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MRS. EDMUND NORMAN LESLIE.
Died March 15, 1890, aged sixty-three years.
The Perfection of a Loving and Devoted Wife fur Fcjrty-rtve Years.
SKANEATELES
HISTORY OF ITS EARLIEST SETTLEMENT
AND
REMINISCENCES OF LATER TIMES
DISCONNECTED SKETCHES OF THE EARLIEST SETTLEMENT OF THIS
TOWN AND VILLAGE, NOT CHRONOLOGICALLY ARRANGED, TOGETHER
WITH ITS GRADUAL AND PROGRESSIVE ADVANCEMENT IN BUSINESS
PROSPERITY AND HIGHER EDUCATION. WITH NOTES OF THE INDI-
VIDUALITY OF PROMINENT CITIZENS
BY
EDMUND NORMAN LESLIE
CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE MARYLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY
ILLUSTRATED
1902
Press of Andrew H. Kellogg
New York
Copyright, 1901, by
EDMUND NORMAN LESLIE
CONTENTS,
PAGE.
INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS xvii
PREFACE
CHAPTER I.
The Earliest History
The earliest known history of the lands comprising the town of Skaneateles.
These lands were allotted by law to the soldiers of the Revolutionary War. Detailed
explanation of what were known as the " Military Lots." Portions of the land of
the State of New York were surveyed into townships. Each township was ten
miles square, and contained one hundred Military Lots. The town of Skaneateles
was not an original township. A portion of the original township of Marcellus,
consisting of thirty-nine Military Lots, was laid off to establish this town of
Skaneateles. How each soldier became the owner of a Military Lot. The names
of the Revolutionary soldiers who were the original owners of all the lands com-
prising the town of Skaneateles. A comparison of the limited age of this town with
past ages, during which these lands have existed unknown to the nations of the
civilized world.
CHAPTER II.
How THE Pioneers Came
Their hardships. The difficulties of keeping fire on the hearth. A description
of the original tinder-box. How it was used to originate fire. The first friction-
matches, which were introduced in the year 1827. Tallow dips were an early luxury.
Next were introduced the whale-oil lamps. Account-books of early merchants.
Explanation of the common currency first used after the Revolutionary War. Its
legal tender character was, by Act of Congress of 1795, enacted to be the divisions
of the Spanish milled dollar : Halves, Quarters, Eighths, and Sixteenths. This legal
tender character of the Spanish coin continued until the Act of Congress passed in
the year i8ss repealed the Act of 1795. Since the year 1855 no Spanish coin has been
in circulation as legal tender. An old one-cent piece. The pioneer's life. " Bees."
Log houses, log barns, and log schoolhouses. The early missionaries held their
religious services in the barns and schoolhouses. The women of those early days
deserve especial notice. They hatcheled all the flax, spun all the linen thread, spun
all the wool, wove all the tow cloth, knit all the stockings of the household, made
all the clothing of the pioneers, did all the cooking, tended to garden to supply the
viii CONTENTS.
PAGE.
table with vegetables, together with some flowers to beautify their home, and did all
the other household work, which was continuous from daylight to the hours of needed
rest late at night.
CHAPTER III.
Early Pioneers ii
Pioneers who came within the first twenty years. The first actual original
settler in this town was Abraham A. Cuddeback. John Thompson was not a resident
settler until 1810; proof shown of this fact. Elijah Bowen, another very early settler;
account of his family. His son Almeron was the first child born of parents who
settled and lived in this town. The peculiar circumstances of his birth. Bowen's
home was headquarters for emigrating families. Benajah Bowen. David Kingsley.
Amasa Smith. Winston Day, the first merchant in this town. Henry Root ; his
recollections. Asa Mason. Nehemiah H. Earll ; his history, recollections, and obituary
notice. Nathan Kelsey, the brickmaker who stamped his name on every brick. His
bricks are often found in old large chimneys and ovens of this .town. The Cuyken-
dalls. The Van Ettens. David Welch. Samuel Welch, and his recollections.
Benjamin Nye, who made the first bricks. Mrs. Nye's journey through the wilderness
for assistance. Hezekiah Earll. Abijah Earll. Chester Parsons. Silas Bush.
Amos Pardee.
CHAPTER IV.
Continuation of the History of the Pioneers 25
Alanson Benson. Charles J. Burnett, Sr. Daniel Kellogg. Jedediah Sanger.
Isaac Sherwood, together with the details of his contract with the Government for
the transportation of the mails between Albany and BuiTalo and intermediate places.
Mrs. Cody, grandmother of Hiram Reed; her experience in the journey from Massa-
chusetts on horseback to this town in the year 1800 through the forest. Copy of a
bill of merchandise purchased at Albany by a firm of early merchants of this town
in the year 1806. William J. Vredenburg. A legend concerning a jug of gin. Who
were here when William J. Vredenburg first came in the year 1803. Nathaniel
Miller, who settled in the village in 1807; his recollections. The interesting history
of Amos Miner, an early inventor. Remarkable history of a journey through the
forest in the year 1799 by John R. Kellogg.
CHAPTER V.
More Pioneers 52
History of early settlers. Eli Clark. Elias Merrell. Alanson Edwards, Jr.
S. Porter Rhoades and family history. Names and location of early settlers, farmers,
and others who came here before 1803. Another list of early settlers who came here
before 1815. Ministerial items. Old receipt for dressing deer skins. Daniel Briggs.
John S. Furman and Alexander Bebee. Aaron Austin. Dorastus Lawrence.
William Clift. Elijah Parsons. The town of Skaneateles. Hardships of the pioneers.
"Through the Wilderness," a poem. John Legg. History of the Shepard
family and the " Shepard Settlement." Recollections of Mrs. Charles J. Burnett, Sr.
John Bristol. Abner Bates. Simeon Edwards. Solomon Williams. Samuel Briggs.
Colonel Samuel Bellamy. Daniel McKay. Business men here in 1834. The First
Cuddeback.
CONTENTS. ix
CHAPTER VI.
PAGE.
Interesting Sayings and Doings of' Olden Times 70
Samuel Edwards, an old resident, tells of olden times. Dr. Nels. Flink. Nate
Bennett. Josh Wilkinson. Sol Foster. Frank Barker. Ives Parsons. Harrison
B. Dodge, editor of the Skaneateles Democrat. The defeat of the dangerous
•' Malby Bill " in the Legislature. Comparison of early real estate values in Syracuse
and Skaneateles. James Sackett. Has Skaneateles retrograded? The first steam-
boat on the Lake, " The Highland Chief." Rossville was in the year 1831 the name .
of the head of the lake. An old log tavern. Early business in Skaneateles. Early
artists and their rudimental practise in painting the backs of the old style of sleighs.
These artists were Elliott and Thayer. Winston Day and wife's sale of land to
Freeborn G. Jewett. The Pettis House. The brother of Benedict Arnold, the
traitor of Revolutionary notoriety, was once a resident in the village. Condensed
fragments of early history.
CHAPTER VII.
Miscellaneous Fragments of Early History yg
The early merchants of the village. Daniel Talcott. Jonathan Weston. Moses
Loss. James Turnure, the miller in 1828. Ezra & Benjamin. Ingham & Hecox.
Isaac Sherwood. Colonel Warren Hecox. Letter from Lafayette Cuddeback on
our first settler, Abraham A. Cuddeback. The Leonard family. Nathan Leonard's
Inn. The first actual settler in this county. The first mail carried through Onondaga
County in the years 1792-98. Old-time servants. Farmers' daughters. Daniel
Kellogg's gardener. Description of the village in 1809. The Skaneateles Religious
Society. First excitement among the early settlers; the mill-dam breaks. A forest
on the lake-shore in 1796. Village plots. The original village lots, which were laid
out by Judge Jedediah Sanger, were termed " Village plots on the north end of
Skaneateles Lake." An order for bricks in 1814. John C. Noble, school teacher in
1825. The original forests in this town. First roads laid out in the town. The first
graveyard. This settlement (the site of the village) an attractive trading-place in
early times. Subscription fot Jonathan Weston, sexton of the old original church on
the hill. The old colored man's plaint, in connection with William J. Vredenburg's
experience as a judge. Home-made drays. The Hamilton and Skaneateles Turnpike.
Wheel-head manufactory. Militia. Elections in 1836. Ezra Lee. William Clift.
James Porter came here in 1797, and opened the first tavern in town. The early
records. Old-time caterpillars, which destroyed the tree-leaves and garden vegetables
in the year 1798. Cold summer in 1816. Open winter in 1823-24. Severe winter in
1836. Water-lime. Division of Marcellus.
CHAPTER VIII.
The Cardiff Giant 94
Full and complete history of this remarkable fraud. Skaneateles very much
interested in viewing it. All the particulars of its discovery. Detailed opinions
expressed of its authenticity by prominent professors of colleges, Egyptologists,
archeologists, archbishops, clergymen, physicians, and theorists of all degrees. " The
Stone Man," a poem. Names of Syracuse speculators who finally purchased the big
CONTENTS.
PAGE.
fraud. The unfortunate error which was made in not allowing Professor Boynton
to purchase an interest in the giant. The owners made another mistake in not
allowing P. T. Barnum to purchase an interest. The Cardifif Giant and the Indians.
Early newspapers in Cayuga County. Charles Goodall, a former resident of this
town; some particulars of his eventful life. Presentation to the Skaneateles Library
Association. Old accounts.
CHAPTER IX.
Early Reminiscences 107
Celebration of Fourth of July in 1831. First Skaneateles newspaper; its adver-
tisements. General Training Day. An affair of honor. First mail-carriers. Early
history. A brother of Benedict Arnold. The dark day in 1806, when there was an
eclipse of the sun. Incident of the War of 1812. Repulsing the British in 1812.
British prisoners. Samuel Francis, Sr. History of the Edwards family in this town.
Origin of the Doctors Porter family. Thaddeus Edwards. Alanson Edwards.
Copy of a bill of goods purchased in the village in 1806. Celebration of Fourth of
July, 1835. Stages and stage-drivers. Riding-horses. Mrs. Cody's remarkable
journey. Full history of the original Skaneateles Library Company, organized
March 2, 1806. List of subscribers. Merchants and mechanics here in 1828, who
advertised in the first newspaper, The Telegraph. James Sackett, a remarkable
character in his time. Winston Day's sale of his village lot to Freeborn G. Jewett,
in 1822. Charles J. Burnett's sale of three acres in what is now (1902) the center
of the village, in 1820, for $250 to F. G. Jewett. Seth and James Hall, early carriage
manufacturers. Skaneateles business men in 1830.
CHAPTER X.
Early Burial-Places and General History 131
Earliest burial-places in this town. The second burial-place. The Mottville
burying-ground. The succeeding burial-ground in the village of Skaneateles. Vari-
ous items of early history. Phares Gould. Dr. Samuel Benedict. Names of the
vestry of St. James' Church in 1816. Vestry of St. James' Church in 1824. Business
men in the village in 1841. A sensational burglary in Skaneateles. Archibald Farr.
Chester Parsons. Daniel Kellogg, Jr. Captain Benjamin Lee. Sea letter by George
Washington. Captain Nash De Cost. Reuel Smith. The Three Sisters. William
Fuller. History of the John Legg village lot.
CHAPTER XL
The Potashery and Other Manufactures 144
Winston Day's potashery and distillery in the village before 1816. Joseph Tallcot.
Nicholas J. Roosevelt. First steamboat trials. Archibald Douglass. William G.
EUery. Daniel T. Moseley. Augustus Kellogg. Dr. John Snook. Dyer Brainerd.
Charles B. Isbell. Joel Thayer. Dorastus Kellogg. John Kellogg. William M.
Beauchamp. Richard Talcott. Captain Rishworth Mason. John Legg. Merchants
in 1813. Peter Thompson. Taverns. Philo Dibble. William H. Jewett. Obadiah
Thome. Thorne Hill. William H. Pattison. Dr. Charles F. Merrill. Ezekiel B.
CONTENTS. xi
PAGE.
Hoyt. George F. Leitch. Freeborn G. Jewett, Sr. Spencer Hannum. The Die-
fendorphs in the town. James Cannings Fuller. Edward B. Coe. Abner Lawton.
Edwin Osborne Gould. A traveler's visit to Skaneateles in 1811, while on his way
to Niagara, with description of the village. Description qf Skaneateles in 1830.
Skaneateles Lake. Early recollections of Thaddeus Edwards, in his boyhood days,
1810. The Packwood carriage manufactory. The " Shepard Settlement."
CHAPTER XII.
The First Industries in Town and Village^ Commencing with the Village 168
A retrospect of past business of both town and village. Industries in the
village. Industries in the town of Skaneateles outside of the village. Mabbitt's
mills. Industries at Mottville. Below Mottville— Long Bridge. Hart lot. The rise
and fall of mercantile and industrial prosperity in both town and village. The earliest
industry in this town. An incident during the War of 1812. Community Place and
John A. Collins. Early prices. The sign of the Indian Queen Tavern.
CHAPTER XIII.
"Protest" against "Protracted Meetings" and Other Reminiscences 178
Report of the proceedings of a public meeting, held February 15, 1832, at the
Indian Queen House of Isaac W. Perry, in the village of Skaneateles. An address to
the public, with the signatures of prominent citizens, published in an extra of the
Skaneateles Columbian. Daniel Webster's visit to Skaneateles in May, 1825. Gen-
eral Lafayette's visit to Skaneateles in 1824., while on his return to New York from
a visit through the Western States. The great fire which occurred in the village of
Skaneateles in 1835. Buildings destroyed, losses, and sufferers. Notice of an appli-
cation to the Legislature for the passage of a law to prevent the erection of frame
buildings in certain parts of the village. Sir James Nurse, a remarkable Skaneateles
fraud. Copperplate engraving of the village seventy-two years ago (1830), together
with a description of both town and village, and an enlarged folding illustration.
Interesting items.
CHAPTER XIV.
Early Merchants I94
Briggs & Hall. Hall & Pynchon. Richard Tallcot. R. Tallcot & Co. C. W.
Allis & Co. Allis & Morgan. Allis, Moses & Huxtable. Allis, Rhoades & Hall.
Morgan & Daniels. J. Gurdon Porter. Wolcott & Porter. Hall, Porter & Co.
Butler S. Wolcott. B. S. Wolcott & Co. Phares Gould. Spencer Parsons. Parsons
& Rust. Stephen Horton. Jonathan Booth. Booth & Ingham. Booth & Horton.
Gibbs & Horton. S. Horton & Co., N. Hawley & Co. Nelson Hawley. George P.
Morgan. Edward G. Ludlow. John Meeker. Charles J. Burnett, Jr. Rhoades &
Burnett. S., Porter Rhoades. William G. Slade. Charles Pardee. Porter & Pardee.
C. Pardee &• Co. Isom & Hall. E. Pardee & Co. Aaron Brinkerhoff. Brinkerhoff
& Willetts. Brinkerhoff & Porter. Jonathan Booth. John Meeker. George Francis.
Phares Gould. Rev. A. C. Patterson, Jacob W. Van Etten. David Seymour.
Early settlers.
xii CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XV.
PAGE.
Recollections, Business, and Inventions 213
The cooper-shops of Thaddeus Edwards. Recollections of Thaddeus Edwards.
Definition of the pounds, shillings, and pence used in the old account-books of early-
merchants and traders. Letter from Superintendent of Philadelphia Mint. Recol-
lections of Charles J. Burnett, Jr. Boy life on a farm in Skaneateles. The patent
knocker. Expedition to Australia in 1852 in search of gold. The Hecox brick
house on the lake-shore, opposite the Packwood House, in 1872. Smallpox in the
village in 1851. Offhand sketch of the village and of its people fifty years ago, by
George H. EUsbury. Sam Francis and his comical story about four hundred chip-
munks in the old brick schoolhouse on the hill. Young fish placed in Skaneateles
Lake. Old Burdick, the soap man. The Erie Canal, and its effect on this town.
Charles Oxley, the egg man. The Powell brothers and their peculiarities. Peter
Pell and his bass drum always the prominent figure in all public processions. Retail
prices in the village in the year 1825. Grant Bramble and his reported wonderful
inventions. Village property rather low in 1820. Sherwood's house. The Indian
Queen Hotel. Before photographs were known. The propeller Ben Porter.
CHAPTER XVI.
Educational Sources and Early Schools 229
The first school in the town of Skaneateles. Succeeding schools. Thomas AUis.
Miss Graham's school and the names of her scholars in 1829. Location of the first
schoolhouse in the village. State street in the village first opened. Subscription by
enterprising citizens to purchase a lot whereon to build a schoolhouse in 1828. That
lot is now whereon the Academy is located. The Skaneateles High School. Select
schools. Lydia P. Mott, being the early history of a prominent promoter of female
education, comprising a compilation of some of the principal events of her life in
this town, and embracing some incidents of her youthful life as a- schoolgirl when
she was seventeen years old, in the year 1791. " The Maples of Mott Cottage,'' a
poem. The history of the life and missionary work of the Rev. Samuel Kirkland.
The Iroquois deputation to Philadelphia, and its reception at Bethlehem. The
earliest recorded traveler's visit to Skaneateles, while on his way to Niagara in the
year 1804. His description of the settlement and Lake. Historical collections.
CHAPTER XVIL
The Teasel Industry^ Various Corporations, and Banks 248
The teasel industry. The term teaseling explained. Further description of the
teasel and its peculiar use. Mode of cultivation. Gathering of the crop. Drying
the teasels. The business of the teasel merchants. The growth of the teasel plant
in the United States. The difference between teasels cultivated and uncultivated.
The Skaneateles Water Works Company. The Skaneateles Iron Works. Certificate
of Incorporation. Meeting of stockholders to increase its 'capital stock. The
Skaneateles Wood- Working Company. The Skaneateles Lake Park Company. The
Dryden, Groton, and Moravia Telegraph Company. The Central New York Electric
Light and Power Company. The Lake Bank. The First National Bank. The Bank
of Skaneateles. Skaneateles Savings-Bank. Detailed history of the old burying-
ground before the incorporation of the Rural Cemetery Association of Lake View.
CONTENTS. xiii
CHAPTER XVIII.
PAGE.
Lake View Cemetery and Skaneateles Lake 258
The origin of Lake View Cemetery. How it was finally established under the
most adverse opposition, and through whose personal exertions and loans of large
sums of money it became finally established. The original Trustees who were ap-
pointed at a public meeting, which the statute required to be held. Unfortunately a
majority of the twelve thus appointed were adherents of the owner of the old
burial-ground; and, of course, were not interested in the new organization. Skane-
ateles Lake as it appeared when this part of the country was visited by the pioneers.
Modern description of its shores. Mile Point. Effect of the first dam which raised
the surface of the water in the Lake. The original building on the shore of the
Lake in the village. Aboriginal name of Skaneateles Lake. Another and more modern
.description of the Lake. The peat-bog speculation.- Another peat-bog operation
reported. Pork Point. Skaneateles Lake, and how its name originated. The original
mail and the improved stage-coach.
CHAPTER XIX.
Bonding Skaneateles Defeated. — Early Missions and Religious Denominations.... 274
Defeat of the attempt to bond Skaneateles on behalf of a railroad. Another
speculation which was intended to force on the town of Skaneateles a bonded debt
of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars in behalf of the New York Western
Midland Railroad. After the town had been actually bonded under the forms of
the railroad law, the scheme of its promoters was fortunately defeated by the dis-
covery of the defection of the County Judge. Another attempt to bond. Conse-
quences of bonding. Early missionaries in this section of the State. The Episcopal
missions. Religious denominations in this town. The first religious body, the
Schaneateles Society, was not denominational, as all the residents attended its
services. In the year 1818 its attendants adopted the Presbyterian form of govern-
ment, and has ever since been distinguished as the Presbyterian Society. The
Protestant Episcopal Church. The Society of Friends. Origin of the First Baptist
Society in the village. The Methodist Episcopal Church. The Skaneateles Falls
Methodist Episcopal Church. The Methodist Episcopal Church at Mottville. The
Congregational Church. The Roman Catholic Church.
CHAPTER XX.
YachtinGj Skaneateles, and Official History 289
The first real yacht built. A visit by the Chief and a delegation of the Onondaga
tribe of Indians, when Colonel William J. Vredenburg's grand Colonial mansion
was begun in 1804. The appropriate name given to this yacht, and why it was named
" The Four Sisters.'' Regattas on the Lake fifty years ago. A notable yacht, " The
Wild Wave." Years Ago: a highly polished descriptive communication, published
in the Skaneateles Columbian, written by Dr. H. R. Lord, and signed " Secretary
of the Navy." Charles L. Elliott, the artist. Sketches of the town of Skaneateles
in 1865. Official history of the village, its incorporation, and the names of its various
officers. Description of the village at the present time. Its attractiveness as a resi-
dence for all who appreciate health, beauty, cleanliness, and quiet enjoyment, and
particularly its freedom from those insidious insects mosquitoes. There is not a
village in the State of New York which offers more attractions to either resident or
visitor than Skaneateles. Town meetings held in various taverns.
XIV CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XXI.
PAGE.
Changes in Property-Ownership and Establishment of Libraries 309
History of the James Ennis-Ludlow-Talcott-De Zeng-Whittlesey-Lapham-Padel-
ford-Roosevelt property, on the west shore of the Lake, from the ownership of the
soldier to whom it was allotted in 1791. History of the haunted tavern, which was
located on this property at an early period. The legend of the haunted tavern and
the yellow dog with red eyes. Remarkable history of Daniel Ludlow, who purchased
this property in 181 1, and died here in 1814. His remains rest in the old burial-
ground on the hill. Names of the various owners of this property after the death of
Ludlow, and the consideration each gave when purchased. . The ownership of Richard
L. De Zeng, who built the present Colonial mansion in 1839. The Skaneateles
Library Association incorporated. A circulating library in the village in 1832-33.
Description of a'remarkable snow-storm in the village in 1891. Subscription to pay*
for the first organ to be constructed for St. James' Church. An effort to establish
a Free Public Library in 1875, which effort was defeated.
CHAPTER XXn.
Early Physicians and Local History 326
Original and later physicians in town and village. Sale of Military Lot No. 35.
Thayer, the artist. Fragments of history. How Harrison B. Dodge first became
editor of the Skaneateles Democrat. Origin of the village Fire Department. Valua-
ble files of local newspapers. Memorial Tablet in St. James' Church, in memory of
six members of the Church who gave up their lives in the Civil War. Presbyterian
Sunday-school celebration of Fourth of July, 1832. " Columbia," an ode. John W.
Livingston, United States Marshal, a resident in this town. History of the Jerome
family. Addison Jerome and his brother Leonard H. Jerome have been residents
of this village. Leonard H. Jerome the father of Lady Randolph Churchill. She,
however, never was in Skaneateles. The Lake House, its former names and various
landlords. Mrs. Elizabeth T. Porter Beach, her celebrity. " The Last Broadside,"
a poem.
CHAPTER XXHL
Enrolment List of Skaneateles 339
Enrolment list of all the men in this town liable to military duty, together with
the age of each individual, in the year 1863 : First class, ages from 20 to 35, 362 ;
Second class, ages from 35 to 45, 212; number enrolled, 594. List of drafted men
in 1863. Skaneateles Roll of Honor. Names, rank, company, and regiment of three
hundred and seventy-four volunteers from this town in the War of 1861-65. This
Roll of Honor is the most complete that was ever collected. It is, therefore, a por-
tion of the history of this town. Names of the soldiers who gave up their lives
in defense of the Union who belonged to the town of Skaneateles. Albert De Cost
Burnett, the youngest volunteer from Skaneateles. The Skaneateles Educational
Society. The Skaneateles Anti-Slavery Society, Elnathan S. Andrews. James
Sackett. Bethuel Cole. An early carpenter and contractor.
CONTENTS. XV
CHAPTER XXIV.
PAGE.
Introduction of Merino Sheep. — Early Merchants and Steamboat Excursions.... 362
Correl Humphreys' life and experiences, written by himself, by request, pur-
posely for this History. The massacre in Florida. One of his ancestors first intro-
duced the famous Merino sheep into this country. An interesting account of its
accomplishment. Early merchants in the village whose places of business were all on
the north side of the Seneca Turnpike Road as late as 1816. Names of the original
millwrights who built all the grist-mills about this section of the State. Justice of
the Peace Elijah Price. Isaac Mills. Church diversion in old days among the gentle-
men of the congregation of St. James' Church. Recollections of Thaddeus Edwards.
History of the Daniel C. Robbins place, now the Mingo Lodge. Arthur Mott,
from whom Mottville took its name. The first excursion up to the head of the Lake
in the first steamboat, with the names of the excursionists, sixty in number. Matches.
Peat, or muck. Abraham Cuddeback. Elijah Manley. John Briggs.
CHAPTER XXV.
The Skaneateles Water Works Company and Local History 371
History of that remarkable organization, " The Skaneateles Water Works Com-
pany,'' which acted as an agent of the American Pipe Manufacturing Company of
New Jersey. It applied for a franchise, and got it, from the village Trustees, without
due consideration. Its value has been demonstrated since by the litigation the Pipe
Company has cost the village. " Municipal Ownership of a Water Plant," an article
from the Skaneateles Democrat. Scraping the snow from the village sidewalks in
winter; how it originated. Dr. Jonathan Kneeland. Samuel C. Wheadon. The
Ladies' Aid Society during the Civil War. An illustration of the uncertainty of
human life. Names of one himdred well-known citizens of the village of Skaneateles
who signed a remonstrance against a bill pending in the Legislature in the year 1862,
forty years ago. Only nine are now living. The village officers have passed away.
The closing century. Early account-books procured. Over twelve hundred names
alphabetized. See Decision of Supreme Court of the United States against the Water
Works Company, March 3, 1902, on page 454.
CHAPTER XXVI.
The Churches and the Library 389
Engraving of St. James' Church and description of memorials placed therein.
The Leslie memorial windows. Engraving of the New Brick Presbyterian Church,
with description of its memorials. Mud Lake. A Tourist's observations. Erastus
M. Beach, a former resident of the village. His experiences while a resident. The
Skaneateles Library Building and Sphinx, illustrated with six half-tone engravings.
Items of interest.
CHAPTER XXVII.
A Great Century's Ending 406
The Nineteenth Century and its discoveries. Other subjects of general interest,
none of which have any relation to the special history of Skaneateles or to the
general subjects of this volume. The wonderful transmission of meridian time by
telegraph. Predictions for the year' 2000.
xvi CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
PAGE.
Local History as Elaborated by the Newspaper Press of Syracuse 408
Extracts are presented from the various newspapers of Syracuse, giving inter-
esting information concerning the village of Skaneateles in 1898.
CHAPTER XXIX.
An Inside History of Lake View Cemetery, which has never before been made
PUBLIC 418
Preliminary action to organize an incorporated public cemetery. Election of
twelve Trustees. A certificate of indebtedness. Want of interest. Prosecution of the
work by the author. Criticism of public functionaries. Trust funds. Facsimile of
document discovered by the author. Cemetery lands conveyed to the Trustees of
the village. Portrait of Dyer Brainerd. History of Alfred Champ.
CHAPTER XXX.
The Author's Adventures with the Legal Fraternity 440
Commencing with the highest authority in the State, the Attorney-General.
Criticism of his opinion. Legal right to criticize a public officer. Judge Folger's
opinion with reference to the right of newspaper criticism. Lawyers generally.
What the Bible says of lawyers. Characterization of lawyers by Shakespeare.
Another adventure with a different variety of the legal fraternity — the official
stenographer of a court of record.
CONCLUSION.
Summary op the Work on this Volume 450
The concluding remarks to the gentle reader by Mr. Clark in his " History of
Onondaga County." Experiences of the author. A remonstrance by one hundred
citizens of the village. Defeat of the attempt to bond the town. Franchise granted to a
trolley road. An excellent cemetery secured to the town. Municipal ownership of
the water works. Decision of the Supreme Court of the United States against the
Skaneateles Water Works Company, March 3, 1902. System of clearing the snow
from the sidewalks in winter by the village. Individual history.
INDEX OF NAMES 465
INDEX OF SUBJECTS 471
INDEX OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
A. PAGE.
AUis, C. W., Merchant and Banker 196
B.
Brainerd, Dyer 419
Burnett, Albert De Cost, Youngest Volunteer of the Civil War 359
Burnett, Charles J., Jr 201
C.
Coe, Edward B 161
Coe's, Edward B., Daughter and her Children 164
Collins Point, Skaneateles . Lake, East Shore 295
Colonial Residence of Daniel Kellogg 26
Cooper Shops, Thaddeus Edwards' Old, Built Eighty Years Ago 213
D.
Document Discovered by the Author 431
F.
Five-Mile Point, on East Shore of Lake 269
Francis, George 209
G.
Genesee Street and St. James' Church 307
Goodall, Charles 103
H.
Hall, David, more familiarly known as Deacon David Hall 194
Hall, Captain James, Early Prominent Citizen and Manufacturer 311
Hawley, Nelson, Early Merchant 199
Head, or South End, of Skaneateles Lake, showing " Glen Haven " Hotel 329
Highlands, The, near South End of Lake, showing both sides of the Lake 271
Humphreys, Correl, a well-known Early Resident 365
K.
Kellogg, Daniel 26
L.
Lake House, built in 1824, destroyed by fire July 19, 1870 337
Leslie, Edmund Norman Frontispiece
Leslie, Mrs. Edmund Norman Frontispiece
Leslie, Mrs. Edmund Norman, copy of Daguerreotype taken in 1846 324
Leslie, Mrs. Edmund Norman, copy of Portrait painted by Charles L. Elliott in 1846. .. . 325
Leslie Memorial Windows in St. James' Church 391
xviii INDEX OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
O. PAGE.
One-Mile Point, West Shore of Lake 263
Oxley, Charles (Died 1888, aged ninety years) 225
P.
Pardee, Charles 203
Picnic on the Wooded Shore of Skaneateles Lake 31S
Presbyterian Church, Old Brick, erected in 1830 283
Presbyterian Church, New 394
R.
Regatta on Skaneateles Lake Forty Years Ago (On the dock stands Philander William-
son; on his right is Captain Eckhardt; on the corner of the dock is George Rawlins) . 220
Regatta, Skaneateles— The Start, 1850 292
Regatta, Skaneateles— The Start, 1851 293
S.
St. James' Church, Original, erected 1827-28 283
St. James' Church, New 390
Skaneateles Lake and St. James' Church 233
Skaneateles Lake, East Shore, near Village 266
Skaneateles Lake Yacht, sailing " in-the-eye-of-the-wind " — St. James' Church and sur-
rounding Scenery 380
Skaneateles Library Building and Sphinx — Six Illustrations. .. .397, 398, 399, 401, 403, 404
Skaneateles Savings Bank 255
Skaneateles, N. Y., Village of, in 1830 (Copperplate Engraving from the Ariel) 190
Enlargement of the above Engraving (Folding Plate), opposite 192
Skaneateles Village, Mirrored by Water of the Lake 373
Skaneateles, Village of. View from the Lake in 1856 333
Society of Friends, as illustrated by two of its early members, Mrs. Abner Lawton and
Mrs. Russell Frost 28s
Stage-Coach, Original Mail and Passenger 259
Stage-Coach, An Improved (designed for wealthier travelers), and a Roadside Tavern. . 273
T.
Taber, Mrs. William R., illustrating the Simplicity of Attire of the Society of Friends. . . . 287
Teasel, The, One of the Chief Productions of Skaneateles 249
Ten-Mile Point, Skaneateles Lake, from the South 223
Ten-Mile Point, Skaneateles Lake, looking South 385
Three Sisters, The, ages respectively 82, 83, and 84 years 142
V.
Village Residence of Edmund Norman Leslie — Summer 299
Village Residence of Edmund Norman Leslie — Winter Approach 303
Vredenburg Colonial Mansion, erected 1804-72 ago
W.
Wheel-Head, Accelerating, Miner's 38
Winter Scene in the Village of Skaneateles 3ig
PREFACE.
After assuming a permanent residence in the village of Skaneateles, in the
year 1851, the change from an active business life became very apparent, and
necessitated not only physical, but mental occupation. While considering some
project of. pleasurable employment which would be of general interest and
beneficial to the community at large, the subject of investigating the pioneer
settlement of both the town and the village of Skaneateles was brought to mind
by learning that all the public records of the town had been destroyed by fire
in the year 1835. Therefore, under these conditions, the subject of investigating
the earliest settlement of this section of the State was assumed, although with
considerable doubt of its successful completion.
The original purpose was to publish such collections of local history from
time to time in the Skaneateles Democrat, whose editor, now deceased, had always
exhibited a personal interest in the early history of the town. The author not
having been " to the manor born," it seemed, of course, to be a very difficult
undertaking, but, being naturally endowed with the faculty of perseverance, the
contents of this volume attest his endeavors.
The first necessity under the above conditions, in entering upon an unknown
subject, was to obtain the names of the original pioneers who with their families
settled this section of the State over one hundred years ago, all of whom have
" passed over to the majority." In order to procure the names desired, it was
essential to obtain account-books, such as ledgers and day-books, which had
been kept by the original pioneer traders and merchants, as they would be desirable
adjuncts in ascertaining the names of those who had made purchases for family
XX PREFACE.
and other purposes. It consumed a considerable time to procure those old
account-books, but it was finally accomplished. Five ledgers and two day-books,
dating from the year 1800 to 1825, were secured. The ledgers were all single
entry, and it was difficult to obtain the names of the owners. From all these
account-books there were obtained over twelve hundred names of individuals
and firms who made regular purchases from dealers and traders located at the
" North End of Skaneateles Lake," which was the original name of the present
village. The persons who made their purchases here resided within a radius
of from fifty to one hundred miles around this early settlement.
These names were copied in alphabetical order, and were afterward sub-
mitted to the late Nathaniel Miller, who first settled in the village in the year
1807, and who possessed a very retentive memory of individuals and of events.
Only the result of his recollections of the names of farmers and others, their
locations and individualities, is given in this volume. The great mass of the
names not included within his recollection has been omitted as being in obscurity.
The names have, however, been kept for reference to determine the date when
some particular individual traded or was a temporary resident in either town
or village.
It is proper here to state that nearly all the sketches of individuals who were
early settlers that are detailed in this volume are the result of personal interviews
by the author within the past fifty years, all of whom have now " joined the
innumerable throng."
The material included in this volume, fragmentary in character, has been in
course of collection during the past fifty years, a great deal of it by personal
correspondence, and, now that so much has been obtained which has never here-
tofore seen the light of publication, and which it is now impossible to acquire,
the author estimates that its publication in its present form has become a duty
which will be indispensable to futurity.
The small volume entitled " History of Skaneateles and Vicinity,'' published
twenty years ago (1881), included, with the permission of the author, a small
portion of this history that had previously been printed in the Skaneateles
Democrat.
PREFACE. xxi
The author also loaned all his manuscript collections of the early history of
this town to the editor and publisher of " The Centennial History of Onondaga
County," by request, indicated in a circular received by mail. In the preface
of the first volume, the following acknowledgment was printed:
" While the list of all who have personally aided in our task is too long for
publication, it is incumbent upon us to give the names of a few who have
been most instrumental in securing and supplying information for the various
town histories, among which are Captain George Collins and Uriah Roundy, town
of Spafiford; E. Norman Leslie, the town of Skaneateles," etc.
In the progress of collecting the subjects detailed herein, the author has
been indebted and placed under personal obligations to several gentlemen and
one lady, among whom may be primarily named Thomas Isom, himself a former
merchant, who furnished all the particulars of the earliest merchants, their
various partnerships, changes in business, and many other subjects of general
interest which otherwise it would have been impossible to obtain. His information
was derived from the late Nathaniel Miller, Dr. E. H. Porter, Deacon David Hall,
C. Pardee, and Amos Pardee, Sr., all of whom are deceased; Rev. William M.
Beauchamp ; George Maurice Abbot, Treasurer of " The Library Company of
Philadelphia " ; and Mrs. D. K. Leitch, of the village of Skaneateles.
The author has also consulted J. V. H. Clark's " Onondaga," the records in
the olifice of the Clerk of Onondaga County, and the records in the office of the
Surrogate of Onondaga County.
The sketches of individuals who nearly a century ago were prominent residents
here have been obtained through an extensive correspondence with their descend-
ants, and it required much perseverance to complete them. One of these was
Daniel Ludlow (page 312), and another was Phares Gould (page 209).
There are undoubtedly many imperfections and some repetitions that have
naturally occurred in a history which has been from time to time written in the
interim of the past fifty years. The number of years since this town was first
settled is now (1902) named as having been one hundred and eight years from
1794, although in the following pages one hundred and seven years has been stated
as having been the limited time.
xxii PREFACE.
This volume has been written offhand by the author, without previous mem-
orandum of any kind, and every page has been by him typewritten and pre-
pared for the compositor. His advancing years, causing impairment of eyesight
and especially of memory, must be held responsible for many imperfections in
this volume.
There have been added as " reminiscences of later times " some of the author's
personal experiences after having been elected President of the village, in the year
1895, at the age of seventy-eight years, which office he held two years.
In ent-ering upon the subject of writing a history of the town and village of
Skaneateles, it was at first considered unfruitful of incident and barren of
interest. Materials multiplied, however, and incidents accumulated to a great
extent. The field of investigation was found to be unexplored, and the author was
borne on irresistibly to glean fresh material from all sources. The success which
has attended the undertaking in the collection of this mass of historical matter
has greatly exceeded anticipation.
With these preliminary remarks and explanation, the following pages are
submitted to the public.
The Author.
March, 1902.
SKANEATELES
CHAPTER I.
The Earliest History.
It will be appropriate, in writing on the subject of the earliest history of
Skaneateles, to commence at the period before this town was set off from the
township of Marcellus.
Marcellus was one of the original townships in the military tract that con-
sisted of lands which were assigned by the State of New York to the Revolu-
tionary soldiers of the New York line as premiums, or bounty lands. A lot one
mile square was given to each soldier, except a certain portion which was
reserved to defray the expenses of surveying and other contingencies. The
names assigned to the townships were selected by the Surveyor-General De Witt
and officers of the Government before any settlements were made. This accounts
for the singularity of the names, which were taken principally from distinguished
men of ancient Greece and Rome. Some of them were distinguished as poets,
orators, statesmen, and some as military commanders; a few were taken from
prominent literary men of England, as Dryden, Milton, and Locke. The town-
ships of the military tract were equal to ten miles square, and were divided by
surveys into one hundred lots one mile square.
At the commencement of the Revolutionary War, in 1776, Congress offered
to the officers and soldiers who should enlist and serve during the war a bounty
of both money and land. At the close of the war, in 1783, the Legislature of the
State of New York took action with regard to these promised bounty lands, not
only with a view of discharging the aforesaid engagement of Congress, but, in
consideration of the virtue and patriotism of the troops of New York, to add
thereto a large gratuity of State lands.
As a consequence, the Legislature passed an act defining the ratio of lands to
be given to each private and to officers of each grade. There were two kinds of
granted lands, one called gratuity, and the other bounty. By an act passed
February 28, 1789, the Surveyor-General was directed to lay out the tracts of
land which are now known as " The Military Lots." On the ist of January,
1791, the Commissioners 'of the Land Office proceeded to determine claims, and
to ballot for each individual's share.
From that time, soldiers began to sell their bounty lands, and even before that
date they sold their claims to any one who wished to purchase, and it is a singular
fact that soldiers would sell their claims over and over again to whoever would
make an offer for them. Our county records, made at an early day, show many
owners of about half of the military lots in this town. In consequence, the
2 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
courts became overflowed with business relating to these contested claims, a large
proportion of the lots in the whole military tract being more or less a subject of
litigation. Finally, the Legislature passed a law appointing a Board of Commis-
sioners, with full power to hear, examine, award, and determine all disputes
respecting the titles to any and all the military bounty lands. The action of this
board prevented further litigation, and the real owners were placed in quiet
possession of their lands. Therefore, under the conditions of these laws, the
original owners of the lands in this town of Skaneateles were the thirty-four
Revolutionary soldiers who were awarded by ballot the several military lots in
this town, hereinafter designated.
There are thirty-nine of these lots in this town, which were originally in the
township of Marcellus, which had one hundred lots, and when this town was set
off and organized, in 1830, as a distinct town, thirty-nine lots were taken from
Marcellus, and these lots now compose the town of Skaneateles.
January i, 1791, the balloting commenced for each individual's share. Ninety-
four soldiers drew lots in each township. Of the one hundred lots, one lot was
drawn for the support of literature in the State of New York; one lot near the
center of each township was assigned by the Surveyor-General for the support
of the gospel and common schools, and the remaining four lots went to satisfy
the surplus shares of the officers, and to compensate those who by chance might
draw lots covered with water.
NAMES OF SOLDIERS WHO ORIGINALLY OWNED THIS TOWN.
Lot
Lot
Number. Soldier.
Numb
er. Soldier.
I.
Baker, Stephen.
38.
Dennison, Geo., Lieutenant.
2.
Lepperd, John.
39-
Gillaspie, William.
3-
Bear, Edward.
44.
Shultz, John.
4-
Moore, John.
45-
Blowers, Ephraim.
5-
Yarrington, William.
52.
Peck, Hiel, Lieutenant.
10.
Herring, Benj., Ensign.
57-
Beebe, Benjamin.
II.
Lodder, William.
58.
Vosburgh, Peter J.
12.
Gilbert, John.
59-
Reed, Jacob, Captain.
13-
Gross, John.
60.
Lake, Henry.
20.
Dow, Volkert.
65.
Halstead, Joseph.
21.
Moore, Thomas.
66.
Pembroke, David.
27.
Burrance, Henry.
67.
Weeks," Jacob.
28.
Higby, Samuel.
73-
Brown, John.
29.
Parson, Samuel.
84.
Martin, John.
30-
Jones, Thomas.
85-
Casey, Robert.
.35-
Kenneth, Campbell.
86.
McPeck, Dennis.
36.
Simonds, John.
87.
Dieffendorph, Henry, Lieutenant
37-
Doughty, John, Captain.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 3
There are thirty-five lots above named, which were distributed to the soldiers.
The surplus lots were numbered respectively 19, 22, 50, 51.
After the Commissioners of the Land Office had balloted for each soldier's
share, of course each soldier then knew he owned a military lot, but had no
knowledge of its location. No patents had been issued to each individual soldier,
who only knew that he had been awarded a lot containing six hundred acres of
land. This ownership was a claim only, which was a salable commodity. Many
soldiers sold their claims over and over to different persons, while other soldiers
did not sell until they received their patents (which were official titles).
Four hundred and eleven years ago, America had no place or name among the
nations of the civilized world. Four hundred and eleven years ago the voice
of the white man had not been heard in this land.
One hundred and seven years ago, our surrounding hills were shaded with
immense and lofty trees ; bogs and swamps were more numerous and more
extensive than at the present time; the beaver and the flood made the only dams
impeding the numerous streams; trout were abundant; salmon came far up the
creek; the hawk and the eagle towered and soared far above the loftiest hills,
watching for their prey; the trumpet note of the wild swan was in evidence as
she sailed on the waves with outspread wings; the partridge drummed; the
turkey called among the trees ; the skies were darkened and the ground blue with
countless wild pigeons; troops of deer bounded through the dark forests, grazed
along the lowlands, and swam the placid waters of the lake; the panther, wolf,
and bear prowled about our hills, unheeded and unharmed; sometimes their
voices made the dark forest a howling wilderness.
Previous to the earliest settlement of this section of the country, one hundred
and seven years ago, the ground on which we daily tread, the places now beauti-
fied by pleasant homes, our broad and shady avenues, our business marts and
manufactories, our modern and beneficial schools, our fertile farms, and all the
accessories of civilization — all — all the ground thus now occupied was in a state
of primeval nature, untouched by the white man. Back of this limited period
of one hundred and eight years lies an incomprehensible space of time. Centuries
of years, thousands of years, had passed before Skaneateles had a name as a
village or as a town.
" In the eighteenth century the trail from Onondaga crossed the foot of
Skaneateles Lake, and I have recently had access to what is probably the
earliest recorded visit to Skaneateles Lake. In 1750 the Moravian missionaries
came from Bethlehem, Pa., by way of the Susquehanna, Ithaca, and Cayuga.
June 18, Bishop Cammerhofif said: 'We reached a lake named Achsgo (now
Owasco), where we saw it was about three miles wide and ten miles long, but
we could not see the end of it. At the lower end, where it is about one mile wide,
we were obliged to ride through it; we saw some Indians wading across. The
bottom was clear sand, and the water very fresh and cold. . . . We went on
again into the wilderness, , where there was nothing but swamps and marshes.
4 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
We came to a lake named Sganiatarees. It flows S. E. and N. W., and empties
toward the N. W. ; is about two or three and a half miles long, but we could not
see the end of it. We crossed at the lower end of it, where it empties into a rapid
creek with a swift current, and then pursued our journey in the wilderness.'
" These missionaries were not very good judges of distances there or else-
where. It may be added that they were on horseback."
The above is from the historical collections of Rev. W. M. Beauchamp.
Previously to the visit of these Moravian missionaries, eternal silence and
eternal solitude reigned supreme, broken only by the shout of the wandering red
man or by the recent hunter and trapper, in pursuit of game. These were rarely
heard, sometimes for months only, and at other times, for many long years, the
voice of bird and beast alone was heard in the vast forests.
" Here were no Indian fields or traces of extended occupancy by an early
people. Yet it had visitors. The occasional arrowheads found reveal the ancient
hunter, and still rarer articles an earlier people of higher skill. The most remark-
able of these is a small ceremonial stone of striped slate, now in Mr. O. M. Bige-
low's collection, Baldwinsville, N. Y. These early people came and departed,
and left these memorials of their presence." — (From Rev. W. M. Beauchamp's
collections.)
In itself, a period of one hundred and seven years seems a long time to any
one man, but when it is compared with all the past ages — the age of our world,
which has been estimated as being from ten to twenty million years — one hundred
and seven years dwindles into nothing. There is a truer measure of time than
its mere passage. Life is measured by deeds, and time by events and changes.
" We live in deeds, not years ;
In feelings, not in figures on a dial.
We should count time by heart-throbs. He most lives
Who thinks most, feels the noblest, acts the best."
— Philip James Bailey.
When our pioneers came here, they found the uplands covered with forests
of hard timber, with but little undergrowth. The lowlands were overspread
with a dense hemlock forest, and the swamps with ash and white cedar. Not a
tree had been felled; no plowshare had rent the ground.
That placid lake which is before our admiring eyes daily, whose surface has
the same appearance now that it had thousands of years ago, reflects the heavens
as of old; the everlasting hills and its rocky banks were then the same as now,
the jutting points produced from the deposited sands of the swift-flowing rivu-
lets of past ages. It was the resting-place of the migrating wild fowl, geese,
ducks, herons, and others of the like nature, unharmed and unmolested. Its
appearance thousands of years ago taxes the imagination to describe.
Every detail of the scene has undergone a change. Rocks remain to show the
location of the beautiful cascades of early times, but the water which produced
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 5
them has disappeared. By the removal of the forests our southern hills have
lost some of their graceful contour and much in apparent height. The fisherman
and hunter have not their old success. The naturalist searches in vain for birds,
tree, or plant which in former times were to be found with little care. The
utilitarian observes the decrease of the water supply with anxiety, and the farmer
can not grow some varieties of fruits, which once were abundant. Progress
often leaves behind much that is good. Notwithstanding all this, few would
wish to go back to that past. Present advantages are so great and real that they
outweigh all the losses that can be mentioned.
Measured by revolving years, the century since the pioneer first raised his
cabin near the lake shore is but the faintest point of time compared with the
ages that have gone before. Tested by the advance of civilization here and else-
where, it is as the passage of thousands of years. Of that dim, illimitable past,
there is very little to record here; of our later days, every household and home
offers something to interest heart and mind, and this because the reign of mind
has begun.
How great the contrast now! It seems a new world, filled with strange
inventions and teeming with a new life.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
CHAPTER II.
How THE Pioneers Came.
From the time of the survey of the military lots in 1794, the tide of emigration
from the eastern section of this State and from the New England States began to
flow to this part of the State. Usually pioneers came in the summer and fall,
on foot and on horseback, prospecting in search of homes. But winter was most
propitious for the removal of their families and goods. The snows of winter
were distributed evenly over the ground, and lay permanently protected from
drifts by the dense forests. The long winters gave ample time for the journeys,
which were often interrupted by impassable streams and thaws. This was for-
tunate for emigration at that early period, as the highway during the summer
season was so much obstructed by roots and stumps as to render traveling very
difficult in conveyances on wheels. There were no four-wheeled wagons in those
days. Two-wheeled vehicles only were used.
For many years there was to be seen on the Genesee road, in the winter season,
an almost unbroken procession of loads of people with goods, drawn by either
oxen or horses, accompanied by herds of cattle and cows, to settle this great
wilderness. In 1803 the Seneca Turnpike was chartered, and soon after it was
laid out six rods wide, the trees being cut away to the whole width, and the road-
way thrown up in the center to get the benefit of the sun's rays and render the
road as dry as possible. This road extended from Utica to Canandaigua, and
was a continuation of the Mohawk Turnpike, thus affording a regular turnpike
communication from Albany to Canandaigua. There was a great tide of emigra-
tion which came over this road, destined to the western part of this State and
to the Western Reserve in Ohio.
The Genesee country, in the western part of the State, was settled previously,
and, there being no roads through the State, the emigration to it was by water up
the Mohawk, through Oneida Lake and River, and up the Seneca River and
Lake. On the completion of the turnpike, the travel westward passed wholly
through this place. About the year 1800 merchandise was transported in large
covered wagons drawn by four horses.
Settlements once made prepared the way for accessions, and accordingly we
find that the population increased rapidly from year to year by the constantly in-
coming tide of emigration from the East.
At the time the first settlers came here there was not in existence in the town
of Marcellus such a vehicle as a horse-wagon. All visiting was done mostly in
winter, on sleds, and fortunate was the hardy settler who could yoke a pair of
oxen of his own, and make his way through the woods with his wife and a child
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 7
or two on the sled, for an evening's visit with his nearest neighbor, many miles
distant. Such a man was considered rich.
At first there were no roads for many years. The settlers used to follow
marked trees on foot. Roads were first made from house to house, and from
place to place, and finally, when roads were made, they were proverbially bad —
very bad.
At the time this part of the country was settled our fathers were groping in
almost utter darkness, so far as a knowledge of the sciences was concerned, and
but little progress had been made in invention and the arts. Scarcely one of
the modern contrivances for cooking, and for warming and lighting dwellings,
was known. Not a pound of coal had been burned in the country. No iron
stoves were used, and no contrivances for economizing heat were employed. All
the cooking and warming were done with the aid of fire kindled upon the stone
hearth or with the oven. Pine-knots or tallow candles furnished the light for
the long winter evenings, and the bare floors supplied the place of rugs and car-
pets. The water used for household purposes was drawn from deep wells with
the creaking "sweep." No form of pump was used in this part of the country,
so far as can be learned, until after the commencement of the present century.
There were no friction matches in those early days, with the aid of which a
fire could be speedily kindled. And if the fire went out upon the hearth overnight,
and the tinder was damp, so that the spark would, not "catch," the alternative
remained of wading through the snow a mile or so to borrow a brand of a neigh- '
bor. Only one room in any house was warmed, unless some of the family were
ill. In all the rest the temperature was at zero during many nights in winter.
The men and women of those days undressed and retired to their beds at night
in an atmosphere colder than that of out modern barns and woodsheds, and
they never complained. No hot-air furnaces tempered the wintry air in their
dwellings, and they slept soundly in the cold. The cooking was very simple,
and the nature of the food plain and substantial. But few dishes were seen upon
the table. Pork and cabbage, corn bread and milk, with bean porridge and pota-
toes, were about the usual forms of food consumed.
The ancient tinder-box was the only reliance for producing fire for household
purposes. The present population know nothing of this necessity, therefore a
detailed description is here given. The tinder-box was usually constructed of
tin-plate. It was cylindrical in form, with an open top, about four or five inches
in diameter, and four inches in height. A disk or plunger was made to exactly
fit the cylindrical opening. On this disk was soldered a tin candle-holder, which
was used not only to place a candle, but as a Jiandle to the disk. A piece of linen
rag was then lighted in a blaze, and as soon as the blaze expired it was placed
in the tinder-box, and the disk or plunger placed over the charred rag.
A piece of flint, which in those days was easily obtainable as gun-flints were
in common use, and a piece of steel, so shaped as to hang by a hook over the
index-finger of one hand, while with the other hand the flint was struck on the
8 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
steel, produced a spark of fire, which, being directed to the surface of the
charred rag, set it on fire, not,_ however, in a blaze, but sufficient to ignite a pine-
shaving which had been tipped with brimstone for this purpose, and the shaving
soon produced a blaze sufficient to light a candle.
The tinder-box was always kept closed and in a dry place to avoid dampness.
The space on top of the closed disk was the receptacle for holding the flint and
steel.
The tinder-box was in common use until the introduction of the original
friction-match, about the year 1827. The first friction-matches were flat in
shape, and had to be drawn between a folded piece of sand-paper to produce a
blaze. The name given to these matches was "Lucifer matches," and from the
time they were introduced the tinder-boxes disappeared, so much so that not one
of them can now be found in an old-time collection.
Skaneateles had not yet received its first shovelful of mineral coal, and it
was a long way off from the time when its dwellings would be illuminated with
kerosene. Tallow dips were then the only fashionable lights, and pine-knots
were used by those who did not possess dips. Whale-oil lamps afterward came
into fashion.
Account-Books of Early Merchants. — The author obtained many years
ago four ledgers and two day-books, which had been kept by as many early
merchants and manufacturers. One day-book, kept by Eli Clark, dated from
the time he came here, 1800, and continued until his death, August, 1834, at the
age of seventy-two.
From these account-books have been obtained twelve hundred names of per-
sons who purchased their goods here in this early settlement, and who resided
within a radius of from fifty to one hundred miles from this center. These repre-
sent the earliest settlers in this section of the State.
The cash entries in these old ledgers were apparently kept in sterling cur-
rency. Pounds, Shillings, and Pence really were not sterling money, but divi-
sions of the Spanish milled dollar. The pence were our twelfths of a shilling;
the shillings were I2j^ cents ; and the pounds were 20 shillings of I2j4 cents each.
In a letter received by the author from the Superintendent of the United
States Mint, at Philadelphia, it is stated that a law was passed by Congress
in the year 1795 which made the divisions of the Spanish milled dollar legal
tender. That law was in full force until Congress in 1853 passed a law repeal-
ing the law of 1795. This had the effect of driving out of circulation all the
old Spanish coin then in use here. The Superintendent, also in reply to other
questions, stated that none of the gold dollars which had been coined by the Mint
had ever been returned, but were kept by their possessors. He also stated
that the Mint now coins every year about $75,000 in quarter-eagles ($2,50)
during the month of November to supply the demand during the holiday season.
While writing on the subject of coins, it may be of interest to mention that
an old coin was dug up on the old W. J. Vredenburg ground, on which is the
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 9
new Colton dwelling-house. This coin was a one-cent piece which was coined
by the State of Massachusetts before any coins were issued by the United States
Mint. It bears the date of 1788. On the obverse side is an Indian with bow and
arrow, and on the reverse is an eagle with outspread wings. Immediately under
the eagle is the date 1788. On one side is the word "Massachusetts" around the
eagle, while on the reverse side is the word "Commonwealth," thus making the
title "Commonwealth of Massachusetts." The coin shows much use, therefore it
was lost by its owner many years after its date.
The Pioneers. — ^All the earliest settlers, when they first came here into
the woods, were obliged to live for a considerable time with no shelter but the
forest, making use of their two-wheeled cart, not only for sleeping purposes, but
for culinary purposes, until a comfortable temporary cabin could be constructed.
All the heavy labor was performed by the settlers themselves, and when it be-
came necessary to build a log cabin, or for other heavy work needing more as-
sistance, a general invitation was extended to all the settlers in the vicinity, which
was very generally accepted, and the meeting always ended in a frolic. Such calls
for assistance were termed "Bees" — "Chopping-Bees," "Logging-Bees," "Husk-
ing-Bees," etc.
In these primitive times the means of subsistence were scanty and precarious.
Needed provisions were obtained from other settlements that had been settled
earlier, such as the towns of Aurelius and Scipio, then in Onondaga County.
Log Houses. — Very few log houses remain in central New York at this time.
They have gone to ruin through neglect or have been used for firewood. Modern
houses have taken their places, and modern methods of cooking have been
adopted instead of those that held forth in the days of big chirrtneys and monster
fireplaces, large enough to take in cord-wood. The old log cabins were built
cheaply, and yet they had their good qualities, and were very comfortable in many
respects. Some of them were very large. The floor was the bare earth, and re-
mained so until saw-mills produced boards for floors. The logs for constructing
the house were all about one size, and all were round as they grew. In the process
of building, an open space was left on one side for a chimney, which was always
built outside of the house, and was constructed of small round wood, laid together
similar to the exterior of the log house. The spaces between the logs were plas-
tered with clay, as well as the spaces between the smaller round wood for the
chimneys, clay being the most desirable to keep out the rain and the snow and the
cold, freezing air. The chimney was not only chinked with clay, but plastered
inside for safety against fire. The roof of the log house was laid with small round
straight trees, and covered with birch-bark, or bark of other trees if birch waf not
obtainable. Flat stones were laid down in and around the fireplace. The methods
of housekeeping and cooking were very crude, but the pioneers enjoyed this mode
of life until better appliances became available.
Log barns were also common in early days, and were more crudely made than
the log dwelling-houses. ,
10 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
In later times, when the pioneers were able to get bricks or stone for their
fireplaces and chimneys, they had many more comforts. Then they had cooking-
cranes in the fireplace. These cranes had hooks on them for the purpose of hang-
ing on kettles. The cranes were so constructed as to swing back and forth over
and from the fire. Potatoes were buried in the hot ashes, and were thoroughly
cooked. The corn and rye bread was baked over the hot embers in a cast-iron
bake-pot, which had a cast-iron cover with a raised edge to hold the hot coals and
ashes over the bread. Spareribs were hung on the crane over the fire to cook, and
thus a superbly cooked rib was the result. The cost of living with these cheap
conveniences was reduced to a minimum. Their wants were simple and not far-
reaching.
Log school-houses were a necessity in early times, not only for school purposes,
but for religious services and for traveling missionaries, and for holding public
meetings of the settlers. The log school-houses had been talked about for years.
They were a necessity, and served a good purpose. When religious meetings were
held in them, the ministers preached, and all the whole neighborhood for many
miles around turned out on the Sabbath, on foot and on horseback, or in crude
vehicles, to attend the meetings held in the log school-houses.
Before the advent of saw-mills logs were placed in rows for seats. The min-
ister had no pulpit, and was obliged to stand up and deliver his address without
the customary written notes. His address was always practical. It was in this
manner that the pioneers worshiped, and listened to the minister and to the old-
fashioned singing, one hundred years ago.
The pioneers did the best they could according to their means. The women of
those days deserve especial notice. They made their own stockings, spun their
own wool, and wove their own tow cloth, hatcheled their own flax, spun their own
thread, and made the fabric into substantial garments. The log house had its old-
fashioned loom, its spinning-wheel, flax-hatchel, and other arrangements, simple
in their make-up, which were used in the log cabins of the pioneers, because they
were useful and were required to meet the absolute wants of the early settlers.
The youth of to-day can tell you nothing about log house life, much less about
log cabins, tallow dips, tinder-boxes, and other rude appliances of those old days.
This is an entirely different age from the pioneer days, and the present generation
looks upon existing conditions with altogether different eyes from the early oc-
cupants of our country. They see the wonders of this period, the advancements
made by inventors and scientists, the progress that has been made in educational
processes, in the modes of living, in traveling, and in innumerable other conve-
niences, while our early pioneers were in blissful ignorance of the future modern
progressiveness of the wonderful age in which we now live — the daily news-
paper, printed by the hundred thousand daily, with huge machines driven by
steam; telegraphy; the wonderful telephone, which allows familiar speech to be
transmitted through a wire a thousand miles; and, lastly, wireless telegraphy.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. ii
CHAPTER III.
Early Pioneers.
Abraham A. Cuddeback. — The first settler in this town was Abraham A.
Cuddeback, who came here from the town of Minisink, Orange County, N. Y.
He had previously secured his lands from the Surveyor-General of the State,
at a time when the titles to the military lots were very imperfect from causes
hereinbefore stated.
He started from his old home, May 2, 1794, with a wagon, three yoke of oxen,
one two-year-old colt, and twelve cows. He brought with him his wife and
eight children, came by way of Albany, was forty-three days on the road, and
arrived here June 14, 1794. When he arrived at Fort Schuyler, now Utica, there
were but two buildings, and between there and Onondaga Hill there were no
dwelling-houses. When he arrived here, there were no houses or log cabins
within the locality where the village is situated. The forest on the lake-shore
was so impenetrable for teams and cattle that he was obliged to construct a raft
of logs, on which, from the entrance of the outlet, he had to convey his effects
and family to his destination on the west shore of the lake. This location is now
ornamented with the beautiful residence of the late Dr. S. H. Hurd, which is now
owned by Mr. William Fitsgerald. The east end of the old barn, which was
taken down by the order of Dr. Hurd some years ago, was erected by Mr. Cudde-
back, and was the first frame building put up in the town. When Mr. Cudde-
back and his family arrived here, there were five Indian wigwams, occupied by
Indians, located at the spring where C. W. Allis erected his dwelling many years
ago.
The first four years the settlers had to carry their grain to be ground at a
mill situated where Utica is now. The first mill in this vicinity was built at
Onondaga Valley in 1798. The first wheat raised by Mr. Cuddeback, in 1796-
97, he carried to Albany. Among other necessities needed by him were nails,
so he traded part of his wheat to procure them — a bushel of wheat for a pound
of nails.
Abraham A. Cuddeback died October 22, 1831, aged seventy-three years.
He was a descendant of the Huguenots, who originally settled in Orange County,
N. Y.
Skaneateles' First Settler. — ^According to "Clark's Onondaga," John
Thompson was the earliest settler. It is stated in that historical book that he
came with his family within the present limits of this town in 1793. He was
said to have settled on Lot No. 18. The deed of his purchase was recorded in
the County Clerk's office, dated 1794. The consideration was his services while
12 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
employed in ascertaining the jurisdiction line between the States of New York
and Pennsylvania, arid during three successive summers employed in surveying
the military lands, as well as in consideration of five shillings lawful money of
the State of New York.
In my opinion he was by no means the earliest settler, as I have at various
times during the past year made it a study to search the records of deeds in the
County Clerk's office, on the theory that, this deed to him being on record in
1794, at some future time thereafter he must have disposed of that land. I com-
menced with the year 1794, and, searching along the following years, I found
that said John Thompson had purchased military lands not only in this but in
adjoining towns, and in all his deeds his name was recorded as being of the
town of Stillwater, Saratoga County, N. Y. The next recorded deed after the
first one in this town was dated October 12, 1801, when he purchased lands in
Lot No. 88 in the township of Camillus. October 2, 1806, John Thompson
of the town of Stillwater, sold the foregoing tract of land in the township of
Camillus.
I found recorded in 1810: John Thompson and Charlora Adams, of Mar-
cellus, administrators of the goods and chattels, rights, and credits of David
Groom, of Marcellus.
June IS, 1819, John Thompson, of the same township of Stillwater, sold a
tract of land to Nathan Thompson, of the town of Galway, Saratoga County,
N. Y. January 12, 1821, John Thompson then entered his name in a deed for
the first time as being of the town of Marcellus, N. Y., and sold to Joseph Fos-
ter, of the township of Hannibal, Oswego County, N..Y., 104.85 acres, being parts
of Lots Nos. 18 and 35, in the township of Marcellus; consideration, $2,090.
This conveyance included his first purchase of fifty acres in Lot No. 18, and
another parcel adjoining the fifty acres in Lot No. 35, of which purchase there
was no record. In those early days many deeds were not recorded, and by dili-
gent search no record could be found. March 2, 1825, this parcel of land of
104.85 acres was sold by Joseph Porter to Samuel Jacacks, of the town of Mar-
cellus; consideration, $2,300. April 7, 1836, Samuel Jacacks sold the John
Thompson land to David Hall of Skaneateles ; consideration, $5,000.
In all these deeds by John Thompson, his wife, if he had one, did not join
in the execution thereof. This indicates to my mind that, when assisting in the
survey of the military lands, he was possibly quite a young man, without family or
wife, and that he did not actually settle in this town until 1810 or 1821.
The records in Syracuse are more or less imperfect in determining who
were the first settlers, as many who came in early times had no money, and were
obliged to hire or lease lands until they could earn enough to purchase. Sur-
veyor-General De Witt, who held large tracts of land, furnished all newcomers
with such lands as were wanted at a very low rate. There were other early
pioneers who came in 1794, but no other deeds than John Thompson's are on
record.-
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 13
In my opinion really, under all circumstances hereinbefore stated, the first
actual settler was Abraham A. Cuddeback, who arrived here June 14, 1794, with
his wife and eight children, from Minisink, Orange County, N. Y. He was
forty-three days on the route, and not only brought his family, but considerable
stock. Though there is no deed on record of lands purchased by him, I have
been informed by his grandchildren that he rented lands from De Witt, the
Surveyor-General, and in the course of time he purchased the lands on which he
first settled on the west bank of the lake. Among his grandchildren, to whom
have been handed down his first experiences and sayings, he is stated to have
said that his nearest settler was at Onondaga Hill.
It is well at this late day to determine as far as is possible the name of the
first settler of one hundred and six years ago.
Elijah Bowen. — ^Another early settler was Elijah Bowen, who was born
in Massachusetts in 1757, and died in this town May 20, 1807, aged fifty years.
He with his family came here and located on Military Lot No. 39, on what has
since been known as the C. C. Wycofif farm, in 1794. The first record in the
County Clerk's office shows that he purchased part of Military Lot No. 39, May
22, 1800, and paid therefor $125. He had a brother named Benajah, who lo-
cated on the farm next east of the present Rickard farm. The log houses owned
by these two brothers were the only ones in that vicinity, and the road leading
to them was for a long time known as the "Bowen Road." Elijah first came
here in the spring of 1793, with one yoke of oxen and a sled, and selected the
land he wanted, then cut down some trees, and with the logs and some birch-
bark constructed a temporary shelter for the season. During the subsequent
summer, 1794, he built a log house, wherein to make a home for his family. In
the summer of 1794 he brought his family to this town. On this occasion he
came with two sleds, one yoke of oxen, and a pair of horses. His family con-
sisted of his wife and six children, all of whom were born in Cheshire, Mass.
The names of the children of Elijah Bowen are as follows:
Valentine, born 1793, died in Pennsylvania, 1870, aged eighty-seven years.
Sophronia, born 1784, died at the age of seventy-nine years.
Elijah, bom 1787, died in Wisconsin, 1861, aged eighty-three years.
Hannah, born 1785. She was nine years old when she came here.
Delina, born 1788, married to Dr. David Kingsbury, of this town.
Lucina, born 1788, died 1863, aged seventy-four years.
Patsey, wife of. Elijah Bowen, born 1867, died July 15, 1857, aged ninety
years.
After the Bowen family were settled in their new home, it became the head-
quarters for all the emigrating families in that neighborhood. Families would
drive into the dooryard, and make it their home until the men selected a loca-
tion. There not being much extra space in the Bowen log house, the newcomers
would sleep at night on the floor, or ground, if there was no floor, wherever
they could find convenient space.
14 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
According to the history of this family, Elijah Bowen had another child,
a son, who was born in Pompey during the first year of his residence here.
In connection therewith, it is stated that, but a short time before this son's birth,
his mother went from their new home here, on horseback, to Pompey, where
the family had friends, and the mother returned home when her baby was two
weeks old. This son, Almeron Bowen, died September 27, 1825, aged thirty-one
years. Although not exactly born in the town of Skaneateles, still, under the
circumstances related above, he was really the first born of parents residing in
this town.
When Elijah Bowen arrived here in 1793, the titles to the military lots were
at that time in much doubt. This was before the Board of Commissioners ap-
pointed by the Legislature had determined all disputes as to the ownership
of the several military lots in 1797. Bowen had located his land, but had not
yet secured the title. It may, therefore, be said that Elijah Bowen was one of
the first settlers of this town.
Elijah Bowen, son of the above early settler, who came with his father from
Cheshire, Mass., in 1794, and who was thirty-three years of age at that date,
resided here for many years, and was a soldier of the War of 1812. He always
was called Colonel Bowen. He afterward went to Wisconsin, where he died
in 1861, aged eighty-three years.
Benajah Bowen. — Benajah Bowen, brother to the elder Elijah, was born
in Cheshire, Mass., in the year 1765. He came here and settled on the land
next east of his brother, in the year 1795, bringing his wife and eight children —
five boys and three girls. He removed with his family in 1817 from this place
to Lysander, where he died.
David Kingsley. — Dr. David Kingsley, who married Delina Bowen when he
was thirty years old, was born in 1777. He practised medicine hereabout for
nearly forty years, residing in Clintonville. He was contemporary with Dr.
Samuel Porter and Dr. Hopkins. He died March 7, 1841, in the sixty-fourth
year of his age. He was the father of the late Mrs. Schuyler Moore, of this
village.
Amasa Smith. — Amasa Smith was one of the earliest blacksmiths of this town,
and made his home on the Bowen place for a number of years.
Winston Day^ the First Merchant in this Town. — Winston Day was
born July 11, 1767, and came to this town in 1796, when he was twenty-nine years
of age. He built a storehouse of logs and split basswood slabs. There being
neither boards nor sawed timber at that early period, split basswood was the
only material that could be used. This store was situated on Military Lot No.
27 when he first came here, and goods were sold in this building ; but he subse-
quently located a second store, in 1797, on the site formerly occupied by the
Lake House, where he was set up in business by Judge Jedediah Sanger.
His first log storehouse was built on land owned by John Watson, and was
situated on a pathway through the forest leading from where the "Red House"
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 15
was afterward erected to the outlet of the lake. When he removed to the Lake
House lot, John S. Furman purchased the store and land, and afterward built
on it a dwelling.
By the record of the Board of Supervisors of the county, the town of Marcel-
lus was represented by Winston Day as Supervisor in 1798.
Winston Day was an enterprising business man in this town during thirty-
five years, and he was the leading member of several firms at various periods,
some of which were: Day & Sherwood, in 1806; W. Day & Co.; Day & Hecox,
in 1815. He owned and conducted potasheries on both the east and west banks
of the lake. He died September 5, 183 1, at the age of sixty-four years, and was
buried in the old burying-ground. The headstone over his grave states that
he was the first merchant in Skaneateles.
Henry Root. — Henry Root was born in Westfield, Hampshire County, Mass.,
November 21, 1788, left there October 13, 1804, and came to this place with his
father. Joseph Root, together with his mother and three sisters (he had at
that time seven sisters), came in his own conveyance and was two weeks on his
journey. His father purchased 150 acres, and that was the land which composed
the farm which Henry Root always lived upon Nathan Leonard was his nearest
neighbor, and Bethuel Cole lived in a log house on the Luther Clark place. Cole
had 200 acres. Nathan Leonard a few years later built the house now owned
by Joab Clift, and Cole built the house now on the Luther Clark place.
There was a cooper named Caulkins who lived where the Widow Briggs
does. The next neighbor east on the road to the "Red House" was a man
named Wilkie, who was a tailor, and lived on the same side of the road as John
Thompson. Eli Clark, father of Foster Clark, lived, on the road leading to the
lake, in a log house on the opposite side to where Foster Clark now resides. The
next settler on that road was Simeon Hosmer, who then lived in a log house on
what is now the Oscar Howard farm. Aaron Taylor was next east in a log
house on the J. A. Root place. The John Briggs tavern was completed in 1806
and opened as a tavern. Before its completion Briggs lived in a small dwelling
next east of where the Sherwood tavern was built. Norman Leonard and Win-
ston Day were the only merchants when Henry Root came, as near as he can
recollect. Henry Root died at Hudson, Mich., February 25, 1873, aged eighty-
five years.
Asa Mason. — ^Asa Mason came during the month of February, 1800, from
Berkshire County, Mass., with his brother Avery Mason. The latter lived here
six years, went to the Holland Purchase, and then returned to Massachusetts,
where he died.
Asa Mason came during the winter with an ox-team, a barrel of pork, and
his farming tools, and purchased 480 acres on Military Lot No 68. This tract
of land was 118 rods wide, and ran from the shore of Skaneateles Lake to what
is now known as Thorn Hill. In the fall of 1801 the Mason brothers cleared four
acres and planted it with corn. Asa Mason then went back to Berkshire County
1 6 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
and married. He had eight children — four boys and four girls — all of whom
were born on that farm. Of these children only two are now living — J. L.
Mason and Chloe Harvey, wife of Job Harvey. Asa had two wives. He lived
to be eighty-three years old. J. L. Mason now owns 190 acres of the same
farm.
Nehemiah H. Earll. — The following narrative was made to the author
personally by Mr. Earll.
Nehemiah H. Earll was born in Whitehall, Washington County, N. Y., Octo-
ber 5, 1787. Left there during the month of January, 1794, went to OnOndaga
Hollow, lived there one year, and came here in June, 1796. His father built
a log house on the site of the house now occupied by a Mr. Samuels, now just be-
low the "Red House," on the right-hand side. Afterward the present house was
built by a Mr. Watson for himself.
Josiah Weston was the son of Jonathan Weston, who was the first resident
of the village of Skaneateles. He lived about the vicinity of the location of St.
James' Church, in a log house, on the C. H. Poor place.
The Mr. Watson (Daniel) mentioned above and Mr. Earll were boys of
about the same age, and came together from Onondaga Hollow. They both
dug up a bark canoe in the mud on the lake-shore, about where the outlet was
at that period. This Watson boy with his parents' family came with the Earll
family from Whitehall.
In the spring of 1806 Nehemiah H. Earll went to study law with Daniel
Kellogg. William Price and David Hyde were also in the same office studying
law. The Kellogg law office was built soon after D. Kellogg came from Auburn,
and while Daniel Kellogg was boarding with Dr. Samuel Porter.
Mr. Litherland used to read the church service for Mr. Vredenburg's
family. He also read church services in the "Red House," where lived Mr.
Earll's father, who had moved into the "Red House" in the fall of 1799. The
erection of the "Red House" was begun in 1798. Robert Earll was Nehemiah's
father.
The first dam across the outlet was raised for a saw-mill and grist-mill, by
his father, Robert Earll, at the present location of Willow Glen. This was be-
fore Judge Jedediah Sanger made the mill-dam at the outlet near the lake-
shore.
The first school was kept in a 'log house on the west side of the creek, which
was built for the purpose by Robert Earll and the other settlers in the vicinity.
Edey Whitman was the first school teacher in the town of Skaneateles, and
Nehemiah H. Earll was a scholar. The next school was located about where
Daniel Earll now lives. The teacher was Dr. Munger, who not only practised
medicine, but kept this school. He built a little log house for the school. Two
of his scholars were Thaddeus and Alanson Edwards.
Dr. Munger had a son who practised medicine. Plis name was Dr. Jessee.
He boarded with Mr. Earll's father, and practised around among the early set-
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 17
tiers. He was the first physician in the town, and before Dr. Samuel Porter
came into the county. When Dr. Porter came, Dr. Hunger moved to a place
named " Wellington," between Elbridge and Camillus, where he afterward
died.
The first blacksmith's name was Sabins, who afterward sold out to John
Legg, who worked there in 1804, near his shop, in a log house. Sabins was intem-
perate, and consequently poor. Sabins' shop was thirty rods northeast of Mr.
Earll's house. This was before there was any blacksmith in the town of Skane-
ateles.
The first carpenter was named Lusk, who framed and built the "Red House"
in 1798. He afterward returned to Whitestown, where he originally came from.
Lusk also raised the first frame barn.
Robert and Jonas Earll established the first distillery, near where Watson
erected his house (this was not situated on the outlet), about the year 1800.
The distillery was located a few rods higher up and a little north of Watson's
house. The grain distilled was six bushels of wheat a day, and as fast as it could
be made it was sold at seventy-five cents a gallon. It yielded about two gallons
to a bushel of wheat, which was considered a good yield in those days.
The first religious services were held in the ballroom of the "Red House"
by traveling missionaries, mostly of Methodists and some Baptists. A cele-
brated Baptist preacher, John Leland, of Berkshire, Mass., used to come here
and preach. He had relatives about here. He was the bearer of a monster
cheese which was presented to President Jefferson by Berkshire County, Mass
When Mr. Earll first came as a boy, where the village is now was then a
wilderness in 1796. There was not a single house built there at the time, not
even a tavern, which would naturally be first erected.
Robert Earll, Nehemiah's father, was the first tanner in the county of Onon-
daga. He brought hides from Whitehall, and these he tanned. He had no
opposition in this business for many years. He established his tannery on
Skaneateles Outlet in 1797 or 1798. The stock he purchased in Whitehall. The
tannery was located from four to six rods north of the bridge and south of the
present factory, known as the D. Kellogg factory.
Robert Earll also carried on shoemaking at that time, and afterward em-
ployed many journeymen at the business. He was the first maker of boots and
shoes hereabout.
The first tailors in this section were an old Englishman named O'Keefe and
his son in Skaneateles. His shop was near the big elm-tree, corner of Jordan
and Academy streets.
The William Price heretofore mentioned as studying law with Mr. Earll in
his younger days and with Daniel Kellogg was the son of Judge Price, of Owasco.
He was considered the smartest young man in the office, but he afterward became
intemperate, and consequently degraded and died a wreck.
Nehemiah H. Earll died at Mottville, August 26, 1872, at the age of eighty-
1 8 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
five years. The following notice of his death was published in the Skaneateles
Democrat, August 30, 1872:
"Death of Hon. Nehemiah H. Earll. — Under our obituary head this week
will be found the announcement of the death of Hon. Nehemiah H. Earll, at
Mottville, on Saturday last, August 26, 1872. The Syracuse Standard of Mon-
day has the following just criticism upon Mr. Earll's life and character, which
we lay before our readers : 'Judge Earll had lived in comparative retirement for
many years, but the mere mention of his name will revive many reminiscences
in the minds of those who are acquainted with his career, and will refresh a
knowledge of our local history with those who are at all acquainted with its
scope or details. Judge Earll was a very prominent citizen of Onondaga. Few
of her inhabitants have conferred upon her greater honor or had more influence
in molding her destiny. No one has held more places of trust or honor, or
brought to the discharge of his duties higher talents, a more scrupulous fidelity,
or greater dignity of character. Nehemiah Earll was born October 5, 1787, at
Whitehall, Washington County, and removed to this county with his father,
General Robert Earll, in 1793, residing at Onondaga Valley about nine months,
when his father went to the town of Skaneateles, where he lived until 1804. In
that year young Earll entered Fairfield Academy, remaining there two years
and leaving the institution with a high reputation for scholarship. After leav-
ing the Academy he commenced reading law in the office of Daniel Kellogg, at
Skaneateles. He remained with Mr. Kellogg, himself one of the ablest lawyers
the county has produced, and pursued his further studies at Onondaga Valley
with Thaddeus M. Wood and George B. Hall, whose names are intimately iden-
tified with the sharp legal contests of our early period. He was admitted to
practise as Attorney in the Court of Common Pleas in 1809, the curriculum
of preparation for the law being somewhat longer than it now is. Shortly after
his admission he removed to the village of Salina (now First Ward), and en-
tered into partnership with Judge Daniel Mosely and John P. Sherwood. He
was admitted to practise in the Supreme Court in 1812, having then completed
the full course of seven years' study required for admission to the highest courts.
In that year, however, he dropped his brief, and entered the service of his country,
in the war with Great Britain, as adjutant of Colonel Fleming's regiment. During
nearly the entire period of the regiment's service he was stationed at Oswego, and
at the close of the war he was honorably discharged. The veterans of 1812
who remain with us are but a remnant now. One by one they have dropped
away. Let us honor their memories as of those who did us patriotic service in
a day when the country had the fullest need of all her sons of heroic mold. In
1814 Judge Earll resumed the practise of law at Onondaga Hill, where he rapidly
gained reputation and position. In 1816 he was appointed postmaster at Onon-
daga Hill, and in the same year was elected Justice of the Peace, which latter
office he held by successive elections until 1830. He was also during this period
a Master in Chancery for six years. In 1823 he was appointed First Judge of
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 19
the Court of Common Pleas, which he held until 1831, when he resigned and
was made Superintendent of the Onondaga Salt Springs, which he held until
1836. During his careful and exact management of the salt reservation, the
manufacture of our staple was largely increased, and the rights of the producer
and of the State were both rigidly protected. In 1836 he resigned as superin-
tendent and went into the milling business with his brother Hezekiah at Jordan,
when he sold out and came to our city (then village) to live. In 1838 he was
elected by the Democracy Representative from the Twenty-third District (Madi-
son and Onondaga) in the Twenty-sixth Congress. He served one term with
credit to himself and honor to his constituency, and was renominated in 1840;
but the mutations in politics then reversed the Democratic majority in the district,
and he was defeated by the Whig candidate, the Horn' Victory Birdseye. Since
that time he had been a private citizen, residing in Syracuse and the town of
Salina until i860, when upon the death of his wife he removed to Mottville, in
this county, and lived there respected and beloved by all who knew him, as an
honest man, a kind neighbor, and a consistent Christian. Such in brief is the
history of one whose record has been of the finest character, and whose services
entitle his memory to the most lasting consideration. We should be pleased if
some of our older citizens who knew him and the times in which he lived would
add their contributions to this necessarily imperfect sketch.' "
Nathan Kelsey. — Nathan Kelsey was a resident here in the year 1798.
There was an early brickmaker here named Kelsey. It is not known whether
Nathan was his given name or not; but the brickmaker identified himself by
branding his name on all the bricks he made, and Kelsey bricks are often found
when the old large chimneys are torn down in this village and town. Nothing
more is known of Nathan Kelsey than his well-made bricks.
The Cuykendall Family. — The first Cuykendall that settled in this town
was Henry. He was born in the town of Minisink, Orange County, in 1778,
came to Owasco in the spring of the year 1800, resided there six years, and in
1806 moved to Skaneateles, about one and half miles north of Mandana, on
the farm now occupied by the Huff family. Henry's family consisted of nine
children — ^five boys and four girls — of which only two children survive.
Moses Cuykendall was born in the town of Minisink, came to the town of
Sempronius in 1809, learned the blacksmith's trade with his uncle, and in 1815
came into this town and purchased fifty acres of land, worked at his trade and
on his farm Until his death in 1859. His family consisted of ten children — six
boys and four girls — of whom all are dead but one.
Van Etten Family. — Jacob W. Van Etten was born in Minisink in 1770,
came to the town of Skaneateles, and purchased a farm north of Mandana,
where he died in 1850. He had five children — one son and four daughters —
of whom all are dead but the youngest daughter, who now resides in Minnesota.
David Welch. — David Welch came to this town from Fort Ann, Washing-
ton County, in 1798, and settled on Military Lot No. 73, on land which is now
2 0 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
the first farm this side of Mandana. He was a private in the Revolutionary
War, and was at the battle of Bennington, where he was wounded in the shoul-
der. He raised the first frame barn in 1800.
Samuel Welch.— Samuel Welch, brother of David, came here in 1800 from
the same place. He was born in 1773, was twenty-seven years old when he
came, and arrived here in the month of March, with two yoke of oxen and a
wooden shod sled. His son Samuel was then three years old. He came by way
of Oneida, and through Marcellus. He served in the War of 1812. A car-
penter by the name of Johnson built a frame barn for him in 1804.
The first schoolhouse in that vicinity was in a log house, and was on the
site of the present tavern. Daniel G. Burroughs was the first school teacher, and
young Samuel Welch was one of the pupils. A Miss Hall and Miss Gleason
afterward taught school in this schoolhouse. Religious services were held in
barns by traveling missionaries. Israel Sabins, a blacksmith and tinker, lived
on the Hodges place. Cole was also a blacksmith and lived on the Tunis Van
Houghten farm. This was the next farm south of Welch's. Tunis Van
Houghten was among the first, if not the very first, supervisors of the town of
Skaneateles. The Town Records show that he was supervisor in 1836, in which
he was succeeded by Chester Clark. Mr. Van Houghteli evidently was a man of
good education, as some very old books here show that he set the pattern by
which all the records have since been kept.
James Gardner first settled oh the Dor Austin farm, and Sam Hardy was on
the same farm previously. Colonel Burroughs was on the farm next north of
Samuel Welch. Judge Kellogg had a farm west of the Gravitt place. He after-
ward went to Kelloggsville and kept store there. This place took its name from
him. Samuel Robertson had a farm west of David Welch, and William Watts
was west of Robertson, and Edward Greenman next west of Watts.
John G. Garlock built a store on the corners on the east side of the road.
He commanded a company in the War of 1812. The store was afterward kept
by John Miles, and also by Seth Morgan.
This statement was made by Mr. Samuel Welch, now a resident of Auburn,
and formerly well known here as the father of Mrs. Massilon W. Fay. He is
now eighty-four years old.
Benjamin Nye. — Benjamin Nye, father of John M. Nye, came to Skaneateles
from the town of Lee, Mass., in the year 1798. He purchased four acres in this
village, near the locality of the house now occupied by John Kellogg. Here
he constructed a log house for his residence. He was a brickmaker by trade,
and located a brick-yard on the shore of the lake, in the vicinity of where the late
Julius Earll's boat-house is situated. It is said that he made the first brick ever
produced here. After carrying on this business for four years, he sold his land
for one hundred dollars per acre, and then purchased one hundred acres on the
east shore of the lake. There was no road at that time on the east side of the
lake, consequently he had to go from day to day to his land to clear a place on
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 21
which to build a log house. He had also to move his family and furniture in his
boat after he had finished his log cabin. Some years later, when it became neces-
sary to raise money to make his last payment for the land, haying no financial
friends nearer than Utica, it became necessary for some one of his family to go
to Utica, where his wife had relatives. So Mrs. Nye undertook the journey,
thinking that she could leave her household cares with less loss than her husband,
as he was constantly engaged in clearing up his land preparatory to planting a
crop of corn on which to subsist his family and stock. The wife started on horse-
back under unusual difficulties, as there were no roads through the country, and
the route was only by marked trees ; but she persevered, and arrived in due time
at Utica, found her relatives, obtained the money, and returned in the same man-
ner and by the same route to her home in the woods, and made her husband glad
with her success in procuring the necessary money to make the final payment.
No one nowadays can imagine the deprivation and inconvenience endured by
the hardy settlers in this section of country.
Some years later, and after Mr. Nye had accumulated some hard-earned
money, he began to build a frame dwelling for his family, and, making use of
his trade as a brickmaker, he made his brick, burned his lime, and made his
shingles; but, in other respects laboring under the disadvantage of the want of
other mechanics, he did not complete his house entirely, and he moved his family
into it while in an unfinished state. Soon after he contracted a severe cold,
from the effects of which he never recovered, although he lived some years after-
ward. He was never able to completely finish the house in consequence of poor
health. He died in 1829.
Hezekiah Earll. — The Earlls emigrated from Wales to Nova Scotia at
quite an early day, and thence to the New England States, and to the eastern
section of New York State, near Lake Champlain.
In the winter of 1794-95, Robert Earll and his brother Abijah came to the
town of Skaneateles, and settled on Military Lot No. 27. They were the sons
of Daniel Earll, Sr., who first came from Whitehall, Washington County, N. Y.,
and settled at Onondaga Hollow, in the year 1792. He had eight sons, all hardy,
enterprising men. He died in the year 1817, at the advanced age of eighty-eight
years.
Robert Earll had six sons, one of whom, Hezekiah Earll, is the subject of
this sketch. He was born about the year 1790, and identified himself with the his-
tory of the town of Skaneateles as one of its most successful business men. He en-
gaged in many business enterprises, which were accomplished with conciseness
and brevity, and he always had a large following of personal friends. He was
for a number of years connected with the Auburn Exchange Bank, and at one
time was its President. At an early day he was the owner of the farm now occu-
pied by Emerson Adams. He built the dwelling-house that is there, and John
Billings was the carpenter. Hezekiah Earll died October 30, 1863, at the age of
seventy-three years.'
2 2 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
Judge Nehemiah H. Earll was the eldest brother of Hezekiah Earll, a sketch
of whose life is given in the preceding part of this chapter.
Hezekiah Earll had seven children, three of whom died in infancy. One of
his sons, George H. Earll, was a successful business man, and connected in many
enterprises with his father. In all of his varied public and private transactions,
he manifested sound judgment, strict integrity, and ability. He died in the
year 1873.
Julius Earll, the eldest son of Hezekiah Earll, was born in this town, 1818.
In his youth he received a thorough academic education, and subsequently studied
law in the office of Sandford & Moseley, and later with Sherwood & Green in
Buffalo, and was subsequently admitted to the bar. Instead of pursuing the
practise of law, he entered into the manufacturing business, and was prominently
identiiied with that and other business enterprises, which were always eminently
successful. His life was a remarkably busy one. Strong common sense and
unfaltering energy were his predominating characteristics. He was a man of
the strictest integrity and of exceptional business ability, which he turned to good
account for many others who sought his counsel and advice in matters of busi-
ness importance. He won and retained warm friendships, universal respect, and
high esteem by all classes of his fellow citizens. He died July 26, 1876, in the
midst of an active and prosperous life.
Abijah Earll. — ^Abijah Earll was the son of Daniel Earll, Sr. In the win-
ter of 1794-95, Abijah Earll came to this town and settled on Military Lot No.
19, on the old Genesee Road, about a half mile east of what is now "Willow Glen,"
on the farm now owned by his grandson J. Horatio Earll. There Abijah built
a log house. His brother Robert came here at the same time, and settled near
by on Military Lot No. 27, where he erected a log house on the site of what has
since been known as the "Red House."
In the year 1818 Abijah Earll was elected a Member of Assembly. Abijah
Earll had five sons and four daughters. Col. Daniel Earll, his eldest
son, was born August 26, 1803, and was but sixteen years of age when his father
died, in 1819. He then assumed charge of his father's business, operating his
father's mills — saw-mills, linseed-oil mill, and grist-mill — all located where the
Lakeside Paper Mill is now, besides running the farm. Later he became in-
terested as either owner or partner in several grist-mills on the outlet of Skan-
eateles Lake, including the mill at Skaneateles.
In 1857, Colonel Earll and his sons Augustus, Leonard, and Charles Tallman,
of Syracuse, established a distillery on the site formerly owned by his father,
and now the Lakeside Paper Mill, which they operated under the firm name of
Earlls & Tallman until about 1870, when Colonel Earll withdrew from the
firm and retired to his farm, the place of his birth. Here he died at the age
of eighty-six.
Chester Parsons. — Chester Parsons was born in Westhampton, Mass.,
January, 1791, and moved to Skaneateles in the month of February, 1822. He
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 23
purchased his farm in 1821 from Judah Pierce, who was known in early times as
Major Pierce. At that time Colonel Livingston, United States Marshal of North-
ern New York, occupied the place now owned by David Waldron, formerly the
Dyer Brainerd place. Thaddeus Edwards lived on the Gale or Elleuy farm.
Gibbs & Horton, Phares Gould, and Winston Day were the merchants in the
village. Colonel Bellamy sold his farm to Captain Lee the same year. Captain
Lee built his first sail-boat, or began it, the same year. It was an open boat,
arranged with air-tight tanks as precautions for safety in case of disaster. The
post-office was where the Episcopal church is now, and C. J. Burnett was Post-
master. Rev. Mr. Stockton preached at the Presbyterian church opposite the
present Pardee place. He did not stay very long after that time. Rev. Alex-
ander Cowen was the next preacher. A school was kept in the brick schoolhouse
across the bridge in 1828, and another on the hill near the meeting-house.
Mr. Dascomb was the keeper of the tavern on the site now occupied by
Hanmer's store. Sherwood kept the old tavern where the Packwood House is
now. Sackett lived in the house now occupied by Packwood. Alanson Edwards
kept the tavern which was then on the corner of East Genesee Street and the
East Lake Road, and his son Thaddeus attended the bar. This tavern was after-
ward destroyed by fire, and never rebuilt. Ebenezer Sessions lived south of Mr.
Parsons, near the small stream of water, in a house painted red. Deacon Amasa
Sessions lived on what is known as the Bradford place. John Legg had his black-
smith shop on the Dr. Bartlett place. A Mr. Potter did woodwork on wagons
for Mr. Legg. At about that period John Legg had purchased the Norman
Leonard place, and Legg's shop was then moved on the lake-shore. This was
about 1821. Philo Dibble was the village harness-maker.
Chester Parsons was a real, practical temperance man. Always making it a
point of principle not to sell any of his farm produce for distilling purposes, he
would rather be satisfied with a less price for his grain in order to place it in
the line of food for man or beast. He was a man of sterling character, and was
always highly respected by not only his immediate neighbors, but the community
generally. He left Skaneateles in 1854, and died in Syracuse in 1874, aged
eighty-three years.
The above statement was the result of a personal interview with the author.
Silas Bush. — Silas Bush came from Sheffield, Mass., in 1797, on foot, with
William Chatfield Harmon. They were both carpenters by trade. Soon after
they arrived, they raised the first frame barn at Hardenburgh's Corners, now
Auburn. Silas Bush purchased 300 acres of land on Military Lot No. 12. He
died in 1836, aged sixty-three years.
His son, Silas Bush, who now resides at Shepard Settlement, was born April
4, 1812. He is now in his eighty-eighth year.
Amos Pardee. — ^Amos Pardee's father, Charles Pardee, was born in Norfolk,
Litchfield County, Conn., in 1760. He had ten children, of whom six lived to
become adults. He emigrated to this town September 27, 1804, with his family,
24 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
but came previously during the month of June and purchased land for a farm.
He was accompanied by his six adult children — two sons and four daughters.
The sonis were: Amos and Charles L. The daughters were: Lucy, Charlotte,
Glbrinda, and Harriette.
Amos, the subject of this sketch, was born at Norfolk, Conn., January i6,
1788. He came with his father in 1804, at the age of sixteen years. He drove
an ox-team with a two-wheeled cart, in which was stowed all of the household
furniture of the family. His father drove a horse-team. Besides their furni-
ture, they brought a quince-tree, a sweet-flag root, and a peony, all in flower-
pots. The family was sixteen days on the journey from Connecticut, and brought
fotir oxen and three horses.
Charles Pardee, the father, settled on what has since been known as "The
Perry Foote farm." He lived and died on that farm. Charles L., Amos' brother,
went West, and was known to be living in 1863. Of the sisters, Lucy married a
Rathbun. The other three are dead. Charles Pardee died in the year 1836, at
the age of seventy-six years. He had been a soldier of the Revoluntary War, was
wounded in his arm, and received a pension of ninety-six dollars a year.
Amos Pardee, the subject of this article, purchased the farm on which he
resided, about the year 1813, and built the dwelling-house in 1828, so it will be
observed that at the date of his death, January 16, 1878, he had owned that farm
sixty-five years.
While he was a young man he learned the trade of wool-carder at the estab-
lishment of the Skaneateles Manufacturing Company, which was located at what
is now known as Willow Glen. He worked at this business twelve or fourteen
years, and was considered the best workman in that line of business in this part
of the country. Wool-carding was at that period all done by hand, as machinery
had not been invented for that purpose. Since that time he had devoted his ener-
gies to cultivating and improving his farm.
He was always a great reader, and his memory of events and of persons was
unusually retentive. During the ten years previously to his death he had been
confined to his home, having infirmities which made it necessary to nurture him
with great care. During this confinement he was always ready to receive the
calls of his old friends and acquaintances. His mind was active and bright, and
his conversation interesting on all subjects.
Within a few .years previously to his death he had often expressed a wish
that his days might be lengthened, so that he might reach the full term of ninety
years. This wish was fulfilled, for he passed away on his birthday, having
reached his ninetieth year, January 16, 1878.
The above was the result of a personal interview with the author.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 25
CHAPTER IV.
Continuation of the History of the Pioneers.
Alanson Benson. — (This statement is from a personal interview.) — Alan-
son Benson was born in the town of Mendon, Worcester County, Mass., Febru-
ary 12, 1792. He left there in 1797 with his father, Stephen Benson, and family
of ten children — four girls, all married but one at the time the family came, and
six sons. The family came on an ox-sled during the month of February from
Westmoreland, near Utica. It was two years from the time he left Massachusetts
tefore he came here to settle.
He settled on Military Lot No. 84, southwest corner, and purchased the whole
six hundred acres, settling his children on the lot. He bought Lot 84 from
Garret H. Van Waggoner, of New York, who bought it from John Martin, the
soldier. The oldest son negotiated the sale in New York, and while there took
the yellow fever, and soon after his return home died of the fever. Alanson Ben-
son paid two dollars an acre for the six hundred acres, being twelve hundred dol-
lars for the lot. It took about all the money he had to pay for it.
He came from Utica, stayed at Oneida overnight, put up at a log tavern at
Marcellus, and passed over a traveled road to Skaneateles. He went through
here and crossed the outlet where the bridge is now, passed over the driftwood
vi^hich had accumulated in the creek, followed the west shore of the lake to about
the brook on Russel Frost's farm, and thence to Lot No. 84, guided by marked
trees through the woods. He brought with him two cows. '
There were at that time only two log houses on the west side of the lake, one
of which was at about the location of the Octagon schoolhouse, the other near
Holcomb Peck's, on the corner of the road that leads to Owasco Baptist meeting-
house.
When he first went through the village, he saw two or three log houses, one
of them a tavern, and also noticed a frame house in process of erection, the frame
being up. This was about where the Lake House was afterward built. Some
Indians were seen traveling around and hunting. They belonged to Cayuga
Lake, were dressed Indian fashion, and were very friendly. There were plenty
of deer around.
The first religious services, "Reformed Dutch," were in a log house on the
shore of Owasco Lake, Reverend Brokaw being the Dominie. The first doctor
was Van Horlin, at Owasco Lake, near the meeting-house. Colonel Hardenburgh
attended this church. The trading was done with Winston Day, at Skaneateles.
The first burying-ground was at Owasco, about a mile south of the meeting-
house.
26 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
A " dugout" of whitewood, which was made by the elder brother of Alanson,
was used on the lake, and with it their grists were carried to Skaneateles from _
Mandana.
About a year or two afterward the Welch family settled north of Mandana.
Jones, who came in 1806, and Burroughs settled about Mandana. The first log
tavern at Mandana was kept by Sam Welch. The first blacksmith at Owasco was
named Dates.
Judge Price, the Brinckerhoflfs, and the De Puys were in the town of Owasco
before Benson came. De Puy or the Brinckerhoffs were the first settlers be-
tween Owasco and Skaneateles Lake.
Charles J. Burnett, Sr. — Charles J. Burnett, Sr., was born in London,
England, in the year 1774, and was connected with the Burnetts of Leys of
Aberdeen, Scotland, a family originally of Saxon origin, and was a lineal
descendant of Bishop Gilbert Burnet, the historian of "The Reformation in
England," and a brother of the Rev. L B. Burnet, Rector of the parish of Hough-
ton, Hints, England.
In early life he left London, and entered the mercantile house of a relative at
Lisbon, Portugal. After residing there for a while, and also at Malaga and at
Gibraltar, in Spain, he returned to England. He soon after came to this country,
and settled at Skaneateles in the year 1803, with one of the Dutch merchants of
New York, William J. Vredenburg, with whom he had already previously had
business relations while in Spain and Portugal, and whose daughter he soon
after married. The marriage service was held ninety-seven years ago, in the
parlor of the house in which he always lived until his death, and from the same
parlor his remains .were borne to the church where the funeral services were held.
He held the office of postmaster of Skaneateles from 1817 to 1843, ^ period
of twenty-six years, through the administrations of Presidents Monroe, Adams,
Jackson, Van Buren, and Harrison. He had been a warden of St. James' Church
since 1824, a period of thirty-two years. He died in this village, February 16,
1856, aged eighty-two years.
Daniel Kellogg. — Daniel Kellogg, one of the early and most distinguished
citizens of the county of Onondaga, was born April 19, 1780, at Williamstown,
Mass. After two years at Williams College of his native town, at the age of
seventeen, he entered the law office of Abraham Van Vechten, of Albany, N. Y.,
one of the most distinguished lawyers of his time. Here young Kellogg laid the
foundation of those high legal attainments for which he became so distinguished
later in life. He was admitted to the Bar in October, 1800, and in the following
year determined to win fortune in " the far West," which, early in the nineteenth
century, held out as alluring prospects for young men of talent and enterprise
as the farther West did to young men similarly equipped a generation or
two later.
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26h HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
His father, a farmer in not too affluent circumstances, died when Mr. Kellogg
was still quite young, and he therefore found himself when entering upon the
^reat business of life destitute of all resources except the abilities with which
nature had endowed him — resources which, however, proved of more value to
him than gold. In the spring of 1801 we hear of his settipg out on horseback
for the western part of New York. A single pair of saddlebags •afforded
ample accommodations for all his worldly possessions, and that, too, without
inconvenience to either horse or rider. In after-times, when in the enjoyment of
the abundant fruits of his industry and talents- he'delighted to recount the amusing
incidents of this journey, and to portray in lively colors the vexations and dif-
ficulties that surrounded him in his early career. ' ;
He settled in the village of Auburn, then only a small hamlet of a few scat-
tering houses. In 1802 he married Miss Laura Hyde, of Auburn, and in the
spring of 1803 he removed to Skaneateles, which thereafter became his home.
Though always taking a lively interest in every important public question,
he never sought political preferment; yet he was held in such esteem in the
community that his fellow townsmen frequently called upon his services in
positions of trust and honor. In 1813 he was appointed District Attorney for the
counties of Cayuga, Cortland, and Onondaga, an office that he administered
with characteristic ability for three years.
In 1818 he was elected to the presidency of the bank of Auburn, and for
eighteen years he had the principal direction of that institution, the afifairs of
which, when he was called upon to administer them, he found in a state of almost
hopeless confusion. His clear insight and inborn business faculty, coupled
with untiring industry, served him admirably in bringing order out of chaos
in'the conditions of his bank, and in establishing its credit on an enduring basis.
During his administration the country was several times swept with panics
and commercial depression; yet the Bank of Auburn withstood every shock, and
no one ever questioned its solvency while Daniel Kellogg stood at its head. Not
only did he maintain the integrity of his bank, but on more than one occasion
lie was enabled to save large local interests from ruin, and so to avert distress
among the workmen depending upon the milling industries of Skaneateles and
its surroundings for their livelihood.
As an advocate his fame spread far beyond the county in which he labored.
With a mind that was profound rather than brilliant, he addressed himself to
the reason, rather than to the imagination, and, contenting himself with the
forcible and plain exhibition of truth, was careless of oratorical graces and
elegance of style. As might naturally be expected of a mind thus constituted
and disciplined, his bent was decidedly practical, and theories, however specious
and imposing, seldom found favor with him until they had been subjected to the
searching approval of his own judgment. With him a verbal promise or
engagement was ever regarded as obligatory— if anything, as more sacred than if
reduced to writing ; and, considering the extent and variety of his business, the
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 27
accuracy with which he remembered such engagements was Httle short of phe-
nomenal. Few men in any station ever worked more assiduously or for a greater
number of hours; nevertheless, he was ever ready to respond to the calls of
friendship, and no man took greater delight in the social circle or could impart
a larger share to the fund of common enjoyments.
On the announcement of Mr. Kellogg's death. May 4, 1836, by his former
law clerk, William H. Seward, the Court of Chancery for the Seventh Circuit,
then in session in Auburn, N. Y., adjourned, and a committee of the members of
the Bar was appointed to draft suitable resolutions.
In person Mr. Kellogg was rather above the common height, well formed,.
and imposing, and decidedly prepossessing in his appearance and address, which
latter was uniformly courteous and engaging, winning for him the respect and
favorable regard of all who approached him.
The following statement is part of an excerpt taken from the Albany Jour-
nal:
" Daniel Kellogg was decidedly the greatest financial man in all the State of
New York in his day, and I do not think him excelled now, all things taken into-
consideration. My father (who owned by contract all the Sanger property) sold
to Mr. Kellogg the point of land on the hill, on which he built the one-and-a-half-
story house and office as they now are. (I presume Mr. Sanger gave the deed.)
After Mr. Kellogg had completed these, he told my father he was then worth,
besides them, about twelve hundred dollars. He said about that time, if he
could acquire ten thousand dollars, he would be satisfied. But he got the track
well laid, and his engine in good working order, and kept it well oiled, and it ran
easily, steadily, and at a good speed. Had he lived he would have been a Roths-
child in his way. What he had he made himself ; and; while he made for himself,,
he upheld and enabled others to make. The Beeches without Daniel Kellogg as
a prop would have been bankrupt more than once in the milling business, so
also would Isaac Sherwood, and many others I could name. Any observing man,
having business with him, could easily learn valuable lessons from his way of
doing things. His system and his practise were perfect, and success was a
natural consequence. About the time Mr. Kellogg built his house and office. Colonel
Vredenburg commenced the large house, now the Leitch place. The ground was
then the cemetery, but the silent occupants were removed to their present rest-
ing-place. Whoever lives to see that house taken down will see timber enough
to build at least three houses of equal size in modern style. The building was
let by the job, but the undertaker and his successor failed, and it was a long
time before the house was completed."
Jedediah Sanger. — ^Jedediah Sanger was a very prominent individual here
among our early settlers, but so far as can be ascertained he was not a permanent
resident. His residence was at Whitestown, Oneida County, N. Y. He was
much interested here, however, as he had purchased this military lot from John
2 8 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
Simonds, the Revolutionary soldier, who drew Lot No. 36, which is the lot on
which this village is located. What he gave for it the author has thus far been
unable to ascertain.
Sanger constructed the first dam across the outlet, about 1797, the remains
of which can now be seen just north of the present bridge, on the west side of the
dam. Judge Sanger (for he had that distinction) very early recognized the
future possibilities of this location, and directed nearly all of the first improve-
ments.
He erected the first saw-mill and a grist-mill. All these structures were built
by Jessee Kellogg, into whose possession they subsequently came. Jessee Kellogg
was the father of Dorastus Kellogg, and also of John R. Kellogg (they were half-
brothers). John R. Kellogg came here with his parents in 1799. His recollections
are given on pages 44 and 49.
Judge Sanger caused village lots to be laid out very early by Mr. Geddes, the
surveyor. These lots were termed "Lots at the north end of Skaneateles Lake."
They were each one hundred feet front and twenty rods in depth, containing one
acre each. No map of these lots was ever deposited in the office of the County
Clerk, but deeds conveying them by numbers are on record in the County
Clerk's office.
Judge Sanger was also the purchaser of Military Lot No. 44 from the soldier
John Shultz, and he probably purchased other military lots in this town.
The following is a synopsis of a sale of one of these village lots by Judge
Sanger :
" January 18, 1800, Sanger to Levi Sartwell ; consideration, $60. Village Lot
No. 10, and 13J4 acres in Military Lot No. 36."
Another transfer of same land :
"July 18, 1803, Levi Sartwell to William J. Vredenburg; consideration,
300 pounds. Village Lot No. 10, being one of the village lots so called, con-
taining 13J/2 acres of land, being the same which was conveyed to said Levi
by Jedediah Sanger, and containing the house," etc.
The house here named was built by Levi Sartwell in the early part of the
year 1800, and it was used as a tavern until its sale to William J. Vredenburg,
July 18, 1803. This house, now known as the Burnett dwelling, and located
just opposite the Episcopal church, is the oldest house in the village, and has quite
a history.
Judge Sanger continued to sell these lots at the north end of Skaneateles
Lake until August, 1803, when he sold all the remainder of his holdings to
William J. Vredenburg, as follows :
"August 31, 1803, Jedediah Sanger to William J. Vredenburg; consideration,
$4,000. Beginning at the outlet of Skaneateles Lake, on the northijrn boundary
of said lot (36), thence east along same line 216 rods 15 links to the northwest
corner of Nathaniel Eell's land (which is now known as the Charles Pardee
place), and by various courses and measurements to ' The Highway ' (not copied
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 29
here as being unnecessary), containing 120 acres. Together with such part of
said lake included in the original survey of said Lot No. 36. In presence of:
Ebenezer R. Hawley and Charles J. Burnett."
Isaac Sherwood. — Isaac Sherwood was born in Williamstown, Mass., Octo-
ber 12, 1769. It is not known when he first came to this town, but he was here
previously to 1804, and was over thirty years of age when he settled here.
He was the great stage-coach proprietor, whose talents were as celebrated in
those days for staging as Commodore Vanderbilt's have since been for railroading.
He was said to have weighed three himdred and eighty pounds.
His first effort in business was in carrying the mail on foot from Onondaga
Hill to the different, settlements west of that place, including Skaneateles. From'
this small beginning he rapidly advanced, so as to first own a horse, then a horse
and wagon, and finally a stage-coach, with which to carry both mails and passen-
gers. He had a wonderful perseverance in all his undertakings. As early as
1818 he was extensively engaged in this business. It is stated on the authority
of the late David Hall that Sherwood had a contract for a short time with the
Syracuse & Auburn Railroad Company. After the road-bed had been completed,
and before the flat iron rails had been laid, Sherwood leased the road for a short
time, placed wooden rails on the string-pieces, and operated the road by horse-
power, until the company were enabled to procure their rails. Sherwood's head-
quarters during the time his stage business was the most extensive and prosper-
ous were at Skaneateles. He then owned the old tavern where the Packwood
House is now located, and had his office there. He did not personally attend to
the duties of landlord, but left that to his son Milton. In order to show the
extent of his stage business during his residence here, the following copy of a
contract with the Post Office Department is given:
" No. 5 ro. From New York to Albany and back, daily, thirty hours.
" No. 584. From Utica to Sacket's Harbor and back, daily, fifty hours.
" No. 587. From Albany to Buffalo and back, twice a day.
" No. 589. From Albany to Auburn and back, forty-eight hours.
" No. 665. From Elbridge to Rochester and back, twice a day, seventeen
hours.
" No. 672. From Rochester to Lewiston and back, daily, six hours.
" No. 697. From Buffalo to Youngstown and back, daily.
" Supplying all the intermediate offices, and conveying the mail in four-horse
post-coaches, at the rate of fifteen thousand one hundred and thirty-four and fifty-
hundredths dollars ($15,134.50) for every quarter of a year, making sixty thousand
five hundred and thirty-eight dollars ($60,538), to be paid in drafts on postmasters
or in money, at the option of the Postmaster-General, in the months of May,
August, November, and February. This contract shall commence on the first
day of January, 1833, and continue until the 31st day of December, four years.
" No. 574. From Denmark to Ogdensburg, three times a week, at the rate
30 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
of two hundred and fifty-two dollars for every quarter of a year, making one
thousand and eight dollars, to be paid as above.
" No. 587. Leave Albany daily during the suspension of steamboat naviga-
tion on the Hudson, at 3 P. M., and arrive at Buffalo in fifty hours. But during^
steamboat navigation, leave Albany at 9 A. M., and arrive at Buffalo in fifty
hours.
" Second mail. Leave Albany daily at 9 P. M., and arrive at Buffalo the third
day by 9 P. M. Leave Buffalo same time, and arrive at Albany same time."
Sherwood did not, of course, own all the stages on these different routes,
but had an interest in nearly all of them, and some he owned entirely. He had
agents in all of the principal cities and villages in the State where his mail con-
tracts were '^ located. He had a partner, Amasa Parker, who attended to the
business in Utica, who was a brother-in-law of Winston Day, our first merchant,,
he having married Day's sister. Sherwood removed from this village to Auburn,
about the time he built the Auburn House at that place.
The great and enterprising mail contractor and stage operator of those early
days merits the space here given him and his business in this volume. Isaac Sher-
wood died April 24, 1840, aged seventy-one years.
His successor was his son, John Milton Sherwood, who was almost as pon-
derous as his father, and quite as wonderful a stage proprietor. The stage fare
was five cents a mile, so that in the winter season a trip from this place to New
York and back cost thirty dollars. But the people who could afford a trip to-
the city in those times traveled principally in their own conveyances.
Riding on horseback was the usual mode of traveling, for the first twenty
years after the first settlement of the town, consequently the people became very
expert in traveling in that manner.
The old and young irrespective of sex would readily mount their steeds and
travel far and near as occasion required, and ofttimes made journeys of fifty to a
hundred miles. A lady would go from here to Massachusetts or Connecticut,
and her whole wardrobe would be back of her saddle in a valise.
Pillions were in common use in those days, so that families whose number of
horses were limited, or whose horses were mostly engaged in the necessary busi-
ness of life, could accommodate themselves by riding two on a horse. These
exhibitions were of daily occurrence. Horses were early trained under the
saddle, and, being thus in almost daily use, became delightful riding-horses.
This was a healthy mode of traveling and of visiting neighbors. Most long
journeys, simply for prospecting or for business purposes, were made in this
manner. Mrs. Cody, the grandmother of Hiram Reed, came from Massachusetts,
some time before the year 1800, alone and on horseback. She was a widow, and
this was her prospecting tour for a home in this, at that period, great wilderness.
After reaching this part of the State, she rode around viewing portions of the
town, and finally made a purchase of six hundred and forty acres, the northr-
eastern corner of which afterward included what is now Qintonville.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 31
It must be borne in mind that although a lady was thus journeying through
an almost uninterrupted forest, without any appointed traveling companions, still
there was a continuous procession of travelers on the road, either emigrating or
prospecting, so she was not alone, and although all were strangers to her, yet,
distributed all along that multitude, there were many mothers and grandmothers
in reality, who, as the nature of society was in those days, would be interested
immediately in the situation of any lone woman.
It was rsteited .above that it was not known when Isaac Sherwood came to
Skaneateles. We now have an original bill of goods purchased by Day & Sher-
wood, who were in partnership together here in 1806, of which the following
is a copy :
Albany^ 21st January, 1806.
Missrs. Day & Sherwood:
Bo't of FONDEY & WiNNE.
i s. d.
2 gro. enam'd cups and saucers, 32s 340
4 doz. plates, 55 i i o •
4 doz. twiflers, is 4 o
3 doz. mufHns, ss 15 o
4 doz. edged plates, 7s i 8 o
2 doz. edged muffins, 4s. 6d 9 o
2 doz. enam'd quart bowls, i6s i 12 o
2 doz. do. pint bowls, 3s 16 o
4 doz. ditto, ditto, 4s. 6d 18 o
yi doz. enam'd tea pots, 22s. & 30s. 13 o-
^/i doz. quart decanters, 40s 1 o o
Yt. doz. pint ditto, 26s 13 &
4 doz. tumblers, IDs 2 o o
3 doz. half do. ids i i o
1 doz. chambers, i8s. & 24s i i o
2 doz. quart mugs, 12s i i o
2 doz. pint do, Ss 12 o
I doz. enam'd milks 10 o
I doz. peppers 6 o
I doz. each mustards, S4S., 44s., 34s., 27s.,
20s. and i6s i 12 o
Total . .-. 20 19 o
William J. Vredenbueg. — ^William J. Vredenburg was one of the most prom-
inent early settlers in this village. He was born in the city of New York, April
18, 1757, brought up a merchant, and was largely in the shipping and commission
business. His place of business was in Stone Street, near the lower end of Broad-
way. At another period his place of business was on the northerly side of Water
Street, the building running through the block to Pearl Street, on the opposite
side of which was his residence. This was not very far from Broad Street. In
2,2 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
person, Colonel Vredenburg was in height about six feet, had a handsome and com-
manding face, and was a fine specimen of the perfect gentleman. He had been
a colonel in the army, and ever afterward retained that title.
As early as 1790 his name appears on the records of this county as a large
operator, buying and selling soldiers' claims, and in after years in the purchase
and sale of military lots. He first came to this part of the country in 1799, but he
had previously sent an agent here to report to him a description of the country,
and especially the military lots in this vicinity, with a view of moving his family
if such report was favorable. This individual came from New York on horseback,
and kept a diary, which is probably still in existence. In the month of May,
1803, he brought his family, consisting of his wife and six children — four daughters
and two sons. One child was born after he came here.
Colonel Vredenburg and his family came through from New York by their own
conveyance. Their first stopping-place here was under the large elm-tree, now
near the corner of Academy and Jordan streets. The road from the lake then ran
in a direct line from. the " old mill house " to that large elm-tree; the road then
. turned to the left to Aaron Austin's, thence to Gen. Robert Earll's. There were
no houses between Winston Day's store and the elm-tree, the space being a
swamp. The " old mill house," it may be observed, is not on the line of the
present Jordan Street, it having been built before that street was laid out. Eben-
ezer R. Hawley then lived in the house nearest the elm-tree. Colonel Vreden-
burg soon after purchased the house since occupied by C. J. Burnett, opposite the
lake-shore. It was purchased from Levi Sartwell, a carpenter and joiner, who
had previously purchased the village lot from Judge Sanger in January, 1800,
and had built the house with the view of making it a tavern, and it was kept for
that purpose a short time before Colonel Vredenburg purchased the property.
It was not long after Colonel Vredenburg came before he purchased from
Judge Sanger the remaining unsold portion of Military Lot No. 36. This is the
military lot on which the village is located. He selected from this purchase about
twenty acres on a commanding eminence above the lake, with the intention of
erecting a substantial building for the future home of his family. That ground
was then the village cemetery. There were about sixteen graves on it ; no head-
stones. The remains were carefully taken up and removed to the land of John
Briggs, where he had laid out a family burying-ground, and where his wife had
been interred in 1802. The ground was in 1812 purchased by the Skaneateles
Religious Society for a public burying-ground.
It was about the year 1804, after Colonel Vredenburg had procured his ar-
chitectural plans from New York, that he let the contract for building the house
by the job, but the contractor and his successor both failed, and it was several
years before the house was completed.
It was about fifty feet square, with gables on all four sides, and was located
so as to face the four points of the compass. It was a two-story and attic, with
massive halls of extra width passing through both stories. The rooms on the
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 33
first story were about fifteen feet in height, and in the second story, twelve feet,
with kitchens, storerooms, and cellar under the whole structure. As has been
before stated, the floors were being laid on the " Dark Day," June 16, 1806. This
circumstance shows the slow progress of the work, and the building was probably
not finished for occupation until a year or two after the " Dark Day."
All the carpenters in this vicinity, numbering about thirty, were employed on
the building, including David and Seth Hall, Isaac Selover, and Samuel Lither-
land. David and Seth Hall came here from Massachusetts in the year 1806. The
first work they did after their arrival was for Winston Day. His house, next
east of his store, had been completed about a year, and the edges of the clear
pine floors needed smooth planing to make them very even, and the Halls were
employed to do that work.
The pine flooring in early days was not sawed of uniform thickness, conse-
quently the carpenters had to size each board, or, in other words, cut the under
sides with an adz, so that they should have an even surface on the upper side.
Colonel Vredenburg met with many drawbacks while the building was in
progress. Among others, he had erected two large dry-kilns, and filled them with
a large quantity of choice lumber. These were destroyed by fire. The name of
the contractor who commenced the job was Mellen. During the progress of the
work. Colonel Vredenburg fitted up two unfinished rooms, and set Mr. Litherland
10 work therein. He made all the carved and, fancy work about the doors and
mantelpieces, and all the mahogany and other doors. He assisted in laying the
floors, which in those early days were made of all clear pine, without a knot or
blemish ; in fact, floors were made to use without carpets or other covering. The
pine used for the building was all grown about here. Under Colonel Vredenburg's
directions only, Mr. Litherland made a number of pieces of household furniture
from the different varieties of wood which grew in this vicinity. Among others
was a sideboard, in the construction of which were combined all the varieties
of native wood. This sideboard he always took great pride in showing to his
New York friends when they visited him in after years. In those days sideboards
were not used entirely for ornament, but were the receptacles of decanters filled
with the choicest liquors and wines, and this one was not an exception to the
rule, for Colonel Vredenburg always kept a choice stock on hand to entertain his
friends. This same old-fashioned sideboard is now in possession of Colonel
Vredenburg's descendants in this place.
A corner-stone was placed in the wall of the foundation of the new building
in the year 1804, in which newspapers, books, coin, and manuscript were deposited.
After the destruction of the old house, a few years ago, the foundation-stone was
sought for, but could not be found.
On the occasion of raising the frame of this magnificent structure, in those
early days, invitations were sent to all the surrounding inhabitants for many
miles around, in consequence of which there was a very large attendance, the
fame for liberality of Colonel Vredenburg being generally known. A large table
34 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
constructed for "the occasion was placed under a grove of trees, and spread with all
the delicacies and substantial attainable at the time, including all kinds of liquors
and the choicest wines. This was an occasion long to be remembered by the early
inhabitants.
Colonel Vredenburg lived in the house which he first purchased during the
time in which his house was being constructed. He took great pride in having
the best garden in this section. He wanted a professional gardener, so sent to
New York, and a Mr. Dullard and wife came in the month of March, 1804, bring-
ing with him seeds, cuttings, roots, and every appliance for laying out a garden
and setting out an orchard. After completing this work faithfully he left Skanc-
ateles, and went in the employ of Chancellor Livingston, on the Hudson River.
He was in Colonel Vredenburg's employ about three years.
Dullard made the finest garden and raised the choicest vegetables in this part
of the State. People came from great distances to see his garden. Dullard was
a very pompous man, and was nicknamed " The Governor."
After Dullard left, Colonel Vredenburg sent to New York, and obtained Sam-
uel Litherland and his wife, the former for a gardener and the wife as housekeeper.
Litherland had not long been at work before his employer ascertained that he
was a cabinet-maker by trade.
There was no post-office here at that time, and Colonel Vredenburg had to send
to Marcellus for his mail twice a week. He had been used to prompt delivery of
mail matter when he lived in New York, and he was not satisfied with the slow
mail arrangements of the time. He wrote to Philadelphia, where Congress was
then assembled, and sent a petition to the Postmaster-General asking for a mail-
carrier on horseback from Marcellus to Skaneateles, which he succeeded in pro-
curing. At first the mail was delivered once a week, but Colonel Vredenburg
was not satisfied, and he soon had the mail delivered twice a week. The first mail-
bags were opened in Colonel Vredenburg's house.
Colonel Vredenburg did not live to enjoy his fine property. He died May
9, 1813, at the age of fifty-six years. He left a large landed estate of several thou-
sand acres of some of the best land in central New York. His fine mansion and
grounds were sold to the late Daniel Kellogg a few years after his decease. After
the death of Mr. Kellogg it was occupied by his daughter, Mrs. G. F. Leitch, and
after her decease the house was allowed to run down, without an occupant, except
a poor tenant, and in the year 1872 it was destroyed by fire.
A Legend concerning a Jug of Gin. — It is said that Colonel Vredenburg had
brought with him from New York, among other good things, some of the best
quality of Holland gin, imported in half-gallon jugs. One of these jugs, sealed
perfectly tight, was placed in one of the chimneys and cemented immediately back
of the fireplace. (Rather a warm place for gin.) One of the masons who worked
on the building when the chimney was built, and who assisted in placing the jug
of gin in the brickwork, passed through this village about the year 1846, at which
time the gin ought to have been buried some forty years. This man must have
HISTORY OP SKANEATELES. 35
tjeen at least sixty-five years old. He said he had never been in the village since
he worked on the house. He told the tale of the jug of gin, and that it was in. the
southwest chimney of the old mansion. His personal appearance indicated his
affection for kindred spirits, and, after detailing the story, he exclaimed: "I
would give five dollars (if I had it) for one smack of that gin."
Who were here in 1803. — When Colonel Vredenburg came, John Legg lived
in a small house where T. Y. Avery now lives. Legg's blacksmith-shop then stood
where Dr. Bartlett's office now is. A log house stood where C. H. Poor now lives.
Judge Sanger owned an ashery on the lake-shore on the present James E. Porter
place. Winston Day was the only merchant in 1803. Norman Leonard afterward
established himself as a merchant. His store was on the north side of Main Street.
John Meeker afterward opened a store here, and Phares Gould was his confidential
clerk. 'Meeker had several stores in other parts of the country, having confiden-
tial clerks in all of them to do the business. He devoted his time to purchasing
goods for the supply of his different establishments, and in a general supervision
of them all. Phares Gould afterward opened a store on his own account, and
Stephen Horton was his clerk. Thomas Greaves was a tailor. Moses Loss, his
wife, and one child, lived in a small, new one-story frame-house on the lot now
owned by John Kellogg. A log house stood in the rear of this house, and Syl-
vester Roberts, a blacksmith, lived in it. This was in 1804. Isaac Selover, one of
the most noted carpenters in this vicinity, lived in an unpainted framcrhouse on
the site where Dr. Campbell now resides. He afterward built a small frame-
dwelling on the rear of the same lot.
Nathaniel Miller. — The village of Skaneateles is thus described by the late
Nathaniel Miller, who first came here in 1807:
" I was born in Cherry Valley, Otsego County, March 29, 1796. I came to
Skaneateles in the month of February, 1807. Winston Day, Norman Leonard,
Jonathan Booth, and John Meeker were the only merchants. Samuel Ingham was
the principal and confidential clerk for Meeker. Sylvester Roberts was then the
only blacksmith. His shop was where the C. N. Hatch house is now, on Onon-
daga Street. This shop was afterward removed to the opposite side of the street
lower down, and now forms the rear building of O. H. Wildey's dwelling. The
old meeting-house was in process of construction, but the frame was not raised
until July 3, 1807. Moses Loss, Isaac Selover, and Samuel Litherland were among
those who assisted in the carpenter and joiner work. Thomas Greaves was the
tailor. His shop was in the old yellow building now owned by John Slocum.
Col. Warren Hecox and Ezra Stephens were the only shoemakers. The latter was
the first man to introduce pegged shoes here. Isaac Rawson was the only
minister when I came. There had been a missionary by the name of Bascomb
here previously. The religious services were then held in the old schoolhouse,
which was located nearly opposite what is now the Fibbens tavern. This school-
house was afterward destroyed by fire. There was no other denomination here
in 1807.
36 HISTORY- OF SKANEATELES.
Perley Putnam was the only saddler and harness-maker. I learned my trade
with him. His shop was where Dr. Campbell now resides, and his dwelling, a
one-story building, was immediately west of his shop and on the lot next east of
the Thayer house. Putnam became interested as a partner in the wheel-head
factory at what was then called Sodom, now Mottville. Lower down the stream,
where the brick flour-mill is now, was then called Gomorrah. These Scriptural
names were so applied to these locations because there was a large number of
Universalists in. the neighborhood. Putnam's partners in the wheel-head factory
were Deacon James Porter (he that owned the old tavern), Barker, and Lovell.
Afterward it was carried on by Porter, Putnam, Newell, and Leonard, the latter
a brother of Norman Leonard.
Noah Barnes either owned or tended the flour-mill here in 1807. Afterward
Peabody owned the mill. Miner owned it afterward ; after him, Lewis & Cotton ;
after them, Daniel Earll and John Kellogg.
The bridge across the outlet was built in 1807. It was a long wooden structure,
extending from about the corner of Jordan Street to the old Van Shoick house
(now removed). It was only intended for a single carriage way, but by tight
squeezing two carriages could pass in opposite directions.
John Briggs kept a tavern in the house now owned by Fred Shear, on the cor-
ner of Main Street and the West Lake Road. A Mr. White afterward rented it
and kept tavern, after which James Sackett purchased it and lived in it as a private
residence. John Briggs then purchased the property now owned by James A.
Root. There was then a log house there. Briggs removed the log house, and built
what is now the rear building of the Root house. Nicholas Thome afterward
owned this same property and built the front part of the Root house. Peter
Thompson and John Billings did the carpenter and joiner work, and Josiah Weston
was the mason. This was about the year 1824.
The west building of the old tavern where the Packwood House is now
was in process of building in 1807. Isaac Selover was the contractor, and David
Hall was one of the carpenters. Isaac Sherwood kept tavern there as soon as the
building was finished, and Stephen Smith kept bar for him. The first house after
passing the Briggs tavern on the West Lake Road was a frame-building that was
located about where Arthur Barnes now lives. Andrews lived in it. Afterward
it was a cooper shop kept by Ira Reynolds. The next building was a low frame-
structure owned by David Seymour, who was a farmer, brickmaker, and shoe-
maker. His farm included the Furman, Field, Nye, and Reuel Smith places.
William Gibbs afterward lived on this place, and Jonathan Booth followed, living
there until his death. Stephen Gardner lived on the Sydney Smith place, and
afterward sold the place to Alexander M. Beebe. There was in 1807 a two-story
frame-building on the Lapham place, occupied by Jacobus Annis. Abraham A.
Cuddeback had a farm where the Dr. Hurd house is now.
There were, in 1807, no buildings between the Briggs tavern and where James
A. Root now lives. Winston Day's store was on the corner of Main Street
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 37
(old lake house lot). The road running north went directly to the large elm-tree
now in the rear of George Barrow's dwelling, and passed over the present site of
the Methodist church. From the elm-tree it ran to Aaron Austin's, thence
to Gen. Robert Earll's. Between Austin's and Earll's there were four
log dwelling-houses, three on the west side and one on the east side
of the road. The mill-house was, in 1807, occupied by Peabody, the miller.
No other house was beyond that to the elm-tree. The Winston Day dwelling-
house, a two-story building, then stood on the site of the William Marvin house.
It was painted white in front and red in the rear. The next building east was
Elnathan Andrews' tavern. Andrews had a travelers' barn on the lake-shore, a
little to the east of opposite the tavern. An elephant, the first one ever seen in this
part of the State, was housed in this barn. This barn was then the only building
on the south side of Main Street. John Meeker's store, frame two-story building,
then stood where State Street now is. This was next to the tavern. Then Jona-
than Booth's store was next east, his residence on the lot next east. The Meeker
store was afterward moved when State Street 'was laid out, and placed on the
lot occupied by I. S. Amerman. It was afterward taken down, and C. Pardee built
the house now on its location. The Booth residence was also removed to the east
side of State Street. The Booth store was moved to the west side of Jordan
Street by Nehemiah Smith and used as a tin-shop. It is now the residence of H.
Cornell. The building now owned by Dr. Campbell as an office was built by
Jonathan Booth for Alexander M. Beebe and John S. Furman as a law office.
Norman Leonard's store, a one-story frame-building, stood on the site of the
Horton dwelling. When Mr. Horton was about to build the present dwelling,
the store was moved to the lot next west (now owned by Mrs. Wheeler), and Gibbs
and Horton kept the store, and Charles Pardee was their clerk.
Isaac Selover's house was the next house east, on the Thayer lot. The one-
and-a-half story frame-house unpainted, which stood on where the John Kellogg
place is, was afterward moved to the west side of Jordan Street. Gordon Bingham
moved the house and owned it. It was lately taken down, and the dwelling
occupied by J. K. Knox is on the same lot."
Nathaniel Miller died in this village, March 16, 1875. It will be noticed from
his location of the stores in 1807 that they were all on the north side of Main
Street. Why the location was afterward changed to the south side of the street
is not known, except possibly the anticipation of a large lake trade that may have
mduced the construction of the expensive stone docks in the rear of the present
row of brick stores. Had the business remained on the north side of the street,
there would have been no more attractive village in the whole State of New
York than Skaneateles. (The above was the result of a personal interview with
the author.)
Amos Miner. — ^Amos Miner was the youngest son of Dr. John Miner, and
was born in Norfolk, Litchfield County, Conn., November 10, 1776. He was left
at a very early age to the care of a widowed mdther, his father having been killed
38
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
during the Revolutionary War. After having learned the trade of a wheelwright
he married Phoebe Hamlin, December 21, 1796. About the year 1800 he emi-
grated to the then wilds of New York State, and settled in what is now Onon-
daga County, and in the town of Marcellus, now Skaneateles.
He brought from his native State much of that energy which is characteris-
tic of the New Englander, and combined with this he had an inventive turn of
MINER'S ACCELERATING WHEEL-HEAD.
mind, which he soon brought into requisition after his arrival in this part of the
country, and tended to the advantage of his fellow men if not to himself.
In the course of a year or two after his arrival here, while engaged in break-
ing up some new land, he was accidentally injured, so much so as to be confined
to his bed, and was kindly cared for by his immediate neighbor. While lying in
bed in the primitive log cabin of the times, and in the same apartment where the
females of the household did their household work. Miner noticed the disadvantage
the women had to undergo in the use of the spinning-wheel, which was a big wheel,
with a band over a whirr or small band-wheel about three-quarters of an inch in di-
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 39
ameter, single geared and slipped over the spindle. Sufficient velocity to spin the
thread satisfactorily required herculean power, yet this power had to be furnished
by the woman with one hand, while the thread was drawn out with the other. Miner
lay in his bed day after day in the presence of this spinning-wheel, thinking how
he could improve this old-fashioned device, and before he was well enough to go
to work had mentally accomplished his contemplated improvement. His first
attempt to put it into practise was to add to the staff which supported the spindle
a wooden arm with an upright attached to it to hold a wheel, which was separately
geared to both spindle and the large wheel by two bands. This was a great
improvement, but the sale of it was confined to his immediate vicinity, because
every old spinning-wheel had to be brought to him to have the device attached.
It soon became self-evident to him that, in order to meet the growing demands,
he must so arrange his improvement as to be portable, so that it could readily be
attached to any spinning-wheel without his personal assistance. This he soon
accomplished by great perseverance in what he called Miner's Accelerating
Wheel-Head, for which he obtained a patent April ii, 1810, and of which we
present an illustration on the preceding page.
It was just about this time that Winston Day and others were preparing to
send a drove of cattle to the Philadelphia market, and had engaged Jessee Kellogg
(who had experience in the business) to take charge and sell them in Philadelphia.
Of course, men must be had to drive, while Mr. Kellogg performed the journey
on horseback. When Miner had perfected his model for the wheel-head, the
drove was about ready to start. He came to Mr. Kellogg, and hired out as a man
to drive the cattle, and, taking his model under his arm, faithfully followed that
drove down through the backwoods to Philadelphia, where he received his wages
and put right out for Washington City. He had no difficulty in obtaining his
patent right, and, paying the expenses thereof from the wages he had received
for driving the cattle, he returned to Skaneateles on foot.
In order to get a more minute description of the patented accelerating wheel-
head, a communication was recently addressed to the Commissioner of Patents,
at Washington, asking for a copy of the specifications of the patent. In reply, the
Comniissioner of Patents, under date of January 28, 190 1, made the following
statement :
"An, examination of the records of this office shows that two patents were
issued to Amos Miner, of Marcellus, N. Y. One for a ' Spinning- Wheel,' November
16, 1803, and the other for ' Spinning Wheel-Heads,' April 11, 1810. These patents
were burned in the fire of 1836, and have never been restored. The office is,
therefore, unable to furnish copies of them.
(Signed) E. H. Shepard, Chief Clerk."
The " Spinning- Wheel," patented November 16, 1803, is thus described :
" A machine for spinning yarn or thread, in which a wheel drives a single
spindle, and is itself driven by the hand, or by the foot acting on a treadle."
40 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
The " Spinning Wheel-Head," patented April ii, 1810, was a great improve-
ment on the simple spinning-wheel, which he invented and procured a patent for
in 1803, which spinning wheel-head is fully described in this history.
All the separate parts of the wheel-head were made of hardwood, principally
maple, and those parts where there was the greatest friction, such as the collars
or gudgeon-blocks, were made from hemlock knots. All these parts were turned
in a lathe, and it soon became necessary, as the business increased, to have other
than foot-power to turn his lathes, consequently, on March 8, 1804, he pur-
chased from Silas Bascom twenty-seven acres of land, for which he paid $125.
This was on Military Lot No. 44. On this land was a small stream of water,
which ran from south to north across the road. He desired to locate his work-
shop on the north side of said road, as his land did not extend on the south side.
As he had some difficulty in getting the full height of the stream across the road
to his own premises, and as his perseverance never failed in an emergency, he
led the water from some considerable distance in a raceway, and in crossing the
road ran the water into an upright basswood hollow log, down to another hollow
log which ran horizontally across and under the roadway, and from this it was
forced into another upright hollow log on the north side of the road.
From the top of this log the water was fed into his first experiment of an
overshot wheel, which was a leather band with buckets on it similar to a modern
elevator in a flour-mill for carrying grain. This experimental wheel was not a
success, and Miner soon constructed an ordinary overshot wheel, and erected a
small workshop. His machinery was necessarily of a very crude description, but
he managed to manufacture sufficient wheel-heads to supply the demand, as well
as flails and flail-caps, fork-handles, and such other wooden utensils as were
demanded in those times.
The site where Miner's factory was is now the farm of George Clark, on the
road running east from J. Augustus Edwards' place.
The introduction of Miner's accelerating wheel-head was a perfect boon
and benefaction to all the farmers' families as well as the hired help in the land.
The hired help in those days were all natives, generally daughters of small farm-
ers, whose duties in the household were, in addition to the ordinary housework,
to spin twenty knots. The demand was such, in a few years after the introduction
of this indispensable necessity, that they were sent in pedlers' wagons to all parts
of the then settled States from Maine to Georgia. This wheel-head was in that
early day a great invention, entering, as it did, the every-day work of thousands
of households in all parts of the country, and, like the sewing-machines of the
present day, lightened the labors of every family in the agricultural portions of
the country by increasing the ease and facility with which they could do their
spinning. Like many other inventors, however, Miner profited little by it finan-
cially.
The late Charles Pardee, in a short address to the Sunday-school scholars at
a picnic of the Methodist Society, held about 1840, near the location of Miner's
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 41
old factory, pointed out to the children the little brook where the factory was
located, in which as a little boy he had worked for Miner.
On the I2th of September, 1805, Miner sold out his land to Daniel Waller for
$270, and in the following month, October 28, purchased from Avery Mason ten
acres on th^ southwest corner of Lot No. 68. There is a small brook on this
location, but whether Miner ever had a factory there is not known. He after-
ward established a factory at Five Mile Point, on the east side of the lake, where
he manufactured wheel-heads, as one of the firm of Miner, Deming & Sessions
(Amasa Sessions and Davis Deming).
He soon afterward sold out his patent right and his interest in the factory to
his partners, and located at a point midway between Skaneateles and Otisco lakes,
where there were two small streams of water, and there erected a grist-mill and a
saw-mill.
This location has been known ever since as "the pudding-mill." This name
was given to it from the fact that Miner ground large quantities of corn-meal
to m.ake supawn, which at that period was the common food of the farmers in the
neighborhood.
These mills were driven by water-power obtained from three overshot water-
wheels, about five or six feet in width and nearly twenty-five feet in diameter,
which were so geared into each other that the water from one of the little
streams was used over three times, and the water from the other little stream
was used through two of these wheels. Miner's inventive genius was put to the
test to get all the power possible from these two small streams of water.
About the year 1816 he left this place and located at what was then called
" Sodom," now' Mottville, but soon afterward settled at a place on the outlet, a mile
or two above Jordan, called " The Hollow."
Before leaving the subject of wheel-heads, it may be of interest to state that,
when Miner first offered them for sale, they were retailed at three dollars each,
then two and a half dollars, then tv/o dollars, and kept declining until the intro-
duction of spinning-jacks, when they were sold as low as twenty-five cents each,
and finally the demand ceased.
Miner sold out as soon as his patent became money-making, so that he might
turn his attention to other inventions.
Putnam, Porter & Leonard built the wheel-head factory at Mottville, which
was located where it is now or near the machine-shop of E. B. Hoyt. This firm, in
1831, was succeeded by Wheadon (S. C), Nye (Erastus) & Adams (George P.).
Mr. A. Blodgett, now of Mottville, sold all their manufactures with a two-horse
team. He started out about every week with six hundred wheel-heads, and sold
them at wholesale to the merchants throughout the State at six dollars per dozen.
His journeys stretched eastward to Albany and Newburgh, on the north and west
to Ogdensburg and Buffalo, and on the south into Pennsylvania and all the inter-
vening places in this State.
Miner's next invention was machinery for making pails, for which he obtained
42 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
a patent April 25, 1823. One of the greatest obstacles he had to encounter to
complete his invention was to give the staves a cylindrical form, but this he over-
came by inventing the cylinder saw which he used for this purpose. In theory it
seemed to be just what was wanted, but in practise it was partly ineffectual be-
cause it did not always saw with the grain of the wood. He found that cross-
grained staves made poor pails. This cylinder saw he did not patent, but it has
been in use ever since for many other useful purposes.
He erected a factory at " The Hollow " above Jordan for the manufacture of
pails, churns, sap-buckets, and other woodenware of the like nature, but the factory
was destroyed by fire shortly after its completion. He rebuilt it immediately,
and carried on the manufacture until about 1830, when he sold out both patent and
factory to Messrs. Merrick & Graves.
Miner carried on this manufacture for seven or eight years before he sold
out to the above parties, and made more money at it than from any of his pre-
vious adventures. At the time he sold out, the business was in very good shape,
and the sales were extending through the Far Western States. His successors
pushed the business, and in doing so ascertained that there were several other small
manufactories located in Seneca Falls and Waterloo, also in other places in this
State, which competed with Miner's superior wares, by underselling to the West-
ern merchants. In consequence of this, Mr. Graves stopped this competition by
buying out all these small manufacturers, finishing up their several stocks, shipping
them to the West, and disposing of them at whatever price could be had. After
that Miner's successors had the business without competition, and established
their own prices. The result was, as we are informed by the best authority, that
they made a clean $100,000 out of the business. Their wares were shipped by
canal to St. Louis, Illinois, and other adjoining States, and met with a ready sale
owing to their superior quality. This statement shows that Miner sold out too
soon, and so with the wheel-head business. His successors manufactured more
largely, reduced the price, and thus greatly extended the sales, and consequently
the profits.
Miner invented machines for making window-sash, and secured letters patent
for the same, July 9, 1823.
On July 20, 1825, he obtained another patent for an improvement in making
keelers, or pans for holding milk.
He afterward owned a grist-mill between Jordan and Skaneateles, but its exact
location or in what year he operated is not known. Miner made a further improve-
ment in his window-sash machines, for which he took out a patent November
19, 1833. The celebrated and well-known Miner pump was patented by him July
7. 1835-
The memory of Amos Miner deserves special honor from the citizens of Skane-
ateles, humble as he was and always pleasant and agreeable ; but he was more than
that, for he possessed an inventive genius hardly excelled.
The Superintendent of the Patent Office at Washington, in one of his reports,
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 43
said that Amos Miner, of Skaneateles, N. Y., had invented and patented more
really useful machines than any other man in the United States in those early
years. Miner was poor, very poor, and yet he made many rich. No man ever
brought so much money for the benefit of others, and yet had none of consequence
for himself, although he was a perfect model of economy in all his habits. He
always gave to others the benefit of his many inventions, and kept poor, but
ever happy and pleasant.
He was indomitably industrious, always at work, except when studying out a
new invention, when he would wrap his head and shoulders in a woolen blanket,
and, entirely blindfolded, crawl under his work-bench, and there remain without
speaking to any person day or night, until he had formed a theory of a model
with all the exactness he could have done if he had made a thousand. He once
told Howard Delano that people gave him more credit than he deserved for an
inventive genius. He did not consider that he had much of that quality, but
what he really claimed to have was a perseverance and energy that were never sat-
isfied until the desired end was accomplished. He could not sleep at night while
his mind was occupied during the day in any of his mental researches.
The inventions he made were important in their day, meeting the demand of
the times in which he lived for improvements, and under these various patents
quite a number of manufactories were started in different parts of the country,
and were in operation for many years. While he did not himself acquire riches by
the fruits of his labor and inventive genius, yet he saw others enriched by them,
and the public at large greatly benefited.
About the close of the year 1835 he emigrated from New York State and settled
in Morgan County, Illinois, and there erected a grist-mill and a saw-mill at a
place called Little York in that county, from some little means he had acquired
from the fruits of his industry in his old home. It is estimated that he took from
here about $10,000, the fruits of his long and laborious life.
Here, surrounded by his children who came with him, with the exception
of two who had previously settled in western Pennsylvania, he passed the last
years of his life, and died in the sixty-sixth year of his age, June 2, 1842.
Anna Miner, the sister of Amos Miner, was the mother of the late Charles
Pardee and of Aaron, Allen, etc. She came from Connecticut and settled in
Skaneateles, but whether she came at the same time her brother did is not known.
Since the above was written a letter from a correspondent in Michigan has just
been received, which gives the following items :
" In reply, I can say my boyish recollection of Amos Miner is much more dis-
tinct and vivid than those I have met in recent years. My father was a partner
in business with him when my mother gave birth to me in a log cabin deep down
in the factory gulf, near where the patent wheel-heads were made.
" As I grew up I saw him often at my father's house, and once at work in
his factory at Camillus, where I saw the machinery at work which he had invented
and perfected to make the neatest and most substantial woodenware that I have
44 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
ever seen, in all its various forms. He was a very ordinary-looking man, and dis-
figured by the loss of one of his eyes, which was occasioned by a splinter striking
him in. his eye while he was hammering a piece of steel. His manners
were simple and plain, and with his homespun dress he went quietly about
the country, peddling his own wares with a rig in character with his
own appearance, all having a shabby, neglected look, except his wares,
which were neat, durable, perfect ; in fact, I have never seen them equaled by any
manufacturers of the present day. He knew what was wanted, he knew how to
make the tools and machinery, but he did not know how to accumulate oi; save
money.
" When he had completed any of his inventions and could make his wares per-
fect, they appeared to interest him no more, and he hastened to employ his energies
and genius on other schemes of invention.
" While manufacturing woodenware near Jordan, he constructed a canal-
boat of staves, loaded it with tubs, pails, keelers, churns, and every variety of his
wares of a quality never equaled, and peddled along the canal. After he left
Camillus, I knew nothing of him except from rumor."
We append the following letter from the Patent Office, giving a summary of
Amos Miner's patents :
" United States Patent Office,
" Washington^ D. C, October 20, 1881.
" Edmund N. Leslie^ Skaneateles, N. Y. :
■' Sir: In reply to yours of the 15th inst., you are informed that the following
patents appear of record under the name of 'Miner' :
" Amos Miner, Spinning- Wheel, patented November 16, 1803. Residence not
given.
" Amos Miner, of Marcellus, N. Y., Spinning Wheel-Heads, patented April 10,
1810.
" Amos Miner, 6f Camillus, Onondaga County, N. Y., Implement in making
Pails, April 25, 1823.
" Amos Miner, of Elbridge, Onondaga County, N. Y., Window-Sash Machines,
July 9, 1823.
"Amos Miner, of Camillus, N. Y., Implement in making Keelers, or Pails for
' holding Milk, July 20, 1825.
" Amos Miner, of Elbridge, N. Y., Window-Sash Making, November 19, 1833.
" Amos Miner, of Jordan, N. Y., Pump, July 7, 1835.
Respectfully, M. Seaton, Chief Clerk."
Early Recollections of Skaneateles by John R. Kellogg. — (Written in
the year 1867.)— About sixty-eight years ago (1799), we entered Skaneateles,
in the dead of night, in a sleigh drawn by two horses. The next morning I
walked out of a small one-story house, and took a view of that beautiful lake
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 45
having never before seen a broader expanse of water than a country mill-pond.
We had traveled from my native home, New Hartford, Oneida County, being-
sixty miles east, through an almost continuous forest, having slept two nights in
an Indian wigwam during a heavy snow-storm, which was the only available
accommodation in that region in those days, called Oneida Castle, being the place
where the first missionary. Dominie Kirkland, preached. In the days of the Revo-
lution, many, and perhaps most, of the Oneidas, especially the warriors, were on
the side of the British. Dominie Kirkland was for the Americans. His life was
frequently threatened and attempted, and on one occasion he ran a long distance,
chased by several savages with their tomahawks, etc., determined to kill him.
He barely reached Skanadoah's wigwam in time, and was protected by that noble
chief, and lived many years after.
So, then, sixty-eight years ago, the country was all new from Utica to Skan-
eateles, and all travel done by teams and on horseback.
The Trowbridge girls' father, a most worthy man, was the first hatter in
Skaneateles. As early as 1800 or before, his house and shop stood near the old
schoolhouse, on what is now the magnificently improved Roosevelt place, the road
being a little changed.
Up to the year 1800 there was no stated preaching in Skaneateles or in Mar-
cellus, nor in any part of that region. Occasionally a missionary from New Eng-
land came, generally from Connecticut.
The Rev. Mr. Robbins was the first minister I ever heard in Skaneateles. He
came as a missionary and boarded in our family. I was then six years old. In
person, the Rev. Mr. Robbins was a specimen Presbyterian of the straitest sect.
As I have before said, Jessee Kellogg, my father, had built and then owned the
mills. One Saturday night the dam broke badly, and, when my father received
the information early Sunday morning, it was in a bad way and growing worse.
He at once called all the men he could raise, and went vigorously to work to arrest
its progress. The family as yet knew nothing of it. We had breakfast, and all
prepared for meeting at the old schoolhouse. We boys always went with Mr.
Robbins, and, as we passed down and going round Winston Day's store, Mr.
Robbins was surprised to see a crowd of men at work on the dam, and among them
he noticed riiy father. He at once called to my eldest brother, and requested him
to ask his father to come across to where we all were. He came at once, and Mr.
Robbins inquired why he was thus engaged on the Sabbath. My fathei- said, "Mr.
Robbins, come out on the dam with me." He went and saw the state of afifairs.
My father said to him, "This is the only mill in all this region." Mr. Robbins
said no more, but turned about and pulled off his coat, and said to my eldest
brother: "Go at once to the schoolhouse, and notify the people that the meeting
to-day will be at the mill-dam. All are invited to attend." You may be sure that
it was a great and anxious meeting, for the people had a mind to work, and much
good was done at the dam, and no harm to the cause of religion. No man in the
crowd worked more vigorously than our beloved clergyman, and all the people
46 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
loved him, and many attended his meetings after that who had never attended
before.
Amos Miner, the patent wheel-head man, humble as he was, was always
pleasant and agreeable ; but he was more than that, for he possessed an inventive
genius hardly excelled. The Superintendent of the Patent Office at Washington
said, in one of his reports, that Amos Miner, of Skaneateles, N. Y., had invented
and patented more really useful machines than any other man in the United
States. He was poor, very poor, and yet he made many rich. On the road
formerly known as the Hamilton Turnpike, about two hundred yards beyond
where the Misses Trowbridge formerly lived, and in the woods, was a brook
crossing the road, which flowed quite a volume of water, but which has since
disappeared. There Miner had his log house and shops. There he built a dam
and water-wheel, and made spinning-wheels, foot-wheels, flails and flail-caps, fork-
handles, etc.
Up to that time carding was done on the knee with hand-cards — all the wool
and tow. The spinning was done on the big wheel, with a band over a mere
whirr or wheel about three-fourths of an inch in diameter, single geared, slipped
on over the spindle, and to give the spindle sufficient velocity required the power
of a steam-engine, yet this power had to be furnished with one hand, while the
thread was drawn out with the other; and when a girl had done a day's work
spinning on that wheel, she did not feel like spinning street-yarns in the evening.
Hence, the introduction of Miner's patent accelerating wheel-head was a
perfect godsend to all the farmers' families in the land, and these wheel-heads
were appreciated and sent in pedlers' wagons to all the then settled States from
Maine to Georgia, and also by teams and wagons from Miner's factory, which
had then been removed to a brook above the Colonel Bellamy farm on the lake-
shore, at Five Mile Point, and afterward to Mottville. At first the wheel-heads
retailed at three dollars each, then two and a half dollars, then two dollars, and
finally, after the introduction of spinning- jacks, they went down to twenty-five
cents, and then out. Booth & Ingham's carding-machine superseded our mothers'
hand-cards, the spinning- jack, and the girls' labor on the big wheel.
Miner sold out as soon as his patent became more money-making, that he
might give his mind to other inventions. He invented the sash-making machine,
the planing-machine, the pail and tub making machines, and various others. He
always gave to others the benefit of his inventions, and kept poor, yet happy and
pleasant. He was indomitably industrious, always kept at work, except when
studying out a new invention, when he would wrap his head and shoulders in a
woolen blanket, and, entirely blindfolded, crawl under his work-bench, and there
remain without speaking to a single soul, day or night, until he had formed a
theory of a model with all the exactness he could have done if he had made a
thousand.
Then he must needs go to Washington for his patent, and on at least two
occasions the journey was made in this wise : My father had many years' ex-
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 47
perience in driving and selling cattle to the Philadelphia market from Oneida
County before removing to Skaneateles. Consequently, Winston Day and others
who were in the business engaged him once or twice a year to make sales for them.
Of course, men must be had to drive, while he performed the journey on horse-
back. When Miner had perfected his model for the wheel-head, the drove was
about ready to start, and he came to my father and hired out as a man to drive,
and, taking his model under his arm, he faithfully followed that drove down
through the backwoods to Philadelphia, where he received his wages, and put
right out on foot for Washington. He obtained his patent, and returned to
Skaneateles in the same way (on foot). And this he repeated another year at
least, but he finally obtained a standing in the Patent Office, which induced them to
volunteer facilities by which he was saved his personal journeys. No man ever
brought to Skaneateles so much money for the .benefit of others, and yet had none
of consequence for himself, although he was a perfect model of economy in all
his habits. He finally removed to Elbridge, and I never knew much about him
after that.
His memory deserves special honor from the citizens of Skaneateles. I had
much personal acquaintance with him, and knew his worth. He always traded
at the store where I was clerk. His word was a perfect law, and he was ever a
law-abiding man.
Samuel Briggs was six or seven years my senior, he having been born in 1793,
and was the special associate of my elder brothers, but we all went to the same
school in the year 1825. He was from his youth a sturdy, steady, industrious,
worthy person. The last time I saw him he was passing in the street in Skane-
ateles in a one-horse wagon, with his feet stretched forward over the top of the
dashboard on account of severe rheumatism. He died from inflammation of the
lungs. In his early days he was one of the hardest of the hardy, and was never
suspected of being a subject for either of these complaints, whereas I was slender,
and at the age of sixteen was afflicted with both those miserable maladies, and these
continued as long as I resided in that region, and had become so seated in youth
that my prospect of comfort in old age was neither promised to me by physicians
nor by the experience of others who came before me.
Perhaps I have before said that Jason Parker, the old mail contractor of Utica,
drove the first coach that ever passed from Utica to Canandaigua. Years after
that, Isaac Sherwood, who I well remember lived in a log house about half-way
between Skaneateles and Auburn on the old State Road, and nearly opposite where
is now a tavern house, was appointed by the Council of Appointment, there in
the woods, a Justice of the Peace. Finding it inconvenient for his vocation, he
wisely removed his office to Winston Day's store. There he assisted as clerk, and
officiated as a Justice for a time, and finally entered into copartnership with Day;
and so continued for many years. They together built, for those days, a large
public house on the old Esquire Briggs place on the west side. This statement is
not true, as John Briggs built his said tavern, which is the same building that is
48 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
now on the corner of West Lake Street and Genesee Street. Then Day & Sher-
wood dissolved partnership. Day kept his store, distillery, and potashery ; Sher-
wood, his tavern, and a good one, too. He soon succeeded in getting the patron-
age of his stages. Then he soon became part owner, then sole owner, and finally
he proved himself a perfect Napoleon of a stage proprietor.
When opposition arose, his energies increased, and finally broke it down. But
after that came on the powerful Sunday mail line, or rather the Sabbath-observ-
ing line. They ran him hard, and Daniel Kellogg, who furnished him money,
told me, after the opposition gave out, that had they held on sixty or ninety days
longer Sherwood would have been obliged to succumb.
Sherwood removed to Geneva, and then back to Auburn, where he built " The
American," regained more than his lost wealth, and died, leaving a handsome
estate.
Isaac Sherwood was truly a representative man in his life, but fortunately
he had the full confidence of Daniel Kellogg, who was decidedly the greatest
financial man in all the State of New York in his day, and I do not think him
excelled now, all things taken into consideration. My father, who owned by
contract all the Sanger property, sold to Mr. Kellogg the point of land on
the hill on which he built the one-and-a-half -story house and office as they
now are.
Note. — This property was sold to Kellogg by Dr. Jonathan Hall, as is shown
by Kellogg's deed.
After Mr. Kellogg had completed these, he told my father that he was then
worth, besides them, about twelve hundred dollars. He said about that time
that, if he could acquire ten thousand dollars, he would be satisfied. But he got
the track well laid and his engine in good working order, and kept it well oiled,
and it ran easily, steadily, and at good speed. Had he lived, he would have been
a Rothschild in his way. What he had, he made himself, and, while he made for
himself, he upheld and enabled others to make.
The Beeches, without Daniel Kellogg as a prop, would have been bankrupt
more thafl once in the milling business ; so also would Isaac Sherwood and many
others I could name. Any observing man having business with him could easily
learn valuable lessons from his way of doing things. His system and his practise
were perfect, and success was a natural consequence.
About the time Mr. Kellogg built his house and office, Colonel Vredenburg
commenced his large house, which was burned in the year 1872, known then as
the Leitch house. The ground was then the village cemetery, and the silent
occupants were removed to their present resting-place, then owned by John Briggs.
Colonel Vredenburg let the building of the house by the job, but the contractor
and his successor both failed, and it was a long time before the house was
completed.
One, and I think two, very large dry-kilns, containing a large quantity of
lumber, were burned.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 49
(Some time after the above was written we received the following communi-
cation, containing further reminiscences of our early history.)
Early Recollections of Skaneateles by John R. Kellogg. — In the
year 1799, we entered Skaneateles, in the dead of night, in a sleigh drawn
by two horses. The next morning I walked out of a small, one-story house and
took a view of that beautiful lake, having never before seen a broader expanse of
water than a country mill-pond.
We had traveled from my native home, New Hartford, Oneida County, being
sixty miles east, through an almost continuous forest, having slept two nights in
an Indian wigwam during a heavy snow-storm, which was the only available ac-
commodation in that region in those days, called Oneida Castle, being the place
where the first missionary. Dominie Kirkland, preached.
Skanadoah, a worthy Chief, and one of God's noblemen, was then an aged
man. In after years (in 1809 or 18 10), when he was about one hundred years
old, I saw him standing near his old minister's grave, at the foot of College Hill,
in Clinton, yet alive, but waiting the messenger of Death, and insisting on being
buried by the side of him who had by the grace of God many, many years before
led him to embrace in the arms of faith and love the Lord Jesus Christ as his
Saviour. But he lived some years after that, and, when his nation voted to sell
all out and move West, this venerable chief, being opposed to the project, arose,
and by way of claiming attention said : " I am an aged hemlock, through whose
boughs a hundred winter blasts have blown. Dead at the top," and so on to the
end, and truly eloquent. This was many years since published in our school-books,
as a specimen of Indian oratory. (See "American Reader.") Perhaps most
people think it is a dressed-up thing by some scholar. But not so. I have it only
second hand from the lips of the then venerable Doctor Backus, President of Ham-
ilton College, who assured John J. Glover, of New York, that he took it down word
for word from the interpreter at the time of its delivery by Skanadoah him-
self, and Mr. Glover told it to me when I was his clerk.
In the days of the Revolution many, and perhaps most, of the Oneidas, espe-
cially the warriors, were on the side of the British. Dominie Kirkland was for
the Americans. His life was frequently threatened and attempted, and on one
occasion he ran a long distance, chased by several savages with their tomahawks,
etc., determined to kill him. He barely reached Skanadoah's wigwam in time,
and was protected by that noble chief, and lived many years after. He died, and
was buried under the west window of his own mansion at the foot of College Hill,
in Clinton. And, as I said, many years afterward Skanadoah was buried by his
side, at the age, if I recollect correctly, of one hundred and three years. He
died at home, but was brought as he requested, and buried there. Thousands
attended his funeral from Utica and all around.
So, then, sixty-eight years ago, the country was all new from Utica to Skane-
ateles, and all travel and transportation done by two-horse teams and on horse-
back.
50 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
Well, about three weeks ago I entered that same Skaneateles in the night
time, but in a most convenient railroad-car, propelled by a handsome steam-en-
gine, having traveled from near Lake Michigan by railroad through a fully settled
country of towns and large cities ; and from that starting-point I could have gone
in a direct line much farther West than I went East to reach Skaneateles. What
a driving out of buffaloes, bears, wolves, and Indians have I witnessed in my
day ! And now, in their places, behold the steamboats, railroads, canals, telegraph
lines, commerce, agriculture, schools, colleges, churches, cities, manufactories, and
all, in the good providence of God, under a glorious system of free government!
Yet the half is not told. The progress of a day is more than can be spoken in a
week.
But let me come back from my digressions to my late hasty visit to your vil-
lage. In my last letter, I had promised you that, when you had the cars running, I
would, if living, come up and see you. Well, I did so, and found you, the father
and son, engaged in the noble work that once occupied the mind and energies of
the immortal Franklin, and that, too, right on the bank of the lake whence I used
to shove my skiff and strap on my skates when a boy. I was glad to see you, and
as many others as my time would permit.
But I called on your rich people first — the " Trowbridge Girls," as they are
called, and, as Mrs. Horton said to me afterward, "Rich in Faith." Yes, God
bless them ! The people of Skaneateles know not how many blessings these two
may have enjoyed and are enjoying in answer to the prayers of such as they.
The father, a most worthy man, was the first hatter in Skaneateles, as early as
1800, or before his house and shop stood near the old schoolhouse on what is now
the magnificently improved Roosevelt place, nearly opposite and but a few rods
from where these worthy daughters now live, the road being but a little changed.
Mr. Trowbridge was a good citizen, and highly esteemed for his integrity and
industry. And now his aged children, like Cowper's cottager, sit within their
own door, plying the needle of industry day by day, scarcely going a mile from
home, knowing little of the world, yet, as Cowper says, know their Bible true —
"A truth the brilliant Frenchman* never knew.''
Forget them not! They are God's heritage, and he will not forget his own.
Give me while I live the prayers of the honest, pious poor, "Rich in Faith," and
I will have enough of earth's riches (sanctified) to carry me through this world,
and with those honored ones enter and enjoy those mansions prepared not with
hands, eternal in the heavens. " The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof."
But it is to be used here on eartl% for it is of the " earth, earthy," and God will
not allow us to bring one dollar of it into heaven, for all there is heavenly.
But I am glad to see the "Beautiful Squaw" (Skaneateles), like Rip Van
Winkle, arousing from her long sleep. Omaha, five hundred miles west of Chi-
* Voltaire.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 51
cago, has already become a large city, with all the modern improvements and
facilities, and is still progressing ; and all this and much more, while you wealthy
men have slumbered over those great natural advantages extending all along the
outlet to the junction. But by your paper of three or four weeks ago I was re-
joiced to see that those accursed stink-pots (excuse me for using the right name),
whisky-mills, are to be abated, cleared out, purified, and their places to be made
meet for the legitimate uses of that pure stream, beside which lie dead men's bones,
like Sol. Foster and others, poisoned, it is to be feared, even to the second death.
Awful to contemplate 1
* * * Hold! for thou thyself wert guilty of being engaged in that accursed
traffic on a neighboring stream, six miles east. True, true! But a righteous
God in his great mercy to me and mine cleaned me out by ifire; and I trust he
gave me grace to say "Amen." While my property was burning, I thought many
of my neighbors were more sorrowful for my loss than I was. I had reduced
my insurance from $7,ooo-to $700, which the company promptly paid, and offered
me a loan to enable me to rebuild, as there was much other property connected with
it to be saved; but I said "No." I had long waited to get out of the business (it
was rented then), but I received it as God's way of getting me out. So I pocketed a
loss of eight or ten thousand dollars, closed up my affairs, paid off my debts,
took the leavings, came to Michigan, where I have had better health, and my
full share of prosperity, and have no disposition to go into that miserable traffic
or advise others to.
But again I do rejoice to see that that most lovely stream at Skaneateles is to be
improved, as stated in your paper. May its builders be amply rewarded in their
enterprise ! And how can they be otherwise ? The power is there, building ma-
terials are there, a rich country to feed and sustain is there. So go ahead, for
" you are right," as David Crockett said.
Besides, you can pass up and down in your beautiful and comfortable cars,
superintend your works as they progress, and even make it a source of mutual
and social enjoyment, equal to what you and I, Mr. Pardee, enjoyed in our boy-
hood, playing at seesaw on a board laid across a rail fence — and in those days
even that was amusing. And then, if you choose to keep up old remembrances,
you may crack butternuts and walnuts, eat mandrakes and thorn-apples ; and, if
I happen along that way, I will join you in them, and in the song of "Auld Lang
Syne." But as to whisky or tobacco-smoke, discard them altogether. Give me
the pure air of good old Skaneateles, summer and winter. You can never im-
prove it by modern perfumes. God made that beautiful place for a purpose, and
gave it as a specimen of beauty and purity. Improve and use it, but do not
abuse it — at your peril do not !
Allegan, Mich., October 23, 1867.
John R. Kellogg,
in my seventy-fifth year.
52 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
CHAPTER V.
More Pioneers.
Eli Clark.— Eli Clark, the father of Foster Clark, came on foot to Skaneateles
from Northampton, Mass., in the month of October, 1800. In looking around
he was particularly attracted by the situation of the very land which he finally
purchased. After diligent inquiry he ascertained that this land belonged to
Robert R. Burnett and other parties in the city of New York, so he set out on
foot to go to the city and negotiate a purchase. This resulted in his buying from
said Burnett and others who were joint owners fifty acres on Military Lot
No. 35, on the 22d of January, 1801. He also bought fifty acres additional
adjoining John Thompson's land, and paid six dollars per acre for the whole.
He then went back to his old home in Massachusetts, and with his family
and effects started for his new home in New York State, in the beginning of
the month of February, 1801, with an ox-sled drawn by two yoke of oxen and
one horse. They came along very well until the settlement of Whitestown was
reached, where the ground became bare of snow. Mr. Clark then rigged some
old wheels on his sled, started again, and, after many difficulties and mishaps,
finally arrived here in the latter part of March. Eli Clark died August, 1834,
aged seventy-two years.
Foster Clark was at that time six years old. He died August 24, 1882, aged
eighty-seven years.
Eli Clark's original purchase included a part of the Sumner Fuller farm, and
also the land now owned by John Hudson.
Elias Merrell. — Elias Merrell came to this town about the year 1806, and
built a small one-story frame dwelling-house, on the lot on Onondaga Street, now
owned by Mrs. Shuttleworth. He was a laborer and was employed by Norman
Leonard. Elias Merrell died in 1812.
Alanson Edwards, Jr. — ^Alanson Edwards, Jr., brother of the late Thaddeus
Edwards, married Mrs. Lydia Camp, whose maiden name was Lydia Hopkins.
She was a granddaughter of Mrs. Elias Merrell, and was brought up by her.
A daughter of Elias Merrell married a Hopkins.
The S. Porter Rhoades Family. — The name of the great-great-grandfather
of S. Porter Rhoades was Joseph Rhoades, who was of English extraction.
Samuel Rhoades, son of Joseph named above, of Marblehead, Mass., was
born in 1701, and died in 1765.
Samuel Rhoades, Jr., was born in 1737. He was a mason by trade, and
was a captain under George HL before the Revolutionary War, and also under
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 53
the Continental Congress during the Revolutionary War. He died in Skaneateles,
at the home of Captain Samuel Rhoades, his son, March i8, 1823, aged eighty-six
years. His wife, Sarah Frotheringham, was born in 1740, and died in 1809.
Deacon Samuel Rhoades was born in Chesterfield, Hampshire County, Mass.,
in 1771, and died in 1850. He left there in the spring of 1806, and came on a
sled to this town, settling on Military Lot No. 20. With him were his wife,
father, mother, and three children. His wife, Lucy Porter, daughter of Dr.
Porter, of North Williamstown, Mass., died in 1812. His second wife. Electa
Cleaveland, died in 1863.
Samuel Porter Rhoades was born in 1802, and died in 1872. He was born
in Chesterfield, Mass., and came to this town when he was but four years of age
with his father, who settled immediately on Military Lot No. 20, and in about a
year thereafter raised a frame dwelling, which is still in a good state of preserva-
tion, and now used for a tenant-house for a farm-laborer.
Early Settlers, Farmers, and Others before 1803.
We give herewith a list of the names and locations of farmers and other
early settlers who came here before 1803, who grubbed out the forest trees, and
prepared these lands for cultivation'. These names have been taken from several
very early ledgers kept by merchants who did business here from 1796 to 1805.
The locations were furnished by the late Nathaniel Miller, who settled in the
village in 1807. His recollection of men and events was very clear:
Aldridge, Robert, farmer, lived near Col. Clark.
Amidon, Asabel, farmer. Marietta; Otisco Valley.
Annis, Jacobus, came here from Minisink, ©range County, N. Y.; in 1795 kept
the first tavern in town ; it was the first building on the well-known Anson
Lapham place, now owned by Samuel Roosevelt (1899).
Austin, Aaron, farmer and clothier, on the Frank Austin farm.
Bacon, Amos, Sennett, on County Line Road.
Bacon, Asa, Jr., tanner and shoemaker; built the Louvisa Pomeroy house on
West Genesee Street.
Bacon, Jacob, Esq., Spafford.
Bacon, James, Spafford ; Sempronius.
Bacon, Rufus, farmer, Sennett.
Bailey, Aaron, farmer, next to James Morse farm.
Bailey, Jetha, farmer, on Colvin farm.
Bailey, John, 'farmer, on the Joe Bassett farm.
Baker, Jeptha, farmer, near Marcellus.
Baker, Robert, shoemaker; R. J. Baker's father.
Barnes, Eli, miller, in W. J. Vredenburg's mill.
Bascomb, Silas, farmer, opposite to Thomas Bradford's place.
54 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
Benedict, Peter, miller, brother of Samuel; was killed at Black Rock by the
British during the War of 1812 ; also had a nephew killed at the same time
by the British.
Benedict, Samuel, M.D., lived on the Jessee Simmons place.
Benscotir, John, farmer, on Lot No. 84, near Benson's.
Benson, Stephen, Alanson's brother; Mrs. William Fuller's father.
Berry, Richard, farmer, on J. L. Mason farm.
Brackett, Christopher, Elbridge.
Briggs, Daniel, William S. Briggs' father; owned Military Lot No. 60.
Briggs, John, built the tavern on Shear place; was Mrs. Hitchcock's father.
Briggs died June 25, 1839, eighty-two years old.
Briggs, Samuel, farmer, lived west of factory on old road.
Brinckerhoff, James, farmer, Owasco.
Brinckerhoff, Luke T., farmer, lived in Niles.
Bristol, John, potash boiler for Winston Day.
Brown, John, stage-driver for Sherwood.
Burnes, John, farmer, Fred Kidder farm, on road to Clintonville.
Burns, Eleazer, Marcellus; lived on place of John Burns, Jr.
Burroughs, James, farmer, opposite the John Joyce farm.
Burroughs, William, stage-driver for Sherwood.
Carpenter, — , farmer, on George H. Carpenter farm.
Chapman, Amasa, farmer, on John Uncles' farm ; owned the Perry farm.
Clark, Eli, farmer, Foster's father, lived near Colonel Lamb's place.
Codey, Joseph, built the tavern in Clintonville ; was a farmer.
Conkin, Abraham, farmer, on the road west of the factory.
Conklin, Samuel, farmer, near Borodino.
Cook, Sheldon, farmer, west side of the lake.
Cook, Wareham, inventor of Cook's Salve, lived on Nathan Bond place.
Copp, Timothy, farmer. Thorn Hill.
Cortrite, Sylvester, father of Wilhelmus, on Heman Fulton farm.
Cortrite, Wilhelmus, farmer, on Heman Fulton farm.
Cotton, Owen, millwright, removed to Attica; was over eighty years old.
Covel, Joshua, farmer, on Hasbrook farm.
Crandall, Silas, tavern-keeper, opposite Jacob Allen.
Cross, Joseph, farmer, had a hare-lip ; lived east of Compton's, on Jarat Smith farm.
Cuddeback, Abraham, came here in the year 1795 ; died August 18, 1796, aged
eighty- three years.
Cuddeback, Peter, 2d, farmer, on David Cuddeback farm.
Danforth, Henry, was an early merchant on Lake House corner, 'after Winston
Day ;■ owned Military Lot No. 86 ; went from here to Pittsburg.
Dascomb, William, Alvin's father : first kept tavern on William Clark place ; after-
ward kept the old tavern in this village, on site of the present Savings Bank.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 55
Day, Rowland, a former merchant here ; was clerk or partner of Norman Leonard ;
afterward went to Moravia, and was elected to Congress from Owasco
District.
De Long, Ira, farmer, lived on north part of Obadiah Thome's farm.
Denning, Moses B., was clerk in Dascomb's tavern; afterward clerk for John
Legg; afterward was a constable.
Dexter, Asa, was a comb-maker and pedler, with Cyrus Glass' father, and related
to the Earlls.
Earll, Abijah, farmer. Col. Daniel Earll's father.
Earll, Daniel, distiller.
Earll, David, lived on William Earll farm.
Earll, David, Jr., on Shepperd Earll farm.
Earll, Nathaniel, Jonas' son.
Earll, Gen. Robert, Hezekiah's father, owned Red House.
Earll, Solomon, built the distillery below Willow Glen (paper-mill).
Earll, William, Shepperd Earll's father.
Edwards, Abner, lived on Gale farm, old house north of Gale's.
Edwards, Alanson, kept tavern here in 1822.
Edwards, Alanson, Jr., school teacher; was once County Clerk.
Edwards, Ebenezer, farmer, J. Augustus Edwards' uncle ; lived on John Dix farm.
Edwards, Solomon, Sr., father of J. Augustus.
Edwards, Thaddeus, farmer, on Gale farm.
Edwards, Thaddeus, 2d, cooper in village.
Egglestone, John, blacksmith, worked for Captain James Hall.
Egglestone, Samuel, on Egglestone farm, near Wiltsie farm.
Eells, Nathaniel, farmer and cooper, owned the C. Pardee place.
Ennis, Jacobus, owned and lived very early on the Lapham place.
Farnham, Reuben, school teacher here on Potter lot; afterward studied law with
Freeborn G. Jewett.
Fitzgerald, John, farmer, east side of the lake.
Frisby, Benjamin, chairmaker and painter, in rear of old tavern.
Gardner, James, farmer, lived on Dor Austin farm.
Gilbert, Abijah, farmer and carpenter; built Benson's first barn; learned his
trade of Eliphalet Hoyt ; resided near Holcomb Peck's, in this town.
Gillett, Michael, farmer, and saw-mill north of Shotwell barn.
Gleason, Amasa, painter ; shop where old engine-house was.
Granger, David, lived on Parker Wright place, beyond brick schoolhouse, above
C. Pardee.
Granger, Isaac, farmer, occupied Amos R. Pardee farm.
Greves, Thomas, early tailor; was Dr. Evelyn's uncle.
Greenman, Edward, father of Samuel H. Greenman, of this town.
Gunn, Hezekiah, farmer, on Osman Rhoades' farm.
Hall, David, came to this town in March, 1806.
56 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
Hall, Dr. Jonathan, practised medicine hereabout; was great on smallpox.
Hall, Seth, carpenter and wagon-maker.
Harris, George, laborer, worked for Norman Leonard.
Hatch, Asa, farmer, on Warren Hatch farm.
Hatch, Timothy, farmer, and kept tavern.
Hecox, Cyrus, brother of Col. Warren Hecox.
Hodge, Israel, near Mandana.
Hodges, Isaac, farmer, west of Mandana, next to Gleason's.
Hosmer, Simeon, farmer, on Wills Clift farm ; William Fuller farm.
Ingham, Samuel, early merchant and clerk for John Meeker.
Jones, Amos, Esq., farmer, Mandana; a great snuff-taker; had been a Justice
of the Peace before he came here.
Jtjnes, Elijah, Henry Jones' father.
Jones, Henry, Constable here.
Keith, Phinneas. Think he was a tailor here, in early times.
Kellogg, Jessee, Dorastus' father, and agent for Judge Sanger.
Kingsley, Bela, farmer, was uncle to J. Augustus Edwards.
Kneeland, Asa, carpenter and joiner.
Kneeland, John, or Amasa, schoolmaster at Joab Cliffs ; also in this village.
Lane, Ezra, school teacher here before 1807.
Lee, Ezra, farmer, on John Gregory place ; had a wood-boat on lake.
Lewis, Abraham, farmer, north part of town.
Manley, Luther, farmer in this town.
McKay, Daniel, farmer and mason, lived on Dr. Merrell place.
McKee, James, farmer, on Lot No. 84.
Merrell, Elias, laborer here; worked for Norman Leonard; owned two-acre lot
running from Seneca Turnpike to Hamilton Turnpike (Cooper shop lot) ;
died in 1812.
Miller, Timothy, laborer here before 1806.
Millhollen, Henry, well-digger, lived near Borodino.
Moffett, Ishmael, farmer, next south of Holcomb Peck.
Niles, Samuel, teamster to Elnathan Andrews while he was building the old
church where the brick schoolhouse is now, opposite the tavern, of which
he was contractor.
Nye, Benjamin, John Nye's father.
Otis, Cynthia, widow of Nicholas.
Otis, Nicholas, taught school here, early; died in 1808.
Parish, Russell, resided near Mandana in 1805.
Parsons, Elijah, came here from Northampton, Mass., in 1805, and died October
26, 1862, aged eighty-three years ; was Moses and John Parson's father.
Patchin, Jared, farmer, owned George Gregory farm.
Peck, Liva, first lived on the Will Willetts farm, and afterward owned the John
H. Smith farm.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 57
Pettis, Joseph and John, who lived in a small unpainted house next east of the
Burnett house, in the village.
Pierson, John, lived in this town October 16, 1805.
Porter, Dr. Samuel, an original physician, died June 14, 1843, aged sixty-five years.
Pratt, Levi, hired man for Alanson Edwards.
Pi-ice, Alexander, farmer, brother of Elijah, who studied law with Daniel Kellogg.
Price, Elijah, law student with Daniel Kellogg.
Putnam, Perley, owned the Baber farm ; was a saddler by trade.
Rathbun, Benjamin, farmer, Tyler Hollow.
Eathbun, James H., farmer. Five Mile Point.
Read, Thomas, farmer, on West Lake Road, north of Mandana.
Rhoades, Joseph, farmer, Osman Rhoades' father.
Roberts & Briggs, blacksmiths; shop was on the corner where Stephen A. Gif-
ford's dwelling is now ; both of these blacksmiths were very early settlers.
Roberts, Sylvester, blacksmith, Onondaga Street in early times.
Robinson, Samuel and Edmund, were residents in this town in 1802.
' Rose, William, farmer, on Lots Nos. 35 and 37.
Sabins, Israel, lived at Mottville, or at " Sodom," as it was then called ; was a
mason by trade.
Secoy, Peter, lived with Jared Patchin, as hired man, to work his farm.
Sessions, Amasa, a leading early Baptist, lived on Bradford farm, on East Lake
Road.
Seymour, Nathaniel, farmer. East Lake Road.
Shaw, Samuel, lived at Mottville.
. Shearman, Briggs, farmer, lived on west side of lake; was connected with the
Bentley family; was also a carpenter.
Stanton, Phinneas, farmer, lived up the lake.
Stringham, Jacob, was at one time a blacksmith in this village.
Thomas, William, David's father.
Vail, Daniel, Jr., came from Goshen, Orange County, N. Y., in 1791, with Moses
Carpenter; was also a farmer, west of Mottville (town line) ; was Norman
Leonard's distiller, on the outlet.
Van Orsdell, John, distiller for Leonard in first still below village, on the outlet.
Wiltsey, Joseph, Marsh's father.
Early Settlers, Farmers, and Others before 1815.
x\Ilen, Miles, miller, owned the Weed mill ; Robert Earll's son-in-law.
Austin, Reuben, laborer here in 1815.
Bacon, Amos, shoemaker, Colonel Hecox's brother-in-law.
Bates, Joshua, farmer and blacksmith, on the John Joyce farm.
S8 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
Bebee, Alexander M., lawyer, lived where Sydney Smith now resides; went to
Utica from here; died in Utica; first came here with John S. Furman
about 1804.
Belamy, Samuel, farmer, on George F. Shotwell place.
Balding, Silas, gatekeeper near Jacob Allen's.
Benedict, Amos, farmer, Skaneateles.
Benedict, Micajah, farmer, Sennett, near Owls' Nest.
Bennett, Peleg, crazy man.
Benson, Abijah, tanner, currier, and shoemaker, Benson Street.
Benson, Elkannah, farmer, pottery manufacturer, Skaneateles, near Owasco.
Bentley, Joseph, farmer, on the Valentine Willetts farm.
Birch, Jeremiah, farmer, Dutch Hollow, Niles.
Blodgett, Nathan, potash-boiler for John Meeker ; lived in the Huxtable house.
Booth, Jonathan, merchant here ; store site on B. Lee's office ; died September 24,
1840, aged seventy-eight years.
Bowen, Almerin, farmer, lived on the Wyckoff farm.
Boyd, George, laborer here; was intemperate.
Bradley, Myrick, farmer, lived on S. C. Conover place; was afterward killed in
Syracuse.
Brainerd, Sebe, farmer, east side of the lake.
Briggs & Hall (Isaac and David), merchants here at the time.
Bttrnett, Stephen, teamster here.
Burns, Eleazer, potash-boiler for John Meeker.
Burroughs & Co., here in 181 1.
Burroughs, Daniel, farmer and carding-machine maker, on Vine Warner farm.
Burroughs, John, farmer, Alvin's father.
Burroughs, William, farmer, lived on the Henry Vary farm.
Cady, Palmer, tavern-keeper in the Gulf; husband of Mrs. Francis.
Capen, John, brother-in-law of Selah Thompson ; was blind.
Chandler, Joshua, farmer, one of the first settlers, tip the east side of the lake
near William Briggs.
Chapman, Ashbel, farmer, lived on the Luther Clark place, Skaneateles.
Chase, Stephen, blacksmith ; manufactured hoes ; moved to Lysander, where
he died.
Cleaveland, Asaph, farmer, Skaneateles.
Cody, Elijah, farmer, near Clintonville.
Coe & Marsh, kept the Sherwood tavern here.
Coe, Alvin, fast young man, brother of Noble.
Coe, John, painter by trade, lived on the old Betsey Clark place.
Coe, Noble, tavern-keeper, owned the old tavern opposite the old meeting-house.
Cole, Elijah, farmer, owned Community farm.
Coon, George, farmer, east of Compton's.
Cotton, George H., millwright, owned the mill here.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 59
Cuddeback, Jacob, came to this country in the year 1690 and settled in Orange
County, in this State. All the Cuddebacks in this section were descended
from him.
Curtis, Ezra S., studied law with Daniel Kellogg.
Curtis, James, carpenter and joiner, lived on John Clark place.
Daggett, James, teamster between Albany and Skaneateles, lived in the Gulf,
near Guppy's.
Davis, Solomon, farmer, west side of lake, on Asa Foote's farm.
Dayley, James, farmer, moved to Ohio, and went into the counterfeit business
there.
Dayley, John, farmer, turned Mormon and left town.
Dayley, Moses, farmer, turned Mormon and left for Ohio.
Denio, Cotton, sold to Samuel Francis his place in 1813.
Dennison, Daniel, farmer, on west side of the lake.
Dibble, Philo, harness-maker, came here in 1812 ; shop on Dr. Campbell's place.
DifSns, Samuel, farmer, an Irishman, lived on the Chauncey Thorne farm.
Dodge, x\braham, farmer, had the best farm in Marcellus.
Dorhance, John, farmer, on Captain Taylor's farm.
Douglass, William B., built the Milford House; was a patent right pedler.
Dwinnell, Stephen, farmer, Sennett.
Earll, Cotton & Lewis, millers, owned the mill here.
Earll, Abijah, farmer, Colonel Daniel's father and on same farm.
Earll, Watson, farmer, grandfather of Delescus.
Earll, William, Thorn Hill, father of Shepperd.
Eaton, Mancasseh, merchant, Clintonville, and afterward kept tavern at Elbridge.
Edwards, Abner, farmer. East Lake Road, in the old house next this side of the
old Ellery place.
Edwards, Alanson, Jr., school teacher; once County Clerk.
Eells, Horace, son of Nathaniel, cooper on the Pardee place ; his father Nathaniel
built the Fibbens tavern about the year 1812.
Enos, Joseph, farmer, east side of the lake.
Foote, Ebenezer, farmer, brother of Timothy, moved to Ohio ; lived on Giles place.
Foote, Timothy, farmer. Perry's father.
.Frink, . Francis, attended grist-mill here; was Nelson's father; colored man,
rather black than otherwise.
Frost, Joseph, farmer, uncle to Russel.
Gibson, John, carpenter and joiner, resided on the Loney place.
Glynn, Charles, well-digger, west side of the lake.
Green, Samuel, tailor, shop on the lake where Charles Hall's yellow shop is now.
Greenman, Edward, farmer, cross-road from Mandana to Owasco.
Hall, Barnabas, farmer, on Sim Cuddeback place; was here before 1805.
Hall, Eli, son of Barnabas.
Hall, Gershom, farmer, on Brainerd place.
6o HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
Hall, Laomi, son of Gershom.
Hallibert, Eleazer, blacksmith, Borodino.
Harmon, John E., laborer here.
Harvey, Medad, farmer, Spafiford.
Harwood, Henry, shoemaker, worked for Colonel Hecox.
Haynes, Stephen, farmer, on Bill Coon place.
Hecox, Augustus, tin-shop, brother to Ambrose.
Hecox, Samuel, brother to Warren, merchant; firm of Ludlow & Hecox in 1812.
store about where Mrs. Wheeler's is now.
Hecox, Warren, tanner and shoemaker.
Hempstead, John, farmer, Clintonville, on August Reed farm.
Hilliard, William, was employed in the grist-mill here.
Holt, Nicholas, worked in wheel-head factory at Mottville.
Hunt, John, farmer. Baptist deacon.
Hurd, Thaddeus L., farmer, on Lorenzo Sweet farm.
Kelsey, Nathan, here in 1798; brickmaker, stamped his name on every brick he
made.
Kneeland, Horace, son of Asa.
Kneeland, Warren, almanac pedler.
Lake, Salmon, bed-quilt weaver in the Mrs. Warner house here.
Lane, Ezra, school teacher here in 1807.
Leonard, Norman, merchant, 1810.
Lesley, Frederick, distiller here before 1820, afterward went to Indiana and died
there.
Levins, Noah, farmer and tavern-keeper in the old Dascomb tavern.
Livingston, John W., U. S. Marshal of Northern New York in 1822 ; owned the
Brainerd place.
Ludlow & Hecox, merchants here, 1812 ; Cyrus Smith was their clerk.
Mason, Eddy, farmer, Sennett, and Baptist preacher.
Mason, Levi, Justice of the Peace in this town.
McKay, Simon, hatter, carpenter, and joiner.
Mills, Isaac, farmer, settled on Lot No. 61, Marcellus, in May, 1803 ; came from
Stillwater, Saratoga County, when twenty- four years old; was married,
and brought one child (a daughter) with him; Timothy Mills, his son,
now lives on same farm.
Mudge, Joel, worked in the factory.
Newton, Aden, potash-boiler for Norman Leonard.
Newton, Jeduthan, was a distiller when he first came from Vermont in 1814, and
had a potashery.
Northam, Alfred, lawyer here, in company with James Porter or F. G. Jewett,
and was Justice of the Peace for some years.
Northam, James, clerk for Norman Leonard.
Parsons, Spencer, cabinet-maker.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 6i
Peck, Liva, came here in 1807, first lived on the Will Willetts farm, and afterward
owned the John H. Smith place.
Pomeroy, Lovisa, milliner here.
Pratt, William, physician here from 1807.
Putnam, Per ley, harness-maker and saddler, owned the Baber farm.
Rhoades, Samuel, Jr., Lewis Rhoades' father.
Rice, Christian, farmer, lived where John Eggleston now lives.
Riker, George, stage-driver for Sherwood.
Roberts & Briggs, Sylvester and Harry, blacksmiths.
Root, Josiah, farmer. Deacon Root, near Joab Clift's.
Rust, Jehiel, fanner, on Amos Pardee's farm.
Sabin, Miles, lived at Mottville.
Selover, Isaac A., carpenter and joiner, built the old meeting-house for Elnathan
Andrews, who was the contractor.
Seymour, David, farmer and brickmaker, lived and had his kiln on the E. Reuel
Smith place.
Shaver, Adam H., farmer, Dutch Hollow.
Sherman & Gibson, carpenters.
Sherwood, Isaac, born in Williamstown, Mass., October 12, 1769, and died April
24, 1840, at the age of seventy years.
Skaneateles Manufacturing Co. — 'William Gibbs, Samuel Rhoades, and others,.
made woolen cloth at Willow Glen.
Skeels, Simeon, farmer, east side of the lake.
Slater, Ransom, butcher here in 181 7.
Smith, Eleazer, Jr., farmer, on the Mart De Witt farm.
Smith, Ephraim, farmer, on the Joseph Tallcott farm.
Smith, Stephen, bartender for Sherwood.
Sprague, John S., shoemaker, 1817.
Stevens, Ezra, shoemaker, inventor of the process of pegging shoes and boots,
was always known as Peg Stevens.
Ten Eyck, John, postmaster here, also Justice of the Peace ; his store was on the
present site of the Episcopal church.
Thomas, Reuben, farmer, west side of the lake.
Thompson, Andrew, son of John Thompson.
Tolles, Chester, farmer, lived on the Thomas Bradford farm ; was drowned in the
lake, knocked overboard by the boom.
Van Etten, Jacob W., farmer, on the Dor Austin farm.
Waller, Daniel, farmer, on George Clark farm.
Warner, Ebenezer, farmer. Vine Warner's father.
Watson, Daniel, tanner and shoemaker.
Watson, Isaac, brother of Daniel.
Weston, Jonathan, Columbus' father.
Wightman, Arunnah, farmer, on the Jacob Allen place.
62 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
Wilder, Warren, carpenter and joiner at Mottville; choked to death while eating
dinner.
Wilkinson, Shubael, cousin to Alfred.
Wood, William S., goldsmith and watchmaker, owned the Dr. Campbell place.
Ministerial Items.— The following ministerial items are from the mem-
oranda of the sexton of the old Congregational meeting-house in this village :
Rev. David Higgins, Congregational missionary from Connecticut, preached
a sermoh in the afternoon of June 3, 1801, from Romans v. 5. The minister stood
to show the ground and nature and effects of the hope from the following text,
" And hope maketh not ashamed."
Rev. Mr. Livingston, evening discourse, August 10, 1810.
Rev. Mr. Walker preached from Romans iv. 24, July 29, 1809.
Rev. Mr. Colton preached from St. John vii. 27, August 6, 1809.
Old Receipt. — The following receipt from an old Skaneateles manuscript is
given verbatim :
" The Manor of Dressing Deer Skins. — To soak the skins about three days if
dry, after hair is taken off they must be dryd. Then make a liquor of brains or oil,
the skins must be put in about milk warm, after thurily soak they must be wrung
out streach and puld till dry."
Daniel Briggs. — Daniel Briggs was the only permanent resident of the
town who purchased a military lot from a soldier of the Revolutionary War.
The lot was No. 60, and the soldier's name was Henry Lake.
John S. Furman and Alexander Bebee. — John S. Furman and Alexander
Bebee came here from New York together in 1806. Afterward Bebee returned
to New York, married a Miss Roorback, and brought her here to live.
Aaron Austin. — Aaron Austin came here from Vermont as early as 1796,
and afterward established on the outlet, near the site of the present State clam,
the first cloth dressing and fulling mill in the county, continuing it until his
death in 1836. His old family residence, built about 1810, is now the home of
Franklin Austin. In an old deed, recorded in the County Clerk's office, he was
designated as a " clothier." He probably sold cloth to the early settlers.
Dorastus Lawrence. — Dorastus Lawrence, who was the son of Col. Bigelow
Lawrence, of Marcellus, was a settler in 1801, coming here from Vermont. He
was one of the pioneers in this section of country and was more or less identified
with the early history and business of Onondaga County. During the War of
1812 he was captain of the militia company which comprised the able-bodied
male inhabitants of the territory of Skaneateles and Marcellus, and marched with
it to repel the British at Oswego. He served in the Assembly in 1830, and was
Sheriff of Onondaga County in 1834. His death occurred February 11, 1862, in
the seventy-sixth year of his age.
William Clift. — William Clift came from Vermont in March, 1795, when
there was not a house where Skaneateles village is now, and but one at Harden-
burgh's Corners, now Auburn. He settled with his father on the same farm
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 63
which he occupied at the time of his death, having Hved more than sixty-seven
years on the same premises, CUft's Corners. He died in Sennett, October 18, 1862,
aged eighty-four years.
Elijah Parsons. — EHjah Parsons came to this place from Northampton,
Mass., in 1805. He died October 25, 1862, aged eighty-three years.
The Town of Skaneateles.
The earliest actual settlement was in the spring of 1794. The attraction to
this part of the State was the low rate at which the Military Bounty land could be
purchased. The pioneers who first came to this section of the State were prin-
cipally from the New England States, and only a few from the eastern section of
this State.
The Early Pioneers. — ^Who among our farming population can comprehend
the resolution, hardships, and trials experienced by the early settlers, in leaving
their old homes and attachments of relatives and friends in New England States
and in the eastern part of this State? Starting out with their rude sleds during
the winter season, and with two-wheeled carts at other seasons of the year,
loaded with household furniture of all descriptions, wives and children, with food
both for themselves and for their cattle and stock, they made long and tedious
journeys of from two hundred to three hundred miles through an almost unset-
tled country in search of new homes in a wilderness. How could they find shelter
for their families during the inclement seasons of the year? There were then
no bridges, no roads, and, after passing the Hudson River, absolutely nothing
but a simple path through the dense forest to guide them to their destination.
The pioneer had to meet the difficulty of making a fire to cook his food, with
no handy kindlings to start a blaze. His tinder-box, too, must be dry. In fact,
he must encounter all kinds of hardships. He must walk the whole journey,
driving his oxen, and have his family ride. How could he supply his draft
animals with food and give them rest? How could he provide his family with
food, and particularly bread, if he did not anticipate this deprivation by laying
in a stock of hard biscuit, or what is called navy bread, such as sailors at sea
are fed upon?
" Through the deep wilderness, where scarce the sun
Can cast his darts, along the winding path
The pioneer is treading. In his grasp
Is his keen ax, that wondrous instrument,
That, like the talisman, transforms
Deserts to fields and cities. He has left
His home in which his early j'ears have passed,
And led by hope, and full of restless strength,
Has plunged within the forest, there to plant
His destiny. Beside some rapid stream
64 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
He rears his log-built cabin. When the chains
Of winter fetter nature, and no sound
Disturbs the echoes of the dreary woods,
Save when some stem cracks sharply with the frost,
Then merrily rings his ax, and tree on tree
Crashes to earth; and when the long, keen night
Mantles the wilderness in solemn gloom,
He sits beside the ruddy hearth, and hears
The fierce wolf snarling at the cabin door,
Or through the lowly casement sees his eye
Gleam like a burning coal."
— Alfred B. Sweet.
Now let us follow the early settler to his home in the wilderness, and when
he erects his log house. The opening he has made in the forest at first was-
only such as was necessary to sttpply the logs for the construction of his house
and to let his cattle browse. He has come a long journey with an ox-team, a horse,
a couple of pigs, and a few sheep. These, with a few articles of furniture,
including two or three chairs, a pot, and a kettle, seed potatoes and other seeds,
required in forming a new home, also a few indispensable articles of house-
keeping, of course not excepting a tinder-box, all necessary conveniences, con-
stitute his outfit and the bulk of his worldly wealth. He has no money and had
none to bring. He constructs the roof of his house of peeled elm-bark. His
scanty window is oiled or greased paper, for glass is a luxury which has not yet
found its way into the wilderness. The floor of his house is at first the naked
ground covered with forest leaves ; then with his ax he splits straight-grained
logs, and lays them on the ground for an improved floor for his log house. No
boards are to be had, as there are no sawmills within at least a hundred miles.
There are yet no roads and no bridges across the streams, which at all seasons
of the year are filled with rushing waters. Miles and miles away, through the
dense forest and underbrush, is his nearest neighbor. Such is the spot which
the pioneer has chosen in which to carve out his future home and fortune.
Against what fearful odds is he battling! The trees which cover his grounds
with the growth of centuries are to be attacked and cleared away, and his land
to be paid for by his industry and economy. The task is surely a Herculean one,
but he has a stout heart and a strong arm.
A year or two pass away, and we see the improvements which he has made.
Our pioneer has chopped down the trees and cleared a few acres. He has made
a rail fence near his house to inclose a garden. Here he has raised some
vegetables during the season, which have supplied the first delicacies for his
household table. A crop of corn, pumpkins, and potatoes has been raised among
the charred and blackened logs. The crop of corn is, owing to imperfect growth
and cultivation, very small. There are no grist-mills or other facilities for
grinding, therefore he has extemporized a contrivance for converting his corn
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 65
into coarse meal. A mortar has been burned out of a hardwood stump, and the
hollow in the center worn down with sandstone. A pestle of hardwood has been
suspended to a sapling over the mortar, and with this rude appliance is pounded
the corn to supply the needs of his family, except on extraordinary occasions
when wheaten bread from his limited growth of wheat is desired as a luxury,
in which case the wheat is pounded in his mortar, and is real " whole wheat " and
very coarse.
But look again at our pioneer. Ten years are supposed to have passed away.
His premises, formerly so rude, have begun to have the appearance of careful
management, thrift, and even comfort. Here is the statement of an early settler
(Col. Warren Hecox), within five years after the first settler located in the
town of Skaneateles :
" In 1799 there was an uncommon scarcity of grain, and he had to send to
Scipio, twfenty miles, to pay two dollars and fifty cents for one bushel of wheat.
He could only raise money enough to purchase a single bushel at a time. He
hired a horse at fifty cents a day, and sent a boy eighteen miles to Montville, in
Sempronius, to get his bushel ground, which took two days, the mills at Harden-
burgh's Corners, now Auburn, and at Camillus having stopped running on account
of the great drought of that season. Many of his neighbors were in a worse
predicament, for they could get neither money nor wheat."
Various crops are growing on his acres of cleared land. A payment has
been made on the property. He has had a neat framed barn built, a well sunk,
provided with curb and sweep, and a garden inclosed with a picket fence. A
look into his fields shows a large increase of his stock. The improvements of
his neighbors have reached his, so that he can now look out, without looking
up. A school district has been organized, and a comfortable log school-
house appears in the distance. A substantial framed bridge spans the
stream in place of the primitive one built of logs. Our pioneer, we may now
venture to assume, is either Colonel or Captain of militia. Supervisor of the
town, or Justice of the Peace.
Take another view of him. Forty-five years are supposed to have elapsed
since we saw him commencing his wilderness home. Not only is his home, but'
the houses of his neighbors around him are in a well-cultivated and rich section
of farming country. His lands are free from debt. He is a forehanded and
independent farmer, having founded and worked out his own fortune by long
years of patient and persevering industry.
Such has been the pioneer life and progress in Onondaga County. Who is
there at the present day who would undertake such a journey as has been de-
scribed by our pioneer, when he left his old home with his family for a journey
through the dense forest of from two hundred to three hundred miles to a new
home in the wilderness? Who would undertake such a journey for any con-
sideration, even if it were possible? The whole face of the country has changed
since then. The forest has been almost entirely cleared, railroads have been
66 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
built, rivers bridged, telegraphic communication established under and above the
ocean and all over the continents of the earth, and all the wonderful inventions
of the present day invented by the American people.
John Legg. — John Legg was born in Belchertown, Mass., in March, 1773,
came to Skaneateles in 1804, and started a blacksmith's shop on the north side
of the road. Belchertown, his native place, has always been noted for its ex-
tensive manufacture of carriages, sleighs, and wagons, and Mr. Legg had
previously worked at that business before he came here.
He was one of the pioneers of this section of Onondaga County. The town
was sparsely settled when he came here in 1804, and it was men of his enter-
prising character that gave stimulus not only to the town, but to the village.
He was quite a young man when he came to Skaneateles, but by steady business
habits and an energy which knew no bounds he finally built up an extensive
carriage manufacturing estabHshment, second to none in the State of New York.
He was energetic and industrious, with frugal habits and an upright, honest
heart. Possessing all these traits, his success was assured, and the result was
the accumulation of a competence much beyond the ordinary achievement of
those days. And while he labored for individual success, he also had a mind
and heart filled with generous impulses, which were manifested in deeds of
benevolence. John Legg died in Skaneateles, December 19, 1857, aged eighty-
four.
History of the Shepard Family. — The following manuscript was found in
a book belonging to the Skaneateles Library, which book was formerly used by a
canvassing agent in soliciting subscribers for " The History of Onondaga
County " :
" In the year 1794, John Shepard and Zalmon Terrell, brother-in-law of John
Shepard, came from the town of Newton, Fairfield County, Conn., and settled
in what is now known as ' The Shepard Settlement.' Terrell bought one hundred
acres from Gould Steel, on Military Lot No. 5. They put up a house, as they
called it then, of logs, and split basswood for the floor, and shingled it with
' shucks,' as they called them, that is, oak rived out like staves three feet long,
and laid on ribs. They had a blanket for a window, and the door was so con-
structed as to enable them to draw in backlogs with a horse. They cleared
ofl" a few acres and planted it to corn. When they were hoeing, Nathan Kelsey
came down and said to them, ' It seems to me that you are digging your potatoes
pretty early,' he having mistaken the round gravel-stones for potatoes, with
which the ground was filled.
" The next winter Terrell went East, and brought back his wife and family.
In 1796 John Shepard bought one hundred acres on Lot No. 12, and married the
same year. He went out across Cayuga Lake with an ox-team. and sled after
wheat, and on his return, when coming across the same lake, his team broke
through the ice and his wheat got wet. He came as far as Hardenburgh's
Corners. There was at that time a mill at Clarksville. He left his grist at this
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 67
mill, and the miller agreed to dry the wheat ; but, when .Shepard went after it,
the miller had not done anything with it, in consequence of .which his family
had to live on musty bread that year. He had built a house on his land, and one
morning, just before daybreak, he heard his hog squeal out, in the woods. He
ran to the door, and the hog was bvit a little way oflE. Instead of taking his gun,
he caught up a pitchfork that was standing close by, and ran toward the hog, when
he found an old bear with the hog, gnawing the hog on the shoulder. He threw
the fork at the bear. Whether it hit him or not he did not stay to see, for the
bear left the hog and took after him. He ran and climbed up a small tree, and
then began to halloo. Terrell soon heard him, and ran out to the place, but there
was not any bear to be seen ; but they got up the story that, when Terrell got there,
instead of being up a tree, Shepard sat on the ground, clasping the tree for fear he
would fall.
" His first child was born July 4, 1798, who has since been known as ' Major
Shepard.' The Gazetteer states that Stephen Zoles was the first child born, but
Major was more than a year older than Stephen. Three other brothers and
a sister came, and they all had large families. There is none left now but Edward
Shepard and his family."
Recollections of Mrs. C. J. Burnett, Sr. — The first religious services
held in the village were in the spring of 1803, in a large room on the second floor
of the old tavern, then known as Welch's Tavern, next east of Winston Day's
house. The stairs were of rough boards, and the seats were rough boards laid
in the form of benches. Baptist and Methodist missionaries held the services,
and the people generally, without regard to sect, attended the services.
The first Episcopal missionary who came through this part of the State was
named Chase, who afterward became Bishop. It is not known that he held
any services here in the village. Rev. Davenport Phelps came here later, and
held a service in the upper hall of W. J. Vredenburg's house, on which occasion
he administered communion there. Seats were arranged in the upper hall for
the people, and all the people in the neighborhood attended. Mr. and Mrs.
C. J. Burnett received their first communion at this service. This missionary
while here baptized Charles J. Burnett, Jr. Jonathan Booth and family, John S.
Furman, Alexander Bebee, and William J. Vredenburg and family were the
only church families located here. The communion services were first held in
1809. Benjamin Onderdonk, who was afterward Bishop of New York, came
here next, and held services in a building used as a store, one-half of which was
fitted for lay reading. The other half was not only a store, but a post-office. It
was painted yellow outside. Afterward this same building was moved to an-
other part of the village,iand fitted for a store. A man by the name of Lovejoy
kept store in it for a few months, then he went West.
Mr. Vredenburg, Mr. C. J. Burnett, and Mr. John S. Furman read service
in the yellow building mentioned above, in the absence of missionaries.
John Bristol. — John Bristol, one of our first pioneers; came to this town in
68 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
1795 from Connecticut. He cleared and fenced five acres of land the first summer
entirely alone. He bought his land at twenty shillings per acre. The next year
he removed his family, on a sled with two yoke of oxen, from Galway, Saratoga
County, N. Y., where he had left them before coming into the forest. He was
ten days coming from Galway, one hundred and forty-six miles. He had erected
a rude cottage beforehand. When he arrived with his family, he had but fifty
cents in cash. Wheat was worth three dollars and a half a bushel, corn one
dollar and a half, and common calico seventy-five cents a yard. But industry
and frugality soon increased his domestic store. The wants of his family were
not only supplied, but an abundance was raised to spare to the needy settlers as
they arrived, and plenty crowned their board. He lived a few years thereafter
to enjoy the fruits of his labor and toil.
Early Settlers in Skaneateles.
Abner Bates. — Abner Bates married Electa Edv/ards, August 2, 1837. She
died November 14, 1863, aged sixty-four years. He died in Syracuse November
24, 1890, aged eighty-three years and ten months.
Simeon Edwards. — Simeon Edwards and family removed from Northampton,
Mass., to Skaneateles in 1809, returned to Northampton, and about 1816 re-
moved again to Skaneateles. The following is a copy of the letter recommending
his wife, Lydia Edwards, and their daughter, Clarissa, to the church in
Skaneateles :
Northampton, June 30, 1817.
Rev. & beloved.
This certifies that the wife & Clarissa the daughter of Mr. Simeon Edwards are members
of this church & of A fair character & in good standing, and at their desire & by a vote of this
church, having removed from us, are recommended to the enjoyment of all christian ordi-
nances with you — you will receive & treat them as Christians. Wishing ye mercy & grace
and peace may be multiplied to you abundantly.
I am yours in the faith of the gospel.
Solomon Williams, Pastor of ye Chh.
Solomon Williams. — Solomon Williams always wore knee-breeches, silver-
buckled shoes, and wide-brimmed hat. He was not a showy man, but talented
and good.
Samuel Briggs. — Samuel Briggs, who was one of the earliest settlers of this
town, came here about the year 1800. He was a farmer, and lived west of the
factory on the old road. He died of inflammation of the lungs, April 19, 1867.
CoL. Samuel Bellamy. — Samuel Bellamy came from New Haven, Conn.,
to this town, and subsequently purchased the land recorded and described as
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 69
follows : " Ebenezer R. Hawley to Samuel Bellamy, of New Haven, Conn., June
2^, 1806, one hundred and fifty acres in Military Lot No. 44, beginning at
northwest corner of Solomon Edwards' farm, on east bank of Skaneateles Lake ;
consideration, $1,650." In the year 1809 he was one of the trustees of The
Skaneateles Religious Society. He then owned the farm that was afterward
owned by Captain Benjamin Lee, and since owned by Captain Nash De Cost,
George F. Shotwell, and Fred Shotwell.
Daniel McKay. — Daniel McKay was at one time a resident of this town,
but afterward went to River Falls, Wis., where he died, December 27, 1865,
aged eighty-seven years.
Business in 1834. — The following were doing business in the village in 1834,
according to the Skaneateles Columbian, October 9, 1834:
Augustus Kellogg was attorney at law.
James Gurdon Porter kept a general store.
Porter & Pardee also kept a general store. They advertised cooperage stock
as being " made without the contaminating colored hand." This referred
to a negro cooper employed at that time by Thaddeus Edwards.
Hannum & Darby (John L. Darby) were running the furnace.
Gibbs & Burnett (William and C. J. B., Jr.), general store.
Richard Talcott, general store.
Lewis H. Sandford, attorney at law.
Phares Gould, general store.
Milton A. Kinney, editor and bookstore.
Truman Downer, Benjamin Nye, and John H. Earll' had the Mottville
furnace. They were then building the brewery, and advertised to sell
barley.
Early- Business Firms.
David Joline, carriage-trimmer, worked for Seth & James Hall. Also adver-
tised a house and lot for sale in the village, in 1836.
William M. Beauchamp had a bookstore and circulating library, and bound
books to order.
John Snook, chemist and apothecary.
R. J. Baker and J. R. Becker, tailors.
John S. Furman was Secretary of the Skaneateles Academy.
N. Hawley & Co., general store.
B. S. Wolcott & Co., general store.
Porter & Wolcott had a general store in 1828.
B. C. M. Tucker, cabinet-shop, Hecox Block, 1841.
Van Dyke & Davey, wagon-makers, November 14, 1841, and 1842.
The First Cuddeback. — The first-known settler in the United States by the
name of Cuddeback emigrated to Peenpack, Minisink, Orange County, N. Y.,
where he settled in 1690.
70 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
CHAPTER VI.
Interesting Sayings and- Doings of Olden Times.
Mr. Samuel Edwards, a former resident, relates in the following letter some
interesting sayings and doings of olden times:
Mendota, III., March lo, 1885.
The notes of old times published in the Democrat [these notes of old times
refer to those published by E. N. Leslie, about twenty years ago, in the Democrat]
are read by myself, and probably other old-time residents, with much interest.
Some of the characters of fifty years ago have not, to my knowledge, been de-
lineated in your columns, and from their eccentricities they made at that time
indelible impressions on my memory.
Dr. Flink, a native of Guinea, formerly a slave in the Clinton or De Witt
family near Albany, was often seen on the streets, with his saddle-bags over
his arm, cane in hand, bearing his supposed nearly a hundred years,- and pro-
fessional wisdom, with dignity. At the time of De Witt Clinton's election as
Governor, the Doctor was eloquent in the street discussions of the day, taking
an active part with those opposed to Mr. Clintonj and adding as a clincher to his
arguments, " De Witt Clinton is a — • — mean man. I say it, do' I be his uncle."
The Cuddeback fainily had the credit,' no, doubt deservedly, of contributing
liberally to his comfortable support in his old age. Meeting one of them in a
crowd, the Doctor pressed a claim for professional services rendered a sick
animal : " De botecaries cost de money. Dr. Borters, nor I, nor no odder, doctor
can't get the botecaries widout de money. And, relation or no relation, de
money must come."
Nate Bennett, a feeble-minded . fellow from South Marcellus, often came to
the lake to fish, and by his odd speeches made much sport for the boys. From
" early morn to dewy eve " he would stand in the water waist-deep, in April or
May, waves at the time dashing in his face, patiently holding his rod, generally
with fair success, but sometimes catching nothing.! .His. fish were certainly
dear, and so highly prized by him that no money could buy them. Josh Wilkinson
had a peculiar faculty of drawing him out in. conversation. His failure to
meet Joab, as he passed the Wilkinson farm on' his way to or from the lake, he
always regretted. At one time, in passing, he came into the field where the
rest of the men were planting corn : " Aye, me boy ; what kind of corn do you
plant? Eight-rowed corn ot> wheFe's. Joab? " On one occasion the Bennett
fa'mily had a. quilting, to which some ladies who recently came into the neighbor-
hcsbd. were invited, The work was being done in an upper room, Nate being
left below with the injunction to say nothing on the arrival of the strangers.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. n
and his mental state would not be discovered. After repeated knockings at
the door, with no response from within, it was opened. No reply could be
drawn from Nate to any of their questions. Finally, one of the ladies re-
marked: "What's the matter with the boy? Is he a fool?" "There, gals!
They've found out I am a fool, and I didn't say a single word."
Sol Foster was another resident who made much amusement for the boys
on training-days by his impersonations of the spinning-girl, mimicking soldiers,
or breaking a tenpenny nail in two while held in his powerful jaws, which were
filled with a fine set of double teeth all around.
One of the freaks of Sol Foster occurred in connection with the old bark
Hamstead schoolhouse, which stood on the top of the " Gulf Hill," a little east
of the main road which led to Marcellus. It was located in the midst of the
dense forest, on a clearing" just sufiEcient to build it, and was situated just about
two and a half miles southwest of the village of Marcellus. Of course it was a
frame building. Even at this period, 1833, the building was a rough one, having
been constructed of rough materials. The school trustees could not agree as
to its improvement. Some of them wanted to have a new one built, while others
wanted to move it to a more desirable and convenient location farther east,
and some of the trustees disagreed to both plans. Sol Foster was one of the
latter, as a matter of course. Sol didn't believe in such a wrangling set of
trustees, which led him to have a spite not only against them, but the schoolhouse
itself, and one day, as he was passing that way, at a time when school was not
going on, Sol went in. The Lord said, " Rip 'er, Sol." And Sol did rip her
spitefully, by demolishing the whole inside of the schoolhouse. After that the
trustees were obliged to agree to build a new schoolhouse in a more desirable
place nearer the village of Marcellus.
The above " incident of early times was furnished for this history by an
early scholar of this original school, who was at that time but seven years of
age, and it was his earliest schooling in 1833.
Of all the Skaneateles " boys " who left the shores of that beautiful lake
for a home elsewhere, not one parted more regretfully with it, and the dear
friends around, than the writer. In early childhood it was the height of felicity
to stray from the watchful care of my mother, pick up shells and beautiful
pebbles, float or bathe in its placid waters. Navigation was performed on rafts
built of driftwood. When older grown, riding in a canoe or skiff placed me at
the acme of bliss.
In 1833, when working in the Columbian printing-office, I got a task for
three days, and sat up working at night to gain time for a ride on the lake.
When the work was done, Wadsworth Francis' toy of a skiff was hired, but the
south wind was blowing so furiously that no other boy was found foolhardy
enough to share the joys of the excursion. After a brief struggle alone with
the waves, it was given up as a bad job. In 1834, Frank Barker, from Borodino,
who was attending school at the Academy, and myself schooner-rigged a skiff
72 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
for half a day's sail. Our nautical knowledge vvras very limited. He was not
only mate, but crew also. I assumed the duties of captain, whereby I came very
near being responsible for then ending the earthly career of that manly boy.
It was on a cloudy day. The peculiar dark appearance of the water is well
remembered. A " catspaw," or squall, struck us. Our craft, with twice the
amount of sail she ought to have carried, shipped several pailfuls of water,
2iuA it seemed almost miraculous we were not drowned. My companion Frank
Barker was killed by a brother-in-law in Ohio many years afterward.
One Fourth of July, with other boys, we amused ourselves, and vexed the
■officers, passengers, and crew of the steamer Independence, by rowing in our
skiff several times around her while she was being crowded to the utmost. On
the Fourth of July, 1839, E. G. R. M. and S. B. Burnett, with myself, rowed
a skiff to the head of the lake and back, one of the most' enjoyable days of my life.
The first switching of my life, as now remembered, was when some half a
dozen years old, at the beginning of attending school. Aunt Laura Edwards
was the teacher in a red house where afterward Phares Gould built his residence
(the C. H. Poor residence). Ives Parsons and myself, occupying one seat,
persisted in whispering. Ives was called out and patiently endured the cor-
rection administered. It was a new experience which had not been laid down in
my programme of school exercises, and, on being called out, at the first blow,
I commenced to kick so furiously as to bring tears in the eyes of my kind teacher,
who was correcting me for my profit, though at the time it was not as evident
to my mind as it has been since. Though for many years I have been a practical
believer in the principles of peace — as held by me a long time — I should have
saved my retaliation until the time of my last castigation in 1833, when, for
taking a stroll, one lovely Sunday afternoon in summer, on the banks and
bathing in the waters of the lake, I was brutally flogged in the Columbian office.
In my opinion, it is a Christian duty of all who are confined indoors at sedentary
pursuits thus to enjoy every Sunday afternoon in suitable weather, as shown
by the great Teacher over eighteen hundred years ago.
Possibly, I ought to be thankful this episode happened, for it decided me
not to be a caged-up printer. Samuel Edwards.
Harrison B. Dodge. — Harrison Barns Dodge, one of the oldest and best-
known citizens of the town of Skaneateles, died at his home on East Academy
Street, in this village, at about 5 P. M., Tuesday, November 22, 1898, in the
eighty-eighth year of his age. His death came as a shock to many friends.
Though in feeble health, he had been able to get down-town two or three times
a week of late, his last trip being made on the Wednesday previous to his decease.
The closing hours of his life were painless, and he passed peacefully away into
the Great Beyond.
Mr. Dodge was born in West Brookfield, Worcester County, Mass., June
22, 181 1, the son of Lewis and Susanna Barns Dodge, and was of New England
lineage. Early in life orphaned, and with slight educational advantages, he
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 73
was apprenticed to the carriage-plating trade, in which he became a proficient
workman.
After a brief residence in Berkshire County, Mass., and a short sojourn in
Albany, N. Y., he decided to come West, as central New York was called in
those days, making the journey on a canal-packet to Syracuse. He stopped in
that city, but the prospect was so uninviting that, hearing Skaneateles was a
famous carriage-making center, he came on to this village, arriving here in
August, 1831, being then only twenty years of age. He ever after made his
home here, being a resident of this place for more than sixty-seven years. . There
are very few residents of this village now living who were here at the time of
his arrival. From 183 1 to 1849 he followed his trade as silver-plater, doing
work for all the carriage manufacturers of the village during that time.
In April, 1849, Mr. Dodge bought the Skaneateles Democrat (established
in 1840), and in 1853 absorbed the Skaneateles Columbian (established in 1830).
He personally continued the publication of the Democrat for over- forty years,
leasing the same, January i, 1890, to Will T. Hall, who conducted the paper
until his decease. May 31, 1897. Since July i following it has been published
by M. A. Ackles. Mr. Dodge owned the Democrat at the time of his death,
thus forming a connection with that paper of nearly fifty years as editor, publisher,
and proprietor.
Mr. Dodge was originally a Democrat, and published the Democrat on the
lines of that party until after the breaking out of the rebellion, when he assumed
m\ independent position, afterward becoming a Republican, and holding office
under the Lincoln and first Grant administrations as Assistant United States
Internal Revenue Assessor from 1861 to 1869. He became identified with the
Liberal Republican movement in 1872, and in 1874 rejoined his old party, and
for the remainder of his life was a staunch Democrat.
During Mr. Dodge's management of the Democrat, he graduated fully two
score or more printers, many of whom are now editing papers of their own.
The writer of these lines was an apprentice in the Democrat office more than a
quarter of a century ago.
Mr. Dodge had held many town and municipal offices, being street com-
missioner in the 40's and trustee in the 70's. In all of his public positions he did
his work in a thorough and conscientious manner.
In 1834 Mr. Dodge bought a lot on East Academy Street, and built a house
ihereon the same year. The locality was then considered on the outskirts of
the village. He made his home on this spot for sixty-four years.
For the past nine years, since his retirement from active newspaper manage-
ment, Mr. Dodge had taken life easy, enjoying a hale, if not hearty, old age,
exhibiting a lively interest in all topics of a general or local nature. He had a
good memory, far better than most men of his age. He delighted in discussions
of the dates of historical events of national character and of local matters as
■well. He was a frequent and almost daily visitor at some of the business places
74 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
in town and at both newspaper offices, retaining a warm interest in the printing
business to the last.
Mr. Dodge was three times married : first in 1834, to Miss Harriet Hannum :
in 1844, to Miss Catherine Douglass, and in 1859 to Miss Ellen A. Wheaton, of
Pompey, who survives him. Me was the father of six children, three of whom
died in infancy, and three of whom — two sons and a daughter — lived to man-
hood and womanhood; but all are now dead: Rev. Harrison, died in 1877; Miss
Kittle A., died in 1879 '> ^^d Fred A., died in 1886. The latter left three children,
one of whom, Harry A., is a member of Company C, Two Hundred and Third
N. Y. v., now at Greenville, S. C.
The funeral services were held at his late residence at 10.30 o'clock this
forenoon, the ritual of the Episcopal Church being read by Rev. F. N. Westcott,
the remains being interred in the family lot in Lake View Cemetery in this
village. — Skaneateles Free Press.
To Defeat the Skaneateles Water Works Company. — The following
circular was mailed to the newspaper having the largest circulation of every
county in the State of New York. Its purpose was to defeat the passage of the
celebrated Malby bill then pending in the Legislature, which bill was inimical to
the interests of every village in the State.
Bills of this character had previously been introduced in the Legislature,
and great pressure had been brought by the water works companies to have
them passed and enacted into law. The following circular had the desired effect,
after having been extensively copied throughout the State, and the bill was not
passed.
This circular is appropriately copied as incident to the history of the
Skaneateles Water Works Company, and of its promoter, the American Pipe
Manufacturing Company, of New Jersey:
ALL VILLAGES INTERESTED.
A DANGEROUS BILL INTRODUCED IN THE LEGISLATURE.
The following is a copy of the bill. The passage of this measure would seriously affect
every village in the State. This circular is now sent to every County Seat in the State for
the purpose of having the local press publish it in the interest of every municipality within
each county to urge all villages to fight this bill to its death.
There is a large sum of money behind this bill, which in ordinary Legislatures is inimical
to the interests of the people :
State of New York. — No. 565. — In Senate, February 13, 1896.
Introduced by Mr. Malby — read twice, and ordered printed, and when printed to be com-
mitted to the committee on miscellaneous corporations.
An Act to amend an act entitled " The general corporation law," constituting chapter
thirty-five of the general law.
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as
follows:
Section i. Section eleven of chapter six hundred and eighty-seven of the laws of
eighteen hundred and ninety-two, entitled " An act to amend the general corporation law,"
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 75
constituting chapter thirty-five of the general laws, is hereby amended by adding thereto a
subdivision to be known as subdivision six, to be read as follows :
6. Whenever rights, privileges or franchises have been or shall hereafter be granted
to any corporation, or the exercise thereof by such corporation assented to by any municipal
corporation, and the conditions or requirements of such grant have been complied with by
the corporation receiving the same, the municipal corporation within whose limits such
rights, privileges or franchises are exercised, shall not itself undertake or perform any
business or purpose of said corporation without first acquiring, in the manner prescribed
by chapter twenty-three of the code of civil procedure, the rights, privileges and franchises
granted to said corporation, and also the property of said corporation necessary for the use
of said rights, privileges and franchises.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
The following protest, which is to be presented to the legislature, has been left at the
postoffice in this village for the purpose of securing the signatures of all those who favor
municipal ownership and municipal rights : —
To the Honorable, the Legislature of the State of New York:
We the undersigned citizens of the village of Skaneateles respectfully protest against
the passage of a bill introduced by Senator Malby, in the Senate, Feb. 13, 1896. For the
following reasons, to wit :
The scheme of this bill is to compel every municipal corporation in the state, which has
heretofore granted a franchise to a water works company, or indeed any other kind of a
company, or to any person, firm or corporation, before they can exercise the same right or
franchise to acquire the franchise in the given case by proceedings for condemnation.
This bill is extraordinarily sweeping in its provisions, and the object intended to be
effected is made applicable to all municipal corporations alike. It is extraordinarily vicious
in principle, for it delivers every municipal corporation in the state bound hand and foot, to
any person, firm or corporation, to which any franchise has heretofore been granted, however
incautiously or improperly.
This bill has behind it the combined power of the water works companies and all other
companies, firms and corporations, who have heretofore procured a municipal franchise of
any description, not only this but the money influence of the various banks and institutions
that have invested in the bonds of these companies.
This village of Skaneateles is now considering the subject of municipal ownership,
either by the purchase of the plant of the foreign water works company here, or if satisfac-
tory terms can not be effected, to put in an entire new water plant.
The Malby bill if passed, would be decidedly against the interest of this village, and
not only this but many other villages, in the state similarly situated.
Dated Skaneateles, N. Y., February 20, 1896.
E. Norman Leslie, President of the Village.
One Effect of this Circular. — The Syracuse Standard, which received one of
the circulars, published the following leading editorial, February 22, 1896:
" A GOOD BILL TO DEFEAT.
" Senator Malby has a bill in committee at Albany which ought to receive its quietus the
mpment it gets before either branch of- the legislature. It is described in its title as an
amendment to the general corporation law, but its real purpose is to prevent municipal
corporations, either villages or cities, from establishing water works or lighting systems,
without first extinguishing franchises covering the same rights that may be in existence.
This is the text of the bill: [Unnecessary to repeat here.]
" In most of the villages of New York state foreign companies are in possession of
franchises for the furnishing of water. Gas and electric lighting has also been furnished
to scores of. the smaller places by companies working with foreign capital. Senator Malby's
bill liroposes to invest these coiicerns with perpetual possession of their respective fields,
unless by purchase, at presumably their own figures, they are superseded and extinguished.
76 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
Municipal ownership of water works and lighting systems would be fatally retarded were the
Malby bill to become a law.
" Probably the proposition contained in this bill originated with banking institutions
and private individuals who have invested in local bonds. Were the companies to be estab-
lished in essential perpetuity these securities would be much more valuable than they are at
present, but the justice of asking this guarantee of the legislature at the expense of the
municipal corporations will have to be explained when the author of the bill supports it on
the floor. In the meantime the villages of the state had better keep a sharp lookout for this
little joker."
Early Skaneateles Real Estate Values Compared with Syracuse Real
Property Values. — ^James Sackett during the early part of the nineteenth
century was the owner of all the lands in this village south of the Seneca Turn-
pike road and east of the outlet of the lake, on which are now the business
stores of this village. He also owned many acres in the western portion of this
village, including the present Fred. Shear property, on which Sackett had his
residence, succeeding the John Briggs tavern. Sackett afterward removed to
the village of Syracuse, where he invested largely in real estate. Soon after
his assuming his residence there, he had as his family physician Dr. Mather
Williams, who was one of the earliest physicians in Syracuse. Dr. Williams'
services to Mr. Sackett's family ran over a number of years. His bill for
services, which was not very extravagant in those early days, was finally settled
by Dr. Williams receiving from his patient a tract of land out over James Street
hill. It was then not very valuable, nor did it give promise of becoming one
of the home districts of the village. Dr. Williams was a gentleman of the old
school, suave and courteous, who always affected the latest mode of dress, and
was never seen without the ruffled shirt-front and high-stock collar.
That tract of land " over James Street hill,"' as the village grew and when
the village became a city, was and now is a very valuable property. Other
persons purchased land in what is now James Street at about the same period
that James Sackett paid his doctor's bill with a tract of land. Lands in that
location were purchased at the rate of eighteen dollars per acre, and three-
quarters of a century ago lands in the vicinity of where Fayette Park is now
sold for from six dollars to ten dollars and a half an acre. These lands are at
the present time worth from one hundred to three hundred dollars per front foot.
Syracuse at that period was in embryo, and was not thought of, not even as a
village. In the year 1834, the land on which the Durston Memorial building
now stands, in James Street, was owned by Daniel Kellogg, Esq., of Skaneateles,
and two other gentlemen of Syracuse, and it is now a very valuable piece of
property.
■Of course, the salt industry, and especially the construction of the Erie Canal,
were the foundations of the prosperity of Syracuse.
Why has Skaneateles Retrograded? — Within twenty years of the early
settlement of the village, the piece of land on the lake-shore, about half an acre
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 77
in extent, on which the boat-house of the late Julius Earll, Jr., is located, was
sold by John Briggs to John Meeker for one thousand dollars. This is only an
instance of the early value of lake-shore property. The lots on which the brick
stores are now located were originally owned by James Sackett, and, being on
the lake-shore, were probably sold by him at proportionately advanced prices.
That these lots were considered valuable is indicated by the construction of the
heavy stone docks at the rear of the stores at a considerable expense.
The First Steamboat on the Lake. — The following is a copy of a handbill
concerning the Highland Chief, and now in good preservation, in possession of
E. N. Leslie. The Highland Chief was not built here, but was brought from
the Hudson River by Captain Fowler by the way of the canal, and he had it
trucked up to the lake with a large number of oxen. It was forty feet in length.
Captain Fowler did not belong here, but came with his boat, which was a very
uncomfortable craft for pleasure parties, as it was liable to careen and upset.
STEAM BOAT
HIGHLAND CHIEF,
Wm. Fowler, Capt.
Will leave Skaneateles, at 8 o'clock, a. m. for Rossville, (at the head of the lake,)
on Taesday, Thursday and Saturday, of each week, and return same day.
On Mondays, "Wednesdays and Fridays, of each week, it will be in readiness for parties
of pleasure.
IS^Fare to Rossville and back, $0.75.
Skaneateles, 3d August, 1831.
An Old Log Tavern. — The only tavern in the town, in 1795, was located in
what is now the village, and was situated where the present west corner of
Main and State streets is. It was constructed of logs. Some years afterward,
when better accommodations were needed, a frame addition was added on the
west side, which was about sixty feet long, fronting on the turnpike road. It
was two stories in height, and in after years additions were built for the ac-
commodation of travelers' horses. This tavern was first kept by a Captain
Welsh, who was also a militia captain.
In 1820, no less than fifteen stage-coaches passed through the village daily.
These stages carried the United States mail.
Early Business in Skaneateles. — Skaneateles very early became a well-
known mart of trade, not only in this section of the State, but in all parts of
the State west of Albany. Its early merchants were enterprising, kept heavy
stocks of merchandise on hand, and consequently had an extensive trade.
Carriage and sleigh manufacturing in Skaneateles very early assumed an
extensive business, which gave this manufacture a great reputation, not only
throughout central New York west of Albany, but also throughout the Western
States. The zenith of business here of all descriptions was in the year 1830.
The later known artists, Elliott and Thayer, both learned the early rudiments
78 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
of their artistic work here in the village. The carriage and sleigh manufacturers
employed them in painting fancy designs on the high backs of expensive sleighs.
Another Conveyance to Freeborn G. Jewett. — Winston Day and
Thankful, his wife, to Freeborn G. Jewett:
" Part of Lot No. 36, February 20, 1822. Bounded and described as follows :
Beginning at the southeast corner of Skaneateles village lot number one, laid
out at the north end of the Skaneateles Lake, said lots containing about one
acre each, thence easterly along the north line of the old road leading east and
west through the village of Skaneateles, and on the south line of lot number
two one hundred feet to the southwest corner of village lot number three."
Village Lot No. i was where the brick buildings are now west of Judge
Marvin's residence. Village Lot No. 2 comprised the Marvin lot. Village Lot
No. 3 was the next village lot east of Judge Marvin's, on which the savings-
bank is now located. Further description of this land is given, but not necessary
to repeat here. The number of acres is not given in the deed, but the con-
sideration was $2,500. According to the description given in the deed there
must have been a considerable number of acres in this purchase.
Condensed Fragments of History. — Ebenezer Edwards traded here from
1801 to 1808. — iHenry Mead and Factory Company traded here from 1826 to
1831. — Isaac Selover, from 1801 to 1813. — Levi Stephens, 1815. — Sylvester Eells,
1812. — Benjamin Leonard, 1812. — Aaron Taylor, 1800 to 1809. — Moses Legg,
1796 to 1801. — Mr. Keth, 1807. — Weeks & Bristol (Esquire Weeks and A. P.
Bristol) dealt in ashes in 1802-4. — Eli Clark in his account-book wrote: "April
29, 1816, Mr. Enock and family moved into my log house. November 4, 1815,
Mr. Levi Swan came to my old house to live." — Walter Root, 181 1. — Asahel
Cook, 1804. — Joseph Davis, 181 1. — ^William Chft, 1807. — Deacon Joseph Root,
1805. — John Brewer, 1812. — Ezra Stephens, 1812. — Eleazer Goodwin, 1810. —
William White, 1816. — William B. Douglass, 1815. — Asa Kneeland, 1812. —
Hecox & Tinkham were manufacturing boots and shoes here in 1828. — Porter
& Wolcott and Burnett & Rhoades were doing business here in 1828. — Mason
& Earll were dealers in lumber in 1827. — R. C. & O. Hulbut were dealers in
lumber in 1823. — Ingham, Booth & Champlin here in 1812. — .Esquire Northam
a Justice of the Peace here in 1814. — Benjamin Gumaer came here from Minisink,
Orange County, in 1799. — John Legg's first blacksmith-shop was on the lake-
shore, just south of where the Waller boat-house is now, when he first came here
in 1804. He afterward sold out his shop to Sabins, a blacksmith.
The Pettis House. — A family by the name of Pettis lived in a story-and-a-
half house next east of the Charles J. Burnett dwelling, opposite the present
St. James' Church, previously to the year 1804. John Legg occupied this house
subsequently. After Legg, Henry Arnold, who was an own brother of Benedict
Arnold, the traitor, of Revolutionary notoriety, came here from Canada, and
lived in it. Henry Arnold afterward married a sister of John Ten Eyck's wife.
Freeborn G. Jewett later resided in this house for a short time.
HISTORY OF. SKANEATELES. 79
CHAPTER VII.
Miscellaneous Fragments of Early History.
Caleb N. Potter was born at Pownal, Vt., and came to Skaneateles Village in
1815, where he was engaged for several years in mechanical pursuits. In 1823
he settled in Clintonville, where he continued to reside until his death, July 25,
1865, aged seventy-five years.-
Deacon David Hall died June 4, 1865, aged seventy-nine years.
Elder Amasa Smith died at Elmira, January 20, 1865.
Correl Humphrey died October 17, 1885.
Peter Thompson and John Billings, both carpenters,, constructed many of the
prominent and best dwelling-houses in the village and surrounding country during
their time, one of which was the dwelling of James A. Root's present residence.
This house was built for Nicholas Thome, who owned the property. Another
was the dwelling now owned by Emerson Adams. It has been very difficult to
obtain the names of early building mechanics of this village. Both of these
carpenters were employed by Ambrose Hecox in building his house, barns, and
other outbuildings.
Peter Thompson lived at an early day on a farm a few miles north of the
village.
Moses Loss, another carpenter, came to Skaneateles in 1795.
William Gibbs, an early merchant, in the year 18 12 had a fulling-mill and
carding-mill on the location now occupied by the Policy repair-shop, and owned
by Miss Beauchamp.
Cotton & Lewis, in 1812, were millers in a frame mill which was located on
the present site of the stone mill.
Jessee Kellogg (Dorastus Kellogg's father) in 1803 built the tavern on the
Obadiah Thorne place. He afterward sold it to David How (Amaziah How's
brother) four or five years afterward. Jessee Kellogg also built the dwelling-
house under the large elm-tree, near the corner of Academy and Jordan streets.
The dwelling-house on Main Street now owned by Miss Wheeler was formerly
owned and occupied by the late John Snook. Previously this lot belonged to
Phares Gould, on which was his brick store and dwelling-house, in the year 1816.
Daniel Talcott conducted the village furnace in 1826, at which time he lived
in the small one-story house next south of Hoag & Son's lumber yard, on Jordan
Street. At about that date he owned the Elias Thorne farm on the West Lake
Road, and built the two-story brick dwelling-house now known as the Captain
Mollard residence, formerly the Elias Thorne residence.
So HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
Jonathan Weston was the first settler in the village. He built a log house on
the site of the C. H. Poor residence.
Josiah Weston, the son of Jonathan, built a log house on the present site of
Mrs. John Kellogg's wood house.
Sylvester Roberts, an early blacksmith, lived in the Josiah Weston log house
in the year 1803.
Moses Loss, an early carpenter, who had been married a short time, lived in a
log house immediately in front of Sylvester's log house. Both families were very
intimate.
S. C. Wheaden & Co. were doing business in the village in 1826.
Captain Elijah Rust was here in 1826.
There was a blacksmith named Stringham here in 1826.
The Miss Higby who taught school under the Episcopal church was related to
Nehemiah Smith's wife.
James Turnure was the miller who had the frame grist-mill in 1828, when it
was destroyed by fire. Lewis, Cotton & Co. purchased the site, and erected a new
frame mill afterward. Earll, Kellogg & Co. had the grist-mill in 1837.
Ezra & Benjamin were in business here in 1812. Also Ingham & Hecox.
Samuel Francis purchased his place on the shore of the lake from Cotton
Denio.
August 29, 1803, Jedediah Sanger sold to John Briggs fifty-seven acres, being
part of Lot No. 36 ; consideration, $300. This land included the present cemetery
and old burial-ground.
March 5, 1805, John Briggs, and Roxy, his wife, sold to Winston Day part of
Lot No. 36, beginning at the southwest corner of the store now occupied by Piatt
Wikes, thence forty-two feet along said store to the land of Warren Hecox, etc. ;
consideration, $400. Winston Day at that date (1805) was in partnership with
Isaac Sherwood.
Rev. Isaac Rawson, minister, was hired by the year to preach in the old
schoolhouse on the hill, before it was destroyed by fire in 1807. He was origi-
nally a Freemason, but afterward became an Antimason.
Nathaniel Swift, who succeeded Rawson, was the first settled minister.
Columbus Weston had a blacksmith-shop on the corner of Hamilton Turnpike
and Cross Street in 1836.
William J. Vredenburg first came to this town in 1797. He then owned many
military lots in various townships. The records of the County Clerk's office
show that his first purchases of military lands was in the year 1790, at which
time he was a merchant in the city of New York.
A Mr. Camp kept tavern here in 1816.
Chester Tolles, who originally owned the Bradford farm on the east side of the
lake, built and owned a wood boat on the lake here in 1 812 or after that date.
In 1806 Winston Day had completed his dwelling-house and was living in it.
This was a frame two-story house. A one-story wing was afterward built on
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 8i
the west side. The great fire of 1835, on the opposite side of the street, one
hundred feet distant, was so hot that the front door was bUstered by the fire.
The late Thaddeus Edwards stated that the tavern which John Briggs built,
on the site now owned by Fred Shear, was completely finished and occupied in
1806.
Isaas Sherwood in 1806 lived in a story-and-a-half house next west of Col.
Warren Hecox's house, across the highway. The Isaac Sherwood tavern was
built for him by a carpenter named Wicks. This tavern was located where the
Packwood House is now.
Col. Warren Hecox was a tanner and shoemaker, and manufactured boots
and shoes. He learned his trade of David Seymour, on the west side of the lake.
Shoemaking at that period was an important business, as much so as keeping a
store. This, together with the tanning business, in both of which Colonel Hecox
was engaged, was one of the original industries of the town.
John Legg first came to this town in 1802.
P. Fish, of New York, owned a farm on the east side of the lake in 1835.
He placed John Middleton on it, more as a matter of charity than otherwise.
John Middleton not knowing anything about farming, and being more of a
politician than otherwise, spent nearly all his time in the village, and got into debt,
as a matter of course. Finally the owner of the farm sent a power of attorney to
Captain De Cost, who was an old friend of P. Fish, to sell the farm, after which
John Middleton with his family went back to New York.
Esquire Sherwood was here in 1814. He had a lime-kiln and sold lime.
William J. Vredenburg first resided in this town in 1803. He was a Judge of
Onondaga County in 1804-5 ^^^ 1809, and was Member of Assembly in 1805
and 1806.
Col. Warren Hecox was a Judge of Onondaga County in 1818.
Nehemiah H. Earll was a Judge of Onondaga County in 1823, and was First
Judge in 1828. He was also a member of the Twenty-sixth Congress.
Thomas Jones was here in the village from 1805 to i8io. He was an
excellent penman, as has been shown by the account-books kept by him.
Joseph Root came here with his son, Henry, in 1804.
Elijah Parsons arrived here from Massachusetts in 1805, and died October 25,
1862, at the age of eighty-three years.
Col. Warren Hecox was long engaged in tanning and shoemaking in the
village, and became a leading citizen. His tannery was burned February 20, 1848.
Lafayette Cuddeeack. — We here insert a copy of a letter from Lafayette
Cuddeback, a grandson of Abraham A. Cuddeback, the first settler here :
" My grandmother, wife of Abraham A. Cuddeback, was a De Witt, a
daughter of J. R. De Witt, of Minisink, Orange County, N. Y., who had two
sons and seven daughters. The eldest daughter married William Raso, who
settled near Lodi, Syracuse. Rachel married Robert Burnett, father of Moses
Burnett, of Syracuse, Margaret, and Jane. Peter and Abraham Cuddeback
82 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
married two sisters. Hannah married James Annis (one of the former owners of
what is now known as the Lapham place). Peter settled where Porter Cudde-
back now lives. The three sisters leased that section from their brother, Moses
De Witt, who surveyed the military lots in the years 1787 to 1788. He died in
1790.
" My grandmother had a sister that married James De Puy, who settled where
Jamesville now is, in the spring of 1792. Also one other sister that married
James Coleman, who hired a half section near where Onondaga Hill is now
located.
" This was all on land hired from their brother, Moses De Witt. My grand-
father came in the spring of 1794 to his brother-in-law at Onondaga Hill, where
he left his wife and five children. He then went to Skaneateles, about June i,
with his two eldest children, a girl of fourteen years and a son of twelve years.
" I have heard my grandmother say many times that the nearest settler was
at Onondaga Hill. When my grandfather got to Skaneateles, he camped near
what has since been known as the Furman Brook, where there were a spring of
water and three Indian wigwams. On the bank of the lake there he constructed
a raft of logs, and after completing it satisfactorily put on his two-wheeled wagon
and other things, and poled the raft along the shore to what is now known as the
Dr. Hurd place. His two children then drove the cattle and a colt through the
woods to the same locality. There was no settler then at Skaneateles until the
following autumn.
" The seven sisters of J. R. De Witt hired something like 30,000 acres in
western New York from their brother. I think they procured their lease from
Simeon De Witt, but Moses De Witt did the work, as he was entitled to fifty
acres for every section he surveyed. You (E. N. Leslie) wrote of the two grave-
stones, now in the village burial-ground, of Abraham Cuddeback and his wife.
They came from Minisink, in the spring of 1795, with Peter Cuddeback and
James Ennis. Abraham Cuddeback and his wife died within two years of each
other, as stated on the gravestone. They were originally buried on the farm, and
the remains were afterward removed to their present location. This gravestone
was erected about 1830. ^
" I have always understood from my grandmother that her husband (my
grandfather) was the first settler in the town of Skaneateles."
The Leonard Family. — Nathan Leonard was the original settler on the
Joab Clift farm. The Leonards came from Shaftsbury, Vt., in 1795. Nathan
Leonard brought with him from Vermont eight children: Joseph, Nathan, Benja-
min, Luther, Calvin, Ezra (Cutler), Azenath, and Polly or Mary. Nathan
Leonard, the father, died October 10, 1813. He purchased the farm land in 1795,
which was sold as a " Government claim." He built a log house, and with his
family lived in it for three }ears, after which he built the present Joab Clift
house in 1798, which was originally occupied as a public inn. The old signboard
of this inn has been preserved by the family, and is now in the attic. It reads as
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 83
follows, " Nathan Leonard's Inn/' which was regularly opened for the weary
traveler in 1798.
Ezra Leonard, son of Nathan, was the father of Mrs. Joab Clift. Ezra
succeeded his father in the ownership of the farm. He lived on it fifty-three
years, and died April 13, 1850.
Norman Leonard, one of Skaneateles' early merchants, was the son of Joseph
M. Leonard, brother of Nathan first, who lived about half a mile south of Clift's
Corners, on same place where Samuel Bobbett now lives. Joseph M. built the
Bobbitt house.
Charles Leonard was a grandson of Joseph M. and second cousin of Mrs.
Joab Clift. Mrs. Clift has lived in the old homestead all her life, nearly seventy-
nine years.
Ezra Leonard made a request that the old homestead should always be kept
in the family. It has been so kept, and the Leonards have lived on it since it
was purchased in 1795 — one hundred and five years ! Ezra did not come from
Shaftsbury at first with his father, but came in 1797.
The First Actual Settler in this County. — It is stated that, in the
spring of 1788, Comfort Tyler, at the age of twenty-three years, in company with
Major Asa Danforth, pushed into the wilderness fifty miles beyond any white
settlement, and commenced the permanent settlement of Onondaga County.
This was nearly a year before the treaty was held, on the bank of the Seneca
Lake, between Oliver Phelps and the Indians. Oliver Phelps opened the first
land office in America, at Canandaigua, in 1789.
The First Mail through Onondaga County. — The first United States
mail was carried through this county by a Mr. Langdon, from Whitestown to
Geneva, on horseback, in 1792-98, and distributed newspapers and unsealed
letters by the way, before intermediate offices were established. A Mr. Luca.s
succeeded Langdon in the transportation of the mail, which in. 1800 had become
so heavy as to require a wagon to transport it. Mr. Lucas established a two-
horse passenger-wagon for the conveyance of passengers and the mail, and did a
profitable business. The first four-horse mail-coach was sent through once a
week by Jason Parker in 1803, and in 1804 commenced running regularly from
Utica to Canandaigua twice a week, carrying the United States mail and pas-
sengers.
In 1804 an act was passed granting to Jason Parker and Levi Stephens the
exclusive right, for seven years, of running a line of stages for the conveyance of
passengers, at least twice a week, along the Genesee Road, or Genesee Turnpike,
between the villages of Utica and Canandaigua. They were bound to furnish four
good and substantial covered wagons or sleighs, and sufficient horses to run the
same. The fare was not to exceed five cents per mile for each passenger, with
fourteen pounds of baggage. They were bound by law to run through in forty-
eight hours, accidents excepted, and not more than seven passengers were allowed
in any one carriage, except by the unanimous consent of the said seven passen-
84 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
gers; and, if four passengers above the seven applied for passage, they were
bound to immediately fit out and start an extra for their accommodation ; or any
number less than four should be accommodated by paying the fare of four.
In 1808 a daily line was established, and afterward several others, which were
continued until the completion of the Syracuse and Utica Railroad.
Old-Time Servants. — As early as 181 5 there had been no negroes brought
into this part of the State. Mr. Vredenburg brought from New York a black
wench as cook. The children were all afraid of her, and ran as soon as she made
her appearance in the street.
There were, however, two native-born negroes, who belonged to either Mr.
Booth's or Mr. Furman's family. Their names were Jack and Kate. They were
born about 1812, and were slaves. These slaves became free under a law after-
ward passed by this State.
An Irishman was a curiosity in those days. There were no Irish women.
The hired help were all natives, who were glad to hire out at seventy-five cents
per week, which was considered big wages. The conditions for prime help were
that, in addition to the ordinary house-work, they would agree to spin twenty
knots and do the milking night and morning. But hired help were then treated
as equals in the family. The Vredenburg family, being more aristocratic, wanted
servants who were not treated as equals, and such could not be found about here,
consequently they had to import all their help from New York.
Farmers'' Daughters. — The farmers' daughters would come into town for
the winter and engage to do chores for their board, for the sake of attending
school. They would get up before daylight, get breakfast for the family, and
do all the necessary work, including washing the dishes, before school-time. On
Mondays they would stay at home half a day to assist in the family washing, and
during evenings through the week would do up the ironing.
Daniel Kellogg's Gardener. — The gardener of Daniel Kellogg was an
Englishman, and celebrated for his early vegetables, which were forced under
glass. He was the only one who raised early stock, and his garden was the resort
of all who were curious in such matters.
Description of Skaneateles Village in 1809. — " The following description
is appended as a note to the dedication sermon preached by Rev. David Higgins,
March i, 1809, entitled ' A Sermon delivered at Marcellus, N. Y., at the Dedica-
tion of a House for Public Worship in Skaneateles Village.' A copy of this
sermon was printed in pamphlet form by the trustees of the Skaneateles Religious
Society. It was printed at Manlius by Leonard Kellogg, and it is now in posses-
sion of the Presbyterian Society.
-•■■" The flourishing village of Skaneateles, consisting of nearly one hundred
buildings of different kinds, is situated at the foot of the lake of the same name.
The lake is about fifteen miles in length and from half a mile to nearly two miles
in width. The waters in the body of the lake are raised above their natural level
about three or four feet by a dam which is built across the outlet. By this means
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 85
a number of mills of different kinds are kept in operation during the whole season,
even the driest summers. The settlements in this village commenced in March,
1796. A number of the buildings are elegant, and it has become a place of
considerable business. Passing eastward on the great western thoroughfare, you
leave the bridge over the outlet and ascend on a gentle rise for half a mile till you
come to the eminence, where the eye is presented with one of the most pleasing
prospects in the western country. The view is handsomely variegated with
cultivated farms, forests, and lake waters. Here is placed an elegant Congre-
gational meeting-house, built of wood. The plan of the building displays good
taste ; the materials are of the best kind ; the workmanship exhibits neatness and
beauty. The country around is handsome and fertile, generally owned and
cultivated by wealthy farmers. These with the villagers compose the Skaneateles
Religious Society, which was incorporated October 29, 1801.
" The church in Skaneateles was organized with the name and style ' The
First Congregational Church of Marcellus,' July 20, 1801, by the Rev. Aaron
Bascom.
" The change from Congregationalism to Presbyterian took place on January
10, 1818. The members of the First Congregational Church in Marcellus met,
and resolved to adopt the form of government and discipline of the Presbyterian
Church in the United States as that according to which we will henceforth be
governed. Benjamin B. Stockton, Moderator."
The First Excitement. — The first excitement among the early settlers was
when the mill-dam broke away, about the early part of the nineteenth century.
This occurred during a Saturday night, and on the Sunday morning following
the people became much excited, as the breach deprived them of the facilities of
the grist-mill. The news spread rapidly throughout the settlement. The mis-
sionary (supposed to be Rev. Isaac Rawson), who was employed by the year to
preach in the old schoolhouse on the hill, where the meeting-house was afterward
erected, learning of the catastrophe, sent a boy to the place of meeting, directing
him to inform the assembled congregation to adjourn and assist to repair the mill-
dam, as it was more important for them to have bread than to hear him preach.
This brought a crowd of assistants, who worked lustily under the direction of the
minister, and the work was thoroughly completed before sundown.
A Forest. — The lake-shore, in 1796, where the brick stores now stand, was
then a grove of forest trees. . Stumps of trees peered from the water for some
considerable distance out in the lake.
Village Plots. — The original village lots were probably laid out by Judge
Sanger. As a general rule they were one hundred feet front and twenty rods in
depth. The Thayer lot was Village Lot No. 6. It was first conveyed by Sanger
to Seth McKay, January 16, 1801 ; consideration, $5. July 21, 1802, Seth McKay
conveyed it to Norman Leonard; consideration, $200. Norman Leonard after-
ward sold it to John Legg. Sanger sold Village Lot No. 11 to Joseph Pearce,
house carpenter, for $20. Warren Hecox purchased a one-acre lot on the west
86 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
side of the outlet of the lake from Sanger, October 12, 1801 ; consideration, $10.
Deed witnessed by Asa Hatch and Samuel Porter. These lots as laid out were
termed " village plots on the riorth end of Skaneateles Lake."
Order for Bricks in 1814.— We present the following copy of an order for
bricks in 1814:
" Mr. Samuel Briggs.
Sir.
Please send us by Luther Simonds ioo Bricks for which you shall have the
money in the Month of March.
Skaneateles, February 28, 1814. C. A. Leonard."
Tuition Paid. — John C. Noble was a school-teacher in Skaneateles. The
following memorandum was made by Eli Clark :
"April 4, 1825. Reckoned with John C. Noble, and found due him for tuition, in full,
one dollar eighty-nine cents."
The Original Forests in this Town. — The forests which the farmers have
subdued during the past century were originally dense, and the timber was very
heavy. Many tracts of white pine grew in this town, the stumps of which, on
account of their resinous properties, last for an indefinite time in the soil. The
disadvantage, however, in clearing the land is compensated for in another direc-
tion. The soil of the pine lands is usually so light and porous on the surface that
the stumps may be lifted out of their beds in a perfectly sound condition by means
of a stumping-machine. These stumps then became available for line fences, and
even to this day such fences are to be seen in some parts of the town.
White cedar is found in various parts of this town, especially in the swamps
and low grounds. Hemlock has been very plenty in all parts of the town. This
valuable timber has been extensively used for building, fencing, and in the con-
struction of plank-roads. Basswood, two varieties of maple (the sugar and th'e
swamp), beech, whitewood, and elm have been the principal varieties in this town.
Originally there were red oak-trees growing at the lower end of the lake, before
the waters were raised by the original dam on the outlet. Locust-trees have been
used for ornamental use around the farmers' dwellings, but these, like the Lom-
bardy poplar, have been brought from a distance and planted, but both these
varieties which remain have become imsightly and diseased.
The progress of improvement has swept away about all of the original forests,
particularly in this town. There was a large demand primarily for steam railroad
use before' coal was used for such purpose, and for the use of distilleries and for
potash-boiling. Potash-boiling was the only original industry in this town. The
use of firewood has almost entirely ceased, as farmers can purchase coal at less
than firewood costs to cut and transport for sale.
The hemlock and the sugar-maple have been the most useful timber for this
town. The hemlock was generally used for building purposes, and its bark for
tanning purposes and carriage manufacturing. The bark was extensivelv used for
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 87
the setting of tires of wheels, as its heat is more intense than any other fuel. The
sugar-maple was the most desirable for firewood, and for the production of maple
sugar and syrup, which have always been a remunerative source of profit to the
farmers.
There have been some native varieties of spruce exhibited at our town fairs,
but they are not original productions, one of them being the Norway variety.
The hickory has been found in some sections of the town, but not to any great
extent. The chestnut is found in many sections of the town, and has proved an
excellent fencing material. The original apple orchards are nearly extinct, but,
properly taken care of, they are one of the most profitable crops the farmer can
raise.
Roads. — The first road attempted to be made through this part of the State
was in 1790, by a party of emigrants, under the direction of the late General
Wadsworth, from the settlement at Whitestown, Oneida County, to Canandaigua,
through a country then very little explored and entirely a wilderness, in which
was the town of Marcellus, now Skaneateles. After this the old State Road was
cut through, enlarging and following the one cut by the emigrants. The road
running through the business portion of this village was a portion of the old
State Road. Then, as the country was wholly shaded by dense forests, there was
commonly snow enough for good sleighing through the winter months. Most
of the settlements along this road from Utica to Canandaigua, began to attain
some consequence as early as the year 1800. Previously to the laying out of this
road, which was somewhat improved by sundry appropriations from the State,
the Western settlers moved on pack-horses along the Indian paths through the
forests.
In 1793, John L. Hardenburgh, Moses De Witt, and John Patterson were
appointed a board of commissioners for laying out and making public roads on the
Military iTract. The roads were to be laid out four rods wide, and the sum of two
thousand seven hundred dollars was appropriated by the State for that purpose.
Another board of commissioners was appointed by act of the Legislature in
1794 for the purpose of laying out and improving a public highway from old Fort
Schuyler, now Utica, on the Mohawk River to Cayuga Ferry, as nearly straight as
the situation of the country would allow. The road to be six rods wide, and the
sum of six hundred pounds was appropriated for the expenses of opening and
improving so much of the road as passed through the Military Tract.
In 1796, the Surveyor-General was authorized to sell certain lands on the
Indian Reservation, and from the proceeds of the sales appropriate five hundred
pounds for improving the Great Genesee Road through the county of Onondaga.
In 1796, commissioners were appointed to make and repair the highways in
the county of Onondaga. Four thousand dollars was appropriated by the State
for that purpose, and two thousand dollars was directed to be expended in the
improvement of the Great Genesee Road, from the eastern to the western boundary
of the county.
88: HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
In 1797, the Legislature of the State authorized three lotteries for the purpose
of raising forty-five thousand dollars for the further improvement of roads.
Thirteen thousand nine hundred dollars of this was appropriated for opening and
improving the Great Genesee Road in all its extent from Fort Schuyler to Geneva.
In 1800, the Seneca Road Company was chartered for the purpose of im-
proving the old State Road from Utica to Canandaigua. A board of commis-
sioners was appointed to survey and lay out this road, of which Jedediah Sanger
was a member. The capital stock was one hundred and ten thousand dollars;
shares, fifty dollars each. The charter was amended in 1801, and the commission-
ers were privileged to deviate from the old road, and did so in some instances.
All the roads named above ran through the town of Skaneateles.
The " Skaneateles and Hamilton Turnpike " was then called the " Bowen
Road," because it ran to the log houses of the two brothers Elijah and Benajah
Bowen, one of whom lived on the C. C. Wyckoff farm, and the other lived on the
farm next east to the Rickard farm. These two brothers were the first settlers on
that " Bowen Road."
In 1800 or 1801, A. Wilkinson's father came here. William Dascomb removed
to the William Clark place. Dascomb built a log house on the flat. Wilkinson
built a log house on the flat east of the present Wilkinson house.
The next early settler on the East Lake Road to where Mr. Lee lived was
Ebenezer Pardee, whose log house was on the site of the Brainerd farm. Sebe
Brainerd then lived next to the Brainerd farm. In Thaddeus Edwards' earliest
recollection, there was a house on the Reuel Smith place (David Seymour), and
on the Elias Thorne place was another house, occupied by Seymour's son.
Jacobus Ennis' wife was the daughter of Simeon De Witt, Surveyor-General
of the State of New York.
The First Graveyard. — The first graveyard, previously to 1803, was where
the Vredenburg mansion was built. It had about twelve to sixteen graves, which
were without any headstones. After Mr. Vredenburg had purchased the prop-
erty, the remains were taken up and removed to the burial-ground belonging to
" The Skaneateles Religious Society."
Skaneateles the most Attractive Trading-Place early in the Nine-
teenth Century. — By great perseverance the author obtained five early ledgers
and two day-books, dating from the year 1800 to 1828, which had been kept by
as many early business men here at Skaneateles.
An alphabetical list of over twelve hundred names of persons who made their
purchases here has been made, but owing to its great length it has not been
printed in this volume. Those who made their purchases here were residents
within a circle of more than one hundred miles from this center. Many came
here for legal advice ; others came for medical advice and treatment, aside from
doing their trading; others came for political discussion and for general consulta-
tions of a public nature; and on general training-day, the women and children
all came. At first there were no roads for many years. The people used to
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 89
follow the Indian trails and marked trees, on foot and on horseback, or on a rude
home-made vehicle drawn by oxen.
Subscription List. — The following is a copy of a list of moneys subscribed
for a sexton in 1824:
Subscription List for Jonathan Weston, Sexton of the Meeting House
OF THE SkANEATELES ReLIGIOUS SOCIETY, DaTED DeC. 10, 1824.
Aaron Austin One dollar so cents
Samuel Porter One dollar
Thaddeus Edwards 2 dollar 25 cents
Phares Gould one dollar
Philo Dibble one dollar
Daniel Kellogg 2 dollars
Samuel Rhoades i dollar
William Thomas one dollar
Abraham Cuddeback one dollar
James Porter one dollar
Freborne Jewett one dollar
Spencer Parsons one dollar
Joseph Rhoades one dollar
Joseph Leonard 50 cents
Jonathan Hatch 50 cents
Abner Edwards 3 dollars 75 cents
Mrs. Olive Leonard 75 cents
Charles Pardy Fifteen and a half cents
Ambrose Heacox $1.25
James Hall one dollar
Thomas Greeves one dollar
Daniel Burroughs 50 cents
Thomas W. Allis 50 cents
The Old Colored Man^s Plaint. — An Incident in the Experience of William
J. Vredenburg. — In January, 1795, Rev. Dan Bradley was dismissed from the
pastoral charge of the church in Whitestown, at New Hartford, and on the_6th of
September following removed with his family to the town of Marcellus, at the
age of twenty-nine. The country was then comparatively a wilderness. He
entered at once into the business of farming with zeal and cheerfulness, and soon
became noted for the purity of his taste and success in his undertakings, setting a
beautiful example to those around him that education and refinement of mind
were essential attributes to happiness and prosperity. He was appointed a Judge
of Onondaga County in 1801, and by his display of legal knowledge soon became
somewhat distinguished as a jurist. In 1808, he was appointed First Judge of the
county, which office he held with some degree of distinction till the time of his
resignation in 1813, when he was succeeded by Joshua Forman. He was some-
what remarkable for his ready classic humor, and on many occasions displayed
it, much to the amusement and gratification of his friends. At one time, during
his official capacity as Judge, a certain colored man named Hank Blakeman occu-
pied, on the Oswego River, just above Oswego Falls, a commodious place for
landing, and it was also a convenient crossing-place. For the privilege of landing
on his dock the colored man exacted a small fee. This was thought rather
oppressive by some of his neighbors, and they summoned the Road Commis-
90 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
sioners of the town, who laid out a road in such manner as considerably to abridge
his privileges. He, feeling himself aggrieved, appealed to the Judges of Common
Pleas, who, upon a proper representation of the facts, took the matter into con-
sideration. A day was set for an investigation of the matter, and Judges
Humphreys, Bradley, and Vredenburg (William J. Vredenburg, of Skaneateles)
went down, accompanied by the late Judge Moseley, then a student with Judge
Forman at Onondaga, who appeared as an advocate of the aggrieved party's
rights. In those days the roads were almost impassable in that region, and the
party made arrangements to go down in a boat from Salina. A suitable store of
provisions and other necessaries was laid in for the occasion, and the party set off
in high spirits, anticipating a delightful trip. The day was propitious. They
glided down the river beautifully, and it required but little exertion to make the
desired progress. While passing under the shady oaks and elms which crowned
the margin of the river, Judge Bradley languishingly remarked how pleasant was
their journey, and quoted the first verse of Virgil's Georgics,
" Tityre, tu, patulae recubans sub tegmine fagi," etc.
On they went, enjoying the scenery beyond measure. They examined the case in
hand, and finally reversed the acts of the Cornmissioners, restoring to the injured
party his rights in full, very much to his satisfaction, who was so much rejoiced
that he voluntarily gave as a fee to his young lawyer five silver dollars, which
Judge Moseley has since declared was his first and richest fee, and gave him more
pleasure than any other received in his life. Business done, they turned their
faces toward home. But with the fatigues of the day, and the opposing current
of the river, their progress was in the beginning rather slow. However, by dint
of perseverance and hard labor, they made respectable progress. It was work
indeed, and to add to their embarrassment night was at hand. The mosquitos,
gnats, flies, and bullfrogs gave them no peace, and some of the party began to
murmur. In this state of affairs Judge Bradley was called upon to reverse his
sentiment received with so much eclat in the morning, whereupon he readily
replied :
" Facilis descensus Averni ;
Sed revocare grandum, superasque evadere ad auras,
Hoc opus, hie labor est."
These words, in the language of a familiar poet, may be rendered :
" Easy the fall to Pluto's dreary den,
But hard the scrabble to get back again."
The flagging spirits of the party were revived by this sally, and the rest of the
voyage was performed, if not with wished-for speed, with greater cheerfulness.
Home-made Drays. — The early settlers, when it was necessary to go to Scipio
and other distant settlements, had to make their own drays. These drays were
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 91
made of the crotches of trees, hewed out, and boards placed across. Ten bushels
of wheat was considered a pretty large load to drag along over the rough roads,
twenty or thirty miles, on such a rude vehicle, with one yoke of oxen.
The Hamilton and Skaneateles Turnpike. — The Hamilton and Skan-
eateles Turnpike was laid out, in 1806, from Richfield, through Brookfield, Hamil-
ton, and Fabius, to the outlet of Otisco Lake, and thence to the outlet of Skan-
eateles Lake. Thaddeus Edwards and Elnathan Andrews, of this town, were
two of the principal movers in procuring the passage of the act of incorporation
and obtaining shareholders, and in getting the road laid obi, worked, and finished.
East .Genesee Street in the village was the western terminus of this turnpike. A
portion of this road within the village was a corduroy road, the logs of which,
forty years ago, two feet below the surface of the street, were about eighteen
inches in diameter, and in as sound a condition as when first laid.
Wheel-Head Manufactory. — At Mottville, Putnam, Porter & Leonard built
a wheel-head manufactory soon after 1816, and in 1831 this firm was succeeded
by S. C. Wheadon, Erastus Nye, and George P. Adams.
Militia. — After the War of 1812, considerable attention was given to the
training of the local militia, every male citizen between the ages of eighteen and
forty-five being obliged to report for duty annually. " General Training " days
became hiemorable occasions, especially to the younger element, who devoured
cider and gingerbread as greedily as they participated in the military maneuvers.
This military district eventually comprised the One Hundred and Fifty-ninth
Regiment, of which Samuel C. Wheadon was the Colonel. In 1839, he was
made Brigadier-General, and Augustus Fowler was appointed to the colonelcy.
Peter Pell was long the prominent drummer.
Elections in 1836. — Josias Garlock was a tavern-keeper in Mandana as early
as 1835, and in his tavern, and at the taverns of W. H. Marshon, at Mottville, and
Isaac W. Perry, in Skaneateles, elections were held in 1836, one day in each
successively.
Ezra Lee. — Ezra Lee was the son of the Mr. Lee who has heretofore been
mentioned as having purchased one hundred acres of Lot- No. 38. The Ezra Lee
here named built a scow wood boat, which was placed on the lake about the year
1800. It was afterward transported either to Lake Ontario or Lake Erie. Chester
Tolles built a wood boat for lake use about 1818.
William Clift. — William Clift arrived from Vermont with his father, in
March, 1795, and settled at what has since been known as " Cliffs Corners." He
died in 1862. His house was kept as a tavern for nearly sixty years. It was
destroyed by fire in May, 1885. '
James Porter. — James Porter came here in 1797, and erected and opened the
first tavern in town, the timbers of which probably constituted the first raft of the
kind that ever floated upon the lake.
The Early Records. — The early settlers came into this town by the Indian
trail, or by the old Genesee Road, which was opened soon after the first arrivals.
92 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
Suffering from the hardships and privations incident to a new country, and
especially from the miasmatic conditions of the low, unbroken lands, they bore
the many trials of frontier life with fortitude. Wolves, bears, and other wild
animals were troublesome.
As the present town of Skaneateles formed a part of the town of Marcellus
previously to the year 1830, it is well to state that the public records of the town
of Marcellus were destroyed by fire about 1829-30. All the records dating before
1830 were thus lost.
It has since been learned that William Stephens was Supervisor of Marcellus
in 1794, 1795, and 1796, Samuel Tyler in 1797, and Winston Day in 1798.
In the history of the town of Marcellus it is stated that slavery existed here
during the first quarter of the nineteenth century. All slaves, however, were soon
afterward freed by law.
During the first three decades of settlement, quantities of timber were burned
and the ashes converted into " black salts," or potash, which formed an important
source of revenue.
The Old-Time Caterpillars in 1798. — Clark's " History of Onondaga
County" states that in 1798 this valley (Pompey) was visited by myriads of
caterpillars, which totally stripped the forests of their foliage and attacked the
smaller vegetables with great voracity, doing considerable damage to the tender
corn. They, however, disappeared in the month of June, vegetation revived,
and the crops were plenteous.
These insects were so numerous that they congregated in heaps on the eaves
and chimneys of the houses at evening, and when the fires were kindled in the
morning they were very troublesome, often spinning down the stick chimneys
into the cookery, and when their day was over, in such quantities had they accu-
mulated, the atmosphere was completely tainted with their decaying remains.
The Cold Summer in 1816. — This was a very remarkable year in all respects.
The month of January was unusually mild, so much so as to render fires almost
needless for warming purposes. December previous was very cold. February
was not very cold ; with the exception of a few days it was mild like its prede-
cessor. March was cold and boisterous during the first part of it, but the remain-
der was mild. April began warm, but grew colder as the month advanced, and
ended in snow and ice, with a temperature more like winter than spring. May
was more remarkable for frowns than smiles ; buds and flowers were frozen ; ice
was half an inch thick. June was the coldest ever known in this latitude ; frost,
ice, and snojv prevailed during the whole month ; almost every green thing' was
killed; the early fruit blossoms were all blasted. July was accompanied with
frost, and ice of the thickness of common window-glass formed on the 5th.
Indian corn was nearly all destroyed ; some favorably situated fields escaped utter
destruction. August was more cheerless, if possible, than the summer months
already passed. Ice was formed early, half an inch thick, and the corn which had
previously escaped was so frozen that the greater part was cut down and dried
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 93
for fodder. September furnished about two weeks of the mildest weather of the
season. Soon after the middle of the month it became very cold and frosty, and
ice a quarter of an inch thick formed. October produced more than its share of
cold weather, frost and ice particularly. November was cold and blustering, and
enough snow fell to make good sleighing. December was quite mild and com-
fortable.
The above is a brief summary of the " Cold Summer of 1816," as it has always
been known since that time. The sun's rays seemed to be destitute of heat
throughout the summer ; all nature seemed to have been clad in a sable hue, and
men exhibited much anxiety concerning the future of this life.
Eli Clark's Recollections. — Eli Clark made the following memorandums :
" The winter of 1823-24 was a very open winter season. March 19, began to
plough. March 24, sowed three acres spring wheat. The ground was quite dry
and in perfect order for sowing.
'■' During the winter of 1835-36, snow fell two feet deep on the 24th of Novem-
ber, 1835, and it went off the last of December. The first of January it fell four
feet deep, and remained on the ground until the i6th of April, and that winter was
the coldest we have had for fifty years. February, 1836, the snow fell eighteen
inches."
Water-Lime. — Water-lime, which is quarried in this town, consists of two
layers, from three to four feet thick. Its color is drab, it is dull in its fracture,
and is composed of minute grains, with usually but few lines of division. The
upper of these courses burns more freely than the lower. When burnt, it is
gi'ound fine and mixed with sand — one part of lime to from two to six parts of
sand, according to its quality and the speed with which it is desirable the cement
should set. Owing to its property of preserving its form and hardening under
water, it is used with stone or brick in the construction of cisterns, and without
any other substance than sand for pipes for conducting water from springs. Such
is its strength that a cylinder of pure cement and sand, six inches in diameter, of
one inch caliber, buried three feet in the ground, after some years became closed at
the lower end, and the pipe sustained the pressure of a column of water forty feet
in height. The best practical tests for persons unskilled in judging of the quality
of this lime for cement are : The stone when burnt must not slake on the applica-
tion of water ; when ground, the cement must set quickly on being wet ; keep its
form under water, and harden until it becomes as hard as well-burnt brick. It
is sometimes injured by being burnt too much, and very often it is not ground fine
enough. An engineering authority states that Onondaga water-lime is simply an
impure lime, having clay enough in it to make it resist the action of water. Large
quantities of hydraulic cement are manufactured from our rocks and sent in
barrels wherever wanted.
Division of Marcellus. — A public notice, dated November 24, 1829, an-
nounced that " application will be made to the next Legislature for the division
of the town of Marcellus into three towns."
94 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
CHAPTER VIII.
The Cardiff Giant.
Although not strictly within the town of Skaneateles, still it was near enough
to produce great excitement and interest among the people. It was brought to
light, or, rather, said to have been discovered ( ?), in the year 1869. Nearly all
the residents of this town, particularly the men and many women, who could
procure transportation thence, hastened to see the great curiosity, at Cardiff,,
about twelve miles distant. It was exhibited under a canvas tent, as it had been
supposed to have lain in the ground for one or more centuries, lying on a sandy
bed, which was cunningly devised to represent what had been originally the bed of
a river. The earth immediately above the sandy bed was the mold of decayed
leaves and vegetable substances, which had been gradually collecting for centuries.
Fifty cents was the charge for admission.
The first spasm of interest in this town was that two individuals of reputed
wealth employed a responsible agent to go to Syracuse, and to endeavor to pur-
chase an interest from the party there who owned the controlling interest in the
" petrifaction." The agent had full power to make a purchase, if possible, at any
reasonable terms. The consideration for the agent's services, if his mission was
successful, was to be one-third of the investment. The Syracuse proprietor
absolutely refused to dispose of any interest whatever, and would listen to no offer.
Immediately after the exhibition was opened, large crowds of people from
all the surrounding country thronged the roads and highways, in all descriptions
of vehicles, on horseback and on foot. The town of Skaneateles was well repre-
sented in its equipages large and small, and all classes of the inhabitants of both
town and village rushed to see the " show," and among the females were some in
" Bloomer costume." The giant, as his remains lay exposed in the canvas tent,
was particularly offensive to purity of mind, and coarse and indelicate even to the
common observer.
This was a grand opening for the giant owners. Immediately great crowds
of people rushed to see the petrifaction, among whom were professors, students
of colleges, Egyptologists, archeologists, archbishops, clergymen, and, lastly,
physicians. The general opinion was that it was a petrifaction. One of Skan-
eateles' prominent physicians, on his return from the show, stated publicly that
there was no doubt that it was a real petrifaction, as he was permitted to go into
the well, and had made a close examination, and could see the pores in the
cuticle ( !!). His opinion, of course, was the common talk of the villagers, and
was largely instrumental in inducing many who before had little faith in the
show to go.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 95
Another party, Dr. Boynton, residing in Syracuse, endeavored to obtain an
interest in the giant, but all his perseverance was in vain. The controlling interest
in the giant made a great mistake in denying the application of Dr. Boynton.
He, being naturally of an investigating nature, determined to get even with the
giant owners, therefore he immediately commenced investigating the (as he
suspected) origin of the " fake," as he supposed it was, and he always did have
that supposition. Even with that suspicion, he considered a moderate investment
in it a good operation, more especially as the scientists, archeologists, and pro-
fessors of the New England colleges had, after inspection, pronounced ' it, some
a petrifaction, others a statue. With great perseverance, and through the aid of a
detective employed by him, he obtained positive information that, about the
previous year, a huge box had been transported from Chicago by the way of the
Great Western Railroad to Suspension Bridge, thence by the New York Central
Railroad to Syracuse, thence by the way of the Syracuse & Binghamton Railroad
to Binghamton, thence by the Erie Railroad to a station on that railroad named
Union. This large box was addressed thus : " Finished Marble. G. Olds,
Union, N. Y." Dr. Boynton was satisfied with his discovery thus far.
The Originator of the Cardiff Giant. — The originator of the Cardiff giant was
a man named Hull. After Hull had shipped the box from Chicago, he had not
determined its exact destination nor where it was to be buried. In the course of
his investigations on that subject, he learned of a newly discovered cave in Salis-
bury, Conn., and immediately went there to ascertain whether it would be the
proper location to place his petrifaction, and after a full inspection decided that
it was exactly the right place, but was discouraged by the price demanded.
After further thought, it occurred to him that some years previously there
had been discoveries of fossil remains in Onondaga County, near Syracuse, N. Y.,
and that a nephew of his brother's wife, named William C. Newell, was living in
that locality. Hull, therefore, started thither at once. After a full conference
explanatory of the object in view, a satisfactory arrangement was made with
Newell. The two men, after looking over the farm, decided the exact spot where
the petrifaction was to be buried, and arranged all the details as to how it was to
be transported from the Erie Railroad car to Newell's farm.
Dr. Boynton's further investigation indicated that the large box had been
taken from the platform-car during the early evening, and placed on a large
truck-wagon, which was drawn by two teams of heavy horses, and transported to
the Newell farm.
Dug the Well to Bury the Giant. — Newell had employed a number of laborers
to dig a well alongside of his barn, which had been fully completed, and was
therefore ready to receive the giant upon its arrival. All the implements for the
purpose of lowering the giant, including a derrick, were in readiness for the
arrival of the huge box containing the. giant, when it was immediately lowered
in the pit and covered with earth, and the barn-yard refuse scraped over the
newly covered grave. Here the giant was allowed to rest for a whole year.
96 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
Ordered to Dig up the Giant. — On October lo, 1869, Hull wrote to partner
Newell that it was time to dig up the giant. Consequently Newell employed
another set of laborers, mostly neighboring farmers, avoiding the former laborers
who dug a well for him the previous year, as it would not do to employ them!
Well, these new workmen dug a well alongside of Newell's barn, and it was not
long before one of them struck a rock, and, upon further investigation, Gideon
Emmons discovered a massive stone foot, when he exclaimed : " Jerusalem,
Nichols! It's a big Injun!" Following up the big foot the big Injun was soon
uncovered. Newell immediately invited the four physicians of the neighborhood
to view the big Injun. Their names were Dana, Parker, McDonald, and Randall.
They all concurred in the opinion that it was a petrifaction. A gentleman from
Syracuse, who had inspected it, and who was known as a man of antiquarian
research, offered Newell $10,000 for the big Injun, which, under Hull's instruc-
tions, was refused. Hull finally directed Newell to state that only three-quarters
of it could be purchased at the rate of $30,000, the owners reserving one-quarter.
A Sale was Made. — ^On these terms a sale was effected within a few days, the
purchasers being: Alfred Higgins, Agent of the American Express Company of
Syracuse; Dr. Amos Westcott, a wealthy dentist, and ex-Mayor of the city of
Syracuse; a Mr. Spencer, Simeon Rouse, Amos Gillette, and Messrs. J. M. Ellis
and B. F. Fitch, bankers, all of Syracuse, N. Y.
A showman was at once placed in charge, and for an advertisement invitations
were sent out asking Professor Agassiz, Professor Hall, New York State Geolo-
gist, and Stephen A. Woolworth, Secretary of the Board of Regents of the
University, to come and scientifically examine the fossil man.
Professor Hall, in his opinion, believed it to be of great antiquity. Professor
Henry A. Ward, who fills the chair of the Natural Sciences in the Rochester Uni-
versity, was also present at the examination, and wrote on the subject : " Although
not dating back to the stone age, it is nevertheless deserving of the attention of
archeologists."
Some of the expressions of opinion at this early date (that is, before the
"humbug" was made public) were quite enthusiastic. One clergyman wrote:
" This is not a thing contrived by man, but is the face of one who once lived like
all on earth, the very image and child of God."
The following appreciative poem appeared in the Skaneateles Democrat:
The Stone Man.
Egypt, renowned for her antiquities,
Columns and pyramids of Time defiant;
Turn back thy gaze from by-gone centuries,
And view our strange Colossus the Stone Giant.
The Sphinx, with patient face and earnest eyes.
Looking for ages o'er its burning sands.
Might start with wonder at our mysteries.
To see this great stone face in distant lands.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 97
Gloomy the figures the Egyptian wrought,
And rude the sculpture of the centuries
Of Scandinavia's myths and gods, and fraught
With mystery is this man of stone.
" No Indian ! " says the red man, for he sees
No weapons in the tomb of war or chase;
Its striking form, profound repose and ease,
Denote the semblance of another race.
Of holy men the heralds of the Cross,
Fearless of want, of perils, and of strife;
Who for the love of souls count all things loss,
If they may break to them the Bread of Life.
Wert thou not formed for some Cathedral grand?
Where in some lofty niche that " calm, grand smile "
Would seem a blessing to some little band
Of worshippers, who knelt in its broad aisle?
Since brought to light within this quiet vale,
Thousands of wonder-stricken people come,
For years will sires and grand-sires tell the tale
Of the Stone Man and Newell's humble home.
Skaneateles, November 29, 1869.
A Deliberate Examination. — On November 3 a large delegation of gentlemen
from various parts of the State came to the tent to make a deliberate examina-
tion. On inspection, they pronounced the " find " to be a statue, and, as the stone
was of a quality different from any to be found in the neighborhood, that it must
have been brought from a distance.
The story of the unearthing of the giant and the surmises of the learned
scientists were printed in the Syracuse newspapers, and the news was thereafter
copied in all the newspapers throughout the United States and in Europe.
Up to this time the giant was still under the tent at Cardiff, and, at iifty cents
admission, Hull, Higgins & Co. were doing a large business, and a profitable one
too. The large crowds of sightseers were daily in attendance. The great mis-
take of the owners of the giant was, in the first place, in refusing Boynton an
Interest, and, secondly, in removing the giant from the profitable tent to Syracuse
for exhibition there. The prevailing idea among many who came to the tent was
that it was a petrifaction, its removal from where it was discovered (?), on the
bottom of what had been apparently the bed of a river, therefore indicating its
petrifactive quality.
After its arrival in Syracuse, " the great and only Barnum " appeared, and
desired to purchase the giant, but in vain, as it was too big a thing even for him to
procure. So he cunningly employed a plaster of paris vender, whose trade it was
to sell images to the public. Barnum directed him to visit the show daily, he
98 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
furnishing the admission fee, and instructed the man to make a complete model
in form and color of the giant. Many visits were made for that purpose. Finally,
after its completion, Barnum visited the show on purpose to make an examination
and then to compare his observations with the model, and was satisfied with the
work. Then Barnum ordered the man to make a full-sized giant, and in all
respects a faithful imitation, which was duly finished to his entire satisfaction,
carefully boxed, and shipped by canal to New York. On its arrival there it was
placed in Wood's Museum, and largely advertised as the only " Onondaga " giant,
and warranted by Barnum to be the only real " original " petrified giant from
Onondaga County. He knew too much to advertise it as the Cardiff giant, as, if
he did so, he would render himself liable to a suit for damages for unlawfully
using a trade-mark. His advertisements were of the peculiar Barnum order, and
were pictured on all the billboards and board fences throughout the city. When
the real original " Newell " giant arrived in New York, Barnum immediately
advertised it as an imitation of the real and only Onondaga giant, and such
was the confidence in the great showman that he succeeded in making the
people believe that his was the real original one. In consequence, the " Cardiif
Show " was not patronized.
The following is an extract from a newspaper article of that time :
"the first decline in fortune
was brought about by Barnum, the showman, who now came to Syracuse desirous of buying
a share and assuming the management of the show, and being rejected, purchased in
retaliation, from a German sculptor of the vicinity, named Otto, an unfinished imitation of
the Cardiff giant; engaged the sculptor to complete it, and then placing it on exhibition at
Wood's museum in New York, circulated the pamphlet description of the original as an
advertisement, and denounced the exhibition at Syracuse as that of a counterfeit giant!
An application was made to Judge Barnard for an injunction against Barnum's exhibition;
but that solemn judicial functionary replied ' that he had been doing some business in
injunctions, but was going to shut down now.' The original of the humbug came on to
New York after a short reception in the state geological rooms in Albany, to find its
prestige stolen by Barnum, and after an unsuccessful exhibition of a few days at the
metropolis, was
HURRIED AWAY TO BOSTON.
Here it was of course visited by the learned men of Athens, and among the earliest by Dr.
Holmes, who reported it to be an immense statue cut from stone by unknown hands, and
of wonderful anatomical developments. Ralph Waldo Emerson pronounced it beyond his
depth, very wonderful, and undoubtedly ancient. Cyrus Cobb, the artist and sculptor,
declared that the man who called that a humbug simply declared himself a fool. On
Feb. 4th a number of learned Bostonians visited the image in a sort of official body. They
examined it long and patiently in every way known to science. The exterior was tested
with acids ; the head was bored into ; the compass was carried around the body in search
of iron. The learned conclusion was that the giant was a piece of stratified gypsum and
was probably old. The subject invaded the Boston clubs. A whole evening was occupied
with it at the Thursday Evening club, the president delivering a -learned address to prove
that the giant must be modern because its features were Napoleonic. The Boston exhibition
proved a brief resuscitation of the financial success of the humbug, but after a few weeks
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 99
the suspicion of fraud had become so general that the revenue began to decline, and after
a few months the Cardiff giant passed out of public notice.
THE REVIVAL OF THE SUBJECT
during the past year by discussion in some quarters in this country and Europe, and the
reconsideration of its merits in some scientific circles, has perhaps made it worth while to
present this simple connected statement of facts occurring in the history of the Cardiff
image from its origin to the close of its career. These facts being all capable of verification
may thus aid in refuting the errors that will be likely to arise where the attempt is made
to dignify this Cardiff giant by considering it as anything more than a clever hoax."
Reverses. — Successful and profitable up to this time, the tide of success had
been uncliecked. But now came a series of reverses, which resulted in slowly but
surely establishing the true character of the humbug, and consequently in dimin-
ishing the revenue. Professor O. C. Marsh, of Yale College, gave the first telling
blow to the empiricism that had vouched for the giant's antiquity in the name of
science, by stating that although gj^psum is soluble in four hundred parts of
water, yet the surface of the giant was smooth and little dissolved, though
surrounded by wet earth, thus proving that the burial must have been recent.
Professor Marsh also found other indications of newness which had escaped the
learned scrutiny of others, such as recent tool-marks in places where they could
not be easily effaced, and in places close by water-worn surfaces. Soon, also,
there were letters, one after another, written by various persons who had seen the
four-horse wagon carrying the large box to Cardiff. Then came other letters
from Fort Dodge, Iowa, detailing the history of the stone quarried out and
shipped to Chicago by Hull, July 27, 1868. Finally, the statement of the Chicago
stone-cutter Markman came forward.
The following extended history of the exposure of the fraud by Professor
Marsh, copied from the Syracuse Post Standard, April 10, 1899, is of particular
interest in connection with this subject:
EXPOSED A LOCAL FRAUD.
Prof. Marsh of Yale Denounced the Cardiff Giant.
PROMISED to write A BOOK.
The Famous Paleontologist Has Recently Died— Circumstances Under Which He
Came to Syracuse to Visit the Alleged " Petrifaction "—Had a Quarrel With
Scientists and Theologians, but the Laugh Came His Way at Last— The Contro-
versy With Dr. McWhorter and What Came of It.
The recent death of Prof. O. C. Marsh of Yale, the famous paleontologist, who first
exposed the Cardiff giant fraud, revives a reminiscent interest in a subject over which not
only every citizen of Syracuse and Onondaga County, but for that matter, scientists, theo-
logians and laymen the world over, were once wildly excited.
Prof. Marsh often said he intended to write a book of reminiscences in which the
Cardiff giant would be a prominent figure, but whether he left the manuscript of such a
work is not generally known. An old Yale man, who knew Prof. Marsh intimately, relates
in the New York Sun the circumstances under which Prof. Marsh declared as the greatest
loo HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
fraud of the age an object which many leading scientists of the time had asserted to be a
wonderful and genuine petrifaction, as follows :
" There were very few people some thirty years ago who didn't know what the Cardiff
giant was. It had been on exhibition for several months, special trains had been run to
Syracuse to accommodate those who wished to see it, so that it was very well known. In
the first place the Cardiff giant was the eighth wonder in the world; in the second, it was
a fossil man of marvelous antiquity. It had been unearthed in the fall of 1869 upon the
farm of one George Hull, at Cardiff, N. Y.— an immense statue, some nine feet long,
bearing unmistakable evidence of being a fossilized man.
" No wonder that the whole community was aghast that Hull had an offer of $10,000
for a part interest in his find; that Prof. John Hall, the geologist of New York State, had
given scientific sanction to its antiquity; that Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes had testified to
its wonderful anatomical interest; that Emerson began to patronize it in his philosophical
way and pronounce it beyond his depth, and that the whole scientific world was debating
whether it were a real fossil, a stone cut 300 years before by the Jesuit fathers or a
Phoenician god.
PROF. MARSH VISITS SYRACUSE.
" There was one man in New Haven, however, who was not so greatly impressed by all
this as his scientific brethren. It so happened that Prof. Marsh was a native of Western New
York, familiar with its geological features and had explored the very region in which the
giant was supposed to have lain undisturbed for so many centuries.
" He determined to examine into the foundation for all the wonderful stories he had
heard, and so one day a small, keen-eyed man presented himself and his 50 cents at the
tent in Syracuse, where the wonder lay in state.
" The attendants had no idea who their visitor was and . their suspicions were not
aroused even when he requested permission to go inside the ropes and make a more minute
examination. This permission was secured after some difficulty. He was accompanied by
the keeper who, during the examination, kept pointing out all the fine points of his charge
in apparent fear that Prof. Marsh might miss something. The professor, however, saw
a great many more things than any one had any idea of.
" The first thing he noticed was that the stone of which the image was made was
gypsum. It so happens that gypsum is soluble in 400 parts of water and that the region
in which the image was found was very damp — so how under the sun, the professor asked
himself, could it have retained that fine polish and all the fine pinhole marks that the
scientists had explained as pores of the skin? The professor further observed that these
pores themselves occurred at regular intervals and in the same abundance, which at once
led him to the conclusion that this had been made with some instrument moving regularly
over the surface.
DECLARED THE GIANT \ FRAUD.
" In fact. Prof. Marsh had hardly examined the thing five minutes before he saw that
it was a gigantic fraud. The first step he took after reaching the hotel was to write a
letter to a newspaper friend exposing the fraud, which that gentleman at once published.
This letter went the rounds of the press and was generally regarded as convincing proof
against the antiquity of the giant.
" Prof. Marsh's trouble did not end there, however. He met antagonism near at home.
One of the most picturesque figures upon the Yale campus in those days was the Rev.
Alexander McWhorter. McWhorter was a Yale graduate, a former professor in the
Troy Theological Seminary, a man of much antiquarian knowledge and general scholarship.
There was one thing in the world of which McWhorter was very fond, and that was this
same Cardiff giant. It was a very tender spot with him.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. loi
" He had a pet theory that long before the time of Columbus or Leif Ericsson, the
New World, and especially that region in Western New York, had been inhabited by the
Phoenicians. Of course, the discovery of the Cardiff giant was conclusive evidence that
this theory was correct. It was not a fossilized man, after all, but a Phoenician god, many
centuries old.
" McWhorter worshiped this god as devoutly as the old Phoenicians themselves, and
when he read Prof. Marsh's letter he was a very angry man. As soon as Prof. Marsh
returned to New Haven his theological friend began to upbraid him.
" In time I believe that even McWhorter saw his mistake, but it was only after many
years. It was the great disappointment of his life and he did not survive it long. He
always nourished a grudge against Prof. Marsh and other Yale men who made sport of
the Cardiff giant. By the way where is this Cardiff giant to-day? Prof. Marsh once told
me that his latest report was that it was stranded on the Mexican frontier at El Paso, where
it was held for unpaid duties upon imported statuary."
Shortly afterward, the Syracuse Post Standard, on April 25, 1899, published
the following announcement :
WILL BE EXHIBITED.
CARDIFF GIANT IN THE CENTRAL FREIGHT OFFICE.
The Cardiff giant has again come to life after almost twenty years of slumber and will
again be put on exhibition before the public. It has been found in the freight office of
the New York Central railroad. This time, however, it will be exhibited as the greatest
fake in America. It is eleven feet in length and weighs 3,800 pounds. There have been
several Tamuses on exhibition since P. T. Barnum offered $60,000 for the services of this
one for three months and all the time the supposed original one was on exhibition at the
world's fair the real original one was slumbering in the freight office here.
The only birth the Cardiff giant ever had was in the brain of George Hull, a Connecticut
Yankee. He secured the stone near Fort Dodge and shipped it to Chicago, where the
image was made and discolored with acid. It was then shipped to Union, near Binghamton,
and reshipped to Cortland. From there it was carted in the night to the farm of " Stubb "
Newell in Cardiff. It was duly buried in 1868, but without ceremony and by moonlight,
where it rested for one year, when it was four>d by Newell while digging a well.
Cardiff Giant and the Indians. — One of the mythological legends of the
Six Nations was thd invasion of the " Stone Giants," which waged cruel, unre-
lenting war. This and other stories embody exaggerated traditions of the Onon-
dagas. When the Cardiff giant was unearthed, the Onondagas came in numbers
and greeted the stone man as one of the enemies who centuries ago invaded and
played havoc with the Indian country.
A List of Early Newspapers in Cayuga County. — The Levanna Gazette
was established in the town of Scipio, July 20, 1798.
The Western Luminary, in Scipio, in 1799.
The Aurora Gazette in 1799, continued until 1805, when it was removed to
Auburn and changed to the Western Federalist, and in 181 5 changed to the
Auburn Gazette.
The Cayuga Tocsin was commenced at Union Springs in 1812, and soon after
removed to Auburn and continued until 1847, when it was united with the Cayuga
Patriot.
102 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
The Cayuga Patriot was started in Auburn in 1814.
The Cayuga New Era was afterward published for a short time.
The Advocate of the People was published in 1816.
The Cayuga Republican commenced in 1819; in 1833 it was united with the
Auburn Journal and Advertiser, and in 1846 it was issued as the Auburn Journal.
The Auburn Free Press commenced in 1824.
Note. — Of all these early newspapers none of the files are known to be in
existence, except a file of the Cayuga Tocsin, which is now in the private library
of the late William H. Seward. There are two numbers of the Cayuga Patriot,
dated 1818, now in our Skaneateles Library, bound in with other old local news-
papers. These two Cayuga Patriots were collected and presented to the Skan-
eateles Library by E. N. Leslie.
Charles Goodall. — Charles Goodall was born at Draycott, Somersetshire,
England, December 20, 1824. His father, George Goodall, was a farmer.
Charles as a boy worked for his father at ordinary farm work, and so continued
until the news of the bright prospects of the land beyond the sea reached the
seclusion of the village farni and had stirred up longings which could not be
quelled. And so, at the age of sixteen, with one companion somewhat his senior,
the young man left the quiet scenes of rural England, and, sailing in the good
ship Adirondack, Captain Hackstaff, safely reached New York, on May 11, 1841.
With characteristic energy he lost no time in the uncertain efforts of city life, but,
sailing up the Hudson to Albany, and going thence to Syracuse, he traveled on
foot in search of such employment as his early home life had fitted him for, and,
undeterred by several unsuccessful efiforts, he finally secured employment, spend-
ing the winter in the employ of an English farmer.
In the spring of 1842 he commenced his travels on foot for more desirable
employment, until he happened to reach Skaneateles, at which place he secured
farmwork by the month with an old shif) captain named De Cost. The year spent
in the employ of Captain De Cost, and hearing him relate sea-yarns, interested
Goodall, so much so as to awaken the idea that he must go to sea and to. follow
that for a living. When, therefore, after he had spent one year on the captain's
farm, it was sold, and it had passed into the possession of new owners, Goodall
then found that his opportunity had come. The stepson of. Captain De Cost,
Edward B. Coe, had also an inclination to go to sea, and both had often talked the
matter over. Goodall made his way to New Bedford, and, ascertaining that
Edward B. Coe had previously shipped on the same vessel, engaged for a three
years' whaling voyage in the ship Milo. The voyage extended to three years and
nineteen days, and was quite successful, as the ship returned with a full cargo of
oil. When he again stood on terra firma, the young sailor found himself pos-
sessed of the enormous sum of one hundred and eighty-three dollars as his portion
of the proceeds. But this sum was the most insignificant of the rewards of that
first voyage. It had opened his mind to the possibilities of his future life. It
had given him the benefit of travel, and of visits to the Western and the Cape
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
103
Verd Islands, Chili, Peru, Bolivia, Alaska, the Sandwich Islands, Societ)' Islands,
Mas-a-fuera, Juan Fernandez, and other places which had been visited by the
ship J\Iilo during her long voyage. It convinced him that his sphere was not in
plowing the soil, but rather plowing the ocean over the keel of a well-freighted
vessel, and, consequently, reaping the harvest of marine commerce. Intelligent
and anxious to learn and to profit by the experiences of others, the associations
formed during this whaling voyage enabled him to remedy the defects of his
limited early education.
Soon after the arrival of the Milo at New Bedford and his return to Skan-
eateles, the exciting and extraordinary news from California which produced the
104 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
" California gold fever " of '49 determined Goodall at once to go there. As
all his capital then consisted of the money received from his whaling voyage, he
could not afford to go by way of Panama across the Isthmus, and therefore took
passage on a schooner via Cape Horn to San Francisco, where after a long
passage he arrived January 25, 1850.
From San Francisco he went up to the " gold diggings," and for eight months
used pick and shovel with but little success. He went back to San Francisco, and
obtained employment on a water-boat, which brought pure spring water from
Saucelito, on the bay, and supplied the shipping lying at San Francisco. He care-
fully saved his wages, purchased a water-boat, and continued the same business
of supplying ships with pure spring water.
Not long after he had purchased the water-boat, a small steam-tug, which had
been shipped to San Francisco to be sold, was purchased by Goodall. Instead of
supplying the shipping with water, he soon acquired the business of towing the
ships about the harbor, and towing them out to sea when necessary owing to
adverse winds. He became very popular with the merchants and captains. He
had the reputation of never using profane language to his assistants, never pas-
sionate, always gentle and kind. These traits, especially with the merchants,
made him many friends and made his business profitable.
An opportunity offering to ship on a trading voyage to the South Pacific
Islands, he made it convenient to accept it, and shipped on the vessel, thus utilizing
his knowledge of seafaring life. The vessel first stopped at Panama, then the
Fiji, Friendly, New. Hebrides, and other islands, as well as Australia and the
commercial ports of China.
While stopping at the Fiji Islands, Goodall made the acquaintance of Chris-
topher Nelson, who had been wrecked and thrown among the Fiji savages. He
with the rest of the crew was rescued and brought away by the vessel on which
Goodall was. Mr. Nelson was a native of Denmark, and had become an American
by adoption. They both returned to San Francisco. In the mean time, Goodall
ascertained through his intimacy with Nelson that a partnership with him would
be desirable, consequently the firm of ,Goodall & Nelson became established in San
Francisco. Their business was a limited one, owing to the want of capital.
Note. — In writing the life of Charles Goodall, and reading of his success in
life, starting from his residence in Skaneateles, in 1842, being at that time em-
ployed as a farm-laborer by Captain De Cost, it is impossible to ascertain, from
newspaper statements or any other published sources of information, the details
of his business life from the time that he landed in San Francisco in 1850. Of
course, no person can make a success in life except by strict integrity in all his
intercourse with his fellow citizens, strict economy, strict morality, strict attention
to business, and good health. Such were the characteristics of Charles Goodall.
In the year 1870, the firm of Goodall & Nelson associated with them Mr.
George C. Perkins, a native of Kennebunk, Maine, who in his early years fol-
lowed the sea, preeminently fitting him for the duties which devolved upon him
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 105
as a member of the new firm of Goodall, Nelson & Perkins. Mr. Perkins had
long been known as a successful merchant at Oroville, Cal, and as State Senator
of Butte County, possessed thorough business qualifications, and a disposition and
integrity of character which commanded the respect of all with whom he came
in contact. While discharging his duties as State Senator, he met Charles
Goodall, who, in the year 1870, had been elected to the State Assembly from San
Francisco. The acquaintance thus formed soon served to develop a warm mutual
attachment, which eventually resulted in the formation of the copartnership of
Goodall, Nelson & Perkins. In the year 1876, Mr. Nelson disposed of his interest
in the firm, and gave place to Edwin Goodall, a younger brother of Charles, since
which event the style of the firm has been Goodall, Perkins & Co.
In a letter written to the author, dated about five months previously to his
death, Charles Goodall stated that the business of the firm " has of course enlarged,
so that now it embraces Mexico and ' The Land of the Midnight Sun,' which is
served by about twenty-five steamers, and a half-dozen whalers that pursue their
avocation in the Arctic Ocean. The fleet is engaged in the capture of whales for
the whalebone mostly, caring very little for the oil, which is the reverse of my
experience when I was on board the Milo, in the years 1846-49. Another branch
of the firm's business is engaged in catching salmon and canning the product.
The purport and labor called for is about equally divided between catching whales
and salmon. I have the honor to be president of the company, with a capital of
$2,500,000, but I am happy to say I do not own it all."
The success of Charles Goodall has been acquired by slow degrees, step by
step, during the interim of the fifty-eight years since he was a farm-laborer in
Skaneateles, and, if he had shown no greater energy than a mere hope of some
day doing something better, it is most likely that the Pacific Coast would never
have known this one of the most reliable business men and prominent citizens of
California.
During his business life in San Francisco he entered actively into public
affairs. In 1861-62 he was Harbor-Master at San Francisco, and in 1870 he was
elected to the Legislature. He was at one time President of the Chamber of
Commerce. He was also Trustee of the Leland Stanford Jr. University. He
was a religious man, and his many gifts testify to his spirit of generosity. He
was a member of Simpson Memorial Church, Honorary President of the City
Church Extension Society, Trustee of the University of the Pacific, and was
always identified with the Young Men's Christian Association. He was par-
ticularly generous to religious societies. The Howard Street Methodist Church
received thousands of dollars from him, and many smaller churches shared in the
generous disposition of his wealth. The University of the Pa;cific received more
than $20,000, Simpson Memorial Church $4,500, and the episcopal residence
$7,500.
On June 10, 1899, he left San Francisco, accompanied by his wife. It was to be
a trip for both health and pleasure, and it was intended to visit several cities on
io6
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
the Continent before their return. He and his wife had previousl)' made a tour
of Europe during the year 1884, and a series of letters from him descriptive of
his travels was published in the California Christian Advocate. These letters
were afterward published in pamphlet form for the use of Charles Goodall's
friends. They were written by a plain business man, who wrote as he saw,
thought, and felt, without any attempt to follow guide-books or other men's tracks.
When he and his wife left San Francisco, June 10, 1899, he first went to Draycott,
Somersetshire, England, his old home where he was born. It was during his
soiourn there, and only about a month after he left San Francisco, that he died, on
July 13, from heart disease, superinduced by rheumatism.
The following from the San Francisco Argonaut gives the particulars of
Charles Goodall's last M'ill and testament :
'' His executors were George C. Perkins, Edwin Goodall, and C. M. .Goodall.
The total value of his estate is $1,010,362.74. The residuary devisees and
legatees to whom the properties now in the hands of the executors will be dis-
tributed are : Mrs. Caroline J. Goodall, decedent's widow, and his children, Charles
Minor Goodall, Flora A. Bland, Serena T. Kell, and Harry Walter Goodall."
Note. — Charles Goodall, in the year 1892, presented to the Skaneateles Library
Association three hundred dollars.
Old Accounts. — The following is a running account between a farmer and
Winston Day, who was an earh' merchant in the village. The money repre-
sented as pounds, shillings, and pence was really the divisions of the Spanish
milled dollars. The pence were the ordinary pennies ; the shillings were in value
twelve and a half cents ; and the pounds were twenty shillings of twelve and a
half cents each.
Dr. to Winston Day,
September, 1805, Williaji J. Vkedenbueg :
£ s, d.
To sawing one night i o o
To three white ash logs 12 0
April, 1805.
To three hemlock logs, 767 feet 7 o
To taking a deer down to you 6 o
Dec., 1812.
To 1554 pounds of beef at 6d 6 g
The following is another account :
Winston Day, Dr. to Eli Clark.
£ s. d.
To 32 bushels house ashes i j 4
53 bushels field ashes i g g
70 bushels ashes i jc g
March, 1803.
To S bushel & 43 pounds wheat 170
Among the accounts is the following item :
"Warren Hecox, Sept., 1811, Dr. To sheepskin, hogskins, cowhides, oats, potatoes, etc."
-^*^
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 107
CHAPTER IX.
Early Reminiscences.
Celebration of the Fourth of July Seventy Years Ago. — We copy
from the Skaneateles Telegraph of June 29, 1831, the following abstract of a
grand celebration held in this village at that early period, without giving all the
details, which fill a column of the paper. It was about that time that the Pres-
byterian church had been built and finished :
" At 10 o'clock A.M., a gun will be fired as a signal for forming the procession,
at which hour the procession will form, under the direction of the Marshal of the
Day and his assistants, in front of Isaac W. Perry's stage-house." The details
of the procession are here omitted.
" The procession will march up Market to North Street, up North Street to
Academy Street, down Academy Street to Main Street, and up Main Street to
the Brick Church. On arriving at the church the procession will open to the
right and left, and face inward, and march into the church in inverted order.
At the church the exercises will take place in the following order:
Prayer.
Music.
Reading of the Declaration.
Music.
Oration.
Benediction.
" At the close of the exercises in the church the procession will form in the
order specified in the bills of the day, and move up Main Street to Hamilton
Street, and thence to the boat-yard to witness the launch of the steamboat. After
the launch the procession will forim according to the same directions, and march
to Main Street, to the inn of Isaac W. Perry, where dinner will be prepared.
A President and Vice-President appointed by the committee will preside at the
table. At sunset an evening salute of thirteen guns will be fired. In the evening
an exhibition of fireworks and the ascension of balloons are announced.
" The committee give notice that the doors of the church will be open from
6 to 10 A.M. for the admission of ladies, who are requested to take seats on the
east side of the church."
Then the veterans of the War for Independence residing in our vicinity were
invited, and the officers of the Militia of this State were invited to appear in their
uniforms on this occasion.
io8 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
" The committee further solicit the citizens of this and adjoining towns, who
feel an interest in the dissemination of liberal principles or the prosperity of this
village, to lay aside their usual vocations, to banish sectional and political
jealousies, and unite with us in the commemoration of this birthday of our
Independence.
" It is with peculiar pride and pleasure that the committee announce to those
residing at a distance that the launch of the steamboat erecting in this village,
forming such an interesting epoch in the history of this place, will also add to the
interest of the celebration.
Warren Hecox, Edward Sandford,
Samuel Porter, H. W. Allen,
Phares Gould, Joseph Battin,
Stephen Horton, Nelson Hawley,
F. G. Jewett, B. S. Wolcott,
Daniel Kellogg, E. H. Porter."
John Legg,
The oration at the celebration was delivered by a prominent young attorney,
a notable citizen. On this occasion the wife of Captain Kirby Smith, who was a
Miss Jerome, was present and an interested listener. She recognized the oration
as in part a plagiarism, which she afterward made known to her particular
friends. Mrs. Kirby Smith had in her early girlhood been a pupil at the " Hive "
boarding-school, kept by Lydia P. Mott, of Skaneateles.
The First Newspaper. — The Skaneateles Telegraph was first issued July 28,
1829. W. H. Child was the publisher, and D. B. Drake editor. The following
extracts from the leading editorial are of interest :
" Though we have labored under many embarrassments of a discouraging
nature in the undertaking, we have at length issued the first number of our paper.
. . . It will be observed that this paper is dated several days forward, so that
the second number will not be issued till the 4th of August. In the mean time we
trust we shall have a large accession to our subscription list. This number will
be sent to every dwelling in the village. If any should be neglected, it will be
unintentional. Those who may feel themselves unable or unwilling to subscribe
will return the first number as soon as convenient."
The editor then goes on to define his position in regard to politics.
General Jackson was then President.
One of the advertisements gave the following announcement of the Skaneateles
Hotel, kept by N. D. Caldwell and K. Wallis :
" The subscribers having refitted and newly furnished this extensive establish-
ment, formerly occupied by S. & J. Hall, offer their services for the accommoda-
tion of the public. Its delightful situation on the margin of the lake, the beauty
of the scenery, and the healthfulness of the climate give it every natural advantage.
They also flatter themselves that the convenience of the accommodations, the
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 109
excellencies of their table and bar, and the most assiduous attention of all belong-
ing to the establishment will render it a pleasant retreat for travelers or parties of
pleasure.
" N.B. — Seats may be taken every day in the different stages running to
Homer, Ithaca, Jordan, Syracuse, Buffalo, and Albany."
Dr. Parsell opened an office for the practise of medicine at the hotel.
John H. Johnson was Sheriff, and Joseph Dascomb was his deputy.
The following marriage notices appeared:
"July 6, 1829, Mr. Holland W. Chadwick was married to Miss Matilda
Earll.
" July 3. Joseph S. Mott to Miss Mary Thorne, daughter of Nicholas Thorne.
" In Elbridge, July 4, E. D. Wheadon to Miss Sarah Marvin."
Advertisement. — Here is a characteristic advertisement of this time:
One Cent Reward.
Ran away from the subscriber on or about the 24th ult. an indented boy in the farming
business, named Norman Hodges, aged 14 years. Whoever will return said boy to the sub-
scriber shall receive the above reward. All persons are forbid harboring him or trusting
him under penalty of the law. John Carpenter.
Marcellus, Jan. 11, 1830.
General Training Day.- — Dr. Israel Parson's " Centennial History " gives
the following history of " General Training Day " :
" Previous to the year 1846 a day was set apart for a general turnovit of the
Militia. This was a product of the Revolution. On this day a regiment would
assemble, alternately in this village and the village of Marcellus, ' armed and
equipped as the law directs,' for the purpose of military drill and parade. These
regimental drills occurred day by day, succeeding each other until all the regi-
ments in the Brigade had been successively inspected by the Brigadier-General.
With the movements of the Brigadier-General and his aids from one general train-
ing place to another, there followed a perfect caravan of pedlers, trucksters, and all
sorts of people, who would arrange themselves early in the morning in convenient
places in the village. These were followed by endless streams of people who
were to make up the various actors and spectators of the day.
" General Training Day was about the middle of September. With the excep-
tion of an independent company of sixty, called 'the Rifle Company, the others
were denominated Bear Foot and Floodwood companies. Probably these names
were given them on account of the striking contrast they presented to the Rifle
Company, which was a trim, beautiful company of selected men, whose uniform
was a dark-gray suit ; pants with a black stripe running down the outside of the
leg; dress coat, single-breasted, with one row of gilt military buttons set closely
together extending from the wa\st to the neck ; a stiff straight collar, with three
or four parallel stripes of yellow tinsel lace extending around its whole length;
there were also two stripes of same extending over each shoulder and around the
no HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
cuffs of the sleeves; a tall beaver hat, with a thin brass plate ornamented with
figures fastened on the front of it, and from behind this plate apparently growing
out of the top of it was a tall, bushy red feather. Each man carried a first-class
rifle, in complete order, and a powder-flask suspended from a belt fastened around
his waist.
" Occasionally this company assembled on the Fourth of July for the purpose
of escorting and doing honor to the old veterans. The ' Floodwood Companies,'
although made up of men like the Rifle Company, had the appearance of having
emanated from some dark region of the earth, on account of the utter carelessness
manifested by a portion of them in dress and personal appearance. Having no
uniform, every man was dressed to meet his own views of taste and comfort, so
that, when formed into one body as a regiment, there was very much the appear-
ance of dazzling light leading hideous darkness. The Floodwood Companies
were equipped with musket and bayonet, a cartridge-box hanging one side and a
bayonet-sheath the other, each suspended by a strap passing over the opposite
shoulder.
"Although on Company Training Day (which was always the first Monday
in September) there were many departures in the Floodwood Companies from
the regulations of the day, but on ' General Muster ' order prevailed ; for the
scrutiny of the higher officers peculiar to this day was such that whoever ventured
to violate rules was sure to be returned to court martial, and there to meet with
a retribution which destroyed all desire ever afterward to repeat the mis-
demeanor."
An Affair of Honor. — In the year 1812, during the war of that period, there
was, about half a mile north of the village of Marcellus, a central point where
there were a grist-mill, a saw-mill, and a whisky-still, which in those days was of
considerable importance in furnishing a market for surplus grain which otherwise
could not find sale nearer than Albany. A wool-carding and cloth-dressing
machine here was patronized by the farmers for the purpose of having the product
of their families' looms finished for domestic use. A store supplied whisky and
other merchandise for the needy who had the wherewith to buy or exchange. The
store and the still were owned by Joseph Piatt, and the still was run by Alvin
North. There were besides a paper-mill owned by John Herring, and a powder-
mill owned by some one else. This collection of mills and the store, together with
the still, comprised an attractive business center, where the inhabitants of the
surrounding country met for business purposes and to discuss the news of the day.
Politics at the time were uppermost in the public mind, and the war of opinions
at times was very bitter by members of opposite parties, which on some occasions
led to literal knock-down arguments, at other times to fun and frolic or to the
ridiculous, especially when both parties were not under the influence of liquor.
Reuben Farnham, a resident of Skaneateles, and a man named Tompkins,
who resided in the vicinity of the whisky-still, had a discussion. The theme
was politics; the subject was the Hartford Convention and its purpose and
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. m
effect. Farnham had a special weakness for fire-water and was inclined to imbibe
whenever an opportunity presented itself, and the day these two men met he was
very noisy and intoxicated. Tompkins was a Democrat, and Farnham a Federal.
The discussion was very heated, and Tompkins made such insulting charges
against his adversary that Farnham seemingly took offense, demanded an apology,
and, being insultingly denied, challenged Tompkins. He would only meet him
again on the field of honor, and pistols were to be the arbiter of the insult.
Tompkins accepted the challenge, seconds were selected by each party, Joseph
Piatt being one and Alvin North the other, and with them all matters were left
to arrange the preliminaries of the meeting, they to furnish and prepare the
weapons, place the parties in position, and to give the signal to fire.
According to this prearrangement, the duelists met in a large room selected
for the purpose, were placed at each end by their respective seconds, the pistols
placed in their hands, and at the signal both fired simultaneously. Tompkins fell
heavily on the floor, bleeding profusely from the left breast, deluging the room
with blood, and after a few struggles and gasps was to all appearances dead.
When Farnham realized the scene, he seemed dumfounded, a reaction in his
feelings overpowered him with remorse, and he wept like a child, and swore that
he would give himself up to the authorities and meet the legal consequences.
Tompkins' body was carried off by his friends. The affair caused the most
intense excitement in the neighborhood, and preparations were made for the arrest
of Farnham; but before that took place the secret leaked out that Tompkins had
not been killed, the duel was all a sham, and there were no bullets placed in the
pistols. Tompkins had previously placed a small bladder of some red liquid
under his vest, which was punctured at the proper time, and accounted for the
profuse flow of blood, especially as he purposely fell on the left side where the
bag of fluid was placed. > | j i
The duel was to all parties, together with the spectators, except Farnham, a
practical joke. To him it seemed a terrible reality, seeing blood as it appeared
running from the dying man's breast after he fell on the floor. After the company
was fully satisfied with the sport Tompkins reappeared as sound as ever. When
Farnham discovered that he had been fooled by a practical joke, his anger was
unbounded, and he threatened Tompkins' life in revenge for the deception; but
he soon cooled off, sense and reason came to his relief, and the whole matter was
finally settled by the company present making up a subscription and sending over
to the store for a jug of whisky, of which all joyously partook.
The First Mail-Carriers and the First Stage-Coaches. — The fitst
United States mails in this section of the State were carried through here in
1797-98, on horseback, by a Mr. Langdon. He was succeeded by a Mr. Lucas,
who drove a wagon for the purpose. He also established a two-horse passenger-
wagon, with which he did a profitable business. The first four-horse mail-coach
was sent through once a week by Jason Parker. During the next year he ran
his coaches twice a week from Utica to Canandaigua, carrying the mail and pas-
112 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
sengers. In that year, by act of the Legislature, Jason Parker and Levi Stephens
were granted the exclusive right for seven years for running stages for passengers
at least twice a week along the Genesee Road or the Seneca Turnpike, between
Utica and Canandaigua. They were required to furnish substantial covered
wagons or sleighs, and the fare was limited to five cents per mile. They were
also required to make the run through in forty-eight hours, accidents excepted,
and not more than seven passengers were allowed in any one stage, except by
consent of the seven. If four others applied for passage, the proprietors were
bound immediately to start an " extra " for their accommodation. This line of
stages began running daily in 1808, after which many other lines of stage-coaches
were placed on this route, which were continued for many years and up to the
time when the iron horse appeared and displaced the stage-coach.
Early History. — Gibbs & Horton's store, which formerly stood on the Horton
lot, was removed to Syracuse Street and fitted for a dwelling by Nelson Hawley.
It is now occupied by Mrs. Peacock, or Nat Miller's widow.
Dr. William Pratt was a physician here in 1807-8.
Piatt Wikes kept a store next to Day & Sherwood's in 1806.
Peter E. Gumaer and James Ennes were here in 1800. This Gumaer was the
first of that name who settled here.
In the year 1815, David H. Griswold, who was a brother-in-law of Ambrose
Hecox, kept the old tavern which was on the same ground now occupied by the
Savings Bank, next east of Judge Marvin's house. A ballroom formed one of
the attractions of this old hostelry. This old tavern originated about the year
1796. It was then kept by Captain Welsh, who was a militia captain. Then it
was a log house situated about or near where the corner of Main and State streets
now is. Afterward a frame addition was placed on the west side. This was two
stories and about sixty feet front, and extended to the line of Winston Day's lot.
As stated above, the ballroom was the only accommodation of that kind in the
village in 181 5. There was a dancing-school kept there, and the dancing-master's
name was Bond.
After the Lake House was built, in 1824, a ballroom was made in the second
story. The music was furnished by a Mr. Beach and his son, the father playing
the violin and the son the bass viol. They furnished music for all the neighbor-
ing settlements. Mr. Beach resided in either Marcellus or Onondaga, and was a
devoted lover of music, a very fine player, and in a worldly way was in comfort-
able circumstances. He played as much for his own comfort as for his employers.
In 1816 William H. Sandford kept a store in this village.
A Brother of Benedict Arnold. — Henry Arnold, a brother of the traitor
Arnold, once resided in this village. His residence was a small, unpainted one,
and was the dwelling which occupied the place now owned by Thomas Y. Avery,
opposite St. James' Church. He came here from Canada and was a resident about
three years. He was related by marriage with John Ten Eyck's wife. He
afterward returned to Canada.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 113
The Dark Day. — This was one of the epochs of the early settlers, and was
caused by an annular eclipse of the sun, which took place June 16, 1806. The day
was cloudy, and the obscuration produced almost total darkness. The many
forest-trees which surrounded the dwellings of the people had the effect of deep-
ening the darkness. The feathered tribe all retired to roost, and the day was one
long remembered.
Samuel Litherland and Isaac Selover were engaged in laying the floors of the
Vredenburg house on that day, and it became so dark that it was impossible to
go on with the work, so Mr. Vredenburg supplied them with candles. Mr.
Litherland was in the habit of recounting his experience on that occasion to his
friends throughout his life.
Incident of the War of 1812. — During the war a detachment of cavalry
stopped here on their way to the frontier, and employed John Legg to make
horseshoes and a supply of horseshoe-nails. Legg had all the blacksmiths- in
the surrounding country to work for him in completing this order, as it was
necessary to have the utmost despatch.
Repulsing the British during the War of 1812. — In the month of Octo-
ber, 1814, all the able-bodied men in this military district were ordered out to
repulse the British, who were threatening both Oswego and Sacket's Harbor. No
British were encountered, and but little is known of their adventures except the
portion who went to Oswego. On their route to and from that place they con-
ducted themselves in such a manner that the people residing in the vicinity have
always said they would have rather had the British than the Americans.
British Prisoners. — In the month of August, 1814, one hundred and sixty-
eight British prisoners captured in the attack on Fort Erie passed through this
place. They bivouacked overnight on the lake-shore, on the land now owned by
Mr. Fred Roosevelt. They were on their way to the cantonment at Greenbush,
on the Hudson River.
Samuel pRANCis.^-Samuel Francis was born in Fair Haven, Vt., March 25,
1773. He came to Skaneateles in 1814, accompanied by his wife and four sons,
Samuel, George, Eliel, and Wadsworth. Two of his sons learned to manufacture
hats with their father, and finally succeeded him in the business under the firm
name of S. & G. Francis. The hat-factory was on the shore of the lake, imme-
diately east of the present site of St. James' Church, and, located on the south
side of the Seneca Turnpike road, in front of the factory, was the store, where the
finished stock of hats was kept for sale, and in the rear of this building was
another small one adjoining, where George Francis dressed the hats. On the
front of the hat-store was a large, artistically painted sign, illustrating the method
of obtaining the raw material used in the manufacture of hats. On the sign, in
oil-colors, was a full-length Indian, nearly life-size, selling furs to a white man,
intended to represent Samuel Francis, standing behind a counter in his store.
This illustrated sign was in existence until about the year 1842. It was painted
by Charles L. Elliott, the artist. The Francis hat-factory supplied all this section
114 HISTORY QF SKANEATELES.
of country with fur and wool hats, and was the only establishment of the kind in
this town. Samuel Francis continued the business until his eyesight began to fail,
which finally terminated in total blindness. He purchased the land on which his
shop was located from Cotton Denio, an early settler here. Next east of his land
was Winston Day's potashery, consisting of about an acre of land.
Samuel Francis was a devoted member of St. James' Church, serving both as
a vestryman and warden for more than fifty years. His death occurred January
26, 1865, at the ripe age of ninety- two years.
Two of his sons, Samuel and Wadsworth, gave up their lives in the defense
of the Union, during the war of 1861-65.
His daughter, Cornelia, married Nelson Hawley, now deceased, one of Skan-
eateles' early merchants. Mrs. Hawley now resides with her family at Kenosha,
Wis., and is a suffering invalid, being totally blind, and suffering from a fall,
which confines her to her bed, to which she submits with Christian patience, and
such cheerfulness as is possible under these conditions. " Nearly all the change
she has from day to day is to be lifted from the bed to her chair. If she could only
read, it would be such a comfort, and help pass away the time ; but it is as it is,
and so we must accept it." Mrs. Hawley has many warm friends in Skaneateles,
many of whom are not aware of her sufferings in her advanced years, and will
receive this intelligence with the deepest sympathy for her.
Mrs. Hawley has two sons, one of whom, Butler W., was a resident of Texas
for many years, but is now with his mother. He wrote and had published in the
Skaneateles Democrat, many years ago, a very interesting description of the
attractions of the State of Texas for business men. Another son, George F.
Hawley, is now engaged in the wholesale drug trade in Boston, and has been
successful. He has a wife and family, and resides in a suburb of Boston.
Edwards Family. — The following is a transcript from " The Edwards
Genealogy " :
Skaneateles' first settler came here in the year 1793. Before the close
of that century some of the Edwards family came. The first church was the
Presbyterian, situated on Onondaga Street, on the hill, just east of the village
corporation. It was dedicated March i, 1809.
There were fifteen original members, and of them three were Edwards : Solo-
mon Edwards ; Electa, wife of Thaddeus Edwards ; and Elizabeth, wife of
Alanson Edwards. Solomon Edwards and family came to Skaneateles the last of
February, 1809, and thought they were exceedingly fortunate to be here at the
dedication, as that was a notable event. The Presbyterians occupied that building
twenty years, then sold it to the Baptist Society, and built the brick church now
standing on Genesee Street. The first funeral held in it was that of Simeon
Edwards, in 1830. The first child baptized in it was his grandson, Alexander
Miller, who was born the day the first paper was published in Skaneateles, July 28,
1829.
The first wedding in this house was a double one, and of two of the grand-
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 115
children of Simeon Edwards : Melzer Edwards to Frances Bascom, and Elizabeth
Edwards to Stephen A. Gifford.
It is thought the oldest native of Skaneateles now living (1886) is Mrs.
Evelina Clark, of Marshall, Mich., born September 17, 1805. She was the oldest
child of Thomas and Minerva (Porter) Greves. Her husband was Rev. Calvin
Clark, son of Nathan and Lovisa (Edwards) Clark, of Westhampton. They
were married in 1835, and went immediately to Marshall. He was prominent in
the ministry. He died in 1877.
His brother, Rev. Anson Clark, of West Salem, Wis., resided in that State
thirty-five years. He quotes to his sons:
" Tell me not from what stock you grew,
But prove me your stock by what you do.''
One of the Edwards family, Ebenezer, while living at Northampton, Mass.,
was killed by a falling tree. Some lines were written on his death; only two are
remembered :
"Edwards the brave, the generous, and the just,
By instant fate is leveled to the dust."
Lydia (Edwards) McKay, born in Skaneateles, November i, 1805, was
drowned in 1830 by the upsetting of a stage-coach in crossing a stream a short
distance from her home in Aurora, while on her way to visit friends in Skan-
eateles.
Laura Edwards married Alfred Wilkinson, of Skaneateles, August 9, 1832.
He was born in 1780, and died July 19, 1859. Wilkinson first married Susan
Smith, daughter of Ephraim Smith, of Skaneateles.
Another of the Edwards family, Timothy by name, was a grandson of Ebe-
nezer, killed by the falling of a tree as above mentioned. He like his grandfather
was killed by a falling tree, not instantly, but he lingered four months and died
from his injuries.
David Hall was born September 16, 1744. He married Mary Petty, who died
aged ninety-four years. David Hall died in Skaneateles, in 1816.
Ralph Hall was born in Salem, Mass., November i, 1773. He married Abiah,
daughter of Farnham Hall. They removed to Skaneateles in 1828. Their eldest
child, Sarah, married Rev. George Dana Boardman, and both went as mission-
aries to Burmah. She married, second. Rev. Adoniram Judson. She was mother
of Rev. George D. Boardman, D.D., of Philadelphia, and of Dr. Adoniram and
Rev. Dr. Edward Judson, New York. Their daughter, Harriette Hall, married
Abner Edwards.
Ralph Hall's father was Ralph Hall, who was born February 27, 1717, and
died in 1802. He was never in Skaneateles, but lived in Salem, Mass.
Solomon Edwards bought the farm on East Lake Road, Skaneateles, lately
owned by J. Augustus Edwards, his grandson. On this farm five generations
ii6 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
of the Edwards family have lived. He came to this town in the latter part of the
last century, and was one of the original members of the Presbyterian Society in
this town. His daughter, Catharine, born in 1789 and died in 1872, married
William Hall, of Skaneateles.
Origin of the Doctors Porter family in Skaneateles. — Lucy Edwards married
Dr. Samuel Porter, of WilHamstown, Mass., who was the son of Dr. Hezekiah
Porter, of Northampton, Mass., formerly of Farmington, Conn. He married
Naomi, daughter of Eliphaz Clapp. He married, second, in 1790, Prudence,
daughter of Josiah Parsons, Jr. ; married, third, Sally Phelps, granddaughter of
Josiah Parsons, Sr. ; and, fourth, Hetty .
Their children, all born in WilHamstown, Mass., were:
Dr. Samuel, who died in Skaneateles in 1843, ^^^^ sixty-five years.
James, who married Eliza Vredenburg, of Skaneateles.
Minerva, married Thomas Greves.
Lucy, who married Samuel Rhoades.
Also two other children, named Alanson and Nancy.
Thaddeus Edwards married Electa Symons in WilHamstown, Mass., January
19, 1767; died in Skaneateles, April 25, 1841. Their adopted children were:
Fanny Hitchcock, born 1794, died May 24, 1839, ^^^ Sereno Clark, born 1790,
died March 11, 181 o.
Alanson Edwards married Elizabeth McKay April 26, 1791. She was born
February 28,. 1769, died 1832.
Their children were:
Alanson, born 1793 ; married Lydia Hopkins.
Thaddeus, born December 10, 1795; married Mary Putnam; married, second,
1838, Maria Clark, daughter of Nathan and Lovisa (Edwards) Clark.
Thaddeus came with his father's family in 1798.
Alonzo, born August 17, 1803; married Abigail Trowbridge, of Skaneateles;
died in 1849. There were eight other children, names given, but not of interest
to this history.
(All the preceding history of families is taken from " The Genealogy of the
Edwards Family.")
Thaddeus Edwards. — Thaddeus Edwards was born in the town of Green-
field, about six miles from BaHston Springs, December 10, 1795. He came to
Skaneateles with his father, Alanson, in February, 1798, who purchased the north
half of Lot No. 38 before he came here. One hundred acres of Lot No. 38 had
been previously purchased by a Mr. Lee from Nicholas Fish, or, rather, Alanson
Edwards and Mr. Lee procured their deeds from him. The original owner of
Lot No. 38 was a young man who purchased from the soldier who drew the lot.
Alanson Edwards. — Alanson Edwards, the father of Thaddeus, quartered
for three weeks in the old tavern while he was building a log house on his lot.
This house was on the site of where the present Jacob Hoagland's garden is
now.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 117
Bill of Goods. — The following is a copy of a bill of goods purchased by the
late Dr. Samuel Porter:
Skaneateles, Sept. 25, 1806.
Samuel Porter,
Bought of Samuel Ingham.
£ s. d.
SJ4 yds. of calico 2s. 8d. — J4 yd. brown Holland 2s. 8d 16 0
Pair Shears 2s. 2d. — 4 skeins silk 6d 4 2
Paper pins is. 3d. — 54 yd. cambric 5s. stick tape is 4 9
I piece linen 18 yds. is. 8d i 10 o
414 yds. calico 2s. 8d 12 o
I lb. bohea 4s. — i lb. raisins is. 4d 5 4
2]4 yds. linen 3s. — ^2j4 yds. tow cloth 3s. 8d 16 3
Sundries for hired man i 14 6
I skein of silk 6d. — i qt. molasses 6s 2 o
54 lb. pepper 3s. — }i lb. allspice 3s. i 6
Total 6 6 6
Celebration of Independence Day in 1835. — National salute was fired at
sunrise.
The procession was formed at 11 A.M. in front of I. W. Perry's Indian Queen
Hotel, under the direction of a marshal and his assistants. It passed through the
several streets in the village until it reached the Presbyterian Meeting-House,
where an oration was delivered to a great crowd of citizens by Benoni Lee, Esq.
The procession thereafter reformed and returned to the Indian Queen Hotel,
where a sumptuous dinner was set out, at one dollar a head. The meeting was
then called to order, and a President, Vice-President, and Secretary were by vote
appointed, and after that a general good time was enjoyed by all. Without going
into further detail, the names are here given of the committee of arrangements :
John Legg George F. Leitch J. R. Wallace
Samuel Porter Harrison B. Dodge E. D. Murray
Samuel Jacacks Noadiah Kellogg J. B. Stillson
Freeborn G. Jewett Edward O. Gould Charles L. Elliott
Nelson Hawley James G. Porter John C. Beach
Lewis H. Sandford James McCray George Francis
James M. Allen Robert Van Tine Dorastus Kellogg.
Charles J. Burnett, Jr. William Legg
Stages and Stage-Drivers. — The following items in relation to stage-coach-
ing are taken from the " Centennial History of Marcellus," written by Israel
Parsons, M.D., which are as applicable to Skaneateles as Marcellus:
" Before the time of railroads, the running of stages formed quite an im-
portant business. These villages along the East and West Road were wonder-
fully enlivened day by day by the arrival and departure of the stage-coaches
drawn by four horses.
" As the stages were descending these hills to enter the village, the drivers
would make the vallev reverberate with the music from their tin horns. They
ii8 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
became amateurs in the art, and vied with each other in the use of the horn.
Their object in blowing the horn was to notify the drivers at the stables to make
ready their horses for a change; the landlord, that the meals might be in order
for the passengers.
" In those days brakes had not been introduced on the stages, consequently
they descended the hills with quite a velocity. The horses used were of the first
quality — athletic, sure-footed, and strong. Each stage weighed twenty-two hun-
dred pounds, and carried eleven passengers with their baggage, which was
moderate compared with the individual baggage of the present day. Two coaches
were run regularly each way every day, besides extras, which were frequent to
meet the demands of travel.
" The class of young men who turned their attention to stage-driving were
natural lovers of horses, and as a result of this became very skilful in the man-
agement of their horses, taught them many tricks, and to perform feats. Each
horse had a name, and when called by that name obeyed the mandates of its
master. The driver's whip was composed of a stalk from four to five feet long,
to which was attached a lash ten to twelve feet in length, and on the end of the
lash a nicely braided silk cracker. It was a piece of dexterity to hold the reins
of four horses, and so wield the whip as to give a smart crack with it; or, in
coming down one of these hills, to lay the whip tipon the top of the stage and
blow the horn, holding the four reins in one hand, with the horses under full
speed.
" These drivers were usually daring men, but very energetic and faithful in
the performance of their duties. To their good judgment, skill, and energy,
multitudes have owed the safety of life and limb.
"Hiram Reed of this village (Marcellus) relates an instance which well dis-
plays the combination of these qualities in one driver. When a lad at school, in
Skaneateles, he and a fellow schoolmate, wishing to go to Auburn by stage,
secured seats outside with the driver. As they were descending the steepest hill
between the two places, one of the pole-straps broke (two straps leading from the
front end of the pole to the collars of the wheel-horses, and with which they held
back the stage). The driver, ready for the emergency, said to Reed and his
mate, ' Hold on, boys ! ' and at once laid the whip on to his horses, so that they
went with full speed down the remainder of the hill in perfect safety — passengers,
coach, and horses unharmed! Mr. Reed says he never after sought a ride on the
outside of a stage. The driver secured the safety of the stage through the leaders
making a constant draft on the pole to which they were directly attached; but
amidst all confusion he did not forget the boys.
" Of the large number of stage-drivers who used to drive over these hills,
and contend with darkness, storm, and tempest, but one is left living among us,
and that is Adolphus Newton. Much of my information on this subject was
derived from him. He commenced the arduous duties of stage-driving in 1819,
when but sixteen years of age, and continued eleven years. Nothing delights him
HISTORY OP SKANEATELES. 119
more at his present age than to sit down before a good listener, and recount the
adventures of his youthful years in this department of his life. He says that at
one period he drove what was called the ' Telegraph.' This was a stage with a
limited number of passengers, and that carried the mail. It ran eight miles an
•hour when the roads were good. They changed horses every ten miles, but one
driver went through from Auburn to Manlius, a distance of thirty-three miles.
He says that, on some special occasions of carrying important personages,
he made the distance in three hours. Once he had for passengers Governor
Seward and Black Hawk, and drove ten miles in fifty minutes. It was a rule
to give such men what was called ' extra rides.' Another load consisted of
General Scott, Governor Marcy, and Martin Van Buren. There were three
periods during Mr. Newton's driving, when opposition lines were placed upon
the road; only one of these proved to be a serious annoyance to the Sherwood
line. This was what was called the ' Pioneer ' line. It was well stocked with
first-class horses and fine coaches, but with inexperienced drivers. Fast driving
became a natural consequence to competition in staging. This proved the value
of experience in drivers as well as in all other situations of trust connected with
responsibility. For in making quick time, there is called into requisition good
judgment in the management of horses, which is based only on successful ex-
perience, as when to drive fast, when slow, and when to drive moderately. Also
to the care given to the horses at the end of each route, in feeding, watering, and
exposure. The result was that the old drivers proved themselves heroes in the
strife. For although in the frequent racing of stages to which they were subject,
the Pioneer was fully their equal ; yet soon the new line showed impaired horses,
the consequence of indiscretion in driving and want of care at the stables; and
this gave rise to such a monstrous relay of horses, that it finally broke down the
opposition line.
" As ' variety is the spice of life ' and ' competition the life of business,' so in
this racing of the stages the inhabitants of this whole region were no idle specta-
tors, but their every day ' humdrum ' life was spiced by the daily news of hair-
breadth escapes and the Jehu feats of the drivers ; and as in these days, so then
quick time increased the amount of travel. Stages were entirely removed from
this route in December, 1838, when the cars were first run by horse-power, and
this was changed to steam-power in June, 1839. The great stage proprietor,
whose talents were as celebrated in that day for staging as Commodore Vander-
bilt's have since been for railroading, was Isaac Sherwood. His residence was
in Skaneateles, and he is said to have weighed three hundred and eighty pounds.
His successor was his son, John Milton, who was almost as ponderous as his
father, and as wonderful a stage proprietor. The stage-fare was five cents a mile,
so that in the winter season a trip from this place to New York and back cost $30.
But the people traveled principally in their own conveyances. Riding on horse-
back was the usual mode of traveling 'for the first twenty years or more of the
settlement of the country. Consequently people became very expert in that prac-
120 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
tise. The old and the young, irrespective of sex, would readily mount their steeds
and go far and near as occasion required. They used to make extensive journeys
in that manner. A lady would go from here to Massachusetts or Connecticut,
and her whole wardrobe would be back of her saddle in a valise.
"Pillions were also in use, so 'that families whose number of horses were
limited, or whose horses at times were mostly engaged in the necessary business
of life, could accommodate themselves by riding two on a horse. These exhibi-
tions were of daily occurrence. Horses were early trained under the saddle, and,
being thus in almost daily use, became delightful riding-horses. This was a
healthy mode of riding. Most long journeys simply for prospecting or visiting
were made in this way. Mrs. Cody, the grandmother of Hiram Reed, came from
Massachusetts, some time before the year 1800, alone and on horseback. She
was a widow, and this was her prospecting tour for a home in this great wilder-
ness. After reaching this place, she rode around viewing different portions of
the town, and finally made a purchase of six hundred and forty acres, the north-
eastern corner of which afterward included what is now Clintonville.
" It must be borne in mind that although a lady was thus journeying through
an almost uninterrupted forest, without any appointed traveling companions, still
there was a continuous procession of travelers on the road either emigrating or
prospecting, so that she was not alone, and although all were strangers to her,
yet distributed all along among that stretched-out multitude were very many
mothers and grandmothers in reality, who, as was the nature of society in those
days, would be interested at any moment in the situation of such a person."
The First Library. — "■ Skaneateles Library Company.''
We here present a brief history of the old Skaneateles Library, with its by-
laws, names of members, and officers.
In the book of " Miscellaneous Records " in the Office of the Clerk of Onon-
daga County, Book B, page 15, is to be found the following certificate:
" Skaneateles Library.
" A meeting was held at Elnathan Andrews' Tavern March 2nd, 1806, to
organize a library under the General Act. Ebenezer Pardee was elected Chair-
man. Elnathan Andrews, Thaddeus Edwards, Warren Hecox, Samuel Porter,
Daniel Kellogg, were duly selected to serve as trustees for said library."
" Copy of Certificate.
" I, Ebenezer, Pardee, elected Chairman of a meeting of the proprietors of the
Skaneateles Library, holden at the house of Elnathan Andrews, Inn-Keeper in
the town of Marcellus, in the County of Onondaga, and State of New York, on
the second Tuesday of March in the year of our Lord, One Thousand Eight Hun-
dred and Six, being the time and place previously agreed on, and appointed by
the said proprietors and at which time and place two thirds of the said proprie-
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 121
tors had assembled ; do certify that the stile, name and Title of the said Corpora-
tion is the ' Skaneateles Library ' and that at the aforesaid meeting, Elnathan
Andrews, Thaddeus Edwards, Warren Hecox, Samuel Porter and Daniel Kellogg,
were duly elected to serve as Trustees for said Library.
" In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal the eleventh
(11) day of March, in the year of our Lord, One Thousand Eight Hundred and
Six. Ebenezer Pardee. [L. S.]
Sealed and Executed in presence of
Daniel Kellogg, ) ^ , ^ „
David Hyde, } Onondaga County.
This is all the record there is in the County Clerk's Office. The follf^^'ng
are the minutes of the first meeting of these trustees: " '
" March 20, 1806 : At a meeting of the trustees of the Skaneateles LFhad-
held at the house of Elnathan Andrews in the town of Marcellus, in the C
of Onondaga on the twentieth day of March, 1806, the following by-laws were
made for governing the Skaneateles Library Company: —
"Resolved: — ist. That Thaddeus Edwards be the chairman of the said trus-
tees.
" 2nd. That Daniel Kellogg be the Treasurer and Librarian of the said Com-
pany.
" 3rd. That the said Library shall be kept at the office of said Librarian.
" 4th. That a glass watch seal purchased by, and now in the possession of the
said librarian shall be the common seal of the said company.
" 5th. That all persons who shall become proprietors to the said library after
the first day of May next, shall at the time of his becoming a proprietor, pay unto
the treasurer of said library the sum of one dollar, and one dollar semi annually
thereafter, till he shall pay the farther sum of four dollars.
" 6th. That after the expiration of two years from the first Tuesday of March
instant, every proprietor of said library shall pay unto the treasurer of the same,
the sum of 25 cents annually, the first payment to commence and be made on the
first Tuesday of March, 1809.
" 7th. That a quarter annual meeting of the trustees of the said library shall
be held at the office of the librarian on the first Tuesdays of June, September,
December and March in every year hereafter.
" 8th. That a library meeting shall be held at the office of the librarian on the
first Tuesdays of every month in the year, at four o'clock in the afternoon of the
same day for the purpose of drawing books.
" 9th. That every book belonging to said library shall be returned to the said
librarian by the hour of every day in the months of June, September, December
and March, in default whereof the person having previously last drawn the same
shall pay a fine of twelve and a half cents, and the further sum of six and a
quarter cents for every day's detention thereafter.
122 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
" loth. That it shall not be lawful for any proprietor to lend any book belong-
ing to said library out of the family in which he or she resides, on pain of forfeit-
ing the sum of twenty-five cents.
" nth. That when two or more persons shall wish to draw the same book, at
the same time, the said book shall be put up at vendue and the proprietor who
bids the greatest sum shall have the preference of drawing it at that time.
" I2th. That every proprietor having drawn a book from said library, which
shall be damaged while it is so drawn, shall pay such fine as shall be assessed by
the librarian for such damage in case it shall not exceed 25 cents, but if such
damage shall exceed twenty-five cents then it shall be ascertained by the librarian
and trustees.
" 13th. That the sale of every share in the said corporation shall be made at
fis a 3ice of the librarian and entered on the book of the said Company by the
ness. ibrarian for which service he shall receive twelve, and a half cents.
"■ to^i^th. That the place of meeting of the said corporation shall be at the office
of the said librarian.
" 15th. That all fines shall be paid instant er and that the monies collected by
fines or otherwise shall be put into the funds of the said company.
"March 3, 1807: At a meeting of the members of the Skaneateles Library
Company held at the office of the Librarian on the first Tuesday of March, 1807,
the following persons were duly elected; (in conformity of law) to serve as
Trustees for said Company the ensuing year, to wit, Thaddeus Edwards, Warren
Hecox, Elnathan Andrews, William Thomas and Daniel Kellogg.
" At a meeting of the Skaneateles Library held at the time and place above
mentioned, Thaddeus Edwards was appointed chairman of the said trustees.
Attest, Daniel Kellogg, Librarian.
"March i, 1808: At a meeting of the members of the Skaneateles Library
Company held at the place above mentioned on the first Tuesday of March,
1808. The following persons were duly elected to serve as trustees for the said
Company the ensuing year, viz. : Elnathan Andrews, Warren Hecox, Thaddeus
Edwards, Sylvester Roberts, Daniel Kellogg. At the same time and place Elna-
than Andrews was appointed Chairman by the said Trustees.
Attest, Daniel Kellogg, Librarian.
" Ordered, that the ' Fool of Quality ' being No. 16, 17, 18 be sold, and also
' The Life of Baron Trenck,' being No. 12, which was done for two dollars and
fifty-six cents.
" March 7, 1809 : At a meeting of the members of the Skaneateles Library
Company held at the office of the librarian on the first Tuesday of March, 1809,
the following persons were duly elected to serve as Trustees for the said Company
the ensuing year, viz. : Amasa Sessions, Joshua Chandler, Joseph Leonard, Thomas
Greves, Simon Hosmer. At the same time and place Amasa Sessions was
appointed Chairman by the said trustees.
Attest, Daniel Kellogg, Librarian."
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 123
Note. — ^AU the foregoing is copied verbatim from the original manuscript,
and it is in the handwriting of the late Daniel Kellogg.
Without transcribing the preambles of the annual meetings, all of which are
about the same tenor, it will be sufficient to copy the names of the trustees elected
each recurring year:
" March 6, 1810 : Amasa Sessions, Jos. Chandler, Joseph Leonard, Thomas
Greves and Simon Hosmer, Jr. At the same time and place Amasa Sessions was
appointed Chairman by the said trustees.
Attest, Daniel Kellogg, Librarian.
"March 5, 181 1: Simeon Hosmer, Amasa Sessions, Thomas Greves, Thad-
deus Edwards and Jeduthan Lamb. Simeon Hosmer, chairman.
Attest, Daniel Kellogg, Librarian.
"March 3, 1812: Simeon Hosmer, Amasa Sessions, Thomas Greves, Thad-
deus Edwards and Jeduthan Lamb. Simeon Hosmer, chairman.
Attest, Daniel Kellogg, Librarian.
" March 2, 1813 : Simeon Hosmer, Amasa Sessions, Thomas Greves, Thad-
deus Edwards, and Warren Hecox. Amasa Sessions, chairman.
Attest, Daniel Kellogg, Librarian.
"March i, 18 14: Simeon Hosmer, Phares Gould, Thomas Greves, Joshua
Chandler and Amasa Sessions. Simeon Hosmer, chairman.
Attest, Daniel Kellogg, Librarian.
" March 7, 181 5 : Amasa Sessions, Simeon Hosmer, Thaddeus Edwards,
Phares Gould, Joshua Chandler. Simeon Hosmer, chairman.
Attest, Daniel Kellogg, Librarian.
"March 5, 1816: Amasa Sessions, Simeon Hosmer, Warren Hecox, Phares
Gould and Thomas Greves. Simeon Hosmer, chairman.
Attest, Daniel Kellogg, Librarian.
" March 5, 1816 : At a meeting of the trustees of the Skaneateles Library,
held at the office of the librarian in the village of Skaneateles, and county of
Onondaga on the first Tuesday of March, 1816, Alexander M. Beebe, Esq., was
appointed treasurer and librarian of the said library in place of Daniel Kellogg,
resigned.
" It was resolved by the said trustees that a watch seal owned by the said
Alexander should be the common seal of the company ; and that the said library
should be kept at the office of the said Alexander. in the village of Skaneateles,
and that all future library meetings shall be held at the office of the said Alexan-
der, and that all former bye laws heretofore made, which are inconsistent with
the preceding resolutions, be repealed.
" Resolved, that in case an election of the officers of this society should not
be made at the annual meeting provided by the bye laws, the said election may
124 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
be held and made at any time within a month after the day of holding the annual
library meeting."
Note. — It will be observed from the above proceedings, that Daniel Kellogg
held the office of Librarian and Treasurer ten years, and the minutest details
of receipts and expenditures are embodied in his accounts.
The first item is the receipt of $36.14 " from former treasurer," dated March
20, 1806. It would seem from this entry that the library had been commenced
before it was formally incorporated. During Daniel Kellogg's administration
as treasurer he received $231.20 from subscribers, and $19.12 from fines mostly,
some small items from vendues from sales of books. These receipts were mostly
expended in the purchase of books, postage, and transportation. There were no
other expenses. The librarian, who had charge of the library, was the only
active agent, and gave his services gratuitously.
"March 5, 1817: Trustees elected: Simeon Hosmer, Phares Gould, Amasa
Sessions, Warren Hecox, and Thomas Greves. Simeon Hosmer, chairman.
Attest, Alex. M. Beebe^ Librarian.
"March 3, 1818: Trustees elected: Simeon Hosmer, Phares Gould, Amasa
Sessions, Warren Hecox, Thomas Greves. Phares Gould, chairman.
Attest, Alex. M. Beebe, Librarian.
"March 2, 1819: Trustees elected: Thaddeus Edwards, Phares Gould,
Amasa Sessions, Warren Hecox, Thomas Greves. Thaddeus Edwards, chair-
man. Attest, Alex. M. Beebe, Librarian."
March 7, 1820, same trustees reelected.
March 6, 1821, same trustees reelected.
March 5, 1822, same trustees reelected.
Alexander M. Beebe held the office five 3rears, during which time he received
$86.36 balance from former librarian, and $94 in subscriptions and $12.94 in
fines from members of the library, having received in all $193.30, which was
chiefly expended in the purchase of books.
" March 2, 1824 : Trustees elected : William Gibbs, Spencer Parsons, Warren
Hecox, Stephen Horton, Freeborn G. Jewett. Warren Hecox, chairman. At this
meeting Phares Gould was duly elected treasurer and librarian.
" March i, 1825 : Meeting held at the store of Phares Gould. Trustees elected :
William Gibbs, John S. Furman, Stephen Horton, Warren Hecox, Freeborn G.
Jewett. John S. Furman, chairman. Attest, Phares Gould, Librarian.
" March 7, 1826: Trustees elected: William Gibbs, John S. Furman, Warren
Hecox, Thomas Greves, Stephen Horton. Col. Warren Hecox, chairman.
Attest, Phakes Gould, Librarian.
" March 22, 1827 : Trustees elected : William Gibbs, David Hall, John Legg,
Thos. Greves, Stephen Horton. Thomas Greves, chairman.
Attest, Phares Gould, Librarian.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 125
" March 4, 1828 : Trustees elected : Warren Hecox, Thomas Greves, Spencer
Parsons, Stephen Horton, John S. Furman. Warren Hecox, chairman.
Attest, Phares Gould, Librarian.
" March 3, 1829 : Trustees elected : Warren Hecox, Thomas Greves, Spencer
Parsons, Philo Dibble, William Gibbs. Thos. Greves, chairman.
Attest, Phares Gould, Librarian.
"March 2, 1830: Trustees elected: Warren Hecox, Thomas Greves, Samuel
Porter, Philo Dibble, John S. Furman. Thomas Greves, chairman.
Attest, Phares Gould, Librarian.
" March 10, 1830 : At a meeting of the Trustees of the Skaneateles Library
Company, held at the store of Phares Gould on the loth day of March, 1830.
" Resolved, That any person not a proprietor in said library shall be allowed
the reading of the books of said library under the following rules and regula-
tions, viz. :
" Rule 1st. Such persons shall give security, if required by the librarian, for
the safe return of all books drawn by him, for the payment of all damages done
to books of said library while in his possession, for fines for not returning the
same on the quarterly return days and for the payment of the whole set if one or
more volumes of any work shall be lost or destroyed while drawn out by same
person.
" Rule 2nd. Such persons shall pay in advance to the librarian one dollar per
year and in the same proportion for any time not less than three months. Or
six cents for the use of each volume.
" Rule 3rd. Such persons shall be subject to all other rules and bye laws of
said library to which the proprietors are, except the payment of the annual tax.
" Rule 4th. Such person after a compliance with rules ist and 2nd shall be
entitled to draw one volume at a time semi-monthly.
" Rule sth. No person whether proprietor or not shall be allowed to draw
books from said library as any fines, damages or annual takes remain unpaid.
Any one drawing by the single volume only shall return the same semi-monthly.
Phares Gould, Librarian."
March 29, 1831, same trustees reelected, same chairman.
March 23, 1832, same officers elected, except that Stephen Horton was elected
in place of Samuel Porter. Warren Hecox was chairman.
"At the above meeting a majority of the above trustees appointed a com-
mittee of three, consisting of Warren Hecox, John S. Furman and Phares Gould
to select not less than seventy-five books belonging to the above library and sell
them at public auction to the highest bidder and the proceeds to be expended
126 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
by the librarian in the purchase of new books. And that said books be sold
within two weeks from this date. Warren Hecox, Chairman.
Attest, Phares Gould, Librarian.
" March 5, 1833 : Trustees elected at the store of Phares Gould, librarian,
March 5th, 1833 : John S. Furman, Warren Hecox, Philo Dibble, William Gibbs
and John Legg. John Legg, chairman. Attest, Phares Gould, Librarian.
" December 4, 1834 : James G. Porter was duly elected librarian and the fol-
lowing were elected trustees to serve to the first Tuesday of March, 1835 : Wil-
liam Gibbs, Spencer Parsons, Phares Gould, Philo Dibble and John S. Furman.
William Gibbs, chairman.
" Resolved, That the said library shall be kept at the store of the said James
G. Porter in the village of Skaneateles and that all future library meetings shall
be held at the store of the said James, and that all former bye laws inconsistent
with this resolution be and are hereby repealed.
Attest, Phares Gould, Librarian."
March 3, 1835, same trustees reelected.
" November 12, 1835 : At a meeting of the trustees of the Skaneateles library
on Friday, November 12, 1835. Present, Messrs. Phares Gould, John Legg and
Spencer Parsons.
" J. G. Porter resigned the office of librarian and treasurer.
" March 2, 1836 : Trustees elected by ballot : Phares Gould, Spencer Par-
sons, Philo Dibble, David Hall and Warren Hecox. David Hall, chairman.
" Resolved, That all members in arrears for annual dues shall have the privi-
lege of drawing books by paying one dollar into the treasury.
Attest, E. H. Porter, Librarian.
" Resolved, That the librarian purchase a book case for the Skaneateles
Library at the cost of twelve dollars.
" March 7, 1837 : Meeting held at the office of E. H. Porter on the first Tues-
day in March, 1837. The following trustees were elected by ballot: Phares
Gould, Spencer Parsons, Silas Gaylord, David Hall. Warren Hecox, chairman.
Attest, E. H. Porter, Librarian."
The above is the last recorded election of trustees. The Librarian E. H.
Porter's accounts continued until August 23, 1841, at which time the library
company owed him $13.04 balance. Therefore, it may be inferred that the old
library dissolved at that date, after having been in existence thirty-five years.
The manuscript catalogue contains the names of 398 volumes. These were
the first books purchased. The accounts of the various librarians contain the
names of books purchased during their respective terms of office which are not
included in the original.
The only periodical was the North American Review, published monthly.
This was first introduced into the library while Phares Gould was librarian.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
127
The entry is as follows: "Jan. 14, 1826, cash sent by N. Thorne to subscribe
for 'North American Review,' $5.00." This subscription was continued until
the library collapsed in 1841.
The following are the names of the subscribers who joined during the exist-
ence of the library:
Allis, Thomas W.
Andrews, Elnathan
Austin, Aaron
Bacon, Milton
Baker, Joshua
Ballamy, Samuel
Bascomb, Silas
Bates, C.
Beebee, Alexander M.
Belding, Silas
Booth, Zalmon
Briggs, Daniel
Burnett, C. J.
Burnett, John J.
Burnett, Stephen
Burroughs, Daniel
Burroughs, William
Campbell, Olden
Carpenter, Isaac
Chandler, Joshua
Clarke, Joseph T.
Colvin, David S.
Cook, (widow)
Cook, William
Cotton, Owen
Cotton, Willard
Cuddeback, James
Demming, Davis
Dennison, Elias
Dibble, Philo
Earll, Abijah
Earll, Watson
Edwards, Alanson
Edwards, Alanson, Jr.
Eells, Horace
Eells, Nathaniel
Eldridge, N. B.
Furman, John S.
Gaylord, Silas
Gibbs, William
Gould, Phares
Green, W. H.
Greves, Thomas
Hall, David
Hall, David, Jr.
Hall, Jabez
Hecox, Ambrose
Hecox, Cyrus
Hecox, Samuel
Hecox, Warren
Horton, Laura
Horton, Stephen
Hosmer, Samuel, Jr.
Hosmer, Simeon
Jewett, F. G.
July, Solomon
Keeler, Allen
Kellogg, Daniel
Kellogg, Samuel
Kneeland, Asa
Lamb, Jeduthan
Legg, John
Legg, Otis
Leitch, Geo. F.
Leonard, Joseph
Leonard, Norman
Loss; Moses
Ludlow, Edward G.
Manley, Willis
Edwards, Ebenezer
Edwards, Electa (widow)Martin, Joseph
Edwards, Solomon McDonald, Lesley
Edwards, Thaddeus McMillan, (widow)
Merrell, (widow)
Miller, Nathaniel
Newell, Stephen
Pardee, (widow)
Pardee, Ebenezer
Pardee, John
Parsons, Spencer
Perry, George
Peterson, John
Phelps, A. D.
Phelps, Thomas B.
Pierce, Samuel
Porter, Samuel
Putnam, Perley
Rathbone, H. H.
Rathbone, James
Rathbone, Saxton
Rice, Rev. Benjamin
Roberts, Sylvester
Seeley, Solomon
Seeley, William
Sessions, Amasa
Sessions, Ebenezer
Sherwood, John M.
Stephens, A. S.
Swift, Nathaniel
Thomas, William
Valleau, John
Van Buren, Philip
Watson, Isaac.
Weller, A.
Weston, Jonathan
Wightman, Allen
Wightman, James
Wilkinson, Alfred
Willetts, C. J.
Willetts, Charles
Willetts, Jacob
128 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
Merchants and Mechanics here in the Year 1828.
J. M. Allen, tavern-keeper.
George Arnold, painter.
Robert J. Baker, tailor.
R'ufus Billings, painter.
William Blood, carpenter.
J. H. Colvin.
Howard Delano, machinist; made the clock of St. James' Church.
M. De Mott, young lawyer.
Elias Dennison, farmer and laborer.
Philo Dibble, harness and saddlery.
J. B. Ford, painter.
Samuel Francis, hat manufacturer.
Phares Gould, general store.
John Greeves, tailor.
David Hall, general store.
Ralph Hall, carpenter.
Ambrose Hecox, blind-maker and chair manufacturer.
Warren Hecox, shoemaker and tanner.
J. B. Hopkins, physician.
Stephen Horton, came from Marcellus; a hatter when he first came.
Aaron B. Keeler, tavern-keeper, before Compton.
Noadiah Kellogg, saddler and harness.
Jedutha Newton, worked in Winston Day's still.
Spencer Parsons, cabinet-maker.
Isaac W. Perry, tavern-keeper.
Ellsworth Phelps, built the first organ in St. James' Church.
L. A. Pratt, editor Columbian.
J. Sharp, mason.
Nehemiah Smith, tinner.
Nicholas Thorne, farmer and dealer in horses (Root place).
Miss S. Watson, school-teacher.
Richard Windsor, carpenter.
Blood & Root, contractors to build St. James' Church.
Burnett & Rhoades (Charles J. Burnett and S. Porter Rhoades), general store.
Gibbs & Burnett (William Gibbs and Charles J. Burnett), general store.
Oakley & Trowbridge, cabinet-makers.
Picket & Stearns, masons.
Porter & Pardee (James Porter and Charles Pardee), general store.
Porter & Wolcott (J. Gurdon Porter and B. S. Wolcott), general store.
Seth & James Hall, carriage manufacturers.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 129
James Sackett. — James Sackett was a remarkable character in his time. It
is said that he came to Skaneateles with about forty thousand dollars, and, being
a bachelor, lived a life of leisure. His residence, which he purchased of John
Briggs, still stands, in a remodeled form, near the lake-shore, west of the bridge
in the village (now the Frederick Shear place). Irritable and profane, he was
Isaac Sherwood's equal, and for several years occasionally moved his barn to and
from in front of Sherwood's tavern. On one occasion, it is said, he tore a chim-
ney down to get a cricket out. James Sackett afterward removed to Syracuse
and became a large landowner there. In a foot-note of the " Onondaga Cen-
tennial " is the following description of James Sackett :
" Mr. Sackett was a very peculiar and eccentric bachelor. His tastes in dress
were very singular, and he often wore a frock coat reaching mostly to his heels,
a wide-brimmed hat with a veil over his face. He usually traveled about in a
dilapidated sulky, with a top patched up in varied colors. When he was on foot,
he carried a large umbrella, with a white patch on top. When he was ready to
build on his property, he contracted for a house twenty-two by forty feet in size.
As the contractor did not come and build as agreed, Sackett bargained with
another man to do the same work, and the structure was immediately erected.
Before it was finished, the first contractor came with timbers, etc., for the per-
formance of his contract. Although Mr. Sackett was not bound to fulfil his
agreement with this man, he said to him, ' Here, put it up at the end of this
one.' Of course he then had a house twenty-two by eighty feet. With all his
peculiarities he was a well-disposed person, correct and prompt in business mat-
ters. At his death his estate was worth $150,000. A part of his estate was
land embracing and surrounding the site of the Cathedral. This land, or a part
of it, was covered with a pleasant grove, the possession of which greatly de-
lighted Mr. Sackett. One morning he arose to find nothing left of it but the
stumps of the trees, which had been mostly sawed off and marked with white
chalk. The afflicted owner made desperate efforts to learn who among his
enemies did the deed, but he never succeeded."
Freeborn G. Jewett. — A deed was given by Winston Day and Thankful,
his wife, to Freeborn G. Jewett, February 20, 1822, consideration $2,500, for
part of Lot No. 36, bounded and described, in part, as follows : " Beginning at
the southeast corner of Skaneateles Village lots, number one, laid out at the north
end of the Skaneateles Lake, said lots containing about one acre each, thence
easterly along the north line of the old road leading east and west through the
village of Skaneateles." (Not necessary to give chains and links further.)
This piece of land consisted of two acres and sixty-six hundredths of an acre.
Also an additional piece of land adjoining, contents not given.
Another deed was given by Charles J. Burnett and wife to Freeborn G.
Jewett, April 12, 1820, consideration $250, for part of Lot No. 36, " Beginning
in the center of the highway, leading north from the village of Skaneateles by
General Robert Earll's, at the northwest corner of land owned by Winston Day,
I30 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
thence by courses, chains, and links [not necessary to repeat here], containing
three acres of land."
Freeborn G. Jewett first came to Skaneateles about 1817.
Seth & James Hall's Carriage-Shop. — The carriage-shop of Seth & James
Hall originally included the present dwelling-houses owned by William F. Gregory
and Mr. Herbert Sweet. The shop was a long frame building on the west side of
Onondaga Street. James Hydon afterward purchased this shop, and from it con-
structed the present dwelling-houses occupied by Mrs. William Gregory and Mr.
Sweet. They then removed their carriage-shop to a frame building at the corner
of Jordan and Genesee streets, on the site of the post-ofHce. Some years after-
ward this firm built and owned the stone building now owned and occupied by
T. Kelley for an extensive carriage and sleigh factory. At the same time they
built the long house for the accommodation of their workmen. After the death
of Seth Hall, Captain James Hall continued in the same line of manufacturing,
on the shore of the lake, in the rear of the frame store now owned by Miss De
Land. Captain James Hall was a man of unexceptionable business ability, which
he turned to good account, not only to his own interest, but for many others who
sought his counsel and advice in matters of business importance. He died in the
year 1857, aged sixty-five years, highly respected by all the people of this town.
Seth Hall came to this town October 23, 1806, and died in 1833.
Skaneateles Business Men in 1830.
Wolcott & Porter (J. Gurdon Porter) were dealers in lumber.
John Wetmore, barber.
Daniel Talcott, Skaneateles furnace.
James Miller, barber, Skaneateles Hotel.
J. H. Benedict, watch repairing, jewelry, and cash paid for old silver. Next
door to R. Talcott's dry-goods store.
R. Talcott, dry-goods and general store.
Dibble & Miller, harness and saddlery.
A. Douglass & J. S. Furman, threshing machines.
I. W. Perry, general store, opposite Skaneateles Hotel.
Burnett & Rhoades, general store.
Phares Gould, general store.
Ansel Frost & Co. (Arthur Mott), Mottville furnace.
R. A. Hicks, merchant tailor.
Spencer Parsons, furniture.
Talcott & Gridley (R. Talcott and Martin Gridley).
Talcott & Allis, potashery. House ashes wanted. Store pay.
C. J. Burnett, Jr., books and stationery.
Porter & Pardee, general store, and marble for gravestones. Had a shop
and a first-rate workman to cut lettering on gravestones.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 131
CHAPTER X.
Early Burial-Places and General History.
Earliest Burial-Place. — The earliest burial-place in this town was situated
in a loamy piece of ground on the land belonging to Samuel Briggs, which ran
along a pathway through the forest. This pathway started from the nucleus of
log houses in the vicinity of what has since been known as the " Red House,"
passed through the forest, and extended to Hardenburgh's Corners, now the city of
Auburn. This pathway through the forest has continued ever since, and is now
what is known as " The North Road to Auburn."
The Second Burial- Place. — The second burial-place was located within the
bounds of where the village is now located. It was on the high ground where the
Vredenburg mansion was afterward erected in 1803-6. Burials were made up to
1803, when Vredenburg purchased the land. There were at that period about
sixteen graves (no headstones), which were removed to John Briggs' farm, which
was afterward purchased by " The Skaneateles Religious Society," which was the
first religious organization in the village.
The origin of this burial-place was as follows: The land and surrounding
farm belonged to John Briggs in the beginning of the present century, and he, as
many farmers do at present, buried his own kindred on his own land. His wife
was interred there in 1802. The remains of about sixteen persons were taken up
from a burial-ground then situated on what is now known as the Leitch place,
that land having been previously purchased by William J. Vredenburg, on which
he intended to erect a dwelling. These remains were deposited in the private
ground of John Briggs. From that time forward that ground was used very gen-
erally by the early settlers for the burial of their dead.
" The Skaneateles Religious Society," the only incorporated society in this
place, was organized October 29, 1801. This society entered into a contract with
John Briggs, on the 5th of March, 1808, for the purchase of his burial-ground.
The consideration named in the contract was twenty-five dollars for half an acre
of ground, to be paid on the delivery of a good warrantee deed in fee simple.
The deed was not executed until May 30, 1812, and the consideration named
therein was thirty-two dollars and thirty cents. This deed was recorded in the
Clerk's Office of Onondaga County, in Liber SS of deeds, folio 181. An addi-
tional half-acre adjoining on the south was purchased at the same time from
David Seymour and Martha his wife, the deed of which was dated January 27,
1812 ; consideration, $20. This was recorded at the same time.
It will be observed from the above statement that the Skaneateles Religious
Society paid $52.50 for one acre of land, which at the time specified, 1812, was
132 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
above its value for farm-land. This was used by the inhabitants in this vicinity
as a general burial-place until about the year 1847, when F. G. Jewett and Charles
Pardee purchased one and one-eighth acres adjoining on the north and east, and
laid out the same for a cemetery. The Skaneateles Religious Society did not sell
any lots in its ground, as it did not possess the authority to convey the title, but
the burials were merely permissive, the Society retaining the title and control of
it. It has been at different times in the care and under the direction of various
individuals, the first of whom was Jonathan Weston, the sexton of the Society,
who was succeeded by his son, Josiah Weston, who was followed by Columbus
Weston and by C. Pardee.
All the early inhabitants, the original settlers hereabout, buried their dead
there, or on their farms, and afterward removed the remains to " God's Acre."
That Acre is now filled to overflowing with human bones. The original sex-
ton, when it belonged to the Skaneateles Religious Society, was Jonathan Weston,
who was succeeded by Josiah Weston. After his death, Columbus Weston
was sexton, and even in his day he used to say that there was not a square foot •
of that ground, when opened with a spade, but what contained human bones.
The first settlers placed no gravestones over their dead, as such memorials were
very expensive in early times; but there is one over the grave of Polly, wife of
John Briggs, who died in 1802. The stone over her grave is a peculiar quality of
white marble, and only finished on one side. The gravestone over Polly Briggs'
grave was not erected until about 1822. No headstones had been erected previ-
ously, but the monuments over the graves of William J. Vredenburg and of
Daniel Ludlow were the first monuments placed in this old burial-ground. Both
were sent here from the City of New York.
As an instance of the demand for space in that old " Acre," a gentleman stated
to the writer that many years ago, and during the sextonship of Columbus Weston,
a person came here to have the remains of a relative who had died two years
previously removed to his home. The sexton was puzzled to recollect where the
interment was made. Finally he remembered a certain grave where three coffins
were buried, and, when opened, he found that the middle coffin contained the
coveted remains. If it Vas necessary at that early period to place three coffins in
a single grave, it shows conclusively that the " Acre " was about filled up. Ever
since the time of Sexton Weston, this old and well-filled " God's Acre " has been
graded over and over again, and lots have been sold and burials made over those
old bones. And strange to say, although the Acre belonged to the Presbyterian
Society, it did not, and had not the power to, sell nor give title to a foot of that
ground to any individual. Other persons assumed to take full charge of the
ground, and to sell lots and graves, and to retain the money received therefrom
for their own use.
It was in the year 1830 that the remains of Abraham Cuddeback and his wife
were removed from the farm of his son, Abraham A. Cuddeback, to " God's
Acre," and the gravestone now over their graves, the earliest dated stone now in
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 133
the cemetery, was erected in 1830. These were the father and mother of our first
settler. Both were far advanced in years, and died within two years of each
other.
As pertinent to the subject under discussion, the following is appropriate:
A Hundred Years Ago.
Where, where are all the birds that sang
A hundred years ago?
The flowers that all in beauty sprang
A hundred years ago?
The lips that smiled,
The eyes that, wild
In flashes, shone
Soft eyes upon —
Where, oh, where are lips and eyes.
The maiden's smiles, the lover's sighs,
That lived so long ago?
Who peopled all the streets
A hundred years ago?
Who filled the church with faces meek
A hundred years ago?
The sneering tale
Of sister frail —
The plot that worked
A brother's hurt —
Where, oh, where are plots and sneers,
The poor man's hopes, the rich man's fears,
That lived so long ago?
Where are the graves where dead men slept
A hundred years ago?
Who were they that, living, wept
A hundred years ago?
By other men
Who knew not them
Their lands are tilled,
Their graves are Ulled.
Yet Nature then was just as gay.
And bright the sun shone as to-day,
A hundred years ago!
The Mottville Burying-Ground. — The Mottville Burying-Ground was
opened for burial purposes about the year 1819, at which time all the human re-
mains which had been interred in the Sam Briggs land, on the pathway through
the forest, were removed to the Mottville Burying-Ground.
The Succeeding Burial-Ground in the Village of Skaneateles. —
Charles Pardee and Freeborn G. Jewett, August 21, 1846, purchased from James
Cannings Fuller one and twelve-hundredths acres of land, adjoining the Acre be-
134 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
longing to the Presbyterian Society, for cemetery purposes. Consideration paid,
$392. This piece of land was laid out as a cemetery into two hundred and
twenty-four lots, each measuring ten by sixteen feet. These with the necessary
paths and avenues comprised the whole land. Under these conditions each of the
two hundred and twenty-four lots cost one dollar and seventy-five cents. They
were originally sold at ten dollars each, and no lots were sold at a higher rate
during the lifetime of F. G. Jewett. It was only after his decease, in 1858, that
the prices of lots were very materially advanced ; in fact, doubled.
Various Items of Early History. — Phares Gould, an early merchant, was
Treasurer of Onondaga County in 1845, and was Member of Assembly in 1838,
1839, and 1840.
William Fuller was Member of Assembly in 1842.
Horace Hazen was Member of Assembly in 1848.
Piatt Wikes occupied a store next to Day & Sherwood, May 5, 1806. This is
the only mention of his name in the records of the town.
Doctor Samuel Benedict was here in 1806, and lived on the site of the late
Jessee Simmons place. His nephew, Peter Benedict, was killed at Black Rock by
the British in the War of 18 12.
Asa Bacon was here in 1806. He was a tanner and shoemaker. He built
the Louisa Pomeroy house, on West Genesee Street, which was on the site of the
present L. D. Hall place.
Amos Bacon, brother-in-law of Colonel Warren Hecox, was a shoemaker
here in 1817.
Alexander M. Beebe practised law here in 1822.
Briggs & Hall (Isaac Briggs and David Hall) had a general store in Skane-
ateles in 1815.
Silas Belding was gatekeeper near the late Jacob Allen's in 1815.
Henry Danforth was a merchant here in 1806, on the corner where the Lake
House was afterward built. He succeeded Winston Day on that location. Dan-
forth afterward went to Pittsburg, Pa.
William H. Sandford was a merchant in Skaneateles, March 4, 1816.
Booth & Ingham, merchants, here in 181 1.
Mortgage sale at the house of David H. Griswold, Skaneateles, November 30,
1816. Porter & Jewett were the attorneys.
St. James' Church. — ^January 4, 1816, the following represented St. James'
Church :
Rev. William A. Clark, Missionary; Jonathan Booth, Charles J. Burnett,
Wardens; Edward G. Ludlow, John W. Livingston, Zalmori Booth, Stephen
Horton, John Pierson, John How, Samuel Francis, and William Gibbs, Vestrymen.
In 1824, the following were officers of St. James' Church :
Augustus L. Converse, Missionary; Jonathan Booth, Warden; John Davids,
John Parsons, Charles Pardee, John W. Livingston, and Elijah S. Rust, Vestry-
men.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 135
Business Men in 1841. — The following persons were engaged in business
here in 1841 :
B. C. M. Tucker, cabinet-maker, Hecox Block.
Mellen & Pendleton (Lucius Mellen and Charles Pendleton).
Brickerhoff & Porter, general store.
Hall, Porter & Co. (James Hall, J. Gurdon Porter, and David Hall 2d).
N. Hawley & Co., general store.
Ansel Frost, Mottville flour-mill.
E. A. Sessions, saddler and harness-maker.
James Cannings Fuller.
S. Little, recess, grocery, and meat market.
A Sensational Burglary in Skaneateles. — During the month of Decem-
ber, 1839, the dwelling-house of the late George F. Leitch was entered at night
by burglars, and robbed of jewelry, watches, silk dresses, and other valuables.
The robbery soon excited all the dwellers throughout the village. Immediately
outriders were ordered by Mr. Leitch over all the roads in every direction, and
notifications were sent to the authorities of Syracuse, Auburn, and Homer, and
all surrounding places. There being no telegraphs, telephones, or other modern
facilities in those early days, therefore horseback riders were the only available
mode of publication. Large rewards were offered, and minute descriptions of
the property stolen were forwarded to all the cities and villages throughout this
section of the State.
The Village Trustees held a special meeting, on January 4, 1840, and at once
ordered a night-watch. The Trustees appointed a number of brave and heroic
men, who were armed with muskets and bayonets, and who thereafter paraded the
streets night after night for a long period of time, until the excitement cooled
off. The burglars were never captured nor the property recovered.
Archibald Farr. — One of the earliest physicians who practised among the
early settlers all around this section of the State was Dr. Archibald Farr. He
made all his purchases here in this settlement. He finally located himself on Mili-
tary Lot No. II, then Marcellus. He came here in March, 1803. He was the first
practising physician in that section of Marcellus. He kept the first tavern in
1808, and the same year he erected the first grist-mill. Military Lot No. 11 was
in the town of Spafford. It is stated that no lawyer ever located in that town.
Chester Parsons. — Chester Parsons was born in West Hampton, Mass.,
January, 1791, and moved to Skaneateles in the month of February, 1822. He pur-
chased his farm in 1821 from Judah Pierce, who was known in early times as
Major Pierce. At that time, Colonel Livingston, United States Marshal of North-
ern New York, occupied the place now owned by David Waldron, formerly the
Dyer Brainerd place. Thaddeus Edwards lived on the Gale or Ellery farm.
Gibbs & Horton, Phares Gould, and Winston Day were the merchants in the vil-
lage. Colonel Bellamy sold his farm to Captain Lee the same year. Captain Lee
built his first sail-boat, or commenced it, the same year. It was an open boat, ar-
136 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
ranged with air-tight tanks as precautions for safety in case of disaster. The
post-ofHce was where the Episcopal church is now, and C. J. Burnett was Post-
master. Rev. Mr. Stockton preached at the Presbyterian church, opposite the
present Pardee place. He did not stay very long after that time. Rev. Alexan-
der Cowen was the next preacher. A school was kept in the brick schoolhouse
across the bridge in 1822, and another on the hill near the meeting-house.
Mr. Dascomb was the keeper of the tavern on the site now occupied by the
Savings-Bank. Sherwood kept the old tavern where the Packwood House is now.
Sackett lived in the house now occupied by F. Shear. Alanson Edwards kept the
tavern which was then on the corner of East Genesee Street and the East Lake
Road, and his son Thaddeus attended the bar. This tavern was afterward de-
stroyed by fire, but never rebuilt. Ebenezer Sessions lived south of Mr. Parsons',
near the small stream of water, in a house painted red. Deacon Amasa Session
lived on what is known as the Bradford place. John Legg had his blacksmith-shop
on the Dr. Bartlett place. A Mr. Potter did woodwork on wagons for Mr. Legg.
At about 1 82 1, John Legg had purchased the Norman Leonard place, and Legg's
shop was then moved on the lake-shore. Philo Dibble was the village harness-
maker.
Chester Parsons was a real, practical temperance man, always making it a
point of principle not to sell any of his farm produce for distilling purposes. He
would rather be satisfied with a less price for his grain in order to place it in the
line of food for man or beast. He was a man of sterling character, and was
always highly respected by not only his immediate neighbors, but the community
generally. He left Skaneateles in 1854. He died in Syracuse in 1874, aged
eighty-three years.
(The above history was the result of a personal interview with the author.)
Daniel Kellogg, Jr. — Daniel Kellogg, Jr., was the son of Judge Daniel Kel-
logg, and was born in the old homestead in Skaneateles in 1817. In his early
childhood days he attended the common schools, later he attended Dr. Kirkland's
school at Geneva, N. Y., and afterward graduated at the Academy in Albany.
His father designed this son for a banker, but, while negotiating with the
officers of the United States Bank in Philadelphia with that end in view, died
suddenly. Owing to this serious event, he embarked in manufacturing pursuits,
and located for that purpose in Columbus, Ohio, and also in Cincinnati, often mak-
ing trips there on horseback from Skaneateles, being a lover of fine horses. In
later years he married and settled permanently in Skaneateles, and for many years
he retired from active business.
A good joke is told of him as a small schoolboy. He distributed among his
young schoolmates fifteen one-hundred-dollar bills, thinking that they were pretty
pictures. These he had found on his father's law-office desk. He thus disposed
of fifteen hundred dollars innocently.
Daniel Kellogg, Jr., died of pneumonia, in Skaneateles, November 21, 1891,
leaving a widow, one daughter, and three sons.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 137
Benjamin Lee. — Captain Benjamin Lee was born in Taunton, Somersetshire,
England, February 26, 1765. He emigrated to this country some time during the
latter part of the last century, for he had become a citizen of the United States
in 1791, as will be seen from the following " Sea Letter: "
"To ALL Emperors, Kings, Sovereign Princes, States, and Regents, and to their
RESPECTIVE Officers Civil and Military, and to all others vv^hom it may concern:
I, George Washington, President of the United States of America, do make known,
that Benjamin Lee, Captain of the ship called the Fair American, of the burthen of about
317 tons, is a citizen of the said United States, and that the ship which he commands belongs
to Citizens of the said United States; and, as I wish that the said Benjamin Lee may pros-
per in his lawful affairs, I do request of all the before mentioned and each of them sepa-
rately, where the said Benjamin Lee shall arrive with his vessel and cargo, that they will
be pleased to receive him with kindness, and treat him in a becoming manner; permitting
him, on the usual tolls and expenses in passing and repassing, to navigate, pass and fre-
quent their Ports, Passes, and Territories, to the end that he may transact his business where
and in what manner he shall judge proper; and thereby I shall consider myself obliged.
In testimony whereof, I have caused the Seal of the United States to be aifixed to these
Presents, and have hereunto set my hand, at the City of Philadelphia, the twenty-third
day of November, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-
one. G. Washington.
, By the President:
Th. Jefferson."
A copy of this quaint document is given here to show that at that early date
Captain Lee was in command of an American ship, and also to show the peculiar
interest which our first President took in American citizens, and also of the well-
being of naturalized citizens.
Captain Lee retired from a seafaring life in 1797, settled in Boston, and mar-
ried Miss Elizabeth Leighton, May 27, 1797. Soon after his marriage he pur-
chased a fine farm in Lancaster, Mass., near Boston. Here he turned his atten-
tion to raising fine Spanish Merino sheep. He afterward took up the manu-
facture of woolen goods, and the cloth produced from his extensive flock was
of excellent quality. When, during the Embargo preceding the War of 18 12, Con-
gress patriotically resolved to wear only cloth of home manufacture, Vice-Presi-
dent Gerry appeared at the Capitol in a suit of home-made cloth, presented to him
by Captain Lee.
A strong inducement was offered to Captain Lee after entering upon domestic
life, by President Adams, when the American Navy was first organized. When
the celebrated frigate Constitution was fitted out; he was tendered a commission
as her first lieutenant. This would have given him a high position among our
old naval commanders. One of his reasons for declining this appointment was
that, although a naturalized American citizen, he was unwilling to be placed in a
situation which might require him to fight against Old England.
Captain Lee removed from Boston to Norwich, Conn., in 1812. About the year
1816 he purchased a large tract of land in Genesee County, N. Y. This tract con-
138 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
tained about fifteen thousand acres. The purchase of these lands drew Captain
Lee very often to western New York.
In order to be near the scene of his business in disposing of his lands, he pur-
chased in 1821 what was then known as the old Colonel Bellamy farm, on the east
shore of Skaneateles Lake. He had previously owned a considerable farm with
a neat cottage on the Cayuga Lake, near the village of the same name. This he
sold upon purchasing the Skaneateles farm. This latter property consisted of
two hundred and fifty acres, and bordered on the lake for a quarter of a mile.
Here he enjoyed his favorite pursuit of farming and boating, and constructed
a sail-boat, in which he spent many happy hours. In the year 1824 he provided
himself with apparatus for sounding the various depths of the lake, using the reg-
ular deep-sea leads, which he constructed himself for this purpose, there being a
hollow in the bottom of each of them to be filled with tallow, in order to bring up
some of the different kinds of sand, pebbles, or other matter on the surface be-
neath the water. He commenced his line of soundings at the post-office in the
village, which was then where St. James' Church is now, taking a course from
there about due south, but with the intention of keeping equidistant from either
shore until he reached the head of the lake. Commencing his memoranda of
soundings at 10 feet, he gradually reached 25 feet opposite Colonel Livingston's,
now the David Waldron place. Up to this point he found a clean bottom, but*
opposite Solomon Edwards', at a depth of 66 feet, found mud ; off One Mile Point,
78 feet, alternately muddy and clean bottom ; in a line with Chester Parson's place,
100 feet ; off the Major Pierce place, 140 feet, with mud on the bottom ; opposite
Amasa Session's, 183 feet; off Five Mile Point, 218 feet, muddy; off Mandana,
265 feet ; off Cold Spring woods, 265 feet, with clear white sand bottom ; off Nine
Mile Point, 275 feet, clean bottom. He did not take the soundings above this
point until the year 1827, but did not find any deeper water farther on up to the
head, and found the bottom very muddy at that end of the lake. During these
years he made many cross soundings from various parts of the shores, but did not
reach any greater depth than he found in the middle course.
He made a map of the lake, the outline of which is in almost the exact form of
a female, especially from Ten Mile Point to the village, but was more of fancy
than otherwise, as he made no survey of the shores. On that part of the map of
which he took the soundings in 1824 the following memorandum is written on the
margin :
" The Skaneateles Lake contains about twenty square miles of surface, and at a
moderate computation its average depth is 120 feet. Its waters must amount to
fifteen hundred millions of tons — ^by calculation, 1,546,240,000 tons. A cubic foot
of water is 62j^ pounds, 36 to the ton."
This old map is placed under glass in the Skaneateles Library for
preservation.
In person, Captain Lee was a man to attract notice. He was six feet in height,
but so erect in carriage and well developed that he was commonly supposed to be
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 139
much taller. Compact and muscular, he possessed in his prime unusual physical
strength and vigor, and to the last he was little susceptible to the influence of cold.
His hair turned gray very early, and at one time in his early years he wore it pow-
dered and tied in a queue. His manners were those of gentlemen of the old school,
polite and urbane, but, accustomed as he was for so many years to absolute au-
thority on board ship, he required prompt obedience from those in his employ and
could not brook contradiction. He had the Englishman's partiality for horses and
dogs. He usually had three or four horses in his stable, fine animals, and his daily
recreation was a drive, often with an open carriage and pair. The dogs were
always eager to accompany him, and, indicating their delight with loud barking,
the start of the carriage was often attended with a commotion quite in keeping
with his style of life. Sometimes the dogs were shut up to avoid this uproar, but,
soon getting to understand this, they would hide themselves before the customary
hour, and, when the equipage was fairly on the road, would come bounding over
the fences with delight. Captain Lee always made his frequent long journeys to
the Genesee country, where his land was, with his own horses. For these jour-
neys considerable preparation was made. He usually took with him a bottle of es-
sence of coffee, made under his own direction, so that he might not be dependent
for that beverage upon country taverns; also some hard gingerbread. He
started by .early daylight, and made nearly one-half of the day's journey before
breakfast, averaging about forty or fifty miles per day. So different was the es-
timate then of our territory, that he commonly spoke of his journey to the Gene-
see region as " going to the Western Country." Highwaymen were not unknown,
and his loaded pistols were fitted into the carriage seat by his side.
He was of robust frame and iron constitution. Captain Lee's health for a
number of years before his death was far from good. He felt the effects of the
hardships and exposure of his earlier life. He suffered from sharp attacks of gout
and rheumatism, and a severe influenza in the winter of 1825 gave a shock to his
system from which he never fully recovered. In August, 1828, he was seized
with what proved to be his last illness, of a dropsical nature. None of his family
were with him at the time. He died August 15, 1828, aged sixty-three years.
The funeral took place the next day, the warm weather forbidding longer delay.
There was a very large gathering of friends and neighbors, and directions left by
himself in a letter addressed to S. Horton, Esq., were carried out. The service
of the Episcopal Church was read by the Rev. Mr. HoUister. The coffin was
placed in his open carriage and drawn by his own black horses, and his remains
were deposited in a place chosen by himself not far from the dwelling-house. This
piece of ground was afterward enclosed with a heavy stone wall, and was reserved
when the farm was sold. The next spring a white marble obelisk was placed
over the grave, inscribed with his name and dates of birth and death.
After the incorporation of Lake View Cemetery, it was suggested to the rela-
tives of Captain Lee to have the remains removed to this appropriate ground.
Accordingly, on the 23d of September, 1874, the remains were disinterred, in pres-
I40 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
ence of and under the direction of his son, Rt. Rev. Alfred Lee, Bishop of Dela-
ware, and, together with the monument, placed in the new cemetery.
The following obituary notice of Captain Lee's death was published in an Au-
burn paper, and was probably written by the late Daniel Kellogg, of this village :
" Died, on the 15th of August, at his summer residence in Skaneateles, Benja-
min Lee, Esq., of Norwich, Conn., in the sixty-fourth year of his age. His friends
have lost a companion endeared to them by his kind and generous nature no less
than by his rich and highly cultivated understanding, and his immediate relatives,
who felt and knew his worth and goodness, will find a void in their social circle
which can never be supplied. Eminently distinguished for kindness and warm
affection for his family, he deservedly enjoyed their love and veneration, and their
deep sorrow in this bereavement is somewhat alleviated by the sympathy of the
community. His condescension, and the open-handed munificence with which he
administered to the wants and necessities of the poor around him, can never be
forgotten by any who have been guided and consoled by his affectionate counsel,
or cherished and relieved by his unbounded charity."
Captain Lee's widow survived him nearly forty-three years, and died at Nor-
wich, Conn., May 3, 1871, having nearly completed ninety-five years.
The early life of Captain Lee was full of adventure and of peril. One in-
stance may be related here : In the year 1783 he was a midshipman on board one
of Lord Hood's fleet, and while at Port Royal, West Indies, was tried by a court
martial for challenging his superior officer for countermanding his humane order
relative to prisoners on board his ship. Lee was condemned to be shot. The
Prince (afterward the Duke of Clarence, who ascended the throne after the death
of George IV.) went to the Admiral, and told him he would not leave him until
he had given him a pardon for his brother Lee. This was granted, and Brother
Lee immediately quitted the service. On leaving h'is ship to go ashore at Port
Royal, the whole fleet manned the yards and gave him three cheers — an honor
never before or since paid to so young an officer.
The Late Captain Nash De Cost. — It is but justly due to the deceased to
pay a passing tribute to his memory, for the many sterling and manly traits of
character which he so eminently possessed. He was for many years honorably
engaged as Captain in Messrs. Fish & Grinnell's line of packets, sailing between
New York and Liverpool.
His nautical skill as a commander, his untiring perseverance in his ardent
profession, and his unbending integrity of purpose won for him many warm
and lasting friends in. the first commercial circles in England as well as in his
native country.
Having gained a handsome competency, he retired from commercial pursuits,
and removed from New York to Skaneateles, where he devoted himself to agri-
culture for many years with that energy which was so prominent in his
character.
He won here as elsewhere the esteem and confidence of a wide circle of ac-
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 141
quaintances by his uprightness of conduct and native goodness of heart, which will
long endear him to the memory of his family and surviving friends.
The New York Journal of Commerce, February 2, 1858, says :
" Captain Nash De Cost, who died in Skaneateles on the 27th of January, 1858,
at the advanced age of seventy-five years, was well known in this city thirty years
ago as one of the most popular shipmasters in the ' Swallow Tail ' line of Liverpool
packets. Those who had occasion to cross the Atlantic at that period will remem-
ber him as commander of the favorite packet ship York. Previous to his connec-
tion with that ship, he severally commanded the ships ' Euphrates,' ' Cortez,' and
' Averick,' in all of which he not only gave satisfaction to the owners, but also to .
those who had occasion to take passage with him. The numerous gifts of silver
plate which he possessed and cherished in his advanced years testified to his
popularity with his passengers.
" He was always a good friend of the sailor, and has often boasted that he
never had occasion to flog a man who sailed with him in the whole course of his
life. He possessed a good heart, and it was always in the right place when ap-
pealed to by those in distress.
" He was born in Fair Haven, near New Bedford, Mass., February 6, 1783,
and commenced life a poor orphan boy. By indomitable perseverance and energy,
be pushed himself ahead, without influential friends, and while ' before the mast '
in the whaling service made himself prominent by his daring and dangerous
exploits.
" In 1812 he enrolled himself as a volunteer in Captain Storr's company of
militia, in New Bedford, but was never in active service.
" As an affectionate husband, fond parent, kind friend, and good neighbor, he
will be missed from his family and from the community in which he lived.
" Six years ago he had an attack of paralysis which affected the right half of
his body, and since that time has been confined to his room, and exhibited great
patience and fortitude during his long confinement. He was a sincere Christian,
and died in the hope of a glorious immortality."
Reuel Smith. — Reuel Smith was born at Sandisfield, Berkshire County,
Mass., November 13, 1797, and was the youngest of the twelve children of Joshua
Smith, Jr. Joshua Smith, Jr., was the oldest of eight brothers, all of whom,
as appears from the records, served in the War of the Revolution, and who were
the sons of Joshua Smith, Sr., who made the original survey of the town of
Sandisfield, and settled there in 1752.
Reuel Smith was brought up on his father's farm, and started out as a boy
to work in a country store. From about 1812 to 1820 he was head of the firm
of Smith & Stevens, at Sandisfield. In 1822 he married Celestia A. Mills, of the
same place, a daughter of Drake Mills (also a " Minute Man " of the Revolution),
having previously established with Drake Mills, Jr., his brother-in-law, in New
York, a general Southern trade in cotton, sugar, rice, etc., under the firm name
of Smith & Mills. About 1845 this firm was dissolved, and Reuel Smith retired
142
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
from business. In 1849 h^ came to Skaneateles, and purchased from Perry
Cornell and others a parcel of land, on which were three small houses, two of
which were moved to Hannum Street, and the other one is now used as a studio
on the Smith property. After the removal of the small houses, Reuel Smith be-
gan to improve the grounds, and to build the dwelling now occupied by his family
on West Lake Street. In 1853, Reuel Smith purchased from Lydia Fuller the lot
of land lying east of the old burying-ground. Reuel Smith died at his residence,
in the City of New York, 27 West Twenty-second Street, September 6, 1873.
The Three Sisters. — These three sisters «-erc the sister of the late Butler S.
THE THREE SISTERS.
Wolcott, a former merchant of Skaneateles, who owned and occupied the store
next west of the Bank of Skaneateles.
Mrs. Hannah H. De Cost, in the center, died, April 27, 1884, aged eighty-
three years.
Mrs. Sophia Knibloe, on the right, died December 31, 1894, aged eighty-two
years.
Mrs. Eliza A. Candee, on the left, died November 6, 1898, aged eio-htv-four
years.
Mrs. Hannah H. De Cost was the widow of Captain Nash De Cost, of the
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. i43
town of Skaneateles. She was the mother of Mrs. E. N. Leslie, and also the
mother of Edward B; Coe.
The ages of the three sisters were relatively eighty-two, eighty-three, and
eighty-four years.
William Fuller. — William Fuller was born in the town of Galway, Sara-
toga County, August 5, 1799. He came to Kelloggsville, or Sempronius, in the
year 1810, and went from there to Owasco Village about the year 1820, where
he embarked in business with his brother as a merchant. He came to Skaneate-
les in 1833, and purchased the Sherwood farm. At one time he owned all the
land on the west side of the Seneca Turnpike Road, between the old Sackett
house (now the residence of Frederick Shear) and the house of Deacon Potter,
opposite J. A. Root's. That strip of land was then an old orchard of apple-trees.
Mr. Fuller built the house lately owned and occupied by C. W. Allis. Harry Allen
built the adjoining similar cottage at the same time. Mr. Fuller was elected to the
Legislature as representative in the Assembly from this district in the year 1841 or
1842, serving one term. He was always one of the leading farmers of this town,
and took a great interest in everything in that line. He introduced many fine
breeds of cattle, and was very much interested in all agricultural societies, making
many addresses before them. During the latter years of his life he owned and re-
sided in the house which was built by John Briggs for a tavern in the year 1806,
now the residence of Frederick Shear, on the corner of West Lake and Genesee
Streets. He possessed an upright character, was kind and generous in disposition,
and had a large circle of warm friends.
Mr. Fuller was the Supervisor of this town for a number of years, and Presi-
dent of the State Agricultural Society in 1849. He died in Brooklyn, N. Y.,
November 29, 1864; aged sixty-five years. In the year 1833, William Fuller pur-
chased the tavern, store (then occupied as a printing-office), and all other build-
ings, together with about one and a half acres of land, from Isaac Sherwood. He
had previously kept bar for Sherwood, and after he had purchased the property he
kept the tavern for several years.
The Legg Lot. — The John Legg lot, now owned by Mrs. H. T. Webb, was one
of the original village lots laid out by Jedediah Sanger, " agreeable to a map and
survey thereof by Mr. Geddes." This lot was No. 6, and the following is a
description of the sale of it by Sanger :
" January 16, 1801, Jedediah Sanger to Seth McKay, consideration $5, in his
actual possession. Village Lot No. Six, 100 feet front and 26 rods back, containing
one acre of land." (The above is an abstract.)
" July 21, 1802, Seth McKay to Norman Leonard, consideration $200, Village
Lot No. Six, TOO feet front, 26 rods back, one acre of land."
About the year 1822, John Legg purchased the above village lot from Norman
Leonard, and it has been in the possession of his family ever since. John Legg
also owned the Stephen Horton lot, adjoining on the west.
144 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
CHAPTER XL
The Potashery and Other Manufactures.
Winston Day's Potashery, Distillery, and Brewery in Skaneateles
before i8i6. — There is given below the advertisement of an auction sale to be
held at the " Indian Queen," kept by Isaac W. Perry, in the village of Skaneateles,
which is an interesting part of the history of the village. The plaintiff in this
Chancery proceeding was Liva Peck, who was a rich farmer, and owned and lived
on the farm now occupied by Manassah Smith, on the West Lake Road, near the
Octagon Schoolhouse. Liva Peck built that house between 1825 and 1830. He
probably loaned money to Lewis & Cotton, and took a mortgage on the lot. The
other parties named as defendants may have had some lien on the property, a
judgment likely. Levi Cuddeback was brother to Simeon and David Cuddeback,
and perhaps he had a lien in the form of judgment, also Lewis & Cotton, who were
woolen manufacturers at one time at Willow Glen, and afterward up at the village.
Their factory was west of the mill dam, near and west of the old stone mill of
Thayer & Co. Lewis & Cotton failed, and the property was sold under foreclo-
sure sale, as will be seen by this advertised sale. At that sale the property was
purchased by Deacon David Hall and others, and afterward it became " The
Skaneateles Woolen Manufacturing Company." The old factory was enlarged
and repaired, and was operated by various persons under the name of " The
Skaneateles Manufacturing Company," until it was destroyed by fire in 1842.
Then Dorastus Kellogg started up the old factory at Willow Glen, and he con-
tinued in that business while he remained in Skaneateles.
This advertisement of sale states that the premises were by deed conveyed by
Thomas Gibbs (deceased) to Winston Day in 1816. Day had his distillery, then,
many years before 1816, so that Day must have leased the lot from Gibbs before
1816, and may have purchased from Gibbs the east part then, and owned and oc-
cupied the west part before, and intended to build a brewery on the east part of the
lot, but the brewery was never built. Winston Day's distillery was there in 1807,
at the time Nathaniel Miller first came to Skaneateles. Gibbs had a sawmill about
the same time near where the stone mill now stands, and it will be seen by his deed
to Day that it conveys the right to take water from the dam to work his pump, situ-
ated across the outlet, and the right to lay pump-logs and pump water through
them to his distillery, etc. That pump would be situated about where Polley's
wagon-shop stands, probably somewhere near the southeast corner of the building.
This lot, beginning, as described, in the east side of Isaac Sherwood's garden
(which is now the Packwood house grounds, where the barn now stands, and per-
haps a little farther north), lay to the north of the outlet and adjoining Colonel
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 145
Warren Hecox's tannery, etc., but did not come up to the mill dam, as Colonel
Hecox owned the east side of the Pond, between the bridge and the dam, and a
corner of the dam on both sides of the outlet.
Here is the advertisement of the sale :
IN CHANCERY.
LivA Peck,
vs.
Almon Virgil and Cornelia Virgil his wife, Isaac Lewis, George H.
Cotton, Joel B. Couch, and Levi Cuddeback.
L. H. Sandford,
Solicitor.
In pursuance of a decretal order of the court of chancery of the State of New- York,
made in the above entitled cause, I, the subscriber, one of the Masters of the said court,
will sell at public auction, on Wednesday, the thirteenth day of March next, at two o'clock
in the afternoon of that day, at the "Indian Queen," kept by Isaac W. Perry, in the village of
Skaneateles, "All that certain piece or parcel of land, situate, lying and being in the village
of Skaneateles, in the county of Onondaga, and being a part of lot No. Thirty-six, in the
township of Marcellus, and bounded and described as follows : Beginning in the centre of
the outlet of the Skaneateles Lake, at a point northerly of the east line of the garden ground
belonging to Isaac Sherwood, thence southerly till it strikes the north east corner of said
garden ground, thence along the east line' of said garden to a point where the north line of
land belonging to Warren Hecox, intersects said east line of said garden, thence easterly
and southerly along said Hecox's north and east line until it strikes the north end of a
cow shed belonging to said Hecox, at the north end of said Hecox's barn, thence east thirty
degrees, north five rods, thence north thirty-three degrees, thirty minutes, west one rod,
thence easterly until it strikes a stone set in the ground, marked X described in a deed from
Thomas Gibbs, deceased, to Winston Day, dated the twenty-ninth August, one thousand
eight hundred and sixteen; thence north fifty-two degrees west to the centre of said outlet,
thence in the centre of said outlet to the place of beginning, being the same premises on
said lot which the said Day occupied for several years as a Distillery and Pot-Ashery lot,
and also the pump and its appurtenances, situate near the mill dam across said outlet, and
also the right or grant to take a sufficient quantity of water from said mill dam to work said
pump, to convey water for the use of a distillery and brewery on said premises, or which
shall be at any time put on the same; and also the right or grant to take a sufficient quan-
tity of water from the said dam for the use of the said distillery and brewery, and a right
to lay logs in the ground to convey the water to the said distillery and brewery respectively,
and also the right or grant of a cartway to and from the said premises above described, to
the Seneca Turnpike Road, excepting and reserving the right of using the Skaneateles out-
let for the purpose of clearing the bed thereof, and also for the purpose of floating logs down
the same ; and also the right of keeping the said bed of said outlet free from all obstructions
whatsoever." Together with all and singular the hereditaments thereunto, in anywise
belonging.
Dated 30th January, 1833. Richard L. Smith,
Master in Chancery.
Joseph Tallcot. — ^Joseph Tallcot was born in New Milford, Conn., June 12,
1768. In the spring of 1807, he, with his wife, Sarah Tallcot, and their sons,
Richard and Daniel, and daughters, Hannah and Phebe, moved to Scipio, N. Y.
Thence, in the spring of 1823, he with his family came to Skaneateles, and settled
146 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
on a farm adjoining that " beautiful lake." (This farm was the one since owned
by the late Elias Thorne.) He remained on this farm sixteen years, during which
time he continued actively engaged in promoting the various benevolent enterprises
of the day. He was long known as a faithful laborer in the cause of religion and
virtue. He was remarkable for the purity and inoffensiveness of his character,
and for his love to mankind in general, and more particularly for those in the
younger walks of life. The promotion of a sound religious education among the
rising generation was an object dear to his heart, and to which a considerable
portion of his time was devoted. Though far advanced in life, he retained much
of the greenness of his earlier years. The following extracts from his published
correspondence indicate his characteristics :
" I am ready to tremble for the fate of our free government, when I consider
that our institutions, both civil and religious, are founded on Christian principles,
and can not be sustained without the prevalence of Christian virtues. Wise, cool-
headed, pious old men, who have honorably retired from public life, can not
wind up their labors more usefully than in promoting the pious instruction of the
rising generation."
"Deprive us for only one century of the influence of the Bible, where would
be our dignified nation, and all its new flourishing institutions, both civil and re-
ligious ? "
It may not be amiss to mention that he accepted from the Governor the ap-
pointment of Inspector of Schools, as a means to aid him in visiting schools
through a large portion of western New York, in which service he continued for a
number of years, distributing his books and tracts among the teachers and
children, addressing the schools in a kind, familiar manner, imparting advice and
encouragement, and clearly evincing that it was love alone which prompted him in
these labors.
Joseph Tallcot was a public benefactor, a man of sterling character, a devout
Christian, very thoughtful of others, and was universally loved. In all of his pub-
lic and private transactions he manifested sound judgment, strict integrity, and
ability.
He died at his residence, Ledyard (Tallcot's Corners), Cayuga County, Au-
gust 20, 1853, aged eighty-five years.
Nicholas J. Roosevelt. — Nicholas J. Roosevelt was a descendant in direct
line from Klass Macteusen Van Roosevelt, who left Holland in 1649 ^^^ settled
in New Amsterdam. Locally he was a resident of Skaneateles twenty-three years.
He came here with his family about the year 1831, and was a continual highly re-
spected citizen and always a courteous gentleman, until his death, July 30, 1854, at
the age of eighty-seven years. During the period of the following history of his
early experiences, associated with distinguished early inventors, he was but thirty-
one years of age.
Mrs. Martha J. Lamb's "History of the City of New York" gives the following
interesting reminiscences of his early life:
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 147
" The Collect Pond, occupying the site of the present great gloomy pile of pri-
son buildings known as the Tombs, was the scene in the summer of 1796 of the first
trial of a steamboat with a screw propeller. It was the invention of John Fitch.
The boat was eighteen feet in length and six feet beam, with square stern, round
bows, and furnished with seats. The boiler was a ten or twelve-gallon iron pot.
" The little craft passed round the pond several times, and was believed capable
of making six miles an hour. The spectacle was watched with critical interest by
Chancellor Livingston, Nicholas J. Roosevelt, John Stephens, and others, who had
in common with philosophers and inventors in England and Europe been for some
time engaged in speculative study of the steam engine and its prospective uses.
The statement that Robert Fulton was present at the trial of Fitch's steamboat on
the Collect in 1796 is an error, he being in England at that date.
" Oliver Evans, who was also present at the trial of Fitch's steamboat, said :
' The time will come when people will travel in stages moved by steam engines
from one city to another as fast as birds can fly — fifteen or twenty miles an hour.'
And his associates smiled incredulously.
" Two years after Fitch experimented with his screw propeller on the Collect
in New York, Nicholas J. Roosevelt launched a little steamboat on the Passaic
River, and made a trial trip with a party of invited guests, among whom was the
Spanish Minister. Roosevelt was of the old New York family of that name, and
a gentleman of education and inventive talent. He had become interested with
others in the Schuyler copper mines, and, from this model of Hornblower's at-
mospheric engine, constructed one of a similar character, and also built similar
engines for various purposes. Colonel John Stephens, who exhibited far better
knowledge of the science and art of engineering, besides urging more advanced
opinions and statesman-like views in relation to the economical importance of the
practical development of the new invention, than any man of his time, was fre-
quently in conference with Roosevelt. In December, 1797, Chancellor Livingston
wrote to Roosevelt, saying : ' Mr. Stephens has mentioned to me your desire to ap-
ply the steam machine to a boat. Every attempt of this kind having failed, I
have constructed a boat on perfectly new principles, which, both in the model and
on a large scale, has exceeded my expectations. I was about writing to England
for a steam machine, but, hearing of your wish, I was willing to treat with you,
on terms which I believe you will find advantageous, for the use of my invention.'
The result was an agreement between Livingston, Stephens, and Roosevelt to
build a boat on joint account, for which the engines were to be constructed by
Roosevelt at his shop on the Passaic, and the propelling agency was to be planned
by the Chancellor. So promising were the signs that in March, 1798, the Legisla-
ture of New York passed a bill giving Livingston the exclusive right to steam
navigation in the waters of the State for a period of twenty years, provided that he
should within a year from date produce a boat that could steam four miles an
hour. During the progress of the enterprise the correspondence teemed with
speculative suggestions. The trial trip, to which reference has been made, oc-
148 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
curred on the 2ist of October, 1798. It was recognized as a failure. Roosevelt
had invented a vertical wheel, which he earnestly recommended to the Chancellor
without success. Stephens, a few months later, persuaded the Chancellor to try
a set of paddles in the stern, which unfortunately shook the boat to pieces and ren-
dered it unfit for further use. The inventive instinct of America appears to have
been abreast with that of any other country. But no individual as yet had suc-
ceeded in taking the final step in the progression which was to make steam
navigation an every-day commercial success.
" Roosevelt, when asked why he did not anticipate Fulton in the first successful
application of the steam-engine to naval purposes, replied : 'At the time Chancellor
Livingston's horizontal-wheel experiment failed, I was under a contract with the
corporation for supplying the city of Philadelphia with water by means of two
steam-engines; and, besides, I was under a contract with the United States to
erect rolling works and supply the Government with copper rolled and drawn for
six seventy-four gun ships that were then to be built. But by a change of men in
the administration, after I had been led into heavy expense, the seventy-fours
were abandoned without appropriations, and embarrassment to me was the natural
consequence.' "
Archibald Douglass. — Archibald Douglass came from Shaftsbury, Vt., in
May, 1816, bringing his family, consisting of his wife and five children — ^two sons
and three daughters. He also brought his household furniture and his working-
tools. Before he came from Verm.ont, he was engaged in the manufacture of
thrashing machines, wagons, and fanning-mills or machines. He had previously
patented a fanning-machine. On his arrival here he settled at Cliffs Corners, and
conducted the same line of business that he did in Vermont. Later he removed into
the village. He died in the month of November, 1862, aged seventy-eight years.
William G. Ellery. — ^William G. Ellery was born in Skaneateles, July 25,
1832. He was a merchant, school teacher, lawyer, and President of the village,
being the first President elected as an independent officer. He also served as Town
Clerk from 1874 to 1885, except one year. He died in November, 1887.
Daniel T. Moseley. — Daniel T. Moseley was born at Onondaga Hill, in 18 10.
He was the son of the late Judge Daniel T. Moseley, of the Supreme Court.
Graduating at Union College with high honors, he came to Skaneateles in 1833,
studied law in the office of the late Daniel Kellogg, and was afterward admitted to
the bar. He was for several years a partner with Hon. Lewis H. Sandford, which
only ceased when the latter removed to the city of New York. During his resi-
dence in Skaneateles, Mr. Moseley had filled the offices of County Judge and Su-
pervisor for several terms, and Justice of the Peace. In 1850, owing to impaired
health, he withdrew from active business, and continued to reside in this village,
always taking a deep interest in public affairs. He was universally esteemed, a
good citizen, and a kind husband and father. He died February 23, 1883, aged
seventy-two years, leaving a wife and two daughters. The funeral services were
held at his late residence, being conducted by Rev. C. P. Jennings.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 149
Augustus Kellogg. — Augustus Kellogg was the eldest son of the late
Daniel Kellogg, who was one of the most prominent early settlers within the
village. His son Augustus was born in the original one-and-a-half-story home-
stead, now next east of the old law office, on the south side of Onondaga
Street. He was born in the year 1803, and died October 30, 1871, from heart
failure.
In his earlier years he studied law in his father's office, and after a limited
time he was admitted to the bar. About sixty years ago, when he was in the
prime of life, he was one of the most prominent members of the Onondaga
County bar. Having a classical education, a brilliant intellect, commanding
presence, fine oratorical powers, ready at repartee, and possessing a sarcasm
which few would wish to encounter, he was formidable in debate. His intimacy
with leading men throughout the State, and especially at Albany, became very
extensive. He often visited the sessions of the Legislature, and always when
there attracted attention by his commanding appearance and knowledge of all
public questions. His mode of dress was exceptionally neat, always wearing
gold spectacles and a silk hat. He had a ruddy complexion and expressive eyes,
while his bright conversational powers always rendered him an attractive com-
panion. But he had his infirmities, over which we are disposed to draw a veil,
but the history of his checkered life would be inconiplete without reference to
them. His career took a downward turn, and he was finally discovered, early
one Sunday morning, in his father's old law office, in an insensible and dying
condition, from which he never rallied, and died October 30, 1871. In early
life he married a Miss Hart, of Utica, a beautiful and accomplished lady, who
died shortly afterward, leaving an only son, who, inheriting his father's talents
and infirmities, died in early life.
The identification of his grave, which is not generally known, is as follows:
There is no stone over it. It is directly west of the headstone of Helen M.,
wife of William H. Huxtable, under a partially sunken spot of ground, separated
from the Huxtable headstone by an iron fence.
In connection with this subject, it may be of interest to state that the late
C. Pardee prepared an epitaph, which he designed to have cut on a gravestone
to be placed over Augustus Kellogg's grave, but this design was never accom-
plished. The original epitaph, in C. Pardee's handwriting, is still in existence..
and is here given:
Augustus Kellogg,
Died October 30, 1871, Aged 67- Years.
Born in Affluence: Talents and Education of the First Order.
Died as the Fool dieth^Buried
In midnight darkness by his request.
With the talents of an Angel, a man may be a fool.
John Snook. — Dr. John Snook, with his son, John Snook, Jr., about the year
1832 came here from England. Before leaving England Dr. Snook had be-
150 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
come famous for his invention of a medical preparation called "Snook's Pills."
To him is due the introduction of the teasel, in this town, about the year 1833.
The business of growing and cultivating the teasel plant has ever since been
exceedingly profitable, not only to the farming interest, but to the teasel mer-
chants, who prepare them for sale to the woolen cloth manufacturers.
John Snook, Jr., the son of Dr. Snook, very early after his arrival here
established himself in the retail drug and medicine business, connecting it with
some other lines of goods, and during his life had a very successful career.
Dr. John Snook died in this town, December i, 1857. John Snook, Jr., died
at Utica, October 30, 1884, at the age of fifty-one.
Dyer Brainerd. — Among the inhabitants of Skaneateles the name of Dyer
Brainerd appears, and it is related of him in the "Genealogy of the Brainerd
Family in the United States," by David Dudley Field, D.D., published in 1857,
as follows:
Dyer Brainerd, son of Amasa and Jedidah Brainerd, was born May 25, 1774,
in East Haddam, Conn. Married Sally Seymour, of New Canaan, Conn.,
January 26, 181 1. They resided in the city of New York many years, where he
was engaged in the wholesale grocery business, but, on retiring from business
there, they removed in the year 1832 to Skaneateles, where he died, June 24,
1849, ^iid was interred in the old cemetery on the hill west of the village.
Having acquired a competency after being in active business in New York
for forty years, he purchased the Livingston farm, on the east side of Skan-
eateles Lake, one mile south of the village. This farm contained one hundred
acres. He took great delight in improving and fitting it up for the home of his
family, and where it would be his pleasure to entertain his friends. It was his
home for seventeen years, until his death.
It was said of Dyer Brainerd that he married at forty, and brought up a
family of seven boys, and each boy had a sister. Dyer Brainerd was naturally
stimulated with a spirit of enterprise in the interest of the public welfare, and
was identified with all the commendable improvements in progress at that period
in the circuit of Skaneateles. He was chosen Road Master (Commissioner) in
his district for several years, and was the first to originate and use a road
scraper, and by its means, smoothing the rutted and rough roads and filling up
the holes, made carriage riding a pleasure. " Brainerd's Lake Road" became
celebrated throughout this section of country, and was used by those who en-
joyed the best and most pleasurable ride to be found in the whole town. It
pleased him to see others enjoy his efforts in making the East Lake Road en-
joyable by all his fellow citizens.
His attention was turned from good public roads to the need of a good
steamer to traverse the lake, and put life into the beautiful exquisite scenery
and landscape. His attention was thereafter directed toward having a railroad
from the village to the Junction, instead of an out-of-date plank road. Another
idea was to induce the general public to organize a rural cemetery in place of
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 151
an old burying-ground. Many other public enterprises were projected and vigor-
ously presented by him.
Dyer Brainerd was quiet, modest, and unassuming, and remarkably con-
scientious. It was said of him by John Green, an old Quaker, and a former busi-
ness associate : " If there ever was an honest man, Dyer Brainerd was that man
in the fullest sense of the word." Many a young man could bear testimony
to his disinterested encouragement and friendship, his advice, and financial as-
sistance to start in business and maintain his independence.
Charles B. Isbell.— Charles B. Isbell was born in Milford, Conn., October
22, 1803, and came to Skaneateles in 1833, since which time he had, with one or
two exceptions, been a constant dweller in this village. His vocation in life was
that of a master mechanic, and well did he fill that position. Possessed of a rare
mechanical ingenuity, there was nothing in all the complicated and nicely fitting
rules of his profession of which he was not a master. About the beginning of
the California gold excitement, he went to that State, where his time was wholly
occupied in superintending the building of steam mills, which now stand as
monuments of his mechanical genius for durability and finish. In Canada, also,
he was employed in the same business, and, it is needless to say, met with the
same success — ^the approval of his employers, and the satisfaction which an
honest mind feels in having done his duty. As a neighbor and a citizen he was
valued and respected, and as a husband and a father that deep love which springs
from a grateful heart was given him. Industrious to the last degree, his life
was one of honest toil which knew no rest, until death folded his hands in a
breathless sleep. He died March 24, 1866, aged sixty-three years.
Joel Thayer. — ^Joel Thayer was born in Ontario, N. Y., July 18, 1812. He
came to Skaneateles in the year 1835, and very soon after became interested
with John Legg in the manufacture of carriages, wagons, and sleighs. Although
at that time he possessed a very moderate amount of capital, he had within him
the elements that later in life brought his business talents forward as a successful
man in the most prominent degree. Not very long after he became a resident
of Skaneateles he married Juliette, daughter of John Legg. This newly formed
relationship caused him at once to become identified with the business interests
of Skaneateles. Mr. Thayer was an excellent citizen. He was enterprising and
public-spirited, and always willingly aided every public project that was brought
to his attention. Upright and honest in every deed, he possessed the entire con-
fidence of the community, and often rendered valuable and gratuitous service to
those in need of counsel and assistance. There was much sympathy in his
nature, as many who have been the recipients of his favor can testify, and to
his friends he was as true as steel. His heart and hand were always open to the
afflicted and destitute. He was quiet and unobtrusive in manner, and steadfast
in purpose, yet his nature was genial and sunshiny, making his life one of
pleasure and happiness to his family and friends. The round of the hfe of Mrs.
Thayer was of generous and kindly acts, devoted to charity, and strengthening
152 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
and upholding everything, not only pertaining to the best interests of her hus-
band, but to the community at large in which she lived.
Mr. Thayer organized the Bank of Skaneateles during the month of August,
1869, with a capital stock of $100,000, and was for twelve years its President,
carrying that institution through the experimental period to a substantial pros-
perous basis. He was one of the first Board of Trustees of the Skaneateles
Savings Bank, in the year 1866. He conducted an extensive flouring-mill at
Skaneateles, and became the prime mover and promoter of the organization of
the Skaneateles Railroad, of which he was for several years President.
Mrs. Thayer died December 4, 1880, and Joel Thayer died May 19, 1881, sur-
viving his devoted and affectionate wife but six months.
DoRASTUS Kellogg. — Dorastus Kellogg was born on the Obadiah Thorne
farm, which is on the direct road to Marcellus, January 10, 1808. He was en-
gaged in early life in woolen manufacturing in Baldwinsville, and came to Skan-
eateles in the year 1834. For many years he was extensively engaged in the
manufacture of woolen goods, at what was then known as Kellogg's Factory, but
since that time as Willow Glen. Previously to his locating at Kellogg's Fac-
tory, he had a woolen mill in the village, in which he employed about sixty-five
hands. This was located on the site of what is now known as the yellow shop,
on Railroad Street, west of the stone mill. His mill was destroyed by fire Feb-
ruary 4, 1842. At the same fire Spencer Hannum's machine shop, and Earll,
Kellogg & Co.'s flouring-mill and storehouse, were burned, causing a loss of
about $43,000. On the site of Kellogg's woolen factory, Spencer Hannum
erected a foundry, which was afterward burned, January 6, 1850.
Dorastus Kellogg was a man of decided character, strong impulses, and had
many warm friends. He died from an attack of typhoid pneumonia, in Oswego
Falls, February i, 1883, in the seventy-fifth year of his age. His remains were
brought to Skaneateles Village, and were met at the railroad depot by many of
his old friends and acquaintances to pay their last tribute and respect to his worth
and memory. The burial took place in his own family lot in Lake View Ceme-
tery.
John Kellogg. — John Kellogg, son of Daniel and Laura (Hyde) Kellogg,
was bom at Skaneateles, April 12, 1807. In his early life he was a merchant
at Trumansburg, N. Y. He subsequently became a joint owner of the stone mill
with Colonel Earll, and later had a wheelbarrow manufactory, and also a flour-
mill and distillery at Jordan, N. Y. Early in the sixties he engaged in the
brokerage business in New York, having formed a partnership with Lawrence
Jerome, under the firm name of Jerome, Kellogg & Co., at No. 22 Exchange
Place. For about twenty years before his death he was not engaged in active
business. He died February 7, 1883.
William Millett Beauchamp. — William Millett Beauchamp was born in
the village of West Pinnard, Somersetshire, England, April 5, 1799. He emi-
grated to this country during the summer of 1829, and first located in Orange
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 153
County, N. Y., where he leased a farm, and on that farm introduced the cuhiva-
tion of the teasel, but, as the crop required much outlay for labor, and there being
at that period none of the later facilities for marketing the teasel, he abandoned
the business. He first came to Skaneateles in the spring of 1831, with his
family, and settled on a farm about four miles south of the village, on the East
Lake Road. While on that farm he planted probably the first hawthorn hedge
that was ever set in this section of the State. This hedge is now in a flourish-
ing condition after having been planted sixty-eight years. He moved into the
village late in the fall of 1832, residing first on the Hoagland place, and after-
ward on the present Taylor place (much enlarged since). He entered into part-
nership with Richard Ash in the boot and shoe business, but soon gave it up, and
esta.blished a book-store, in which he commenced a circulating library, which con-
tinued in a flourishing condition for more than twenty years. The purchase of
the Auburn Banner office I'n 1839 prepared the way for the establishment of
the Skaneateles Democrat, the first number of which was issued January 3, 1840.
Six years later it was purchased by William H. Jewett, E. S. Keeney (a young
man of great literary promise) being editor. He died a few months later, and
his brother Jonathan continued the publication, until it was purchased by the
late Harrison B. Dodge, in whose continuous possession it remained until his
death November 22, 1898, a period of fifty years.
William M. Beauchamp took a great and active interest in education, temper-
ance, local history, and agriculture, and for many years he made monthly reports
to the Meteorological Department of the Smithsonian Institution, Washington
City, D. C. After giving up journalistic work he devoted himself to the nursery
business, and became particularly interested in the importation of hedge-plants
from England. Most of the hawthorn hedges, which are a distinguishing fea-
ture of Skaneateles scenery, were purchased from his nursery and planted under
his direction. He was for many years Secretary of the Farmers' Club, and re-
ported its proceedings for the Skaneateles Democrat for publication long after
this paper had passed into other hands. He was a communicant of the Episcopal
Church, and continually lent his aid to the parish, by which he was elected a mem-
ber of the Vestry, which office he retained until his decease. Previous to that
he had held the position of precentor of the choir by vote of the Vestry. He was
ardently interested in the Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons, and was
one of the earliest members of the Lodge in Skaneateles. Nearly all his life, and
particularly since he became a resident of the village of Skaneateles, he had kept
a diary of events, and from the brief daily entries many valuable and interesting
articles have been compiled and published by his only surviving son, Dr. Beau-
champ, rector of Grace Church, Baldwinsville, N. Y. William M. Beauchamp
died August 28, 1867, in the sixty-ninth year of his age.
Richard Talcott. — Richard Talcott was born at New Milford, Conn.,
July 7, 1791, came to Skaneateles with his father, Joseph Talcott, and family, in
1823, and settled on a small farm of fifty acres, on the west shore of the lake,
1 54 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
now known as the Elias Thome place. September 3, 1825, he formed a copart-
nership with Ebenezer Pardee (brother of Charles Pardee), under the firm
name of E. Pardee & Co., and conducted a general store in the village. Pos-
sessing those qualities which make successful business men, he was always ener-
getic, straightforward, and took a keen interest in the advancement of the com-
munity and in all matters of public importance, and he at once became known
throughout this section of the State as an influential citizen. He was a member
of the Society of Friends, of the branch known as Orthodox. In the Society
itself, as well as in the community at large, he possessed great influence. He
manifested an interest in educational subjects, and no other leading moral ques-
tions was prominent in his day. His influence was always for right and justice.
A long-continued sickness, which he bore with patience and humility, marked the
close of his life. He died at the residence of his son, Joseph Talcott, July 17,
1876, aged eighty-five years.
RiSHWORTH Mason. — Captain Rishworth Mason was born March 26, 1794,
at Biddeford, Maine. In his youth he was not a strong lad, therefore his
parents had him take a voyage to sea for his health. At eighteen years of age
he shipped aboard of a ship to perfect himself in seamanship and navigation, and
in a few years took command of a vessel. He afterward went to New York, and
was in the employ of several of the leading shipping merchants. In 1846 he
with his family moved to Oswego, where Captain Mason built three vessels
suitable for the lake trade. After residing there for a few years, he was in-
duced, through the influence of Thayer & Legg, and others, to come to Skan-
eateles, and soon after the steamboat Homer was built. The first trip of this
boat was made July 4, 1849. Captain Mason commanded the Homer for ten
years. After he sold his interest in this boat he commenced the grocery business
in the village, which was continued for ten years, until his death, which oc-
curred March 5, 1871. He had five wives, and was the father of fifteen children,
seven of them by his last wife, who is now living; but all the fifteen children
have passed away — "Have crossed the river." During his early seafaring life,
he went to India twice, to Africa twice, and on his first trip with his uncle he cir-
cumnavigated the world. He crossed the Atlantic Ocean ninety-nine times.
Captain Mason's last wife (now living), whom we all knew, lived with her hus-
band twenty years and three months, which was as long again as the previous
four wives lived with him.
John Legg. — In 1813, John Legg was the only blacksmith in the village.
He made axes principally, and did all other kinds of work, having an extensive
business at that period.
Merchants in 1813. — Jonathan Booth and Samuel Ingham (Booth &
Ingham), Phares Gould, Day & Hecox (Winston Day and Warren Hecox), and
Norman Leonard were the only merchants in 181 3.
Peter Thompson. — Peter Thompson was born at Halifax, Plymouth Co.,
Mass., August 1, 1793, and went to Vermont in 1809, where he lived four years,
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 155
and then came to Skaneateles in May, 181 3. He traveled on foot from Vermont
in company with John Billings, both being carpenters by trade.
Taverns. — The only tavern in tovi^n was on the site of the present Savings
Bank. It was then kept by Ezekiel Griswold (brother-in-law of Ambrose
Hecox). That was the only public-house until Deacon David Hall built what
has since been known as the Lake House. Peter Thompson and John Billings
did the carpenter work for David Hall, about 1823-5.
Philo Dibble. — Philo Dibble was born in Mount Washington, Berkshire
County, Mass., in 1794. His parents removed to Delaware County, N. Y.,
where he married and removed to Skaneateles, N. Y. Little is known by the au-
thor of him, but his name is found as having been elected as a Trustee of the old
Skaneateles Library, March 3, 1829, and was successively reelected March 5,
1833, December 4, 1834, November 12, 1835, and March 2, 1836. From this
statement it will be observed that he was here in 1829, and was a Trustee of the
Library until 1836, seven years. Inhaling the bracing air of the mountains of
New England and the hills of Delaware County, he had a strong constitution.
He was not brought up in the lap of luxury, but was in early life inured to labor,
and consequently acquired habits of industry and economy. His early opportuni-
ties for education and mental discipline were limited, but he possessed a well-
balanced mind and sound judgment, and exerted considerable influence in the
community. He resided in Skaneateles for twenty-two years, and during that
time prosecuted business as a mechanic (harness and saddlery), and was suc-
cessful in the accumulation of property. He removed from Skaneateles to
Marshall, Mich., in 1841. Four out of five children went to the grave before
him. He died at Marshall, Mich., December 13, 1871.
William H. Jewett. — William H. Jewett was the only son of the late Hon.
Freeborn G. Jewett, whose reputation as a jurist, lawyer, and politician was well
known and is now a matter of history. He was bom in Skaneateles in the year
1816, and during his minority was both physically and mentally a lad of uncom-
mon promise. He was educated at Yale College, and, possessing a splendid
intellect, combined with a genial, social temperament, a ready wit, and genuine
kindness of heart, he was always a cordial favorite in the extensive circle of his
acquaintance.
He was elected Justice of the Peace in 1852, and was reelected from year to
year until 1857, in his native village, in which capacity he always acted as a peace-
maker, never encouraging petty litigation or quarrelsome suits. He was elected
Supervisor of the town in the year 1848 for a full term, until 1849. As heir to his
father's wealth (he having been the only child of his parents) he was placed above
the necessity of pursuing the profession of the law, to which he was bred, in which
under other circumstances he would no doubt have risen to eminence and dis-
tinction. He died at Skaneateles, August 29, 1859, in the forty-fourth year of his
age. His untimely death was universally lamented, more especially by those who
knew him more intimately.
156 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
Obadiah Thorne. — Dbadiah Thorne was bora in Washington, Dutchess
County, N. Y., October i, 1805, and came to Marcellus, where he settled on Mili-
tary Lot No. 61, which became afterward known as Thorne Hill in 1828. From
there he came to Skaneateles in the year 1854, and purchased the farm then owned
by James Balding, where he lived thirty-two years. In 1886 he removed to the
village, on Onondaga Street, where he died April 18, 1887. Obadiah Thorne
was a man of the strictest integrity and uprightness of life, in his business and
social relations he enjoyed the full confidence of his fellow citizens, and was re-
spected and loved by all who knew him.
Thorne Hill. — Thorne Hill was named from Obadiah Thorne, who was
instrumental in establishing the post-office and mail route, and who was for
many years a highly respected citizen and widely known as an extensive wool
buyer.
William H. Pattison. — William H. Pattison was born September 12, 1814,
at Palatine Bridge, N. Y., and came here in 1866. He commenced the hardware
business by buying out the firm of Middlebrook & Payne, and formed a partner-
ship with George D. Downey in same year ( 1866) . The firm name was Pattison
& Downey, which continued in business four years, and then dissolved, W. H.
Pattison continuing the business in his own name about a year. He sold out
partially to Perry Foote, when the firm name was Pattison & Foote. W. H.
Pattison sold out his interest in 1874 to Mrs. John M. Nye. He died June 5,
1874.
Charles F. Merrill. — Dr. Charles F. Merrill was in his day one of the best
known fishermen in this vicinity. Strangers, attracted by the inviting appearance
of the lake and its characteristics as a sporting body of water for angling, always
sought the services of Dr. Merrill, who seemingly knew the location of all the
best fishing-grounds. He spent much of his leisure time on the lake, and as he
had much leisure he was always available. His medical practise in the village
was more or less limited, but there were many throughout the town who had
great confidence in his ability for the treatment of disease. His great forte was
in administering simple remedies, which from their nature were particularly
successful with nervous patients, many of whom were suffering from imaginary
complaints. His medicines were of the most simple nature. To explain their
simplicity, it may be stated that, by arrangement with one of the drug-stores, he
would get quite a large number of vials, from two to four ounce capacity, par-
tially fill each one with simple sirup, then would go all over the shelves, and select
for each bottle some simple drug which was innocuous and variegated in char-
acter. To some he would add coloring matter. In fact, after he completed his
stock of curables, and placed all the bottles in the capacious side-pockets of his
sack-coat, he was in shape to meet a patient on the street. On such occasions,
after learning the distressful symptoms, he would immediately search his pockets
for the suitable medicine, taking each bottle and removing the cork, thus as-
certaining its peculiar odor, until the correct one came to his attention. Then
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 157
he would give minute directions how it was to be taken, at the same time direct-
ing the patient to refrain from drinking any spirituous liquor, beer, or strong
coffee or tea, and to eat simple food, but not to overeat any food. His patients
were generally benefited by his medicines and treatment.
He made many excursions into adjoining towns and villages. On these
occasions he would previously send handbills to be placed in public places, in-
viting public notice of his future visit. Here is a copy of one of these :
EXTKAORDINARY.
To my Friends and Patrons :
Dr.
C. F. Merrill,
Will be at the
Boutelle House, Amber,
Thursday, April 8th, 1875,
All those in need of
Medical Attendance
Or Advice
Are requested to call at his rooms.
Especially those who have been unsuccessfully
Treated by other physicians
A Specialty,
And treated confidentially.
Yours truly,
C. F. Merrill, M.D.
On these expeditions he was always dressed in his best suit, and left this vil-
lage in a stylish carriage and a fine span of horses. He was a kind-hearted man,
had many friends, and as a physician was quite as successful in the treatment
of physical ills as any other physician in this vicinity.
EzEKiEL B. HoYT. — Ezekicl B. Hoyt, born at Ridgefield, Conn., March 24,
1823, was a son of William and Esther Beers Hoyt, both natives of Ridgefield. In
September, 1823, William Hoyt moved with his family to the town of Sennett,
Cayuga County, N. Y. Here Ezekiel lived until his eighteenth year, doing such
farm work as his age permitted during the summer months, and attending the
district school during the winter. There were thirteen children in the family —
nine boys and four girls. It was the policy of the parents to have each son learn
a trade. One was a cabinet-maker, and three others worked at the carpenter and
millwright trades. The mother concluded that Ezekiel should learn to be a
mason, so in 1841 he was apprenticed to the mason trade with Douglass & Billings
of Auburn. In 1847, after his health gave way, he embarked in other enterprises
at various places. He with his brother Edward S. Hoyt established a general
store at Mottville, N. Y. In 1852 he was married to Miss Mary E. Delano, of
Mottville, and in December of the same year he purchased a one-third interest
in, and assumed the management of, the foundry and machine shop established by
his father-in-law, Howard Delano, in 1832. In 1874 he purchased the remaining
158 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
two-thirds of the property. In after years Mr. Hoyt was engaged in various
enterprises within this town, on the outlet of Skaneateles Lake, in all of which his
exceptional business ability was most prominent. On January 11, 1867, Mr.
Hoyt's first wife died. On July i, 1872, he married Miss Mary J. Wheeler,
daughter of the late Dr. Jared W. Wheeler, of Elbridge, N. Y., who survives
him. He was a man of the strictest integrity and uprightness of life, respected
and loved by all who knew him, and whose family life was beyond reproach. He
died at his home, in the village of Skaneateles, November 17, 1895.
George F. Leitch. — The following notice of our late fellow townsman,
George F. Leitch, is copied from the Albany Evening Journal, and will be read
with interest by his numerous friends in this vicinity :
" George F. Leitch, Esq., of Skaneateles, who twelve years ago was with-
drawn from a field of active enterprise and usefulness by the derangement of
some of the delicate machinery of life, which caused a dizziness in the head and
a partial paralysis of the limbs, died at his residence on the 20th ultimo, aged
forty-three years. Mr. Leitch was a gentleman of handsome professional attain-
ments and much personal worth. He was much devoted to business when, by
the death of his father-in-law, the late Daniel Kellogg, the management of a
large and complicated estate devolved upon him. The illness from which he
suffered so many years was probably occasioned by the over-taxation of mind and
body. When, in 1843, ^^r. Leitch's health required relaxation from business,
he went with us to Europe. In London the paralysis began to develop. In Paris
he consulted an eminent physician, who, in a written opinion, pronounced the
case not only remediless, but one that would terminate fatally. Mr. Leitch, after
reading this opinion, very calmly remarked that, though his case was beyond the
reach of medical science, he was not to be killed off in that summary manner by a
French doctor. On his return, Mr. Leitch passed several years in water cure es-
tablishments, by which he was benefited, and at times hoped for restoration.
But it was a question of time only. There was no remedy for a disease that had
finally worn him out. Though so long lost to the busy world, there are many in
it who remember, as we do, the many good qualities of his head and heart."
Freeborn G. Jewett. — Freeborn G. Jewett was born at Sharon, Conn., in
1791, and in youth received only those advantages of education which are com-
mon to the children of New England. He commenced the study of law with
Henry Swift, of Dutchess County, and completed his course with Colonel Young,
at Ballston, being admitted as an attorney in 1814, and as a counselor at law
in 1817. He came to Skaneateles and commenced the practise of law, entering
into partnership with the Hon. James Porter. In 1815 he was appointed Master
in Chancery by Governor Tompkins. In 1817 he was elected a Justice of the
Peace for the then town of Marcellus, which office he held for about six years.
In 1822 he was appointed an Examiner in Chancery by Governor Clinton, and
afterward to the same office by Governor Yates, and again by acting Governor
Throop. In 1824 he was appointed Surrogate of Onondaga County by De Witt
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 159
Clinton, and in 1827 again to the same office by Governor Yates. In 1825 he
was elected to the Assembly of this State, leading his ticket in the county, and in
1828 he was chosen one of the Electors of President and Vice-President of the
United States, and cast his vote for the ever-memorable and ever-honorable
Andrew Jackson. He was elected a member of the Twenty-second Congress
of the United States in 1830, and declined a renomination in 1832, preferring to
devote himself to the practise of his profession and to remain in the enjoyment
of his own home. In 1832, he was admitted as an attorney and counselor in the
Supreme Court of the United States, in 1836 he was appointed by Governor
Marcy a Supreme Court Commissioner for the county of Onondaga, and again
in 1838 he was appointed to the same office, and also one of the Inspectors of the
State Prison at Auburn. In 1839 he was appointed District Attorney in and for
the county of Onondaga, which office he held for about six months. In 1845 he
was appointed by Governor Wright one of the Justices of the Supreme Court,
and upon the organization of the Court of Appeals in 1847 he was elected one of
the members of that high and honorable Court. In 1849 he was elected to the
same position, which he held till 1853, when, in consequence of an attack of that
fatal disease which terminated his life, he resigned his place upon the bench.
Such has been his career in life. By his own energies and his own merits he
rose, if not to the highest political station, to the most dignified and exalted posi-
tion in the Empire State. In every place he was equal to the duties he was re-
quired to perform, and their performance was creditable to himself and satisfactory
to his friends. As a man, he was honorable ; as a friend, reliable ; as a counselor,
judicious; and as a jurist, sound and discriminating. He obtained wisdom by
research, and wealth by industry, and was thus an example to the young worthy
of their imitation. He died January 27, 1858, aged sixty-seven years.
Spencer Hannum. — Spencer Hannum was born in Williamsburg, Mass.,
in 1799, and came to Skaneateles in 1828. While here he was one of the most
enterprising mechanics and manufacturers for thirty-four years. During this
period he erected a foundry and machine-shop on the site of Dorastus Kellogg's
woolen factory after its destruction by fire. The foundry and machine-shop were
afterward burned January 6, 1850. He rebuilt his machine-shop and foundry,
and operated it under the name of Hannum & Arnold, in 1850, after which it
passed into the possession of Samuel M. Drake. Hannum removed to Auburn,
and was engaged in business there for several years. Finally, when in declining
health, he returned to Williamsburg, Mass., his birthplace, and died on Christmas
Day, December 25, 1878, in the seventy-ninth year of his age.
The Diefendorf Families in this Town. — Military Lot No. 87 in this town
was drawn by the Revolutionary soldier Lieutenant Henry Diefendorph. A num-
ber of farmers of the same name have lived on that lot for many years. A
letter of inquiry was recently addressed to the only farmer of that name now re-
siding in this town, George E. Diefendorf, who writes that his father, Jacob Die-
fendorf, first came into this town in the year 1824, from the town of Sharon,
i6o HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
Schoharie County, N. Y., and settled on Lot No. 87. His sons were Abraham,
Jacob, Peter, and Barney, all of whom were farmers on Lot No. 87.
George E. Diefendorf, who furnishes this statement, now owns the same farm,
and states that he never heard of Lieutenant Henry Diefendorph, and does not
know that any of his father's family was related to him.
James Cannings Fuller. — ^James Cannings Fuller first came from England
to Skaneateles in 1834. He purchased the Nicholas Thorne property soon after
his arrival here. It was sold at foreclosure sale. J. C. Fuller belonged to the So-
ciety of Friends. He was actively engaged in the antislavery, temperance, and
other moral and benevolent enterprises, devoting his time and money liberally for
their promotion. To natural quickness of perception and energy of character
he united an extensive knowledge of men and things. Although his views were
radical, which were in conflict with the popular sentiment, he advocated them with
an earnest boldness which, if it failed to convince, denoted its sincerity and honest
conviction of their soundness and importance. He died November 25, 1847, ^g^d
fifty-four years, in this village, while his wife and daughter were on a visit to Eng-
land. Only one of his children was with him when he died.
Edward B. Coe. — Edward B. Coe was born in the village of Auburn, Decem-
ber 29, 1822. A few years thereafter his parents removed to Canandaigua, where
his father, Chauncey H. Coe, died, in 1835. Mother and family, which included
a daughter, removed to Skaneateles in 1837. About 1846 Edward B. Coe and
Charles Goodall went on a three-year whaling voyage to the Pacific Ocean. Soon
after their return home in 1849 the California gold fever broke out, and they both
decided to go to California. Goodall shipped aboard a vessel bound around Cape
Horn, and E. B. Coe took the route across the Isthmus. The following extract
from a letter written to the author by Captain Charles Goodall, dated February
9, 1899, gives an account of how and where they met after their arrival in Cali-
fornia :
" I saw nothing of Edward until I met him in Sacramento, in May, 1850. I
was working in the mines, and went to Sacramento to buy provisions and a mule
to pack them to the diggings. After paying for my mule and his load, I went
down to the river to look at the water, and, while standing up against a wood-
pile admiring the beauties of the muddy stream, I heard a voice that I thought I
knew. I looked around behind the wood-pile, and, behold! young man Edward
was there. He was captain of a small schooner, and was ordering the chief mate,
the cook, and all hands before the mast, which by the way consisted of a single
individual, to haul the vessel up to the wood-pile. We had a few minutes' con-
versation, finding out as much as we could at the time where each other had been
and with what success we had paddled our canoes. The next I heard of Edward
was the letter from your good self asking me how long since I had seen him. My
reply was as above, and I heard nothing more of him until reading in the Skan-
eateles Democrat (which I have taken ever since I have been in California) of his
arrival at home. I did not come across the Isthmus with Edward, and I do not
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
i6i
recollect his telling me about it ; but I came around Cape Horn in a small schooner
called the St. Mary, leaving New Orleans on the 9th of March, 1849, and arriv-
EDWARD B. COE.
ing in San Francisco on the 25th of January, 1850, being three hundred and
twenty-two days making the voyage, two months of which was spent around
Cape Horn, in the dead of winter, in the months of August and September, with-
1 62 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
out making an inch of progress toward California. Of course you know all about
Edward's subsequently coming to California, and about the unfortunate loss of
the steamer Queen."
Edward B. Coe did not succeed very well with his little schooner. In the
latter part of the year 1850 he shipped on board a ship bound for China, and from
that time he was not heard of for the space of twelve years, when he returned
home to Skaneateles suddenly.
The following account of his adventures was published in a Rochester news-
paper many years ago :
"A Strange, Romantic, and Interesting Story. — A correspondent of the
Lockport Union narrates that Chauncey H. Coe, of Canandaigua, died in 1835,
leaving a widow, son, and daughter, with a competence. The widow devoted her-
self to her children. The daughter grew up and married. The son, upon at-
taining his majority, engaged in a manufacturing business, but in 1849 left his
business and went out to California. Soon after arriving, his factory was de-
stroyed by fire, and he found himself penniless in the streets of San Francisco.
He suddenly disappeared, and for twelve years his fate was unknown. Mean-
time, some few years after his disappearance, a childless uncle (Bela D. Coe, of
Buffalo) died, and by will left to him and his sister ample property for life, with
reversion to their children, but with a provision that, in case of their death with-
out issue, the reversion should go to two educational and charitable institutions.
Under the will the sister has enjoyed her share of the rents and profits. The
share of the lost one meantime was, under the direction of the court, deposited
in a savings-bank, until, after some seven years having elapsed, the two reversion-
ary institutions instituted proceedings to secure his share of the property. The
court, upon a full hearing, decided that after this lapse of time, without his being
discovered, he must be judicially dead, and that one of the claimants should enter
upon the enjoyment of its portion of the rents and profits. As to the other, its
charter not permitting it to take real estate, it was thrown out altogether, and
that share, not being legally conveyed by the will, reverted to the heirs at law un-
conditionally, who are these same children.
" During all this time the sister's husband, with a zeal and pertinacity worthy
of all commendation, has been unremitting in his endeavors to find the lost one.
He at first obtained from the Department of State at Washington the names and
location of all the United States consuls and commercial agents in all parts of
the world. A circular was printed in red and black letters offering a reward of
two hundred dollars for any information of Edward B. Coe, at the same time
giving a minute description of his person, particularly that he had his name,
E. B. Coe, tattooed on his left arm. These circulars were mailed to every United
States Consul in all parts of the world, and also to all American merchants
everywhere. The circular requested that it be posted in a conspicuous place.
A copy of this circular was advertised in the Whaleman's Journal, which was
circulated among all the whaleships in all parts of the world. After all else had
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 163
been compelled to believe him long dead, the husband has continued to spend
time and money in his discovery. He has received many communications from
sea captains and others professing to give information which has proved always
erroneous. He has insisted that the lost one was living, while all other persons
believed him dead, and by his insistence he has kept up the hope of both mother
and sister of eventually seeing the lost son and brother, until at last every en-
deavor proved futile, and even a mother's hope discouraged, whose locks have
become white in the long, sleepless agony of waiting for the return of an only and
beloved son. Within the last month (latter part of 1861), suddenly, and without
the least previous notice, the truant drives up to his mother's door. Alive and
well, with face burned and bronzed to parchment by exposure to sun and wind, he
has come back at last to that mother and that sister who have so long mourned
him as dead and lost to them forever. 'And there was joy in that house.'
" And where upon earth has the truant been hidden; that a mother's and a sis-
ter's love could not find him? Why, in about the only part of the globe which
has not been searched for him. In South Africa, far up from the Cape for many
years. In China at one time. He was employed in the Caffre war. He has
hunted elephants and zebras. He has dealt in and drove cattle, and traded with
the natives. He has met losses by wreck and fire. He has suffered fevers and
the accidents of a wandering life, until at last, in advancing years, the yearning
once more to see his native land and embrace his aged mother and his sister
became too strong to be resisted. He sailed for Liverpool, and thence to New
York, and on his arrival there he for the first time heard tidings of his mother
and sister. He was then forty years of age. He remained in Skaneateles about
twenty years, embarking in various lines of business, and, having been popular,
he was elected Supervisor of the town. In his business operations he became in-
volved in unsurmountable difficulties which caused him the loss of all his property.
Before this disaster he married Mrs. Emily R. Hazen, about 1862. The result
of that marriage was the birth of a daughter, July 8, 1863.
" As his old friend Captain Charles Goodall was largely interested in the con-
struction of an ocean steamship at Philadelphia which was destined for San
Francisco, he applied to Goodall for a position on board that steamship, which
he readily secured. He left Skaneateles for Philadelphia in 1882, at which time
the steamer Queeii of the Pacific was about to leave for San Francisco. He bid
adieu to his family, his mother and sister, and many friends. After a voyage
of about six weeks, he arrived at San Francisco. The Queen then commenced
her trips from San Francisco to and from Portland, Oregon, laden with freight
and with many passengers. He remained on board of the Queen of the Pacific
until his death, which occurred September 5, 1883. His death was of a melan-
choly nature. He had become low-spirited at the prospect of life before him, as
it were, commencing life again at the advanced age of sixty-one. With no
bright future before him, he secretly made preparations for death, and on Sep-
tember 5, 1883, plunged into the sea, at a time when the steamship had become
164
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
aground off the mouth of the Columbia River, and while the officers and crew
of the ship were engaged in throwing over the cargo into the ocean to lighten
the ship. Every effort was made to recover his body, which was. unsuccessful.
He had previously been ill on board the steamer, which depressed his spirits.
His wife, who had previously come to San Francisco, and was there at the time of
his death, died in New York, May 21, 1887. His only descendant is his daugh-
ter, now Mrs. Millie L. Nugent, and her family of four daughters."
EDWARD B. COE'S DAUGHTER AND HER CHILDREN.
We herewith present an engraved copy of a recent photograph of mother and
daughters.
Abner Lawtgn. — Abner Lawton came to Skaneateles, from the town of
Washington, Dutchess County, N. Y., with his wife and ten children, in the
year 1829, and settled on the west side of Skaneateles Lake. The journey from
Dutchess County was made by sloop on the Hudson River from Poughkeepsie to
Albany, whith was about eighty miles ; from Albany by canal to Jordan, and from
Jordan by teams to the farm, three miles from Skaneateles Village, which he
had purchased from the Barbers, who had previously owned the land. Three
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. i6
0
more children were born to him after he came here to reside. All of his family
were members of the Society of Friends.
His wife was Phoebe Brownell, who was an aunt of the Brownell who shot the
man who killed Colonel Ellsworth, at Alexandria, Va., during the Civil War in
1861. Brownell was presented with a gold watch for his bravery. Several
years ago there was a sketch of General George Washington in Harper's Maga-
zine, in which was related the fact of his dancing the minuet with the gay Polly
Lawton. Polly was an own cousin of Abner Lawton. Several years ago there
was a Miss Howlett, of Auburn, who had a picture of Miss Polly.
Edward Osborne Gould. — ^Edward Osborne Gould was the son of Phares
Gould, who was one of the earliest merchants of this place, and who about the year
1838-39 purchased, from Richard Tallcot the dwelling-house and lot now owned
and occupied by Charles H. Poor. Edward O. Gould was born in Skaneateles,
February 13, 1814. At the age of seventeen years he was a member of the party
of sixty ladies and gentlemen which made the first excursion, on board the first
steamboat, to the head of the lake, in the year 183 1. He was also one of the com-
mittee which organized the public celebration of the Fourth of July, 1835. In
after years he was engaged in partnership with his father, after the latter left
Skaneateles and went to Camillus, N. Y., in the milling business. That proving
to be of too limited a character, he with his father removed to Buffalo, where in
partnership with Dean Richmond this firm was largely engaged in the elevator
business. Edward O. Gould died there July 31, 1858, aged forty-four years,
while in the prime of life.
Edward O. Gould was in partnership with Colonel Warren Hecox under the
firm name of W. Hecox & Co., in the year 1833. He was also associated in
business with William Lawton under the firm name of Gould & Lawton, which
firm advertised for sale " Boots and shoes, leather, india-rubber paste, blacking,
and shoe-pegs." In his business and social relations he enjoyed the full confi-
dence of his fellow citizens, retained warm friendships, universal respect, and
high esteem, and' his life was in every phase exemplary.
Glimpse of Skaneateles and its Surroundings Ninety Years Ago. — The
following extract is taken from a book of "Travels in the United States of
America, in the years 1806 to 181 1," by John Melish, Philadelphia, 1812:
" Auburn, the seat of justice of Cayuga County, was laid out ten years ago,
containing about one hundred houses and six hundred inhabitants. The public
buildings are a court-house, jail, church, and academy. There are eight stores,
three taverns, and a weekly newspaper.
"November 9, 181 1. — The morning was cloudy and agreeable. I traveled
to Skaneateles, seven miles, to breakfast. The road very muddy, and black loam
and clay; face of the country uneven, but not hilly; the grounds pretty well
cleared of timber, except the roots, which stood up all along -the road, so many
witnesses that this is a new country. I.passed a number of wagons moving west-
ward and saw some travelers walking on foot eastward, one of whom told me
1 66 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
he was from Grand River, on Lake Erie, and was going to Connecticut, which
journey, six hundred miles, he expected to accomplish in twenty days.
" Skaneateles is a beautiful little place, situated at the outlet of the lake of the
same name. It was laid out fifteen years ago, contains about sixty houses and
three hundred and fifty inhabitants. The village lots are thirty by sixty feet, and
are worth about two hundred dollars, and the outlots sell for about five hundred
dollars an acre. There are four stores and two taverns ; a Congregational church
with a handsome spire, situated upon the top of the l)ill'; two schoolmasters, whq
teach at two dollars per quarter. The principal occupations are two carpenters,
two masons, two blacksmiths, one watchmaker, two cabinetmakers, one tailor,
one shoemaker, two coopers, one painter, one dyer, two doctors, four lawyers,
one clergyman.
" There are falls in the river which issue from the lake, and the water turns
two fulling-mills, a grist-mill, and a sawmill. A brick-yard and two distilleries
are in the neighborhood. A great quantity of woolen cloth is manufactured
here, and manufactories generally are interesting. The situation is healthy, and
the view along the lake is beautiful.
" After breakfast I passed the outlet by a wooden bridge, immediately below
which are the mills and the mill-dam. I observed a boy fishing, and saw several
pretty trout lying upon the bridge. I inquired how long he had been catching
them, and he said, ' About five minutes.' Just as he spoke, he pulled up a large
salmon trout, and I stopped about five minutes, during which he caught three or
four more. It was the finest fishing I ever saw, and the trout were beautiful."
Speaking of Utica he writes : " I proceed to enforce an opinion. The foreign
trade is gone never to be recalled to the former state. A new era has com-
menced in the United States. Britain is destined to be no longer the manufac-
turer for America. The seeds of manufacture are sown throughout the coun-
try, never to be rooted out. And so far from the interior being dependent upon
the cities as heretofore, the cities will, in all probability, be dependent upon it.
The cities have had their day, and now for the country."
Skaneateles Lake. — Skaneateles Lake is the principal lake in Onondaga
County, and is the highest in the county. It is eighty-eight feet above Otisco
Lake, eight hundred and sixty feet above tide, and seventy feet above Owasco
Lake. It is above the Limestone and among the Hamilton Shales, and is fed
largely by springs that are not impregnated with lime, hence the water is pure and
soft.
Skaneateles in 1830. — The following description is taken from " The
Journal of a Tour in the State of New York in the year 1830," by John Fowler
(London, 1831) : "After passing the village of Marcellus, six miles further
brought us to Skaneateles, a much larger and more interesting village, very pleas-
antly situated, just at the foot of the Skaneateles Lake, along which you have a
fine view for several miles. The lake is about fifteen miles in length and half to
one and a half miles wide. In its vicinity are several genteel residences, as well as
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. i6j
in the village. Also, a Friends' Boarding School. The population of the place is
estimated at three thousand."
Early Recollections of Thaddeus Edwards.— Thaddeus Edwards gives
the following summary of those in business here in 1810 :
Store-keepers: Winston Day, Norman Leonard, Jonathan Booth, and John
Meeker.
Hotels : The Sherwood Tavern, where now stands the Packwood House ; and
the Dascomb House, where now stands the Wheadon vegetable grocery.
Clergyman: Rev. Benjamin Rice.
Carpenters: Seth and David Hall.
Masons : Josiah Weston and Daniel McKay.
Blacksmiths : Sylvester Roberts and John Legg.
Watchmaker: William S. Wood.
Cabinet-makers: Spencer Parsons and Luther Clark.
Tailor: Thomas Greeves.
Hatter: Benj. Hutchinson.
Tanner: Colonel Warren Hecox.
Shoemaker: Ezra Stephens.
Dyer: Aaron Austin.
Doctors : Samuel Porter and Dr. Pierce.
Lawyers: Daniel Kellogg, A. L. Beebe, John S. Furman, and Alford
Northam.
Grist-Mill: Jessee Kellogg.
Distillers: Winston Day and Norman Leonard.
Coopers : Nathaniel Eells and his son, Sylvester.
Brickmaker: Benjamin Nye, whose yard was immediately opposite to where
the residence of his son, J. M. Nye, now stands.
The Packwood Carriage Manufactory. — John Packwood began this busi-
ness in 1855. The extensive brick building owned and occupied by him was
erected in 1865. He was extensively engaged in this business, manufacturing
fine wheeled vehicles of all kinds and sleighs, for many years, after which he
went to Auburn, where he died. This carriage manufactory was located on
the south side of Genesee Street, immediately opposite the Packwood House, on
the lake-shore. About some ten years ago the village authorities purchased this
property for a public park, with the intention of using this large brick building
as an engine-house for the fire department and for a large public hall, but this was
abandoned, the building was taken down, and the site cleared off for a park.
Shepard Settlement. — The part of the town called " Shepard Settlement "
derived its title from the name of a number of families who were first there.
John Shepard located there in 1796, and his brothers — Andrew, Joseph, and
Hull — came several years later. They were enterprising farmers. But one
family of the name of Shepard now remains in that neighborhood. This is
Edward Shepard, son of John Shepard.
i68 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
CHAPTER XII.
The First Industries in Town and Village, Commencing with the Village.
Judge Jedediah Sanger (who owned Military Lot No. 36, on which the village
is located) had erected a grist-mill and a sawmill in the year 1796-97. The
builder was Jessee Kellogg.
A tannery was established about the same time by yV^arren Hecox on the west
side of the outlet. He also had a boot and shoe shop, and employed in that busi-
ness about fifteen to twenty workmen.
Winston Day owned a distillery, which was located along the banks of the
outlet of the lake ; and he also had a potashery, which was on the west shore of
the lake, opposite the present residence of Edwin E. Hall and Mrs. Keeler.
Richard Tallcot had a potashery on the lake-shore.
The Skaneateles Manufacturing Company was composed of various local
business men, among whom were Deacon David Hall, Lewis & Cotton, William
Gibbs, Augustus Kellogg, and Dorastus Kellogg. This partnership did a large
business in the manufacture of woolen cloth, and for many years sold all its
product in and about this section of country.
Spencer Hannum came here from Williamstown, Mass. He was a practical
machinist. In 1830, he was doing business under the firm name of Gibbs & Han-
num (William Gibbs). After a few years Mr. Gibbs went out of the firm, and
it then became Hannum & Darby in the machine business, which continued a few
years. Several other partners were later associated with Hannum, and a copart-
nership was afterward formed with John M. Arnold, under the firm name of
Hannum & Arnold. The business was largely extended in the manufacture of
woolen mill machinery, which was supplied to all the mills about this section
of the State. He had continuously from twenty to thirty workmen employed in
the manufacture of such machinery. This firm continued many years, and was
very successful in their manufacture and sales, after which Arnold's health began
to fail, when he sold out to Hannum, and removed to Petersburg, Va. Hannum
continued the business for a few years until he removed to Auburn. This re-
moval was the end of the extensive machine business conducted here in the village.
Samuel M. Drake occupied the same building that Hannum vacated, but he
only conducted a foundry, which continued a few years, doing a very limited
business, when he sold out the foundry to Sherwood, which was the total decline
of the foundry work here in the village.
Samuel Francis did a large manufacturing business in making fur and wool
hats for men and boys. His factory was on the lake-shore, immediately in the rear
of his dwelling, next east of St. James' Church.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 169
George Gray was a manufacturer of thrashing-machines here from and about
1830 to 1845. His factory was located on the west side of Jordan Street.
Seth & James Hall went into business as a firm (S. & J. Hall), between 1815
and 1820, in the manufacture of carriages and sleighs. This business was prob-
ably first started by James Hall, on Onondaga Street. This section of the village
was where the earliest mechanical business of the village was located, and before
Daniel Kellogg built and located his law office there (1803). Ambrose Hecox
had his chair and furniture factory there. Sylvester Roberts had his first black-
smith-shop there. Samuel Francis had his hat-factory east of the present center
of the village.
After 1820, S. & J. Hall built the stone shops on Jordan Street for a carriage
manufactory, which are still standing, and occupied by T. Kelley as a blacksmith-
shop. Their business from that period increased largely. In 1832 Seth Hall
died, and the business was continued many years under the individual name of
James Hall, and later as the firm of Hall, Porter & Co. (J. Gurdon Porter and
David Hall 2d). This firm failed afterward and then the business was again car-
ried on by James Hall several years, when it was changed to Hall & Miller
(William Hall and Alexander Miller). About 1860-62 this firm failed, and the
business was closed up. The heaviest business and most successful period of car-
riage manufacturing of the firm of S. & J. Hall was between 1830 and 1840.
John Legg started a blacksmith and repair shop soon after he came here in
1797. His first shop was on the site of the Dr. Hopkins office, now the present
Dr. Bartlet place. As business generally increased in both town and village
his trade extended more largely than the general growth. After a few years he
located on the south side of the Seneca Turnpike Road, on the lake-shore, on the
site of the present Legg block, and continued his growing business for many
years.
About 1835 Joel Thayer came here, and acted as clerk and superintendent to
John Legg's carriage and wagon shop. This accession was a fortunate one for
John Legg. Owing to Joel Thayer's superior clerical and financial ability, the
success of John Legg was thereafter assured. The business was soon largely in-
creased through the business ability of Mr. Thayer, and immediately proved very
profitable. This continued for a long term of years, when John Legg sold out to
L. S. Worden & Co., in 1845. After that the carriage manufacture was con-
ducted by J. R. Gillman & Co., and afterward by Gillman & Stacey (William
Stacey). Stacey went out of the firm, and Gillman continued until he removed to
Syracuse.
There were other carriage manufacturers, more or less prominent, during this
period and later, among whom were the following : Vandyck & Davey, afterward
by George Vandyck alone ; Bavey & Baldwin ; Stacey & Packwood ; and, lastly,
John Packwood, who conducted the business a number of years, when he finally
removed to Auburn, where he died.
The carriage manufacturing business was at its highest pinnacle from 1830 to
I70 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
1850, when it gradually began to decline, and so continued until about 1865, when
all the previous manufacturers were out of business, except John Packwood,
who continued about twelve years longer. Of course, the business of the mer-
chants gradually declined proportionally. There was a more or less extensive
local business done by the various builders, blacksmiths, tailors, shoemakers, mil-
liners, printing-offices, and other industries.
B. & J. Petheram, cabinet-makers, had a furniture-store, at the place now
occupied by Feeley & Durkan, from 1836 to 1846. Benjamin Petheram came here
in 1832, and died December 9, 1894, aged seventy-eight.
Daniel Watson did a large boot and shoe business from 1820 to 1825. Alfred
Hitchcock came with Watson as clerk, and afterward went into partnership with
him, under the firm name of Watson & Hitchcock. Mr. Watson died a few years
later, and Hitchcock continued the business for nearly thirty-five years afterward.
Industries in the Town of Skaneateles Outside of the Village. —
Archibald Douglass was engaged in the manufacture of thrashing-machines and
fanning-mills at Cliffs Corners, and carried on a large business there for many
years, and until after 1850.
Dorastus Kellogg carried on an extensive woolen manufacturing business at
what was then called Kellogg's Factory, but now better known as Willow Glen.
He was the original manufacturer of double blanket shawls, and was largely en-
gaged for many years in the manufacture of woolen cloth and cassimeres. He
had in his employ from one hundred and fifty to two hundred employees, both men
and women. About 1861, or at the commencement of the Civil War, he failed.
This was a period of great business depression. He afterward resumed the same
line of business on a large scale, through the assistance of his New York Com-
mercial friends (supposed to be Messrs. Hoyt, Sprague & Co.), at Oswego Falls,
about one mile up the river from Fulton, N. Y., and continued the manufacture
there for several years on a large scale, but hard times came on thereafter, arising
probably from the panic of 1873. Hoyt, Sprague & Co. took possession of the
woolen mill and ran it on their own name. Kellogg did not again engage in wool
manufacturing. On the lot where he lived, on the west side of the river, oppo-
site Fulton, was what he supposed a valuable quarry of flagstones, which ex-
tended into the river. He commenced to work the quarry, but for some cause it
proved unsuccessful, and it was abandoned. That ended his business career.
He died February i, 1883, aged seventy-five years.
Mabbitt's Mills. — Below Kellogg's Factory a flouring-mill was conducted
by John H. Mabbitt, Arthur Mott, Earlls, Kellogg & Co., and afterward by other
persons. It was then changed to a distillery, which was run by various parties,
among whom were Wickes, Horton & Co. After several years it was changed to
a paper-mill, and conducted by various firms. It is now conducted by the Skan-
eateles Paper Company.
Another industry on the outlet was Earll's distillery and linseed-oil mill, which
were conducted by Daniel Earll and his successive partners, who were, including
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 171
his brothers, John H. Earll, Delos Earll, his son Leonard H. Earll, Augustus P.
Earll, his brother-in-law Charles Tallman of Syracuse, and John Kellogg. This
business was probably established about 1820-25, and was continued until about
1870, when it was changed to a paper-mill and passed into other hands.
Industries at Mottville. — There has been from time to time more or less
manufacturing at Mottville, among which was a woolen mill, originally conducted
by Arthur Mott (during his prosperous times) and Ansel Frost, and afterward by
C. Pendleton and- by Charles Pendleton & Sons. These parties managed it for
many years, when the building was converted into a flour-mill.
Another woolen mill was established in a frame building which was erected
here and the business conducted for many years by Thomas Morton and partners. ~
A. R. Reynolds conducted a fork and hoe factory in a stone building at this
place, and the business was continued profitably until the introduction of mowers
and reapers, when Mr. Reynolds became largely engaged in the manufacture of
knives for both mowers and reapers. His skill in tempering the knives secured
him a very extensive and profitable business, his largest .customer for the knives
being B. M. Osborne & Co., of Auburn, which led Reynolds to remove his busi-
ness to Auburn.
A brewery was also established here in a stone building, and was conducted
by Hunsicker Brothers, and afterward by Elias Hunsicker.
A wheel-head factory was conducted by A. Blodgett & Co. Other implements
of wood were also made here. It is supposed that Amos Miner had an interest in
this manufactory. At any rate, wheel-heads and other inventions under his pat-
ents were made there.
Howard Delano, for many years by himself and with various partners, con-
ducted a large foundry and machine-shop, manufacturing heavy mill machinery,
water-wheels, and similar work. It also turned out agricultural implements, such
as plows, drags, plow-points, etc.
Below Mottville — Long Bridge. — A flour-mill, originally known as the
Weed Mill, was conducted for many years by Lucian Beach.
There was a sawmill lower down the outlet.
A paper-mill was afterward built on the site of the sawmill, but it was de-
stroyed by fire some time after.
Immediately below the Weed Mill, on the banks of the outlet, was a tannery
in the early days of 1820-30. It is supposed to have been owned by Colonel
Hiram Earll.
Below the tannery, on the site of the present Sinclair's chair-factory, was a
woolen mill, owned by Lucius Mellen and Jeremiah Mellen (brothers), who
conducted it for many years.
Below on the outlet, Hiram Earll conducted a sawmill and a lime-kiln for
many years.
Down the outlet, and below Hiram Earll's sawmill, on what was known as the
Community Farm, the Community built a sawmill. This was conducted for a
172 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
number of years, after the Community dissolved, by Samuel Sellers, and then by
Hezekiah Earll when he had purchased the Community Farm. On the decease
of Hezekiah Earll he devised the Community Farm to his son George H. Earll,
who erected a distillery on the north side of the outlet. It cost about thirty or
forty thousand dollars and had all the modern improvements for distilling, but
was built too late to be profitable to run, and proved a disastrous investment to
him. It was then purchased by F. G. Weeks, and converted into a paper-mill in
1875-
South of this site was the oldest paper-mill in town, among the proprietors of
which were Reed & Case, Ray & Bannister, Bannister & Hubbard, and, in 1871,
F. G. Weeks. It was destroyed by fire, February 9, 1877, and rebuilt on a larger
scale by F. G. Weeks.
North of the Earll distillery was, and is, the Morton Woolen Mill. It was
erected by Thomas Morton and E. B. Hoyt in 1867. In 1875 Mr. Morton be-
came sole owner, and in 1879 the plant passed to his son Gavin.
The Skaneateles Lime Works was established in i860 by P. C. Carrigan, and
afterward conducted by George H. Earll, Eben Bean, and E. B. Coe. Subsequent
proprietors were E. B. Hoyt & Co. and P. C. Carrigan & Co. At one period it
was a very profitable business.
The Skaneateles Iron Works were in full blast here, a full description of which
is given in Chapter XVII.
On the outlet a distillery was established and conducted by the firm of Heze-
kiah Earll & Co. This was situated on the Hart lot.
When Hezekiah Earll came to this town with his father, General Robert
Earll, in 1796, the latter built the Red House. Hezekiah, when he was a young
man &f about thirty years of age and was first married, is supposed to have received
from his father the farm now owned by Emerson H. Adams. After living on
that farm a while, he removed to what is now known as the Hart lot, and became
largely engaged in distilling, milling, and farming. He also had a sa'wmill
there. It was probably not far from the year 1820 that he began business there.
The business was conducted for a great number of years under the firm name of
Hezekiah Earll & Co., and then under Earlls, Thayer & Co. These partners were
his son-in-law Holland W. Chadwick, John Legg, Joel Thayer, and Hezekiah's
son JuHus. Between 1835 and 1840 these parties discontinued the milling busi-
ness, and confined themselves strictly to distilling, farming, and fattening cattle
and hogs. About 1850 Hezekiah Earll purchased the Community Farm, con-
sisting of about three hundred acres, moved on it as a residence, and com-
menced farming on a large scale, raising large crops of tobacco, the cultivation
of which was very materially enhanced by the rich manure obtained from the dis-
tillery farm.
About 1860-61, or at the commencernent of the Civil War, Congress laid a
revenue tax of two dollars a gallon on all whisky manufactured after the first
day of July ensuing after the act became a law, in consequence of which every
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 173
distillery throughout the country, and particularly the Earll distillery, ran day and
night, without intermission, and with all the force obtainable, until the last hour
of June 30, thus accumulating a large stock of whisky, which, as if by magic,
immediately became worth two dollars a gallon more than it was previously sala-
ble for, thus netting the two brothers Julius and George H. Earll thousands and
thousands of dollars. Julius had the largest share of the profits. Shortly after
that operation the distillery was converted into the present Hart Lot Paper Mill.
George H. Earll invested his share of the profits in erecting the new distillery on
the north side of the outlet, next north of the Community sawmill. The invest-
ment, however, proved a failure.
The Rise and Fall of Mercantile and Industrial Prosperity in Both
Town and Village. — The high-water mark of mercantile prosperity culminated
about the year 1836, at which time all business throughout the whole country
was in a state of the greatest magnitude. The mercantile business here in this
village and town barely held its own for a few years after 1837, when it began
very gradually to decline, and has continued to decline every year since. The
business done here in this village and town in 1836 has never been equaled since,
and never will be. The industries within the village were at their greatest height
of prosperity between 1830 and 1850, after which date there has been a continual
and gradual decline. The industries below the village and on the outlet of the
lake have gradually declined since the business panic of 1837, but in not so great
a proportion as the village manufactures.
The Earliest Industry in this Town. — The earliest industry in Skaneateles
was really the traffic in wood-ashes, which was derived from the consumption of
firewood for household purposes. There were two classes of ashes, as appears
from the sales thereof in the old account-books, the high-priced being the house-
hold ashes, and the low-priced being ashes derived from burning tree-brush in
the forest. According to a ledger of 1805, the best ashes were purchased by the
merchants at sixpence per bushel in trade for household necessities. A few of
the early merchants owned potasheries on the lake-shore, and they were principally
the merchants who purchased the wood-ashes. Other merchants also bought
ashes and traded the same to the potasheries, receiving potash in payment.
This early product. Potash, was the principal commercial article that was sent
to Albany, which, being at the head of navigation on the Hudson River and in
direct communication with the city of New York, was the only market for this
output. Our merchants, in return from the saks of this potash, received
groceries, dry-goods, hardware, drugs, medicines, etc. It took a horse-team at
that period, 1805, fourteen days to make the journey to Albany and back, with a
load each way, and often much longer. Ox-teams were also used for not only
potash, but for produce, particularly to Utica.
The early settler immediately cleared off some of his lands and cultivated the
new grounds for the necessities of his household, and from year to year kept en-
larging the area of his cleared land and raising more crops until he created a sur-
174 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
plus. The produce for the markets, after the settlers had prospered and were
enabled to produce more than for the needs of their families, was shipped to
Albany, and traded off for such articles as were needed.
The early settlers, on their first arrival here in the forest, after a tedious jour-
ney from their old homes, experienced great difficulty in procuring the means of
support. The provisions which they had brought with them were not sufficient
for the support of their families until they could plant and raise corn and pump-
kins, consequently they had to obtain supplies from the towns of Aurelius and
Scipio, which had been settled earlier, and at that time were included in Onondaga
County.
The experience of Warren Hecox, one of our early settlers, is thus related:
" In 1795, he stated that there was an uncommon scarcity of grain, and that he
had to send to Scipio, twenty miles, and gave two dollars and fifty cents for one
bushel of wheat, and he could only raise money enough to purchase a single bushel
at a time. He hired a horse at fifty cents a day, and sent a boy eighteen miles to
Montville, in Sempronius, to get the bushel of wheat ground, which took two
days, because the mills had stopped running at Hardenburgh's Corners (now
Auburn) and at Camillus on account of the great drought of that season. This
was not a solitary instance, as his neighbors were in the same predicament, and
some even were worse off, for they could neither get money nor wheat."
Another early industry, after the pioneers had begun to prosper and to raise
a greater crop of wheat and corn, was the establishment of distilleries for the
manufacture of whisky. These industries were enabled to get the raw material,.
corn and wheat, at a mere nominal rate, consequently they could and did furnish
their product, whisky, at very reasonable prices. It was the fashion, in those early
times, for every family to have set out on some piece of furniture, a sideboard, for
instance, a decanter, pitcher of water, and tumblers, as a friendly greeting and
invitation for neighbors and other friends. The decanter, of course, was always
kept filled with native whisky.
The establishment of distilleries furnished a good market for cord-wood,
which, according to the old ledgers, was sold at seventy-five cents per cord. The
settlers, therefore, in clearing their land had a good market for all their fire-wood,
as the distilleries required large quantities of cord-wood, and as the country ad-
vanced in prosperity the distilleries increased in numbers, and finally, when the
railroads became established, cord-wood became in greater demand than ever, and
prices advanced accordingly.- The face of the country of the town of Skaneateles
shows that the original forests have entirely disappeared, owing to the early de-
mand, not only by the numerous distilleries, but also by the railroads.
The raising of cattle for sale was among the early industries here. In a ledger
of 1805, an entry was made as follows :
" Joseph Loss, for driving oxen to New Haven i. 10. o."
Whether these figures referred to pounds sterling or Spanish milled dollars and
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 175
their divisions is not known. Later information since this was written shows that
these figures refer to Spanish dollars. Another entry was :
" 2 oxen 16. 16. o."
And another :
" 2 oxen 21. 12. o."
Here is an entry for —
" 2 bbls. Potash, weighing 7 cwt., i qr., 18 lb., amounting to. . 17. 15. 8."
Here is another potash entry :
" I bbl. Potash, weighing 3 cwt., 2 qr., 18 lb., amounting to. . 8. 15. 8."
We also find the following entry :
" Paid Joseph Loss for driving oxen to New Haven, Conn., . . i. 12. o."
An Incident During the War of 1812. — In the year 1812, during the war
of that period, there was about half a mile north of the village of Marcellus a
central point where there was a grist-mill and whisky-still, which in those days
was of considerable importance in furnishing a market for surplus grain which
otherwise could not find sale nearer than Albany. There was also a wool-carding
and cloth-dressing machine, patronized by the farmers for the purpose of having
the product of their families' looms finished for domestic use. There was also a
store to supply whisky and other merchandise for the needy who had the where-
withal to buy or exchange. The store and still were owned by Joseph Piatt, and
the still was run by Alvin North. There were also a paper-mill, owned by John
Herring, and a powder-mill, owned by some one else. This collection of mills,
together with the store and the still, comprised an attractive business center, where
the inhabitants of the surrounding country met for business purposes and to dis-
cuss the news of the day. Politics at that time were uppermost in the public mind,
and the war. of opinions at times was very bitter by members of opposite parties,
which on sOme occasions led to literal knock-down arguments, at other times to
fun and frolic or to the ridiculous, especially when both parties were not under
the influence of whisky.
Community Place. — Community Place had its inception in a meeting held in
Congregational Hall, March 22, 1843, ^^^ continued in existence until about 1845.
About two miles north of the village of Skaneateles, on the line of the railroad,
is a locality known as the Long Bridge. Formerly a woolen mill was located
there, in which Millard Fillmore, who became President of the United States,
worked as a " bobbin boy." A little west of the bridge, somewhat back from the
road, stands a substantial stone farmhouse, which is surrounded with luxurious
growths, showing the productiveness of the soil. It is rather a romantic spot,
located at the foot of hills which are almost mountains.
This old house and its farm was chosen for a purpose by John A. Collins, a
Massachusetts man, who had been an orthodox clergyman, but had relapsed into
socialism and infidelity, and in consequence has a peculiar history. Making a visit
to the vicinity in 1843, ^"^ lecturing upon socialistic reform to grove meetings,
176 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
Collins picked out this house and farm for the site of a community of free-
thinkers, and purchased the property for fifteen thousand dollars. Collins in-
vited a large number of free-thinkers to join him in the community, and the mem-
bership soon numbered upwards of one hundred and fifty.
The foundation of this community movement was in the agitation of Fou-
fierism, which was advocated by many prominent men, including William Henry
Channing, George William Curtis, Horace Greeley, Charles A. Dana, and George
Ripley, but it did not adhere to the religious teachings of the great French social-
ists, Collins seeking to stamp the seal of infidelity upon the organization. This
was distasteful to many of the members, who, under the lead of Quincy A.
Johnson, a lawyer of Syracuse, gave form to the dissent and laid the basis for the
ultimate dismemberment of the community.
The tendency, also, under Collins' leadership was to free loveism, the attain-
ment of a community of property and love relations, through which plenty
and intelligence, happiness, and prosperity might be ultimately secured to all
the inhabitants of the globe, being the foundation principles. Disbelief in the
revelations of God to man, the assertion that all religions have their origin in
falsehood, and, while attributing admirable precepts to Jesus of Nazareth, disre-
garding them as binding, placing Sunday on a level with other days, and de-
nouncing the clergy as impostors, who are teaching doctrines which were relics
of heathenism, were avowed tenets. Organized government was regarded as
organized banditti, whose authority was not to be recognized, and in this view
the communists refused to do military duty, pay personal or property taxes,
sit upon juries, or appeal to the law for redress of grievances.
While marriage was regarded as a true relation, and licentiousness, adultery,
bigamy, and polygamy were repudiated, marriage ties were considered no longer
binding when they ceased to promote love and virtue, which was the signal for
separation. The doctrine and practise in the society, in large part, was free
love. A vegetable diet was adopted, the killing and eating of animals con-
demned, together with the use of all narcotics and stimulants. The members
of the community were all expected to labor, and each was to receive the benefit
of his or her work.
It was calculated that four hours of daily manual labor on the part of each
member would amply support the community. Mental culture, recreation, and
sleep occupied the other twenty hours. Music and dancing were held as being
essential to social welfare, and a large ball and lecture room was built. The
membership of the community was composed largely of lawyers, physicians, and
other professional men, and women of culture and refinement, and the frequent
literary exercises were of a high order. The industries pursued were, in manu-
factures, a sawmill, chair factory, and blacksmith shop, together with farming
and gardening.
Elements of disintegration soon began to permeate the community. Trouble
and faction disagreement prevailed within, and the public prejudice without was
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 177
very strong. The management sank deeper and deeper into debt. The members,
even those who had given all their property to the community, began to desert it.
The result was that a formal dissolution took place, and, three years after the
community was organized, its property was given over to private parties, who
assumed the debts.
, Collins, the originator, an able, executive man, a fine talker, and agreeable
person, quitted the scene reluctantly, and declared that in going from it he sur-
rendered hope, home, and friends. Ten years later he was in California gaining
a livelihood as an auctioneer. He declared that the community experiment was
in advance of the age, and that, when a generation came that could be educated
up to it, it would be a success.
It is to be said for the community that, despite all the ugly reports circu-
lated about it, the membership was of people of high moral tone, cultured and
refined persons, for the most part, who were sincere in their experiment. Doctors
of divinity, college professors, lawyers, and physicians adopted its theory readily,
and labored assiduously in field, garden, and shop for the success of the enterprise,
with the avowal that, in the adoption of its principles, a bright and better era
would dawn upon the world.
Like Brook Farm, the Oneida Community, and other socialistic experiments,
the Skaneateles community failed by reason of the falsity of the underlying
system.
While the Skaneateles community was in operation, a memorable discussion
took place between Horace Greeley in the New York Tribune and Henry J. Ray-
mond in the Courier and Enquirer upon Fourierism, Greeley upholding and Ray-
mond antagonizing it. A series of twelve articles by each of these able journal-
ists was published, and the discussion, which presented powerful arguments for
and against this socialistic doctrine, attracted the attention of the whole country.
Fourierism gradually died out in the United States, and Greeley never af-
terward publicly advocated it.
Early Prices. — The early settlers, whose only fuel was fire-wood, took good
care of the ashes on the hearth, as the potasheries paid eight cents per bushel,
in " store pay." Ashes from burning trees and brush in the woods only brought
six cents per bushel. Pumpkins were salable at the rate of fifty for six cents.
Butter sold for one shilling per pound. Hay sold at six dollars per ton.
Mutton sold at five cents per pound. Cord-wood sold at seventy-five cents per
cord. Winston Day purchased corn for his distillery at forty-eight cents a
bushel. Honey sold for ten cents per pound. All the prices above named were
the regular rates from 1802 to 1806.
The Sign of the Indian Queen T.^wern. — The sign of the Indian Queen
Tavern was painted by Perley Putnam Cleaveland, who was a carriage paintef
for Seth and James Hall, about the year 1835 or later. Isaac W. Perry had
it painted. He had changed the name of the tavern from " Skaneateles Hotel "
to the " Indian Queen."
178 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
CHAPTER XIII.
"Protest" Against "Protracted Meetings" and other Reminiscences.
The "Protest" given below was printed in an extra Columbian, of which
Milton A. Kinney was editor. He was requested to print it in his paper, but
finally agreed to publish the protest in an extra, and made a charge of twenty-
five or thirty dollars for printing and issuing it from the office. This publication
was of a religious character. Kinney himself was a strong Presbyterian, while
the parties who signed the protest were, on the contrary, rather liberal-minded
on religious subjects.
Edward Sandford, whose signature is the leading one, was a remarkably bright
lawyer, and was a brother of Lewis H. Sandford, the High Chancellor. It
was generally supposed that Edward Sandford was the author of the "Protest."
He was one of the unfortunate cabin passengers on the ocean steamer Arctic,
which was lost at sea by colliding with an iceberg. Just as the Arctic struck the
iceberg, Edward Sandford was sitting with some of his fellow passengers in the
cabin, and, when the tremendous shock came, he exclaimed, " Hit her again ! "
Within the next few minutes he was carried to the bottom of the ocean.
SKANEATELES COLUMBIAN— EXTRA.
To THE Public.
At a meeting of the inhabitants of the village of Skaneateles and its vicinity, friendly
to Peace and Good Order in Society, convened pursuant to notice to that effect, at the house
of Isaac W. Perry, in said village, on Wednesday, the isth day of February, 1832, General
Robert Earll was chose President, Colonel Warren Hecox Vice President, and George A.
Stansbury, Esq., Secretary. The object for which this meeting was called having been ex-
plained by Messrs. Hecox and E. Sandford, it was, on motion,
Resolved, That a committee of three, consisting of Messrs. Hecox, Sandford and Stans-
bury, be appointed to draft resolutions expressive of the views of this meeting upon the sub-
jects presented to their consideration.
The committee having retired for a short time, came in and reported the following
resolutions :
Resolved, That the proceedings of some religious denominations in this community re-
quire of the friends of Peace and Good Order in Society, an expression of their opinion upon
the propriety of holding what are called " protracted meetings," and upon the measures
adopted in conducting them.
Resolved, That the interests of true religion are not, in the opinion of this meeting, pro-
moted by strong appeals to the feelings when the body is in a state of weakness and exhaus-
tion produced by protracted confinement; and that, to produce this state of exhaustion, seems
to be one of the principal uses of such meetings.
Resolved, That religion as well as morality require of us to perform duties to our neigh-
bors as well as to our God, and that the devoting successive days and nights to his serv-
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 179
ice is nowhere required of us in the Gospel, but is in direct interference with the many other
duties which are there required of us.
Resolved, That while the great charter of our liberties continues to secure to us religious
freedom of opinion, we will act with the spirit of freemen, and disregard and contemn the
insidious epithet of Infidel, which is the ready scourge applied to all those who doubt or ques-
tion the divinity of these new-fangled measures.
Which resolutions were unanimously adopted.
Resolved, That John Legg, David Hall, and Warren Hecox, be a committee to provide
a place to which this meeting may adjourn, and that they give public notice of the place
they may procure: and that when this meeting adjourns, it will adjourn to Wednesday after-
noon next, at 4 P.M., at such place as the said committee shall give notice of.
Resolved, That Edward Sandford, George A. Stansbury, David Hall, Warren Hecox.
and Daniel Earll, be appointed a committee to draft an address in pursuance of the sen-
timents contained in the above resolutions, for publication; and that they report to the ad-
journed meeting.
The meeting thereupon adjourned.
At the adjourned meeting on Wednesday afternoon, at 4 o'clock, the committee appointed
to prepare an address not being ready to report, the committee appointed John Sandford,
Alfred Wilkinson, Samuel H. Greenman, and Ashley Clark, additional members of said com-
mittee, and gave them power to publish the address when prepared ; and after remarks by a
number of individuals present, upon the objects for which the meeting was called, adjourned
without day. Robert Earll, President.
Geo. a. Stansbury, Secretary.
Address.
Fellow Citizens :
Feeling it to be a privilege we all enjoy, openly to express our sentiments upon all mat-
ters of importance to us as a community, and willing to meet the just responsibility of such a
step, we beg leave to address you on a subject of no little interest; — upon the propriety of
holding what arc called protracted meetings, and upon the measures resorted to in conduct-
ing them.
We do not appear before you as the members of any particular denominations of Chris-
tians, advocating in this public and unusual manner the peculiar tenets of that denomina-
tion; nor do we appear before you as the enemies or revilers of religion. We are well aware,
for the history of similar meetings has taught us, that in the absence of argument and of
fact by which to place us in the wrong, the imputation of being infidels, enemies of religion,
is the ready answer to the opinions we shall advance.
The test applied to try the purity of our religious sentiments will be (for it uniformly
has been) our approval or disapproval of these protracted meetings, and other similar means
of creating religious excitement. To the application of such a test of our motives we wholly
object, and throw ourselves with confidence upon you as our judges in this matter.
You form a jury of the neighborhood, well acquainted wilh our lives and characters,
and will judge us with candor, even if you shall dissent from our opinions. In addressing
you on this subject, we are conscientious in the belief that we act as the friends of rational
and pure religion, the religion of the Bible ; that we oppose only errors and abuses which are
creeping in, merely because no "voice is raised against them, and which, by being confounded
with religion itself, are creating a strong and but too general prejudice against all religion.
We deem it our duty to stand forth manfully and check this abuse, if possible, instead
of looking with calmness or indifference on the insidious approaches of this foe in a friendly
garb. The course we adopt is admitted to be an unusual one; immemorial usage has con-
fined the public expression of views on subjects connected with . religious proceedings, to the
i8o HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
pulpit and to our religious instructors : but no usage can confer the exclusive right to this
privilege; it is guaranteed to each of us by our Constitution and our laws, and though min-
isters claim to be the ambassadors of the Most High, yet we insist that their only commis-
sion is the Bible, which is open for us all to read and judge of the powers it confers : and we
are individually responsible for our judgment, not to our ministers, nor to our neighbors,
but to God and our own consciences.
Having these opinions of our right to address you and to disapprove of any measures
adopted in conveying religious instructions, we hold it peculiarly necessary to do so in the
present instance, to combine public opinions against these evils, inasmuch as a weekly, nay,
in their protracted meetings a daily opportunity is offered and freely used, of giving to
these measures all the weight and support that line upon line and precept upon precept can
give them.
We would submit, then, to your candid consideration, the reasons we have for holding
these unprecedented measures to be unauthorized by Scripture or by reason, and highly detri-
mental, from the manner in which they are conducted, to the welfare of community, and of
individuals, and to the interest of our pure and holy religion.
Protracted meetings are, we all must admit, truly characterized as unprecedented. It is
within the recollection of the youngest of us, that they are but of two or three years' stand-
ing: our fathers did not worship thus, nor our fathers' fathers in the purest days of the
primitive church. It will be said that their novelty is no argument against their utility, for
that the same reasoning would check all improvement and undermine at once the splendid
schemes of extended usefulness which will stand so prominent in the history of the present
age. We hold it, however, to be no favorable view of these protracted meetings, to consider
them as introduced in connection with the revival system, with endeavors to prevent the trans-
portation of the mail upon the Sabbath, and with the design which we fear is more frequently
felt than expressed, of bringing millions of voters to the polls, who in addition to the
questions, " Is he honest? " " Is he capable? " will ask, " Is he a professor of religion? " But
whether these apprehensions be well founded or not, there are certainly new and peculiar prin-
ciples advanced in support of these measures, which require examination; and if they are
found unreasonable, unauthorized by Scripture, and detrimental to society and to religion,
they ought to be suppressed, as they can be by the force of public opinion.
In our remarks on this subject, we intend to make no particular reference to the pro-
tracted meeting lately held in this village. We would avoid everything which may appear
like personal allusions, and shall extend our remarks to the practise as it exists throughout
the State. We hear from all directions, of the appointment of ten, fifteen, and twenty days'
meetings, and all whom we address must know the way in which they are usually conducted.
Where in the Bible do we find a command to appropriate so large a portion of time to
public religious services? Nowhere: the command to labor six days in seven is as impera-
tive as that which requires us to rest upon the- seventh; and every page of the holy record
teems with instructions for the employment of the residue of our time: we are there com-
manded to be diligent in business, to labor each in his respective calling, that we may be-
come useful members of society; to apply ourselves to fulfil the duties which devolve upon
us from the various relations in which we stand, as husbands, fathers, friends, and mem-
bers of a vast family, every one of whom has a greater or less demand on our time and our
exertions.
These common every-day duties of life, we hold to be sacfed duties : there can be no true
religion without the regular and quiet performance of them ; they strengthen our best reso-
lutions by calling them into constant practise, and to check the visionary and inconsistent
views of religious duty, which we are too apt to adopt under the momentary impulse of ex-
cited feeling, by convincing us of the absurdity and impropriety of carrying those views into
our actions, and giving ourselves up to their guidance.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. i8i
We would not undervalue public worship; but we would not, on the other hand, attach
an undue importance to it ; we think that sufBcignt provision has been made for it in the Bible ;
and that the protracted meetings of the present day are not only unauthorized by Scripture
or by usage, but are grossly inconsistent with the requirements of that Gospel which we all
profess to reverence and obey.
But let us advert to the reasons assigned by the more liberal of the friends of this sys-
tem, in its defense. They admit that a proper observance of the Sabbath, and the habitual
use of the devotions of the closet, and of the family are sufficient, if properly improved ; but
they suggest the lamentable truth that they are not so improved, and do not have the de-
sired effect; men do and will neglect established forms and ordinary means, or in using them
are left unimpressed and unaffected; we must bring extraordinary influences to bear upon
them, or they will sleep in the midst of privileges : but if men fail to keep one da^ in seven
holy will they be disposed to keep successive days, nay, weeks? The answer is, Yes, they
will, they do ; yet the reasoning of the very friends of the system show us why such crowds as-
semble to witness the proceedings of these meetings : it is because they are new and uncommon,
and hold out a temptation and apology for idleness, absence from home, and a species of
dissipation. These means, we admit, are more likely for a time to make a lively impression
on the mind, but until you can revolutionize the whole nature of man, the effect produced
by them will cease with their use, or the means themselves, by 'being continued, will become
established, and ordinary ones, and as inefficient as those which they supplant.
The remedy for this evil must be a resort to more exciting influences (if possible),
till the established means and ordinances of the Gospel are looked upon as weak and inef-
fectual, and all is enthusiasm and passion.
But we are told to look at the result, and see how frequently the impression is made, the
change wrought, and the work done. We have charity to believe, and we freely admit, that
many are beneficially and savingly impressed at these meetings, and continue to give evi-
dence in their life and conversation, of a firm and consistent Christian character. But we do
not undervalue the importance of religion to the soul, when we express to you our candid
belief that there is a great, a dreadful balance of evil resulting from the use of these extraor-
dinary measures. We will not bring into the account time, money, labor — for these should
never be weighed against the solid infinite good obtained in the creation of one truly religious
character. But we would present to your view the moral injury which is inflicted on a
greater number than are really benefited.
How many of the apparently converted fall away, having been raised suddenly from
great coldness or despair to the giddy height of enthusiasm, deserted by their weak sup-
port, the vision gone, are as suddenly let down, and their last state made worse than the
first ! How many are held by self-conceit, shame, and dread of scorn, and how many are led
to rest in these measures, and think the more they abound the more religion there is, and the
better they are themselves! How many mistake their excited feelings for the substance of
religion, and are miserably, fatally deceived !
Retiring from the meetings and finding their ardor subsided in the absence of the causes
which produced it, they mistake the depression of exhausted nature for lukewarmness and
impiety, and sink by degrees into religious melancholy, insanity, and death.
A frightful extent of moral evil and desolation is exhibited in the numbers of those who
suffer under these effects of religious excitement ; and we put i1 to the conscience of every
candid inquirer after truth, who has lived in the neighborhood of a protracted meeting,
whether these evils do not far outweigh the benefits which the most indulgent charity can
attribute to them.
We would also present to your consideration, some of the abuses and extravagances which
though not perhaps a necessary result of the system, yet are found so generally prevalent
that they may be justly said to characterize the manner in which these meetings are con-
ducted.
1 82 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
The great, leading object of these meetings, as they are usually conducted, seems to be
that of making proselytes to the profession rather than the practise of religion.
When and where has one been called, to enforce upon professing Christians the duties
which their profession imposes upon them, of letting their light so shine before men that
others, seeing their good works, may glorify their Father who is in heaven ? Is not the lead-
ing, almost the only duty enjoined upon Christians, at such seasons, that of "coming up'
to the help of the Lord against the mighty," and of wrestling with God in prayer for the
souls of others? Do we hear it enjoined upon them to work out their own salvation with
fear and trembling? Do we hear the duty of cherishing charitable feelings for others en-
forced ? But is it not, on the contrary, declared to be a sacred duty to hate those who mani-
fest a hatred toward God, by neglecting or refusing to participate in these proceedings?
And what are the natural results of such doctrines? We see them but too plainly ex-
hibited in every place where these meetings have been held— destroying the usual intercourse
of neighbors and friends, and checking those little civilities and kindnesses which do so
much to sweeten and gladden life, beguiling it of its cares, and smoothing our rough passage
to the grave.
The evil does not stop here: it has grown into coldness and neglect, and has sown and
is sowing the seeds of enmity and aversion in families and in neighborhoods, and is under-
mining, with a ruthless hand, the peace and welfare of society.
In the manner of conducting these meetings, we find arts and stratagems and dramatic
representations made use of for the purpose of producing effect, which to us are truly shock-
ing.
While the audience were singing the Judgment Hymn, at one of these meetings, in a
state of great excitement, the effect was aided and rendered truly terrible, by a sudden blast
of a trumpet from a distant part of the house.
Our Saviour is represented as standing in a particular part of the church, and as pass-
ing from one pew to another, and subject to being touched and taken hold of. Individuals
are called on by name to come forward and take their seats upon the anxious benches.
We hear of appeals to every motive that ingenuity can suggest to induce persons to come out
— of appeals to our love and respect for relatives and friends ; we are called upon as fathers,
mothers, children, to come forward and join those to whom we stand in these relations;
by our respect for the ministers of our religion; for we have heard inducements like these
held out : — " Will none of my dear flock come forward ? What, not one ? " " See that dear
ambassador of God, how he sheds tears of anguish, to think that none of all this assembly
will come forward here and give up their rebellious opposition to God."
When tears and entreaties fail, our fears are awakened by representing what at other
times would be called the misfortunes of those who oppose these measures, to be direct
visitations of God upon their opposition to him — ^by stating that those who leave the house
without giving up their hearts to God and being converted, will have sinned away their day
of grace, and will never have another opportunity of repentance.
These and many other methods are resorted to, of a similar character, which we deem
unholy and profane — which would not be tolerated if they were introduced in the ordinary
service of the sanctuary upon the Sabbath, and which would shock the good sense and de-
votional feelings of this whole community, if they were not introduced at these meetings in
an artful and gradual manner.
We have thus given you, as briefly as we thought consistent with the subject, some of
our objections to these protracted meetings. We hope we have done so in a dispassionate
and candid manner. We have endeavored to point our observations rather against meas-
ures than men, or classes of men. We do not impute bad motives, but mistaken views; we
believe that for one who is reclaimed by those measures, many are disgusted and driveriaway
from all religion; that indifference is confirmed, scoffers of religion supplied with new food
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 183
for their remarks, that skepticism is emboldened, and infidelity shows a more open front;
and we believe that if public opinion upon this subject were embodied and made known, these
measures would be given up as unprofitable and injurious to society and to true religion.
E. SandkorDj
W. Hecox,
D. Earll,
G. A. Stansbury,
John Sandfoed,
A. Wilkinson,
S. H. Greenman,
Ashley Clark,
D. Hall,
Committee.
The full names of the above committee are as follows : Edward Sandford ;
Colonel Warren Hecox ; Colonel Daniel Earll ; George A. Stansbury ; John Sand-
ford, of Marcellus; Alfred Wilkinson; Samuel H. Greenman; Ashley Clark, of
Elbridge, and brother of Foster Clark ; and Deacon David Hall.
Daniel Webster's Visit to Skaneateles. — The Hon. Horatio Ballard is
writing up an "Early History of Cortland County," wherein he incidentally re-
lates the following reminiscence of olden days in Skaneateles, which we tran-
scribe from a copy of the Cortland Standard:
" It was at the close of this decade that Lafayette made his tour through the
States, and the time for the ceremony of laying the corner-stone of the monument
on Bunker Hill was approaching. Then rapid traveling from Boston to Lake
Erie was by stage.
" It was a splendid morning in the month of May, 1825, when the citizens of
the beautiful village of Skaneateles heard the 'echoing horn ' of the stage-driver
on the elevation just east of the central part of the village. It was not the stated
hour for the arrival of the regular line. Soon a coach and four drew up in front
of ' Dascomb's Hotel.' On the veranda stood some of the boarders of the inn :
Rev. Mr. Converse, the Episcopal clergyman ; Lewis H. Sandford, then a student
of law, afterward Vice-Chancellor ; Ansel Bascom, then a lawyer, afterward a
legislator; Joseph Dascom, Jasper H. Colvin, and the writer of this article,
then a student at law in the office of Judge Jewett. The occupants of the coach
were two ladies and one gentleman. The gentleman alighted, and, bowing
to the group before him, gave expression to his delight at the splendid panorama
of the lake, town, and adjacent landscape, as they burst upon the vision from the
eastern elevation. His face beamed with intelligence, and his demeanor was
graceful, familiar, and persuasive. He plied" us with questions relative to the
place, and especially about the venerable mansion and its beautiful grounds
that were passed as they entered the village. During the interview, we discov-
ered the noble form of Daniel Kellogg in the distance, walking along the pave-
ment, with hat in hand and his silvery hairs exposed to the morning sun, and by
his side a stalwart figure, and both moving with a stately, leisurely tread; and,
1 84 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
as they approached, our entertainer says to us, ' Now, young men, I will soon in-
troduce you to my fellow traveler, who, I believe, will become one of the greatest
men this country ever produced.' The man to whom we were thus introduced
was Daniel Webster, and he, in turn, introduced us to his fellow traveler-
Joseph Story, one of the Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States.
Then followed introductions to Mrs. Webster and Mrs. Story while seated in
the coach. Mr. Webstgr alighted from the coach opposite the residence of Mr.
Kellogg (the old Vredenburg mansion), and introduced himself to Mr. Kel-
logg, and asked permission to look through his elegant grounds.
" Mr. Webster and Judge Story, with their wives, were traveling, in relays
of extra coaches, on a tour to Niagara. Webbing was interlaced beneath the ceil-
ing of the coach, upon which were placed books, pamphlets, and newspapers for
reading on the journey. In less than a month afterwards Webster delivered
his immortal oration at the laying of the corner-stone of Bunker Hill Monument."
General Lafayette's Visit to Skaneateles. — William E. Thome, who is
the son of Nicholas Thorne, deceased, who owned the James A. Root place, and
who erected the dwelling-house thereon, in a recent letter to a friend here (the
author) thus relates a little early history :
"As we grow older how much interest we feel toward those we mingled
with in childhood and youth, and the value we place upon relics of the past!
Lately the upper part of one of mother's china candlesticks was chipped off,
causing me to say painfully, ' Gracious ! ' That pair of candlesticks was used, and
quantities of tallow candles, to illuminate our home in Skaneateles in 1824 in
honor of General Lafayette, on the occasion of his return to New York City
from a visit through the West. The West in those days was very limited in ex-
tent. Coming from Auburn, and seeing from the brow of the hill our house
illuminated with tallow candles in every window, the stage-coach was driven up
to our gate. The General opened the coach-door and saluted us, waving his
handkerchief as the coach drove to the village, which was wholly illuminated
with glittering tallow candles. That was a grand occasion, and it made a last-
ing impression upon my childhood days. I was then about seven years old,
and it is very clear in my memory now."
William E. Thorne died a few years ago in one of the Western States.
The Great Fire which Occurred in this Village in 1835. — We copy
from an old Columbian the following particulars of this memorable fire:
"As many erroneous statements have been published relative to the late
destructive fire, we deem it proper to give a brief account of it, particularly
in reference to the amount of property destroyed and individual losses sustained.
We have therefore called upon each of the sufferers, and obtained their own
statements and estimates, which are given below.
" The fire occurred on the morning of the 28th of September, commencing
in the large cabinet-shop of S. Parsons and extending rapidly in either direction
east and west, until no less than thirteen buildings, all occupied as stores, ma-
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 185
chine shops, etc., and reaching from the brick store of R. Talcott & Co. to the
eastern extremity of the block, were in flames, and soon, with more or less of
their contents, were a mass of ruins. With great difficulty and untiring exertion
the further progress of the fire was stayed, and five buildings of the entire block
preserved. Providentially there was only a light westerly breeze during the time.
Had the wind blown from the south, as it is very common in this place, the greater
part of the village must inevitably have been destroyed. As it was, the buildings
on the opposite side of the street were blackened with the heat, and some of them
several times took fire.
" The total loss of property falls but little short of fifty thousand dollars. This
for the size of the place is a heavy sum, although happily no inconsiderable por-
tion of it was covered by insurance.
"List of Suiferers, Losses, etc. — Building owned and occupied by Spencer
Parsons as a cabinet-shop, loss on building, furniture, stock, tools, etc., $4,000.
No insurance. This building was on the site of the present Field Block. Work-
men employed by Spencer Parsons, loss in books, tools, etc., $250.
" The town records, which were in S. Parsons' office, were entirely destroyed.
"Buildings Destroyed East of Parsons' Shop. — Building occupied by Nathan-
iel Miller as a saddler-shop, loss on stock, tools, etc., $900. No insurance.
" Building occupied by W. M. Beauchamp as a book-store and bindery, loss in
books, paper, tools, etc., $1,100. Besides property destroyed in his store belonging
to other individuals to the amount of $400. No insurance. [Site of the present
post-office.]
" Building occupied by Beauchamp & Miller, owned by Philo Dibble, loss
$1,200. No insurance.
" Three large buildings owned and occupied by John Legg as a carriage and
sleigh factory, loss on buildings, carriages, stock, tools, etc., $10,000. Insurance,
$1,000. Among the property destroyed belonging to Mr. Legg were several ele-
gant carriages, finished, seventy-two carriage bodies, fifteen cutters, etc. [These
buildings were on the site of Legg Hall.]
" Building owned by Mrs. Minerva P. Greves, loss $200. Occupied by
M. A. Kinney as the Columbian printing-office, and Robert I Baker as a tailor-
shop.
" M. A. Kinney's loss in press, furniture, damage of type, paper, etc., $425.
No insurance.
"Robert I. Baker's loss, $50. [Site of the place east of Hollon's.]
" West from Parsons' Cabinet-shop. — Store occupied by Charles Pardee as
drygoods store, loss $12,500. Insured $7,000.
" Building occupied by Charles Pardee, owned by Porter & Pardee, loss $1,200.
Insurance, $500. [Site of Hall & Shepard's.j
" Buildings owned by Dr. Samuel Porter, occupied on the ground floor by
James G. Porter as a dry-goods store, and by Noadiah Kellogg as a saddler-shop,
on the second floor by Dr. Evelyn Porter as an office, Miss Delano as a milliner-
i86 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
shop, and James M. Allen as an office, and on the third floor by William H.
Greene as a schoolroom. Loss, $3,000. Insurance, $2,000.
" James G. Porter, dry-goods store, loss $1,700. Insurance, $1,500.
" Noadiah Kellogg, saddler, loss $200. No insurance. Workmen employed
by N. Kellogg, loss in wearing apparel, etc., $50. Miss Delano, milliner, loss $40.
Wm. H. Greene and scholars, loss in books, etc., $250. [Site of the present Wil-
son & Lawrence store.]
" Building owned and occupied by Phares Gould as a dry-goods store. Loss
on goods and building, $2,000. Insurance, $1,350. [Site of AUis & Wicks'
store.]
" Building owned by William Dascomb, occupied by Gibbs & Burnett as a dry-
goods store, by C. J. Burnett as post-office, and in the basement story by Dascomb
& Dennison as a meat-shop, loss $2,000. Insurance, $1,000. Gibbs & Burnett's
loss, $1,600. Dascomb & Dennison, meat-shop, loss $30.
" We are happy to state that the whole of the letters, papers, etc., belonging to
the post-office were saved. [Site of Hollon's drug store.]
" The building owned by Daniel Watson, occupied by Alfred Hitchcock as a
shoe-shop, by Charles L. Elliot as a paint-shop, and in the basement by G. Bayne
as a private dwelling, loss $1,400. Insurance, $1,000. Alfred Hitchcock, shoe-
shop, loss $200. No insurance. Charles L. Elliot, portrait painter, loss $240. G.
Bayne, personal property, loss $25. [Site of N. Turner's store.]
" R. Talcott & Co., dry-goods store, damage and loss on goods $800. Insur-
ance, $450. [The present Foote & Van Orden store.]
" N. Hawley & Co., dry-goods store, damage and loss of goods $250. Insur-
ance, $95. [The present barber-shop and cigar-store.]
" B. S. Wolcott, dry-goods store, damage and loss of goods $100. No insur-
ance. [Site of J. Duckett's.]"
The stores destroyed were all frame three-story buildings.
We find in the same paper the following advertisement:
" Notice. — Notice is hereby given that the Trustees of the village of Skan-
eateles intend to apply to the Legislature at its next session, for the passage of
an act, amending the act incorporating said village, to vest the Trustees with
power to prevent the erection of wooden buildings in such parts of said village as
they from time to time deem proper, and for other purposes. Dated November 9,
1835. J. M. Allen, Clerk."
It would seem that this act was not applied for, as there has been no amend-
ment to the village charter to that effect. It would have been wise to have such
a power in the village authorities, as then those frame buildings on the old Lake
House lot would not have been erected. Frame buildings are dangerous in the
business part of the village.
We have copied this extended account of the fire of 1835, as there is at present
no detailed statement in existence, except the old single copy of the Columbian,
now in our possession. — Skaneateles Democrat.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 187
Sir James Nurse Burdette, A Remarkable Skaneateles Character. —
During the month of October, 1861, two well-dressed young men appeared as
guests at the Lake House, then kept by D. C. Hadcock, on a Saturday. They
immediately made diligent inquiry for a young man, a laborer, by the name of
James Nurse, who they stated had inherited a baronetcy in England. The two
young Englishmen who were in search of Nurse had the reputation, or had the
name, of belonging to the nobility. They brought with them a certain legaLdocu-
ment, on parchment, which authorized James Nurse to draw drafts on certain
named parties in England for three thousand pounds sterling.
Charles Pardee immediately took James Nurse under his special charge, ad-
vanced Nurse money on his sterling drafts, and stated publicly that, in his opin-
ion, there was not the least doubt that Nurse was a veritable baronet. The Cayu-
ga County Bank, in Auburn, also cashed Nurse's drafts. James Nurse had an un-
limited credit with all the Skaneateles merchants. The following is a copy of a
check drawn on the Cayuga County Bank in favor of Messrs. Morgan & Daniels
of this village :
Auburn, N. Y., Dec. 4th, 1861.
Cayuga County Bank.
Pay to Messrs. Morgan & Daniels or Bearer, Seventy One 29-100 Dollars.
$71.29.
James Nurse Burdette.
It was very natural, as the old saying is, " Where the carrion is, the vultures
will come," consequently all the money- jobbers became very attentive and polite,
and even loving, to the newly fledged baronet, and they immediately sought his
acquaintance and " drafts." They made just as liberal offers to cash his drafts,
and advance him all the funds he wanted, even without his signature. His
kindly nature induced him to accept all their offers, and at once he began to ex-
pend the proffered money in extravagant purchases. He sent one of his friends,
of whom he had many, to New York with carte blanche, or, in other words, un-
limited authority, to purchase an elegant carriage of the most fashionable style.
which was accomplished satisfactorily to Sir James Nurse, and he immediately
purchased the finest span of carriage-horses that was to be found in this section
of the State. Sir James Nurse soon became the most prominent figure in Skan-
eateles and surrounding country, riding in his superb equipage.
James Nurse was first noticed in the Democrat, June 10, 1861, although he
had lived hereabout for a number of years, earning a precarious livelihood by
brewing domestic beer, in a hogshead kept for that purpose. September 2, 1861,
before he had become a baronet, he was married, by Rev. Mr. Searles, at the
residence of the bride's father, Thomas Corley, to Miss Mary Ann Corley, all of
Skaneateles.
It was not very many weeks before Mr. Pardee began to suspect that there
was something suspicious about the story of this young sprig of nobility, and he
1 88 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
suggested to Sir James the idea of an introduction to his banker in New York, to
which Sir James assented, and without further ceremony they both proceeded to
New York. It so happened, luckily for Sir James, that the day after their arri-
val a severe northeast rain-storm was prevailing at the time, and the tempera-
ture very cold. Sir James trotted Pardee all over the city, and at every place they
called Nurse's friends happened to be absent. Nurse kept his bosom friend on the
'move until he tired him completely out, when, having been tinsuccessful in
finding the coveted banker, they returned to Skaneateles. C. Pardee then began
to consider the propriety of protecting himself against ultimate loss. He did not
impart his suspicions to others. On the contrary, he led others to believe that his
visit to New York to be introduced to Nurse's banker was a very satisfactory one.
He must secure himself, no matter if others who had similar claims were likely
to lose. One of the latter class was George Francis, who held a promissory note
which Sir James had given to him, in payment for the settlement of a long-stand-
ing account due Francis.
George Francis boarded at the Lake House at that time, and he had constantly
urged Nurse to settle his account, and finally Nurse gave him a note, drawn by
Matt Clapp, in liquidation of Nurse's indebtedness. It happened that George
Francis was not entirely satisfied with this note, being suspicious of its genuine-
ness, so he called to see Nurse at his room, for he also boarded at the Lake
House. Nurse happened to be absent, but the door of his room was open. Fran-
cis entered, and, noticing some writing materials on the desk, and evidently some
of the same kind of paper that Matt Clapp's note had been written on, this rather
confirmed his first suspicions that the note was a forgery. He then took the
note and compared the edge of it with the edge of the paper on the desk, and
found it fitted exactly where it had been evidently torn off. Francis thereupon
called upon Sir James' friend, Charles Pardee, and imparted his suspicions as to
its being a forgery. Without the least hesitation. Nurse's friend took the note,
placed it in the drawer of his desk, took out the amount of the note in money, and
paid it to George Francis, to his astonishment. This note to Charles Pardee
(although about twenty-eight dollars in amount) was worth hundreds of dollars
to him. He, of course, made no explanation to Francis. He had the implement,
then, to secure himself against all possible loss. It would not do to let this trans-
action become public until he had fully secured himself in all particulars. Charles
Pardee was well acquainted with Matt Clapp's signature, and knew what he was
about when he got possession of the note.
George Francis thought that Pardee ought to have had Sir James arrested,
but Charles knew better than that, and the payment by him of the note led Fran-
cis to think that the signature of Matt Clapp was all right. That is what Pardee
also thought. Pardee immediately confronted Sir James, and, exhibiting the
note pretended to be executed by Clapp, declared to Nurse that it was a forgery
and a State Prison offense, and, further, that, if he did not want it made public,
and would at once deliver over his carriage and horses, and, in fact, all his mov-
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 189
able property, he (Pardee) would not prosecute him or make any complaint. Sir
Nurse, of course, was astonished and completely broken up; and he at once con-
sented to Pardee's demand, and as a matter of course Charles Pardee became the
owner of all Nurse's property. The elegant carriage, then stored in John Pack-
wood's shop, was at once secretly shipped to New York, to the party from
whom it was purchased, and was sold at a large discount to the original owner.
The horses were secretly placed in the hands of one of Pardee's reliable friends,
who could be depended upon to dispose of them in Syracuse, where the transac-
tion would not be known. The other victims of Sir James' duplicity hereabout,
who had claims against him, were kept in igorance of this transaction until the
property, especially the span of carriage-horses, had been sold, without being
made public here, by Pardee's trusty agent.
Sir James Nurse Burdette very soon left town, disappeared, and has never been
seen or heard of since. Nurse's brother, William Nurse, whose occupation was a
house painter, lived here before and during his brother's career, yet received ho aid
from him, has always been in needy circumstances, and was an inmate of the
County Poor House.
James Nurse, as before stated, was engaged here in making home-brewed ale
before his remarkable career. He used only malt and hops, and without aloes or
other drugs, and his production was in great demand by lovers of the pure arti-
cle of real English ale.
It was uillike that made by the large breweries throughout the United
States, which use not only aloes, but cocculus indicus, and each has a peculiar
character. Gum aloes is used in place of hops, is peculiarly bitter, much more
so than hops, and its bitterness is very lasting on the tongue and in the mouth of
the usual beer-drinker. Cocculus indicus is a poisonous drug, is imported from
the East Indies, and is probably used especially for the adulteration of beer and
ale, as it is seldom, if ever, required for medicinal purposes. Being poisonous,
it is used very sparingly by the brewers in the adulteration of beer and ale. Its
peculiar character is to cause a " swimmy " feeling over the brain in the top of the
head, producing a very pleasurable sensation and also a drowsy feeling to persons
who drink ale and beer adulterated with this drug. The modern science in
the manufacture of lager-beer and other Ijeers and ale is at present at its full
height.
It may be well to mention that there is no doubt that Sir James Nurse Burdette
had plenty of money. This was indisputable, and, further, the source whence he
obtained it. His mother died while he was an infant. She had property, and
she made a will bequeathing her savings to this boy when he had attained a
certain age, which occurred at the time he was notified by the two young men who
came here in the year 1861. The original bequest was not as large as the amount
stated he was authorized to draw against, but, the original sum having in the
mean time been invested on interest, it had assumed the proportions of three thou-
sand pounds sterling.
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HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
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HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 191
The Engraving of Skaneateles.
(See page igo and the foldiug illustration between pages 192 and 193.)
This copperplate engraving was originally published in the Ariel, a magazine
published in Philadelphia, in the year 1830. The following description of the
village and of the manufactories on the outlet of Lake Skaneateles was written
for publication in the Ariel by the late John J. Thomas, of Union Springs, Cayuga
County, N. Y., who also made the original sketch of the village, which was after-
ward engraved :
"The view herewith presented represents the upper part of the village of
Skaneateles, when seen from the main road passing round the west side of the
lake. The most prominent building in view is the old Presbyterian church,
built when the country was new, but unoccupied at present by reason of its dis-
tance from the center of the village. The next that attracts the eye is the Epis-
copal church, recently built and furnished with an organ, bell, and clock, standing
on the water's edge, on the Main Street, and presenting an imposing appearance
when seen from the south or west. The buildings immediately surrounding the
church are a few neat private dwellings. Those two more conspicuous on the
rising ground are the beautiful mansions of Dr. Samuel Porter and Daniel Kel-
logg, Esq. The public buildings not seen on the engraving are a new Presby-
terian church, built of brick, and standing nearly opposite the Episcopal church,
and an Incorporated Academy, situated a short distance in the rear of the village,
presenting a beautiful prospect of the lake and surrounding country.
" The village itself stands on the northern extremity of the lake, partly on
ground rising in the form of an amphitheater on the east and north, unsurpassed
for beauty of scenery.
" The lake is about sixteen miles in length, and from one to two in breadth,
for the most part very deep, in some places from three to four hundred feet. It
is fed by springs from the bottom, which renders the water cold and pure, and
well furnished with trout, perch, etc. It is navigated by two large boats, which
supply the village with lumber and wood.
'"For a considerable distance to the south of the village the lands on either
side slope with a beautiful declivity to the water's edge, and present the view of
well-cultivated farms and a number of elegant and delightfully situated mansions.
" There are in the village, besides the Academy (which consists of a male and
a female department), one select grammar school, two select schools for young
girls, and two large district schools.
" There are three hotels, a Masonic hall, and a printing establishment. There
are also seven stores, doing a fair and profitable business, and two extensive sleigh
and carriage factories, that make about six hundred sleighs and carriages in the
course of the season.
" On the Skaneateles Outlet, in and near the village, are five flouring-mills,
which on an average will flour and pack seventy barrels per day. There are six
sawmills, three linseed-oil mills, two iron foundries, one brass foundry, one ex-
192 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
tensive woolen factory (not completed), three clothiers' works, one cotton and
woolen machinery factory, besides smaller establishments in every branch of
mechanical operation usually found in the country.
" The number of inhabitants in the village is upward of a thousand.
" Skaneateles is sixty-six miles west of Utica, seven east of the flourishing vil-
lage of Auburn, and eight miles distant from the Erie Canal, above which it is
elevated about five hundred feet.
" The Seneca Turnpike passes through it, and many lines of public stages in
different directions. Travelers, especially foreigners, are usually charmed with
this delightful spot, and speak in raptures of its interesting scenery. None who
have a relish for the pleasant scenes of nature can approach it without admiration,
or leave it without regret." — (Copied from the Ariel, July 24, 1830, vol. iv.. No. 7,
page SS-)
Note. — The original copperplate engraving, published in the Ariel, was
seven inches long and four and a half inches wide. It is here enlarged to nine by
thirteen inches, which will account for its coarseness.
Discovery of the Plate and Description. — The history of the diificulties of
obtaining the above plate and description is worthy of recital here (in the first per-
son) :
" In the endeavor to ascertain if there was in existence a sketch of the old
Vredenburg dwelling-house, built in 1804-6, I was informed that Mrs. D. K.
Leitch had one. I called on her, and found that she had the engraving herein-
before described, which had been carefully framed for preservation by the late D.
Kellogg Leitch. The engraving at once seemed to be a very valuable addition to
my History, and Mrs. Leitch immediately gave me the use of it.
" Thus far there was no letter-press description of the engraving. Therefore
I determined to ascertain, if possible, whether any public library in Philadelphia
had a copy of the Ariel in its possession. Having no correspondent in that
city, I addressed a letter to the Ledger (newspaper). After describing my ob-
ject in writing to that paper, asking for the name of some public institution that
might possibly have a bound copy of the Ariel on its shelves, the Ledger gave
the name of the Pennsylvania Historical Society. The result was that it had four
volumes, but in no one of them was an engraving or description of Skaneateles.
I then addressed a letter to the Librarian of the Girard College. The reply was
that it had no Ariels. I then wrote to the Drexel Institute, with no better result.
I then wrote to the Franklin Library, with no better result, and lastly wrote to
the Library Company of Philadelphia, which was founded 1721. Fortunately
this library had the coveted files of the Ariel, and the Treasurer, George Maurice
Abbot, obligingly favored me with a manuscript copy of the description of the vil-
lage and manufacturing interests on the outlet of the lake, which it would have
been impossible to obtain had it not been for the treasurer of this last library, to
whom I found it very difficult to express my full obligations for the great favor
he had conferred upon me."
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 193
On page 190 is an exact copy of the original copperplate which was pub-
lished in the Ariel Magazine, in Philadelphia, in the year 1830. This engraving
has been made for the purpose of preserving it as it was originally. The enlarged
copy, inserted herewith as a folded illustration, may get destroyed by frequent
use. It is impossible to obtain another original.
Interesting Items. — Alanson Edwards kept tavern here in 1822. He was
the father of the late Thaddeus Edwards, and the son Thaddeus kept the bar.
This tavern was located on the southwest corner of East Genesee Street and
the East Lake Road.
Jessee Kellogg, father of Dorastus, was born in Hartford, Conn., in 1758.
In the year 1800 he came here to this village, and purchased the grist and saw
mills. In 1807 he removed to the Obadiah Thorne farm. He afterward pur-
chased the Loomis farm on East Hill, near Marcellus, where he resided until
his death, in 181 1.
George A. Stansbury was a Judge of Onondaga County in 1847.
Freeborn G. Jewett was Surrogate of Onondaga County in 1824; a Member
of Assembly in 1826; and a Member of the Twenty-third, the Twenty-fourth,
and the Twenty-fifth Congress.
A man by the name of Camp kept tavern here in 1816.
The original William J. Vredenburg mansion, latterly the Daniel Kellogg
house, was destroyed by fire, August 24, 1872.
The Lake House was destroyed by fire, July 19, 1870.
The Cardiff giant was first discovered, and published in the Skaneateles
Democrat, October 21, 1869.
Nehemiah H. Earll was first Judge of Onondaga County in 1823 and 1828.
Elisha Johnson was a surveyor in this town in 1806. He made a map of
Military Lot No. 20 for Samuel Rhoades, and laid out on it the farms of the
several early settlers.
Columbus Weston, formerly sexton of the old burial-ground, died April 17,
1867, aged sixty-seven years.
Samuel Briggs, who was one of the earliest settlers in this town, died April
19, 1867.
Hall & Pynchon (David Hall) were merchants in the village in 1820 to 1825.
Briggs & Hall were merchants here in 181 7.
Benjamin Gumaer first settled on the Obadiah Thorne farm. He was the
father of Harvey Gumaer, formerly of this vicinity. This name has usually
been pronounced " Gummore."
Peter E. Gumaer came to this town in 1800.
The region of Thorn Hill was first settled in 1799. David Earll, Eleazer
Burns, Nathan Turner, and John Willets, came in sleighs from Washington
County, N. Y.
Elijah Parsons, father of Moses and John Parsons, came into this town, from
Northampton, Mass., in 1805. He died October 26, 1862, aged eighty-three years.
194
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
CHAPTER XIV.
Early Merchants.
Briggs & Hall. — In the year 1815, Isaac Briggs and Deacon David Hall
formed a copartnership to get into the mercantile business. Isaac Briggs was
the eldest son of John Briggs, who was one of the first settlers here, and he was
DAVID hall.
More familiarly known as Deacon David Hall.
an older brother of the late Noah Briggs, of Skaneateles. After the partnership
of Briggs & Hall was formed, they began business at Ithaca, N. Y., remaining
there two years, when they removed their stock to Skaneateles. In 1818, David
Hall bought out Briggs, and pursued the same lines alone until about 1825, when
he took in his clerk, George A. Pynchon, as a partner, who was originally from
Great Barrington, Mass. The firm then was Hall & Pynchon. A few years
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 195
later, 1828, Pynchon's health failed him, and he sold back his interest to David
Hall, went to Florence, Ala., and later to Mobile, where he became a cotton
factor. In 1840, he went to New Orleans, engaged extensively in business there
as a cotton factor and importer of foreign salt, became very wealthy, and sub-
sequently identified himself with the Confederate cause, investing his wealth
in its bonds, which proved disastrous. He afterward died in comparative poverty
at Paris, France.
In 1828, Deacon David Hall sold out his store and business to Richard
Tallcot. This is the first time that Mr. Tallcot was known to have entered into
the mercantile business in Skaneateles. He continued in his own name in the
same pursuit until about 1830-31, when he took in as partner H. W. Allen, the
father of Mrs. T. Y. Avery, and the firm name became R. Tallcot & Co.
C. W. Allis was a clerk for Mr. Tallcot as early as 183 1 or 1832. H. W.
Allen remained with Mr. Tallcot but a year or two, and after that C. W. Allis
was taken in as partner, the name of the firm still being R. Tallcot & Co., and
about 1840 or 1842 the firm name was changed to C. W. Allis & Co. This firm
continued nearly ten years, and about 1850 George P. Morgan assumed Mr.
Tallcot's interest in the firm under the name of Allis & Morgan. This firm
continued about three years, when the stock was divided. Allis took his share of
the stock, went into another store, and joined it with the stock of Moses &
Huxtable, under the firm name, of Allis, Moses & Huxtable. Huxtable died in
a few years thereafter, and Moses went to Detroit, Mich., 'where he went into
the wholesale crockery business. Then the firm name became Allis, Rhoades &
Hall (C. W. Allis, William' P. Rhoades, and John C. Hall). After a while
Rhoades sold out to his partners and went to California, the firm name becoming
Allis & Hall. This firm continued a few years, when Hall went to Massachu-
setts. Allis took in his clerk, George H. Wicks, under the firm name of Allis
& Wicks, which continued a few years, and then the business was closed up.
This was about from 1870 to 1876. After two or more years, which enabled
Mr. Allis to wind up his old business, and on the organization of the Bank of
Skaneateles, he was elected President of that bank, which office he filled in
every acceptable manner until his death.
C. W. Allis was a prominent member of the Society of Friends, and always
stood high in all his business transactions, highly respected by all classes of
citizens, and occupied many responsible positions during his long and honorable
business life. We present his photograph on the following page.
Now going back to the other division of the stock of Allis & Morgan, we
find that George P. Morgan received his half of the stock, took in as partner
Spencer A. Daniels, making the new firm Morgan & Daniels, which firm existed
several years, and was finally wound up. Daniels went to Syracuse, and Morgan
left town, perhaps going to Auburn.
J. GuRDON Porter. — In 1830 and for a few years before and after that
date, J. Gurdon Porter was in business in Skaneateles with Butler S. Wolcott,
196
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
under the firm name of Wolcott & Porter, carrying on a general store. Porter
left the hrm about 1835, and went into partnership with James Hall, as carriage
manufacturers, which had a supply store. The firm name was Hall, Porter & Co.
C. W. ALTJS.
Butler S. Wolcott continued in business alone until 1846 or 1847, when he moved
to Gibson, Steuben County, N. Y., being interested with Captain Nash De Cost
and others in a large sawmill there, which proved disastrous from the fact that
there was a scarcity of large trees suitable for saw logs. Butler S. Wolcott
died at Gibson, from heart failure, April 19, 1855.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 197
J. Gurdon Porter purchased the dwelhng which stood on the Lapham place
when De Zeng purchased the place. H. W. Allen first bought it of De Zeng
for a span of high-spirited horses which De Zeng wanted, and H. W. Allen then
sold the house to J. Gurdon Porter, who had it carefully taken down, the materials
removed, and reerected on what is now Leitch Avenue. It is now owned by
R. B. Wheeler for his residence.
Butler S. Wolcott. — Butler S. Wolcott was born in Wethersfield, Conn.,
March 22, 1799. He came to Skaneateles in 1824, and was at first a clerk for
Deacon David Hall, in the Skaneateles Hotel (the original Lake House), which
was built and first opened as a hotel by Hall. Wolcott afterward became clerk
for Phares Gould. Gould's store, a frame building, was on the north side of
Main Street, where Miss Wheeler now resides. He remained with Mr. Gould
two or three years, and then went into partnership with Dr. Samuel Porter in
mercantile business, in 1832, under the firm name of B. S. Wolcott & Co., which
afterward dissolved, and a partnership was formed with J. Gurdon Porter under
the same firm name. In 1837 he took in as partner Lorenzo Carter. This con-
nection not proving genial, the partnership was again dissolved, after which
Wolcott continued in business individually. The store he then occupied was
next to Charles Pardee's, on the lake-shore, south side of Main Street. It was a
frame building, situated near the center of the present row of brick stores. He
held the office of Deputy Sheriff after his connection with Dr. Samuel Porter.
In 1848 he removed to Gibson, Steuben County, N. Y., and with others built a
steam sawmill. He continued to reside there until his death, April 19, 1855.
He went out gunning in the morning of that day, and while in the woods was
attacked with heart difficulty, and lay down on the ground, until a neighbor
came along in a carriage. He was assisted into the vehicle, but before reaching
liome was so distressed that he could ride no farther, and thence was carried
home on a litter, about five o'clock in the afternoon, and died the same evening,
at nine o'clock, aged fifty-six years.
Spencer Parsons. — Spencer Parsons was a prominent man in his particular
business line. He came to Skaneateles about the year 1812. After two or three
years he had established an extensive cabinet-making and furniture business for
those early days. Everything was hand-made, therefore he had in his employ
quite a number of journeymen and apprentices. Up to that period many ot
the earlier settlers had advanced in prosperity sufficiently to afford to build
and occupy a frame house, while the original log houses were being replaced
by frame, some of which were quite pretentious. Such houses, of course,
needed better furniture. This, with settlers constantly arriving, afforded Parsons
year by year a constantly increasing business. In the early " thirties," or
shortly before, perhaps about 1825, his firm was Parsons & Rust (Charles Rust,
a brother-in-law of Parsons and Luther Clark). Mr. Rust continued with him
for several years, and about 1829 or 1830 the firm dissolved, and Mr. Rust
went to Syracuse, where he engaged in the furniture and undertaking business.
198 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
After Rust left him, Parsons continued on alone, gradually increasing his
business. About 1836, with the assistance of C. Pardee, his brother-in-law, and
perhaps some others. Parsons secured from the State a contract for three or
five years for the labor of from one hundred and fifty to two hundred prisoners
in the Auburn State Prison, at a very low rate per day for each prisoner, which
was said to have been thirty cents per day. Parsons immediately commenced
the manufacture of furniture in the Auburn Prison on an extensive scale, under
the firm name of Parsons & Hewson, afterward Parsons, Hewson & Co., com-
posed of Spencer Parsons, Daniel Hewson, and Jessee Segoine, who were all
prominent business men. Then Parsons moved to Auburn, and Mr. Pardee took
his stock of finished furniture, adding that as a branch to his other business, and
for many years until he quit business he continued to have a large stock on hand
of prison-made furniture. Sometimes Parsons, Hewson & Co. had between two
hundred and three hundred convicts at work. Of course, other business men
had contracts with the State for the other prisoners, as there were about twelve
hundred prisoners, and, as Parsons, Hewson & Co.'s contract was for from one
hundred and fifty to two hundred, other contractors took the balance. The
clothing manufacturers made contracts, so did the hardware men and the
agricultural implement men, and, in fact, all the convicts were hired out,
and all the various contractors made money very fast, until the competition
to get contracts from the State caused the rate per convict to rise to sixty
cents.
Spencer Parsons left a considerable fortune at his death. He was twice
married. His first wife was a Miss Rust; the second was Harriett Kilbourne, a
sister of Charles Pardee. He left but one child, a son by his first wife (Jessee
Ives Parsons). He was elected Town Clerk in the year 1836 and held the office
one year.
Stephen Horton. — Stephen Horton was born in 1793. He came to Skane-
ateles in 1813 (he was here May 22). He was a clerk for Phares Gould, and
at another time clerk for Jonathan Booth. Afterward Booth took in as partner
Samuel Ingham, under the firm name of Booth & Ingham. After a few years
the firm name was changed to Booth & Horton. The Booth of this firm was
supposed to be Zalmon Booth, the son of Jonathan Booth, and the Horton was
Stephen. This firm continued but a year or two, and then the firm became Gibbs
& Horton, which firm existed for several years. Then Mr. Gibbs left the firm,
and Horton continued, and after a few years Horton took in Nelson Hawley as
a partner under the firm name of S. Horton & Co., which lasted until the death
of Mr. Horton, in 1832, who died of cholera in the city of New York. The firm
then was changed to N. Hawley & Co., the estate of S. Horton being the Co., and
so continued until about 1847 °^ 1848, when the business came to an end. Nelson
Hawley then left Skaneateles, went to Troy, and engaged there in the wholesale
drug business with his brother and others. After a few years he removed to
Wisconsin.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
199
Nelson Hawley.— Nelson Hawley was born in Manchester, Vt., in the
year 1801. At the age of eight years he accompanied his uncle to Onondaga.
In later years he came to Skaneateles and formed a partnership with Stephen
Horton in the dry-goods business. In 1832 he accompanied Mr. Horton to New
York for the purpose of purchasing goods. While there Mr. Horton was taken
ill with cholera and soon died. Mr. Hawley returned to Skaneateles, took charge
of the concern, and looked after the needs and interest of the Horton family. In
1833 he married Cornelia Francis, daughter of Samuel Francis, Sr. After the
NELSON HAWLEY.
death of Mr. Horton he continued in the same business and made money rapidly,
but by some unfortunate adventure lost what he had made. He failed in business,
but finally paid all his creditors one hundred cents on the dollar, although he had
a tempting opportunity to cheat them out of their dues and make money by the
operation. His creditors made him a liberal present as a reward for his honesty
and uprightness. While a resident in Skaneateles, he built the dwelling now
owned by Mrs. Dr. Earll. This house was originally a story-and-a-half house,
and very roomy on the lower floor, affording plenty of space for not only all the
living-rooms but for the sleeping-apartments also. After a residence of thirty
200 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
years in Skaneateles he went to Troy, and engaged in business with Colonel
Ralph Hawley in the wholesale drug business, under the firm name of Hawley
& Co. In 1861 he dissolved partnership, left Troy, and purchased a farm in
Kenosha, Wis., and at the time of his death, which occurred in the year 1874, he
left his wife and six children in comfortable circumstances. He was one of the
few men who was bound to treat his neighbors honestly, and every one who had
business transactions with him found him upright in all his dealings.
George P. Morgan. — George P. Morgan was born in the village of Aurora,
Cayuga County, May 29, 1815, and was the fifth son of Major Christopher
Morgan, who settled in that village in 1801, coming from Groton; Conn., and
commenced a general merchandise business, which continued many years.
George P. Morgan was educated in the Aurora Academy, and for years was
engaged m business in Union Springs, and later he removed to Skaneateles,
where he engaged in the sale of general merchandise, being associated with
C. W. Allis, under the firm name of Allis & Morgan, and later with S. A. Daniels,
under the name of Morgan & Daniels. He was successful in business, and re-
tired therefrom to locate in Auburn, where he remained until 1873. Then he
removed to New York, where he spent several years. In 1881 he removed to
the place of his birth, Aurora, and spent the last ten years of his life in peace
and quiet among the scenes of his boyhood. Early in the year 1891 he went to
the city of Auburn for medical" treatment, and while there contracted a severe
cold, which resulted in pneumonia, causing his death, March 19, 1891. He was
a genial, cultured, warm-hearted man, of remarkable presence, and a nature
which made him popular among his fellow citizens. Mr. Morgan was married
in 1832 to Miss Maria Tallcot, daughter of Richard Tallcot, of Skaneateles.
Mrs. Morgan died in Aurora, Cayuga County, November 17, 1896.
Edward G. Ludlow. — Edward G. Ludlow was a former merchant in Skane-
ateles, in the years 1812-14. He was born in New York, June 2, 1793, and died
in Yonkers, N. Y., July 7, 1877. Pie came to Skaneateles with his father, Daniel
Ludlow, in the year 1810, and in his early manhood was engaged in business as
a general store as one of the firm of Ludlow & Hecox. When the parish of St.
James' Church was organized in 1816, Edward G. Ludlow was elected vestryman.
After that he remained here a few years, then returned to New York, as his
father had died here in 18 14, and his interest in Skaneateles had ceased. He
afterward studied medicine, and was a prominent physician in the. city of New
York for forty-four years. He then removed with his family to Yonkers, N. Y.,
where he died at the advanced age of eighty-four years.
John Meeker. — John Meeker conducted a store here in the village through
the agency of Samuel Ingham. Meeker had been in the habit of establishing
stores within this and adjoining counties for several years before 1805. In
Manlius, for instance, he formed a partnership with Azariah Smith, on terms
of equal division of profits, Meeker finding the capital, and as his part of the
partnership business made the purchases of goods at Albany, and attended
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 201
to the disposal of the produce sent to Albany to exchange for goods. Samuel
Ingham was designated as Meeker's clerk ; at any rate, he conducted the business
here. Meeker also owned a potashery here. Potash was the only real staple
article of produce made here that always had a ready sale at Albany. Samuel
Ingham resided in an unpainted story-and-a-half house that was located at that
period where C. H. Poor's dwelling is now. Meeker's transportation of goods
and produce was in large canvas-covered wagons drawn by four to six horses.
CHARLES J. BURNETT, JR.
The time consumed in a trip to Albany and return was about two weeks. Potash
was the principal production in this section.
Charles J. Burnett, Jr. — Charles J. Burnett, Jr., was born in the old
Burnett homestead, in the village of Skaneateles, August 17, 1808. About the
year 1826 he was a clerk or assistant to his father, who was postmaster. At that
period an advertisement in the Skaneateles Columbian stated that as agent he
would receive subscriptions for magazines, newspapers, etc., at the post-office.
202 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
In another issue of a later date he was in partnership with S. Porter Rhoades, in
1828, under the firm name of Rhoades & Burnett, conducting the business of a
general store. This partnership continued several years, and after its dissolution
C. J. Burnett, Jr., continued in the same line of business for many years. In the
year 1845 he was occupying the store now owned by George P. Lawrence, and
continued until William G. Slade purchased the store building, after which Mr.
Burnett removed his stock of goods to the adjoining store east of the Slade
store. He was elected Town Clerk in 1851, and held the office continuously for
six years until 1857. In 1858 he was again elected to the same office. He was a
most methodical man of business, conservative, careful, and of the strictest
integrity and uprightness of life. Politically he was a Democrat of the old
school. He died March 30, 1892, at the advanced age of eighty-four years.
William G. Slade. — William G. Slade was born in Westport, Mass., in 1807.
In his early manhood he taught the Friends' School at Nine Partners, Cayuga
County. After teaching this school he went to North Carolina, and while there
he became the principal of a Quaker school, and remained there several years.
After leaving there, he came to Skaneateles, in 1844, with Jacob and Eliza
Griffin, whose daughter he had previously married. He went into business with
Stephen A. Gifford, keeping a general store. The partnership continued several
years, and after its dissolution Mr. Slade continued in the same business, until
his retirement from active business, in 1855, considering at that time that he had
accumulated sufficient means for his future support. He had invested largely
in the stock of the Michigan Southern and Northern Indiana Railroad, and in the
great business panic of that year this investment depreciated at a ruinous rate,
so much so that its market value was only six dollars a share. Thus he lost a
large part of his accumulated savings, which very materially reduced his yearly
income. This induced him to commence the study of law in 1855, and after due
course of time he was admitted to the bar, and acquired a considerable practise.
He died October 5, 1868.
William G. Slade was descended from William Slade, who was known to
have settled in this country at Newport, R. I., August 23, 1659. In 1680 he
removed to Somerset, Bristol County, Mass. His own father lost his life while
on a vessel bound from Wales (he being a native of that country) to America.
William Slade was the first white man to own and keep the ferry known as
" Slade's Ferry," formerly run by the Indians.
Edward Winslow, afterward Governor of Plymouth Colony, writes of his
journey to visit Massachusetts, when ill, March, 1623 :
" The next day about one of the clock, we came to a ferry, where upon
discharge of my piece, divers Indians came to us from a house not far off,
supposed to be Slade's Ferry, between Somerset and Fall River."
" At a quarterly meeting of first of Fifth month, 1639, to Thomas Slade is
granted, one house lott, to be built upon in one yr, or be forfeited."
" Slade " means a strip of open land in a forest.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
203
Charles Pardee. — Charles Pardee was born in Skaneateles, March 20, 1798,
in a log house that stood near the road a short distance north of the Dyer Brainerd
dwelling, afterward owned by W. J. Townsend. Once, while riding with Mr.
Pardee past that locality, he pointed out as near as he could where the log house
stood, and told me (T. Isom) all about it. Soon after his birth his father,
Ebenezer Pardee, bought a farm, of which the Baber farm is now a part. The
house stood about where the present Baber house stands. That farm was some-
thing over one hundred acres then. Charles Pardee's father died of typhoid
fever, December, 1836, and left a large family of young children— eight sons and
CHARLES PARDEE.
one daughter. Charles was the fifth child born. One of his elder brothers,
John, worked the farm and cared for the mother and younger children. Charles
and the elder brothers had to shift for themselves, as the saying is. He worked
by the month on another farm for a while, and in summer made several trips to
and about Geneva and Canandaigua, helping buy and drive cattle. About 1814
or 1815 an older brother, Sheldon Pardee, had a store in Elbridge, and Charles
Pardee then started out on his commercial career as clerk for his brother. He
remained at Elbridge until 1818, a portion of the time in another store. (This
is not a certain statement.) Sheldon Pardee afterward removed his business to
Geddes, had a store there, and made salt. In 1832-33 he closed out his business
and moved to Michigan.
204 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
In 1818, Charles, then twenty years of age, and a young friend of his by the
name of Wightman, left home for New Orleans. They went to western Penn-
sylvania until they reached the Alleghany River, where they purchased a row-
boat and started down the river. At night they would pull out their boat, turn
it over, and sleep under it. Near the mouth of the Ohio River their boat got
wrecked in some manner, so much so as to render it unsafe, and they had to
leave it. They got on a flat or tow boat and went to New Orleans in that manner.
Seeking employment, they could find nothing to do. It was very hard times that
followed the War of 1812, and business of every kind was paralyzed all over the
country, and especially at New Orleans. Charles Pardee remained there about
six weeks, and, his money beginning to run very low, he came to the conclusion
to return home. Wightman thought he would go to that part of Mexico that
is now known as Texas, and endeavor to find employment there, but before he
could get away he was taken sick, the expense attending which used up all his
money, and when he had recovered he had to go to work on the public streets.
It took all his slim earnings to get enough to enable him to live and to get away
with. But Charles Pardee only remained there about six weeks, when he went
to New York by a sailing-vessel. On his arrival there he went to see John
Stewart, of the firm of John Stewart & Co., an extensive jobbing dry-goods
establishment. Pardee had previously seen and become somewhat acquainted
with Mr. Stewart at Elbridge on several occasions when Stewart had been going
through the country visiting his customers, as was customary in those days with
New York merchants. Pardee borrowed from Mr. Stewart ten dollars to get
home with, and after Mr. Pardee went into business he purchased a great many
thousands of dollars' worth of goods of him, extending for a year or two after
his (Pardee's) return. On his arrival from New Orleans he became clerk for
E. B. Shearman & Co., at Utica, N. Y. About the latter part of 1819 or early
in 1820 he became clerk for Gibbs & Horton in Skaneateles, and remained with
that firm until nearly the time he went into business for himself. If it had not
been for a rupture between him and Horton, he (Pardee) might not have gone
into business at that time. The rupture occurred in this way: In those days
merchants had to send teams to Albany, before the canal, to get their goods that
came up from New York by water on the Hudson River. It was customary to load
the teams down from Skaneateles with wheat, which they took of their customers
there at about three shillings per bushel, and would get about six shillings or
upward for it at Albany. In the fall of 1822, when Mr. Horton went to New
York, he told Mr. Pardee to send at such a time five or six teams to Albany for
the goods he purchased. Pardee asked him if he should load the teams with
wheat. In reply Horton told him no, as wheat was low at Albany and it would
not pay. Pardee had saved some money from his salary, and had bought notes
at a discount, so that he had on hand quite a little money, and he decided to load
the teams with wheat on his own account, which he did. In the mean time the
wheat market at Albany had advanced, so that Pardee's wheat netted a nice
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 205
little profit. This transaction made Mr. Horton very angry when he got home
and found it out, and the next winter, when Pardee's time that he had engaged
with Gibbs & Horton expired, Horton would not renew the engagement.
Soon after Pardee left them, Mr. James Porter, father of James E. Porter,
and Charles Pardee entered into copartnership to go into the mercantile business
at Skaneateles, Mr. Porter putting into the firm fourteen hundred dollars, and
Charles Pardee six hundred dollars, making the capital stock two thousand
dollars, Mr. Pardee to manage and run the business, and profits to be equally
divided. It proved to be very profitable for both partners. This partnership
commenced business April i, 1823, and within two or three years afterward they
were doing the largest amount of trade here. Mr. Porter, of course, knew all
about Pardee. He had known him all his life, knew that he was competent and
saving, and had the most implicit confidence in his ability. About 1825, Mr.
Porter moved to Albany, and became a very prominent man there. He was
interested in the Old Canal Bank of Albany, and through him Porter & Pa:rdee
could get all the money they wanted at that bank. By 1830 they were doing the
largest business of any house in central New York, except Azariah Smith, of
Manlius, and Jedediah Barber, of Homer, N. Y. These two concerns each did
probably about as large a trade. The business for many years ran from $80,000
to $100,000 per year in sales. The partnership was to exist ten years, but Pardee
could not get Porter to come up to Skaneateles to settle, so that it ran on until
during 1835. They then came to an agreement to leave the settlement of the
business to Azariah Smith, of Manlius, and thus to determine the amount each
partner ought to have. There was real estate also, Pardee's individual account,
and other extras. Smith came up and helped to take the inventory, ere. The
business showed up $80,000 or a little more, so that each had $40,000 assured.
Mr. Pardee took the stock, collected and paid off the debts, settled with Mr.
Porter, and continued the business under his own name for some years. In
1837, Joel D. Stebbins came from New York as his bookkeeper, and after a time
became a partner, the firm name being C. Pardee & Co. On February i, 1847,
they dissolved. Mr. Stebbins went back to New York and engaged in business
for himself. Mr. Pardee continued in business alone after that until January i,
1852, when Thomas Isom and Deacon David Hall for his son, Daniel W. Hall,
bought Mr. Pardee out; that is, the stock was purchased, and the business was
from that time conducted under the firm of Isom & Hall. Mr. Pardee during
his mercantile career stood high, his credit was of the best in New York, and he
was an excellent financier and known as a good, prudent merchant.
The firm of E. Pardee & Co., which commenced business in the month of
July, 1825, was composed of Ebenezer Pardee (brother of Charles Pardee) and
Richard Talcott.
Mr. Pardee's father's family, including his mother, John Pardee, and the
younger members, moved to Ohio in 1828 (date uncertain), and settled in Wads-
worth, about three miles south of Cleveland. Charles Pardee had a brother
2o6 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
younger than he named Ebenezer, who was the father of Mary Pardee, now Mrs.
Lucien Moses. This Ebenezer Pardee, in 1829 or 1830, perhaps in 1828, was in
business in Cleveland, Ohio, under the firm name of E. Pardee & Co., which had
large dealing for several years with Porter & Pardee, of Skaneateles, buying
goods of them, and shipping to them large quantities of various kinds of produce ;
but in 1832 this Ebenezer Pardee was back in Skaneateles as bookkeeper for
Porter & Pardee, with whom he remained two or three years, in the mean time
got married, went back West to Wadsworth, Ohio, and entered into mercantile
business there with his brothers 'Allen and John, under the firm name of A. J.
& E. Pardee.
Charles Pardee during his life was actively identified with nearly every
interest in both the town and the village of Skaneateles. His career after he sold
his stock and business to Messrs. Isom & Hall, January i, 1852, shows that he
became a banker, and during the Civil War entered into manufacturing opera-
tions for about eighteen months, after which he was interested in various mer-
cantile pursuits from time to time. In 1865, according to the best estimate of
his nearest friends, he was worth over all his liabilities from three hundred to
three hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and how he became such a financial
wreck at the time of his death puzzled his most intimate friends. It has been
estimated by those who knew him best that, if he had died at the age of seventy,
he would have left a fortune and a good business character. In his early life he
was married, in 1828, to Eliza Kilbourn, of New Hartford, Oneida County, N. Y.
After his mercantile career and established reputation for so many years, he with
others started during the month of March, 1863, the first bank that was ever
organized in this town, which was incorporated as the Lake Bank. It had a
paid-up capital of $100,000. It commenced bushiess in the month of May, 1863,
and was located in what was formerly known as the Hecox Block, a three-story
brick building which Mr. Pardee had erected in the year 1850. Its first officers
were: Anson Lapham, President; Charles Pardee, Vice-President; and Henry
J. Hubbard, Cashier. On the first annual election subsequent to its organization
Charles Pardee was elected President, Anson Lapham having declined reelection,
and C. W. Allis was elected Vice-President.
On the 4th of March, 1864, the First National Bank of Skaneateles was
organized with a capital of $50,000. Its directors were Charles Pardee, Henry
J. Hubbard, Thomas Isom, Jr., Giles M. Lawrence, and Lucien Moses. The
first officers were: Charles Pardee, President; and Henry J. Hubbard, Cashier.
No active commercial business was done by this bank until June 15, 1865, when
the capital stock was increased to $150,000, when it absorbed all the business of
the Lake Bank. In December, 1867, owing to the excessive assessment and
taxation, which seemed to its officers to be a discrimination against the bank, the
stockholders voted to go into voluntary liquidation, and the business of the bank
was afterward carried on with the same capital under the firm name of C. Pardee
&Co.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 207
In the Cayuga County Bank, in Auburn, which was started in 1833, Charles
Pardee was much interested and became a director. He was reelected to the
same position every year for over thirty years. In the business panic of 1837 he
was sent to New York to look after the interests of the bank in protecting its
circulating notes. He remained there about two months, and was eminently suc-
cessful by his financial ability in promoting and establishing the solid character
of the bank.
Mr. Pardee was elected President of the village in the years 1851, 1852, 1853,
1863, 1869, and 1872, six terms, during which time he was actively interested in
promoting the best interests of the village. It was during his administration
that Genesee Street, across the outlet of the lake, was widened, filled in, and the
stone protecting walls on either side of the street solidly constructed. It was
through his influence that the new bridge was built by the State.
Charles Pardee was the son of Ebenezer Pardee, who with his brother, Charles
Pardee, came into this town from Norfolk, Litchfield County, Conn., in the year
1797, and settled on what has since been known as the Perry Foote farm. Here
he lived until his death in 1836, at the age of seventy-six years.
The melancholy death of the subject of this sketch, Charles Pardee, occurred
April 9, 1878, at the age of eighty years. In relation thereto we herewith present
a copy of a letter written by a lady of Skaneateles to an intimate friend, then on a
visit to the city of New York :
" I want to write you of Mr. Pardee's fearful end. It has shocked us all very
much. He is the last man I should ever have dreamed of taking his own life —
a man of such an iron will. He was out on Sunday. Yesterday morning (Sun-
day) he did not feel very well; thought he would not get up; was dizzy and
sick at the stomach. This (Tuesday) morning some better, but seemed lost; a
little confused. Took beef-tea and gruel at noon, then soon complained of being
drowsy. Wanted Mrs. Moses to go down-stairs so he could get asleep; she
thought she would go down-stairs and get some warm water to wash him with;
waited to heat it ; perhaps it took her some twenty minutes to attend to what she
did ; and when she went back in the room, her father was not in bed ; was sitting
.on the floor, with his head on an ottoman, near the washstand, with his throat
cut ; she took a towel and clapped it on his throat, and then called the girls ; then
his eyes were closed. When she came back she knelt by his side, and tried to
raise him ; then he opened his eyes and smiled at her ; and she said, ' O father,
father ! why did you do this ? ' He replied, ' There is no use living any longer.'
And then he put his mouth to kiss her, raised himself up on his elbows, and put
his head on her shoulder — gasped twice — and was gone! How awful to think
of a man to live to be eighty years old, and then to take his own life ! Why, no
one knew. The family say he has been very despondent lately, so low-spirited
and depressed. I shudder to think how Mr. Pardee could have committed the
awful deed. They think he attempted the act when they wdre at dinner. When
Mrs. Moses went up-stairs, he had been taking off his shirt, and was lying with
2o8 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
nothing but his undershirt and drawers on. She asked him how he came to get up.
In reply he said he thought he would dress, but was so dizzy he had to go back
to bed. They think he took his shirt off so as to have his neck clear. He made
three attempts — ^three deep gashes — the last one was very deep. What a shock-
ing death ! He took one of his razors out of the washstand drawer. Dr. Benson
sewed up the wounds."
Aaron Brinkeehoff. — Aaron Brinkerhoff was born in Owasco, Cayuga
County, N. Y., March 3, 1817. He came with his father at an early day to
Thorne Hill. His education was largely acquired at the old Auburn Academy,
after which he served a brief clerkship in Auburn, when he removed to Kelloggs-
ville, Cayuga County, where he married Miss Lydia Fuller, daughter of Captain
Luther Fuller. About 1840 he removed to Skaneateles and engaged in the
mercantile business. He was in partnership as one of the firm of Brinkerhoff
& Willetts (the late William Willetts who went to California during the late
forties), and afterward as of the firm of Brinkerhoff & Porter (J. Gurdon
Porter). On the dissolution of this firm he continued individually keeping a
general store. In 1848 he was elected Town Clerk, and reelected a second term.
In the year 1850 he was elected Supervisor, and continued to hold that office until
1854. In politics he was a Democrat of the old school. His close friends were
Judge Freeborn G. Jewett, William H. Jewett, Charles J. Burnett, Jr., Judge D.
T. Moseley, Harrison B. Dodge, Caleb W. Allis, Charles Pardee, Joel Thayer,
Elias and Obadiah Thorne, and all the leading men of the day. In the year
1854 he removed to the city of Brooklyn, N. Y., and was engaged for many years
in the wholesale dry-goods business in New York. In 1883 he was elected
Comptroller of the city of Brooklyn, and was afterward reelected a second term.
He was a man of the strictest integrity and uprightness of life, and of exceptional
business ability. He won and retained warm friendships, universal respect, and
high esteem, and his life was in every phase exemplary. He died in Brooklyn,
March 13, 1891.
Jonathan Booth. — Jonathan Booth commenced a very early and heavy busi-
ness about 1812-14 under the firm name of Booth & Ingham. The latter was
Samuel Ingham, who had been a clerk for John Meeker about 1802. The busi-
ness was continued for many years, when the management was assumed by
Booth & Horton, composed of Zalmon Booth, son of Jonathan, and Stephen
Horton. Booth was later succeeded by William Gibbs under the name of Gibbs
& Horton, which some years after was changed to S. Horton & Co., and eventu-
ally became the firm of N. Hawley & Co. It was closed up in 1847-48, Mr.
Hawley going to Troy, N. Y., to engage in the wholesale drug business with his
brother.
George Francis. — George Francis was born at Fairhaven, Vt., July 30, 1807.
He came to Skaneateles with his father, in 1814, when he was seven years of age.
In early adult life he worked in his father's hat factory, and thoroughly learned
the trade in all its details, which fitted him for the business he afterward em-
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
209
barked in, selling at retail hats, caps, furs, buffalo and other robes, gloves, and
such other goods as were usually kept in stock in other places. He was pos-
sessed of a genial nature, kind and generous to a fault, always had a pleasant
smile, and had a large following of personal friends. He had an irreproachable
character. He was particularly polite to ladies, especially those who he thought
needed assistance in alighting from any kind of carriage in the street or entering
a carriage, fastening the horse or such other assistance as might be needed.
GEORGE FRANCIS.
He exceeded in all these respects all the other merchants of the village. His
death occurred very suddenly, April 20, 1874. He had been suffering from sore
throat, and while sitting with his family he exclaimed suddenly, " I can not
breathe," and died immediately, without further warning.
Phares Gould. — Phares Gould was another early merchant and a prominent
citizen in Skaneateles. Few persons of this town at the present day are familiar
with his name. The following is the most correct history of him that has been
obtained :
210 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
His father, Jeremiah Gould, resided at Weston, Worcester County, Mass.,
where Phares Gould was born December 20, 1789. He came to this town about
the year 1810. He was contemporary with the late Daniel Kellogg, who was
born in 1780, and who came here in 1803. They both became genial and warm
friends. Phares Gould married Miss Melissa Osborn, in Skaneateles, March
14, 1813.
The following is a copy, or rather abstract, of a deed from John Legg and
wife to Stephen Horton, which indicates the residence of Phares Gould in the
year 1816, recorded in Liber S of Deeds, page 44:
September 16, 1816. — John Legg and Emma his wife to Stephen Horton, Jr. Considera-
tion, $1,125.00. Beginning in the Seneca Turnpike road at the South West corner of a
village lot, in possession of Phares Gould, on which the store and dwelling house of said
Phares Gould stands, Running thence Easterly along said Turnpike to the East side of the
store of the said John Legg standing on said lot, thence Northerly on a line parallel with
the West line of the said John Legg's village lot, to the North line of the said John Legg's
village lot, thence Westerly on the said North line to the village lot of Jonathan Booth,
thence Southerly along the East line of the said Jonathan Booth's village lot to the East
line of the said Phares Gould's village lot to the place of beginning, containing three-fourths
of an acre of land, be the same more or less.
In presence of
Thos. p. Baldwin.
This deed shows where Phares Gould had his store and his adjoining resi-
dence on the north side of our Main Street. It also appears that John Legg
had a store which was located on the site of the Horton dwelling-house, which
store by the above deed he conveyed to Stephen Horton. The location of Phares
Gould's dwelling and store was on the present Miss Wheeler's house and milli-
nery-store lot. •
Long before Mr. Gould's arrival here a merchant named John Meeker, whose
residence was ill Cherry Valley, N. Y., had been an extensive trader previous to
the year 1807, and was considered both prudent and sagacious, and the greatest
merchant in western New York, having stores in different sections of the State.
These stores were established -fof;. the; sale of general merchandise, such as dry-
goods, groceries, hardware, drugs- medicines, etc. He had one at Manlius, of
which Azariah Smith was the manager and chief clerk ; another store at Homer,
N. Y., of which Jedediah Barber was manager and chief clerk ; and another store
at Skaneateles, of which Phares Gould became manager and chief clerk. The
above named are described as examples of John Meeker's business. He made
the purchases for all his stores principally at Albany, which at that period was
the headquarters of the wholesale trade for all sections of the State west of
Albany. There were some purchases of inferior value made by small dealers
at Utica. Meeker also attended to the sale and transportation of the domestic
produce sent forward from his various stores. Potash at that time was the prin-
cipal commercial product, although other produce, such as wheat, oats, etc., was
also forwarded, for all of which groceries, dry-goods, hardware, drugs, dye-
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 211
stuffs, medicines, etc., were obtained in exchange. Potash was the leading and
most valuable product sent forward to Albany. The same wagons or other vehi-
cles which had transported the produce were in turn loaded with the merchandise
which had been obtained to be conveyed to his several branch stores. At about
this period Phares Gould was elected as a trustee of the original Skaneateles
Library Company, which had been organized in 1806, at which time Daniel
Kellogg had been elected librarian. Phares Gould was reelected to this office
for ten years, when in 1824 he was elected treasurer and librarian, holding that
office for ten years, when he resigned. He was succeeded by James G. Porter,
who resigned the following year and was succeeded by E. H. Porter. Phares
Gould was at the next annual meeting elected a trustee, and continued as such
until the company dissolved, after an active existence of thirty-five years.
During the time Phares Gould was chief manager for Meeker's store, after
the close of the last war with England, 1812-15, there was a great depression
of general business throughout the United States, which resulted in the failure
of John Meeker. Azariah Smith assumed the Manlius business, Jedediah Barber
took charge of the Homer business, and Phares Gould conducted the Skaneateles
business. Both Azariah Smith and Jedediah Barber became very prosperous and
leading merchants for many years ; but Phares Gould had strong local competi-
tors, while the other managers in Manlius and Homer had none. Porter & Par-
dee and S. Horton & Co. here in Skaneateles soon obtained control of the local
trade. Consequently Phares Gould's business fell away and became unprofitable.
Before this, about the year 1828 or 1830, Addison G. Jerome became Mr.
Gould's clerk, and remained as such for several years, when Phares Gould re-
moved to Camillus, N. Y., in 1836. Jerome then went to New York, and pro-
cured a situation with the large wholesale house of John Stewart, Jr., & Co., and
after a few years became a partner of the same firm, which was doing a very
heavy trade at that period. Several years after he dissolved partnership and
embarked in the stock brokerage business. Jerome had been a resident of the
village for a number of years. His brother, Leonard H. Jerome, had also been a
resident for a few years while studying law with Daniel Kellogg or John C.
Beach here in the village.
In the earlier life of Phares Gould in Skaneateles, after he sold his store and
dwelling west of the Horton lot, he built the two-story and attic dwelling-house
which was later occupied by Richard Talcott in 1837, ^^^ now owned by Charles
H. Poor. When Phares Gould gave up his business in Skaneateles and removed
to Camillus, N. Y., as before stated, in January, 1836, there being excellent water-
power there, he sought a milling business, and, finding that a new grist-mill
had been built by Philip Drake only two years previously and was for sale, he
secured it for himself and his son, Edward O. Gould, who enlarged it and ran it
until 1 85 1, when they sold out to Wilson R. Cooper, Edwin R. Harmon, and
Cornelius W. Way. Phares Gould conducted the business under the firm name
of Phares Gould & Son. After a few years, finding that the business was rather
212 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
limited in extent, both father and son went to Buffalo, and associated themselves
with Dean Richmond in a more extensive business connected with grain elevators.
While thus engaged in that business, his only son, Edward Osborn Gould, died in
Buffalo, July 31, 1858, while in the prime of life, at the age of forty-four years.
This great affliction caused him to abandon his business and remove to New York,
where he made his home with his only daughter, Julia, the wife of Addison G.
Jerome. Phares Gould died there August 24, 1862.
As this history of Phares Gould is fragmentary, a portion of his early history
is as follows : Seventy-five years ago, March 20, 1825, he purchased from James
Sackett the triangular piece of land which Jedediah Sanger (the original owner
of Military Lot No. 36, on which this village is located) conveyed to John Briggs
August 3, 1804. This triangular piece of land is now the Frederick Shear
property. Phares Gould also purchased at the same time from Sackett twelve
acres of land on the south side of the Seneca Turnpike Road, now West Genesee
Street, located between West Lake Street and John Briggs' land; consideration,
$3,000. The cemetery comprises a portion of that John Briggs' land. Gould
also purchased a half-acre on the shore of Skaneateles Lake, bounded on the ea,st
by a certain board fence, which in 1808 embraced the dooryard of John Briggs,
leading from the lake to the road, being the same land which John Briggs con-
veyed, August 27, 1808, to John Meeker, now the Waller boat-house lot. The
consideration for this last conveyance was $1,000. Phares Gould originally
owned the lot on which the present Charles H. Poor residence is. Gould built
that dwelling-house, and in the year 1837 he sold that property to the late Richard
Talcott.
Rev. Albert C. Patterson. — Rev. A. C. Patterson's rectorship of St. James'
Church, in the village, began July 7, 1851, and continued until May 14, 1859,
when he resigned. He died at Jamaica Plain, Mass., in 1864.
Jacob W. Van Etten. — Jacob W. Van Etten was born at Minisink, Orange
Co., N. Y., in 1779, went to the town of Owasco in 1800, and in 1806 removed
to the town of Skaneateles, one and a half miles north of Mandana. He died on
his farm in 1850.
David Seymour. — David Seymour and Bertha, his wife, settled on one
hundred acres in Military Lot No. 37, on the west shore of the lake. He was
in occupation of this land in 1804. During that year he sold fifty acres to
Stephen Gardner. David Seymour was a shoemaker by trade, and from him
Colonel Hecox learned his trade. He also had a brick-kiln on his land.
Timothy Coleman and Elizabeth, his wife, owned a portion of Lot No. 37,
in 1795.
Early Settlers. — All the following early settlers in this and adjoining towns
originally emigrated from Peenpack Neighborhood, in the town of Minisink,
Orange Co., N. Y. ; Cuddeback; Van Innewegen; De Witt; Cortright; Van
Etten ; Gumaer ; Depuy ; Cuykendall ; Van Vliet ; except Diefendorf, who came
from Schoharie County, N. Y.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
213
CHAPTER XV.
Recollections, Business, and Inventions.
The Cooper-Shops ■ of Thaddeus Edwards. — ^For many years Thaddeus
Edwards had two cooper-shops on the north side of East Genesee Street. These
shops were originally built about 1825, on the north side of the old Skaneateles
and Hamilton Turnpike Road, and were demolished in 1876. The work of the
early coopers, besides making tubs, pails, and barrels, was the manufacture of
thaddeus EDWARDS' OLD COOPER SHOPS, BUILT EIGHTY YEARS AGO.
shingles. These were made from white pine, which was abundant in certain sec-
tions of the county. The pine logs were sawed into short lengths, and these
were split into slabs of equal thickness. These slabs were made into shingles
by planing down one end of the slab with a drawing-knife. The shavings obtained
from these cuttings were sold in bunches to the early settlers for kindling fires in
the fireplaces. Sawed shingles were not known or thought of. Thus, in making
shingles, potash and other barrels, tubs, pails, and various necessary household
utensils, the coopers were decidedly useful mechanics.
Recollections of the Late Thaddeus Edwards. — " Nathaniel Eells first
settled in this village in the year 1800. He purchased the property, latterly
owned by the late Charles Pardee, opposite the old brick schoolhouse on Onon-
daga Street. He built the Eells Tavern (since known as the Somerset House)
just before I [Edwards] was seventeen years of age, about 1811-12. I was
214 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
about nineteen years old at the time the tavern was fully completed. Eells had
a son, or brother, whose name was Horace. The Eellses, besides being farmers,
were coopers, and at that early day were very useful in making the barrels for
packing and shipping potash, which was the only real valuable export produce
first manufactured in Skaneateles, to be transported by teams to Albany, and there
exchanged for groceries, dry-goods, hardware, drugs and medicines, and other
necessaries of the early settlers.
" Noble Coe purchased the Eells Tavern soon after it was completed, and
kept it for some time. He afterward formed a copartnership with a Mr. Marsh,
under the firm name of Coe & Marsh, who at the same time leased the Sherwood
Tavern west of the bridge, and kept both these taverns for many years.
" Sylvester Roberts was a blacksmith, and had his shop on the south side of
the Seneca Turnpike, about midway between the Eells tavern and the law office
of Daniel Kellogg.
■' The general mechanical business of the village was located on the hill, about
where Roberts had his blacksmith-shop. This was a location where the stage-
coaches passed daily with travelers going through the State. The stage-horn
was always an ^companiment of the jolly drivers on the stages."
Pounds, ShiiXings, and Pence. — We herewith present the following official
definition of th^ Pounds, Shillings, and Pence used in the account-books of early
merchants herd's. On April 17, 1899, I addressed a letter to the Superintendent
of the IJnited States Mint, at Philadelphia, making inquiry as to the currency
in use in the early, part of the nineteenth century, to which the following reply
was received : -k ' '^.,; • ,,' .
The Mint of the United States at Philadelphia.
Superintendent's Office.
Mr. Edmund Norman Leslie, Skaneateles,' New York:
Dear Sir: Replying to your letter of the 14th inst., I have to say that the
money transactions in the old ledgers mentioned relate solely to Dollars, Shillings,
and Pence. These were in the Spanish milled dollar and its divisions. These
milled dollars and divisions were a legal currency of the United States.
In the State of New York, the eighth of a dollar was known as a shilling ; the
sixteenth, as a sixpence. Seventy-five cents was six shillings.
In Pennsylvania and some other States, the eighth of a dollar was called an
eleven-penny bit, or a levy, and the sixteenth a fippenny bit, or fip.
The Spanish milled dollar and its divisions were a legal tender by Act of
Congress of February 9, 1793.
Act of February 21, 1857, Section 3: "That all former acts authorizing the
currency of foreign gold and silver coins, and declaring the same a legal tender
in payments for debts, are hereby repealed."
In reply to your letter of 21st inst., I have to say that postage-stamps were
never a legal currency. They were simply used for small change by common
consent.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 215
Gold dollars were first issued in 1849, and continued to be issued until 1889.
After their discontinuance none were ever returned to the Mint, but were
retained by the holders.
The two-dollar-and-a-half gold pieces are now issued. They are generally
used during the hoUdays, at which time we coin from $50,000 to $75,000 worth.
Yours respectfully, Henry K. Boyer, Superintendent.
Recollections of C. J. Burnett, Jr. — The following reminiscences were
written by the late Charles J. Burnett, Jr. :
Amos Miner was the inventor of the spindle-head, or wheel-head, and the
spinning-wheel. This was between the years 1800 and 1803, when he lived on the
farm afterward owned by George Clark. Miner also invented the grooved sash.
Miner's patent pails were put together with grooves, and his patent bushel and
half-bushel measures were constructed in the same manner. He had a machine
at one time for cutting out from the log all sizes of wooden bowls. He afterward
changed his manufactory to Five Mile Point, on the lake. The gulf back of this
place was called ' Miner's Gulf." He then took his machinery to Mottville, and
later removed to Elbridge.
While at Mottville he was connected in business with Perly Putnam. One
of his first efforts at invention was what was called in old times " The Pudding-
Mill," at which time this was the only mill in this town for crushing corn for
making "pudding" ("supawn" or "spawn"). This pudding-mill was located
at a point about half-way between Skaneateles and Otisco lakes. Another of
his inventions was known as Miner's pumps. It was said of him that, when he
desired any new contrivance, he would wrap himself up in a blanket, then roll
under his bed, and remain there until he had completed the invention in his mind.
Miner lost the sight of one of his eyes while he was at his first workshop at
Miner's Gulf. He was engaged in hammering a piece of steel, when a small chip
of the metal struck his eye, which totally destroyed its sight.
Miner's wife was an own aunt of the late Charles Pardee, and sister of Ebe-
nezer Pardee, his father. Amos Miner had nine children — six sons and three
daughters — all of whom lived here and attended our schools. His descendants
afterward removed to the State of Pennsylvania.
Boy Life on a Farm in Skaneateles. — In the early life of Charles (Par-
sons) Clark, now President of the Syracuse Savings Bank, he was sent, at the
age of twelve, to live with his maternal uncle, Chester Parsons, at Skaneateles,
where he remained until he attained his majority, working on the farm in sum-
mer, and attending the common schools in winter. For these nine years of toil
and educational advantages he was to get his board and clothes, and when he
became twenty-one was to receive one hundred dollars in money. He labored
well and faithfully, studied persistently, and secured one year at the Skaneateles
Academy. When of age, he grasped the first opportunity that opened and hired
out to a neighboring farmer during eight months for eighty dollars. The next
winter he chopped sixty cords of wood, at three shillings a cord. At twenty-
?i6 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
three years of age he went to Syracuse, and entered the employ of Philo N. Rust
in the latter's tavern, his chief duty being the care of the garden. Here he
remained three years, at ten dollars per month and board.
The Patent Knocker. — During the year 1864 or 1865, L. S. Reynolds, the
patentee of an appliance to enable millers to procure more flour from a given
quantity of wheat than had theretofore been obtainable, arrived in the village,
and immediately made known his invention to the late Joel Thayer at the stone
mill. He proposed to apply his invention to the bolt in Thayer's mill, and would
leave it in full operation for several weeks, a sufficient time to enable him to judge
of its efficacy, and if it proved satisfactory Mr. Thayer should pay him his price
if' thought best, or, if not, he would take it out at his own expense. The result
was that it did prove perfectly satisfactory, and he received from Mr. Thayer one
hundred and forty dollars, and also a certificate of the utility of the knocker in
adding to the quantity of flour by its use. Reynolds while in Skaneateles stayed
at Rev. Mr. Preston's house. His wife and brother were with him here at the same
time. His host became much interested in the invention, as well as other persons
in the village, among whom were: Mr. Hartley, brother-in-law of Mr. Preston;
Eben Bean, James R. Oilman, Hubbard Cleaveland, Thomas Isom, Justin How-
ard, James A. Root, Forest G. Weeks, Edward T. Bartlett, and William P.
Rhoades. The late Benjamin Petheram constructed the necessary appliances to
the bolt in the mill. Reynolds, the patentee, realized from his invention about
thirty thousand dollar^, in promissory notes, in this town and immediate vicinity,
but did not collect the whole amount.
So far as can be learned, this invention consisted in a sliding weight in the
bolt. The bolt is a cylindrical sieve that is revolved. In this cylinder are iron
rods from the center to the sieve. On these rods were placed weights, which, as
the sieve revolved, would slide down the rods and hammer the sieve, having the
effect of knocking out the flour to better advantage than by depending on the
weight of the ground wheat alone. The use of the patent bolt, however, did not
continue in use a great length of time.
An Expedition to Australia in 1852 in Search of Gold. — According to
the files of the Columbian and the Democrat of the year 1852, the following-
named residents of Skaneateles were to embark from the city of New York for
Australia: Massilon W. Fay, James M. Smith, David Hall 2d, A. D. Bodine,
EHphalet Hall, Harlow Schofield, and J. V. Tilton. It is now stated on good
authority that Schofield did not go. He was a young man who worked in one of
the carriage factories here, probably L. S. Worden & Co., and he concluded not to
gd with the expedition either before the party left the village or after it arrived in
New York. Although the ship Eagle on which they were to embark had been
advertised to sail about January i, the party were detained in the city several
months before the Eagle sailed.
Of the individual members of this AustraHan party, Massilon W. Fay was the
well-known landlord of the Lake House. J. V Tilton was a miller and speculator
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 217
in patent rights, and resided at the time in the dweUing-house now owned and
occupied by R. B. Wheeler. Tilton had only been a resident of Skaneateles but a
year or two. It is said that either his people or his wife's were from Marcellus.
He never returned from Australia, so far as is known. Neither did David Hall,
2d, ever return. Neither Tilton nor David Hall, 2d, was ever heard from or of,
except once or twice after their arrival at Australia, although efforts were made
by relatives for several years thereafter to hear of or from them, but in vain.
A. L. Bodine was unmarried, and was a very careful and saving man. He was a
carriage mechanic (woodwork) for several years for John Legg, and afterward
for L. S. Worden & Co., until he joined the Australian party. Eliphalet Hall was
a son of the sister of Ralph Hall's wife, whose husband was named Hall. David
Hall, 2d, was the eldest son of Captain James Hall, of Skaneateles, and before
joining the Australian party had been a bookkeeper in the employ of C. W. AUis
& Co.
The Australian party left Skaneateles, December 25, 1852, Christmas Day.
Massilon W. Fay seemingly had a friend (said to have been Richard Gale of
Skaneateles) who forwarded him sufficient money to pay his passage home from
Australia, otherwise he probably would never have returned, he not having any
money with him, and having used all his spare cash in the preparation for the
expedition.
"Our Australian Friends. — (Copied from the Skaneateles Democrat, October
14, 1853.) — 'Letters were received in town last week, bearing date Melbourne,
June 21, 1853, from several of our Australian boys, the purport of which is that
they had just arrived at that place, in just four months and four days from Staten
Island, N. Y. They were to start on foot the next day for the mines, with their
packs on their backs, which were distant about one hundred and twenty miles.
The prospect for gold gathering was excellent, and considered very favorable.
Their letters indicated that they were in good spirits. Several of the company
had gained handsomely in corporeal dimensions since leaving home."
The above news was probably the last that was heard of the party, as no
tidings were afterward received.
The Hecox Brick House. — ^A brick house stood on the shore of the lake,
opposite the Packwood House, in 1872. In that year workmen were engaged
in removing this brick dwelling, situated west of the bridge, formerly built and
occupied by the late Colonel Warren Hecox in the early settlement of the village,
and subsequently occupied by his son, Thomas W. Hecox, until he removed to
Dubuque, about 1853. It has been stated that the first school kept in the village
was located in the front room of this brick building. Mr. Packwood, the proprie-
tor of the Packwood House, demolished it to obtain a better view of the lake and
the scenery.
In the house were found several copies of the Albany Register, of the dates
of May and August, 1814, edited by Solomon Southwick. These papers were
dingy and time-worn sheets, and the reading was partly gone. In one of August
2i8 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
14, 1814, is an editorial on the burning of the Capitol at Washington and the
sacking of the city, and the advance of the British army toward Baltimore. It
also contains an official report of the Battle of Bladensburg.
Smallpox in the Village. — In the year 185 1 smallpox appeared in Skan-
eateles, whereupon the Board of Health issued the following bulletin :
" Board of Health,
November 12, 1851.
The Health Officer having certified to the Board, that smallpox is now at the
houses of Massilon W. Fay, Alfred Lamb, and Stephen Potter, in said village, the
following orders were unanimously adopted:
First. That all intercourse with the houses specified by said Health Officer, or
either of them, except for purposes of medical attendance, be prohibited to citizens
and the public; and that the proprietors of the public-houses be required, under
penalty of the law, to refuse admittance to all strangers or other persons than
their own households, during the continuance of said disease; and all nurses
attending said cases of smallpox are prohibited from mingling with the people
at large, and physicians attending are required to use every necessary precaution
to prevent their conveying the contagion.
Second. That the Health Officer be required to examine all cases of disease
coming within his knowledge suspected to be smallpox, and when any such cases
occur to report the same immediately to the Board.
Third. That all other practising physicians be required to report forthwith
to this Board any and all new cases of smallpox occurring in their practise.
David Hall,
RiSHWORTH Mason,
John Legg,
Charles Pardee,
Richard Talcott,
William G. Slade,
Members of the Board of Health."
An Offhand Sketch of the Village Fifty Years Ago by a Former
Resident, entirely from Memory. — The following sketch of your village is
made from memory after an absence of forty years. It is the only way I can see
the place. And many who were residing in the village at the time, about 1850,
will remember it as I do.
The steamboat Homer was at that time making daily trips to Glen Haven, and
Captain Mason was as fond of his little steamer as any man could be of any craft.
The Lake House and Lamb's Hotel then were the principal ones, as they stood
during the brightest days of the town's history. The old Kellogg mansion on the
hill and the Roosevelt residence were then unchanged. St. James' Church, on
the lake-shore, will remind some of your people of the struggle in early days
for a church and school. The Legg carriage-shop at that period was in full
blast, turning out the finest description of all kinds of carriages and sleighs for
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 219
the rising and prospering Western cities, like St. Paul, Madison, and Dubuque.
The factory at that time was known as " Oilman's shops." At that time horse-
cars were carrying passengers to and from the village to the Junction, connecting
with the steamboat for the South to the Glen Haven Water Cure, and also to
Homer and Cortland. The old schoolhouse was at that time the only institute
of learning in the village, except the old brick schoolhouse on the hill. There
was at that period quite a discussion as to which was the first child born in the
town, whether it was Shepard or Pardee. I think it was Shepard, as the date of
his father's location and marriage is given as in 1796, and the birth of the first
child in 1798, while Pardee has no record of the location of his parents or birth.
In the village, fifty years ago, few, if any, of the business men of that time
are with you now. Most of them have been gathered by the sure hand of Death
into the village cemetery on the hill, and other business men are now in their
place. In a walk up the Main Street now, you will not see among the present
inhabitants any Judge Jewett, with his dignified carriage, nor a Captain De Cost,
who had crossed the Atlantic Ocean ninety-nine times, limping and slowly trudg-
ing along with the aid of his cane. Where will you find another such serene and
pleasant old gentleman as old Nicholas J. Roosevelt, who made his home in your
quiet village, after inventing the method of steam navigation, and who with Robert
Fulton gave to this world the steamboat, September 6, 1798, and made it a com-
mercial success? Then, whom would you enjoy meeting more than old Mr. C.
J. Burnett, who always was so cordial and pleasant, and the true type of an old
English gentleman? There were Richard Talcott, Walter Shotwell, Mr. Drake-
ford, Mr. Newton, Ralph Hall, Captain Jim Hall, and Deacon Hall. Old Mr.
Francis, who, they used to say, bit a nail in two to better preserve his teeth, and
who was the father of George and Samuel Francis, used to opera^te^ hat manu-
factory, adjoining St. James' Church. Then, you will miss another old-time gen-
tleman that lived on the west side of the Lake;;— Mr. Furman. It would not do to
leave out Chester Moses, or Mr.. Barrows, Arnbrose Hecox, or old Colonel Hecox.
Then, there were old George Clapp, Dr. John Snook, Charles Pardee, Mr. Fay of
the Lake House, with his brother-in-law Dan Welch, Alf Deuell, Little Jimmy
Tyler and his big livery, Webb the meat-market man. Tommy Elson the black-
smith, and old Mr. Burdick, the soft-soap man, who had the easy teeter in his
walk. Then, where is old Archer, who was janitor of the Methodist Episcopal
Church for so many years ?
As you walk up the Main Street and look into the business places, you do not
find Mr. E. D. Wheadon in his grocery opposite the Lake House. Hall & Miller
have left their carriage works. John Day no longer measures men for fine suits
of clothes. Dr. Hammond has left his drug-store. W. G. Ellery has quitted his
book-store. H. L. Bean is not in the watch, clock, and jewelry trade. Then
comes the Horton vacant store. Next, Morgan & Daniels are no longer behind
the counter of the largest store in the village, who with their clerks were kept busy
in the dry-goods, crockery, and grocery trade. Who misses the honest old Robert
2 20 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
Peacock that dealt out groceries for years? Then you miss Alfred Hitchcock
with his stock of boots and shoes, and Moses & Huxtable with their nice little
stock of dry-goods. Allis, on the upper side of the alley, was the village standby
for a merchant. Then came the portly merchant, William G. Slade, and Post-
master Garlock, C. J. Burnett, Jr., Charles Pardee, Sereno Field. Then there
was the Beauchamp store, and to end up at the' east end of the block was John
Snook's drug-store. In those days E. N. Leslie was a newcomer, and who can
not remember him, with his sprightly step, smoking a cigar, and the little Toby
Emma. Tempest. Ashland. ' Blue Bell.
REGATTA ON THE LAKE FORTY YEARS AGO (BLUE BELL AND PLYING CLOUD.)
On the dock stand Philander Williamson and Captain Eckhardt; on the corner
of the dock sits George Rawlins.
dog that was always with him? Where are the twinny Hall boys, George and
Jimmy, of fifty years ago ? Perry Cornell was the turfman, and he encouraged
horse-racing on the ice on the lake in winter time. Horace managed the omnibus
line. Hannum operated the machine shop. The Earlls ran the distillery. Doras-
tus Kellogg ran the woolen mills at Kellogg's Factory. Mr. Dare was the miller
at the grist-mill. John Legg was then on deck.
In those days an annual regatta took place on the lake. Boats from Cayuga
and Seneca lakes were hauled across the country by teams to compete for the
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 221
valuable prizes offered by our citizens for the best-managed and fastest boat. The
Island Queen and the Ashland were lucky boats, while the Blue Bell was the
village pride— Captain Jack Furman, Captain William Marshall, and Captain Tom
Shallish. Then Captain Dr. Lord, with his Sea Gull, who on one occasion was
allowed to win a race by the consideration of the competing boats, which by a
previous understanding were not to allow any other boats to win. The latter, in
order to carry out the design, towed a pail of water, which in dragging through
the water hindered their boats from too great a speed, thus giving Captain Dr.
Lord an opportunity to boast of his victory. There were, also, the Jilt, owned
by the Potters, and the Julia, owned by the Roosevelts.
Where is Old Huxford, the tin-tinker, who never had a clean face, but was a
very ingenious mechanic and was never puzzled in his work? Who can forget
Nels Flink, the cross-eyed and double- jointed negro, and his trained yellow dogs,
the dread of all the children? Benoni Lee, the lawyer, is among the missing.
And where is H. B. Dodge, who forty years ago would wrap his blanket shawl
about him on winter nights, and meander among the business men for local items
for the next Democratf
Few if any of the men whose names are mentioned here are with you now. But
the names are familiar, and at one time these men were the life of the village.
Tt is well kindly to remember them.
(The above reminiscences were written by George H. Ellsbury, who died a few
years ago.)
The Chipmunk Story. — Sam Francis was a natural wit. This adventure, as
related by him, probably occurred about 1820. The location of this story was in
the brick schoolhouse on the hill in the village. He was the eldest son of the late
Samuel Francis. He lost his life in the Civil War.
We have our own sport here in this Western country that our Eastern friends
are strangers to, and have it in our own wild manner, such as trapping the beaver
and otter, killing prairie and timber wolves, black bears, deer, and game of every
description.
Among the other eccentric celebrities of this new country is our Wisconsin
friend Sam Francis, whose cheerful laugh and happy story while away many an
idle hour after the business of the day is over. We will venture to relate one of
his schoolboy stories, but must confess that we are unable to give it that zest or
action which can be seen, but can not be described. The present story is a
matter of fact, having occurred in Skaneateles, Onondaga County, N. Y., and is
as follows :
" Augustus Kellogg (or, as he was called among us boys, Gust Kellogg) was
the son of Dan Kellogg, and, being older and very talented by nature, was the
leader. Gust suggested that, while school was out at noon, he and his brother
John, Add (Jerome) and Gird Porter, John and Charley Burnett, and I could go
to their wood-pile, of about fifty cords, piled up near their house, and kill over
four hundred chipmunks. I, being brought up in the fur business, was delighted
222 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
at the opportunity ; but as we had a new schoolmaster, a Vermonter and very strict,
who gave us fair warning at noon that, if we did not get our grammar lesson, we
would all be licked, and as I never enjoyed a licking, I told Gust; but he said that,
as he sat at the head of the class, a verb would be all that I would have to learn.
So, when school was out at noon, we set off for the chipmunks. We worked hard,
and I climbed over the wood-pile, and up the trees, and tore my trousers, and we
only caught three chipmunks, and there were four families of us. Gust declared
that I should have one that had lost his tail, and as it was near time for school to be
in we started, putting all the chipmunks in my hat, and covering them with leaves
and handkerchiefs, and putting the hat on my head. On arriving at the school-
house, Gust said it wouldn't do for us all to go in at once, and that he and John
would go in first, and say that they had stayed at home to ride the horse to plow
in the corn ; then Add and Gird Porter were to go in, and say they had to go to
the farm to carry dinner to the men ; and Charley and John Burnett to say that
they had to stay at home and tend post-office while their father went to Auburn,
about seven miles. Gust commenced telling me what to say, but, being out of
sorts on account of getting the chipmunk with the tail off, and my trousers being
torn, I told him I would make my own excuse. Gust said, ' Very well' So I
went in by myself, and endeavored to get to my seat unnoticed, but the master,
being enraged that so many were out, called me up. My companions were afraid
that I should make some mistake, but I remarked that, if I had got to stay home
to pull sheepskins, I had better stay hoxne and pull sheepskins, and not go to
school. ' Just so,' says the master ; ' you had better stay at home and pull sheep-
skins, and I will write to your father.'
" I took my seat with John Kellogg, who yawned considerably when he spoke.
He said he would rather I would have one of the chipmunks with the tail on than
the Porter family. And in the mean time, it being so warm, we were afraid the
squirrels would suffocate, so we put the hat under the writing-desk, took the
handkerchiefs out, and then stuck a ruler down among the leaves, and loosened
them up, that the squirrels might get some fresh air, when out they jumped and
ran over the heads of the scholars, and, as the windows were up, they made their
escape ; and the last one that went out was the one with the tail off, which Gust had
set apart as my share. I thought if the master only understood the circumstances,
he would favor me. I told him_ that that one with the tail off was the only one
I was to have, and that Gust said we would get at least four hundred chipmunks.
' Not another word out of your head,' said the master. ' Come up here. Gust Kel-
logg.' ' And,' said I, ' Add and Gird Porter said we would get three hundred and
fifty sure — ' ' Not another word out of your head,' says the master. ' Come up
here, Add and Gird Porter.' ' And,' says I, ' John and Charley Burnett said we
could get three hundred chipmunks certain — ' Says the master, ' Not another
word out of your head, sir.' And called up John and Charles, and placed us all
in a row, and as I was the shortest, he put me at the foot, licked me first, and so
on up to Gust, whipping him almost to death, and then we took our seats. The
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
223
master asking if we had got our grammar lesson I said promptly, ' Yes, sir.' And
he asked me, ' What is a pronoun ? ' I replied, ' A verb is a word that signifies to
be, to do, or to suffer.' ' What is a pronoun, sir ? ' Says I, ' You must begin at
Gust Kellogg, and we can all say it through.'
" And with that he called us all out, and licked us all over again. I couldn't
understand why he licked us, but, on going home, Gust licked me, so that I under-
stood all about it."
Young Fish Placed in Skaneateles Lake. — On February 18, 1871, 2,500
TEN MILE POINT, FROM THE SOUTH.
whitefish about one inch in length were placed in the lake, which were obtained
from the State breeding farm at Caledonia. They were placed on the rocky
bottom near the old lime-kiln, under the ice, which was eighteen inches in thickness
near the shore. This was under the instructions from the fish farm at Caledonia.
On October 16, 1858, fifty full-grown black bass, filled with spawn at the time,
were personally placed in the lake by E. N. Leslie. Owing to their having been
transported a long distance, about ten of them did not live, but the remainder
survived, and these are the originators of all the black bass now in the lake.
On December 10, 1874, 25,000 California salmon were deposited in the Shot-
well Brook by James P. Wheadon and others. A collection was taken up around
224 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
the village to defray the expenses of placing these fish in the lake, and twenty-six
dollars was collected. The fish were obtained from the fish farm at Caledonia,
and were one inch in length and in excellent condition when placed in the lake.
On March 3, 1875, 36,000 salmon trout were placed in the lake, near Mile
Point. Thirty dollars was collected around the village to pay the expenses of a
person sent to Caledonia to procure the fish and bring them home. This required
a great deal of care, as the water had to be changed several times on the route.
On March 3, 1877, Dr. Merrell put into the waters of the lake, off the lime-kiln
point, 50,000 salmon trout from Caledonia. A collection was taken up at the town
meeting, and thirty dollars was raised.
On March 14, 1883, Dr. Merrell placed in the lake at Mile Point 130,000 salmon
trout, which had been ordered and forwarded from Caledonia.
On March 28, 1895, 50,000 lake trout, from Lake Michigan originally, but
latterly from Caledonia, were placed in the lake, and, owing to the very thick ice
in the lake, they were very carefully placed in the Shotwell Brook.
David Burdick. — Forty years ago all the residents of the village knew " Old
Burdick." He was for nearly forty years a resident of the village, earning a pre-
carious living by making soft soap, in which occupation he prided himself. He
also blacked stoves and assisted the housewives in various ways. In another
manner he made himself useful. Whenever any villager was kept awake nights
by a barking dog which had become a public nuisance, a small fee of twenty-five
or fifty cents handed to Old Burdick would rid the neighborhood of the dog.,
Burdick would give the dog what he termed a " button." In fact, Burdick was a
fixed institution of the village. He was a harmless, inoffensive old man, and had
barely enough intellect to keep body and soul together. David Burdick had
been a soldier of the War of 1812, and was present at the taking of Little York,
Canada, and was only a short distance from the spot where General Pike was
killed by an explosion. This affair so wrought upon his nerves that he deserted
from the army. Old Burdick died at the Onondaga poorhouse, March 7, 1867.
The Erie Canal — Its Effect on this Town. — The Erie Canal, which had
been opened in 1825, was now (1840-45) adding in a perceptible degree to the
prosperity of every industry. But the completion of the Syracuse & Auburn Rail-
road inaugurated a new epoch, and marked the beginning of another era of local
enterprise. Unfortunately it passed just north of the north line of the town, about
five miles north of Skaneateles Village, and in a measure, in later years, this thrifty
center of population suffered from the withdrawal of trade. A project was, how-
ever, immediately instituted to preserve the fame and business of the place, and
on May 16, 1836, the first Skaneateles railroad company was incorporated, with
a capital of $25,000, the act naming Freeborn G. Jewett, Daniel Earll, David Hall
(Chairman), Richard Talcott, Charles Pardee, and Lewis H. Sandford (Secretary),
Commissioners. In 1838 the construction of a wooden railroad was commenced
between Skaneateles and the Junction, the nearest point on the Syracuse and
Auburn route, and September 30, 1840, this line was opened for passengers, who
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
225
were carried over it in a horse-car. The first depot in tlie village stood opposite
the Packwood House. This was subsequently abandoned, and a building erected
on the site of the present Station-House. Storrs Barrow was the superintendent
for many years. This crude railroad was closed August 24, 1850, and gave place
to a plank road, which was succeeded by the present steam railroad, operated by
the Skaneateles Railroad Company, which was organized in 1866, with Joel
Thayer, President ; Leonard H. Earll, Vice-President ; McKendree J. Dickerson,
Secretary ; and Eben Bean, Treasurer. The road was completed and placed in
CHARLES OXLEY.
operation in 1867. It is about five miles long, and is probably the shortest railway
line in the United States. Bonds were issued to the amount of $35,000 to aid in
its construction.
Charles Oxley. — ^Village people will recognize in this illustration little
Charley Oxley, who often appeared in the streets with his cane over his shoulder,
on which was fastened a bundle tied with a towel. He boarded with Robert Yoke,
whose residence was about four miles east of the village. Oxley always walked
to and from the village, generally carrying a basket of eggs for sale to the village
merchants. He was a kindly hearted old man and highly respected by all the
226 HISTORY ■ OF SKANEATELES.
village people. One of his friends contributes the following epigrammatic notice
of his life:
Sacred to the Memory
OF
Charles Oxley,
Born in England, and died in Skaneateles,
In the year 1888, aged 90 years.
Beneath this mound a rare exemplar lies.
Though poor, content; with little learning, wise.
Meekly, through length of years vouchsafed to few,
He did the Master's work as best he knew,
And, dying, left — to breed no envious strife —
Only the memory of a blameless life.
A moment pause, ye opulent, ye great.
Think: is there nothing here to emulate?
The Two Peculiar Characters in Skaneateles. — More than forty years
ago, before i860, were to be seen in the streets of the village two remarkable
characters — two men, brothers, one of whom always walked in advance of the
other. This leader always carried in his hand a blue cotton umbrella, rain or
shine. These two brothers wore swallow-tail coats, otherwise their apparel was
not noticeable. On some occasions they appeared with a wheelbarrow, on which
was a bag filled with some article of produce. The leader, with his umbrella,
walked in front, drawing the wheelbarrow with a short rope, while his brother
supported the handles of the barrow. ' The names of these two men were Thomas
and William Powell. They lived, generally alone, about three-quarters of a mile
south of Poverty Corners. At one time they lived with their mother. They
owned a few acres of land, which they thoroughly cultivated in the most primitive
manner. They never used a plow, but spaded the land entirely by hand. They
usually planted about an acre of wheat, and also planted garden vegetables, such
as corn, potatoes, beets, beans, etc. When they had occasion to get their grain
ground at the mill, they would fasten the bag in the middle of a pole, and carried
it in that manner, one leading the other at each end of the pole, the leader always
having his blue umbrella. The brothers were both bachelors. Finally a widow
caught Thomas, and he married her. This proved to Thomas a very unhappy
condition of life. The few acres they cultivated near Poverty Corners was the
admiration of all the neighbors and all who had occasion to pass the premises.
Every inch of the surface of the ground had been carefully spaded, raked over,
smoothed, and planted very regularly, not a single weed was allowed to peep
above the surface, and there was no neater plat of ground in the whole State of
New York.
Peter Pell. — Peter Pell was in his day one of the interesting characters in the
village of Skaneateles. Whenever there was a procession of a public character
through the streets, he was always the base drummer. His drum was his great
solace and pride; and the drumsticks, which were always ornamented with ribbons
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 227
of various colors, he twirled above his head, indicative of his enjoyment, and
during his public performances he thus exhibited his personal pleasure at all
times. In that manner he dignified his calling. He lived, solitary and alone,
in a small building on the west side of Leitch Avenue. During his residence in
the village, he made a precarious living by making and repairing shoes. He had
accumulated and saved a few hundred dollars, and before his death he made a
will and bequeathed two hundred dollars to St. James' Church for the benefit of
iits Sunday-school. Peter Pell died at Elbridge in 1874.
Prices in 1825.— The following bill shows the retail prices for goods in Skan-
eateles in 1825 :
One bed cord 38 J4 lb. snuff 09
10 lb. brown sugar i .46 3 oz. indigo 66
;-i lb. Y. H. tea 66 i oz. ess. hemlock & vial 13
I pair snuffers 19 i cravat stiffener 25
1 Quart whisky 09 i gallon whisky 38
2 side combs 13 6^ yds. calico at 3/- 2.44
22 cloak clasps 50 i set knives and forks i .99
4 yds. domestic red flannel 2 . 60 i piece paper hangings 50
I box 7x9 window glass 2.50 i blue platter 65
I snuff box 38 I pair morocco shoes i .63
5 gals, sp'ts turpentine 5.44 Pair shovel and tongs i .35
Bought from Samuel Francis.
8 men's wool hats at 9/-
4 boys' wool hats at 5/6
Grant Bramble and his Wonderful Inventions. — A St. Paul paper pub-
lishes the following statement of an important invention in engines :
" A small rotary engine of novel design has been invented by Grant Bramble,
of Sleepy Eye, Minn., for the patent of which H. F. Allen, of London, president
of an engineering syndicate, has offered him $1,600,000.
" The engine does away entirely with the crank motion, a most desirable thing,
but hitherto regarded as impossible to do. The engine uses its own plunger for
a cut-off. The engine is steam tight and requires no ring-packing. It can be
made marine type, and, of course, can be either simple or compound."
Grant Bramble, who appears to possess an inventive head of genius, was at
one time a resident of this village, being employed as a telegraph operator when
the Western Union ofHce in this village was under the management of Henry W.
HoUon. He received six dollars a week, and boarded with Mrs. Beatty on Rail-
road Street. He was somewhat eccentric in his dress and manners, and the boys
for this reason often tried to joke him, but he always took their bandying good
naturedly and was faithful to his duties. While living here he invented a door-
lock, which was certainly an ingenious piece of mechanism, to say the least, and
he often said he had other ideas which he intended to perfect when he could
afford it.
Several years after he had left Skaneateles he returned for a short visit, a
wealthy man. He had secured a patent on an incandescent light, and it was
228 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
reported that he sold his rights in the invention for $70,000. His sudden rise to
afHuence had not changed him a particle. He was the same every-day-sort-of-a-
fellow that he was when employed here as a telegraph operator at six dollars a
week. The only difference, in fact, noticed in him was that he smoked good cigars.
The account from St. Paul may be somewhat exaggerated, but those in town
who remember Grant Bramble will put considerable faith in the report. Mr.
Bramble must be about thirty-two years of age.
Village Property Rather Low in 1820. — Deed from Charles J. Burnett,
Sr., and wife, to Freeborn G. Jewett, April 12, 1820:
" Beginning in the center of the highway leading north from the village
of Skaneateles to Gen. Robert Earll's at the northwest corner of lands owned by
Winston Day, thence by chains and courses, not necessary to repeat here, to the
place of beginning, containing three acres of land. Consideration, $250."
The highway described as leading to Gen. Robert Earll's then commenced
on the north side of the Seneca Turnpike road, about where Jordan Street now
commences. The east side thereof then took the direction of the present
Methodist church directly to the large elm-tree, now near the corner of Academy
and Jordan streets. At that time the old highway ran to Gen. Robert Earll's,
then known as the " Red House."
Sherwood's House. — In the year 1830, Isaac Sherwood offered for sale his
house, store, and outhouses, and about one and a half acres of land, situated a
few rods west of the bridge. The house was formerly occupied as a tavern, and
the store as a printing-office.
The Indian Queen Hotel. — The Indian Queen Hotel was kept by Isaac
W. Perry previously to 1837. Henry W. Allen was the landlord of the hotel
in 1837. Perry succeeded Allen, and was landlord in 1838-39. He was fol-
lowed by Smith & Harvey in 1840. The name " Indian Queen " was afterward
changed to the " Lake Plouse."
Before Photographs ^VERE Known. — In 1852, Jonathan C. Keeney adver-
tised his " Skylight Daguerrian Gallery " in the Skaneateles Democrat. His
gallery was located over H. L. Bean's jewelry store, on the first floor. " He
flattered himself that he can please all who favor him with a call."
The Propeller Ben Porter. — The following items were published in the
Democrat in the month of July, 1866:
" The Propeller. — The boiler and engine of the new propeller are duly placed
on board the Ben Porter, and the carpenters are rapidly driving her upper
works toward completion. We hope at no distant day to announce her readiness
to navigate the waters of our beautiful lake."
" Steamboat Dock. — Through the liberality of our citizens, a large and sub-
stantial steamboat dock is about to be erected on the lake lot of Mr. Benjamin
Petheram, in the rear of James H. Smith's clothing store. It will be one hundred
and twenty feet long and twenty feet wide. This will provide a fine landing-place
for the propeller Ben Porter, as well as the pleasure-boats on the lake."
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 229
CHAPTER XVI.
Educational Sources and Early Schools.
The First School. — The first school in this town was established in a log
house built for the purpose, by General Robert Earll and some of his immediate
neighbors, on the west side of the outlet, near what is now known as Willow Glen
factory. Miss Edey Whitman was the first teacher. The late Nehemiah H. Earll
and Daniel Watson were scholars, with others in that vicinity.
The next school was in a log house situated about where Colonel Dan. Earll
now. resides. The teacher, was Dr. Hunger. He had a son named Jesse who
practised medicine. He was the first physician, and visited all around this sec-
tion of country. This was before Dr. Samuel Porter came into the county. After
Dr. Porter came. Dr. Munger moved to a place called Wellington, between
where Elbridge and Camillus are now, and afterward died there. Mr. Kneeland,
who had been a clock pedler, was employed by W. J. Vredenburg to educate his
children in 1805. This school was kept in a small new one-story house which was
on the ground where John Kellogg now resides.
In 1819, Mr. Whitney taught the district school near the Pardee residence.
Among the scholars at the time were John Kellogg, Samuel George, and Lyle
Francis. The first stove for burning wood was set up in the middle of the school.
There were also two large fireplaces on opposite sides for burning four-foot wood.
Miss S. Watson was a school-teacher in this village in 1828.
The first school on Military Lot No. 73, at Mandana, was in a log house
which was on the site of the present tavern. Daniel G. Burroughs was the first
school-teacher, and young Samuel Welch was one of the pupils. Afterward Miss
Hall and Miss Gleason taught in this schoolhouse.
Religious services were also held in this log schoolhouse by traveling mis-
sionaries.
Schools. — In 1819 there was a select school kept in the brick store which
was on the north side of the main street near where Dr. Campbell's office is now.
Laura Edwards was the teacher. She afterward kept a school in the basement of
the Ingham house, which stood where Charles H. Poor now resides.
There was a school kept in Ralph Hall's house in 1814-15. The teacher was
Miss Beecher.
About the year 1818 a school was kept in the Weston house, on what is now
known as Somerset Street. This was conducted by Mrs. Stephens. Her hus-
band taught the district school at the same time.
Mr. Thomas Allis came to Skaneateles in 1818. He soon after commenced
teaching at the district school, which was on the site of the house now occupied
23°
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
by Stephen Potter. In the year 1820 he opened a select school in the house now
owned and occupied by Lemuel Hall. In 1822 he kept a school in a building
which was on the site of the house now owned and occupied by Jesse Simmons,
about half a mile east of the village, on the old Seneca Turnpike. Benjamin
Lee's son, now the Episcopal Bishop of Delaware, was one of the scholars; also
Dorastus Kellogg and Augustus Kellogg, both of whom came over from Mar-
cellus daily. Some of our prominent ladies received their early instruction from
Mr. AUis. Mr. Allis afterward kept school in his own house, which is now
known as the Huxtable place, about opposite Mr. Humphryes' residence. William
H. Jewett, Edward Gould, and other boys were scholars. This was about 1823-32.
In 1826 a school was in the Maltby house, now owned by J. Hoagland. This
was kept by Rev. Mr. Brower, who, being incapacitated from preaching by cer-
tain weakness, taught school for a living.
In 1827 there was a school in the third story of one of the frame stores which
were situated about where Hollon's drug-store how is. The building was at that
time occupied by B. S. Wolcott. The teacher's name is unknown.
In 1832 Rev. Mr. Lyman had a school in Ambrose Hecox's house. Captain
De Cost's children attended here, and also scholars from Marcellus and Elbridge.
Mr. Lyman was a very talented man and a most excellent teacher.
Miss Evilina Greeves taught a school, about 1825, in the house where Mrs.
Dr. Campbell now resides.
The First School under St. James' Church. — Miss Abigail R. Higley
taught the first school under St. James' Church after it was built. This was in
July, 1828.
It may be interesting to publish a list of scholars who attended Miss Graham's
school under St. James' Church seventy-two years ago. This memorandum is in
Miss Graham's handwriting:
" Susan B. Graham commenced teaching school at Skaneateles, Monday
morning, May nth, 1829. A list of the scholars' names :
Mary Ann Briggs
Emily Francis
Elizabeth Smith
Sophia Hall
Caroline Hopkins
Barton Hopkins
Julia Eliza Lewis
Harriett Gibbs
Amanda Gibbs
Alexander Horton
Frederic Horton
Ann Maria Perry
George W. Perry
Mary Ann Creed
Elisha Hopkins
Mary S. Hall (or Hale.)
Esther Brooks
Sarah Ann Allen
Nancy Lewis
Ann Bingham
Eliza Burnett
Frances Hecox
Joseph Tallcott."
Louisa Huff
Mary Jane Horton
Nancy Hall
Julia Rust
Richard Tallcott
Harriet Hopkins
Julia Smith
Catharine Coon
George Tallcott
Augustus Dibble
Cordelia Jackson
The First Schoolhouse Erected in the Village. — There was a school-
house built about the year 1800, on about the site where the Roosevelt barn now
stands. Nicholas Otis was the first teacher here in the village. Thaddeus Ed-
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 231
wards (who makes this statement; went to that school, which was the first school
he ever attended. The Bowen Road then ran along the south line of Military Lot
No. 36 to this schoolhouse, and turned at right angles to the top of the hill, at
about where Roosevelt's large gate or driveway now is. This schoolhouse was a
frame one, and the outside was planked. After the course of the road was
changed it was moved to where Thaddeus Edwards' old house now stands.
The second schoolhouse was built on the present site of the brick one, near
C. Pardee's. It was frame, built about the year 1804. It was destroyed by fire
about four or five years afterward. Mr. Cary and Joshua Lane were teachers
there. The present old brick schoolhouse was erected in the year 1812.
State Street in the Village First Opened. — The lands over which it was
opened belonged to the late Charles J. Burnett, Sr. It was laid out and mapped
and given to and accepted by the town authorities as a public highway a short
time before the month of April, 1828.
A Subscription by Leading Citizens. — On April 24, 1828, the following
business men agreed to pay Phares Gould, Samuel Porter, and John S. Furman
the sums designated, " to enable them to purchase a lot en the new street " ( State
Street), laid out by Charles J. Burnett in Skaneateles, and to erect thereon "a
building with a view to keep a select school thereon:"
Stephen Horton, $50; Samuel Francis, $25; S. B. Hopkins, $25; Nehemiah
Smith, $25; Daniel Watson, $25'; A. Douglass, $25; S. Porter Rhoades, $25;
B. S. Wolcott, $25; Spencer Parsons, $75; William Gibbs, $50; Samuel
Rhoades, $25; J. M. Allen, $15; William Clift, $25; John S. Furman, $50;
David Hall, $100; Phares Gould, $100; F. G. Jewett, $100; John Legg, $50;
Nicholas Thorne, $50; Samuel Porter, $100; Philo Dibble, $100; Daniel Kel-
logg, $200; Hezekiah Earll, $50; C. J. Burnett, $100; S. and J. Hall, $100;
Lewis Cotton, $100; Charles Pardee, $25.
Several of the above named added from $10 to $50 to their subscriptions,
providing the building was constructed of brick, which was done. This led to
the incorporation of the Skaneateles Academy, on April 14, 1829. In Sep-
tember, 183 1, classical and scientific departments, a good library, chemical and
philosophical apparatus, collection of plants and minerals, etc., are advertised.
The officers were Daniel Kellogg, President; John S. Furman, Secretary;
Phares Gould, Spencer Parsons, Samuel Porter, D.D., Stephen Horton, Charles
J. Burnett, Philo Dibble, and Freeborn G. Jewett, Trustees. Among the early
principals were Robert Bradshaw, S. Rhoades, and Allen Fisk. Charles O.
Roundy was a teacher in the academy for two years from 1849. The building
was sold to the Union School District on June 3, 1854. In 1869 it was torn
down, and a new schoolhouse was built.
The Skaneateles High School. — By vote of the inhabitants of District
No. 10 the Skaneateles Free School was established in 1866. The Academic
Department was organized and placed under the Regents in 1868, in which year
the first Regents' examinations were held on July 13 and 14.
232 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
The main building, occupying the site of the old academy on the corner of
Academy and Syracuse streets, was erected in 1855, and has been twice enlarged
by additions : that on the north, in 1871 ; on the south, in 1882. The district
also maintains a primary department on Onondaga Street for pupils residing in
that part of the village. Both buildings are of brick, substantial and in good
repair, and well equipped for school purposes. The estimated value of the
buildings is $12,000. The library contains about 1,700 volumes.
In 1897 the name of the Academic Department was changed by the Regents
,to that of High School, and since that date the school is officially known as "The
Skaneateles High School."
In 1899 it was appointed by the Department of Public Instruction to instruct
a training class for teachers. It now has eight departments with eleven
teachers. The high school department, with a four years' course, prepares for
college, business, or teaching. The last catalogue shows a registration during
the school years 1898-99 of 377 students, of whom 53 were non-residents. The
graduates, now numbering 210, have always taken excellent rank in higher in-
stitutions of learning, and many of them are occupying positions of trust in busi-
ness and professional life. They have for several years maintained a flourish-
ing alumni association, which holds an annual meeting, with banquet, literary ex-
ercises, etc. The school has always been fortunate in securing and retaining for
long periods teachers of recognized ability.
The principals since the organization of the Free School have been as fol-
lows: M. H. Slee, 1865-69; Rev. W. C. Bowen, 1869-74; F. D. Hodgson,
1874-75; A. M. Wright, 1875-82; F. C. Whitney, 1882-84; H. F. Miner,
1884—.
Select Schools. — St. James' Institute was started in 1852, under the aus-
pices of Rev. A. C. Patterson, Rector of St. James' Church, with E. N. Leslie,
H. L. Roosevelt, Dorastus Kellogg, S. M. Drake, and John Snook, Jr., as man-
agers, and William G. Lloyd, M.A., and Miss Mary Jane Drake as principals.
This continued successfully for several years.
Between 1825 and 1850 several select schools were maintained in Skaneateles,
notably by Thomas W. Allis, from 1818 to about 1832; Rev. Mr. Brower and
Mr. Lyman ; Miss Pratt, who opened a " Young Ladies' Seminary" in her
father's residence in 1839; Miss Ann Eliza Humphrey, about 1843; and Mrs.
E. M. Haven, who opened the " Skaneateles Female Seminary," a private enter-
prise, about 1850.
Lydia p. Mott. — We herewith present the history of a prominent promoter
of female education, together with a compilation of some of the principal
events of her life in this town.
Lydia P. Mott was the daughter of Joseph Stansbury, of Philadelphia. She
was born February 23, 1775. She was married to R. Mott, of New York, in
1797, while in her twenty-second year. She was at that time a beautiful and
accomplished young lady. From the most authentic sources attainable, she
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
233
came to Skaneateles about 1818, from Bridgewater, near New Hartford, Oneida
County, N. Y., and in a short time commenced and established the "Friends'
Female Boarding-School," which was known as the " Hive."
It was located originally on the Willis F. Cuddeback farm, and on the same
spot of ground where his dwelling-house now stands. The building was a low
one-and-a-half-story old-fashioned style of a house, which is well recollected by
those of her young scholars who have survived the limitations of time. Mrs.
Mott purchased what is now known as the Bowling farm, and resided in the
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SKANEATELES LAKE AND ST. JAMES' CHURCH.
old building now used as a tenant house, with her son Arthur. Arthur was at
that period about twenty years of age, and was known as an unusually bright
young man by his associates. In after years, as a prominent business man, he
was well and favorably esteemed by his acquaintances for his probity and in-
tegrity in all his business transactions, and also for his great kindness of heart.
Mottville received its name from him, where at one time he was engaged in
the manufacture of woolen goods. His factory was on the site of the old Cole-
man flouring mill. After this, misfortune overtook him, and he became dis-
couraged and disheartened. In consequence of his pecuniary losses he soon
after became dissipated, and was ever afterward a slave to that habit. He fre-
2 34 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
quently appealed to his friends, exclaiming : "I want you to have pity upon me,
for I am obliged to rise from my bed every morning at four o'clock and go to
Benny Hudson's to get a drink of whisky. I am a perfect slave, and could not
withstand the power that is constantly over me, under the threat of instant
death." He died in Toledo, Ohio, of apoplexy, October 30, 1869, at the age of
seventy-one years.
A few years after the establishment of the Hive, Mrs. Mott sold out the
school to Caleb Mekeel, as he had full charge of it in 1823, associated with Abby
and Sarah Underbill as teachers. The school never was exclusively patronized
by the Society of Friends, as rnany prominent people of other denominations of
both town and village sent their young girls to be educated at the Hive at that
time. During the year 1826 the school was advertised as being under the
charge of Caleb Mekeel, assisted by Mary A. Watson as piano teacher, and was
then styled " The Skaneateles Female Seminary," and situated on the bank of
the lake, nearly opposite Isaac Sherwood's, in the building formerly occupied by
James Sackett (the present residence of Frederick W. Shear). Caleb Mekeel
was not very successful with the school, and afterward sold out to George Pryor,
but there is no source of informatioji as to how much longer the school was
kept up after Pryor took charge of it. The Hive was the earliest institution
for the education of young ladies in western New York. Caleb Mekeel died at
Ledyard, Cayuga County, December 26, 1859.
Mrs. Mott had a nephew who resided in this village in the year 1832, named
George A. Stansbury. He was studying law at that time with the late F. G.
Jewett. A public meeting was held, and Stansbury was one of a committee
appointed at the meeting to draft resolutions expressive of the views of the
meeting under the following resolution:
"Resolved, That the proceedings of some religious denominations in this
community require of the friends of Peace and Good Order in Society an ex-
pression of their opinion upon the propriety of holding what are called ' pro-
tracted meetings ' and upon the measures adopted in conducting them." Other
resolutions were adopted in conformity with this purpose, and published in an
extra Columbian.
George A. Stansbury afterward went to Baldwinsville, where he died.
One of Mrs. Mott's early friends relates that she was a sweet, lovable
woman, who took a kindly interest in everybody, but more particularly in young
people. She always had some one under her care to help get them started in
business. At one time she made a party for the boys in her neighborhood, and
invited them to assist in clearing away the old tree stumps in the cove at Mile
Point, which was a favorite playground for the children at that time. Another
friend of Mrs. Mott writes that " the little cottage where she lived, nearly oppo-
site the Friends' meeting-house, was then a lovely place, with its porches cov-
ered with fragrant honeysuckles, and two sides of the house surrounded by a
flower garden. Mrs. Mott was a prominent speaker in the meeting-house close
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 235
by. In those days the residents in that neighborhood were nearly all Friends,
and, as they did not approve of sending their little girls to the district school,
they preferred to educate them in the Hive. Mrs. Mott, even after she gave up
control of the school, retained her interest in behalf of the children. She would
have the scholars learn pieces of poetry to recite, and on one afternoon in each
week the little girls were taught to make samplers, needle-books, pincushions,
etc., and would endeavor in every manner to make the children interested in their
school."
Another of Mrs. Mott's scholars who received a portion of her education
eighty years ago in the Hive, thus describes her experience there : " In 1820
my mother died, and shortly after it was thought best to send my sister Jane
and myself to boarding-school, and we were accordingly transported to the
seminary kept by Uncle Caleb Mekeel. This was a celebrated and popular
school, conducted by Lydia P. Mott, who was a prominent member of the So-
ciety of Friends, and we remained there two years. My trunk, the first one I
ever possessed, was made by a mechanic, who combined not only blacksmithing,
but carriage and trunk making besides. My trunk had a real lock and key, and
it was papered inside and out. It contained two dresses, which were thought
at that time an abundant supply for any schoolgirl. We had also a stock of
■ colored cotton pocket-handkerchiefs, and a few linen ones made from our own
flax and spun at home. The school was an excellent one, and it was conducted
by Mrs. Mott as principal, assisted by Caleb Mekeel and Miss Sarah Underbill,
I have my certificate signed by each of them, dated 1823. There were at that
time forty scholars, and we slept in one large room, which was immediately
over the schoolroom, which was heated in winter time by the stove-pipe of the
large wood-stove below. In our sleeping-room there were twenty beds, and
there was but one washstand and one looking-glass. We made our own beds,
as was the universal custom in country boarding-schools. Our sleeping-apart-
ment was generally uncomfortably cold mornings, as the fire in the wood-stove
usually went out very soon after we had retired. The table fare was rather in-
different. Our standard dish was salt codfish, variegated at times with salt
pork, potatoes, with plenty of good bread and butter, and once a week we were
regaled with mush and molasses. Still we learned a great deal and enjoyed our
school-life very much. Mr. Mekeel was a bachelor, who was very fond of visit-
ing, so that we had many pleasant rides with him in winter and summer. He
would occasionally take us over to Auburn for a few hours, and once he took us
to Scipio, so that we could be present at the marriage of the two daughters of
Jethro Wood. They were both married on the same occasion in the Friends'
meeting-house there. A great crowd of the Society were in attendance, many of
whom, after the usual quiet ceremony, signed their names as witnesses to the
marriage certificate. The meetings of the Society of Friends always occurred
on Thursday morning of each week, and we girls were all obliged to be present,
but on Sundays we were allowed to attend the Episcopal services in the village
236 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
church, conducted by the rector, Rev. Mr. Converse. As the religious meetings
of the Friends were usually silent ones, my sister and I embraced the opportunity
to learn our Bible lessons for the following Sunday. Miss Juliette Legg used to
drive up to the school and take us to pass the Sabbath at her mother's residence
in the village, and you can imagine how pleasant the change was from the school
discipline to the larger liberty afforded in a village family, who lived so de-
lightfully as did the Leggs. Mrs. Mott was widely known as a prominent
preacher or speaker in the Society of Friends. She always attended the regular
quarterly meetings of the Society, which were held at Scipio, and her preaching to
those assemblages was received with great acceptance. All the scholars were
very fond of her, and always on her return home we were eager to welcome her,
and, like all schoolgirls, each one rushed forward to obtain the first kiss. Her
son Arthur had apparently taken a great personal interest in this practise, so he
came to the conclusion to try an experiment, so on one occasion, at about the
hour of his mother's expected return, he dressed himself in her clothes, and
placed her satin bonnet on his head, at the same time closely wrapping his face
with a white handkerchief, and, as men in those days had no hirsute appendages,
the imposition seemed complete, judging from the result. He unobservedly
went out into the road, and walked slowly from the front gate toward the school
entrance. We rushed out as usual, and about a dozen of us kissed him before we
discovered the deception. One day I undertook to decorate myself by curling
my hair, and accordingly began by carefully constructing two large ' finger-curls,'
one on each side of my forehead, securing them with pins. I ran down-stairs
from the dressing-room to meet Mrs. Mott as she came in, when, taking my face
between her hands, she exclaimed, ' Why, Debby, has thee got horns growing? ' I
never see a curl to this day that I do not recall her words and my mortification.
On Saturdays we all went into the schoolroom, and darned our stockings and
mended any rents which we found in our dresses. Our teachers were very par-
ticular in having our needlework done in the neatest manner. H a dress of two
or more colors was to be mended, we were obliged to have an equal number of
threads of the same colors, and to match the figures exactly. We made a great
many little needle-books and pinballs, and were taught to stitch them very neatly.
Among other accomplishments I learned while at this school was to play whist,
but it was not one of the regular studies. I was taught by my schoolmates."
When Mrs. Mott and her son left her pleasant little cottage opposite the
Friends' meeting-house, she purchased the lot near the village on which she built
the story-and-a-half cottage which was afterward owned by Frank and Edward
Potter. This property was subsequently purchased by the late D. C. Robbins, on
which the present handsome residence is located. After leaving this cottage, Mrs.
Mott went to Cincinnati, Ohio. Upon her return here she lived in what has been
known as the Mott cottage, on the .hill, in this village, where, after a long and
suffering illness, her days were ended. May 15, 1862, at the age of eighty-seven.
Her son Arthur was very attentive to her in her declining days, drawing her out
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 237
in the street in a little hand carriage when she was unable to walk. It is stated
that she had lived a widow fifty-seven years, and was widely known as one of
the earliest pioneers in the cause of female education and other philanthropic la-
bors. Her remains were interred in the " Hicksite " Friends' burying-ground,
which is nearly opposite her former residence in the little cottage. Her grave is
unmarked.
' Lived she her brief day here —
Night came, and she was laid away
At the last — forgotten.'
It was customary for the immediate neighbors of Mrs. Mott, during her last days
of infirmity and her long-suffering illness, to visit her ; among others a lady who
would sit and read to her on such subjects as she would select, which had the
effect not only to interest but to soothe many of the dreary hours of her solitude.
Another of her immediate neighbors frequently came in bringing in some little
appetizing delicacy, or doing something which would alleviate her sufferings in a
greater or less degree as might be suggested by the immediate occasion. This
lady had a great love for the old forest trees which formed a grove on the grounds
surrounding the little old cottage in which Mrs. Mott lived, and the little purling
brook which ran through that grove of maples, which also ran through the
grounds of her own immediate home. She had a loving interest in the preserva-
tion of those stately old trees and for the purity of the waters of that little stream.
A few years after her aged and infirm old neighbor had died, and after her son
Arthur had left the old home to reside in a Western State, this lady, whose love
for those old trees had not diminished by the lapse of time, composed the follow-
ing lines, reviewing her visits to the aged invalid, and indicating her personal in-
terest in the preservation of those old maple-trees. These verses were sent for
publication in the Democrat, and appeared in the issue 'Of that paper of December
7, 1865, on the outside page, and without signature or any reference to their au-
thorship. They were written by the late Mrs. Benoni Lee, and published with the
implicit understanding they were to be inserted anonymously. These verses are
appropriately reproduced here in connection with the subject of this paper.
The Maples of Mott Cottage.
They grew in the forest tall and fair,
Until man the destroyer came.
Felling their brothers for light and air,
And to nourish the household flame.
Musing a while on the hill, he stood,
Watching the day's decline: ,
" Why do I fell these lords of the wood,
Planted by Hand divine?
238 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
" Sickly exotics from sunnier climes,
These natives can never replace ;
Leaves softly murmuring like evening chimes,
It seems like a hallowed place.
" A group of trees by this purling brook,
A cottage would shade and adorn:
Peace for a pilgrim in yon quiet nook.
Repose for the weary and worn."
Bared to the sun, cheered by the breeze,
Half a century of seasons have sped :
The maples now are grand old trees,
And the Voodman who spared them is dead.
They catch the first gleam of morn's early light;
See the shadows steal over the lake;
The sun's parting rays linger at night.
Tinge with gold the wood and the brake.
In simple attire, with gentle grace.
Came a lady by years oppressed :
" In peace, my son, in this tranquil place.
The way-worn of earth may rest.
" Here may life close in quiet and ease.
Weary the path I have trod,
I can list to the murmur of the trees.
And silently worship God."
Hushed the lone heart, its pilgrimage done.
The breezes sigh mournfully by:
To the bourn that's returnless the mother has gone.
The son among strangers to die.
It has been stated heretofore that the scholars attending the Hive were those
of the different denominations of the town and village, but later information indi-
cates that the boarding scholars had a much wider range of locality. The
Friends' boarding-school in Skaneateles drew a share of its patronage from
Oneida County. One of its pupils was a daughter of Rev. Dr. Henry Davis, the
second President of Hamilton College, who afterward became the wife of Rev.
Ebenezer D. Maltbie, who died in 1859, in Syracuse, where his daughters still live.
Another of Mrs. Mott's pupils from College Hill was Miss Myra H. N. Ander-
son, who died in the month of August, 1889, at the age of eighty-nine years.
Miss Anderson was very fond of relating her schoolgirl experiences at the Hive,
where she and Miss Davis enjoyed in a college community their first freedom
from the restraints of home life, and spoke highly of the patience and positive
goodness of Mrs. Mott.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 239
Reference has previously been made to George A. Stansbury, a nephew of
Mrs. Mott, who was a resident in this village in the year 1832. He was one of
three brothers, all of whom graduated from Hamilton College. His full name
was George Alexander Stansbury. He died in the year 1863, at the age of fifty-
nine years. One of his brothers was Samuel Stansbury, who died in 1835, at
the age of twenty-six years. The other brother was Robert Mott Stansbury, who
studied and practised medicine, and who died in 1850, at the age of forty-three
years. The home of the two brothers last named was in Clinton, Oneida County.
Their gifted sister, Caroline Matilda Stansbury, became the wife of Prof. William
Kirkland, of Hamilton College, and gained a wide distinction as an author. One
of her writings was " A New Home, Who'll Follow ? " and other popular works.
Mrs. Kirkland died in April, 1864. Her daughter is a very successful teacher
and author in Chicago.
It has previously been stated that Mrs. Mott's remains were interred in the
" Hicksite " burying-ground. I have since had reliable information that she was
buried in the Fort Hill Cemetery at Auburn, and in the same grave where her
sister, Mary Stansbury, had been previously interred. This was by the request
of both sisters.
Friends who have become interested in this narrative have furnished addi-
tional items of interest.
A correspondent in Scipio writes : " We find the name of Lydia P. Mott in
the list of Friends made in the year 1828, and the date of her death, 1862, Fifth
Month 15, age eighty-seven. We find in a sketch of early Friends that she came
in the limits of Scipio Monthly Meetings in 1819. She was of English parentage,
and she was born on the Atlantic Ocean while her parents were on their passage
to Philadelphia, where the ship was bound, and she was named for the city of
their destination — Lydia Philadelphia Stansbury. She was reared in the Episco-
pal Church, and the simple ways of her adopted sect were but a thin disguise,
which rather heightened the effect of the culture and grace which careful training
gives to the upper classes of England. She was an admirable teacher, a^d a
preacher and a member of the Scipio Monthly Meeting, although she lived and
taught at Skaneateles, giving the name of her school as the ' Hive.' She had a
genius for benevolence. Her sympathy for suffering and to sufferers never slum-
bered, nor did any in need of aid find her personal attention wanting. Previously
to her removal to Skaneateles she lived at Whitestown, N. Y., where her husband,
Robert Mott, died. Her sister, Mary Stansbury, had charge of an asylum for the
blind, but which one is not known at present."
Mrs. Mott, it is said by those who knew her intimately, wrote beautiful let-
ters, which were valuable to keep and pass around among those who appreciated
her friendship. The following extract from one of her letters, addressed to her
young niece while Mrs. Mott was visiting in Ohio, is here given as an example :
" The old-fashioned simplicity of the members of Miami Meeting is congenial
to my principles. Luxury' and vain show is no part of Quakerism. Ah ! my
2 40 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
beloved girl, keep to the purity and simplicity of our profession. Let other young
people do as they may. It will dignify thy character, raise thee to usefulness,
and crown thy mind with that sweet eternal enjoyment which all the delusive
blandishments of the world can never bestow."
Another correspondent residing in a distant part of this State thus alludes to
a pupil of Mrs. Mott's :
" Miss Lucy Risley, of New Hartford, a very dear friend of mine, passed
some two or three years at her school, leaving it in 1827, and she did honor to
the school by her well-acquired knowledge. And I had the pleasure of an in-
timate acquaintance with Mrs. Kirkland and family. I know the Stansbury con-
nection. .You have made me happy by telling me of her daughter inheriting her
parent's ability as an authoress and a teacher in Chicago. Lydia P. Mott was a
lovely character, and merited the charming friends who sweetly ministered to her
later years."
The Schoolgirl Life of Mrs. Mott. — Lydia P. Stansbury, which was the
maiden name of Mrs. Mott, was, at the age of fifteen years, sent to the Moravian
boarding-school at Bethlehem, Pa. She remained there several years. There
were at that time seventy-five boarders in the Seminary, and twenty day scholars.
In the month of March, 1792, fifty-one chiefs and warriors of the Iroquois Con-
federacy visited Bethlehem while on their way to Philadelphia, then the Federal
city of the Union. This deputation was an imposing spectacle, especially so to
the young ladies of the Seminary, and also to the people of the town, such as had
not been witnessed there for many years. Some detailed account of this delega-
tion of Indians will be a deviation of this history of Miss Stansbury, but she will
be interestingly connected with them before the end of this narrative, and the
Rev. Samuel Kirkland, the missionary who under the direction of the War De-
partment accompanied these Indians, will be connected by marriage relation with
Lydia P. Mott's collateral relatives.
It will be remembered, by such as are acquainted with the transactions of
the Government with the Indian tribes at the close of the Revolutionary War,
that President Washington pursued a policy most prudent and humane in refer-
ence to these people, whose proximity to the young Republic was a matter of no
little concern. This deputation was organized and conducted by the Rev. Samuel
Kirkland, who acted under the authority of the War Department, under the di-
rection of President Washington, in the hope of carrying into effect a project dear
to his heart, which was none other than the amelioration of the Indian by per-
suading him to adopt the habits and occupations of civilized life. On the morn-
ing of March 9, these Indians arrived at Bethlehem by way of Nazareth, from
Wyoming. " There were," says an eye-witness, " fifty-one chiefs and warriors,
and among them ten baptized Oneidas, accompanied by their missionary. Rev.
Samuel Kirkland, a Presbyterian clergyman, who for twenty-five years had taught
and preached among them at the head of Oneida Lake." The names of some of
this delegation of Indians were as follows : Red Jacket, Good Peter, Big Tree,
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 241
Cornplanter, Farmer's Brother, Little Billy, Captain Shanks, Peter Jaquette or
Otsiquette, and Hanangaikhou, who were ail well-known personages. Most of
the party were slender, of ordinary stature, with finely developed forms.
Hanangaikhou, or Infant, was of uncommon height, measuring full six feet four
— the tallest man at the time in the Six Nations. The majority were dressed in
white linen shirts, short woolen coats, Indian leggings, consisting of a piece of
cloth bound around the calf of the leg with thongs, and snugly fitting moccasins
of deerskin, which latter the wearer was wont to dip into cold water in winter
before going abroad in order to protect the feet from frost. A number of the'
party had the sleeves of their coats adorned with large plates of silver, or wore
trinkets of the same material on their bosoms. Some had silver rings and pen-
dants inserted through the cartilage of the nose ; most of them wore massive ear-
rings of silver or copper, which by their weight drew down the extremity of the
ear and lengthened the slit through which they were passed. A few carried
rifles; the rest were equipped with tomahawk, knife, tobacco-pouch, and the
trusty bow and arrows. The more civilized were dressed somewhat after the
manner of the whites, wearing in place of cloaks the favorite blanket around the
shoulders, and on their heads uncouth caps of fur. The deportment of this mot-
ley group was animated and lively; and yet they strictly observed the laws of
decorum, and astonished the schoolgirls by their decent and quiet demeanor. The
day after the arrival of these chiefs and warriors, the Moravian brethren gave
them a formal reception at the chapel. The pupils of the seminary, at their special
request, were among the spectators and participated in the ceremonies of the occa-
sion. The Indians were seated across the length of the hall in two semicircular
rows, facing the minister's table. After the performance of an anthem with full
accompaniment by the choir, the Moravian Bishop made an address to them,
which will be given later. It will be interesting to note here the history of the
life and missionary work of the Rev. Samuel Kirkland, the Presbyterian mis-
sionary, who was delegated by the War Department to gather these Indians to-
gether and to bring them to Philadelphia. One singular coincidence worthy of
mention in connection with Lydia P. Mott is that, while she was a young school-
girl, she should meet by mere accident Rev. Samuel Kirkland, the missionary,
whose grand-nephew, forty years afterward, married her own niece, Caroline
Matilda Stansbury. And another singular coincidence in reference to this mis-
sionary is that he was the originator of that prominent seat of learning in our
own State, Hamilton College, and the husband of Miss Mott's niece was a pro-
fessor in that college.
Having been educated in Princeton College, and while yet a college student,
Samuel Kirkland's heart burned within him as he thought of the untutored chil-
dren of the woods. He knew that, if he should go to them, many trials and
hardships awaited him, therefore with the impulsiveness of his nature, at the age
of twenty-four years, he left Johnstown, in January, 1765, and plunged into the
wilderness. On that cold winter morning, one hundred and twenty-six years
242 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
ago, he had a dreary journey before him. With his two Indian guides, he was
to travel two hundred miles, his feet shod with snow shoes, and on his back a
pack of forty pounds; his path, the trail in the snow made by the feet of his
dusky leaders. It was at that time that he carried the germ and origination of
what he afterward accomplished — the Oneida Indian Academy, founded by him
in 1793 — which was later merged into Hamilton College. His first work was
among the Senecas. Subsequently he dwelt among the Oneidas, whom he es-
teemed the noblest of the Iroquois Confederacy. Near the present village of
Oneida Castle was an Indian village, known as Kanonwarohale. There Kirk-
land lived for a time. To the log house which he built with his own hands he
brought his bride, a niece of 'President Wheelock, of Dartmouth College. They
journeyed by boat up the Mohawk River, and on horseback through the woods
to Oneida, his wife on a pillion behind her husband. In this Indian village his
two sons were born. The Indians gave them high-sounding names. One of
them, John Thornton Kirkland, afterward became distinguished as President of
Harvard College. During the Revolutionary War Kirkland was for a time a
Chaplain in the American army. It also fell to him to endeavor to keep the Six
Nations in a state of neutrality. After the war he resumed his missionary labor.
A Cayuga chief, who had heard favorable reports of " the white priest and his
Bible," came sixty miles to visit him. In 1788, when George Clinton was Gov-
ernor, the State of New York united with the Oneida Indians in making a grant
of valuable land to the Rev. Samuel Kirkland, in recognition of his valuable
services. The tract was two miles square. On this tract of land the following
year he cleared a few acres, and in the year 1791 he built a small frame dwelling-
house. He began to mature plans for the erection of an academy for the educa-
tion of Indians and white settlers. With this view, he visited Philadelphia, then
the seat of Government, and laid his plans before the public men there, among
whom was President Washington, who became deeply interested in the enter-
prise. The cooperation of the Governor of New York and the Regents of the
University was secured, and a charter granted January 31, 1793. Alexander
Hamilton, the Secretary of the Treasury, and Colonel Pickering, then Postmas-
ter-General, furnished substantial aid, and Hamilton was one of the trustees
named in the petition for incorporation. In honor of him it was called Hamilton
Oneida Academy, when really the honored name should have been Kirkland
Oneida Academy. Kirkland gave liberally of his own substance toward the erec-
tion of the academy. His subscription was as follows : Ten pounds, fifteen
days' work, and three hundred acres of land for the use and benefit of the
academy, to be leased and the proceeds to be applied toward the support of an
able instructor. Other gifts were for the most part in labor and building ma-
terials, but little money was given. After the foundation was laid and the frame
raised the funds were exhausted. With characteristic push, Kirkland secured
additional funds, and the building was enclosed, and a portion fitted up for the
use of the school, which was opened in 1797. The building was ninety feet long.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 243
thirty-eight feet wide, and three stories high. There is no evidence that any In-
dian youths were educated at the academy. Their roaming, restless disposition
chafed under the restraints of school, and the few whom Kirkland adopted into
his own family were soon allowed to return to their tribes. One of the converts to
Christianity under his ministry was Good Peter, an Oneida chief. The Indians
called Hamilton College " Yon-da-te-ei-on-ny-en-ni-ta-go," which means "The
Great School." The corner-stone of the academy building was laid July i, 1793,
with appropriate and impressive ceremonies, by Major-General Baron de Steuben,
assisted by the Indian chief Schenandoa. The latter died at the age of one hun-
dred and ten years. May 11, 1816, and was buried at his own request beside his
white father — Kirkland, who died in 1808.
The Moravian Bishop, who addressed the delegation of Indians under the
charge of Kirkland, their missionary, said to them as follows :
" Brethren of the Six Nations, you are heartily welcome to Bethlehem. We
and our children are pleased to see you. Fifty years ago our chiefs and your
chiefs made a covenant of friendship, promising to love one another and to ren-
der mutual good services. We, the United Brethren, are lovers and friends of
all men, as we have one common Father in heaven, and one Lord, even Jesus
Christ, who redeemed us from evil by his precious blood, shed for the sins of all
mankind. We have long been waiting for the salvation of your tribes, and of
all the Indians in this country. It will prove a source of great joy to us could we
in any way contribute to this object, and aid in converting you to the knowledge
of the only true God. Be assured of our love and of our sincere wishes for your
welfare. You see here present a number of young ladies from different parts of
our country, who rejoice with us in seeing you here, and who have asked permis-
sion to express their satisfaction personally."
Here Miss Lydia P. Stansbury, of Philadelphia, handed a written copy of her
address to one of her schoolmates, who had been selected to communicate it to
the Indians, most of their number understanding English', and for the others an
interpreter was present. Miss Lydia P. Stansbury's address to the warriors and
chiefs of the Six Nations was as follows :
" Brothers of the Six Nations, we bid you welcome to our town. We are re-
joiced to see you. We see you without fear and trembling. We regard you as
friends and brothers. You are on a good journey. You are going to smoke the
pipe of peace with our great chief, George Washington, and his council, and to
polish anew the chain of friendship. We wish you a prosperous time and a
favorable issue to your undertaking, and hope that you may return to your wives
and children with gladdened hearts. We are here in Bethlehem to be instructed
in what is good. Tell your little ones what is good. Tell them we love them ;
that one Father feeds and protects us both ; that the same sun shines on us, and
that we were born in the same land. May our children and their descendants
always dwell in peace and friendship with your children and their descendants!
May the song of the heavenly messengers be realized in our land, when they
244 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
sang, ' Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward
men ! '"
These words, adapted to music, were then sung by the choir with full accom-
paniment.
Red Jacket now rose and addressed the Bishop in a few words : " Father,"
said he, " for thus I call you, since you are a servant of the Great Spirit above, and
strive to promote the ways of justice and peace, I thank you for the kindly wel-
come and reception we have experienced in your midst. I am persuaded that the
United Brethren are a blessed and happy people, and I desire that your prayer
to our common Father that our tribes be brought out of darkness be answered."
The venerable Good Peter next rose, and, turning to the pupils, expressed
his thanks for their interest in the Indian, saying that he felt constrained to
acknowledge their tender address and friendly greeting; that he and his com-
panions were astonished that such young females ventured to welcome the wild
sachems and warriors of the Six Nations; that they had done so with the dis-
creetness of maturer years, from which it was evident how they had profited from
the instruction they enjoyed at school. " We will," he concluded, " tell our chil-
dren and grandchildren what has transpired to-day, and hope that, at no remote
time, they may be favored in their dark wilderness with schools such as are to be
foimd in this happy village, where the grace of the Great Spirit reigns in so pecu-
liar a way."
At the close of this interesting interview, cakes, apples, and other trifles were
distributed among the Indians. On the fourth day after their arrival, the chiefs
and warriors left by way of the Lehigh and Delaware rivers for Philadelphia.
Good Peter, or Dominie Peter, an Indian chief, was at the time he made the
above speech in his seventy-seventh year.
Sa-go-ye-wat-ha (He keeps them awake), or Red Jacket, the celebrated war-
rior of the Seneca Nation, died at Buffalo, in 1830, in the seventy-eighth year of
his age.
Cornplanter, another of the chiefs, died in 1836, at the age of more than
one hundred years.
Farmer's Brother, another chief, died in the year 1814, between eighty and
ninety years of age.
Otsiquette, or Pierre Jaquette, a young and intelligent Oneida chief, was
adopted into the family of the Marquis de Lafayette, and taken to France at
the close of the Revolutionary War to be educated. Love of native country, how-
ever, proved stronger than attachment to a kind foster-father, and prevailed with
the Indian prince to resign the splendor of courts and the allurements of a gay
metropolis for the free forests and lakes of his childhood's home. He died soon
after reaching Philadelphia, in the twenty-sixth year of his age.
After this delegation of Indians arrived at Philadelphia, in 1792, President
Washington, anticipating the arrival of Red Jacket, had a special medal prepared
for presentation to him, of which we at this late day would not have had any
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 245
knowledge of its preparation or presentation except through the coincidence, hap-
pening just as this account of the visit of these Indians was being compiled, of
the publication of the following description of that medal in a Canandaigua paper,
dated February 17, 1891 :
" Last Saturday evening, the famous medal presented to the great Indian
chief. Red Jacket, in 1792, by General George Washington, was received by. the
Red Jacket Club of this village from Mrs. Elizabeth Townsend Meagher, of New
York, widow of the late General Thomas Francis Meagher, and granddaughter
of Captain Jasper Parish, the Indian interpreter and Government agent, to whom
Red Jacket presented it as a token of his regard. This medal was presented to
Red Jacket by President Washington while he was visiting the Capital in com-
pany with other warriors and chiefs, and Captain Parish, in 1792. It is solid sil-
ver, of oblong shape, about five inches in length and two and one-half inches
wide. Upon the obverse .side is engraved a scene representing General Wash-
ington handing the pipe of peace to Red Jacket, while peaceful employments are
suggested by the figure of a man plowing with an ox team in the distance. On
the reverse side is the figure of an eagle, around whose head are grouped the
fourteen stars representing the fourteen States that formed the Union at the time
of the presentation. It is evident that the great chief prized the medal highly,
for he wore it continually, and some time before his death committed it to the
keeping of his best friend, Captain Parish, from whom it descended to his grand-
daughter, who made the presentation to the club."
Resume. — ^When it is considered that the subject of this sketch, Mrs. Mott,
was born 125 years ago; that the incidents of her schoolgirl life and her address
to the Indians took place over 108 years ago; that her first appearance in Skane-
ateles took place over 100 years ago; that the school she established — the Hive —
was discontinued about 70 years ago; that she died about 40 years ago; that
she left no relatives here, and that the compiler of these papers knew but very
little about her, and has no recollection of her personally, the attempt to identify
her life in Skaneateles seemed ^preposterous, especially after interviewing her old
acquaintances in town and village, none of whom could furnish any of the fol-
lowing particulars : The date of her death, her age, when she came here, where
she resided previously, whether she first established the Hive and when, the date
of her son Arthur's death, where he died, his age, and the date of Mrs. Mott's
marriage. In commencing this narrative, my object was first to identify her with
Skaneateles in as succinct a manner as possible with the limited information I
had at hand; after that, to publish her early life as a schoolgirl at Bethlehem,
Pa., where she first met Kirkland, the missionary. Having had access to the ar-
chives of the Moravian Seminary while visiting Bethlehem several years ago, I
copied the account of the visit of the warriors and chiefs of the Six Nations in
1792, and the address of Miss Stansbury to that delegation, also the replies of
Red Jacket and Good Peter. I thought that this incident in Mrs. Mott's early
life would be of interest to her old friends and acquaintances in this vicinity.
246 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
I have by great perseverance succeeded in obtaining from various sources, mostly
from non-residents, the several disconnected incidents herewith published. Ac-
companying my private correspondence to various parts of the country, I have
usually mailed a copy of the Free Press, marking the Mott article, and in almost
every instance the allusion to her was met with a response indicating that Mrs.
Mott was not a stranger, and she was always alluded to as a very lovely character
and a sweet woman.
A former resident of Skaneateles, a lady, thus writes : " I was much inter-
ested in your account of Mrs. Lydia Mott's early life. I remember her well,
always seeing her at the lectures in the Congregational Hall in the village. I
liked to sit next to her. I found her very entertaining and lovely in her ways of
speaking, and her intelligence on all educational and other subjects was very pleas-
ing. Every schoolgirl who was ever under her tuition recollects how she used to
instill into their memories the art of sewing neatly, and particularly of darning
their clothing. On some occasions she would rip, tear, and even cut open a hole
in a dress, and then teach its owner to repair it in such a manner that it could
not readily be discovered."
Referring again to George A. Stansbury, a former resident of this village, who
was a nephew of Mrs. Mott, it has been stated that he went from here to Bald-
winsville, where he died. An editorial in the Baldwinsville Gazette, referring to
this Mott history, states that Stansbury was married in that place in 1840, and
that two of his children, both deaf-mutes, were simultaneously married in Grace
Church, August 10, 1869.
A Former Citizen. — In the Skaneateles Free Press, in the sketch of Lydia
Mott's life, there occurs a brief mention of the late George A. Stansbury of this
place :
" Reference has been made in a previous paper to George A. Stansbury, a
nephew of Mrs. Mott, who was a resident in this village in 1831. He was one of
three brothers, all of whom graduated from Hamilton College. His full name
was George Alexander Stansbury. He died in the year 1863, at the age of fifty-
nine years. Their gifted sister, Caroline Matilda Stansbury, became the wife
of Prof. William Kirkland, of Hamilton College, and gained a wide distinction
as an author. One of her writings was "A New Home, Who'll Follow?" and
other popular works. Mrs. Kirkland died in April, 1864. Her daughter is a suc-
cessful teacher and author in Chicago."
Mr. Stansbury strongly resembled the Mott family in personal appearance,
and was widely known through his "Interest Tables." On August 24, 1840, he
was married by Bishop De Lancey, to Mrs. Evelina M. Goodell, in what is now
Grace Church Rectory.
His estimable wife long survived him. In the parish register his death is
recorded as occurring September 17, 1863, at the age of fifty-eight years. Very
many will recall the beautiful double wedding of his two deaf-mute daughters in
Grace Church, August 10, 1869. Mrs. Stansbury's death took place nearly twelve
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 247
years after that of her husband, September 16, 1875. Both were buried here. —
Gazette and Farmers' Journal, Baldwinsville, N. Y.
A Quaker School. — The Free Press has some pleasant reminiscences of a
Quaker school in Skaneateles, well known as the " Hive," nearly seventy years
ago. A former schoolgirl gives some of her experiences. When Mrs. Mott,
the teacher, came back from the quarterly meetings in Scipio, the girls always
rushed out for the first kiss. Her son Arthur tried an experiment by arraying
himself, in his mother's Quaker dress, and entering the gate. " We rushed out
as usual, and about a dozen of us kissed him before we discovered the deception."
How many afterward is not recorded. The same lady says : "Among other ac-
complishments I learned while at this school was to play whist, but it was not one
of the regular studies. I was taught by my schoolmates." — Gazette and Farmers'
Journal, Baldwinsville, N. Y.
The Earliest Recorded Description of Skaneateles by a Traveler. —
Rev. Timothy Dwight, while on a journey to Niagara, passed through the local-
ity where the 'village is now, and thus described the settlement and the lake,
October i, 1804, ninety-seven years ago:
" In the western part of Marcellus, there is a beautiful- lake named Skaneateles,
commencing in the township of Tully, crossing the corner of Sempronius, and
reaching through a considerable part of Marcellus. Its length is fifteen miles,
and its breadth from one to two. At the outlet of this fine piece of water,
sprightly and vigorous, running between high and rough banks, and without any
of those marshy incumbrances which spread deformity and disease around the
outlets of so many lakes in this region, there is a small settlement, which I thought
peculiarly pretty. It is built upon the north end of the lake and upon a handsome,
clean margin. The lake is in full view, and interested me more than any other
on the road. The shores on both sides are elegant arched slopes; the eastern
already handsomely cultivated. The soil is excellent, and the fields were covered
with a glowing verdure. At the south end of the lake, the prospect is limited by
distant mountains, in this region uncommon, and therefore perculiarly gratify-
ing objects."
The foregoing extract is taken from Dwight's "Travels in New England and
New York," in four volumes, 8vo, published in New Haven, in 1822.
Timothy Dwight was born in 1752, and died in 1817. At the period of his
visit here, in 1804, the location of the present city of Syracuse, according to
Clark's " History of Onondaga," was " a dark, gloomy, and almost impenetrable
swamp, being a part of the Salt Springs Reservation." The locality of the pres-
ent Auburn was " a few scattering log houses, which were afterward named
' Hardenburgh's Corners.' "
Historical Collections. — The author published in the Skaneateles Demo-
crat twenty years ago a series of collections of early history, entitled " Many
Years Ago. Random Sketches of Life in Skaneateles in Early Times," which
attracted much interest.
248 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
CHAPTER XVII.
The Teasel Industry^ Various Corporations, and Banks.
The Teasel Industry of Skaneateles. — The teasel is a plant of the genus
Dipsacus, of which one species, D. fullonnm, bears a large burr or flower-bud,
covered with stiff, prickly, hooked awns or bracts, which when dried is used for
raising a nap on woolen cloth. This process is termed " teasehng." The fine
fibers or hairs of the wool forming the threads of the woven woolen cloth are,
by the action of the hooked awns on the extremity of the spines of the burr,
gradually and very slowly drawn out from the woven cloth, and are always drawn
in one direction, thus leaving a fine finish on the surface of the cloth. The teasel
has been in continual use for this purpone ever since the period of the Roman
Empire.
The exterior of the teasel burrs is from two to four inches in length, and
about one to one and a half inches in diameter. The bud, or seed receptacle, forms
the center of the burr. On the extreme point of each individual spine is what may
be termed a curved hook, which is nearly at right angles with the spine ; its point
is exceedingly sharp. In use, the teasels are placed on a large cylinder, about
four feet in. diameter, close together in regular order, with the stems of the burrs
all in one direction. The woven woolen cloth is placed on another cylinder, which
revolves very slowly in the opposite direction to the teasel cylinder, the cloth being
drawn over the teasels and against the sharp points of the hooks, the effect of
which causes these sharp points to draw each individual hair or filament from the
threads of the woven cloth, and, if the filament of woolly hair does not draw out
easily, the flexible spines of the teasel burr bend in such manner as to allow the
cloth to pass over the sharp points without damage. It is just this character
of the teasel that shows its adaptability for its especial use. Although human
ingenuity has produced appliances to take the place of the natural teasel, yet
the trivial cost of the teasel, and its adaptability to being easily freed from accu-
mulations of wool and grease while in use over the surface of the woven cloth,
make it superior to any mechanical arrangement. The accumulation of objection-
able matter on the surface of the teasel is cured by turning the teasel over to
another face.
The teasel plant is a biennial, two years being required for its full growth.
Its roots and leaves are formed the first year, and the plant that year resembles
a field of turnips. The second year a strong, thorny stalk is thrown up, which
becomes filled with many branches. On the extreme end of each branch, and on
each twig, a teasel is formed. The size of each differs in accordance with its
position on the plant, the lower ones being the smallest, and they increase in size
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 249
toward tlie top. Each size has its peciUiar name among the growers and dealers.
The top and largest is termed " The King," while the lowest are called " Buttons."
After the seed has been planted and the plants have appeared above ground, it is a
prime necessity that the plants should be kept free from the growth of weeds The
seed is sown in rows, which are wide enough apart to allow the use of a horse and
cultivator between the rows. During the second year after planting the teasels
ripen in the month of August, when many men and boys are employed in the
work, whose pay depends upon their ability in cutting off the teasels from the
thorny plant and conveying them from the field in large baskets, furnished for
the purpose by the employers. The employees are paid by the thousand, which by
weight is ten pounds. To protect their hands from being injured by the thorns
on the plant in gathering the teasels, they are obliged to wear an inexpensive
" teasel mitten," or glove. The burrs are cut oft' about two inches from the base
of the burr, or teasel, with a simitar-shaped knife or l)lade, as the stalk of the plant
is very tough and difficult to cut. After the crop has been gathered, the next
THE TEASEL.
process is thoroughly to dry the new teasels. This is eft'ected by placing them
spread out on temporary shelves, one above another, in a barn or building which
has been prepared for the purpose by removing some of the vertical or horizontal
boards from the outside of the building, to allow a free access of the air through
the teasels. All the foregoing growth and gathering of the crop has been the work
of the growers or farmers. The crop is then for sale to the teasel merchants, who
])urchase them at prices in accordance with the market or demand, by making oft'ers
at so much a thousand of ten pounds in weight. During" the War of the Rebellion
teasels were in demand at five dollars per thousand. Of course that price was
excessive, owing to the Government's contracts for the clothing of the troops, and
also in a measure to the scarcitv of laborers for farmwork, and therefore a dimin-
ished crop of teasels. At the present writing (1899) the market for teasels is very
depressed, being forty cents per thousand. Twenty years ago, farmers considered
fifty cents per thousand as being equal to a crop of corn at the price then ruling for
corn. At the present time corn is depressed in value, and is about the ratio of
250 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
teasels kt forty cents. The farmers consider that teasels and corn are not paying
crops. The next process is to prepare the crops of teasels for sale to the woolen
cloth manufacturers. The work is done during the winter season by men and boys
in what are called " teasel-shops," which are kept comfortable by heat. The
teasel as it comes from the farmers after being dried has a projecting appendage
from its base, similar in shape to a spur. These are numerous and very tough
and prickly, and are cut off close to the base of the teasel with sheep-shears. This
work is called " trimming teasels," and gives employment to many persons who
otherwise would be unable to procure employment during the winter. The
employees are paid by the thousand, in accordance with their ability to do the
work very fast. The teasels after being trimmed and assorted as to size are very
carefully packed in large-sized boxes, which are calculated to hold a certain num-
ber of thousands. Each teasel is packed into these boxes by hand, in regular rows
and uniformity of size. The growth of the teasel plant in this country is limited
to but few States. The town of Skaneateles and Marcellus, in the State of New
York, supply the demand of the whole United States, with the exception of the
State of Oregon, in which is grown a comparatively small crop. Teasels are im-
ported from France, and are of a very superior quality. The duties imposed
upon them are almost prohibitive, and prevent their importation, except in small
quantities for some special purpose. Forty years ago the teasel merchants packed
teasels in large boxes loosely for shipment (not by hand as is done now), and in
order to enhance the weight the seeds were placed in the center, the seeds having no
commercial value. This system did not please the buyers, in consequence of which
the teasel merchants in this section were held in bad repute, and through the in-
fluence of the woolen manufacturers the duties on foreign teasels were very mate-
rially reduced or taken off. The very careful cultivation of the teasel produces
it to perfection; while uncultivated, the plant grown from seeds dropped in the
highways during the transportation of teasels by wagons loosely produces a teasel
similar in outward appearance to the cultivated, but it has no hooks or awns on the
spines of the burr, and is therefore useless. It has been stated heretofore that
the farmers or growers sell their crop by the thousand, and the employees in the
teasel-shops in the trimming process are paid according to their dexterity, some
earning not much more than fifty cents a day, while others earn a dollar. The
number of thousands is determined by weight, which is ten pounds. The teasel
merchants, after their purchases from the farmers and other growers at the rate of
ten pounds to the thousand, and after having paid the teasel trimmers at the same
rate per thousand, must of necessity have their profit, which is obtained by their
sales to the woolen manufacturers at the rate of seven pounds to the thousand,
which is the established terms of sale.
Skaneateles Water Works Company. — The Skaneateles Water Works
Company was organized August ii, 1887, by George Barrow, President; J. K.
Knox, Secretary ; and B. F. Petheram, Treasurer. The supply of water is taken
from the lake by pumping.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 251
The Skaneateles Iron Works.— The Skaneateles Iron Works Company was
organized in 1866, under the following certificate :
Certificate of Incorporation.
We whose names are hereunto signed do hereby certify that we have associated together
and formed a manufacturing company for the purpose of carrying on and conducting the
business of manufacturing merchant iron, bolts, nuts, washers, rivets, carriage clips, and all
other articles manufactured from iron or steel. That the corporate name of said company is
" The Skaneateles Iron Works." That the objects for which the said Company is formed
are to manufacture merchant iron, bolts, nuts, washers, rivets, carriage clips, and all other
articles manufactured from iron or steel. That the amount of the capital stock of said Com-
pany is fifty thousand dollars ($50,000), and shall consist of five hundred shares of one
hundred dollars each. That the term of existence of said Company is fifty years. That the
number of Trustees of the said Company is four; and the following are the names of the
Trustees who shall. manage the concerns of said Company for the first year, to wit: Eben
Bean, George H. Earll, Edward B. Coe, and Henry Vary. And that the operations of said
Company are to be carried on in the town of Skaneateles, Onondaga County, and State of
New York.
Dated the Sth day of December, 1866. Eben Bean,
E. B. Coe,
George H. Earll,
Henry Vary.
Signed and acknowledged before me by Eben
Bean, George H. Earll, Edward B. Coe,
and Henry Vary, and each and every of
them, this Sth day of December, 1866.
H. J. HuBBAiuD, Notary Public.
The company immediately erected their buildings, and put in their plant, and
did roll a considerable quantity of merchant iron from scrap iron, but it was not
very long before the company needed additional capital, as appears by the follow-
ing notice :
Meeting of the Stockholders of the Skaneateles Iron Works.
Notice is hereby given that a meeting of the stockholders of the Skaneateles Iron Works
is called for and will be held at the office, of the Company, in the town of Skaneateles,
County of Onondaga, and State of New York, on the 28th day of June, 1869, at one o'clock
in the afternoon, for the purpose of increasing the capital stock to the amount of one
hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
Dated May 20, 1869. George H. Earll,
Sedgewick Austin,
E. B. Coe,
John McNamara,
E. Bean.
By a vote of the trustees it was determined to issue mortgage bonds. These
were duly prepared and offered for sale in the Syracuse bond market, but it seemed
that there were no buyers. As it was imperative that money must be had, the
stockholders- held a meeting, and by a unanimous vote determined individually to
252 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
indorse the bonds in order to make them more acceptable to investors. This plan
proved successful, the bonds were readily sold, and the desired money raised. More
merchant iron was manufactured, but it was not long before the company wanted
more money. This deficiency of money was probably caused by there being but
little money originally paid in by the stockholders. The proposition to issue new
indorsed bonds became known to former investors, and they instituted an inquiry
as to the individual responsibility of the stockholders, which resulted in making
an additional issue unsalable. There was only one exception, and that was an
old farmer residing in the town of Sennett. He was prosecuted for the whole
issue of the indorsed bonds. The worry of this litigation was the cause of his
death, and afterward his estate was prosecuted by the holders of the bonds, and
that about finished the Skaneateles Iron Works. The buildings and plant had
been previously mortgaged to a Syracuse savings-bank for $ii,ooo. This mort-
gage was foreclosed and offered at public sale. There were no bidders, but the
bank made the only bid, $5,000, and as a finality the bank sold the whole property,
probably to the originators of the Glenside Woolen Company ; but whoever pur-
chased it got it probably at what it cost the savings-bank, in the vicinity of $11,000.
The closing act was thus commented on in one of the village papers, January 8,
1876:
" Yesterday, the Rolling Mill Works were sold under the hammer to the Onondaga
County Savings-Bank for the sum of $S,ooo, the only bid offered. We understand the
savings-bank had a claim of some $11,000, and, if there had been any bid against it, the
bidding would probably have been run up to its claim. What a shrinkage is here ! In about
eight years there had been invested in these works over $100,000, and now the property is
virtually bid in for the nominal sum of $5,000 ! Now, what has caused this depreciation ?
Has it been bad management, or leakage, or incapacity to do business, is what the community
hereabout would like to know. As there is good water-power and ample range of buildings
the property will not long be idle, it will change hands, and some paying business be
inaugurated."
The Skaneateles Wood-Working Company. — The Skaneateles Wood-
Working Company was organized in accordance with their certificate of incorpora-
tion as follows :
" The object and business of said association shall be the manufacture of
sleigh and cutter woods, and the manufacture in general of other articles of wood,
in the town of Skaneateles. Amount of capital stock, $10,000, in two hundred
shares of fifty dollars each. Term of duration, fifty years. The following per-
sons are to manage the business for the first year as Trustees : Walter H. Cornell,
William R. Willetts, Joseph C. Willetts, F. Nye Harwood, and Benjamin F.
Petheram.
"Dated November 4, 1881."
Skaneateles Lake Park Company. — The Skaneateles Lake Park Company
was instituted under the following certificate of incorporation :
" Whereas, John E. Waller, John McNamara, Martin Fennell, William F.
Gregory, and Lewis B. Fitch desiring to form a corporation, the object for which
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 253
said company shall be formed is the business of erecting buildings for hotel pur-
poses, and kepping hotels. Capital stock, $30,000. Term of existence, fifty years.
Number of shares, 300. Five Trustees to manage the business for the first year :
John E. Waller, John McNamara, Martin Fennell, William F. Gregory, and L. B.
Fitch.
" Dated, December 4, 1888."
The Dryden, Groton, and Moravia Telegraph Company. — The Dryden,
Groton, and Moravia Telegraph C'ompany was organized for the purpose of con-
structing a telegraph line between Auburn and Oswego, on the line of the Southern
Central Railroad. Its promoter was Mr. Squire, of Ithaca, who, failing to pro-
cure the necessary capital subscribed, came to Skaneateles, and proposed to change
his terminal from Auburn to Syracuse, provided he could get financial aid here
sufficient to carry out his project. Previous efforts had been made to get the
Western Union Telegraph Company to build a loop from the Junction to this
village, but its frequent promises were not kept. The nearest telegraph station
was at the Junction, five miles distant, and all messages by telegraph had to be
brought to the village by the stage-drivers. Mr. Squire was, therefore, warmly re-
ceived and money furnished him, conditioned that the main office should be located
in Skaneateles, and that a majority of its directors and officers were to be from this
place. The organization as completed consisted of : Henry J. Hubbard, President ;
Henry T. Webb, Secretary ; and Thomas Isom, Jr., Treasurer. On the day that
the line was completed the Western Union Company built the loop from the
Junction to and from the village, and competition for business at once com-
menced. All the little villages located on the main line that had subscribed for a
few shares of stock demanded that offices should be opened in their villages, which
was done m many instances, with the result that at the end of the year the expenses
were greater than the receipts, which, therefore, created a debt. Offices which
were not self-supporting were then abandoned, and the line continued, but
the debt was a source of contention. The out-of-town directors resolved what
seemed sharp practise, but were checkmated, and the line came into possession of
Messrs. Hubbard & Webb, who subsequently sold it to the Atlantic & Pacific Com-
pany, who were the rivals of the Western Union Telegraph Company.
• The Central New York Electric Light and Power Company. — In
November, 1889, franchises were granted to the Central New York Electric Light
and Power Company by the town and village. The electricity is transmitted to
Skaneateles Village from the company's plant, near Elbridge, which also supplies
the villages of Elbridge and Jordan. George Pjarrow is President and Secretary.
The Lake Bank. — The Lake Bank was organized during the month of
March, 1863, with a paid-up capital of $100,000, and commenced business in May
of the same year. The banking office was located on the corner of Genesee and
Jordan streets, formerly known as the Hecox Block. Its first officers were : Anson
Lapham, President; Charles Pardee, Vice-President; and Henry J. Hubbard,
Cashier. On the first annual election subsequent to its organization, Charles
254 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
Pardee was elected President (Anson Lapham having declined reelection) and
C. W. Allis elected Vice-President.
The First National BANK.^On the 4th of March, 1864, the First National
Bank of Skaneateles was organized, with a capital of $50,000. Its directors were :
Charles Pardee, Henry J. Hubbard, Thomas Isom, Jr., Giles M. Lawrence, and
Lucien Moses. Its first officers were: Charles Pardee, President, and Henry J.
Hubbard, Cashier. No active commercial business was done by this bank until
June 15, 1865, when the capital stock was increased to $150,000, and it absorbed all
the business of the Lake Bank. In December, 1867, owing to the excessive
assessment and taxation, which seemed to its officers as a discrimination against
the bank, the stockholders voted to go into voluntary liquidation, and the business
of the bank was afterward carried on with the same capital, under the firm name
of C. Pardee & Co.
The Bank of Skaneateles. — The Bank of Skaneateles was organized during
the month. of August, 1869, with a capital stock of $100,000. Its officers were:
Joel Thayer, President ; Anson Lapham, Vice-President ; and B. F. Stiles, Cashier.
Skaneateles Savings-Bank. — The Skaneateles Savings-Bank was organized
April 25, 1866. The first trustees were : John Barrow, Richard Tallcot, Joel
Thayer, Charles Pardee, Anson Lapham, Josias Oarlock, Joab L. Clift, Caleb W.
Allis, Ezekial B. Hoyt, George H. Earll, Leonard H. Earll, Henry J. Hubbard,
Thomas Isom, Jr., and Henry L. Roosevelt. Its officers were: John Barrow,
President; Richard Tallcot, Vice-President; Henry T. Webb, Secretary and
Treasurer; and Edward T. Bartlett, Attorney. November 17, 1866, Joab L. Clift
was elected President, and Josias Garlock, Vice-President, in place of John Barrow
and Richard Tallcot, resigned. May i, 1867, H. T. Webb resigned as Secretary
and Treasurer, and F. G. Jewett was elected as his successor. January i, 1868,
F. G. Jewett resigned as Secretary and Treasurer, and was succeeded by Josias
Garlock.
Explanation of Charles Pardee's Opposition to an Incorporated Public
Cemetery. — After the old burial-ground, originally purchased by the Skaneateles
Religious Society, in 1812, had been used for burial purposes by the whole town
for sixty years, the late Freeborn G. Jewett proposed, in the interest of the town,
to purchase an additional section of adjoining land for cemetery purposes, andj
as Charles Pardee previously had experience in the management of the old
burying-ground, Judge F. G. Jewett proposed to him to become a partner, and
to take full charge of the cemetery. F. G. Jewett and Charles Pardee pur-
chased from James Cannings Fuller, August 21, 1846, one and twelve-hundredths
acres of land adjoining the old burial-ground. Consideration paid to J. C.
Fuller, $392, at the rate of $350 per acre. This piece of land was laid out into 224
lots, each measuring 10 by 16 feet, therefore costing $1.75 each. Judge F. G.
Jewett established the uniform price per lot at ten dollars. At this rate this piece
of land would produce $2,240, or at the rate of $2,000 per acre. In consequence of
the great demand for burial-lots and the very reasonable price for them, nearly all
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
255
the 224 lots had been sold before Judge Jewett's death, which occurred January
27, 1858. The following is a copy of the deed given to purchasers of lots in the
" Jewett & Pardee " cemetery :
This IndenturEj made this in the year one thousand eight hundred and
, between Freeborn G. Jewett and Charles Pardee, of Skaneateles, in the county
of Onondaga, of the first part, Witnesseth, that the parties of the first part, in consideration
of the sum of dollars to them paid, have sold and by these presents do grant
and convey to the party of the second part, his heirs and assigns, ail that part of the ground
recently purchased by them of James C. Fuller, and which they have laid out for a cemetery,
f. il|i "li ^' "1
SKANEATELES SAVINGS BANK.
as lot number with the appurtenances, to be used and occupied by the party of
the second part, his heirs and assigns, as a part of such cemetery, and for no other purpose.
In Witness Whereof, the parties of the first part have hereunto set their hands and
seals, the day and year first written.
The deeds executed during the lifetime of F. G. Jewett were executed by the
parties of the first part. After Freeborn G. Jewett's death the deeds were executed
as follows : " C. Pardee, successor, etc."
After the death of James Cannings Fuller, which occurred November 25, 1847,
the late Sumner Fuller came into possession of all the lands adjoining and lying tp
the north of the Jewett & Pardee purchase.
Mote. — It is deemed proper here to make an explanatory memorandum respect-
ing this history of the village burial-grounds previous to the. incorjjoration of the
"Lake View Rural Cemetery Association," in the year 1871. In the following
relation of that history there is no intention to censure either Sumner Fuller or
2s6 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
Charles Pardee. Both were engaged in a legitimate business transaction. Sumner
Fuller was the owner of lands which were made valuable by being contiguous to
the village cemetery. Charles Pardee individually owned and controlled the
village cemetery, and when it became his interest to enlarge its area, as had been
previously done, it was imperatively to his interest to acquire Sumner Fuller's
lands, as these were the only available ones to be obtained adjoining the cemetery.
Of course, Mr. Fuller being aware of the largely enhanced value of lands within
a cemetery, it was to his interest to obtain the best possible terms of sale. After
the decease of the late Freeborn G. Jewett, January 27, 1858, Charles Pardee
purchased from Sumner Fuller, September 14, 1861, one and eighty-hundredths
acres adjoining on the north the Jewett & Pardee purchase. The recorded deed
was as follows : " Sumner Fuller to C. Pardee, in consideration of three hundred
and sixty dollars, one undivided one-half of one acre and eighty-hundredths of an
acre." This piece of land was laid out into 360 lots, 10 by 16 feet, which were
rated at from $20 to $30 each according to location, and at an average of $25
would when sold amount to $9,000.. Of course, the inference is, from the condi-
tions of the deed of sale, that the profits were to be equally divided between both
parties, Sumner Fuller and Charles Pardee. The cost of each lot would oe $2, at
the rate of $720 for the whole ownership. Nearly eleven years after the above
undivided purchase, namely. May i, 1872, according to a recorded deed in the
County Clerk's Office, Sumner Fuller and wife conveyed by deed to C. Pardee all
the lands lying north of and adjoining said C. Pardee's lands, containing about
three acres, also all his (Fuller's) " right, title, and interest in the undivided piece
of land which I sold to said C. Pardee, September 14, 1861 ; consideration, $2,750."
As Sumner Fuller had been receiving his proportion of the profits from the sale of
lots of the undivided piece of land since 1861, nearly eleven years, the addition of
the $50 to his price for the three acre lot indicates his valuation of the unsold lots
of the partnership land. If C. Pardee actually paid $2,700 for that three acre lot,
it was a good business operation for Mr. Fuller to receive nine hundred dollars
an acre for lands not worth over one hundred dollars for any other purpose.
Charles Pardee was the owner and manager of all the village burial-grounds for
twenty years, from 1858 (date of F. G. Jewett's death) to 1878 (date of C. Par-
dee's death). As such he made it a profitable business transaction. Under these
conditions it was against his interest to allow any interference with his rights, and
to object to selling his lands, held for sale by him, to the Rural Cemetery Associa-
tion, and it was indispensable in order to protect his interests to place every
obstacle in the way to prevent any connection with the lands of the opposing new
association. During his twenty years of ownership and control of the burial-
grounds, no register of interments was ever kept. No rules or regulations for
the good order of the grounds ever existed. Imperfect conveyances were made for
sale of lots and plats. _ Only one memorandum was made, and that was a map of
the grounds, made on ordinary yellow wrapping-paper, on which was a diagram
of the lots, numbered, and the names of each purchaser placed thereon. Such
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 257
were the village burial-grounds, held for speculative purposes, for twenty years,
when I, alone, assumed the responsibility of issuing a call, through the columns
of the Skaneateles Democrat, June 29, 1871, inviting the citizens of Skaneateles to
take such preliminary action as may be necessary to organize and establish an
incorporated public cemetery. The prestige of C. Pardee at that time wielded a
commanding influence in this community. He had previously been President of
the village for several years, and was so at that time, and was engaged in the bank-
ing business. His influence was such that there was not an individual in the whole
community that had the courage to initiate a movement to establish an incorporated
public cemetery. The result of that public call was the establishment of " The
Incorporated Rural Cemetery of Lake View." As I was originator and promoter,
and the only real active member of the Corporation, I found it very difficult to
establish the cemetery on a rirm basis, owing to the apathy and indifference of
more than half of the members of the board of trustees. The influence of Mr.
Pardee was very apparent. When it became necessary to solicit loans, secured
by a certificate of indebtedness, not a single member of the trustees offered to take
this important matter in charge. No committee was appointed, therefore I
assumed the duty, and individually solicited subscriptions from citizens who T
thought would be interested in the contemplated public cemetery. It was imme-
diately a necessity to have the lots laid out and mapped, in order to be in a position
to dispose of them. There being no money on hand to meet the expense, I
assumed that duty, and personally laid out all the avenues, and employed a man
and team of horses to plow out all of them. I laid out all the lots myself, individ-
ually, and mapped the whole grounds. Had it not been for my timely call for a
public meeting of the citizens of this village to meet at Legg Hall, July i, 1871,
to take such action as may be necessary to establish an incorporated public ceme-
tery, the present village cemetery would not now be in existence. In the mean
time, the old burial-ground would have continued under its former auspices, in full
operation. In order to explain this prediction, it may be stated that the prelimi-
naries which were required to obtain the title to the lands belonging to Reuel
Smith, Sr., did not end until April i, 1873, when the appraised value became due,
which was $2,150. There not being money enough on hand to pay this sum, of
course I advanced the deficiency, $650, and the $2,150 was paid, which completed
the title to " The Lake View Rural Cemetery Association." Reuel Smith, Sr.,
died September 6, 1873, five months after the title to the lands of the present
village cemetery had been acquired. The lands of Reuel Smith, Sr., after his
death became vested in such manner that they could not have been sold for any
purpose for a long term of years, in consequence of which it would have been
impossible to have located a cemetery where the village cemetery is now. I will
say here that, although my interests in the establishment of a new cemetery were
antagonistic to Mr. Pardee's interest in that respect, in all my intercourse with
him I never exchanged an unpleasant or disagreeable word with him, and always
saluted him politely, as a gentleman.
258 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
CHAPTER XVIII.
Lake View Cemetery and Skaneateles Lake.
The Origin of Lake View Cemetery. — There are very few persons now in
this village who are aware how our beautiful and attractive cemetery originated,
and how, without cost to the taxpayers or citizens, it became the property of the
village of Skaneateles. It is necessary, in the narration of the following history
of this cemetery, to write in the first person. Therefore, I claim to have been the
sole and only originator, under the most adverse and opposing conditions, per-
severed, and finally completed its permanent establishment, and its final conveyance
to the corporation of " The Trustees of the Village of Skaneateles."
Noticing for many years the disgraceful old burying-ground that was a re-
proach to this community, I determined to attempt the formation of an Incor-
porated Rural Cemetery Association, under a general law of this State which
authorized the formation of such corporations. In accordance with this deter-
mination, I inserted the following notice of a meeting to be held at Legg Hall,
which was published in the Skaneateles Democrat, June 29, 1871, and appended
the names of such public-spirited citizens as suggested themselves to my mind
at the moment, believing that the gentlemen would not object to the use of their
names for so commendable a purpose:
Public Meeting.
The citizens of Skaneateles are requested to meet at Legg Hall, on Saturday next, July i,
at 4 P.M., to take such preliminary action as may be necessary to organize and establish an
incorporated public cemetery.
G. T. Campbell, Richard Tallcott,
C. Pardee, Joel Thayer,
Anson Lapham, William Marvin,
C. W. Allis, S. C. Wheadon,
E. N. Leslie, E. Reuel Smith,
JosiAH Garlock, G. W. Earll,
Newell Turner, J. C. DeWitt,
L. T. Bartlett, Evelyn Porter,
W. J. Amerman, Benoni Lee,
Henry T. Webb, F. V. D. Horton,
W. H. Patterson, John Davy,
Joseph H. Burnett, George Francis,
John Packwood, Horace Cornell.
The following announcement of that meeting was made by the Democrat:
Public Meeting.
In accordance with the call published in the Democrat, a meeting was held in Legg Hall
to consider the subject of organizing an incorporated public cemetery, at which the following
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
259
named persons were present: William Marvin, G. W. Earll, W. Piatt, J. C. D< Witt, W. H. H.
Crosier, E. N. Leslie, G. T. Campbell, P. O. C. Benson, C. W. Allis, O. Young, J. A. Root,
L. Cleaveland, D. Hall, E. B. Palmer, A. A. Brooks.
On motion, Hon. William Marvin was elected President, and P. O. C. Benson, Secretary,
Mr. E. N. Leslie stated the object of the meeting, and read the State law referring to the
subject under consideration.
Discussion followed at some length, and, on motion, Messrs. William Marvin, E. N.
Leslie, and J. C. De Witt were appointed a committee to investigate the subject of incorporat-
ing and enlarging the present cemetery, and the chairman of the committee was empowered to
call another meeting of the inhabitants of this vicinity whenever the committee was ready to
report. The meeting then adjourned.
The chairman of the committee, WilHam Marvin, called another meeting for
Saturday, August 27, at 3 P.M., stating that the committee appointed at the
ORIGINAL MAIL AND PASSENGER STAGE-COACH.
This is the original mail and passenger four-horse stage-coach, representing those used
by Isaac Sherwood. (See Chapter IV,, page 29,)
previous meeting had investigated the suljject in detail and were prepared to
present a report, interesting not only to the present lot owners and inhabitants of
the village, but to all others in the adjoining vicinity. In a report of that meeting,
the Democrat gave an extended account of the proceedings, in which occurred
the following remarks :
President William Mar\in, in a few remarks, stated the object of the meeting, after
which E. N. Leslie read an interesting and extended report from the committee, in which
they recommended that immediate steps be taken to incorporate the present village cemetery,
and that an association be formed as directed by the Act of the Legislature authorizing the
Incorporation of Rural Cemetery Associations, and for that purpose suggested that a board
of twelve trustees be elected as advised by that act. The report was discussed at length, after
which it was unanimously accepted and adopted. Twelve Trustees were then elected, and
26o HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
classified to serve one, two, and three years, after which the name of " Lake View Cemetery
Association " was adopted, and other details of the organization were enacted according
to law.
The next important matter to be considered was the acquisition of adjoining
lands for the new cemetery. Those lands belonged to Reuel Smith, Sr. Another
most important subject was that the new cemetery had no money to purchase lands.
But the further and more difficult problem of establishing this cemetery rested
entirely upon myself as being its chief promoter. The late Charles Pardee, who
owned the old burying-ground, was a determined opponent to the establishment
of an incorporated public cemetery. In order to elucidate his strength of oppo-
sition, it may be well to give his previous history.
Charles Pardee had been an active merchant here for many years, until he sold
his stock of merchandise and his business to Messrs.' Isom & Hall, January i,
1852. After that he gave his attention to various lines of business, and during the
Civil War he was engaged in manufacturing for about eighteen months, and then
in various operations from time to time, until he commenced the banking business
by the establishment of the Lake Bank in 1863. At that time, according to the
best estimate of his nearest friends, he was worth, over all his liabilities, from
$300,000 to $350,000, and therefore exerted a powerful influence in this com-
munity. His opposition to the establishment of an incorporated public cemetery,
and his determination to prevent its accomplishment, made him a powerful oppo-
nent. His influence was such as to control a large proportion of the inhabitants
of this village. About one-half of the first Board of Trustees elected at the public
meeting held August 27, 1871, were adherents of Mr. Pardee, some acting partly
and others wholly in his interest.
The original twelve Trustees elected by ballot, August 27, 1871, at the public
meeting, were as follows : Edward S. Hoyt, George T. Campbell, Jacob C. DeWitt,
Joel Thayer, J.' Augustus Edwards, E. Norman Leslie, C. W. Allis, Willis Piatt,
John H. Smith, P. Oscar C. Benson, Charles Pardee, and Harmon B. Benedict.
Their first meeting was held November 19, 1871. The following Trustees were
not present : Charles Pardee, C. W. Allis, P. O. C. Benson, and John H. Smith.
The following officers were then elected by ballot : Joel Thayer, President ; H. B.
Benedict, Vice-President ; and E. Norman Leslie, Secretary and Treasurer.
It is impossible to write the history of the establishment of the present cemetery
without detailing the various phases of obstruction and opposition used by Mr.
Pardee to prevent the combination of all the village burial-grounds into one
organization.
At a meeting of the Trustees of Lake View, held May 18, 1872, the following
resolutions were unanimously adopted:
" Resolved, That all the lands now held for sale by any person or persons, ex-
cept the lands now held by the Society of Friends, and the lands now held by the
Skaneateles Religious Society, within the present cemetery grounds, be purchased
or acquired by Lake View Cemetery Association.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 261
"Resolved, That Joel Thayer and E. Norman Leslie be a committee to initiate
proceedings for the acquisition of such lands."
As one of the aforesaid committee, I called on Mr. Pardee, who had possession
of a portion of the old cemetery and who held land therein for sale. The first
interview was had on Monday, June 3, 1872. In answer to the question as to
what he asked the Association for the lands unsold, he replied that he would not
charge much, and, when pressed for a definite answer, said he would look it over
and let me know. I then inquired about the lot lying to the north of the cemetery.
He said he had intended to purchase it, and had so far completed the arrangement
that the deed had been executed, but that he had not taken it, as he had heard
that the Association had determined to appropriate it. He said he had agreed to
give $2,700 for it, and was desirous that the Association should purchase the same
from Sumner Fuller at that price, and he offered to give the Association $250
if they would agree to purchase at that sum. I stated to him that the Association
would not give half that sum for the whole lot. I also refused to take any money
on behalf of the Association with any provisos. I then left.
On Tuesday, June 11, 1 again called to ascertain on what terms the land in the
cemetery held for sale could be purchased for. Mr. Pardee said he had come to
the conclusion not to sell those lands to the Association, unless they would agree
to purchase the lot to the north from Mr. Fuller on his terms, namely, twenty-
seven hundred dollars. He also said that, if the Association wanted to force him
to sell his cemetery lands, he would give the Association all the law they wanted,
and as long as they wanted law. This was the substance of the conversation.
At the next meeting of the Trustees, held July 13, 1872, a general conversation
took place in regard to the affairs of the Association. The determination of Mr.
Pardee to retain possession of the old cemetery was talked over, and the members
present regretted that he should have taken this course. Mr. H. B. Benedict, who
had had a conversation with Mr. Pardee on the subject, thought that the Associa-
tion had better not attempt a forcible possession. Mr. Allis was requested to see
Sumner Fuller, who it was supposed owned the title to the lot on the north side of
the cemetery, and ascertain whether he would dispose of his title thereto and on
what terms. Mr. Allis accepted the proposition, and the meeting then adjourned.
After organization, the question of finances came up before the officers of the
new corporation of Lake View. The only method was to issue certificates of
indebtedness. These certificates were conditioned to pay one-half of the sales of
lots, and to pay seven per cent, interest until they were redeemed. They were in
all respects a first mortgage on the lands to be purchased. Several public-spirited
gentlemen subscribed two hundred dollars, and some one hundred dollars each,
but the total of these subscriptions was not sufficient to purchase the lands which
had been laid out for the new cemetery. These lands belonged to Reuel Smith,
Sr., of New York. On application to him for their purchase, he declined to dis-
pose of them ; but, as I was well acquainted with him, I persuaded him to submit
to an appraisement by disinterested freeholders, to be appointed by the Court,
262 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
which was accomplished with harmonious and satisfactory results. These lands
were accordingly surveyed and staked out. The lands comprised from seven to
eight acres, and were so laid out as to make, including the old cemetery, a parallelo-
gram. The lands to be purchased were to cost between two and three thousand
dollars. The greatest obstacle in the disposition of the certificates of indebtedness
was the determined opposition and influence of C. Pardee, who opposed the pro-
jected new cemetery. He had been ruler of the village for many years, and he
determined, if possible, to prevent the success of the new organization. In con-
sequence of the need of money to pay for the lands, while neither of the Trustees
offered to advance the necessary funds, I paid $650, which covered the deficiency
to pay Reuel Smith, Sr., for his lands. After having the lands in possession, the
next requisite was to fence them. I then purchased on account of Lake View
Cemetery, from Messrs. Allen & Hoag, between four hundred and five hundred
dollars' worth of hemlock lumber, but the lumber merchants had no confidence in
the Rural Cemetery Association's ability to pay for the lumber, so they charged
me with it. I made no objection, and paid the bill. After that all purchases on
account of the Association, whether of labor or materials, were all charged to me,
individually, and were promptly paid.
Mr. Pardee, fearing that the Lake View Cemetery Association would take his
lands by condemnation proceeding, concluded to and did organize his lands into
a Rural Cemetery Association, under the corporate name of " Evergreen." Efforts,
which proved ineffectual, were made in every possible manner to purchase his
lands ; but he wanted money, and would not accept certificates of indebtedness
which were payable with seven per cent, interest from one-half the sales of every
lot sold and paid for. These certificates were as safe as a bond and mortgage.
As the original subscription list has not been given, this history will not be
complete without its publication. It was circulated by myself, and without assist-
ance from any of the Trustees. Only six of the original twelve Trustees sub-
scribed. It was commenced early in the year 1872.
Subscription List.
E. Norman Leslie . '. $200 00 C. C. Wyckoff $100 00
Forrest G. Weeks 200 00 Thos. Y. Avery 100 00
Joel Thayer 200 00 Anson Lapham- 100 00
Edward S. Hoyt 200 00 William Marvin 100 CO
Thomas Morton 200 00 C. W. Allis 100 00
P. Oscar C. Benson 100 00 Elias Thorne 100 00
William S. Briggs , 100 00 Richard Tallcott 100 00
E. B. Hoyt 100 00 Jacob H. Allen 100 00
James A. Root 100 00 H. B. Benedict So 00
Julius Earll 100 00 Benoni Lee Legal services
H. L. Roosevelt 100 DO Wills Clift So 00
The total of the above was $2,500. The total subscription was $3,000. Five
subscriptions of $100 each were never paid. There were several of the original
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
263
subscribers who did not pay their subscriptions for from two to six years, con-
sequently, when the payment to be made Reuel Smith, Sr., became due (April i,
1873), there was a deficiency of money on hand, not only for the lands, but for
other purposes, amounting to $650. This deficiency I advanced, and the amount
due for the lands, $2,150, was paid.
Mr. Pardee, having organized the old burying-ground into a Rural Cemetery
Association, September 25, 1873, and thus being contiguous to the new cemetery,
was the cause of continual and determined opposition to the original plan of com-
bining the old with the new village burial-grounds. Every possible effort was
ONE MILE POINT, ON THE WEST SHORE OP THE LAKE.
Five Mile Point in the distance to tlie South.
made by the Trustees of the new cemetery to purchase the lands held by Mr.
Pardee for sale, but he would not sell them.
On the evening of September 26, 1872, the Trustees of the Presbyterian
Society met at the store of Newell Turner, by my request, when I suggested to
them the propriety of conveying by quitclaim deed the title to the old burying-
ground to Lake View Cemetery Association, inviting their attention to a law
passed by the Legislature in 1870, which authorized religious societies holding
burial-grounds to convey them to rural cemetery associations. This law was
read to the Trustees, and by a unanimous vote they by resolution directed their
Treasurer, Newell Turner, to execute a quitclaim deed (which had been pre-
viously prepared) and to affix the corporate seal thereto. The deed was executed
264 HISTORY OF SKAXEATELES.
the same evening, and it was recorded in the County Clerk's Office on the 28th
day of September, 1873.
This old burying-ground, an acre in extent, Mr. Pardee claimed as his own,
and it composed a large portion of his burial-ground. When he became aware
of its transfer to Lake View Cemetery Association, he addressed the following
letter to one of the Trustees of the Presbyterian Society :
Skaneateles, N. Y., June 26, 1875.
Me. James A. Root :
In 1862, yourself, Isom, Hitchcock, and Augustus Edwards gave me the entire control of
the ground, originally appropriated for burial purposes, and which was placed into the
hands of the Trustees of the Skaneateles Religious Society, as trustees for the whole com-
munity, with no authority to make sale even as privately as you pretended to do, and put it
into the hands of the Episcopal Society. .The question is yet to be tested.
Very respectfully,
C. Pardee.
At a meeting held July 28, 1873, on the cemetery lands, the project of opening
an avenue into the old burial-ground was discussed, and, as some of the Trustees
were desirous that it should be done, C. W. Allis, who is one of the Trustees of
the Friends' Burial-Ground, consented that such an avenue should be opened on
the western part of such burial-ground. As this required some preliminary work,
Mr. Pardee, suspecting the design, immediately placed a section of iron fence
across the roadway in such a position as to prevent its use as contemplated,
although at that time, 1873, the old burial-ground had been deeded to Lake View
Cemetery by the Trustees of the Presbyterian Societ)^, September 26, 1872.
At the ne.xt meeting of the Trustees of Lake View, held August 21, 1873, the
following resolution was passed :
" Resolved, That Jacob C. DeW'itt have, and hereby has, such power to nego-
tiate with Mr. Pardee for the sale of all his interest in the old burial-ground,
also the lot in front, and that he make the best terms he can for the Association,
payment to be made in scrip not to exceed two thousand (2,000) dollars."
At the following meeting of the Trustees, held August 28, Jacob C. DeWitt
reported Mr. Pardee's reply to the resolution :
" Mr. Pardee declines to sell the lots held by him for sale, with this exception :
he will sell the front lot, and the control of the old burial-ground, for two thousand
(2,000) dollars, to lie made payable at some specified future time. That time he
will leave the Trustees to name."
This being unsatisfactory to the Trustees, it was, on motion, resolved that
Dr.' Campbell be associated with J. C. DeWitt to negotiate further with Mr.
Pardee, and they were requested to get the proposition in definite shape to be
presented to the Board of Trustees at a special meeting, if possible, on Thursday,
at same hour and place.
During the month of May, 1874, the fence separating the avenue leading to
the old burial-ground from the avenue of Lake View was taken down by my
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 265
direction. In a few days thereafter a section of an iron fence set in stone bases
was placed across the roadway, by direction of Mr. Pardee, to prevent the use of
the avenue. In addition to this iron fence there were several mounds of apparent
graves placed in the middle of the road. On August 26, 1874, Mr. Pardee had
a new board fence erected in place of that which was taken down during the
previous May. After making every endeavor to purchase Mr. Pardee's lands,
the committee were requested to call and ascertain from Mr. Pardee on what
terms he would sell his burying-ground. This effort was made September 6,
1877. In reply he refused to sell the lands held by him for sale on any terms.
Without detailing the many obstructions placed, by his orders to prevent the
■connection of the new avenues of Lake View with those of his cemetery, it is
■only necessary to mention the principal one, that is, the avenue near the large
■elm-tree which now connects the new cemetery with the old. His sexton,
Charles Read, was directed to use the avenue as a potter's field. Eleven burials
were made in this roadway, only about one foot of earth covering them, except
one, a woman who had died of ship-fever, and this grave was dug the usual
■depth. Grave mounds were made over each of these graves. Only one of those
buried there has been removed; the remainder are under that roadway yet.
After the melancholy and distressful death of Mr. Pardee, in April, 1878,
the late Joel Thayer and his wife Juliette proposed to purchase all of the late
Charles Pardee's ownership in the old burial-ground included in the Evergreen
Cemetery. An act of the Legislature was necessary to authorize one or both of
the two cemeteries to sell their lands to any person or persons, on condition that
within one month after receiving a deed therefor the said person or persons
should deed one or both cemeteries to the corporation of the village of Skan-
■eateles, and by the same act of the Legislature the Trustees of the village were
■empowered to receive one or both cemeteries in the same manner as if the village
had purchased them, and they were to receive them under Chapter 209 of the
Laws of 1847. Mr. Thayer purchased the Pardee interest for $800, and the new
Lake View Cemetery gave him its seven or eight acres, conditioned that he was
to deed them to the village. Thus the present attractive cemetery became the
property of the village. Five months after Lake View Cemetery Association
became vested in possession of the lands of Reuel Smith, Sr., he died, and those
lands could not have been obtained after his death for fifty or more years by the
provisions of his will. Therefore, the present Lake View Cemetery would not
be in existence, holding the eight acres, had it not have been for my efforts and
persistence in calling a public meeting and carrying out my original design. I
assumed full charge of all the detail of establishing the cemetery, as the original
Trustees of the Rural Cemetery Association were in general very apathetic and
took little or no interest in the success of the Association. I kept all the accounts
by double entry, opened an account with the Bank of Skaneateles under the name
■of " Lake View," all checks were signed in my handwriting, and all moneys
were deposited to the credit of that account. In fact, I took charge of the
266
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
receipt and payment of all moneys, and issued all deeds for sale of all lots. I
made it my business from the commencement to succeed in establishing the new
Incorporated Cemetery Association. It has been accomplished under many diffi-
culties and. determined opposition.
Continuing the history of the Rural Cemetery Association of Lake View, its
last meeting was held April 3, 1880, when the following resolution was adopted:
" Resolved, That the President and Treasurer be, and are hereby, authorized
to cause the corporate seal to be affixed, and to execute a deed of conveyance,
covering and including all the lands of the Cemetery Association, incorporated
SKANEATELES LAKE.
East Shore of the Lake, looking South from the Villagre.
under the name and style of ' Lake View,' to Joel Thayer, of the village of Skan-
eateles, under and by authority of Chapter 52 of the Laws of 1880."
The meeting then adjourned. The deed was executed April 9, 1880. In
accordance with the provisions of Chapter 52 of the Laws of 1880, Joel Thayer
and wife conveyed all the lands he had received by deed from the Rural Cemetery
Associations, he having previously purchased the Evergreen Cemetery, to the cor-
poration of " The Trustees of the Village of Skaneateles." Thus the cemetery
became the property of the village of Skaneateles.
Cemetery Commissioners were first appointed by the village Trustees, April
26, 1880, as authorized by law. Their first meeting was held May 21, 1880, at
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 267
which they organized. At the second meeting, held June 4, 1880, the following
notice was ordered published in the village papers:
Notice to Lot Owners in the Cemetery.
All persons claiming to own unoccupied lots or plats in the Cemetery, now owned by
the Trustees of the village, are required to present or exhibit deeds or title to the same
to the Clerk of the village, for the purpose of having the same properly recorded. No inter-
ments will be allowed on such lots until after they are recorded.
By Order of the Commissioners.
The next meeting of the Commission was held September 6, 1881. Joel
Thayer having died May 19, 1881, the village Trustees appointed J. C. Willetts
to fill the vacancy occasioned by his death. Willetts proved to be a disturbing
element, and just the opposite of Joel Thayer. At that meeting Benoni Lee was
present as counsel, and he read the statute which authorized the appointment of
Commissioners, which eliminated the powers of the Commission. It was found
that their powers were more restricted than had been anticipated, and it was
suggested that an ordinance be prepared and submitted to the Trustees of the
village for their approval and action, giving to the Commission such additional
powers as would enable them to conduct the affairs of the Cemetery in a manner
creditable to the village. That suggested ordinance was neither prepared nor
passed by the Trustees of the village, consequently the Commissioners possessed
no power to sell lots, receive or pay out money, or do anything but lay out and
beautify the grounds for five years only. The law under which they were
appointed was Chapter 696 of the Laws of 1871, which defines their duties and
powers. The village Trustees, when they appointed Commissioners, named as
such the previous Trustees of the Rural Cemetery Association, and, as they
did not know of any change of powers, they continued to sell lots, receive and
pay out money, just as they thought proper. As soon as I asceirtained that' they
possessed no power to receive or pay out money, I offered a resolution as follows :
"Resolved, That Mr. Wills Clift, one of the Commissioners of Lake View
Cemetery, acting as Treasurer, who has now a balance of money on hand, which
belongs to the Trustees of the village of Skaneateles, be, and is hereby, directed
to pay the said balance to the Treasurer of the village, and thereafter such money
will be only subject to the order of the Trustees of the village."
Commissioner J. C. Willetts objected, saying that, as the Commission had
been in the habit of receiving and expending all the money, there was no reason
why that course should not be continued.
The last regular meeting of the Commissioners that I ever attended was
held November 24, 1885.
Skaneateles Lake — As it Appeared when This Part of the Country
WAS Visited by the Pioneers. — In 1793-94 when the first settlers reached its
shores, its dense forests reached almost to the water's edge. There were numer-
ous points jutting from the shores on either side covered with trees and under-
2 68 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
brush, the most prominent of which was at the terminus of what is now known
as the Shotwell Brook, which at that time was a very considerable stream of
water. This point projected far into the lake, and it was from about this locality
that a sand-bar ran across to near Mile Point, over which a man could wade
across from shore to shore with his head above water. All the points before
mentioned were the terminus of inlets into the lake, all of which carried a much
greater volume of water than they do now. At that period, while the forests
were intact, the springs on the hillsides flowed all the year round. The rays
of the sun had but little effect on the surface beneath, and the snows of winter
remained on the ground until late in the spring months, the gradual melting of
which, together with the rains, which were much more abundant than at the
present time, supplied the springs with water throughout the year, with occasional
interruptions in the summer months during a dry season. As a result of this
the level of the surface of the lake was generally very uniform. On occasions
of a very rainy season the rise would not average over one foot, which gradually
subsided from the natural flow through the outlet.
The line of shore at the lower end of the lake ran from about the northern
boundary of the Lapham place in nearly a semicircle, where James E. Porter now
resides, or perhaps a little further to the east. The southern terminus of the
present coifer-dam was the outline of the original shore. Between that and the
present shore, in the rear of the brick stores, was a swampy flat, interspersed
with pools of water, and very similar in appearance to the woodland now on the
direct road to Auburn, beyond the county line. This flat was covered with old
forest trees, principally elm and red oak, and considerable underbrush. The
outlet ran through this flat, and was filled with driftwood, the debris which
had accumulated there from time immemorial. This driftwood formed a bridge
for the first settlers to cross the outlet.
It is presumed that the upper end of the lake was similar in appearance, but
more rugged.
The first dam was constructed of logs, and was about upon a line with the
north end of the present bridge. It did not raise the water more than three or
four feet, and was constructed by Jesse Kellogg for Judge Sanger about the
year 1797. Sanger built the first grist-mill, and Jesse Kellogg built the first
sawmill, which were both supplied with power from this dam.
The first name given to Mile Point was Barney's Point, named from Bar-
nabas Hall, who settled on the military lot adjoining. There was very early a
log house erected on this point by a man named Bebee. After his death his
widow, called by the boys " Granny Bebee," lived in it for many years. She
was called a witch, and all the boys and girls were afraid of her. After her
death a man by the name of McMullen lived in it. His wife, Katy McMullen,
worked for many people, particularly Zalmon Booth.
The effect of raising the water in the lake by the dam was to flood not only
the swampy flat at this end, but nearly all the picturesque points which were
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
269
covered with trees, the stumps of which could be seen for many years thereafter,
particularly at this end of the lake. Another effect was the continual washing
away of the shores undermining the roots of the trees, causing driftwood and
snags in the body of the lake and on its shores. This gradual washing away has
gteatly enlarged the surface from what it was originally. At the present time
the rise and fall of the water from extreme to extreme is about seven feet, so
that, when the water is at high-water mark, the whole surface of the lake is full
seven feet higher than it was when Abraham A. Cuddeback came here in 1794
and settled on the west shore.
The first building on the lake-shore in the village was a large traveler's barn
SKANEATELES LAKE FROM THE CENTER OF THE VILLAGE.
Five Mile Point in the distance to the South, on the East Shore o£ the Lake.
belonging to Elnathan Andrews, who kept the old tavern. Another one was put
up by John Legg for a blacksmith's shop on about the present site of Legg Hall.
A frame harness-shop followed, by Philo Dibble. A frame one-story lawyer's
office was then built by Alfred Northam, which was east of Dibble's shop.
Aboriginal Name of Skaneateles Lake. — Skaneateles Lake was called
" Skahneahties," meaning " Very long lake." The stream which leads from it
to the Seneca River was called " Hanauttee," " Water through thick hemlocks,"
or " Hemlock Creek." A map in the Historical Society Library has it " Skan-
eatedie Lake." Charlevoix's map gives it " Lac Sceaneateres." The Historical .
Society Library gives for the outlet, or river, " Hanauto."
270 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
Skaneateles Lake — A Later DESCRirxiON. — Skaneateles Lake is the gem
of all the inland waters of the State of New York. Its waters are as limpid
as those from the springs on its hillsides. Its velvety sloping shores commence
at the .village, gradually rise and extend to the southernmost end of the lake,
where the shores become abrupt and almost mountainous, wooded and rocky,
thus making the landscape wholesome and inviting to the admirer of Nature.
From the village the eye measures nearly three-quarters of the length of the lake
to the south, the distant wooded highlands interspersed with cultivated fields,
these being particularly the feature of the distant view from the village.
The Glen Haven Water Cure, situated at the extreme southern end of the
lake, under the overhanging highlands, with its numerous cottages, is the cool
retreat of numerous guests from the Eastern and Southern States, a resort for
health, rest, and recreation during the summer season.
Everywhere the shores and bottom of the lake are of gravel and sand, neither
bogs nor swamps existing on its shores. The waters of the lake have been
stocked from the State fish farm at Caledonia with the most approved food fish,
and at the same time game fish, among which are the California salmon trout,
the Lake Michigan trout, black bass, and pickerel, not to mention the native perch.
Brook trout are to be found in the various mountain streams on the hillsides.
Row and sail boats owned by the proprietors of the Water Cure are always
available for its guests. Water fowl, such as ducks and wild geese, sometimes
alight on the lake while on their migrating tour, but the absence of cover of
marine growth deters them from frequent visitation.
Skaneateles Lake covers 8,320 acres, and is
ID feet higher than Otisco Lake.
122
a li it
Keuka Lake.
172
a it li
Canandaigua Lake.
275
a a it
Lake Erie.
393
a it i.
Seneca Lake.
463
tt it It
Erie Canal at Syracuse.
453
it tt tt
Cayuga Lake.
463
if tt It
Oneida Lake.
470
tt it it
Cross Lake.
520
it tt it
Onondaga Lake.
609
tt it tt
Lake Ontario.
747
tt it it
Lake Champlain.
860
tt tt tt
Ocean level.
60
feet lower than Cazenovia Lake.
353
a tt it
Otsego Lake.
451
it a t(
Chautauqua Lake.
The excellent view of Skaneateles Lake given on the preceding page indi-
cates the bold highlands on its shores, and the consequent salubrity of its atmos-
phere and the limpid purity of its deep waters. Glen Haven, the haven of
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
H
<
H
e
o
o
5?:
w
(-
o
H
a!
e
o
.a
272 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
seekers for health and aquatic pastime, is locfited a few miles beyond the high-
land on the right. It attracts numerous visitors from various portions of the
United States, who are continuous from year to year, and appreciate its attract-
iveness, in every respect.
For a full century Skaneateles Lake has exerted a direct, potent, and whole-
some influence upon the growth and prosperity of the town, and especially the
handsome village that bears its name. Its pure, cold waters, gushing from per-
petual springs, originally afforded food to the aborigine, and subsequently fur-
nished the tables of white set'tlers and visitors. Large numbers of lake trout
and other varieties of desirable fish have been taken from its depths, its glisten-
ing surface has borne every variety of craft, and its waters have turned the
wheels of numerous industries. The beautiful scenery adorning its shores, the
purity of its atmosphere, the aquatic pleasures on its surface, have spread its
name far and wide, and attracted hither scores of both permanent and summer
residents. The name Skaneateles whether of lake or village has become a
synonym of one of the most attractive and inviting places to locate a home or
for a summer vacation that is to be found throughout the United States.
The Peat Bog Speculation.— In the year 1863-64 a valuable bed of peat
was discovered on the lands of Mrs. Baber, in 28 Swamp, which the late Jessee
Simmons purchased at a nominal price. Simmons then formed a stock company,
issuing twelve shares to various parties, among whom were James R. Oilman,
Alfred Hitchcock, L. H. Earll, and Thomas Isom. Immediately after the
formation of this company another peat mine was discovered on the Joe Bassett
farm, which was purchased by the stock company. It consisted of eight acres.
The company paid for this bog $1,400, and bought it for the purpose of con-
trolling the peat production. After- the stock company had fully developed the
Baber bog. Oilman declared that the company could declare a dividend of fifteen
per cent, from the profits of the first season's sales. Peat was in demand during
the winter of 1867, at which time coal was selling here at fifteen dollars a ton.
Peat was sold at about six dollars a ton. Thomas Isom used it in his store.
Another stockholder also used it in his dwelling. Various persons purchased
small quantities to experiment with, and the result was that the whole village
was perfumed with the delicate aroma of peat during that season. The result
was a general condemnation of the .article for domestic purposes. One of the
experiences of those who had purchased it was that it took a boy all the day
long to carry off the asheg, and to supply the peat to the fire. The peat stock
company expended about $1,300 on the Baber bog, nearly all of which turned out
to be a dead loss. The survivors of the stock company offered to sell to Joe
Bassett the eight-acre bog for $350. Bassett accepted the offer, but the sale
was not consummated in 1872, owing to the fact that the survivors of the stock
company could not deliver a perfect deed, which needed the signature of an un-
known stockholder. It is now said that the title of these eight acres remains in
the stock company.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
273
Another Peat Speculation.— The following statement is based on rumor,
and its truth is not vouched for:
" Dr. Sumner Rhoades secured a lease from Henry Moses for a small portion
of his farm at the rate of $300 per annum for five years, with the privilege of
removing the soil, earth, stones, etc. This lease was completed without inform-
ing Moses of its object. After the papers had all been completed, the lessee
then informed Moses that it was peat that he was interested in, and offered Moses
an interest, which was declined by him, saying that he had plenty of such land
IMPROVED STAGE-COACH AND A ROADSIDE TAVERN.
Here we have an improved stage-coach, which came into use after the forest had been cleared.
This was patronized by persons who could afford a more comfortable conveyance. Here also
we have an illustration of a roadside tavern, or, as formerly named, 'an inn.
left. The peat, however, was never developed, but Mr. Rhoades piid for the
lease according to its terms, amounting in all to $1,500."
Pork Point. — 'Pork Point, on Skaneateles Lake, took its name from the
following incident: The first merchant at Borodino was Daniel Burroughs, who
had the reputation of being a great swimmer, and on one occasion, on a wager,
swam across Skaneateles Lake, from Mandana to Pork Point, a distance of three
miles. It may be mentioned here that Pork Point was so named from the fact
that the first barrel of pork ever brought to Borodino was unshipped there.
2 74 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
CHAPTER XIX.
Bonding Skaneateles Defeated.— Early Missions and Religious
Denominations.
Defeat of the Attempt to Bond Skaneateles in behalf of a Railroad. —
In March, 1872, the citizens of Skaneateles were requested to attend a public
meeting to discuss their interests in the building of the New York Western
Midland Railroad, according to the following notice :
The New York Western Midland Railroad.
The citizens of the town of Skaneateles are requested to meet at Legg Hall, at 2 o'clock
P.M., and at Gamble's Hall, Mottville, at 7 P.M., on Friday, March 8, to discuss our interests
in the building of The New York Western Midland Railroad, a line connecting with the New
York and Oswego Midland Railroad, at or near Hancock, Delaware County, running thence
northwest through the counties of Chenango, Broome, Cortland, Onondaga, Cayuga, and
Wayne, connecting with the Lake Ontario Shore Railroad at or near Sodus Bay, forming the
third trunk line from New York to the Great West through the State. Hon. D. C. Littlejohn,
Hon. Perrin H. McGraw, and other members of the Board of Directors will be present and
address the meeting. A full attendance is requested.
Meetings to discuss the same project will be held at Spaiford Corners, on Thursday, at
2 P.M., and at Borodino, at 7 P.M.
On the i8th of April, 1872, D. C. Littlejohn made a speech at Legg Hall to
induce the people of the town of Skaneateles to bond the town for $250,000 in
aid of this railroad. The scheme of the Board of Directors and the interested
parties here in Skaneateles was as follows :
" We propose to build this road from Weedsport, through Brutus, Elbridge,
Skaneateles, Spafford, along the east side of Skaneateles Lake, and through Scott
and Homer, to Cortland, expecting at the latter place to receive coal from the
Cortland and Ithaca Road, which can be shipped to Weedsport on the canal,
and at Fair Haven on Lake Ontario. They also expect to have trackage
from Weedsport to Fair Haven over the Southern Central, and thus connect
with the Lake Shore Road, which was then being constructed. The distance
from Homer to Weedsport is thirty-three miles. These gentlemen are assured
of $50,000 of voluntary subscriptions, $75,000 from Brutus, $125,000 from
Elbridge, $200,000 from Skaneateles, besides five miles of road already con-
structed, in all $340,000 ; also $100,000 from Spafford, and would like Homer to
bond for $100,000. With such amounts they think there would be no mortgage
on the road, and therefore the towns would own it permanently. On account of
the difficulty beyond Glen Haven, their Skaneateles friend thinks the Auburn and
Homer Road would cost at least one-third more than the one to Skaneateles and
Weedsport. Also that. Auburn being so much larger than Homer, a road to
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 275
Auburn would carry business away from Homer, instead of bringing business to
it, whereas Skaneateles would not. The Skaneateles friend says : ' We intend to
build the road, when or how soon depends somewhat upon you and others. We
are looking to you, and hope to realize from you. Your neglect, however, will
not necessarily prevent the construction of the road.' Since the letter received
from Skaneateles was written, a new organization has been perfected, which has
Hancock on the south, and some place near Wolcott on the north, with its objec-
tive point on the south connecting with the Midland, and on the north with the
Ontario Lake Shore Road, a distance of about one hundred miles."
Such was the plan of these gentlemen whose interest in and love for Skan-
eateles was to_ persuade the people of the town to bond for $250,000. After the
bonding was complete, then these interested gentlemen would allow Skaneateles
to look out for itself. Their interest would cease immediately. Hon. D. C.
Littlejohri addressed the public meeting in such cunning manner, representing,
among other matters, that shippers of produce would be immensely benefited by
selling such produce directly to the consumers in New York, without the inter-
vention of middlemen ; in fact, his flowery speech bewildered the audience in such
manner that they were ready to bond immediately. The managers, anticipating
this result, had previously prepared to receive the signatures to the petition.
Any town desiring to bond in aid of a railroad was obliged by law to procure
the passage of an act of the Legislature permitting such town to bond and appoint
commissioners, with other details. A bill, therefore, was drawn for the purpose
and presented to the Legislature. While this bill was before the Legislature, there
were many prominent citizens in the town opposed to the bill becoming a law, and
were more particularly interested in protecting the town from assuming such an
enormous indebtedness as $250,000, the annual interest on which would have been
$12,000 or $15,000. Prominent among the opposition were William Marvin,
H. L. Roosevelt, F. G. Weeks, C. W. Allis, and myself. As the promoters of this
scheme to persuade the people of this town to bond for this road were more inter-
ested in their own profit than in the town, I endeavored to oppose the passage of
this law through the Legislature by correspondence only, but, having no political
" pull," it passed both the Senate and Assembly, and was before the Governor
for his signature. I immediateh^ addressed a protest to the Governor, and
received the following communication from him :
State of New York, Executive Chamber,
Albany, February 16, 1872.
Dear Sir: The bill to enable the towns of Skaneateles and Spafford to bond for railroad
purposes has passed the Legislature, and is before me for signature.
The Senator and the three members from that county strongly urge its approval. As the
towns can not be bonded under it without the approval of a majority of the taxable property,
I would like to hear from you further in relation to the subject, if you press your objections.
You will please answer as soon as possible. Very respectfully,
John T. Hoffman.
E. Norman Leslie, Esq., Skaneateles.
276 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
The bill became a law, and the interested parties were very happy. Tip
Crosier was thereupon appointed to receive the signatures of the taxpayers of
both town and village. The statute not only required a majority of the taxpayers,
but also a majority of the taxable property. While Tip Crosier was procuring
the signatures, another meeting was held at Legg Hall for the purpose of appoint-
ing the three commissioners required by law who were to represent the interests of
the town. That meeting appointed Julius Earll, Benoni Lee, and Sidney Smith.
These persons did not please certain politicians, who did not like the idea of
having two Democrats and only one Republican, so, when the bonding came to
be proved before the County Judge, the political objectors influenced the Judge
to name C. C. Wyckoff as commissioner in place of Benoni Lee. This political
move, of course, was successful.
It was not long before great dissatisfaction began to be made known by many
prominent citizens throughout the town, some of whom determined to make an
examination into the legality of the proceedings. As I, from the commencement
of the proceedings to bond this town for the large sum of $250,000, knew that the
taxpayers had been deceived by the promoters of this grand railroad combination,
my efforts were continued to defeat, if possible, this bonding of the town. There-
fore I immediately obtained possession of the petition, which had been signed
apparently by a majority of the taxpayers, and made a very critical examination
of each name. On comparing them with the town assessment roll, a considerable
number of the names were not found on the assessment roll, but not enough to
defeat the bonding. An examination of the town corporations which had signed
the petition showed that two had not complied with the statute. Corporations
can not be legally represented on a petition of this character by the mere signature
of a president, who is merely the presiding officer. In order to legalize the official
act of a corporation, there must have been a previous meeting of its board of
trustees or directors, which by resolution, recorded on its minutes, authorized
one of its designated officers to sign its corporate name to such a petition. In the
instance under consideration, no authority was given the president of the corpora-
tions to sign the corporate name. The fatal defect was that these corporations
had been illegally represented on tfie petition, and therefore the taxable property
represented by them was not sufficient to represent a majority of the taxable
property of the town.
Under the provisions of the Railroad Act, Chapter 907 of the Laws of 1869,
to determine the legality of a petition to the County Judge, the following pro-
ceedings, copied from that law, are to be observed :
" It shall be lawful for the County Judge to proceed to take proof concerning
the allegations of such petition ; and if it shall be proved to his satisfaction that
all the consents, necessary to be obtained before such bonds could be lawfully
issued, were so obtained, he shall find the facts and so adjudge and determine, and
such judgment, and the record thereof, shall have the same force and effect as
other judgments and records in other courts of record in this State."
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 277
Up to this time the County Judge had already taken proof concerning the
allegations of the petition, which had been proved to his satisfaction, that all the
consents had been obtained, and that the bonds could then be lawfully issued, and
his judgment in respect thereto had been recorded. Thus far this grand scheme
was a success. Up to the time that the County Judge had adjudged and deter-
mined that the consents necessary to be obtained were so obtained, the town of
Skaneateles was actually bonded for $250,000, and the bonds were to be imme-
diately issued, and, had it not been for my discovery of the illegal consent of the
two corporations to the petition, this town of Skaneateles would now have a
bonded debt of $250,000. At the time of this fatal defect, and of the defection
of the County Judge, it was fortunate for the town that the limited time for an
appeal to the General Term of the Supreme Court had not expired. Two of the
prominent and active opponents of bonding the town, Forest G. Weeks and C. W.
Allis, under the advice of Attorney Hiscock, of' Syracuse, immediately went to
Rochester and filed an appeal against the judgment of the County Judge. This
appeal was argued before that court in 1872, and resulted in a judgment declaring
the illegality of the bonding, and costs were allowed against the town of ninety-
iive dollars.
Another Attempt to Bond. — Consequences of Bonding.
One of the active men in favor of bonding the town endeavored to get another
petition signed to bond a second time for 5150,000, during the months of January,
February, and March, 1872 ; but it was found that the sober second thought of
the taxable townspeople could not be persuaded to sign such a petition, as their
previous experience seemed to have awakened them to the enormity of a bonded
debt of such large proportions.
There is now a town in Cayuga County which bonded in aid of this New York,
Ontario, and Western Midland Railroad Company, the same for which this town
was nearly bonded. This company laid its tracks from the town that bonded to
Auburn, and more than twenty years ago it abandoned and took up its tracks.
Proceedings were instituted against the railroad to compel it to reopen its road to
Auburn. The decision in these proceedings was not rendered until 1894, when
it was given in favor of the railroad company. The referee before whom it was
refer;red by the court held that the new organization arising out of the failure
of the old is not obliged to operate the road, any more- than any individual would
be who had got into debt by borrowing money to invest in an enterprise which
had proved disastrous. The decision was in favor of the company, and the tax-
payers of the town, and especially those along the old branch road, will continue
to pay their bonded indebtedness, with no prospect of the reopening of the road,
which was a great convenience to them and the public as well.
The wonderful escape of the town of Skaneateles from a bonded debt of
$250,000 was most extraordinary!
2 78 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
Early Missions in this County, and Religious Denominations in
Skaneateles.
Record of Early Missionaries. — The records of the General Association
of Congregational Ministers of Connecticut show that they began to send mis-
sionaries of their body for a few Sabbaths at a time into the newly settled parts
of northern New York as early as 1780. Jn 1783 they took up the subject of
sending preachers into the new settlements of New York. Two or three years
later they solicited contributions from the churches of Connecticut for this pur-
pose, and in 1793 sent out several Congregational pastors to spend four months
each in itinerant labors in ^^ermont and New York, namely, Revs. David Hunting-
ton, Ammi R. Robbins, Samuel J. Mills, Cotton M. Smith, Joseph Vaill, Samuel
Eells, Theodore Hinsdale, and Moses C. Welch. Which of these labored in the
newly settled parts of New York is not known. In 1794 some of them were
sent, and also Revs. Aaron Kinne, Jeremiah Day, Asahel Hooker, Azal Backus,
Cyprian Strong, and William Lyman. In 1795 others were sent on itinerant
labors. This plan of sending out as missionaries regular pastors for three or four
months in a year and supplying their pulpits at home continued until 1798, when
the " Missionary Society of Connecticut " was formed, and missionaries were
engaged by the year. Rev. Andrew Judson was then sent to go West, on both
sides of the Mohawk, through Otsego and Herkimer counties (Herkimer County
formerly included what is now Onondaga County), so far as there were settle-
ments proper to be visited. Rev. Amzi Lewis was directed to travel through all
the settlements between Tioga and Onondaga counties. Rev. Seth Williston was
commissioned to labor four months in Onondaga County in 1798, and then four
months more in that and adjacent counties. He continued in this work for more
than ten years. For a considerable part of the time he was located in the town
of Lisle nine months in each year. The other three months he traveled over his
former field, preaching and performing other ministerial duty. With him Rev.
Jedediah Bushnell and Salmon King labored in the same counties from 1799 to
1805 ; Rev. Amasa Jerome, through 1800 and 1801 ; and Rev. David Higgins in
1801 and 1802. Rev. Calvin Ingalls occupied the same region as a missionary
from 1804 to 1810, and Rev. John Spencer from 1803 to 1810. It is said in one
of the old printed documents of the society that one of their missionaries held the
first regular meeting ever attended at Manlius in 1793, and the next day the first
ever held at Pompey, ten miles farther south.
The above record of missionary work in this section of country was furnished
the author by the Rev. William W. Turner, the present Secretary of the Mission-
ary Society of Connecticut, located at Hartford. His letter is dated March 28,
1873, and contains information of great interest as to the early missionary work in
this part of the State.
Early religious services were held in the old tavern kept by Captain Welch, in
the large room in the second story, boards being laid on chairs and boxes for
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 279
seats, and also in the John Briggs tavern, where Frederick Shear now resides.
Services were also held in barns, whenever a house could not be obtained out in
the country. It was customary for all the settlers to attend these services.
Religious services were held in the ballroom of " The Red House," which was
built in 1798 and finished in 1799, by traveling missionaries, mostly of the Meth-
odists, but there were some Baptists. A celebrated Baptist preacher by the name
of John Leland, of Berkshire, Mass., used to come to " The Red House " and
preach. He had some relatives about here. He was publicly known as the
bearer of a monster cheese which was presented to President Jefferson by Berk-
shire County.
The Episcopal Missions. — The first Episcopal services held in Onondaga
County appear to have taken place at the house of David Hibbard, Pompey, about
1795. The officiating clergyman was the Rev. Daniel Nash. Nash was the
original " Mr. Grant," the clergyman in Cooper's novel of " The Pioneers." He
did not visit this settlement. Subsequently the Rev. Philander Chase, afterward
the eminent Bishop of Ohio, journeyed in the Onondaga region. The real apostle
of Onondaga, however, was the Rev. Davenport Phelps. He was born in Con-
necticut in 1775, and was the nephew of Dr. Eleazar Wheelock, President of Dart-
mouth College. After graduating at Yale he engaged for a considerable period
in secular pursuits, but finally became a convert to the Episcopal Church and
ultimately took orders. He was the first regularly appointed missionary to
western New York. He took up his residence at Onondaga Hill, in July, 1804.
From the year 1806 to 1809 he visited this settlement, and held services in C. J.
Burnett's house, in Jonathan Booth's store, and in the upper hall of Mr. Vreden-
burg's house. There were temporary seats arranged for the people, and it was
customary in those days for all denominations to attend missionary services.
Rev. Benjamin Onderdonk afterward held services in a yellow building which
stood on the ground where St. James' Church now is. One-half of this building
was partitioned off for the purpose. The other half was used as a store and
for the village post-office. W. J. Vredenburg, C. J. Burnett, John S. Furman,
and Samuel Litherland were lay readers on ordinary occasions.
Among the members of the church residing here at that time were W. J.
Vredenburg, C. J. Burnett, and Jonathan Booth, and their respective families,
and also John S. Furman and Alexander R. Beebe.
The yellow building above mentioned was afterward moved to another part
of the village and fitted for a store, and a man by the name of Love joy occupied
it for a short time, and then removed to the western part of the State.
Religious Denominations. — It has been very difficult to obtain a full and
complete history of the different religious denominations in this town. Much of
the following has been copied from D. W. Mason & Co.'s " History of Onondaga
County," published some years ago.
The Schaneateles Religious Society. — The following is copied from Vol-
ume A, page 34, from the Book of Miscellaneous Records in the County Clerk's
Office:
28o HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
" Marcellus, October 29, 1801. — At a meeting of the Schaneateles Religious
Society holden at the school house, the usual place of meeting for Public Worship,
for the purpose of establishing a Religious Society, agreeable to law in such cases
made and provided, for which purpose Ebenezer R. Hawley and Aaron Cook
was unanimously chosen to superintend the said meeting.
" Now we, the said Ebenezer R. Hawley and Aaron Cook, do hereby certify
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, ERECTED IN 1830.
This Church succeeded the Orig:itial Frame Congregational Church on the Hill.
that the said Society being so meet, did elect and chuse Ebenezer R. Hawley,
Joseph Clift, Judah Hopkins, Peter Putnam, and Daniel Cook, to be trustees for
the said Society, and that the said society should forever after be known and
distinguished by the name of ' The Schaneateles Religious Society.' "
Churches. — The first church in the village, named " The First Congregational
Church of Marcellus," was organized by the Rev. Aaron Bascom. The Articles
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
2»I
of Faith and Covenant were subscribed to by Joshua Cook, Solomon Edwards,
Simeon Hosmer, Asa Harwood, Daniel Cook, and Aaron Cook. They were
incorporated as " The First Church of Christ " in Marcellus, and the same day
on which the church was organized the following persons were received: James
Porter, Mary Cook, Elizabeth Edwards, Lucretia Hosmer, Electa Edwards,
Anna Clark, Hannah Annice, Martha Seymour, and Rebecca Cook. At the same
time Aaron Cook was elected Clerk of the church.
The first church edifice was erected in 1808, and was dedicated March i, 1809.
The following are the names of the clergymen who have served as pastors
of this church: Revs. Swift, Benjamin Rice, B. B. Stockton, Alexander Cowan,
Samuel W. Brace, Samuel W. Bush, Selden Haines, William B. Dada, A. Mandel,
and M. N. Preston.
In January, 1818, it was unanimously resolved to adopt the Presbyterian
form of government, and the church was received under the care of the Presby-
tery of Cayuga. By the new boundaries of presbyteries established by act of
General Assembly in 1869, this church was separated from Cayuga Presbytery
and became a part of the Presbytery of Syracuse.
The Society erected a new brick house of worship in the year 1830. The
manse was purchased in the year 1832.
Among the deacons of this church were Eli Clark, Joshua Cook, Samuel
Bellamy, James Porter, Ebenezer Warner, Chester Moses, Philip Crosby, Foster
Clark, Henry T. Hooker, William Clark, and Sereno Field.
Three members of this church became missionaries in foreign countries.
On July 25, 189 1, the corner-stone of the present brick church was laid on the
site of the old structure.
Protestant Episcopal Church. — The first church famiHes who settled in
the village and the immediate vicinity were General Robert Earll in 1796, Jona-
than Booth in 1801, and William J. Vredenburg arid Charles J. Burnett in 1803.
During these later years Rev. Davenport Phelps, a noble missionary of thi?
Church, visited Hardenburgh's Corners, near Auburn, and officiated there.
It is believed that he visited Skaneateles. The first remembered services were
held in the house of Charles J. Burnett, in 1803, and in the Red House, the
residence of General Robert Earll, during the same and the following years.
Services were also held afterward in a small frame building situated on the
site of the present church edifice. One-half of this building was used for the
first post-office, and the other half was occupied and fitted for church purposes.
Charles J. Burnett, William J. Vredenburg, John S. Furman, and Mr. Litherland
read the services.
St. Peter's Church, in Auburn, was organized in 1807, and the Rev. Daven-
port Phelps became the rector. The church building there was consecrated
August 22, 1812, by the saintly Bishop Hobart. Mr. Vredenburg was one of the
wardens of that church, and Jonathan Booth a vestryman. The church people
here verv generally attended church service in Auburn. Rev. Davenport Phelps
282 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
while rector of St. Peter's frequently came here and officiated. His first services
were held in the upper hall of the Vredenburg mansion, seats being arranged
for the people, who very generally attended the services. Mr. and Mrs. Burnett
in this house received their first communion from the hands of the Rev. Davenport
Phelps in 1809. He also baptized their first child. Mr. Vredenburg died in 1813.
Services were held more cr less regularly by lay readers, or an occasional
missionary visitor, among the latter the Rev. William A. Clarke, who followed
Mr. Phelps as rector of St. Peter's Church, of Auburn, until the year 1816, when
the first written record of the life of this parish appears. This is the act of
incorporation of St. James' Parish, Skaneateles, attested by Mr. John Ten Eyck,
one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas, bearing date January 4, 1816.
At the same meeting of the incorporators and others the Rev. William A. Clarke
presided. Jonathan Booth and Charles J. Burnett were elected wardens, and
Edward G. Ludlow, John W. Livingston, Zalmon Booth, Stephen Horton, John
Pierson, John How, Samuel Francis, and William Gibbs were chosen vestrymen.
Rev. William A. Clarke was ordained in 1812. He resigned St. Peter's Church
in 1814.
In 1816 an attempt was made to build a church, a conditional subscription
being raised for the purpose, but as only fifteen hundred of the two thousand
dollars required was subscribed the eiiterprise fell through and the organization
was abandoned, although lay-reading and occasional visits from clergymen were
continued with more or less regularity.
On the 19th day of April, 1824, the parish was reorganized under the same
name, and the organization was attested by Levi Mason, of the Court of Com-
mon Pleas, and R. L Hess, Clerk of the same court. At the same time the
following gentlemen were elected officers of the society : Wardens, Jonathan
Booth and Charles J. Burnett ; Vestrymen, William Gibbs, John Daniels, Stephen
Horton, John Pierson, Charles Pardee, J. W. Livingston, Samuel Francis, and
Elijah P. Rust. The meeting for the election of these persons was presided over
by the Rev. Augustus L. Converse, of whose after history we can learn nothing.
Another blank follows until the 27th day of March, 1826, when a meeting of
the congregation was held, at which the Rev. Amos Pardee presided. The same
vestry was elected, with the exception of John Daniels, who was replaced by
John Furman. The following year, 1827, the Rev. Amos Pardee was still
officiating, and the name of James M. Allen appears among the vestrymen.
Although there is no mention made in the proceedings of either of the last-
mentioned meetings of the project of building a church, yet we find a paper,
bearing date August 3, 1827, which is a contract between the wardens and the
vestrymen of St. James' Church and Enos P. Root, in which Mr. Root agrees
to build the church and make it ready for occupancy. Of the same date there is
also a subscription paper, on which is subscribed the sum of $2,595. Messrs.
Burnett and Gibbs were this year the wardens, and Butler S. Wolcott's name
appears among the vestrymen.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
283
In the report of the Rev. Amos Pardee to the Convention of the Diocese,
held in Trinity Church, New York, October 17, 1827, appears the following:
" In Skaneateles the past year our members have increased, and our prospects
are very much improved. A church was commenced in the last summer, and is
now nearly or quite enclosed."
On the 25th day of January of the following year, 1828, the Rev. Algernon
S. Holister was called to ofHciate as rector for one year from the following
Easter, and Timothy Baker and Augustus Kellogg were elected to the vestry.
The following from Bishop Hobart's address to the Convention of 1828, held
in Trinity Church, New York, October 16 and 17, shows at what date St. James'
Church here was consecrated:
" On Tuesday, the 23d of September, I consecrated the church at Skaneateles,
<i- .-..■.i't' . raBH^te-'"
fe-
ORIGINAL ST. JAMES' CHURCH, ERECTED 1827-28.
where a small congregation has for several years been kept together, and at last
by extraordinary exertions have erected a neat edifice for worship."
On the 26th of May, 1834, the old parsonage and grounds were purchased
of Mr. Lucas, and an additional strip of land from Alanson Edwards. Under
the same date the thanks of the vestry are tendered to the " Circle of Industry "
for the donation of one hundred dollars toward the purchase of a parsonage. In
August, 1845, the necessity for the enlargement of the church was first discussed
by the vestry, indicating very clearly the growth of the parish. The old parson-
age was sold in March, 1846, and with the proceeds, and $100 from Bishop De
Lancy, $300 from Trinity Corporation, New York, and the proceeds of a sub-
scription, the building was enlarged and improved in 1847. In 1853 a lot and
house adjoining the church were purchased of Mr. Vowles, and in the following
month the house was improved and arranged for a parochial school. In Feb-
ruary, 1854, the Ladies' Society saved the schoolhouse from sale under fore-
284 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
closure of mortgage by paying through the treasurer, Miss Harriet J. Gibbs,
tiie sum of $150, for which the vestry returned a sincere vote of thanks.
The corner-stone of the present St. James' Church was laid by the Bishop
May 30, 1873, and was consecrated January 6, 1874.
The following have been rectors of this church: Augustus Converse, Amos
Pardee, Algernon S. Holister, Joseph T. Clarke, Charles Seymour, Albert C.
Patterson, Edward Moyses, R. M. Duff, Thomas Smith, John A. Staunton,
and C. P. Jennings.
The following have been among the prominent members, wardens, and vestry-
men of St. James' Parish: Messrs. Dyer Brainerd, Nash De Cost, J. Gurdon
Porter, Dr. Evelyn H. Porter, Thomas Yates, L. Bartlett, William M. Beau-
champ, John Snook, Jr., Nicholas J. Roosevelt, Ramson Crosby, Justin Redfield,
Daniel T. Moseley, R. I. Baker, E. Norman Leslie, William H. Jewett, Butler
S. Wolcott, George Francis, John Humphreys, Edward B. Coe, Joseph H. Bur-
nett, John S. Furman, James M. Allen, James Bench, Nelson Hawley, Robert
I. Baker, and others, vestrymen, all before 1850. Charles J. Burnett, Nicholas
J. Roosevelt, Samuel Francis, William M. Beauchamp, William Marvin, E. Reuel
Smith, and others served as wardens. E. Norman Leslie served as vestryman
forty years, and as treasurer thirty-nine years, having been elected to both
positions in the year 1856. The church property was valued at $30,000, and the
rectory at $4,000.
Society of Friends. — The west side of the lake was very early settled by
the members of the Society of Friends, who exerted" a wholesome and permanent
influence upon the subsequent development of the town. Bringing with them
their quiet, ennobling characteristics, they impressed upon the community a last-
ing regard for institutions of an elevating nature, and firmly implanted their
doctrines among the settlements. About 1812 a society was organized in the
community, among whose members were Joseph and Russell Frost, Abner Law-
ton (died January 20, 1855), Warren Giles, Silas Gaylord (died January 31,
1843), 'ind William Willetts. Soon afterward an edifice was erected near the
Octagon Schoolhouse. In 1828 a division in the Society occurred, the " Hicks-
ites '' retaining the meeting-house, and the " Orthodox " branch moving their
services to the village, where a meeting-house was built on the farm of Richard
Talcott, who, with his two sons, Richard and Daniel, were prominent members.
This building was torn down in 1873 and another erected. Sarah Talcott was
the first minister of this Society. The first minister of the Hicksites after the
separation was Adin Cory. Other prominent Friends were Valentine Willetts,
John Milton Arnold (who with Mr. Willetts engaged in the foundry business
in Skaneateles in 1843), ^'""d Liva Peck.
We herewith present engravings showing Mrs. Abner Lawton and Mrs.
Russell Frost in their usual costume, which was typical of the plainness of the
apparel of the Society of Friends forty years ago. Mrs. Lawton died December
30, 1868. Mrs. Frost died September 6, 1871.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
285
We give, page 287, an illustration of Mrs. William R. Taber, who was born
July 4, 181 1, and is the only member of the Society of Friends in the town of
Skaneateles who maintains the original simplicity and plainness of dress.
The First Baptist Society.— The origin of the First Baptist Society in
the village of Skaneateles is shown in the following record:
" Skaneateles, June 27th, 1831.— This may certify that on the 27th day
of June, 1 83 1, at a meeting holden at the old Presbyterian Meeting-House, in the
MRS. ABNER LAWTON. (See page 284.) MRS. RUSSELL FROST.
village of Skaneateles, convened agreeably to previous notice, for three Lord's
Days, successively, previous to said meeting, according to law.
" Notice having' been given according to law — A meeting of those who have
ordinarily met in the old Presbyterian Meeting-House in Skaneateles and the
schoolhouse near by, favorable to the Baptist sentiment, was held at the meet-
ing-house as above, and proceeded to make choice of Mr. Ralph Hall as modera-
tor ; C. M. Fuller, clerk.
" I. Voted — That it is expedient to form a Baptist Society in this place.
" 2. Voted — That Ralph Hall and Thomas B. Phelps shall preside at the first
election of officers.
" 3. Voted — Amasa Sessions, Allen Wightman, Ralph Hall, Trustees.
2 86 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
" 4. Voted — That this Society shall be known by the name of ' The Baptist
Society in the Village of Skaneateles.'
"5. Voted — That our annual meeting be held on the fourth .Monday in June
annually. Ralph Hall, Moderator."
September 26, 1831, David Hall and Lucena his wife conveyed by deed to
the Trustees of the Baptist Society the old Presbyterian church and land, con-
sisting of two acres.
On the 9th day of October, 1841, the Baptist Society purchased, from John
Snook and Mary his wife, Noah Peck and Electa his wife, James Hall and
Persis his wife, and Nathaniel Taylor and Electa his wife, the lands on which
the present church edifice is built.
October 23, 1841, an order from the Court of Chancery was obtained by
the Society, giving them permission to take down the old meeting-house and
to convert the materials as far as possible toward erecting a new edifice, and
to sell the land on which the old building was situated, and to use the proceeds
toward paying the expenses of the new church.
Methodist Episcopal Church.— For several years previous to 1832-33,
the circuit preachers of the Methodist Episcopal Church held religious services
in a schoolhouse located nearly opposite the former parsonage on West Genesee
Street. A class was early formed, which was largely increased in 1832-33
through the means of a revival conducted by " Father Bibbins." Following
this revival was a movement for the building of a chapel to better accommodate
the needs of the growing society, which resulted in the purchase of a lot on
the south side of West Genesee Street, and the erection of a building thereon
in 1834, under the pastorate of Rev. Lyman R. Redington. In 1853 this chapel
was enlarged and beautified at a cost of about eight hundred dollars. At the
completion of these repairs the expense was all provided for with the exception
of seventy-five dollars. To meet this indebtedness the society resolved to hold
a reopening service, at which an efl-'ort would be made to liquidate the debt.
Rev. C. P. Bragdon was secured to manage the financial part. Rev. C. D.
Burritt, a former pastor, preached morning and evening, and Rev. Mr. Denison,
pastor of the Baptist church of the village, in the afternoon. Through their
united efl?orts the necessary amount was raised. The society was well accom-
modated in this chapel until 1859, when David Hall, Esq., built at his own
expense a plain brick church on Jordan Street, at a cost of about $5,000, and
presented it to the society. The trustees to whom this conveyance was made
were Richard Huxtable, David Hall, John Burridge, Lorenzo Driggs, Jacob
Hoagland, Forest G. Weeks, and Spencer A. Daniels. In 1868 the church
edifice was enlarged, remodeled, and refurnished at a cost of about $9,000.-
Rev. William C. Steele delivered the address at the laying of the corner-stone
of the first brick church, and Bishop E. S. Janes delivered the dedicatory
sermon. At the rededication of the church after its enlargement. Dr. Jesse L.
Peck, now Bishop, delivered the dedicatory sermon.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
287
The following-named pastors have served the church here : " Father " Bib-
bins, Lyman R. Redington, Jesse L. Peck, Selah Stocking, I. Hutchinson, Joseph
Cress, C. W. Harris, V. M. Coryell, John E. Robie, Walter Hare, Thomas H.
MRS. WILLIAM R. TABER. (See page 285.)
Pearne, Isaac Parks, John H. Mitchell, Charles D. Burritt, James Hartwell,
William N. Cobb, O. Hesler, S. H. Brown, E. N. Cuykendall, W. H. Miller,
Isaac Foster, William Searles, William N. Burr, William Bixby, M. S. Wells,
288 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
T. J: Bissell, William Reddy, R. Redhead, and G. S. White. Present member-
ship, 170. Number of Sunday-school scholars, 170. Ministerial support,
$1,104. Benevolent collections for the year, $400.
The Skaneateles Fali-s Methodist Episcopal Church.— The first meet-
ings of the Skaneateles Falls . Methodist Episcopal Church were held in the
house of M. B. Banister, class- leader, late in 1867 or early in 1868. Rev. D.
W. Beadle, then supplying the Methodist Episcopal Church at Elbridge, delivered
the first sermon. He vi^as soon followed by Rev. T. J. Bissell, pastor of the
church at I Skaneateles Village. In 1873-74 the schoolhouse was occupied for
religious services, and from 1875 to 1877 inclusive a room in the brick block
provided by Thomas Martin. A legal organization was effected November 12,
1877, A. G. Borden and H. C. Templar being presiding officers, and George
Attyee, Joseph Hunt, Levi Starr, Marquis Giles, and H. G. Borden being
elected trustees. A very creditable church building, 24 by 40 feet, with base-
ment, has! been erected at an expense of $1,500, chiefly through the aid and
enterprise of F. G. Weeks, of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Skaneateles.
The Methodist Episcopal Church oi? Mottville. — The Methodist Epis-
copal Church at Mottville is comparatively young as a distinct society, though
the place ihas been a Methodist appointment with more or less regularity for
about twenty-five years. Meetings were held in private houses or the school-
houses until, 1873, when, under the supervision of Rev. William Reddy, D.D.,
pastor of the church at Skaneateles, the old schoolhouse was purchased, moved
to its present site, 'and fitted up for church purposes, at a cost o£ about $1,000.
The dedication occurred January 24, 1873. Among the original members were
O. Coleman; Chester Benton, Mrs. Catharine Blodgett, Mrs. Marie Hunsicker,
William Barber, Mrs. Esther Young, and Mrs. Charlotte Bradley.
CoNGRiiGATiONAL SociETY. — In April, 1841, a Congregational Society was
organized in pursuance of a call issued by Chester Moses and Thaddeus Edwards,
and for several years occupied the Congregational (subsequently the Lyceum)
Hall. It finally became extinct.
Roman Catholic Church. — About 1845 the Roman Catholics began to
hold services in the village, and in May, 1853, a church edifice was commenced.
It was dedicated September 7, 1856, and cost $2,500. Rev. WilHam McCallion
was pastor until his death in 1864. Rev. F. J. Purcell, the present pastor,
assumed charge in June, 1865. Their church was destroyed by fire May 23,
1866, and on June 30, 1867, another edifice, costing $11,000, was constructed of
brick. This Society is known as St. Mary's of the Lake, and connected with
it is St. Bridget's Chapel, at Skaneateles Falls, which was organized and built
by Father Purcell, cost $5,000, and was dedicated September 20, 1874. St.
Mary's Temperance Society, founded by Father Purcell January 7, 1869, has
continuously exerted a practical and useful influence along the temperance lines,
and is one of the few organizations of its kind which have maintained an un-
interrupted existence.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 289
CHAPTER XX.
Yachting^ Sketches^ and Official History.
The First Real Yacht Built. — A former merchant of the city of New
York and one of the early settlers in this village was William J. Vre'denburg,
who became a resident in the year 1803. He selected for the erection of a
dwelling-house a prominence at the eastern boundary of the village, which over-
looked the whole expanse of the lake. At that period there were no trees on the
lake-shore. to intercept the view of the whole lake and its surrounding shores,
and the intermediate lands were then under cultivation for farm products. The
dwelling he erected was a most magnificent structure, exceeding any private
residence within many hundred miles from this portion of the State. It was
commenced in 1804 and completed in 1806.
On the following page is given an illustration of the original Colonial mansion
of Colonel William J. Vredenburg, which was erected in the years 1804-6. It
was afterward known as the Daniel Kellogg house, and subsequently as the
George F. L'eitch house. It was destroyed by fire in 1872.
After locating his family in his new home, he considered the subject of having
a pleasure-boat constructed for his own and his visitors' use, for he had numer-
ous acquaintances from the city who were traveling through the State, Skan-
eateles being located on the great route traveled by the mail-stages. For several
years after 1806 he often thought of the idea of constructing a pleasure-boat to
be built on the most approved model, as there, never had been any sailing craft
on the lake except of the most crude description. It was not until the year 181 1
that he fully determined to carry out his premeditated design of having a pleasure-
boat constructed on the shore of the lake near his residence. At that time there
were no skilled workmen nearer than the city of New York. He must neces-
sarily procure an efificient ship-carpenter from the city of New York, but, as
preliminary to engaging such needed professional authority, he anticipated the
necessity of procuring suitable timber and lumber for construction. Conse-
quently, during the winter of 1811-12, he procured the selection of the necessary
kinds of suitable timber from the surrounding forest, not only in quality, but
in shape of limb and body, for the construction of the various shapes of the
frame of the boat, and giving some time for it to season before commencing
work. All this material was transported to the lake-shore where the boat was
to be constructed.
It was not until rather late in the spring of 1812 that he had completed his
arrangements to go to New York to procure an efficient ship-carpenter who was
290
HISTORY OF SKAXEATELES.
not only a good workman, but a practical modeler, and with the knowledge of
planning out the necessary sails and spars ; in fact, the man he needed must lie
an adept in all that concerns the full construction and fitting out of the con-
templated lioat in all its details. Mr. Vredenlmrg must necessarily make the
^:m'^'
THE VREDENBURCi COLONIAL MAN,SION,
(See patje 289.)
journey to New York in his own carriage and with his best team of horses.
intending to leave about the ist of June, as the roads previously to that date had
not become sufficiently dry. owing to a late spring. The weather on the ist of
June was stormy, consequently he commenced his tedious journey toward Albany
on Tuesday, June 2, 181 2. It is not necessary to detail this journe\', principally
through the forest, but after many inconveniences and interruptions he arrived
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 291
in Albany, and, placing his carriage and horses in safe charge, he embarked in
a sloop to go to New York by water route, instead of journeying in his carriage.
Arriving in New York, he at once commenced his search, first by inter-
viewing his former friends and associates as to the proper course to be pursued
to obtain an experienced ship-carpenter. Although he was referred to a num-
ber of such professional workmen, he encountered much difficulty in obtaining
one. as the principal objection was the leaving the city to go over three hundred
miles in the interior of the State, and the disadvantages arising therefrom; but
finally he secured exactly the man he wanted, who singularly bore his name —
Vredenburg ! A formal contract was executed, and, without detailing the return
journey to Skaneateles, and other arrangements for the transportation of the
necessary tools, implements, and materials, the latter needed in the course of
construction of the yacht or boat (as the word " yacht " was not known in those
times), in due time Skaneateles was reached, and the work immediately com-
menced to build the boat. All the local house-carpenters, especially those accus-
tomed to hewing out timber for framing houses, were engaged. These were
employed to properly dress the timber which was at 'hand. The New York
expert executed a full plan and design for the new boat, and made patterns for
shaping each timber of the frame, with which the local workmen were to be
guided. After all these timbers had been completed, the frame was set up and
properly braced, and secured for the next operation of planking. Owing to
the thickness of the outside planking, and the necessity of having them thoroughly
steamed to make them more pliable and therefore easily bent to shape of frame,
the expert carpenter constructed a steaming apparatus, using a potash kettle to
generate the steam. The work of construction went on during the summer and
fall and a portion of the winter, of course slowly amid the many difficulties
attendant on such an enterprise, and until the death of William J. Vredenburg,
which occurred May 9, 1813, in consequence of which all further work was
abandoned. A temporary shed was erected over the incomplete structure. It
remained on the lake-shore for a few years, and finally the executor of Mr.
Vredenburg's estate, the late Charles J. Burnett, Sr., disposed of the unfinished
boat to some local parties who had been much interested in the enterprise, for
a mere nominal sum of money. They had the boat, which had been nearly
fully planked, drawn on sledges over the ice in the winter time. It was so
removed to the lake-shore about where Legg Hall now stands, for the con-
venience of better access for calking, painting, and rigging. The boat was
finally fully completed in the year 1816. Its dimensions were about forty or
forty-two feet in length, ten feet beam, and it was rigged as a sloop with main-
sail and jib. Little is known of the after-life of this pleasure-boat, but it was
often used as an excursion-boat for pleasure parties, consisting mostly of farmers
and their families. The only recorded drowning of a well-known citizen was
that of a farmer named Chester Tolles, who, while sailing on this boat, was
knocked overboard by the main boom and drowned in the year 181 7. Tolles
292
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
at that time owned and worked the farm occupied in recent years by Thomas
Bradford, on the east side of the lake, about three miles from the village.—
Historical Collections of E. N. Leslie.
Additional Items on Colonel Vredenhurg. — A correspondent under the
initials " E. R. S." thus discourses entertainingly on the article given above:
" In looking over the article on ' The First Real Yacht Built,' drawn from
E. N. Leslie's historical collections and published in the Skaneateles Democrat
of September 2, I am reminded of a few items not therein mentioned, but
which may be of interest to your readers. The first of these is that, to assist
at the ' raising ' of the Vredenburg mansion, the Chief of the Onondagas came
SKANEATELES REGATTA— THE START, 1850. (See page 293)
Oft from the reservation with a band of Indians, who for several weeks were
encamped upon the grounds. This was not only a recognition of the greatness
of the undertaking, but a mark of special friendship for Colonel Vredenburg,
who had much influence with tlie Indians, and was known to them by the name
of Gan-ha (ian-ge Gu-ahna, which is interpreted to mean ' The Great Clear Sky.'
" The second item is the name of the boat which vour correspondent has
failed to give. The ' first yacht ' to grace the waters of Skaneateles Lake was
' The Four Sisters,' thus designated in honor of Colonel Yredenburg's daughters,
Maria, Eliza, Cornelia, and Evelina. IMaria was married to Charles J. Burnett,
Sr., who established on the outlet of Otisco Lake a milling station, which he
called in honor of his wife ' Marietta.' Eliza became the wife of Hon. James
Porter, of Skaneateles. Cornelia married Walter Weed, Sr., of Auburn, who
built the first flouring-mills at what is now known as Weedsport. Evelina mar-
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
293
ricd Governor Enos T. Throop, of Auburn, in honor of whom Throopsville is
named."
Regattas Fifty Years Ago.— Who has forgotten the fast sailboats that
were carted from Cayuga and Seneca lakes to capture the silver cups and other
prizes offered by the sporting citizens of Skaneateles ? Our own craft, well
known at that time, were the Island Queen, the Ashland, and the Blue Bell,
built by Captain Charles F. Hall, near the bridge, and Dr. Lord's Sea Gull,
Roosevelt's Julia, and E. Potter's Gilt. They are all boats of the past, and few
are left to remember those days. There may be a few who remember Ed
Potter and some of his old bachelor parties out at the farm home, and who got
SKANEATELES REGATTA— THE START, 1851. (Sec page 294.)
a headache there like some others, fift)^ years ago. This was when Peter Whit-
tlesey lived in the De Zeng house.
It was just about that time that a few friends took Captain De Cost to the
town fair, in the village, on a stone-boat, sitting on a chair, but paralyzed on one
side and unable to walk. Those were happy days. It is a pleasure to remem-
ber them.
On the preceding page is given an illustration of the Start of the Skaneateles
Regatta in 1850, made from a sketch drawn by Rev. William M. Beauchamp
from a daguerreotype taken by Jonathan Edwards. On the right hand are three
boats from other waters. The nearest, the Dart, is from Owasco Lake, and
those next to the Dart, the Ashland and the Island Queen, are from Cayuga Lake.
All the others are Skaneateles boats. Up to the year 1882 all but one of the
boats of this sketch had disapi)eared. This sketch represents the start from
2 94 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
the pier of the steamboat Homer. One minute was allowed for every foot of
length.
On page 293 is presented an illustration of the Start of the Skaneateles
Regatta in 185 1, made from a sketch enlarged from a daguerreotype which was
taken by J. Secomb. There was but little wmd. Our boat, the Isabella (shown
behind the little schooner), was at one time a mile ahead of all the boats, but
became becalmed and was passed by four boats. Notwithstanding we got the
third prize. The Ashland and Island Queen were again present and took the
leading prizes.
A Notable Yacht. — One of the most notable yachts ever placed on the lake
was the Wild Wave, which was brought from New York in the year 1863. It
was built at Keyport, N. J., about 1S54, for a club in New York, and was con-
structed of the best materials in every respect. The hull was of white cedar, and
all the metal work was of brass and copper. The mast was hollow, it having
been bored out. It had two suits of sails, one of which was jib and mainsail,
and the other a cat-rig. Her length was thirty feet, beam eight feet, center-
board. This yacht proved to be the fastest boat on the lake, especially in the
heaviest south winds. She had the best model of any craft ever placed on the
lake. In all contests with other yachts the owner of the Wild Wave always
was the sailing-master.
Years Ago. — The following highly polished descriptive communication was
published in the Skaneateles Columbian, April 14, 1842, signed " Secretary of
the Navy," which was written by the late Dr. H. R. Lord of this village. It is
now republished for the edification of the degenerate officers of the present
naval fleet on the lake.
" Pleasure-Sailboat. — The beautiful yacht Onkahye, Jr., is the facsimile of Mr.
Stephens' yacht of New York, which is 250 tons, with an iron keel of 40 tons,
The tonnage and iron keel leverage of our boat are about in exact proportion to
that which is said to be the fastest sailer ever floated, sailing twice as fast as
any other craft. The Onkahye, Jr., is fitted out right. In the first place, she can
not upset; for, if knocked down by a squall, her keel, being iron and weighing
nearly 600 pounds, with such a leverage will right her again (if' I may so say)
before she gets down. If she drinks in two-thirds full of water, which is all
she can ship, she has air-boxes, scats, and pipes sufficient to float 1,200 pounds —
twice the weight of her keel — hence she can not sink. To prevent shipping
water, she has a board twelve inches wide that fits either side, and hooks on
solid, to keep the water from dashing in ; and when on the lee side, no land
lubber whatever (as the sailor would say) could ship water in our hardest blows
and squalls. She has been tried. The model of the Onkahye, Jr., is also not
unlike that of Mr. Stephens' yacht — entirely new — combining more buoyancy
with sharpness than any other craft I ever saw. It has a tendency to make her
sail well in a heavy sea, and, so far as I can judge, a most capital sea-boat she
is, and the fastest sailer that ever floated of her inches, I mean in a full-sail
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
295
breeze; and there is nothing that wears rags can catch her, for she will carry
twice the amount of canvas that any other boat can of the same tonnage, unless
got up in the same way.
" Mr. Stephens has said his boat was dry. It can not be (not wishing to
doubt the gentleman's word, however). Our little craft is the reverse; for,
see her in a gale, the wind Ipwling over her windward bow, every timber
squeaking, her windward rigging stretched not unlike the sinews of the strong
man and singing like the Aeolian harp, dashing forward, not stopping to play
COLLINS POINT' EAST SIDE OF SKANEATELES LAKE.
Shore of the Town of Spafford.
with a surge, but cleaving it down, and in her mad career leveling all before her,
her heavy keel hugging her to almost a straight line, bellowing, reeling, and
throwing the boiling surge into a white foam, saying, ' Clear the track ! Gaff-
ney's coming!' She, however, rides a sea beautifully, in a common full-sail
breeze, making no fuss, and playing over it like a duck. In fine, she was got up
for those to sail in who are afraid of getting drowned, particularly the ladies.
Any one is safe in her as he would be by his own fireside. It will be recol-
lected that this is the best boat that the Messrs. Roosevelt brought up from
New York last summer, and sold to a company in this place. Her amount of.
296 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
canvas has been increased this spring, she now having more sail than ever she
had, but not nearer her decks. I have said that she is as handsome a model as
ever I saw; but I think she might be improved on as to her sailing, though, for
a pleasure-boat on our lake, buoyancy, and safety, she can not be bettered.
" Now, then, I want all, far and near, from the Atlantic cities. New York,
Philadelphia, Boston, etc., to come and see our beautiful village, the healthful-
ness of our climate, the fine, sparkling lake, as pure as spring water, and the
hills from all sides gently sloping into clear, sandy shores for six miles up from
the outlet. Here commences a railroad, running north and intersecting the
Auburn and Syracuse Road. The romantic scenery as you pass up the lake is
not to be surpassed in any part of the world, having very much the appearance
of the Highlands on the Hudson. The lake is sixteen miles long and about
one mile wide, some places two, running north and south. As ypu pass along
up the lake, on each side, about midway, you come in sight of a natural embank-
ment or offset, having the appearance of an artificial breastwork or fortification.
A long distance on the west side our boats may approach these ledges with
great depth of water, the trees hanging over our heads, protecting us from the
rays of the sun, and in many instances from the heavy showers of rain; below,
some five or ten feet of water, clear as crystal, and fish playing about in every
direction. These hills or oft'sets are composed of silex, slate, pudding and green
stone, and some specimens of gypsum. About half a mile up the New Hope
Creek is a perpendicular fall of eighty feet. This is well worth visiting, espe-
cially from the lake up. As you pass up still further, the bluffs rise abruptly
into mountainous hills. On the east side, about midway up, there are many
valuable roots and herbs not to be found elsewhere in this State. Often the
land on each side abounds with all kinds of fruit congenial to the climate, espe-
cially berries. On and about the lake are all kinds of game, fishing, etc.
Secretary of the Navy."
Charles L. Elliott. — The following is a summary of a paper read by
John D. Barrow before the Onondaga County Historical Society, in the month
of February, 1897:
"Charles Loring Elliott" was the subject on which John Barrow, of Skan-
eateles, read an interesting paper before the Onondaga County Historical Society.
A large and appreciative audience was present, and listened attentively to the
biography of the most famous artist Onondaga County has ever produced.
Mr. Barrow is not only familiar with the early history of Syracuse, but was
also well acquainted with Elliott during the latter's life. Both were artists,
and frequently had \vork in common. They were closely associated from the
time Elliott began his career in a humble fashion in Syracuse until he became
one of the most famous portrait-painters of the country. After the paper had
been read additional information on Elliott's life was given by Mrs. Charles
Elliott Fitch, of Rochester, and by Rev. W. M. Beauchamp.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 297
The speaker gave an outline history of Elliott's life, in which he said that
the artist was born in Genoa, Cayuga County, in 1812. His early days were
spent in Auburn, but he soon removed to Syracuse, where he received his
education and early training. In 1834, when Elliott was twenty years of age,
Richard Tallcot, a prominent Quaker merchant of Skaneateles, wanted a paint-
ing of his son. At that time Elliott was a struggling young artist in Syracuse,
but he had already begun to acquire a reputation as a portrait-painter, and was
recommended to Tallcot as an artist capable in every way of painting the desired
portrait. The young artist was immediately summoned, and he transferred his
work from Syracuse to Skaneateles.
At that time Skaneateles was in an isolated and undeveloped condition.
There were no plank sidewalks in the place, and railroads had not as yet reached
as far West. A stage line was the only way of getting to or hearing from the
outside world. Elliott finished the painting, and it created such a favorable
impression that the merchant engaged him to paint one of himself, his wife,
and two daughters. The first painting is still in Skaneateles, but it is not
regarded as a work of more than ordinary ability. Meanwhile Elliott did not
confine his work to portraits, but branched out into other attempts, the " Burn-
ing of Moscow " being among the first. He was never blind to the charms
of landscape, and in the Skaneateles Library there is a painting of the head of
Skaneateles Lake which possesses great merit and beauty. He then went to
New York, where he became a student in the Academy of Design.
" As fit for a painter," continued Mr. Barrow, " he had great love for out-
door life. He enjoyed sailing on the lake, camping on its shores, and roaming
the fields and woods. Besides, it is said that he was an ardent angler and a
lover of all quieter sports and pastimes. There are many traditions of his
expeditions with the Skaneateles band to neighboring villages, and of fishing
excursions to Coldbrook, remarkable in fun and incident but not in results.
It may not be clear to us now just what the community thought of Elliott, and
how they esteemed his art and purpose. He was a new character and experience
to them which they could hardly comprehend. Art was a stranger there, and
it was generally regarded as a non-paying freak, while some looked upon it as
an unmanly pursuit at best and a way for shirking labor and getting an easy
living by wits and not by work. Others, however, knew better, but they were few.
" Like most of his associates, Elliott took a warm interest in the politics of
the day. He was an ardent Whig, and a strong admirer of Henry Clay. He
showed a healthy and deep love for culture, was well read in Shakespeare, and
was enthusiastic for Scott and Byron, then in the zenith of their fame. He also
loved our American authors, and was a close student of Irving and Cooper.
Although never a really great student of books, he was familiar with what was
best in English literature and knew clearly its beauty. It was through his
appreciation of literature that he became the intimate patron of the highest
literary society in New York. At the same time he was an ardent admirer of
298 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
music, but the book of Nature was his chief study, and to him this was so full,
so engrossing, and so wonderful that he read it before all others.
" However, among his bright days there were many dark ones. He had
discouragements and obstacles to overcome, and fame seemed slow. He had
only occasional work, and that was not very remunerative, so that he was
nearly always in arrears. Later in New York, when he began to acquire a
reputation, portraits were more rapidly called for, and the prices were pro-
portionately larger.
" It may now be asked. Did the people of Skaneateles have any idea of the
great artist they had among them? Were they always satisfied with his work,
and were they proud to possess it? It may be of interest to know what he
earned during the four years he spent in Skaneateles. A computation of his
pictures and the prices paid for them shows that he could not have realized more
than three hundred dollars per year. Elliott has nov/ been dead twenty-eight
years, but his fame still stands as a pillar of American art, and his skill has
been acknowledged and honored by the whole v/crld of artists."
.Since John D. Barrow delivered his excellent paper before the Onondaga
Historical Society on Charles L. Elliott when a resident of Skaneateles, much
interest has been manifested in regard to the portraits of Skaneateles people
painted by this famous artist. As near as can be ascertained, portraits were
painted of the following persons : Mr. and Mrs. Richard Tallcot, a son, and two
daughters, who afterward became Mrs. Morgan and Mrs. Shotwell; Judge and
Mrs. Freeborn G. Jewett, Mr. Warner, William H. Jewett, William Gibbs, Mr.
and Mrs. Spencer Hannum, Mr. and Mrs. H. B. Dodge, Captain and Mrs.
James Hall, Henry Allen, wife, and two daughters, Gurdon Porter and wife,
Frederick V. D. Horton, Miss Mary J. Horton, Samuel Rhoades, Henry Austin,
Warren Hecox, Dorastus Kellogg, Charles Pardee, Hosmer Newton, William
V. Porter, George F. Leitch and wife, Samuel Francis, David Hall, ist, Daniel
W. Hall, and Mr. and Mrs. Isaac W. Perry, son, and daughter. There were
portraits of Dr. Evelyn H. Porter and Augustus Kellogg burned with Elliott's
studio, and possibly some others. Elliott afterward painted portraits of the
following Skaneateles people in New York: Captain Nash De Cost, Mrs. E. N.
Leslie, David Kellogg, and Mrs. Samuel Roosevelt. He painted while in Skan-
eateles a copy of Spencer's portrait of Daniel Kellogg for the Bank of Auburn.
These portraits are far more valuable to-day than when they were painted.
Elliott also painted, while in Auburn, N. Y., about 1841, a full-length portrait
of William H. Seward.
Skaneateles Sketches. — The following sketches of the town of Skan-
eateles were published in the Syracuse Standard in 1865, ^"d their interesting
nature merits the attention of our readers :
Situation. — This town is the youngest female member of the Onondaga tribe,
a half-breed by blood, her maternal ancestor being Marcellus, and the date of
birth being February 26, 1830. Her name in the Indian dialect means Beauti-
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
299
ful Squaw, and, whether applied to the town or lake, in whose honor she was
named, is very appropriate. This town lies in the southwest quarter of the
county, next to Cayuga, and comprises forty of the lots of the old township Mar-
cellus, or 24,000 acres, and had a population in 1865 of 4,128. The surface is
generally rolling, and in some parts could properly be called hilly. The lake
divides the south half into two portions, from the banks of which the land upon
both sides rises gradually and beautifully to some considerable height; in the
RESIDENCE OF EDMUND NORMAN LESLIE, IN THE VILLAGE
OP SKANEATELES.— Summer.
northeast quarter the descent of the land is in some instances quite abrupt,
and, particularly where the range of limestone crops out, is precipitous, though
not very high. The outlet flows north from the lake to the northwest corner
of the town, and has a fall of some 250 feet in about five miles. There are no
other streams in town of any importance.
Geology. — In the northern portion of the town is the Helderberg range of
limestones, which occupy a space from a quarter of a mile to two and a half or
three miles in width. The outcrop is usually precipitous, so much so generally
as to unfit the surface for general cultivation. In some places it is covered
300 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
with drift, and in quantities sufficient to hide all trace of the prevailing rock.
So little surface of the rock is exposed in a horizontal position that the agricul-
ture is barely affected by it, and only after being manufactured is the rock
available for the use of the farmer.
The first in the series is the Water-Lime, 127 feet thick. It is used to a
great extent throughout the county for farm fences, and by being burned and
ground into hydraulic cement. The next is the Oriskany Sandstone. It is a
coarse, open stone, but little known in the county, except in this town, where
it is in one locality about thirty feet thick. It has no influence to speak of in
agriculture. The next is the Onondaga Limestone proper, a name which it
retains across the State, and usually known as the Gray Limestone. This is a
very valuable rock in any locality — to the farmer for fences, as a building-stone,
and as a manurial agent ; to the people of the city and villages, for pavements,
cross-walks, sidewalks, and buildings. It is from twenty to thirty feet thick,
but occupies but little space on the surface, and only affects the former inci-
dentally after calcination. The next are the Corniferous and the Seneca Lime-
stone. Together they are about forty feet thick. The next rock is the Marcellus
Shale, and next the Hamilton group of shales, which together occupy the whole
of the remainder of the town. Where the exact line of demarcation is can
only be determined by the paleontologist by an examination of the fossils. The
lower measures of the Marcellus Shale make a very black and very productive
soil, gradually growing lighter in color as' you go south, and a little less pro-
ductive, till the well-defined fossils of the Hamilton group are reached, when
the fertility is again restored, and continues to increase till the Tully Limestone
is reached. The soil of the lowest portions of this group of shales is a slaty,
clayey loam; farther south, a stronger clay, that gradually dies out, and sand
takes its place and it becomes a sandy loam. The elements in this soil are of
the most productive kind, and, if an unproductive field is seen, it is usually in
consequence of too much water. "
Agriculture. — The three controlling elements in agriculture are its geology,
altitude, and markets. These have all to be taken into consideration in the prac-
tise of husbandry, and that farmer who can sell the greater value of produce
with the least detriment to his capital stock is the most successful. That the
farmers of Skaneateles have always practised this I should be very loath to believe,
but that they at present are trying to get at right conclusions is very evident.
The Skaneateles Farmers' Club is an institution to be proud of. The agriculture
of the town is only pretty good, but quite great evidence of improvement. Occa-
sionally a farmer that is up to the times has put in underdrains, and given his
more timid neighbors an excellent example, but the majority have not seen the
great benefits to be derived from such practise.
General rules for the guidance of all men can not be laid down, but every man
must be guided by circumstance. Usually the controlling circumstances are the
price of labor and the price of tile. When labor is cheap and tile dear, put in
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 301
deep drains, and few of them. When tile is cheap and labor dear, put in shallow
drains, and more of them. Subsoiling in connection with draining will have
a very beneficial effect on many of the farms, and salt as a manure no doubt would
do well, as it has done on similar soil in many instances to the east of here. Salt,
ashes, and plaster, singly or in combination, and in several proportions, ought to
be tried by almost every farmer, and the various conditions that would naturally
result would give facts worth recording. These facts, combined and elucidated
by the Farmers' Club, would be of great value, not only to the farmers of Skan- '
eateles, but the county at large.
Census. — The number of acres of improved land is reported to be 22,492, and
the unimproved 11,405, or 33,897 in all. This is 8,897 acres more than the lots
call for, but it is known that some of them overrun the 600 acres, but probably
not to this extent. Of this improved land, 6,095 was pasture, 4,764 meadow, 170
fallow, and 5,406 plowed, making 16,535 ^^ ^'l- ^nd but a trifle over two-thirds
of the town. This in a measure can be accounted for by the great amount of
teasels grown, which would not be likely to be enumerated in either of the fore-
going productions.
There were 4,328 acres of meadow in 1864, and 3,965 tons of -hay cut, or less
than a ton per acre. This is a surprise, as it usually is thought that the hills are
least affected by drouth.
Teasels being a great crop in this town, it is presumed that those credited to
the county are mostly raised here. There was raised in the State $116,203 worth,
of which Onondaga contributed $103,669, and the number reported 16,866,125.
Noticing a discrepancy in the wool report before visiting this town, I took
pains on my visit to ascertain, if possible, the cause of this discrepancy. The
Secretary of the Farmers' Club thought that the most likely reason was the failure
of some farmers to report from carelessness. There were 11,300 sheep shorn in
1864; 10,510 in 1865. These gave 60,193 pounds in 1864, and 50,495 pounds in
1865. The falling off in the number of sheep is not probable, and the reduction
of the quantity of wool to the amount of nearly 10,000 can only be attributed to
gross carelessness or dishonest design. Take the county together, and the increase
for 1865 was 6,090, and Skaneateles ought not to have been any exception to the
rule.
Fences and Buildings. — With the exception of hedges, the fencing in Skan-
eateles is pretty poor. Stone of a good quality is found in so small a portion of
the town that there is but very little wall comparatively to what is needed. The
rails, posts, and boards are about used up, the timber gone, and iron or hedges
have got to take their places. There is more hedge in this town than in any other
in the county, and this is partly from the fact that the inhabitants know better
how to manage it than in other sections. Here the hawthorn, under English
cultivation, has succeeded.
Experience is the best teacher in this as in all other pursuits, and the farmers
of Skaneateles are learning what to do for fences. A well-trimmed hedge is
302 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
beautiful, but a shabby one is the shabbiest of all fences, and requires great labor
to keep it clean. On exposed situations probably the hedge is the best, but in other
places iron in some shape would be the choice.
The farm buildings are of all kinds from poor to excellent. Taken all in all,
they are not so good as Van Buren. On both sides of the lake they are from good
up to elegant, but in other localities are not nearly as fine, except occasionally.
More trees are needed almost everywhere, but especially upon the great ridge they
are vastly deficient.
Mottville. — The village of Mottville, on the outlet, about two miles below the
lake, is a place of some importance, well laid out originally, but poorly taken
care of at present. It has a church, hotel, store, schoolhouse, harness shop, wagon
shop, milliner shop, meat market, two blacksmith shops, two shoe shops, and
several manufacturing establishments.
Mandana. — Mandana is a hamlet in the southwest quarter of the town, with
a post-ofhce and half a dozen dwellings.
Skaneateles. — Of all the villages of Onondaga, Skaneateles is the Empress.
Beautifully and delightfully situated, with an excellent view of one of the prettiest
lakes in the world, and showing a landscape upon either border as lovely as heart
could wish, with fine streets, excellent walks, shady yards, and elegant dwellings,
no wonder it is the home of the opulent, the favorite of tourists, the haunt of. the
man of leisure, and an earthly paradise to all visitors.
It has six churches, three graded schools, two hotels, a national bank, a savings
bank, two dry-goods stores, two hardware stores, four grocery stores, three black-
smith shops, four milliner shops, two tailor shops, a copper shop, two wagon
shops, two lumber yards, two law)'ers, five clergymen, five physicians, one dentist,
two photograph artists, and several manufacturing establishments.
Manufactures. — In ascending the outlet from the station on the Central Rail-
road, the first establishment is the old Hart Lot Distillery, which was, but is no
more. It is being transformed into a paper-mill of the largest dimensions, and
a vast amount of money has been laid out during the past summer to effect the
change. When finished it is to be the largest in the State.
Skaneateles Iron Works. — The Skaneateles Iron Works is a joint stock com-
pany, with a capital of $100,000, which has been erecting the past season an
extensive establishment. The main business intended to be pursued is the manu-
facture of scrap iron into bolts, nuts, washers, rivets, and spikes. They have
already erected a mill, 100 by 60 feet, which is capable of being extended 200 feet
farther. At right angles to this is the forging shop, 100 by 30 feet, calculated for
fifty fires ;■ and at right angles to the last and parallel to the rolling-mill is the
machine shop, 78 by 36 feet, and the commercial room, 60 by 36 feet, and an
addition for the office of 28 by 36 feet. It lies between the outlet and new rail-
road, the former furnishing the power and the latter the raw material, as both
iron and coal can be landed in the yard without cartage. The rolls will be driven
by turbine wheels under a seventeen-foot head, two of them working independ-
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
303
ently two trains of rolls. The rolling-mill will have all the furnaces and the usual
appliances for such work. In the forging-room the rods of iron will be cut to
the proper lengths to be easily handled, and here by the aid of power hammers, as
they are called, the bolts are formed and headed at one heat and one operation.
In the machine-shop the bolts will be threaded and the nuts tapped. In the com-
m
_ -^.^^.■.
Wtk.-'-l^il^Ek
S&li
■ M
w^
'\ -JiBtMlfi™""*^""^^""
it ^
>^ /ifflnHH
WINTER APPROACH TO THE RESIDENCE OF EDMUND NORMAN LESLIE.
Snow on the Evergreens, and Path o£ the Snow-Scraper.
mercial room they will be put together, packed, and boxed for market. At present
they are running five fires only, on iron purchased, as the rolling-mill is not quite
completed.
The next establishment is the cement mill of G. H. Earll & Co. It has five
perpetual kilns for burning the stone, and a mill. with a capacity for 200 barrels
per day.
304 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
Marysville Woolen Factory. — The next manufactory is the new stone woolen
mill of the Marysville Woolen Factory, lately erected by Hoyt & Morton. The
main building is four stories, loo by 54 feet, a wing 34 by 26 feet, three stories
high, and a dye-house, 50 by 36 feet, one story high. The whole is calculated for
six sets of machinery, with two of them mostly in and ready to run. They will
employ in a short time thirty to forty hands, and when in full operation about
one hundred. They have also erected across the outlet a handsome brick block,
126 by 34 feet, three stories high, calculated for eight dwellings. It is pleasantly
situated, with an ample yard between it and the stream.
Paper-Mill and Chair Factory. — The next establishment is the paper-mill of
Bannister, Weeks & Leitch, who manufacture printing-paper exclusively. It has
a capacity of 2,500 pounds a day, consuming about 4,000 pounds of rags. They
employ about thirty-iive hands, male and female, at an expense of $900 a month.
The paper is mostly sold in the New York market.
The chair factory of Sinclair & Hubbard is next up the stream, by the railroad.
This is a fine stone building, 62 by 30 feet, and three stories high. They employ
about a dozen hands, male and female, and turn out about three hundred chairs per
week. They manufacture mostly flag and splint bottom, their forte being the
Union arm-chair for offices, barrooms, etc.
On the eastern bow of the outlet, ofif from the railroad, is the sash and blind
factory of Daniel Hubbard, who, we were informed, is doing a good business;
and the sawmill of A. J. Earll, who is doing quite an extensive business at custom
sawing. Together they employ about ten men.
Foundry and Machine-Shop. — The old and well-known machine-shop of How-
ard Delano was burned down on the 6th of September last, but the present pro-
prietor, E. B. Hoyt, has already erected a handsome brick shop, 20 by 50 feet,
two stories high, with one of Moseley's corrugated iron roofs, which is worthy
of a visit by any one who contemplates building.
Wheeler, Benedict & Co. are general builders, have about twenty-five men in
all branches of their business, and in connection with it have a large planing-mill
and general turning establishment. Their pay-roll amounts to about three hun-
dred dollars a month.
Mottville Woolen Mill— On the west side of the outlet, in the villa'ge of Mott-
ville, is the extensive woolen mill of Thomas Morton. It is a three-story mill,
100 by 40 feet, with two sets of machinery, and twelve Compton looms. These
are exclusively run on shawls. He employs from thirty-five to forty hands, and
the pay-roll varies from twelve to fifteen hundred dollars a month.
Barnes & Coleman's flouring and custom mill is properly next on the stream.
It is a three-story wood building, on a basement of -stone ; has three run of stone,
capable of grinding from four to five hundred bushels per day. They buy an-
nually about 40,000 bushels of wheat, mostly of home product.
The chair factory of A. Blodgett is on the opposite side of the outlet. The old-
gentleman is conscientious and modest. He says he only makes about three
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 305
thousand dollars' worth per year, and employs half a dozen hands, who work by
the piece. He thinks he makes a good article, and also that he can not afford to
do otherwise.
Distillery. — Earll & Tallman's distillery comes next on the outlet, but we did
not visit it. It is a monster still in either sense, uses up a pile of grain, fattens lots
of hogs, and is just as good and just as bad as distilleries are. We hope it will
follow the example of the others on this stream, and transform itself into a paper-
mill or something else just as quick as it can.
Paper-Mill. — A few rods above the distillery is the paper-mill of Earll, Thayer
& Co. This was an old distillery transformed, and they have now running four
engines and a machine, making 3,000 pounds of printing-paper a day, consuming
6,000 pounds of rags. They employ about forty hands, male and female, and pay
about twelve hundred dollars a month.
, Willow Glen Woolen Mills. — About half-way from Mottville to Skaneateles
is the well-known villa of the Willow Glen Woolen Mills. It is a large three-
story wooden mill, on a stone basement, with the usual surroundings of smaller
buildings, and scattered around it at a convenient distance are about twenty
dwellings for the use of the employees. They are well painted, with good fences,
and clean and neat in general appearance, reflecting credit upon all concerned.
They have four sets of machinery making cassimeres from domestic wool. They
consume about 600 pounds of the raw material, making 700 yards of cloth a day,
and employ about ninety hands, male and female, at a monthly cost of $3,800.
Dickerson & Kennedy are the present proprietors, who will not let the reputation
of the old mill deteriorate in any particular.
Flouring-Mill. — Just opposite the depot in Skaneateles is the splendid flouring-
mill of Joel Thayer & Co. It is a three high story stone building, finished off on
the inside better than most I have seen, and it is in every way one of the model
mills of the country. It has four run of stone, capable of grinding about five
hundred bushels a day, with a storage capacity of 10,000 bushels. The only defect
in the entire thing is the variable head, and, as at present, a scarcity of water.
Carriage Factory. — In the western part of the village is the carriage factory of
John Packwood, a large, three-story brick building. He employs from twenty
to twenty-five hands in making carriages, sleighs, wagons, and bob sleighs, of all
descriptions, and produces from twenty-five to thirty thousand dollars' worth
annually. The pay-roll will average about one thousand dollars a month.
Nezv Bridge. — The inhabitants of Skaneateles contemplate building a new iron
bridge over the outlet in the village. It will be, as they have laid out the work, a
little over thirty feet span, and one hundred feet up and down stream. A stone
arch of from fifteen to twenty feet span would take no more stone than they have
already in the abutments of the old one, and if the outlet is lowered, as is now
contemplated by the State, it will weaken those old foundations materially, and
they are none too good now. By lowering the foundations some three feet, an
arch can be turned with ease and not raise the street, giving plenty of waterway
3o6
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
for the stream. An iron bridge will have to be planked every three or four years,
and more will rot out than is worn out even then. A stone bridge will be a great
deal the cheapest in the end, and, if well built with good stone, will stand a thou-
sand years. We trust the people will consult with the State Engineers and Mr.
Knight before they move too far.
Official History of the Village of Skaneateles.
The village of Skaneateles was incorporated on the 19th of April, 1833, and
the first election was held on May 14 of that year, at the Indian Queen Hotel, kept
by Isaac W. Perry. The following were the first officers elected : Freeborn G.
Jewett, President ; Daniel Talcott, Phares Gould, William Gibbs, Lewis H. Sand-
ford, Trustees; Charles J. Burnett, Treasurer; Henry W. Allen, Collector; George
Kennedy, Street Commissioner ; James H. Allen, Clerk. Skaneateles was the
fourth village incorporated in Onondaga County.
The following have since served as Presidents of the Board of Village
Trustees:
1834 Daniel Kellogg.
1835 Freeborn G. Jewett.
1836 Phares Gould.
1837-38 George F. Leitch.
1839 James Hall.
1840 George F. Leitch.
1841 Nelson Hawley.
1842 James Hall.
1843 John C. Beach.
1844 Spencer' Hannum.
1845-46 Nelson Hawley.
1847 Alexander Horton.
1848 William H. Willetts.
1849 William H. Jewett.
1850 John Davey, Jr.
1851-52-53 Charles Pardee.
1854 William Fuller.
1855 John Legg.
1856 John Barrow.
1857 Freeborn G. Jewett.
1858 Thomas Snook.
1859 Spencer Hannum.
i860 C. W. Allis.
1861-62 Harrison B. Dodge.
1863 Charles Pardee.
1864-65 Joel Thayer.
1866 William R. Gorton.
1867 Newell Turner.
1868 Jacob C. De Witt.
1869 Charles Pardee.
1870 Harrison B. Dodge.
1871 James A. Root.
1872 Charles Pardee.
1873-74-75 T. Kelley.
1876 William Marvin.
1877-80 Thomas Kelley.
1 88 1 Joel Thayer.
1882-84 Joseph Allen.
1885-87 William G. Ellery.
t. First President elected
independently. )
1888-89 Charles R. Milford.
1890 Joseph C. Willetts.
i^i N. O. Shepard.
1892 Ezra B. Knapp.
Resigned May 20, and
N. O. Shepard appointed.
1893 N. O. Shepard.
1894 Edson D. Gillett.
1895-96 E. Norman Leslie.
1897-98 John E. Waller.
1899 John McLaughlin.
HISTORY Of skaneateles.
307
GENESEE STREET, EAST OF THE BUSINESS PORTION OF THE VILLAGE.
St. James' Church on the Shore o£ the Lake.
3o8 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
The village charter was amended in 1849. The corporate limits were enlarged
in 1870, to embrace about one square mile. In 1855 the village was reincor-
porated under a new State law. In 1870 the village as enlarged was resurveyed
by Rhesa Griffin, assisted by James H. Gift'ord, of Mandana, who had formerly
surveyed the town and village.
, . . The village has since been reincorporated under Chapter 291 of the Laws of
1870, which is a general law for the incorporation of villages. It continued under
this law until 1898, when by a vote, as provided by law, it was reincorporated
under the general act known as the Village Law, being Chapter XXI. of the
General Laws. This reincorporation took effect July i, 1897. Under this law
all villages in the State are divided into classes according to their population.
Under this classification, this village is of the third class, as containing a popu-
lation of one thousand and less than three thousand.
The village of Skaneateles is one of the most picturesque in central New York.
Its cool and salubrious climate and its nights during the summer season are par-
ticularly inviting to sufferers from insomnia, and it is particularly free from those
insidious insects mosquitoes. Its freedom from malaria and other ordinary local
complaints makes it inviting to those in delicate health and for the healthfulness
of children.
Its ,wide streets and avenues, bordered with an abundance of shade-trees, con-
sisting principally of the hard maple, elm, and other desirable trees, overhanging
its sidevvalks, are paved with the best quality of flagstones on nearly all the streets.
Board and gravel walks are excluded from the village. There is not a village
in the State which has more attractive streets and sidewalks than Skaneateles.
The tasty dwellings and cottages, universally neatly painted, and surrounded
by cultivated lawns and flowering plants, denote the characteristics of the resi-
dents of the village of Skaneateles.
Its municipal water system, every street piped, conveys to every dwelling the
purest water for household purposes, at a nominal cost to each family. Hydrants
are distributed in every street in the village for fire protection.
Its location, immediately on the shore of the lake, its aquatic attractions, and
its rural scenery in the vicinity of the village are not more beautiful and inviting
than the village itself, which the genius of its architects has adorned with every
element of good taste, neatness, and beauty, as shown in its churches, mansions,
cottages, parks, library building, schoolhouses, and business places.
Town Meetings. — Town meeting was held at the tavern kept by Alford
Lamb every year from 1843 to 1855. Town meeting was held at the inn of
Henry S, Nye from 1856 to 1859. Town meeting was held at the inn of Thomas
Hutchinson from i860 to 1862. Town meeting was held at the inn of John
Carpenter 1864 and 1865. Town meeting was held at the inn of John Packwood
1866-67-73.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 309
CHAPTER XXI.
Changes in Property Ownership and Establishment of Libraries.
The De Zeng-Lapham-Padelford-Roosevelt Property. — We herewith,
present a brief history of the De Zeng-Lapham-Padelford-Roosevelt property,
which originally consisted of 223.84 acres :
Captain John Doughty; a soldier of the Revolutionary army, drew Military
Lot No. 37. He did not sell his claim aS did many other Revolutionary soldiers.
He purchased several other soldiers' claims, however.
March 31, 1 791, he sold to Ogden Hoffman and Martin Hoffman, of the city
of New York, 1,800 acres of military lands, which included Lot No. 37, con-
taining 600 acres. The consideration Doughty received for the 1,800 acres was
£150.
The pounds, shillings, and pence were at that period, by law, the divisions
of the Spanish milled dollars. A pound was twenty shillings of twelve and a half
cents each.
June 10, 1793, Ogden Hoffman and Martin Hoffman sold to Moses De Witt
Military Lot No. 37; consideration, £185. Moses De Witt had been appointed
by the Surveyor-General, Simeon De Witt, as his assistant.
This Lot No. 37 contains the property under present consideration.
June 10, 1794, Moses De Witt conveyed under contract (no consideration
named) to James Ennis and wife 223.84 acres in Lot Nos. 37, and 35. James
Ennis was in possession of this land until 181 1, seventeen years. During his
ownership a tavern was built for the accommodation of travelers. It was fre-
quented by traveling pedlers. One of this class of travelers had suddenly dis-
appeared, and the last seen of him was in that tavern. The following legend will
be of interest in this connection, and was related to the author personally by the
late George Francis, of this village:
" When I was a boy of about seven years of age, there stood a two-story frame
house on the west shore of the lake which had been occupied as a tavern. Thte
house was painted a dingy brown, and near by stood a srpall barn for the accom-
modation of travelers' horses. This house had the reputation of being haunted.
A well-known pedler had. disappeared, and the last that was seen of him was in
that house. With all the vivid stories of the ghostly apparitions which, took place
in that house every night that were floating around the village, particularly among
the boys of my age, I became imbued with awe and hardly dared to go, out after
dark. However, I was obliged sometimes to go to the stores from, my .home,
which was in the eastern part of the village. One evening I recollect, distinctly
passing on the south side of the turnpike along the shore of the lake betweeil
3IO HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
what is now Legg Hall and the Episcopal Church. I looked up the lake shore,
and was horrified by the sight of two rows of flittering lights passing in opposite
directions through the trees and bushes. One row of Hght^' was going directly
from the haunted house in nearly a straight line clear iddwri to the lake" and into
the water. Another row, I should judge about ten feet from the other row, was
running from the water to the house. I could not see that there \yere any per-
sons carrying the lights, and came to the conclusion that, owing to the rapidity
of the lights through the bushes, it was not done by human agency.
" At the time of the disappearance of the pedler, folks said the family had not
a very good name. By-and-by the family moved aw;ay. The next man who lived
there, while one day digging the refuse accumulations out of the cellar, found
the pedler's bones, at least everybody supposed they must have been the pedler's
as nobody else was missing at that time. Nobody claimed them, and the man
chucked them in the corner of a pasture-lot near by. The boys used to visit the
location in the daytime and amuse themselves by kicking the bones around for
fun. Some of the boys cracked butternuts with the pedler's shin-bone, at least that
is what they said. The man who found the bones moved his family into the house.
They had not got fairly settled before the chairs began to tumble around, the
dishes rattled in the cupboard, the doors would not stay shut, and the windows
rattled and banged, as if some one was all the time shaking them. The man of
the house said that every night some one he could not see kept shaking something
about his ears that sounded like bones in a bag. Then a big yellow dog with
red eyes got to appearing in the house, and, when any of the family would go
near him, he would not be there, sometimes gomg up into the air, and sometimes
fading away right where he stood. This is what the family said, and everybody
believed them. The circumstance of the man's treating the pedler's bones so
urichristianlike as to throw them in the corner of a lot was sufficient cause, in the
opinion of everybody, for the house being haunted, and there was no use of having
any peace in that family until the bones were buried decently, and everybody told
the man he had better do it. So he went to work to see if he could get the
pedler together and lay him to rest in the graveyard. He found a few of the
bones and buried them decently, to see if the advice he had received from every-
body proved true. The doors and windows banged and the chairs kept moving
around as usual, bixt the bag of bones did not rattle so much, and the eyes of the
mysterious yellow dog that looked all along so fierce-looking changed to a mild
blue after the few bones had been planted, and just before he disappeared he gave
his tail a little wag.
" This encouraged the family, and they went to work hunting for more of
the skeleton. They offered the boys ten cents a bone for all they could find, and
the family joined in the search until they got all but the skull. Well, these were
all buried with the first ones. The effect was that the chairs kept still and the
windows and doors did not bang so much, and the bag of bones quit entirely;
but the queerest result was the action of the dog, which the children could
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 311
almost get to play with them, and they said he looked so pleased when he dug out
and went into the air with a playful skip.
" The family now only wanted the skull, but with the most careful search it
could not be found. Some time after, a boy was picking berries along the fence
CAPTAIN TAMbb HALL
Captain James H.all was one of the most prominent manufactutx-rs of carriages and sleighs in
Skaneateles, and was one of the firm of Seth & James Hall. He was born at Methuen,
Mass., in 1792, and died at Skaneateles. October, 1857.
not far from where the bones had been originally thrown, and he stepped on a
rolling stone, which threw him on the ground in the brush, when to his surprise
he discovered that he had stepped on the pedler's skull, which every boy in the
neighborhood had been searching for. He immediately carried it to the man,
who gratefully rewarded him for finding it. The skull was buried with the col-
312 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
lection of the other lemains of the unfortunate pedler, and from that day the
house was perfectly quiet, and the family lived in peace thereafter.
" I do not vouch for the truth of all these stories, as I had no personal expe-
rience, being too small a boy to join .the larger ones in kicking around the bones,
but I heard the details from the other boys. Perhaps some of the old inhabitants
who were then living hereabout may dispute some of the circumstances above
related ; but it must be borne in mind that I was a small boy then, and could not
take any active part with the larger boys who kicked the bones around for fun,
and that my information was principally derived from hearsay. My ears were
always open, and any statement made by the boys made an indelible imprint on
my youthful memory. In after years, I used to hear the frequenters of the old
tavern (which stood next east to the present residence of Mr. Marvin) talk about
the haunted house, and relate circumstances identical with those I have detailed."
We now come to one of the most interesting personages described in. this
history — ^Daniel Ludlow. On October 4, 181 1, James Ennis (who married
Hannah, daughter of Abraham A. Cuddeback, the earliest settler in this town)
conveyed the 223.84 acres to Daniel Ludlow, and to Richard Harrison as trustee,
with power of sale for the benefit of said Daniel Ludlow; consideration, $5,800.
The author, having observed many years ago an old marble monument in the
old burying-ground formerly owned by the Schaneateles Religious Society, sought
out its history and published it in the columns of the Skaneateles Democrat, per-
haps forty years ago, as follows :
" A Relic of History. — Near the southwest corner of the old burying-ground,
now included in the village cemetery, is an old marble monument, surmounted
with a dilapidated, weather-worn, moss-covered urn. The inscription on this
monument reads thus :
Sacred to the
memory of
DANIEL LUDLOW, ESQ.,
of the City of N. Y.,
Born August 2, 1750.
Died Sept. 26, 1814.
" Daniel Ludlow came to Skaneateles from New York about the year 1810,
and purchased a place then owned by Jacobus Annis, and situated on what is
now known as the Anson Laphani place. The following interesting history of
Mr. Ludlow, copied from a book published many years ago in New York, may be
of interest to your readers:
" ' Daniel Ludlow was born in 1750. He married about 1773, and had several
children — Harriet, Daniel, Jr., Robert C, Frederick, and Edward G. Ludlow.
The father of the above children was sent when young by his father to Holland
about 1765, where he went into the counting-room of Crommeline & Son, in Am-
sterdam. There he thoroughly learned business in the good old Dutch way, and
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 313
was also obliged to learn the French and German languages as well as the Dutch.
He returned to New York after an absence of four or five years, and entered into
business here with his father just before the Revolutionary War. His father died
in 1769. After the war he went into partnership with Edward Goold. The store
of Ludlow & Goold was at 47 Wall Street. This firm dissolved in 1790. Mr.
Ludlow continued in business at 38 Great Dock Street (now Pearl), in his own
name. In 1793 he took in Guilian, his nephew, at 42 Wall Street. His residence
was at 56 Broadway, corner of Garden Street. The house was built by the old
merchant, and nearly a cargo of marble was used in its construction. It was a
large double house. Twenty years ago it was standing and used for the Waver-
ley house. Daniel Ludlow was appointed Navy Agent by President Jefferson,
and continued to hold that office during his whole administration. In after years,
when he was established in business in New York, he went abroad to form com-
mercial connections in different parts of Europe. It happened that he was in
Paris at the time Louis XVI. and his queen, Marie Antoinette, were executed.
He saw both these illustrious personages guillotined, and it made a deep impres-
sion on his mind. He used to relate all that took place. He said the king
exhibited fear and that his fortitude forsook him ; but not so with the queen. He
said she looked with the utmost scorn upon the people during the procession and
upon the guillotine. The crowd made Ludlow wear one of the rosettes. He was
in London, and lodged in the same house with Paoli, the celebrated Corsican.
In the course of his travels for business purposes Mr. Ludlow saw every crowned
head in Europe. He established the largest business that was done at that time
in the city of New York. He was agent for the Holland Land Company, and all
their business in this country was done by him. Daniel Ludlow & Co. were
engaged largely in the East India trade. They had a branch house there. They
largely imported East India drugs, gums, etc. Mr. Ludlow lost nearly half a
million dollars by underwriting in the first quasi French war. At one time there
were but two insurance companies in the city, and consequently it became a
matter of necessity that private underwriting should be undertaken. The largest
underwriters in the city were Daniel Ludlow, John B. Church, and John Delafield.
They all lost immensely, and the President, Washington, in one of his messages
stated that their rights should be protected ; yet these losses have never been made
good. He also lost an immense sum by the Berlin and Milan decrees of Bona-
parte. His ships were trading to every port in Europe, and to the East and the
West Indies. In 1806 he lost several thousand dollars by the celebrated General
Miranda and the transactions of Samuel B. Ogden. Mr. Ludlow was a genuine
old school merchant. He had his house in town and his country-seat. The latter
was afterward sold for $28,000. He owned the store at No. 19 South Street,
where he was for so many years. He did almost all the hospitality of New York
to strangers. There were six or eight places kept at his table every day for the
use of those who might drop in unexpectedly. General Moreau, Hyde de New-
ville, and other distinguished gentlemen were visitors at his house.' "
314 HISTORY OF SKANRATELES.
On November i, 1812, Daniel Ludlow, of Skaneateles, and Richard Harrison,
of the city of New York, by deed dated May 14, 181 2, mortgaged to Robert C.
Ludlow, Jr., and Ferdinand Ludlow all that piece of land, being parts of Lots
Nos. 35 and 37, beginning at the northeast corner of Abraham A. Cuddeback's
land, containing 223.84 acres; consideration,, $8,000.
On July I, 1812, there was a mortgage sale to Robert C. Ludlow, Jr., and
Edward G. Ludlow.
On September 30, 1815, Robert C. Ludlow, Jr., and Edward G. Ludlow con-
veyed to Ben Miller the same lands ; consideration, $7,500.
Daniel Ludlow, who died in Skaneateles in the year 1814, had a remarkable
genealogy. The Ludlows, who for nearly two centuries have formed an influential
element of the wealthy and substantial population of New York, descended from
the eldest gentry in the kingdom of Great Britain, and their pedigree is remark-
ably clear and distinct. It may be traced on one side without a break to Edward I.
of England (in the year 1272) and his second wife, Margaret, daughter of
Philip III. of France. The minutest detail of this descent, ,from Margaret, the
second wife of Edward I., is fully given in Mrs. Martha J. Lamb's " History of the
City of New York," down to George Ludlow, thence to Gabriel Ludlow, who
settled in New York in the year 1660. As in this genealogy there are many
Gabriels, the successive ones will be numbered. Gabriel 2d, sixth child of Gabriel
1st, married, (i) Frances, daughter of George Duncan, (2) Elizabeth Crommeline.
Among his numerous children Gabriel 3d married Ann, daughter of Guillian
Verplanck, whose son, Gabriel V. 4th, married Elizabeth Hunter, and their son
Daniel was a wealthy banker of New York and President of the Manhattan Bank,
who owned a country-seat at Barretto's Point, on the East River, whence he
drove four-in-hand to Wall Street every day. Daniel's wife was Arabella,
daughter of Thomas Duncan, and their children were: i. Harriet, married George
Wright ; 2. Daniel ; 3. Robert, married Mary Peters ; 4. Dr. Edward G., married
Mary Lewis, granddaughter of Francis and Elizabeth Ludlow Lewis, and great-
granddaughter of Governor Morgan Lewis. This detail of the genealogy of the
Ludlow family shows what an important personage Daniel Ludlow was before he
came here from New York and became a resident, and here he died, and was
buried in the old burying-ground on the hill. That such a prominent personage,
such a wealthy merchant, such a well-known citizen of New York, should have
settled in this far-distant portion of the State seems unaccountable.
It has been learned since writing the preceding remarkable history of Daniel
Ludlow that he failed in business, and gave up all his property to his ; creditors.
Flis purchase of the 224-acre farm here was held in trust by Richard Harrison
(his cousin). It was subsequently purchased from the trustee by, Edward G.
Ludlow, his son. Daniel Ludlow finally failed in business owing to the many
losses heretofore detailed, and at last to large losses by " The French Spoliations."
His former country home was at Barretto's Point, up the East River, on Long
Island Sound. It was one of the most beautiful and elegant residences of its time.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
315
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Dr. Edward G. Ludlow, above named as the fourth child of Daniel Ludlow,
was an early merchant here in the village, whose store in 1812 was on the north
side of the Seneca Turnpike, at about the present location of Miss Wheeler's
millinery store. Edward C. Ludlow's further history will be found in Chapter
XIV.
It was stated heretofore that Robert C. Ludlow, Jr., and Edward G. Ludlow
conveyed the mortgaged lands to Ben Miller, September 30, 1815; consideration,
$7,500.
On September 18, 1819, Ben Miller sold to George Thorpe, of Charlotte, Vt.,
223.84 acres; consideration, $7,500.
On March 22, 1823, George Thorpe sold and conveyed the same lands to
Richard Talcott; consideration, $6,000.
A large portion of this land was covered with original forest, heavily tim-
bered. Richard Talcott soon commenced the erection of a dwelling-house, for
the frame of which he used his own forest trees. He built a stately mansion,
which was located exactly where the present more stately mansion is now. Tal-
cott's dwelling was two stories, with portico, ornamented with four supporting
Corinthian columns, which were constructed of solid red-beech wood. The term
" red beech " is explained by the fact that only the heart of the tree after trim-
ming off the exterior was used in the construction of these columns. The man-
sion was also surmounted with a cupola, and had two wings, the southerly one of
which was used for a private school. The teacher of this school, whom Richard
Talcott had procured from Philadelphia, was Benjamin Valentine, who was a half-
brother of Mr. Talcott's wife. The school was exclusively for the education of
pupils of the Society of Friends. The first scholars were Daniel Talcott's three
children, two children of Slocum Howland, of Scipio, and there may have been
others. Of course the school was a limited one. During Mr. Valentine's resi-
dence here both he and the late Augustus Kellogg became intimate friends.
Kellogg at that period was a young man about twenty years of age, commencing
the study of law in his father's office.
The nex't succeeding owner of this property was Richard L. De Zeng. He
had previously been a resident of Oswego, N. Y., where he had accumulated a
large property as a speculator in real estate previous to the year 1837. It would
seem that he was extremely fortunate in ending his large operations at that
particular time, as the following year, 1837, a panic overspread the whole country,
bringing ruin to all classes of people, especially real estate speculators. He thus
escaped the general depreciation in values, came to Skaneateles with his money,
and purchased the Richard Talcott property, as shown in the following record:
On June 2, 1838, Richard Talcott convej^ed 223.84 acres to Richard L. Ds
Zeng; consideration, $12,000.
De Zeng purchased this property with the intention of replacing the Talcott
mansion with a more modern and stately building. He therefore sought a pur-
chaser for the Talcott house, and have it removed from its foundation. H. W.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 317
Allen, of Skaneateles, possessed a very stylish span of carriage horses, the very
best in this section of the State. These Mr. De Zeng admired and desired to
possess, and in order to do so he offered H. W. Allen the Talcott mansion in
trade for his span of horses, with only one condition, and that was that the
house was to be removed within a stated time. The offer was accepted by Allen,
who very soon after sold the Talcott mansion on the same conditions to J. Gurdon
Porter, of Skaneateles, and he at once prepared to have the buildings taken down
piecemeal with the intention of having the materials transported to a vacant lot
which he owned in the village. After having the building carefully taken down
and the materials transported to their destination, the mansion was immediately
reerected, exactly as it stood overlooking the lake (except the two wings), on
one of the most prominent locations in the place, which overlooked the village,
on a pinnacle of rising ground exactly suited to its original design. The solid red-
beech columns are there, supporting its portico in the same relative position as
they were originally. This handsome structure is now' the residence of Russell
B. Wheeler, on Leitch Avenue. Mr. J. Gurdon Porter unfortunately met with
some losses in his mercantile business, soon after he had completed the erection
of this building, and was obliged to dispose of it. One of the original wings,
which was used by Richard Talcott for school purposes, is now located on Leitch
Avenue as a dwelling, and is owned by Miss M. E. Beauchamp. The other wing
now forms the rear addition to the Wheeler dwelling.
After Mr. De Zeng had had his architects complete the design, plans, and
specifications, he gave out the contract to George Casey, of Auburn, N. Y., who
employed Frederick Douglass, of Auburn, to do the mason work. The first
foundation stone was laid in the month of May, 1839. The contract with George
Casey was for $18,000. The roof having been changed to copper, this with some
other changes in details was not included in the contract price. Parsons, Hewson
& Co., of Auburn,' had the contract for completely furnishing the house at a cost
of $11,000. Richard L. De Zeng occupied the mansion until his death. On the
8th of September, 1841, he sold 108.55 acres to Francis M. Potter; consideration,
$9,226.75. It is not known exactly when Mr. De Zeng died, but his will was
probated July 20, 1848, and witnessed by William J. Burnett and David H. Kel-
logg.
De Zeng's executors, Edward De Zeng, Joseph C. Haight, and Sarah De Zeng,
after advertising the property extensively, finally requested John Legg to make
an offer for both house and furniture. He made the offer of $10,000, and on
September 20, 1849, the offer was accepted, and John Legg became the owner.
On October 31, 1849, John Legg sold to Peter Whittlesey 113.78 acres; con-
sideration, $10,500. Mr. Legg in the mean time removed most of his furniture,
and thus received an advance of $500 and the furniture.
Peter Whittlesey retained possession of the property eight years, during
which he sold the north half of the farm on the west side of the highway, con-
taining 101.78 acres, to Eastwood Allen, at about seventy dollars per acre, thus
3i8 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
retaining the twelve-acre lot containing the De Zeng mansion. On March 23,
1857, Peter Whittlesey sold the twelve acres to Seth M. Hale; consideration,
$9,000.
The next year, August 17, 1858, Seth M. Hale sold the same lot to Anson
Lapham for $8,000. Anson Lapham, by his last will and testament, devised the
twelve acre lot to his wife, Amie Ann Lapham.
Amie Ann Lapham, on November 20, 1878, sold the same grounds to William
R. Willetts; consideration, $20,000.
On September 24, 1892, William R. Willetts conveyed this lot to E. M. Padel-
ford; consideration, $20,000.
The Skaneateles Library Association. — The Skaneateles Library Asso-
ciation was incorporated on October 20, 1877, by Joel Thayer, E. Norman Leslie,
Henry T. Webb, John H. Smith, Charles S. Hall, E. B. Coe, John C. Stephenson,
George T. Campbell, Shuler D. Conover, Edwin L. Parker, C. W. Allis, Prof.
A. M. Wright, Joseph C. Willetts, John Humphreys, and William Marvin.
Library rooms were opened in the Legg Block, and in 1880 the present handsome
and commodious stone library building was erected. It is one of the chief attrac-
tions of the village, and was dedicated February 27, 1890, Hon. William Marvin
presiding. Miss Lydia A. Cobane has been Librarian ever since its incorpora-
tion. The officers are : William Marvin, President ; J. C. Willetts, Vice-Presi-
dent.
It has been an almost general query by strangers visiting the village why that
small brick building on the prominent corner was allowed to interfere with the
ensemble of the library structure and proper design. It has been currently
reported that Benoni Lee, the original owner, who devised it to the Library
Association, made a provision in his will that it should not be removed. The
following, copied from his last will and testament, dated August 17, 1885, does
not show that he made such a provision :
" Fourth. I give, devise, and bequeath to the Skaneateles Library Association
all that tract or parcel of land, situate in the village of Skaneateles, county of
Onondaga, and State of New York, being the whole of Lot Number 23, and
part of Lot Number 22, in Block 13 of said village as designated on the map
thereof made by R. Griffin, Jr., in 1870, and bounded on the south by Genesee
Street, on the west by State Street, and on the north and east by lands owned by
William Porter at the time of his decease, with my law office thereon, and my
law library, including all my law books, both bound and unbound, and the book-
cases, iron safe, and writing-desk, and all furniture belonging to or used in said
office."
Another Library.— The late William M. Beauchamp established a circulating
library in the year 1832-33, which continued successfully for more than twenty
years.
A Snow Storm. — The snow-storm illustrated in the engraving herewith oc-
curred on February 7, 1891. The snow fell to the depth of one foot, and was
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
319
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320 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
a wet snow. It covered the naked limbs of the trees in perpendicular ridges,
and, there not being any wind, even the very smallest branches of the trees were
covered about an inch in depth. The evergreens, such as the Norway spruce and
balsams, were so heavily laden with the snow that the limbs hung straight down
alongside their trunks. The following day, Sunday, there was not a breath of
wind, and the trees throughout the village were a magnificent sight to behold.
This engraving is made from a photograph taken in front of the residence of
Frederick Roosevelt. The day was overcast. A few rays of sunshine would
have produced a sight of unusual splendor.
The First Organ. — We present below a copy of the subscription list for the
first organ in St. James' Church:
SuBSCRiPrioN TO Pay for the First Organ to be Constructed for St. James' Church.
We the subscribers do hereby agree severally for ourselves to pay to Ellsworth Phelps
the sums set opposite our respective names, in pay for an Organ in and for the use of St.
James' Church in Skaneateles, vifhich Organ is to be furnished with a good and well-
finished case suitable to enclose the same. The front to be made of mahogany, with gilt
front show pipes. The price for the Organ and case to be $200.00.
Skaneateles, June 30, 1828.
William Gibbs $25.00 S. & J. Hall $8.00
S. Horton 25.00 Thomas W. Hecox 2.00
Samuel Francis 10.00 John S. Furman 10.00
Charles J. Burnett 25.00 George Arnold 2.00
Enos T. Throop, by C. J. Burnett. . 10.00 Noadiah Kellogg 2.00
John Legg 8.00 A. B. Keeler 2.00
J. S. Perry 4.00 Nelson Hawley 3.00
A. Kellogg 10.00 Joseph Dascomb 5 .00
Charles Pardee 10.00 Timothy Benton 2. 00
J. M. Allen 5.00 F. G. Jewett 5.00
A. S. Hollister 10.00 Hezekiah Earll 3.00
J. H. Colvin 6.00. •
B. S. Wolcott 5 . 00 $202 . 00
S. Porter Rhoades 5 . 00
How A Wealthy Citizen was swerved from his Purpose of establishing
A Free Public Library in Skaneateles. — ^During the early part of the month
of June, 1875, I (the author) took occasion to carry out a design which had pre-
viously suggested itself to my mind to make a personal call on the late Anson
Lapham at his residence. This was intended to interest him in the establishment
of a Free Public Library in the village of Skaneateles, as a memorial of his only
daughter, Elizabeth Anna, whose death occurred at Brooklyn, N. Y., December
28, 1864, at the age of twenty-five years. Her name Anna was her mother's
maiden name, Anna D. Thorne. To my suggestion he immediately replied that
he had never thought of that before, and he at once expressed his feelings of
gratitude for introducing the subject of a memorial to him.
Anson Lapham's first wife was the daughter of Jonathan Thorne, who was a
successful leather merchant in the city of New York, and had a residence in or
HISTORY. OF SKANEATELES. 321
near Poughkeepsie. She was very wealthy when she married Anson Lapham.
They had two children — a son and a daughter. The son died of yellow fever at
Rio Janeiro, Brazil, about 1855. The daughter accompanied him to Skaneateles
in the year 1857. She was a very bright and attractive young lady, and had
many intimate friends here, who admired her for her loving qualities. And when
Lizzie, as she was familiarly called, died, her father was overwhelmed with
anguish and the deepest sorrow-
When the suggestion of a memorial to her was introduced, he became deeply
interested in the subject, and made many inquiries respecting the details of estab-
lishing a library. He asked where would be a suitable location for such a
building. In reply I stated where the several small frame buildings were, just
east of Judge Marvin's residence. This seemed satisfactory to him. Another
of my suggestions was an endowment fund for the support of a Free Public
Library. This met his views. After this I had a long and pleasant conversation
with him on the subject generally, in which he seemed to take much personal
interest, and he took occasion several times to express his obligations for my
several suggestions. Finally, he invited me to call again the following afternoon,
which I promised to do. After leaving Mr. Lapham, I met Mrs. Lapham in the
front hall, and took occasion to explain to her the object of my visit, and of Mr.
Lapham's personal interest in the subject. She immediately expressed her interest
and pleasure in it, and her desire to do all in her power to carry out all his wishes
in every respect, and assured me that she would do all that could be done for
its complete success.
The next afternoon, whefi I came by invitation, I was met with a surprise.
Mr. Lapham had in the mean time been completely reversed — turned backward —
from his interest in a memorial to his loving and deceased daughter. He met me
in rather a resentful mood, saying : " There is no reason why I should pay for
other persons' reading, when they could just as well pay for their own reading
as I could have done when I commenced life."
I could not imagine, nor could I believe, that Mrs. Lapham had endeavored
to change his intentions and wishes. In fact, it was not possible, after the assur-
ances she gave me of her pleasure and desire to do all in her power to carry out
her husband's wishes and intentions.
The only influential member of his household who could have produced this
great reversal of his avowed interest in establishing a memorial Free Public
Library was one to whom Mr. Lapham had previously loaned on his obligations
fifty thousand dollars. It was, in my opinion, Anson Lapham's stepson, who, taking
advantage of Mr. Lapham's easily, influenced weak mind, did use his personal
influence and did succeed in swerving Anson Lapham from his avowed purpose
of establishing an endowed Free Public Library in the village of Skaneateles, as
a loving memorial to his only daughter and child (having previously lost an only
son), whose death was the most heart-rending loss that he ever sustained, and in
whom during her life was centered all his earthly happiness.
322 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
His death occurred October 23, 1876, in the seventy-third year of his age, at
which time his personal estate amounted to fully $800,000. He had several
years previously executed a last will and testament, appointing C. W. Allis and
Benoni Lee his executors. Less than three months before his death he executed
a new last will and testament, which was in substance similar to his first will,
except in one particular, and that was that he named three executors : C. W.
Allis, Benoni Lee, and William Marvin. These executors made three several
reports of their receipts during the settlement of the estate, which were as
follows :
October 23, 1879, they charged themselves with $692,633.56
June 3, 1880, they charged themselves with 51,016.30
August 4, 1880, they charged themselves with 50,071.68
Making a total of $793,721.54
The appraisement of the securities was a very liberal one, very low values, there-
fore the value of the personal property was fully $800,000. Each executor
received a full commission, which exceeded $8,000 each. To C. W. Allis was
bequeathed $3,000, in addition to the commissions he would be entitled to as
executor.
Anson Lapham had no near blood relatives in whom he had any personal
interest, but as they were his legal heirs he bequeathed to them one-half of his
personal estate, amounting to $400,000. The following synopsis of his last will
and testament, dated August 3, 1876, is here given:
By the second clause, he devised and bequeathed to his wife, Amie Ann
Lapham, the homestead, known as " Lake Home," containing about twelve acres
of land, together with its furniture and all other personal property of every
nature contained in such homestead ; also one-half of his remaining personal
estates, " if she, said Amie Ann Lapham, be living at my decease, but, in case
of her death prior to my decease, I give, devise, and bequeath the same to the
children of said Amie Ann Lapham, to be divided between them share and
share alike."
"Without commenting on the preceding- unusual gift, it may be here con-
sidered that Mr. Lapham would undoubtedly have made a very liberal expen-
diture on a memorial Free Public Library, and endowed it very liberally, if his
avowed intentions and wishes had not been frustrated. The object in detailing
the extent of Mr. Lapham's personal property is to show that, if he had been
allowed to establish a loving memorial in remembrance of his only child and
daughter by appropriating fifty or even sixty thousand dollars for that purpose,
no one of his legatees would have been the sufferer.
Had Anson Lapham not been interfered with and been allowed to carry out
his cherished design, Skaneateles would have had an educational institution
worthy proportionately with the liberal Carnegie of recent times, and worthy of
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 3^3
Anson Lapham and of his lovely deceased daughter. ' It would have been hand-
somely endowed, and would have illustrated the subject of my visit to his resi-
dence in the month of June, 1875, suggesting to him a memorial in remembrance
of his deceased daughter.
As Anson Lapham's will has never been publicly printed, it may not be out
of place ^to insert here a few of his bequests to charitable institutions. He
bequeathed to Elizabeth Lapham Howard $1,000 (she having been an intimate
friend of Mr. Lapham's deceased daughter, and was named after her) ; to the
Onondaga Orphan Asylum, $2,000; St. Joseph's Hospital of Syracuse, $2,000;
House of the Good Shepherd, Syracuse, $2,000; Swarthmore College, located at
Philadelphia, $5,000; and the Syracuse Home Association, $5,000.
Amie Ann Lapham, having survived her husband, under the provisions of his
will came into possession of one-half of his personal estate, which was a total
of $800,000. In addition she was given the homestead known as Lake Home,
including all the personal property on the place. Lake Home alone was worth
$20,000, and has been sold at that rate since. Therefore the widow came into
possession, after the settlement of the estate, of over $420,000. She then
divided this property among her three sons, Charles, Joseph C, and William,
which was a very proper thing to do. There was no record of this division, as
it was strictly a private transaction, and was not intended to be known to the
public. This last statement is merely, the opinion of the author, and not founded
on actual knowledge, but from indefinite report.
I was not aware of the weak-mindedness of Anson Lapham at the time I
introduced the subject of a memorial Free Public Library. Since that time I
have ascertained a number of instances in which this weakness was involved,
among which the following illustrations may suffice :
At the commencement of the Civil War, 1861, the Board of Supervisors of
the County of Onondaga secured a loan of a few thousand dollars for the pur-
pose of aiding in raising volunteers for the defense of the Union, not anticipating
that the war would be of long duration. As it continued, the County by its
Supervisors determined in 1863 to secure a larger loan by the issue of bonds, to
raise money not only to pay the previous temporary indebtedness, but to raise
more money to offer bounties for additional volunteers. At that period during
the war money was difficult to be obtained from individual investors, con-
sequently circulars were issued and sent to all the city and country banks, with a
request to these banks that they from patriotic motives as well as profitable
investments should accept these bonds and enable the County to raise the required
money.
The Lake Bank had only recently been organized here in Skaneateles, and
its Cashier, H. J. Hubbard, had received an invitation to accept some of the
bonds. He therefore brought the subject to the attention of Anson Lapham,
who immediately said that he would take $10,000 in $1,000 bonds. The circular
stated that the bonds would be issued as soon as they could be completed. Mr.
324
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
Lapham after a short time sent his $10,000 to the County Treasurer, and re-
ceived a receipt for the advanced money. After the bonds had been completed,
ready for delivery, and advertised, Anson Lapham's bonds remained in charge
of the County Treasurer. Months passed, and even years passed, and Mr.
Lapham had not called or sent for his bonds. Finally, after four years had
passed, when Mr. Hubbard happened to call at the office of the County Treasurer,
MRS. E. N. LESLIE.
From a daguerreotype taken in 1846.
he was surprised to learn that the Skaneateles investor had not called for his
bonds. Immediately on his return to Skaneateles he notified Mr. Lapham that
the bonds he had paid for had been lying in the County Treasurer's Office for
the past four years. Mr. Lapham said that he had no recollection of subscribing
for any bonds, nor of advancing $10,000 for them. Mr. Hubbard said to him
that the Treasurer stated that these bonds were his, and, if they belonged to him,
of course he wanted them. Mr. Lapham said yes, if they were his, he wanted
them. Mr. Hubbard suggested that if he, Mr. Lapham, would give an order
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
325
and sign a receipt for them, he would obtain them from the Treasurer, which
Mr. Lapham consented to do. Consequently Mr. Lapham came into possession
of $10,000 of Onondaga County bonds.
After the decease of the late Russell Frost, in 1865, Mr. Lapham made a
contract with a village mechanic to build several barns and other buildings on
the farm of Russell Frost. The contractor commenced to work soon after, and
MRS. E. N. LESLIE.
From a portrait painted by Charles L. Elliott in 1846.
after the frames had been set up Mr. Lapham, noticing the work, asked what was
being done. In reply he was told that the barns which he had ordered were
being constructed. He immediately replied that he had not ordered any barns,
and would not pay for them. The mechanic kept on working on the plan given
by Mr. Lapham, and, about two weeks after, Mr. Lapham came and asked
further questions, and it finally came to his mind that he had ordered the work,
and was much pleased, and told the mechanic that it was all right, and that he
would pay when the work was completed.
326 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
CHAPTER XXII.
Early Physicians and Local History.
Samuel Porter. — Dr. Samuel Porter was born at Williamstown, Mass.,
April i6, 1778, where his father was a physician and surgeon. He entered the
first freshman class of Williams College, but left it on account of ill health, and
subsequently received from that institution the honorary degree of Master of
Arts. He finished his medical studies at the age of twenty-one, and removed to
Skaneateles. This was after Dr. Munger had removed to Wellington. He prac-
tised here and in the surrounding country for more than forty years. He was
possessed of wonderful courage, and acquired a great reputation as a surgeon.
Probably no physician of that early day had a more extensive ride than Dr,
Porter.
Isaac Benedict. — Dr. Isaac Benedict was a practising physician in the town
of Skaneateles in 1806, and was a regular member of the County Society, to
which he was elected in 1813.
Samuel Benedict.— Dr. Samuel Benedict is on record as having practised
hereabout in 1806. He had a nephew named Peter Benedict.
William Pratt.— Dr. William Pratt was a practising physician here in
1807-8, as his name appears on the old ledgers as having made his purchases
from our merchants.
David Kingsbury. — Dr. David Kingsbury practised medicine about this sec-
tion of country for many years. He was born in the year 1777, and his residence
was located where Clintonville is now. He was contemporary with Dr. Samuel
Porter and Dr. Munger. He died March 7, 1841, in the sixty-fourth year of his
age. He practised in the town of Marcellus about forty years.
Jonathan Hall. — Dr. Jonathan Hall is on record as being one of the early
physicians in Skaneateles as early as 1796. He was contemporary with Dr.
Samuel Porter and Dr. Munger. The latter practised not only as a physician,
but taught school also in 1797.
Dr. Pierce. — Dr. Pierce is known to have practised in this section of the
town in 1816. He purchased his supplies here, as his name appears on many
old ledgers and account-books of Skaneateles merchants.
JuDAH B. Hopkins. — ^Dr. Judah B. Hopkins was born December 23, 1787,
and died October 7, 1837. He was a native of New England, and came to this
town some time before 1806. His first residence in this village was in a story-
and-a-half house which was on the Mrs. Shuttleworth lot, on the south side of
Onondaga Street. In the course of his long residence in Skaneateles he obtained
an extensive practise in the village and surrounding country, was very popular,
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 327
and had a great reputation, not only as a physician, but as a surgeon, being
frequently called in consultation on occasions when all other practitioners were
at a loss for the proper treatment of special cases of disease.
Evelyn H. Porter. — ^Dr. Evelyn H. Porter was born in 1801, and died here
in October, 1875. He was the eldest son of Dr. Samuel Porter. He commenced
the practise of medicine and surgery in 1830, which continued until his death.
He exhibited excellent judgment in the discrimination of diseases. At an early
age, in 1816, the smallpox suddenly appeared at Marcellus. At that time, when
sixteen years of age, he was attending school there, and on the alarm occasioned
by the smallpox went immediately home. His father. Dr. Samuel Porter, a
stirring, energetic man in his profession, at once vaccinated him, and when the
vaccination had run its course sent his son back to Marcellus to Dr. Bildad Beach,
with instructions that young Evelyn be placed in the Pest House, there to be in-
oculated for the smallpox, and to remain the appointed time. Dr. Beach acted
in accordance with these instructions, and young Evelyn Porter, after living
three or four weeks in the filth of the Pest House, came out as unharmed and
unsullied as though he had been a piece of marble.
Michael D. Benedict. — Dr. Michael D. Benedict was born in Danbury,
Conn., January 21, 1814, and died at Syracuse January 7, 1885. His education
was obtained in the common schools and Danbury Academy. After studying
his profession and taking a course of lectures in the Medical Department of Yale,
he began practise in New Haven, Conn., where he continued until 1838. He then
removed to Skaneateles, and during the succeeding twenty-five years was en-
gaged in a large and successful practise in that village, became very popular, and
was quite successful in the treatment of disease. He built the two-story frame
dwelling house next north of the Skaneateles Academy, which is now owned and
occupied by J. E. Waller, and which has since been enlarged and otherwise im-
proved. In September, 1861, he entered the army as Surgeon of the Seventy-
fifth New York Volunteers, and was mustered out in December, 1864. He was
soon after appointed inedical officer of the Sanitary Commission, and stationed
at Washington until September, 1865, when he settled in Syracuse, and con-
tinued in active practise as long as his health permitted. He joined the County
Medical Society in 1869, and was its President in 1870. As a physician he was
among the foremost, and as a man and gentleman was respected for his lovable,
kind, and amiable qualities by all who knew him. His first office was on the
second floor, over Field & Kellogg's harness-shop.
P. Oscar C. Benson. — Dr. P. Oscar C. Benson was born in Owasco, Cayuga
County, June 19, 1839. He was brought up on a farm, where he remained until
1857, when at the age of eighteen he commenced his seminary course of study at
Cazenovia. After completing his studies he entered the New York College
of Homeopathy, from which he graduated in 1865. He commenced his medical
practise at Springfield, Mass., where he remained one year. The death of his
mother in i860 called him from Springfield to be nearer his father, and he settled
328 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
and commenced practise in Skaneateles, which continued successfully for about
twenty-four years, during which time he obtained an extensive general practise,
which he acquired by patient effort, careful and loving attention, and that skill
and knowledge which commanded popular confidence. He was a keen observer,
progressive and a deep thinker, beloved by his patients, and conscientious in all
his efforts to subdue disease. Besides being a prominent physician, he was a
representative citizen. About six years previous to his death he was a member
of the Board of Education, and for more than two years its President. His
death occuiTed January 25, 1890, and was an unusually sad one. Another phy-
sician, who had several obstetrical cases just at that time in view, requested Dr.
Benson to attend one of them. He did so, and about midnight, after he attended
to the patient, he complained of being ill, and he was requested to lie down on a
lounge, which he' did for two hours, after which he complained of pain in his
head, and remarked that he could not live unless help came. The physician for
whom he was acting was immediately summoned, but when he arrived Dr. Ben-
son had passed away.
Levi T. Bartlett. — Dr. Levi T. Bartlett was born in Warren, N. H., October
4, 1806, and was a grandson of Joshua Bartlett, one of the signers of the Declara-
tion of Independence. He graduated from Dartmouth College in 1827, studied
medicine, and located in Skaneateles in 1838. There he practised nearly fifty
years, acquiring a large practise and gaining a high reputation for skill and
integrity. He was compelled to relinquish practise eight years prior to his
death on account of failing health. He died June 22, 1892.
L. Pareseix. — Dr. L. Paresell advertised in the first newspaper, the Telegraph,
printed in the village. The advertisement reads as follows :
" Dr. L. Paresell would respectfully inform the citizens of Skaneateles and its
vicinity, that he has opened an office in the house of Caldwell & Wallis, The Skan-
eateles Hotel, where he will attend to all calls in the line of his Profession.
" Dated Skaneateles, July 29, 1829."
George T. Campbell.- — Dr. George T. Campbell was born in Camillus, Oc-
tober 13, 1826, and came to Skaneateles in 1858, where he commenced the practise
of medicine, and at the same time carried on a drug-store in the village. In
1885 he sold out his drug business, and devoted himself entirely to his extended
practise, until failing health compelled him to retire. Besides being a physician
of great reputation, he was a representative citizen, having been President of the
Onondaga Medical Society for several years, Supervisor of the town, and a mem-
ber and President of the Skaneateles Board of Education. He died at Skan-
eateles of a distressing incurable disease, February 11, 1882.
Hammond, Earll, and Gorton. — The latter physicians, all of whom have
passed over to the majority, were: Dr. Alexander Hammond, who besides his
practise had a drug-store in the village ; Dr. George W. Earll, and Dr. Gorton.
F. Harvey Lester. — Dr. F. Harvey Lester was born at New Hope, Cayuga
County, N. Y., November 10, 1859, where he passed his early boyhood days.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
329
When about thirteen years of age, his parents removed to Auburn, N. Y., where
for a time he attended the High School. After three years' schqoling, he went
back to New Hope, and went to work on a farm, economizing and saving all the
money he earned, and teaching the district school during the winter. His aim
was to obtain a medical education, and with that in view he saved all that he
earned by hard labor, and, when he considered that he had sufKcient money on
hand; he made a start by reading medicine with Dr. Tripp, of Kelloggsville, after
THE HEAD OP SKANEATELES LAKE.
This is the extreme south end, and is the only part of the Lake where there is a grassy bottom,
portions of which may be seen above the surface of the water. G len Haven may be observed
on the opposite shore.
which he entered the University of the City of New York. Graduating with
honor in 1883, he returned to Kelloggsville, remained there a short time, then
came to Skaneateles, an entire stranger, without consulting the resident members
of the profession. He hired an office in the second story of the Shear Block,
which office was at the end of a long entryway, and very inconvenient in every
respect for his business. A friend, an entire stranger to him, who had learned
of his locating 'in the village, called to make his acquaintance, and to render all
assistance possible to a newcomer. This friend found him in his sparsely fur-
330 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
nished room, in which were a cheap pine bedstead, a common chair, a pine wash-
stand, and no carpet on the floor. Dr. Lester stated to this friend that he had
come to Skaneateles to stay. The friend then assured him that he would do all
in his power to assist him, and also said to him that he must secure a more
convenient office. After Dr. Lester had been there a few months, he went
to see this friend to ask his advice, saying that he could get a half of Dr.
Ingerson's office for fifty dollars a year, and he could get Dr. Campbell's office
for one hundred dollars a year, and wished to be informed which one he
should take. His friend said : " Take the Campbell office, by all means. You
want to be directly on the street, no matter what rent you have to pay." Dr.
Lester rented the Dr. Campbell office, and it was not long before he began
to have a considerable practise, so much so as to cause alarm among the
regular professionals of the village. In consequence, some of them commenced
a " boycott," resulting in disgraceful stories being circulated about Dr. Lester,
which were intended to disgrace him particularly among ladies. One of the
resident physicians personally told Dr. Lester that he ought to commence
doctoring among the Irish down the outlet, and gradually work himself up
toward the village. This was the spirit with which his locating here was viewed
by the profession in the village. Dr. Lester kept obtaining new patients, and
he became very successful in the treatment of disease. He was a deep thinker,
an untiring worker, endowed with sound common sense, a keen observer, and
thus he represented the best type of a general practitioner. Trusted by his
patients, he deserved their confidence. He was progressive, yet conservative,
earnest, and thoroughly conscientious in his work. He became very popular,
despite the disgraceful rumors set afloat by his professional brethren in the village,
which seemingly had no effect on the community at large. His practise soon
began to become very extensive. His medical and surgical library was of the
most recent editions, the best that could be obtained, without reference to cost,
and he had the best of general medical literature. His aptitude was for more
extensive knowledge, and it was for that reason that he went abroad, to Europe,
to Germany, where the highest class of medical authority was to be obtained.
In 1 89 1 he relinquished his extensive practise here, went to Germany, and im-
mediately after his arrival there he at once entered on a course of special study
at Heidelberg, on the Rhine. After its completion he went to Berlin, and entered
on a course of advanced study. His energy in his work there and his determina-
tion to succeed seemingly affected his brain, which caused an illness of only a
few days' duration, from which he lost consciousness, and never recovered. He
died April 7, 1892. His remains were brought home, and the interment took
place in the Benson Street Cemetery, April 25, 1892.
An Interesting Fragment of Early History. — The Revolutionary soldier
to whom was allotted Military Lot No. 35 was Kenneth Campbell, in the year
1791. He sold it to Abraham Hardenburgh, February 5, 1792, for thirteen
shillings. Hardenburgh afterward sold it to Moses De Witt for three hundred
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 331
pounds. This currency was not sterling, but the pounds at that period were
twenty shillings of twelve and a half cents each, established by a law of Congress.
Thayer. — Mr. Thayer was the artist who painted the portrait of Charles L.
Elliott now in the Skaneateles Library. His mother married John D. Ford, who
lived in the tenant-house of William S. Briggs. Artist Thayer was the head
painter of Hall & Porter's (Gurdon Porter) carriage-shop. John Legg made a
very stylish covered sleigh for Eastern parties, and employed artist Thayer to
paint a handsome design on the back of the sleigh. This was previous to Charles
L. Elliott's residence here.
Miscellaneous Fragments of History. — Two men named Crawford were
stone and brick masons here in 1830. They built the first two brick stores in the
village, for Richard Talcott and Stephen Horton, in the year 1830.
Nelson Hawley was originally a clerk for Stephen Horton before he embarked
in business for himself.
Melsey Ann Allen, daughter of Attorney Allen, at an early time resided in
State Street in this village.
The story-and-a-half house now or formerly occupied by Mrs. Tucker, on
the north side of Academy Street, was originally built on the site of the R. B.
Wheeler residence. It was removed to its present location by J. Gurdon Porter
about the year 1838, when he was about to erect the Wheeler house.
Rowland Day, a merchant here in 1806, was at one time associated with Nor-
man Leonard in business.
Moses B. Dunning was at one time a clerk for John Legg.
Harrison B. Dodge — How He First became Editor of the Skaneateles
Democrat. — The Skaneateles Democrat was first started by William M. Beau-
champ, January 3, 1840. About 1844, E. Sherman Keeney became the editor and
proprietor, and a few years later was succeeded by William H. Jewett. He soon
sold out to Jonathan C. Keeney. William H. Jewett was interested in the
Democrat becoming a Democratic organ, and, as Keeney desired to sell out his
proprietorship, Jewett proposed to Harrison B. Dodge to assume the editorship,
with Jewett's assistance. Dodge did not feel capable, his vocation being a silver-
plater for the carriage manufacturers in the village. Finally, through the persua-
sion of Mr. Jewett, he made the attempt, and took possession of the Democrat
April I, 1849. William H. Jewett was the active editor until H. B. Dodge
became more familiar with the work, and has since been the editor and proprietor.
In March, 1853, he purchased the good-will and business of the Skaneateles
Columbian, and consolidated the two offices. H. B. Dodge continued the pro-
prietorship and editorship of the Democrat until January i, 1890, when he leased
the paper and business to William T. Hall, who died May 3, 1897, after an illness
of only a few hours, aged thirty-five years. The Democrat then not having an
editor, it was kept going by a few volunteers for a short time, when it was leased
to a man by the name of Ackles, who from a want of knowledge and experience
soon spoiled the journal's old reputation, and after that this reputable standard
Z32 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
newspaper became extinct. Harrison B. Dodge died November 22, 1898, from
the effects of general debility, at the age of eighty-seven years. He was the first
editor in the village who introduced local subjects of interest in the columns of his
paper, seeking subjects of interest personally, and editorially making a note of
them. The Columbian, which preceded the Democrat, seldom or never published
local news of any kind. Its columns were filled with items clipped from its
exchanges. The only real local matter was the advertisements, and these now,
after many years, serve to indicate the names of our ancestral business men, all
or nearly all of whom have passed away. Harrison B. Dodge had always been a
citizen in the ordinary sense of the word. Every plan that was set on foot for the
betterment of either town or village found in him a hearty sympathy with its
advancement. He took a keen interest in the advancement of the community,
and his advocacy of all matters of public importance was effective through the
columns of the Democrat. He possessed a genial kindness of nature and a keen
sense of humor which made his intercourse with his fellow men enjoyable. He
took and retained warm friendships, and enjoyed the full confidence and respect of
citizens of all classes. There is a very general regret expressed by the subscribers
of the old Skaneateles Democrat that it should not have been continued by some
enterprising party, and thus kept up to its original standard.
Origin of the Village Fire Department. — The subject of fire extinguish-
ment was considered long before the incorporation of the village, which was in
1833, and in that act provision was made for an organized department, and very
soon afterward Fire Engine Company No. i was formed. The first record of its
actual existence, however, appears in the Skaneateles Columbian of February 20,
1835, when James Gurdon Porter as Foreman, and G. W. Waring as Secretary,
called a meeting for March 4, 1835, at the tavern of I. W. Perry. It is certain,
also, that a second company flourished at this time or shortly afterward. In 1858,
when there were a fire company and a hose company, new life was infused into the
department, and on March 14, 1866, the whole department was reorganized with
forty-eight members, and with Jeremiah Shallish as Chief Engineer. Thomas
Kelley was Foreman of the Fire Company, and Henry D. Huxford commanded
the Hose Company. Probably the earliest fire-engine used in the village was an
old " goose-neck " machine, now in possession of the department. About 1856
or 1857, a hand engine was purchased by the village Trustees, and is still ready
for emergencies. Since the introduction of the present water works hose alone
is and has been employed, the pressure from the reservoir being ample to throw
streams of water over the highest of the business buildings. Before 1861 under-
ground reservoirs had been constructed for fire purposes on East Genesee Street
and on the Academy corner, but neither of them was ever made use of. The fire
department now consists of about sixty members, organized into two hose com-
panies and a hook and ladder company.
The greatest fire of importance with which the village was visited, and which
the early fire department was called upon to try to extinguish, was the disastrous
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
333
conflagration of September 28, 1835, which consumed thirteen frame stores, car-
riage and cabinet shops, comprising the pri^cipal business portion of the village,
the details of which, and the losses incurred, will be found in another chapter.
With characteristic energy the lot-owners constructed new brick buildings in
nearly every instance, and those structures were built in such manner to prevent
a fire from spreading by having heavy division walls which extended above the
roofs.
The next serious fire occurred February 4, 1842, when Dorastus Kellogg's
woolen mills, employing about sixty-five hands, Spencer Hannum's machine-
shop, and Earll, Kellogg & Co.'s flouring mill and storehouse were destroyed,
causing a total loss of $43,000. Earll, Kellogg & Co. rebuilt the grist-mill and
placed it in operation early in 1843. On the site of Kellogg's woolen factory
Spencer Hannum erected a foundry, which was destroyed by fire January 6, 1850.
Valuable Files of Local Papers. — The following local newspapers have
VIEW OF THE village OF SKANEATELES FROM THE LAKE IN 1856.
been collected, bound, and presented to the Skaneateles Library Association by
E. N. Leslie, of this village, and are now in the Library :
Skaneateles Columbian, one volume, from 1834 to 1853, very imperfect.
Skaneateles Democrat, eleven volumes, all very imperfect — 1843 to 1848, 1849
to 1851, 1852 to 1856, 1859 to 1861, 1863 to 1869, 1864 to 1866, 1870 to 1875,
1871 to 1873, 1857 to 1869, 1876 to 1878, and 1879 to 1880.
One volume of miscellaneous, local, and neighborhood papers.
The following volumes have just been received from the bookbinder and have
not as yet been placed in the Library, but are at Mr. Leslie's office :
One volume of the New York Weekly Journal of Commerce, from October
30, 1889, to December 30, 1891. This volume is complete.
Seven volumes of the Skaneateles Columbian, dating from 1830 to March 24,
1853. This series is almost complete and is very valuable.
Four volumes of the Skaneateles Democrat, dating from 1844 to 1869, but very
incomplete. The period which is most valuable is contained in the volume from
1863 to 1869, containing but thirty-seven papers, whereas to be perfect within
those dates there should be 327 papers.
334 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
Nine volumes of the Skaneateles Free Press — a complete file from the com-
mencement, and all in perfect order without mutilation — March 21, 1874, to Jan-
uary I, 1892.
All these comprise thirty-four volumes, which have been collerted from
various sources for many years past by Mr. Leslie, and were carefully put in order
for the binder, the expense of binding costing $2 per volume, which has been paid
by him. All the above will find a place in the Skaneateles Library Association,
thanks to Mr. Leslie's generosity.
A Beautiful Memorial Tablet. — E. N. Leslie has placed on the east wall
of the interior of St. James' Church, in this village, a beautiful memorial tablet
to the memory of the sons of that church who lost their lives in the defense of the
Union. The tablet is forty-two by twenty-eight inches, and is made of heavy
brass plate, upon which the lettering of the inscription is placed in black and red
enameled letters, with a very neat border of oak and holly leaves. The brass plate
is bolted to a black marble back, which shows a chamfered edge of two to two and
one-half inches, and all securely fastened in the wall. The inscriptions are as
follows :
To THE Glory of God, and in Memory of the Sons of St. James' Church
WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN DEFENCE OF THE UnION.
Lieutenant Benjamin H. Porter, U. S. N. Killed at the storming of Fort
Fisher, Va., January 15, 1865. Aged 21 years.
2d Lieutenant Stanley Porter, N. Y. Vol. Mortally wounded at Bull Run, Va.,
Aug. 30, 1862. Aged 20 years.
Private Albert De Cost Burnett, N. Y. Vol. Died at Harrison's Landing, Va.,
Aug. 4, 1862. Aged 16 years.
Private William H. Baber, N. Y. Vol. Died from the effects of exposure
April 8, 1865. Aged 26 years.
Private Wadsworth B. Francis, N. Y. Vol. Killed at the storming of Port
Hudson, Miss., June 14, 1863. Aged 51 years.
Private Samuel Francis, Wisconsin Vol. Died at Alexandria, Va., Sept. i,
1862. Aged 57 years.
The workmanship on the tablet in all its details is of the finest kind, and it is
truly a work of art. Mr. Leslie has spared no expense in erecting this beautiful
memorial to the sons of the church, and we wish others would show as much
respect for those who helped save our Union and see to it that a Soldiers' Monu-
ment worthy of our town be reared to their honored memory.
The Baldwinsville Gazette printed the following statement in their issue of
the time:
" Mr. E. N. Leslie has placed a brass tablet in St. James' Church, Skaneateles,
as a memorial of six Union soldiers and sailors, members of the congregation.
He has also presented thirty-four bound volumes of local papers to the Skaneateles
Library. He likes to do just such things."
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 335
Sunday-School Celebration. — The following program of the celebration of
Fourth of July, 1832, by the Sunday-School of St. James' Church, was carried
out with great enthusiasm:
FIFTY-SIXTH ANNIVERSARY OF INDEPENDENCE.
Skaneateles, July 4, 1832.
Washington — The Father of his Country — Born 1732— Died 1799— Aged 68 years. — " First
in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen."
Robert Raikes — ^The Founder of Sunday-Schools — at Gloucester, England, 1782. — "The
righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance."
Sunday-School Celebration.
order of exercises at the church.
Prayer.
Address to Parents and Guardians by Rev. Mr. Clark.
Ode.
Columbia ! A lovely clime !
'Tis the high place of Freedom's birth !
God of our fathers, make it thine —
A holy clime— the joy of earth!
Thy glorious name, on golden lyres.
Strike all the tuneful choirs above!
And boundless nature's realms conspire
To celebrate thy matchless love !
I would not change my native land
For rich Peru with all her gold!
A nobler prize lies in my hand
Than East or Western Indies hold!
O King of saints ! O Triune God !
Bow the high heavens and lend thine ear :
Oh ! make this land thy fixed abode,
And let the Heavenly Dove rest here !
John W. Livingston.— John W. Livingston was an early owner of the Dyer
Brainerd Farm, on the East Lake Road. He was appointed United States Mar-
shal for the Northern District of the State of New York in the year 1822. He
came here in 1815, and was a resident for many years. His wife was the daughter
of Lieutenant-Governor John Broome, who held that office in 1804. This lady
brought with her from Albany an elegant pianoforte that her father had imported
from London, England. It was at the time of its importation one of the finest
instruments in the city of Albany. Mrs. Livingston after making her home
here in Skaneateles enjoyed playing her piano, for she was a skilful performer.
Taking an interest in the daughter of her father's family physician, she proposed
to Dr Hopkins to instruct her in the use of the piano, to which assent was given.
336 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
In the course of time the daughter became very proficient, and at the time the
Livingston family -were about to remove from Skaneateles Mrs. Livingston,
having become much interested in the advancement and excellent proficiency of
Miss Hopkins in the use of the instrument, made her a present of this elegant
pianoforte. She is now the widow of the late Dr. Levi T. Bartlett of this village,
and has taken unusual care of the instrument ever since, and it is in the same con-
dition it was when she received it from the donor. It is undoubtedly the most
ancient pianoforte now in the County of Onondaga !
The Jerome Family.— Although the Jeromes were not of Skaneateles, yet
the name has. been more or less connected with the early days of Skaneateles.
The Jeromes originated as very early settlers in the town of Pompey. John
Jerome was elected a trustee of the first Religious Congregational Society of Pom-
pey in the year 1800 and 1801. This Society held their services in barns, dwell-
ings, and schoolhouses. The Pompey Jeromes were farmers, who made a spe-
cialty of making large quantities of most excellent cheese every year. Their
cheese had a great reputation all over this section of the State. Much of it was
brought here for sale to Skaneateles dealers. Addison and Leonard H. Jerome
were residents in Skaneateles many years ago. Addison was a clerk for Phares
Gould about the year 1828, and Leonard H. Jerome studied law in the office of
John C. Beach in this place. Both Addison and Leonard H. while here boarded
with the late Nehemiah Smith, about the year 1839. It is, therefore, through
the Jerome family that Lady Randolph Churchill is in a manner identified with
Skaneateles. She has never been here, but her father, Leonard, H. Jerome's
brother, Addison, was Lady Churchill's own paternal uncle. Addison Jerome
died in the city of New York, December 30, 1864, aged fifty-three years. His
wife was the daughter of Phares Gould, and visited Skaneateles many times
during her life.
The Lake House. — The Lake House, which has been known by this name
to the later inhabitants of both town and village, was erected in the year 1824-25
by David Hall. The builders were Peter Thompson and John Billings. Its
first name was " The Skaneateles Hotel,'' and its first landlords were the firm of
S. & J. Hall, who were succeeded by Caldwell & Wallis. Its name afterward
.was changed to " The Indian Queen," in 1835, and its landlord was then Isaac
W. Perry. The next landlord was H. W. Allen, who held it in 1837, and was
followed by Smith & Harvey in 1840. It was enlarged in 1858, and for many
years contained the only public hall in the village. After the year 1840 the name
was changed to " The Lake House." It occupied the site of the present Shear
Block, built in 1881-82, on the corner of Genesee and Jordan streets. The Lake
House was totally destroyed by fire July 19, 1870. A cut is shown opposite.
Mrs. Elizabeth T. Porter Beach. — Mrs. Elizabeth T. Porter Beach was the
daughter of James Porter, an early settler of this village and a very prominent
citizen as an attorney and merchant. Mrs. Beach was also a granddaughter of
William J. Vredenburg, known as an early and prominent settler, who built that
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
337
noble Colonial mansion, the only one of its character in this village. A native
of Skaneateles, Mrs. Beach attained considerable distinction in literature. She
wrote " Pelayo : An Epic of the Olden Moorish Time," in recognition of which
the Queen of Spain sent her one of her own bracelets, mounted with an Oriental
topaz, on which was the royal monogram set in diamonds. The Empress Eugenie
also sent her a gold medal, on the obverse side of which was the Empress' own
THE OLD LAKE HOUSE.
The original Frame Tavern, built by David Hall in 1824. (See page 336.)
head, and on the reverse side the following inscription : " To Mistress Elizabeth
T. Porter Beach."
The following editorial reference to Mrs. Beach was printed in the Skan-
eateles Democrat of July 12, 1866:
" The author of ' Pelayo,' Mrs. Elizabeth T. Porter Beach, is constantly
receiving evidence of the regard in which her accomplished pen is held by an
appreciative public. The epic poem above alluded to has been adopted as a text-
book in the Packer Institute, Brooklyn, N. Y., and several other seminaries.
The scene of this poem, it will be remembered, is laid in Spain, and so charmingly
and skilfully did the author accomplish her task in graceful rhyme that the Queen
of Spain and the Empress of France both showed their appreciation of it by send-
ing truly royal presents to Mrs. Beach. Our town readers will learn with pleasure
of this new tribute to the merits of ' Pelayo.' No longer will it be only read in
the drawing-room, but will hereafter be studied in the schoolroom."
338 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
Mrs. Beach wrote the following lyric :
"The Last Broadside."
The following lines were written upon hearing of the heroism of the crew of the frigate
Cumberland, in the engagement at Hampton Roads, who bravely fired a last "broadside"
while the ship was sinking, in compliance with the order of their commanding officer, the
gallant hero, Lieutenant Morris : " Shall we give them a broadside as she goes ? "
" Shall we give them a broadside, my boys, as she goes ?
Shall we send yet another to tell.
In iron-tongued words, to Columbia's foes.
How bravely her sons say ' Farewell ' ?
"Aye! what though we sink 'neath the turbulent wave,
'Tis with DUTY and eight at the helm I
And over the form should the fierce waters rave.
No tide can the spirit o'erwhelml
" For swift o'er the billows of Charon's dark stream
We'll pass to the immortal shore.
Where the ' waters of life ' in brilliancy beam.
And the pure float in peace evermore I
" Shall we give them a broadside once more, my brave men ? "
" Aye, aye ! " rose the full, earnest cry.
" A broadside 1 A broadside we'll give them again I
Then for God and the Right nobly die ! "
" Haste ! haste ! " For amid all that battling din
Comes a gurgling sound fraught with fear.
As swift-flowing waters pour rushingly in.
Up I up I till her portholes they near.
No blenching! No faltering! Still fearless all seem.
Each man firm to duty doth bide.
A flash ! and a " Broadside ! " A shout ! A careen !
And the Cumberland sinks 'neath the tide!
The " Star-Spangled Banner " still floating above,
As a beacon upon the dark wave !
Or Ensign of Glory, proud streaming in love,
O'er the tomb of the " Loyal and Brave ! "
Bold hearts ! Mighty spirits ! " Tried gold " of our land !
A halo of glory your meed!
All honored, the noble-souled Cumberland band !
So true in Columbia's need !
The above were not her only writings, but these are the most prominent that
can here be presented.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
339
CHAPTER XXIII.
Enrolment List of Skaneateles.
Provost Marshal's Office,
Twenty-third District, State of New York,
Syracuse, December 2, 1863.
LIST OF MEN ENROLLED IN SUB-DISTRICT NO. 24,
In the Twenty-third District of New York, composed of the Town of
Skaneateles.
First Class, Twenty to Thirty-five Years.
AGE
Adams, Frank 20
Austin, Frank E 26
Amos, Stephen 29
Adams, Emerson H 25
Albring, Charles 26
Albring, Jerome 24
Adams, Joseph 21
Bradley, Horace 34
Brenan, John 23
Brooks, George 25
Bamable, John 27
Bell, Robert 22
Babcock, William H 23
Barrow, George 24
Barber, Manford 20
Benson, P. Oscar 22
Branch, Caleb A 31
Burch, Abram 20
Brown, David C. P. 22
Bailey, Price W 27
Bartley, Joseph D 24
Bartlett, Edward T 22
Bunill, Horace , 21
Bush, Harrison 23
AGE
Buston, Thomas 21
Bean, Eben 34
Benedict, Thomas A 30
Burston, Henry 23
Bassett, Joseph 34
Badman, James 23
Birch, Warren 27
Badman, William 20
Bradford, Gilbert C. ....... 32
Burrows, Charles 32
Bassett, Thomas 29
Baker, William '26
Brock, William ■.■. '26
Bun, William N 31
Burns, Dennis '20
Burch, Alexander 23
Bradley, Peter 30
Britt, Thomas 26
Benedict, Sidney L 33
Burgess, Edwin ' . . 27
Burgess, Herbert 29
Burgess, Valentine 31
Blodgett, J. L 21
Byrnes, Thomas ....'. 34
Bell, James 24
340
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
AGE
Clark, Charles 34
Cuddeback, Alfred 33
Clark, Arthur 25
Curtis, John P 30
Carpenter, Charles L 25
Clapp, Joseph 26
Cooper, James 24
Cole, William 3°
Cole, Charles 25
Cuykendall, Elias 31
Cawley, James 29
Clark, Joseph 34
Canan, Michael 21
Corway, James 31
Cottle, William 34
Curtis, George D 25
Cullen, Francis 21
Chrysler, Henry 20
Carroll, Timothy 24
Caxton, William 20
Cuddeback, E. Gurdon 29
Chase, Charles 29
Coon, William H 21
Cleaveland, Hubbard W 21
Canable, Andrew 20
Church, David S 23
Cook, Mahalon 32
Clark, Perry 28
Chatfield, Clark 34
Clary, Michael 28
Cook, Sidney 22
Chase, Martin 34
Custin, Patrick 20
Degan, Dennis 29
Dunham, Dwight 26
Dewitt, Andrus 27
Day, John M 22
Dodge, Harrison 23
Daniels, Spencer H 31
De Witt, Martin 23
De Witt, Charles W., Jr 22
AGE
Davenport, Charles 28
Dougherty, John H 27
Dwyer, Patrick 33
Doriohen, Timothy 30
De Witt, Hiram ' 31
De Witt, Hiram V. B 22
Dove, Thomas 22
Dye, William W 23
Dye, Charles H 26
Dalton, William 22
Duckins, Patrick 28
De Groot, Gabriel 32
Daniels, Willard W 28
Doharty, Michael 24
Edwards, Albert L 22
Enos, John 32
Earll, George W 27
Elsore, Charles 21
Eggleston, Theodore 33
Earll, George H 34
Earll, Augustus P 33
Earll, Leonard H 31
Earll, Andrew J 25
Earll, Clarence M 23
England, Charles 24
Freeland, Willis 23
Fowler, Thomas 23
Fowler, George 30
Fowler, Augustus 21
Fox, Morrison 2t
Fibbens, Elias 29
Fisher, Edward 27
Fisher, John 24
Fisher, Joseph 29
Fisher, Isaac 26
Fargetty, Martin 25
Foster, Charles 33
Foster, John A 27
Ferley, James D 22
Fix, Rudolph H 35
Fisher, George 40
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
341
AGE
Greenway, Peter 26
Greenway, Sebastian 22
Gibbons, Worthy 30
Graham, William 34
Godwin, Edward M 20
Gregory, George A 20
Gregory, John H 30
Gregory, John E 23
Goodyear, Albert .21
Gillett, Edwin H 24
Greenman, Beach 29
Gennings, Christopher 20
Gonsallus, Isaac 31
Ganley, John R 24
Goodgraw, William 22
Gambel, John 25
Gregg, John 28
Giles, Marcus A 25
Giles, William J 22
Granger, Leonard 24
Galligan, Patrick 30
Godfrey, Michael 32
Gager, George H 27
Probably Yager.
Hatch, Asa W 34
Hanis, Thomas W 20
Haight, Charles H 21
Haight, Arthur 31
Haws, William 27
Horle, Job 25
Hall, John C 20
Hearse, James 31
Hemenway, George B 23
Harris, Philip 28
Huxford, Henry D 27
Hubbard, Henry J 23
Hall, Lyman 27
Home, Edward 23
Houragan, John 22
Hough, Thomas 2t
Hough, Hiram 23
AGE
Harvey, Isaac M 33
Hunsicker, Thomas J 23
Hamlin, George A 32
Horsington, Arthur 25
Hewitt, Henry 30
Henderson, Cornelius 34
Harwood, Mortimer 33
Hill, John 26
Harwood, Alanson C 21
Holmes, Cyrus D 33
Hefty, John 32
Horll, George 36
Harwood, Herbert 20
Isom, Thomas, Jr 33
Ingalls, Jasper E 21
Irish, Jedediah 3 c
Jay, John D 20
Joyce, Clement 20
Jackson, Andrew 34
Jennings, Isaac 25
Jones, Charles 31
J , John 30
Kedder, Woodsworth 27
Kellogg, William W 24
Kelley, Thomas 34
Kelly, Daniel 28
Krebs, Charles 33
Kenyan, Jonathan 29
Kilbourn, Lucien F 34
Knowles, George 30
Ketchum, Levi B 33
Le Fever, Silas J 28
Leitch, D. Kellogg 28
Loomis, Jessee 31
Lewis, John W 30
Livingston, Nathaniel M 31
Le Fevre, Aaron 23
Lawton, Edwin F 31
342
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
AGE
Le Fevre, Matthew 2X
Lawton, Frederick A 23
Lukins, Thomas P 20
Lewis, George W 28
Lewis, Addison S 22
Leitch, Valentine 20
Lawrence, John 33
Luddington, Edward R 35
Lee, Orlando 26
Leonard, Patrick 31
Lamb, George B 22
Milford, George F 24
Milford, William 22
Marshall, John B 32
Manley, William H 21
More, William F 21
Murphy, Paul 25
Mabbitt, Richard 28
Main, William 25
Marshall, William 21
Moore, William 33
Morton, Orson B 26
McCoUum, Thomas 31
Morse, Walter 28
Munn, Brainerd F 25
McKnight, Edwin 20
Masters, Stephen 31
Mayhew, Thomas 29
Mason, Edward G 24
Muth, Robert 24
Mason, Charles M 23
Mapstone, Henry 26
McWilliams, Henry 24
McGuire, John —
Muth, Philip 22
Mulholland, John 25
Muth, Valentine 34
Moreland, Parley W 26
Morton, Hugh 2t
McElroy, John 24
Moreland, Lewis P 30
AGE
Mclntire, John 29
Mayher, Michael 34
Morton, Gavin 21
Memecain, Andrew 26
Memicarri, Andrew 20
Morton, Alexander —
Northrop, Daniel B 27
Northrop, Elihu C 26
Nellis, Philo 34
Newell, Munson 29
Newell, Harvey 24
Newell, Mortimer 31
North way, William 21
Nicholson, John 21
Northrop, Elmer B 20
Noonan, Peter 33
O'Brien, James 22
O'Niel, Charles 28
O'Hara, Henry 21
O'Harra, John 34
Pennell, Franklin 22
Palmer, John 33
Purcell, Michael 33
Patten, Edwin 27
Preston, Marcus N 27
Poole, Thomas 27
Packwood, William 31
Policy, Henry S 29
Pople, George 28
Porter, Edward E 20
Porter, James —
Paul, James 25
Powell, Benjamin 23
Prince, Jacob 20
Parks, William 20
Powell, Henry T 27
Pantically, Gabriel ,.'... 28
Pardee, Amos R 35
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
343
AGE
Reed, Westly 28
Rawlins, George 23
Rhoades, William P 27
Rhoades, Benjamin F 33
Rhoades, Washington 21
Ruoff, Edwin 21
Russell, Charles 25
Russell, John r 31
Rhoades, Edmund F 20
Ryan, James 25
Roger, George . . ■. 20
Sutphai, Lewis 33
Steames, George 23
Stearnes, Charles 25
btacey, Richard M 32
Stark, Thomas 31
Shearston, Edward 34
Shallish, Jeremiah 32
Shallish, Thomas 30
Sullivan, Michael 27
Smith, Francis 29
Smith, Edward 25
Smith, Edwin W 25
Smith, Welcome 27
Smith, Charles 30
Smith, Thomas R 26
Smith, Charles M 31
Smith, Edmond R —
Slater, Mason 29
Slocum, John B 32
Shanlin, Martin 20
Sheehan, Patrick 30
Sales, John 33
Stock, James 34
Strong, Henry 20
Sweeting, Charles, Jr 22
Stock, Aaron 25
Springstead, Albert 20
Springstead, George 26
Stran, Stephen 20
Shepard, Nelson R 22
AGE
Stephenson, Mather 34
Samuels, Thomas 26
Signer, Isaac S 20
Stephens, Mott 23
Sullivan, Jeremiah 33
Simmons, James 37
Simmons, Forrest 35
Sherwood, Asa L 41
Thornton, Philo S 22
Thorne, R. Barckley 28
Thorne, Chauncey B 30
Taylor, Lucien A 33
Tate, John 34
Tucker, Henry 29
Taylor, William E 21
Titterington, Thomas 23
Turner, Darling 29
Turner, Charles 25
Turner, Mortimer 31
Titterington, David 21
Taylor, James 24
Urch, James 20
Uncless, William 34
Van Dyke, George 27
Vanderburg, Thomas 30
Van Saun, Anson 31
Vary, Henry li 23
Vickny, Robert 32
White, Job 27
Watts, Olin 20
Wilson, Stephen H 34
Winter, John A 27
Weston, George H 25
Wheeler, John 33
Wilsey, John 31
Williamson, George H 30
Wyant, Robert 21
Webb, Henry T 34
Williams, Benjamin 21
344
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
AGE
Wheadon, James P 20
Wheadon, Edward D 23
Watkins, Williams 21
Welling, Eli 23
Willetts, William R 22
Weeks, Stephen J 23
Weeks, Forrest G 30
Whitfield, William H 20
Washburn, Lorenzo 29
Williams, John 25
Williams, James 22
Wiltsey, Charles H 31
AGS
Wright, Parker 29
Weeks, John 29
Weeks, Lewis 24
Weeks, Ovid 21
Watson, Hull 34
Wood, James 26
Weymouth, Philip 25
Weymouth, Jacob 32
Wylie, Thomas 27
Withey, Octave 31
Weymouth, John 22
White, Robert B 25
Second Class.
AGE
Austin, Kellogg 38
Ashpole, William 37
Austin, Dor 36
Austin, Anthony 42
Allen, Joseph 42
Austin, George 35
Aldrige, Robert 39
Banker, Francis P 35
Bushman, Charles 39
Bennett, John H 35
Bench, James 40
Beauchamp, William M 36
Beatty, John 35
Bradt, Alonzo 40
Buckley, Almon 43
Bradford, Thomas C 43
Baker, John S 36
Baker, Simeon ' 42
Barber, Samuel 44
Berry, Henry 36
Briggs, Cortland 37
Baker, Jonah 37
Bannister, Melzer B 44
Butler, James 44
Billings, Richard 40
Benedict, Harmon B 44
AGE
Cornell, David 37
Coe, Edward B 41
Cuddeback, Isaiah 43
Curtis, Alfred 42
Carr, Robert 40
Campbell, George B 36
Credon, Timothy 38
Conover, Mortimer 36
Cornell, Horace 42
Chappell, James 36
Cuddeback, Lafayette 37
Cole, Alvin T 41
Clark, George H 41
Clutsom, Henry 41
Conover, Shuler D 39
Chapman, James 43
Cole, Jefferson 40
Canan, John, ist 37
Canan, John, 2d 43
Chatfield, Albert L —
Cogan, Patrick 36
Clark, Joseph .- 35
Coburn, Thomas 35
Carr, George 44
Catton, Thomas 44
Coleman, Anthony 37
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
345
AGE
Decker, Anthony 43
Diefendorf, George 37
Doyle, William 37
Dove, George 43
Dando, Henry F 35
Dare, Alfred 44
Depuyster, Abraham 35
Dougherty, Daniel 44
Dwyer, Jphn 44
Dougherty, Niel 36
Durkin, John 36
Durston, William 41
Earll, Deluscus 36
Edick, Michael 39
Edwards, Jonathan 37
Edwards, J. Augustus 34
English, Michael 37
Ford, Alexander 44
Fisher, Thomas 36
Foote, Chauncey 38
Folts, Harvey 39
Fuller, John W 43
Fulton, Heman B 40
Fitzgerald, Patrick 43
Finnerty, Timothy 39
Feeley, John 41
Feeley, Patrick 44
Fuller, Sumner 37
Gardner, Myron 3^
Gorton, William R 42
Greenway, William 36
Gillman, James R 42
Giles, William P 42
Gregory, George 40
Gane, Joseph 3^
Grant, John J 41
Glass, Daniel 39
Grant, Henry D 41
AGE
Harse, Henry 38
Hall, George B 39
Horle, Thomas 42
Hoag, Wellington S 35
Hoag, George D 35
Humphreys, John 40
Hall, William 38
Hunt, Henry 41
Holben, Joseph 37
Harvey, John 36
Hill, William D 41
Hare, Joseph 42
Hardwich, James 43
Hoyt, Ezekiel B 40
Hoye, Frank 35
Hemmings, James 38
Hemmings, John M 36
Hubbard, Daniel 40
Hewlett, James S 43
Kinney, Abner G 41
Kine, Thomas 41
Keebler, Frederick 39
Ketcham, John H 36
Kelley, Thomas 44
Lefever, John 38
Lefever, Nathaniel J 41
Lee, Seth 40
Looey, Abraham 40
Lewis, Sandford 43
Lampson, Daniel 36
MofEtt, Lewis 43
Menill, Robert J. 35
McLaughlin, James 35
McLaughlin, 35
Moyses, Edward 36
Mason, Martin 40
Morse, James T 37
McMachan, George 37
346
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
AGE
Merrell, Charles F 43
Moses, Henry 42
Mulrooney, John 44
McDonald, John 43
Maconey, Jeremiah 32
McGuire, John 36
Major, Charles 36
Miller, Joseph 35
McPeak, Hugh 40
Martin, Milo 37
McDonald, Peter 35
Masters, William 44
Mclntire, William 44
McNally, Edward 43
Mitchell, James 35
Nurse, William 35
Nye, Henry S 36
Norton, Thomas 41
Odell, Dwight 39
Parsons, Thomas 39
Price, Daniel P 35
Pulman, John 44
Parish, John 37
Potter, George V 35
Packwood, John 38
Pardee, Amos R —
Porter, James E 36
Piatt, Willis 40
Palmer, Ashley H 35
Patten, James W 44
Palmer, Samuel B 40
Riggins, Thomas 35
Richardson, Stephen D 41
Roberts, James 38
Reed, Andrew 42
Reed, Thomas 37
Reed, Charles 40
Reed, Ogleby 43
Root, James A 35
AGE
Reddish, Byron B 37
Roundley, Nelson 40
Richardson, Erastus 35
Stafford, Gardner 35
Stoner, William W 39
Stoner, Marcus H 36
Scantlebury, Thomas 35
Stacey, William 44
Smith, John H 42
Slocum, George W 35
Snow, William 39
Starr, Lewis 36
Simmonds, Henry P 44
Shotwell, Walter F 44
Skahn, William '. . 36
Sullivan, Jerry 40
Strong, Isaac, Jr 37
Springstead, Henry W 40
Stephenson, John 44
Stephenson, Samuel 37
Stenson, John 37
Stuart, George 35
Singleton, Thomas 41
Tucker, John T 38
Turner, Newell 42
Talcott, Joseph 43
Thompson, Levi M 44
Tuhey, Michael 41
Temple, Robert 43
Turner, William S 40
Vanderburg, John H 41
Vokes, Robert 41
Van Schoick, William 36
Wyant, Thomas 35
Wellington, Lewis 42
Wheeler, Daniel 42
Williams, John 39
Williams, Jessee 36
Williams, Joseph 38
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 347
AGE AGE
Waldron, Daniel H 35 Youngs, John D 38
Wyckoff , Christopher C 40 Young, John C 42
Winter, John 38 Young, Orson 41
Provost Marshal's Office,
Twenty-third District, State of New York,
December i, 1863.
Public notice is hereby given that every person enrolled may appear before the
Board of Enrolment at any time before the 2cth inst., and claim to have his name
stricken from the list, if he can show to the satisfaction of the Board that he is
not, and will not be, at the time fixed for the next draft, liable to military duty
on account of :
1st. Alienage.
2d. Non-residence.
3d. Unsuitableness of age.
4th. Manifest permanent physical disability.
Persons who may be cognizant of any other person liable to military duty
whose name does not appear on the enrolment list are requested to inform the
Board of Enrolment of the names of such persons.
By order of the Board of Enrolment.
Anson W. Evans,
Assistant to Provost-Marshal General, President of the Board.
William Andrews, Commissioner.
John H. Knapp, Surgeon.
List of Drafted Men, 1863.
Albring, James. Canable, Andrew.
Amos, Stephen. Cuddeback, Gurdon E.
Adams, J. Curtis, George D.
Chase, Martin.
Britt, Thomas. Caxton, William.
Barrow, George. Carpenter, Charles L.
Barrow, Edward F. Cuykendall, Elias C.
Burstone, Henry. Clark, Joseph.
Burrit, Horace. Cawley, James.
Burgess, Valentine.
Benedict, Thomas A. Dunham, Dwight.
Brock, Joseph. Dey, William W.
348
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
Doyle, John.
Dalton, William.
Doherty, Michael.
De Witt, Charles W., Jr.
Elson, Charles.
Earll, George H.
Earll, Augustus P.
Elphic, John J.
Earll, Clarence M.
Fowler, George.
Fisher, John.
Gregory, John E.
Gregory, George A.
Gibbons, Worthy.
Goodyear, Albert.
Giles, William J.
Gambel, John.
Greenway, Peter.
Gonsallus, Isaac.
Hall, John C.
Hall, Lyman.
Hewett, Henry.
Harwood, Alanson C.
Haight, Charles H.
Haley, Edward.
Hough, Thomas.
Hovey, Joseph.
Hamlin, George A.
Harris, Philip.
Home, Edward.
House, James.
Holmes, C. D.
Harvey, Isaac M.
Jay, John D.
Jennings, Christopher.
Kellogg, William W.
Lefever, Aaron.
Loveland, Henry.
Loomis, Jessee.
Lee, Orlando.
Long, Henry.
Lewis, Addison S.
Leitch, D. K.
Leonard, Patrick.
Morton, Orson B.
Memecain, Andrew.
Muth, Valentine.
Mapstone, Henry.
Milford, William.
Muth, Robert.
Munn, Brainerd.
McKnight, Edwin (Colored).
Milford, George F.
McCollum, Thomas.
Marshall, William.
Newell, Monson.
Newell, Mortimer.
North, William.
Pennell, Franklin.
Porter, James.
Policy, Henry S.
Ryan, Morris.
Rhoades, Wm. P.
Rawlins, George.
Russell, John.
Sherwood, Asa L.
Stacey, Richard M.
Sweeting, Charles.
Stephens, Mott.
ShalHsh, Jerry*.
Simmons, Forrest.
Stock, Thomas.
Smith, E. R.
Tate, John.
Thorne, C. B.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 349
Thorne, R. Barclay. Weston, George H.
Taylor, Lucien A. Wright, Parker.
Willetts, William R.
Urch, James. White, Robert B.
Uncless, William. Watts, Orlin.
Wiltsey, Charles H.
Welling, Eli. Withey, Octave.
Wheeler, William B.
Williams, James. Yager, George H.
Skaneateles Roll of Honor.
Following is a record of the men who entered the volunteer service during
the war of 1861-65 from the town of Skaneateles, together with the names of
other natives of this town who enlisted elsewhere, and the names of present
residents who enlisted and resided elsewhere during the war. The Free Press
was furnished this list by E. N. Leslie of this village, who has been at great pains
to make it as correct and accurate as possible.
This list of names was used for the inscription in the Soldiers' Monument,
and was the only complete list in the town. It was begun at the commencement
of the Civil War, by E. N. Leslie.
Abbott, Daniel C, private, Co. C, 75th Infantry.
Adams, Jerome L., private, Co. C, 7Sth Infantry.
Ashpole, William, private, Co. K, 15th Engineers.
Andrew, Benjamin F., private, Co. I, 99th Infantry.
Albring, James, private, Co. K, I22d Infantry.
Amidon, Miles B., sergeant, Co. G, 149th Infantry.
Agard, Charles H., private, Co. E, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Babcock, Charles, private, Co. I, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Blodgett, Charles, private, Co. I, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Brown, John, private, Co. I, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Barber, John A., private, Co. I, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Bassett, Thomas, private, Co. E, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Bassett, Joseph, private, Co. E, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Boyle, Peter, private, Co. I, 3d Light Artillery.
Butler, Thomas., private, Co. G, 3d Light Artillery.
Burridge, Edward M., private, Co. E, 3d Light Artillery.
Barton, George W., private, 3d Light Artillery.
Bristol, Charles H., private, Co. A, 3d Light Artillery.
Barnett, Byron, private, 3d Light Artillery.
Brokaw, Charles W., private, Co. A, 19th Infantry.
Benson, James B., private, Co. G, 19th Infantry.
350 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
Barber, Benjamin S., private, Co. G, 19th Infantry.
Bell, Henry, private, 50th Engineers.
Blodgett, Royal D., corporal, Co. C, 7Sth Infantry.
Benedict, M. D., surgeon, 75th Infantry.
Barry, Robert, private, Co. A, 75th Infantry.
Baber, William H., private, Co. A, 7Sth Infantry.
Burton, William, private, Co. F, 1226. Infantry.
Brown, Emmett J., private, Co. C, 149th Infantry.
Brokaw, Daniel, private, Co. G, 149th Infantry.
Brown, O. L. F., captain, Co. G, 149th Infantry.
Benedict, Thomas A., ist lieutenant, Co. G, 149th Infantry.
Battams, Robert B., private, Co. G, 149th Infantry.
Brankham, David, private, Co. G, 149th Infantry.
Bright, William J., private, Co. A, 146th Infantry.
Benedict, Daniel' J., private, 193d Infantry.
Barrow, Arthur M., private, 193d Infantry.
Brooks, Joseph, private, (particulars of service unknown),
Burnett, Albert D. C, private, Co. I, loist Infantry.
Bailey, David J., captain, Co. I, 99th Infantry.
Burridge, John, Jr., private, 194th Infantry.
Bradley, George C, private, Co. H, 22d Infantry.
Bradley, Daniel, private, Co. G, 76th Infantry.
Brownell, Irving, private, Co. I, 6ist Infantry.
Benson, James, private, Co. G, 3d Light Artillery.
Berry, Augustus A., private, Co. K, 3d Heavy Artillery.
Burridge, George W., private, Co. E, 13th Michigan.
Branch, Caleb, private, (partici^lars of service unknown).
Beebe, Frank, private, (particulars of service unknown).
Banks, Ezra, private, Co. G, 2d Cavalry.
Cleveland, Maltby E., private, Co. I, 3d Cavalry.
Chinnock, Thomas H., private, Co. F, 3d Light Artillery.
Campbell, Henry E., private, Co. D, 3d Light Artillery.
Cook, Benjamin C, private, Co. H, 5th Michigan Infantry.
Church, Frank L., private, Co. H, 15th Engineers.
Crosier, William H. H., sergeant, Co. G, 149th Infantry.
Claxton, William, private, Co. G, 149th Infantry.
Cottle, James, private, Co. G, 149th Infantry.
Cook, Frank C, private, Co. G, 149th Infantry.
Cullen, Joseph, private, Co. G, 149th Infantry.
Cross, William, sergeant, Co. G, 149th Infantry.
Carrigan, Patrick, private, Co.G, 149th Infantry.
Chapman, Thomas, private, Co. G, 149th Infantry.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 351
Clark, Coy, private, Co. A, 75th Infantry.
Cook, Frank, private, Co. I, 99th Infantry.
Coleman, John P., private, Co. G, 19th Infantry.
Clark, Joseph, private, Co. K, I22d Infantry.
Cannan, Austin, private, Co. K, i22d Infantry.
Clapp, William H., private, Co. B, 112th Infantry.
Cahill, Patrick, private, 185th Infantry.
Claxton, George, private, Co. G, iiith Infantry.
Cannan, Thomas, private, Co. B, 69th Infantry.
Cook, William, private, Co. I, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Cooper, George W., private, Co. L, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Coleman, Obadiah P., private, Co. F, 3d Light Artillery.
Campbell, Samuel H., private, Co. A, ist Michigan Sharpshooters.
Chase, Horace W., private, Co. F, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Curry, William E., private, Co. B, 3d Light Artillery.
Chapman, James, private, Co. G, 19th Infantry.
Creedon, John, (particulars of service unknown).
Carr, Robert, private, Co. D, 3d Light Artillery.
Cuydendall, Martin, sergeant, Co. I, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Dunning, Theodore L., private, Co. G, 19th Infantry.
Durbin, Edwin, private, Co. G, 149th Infantry.
Dunn, Michael, private, Co. I, 99th Infantry.
Dougherty, Owen, private, Co. I, 99th Infantry.
Dunn, James, sergeant, Co. I, 99th Infantry.
Delano, Duane H., corporal, Co. G, 7Sth Infantry.
Durston, Edward, private, Co. F, 75th Infantry.
DeWitt, Larned, private, Co. A, 75th Infantry.
Durston, Edward F., private, 75th Infantry.
Duckett, Walter, hospital steward, private K, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Davey, Irving, sergeant, Co. F, I22d Infantry.
Dillingham, D. S., drum major, I22d Infantry.
Duckett, Benjamin E., private, Co. K, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Dove, Henry, private, enlisted 75th Regiment.
Durbin, Alfred, private, Co. B, 3d Light Artillery.
Defendorf, Edwin, private, Co. E, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Defendorf, Jacob, private, Co. D, 193d Infantry.
Dove, Thomas G., private, ist N. Y. Battery.
Dumond, Loren, private, Co. B, 3 Light Artillery.
Daltoli, John, private, Co. K, 3d Light Artillery.
Davis, John, private, 22d Cavalry.
Davidson, Duncan, private, 22d Cavalry.
Defendorf, John J., (enlisted in Auburn).
352 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
Earll, Almerson H., sergeant, Co. C, 75th Infantry.
Earll, Frank D., private, Co. K, I22d Infantry.
Elson, George, private, Co. K, 1226. Infantry.
Edwards, George, private, Co. K, I22d Infantry.
Evans, Richard, private, Co. C, 75th Infantry.
Evans, Reuben, private, Co. G, 149th Infantry.
Edvi^ards, Sylvester, private, Co. G, 149th Infantry.
Elphic, John J., private, Co. K, 19th Infantry.
Edwards, Henry P., private, Co. D, 6th California Infantry.
Elson, Henry, private, Co. I, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Evans, Edwin, private, Co. C, 3d Light Artillery.
Francis, Wadsworth B., private, Co. A, 75th Infantry.
Forward, George L., private, Co. A, 75th Infantry.
Flynn, James, private, Co. A, 75th Infantry.
Furman, Zalmon B., private, Co. G, 149th Infantry.
Fish, John J., private, Co. G, 3d Light Artillery.
French, George, private, Co. I, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Freer, Austin, private, 9th Heavy Artillery and i88th Infantry
Francis, Samuel, wardmaster, Co. K, ist Wisconsin Infantry.
Groom, Holland E., private, Co. B, 3d Light Artillery.
Groom, Alexander, private, Co. B, 3d Light Artillery.
Groom, Volney, private, Co. D, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Groom, Miles, private, Co. H, 75th Infantry.
Groom, Charles, private, Co. G, I22d Infantry.
Gillett, Edgar E., private, Co. G, 19th Infantry.
Gillett, Edson D., private, Co. G, 19th Infantry.
Gamble, William, private, Co. G, 149th Infantry.
Grant, Minor, private, 193d Infantry.
Graves, Harvey, private, Co. D, 25th Infantry.
Gould, George, private, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Gale, Edwin, private, Co. E, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Green, Adelbert E., private, Co. C, 3d Light Artillery.
Gunning, Patrick, private, 50th Engineers.
Gilson, Joseph L., private, 2d Cavalry.
Grible, Ferdinand, private, 50th Engineers.
Gregory, William B., private, Co. A, 25th Missouri.
Green, D. C, Co. K, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Horle, Joseph, private, Co. G, 19th Infantry.
Heenan, Patrick, private, Co. G, 149th Infantry.
Harwood, George B., private, Co. G, 149th Infantry.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 353
Humphryes, Robert B., private, Co. F, I22d Infantry.
Harris, George L., private, Co. A, 75th Infantry.
Hatch, Albert, private, Co. A, 75th Infantry.
Hares, Henry, private, Co. J, 75th Infantry.
Hilliard, Charles H., private, Co. A, 75th Infantry.
■ Hunter, Charles R., private, 21st Infantry.
Hatch, Lester S., private, 185th Infantry.
Hanhnan, Thomas, private, 193d Infantry.
Holsehaw, Henry, private, 193d Infantry.
Howard, Justin A., ist lieutenant, Co. I, i22d Infantry.
Hilliard, Van R. K., from quartermaster-sergeant to captain, 48th Infantry,
Hoge, Jesse A., private, Co. I, 2d Cavalry.
Hays, E. Davis, private, 2d Cavalry.
Hall, David, private, Co. G, 139th Illinois Infantry.
Hickey, John, private, Co. I, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Huxford, Amit B., private, Co. K, 3d Light Artillery.
Hickey, Michael, private, Co. I, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Hayhoe, Henry, private, Co. L, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Horton, Clarence, private, Co. I, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Hummings, Michael, private, sSoth Engineers.
Harris, James G., private, Co. G, 3d Light Artillery.
Huxford, H. D., private, Co. K, 3d Light Artillery.
Hatch, George B., private, ist N. Y. Rifles.
Harvey, Isaac M., corporal, Co. G, 3d Light Artillery.
Hall, William, private, Co. H, 6th Cavalry.
Hall, Charles, private, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Haskins, George, private, Co. F, 37th Infantry.
Hoxie, Theodore, private, Co. K, I22d Infantry.
Holmes, George P., (particulars of service unknown).
Ingerson, A. P., private, Co. H, 184th Infantry.
Isom, James A., private, Co. I, Union Coast Guard ; reenlisted, Co. K, 103d Ohio
Infantry; reenlisted as lieutenant, 13th Infantry N. Y.
Isom, Henry, orderly sergeant, Co. A, 20th Illinois.
Jackson, Andrew, private, Co. K, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Jay, Abraham, private, Co. K, 193d Infantry.
Jay, Joseph, Jr., lieutenant, Co. G, 149th Infantry.
Jones, Andrew H., private, Co. F, I22d Infantry.
James, William, private, (particulars of service unknown).
Keegan, Charles J., private, Co. H, 20th Infantry.
Kennett, William C, private, Co. B, i22d Infantry.
354 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
Kelley, Garrett, private, Co. K, 1226. Infantry.
Kelley, Patrick, private, Co. K, I22d Infantry.
Kochenburber, Henry, private, Co. F, I22d Infantry.
Kelley, Thomas, sergeant, Co. K, 15th Engineers.
King, Henry, Jr., private, Co. D, 3d Light Artillery.
King, Henry, Sr., private, Co. B, 3d Light Artillery.
Kidder, Monroe C, private, Co. A, 8th Cavalry.
Kellogg, Mortimer, chief engineer, U. S. Navy.
Loss, Rial, private, Co. G, 19th Infantry.
Loveland, Henry, private, Co. A, 19th Infantry.
Little, Henry F., private, Co. G, 19th Infantry.
Livingston, John, private, 15th Infantry.
little, George F., private, Co. C, 75th Infantry.
Lansdown, John, private, Co. K, 7Sth Infantry.
Leonard, Patrick, private, Co. A, 75th Infantry.
Lawlor, Martin, private, 185th Infantry.
Leonard, George, private, 193d Infantry.
Loss, Hurlburt H., private, Co. D, 3d Light Artillery.
Lynch, Barney, private, Co. G, 3d Light Artillery. ^
Loveland, Alonzo, private, Co. E, 3d Light Artillery.
Leviris, George L., private, Co. K, 3d Light Artillery.
Loss, Franklin A., private, Co. G, 3d Light Artillery.
Lewis, Albert, private, 3d Light Artillery.
Loveland, George, private, Co. E, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Little, Isaac, private, Co. I, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Lee, John E., private, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Loss, Samuel E., corporal, Co. G, 33d Illinois Infantry.
McCord, Daniel, Co. I, 149th Infantry.
Mclntire, James, private, Co. E, 51st Infantry.
Mclntire, William, private, Co. E, 121st Infantry.
McPherson, John, private, 193d Infantry.
Mclntire, Edward, private, 193d Infantry.
Mclntire, Patrick C, private, Co. K, ist Cavalry.
Murray, Patrick, private, Co. C, 75th Infantry.
McMillen, James, private, 75th Infantry.
More, Reuben, private, Co. K, looth Infantry.
Martin, Thomas, private, 2d Cavalry.
Morar, Thomas, private, 50th Engineers.
Masters, Albert, private, Co. E, Battery Artillery.
Mower, Lewis H., captain, Co. L, 3d Light Artillery.
McPeak, Thomas, private, Co. D, 3d Light Artillery.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 355
McPeak, John, private, Co. D, 3d Light Artillery.
Monroe, Henry C, private, 3d Light Artillery.
Millier, John J., private, Co. I, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Marshall, William, private, Co. E, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Mallon, James, private, Co. C, 149th Engineers.
Millier, William, private, Co. C, 75th Infantry.
McNair, Hugh, corporal, Co. D, 26th Infantry.
McPhail.JLachlan, private, Co. G, 3d Light Artillery.
North, David, private, Co. A, 75th Infantry.
North, Thomas, private, Co. C, 75th Infantry.
Newell, John, musician, Co. B, loist Infantry.
North way, Thomas, private, Co. K, I22d Infantry.
Northrop, Homer A., private, Co. G, 149th Infantry.
Naracong, William B., private, Co. K, 3d Light Artillery.
Nugent, Owen, private, Co. D, 3d Light Artillery.
Nuttle, Edward, private,* ist Light Artillery.
Orr, Robert, (particulars of service unknown).
O'Hara, Patrick, private, Co. K, I22d Infantry.
Ostrander, John H., private, Co. K, I22d Infantry.
Olin, Jonathan, private, Co. E, 138th Infantry.
Olin, Russell W., private, Co. E, 138th Infantry.
Pardee, Joseph B., (particulars of service unknown).
Parish, Seth A., sergeant, Co. C, 75th Infantry.
Parish, Edgar, private, 75th Infantry.
Pimm, Jesse, private, Co. C, 7Sth Infantry.
Pearce, George, private, Co. I, 3d Light Artillery.
Potter, Edward S., private, Co. G, 149th Infantry.
Pierce, Willard, private, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Penner, John W., private, 2d Cavalry.
Payson, DeWitt A., private, ist Veteran Cavalry.
Porter, Stanley, 2d lieutenant, Buffalo Regiment.
Porter, Benjamin H., ist lieutenant, U. S. Navy.
Potter, Edward E., brigadier general.
Quinnan, Thomas, private, ist Veteran Cavalry.
Richard, Stephen C, private, Co. I, 9th Heavy Artillery,
Reynolds, John, private, Co. I, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Rhoades, Charles C, private, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Riby, John, private, Co. I, 9th Heavy Artillery.
3S6 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
Richards, William, private, Co. G, 3d Light Artillery.
Russell, John, private, Co. C, 3d Light Artillery.
Rhoades, J. Beach, private, Co. H, 15th Engineers.
Rodgers, Patrick J., private, 50th Engineers.
Riley, John, private, 12th Pennsylvania Infantry.
Royce, Francis L., private, Co. A, 141st Infantry.
Riley, James, private, i6oth Infantry.
Rice, George, private, 185th Infantry.
Rice, Samuel, private, 193d Infantry.
Riley, Patrick, private, 52d Infantry.
Reed, B. F., private, Co. A, 7Sth Infantry.
Reed, Wesley, private, (particulars of service unknown).
Rock, William, (particulars of service unknown).
Ryan, Morris, private, Co. I, 19th Infantry.
Rice, John, private, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Rice, William, (regiment unknown, killed in battle).
Rice, Henry, (regiment unknown, killed in battle).
Smith, Franklin D., private, Co. B, 19th Infantry.
Stacey, Anthony, corporal, Co. G, 19th Infantry.
Stacey, John, private, Co. I, 99th Infantry.
Spaulding, Earll, private, Co. G, 149th Infantry.
Smith, James M., private, Co. G, 149th Infantry.
Shaw, Milton, sergeant, Co. C, 75th Infantry.
Simmon, Albert, private, Co. H, 75th Infantry.
Sinclair, Albert, private, Co. C, 75th Infantry.
Sinclair, D. M., private, Co. C, 75th Infantry.'
Stebbins, Phinneas S., private, Co. K, I22d Infantry.
Stebbins, Menzer, private, Co. K, I22d Infantry.
Smith, Lyman, private, Co. K, I22d Infantry.
Stinson, John, pi^ivate, Co. K, i22d Infantry.
Springstead, Austin, private, Co. F, I22d Infantry.
.Sage, Henry S., private, Co. D, I22d Infantry.
Smith, Lyman, private, I22d Infantry.
Shillinburg, Peter, private, I22d Infantry.
Sherman, Alfred, private, Co. K, i22d Infantry.
Seymour, George B., private, Co. K, i22d Infantry.
Shaw, Amos, (particulars of service unknown).
Stevens, George, drummer boy, Co. K, i22d Infantry
Stephens, Jason, private, 185th Infantry.
Snyder, Henry, private, 185th Infantry.
Sloan, James, private, 91st Infantry.
Sherman, John H., private, 8ist Infantry.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 357
Sinclair, Charles, private, 193d Infantry.
Shepard, John, private, 193d Infantry.
Solomon, Judson M., private, 193d Infantry.
Sinclair, William, lieutenant, Co. L, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Sinclair, Frank A., private, Co. I, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Sayles, John B., private, Co. I, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Shaw, Stephen, private, Co. E, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Smith, Martin N., private, Co., I, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Smith, John F., private, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Snow, WilHam, private, Co. E, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Strong, Henry, private, Co. E, 3d Light Artillery.
Springstead, Albert, private, Co. E, 3d Light Artillery.
Stokes, James W., private, 3d Light Artillery.
Stone, William A., private, Co. A, 3d Light Artillery.
Stowell, James, private, Co. C, 3d Light Artillery.
Stacey, James, private, Co. K, isth Engineers.
Shattuck, Charles L., private, 2d Cavalry.
Sullivan, John, private, Co. C, 26th Ohio Infantry.
Sinclair, James P., private, Co. L, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Stoner, Charles M., private, enlisted in a Missouri regiment.
Samuels, Thomas, (particulars of enlistment unknown).
Thorpe, Stephen B., private, Co. F, I22d Infantry.
Thurlow, James, Jr., private, Co. I, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Turner, Charles, private, Co. I, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Thomas, William H., private, Co. L, ist Mounted Rifles.
Tallan, James, private, Co. I, (further particulars unknown).
Taylor, Cornelius T., private, Co. H, 96th Infantry.
Unckless, John A., private, Co. I, I22d Infantry.
VanGuilder, Harry C, private, Co. K, 21st Artillery; reenlisted 184th Infantry.
VanGuilder, George W., private, Co. C, 134th Infantry.
VanDyke, Augustus, private, Co. G, 3d Light Artillery.
Vandenburg, Thomas, lieutenant, Co. D, 3d Light Artillery.
VanCamp, Ransom, private, Co. E, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Veder, Elisha, private, Co. G, 12th Infantry.
VanSchoick, William, private, Co. I, 20th Colored Infantry.
Wheadon, Edward D., private, Co. A, 3d Light Artillery.
White, Richard S., private, Co. A, 3d Light Artillery.
Wheaton, Charles W., private, Co. K, 3d Light Artillery.
Weeks, Reuben, private, Co. E, 3d Light Artillery.
3s8 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
Watts, William, private, Co. E, 3d Light Artillery.
Welling, Eli E., private, Co. I, 99th Infantry.
Whitfield, William H., private, Co. G, 149th Infantry.
Whitfield, Charles W., private, Co. I, 99th Infantry.
Warner, George R., private, Co. E, 149th Infantry.
Wait, Addison G., ist lieutenant, loth Infantry.
Wayne, John, private, Co. K, 1226. Infantry.
Whitworth, William W., private, Co. K, I22d Infantry.
Weeks, Emanuel, private, Co. E, I22d Infantry.
Withers, William, private, Co. C, 7Sth Infantry.
Wakely, William, private, Co. A, 75th Infantry.
Wheadon, George, private, Co. C, 75th Infantry.
Walker, E. W., hospital steward, Co. A, 75th Infantry.
Wheeler, W. H. B., sergeant, Co. G, 19th Infantry.
Waldron, Sylvester, private, Co. I, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Waldron, Augustus, corporal, Co. I, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Waldron, Aaron, private, Co. I, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Waldron, David H., private, Co. E, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Waldron, Ephraim, private, Co. I, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Waldron, Way land, private, Co. A, 15th Cavalry.
Warner, Stewart H., private, Co. I, 22d Cavalry.
White, W. C, private, 2d Cavalry.
Watson, Thomas, private, Co. L, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Wood, Hiram, private, Scott's 900.
Walters, John, private, i8sth Infantry.
Williamson, Simeon H., private, 193d Infantry.
Webb, James W., hospital steward, 12th Infantry, 15th Cavalry.
Willetts, Charles, lieutenant colonel, 14th Kansas Cavalry.
Wayne, Robert, private, 9th Heavy Artillery.
Zimmermann, A., private, enlisted Syracuse.
The above list contains 374 names.
The Soldiers in the Late War.
The list of names, alphabetically arranged, with all the particulars of service,
printed in this issue of the Free Press, has been in process of collection ever since
the war closed, as being an interesting part of the history of this town. It is
a noble enumeration, and very creditable to Skaneateles, showing conclusively its
part in the war for the preservation of the Union. The difficulties in preparing
this list in all its minute particulars have been very great. Many names which
seem to be unknown to old residents are to be accounted for from the fact,
that many enlistments were made by operatives in our manufacturing estab-
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
359
lishments and by hired laborers on the farms in the town, many of whom were
only temporary residents. There are undoubtedly many errors in the particu-
lars of service, which it has been impossible to verify, although every effort
has been made to perfect the list in all particulars. Every native of Skaneateles
should secure a copy while it can be had. It would be further interesting
to have the names of those who were killed in the service, those who died of
disease in the service, those who died in the rebel prisons, and those who have
since died at home or elsewhere. But as the list published to-day can not be
ALBERT DE COST BURNETT.
The youngest volunteer from Skaneateles, who died in the service o£ his country. See page 361.
again duplicated, these particulars must be made out separately, if ever, in
another list. E. N. Leslie.
Soldiers who gave up their Lives in Defense of the Union who belonged
TO THE Town of Skaneateles, N. Y.
The following call for information was published in both the village papers,
by the author during the month of November, 1875, and other similar calls for
information were subsequently made at various times.
" Information Wanted. — We are requested to obtain from our townspeople
the names of all the soldiers who went from this town and took part in the late
360
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
war, the number of the regiment to which they belonged, and to what com-
pany. If killed, wounded, or died in the service, the particulars thereof are
wanted in each instance. Persons who can give any of the particulars desired
are requested to leave the same at the office of the Free Press."
The following are the names of those born in or belonging to the town of
Skaneateles who lost their lives in defense of the Union in the Civil War of
1861 to 1865:
Albring, James.
Amidon, Miles B.
Aldrick, James.
Baber, William H.
Boyle, Peter.
Bradley, Daniel.
Brockrow, Henry.
Browning, William.
Burnett, Albert D. C.
Burridge, Edwin.
Burridge, George W.
Burridge, John.
Brankan, David.
Campbell, Samuel H.
Cleaveland, Maltby E.
Claxton, George.
Dunn, Michael J.
Dunn, James H.
(Both the above died in Anderson
ville Prison.)
Doherty, Owen.
Durbin, Alfred.
Dillon, John.
Earll, A. H.
Francis, Samuel.
Francis, Wadsworth B.
Fish, John Jay.
Fisher, George.
French, George.
Gillett, Edgar B.
Gregory, William E.
Hayho, Henry.
Hill, William.
Hayne, Henry.
Hatch, George B.
Hilliard, Charles H.
Isom, Henry.
Isom, James A.
Kelley, Garrett.
Kelley, Caney.
Lynch, Barney.
Loss, Franklin A.
More, Reuben.
Northway, Thomas.
O'Hara, Patrick.
Ostrander, John H.
Olin, Russell.
Porter, Benjamin H.
-Porter, Stanley.
Potter, Edward S.
Ribey, John.
Royce, Francis L.
Seymour, George H.
Shaw, Milton.
Snow, William.
Springstead, Austin.
Stacey, John.
Smith, Lyman.
Sayles, John B.
Van Guilder, George W.
Whitworth, William W.
Williams, Charles.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 361
Albert De Cost Burnett. — Albert De Cost Burnett was the youngest
volunteer from the town of Skaneateles in the War of 1861-65. He enlisted as
a private in Company I, loist Infantry, at the age of sixteen years. He died of
disease at Harrison's Landing, Va., August 4, 1862. His remains were
brought home. He was the only son of the late Charles J. Burnett, Jr., and was
the brother of the late Mrs. E. D. C. Smith, of Skaneateles, and grandson of the
late Captain Nash De Cost.
The .Skaneateles Educational Society. — The Skaneateles Educational
Society was organized May 3, 1838, by Phares Gould, President ; Alfred Wilkin-
son and William Gibbs, Vice-Presidents; Milton A. Kinney, Secretary; Abner
Bates, Treasurer; Joseph Talcott, J. T. Clark, Stephen E. Maltby, William H.
Greene, Dr. Evelyn H. Porter, Luther Pratt, and Archibald Douglass, Managers.
Committees were appointed to visit the twenty schools in town and report their
condition, and by systematic work a new impetus was given to local education.
The Skaneateles Anti-Slavery Society. — Contemporary with the above
organization was the Skaneateles Anti-Slavery Society, whose officers were:
Alfred Wilkinson, President; Thaddeus Edwards and Daniel Talcott, Vice-
Presidents; James Cannings Fuller, Secretary; Stephen E. Maltby, Treasurer;
Smith Litherland, James Rattle, John Snook, Chester Moses, Abner Bates, and
George Pryor, Executive Committee. The organization was an able auxiliary
to the County Society.
Elnathan S. Andrews. — Elnathan S. Andrews was here in 1808. He built
the original meeting-house for the Skaneateles Religious Society, on the hill, and
afterward was the landlord of the original tavern, which stood on the site of the
present Savings Bank, on Genesee Street.
James Sackett. — On March 20, 1828, James Sackett owned all the lands
in the village east of the outlet of Skaneateles Lake, and south of the Seneca
Turnpike Road, except the several pieces or parcels of land heretofore sold and
conveyed by said Sackett to John Legg, Edward G. Ludlow, Spencer Parsons,
Perley Putnam, David Hall, Seth & James Hall, Moore & Edmonds, William
S. Wood, James Porter, and William Easton.
James Sackett purchased from Jedediah Sanger all lands south of Seneca
Turnpike, from the west line of Winston Day's potashery, which was located
west of the present C. H. Poor residence, to the outlet of Skaneateles Lake.
Bethuel Cole. — Bethuel Cole was here in 1804, and was a farmer, black-
smith, and tinker of all work. He traded in the village in March, 1805, and
was charged with four bushels of wheat, wanting four quarts, in payment for
boarding Mr. Kneeland, at twenty-four shillings. He was a member of the
Grand Jury in 1797. He lived on the Tunis Van Houghton farm, which was
the next farm south of Welch's.
An Early Carpenter and Contractor. — Elijah Manley was the contractor
and builder of the Dr. Samuel Porter dwelling, which was located on the present
H. L. Roosevelt place.
362 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
CHAPTER XXIV.
Introduction of Merino Sheep, Early Merchants,' and Steamboat
Excursions.
Correl Humphreys. — By request, the following autobiography was written
by Correl Humphreys :
Fair Haven, May 11, 1882.
Friend E. N. Leslie :
Sir: Your communication came safe to me last month, but my eyes pre-
vented my reply till now.
Correl Humphreys was born in the town of Simsbury (now Canton), Hart-
ford County, Conn., May 13, 1804, and was educated at the District school when
quite young, but in succeeding years attended the Academy for several winters,
likewise a select school taught by the Rev. Pierpont Brackett.
I went to my trade at the clock factory of Messrs. Birge, Case & Co., Bristol,
Conn. I traveled for several years for the Erastus Case Clock Company through
the States of Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Kentucky. I have now in my
possession a watch they presented me upon my return home, " For faithful serv-
ices " rendered them in their clock company, in the above named States. I like-
wise carried the same watch through the Seminole War in Florida.
I then went for my elder brother, Tracey Humphreys, now dead, to Virginia
for several seasons in the clock business; returned back to Connecticut; from
thence I went South over the ground again repairing clocks; passed through the
Shenandoah Valley and over my old ground, occupying several years, to Memphis,
Tenn. ; went down the Mississippi River to Carleton, a short distance above New
Orleans, where I stopped for a short time with a friend. When there the gen-
tleman whose house I was at went down to New Orleans. Upon his return he
brought a handbill giving the account of the massacre of Major Dade and his
command upon the Choctawhatchee River, Florida. General Edmund P. Gaines,
commanding the military district, stationed at New Orleans, served a notice upon
the Governor of Louisiana, who called upon the citizens of the State and all others
to volunteer and protect the women and children from the bloodthirsty savages.
The Indians were killing women and children indiscriminately. I went to the city
of New Orleans next day, and found business nearly suspended, and flags flying
from all public buildings, and notices in print calling upon all to rally. I was
one of the first to volunteer. In the course of the day from fifteen hundred to
two thousand men were enrolled and officers elected. Percifer F. Smith, a gradu-
ate of West Point, was elected General of Volunteers. We landed at Pensacola
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. ' 363
and drew our rifles ; from thence to Tampa, upon Tampa Bay, where we landed
near Fort Brooke, around which were encamped a great many women and chil-
dren. We soon landed, and marched past the fort to the rear of the town and
encamped. Next day we started for Dade's battle-ground. When we arrived
upon the ipot, a horrid sight met our view. The blackened forms of more than
one hundred men lay exposed to the beasts and vultures, which had mutilated
them. Our company of riflemen, commanded by Captain Henry L. Thrisel, was
detailed as a guard to protect those who were collecting the mutilated remains of
those who had fallen in that contest. A man by the name of Clark, from Steu-
ben County, N. Y., was the only survivor. He died in a few years from wounds
received at that time, and was buried at Bath, with the honors of war by the mili-
tary of that section. When our time had expired, we were taken to Charleston,
S. C, and were honorably discharged, after being escorted by several companies
of the City Guard to quarters. Next day we were paraded, and an address was
read to us from Governor McComb, General in Chief of the United States
Army, returning thanks to us for our patriotism in protecting the citizens of
Florida in their hour of trouble. Then came the saddest performance — to take
by the hand our old companions who had shared with us and braved the battle-
fields for the last time, and bid one another farewell.
I have been working at my trade about forty years clock repairing, and, with-
out vainly boasting, handled as many clocks as any one now in the State.
My grandfather, William Humphreys, served through the Revolutionary
War; was with General Richard Montgomery when he fell before the walls of
Quebec, and was at Saratoga at the surrender of Burgoyne, and with General
Anthony Wayne when he stormed Stony Point. My sister has written you con-
cerning my father.
I was admitted into the Masonic Fraternity in the year 1827, and the Inde-
pendent Order of Odd Fellows in 1846.
I first came to Skaneateles in the year 1827. I have been a practical tem-
perance man for forty-five years.
Very truly and respectfully,
CoRREL Humphreys.
CoRREL Humphreys' Ancestors and their connection with Interest-
ing Events. — Correl Humphreys was descended in a direct line from Michael
Humphreys, who came from England in 1643 and settled at Windsor, Conn.
He had two sons, John and Lieutenant Samuel. Correl Humphreys was
descended from Lieutenant Samuel. In this line of descent was General David
Humphreys, who was born July 10, 1752, at Derby, Conn. General Humphreys
was very intimate with President" Washington and his family at Mount Vernon,
on the Potomac, and he had been imbued with a taste for agriculture by the im-
mortal farmer. His prominence in public affairs, and President Washington's
confidence in his ability as a representative of the Government, are illustrated in
364 ' HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
the following letter in reply to a communication of inquiry to the State Depart-
ment:
Department of State, Washington, May 28, 1900.
Edmund Norman Leslie, Esquire, Skaneateles, New York :
Sir: In response to your letter of the 24th instant, I have to inform you
that David Humphreys, of Connecticut, was commissioned Minister Plenipoten-
tiary to Portugal February 21, 1791 ; he left Portugal for Spain on July 25, 1797,
having been commissioned Minister Plenipotentiary to Spain May 20, 1796.
He was also commissioned Commissioner Plenipotentiary to Morocco March 13,
1795, to negotiate treaty of amity and commerce; Commissioner Plenipotentiary
to Algiers March 21, 1793, and Commissioner Plenipotentiary to Tripoli and to
Tunis March 30, 1795. He left Spain about December 28, 1801.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
William H. Michael, Chief Clerk.
While Minister to Spain he was very intimate with all the officers of the Gov-
ernment, and became a great favorite with them. Having become interested in
agriculture through his intimacy with President Washington, and having the in-
terests of the American agriculturists in mind, the Spanish Merino sheep at-
tracted his attention, and he made application to the officers of the Government
for their assistance in procuring some of these sheep and to have them sent to the
United States. Although these officers were his particular friends, they stated
to him that the laws of Spain forbade their exportation. This was a great disap-
pointment to him. Afterward, through the kindness of some of these officers,
it was suggested to him to purchase privately a number of the sheep, and these
friendly officers would, to use an American expression, " wink " at the unlawful
proceeding. Colonel Humphreys, therefore, made the desired purchase, and
shipped the sheep aboard of an American ship then shortly to sail for the United
States. All this was done very quietly and secretly so far as possible, and, of
course, with the concurrence of his friends, officers of the Government.
Thus it was that, through the ancestor of Correl Humphreys, the farmers and
sheep husbandmen, and the people of this grand Republic, obtained the finest
breed of Merino sheep in the world.
Connecting Correl Humphreys' relative. Colonel Humphreys, with this county,
it may be stated that Mr. John Ellis, brother of James M. Ellis, Esq., of Syra-
cuse, was the first person to introduce Merino sheep into this county. In 1796 he
settled in the town of Onondaga. About 1802 or 1803 he purchased from
Colonel Humphreys, of Connecticut, two bucks and two ewes of the pure Merino
stock which Colonel Humphreys had imported from Spain, paying fifteen hun-
dred dollars for the four head. Mr. Ellis bred these sheep extensively on his
farm, and laid the foundation of wide improvement in the stock of fine Merino
sheep throughout the country. After his death Mr. James M. Ellis continued to
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
365
CORREL HUMPHREYS. (See page 362.1
366 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
breed fine flocks of these sheep on the farm formerly owned by his father until
1854.
Colonel Humphreys on his return from Spain was presented with a gold
medal by " The Trustees of the Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agricul-
ture " for the introduction of these sheep into this country. Correl Humphreys
died in Skaneateles, October 17, 1885, aged eighty-two years.
Correl Humphreys in person was rather above the medium height, had a
pleasant and ruddy countenance, was kind-hearted, and was particularly fond of
children. This trait materially added to his comfort during his travels through-
out the States he perambulated in his business trips. His practise when he entered
a dwelling, if a baby happened to be present, was immediately to take the baby in
his arms and seek to amuse it in any manner that seemed agreeable to the child.
This act made the mother happy and ever afterward Correl's friend. When
Correl came along that way, she knew him at once, and always invited him in and
gave him a meal, besides rendering him all the assistance possible among her
neighbors in his business. This mere " baby act " was a godsend to him in all his
travels, and his kindness and loving attention to the children eventually made
it profitable to him. ^
Politically he was a real Democrat, never missing a single election. No mat-
ter what part of the United States he was in, he made minute calculations to get
home, and always appeared the day before the election. He never missed voting
the Democratic ticket. He was a true American and always a gentleman, honest
as the day is long. Every time he returned from a business trip he deposited
his earnings with Charles Pardee, considering him better than any bank, but
eventually he found out his mistake. His outward dress was peculiar. He
always wore a blue cloth swallow-tail coat, with brass buttons, and a silk hat.
He was highly respected by all the people of Skaneateles, especially those who .
were in the habit of seeing him during the many years of his life.
Early Merchants and Others. — The early merchants were all on the north
side of the Seneca Turnpike Road.
Booth, & Ingham (Jonathan Booth and Samuel Ingham) had in 1812 a gen-
eral store, where now is Benoni Lee's office.
Phares Gould in 1816 had a general store situated where now is Miss Wheel-
er's millinery store. This store was a brick two-story building, with gable end
on the s);reet. His dwelling was a frame two-story building next east of his
store.
Samuel Ingham at that time lived in a story-and-a-half frame dwelling situ-
ated where is now the C. H. Poor residence. It was painted red.
Edward G. Ludlow had in 181 3 a store on the north side of the Turnpike.
George and Owen Cotton were millwrights, and built all the early grist-mills
in this section of the State. Their brother, Willard Cotton, was a farmer, and
lived in this town. These three brothers were all born in the district where Mott-
ville is now located. Owen Cotton died at Attica, N. Y., at the age of ninety-one
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 367
years. George Cotton died at South Onondaga about 1882, and was over ninety
years of age. The names of these three brothers all appear in the old ledgers
before and after 1806.
Elijah Price was Justice of the Peace here in 1805.
Norman Leonard had a general store on the Joel Thayer lot in 1813. At that
date there were no stores on the south side of the Seneca Turnpike.
Winston Day's store was on the site of the Lake House.
Isaac Mills settled on Lot No. 61, Marcellus, in the month of May, 1803. He
came from the town of Stillwater, Saratoga County, N. Y. He was twenty-four
years of age when he came, was married, and brought one child with himself and
wife. Timothy Mills, a son, succeeded his father on same farm.
Peter E. Gumaer and James Ennis were witnesses to a legal form here in the
year 1800.
Church Diversion. — About the years 1843-44, when the old square pews
were in St. James' Church, a few of the gentleman attendants indulged in a
little diversion among themselves. At that period, when there were no garden
vegetables or garden fruit sold at retail in the village, each householder culti-
vated a garden for household purposes, and, when one of the St. James' at-
tendants happened to raise unusually early in the season a cucumber, an ear of
sweet com, a melon, radishes, or other novelty, he would take his best specimen
and carry it to the church before service, and deposit it in the pew, on the cushion,
of some one of his friends. When the regular services were about to commence,
and the congregation became seated, the recipient of Nature's earliest product
immediately became aware that some one of his friends had had the sagacity to
overreach him in early vegetation. His curiosity, of course, was excited to as-
certain the source of the Sunday present. Then, waiting until the clergyman
began to read the morning lesson from the Bible, he would take the opportunity
carelessly to scan the audience without attracting attention, to identify, if possible,
his friend. The result always was that every one whom he suspected seemed to
be paying strict attention to the words of the lesson, and to be very much inter-
ested in it. What general conversation ensued, when he afterward met his
church friends, has been kept secret. The practise of placing Sunday surprises
in the pews continued generally throughout the season.
Recollections of Thaddeus Edwards. — " There was a room fitted up to
hold religious services in the Briggs tavern, on the lake side of the building,
built in 1806. The different denominations held services there. I think there
was one Episcopal service held there, but am not certain. Do not recollect what
time.
" Religious services were held in the brick schoolhouse, over the bridge, on
Potter lot. Elias Hicks spoke there at one time." — T. Edwards.
History of the Daniel C. Robbins Place, now the Mingo Lodge. — The
Daniel C. Robbins place originally belonged to Richard Talcott. It was a por-
tion of about 224 acres that he purchased from G. Thorp, March 20, 1823 ; con-
368 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
sideration, $6,000. Talcott erected a very handsome mansion upon it. This was
located on the site of the present dwelling.
On June 2, 1836, he sold the property, 224 acres, to Richard L. De Zeng for
$12,000. This advanced value included the new dwelling.
De Zeng afterward sold 108.55 acres to F. M. Potter for $9,226.75.
Richard Talcott, April 13, 1835 (before the sale to De Zeng), sold lands to
Arthur Mott. Mott afterward deeded to Lydia P. Mott, his mother, for a valu-
able consideration, a life estate in 7.85 acres.
On December 13, 1837, Arthur Mott sold to James Cannings Fuller 7.85
acres; consideration, $3,200.
On November 5, 1841, James C. Fuller sold to F. M. Potter the same lands
for $4,000.
On September 23, 1841, Lydia P. Mott conveyed her interest to James C.
Fuller; consideration, $1,500.
On January 31, 1866, E. and E. C. Potter sold to G. W. Sharkey 108.55 acres
and 7.85 acres.
On July 13, 1868, Internal Revenue Collector S. P. Smith sold at pubHc auc-
tion the Sharkey interest in the above-named lands, for penalty and fines grow-
ing out of the attempt in his tobacco business in New York to evade the Internal
Revenue law.
On August 15, 1868, H. J. Hubbard conveyed to Antoniette Brown 108.55
acres, also 7.85 acres; consideration, $5,400.
May 3, 1870, Antoniette Brown to Stiles & Robbins, land contract; considera-
tion, $1,000.
G. W. Sharkey to Stiles & Robbins, consideration $1.
Antoniette Brown to B. F. Stiles, 108.55 acres, for $7,411.76.
Robbins to B. F. Stiles, consideration $1.
March 20, 1876, B. F. Stiles to Forest G. Weeks, consideration $16,000.
Antoniette Brown to Daniel Robbins, 7.85 acres and 183.85 acres, considera-
tion $10,588.24.
Arthur Mott. — Arthur Mott was the son of Lydia P. Mott, the famous
Principal of the Friends Young Ladies' Boarding-School in this town. Arthur
Mott began business about the year 1820, and had a woolen mill on the site of
the old Coleman flouring-mill at Mottville. He was for some years a successful
and prominent manufacturer, and a citizen of influence. Mottville was named
from Arthur Mott. He finally succumbed to drink, and removed to the West,
where he was cared for by relatives until his death, which occurred at Toledo,
Ohio, October 30, 1869, aged seventy-one years. During his early mercantile
career he was a man of exceptional business ability, and in his social relations he
took and retained warm friendships, possessed a genial kindness of nature, and
enjoyed the full confidence and respect of citizens of all classes.
The First Steamboat Excursion to the Head of the Lake. — We are
indebted to Mrs. Calvin Clark, of Marshall, Mich., through Mrs. S. A. Gififord,
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
369
of this village, for the following concerning early steamboating and sailing on
Skaneateles Lake. Mrs. Clark was Miss Evalina Greves, is now eighty-five years
old, and is probably the oldest native of this village now living:
" At the time of Colonel Vredenburg's death he had a sail-boat in process of
construction. It was finished and launched about where St. James' Church now
stands. One who was present writes that the most remembered of the cere-
mony was the calling for a name, when there were lusty shouts for ' The Four
Sisters,' and I believe it was called by that name. Colonel Vredenburg had four
daughters, and very interesting ladies they all were. That must have occurred
nearly eighty years ago, and was it not probably the first sail-boat on our lake?
" The following list of persons comprised the first steamboat party to the head
of Skaneateles Lake in the Independence, Captain Wells, September 7, 1831. The
Auburn band, consisting of twenty persons, accompanied the party and added
much to the festivities of the occasion.
Miss Electa Edwards
Miss Harriet Hall
S. P. Rhoades and lady
Joseph S. Mott and lady
Noadiah Kellogg and lady
James G. Porter and lady
A. G. Stansbury
Samuel "Francis
James Jerome
James Rasher
Richard L. Allen
Ebenezer Pardee
L. H. Sandford
John Greves
George Francis
Colvin D. Legg
William Palmer
Edward O. Gould
C. J. Burnett, Jr.,
A. G. Jerome,
J. P. Greves, Committee.''
The editor of the Auburn Free Press was one of the invited guests on the oc-
casion above described, and in an editorial dated October 8, 1831, he thus dis-
courses :
" Skaneateles Lake. — On Friday last, we were exceedingly gratified with an
excursion to the head of this beautiful sheet of water, on board of the steam-
boat Independence. Although the weather was not so pleasant as might have
been desired, yet the gentlemanly deportment of Captain Wells, the beauty and
grandeur of the scenery to be found upon the banks of the Skaneateles, together
with the charm of novelty, attached to the idea of wafting over the surface of
Miss Maria Kellogg
Miss Catharine Kellogg
Miss Catharine Williams
Miss Helen Sandford
Miss Amelia Sandford
Miss Almira Halsey
Miss Delia Porter
Miss Mary A. Watson
Miss Maria Gibbs
Miss Aim Eliza Gibbs
Miss Mary Burnett
Miss Eveline Burnett
Miss Cornelia Burnett
Miss Cornelia Francis
Miss Julia Feck
Miss Almira Cossitt
Miss Juliette Legg,
Miss Sarah Loomis
Miss Evalina Greves
Miss Jane Louisa Greves
Miss Helmena Hopkins
Miss Emeline L. Marsh
Miss Julia Furman
Miss Zade Thome
Miss Louisa Thome
Miss Maria Tallcot
Miss Sarah Tallcot
Miss Eliza De Cost
Miss Pamelia De Cost
Miss C. H. Tallman
Miss Janes
Miss Sarah Hoyt
Miss Clarke
Miss Clarke
Miss Hannum
Miss Minerva Sherwood
Miss Ballard
Miss Julia Maltby
370 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
our native lakes with the aid of steam, all served to render the scenes of the day
among those upon which in other years we shall be disposed to look back with
increased pleasure. We had intended to glean a few sketches from our rough
notes relating to the various incidents of ' The Day,' but have only time at present
to advise all those who wish to enjoy the pleasure of a jaunt upon the water, to
gaze upon some of the most romantic scenes to be found in this region of hills
and waves, of rocks and trees, or who wish to breathe for once the health-in-
spiring breezes of the mountain, and at the same time suitably to encourage the
spirit of enterprise so laudably exhibited by Captain Wells, to make up a party of
our citizens, and upon the first fair day accomplish all these objects in the man-
ner in which we have suggested."
Matches. — Following the uses and description of the tinder-box on page
8 of this volume, the following , further appliances were in use at the period
named :
Next to the tinder-box came small sticks of wood, dipped first in sulphur,
and then in a composition of chlorate of potash, flowers of sulphur, gum or sugar,
and cinnabar for coloring. Accompanying these was a vial containing sulphuric
acid, into which the match was dipped, when it immediately ignited by the chem-
ical action induced between the acid and the chlorate of potash. The other in-
gredients were added merely on account of their combustible qualities. To this
match, which first succeeded the tinder-box, next came the lucifer match in
1827-29, which was invented by John Walker, in England.
PeaTj or Muck. — Peat, or muck, is found in the swamps and low grounds
of the town. The conditions for its productions are permanent moisture, with a
subsoil of either clay or masl, impermeable to water. It is formed of successive
growths of vegetation, which have died and become brown or black. It is spongy
and retentive of water, and by successive growths, has raised its bed, so that it
appears in mounds and hillocks. In some localities this is aided greatly by
deposits of this constantly forming beneath it. Usually the surface is soft, yield-
ing to pressure, and trembling when walked upon. In the town of Clay, in this
county, are extensive beds of peat, which, judging from experiments made,
promise to be of great importance as fuel.
Abraham Cuddeback.— Abraham Cuddeback was the father of Abraham
A. Cuddeback, the first settler in this town. Although he never lived in this
town, he died at Minisink, Orange County, N. Y., July 24, 1783. It is stated
that our first settler, Abraham A. Cuddeback, brought his father's remains when
he first came into this town, and interred them on his land.
Elijah Manley. — The original Dr. Samuel Porter dwelling, which stood
on the present H. L. Roosevelt property, was built by Elijah Manley, carpenter
ancj contractor. He was one of the first carpenters of Skaneateles.
John Briggs built the tavern on the corner of Seneca Turnpike and West
Lake Road (Shear place). He was Mrs. Hitchcock's father. He died June
25, 1839, a^ged eighty-two years.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 371
CHAPTER XXV.
The Skaneateles Water Works Company and Local History.
The Skaneateles Water Works Company. — The first appearance of the
Skaneateles Water Works Company in Skaneateles was recorded in the Book of
Records of the Trustees, November 29, 1884, as follows :
"A petition of out-of-town gentlemen for the privilege of erecting public
water works came before the Board, upon which no action was taken."
These out-of-town gentlemen proposed to the Trustees that, if they would
bond the village for an amount to be agreed upon, they would put in a system
of water works which would belong to the village, and which was to be perfectly
satisfactory to the village authorities before being paid for. The contractors
would accept either the bonds or the money arising from the sale of the bonds.
If the Trustees had accepted that proposition, all the litigation which has since
been before the courts would have been avoided.
No further reference in the record is to be found until the month of May,
1887, when a petition was presented to the Trustees, by John E. Waller and
others, " in regard to forming a water works company." The next entry on the
record was July 5, 1887, when a franchise was granted by the Trustees to John
E. Waller, George H. Wicks, Lewis B. Fitch, Edwin E. Hall, J. K. Knox, John
McNamara, Benjamin F. Petheram, and George Barrow. These persons thus,
by being granted a franchise, became a corporation, under the name of " The
Skaneateles Water Works Company." They stated in their petition to the
Trustees that the proposed capital stock of the Skaneateles Water Works Com-
pany was forty thousand dollars, to be divided into four hundred shares of
one hundred dollars each.
Now, as a matter of interest, the law under which these water companies are
authorized to issue stock is as follows : Chapter 313 of the Laws of 1881 provides
that the capital stock shall be paid " in the manner and within the time provided
by Chapter 40 of the Laws of 1848." Section 6 of this chapter reads as follows :
" It shall be lawful for the officers to call in and demand from the stockholders,
respectively, all such sums of money as by them subscribed, at such times and in
such payments or instalments as the officers shall deem proper, under the penalty
of forfeiting the shares of stock subscribed for." It may here be stated that in the
testimony before the courts, in the litigation undertaken by this powerful corpora-
tion to compel the village of Skaneateles to pay that Water Company heavy dam-
ages, there was no evidence produced before any one of the courts, from the
Referee to the Court of Appeals, that a single share of the four hundred shares
named in the petition to the Trustees had ever been paid for ! It was not neces-
372 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
sary for the officers to demand any money from the stockholders, as they had re-
ceived the stock without any consideration, except for services rendered — paid
for in services rendered, not money. The officers did not need any money, as
the bonds issued had not only paid for the construction of the plant, but paid
the promoters, " The American Pipe Manufacturing Company of New Jersey."
The next record of the Skaneateles Water Works Company is copied from its
certificate filed in the Onondaga Clerk's Office, as follows : " Authorizing that
company to issue bonds, etc., for the purpose of constructing and perfecting its
plant, needs to borrow additional capital, and it is deemed desirable to secure the
same by means of first mortgage bonds. Now, therefore, we, Edward S. Perot,
owning 370 shares, C. H. Jackson, owning 5 shares, James P. McQuade, owning
5 shares, and owning more than two-thirds of the capital stock of said company,"
etc. This meeting of the Skaneateles Water Works Company was held August
21, 1890. These individuals who claim to own two-thirds of the capital stock
of the Skaneateles Water Works Company did issue to the American Loan and
Trust Company of New York (under the Laws of 1873, passed June 12) eighty
bonds of $500 each ($40,000), with interest coupons attached. These bonds
were dated September i, 1890, to become due August 31, 1920. These bonds
were executed by Caleb H. Jackson, President, and James P. McQuade, Sec-
retary.
Now the question arises. Were the names signed to the bonds, amounting to
$40,000, the " Skaneateles Water Works Company" ? What right had these
men to issue $40,000 worth of mortgage bonds? The only Skaneateles Water
Works Company known to the citizens of the village of Skaneateles were John
E. Waller, George H. Wicks, Lewis B. Fitch, Edwin E. Hall, J. K. Knox, John
McNamara, Benjamin F. Petheram, and George Barrow. How is it that these
incorporators, who obtained the franchise, and in whose possession it was, should
have allowed Jackson and McQuade to execute in the name of the Skaneateles
Water Works Company $40,000 mortgage bonds ? This question has never been
answered or explained.
The above-named incorporators stated in their application to the Trustees
that the capital stock was $40,000, in shares $100 each. As a corporation they
had the power to issue that amount of stock, but, really, they did not issue any.
They were not incorporated for that purpose !
Another interesting phase of the subject under consideration was a letter writ-
ten by J. W. Hawley, President of the Water Company (as the company had
several presidents, George Barrow was one). That letter was dated April 6,
1896, in which was the following paragraph :
" These water works were built for the Skaneateles Water Works Company
partly by a company in New York City, who were unable to complete the same,
which was done by the American Pipe Manufacturing Company of Philadelphia,
who held the stock issued. The bonded debt was $40,000, which was spent entire
on the works and was not sufficient to complete the work. I purchased of the
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
373
American Pipe Company $20,000 of the stock of the Company, and afterward
$10,000 of Mr. Hall, of Skaneateles."
That letter of J. W. Hawley's is a curiosity in many directions. He says that
the water works were built by a company in New York city. The evidence be-
fore the Referee at Syracuse, at the commencement of the litigation, shows by
the testimony of the chief incorporator that there never was such a company
which put in the works. Hawley also states that the American Pipe Manu-
facturing Company of Philadelphia, who owned the stock issued, completed the
VILLAGE OF SKANEATELES FROM WEST SHORE, NEAR BOAT-HOUSE.
Surface o£ the Lake forms a Mirror, which reflects the Shore.
works. Now, this American Pipe Manufacturing Co. was a New Jersey corpo-
ration, and J. W. Hawley was one of the incorporators (nine in number), and only
subscribed for two shares of its stock. The capital stock of that corporation was
$1,000,000. The incorporators only subscribed for twenty shares in all. These
shares were $100 each. There were 10,000 shares, at $100 per share, and the in-
corporators, including J. W. Hawley, only subscribed for twenty shares. It is very
doubtful whether there ever was a Skaneateles Water Works Company, except the
village incorporators who received the franchise from the village Trustees. Ever
since these incorporators transferred that franchise to the American Pipe Manu-
374 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
facturing Company of New Jersey, that company and its agents has been the
Skaneateles Water Works Company. Jackson, McQuade, and Perot, who mort-
gaged the plant for $40,ocm3, are in all probability stockholders or agents of the
New Jersey Corporation alluded to.
The first annual report of this company, as required by the laws of this State,
was filed with the Secretary of State at Albany. In this report we have the
names of the president and a majority of the directors of the Skaneateles Water
Works Company, who are named as follows : George Barrow, Charles E. Bar-
row, Edwin E. Hall, Edward S. Perot, W. H. Perot, Jr., James Skeen, Jr.,
James W. Hawley, and The American Pipe Manufacturing Co. The Pipe
Company is named in the report as a director. The President is probably
George Barrow, being first named. Five out of the eight named are the specu-
lators who comprise a majority of this board of officers of the Skaneateles Water
Works Company. The annual report further states that the capital stock is
$40,000; actually paid in ( ?) $40,000. (This a deception.)
Invested here in the village thus far : Assets, franchise, plant, cash $80,000
(from record).
Here follows another record:
Skaneateles Water Works Company.
Certificate of Increase of Capital Stock.
We, the undersigned, George Barrow, Chairman, and John Burton, Secretary, respec-
tively of a special meeting of the stockholders of the Skaneateles Water Works Company,
a domestic stock corporation, held for the purpose of increasing its capital stock, as adver-
tised in the Skaneateles Democrat, December 4, 1894.
James W. Hawley
N. H. Thompson
George Barrow
W. S. Perot
C. E. Barrow.
Three out of the five were probably the representatives of the American Pipe
Manufacturing Company of New Jersey. Hawley and Perot were certainly.
The amount of stock issued so far as known, according to evidence before
JReferee :
Geprge Barrow, for services as counsel $30,000
J. W- Hawley, who is now said to be President of the
company, 33,000
Edwin E. Hall, who had no knowledge of how he got it. . 10,000
- The seven incorporators, $1,000 each 7,000
$80,000
Here is $80,000 worth of stock, besides the stock held by the American Pipe
Manufacturing Company of New Jersey.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. < 375
In one of J. W. Hawley's letters as published, dated February 7, 1895, the fol-
lowing pastoral effusion occurs : " For the feeling of the company toward the
village is of the kindest, and we only ask for help during the emergency." The
lion had the kindest feeling for the lamb!
J. W. Hawley, in his letter to the Water Commissioners, stated among other
items that the American Pipe Manufacturing Company held all the stock of the
Skaneateles Water Works Company. This is considered as a matter of course.
The evidence before the Referee at Syracuse indicated that not a single share,
of stock was paid for in money. George Barrow obtained his 30,000 shares for
legal services, and probably other stockholders were in other ways useful to the
American Pipe Manufacturing Company.
The Village Trustees made a contract with the Water Company, April 23,
1889, for five years. This was effected without consultation with the taxpayers.
It has always been the practise on previous occasions, when any extraordinary
matter was brought to the attention of the village officers, to consult the tax-
payers by taking an informal vote for advice; but in this instance the taxpayers
were not consulted, and the contract was executed accordingly. Soon after the
contract became publicly known, two petitions were presented to the Board of
Trustees protesting against the action of the Trustees, one of which was signed by
one hundred and sixteen taxpayers, of which the following is a copy :
" We, the undersigned taxpayers of the village of Skaneateles, hereby protest
against the contract heretofore entered into by the Trustees of this village with
the Skaneateles Water Works Company without the knowledge or consent of the
taxpayers. And believing such contract was unauthorized, and that the public in-
terests do not demand so great an outlay, and that the question should have at
least been submitted to a vote of the people, we hereby ask your Honorable Board
to disaffirm and rescind such contract, and refuse to act under it, unless legally
compelled to do so."
The Trustees took no action upon this formidable protest, which comprised a
large majority of the taxpayers. They merely ordered the Clerk to place it on
file. The other petition' was also a protest from other taxpayers, worded dif-
ferently. The want of official courtesy and decent action in the reception of such
formidable protests would seem to show that the issue of unlimited shares of stock
had not been issued in vain.
The promoters, C. H. Jackson, James P. McQuade, and Edward S. Perot,
having issued $40,000 in six per cent, mortgage bonds, representing themselves
as the Skaneateles Water Works Company, by so doing, and claiming to hold two-
thirds of the capital stock of the company, carried off (not to New Jersey, but to
Philadelphia) the bonds and the two-thirds of the stock as their profit in this
business.
The next persons to get paid for their work in promoting this Water Company
were the original incorporators, through whose indtjstry the franchise was ob-
tained. They obtained the franchise under several conditions, two of which were,
376 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
first, that the plant and works were to be completed and in full working order
within two years, and, secondly, that such franchise was not to be sold to any
person or persons outside of the village of Skaneateles. Neither of these condi-
tions was obeyed. In respect to the first one, the plant was not attempted to be
put in within two years. It was very probable that the promoters advised the in-
corporators how they could get their share of the profits of establishing the
Skaneateles Water Works Company by selling the franchise to outside parties,
and to various firms throughout this and other States who make it their business
to buy franchises. This plan was, perhaps, adopted, and much correspondence
took place with that end in view ; but it seems that these firms had no confidence
in the purchase of a franchise given by the Trustees of the village of Skaneateles.
If the exclusive use of the streets had been included in the franchise, undoubtedly
it would have been salable to the contracting firms. Therefore, the promoters of
the Skaneateles Water Works Company were here at the date of that pretended
meeting, December 14, 1889, according to the Free Press "Rambler," which stated
as follows :
" Representatives of the water company which put in the works at Jordan
were in town last week, and I hear they secured the right and title of the Skane-
ateles Water Company, together with an extension of the franchise of the latter
company and its contract with the village. The works are to be put in this sum-
mer."
These speculators in all probability made arrangements to have a record placed
on the Book of Records of the village Trustees which would make it authori-
tatively appear that the franchise had been legally extended. They knew that the
franchise would become extinct after the expiration of two years. Anticipating
that event, they came here and made arrangements to have that record placed in
the book (in the opinion of the author). It is very probable that the chief incor-
porator protested very decidedly against the statement of the "Rambler," which
would be very natural.
There is no external evidence that that meeting of the Trustees to extend the
franchise of the Skaneateles Water Works Company was ever held. Neither of
the village papers published it. John D. Barrow, whom the pretended meeting,
by resolution, appointed as Clerk pro tem., had been summoned as a witness at a
term of the Supreme Court, at Syracuse, April 17, 1898, and stated to the court
and counsel (not being on the witness stand) that he had not the least recollec-
tion of attending any such meeting of the Trustees, or having been by resolution
elected Clerk pro tem. He could not be persuaded to be sworn as a witness (as
understood by the author). T. Kelley, at the same time, while testifying as a wit-
ness, insisted that at all meetings of the village Trustees there was always a Presi-
denfpro tem. appointed when the President was absent, but he had no recollection
of that meeting. When S. E. Benedict was on the witness stancl, he was asked by
counsel to take the book of minutes and look them over, and state what was done
at that meeting. Benedict replied that " there was no vote taken, except on the
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 377
motion to adjourn." No vote taken on the resolution to extend the franchise of
the water company for one year! At that remarkable (pretended) meeting,
there was no President present, no President pro tem., no chairman. Although
the record stated that T. Kelley made a motion to extend the franchise, it was not
seconded. Under the rules of the Board of Trustees, and under the custom, a
motion not seconded is never brought before the meeting. No vote was recorded
in the minutes. None was taken !
Now, if the above is not sufficient to prove that the franchise was not ex-
tended, the following further statement will convince the most skeptical:
" The Referee, at the commencement of the water company's litigation, de-
cided, from the evidence brought before him, that the franchise was renewed."
Evidence shows that the franchise was not renewed. The following is an.
exact copy of the record of Trustees :
" Now, therefore, the said company having applied for a renewal and extension of said
franchise and term.
"Resolved, That said franchise as recorded in the village Record be, and the same is
hereby, renewed, and the term of the completion of the work is hereby extended until De-
cember I, 1890, on condition that said franchise shall be void if said company shall not have
completed its work within one year from December i, 1889; it being understood that the
contract made by said village with said company shall continue to be binding upon said
company, and this franchise is renewed upon that condition.
" The resolution was thereupon adopted.
" On motion of Mr. Kelley, seconded by Mr. Shepard, the meeting then adjourned sine
die.
" Accepted.
" J. D. Barrow, Clerk pro tem.''
The following is copied from the printed evidence by authority of which the
Referee decided that the franchise had been extended by the Trustees:
" Now, therefore, the said company having applied for a renewal and extension of said
franchise and term,
"Resolved, That said franchise as recorded in the village Record be, and the same is
hereby, renewed, and the term of the completion of the work is hereby extended until De-
cember I, 1890, on condition that said franchise shall be void if said company shall not
have completed its work within one year from December I, 1899; it being understood that
the contract made by said village with said company shall continue to be binding upon said
company, and this franchise is renewed upon that condition.
" The resolution was thereupon adopted, on motion of Mr. Kelley, seconded by Mr.
Shepard.
"The meeting then adjourned sine die.
" J. D. Barrow, Clerk pro tem."
Notice the difference between the closing paragraph of the above copy of the
printed evidence that was brought before the Referee, and the actual copy of the
378 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
Record first above printed. These paragraphs can be better understood by here
printing them :
" On motion of Mr. Kelley, seconded by Mr. Shepard, the meeting then ad-
journed sine die."
" The resolution was thereupon adopted, on motion of Mr. Kelley, seconded by
Mr. Shepard.
" The meeting then adjourned sine die."
In order to give a full history of this subject, it will be necessary to make the
following statement personally.
Immediately after I first saw the printed evidence in the matter of the litiga-
tion by the Skaneateles Water Works Company against the village of Skaneateles,
I had a negative taken from the Book of Record, from which negative I had four
copies printed of different sizes of print. These were intended to prove my asser-
tion that the sentence in the record, " the resolution was thereupon adopted," had
been subsequently added to the Record. After receiving the photographs, I
found that the Record was the very best evidence, because the handwriting
showed that the added sentence had been written at a different time from the pre-
ceding, there having been a gloss on the preceding writing, while the sentence
criticized had no gloss. Having these photographs on hand, I desired to inter-
view Mr. Morgan, the stenographer. I called on him at his office in the Court
House, Syracuse, showed him the printed evidence and the photograph, and asked
him if the printed evidence had been copied by him. He replied that it was not
copied by him, but by Mr. Comstock, the stenographer of Justice Hiscock. I
asked where I could find him. Morgan then showed me Judge Hiscock's office
near by. I at once went into that office, and asked to see Mr. Comstock, when he
came out of an adjoining room. I showed him the book of printed evidence taken
before the Referee, and the photograph copy of the Record, and asked him if he
copied the printed evidence from the Record Book. He replied immediately
that it had been dictated to him !
This dictation was made to appear, " The resolution was thereupon adopted
on motion of Mr. Kelley, seconded by Mr. Shepard."
This dictation to Stenographer Comstock, printed in the evidence taken be-
fore the Referee, which had not previously become known to me until I read it in
the printed evidence, and which was false, and known to be false by the Water
Works Company, had passed before all the courts in this State up to the court
of final resort. All the courts have decided against the Water Company even
with this false and important evidence in its favor, which was unknown until I
discovered it.
The Attorney of the Skaneateles Water Works Company took the Book of
Records from the village Clerk at the hearing before the Referee, and a dicta-
tion from that Record was given to Stenographer Comstock by an agent of the
Pipe Company as official evidence. It was, in my opinion, dictated by Attorney
Barrow.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 379
The representatives of the Jordan Water Company, mentioned in the Free
Press' " Rambler's " statement above, were Caleb H. Jackson, James P. McQuade,
and Edward S. Perot. It was to these three persons were sold the franchise of
the Skaneateles Water Works Company, and the extension of the franchise, and
the contract with the village. They were non-residents of the village, decidedly
so. Therefore the original conditions of the grant of the franchise by the village
Trustees were broken, which rendered the franchise null and void.
The following is a copy of the certificate filed in the County Clerk's Office,
which authorized the issue of $10,000 bonds by the Skaneateles Water Works
Company. This certificate was never recorded; it was only filed. Its date of
filing was January 22, 1895 :
" Consent of stockholders to mortgage to the Delaware County Trust Com-
pany, etc. The following are the names of the stockholders :
B. W. Hawley, owning 237 shares.
George Barrow, " 145 "
N. H. Thompson, " 5 "
A. M. Hawley, " 5 "
Chas. E. Barrow, " 5 "
Edward S. Perot, " i " "
Here are 398 shares, represented by six persons, four of whom are not resi-
dents of Skaneateles.
Now, in respect to the Jordan Water Company, a prominent business gentle-
man of Jordan states : " The Jersey Pipe Manufacturing Company came to Jor-
dan in 1888 and organized a company, called the Jordan Water Company, the
stockholders being all of Philadelphia and New York city men, and put in a
system of water works. After their work was completed in Jordan, they went to
Skaneateles and put in the pipe for your people. The Jordan company sold their
bonds in New York, and the bondholders sold the system to parties in Auburn
and Moravia, who still own and operate it in Jordan, under the name of the 'Jor-
dan Water Company.' " It would seem from the above statement that 'the bond-
holders were the parties who sold the right and title, the extended franchise, and
the contract with the village to the representatives of the Jordan Water Company.
That must have been the way that the Skaneateles Water Company was sold.
The presumption, therefoi-e, of the foregoing history of the Skaneateles Water
Company is that its franchise is and' was void, and that the evidence brought be-
fore the Referee at Syracuse was false, and knowingly so by the person who dic-
tated the pretended copy of the record of the minutes of the village Trustees to
Stenographer Comstock.
Now, it will be of further interest to the people of Skaneateles to know some-
thing about the American Pipe Manufacturing Company of New Jersey. In one
of J. W. Hawley's letters he stated that this was a Philadelphia company. In
order to get some information about this company, I wrote to the Secretary of
38o
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, at Harrisburg, and requested a copy of the
charter or organization of the American Pipe Manufacturing Company of Phil-
adelphia, and to state what the charge would be. In reply it was stated that the
Pipe Company was not a Pennsylvania corporation, but a New Jersey corpora-
tion ; and that the American Pipe Manufacturing Company had filed a certificate
SKANEATELES LAKE.
Showing St. James' Church and surrounding Scenery, with modern Yacht sailing
almost directly in the " Wind^s-Eye."
in his office, under a law of the State entitled " An Act to prohibit Foreign Cor-
porations from doing Business in Pennsylvapia without having Known Places of
Business and Authorized Agents." I received a copy of this certificate, which
is filled out by Jos. J. Keen, Jr., Vice-President of the Pipe Company, stating that
the principal office of the company was at Camden, N. J., and that " the object of
said corporation is the manufacture and sale of wrought iron pipe lined with
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 381
cement, &c." This " &c." covers a multitude of powers, as will be seen by the
following powers of the American Pipe Manufacturing Company of New Jersey,
a full copy of whose certificate I obtained from the Department of State at Tren-
ton, N. J. :
"That the objects for which the company is formed are as follows: namely, for the pur-
pose of carrying on within the State of New Jersey, and the adjoining State of Pennsyl-
vania, and the other States and Territories of the United States of America, and every
portion thereof, the manufacture of Phipps' patent hydraulic pipe, and other pipe, for the
use of water, gas, electric light and power, or natural gas companies, or for use for sewers
or drains, or any other purpose ; and the business of selling and disposing of the same, and
also the business of contracting with any person or persons, or any corporation, municipal
or otherwise, having the right, power, or franchise to build and construct water supply
works, gas works, electric light and power plants, or natural gas plants, or any other works
of improvement within said States and Territories, or either of them, to build, construct,
enlarge, or complete such water supply works, gas works, electric light and power plants,
or natural gas plants, or any other works of improvement, or any part or portion thereof,
and to receive in payment, in whole or in part, therefor shares of the capital stock or bonds
of any of the above described corporations, or securities issued by any government. State,
county, city, or other corporation, municipal or otherwise, and to sell the same; and to
lease, purchase, hold, assign, convey, mortgage, and exchange real or personal property or
contracts, and for the purposes of said business to issue bonds secured by mortgage or mort-
gages upon the property and franchises of the said company, together with the right to pur-
chase and hold any patents, or reissues, renewals, improvements, modifications, and exten-
sions thereof, and the right to manufacture, use, and sale of devices or appliances applicable
to the business of the said company, and the right of sale or other disposition, whether ter-
ritorial or otherwise, of the same, and together with all and everything incidental to the
promotion of the objects and purposes aforesaid.
" The principal office of the company will be located and maintained in the said city of
Camden; and the portion of the business of the company which is to be carried on out of
this State in the said City of Philadelphia is such portion thereof of an ordinarily adminis-
trative character, as can be conveniently and legally transacted there.
" That the total amount of the capital stock of said company is one million dollars ; the
number of shares into which the same is divided is ten thousand, and the par value of each
share is one hundred dollars; the amount with which the said company will commence busi-
ness is two thousand dollars, which is divided into twenty shares, of a par value of one
hundred dollars each."
The above quotation is copied from the official organization of the American
Pipe Manufacturing Company of New Jersey, and it is explanatory of the " &c."
appended to its certificate filed with the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Penn-
sylvania, hereinbefore copied. The copy that I have of the organization of this
company in New Jersey is a certified copy by the Secretary of State, with the
official seal attached. It is particularly interesting in connection with our local
Skaneateles Water Works Company.
All the preceding shows conclusively to my mind that the local incorporators
were mere deputies (to haul the chestnuts out of the fire) for the American Pipe
Manufacturing Company of New Jersey. Their whole duty was, in the first
place, to secure a franchise from the village Trustees, and after that was secured
382 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
the next duty was to file a certificate in the office of the Secretary of State at
Albany. After that was accomplished, the incorporators became a domestic stock
corporation of the State of New York. The incorporators having hauled the
chestnuts out of the fire for the American Pipe Manufacturing Company, their
duties ended here. They never had any power to put in water works within two
years; never had power to issue stock; in fact, the local incorporators at once
became extinct as a corporation. From the time of their extinction, the Ameri-
can Pipe Manufacturing Company of New Jersey became in all respects the
Skaneateles Water Works Company, and in all the litigation through all the courts
of this State against the village of Skaneateles, myself, and other officers, this
Jersey company, under the guise of the name of the Skaneateles Water Works
Company, has been' the actual plaintiff in all the proceedings against the village.
The names of the persons who have represented the Skaneateles Water Works
Company are as follows : George Barrow, as its President, signed the contract
for five years with the village President, April 23, 1889. Edward S. Perot,
James P. McQuade, and C. H. Jackson issued $40,000 mortgage bonds, August
24, 1890. The bonds were executed by Caleb H. Jackson as President, and
James P. McQuade as Secretary. There is no recorded evidence by whom the
$40,000 of stock was issued. In a letter written by James W. Hawley, as Presi-
dent of the Skaneateles Water Works Company, dated April 6, 1896, he states
that the American Pipe Manufacturing Company held all the stock issued (which
is undoubtedly true), and that he purchased from that company $20,000 of its
stock, which is very doubtful, as he was one of the incorporators, and he had pur-
chased $10,000 of stock from Mr. Hall, of Skaneateles.
The annual reporfof the company, dated January 15, 1892, was signed by its
President and a majority of its Directors, as follows : George Barrow, Charles
E. Barrow, Edwin E. Hall, The American Pipe Manufacturing Company, W.
H. Perot, James Skeen, Jr., James W. Hawley, and Edward S. Perot. (Presi-
dent's name not designated.) The meeting to increase the capital stock to $10,000
was held December 4, 1894, and was signed by James W. Hawley, N. H. Thom-
son, W. S. Perot, George Barrow, and C. E. Barrow.
The conclusion from the foregoing statement is that the organization hereto-
fore known as the Skaneateles Water Works Company has no franchise. Such
was not extended by the village Trustees, as claimed at a meeting pretended to
have been held December 14, 1889, consequently this pretended water works com-
pany has no standing in court. The American Pipe Manufacturing Company of
New Jersey has been the actual plaintiff in all the proceedings against the village
of Skaneateles, depending for its authority to prosecute this village upon a false
dictation from the record before the Referee at Syracuse, at the commencement
of this extended litigation.
In order to meet any adverse decision by the Supreme Court of the United
States, to whom the Skaneateles, Water Works Company have appealed, which is
now before that court at the present writing (February, 1901), against the vil-
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 383
lage of Skaneateles, E. Norman Leslie, as President and individually, et al., I
have placed in the safe of the Skaneateles Savings Bank for safe keeping two
propositions of legal evidence in courts of record of the State of New York, by
which a new trial can be had under newly discovered evidence by the village, by
which the Skaneateles Water Works Company will eventually be defeated.
As a part of the history of the Skaneateles Water Works Company, it will be
of general interest in this connection to include a communication, written by my-
self and published in the Skaneateles Democrat, March 4, 1896, at which time I
had been nominated for the office of President, with John E. Waller opposed :
"The Only Question now is, Municipal Ownership of a Water Plant,
Either by the purchase of the present plant, at a sum not exceeding $30,000, or
an entire new one of our own. This is the real question to be decided at the next
municipal election for officers of this village for the ensuing year. It would be
a fatal error not to settle this momentous subject now, while we have no contract
with the water company and are consequently free from its domination or in-
fluence.
" The whole question of municipal ownership will now rest with the voters
of this village, to whom by their votes they will intrust this present subject to
the persons whom they will elect as officers of this village for the ensuing year.
" All the nominations made by the people's party have been made solely to
meet the subject of municipal ownership, and the persons so nominated are a
unit on that as well as on other questions affecting the people's rights. Some of
our people, who do not understand the situation, are impatient at the inaction of
the present Trustees respecting the water question. Such parties must under-
stand that an effort is now being made by the water works companies to get a
law passed by the present legislature to forever prevent any village from put-
ting in their own plant, and also to compel villages who want to purchase
the old works to pay from two to three times what they had originally cost. If
this becomes a law, our ownership will become impossible. So we must be pa-
tient and fight this bad bill.
" If I should be selected for the office of President for another year, my whole
energies would be devoted to municipal ownership. It may not be generally
known that I alone have been in active charge of the subject for the defeat of
the Malby bill now before the Legislature, without assistance from any other
person, except persons employed at my expense. I am satisfied that my efforts
in this direction have been successful. The Syracuse Standm-d, from the fact
of my letter to its editor, has been of great assistance in educating the public
on the necessity of defeating the passage of this effort to pass this law.
" I am heartily in favor of continuing the present condition of not making a
contract with the water company. The houses and dwellings of this village are
unusually safe against destruction by fire, just as much so as we were safe from
fire before the present water works were placed in our streets. We are safe
384 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
from the fact that nearly all the present dwellings were constructed in earlier
times when balloon frames and cheap work were unknown, and, besides, our
housewives have always been very careful about fires.
" An important item is that the only fuel now used is anthracite coal, and the
stoves for its use are perfectly safe from danger, and it is very doubtful whether
there are now any wood fires used for household purposes. In my opinion, any
large fire insurance company could take all the risks in this village at half what
is now charged, and make money, and without loss, if a proper inspection should
be made, would be safe beyond question.
" But as it is now, we have no remedy but to submit to pay heavy rates to
benefit the large cities.
E. Norman Leslie, President."
The voters of the village indorsed my views as expressed in this communica-
tion, and elected myself President at the election immediately following the pre-
sentment of my position in reference to municipal ownership. Had I been de-
feated, the Water Works Company would have been in full sway, and the village
would now be paying fifty dollars annually for every hydrant, and private takers
would pay double rates for every faucet, and never afterward would the village
be able to purchase the plant, including its miserable cement pipes, at a less sum
than $150,000 or $200,000.
Scraping the Snow from the Sidewalks in Winter. — How it origi-
nated.— During the winter of 1866-67, snow fell to the depth of four feet, oblig-
ing pedestrians to wade through it to reach the post-office and other parts of the
village. This was the experience of the author, and in order to provide for any
future contingency of this character he drew up a bill, and had it introduced into
the Legislature of 1867. The bill became a law. It was an amendment of Chap-
ter 148 of the Laws of 1867, as follows :
" Section 5. The said Trustees shall have power, and it shall be their duty,
to cause the removal of snow, ice, or other obstruction from the sidewalks in said
village, and to defray and pay the expense of the same, and to keep at least one
sidewalk of each street free from obstruction at all times for the use of pedes-
trians. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer of said village to reserve and set'
apart from the moneys received by him from the annual highway tax the sum of
two hundred dollars, which shall constitute an exclusive fund for the payment
of requisitions on him by the Trustees for the aforesaid purpose. The said Trus-
tees shall not pay or cause the Treasurer to pay out any money from the said
exclusive fund for any other purpose than is herein provided, until the first
day of April in each year; after which the balance of said fund may be appro-
priated by the Trustees to any other purpose consistent with the provisions of this
act."
This law went into effect immediately, and every year since 1868 two hun-
dred dollars has regularly been appropriated by the Trustees for clearing the side-
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
385
walks from snow and ice, until within the past five years, when the appropriation
by the Trustees has been lessened in amount, without cause.
There are eight and a half miles of streets in the village, consequently there
are seventeen miles of sidewalks on both sides the streets, and, owing to competi-
tion by men owning teams of horses having no other source of employment, the
terms per single trip over the eight miles of sidewalks in the whole village have
been reduced by competition to two and a half dollars. One trip requires the
TEN MILE POINT, WHICH IS IN THE FOREGROUND, LOOKING NORTH.
It is on the East Shore of the Lake. The Small Propeller happened to come within range of the
Camera t>y accident. It indicates one of the Pleasurable Pastimes of Skaneateles Lake.
labor of two men and two horses. Sometimes when the snow becomes covered
with ice two horses on one scraper, together with a plow lashed to the side of the
scraper, are required to do the work properly.
This grand scheme of clearing the sidewalks from snow and ice during the
winter season is not known, or practised in any other village in the State. It
is a purely Skaneateles invention. The effect of this great convenience is that
every sidewalk throughout the village has a path four feet in width, cut like a
canal through the snow and down to the surface of the sidewalk, at early daylight
386 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
every morning after a snow-storm. Those who secure the contract for the season
have acquired perfection in the work, cutting the paths very straight. Early com-
petition for this work brought in poor men and poor horses at very low rates.
The Trustees then supposed they were economizing by accepting low bids for
the work. The consequence was that the work was not done properly, and pedes-
trians were continually making complaint. The Trustees have since learned to
employ the best men and the strongest horses. At any other time during the year
the same men and their teams could not be had for double the money they receive
in winter time. There is no other expenditure of money received from taxation
that all the residents of the village get more value from and more comfort from
than the cost of scraping the snow from the sidewalks here in the village of
Skaneateles. All ordinances and all laws enacted by any Board of Trustees
making it the duty of every person to keep the sidewalks in front of his premises
clear of snow or other obstruction have been, as a general rule, disregarded and
have never been enforced, therefore the snow-scraper has met with universal ap-
proval.
Jonathan Kneeland. — Dr. Jonathan Kneeland was born February lo, 1813,
in a log cabin between Skaneateles and Otisco Lake. He was a precocious youth,
devouring everything he could find in the way of literature. When eleven years
of age he became a student in medicine under Dr. Jeremiah B. Whiting, of Cayuga
County, but soon returned to his father's log house. When sixteen he again left
home, this time without leave, and attended district, select, and academic schools.
He then weighed ninety pounds. He taught two winter terms of school of four
and five months each, and experienced all the questionable delights of " boardin'
'round." In after-life he never resided in this town.
In the old ledgers and other account-books which gave the names of early set-
tlers and others who traded here are found the following names of Kneelands:
Amasa Kneeland, who taught school in the vicinity of Nathan Leonard's inn
(Joab Clift's) ; Asa Kneeland, who traded here in 1805, taught school, and, ac-
cording to Nathaniel- Miller, was a carpenter and joiner in 1807. Horace and
Warren Kneeland were here in 1818.
Samuel C. Wheadon. — Samuel C. Wheadon was born in Marcellus, October ,
19, 1802, removed to Mottville in 1824, and died in Skaneateles June 8, 1881. He
engaged in the foundry and manufacturing business, kept a hotel, served as
Deputy Sheriff several years, and in 1848 became a merchant, and continued so
until his death.
The Civil War.— On June 25, 1862, the Ladies' Aid Society was organized,'
with Mrs. Anson Lapham, President; Mrs. William H. Jewett, Vice-President;
Mrs. H. Piatt, Secretary, and Miss E. A. Lapham, Treasurer, for the purpose of
assisting soldiers at the front. They performed a noble work in forwarding cloth-
ing and supplies and ameliorating the hardships of army life.
An Illustration of the Uncertainty of Human Life. — The ravages of
relentless time are exemplified by the signatures of one hundred well-known citi-
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
387
zens of the village of Skaneateles to a public document thirty-eight years ago.
The names are as follows :
Newell Turner
Horace Hazen
J. H. Vanderburgh
Peter M. Pelle
Thomas Dyer
John Grime
Worthy Gibbons
Orson Young
A. Hitchcock
S. C. Hemingway
G. T. Campbell
Jason Reed
John Packwood
S. B. Hitchcock
Benjamin Forshee
S. C. Wheadon
Harry Briggs
C. W. De Witt
Charles B. Isbell
L. D. Wait
John Rossiter
Schuyler Moore
Sereno Field
George R. Ashpole
Samuel Stewart
Daniel Wheeler
George B. Hall
Richard Huxtable
Augustus Kellogg
Stephen Vanderburgh
Susan Newton
D. A. Rupp
Eastwood Allen
George Paul
Henry D. Huxford
F. E. Austin
Chester Moses
John Beatty
Joseph Bird
James M. Brown-
M. Schooley
Thomas A. Benedict
John Wheeler
William Packwood
John Day
John Kellogg
E. E. Austin
Daniel Hall
WilHam G. Slade
Harvey Piatt
P. Harris
L. Hall
F. G. Weeks
Richard Talcott
S. A. Daniels
H. Cornell
Thomas Drakeford
Lyman Loveland
Jerry Shallish
Elias Thorne
Lois Kellogg
Thaddeus Edwards
C. K. Leitch
Columbus Weston
Simon Cook
Fayette Allen
John Dwyer
John Winniel
G. C. Bradford
N. S. Spencer
Peter Thompson
D. R. Banks
W. M. Beauchamp
D. Kellogg Leitch
J. W. Sternes
M. S. Butler
A. T. Deu6l
S. Hannum
Daniel Kellogg
James Fitzgerald
Nicholas Potter
James A. Welling
William R. Gorton
Eliza Grififin
Salmon Sherwood
E. L. Stiles
George Davis
B. B. Reddish
Z. B. Furman
Joseph Jay
James Tyler
Alonzo Gillett
Richard E. Loss
L. Bartlett
Henry Webb
John Hudson
Rebecca Litherland
John Roudley
Benoni Lee
Charles Smith
Of the above lengthy list of names, who were well known, only nine are now
living, as follows:
Newell Turner John Rossiter _ Jerry Shallish
F. E. Austin F. G. Weeks ' L. Hall
George B. Hall G. C. Bradford George Davis.
388 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
The village officers were: Harrison B. Dodge, James A. Welling, Benja-
min Petheram, and H. Q. Knight. All these have passed away.
The recital of the above is cause for reflection as to the uncertainty of human
life.
"Time is the mighty master of us all:
Upon his coming and his going wait
Love, and swift death, and day and night — and fate.''
Early History. — The closing century brings to mind that more than one
hundred (107) years have passed since the earliest pioneers came into this sec-
tion of the State, principally from the New England States and the eastern sec-
tion of this State. The author obtained, about forty or more years ago, four
early ledgers, w'hich had been kept by as many early merchants, dating respec-
tively 1805, 1806, 1812, 1815 and 1825-8, also one daybook kept by an early
farmer, dating 1800, and another daybook kept by an early merchant, dating
1825. The ledgers having been kept by single entry, it has been difficult to obtain
the names of the merchants to whom they belonged, there being no stock accounts
or other fictitious accounts, such as obtain in double-entry ledgers ; but it has been
ascertained that the earliest, 1805, was kept by Winston Day. Another of 1806
was kept by the agent of John Meeker (who did not reside in the town), who
furnished the capital, not only for this village, but for other villages or places in
various parts of the State, appointing a trusty agent or having a partner to con-
duct the business, while he (Meeker) made the purchases in Albany or Utica,
and attended to the sale of the shipments of produce sent from his various stores.
Another ledger of 18 12 was kept by Norman Leonard, and another by Day &
Sherwood, 181 5, whose name was written inside of the cover. From these ac-
count-books have been obtained over twelve hundred names of persons who
made their various purchases here, and who resided probably within a radius of
from fifty to one hundred miles from this locality. These names have been al-
phabetically arranged, and were submitted to the late Nathaniel Miller, who set-
tled in this village in 1807, and whose memory of events and persons was much
clearer than any other accessible person in this vicinity, and his identification of
many of the names contained in the old ledgers will be found in this publication.
Of course, the larger proportion of the names of early purchasers, comprising
many hundreds, have not been located by Nathaniel Miller, and consequently are
in obscurity. Those particularly in this town and in this village have been identi-
fied.
Whenever it has been possible to obtain either from old settlers personally or
from their immediate descendants the particulars of their journey from their old
home through the forest to this section of the State, many such have been ob-
tained, and will be found in this volume. But these are comparatively few in
number, owing t® the fact that generally the immediate descendants of original
settlers have but little recollection of the experiences of their fathers' hardships.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 389
CHAPTER XXVI.
The Churches and the Library.
St. James' Church.— The corner-stone of the new edifice of St. James'
Church was laid on May 30, 1873, and the church dedicated on January 6, 1874.
It contains a number of memorial windows, placed as follows :
In the East Wall. — The Porter window, in memory of the family of James
Gurdon Porter.
The Horton window, in memory of Stephen Horton.
The De Cost window, in memory of Captain Nash De Cost.
The Earll window, in memory of Maria Earll.
In the West Wall. — The Roosevelt window, in memory of Nicholas J. Roose-
velt.
The Schuyler window, in memory of Lydia Schuyler.
The Gibbs window, in memory of William and Grizell Gibbs.
The Burnett window, in memory of Charles J. Burnett.
In the North Wall. — The circular window, immediately above the front en-
trance, in memory of Reuel Smith and family.
The two Leslie windows, on either side of the main entrance:
In loving remembrance of Millicent Anna Leslie.
In loving remembrance of Hannah H. De Cost.
In the Chancel. — The chancel contains the following memorials:
The Organ is in memory of Lydia M. Roosevelt and Henry Latrobe Roose-
velt.
The Brass Rail is in memory of Mary L., Julia A., and Ellen Roosevelt.
The Brass Pulpit is in memory of John and Mary Snook.
The Lectern is in memory of Harriet Jane Gibbs.
The Baptistery is in memory of Mrs. Julius Earll.
The Brass Cross is in memory of Callie Marvin Poor.
The Brass Book-Rest is in memory of Hannah H. De Cost.
The Sanctuary is in memory of Robert M. Grinnell.
The Rood-Screen is in memory of Dr. S. H. Hurd.
_ The Alms-Basin is in memory of Mrs. D. T. Moseley.
The Leslie Memorial Windows. — In a conversational manner, a visitor thus
describes these windows :
" My attention was called to two memorials recently placed in the front wall
and near the main entrance, in memory of an aged mother arid her daughter, both
of whom had been constant members and worshipers here for a long series of
years.
39°
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
" As these particular windows impressed me with their exceeding beauty of de-
sign and modest color, I will describe them more particularly. They are both uni-
form in their general characteristics, and have full allegorical female figures in
the center panels.
" On the window in memory of the mother are represented Resignation and
Hope, at least that is my own idea of the design. Resignation is portrayed by
the figure, with hands crossed on the breast, and its general attitude, while the
lower panel represents the Anchor of Hope. All the colors used are of the soft
NEW ST. JAMES' CHURCH.
antique tints, and the drapery is unusually well executed in its drawing and shad-
ing. The inscription, in plain Roman at the base of the window, is as follows :
In Loving Remembrance of Hannah H. De Cost,
DIED April 27, 1884, aged 83 Years.
" In the window above described the lower panel also represents the waves of
the ocean, in which is appropriately represented the Anchor.
" On the other window the representation, I think, is Victory — victory over
death. The palm branch over the shoulder, supported by one hand, and the
drapery, are unique, in harmonious colors. The design in the lower panel is a
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
391
THE LESLIE MEMORIAL WINDOWS IN ST. JAMES' CHURCH.
392 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
faithful representation of the waves of the ocean, in which is a mythological
Dolphin. (This, I am told, is the private crest of the family.) The inscription,
also in Roman, is as follows :
In Loving Remembrance of Millicent Anna Leslie,
DIED March 15, 1890, aged 63 Years.
" Those two words, 'Loving Remembrance,' are a sermon of themselves, and
convey a deep meaning to those who are bereft — 'The heart bereft of the living
originals.'
" All the colors in both windows are of the soft antique tints ; the designs
and execution of the work are admirable ; and on the upper panels of both win-
dows are artistic Gothic canopies, in harmony with the architecture of the church."
A photograph of the Leslie memorial windows was sent to Mrs. Juliet C.
Patterson, the widow of a former rector of the church, who thus expressed her
acknowledgment :
" With many thanks, I write you that the beautiful photograph of the memo-
rial windows has reached me safely, and I am sure nothing could have given me
more pleasure, as a work of art and memorial of two loving and lovely Christian
friends, already in Paradise. The very expression of their countenances indicates
the joy and peace of their believing. I never saw any likenesses on glass more
tender and significant of the characters represented on it. No one could fail to
see in Mrs. De Cost that the attitude of repose she stands in is in keeping with
every fold of her garments, and the sweet expression of her face, so like herself
in life and marking her character — while Mrs. Leslie, her daughter, as turning
toward her mother to follow her with her palm branch in her hand, with a little
eagerness that always characterized her movements toward her mother in life,
is very expressive and touching. The likeness and attitude could not be im-
proved in any way — it is, so artistically done, and it represents my ideal of what a
memorial window should be. I can only think how very thankful you ought to
be that you have been able to secure two such treasures to place in the church in
Skaneateles. The moment Herbert looked at them he exclaimed : ' How beauti-
ful those two windows are, and how striking the likenesses, and everything about
them so very significant in every way ! ' "
The Presbyterian Church. — The new Presbyterian Church contains a
number of memorials, situated as follows :
South Wall, over Front Entrance. — Memorial of Peter and Sarah Thompson.
Memorial of Warren and Hannah Austin.
Memorial of Henry and Eliza Adams.
Memorial of Egbert D. Cuddeback.
Memorial of Thomas and Martha Paterson Kelley.
East Wall Memorials. — Alfred Hoagland.
William Hough.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 393
George Fleming and Catharine Kellogg Leitch and their children: Daniel
Kellogg Leitch, Laura, George Fleming, Katherine, and Lawrence.
Mrs. Penniniah Thompson.
Mrs. Orland J. Austin and Miss Jennie Thompson.
Dr. and Mrs. Levi Bartlett.
Mr. and Mrs. Theodore F. Andrews.
Dr. Judah B. and Mrs. Hopkins.
North Wall, All Windows over Pulpit. — Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Hitchcock.
, . West Wall— Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Ely Cromwell.
Mr. and Mrs. Augustus K. Sloan.
Mr. and Mrs. Elisha W. Hopkins.
Mrs. Ann Eliza Loveless.
Charles B. and Harriett Woodruff Isbell.
Charles Wiltsie and daughter, Grace.
George and Almira Morrison Austin.
Mr. and Mrs. William Fuller.
In the Church. — The Memorial Communion Table is in memory of Chris-
topher Columbus Wyckoff.
The Memorial Baptismal Kneeling-Stool is in memory of Nehemiah and Han-
nah Higby Smith.
The Pulpit and Chairs are in memory of Theodore F. Andrews and Dr.
George T. Campbell.
Mud Lake. — Another lake in Skaneateles, known as Mud Lake, is situated in
the northeastern part of the town, and not far distant from the farm of Silas
Butsh. In extent it is estimated to cover about fifteen acres. Its shores are
swampy and boggy. Cranberries grow on its surroundings. Its depth is es-
timated at forty feet. It is filled with fish, such as bullheads, sunfish, and suckers,
but no perch. There are crude rowboats on the lake ; in fact, only ordinary scows.
The peculiarity of its shores is that, on removing the boggy surface, the mud
which is beneath is so limpid that, if a man should step on it, he would im-
mediately disappear out of sight; in fact, drown in the mud. No pole that has
ever been thrust into it has been of sufficient length to reach the bottom. There
is an outlet from this lake which, after running about twenty rods, disappears
in a rocky formation. It has no inlet. Under all the above conditions, it is ap-
propriately named.
There is a rivulet in the vicinity of Mud Lake, but not in any manner connected
with it, that starts from a spring on the Irving Davey farm, and comes to the
surface on land belonging to Valentine Leach. It runs in a westerly direction
until it reaches the lands of Elmer Van Camp. From the Gulf it continues
south to Nine Mile Creek. The water in this rivulet flows throughout the
year, even in a drouth. It is used by the farmers through whose lands it runs
for household purposes and for watering stock, it being especially pure and
limpid.
394
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
A Tourist's Observations. — A Tourist makes the following remarks while
strolling through the village :
" At a corner we were gratified with a glimpse of the great engineer engaged
upon the fortifications of our city, who seemed to be lost in contemplation of
something, the exact nature of which, whether shade-trees or telegraph-pole
NEW PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
or flagstaff, we could not exactly determine. We were gratified to see in him the
picture of health and longevity. May he live a thousand years ! "
The above refers to Augustus Kellogg.
The tourist further sees more of interest:
" At a palatial residence we were met by the warbling of a thousand birds
of varied plumage, while the stately pavilions, the cool summer houses, the hang-
ing flower-baskets, the tropical luxuriance of the aloe and the cactus, the patter-
ing of cool fountains, and the immense pleasure-grounds reminded us of Kublai
Khan and the groves of Damascus.
" At various places the Star-Spangled Banner was flung to the breeze.
Crowds of the beauty and the fashion thronged the sidewalks, and at the Lake
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 395
House we were saluted by the band playing the air, 'See! The conquering
hero comes ! ' "
Erastus M. Beach. — Erastus M. Beach was a native of Sandesfield, Mass.,
a nephew of the late Reuel Smith, Sr., and an intimate friend of the late H. L.
Roosevelt, of this village. He came here on a visit in 1853, at which time he
owned a valuable lake-lot in the village. He as well as Mr. H. L. Roosevelt had
previously been engaged in mercantile business in Charleston, S. C. In the
year 1855-56 Mr. Beach purchased the property now owned by R. B. Wheeler
in this village. He thereafter came regularly with his family from Charleston
to spend the summer months in this village, and during his residence here he
entertained many of his Southern friends, among whom was his uncle Mr. Otis
Mills, who was a prominent business man in Charleston, and owned some very
costly granite (stone) docks, also the Mills House, a leading hotel there. This
property was afterward, during the Civil War, confiscated by the Confederate
Government, in payment for which he received Confederate bonds. Another
well-known visitor was Captain Maffit, an officer of the United States Navy, who
afterward became famous during the Civil War as commander of a Confederate
cruiser.
The Beach family were very prominent here while they were residents during
the summer season, and became famous for entertaining a great deal of company,
composed principally of their friends in the village, of which they had many.
This continued during the Civil War, until some mischievous person or persons
circulated and sent to the Government at Washington a report (originating here)
that Erastus M. Beach was a rebel, whereupon the Government immediately
seized and held his property here in the village, and placed it in charge of a
Deputy United States Marshal (a resident). During the time that this marshal
had it in charge, Mr. Beach's dwelling was allowed by this officer to be shame-
fully looted of all its furniture of every description, especially during the night.
The general prejudice existing among many of the villagers against a rebel was
such that the deputy marshal seemingly enjoyed the looting and destruction of
Mr. Beach's property. Every closet throughout the house was looted of its
contents. Every bureau, its drawers being locked, was broken open at the back,
and thence the contents were taken. A large manhole was cut through the
floor in the front hall to reach the wine cellar, through which the looters reached
and drank all the wines. In fact, without further detail, every article of the
least value was stolen from the house while it was in charge of the deputy repre-
sentative of the United States Government. Soon after, the Government confis-
cated Mr. Beach's property. Eventually, when the Government became better
informed of Mr. Beach's loyalty and of the untruthfulness of the reports which
originated here, his property, his real property, looted as it was, was restored to
him. After the war, the Government, in recognition of the fact that he had been
unjustly accused and abused, gave Mr. Beach a position in the Custom House in
New York, which he held during his after-life.
396 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
Erastus M. Beach had an irreproachable character in his business relations
as well as in his private life, was possessed of a genial kindness of nature, a stead-
fast, reliable friend, and in every relation of life an admirable character. Be-
fore the extraordinary and shameful false reports circulated in the village by
malicious persons affecting his character as a loyal American citizen, and the
utter destruction of his property, for which the village of Skaneateles was re-
sponsible, his intercourse with his fellow citizens was at all times courteous and
affable, and always gentlemanly. No one knew him but to respect him.
The Skaneateles Library Sphinx.
Say, canst thou tell me what and why thou art,
Rare Sphinx, that doth in all thy ruin smile?
The Cynosure of all, yet like the part
That ends the Little Bear in heaven's pole.
This "Sphinx," which is now located on the most prominent corner of the two
principal streets in the center of the village, is the old brick law office of the late
Benoni Lee, which was occupied by him until his death, in December, 1886,
and was, by his last will and testament, given, together with all its contents, to
the Skaneateles Library Association. The sudden and unexpected death of his
wife, June 16, 1885, caused by heart failure, and the precarious state of his
own failing health, were warnings that induced him to execute his will two
months after the death of his wife, dated August 17, 1885. He had no interest
in the perpetuation of his office, or of its ever being used for a law office, or occu-
pied by an attorney, or for any other purpose, being unfitted from the nature of
its material and build to remain on the principal corner of the village. Benoni
Lee's evident intention was that his old law office should not be retained by the
Association, but removed. This, together with, his knowledge that the Library
Association had, only eighteen days before the execution of his will, purchased
all the adjoining lands, afforded him the opportunity to devise his lands to the
Association, in order that the new building to be erected should be extended over
the office lot to the extreme limit of the boundaries of both the adjoining streets.
It would seem that the directors of the Library Association entertained a
different view of the gift from what Benoni Lee himself did. Exemplified thus :
The President of the Association in one of his annual reports stated:
" It was the voluntary decision of the directors to let the little law office on
the corner remain intact, as a monument to his respected memory."
It does not seem possible that these directors should have fully considered the
future consequences of establishing permanently this questionable antiquated
building in the very center and most prominent location in the village. As a
monument to his respected memory it was entirely out of place, as the directors
did not appreciate the spirit in which it was given. Benoni Lee had had erected
in Lake View Cemetery just before his death an expensive monument, which
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
397
was constructed under his immediate supervision day by day, and which by the
provisions of his last will and testament, he anticipated might not be completed
during his life. It was an offense to his memory to subject it to such a degrada-
tion as this modern Sphinx. The directors having permanently established the
old law office as a monument, and it being an entirely distinct building from the
library proper, they commissioned a well-known gentleman of the village to
procure an outside attorney to occupy it as a law office, for which purpose or
THE SKANEATELES LIBRARY BUILDING AND SPHINX.
Others of a like character its original owner never indicated in any manner that
it was to be used. Such a tenant was procured from a neighboring county, who
had been recently admitted to the bar, and possessed neither practise nor law
library. He was induced to leave a prosperous village to come to Skaneateles
by the .offer of the law office of Benoni Lee with its law library of eight hundred
volumes, together with all its furniture, including fire-proof safe and desk. Be-
sides all these was the accession of Benoni Lee's office business, which had been
established for fifty years, and which amounted to about $3,000 annually, at
398
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
a nominal rental of one hundred and fifty dollars a year, thirty dollars of which
he was authorized to expend for the purchase of the standard reports of the State
courts as they were issued, which were for his exclusive use. The local at-
torneys as a class were not members of the Association. They were not con-
sidered in the distribution of these valuable " plums." He was also offered the
attorneyship of one of the village banks. (He got them both.) The contempti-
ble income of one hundred and twenty dollars per annum was apparently the only
excuse for the mutilation of the costly ($18,000) Library building.
THE SKANEATELES LIBRARY BUILDING AND SPHINX.
In order to furnish an authoritative official reason why this offensive Sphinx
was not immediately removed, the following extract from an annual report of
the President of the Library Association, is here quoted :
" This desire was greatly increased by the fact that, soon after the purchase
of the lot, the late Benoni Lee gave to the Association, by his last will and testa-
ment, the small lot on which his law office stood, situated on the corner of State
and Genesee streets. This acquisition, rounded out the grounds, and made them
the most desirable spot in the village on which to erect our new building. He
gave also his law library. His gift came to us absolutely without restriction
or condition of any kind, so that the little brick structure on the lot might have
been properly removed."
The best interests of the Library would have been promoted, and the memory
of the late Benoni Lee preserved, if, as the President stated, "the little brick
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
399
structure on the lot might have been properly removed," and the law library to-
gether with the furniture of the office had been sold, which would have produced
fully $3,000. This sum would have been a respectable memorial fund, from
which all books purchased from its annual income should have had a printed
label, placed on the inside cover of each book so purchased, denoting the char-
THE SKANEATELES LIBRARY BUILDING AND SPHINX.
acter of the gift in memory of the late Benoni Lee. Such a disposition of his
gift would have avoided the disgraceful appendage now permanently established.
The Library building should have covered the whole property of the Associa-
tion, and facing both streets, thus making an ornamental, creditable, and spacious
home for the future expansion of the Library, more floor room for its book-
selves, and a more commodious hall for its exhibition purposes.
■ The Sphinx is the most prominent feature of the costly Library building, as
there is not a point of observation in any part of the village from which the
400 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
Library building can be seen but from which the Sphinx attracts not only curi-
osity, but inquisitiveness.
The architects who designed the Library building had a very diii&cult and per-
plexing problem before them — to disfigure the costly Library building in order
to allow the Sphinx to remain intact, and next to design a frame shed, which
has since been named a " piazza," supported by heavy stone butments, as a cover
to the principal entrance to the Library building on Genesee Street. Another
entrance on State Street, in the immediate rear of the highly valued Sphinx, is
similarly covered with a frame shed, supported on heavy stone butments. Both
of these covered entrances, together with this appendant Sphinx, destroy the en-
semble of the costly Library building, whereas, if the Sphinx had been demol-
ished as it should have been, a building creditable to the Library and to the vil-
lage would have been constructed. The architects included in their plan an en-
trance from the Library into the law o|iEce, but, such being opposed by the oc-
cupant, it was abandoned, leaving to him the exclusive use of his ofHce.
The expression " costly Library building " indicates that it was an unusually
extravagant structure, in comparison with other buildings of a like character
elsewhere. Examples of costly, elaborate structure are the tall rubblework stone
chimneys. Information from an authentic source indicates that there are no
chimneys of the like character in Syracuse. There are other examples of un-
necessary extravagance in the use of money donated by various persons for a
substantial and creditable building suitable for the locality of Skaneateles.
In one of the President's annual addresses, he stated that the building com-
mittee was all the directors. Joseph C. Willetts was appointed chairman, and
authorized to make all contracts for labor and materials. Under these condi-
tions, there was no necessity of there being but one member of the building com-
mittee.
There is a silent, not publicly expressed, feeling among some df the directors
that the Sphinx should be removed, or that possibly the " little structure " may
be hidden by building over it another story.
The illustrations herewith accompanying this article, six in number, confirm
the statement heretofore given, that the degrading appendage, the Sphinx, is the
most prominent feature to be seen in the vicinity of the Skaneateles Library.
In connection herewith the author desires to make the following personal
statement :
My interest toward the establishment of a Public Library has been growing
ever since I obtained the manuscript records of the original Library Company,
which was organized in the village in the month of March, 1806. The present
generation would not have known of that organization if I had not published in
the Skaneateles Democrat, twenty years ago, a full account of that Library, and
the names of all its officers and all of its subscribers, who were prominent citizens
of the town and village of Skaneateles. This Library continued thirty-five years.
For a full history of it see Chapter IX. of this volume.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
401
Before any suggestion had been made to establish a Public Library since
the collapse of the Skaneateles Library Company in 1841, I called on the late
Anson Lapham, early in the month of June, 1875, with the view of suggesting
to him the establishment of a Public Free Library as a loving memorial to his
deceased daughter, Elizabeth Anna, or, as she was familiarly called, " Lizzie,"
who died in 1864, at the age of twenty-five. The interesting particulars of this
interview with Mr. Lapham are detailed in Chapter XXL of this volume.
THE SKANEATELES LrBRARY BUILDING AND SPHINX.
Under present conditions, I assume that I am justified in criticizing the man-
agement in the degradation of the present Library building by the retention of
the old law office on its original site from a maudlin sentiment.
It was my intention from the commencement of the present Library to do
all in my power to advance its interests. My first gift was over six hundred
volumes on all educational subjects, and not a single volume of fiction. A por-
tion of these books was one hundred and fifty uniformly bound volumes of
"Harper's Family Library," embracing all subjects of interest. As the books
in the Library are divided into general subjects, there is not a subject on its
shelves but contains some of the volumes of " Harper's Family Library," such is
402 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
the diversity of educational subjects to be found in them. A gentleman visiting
the village, desirous of obtaining knowledge respecting the kingdom of Thibet,
which he had been unable to obtain in many libraries which he had previously
tried, found it in one of the " Harper's Family Library," and, observing my name
in the volume, called on me, and thanked me for placing that book in the Library.
I have been in the habit of presenting books and other valuable mementos
every year. In 1892 I gave twenty-one volumes; at another time I gave forty
volumes, and continued giving from year to year many volumes. Besides books,
I gave many maps, including a large map of the State of New York, with its
accompanying Gazetteer; an original map of the Military Lots; Captain Benja-
min Lee's original map of Skaneateles Lake, giving its different soundings and
persons' names who owned lands on its shores, and its fanciful outline in the form
of a " Beautiful Squaw." At various times I gave carbonette or platinotype
copies of ambrotypes or daguerreotype likenesses of old citizens of Skane-
ateles, which were exact copies of the originals, without crayon or other human
handwork. In 1893 I gave, mounted in a frame, a full set of new fractional
currency, which I had retained from its first issue; also, Confederate fractional
currency and banknotes. Internal United States Revenue stamps, Columbian
postage stamps, and a card of admittance to the United States Senate at the
impeachment of a President of the United States, April 8, 1868. This card of .
admission was not used by me, but retained as a memento of the only occasion
where an attempt was made to impeach a President of the United States. All ,
other cards of admission, which were used by the holders, were destroyed, this one
being the only known one in existence. The fractional currency of the United
States in this exhibit gives not only one side, but both sides of every one of them,
and all of them are as much legal tender as the day they were issued.
While in California, in 1887, I obtained a pair of the largest known sea-
shells, called in San Francisco " Bear-claw shells." Their technical name is the '
genus Tridacna of the species Gigantea. The selling price in San Francisco was 1
from five to ten dollars a pair. These shells belong to the clam family, and are
only found among the South Sea Islands. Those I presented to the Library
came from the Samoa, or Navigator's, Islands. I purchased the largest pair of
these shells that was to be had, and, being very bulky and heavy, I had them
packed in a box, placed on board of a ship bound for New York around Cape
Horn, and thence by express to Skaneateles. I also presented many relics of
the Civil War, which proved to be of interest. At one time I procured through
a friend, who was a United States Paymaster at Philadelphia when the troops
were paid-off at the close of the war, a Spencer carbine, which was a magazine
gun carrying nine Minie cartridges without reloading. I was particular to have
the Paymaster get a carbine that had been carried by a soldier all through the
war from 1861 to 1865. For this carbine I paid ten dollars, and had it sent by
express to Skaneateles for the sole purpose of presenting it to the Library. On
its arrival I took it to the Library, and, giving it to the " Building Committee "
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
403
(?), it was refused with the reply, "We (?) don't want any guns." Conse-
quently I have retained it in my possession ever since.
The most valuable donation, and most appropriate for the Skaneateles Li-
brary, was a collection of all the early newspapers that have been edited and
printed in the village of Skaneateles. These contain the advertisements of the
early merchants and manufacturers of the town, and the marriages and deaths,
as well as a few local items. The first newspaper printed in the village was the
THE SKANEATELES LIBRARY BUILDING AND SPHINX.
Telegraph; the next following was the Columbian, and then the Democrat. As
a rule, neither the Telegraph nor the Columbian ever published local news or
items. H. B. Dodge, editor and publisher of the Skaneateles Democrat, was the
originator of publishing local items and local news. Unfortunately the files of
this paper which have been collected are very incomplete. The editors and pub-
lishers of the newspapers above named have all " passed over to the majority,"
and so have the advertisers of the Telegraph and the Columbian. This collec-
tion of the earliest newspapers has been in the course of collection by me for
404
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
nearly fifty years. They were carefully repaired where injured, 'and bound sub-
stantially at my expense. Together with our own local papers I collected a few
Cayuga and Onondaga County newspapers of an early date, which were bound
with the other journals. In addition to the very early newspapers, I presented
a complete bound set of the Free Press from its commencement to 1891.
I have presented so many books and other appropriate articles to the Asso-
ciation that it seems impossible to recollect them all. For instance, when I was
THE SKANEATELES LIBRARY BUILDING AND SPHINX.
Illustrating the Rear o£ the costly Library Building, showing its Disgraceful Appendage
on the Extreme Right.
in California in 1887, and while I was at Oroville (the original gold diggings),
I purchased from the only bank in the neighborhood the largest gold nugget that
was to be had, costing me about four dollars, and brought it home purposely to
present it to the Library, and did present it, and it is the only natural nugget
now in the Library collection, and without the name of the donor attached to it.
Besides my various gifts to the Skaneateles Library: Association, I con-
tributed toward the erection of the building and the purchase of the building lot
five hundred dollars, among others who made various contributions of money
for the same purpose. Under ordinary conditions, in the construction of public
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 405
buildings witii money contributed for the purpose, it is always customary to con-
sult the promoters of the enterprise who furnish the money. I was never con-
sulted as to the design or any of the details of erection, and I doubt whether any
other of the promoters were. Neither was I consulted in the retention of the
" Sphinx." Therefore I claim an inalienable right to criticize all the proceed-
ings relative to the initiation of the Library.
Besides the many contributions I have made, I now add six half-tone engrav-
ings of the Library building, which are expensive illustrations, to exemplify my
criticisms, especially in respect to the retention of the old law ofSce.
In my estimation, I have heretofore presented more suitable volumes for li-
brary purposes than any other one individual.
The influence which was intentionally exerted over the late Anson Lapham,
in the year 1875, had the effect to cause him to abandon his cherished intention
of establishing a Free Public Library in memory of his only child and daughter,
thus depriving the town and village of Skaneateles from having a self-support-
ing educational institution worthy of the name of " The Lapham Memorial
Library."
Items of Interest.
The firm of Ansel Frost & Co. was dissolved December 19, 1829 (Arthur
Mott the company). Ansel Frost continued the business of the furnace at Mott-
ville, manufacturing castings, stoves, and potash-kettles.
Jacob W. Breed, February 2, 1830, offered six cents reward for the return of
an indented apprentice boy, named -John Ward Barteens, of about fifteen years
of age.
E. Sherman Keeney, editor and proprietor of the Skaneateles Democrat in
the year 1844, died August 17, 1847.
Israel Sabins, by trade a blacksmith and tinker, resided on the Hodges
place, near Mandana.
Eli Barnes was here in 1806, and was the miller in William J. Vredenburg's
flour-mill.
The Douglass patent threshing-machines were made to order by James
McCray.
Daniel Watson was here in 181 1, and was said to be a wool-carder.
Aaron Austin was charged for renewing fence 7/3, July 26, 1806.
Weeks & Bristol were here or in this vicinity in 1805.
Mr. Phelps was a tanner and currier here in 1828.
John Rowal traded here from 1807 to 1815.
William Clift traded here in 1807.
Dr. Warner was here in 1816.
Dr. Samuel Porter had five children — four sons and one daughter. The sons
were Evelyn H., J. Gurdon, Sydenham, and Mortimer. The daughter was Mrs.
George Geddes.
4o6 HISTORY OF SI^ANEATELES.
CHAPTER XXVII.
A Great Century's Ending. — The Nineteenth Century and its Discov-
eries.— Other Subjects of General Interest^ none of which have
ANY relation TO SkANEATELES OR TO THE GENERAL SUBJECTS OF THIS VOL-
UME.— The Transmission of Meridian Time by Telegraph. — Predic-
tions FOR the year 2000.
A Great Century's Ending.
As only a few weeks of the nineteenth century remain, it is of interest to note
that the twentieth century is to be welQomed in Paris and elsewhere with ap-
propriate ceremonies. Paris has decided that the present year (1900) belongs to
the nineteenth century, and will not dismiss it without a masked ball, December
31, in which each participant will by his costume personify, so to speak, one of
the great inventions or events of a marvelous century. There is to be a series
of festivities, but the dance of the symbolic characters will doubtless be the most
entertaining — a german, in which the railway, automobile, phonograph, type-
writer, sewing-machine, street-car, and telephone waltz through giddy mazes with
the steamboat, telegraph, cotton-gin, Boer war, Mergenthaler's linotype, relief of
Pekin, antitoxin, aseptic surgery, battle of Bull Run, Waterloo, liquid air, Sedan,
thie lithograph, daguerreotype, and Hoe printing-press would be entertaining, if
not instructive.
The century now ending has been full of sad events, but it has also produced
more than all preceding centuries to make human life easier and happier. Dis-
covery, invention, education, and culture have at the same time multiplied the
food supply and the comforts of life for the masses of the people, and have de-
veloped philanthropic sentiment to such an extent that the hard conditions of
former times are largely obsolete. Ignorance, poverty, suffering, and imprison-
ment are now mitigated greatly by the increased material prosperity of most
civilized races, and by the increased disposition of individuals and states to share
with the unfortunate the proceeds of the enhanced productiveness of labor helped
by machinery.
The luxuries of the rich in 1800 are the necessities of life for the poor in 1900.
There has been in this regard a large amount of progress in the century now
ending. So far as the happiness of life depends upon material conditions, it
has been greatly promoted. Looking back over the changes of a hundred years,
one cannot but see reason to expect farther desirable modifications in the condi-
tion of mankind in the century to come.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 407
The Transmission of Meridian Time by Telegraph.
Meridian time is marked by simultaneous cooperation in the principal cities
of this country. It is a rule on the Western Union lines that, just before twelve
o'clock each day, all business must cease on the wires, and three minutes before
noon an unbroken chain of communication from Washington around the utter-
most boundaries of the United States is formed, which is called " an unbroken
national circuit." Thus a smooth track is made, along which the electric mes-
sage may flash, encompassing the Union and announcing the time of day. Ten
seconds before the time-bell strikes comes silence, and then an electric current
pulsates from the Atlantic to the Pacific, from the chief Metropolis to the Golden
Gate, announcing the fact that the sun has passed over the seventy-fifth meridian
and that it is noon at Washington. The time-balls fall, and the electric clocks
connected with the telegraph system record the hour of midday.
In the Year 2000.
Among the startling prophecies concerning human developments in the
twentieth century, now only thirty days distant, are one by President Pritchett,
of the Boston Institute of Technology, and another by Sir Robert Giffen, the
eminent English statistician.
According to the first-named scholar, the population of the United States
will be increased to nearly 95,000,000 in 1910; in 1950 to over 190,000,000. He
does not estimate it for the year 2000, but at the rate of growth which his esti-
mate for 1950 assumes — ^namely, 150 per cent, for the fifty years beginning with
1900 — the American people one hundred years hence will number 475,000,000.
Sir Robert Giffen says that the populations of Europe and of European
origin — in which he includes the United States and all other countries settled by
descendants of European stock — have increased from 170,000,000 in 1800 to
500,000,000 in 1900. And he predicts that at the end of the coming century
(2000) the 500,000,000 will have become 1,500,000,000 or more.
It is not conceivable that the twentieth century will be more warlike and deT
structive of human life than the nineteenth, which has been more crowded with
wars than any previous century of the Christian era. Therefore, the threefold
increase of the populations of Europe and of countries of European origin and
sympathetic civilization which has occurred in the present century is not unrea-
sonably anticipated in the next. Meantime, the yellow and black races are not
increasing at all. Time and tide fight on the side of " the noble Caucasian."
But try to think of the American people of A. D. 2000 — ^475,000,000 of them !
What a Presidential campaign they will have when that year rolls round !
4o8 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
Local History as Elaborated by the Newspaper Press of Syracuse.
From The Syracuse Herald.
Justice McLennan and a jury in the Second Division of the Supreme Court
are being enlightened upon Skaneateles politics to-day. The action on trial is
one for libel brought by Norman O. Shepard, at present Supervisor from Skane-
ateles, against E. Norman Leslie, one of the oldest and wealthiest men of the
village. It is claimed that Mr. Leslie wields a vitriolic pen. It also is urged
that he uses it with telling effect upon his political enemies. The means through
which he enlightens his neighbors and others is a publication, which appears semi-
occasionally and irregularly, called the Sun.
It is in the Sun that Supervisor Shepard claims he was attacked " falsely
and maliciously." At the head of the Sun's editorial page appears the assur-
ance that " The Sun will continue to shine, striking deviltry where it exists, and
striking when the iron is hot."
Mr. Shepard charges that Mr. Leslie has from time to time written slurs and
allegations reflecting upon his good name in connection with the two most im-
portant political " scraps " that have come up in the village in its recent existence.
One was in regard to the cemetery association and the other the water works con-
troversy. In the former matter Mr. Leslie made an application to the Attorney-
General, which was dismissed upon the opposing affidavits, one of which was
made by Mr. Shepard. Then Mr. Leslie, in the Sun, called the other a bad man
and his affidavit " a lying one."
Then came the trying matter of water. It was decided by the village to own
its water works, and a litigation with the water company was the result. This
was a hot fight, and the Sun shone pretty regularly in its early stages. One of
the spicy things selected by Mr. Shepard as libelous is this :
" Barrow got $30,000 for his services as attorney for the company, which were
not nearly so valuable as N. O. Shepard's services in procuring the extension
of the franchise for two years — ^the interesting particulars of this last disgrace-
ful affair will be given further on — for without the franchise, and especially the
extension of it for two years, the water works company would have collapsed.
Shepard's services must have been worth to the ' out of town gentlemen ' at
the very least $50,000."
Again, Mr. Leslie wanted to know if any of the Sun's readers doubted that
Mr. Shepard got $2,000, which was purported to have been paid to his partner,
Edwin E. Hall, 'for $10,000 worth of stock in the water company.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 409
In his answer to the complaint, which asks damages for $10,000, Mr. Leslie
asserts that he believed it his duty to publish the facts as he understood them,
and did not intend to charge perjury or to bring Mr. Shepard into infamy and
disgrace.
About the only thing that was admitted outside the pleadings on the trial
was that both parties to the action are wealthy, and that each has been, at one
time. President of the village.
The plaintiff was the first witness sworn this morning. He said he had had
the matter of Leslie's effusions in the Sun " thrown up " at him time and time
again, and he had been kept very busy making people understand that he was
not a criminal. On the cross-examination it developed that Mr. Shepard had
not a very vivid recollection of what was contained in his affidavit, which was
used in the proceeding before the Attorney-General in the cemetery matter. He
believed, however, that everything he said was true, although he did give Mr.
Leslie a little rap that the latter took exception to. He declared that he had not
at any time owned stock in the Skaneateles water company, but that his partner,
Mr. Hall, had been the owner of such stock. He admitted that Mr. Hall, besides
being his business partner, was a close personal friend.
George Barrow, the well-known Skaneateles attorney, was the next wit-
ness. He was president of the Skaneateles water company, and verified Mr.
Shepard's statement that he (Shepard) had never had any stock in that con-
cern. Mr. Barrow was also questioned regarding Mr. Leslie's standing in the
community, and declared that he was a man of influence and affluence in Skane-
ateles, living on his income and devoting his time to no business in particu-
lar. This evidence, it was explained, was introduced for the purpose of prov-
ing that what Mr. Leslie said would have a greater effect than what an or-
dinary individual might say. For the same purpose, presumably, it was shown
that Mr. Leslie owns a fine house, keeps servants, and also is interested in a
Buffalo hotel.
Edwin E. Hall, Mr. Shepard's partner, was also sworn as to that water com-
pany stock, and he was positive that his partner never had anything to do with
it and that he was the sole owner. He said he paid money for it, but could not
remember just how much.
The case of the plaintiff was closed this afternoon, and M. E. Driscoll began
his opening address for the defendant. Mr. Driscoll appears with Charles L.
Milford for Mr. Leslie, while F. E. Stone, with A. T. Benedict as counsel, looks
after the plaintiff's interests.
From The Syracuse Herald.
Without the offering of any evidence by the defense, the libel action growing
out of the political differences of E. Norman Leslie and Norman O. Shepard, of
Skaneateles, the latter being the plaintiff, the case was summed up in Justice
410 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
McLennan's court yesterday afternoon, and in twenty minutes after retiring the
jury came in with a munificent verdict of six cents for the plaintiff.
Mr. Driscoll made very light of the action in his address to the jury. He
thought Mr. Leslie had acted in entire good faith In the whole matter, being
justified by a high sense of his duty as a citizen as well as an editor. F. E.
Stone summed up for the plaintiff, and wanted big damages. He said Mr. Les-
lie did not dare go on the stand for fear of the cross-examination that would re-
sult, and in which it would be shown that he had actual malice in his attacks
upon Mr. Shepard.
In his charge to the jury. Justice McLennan asked the jury to consider the
issues the same as if the litigants were hod-carriers instead of wealthy men.
If the affair was nothing more than a neighborhood scrap, no more weight
should be given it than it deserved. There must be a verdict, however, he
charged, for at least nominal damages of six cents.
From The Syracuse Standard.
The answers in the libel suits against E. Norman Leslie, of Skaneateles, have
been served. Mr. Leslie does not make the usual general denial, but says that
the charges he made against N. O. Shepard, former President, and S. E. Bene-
dict, former Clerk, of the village of Skaneateles, were made in good faith and
without malice; that he believed the charges were true when he made them, and
that he believes so still. The cases will go on the calendar at the next term of
the Supreme Court, and, as both sides are equally anxious for an early trial, the
workings of Skaneateles village politics are likely to be well aired this fall.
The truth of the charges made by former President Leslie will be practically the
sole question at issue, and to determine their truth will mean the ventilation of
the whole Skaneateles water deal.
The cases are two.
N. O. Shepard sues for $S,ooo for an alleged libel published in Mr. Leslie's
campaign paper, the Sun, January 30. Mr. Leslie, over his own signature, said
that the Skaneateles water company, a corporation which put in the present
water plant, had given George Barrow and E. E. Hall stock in the company —
Mr. Barrow for law services and Mr. Hall simply " for services rendered."
Mr. Hall was the business partner of N. O. Shepard, who was village Trustee
and later village President when the water works company were after their
franchise, which they secured and under which they put in their plant. When
the village decided upon public control of the water works Mr. Shepard opposed
the scheme, and Mr. Leslie's suggestion was that the stock really belonged to
Mr. Shepard. Mr. Shepard in his complaint alleges that the intimation of the
article was that he, while an official of the village or later, received stock in the
company, for which he must have given favors in return.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 411
In his answer, Mr. Leslie says that Mr. Shepard's design in bringing an action
to prevent the village from establishing Water works of its own in competition
with the established company, " as this defendant then believed, was to compel
people to receive a supply from the Skaneateles water company, and that the said
company was bonded and stocked for more than it was worth and more than it
cost, and the object was to compel people to pay more for the plant than it was
worth, and that in the said articles the defendant simply set forth the facts as he
understood them, and that he understood from common report that the plaintiff
was the owner of $10,000 of stock, which was in the name of E. E. Hall, his
partner, and it was also reported that no money was paid for such stock, and that
those who received it did so for such services as they may have rendered the com-
pany and said plaintiff for his services in the interest of the company."
The second case is for $10,000, and is brought by Samuel E. Benedict, Clerk
of the Board of Trustees at the time of the granting of tlie water franchise.
Mr. Leslie, in the Sun, February 13, charged substantially that Mr. Benedict
was not present at a meeting of the board when privileges were granted the
water company, but that he did at a later date make changes in the minutes of
that meeting, kept by a Trustee as Clerk pro tem. There is no charge that the
water company profited largely, in fact, or in their case against the village by the
change.
" Defendant discovered the facts," says Mr. Leslie in his answer, " as set
forth in the alleged libel, and published them as he found them. He believed
then and now believes that the plaintiff did add to the recorded proceedings
the words, ' The resolution was then adopted.' And he believes that the record
shows it, and in his discussion of such change in the record he simply said that
the addition of this sentence* by this plaintiff was dishonest, as plaintiff was not
present at the meeting. And the defendant further says that the other changes
in the record were made in the manner set forth," and, further, " that the paper
written by him, the defendant, and published for the information of the people
upon matters of public importance, was a privileged communication, and that he
was justified in writing and publishing it, and that he was free from malice in
doing so."
From The Syracuse Standard.
E. Norman Leslie, publisher of the Sun, a campaign newspaper of Skan-
eateles, has answered the suits for libel brought against him by N. O. Shepard,
a former President of the village, and S. E. Benedict, a former Clerk. The
trouble arose out of the new water works plant. Mr. Leslie makes no de-
nial, but claims the alleged libelous statements were made in good faith and
without malice ; that he believed the charges to be true at the time, and believes
so still.
412 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
From The Syracuse Courier.
Skaneateles politics have reached the lawsuit stage. E. N. Leslie, for two
years President of the village and candidate for a third term, as he does not
receive the support he wishes from the village papers, prints a paper of his
own at election time, the Sun. The sheet is devoted entirely to village politics,
and Mr. Leslie's name is printed at the end that there may be no question as to
whose opinions are expressed. The, Sun has criticized severely the record of
some village officials of the past, and these former officials threaten libel suits.
N. O. Shepard, former President of the village, has retained Attorney F.
E. Stone, of Skaneateles, to sue President Leslie for libel. He charges sub-
stantially that Mr. Leslie accused him in the Sun of holding stock in the Skan-
eateles water works company, and of opposing village ownership for that reason.
Samuel E. Benedict, village Clerk for several years, has consulted with Rider
& Benedict of this city, with reference to a suit against President Leslie for
charging him with making changes in the minutes of a meeting at which the
question of village ownership of water was under discussion. That suit has not
yet been begun.
From The Syracuse Courier.
A hot political scrap of Skaneateles type, a warm " Sun " shine action for
slander, occupied the attention of Justice McLennan's court yesterday.
Norman O. Shepard, of Skaneateles, Supervisor, said that E. Norman Leslie,
in his somewhat irregular periodical, called the Sun, whose motto is, " The
Sun will continue to shine, striking deviltry where it exists, and striking when
the iron is hot," falsely and maliciously attacked him, and he felt injured to
the extent of $10,000, but the jury, in harmony with perpetual sunshine, allowed
him six cents.
When the water works fight occupied the stronghold of Skaneateles, the Sun
said : " Barrow got $30,000 for his services as attorney for the company, which
were not nearly so valuable as N. O. Shepard's services in promising the ex-
tension of the franchise for two years — the interesting particulars of the last
disgraceful affair will be given later on — for without the franchise, and espe-
cially the extension of it for two years, the water works company would have
collapsed. Shepard's services must have been worth to the ' out of town gentle-
men ' at the very least $50,000."
Again, Mr. Leslie wanted to know if any of the Sun's readers doubted that
Mr. Shepard got $2,000, which was purported to have been paid to his part-
ner, Edwin E. Hall, for $10,000 worth of stock in the water company.
Mr. Leslie, in answer to the complaint, said he did not intend to charge per-
jury, but he believed it his duty to publish the facts as he understood them.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 413
Mr. Shepard was the first witness. He said that at no time had he owned
stock in the Skaneateles water company, but his partner, E. E. Hall, had. Mr.
Hall later corroborated this in his testimony. George Barrow, president of the
water company, also testified to Shepard's not owning stock.
From The Syracuse Courier.
One of the most interesting cases to be tried this term will commence this
morning in Supreme Court, probably before Justice Williams, unless something
unanticipated takes place. The action grows out of the kind things said by
E. Norman Leslie, of Skaneateles, about his political friends — with a crochet
hook after it. Mr. Leslie belongs to the aristocracy of aristocratic Skaneateles,
and takes more than a passing interest in local politics. When questions of im-
portance to the government of the village by the lake come up, Mr. Leslie
issues a newspaper of his own, the Sun, which scintillates with sharp things, so
sharp, in fact, that Mr. Leslie is about the only one who cares to say them on his
own responsibility.
When the village, something over a year ago, proposed to put in a water
plant of its own and thus practically force the old water company out of busi-
ness, occasion was furnished for the publication of the Sun. In it Mr. Leslie
discussed Norman O. Shepard, now the McKinley League Supervisor of the
town, and then an ex-President of the village. Mr. Shepard was formerly a
partner of E. E. Hair in the undertaking and furniture business. Mr. Leslie is
accused of having said regarding Mr. Shepard that, while he was village Presi-
dent, his partner, Mr. Hall, received capital stock- from the old water company,
and that this fact had an important bearing on the granting to the company of a
franchise which was of considerable value. The inference which it was intended
that the public should make is plain. Mr. Shepard accordingly brought an
action against Mr. Leslie for libel, asking damages in $10,000. The attorneys
are F. E. Stone for the plaintiiiE and Charles R. Milford for the defendant. M.
E. Driscoll, of this city, will act as counsel with Mr. Milford.
There is another action brought by S. E. Benedict against Mr. Leslie of a
similar nature. Mr. Benedict was village Clerk, and the Sun told the public that
certain changes had been made in the minutes of the village board which showed
that resolutions had been passed which, it was claimed, had never been passed
in fact.
The statement above is extracted from Monday's Syracuse Standard.
The trial during its progress before Justice McLennan was not strikingly
different from many another similar action brought in the same court. The
only feature in which it may have differed from the trial of other actions for libel
was in the fact that, without attempting to offer a single word of evidence in re-
buttal, the defense rested their case at once with the jury after the prosecution
414 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
had compkted the examination of their witnesses. This move of the attorneys
for the defense was undoubtedly good strategy, since it is doubtful if Mr. Leslie
would have stood with perfect equanimity the rigorous cross-examination to
which he would probably have been subjected.
The history of the case as it was developed during the trial by the testimony
of the witnesses is so thoroughly familiar to all Democrat readers that it does not
require recapitulation here.
Judge McLennan had evidently never been a vfctim of the satirical shafts of
journalism which have served to so thoroughly distinguish Mr. Leslie's oracle.
The jury, after deliberating some twenty minutes, came to the conclusion
that the " Sun which shines for all " couldn't really hurt much, and accordingly
returned a verdict of six cents for the plaintiff.
From The Syracuse Courier.
The announcement of the verdict was about as funny as the entire suit. Jus-
tice McLennan had adjourned his court when the jury found itself ready to re-
port, and it was received by Justice Williams. The foreman was a rather elderly
farmer, who had a peculiar voice and apparently a bad state of fright. He
rose and said, " We find for the plaintiff, in the sum of six cents." The Judge
laughed when he heard the peculiar noise, and so did the people in court.
From The Syracuse Standard.
One of the most interesting cases to be tried this term will commence this
morning in Supreme Court, probably before Justice Williams, unless something
unanticipated takes place. The action grows out of the kind things said by
E. Norman Leslie, of Skaneateles, about his political friends — with a crochet
hook after it. Mr. Leslie belongs to the aristocracy of aristocratic Skaneateles,
and takes more than a passing interest in local politics. When questions of im-
portance to the government of the village by the lake come up, Mr. Leslie
issues a newspaper of his own, the Sun, which scintillates with sharp things, so
sharp, in fact, that Mr. Leslie is about the only one who cares to say them on his
own responsibility.
When the village, something over a year ago, proposed to put in a water
plant of its own and thus practically force the old water company out of busi-
ness, occasion was furnished for the publication of the Sun. In it Mr. Leslie
discussed Norman O. Shepard, now the McKinley League Supervisor of the
town, and then an ex-President of the village. Mr. Shepard was formerly a
partner of E. E. Hall in the undertaking and furniture business. Mr. Leslie is
accused of having said regarding Mr. Shepard that, while he was village Presi-
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 41S
dent, his partner, Mr. Hall, received capital stock from the old water company,
and that this fact had an important bearing on the granting to the company of a
franchise which was of considerable value. The inference which it was intended
that the public should make is plain. Mr. Shepard accordingly brought an
action against Mr. Leslie for libel, asking damages in $10,000. The attorneys
are F. E. Stone for the plaintiff and Charles R. Milford for the defendant. M.
E. Driscoll, of this city, will act as counsel with Mr. Milford.
There is another action brought by S. E. Benedict against Mr. Leslie of a
similar nature. Mr. Benedict was village Clerk, and the Sun told the public that
certain changes had been made in the minutes of the village board which showed
that resolutions had been passed which, it was claimed, had never been passed
in fact.
From The Syracuse Standard.
Before Justice McLennan yesterday, morning in the trial term of the Supreme
Court the case of Samuel E. Benedict against E. Norman Leslie was taken up.
This is the second case which has resulted from statements published by Mr.
Leslie in his Sun, an organ which periodically appears in the stormy sky of
Skaneateles village politics. Mr. Leslie is sole editor and proprietor, and he says
just what he has a mind to, and puts the facts just as strong as he has a mind
to. In fact, he rejoices in the freedom of the press, and never intends to be
throttled from voicing his opinions, no matter if he is the only one who holds
them. In law Mr. Leslie has been as successful as he was as a New York
merchant or as an editor. In the first suit which was brought for $25,000 dam-
ages to character, reputation, and feelings by reason of alleged slanderous and
libelous 'publications in Leslie's Sun, N. O. Shepard received a verdict of six
cents as the measure of damages sustained. Mr. Benedict was hardly so suc-
cessful, for the jury in his case said that there was no cause of action.
The plaintiff was village Clerk, and the article in question accused him of
being dishonest in that he changed the minutes of the Board of Trustees by first
adding to the report made by the Clerk pro tern, when he copied them on the
record, and then by changing the record he had made. The change was in re-
gard to the passing of a resolution in 1889 extending the franchise of the Skan-
eateles water company.
The defense put in no evidence and made no denial of the publication. M.
E. Driscoll, who appeared with Charles R. Milford, stated that they would rest
on the facts as shown. In summing up, he said that Mr. Leslie was President of
the village, and it was his duty to present the facts as they were regarding
the water company. The publication, he said, was during a political campaign,
and the man who took exception to the statements must be very thin-skinned.
The jury was out but a few minutes.
41 6 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
From The Syracuse Standard.
In E. Norman Leslie's defense to Norman O. Shepard's libel suit, there was
no evidence put in. M. E. Driscoll chose to sum it up on the evidence for Super-
visor Shepard. He made light of the w^hole business, and that is no joke, be-
cause the libel was published in Leslie's paper the Sun. F. E. Stone for Shepard
said he wanted Leslie muzzled. Justice McLennan referred to it as a neighbor-
hood scrap. And the jury gave six cents damages after twenty minutes' con-
sideration. Tempest in a teapot. 'Rah for Skaneateles!
From The Syracuse Journal.
" Unfathomable " is a word found in the dictionary, but it is seldom cor-
rectly used, and, as science progresses, its use is becoming more restricted every
year. It can only now be applied to some parts of the southern Pacific Ocean and
Skaneateles politics. It may be restricted as to the former, but hardly as to the
latter, even if Justice McLennan and a jury did start in to fathom one part
of it this morning. It was in the libel action of Norman O. Shepard, now Super-
visor from that township, against E. Norman Leslie, one of the oldest, sprightli-
est, and wealthiest men in the village.
During political stresses of weather Mr. Leslie has published a paper called
the Sun, that bears the slogan that " It shines for all." It shone on Mr. Shepard,
and he now asks $10,000 damages for the shining. Semi-occasionally and tri-
irregularly this sheet has appeared, and in it is the announcement that it " will
continue to shine, striking deviltry where it exists, and striking when the iron is
hot." Mr. Shepard says it has wickedly and maliciously struck him, but he
doesn't say in which section of his anatomy. One " slap " came in the ceme-
tery association affair, and another in the water works controversy. Mr. Les-
lie went to the Attorney-General with one " scrap," and it was dismissed on the
opposing affidavits by Mr. Shepard. Then the Sun called Mr. Shepard a bad
man, and his affidavit " a lying one."
When the water works fight was on, and the village was trying to own one
of its own, the Sun did a lot of shining. A shining remark that Mr. Shepard
kicked on was this : " Barrow got $30,000 for his services as attorney for the
company, lyhich were not nearly so valuable as N. O. Shepard's services in
promising the extension of the franchise for two years — the interesting particu-
lars of this last disgraceful affair will be given later on — for without the fran-
chise, and especially the extension of it for two years, the water works com-
pany would have collapsed. Shepard's services must have been worth to the
' out of town gentlemen ' at the very least $50,000."
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 417
At another point, the writer wanted to know if any of the Sun's readers
doubted that Mr. Shepard got $2,000, which was purported to have been paid
his partner, Edwin E. Hall, for $10,000 worth of stock in the water company.
Mr. Leslie answers that he believed it his duty to publish the facts as he un-
derstood them, and he did not intend to charge perjury or bring Mr. Shepard into
infamy and disgrace. The only admissions were as to the wealth of the parties,
and that both had tried their hands at being President of the village.
Mr. Shepard went on the stand first. He had heard again and again of the
Leslie charges, and he was kept busy denying them. He didn't remember all
that was in his affidavit before the Attorney-General, when it came to the cross-
examination. He believed that everything he said was true, and he had said
some things that Mr. Leslie took exceptions to. He said he never owned
stock in the water company, but his partner, Mr. Hall, had. He admitted
that he was a close personal friend.
George Barrow, the president of the Skaneateles water company, was a wit-
ness, and verified the statement that Shepard owned no stock. He said that
Mr. Leslie was a man of influence in the community and wealthy.
Edwin E. Hall said that he owned the stock and not Shepard, and he was sure
his partner never had anything to do with it. He paid the money for it, but
didn't remember how much. Before the noon recess the plaintiff rested, and with
the opening of the afternoon session the defense was commenced.
From The Syracuse Post, March 29, 1898.
A nominal verdict was obtained before Justice McLennan yesterday in the Sec-
ond Division of the Supreme Court in the case of Norman O. Shepard, the pres-
ent Supervisor from Skaneateles, against E. Norman Leslie, one of the oldest and
wealthiest residents of that village. The suit was to recover damages for an al-
leged libelous article claimed to have been written by the defendant, and which
appeared in what is known as the Sun, a publication of that village.
The announcement of the verdict was about as funny as the entire suit. Jus-
tice McLennan had adjourned his court when the jury found itself ready to re-
port, and it was received by Justice Williams. The foreman was a rather elderly
farmer, who had a peculiar voice and apparently a bad state of fright. He
arose and said : " We find for the plaintiff in the sum of six cents." The Judge
laughed when he heard the peculiar noise, and so did the people in court.
The claim of Mr. Shepard was that he had been injured by articles in the
paper, and that allegations had been made reflecting upon his good name and
character. The complaint asked damages in the sum of $10,000.
4i8 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
CHAPTER XXIX.
An Inside History of Lake View Cemetery, Which Has Never Before
Been Made Public.
Previously to the establishment of the Incorporated Rural Cemetery Associa-
tion of Lake View in the year 1871, all the burial-grounds in the village of Skane-
ateles were controlled by private persons, who used the income or profits for their
own individual benefit, except Freeborn G. Jewett, Sr. I was the originator, pro-
moter, and organizer of the present Lake View Cemetery. I first issued a call for
a public meeting June 29, 1871, which was published in the Skaneateles Demo-
crat, and without consultation appended thereto the names of such public-spirited
citizens as suggested themselves to my mind at the moment, well knowing that
the gentlemen named would not object to the use of their names for so com-
mendable a purpose. Before the advertisement appeared, however, I made known
the project to a few of the persons named, all of whom fully indorsed the use of
their names to the call for a public meeting. The call was as follows :
Public Meeting.
The citizens of the village of Skaneateles are requested to meet at Legg Hall, on Satur-
day next, July 1st, at 4 P. M., to take such preliminary action as may be necessary to organ-
ize and establish an Incorporated Public Cemetery.
I was fully aware of the determined opposition to be encountered from the
proprietor of the old burial-ground. Such opposition was incurred, as has been
fully described in Chapter XVIII. of this volume. The late Charles Pardee,
who owned the old burial-ground, was opposed to the incorporation of a new
cemetery. His nearest friends at that time estimated him as being worth
$350,000. His opposition to a new cemetery was a power not to be despised. His
influence in the community at large was supreme. Money was only required to
fully establish a new cemetery against all opposition, and such money was by
myself advanced, as will be recited hereinafter. The result of the public meet-
ing was the Incorporation of the Rural Cemetery Association of Lak6 View,
which took place August 27, 1871. Now is recited the inside history.
I assumed the position of both Secretary and Treasurer, in order to be in a
position to carry out my original intention of establishing on a firm basis an In-
corporated Public Cemetery, under "An Act authorizing the Incorporation of
Rural Cemetery Associations, passed April 27, 1847, and the Acts amending the
same."
This act required that a public meeting should be held, and that twelve trustees
must be elected by ballot, and after such election they were to be divided into
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
419
three classes : One class to serve one year ; the second class to serve two years ;
and the third class to serve three years, and in every succeeding year thereafter
there should be elected by the lot-owners, three trustees, to serve three years.
Twelve trustees were balloted for and elected. A majority of those elected were
unfortunately the friends and adherents of the late C. Pardee, who was opposed
to incorporating a cemetery. At every meeting of the newly elected trustees
DYER BRAINERD. (See page 150.)
thereafter for business purposes, there was a want of interest manifested, and oc-
casionally a word of warning from one or more of C. Pardee's friends not to
do anything to displease him during the organization of the new cemetery.
After the lands had been negotiated and staked out for the new cemetery,
money to make the payment for them had to be obtained by soliciting loans from
public-spirited citizens of both town and village who were interested in establish-
ing an Incorporated Public Cemetery. Not a single trustee of the twelve balloted
for at the public meeting volunteered to solicit subscriptions, consequently I
420 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
assumed that duty. Only five of the twelve trustees subscribed, three of whom
subscribed two hundred dollars each, including my own, and two subscribed one
hundred dollars each. One of C. Pardee's friends subscribed one hundred dollars,
but never paid the money. The sum of money required to pay for the lands was
$2,150. The want of interest among the majority of the trustees was apparent,
so much so that I became fully aware that the new cemetery would be a failure
unless I assumed the whole duty of soliciting loans. I therefore made it a busi-
ness for nearly two weeks to solicit loans, at the same time explaining that the
security to be received for such loans would be a certificate of indebtedness, issued
under authority of law, and bearing seven per cent, interest, until redeemed from
one-half of the sales of lots. (Such security resulted in being worthless!)
Owing to the negligence and indifference of the future officers of the village, in-
cluding the village Trustees, these certificates of indebtedness were never re-
deemed according to their terms from sales of lots.
In order fully to show the security afforded by a certificate of indebtedness,
the following is a copy of one which was given to Thomas Y. Avery for a loan
of one hundred dollars, for which he paid in cash, February 25, 1873, and which
has never been redeemed by the village of Skaneateles, which owns the cemetery,
and has had the use of Thomas Y. Avery's one hundred dollars since February
25, 1873. He has since died, and the village of Skaneateles is indebted to his
family twenty-eight years' interest and the one hundred dollars, at the rate of
seven per cent., which amount would be three hundred dollars.
Lake View Cemetery,
certificate of indebtedness.
The Association of Lake View does hereby certify that Thomas Y. Avery, of Skaneate-
les, has subscribed, for the purpose of purchasing the lands conveyed to the said Associa-
tion, the sum of one hundred dollars, and will pay the same on the 25th day of February,
1873. Now, it is hereby agreed by the said Association, that one-half of the money received
on the sale of lots in said Cemetery lands is hereby pledged to the repayment of the sub-
scribers aforesaid, for the amount which they shall respectively pay, until the whole amount
thereof, with interest, is paid, and that the said Thomas Y. Avery will be entitled to his
pro rata share of such receipts as the same are from time to time realized, until he shall
have received full payment of the amount that he may have paid in cash, with interest.
Witness the subscription of the names of the President and Secretary of the
said Association hereto, this 25th day of February, 1873.
JoEi, Thayer, President.
E. Norman Leslie, Secretary.
By great perseverance I obtained twenty subscriptions, comprising amounts
of from fifty to two hundred dollars, the total of which was twenty-five hundred
dollars, seventeen of which were of one' hundred dollars each. Eight of these
were never paid. Another one hundred dollar subscriber, who was one of Mr.
Pardee's friends, paid fifty dollars in cash, and gave his promissory note payable
at bank for fifty dollars. He received a certificate of indebtedness for one hun-
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. a^i
dred dollars. He afterward purchased two lots, costing sixty dollars, which were
charged to his account. He never paid his note for fifty dollars, and has retained
the certificate of indebtedness ever since. He was charged with interest from
time to time up to March lo, 1880, at which date he owed the association $109.75,
and has never paid any money since.
I kept the financial accounts of the association by double entry. I kept an
account at bank under the name of "Lake View" (distinct from my individual ac-
count). All moneys received on account of the association were deposited to that
account, and all payments were by check against that account. I kept as Secre-
tary all the records of the business meetings of the trustees of the association
until November 24, 1885. By resolution I was empowered to issue calls for
meetings of the trustees, and also to preside as Chairman. I filled out the deed
blanks and delivered them to purchasers of lots, when the money was paid. As
a matter of fact, I was the only active member of the association who attended to
all the details. This fact is indisputable.
The Want of Interest by the Trustees. — The following copy from the
records of proceedings, page 40, is here inserted :
" A meeting of the Trustees was called Saturday, July 12, 1873, but was un-
attended. There seems to be a want of interest in this undertaking. The Secre-
tary hereby places on record the fact that, owingi to the want of the necessary
funds due the Association from the subscription to the loan, as recorded on the
previous page, he has advanced four hundred and sixteen 3-100 dollars, all of
which, together with his subscription of two hundred dollars, has been expended
for the necessary improvements in the Cemetery. In addition to this, he has
devoted his whole time during the present season in laying out the roads, lots,
ditches, and superintending the work. This has been necessary to save a much
larger expenditure."
Another Meeting^ Unattended. — Copied from page 38 of the record:
" At a meeting duly called by the issuance of notices through the post-office,
to take place on Friday evening, June 13, 1873, at seven o'clock, at the Bank of
Skaneateles, there was not a quorum present."
It is unnecessary to make further quotations of a want of interest in establish-
ing the new cemetery.
First Expenditure. — The first expenditure on the new cemetery was from
the loan of two hundred dollars subscribed by myself. On page i of the day-
book, E. N. Leslie was credited with "Cash, $200," which was stated as follows :
" For the following expenses paid out by him, laying out, and other necessary
outlays, the money thus used being his advanced payment on account of his sub-
scription toward the loan to the Cemetery." This expenditure, commenced
March i, 1872, continued through 1872, and ended in the month of April, 1873.
I took two certificates of indebtedness for the two hundred dollar loan. I aver-
aged each one hundred dollars of the loan. The first one averaged as having
been expended July 26, 1872. The other one hundred dollars averaged as having
422 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
been paid by me February 25, 1873. I was very exact in crediting my payments.
The usual course adopted by officers of corporations would have been to have
credited the full loan at the commencement of the outlay.
The subscriptions to the loan which had been paid were not sufficient to pay
the cost of the lands for the new cemetery when the payment became due, April
I, 1873. Six hundred and fifty dollars was required to make up the amount.
That money had to be paid, according to the terms of sale. None of the trustees
had sufficient interest in the final establishment of the cemetery to offer to loan
the money needed to make the final payment for the lands. I was deeply inter-
ested in the success of the cemetery, but at that time I had not the necessary
money on hand. Yet I found a way to obtain the money: I gave my own in-
dividual promissory note as a private individual to the order of E. Norman Les-
lie, Treasurer of Lake View Cemetery Association, and offered the note for dis-
count to the Bank of Skaneateles. The bank accepted the security and paid me
the money, with which I paid the deficiency of six hundred and fifty dollars.
Then the lands for the new cemetery were secured.
I ought to have selected lots in the new cemetery for all my advances of
money as loans, and have taken deeds for them. That would have been a safe
investment; but, as I had the full charge of the finances, I felt sure that my
loans would finally be returned to me from the sales of lots.
On page 39 of the record of proceedings, another advance of money by me,
amounting to $315.12, was recorded. A further advance of money by me was en-
tered in day-book, page 2, as follows : E. N. Leslie was credited for the fol-
lowing unpaid subscriptions, advanced by him May 21, 1873, to pay necessary ex-
penses in laying out cemetery, $500, the said advance of $500 having been ex-
pended as per page 3, amounting to $490.08, which was averaged as having been
paid June 23, 1873. The balance, $9.92, was "used for other expenses.
Owing to the determined opposition of the late C. Pardee, and of the inhabit-
ants of both town and village who were afraid of his influence over their busi-
ness affairs, it seemed impossible to sell or dispose of any lots in the new ceme-
tery; therefore, on March i, 1880, the following entry was recorded in the day-
book, page 24:
Memorandum.
" It was very generally agreed, among the holders of the Certificates of Indebtedness of
the Cemetery of Lake View, that the interest on said Certificates should cease March 10, 1880,
inasmuch as the finances of the Association were in an embarrassed condition, and there
seemed to be no prospect of their being liquidated according to their terms. And, also, the
holders to take the Certificate value in lots of the Association, -with interest added to said
date of March 10, 1880.
" Interest was computed on all outstanding Certificates, and carried to the credit of each
Certificate holder."
Of course, the above memorandum was not binding on any certificate holder,
but many did accept the situation, and selected lots for their certificates, with
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 4^3
interest added to March lo, 1880. I accepted the situation. March 10, 1880, I
credited my account with interest on my two certificates of indebtedness, $102.56.
April 26, 1880, 1 credited my account with interest on my first advances of money,
June 23, 1873, which was $234.66.
Summary of Advances of Money Loaned to the Cemetery Association.
— ^Until March 10, 1880, when it became known that the conditions of the cer-
tificates of indebtedness could not be paid as there were no sales of burial-lots
or money on hand, I had not credited my ledger account with the several loans
of money I had made to the association, which I considered of a temporary na-
ture. These were as follows :
April I, 1873. Deficiency of money to pay for lands $650.00
April 4, 1873. Cash paid for fencing, etc 3IS-I2
May 21, 1873. My advance of five unpaid subscriptions SOO-OO
June 20, 1873. Money advanced for necessary work 416.03
$1,881. IS
Oct. 9, 1872. My subscription to loan, paid in cash 200.00
March 10, 1880. Interest on this loan to date 102.56
$2,183.71
March 10, 1880. Interest on the above four loans from their several dates 892.04
Total loans, vi^ith interest added $3,075-75
Offsets as follows :
Offsets to Money Advanced by Me.
March 10, 1880. I charged myself with my burial lot $108.60
March 10, 1880. I sold two lots, one of 559 feet and the other 400 feet, in all 959
feet, and charged myself with the money received ;... I43-8S
December 15, 1877. I charged myself with i5S-00
July 3, 1878. I charged myself with 83.67
Oct. 12, 1873. I charged myself with 92.16
Sept. 6, 1879. I charged myself with 100.00
March 10, 1880. I charged myself with 30.00
Total of offsets $7i3-28
Balance of total loans, with interest added as above $3,075.75
Offsets deducted as follows 713-28
Balance due E. N. Leslie up to March 10, 1880 $2,362.47
The above statement of account shows conclusively that the Cemetery Asso-
ciation was indebted to me, on March 10, 1880, $2,362.47.
At various times during the pendency of the floating debt, I charged myself
with several burial-lots, which I marked on the map of the cemetery with my
initials :
424 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
Oct. I, 1878. I charged myself with Lot No. 125 in Section 2 $ 93.75
Jan. ID, 1880. I charged myself with the following four lots : Numbers S, 6, 7, and 8,
in Section 4 120.00
Total $21375
Although charged to me, I never received the money for which the lots above
were sold, consequently I did not enter their cost as an offset of the floating debt.
Repayment Assured.- — The eventual repayment of the loans advanced by
me was fully assured by the terms of the act authorizing the incorporating of
Rural Cemetery Associations, passed April 27, 1847, Chapter 133. I therefore
did not hesitate to make necessary advances from time to time to insure the
final completion of Lake View Rural Cemetery against the determined opposition
which was encountered.
Chapter 133 of the Laws of 1847 reads thus :
" Section 7. One-half at least of the proceeds of all sales of lots or plats
shall be first appropriated to the payment of the purchase money acquired by the
association until the whole purchase money shall be paid, and after the payment
of the purchase money and the debts contracted therefor, and for surveying and
laying out the land, the proceeds of all future sales shall be applied to the improve-
ment, embellishment, and preservation of such cemetery, and for incidental ex-
penses, and for no other purpose and object.''
As I was not only Treasurer, but also Secretary, I kept the detail of the ex-
penditure of all the money expended, and whenever there was an opportunity to
make an offset against my loans, which I termed in my accounts a " floating
debt," I did so. Such offsets were known to the Trustees of the Rural Cemetery
Association, and they knew also of my advances of money, not only to pay for the
lands, but for laying out the grounds.
This mode of offsetting toward the liquidation of the floating debt, contin-
ued until the Rural Cemetery Association was donated to " The Trustees of the
Village of Skaneateles," which as a matter of course was obligated to assume all
the pledges and indebtedness of the Rural Cemetery Association, including not
only the certificates of indebtedness, but my loans ip the association for the pur-
pose of paying for the lands and for laying them, out.
The conditions of the Act of 1847, Section^ 7, provided that one-half at least
of the proceeds of the sales of lots shall be appropriated, not only to pay for
the lands, but to the payment of the debts, and for surveying and laying out the
lands. The village Trustees held possession of the cemetery, after having ac-
cepted the gift of Lake View Cemetery Association, until they appointed
cemetery commissioners, whose only duty it was to lay out, beautify, and improve
the lands. As the Rural Cemetery Association had already laid out, improved,
and beautified its lands, there was no necessity of appointing cemetery commis-
sioners to do the same work, nevertheless cemetery commissioners were appointed,
who were the agents of the village Trustees. It therefore became their duty to
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 425
notify the owners of certificates of indebtedness and others who had loaned
money to the association that they had money on hand for the payment pro rata
pledged to the repayment of such indebtedness. Neither the village Trustees nor
their representatives, the Cemetery Commissioners, have ever attempted or even
intended to pay such indebtedness.
The commissioners have ever since the first record of their proceedings
(meaning the present commissioners), dated March i, 1892, had continually
large balances of money on hand, and carried them forward from year to year
as follows: March i, 1892, balance, $908.24; March i, 1893, $537.70; March
I, 1894, $654.44; March i, 1895, $904.62; March i, 1896, $946.18; March
I, 1897, $1124.31; March i, 1898, $1364.71; March i, 1899, $1484.30; March i,
1900, $1555.68; March i, 1901, $1881.52! Here is an average of $1,136 per
year, a total of $11,361.70 for ten years.
Every year since March i, 1892, until July i, 1897, the village Trustees have
passed a resolution similar in effect to the following :
"Resolved, That the sum of (naming the balance on hand) be appropriated
and turned over to the Board of Cemetery Commissioners, and that a draft pay-
able to the order of said Cemetery Commissioners be drawn on the Treasurer
for the same.''
Thus the large income derived from the cemetery was diverted by the Trus-
tees of the village from their obligations to pay the pledges and indebtedness of
the Rural Cemetery Association when they accepted the gift of the cemetery from
Joel and Mrs. Thayer, April 9, 1880.
Since July i, 1897, when the new village Law went into effect, the annual bal-
ances of the cemetery commissioners have been paid to the Treasurer of the vil-
lage, subject only to the order of the Trustees of the village. The presumption
is, therefore, that the Corporation of the village of Skaneateles, which owns the
cemetery, and has received all the income and profits arising therefrom, is re-
sponsible for all the pledges, debts, and other obligations of the Rural Cemetery
Association which have not been liquidated, and are now a just claim against
the Corporation of the village of Skaneateles.
Although Chapter 133 of the Laws of 1847 provided only that one-half at
least of the proceeds of all sales of lots or plats shall be first appropriated for
the debts, laying out, etc., still, under present conditions, where there is an out-
standing indebtedness, all surplus income can be appropriated for the liquidation
of long-standing indebtedness.
My advances of money to the Rural Cemetery Association have no docu-
mentary evidence, except as Treasurer, where in my accounts I made entries
where and how such loans were expended, and as Secretary I kept all the prcv-
ceedings of the officers of the association, and in a few instances when there was
a meeting I reported the sums of money I had advanced for laying out and other
improvements, which were by resolution adopted.
The balance due to me up to March 10, 1880, $2362.47.
426 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
There was due, same date, to Thomas Y. Avery, $149.25.
Neither of which has been liquidated in any manner.
The existence of Lake View Cemetery as it is to-day would have been an im-
possibility, without the loans of money which were made by me to complete the
purchase of the lands, and to pay the expense of laying out the grounds, and fully
completing the cemetery in all details. There was no other money used for
this purpose but the money advanced by me.
The corporation of the village of Skaneateles is the owner of the cemetery,
which came to it as a gift, and which has never cost its taxpayers any money,
and it is justly responsible for all the obligations of the Rural Association, from
whom it accepted the cemetery as a gift. It, through its appointed agents, the
cemetery commissioners, has received large profits from the use of the cemetery,
as has heretofore been stated, and is justly responsible to pay me the sum due
me March 10, 1880, $2,362.47, and also the full amount due Thomas Y. Avery
from the date of his original loan of $100, with interest to date. The submis-
sion of a proposition to the qualified voters of the village, under Section 59 of
the village Law, directing the Trustees of the village of Skaneateles to pay the
said indebtedness from the income of the cemetery (excepting income from trust
funds), would be a lawful proceeding, as I have been informed by the Commis-
sion of Statutory Revision on the question of granting a franchise which is not
specifically mentioned in the village Law. The qualified voters would un-
doubtedly vote favorably on such a proposition, after having become assured
that such proposition was a just claim against the profits ofvthe cemetery only,
and not to cost the taxpayers a single dollar.
The late Joel Thayer, had been President of the association until August,
1879, when he declined reelection, as he had at that time purchased the C. Pardee
interest in the old burying-ground, for the purpose of conveying it to the Trustees
of the village of Skaneateles.
At a meeting of the trustees of the Association of Lake View, held April
3, 1880, the following resolution was unanimously passed: "Resolved, That
the President and Treasurer be, and are hereby, authorized to cause the corpo-
rate seal to be affixed, and to execute a deed of conveyance covering and includ-
ing all the lands of the Cemetery Association, incorporated under the name and
style of 'Lake View,' to Joel Thayer and Juliet L. Thayer, of the village of Skane-
ateles, under and by authority of Chapter 52 of the Laws of 1880."
That was a great mistake, as the Rural Cemetery Association ought to have
been continued, and have been an independent corporation, which would have re-
deemed all its certificates of indebtedness, and also the $3,075 which I loaned
the association, from one-half of the sales of lots, according to the terms of the
loan. Unfortunately, I assented to the transfer of Lake View lands to the Trus-
tees of the village of Skaneateles, under Chapter 52 of the Laws of 1880.
The corporation of the village Trustees has never paid a single certificate of
indebtedness itself, or by its appointed officers the Cemetery Commissioners, nor
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 427
has the money loaned by me to the Rural Association ever been paid, since March
10, 1880 ! The village of Skaneateles, therefore, became the owner of the whole
cemetery, without being taxed for its purchase.
The village Trustees thereafter appointed five Cemetery Commissioners for
the term of five years from April 26, 1880, and their whole duties were to lay out
and beautify the lands. Those appointed were Joel Thayer, E. Norman Leslie,
James A. Root, T. Kelley, and Wills Clift. These commissioners had all been
trustees of the Rural Cemetery Association, which was an independent corpora-
tion over which the village Trustees had no control. As trustees of an inde-
pendent corporation, they had full powers to sell lots, plats, and graves, and to
retain the moneys received, and to expend such moneys as they deemed for the
interest of their association, entirely independent of the Trustees of the village.
Having been trustees of an independent corporation, they only knew that their
names or titles had been changed to Cemetery Commissioners, and were not aware
that their powers as such .commissioners had become very limited, consequently,
after their appointment, and, without having been informed by the village Trus-
tees, that their whole powers as commissioners consisted in laying oiit any new
grounds that may be purchased by the village Trustees. In consequence of their
being in complete ignorance of their limited powers, they continued the same
powers as they had as officers of a Rural Cemetery Association, sold lots, plats,
and graves, kept the moneys, and expended it just as they thought best, and, in
fact, assumed control of the cemetery, independent of the village Trustees, who
were seemingly quite as ignorant as was their appointed Cemetery Commis-
sioners of the latters' powers and duties.
Note. — The author deems it of importance at this point of the inside history
of Lake View Cemetery to insert an explanatory paragraph.
There having been five cemetery commissioners appointed by the Trustees of
the village, they were public officers — " public functionaries," under the opinion
of the court, in 81 N. Y., pp. 1 16-126, which reads as follows:
" We are of the opinion that the official act of a public functionary may be
freely criticized, and entire freedom of expression used in argument, sarcasm and
ridicule upon the act itself; and that then the occasion will excuse everything
but actual malice and evil purpose of the critic." — Folger, J.
One of the five cemetery commissioners was particularly active as a public func-
tionary in the further details of this inside history. It has, therefore, become
necessary to indicate him by the word official in criticizing his acts as such com-
missioner. It was only after his appointment that opportunities ceased to offset
the moneys loaned the Rural Cemetery Association.
The death of Joel Thayer, who had been an active and interested member of
the Rural Association from its commencement, occurred May 19, 1881. The
official, whom the village Trustees appointed to fill the vacancy occasioned
by the death of Joel Thayer, first attended a meeting of the commissioners held
September 6, 1881. It was soon noticed that he assumed the role of "boss."
428
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
At that meeting, September 6, 1881, Benoni Lee was present as counsel, and
he was requested to read the statute, Chapter 696 of the Laws of 1871, defining
the duties and powers of Cemetery Commissioners. It was ascertained that their
powers were much more restricted and limited than had been anticipated, and
it was then suggested that an ordinance be prepared and submitted to the Trus-
tees of the village for their approval and action, giving to the commissioners such
additional powers as was suggested by the ordinances submitted. The sug-
gestion was not adopted, and no ordinances were prepared, and consequently
none were submitted. Under these conditions, the commissioners never received
any additional powers. But since that time the commissioners have assumed un-
warrantable, illegal, and unjust powers over the property of the people of the
village of Skaneateles, adopting arbitrary rules which are inconsistent with the
rights of every inhabitant of the village, who are the owners of the cemetery,
particularly the commissioners' arbitrary determination that they will not receive
any money less than fifty dollars in trust for the perpetual care of a lot in the
cemetery. It is seldom if ever that mechanics, laborers, or women receive
fifty dollars in ready money which can be spared for this or for any one purpose.
Every individual in the community has an undoubted right to deposit any money
in trust with the servants of the village, and such servants are only empowered
to adopt reasonable rules. See Section 292, village Laws. Also see Chapter
139, Laws of 1881, Section i : "Every corporation which shall, under authority
of law, hold, occupy, and use lands for a cemetery may receive by gift any
moneys for the maintenance of any private lot, according to the terms of such
gift." The power and privilege to build up a trust fund from year to year be-
long to the people, who are the owners of the cemetery, and the commissioners
have no power to deprive them of their rights. If the commissioners were elec-
tive officers, the people would then have the power to correct unreasonable
abuses, but as they are not elective, and far beyond the reach of the people, they
are powerless.
The following is a full list of trust funds deposited with the Cemetery Com-
missioners to date of the year 1901 :
Total Trusts Received to 1901.
No. Name.
Amount. No.
Name.
Amount.
1. Benoni Lee $300.00 10,
2. Mary F. Fuller 50.00 11
3. Harriet A. Van Fliet 50.00 12.
4. Clarissa H. Brown 50.00 13
5. John Davey 50.00 14.
6. E. S. Hoyt 100.00 15
7. E. Peacock 50.00 16.
8. John Rossiter 50.00 17
9. A. A. Brooks 50.00 18.
F. L. Cuddeback $50.00
Schuyler Moore 50.00
L. S. and H. W. Cleaveland, Ex. 100.00
E. B. Hoyt 100.00
William Marvin 100.00
H. Cornell 50.00
Star Greenfield 50.00
Sarah Douglass 100.00
Willis Piatt, Ex 80.00
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 429
No. Name. Amount. No. Name. Amount.
19. Laura R. Roosevelt $175.00 40. Sarah J. Vary $75.00
20. Jane L. Burridge 50.00 41. William Orr 100.00
21. Simon Cook 50.00 42. Jane Hardwich 80.00
22. Henry James 50.00 43. Estate M. A. Harris 50.00
23. Mary T. Porter 100.00 44. Angeline A. Benedict 150.00
24. Captain Benjamin Lee 50.00 45. Helen A. Young 50.00
25. F. G. and J. H. Austin 50.00 46. Helen A. Young 50.00
26. Estate Benjamin Petheram 50.00 47. Catharine C. Groom 50.00
27. E. B. Rhoades 50.00 48. Mary A. Charles 80.00
28. Sarah E. Horton 50.00 49. C.C.Bradford 100.00
29. Minerva Voorhees 50.00 50. Elizabeth A. Burns 50.00
30. Sarah W. Shotwell 80.00 51. F.C.Lawrence 50.00
31. Willis Piatt 50.00 52. B. B. Northrup 80.00
32. Thomas Corley 50.00 53. Matilda Clark 50.00
33. Maria M. Morgan 100.00 54. Jane Harwood 50.00
34. C. W. Allis 80.00 55. Laura A. Rhodes, etc 93.50
35. W. B. Lawton 50.00 56. Eliza Holben 50.00
36. H. J. Gibbs, Estate 150.00 57. James W. Webb 50.00
37. Newell Turner 80.00 58. Eliza P. Sandford 125.00
38. W. P. Baker 80.00 59. Estate E. A. Campbell 100.00
39. Phoebe J. Sampson 200.00 — Miss Hetty Kennedy 30.00
These fifty-nine trusts consist mostly of non-residents of the village of
Skaneateles. Most of them were bequests by last will and testament; a few in
person during life. The cemetery belongs to the inhabitants of the village.
Very few of their names are to be found among the depositors of these trusts.
Where are the names of the workingmen — ^the carpenters, the masons, the
painters, the iron-workers, the merchants, the clerks, the day-laborers, and other
residents of limited means? All those thus enumerated compose mostly the en-
tire population. Their interest in the future care of their burial-lots in the vil-
lage cemetery is as close to their hearts as those named in this list of trusts.
The last name on the list. Miss Hetty Kennedy, as will be noticed, is not num-
bered, being next to No. 59, and not received as a trust. It is explained by the
fact that the cemetery commissioners would not receive thirty dollars in trust
for the care of a little lot. Thirty dollars, at savings-bank interest, will earn
$1.05 per year. The cemetery commissioners would charge only one dollar per
year for the same lot if paid in cash annually. The iron rule — made, in my opin-
ion, by the official — seems to be the guide of his associate commissioners, whose
antecedents would naturally favor the working population.
A few years ago, I endeavored to make an experiment relative to depositing
trust moneys with these boss commissioners. I as an executor had one hundred
and fifty dollars to be deposited in trust, and also thirty dollars for the same
purpose. Besides these I contributed five dollars for a friend, to be deposited
in trust as the foundation of a fund to be added to from time to time in the fu-
ture. In response to this, the following communication was received:
430 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
Skaneateles, N. y., November 9, 1897.
Mr. E. N. Leslie:
Dear Sir: Your communications regarding trust moneys presented to this Board was
acted upon, and I am ordered to report as follows :
The Board accepts the offer of $150.00 for perpetual care of the William Gibbs lot, and
enclosed find trust deeds in duplicate, etc.
Regarding the other two sums, namely, the amount of $5.00 in behalf of .... for
the care of Lot No. 64, and the sum of $30.00 for the care of Lot No. 84, etc., I am ordered
to return to you, together with a copy of a resolution of this Board bearing upon receiving
such sums.
You will please find a copy of the resolution attached and enclosed herewith.
Respectfully yours,
Warren B. De Witt, Clerk.
[copy.]
Skaneateles, N. Y.
Copy of resolution pertaining to trust moneys, adopted by the Board of Cemetery Com-
missioners:
Resolved, That no Trust Fund for a sum less than fifty dollars be received for the per-
petual care of any one lot, and trust funds for care of all lots exceeding 10 by 20 feet shall
be at the rate of twenty-five cents per superficial foot; but amounts less than fifty dollars
will be accepted for the care of any lot, the interest and principal, as far as may be neces-
sary, to be expended for the proper maintenance thereof.
This last condition is an express determination against any person building
up a fund in trust by annual additions.
The inside history of Lake View Cemetery would not be complete without
giving the characteristics of the official. As an associate commissioner for
four years, I found him particularly dogmatical, self-willed, and self-sufficient.
As my term of office had expired I determined to avoid further association with
him. The last meeting of the commissioners which I attended was November
24, 1885.
Five years after the above date, viz., March i, 1890, as I was passing along
the sidewalk opposite the Bank of Skaneateles, the official accosted me and asked
me to come into the bank, after which he requested me to sign the annual report
of the commission. In reply I refused, as I knew nothing about the report, when
he said that he would especially like to have my name attached, and that
I only need certify its correctness to the best of my knowledge and belief. I
did not comprehend then his evil design, which design will fully appear hereafter.
The following year, March 17, 189 1, the official kept watch for me while passing
the Bank of Skaneateles, and when I came along he again asked me to come
into the bank, to which I complied, and he made the same request, asking me to
place my signature to the annual report of the commissioners, to which request
I again refused. He said he particularly wanted my name on the report, and
said that by doing so I assumed no responsibility, as I would only certify its
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
431
correctness to the best of my knowledge and belief. I signed my name to it.
Again I did not comprehend his treacherous purpose.
He was fully aware that I had not met with the commission since Novem-
ber 24, 1885. His sneaking design was to make it appear to the public, by pub-
yWj*^*iifl&i*6'
^hm^i' '-'^U^gdi 7i-^&<i.
'^i^e^ ^/^J^
7
FACSIMILE OF DOCUMENT DISCOVERED BY THE AUTHOR.— See page 432.
lishing my name as a commissioner in the public newspapers, to indicate that I
had been a continual commissioner since 1885.
Seven years after November 24, 1885, when I last acted as commissioner,
had terminated, and during those seven years I had never acted as commissioner
or attended a meeting, the official assumed to order the village Trustees
to dismiss E. N. Leslie. The impudence thus exhibited by him in order-
432 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
ing his own appointment as a cemetery commissioner, and of ordering E. N. Les-
lie out, seven years after my term of five years had expired, indicates his char-
acteristics.
At the time this official was appointed as cemetery commissioner to supply the
vacancy occasioned by the death of Joel Thayer, August 26, 1881, there was due
to me for advances loaned the Rural Cemetery Association, which had been ex-
pended in establishing the cemetery, $2,362.47, for which Lake View Cemetery
was responsible to me, and without which the present cemetery would never have
been established against the determined opposition of the late C. Pardee.
Among the archives in the village Trustees' room was discovered the interesting
document shown on page 431, after my election as President of the village in the
year 1895. In my opinion, it is in the handwriting of this official, which is now
in my possession, and has so been ever since its discovery in 1895.
The translation of this very interesting document is, that the first Hst of
names (according to the official) were cemetery commissioners March i, 1892,
"When the Annual Report of the Commissioners was handed in." The next
sentence, "Kelley and Leslie out," was an order to the village Trustees, they
having obeyed. The next list of names, two days after the first list had been
named, was supposed to represent the action of the subservient board of trustees,
who had obeyed this official by displacing E. N. Leslie. It will be of interest
in this connection to name that subservient board of trustees, who were in office
March 3, 1892, as follows : N. O. Shepard, President ; Kelley, Stackus, Weston.
Futurity will never know the inside history of the present cemetery unless
the law is known which authorized the transfer of the Rural Cemetery Associa-
tion and the old burial-ground, under the assumed name of the Evergreen Ceme-
tery. Such Evergreen Cemetery never had an existence, as the late C. Pardee
had never deeded his lands to the so-called trustees. The following is a copy of
the law, which, in my opinion, was drawn by Attorney Barrow, he having been
C. Pardee's attorney :
Chapter 52, Laws of 1880.
An Act to Perfect Title to Lands in " The Trustees of the Village of Skaneateles "
FOR Cemetery Purposes. — Passed March 9, 1880.
Section i. The respective trustees of " The Evergreen Cemetery Association of Skane-
ateles " and " The Lake View Cemetery Association of Skaneateles " are hereby authorized
and empowered to convey to any person or persons all the interests which said respective
associations may have in the lands ownpd by them respectively, upon condition that the
purchaser or purchasers thereof shall, within one month after the receipt of a deed thereof,
convey the lands so purchased, whether of one or both of said associations, to " The Trus-
tees of the Village of Skaneateles," for cemetery purposes for said village.
Section 2. The said " The Trustees of the Village of Skaneateles " are hereby authorized
and empowered to accept a conveyance of said lands of either or both of said associations
from any person or persons purchasing the same, in pursuance of the first section of this
act, for the use of said village for cemetery purposes, in all respects as if the same had been
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 433
purchased by said village, as provided by Chapter Two Hundred and Nine of the Laws of
1847, and the acts amending the same, and the said " The Trustees of the Village of Skane-
ateles" are hereby authorized and empowered to hold the said lands, with all the powers
and privileges thereover conferred upon villages purchasing lands under this act and the
acts amending the same, but subject to all the restrictions contained in said act and the
acts supplementary thereto and amendatory thereof.
Section 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
Under the provisions of the above act, the Trustees of the Village of Skane-
ateles took no title to the lands of the "Evergreen Cemetery Association" from
its trustees, as the lands of the late C. Pardee had never been conveyed to the
"Evergreen Association."
The Lake View Cemetery Association w^as competent, and did convey its
lands (unfortunately) to "The Trustees of the Village of Skaneateles." An in-
dependent corporation virould have been better than any board of trustees, which
would not have denied the people to build up a trust fund from year to year for
the perpetual care of a lot in the cemetery.
The late C. Pardee died April, 1878, two years before the passage of Chapter
52 in 1880. The lands of the so-called Evergreen Cemetery Association were
vested in C. Pardee at the time of his death, and not to the "Evergreen" trustees,
who had no power to sell such lands "to any person or persons," and if such
sale was made the Trustees of the village had no power to accept those lands,
under the provisions of Chapter 52 of the Laws of 1880.
While the people of the village seemingly have no power to dislodge these
commissioners, or any one of them, it would seem that even the Legislature of
the State of New York is powerless to reduce their numbers, as will be seen by
Chapter 668 of the Laws of 1898, which is an amendment of Chapter i of the
General Laws, which provides as follows : "That in a village of the third class
the commissioner or commissioners last appointed shall cease to be a commis-
sioner from and after the passage of this act, until the number be reduced to
three." The present five commissioners were appointed April 5, 1897, one year
before the enactment of Chapter 668 of the Laws of 1898. This amendment be-
came a law April 30, 1898. Neither the village Trustees nor the cemetery com-
niissioners seemingly pay any attention to this law, and refuse to obey its man-
date.
The present cemetery commissioners continue as such without having been
appointed by the village Trustees each year, under the provisions of Section 68
of the village Law.
The law which authorized "The Trustees of the Village of Skaneateles" to
accept a conveyance of the lands of the Rural Cemetery Association of Lake
View for cemetery purposes, also bound such village Trustees to assume all the
debts or obligations of each cemetery association. One obligation was to redeem
the certificates of indebtedness from one-half the sales of lots, which that asso-
ciation and its successors and assigns had pledged to pay the certificates of in-
434 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES..
debtedness, " from one-half the money received on the- sales of lots of its cemetery
lands to the repayment to the subscribers of the loans of money subscribed by
them respectively, until the whole amount thereof, with interest, is paid."
Before the advent of this official as a cemetery commissioner, and on March
I, 1880, a memorandum was entered in the record of the Association of Lake
View as follows:
"The finances of the association were in an embarrassed condition, and there
seemed to be no prospect of the certificates of indebtedness being liquidated ac-
cording to their terms."
That was the condition of the Rural Cemetery Association of Lake View,
which could not carry out its pledges.
"The Trustees of the Village of Skaneateles," having accepted the Rural
Cemetery Association's lands as a gift, were bound to adopt and carry out all its
obligations, which were principally its certificates of indebtedness issued by the
association, and also moneys loaned to it, from one-half of the sales of its lands.
Neither the Trustees of the village nor the cemetery commission which were the
representatives of the Trustees, and acting as their deputies, have never paid,
or offered to pay, a single certificate of indebtedness from the receipts of money
from the sales of lands of the Rural Cemetery Association of Lake View.
All but Thomas Y. Avery of the public-spirited citizens who subscribed to
the loan of money to purchase the lands from Reuel Smith, Sr., selected lots in
full payment of their certificates of indebtedness after it became known that those
certificates could not be redeemed according to the terms of the loan, with the
single exception of Thomas Y. Avery, who owned a lot in the cemetery, pur-
chased previously. The opposition of the late C. Pardee was of such an intense
nature to the establishment of an incorporated cemetery that sales of lots were
prevented. In consequence the holders of the certificates of indebtedness se-
lected lots, which they did not desire, and had to dispose of them as best they
could. There were sixteen who thus selected lots. Their names are: Joel
Thayer, Thomas Morton, Forrest G. Weeks, Edward S. Hoyt, William S.
Briggs, E. B. Hoyt, Anson Lapham (selected after his death), Elias Thorne,
Richard Talcott, James A. Root, Julius Earll, H. L. Roosevelt, C. C. WyckofI,
William Marvin, C. W. Allis, and Jacob H. Allen. The total amount subscribed
by the above-named gentlemen was $2,000, for which lands were taken in pay-
ment.
The following was a communication addressed by the commissioners to the
village Trustees, March i, 1892 (the same date that the official pretended to
order the Trustees to order me out, at a time when I was not in, nor had been
for the previous seven years) :
To THE Board of Trustees of the Village of Skaneateles :
Gentlemen : We, the Commissioners of Lake View Cemetery, wishing to cancel an
obligation long since made to persons advancing funds for the purchase of lands, now a
part of said cemetery, and having funds sufficient for the purpose, ask your approval of
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 435
our paying off this indebtedness, and so bring the lots given for the security of said loan
into our possession and control.
The number of lots remaining of those taken as security as above are eight, and the
sum required to redeem them will be about $250 or $260.
Wills Clift,
James A. Root,
T. Kelley,
Commissioners Lake View Cemetery.
March 3, 1892. — The village Trustees passed the following resolution:
Resolved, That the village purchase all lots, not exceeding eight, owned by individuals,
at a price not to exceed fifteen cents per superficial foot, and that said Cemetery Commis-
sioners be authorized to negotiate for the same, and pay therefor from the funds already
appropriated.
Carried: Kelley, Weston, Stackus, Trustees.
N. O. Shepard, President.
The inside history of the preceding action of both the commissioners and the
Trustees is as follows :
There were three particularly personal friends of one of the commissioners,
who were favored by the purchase of their lots, which were not pledged, as
stated above, but were selected in full payment for their certificates of indebted-
ness, the same as the other certificate holders who were not favored.
As has been stated hereinbefore, on March 10, 1880, there was due to me, for
loans to pay for the lands and for laying out the lands, fencing, etc., $2,362.47,
by the Rural Cemetery Association of Lake View, which has never been returned
to me from one-half of the sales of its lands ; which would have been returned
to me had not this association been given to the village Trustees, who appointed
as the agents of the village cemetery commissioners, and had not this official
been appointed as a cemetery commissioner.
After the Rural Cemetery Association had been deeded to the village Trus-
tees, they appointed Wills Clift superintendent of the village cemetery, and on
March 28, 1880, they gave him an order on the village Treasurer for fifty dollars
for cemetery purposes, and, having previously collected a tax for cemetery pur-
poses from the village taxpayers, they on June 25, 1880, gave Wills Clift an or-
der on the village Treasurer for seventy-seven dollars and fifty-one cents for
cemetery purposes.
The Trustees on April 19, 1880, appointed Wills Clift and W. B. Lawton
a temporary committee in cemetery matters until commissioners could be ap-
pointed. Wills Clift was not appointed as treasurer by the village Trustees at
any time. Neither was Mr. Clift appointed treasurer by the cemetery commis-
sioners while I was a member, from the first appointment of commissioners until
November 24, 1885, which was the last time I attended a meeting with them.
After that date probably, the official had Wills Clift appointed treasurer. I
436 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
had been treasurer and secretary of the Rural Cemetery Association until the vil-
lage Trustees appointed commissioners, and thereafter until November 24, 1885,
I kept all the records of the meetings of the Trustees of the Association of Lake
View and of the Cemetery Commissioners until the date I last attended a meeting
of them, November 24, 1885. Wills Clift had not up to that date been treasurer.
Seven years after 1885 was the first recorded meeting of the present five com-
missioners, as entered on the record of their proceedings, and it is a singular fact
that no record of the sales of lots or the proceedings of the commissioners has
been kept and recorded. A seven years' vacancy of cemetery receipts, cemetery
meetings, cemetery expenditures. It was during these seven years that the official,
Clift, Kelley, and Root were commissioners, who kept no record of proceedings
until March i, 1892. Although my name was advertised as a commissioner in
1890 and 1 89 1, I was not there, but these are the two years that the official
watched for me on the sidewalk, and insidiously asked me to sign the annual re-
port, which I did to accommodate him, as he particularly wanted my name signed
to the reports of 1890 and 1891.
The present commissioners have no record of the commission, except the first
one on their record book under date of March i, 1892. This is the date which
this official selected, after persuading me to sign two annual reports of commis-
sioners, in order to make it appear that I had been a continual commissioner since
November 24, 1885, the date that I declined associating with him as a commis-
sioner, and never personally attended another meeting of commissioners.
After I had expended my time and thousands of dollars to establish the Rural
Cemetery Association of Lake View, after all opposition to the formation of an
incorporated cemetery had passed, the following manifesto was published in the
Free Press, March 5, 1892, which, in my opinion, was written by the official: the
words italicized are so made prominent by myself in order that I may explain
their meaning as I understand them :
Lake View Cemetery Report.
The yearly report for 1891 of the Lake View Cemetery Association is very flattering to
the management of the Board of Cemetery Commissioners. It is very pleasant, at a time
when so many institutions and associations are not only running behind in -financial re-
sources, but are being robbed by defaulting treasurers and trusted oMcers, that we have an
organization among us that is such a credit to the community. And the efforts of the com-
missioners to keep up and beautify our resting-place for the dead deserve the thanks of all
interested, and we know that their work is duly appreciated by the whole community, for
every one points with pride to this beautiful spot. The work of recording all burials ever
made in the grounds is going on, and the public is asked to help all it can by giving Sexton
Marshall a memorandum of all burials they may have any knowledge of. Especially is as-
sistance asked of those who are remaining of the older inhabitants.
The unusual style of type in which the above was printed indicates that it
was not editorial. In my opinion, the italicized words above indicated express
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 437
an accusation by the official that I, as treasurer, and as a trusted officer, had
been robbing the association by charging myself with money " offsets " on ac-
count of the " floating debt." No intelligent person can read that boastful mani-
festo, written and published, in my opinion, by the official, without understanding
his evident purpose to injure my character. Previously there had never been
reported any Rural Cemetery Association, which had been robbed by a defaulting
treasurer or by a trusted officer.
The official was very cunning in inducing me to sign my name to reports of
the cemetery commissioners, two reports, for 1890 and 1891, which I had never
attended, and he knew it. He was exceedingly desirous of having my name to
them, and then to have my name published as a commissioner. It should be par-
ticularly noticed that, after all the adverse experiences I encountered in establish-
ing the present cemetery, and the money I loaned to the Rural Association, the
present cemetery commissioners came into full possession of a complete ceme-
tery, when all opposition had ceased, without having contributed a single dollar
toward the great expenses attending its final establishment, and by a series of
conflicting laws, which conferred upon them very limited powers, they assumed
life tenor of holding office and life tenor of holding the cemetery lands. No re-
newal of appointment as commissioners has been made since the original appoint-
ment by the village Trustees, April 26, 1880, except, perhaps, when the official,
by written order, required the Trustees to order E. N. Leslie out, who was not
at that date a commissioner, and had not been such during the previous seven
years.
The Trustees of the Village of Skaneateles are required by law to appoint
annually one cemetery commissioner for the term of three years, which they do
not obey; and they are responsible for such commissioners' arbitrary denial of
the inalienable right of every adult inhabitant of the village to deposit any sum
of money in trust according to the terms of the gift, as per Chapter 139 of the
Laws of 1881.
It has been indispensable in this inside history to individualize one cemetery
commissioner as an official who has made himself prominent in an endeavor to
disgrace my character by an intimation that I had been dishonest as a trusted
official. This individualization would not have occurred had it not been that he
carelessly left in his own handwriting, in my opinion, an apparent order directing
the village Trustees to discharge me from an office which I did not hold at the
time ; but such order indicated a treacherous intent to inflict a disgrace. Self-
respect has been a necessity to individualize him as an official.
As a counterpart of the handwriting engraving illustrated on page 431, the
following statement is relevant: The official employs an attorney, who is a
resident of Skaneateles. This attorney prosecuted an action for libel against me
in the Supreme Court at Syracuse, March 28, 1898, which terminated to the
discomfiture of the attorney. After the trial had ended, and while the court-room
438 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
was filled with people, the attorney arose, and in a loud voice proclaimed in a
vindictive manner, " That he [meaning myself] had been kicked out of the ceme-
tery commission, which I can prove." The inference is, in my opinion, that the
proof in all probability would be obtained from the author of the handwriting
illustrated on page 431.
Explanatory. — Why the word " official " has been made prominent in a por-
tion of this chapter, the whole text of which has been originally written and put
into type, which included the following paragraph (page 427) :
" One of the five cemetery commissioners was particularly active as a public
functionary in the further details of this inside history. It has, therefore, become
necessary to indicate him by name in criticizing his acts as such commissioner.
It was only after his appointment that opportunities ceased to offset the moneys
loaned the rural Cemetery Association."
After thus having had the text set up in type, the author, on reflection, con-
sidered the impropriety of printing his individual name while criticizing his
actions as a cemetery commissioner, especially in a work of this character. There-
fore the word " official " has been interposed in place of his personal name in
the text, and every paragraph having any personal allusion which might identify
his individuality in any manner has been omitted.
History of Alfred Champ. — The old colored man who is now employed by
the Trustees of the village to work on the public streets bears the name of Alfred
Champ. The following statement was made to the author by Champ, shortly
after he first came from Washington City to this village:
" I was born and brought up near Winchester, Va. I was a slave. My
master's name was John Carr. He was a farmer, and raised wheat and corn.
As soon as the war broke out, there was a draft by the rebels for men and teams.
My master did not go to the war, but he had a son who went, and he was killed
during the war. My master ordered me to drive a team of four horses to the
battle-ground of the first Bull Run. That was about August i, 1861. I remained
there, and was kept constantly at work by the rebels until Christmas, the same
year. I then went back to my master. I ran away from my master the following
April, and reached the Union Army. I was called ' Contraband,' and was around
with, the Union Army at Fairfax Court House, and also around Washington and
various other places. I worked in the forage department and as a soldier, and I
drilled about six months before going into the field. I was in the attack of Fort
Lincoln, between Alexandria and Washington. I was at the second battle of Bull
Run. I was at Alexandria, in the Quartermaster's Department, and did all kinds
of servant work, waiting on the officers, and handling the Quartermaster's stores
which were to be sent to the front. I had to work day and night. Every other
Friday we had to go to the Italian drill." I said, " You do not mean Italian
drill? " " Yes," he insisted, " it was the real Italian." I said, " But there were
no Italians in this country at that time." Still he insisted that it was the Italian
drill. I then suggested whether it was not a battalion drill? He immediately
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 439
said, " Yes, that's it ; the bat talion drill — bat talion, that was it ! " He further
said : " I was under General Lee and General Whiting. They both belonged to
Pennsylvania', and I got my honorable discharge from them, but this discharge
has been lost since. Fred Lawton brought me and Sampson to this village.
Charles Reeves Sampson and Crutcher came before I did. That is why we came
to Skaneateles."
440 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
CHAPTER XXX.
The Author's Adventures with the Legal Fraternity.
Commencing with the Highest Authority in the State, the Attorney-General.
The author, while holding the office of President of the village of Skaneateles,
in the year 1895, and while advocating the interests of his constituents, made
application to the Attorney-General of the State of New York for leave to com-
mence an action to test the title to office of the cemetery commissioners of the
village of Skaneateles, N. Y.
That application was fully detailed in a sworn statement, consisting of
fourteen hundred and eighty folios. Without great detail, the following quota-
tion from the prelude to the decision of the Attorney-General respecting the said
application is here given :
" It appears from the papers presented for my consideration on the above application,
that the cemetery commissioners of the village of Skaneateles, N. Y., were originally
appointed in the year 1880, pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 696, Laws of 1871, after
said village had acquired lands to be devoted to the purpose of a public cemetery; that their
successors were appointed on the isth day of May, 1885, and that the present board of
cemetery commissioners were appointed on the 31st day of March, 1892.
" It is contended on the part of the applicant that the office of cemetery commissioners
of the village of Skaneateles expired in the year 1885, five years after the date of the
original appointment.
" The contention is based upon the terms of said Chapter 696, Laws of 1871, and upon
the language of that statute, therefore, must depend the granting of (or) the denial of this
application.
" Section i of Chapter 696, Laws of 1871, reads as follows :
" ' The trustees of any village are hereby authorized to appoint a cemetery commission
of not less than five nor more than nine resident freeholders of said village, who shall
during their terms of oMce, have exclusive control and management of the laying out,
beautifying and improving any lands which may be purchased by said trustees, as provided
by section one of the act hereby amended.
" ' The members of such commission shall hold their office for five years, from and
after their appointment, and when vacancies occur in such commission, the same shall be
filled by said trustees from the resident freeholders of said village. All moneys appropriated
by said trustees for the improvement of such lands shall be placed in the hands of such
commission, to be expended by them in such laying out, beautifying and improving; and
said commission shall, on the ist day of March, in each year during their term of ofUce,
make a report, by items, of their expenditures, and stating the objects thereof, to said
trustees, which report shall be in writing, signed by a majority of the members of such
commission, and verified by their oaths.' "
The above quotation is copied from " The Annual Report of the Attorney-
General of the State of New York to the Legislature of the State, for the year
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 44 1
1896," page 322, with the exception of the word "or" enclosed in parentheses
in the third paragraph. The itahcized portions are by the author, designed for
future comment.
The first sentence italicized was, " to be devoted to the purpose of a public
cemetery." . The Attorney-General had been informed in the sworn application
received by him that the said lands had been for many years laid out, beautified,
and improved, and had been devoted to the purpose of a public cemetery.
The next was an italicized word, " board." The said cemetery commissioners
had never been appointed as a board, and in law was not a board. They were
not appointed or constituted as a board, or compact body. They were subordinate
representatives of the Trustees of the village of Skaneateles, directed to do a
certain defined duty during a limited time.
The third sentence italicized was in the following paragraph : " The con-
tention is based upon the terms of said Chapter 696, Laws of 1871, and
upon the language of that statute." Yes, that is the most important subject of
this comment in connection with the next italicized sentence, namely, " during
their terms of office." The word "terms" in this sentence is not to be found
in the language of that statute, pluralized, as it is. The language of the statute
reads, " during their term of office."
The author having written thus far, and anticipating a very lengthy dis-
cussion of this subject, which would consume much time and patience, besides
much space in this volume, has, after due consideration, now concluded to com-
mence anew and write in the first person, without, however, annulling what has
been written heretofore, and which is fully endorsed.
Continuing, I shall now copy the opinion of the Attorney-General given as
a decision on this application. Such sentences as I intend to comment upon will
by me be italicized. The opinion now to be quoted is copied from " The Annual
Report of the Attorney-General," first addressed to the Lieutenant-Governor of
the State, with a request that he will refer the same to the Legislature. This
was the report for the year 1896, with one exception, and that was the word
" or " enclosed in parentheses in the third paragraph :
A portion of the prelude has heretofore been written in this chapter, after the
third paragraph of which is the following continuation of the opinion:
" Section i of Chapter 696, Laws of 1871, reads as follows :
" ' The trustees of any village are hereby authorized to appoint a cemetery commission
of not less than five nor more than nine resident freeholders of said village, who shall,
during their terms of office, have exclusive control and management of the laying out,
beautifying and improving of any lands which may be purchased by said trustees, as pro-
vided by section one of the act hereby amended.
" ' The members of such commissioij shall hold their office for Ave years from and after
their appointment, and when vacancies occur in such commission, the same shall he filled by
said trustees from the resident freeholders of said village. All moneys appropriated by
said trustees for the improvement of such lands shall be placed in the hands of said com-
mission, to be expended by them in such laying out, beautifying and improving; and said
442 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
commission shall, on the 1st day of March, in each year during their term of oMce, make a
report, by items, of their expenditures, and stating the objects thereof, to said trustees,
which report shall be in writing,, signed by a majority of the members of such commission,
and verified by their oaths."
The above is a portion of the Attorney-Generars prelude to his opinion.
Another portion was the third paragraph of this chapter, commencing with the
sentence, " It appears from the papers," etc. This prelude was not his opinion,
which is to follow hereafter.
When I approached the highest law officer of the State of New York with a
sworn application, containing 148,000 words (1,480 folios), which was intended to
and did meet every possible argument that could be raised in opposition to grant-
ing the prayer asked for, I was a novice, and therefore approached the leading law
representative of the State with awe, believing him to be the authorized repre-
sentative of true Justice.
His Opinion.
" I am of the opinion that this language [referring to the prelude above quoted] creates
a continuing office, (i) An oiRce having been created, must be presumed to be continuing
unless limited by the terms of the act or by the nature of the duties to be performed. (2)
I find nothing in the language of the statute under consideration which limits the duration
of the office to the term of five years.
" In my judgment the language is applicable merely to the term of office of an in-
cumbent, and not to the duration of the office. I am the more impelled to this opinion from
the portion of the section which reads as follows : ' When vacancies occur in such com-
mission the same shall be filled by said trustees from the resident freeholders of said
village.' The word ' vacancy ' in this clause includes one arising from the expiration of
the term of office as well as one from any other cause. (3) Moreover, there is nothing
temporary in the duties to be performed by said commission. (4) The beautifying, the
laying out and the improving of lands devoted to cemetery purposes are by no means tem-
porary employments. Rather are they continuous in their nature.
" I am, therefore, of the opinion that the present incumbents of the office of cemetery
commissioners of the village of Skaneateles, N. Y., were lawfully appointed, and may
properly perform their duties as such.
" The application must therefore be denied.
T. E. Hancock,
Attorney-General."
This pretended official opinion was immediately forwarded to the opposing
attorney, who immediately had it published in the Skaneateles Democrat, a local
newspaper, under the title : " Cemetery Commissioners All Right. The At-
torney-General denies the Application of E. Norman Leslie."
This was the first knowledge that I had that a decision had apparently been
made. On reading it over carefully, I immediately discovered a misquotation
of Section i of Chapter 696, Laws of 1871, which it did not seem possible that
the Attorney-General could have made. Without making my discovery public,
I immediately requested a friend resident in Albany to procure for me the Annual
Report of the Attorney-General to the Legislature fpr the year 1896. The mis-
HISTORY OF SKANEATEL-ES. 443
quotation named appeared to me to have been an invention of the opposing
attorney, as my previous experience with him proved that he was an inventive
genius.
In due course I received the Annual Report of the Attorney-General for the
year 1896, and owing to the insignificant character of the application I found it
difficult to reach it in the book. When I really did discover it, I was very much
surprised to see, on page 322, that the Attorney-General himself had made the
misquotation! It was this misquotation on which he apparently hinged his
adverse decision, in my opinion. That such a prominent official of the State of
New York should allow such an important public document to leave his office for
publication is most extraordinary, especially as he had many deputies, who ought to
have carefully examined this important paper before it left the office. Under
the circumstances, I considered that he had abused his discretionary power. I,
therefore, wrote him a letter, stating that in my opinion he had favored the
opposing attorney. I did not keep a copy of this letter, therefore I can not state
exactly what I wrote. However, in reply I received a letter from one of his
deputies, in which the following allusion was made :
" I desire to further state that the determination of the Attorney-General in this
matter was not made to please any individual, but it was according to his judgment of the
law in the premises. Very truly yours,
Frank A. Parsons,
[Dated March 16, 1896.] Deputy Attorney-General."
I judge from the above letter that it referred to another subject — that I had
complained of the fact that the opinion had been immediately forwarded to the
opposing attorney, and that I had not been favored with even a copy, while, in
my opinion, I ought to have been -first favored, instead of being neglected
entirely.
The main portion of the above letter endeavored to explain ivhy the opinion
was not sent to me, as follows:
" Your letter relating to the application made by you for leave to bring an action against
the cemetery commissioners of Skaneateles, etc., was mislaid until now, and I hasten to reply
by inclosing you a copy of the opinion in the matter written by the Attorney-General, which
I supposed had been forwarded to Mr. Barrows, as it appears by our records that a copy
was sent him."
The said opinion which I received from the Deputy Attorney-General accom-
panying the above-named letter is a curiosity in many ways. Primarily, it was
not an official copy, as it had not the autograph of the Attorney-General attached,
as was the opinion forwarded to the opposite attorney. It was a carbon copy
only. Having hereinbefore copied the prelude (or introduction), and the official
opinion, copied from his printed report to the Legislature, it is not necessary to
repeat the copy in carbon. But it differs in a few respects, which I will now
describe.
444 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
In the copy of the opinion which was forwarded to the opposing attorney,
and which had the autograph signature of the Attorney-General, the misquota-
tion was included in his copy of Section i of Chapter 696, Laws of 1871, and
was italicized. It was the word " terms." Singularly, in the unofficial carbon
copy that word appears as " term," which was the correct reading of the statute.
The word " terms " was used by the Attorney-General in his opinion.
" I am of the opinion that this language creates a continuing office."
That is, he meant the word " terms."
The next sentence in the carbon copy was quoted as follows:
"An office having been created must be presumed to be continuing, unless limited by
the terms of the act or by the nature of the duties to be performed."
People vs. Addison, 10 Cal., 1-7.
This reference to 10 Cal. was not included in the opinion sent to the opposing
attorney which was printed in the village newspaper. Neither were the quotation-
marks included!
I looked up that California case, which was another curiosity. It reached back
to the period when the vigilance committee in San Francisco were hanging
people in the streets, and Kearney and his gang of rowdies had possession of the
Sand-lots !
The Legislature, May 3, 1852, passed an act entitled " An Act to provide for
the Appointment of a Gauger for the Port of San Francisco." By the first
section of this act, " The Governor is authorized and directed to appoint, by and
with the advice of the Senate, a gauger of wines and liquors to reside in the city
of San Francisco, and to continue in office for two years.''
This act does not include the word term of two years, so that the definition
of the word term was not necessary to determine the precise signification of, as
it is in this case.
The power by the Governor, to appoint a successor, under the above act of
the Legislature, was disputed, and it was brought before the court. The opinion
of the court was as follows :
" The office having been created, must be presumed to be continuing unless limited by
the terms of the act, or by the nature of the duties to be performed."
This paragraph was in the carbon copy quoted as I have copied it, from the
carbon. I now continue the opinion of the court :
" There is nothing temporary in the duties of the office, nor is there anything in the lan-
guage of the act limiting the duration of the office."
" The period of two years mentioned in the last section, limits only the term of the
officer and not the duration of the office."
These two paragraphs, which are not quoted in the carbon copy, appear nearly
■as they are in the opinion of the Attorney-General, almost word for word.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 445
In the opinion of the Attorney-General was the following:
"In my judgment, that language is applicable merely to the term of office of an incum-
bent, and not to the duration of the office. I am the more impelled to this opinion from the
portion of the section which reads as follows: 'When vacancies occur in such commission
the same shall be filled by said trustees from the resident freeholders of said village.' The
word ' vacancy ' in this clause includes one arising from the expiration of the term of office
as well as one arising from any other cause.''
Just here I want to turn over a nezv leaf temporarily, as I desire to comment
upon and also criticise the arguments of the opposing attorney {?) — thereby
meaning the Attorney-General.
I find that I am criticizing the highest " Public Functionary " in the State
of New York, without giving him my authority to do so.
After receiving his opinion in the case under consideration in this chapter,-
I desired to criticize him publicly, but, being a layman, I did not know exactly
how far I could go, so I interviewed the biggest, the most learned, and the eldest
lawyer in the village of Skaneateles. I explained to him my intention to criticize
the Attorney-General of the State of New York. He immediately warned me not
to do so, and stated his reasons, which were prolific, and which are not necessary
to reproduce here. Suffice it to say that they covered my inquiry.
Even with the depressing warning and advice received from the learned
professional of Skaneateles, I determined to ascertain, if possible, from the
opinions of the most learned Judges of the Court of Appeals of the State of
New York, the power and authority of a common layman to criticize a public
officer who, in my opinion, had exercised his authority against the interests of
the people. I, therefore examined the New York Reports (Court of Appeals),
and, without enumerating my determined efforts to discover exactly what I
desired, / found it, in 8i N. Y., pp. 116-126. The head-notes gave but little
prospect of what was desired, so I turned to the opinion of the court, on page 126.
It covered the whole ground.
I was so much interested in my discovery that I immediately wrote a private
letter to the editor of a daily Syracuse newspaper, saying to him that here was a
subject which was of interest to every editor in the State of New York.
He apparently was so pleased with the important discovery that he published
my private note as a communication, and added thereto the opinion of the court.
It then became common property with all his exchanges, and was very thor-
oughly published in nearly or quite all the newspapers in the State. Some person
unknown to me sent a Binghamton journal, in which was the following marked
article :
" Legal Right to Criticize.
" [From the Buffalo Courier-Record.]
" E. Norman Leslie, in a recent communication to the Syracuse Courier, has performed
a public service by furnishing for publication an opinion of the late Chief Judge Folger, of
the Court of Appeals, with reference to the right of newspaper criticism. In these days
446 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
when so many people are holding up their hands with horror at the idea of an editor pre-
suming even to question the finding of a court, the following extract from an opinion of one
of the ablest jurists New York State ever produced is timely and pertinent :
" ' We are of the opinion that the official act of a Public Functionary may be freely
criticized, with entire freedom of expression, used in argument, satcasm and ridicule upon
the act itself: and that then the occasion will excuse everything but actual malice and evil
purpose of the critic. 81 N. Y. 116, per Folger, J.'
" The Judge of any court is certainly a public functionary." — Ed.
And I may say here that the Attorney-General of the State of New York is a
public functionary.
This opinion of Justice Folger has, ever since its publication, been freely used
by attorneys whenever there was occasion.
In my own criticisms of this act heretofore, and will be subsequently, I have
not been actuated by actual malice or evil purpose.
It is my impression that I never met the Attorney-General personally but once,
on which occasion I studied his physiognomy to ascertain if possible his predomi-
nant idea in the determination of the application presented for his consideration.
The contour of his face indicated a kindly nature, which, together with the limited
conversation we had, gave me courage to believe that he was a synonym of the
emblem of Justice, which in my mind's eye appeared as a female figure, standing
with scales in her hand evenly balanced. Under all these conditions, I felt that
justice would prevail as a result of my application.
Now, to commence at the page on which is the title of this chapter, in which
italicized sentences are printed with the object of commenting on the sentences
thus made prominent. These sentences are indicated by letters of the alphabet
in parentheses.
(A) " To be devoted to the purpose of a public cemetery."
This sentence is not to be found in Chapter 696, Laws of 1871. It was sur-
plusage, not relevant to the case, except to indicate that the emblem of Justice
holding the scales had become unbalanced. The Attorney-General had been
apprised by the applicant's sworn statement that the lands had for many years
previously been devoted to the purpose of a public cemetery, and firmly estab-
lished.
The next sentence, not italicized, is, " that their successors were appointed."
Chapter 696, Laws of 1871, does not provide for the appointment of successors,
therefore that sentence now quoted is surplusage, indicating unbalanced scales.
(B) The word "board" does not apply to the cemetery commissioners, as
that term is not to be found in the statute. The commissioners were not ap-
pointed as a board, but as individuals.
The words " contended " and " The contention " in the following paragraphs
succeeding (B) are not proper words to be used by a just judge, who favors
neither side to a controversy.
In the first paragraph, the sentence, " It is contended on the part of the
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 447
applicant," could have been more justly expressed by writing, " It is claimed
by the applicant."
In the following paragraph, the words " The contention " would have been
better expressed by the words " The claim."
These words, " contended " and " contention," in this connection, do not
indicate equitable treatment, as would naturally be expected from the Attorney-
General of the State of New York.
(C) "And upon the language of that statute." Exactly, that is the claim
I make, and is the most important subject under consideration. No just judge
can read that statute understandingly without reaching the conclusion that the
commission were appointed for only -five years. The following sentence is quoted
from Section i of Chapter 696, Laws of 1871 :
" The members of such commission shall hold their oMce for Ave years from and after
their appointment, and when vacancies occur in such commission, the same shall be filled by
said trustees from the resident freeholders of said village."
In this same section it is stated that said. commissioners "shall, during their
term of office."
From the above language no other meaning can be intelligently understood
than that five years was their full term of office. No layman can read the portion
of the above paragraph which reads, " shall hold their office for five years from
and after their appointment," without deciding in his own mind that five years
was to be the extreme limit of the appointment. Why the words " from and after,"
if they were not intended as a limit?
Again, another sentence from the same paragraph : " and when vacancies
occur in such commission." . . .
"Stop — Stop — Stop — Stop — Stop — Stop — Stop — Stop!" Thus ejaculated
a friend at my elbow, further saying : " Don't you know that you are butting
your head against a ' Big ' stone wall ? And that stone wall is the ' Big ' Attorney-
General of the ' Big State of New York,' which can not be smashed by your
inferior cranium? This Attorney-General is a Lawyer, always a class to be
feared by any layman seeking common justice ! You apparently don't know that
he can not be beaten, under any conditions ! He is not, as you have supposed, an
Emblem of Justice holding evenly balanced scales ! The ' Big ' laws of the ' Big '
State of New York confer upon his particular self (and no other magnate)
Discretionary Poiver, and that particular description of power is illustrated by
the term, ' unrestrained exercise of his own will ! ' from which you have no right
of appeal ! He evidently disposed of your application, in his own mind, imme-
diately upon its presentation. To be sure, you had discovered in his official
printed report to the Legislature of the State of New York in 1896 that he had
misquoted a very important part of the statute, and evidently from that mis-
quotation, in your opinion, had made his decision by refusing this application.
Again, he had adopted the official opinion of the California court (which in his
448 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
opinion he had quoted) — had adopted this as his own opinion, as his own, without
quotation-marks. In either case, it did not matter. Having unrestrained dis-
cretionary power, he could do anything that suited his purpose, could misquote
any other statute, and could adopt any other person's opinion as his own. Such
was his ' discretionary ' unrestrained privilege, given him by a law of the State
of New York. You evidently thought that, by repeating these innovations upon
common decency, when you intended to publicly criticize his adverse determina-
tion of your application, he might relent and reconsider his refusal to allow you
to commence an action. Your own attorney ought to have known of the trap
he was leading you into, but it would seem that he, too, was quite as ignorant
as was his client. You only intended to criticize the act of the Attorney-General,
and to keep entirely within the authority given in the published opinion of
Folger, J., and that you neither had actual maHce nor evil purpose as a critic."
Lawyers.
" ' Woe unto you also, ye lawyers ! 'for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne,
and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers.
" ' Woe unto you, lawyers ! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge : ye entered not
in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.". — St. Luke xi. 46 and 52.
" In mousing over Mary Cowden Clarke's Concordance of Shakespeare, I find
the man who so successfully ran the Wieting Opera House had small use for
attorneys. He refers to lawyers just eleven times, and seems to hold that to take
a tainted plea and season it with gracious speech so as to obscure the show of
evil ; to set decrees at naught ; pluck down justice ; trip the course of law, and
blunt the sword that guards the peace and person — these things are the work and
occupation of lawyers.
" To put it more briefly, Shakespeare regards a lawyer as one whose business
it is to show people how to evade the law.
" The only lawyer that Shakespeare speaks well of is Portia. And then, as
if to take it all back, he allows this woman attorney to deal in subterfuge, evasion,
and quillets that are pure quibble. Shylock is the peer, in point of dignity and
worth, of anybody in the court-room. The gang that got him in tow robbed
him of every ducat that he possessed, and kicked him penniless into the street.
They borrowed money from him, and then found an excuse for not paying it.
Not only did they fail to return Shylock the money they had borrowed, but
they resurrected a blue law for the occasion and confiscated all his property,
giving half to the man who was owing him and half to the state. The original
loan was for the benefit of Bassanio, so that he could marry Portia. This fact,
one might imagine, would have touched the woman's heart ; but no — she wanted
all the money Shylock had, and how much of the final swag went to Portia
Shakespeare does not say — he lets us imagine."
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 449
Another Adventure with a Different Variety of the Legal Fraternity— The
Official Stenographer of a Court of Record.
Chapter XXVIII. of this volume elaborates my experience with the legal
fraternity and their witnesses in their prosecution of two libel suits against me
in the Supreme Court at Syracuse, in the year 1898. One of these libelants
claimed as damages ten thousand dollars. The jury awarded him six cents.
The other libelant claimed damages of five thousand dollars. The jury decided,
" No cause of action."
After the termination of these trials, the stenographer was requested to
furnish me his minutes of both suits, under Section 84 of the Code of Civil
Procedure, namely:
" Duties of Couet Stenographers."
Section 84, Code : " The original stenographic notes, taken by a stenographer, are
part of the proceedings of the Court, and unless they are filed, pursuant to an order^,
made as prescribed in the last section, they must he carefully preserved by the stenographer
for two years, after the trial or hearing: at the expiration of which time he may destroy
them."
" Section 86. Each stenographer, specified in this act, must likewise upon request,
furnish, with all reasonable diligence, to the defendant, to a party, or his attorney in a civil
cause, in which he has attended the trial or hearing, a copy, written out at length, from the
stenographic notes, of the testimony and proceedings, or a part thereof, upon the trial
or hearing, upon payment, by the person requiring the same, of the fees allowed by
law."
After a request was duly made, this court stenographer replied that " such
notes would not be furnished, without an order by the Court." This was a hluffl
Thus, as an officer of a court of record, he disgraced his office. Continuous
requests for his notes were made during a whole year, without effect. Finally,
the stenographer furnished the notes of the inferior libelant, where the jury
decided, " No cause of action " ; but as to the six-cent libelant, the stenographer
refused the request continually, and never has done his duty under Section 86.
As an excuse for not furnishing a copy of his stenographic minutes, he sent
me through the post-office the following:
[copy.]
Syracuse, May 24, 1899.
E. Norman Leslie, Esq.,
Dear Sir :
I have to-day expressed to your address transcript Benedict vs. Leslie, and I
enclose bill for same. Regarding the case of Shepard vs. Leslie, I have been unable to find
my minutes. About the time that case was originally ordered (March 30, 1898) the
carpenters and masons were here for a period of some three weeks, cutting doors through
45 o HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
partitions, plastering, decorating, etc. Some of my minutes at that time were knocked
oflf my desk on the floor and swept up and carried away. This case must have been so
disposed of.
I have an index of each case reported since 1877, and the case of Shepard vs. Leslie
is not indexed. I have examined thoroughly the files of my cases since the time of the
trial of that case down to the present, and it is not on file. I have examined in every
place where it would be at all likely to be.
If there is any desire on your part that I should do so, I will make an affidavit
embodying the above facts, supported by the affidavit of my associates in the office.
Yours very truly,
(Signed) * * * * * *
The name of the stenographer is omitted for the reason that I have no unkind
feelings against him. He was evidently influenced.
It will be noticed from the above communication that the request for his
minutes was made March 30, 1898, whereas the date of this communication is
May 24, 1899, one year and three months after the request was made for a copy
of his minutes. In the mean time, no explanation was made respecting his loss
of them when the masons and carpenters were at work in his office.
Under the conditions above recited, it can not be said that the stenographic
minutes were carefully preserved, under the requirement of Section 84, " they
must be carefully preserved by the stenographer for two years, after the trial
or hearing," by leaving the records of the court lying around on a desk, then
going out, when laborers were at work, and claiming that under such circum-
stances the minutes were lost.
The Skaneateles attorney and the libela.nt seem to have had a great influence
over the stenographer to induce him to use all kinds of subterfuges to evade
doing his duty. No doubt, the Skaneateles attorney did not want the stenog-
rapher to note his proclamation, before a crowded court-room, that " I had been
kicked out of the cemetery commission," etc. That was a dangerous libel, and
he did not want the official testimony by the stenographer.
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 451
CONCLUSION.
" Gentle Reader : These sketches and reminiscences have been prolonged to
an unwarrantable length. Imperfect from the nature of the various subjects, we
know them to be. Correctness and truth have been aimed at throughout every
part : if these have been departed from, it arises from false information, not from
a desire to mislead, or underrate, or overdraw. If they have been the means of
affording you the slightest gratification, the- object of the author is accomplished.
One hundred and eight years have rolled around since the first permanent white
settlement was made within the borders of this town; one hundred and eight
years have added their periods to the flight of time since the ax of civilization
has been successfully applied to the tree of barbarism in this land ; one hundred
and eight years have gone by, and the face of things is entirely changed. What
unlooked for events in the great wheel of human life shall rise before another one
hundred and eight years shall succeed, it would be in vain for us to inquire. But
when that remote period shall come, not one of us, not one of our children now
on earth, shall be found among the living. Our hills then, as now, will catch the
first glimmerings of the morning, and the last rays of evening will linger on their
bald and ragged brows, and then bright the sun will shine as to-day; but of all
that our hands have wrought, and our hearts have loved, not a vestige will remain
as we now behold it. What future good or ill, what storms of civil violence may
pass over this land, we know not ; but so may me live, that the inheritance we have
received, of freedom, truth, intelligence, virtue, and faith, may be handed down
unspotted to those who shall succeed us."
The above is copied from the " Conclusion " at the end of the second volume
of J. V. H. Clark's " History of Onondaga County." Its sentiments being fully
approved, it is, therefore, included in this ending, and constitutes a prelude to
the following subjects of interest, which are related by the author in the first
person :
During my fifty years' residence in the village of Skaneateles, I have en-
deavored to be a useful citizen, not only to the village, but to the town. My first
experience was as a Trustee of the village during the fifties, when I established
the precedent that a public officer could not be held responsible for his acts as
such in the line of his duty. Although my experience on that occasion is not
included in this volume, a reference to it is to be found on page 387, which gives
the names of one hundred well-known citizens of the village who were opposed
to refunding to me one hundred dollars which had been paid by me as a Trustee
of the village. The one hundred names were signed to a remonstrance, as follows r
To THE Legislature of the State of New York :
The undersigned, citizens and taxpayers of the village of Skaneateles, respectfully rep-
resent that they have just learned that a bill has been reported to the Assembly from the
452 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
Committee on the Affairs of Villages, for the sum of one hundred and eighty-eight dollars
to be paid to E. Norman Leslie on account of a certain judgment recovered against him
by Thaddeus Edwards for an alleged trespass arising out of the collection of the expense
of making a sidewalk in said village, and they hereby earnestly remonstrate against the passage
of any such bill, for the following among other reasons :
First. That it would establish a dangerous precedent to remunerate a public officer
for the amount of judgments obtained against him for maladministration of public affairs.
Second. That the suit against said Leslie was brought against him as a private trespasser,
and not as Trustee of the village of Skaneateles ; that he was found guilty of such trespass
in a Justice's court; and that he paid the amount of damages adjudged against him without
an appeal, thus admitting the rightfulness of the judgment.
Third. That the village of Skaneateles was never, and is not now, in any way, law-
fully or equitably, bound to pay for the expense of making the sidewalk of said Edwards,
because at the time said walk was built the village charter required that all persons should
construct, relay, and keep in repair all sidewalks opposite their respective lots, in such
time and manner and of such materials as the Trustees should by a by-law, resolution, or
ordinance for that purpose direct; and in case of neglect or refusal on the part of such
owners so to construct, etc., it was made lawful for the Trustees to cause such sidewalk to
be so constructed, etc., for and on account of such owner or owners, and to collect , the
expense by tax upon every such lot, which tax was also made a lien thereon. (See Session
Laws, 1850, chapter 229, page 424, section 6, " Sidewalks.")
Your remonstrants would, therefore, suggest that, if Mr. Leslie failed to colfect the
cost of making a sidewalk for Mr. Edwards upon this double remedy against the rightful
party, he should not be aided by the Legislature to get the money from other persons who
are not now, and who never were, under any obligations to pay it.
This remonstrance was sent to the Legislature against the passage of a bill
for the relief of E. Norman Leslie that was then under consideration. The Legis-
lature, having been fully apprised of all the details of the proceedings of the
Board of Trustees, gave no countenance to the remonstrance, and passed the
bill, which included not only the one hundred dollars paid by me, but also all
expenses of every nature since the original payment, and interest on the one
hundred dollars. In order to make this experience fully understood, that a
public officer in the line of his duty can not be held responsible, it will be of
interest here to insert the law which was passed by the Legislature :
Chapter 295.
An Act for the 'Relief of E. Norman Leslie, and to Authorize the Trustees of the
Village of Skaneateles to raise One Hundred and Eighty-eight Dollars by Tax.
Passed April 17, 1862, three-fifths being present.
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as
follows:
Section i. The Trustees of the village of Skaneateles shall assess, apportion, and
raise by tax in said village the sum of one hundred and eighty-eight dollars, in addition to
any and all sums they otherwise might raise by law, and it shall be lawful for said Trustees
to assess and cause the said tax to be collected and enforced in the same manner as other
taxes are assessed, collected, and enforced in said village; and, when the Treasurer shall
have collected the taxes under the tax-roll and warrant to be delivered to him, it shall be the
duty of the said Treasurer to pay to E. Norman Leslie the said sum of one hundred and
eighty-eight dollars, on account of a certain judgment (together with the interest and expenses
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 453
accrued thereon) recovered against him by Thaddeus Edwards for an alleged trespass
arising out of the collection of the expenses of making a sidewalk in said village, which
sidewalk was made under the direction of the Board of Trustees of said village, of which
the said E. Norman Leslie was a member.
Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
My next experience was as a private citizen in the year 1872 (see page 274),
when the town of Skaneateles became bonded for $25o;ooo in behalf of the
New York Western Midland Railroad Company. The bonding had apparently
been fully completed under the decision of the County Judge. For further par-
ticulars, see page 277. My discovery of the defection of the County Judge fur-
nished two gentlemen — Forrest G. Weeks and C. W. Allis — with evidence on
which to file an appeal against the judgment of the County Judge, which resulted
in a judgment declaring the illegality of the bonding. Thus the town of Skan-
eateles was fortunately saved from a debt of $250,000.
It was during my term of office as President of the village that the Inter-
Urban Trolley Railroad made application for a franchise. I was heartily in
favor of granting such franchise, although great opposition existed from the
village merchants and some other persons. I could see in the future that the
village of Skaneateles would be greatly benefited in many directions, and it was
through my instrumentality with the other Trustees that a franchise was finally
granted. I, therefore, drew the franchise myself, first obtaining copies of fran-
chises from other villages which had granted franchisesj I paying the expense of
copying them. The franchise was carefully drawn to protect the interest of the
village in' the proper care of the streets in the construction of the track, and pre-
scribe the weight of its rails per yard and other regulations respecting the road-
way next to the track. I was very careful not to embarrass the company by
compelling it to pay a percentage on its gross receipts, as is often done in other
places. The village desired a well constructed road, and in all other particulars
" up-to-date " equipments. These have been completed by the company. The
effect of the completion of the road has thus far produced an encouraging im-
pression that this village, so long imprisoned, as it were, from the outside world,
will henceforth take its proper position among the most attractive villages in
the State.
It was solely by my individual persistence against the most determined op-
position of the late C. Pardee, together with my advances of money to pay partly
for the land, and for all other expenses attendant on laying out the grounds,
fencing, etc., that the village of Skaneateles now owns one of the most attractive
cemeteries in the State of New York. It has never cost the taxpayers a single
dollar of taxation. On the contrary, the village has received large sums of
money, net profits from the use of the cemetery, from its appointees, the Cemetery
Commissioners. My advances of money to the original Rural Cemetery Associa-
tion, which was an incorporated association, amounted to $3,075. This was a
loan to the association, and constituted a " floating debt," to be redeemed from
the sales of lots and plats. Besides my own advances, I persuaded other citizens
454 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
of the town to loan money to the association, which many did. Each person so
loaning received from the corporation a certificate of indebtedness. (A copy
of such certificate is given on page 429.) Not one of twenty or more of the
certificates issued has ever been paid by either the Trustees of the village of
Skaneateles or by the Cemetery Commissioners, whose duty it was to notify the
holders of those certificates that they had money on hand, realized from the sale
of lots, to pay pro rata each certificate. Not a single certificate of indebtedness-
has ever been paid! Only $713.28 of the total loan -of $3,075 which I made has
been paid, leaving due to me up to March 10, 1880, $2,362.47. This balance has
never been paid. The village of Skaneateles is responsible for its non-payment
from the profits they have received from the cemetery.
It was through my instrumentality that the village of Skaneateles has now
municipal ownership of its water works system, which is far superior to the old
sheet-iron pipes lined with Rosedale cement which now belong to the American
Pipe Manufacturing Company of New Jersey. It was fortunate that the village
was unable to purchase this plant, v/hich belongs to a pipe company that is char-
tered with a capital of one million dollars. The modesty of its incorporators is
shown by the amount of stock subscribed by them — $2,000! J. W. Hawley, the
present President of the Skaneateles Water Works Company, was one of the
incorporators of the pipe company, and he only subscribed for two shares ! For
a full description of this Jersey company, see page 381 of this volume. This
company is now and always has been " The Skaneateles Water Works Company."
It is the plaintifif in all the water litigation against the village. Its attorney
here in the village makes the assertion that his company will succeed in its
action against the village. In the event of an adverse decision, which is doubtful,
by the Supreme Court of the United States, before which this litigation is at
present, I have two propositions of evidence in courts of record which will be
used in a new trial, and which will finally defeat the pipe company. Mark this
prediction !
Since the above was written, the Supreme Court of the United States
has made the following decision, which is authoritative:
SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES.
No. 134. — October Term, 1901.
The Skaneateles Waterworks Company, \
Plaintiffs in Error, / ^ , r- ^ ,
( in error to the Supreme Court of
The Village of Skaneateles, E. Norman \
Leslie, as President of said Village, et al. '
[March 3, 1902.]
This is a writ of error to the Supreme Court of the State of New York,
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 455
the record having been remitted to that court from the Court of Appeals after
the hearing of an appeal to the latter court and an affirmance by it of the judgment
appealed from. (i6i N. Y. 154.)
The action was brought by the water company to restrain the village of
Skaneateles and the individual defendants, its officers, from proceeding further
with the construction of a waterworks system, or from doing any thing in
furtherance of the construction or operation of any system of waterworks for
that village. The plaintiff claimed that the village ordinance under which the
proposed action on the part of the village was taken was void as impairing the
obligation of a contract between plaintiff and the village; also, that its action
if continued would result in the taking of plaintiff's property without due
process of law ; that the action of the defendant, if permitted, would result in the
taking of private property for public use without compensation ; and that such
legislation denied to plaintiff the equal protection of the laws.
The defendants answered denying the contentions of plaintiff, and the case
was referred to a referee for trial, who, after hearing the parties, reported
that the defendants were entitled to j udgment, dismissing the complaint upon the
merits, with costs, and judgment was thereupon entered which was affirmed
by the appellate division of the Supreme Court of the State and upon appeal
by the Court of Appeals.
As matters of fact the referee in his report found that the plaintiff was a
domestic corporation organized under the act of 1873, chapter 737, and the
several acts amendatory thereof ; that the village of Skaneateles was a municipal
corporation and the individual defendants were respectively the jpresident, water
commissioners and trustees of the village. On April 5, 1887, the village granted
a franchise to the plaintiff to maintain and operate within the village of Skan-
eateles a system of waterworks for furnishing the village and its inhabitants
pure and wholesome water upon the terms and conditions stated in the franchise.
The plaintiff constructed the waterworks under this franchise and completed
it about the year 1889 and put the same in operation ; that the system was a com-
plete and adequate one, no complaint having been made that the water furnished
by the plaintiff was not pure and wholesome, or that it had been inadequate for the
purposes for which the system was erected. Prior to this time the village of Skan-
eateles was not supplied with water by any company or corporation, nor did it
possess any system of its own ; that since its incorporation, and for the purpose of
carrying on its works, the plaintiff had incumbered its property by mortgages
to secure the payment of bonds issued by it, which bonds were outstanding at the
time of the trial. After the erection and completion of the waterworks and on
February i, 1891, the plaintiff and defendants entered into a contract for the
supply of water and the erection of hydrants and for the payment of certain
compensation therefor by the defendants; that such contract was limited by
its terms to the period of five years from February i, 1891, and that it has
not been renewed since the time of its expiration on February i, 1896; that
45 6 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
after such time, without any proceeding to vacate or annul the franchise of the
plaintiff, or to dissolve the corporation, the defendant Leslie, as president of
the village, appointed some of the other defendants to be water commissioners
of the village, having in contemplation the purpose of constructing for said village
a waterworks system of its own; that the persons so appointed commissioners
entered upon the performance of their duties, called a meeting of the electors
of the village, who voted in favor of municipal ownership of the waterworks,
and after such election the water commissioners issued or caused to be issued
bonds of the village to the amount of $30,000, which they sold for the purpose
of obtaining money to construct a waterworks system of its own; that the
board of water commissioners of the village have entered into a contract for
the construction of waterworks for said village, and have expended thereon
about the sum of $24,000, and the works are substantially completed; that
all of the proceedings were taken without instituting any proceeding to condemn
the property of the plaintiff herein, although the plaintiff offered to participate
in a proceeding looking towards the condemnation of its property ; that the works
of the plaintiff were constructed at large expense and its property rights and
franchise mortgaged to secure its bonds which had been issued, and the income
of the plaintiff from the operation of its plant had been insufficient to meet its
outgoing expenses, and will be insufficient to meet its outgoing expenses when
it shall cease to furnish water to the village of Skaneateles.
As conclusions of law the referee held :
( 1 ) That the village of Skaneateles was not required to institute proceedings
to condemn the property of the plaintiff before commencing the construction of a
waterworks system for the use of the village.
(2) That the consent of the village of Skaneateles to the organization of the
plaintiff as a waterworks company, and the making of a contract by the village
of Skaneateles with the plaintiff for the supply of pure and wholesome water,
did not vest in plaintiff the exclusive right to furnish said village with water,
or prevent the village from granting to another corporation the right to supply
water within the said village, or the village from constructing and maintaining
a waterworks system to supply itself with water.
(3) That subsequently to February i, 1896, no contractual relations existed
between the plaintiff and the village of Skaneateles, and the village was not
under legal obligation to enter into any contract with the plaintiff after that date,
or to continue to take water from the plaintiff ; but was entitled to construct and
maintain a waterworks system of its own.
(4) That the defendants were entitled to judgment dismissing the complaint
upon the merits with costs, and judgment was ordered accordingly.
Though not, perhaps, material upon the legal rights of the parties, yet it is
seen from correspondence found in the record that prior to the expiration
of the contract in February, 1896, the company gave notice to the village
that it intended to increase its rents for hydrants, &c., to fifty dollars, which
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 457
sum was ten dollars per hydrant more than it was entitled to under the franchise
granted it, and twenty dollars more than the sum named in the expiring contract.
The village authorities refused to pay the increase, and the water company,
on learning it had under its franchise the right to charge but forty dollars per
hydrant, reduced its demand, but the parties failed to agree, and the contract
expired. After its expiration the company notified the village that the hydrants
had been closed and that there must be no interference with them, even in case of
fire. Both parties became somewhat excited, it would seem, and it resulted in
the village taking proceedings under chapter i8i of the laws of 1875, and
its amendments for erecting and operating waterworks of its own.
Mr. Justice Peckham, after making the above statement of facts, delivered
the opinion of the Court.
The power of this court to review the judgment of the New York Court
of Appeals is limited to a consideration of the question whether any right
of the plaintiff's protected by the Federal Constitution has been denied by the
judgment. Whether the plaintiff is entitled to relief under the facts disclosed
in the record upon general principles of equitable jurisdiction, is not a matter
for us to inquire into so long as the question does not involve the constitutional
rights of the plaintiff.
The claim is made that the ordinance adopted by the authorities of the
village of Skaneateles in 1896, providing in substance for the erection and
operation of a water system by the village, which ordinance was passed pursuant
to an authority of the legislature under the act, chapter 181 of the laws of 1875,
and amendments, (giving authority to cities and villages to build their own
waterworks,) impaired the obligations of the contract existing between the
village and the company. The contract to which reference is made is not the
one which was entered into in 1891 between these parties for the term of five
years, because that contract was fully carried out and had expired by its own
limitation in February, 1896, but it is the contract which the plaintiff in error
claims was implied by reason of its organization and incorporation in 1887,
in pursuance of an application made to, and with the consent of, the village
authorities, and under the provisions of chapter 737 of the laws of New York
of 1873, and the acts amendatory thereof. It is said the village at the time
of plaintiff's incorporation had the election to do the work itself under the
above act of 1875, or to confer upon a private company like the plaintiff, under
the act of 1873, the right to do it, and when with these two different methods
for obtaining a supply of water the village chose that which called for a supply
by a private cojnpany, it impliedly contracted that it would not itself thereafter
take the other method for obtaining such supply, unless it bought the plant of the
company or condemned it under the provisions of the act of 1875. This, it
is said, was implied in the grant made by the village. Sections, i, 2, 3, 4 and 5
45 8 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
of the act of 1873, under which the plaintiff was incorporated, are set forth in the
margin.*
* Chap. 737, Laws of 1873.
Sec. I. Any number of persons not less than seven may hereafter organize in any town
or village of this State a waterworks company, under the provisions of this act.
Sec. 2. Whenever any persons to the number of seven or more shall organize for the
purpose of forming a waterworks company in any of the towns or villages in this State,
they shall present to the town or village authorities an application, setting forth the persons
who propose to form said company, the proposed capital stock thereof, the proposed number
and character of the shares of such capital stock, and the name or names of the streams,
ponds, springs, lakes or other sources and their locations, from which water is to be supplied.
Such applications shall be signed by the persons who propose to form said company, and shall
contain a request that the said town or village authorities shall consider the application of
said company to supply said town or village of this State, or the inhabitants thereof, with
pure and wholesome water. Upon the presentation of such application, the authorities of
any town or village, which authorities are for the purposes of this act defined to consist for
incorporated villages and towns, the board of trustees and supervisor, and for all other
towns, the supervisor, justices of the peace, town clerk and commissioner of highways.
Said authorities shall within thirty days of the presentation of said application determine by
a vote of a majority of the authorities of said town or village, whether said application shall
be granted; and the authorities of any town or village in this State are hereby authorized
and empowered to make such determination, and when the same shall be made, to sign a
certificate to that eiTect, and immediately transmit the same to the person making such
application or either of them. Duplicate certificates of such determination shall be filed in
the office of the clerk of said town or village, and in the office of the county clerk of the
county in which said town or village granting such application shall be situated. The
persons named in such application shall thereupon meet and organize as a waterworks com-
pany under such corporate name as they may select. They shall file in the office of the
secretary of State a certificate of such organization. Said certificate shall contain the name
of the corporation, the names of the members of said corporation and their residences, the
amount of capital stock, the location of the office of said company. Such certificate shall be
subscribed and sworn to by the president of said corporation, and shall be attested by the
secretary thereof. Upon the filing of said certificate said waterworks company shall be
known and deemed a body corporate, and shall be capable of suing and being sued by the
corporate name which they shall have selected, in any of the courts of this State. The capital
stock of said company shall be paid in the manner and within the time provided by the " Act
to authorize the formation of corporations for manufacturing, mechanical or chemical pur-
poses," passed February seventeenth, eighteen hundred and forty-eight, and the several
amendments thereto, and the stockholders of said companies shall be personally liable for
the debts of said companies in the same manner and to the same extent as is provided by said
act and the amendments thereto.
Sec. 3. Said corporation shall have power to take and hold real estate for the purpose of
their corporation, and may have, hold and occupy any of the waters of this State ; provided,
however, that nothing herein contained shall be deemed to infringe upon any private right
which shall not have been the subject of an agreement and lease or purchase by said corpora-
tion. Provided, that said company shall have no power to take or use water from any of the
canals of this State or any canal reservoirs as feeders or any streams which have been taken
by the State for the purpose of supplying the canals with waters.
Sec. 4. Any corporation organized under the provisions of this act may, and they are
hereby authorized and empowered, to lay their water pipes in any streets or avenues or
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 459
Under the act of 1875, chap. 181, the village was authorized to erect and
operate its own works. Provision was made in the act in detail for the
organization of a board of water commissioners and the building of waterworks,
the mode of paying for the same, and other matters connected with the supply of
water. That part of the twenty-second section of the act in regard to the taking
of the property of a private company, is set forth in the margin.*
Pursuant to the provisions of the act of 1873, certain persons on July 5, 1887,
applied to the village authorities for permission to organize a water company
to supply the village with pure and wholesome water, and on that day the author-
ities granted the request. On August i, 1887, a certificate was duly filed in the
office of the secretary of State at Albany, by which the corporation was formed
under the name of The Skaneateles Waterworks Company. Subsequently to the
incorporation of the plaintiff it built the waterworks and entered into a contract
with the village authorities to supply water to the village for five years from
February i, 1891.
It would seem to be clear, under the decisions of this court, that the plaintiflf
in applying to the village and filing its certificate with the secretary of State
under the act of 1873 acquired nq contract right, expressed or implied, to any
exclusive privilege of using the streets of the village for supplying it with
water. {Charles River Bridge Company v. Warren Bridge Company, 11 Pet.
420; Long Island Water Supply Company v. Brooklyn, 166 U. S. 685, 696;
Walla Walla City v. Walla Walla Water Company, 172 Id. i, 13.) The Court
of Appeals of New York held to the same effect in regard to a provision in the
charter of Syracuse relating to the rights of a water company, the provision
being similar to the charter here involved. {Syracuse Water Company v. City
public places, in any streets or avenues of an adjoining town or village, to the town or village
where their application shall have been granted.
Sec. 5. Said corporations are authorized and empowered to supply the authorities or in-
habitants of any town or village where they may have organized, with pure and wholesome
water, at such rates and cost to consumers as they shall agree upon.
* Part of Sec. 22, Chap. 181, Laws of 1875.
' Sec. 22. " Whenever any corporation shall have been organized under the laws of this
State for the purpose of supplying the inhabitants of any village with water, and it shall
become or be deemed necessary by the board of water commissioners herein authorized to
be created, that the rights, privileges, grants and properties of such corporation shall be
required for any of the purposes of this act, the commissioners herein authorized to be created
shall have the power, and it shall be their duty, to make, or cause to be made, a thorough
examination of the works, rights, privileges and properties owned or held by such corpora-
tions, or any of them, and if such commissioners shall determine that said works, rights,
privileges and properties are necessary for the purposes of this act, they shall have the right
to make application to the Supreme Court. . " The section then provides for taking
the property by condemnation.
46o HISTORY OF SKANEATELBS.
of Syracuse, ii6 N. Y. 167, decided in 1889; also Matter of City of Brooklyn,
143 N. Y. 596, affirmed in this court, 166 U. S. supra.) Indeed, this proposition
is conceded by counsel for the plaintiff, and it admits that tlie village, notwith-
standing its grant to the plaintiff, possessed the power to grant to any other
individual company the same kind of privilege it had already granted to plaintiff.
But it denies the right of the village to avail itself of the authority to itself
build and operate the works, given under the act of 1875, unless the plaintiff's
plant be taken by purchase or condemnation.
Having before it the above act of 1873, amended in 1877, the Court of
Appeals, in People ex rel. &c. v. Forrest and others, (97 N. Y. 97, 100, decided
in 1884,) said that: "The State authorized the formation of waterworks com-
panies in its towns and villages, (Laws of 1877, chap. 171,) but it does not require
one so organized to supply water to the town or village, nor does it require
the town or village to take its supply of water from the company so formed."
It is true that by chapter 566 of the laws of 1890 it was provided that the
water companies " shall supply the authorities or any of the inhabitants of any
city, town or village through which the conduits or mains of such corporation
may pass, with pure and wholesome water at reasonable rates and cost ; " and the
act provided that contracts might be made therefor. But there was no provision
making it incumbent upon the municipal authorities to take water from any
such company.
By virtue of its incorporation under this act of 1873 the plaintiff secured
simply the right to be a corporation and the authority to lay its water pipes
in any of the streets and avenues or public streets of the village of Skaneateles.
The village, however, as stated, was under no obligation to take water from
the company. That was a matter for subsequent contract between the parties.
Admitting that in every grant there is an implication that the grantor will do
nothing to detract from the full and complete operation of the grant itself, we
cannot find any implication that, after the termination of the contract the plaintiff
and defendant were empowered tp make, there should be no right in the defendant
to build its own system of waterworks under the statute of 1875, unless it
purchased or condemned the property of the plaintiff.
There is no implied contract in an ordinary grant of a franchise, such as
this, that the grantor will never do any act by which the value of the franchise
granted may in the future be reduced. Such a contract would be altogether
too far reaching and important in its possible consequences in the way of limi-
tation of the powers of a municipality, even in matters not immediately connected
with water, to be left to implication. We think none such arises from the facts
detailed.
It is not amiss to here recall the situation at the time plaintiif became in-
corporated, in 1887, under the act of 1873. That act provided for the organi-
zation and incorporation of water companies which misrht furnish water to
cities, villages and towns of the State. There was also the act of 1875 (chapter
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 461
181) and its amendments, granting to the village authorities the right to erect and
operate a water system of their own. There was the further statutory provision,
(chapter 129 of the Laws of 1879, relating to the municipality, and chapter
422 of the Laws of 1885, relating to a water company,) that the contracts to
be entered into between the water companies and the municipal authorities
should not extend beyond five years, unless there was a vote of the electors
authorizing a contract for a longer period, but in no case longer than thirty
years. Now while the parties are prohibited from contracting for more than
five years without a vote of the electors, which was not taken, how can it be
said that when they contracted only for the time permitted by the legislature,
there was nevertheless an implied contract that the village would never avail
itself of the right provided by statute, without purchasing or condemning the
property of the plaintiff ? No such condition is stated in any statute. We cannot
see any solid foundation for the claim that there was a final and conclusive
election of methods by the village, out of which sprang the implied contract
contended for, when the legislature at that very time prohibited a contract
for more than five years. It would seem in the nature of things that the election
of methods was for no longer a time than the law permitted a contract to be made
under the method chosen by the village. After the expiration of that time we
cannot see why the parties were not in the same condition as to their respective
rights that they were in before the contract for the five years was made. Other-
wise, we have the anomalous condition that the village may grant unconditionally,
the franchise to supply it with water, to another private company, while ceasing
and refusing to take from the old company, and yet it cannot erect its own water
system, (unless it purchases or condemns the plant of the plaintiff,) because
it chose to enter into a contract with plaintiff for a supply of water by it for
five years, although the contract has expired by • its own limitation and the
parties are under no legal obligation to renew it. We can appreciate the argument
that the village had no right to build and use its own plant during the running
of the five years' contract, but we fail to see the force of the claim that, on account
of once making a contract with the plaintiff for five years, the village irrevocably
bound itself by an implied contract never to build its own plant without taking
by condemnation the property of the plaintiff if the parties could not agree on
terms of purchase. We cannot see the logic of such contention.
The very fact that the taking of the plant of a private existing company
was not made a condition for the exercise of the authority to build granted
the village by the act of 1875, shows there was no implied contract to take
such property. The right to build was specifically given to the village under the
act of 187s, whether any private company existed or not, and that right to
build was nowhere in tlje statute conditioned upon a taking by the village of the
plant of the private company. The act recognized the fact that there might be an
existing private company, and the twenty-second section gave the village authority
to take it, but did not compel it. It, therefore, authorized the village to build
462 'HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
and operate its works without taking the plant of the private company. Both
these acts were in existence when the plaintiff was incorporated under the
act of 1873, and it took the chance of the village thereafter availing itself of the
act of 1875 to build and operate, unconditionally, its own plant.
When the contract for the five years had expired we look in vain for
anything in either of the statutes of 1873 or 1875 upon which to base the implied
contract contended for. The court below, after careful consideration of the
statute of 1875, came to the conclusion that there was nothing in the language
of the twenty-second or any other section thereof compelling the village to
purchase or condemn the plant of the company, and that no contract could be
implied therefrom. Chief Judge Parker, in his opinion in this case, ( 161 N. Y.
154, at page 162,) says:
"On the other hand, the appellant urges that. the statute authorizing villages to supply
themselves with water, and permitting the acquisition of the works of any private corpora-
tion that may be supplying such municipalities with water, also makes it the duty of the
water commissioners to acquire the property of the existing corporation or corporations.
But after a very careful examination of the statute it seems to us vefy clear that this is not
so. It is probable that the legislature mistakenly assumed that such authorities would not
act unjustly or oppressively, but would recognize the property rights of others. Be that as
it may, the right to determine whether the property of an existing waterworks corporation
should be taken or not is clearly submitted to the determination of the local authorities.
The refusal of the defendant, therefore, to acquire the plaintiff's property by proceedings
in invitum does not tend to support the plaintiff's claim for an injunction. The defendant
has done precisely what the statute authorizes, and all that remains for the court to determine
is whether the act was within the legislative power, or void because in contravention of the
organic law."
The judge then proceeded to discuss that question, and held that the action
of the village was legal. We concur in this view. The language too plainly leaves
it to the discretion and judgment of the water commissioners, to permit of any
other construction. Not being bound by the statute to take the property of
the plaintiff as a condition of building its own plant, there is, as we have
said, no implication of a contract to do that which the statute itself does not
direct.
Reference was made on the argument to two Pennsylvania cases, decided
by the Supreme Court of that State. They are White v. City of Meadville,
(177 Pa. St. 643,) and Metzger v. Beaver Falls, &c., (178 Id. i.) They
decide what is the proper construction to be given certain statutes of that State
relating to municipal corporations, and to water companies formed to supply
them with water. The actions were brought by taxpayers of the munici-
palities to restrain the latter from erecting works of their own to supply
water. The court held that under the powers given to the municipalities
by those statutes, they had not the right to erect such works unless they
took the plant of the water companies then operating such plant. They did
HISTORY OF SKANEATELES. 463
not hold there was any implied contract on the part of the municipalities that
they would so take the plant, or that to operate works of their own without
doing so would be a taking of the property without due process of law or without
making compensation, or that it would be a denial of the equal protection of the
laws. The cases were maintained on equitable principles and in favor of
taxpayers who were complainants, and there was no question of contract between
the city and the water company upon the basis of which the actions were per-
mitted to stand. It was a simple question of the powers granted to the parties
by the dififerent statutes. The court said that although the city was not bound
to become the owner of the works, it had no power to destroy their value by
duplicating them at the expense of the taxpayers. A taxpayer was the plaintiff.
The court decided no Federal question in either case. The statutes of New York
are somewhat dififerent, and the State court has come to the conclusion that under
them the village was not bound to take the plant of the plaintiff. We agree in
the view that there was no implied contract to take the property of plaintiff,
even though the village should subsequently to the expiration of the written
contract erect its own water system.
It is also plain that as there was no contract, such as is claimed by the
plaintiff, the action of the village has not resulted in the taking of any of the
property of the plaintiff without due process of law or without compensation.
It has not taken any of the property of the plaintiff in any aspect of the case.
Its action may have seriously impaired the value of the plaintiff's property,
but it has taken none of it, and such decrease in value, caused by the village
exercising its right to build and operate its own plant, furnishes, under the
facts in this case, no foundation for the plaintiff's claim. {Lehigh Water Com-
pany V. Easton, 121 U. S. 388, 390.)
In Pumpelly v. Green Bay Company, (113 U. S. 166,) the land of the
plaintiff had been overflowed by water under a claim of right under a statute,
and it was held that such continuous overflow and user amounted to a taking
of the plaintiff's property.
This is not such a case. The property of the plaintiff remains wholly
untouched. Its value has decreased because the village no longer takes water
from it, and the inhabitants will probably also take their supply from the village
works, but the plaintiff's property has not been taken, as that term is understood
in constitutional law. What the village ought to do in the moral aspect of the
case is, of course, not a question for us to determine.
The Court of Appeals has held in this case that the provisions in the statute
for the taxation of the property of the company in common with other owners
of property to pay the obligations incurred in the construction of the works
by the village, and all discriminating taxation of the patrons of the company
are invalid. See also Warsazt' Waterworks Company v. Village of Warsaw,
161 N. Y. 176.) The plaintiif is, therefore, freed from the obligations imposed
by those provisions.
464 HISTORY OF SKANEATELES.
The views above expressed show that there was no such contract as claimed
by the plaintiff, and consequently no impairment of the obligations of any
contract, and there has been no taking of plaintiff's property, nor has it been
denied by the State the equal protection of the laws. The judgment of the Court
of Appeals of New York is right, and must, therefore, be
Afjirmed.
True copy.
Test:
(Signed) James H. McKenney,
Clerk Supreme Court, U. S.
[seal.]
Another instance of the benefit derived from my exertions for the interests
of the village was the system of clearing the snow from the sidewalks by horse-
power during the winter season. This was introduced in the year 1867. For a
full account of this, see page 384 of this volume.
Therefore, I assume that my experiences as an officer of the village and as a
citizen of both town and village, and my public services as such, have been bene-
ficial to the community. As an item of my individual history, the following
may be of interest in connection with the work accomplished in writing the
contents of this volume and of collecting a comprehensive history of Skaneateles :
I was born in New Bedford, Mass., August 13, 1817, now nearly eighty-five
years of age.
" For the structure that we raise,
Time is with material filled:
Our to-days and yesterdays
Are the blocks with which we build." — Longfellow.
Edmund Norman Leslie.
ADDENDUM,
JUDGE WILLIAM MARVIN.
Died July g, 1Q02.
JUDGE WILLIAM MARVIN.
Judge Marvin was born at Fairfield, Herkimer County, April 14, 1808. His
father was Selden Marvin and his mother Charlotte Pratt, of Saybrook, Conn.
He was a lineal descendant of Reinold Marvin, who came from England to
Lyme, Conn., in 1633. When he was an infant the Judge's parents moved to
Dryden, Tompkins County, and there he grew to manhood. He was educated
in the district school, and at the age of fifteen years was a teacher in the same
school. At eighteen he started out with a few dollars and a new suit of clothes
to go to Phelps to teach school. He expected a letter at Ithaca from his brother,
who was arranging to secure the school. He did not get it, although it was mailed
to him, and believing that his brother had neglected him he decided to " cut loose "
and shift for himself. He started south, riding by stage, and then walking to
save money. He finally reached Bladenburgh, near Washington, D. C, without
money. It was hard work, but people trusted the honest boy and he started a
school. He succeeded fairly well, getting thirty or more pupils. On July 4, 1827,
he trudged into Washington in the boiling sun to see the city and attend the
President's reception. He shook hands with President John Quincy Adams, and
saw many, notables, including General Winfield Scott.
A Student of Law.
Soon after that he started out to study law, and was admitted to the bar in
this State in 1833, almost severity years ago. In 1835 he went to Florida and was
appointed by President Andrew Jackson, for whom he cast his first vote, to be
United States District Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. For the
next twenty-six years he made Key West his home. A few years after his
appointment President Martin Van Buren appointed him United States Judge,
and when Florida was admitted into the Union as a State he was appointed United
States Judge for the State by President Polk. He held that Judgeship until 1863,
when ill health caused him to resign. Through all the difficulties preceding and
during the first part of the Civil War Judge Marvin maintained a Union "Court
against all diflficulties. The State had seceded, but the Union flag floated over the
Court House.
Governor of Florida.
In 1863 Judge Marvin went to New York, but in 1865 he was sent back to
Florida by President Johnson, who appointed him Provisional Governor of Florida.
During the six months that he was Provisional Governor he brought about the
reconstruction of the State government very materially. Then the carpetbag
government followed, and the Judge, like many others, was opposed to negroes
voting. Ha was elected United States Senator by the whites, but because the
negroes were not allowed to vote another election was held, and the Judge refused
to stand as a candidate.
In 1846 the Judge married Harriet N. Foote, of Cooperstown, who died a
few years later. In 1867 he married Mrs. Eliza Riddle Jewett, of Skaneateles.
Soon after Judge and Mrs. Marvin moved there, and from that time until his
death Skaneateles was his home.
Judge Marvin was always a great student of history and of the Bible, and
wrote much upon those subjects. He was for thirty years honored and revered
by all in Skaneateles. Until the day of his death his mind was clear, and few
men there are living who could speak as he could from personal experience of
Adams, Van Buren, Jackson, Clay, Webster, Calhoun, Jefferson Davis, and the
other great men of days long gone by.
Judge William Marvin died July 9, 1902, the best loved man in Skaneateles,
a jurist of distinction, a churchman of devout faith, and a student of theology,
a man interested in public affairs, a party man, yet one who put his sense of duty
so far above party that after voting for every Democratic President from Jackson
to Cleveland, he openly disavowed Bryan.
Judge Marvin had been ill for several days with pneumonia. His years were
so many that he could not bear up under it. His life was despaired of for twenty-
four hours before his death. Mrs. Marvin died in 1901. His son-in-law and
daughter. General and Mrs. M. I. Ludington, were with him at the last.
The Judge died at the home he has occupied for a generation — ^the Jewett
homestead in Genesee Street, originally the home of Freeborn Garrison Jewett,
first Chief Judge of the New York State Court of Appeals.
A Democrat Until i
Judge Marvin was a Democrat. He voted for the seventh President of the
United States, Andrew Jackson, the hero of New Orleans, and he voted the
Democratic ticket until 1896, sixty-nine years. Then he repudiated Bryan, and
then and once again voted for the Republican candidate,' William McKinley.
INDEX OF NAMES.
A.
PAGE.
Adams, Emerson H 21
Allen, Eastwood 317
H. W 19s, 306, 316, 317, 336
James M 186, 282, 284, 320
Joseph 306
Allis, C. W., & Co 195
Caleb W n, 195, 206,
208, 27s, 277, 306, 318, 322, 453
Moses & Huxtable 195
Rhoades & Hall 195
Thomas 229
& Hall 198
& Morgan 195
& Wicks 195
Andrews, Elnathan 269, 361
Arnold, George '320
Henry 78, 1 12
John Milton 284
Austin, Aaron 32, 37, 62, 405
Dor 20
B.
Bacon, Asa 134
Baker, R. J 284
Timothy 283
Bannister & Hubbard 172
Weeks & Leitch 304
Barnes & Coleman 304
Eli 40s
Barrow, C. E 374
George 37i
John 306
John D 296, 376
Bartlett, Dr. Levi T 23, 35, 284, 328
Bassett, Joseph 272
Bates, Abner 68
Beach, Elizabeth T. Porter 336
Erastus M 336, 395
John C 306
Lucien 171
Bean, Eben 172, 225
PAGE.
Beauchamp, Miss M. E 317
Rev. Wm. M 4, 152, 293, 296
Wm. Millett 284, 318
Beebe, Alex. R 62, 124
Bellamy, Samuel 23, 68, 281
Bench, James 284
Benedict, Dr. Isaac 326
Dr. Michael D 327
Peter 326
S. E ^.... 376
Dr. Samuel 134, 326
Bennett, Nate 70
Benson, Alanson 25
Dr. P. Oscar C 327
Billings, John ■ 21
Blodgett, A .- 304
Booth, Jonathan 35, 198, 208, 281, 282
Zalmon 268, 282
& Ingham 134, 198, 366
Bowen, Almeron 14
Benajah i3, 14
Elijah 13, 14
Brainerd, Dyer 23, 150, 284, 335, 419
Bramble, Grant 227
Breed, Jacob W 405
Briggs, Widow 15
Daniel 62
Isaac 144
John IS, 32, 36, 77> 132, 370
Noah 194
Samuel 68, 133
& Hall 194
Brinkerhoff, Aaron 208
& Porter 208
& Willetts 208
Bristol, John 67
Burdict, " Old " David 219, 224
Burnett, Albert De Cost 359, 361
Mrs. C. J 67
Charles J 23, 26, 28,
32, 136, 218, 281, 282, 306, 320
Charles J., Jr 201, 208
466
INDEX OF NAMES.
PAGE.
Burnett, Joseph H 284
William J 317
Burridge, John 286
Burroughs, Daniel •. 20, 273
Bush, Silas 23
C.
Campbell, Dr. Geo. T 35, 318, 325
Candee, Mrs. Eliza A 142
Carpenter, John 308
Carrigan, P. C, & Co 172
Caulkins (a cooper) 15
Chadwick, Holland W 172
Champ, Alfred 438
Child, W. H '. 108
Clark, Ashley 183
Mrs. Calvin 368
Charles (Parsons) 215
Chester zo
Eli 8, 15, 52, 95, 281
Foster 15, 52, 281
William 281
Clift, Joab IS
Joseph 280
William 62, 78, 91, 405
Cobane, Miss Lydia A 318
Cody, Mrs 30, 120
Coe, Edward B 160, 171, 172, 284, 318
Noble 214
Cole, Bethuel 15, 361
Collins, John A 175
Colvin, Jasper H 183, 320
Conover, Shuler D 318
Cornell, Perry 220
Cory, Adin 284
Cotton, George, & Owen 366
Willard 366
& Lewis 79
Crosby, Phillip 281
Ransom 284
Crosier, Tip 276
Cuddeback, Abraham 370
Abraham A 11, 13, 36, 269
Lafayette 81
Cuykendall, Henry 19
Moses 19
D.
Daniels, John 282
Dascomb, Joseph 23, 136, 183, 320
PAGE.
Davey, John, Jr 306
Day, Rowland 331
Winston 14, 15, 23, 25, 30,
32, 33, 35, 144, 168, 177, 388
& Hecox 154
& Sherwood 48, 388
De Cost, Mrs. Hannah H 142, 390
Capt. Nash 140, 284, 293, 298
Delano, Howard 171
De Witt, Jacob C 306
De Zeng, Richard L 316, 368
Dibble, Philo 23, 136
Dickerson, McKendree 225
& Kennedy 305
Diefendorf, Geo. E 159
Daniels, Spencer A 286
Dodge, Harrison B 72, 153, 208, 306, 331
Douglass, Archibald 170
William B 78
Drake, Samuel 168
Dullard, Mr ". 34
Dunning, Moses B 331
E.
Earll, A. J 304
Abijah 21, 22
Augustus 22, 171
Daniel 16, 21, 22, 170, 183
David , 195
Delos 171
George H 22, 172, 173
George H., & Co 303
Dr. George W 328
Hezekiah 21, 22, 172, 320
Hezekiah, & Co 172
Hiram 171
J. Horatio 22
Jonas 17
Julius 20, 22, 172, 173, 276
Kellogg & Co 333
Leonard H 22, 171, 272
Nehemiah H 16, 17, 18, 22
Robert ... .16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 32, 172, 281
Thayer & Co 172, 305
& Tallman 305
Edwards, Alanson 16, 23, 52, 114, 116
Jonathan 293
Simeon 115
Solomon 115
Thaddeus 16, 23, 116, 213, 367
Eells, Nathaniel 28, 213
INDEX OF NAMES.
467
PAGE.
Ellery, William G 306
Elliott, Charles L 296
Ellsbury, George H 221
Ennis, James 312, 367
F.
Farr, Archibald 135
Fay, Massilon 219
Field, Sereno 281
Fillmore, Millard 175
Fitch, Lewis B 371
Fitzgerald, William 11
Flink, Dr 70
Foster, Sol 70
Francis, George ' 188, 208, 284
Samuel 113, 168, 221, 282, 320
Wadsworth 71
Frost, Ansel 171, 405
Joseph 284
Russell 284, 28s
Fuller, C. M 285
James Cannings 150, 368
Sumner 255
William 143, 306
Furman, John S 281, 282, 284, 320
G.
Gardner, James 20
Garlock, John G 20
Gaylord, Silas 284
Gibbs, Miss Harriet J 283
William 282, 306, 320
& Hannum 168
& Horton 198
Gifford, Mrs. S. A 368
Stephen A 202
Giles, Warren 284
Gillett, Edson D 306
Gillman, James R 272
Goodall, Charles 102, 163
Gorton, Dr. Wm. R 306, 328
Gould, Edward Osboi'ne 211, 212, 369
Phares 23, 35, 124,
134, 209, 212, 306, 336, 366
Gray, George 169
Greenman, Edward 20
Greeves, Thomas 35
Griswold, Eziekel I55
Gumaer, Benjamin 78
Peter E I93. 367
H.
PAGE.
Hale, Seth M 318
Hall, Charles F 293
Charles S 318
David 183, 194, 19s,
218, 219, 286, 336, 337
Edwin E 371
George B '. 18
James 219, 286, 306, 311
Dr. Jonathan 326
Ralph 85, IIS, 219, 286
Seth & James 130, 169, 320
Will T 331
& Pynchon 194
Hammond, Dr. Alex 328
Hannum, Spencer 306, 333
Hawley, Nelson 284, 306, 320, 331
Hecox, Thomas W 320
Warren 174, 183
& Tinkham 78
Hicks, Elias 367
Hitchcock, Alfred 272, 370
Hoagland, Jacob 286
Hopkins, Dr. Judah B 280, 326, 335
Horton, Alexander 306
Stephen 198, 282, 329, 331
Howe, David 79
John 382
Hoyt, Edward S 157
Ezekiel B 172, 304
Ezekiel B., & Co 172
Hubbard, Daniel 3, 4
H. J 206, 324, 368
Humphreys, Correl 79
John 284, 318
Hunsicker, Elias 171
Hutchinson, Thos 308
Huxford, Henry D 332
Huxtable, Richard 286
I.
Ingham, Samuel 198, 200, 201, 366
Isbell, Charles B 151
Isom, Thomas, Jr 200, 272
& Hall 205, 206
J.
Jacacks, Samuel 12
Jerome, Addison G 211, 221, 336
Leonard H 211, 336
468
INDEX OF NAMES.
PAGE.
Jewett, Freeborn G 78, 129, 158,
193, 208, 306, 331
William H 208, 284, 306, 33i
Johnson, Elisha 19S
Quincy A 176
K.
Keeney, E. Sherman 40S
Kelley, Thos 306, 332, 376
Kellogg, Augustus 149, 221, 283,
316, 320, 394
Daniel 26, 48, 121, 183, 191, 289
Daniel, Jr 136
David H 317
Dorastus 28, 152, 168, 170, 333
Jessee 28, 79, 193, 268
John 20, 35, 152, 171, 222
John R 28, 44, 49
Noadiah 320
Kingsbury, Dr. David 13, 14, 326
Kirkland, Samuel 241
Knapp, Ezra B 306
Kneeland, Asa 78, 386
Horace 386
Dr. Jonathan 386
Knibloe, Mrs. Sophia 142
Knox, J. K 371
L.
Lamb, Alford 308
Lafayette, General 184
Lawrence, Dorastus 62
Giles M 206
George P 202
Lawton, Abner 164, 284, 285
Lapham, Anson 206, 318, 320, 321, 322
Amie Ann 318, 323
Lee, Capt. Benjamin 23, 137
Benoni 276, 318, 322, 396, 398
Ezra 91
Legg, John 17, 23. 35, 66, 78, 113,
143, 154, 169, 172, 218, 306, 317, 320
Moses 78
Leitch, Geo. F 158, 287, 289, 306
Mrs. Geo. F 34
Leland, John 17
Leonard, Nathan 7, 15, 82
Norman 15, 23, 35, 37, 82, 367, 388
Leslie, E. Norman 275, 284, 306, 318, 333, 334
Mrs. E. N 323, 325
PAGE.
Lester, Dr. F. Harvey 328
Litherland, Samuel 16, 33, 34, 113, 281
Livingston, John W 23, 282, 335
Lord, Dr. H. R 294
Loss, Moses 35, 79
Ludlow, Daniel 200, 312
Edward G 200, 282, 316, 366
& Hecox 200
Lusk (early carpenter) 17
M.
McCray, James ,. . . . 405
McKay, Daniel 69
McLaughlin, John 306
McNamara, John 371
Mabbett, John H 170
Manley, Elijah 361, 370
Marvin, William. .259, 275, 306, 318, 321, 322
Mason, Asa 15
Avery 15
Chloe 16
J. L 16
Capt. Rishworth 154, 214
& Earll .■ 78
Meeker, John 35, 37, 76, 77, 200, 388
Mellen, Jeremiah 171
Lucius 171
Merrell, Dr. Charles F 156, 214
Elias 52
Milford, C. R 306
Miller, Nathaniel 35, 37, 388
Mills, Isaac 367
John 20
Timothy 367
Miner, Amos . . . ■ 37, 42, 171
Deming & Sessions " 41
Moore, Mrs. Schuyler 14
Morgan, George P 200
Seth 20
& Daniels 200
Morton, Gavin 172
Thomas '.....- 171, 172
Moseley, Daniel T 18, 148, 208
Moses, Chester •. . . . 281
Henry 273
Lucien 206
& Huxtable 195
Mott, Arthur 170, 171, 368
Mrs. Lydia P 232, 368
Hunger, Dr., Sr 16, 17
INDEX OP NAMES.
469.
N.
PAGE.
Newton, Adolphus 118
Northam, Alfred 269
Nurse, (Sir) James 187
Nye, Benjamin 20
Henry S 308
John M 20
O.
O'Keefe (tailor) 17
Oxley, Charles 225
P.
Packwood, John 167, 305, 308
Padelford, E. M 318
Pardee, Amos 23, 24
C, & Co 20s, 206
Charles 23, 24, 28, 40,
187, 203, 208, 218, 254, 282, 320, 306
Ebenezer 120, 200, 207
Paresell, Dr. L 328
Parker, Amasa 30
Parsons, Chester 22, 23, 13s
Elijah 68, 193
Ives 71
Spencer 197
& Rust 197
Patterson, Rev. A. C 212
Mrs. Juliet C 392
Pattison, Wm. H 156
Peck, Holcomb 25
Liva 14s
Noah 2S6
Pelle, Peter 226
Pendleton, Charles 171
Charles, & Sons 171
Perry, Isaac W 306, 320, 332, 336
Petheram, B. & J 170
Benjamin F 170, 371
Phelps, Mr 405
Thomas B 285
Pierce, Dr 326
Judah 23
Pierson, John 282
Poor, Charles H 16, 35, 201, 211
Porter, Dr. Evelyn H 284, 327
J. Gurdon 19s, 197, 221, 284, 317, 332
James 35. 36, 91. 281, 292, 336
Dr. Samuel.. 14, 16, 17, 116, 191, 326, 405
& Jewett 135
& Pardee 205, 206
PAGE.
Potter, Mr 23
Caleb W 79
E. C 368
Francis M 317, 368
Powell, Thomas 226
William 226
Pratt, Dr. William 326
Preston, M. N 281
Price, Elijah 367
William 16, 17
Purcell, Rev. F. J 288
Putnam, Perley 36
Porter & Leonard 41, 49
Pynchon, George A 194
R.
Ray & Bannister 172
Redfield, Justin 284
Reed, Hiram 30, 1 18
& Case 172
Reynolds, A. R 171
Rhoades, S. Porter 52, 320
Samuel 52
Dr. Sumner 273
& Burnett 202
Robbins, Daniel C 367
Roberts, Sylvester 35, 169,214
Robertson, Samuel 20
Roosevelt, Frederick 113, 320
H. L 275
Nicholas J 146, 2ig, 284
Root, Henry 15
James A 36, 306
Joseph IS, 78
Rowal, John 405
Rust, Elijah P 282
S.
Sabins, Israel 17, 405
Sackett, James yd, 129
Sandford, Edward 178
John 183
Lewis H 178, 183, 214, 306
& Moseley 148
Samuels, Mr 16
Sanger, Jedediah 168, 212, 268
Sartwell, Levi 28, 32
Selover, Isaac 33, 35, 78, 113
47°
INDEX OF NAMES.
Sessions, Amasa 23, 285
Ebenezer 23
Seymour, David 212
Shallish, Jeremiah 332
Shear, Fred 36
Shepard, Edward 167
John 66
N. 0 306, 378
Sherwood, Isaac 27, 28, 30
John Milton 30
John P 18
Shotwell, Walter 219
Sinclair & Hubbard 304
Skaneateles Manufacturing Co 168
Slade, William G 202, 218
Smith, Amasa 14, 79
John H 318
Nehemiah 336
Reuel 141
Sidney 276
Snook, Dr. John 149, 286
John, Jr 149, 150, 284
Thomas 306
Stacey & Packwood '. 169
Stansbury, George A 183, 193, 234, 239
Stephens, Levi 78
Stephenson, John C 318
Stiles, B. F 368
Taber, Mrs. William R 285
Talcott, Daniel 79, 284, 306, 316
Joseph 14s
R., & Co. 19s
Richard !' 153, 168, 19s,
200, 218, 284, 316, 367
Sarah 284, 285
& AUis 130
& Gridley 130
Talman, Charles 22, 171
Taylor, Aaron 15, 78
Nathaniel 286
Thayer (artist) ' 331
Joel 151. 169, 172, 208, 216, 306, 318
Joel, & Co 30s
Thompson, John 11, 12, 15
Peter 79, iS4
Thorne, Elias 79, 208
Obadiah 136, 193, 208
Nicholas .' 184
William E 184
PAGE.
Tolles, Chester 291
Townsend, W. J 203
Turner, Newell 263, 306
Tyler, James 219
V.
Valentine, Benjamin 316
Van Dyck, George 169
& Davey 169
Van Etten, Jacob 19, 212
Van Houghton, Tunis 20
Vredenburg, Wm. J.... 8, 16, 26, 28, 31,
32, 33, 34, 3S, 48, 89, 113, 281, 287, 289
W.
Waldron, David 23
Waller, Daniel 41
John E 306, 371
Warner, Dr 405
Watson, Daniel 16, 17, 170, 186, 405
John 14
Watts, William 20
Webb, Henry T 318
Weeks, Forrest G. 172, 275, 277, 286, 367, 453
Webster, Hon. Daniel 183
& Bristol 405
Welch, David 19, 20
Samuel 20, 26
Weston, Josiah 16
Jonathan 16
Wheadon, Samuel C 386
Wheeler, Benedict & Co 304
R- B 317
Whitman, Miss Edey 16
Whittelsey, Peter 317
Wicks, George H 195, 371
Wightman, Allen 285
Wilkinson, Alfred 183
Joab 70
Willetts, Joseph C 306. 318
Valentine 284
William 208, 284
William H 306
William R 318
Wolcott, B. S., & Co 197
Butler S 197, 282, 284, 320
& Porter 130
Worden, L. S., & Co 169, 217
Wright, A. M 318
Wyckoff, C. C 13
INDEX OF SUBJECTS.
A.
PAGE.
Aboriginal Name of Skaneateles Lake. . 269
Account-Books of Early Merchants. . .8, 388
Accounts, Old 106
Address of Red Jacket 244
Address to Indians by Miss Stansbury. . 243
Address to Indians by the Moravian
Bishop 243
Adventures Around the World, Re-
markabk 103
Advertisement, Old 109
Affair of Honor no
Agriculture of Skaneateles 300
" A Hundred Years Ago," poem 133
"Ariel," Its Account of Skaneateles in
1830 191
Arthur's Experiment to obtain Kisses... 236
Artist, Struggles of and Portraits by an. . 296
Artist Thayer yT, 331
Attorney-General, Author's Criticism of
Opinion of 44°
Author's Adventures with the Legal Fra-
ternity 440
B.
Ballrooms and Music. 112
Bank of Skaneateles 254
Banks 253
Bear Story (^
" Beautiful Squaw " Si
" Bees " 9
Before Photographs were known 228
Bill of Goods in 1806 31, ii7
Bonding of Skaneateles 274
Bonding of Skaneateles defeated.— Early'
Missions and Religious Denominations. 274
Bounty Lands to Soldiers i
Bowen Road ■ i3> 88
Boy Life on a Farm in Skaneateles 215
PAGE.
Brick House, The Hecox 217
Brick first made by Nye 20
Bricks, Kelsey's Stamped 19
Bricks, Order for, in 1814 86
Bridge, New 305
British Prisoners 113
Brother of Traitor Benedict Arnold a
resident of Village 78, 112
" Burdette," Sir James Nurse, a Re-
markable Character 187
Burglary, A Sensational 135
Burial-ground of 1846 133
Burial-Place, Earliest 131
Burial-Places, Early, and General His-
tory ; 131
Business, Early, in Skaneateles yy
Business Firms, Early 69
Business in 1834 69
Business Men in 1830 130
Business Men in 1841 135
C.
Canoe, Bark, found in mud 16
Cardiff Giant, History of the 94
Cardiff Giant and the Indians loi
Carriage Factory 305
Carriage-Shop, Seth & James Hall's. . . . 130
Caterpillers, Old-Time, in 1798 92
Celebrity of Mrs. Elizabeth T. Porter
Beach 336
Cemetery, Evergreen 432
Cemetery, Lake View 258
Cemetery, Lake View, and its Inside His-
tory 418
Cemetery, Opposition to an Incorporated
Public '. 2SS
Census of Skaneateles 301
Central New York Electric Light and
Power Company 253
472
INDEX OF SUBJECTS.
PAGE.
Century's Ending, A Great 406
Chair Factories 304
Champ, Alfred, and the Civil War 438
Chancery, Sale in. Copy of — Description
of Part of Village 14S
Changes in Property Ownership and Es-
tablishment of Libraries 309
Child, First, born of Parents residing in
Skaneateles 14
Chipmunk Story by Sam Francis 221
Church Diversion 367
Churches 280
Churches and Library 389
" Circle of Industry," Thanks to 283
Civil War, Draft during the 339, 347
Civil War, Roll of Honor of Volunteers
during the 349
Civil War, Soldiers and Sailors who gave
up their lives in the 3S9
Coaches 29, 259, 273
Coach, First, from Utica to Canandaigua. 47
Coin, old One-Cent 8
Cold Summer in 1816 92
Collect Pond and Fitch's Steamboat 147
Colored Man's Plaint 89
" Columbia," Ode 335
Community Place I7S
Conclusion 451
Congregational Society 288
Conveyance to F. G. Jewett 78
Cooper-Shops 213
Criticism of Opinion of Attorney-General. 440
D.
Dam, Breaking and Sunday Repairs.... 45
Dam, Breaking and Sunday Repairs, An-
other Version 85
Dam, The First 16
Dark Day, The 113
Death, A Melancholy 207
Decision against Water Works Company. 454
Deer Skins, Manner of Dressing 62
Defeat of the Attempt to bond Skane-
ateles in behalf of a Railroad 274
Defeat of the Skaneateles Water Works
Company ^ 74
Description of Skaneateles, Earliest Re-
corded, by Rev. T. D wight 247
Description of Skaneateles Village in
1809 84
PAGE.
Description of the Village in 1842 296
Description of Village by John J. Thomas
in 1830 191
De Zeng - Lapham - Padelford - Roosevelt
Property, History of 309
Diefendorf Families in this Town 159
Discovery of the Plate and Description of
Skaneateles in 1830 192
Distillery 305
Division of Marcellus 93
Doctor, A Colored 70
Doctor's Handbill 157
Document discovered by the Author.... 431
Draft during the Civil War 339, 347
Drays, Home-Made 90
Dress, Simplicity and Plainness of. ..285, 287
Dryden, Groton, and Moravia Telegraph
Com.pany 253
Duel, A Practical Joke no
E.
Earliest History, The i
Earliest Industry in this Town 173
Earliest Recorded Visit to Skaneateles
Lake by Missionaries 3
Early History 112
Early History, Various Items 134
Early Merchants 194, 366
Early Physicians and Local History. . . . 326
Early Pioneers 11, 63
Early Recollections of Thaddeus Ed-
wards 167
Early Reminiscences 107
Early Settlers 212
Early Settlers before 1803 and before
181S S3
Early Settlers in Skaneateles 68
Educational Sources and Early Schools. 229
Edwards Family .- 114
Elections in 1836 91
Elevation of Skaneateles Lake 270
Elm-Tree, The Large 32
Engraving of Skaneateles in 1830 191
Enrolment List of Skaneateles 339
Enrolment of Abie-Bodied Men in Town
of Skaneateles who were subject to
Draft in the Civil War, with their
Ages, and List of Drafted Men... 339, 347
Episcopal Missions 279
Epitaph on Charles Oxley 225
INDEX OF SUBJECTS.
473
PAGE.
Epitaph, Proposed 149
Erie Canal, its Effect on this Town 224
Evergreen Cemetery 432
. Excitement, The First 85
Execution of Louis XVI. and Marie An-
toinette, Daniel Ludlow's Account of
the 313
Expedition to Australia in 1852 in Search
of Gold 216
F.
Farmers' Daughters 84
Fences and Buildings 301
Fire Department, Origin of the Village. 332
Fire, Great, in the Village in 1835 184
Fires and Cooking 7
First Baptist Society 285
First Child born of Parents who were
Residents of Skaneateles 14
First Cuddeback, The 69
First Events, etc 16
First Industri.es in Town and Village,
Commencing with the Village 168
First National Bank 254
First Organ 320
First Resident of the Village 16
First School 229
First Schoolhouse erected 230
First School taught in this Town 16
First School under St. James' Church. . 230
First Settler of Skaneateles 11, 83
First Steamboat Excursion to the Head
of the Lake, with Names of the Party. . 367
First Steamboat on Skaneateles Lake. . 77
First Yacht 292, 369
Fisherman, A Patient 71
Fish, Young, placed in Skaneateles Lake. 223
Flouring-Mills 304, 30S
Forest, A 85
Forests, The Original, in this Town 86
Foundry and Machine- Shop 304
Fourierism ■ ■ I77
"Four Sisters," The First Yacht. .. .292, 369
Fourth of July, 1831, Grand Celebration
of 107
Fourth of July, 1832, Celebration of 335
Fourth of July, 183S, Celebration of.... 117
Fragments of History 78, 79
Friends, Society of 284
G.
PAGE.
Gardener, A 84
General Training Day 109
Geology of Skaneateles 299
Gin, Legend concerning a Jug of 34
Glimpse of Skaneateles and its Surround-
ings in 1812 165
God's Acre 132
Goods, Bill of 117
Goods, Original Bill of 31
Graveyard, The First 88
H.
Hamilton and Skaneateles Turnpike. .88, 91
Haunted Tavern, Legend of 309
Headquarters for Emigrating Families. . 13
Historical Collections 247
History, Fragments of 331
History, Local, as elaborated by the
Newspaper Press of Syracuse 408
History, Official, of Skaneateles .~ 306
History of the Daniel C. Bobbins Place,
now the Mingo Lodge 367
History, The Earliest i
" Hive," The, A Quaker School 247
Horses, Use of, in Traveling 30, iig
House divided and transported 317
How a Wealthy Citizen was Swerved
from his purpose of establishing a Free
Public Library in Skaneateles 320
I.
Illustration of the Uncertainty of Human
Life 386
Indian Massacre in Florida 362
Indian Oratory 49
Indian Queen Hotel 228
Indians, Cardiff Giant and the loi
Indians, Missionary Work among 241
Indians, Reception, Addresses, and Re-
plies 240
Industries at Mottville, and Below 171
Industries in the Town of Skaneateles
Outside of the Village 170
Inside History of Lake View Cemetery,
which has never before been made
public 418 .
Interesting Items 193
474
INDEX OF SUBJECTS.
PAGE.
Introduction of Merino Sheep, Early
Merchants, and Steamboat Excursions. 362
Inventions by Miner 37, 46
Inventions, Wonderful, of Grant Bram-
ble 227
Iroquois Indians, Journey to Philadel-
phia .'. 240
J.
Journey for Assistance, Woman's 21
Journey through the Wilderness, A
Woman's Remarkable 30, 120
Judges' Traveling Party 89
K.
Kirkland, Dominie, Adventures of 49
Kirkland, Rev. Samuel, Life and Mission-
ary Work among the Indians 241
Kisses obtained through Disguise 236
Knocker, The Patent, a Wonderful In-
vention 215
L.
Ladies' Aid Society during the Civil War. 386
Lafayette, General, Visit of, to Skane-
ateles 184
Lake Bank, The 253
Lake House, The 336
Lake, Map of, the Outline of a Female. 138
Lake Surroundings 138
Lake View Cemetery and Skaneateles
Lake , 258
Lake View Cemetery, Origin of 258
Lake View Cemetery, Its Inside History. 418
Lawyers, The Bible and Shakespeare
concerning 448
Legal Experience of E. N. Leslie 408
Legal Fraternity, Author's Adventures
with the 440
Legal Right to Criticize 445
Legend of the Haunted Tavern 309
Leonard Family 82
Leslie Memorial Windows 389
Libraries 318
Library Company of 1806 400
Library, established by W. M. Beau-
champ 318
Library, Free Public, proposed as a Me-
morial 320
Library of Skaneateles and its Sphinx . . . 396
PAGE.
Library of Skaneateles, Presentations to. 401
Library, The First 120
Log Houses 9
Log Storehouse, The First 14
Lord, Dr. H. R., His Report as " Secre-
tary of the Navy " 294
Lots laid out by Judge Sanger 85
Ludlow, Daniel, Very Interesting His-
tory of 312
Ludlow's Account of the Execution of
Louis XVI. and Marie Antoinette.... 3x3
M.
Mabbitt's Mills 170
Mail-Carriers and Stage-Coaches, The
First Ill
Mail Routes, Post Office 29
Mail, The First 83
Mandana 302
Manufactories, etc 302
Marcellus and Skaneateles Organized. . . 2
Marcellus, Division of 23
Marysville Woolen Factory 304
Matches, Original 7, 370
Medal presented to Red Jacket by George
Washington 244
Medicines, Simple 156
Memorial Library, Proposed. .. .320, 401, 405
Memorials in St. James' Church 389
Memorials in the Presbyterian Church. 392
Memorial Tablet of Soldiers and Sailors
in St. James' Church 334
Memorial Windows by Leslie 389
Merchants and Mechanics in 1828 128
Merchants in 1813 154
Merchant, The First 15
Meridian Time, Transmission of, by
Telegraph 407
Merino Sheep, Introduction of, into the
United States 362
Methodist Episcopal Church 286
Methodist Episcopal Church of Mott-
ville 288
Military Lot No. 35, owner of 330
Military Lots i
Militia 91
Miner, Amos, Remarkable History of . . 37
Mingo Lodge, History of 367
Ministerial Items 62
Miscellaneous Fragments of Early His-
tory 79
INDEX OF SUBJECTS.
475
PAGE.
Missionaries, Earliest recorded Visit to
Skaneateles Lake by 3
Missionaries, Record of Early 278
Missions, Early, and Religious Denomi-
nations 278
More Pioneers 52
Mott, Lydia P., who conducted a Board-
ing School Eighty Years ago 232
Mottville 302, 368
Mottville Burying-Ground 133
Mottville Woolen Mill 304
Mud Lake 393
Municipal Ownership of a Water Plant. . 383
N.
Name, Aboriginal, of Skaneateles Lake. . 269
Names of Persons who made Purchases
up to 1828 compiled 388
Names of Revolutionary Soldiers who
were Original Owners of Lands in
Town 2
Newspaper Press of Syracuse on Local
History 408
Newspapers in Cayuga County, A List of
Early lOl
Newspaper, The First 108
O.
Observations by a Tourist 394
Offhand Sketch of the Village Fifty
Years ago 218
Official History of the Village of Skane-
ateles 306
Official Stenographer, Adventures with
an 449
One Hundred well-known Citizens 386
Opposition to an Incorporated Public
Cemetery 255
Organ, The First 320
Owners, Original, of Lards in Town. ... 2
P.
Packwood Carriage Manufactory 167
Paper-Mills 302, 304, 305
Papers, Valuable Files of Local 333
Peat Bog Speculation 272
Peat, or Muck 37°
Peat Speculation, Another 273
Pedler, Disappearance of a 309
PAGE.
Peenpack Neighborhood, Settlers from. . 212
Pettis House and Henry Arnold 78
Physicians, Early, in Vicinity of Village. 326
Pillions 30, 120
Pioneers, Continuation of the History of
the 25
Pioneers, How they came 6, 63
Pioneers, The 9, 63
Pioneer Women 10
Pleasure-Sailboat 294
Pork Point, Origin of Name of 273
Porter Family, Origin of the 116
Potash, Principal Commercial Article. . 173
Potasheries and other Manufactures. .15, 144
Pounds, Shillings, and Pence, Official
Definition of 8, 214
Preface iii
Presbyterian Church 392
Presentations to the Library by the Au-
thor 401
Presidents of the Board of Village
Trustees 306
Prices, Early 177
Prices in 1825 227
Propeller Ben Porter 228
" Protest " against " Protracted Meet-
ings," and Other Reminiscences 178
Protestant Episcopal Church 281
Q.
Quaker School, " The Hive " 247
Quakers, or Society of Friends 284
R.
Real Estate Values 76
Recollections, Business, and Inventions. . 213
Recollections, Early, by J. R. Kellogg,
28, 44, 49
Recollections of Mrs. C. J. Burnett, Sr. . 67
Recollections of C. J. Burnett, Jr 215
Recollections of Eli Clark 93
Recollections of Samuel Edwards 70
Recollections of Thaddeus Edwards. 213, 367
Recollections of Nathaniel Miller 35
Records, The Early 91
Red House 14, 16, 17
Red Jacket, Address of 244
Red Jacket's Medal 244
Regatta on the Lake in i860 220
Regattas Fifty Years Ago 293
476
INDEX OF SUBJECTS.
PAGE.
Relic of History 312
Religious Denominations 278
Revolutionary Soldiers and the Military
Lots I
Rhoades, S. Porter, Family r. . . . 52
Rise and Fall of Mercantile and Indus-
trial Prosperity 173
Roads 87
Roll of Honor of Volunteers, during the
Civil War 349
Roman Catholic Church 288
Royal Presents to Mrs. Beach 337
S.
Sash and Blind Factory 304
Sawmill 304
Sayings and Doings of Olden Times,
Interesting 7°
Schaneateles Religious Society. . .85, 131, 279
Schoolhouse demolished my Sol Foster. . 71
Schoolhouse, First, Erected in the Vil-
lage 230
Schoolhouses, Log 10
Schools 229
School, The First 229
School, The First, taught in this Town. . 16
Sea Letter by George Washington 137
Sekct Schools 232
Select School, Subscription for 231
Servants, Old-Time 84
Settlement of Skaneateles, Earliest Ac-
tual 63
Settlers, First Actual, in this County. .11, 83
Settlers before 1803 and 1815 53
Shepard Family, History of the 66
Shepard Settlement 66, 167
Sherwood's House 228
Sidewalks, Clearing from Snow and Ice,
A Skaneateles Invention 384
Sign of the Indian Queen Tavern 177
Sisters, The Three 142
Situation of Skaneateles 298
Skanadoah, Indian Chief, his Life and
Oratory 49
Skaneateles and Marcellus 2
Skaneateles Anti-Slavery Society 361
Skaneateles Community and its Pro-
moter, John A. Collins 175
Skaneateles Democrat, The Editor of . . 331
Skaneateles, Description of 35, 302
Skaneateles Educational Society 361
PAGE.
-Skaneateles Falls Methodist Episcopal
Church 288
Skaneateles' First Settler 11
Skaneateles High School 231
Skaneateles in 1830 166
Skaneateles Iron Works 251, 302
Skaneateles Lake 166
Skaneateles Lake, Aboriginal Name of. 269
Skaneateles Lake, a Later Description. . 270
Skaneateles Lake Park Company 252
Skaneateles Lake, when first seen by the
Pioneers, 1793 267
Skaneateles Library Association 318
Skaneateles Library Company, The First
one here, 1806 120
Skaneateles Library Company, List of
Subscribers 127
Skaneateles Library, Presentation to.... 106
Skaneateles Library, Presentations by the
Author to 401
Skaneateles Library Sphinx 396
Skaneateles Religious Society. . .85, 131, 279
Skaneateles Savings-Bank 254
Skaneateles Sketches in 1865 298
Skaneateles, The Ariel's Description of,
in 1830 191
Skaneateles Water Works Company 250
Skaneateles Water Works Company, its
Inside History, and Decision against,
371, 454
Skaneateles Wood- Working Company. . 252
Sketch of the Village in 1850 218
Slade's Ferry 202
Smallpox in the Village 218
Snow, How the System of Removing
from Sidewalks Originated 384
Snow Storm, A 318
Society of Friends 284
Society of Friends, Plainness of Apparel,
28s, 287
Soldiers and Sailors, Memorial Tablet of. 334
Soldiers and Sailors of Skaneateles who
gave up their Lives in the Civil War. . 359
Soldiers in the Late War 358
Soldiers who Originally Owned this
Town 2
Soundings of the Lake 138
Spinning- Wheel, Improvement in 38, 46
Stage and Passenger-Coach, Original,
before Railroads in
INDEX OF SUBJECTS.
477
PAGE.
Stage-Coaches 29, 259, 273
Stages and Stage-Drivers 117
State Street first opened 231
Steamboat Excursion, First, to the Head
of the Lake 36^
Steamboat of Fitch on Collect Pond 147
Steamboat of Roosevelt on the Passaic
River 147
Steamboat on Skaneateles Lake, The
First , 77
St. James' Church 134, 282, 389
Storehouse, The First Log 14
Story, A Strange ■ 162
Strange, Romantic, and Interesting Story. 162
Subscribers to the Skaneateles Library
Company 127
Subscription by Leading Citizens for a
Select School 231
Subscription List for a Sexton 89
Subscription to pay for the First Organ
for St. James' Church 320
Sunday-School Celebration, 1832 335
Sunday Surprises 3^7
Supreme Court, U. S., Decision of 4S4
T.
Tavern, An Old Log 77
Tavern, Haunted 309
Tavern on Seneca Turnpike 370
Taverns ISS
Taverns, Town Meetings held in 308
Teasel, a Skaneateles Industry 248
Teasel Industry, Various Corporations,
and Banks 248
"The Last Broadside," Poem 338
"The Maples of Mott Cottage," Poem.. 237
" The Stone Man," Poem 96
Three Sisters, The 142
" Through the Deep Wilderness," Poem. 63
Tinder-Box, Description and Use of the
Original 7, 370
Tourist's Observations while passing
through the Village 394
Town Meetings, held in Various Tav-
erns - 308
Town of Skaneateles was bonded for
$250,000 in behalf of the New York
Western Midland Railroad, and the
Fraud was Defeated and by whom 274
Trading-Place, Skaneateles the most At-
tractive, in the Nineteenth Century. . . 88
PAGE.
Traitor Arnold's Brother a Resident. .78, 112
Traveler on his way to Niagara describes
the Village in 1804 247
Traveler's Description of Village of
Skaneateles in 1830 166
Trees, Variety of 86
" Trowbridge Girls " 45, 5o
Tuition Paid 86
Turnpike, Hamilton and Skaneateles. .88, 91
Two Peculiar Characters 226
U.
Uncertainty of Human Life, Illustration
of 386
V.
Village described 35
Village Plots 85
Village Property rather low in 1820 228
Volunteers during the Civil War, Roll
of Honor 349
W.
War of 1812, Incident during the 17S
War of 1812, Incident of 113
War of 1812, Repulsing the British dur-
ing the 113
Washington, George, Sea Letter by 137
Water-Lime 93
Water Plant, Municipal Ownership. .383, 454
Water Works Company, Decision against. 454
Webster, Daniel, Visit of, to Skane-
ateles 183
Wheel-Head Manufactory 91
Who were here in 1803 35
Why has Skaneateles Retrograded?.... 76
Willow Glen Woolen Mills 305
Woman's Journey for Assistance 21
Woman's Remarkable Journey through
the Wilderness 30, 120
Women of Early Days 10
Wood- Ashes, The Earliest Industry 173
Y.
Yacht, A Notable 294
Yachting, Sketches, and Official History. 289
Yacht, The First Real 289
Year 2000, In the 407
Years Ago in Yachting 294
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