The growth of a century: as illustrated in the history of Jefferson county, New York, from 1793-1894, Part 153

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

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WILLIAM HENRY TALLETT, the super- visor from the 4th ward of Watertown. was born in 1855 in the town of Rodman, the son of George H. and Katherine E. (Baker) Tallett. On his mother's side he is descended from good old Methodist stock, for she was a daughter of that Rev. Gard- ner Baker, one of the pioneer preachers of Jefferson county, who exemplified, by a long and virtuous life, the religion he counted it gain to preach. George H. Tallett came into Jefferson from Taberg, Oneida county, about 1851, and was one of the very few travelling photographers the county has ever been familiar with. William Henry Tallett, the subject of this sketch, had the advantage of the public schools of Watertown, graduating from the High School, and has always resided in Watertown. He is an extensive horticultur- ist and vegetable gardener, having a large plant in the fourth ward, west of the Fair Grounds. He is serving his second term as supervisor, and is a most estimable and enterprising citizen. In 1885 he married Miss Rosetta L. Strong, daughter of Moses Strong, of Champion. They reside upon the property which they have made so inviting, and where they have lived since 1865.

CORNELIUS J. CLARK, the supervisor from Wilna, and the tallest man upon the Board, was born in Philadelphia, Jefferson county, July 15, 1857. He was prepared for college at Mexico Academy and at the Carthage High School. In 1875 he entered Madison University (now Colgate), and graduated in 1878. Returning to his home in West Car- thage, after graduation, he went into the milling business in company with Mr. Hutchinson, and that has been his occupa- tion ever since. Mr. Clark has taken, from the first, a deep interest in politics. He is an ardent and uncompromising Republican, has been delegate from his town to many county conventions, and twice to the State convention of his party. He is a natural and graceful speaker, and a young man of unusual promise. He is the only college graduate on the Board, and was very promi- nently put forward by his friends in 1894, as the Republican nominee for member of Assembly, a position he would have filled with distinguished ability, for he is a most agreeable and cultivated gentleman. His party will doubtless call him, in 1895, to fill the place he came so near being nomin- ated for-and to be nominated, with him means his election. Mr. Clark has a repu- tation as a speaker, which has induced the State Committee to send him into different counties during political canvasses. He always pleases his audiences, for he has that desirable foundation for any public man, an excellent education. At a late G. A. R.

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THE GROWTH OF A CENTURY.

gathering in Carthage, he made a great hit, and his patriotic sentences aroused the en- thusiasm of the old soldiers to the highest pitch. Soon after his graduation, Mr. Clark married Emma, daughter of Dr. N. D. Fergu- son, long a resident of Carthage. They have one son, a fine, intelligent lad. The subject of our sketch is the son of William and Asenath Clark, who have been for many years residents of Carthage and its vicinity. The grandfather, Gardner Clark, was one of the first settlers in Philadelphia town- ship, an honored and able citizen

ALEXANDER D. BOYD, now supervisor from the town of Worth, was the son of William and Catherine (Lane) Boyd, who came into Montague, Lewis county, late in the forties, from County Mayo, Ireland, and became a farmer. He raised a family of four children. Alexander D. was born in Montague, and is now in his 39th year. He had the benefit of the common schools, com- pleting his scholastic education at the Car- thage Union Free School, having for one of his associates Mr. C. J. Clark, now repre- senting Wilna on the Board of Supervisors, and who is lately making such a good run as Republican candidate for member of Assembly. Mr. Boyd taught school some six seasons, putting in his time at farming during the summers. In 1875 he married Miss Julia Newton, daughter of Ora K. Newton, a highly-respected citizen of Rod- man, now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Boyd have reared two children, a boy and a girl, Clarence and Grace. He has been justice of the peace, postmaster, and is now serving his second term as supervisor. He is an agreeable, unpretending gentleman, at pres- ent, in addition to his farming, being an ex- tensive manufacturer of cheese for the sur- rounding farmers.

JACOB STEARS, Jr., the present clerk of the board of supervisors, is the youngest of three children of Jacob and Sally (Pratt) Stears. He was born in the town of Water- town, December 8, 1828, on his father's farm, then owned by him, and so continued until his death, in 1874. Jacob Stears, Sr., was born in the town of Johnstown, Mont- gomery county, N. Y., in January, 1790, and came to this county with his uncle, John Bliven, in 1801. Sally Pratt, his wife, was born at Leominster, Mass., in 1797, was a sister of the late Solomon and Tilly R. Pratt, the latter dying some years since in this city. Jacob, Jr., the subject of this sketch, has always resided on the farm, in the town of Watertown, where born, attend- ing district school until 18 years of age, subsequently select schools, Rodman Semin- ary and Clinton Liberal Institute, at Clinton, N. Y. In 1860 he was elected assessor of the old town of Watertown, and was re- elected and served in that capacity with the late Gilbert Bradford, Charles Clark and Theodore Ely, until the incorporation of the city of Watertown in 1869. He was again elected supervisor of the present town, and

served as such until assuming the duties of county clerk in 1871, to which he had been elected in 1870, was re-elected in 1874, and served in that capacity until January 1, 1877. In the fall of 1863 he was elected clerk of the Board of Supervisors, and was re-elected each year until 1871, at which time he was serving as county clerk. In 1885 and 1886 he was elected supervisor of the town of Watertown, and when serving his second term as such supervisor, was chosen as clerk of the Board of Supervisors, to which position he has been appointed each subsequent year, and is now serving in that capacity, having served in that position 17 years. At the organization of the Legis- lature of 1888, he was chosen deputy clerk of the Assembly, and was re-appointed in 1888-89-90. In 1891 he was given the posi- tion of engrossing clerk in the Senate, through Senator Sloan. At the session of the Assembly of 1894 he served in a similar position in the Assembly. By occupation he is a stock-raiser and farmer.

The following table shows the names of Chairmen and Clerks of the Board of Super- visors of the County of Jefferson from 1859 to 1894-5. Compiled by Jacob Stears, Jr. expressly for Haddock's History.

YEAR. CHAIRMAN.

CLERK.

1859 Ambrose W. Clark __ John A. Haddock

1860 John H. Conklin Levi Smith

1861 Chas. A. Benjamin. Wm. S. Phelps

1862 Nathan Strong. Wm. S. Phelps

1863 Chas. W. Burdick Jacob Stears, Jr.

1864 John H. Conklin Jacob Stears, Jr.

1865 Geo. C. Hazleton Jacob Stears, Jr.

1866 Chas. W. Burdick Jacob Stears, Jr.

1867 Chas. A. Benjamin Jacob Stears, Jr.

1868 Geo. A. Bagley Jacob Stears, Jr.

1869 R. B. Biddlecom Jacob Stears, Jr.

1870 Theo. Canfield Jacob Stears, Jr.

1871 Theo. Canfield. W. D. V. Rulison

1872 Royal Fuller W. D. V. Rulison

1873 Thos. C. Chittenden. W. D. V. Rulison 1874 Fred Waddingham ___ W. D. V. Rulison 1875 O. Degrasse Greene __ W. D. V. Rulison 1876 John C. Knowlton ___ W. D. V. Rulison 1877 O. Degrasse Greene.W. D. V. Rulison 1878 O. Degrasse Greene Fred Waddingham 1879 James Sterling W. D. V. Rulison

1880 Isaac P. Wodell. .W. D. V. Rulison

1881 Isaac P. Wodell . W. D. V. Rulison

1882 H. H. Bent. W. D. V. Rulison

1883 Isaac Mitchell .W. D. V. Rulison

1884 Isaac Mitchell W. D. V. Rulison

1885 Wm. D. Arms W. D. V. Rulison

1886 Wm. D. Arms Jacob Stears, Jr.

1887 Wm. D. Arms. Jacob Stears, Jr.

1888 Wm. D. Arms Jacob Stears, Jr.

1889 Wm. D. Arms. Jacob Stears, Jr.

1890 Walter Zimmerman Jacob Stears, Jr.

1891 Walter Zimmerman .. Jacob Stears, Jr.

1892 Walter Zimmerman ... Jacob Jtears, Jr.

1893 Joseph Atwell. Jacob Stears, Jr.

1894 Joseph Atwell. Jacob Stears, Jr.

725

WATERTOWN.

WE have already devoted much space to the City of Watertown, designating it as the geographical, financial, educational and ac- tual historical center of the grand old county of Jefferson-the heritage of a free people, wrought out by our forefathers with much travail of soul, sometimes with tears and sufferings which have never been told and never will be, but which are treasured in the secret memory of the Divine Omniscience. It is for us who are now in active life to be thankful for what we have received-a grand county of generous and fruitful acres, gov- erned by wise laws, free from the sting of any slave driver's lash-a land of peaceful valleys and of hills that "exalt themselves," and of a people worthy of such an heritage.

The history of this town is so closely inter- mingled with that of the adjacent city of the same name that it is somewhat difficult to separate them. In this case, as in other similar ones, the only way is to keep in mind that the territory of the present town is the subject under consideration, and that all which had occurred outside of its present boundaries is irrevelant to our purpose. These boundaries are as follows : Beginning in the middle of Black river, on the line be- tween the old survey township numbers 2 and 3 of the "Eleven Towns ;" thence south to the southeast corner of Township No. 2, six and a third miles; thence west to the southwest corner of No. 2, six and a half miles ; thence north to the middle of Black river, seven miles ; thence easterly along the centre of the river, two and a half miles, to the city boundary ; thence southerly, west- erly and northerly, along that boundary, at various angles, but in a general semicircu- lar direction, for six and a half miles, as laid down in the history of Watertown city, to the center of Black river, striking two and three- fourths miles from the point of deflection ; and thence easterly along the center of the river, two miles and a quarter, to the place of beginning.

The surface of this territory is moderately broken in the central and western parts, rising into hills of considerable height in the south- era and eastern portions. Black river runs along the north side of the northeastern and northwestern sections of the present town; it is a rapid stream, affording abundant water- power within the territory of Watertown eity. Besides this, the principal stream is Sandy creek, which heads in Rutland, enters Watertown about two miles south from its northeastern corner, runs southwesterly about four miles, and then passes across its southern line into Rodman. Another stream, called Mill creek, heads near the centre of the town, and also runs southwesterly, its waters finally making their way into Black River Bay near Sackets Harbor. From the western part of the city across the northwestern part of the territory under consideration, and thence

southwest toward the lake, extends a long marsh, commonly known as "Long Swamp."

The soil of the west part of the town is a dark loam interspersed with gravelly ridges, while in the eastern portion the gravel be- comes largely predominant, and small bowl- ders are abundant. The original growth of timber in the east was very largely sugar- maple, with smaller quantities of beech, bass- wood and elm, and some pine near the river. Going westward, the maple becomes less abundant, and considerable birch was found on the low ground.

This town, together with that part of the city south of Black river, was originally township No. 2 of the "Eleven towns." The early titles having been delineated, it is only necessary here to say that at the beginning of settlement it was owned, together with Adams in this county and Lowville in Lewis county, by Nicholas Low, of the latter place, his agent being Silas Stow. The township (the present city and town) had been surveyed in 1795 by Benjamin Wright, of Oneida county, into 52 lots of from 400 to 625 acres each, but it was not until 1800 that its settlement was actually begun.

In March of that year Deacon Oliver Bar- tholomew, a native of Connecticut and a Revolutionary soldier, who had already reached the age of 42 years, made his way from Oneida county through the trackless forest, and made his first settlement in the present town of Watertown, close to its northwestern corner. This earliest pioneer survived the hardships of frontier life for more than half a century, dying in 1850, at the age of 92 years.

Up to this time township No. 2 was a part of the gigantic town of Mexico, Oneida county, which town extended from Oneida lake on the south to Black river on the north, and from the same river on the east to Lake Ontario on the west. But almost simultaneously with the advent of the first settler (March 14, 1800), Watertown was formed by an act of the Legislature. It com- prised townships numbers 1, 2 and 3 of the "Eleven Towns," now known as Hounds- field, Watertown and Rutland, and the main part of the city of Watertown. All the in- habitants were in what is now Rutland, and it was there that the first town meeting of the town of Watertown was held. The name was probably derived from Watertown, Massachusetts, being considered especially appropriate on account of the river, which runs for near 20 miles along the northern boundary.

Bartholomew bad bought his land in Octo- ber previous (1799), and at the same time purchases were made by Simeon and Ben- jamin Woodruff, E. Allen, James, Rogers, and Thomas Delano. During the year 1800 the two Woodruffs, Jotham Ives, and per- haps others, came on and built cabins pre-

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THE GROWTH OF A CENTURY.

paratory to settlement; but the only man who remained through the winter in the present town was Deaeon Bartholomew. The next year, Simeon and Benjamin Wood- ruff, with their families, their father, Jonah Woodruff, and their younger brother, Fred- eriek, came on and located where the two first-named had built their cabin, a short distance northeast of Burrville, in what has since been known as the Woodruff neighbor- hood. Jotham Ives, afterwards one of the prominent men of the county, made a per- manent location in that year at the extreme western part of the town, in the district now called Field Settlement, as did also his brothers, Joel and Dr. Titus Ives. It is said that Jotham Ives raised the first wheat in the present town of Watertown. There were numerous other settlers during this year, for when Watertown had once been fairly dis- covered, and its advantages duly observed, it filled up with great rapidity. Among those who settled in the eastern part of town in 1801 and 1802, were William Sampson, Rev. Ebenezer Lazelle, Thomas and Job Sawyer, John Blevan, Abram Fisk, Lewis Drury, Sherebiah Fay, Aaron Bacon, Jonathan E. Miles, Jacob Stears, Seth Peck, Henderson Howk, Silas Howk, Job Whitney, and Caleb and Nathaniel Burnham. James Wilson set- tled in 1802, on "Wilson Hill," south of Burrville, cutting his own road from Adams. In the central part were Eli Rogers, Aaron Brown, Elijah Allen, James Rogers, and others; while in the west were Joseph Wadleigh, Bennett Rice, Thomas H. Bid- dlecom, John and Zebediah Buell, Friend Dayton, and others. We give also a further list of others who had purchased land in township No. 2 in 1800: Silas Alden, Heman Pettit, David Bent, Luther Demming, Ira Brown, Calvin Brown, Abram Jewett, N. Jewett, Benj. Allen, James Glass, Henry Jewett, Ephraim Edwards, and John Patrick. All these purchases were made by contraet, and it was not until August 20, 1802, that the first deeds in the township were given to Jotham Ives, Elijah Allen, David Bent, Ezra Parker, William Parker, Joseph Tuttle, and Joseph Moore.

Meanwhile Mr. Stow, as agent for the pro- prietor, seeing that the settlement was likely to be very rapid, made a contract with Hart Massey, under which a saw-mill and a rude grist-mill for grinding corn were to be built that season. Massey was to furnish three acres of land and erect the mills, while Stow was to contribute provisions, mill-stones, irons, and, in short, whatever cost money. The expenses were to be equalized when the work was done, and the mills to be owned in partnership by Stow and Massey.

The point chosen for these important struc- tures was on the branch of Sandy creek be- fore named, a few rods below the somewhat celebrated cascade upon it. This cascade is just within the present town of Watertown, on its eastern edge. The stream, coming from the eastward, pours in several separate

channels over successive ledges of rock, fall- ing some sixty feet in the course of a few rods. In high water, even at this day, these falls present an interesting view, and when the country was covered with woods the volume of the stream was such as to give promise of a valuable water-power. In this, as in many other cases, elearing up the forest dried up the water, and the more wheat there was raised the less power there was for grinding it.

The saw-mill was built according to con- tract, and the grist-mill was completed in 1801 or 1802. These were the first mills of any description in Jefferson county south of the river. In 1802 they were sold to Captain John Burr, who, with several sons, located there at that time, and remained for many years. One of the sons, Theodore Burr, was afterwards an eminent engineer and bridge- builder. From this family the place received the name of Burrville, which it still retains.

The first minister in the town, and perhaps in the county, was Rev. Ebenezer Lazelle, who came in 1801 or 1802, and, oddly enough as it sounds to modern ears, he owned the first distillery in town, situated at Burrville. He is supposed to have built it ; at all events, he owned it in 1802.

Immigration was very rapid, and in the fall of 1802 there were about 60 families in the present town. Clearings were appearing in every direction, but the deer still bounded over the hills by day and the wolves howled dismally in the darksome glades by night. The latter seldom attacked men, but were considered dangerous if goaded by extreme hunger or excited by the smell of blood.

One of the earliest settlers, named Mat- thews, related to Mr. James Brintnall, who in turn repeated an account of his visit to the city of beavers in the day of its prosperity. Across the little creek was the dam, com- posed principally of logs ground down and dragged into place with immense labor by the tireless architects, filled out with moss and stieks, and finished with a heavy coating of mud. The meadow was broad and the water was less than a foot in depth. Above its surface rose the mud-huts of the beavers, with no opening visible to the eye. Mr. Matthews stealthily approached, and could hear the inhabitants busy within their man- sions, but an unguarded movement disclosed his presence, and the next instant he saw them rushing away through the shallow water, without any of them having appeared above its surface. Mr. Matthews determined to investigate the mysteries of beaverdom, and accordingly took off the top of one of the huts. He found a comfortable chamber above the surface of the water, well eush- ioned with moss and leaves, and evidently serving as both bedroom and parlor for the beaver family. There was neither door nor window, but in the floor there was an aper- ture through which the occupants could pass down into the lower chamber. This was nearly full of water, and had an opening into

727

WATERTOWN.

the pond beneath the surface. Thus, these intelligent and industrious animals had com- fortable rooms in which to dwell, and were, at the same time, safe against all ordinary assailants.

But bears, wolves, deer and beaver all fled before the swiftly advancing tide of immi- gration. It is doubtful if another town in the State was settled with more rapidity than were the fertile fields of Watertown, after work was once begun. The axes of the pioneers resounded in every direction, and the smoke of their cabins rose from every valley and hill-side, Of course the fateful dramas of birth and marriage and death were soon enacted in these lately untrodden wilds. The first birth was that of a son of Adam Bacon, at Watertown Centre. It was quite a common custom in those days for the first male child born in a township to receive the name of the proprietor, and to be presented with a lot of land by him. Tradition asserts that on the next visit of the proprietor of Watertown the jubilant father informed him that a son had been born to him (Mr. Bacon), and added, "I have named him after you." "Ah! have you ?" replied the person thus addressed, putting his hand in his pocket. " Well, here is fifty cents for him !"

The first girl born in the present town of Watertowu, was Sally Rogers, daughter of Eli Rogers, who also resided near the Centre. The first death, so far as known, was that of John Arnold, residing on the creck below Burrville. We are unable to say what couple first led the way into the temple of Hymen (which, in this case, was doubtless a log cabin), so there is all the better oppor- tunity to imagine the pioneer bride and groom as surrounded throughout their united career with all the blessings which love and joy could bestow.

Captain Richardson was the first super- visor of the town, 1808-9.

In March, 1803, Tilly Richardson, com- monly known as Captain Richardson, an old Revolutionary soldier, located himself in the valley, about a mile and a half southwest of Burrville, where he was long a prominent citizen. Joseph Sheldon came with Captain Richardson, and settled on "Dry Hill," in the south part of the town, where he was long a prominent citizen, and reared a reso- lute and numerous family.

We have mentioned the distillery at Burr- ville, owned by the Rev. Mr. Lazelle. In 1803 he sold it to Thomas M. Converse. In it the grantor is described as "Reverend Ebenezer Lazelle," and the distillery as being "near Captain John Burr's mill." Mr. Converse soon after became the propric- tor of a store at Burrville (the first in the present town of Watertown), in company with Jabez Foster, the firm name being Foster & Converse. After 'Mr. Foster's re- moval to Watertown village, about 1807, Mr. Converse continued the business alone, also managing his distillery and an ashery, and being the leading man of the little vil-

lage until his death, in 1811. Orville Hun- gerford, afterwards one of the distinguished men of the State, was a clerk for Foster & Converse during their partnership. Timothy and Anson Hungerford were early settlers between Burrville and Watertown Centre.

The first church in town, and probably the second in the county, was the First Congre- gational Church of Watertown, organized at Burrville, in Caleb Burnham's barn, on the 3d day of June, 1803, by Rev. Ebenezer La- zelle. When Mr. Burnham wanted his barn to put wheat in, the church held meetings in divers places: in the ball-room of Colonel Tuttle, in the wagon-shop of Deacon Saw- yer, in school-houses and private houses. There was no regular pastor, and the preach- ing was mostly by missionaries from other localities.

In 1805 the territory under consideration ccased to be a part of Oneida county, the new county of Jefferson being formed by the Legislature at that time. The county seat was fixed at the little village of Water- town, the growth of which rapidly increased, and the surrounding town of course had a considerable access of immigrants, who de- sired to be near such a promising market. Among those (it is impossible to give a full list), who located in the east part of the town, from 1803 to 1812, were Jonathan Baker, William Huntington, John Gotham, Seth Bailey, Doris Doty, Cyrus Butterfield, Cyrenius Woodworth, Levi Cole, Samuel Thurston, Captain Job Whitney, Anthony and Andrew Sigourney, William Fellows and Samuel Thurston. In the Centre were Corlis Hinds, Reuben Scott, Benjamin Green and many others. In the west the most prominent settler was Elijah Field, of Wood- stock, Vermont, who, in 1805, purchased the Buell farm on the western line of the town- ship. He had no less than nine sons and three daughters, most of whom were of mature age, and settled near by, but over the line in Houndsfield. The whole district on both sides of the line has since been called Field Settlement. Among those in that part of the town, besides those already named, were Aaron Blodgett, Samuel Bates, Myrick Bates and Asaph Butterfield. In the north- west were Captain James Parker and others.

On February 17, 1806, the town of Houndsfield was formed from Watertown by the Legislature, corresponding in size to sur- vey Township No. 1, and reducing Water- town to the size which it retained up to the incorporation of the city in 1869. There was not much chance for anything but farms in the western part of the town. A distillery was early erected on the Wadleigh place, on Mill Creek, which was afterwards changed to a grist-mill, but this was long since abandoned.

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The growth of a century: as illustrated in the history of Jefferson county, New York, from 1793-1894, Part 153

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