USA > New York > Oneida County > Camden > Pioneer history of Camden, Oneida County, New York > Part 10
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THE TOWN OF CAMDEN.
period, going to Albany to dispose of his products in the '4os. He left for a business trip, expecting to return soon, but nothing has been known of him since. His fate has remained a mystery. Ly- man Parks subsequently purchased the mill and water privilege, fitted in machinery for manufacturing bowls, rolling-pins, clothes-pins, mop-sticks, &c., and did a flourishing business till his death, May 13, 1872, aged 85 years. He was a remarkable penman, executing the Lord's Prayer, with his name, date and age, in a circle the size of a six pence, perfectly legible, with only ordinary spectacles to assist his eyesight. He was the father of Henry Parks, who still resides near the railroad crossing at Fhelpsville. He also had a daughter, Julia, who resided there till her death, a lady of keen intelligence. In 1841 Pliny Phelps built a saw-mill on the north side of the stream, also a shingle- riill. There were two cider-mills, one on each side of the creek,
Old Bridge leading to Distillery.
and in the season of cider-making business was very lively. The presses turned out many a barrel of pure sweet cider. the neigh- boring children finding it free to all who could drink, being daily visitors. There was a generous attendance aiways when a sweet apple cheese was ready to press, and they thought it a "ne ctar fit for the gods." On the north side of the stream was a cider-brandy distillery. This was under the supervision of Pliny Phelps also built a shingle-mill and operated it for some years, to the manufacture of whisky-Woods and Bochner, proprietors. Government officials closely watched operations here. but failed
I36
PIONEER HISTORY OF
to discover anything crooked in the business. Others have oc- cupied the building from time to time for different purposes. About 1855 this little settlement contained eleven dwellings, two saw-mills, two shingle-mills, two cider-mills, one ashery, a
-
Old Distillery.
wooden-ware factory, a plaster-mill, and a grocery. It was a flag station, and there was a branch track for cars to be loaded with the manufactures of the place. A saw-mill on the north side of the stream, and the homes of Henry Parks and George, youngest son of Ranney Phelps, are all that is left of this once busy, thrifty, humming little borough. We insert an illustration of interest, the bridge of the N. Y. C. R. R. (originally R. W. & O. R. R.) over Fish Creek at this point.
R , W. & O. Railroad Bridge.
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THE TOWN OF CAMDEN.
PHILANDER SMITH.
Following the highway on crossing the R. W. & O. R. R., just beyond the home of Henry Parks, we find a comfortable house built in recent years by Pliny Phelps for his son William. A little further on, to the left of the highway, is the farm and home of Philander Smith. He was born in Camden, May 3, 1816, and a son of Reuben Smith. Philander married Angeline Cook, who was born in Camden June 1, 1817. They were mar- ried by the Rev. E. W. R. Allen, April 15, 1840. Mr. Reuben Smith lived about where the home of Mr. A. G. Olmstead now is, in a small habitation, and where Philander was born. The vil- lage was then in the heart of a pine forest, and in the shade of these giants of the woodland he made his play-ground. No doubt, in his tender years, the music of the gentle breeze through the boughs was like a sweet lullaby to his childish dreams. Desiring to train his children in the pursuits of agriculture, in 1821 Reuben Smith removed to a farm on Preston Hill. There Philander lived till his marriage, or till about 1840, when he purchased the farm of 49 acres of William Winne, where they spent the remainder of their days. Eight children were born to them, but three surviving childhood: Solon Smith, who occupies the homestead; Betsey, Mrs. Charles W. Wilson of New York Mills, and Maria; Mrs. John Deck of Camden; Philander Smith died January 15, 1875, aged 59 years; Angeline E. Smith died April 10, 1872, aged 55 years.
SOLON COOK. (Contributed by M. P. B. Cook.)
Solon Cook was born in Harwinton, Conn., September 30, 1795, being the first child of Martin and Clarissa, nee Rossiter Cook. In the immigration of his grandfather, Oliver and fam- ily (see sketch of Oliver Cook) and other relatives, he was brought to Camden, N. Y., in the early spring of 1800, a boy in his fifth year. He clearly remembered some incidents of tlie journey, the tiresome walking, the flooding Hudson, the nightly camping, the wild scenery along the Mohawk, the rough roads, Schenectady, Whitesboro, near Fort Schuyler (now Utica), Fort Stanwix (now Rome), and Taberg, and the difficult way and slow progress from there to Camden. He used to relate the in-
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PIONEER HISTORY OF
cident of their learning, when somewhere near Oriskany, that they had passed within about half a mile of a house where a person was very sick with smallpox. They were much alarmed. A halt was called, and as a preventive, a stiff dram of New Eng- land rum was administered to each. He soon began to feel very sick. The trees and everything else were in a whirl, then the ground, several times, seemed to come up and hit him in the face, then he collapsed, and his mother laid him away in the wagon. He never had but three months schooling, and that was in a log school-house on the side hill by the road leading from the Park place to the Hillsboro road. His boy life was- full of toil of the hardest kind. In striking brick in the yard near the Pelton Hollow, when 14 years of age, he permanently injured his right shoulder, so it was an inch lower than the left, and at times was very painful. He was never a sportsman, but could shoot a rifle well, and often on a rainy day caught a string of trout in the Fish Creek ripples, when the stream was unvexed by dams, and its waters from source to mouth were un- polluted by civilization. Solon Cook was a soldier of the war of 1812, serving as private in Capt. John Smith's Co., N. Y. Militia, enlisting from Camden, N. Y.
On the third of April, 1815, he married Elvira Byington, who was born March 28, 1797, and died May 4, 1822. Their children were : Charlotte, born July 7, 1816, and died July 17. 1816; Angeline E., born June 1, 1817, and died April 10, 1872: Chrissa, born March 7, 1820, and died July 15, 1821; Angeline Elvira married Philander Smith April 15, 1840, to whom she bore four children, Maria, Bessie, Solon and William. For his second wife Solon married Elizabeth Peck, October 25, 1824, who bore him seven children, as follows, viz .: Mary, born August 31, 1825, and died September 9, 1825; Sophia, born August 4, 1826, and died October 26, 1826; Elizabeth, born October 25. 1827, was married to Quincy Barber May 24, 1848, who died June 2, 1895. Children were born to them as follows: Francis Asbury, born July 25, 1849, and died August 13, 1849; Mary E. born May 18, 1853; Alice born February 25, 1865, she was married to Edwin Irving Robinson December 16, 1884; Maria J. born February 19, 1830, married Anson Sperry October 31, 1854, died July 1, :867, and was irterred at Peterboro, Ont. Melzar P. B. born
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THE TOWN OF CAMDEN.
October 29, 1832, married Hattie Cornelia Sperry at Naugatuck, Conn., September 9, 1857. Their children are Frederic Augus- tus, born November 4, 1858; Cora Frances, born June 25, 1862, who was married to W. W. Storrs June 20, 1883. Martin R., born May 18, 1834, married Lois M. Stoddard November 3, 1858. Their children are Inez Maria, born April 30, 1862, died May 11, 1862; Florence E., born August 13, 1863, married James Saxe Ferguson, June 5, 1890; Fanny L., born October 22, 1867, married Fredrick J. McComb, October 14, 1891; George G., born August 25, 1838, married Esther C. Park, November 10, 1859, who was born September 15, 1841, and died June 10, 1871. Their children are Walter P., born January 30, 1861, who mar- · ried Cora Alvord, January 4, 1893; John H., born July 21, 1866, married Mary E. Streeter, December 13, 1894. For second wife, George married Hannah J. Nisbet, November 20, 1872, who was born at Lee Center, October 15, 1838. To them was born one daughter, Lillian C., March 4, 1874. In the early part of the nineteenth century there were five settlers on the Solon Cook farm, and within a radius of half a mile, twenty-five. His first purchase of land was of Peter Smith, May 23, 1827. His second, of Peter D. Wood, March 23, 1830. His third of Henry Huntington of Rome, and his wife Catharine, September, 1830. His fourth, of Roswell S. Wilson, March 20, 1834. Among other names were Rosas, Congdons, Houghtons, Kelsy, Winne, Draper, Ketchum, Mills, Campbell; then there was Saul or Sel. Peck, who married in his old age the widow Morey, and both died in Mexico, N. Y. This settlement was called "Salis- bury." and the road, the "Salisbury road." On Solon's farm five wells were sunk, four of which were sixty feet, or more, deep, and they furnished but a scanty supply of water. The lack of water was the impelling motive that caused the early settlers to sell out, the trout brook running diagonally across the farm, not being considered healthily potable, and not being within con- venient reach of but two houses. This condition forced also the purchase of the west end of the farm, where was a twenty foot well of always cold water in abundance, where he located and built, instead of eastward, nearer the middle of the farm, as he originally intended. The five small houses had narrowly bounded clearings around them, and two apple orchards had
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PIONEER HISTORY OF
been set, but Solon, having helped clear his father's land, knew 1:ow to clear his own. The west end was heavily timbered with mighty hemlocks that extended up the brook, the foliage of which darkened the ground at noonday. On the rest of the farm was a heavy growth of hard wood. The timber was felled in windrows or great heaps. The hard wood would nearly all burn at the first firing, but to get rid of the hemlock was the tug of war. The great trunks were cut into lengths of ten or twelve feet, and rolled into great piles. These piles would dry out gradually, and being repeatedly fired, spring and fall for a num- ber of years, would finally disappear. The house (now occupied by G. G.) was built in 1835 by Honuel Gifford, aided by his sons, and O. W. Cook, and an apprentice, Charles Dodge by name. The saw mill on the trout brook was built in 1839 by the same party, after which there was no day too wet to run the mill, and no day too dry and fine for farm work, so even the boys found but little time for shooting squirrels or catching fish.
Where unseen music floods the air, Of insect notes and trills of birds, All happy minstrels playing there. On str ngs, or flutes, or bugles rare, Mingling their praises without words.
When Solon moved into Salisbury there was no bridge across the creek, but a ford entering the stream on the north side, above the gravel knoll, came out below the present bridge on the south side, and a fallen tree reaching from bank to bank, made a dry foot-passage possible; however, it was a spooky place after dark. Solon had helped his father butcher one day, late in the autumn, and returning home after dark with a liberal supply of fresh meat on his shoulder, after he began to climb the hill on t'ie south side, he heard stealthy footsteps in the thick bushes to the west, approaching and nearing the path ahead of him. His first thought was "wolves," of which some recently had been prowling about. He threw his fresh meat as far as possible down towards them, thinking it would delay them, and took flight at his highest speed for home. On going back in the morning he found the meat untouched, and the tracks of a few sheep that had broken from their inclosure, and were coming up from the then swamp to the path, on their return. Politically, Solon was
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THE TOWN OF CAMDEN.
a Whig and Republican, but had no political aspirations; how- ever, in about 1847, without his consent or knowledge, his party made him an assessor, the duties of which office he acceptably performed. Religiously, he was born a Congregationalist, but having been very thoroughly converted at a Methodist camp meeting, about the time of his second marriage, in 1824, he united with the M. E. Church, and became successively, class- leader, trustee and steward. The last office he held some fifty years, or until his death.
Our father's name stood forth a tower of strength ; A synonym for righteousness and truth,- * * * * ** % *
By prayerful study of God's equal ways,
He was endowed with thoughts transcending far
The limping rules of courts, that jurists praise, Which oftentimes, if honored, lead to war.
He stood erect as in Heaven's holy sight,
Nor bent toward policy from what was right.
But time passed swiftly, and as swiftly told Life's transient years. Our things most valued, fail. We did not realize that he was old,-
While walking with us,-neither saw the sail,
Filled with an off-shore breeze and ship all manned,
To bear him gently to the silent land.
Over his passing soul we had no power ; Beyond that sunless time he could not stay, And seemed to think most blessed the parting hour ; But now each morning light, each evening gray, We emulate his life, and strive and pray, With him, at last, to share heaven's glorious day.
George G. writes: "You know the care of the church was his very life; it was his meat and drink; yes, the height of his ambi- tion. My very being says to-day, Thank God for such a father." Elizabeth Cook, nee Peck, his second wife, was a Yankee school- ma'am, a grand-daughter of Jos. Peck of New Haven, Conn., and nicved with her father, Henry Peck and family, to Camden, early in the century, and taught several seasons previous to her mar- riage. She became a member of the old Union Congregational Presbyterian Church, but in about 1835-6, changed her church relations to the M. E. Church, for the reason, as she said, that she didn't like to hear the children say, "I want to go to Ma's.
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PIONEER HISTORY OF
church, or I'll go to Pa's church to-day." She thought all the family ought to belong to and attend the same church. She was a woman of superior intellect, good memory, well informed, un- usually well-versed in the Bible, and could repeat much of it. She was deeply pious, and sincerely devoted to Sunday School work and the prosperity of the church. She often led in public prayer, and also at the family altar. Would to God that there were many more mothers like her! She was born November 8, 1794, died September 12, 1845, and was laid to rest by the side of her husband, who died July 2, 1876, and was buried in Cam- den. The poem given here is from the pen of Mr. Melzar P. B. Cook, son of the subject of the preceding article:
OUR ANCESTORS.
BY M. P. B. COOK.
May the names of our Ancestors, noble and great, In the annals of Freedom, Religion and State, To their children and kin so profoundly endeared, Be everywhere honored, remembered, revered.
They sacrificed all that of earth men hold dear ; The land of their birth and the "ingle side" cheer, Where as children they played, and as lover and maid, Vowed troth o'er the graves where their kindred were laid.
Undaunted to go to a wilderness region, Where perils appallingly lurked by the legion, But where worship was free 'neath the sky or the tree, Where no bigot might spy and no tyrant could see.
The solitudes threatened with all kinds of dangers, The safety and life of the valiant-souled strangers, Though regardless of all, they labored and moiled, And trusted in God while they worshipped and toiled.
They conquered the savage, the forest and soil, With their resolute hearts and their unceasing toil, Not knowing the work that Jehovah had planned, To found a vast empire, -our own beloved land.
They were diamonds unpolished, and might have been ride, But when valor had vanquished and foes were subdued, Built school-houses, colleges, churches and steeples, For the glory of God and the good of the peoples.
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THE TOWN OF CAMDEN.
Thus all their great deeds which they valued as small,
Prove a heritage rich in grand blessings for all,
Who honor true virtue, -the noble and bold, Above life itself, -- even higher than gold.
Let their names then be honored, their fame spread abroad, Till their luster illumes like to visions of God ;
'Till all nations and realms, like our country are free,
From river to ocean,-from ocean to sea.
BENJAMIN N. BUELL.
Benjamin N. Buell was the youngest child of Miner and Melinda Buell, and was born in Lee, Oneida County, August 27, 1827, coming to Camden with his father in the autumn of 1831, when but four years of age. In 1855 he married Miss Fan- nie, daughter of Eleazer Peck, and soon after purchased the home he now occupies, of Nathan Cook, father of the late Abiram Cook. The house was probably built by Thomas and Norris Cook, sons of Martin Cook. To Mr. and Mrs. Buell were born two daughters-Julia, who married Frank Paddock, resi- ding in Dakota, and Jennie, who married Rev. S. D. Robinson of Whitesboro, N. Y. Mrs. Fannie Buell died April 10, 1894. Mr. Buell subsequently married Mrs. Cornelia Johnson, wife of the late Sylvester Johnson, and they still reside on the place. Mr. Buell is an enterprising business man, alive to the progres- siveness of the times.
Immediately following the Buell place, on the same side of the street, west, somewhat nearer the stream, in early years, lived a family by the name of Congden. It is all we know of them. Across the stream from there, and on through the woods, at the right of the highway, going westward, in remote years, lived a family by the name of Pelton. We have found in some old rec- ord the name of Daniel Pelton, all of that name to be found, and he may have been the man. For years that particular spot was called "Pelton's Hollow." From this point out to the plank road, on the right, was the Sylvanus Wilson farm, and on the left Oliver Cook's. Then proceeding northi a few rods we find another street, running eastward, and intersecting the Taberg road. This we will call the Blakeslee road, to designate it, and turn from the Plank Road by the present brick school-house. The first place, already mentioned, was occupied by Abner Mat- thews, who lived on the corner, at the turn.
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PIONEER HISTORY OF
OLD CEMETERY.
The remorseless enemy-death-followed silently after the new comers, and but a few months elapsed ere he manifested his. presence in their midst, and removed from their number a mother and child. These were the Mrs. Carrier and little one drowned in the torrent below Joseph Scoville's. Accordingly, down this Blakeslee road, a few rods below the brick school- house, going eastward, at the left as we pass, was the place se- lected for interments, near a small ravine. Not a suggestion of a grave is to be seen at present; everything having been obliter- ated. There were, as recently as 1855, some brown stones of the ancient style, yet standing, with inscriptions, but these are all gone. Nothing marks the place. We remember the old cemetery well. There were two large black cherry trees stand- ing in the corner of the rail fence, that spread their long arms out as far as possible, as though in defence of the slumbering ciead. There were 20 or 25 graves scattered about over a quar- ter of an acre of ground. This was not incorporated as a cem- etery, and was a part of the Sylvanus Wilson farm. There were several deep pits from which the bodies of dear ones had been removed by friends to safer places, likely as early as 1838, and a few years later a day was named for the final removal of all re- mains that friends cared to preserve-this was as late as 1855 or 1856. Perhaps a dozen or more yet repose there in dreamless siumber, forgotten and unknown. It used. to be a resort for the students at the near-by school, to repair to at the noon hour during summer, and sit under the sheltering branches of the noble old trees, to take the lunch brought in pails or baskets by the pupils for mid-day refreshment. For some years following its obliteration, the stones taken from graves were lying in the crooks of the rail fence, but these are gone now. Long years after its demolition a young man was ploughing in this locality, preparing the soil for seed, when the hind legs of one of his horses settled into a deep hole. Being wholly ingnorant of its carly use, he blamed the innocent woodchuck for digging the land, but later, in mentioning the circumstance to a neighbor, was enlightened somewhat in regard to it; and naturally con- cluded that his horse had settled into an old grave. As early as
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THE TOWN OF CAMDEN.
1799 Mrs. Carrier and child were interred here. Next a child of Reuben Blakeslee, an infant child of Benjamin Phelps in 1806, a child of Eliasaph Barker in 1808, Mrs. Daniel Parke in 1818, a Mrs. Jackson-Elzina, daughter of Jehiel Higgins, Rhoda, wife of Uriah Hill, a child of Ranny Phelps, were in later years buried there. Mrs. Parke, Mrs. Jackson, Mrs. Hill and other bodies were reinterred in later cemeteries. We give an illustra-
Site of First Cemetery.
tion showing the spot where the cemetery was located. George, son of Daniel and Esther Parke, aged 4 years, and Daniel, son of Sage and Almira Parke, aged 9 years, were also removed from here to the Parke Cemetery.
ISRAEL STODDARD, 2nd.
The next place, at right of the highway, going east, is the old home of Israel and Maria Stoddard. Israel Stoddard, 2d, was the eldest son of Rev. Eliakim and Lois Matthews Stoddard. He was born in the town of Vienna, July 1, 1813. As a boy he was always a dutiful and obedient son. He delighted in manly sports in a manly way, was always first at school, first in his class, and first in the field. Always led, in the place of follow- ing in the wake of his associates. In early manhood, as Major in the militia, then organized and drilling regularly, he was honored and beloved, as well as respected in his public as well as in his private life. As a citizen, he represented the best class -reliable. He received his religious education under the tutor-
10
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PIONEER HISTORY OF
ship of his father, Rev. Eliakim Stoddard, and in early boyhood became a devoted Christian, and in all the departments of church work, as class-leader, steward, trustee and Sabbath School super- intendent, he was enabled to accomplish much good; was uniformly zealous and faithful wherever found in all the walks of life, and enjoyed the confidence of all who knew him. In the year 1836, October 5, he married Polly Maria Peck, the eldest of twelve children of Eleazar and Hannah Park Peck. She was born in Camden July 20, 1816. They commenced housekeeping and lived for two years on the old Stoddard homestead. In the spring of 1831 he came in possession of what was known as the Gates farm, which was their home for many years. Two children were born to them; Lois Maria was born August 19th, 1837, and Joanna Demilt, born July 21st, 1846. The home was a delight to all who entered there, love and charity abiding. At the age of 13 years Polly Maria Peck was converted, and united with the Methodist Episcopal Church, and was a most efficient member for 57 years. As a wife, a mother, a friend, and espe- cially as a Christian she had few equals. She possessed that amiableness of temper, that sympathetic benevolence, that win- ning address, and that consistency of character which com- manded the respect of all. The eldest daughter, Lois M., was married in Camden, N. Y., to Martin R. Cook, November 3, 1858. They now reside in Denver, Colorado. Joannah D. mar- ried Oren H. Kniffen, December 22, 1869, in Camden; they also reside in Denver, Colorado. P. Maria Stoddard died in Can- den June 1, 1886, and Israel Stoddard, 2d, died in Lockport, N. Y., August 7, 1890. Both interred in Forest Park Cemetery.
ENOS BLAKESLEE.
The next farm in succession, to the east, on the north side of the highway, was purchased from George Scriba by Ichabod Brown in 1801. He followed the tide of emigration westward, and located in Camden. But little can be learned of him other than this, that he came from Connecticut, and was a soldier in the War of the Revolution. In 1805 Enos Blakeslee bought the farm of Ichabod Brown. Enos Blakeslee married Saralı Northrup in the year 1785, at Harwinton, Litchfield County,
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THE TOWN OF CAMDEN.
Conn. He came with the regulation ox cart. Mr. Blakeslee was a surveyor by occupation, and found much in his line to employ his time after coming to this new home. We find his name frequently in the early book of town surveys. In 1810 he erected the house which is at present standing, the home of the
9
Home of Enos Blakeslee.
leirs of Benjamin Blakeslee. When Mr. Blakeslee first came to the ownership of this farm, but a half acre of land had been cleared, where the house stands. The barn on the place was built in 1824. The house is the same in exterior form and ap- pearance as of yore, having had new siding, windows, and paint only. Their children were: Reuben, Daniel, Marilla, Scriba, Mary, Cynthia and Bela, all born in Connecticut but Bela. Reu- ben and Cynthia located in Pennsylvania, Scriba and Mary in Michigan, and Daniel, Marilla and Bela in Camden. Bela and Marilla occupied the old home of their father.
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