The growth of a century: as illustrated in the history of Jefferson county, New York, from 1793-1894, Part 45

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 45

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Nov. 2, 1838 .- Protracted meeting at Baptist church closed to-day, having continued 30 days, night and day.

Nov. 16, 1838. - Received news of the battle at the wiodmill opposite Ogdensburg. Fears are enter- tained that the whole body of the patriots will be captured

Nov 19, 1838 .- We now learn that the windmill hat- tle proved disastrous to the patriots, 90 of whom sur- rendered, and were taken to Kingston.

Dec. 4, 1838 .- We learned that old Mr. Wheelock's son, wounded at the windmill, has died of his wounds in the Kingston Hospital.

Dec. 13, 1838-We have news that Dorephus Abbey and Daniel George were hanged in the fort yesterday at Kingston [See chapter on the Patriot War. ]

April 24, 1839 -Good wheeling. roads dry, weather pleasant, dry and cool. [Almost an exact descrip- tion of the weather at the same date in 1894 ]

May 10, 1839 .- Had radishes yesterday from hot bed.

June 6, 1839 .- Marinus W Gilbert died to-day.

June 12, 1839 .- George Benedict's wedding; only the aristocracy present (!)

Aug. 14, 1839. - The governor here yesterday. Was escorted to Carthage and back by citizens, led by John F. Hutchinson.

Aug. 29, 1839 - Our president, Martin Van Buren, in town. Spent the night with Mr. Sterling.

Nov. 18, 1839 .- Hon. O. Hungerford's son-in-law, Rev. R. Z. Ely, buried yesterday.

Jan. 7. 1840. - We learn from the paper that there is sleighing from Maine to Georgia.

Jan. 19, 1840 - Themometor 28° below zero. Tre- mendous cold.

April 25, 1840. - Mrs. John Clark died this morning.

May 17, 1840. - Have had plenty of lettuce and radishes from our hot house.

Jan. 23, 1833 .- Report from protracted meeting says that A. P. Brayton and wife have experienced reli- gion. Calvin Guiteau expressed a wish to be prayed for. [This was undoubtedly the father of that Guit- eau who assassinated President Garfield.]

Sept 22, 1840 .-- We are now in the midst of the greatest political demonstration ever held in the county. The Wbigs have turned out 10.000 to 15.000 strong, and are being addressed by Senator Tal- madge.

Nov. 16, 1840 .- Drowned, at Sackets Harbor, this day, Col. John Gotham and Alex. McDonald.

Jan. 3, 1841 .- Attended the funeral of Mrs. Sewall yesterday in a most violent snow storm

April 7, 1841 - Southern mail briogs us news of the death of President Harrison, after one month's ser- vice.

May 20, 1841. - Forest trees begin to show a little green, a very backward spring. [At least a month late, as compared with 1894 ]

June 2, 184] .- Dr. Amasa Trowbridge killed almost instantly yesterday on Factory St., just above Knowl- ton & Rice's paper mill. [The author of this History witnessed that tragedy. ]

Dec. 20, 1841 .- An extensive fire destroyed Holcomb & Lee's woolen factory; merenry, during the fire, at 28 below 0.

Jan. 9, 1842. - Mrs. M. W. Symonds and Dr. John Safford both died to-day.

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CITY OF WATERTOWN.

March 15, 1843. - Snowed all day, mail 3 days late. Worst storm in 40 years.

March 16, 1843 .- The snow has continued 6 days and 6 nights. March 25, 1843 .- In the woods the soow is 4 feet deep, and there are drifts 25 feet high.

April 1, 1843 .- " The most dismal 1st of April I ever witnessed."

April 11, 1843. - Planted seeds in hot beds, with soow banks all around from 2 to 3 feet high

April 29, 1843 .- Part of the mill dam at Knowlton & Rice's paper mill, with the bridge and part of the Union mill, all swept off this morning by the great flood resulting from the melting snow .

April 11, 1844 .- Hon. Micah Sterling and Hon. Eg- bert Ten Eyck died to-day.

Sept. 18, 1844 .- Great Whig mass meeting, 15,000 to 20,000 in attendance.

May 13, 1849 -Sunday -Greatest fire ever known iu Watertowo. Losses about half a million dollars. [See full account in history of the city of Watertown.]

Sept. 22, 1850 -Universalist church burned-no in- surance,

Oct. 16, 1852. - The entire block of stores from Stone street to Paddock's block burut this morn- ing. Losses heavy.

From this date back to 1838 Mr. Hunting- ton confined himself almost entirely to mere entries of the thermometric changes and comments upon the weather. His rec- ords evidence great industry and much in- telligent observation.

WATER POWER OF BLACK RIVER.

For several miles above the city the river flows rapidly over a solid bed of Trenton and birds-eve limestone, making the water pure and healthy and well aerated for sup- plying the city; but coming as it does from a granite region, the water is almost as soft as the purest rain-water, which renders it especially well adapted for use in the manufacture of cotton and woolen fabrics. The rocky nature of the bed and banks of the river in the vicinity of Watertown is the fullest guaranty against all disasters arising from the washing away of banks, or the undermining of dams.

Upon the organization of the Manufac- turer's Aid Association, it was decided that a scientific survey be made of the river upon whose power is based in so large a measure the distinctive attractions of the city, with a view of ascertaining, in a definite manner, the measure of the power derived from the river in its passage through the corporate limits of Watertown. To this end a syste- matic survey was made by Frank A. Hinds, civil engineer, assisted by Fred W. Eames, two gentlemen well calculated and abun- dantly qualified to do the work assigned them. We quote the following from Mr. Hinds' report :

"I have made a survey of Black river throughout the extent of the city of Watertown, and herewith subinit a report of that survey, together with a map and profile. A level was carefully taken of the water from the point where the river enters the city at its eastern limit to the point where it leaves it at its westerly boundary, a distance of less than two miles, Including in detail all the numerous falls and rapids, both improved aod unimproved. The whole amount of fall within the distance, I have found to be 111.75 feet. Eighty-three feet of this noticeable fall is included between the upper and lower railroad bridges.

"There are five distinct falls between the points named. The river was gauged at a point about two miles above the city, where its course is straight and level for a considerable distance, and it was found to deliver 596,728 cubic feet of water per minute. The measurement was taken on the 22d of March, and although the water was very little, if any higher than the ordinary winter flow, and the ice still un- broken, a deduction equal to one-third was made, to insure a safe estimate of the fair working average of the year. This allowance gives an average delivery of 397,819 cubic feet per minute. This multiplied by 61.3 and ]11.75, and divided by 33,000 gives 83,928 as the average actual horse-power for the whole river in its passage through the entire city. If a still further allowance is made of two-thirds of this amount for leakage, clearance, friction and unavoid- able waste, we still have 27, 976 horse-power, which may be regarded as effectnal aud available to run machinery."

TEXTILE MANUFACTURING.

The basis of the prosperity of Watertown as a manufacturing city, is her excellent water power. At an early day the utiliza- tion and improvement of the natural ad- vantages thus presented, was commenced by the erection, first, of a grist-mill. and subsequently of more extensive manufactur- ing enterprises, some of which still remain in operation. It may be well here to give a brief summary of some of the early textile manufactories, so far as existing records and personal research have enabled us to procure the necessary data.

The manufacture of cotton and woolen goods once held quite a conspicuous posi- tion in the industries of the place. The extraordinary prices to which cotton fabrics had arisen, led to the formation of the " Black River Cotton and Woolen Manufac- turing Co." December 28, 1813, with a capi- tal of $100,000. The promoters of this scheme were Hart Massey, William Smith, Jabez Foster, M. W. Gilbert, John Paddock, Egbert Ten Eyck, Amos Benedict, William Tanner, Jasan Fairbanks and Perley Keyes. The building was erected in 1814, at a cost of $72,000. This mill was carried on by the company for three years ; was a few years subsequently sold for $7,000, passed into other hands, and was destroyed by fire in 1869.

In 1837 the " Jefferson Cotton Mills" were erected on Beebee's Island by Levi Beebee, who came here from Cooperstown, N. Y. They were constructed of stone, 250x65 feet, and three stories high, with basement and wings. It was intended for ten thousand spindles, and its value was estimated at $200.000. On July 7, 1833, the building was entirely destroyed by fire. The site of this factory was one of the most eligible in the State for hydraulic purposes.

We insert a copy of one of the due-bills issued by that company.

The "Watertown Cotton-Mills Company," with $100,000 capital, was formed January 10, 1834, Isaac H. Bronson, Jasan Fairbanks. Samuel F. Bates, John Sigourney and Joseph Kimball as trustees. This associa- tion continued several years, and was re- placed hy the "Watertown Cotton Com- pany," with a capital of $12,000, formed

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January 7, 1846, with E. T. Throop Martin, Daniel Lee, S. Newton Dexter, H. Holcomb and John Collins, trustees. The company occupied the building already mentioned, constructed in 1814, and ran fifty looms with proportionate machinery. Major John A. Haddock went into the army from that mill, and it passed into other hands, subse- quently being destroyed by fire.

The " Hamilton Woolen-Mills Company," was formed February 10, 1835, with a capi- tal of $50,000, by Henry D. Sewall, Geo. Goulding, John C. Lasher, Simeon Boyn- ton and John Goulding. On the 10th of March following, the capital of the com- pany was increased to $100,000, under the name of the Hamilton Manufacturing Com- pany. Mr. Sewall built a dam and factory, and the latter went into operation in the spring of 1836. It was designed for five sets of cards, with the necessary machinery.

formed November 7, 1836, with a capital of $10,000, and was in operation many years. I. H. Bronson, S. N. Dexter, J. Williams, H. Holcomb and Charles Webber were the promoters of the organization.

THE OLD COTTON MILL ON FACTORY SQUARE.

There has been considerable speculation between Mr. Andrew J. Fairbanks (he being a native. to the manor born, and a veritable historian), and the writer (who came here in 1833), as to the individual from whom the Black River Cotton and Woolen Manufacturing Company purchased the lands, upon a part of which they erected the old stone cotton factory in 1814, which was so long a prominent landmark at Fac- tory Square. That speculation has been set at rest by reference to one of Solon Massey's able articles, preserved by Mr. Geo. B. Massey, himself quite an antiquarian, and

FIFTY

CENTS

Will be paid to the beaver ondemand at the Store of the JEFFERSON Cotton Mills in Goods at our retail Cash prices Watertown N.Y. 18

Rawdon, Clark & C! . 1165

In May, 1842. this mill was bought by the " Black River Woolen Company," which had been formed November 7, 1836, with a capital of $50,000, the trustees being I. H. Bronson, S. N. Dexter, O. Hungerford, John Williams, Hiram Holcomb and Daniel Lee. This company also erected a factory, which, after several years' successful opera- tion, was destroyed in 1841. The mill was afterwards repaired and put in operation by Loomis & Co., employing seventy hands.

The "Watertown Woolen Company ' was formed February 4, 1834, with $100,000 capital, with I. H. Bronson, John A. Rodgers, John Williams, S. Newton Dexter and H. Holcomb, as trustees.

The "Watertown Woolen Manufacturing Company" was formed December 24, 1835, with J. Williams, I. H. Bronson, H. Hol- comb, D. Lee and Silas Clark as trustees, and a capital of $25,000. The two last- named companies existed a few years, but no record exists of what was accomplished.

The "Williams Woolen Company " was

a near relative of Solon Massey, that patri- otic and able gentleman, who, under the nom de plume of "A Link in the Chain," threw such an instructive light upon every subject his pen touched. Writing for one of the village papers early in the forties, he says:

THE OLD "EMERSON HOUSE."

Who is there among us that did not know that long established and well known landmark, the Emerson House, which, amidst all the mutations of time for almost half a century, has stood there unscathed hy the numerous and destructive fires which have swept over other portions of our village, blotting out one by one the memorials of other days? And who is there, among the descendants of the old families, who has not shed his tear of regret over the ashes of that old time-worn memorial of the past, now that it has been swept from our sight hy the destroying ele- ment ?

It has been from our childhood up, a point of ob- servation to reckon from-in getting our latitude and longitude. East or West, North or South of the old Emerson house conveyed ideas that were perfectly intelligible to the community; and like a mile stone on the highway, it was always reliable for its giving distance to or from the center of the village.

Captain Ezekiel Jewett hecame the proprietor of a large tract of land, consisting of 400 acres, at a

THE TAGGART BLOCK.

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CITY OF WATERTOWN.

period (it is believed) as early as 1803, and in 1807 erected the house we are writing about, and, which for many years was appropriately called the " Jewett House," and so knowo until long after it passed into the hands of Harlow Emersoo.

In 1813 a company was formed for manufacturing purposes, which purchased for $10,000 the entire farm of Capt. Jewett, with all the vast water power on the river, and the next season they erected the old cotton factory, and proceeded to manufacture cotton goods, under the corporate title of the (B. R. C. & TV. M. Co.) Black River Cotton and Wooleu Manufac- turing Company

They purchased the whole for the sake of getting the water front, expecting to parcel out the balance into small tracts, and sell it at such an advantage as would leave their hydraulic privileges nearly or quite free.

Mr. Emerson became the purchaser of fifty acres of the land facing on the State road, including the old Jewett house, and in process of time his name was applied to the house, whenever it was spoken of as a distinctive laodmark, instead of the original proprietor, who had in the meantime removed to the town of Whitestown in Oneida county.

After Capt. Jewett left the premises, and before they were purchased and occupied by Mr. Emerson, the house had been used as a tavern, more or less, by different individuals, among whom were Gardiner Caswell and Harrison Morels, not as a "village tav- era," but with a view to the traveling public, ou the great stage route to and from Utica and the capital of the State on the one hand, and the great lakes on the other.

It is no evidence of a want of forethought in Capt. Jewett that he sold his 400 acres of land, including the vast water power of his river front for $10,000, but rather conclusive of the shrewdness of his char- acter as a financier, that he was found in possessloo of a property that was wanted, so soon, to accommo- date the rapid growth of Watertown. It could not be kept together as a farm and at the same time be occupied as streets and lanes of a teeming village population. It must either be sold out and occupied by the public, or kept as a farm, at the expense of driving the village a mile or two further down stream, and Capt. Jewett accepted such terms as made him rich, with comparatively trifiing effort- simply by the rapidly increased value of property.

The road now and for nearly an hundred years known as "Factory street," was pur- chased from the original proprietors by this same B. R. C. & W. M. Co., as a highway from the Public Square or mall to their lands at Factory Square, that being the easiest way of reaching their possessions. Having bought from Jewett, the first owner after Low, the lands beyond the north branch of the river were long known as Jewettville, being really in the town of Pamelia, though now an important part of the city of Watertown, and there is located one of the most important paper mills of the Remington Paper Company.

WATERTOWN'S ACADEMIES.

The earliest movenient towards the estab- lishment of a public seminary in the county, was made in 1810. In that year a subscrip- tion was drawn up, $2,500 signed, a lot bought of Judge Keyes for the site of an academy, on the ground occupied by the First Presbyterian Church, in Watertown, and a plain two-story brick building, about 30x30, erected thereon for academical pur- poses. The war, which soon occurred, de- feated this movement, and the building was taken and occupied by the United States government as a hospital during that pe- riod, the sum of $400 being allowed to Mr.

Keyes for its use. A large debt having ac- crued, it was appraised at about $1,000. sold on a mortgage, and bought by the trustees of the First Presbyterian Church, who erected on the lot, a little in front of the former building, the large church which has finally been replaced by the present elegant structure on Washington street.

On the 2d of May, 1835, the Watertown Academy was incorporated, by which Micah Sterling, Henry D. Sewall, Thomas Baker, Reuben Goodale, Orville Hungerford, Al- pheus S. Greene, Egbert Ten Eyck, Justin Butterfield, William Smith, Jasan Fair- banks, Joseph Goodale, Loveland Paddock, Joseph Kimbal, George S. Boardman and John Safford, and their successors, were in- corporated as trustees of an academy, with power to hold real estate not exceeding an annual income of $6,000, and possessing the usual corporate powers of similar bod- ies. This academy was never received under the visitation of the Regents.

A large stone building was erected in a grove, a little south of the village, which was first opened for the reception of students in September, 1832.

In their first circular, the trustees said: " It has too long been a subject of reproach to our community, that, while other inter- ests were flourishing, the interests of educa- tion were neglected. Among us there has been no seminary for the education of boys, above the ordinary district school, and the consequence has been that parents have sent their children abroad, at a very heavy expense, or brought them up in compara- tive ignorance at home. But this reproach, so far at least as regards a provision for the means of acquiring knowledge, is about to he done away. An elegant and commodious building has been erected and prepared, and measures, we trust, will soon be taken to furnish a suitable philosophical apparatus. * * * The building stands in a pleasant grove near the village and yet retired from its bustle, on elevated ground, commanding an agreeable prospect. The subscribers are happy to announce that Mr. La Rue P. Thompson has been induced to take charge of this institution as principal, and well- qualified assistants will be employed as soon as the number of students offering shall ren- der it expedient."

Mr. Thompson was succeeded by Samuel Belding, and the latter by Joseph Mullin.

In 1836, a joint effort was made by the Watertown Presbytery and the Black River Association, towards the establishment of a literary institution, which, while it should avoid a sectarian discipline, would be sur- rounded by a salutary religious and moral influence. At the meeting of the Presbytery held in Brownville, February 8. 1836, the fol- lowing resolution was unanimously passed, after discussion:

"Resolved, That a committee of five, con- sisting of three ministers and two elders, be appointed to confer withi a committee from

220

THE GROWTHI OF A CENTURY.

the Black River Association, on the expedi- ency of establishing a religious and literary school in this region, and to report to this body as soon as may be convenient." The Rev. Messrs. Smith, Hoyt and E. H. Snow- den, and Messrs. Camp and Grenell were appointed this committee.

A special meeting was convened at the Second Church in Watertown, March 21st, to consider the subject of establishing a seminary, and a joint committee of the two bodies agreed upon a report, which was adopted, and was as follows:

" Your committee were instructed to bring in a re- port to the two ecclesiastical bodies, on the expedi- ency of establishing a literary and religions institu- tion for the education of the young, to suggest their views as to the plan of its location, the character of the school, the mode of commencing it, and the ont- lines of its constitution. These several considerations

alienation of feeling which might result from compe- tition, and those complaints which might embarrass the fellowship and co-operation of its friends, we think that it ought to be located in the mnost conven- ient and and acceptable place. Your committee, therefore, unanimously advise that its location be in or near the village of Watertown."

Jason Clark, Esq., and Rev. G. S. Board- man were appointed to procure an act of incorporation. Jason Clark, of Plessis, J. H. Whipple. of Adams, and E. Camp, of Sackets Harbor, were appointed to select a site Application was accordingly made, which procured the passage of an act (May 25, 1836), for the incorporation of the BLACK RIVER LITERARY AND RELIGIOUS INSTITUTE. Its first trustees were Marcus Smith, James H. Monroe, Eli Farwell, Jason Clark, George S. Boardman, Hart Massey, Rowell Kinney, Crafts P. Kimball, Elisha Camp, Lewis A.

BLACK RIVER LITERARY AND RELIGIOUS INSTITUTE.

have been before your committee, and the following has been the result of their deliberations.

Your committee feel that the churches have too long slept over this subject, many of us have often committed our sons and daughters to the instruction of those who have not aided. hut retarded us in re- deeming our pledge which we gave in consecrating them to God. We wish onr children trained in the Christian religion, in the doctrines and dnties of the gospel ; we therefore deem it expedient that an insti- tution be erected, calculated to secure the foregoing objects. Your committee are unanimously of the opinion that the people of the counties of Jefferson and Lewis, and a part of Upper Canada. are the pop- ulation whose convenience is principally to be con- sulted in the location of the institution. We deem it expedient to put up the location at auction. The en- terprise we cousider too sacred, and aside from the'

Wicks, Henry Jones, George W. Knowlton, Ebenezer H. Snowden. John Covert, E. M. Adams. Elisha P. Cook. David Spear. Charles B. Pond, Artemas Crittenden, John A Cathcart. David Granger, Abel L Cran- dall, Roswell Pettibone and William Chit- tenden.

These trustees were authorized to estab- lish a seminary of learning in Watertown. whose annual income should not exceed $4.000, and who were to elect the faculty, and supply vacancies in their board. On the 4th of June the trustees met and adopted a constitution, which provides

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CITY OF WATERTOWN.

among other rules, that the board of trus- tees shall consist of six clergymen and six laymen of each denomination in charge of the institution, and in supplying vacancies, the rule was to be observed, that a person of the same class and sect should be elected, and that the Presbytery or the Association, as the case might be, should have the sole right of nominating the candidate. The faculty was to consist of a principal, vice- president, preceptors, and as many assistant teachers as the board might deem necessary, and a board of visitors was to be appointed annually, to attend all examinations, to hear, adjudge and determine all appeals from the decisions of the faculty, to advise, and to administer the formula of confession of faith and the pledge of religious fidelity to the faculty. A male and a female de- partment were instituted, to be kept in separate buildings at a convenient distance from each other, and under the government of the same principal. This article did not prevent attendance at recitations and pub- lic lectures together, under the direction of the teachers.

The following persons were elected the first faculty: Rev. James R. Boyd, princi- pal; Rev. John Covert, vice-principal; Mrs. Covert, preceptress. The Rev. Marcus Smith and S. F. Snowden, of the Presbytery, and N. Dutton and J. H. Monroe, of the Association, were appointed the first visit- ors. The lot occupied by the institution, on the corner of State and Mechanic streets, was purchased for $4,500, a wooden build- ing 28 by 56 feet, for students, and other improvements were erected, and in the spring of 1837 was commenced the erection of a building of stone and brick, 40 by 75 feet, two stories high. besides the basement, at a cost of $6,500. The corner stone of this edifice was laid with religious ceremonies on the 5th of June, 1838, in the presence of a large audience, among whom was Gor- ernor Marcy. After prayer by the Rev. I. Brayton, addresses were delivered by the Rev. George S. Boardman and Marcus Smith. Among the articles deposited under the corner stone were copies of the village papers, by-laws, map, assessment-roll of 1832, catalogues and reports; a history of the institution, list of trustees, teachers, donors, &c.

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The growth of a century: as illustrated in the history of Jefferson county, New York, from 1793-1894, Part 45

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