizing it on February 28, 1827, with George C. Conant, John Thompson and Joseph Martin as trustees.

This was in the days of cheap whisky, fifteen to twenty cents per gallon, and it was considered necessary for even a poor man not having a farrow cow, to keep the " extract " on hand to assist in welcoming his friends. It was said to Dr. Hough by one of the church members, that the church edifice, including all the work of raising funds and the labor of building, cost a barrel of whisky.1 The second church, like the first one, was a good structure, but much larger and more substantially built. A gallery was constructed on both sides and across the end of the church, where seats were rented by the year. A portion of the pews below were sold out and were transferable. The pulpit was raised about eight feet from the floor, so the speaker could have an eye on all the congregation, both above and below. The style of the pews, like those in all churches of that day in the country, was box-shape and so high that youngsters could not look over the sides, and which came up to the ears of the older ones.

The pews had solid doors which were opened only to allow passing in or out, and some had locks to prevent lawless persons from using them. It was a rule of the church that dogs, which persisted in going to meeting, were to be shut in the pews during service.

The society continued its work in this place with good results until a majority of the members found it necessary to build a new edifice and change its location. The society built their present frame church at Lisbon Centre in a more modern style in 1856; it will seat 250 per- sons. The Rev. Andrew Henry is their present pastor and the mem- bership is 175.

The First Methodist Episcopal Church .- The Methodists held meet- ings occasionally in private houses as early as 1805, but a church proper was not organized until April 25, 1822, with Daniel Akin, Asa Baldwin, David Wells, Robert Briggs, and Luke McCracken, trustees. It was reorganized April 3, 1847, with George Fulton, Joseph Lang- tree, David Akin, Stephen Mackley, and Isaac Stocking, trustees.

1 It is not to be understood that this particular church was an exception to the general rule in those early days. The free use of whisky was considered essential to good health, or to ward off the prevailing disease, "fever and ague," caused no doubt by the decaying wood stumps and vegetable matter then so abundant in the settlements.

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THE TOWN OF LISBON.

Meetings were held principally on the river road in school houses down to 1862, when a church was built at Galloupville. It is a wooden structure capable of seating 200 persons and cost about $650. Rev. Aaron Thompson is the present pastor and the membership is forty- four.

The Second M. E. Church was organized at Flackville January 9, 1850, with Dwight Spencer, Joseph H. Langtree, Isaac Stocking, Ly- man N. Sackett, and Henry Soper, trustees. A frame church was erected in 1851, which has since been repaired and furnished. The present membership is ninety-five, and Rev. Aaron Thompson is pastor of this church also.

St. Luke's Church (Episcopal) .- Episcopal missionaries labored in Lisbon as early as 1816, but a church was not organized until October 13, 1837. The first rector is said to have been Rev. Mr. Bryton ; the first wardens were Obadiah Platt and Samuel Patterson. The first vestrymen were Hugh Leach, Robert Leach, Henry Hunt, Simeon Dil- lingham, John Clark, William Spears, and Wooster Carpenter. The present neat stone church at Galloupville, on the lot formerly occupied by the First Presbyterian church, was built in 1856, at a cost of $3,000, a part of the money having been raised in New York by Mrs. Gen. Thomas Davies. Rev. J. D. Morrison, of Ogdensburg, officiated nearly every Sabbath afternoon for a number of years. At present Rev. A. McDonald, of Waddington, is officiating there ; the present membership is about twenty.

First Reform, or Covenanter, Presbyterian Church .- This church was first started by a few people who met in private houses for prayer and conference about 1825, in the Craig neighborhood. William Craig is said to have been the originator of the movement. In 1830 Rev. J. W. Stewart, of Argyle, N. Y., visited Lisbon and remained six months. During his stay he organized a church with fifty members. William Glass and John Smith were ordained ruling elders. In 1831 William Craig and Robert Gray were added to the session, and in the mean time a frame house of worship was erected at Craig's Corners. In 1833 a division occurred in the General Synod to which they belonged, over the right of franchise. The question was taken up by the mem- bers of this church, a portion contending that it was not right to vote

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HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.

for officers of the government, if God was not acknowledged in the con- stitution. The other portion held that it was not only right, but was the duty of an American citizen to vote. On this question the church divided, when the former portion, designated the " old light covenant- ers," withdrew and built a frame church at Glass's Corners, about three-quarters of a mile west of the old church. Here they have con- tinued to labor to the present day, prospering fairly under the leader- ship of Rev. W. J. McFarland. Their peculiar views have had a tend- ency to weaken their membership, as those who desire to exercise the right of franchise, stimulated by the heated political discussions of a political campaign, withdraw from the church from time to time, while others for similar reasons are slow to join them.

The New Light, or Reformed, Covenanter Presbyterians, comprising the remaining members, reorganized, elected officers and continued to worship in the old house at Craig's Corners, though greatly weakened by the division and feud, which was not readily healed. In 1841 their church was mysteriously burned, ending in a law suit which nearly dis- organized the society. In 1851 a few of the members who had kept the society from disbanding, extended a call to Rev. Henry Gordon, at a salary of $350 a year. The new pastor so stimulated the members that during the following year they built the present frame church at Flack- ville, at a cost of $1,200, and greatly increased in membership. Rev. H. J. McClave is the present pastor.

Second New Light, or Reformed Covenanter Church .- The success of the New Lights, under Rev. H. Gordon's preaching, extended to other neighborhoods, where a society was formed shortly after that of Flackville, and a small frame house of worship was built in the extreme eastern part of the town, near the line of Waddington, about 1855. Their present membership is about forty, and they are supplied by Rev. Archibald Thompson, of Madrid.

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Our county and its people : a memorial record of St. Lawrence County, New York, Part 30

Author: Curtis, Gates Publication date: 1894 Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason Number of Pages: 1328

Author: Curtis, Gates
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason
Number of Pages: 1328