USA > New York > St Lawrence County > Our county and its people : a memorial record of St. Lawrence County, New York > Part 43
USA > New York > St Lawrence County > Our county and its people: a memorial record of St. Lawrence County, New York > Part 43
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124
Jabez Healey and John Fobes came in from Vermont, making the journey from Lake Champlain on horseback. After a few weeks, dur- ing which they made contracts for land, they returned. In the fall of the same year Healey and his eighteen year old son came back to Potsdam with small packs of supplies to prepare for the advent of the families. They built a log house and cut the timber from a few acres of land. They then again returned to Vermont, and in the spring of 1804 Mr. Healey came on to his settlement with his wife and eight or
464
HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.
ten children, three horses and some cattle. Mr. Smith and Mr. Fobes also brought their families in the spring of 1804, and others who are known to have arrived in that year were Christopher Wilson, Benja- min Bailey, Howard J. Pierce, Benjamin Stewart, John Delance, Joseph Bailey and his sons Nathaniel and Ansel. Mr. Raymond also brought his family that spring.
Gurdon Smith located at "West Potsdam," which was long known as "Smith's Corners." He had been chief of a corps of surveyors under Benjamin Wright, and had surveyed a large part of Macomb's purchase.
During the year 1804 other settlers came, among whom were Eben- ezer Parkhurst, jr., William Ames, Barnabas Hogle, Thomas Bowker, David Carey, Jehiel Slafter, Joseph Wright, Lebbeus Johnson, Bester Pierce, Roswell Parkhurst, Alvin Mills, Reuben Field, John Bowker, Spalding Waterman, Ezra Crary, William Bullard, and several asso- ciates. Mr. Bullard, while in New England, drew articles of an agree- ment and a constitution in which each member of the company to be formed was to share according to the amount of property or labor in- vested. All things relating to the association were to be decided by a majority vote, strictly democratic, although their religious or political views were not to be criticized. An account was to be kept with each member of the amount of stock invested and the days' work performed, when a settlement was to be made at the annual meeting in January of each year. About a dozen signed the agreement when William Bull- ard, the projector, was made agent and John Borroughs, secretary. The party, with their families, came in as above stated, and on the 28th of November, 1804, purchased a tract of 2,427 acres, about two miles north of the present village, at a cost of $8,656, and commenced the settlement. After a couple of years several of the members withdrew and others were taken in, when, in the month of May, 1807, they formed an association on the same basis, which was styled "The Union." The names of the male members were William Bullard, John Borroughs, Manassa Smith, Nathan Howe, Ammi, Thomas and Will- iam Currier, Isaac Ellis, Alba Durkee, and John McAllaster. The " Union " prospered fairly, but in 1810 dissolved by mutual agreement, the land was divided, and most of them continued to reside on their
465
THE TOWN OF POTSDAM.
farms. It is said that the energetic women objected to continue the union, as their more indolent sisters were receiving the benefit of their labor, although they continued to be friendly with each other.
Mr. Raymond, having gone south with his family to stay with their friends during the winter of 1804-5, and when returning in the spring, accompanied by his family, his brother in law, Wright and his family, and his cousin, Sewall Raymond, all in sleighs, they were completely deserted by the snow at the Ox Bow, on the Oswegatchie River, in the edge of Jefferson county. Mr. Raymond immediately directed the construction of a raft out of about thirty pine logs, on which the sleighs, goods and families were placed, and on which they proceeded down the swollen stream to Cooper's Falls in De Kalb. The horses were sent over land in charge of Sewall Raymond, and from Cooper's Falls there was enough snow to serve the party to Potsdam. About thirty settlers came in and took up land that season.
Mr. Raymond commenced work on a frame grist mill at the village in 1804, which was put in operation the next year, and also erected a frame building for dwelling, store and office.
The first child born in Potsdam was Orpha Maria Smith, daughter of William Smith, on the 20th of April, 1804. The marriage of John Delance and Nancy Healey was celebrated in the summer of 1804 ; this was probably the first marriage in the town. The first death of a settler was that of James Chadwick, from Massachusetts, who was killed by a limb falling from a tree in July, 1805.
It is worthy of note that John Smith, an uncle of the famous Joseph Smith, the Mormon leader, was a very early settler in this town. He accompanied " Joe " to Utah and became a high priest in the Mormon church He was succeeded at his death by his son, George A. Smith, who was also a native of Potsdam.
The first post office was established in town, April 21, 1807, with Dr. Pierce Shepard as postmaster. He was also the first physician to settle in the town.
The early settlers found Indians camping in the town, but they were, as a rule, very friendly when sober. They assumed the right, however, to enter the dwellings of settlers at any time and with very little warn- ing. The Indians obtained considerable money from the sale of furs,
59
466
HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.
and were almost the only source at first whence the settlers could get cash, which they did by trading the Indians produce or rum.
David Barnum came to the town in 1807, and Simeon Dart in 1808, the latter settling at Smith's Corners (West Potsdam). Timothy Shep- ard came about the same time and settled at the falls on the east side. Josiah Fuller came in 1808, bringing, as one of his family, L. W. Fuller when two years old. He was a tanner, and subsequently built a small tannery, with vats on the outside of the building on ground afterwards occupied by the Richards flouring mill. Mr. Fuller contracted for the triangular tract of land between the river, Market and Raymond streets, and cleared away the thicket on the east shore. He built a one and a half story house on the Market street side of his lot, and there kept for some years a good public house. It was afterwards kept by Samuel Pease.
Down to the year 1809 a ferry was maintained across the river for those who came to the mills and others who wished to cross ; but in that year a bridge was built on the present bridge site, which endured until 1830 The next one was in use to about the close of the last war.
Liberty Knowles came to the town in 1809 and was admitted to the bar in the next year. A brief sketch of his life will be found in another department of this volume.
Settlements continued to increase, and in 1810 the town had a popu- lation of 928, and was the fourth town in the county in that respect. In 1810 the village consisted of only seven buildings; these were small frame structures, all those outside of the immediate settlement being of logs. There was no church, but Judge Raymond habitually held relig- ious services in his house on Sundays, and they were soon attended by many of his neighbors. When the attendance began to overcrowd his rooms he built a house that will be described further on. The only schools at that time were private ones, there being no school organiza- tion until 1813, when Benjamin Raymond, Gurdon Smith and Howard J. Pierce were chosen commissioners of common schools. It is probable that Mr. Pierce was the first teacher in the town. A fulling mill was built in 181 1 on the island.
Calls for militia to serve along the St. Lawrence River were followed by enlistments, with their attendant anxieties and foreboding in the
467
THE TOWN OF POTSDAM.
War of 1812. Ansel Paine served thus for eight months in a company enlisted in Potsdam, Madrid and Massena. The first captain was Bes- ter Pierce, of Potsdam, and the company served near Waddington, at Ogdensburg, and finally at Sackett's Harbor. In a general way the effect of the war was to stimulate business and growth in Potsdam and other interior towns, as large quantities of army supplies passed through the town and markets were unusually active. The old American Hotel building, which became a land mark, was erected in 1813. Most of the turnpike through Potsdam, Hopkinton and Parishville was con- structed during the war period. These roads cost from two to three dollars per rod. The first distillery in town was built in 1813 by the land proprietors. Previous to the war the one store kept by Judge Raymond sufficed for the community, but in 1813 Sewall Raymond, a cousin of the judge and father of George Raymond, who came into the town with the judge in 1805, when he was nineteen years old, built and opened a store on the east side of the river, where L. D. Andrews now is located, corner of Main and Market streets. For many years Sewall Raymond continued in business and was a prominent citizen. In early years he was clerk in the land office for Judge Raymond, learning sur- veying, and did a great deal of that work in this section. He was one of the original board of trustees of the academy and was clerk of the board until his death on July 1, 1866. Dr. Robert McChesney, who came to the town about the beginning of the war, continued a large practice to about the time of his death in 1824. Horatio S. Munson, long a prominent citizen, started a nail factory on the island as early as 1818, cutting the nails from plates and heading them by hand.
There were many prominent men came into the town during the in- flux caused by the war and settled in business. At the close of the conflict there were six stores in the village and twenty-five or thirty houses. But when the channel of trade was opened on the St. Lawrence River, all the east side merchants failed except Mr. Raymond. There was neither a hotel nor a store in the town outside of the village. John Raymond, a brother of Sewall, employed as clerk (nineteen years old), came to the village in 1815, and it is related of him, as indicating how like a wilderness this whole section remained, that he thought he had indeed reached a wild country when he ran across a panther on Sunday
468
4
HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.
evening just at dusk in the middle of Elm street, sitting on its haunches like a dog, a short distance before him. As he advanced, the animal leaped over a ditch to the side of the road, when he discovered it was a panther, and probably was the mate to the one that had been killed near by a few days before. The next moment he leaped back into the road and watched the boy for a short time, who stood his ground con- sidering what it was best to do, when the panther again leaped over the ditch and crept behind a stump, where Raymond could see his fierce eyes peering out on one side and his tail swinging angrily to and fro on the other. The lad hastened to the nearest house and informed the oc- cupant, who took his rifle, and the two returned to the spot, but the panther had fled. Several sheep had recently been killed in the neigh - borhood, and it was determined to destroy the beast. The whole coun- try around was notified and promptly turned out, surrounded a large tract of some twenty miles, and gradually closed in together. While two bears, a large number of deer, and a quantity of smaller game was secured, the panther escaped.
About the year 1821 the first building of much importance was erected in the village, of the now extensively used sandstone. It was the store still standing on the southeast corner of Market and Elm streets, and was built by Liberty Knowles, Sewall Raymond and Charles Partridge. It was an experiment on their part, to ascertain if the stone was suitable for such a purpose; the results are well known. About 1822-3 Mr. Knowles built a tannery, to be operated by Azel Lyman, and Mr. Partridge a distillery, of the same stone. Aside from the mills and shops, these were among the prominent early manufacturing in- dustries. In 1823-4 Mr. Partridge built also a three story stone structure known as the "Aqueduct Buildings," in which water was raised to supply the tannery and distillery. Pump logs were laid to various parts of the village and the citizens were supplied with water at five dollars each per year. The prevailing temperance agitation of a few years later led Mr. Partridge to close his distillery, and it was not reopened. David French, who purchased land in the town in 1803, came a few years later and settled about midway between Potsdam vil- lage and Canton, where he was a successful farmer, and kept a public house from 1819 for more than thirty years. He died November 15, 1854.
469
THE TOWN OF POTSDAM.
In 1845 the town voted, by a small majority, to erect a town house in the village, for which purpose, under a legislative act, a tax of $1,200 was imposed in two annual installments. The tax money was antici- pated by loans, and the building was erected the same year, on the west side of the public square, by William Sweet, under direction of Henry L. Knowles, Samuel Partridge, Flavel Smith and William W. Goulding.
Amos Blood settled at West Potsdam in 1835, and there were then several houses and a blacksmith shop there. At about the same time Barnabas Yale and his sons, John and Lloyd C., settled a mile west of West Potsdam, where a saw mill was already in operation, to which a run of stone was added by Alexander Bailey. Other settlers followed the Yales and led to the founding of the hamlet known as Yaleville. About the same time Edward Crary built a grist mill, which was the first at the point known as Crary's Mills, in the extreme southwest cor- ner of the town. A small tannery was also built there and a few settlers gathered about. Buck's Bridge had also become of some importance, and on the 30th of March, 1836, a post-office was established there with Owen Buck in charge
In the financial crisis of 1837-8 the village of Potsdam felt the de- pressing influences to some extent, but the thriving agricultural district near at hand prevented any general stagnation of business. In 1849 Dr. Henry Hewitt, of Potsdam, became convinced that by making cer- tain improvements in the channel of the river, logs in great quantities could be floated down from the great wilderness at very little expense, sawed into lumber at Potsdam, and made a source of profit to the com- munity. He convinced others of the feasibility of his project, and cir- culated a petition to the Legislature asking an appropriation of $10,000. The work was accomplished, and, as expected, produced splendid results in this town.
In 1851 the United States Mutual Insurance Company was organized in West Potsdam, the directorship embracing many prominent men ; but it was a little ahead of its time, and closed its business after a few years.
In 1857 the old town house was burned, and after considerable agi- tation a small majority voted to build the second one, which was done in 1858, at a cost of $5,000.
470
HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.
The principal features of the War of the Rebellion as they related to St. Lawrence county, have been described in Chapter XV of this work ; consequently a brief allusion to it here is all that is necessary. There was only one draft held in the county, under which the quota of Pots- dam was one hundred and eighty-six men. On this the town was en- titled to a credit of ninety-three. The quotas under the other several calls were all filled, the bounties ranging from the first one paid by the general government and the State, up to $1,000, which was the gross sum paid to those who enlisted under the call of July 18, 1864. So efficient was the work of the men having in charge the filling of the two quotas of 1864, that at the close of the war this town could have stood a call for sixty men and filled it without a draft. The town fur- nished between 900 and 1,000 men.
The history of the town during its last decade is largely embodied in the account of the various industries and institutions of the villages. During that period manufacturing operations, as will be seen, have at least kept pace with the growth of the town in other directions.
In 1875 measures were inaugurated for building a new town house, the old one having become inadequate for the public need. A resolu- tion providing for a new structure was adopted at the annual town meeting in February, 1875, the appropriation being $20,000. The movement met with fierce opposition, but the resolution was adopted by ten majority. The passage of the necessary act by the Legislature was also actively opposed, but it went through in April, and William H. Barnum, William Mathews and Norman Swift were appointed a committee to build the new structure. The tax was anticipated by a loan of $20,000, payable in five equal annual installments, which the supervisors were authorized to levy. The old building was demolished in the same spring, additional land was purchased, and during the sum- mer the new building was erected, of Potsdam sandstone. It is ninety by sixty-eight feet in size, with basement and mansard roof. The upper part is devoted to a public hall or theatre, with balcony and com - modious stage.
THE VILLAGE OF POTSDAM.
The act of incorporation for the village of Potsdam was passed March 3, 1831. The act provided for the election of a board of five trustees,
471
THE TOWN OF POTSDAM.
to be elected annually on the first Monday in May, who were to elect one of their number as president of the board, and appoint a clerk, a treasurer, a collector, a constable and a pound master, who should hold their offices for one year, unless sooner removed by the trustees. The following officers were elected :
Trustees, Jabez Willes, Horatio G. Munson, Sewall Raymond, Samuel Partridge and Frederick C. Powell ; president (elected by the board), H. G. Munson ; treasurer, Jesse Davison ; clerk, Justus Smith.
Following is a list of the presidents of the village up to date (1893) :
1831, H. G. Munson; 1832, Jabez Willes ; 1833, Justus Smith ; 1834-5, Samuel Partridge; 1836, Theodore Clark ; 1837, Sewall Raymond ; 1838, H. G. Munson ; 1839, Jabez Willes; 1840, Samuel Partridge; 1841, Benjamin G. Baldwin; 1842, George Wilkins ; 1843-45, Sewall Raymond; 1846-7, Theodore Clark; 1848-50, Noah Per- rine; 1851, Chas. T. Boswell; 1852, Joshua Blaisdell; 1853, H. H. Peck; 1854, Theo- dore Clark ; 1855, J. H. Sanford; 1856, Noble S. Elderkin ; 1857, Amos Brown ; 1858- 59, Seth Benson ; 1860-62, Wm. H. Wallace; 1863-4, A. X. Parker; 1865-6, H. H. Peck ; 1867-9, A. X. Parker; 1870, Milton Heath ; 1871-3, B. Usher ; 1874-5, Milton Heath ; 1876, H. L. Knowles ; 1877, Milton Heath ; 1878-80, A. X. Parker; 1881-87, Hosea Bicknell ; 1888-89, Luther E. Wadleigh; 1890, A. X. Parker ; 1891, John G. McIntyre ; 1892, O. G. Howe; 1893, L. E Wadleigh.
At a meeting held May 3, 1832, a village seal was adopted, having for its device a tree under the word Potsdam. On the 3d of July, 1832, Zenas Clark, George Wilkinson and Justus Smith were appointed a board of health, and John Parmelee, health officer. This action was taken in anticipation of possible danger from cholera, which was then prevalent in most parts of the country.
The village charter was amended April 10, 1841, by which the boundaries of the village were enlarged, additional powers were con- ferred upon the trustees relating to the purchase and holding of real estate, building of sidewalks, construction of sewers, reservoirs, etc.
Fire Department .- The means for extinguishing fires in Potsdam has passed through the usual evolution from a few buckets and 'adders to the modern steam fire engine and water works. The burning of all the early village records leaves us with very little data of early conditions in this respect. A fire company was organized here soon after 1820, but it became almost useless through disorganization. In 1853 the village owned two hand engines, and the department was regularly
472
HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.
organized in 1857, with J. R. Jackson as chief engineer. The organ- ization included the Potsdam Engine Company No. I, and Frontier Hose Company No. I. Among those who have since held the office of chief engineer are J. B Lombard, A. X. Parker, J. L. Brown, C. E. Haywood, and T. H. Swift, who occupied the position more than ten years The present chief is Julius Palmer.
Early in 1889 a steam fire engine was purchased at a cost of $4,000. This, with three hose companies and a hook and ladder company, sup- plemented with hydrants connected with the water mains, constitute an efficient equipment. In 1890 a lot on the west side of Market street was purchased by the village, of Harvey M. Story, for $1,000. On this a brick engine house was erected, with a lock-up in the rear and a hall on the second floor. The building is twenty-seven by fifty-five feet, and cost about $2,500. In this building are kept the steamer and Hose Company No. 3. Hose Company No. I and the Hook and Lad- der Company are located in Firemen's Hall, and No. 2 is on the west side of the river.
Potsdam Water Works .- The works consist principally of a stone building thirty-four feet square and two stories high. The works were constructed in 1871, the original cost being about $50,000, for which the village authorities issued bonds. The water is pumped from a fil- tering pier on the Holly system, by water power, with the exception of an auxiliary steam pump, which was added in 1890, at a cost of $2,500. Improvements have also been made in the original pumps. The entire cost of the works to the present time (1893) is nearly $60,000; but the cost of the late improvements noted was paid from the village funds. The bonds, in a sum of $40,000 issued in 1871, and $10,000 issued in 1872, had twenty years to run at seven per cent. interest. Of this amount $37,000 of the first issue became due April 1. 1891, and were refunded at four per cent., payable $2,000 annually ; and on April I, 1892, the $10,000 were refunded in like manner, payable $500 annu- ally.
The original commission chosen to procure plans, specifications, etc., were William H. Wallace, Samuel B. Gordon, E. A. Merritt, Bloomfield Usher and E. W. Foster. About four miles of mains were originally laid, which have been extended to nearly or quite six miles.
.
6. ¿ Merrill
473
THE TOWN OF POTSDAM.
Sewerage .- It is an evidence of the enterprise of the people of Pots- dam that they appreciate the great importance of perfect drainage to the health and growth of the village. On the 6th of May, 1886, the first meeting of citizens was held for the consideration of this subject. A law was procured from the Legislature giving authority to bond the village for $25,000, and a commission composed of Thomas S. Clark- son, Hosea Bicknell, D. F. Ellis, William H. Walling and Charles L. Brackett was appointed. Under this action about seven miles of sewers have been laid, giving the village almost a perfect system of drainage. For $20,000 of the cost notes were made which were taken by the Pots- dam National Bank, and these have been taken up by payments made from taxes collected for the purpose.
Electric Lights .- In the fall of 1886 a contract was entered into with the Thompson-Houston Company, under which the village was lighted for a time. Their interests were taken by a company called the Pots- dam Electric Light Company, which continued only a short time, when a corporation under the name of the Potsdam Electric Light and Power Company was formed in 1888, and since that time has given the village efficient service in this respect. The streets are lighted with nearly eighty arc lights, and incandescent lamps are extensively used by in- dividuals and firms. The officers of the company are as follows : Thomas S. Clarkson, president ; W. Y. Henry, vice-president; Hosea Bicknell, treasurer.
Hotels .- Some of the early public houses of Potsdam have been al- luded to in the history of the town. Probably the first of these was the one built and kept by Josiah Fuller, father of L. W. Fuller, in the first years of the century. The old American Hotel is now doing duty in a small way as a public house. The St. Lawrence Hotel was a noted public house for many years, and the building in which it orig- inated still stands on the corner of Market and Main streets. What is now the Windsor House was built by Noble S. Elderkin, and has been used since as a hotel and kept by various persons. It is now (1893) kept by Sheridan & Cameron. Henry W. Knapp kept Knapp's Hotel on Main street for some years. The original building, now occupied by the Albion Hotel, was built by M. V. B. Ives, to which A. J. & C. R. Holmes have since made two additions, the first in 1884 and the
60
474
HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.
last in 1888. They have kept the house about twelve years and have made it very popular with the traveling public.
Capital Crime .- John Donnovan was legally executed at Canton, April 16, 1852, for murdering James Rowley in Potsdam village, Jan- uary 23, 1852. They had been drinking freely and quarreled over their beer and exchanged blows, but had apparently become reconciled and parted friends. Donnovan, however, followed Rowley and inflicted several wounds with a jack knife which proved fatal.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.