USA > New York > Onondaga County > Past and present of Syracuse and Onondaga County, New York : from prehistoric times to the beginning of 1908 > Part 51
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 51
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William D. Stewart was born in Salina in 1805. After being with some stage lines he ran a packet boat for seventeen years, and was long the popular landlord of the Syracuse House. He was made mayor of Syracuse in 1865, serving three terms.
In early days towns had three days' elections, ehanging from point to point. an admirable arrangement for repeaters. While Geddes and Salina were connected they were held one day in Geddes. half a day in Liverpool. closing with a day in Salina. Later and down to 1846, Geddes and Liverpool had each half a day. Salina and Syracuse each one. In rural towns these made lively thnes. From the central village forces were detailed to the outlying polls. and racing and cheering were features of the home trip. Elections were by no means dry. and one without a fight was a tame affair indeed.
In 1809 the town valuation, including Geddes, was fifty-three thousand and forty-two dollars, the tax being about one per eent. Alas, for the good old days when we had unpaved and unlighted streets, no fire department, li- braries or public schools. no police and no need of any, and therefore mueh less to pay.
Elizur Clark came in 1823. and became a leading eitizen, prominent in public affairs and banking interests. There were then twenty stores in Salina, and of course a distillery. What would Salt Point have been without one? The old Eagle tavern was kept by Jonathan R. Beach in 1810, and burned in 1856. John G. Forbes was the first lawyer there as early as 1809. The first salt boiler settled disputes by a quieker process than the law afforded. Enos D. Hopping was also a lawyer there. but was made brigadier-general of volunteers by President Polk. and died in Mexico. In 1824 Salina village had one hundred dwellings and sixty salt works.
There was a village pound in 1828. and the first paving record was in 1829. That year a fire department was equipped, the village having been in- corporated March 12, 1824, with Fisher Curtis as president. Streets and sidewalks were improved, bringing it practically nearer to Syraeuse, of which it became a part by act of December 14. 1847. March 18, 1848, the town of Geddes was set off. After that the village history is that of Syraense.
The opening of the Oswego canal helped Liverpool, or "Little Ireland." as it was usually called at first. Before 1800, and later. it was a shipping point with a lively trade, and was laid out as a village by the surveyor-
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general, and given its present name. April 20, 1830, the village was incor- porated, with Joseph Jaqueth as first president. He had a store, and there were two others. Rev. Phineas Kamp was a clergyman there in 1836. At an early day Mr. Connor, of O'Connor, taught school and made salt-Attie salt. perhaps, for his "high school" had a fine reputation. 1 brick schoolhouse was built in 1846. and enlarged in 1863. The Liverpool Union Free school was organized in 1874.
Joseph and Sampson Jaqueth did much for the place and themselves, and were succeeded by other prosperous merchants and business men. Hotels were a feature of the place, and manufacturers of salt lived there, conspicuous among whom were the Gleasons, Gales, Jaqueths and Van Alstynes. After 1873 this industry declined, and the last bloek was abandoned about 1890.
About 1855 the growing of basket willows commeneed and gradually increased for a considerable time. The whole town was suitable for their cultivation, and they were grown in all parts. In 1870 there were made eight thousand dozen baskets; in 1892 thirty-three thousand dozen; and about twen- ty-eight thousand dozen in 1895. At one time, also, boat building was au important industry.
The Syracuse & Northern railroad was opened through here November 9, 1871. Soon after the Phoenix branch was opened at Woodard, which he- came a post office. Both these roads are now included in the New York Cen- tral line. The Rapid Transit has also an electric line here. The Brewerton and the Bridgeport plank roads were laid out through the east part of the town.
The site of the Jesuit mission and of Frontenac's fort is on the Mover farm. and the Iroquois League is said to have been formed near the lake. just north of Liverpool.
The first Methodist church in Liverpool was formed in 1820, and a build- ing erected in 1826, since remodeled. The Presbyterian society was formed November 9, 1829. and its church was built in 1841. This was replaced by a brick edifice, dedicated March 4, 1863. The first pastor was Rev. Phineas Kamp. Ascension church (P. E.) was formed in 1840, and a church was built next year. The first rector was Rev. (now Bishop) George D. Gillespie. The society became extinet, and St. Paul's German Lutheran church, organized in 1852, bought the building in 1853, and still uses it. The first pastor was T. W. Reichenberg. This society was preceded by the Salem church of the Evangelieal Association of North America. formed in 1844. It built a chapel in that year, followed by another in 1886. The Roman Catholics erected a frame ehureh here in 1890.
Newspaper efforts have not thriven here. Since 1875 there have been three papers started. of which the Lakeside Press and the Liverpool Times had but a short duration. The Liverpool Telegraph begun May 21, 1892, by Wil- liam F. Brand, had a longer life.
The town gradually increases in population, and Liverpool and its vi- cinity will become a desirable residence suburb of Syracuse. The barge canal may give it commercial importance.
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In early days there was sometimes a scareity of provisions, and then fishing and hunting helped out. Deer were plentiful and often herded with the cows. "Bears. wolves, foxes, coons, and other small animals were also very plentiful. The Indians caught many young bears and traded them to the set- lers, who in turn exchanged them with the boatman for provisions. Prominent among the very early boatmen was a man known as Captain Canute, who ran a boat hither from Albany, bringing in provisions, ete., in exchange for salt, furs, young bears and other animals, for which he found a ready market to the eastward."
Clark was told by old residents that "they at different times procured bread, biscuits, salted meat, and fish that were made and cured in England, which, though of inferior quality, were nevertheless accepted with a relish which hunger never fails to give." These came by way of Kingston, Canada, and Oswego.
Mr. Lamb was an early settler at Green Point, and Mrs. O'Blennis told this story of the family. She was the daughter of Isaae Van Vleek, who came to Salina in 1792:
"In 1793, when Mr. Lamb's daughter was about fourteen years old, she was left alone in the rude house while he attended to his farm work. Hearing a noise in the house, Mr. Lamb approached and saw an Indian kissing his daughter and taking liberties with her. Mr. Lamb killed the Indian on the spot and fled to Salina. The Indians declared they must have his life, accord- ing to their custom. The chiefs were called together, with Ephraim Webster as interpreter. and the facts were narrated. A couneil was held (the last one at Salina) and Kiacdote stepped forward, threw off his blanket and com- manded attention. He then related the eirenmstances to the tribe and said it was the first time an Indian had ever been known to insult a white sqnaw. Hle declared that the killing was justifiable and that Mr. Lamb must not be punished. This decision was adopted, provided Mr. Lamb would pay to the relatives of the dead Indian. a three-year-old heifer which was to cement peace and good will between the posterity of both parties forever."
The old chief's statement was true, and Indians do not favor kissing. In 1820 a son of Red Jacket and a Seneca girl were married by a missionary, who informed. the bridegroom that a white man would salute his bride, though it was not necessary. The couple consulted, and said they would omit the kiss, seeing no use in it.
In early days most of the barrels were made by Germans, and this eco- nomie use of wood lessened the sale of ashes, while in many other parts trees were burned to get rid of them, men being employed to collect the ashes to make potash.
Clark also said of that early period: "So common were wolves and bears . at this time. that it was not unusual for these animals to be seen passing along the path leading from Cicero to Onondaga, as fearless and unconcerned as if entirely among the wild beasts of the forests, or completely domesticated. And
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from the frequency of these recurrences, these paths were named the bear and wolf paths, and two of the streets running north from Main street, in the first ward of Syraense, from this circumstance, are now called Wolf and Bear streets."
Ile also tells how, when nearly all the thirty people of Salt Point were siek in 1793, Patrick Riley "drew all his own wood for salt block, boiled salt every day and half the nights, and every alternate night watched with the siek, for a period of two months without a single night of intermission." The Indians helped, with fresh fish and venison. They had drunken frolies there indeed, but exercised caution. Clark again said: "They almost invariably divested themselves of all deadly weapons, and deposited them in some safe place in the keeping of a confidential person. and went to the work of excessive drunkenness with all their might and main." Sometimes one remained sober to restrain the rest.
It was a great improvement when a road crossed the marsh from Salina to Geddes. Bearings were got from Salina to a salt boiler's chimney in Geddes. Then brush was ent. laid across the line of the road and covered with earth. Logs are so mixed with peat in the marsh that clearing for cultivation, after drainage, proved very expensive. This marsh contained marine plants of several kinds. The double freight tracks laid here by the New York Central railroad greatly relieved Syracuse. When the salt sheds on the higher land are removed, it may be expected that fine residences will line the lake shore.
The following account appeared in 1836, in Gordon's Gazetteer: "Salina. one and a half miles north of Syracuse. was formerly a very thrifty village, but has been overshadowed by its younger sister, Syracuse, where now the principal portion of the commerce of this region centres. So rapid, however. will be the increase of population at both villages. that a very few years must blend them into one. The village lies upon a plain rising near the centre of a marsh and extending southeastwardly and southerly, limited on one side by the Cedar swamp along Onondaga ereek, and on the other by a marsh and swamp upon the same stream, running into the lake. It contains 1 Presbyte- rian, 1 Methodist and 1 Catholic church, 3 taverns, 9 stores. The Bank of Sa- lina, with a capital of $150,000 and 77 salt manufactories, and the great salt spring which supplies the works here, at Liverpool, and at Syracuse, the water being conveyed in subterranean logs. The brine is forced to the top of a reservoir 85 feet high, by pumps driven by the surplus waters of the Oswego canal, at the rate of 300 gallons per minute; whence it is distributed to the faetories."
In 1836 Liverpool, on the lake and Oswego canal, four and one-half miles north of Syraense. contained two taverns, four stores, and abont sixty dwell- ings, mostly of wood. Phineas Kamp was a elergyman ; Joseph Malton, school principal ; C. S. Sterling and Caleb Hubbard, physicians ; J. & J. G. Hasbrook, L. & J. Corbin, and Joseph Jaqueth, merchants. During the year 1834 a large reservoir was built between Liverpool and Salina, on the high ground midway. to accommodate the factories of the former village. In 1886 Liverpool had three hotels, four saloons, two barbers, three blacksmiths, five dressmakers.
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three livery stables, two general stores, three physicians, two meat markets, three groceries, two confectioners, two painters, two drug stores, hardware store, wagon shop, shoe store, grist mill, sawmill. brick yard, lawyer, chemist, cooper shop, eoal yard, undertaker, milliner and shoemaker. It is now a quiet place, where abandoned salt works may be seen.
CHAPTER L.
THE TOWN OF SKANEATELES.
Skaneateles has its name from its lake, the word meaning long lake, a slightly differing form of which appears elsewhere. It was set off from Mar- eellus February 26. 1830, and a small part of Spafford was annexed March 1s. 1840. It now includes forty-one military lots, or twenty-four thousand six hundred acres. The town records were burned in 1836.
John Thompson has had the credit of being the first settler in 1793, on Lot 18, a little northwest of the village. It now appears that, while he owned land there and elsewhere in 1794, he was not a resident there for some years later, his deeds giving his residence as Stillwater, Saratoga county, New York, in 1801, 1806 and 1819. In 1794 he bought fifty aeres of Lot 18, and sold this January 12, 1821, giving his residence as Mareellus for the first time. In 1810, however, there is a record of John Thompson and Charlora Adams of Mar- cellus, administrators. In no deed is his wife included, and he probably had none. Clark said: "Mrs. Thompson was the first white woman who came to this town, and lived here nearly a year without seeing a white person except her own family." Mr. E. N. Leslie patiently went through all the records, and established the facts above, making him a non-resident bachelor.
Abraham A. Cuddeback came from Minisink, New York, arriving at Skaneateles June 14, 1794, with his wife and eight children. He was forty- three days on the way, and brought cattle. He did not at onee buy lands. but leased from De Witt, purchasing later, on the west side of the lake, where he left many descendants. Elijah Bowen came the same year, settling on Lot 39, and purchasing part of this May 22, 1800. Mr. Leslie says that Elijah Bowen eame in the spring of 1793, with a yoke of oxen, selected his land and did some clearing, made a temporary shelter, building a cabin the next year and bringing his family in the summer of 1794. Why he does not make him the first settler, instead of Cuddeback, does not elearly appear. Benajah Bowen settled near his brother, at a distance from neighbors, and the road leading there was known as the Bowen road. The Bowen log house became head- quarters for all new comers.
Winston Day was the first merchant in Skaneateles in 1796, on the north line of the present village, on the road to Mottville, but in 1797 he had a see- ond store on the Lake Honse site. Ile was supervisor of Marcellus in 1798,
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.. .
and senior partner of several firms at various times. For thirty-five years he was a stirring business man, dying September 5, 1831, aged sixty-four years.
Nehemiah Earll came from Onondaga in June, 1796, settling near what was afterward called "the Red House." Nearby his father, Robert Earll, had a tannery by the creek in 1797. He is said to have been the first tanner in the county. The family became large and influential, and lived for some dis- tanee along the line of the ereek. Robert Earll is credited with a saw and grist mill on the outlet about 1797.
William Clift came in 1795, and his house was a tavern for nearly sixty years. Jacob Annis settled on the west side of the lake, at the village, iu 1795. Lovell Gibbs built the first frame house at the village in 1796. Dr. Hall came that year, and erected the second frame dwelling. James Porter came in 1797, and built and opened the first tavern in town. The timbers are said to have formed the first raft on the lake. David Welch located on Lot 73. in 1798, building the first frame barn in 1800. Benjamin Nye eame in 1798 and opened the first briek yard.
Jedediah Sanger purchased land and made improvements, building the first dam at Skaneateles village in 1797, and a grist and sawmill there about the same time. There is some confusion of dates or faets. Clark says these were built in 1796, but then says that Warren Hlecox, in 1799, sent a boy eighteen miles to Mottville in Sempronius, to get a bushel of wheat ground. The date of Colonel Hecox's coming is a little uncertain. He was a shoemaker in Skaneateles in 1807, but then it is said "he learned his trade of David Sey- mour, on the west side of the lake." The latter statement may be doubted, as he was colonel of the one hundred and fifty-ninth regiment in 1812, and a lieu- tenant in 1801. He died March 29, 1852. It is said also that this David Sey- mour settled on Lot 37, about 1804, and it is not likely he would have learned then. October 12, 1801, Judge Sanger sold Heeox a lot on the west side of the outlet, where he afterward always lived. He was a portly man. of much force of character.
The Seneca Turnipke company built the first bridge over the outlet in 1800. It was twenty-four rods long, twenty-four feet wide, and stood on fourteen wooden piers. It was a fine place for fishing with lines or flat nets. In 1843 the length was reduced to twenty-four feet, and the State built an iron bridge in 1871. When the Moravians were there in 1750 they crossed as best they could. The Genesee turnpike was one and a fourth miles north of the lake; the Seneca turnpike ran through the village, where the Cherry Valley turnpike intersected it, so that it was a center for stages.
General Robert Earll built a schoolhouse near his home soon after he came, Miss Edith Williams being the first teacher in this. Clark says there was a private school in the village, taught by Ebenezer Castle before 1795. In that year the first frame schoolhouse was built, Nicholas Otis being the first teacher. The Skaneateles Academy was incorporated April 14, 1829. and a brick building was ereeted. This became the Union School in 1844, and in 1855 a new schoolhouse was built, and afterward enlarged.
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The Skaneateles Telegraph was published by William H. Child, July 28, 1829, and became the Skaneateles Columbian, published by John Greves, in 1831. Milton A. Kinney became proprietor in 1833, and was editor till 1853. Part of the time it was owned by Pratt & Keeney, and by George M. Kinney. Pratt & Keeney, and afterward Pratt & Beauchamp, published the Juvenile Depository for a time. The Skaneateles Democrat was started by William M. Beauchamp, January 3, 1840, and, after some changes, came into the hands of Harrison B Dodge. He leased it to Will T. Hall, January 1, 1890, who conducted it till his death. It was suspended for a time, and then resumed by Wheaton & Dodge.
Mr. Beauchamp issued the Minerva, May, 1844, continuing it for two years. The Communitist was also published for a time, in 1844, at Com- munity place, Skaneateles Falls. The Skaneateles Free Press was started March 21, 1874, by J. C. Stephenson, under whose able management it has been a great success.
April 19, 1833, Skaneateles village was incorporated, Freeborn G. Jew- ett being president. The corporate limits were enlarged in 1870 to about one mile square, and in 1855 the village was reincorporated under the new state law.
In March, 1863, the Lake Bank was organized, Anson Lapham, president. In 1866 it became the First National Bank, and was finally merged in Charles Pardee's private banking business. The Skaneateles Savings Bank was in- corporated April 16, 1866, John Barrow, president, and is still doing busi- ness. The Bank of Skaneateles was incorporated under the state law, June 10, 1869, Joel Thayer, president. This also is well sustained.
The most prominent hotels have been the Indian Queen in the center of the village at an early day; the Lake House, which succeeded, and which was burned July 19, 1870; the Sherwood House, west of the bridge. afterward Lamb's Hotel or the Houndayaga House, and later called the Packwood House; a tavern at the east end of the village, kept by Fuller & Rooks, and burned April 9, 1841. Several horses perished. Skaneateles has had many disastrous fires, the worst being that which destroyed most of the business places, September 28, 1835. Next to this was that of February 5, 1842, when the woolen factory, machine shop, flouring mill and storehouses were burned. A stone mill, which replaced the old one, was burned in its turn, and milling in the village has long been abandoned.
The Skaneateles Water Company was organized August 11, 1887, George Barrow, president. Water is pumped from the lake to a stand pipe. Elec- trie light comes from Elbridge. The lake also supplies water to Syracuse and the Erie canal.
The Skaneateles Library Company was incorporated March 2, 1806, and lasted till 1840. There was a Mechanics' Library, 1834-42, with a literary association. William M. Beauchamp had a eirenlating library, 1833-50. There was also an anti-slavery library, and a fine library belonging to the school. The Skaneateles Library Association was incorporated October 20, 1877. In 1880 the commodious stone building was erected. It has a good cabinet,
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many fine pictures, and an art gallery, built, filled and presented by John D. Barrow, the artist. Charles h. Elliott painted many fine pictures here.
Several men of note came about 1800, as Jesse Kellogg, who owned mill property; Eli Clark and Asa Mason. Amos Miner the inventor, who built fac- tories for his wares at several points; Colonel William J. Vredenburg, who gave the place an impetus when he came in 1803. He bought the unsold parts of Lot 36 from Judge Sanger, and some land nearly opposite St. James' church, where Levi Sartwell then kept a small tavern. Colonel Vred- enburg's own mansion-a palatial one for those days, was on the hill farther east, and was long known as the Kellogg place. On the land were sixteen graves without headstones. The remains were transferred to the present cemetery. In April, 1804, he became the first postmaster, and died May 9. 1813.
The Halls, some of them noted carriage-makers, eame in 1806. John Legg, successful in the same business, came in 1804. Aaron Austin came in 1796, establishing the first fulling mill in the county. Joseph Root came in 1804, Elijah Parsons in 1805. and Nathaniel Miller in 1807. Isaac Sherwood. the great stage proprietor, came at an early day, and owned a tavern. built the Auburn House and died in Auburn, but was buried in Skaneateles. It is said of the men of his family that any three would weigh a thousand pounds.
Charles J. Burnett, postmaster 1817-43. married Colonel Vredenburg's daughter, and was a merchant. Warren Hecox was a tanner and shoemaker, and a leading man. John Snook. of Snook's pills fame in England, came in 1832. and promoted the teasel industry. His son John was a stirring and influential man. Charles Pardee was a prominent early merchant. William M. Beauchamp opened a bookstore in 1834 and afterward a printing office. Dorastus Kellogg was long a woolen manufacturer in the village and town. William Gibbs. John S. Furman, Judges Kellogg and Jewett, the Sanfords. R. S. Wolcott, Phares Gould, Stephen Horton, C. W. Allis, Samuel Franeis. Joel Thayer, Parsons & Rust. the Hawleys, etc., were men of early prominence in the village. Dr. Munger was the first physician, succeeded by Dr. Samuel Porter at a very early day. Dr. Judah B. Hopkins came later, and was sue- ceeded by Dr. Levi Bartlett, respectively the grandfather and father of Judge Edward T. Bartlett, who was born in this village. Dr. Michael D. Benedict was a later noted physician.
Nearly two miles south of the village, on the west shore, was the "Friends Female Boarding School," known as .the "Hive," established by Lydia P. Mott, soon after 1818. It had a high reputation, but was discontinued about 1838. Many amusing stories are connected with it. . Mrs. Mott died in the village April 15, 1862.
Many temperance societies flourished and died out, and several literary and educational societies had the same experience, in which also various schools shared. There was an early agricultural society of brief duration. 1836-39. Another followed in 1845, merged into the Farmers' Club December 30, 1855. This flourished for many years. During the civil war a Ladies'
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Aid Society did excellent work, and a soldiers' monument was unveiled Sep- tember 4, 1895. A soldiers' tablet is also in St. James' church.
In 1846 an Odd Fellows lodge was formed, lasting for some years, and there is now Skaneateles Encampment, No. 107, in place of an earlier one. In later years Elbridge Lodge, No. 275, has met here. Village Lodge, Marcellus No. 80. F. & A. M., was warranted January 8. 1799, Ebenezer R. Hawley, W. M. It was the first lodge of the county and he was the first justice of the peace in Skaneateles. and was sheriff of the county in 1801. The Rev. Thomas Robbins, by request, preached before it on St. John's day, June 24, 1802, and had a five dollar fee. In the Free Masons' Monitor for 1802 this lodge is eighty-second in order. It was never represented in the grand lodge, and its number was given to another lodge in 1819.
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