USA > New York > Onondaga County > Past and present of Syracuse and Onondaga County, New York : from prehistoric times to the beginning of 1908 > Part 42
USA > New York > Onondaga County > Syracuse > Past and present of Syracuse and Onondaga County, New York : from prehistoric times to the beginning of 1908 > Part 42
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This died out but was reorganized in 1838 by prominent men, and again in 1856, with Squire M. Brown as president. This died out after some suc- cess. but was once more reorganized as a joint stock company in 1878. Edward A. Powell being the first president, with a vice-president from each town and ward. This was successful, and was maintained till the State Fair was estab- lished in Syracuse in 1891. Then this flourishing society disbanded and divided its funds. The State fairs have continued with increasing interest.
The Onondaga County Orphan Asylum is another general institution of long standing and deserving a large support. After preliminary work it was opened on South Salina street in May, 1845, and the next year its present site was purchased, the building now in use being erected in 1885, and somewhat enlarged since. Its needs are great for maintenance and equip- ment. Every care is taken in providing children with homes. Beside the annual holiday visit of Central City Commandery there is now an annual donation day. in which gifts of all kinds are received.
A state charitable institution is located in Syracuse, in which unfortunate- ly every town is interested . It is the Syracuse Institution for Feeble Minded Children, opened in Syracuse in 1855, after being in Albany for four years.
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Dr. H. B. Wilbur was superintendent from its foundation till his death. Dr. James C. Carson now holding that position. The Syracuse trustees are Ed- ward S. Van Duyn. Henry M. Rowling, Alta P. Crouse, Walter W. Cheney, Win. H. Warner, Bishop Ludden and Frederick A. Lyman. The grounds embrace fifty-five acres, and a branch has been established at Newark, New York.
Though not on the frontier Syracuse is a port of entry, with Ernest I. Edgeomb as custom house surveyor of port, and Frank J. Becker as special deputy. This is a recent advance. The United States Marshal's office at Auburn has a local deputy in Andrew W. Wilkin of Fayetteville. The United States Internal Revenue, Twenty-first district, Syracuse, is offieered by Peter E. Garlick, collector, and nine assistants. The United States Pension Examin- ers are under the presidency of William O'Donohue. Judge A. J. Northrup is United States Commissioner, and there is a civil service board. Morgan R. Sanford is local forecaster of the weather in a very perplexing region.
In elective and appointment offices there have been many changes of course. The present superintendent of the salt springs is Hoyt H. Freeman. The division engineer of the Middle Division of the Canal is Henry B. Brew- ster; resident engineer, Frederick W. Sarr; engineer of water supply. Russell R. Stuart ; financial clerk, Peter Sheridan, and clerk of Middle Division. F. J. Kinskern. The coroner in 1907 was Albert M. Willer, and his three physicians were W. Y. Bliss, D. Babcock and B. F. Chase. The physician to the Onondaga Indians was L. A. Twining of Borodino, with Dr. Lewis H. Wheeler at the penitentiary. The loan commissioners for that year were George W. Nichols of South Onondaga, and Henry C. Cole of Collingwood. William M. Ross was county judge; Thomas F. Walsh of Mareellus, sheriff; William H. Turner, under sheriff: Edgar P. Glass, surrogate; James C. Butler. county clerk; W. W. Woese, county treasurer; William L. Barnum, district attorney; Herbert L. Smith, assistant; Augustus T. Armstrong, commissioner of jurors ; Frank E. Bogardus, county superintendent of highways; Frank X. Woods, connty purchasing agent, a new office; Joseph Fisher, superintendent of court house.
Dr. J. Willis Candee was also chairman of Syracuse Board of Medical Examiners. and William P. Goodelle of the Board of Law Examiners. De Forest Settle was a state fair commissioner. There are three school commis- sioners distriets. The first is of Camillns, Clay, Elbridge, Lysander. Salina and Van Buren : Manford D. Greene, commissioner. The second is of Geddes. Marcellus. Onondaga, Otisco, Skaneateles, Spafford and Tully; John J. Jewell of Onondaga. commissioner. The third includes Cicero, De Witt, Fabins. La Fayette, Manlius and Pompey; George T. Fuggle, commissioner. These all hold teacher's institutes. Syracuse is not included but has just adopted the institute system.
William Nottingham is now a Regent of the University of the State of New York, and Carroll E. Smith and Rev. O. D. Warren held the same office. Beside these Syraense men, Charles E. Fitch of Rochester, formerly of
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Syracuse, was an influential member of the same important board, but his term has now expired through a change of rules. He is now chief of the di- vision of school libraries. In the report for 1907, Rev. Dr. Beauchamp is still on the list as archeologist of the State Museum, though his work is prae- tically complete.
In judicial and legal ability the county has always stood high, as will be seen in a special paper on the bar. Beside deceased and retired mem- bers of the Court of Appeals, in its various divisions, Irving G. Vann holds office till December 31, 1910; and Frank H. Hiscock to the same date, in the Supreme Court of the Fifth district; William S. Andrews in the latter to December 31, 1913; and Peter B. McLennan to December 31, 1920. Edward T. Bartlett, re-elected 1907 to the Court of Appeals, was born and brought up in Skaneateles, where he is a frequent visitor. This court has also a library in Syracuse, of which George N. Cheney is librarian, with Frank L. Morgan as his assistant.
In 1906 there were four hundred and fifty-two thousand five hundred and ninety acres of land assessed in the county. The real estate was valued at one hundred and twenty-two million seven hundred and thirty thousand and eighty-two dollars against one hundred and fifteen million two hundred and nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-two dollars in 1901. The personal estate was six million six hundred and sixty-seven thousand seven hundred and eighty-two dollars against eight million three hundred and sixty-six thousand and eighty-eight dollars in 1901, being a decrease. The aggregate equalized valuation was one hundred and twenty-eight million nine hundred and ninety-eight thousand six hundred and sixty-four dollars in 1906, against one hundred and twenty-three million one hundred and seventy- two thousand five hundred and eighty dollars. The election districts have
been reduced to one hundred and twenty-nine, but with more polls. Onon- daga and Madison connties now form the Twenty-ninth Congressional dis- triet, represented by Michael E. Driscoll, but Onondaga by itself is a sena- torial district. and has sent Horace White for several terms to the New York senate. There are nineteen city supervisors and the same number from the towns. The representation in the Assembly has been reduced, three Assemblymen being now elected, but with a prospect of having four again. The distriets are 1. Cicero. Clay, Lysander, Elbridge. Van Buren. Salina. Camillus, Geddes, Skaneateles, Marcellus, Spafford, Otisco, and Wards 1, 2, 3, 9, in Syracuse. 2, Onondaga, La Fayette, Tully, Fabins, and Wards 10, 11. 12. 13, 14, 18, 19 in Syraense. 3. De Witt, Manlins, Pompey, and Wards 4, 5, 6. 7. 8. 15. 16, 17, Syracuse. The city being represented in each district, and working unitedly has a good chance for the nominations. The town elections now occur with those in the fall. but there is a strong disposition to return to the spring town meetings. Of late, too, the Board of Supervisors has been given more power, and now forms a minor legislature in many local matters. This seems wise. So much business thus comes before it that its
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fall and winter sessions oceupy several weeks. There are special and conven- ient rooms for its meetings in the court house.
Tragical events have not been rare. One of the most sensational of these was the murder of Colvin in 1875. whose body was hidden for some months in Senera river. On its discovery a curious train of circumstantial evidence fastened the crime on Owen Lindsay, who was executed February 11, 1876. There have been several executions in the county.
Though there have been occasional strikes they have not greatly affected business. The most serious was not local, but caused some inconvenience. This was the coal strike of May 12, 1892, which lasted many months and threatened great suffering. The local dealers took no advantage of the situation, but so regulated the trade as to satisfy all. Their wise and generous conduet was both a blessing and a lesson to the whole people. An earlier railroad strike was also a brief inconvenience, and a military force ocenpied the armory for a few days, in readiness for an emergency which did not come. The telegraphers' strike, in 1907 incommoded some, but was scarcely noticeable here. Other strikes have been amicably settled as a rule, the old Iroquois mode of arbitration prevailing.
Occasional financial disturbances have occurred, and some cases of mismanagement in banks have been promptly punished. but banking houses have greatly increased, and on the whole have been wisely conducted. The stringeney of 1907 does not seem to have greatly affected the general public here, perhaps because there is so great a demand for skilled labor and farm produce. One striking case has elicited unusual attention. involving one of local reputation. After a long fight sentence was finally served on Benjamin D. Greene of New York, and John F. Gaynor of Fayetteville. December 24. 1907. This involved a fine of five hundred and seventy-five thousand seven hundred and forty-nine dollars and four years imprisonment. This remark- able case covered several years. and included forfeiture of bail, a flight to Canada, singular extradition proceedings and a stubborn legal contest. It was carried to the highest court, and the final decision was given in New Orleans.
CHAPTER XXXV.
TOWN OF CAMILLUS.
Camillus had its name from a celebrated Roman, five times dictator. and was No. 5 of the Military Tract townships, including then Elbridge and Van Buren. On the organization of the county it was in the civil town of Marcellus. March 9, 1799, it became a town with its original name, and the town of Elbridge and Van Buren were set off in 1829. Twenty-two lots of the Salt Springs reservation were annexed May 1. 1834.
Captain Isaac Lindsay first settled there in 1791, and was soon followed by his three brothers, James, William and Elijah, who located on Lot 80, having
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purchased the land for twenty-five cents per acre. The next year William Lindsey found on Lot 90 the first plaster bed known in the United States. Gradually the fame of this spread, and in 1808 a company was formed with two hundred and fifty shareholders. Judge Forman was president and Josiah Buck manager. In 1810 a hundred tons were sold and plaster mills were soon operated in other places. Calcareous tufa was also burned for lime. Trans- parent selenite is one form of the plaster here.
Isaae Lindsay built the first frame house in 1795. lIe opened the first tavern in 1793. In 1798 James Geddes moved from the salt works to Fair. mount, where his son George Geddes, also lived. Both were eminent men. The Munros came later, David Munro settling on Lot 80 in 1808. He was postmaster of Camillus from 1811 to 1824, being succeeded by James R. Law- rence, afterward a leading lawyer. His daughter used to tell how the village goat entered the church one summer morning, and mounted the pulpit stairs while the parson was preaching on the sheep and goats. Whether he had outside guidance did not appear.
The "First Presbyterian Congregational Society of the town of Camillus" was organized September 17. 1802, but passed away. The First Congrega- tional Society succeeded December 21, 1809, but built no church. Meetings were held in the schoolhouse and in an old distillery. The Second (afterward the First) Presbyterian Church of Camillus, was organized in a tavern-as often happened-August 11, 1817, with fifty-two members. A frame church was built in 1822, followed by one of briek in 1868, smaller than the first, but costing eight thousand dollars. The first pastor was Rev. Jabez Spieer, in 1817-19.
The First Methodist Society was organized February 14, 1811, and reor- ganized in 1827. In 1830 it built a church which still remains, though remod- eled. At that time the cireuit preachers were Revs. Isaac Peiffer and G. W. Dinsmore. In 1836 it became a station, served by Rev. Ross Clark.
The "First Baptist Church of Onondaga" was formed at Hawlett Hill in January, 1804, with six male and seven female members. A church was built and dedieated in 1921, but in 1844 the society removed to Camillus vil- lage. ereeting a church there in 1849, which was dedicated June 8, 1851, and replaced by one of brick in 1878. The name was changed, and the first pastor was Rev. Henry Brown.
In 1845 a Presbyterian society was formed at Amboy, which dedicated a new church December 23 of that year. It began with forty-nine members from a Congregational church at Van Buren and the Presbyterian church at Camillus. The first pastor was Rev. Alfred C. Lathrop.
An M. E. eburch was built at Belle Isle in 1851. First pastor Rev. Mr. Coop.
In 1852 the first Roman Catholic priest made his residence in Camillus. This was Rev. William MeCallion. This parish and one at Jordan were organ- ized by Father Haias of Salina. the first services being held in a barn, and afterward in the brick parsonage. A brick church was built about 1870. Father Carroll being then in charge.
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There have been occasional services of the Protestant Episcopal church.
The first surplus grain was taken to Albany on sleighs in 1805, and great quantities were afterward sent in the same way till the canal was made. Settlers came slowly, the higher lands being at first preferred. The construc- tion of the north branch of the Seneca turnpike in 1807-08 helped matters. Joseph White came to Amboy in 1804 as the first settler there, and soon built a sawmill and fulling works. He was a surveyor. Others of his family came later. Samuel Hopkins came in 1807.
In 1808 the village of Camillus had but two frame dwellings. In that year John Tomlinson opened the first store, and a log schoolhouse was built on the present school lot, succeeded by a frame building in 1813. Dr. Isaae Magoon was a physician there in 1808. In 1810 Memeo & Benedict opened a second store, and Captain Kimberly built the first tavern in Amboy.
David Bennett came in 1813, and the Bennetts were representative farmers for a long time. Enos Peek came in 1815, his family living in Pompey twenty years earlier. Jolin Tomlinson taught the first school in 1808. In 1812 there were seventeen school districts; thirty-four in 1823, and in the present limits sixteen in 1836. A brick schoolhouse was built in Camilhis village in 1833, replaced by a fine structure in 1869. There are now but ten districts in the town.
The Erie canal helped Camillus. In 1820, before division, the whole town contained six grain mills, seventeen sawmills, four fulling mills, five carding machines, a trip hammer, two asheries, and six distilleries. Most of these have disappeared. In 1835 the present town had four grist mills, ten sawmills, two fulling mills, two carding machines, a woolen factory, two distilleries, four asheries, and three tanneries. Ten years later these figures were reduced. Sawmills, tameries, distilleries and asheries are things of the past. The western part of the town had places known as Oswego Bitter and Wellington; the latter having a postoffice, store, two taverns and a conspicuous place on the map at an early day.
The first existing town records begin March 26, 1829, after Elbridge and Van Buren were set off; but there are road records back to 1813, and school reeords to 1812. In the old town the first town meeting was held at the house of Medad Curtis in 1799, who was elected supervisor, Daniel Vail being town clerk. In the latter town the first town meeting occurred April 28, 1829. Miles W. Bennett becoming supervisor and Chauncey White town clerk. Grove Lawrence. Ethan Campbell and Alfred Stephens were justices of the peace in 1830, and George Geddes was elected in 1835. Sidney H. Cook, Sr., held this office for thirty-five years. Many early town meetings were held in samuel B. Rowe's tavern, who kept this house till 1858. The records often call Camillus village Nine Mile Creek, an early name also for Marcelhis.
George Kimberly was appointed to the new postoffice at Belle Isle in 1830. Soon after there were over a dozen dwellings there, and a store and tavern. Yet later and before 1870 many eanal boats were built there and much repairing was done.
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When the Syracuse and Auburn railroad was built changes soon canie. Amboy and Wellington lost importance, the nuclei of new hamlets appeared at Fairmount and Marcellus station, and Camillus received a temporary im- petus. The latter had canal facilities as well, and was then the leading town here as a grain market. In 1860 James M. Munro alone bought and shipped to Albany two hundred and forty-eight thousand bushels of barley in sixty days. Grain growing, however, has yielded to mixed farming.
In 1852 Camillus village was incorporated, with Gaylord N. Sherwood as president, Crayton B. Wheeler clerk, and Samuel B. Rowe, Ira Safford, Da- vid A. Munro and Charles Land trustees. Its prosperity has been diminished by the great advantages possessed in transportation by Syracuse, so near at hand, but it may regain nich of this at no distant day.
Sapphire Lodge, No. 768, F. A. M., was instituted December 31, 1875. An ode is preserved sung at a banquet of Selected Friends' Lodge in Camillus in 1811. George J. Gardner had the records of this lodge, and said: "This was one of the "goodey-goodey' lodges of that period, excelling in moral vir- tues all others in its immediate locality."
Austin Hollow, near the south line of Camillus, does not appear on maps, but was once a stirring hamlet, with a grist and saw mill, distillery, wagon shop and school house. It is said to have been called "Bill Town," per- haps because Dr. Bildad Beach and William Chatfield built the saw and grist mill before 1820. These were bought by Perigo Austin in 1826, and the place had a new name. The grist mill became a plaster mill and in the freshet of 1865 was destroyed and not rebuilt.
The first grist mill was built in 1806, a little south of the main bridge in Camillus village, by Squire Munro, William Wheeler and Samuel Powers, and a saw mill at the same time. The present mill race or feeder was made about 1832 by the Nine Mile Creek Association. It was two and a half miles long and furnished fine water power. Since 1835 it has been a feeder for the eanal, but useful in other ways. A roller will, built in 1888, has a daily capacity of two hundred barrels of flour. Knitting and woolen mills have been successfully operated.
Newport is a canal hamlet, a little south of Warner and practically a part of it. The bed of the old canal may be seen there.
There is a grist mill at Oswego Bitter, and there was once a saw mill. Fine petrifactions of recent leaves are found near there, as well as plaster coated with sulphur.
Amboy is a railroad station and was once a busy place. It "is one of the most pieturesque spots in the town. Its reed-grown mill pond, the deep. winding valley of the ereek, the ruins of old-time mills and the many pretty landseapes have frequently been subjects for the artist's peneil. On the west bank of the creek, south of the road. numerous arrowheads and other Indian relies have been found."
A call for a Free Soil meeting in Camillus village, January 17, 1852, had three hundred and thirty-six signers, and the meeting has been claimed as
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the first in the United States distinetly on the lines of the later Republican party. It opposed the Fugitive Slave law and the admission of slave states.
Mr. Geddes said : "Observations of the temperature have been taken at Fairmount, at a point 520 feet above the sea, for more than sixty years; and during that time a standard instrument in the shade, protected from all reflection, has never been observed to mark more than 94 degrees in the hottest weather, and this but once in many years; and there have been but few days in the eoldest weather that the merenry was not, at some time in the day, above zero. February 5th and 6th, 1855, were the coldest days ever known here, and deserve a permanent record. The severe cold commeneed
On the 4th, at 10 o'clock, P. M., 10 degrees below zero. On the 5th, at 2 o'elock A. M., 19 degrees below zero. On the 5th, at 6 o'clock, A. M., 28 degrees below zero. On the 5th, at 9 o'clock, A. M., 22 degrees below zero. On the 5th, at 11 o'clock, A. M., 20 degrees below zero. On the 5th, at 1 o'clock, P. M., 17 degrees below zero. On the 5th, at 2 o'clock, P. M., 16 degrees below zero. On the 5th, at 3 o'clock, P. M., 16 degrees below zero. On the 5th, at 5 o'clock, P. M., 18 degrees below zero. On the 5th, at 9 o'clock, P. M., 26 degrees below zero.
On the 6th, at 6 o'clock. A. M., 30 degrees below zero. On the 6th, at 8 o'clock, A. M., 26 degrees below zero. On the 6th, at 10 o'clock, A. M., 7 degrees below zero.
On the 6th, at 11 o'clock, A. M., 0.
On the 6th, at 12 o'clock, M., 2 degrees above zero.
"During this unprecedented weather the sky was nearly cloudless, and as there was no wind the severity of the weather was not so apparent ; but the 5th of February, 1855, will probably stand on the records of observers as the eoldest day of the century. The average annual range of the ther- mometer at Onondaga is 96 degrees, while for the State generally it is 104 degrees."
In a statistieal way Camillus village had a Presbyterian and a Methodist church in 1836, a grist and saw mill, earding and cloth dressing mill, three taverns, four stores, and about fifty dwellings. In 1886, beside the mills, it had two general stores, meat market, hotel, chair factory, two eoal yards, two blacksmith shops, cooper shop, tin shop, two harness shops, one cabinet maker and undertaker, one physician, one lawyer, one insurance agent, three elergymen (Baptist, Methodist and Roman Catholic).
Amboy in 1836 had a saw mill, tavern, store and fifteen to twenty dwell- ings. In 1886 it had added a grist mill, grocery, wagon shop, two blacksmith shops, and had a physician.
Belle Isle in 1836 had a tavern, post office, store and about a dozen dwell- ings. In 1886 it had added a blacksmith shop, two wagon shops, a shoe shop. and saw and cider mill.
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In 1836 Wellington, eleven miles west of Syracuse, had a tavern and sev- eral dwellings.
Fairmount is little more than a railroad station, but well situated for suburban homes. A little south is the fine old Geddes place, where two of the most notable men in the county lived and died.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
TOWN OF CICERO.
The original township of Cicero embraced Clay, and was named after the great Roman orator, one of whose names was given to Tully also. Much re- lating to it has been already given and will not be repeated. For civil pur- poses it was at first included in the town of Lysander. February 20, 1807. it became independent. In April, 1827, half its territory was set off as Clay. The site of Brewerton saw many distinguished visitors, and there Champlain in 1615, and Le Moyne in 1654 crossed the river. It was a favorite spot in earlier days.
Fort Brewerton was built in 1759 and is thus described by Clark : "It was a regular octagon. about 350 feet in diameter, surrounded by a wall of earth about five feet above the interior area of the works. Iu front of this wall was a ditch about ten feet deep, from the top of the inside wall, encom- passing the whole. In front of the ditel:, encircling the whole, was another embankment, not quite as high as the interior one, corresponding to it in all its lines and angles, with a covered gateway on the south side facing the river. In the interior embankment was set a row of palisades, about twenty feet high. with loop-holes and embrasures. It is situated on a gentle eleva- tion. abont forty rods from the river, and when garrisoned and armed for war could easily command the passage of the river, and must have presented a formidable barrier. A little east of the fort was built, at the same time with the fort. a mole of huge rocks, about ten rods into the river. at the end of which was placed a sentry's box, where a sentinel was continually posted to watch for enemies passing up the river." This seems an error.
Cieero swamp occupies about four thousand aeres: originally as much more. There is a good water power at Bridgeport, a village partially in this town.
A blacksmith named Dexter is said to have located on the south side of the river at Brewerton in 1790, living there many years. He was not there, however. in 1791, 1792. and 1795. Oliver Stevens lived on the north side in 1792, having a garden on the south side, and soon living there. He built the block house on the north side in 1794, having come there in 1789. Ryal Bingham was there in 1791, but the statement that McGee was there that
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