USA > New York > Essex County > Elizabethtown > Pleasant Valley : a history of Elizabethtown, Essex County, New York > Part 6
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now runs, and afterward came to be known as the lower forge. This forge Mr. Morgan sold to Jacob Southwell and it was afterwards called the Southwell forge. The writer thinks it only proper to state here that Jonas Morgan of Morgan's pat- ent fame had a son also named Jonas, hence there were two Jonas Morgans, Jonas, Sr., and Jonas, Jr., a fact now stated in history for the first time. Jonas Morgan, Jr., was a busi- ness man and, like his father, dealt considerably in wild land along the Black River, etc.
Another man who came to Pleasant Valley about the year 1799 was Jonas Gibbs, Sr. He settled on the Plain in what is now Elizabethtown village and soon after settling here had a whiskey distillery in operation. His distillery stood down under the bank and a little south from the present residence of Charles C. Oldruff. Jonas Gibbs, Sr., is said to have been a money maker. Whether he made any extra money out of watering his stock is not known to the writer. However, cer- tain it is that he became forehanded, a money lender and a holder of mortgages, etc. He died in April, 1822, aged 84 years and was buried just east of where the pine tree now stands in the old cemetery at the southern end of this village, his last resting place being but a few rods distant from the site of his once thriving "still."
Sarah, wife of Jonas Gibbs, Sr., died in 1819, and her mor- tal remains also rest under the shade of the pine tree which has grown up in the old cemetery within the memory of living men. A daughter, Abigail Hinckley, erected the stone at the grave of Mrs. Jonas Gibbs, Sr.
Jonas Gibbs, Jr., evidently came here when his father set- tled on the Plain, as his name is frequently found on the early records in the Essex County Clerk's office. The given name of the wife of Jonas Gibbs, Jr., was Rachel, according to sig- natures on record in the Essex County Clerk's office. Jonas
HON. BENJAMIN POND. Photographed by C. Underwood from Wax Profile made in Washington, D. C., before War of 1812.
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Gibbs, Jr., must have at least owned property in the town of Lewis, if he did not actually reside there, as early as 1806. A list of persons-owners of property, liable to work on the high- ways and the number of days each person was assessed for the year 1806-is still preserved in the archives of the town of Lewis and it shows that Jonas Gibbs, Jr., was down for 6 days.
About this time John Halstead and his wife Phebe Rogers Halstead settled in that part of Elizabethtown then known as Northwest Bay, now Westport village. May 28, 1800, accord- ing to a map drawn by Ananias Rogers, a brother of Phebe Rogers Halstead and a son of Platt Rogers, the famous road maker, there were thirty-four small lots and three streets-Washington, Liberty and Water-in what is now West- port village. John Halstead built the first frame house where the village of Westport is now located. It has been described as "a low red house." This famous Halstead house stood upon the lot now occupied by Westport Inn. At the time of the erection of the John Halstead house there were only two or three log houses where Westport village stands.
John Halstead and Phebe, his wife, had eight children, all of whom died young except two, Platt Rogers Halstead and Caroline Eliza Halstead. Platt Rogers Halstead was a sur- veyor and is well remembered by some of the older people who reside in Elizabethtown. Caroline Eliza Halstead was the only one of the eight children who ever married, her hus- band being Miles McFarland Sawyer. She died in Bedford, N. Y., March 27, 1870, in the 61st year of her age.
The late Hon. Winslow C. Watson stated on page 208 of his History of Essex County : "Essex County voted with Clinton, until after the census of 1800. Thomas Stower was the first representative of Essex, when voting independent of Clinton."
At this time a steady current of emigration was setting in from the east into Essex County, while from the south the in-
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flux was almost as great. And here it may truthfully be said that the good old New England stock, about which so much has been said in commendation, was fully equaled in intelli- gence and morality by those who came from along the Hudson River. The early inhabitants of central Essex County, in a congenial soil and climate, familiar to their habits and expe- riences, implanted the usages and characteristics of patriotic and eminently estimable ancestry. No portion of the great Empire State ever embraced a population of higher intelli- gence, of purer morality, or more industrious and frugal habits, generally speaking, than the pioneer settlers of central Essex County. Of course, among the many virtuous and worthy, there inevitably drifted in from more mature communities, a few of the loose and reckless. However, so far as records go, it is evident that those who did not walk straight were given a wide berth and soon learned to their chagrin that their room would be preferable to their company.
"By the census of 1800," says Watson, "the combined popu- lation of Clinton and Essex counties, was eight thousand five hundred and seventy-two, including fifty-eight slaves." And right here, while it may shock the moral sense of those who were born and nurtured in homes of Abolitionists, the writer, who is recording facts of history, hewing to the line no matter where the chips fall, will certainly be pardoned for stating that a portion of the "fifty-eight slaves" mentioned by Watson toiled here in Pleasant Valley, their masters being "the Rosses."
Ebenezer Newell, who lived in the Northwest Bay section of Elizabethtown, also served as Supervisor through the year 1800. The Inspectors for the year 1800 were Eben'r Newell, Norman Newell, Eben'r Bostwick, Sylvanus Lobdell.
It is a regrettable fact that the early town records are not in such shape that all the town officers may be named. The
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fact is, the book containing the list of those officials who served during the first few years of the town's history cannot, after diligent search, be found (a painful commentary on the care taking of official records) and the few names of town of- ficials given are gleaned from records in the Essex County Clerk's office.
One of the first needs of every pioneer community has ever been roads over which the settlers might communicate with each other and the outside world. Roads to the village, where supplies could be obtained and whither the products of the farm could be carried and traded for store goods such as were obtainable; roads for social and other visits between neighbors ; roads to accommodate the lumber interest and the pioneer forges-these were what were needed in early days more, perhaps, than any other improvement and their improve- ment is to-day the crying need of our mountainous section.
As early as 1800 a highway was ordered laid out "from the bridge by Azel Abel's on the west side, thence northerly on the south side of the branch about 20 rods, from thence across the branch in a northerly direction on the north side of the branch threw the land of Eliza Rich, nearly to the line be- tween s'd Rich and Thomas Squires, from thence to the dug- way by Thomas Squires' house, from thence westerly about 1.00 rods, from thence north through the notch in the hill about 30 rods, from thence westerly till it strikes the road that is now traveled from the north to Stephen Rusco's mill."
Readers familiar with Elizabethtown village will readily rec- ognize the above described road as "Water Street" and the road to Barton's and from thence up the "Sand Hill," etc.
In the same year (1800) another highway was laid out, which is thus described : "From the road now traveled to Wills- borough to Stephen Rusco's saw-mill, beginning at a corner on the Willsborough road on land of Major Jonathan Breckin-
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ridge about 80 rods north of s'd Breckinridge's saw-mill, from thence on a westerly direction as the road is now traveled through Roger H. Woodruff's improvements and on through s'd Woodruff's land, thence on nearly as the road is now trav- eled to Henry Kno(u)lton's house, thence on in A westerly di- rection threw s'd Kno(u)lton's land as the road is now traveled to Simon Rusco's house, from thence nearly as the road is now traveled to Stephen Rusco's saw-mill," Henry Knoulton and Azel Abel being named Commissioners to lay out this road.
The above described road is the one leading from a point just above "The Windsor Farm Fish Pond" across to the Nichols neighborhood in the town of Lewis, etc.
Henry Knoulton was the father of Ruth Knoulton men- tioned on page 47 and it was after him that the "Knoulton Brook" in the town of Lewis was named.
"Major Jonathan Breckinridge" lived on the farm in the town of Lewis now owned by Orlando Kellogg, proprietor of The Windsor, Elizabethtown's largest hotel. According to the best obtainable information "Major Jonathan Breckin- ridge" had a saw-mill on the "Knoulton Brook," now known as Phelps Brook, said mill being located just a few rods below and east of "The Windsor Farm Fish Pond" of the present day. This saw-mill was unquestionably the first one ever erected on territory now within the town of Lewis. "Major Jonathan Breckinridge" sold the premises to Luman Wadhams (after- wards General Wadhams) early in the 19th century. General Wadhams was a resident of the town of Lewis at the time of the War of 1812 and in fact till about 1820. His son-Edgar Prindle Wadhams-afterwards famous as Bishop Wadhams (Catholic) of the Diocese of Ogdensburgh was born in 1819 in the house which still stands on that old farm.
Roger Hooker Woodruff lived at the time this road was laid out on the farm next above the Breckenridge place, having
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settled there and made improvements before 1800. He died in the house where John Soper, the Lewis Highway Commis- sioner, lives to-day. Roger Hooker Woodruff had a large family of sons and daughters. One of the latter became the mother of the late Colonel LaRhett L. Livingston ( West Point Military Academy) of the U. S. Army, another became the mother of Bovette B. Bishop, Esq., of Moriah, and last, but not least, one of the daughters married Orlando Kellogg, the distinguished lawyer and legislator who so long and ably rep- resented this district in Congress at Washington, D. C.
It is said that the wide 1st growth pine boards nailed to the fence posts in the Woodruff-Steele district of the town of Lewis, as well as those used in the construction of the barns on the Steele farm, were sawed at the old Breckenridge mill on the "Knoulton Brook." This old saw-mill stood just below the highway.
The following, copied word for word, spelling and all, shows that Elizabethtown was not without that necessary pioneer in- stitution, a pound :
"Pound-To be bilt at the Dwelling House of Jonas Gibbs thirty feet Square with a good dore Hinges and Lock, to be bilt by the first of June next and if the Person that shall agree to build it Doth Neglect shall forfit the sum to the amount he agrees to Build it for.
Jonas Gibbs to build s'd Pound thirty feet square for ten Dollars and fifty cents. Jonas Gibbs pound Keeper."
"Law of all fences, four feet six inches high."
Jonas Gibbs is said to have lived about 25 years in a house which stood on land now owned by W. M. Marvin.
In 1800 there came to reside in Elizabethtown a man who at once became highly useful and who lived here continuously for over half a century, until his death in 1852. The man here referred to is Dr. Alexander Morse, who married Mary Nich-
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olson(Nickolson, as it is spelled in the Morse genealogy.) The wife of Dr. Alexander Morse died of apoplexy here in Eliz- abethtown. Their children were Percival, Amnia, Flavia, John D. and Austin, the two latter dying with consumption, aged 22 and 21 respectively.
Percival Morse graduated from Vermont University in the class of 1827, studied law and helped edit a newspaper here. He married Lavina Graves Feb. 1, 1831. Their children were Irving D., Austin Alexander, George Percival, John D., and Elizabeth L. Percival Morse lived in a plastered house which stood near where Judge Rowland C. Kellogg's driveway leaves the street. Percival Morse died with consumption April 17, 1841, being much lamented as a scholarly man.
A brother of Dr. Alexander Morse, Dr. Alpheus Morse, also lived for many years in Essex County. He was for a time lo- cated at what was once famous in the history of the town of Essex-The Cobb Stand-and afterwards practiced medicine in the town of Jay. He married twice, his first wife being Jemima Nicholson, the marriage taking place Nov. 5, 1794. The oldest child of Dr. Alpheus Morse and his wife Jemima was Maria, born at Dorset, Vt., July 7, 1795. A son Ralza, born Oct. 18, 1797, married Samantha Holcomb April 23, 1823, and afterwards resided in the town of Lewis. A son of Ralza Morse, Alpheus A. Morse, Esq., resides in the town of Essex and a daughter, Mrs. Lucy Jane Livingston, widow of the late Wm. Livingston of Lewis, resides at Berkeley, Cal.
Dr. Alpheus Morse's second wife was Ruth M. Hibbard, a resident of Upper Jay.
Maria Morse, daugher of Dr. Alpheus Morse, married Rev. Hiram Chamberlain, a Presbyterian minister, Oct. 9, 1825, going to Franklin, Mo. Rev. Hiram Chamberlain was the pioneer Presbyterian missionary of Missouri. Their children
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were Henry and Payson who both died young and Henrietta who married Richard King. While Mrs. Henrietta King never lived in Elizabethtown, the following write up from Texas will be of interest to all readers of this book, and espe- cially to those who remember her late mother, who frequently visited her uncle, Dr. Alexander Morse, here in pioneer days :
CATTLE QUEEN OF TEXAS.
Mrs. King and Her Vast Herds of Cattle and Sheep.
Mrs. Richard King, of Texas, is probably the richest woman in the United States, not even excepting Mrs. Hetty Green. Her wealth was partly inherited from her father, a pioneer Presbyterian clergyman, the first who ever went, staff and bible in hand, to preach the Gospel to the Indians and mixed races that peopled the vast domain over which his own little daugh- ter was destined to hold sway as a landed proprietor.
Mrs. King is a widow, and her landed estates in southern Texas amount to 1,250,000 acres, or about two thousand square miles. The ranch on which she resides is the largest in the world. It is called "The Santa Gertrudes." In the center of it, thirteen miles from her front gate, is Mrs. King's home, a central chateau, looming up like a baronial castle on a slight eminence. All around it are the pretty homes of dependents, surrounded by well tilled fields and gardens.
The 200,000 cattle, of improved and imported breeds, and all sheep within the Santa Gertrudes ranch belong to Mrs. King. The current expenses of the ranch reach $100,000 a year. Three hundred cowboys are in her employ, for whom she keeps 1,200 ponies.
Corpus Christi is the terminus of a branch railroad built by Mrs. King to take the place of her wagon trains, which for- merly bore ice and every other necessity and luxury to her ranch
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from Corpus Christi. Long trains from that city now carry Mrs. King's cattle to the East.
The 2,000 square miles of Mrs. King's territory are bounded on the south by Corpus Christi bay. Forty miles of the coast belong to the Santa Gertrudes ranch. The barbed wire fences on the land side of the estate extend 300 miles. For every twenty miles of fencing a superintendent is employed to see that no break is made and he has several assistants.
Part of every year Mrs. King lives in Corpus Christi, where she has built a palace in which is found every modern appliance for comfort, domestic economy, luxury and for the gratification of taste in art and literature. Another remarka- ble Texas woman, Mrs. Elizabeth Brooks, in a volume intended for private circulation only, and entitled "Prominent Women of Texas," gives some of the facts in the above sketch, and others not of quite so much interest to the general reader.
Daniel Wright, a native of Lebanon, Conn., where he was born in 1757, and his wife, Patience Bill, born in Hebron the same year, moved to Gilsum, N. H., during the Revolutionary War and there he served three years in the Continental Line. He fought at the battle of Bunker Hill, served eight months in 1775 in the Regiment of the famous Col. John Stark, all the year 1776 under Col. Samuel Reed, and in June, 1777, his name appears in a New Hampshire Regiment which was sent "to reinforce the Continental Army at Ticonderoga." The great-grandfather of the writer, Captain Josiah Brown of New Ipswich, N. H., came to Ticonderoga heading a company detached from Colo- nel Enoch Hale's Regiment of New Hampshire Militia in June, 1777, and knew Daniel Wright well. Curiously enough these two Revolutionary veterans, both of whom had served in the New Hampshire Militia at Ticonderoga, that training place for soldiers, became purchasers of farming land in Essex County, their purchases being but a few miles apart. Captain
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Ransom Solide
General Ransom Noble, A Hero of the War of 1812, Founder of the Noble Family in Essex County and for years Northern New York's First Business Man.
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Josiah Brown purchased land in what was then the town of Willsborough, afterwards in the town of Lewis. Daniel Wright purchased land in what was the town of Elizabethtown from 1798 to 1815 and is now in the town of Westport. Daniel Wright was a sturdy pioneer, a typical example of the early settlers of Essex County. He came to the northern part of what is now the town of Westport and settled when he was in the prime of a vigorous manhood, having an honorable mili- tary record. March 25, 1802, he was commissioned 2d Major "of a regiment of militia of the county of Essex, whereof Joseph Sheldon, Esq., is Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant," by Gov. George Clinton. In 1806 he was made 1st Major of his regi- ment and in 1807 Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant. In 1811 he was raised to the high rank of Brigadier General of Militia in the counties of Essex, Clinton and Franklin, and held this responsible position throughout the War of 1812, where the brave old veteran will receive further mention.
Enos Loveland, born in Marlboro, formerly a part of Glas- tonbury, Conn., March 12, 1766, left his New England home in 1800 to seek his fortune farther west. He was married at Spencertown, N. Y., Jan. 15, 1789, to Anna Finney, who was born in Warren, Conn., Jan. 25, 1769. Anna Finney was a sister of Heman, Joel and Anson Finney heretofore mentioned. Enos Loveland and wife lived for a time at Sand Lake, Rens- selaer County, N. Y., after which they came to Elizabethtown, probably by way of the Schroon and Boquet valleys, thence eastward across the Black River to the highlands of Morgan's Patent. He lived at the place now called "Hoisington's."
The children of Enos and Anna Loveland were as follows : Sylvia, who married for her first husband, Marcus Hoising- ton, having a son Marcus, and afterward became the second wife of Dr. Diadorus Holcomb.
Asa, who married Margaret Frasier and went west.
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Erastus, who married Lucy Bradley and became the father of Ralph A. Loveland who represented Essex County in the Assembly and in the State Senate and afterwards became a wealthy lumber dealer in Chicago, Ill., and Saginaw, Mich., where he died in 1899.
Amanda, who married Warren Harper.
Lucetta, who became a school teacher. She was twice mar- ried, first to Leman Bradley, second to Eben Egerton.
Narcissa, who married Elijah Angier.
Aretas, who married Emeline Manning
Then came two children, both being named Datus, one born in 1805, the other in 1806. Both died young.
Harriet, who married James Stringham.
Then there was an infant, born and died in 1810, and the youngest of the family was Enos, who died at the age of 20 years.
In 1801 Elijah Bishop served as Supervisor of Elizabeth- town, the Inspectors being Elijah Bishop, Sylvanus Lobdell, Benjamin Payne, the latter being one of the first settlers in what is now the town of Keene.
The clerks in 1801 were Charles Goodrich and John Lobdell.
Major Elijah Bishop had settled at what is now New Russia in 1793, being "a mechanic of all trades." Major Elijah Bishop was born at New Milford, Conn., Nov. 2, 1764, and married Tabitha Holcomb, a native of Simsbury, Conn. Their children were as follows :
Basil Bishop, born in Monkton, Vt., Feb. 28, 1789. Lucius Bishop, born in Monkton, Vt., Nov. 20, 1791. Arethusa Bishop, born in Elizabethtown, Jan. 30, 1795. Midas Bishop, born in Elizabethtown, Feb. 16, 1798. Thetis Bishop, born in Elizabethtown, March 4, 1800. Elijah Bishop, born in Elizabethtown, Jan. 31, 1803. Minutia Bishop, born in Elizabethtown, June 14, 1805. 0
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Norval Bishop, born in Elizabethtown, April 23, 1807.
Shortly after 1800, if not actually during that year, Jacob Matthews, born December 5, 1781, and his wife, Mary Fish, born May 4, 1783, came to Elizabethtown to reside. Jacob Matthews was Elizabethtown's pioneer shoemaker and once kept shop in the plastered house which stood near where Judge Rowland C. Kellogg's driveway leaves the street. The chil- dren of Jacob and Mary Matthews were Orlando G., who married for his first wife Eliza Brown, the ceremony taking place October 26, 1823. The children of Orlando and Eliza Matthews were George Brown, Edwin L., Forest Clark, Henry J., Oscar A., Sarah L., Albert Platt, Chas. J., Caroline E., Lo- vina J. and James M. George kept books in Saugerties 39 years. He died in 1898. Oscar A. died in 1872. Henry died in Minnesota a few years ago. Caroline E. married Lycenus Beers and died in Port Henry in 1892. Sarah, Lovina and Albert Platt are still living. Eliza Matthews died May 28, 1860. Orlando G. Matthews married Joanna Morse for his second wife. One daughter was born by the second wife. The daugh- ter died a few years ago. Orlando G. Matthews died in 1881. His second wife still survives.
Nathaniel Fish, who married Katherine Leggett and went to Warrensburgh, N. Y., where they lived many years.
Amanda. Edwin. Almira N. Phila E.
Platt Rogers Halstead.
Lovina J., who was an accomplished school teacher. She married a man named Tower and lived in the west during her latter years.
Letetia C.
Orrilla, who married John Sweatt. Charles Sweatt, son of
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John and Orrilla Sweatt, became the father of Dr. Frank Sweatt of Essex.
Roxalana. Reuben W.
James Monroe, who went to Troy, N. Y., and became a member of the well-known mercantile firm of Silliman, Mat- thews & Co., dealers in groceries. James Monroe Matthews was one of the best known business men in Troy for many years and died in old age only a few years ago. Several of the older merchants of central Essex County remember James Monroe Matthews well as a Troy business man, having dealt largely with him.
The most cherished memories of the writer's early boyhood are of Mary (Fish) Matthews who survived her husband sev- eral years, the last of her residence in Elizabethtown being at the Brown farm in the Boquet Valley. "Grandmother Mat- thews," as she was locally and familiarly known, had a great memory and a penchant for reminiscence. Having lived here while the Indians and wolves were still numerous and having come from Northwest Bay to Elizabethtown village by a line of marked trees, riding horseback and carrying her young son Orlando G. in her arms, her reports of experiences in pioneer days naturally found lodgment in the young and plastic mind of the future historian of Pleasant Valley. To-day the picture of that good old lady, nearly 90 years of age, as she groped about the house, blind and otherwise enfeebled, is indelibly marked in our mind's eye. Shortly after 1870 her daughter, Mrs. Lovina J. Tower, came east and took the venerable woman away to live in the west, where she died soon afterwards.
It has been stated on the pages of history that Joseph Jenks came to Pleasant Valley and settled in 1804, coming here from Nine Partners, Dutchess County, a place well-known as a stronghold of the Friends or Quakers. It cannot be denied
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that the Jenks family held this serene and unwarlike faith. However, it is apparent from the following deed from Noah Ferris and Sarah, his wife, to Joseph Jenks, said deed being dated August 19, 1801, and recorded in book B of Deeds, page 189, as follows, that the good old Quaker must have arrived here about three years earlier than historians have hitherto given credit for :
"All that certain tract or parcel of land situate in Elizabeth- town aforesaid, bounded as follows, beginning at the southwest corner of lot number twelve at a basswood stump marked number twelve and thirteen, thence running west eighteen rods to a stake, thence south one hundred and forty four rods to a stake, thence east one hundred and seventy eight rods to a stake, thence north one hundred and ninety eight rods to a rock with a heap of stones on it standing in the east line of lot number twelve, thence west one hundred and eighteen rods to a stream of water called the West Branch, thence up said stream in the middle thereof south thirty degrees west six rods, then south ten degrees east nine rods, then south forty two degrees and thirty minutes west twelve rods, then south seventy degrees west six rods, then north seventy degrees west fifteen rods to a rock in said stream, thence south twenty seven rods to the place of beginning, containing two hundred and ten acres of land.1 Bounded on the north by Azel Abel, on the west by James Goodrich, on the south by lands belonging to the people of the State of New York, and on the east by Noah Ferris land."
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