The growth of a century: as illustrated in the history of Jefferson county, New York, from 1793-1894, Part 159

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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took an active pride in doing good work. Mr. Comins bad two brothers iu the Union army, one of them, Hamilton, going through three years of arduous and active service, in- cluding Fredericksburg and Chancelorsville, and coming out without a wound; another brother, Alexander, was fatally wounded at Fredericksburg, dying in Lincoln Hos- pital, Washington, in January, 1863, after having been in active service only a few months. He was another Watertown boy whose life's blood was freely given to save the Union. Can we say too much in praise of such ?

CHARLES AYERS was born in Bridgewater, Vt., in 1798, came to Jefferson county with bis parents in 1806 or 1807. He followed farming and school-teaching for several years, and in 1842 was ordained a minister of the Gospel. He always lived upon the farm settled by his father. He married, in 1823, Eliza Allen, a native of Hartland, Vt. Eben. A. Ayers was born in Watertown, January 29, 1827, and was reared upon a farm, receiving a common school education. He married for his first wife Lucy, daughter of Jerome Ives, and had one son, Charles E. He married, second, Jane S., daughter of Thomas W. Warren, of Houndsfield. After marriage, Eben A. Ayers followed farming for several years, in the towns of Watertown and Houndsfield. In 1865 he built a cheese factory at Rice's, in Watertown, and bas since then devoted his time to the manufac- ture of cheese, and to dairying in general, being one of the organizers of "The Jeffer- son County Butter and Cheese Makers' Association," and in 1892 was appointed cheese instructor for Jefferson county. In 1884 be was appointed post-master at Rice's, and bas since beld that office. Thomas War- ren, father of Mrs. Ehen A. Ayers, came to this country from New Brunswick. The Ayers family in Jefferson county are des- cended from John Ayers and Hannah Wins- low. John Ayers was a farmer and shoe- maker. He served in the war of 1812, was taken prisoner at the battle of Sackets Har- bor, May 29, 1813, taken to Quebec and died there in prison in September of the same year.

TRUMAN B. TOWNSEND was born in the town of Champion, September 4, 1806. His early life was spent upon his father's farm. receiving such an education as the common schools afforded. On attaining his majority he married Miss Sarah, daughter of Elisba and Betsy (Edwards) Allen, January 2, 1828, and soon after he purchased 35 acres of land near his father's place, and built a log bouse. In about five years be built a good frame bouse, and lived there the remainder of bis life, near 60 years. In 1847 be saw the need of more land and purchased 32 acres more. He commenced life with that zeal and energy which characterized his every under- taking. In addition to farming his few acres, be learned to be a carpenter and joiner, which occupation he continued at intervals,

and became a master builder. He was suc- cessful in business, and in obtaining a good position in society, retaining the esteem and confidence of bis fellow-citizens. He was called to fill several offices in his town, and discharged their duties to the satisfaction of his constituents. His estimable wife and helpmate died in 1873, aged 66 years. Their union was blessed with five children, two sons and three daughters: Priscilla K. (wife of I. W. Smith, now of Chicago); George H., who resides on the old farm of his grand- father ; Erastus E., died February 28, 1844; Florence A. (wife of A. W. Weeks, of Malone, Franklin county), and Mary E. (wife of Fred DeLong, of Watertown). In September, 1875, Mr. Townsend married Mrs. Margaret Copeland, of Milwaukee, Wis. After a long and useful life be died in his 82d year. This was one of the prominent families of Pamelia, a brief sketch of which is entitled to its place in the history of Jeffer- son county. The sketch is inserted in the town of Watertown, for the Townsends were also well-known on both sides of the river.

JONATHAN COWAN .- Frequent reference has been made in this History to this early comer, one of the original owners of the water-power of Beebee's Island and all the south shore of the river up to a point where he joined Jewett's land, and down to near the lower bridge. His poverty and death in old age, excited considerable sympathy, and especially as the graves of his kindred have been so pitilessly desecrated by the officials of the city of Watertown. His contempor- aries (Henry Coffeen, Hart Massey and that Jewett who owned all the water-power of the river where the Remingtons have made such great improvements), were prosperous when they died, but Mr. Cowan had not a dollar when he passed over to the otber coun- try. I remember bim well, a tall, heavy, silent man, apparently digesting some sub- ject in his mind as he passed along the streets. He proved himself a narrow man- for when he came to sell water privileges be insisted upon limiting the grant to some specific use-doubtless intending to hold for himself the best business opportunities ; whereas a liberal man would have been will- ing, when he sold a piece of property, that the grantee should use it for bis own pur- poses, untrammeled by any clause of restric- tion. This course made Mr. Cowan many enemies, and he gradually withdrew from active life. But he should ever be held in kind remembrance by the people of Water- town, for he was one of the men who con- veyed the Public Square as a perpetual gift. It bas been well improved, and is justly a source of pride to our people.

ALONZO M. WATSON, for several years a resident of Watertown, was admitted to the bar in 1837. In 1840 he was a law partner with John F. Hutchinson, a man of eccentric character, at one time postmaster at Water- town. Marrying unfortunately, be died early of consumption. Mr. Watson, his

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partner, before Hutchinson's death, had be- come infatuated with Fourierism, and, with many other able men-notably Horace Greeley and several of his astute contempor- aries-had attempted to reduce Fourier's principles to practice. The association which he aided in getting together at Cold Creek, two miles east of Watertown, after a year of bickerings and petty squabbles, principally among the women, relapsed into a state of "innocuous desuetude," and the result was bankruptcy, pure and simple. Watson left Cold Creek and went to Sodus Bay, in Wayne county, where the Fourierites had a second establishment on a farm of 1,100 acres. There he remained a year, and then removed to Rochester, resuming the practice of the law. After a couple of years he died suddenly of pneumonia, at the early age of 40 years. His capable wife was left with a family of seven children, whom she reared

to habits of usefulness and respectability. Don A., one of her sons, served in the Union army most patriotically, and on his return from the field was elected superintendent of schools for the third Assembly district, a position he filled with entire acceptability. He has been the kind friend and capable assistant of the author of this History, in preparing the matter for Alexandria, the town where he has resided for nearly a quarter of a century, much respected and beloved. Another son, Dr. L. C. Watson, also served through the great Civil War, and died at Alexandria Bay, aged 57 years. One of the boys, George M., became a newspaper man in Michigan, and died there. A daugh- ter, Emma, married George Snell, of Ant- werp, and Mrs. Watson now resides there with her daughter, at the advanced age of 84 years, a heroic, noble woman.

SOME OF THE 10TH N. Y. HEAVY ARTILLERY.

COL. CHARLES C. ABELL, whose face is shown upon the composite page of soldiers of the 10th N. Y. Heavy Artillery, went into the Union army as captain of Company O, of that large and meritorious regiment, raised mostly in Antwerp, where the Colonel had resided for many pears. He was the son of Dr. Chester Abell, of Fairfield, Vt., whose wife was Miss Abigail Corliss Stone, of East Berkshire, Vt.

When the call came for 300,000 men, which the great and good President Lincoln hoped would be the last personal sacrifice the North would be called upon to make in order to put down the Rebellion, Col. Abell set about raising a company from his townsmen and acquaintances. This accomplished, he took up the life of a soldier as if he had been born to it, for it suited his ambition, and the martial spirit of his ancestry began to mani- fest itself in him. His ability as a soldier soon attracted the attention of his superior officers, and he was detached from his com- pany to serve upon the staff of the chief of artillery of his division of that great army which, under Grant and Meade, was to roll up the Confederates and eventually destroy their military power by hard blows, and by the sacrifices which were only too manifest in the Wilderness and at Cold Harbor.

Charles early developed what in New Eng- land is called "faculty," a knack for doing anything or everything, being naturally in- genious, skillful and deft in many kinds of mechanical work, and was in general a boy "handy to have about the house," but for a further "faculty " to tease the life out of the rest of the household. As a youth he was active, sturdy, energeticand of an enterprising spirit, with a taste for military life, and especially desiring an education at West Point, but as circumstances did not favor this, he promptly turned to business pursuits,

having first acquired a good academic educa- tion in St. Albans, Vt.

Col. Abell comes of notable hardy pioneer stock. As carly as 1763, his great-grand- father, Major Uriah Stone, emigrated with his wife and infant son from Massachusetts to Piermont, N. H., when that part of the province was yet an unbroken wilderness. Here he built a log cabin for a residence, and a block house near by for defence from the In- dians. The ruins of this fort were still visible on their farm well on into the present century. Major Stone won his title by hon- orable service in the old French wars of Colonial times, and from then till now the numerous and patriotic family which he rep- resented has not failed in ready response to our country's call for good men and true. Col. Abell resided in Vermont until 1855, when he came to Antwerp, continuing in mercantile business there till he entered the Union army.

Detailing with more particularity his ser- vice, we may say that he served with his company and regiment until June, 1864, when he was detailed as inspector of artillery for the 18th corps, commanded by the distin- guished "Baldy" Smith. After serving as inspector for four months, he was promoted to be chief of artillery for the same corps. The 18th corps and the 10th each had colored troops and white troops intermingled. By putting the colored troops of each corps under one command they became the 25th corps, and the white troops were designated as the 24th. Col. Abell remained with the 24th as chief of artillery. He served through with that corps until Appomattox, and was honorably mustered out with his regiment in Septem- ber, 1865, after being relicved from duty with the 24th corps.

Col. Abell soon made Chicago his home, where he remained 18 ycars, then he was two

COL. JAS. B. CAMPBELL.

CAPT. J. H. PARKER.

COL. C. C. ABELL.

CAPT. JOHN ARMSTRONG.

LIEUT. GEO. W. WOOD.

MEMBERS OF THE TENTH N. Y. HEAVY ARTILLERY.

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yearsin Mexico. Since then he has resided in Denver and Omaha, and is now cashier of the Omaha Packing Company, where his business ability is appreciated by that large concern, with which he occupies a trusted and responsible position, and he is held in esteem as a citizen.

However much Col. Abell may have dis- tinguished himself in the field, where his service was one of exposure and great re- sponsibility, it is as the sincere and courteous gentleman that he has developed the qualities that have endeared him so closely to his friends and acquaintances. By natural in- heritance he is brimful of vitality, intellectual vigor, and strength of character, abounding too in the charm of genial humor in a re- markable degree. He is a friendly man, who finds in social life and in the society of con- genial friends his greatest enjoyment.

The author of this History was privileged to share a day with the Colonel and Mr. Geo. W. Wiggins last summer at historic Sackets Harbor, wherethe Colonel's company was organized. It was almost a perfect day of pleasure, and will never be forgotten. We three "were boys again," in spite of the contrary fact too plainly proclaimed by our grizzled beards, but-"Where snow flakes fall thickest there's nothing can freeze."

J. A. H.

LIEUT. COL. JAMES B. CAMPBELL,

THE life and military services of this esti- mable gentleman would of themselves com- mend him to favorable consideration in history, for he was a good soldier-one of the best. Join to this his unknown and mysterious ending, and we have all the elements of romance added to uncertainty and perhaps tragedy. Colonel Campbell possessed a fair degree of culture, he had a receptive and logical mind, and was of large physique, weighing 225 pounds, yet appear- ing like a man of less weight, for he bore himself with a certain lithesomeness that took away all thoughts of bulk. When the Civil War broke upon the country he was a farmer, and had no training in arms, though one of his ancestors had been a major in the British army. Colonel Campbell organized a company, and was mustered into the United States service as captain, September 11, 1862. His company was recruited mainly from the towns of Pamelia, Cape Vineent and Lyme.

The leading characteristics of Col. Camp- bell, as an army officer, were his superiority in drill, and in a capacity to enforce disci- pline without being classed as a martinet. He behaved gallantly in the field, and was par- ticularly distinguisbed by leading his regi- ment in a night attack (April 1, 1865), upon the enemy's lines at Bermuda Hundred, in which engagement he received a gun-shot wound in his right arm. He also partici- pated in the engagements about Peters- burg, where the 10th Heavy Artillery bore

so conspicuous and gallant a part in those last days of the Confederacy. He was mustered out with his regiment, and began life again as a farmer, near Plessis, but soon removed to Rutland, where he remained seven years. He bad been to California, and that had perhaps given bim an inclination towards a Western residence. In 1875 he began a new life in Chicago, having pur- chased a baking business, in which he was prospering unusually well. On the 20th of October, 1877, he mysteriously disappeared, and no trace whatever has ever been had of him. He was undoubtedly murdered, as he had drawn over $1,000 from the bank the day previous, but had expressed it to his brother in the East, and so the murderer missed the money, though he killed the man -forming another of those dark chapters of crime which at one time or another have darkened the history of all our large cities. Colonel Campbell was a noble man, and has been and is now sincerely mourned. He was a brother to Mr. Alexander Campbell, who died at Watertown while filling the office of postmaster. He has another brother, Peter, living in Watertown. J. A. H.

CAPTAIN JOHN H. PARKER,

WHO commanded Company H, 10th N. Y. Heavy Artillery, and wbose face is shown in the composite plate of officers of that dis- tinguished regiment, was born in Watertown, July 23, 1837. He was the son of James and Mary E. (Swayze) Parker. James was a native of Watertown, and his wife was from Hope, Warren county, N. J. They reared seven children. John H. had the benefits of the common schools, completing his education at the Watertown Institute. His life, up to the time of entering the army, was passed much like other farmers' sons. In April, 1862, he married, at Cape Vincent, Miss Helen M. Esselstyn, by whom he had one daughter. Mrs. Parker died August 7, 1883. In 1887 he married, for his second wife, Miss Mary L. Holmes, and they also have a daughter, born in 1891. In 1862, when the call came from President Lincoln for 300.000 more troops, Captain Parker was a school-teacher in Dexter. His patriotism was aroused, and he began organizing a company of light artillery in August, which was finally mustered into service September 12, 1862, with four officers and 120 enlisted men. He then began the life of a soldier with the rank of 1st lieutenant. September 20, 1862, he, with his company, started for Washington. Their first halting place after leaving Sackets Harbor, was at the City Hall barracks, in New York city, but their stay there was short, and on their way to Wash- ington the Captain's diary gratefully records that they were breakfasted sumptuously at the Cooper Shop free restaurant, in Phila- delphia, where nearly a million meals were served to the soldiers from 1861 to 1865. Strange to say, they were dined at Balti-

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more by the ladies of that city. Reaching Washington, their real camp life began at Camp Barry in a meadow, only a short dis- tance east of the Capitol. It was at this camp that he and his company first realized that the duty of a soldier is to obey.

They were ordered to forcibly take pos- session of Fort Stanton, one of the series of earth-works defending Washington, thus changing the arm of service from light to heavy artillery. Lieutenant Parker was promoted to be captain of his company, and he served it in that capacity until the end of the war. In January, 1863, this command (named Company H), with other companies, was organized into the 10th N. Y. Heavy Artillery, and then began their drill in infan- try tactics, preparatory for service in the field. The thoroughness of their drill and excellence of discipline, enabled them to give a good account of themselves wherever duty called them, whether defending the nation's capital or on the arduous and peril- ous field of battle.

May 27, 1864, this fine regiment took transports for Port Royal, on the Rappa- hannock, and soon were part and parcel of Gen. Grant's great army at Cold Harbor. From the siege of Petersburg, they were hurried to Washington, when Early was threatening that city. They were also in the Shenandoah Valley with Sheridan, in Janu- ary, 1865; again in the siege of Richmond and Petersburg, occupying a long front line with its right resting on the James river. It was here that the 10th N. Y. Artillery bore a conspicuous part in the great closing con- test. Company H lost by death, disease and killed in action, one officer and 26 men; one officer and six men by promotion ; seven transferred to the navy ; four to Veteran Re- serve Corps ; 33 discharged for disability, and 10 were lost by desertion.

Notwithstanding this great loss, through the good name and popularity of the com- pany, recruits and transfers were equal to the loss. The last morning report of the company, made June 21, 1865, gives tive officers and 122 enlisted men. Captain Parker, when mustered out, entered upon mercantile pursuits in Brownville, removing to Cape Vincent in 1873, and continuing in that same business to the present time.

CAPT. JOHN ARMSTRONG,

WHOSE face appears herewith, was born in Watertown in 1827. His parents were Ed- ward and Elizabeth Armstrong, who came into Jefferson county from Canada, where they were emigrants from Ireland. They were residents of Watertown for many years, his widow surviving her husband for a long time, dying at last, as the result of a fall, in her 87th year. John C. was educated in the common schools of Watertown, and learned the moulder's trade in the foundry of Horace W. Woodruff, then occupying the ground where George A. Lance's woolen mill now

stands. He joined the Union army in 1862, as 1st lieutenant in the 10th Heavy Artillery. . He served with that regiment until the Janu- ary after his muster-in, when he was pro- moted to captain, and detailed for duty at the Park Barracks in New York city, which occupied the ground now covered by the New York City post office. He was re- lieved only seven days before the anti-draft riots of July, 1863, and rejoined his regiment in the field, being placed in command of Fort Baker, opposite the navy yard at Washington. When the 10th Heavy Artil- lery were ordered to the arduous service which culminated before Petersburg, and had its glorious termination at Appomattox, Captain Armstrong was with his company, and was assigned, after the capture of Petersburg, to the command of one-fourth of the city, the place having been divided into four divisions. After Appomattox, Captain Armstrong was mustered out with his com- pany at Madison Barracks. He was a good soldier, and served faithfully throughout the entire "unpleasantness " with our Southern brethren.

After completing his trade, he entered the service of the R., W. & O. R. R., for nearly 10 years, the road being only completed to Richland when he began his service. He afterwards accepted a position on the New York Central, and later on the Overland Mail route, in those early days when it was as much as a man's life was worth to be stationed on that stage line. He was there when the Civil War broke out, and on reaching Watertown entered the Union army, as stated above. Captain Armstrong has been prominent in Masonry ever since his initiation into the order. He has filled nearly all the positions in the different Masonic organizations; has been Past High Priest in Watertown Chapter, and Past Commander in Watertown Commandery K. P.

LIEUT. GEORGE W. WOOD,

WHOSE likeness we present, also served in the 10th N. Y. Heavy Artillery; he was born in Dexter in 1838. He was the son of John T. and Orrilla (Field) Wood, who came into Jefferson county in the thirties. They reared six children. George W., the subject of this sketch, had the benefits of the common schools of Dexter. When 15 years of age he began work in the old Ontario woolen mill, now the sulphite mill, and remained in that employ in one capacity or another until he enlisted, in 1862, and became a member of the 10th N. Y. Heavy Artillery, where he was attached to Company H. In 1864 he was promoted to a lieutenancy, as a recognition of his ability aud gallantry as a soldier. He served through with the regiment, and was mustered out with it at Sackets Harbor. In 1866 Lieutenant Wood married Miss H. Ellen Winn, daughter of Francis W. Winn, of Dexter. They have reared two children, twins (Burt W. and Bertha), both of whom

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are yet at home. Lieutenant Wood is now in trade at Dexter, the firm being O. M. & G. W. Wood, and have been there since 1867. The Lieutenant is postmaster at Dexter, having been appointed under President Cleveland. He is a man who commands the respect of the entire community where he has so long resided. His amiability and kindness of heart make him popular.

CAPTAIN HORACE O. GILMORE, so well known as the commandant of a battery in the 10th N. Y. Heavy Artillery (the present holder of a commission as Colonel in the

militia of the State), was born in Fairlee, Orange county, Vt., in 1823. His parents were Horace Gilmore and Pamelia (Cook) Gilmore, who came into Vermont from New Hampshire. In 1862 Capt. Gilmore became a member of the 10th New York Heavy Artillery, and was assigned to command Company I, composed mostly of men who were raised in Houndsfield and Brownville, many of them being neighbors and friends.

The Captain was very popular with his men, was an efficient and able officer of ar- tillery, and served straight through until the regiment was mustered out.

COLONEL CHARLES E. MINK.

CHARLES E. MINK was born in Albany, N. Y., October 15, 1835, and served an ap- prenticeship as a machinist with Mr. Addison Low, the celebrated steam-engine builder of that city. Mink was an enthusiastic student of military tactics, and served in the militia of his native city. He assisted to erect the engines on the steamer "L. R. Lyon," the first successful steamboat on Black river be- tween Lyons Falls and Carthage in 1856. At the time of the breaking out of the War of the Rebellion he was employed as en- gineer on the same boat, and left it to recruit a company for the war as soon as a man could be obtained to take his place on the

boat. He left Lowville with his company for Elmira early in October, 1861, to join the First Regiment of New York Light Artillery. [For an extended account of the services of this distinguished battery, see p. 322.]

MRS. SARAH C. MINK, wife of Colonel Charles E. Mink, is descended from the earliest settlers of New York State. Her paternal and maternal ancestors were identi- fied with the Colonial interests, and the struggle for independence. From such an- cestors she has inherited a love of country and loyalty to its defenders, which has found ample scope in the work which has given her a national reputation among the veterans of the Civil War. When the Grand Army of the Republic asked for an auxiliary to assist them in their endeavors to aid the

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The growth of a century: as illustrated in the history of Jefferson county, New York, from 1793-1894, Part 159

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