The growth of a century: as illustrated in the history of Jefferson county, New York, from 1793-1894, Part 137

Author: Haddock, John A., b. 1823-
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Albany, N. Y., Weed-Parsons printing company
Number of Pages: 1098

USA > New York > Jefferson County > The growth of a century: as illustrated in the history of Jefferson county, New York, from 1793-1894 > Part 137

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Mr. Grenell is a pleasant gentleman, and one who never tires of pointing out the beauties of his surroundings. He is enter- prising, not satisfied to settle down and merely enjoy what he has acquired, but, like the typical American, is anxious to keep near the top, and improve on what his ances- tors have bestowed upon him.

ORLEANS ACADEMY.

Prior to the stirring events of 1861, the State of New York was dotted all over with academies, created, either by legislative enactment, or by the mandates of the Regents of the University ; many of them became famous for thorough training, in- struction and discipline, and for the gradu- ates who afterwards became distinguished in the various avocations of their lives. Now but few of these institutions exist ; in the re- ports of the Regents they are named as "extinct," or merged into the Publie School system, which, by its excellence and advance- ment, has forced the old academy into a memory.

In 1850, but two chartered academies were in existence in Jefferson county-the Insti- tute at Watertown, and the Union Literary Society, at Belleville. The want of a school of this kind north of the Black river became apparent. True, the "district" schools in this territory were equal in excellence to any other section of the State, and occasionally a very good "select " school was found.

Realizing the necessity for a first-class academy, the enterprising people of La- Fargeville and vicinity organized, and pro- cured from the Regents a charter, dated February 5, 1851, for the Orleans Academy, located at LaFargeville. No building had been built for its accommodation, but an abandoned hotel building erected by the "boom " inspired by the construction of a plank-road from Theresa to Clayton, through LaFargeville, furnished ample accommo- dations for the new institution. Rev. Lewis T. Ford was the President; Loren Bushnell, Treas., and R. B. Biddlecom, Secretary of the

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organization. The first principal was Bur- ton B. Townsend, A. B. He was truly an excellent teacher, more than ordinarily suc- cessful in imparting information and inspir- ing his pupils with an enthusiastic desire for learning. With him, as preceptress, was Miss Harriet A. Downs, who afterwards be- came Townsend's wife. After his death she married Eleazur W. Lewis, a well-known lawyer. He died a few months since and she is now living in Iowa. Under Prof. Town- send this school became popular, was well attended, and he was the idol of his scholars.

The inhabitants of the locality were un- used to such an institution; the methods of Townsend became the subject of criticism among the moss-hacks and busy-bodies of that day. This so grew in volume and bitterness that he was forced to relinquish his position. He went south, returned with- in about a year afterwards, to this county, where he died May 23, 1853, leaving a memory his scholars have fondly cherished, preserved and revered.

Shortly before Townsend left, a building was partly finished on the hill, in the south part of the village, but the winds, perhaps, in emulating Townsend's traducers, leveled it to the ground. A new building was, by this persevering people, commenced and

finished, and the school was transferred to it. In 1852, Mr. Allen C. Beach, then a young lawyer, afterwards holding high official positions in this State with great credit, he- came its principal. He remained less than a year. He did good work in this school, and became a great favorite with all its attend- ants, and carried with his early retirement the regrets, respect and best wishes of all with whom he came in contact.

After Mr. Beach, Profs. Groome, of Ful- ton county, and Derwin W. Sharts, a -gradu- ate of Madison University, became for a time principals. Both were good and able men, and did all they could to rescue the academy from the blight of previous injuries. Miss Etta Baker was. during the principal- ship of Prof. Sharts, preceptress. She after- wards became the wife and widow of Prof. J. Dorman Steele, of Elmira, N. Y., where she now resides.

Afterwards itinerant teachers tried, but without success, to revive its usefulness. Its charter was surrendered, and like so many others of its class, it became "extinct." The building was for a time used as a place for religious meetings, and for a tenement. It is now used by the village school. It is to be hoped the memory of its unfortunate career is also marked "extinct."

PAMELIA.

THE first attempt at settlement in the ter- ritory now constituting Pamelia, was made in 1799, the same year that Jacob Brown and his party located in Brownville. In that year two men, named Boshart and Kitts, estab- lished themselves with their families about three miles northeast from Watertown, near where LeRay street now runs, erected log houses, and began clearings. Their families, however, were dissatisfied, and on the ap- proach of winter they all removed to Lewis county ; that is, they went to the territory now called Lewis county, for at that time both Lewis and Jefferson were a part of Oneida county. The present Pamelia, to- gether with all the rest of Jefferson county north of Black river, was then embraced in the town of Leyden.

In 1799 the south part of the territory, aftewards called Pamelia, was a portion of the Chassanis tract, or the French Company's land. The central and northern portions were a part of Great Tract No. 4 of Ma- comb's purchase, except the territory east and northeast of Perch lake, which was em- braced in Penet Square. Tract No. 4 was then actually owned by the Antwerp Com- pany, an association of Holland gentlemen residing in the city of Antwerp, though heing foreigners, the title was held by others for them. The origin and transfers of titles pre- vious to the beginning of settlement have been sufficiently set forth in the general his- tory of the county.

In the year 1800 the southwest half of Tract No. 4 (which included the Pamelia portion) was conveyed in trust for the Ant- werp Company to the celebrated Jas. Do- natien LeRay de Chaumont. He was made the agent of the company for the sale of the territory thus conveyed, and 10 years later he purchased all the unsold land in Tract No. 4. LeRay soon acquired an interest in the Chassanis tract also, and made all the sales for 1801, either as principal or agent. Thus it will be seen that all land-titles in Pamelia (except in the small tract embraced in Penet Square) may be traced back to Le- Ray de Chaumont, acting either for himself or others.

On the first day of April, 1802, the terri- tory which is our present subject was trans- ferred from Leyden to the new town of Brownville, of which it formed a part for 17 years. On the 28th of March, 1805, it be- came a part of the county of Jefferson, which was formed from Oneida on that day.

The territory of Pamelia was compara- tively a level tract, slightly rolling, entirely underlaid with lime-stone, which frequently came to the top of the ground. It was heavily timbered, the principal growth being elm and maple, with considerable beech, basswood and oak, and occasional patches of black ash on the wet ground. Besides the lime-stone, which frequently cropped out in low ledges, there were a few large bowlders of granite scattered through the forest,

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which had, withont doubt, drifted from other regions.

At the northern extremity of the yet un- formed town lay Perch lake, a beautiful little body of water, nearly three miles long and three-fourths of a mile in width at the widest place, renowned for the fish whose name it bears. Along the southeastern and south- western corners ran the turbulent Black river. This description, being' confined to the terri- tory which now constitutes Pamelia. excludes consideration of the tract bordering on Black river, which has lately been annexed to Watertown, and the history and description of which are given in the chapters devoted to that city. The territory of. Pamelia was also drained by several small streams, of which Perch river (the outlet of Perch lake), Philomel creek and Cowan's creek were the principal, all three running in a southwesterly direction, and all, previous to the clearing off of the forest containing a considerable quan- tity of water.

EARLY SETTLERS.

After the feeble attempt of Boshart and Kitts, we cannot learn exactly who were the first settlers within the present limits of Pamelia. All who located there during the first 10 years of this century have died or moved away, including those who were children at that time. One of the very earliest was Mr. Makepeace, grandfather of Elliott Makepeace, Esq., who settled on the farm now occupied by Daniel Augsbury, in the north part of the present town. He built the first frame house within the present limits of Pamelia.

As early as 1804 a few settlers located on the north shore of Black river, in what is now Watertown. In 1805 Mr. Haven settled a mile from the river, just inside the present city limits, and it is fair to presume that as early as that year some emigrants located in the present Pamelia. Possibly there were a few at a still earlier date. Previous to 1812, some twenty or thirty families came into town. Among these were John Gould and J. M. Parish, who both settled in the north- west part of the present town, on farms lately owned by their sons. Elijah Ainsworth, Philip Ainsworth, Brintnall, Caleb J. Bates, Isaac and Jacob Meacham, William Morse and Jacob Lowell, all settled in the northwest part of the town before 1812. Benjamin Cole, Obadiah Rhodes and Stephen Farr settled during the same period, near Pamelia Four Corners, while Aaron Dresser, Curtis Goulding, Henry Becker and Alvin Twing were the founders of that village,

John Folts located in the southwest part of the town before 1812, and probably Simeon Woodruff, Peter Acker and David and Bel- shazzar Tillipaugh. Two families, named Bacon and Cooper, were among tlic earliest settlers in the southeast part of the present town. Smith Scoville located previous to 1811. Mr. John Scoville was born in 1811.

In 1811, David Augsbury, with his family,

settled in the northwest part of the town. He was followed, in 1812, by his father, John Augsbury, with his three youngest sons, Benjamin, Nicholas and Daniel. Two other sons, John and Abraham, already men of family, did not come until after the war. Their father purchased the farm of Mr. Makepeace, who, however, removed but a short distance. The house was still the only frame one in town, and is yet standing on the same farm. Mr. Augsbury says it appeared in 1812 to be seven or eight years old, by which we infer that Mr. Makepeace settled there as early as 1804 or 1805.

The road from Brownville, running past Mr. Augsbury's, and thence northeastward on the east side of Perch lake, was then cut out and used on the same ground it now oc- cupies. Another road, running northeast from Brownville, ran nearly, though not ex- actly, on the line of the present Military road. Deer were very abundant, frequently showing themselves close to the houses of the settlers, but wolves do not appear to have been as troublesome as in many regions. Their doleful voices were sometimes heard, however, up till the War of 1812, but after that time they almost entirely disappeared. Large numbers of Indians frequently visited Perch lake for the purpose of fishing, but they always behaved themselves peaceably towards the settlers.

Otters were numerous about the lake. Mr. Augsbury mentions going thither shortly after he came into town, and seeing seven otters together, swimming for towards the mouth of the creek, in the bank of which they were seeking shelter. His dog plunged in and caught hold of one, but the animal, in his own element, was too strong for his canine assailant, and quickly broke loose and gained a place of safety.

In Pamelia, as elsewhere throughout the country, potash was the principal article pro- duced by the settlers which brought cash. The people of Pamelia were favorably situa- ted for sending it to Canada, and many were the loads which, during the non-intercourse days privious to the War of 1812, found their way to the St. Lawrence by the secret road, cut through the forests of Brownville and Cape Vincent, and known only to the initiated.

During the war the few residents of Pa- melia were kept in a state of continuous alarm by the hostile operations along the border, and every man capable of bearing arms was again and again called out to repel invasion. No foeman, however, found his way thus far eastward, and at the conclusion of the war old settlers and new immigrants re-commenced the task of felling the great elm forests of Pamelia.

Theron Converse had put up a log house in the winter of 1814-15, on what is now called LeRay street, just north of the present city line. In the spring of 1815 he moved thither with his family from Watertown. His son, Hiram Converse, then 13, was one

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of the earliest settlers of Pamelia. He states that at that time it was all a dense wilderness eastward almost to Carthage. Deer were still numerous, and were often shot at a deer-lick, only two or three miles north from the county-seat.

William MeGinnis settled in the southwest part of the town in 1815. He was then 30 years of age, with a wife and four chil- dren. He said there were 30 or 40 families in the present town of Pamelia when he came.

Among those who located there before 1819, were the following, most of whom came after the war, though a few may have been there before: Elijah Wright, William Wafful, Russel Weaver, Benjamin Still, John Stewart, Captain Joseph Mayo, - Nichols, John Stewart, Joel Nims, James Wright, Isaac C. Pettit, Daniel Pettit, Os- man Banister, Nehemiah Van Nes, John N. Gunn, - Gardner, Conrad Wafful, Benja- min Pease, William Sixbury, Isaac Sixbury, Elias Wager, - Combs, Charles Brown, Thomas Goodrich and Abram Spalsbury.

Soon after the war Aaron Dresser opened a tavern at Pamelia Four Corners, being the first in town. In 1816, John N. Gunn began keeping a small store in the western part of the town, north of the center, being also the first establishment of its kind within the present territory of Pamelia. It was kept open five or six years. School-houses were also erected in various part of the town, -one at Pamelia Four Corners, one in the Augs- bury neighborhood, one in the Brown neigh- borhood and one near Elias Wager's, some- what east and south of the center of the town.

The first saw-mill was built just after the war, on Philomel creek, at the crossing of the Clayton road, by Abbey, father of the Abbey brothers, noted as printers in the early days. The mill has long since passed away, and the creek itself is sadly diminished in volume.

The increase of population and the conse- quent clearing away of the forest speedily drove away the game, and thenceforth it was occasionally that a deer strayed into Pamelia from the woods still farther north. Pigeons, however, were for a few years numerous al- most beyond conception. They had a great roosting-place near Perch river, whence they used to go forth every morning and return at night, spreading over the sourrounding coun- try in clouds so thick as to shut out the sky for ten minutes at a time. Mr. Daniel Augs- bury relates that his oldest brother kiled 40 with one raking shot as they sat in line upon a fence. Immense numbers of them were killed for their feathers. Mr. Elijah Ains- worth had a small net in which, by successive hauls, he frequently caught over twelve hundred in a single day. No stool-pigeon was necessary ; there were places where they were in the habit of alighting, and a net spread there was sure to capture them.

Joel Nims settled in the Thomas Brown

neighborhood in 1818, buying the "better- ments," as improvements were then com- monly called, of William Wafful. There was a considerable increase in population that year, and thenceforth the numbers were too great to permit us to give the names of individual settlers unconnected with anything of a public nature.

Log houses were still almost universal, but in 1818 a large number of frame barns were built, giving the country quite a civilized" appearance, and the people began to think they were far enough advanced to have a town by themselves. Petitions were accord- ingly sent to the Legislature, and on the 12th of April, 1819, an act was passed forming the town of Pamelia. This name was derived from that of the wife of Jacob Brown, of Brownville, then a major-general in the United States army, and one of the foremost men in this part of the country. It is worthy of note that this lady, although she had reached middle age when her name was con- ferred upon the town of Pamelia, lived to at- tain the age of nearly a century.

The first town meeting was held at "the school house near Elias Wager's," in the spring of 1820, when the following town officers were elected: Supervisor, John Stewart ; clerk, Henry Gotham ; assessors, Russel Weaver, Benjamin Still and Simeon Woodruff; overseers of the poor, Simeon Woodruff and Benjamin Still; commis- sioners of highways, Alfred Comins, Simeon Woodruff and Benjamin Still ; collector, Horace Mather; commissioners of schools, Osman Banister, Nehimiah Van Ness and Joseph Mayo; inspectors of schools, Amos Eames, William Usher, Russel Weaver, John N. Gunn, Baker Massey and Charles Brown ; constables, Jacob J. Green, Benjamin Pease and Horace Mather.

SUPERVISORS.

1820-27, John Stewart; 1827-28, Russel Weaver ; 1829-30, Gustavus A. Foster ; 1831- 35, Bernard Bagley ; 1836, Chillingsworth Colwell; 1837-41, B. Bagley ; 1842, William Wilson ; 1843-45, Henderson Howk; 1846- 47, Josiah Bonney, Jr .; 1848-49, B. Bagley ; 1850, Abram M. Harger ; 1851-52, Charles D. Wright ; 1853, Josiah Bonney. [For eon- tinuation of this list, from 1854 to 1894, see pages 337-44.]

The southern boundary of the new town was the center of Black river ; the northern was the south line of Penet Square. The eastern boundary began on the river at the intersection of the east line of range twenty- seven, west of the Chassanis tract, running north along that line to the south bounds of that tract, and thence onward in prolonga- tion of that line to the southeast corner of Penet Square, the whole distance being a trifle over eight miles. The western bound- ary of the town ran north from the river along the west line of range thirty-one, and thence in a similar prolongation to Penet Square ; the entire length being about six

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and two-thirds miles. The width of the new town was four and a fourth miles. It will be seen that its limits were the same then as now, except that a small tract was afterwards added on the north and a still smaller one taken off the south.

The same year the town was formed (1819) the Military Road was built through to Plattsburg by the United States government. The labor was largely performed by suc- - cessive detachments of soldiers sent out from Sackets Harbor. One of these detachments was commanded by a young lieutenant known to fame forty years later as Major-General Edwin N. Sumner.

By this time people began to find them- selves in a position to replace their old log houses by something better. A few frame ones were erected, and in 1821 Simeon Woodruff built a substantial stone house, the date being engraved on the stone over the door, where it is still plainly to be seen. This was nearly, if not quite, the first stone house in the town. About the same time, however, Mr. Thomas Goodrich built another, and a little later Abram H. Harger erected the stone hotel at Pamelia Four Corners. Still later, Captain Mayo built a stone hotel in the south western part of the town.

Stone was so cheap that a building of that material was almost as cheap as one of wood. Between stone and frame the log houses were rapidly superseded, and by 1830 they had mostly disappeared, at least on the main roads.

Another improvement of considerable note in its day was the "Pamelia Farmers' Scien- tific Library," which was incorporated April 1, 1822, having for its first trustees John Stewart, Russel Weaver, Joel Nims, Simeon Woodruff, Ansel Mills, Thomas Goodrich and William Cole. There were about 60 shares, each costing two dollars and a half. Each man could draw books to the amount of bis investment. Every three months all books were required to be returned, and a new draw was made. If two or more persons desired the same book they had to bid for the privi- lege of drawing it. The library was always kept at Hiram Woodruff's, and some times quite a spirited scene ensued. when two or three farmer boys in pursuit of knowledge were struggling for a drink at the same fountain.

"How much for this book ?" would be the inquiry of Librarian Woodruff.

"I bid five cents" would probably be the reply of some youthful son of Pamelia, for the financial condition of the people was not such as to gratify any extravagance.

"Eight cents," would be the response of a rival.

"Ten cents."

"A shilling."

These were high notches, and unless the volume was in great request, or thespirit of rivalry was very strong, it was " knocked down" on reaching the latter bid. Some- times, however, fifteen cents was bid, and in

a few extraordinary cases the enormous sum of twenty cents was reached. Good, solid mental food, too, was afforded by the little library-Volney's Ruins, the works of Jose- phus and Stewart's Intellectual Philosophy being a portion of its contents. But ere long school libraries began to be formed, some of the stockholders moved to more distant localities, the interest fell off, and about 1850 the Pamelia Farmers' Scientific Library was, by mutual consent, divided among its owners.

By an act passed April 1, 1824, a small part of Penet Square, east of Perch Lake, was taken from Orleans and annexed to Pamelia. It was from one to two miles wide east and west and three miles north and south, making the total length of Pamelia a little over eleven miles. The same act directed the name of the town to be changed to " Lean- der" after the first of the following March, but this clause was repealed before it went into effect.

It is now a matter of history that Joseph Bonaparte, probably about 1824, built a large stone mansion on the shore of Perch Lake, in Pamelia, in which he resided for several years, it being convenient for com- munication with his friends at Cape Vincent as well as with Mr. LeRay at LeRaysville. At this Perch Lake mansion he entertained with a generous hospitality-attracting thither many of those Bonapartists who came to America and were only waiting a favorable opportunity to restore the sway of that great name once more to their beloved France.

The house stood for many years after the ex-King had gone to his long home, and was utilized as a farm dwelling. Walter Collins, once sheriff of Jefferson county, for a time resided in that house, and from it he came to Watertown when elected sheriff. It is not now in existence, scarcely one stone standing upon another. It has departed from the material world as effectually as has that once powerful house from political importance- its name only a memory, its fortunes utterly ruined. France will never again welcome such a ruler, for he taught the young men war, and left their bones to bleach from Moscow to the Danube, and even distant Egypt furnished graves for his conscripts, who preferred the path of glory to the simpler walks of peace.

POST-OFFICES

Were established both at Pamelia (in the pre- sent city district) and Pamelia Four Corners as early as 1830. In 1831 the postmaster at the latter place was S. Comstock. In 1837 it was Abram M. Harger. In 1830 the popula- tion of the town (including the present city district) had risen to two thousand one hun- dred and four. The county poor-house was erected in this town, on the north bank of Black river, just below the present city line, in 1834.

There is little to record in the quiet life of a farming community after the hardships and

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dangers of pioneer life are passed. A few mills and factories were erected on Black river, opposite Watertown, where a small village gradually grew up, but this having lately been united to that city, its history is necessarily given in the chapters devoted to the city. Within the present town the forest receded still more before the farmer's axe. In even the backwoods the log houses were superseded by frame or stone ones. . It was soon ascertained that the soil was admirably adapted to the production of grass, and stock-raising and dairying consequently be- came the principal business of the inhabit- ants.

It was not until 1847 that there was any separate religious organization in the town, in which year a Methodist Episcopal class was organized at Pamelia Four Corners.

The Potsdam & Watertown Railroad was finished in 1850, running about two miles through the southeast corner of the present town of Pamelia. It afterwards became a part of the Rome, Watertown & Ogdensburg road. In April, 1853, the Cape Vincent branch of the latter road was completed, of which about a mile and a quarter is in the southwest corner of Pamelia.

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The growth of a century: as illustrated in the history of Jefferson county, New York, from 1793-1894, Part 137

Author: Haddock, John A., b. 1823- Publication date: 1895 Publisher: Albany, N. Y., Weed-Parsons printing company Number of Pages: 1098

Author: Haddock, John A., b. 1823-
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Albany, N. Y., Weed-Parsons printing company
Number of Pages: 1098