The growth of a century: as illustrated in the history of Jefferson county, New York, from 1793-1894, Part 69

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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The length of the proposed line was to be 38 miles. The capital stock was fixed at $380,000, and the association was to be known as the Black River and St. Lawrence Rail- way Company. The necessary 10 per cent. for incorporation under the general law was paid in about the last of June, 1868, and a company of directora to serve the first year, duly chosen.

The town of Wilna issued bonds and sub- scribed for stock to the amount of $50,000, as also did the town of Diana, in Lewis county. Both of these towns paid their subscriptions in full; the town of Edwards, St. Lawrence county, subscribed $35,000, but did not fol- low to any great extent the example of Wilna and Diana, in the matter of payments. Numerous private aubscriptiona, ranging from $100 to $500, were also made to the capital stock. None of these subscribera, so far as the author could ascertain, has since considered this act as ranking at all con- spicuously among their master strokes of finance.

The title chosen by the originators of the enterprise was doubtless euphoneous and at- tractive, but the popular will has decreed that history shall know it as the " Wooden Railroad."

A firm of contractors from Brockville, Canada, commenced in April, 1869, the work of construction, which they effected by driving piles in the numerous marshy places, and in the ordinary method when the ground permitted, and upon this they laid rails sawed out of maple trees

The road was thus completed as far as Natural Bridge, and operated for a part of one year, when the funds having become ex- hausted, the entire scheme was practically abandoned, and so remained until the forma- tion of the Carthage & Adirondack Railway Company in the spring of 1883.

The property and franchises of the Black River and St. Lawrence Railway Company were transferred to the new organization, and in 1886 the present durable road was com- pleted to Jayville, a distance of 30 miles, the extension of the road to Benson Mines, 13 miles, being completed in the summer of 1889.

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THE GROWTH OF A CENTURY.

HON. JOSEPH PAHUD.

This road opens up an extensive lumber region, and also furnishes an outlet for the products of the enormously valuable and in- exhaustible magnetic iron-ore beds, which are now developed, principally at Benson Mines. The thriving villages of Oswegatchie, Harris- ville and Natural Bridge are also situated upon the line of this road. The length of the line from Carthage to Benson Mines is 43 miles.

In a previous paragraph allusion has been made to Hon. Joseph Pahud, of Harrisville, as one who greatly aided in pushing through the C. & A. R. R. That gentleman is a most agreeable companion, has been a member of the Legislature from Lewis county, and is an unique and highly interesting character. His integrity as a member of the Legislature is unchallenged. He is a native of Switzerland, came to America over 45 years ago, was con- temporaneous with LeRay and LaFarge, and is a large land owner in the town of Diana. The celebrated Bonaparte lake is upon his possessions. He is also proprietor of a neat hotel upon the eastern shore of the lake.

Mr. Pahud is one of the most modest men the writer has ever encountered. He is unjust to himself in not permitting a more complete aketch to be published, for his honorable life and consistent course could be used with good effect as an example for the young.

SPRATT AND MINK'S BATTERY.

THIS well known battery won so many laurels in the field that it demands a place in this history. Its commander was Col. Joseph Spratt, who had been at West Point, and had a passable inilitary education previous to 1861. Joe Spratt Post, G. A. R., at Water- town, was named for him. Naturally of a modest and retiring disposition, he was better adapted to plan than to make a dashing leader; but he was inspired with a lofty patriotism and loved the Union. He was cheated out of the command of the firat company he enlisted, but Col. Guilford Bailey requested him to return to Watertown and enlist another company. Notwithstand- ing that recruiting was distasteful to him, be- cause he would not promise more than he could perform, he consented, and recruited another company, with which he joined the regiment in the latter part of September or early in October, 1861, at Elmira, N. Y. At the same time Charles E. Mink, who was the engineer on the steamer L. R. Lyon, running between Lyon's Falls and Carthage, on Black river, recruited a company in Lewis county, and joined the 1st N. Y. Light Artillery regiment at Elmira, in the latter part of Sep- tember, 1861. Mink was a native of Albany, N. Y., and was a well-drilled soldier in the militia, an earnest lover of the Union, and anxious to render assistance in its maintenance.

By the advice and recommendation of Lieutenant Colonel Henry E. Turner, these two companies were consolidated, forming company H of the First New York Light

Artillery, Joseph Spratt being commissioned captain, and C. E. Mink first lieutenant. These two officers became firm friends, and worked together with zeal and earnestness, determined that in drill and efficiency no organization should surpass theirs. In the autumn of 1861, at Washington, D. C., the company received the guns and horses neces- sary for the equipment of a light battery. The winter of 1861-62 was very trying, owing to the fact that the men had no protection from the rain except a tent, and the long con- tinued wet weather of the latter part of that winter caused much sickness and suffering. And when the battery entered the field in General Silas Casey'a division of the fourth corps, at the opening of the Peninsula cam- paign, in the spring of 1862, the deficiency in numbers caused by sickness was supplied by 28 men from battery C, of the same regiment. May 20th, 1862, the battery shelled the enemy at Bottom's Bridge, on the Chickahominy river, to enable our infantry to cross, and on the 24th of May were warmly engaged, re- pulsing with heavy loss an infantry force of the enemy, which attacked a reconnoisance in force made by our troops under command of General Nagle's brigade, (the 100th N. Y., the 56th N. Y., the 11th Maine, and 104th Penn- sylvania,) held the advanced line on Caaey's division, and inflicted terrible loss upon the enemy, who attacked with reckless impetu- ousity. This, for the forces engaged, was one of the most fiercely contested battles of the war. The attack commenced about noon,

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and General Casey's division, about 5,000 strong, held a vastly superior force at bay for about four hours, when having lost over half of the division in killed and wounded, and each flank being overlapped by overwhelm- ing numbers, the division fell back to a new line. The enemy's loss was terrible, and the next day our troops were victorious, the enemy falling back on Richmond. In this battle Col. D. Bailey and Maj. Van Valken- burg were killed; Adjt. William Rumsey, wounded; Capt. Joseph Spratt and Lieut. John H. Howell, of Battery H, severely wounded. Capt. Spratt had his shoulder shattered early in the battle, and the com- mand devolved on Lieut. Mink, who com- manded it from that day to the end of the war. Capt. Spratt, after partially recovering from his serious wound, was assigned to duty on the staff of General Wadsworth, when he commanded at Washington, D. C .; was pro- moted to major and afterwards to lieutenant colonel of the 10th N. Y. Artillery, and died at his home in Watertown from the effect of his wound, on the day that Richmond was captured by our troops. He was a brave soldier, a true patriot and an honest man. Through the seven days' battles before Rich- mond, the work of the battery was severe, being constantly in harness and often in position. And when the army of the Potomac left Harrison's Landing it was sent to garri- son Gloucester Point, opposite Yorktown, Va. Here the battery spent the winter of 1862-63, and here, under the command of Capt. Mink, it became famous for its efficientcy in drill. Capt. James McKnight, chief of artillery of the 4th corps, paid it the very high compliment "that its drill could not be surpassed by any regular battery in the United States service." After several minor engagements the battery was sent to Frederick City, Md., to rejoin the army of the Potomac, but was retained in Washington through the rest of the summer of 1863, where, because of its superiority in drill, it was frequently called upon by General Barry, inspector of artillery, to drill before visiting artillery officers from England, France and Germany. Of this record Jeffer- son and Lewis counties may well be proud, for the drill of Battery H, 1st N. Y. Artillery could not be surpassed.

Later on the battery joined the Army of the Potomac in time to participate in the hard- ships of the Mine Run campaign, where the accuracy of its practice proved the battery worthy to become one of the artillery brigade of the old First corps. From the wilderness to Appomatox, throughout the terrible year of 1864, the battery faithfully performed every duty required of it. At Spottaylvainia Court House the guns were kept hot for days in succession. In this battle Captain Mink was wounded in the right ankle by a shrapnell ball, but remained on duty, having to be assisted in mounting his horse until his wound healed. At North Anna river, May 23rd, the advanced brigade of General Cutler's division was driven out of the woods by the enemy suddenly striking them on the head of

column and on both flanks. Battery H came into battery on the gallop, reserved its fire until its front was cleared of our broken troops, and received the enemy'a charge with three cannisters from each piece, and with Hoffman's brigade, which formed on the left flank of the battery. drove the enemy from the field. During the investment of Petersburg, Va., the battery held frequent positions where the fire of the enemy's sharp-shooters were so deadly that in order to save the gun- ners, blocks of thick timber with fine slots sawed in them vertically for the gunners to sight through, were strapped over the trunn- ions of the guns. In the battle on the Weldon Railroad, August 21st, the battery being en, echelon, received the fire of the enemy's artillery from three different direc- tions, but maintained its position, and with the other batteries of the 5th corps received from General G. K. Warren the praise that that battle was an artillery victory. In this battle the battery lost many horses killed and many men wounded. Lieutenant Thomas Bates was shot through the neck and shoulder, and private David Ferguson was cut in two by a solid shot. The enemy were determined to retake this road and fought desperately for it, but were worsted at all points. In the last charge many prisoners fell into our hands. At Peeble's Farm, September 30th, the enemy suddenly burst out of the woods at the junc- tion of the right flank of General Griffin's division and the 9th corps, with such impetu- ousity as to threaten the breaking of the line. General Griffin sent for the battery, and it came forward at the gallop. General Griffin pointed to the hard-pressed point where the fire of the enemy was moat deadly, saying, "Major, I won't order you; but will you take your battery there, on the front line, and crush the enemy if you can ?" "Yes, General," and the old battery went in on a run, wheeled into battery and cleared the field. In this en- gagement Sergeant Edmund Nugent, of Orleans Four Corners, particularly dis- tinguished himself, serving his gun almost alone after his detachment were nearly all wounded. Poor Jonathan A. Bray had his right wrist shattered by a ball, walked up beaide his captain's horse, waved aloft the shattered useless arm, bade his commmander "good bye," and went away to die. The battery participated in the Weldon Railroad raid, which destroyed that road to the Carolina line. In the winter of 1864, and through the rest of the winter, was most of the time in position on the front line of the investment of Petersburg. In the spring of 1865, Battery H, at the battle on the White Oak Road, Va., March 31, did some very effective practice, inflicting severe loss on the enemy, losing private Elmer E. Babcock killed. and a number of men wound- ed. It this battle the battery fired the last artillery projectile from the line of the 5th corps. In the pursuit of Lee, from Five Forks to Appomattox, the battery did a great deal of hard marching, losing many horses by the excessive hardships of the pursuit.

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THE GROWTH OF A CENTURY.

At Appomattox the battery had just gone into position at a gallop, when Lee's flag of truce came in to propose a surrender, and afterwards, proudly down Pennsylvania ave- nue, Washington, D. C., in the grand review, the artillery brigade of the 5th corps made its last march, and finished its work in the salva- tion of our Union.

We recapitulate the numerous engagements in which battery H participated, and was actively engaged in most of them, besides many skirmishes and affairs which were not regarded as pitched battles: Williamsburg. Va., May 5, 1862; Bottom's Bridge, Va , May 20, 1862; Fair Oaks, Va., May 31, 1862; Seven Day Battles before Richmond, June 26 to July 1, 1862: Mine Run, Va, November, 1863; Wilderness, Va., May 5, 1864; Spott- sylvania Court House, Va., May 8 to 18, 1864; North Anna River, May 23, 1864; Tolopot-

omy and Cole Harbor, Va., May 27 to June 12, 1864; Petersburg, Va., June 17 to July 31, 1864; Weldon Railroad, Va., August 18, 19 and 21, 1864; Peeble's Farm, Va., Septem- ber 30, 1864; Hatcher's Run, Va., October 27, 1864; Petersburg, Va., December 1, 1864, to March 25, 1865; Fort Steadman, March 25, 1865; White Oak Road, Va., March 31, 1865; Five Forks, April 1, 1845; Appomattox Court House, April 9, 1845.

First Lieutenant Charles E. Mink was pro- moted to captain, February 4, 1863, vice Spratt. promoted brevet major for gallant conduct by President Lincoln. August 1, 1864; brevet lieutenant colonel of New York State Volunteers by Governor R. E. Fenton, for gallant and meritorious services during the war-all of which honors he earned by hard work and patriotic services. not by hav- ing a " pull " at headquarters.

DR. FRANKLIN B. HOUGH.

THERE is one man, to whom, above all others, the atudent of history in this northern portion of the State of New York, owes very much. His name cau be read above We are fortunate in being able to present his face as he appeared in his middle and more ad- vanced years. Of all the men whom the writer has met in public or private life, Dr. Hough was unique. He had such an air of earnest simplicity and ingrained honesty that made every one give him instant confidence and faith. The more you knew him, the more you saw those traits in him. He was a true man-integrity was his guardian spirit, if we may so speak, and under its protection he made a good fight, and a long one. The family he has left behind him are the best evidence we know of to establish faith in heredity, for his sons are proficients in the same methods pursned by their distinguished father, whose memory they delight to honor.

An unostentatious but somewhat remark- able and wonderfully fruitful literary career was closed on June 11, 1885, by the death of this distinguished man, at his residence in Lowville, Lewis county, N. Y. His work, for 40 years, was of a kind which did not at- tract much public attention, yet it was well said of him that within that period no citizen of this commonwealth had done so much to- wards preserving the historical records and the statistical history of New York. We, who, to a greater or less extent, are workers and delvers in the same fields of research which possessed such fascination for him, may well atand appalled as we survey the number, variety and permanent valuc of his achievements in the departments of American local and legal history, of biography and of science.

The subject of our sketch was born at Mar- tinsburg, Lewis county, N. Y., July 20, 1822. His father, Dr. Horatio Gates Hough (born at Meriden, Conn., January 5, 1778), a de- scendent from William Hough, who emigrated

from England in 1640, was the first physician settled in Lewis county, to which he removed about the year 1799. from Southwick, Mass. His mother was Martha Pitcher, born at Westfield. Mass., September 30, 1787, whose ancestors also came from England in 1636. Their children were: (1) Almira,, born in 1804; (2) Martha, born in 1807; (3) Horatio, born in 1809; (4) Franklin B. ; and (5) Dema. Of these, it is somewhat noteworthy that three died in the space of five and a half months in the year 1885, viz: Dr. Franklin B., on June 11; Martha, on November 20; and Horatio, on November 27. Almira died September 5, 1887.

'The father of this family died when Frank- lin was but 8 years of age, but the mother, a woman of very energetic character, managed to keep the household together and to educate the children. It is said of Franklin that during his early childhood he manifested but little interest in the usual sports and employ ments of boys, and that his time was mostly spent among his books, or in making eollec- tions of flowers, minerals and other objects of natural history. In his studies he made rapid progress, and at the age of 14 entered the Lowville Academy, boarding about two miles from the village, and walking to and from school every day. The gentleman with whom he boarded at this time says of him that "it was but a short time before he knew every stone in every stone-pile between Low- ville and Martinsburg."

After a year spent at the Academy, he con- tinued his studies for two years more at the Black River Literary and Religious Institute, at Watertown, and September 1, 1840, he went to Schenectady to enter Union College. Entering the Sophomore class, he was duly graduated A. B. in 1842. During the three years of his college course he attended the spring and autumn terms, ekeing out his ex- penses by teaching district schools at Turin and Martinsburg during the winters. To go

BIOGRAPHIES.

325

DR. FRANKLIN B. HOUGH.

to Schenectady from his home, at that time, was several days' journey, since he was obliged to go by canal for a part of the way, and ride or walk (as he often did) the remain- der. After graduation from college he taught a while at the academy in Champion, N. Y., then went to Ohio, and taught, as principal, in the Gustavus Academy for two years.

While here he married Maria S. Eggleston, of Champion, N. Y., but her health failing, he returned home for a short period, during which he manifested the bent of his tastes by publishing his first work, a Catalogue of the Plants of Lewis County, N. Y., issued in 1846, and then entered the Medical College at Cleveland, O., whence he graduated M. D. in 1848. His wife dying, he soon after began the practice of his profession at Somerville, St. Lawrence county, N. Y. Being, how- ever, in some manner drawn to the subject of local history, he found it so much more inter- esting than the practice of medicine that

after four years' experience as a physician he renounced physic in favor of literature. Re- moving, in 1852, to Albany, he began his History of St. Lawrence and Franklin coun- ties, N. Y., and some other works, and while he ever after, during his busy life, kept abreast of his profession, and was always deeply interested in the progress of the medi- cal art, his time was almost wholly occupied in literary, historical and statistical work. His History of Jefferson County appeared in 1854. He removed to Lowville, N. Y., in 1861, which was the place of his home during the rest of his life.

The list of Dr. Hough's works serves to in- dicate, better than words of praise, his tireless industry, his exhaustless enthusiasm in his chosen pursuits, his wide information, and his high scientific attainments. This list shows him also to have been, in his character of author, as well as by birth, pre-eminently a New Yorker. Of his published works, at

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THE GROWTH OF A CENTURY.

least 50 are devoted to the history, biography, climatology and statistics of his dearly-belov- ed native State.

If not absolutely the pioneer of county his- tories in our State, he was among the very first authors in that line; and though much and valuable work has since been done, none of it has been more accurate in its statement of facts, more complete in its research, or more satisfactory in a literary point of view than his. He began his statistical work as the superintendent of the State census of 1855, the first complete census taken of New York. He was also superintendent of the census of 1865, and was charged with the duty of mak- ing the preparations for the census of 1875, under Secretary Willers.

During the latter part of his life, Dr. Hough became deeply interested in the sub- ject of forestry, serving in the capacity of chief of the forestry division of the United States Bureau of Agriculture for a number of years. In this capacity he visited Europe some years ago, where he studied carefully the methods of the forestry schools of Ger- many and other countries, and upon his re- turn published a series of reports which re- main the most complete and valuable works upon forestry, from the Americaon stand- point, in the language. His minor publica- tions on this subject were numerous and all exhibit the trained mind, the careful ob- server, and the conscientious investigator. From his assiduous labors in this direction. he is justly denominated the "Peer of American Forestry." His experience as a resident upon the borders of the Adirondack country led him to believe that there was no necessary antagonism between the lumber men and those who believe in the preserva- tion of the forests.

During the War of the Rebellion, Dr. Hough found ample and appropriate oppor- tunities for the practical exercise of his sani- tary and medical skill in a four months' ser- vice as an inspector of the United States Sanitary Commission, as well as in a nine months' service as surgeon of the 97th New York Volunteers. He also served with abil- ity and zeal in the State Bureau of Military Statistics, in Albany, for a period of fourteen months.

While teaching at Champion, N. Y., in the earlier part of his life, he frequently lectured in public on the subject of temperance, and on this subject, as well as sanitary science, agriculture, vital statistics, climatology,

meteorology, etc., he was ever actively inter- ested; his contributions on these subjects in local newspapers, periodicals, etc., amounting to over a thousand articles.

His sons, we understand, are carrying on works which he had in hand, and it is to be hoped that they may, in due time, perfect and edit some of the many subjects which he left incomplete, and for which he had collected much material.

Dr. Hough was twice married; July 9, 1845, to Maria S., daughter of Asa Eggleston, of Champion, N. Y. She died June 2, 1848, aged 32. He married, May 16, 1849, Maria E., daughter of Heman Kilham, of Turin, Lewis county, N. Y., who still survives.

To enumerate the many works, even by their titles, of which Dr. Hough was the author, would take up more space than we have at our disposal. The list embraces 78 titles, not including the six volumes of his Abstract of the Laws of New York, which were in manuscript at the time of his death. He was an honorary or active member of 40 scientific and literary societies, many of them foreign, and embracing the most celebrated in the world. The degree of A. B. was con- ferred upon him by Union College, in 1843 and A M. subsequently. M. D. was confer- red by the Cleveland College in 1848, and Ph. D. hy the Regents of the State of New York.

It will thus be seen that in addition to be- ing an able, honest and impartial historian of several of the counties in Northern New York, Dr. Hough was a distinguished writer upon many subjects. He was emphatically a student, with a mind ever open to take in and digest new things, whether in nature, law or science. His industry was his crowning gift, for, with his fertile brain and great powers for observation, his industrious habits made him invincible, and the most elaborate sub- jects were grappled with and easily subdued. As a geologists, botanist or a student of nature, he has never had a superior in this country, perhaps in the world. Great as have been his achievements, and grand as were his gifts, he was like a child in simplicity-gen- tle, of pleasant speech and attractive bearing -a grand, loveable man, upon whom the glamor of riches made no impression, a poor man standing with him upon the same plane as a rich one. Truth was his object, patience and industry his sure means for success, and it may be justly said of him that he did, in- deed, "justify the honors he had gained."

MEMBERS OF ASSEMBLY FROM 1805 TO 1894.

IN 1805, Henry Coffeen was County Clerk, and the Assembly district was composed of the counties of Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence. The first election that was held for the election of Member of Assembly was held April 30 and May 1 and 2, a three days' election in each town, and the records show a very light vote. Henry Coffeen was elected

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The growth of a century: as illustrated in the history of Jefferson county, New York, from 1793-1894, Part 69

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