USA > New York > Oneida County > Camden > Pioneer history of Camden, Oneida County, New York > Part 23
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Abel Munson removed from the Seventh in 1822 to West
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Camden. Before coming here he lived one year in his first home, in 1809, and then he moved into a log house that stood a little west of the Marvin farm, and resided there six years. Afterwards he lived in another log house the same length of time, and then on the Marvin place, and from there to his new house in West Camden, now the Palms place, close by the crossing. Mrs. Munson's maiden name was Lucy Osborn. She died June 2, 1850. aged 70. Abel Munson died October 12, 1831, aged 57. He was a soldier of 1812.
Leverett Munson's home was east of the Presbyterian Church. After his father's death he lived in the old homestead. He was married three times; he first married Elizabeth Potts, who died in 1826, aged 19; his second wife was the widow of Angus Sperry; she died in 1856, aged 63; his third wife was Harriet Morse, who chied in 1869, aged 67. Leverett Munson died October 17, 1868, aged 67. The only descendant living is Mrs. C. Crawford, of Iowa.
Lorenzo Munson bought land in Lot No. 16, about half a mile west on the Amboy road. He married Polly, daughter of Whiting Barnes. December 31, 1827; moved on to the farm in 1828, and both lived there until their death. Lorenzo Munson died September 29, 1892, aged 89: Polly, his wife, died Decem- ber 1, 1884. aged 76. Their son, Loren now owns and occupies this farm.
Merritt Munson lived in West Camden for a number of years; le moved West, and died in Geneseeo, Ill. His first wife was Harriet Rice, and his second, Mrs. Maria Matthews. Merritt Munson was the first postmaster at West Camden. He held the office a few years, and at that time the mail was carried through on horseback twice a week by a Mr. Worden. Not more than one or two newspapers came to this office at that time.
Selden Munson married Amanda Barnes, May 4, 1825. He bought land adjoining his father on the cast, on which he spent most of his life after marriage. Five children were born to then. Lucy Amanda Munson married S. L. Smith; Mary A. Munson married J. W. Gamble; Almira P. Munson married L. H. Mc- Kee: Albert S. Munson married Lizzie McWhort; Merritt M. Munson married Helen Jones. Mrs. Selden Munson died De-
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THE TOWN OF CAMDEN.
cember 1, 1869, aged 64. Selden Munson was born in Windham, N. Y., June 2, 1799, and died in Watertown, January 22, 1873. For more than half a century he was a resident of Camden; he united with the Congregational Church in 1830. He was a very estimable man, and disclosed rare traits of character, which was a rich inheritance to his children.
MR. S. L. SMITH AND WIFE.
The children of S. L. Smith and Lucy A. M. Smith are George H., a merchant, and Dr. Albert Smith, of Camden village, and Lucius, Annis, and Arma, of West Camden.
Since the above was written Mrs. Smith "entered into rest." She was ill, but not confined to her bed for a long time. She bore her affliction with much patience and resignation. Like a Christian she viewed the gradual but certain approach of the "last enemy" with calmness and composure. Her death was sudden, but peaceful. In the death of Mrs. Smith her family. the church and the community has sustained a severe loss; but their loss is her infinite gain.
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[The writer wishes to express her gratitude to the family of the late Mrs. L. Smith for her valuable assistance.]
William Bird and Polly Munson were married in West Cani- den at the home of the bride, May 8, 1832. Their first home was ir. Windsor, Broome County, N Y., where they remained until 1834, then removed to Camden, where they became permanent settlers. William Bird inherited a great deal of energy and push, and was considered a "hustler." He was connected with a fine tailoring trade for those early times. He was right at home when, with the boys, he could sing and crack a joke, tell a good story, and above all, a lover of music, of which he could write. The following lines are not a sample. In Vol. I., No. 8, of the first Camden paper, we find this advertisement of Mr. Bird:
" Let all those who dote on a good fitting coat, Whose pockets are filled with the rhino, Don't be foolish as coots, but for BIRD start your boots, He'll do it the rightest 'est, I know; All those that live out in the country about, That live by your dairy or tillage,
Bring butter or cheese, or just what you please, I'll take it, says BIRD, of the village. March 23, 1842."
There is music in this rhyme which shows great ability of metrical composition. Mr. Bird died February 28, 1859. Mrs. Bird :s still living in her 88th year. The writer is very much indebted to her for information which has been of great help. Three daughters were born to Mr. and Mrs. Bird, the oldest, Mrs. William Owen, Parkersburg, Ia .; Mrs. Adelaide Traffern, and Hattie Bird, of Camden village.
Whiting Barnes came here previous to 1805. His first wife died in Connecticut, leaving six children. He married the second time and two more children were born to him. The names of the children were: Mary, Avert, Hannah, Alfred, Polly, Whiting.
Mary married Gilbert Hyatt, who was a native of Schoharie County, N. Y. His father came to this section at a very early date. Gilbert Hyatt was a soldier in the war of 1812. He was born in 1796, and died in 1888, aged 92. His wife died March 21, 1875, aged 73. Fifty-three years of their married life was spent in the same home where they died.
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THE TOWN OF CAMDEN.
Avert Barnes married Catharine Hare. He built and lived in the house almost 60 years, now owned by Mrs. E. Holt. Hannal died unmarried; Alfred married Olive Cook, and lived on Preston Hill; Polly married Lorenzo Munson; Whiting married Almira Gifford. The second wife's children were, Zophar and Amanda, who live in Connecticut. Whiting Barnes, Sen., died May 26, 1825, aged 46.
Zebina Hare lived beyond Mr. Hyatt's, on the Amboy road. There were seven children. Francis Hare married a daughter of Arba Cook, and moved to Connecticut. Dolly Ann died July 14, 1839, aged 24; Sarah married Calvin Jolinson of New Jersey ; the other four were Catharine, Emily, Edward, and Laureatte. Mrs. Hare came with her husband from Massachusetts in 1828; Mr. Hare died in 1855: Mrs. Hare died March 21, 1875. George Hare that lived here for some time was a nephew of Zebina Hare. he married Wealthy, daughter of Charles Curtiss, who died Feb- ruary 18, 1854, aged 25. He returned to his native place in Con- necticut.
District No. 9 of West Camden is a joint district with the No. 9 of the southern part of Florence, where a number of the in- habitants were the original settlers, who came when this part was in the town of Camden, and were identified with the school and church work of this little village, and were among our pioneers.
CLARK CRAWFORD.
Clark Crawford was one of the pioneers of this section; lic was born in Connecticut, and when ten years of age he came with his father, Charles Crawford, in 1799, and settled in Cam- den, now Florence. His last days were spent in West Camden with his son, and he is buried in the Seventh, dying November 29, 1875, aged 87; his wife died March 8, 1872, aged 76. Mr. Crawford had said at the time of their coming here the whole surrounding counties were a dense forest. There were five or six families who commenced this settlement, known as the Bates District, near Robert Sparrow's. Charles Crawford was one of the first, to whom a bonus of fifty acres of land was given as an inducement to settle here. The nearest grist-mill for a number
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of years was at Rome. Thither the settlers were compelled to go with ox teams, or on foot, carrying a grist on their backs. When twelve years old, M1. Clark Crawford was bound to Nor- man Waugh, and remained there until he purchased the farm of Mr. Waugh, which was his home for nearly 72 years. When a young man he was in the habit, with others, of going to the State of New Jersey to work on roads during the warm weather. The journey both ways was made on foot. He assisted in the con- struction of the old road from Salina Salt Works to Sackett's Harbor. In 1812 he entered the army as corporal in a company of 36 men from Camden, under the command of Capt. Andrew Palm. On their arrival at Sackett's Harbor with Captain, after- wards Gen. Weaver's company, from Deerfield, he served three m'onths ; he was soon dischargedafter Gen. Brown took command. "Annals of Oneida County" says that the settlement which is now the town of Florence commenced in 1801. Mr. C. claimed that he came with his father when ten years old, which would establish the date of the first settlement as 1799.
ASA KELSEY.
Asa Kelsey, Jr., who lives on the line between Camden and Florence, came from Litchfield, Conn., with his father and mother in 1803; he was two years old when they settled here; it was in Camden Township. Florence was taken off in 1805.
Mr. Kelsey was 96 years old February 1897, and is a man with a wonderful memory. He looks twenty years younger. There may be a fountain of miraculous water flowing out of Florence Hill in which he bathes, that has such a wonderful ef- fect on the youthful looks of a man in his 97th year. His wife died January 26, 1871, aged 61. He now lives with his daughters. Mrs. Green and Miss Dr. A. Kelsey. There were six children- Emily, Miranda, Adelaide, Sarah, Samuel and Josephine. The latter married O. P. Clark, and their home is on Mt. McGregor, Saratoga. Mr. Kelsey gives a description of his father's house, and how it was built, and some other incidents in that vicinity as he remembers them. When his father moved here in 1803. there were eight children, four boys and four girls. His father went into the forest one mile further than where he put up his
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THE TOWN OF CAMDEN.
house. In building, he put up the body of logs and the rafters. For the roof he cut small straight poles and fastened them with withes close enough together to hold the bark, which was four feet long. He cut red and black ash in a swamp, and peeled the bark from that for the roof. After the bark was laid on the poles another row of poles was laid on the bark, and the ends of the upper poles were fastened with withes to the end of the under poles; and that made the roof. The floor was made of small logs of trees cut through the middle, long enough to reach across the room; then he smoothed the split side with an ax as well as he could. This was their first home. He said that peo- ple got lost in the woods and stayed out all night; and he remem- bered one who when he was found was so nearly famished that he died from over-eating. He told another incident about a young man trying to cross Mad River before there was any bridge, and was drowned; which was a great loss to the settlers. There was a man in the same neighborhood who went on foot to Rome and bought a bushel of wheat and brought it home on his back, walking the long journey of twenty-five miles to where he lived, for they had no bread in the house. Told by Mr. Kelsey August 17, 1896. About one mile beyond the home is a little cemetery with a monument where lie the remains of the pioneers of this family. The inscription on the stone is: "Asa Kelsey, died April 20, 1818, aged 70. Sarah, his wife, died February 2, 1841, aged 84: Anna, their daughter. and wife of Jesse Dennison, died December 15, 1815, aged 24."
Since the above was written, Asa Kelsey departed this life on the 23d day of May, 1897. He retained his intellectual faculties to the last, and died at the ripe old age of 96 years, and is now blessed, it is hoped, with the rich rewards of a truly virtuous and (minently useful life. His oldest daughter died in February last.
ELIAS CHAPMAN.
Nathaniel Chapman was a soldier of the war of 1812. Most of his life he lived near West Camden: he was very much inter- ested in all public improvements. His last days were spent with his son, Elias Chapman. The home was over the town line in Florence, but belonged to the joint District No. 9 of West Cam-
2 I
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PIONEER HISTORY OF
den, and therefore he was identified with the pioneer church work, and also was interested in the already established school After a life of active toil and an unparalleled record as a pioneer,
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Home of Elias Chapman.
lie died April 30. 1884. aged 93. His wife died August 21. 1874, aged 80. They were married in 1814. Elias Chapman died Sep- temebr 6, 1892, aged 74: his wife died November 23, 1893. The children of E. Chapman wore, M. O. Chapman, Mrs. W. Russell. Mrs. H. J. Walker, all of West Camden, and H. H. Chapman, of Camden village.
ELIHU GIFFORD.
Elihu Gifford was born near New Bedford, Mass., October. 1797. The house in which he was born still stands. He came to this State when a small boy; his father was a sea captain, and while pursuing this hazardous vocation, his vessel was captured by pirates. When the sad news of his death reached his wife, she fled with her two boys, Honuel and Elihu. to a place where white sails and blue waters are never seen. They came to Smith- field, Madison County, N. Y., and lived in the house with Hiram Spencer. At the age of 20, Elihu married Diana Spencer, who was only 15. Three years afterwards this young couple moved to Florence and bought of Gerrit Smith Lots 99 and 100, and lived there ten years; then bought or traded with Isaac Stearns. the present home of Hamilton Gifford, and built the house now
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THE TOWN OF CAMDEN.
standing. There was a log house a little to the north, with ten acres, owned by Pliny Putnam, that he bought and added to this farm. Four children were born to them; the two that are living are Hamilton Gifford and Mrs. A. Barnes, of Cleveland, O. Elihu Gifford and wife were very hospitable people; they kept a room in the house to give shelter with the open hand of charity, which
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Hamilton Gifford's Home.
has left a living example of kindness and sympathy. One act is often told of E. Gifford: He had an unusual large yield of corn; and the farmers' corn in that vicinity was a failure. He put the price of his corn at one dollar a bushel, so that the rich and the poor were served alike, and only one bushel at a time could be bought from him either. He had chances to sell at a larger price for speculation, but he would not let them have it to make profit, and sell it beyond the reach of the poor. Elihu Gifford died March 2, 1883, aged 85: Diana, his wife, died July IO, 1882, aged 80. Hamilton Gifford occupies this farm at the present day. He has been married twice; his first wife died and left three children, now Mrs. James, of Syracuse, Mrs. J. 11. Taylor, of West Camden, and Mrs. J. Saladin, of Camden village.
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He married Miss Hannah Northrup for his second wife; she died in 1893, leaving five children: William, Elihu, Thomas, Henry and Rose.
Eastern View of Hamilton Gifford's Home.
On a cross road one-fourth of a mile east of Hamilton Gif- ford's, is the home of John Gamble. He came to this town in 1834 from Greenwich, Washington County, N. Y. His step-father and mother, two sisters and one brother were living here. Betsey married Angus Sperry; Clarissa married Caleb Rowell; James father of James Gamble of this village, married Olive Preston. All of this family are at rest in the cemetery on the Seventh, but John. John Gamble married Sophronia Curtiss in the fall of 1835, and moved upon this place, and it has been their home ever since. Mrs. Gamble is the grand-daughter of Major Jesse Curtiss, and the only one living in this vicinity. There were six children born to them-Wesley. Sperry, James, Anna. Carrie and Susan.
In Mrs. John Gamble's early days the girl who could spin her run or run and half a day was an accomplished lass.
In crossing the track and the bridge by the railroad station in West Camden, at the left, on a rise of ground, was an old ceme-
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THE TOWN OF CAMDEN.
tery. As no record had been kept of all the burials, we have been unable to find the names of many that were buried there. When the ground for the new cemetery was bought, the bodies were removed there or elsewhere, and this plot of ground was sokl to McKee & Morse for a bark-yard. The new cemetery was in- corporated September 12, 1861, and consisted of one acre. In 1895 an additional tract of land of half an acre was joined to the original purchase, and its systematic plan of the lots makes it one of the neatest in this section, considering the smallness of this village. The first trustees of the West Camden Cemetery Association were, L. S. Smith, H. F. Rogers. L. Munson, Elias Chapman, C. L. Morse, George W. Smithi. There were a num- ber of bodies moved here from the old cemetery; among them were John Sperry, who died August 8, 1825, aged 75; Anna, his wife, who died October 27, 1826, aged 72; John Davies Sperry, who died October 6, 1825, aged 57: Angus Sperry, who died August 7, 1825. Daniel Stacy and father and mother's remains were removed to Forest Park Cemetery, Camden village. Daniel Stacy died September 8, 1825, aged 37; Oliver Stacy died Sep- tember 26, 1826, aged 69; Azubel, his wife, died November 18, 1822, aged 59; the wife of D. Stacy, who died March 28, 1872, aged 76, and is buried beside her husband. The first burial in the new cemetery was a colored man. There were a number of bodies removed here from Florence Hill; among them were John Littler, who died March 26, 1846, aged 69; Freideswed, his wife, who died April 7, 1850, aged 65. They were natives of England, and emigrated here in 1835. There are many descendants in this vicinity. Another stone marks the resting place of the wife of Elder Bates, a woman whose good works live after her. There have been two hundred and twenty-two burials in this cemetery. Walter, son of Henry J. Keeler, has charge of this cemetery; his wife was the adopted daughter of Newell Smith. Their children were Charles, May, Ellen, and Florence.
RELIGIOUS SERVICES.
The religious services at a very early date were held in the school-house or a private dwelling for many years. November 5, 1851, the Presbyterian Society at W. Camden was organized with sixteen members, by a committee appointed by Oswego Presbytery. The government was not at first of the Congrega-
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tional form, being connected with the Presbytery, upon the so- called accommodation plan. About the year 1883 or '84, the church voted to adopt the Presbyterian form in full. It is not known who preached, or who assembled to hear the first sermon previous to the coming of Samuel Sweezy. They had occasion- ally been supplied with preaching from time to time by others- Rev. Simon Waterman of Connecticut, Rev. Henry Smith, Peter Gardner and Truman Gillett, a Baptist clergyman. The charter members were-Charles Curtiss, Sabrina Curtiss, L. R. Smithi, Mrs. L. S. Smith, Fannie Gillett, Sophronia Gamble, John Gam- ble, E. M. Higbee, Polly Humaston, Christine Litts, Harriet Litts, Seth Rice, Mary Rice, Daniel Litts, Amanda Kelsey and Rebecca Winchester. In the fall of 1857 Leverett Munson gave the site, and a house of worship was begun, which was finished
Presbyterian Church, West Camden.
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THE TOWN OF CAMDEN.
and dedicated the following autumn. For about twenty years it was used by both the Presbyterian and Methodist Episcopal Societies, each society having preaching services every alternate Sunday. In 1878 the Methodist Society concluded that there ap- peared to be enough ground to build on, and material enough to build with, by taking hold with a good deal of zeal in the right spirit. They accordingly began to move for a separate place of worship, and they started with their subscription paper and met with good success. The land was given by Mrs. A. Gibson, and in three months the church was built and finished. Elihu
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Methodist Church.
Gifford and wife, quite advanced in years, were great workers in this good cause. Mrs. Gifford was confined to her bed three years before her death, and while lying there she knit socks and mittens and pieced quilts to help pay a subscription of twenty. five dollars. The first trustees of the M. E. Church were Elias Chapman, Hamilton Gifford and G. T. Luther. West Camden has had more workers in the missionary field than many places of a larger size. ,
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DR. ADALINE D. H. KELSEY.
Among the residents here whose work has given their name a more than local interest is Dr. Adaline D. H. Kelsey, a daugh- ter of one of our earlier settlers. After graduating from Mt. Holyoke Seminary (now college), and the Woman's Medical College of New York Infirmary, and serving as physician in both institutions, Dr. Kelsey engaged in medical missionary work in China, under the Board of Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian Church, until ill health made her return to America necessary. After a brief furlough she took up similar work in Japan, under the Union Woman's Missionary Society, and on her return to this country after five years, was accompanied by two Japanese young ladies, of whose medical education she has had the super- vision. These young ladies graduated in Cincinnati, April, 1896, and are looking forward to the time when they will sail away to Sunrise Land with a pleasant remembrance of their life on Daisy Farm in West Camden.
REV. JOHN B. DEVINS.
Rev. John B. Devins spent the early part of his life in West Camden, at the home of Joshua Chapman, and was at one time a pupil of Dr. Kelsey. Going to New York as a young man. he spent some years on the staff of the New York Tribune, and was engaged in the "Fresh Air" movement. Later he studied theology and became pastor of Hope Chapel, a mission connected with the Fourth Avenue Presbyterian Church. He is actively engaged in many forms of benevolent work, and articles from his pen on questions of practical philanthropy frequently appear in the leading periodicals. He married the secretary of the Home of the Friendless, and she is a co-worker with him.
Miss Arma Smith, daughter of L. S. Smith, was for several years a teacher in the American College for girls in Constanti- nople. She was abroad three years, studying and teaching, and visited different parts of the Continent.
MISS CARRIE BATES.
Miss Carrie Bates, daughter of the late Rev. Eli Pates, who was for many years the pastor of the Presbyterian Church in this place. She was an invalid during her childhood and early
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womanhood, and on her restoration to health she connected her- self with the Christian Alliance, and is now a missionary in Khamgaon, India, under that organization.
PUBLIC SCHOOL.
This place had its public school from the first of their settling here. The first teachers were, Rachel Hungerford and Anna Comstock, and they taught in a log house owned by Manning Barnes, opposite the blacksmith shop. On this place a frame building was afterwards erected for a school-house. In 1838 this was replaced by another, which stood until 1869 or '70, when the district voted to erect a new one, and purchased a site just south of the old one. They have now a building with two de- partments, and it is in a flourishing condition.
MANUFACTORIES.
The precise date of building the first mill is unknown. There was one in operation at an early date, but receives distinct notice when bought by Daniel Stacy in the fall of 1818. The deed was reocrded from Ogden & Murray to Daniel Stacy, March II. 1823. He built a saw-mill, grist-mill, carding-mill, and added a rake-factory. January 31, 1831, this property was deeded to Samuel Morse and William Plumb, and the same day sold to Truman Cook of Connecticut. July 18. 1849, it was deeded from Truman Cook to George Cook, his nephew. January 2, 1850, it was conveyed from George Cook to Russell Winchester. Win- chester's heirs sold to Albert Mott, January 12, 1884. These dates are from the County Clerk's office. Mott Brothers changed the mill to a circular mill. The first chair factory was owned by Smith & Weed. It was destroyed by fire, and soon after, Alonzo Gibson purchased the site and built another chair factory, which flourished until the depression of business in 1895. It is now owned by Cummings & Brothers, and used for other business.
The first tannery was built by Henry Hawes, who sold to Potter & McKee; Potter sold his share to Mr. Stone, then the firm went by the name of Stone, McKee & Co. In 1859 it was sold to Delemater & Morse, and was burned April 2, 1876. Mr. Morse moved here from Jeffersonville, Sullivan County, N. Y., in 1859.
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WEST CAMDEN POND.
In the year 1825, the pond in West Camden, then owned by- Daniel Stacy, caused an epidemic called "pond fever," which so alarmed the people that many went away and did not return to their homes. Any one traveling through would make haste to get beyond this afflicted district. It was several years before this disease was under control. The dam on the site now owned by Mott Bros., was raised to a height of eleven feet, flowing the water on standing timber, which caused this fever. The mill dam was indicted as a public nuisance. It was torn down, and when the property changed hands the damn was raised about four feet, and has remained the same to the present time. There were so many sick at the time of the epidemic that people from ad- joining districts went to their aid. In the village of Camden, five miles away, Rev. Henry Smith, pastor of the Congregational Church, appointed two for each day among his people to act as nurses, and they would be seen going and coming every night and morning. Forty were dangerously ill at one time. Dr. Torbert of the village wasconstant and faithful in his care for the sufferers. There were a great many deaths: John Sperry's two sons died of the disease: the father, at the death of Angus, fell in a fit and died by his bedside: Davis lived but two months after: Daniel Stacy and father were among the victims, also Miles Johnson.
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