USA > New York > Essex County > Elizabethtown > Pleasant Valley : a history of Elizabethtown, Essex County, New York > Part 18
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LEVI De WITT BROWN, Father of the Author of Pleasant Valley.
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ënte was of inestimable value to Elizabethtown dwellers in 1816, as it enabled them to turn off a product, regardless of climatic conditions, in exchange for foodstuffs from more favored localities, and for kept over produce, etc.
Following are the names constituting Elizabethtown's jury list in 1817 : Stephen Ashley, Azel Abel, Joseph Blake, Chester Bristol, Nathan Betts, David Brainard, Ashbel Brownson, Jr., John Blake, Lucius Bishop, Elijah Calkin, Case Cummins, Calvin Calkin, Isaac Calkin, John Calkin, Joseph Durand, John Daniels, Simeon Durand (son of Joseph) Nathan Esta- brook, Anson Finney, Frederick Haasz, Eben. Hanchett, Ithai Judd, Elijah Kellogg, William Kellogg, John Knox, Rowland Kellogg, Orson Kellogg, Sylvanus Lobdell, Philip Miller; Moses Noble, Ezra Nichols, Pollaus A. Newell, David Osgood, Ira Phelps, Ralph Phelps, Aaron B. Palmer, Azor Rusco, Amos Rice, Truman Rice, Jonathan Steele, Zachariah Straight, John Smith, 2d, Jacob Southwell, Gardner Simonds, Erastus Simonds, Alexander Trimble.
Alexander Trimble, the last named man eligible for jury duty here in 1817, operated for a time on the "Tannery Brook," so-called, being succeeded by Gen. Ransom Noble and sons there.
In the winter of 1817 Wm. Ray must have been a resident of Onondaga, C. H., according to the following letter which we print, as it gives us the last authentic information concerning Elizabethtown's pioneer editor :
Onondaga, C. H., February 10, 1817.
Sir : When I take a retrospect of your unmerited kindness toward me and reflect that we must shortly be deprived of your services as Chief Magistrate of this State, which your mild administration has so long blessed, I cannot but feel the most poignant regret at the separation which necessarily must
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follow your election to the second office in the Union; and I feel it a duty not to be dispensed with to tender you my grate- ful acknowledgements and my warmest wishes for your tem- poral and eternal felicity. As to myself nothing but the most gloomy prospects open before me in this life but thanks to a merciful God I can now look beyond the grave with hope and confidence. My failings, my errors, my offences against heaven have been great and manifold, but I trust that they have found forgiveness through the merits of a Redeemer, and I am fully determined that my future life shall be dedicated to his glory.
Whatever ingratitude I have been guilty of towards your Ex- cellency, may I have the consideration to know will be forgiven. My situation, my distresses, my insupportable poverty have heretofore worked my mind almost into distraction and plunged me into vices and follies which my soul naturally abhorred. In politics, warmly attached to the Republican cause and ve- hemently (perhaps too much so) opposed to every thing which looked to me like encroachments on the rights of that cause, I have created to myself many enemies and some among those who style themselves Republicans. It cannot have escaped your notice, Sir, that aristocratical combinations are formed and forming in almost every County in the State, determined to monopolize all the offices in the gift of the people and suffer me to predict that if these things are permitted much longer they will surely bring death to the Republican party. There is such a squad in this County consisting of the Earlls and their connections, men of no talents who are positively as intol- erant and oppressive toward Republicans who claim any inde- pendence or any rights as even the federalists of '98. These men I have not bowed to, and of course am persecuted by them. I tell you these things as sincere and weighty truths because I consider them as spring mines to Republicanism. I mention
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them too on another account. My name may possibly be mentioned to the Council as Judge of Common Pleas, and if so will probably be opposed by Judge Webb, who I am sorry to say is too much under the influence of this Junto.
Wishing your Excellency every joy in your new career of glory, and all the happiness and prosperity compatible with human nature, its frailties and vicissitudes,
I remain, Sir,
Your Excellency's Humble and obedient Servant,
WM. RAY.
His Excellency, GOVERNOR TOMPKINS.
Inasmuch as Luther Marsh, the printer, died in 1816, and as Wm. Ray, the editor, had moved away from Elizabethtown before February 10, 1817, it is probable that the little four page paper, The Reveille, ceased to make its weekly calls during the cold season. What a brief and sad existence Essex County's pioneer newspaper must have had, founded in 1812 and expiring during the cold season, only four years later. During its early infancy Wm. Ray, its editor, was struggling with an intensity of vigor and determination worthy of any cause to have Simeon Frisbee removed from the office of Essex County Clerk to the end that he (Ray) might enjoy the plum, while Luther Marsh, Simeon Frisbee's son-in-law, was its printer and of course supported interests in another direction. Verily, it was "a house divided against itself." In 1816 Luther Marsh went to his grave, Simeon Frisbee moved to Chautauqua Co., N. Y., in 1816 and died at Fredonia a few months afterwards and, in all human probability, poor, disappointed Wm. Ray had left these parts and The Reveille had drawn its expiring breath ere the cold year 1816 had all passed into history. Truly, what a melancholy succession of
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events cluster about the brief existence of Elizabethtown's first newspaper.
In the year 1817 Jeremiah Stone and Vashti Chase, his wife, arrived in Elizabethtown, having come from Worcester County, Mass. Vashti Chase was a descendant of Aquila Chase, the old sailor who came over from England, settling in Newbury, at the mouth of the Merrimac River, in 1646. It is recorded that Aquila Chase was granted four acres of land in Newbury "for a house-lott and six acres of upland for a planting lott," etc., "on condition that he do goe to sea and do service in the towne, with a boate for four years." Aquila Chase went to sea and it is recorded that after a certain long voyage he returned to his Newbury home, arriving on Sunday morning. Shortly after his arrival home that Sunday morning, as people were going to or from church, the sailor was observed in his garden picking green peas. This was too much for the Puritanical New England observers of the Sabbath breaking and they re- ported the sailor to the authorities, whereupon Aquila Chase and wife and David Wheeler, brother of Aquila Chase's wife, were taken into Court. For the offence the Court ordered them to be admonished and their fines remitted.
Jeremiah Stone was a gunsmith and for many years was Curator of the State Arsenal here, looking after the guns, keep- ing them cleaned and repaired, ready for action in case of need.
In the year 1818 Jeremiah Stone built the house now known as the Judge Robert S. Hale house, to which additions have since been made.
Mr. Stone's shop stood directly across the Little Bo- quet from where the Library building is located. Captain Stone, as he was locally known on account of his command over the arsenal, built a dam across the Little Boquet near where the present Hale foot-bridge islocated. From the pond formed he built a flume which extended out into the yard four
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or five rods and then turned at a right angle and went east sev- eral rods. The upper portion of the flume was covered but it was left open just above the shop. This flume furnished the power to run the trip-hammer, etc.
Mr. and Mrs. Stone had two sons, both of whom died young. The first of the two-Jeremiah-died Sept. 13, 1823, in his 2d year and the other one-Nehemiah-was drowned in the flume just above his father's shop on the 19th day of July, 1827, their bodies being buried in the old cemetery. The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Stone (Lovina Sibley Stone) married Robert Safford Hale.
The Reveille was succeeded by the Essex Patriot, conducted by Oliver and Lewis Person, father and son, the office being on Water Street.
Elizabethtown's Inspectors in 1817 were Asa Post, Jon. Steele, Azel Abel, Jacob Southwell.
In 1818 Elizabethtown's Supervisor was Ezra C. Gross, the Inspectors being Ezra C. Gross, Azel Abel and N. Nicholson.
In the month of July, 1818, there was a sensation in Eliz- abethtown village. The excitement was caused by the raid officials made on the counterfeit money making establishment then in operation on the Plain. Isaac Hogle and a man named Curtis, both located at the inn then kept by Miss Lucy Wil- lard, where Deer's Head Inn now stands, were prominent in the deal. It seems that Miss Lucy Willard fell under suspi- cion, perhaps for harboring Hogle and Curtis. At any rate papers were placed in the hands of the late Nathan Perry, Sr., for the arrest of Lucy Willard. However, those papers were never served. As Mr. Perry went in at the front of the house Lucy Willard went out of a back door and up the Boquet Valley to the farm of Azel Abel. Arriving at Azel Abel's house, she went in and remained there secreted until nightfall. This was July 27, 1818. The next day, July 28, 1818, she
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married Ira Marks and no papers were served upon her, Isaac Hogle, however, was arrested and put in jail for having in his possession and attempting to pass counterfeit money. It is recorded that he tried to break goal and was indicted therefor, as well as for attempting to pass counterfeit money.
Ira Marks, born June 5, 1791, was the youngest son of Isaac Marks and Betsey Colins, his wife. Eliona Marks, an elder brother of Ira, was born April 16, 1787. The Marks boys moved to Elizabethtown from Vergennes, Vt. Eliona Marks was the father of the late Abiel Marks and Henry Marks, both of whom were reared in Elizabethtown, went to New York City and became wealthy, enabling them to return to the scenes of their boyhood and pass the summer season as guests. Sunny Lawn, the fine country home adjoining the Deer's Head Inn property, is owned by Mrs. Mary B. Marks, widow of Henry Marks.
Eliona Marks died February 28, 1864, in the 77th year of his age. Ira Marks died August 31, 1865, in his 75th year. Abiel Marks and Henry Marks died a few years ago and the mortal remains of all were buried in Riverside cemetery.
Valley Lodge, No. 314, the first Masonic Lodge ever organ- ized in Elizabethtown, received a charter September 6, 1818, on the recommendation of Essex Lodge, No. 162, signed by H. H. Ross as W. M. Its first officers were Ezra Carter Gross, W. M., Luman Wadhams, S. W., John Barney, J. W., and its other members were Theo. Ross, Jacob Day, Norman Newell, Augustus Noble, Hannibal C. Holden, Appleton Woodruff and Norman Nicholson. The meetings were held the second Monday of the month. The place of meeting was in the second story of the Ira Marks' red store, which stood just below the end of the bridge, near where the driveway to the Judge Rob- ert S. Hale house leaves Maple Street. In 1819, Valley Lodge reported 26 members with William Livingston as Master.
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Åfter the death of Morgan a book agent appeared one night in the Ira Marks' store. He got out his Morgan books and talked against Masonry. John Archibald, the local wag, was present, as were several others. Suddenly all the lights in the store went out and when more light was furnished the book agent was minus his books. It is said that John "Arch." did some quick sleight of hand work during that moment of darkness. In the freshet of 1830 the Ira Marks' store went down stream, Masonic property and all.
In 1819 Ezra Carter Gross went to Congress from Elizabeth- town and served two terms, having previously served two years-from March, 1815, to March, 1819-as Surrogate of Essex County.
Elizabethtown's Supervisor from 1819 to 1823, inclusive, was Alexander Morse.
The Inspectors for 1819 were Alexander Morse, N. Nichol- son, Jacob Southwell, John Calkin, Pollaus A. Newell.
It was during the year 1819 that Edmund F. Williams ar- rived in Elizabethtown. He was then a young fellow only 18 years of age, having been born in Bristol, Eng., in 1801. He went to work for Daniel Ross and eventually married Sarah Ann Ross, daughter of Theodorus Ross. By this union a large family of children was born as follows : Edmund, Charles, Frank, John Van Rensselaer, Elizabeth, Thomas H. and Ross. E. F. Williams went into the militia and rose to be Colonel by which title he was universally known, far and near.
March 2, 1819, Ashley Pond was appointed Surrogate of Essex County, which office he held till March 3, 1821.
In 1820 Elizabethtown's Inspectors were Alexander Morse, N. Nicholson, David Brainard, John Calkin, Pollaus A. Newell.
In 1821 Elizabethtown's Inspectors were Alexander Morse, Leander J. Lockwood, John Calkin, Azel Abel and Jacob Southwell.
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March 3, 1821, Captain John Calkin of Battle of Plattsburgh fame, was appointed Surrogate of Essex County, which office he held continuously till April 15, 1831. Captain John Calkin, it will be recalled, was a farmer and lived all these years on & farm up on the slope of Mt. Hurricane, driving down in the morning and back home at night.
In 1821 Ashley Pond was appointed Essex County Clerk. He was elected to the same office under the constitution of 1821 and held it continuously till his death in September, 1827. During his administration as Essex County Clerk the office was in a small building which stood on the east side of what is now Maple Street, near where the Lamson house stands to- day. The late Judge Byron Pond remembered the location of the building well and often pointed it out to the writer.
The First Congregational Church in Elizabethtown, com- posed of members from the Church in Lewis, and some others, was organized March 25, 1821, by the Rev. Cyrus Comstock, missionary. It consisted of 32 members.
At its organization Timothy Brainard and Joseph Blake were chosen deacons. Deacon Brainard died Nov. 17, 1824. Deacon Blake died Jan. 12, 1860.
During the first year Father Comstock, as he was reveren- tially called, had the general oversight of the church and min- istered from time to time.
Elizabethtown's Inspectors for the year 1822 were Alexander Morse, Azel Abel and John Calkin.
Immigration increased after the close of the War of 1812. Commerce had been helped instead of hindered by the neces- sities of that war and the lumber business thrived throughout this section from 1815 to 1830. Shortly after the close of the War of 1812 "the new court house road," practically the pres- ent stage route from Elizabethtown to Westport, was opened across the Black River, that swampy place being filled in, etc.
LOVINA KNEELAND BROWN, Mother of the Author of Pleasant Valley.
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Up to this time the regular route from Elizabethtown to Lake Champlain was by way of the hamlet now known as Meigs- ville.
Speaking of the lumber business along Lake Champlain during this period Robinson says : "The great pines, that fifty years before had been reserved for the masting of his Majes- ty's navy, were felled now by hardy yoemen who owed allegi- ance to no earthly king, and, gathered into enormous rafts, voyaged slowly down the lake, impelled by sail and sweep. They bore as their burden barrels of potash that had been condensed from the ashes of their slain brethren." Bales of furs went often along this route and when the raftsmen came back by boat they brought salt and manufactured goods, often of European make.
For black salts and potash early local merchants usually paid one-half cash and the balance in goods.
In the month of October, 1822, occurred the death and funeral of General Daniel Wright, the latter being conducted with military honors, Brigadier General Luman Wadhams of the 40th Brigade heading the imposing procession.
Reference to the old Elizabethtown Baptist Church records shows that on Saturday, April 5, 1823, church meeting was held according to appointment, at which time it was "Voted that the Clerk be requested to leave the Ch'h Records with Sister Hatch so long as Ch'h meetings are held at her house." On Saturday, May 3, 1823, church meeting was held at "the Brick School House" and as the Court House had just been destroyed by fire this famous educational institution of that early day continued for sometime to be the place of meeting for the Baptist people. In May, 1823, Asa Farnsworth, whose wife was Abigail Brown, was elected Deacon of the church ; he and Amos Smith were ordained to the Deacon's office Oct. 9, 1824. In August, 1824, Paul Richards was licensed to
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preach. Orson Kellogg's license was renewed the same date. Elizabethtown's Supervisor in 1823 and 1824 was Ezra Car- ter Gross. It would seem that his being Congressman did not put him above serving his townspeople at home.
The Court House, one story, was built of brick soon after its destruction by fire in 1823. The brick used were made from clay taken out of the bank just below what has since been known as the Valley Forge settlement.
Alanson Mitchell served as Supervisor of Elizabethtown in 1825 and 1826. He was an elder brother of Wm. N. Mitchell and kept a store where the Post Office block now stands in Elizabeth- town village. He also served as Postmaster, having the Post Office in one part of his store. In 1826 Alanson Mitchell and Captain John Lobdell had charge of the men who cut out and built the road through what is now the town of North Elba and on to Hopkinton. Squier Lee, then 19 years of age, helped build this road.
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Elizabethtown From 1825 to the Civil War.
In 1825 Basil Bishop built his famous cold blast forge at Split Rock Falls on the Boquet River. Dr. Midas E. Bishop, a nephew of Basil Bishop, thus describes this forge : "The air from the bellows did not pass through iron pipes to be heated before it went into the fire, consequently nothing but charcoal from hard wood could be used and it took six hours to make a loop weighing 150 pounds. Loop was the name for the mass of iron accumulated in making wrought iron from ore. The ore that uncle used was dug on the Kibbie farm now owned by Stephen Pitkin, from a bed at the foot of Iron Mountain west of the old Horatio Deming farm and from a bed up Roaring Brook nearly opposite the bridge that crosses the brook to Uncle Jonathan Post's saw-mill. Ore was also used from Mr. Noble's bed on the Pete lot. But none of the ores in the valley would make good bar iron because it was lacking in quartz and when the bars were hammered at a red heat they cracked and it was called "red shear," but properly red sear. There was no way of overcoming the difficulty except to mix the val- ley ores with lean ores from Fisher Hill and the Sanford bed at Mineville. The iron was all hammered into bars about four inches wide and three quarters of an inch thick. Blacksmiths used to split them to make horseshoes. Uncle's forge had a water blast. I examined it as far as I could but still could not understand how falling water could make wind. I climbed
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up by the flume above the forge. The forge was not run- ning then and I opened the gate and let on the water so I could see how it worked. The water ran in a box about a foot square about the forge building and then straight down nearly 40 feet into the centre of a boxed up place 10 or 15 feet square where I was told the water fell upon a table and made the blast which was perfectly steady and furnished wind enough for two fires.1 The wheel for the hammer was about 6 feet in diameter and there was a long chute outside of the forge set at 45 degrees that conducted the water to the wheel which ran very fast for a hammer wheel. It ran almost like a trip-ham- mer and was noisy. I often heard it at home (New Russia) on still nights. It was a breast wheel, plainly made, two plank disks with planks set in the edges and the water struck on the underside. An overshot wheel has cup shaped buckets and necessarily must run slow so as to give time for the buckets to empty. An undershot wheel is made the same way and the water is not conducted over the wheel."
In 1825 Samuel Williams was engaged in the manufacture of hats in Elizabethtown, having come from the town of Jay. He married Eunice Stevens of Lewis and lived on Water Street, having his hat manufactory in one part of his house. In those days he took hats by the wagon load to Albany, N. Y. The main part of the Samuel Williams house was later moved up Water Street and now constitutes the upright part of E. Tru- deau's dwelling house.
The children of Samuel and Eunice Williams were Jane, Charles Noble, Eunice, Emily, Sarah, Julia and Steptoe Catlin.
Jane Williams married Cyrus Kellogg. Both died many years ago.
Charles Noble Williams married Mary Abel and became one
1 Dr. Bisbop informs me that he once found a natural water blast on the north branch of the Boquet River, one "not boxed in."
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of the most widely known and most successful business men Elizabethtown ever had. He served as Clerk of the Essex County Board of Supervisors and was elected County Treas- urer of Essex County on the ticket with Abraham Lincoln in November, 1860, and held the office continuously for twelve years, four three year terms, after which he served as Post- master of Elizabethtown about 12 years. From 1883 to his death in the spring of 1905 he conducted the largest and best equipped drug store in Essex County. During his lifetime he was an extensive mill owner and had put up over 60 buildings within the present township of Elizabethtown. He is survived by a widow and two daughters, Jennie M. and Clara Williams.
Eunice and Julia Williams both died young.
Emily Williams married Leander Abel, who died in Jan- uary, 1903.
Sarah Williams married Charles H. Nichols of Lewis.
Steptoe Catlin Williams married Josephine Glidden of Eliz- abethtown and they live on the old Deacon Harry Glidden homestead.
Before 1825 General Ransom Noble and sons had become interested in Elizabethtown, having purchased land and erected buildings here. They erected the brick store, (still known as the Noble store)a harness-shop,a shoe-shop the tannery and the fine brick house occupied by Charles Henry Nobleand family to-day. During the year 1825 Alexander MacDougal, the noted Scotch tanner, arrived in Elizabethtown, having previously worked for Gen. Noble in Essex. He said Gen. Noble sent him out here to "look after the boys," meaning Gen. Noble's sons. However, he went to work in the Noble tannery and was em- ployed there for many years. Several of his sons worked in the tannery, one of them, Alexander, Jr., becoming a good tan- ner. The Nobles did an extensive business, employing a large number of men. The Noble tannery and harness-shop were
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landmarks here for many years and numerous incidents are said to have occurred in and around those places.
The brick used in the construction of the Noble store were made on the same spot where the late Timothy Seckington made the last brick ever manufactured in Elizabethtown. Asahel Root made the brick used in the construction of the Noble store. It was when these brick were being made that the late William Whitman Root, then a boy in his teens, car- ried his father's dinner down to the brick kiln and thus began working in the interest of the Nobles. It is said that, first and last, William Whitman Root worked for the Nobles more than 50 years.
In the Noble harness and shoe-shop worked two men, Robert Linton and Robert Witherspoon, who were special adepts. They were of Scotch-Irish descent, sandy complexioned, and knew the shoe-making business from a to z, having been regimental shoe-makers in the British army before coming to Elizabeth- town. Robert Linton was the older man and lived on Water Street, his place being still referred to as the Linton house. Witherspoon accumulated some property and moved from Elizabethtown to Jay. Thomas Jefferson Otis and John Stod- dard were also employed in the Noble harness and shoe-shop, as were Ezra Turner, Felix LaDue, Joshua D. Richards, E. P. Adams, Titus Smith, and a Frenchman with a wooden leg, whose name no one seems to recall. Then too there were John Turner, Alex. Turner and Jonas Blood, who was a sad- dler by trade. Jonas Blood is said to have been a remarka- ble man in many ways and if it had not been for strong drink would have made his mark in the world.
Alanson Wilder, afterwards Sheriff of Essex County, was foreman of the Noble shoe-shop.
The community depended entirely in those days upon the Noble shoe-shop for boots and shoes. And it may well be
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added here that all the leather manufactured in the Noble tan- nery was made up into boots, shoes and harness by the Noble workmen and that the business, large though it was, conducted here in Elizabethtown village, was only an adjunct of the larger iron and lumber business carried on at the Kingdom, Lewis and Essex.
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