The growth of a century: as illustrated in the history of Jefferson county, New York, from 1793-1894, Part 80

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 80

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the history of the State, before or since. In 1881 Mr. Skinner was elected to the 47th, and was also a member of the 48th Congress. These positions he filled most creditably and acceptably to his constituents. He was on the Committee on Post Offices and Post Roads, introducing one of the bills which recommended two-cent postage. He was the author of the bill requiring special delivery of letters for a special rate of post- age. In the Harrison campaign he was an active participant. While in Congress he voted steadfastly against excluding the Chinese from the rights of citizenship.

After his second term in Congress he re- turned to Watertown, and was associated with Hon. L. Ingalls in editing the Daily Republican until 1886. In the latter part of that year he was appointed Deputy Superin- tendent of Public Instruction, which position he held for six years, until 1892, when he was appointed Supervisor of Teachers' Insti- tutes and Training classes, in the same de- partment. He is a life-member of the New York Press Association, and is recognized as being the custodian of the interests of that Association before the Legislature of the State. He has been the delegate of the New York State Association to the National Association, for several years.

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THE GROWTH OF A CENTURY.

JOHN WINSLOW.

THE root of John Winslow's genealogical tree runs back to the days of the Puritans, seven generations, to Kenelm Winslow, a brother of Governor Edward Winslow, the first governor of Plymouth colony. John had many characteristics that indicated his Puritan origin. He bore himself steadfastly in whatever course he had marked out to pursue, moving onward with a well-defined purpose, and always acting from the prompt- ings of his judgment and convictions. He was never borne away from the rock of prin- ciple on which he had placed himself, by any :sudden passion or impulse. His life, there- fore, from boyhood to the ripe age of 71 years, flowed on in a strong, steady current, undisturbed by those adverse elements of mental constitution that make the lives of

many men an endless, frothing sea of trouble. Without attempting to follow the ances- tral line forward from the original progeni- tor in this country, we will simply record that Samuel Winslow, the father of John, was born in Warwick, Massachusetts, April 21, 1765, from whence in his childhood he re- moved with his parents to Pomfret, in the State of Vermont, where they died. John's grandmother's maiden name was Goodspeed. His father, Samuel, married Lucy Frasier in 1794, and the twain commenced their life partnership at Woodstock, Vermont, where John, the fifth child, was born to them December 19, 1802.

His parents, 13 years after marriage, in May, 1807, removed from Woodstock to the Black River country, then comparatively a

CITY OF WATERTOWN.

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wilderness. They settled on a forest-covered farm, two and three-fourths miles from the present city of Watertown.

The road passing through the farm, and on which the farm buildings are situated, is known as the Smithville, or Feld Settlement road. There was no road between the farm and the village of Watertown at that time. The dwelling into which the family moved was constructed of logs. The loft, which was the usual sleeping apartment of the children, was open to the storm, and soon after the arrival of the family, in the night- time, a heavy storm came on, and John re- lated that his mother covered himself and brother to shield them from it, with a calf skin. His boyhood surroundings were those of a pioneer life. The howl of the wolf, prowling in the darkness of the night, in the forest surrounding the humble dwelling, was a sound familiar to his ear.

On that farm he spent his days, except the last five or six years of his life, during which he resided in the city of Watertown. He had hut limited facilities for education, attend- ing school for a few weeks on two or three different occasions, completing his education, so far as the schools were concerned, with one term at the academy at Lowville, Lewis county.

On October 18, 1827, at the age of 25 years, he was married to Betsey Collins, daughter of John Collins, who at that time lived about a mile and half from the then village of Watertown, on what is known as the Beaver Meadow road. Five children were born of this marriage, namely, Lucy J., wife of G. W. Candee, Esq., Bradley, Nor- ris, Jennie C., wife of Dr. H. B. Maben, of Kingston, N. Y .; and Bessie, wife of Rev. E. Horr, D. D., pastor Congregational Church, Worcester, Mass.

John Winslow, in his early manhood, was interested in the condition and growth of the community with which he had grown to man's estate, and in which he lived. Janu- ary 19, 1826, he was commissioned ensign of light infantry in the 76th regiment of Infan- try, by Gov. De Witt Clinton. The next year he was promoted to be lieutenant, and was commissioned by Governor Clinton. September 26, 1828, he was further promoted to the position of captain, and commissioned as such by Lieutenant-Governor Nathaniel Pitcher, acting governor of the State, in the same regiment. His mother died August 26, 1826, and his father died December 21, 1832. About three years after the death of his father, he purchased the interest of the other heirs in the homestead farm, which, with a small number of acres adjoining, and on which he had resided since his marriage, comprised a farm of about 200 acres. At his father's death, three sisters and himself were all that survived of his father's family of eight children. To raise money to purchase the interest of the heirs in his father's estate, a mortgage had to be put upon the farm, and to the extinguishment of that mortgage, and

to provide for his increasing and growing family, he diligently devoted his best ener- gies. Prosperity attended him. But the quiet course of events with him was suddenly interrupted, and a great shadow fell upon him in the death of his wife. The life of this amiable, intelligent, Christian wife and mother, came to a close at the age of 37 years. The five children were all much too young to realize that in that mother's death there was a loss to them, as well as to him, ir- reparable. Standing beside her open grave, the husband and father, with his mind filled with a sense of his terrible bereavement, his voice trembling with emotion, said that he had followed to their last resting-places, father, mother, brothers and sisters, all save one of his father's family, but no one of those afflictions had occasioned such intense sor- row as the parting forever in this world from his dear wife.

Mr. Winslow was called to different civil positions by the suffrages of his fellow- citizens. He was several years assessor of his town, four years supervisor, was elected to the Legislature in 1849. Subsequently he was 10 years one of the commissioners of excise for Jefferson county.

He took a deep interest in agriculture, and for many years was an active member of the Jefferson County Agricultural Society; was president of the society in 1853. For several years previous to his death he was a director and vice-president of the Agricultural Insur- ance Company, an institution devoted to the insuring of farm property. Mr. Winslow was again married May 23, 1844, to Miss Sarah Bates, daughter of Merrick Bates, Esq., of Houndsfield, who still survives him. By this marriage he had one son, John, born May 21, 1845, who resides in Rutland, N. Y., and is a farmer.

Mr. Winslow was thoroughly domestic in his tastes and habits. He took a deep inter- est in the welfare of his children; was ready at all times to assist them by his counsels, and in a pecuniary way when necessary. He watched their course in life with tenderest solicitude. His life was free from every species of vice and immorality, his daily walk being a continuing precept and example of integrity and uprightness. He died at his home in the city of Watertown, July 7, 1874, in the presence of his wife and children and other relatives and sympathizing friends, after a brief illness, of congestion. A large concourse of his neighbors and fellow-citizens attended his funeral. His remains were in- terred in Brookside Cemetery, where a plain granite shaft-granite from Massachusetts, the home of his ancestors-marks his last resting-place.

If Mr. Winslow had one excellence which surpassed another, it was manifested by his willingness to encourage young men. Many are yet living who can testify to this trait in his character. He has left a memory pecu- liarly sweet and enviable, which is worthy of all emulation!

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THE GROWTH OF A CENTURY.

NORRIS WINSLOW,

SON of Hon. John Winslow, long a resident of Watertown, was born in that town in 1835. John Winslow's obituary is found on page 376 d. This family traces its origin to Pilgrim stock, their American ancestor having been Kenelm Winslow, who came to America in 1624. Norris Winslow, the sub- ject of this sketch, had the advantages of the common schools at Field's Settlement, completing his education at the Falley Seminary and at the Black River Literary and Religious Institute. He left the farm in 1854, and commenced a clerkship with Truman Keeler in Watertown, at $2 per week. Here he continued for nearly two years; then, in company with Mr. Candee, he purchased Keeler's stock, and began busi- ness for himself. He continued as a leading

and progressive merchant for 10 years, sell- ing his interest to Mr. W. H. Moore, who is yet in trade at the same stand. There, in 1866, he began the Merchant's Bank, occupy- ing the corner so long held by Wooster Sher- man. In this business he continued for another 10 years, when he began to build upon the Keyes property in the south-eastern part of the city, where he erected nearly 100 properties, large and small. Then, in 1870, he put up the Davis Sewing Machine build- ing, now owned by the Watertown Spring Wagon Company. About this time he was elected to the State Senate, filling that office for two terms.

Previous to putting up the Sewing Machine building, he had, in 1869, purchased the old Watertown Cotton Mills property,

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CITY OF WATERTOWN.

and commenced at that point the remarkable improvements now so observable at Factory Square, making that square one of the most extensive and industrious of any in the country.

In 1872 the work of organizing the Car- thage, Watertown and Sackets Harbor Rail- road was begun, and Mr. Winslow became an active participant in the labors of that organizatian. He was made one of the directors, and one of the first engines on the road was named for him. Mr. Winslow was one of the organizers and stockholders of the Agricultural Insurance Company, and was for many years a director. Still later, the Watertown Fire Insurance Company was organized, and Mr. Winslow was its presi- dent. In 1873 he erected the Winslow (now Commercial) block, which fills a place once occupied by cheap and tumble-down build- ings. This building cost over $100,000.

Through Mr. Winslow's influence, the Watertown Spring Wagon Company was organized, in which he was the first presi- dent, and for many years director. From that enterprise has sprung the grand indus- trial developments which have made Water- town one of the great wagon manufacturing cities of the United States.

Mr. Winslow was special agent of the Treasury Department of the United States from 1882 to 1890, resigning the position on account of ill-health.

The greatest impetus ever given to the

Thousand Islands of the St. Lawrence, was when the State Editorial Association held their meeting at Watertown in 1871, and, by Mr. Winslow's invitation, were taken to the islands and elegantly entertained. The editorial comments resulting from that visit, were spread all over the State, and attracted extended notice to these wonderul islands and the delightful archipelago in which they are grouped. People began to come on to buy properties and build homes, until, in 1873, the best localities were taken up, and the islands began to be included in the regular summer programme of all wise travellers.

We think the risk nothing in saying, after familiarity with Watertown's improvements and the men who have made them for the past 55 years, that no man has done more to improve and build up Watertown than Norris Winslow. In one of the legends on the seal of one of our Western States, is the motto: "If you wish to see a land of free- men, look around you;" so, we can say to any citizen of Watertown, if you wish to see what Norris Winslow has done for the city, "look around you " and you will see the evidences. He has been a rich man, earned by his own sagacity and energy-but has lost much of his wealth, though it has not soured his disposition. He continues to be the same approachable, agreeable gentleman -a pleasure to know and to call " friend."

GEORGE W. SMITH,

OF Herkimer, N. Y., was born at Salisbury, Herkimer county, September 12, 1823. His ancestors lived in Norway, in that county, and his father, Samuel Smith, died at Salis- bury in his 94th year. He is a descendant, on his mother's side, of Alexander Mc- Donald, who came from Ireland and served in the British army, and after the war settled in Trenton, Oneida county. The subject of this sketch received an academic education at Fairfield Academy, and, during his early years, was engaged in farming, lumbering, tanning and shoemaking. From 1844 to 1847 he studied law in the offices of Capron & Lake, in Little Falls, and Ezra Graves, at Herkimer, and was admitted to the bar in 1848. In 1845 he was editor of the Herkimer Journal, and continued its editor for three years. He was for two years one of the pub- lishers. In June, 1848, he assumed the edit- orial charge of the Northern State Journal, and in September of that year became one of its proprietors, it being published one year under the firm name of Smith & Noble. The succeeding year, Mr. A. W. Clark having purchased the interest of Mr. Noble, the Journal was published by Smith & Clark. Mr. Smith subsequently sold his interest, but continued as editor until September 10, 1857. He is well remembered in Watertown as

one of the ablest writers of the county, much superior to his contemporaries. On the recommendation of Thurlow Weed, he was offered the position of editor of the Wiscon- sin State Journal, but declined the position on account of ill-health. He has been a Democrat since 1868, and previous to that was a Whig and a Republican. In 1850 he represented the county of Jefferson in the Whig State Convention, which was sharply divided on the question of sustaining Mr. Seward's course in the Senate. Resolutions were reported which endorsed President Fill- more without alluding to Senator Seward. The report of the committee was unanimous with a single exception. Through the efforts of Mr. Seward's friends, the report was tabled, and finally resolutions from an en- larged committee, of which Mr. Smith was made a member, approving Mr. Seward's course, were introduced and adopted by a vote of 75 to 49, when the opposition, among whom were the President, Francis Granger, and his Silver Gray associates, left the hall. Mr. Smith took a leading part in the conven- tion on behalf of Mr. Seward, and the Senator soon after sent him a letter of thanks for his aid at a time which he characterized as the most critical period of his public life. In January, 1852, he engaged in the practice

376 h

THE GROWTH OF A CENTURY.

Forge W. Quity

of law at Boonville, N. Y., and was success- ful, as indeed he has generally heen, for he is a man of fine mind and many resources.

In 1853 he directed public attention, by articles in the Boonville Ledger, to the pro- ject of connecting the Mohawk Valley with the St. Lawrence by railway, with Herki- mer as one of the termini. Largely through his influence and exertions, a company was formed to build a railway from Herkimer to Clayton, but it was subsequently abandoned. In 1854 he was actively engaged in the cele- brated Congressional contest in Oneida county, between Matteson and Huntington, supporting Matteson by his pen and on the stump, and Mr. Matteson was elected In 1854 he was for several months the principal editor of the Utica Morning Herald. In 1855, on the formation of the Republican party, it held a convention at Rome, at the same time that the conventions the Matteson and

Huntington factions of the Whig party met at that place, the purpose being to unite upon a joint ticket, and Mr. Smith was nominated for State Senator hy the Republi- can and Matteson conventions, but being bitterly opposed by the Huntington men (who embraced almost the entire body of the old Whig leaders) on account of his action the year previous, a compromise became necessary, and his name was withdrawn. The same year he was nominated by the Republicans and Whigs for member of Assembly from the fourth district of Onelda county, but was defeated, receiving, how- ever, the same vote that was given Preston King, the Republican candidate for Secretary of State. Mr. Smith, in his canvas of that year, formulated and advocated the same platform which was adopted by the Republi- can party in 1855.

In 1856 he spent much time in the Fre-

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AH.SANYER LAW OFFICE.

AGRICULTURAL

THE AGRICULTURAL INSURANCE , CO.'S MAIN OFFICE, WATERTOWN, N. Y.

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CITY OF WATERTOWN.

mont canvass, addressing numerous Repub- can meetings. In 1859 he was elected county judge of Oneida county, and was re- elected in 1863. On the breaking out of the war, he addressed numerous meetings in the central and northern counties of the State. In the fall of 1863 he canvassed the western part of the State at the request of the Re- publican State Committee, and was assigned by that committee to canvass the State of New Hampshire in 1864. From 1866 to 1869, inclusive, he contributed largely to the Democratic press, in support of the policy of the Democratic party. In 1866 he was a candidate (and defeated) for Congress in the Herkimer, Otsego and Schoharie districts. In 1868 he was actively engaged in the can- vass in favor of Horatio Seymour; in 1872 for Horace Greeley; in 1876 for Samuel J. Tilden, and in 1880 for Winfield S. Hancock. In 1876 he was the Democratic candidate for representative in Congress from the 22d district. He made 60 speeches in that cam- paign. The district was strongly Republi- can, and he was defeated, but received a much larger vote than had ever been cast in that district for any preceding Democratic

cundidate. In 1880 he was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention at Cincin- nati, and gave the first vote in the State dele- gation for the nomination of General Han- cock. In the year 1882 he was elected to the Assembly by a majority of 121 over A. M. Ross (Rep.), who was elected to the preced- ing House by a majority of 969. Mr. Smith was, in 1883, chairman of the canal com- mittee. He was the first Democratic Assemblyman elected from Herkimer county since 1855.

As a writer and public speaker, Mr. Smith has few equals, scarcely a superior in the State. He is aggressive, though not rash, and whenever he takes the platform or ap- pears in print, his opponents are never left in doubt as to his position or intentions. When in the Legislature, he made a most classic and able speech in favor of the State's preservation of the Adirondack wilderness. But it is as a lawyer that Judge Smith stands almost without a superior. His astute mind readily grasps every legal subject presented with the facility which shows the trained intellect originally well grounded in the law, and therefore readily adapted to practice.

AGRICULTURAL INSURANCE CO.

In connection with the fine view of the main office of the Agricultural Insurance Company, shown on preceding page, the present space may most appropriately be de- voted to a notice of the printing office de- partment of that company, they having found that they could do their own work more satisfactorily and promptly by having an office of their own, than by trusting to outside parties.

The name of the firm conducting the busi-

ness is the Printing Department of Agricul- tural Insurance Company. They began in 1878. While their business generally is printing supplies for the Insurance Company, the manager received orders for other work. The capital invested is about $15,000; they consume about $7,000 worth of paper, ink, etc., and employ 12 hands. The value of the output is about $18,000 per annum, and their work is of a superior character; they are well patronized.

IRA ROWLSON

WAS born in Adams, his mother having been warned away from Sackets Harbor when threatened with attack from the British forces in 1812. His father had a small farm in Adams, and there the family were removed until after the prospective battle, in which the father participated and was wounded. Ira was born upon their farm during the family's brief stay. He was the son of Rial Rowlson, who was born in New Haven county, Conn., and married Elizabeth Law- rence, a native of Wallingford, Conn., in 1800. He was a lumber dealer at Sackets Harbor, and a very early settler of Hounds- field, having a son born to him there in 1802, and he was the first white child born in Houndsfield.

Ira attended the common schools, finishing his education at the Union Academy in Belle- ville. At the age of 16 he was regularly in- dentured as an apprentice to the tailor's

trade with David Harmon, at Oswego. He completed his trade, and at the end of six years was a regular journeyman tailor. In 1836 he came to Watertown, and accepted a position with James M. Clark, then a leading merchant tailor. In 1838 he went to Sackets Harbor and entered upon the tailoring busi- ness upon his own responsibility. He re- mained at the Harbor less than a year, and returned to Watertown, beginning business for himself in the old Gilson Hotel; and later occupying the Marvin store, which is now the entrance to the Arcade. Subsequently he had a store in Paddock's Arcade, being one of the very first to occupy a place there. From there he removed to the store where is now the Adams drug store. When he located in that part of the then unfinished Woodruff House, the edifice had not been named. As Mr. Rowlson wished to make as great a spread as he could over his removal

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THE GROWTH OF A CENTURY.

IRA ROWLSON.

to new [quarters, he had a cut made of the building, and rather audaciously named it the Woodruff House, after its owner and builder. This name was at last adopted, and is continued to the present time.

In 1855 Mr. Rowlson removed to Indian- apolis, Ind., and afterwards to other places in the West, finally returning to Pulaski, N. Y., after a four years' residence at San Jose, in California, where he was moderately successful. He remained in Pulaski two years, returning finally to Sackets Harbor, where he continued in business until the fire of August 11, 1889, which utterly destroyed his store and dwelling.

In 1838 Mr. Rowlson married Miss Marcia Carpenter, daughter of Reuben Carpenter, and they reared three children. She died in 1856; and for his second wife he married Miss Anna McBain, a cousin of Sir John Mc-

Donald, for many years Premier of Ontario. This union has brought four children. Five of Mr. Rowlson's children are now living.

Mr. Rowison is now with the Wanamaker & Brown clothing establishment, in the Bur- dick block. His experiences in Watertown cover very many years. He has seen the small village of 1833 develop into the fine city of 1894, and has been for many years a part of that growth and development. Не has been an active citizen and first-class mechanic, and was one of the first of those now in the trade who witnessed the gradual introduction of ready-made clothing, a branch of trade that has developed into very large proportions in Watertown. Many predic- tions were made as to its ruining the journey- men tailor's vocation, but it has improved it instead, several leading houses now dealing in it almost exclusively.

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CITY OF WATERTOWN.

GEORGE WILLARD KNOWLTON.

A LONG and wonderfully well-balanced life came to an almost unexpected end, on October 18, 1886, when the subject of this sketch passed away. He was a man whom all our people felt a deep interest in, for he stood for many years as the almost solitary link that bound the present to that far-away time when the pioneers of this new land boldly ventured all, and dared all, to found a second New England-a land of churches, of school houses, and of a profound respect for law; in- deer, manifesting a sort of fear or dread of it, as something not to be handled or approached without serious reflection, and never without a just cause. Viewed in any light, Mr. Knowlton was an unique character, almost a remarkable one. He was calm amid the fiercest turmoils, and only deeply aroused

when some great moral question affecting the public weal, or patriotism, called from his placid breast words that he seldom felt called upon to utter. His mind and habits of life may be well compared to some very smooth, deep current. Slight breezes do not ruffle it, nor high winds control or baffle -it responds only to a cyclone of force, which affects it only for the passing hour, and then it moves on in its accustomed course. His mind was peculiarly receptive. He was content to learn and reflect. He was satis- fied with himself and his environment-a very desirable condition of mind, and its possessor greatly to be envied.

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The growth of a century: as illustrated in the history of Jefferson county, New York, from 1793-1894, Part 80

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