USA > New York > Essex County > Elizabethtown > Pleasant Valley : a history of Elizabethtown, Essex County, New York > Part 3
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27
2 In 1789 there were two towns within the present limits of Essex County-Crown Point, formed March 23, 1786, and Willsborough, formed from Crown Point, March 7, 1788, Jay was formed from Willsborough Jan. 16, 1793. Elizabethtown was formed from Crown Point Feb. 12, 1798.
27
HISTORY OF ELIZABETHTOWN
cattle, head for head, they purchased a small drove between twenty and thirty head, two years old and some yearlings, and drove them into Canada, and made the exchange as they ex- pected ; on returning to Plattsburgh, they concluded to return in Roger's newly cut road ; they drove on until they came to lot No. 5 in the valley, the flat now occupied by Ira Wakefield and Edward Hendee; here they concluded from the appearance of the mountains, that they were past the place where they meant to turn out to go to Grog-harbor ferry ; they left their horses on the flat, went back to the top of Raven-hill, to dis- cover the whereabouts they were; they then went back and drove their horses through the woods to Panton.
Lamb and Goszard were greatly excited by the beautiful appearance of the valley of Boquet and reported in Panton, that they had seen the handsomest tract of land in the world ; the garden of Eden could not be higher extoled than they extoled the valley of Boquet ; the timber was principally butter- nut and sugar maple, and a sprinkling of other timber, and many large pines ; the soil of the intervale was of a chocolate color, and looked good enough to eat, the soil of upland was in color a light spanish brown, very different from its appear- ance at the present day ; and the beautiful river with its gravel bottom, and pure water as clear as crystal and abounding with trout, the most delicious pan-fish.
Six or eight men in Panton were much excited by the report of the drovers, and came over to examine for themselves ; when they came to see the beautiful valley, they were satisfied with the report, that it was all true; they went immediately to Capt. Rogers and bargained for lots of land in the valley, for one dollar and twenty five cents an acre, and agreed to get on as many settlers as they could. Captain Rogers told them the company wanted to sell their land, for they were under obligation to the State to get on a certain number of settlers
REV. CYRUS COMSTOCK, (FATHER COMSTOCK) Founder of Congregationalism in Essex County.
30
HISTORY OF ELIZABETHTOWN
by a given time. They looked out a passage, marked the trees, and cut a foot path from North Ferris' bay, (now Cole's bay) across the hills, and by Little Pond to lot No. 8, in the valley, now owned by Horatio Deming, a distance of ten miles, all a wilderness.
Early in March 1792 two or three families moved into the valley; men and women walked on snow-shoes, the snow be- ing three feet deep on the high land ; one woman more reso- lute than common, it was said, carried sixty weight on her back, the ten miles, and walked on snow-shoes.
They built little sheds to live in while they made maple sugar; as the spring opened more settlers came on, and the next year a number of families came from Monkton and other places. The first settlers especially the first year suffered much hardship from their destitute circumstances ; they had to bring their provisions from Panton principally, and most of them on their backs ; I think there was but one horse in the valley the first summer ; Noah Ferris had a canoe, nearly as large as a whale-boat, commonly called Noah's Ark, in which he ferried people across the Lake with their provisions, &c. In the course of the summer, Benjamin Holcomb, Esq., pur- chased a steel mill, in the form of a coffee mill, but much larger, by which they ground their grain, for one or two years, (but it made very coarse bread,) until E. Bishop got his grist- mill ready to run. We will now look at their habitations; they are made of logs, some of them hewed down a little in- side, the spaces between chincked in with ground moss, the roof made of spruce bark, so laid on as to shed rain, the floors were Basswood split plank, their chairs were Basswood plank with three or four legs, the tables were of the same material with longer legs. But the people appeared cheerful and happy under their trials and hardship ; the prospect ahead, the antici- pated prosperity, was a source of encouragement to persevere
31
HISTORY OF ELIZABETHTOWN
in industry and frugality ; all their crops looked promising, success seemed to follow their efforts, and they expected a competent living in a short future. I think it was in fall of 1792 the inhabitants mustered strength enough to cut out a sled path from what is now called Fisher bridge to Northwest Bay, so they could now pass with loaded teams each way ; their teaming business was all done with sleds and sleighs ; for there was not a wheel carriage in the valley for two or three years.
After they had cut out a road to Northwest bay, and the Ice on the Lake became sound, they brought in by sleighing the house furniture they had left in Panton, such as chairs, tables, chests, &c. In the course of that winter and spring, a large number of families moved into the valley, so that most of the lots were taken up.
Elijah Bishop, a mechanic of all trades, moved into the val- ley in the spring of 1793 ; he built a saw-mill first and then a grist-mill, which were a great accommodation to the inhabi- tants; they could now obtain boards and plank for their floors, and other uses ; and have good flour, by having their grain ground fine and bolted, and making a material change in the article of bread.
I will now endeavor to tell the names of the first settlers on each lot ; beginning at the south end of the valley ; Jedediah Holcomb settled on the south hundred acres of lot No. 2, now owned by Reuben Nichols. (These are 200 acre lots up to No. 8) Jonah Hanchet took up the north 100, now owned by Randal Reed. Walter Buck took the south 50 acres of lot No. 3, now owned by Luke Rice. Mr. Buck took the next 50 acres. Sampson Smith took the north 100, now owned by Stewart Smith. Heman Finney took the north 100 acres of lot No. 4, now owned by John Saunders, Jr., and Joel Finney took the south 100, now owned by John Saunders, Jr. Ben-
32
HISTORY OF ELIZABETHTOWN
jamen Holcomb, Esq., took lots No. 5 and 6 and gave up the north half of No. 5 to Elijah Bishop to build mills on the falls, where the mills and forge now stand. The land now owned by Lucius Bishop. The Forge and mills now owned by Put- nam & Co.
The south half of No. 5 now owned principally by Edward Hendee. The remainder of No. 6 owned by Ira Wakefield ex- cepting the south 50 acres sold to John Saunders, Sr. Ware- ham Barber took the south 100 acres of No. 7, the same which I have since occupied. Almond Holcomb took the next 50 acres now owned by Jonathan Post. Nathan Lewis took the north 50 acres of No. 7 and the whole of lot No. 8, now owned by Horatio Deming. Then comes three 300 acre lots Nos. 5, 6 and 7, Hesekiah Phelps took the south 100 of No. 5, now owned by Willard Deming, Ira Phelps took the next 50 acres, now owned by Jacob Deyoe. William Kellogg took the north 150 acres, now owned by Jonathan and Dana Wakefield. Gardner Simonds took the south 100 acres of lot No. 6, now owned by William E. Marshall. Joseph Durand took the middle 100 acres, now owned by Erastus and J. Lobdell.
Reuben Peck took the north 100 acres, now owned by Al- fred Ames. Noah Davis took the south 100 acres of lot No. 7, and Isaac Knapp the middle 100, both belong now to Levi D. Brown. The north 100 acres now owned by Oliver Abel. Then comes 200 acre lots again. Sylvanus Lobdell took the south 100 acres of lot No. 9, now owned by Mrs. Abel. Peter Fish took the north 100 acres of No. 9, now owned by Oliver Abel. Lot No. 10 lies principally east of the river unsettled, but occupied by neighboring farmers. Capt. Rogers wanted the Gristmill and possessions of Noah Ferris at Cole's Bay ; he gave Ferris two lots No. 11 and 12 in the valley, containing 400 acres of land, for his possessions at Cole's Bay. Lot. No. 13 was taken by Jonas Gibbs, and his sons ; now owned I be-
33
HISTORY OF ELIZABETHTOWN
lieve principally by Judge Hand. After Noah Ferris had ob- tained a deed of the 400 acres of land, he moved into the val- ley, and built a log house near the west line of lot No. 11 ; and was said, or thought to be the most forehanded man in the valley, owning 400 acres of land, and free from debt ; he lived here but a few years, for his land went from him, piece after piece, and piece after piece, from under his hand and seal, until he had not a foot of land left, of the 400 acres, to stand on ; he then went and settled down on land belonging to the State, lying directly east, and adjoining lot No. 11, where he lived a few years, and where he died.
Here are three 200 acre lots abreast, running east and west; the middle lot No. 12 contains nearly the whole ground, on which the entire village now stands, both on the plain, and on the branch, with all the public buildings. The above account shows how liable we are to a change of circumstances.
I think proper to state here a distressing calamity which took place in the early settlement of the valley ; after Mr. Peck had been in the valley about two years, he had the mis- fortune to have his house, and every thing he had in it, burnt up; and yet more distressing was the calamity, two of his children burnt to death in it. The circumstances as I under- stood were these; they were about going to a neighbor's on an evening visit, they had three children, a little girl about nine years old and two boys younger ; they put the children to bed, thought they would be safer than to be up; and went away to make their evening visit ; some time the latter part of the evening the little girl waked up, and saw the house was in flames all around them, she hurried the boys into the street, thinking they were then safe, but the boys, supposed not to be sufficiently awake, ran back into the house, and were im- mediately surrounded by the flames and fell to the floor, she dare not go in to rescue them. At the funeral of the burnt
34
HISTORY OF ELIZABETHTOWN
children, Benjamin Holcomb, Esq., a man of generous spirit, and some influence, proposed thatthe whole neighborhood turn out and help Mr. Peck build a house, they all said amen ; and went to work, and within a week Mr. Peck had a comfortable little framed house to move into; and their friends, connec- tions and a generous public, contributed to their necessities, and furnished them the necessaries and conveniences, for housekeeping again. It is a common remark, that the inhab- itants of a new settlement are very friendly to each other.
I will relate a little of the industry of the first settlers ; for three or four years they made a good deal of maple sugar. Nathan Lewis told me, he made between seventeen and eight- een hundred weight one season, and made a large payment for his land with it, to Capt. Rogers; who took all kinds of produce of the settlers in payment for land. They raised good crops of Rye, Oats, Indian Corn, Potatoes, &c. But wheat did not do so well, where there was spruce turf, it would grow about two feet high, and begin to head out and then dry up. On newly cleared land they raised sometimes a good crop of Corn, that did not cost in labor over one shilling a bushel.
Thus, I have given, in a plain and simple manner a brief and true Narrative of the first discovery and settlement, of the valley of Boquet.
Nov. 1854.
ASA POST. (87)
Dr. Asa Post's original letter describing the Settlement of the Boquet Valley is now in possession of Dr. John Gould Noble of New York City, the matter used by the writer having been copied from said original.
Most of the pioneer settlers named by Dr. Asa Post came into the Boquet Valley from North West Bay, quite a few of them having come across Lake Champlain from Vermont. These pioneers and their families followed the blazed tree line
35
HISTORY OF ELIZABETHTOWN
made by Tappan in 1787, passing by Little Pond and down to the Boquet River near the mouth of Little Pond Brook. A bridle path, so-called, was cut out along Tappan's Line. Moreover several log houses were erected along this "trail" between Little Pond and the Boquet River. In one of these log houses Ithai Judd, Elizabethtown's pioneer surveyor, lived for several years. It was in this log house that the most of the boyhood of the late David Judd was passed. This row of log houses, a primitive "street," as it were, long since ceased to be, only slight depressions, the old cellar holes, and a few oid apple trees remain, silent, solemn reminders of pioneer ac- tivity.1
Where Reuben Nichols lived in 1854 now stands "The Brook- side," built by Thomas Sutherland, Troy's famous boiler maker, in 1901, and occupied by Leslie Denton and wife, the latter being a niece of Mr. Sutherland.
Jonah Hanchett was the father of Ebenezer, Squire and Jonah Hauchett, Jr. Ed. Denton lives where Randall Reed did in 1854.
B. F. Gilligan lives where Walter Buck took up land.
The Sampson Smith farm is to-day occupied by Ernest Barber, a great, great grandsou of Major Hezekiah Barber, after whom Barber's Point in the town of Westport was named.
Heman Finney came into the Boquet Valley in the spring
I In 1859, when the late Judge Robert S. Hale purchased the farm in the Boquet Valley which has since been known as the Hale farm (now owned by Thomas B. O'Donnell) he en- gaged the late David Judd to survey for him. Richard L. Hand of Elizabethtown, President of the New York State Bar Association, was then a young man and accompanied the sur- veying party. As the party was passing along near one of these old cellar holes "Uncle David," as Mr. Judd was locally and familiarly called by many, stopped and pointing to the depression in the ground, said: "There's where I was brought up." "Uncle David" was then pointing to all that remained of the home of his boyhood. What tender memories must have been called up by the sight of all that remained of the pioneer home of his benefactor, Tthai Judd. The writer has often passed the old cellar hole mentioned and in fact the others along that long abandoned "street," concerning which no other historian of this region has ever made the slightest mention.
36
HISTORY OF ELIZABETHTOWN
of 1794, following the "trail" from Lake Champlain which passed by Little Pond and came down to the Boquet River near the mouth of Little Pond Brook. He carried his wife across the Boquet River on his back. He was also accompa- nied by his younger brother, Anson Finney, who was then only eight years old. Heman Finney settled on the east side of the Boquet River opposite the present residence of Sidney F. Scriver. The first Sunday after Heman Finney was settled in his newly built log cabin he and his wife went out for a walk along the Boquet River. When they returned a couple of hours afterwards their wild-wood home was in ashes, having com- pletely burned down during their absence. This was indeed a case of rubbing out and beginning again but nothing, appar- ently, daunted those early pioneers and soon Heman Finney had another cabin up to take the place of the one destroyed by fire.1
1239405
Joel Finney was the next younger brother of Heman Finney. He was a Captain of militia. After a few years passed in Pleasant Valley he moved into what is now the town of West- port. In 1807 the name of Joel Finney was mentioned in the Baptist Church book there and soon after the church was meet- ing at his house "at Northwest Bay." He is said to have after- wards lived along the Black River and his mortal remains were buried in the Black River cemetery.
Benjamin Holcomb owned the farms afterwards occupied by James Hoisington and now owned and occupied by S. B. Pit- kin and H. E. Pitkin.
The hamlet of New Russia is mostly located on the Elijah Bishop property.
Thomas B. O'Donnell lives where Dr. Asa Post lived in 1854. Miss Post lives where Almond Holcomb settled.
1 For this statement of fact the writer is indebted to the venerable A. McD. Finney, a nephew of the late Heman Finney.
37
HISTORY OF ELIZABETHTOWN
Thomas B. O'Donnell now owns the Nathan Lewis farm, long since known as the "Hale farm."
Daniel Fitzgerald lives where Hezekiah Phelps settled.
Louis LaMountain occupies the house where Jacob Deyoe lived in 1854 and which is now the property of Mrs. G. W. Rexsamer of Philadelphia. A few rods above the house where Mr. La Mountain lives stands "Windy-Cliff," the spacious and commanding summer home of Mrs. Rexsamer.
William N. Otis owns and occupies the Captain William Kellogg farm. Captain William Kellogg was a survivor of the Wyoming Massacre and bore the Indian scalp mark. He is said to have partly developed a saw-mill site at what is now New Russia. In fact it is claimed by descendants that it was he who induced his brother-in-law Elijah Bishop to turn his back on the Green Mountain State and come to Pleasant Val- ley. William Kellogg was appointed Lieutenant in a Regi- ment of Militia whereof Joseph Sheldon was Lieutenant-Col- onel Commandaut March 10, 1803, by Gov. George Clinton and he was appointed Captain in a regiment of Militia whereof Joseph Sheldon was Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant April 22, 1805, Morgan Lewis being Governor and making the latter appointment.
Judging from the following Captain Wm. Kellogg must have been a pensioner :
WAR DEPARTMENT, No. 374, PENSION OFFICE, 8 May, 1821.
SIR :
You are hereby informed that the schedule of your property has been examined and the Secretary of War has directed your name to be continued on the Pension Roll.
You will be paid at the ensuing semi-annual payment in Sept. next, the sum that may be then due from the suspend-
DAVID JUDD, Adopted Son of Ithai Judd, Elizabethtown's First Surveyor.
40
HISTORY OF ELIZABETHTOWN
ing your pension. Funds for the purpose will be transmit- ted at that time ; but no arrearages will be paid previous thereto.
I am, respectfully, Your obedient servant, J. L. EDWARDS.
To Mr. WILLIAM KELLOGG,
of Elizabethtown, N. York.
In October, 1823, William Kellogg was fatally hurt by being thrown out of a wagon on the Plain in the village of Eliz- abethtown, dying from the effects a few hours after the acci- dent. He died where Deer's Head Inn now stands Oct. 22, 1823, aged 64 years, and was buried in the Boquet Valley cemetery.
A son of William Kellogg, Rowland Kellogg by name, born in Monkton, Vt., Nov. 26, 1786, married Sally Titus, who was born in Voluntown, Conn., April 6, 1787. Their children were :
Amy, born in Lewis, N. Y., July 5, 1805.
Orlando, born in Elizabethtown, N. Y., June 18, 1809.
Eliza, born in Panton, Vt., July 30, 1811.
Alonzo, born in Middlebury, Vt., April 29, 1815.
Edwin, born in Elizabethtown, N. Y., January 23, 1817. LaFayette, born in “ Feb. 1, 1819.
Edwin, August 3, 1823.
July 3, 1814, Rowland Kellogg, who like his father was a military man, was 27 years of age, 5 feet, 8 inches high, had light complexion, brown hair, blue eyes, occupation carpenter. These facts are gleaned from old military papers in possession of descendants.
Rowland Kellogg was, according to a preserved commission, on Aug. 30, 1817, 3d Sergeant in a company of which Ezra C. Gross was Captain, Luman Wadhams, Esq., being Colonel of
-
41
HISTORY OF ELIZABETHTOWN
the Regiment. On the 30th of August, 1819, Rowland Kellogg was 2d Sergeant in a Company of which Ezra C. Gross was Captain.
Rowland Kellogg practiced medicine some, having studied with Dr. Asa Post, and also worked as a carpenter and while engaged in doing carpenter work caught cold which developed into consumption. He died in 1826 and was buried in the Boquet Valley cemetery.
The Gardner Simonds farm has latterly been known as the Deming farm and is to-day owned by Wm. N. Otis.
Jerome T. Lobdell and his sister, Miss Lobdell, own and oc- cupy the Joseph Francis Durand farm. Joseph Francis Durand came into the Boquet Valley by way of the Tappan Line trail in the spring of 1794, carrying two bushels of wheat on his shoulders from the shore of Lake Champlain to the Bo- quet River. Joseph Francis Durand was a son of Francis Joseph Durand and Patience Weed of Norwalk, Conn., being directly connected with the nobility of France. He traced his lineage back to Charles Emanuel Durand, a Noble of France, in the time when Burgundy was a province of Spain. Charles Emanuel Durand (Catholic) was a counsellor at law and was enobled by the King of Spain. The Durand coat of arms consisted of a shield, field of sky blue, gold band and gold clovers or knots, the motto on a scroll underneath, meaning, "I hope while enduring."
The father of Joseph Francis Durand died in or near Char- lotte, Vt. The first house built by Joseph Francis Durand in the Boquet Valley stood just a few feet east of the house now owned and occupied by Arthur Cauley. He also built the house on the east side of the Boquet River which is to-day owned and occupied by the Lobdells. Joseph Francis Du- rand's wife was Elizabeth Arnold, also a Connecticut woman, and their children were Betsey who married Rowland Nichols
1 b
42
HISTORY OF ELIZABETHTOWN
of Lewis, Polly who married James Reynolds and later moved to Ohio, Sarah who married Orson Kellogg, the famous school teacher, and Lucy who married Leland Rowe, Myron who married Elvira P. Bruce, James and Jesse who died young, Simeon who married a Lewis, and Milo who married Abigail Perry.
Simeon Durand settled on the east side of Mt. Raven. His children were Horace, Orlando, (the peddler) Betsey, Almira and Lodemia. Simeon Durand was buried in Black River cemetery.
Milo Durand eventually settled on what is to-day known as "Durand Farm." He built the white house which stands back from the road and is so pleasantly shaded by trees. His children were Edgar M., Alonzo M., Helen M., Almeron M., Albert A., Alembert J., Oliver H., Sarah Jane (Jennie), Ander- son K., Achsa A., six of whom-Alonzo M., Almeron M., Alembert J., Oliver H., Anderson K. and Achsa A., still live.
Alexander Durand, son of Francis Joseph Durand, was the father of Calvin Durand, so long prominent at Clintonville, N. Y. Simeon and Merari were also sons of Francis Joseph Du- rand and they lived in Pleasant Valley for a time.
Charlotte, Anna and Mary Durand were daughters of Fran- cis Joseph Durand. Mary married a Lewis, afterwards John Sherman, father of the late Jesse Sherman of Elizabethtown.
Robert H. Wood, Elizabethtown's Highway Commissioner, lives where Reuben Peck settled and where Alfred Ames lived in 1854.
The Noah Davis and Isaac Knapp property to-day belongs to Friend Abner Brown, eldest son of the late Levi De Witt Brown who owned the property in 1854. The Noah Davis house, built of logs, stood on the east side of the highway near the top of what is to-day known as the "Davis Hill," having been so named in honor of Noah Davis. The "re-
1, ls
1
43
HISTORY OF ELIZABETHTOWN
mains" of the old Noah Davis cellar are still visible in what is known in Brown farm parlance as the "big orchard."
The Sylvanus Lobdell farm is to-day owned by Mrs. Eliz- abeth Partridge, widow of the late Adolphus R. Partridge, and mother of Mrs. Friend A. Brown, Mrs. William H. Hanchett, Winslow R. Partridge of Elizabethtown and Mason H. Par- tridge, Sexton of Grace Church, Broadway and 10th Street, New York City.
When Sylvanus Lobdell came into the Boquet Valley in 1794 he came from the "Shaker country" and was accompa- nied by his younger brother, John Lobdell, then 18 years of age, and destined to be one of the most active, useful men who ever located in Pleasant Valley. The great-great grandfather of Sylvanus and John Lobdell was Simon Lobdell, "the emi- grant." Simon Lobdell's name is among those of "the early planters" of Milford, Conn. He was made a "freeman" at Hartford, Conn., in 1657. He went to Springfield, Mass., where he was prison keeper from 1666 to 1674 and where, by his wife Persis, his children were born. He died at Milford, Conn. At Probate Court held in New Haven Oct. 4, 1717, his only son Joshua was appointed administrator. Jacob Lobdell, a son of Joshua Lobdell, married Ruth Boughton August 28, 1757, at Salem, Westchester County, N. Y. The children of Jacob Lobdell and Ruth Boughton were Sylvanus, Boughton, Ruth, Jacob, Elizabeth and John. Sylvanus Lobdell married Anna Knapp, Boughton Lobdell married Sophronia Newell, Ruth Lobdell married Levi Lamb, Jacob Lobdell married Hannah Waterbury Boughton, Elizabeth Lobdell married John Ayers, John Lobdell married for his first wife Nancy Hoisington, a daughter of James Hoisington of Elizabethtown. Nancy (Hoisington) Lobdell died during the War of 1812 and was buried in the Black River cemetery. John Lobdell's second wife was Emma Hoisington, a sister of his first wife. John
44
HISTORY OF ELIZABETHTOWN
Lobdell and Emma Hoisington were married May 13, 1815, and by this union the following children were born :
Erastus, born Sept. 12, 1816, married Mary Ann Nichols.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.