Onondaga's centennial. Gleanings of a century

Preface

History, in confined limits, is not easy to record in accordance with the broader definition of the word. Somebody has written, that the real work of history is to be found in understanding the organic development of the five great phases of institutional life : the political, the religious, the cultural, the economic, and the social. To an 'extent, these requirements may be complied with in writing the history of a county, but the field is too small for much elaboration of them.

The purpose of these volumes is more to record that which has transpired during a century than to discuss questions which in a way may be said to be related to the development. Of such questions there is not much to be said intelligently, much to reason upon, which would not be common-place to the reader, whose thoughts and imagination are as capable of applying intimations and suggestions which recorded facts give as our own.

In systematizing the order under which these volumes should be compiled and written, it was deemed wise to in the main substitute chronology for too close classification, in the belief that the reader would prefer to follow the line of transpiring events and preserve the continuity of the interesting story. The towns, too, have, as a rule, been placed according to the order of their establishment rather than alphabetically, thus inaintaining the chronological plan.

The present population of the county is very largely composed of the descendants of pioneers and early settlers; hence it has been deemed advisable to insert as many of the names of such ancestors as could be obtained. To that end records have been patiently searched with quite satisfactory results.

Much which might have appeared in the chapters of general county history in Volume I was reserved for what was deemed to be a more appropriate place in the respective towns, as fairly belonging to them ;

IV PREFACE.

so that the general writings relate more to early times than to tne county's real existence. These narratives, however, are thought to be intensely interesting, and certainly they present the first connected and complete sketch of the early history of this locality which has ever been written. The real valor and character of the Iroquois is made to stand out; their trials as well as the troubles of the invaders are most fully recorded. Of that confederacy one never tires of reading — made more famous by the legend of Hiawafha, and Longfellow's superb poem.

Enough of the experiences of the Pioneers is related to show most clearly the fortitude required of them to overcome the monstrous obstacles with which they voluntarily met, of the manner of their lives, of the heroism which laid the foundation for the great things to come. Not only upon the men did trials and tribulations fall, but doubly so upon the noble women who with woman's love and fidelity accompanied their husbands to these wilds.

The gradual and increasing development which has, from the earliest period to the present, been made, is somewhat minutely shown by abundant statistics in their proper places. Manufactures kept pace with agricultural pursuits; religion and education were fostered from the beginning, and those principles upon which communities are successfully reared were early engrafted into the fundamental law and usages.

It has been an interesting as well as laborious task to prepare this History for the press, and while completeness in all things is not claimed for it— no written history can be complete — it is hoped and believed that it presents a very full and accurate record. Its preparation was embarrassed by the very meager early records, and by the loss of not a few later ones of the towns ; but the deficiency has been well supplied in varioiis ways and from other sources. Great helps in silent ways have been the many older publications of historical, biographical, and statistical character. The list of such works is too long for publication here, and most of them are more or less familiar to all intelligent readers.

The Editor wishes also to acknowledge the valuable personal assistance which has been generously rendered. But his first and special acknowledgments are justly due to Mr. H. Perry Smith, whose superior capability and long and extended experience in such work, enabled him to discharge his important responsibilities with rare excellence- Mr

PREFACE. V

W. Stanley Child has also contributed much conscientious and valuable labor in general and special fields.

The chapters devoted to Indian history and the early wars Vfeve revised by the Rev. W. M. Beauchamp, S. T. D., of Baldwinsville, who is the best local authority upon those topics. While the list of all who have personally aided in our task is too long for publication, it is incumbent upon us to give th^e names of a few who have been most instrumental in securing and supplying information for the various town histories ; among such are Captain George K. Collins and Uriah Roundy, town of Spafford; E. Norman Leslie, the town of Skaneateles; E. P. Howe, the town of Otisco ; Du Portal S. Sprague and Spafford Allen, town of Fabius; the family of the late Calvin Mclntyre, the town of Elbridge; David A. Munro, the town of Camillus; Rev. Avery R. Palmer, the town of La Fayette ; Wallace Tappan, the town of Van Buren; Richard L. Smith, the town of Lysander; Fred A. M. Ball, the town of Pompey; M. P. Worden and Alvah Woodworth, the town of Manlius; Lauren Plant and the Emmons family, the town of Cicero; Dr. Allen V. R. Snyder, the town of Clay; Josiah G. Holbrook and E. S. Walker, the town of De Witt; and Rev. Albert Cusick, some of the data for the Onondaga Indian chapter.

D. H. B.

Syracuse, April, 1896.

CONTENTS-VOL- I.

Chapter I

Original Ten Counties — Montgomery County — Herkimer County — Onondaga County — Act Erecting Onondaga County — Map of Original County — Reduction of Territory of Onondaga County — The Military Tract — Land Gratuities of New York State — Land Commissioners^— Acts Relative to the Military Tract and Bounty I/ands — Survey of the Military Lands — " Survey Fifty " — Various Descriptions of Military Tract Boundaries — Reservations in the Military Tract — "State's Hundred" — Townships of the Military Tract — Contention and Litigation over Land Titles _ _ 1-11

Chapter VII

Peace Ratified — Journey of Dablon and Chaumonot — Otihatangue — Oneida River — Reception — Council — Onondaga Lake — Place of Settlement — Erie Child — Religious Services — Presents — French Prisoner — Onondaga and Cayuga Songs — Presents and Addresses — Chapel — Christmas Eve — Stockade — Stories — The Journey — Hunger — Gannentaa — Councils — Fruits — Country — Customs — Slaves — Privations — Plots — Flight — The Settlement _ ,56-75

Chapter XV

The Revolution — Mohawk Valley — Conference — The Johnsons — Campaign of 1776 — Burgoyne and St. Leger — Fort Stanwix and Oriskany — Oswego — Molly Brant — Expedition against Onondaga — Beatty's Journal — Results — Johnson's Raid — Turtle Tree — Attempt on Oswego — Close of the War — List of Revolutionary Soldiers _ _ 134^173

Chapter XVI

Unsettled Affairs — Treaty of Stanwix — Kirkland and Proctor — Later Treaties — Onondaga Sales — Original Reservation — Onondagas since the Revolution — Captain John and other Chiefs 172-183

Chapter XVII

Webster and Newkirk — Danforth — Lessee Company — Cockburn and Vanderkemp — Frenchman's Island — Roads — Divisions of Counties and Erection of Onondaga— Towns _ __. 183-197

Chapter XVIII. Through The War Of 1813

The First Decade — Transportation — Highways — The First Newspapers— The Salt Industry — Beginning of the War of 1812-15— The Militia — Onondaga's Regiments and Companies — The Old Arsenal — Events of 1813 — Capture of Oswego by the British — Treaty of Ghent — Turnpike Companies — Boundary pf Onondaga County — Reduction to Present Area _-197-318

X CONTENTS.

Chapter XIX

Events of Importance— Canal Agitation— Construction of the Erie Canal— Its Business— Other Canal Schemes- Changes in Civil Divisions— A Glimpse of Syracuse and other Villages in 1829 218-226

Chapter XX

Era of Prosperity— Cholera— Railroads— Turnpikes— The First Bank— Financial Inflation and Wreck— The " Patriot War "—Illustrations of Salina and Syracuse in 1840 - 226-235

Chapter XXI

Increase in Population — Agricultural Development — The First Plank Road — The Direct Road — The Syracuse and Oswego Railroad — The Syracuse and Binghamton Railroad — The Telegraph — Public Buildings — The "Jerry Rescue"— The Financial Panic of 1857 335-240

Chapter XXII. The War Period

The Beginning of the War — Military Enthusiasm — Captain Butler's Company — Captain Jenney's Artillery [Company — The 12th Regiment — The 122d Regiment— Bounties and Bounty Legislation — The 101st Regiment — The 149th Regiment— The Draft— The 185th Regiment— Statistics of Bounty Indebtedness _ _ _ 240-255

Chapter XXIII. From 1865 To The Present

Gain in Population — Inflation and Contraction — Railroads — The Cardiff Giant

Syracuse University — The West Shore Railroad — Bridges — The Centennial Celebration _._ 255-264

Chapter XXIV

Elections from the Formation of the County — Republicans and Federalists

Extinction of the Federalists — The Clintonians and Bucktails The Democrats— "Vigilance Committees "^^The Anti-Masons — Opposition to Sunday

CONTENTS. xi

Mails— The Whigs— The AboHtionists— The Campaign of 1840— The Hunkers and Barnburners — The Temperance Movement — The Free Soilers — The Carson League — The " Free Democracy" — The Know Nothings — Birth of the Republican Party — Syracuse as the " City of Conventions "—Civil List ,. - 264^311

Chapter XXV Public Institutions

The County Poorhouse — Onondaga County Penitentiary — Onondaga County Agricultural Society — Onondaga County Clerk's Office — Onondaga County Orphan Asylum — Onondaga Historical Society 311-324

Chapter XXVI. The Bench And Bar Of Onondaga County

Comparison of the State Law with the Common Law — Evolution of the Courts — The Court of Appeals — The Supreme Court — The Court of Chancery — The County Court — The Surrogate's Court — Justice's Court — District Attorneys — Sheriffs — Court Buildings — Judicial Officers — Personal Sketches — Miscellaneous _ ...334-359

Chapter XXVII. The Medical Profession

The Otiondaga County Medical Society — Synopsis of its Acts to the Present Day — Its Essayists — Its Presidents — List of its Members — The Syracuse Medical Association — List of its Members — Its Officers — Its Essayists — Syracuse MedicalCollege — Biographical Sketches of Deceased Physicians — Sketch of Homoeopathy — Homoeopathic Medical Society — Its Members — Its Officers— Its Necrology — The Central New York Homoeopathic Medical Society _. 360-398

THE TOWN OF OTISCO _.-. 923-933

Contents

PORTRAITS-VOL. I.

Alvord, Thomas G., 584

Amos, Jacob, facing 493

Chapter I

Original Ten Counties — Montgomery County — Herkimer County — Onondaga County — Act Erecting Onondaga County — Map of Original County — Reduction of Territory of Onondaga County— The Military Tract— Land Gratuities of New York State — Land Commissioners — Acts Relative to the Military Tract and Bounty Lands — Survey of the Military Lands — " Survey Fifty" — Various Descriptions of Military Tract Boundaries — Reservations in the Military Tract — "State's Hundred" — Townships .of the Military Tract — Contention and Litigation over Land Titles.

The original ten counties of what is now the State of New York were created on November 1, 1683, and named Albany, Dutchess, Kings, New York, Orange, Queens, Richmond, Suffolk, Ulster, and Westchester. On the 13th of March, 1773, Montgomery county was erected from Albany county under the name of "Tryon," and embraced nearly the whole of the central and western part of this State. The name was changed to Montgomery in 1784, in honor of the American hero who fell at Quebec. From Montgomery county, on February 16, 1791, was erected Herkimer county, embracing all the territory now constituting Onondaga, Oneida, Hamilton, and Herkimer counties, and a part of Otsego county.

From this then great county of Herkimer, Onondaga county was erected on March 5, 1794, including within its boundaries the Military Tract described further on. Following is a transcription of the legislative act erecting the county:

Be it enacted by the People of the State of New York represented in Senate and Assembly, and it is hereby enacted by authority of the same :

That all that tract of land called the Military Tract, bounded westerly by the county of Ontario ; northerly by Lake Ontario, the Onondaga river and the Oneida lake, easterly by the east bounds of the lands m the said tract laid out for townships I and called by the names of Citjcinnatus, Solon, Fabius and Pompey, and the easterly and northeasterly bounds of lands in the said tract laid out for townships and called by the names of Manlius and Cicero as the same have been run and marked by the Surveyor-General of this State, and southerly by the south bounds of the lands in the said tract laid out for townships and called by the names of Cincinnatus, Virgil, Dryden, Ulysses, and Hector, as the same have been run and marked by the Surveyor-General of this State, and the same line continued to the east bounds of the county of Ontario, shall be' a separate county and be called and known by the name of Onondaga.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That there shall be held in and for the said county of Onondaga, a court of common pleas and a court of general sessions of the peace, and there shall be two terms of the said courts in every year, to commence and end as follows ; that is to say, the first term of the said courts shall begm on the fourth Tuesday of May, and shall continue and be held until the Saturday following inclusive, and the second term of said courts shall begin on the fourth > Tuesday of December, and shall continue and be held until the Saturday following inclusive. And the said courts of common pleas and general sessions of the peace shall have the same general powers and authorities in the said county as the courts of common pleas and general sessions of thje peace in the other counties of this State have in their respective counties. Provided always. That nothing in this act contained shall be construed to affect any suit or action already commenced, or that shall be commenced, or any criminal proceedings had or to be had before the fourth Tuesday of May next, but all such criminal and civil proceedings shall and may be prosecuted to trial, judgment and execution as if this act had never been made.

And be it further enacted by the authorit)' aforesaid. That until other legislative provision be made in the premises, the courts of common pleas and general sessions of the peace in the said county of Onondaga shall be held alternately at the house now occupied by Reuben Patterson in the town of Manlius, and at the house of Seth Phelps in the town of Scipio, beginning with the first.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid. That it shall and may be lawful for all courts and officers of the said county of Onondaga in all cases civil and criminal, to confine their prisoners in the gaol of the county of Herkemer, until a gaol shall be provided in the said county of Onondaga.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid. That all that part of the said county of Onondaga comprehending the townships of Homer, Solon, Virgil and Cincinnatus, shall be and is hereby erected into a town by the name of Homer, and that the first town meeting to be holden in and for the said town of Homer shall be held at the house of John Miller in the said town. And that all that part of the said county comprehending the townships of Pompey, TuUy and Fabius, together with that part of the lands called the Onondaga Reservation, bounded northerly by the road leading through the said Reservation commonly called the Genesee road, and westerly by the Onondaga creek, shall be and hereby is erected into a town by the name of Pompey, and that the first town meeting to be holden in and for the said town of Pompey shall be held at the house of Ebenezer Butler, jr., in the said town And that all that part of the county comprehending the township of Manlius together with that part of the said Onondaga Reservation bounded southerly by' the aforesaid road and westerly by the said Onondaga creek and the Salt lake, shall be

GENESIS OF THE COUNTY. 3

and hereby is erected into a town by the name of Manlius, and that the first town meeting to be holden in and for the said town of Manlius, shall be held at the house of Benjamin Morehouse in the said town. And that all that part of the said county Comprehending the townships of Lysander, Hannibal and Cicero, shall be and hereby is erected into a town by the name of Lysander, and that the first town meeting to be holden in and for the said town of Lysander, shall be held at the house of Rial Bingham in said town. And that all that part of the said county comprehending the townships of Camillus and Marcellus, together with all the residue of the Onondaga Reservation and the residue of the reserved lands lying southwest of the said Salt lake, shall be and is hereby erected into a town by the name of Marcellus, and that the first town meeting to be holden in and for the said town of Mfircellus shall be held at the house of Moses Carpenter in the said town. And that all that part of the said county comprehending the townships of Ulysses and Dryden shall be and is hereby erected into a town by the name of Ulysses, and that the first town meeting to be holden in and for the said town of Ulysses shall be held at the house of Peter Hympagh in the said town. And that all that part of the said county comprising the townships of Milton and Locke, shall be and hereby is erected into a town by the name of Milton, and that the first town meeting to be holden in and for the said town of Milton shall be held at the house of Jonathan Woodworth in said town.

And that all that part of said county comprehending the townships of Scipio and Sempronius, together with that part of the lands reserved to the Cayuga nation of Indians lying on the east side of the Cayuga lake south of a west line drawn from the southwesterly corner of the township of Aurelius in the east bounds of the said Reservation, to the said Cayuga lake, shall be and hereby is erected into a town by the name of Scipio, and that the first town meeting to be holden in and for the said town of Scipio, shall be held at the house of Augustus Chidsey in the said town. And that all that part of the said county comprehending the townships of Cato, Brutus and Aurelius, together with that part of the lands reserved to the Cayuga nation of Indians as aforesaid, lying on the east side of the Cayuga lake, and not included in the last mentioned town of Scipio, shall be and hereby is erected into a town by the name of Aurelius, and that the first town meeting to be holden in and for the said town, shall be held^t the house of Prentice Palmer in said town. And that all that part of the said county comprehending the townships of Ovid and Hector, and all the lands in the said county of Onondaga lying on the east side of the Seneca lake, shall be and hereby is erected into a town by the name of Ovid, and that the first town meeting to be holden in and for the said town of Ovid, shall be held at the house of James Jackson in the said town. And that all that part of the said county comprehending the townships of Romulus, Junius and Galen, together with the lands lying west of the townships of Hannibal and Cato, north of the said township of Galen and south of Lake Ontario, as also all that part of the lands reserved to the Cayuga nation of Indians lying on the west side of the Cayuga lake, shall be and hereby is erected into a town by the name of Romulus, and that the first town meeting to be holden in and for the said town of Romulus, shall bef held at the house of Benaijah Boardman in the said town.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid. That the freeholders and inhabitants of the said county of Onondaga and of the several towns therein, shall have and enjoy within the same respectively, all and every the same rights, powers and privileges, that the freeholders and inhabitants of the several other counties and towns within this State, are by law entitled to have and enjoy.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That until other provision shall be made by law, the freeholders and inhabitants of the said county of Onondaga, shall give their votes for a Member of Assem&y in the same manner as if the said county of Onondaga was part of the county of Herkemer, and that the votes taken in the said county of Onondaga at each election for a Member of Assembly, shall be delivered by the clerk of the said county of Onondaga to any one of the Supervisors of the said county of Onondaga, who shall carry the same to the oflfice of the clerk of the county of Herkemer without delay, and the said clerk of the county of Herkemer shall deliver the same to the Supervisors of the said county on the last Tuesday of May in every year, and the same, together with the votes taken at the same elections in the said county of Herkemer shall be canvassed by the Supervisors of the county of Herkemer, and by any one or more of the Supervisors of the county of Onondaga who may attend for the purpose. — Laws of New York, chap. i8.

The accompanying map shows within the black outline the original county of Onondaga (and of course of the Military Tract), and its relation to the other counties then included in Onondaga, and other counties surrounding it.

The first reduction in the area of the original Onondaga county was made by the erection of Cayuga county on March 8, 1799. Seneca county was formed, March 29, 1804; Cortland on April 8, 1808, and Oswego on March 1, 1816. Tompkins county was created April 17, 1817, each of these territorial organizations containing a portion of the original Onondaga county, and finally reducing it to its present area of 813 square miles. Onondaga county is centrally situated in the State of New York and is bounded on the north by Oswego county and Oneida Lake ; on the east by Madison county ; on the south by Cortland and Cayuga counties, and on the west by Cayuga county.

The Military Tract. — The original townships of the original Onondaga county acquired their names through the creation and survey of the celebrated Military Tract. This tract had its origin on the 16th of September, 1776, in the following resolutions, which were passed by Congress during consideration of war measures :

That eighty-eight battalions be enlisted as soon as possible, to serve during the present war: and that each State furnish their respective quotas in the following proportions, viz. : [the quota of New York was four battalions; those of other States need not be given here]. i

That twenty dollars be given as a bounty to each non-commissioned officer and private soldier who shall enlist to serve during the present war, unless sooner discharged by Congress.

GENESIS OF THE COUNTS. 5

That Congress make provision for granting lands in the following proportions to officers and soldiers, who shall so engage in the service, and continue therein until the close of the war, or until discharged by Congress, and to the representatives of such officers and soldiers as shall be slain by the enemy.

Map showing original Onondaga County and Military Tract AND Surroundings.

Such lands to be provided by the United States ; and whatever expenses as shall be necessary to procure such lands, the said expenses shall be borne by the States in the same proportion as the other expenses of the war, viz. : to a Colonel, 500 acres ; to a Lieutenant-Colonel, 450 acres; to a Major, 400 acres; to a Captain, 300 acres; to a Lieutenant, 200 acres; to an Ensign, 150 acres; to each non-commissioned officer and soldier, 100 acres.

By an act of the 13th of August, 1780, Congress also made provision for land bounties to major-generals, 1,100 acres, and to brigadier-generals, 850 acres.

On the 20th of March, 1781, and the 23d of March, 1782, the State Legislature passed acts which further provided for the raising of troops to complete "the line " of this State in the United States service, and for two regiments to be recruited on bounties of lands, for the further defense of the frontiers of this State. The land granted by these lastmentioned acts was known as "bounty lands," and that granted by the other legislation as "gratuity lands. "

On July 25, 1782, an act was passed the provisions of which fixed the boundaries of the tract, and definitely applied it to the purpose in question. The act reads :

That all lands situate, lying and being in the county of Tryon, bounded on the north by Lake Ontario, the Onondaga river and the Oneida lake, on the west by a line drawn from the mouth of the Little Sodus or Asorodus creek, thro' the most westerly inclination of the Senica lake, on the south by an east and west line drawn thro' the most southerly inclination of the Senica lake, and on the east by a line drawn from the most westerly boundary of the Oneida or Tuscarora country on the Oneida lake thro' the most westerly inclination of the west bounds of the Oneida or Tuscarora country; shall be and the same is hereby declared to be set apart and assigned for the purpose of making grants to Major-Generals and Brigadier-Generals who at the time of entering the service were inhabitants of this State, and to the troops of this State serving in the army of the United States.

Other sections of this act were designed to aid grantees in establishing title, and to otherwise aid in carrying out the purpose of the government.

When the war closed in 1783, the New York Legislature undertook to discharge this obligation, and also granted gratuities in lands on its own account. This was, accomplished by a resolution granting lands in addition to those before mentioned in the following proportions: To a major-general, 5,500 acres; to a brigadier-general, 4,350 acres; to a colonel, 3,500 acres; to a lieutenant-colonel, 2,250 acres; to a major, 2,000 acres; to a captain and regimental surgeon, each, 1,300 acres; to each chaplain, 2,000 acres; to every subaltern and surgeon's mate 1,000 acres; to every non-commissioned officer and private, 500 acres.

Another resolution contained the following provisions :

That the lands so to be granted as bounty from the United States, and as gratuity

GENESIS OF THE COUNTT. 7

from the State, shall be laid out in townships of six miles square ; that each township shall be divided into 156 lots of 150 acres each, two lots whereof shall be reserved for the use of a minister of the gospel, and two lots for the use of a school or schools; that each person above described shall be entitled to as many such lots as his bounty and gratuity will admit of; that one-half the lots each person shall be entitled to shall be improved at the rate of five acres for each one hundred acres, within five years after the grant, if the grantee shall retain the possession of such lots ; and that the said bounty and gratuity lands be located in the district of this State reserved for the use of the troops by an act entitled "An Act to prevent grants or locations of the lands therein mentioned," passed the 35th day of July, 1782.

On the Tlth of May 1784, an act was passed by the Legislature appointing commissioners to have charge of the granting of bounty lands. This commission consisted of the governor of the State, the lieutenant-governor, the speaker of the Assembly, the secretarj' of state, the attorney-general, the treasurer and the auditor. This act, after sections referring to boundaries of tracts already entered, gives the boundaries of certain State reservations. *

The original acts granting these lands were subsequently modified and amended, until finally it was ordered by an act passed February 25, 1789:

That the Commissioners of the land office shall be, and they are hereby authorized to direct the Surveyor-General to lay out as many townships in tracts of land set apart for such purpose, as will contain land sufficient to satisfy the claims of all persons who are or shall be entitled to grants of land by certain concurrent resolutions, . . which townships shall respectively contain 60, 000 acres of land, and be laid out as nearly in squares as local circumstances will permit, and be numbered from one progressively to the last inclusive ; and the Commissioners of the Land OiBce shall likewise designate every township by such names as they shall deem proper.