Historical address on Judge William Cooper

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[From Vtttw Herald, May 27, 1890.]

HISTORICAL.

Address on Judge Wiliam Cooper of

Cooperstown by Hon. Edward

F. DeLancey.

A Tribute to the Otsego Pioneer by the Son of
the First Bishop of Western Jfeiv York—
The Oneida Historical Society Ad-
journs to September.

The feature of the regular meeting of the
Oneida historical society at its rooms last
Bvening, was the address on Judge Wiiliam
Cooper, founder of Cooperstown, by Hon.
Edward F. DeLancey of New "iork. There
was a good attendance of ladies and
gentlemen ana members of the society.
Vice President Charles Hutchinson pre-
ided, Rees G. Williams being recording
ecretary. A number of contributions to
he society's collections were received, and
hanks ordered to the donors, After the
usual routine business, Chairman Hutchin-
son introduced Mr. DeLaucey, who is
,he son of the late Right Rev. William
leatbcote DeLancey, D. D,, LL. D., D. C.
Oxon., late bishop of western and cen-
tral New York. Mr. DeLancey's profile
md face strikingly resemble that of his
ather. He is an earnest historical student
ind a frequent contributor to the Magazine
Df American History and similar periodi-
cals. His address was as follows:

In the history of the practical settlement
of this fair land in which it is our good for-
une to dwell, tbe ancient New Nether-
ands, the Royal Province and now the
mperial state of New York, four names
land forth far above all others.

First, Rieter Evertsen Hulst, the saga-
cious and wealthy Amsterdam merchant
,nd director of the Dutch West India com-
>any ot that city.

Second, Sir William Johnson, baronet, who

)olh as the agent of his uncle, Admiral Sir

i*eter Warren, K. B., and later on his own

Account, was untiring in his efforts for prac-

[tical, permanent settlement, and did far

more than any other one man of his day to

develop agriculturally the valley of the

iMohawk. ~

t Third, William Cooper of Otsego, who
first settled, and settled most thoro'ly and
successfully, the beautiful valleys of the
Susquehanna, with its mountain lakes and
streams and deep, magnificent forests.

Fourth, Colonel Charles Wlliinmson,
the first to lake active measures in
person and tliro' agents to bring
settlers and domestic animals into the
vast, rich, rolling plain lying between the
foot hills of the AHeghanies, on the south,
and the vast inland eeas of Ontario and
Erie on the north and west, gemmed with
fair lakes and amid flowing rivers, the
unequaled and splendid region of western
New York, and now the richest and most
flourishing part of our own great state,

These four men are striking illustrations
of that cosmopolitanism of origin to which
our American, and especially our New
York people, owe their force," success and
power. Each of these erreat pioneers should
have the history of their successful efforts
and careers, as the early developers of the
material resources and prosperity of New
York, fully and fairly written. This so-
ciety could not devote its energies to better
advantage than to issue well prepared and
printed, full, but brief, separate memoirs
of these chief leaders in the agricultural de-
velopment and the actual settlement of
the great state, of which this fair
city of Utica is nearly the geographical cen-
ter. William Cooper of Otsego was a na-
tive of Pennsylvania, a man of position,
character, determination, and possessed of
moderate means. To the latter of which
fact it is owing that he became a land-
holder and inhabitant just after the close of
the revolution of the then new state of New
York. His ancestry was English. Hebe-
came eventually the largest landholder of
bis day in the Susquebanna region, and he
devoted himself to the settlement and devel-
opment of it in person and with a courage
that no obstacle could daunt.

Altho' it was in 1783 when he and Andrew
Craig had succeeded in acquiring control of
the claims against the Crogh and Potent es-
tates, it was not until 1785 that William
Cooper first saw the region it covered. He
was then thirty-one years of age, in the full
health and vigor of perfect manhood, nearly
six feet in bight, of fine figure, with a rich,
deep complexion. He came to visit and see
the region for himself, ana to take
steps for its survey and settlement, and
most thoro'ly did he do so. Some
of his later acquired lands had
been originally attempted by former
owners on the contract system. Such con-
tracts as existed he of course maintained
as the new owner, but all the other uncori-
tracted portion he held in fee under his
own system. It is impossible in a paper of
this kind to mention the many different
measures and the various means adopted by
Judge Cooper to advance the interests and
promote the industries of the Susquehan-
ha region. One, however, must be men-

tioned, as the subject excited great and gen
eral attention. This was the first move-
ment in this state, as a state, to encourage
manufactures, and the particular manufac-
tuie sought to be encouraged was that of
maple sugar. Of Judge Cooper's most
interesting and excitins: political career I
had intended to speak at length, but
it would require a paper by itself.
No man was ever more fiercely attacked by
political rivals, and no man as active as he
ever came out of a heated political contro-
versy with cleaner hands. Nothing can
more fully demonstrate the singular, im-
portant and really dansrerous. condition of
tbe political affairs of New York, growing
out of the adoption of -tbe constitution of
the United Statea in 178s, and the political
parties it originated, than the controversy
about Judge Cooper and his action in the
gubernatorial contest of 1792, which culmi-
nated in the success of George Clinton and
the defeat of John Jay. A full, true history
has never yet been written. Judge Cooper
was a successful leader in the field of poli-
tics, as he was in that in which he practi-
cally developed and settled the splendid
region he chose for bis home. Force, wit,
judgment, decision and determination,
united with even justice and high honor,
marked every step of his striking^career.

At the conclusion of the able address,
William M. White moved a graceful resolu-
tion of thanks, which was seconded by Rev.
Dr. Gibson, who referred to Mr. DeLancey
as an old college friend, and recalled brief
ly some reminiscences of Judge Cooper and
Colouel Williamson. Colonel Cantwell
also spoke briefly in appreciation of the
speaker and the address,

THE MASSACRE AT FOHT SCHUYLER.

The following, among the presentations
to the society collection, is the original of a
letter witten by an eye witness of the mas-
sacre at Fort Schuyler, (Utica,) and has not
before been published:

July, 1777— At three o'clock on Sunday after-
noon, the 27th instant, our garrison was
-alarmed with the firing of guns. A party of
men was instantly dispatched to the place
where the guns were tired, which was just on
the edge of the woods about 400 yards from the
fort, but they were too late. The villains were
followed, having: shot two girls who were pick-
ing raspberries. Two of the girls were lying
scalped and tomhawked among the bushep,
one dead and the other expiring. She died in
half an hour after she was brought home; the
third had two balls thro' her shoulder, but
made out to run off and get clear of them. Her
wounds are not thought to be anyway danger-
ous. By the best discoveries we can make
there were four Indians who committed these
murders. We had four men with arms just
past by that place, but these mercenaries of
Britain came not to fight, but to lay in wait to

murder, and it's equal the same to them, if they
can get a scalp whether it be from a
soldier or an innocent babe. Oh,
George ! to what art thou fallen ! Like
Herod of old hast thou sent forth thy
murderers to slay innocent children? Gracious
heaven, wilt thou not take vengeance on these
things? I send you the following particular ac-
count of this affair, the better to deliver some
of the inhabitants of this oppressed country
from that strange infatuation which is ever
wakening them up to a perse ution, that they
have nothing to fear from ttie king's wretched
murderers, ana news of this kind is publisned
with design to decrease them as well as if it
should come to the knowledge of some gener-
ous Briton, who is still in the service ot that
t»rant, (for some such I still believe there are)
they may blush when they think what a master
they serve. But are there any Americans who
will still continue to subject themselves to this
savage king and join with the barbarous fiends
tbus to murder the innocent babes of their
land? Methinks barbarism itself must stand
amazed at the supposition, and every generous
breast that is not steeled with savage ignor-
ance weep to think that there a>e such inhu-
man monsters who were born and brought up
among us and blessed withtbe same enjoyments.
One of the children who was killed and scalped,
a girl 13 years ot age, was a daughter of one
John Steene, who has lived at this place since
1765, getting his livelihood by cultivating a
small piece of ground he received permission
to incio-e near the fort. He served the king of
Great Britain during the whole of the last war
as appears by his discharge, of which the fol-
lowing is a true copy. He is now an old man
and unfit for any kind of service, yet that king
in support of whose honor he formerly toiled
and fought has thus requited him for bis
former services. The girl who received the
wounds on her shoulder, is 10 years of age, the
daughter of one George E. Reyter, who served
as a soldier in Captain Dravill's company, the
16th battalion of royal Americans, duri.ig tbe
late war. He is at present employed to bake
for the garrison. He is also an old man, and
to employ him is an act of charity.

He tells me he was discharged by purchase
in the year 1765, which discharge is at the Ger-
man Flats, his proper place of residence. The
other is a servant girl of one Mr. Roof, the
principal inbabitant^of this place, who has
lived here since the year 17tiO, and was former-
ly baker to the garrison and army at tnis place.
The girl's name is Levea Stepnase, aged 20
years. Thus stands the affair. My country-
men, is there a man among you whose soul
does not shudder at such dastardly bloody bus-
iness, or is there a pusillanimous heart which,
requires arguments to urge him to arms against
the king and parliament of Britain, who, de-
spairing of conquering our country by reduc-
ing us to a state of wretched vassalage,
have declared war against our poor de-
fenseless infants? Are there still any
of you who are supinely indulging
yourselves with the fancy that you are in no
danger, that no harm is intendeu against you
Are vou possessed of more- innocence that
those'poor murdere 1 children? Have you any
right to expect better treatment than they have

bad if you fall into the same hands? Flatter
not yourselves that it is only in this wilderness
where such bloody scenes are to be expected.
It is true the same kind of murderers may not
overtake you in all your habitations, but the
same bloody tyr-mt is employing his murderers
of one kind and another thro'out your country,
and it is the vilest infatuation to suppose your
being only on-lookers will save you from de-
struction should they get you in their power.

Rouse, then, my countrymen, rouse ; it is
under God, in your own arms, that you are to
look for deliverance, and fear not. God is a
righteous God, and in so righteous an opposi-
tion success will most assuredly . attend you.
To doubt of the assistance of heaven in such a
cause is to impeach the justice of Almighty
God.

These Indians, we are informed, are some of
those sent out by those direful emissaries of
Britain's tyrant, Sir John Johnson, and Colo-
nels Clark and Butler.

Other presentations were.the commission as
postmaster at Trenton given to Dr. Luther
Guiteau, father of the late doctor, signed
by Gideon Grander, postmaster general,
September 20, 1803; also a poem by 8. G.
Arnold, entitled "The Call of Dr. Judd,"
published as a pamphlet at Wash-

ington. Dr. Judd was the princi-
pal organizer of the Sandwich
Island government, and was for some years
its prime minister. He was the son of Dr.
Elnathan Judd of Paris Hill, this county.
The poem is a graphic account of Dr.
Judd's life and adventures. It describes
how the youthful missionary was urged to
take a wife out with him —

"Disturbed in thought, his fate unsettled still,
Ho reached his loving home at Paris Hill,
And called h a friends around in consultation
That they might know and help the situation."

He evidently knew where to find her, for,
having delegated the important matter to
his uncle, Hastings, to break the proposal
to the maid,

"Hastings at once the needful time bestowed,
And rode to Clinton, where the maid abode."

The question was deftly asked by the
ambassador, and the maid blushingly an-
swered "yes;" whereat,

"Next they were married, and they did not

fail
To join their friends and take the long drawn

sail 1"