USA > New York > Onondaga County > Past and present of Syracuse and Onondaga County, New York : from prehistoric times to the beginning of 1908 > Part 52
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 52
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
Skaneateles Lodge has a framed certificate of membership issued by a lodge at Canton, Conu., September 19, 1827, to Correl Humphreys and ad- dressed to Village Lodge. No. 29. IIe is said to have demitted from the latter lodge, December 1, 1868. and affiliated with Skaneateles Lodge on the same day, but on neither of these dates was Village Lodge in existence. This re- markable man died October 17, 1885. aged eighty-one. In a letter he said that he became a Free Mason in 1827, and came to Skaneateles that year. In Leslie's History of Skaneateles is a good picture of him, wearing his antique Masonie apron.
Corinthian Lodge received a dispensation March 26, 1852, and lasted for some years. Skaneateles Lodge. F. & A. M., was chartered June 12. 1862, John H. Gregory, W. M. December 10. 1869. Charles HI. Platt Chapter, No. 247, R. A. M., was organized, Henry J Hubbard. H. P. The present H. P. is Frederick J. Hunphreys.
Paper mills, woolen factories, lime kilns, chair factories. distilleries, brew- eries. foundries, machine shops, ete., have flourished along the outlet forming several hamlets. Willow Glen or Kellogg's Factory was one; Glenside another, and Hartlot another still.
Mottville was often called Sodom, and was named after Arthur Mott, who had a woolen factory here about 1820. S. L. and H. B. Benedict. and Alanson Watson were successful merchants here. Skaneateles Falls has be- come a thriving place. Near this was the old Community Place, once called "No God," from the atheistical views of its people. Mandana, named after the mother of the great Cyrus, is a small place in the southwest part of the town. The Shepard settlement, in the northeast part, has its name from early settlers.
The Society of Friends was well represented on the western shore, where the Willetts, Frost and Lawton families were prominent. Silas Gaylord and Aiden T. Corey were influential men. The Taleotts. Fullers. Barrows. Lap- hams. Allis and others maintained the high standing of the Quakers in the village. A society was organized about 1812, and a meeting honse was built near the octagon schoolhouse. In the division of 1828 the Hieksites retained this, and the orthodox party built another near the village. This was torn down in 1873, and another erected in a central spot.
A
426
PAST AND PRESENT OF ONONDAGA COUNTY
Church services were held in the Burnett homestead. and the "Red House," a mile north in 1803. St. James' parish (P. E.), was formed January 4, 1816, and reorganized April 19, 1829. Rev. Augustus L. Converse presiding. A church was built in 1827, enlarged in 1847, and made way for the present fine stone church, conscerated January 6. 1874. Rev. Frank N. Westcott has long been the rector.
The Universalist church at Mottville was built in 1831, Rev. Jacob Chase being the first pastor. In 1834 a Methodist church was built at Skanea- teles, and enlarged in 1853. The present brick church was built in 1859 as a free church. a character it did not long maintain. In 1869 it was remodeled and enlarged. At Skaneateles Falls a Methodist society was formed. and a church built in 1877. The edifice was dedicated February 6, 1878. The Methodists also fitted up an old schoolhouse for services in 1872 at Mottville. which was dedicated January 24. 1873. A new church was dedicated Sep- tember 10, 1885.
After services began about 1845, the Roman Catholics commenced a church in Skaneateles village in May. 1853. which was consecrated September 7, 1856. This was burned May 23, 1866, and a new brick church was conse- erated June 30. 1867. This is St. Mary's of the Lake. Rev. William MeCallion was the first pastor. Rev. F. J. Purcell succeeded him in 1865, and had an extremely long and useful pastorate. St. Bridget's chapel at Skaneateles Falls, was dedicated September 20, 1874.
Steamboats were not at first successful on the lake. The Independence, the first one, made her trial trip July 22. 1831. She at last became the schooner Constitution. The Highland Chief followed, with a like fate. The Skaneateles, 1848, was fairly successful, but the Homer, 1849. proved a losing investment. The propeller Ben H. Porter. 1866. had a longer existence. The Glenhaven, Ossahinta and City of Syracuse have had a large trade, and now there are many launches and motor boats on the lake.
There was some early attention to yachting, but regattas in which several lakes participated, did not come till 1847. The sport ran high for a number of years. In 1854 the Skaneateles Model Yacht Club was organized, with a code of signals, reviews, etc. Edwin E. Potter was commodore. This passed away with the dawn of more important events. A few years since interest partially revived, a yacht club on a broader basis exists, and there are some exciting contests.
Skaneateles had early plans for railroads, and its first railroad company was incorporated May 16, 1836. Construction began in 1838. and it was opened to Skaneateles Junction September 30. 1840. The rails were of wood, and the motive power was a horse. The first depot for passengers was oppo- site the Packwood House. The road was getting in fair shape when the plank road mania broke out, and it was abandoned. Later it was resumed with fair earnings as a steam road. and thus it is continned. Since the coming of the successful electric road its passenger traffic is less.
Captain Benjamin Lee. father of Bishop Alfred Lee of Delaware, lived two miles south of the village, on the east shore. In early life he had been a
427
PAST AND PRESENT OF ONONDAGA COUNTY
British midshipman and had a remarkable escape from death by court-martial. Between 1824 and 1827 he made many accurate soundings of the lake, of which a chart is preserved.
Nathan K. Hall, postmaster-general under Fillmore, was born in the town, and Fillmore himself had worked here. Freeborn G. Jewett, chief jus- tice of the court of appeals, was a notable man, and Judge Marvin no less so.
The Skaneateles Religious Society was organized October 29, 1801, by Rev. Aaron Baseom. It was a Congregational society till 1818, when it became Presbyterian. The first church on the hill at the east end of the village, was dedicated March 1. 1809. A new briek church was built on the present site in 1830, and rebuilt in 1891. This had a high steeple with a fish for a vane, afterward replaced by a dome. The one on the hill was sold to the Baptists, who after a time rebuilt it on the present site in 1842. Their society was organized about 1832. The old church was thought a fine edifice in its day. April 26. 1841. a later Congregational society was organized, which occupied Congregational Hall for a few years.
In the middle of the last century Skaneateles had no more venerated citizen than Nicholas J. Roosevelt. some of whose notable descendants make the village their summer home still. He died there July 30. 1854, at the age of eight - ty-seven years. after a residence of about eighteen years. Up to his coming he had led a busy life. and it has been said that none of his children were born at home. Among other things he became interested in steam navigation, and was at the trial of Fitch's boat in 1796. Two years later he Jannehed a small steamboat on the Passaie river, and made a trial trip with invited guests. Chancellor Livingston proposed a partnership to him in December, 1797, and the result was an agreement between Livingston, Stephens and Roosevelt to build a boat propelled by steam. The trial then was a failure. Some years later Mr. Roosevelt, accompanied by his wife, made the first descent of the Ohio river by steam, a memorable trip in many ways. As he first proposed the use of steam engines for motive power on boats, he was asked why he did not anticipate Fulton in the application of these; it seemed he was too busy a man, and replied :
"At the time Chancellor Livingston's horizontal-wheel machine failed. I was under a contract with the corporation for supplying the city of Phila- delphia with water by means of two steam engines; and, besides, I was under a contract with the United States to erect rolling works and supply the Government with copper rolled and drawn for six 74-gun ships that were then to be built."
In his placid and dignified old age, no one would have thought him such a stirring man of affairs. His wife, who was mneh younger, had as delightful a character as her husband. The Roosevelt windows in St. James' church are striking features of that beautiful building.
A noted early resident of Skaneateles was an English Quaker, James Cannings Fuller, who eame there April 20. 1834, dying there November 25. 1847. He was indefatigable in anti-slavery and temperance work, sometimes
428
PAST AND PRESENT OF ONONDAGA COUNTY
barely escaping being mobbed in the former. Before he died the scale turned. and Skaneateles even eclipsed Syracuse as ananti-slavery town.
We sometimes complain of unseasonable weather. The cold year of 1816 has been mentioned; here are some facts from a Skaneateles diary of later date. May 13, 1834, the frost was severe; ice formed half an inch thick, and the young people of the village had a sleigh ride. January 11, 1836, the stage was twenty-three hours coming from Auburn to Skaneateles, the snow being four feet deep. The snow was three inches deep September 28, and October 8 it snowed all day, a disastrous time. June 11, 1842, there was snow on the Sempronius hills, near the head of the lake. There is little warmth in the subject.
King David had an encounter with a lion and a bear when a shepherd hoy, so that it was very natural that John Shepard, a settler of 1797, should have a bear experience if true to his name. Bears like pork, and when hd heard his hog squealing in the woods the pioneer knew what it meant. A pitchfork was the handiest weapon. and this was hurled at the bear but missed him. It was now the bear's turn and Shepard went up a tree, crying for help. His brother-in-law eame, but declared that Shepard was hugging the tree and trembling, and not a bear in sight.
Skaneateles had its full proportion of odd characters, and perhaps no one attracted more attention than James Cannings Fuller, mentioned above. "British Fuller." as he was often ealled to distinguish him from another of the name. His costume was of the most antique English Quaker kind. and he used to tell his wife she wore the costliest bonnet in town. It came from London and had "to be just so." There were many marked English char- acters, mostly from Somerset. One was a how-legged, loud-voiced little man. whose cow got into the village pound. "A purty land of liberty this wur." he said, "where a cow couldn't run in the streets." He lost an eye while cutting teasels, and in telling of it afterward said he "wouldn't have los un for five dollars; now, nor yet for ten." Another was always running down America, till asked why he did not go back; he would gladly be spared.
Old Peter Pell, odd. honest and independent, was of good Hudson river stock, and delighted in his bass drum. He used to usher in the greater days with bass drum solos. He had a trick of throwing up his drum sticks with a twirl, and catching them in time for the next stroke. Didn't the boys think him a wonderful man? He thought so himself. In 1860 he went to a Syracuse parade to hear and see a noted drummer. He said to the writer: "I've seen what they eall the best drummer in New York, but I tell you he can't. touel me; he can't touch me." Nor could he.
Of all the genial, ingenious, eccentric men that ever lived in Skaneateles, no one surpassed in some ways Dr. Lord, the dentist. He was a great boat- man, always just missing a prize at a race. His friends thought this a pity. and the elub got up a serub race in which he was to take the purse, though that was a secret. It worked famously one way, but the home stretch was before the wind. Two boats were in danger of passing him, and the genial German captain of one said: "Vot shall I do mit mine Plue Pell?" The other
-
429
PAST AND PRESENT OF ONONDAGA COUNTY
was running wide of her course and having trouble with her sails. By towing pails and great strategy the desired end eame.
Among "good livers" no one was more noted in his day than "Sam Francis," perhaps the best humorous story teller of his time. His inimitable look and manner added to the zest of every story, but the conclusion of his chipmunk tale may be enjoyed by some. The boys were late at school, for Gust Kellogg had persuaded them to go and catch four hundred chipmunks in a huge woodpile. They got but three, and Sam tore his trousers and was given one animal without a tail. Beside he had not learned his lesson, but Gust told him to learn just his own answer. The chipmunks escaped in school, and Sam may tell the rest:
"I thought if the master only understood the circumstances he would favor me. I told him that the one with the tail off was the only one I was to have, and that Gust said we would get at least four hundred chipmunks. 'Not another word out of your head,' said the master. 'Come up here, Gust Kellogg.' 'And,' said I, 'Add and Gurd Porter said we would get three hundred and fifty sure-' 'Not another word out of your head,' says the master. 'Come up here, Add and Gurd Porter.' 'And,' says I, 'Jo and Charley Burnett said we could get three hundred chipmunks certain-' Says the master, 'Not another word out of your head, sir.' And ealled up Jo and Charley, and placed us all in a row, and as I was the shortest, he put me at the foot, licked me first, and so on up to Gust, whipping him almost to death, and then we took our seats. The master asking if we had our grammar les- son I said promptly, 'Yes, sir.' And he asked me, 'What is a pronoun?' I replied, 'A verb is a word that signifies to be, to do or to suffer.' 'What is a pronoun, sir?' Says I, 'You must begin at Gust Kellogg, and we can all say it through.' And with that he called us all out, and licked us all over again. I couldn't understand why he licked us, but, on going home, Gust licked me so that I understood all about it."
John Legg was an early settler of Skaneateles, who eommeneed as a blacksmith, became a carriage maker of wide reputation and an influential citizen. He got quite a start in the war of 1812, when a troop of cavalry stopped to have their horses shod. He soon had every blacksmith for miles around on the job. But there were trials ahead, and some years later he was feeling pretty blue, while his old mother told him it was always darkest before day. In the night there was a hail, and another blacksmith shouted that there was a chance for them. A large quantity of shovels was wanted for canal work at Jordan, and John Legg was the man to take hold of it. And he did.
In old times apprentices were regularly indentured, with mutual responsi- bilities. It was a frequent thing (not always easy) for apprentices to run away. To clear himself the master was then required to advertise the de- linquent. Such notices were common seven years ago, and a reward might ruh from one cent to a dollar. One of these follows :
430
PAST AND PRESENT OF ONONDAGA COUNTY
"One Cent Reward. Ran away from the subscriber on or about the 24th nlt. an indented boy to the farming business, named Norman Hodges, aged 14 years. Whoever will return said boy to the subseriber shall receive the above reward. All persons are forbid harboring him or trusting him under penalty of the law.
JOHN CARPENTER."
Marcellus, Jan. 11, 1830.
It has been often lamented that the block of shops and stores along the lake front should have been placed there, but there seems no help for it now. When Colonel W. L. Stone was there September 24, 1829, he scored this severely. After eulogizing the lake and most of the village, he burst forth :
"One would have supposed that even the Goths and Vandals would have had genius enough to have preserved an open view to the lake, by having a smooth lawn or greensward planted, with locusts and the willow between the road and the lake! But contrary to every principle of taste or beauty, one of the churches and several blocks of stores and artisans' work-shops have been erected upon the shore, which in most cases intercepts the water pros- pect. But. for the privilege of taking now and then a sail, or a mess of fish, the good people might as well have had no lake at all."
Fire companies were formed soon after the erection of the town, and there are now two hose companies and a hook and ladder company. The Skaneateles Guards, Captain Fowler, were the pride of Skaneateles at one time, and bands of music, many in number, have come and gone. In the okl days when champagne flowed freely the Skaneateles and Auburn bands made a day of it at the Mile Point, and the mellow horn was the favorite of every musician.
The old country taverns have been mentioned, and Myron Clift recently wrote of that of his father, two miles west of Skaneateles village, back in the '30s, where travelers and neighbors met and discussed the news, farming, business, politics and the Bible, or played cheekers.
"The furnishings of the old bar-room consisted of fifteen splint-bottomed chairs, a twelve-foot bench and a good sized table made by a local carpenter. At one side of the room was a short shelf, upon which was always kept ready three or four tin lanterns, and at one end hung the conventional boot-jack, made from a short board having a V shaped niehe eut in one end. The shovel, tongs and andirons stood in their accustomed place by the large old-fashioned fireplace, in which we kept a glowing fire of four-foot wood, making the old bar-room especially comfortable and inviting during the winter season. Above the fireplace was a large board, about a foot and a half wide and ten feet long. closely plastered in the wall." This was for handbills. etc.
One of these was a rhymed tavern notice, in which the traveler had good advice :
431
PAST AND PRESENT OF ONONDAGA COUNTY
"Don't worry yourself nor drive too far- I keep refreshments, hay, oats and tar. My house is quiet ; no games nor betting; Brandy and rum. if you want some, Or any other kind of wetting. Don't fail. my friend, come in and see --- Your first visit is perfectly free."
The "hay, oats and tar" he thus explained : "Tavern keepers were ex- pected to supply their patrons with wagon grease or tar, and some of them were provided with large 'jaeks,' with which very heavily loaded wagons could be raised. and the greasing done with little difficulty." A horse was fed for sixpence, in some cases, and a team for a shilling. Large and wide tired wagons had reduced rates of toll.
Skaneateles village in 1836 had a Presbyterian, Baptist, Methodist and Episcopal church, academy, public library, grist mill, sawmill, woolen factory, foundry. Milton A. Kinney's printing office; A. & C. Bates. N. Hawley & Com- pany, Gibbs & Burnett, B. S. Wolcott, I. W. Perry, John G. Porter, merchants; Richard Taleott & Company, grocery and hardware; John Snook's drug store; Lawton & Stillson, leather and shoe store; A. M. Gaylord, millinery; W. M. Beanehamp, book store and library; Augustus Fowler, clothing store; two large carriage shops, many artisans and mechanics, two hotels and about two hundred and fifty dwellings. In 1886 were enumerated five churches and a Quaker meeting house, three hotels, three millinery stores, four lawyers, one artist. two hardware stores, two confectioners, four clothing stores, three small carriage shops, two livery stables, two undertakers, five meat markets. one stationer and news dealer, two shoemakers, three dry goods stores, one bakery, three insurance agents, three shoe stores, one furniture store, two photograph galleries, six dressmakers. four harness makers, two barbers, two weekly newspapers, two brick and tile yards, three billiard rooms, two jewelry stores, two lumber yards, two drug stores, two dentists, two banks, three blacksmith shops, six groceries, six physicians, two dealers in agricultural im- plements, notion store, flour and feed store, restaurant. plumber, library, mar- ble shop, ete.
Mottville in 1836 had two churches a grist and a sawmill, stone quarry. lime kiln, foundry and about thirty dwellings. In 1886 it had two general stores, two blacksmiths, two paper mills, shoe shop, hotel, grocery, foundry and machine shop, woolen mill. flour and feed store, coal yard and chair factory. There are many mills and factories scattered along the creek, and good quarries as well. This stream has picturesque features from the lake almost to the river.
1
132
PAST AND PRESENT OF ONONDAGA COUNTY
CHAPTER I.
TOWN OF SPAFFORD.
Spafford had its name from Horatio Gates Spafford, author of an early gazetteer of the state, a man who had opinions and expressed them. It was set off April 8, 1811, from several towns. Marcellus gave it thirteen lots, Sempronius eight, and Tully sixteen. The town is about ten miles long and three broad, occupying the ridge between two lakes and their valleys. With Skaneateles lake on one side, and Otisco lake on the other, it has the longest lake front of any town here, and abounds in picturesque ravines and falls. Ripley hill is not as high as Fabius hill, but commands a finer view.
Gilbert Palmer was the first settler, locating on Lot 70 in 1794. His son had a nearly fatal accident that year, and Dr. White was summoned from Clinton. Ile and the father were guided on the return by an Oneida indian, who promised to bring them to a log across the outlet at Otisco lake-and he did. Mr. Palmer and his crippled son had no near neighbors for about eight years.
Captain Daniel Tinkham came about 1802, to Lot 89, south of Borodino, but soon found another site. Jonathan Berry succeeded him on the first in March, 1803, and became a prominent man. Dr. Archibald Farr, the first physician, came in April, settling about a mile north of Spafford Corners. The road from Berry's to Farr's was the first in town. This was extended in 1804, about the time Isaac Hall came, and in September, 1806, Mr. Hall drove the first wagon from Spafford to Scott Corners, a road having been opened in 1805 by Jolin Babcock and Elisha Sabins, who came from Seott with sleds.
In 1806 eame Jethro Bailey, Abel Amidon, Elias Davis, John Hullibut, Peter Knapp, Otis and Moses Legg, Job Lewis, along the road from Scott to Borodino. Levi Foster, Benjamin Ilomer, James and Cornelius Williamson, Benjamin Stanton, John Woodward and others came elsewhere. Knapp's landing was on Skaneateles lake.
In 1807 Asahel Roundy and James Bacon settled at Spafford Corners, the former becoming an influential citizen, and the first postmaster in 1814. He built a tavern there in 1820, selling it to William W. Legg in 1843. Samuel Conkling also eame in 1807, building the first frame house near Borodino. lu Cold Brook, about 1808, Luke Miller raised the first log cabin.
Daniel Wallaee settled at Borodino in 1807, and was the head of a large family, one of his grandsons being the first volunteer from .Spafford in the Union army. Dr. Farr built the first grist mill in the town in 1808, in Otisco Hollow, and opened the first tavern the same year near Spafford Corners. The first school there was taught that year by Miss Hannah Weston, who eame on horseback from Skaneateles. She was afterward Mrs. Asahel Roundy. This was not the first school in town, that being in a log house a mile north of Borodino. This was taught by Miss Sally Packard. Jared Babeoek opened
433
PAST AND PRESENT OF ONONDAGA COUNTY
the first store in town in 1809, at Spafford Corners, and Lauren Hotchkiss had another there the next year. In faet, that part of the town made most progress, and its people were always on the alert. Two instances of this may be eited in more modern days. The Bucktail road is yet a witness of the strength of the early Democrats there. In 1844 these built the great. "Spaf- ford Buggy," an immense structure, all of hickory, and drawn by twenty- four horses. In this they visited Skaneateles and Cortland. In 1856 the Demo- erats lived mostly at the south end of the town; the Whigs at the north, with the town meeting at Borodino. A great snow storm blocked the roads on the day for this, but a few nearby Whigs voted and went home, as all seemed safe. Late in the day every Demverat from the south end was there. They had turned out in a body, shoveled their way through, and quickly turned the seale.
In 1810 and 1811 Josiah Walker and Judge Walter Wood each built sawmills on Cold brook. The town received its name in 1811, from Mr. Spaf- ford who bought land there, intending to settle, and offered a library to the town if it received his name. IIe sent books, Asahel Roundy being librarian a long time. A small portion of land was set off to Marcellus and Skaneateles in 1840. The first town meeting was in April, 1812, John Babeock being chosen supervisor and Sylvester Wheaton town elerk. Asahel Roundy was elected in 1813, and held the office for nine years, but not continuously. Job Smith, who eame in 1806, was grandfather of Hon. Sidney Smith of Skanea- teles, and of two eminent New York physicians, Drs. Stephen and J. Lewis Smith. Among other notable families were the Harmons, Hiseoeks, Strongs, Burdieks, Harveys, Fishers, Kneelands, Fitzgeralds, etc.
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.