Our county and its people : a memorial record of St. Lawrence County, New York, Part 56

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 56
USA > New York > St Lawrence County > Our county and its people: a memorial record of St. Lawrence County, New York > Part 56

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).

A hotel was opened about 1835 by William Hurlbut, and was kept later by George P. Holmes, Apollos Leggett, and S. D. Rich, the pres- ent landlord. The post- office at Hailesborough was established in 1858 with S. M. Farmer as postmaster. The present official is Miss Delight Coats. (For the War of the Rebellion see Chapter XV).

Fullerville .- This village is in the southeastern part of the town where John Parker built his early saw mill, in 1813, on the south branch of the Oswegatchie, as before related. This mill was burned in 1822 and rebuilt in the next year. It was almost the only improvement there until the coming of four brothers from Vermont named Fuller-Shel- don, Stillman, Heman and Ashbel. They formed a business firm under

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HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.

the name of S. Fuller & Co. They had experience in iron working in the town of Rossie, and at once began the erection of a blast furnace on the west side of the river ; it was finished in 1833, and put in operation on ores from the Little York mine before noticed, bog ores from Ed- wards, and the magnetic ores from Jayville and Clifton. The admission not long afterwards of a Mr. Maddock changed the firm to Fullers & Maddock; but the latter soon retired. The furnace finished its last blast in October, 1837, having produced about 3,500 tons of iron. In 1846 the firm of Fullers & Peck, composed of Sheldon Fuller, Leman Fuller and Daniel Peck, rebuilt the old furnace and put in the hot blast. They operated the works with fair success until 1861, when they were closed. Ten years later Daniel Sterling took up the industry, but closed down in two years. In 1875 the property was purchased by Bixby, Clark & Co., who put in a new tuyere and other improvements. A little later George H. Clark became the proprietor and continued opera- tions to about 1882, when the business was given up for good. Distance from railroads, character of ores, distance from mines, and other condi- tions combined to render the business unprofitable.

The Fullers built a grist mill on the east side of the river, which with fifteen acres of adjoining land was sold to Rockwell, Bullard & Co. (Ed- win Rockwell, Luther Bullard, Chester H. Benton, Oliver Benton), in 1838. Two years later this firm finished a forge for making blooms from the ore. After various vicissitudes in the hands of different par- ties this business was given up about 1850.

The saw mill and grist mill here, formerly owned by Belmat & Bray- ton, passed recently to possession of the Oswegatchie Wood Pulp Com- pany, a strong business organization which is developing the pulp busi- ness on extensive lines. The company is composed of F. H. Hale, president ; S. H. Austin, secretary and treasurer ; Charles Fuller, as- sistant secretary ; and George H. Clark. This mill was burned in the fall of 1892, and is now being rebuilt. On the river a little above Ful- lerville was formerly a saw-mill, cheese box factory, and shingle mill, owned by Charles H. Sprague. This has lately been changed to a pulp mill and is owned by Sprague & Keller.

The first mercantile business at Fullerville was by Fuller & Co. in connection with their other interests. Rockwell, Bullard & Co. also

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THE TOWN OF FOWLER.

kept a store, and another was opened about 1865 by F. H. Davidson. The present merchants are C. D. Carr and Lloyd Loomis. The first public house was kept by Charles G. Edgerton on the east side of the river, which was closed many years ago. About 1839 a hotel was opened on the west side by James R. Bignall, which was also finally closed. The Franklin House was opened about 1850 by Truelove Brewster ; various proprietors succeeded. The hotel is now kept by Thomas Whalen.

The post-office was established in 1832 with Heman Fuller, postmas- ter. The present official is Charles Fuller.

There was formerly a post- office at " West Fowler," three miles west of Little York, in 1850, with Thomas Mitchell postmaster. A little set- tlement called " Homer's Mills " existed two miles northeast of Hailes- borough, named from William Homer, who had a saw mill, shingle mill, butter tub factory, etc., there. They have passed out of use. What is known as the Willard mill, on the Chub Lake outlet near the Hermon line, was built by Thaddeus H. Willard, and is now operated by Charles Potter. Hiram Baxter built a mill on the river northeast of Little York, and on the same dam was a grist mill, and above these, near the Ed- wards line, was the Holcomb mill, built by Obadiah Jenkins. All of these have passed into disuse. Simeon Hazleton built a saw mill on the Sylvia Lake outlet as early as 1820; he was the only owner. John Frazier built a mill in early times on Sawyer's Creek above West Fowler. It was remodeled into a circular saw mill and operated by David Myers. Both of these mills are abandoned. A circular saw mill on Sawyer's Creek near the Pitcairn line was remodeled from the old Glazier mill and is now operated by E. & J. O. Davis. The mills known as the Knowlton mill on Sawyer's Creek, built by Erastus Knowlton ; the Draper mill on the same stream, and the one built by John L. Parker and operated by E. H. Kellogg, are all abandoned.

Following are the names of supervisors of the town, with years of service :

Theodosius O. Fowler, 1817; Benjamin Brown (to fill vacancy), 1818; Eben Cole, 1818 to 1821, inclusive; Justus Pickit, 1825 to 1829, 1831-32, 1837-38; Stillman Ful- ler, 1830, 1833-34. William Hurlbut, 1835-36; Henry H. Haile, 1839-40-41; Asa L. Hazleton, 1842-43; Alfred Burt, 1844-45; Heman Fuller, 1846-47; Addison Giles, 1848-49, 1855-56-57-58 ; Thomas J. Hazleton, 1850-51, 1853-54, 1859, 1865; Emory

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HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.

W. Abbott, 1852 and 1860 to 1864, inclusive; Daniel Peck, 1866 to 1875, inclusive ; Abner H. Johnson, 1876-77; Geo. W. Kelly, 1878-82; Simeon H. Austin, 1883; Henry W. Johnson, 1884-87 ; Wm. T. Clark, 1888-90; Simeon H. Austin, 1891; Wm. T. Clark, 1892-94 .

RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.

A Baptist church was organized in this town as early as January, 1822, under Elder Jonathan Paine, with thirteen members. Through various vicissitudes and periods of depression this society was kept alive until 1876, when the last services were held under Rev. C. H. Dike. A Baptist society of Antwerp and Fowler was organized in 1825 and built a church at Steele's Corners, in Antwerp. This subsequently went out of existence.

Methodist services were held in this town in common with the Con- gregationalists, at an early day ; but the first records of an organization take us back only to 1837, when a Methodist society was in flourishing existence in Fullerville, with the Rev. N. R. Peck as pastor. About the year 1845 they purchased the unfinished building of the Presby- terians and completed and used it. Regular services were kept up until about 1865, but in recent years, and at present, they have no pastor, services being occasionally held by a pastor from Edwards. A Methodist society was organized in Fowler recently and the present church edifice was built in 1892. The pastor is Rev. L. T. Conrad, who also preaches at Natural Dam, in Gouverner ; both of these small societies are in the Gouverneur charge.

A Presbyterian organization was effected at Fullerville soon after 1830 with about fifteen members. A Rev. Mr. Batchelor was the pas- tor for some time, and the church edifice was begun, which was sold to the Methodists, as before stated, when the organization went down.

The First Universalist church of Gouverneur and Fowler was organ- ized January 26, 1832, and for many years was the strongest religious organization in the town Simeon Hazleton and twenty-five others were the original members. By June of the following year the mem- bership was seventy-two. This society was succeeded by the Little York Universalist Society, organized in 1841. A church was built there at a cost of $1,200, most of which was given by Simeon Hazle-

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THE TOWN OF PIERREPONT.

ton. The society subsequently diminished, and the church was sold to the Baptists.

The " First Universalist Society of Gouverneur and Hailesborough " was formed January 27, 1849, with eighteen members. Rev. C. Dodge was the pastor. In 1860 a Union church was built on land donated by H. H. Haile. In January 1861, the " Universalist Union Society of Hailesborough " was formed with Francis Farmer, William T. Burt, and Daniel G. Sartwell as trustees. This pulpit is now supplied by Rev. J. S. Lee, of Canton.

In 1826 Elders Dodge and Waite organized the West Fowler Free Will Baptist church, with Rev. Amasa Chandler as pastor. In 1852 a church edifice costing $1,300 was built. The last pastor in that church was Rev. B. F. Jefferson, and the members have for many years attended the church at Fowler (Little York) and at Fullerville. At the former place they purchased the building of the Universalists, and at the latter place worshiped in the church of the regular Baptists. Rev. C. Ker- nahan is the pastor.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

THE TOWN OF PIERREPONT-ORGANIZED IN 1818.

T `HIS was the sixteenth town erected by an Act of the Legislature, passed April 15, 1818. The territory was originally a large one in area, and was taken from Russell and Potsdam April 15, 1818, and formerly under their jurisdiction, and embraced the townships of Emily- ville, Chaumont, Clifton, Clare, and so much of De Witt as would lie east of a continuation of the west line of said township to the rear line of Canton. Emilyville was taken off and annexed to Fine in the form- ing of that town, March 27, 1844. Chaumont and Clifton were taken off to constitute the new town of Clifton April 21, 1868, and Clare was taken off and made a town by that name in 1882. (See history of these several towns.)

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HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.

The first town meeting was held at the house of Cyrus Grannis, March 1, 1819, and the following officers elected: Cyrus Grannis, supervisor ; Andrew A. Crampton, clerk; William Yale, Elisha Wood- ruff, Gardner Cox, assessors ; Peter R. Leonard, Joseph Dorothy, poormasters; Flavius J. Curtis, Ezra Crary, Samuel Belding, commis - sioners of roads; Richard Weller, constable and collector ; Seth Hale, overseer of highways; F. J. Curtis, Ebenezer Tupper, Gardner Cox, commissioners of schools ; Cyrus Grannis, William Yale, A. A. Cramp- ton, inspectors of schools; Joseph Dorothy, Seth Hale, F. J. Curtis, Henry Axtell, fence-viewers; E. Tupper, P. R. Leonard, pound- keepers.

Pierrepont received its name from Hezekiah B. Pierrepont, who owned a large share of its territory, and under whose administration, through agents, most of it has been settled. Portions of it are still owned by his descendants. The surface of the town is diversified with hills and valleys, and the soil is especially adapted to grazing, the prin- cipal occupation of the inhabitants at present being the making of cheese and butter, for which there are five or six factories now in opera- tion.

It is a remarkable fact in the history of this locality that the cele- brated Frenchwoman, Madam De Stael, once owned a portion of the township of Clare which was in the township of Pierrepont until recent years. She invested money here upon the advice of Gouverneur Morris, with whom she was acquainted. From Mr. Hough we learn that on the 7th of October, 1806, he wrote her as follows :

It has occurred to me that you would do well to purchase the remainder of the town- ship of Clare. It lies next to that of Ballybeen (Russell), which is rapidly increasing in population. Thus in time a revenue will be drawn from it, inconsiderable indeed at first, but subsequently of great importance. Now such a provision for a son is of more value than thrice the amount of money. The one directs to industry and economy, the other excites to dissipation, unless indolence is allowed to exercise its enervating power. It would perhaps be possible to purchase the remainder of Clare at the rate of one dollar an acre. It certainly would not be necessary to go higher than two dollars.

Quoting further from Mr. Hough, he says relative to the title to parts of this town as follows :

On the partition of lands between McCormick and others, 15,200 acres were conveyed to Herman Le Roy and Wm. Bayard, in trust for this lady. They were subsequently

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THE TOWN OF PIERREPONT.

conveyed to Theodosius O. Fowler, and in 1846 purchased by S. Pratt and John L. Russell, upon directions to sell by the Duc de Broglie and Ada Holstein de Staël, his wife, the only surviving child of Madame de Staël. In 1847 a question of alienage of the Duchess de Broglie, and of the operation of the New York statute of trusts, having arisen, the legislature, by separate acts, confirmed the title of Russell and Pratt to the Clare lands, and of Livingston to the Clifton lands, similarly circumstanced.

Between the years 1864 and 1868, Wm. H. Sawyer and Leslie W. Russell, of Canton, purchased for themselves and Samuel C. Wead, of Malone, the west half of this township, since which it has been rapidly settled. The east half of the township is owned by Marcus Ball, of Troy, and is practically unsettled. The Pierrepont, Fine and Watson turnpike runs from north to south through the west half of the town, and all the farms are upon this road. About 2,000 acres of land are cleared and improved, and 2,000 acres more in process of clearing. The land lying back from the road is considered the best for farming. The timber is mostly hard wood, with hemlock, pine and spruce.

In the summer of 1799 Judge Raymond and others, engaged in sur- veying into townships the great northern purchase, had a provision camp near the village of East Pierrepont. Some of his men, near the close of the season, becoming weary and mutinous, resolved to leave without consent before the job of surveying was completed. They were intending to take the compass, at all hazards to those remaining behind, to guide them through the southern forest. Mr. Raymond having failed to persuade them to relinquish their purpose, privately stole out of the camp on the evening previous to their intended departure and hid his compass. The mutineers, failing to get possession of the com- pass, dared not undertake a journey through the woods without it, and became sullen over the matter. Mr. Raymond at length succeeded in convincing them that it was for their interest to continue the survey until it was completed, and then return home honorably. After con- sulting with each other they promised obedience, when the instrument was produced, and the labors continued till completed.

There was a tradition among the Indians which was told the survey - ors when running out the town of Pierrepont, that there was a silver mine near the falls on Grass River, in the township No. 3, which was worked a little about 1776, but was stopped by order of the government

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HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.

soon after it was begun. The Indian trail from St. Regis to Black River runs through Pierrepont by way of Fall River.

The first settlement in this town was made by Flavius J. Curtis, who located in the northeast corner about 1806-7. Further settlement was mostly postponed until after the opening of the turnpike from Platts- burg to Carthage in 1812-13, which passed through the town and called settlers to its vicinity. Henry Axtell came from Vermont in 1813 and settled on lot 44, and in the next year his son, Henry Edwin Axtell, was born, the first birth in the town. About the same time Cyrus Grannis, then agent for Mr. Pierrepont, built a large frame house near Pierrepont Center and opened a tavern, which was probably the first in the town. Ebenezer Tupper came in 1813 and settled on the east side of the Raquette River, where the turnpike crosses it. He also opened a public house. Peter Ripley Leonard came from Shoreham, Vt., and settled in Canton in 1803, with his brother Moses. Both re- moved to Pierrepont in 1813, the former settling half a mile southwest of the Center, where his son Charles afterwards lived. Moses settled on the site of the Center village; they and their descendants were prominent in the town. Zuriel Waterman settled in 1813 on what was known as the "Waterman Hill," and has descendants in the town. Others who came that year were Davis Dunton, Foster Shaw, Alanson Woodruff, Joseph Mather and Clark Hutchins. Andrew A. Crampton came from Pittsford, Vt., in 1815, and settled a quarter of a mile south- west of the Center, where he lived fifty-one years; he was a leading citizen, was elected town clerk at the first town meeting, held several other offices, and was postmaster twenty- four years. His son now lives at the Center.

Appleton Crary was the first one of that name to locate in town, which he did in 1816, settling on the Canton Road. Nathan Crary, jr., then living in Potsdam, taught the first school in 1815-16, and after .. wards moved into the town. Edward Crary settled at what became known as Crary's Mills, which mills he built. Nathan Crary, sr , came to Potsdam in 1805 and lived there to 1824, when he moved into Pierrepont and settled on lot 4, which became part of his son Stephen's farm; his descendants are still living in town. Ephraim Butterfield came from Vermont in 1804, served in the War of 1812, and in 1815

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THE TOWN OF PIERREPONT.

settled in Pierrepont on the farm occupied in recent years by his son Horace. Christopher Leonard, father of Christopher Leonard, jr., settled on lot 45, and Shubael Crandall came from Vermont in 1817 with ox teams, fourteen days being required for the journey. Mitchell Hamilton settled in Hopkinton in 1806, removed to Canton in 181I, and to Pierrepont in 1825, where he died in 1854; his descendants are still living in town. In the northeast part of the town the first settle- ment was made on the Raquette River by Gardner Cox, who bought the water privilege in 1817. John P. Dimick purchased a piece of land adjoining ; they were both from Vermont. In March, 1818, Benjamin Cox, who had joined his brother in the purchase, moved in his family. Within four years of the advent of the Cox family several others came in at his solicitation and settled on both sides of the river. Samuel Bancroft came in 1816, Reuben Dorothy in 1818, Asa Briggs in 1820, and Samuel Belding in 1818; most of these have descendants now in the town. Others who came about that time were Seth Hale and David Bradley.

Pierrepont Center .- This small village is situated at the intersection of the Canton and Colton road with the St. Lawrence turnpike, nine miles from Canton and ten from Potsdam. The first grist and saw mills in the town were erected on Grannis Brook by Cyrus Grannis, near this village. The grist mill long ago disappeared and a saw mill has occupied the site ; but there has been little done with it at present. Eldoras Cochrane is in charge of it. There are two other saw mills in the town. A cheese factory is located here, operated now by John Coon, which is one of the five cheese factories in the town. There is also one creamery. Chauncey Thomas was an early blacksmith at this place, and built the first frame house. Benjamin Squire was the first merchant and Andrew Crampton the first postmaster. The present postmaster is B. P. Hubbard, who has filled the position a great many years and carries on a store. Charles Beekman is the other merchant of the place.

Hannawa Falls .- This place has had other names such as " Cox's Mills," " East Pierrepont " and " Ellsworth." It is a small village in the northeast part of the town on the Raquette River. In 1818 Gard- ner and Benjamin Cox (who have been mentioned among the settlers),

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HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.

and John P. Dimick, got out the frame for a saw mill, and in the sum- mer of 1819 the dam was built and the mill erected. In 1822 Gardner Cox built a grist mill on the west bank of the river, with a single run of rock stones. Two years later a run of burr stones was added and the place took the name of " Cox's Mills." A bridge was built across the river in 1828, and in 1836 the first mill was replaced by a stone mill which was burned in 1869 It was rebuilt in 1877 and is now operated as a feed mill under the ownership of Thomas Bicknell, who also owns a small saw mill. In 1845 Gardner Cox built a starch factory which produced about thirty tons annually. In 1858 it was changed to a corn starch factory, which continued three years. The building was burned in 1872. In 1852 a large gang saw mill was erected here, which was operated for a time and was burned. A woolen factory, wagon factory and machine shop have been operated here in the past ; but they have all been abandoned. The dam first built, or a portion of it, is still standing, as is also the stone house built by Gardner Cox in 1838. Cybele Kelsey and Martin Welch were the first merchants in the place and had an ashery and a starch factory. The first tavern was erected about 1835 and was kept by Sidney Lanphear. The first post- master was John P. Dimick, in 1832 ; the present official is Mrs. H. G. Carpenter, who also keeps a store.

There is a post-office and small settlement at West Pierrepont

In 1822 a bounty of $1.00 for foxes and $5 00 for wolves was offered. The poor fund had accumulated in 1829 to $575.62 over and above the expenditures for such charities, and this sum was invested, by consent of the Legislature, and the proceeds applied to the support of schools. In 1846 the town voted the sum of $800, legalized by act of the Legis- lature, and erected a town hall near where the Canton and Colton road crosses the turnpike. The hall served the purpose of a church, there being no meeting-house in town at the time.

Following is a list of the supervisors of the town, with the years of their service :

C. Grannis, 1819; John Axtell, 1820-21; Ezra Crary, 1822-23; Benjamin Squire, 1824-29 ; August 22, 1829, Gardner Cox, to fill vacancy ; G. Cox, 1830-32, '40; Sam- uel Northrup, 1833-38; Paine Converse 1839 ; A. A. Crampton, 1841-42; Joshua Manley, 1843, '44, '46, '47; Orrin A. Howard, 1845, '57, '58, '66, '67, '68; Truman Smith, 1848-49; Asa W. Briggs, 1850-51 ; Peter F. Ryerson, 1852-53 ; Edwin A. Mer-

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THE TOWN OF PIERREPONT.

ritt, 1854. '55, '56; Benjamin F. Hamilton, 1859-60; Martin Welch, 1861, '62, '63; Ansel B. Hamilton, 1864-65 ; L. Crampton, 1866-70 ; A. C. Leonard, 1871-72; William A. Sherman, 1873, '74, '75, '76; 1877-86, Darwin H. Merritt; 1887-88, J. Ingraham Leonard; 1889-94, John B. Squires.

Religious Societies .- Services were held in this town in very early years by Rev. Ezra Healy, a Methodist, and in 1816, by Rev. A. Bald- win, an Episcopal clergyman. Down to 1844 no religious society ex- isted at the Falls, the settlers in that section going to Potsdam to church. On January 3, 1844, the Methodist Episcopal church at East Pierrepont (Hannawa Falls) was incorporated, with Gardner Cox, Nathan Christy, Levi Fuller, John Hicks and Harry Train, trustees. Rev. Mathew Ben- nett was the first pastor. This society is now in existence, but with small membership and irregular services. A Presbyterian society was organized here and the congregation joined with the Methodists in the erection of a house of worship, but that organization has gone out of existence.

A Free Will Baptist church was organized at the Center, September 14, 1850, by Rev. J. W. Lewis Rev. William Whitfield was chosen pastor, and continued there many years; but in recent times the church has languished and at the present time there is no pastor and no regular service.

The first Methodist Episcopal church of Pierrepont, located at "Cur- tis Corners," was organized January 5, 1853, at the house of Joseph. Martin. The first trustees were Charles Smead, Chester Mott, John Martin, Daniel Church and Darius N. Curtis. A neat church was soon erected, for which a bell was presented by H. E. Pierrepont of Brook- lyn, N. Y. There is no settled pastor, and only irregular services are held.

What was called the Free Church Association of this town was or- ganized at the Center in September, 1884, and a building was erected the same year. A similar organization was effected under the name of the Beech Plains Free church in 1875. A church was erected in 1880, but it has no pastor at present.

A Union church is in existence at the Center, where Rev. Mr. Irish from Colton holds service ; no settled pastor.

The Seventh Day Adventists of Pierrepont organized a church June 28, 1874, with Milo Western, Orange Chollar and Arden Eels as trus-

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HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.

tees. Elder Edward Holcomb is the present pastor, and there are about twenty-five members.

There is a Union church at Hannawa Falls (Methodist and Presby- terian), over which Rev. Alfred Page is pastor.

CHAPTER XXXVII.

THE TOWN OF MORRISTOWN-ORGANIZED IN 1821.

T HIS was the seventeenth town erected by an act of the Legislature passed March 27, 1821. It was No. 9 of the original township called "Hague," and formerly under the jurisdiction of Oswegatchie. There are two versions as to the origin of the name of the town. One is that it was named after the Morris family, they being among the original proprietors or owners of a portion of the lands of the county. Another is, which seems to be the correct one, that the town was so named on the suggestion of David Ford. Morristown in New Jersey is a place where most of the Ford family of that day were born, hence the name.

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Our county and its people : a memorial record of St. Lawrence County, New York, Part 56

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