USA > New York > Essex County > Elizabethtown > Pleasant Valley : a history of Elizabethtown, Essex County, New York > Part 12
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SQUIER LEE, Oldest Man Living Who was Born in Elizabethtown.
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STATE OF NEW-YORK. In Senate, March 26th, 1807. This bill having been read the third time. Resolved, That the bill do pass. By order of the Senate.
JNO. BROOME, Presdt.
STATE OF NEW-YORK. In Assembly, April 3d, 1807.
This bill having been read the third time-
Resolved, That the bill do pass. By order of the Assembly.
A. M'CORD, Speaker.
In Council of Revision, April 3d, 1807.
Resolved, That it does not appear improper to the council, that this bill should become a law of this state. MORGAN LEWIS.
In the year 1807 occurred the death of Benjamin Holcomb, Esq., whose mortal remains were buried in the Boquet Valley cemetery. Benjamin Holcomb, Esq., settled in the Boquet Valley in 1792 and during the 15 years that he lived here, oc- cupied a high place in the estimation of the pioneer settlers. He served as Justice of the Peace and as Assistant Judge of the old Court of Common Pleas. A relative, either a daugh- ter or a sister of this much revered pioneer, married Dr. Asa Post and a son, Ansel by name, was mortally wounded Sept. 11, 1814, at the Battle of Plattsburgh, being shot in the side, and dying Sept. 13th, two days after the English turned back to- ward Canada. Ansel Holcomb's body was also buried in the Boquet Valley cemetery.
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The Inspectors of Election in Elizabethtown for the year 1808 were Hezekiah Barber, Eben'r Newell, Nathan Hammond, Enos Loveland.
In 1808 Jonas Morgan was granted another patent of land in Elizabethtown. Jonas Morgan had already built a forge on the Black River, at the place which we now call Meigsville. This forge he sold to Jacob Southwell and it is often referred to as the "Southwell forge."
Below is a quotation from the Act of the Legislature grant- ing the patent, April 28, 1808 :
"Whereas it hath been represented to the Legislature by Jonas Morgan and Ebenezer W. Walbridge in their petition that they have it in contemplation to erect works of different kinds for the manufacture of iron, in Elizabethtown in the county of Essex, and on account of the great expense and risk attending the erection of such works they have prayed for leg- islative aid ;
"And whereas the erection of such works, and especially of a furnace for casting of pig-iron, hollow-ware and stoves, in that part of the state, where iron ores of the best quality and the materials for working the same are abundant, would be so beneficial to the state at large, and particularly to the northern part of it, as justly to entitle such an undertaking to encourage- ment and aid from the Legislature ;
"And whereas it is also represented, that there is a tract of vacant land belonging to the people of this state, lying in the town of Elizabethtown aforesaid, on the north side of a tract of land belonging to the said Jonas Morgan, on which he has already erected a forge, and adjoining to the same, which will be useful, and in time perhaps absolutely necessary for carry- ing on the contemplated works to advantage, therefore"-the State not only granted Morgan and Walbridge the land, but lent them three thousand dollars for the prosecution of the
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work, on condition that the furnace be running within three years, a condition which was probably fulfilled, since we find mention of "Morgan's New Forge" in town records of 1815.
Whether he of Morgan's Patent fame made or lost a fortune on the banks of the Black River no one now living can tell. Before 1818 he had, according to Mrs. Caroline H. Royce, "sold out to Brainard and Mitchell, who built a grist-mill a little further down on the east side and since that time the place has always been known as Brainard's Forge."
When the dam at what is now called Brainard's Forge was built the interval was flooded clear up to the north line of his large patent. This made quite a body of water, known for several years as Morgan's Pond, extending from Brainard's Forge to what is now known as Meigsville. This was of course before the present turnpike road across the Black River was even dreamed of. A map of Morgan's Pond as it was in 1810 follows page 127 of this work and is, I believe, a copy of the only map of the kind in Northern New York.
John Lee, a man of Scotch descent, was living in 1807 on the farm now owned and occupied by John F. Ward and brothers. He is said to have settled there in 1800, his first wife being Ruth Ann Squiers. The marriage of John Lee and Ruth Ann Squiers took place in 1800, the bride at that time living on what is to-day known as the Barton place. However, on what is now known as the Ward farm, Squier Lee, fourth child of John and Ruth Ann Squiers Lee, was born Dec. 4, 1807. This information the writer received by word of mouth from Squier Lee himself in the summer of 1896. Squier Lee's picture appears elsewhere in this book. He is a resident of Bristol, Ind., and the oldest man living who was born in Elizabethtown. His wife was Clarissa Lee, eldest daughter of the late Noah Lee and eldest sister of the late Chauncey Lee.
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She died July 23, 1890. John Lee, with whom Squier Lee lives, is the only one of six children now living.
In 1808 James W. Coll emigrated from Ticonderoga and settled at the mouth of Raymond Brook on the shore of Lake Champlain and built mills where Raymond had built his be- fore him. Here a thriving colonly soon sprang up, its popu- lation exceeding for some years that of North west Bay, with a saw-mill, grist-mill, limekiln, blacksmith-shop and brickyard. Coll built his house a little way north of the mill site, on the corner, where it still stands, with its massive square timbers, cut from the trees of the forest primeval. James W. Coll had two brothers, Samuel and Levi, who came and settled near him at Coll's Bay. The late venerable Hinckley Coll, an intimate friend of the writer for many years, was the son of Levi Coll and was possessed of much valuable information concerning the early history of the Coll's Bay region.
Cyrus Richards who married Isabella MacConley, sister of Mrs. James W. Coll, also settled at Coll's Bay. The children of Cyrus Richards were William who married Mary Ann Hen- derson, Samantha who married John R. Nichols, Eliza who married Hezekiah Frisbie, (son of Levi,) Mary who married Ephraim Bradley, Cyrus who married for his first wife Mary McIntyre, his second wife being Julia Marsh, Charles who was drowned in the lake when a boy, Clarissa who married George Henderson and Barton who married Almira Newell.
In the year 1808 a new name appears in Elizabethtown rec- ords-that of Root. Samuel Root, (son of Eleazar, grandson of Thomas,) born July 7, 1759, in Farmington, Conn., married Dinah Woodruff of Farmington Conn., where they lived. Dinah Woodruff was a sister of Timothy, Appleton and Roger Hooker Woodruff who settled in what is now the town of Lewis at an early day. Samuel Root served in the Revolu- tionary army all through the war. He was a member of the
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Congregational Church and died Jan. 6, 1815. Dinah Wood- ruff was born Jan. 9, 1754, and died Feb. 9, 1848. The chil- dren of Samuel Root and wife were Eleazar, Asahel, Ira, Abigail.
Asahel Root was born in 1785 and died in June, 1861, in the town of Westport.
Asahel Root owned land in Elizabethtown village as early as 1808. He married Chloe Whitman and for a time ran a whiskey distillery which stood near where the old Noble store now stands. His Water Street dwelling house stood just a few feet west of the old Noble harness-shop. Asahel Root had two sons-William Whitman who was born in 1810 near where the old Noble harness-shop stands and Samuel who was born in 1817 just across the Street from Maplewood Inn.
William Whitman Root married Maria Rouell. Their chil- dren were William A., Cora and Charles. Wm. W. Root died in 1896. His wife died in 1903.
William A. Root married Katherine Elizabeth Root and lives in Bennington, Vt.
Cora Root and Charles Root (unmarried) live on the Water Street homestead so long occupied by their father and mother.
Samuel Root married Cynthia Fisher. Their children were Chloe Jane who married Charles Pattison and Marcia who married Solon Burroughs Finney. Samuel Root represented Essex County in the Assembly. He died in 1900.
About the year 1808 John Whitney came with his family from Springfield, Vt., following the newly cut road through the pine woods from Northwest Bay to the Falls. He settled about a mile above the Falls, on the east side of the Boquet River. Finally he erected a new frame house. As his princi- ples forbade the use of liquor as a beverage, he did not follow the general custom of giving men liquor at the "raising." So his house was known as the first in all that region which was
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"raised without rum." This house stood till December, 1901, when the old landmark was destroyed by fire.
In 1807 or 1808, according to Dr. Morgan B. Hodskins of the Massachusetts Hospital for Epileptics at Palmer, Mass., his grandfather, the late Brewster Morgan Hodskins, came to Elizabethtown from Walpole, N. H., being at that time a small boy. It has always been understood by the writer that Brewster Morgan Hodskins came to Elizabethtown with good Deacon Joseph Blake and his large wife Susanna. Deacon Blake (Congregationalist) and wife settled and lived for over
half a century on what has since been known as the Brownson farm, now owned and occupied by Emery J. Coonrod, being located about one mile down the Boquet River from Elizabeth- town village. The Blakes came from Walpole, N. H., as nu- merous old receipts, etc., dated there a century and more ago bear silent but convincing testimony. Deacon Joseph Blake died Jan. 12, 1860, aged 80 years, his mortal remains being buried in the old cemetery in the village of Elizabethtown. His wife Susanna died April 5, 1861, aged 84 years, and her remains were buried beside the good old Deacon. Increase Blake, probably Deacon Joseph Blake's mother, died Aug. 2, 1829, in her 88th year and was also buried in the old cemetery. Sus- anna Mansfield, who died Feb. 27, 1826, in her 80th year and whose remains were buried near the Blakes, was undoubtedly the mother of Mrs. Joseph Blake. John Blake, said to have been a nephew of the Deacon, died Oct. 4, 1865, aged 56 years, his mortal remains being buried in the old cemetery. Alan- son Blake, said to have been a brother of John Blake, married Elizabeth Shepard, a daughter of William Gray's wife.
Brewster Morgan Hodskins' father was Milton Hodskins. Brewster Morgan Hodskins married for his first wife Harriet Shepard, a sister of Alanson Blake's wife just previously men- tioned. Brewster Morgan Hodskins' children by his first wife
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were Ann, Amanda, Chauncey, Rufus B., Joseph, Ashel, Ros- anna, Laona.
Ann Hodskins married Oliver Oldruff.
Amanda Hodskins married Hiram Baker.
Chauncey Hodskins served as a soldier in the Union army during the late civil war, dying in a southern hospital.
Rufus B. Hodskins married Clementine Prouty.
Joseph Hodskins married Cordelia Frisbie.
Ashel Hodskins also married a Prouty, sister of Clementine. He was accidentally killed while working at sawing wood by horse power at the Oscar A. Phinney farm, Brainard's Forge, 28 years ago.
Rosanna Hodskins became the first wife of Martin V. B. Pierce, his second wife being Laona Hodskins, sister of the first.
Brewster Morgan Hodskins married for his second wife Sophrona Prouty, a sister of the Proutvs just previously men- tioned. By the second marriage there was one daughter, Viola, who married Wm. H. Lobdell.
Brewster Morgan Hodskins died in the spring of 1894, ven- erable in years and quite well off for a farmer in Elizabethtown.
In May, 1808, Dr. Asa Post became Clerk of the Elizabeth- town Baptist Church. Dr. Post wrote splendidly and his handwriting on the old records is considerably in evidence, as he held the position several years.
In the latter part of 1808 Daniel Haskell, afterwards the foun- der of the Theological Seminary at Hamilton, N. Y., became pastor elect of the Elizabethtown Baptist Church and was or- dained by a council called on the first Wednesday in Septem- ber, 1809. The churches forming the council were Essex, Jay, Northwest Bay, Pawlett, Chester, Panton and Bridport. Elder Hascall held the pastorate until the latter part of 1812.
Enos Loveland served as Supervisor of Elizabethtown in
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1809, the Inspectors of Election for that year being Ebenezer Newell, Enos Loveland, John Lobdell, Jacob Southwell, Asa Post.
Removal of the County Seat from Essex to Elizabethtown.
It seems that the charmingly beautiful valley in the northern part of Elizabethtown, where an incipient village was already located, and to which Nature directly pointed by having formed "passes" through the circumjacent hills, and being the nearest practicable site to the center of the county, irresistibly led the commissioners appointed by act of the Legislature in April, 1807, to decide in favor of "Pleasant Valley." And the County Seat was accordingly removed from Essex to Eliza- bethtown by a Clinton County man and two Washington County men, residents of this section having no more to do with de- ciding the location than men in the moon. Following is the deed given by Simeon Frisbee of the site occupied by the Essex County Court house and jail for almost a century :
This indenture made the sixth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and nine between Sim- eon Frisbee of the town of Elizabethtown in the County of Essex and State of New York of the one part and the Super- visors of the County of Essex, aforesaid of the other part wit- nesseth that the said Simeon Frisbee for & in consideration of the sum of one hundred Dollars current lawful money of the State of New York to him in hand paid at or before ensealing and delivery of these presents by the Supervisors aforesaid, re- ceipt whereof the said Simeon Frisbee doth hereby confess and acknowledge and thereof doth release the said Supervisors and their successors in office forever hath granted, bargained, sold, aliened, remissed, released, enfeoffed and confirmed and by these presents doth grant, bargain, sell, alien, remiss, re- lease, enfeoff and confirm unto the said supervisors and their
JOHN SANDERS, SR., A Commanding Figure in Elizabethtown History From 1827 to 1864.
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successors in office aforesaid for the sole and only proper use, benefit & behoof of the said county of Essex for the use of a Court House and Goal forever All that certain lot, piece or parcel of land situate, lying and being in the town of Eliz- abethtown aforesaid and is bounded as follows towit-Begin- ning at a stake south thirty seven degrees and thirty minutes west from the southwest corner of the court house in said town of Elizabethtown one chain and sixty two links and runs thence north sixty eight degrees east three chains and twenty five links to a stake thence north twenty five degrees west three chains and eight links to a stake. Thence south sixty eight degrees west three chains and twenty five links to a stake. Thence south twenty five degrees east three chains & eight links to the place of beginning containing one acre of land Together with all and singular the hereditaments and appurtenances unto the premises in any wise appertaining or belonging and the reversion and reversions remainder and remainders rents issues and profits thereof and also all the estate right title in- terest use trust property claim and demand whatsoever as well in law as in equity of the said Simeon Frisbee off in and to the same and every part and parcel thereof with the appurte- nance To have and to hold the above granted bargained and described premises with the appurtenance unto the said Su- pervisors and their successors in office for the proper use ben- efit and behoof of said County of Essex for a court house and goal forever, and the said Simeon Frisbee for himself his heirs executors and administrators doth covenant promise grant and agree to and with the said Supervisors and their successors in office that he the said Simeon Frisbee at the time of the enseal- ing and delivery of these presents is lawfully seized in his own right of in and to the aforesaid premises hereby granted and
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conveyed with the appurtenances as of a good sure perfect ab- solute and indefeasible estate of Inheritance in the law in fee simple without any manner of condition to alter change de- termine or defeat the same and hath in him good right full power and lawful authority to grant bargain sell convey and release the said premises with their appurtenances unto the said Supervisors and their successors in office in manner aforesaid. And also that the said Supervisors and their suc- cessors in office for the use of a court house and goal for said County of Essex shall and may from time to time and at all times and forever hereafter peaceably and quietly enter into have hold occupy possess and enjoy the said premises and every part and parcel thereof with the appurtenances and that free and clear from all estates charges conditions or in- cumbrances whatsoever. And also that the said Simeon Fris- bee and his heirs and all and every other person or persons whomsoever lawfully or equitably deriving any estate right title dower jointure or interest of in or to the premises or any part thereof by from under or in trust for him and them shall and will at all times hereafter upon the reasonable quest of the said Supervisors and their successors in office and at the proper costs and charges in the law of the said County of Essex make do acknowledge levy suffer and execute or cause and procure to be made done acknowledged levied suf- fered and executed all and every such further and other law- ful and reasonable acts conveyances and assurances in the law for the better and more effectually vesting and confirming the premises hereby intended to be granted in and to the said Su- pervisors and their successors in office for the use of a Court house and Goal for said County of Essex forever as by the said Supervisors or their successors in office or their counsel learned in the law shall be reasonably devised advised or required. And the said Simeon Frisbee for himself and his
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heirs doth covenant to warrant and by these presents forever to defend the premises and every part and parcel thereof with their appurtenances unto the said Supervisors and their suc- cessors in office for the purpose aforesaid against the claims of all persons whomsoever.
In witness whereof the said Simeon Frisbee hath hereunto set his hand and seal the day and year first above written.
SIMEON FRISBEE, L. S.
Sealed and delivered in the presence of Hezekiah Barber, David A. Hascall.
Acknowledged execution thereof 7th October, 1809, before Joseph Jenks, Judge. Fees $1.61.
Lucy Frisbee, wife of Simeon Frisbee, signed separate paper releasing all right, title and interest in same parcel of land in presence of Joseph Jenks and Benjamin D. Pardee.
The first Court House was built on a very modest scale but was burned soon after its erection and at once rebuilt under the superintendence of Manoah Miller, Theodorus Ross and Delevan DeLance. These primitive County Buildings stood on or near the site of the present Court House and County Clerk's office.
Elisha Frisbee died in Elizabethtown Oct. 12, 1809, just six days after his son Simeon deeded the site on which the pres- ent Court House, Jail and County Clerk's office stand. Simeon Frisbee's eldest sister, Harriett Frisbee, married Norman Nicholson, Elizabethtown's first Postmaster. Their son, the late George S. Nicholson, Esq., was the father of John D. Nicholson, Esq., Elizabethtown's present Postmaster.
Simeon Frisbee was County Clerk of Essex County from 1808 to 1816, in which latter year he moved to Chatauqua County, N. Y.
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Establishment of the State Arsenal in Elizabethtown.
The year 1809, an eventful one generally, was particularly so for Elizabethtown. The year that gave the world so many great and good men, including Lincoln and Gladstone, gave to Pleasant Valley Orlando Kellogg, who was destined to become the most famous man Northern New York ever produced. The year 1809 witnessed the beginning of operations which re- sulted in the building of a State Arsenal here and also the ar- rival of the editor of the first newspaper ever printed in Essex County.
The following from the Governor Daniel D. Tompkins Mili- tary Papers, Vol. II, Page 201, regarding the establishment of the Arsenal here will be of special interest, as it tells of the beginning of a State institution in Pleasant Valley and is now published in a local history for the first time : March.
Memorandum concerning a deposit of Arms to be erected at Elizabethtown, Essex County.
1st Title to a Lot of Ground at least 66 feet by 100 fronting on some road or Street must be obtained.
2nd The building must not be less than 20 feet by 30 with the gable end towards the road or Street and to be of stone, brick or Wood according as a Majority of Gentlemen hereafter named may deem most suitable, ornamental & œconomical.
3rd If built of stone they must be of the first quality of build- ing stone smoothly faced and handsomely laid. If choice stone cannot be procured the building ought rather to be of brick or timber.
4th The foundation will consist of an extensive mason wall of ample thickness to support the superstructure and an interior wall running lengthwise through the center. The first at least two feet and the second at least one foot in
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the ground and both raised to an exact level at least eighteen inches above the surface of the ground. The foundation Walls to be of the best building stone. A plate on the interior wall will support three pillars, the first 12 feet, the second 18 and the third 24 feet from the front door. The front door must be a substantial double door with a small door in it both substantial and well made, with strong hinges and locks. The width of the double door must be sufficient freely to admit Gun car- riages.
5th The sleepers of the lower floor must be of chestnut or pine seasoned 12 inches by 6 and not laid more than 18 inches apart. The pillars in the center plate must be substan- tial. The beams of the second floor at least 9 inches by 4 and not more than 20 inches apart are to be framed into or rest upon a substantial plate which will rest upon the pillars and end walls. The lower floor to be of sea- soned plank 3 inches thick. There must be one window opposite the double door and one in each side with iron gates worked into the wall at top and bottom. Joists must be worked into the wall projecting 2 inches within it, to which a ceiling of planed thin boards may be at- tached. The first story must not be less than 8 feet in the clear. The second floor must be made of good sea- soned plank or thick boards. The side walls must be carried up 4} or 5 feet above the second floor, and the cross or collar beams must be so placed as to leave at least seven feet between them and the floor. A door in the second story over the double door with a fixture above it for hoisting. A window in the opposite end and if practicable a small semicircular window above the door and the opposite window. The dimensions of 30 by 20 feet will be in the clear between the walls.
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6th If built of brick the exterior must be well and neatly painted and penciled and the roof painted a slate color. Some of the beams of the second floor and some of the rafters ought to be so anchored with iron as to prevent the side walls from spreading apart. There must be a staircase and stairs between the first and second floor. The lot ought to be enclosed with a substantial board fence about six feet high with a large gate in front. The building should be erected in the center of the lot and its walls parallel with the sides of the lot. The whole to be of the very best materials and workmanship.
If Isaac Kellog, Benjamin and Simeon Frisbie, William Kirby and E. Barns, or a majority of them, will ascertain whether suitable ground can be obtained and will name one of themselves or other person who is willing to superintend the building, keep vouchers and account for the money advanced, I will immediately forward the necessary sum and direct the immediate commencement of the building. I will thank them to inform me of the probable cost of each building, give me their opinion of as to the materials they may think best for the building, as to the piece of ground, and as to any other matter touching the size and model of the building or other- wise concerning it.
Albany, July 31, 1809.
In the fall of 1809 a man named William Ray came to reside in "Pleasant Valley." He was born in Salisbury, Litchfield County, Conn., Dec. 9, 1771, and eventually had quite a ro- mantic career.
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