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Cornell University Library 1993.Annual Volume of the
Onondaga Historical Association
1914
Notes of Other Days in Skaneateles
By Rev. W. M. Beauchamp, S. T. D.
Reminiscences of Syracuse
1	By Timothy C. Cheney
Supplement to Revolutionary Soldiers
Of Onondaga County
Edited by the
REV. W. M. BEAUCHAMP, S. T. D.
THE DEHLER PRESS
SYRACUSE, N. Y.REV. W. M. BEAUCHAMP3
THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
SKETCH OF THE EDITOR’S LIFE
The Rev. William Martin Beauchamp, S. T. D., is the
son of William Millet and Mary (Jay) Beauchamp, who
came to this country in 1829 from Somersetshire, England.
He was born in the Governor Colden house, Coldenham,
Orange county, N. Y., March 25, 1830, and came to Skane-
ateles in 1831. Nov. 26, 1857, he married in Ravenna,
Ohio, Sarah, daughter of Howard and Achsah (Rouse)
Carter, and lived in Skaneateles till 1862. He was ordained
deacon Sept. 21, 1862, in Geneva, N. Y., and priest the
following year, becoming rector of Grace Church, Baldwins-
ville, July 1, 1865, resigning Oct. 1, 1900. He received
the degree of S. T. D. from Hobart College, Nov. 30, 1886,
and has been an examining chaplain of the diocese of
Central New York since June, 1884. His address of July 3,
1888, for Pettit’s Battery, on Cemetery Ridge, is in “New
York at Gettysburg.”
In 1889 he became a director of the Onondaga Historical
Association, serving ever since and being now the senior in
office. He was president of the Onondaga Academy of
Science, 1901-02, and for some years a fellow and officer of
the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
As New York State Archaeologist he prepared thirteen illus-
trated bulletins on archaeology and Indian history, besides
doing a great amount of personal work.
In 1904 he was adopted in the Eel clan of the Onon-
dagas, with the name of Wah-kat-yu-ten, the beautiful or
perfect rainbow. In 1905 he named the Ka-noo-no Karnival
at the State Fair, and prepared the syllabus for the first
parade of floats. The name of the Kanatenah Club also
came from him. He received the second award of the Corn-
planter medal for Iroquois research in 1906, and a history
of that people is one of his State publications. Oct. 2, 1905,
he was elected president of the Syracuse Clerical Club and
still holds that office.
Besides contributions to many journals he has pub-
lished the “Iroquois Trail,” “Indian Names in New York,”
and “Revolutionary Soldiers of Onondaga County” for this4	SKETCH OF THE EDITOR'S LIFE
society. He also wrote fifteen chapters of Onondaga’s Cen-
tennial, and most of the first volume of Past and Present of
Onondaga County. In 1912 he was elected historian of the
Masonic Veterans of Central New York, an office which he
still fills.
It is needless to mention the many societies of which he
is an honorary member. For his own use he has prepared
ten large volumes, entitled “Antiquities of Onondaga,” with
15,000 original drawings of Indian relics, fully described in
order of collection, and mostly of this and adjoining counties,
with much miscellaneous matter. To this may be added an
original collection of 2,600 Onondaga words, several manu-
script volumes of Iroquois biography and folk lore, and a
descriptive catalogue of the land and fresh water shells of
Onondaga, published in 1886. A collection of several thou-
sand local epitaphs is of wide importance. His contributions
to local botany and ornithology have also been of value.
Though he gave up parochial work in his 71st year, Dr.
Beauchamp is still largely employed in supplying vacant
parishes and other like work, while in the natural sciences
his interest is unabated. To him, at least, Central New York
has long proved a fertile field.' Notes of Other Days in Skaneateles
Written for the Skaneateles Democrat in 1876
By The Rev. Wm. M. Beauchamp, S. T. D.
CHAPTER I.
Early Days—J. D. Barrow on Early Settlers.
These notes have been thrice published in the Democrat,
and are now revised, yet but slightly changed. In the main
they were my own recollections, most of the dates coming
from my father’s diary. It was the national centennial
year and the first part appeared Feb. 3, 1876. Mr. John D.
Barrow published a brief address on Skaneateles town his-
tory, made July 4th of that year, and on the same day Dr.
Israel Parsons gave a similar but fuller account of Mar-
cellus, which was also published.
Though the name of Skaneateles is on early French
maps, our first account of the lake is in the Moravian journal
of Bishop Cammerhoff, who came to the “long lake” with
David Zeisberger, June 18, 1750, on the old trail to Onon-
daga from Owasco Lake. It ran easterly thence along the
line of the electric road to Nine Mile creek, and thence over
the hills, which they called the Prince’s Peak, to Dorwin
Springs. It reached Skaneateles lake by way of the brook
south of Lake View cemetery. Returning, June 24, they
called the shelter which they built on the shore near St.
James’ church, “The Pilgrims’ Hut at St. John’s Beach,” in
honor of the day. In later visits St. John’s Beach sufficed.
Colonel Gansevoort, with his hundred men, made a brief
halt, Sept. 22,1779, on his return from Sullivan’s army, and
Joseph Brant led captives through the place westward early
in 1781.
Preliminary to my own notes I summarize some of
Mr. Barrow’s on early settlers of the village and vicinity.
Benajah and Elijah Bowen settled on lot 30 in 1794, in
the east part of the town. In the following winter or spring
came Abraham A. Cuddeback and his brother-in-law, James
or Jacobus Ennis, settling on lot 37, at the Lapham place,
now Roosevelt Hall. The same winter Gen. Robert Earll
and his brother Abijah came to lot 27, where the “old red6
THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
house” was built. In the autumn of ’96, Alanson and Thad-
deus Edwards met Warren Hecox and Moses Loss on the
shore, and all became residents. In ’97 Stephen Benson
settled on Benson street.
About that time Judge Sanger laid out village lots along
his street from Jordan street to Leitch avenue, selling them
at $8 each. Winston Day bought the first, where the Lake
House stood, building the first store. James Porter took the
next, erecting the first tavern and frame house in town.
The third lot had Mr. Day’s small house and Seth McKay’s
little hat shop was on the fourth. He soon sold this to
Norman Leonard, who had already bought the fifth—in later
days the Legg and Thayer place. Jonathan Hall bought the
sixth. He was grandfather of Nathan K. Hall, Postmaster
General under Fillmore. He soon sold to Perley Putnam,
who died in 1827. Benjamin Nye built a little behind the
John Kellogg house, and on lot 8 (Avery’s and Bartlett’s)
Mr. Pierce built the first house, once the home of John Legg.
The Burnett house was commenced by Mr. Fay and com-
pleted by Colonel Vredenburgh in 1803. On the south of the
street Jonathan Weston had a log house on the Poor estate.
Judge Sanger sold his remaining lots to Colonel Vreden-
burgh in 1802.
West of the outlet Warren Hecox first settled, building
a tannery there. The Packwood House site “was originally
a very dense swamp.” David Seymour was the original
proprietor and settler on West Lake street, with Ennis and
the Cuddebacks beyond. Barnabas Hall owned the Mile
Point, once called Barney’s Point from him. On the point,
for a long time, were traces of a small house in which Mr.
Beebe dwelt. Next came Ansel Cook, who sold to Liva Peck,
and then came Butler and John Stoner, the latter on Russell
Frost’s farm. Edward Barber owned the Brown and
Lawton farms, and then followed Henry Cuykendall, Jacob
Van Etten, Daniel Gardner, Thomas and Andrew Reed,
Amos Jones and Samuel Welch, as far as Mandana, all soon
after 1798.
On the east side of the village Nathaniel and Jonathan
Eells owned and occupied the Pardee place, and Moses Loss
built near by. On lot 38, on the lake road, were Alanson
and Thaddeus Edwards, John Lee, Ebenezer Pardee and
Amos Miner, the inventor. Beyond these were Mr. Seeley,
Seba Brainerd and Solomon Edwards. Benjamin BatesNOTES OP OTHER DAYS IN SKANEATELES	7
settled on the next lot, afterward owned by Capt. Benjamin
Lee and Capt. De Cost. The next lot was Elijah Seymour’s,
followed by Mr. Cortright, who soon sold to Ebenezer
Sessions. Seth McKay and James Porter owned the next
farm, and then came Benjamin Nye.
“Among the original settlers in the southeast part of
the town were Manley, Mason, Briggs, Skeels and Chandler.
On the line of the Hamilton turnpike were William Dascomb,
then Sol Foster, then the Bowens. On the line of the Seneca
turnpike were Dr. Benedict, Asa Chappel, Jehiel Rust, Jedu-
than Newton, Charles Pardee, Mr. Wightman and his sons,
and Luther Lawrence. On the road leading north from Jesse
Simmons’ corner were Seba Brainerd, Ebenezer and Aaron
Pardee. On the road west of the village on the farm of
James Root, the first settler was Aaron Taylor. Then came
Isaac Selover, who set out the poplar trees, a noted land-
mark in Skaneateles. Then came Squire Patchen, Peter
SeCoy and Eli Clark. Then the farms of Clift and Hatch.
Beyond these were the Leonard and Root families. Along
the Genesee road were Watson Earll and Daniel Watson.”
Following these notes of a valued friend come my
more personal recollections, addressed to the Democrat, a
paper founded by my father, Jan. 1, 1840, an event I well
remember.
CHAPTER II.
My Father’s Early Visits—Churches—Steamboats.
As a contribution to the centennial literature of the
country, I am tempted to send to the Democrat some items
of the olden times, dating from a period not much later
than the organization of Skaneateles as a town.. Let me
here say that the old military townships were divided into
100 lots of 600 acres each, out of which towns were after-
wards formed. About forty lots of the township of Mar-
cellus became the town of Skaneateles. Some of the
numbers of the old lots are familiar yet. Many a time have
I explored the recesses of Twenty-eight swamp, near the
village. It was a storehouse of botanical rarities. There
grew the fringed, the showy and other species of orchids;
the cardinal flower, the wild azalea, the wintergreen, three
kinds of ladies’ slippers, the nodding lily and other beautiful
flowers; and it was also the home of many rare birds.8
THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
My father first visited Skaneateles Nov. 6, 1829, before
it became a town and before my birth, at Coldenham, N. Y.,
March 25,1830. On the way he stopped a few days in Onon-
daga Valley, in a brick house yet standing near the ceme-
tery. He came to William Snook’s in Skaneateles, Nov. 6,
going with him to James Rattle’s and to Auburn the next
day, leaving the Valley for home on the 10th. Mr. Snook
was a brother of Dr. John Snook, who came in 1832, and Mr.
Rattle an out-spoken English Quaker, whom I visited much
later in his Ohio home. My father visited Skaneateles
again, February 12, 1831, a four days’ drive from Orange
county, returning on the 15th.
The Skaneateles Telegraph was then published by
William H. Child and this notice appeared ahout that time:
“Notice is hereby given that application will be made to the
next Legislature for a division of the town of Marcellus into
three towns. Dated Skaneateles, Nov. 24, 1829.” Thus the
town was formed Feb. 26, 1830, before my father came
again.
I had a souvenir of the intervening period given me by
a lady who was present at the fete announced. It was a nice
notice that the Female Circle of Industry of St. James’
Church would have its first annual fair at William Fuller’s
tavern, Aug. 30, 1830. Later ones were held at the winter
holidays. The Circle had the vestry’s thanks in 1834 for the
gift of $100 for the new parsonage, and its work was long
continued.
My father began his removal from Orange county
April 12, 1831, reaching Skaneateles on the 23d. One item
will show why he was eleven days on the way. He reached
Tully at 9 p. m. and wrote: “We were three hours going the
last 3% miles. Roads bad and horses tired.” He had two
white covered wagons loaded with family and furniture,
such as I often saw for many years. Bows were bent from
side to side of the wagon and white sheets were stretched
over these. The water pail hung beneath the box and the
feed trough was behind. A spinning wheel often hung
above this, but we had none. A cow was often a conven-
ience, and our hens gave us some fresh eggs on the way.
We nooned at any pleasant place, and, like others, may some-
times have slept in the wagon. I am sure I did. For years,
before and after, this was the common usage of American
settlers, but foreigners followed the canal.NOTES OF OTHER DAYS IN SKANEATELES
9
Thus my father came into Skaneateles, where friends
had preceded him. He lost no time but yet it took some
time to secure a home. This was found four miles south of
the village.
On the 7th of May he set out the first thorn hedge in
the town, I believe, being that which is yet growing on the
Cook farm, near Marcellus. Another, which he planted the
same year, is in existence at his old residence near the south
line of the town, east side of the lake. There Deacon Ses-
sions, Windsor Nye and the Moores were his neighbors. In
the Presbyterian church that year he heard his first 4th of
July oration in Skaneateles, and I may add that, 22 years
later, I delivered my first 4th of July address in the same
house. It was a new and handsome building in 1831, known
as the Brick Church, for all others for miles around were
of wood. The steeple was high and many storied, and had
for a vane a gilded fish.
Of the churches my father wrote in 1831: “The Epis-
copal is directly on the water, a plain, neat building, with an
organ, small but sweet tone, good singing, and a clock in
the tower; the Presbyterian, a large brick building with a
lofty tower, which is common here. The towers generally
cost more than the rest of the building together. The dome
or cupola is covered with tin, which never rusts in this
country by exposure to the atmosphere, and when the sun
shines it looks like silver, even for four or five miles. There
are several domes in the village, on manufactories and shops
for work. The Baptist Church is a large, plain building on
the hill. The Methodists have the brick school house to
preach in, which they do once a fortnight at 5 p. m. The
Quakers are two. The Orthodox have a meeting house,
almost new, in the village. The Hicksites have one a mile
therefrom.”
On July 22d the steamboat Independence made her first
trip, and tradition relates that the village fathers had a
specially jolly time on board, expecting wonderful results
from the boat, which did not follow. I remember her well,
built in the style seen in old pictures, painted yellow, with a
quarterdeck and a cabin below. On August 17th she caught
fire opposite Factory Gulf, but without serious damage.
Captain Wells, who commanded, was part owner, but sold
his interest to Charles Pardee, Nov. 21, 1831. In April,
1832, she was carried in the ice four miles up the lake and10	THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
anchored off my father’s orchard. She was not a financial
success and eventually became the schooner Constitution,
Which, with the sloop Union, Captain Randall, long carried
on the wood trade on the lake. In her latter days old Cap-
tain Fowler used to have to get up nights and pump to keep
her from sinking. Even as a schooner, however, she some-
times carried parties of pleasure, and I remember well a
fair company that thus visited Glen Haven before it had
that name. Two of the ladies climbed the old log way.
Who would undertake it now? The Independence took a
gay party of 44 ladies and 19 gentlemen to the head of
the lake Sept. 7, 1831, most of whom I knew later. The
Auburn band of 20 pieces went along. The Highland Chief
was a little earlier boat.
My father’s first conection with the American press was
as an agent of the Onondaga Republican. It was an anti-
Masonic sheet, published in Syracuse, and had but a brief
existence. Returning from New York in October he rode on
the newly completed Albany and Schenectady railroad,
Which Was for several years the only part of the present
New York Central. On a trial excursion, Sept. 24, 1831, the
trip had been made between terminals in the remarkable
•time of 46 minutes. It was the first railroad in the State,
so that I was born before the railway came.
In June, that year, complaints were made of the inter-
ruption of an anti-Masonic meeting in Skaneateles village,
and there was much local excitement. In 1831, also, the
Skaneateles Columbian was founded, succeeding the Tele-
graph. Winston Day, the first merchant in Skaneateles,
died Sept. 11, aged 64.
CHAPTER III.
Pioneers—Clergymen—Capt. Lee—M. E. Church.
Those were the days of protracted religious meetings of
the most intense kind, and in February, 1832, there was
published a curious protest against these, signed by many
leading citizens.
July 15, 1832, my grandfather Jay preached his first
sermon in Skaneateles and in America. He often officiated
in the village and in neighboring places, dying in Marcellus
in 1843, aged 83. Dr. Parsons gave a charming description
of this venerable man. His son, Joseph Jay, bought the
Tumeur farm (Willis Platt) east of the village, on the arrival
of the family. James Turneur owned the village mill inNOTES OP OTHER DAYS IN SKANEATELES	11
1828, and Mrs. Turneur died Jan. 18, 1833, aged 88. Many
of these early burials are not in the cemetery register. The
first Thaddeus Edwards died April 3, 1832, in his 69th year.
One of the leading merchants of Skaneateles died in
New York, Oct. 23, 1832; cholera was prevalent, but I am
informed that Stephen Horton would have no one else
incur risk in doing business there for him. His funeral
sermon was preached in the Episcopal Church by Rev. j. T.
Clarke, Nov. 4th, but his body did not reach Skaneateles
until the following February.
The notable deaths of 1833 were of Capt. Ephraim
Thomas, Jan. 1, aged 89; Mrs. Phebe, wife of Claudius
Wolcott, Jan. 14, aged 77; Mrs. Catharine Edwards, Jan. 22,
in 81st year; Thomas Greves, father of the editor of the
Columbian, June 13, in 62d year; Capt. Seth Hall, a well
known carriage maker, Nov. 15, aged 51, and Gen. Robert
Earll, Nov. 25, in his 74th year. Also a Mr. MacMillan,
buried Feb. 17, aged 76. There was one centenarian, Mrs.
Robins, who died March 25, aged 100 years and 18 days.
Two others lived longer and died later. Mrs Cleaveland died
June 14, 1861, aged 104 years and 7 months, and Francis
Flink was a colored man, who died Dec. 15, 1837, aged 104
years. He had been a slave.
News traveled slowly. The village was incorporated
Friday, April 19, 1833, and the news was received the follow-
ing Monday. About this time my father visited the Skane-
ateles Columbian office, then owned by Mr. Greves, and a
little later examined it with a view to purchase. I have
seen the Skaneateles Telegraph, an anti-Masonic paper pub-
lished previously.
Rev. Joseph T. Clarke came to Skaneateles about the
Same time that my father did and a little later the latter
Was made chorister of St. James’ Church. Mr. Clarke
officiated regularly in Marcellus, in the new St. John’s
Church, in which place he preached the first sermon, Aug.
18, 1833. It was consecrated Sept. 2. He also held occa-
sional services in Mottville and Borodino, and was rector at
Skaneateles for 14 years. Besides two sons he afterwards
had a son-in-law in the ministry.
Preparing at this time to engage in the book business,
my father bought a quantity of dictionaries of Mr. Lyman,
a Presbyterian clergyman who, with his daughter, had a
school in the place. I am told he was the father of Theodore12	THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
B. Lyman, Assistant Bishop of North Carolina. Previous to
this Captain Lee, father of Bishop Lee of Delaware, lived on
the Shotwell farm, where he was for a time interred. I used
to have a copy of his chart of the lake, whereon the sound-
ings and the nature of the bottom were inscribed.
In 1783 Capt. Benjamin Lee was a midshipman in the
British fleet in the West Indies. For disrespect to a
superior he was courtmartialed and sentenced to death. The
other midshipmen, headed by the later King William, put
in an earnest petition, and he was reprieved but left the
service. In Boston he became a successful captain and
was offered the first lieutenancy of the frigate Constitution.
This he declined. He loved his new home but would lift no
hand against the old. His will includes several religious
gifts.
Nov. 12,1833, “Colored Charlie,” of bad reputation and
suspected of stealing, received a coat of tar and feathers
and sundry baths in the lake. This caused much excitement,
and scattered abroad some of the young men implicated.
The Academy then, and often thereafter, had exhibitions at
the Brick church. Many a time in later days have I
declaimed there with my companions. There are the usual
school-day pranks to be related of those who were in the
Academy under Green, Bradshaw, Taylor and others. I
think we were more orderly under Allen Fisk, the last pre-
ceptor. Two of his sons are now Episcopal ministers.
I do not know when the Methodist society was organ-
ized, but I find mention of the opening of the Methodist
Church, Feb. 26, 1834. This was the day of dedication, and
the pews were sold on the following day. I have one of
the old deeds, but the pew has disappeared. Just before this
the young men’s temperance meetings appear. There was
no total abstinence in temperance societies then, and Squire
M. Brown once told me that at a meeting of the State Tem-
perance Society he had seen the speaker so “high” through
drinking wine that he could hardly walk. Nevertheless, he
gave a splendid temperance lecture. Jan. 1, 1834, a local
temperance society, founded two years before, reported 620
members.
As a bookseller my father put up his sign this spring,
and founded his valuable circulating library soon after, the
catalogues being printed in May, 1834. I know of some of
the good it did to many men. He continued in the bookNOTES OF OTHER DAYS IN SKANEATELES	13
business until 1850. His various signs were lettered with
his own hands, and he sometimes made signs for others,
being quite artistic in this and other ways. As a printer he
could readily produce any desired heading or coarse wood
cut, and soifte of these are in use still. For many years he
supplied the evergreen letters for the Christmas church
decorations'
CHAPTER IV.
James C. Fuller—Artist EUiott—-Mechanics’ Association—
Elections—Bishop Burnett—-Joseph	Talcott—Great
Fire—Deep Snow-—Railroad—Joseph Cross—Stage
Coaches.
April 20, 1834, James Cannings Fuller took up his resi-
dence in Skaneateles. His kindness of heart, liberality and
earnestness, as well as eccentricities, soon made him a
prominent person. His advent was almost a prophecy of
some of his after perils. Before he had been in town a
month, his horses ran away, upset the wagon, threw him
out and dashed the vehicle to pieces. He lived until 1847,
one of the most prominent citizens of Skaneateles. Under
date of April 18, 1839, he published a card returning “most
sincere thanks to those friends who so kindly and voluntarily
offered and perseveringly conducted him to his home, when
surrounded by a tumultuous mob Third day evening last;
and he sincerely trusts that the mud and missiles which
were so abundantly showered on the occasion may make
both himself and friends more determined” in the good
cause. Imagine a tumultuous mob in Skaneateles! One of
the funniest things I ever saw was his performance when
some of his friends persuaded him to take laughing gas.
It was on the 13th of May, 1834, that the villagers went
sleighing as a remarkable occurrence. The frost was severe,
and ice formed half an inch thick. July 4 there was a
diversified entertainment, consisting of an address on
African colonization, a temperance meeting, Sunday School
festival and services at St. James’, besides firing of cannon
and firecrackers, and throwing fireballs made of cotton.
In July the Columbian had a notice of Charles L.
Elliott, a young artist who had painted portraits for the
Talcott, Gould and Jewett families. It was an opportunity
for others. When Elliott came to Skaneateles Sanford
Thayer was in John Legg’s great carriage shop. The two14	THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
met, and this was the beginning of Thayer’s fine work as an
artist. Elliott borrowed from my father’s store a picture of
Bonaparte crossing the Alps, which he painted on the back
of the famous big sleigh. At this time he sometimes took
the accessories of his portraits from some notable engraving,
painting many pictures here.
Aug. 23, old Solomon Edwards died, in his 82d year.
His son Solomon, who died March 5, 1863, in his 84th year,
always seemed old to me.
The same month Johii Day made his first visit to
Skaneateles, taking up his residence there at a later day as a
merchant tailor. In August of the same year John Snook
put up his sign as a druggist, in the red brick store opposite
his later place of business. As though it were yesterday I
recall the great and bright colored glass vessels in the win-
dows, and the pleasant odor of the place.
Dudley Potter was killed Sunday, Sept. 4, by the acci-
dental discharge of his gun, while squirrel hunting. He
was but 16. Flint lock guns were then in use and a bag of
flints could be found in every country store. Percussion
caps came some years later, and percussion pills preceded
them- At this time the cholera was prevalent in Syracuse,
and a good deal of alarm was felt. A great Whig meeting
was held Sept. 6, and soon after Milton A. Kinney made the
Columbian an anti-Jackson paper. About this time the
mechanics began to hold meetings against prison labor. The
Mechanics’ Literary Association was formed in December,
held its first annual celebration Dec. 12, 1835, and for
several years kept up a library, together with debates and
lectures.
Sept. 2, “a balloon was sent up in grand style.” On the
30th Martin Van Buren passed through the village. He had
not yet become President, but still it was quite an event.
A tragic occurrence the same fall created no little
interest. Nov. 19th a sick man named Grant in a crazy fit
wandered away half naked and was found in a stream on
the “Widow Washburne’s farm” the next April.
In November came the curious three days’ election for
each town, dating back for many years. The electors
reported successively at Mandana, Mottville and Skaneateles,
a day for each.
In 1835 the ice broke up in April, and on the 5th of
March there were many sleighing parties on the lake. SomeNOTES OF OTHER DAYS IN SKANEATELES	15
would wonder now if told of danger in the mill-pond, but a
Mr. Michael Kelley was drowned there April 27, 1835, and
Daniel Churcher narrowly escaped the same fate. That
spring I first “saw the elephant,” two passing through the
place. But my most vivid recollection is of Bishop Burnett’s
fireworks (being a retire'd British officer, he was not exactly
a Bishop), which were exhibited in the woods north of the
village, and which I was permitted to stay up and see. The
forests were in a blaze of glory, and wheels whirred and
rockets soared, and Mr. Burnett’s coat took fire, and there
was a grand time generally for those days. Mr. Burnett had
a small fish-pond, very tastefully arranged, in the stream
back of Benoni Lee’s residence—and his memory is sweet
to me because of the sugar plums I used to receive from him.
What child could forget this? He died in Canada, Feb. 5,
1838. At this time old Joseph Tallcott, father of Richard
Tallcott, had a good deal of book work done at my father’s;
educational and religious publications, which he was fond of
editing. I always looked upon him as a type of his own
“Friendly Visitant,” kind in heart and earnest in doing good.
He wore the distinctive garb of the old American Friends,
and was as perfect a representative of them as Mr. Fuller,
with his knee-breeches and buckled shoes, was of the English
Friends, as they may be seen in pictures of William Penn
and his associates. He was born in 1768 and died August
25, 1853.
The Skaneateles Hotel now became the Indian Queen,
referring to an erroneous definition of the first name, per-
haps originated by Captain Lee. At the Fourth of July cele-
bration Benoni Lee was the orator. It was given in the,
Presbyterian “meeting house,” for the term “church” was
not in favor then. The notable deaths of the year were
Chauncey S. Coe, father of Edward B. Coe, and Mrs. Leslie,
who died April 24, aged 40 years; Charles Pardee, Dec. 21,'
aged 75, and Eli Clark, Aug. 22, aged 72 years.
On training day in September, 1835, Marsh’s tavern
took fire, but was saved. , This was at the east end of the
vilage, where it was burned several years later. On the 28th
came one of the most disastrous fires Skaneateles ever expe-
rienced, in which all the wooden buildings occupying the site
of Legg Hall and the Phoenix Block, were consumed. The
town records were also destroyed. My father was among
the heaviest losers, and I was called up in the night to see16
THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
the flames, of which I had an unobstructed view from the
hill above. It was a grand but fearful sight to me. Even
now I remember the blankets which were hung over Tall-
cott’s store, where the fire was stayed. In a letter my father
mentioned that I then had two cents of my own, and offered
these to him next morning to help start him in business
again. It was all I could do, but the offer gave him new
courage. My father’s store was then kept temporarily in
Mr. Vowles’ building east of the Episcopal Church and next
to Samuel Francis’ hat store. How many recollect the great
sign of the latter, where the Indian traded off furs for
hats? Seth Hall, Jr., was clerk for my father for several
months, at this time, and it is a curious illustration of how
paths cross in life, that I sometime since baptized one of
his children, and two of his grandchildren in Oswego county.
It was in December of the same year that the great fire in
New York occurred.
The following winter was severe, and is still called the
winter of the deep snow. Many had to get out of the second
story windows, and trees were cut down for fuel in the
village, the woods being inaccessible. Jan. 11, 1836, the
stage was twenty-three hours in coming from Auburn to
Skaneateles, the snow being four feet deep, and on the 23d
of February Mr. Chapman and son of Niles were found dead
on the ice, seven miles up the lake, which often furnished a
winter highway. The knowledge of deep snows and of
drifts overtopping the fences will not perish. Snowplows
have traversed the streets of Skaneateles from an early
day, and the farm catle are yet turned out to break some
country roads. Not quite so common was “kettling out,”
where a team was hitched to a great potash kettle, to be
drawn through the snow. If more weight was needed the
children piled in, and a Skaneateles lady yet tells of thus
riding to the school she taught.
The new brick stores were built in 1836, and most of
them occupied the same year. In the fall there were early
snows. Sept. 28th the snow was three inches deep . Oct. 5th
it snowed all day, and this was followed by a light rain, with
frost. Trees were in leaf, apples ungathered, and all
seemed desolation. The heavy winds afterwards proved too
much for the new zinc roofs of the stores, tearing them off
or damaging them otherwise.
As boys it was our delight to race along these roofsNOTES OF OTHER DAYS IN SKANEATELES	17
from one end of the block to the other, jumping the battle-
ments as we came to them. Several of the basements, open-
ing in the rear, were occupied by small families, access being
had by an archway in the block.
On the 19th of May, 1836, a bill passed the Legislature,
providing for the construction of a railroad from Skane-
ateles to the Auburn & Syracuse railroad. It was to be
commenced within two years, and finished and put in opera-
tion in four. The capital stock was to be $25,000, in shares
of $50, and Freeborn G. Jewett, Daniel Earll, David Hall,
Richard Tallcott, Charles Pardee and Lewis H. Sandford
were named as commissioners. Passengers might be
charged six cents per mile. I do not remember when the
survey was commenced, though I was often in the office,
and still more frequently in the house of Mr. Lee, the sur-
veyor. Storrs Barrows was Superintendent for a long time,
a genial man who also acted as conductor, collecting the
fares and poking up the horsepower. By sitting close the
car might hold a dozen persons, but rarely did this.
At first the railroad crossed the creek, and the depot
was opposite the present Packwood House. Then it was
changed, and the old depot stood where the present one does.
I think it was some time before anything was done, for my
father became a shareholder April 30, 1839, and the road
was finished the following year. I find, however, that on the
12th of July, 1839, the mail was brought on the railroad, but
this probably refers to the Auburn & Syracuse railroad. As
a passenger road the Skaneateles railroad was first used,
Sept. 30, 1840, when an excursion train of platform cars
was put on to attend a Democratic convention at Syracuse.
This first use seems to me to refer to the curve, however. It
was a rainy day and I remember well the crowded umbrellas
over the heads of the passengers. Early in 1836 the Utica &
Schenectady railroad was finished as far as St. Johnsville,
and a charter procured for the Attica & Buffalo railroad.
The old Skaneateles railroad had wooden rails, most of the
time; and for passenger travel, a horse-car. It eventually
gave place to the plank road, and that at last to the present
railroad.
I find a record of a donation party for Mr. Cross in
March, 1837. He was a very young, eloquent and popular
Methodist preacher, whom I have known since as an Epis-
copal clergyman. His precocious ability was very marked,18
THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
and he shows no diminution of power yet. In his Cazenovia
Seminary days he wrote some verses on the wonders of
creation, concluding with, “What a wonder of wonders is
little Joe Cross,” to the amusement of his mates. Succes-
sively he had seven wives, and a Skaneateles clergyman
pleasantly remarked that “The Rev. Dr. Brainerd commonly
married him.”
The day of stages was not yet over and I saw one upset,
May 4, opposite Mr. Gould’s residence, now Mr. Poor’s. The
mud was deep but the passengers got ashore. All five were
injured, two so seriously that they could not go on that day.
The vehicle then was the Troy coach, hung on thorough-
braces, and with a swinging motion, much like that of
moderate waves. Usually there were four horses, driven
with a grand flourish up to the tavern.
The slavery question began to arise and about this time
Mr. Gould gave a lecture upon it. I shall have more to say
about it farther on.
CHAPTER V.
John Snook, Jr.—Rev. S. W. Brace—Anti-Slavery—-
Canadian Troubles—Jerome Family—Bleeding.
In a storm which occurred May 5, there took place one
of those curious phenomena sometimes seen on the lakes of
New York. It was almost a tornado, accompanied by
thunder. Chimneys were blown down, and everything mov-
able was swept away. From the middle of the afternoon
until dark, the lake rose and fell from 1 y% to 2 feet every
sixteen minutes, and this continued on the following day.
I saw the same thing June 26, 1842. The heaviest storm of
the season came on, and the streets were like a river. When
it ceased the water ran back from the mill-pond into the
lake, and the ebb and flow continued into the next day. If I
am right it was March 9, 1852, when I again saw this
phenomenon. A heavy thunderstorm came up and the wind
blew fearfully for a little while, then there was a calm.
There was ice on the lake for about a mile, and I saw a
snag elevated several feet above it. Turning to call a com-
panion, the log had disappeared when he reached me. Then
it gradually rose a dozen feet and as gradually disappeared
again. Then we saw that the ice was in motion, and the
water rising and falling two feet. The ebb and flow gradu-
ally decreased through the day. The same thing occurredNOTES OF OTHER DAYS IN SKANEATELES	19
throughout this chain of lakes at this time and attracted
much attention.
This was repeated at Skaneateles, Oct. 20, 1870, when
an earthquake shock was also reported.
I should have said that Judge Daniel Kellogg died May
4, 1836, aged 36; Joseph Billings, Oct. 30, aged 77, and
Joseph Stevens, Feb. 22, aged 87 years. The last two were
Revolutionary soldiers.
The sloop Union, Captain Randall, arrived with lumber
from Hallsburg, April 28, 1837, the first arrival of the
season, so said the papers. This name was applied to the
head of the lake for ten years longer, Deacon Hall owning
much land there. Earlier it was Rossville.
June 19, 1837, I first went to a menagerie—a caravan
as it was commonly called. It did not come every year, and
thus called out a reported crowd of 3,000 people. The ring
performances were of a simple kind. A gayly dressed
monkey rode a Shetland pony with much trembling and
apparent fear; the elephant carried a band of girls around,
my sister among them; then his keeper sprang upon his
tusks and was swayed up and down around the ring, and
having seen nothing more wonderful we were greatly
pleased.
Perhaps some readers of the Democrat will remember
the breaking up of Main street, which began in May, 1837.
Great was the parade of oxen, and the breaking of plows;
but the end was a decided improvement. The street was
straightened and graded, at the usual expense of grumbling
and hard work.
It was on June 27th of this year that four young men,
students of the Auburn Theological Seminary, were drowned
in Owasco lake. Mrs. Sigourney wrote some lines on this,
commencing with, “What hast thou done, Owasco ?”
‘ October 7th, Dr. Hopkins died. He was one of the
prominent physicians of the place, and was mortally injured
by being thrown from a sulkey, opposite the Phoenix block,
some weeks before. I saw the accident and went to school
with his children. He was succeeded by Dr. Levi Bartlett,
who married his daughter and became the father of Judge
Bartlett.
On the 25th, the day on which a man was killed by fall-
ing from the stairs of Nehemiah Smith's tin-shop, Pratt &
Keeney commenced the printing business. E. S. Keeney was20
THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
a young man of much literary taste, and died some years
later, while editor of the Democrat. Luther Pratt was old,
and published the Juvenile Depository, a literary monthly of
moderate merit. I remember him too well to care about
describing him. November 13th, Captain De Cost’s wife
died. On the 24th, John Snook’s old brick store was entirely
removed. My impression is that it stood far out in the
present street. He had previously removed to his new store
opposite, where he kept the postoffice at a later day, and
where I used to sleep with Edmund Barrow. It did not
trouble me, for I was an early bird, like the good druggist
himself, but Edmund did not like his employer’s coming over
to take down the shutters at 4 o’clock of a summer morning.
All stores then put up heavy shutters when they closed at
night.
For the first time in my father’s diary I here find men-
tion of Rev. Mr. Brace of the Presbyterian Church, though
he had been in the place for several years. He is still living,
and while a resident of Skaneateles took much interest in the
general improvement of people and place. His fine Durham
calf will not soon be forgotten, nor the irreverent name of
“Aaron’s calf,” which some wag bestowed upon it. He was
prominent in many beneficial schemes.
The first town Agricultural Fair was held Nov. 18, a
local society holding frequent meetings for discussion.
Aug. 5, there was a frost, which certainly was unseasonable.
A State Anti-Slavery Society had been formed Oct. 19,
1836, and there was a meeting in Syracuse in August, 1837,
with one of the County Society the following year in
Elbridge. These sensibly affected Skaneateles, where an
abolition meeting was held the next year.
The year 1838 had its foreign political excitement,
which stirred up Skaneateles as well as all New York. In
the last days of 1837 the steamer Caroline had been sent
over Niagara Falls; in January Mackenzie was arrested; on
the 18th Governor Marcy passed through Skaneateles on his
way to Buffalo, the seat of most intense excitement.
I remember the handbills which forbade the meeting of
Hunters’ Lodges. There was one in Skaneateles, and of
course hunters had to have guns. In February, Van
Rensselaer was arrested, and then in November came the
battle of Windmill Point, in which many Onondaga menNOTES OF OTHER DAYS IN SKANEATELES
21
were engaged. I think, as a consequence of these troubles,
some Skaneateles citizens went to Van Dieman’s Land.
As a contrast to the warlike news, came that which was,
of a peaceful tendency. April 26th, we heard of the arrival
of the steamer Sirius from Cork in 18 days, and of the Great
Western in 15, from Bristol. Steam navigation was an
accomplished fact on the ocean, though we long had the
announcement of fourteen, ten or five days later news from
Europe. With the ocean cable we now have the afternoon’s
news in the morning of the same day.
August 1st, an abolition county convention was held in
the Methodist Church, and over $200 collected. Several
other meetings were held, and addressed by J. C. Fuller,
Dr. Benedict, Mr. Litherland and others, not without some
violent disturbances. These meetings gave rise to the Anti-
Slavery Library. This year election lasted three days. I do
not know when this commenced, but it did not last long after
this. I find in this and succeeding years, several notices of
the Skaneateles Education Society, which held quarterly
meetings, with a fair attendance, but know little of its actual
work. It was organized May 3, 1838, Phares Gould being
president.
There was a deep snow on the Sempronius hills, May
25; and Sept. 18 I had two novel sights: watching an eclipse
of the sun through smoked glass and, without a glass, seeing
a hog swim nearly a mile in the lake. Deacon Amasa
Sessions, one of the old settlers, died November 13th, aged
59 years, and other notable deaths were those of Jonathan
Hatch, Sept. 17, aged 51, and Mrs. Polly, wife of old Saul
Foster, June 7, in her 76th year.
Mrs. Dorothea Hyde died Feb. 4, 1839, aged 98. She
was the mother of Mrs. Kellogg. April 29, Mr. Richard L.
De Zeng and family took up their residence in town, Mr. D.
having built the fine house now owned by Mr. Lapham. A
little before this N. I. Roosevelt had moved to Skaneateles.
On the 9th of May, delegates from St. James’ Church
attended the consecration of Bishop DeLancey in Auburn;
and he first officiated in Skaneateles July 6th. The next
day the celebrated English Quaker, Joseph J. Gurney, spoke
in the Presbyterian Church.
Addison G. Jerome had long been a clerk in Phares
Gould’s store and married his daughter. Leonard H. Jerome,
father of Lady Randolph Churchill, studied law here with22	THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
John C. Beach, and the brothers became noted brokers. I
was walking along the West short, May 18,1839, when I saw
Leonard capsize in Burnett’s sailboat. He was alone, but
stood on the side and shouted for help. The sloop Union,
homeward bound, sailed by but did not stop. Captain
Randall stood on the quarter deck, as usual, playing on his
six foot tin horn. The old wood boats had high quarter
decks, and adjustable lee boards on each side, instead of
centerboards.
At this time J. G. Porter’s new house, better known as
the Beach house, was being built. James Welling fell from
the top of it and was badly injured. It was one of Dr. M. D.
Benedict’s first triumphs, in bringing him successfully
through, though opposing the old-fashioned bleeding. It
was quite the custom to bleed even healthy people at times.
I have seen this done, and in some families all adults were
bled once or twice a year. The usual fee was from twelve to
fifteen cents in early days; those days when doctors had
from twenty-five to fifty cents a visit, or a dollar in excep-
tional cases. One could “enjoy ill health” then. Dr. Bene-
dict came here in 1838.
July 14, 1839, under my father’s direction, responses to
the Commandments were first sung in St. James’ Church, and
perhaps this was the first in the county. Sept. 25, Capt.
Nash De Cost took the widow Coe for his third wife. They
were a delightful old couple. The notable deaths of the year
were: Mrs. Van Guilder, Feb. 9, aged 69; Mrs. Mary Sey-
mour, June 19, aged 85, widow of a Revolutionary soldier,
who died here earlier; John Briggs, June 25, in his 82d year.
His first wife, Polly, lies beside him. She died May 25,1802,
in her 44th year, and was the first person buried in Lake
View Cemetery. He was a Revolutionary pensioner. Mrs.
Molly, wife of David Hall, also died Oct. 8, aged 94.
CHAPTER VI.
Cattle Show—The Democrat Founded—Auburn Band—
De Zeng Family-—Death Bell—Funeral Procession-
Daguerreotypes—Dr. Lord—Band Picnic—Canal Water
—Washingtonian Temperance Reform—-A Big Fire.
A second cattle show had been held in 1838, and I
attended a fine one Oct. 22, 1839, held where Stephen Gif-
ford’s lumber yard afterwards occupied the ground. Oct.
28th, Mr. Furman had his house burned down, on the northNOTES OF OTHER DAYS IN SKANEATELES	23
line of the present corporation. Though but nine years old,
I was setting type at the time, but at once dropped my stick
and ran. Later I spent some years of married life on the
spot.
October 5th my father purchased the Auburn Banner
office, removed it to Skaneateles, and subsequently estab-
lished the Democrat, the prospectus for which was issued in
December. In the meantime he printed the Juvenile Deposi-
tory for Luther Pratt. January 3, 1840, the first number of
the Skaneateles Democrat was issued, amid many diffi-
culties, but I greatly enjoyed the excitement and especially
the supper that followed.
Then came another experience. Menageries and cir-
cuses had their bands, but these were professional and
excited no local pride. Feb. 18 the Auburn brass band
came over in the evening, played in the streets and gave a
concert a week later. I had not the needful quarter and so
sat under the church windows, getting the “dripping of the
sanctuary.” This brought about the formation of the Skane-
ateles band, which gave its first concert in the Presbyterian
church, June 19th. It had full employment in those stirring
political times. Bench and Petheram, White and Dodge,
Howard and Knight were in it, with Herbener at the head
of all. March 28th, the Whigs raised their log-cabin, on the
lumber yard corner, amid the stirring strains of “Tippe-
canoe and Tyler, too.” I was there, of course, but did not
sing, being on the other side, but knowing nothing of either.
None the less hearty partisan was I for my ignorance.
The year 1840 was a time of intense political excite-
ment. The Whigs raised their log-cabin one day; the next
an effigy of their candidate stood on a high pole in the most
conspicuous place in the village, where it remained for
several weeks. General Harrison had been accused of cow-
ardice, and the military figure wore a petticoat. The Whigs
had a Tippecanoe Club; the Democrats a Club of Hugh
Paws, and so it went on until after election.
April 26th, Mr. Isaac Sherwood was buried, on a day
when the rain poured down in torrents. The railroad had
made stages useless on the great thoroughfare, and they
came in long procession from Auburn, wheeling up the
steep ascent to the grave-yard, stage after stage, but almost
all tenantless. His and their occupation was gone.
July 4th of this year, Colonel Fowler ordered the24
THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
uniformed companies of his regiment to parade at Skane-
ateles. There were but two of these; the riflemen under
Capt. Jason Reed, with their red plumes and sashes, and
blue coats and white pants; the artillery company under
Captain Anderson of Borodino in their white hunting shirts,
fringed with red, marched and countermarched through the
streets. The Skaneateles Theater, Ashley & Wyatt, pro-
prietors, gave a performance in the evening. Adam Ashley
was a printer who worked for my father, a man of culture,
who died not long after in Syracuse. The performance was
really good.
Caleb W. Allis, well known as a merchant, married the
daughter of Valentine Willetts, July 7, and Captain Stokes
and Miss De Zeng'were married in St. James’ Church Aug.
18. A brilliant ball at the De Zeng house closed the day.
Captain Stokes had been wounded in the Florida war and
went into business life, but did some brilliant work in
Missouri in the opening of the Civil war.
September 23d, Jonathan Booth, one of the wardens of
St. James’ Church, and one of the oldest citizens, died, aged
78. He was the father of Mrs. J .S. Furman. The old
practice of striking the bell to announce his death was
observed. It was quite convenient in rural parts. Ringing
called attention; then one or two strokes announced the sex;
then came a stroke for each year of age. The months might
be added. Justin Howard also died, April 24, in his 72d
year, folowed by Samuel Eggleston, June 22, aged 96 years.
On the 29th of September, 1840, there was a Demo-
cratic meeting, held in the Baptist Church on the hill, and
addressed by Rathbun and Gaffney. Gaffney was a popular
speaker and a favorite cry was, “Clear the track! Gaffney’s
coming!” I saw the procession, rushed to the meeting,
heard my first political address, and no doubt was highly
edified. This old meeting house, with its square tower,
stood in an open space on the hill, east of school house No.
11, where the village probably commenced. It was always a
venerable building to me, one of inconceivable antiquity, and
when I saw militia parades on the green around it, I imag-
ined it the scene of terrible conflicts in early days. It was
built and occupied by the Congregational, afterward Presby-
terian Society, and by them sold to the Baptists, after the
Brick Church was built. In the pastorate of Rev. Amasa
Smith the Baptists took it down, and rebuilt it in a moreNOTES OF OTHER DAYS IN SKANEATELES
25
modern form, on their present lot. Originally it had a tall
spire and was deemed a very fine building. The early
fashion was to build churches on hills, but the village grew
up at a distance from this and it was abandoned for a more
convenient site.
Capt. John Furman had returned to Skaneateles, and
built the Essex, Jr., shipshape, with mainsail and topsail, jib
and flying jib. She sank in a gale, Oct. 17th, but afterwards
rode out many a storm. There were three days’ election
again this year, but complaints began to arise that men
voted too often. Of course, after election, there was a great
Whig celebration. The Democrats had their smaller rejoic-
ing first, over the election of William Fuller to the Assembly.
I remember how the mud covered messengers dashed down
the street, bringing the news from Syracuse.
Feb. 12, 1841, Mrs. Booth died, and the next night her
son-in-law, Mr. Furman, was again burned out, this time
on the site of Hunsiker’s new house. April 6th, came news
of President Harrison’s death; fast-day services were held
on this account in the village churches, May 14th. April 9th
the old tavern, owned by Fuller & Rooks, was burned,
together with some horses. It stood on the corner of the
lake road, at the east end of the village. A few days after,
Colonel Owen died, in the east part of the town. I remem-
ber the funeral procession through the village streets, led by
the Rev. J. T. Clarke, who always wore his black gown on
such occasions. I delighted in counting the carriages.
Jan. 29, I made my first visit to Syracuse, setting up a
stickful of type in the Standard office, where my father
bought some stock. It was a great experience.
Mr. John Barrow had come here in 1839, and his wife’s
mother, Mrs. Sarah Prior, died here July 4, aged 89.
April 26, 1841, a Congregational society was formed,
which, for several years, occupied the Congregational,
afterwards Lyceum, hall. Their Articles of Faith were
printed Dec. 18th. Mrs. Amos Clarke, mother of Rev. J. T.
Clarke, died June 16, aged 78 years.
The first daguerreotypes ever made in Skaneateles
were taken in July of this year. It was a terious process,
and they were both costly and indistinct. On the 28th of
the same month, the Roosevelt brothers launched their
boat. It was a pretty boat, but proved too cranky for their
use, and was sold to Dr. Lord, having a curious history26
THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
afterwards. Such a boat had never been seen on the lake
before and under him she always just missed taking a prize.
The genial doctor had friends who at last resolved he should
come out ahead. So a purse was made up, a pleasant even-
ing chosen and the boats started. It was all very well while
beating against the light south wind. The trouble came
before the wind on the home stretch. The Tempest ran off
on one side, the Emma towed pails “and sieh” behind, and
the race was at last won by Dr. Lord. I watched the rigging
of the Roosevelt boat with great interest, varying it by
catching bullheads with my fingers inside of Leitch’s dock.
The dock was a series of cribs filled with stone and built to
protect the road. Inside there was a fine place to raft, wade
and sail boats; and the bullheads used to find their way in
and raise their young, when we would let them.
August 7th, the Auburn band came over, and with the
Skaneateles band made a day of it at the Point woods. It
was a lovely day. The band-boat, used for lake serenades,
and the Essex, besides many row-boats, were in requisition,
and there was a jovial time. Champagne flowed freely, for
total abstinence was not inaugurated till the next year. The
broad cove furnished a fine bathing place, and the inside
cove could be waded for bullheads. I think that has dis-
appeared. There was a jolly fellow who clashed the cymbals
in the Auburn band, as he got off jokes for the serious
drummer by his side, that elicited my admiration. I never
read Victor Hugo’s “Cymbaleer’s Bride” without recalling
him.
Two days after, the village was in a ferment over the
question of supplying water for the canal. The next day
the villagers loaded a cannon to the muzzle and were ready
to fight the State. On the 10th “a large number of men,
one of the Canal Commissioners, two engineers and some
others, came up to force the gates to let off the water, but
failed in the attempt. I heard “Deacon” Hall tell them
they would find some “blood and thunder” in Skaneateles if
they tried, and my heart swelled with pride as I thought
that I belonged to that spirited village.
A few days later came that terrible gunpowder explo-
sion at Syracuse, where 33 persons were killed, one of
them Elijah Jones, aged 39 years, of Skaneateles. He was
brought home and buried on the 21st. In November quite
a number died of typhus fever. The Mechanics’ Society27
NOTES OP OTHER DAYS IN SKANEATELES
had its anniversary December 13th. In its rooms the Wash-
ingtonian movement was inaugurated, Jan. 14, 1842. It
was called a “Reformed Drunkards’ Meeting,” and was
followed by another on the 17th, at the brick school house
on the west side of the bridge. On the 18th there was a
crowded meeting in the show room of Legg’s carriage shop,
followed by several others. Washington’s birthday there
came a supper and celebration in the same place, W. H.
Jewett making an address to about 1,300 people. The next
night there was a celebration and supper for 340 children,
who were addressed by W. H. Jewett and Joseph M. Clarke,
now Rev. Dr. Clarke of Syracuse. We all had bright new
temperance medals. On mine appeared “the old oaken
bucket” and I kept it for many a day. In a few days there
were about 1,200 signers.
Another destructive fire took place February 5th, in
which Kellogg’s factory, Hannum’s machine shop and the
flouring mill and storehouses were burned. Immediately
after, the Lake House was searched for stolen goods, and
one of the proprietors fled. This was the first big fire I ever
attended and I enjoyed it as only a boy could do. The rail-
road station was scorched but escaped, and for months after
these words might be read on its walls, “Jo Hall saved the
Depo.” How the red-shirted firemen did jump on the
brakes!	_
CHAPTER VII.
Panther Hunt—Youths’ Celebration—Naval Court Martial
—- Torch Lights — Congregational Church — Public
Schools—New Postmaster — Union School — Demo-
cratic Mass Meeting—Skaneateles Guards—The Com-
munity—Carriage Shops—Church Bells.
Some of the old citizens will recall the panther hunt,
which took place in March, 1842. Rumors of the terrible
wild beast were rife, his tracks had been seen, and the
bravest and best of our young men took the field. He was
not to be found on the 15th. On the 17th, at day-break,
Nathan Hawley stood before his store and blew his horn
long and lustily. His friends heard the summons and seized
their guns and buckled their belts. Twenty men marched to
the woods that day; we heard the occasional shots in the
forest, but at night they came home without the panther.
Whether they did like some of my western friends, who
went in search of Indians, but took good care not to come in28
THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
sight of them, or whether there was no panther around,
I cannot say. There were no daring deeds to tell.
April 23d, Robert Charles delivered a lecture on elec-
tricity. He was clerk in Snook’s drug store and a bright
young man, full of ingenious devices. May 12th, the body
of Mr. William Gibbs, who had died in Louisville, Ky., was
brought home and buried. He was a village merchant of
high repute and died April 20, aged 56 years. Daniel T.
Moseley married his eldest daughter. June 11th, there was
snow on the Sempronius hills. At this time the boys of
Skaneateles got up a youth’s celebration of the Fourth of
July. Fireworks were prepared by them under John
Snook’s superintendence. The orator was Joseph M.
Clarke; 470 children were in the procession, and all the
officers of the day were very youthful. It was a success. I
carried a flag representing one of the 26 States then in the
Union.
Abby Kelly lectured several times in July, and my recol-
lections of her are pleasing, but her addresses caused a
good deal of disturbance. July 16th, the Baptists began
raising the frame of their present church. August 3d came
the famous courtmartial, which degraded Dr. Lord from
being Secretary of the Skaneateles Navy, and elected Sam
Francis in his place. There was plenty of fun for a few
days. Dr. Lord had written an article about the lake for the
Columbian, and the court issued a spicy Marine Bulletin.
He retorted with a handbill headed, “Blood and Thunder!
British Outrage! !”
Dr. Lord had a wide reputation for ingenuity. Aug. 7,
1837, a son of John Teals of Marcellus partially swallowed
a cent, which stuck in his throat, for cents were big in the
good old days. The doctors could do nothing and Dr. Lord
was sent for, though but a dentist. He made a hook of
wire, promised the boy the cent if he kept still, went to work
and soon the coin fell on the floor. Another boy grabbed
it and ran off, with the patient in full pursuit, lustily crying
that the cent was his.
On the 29th, the books and other property of the
Mechanics’ Society were sold for rent. I think that ended
the organization. It had done a good work.
Sept. 21st, Edwin Hannum was killed by being caught
in the machinery of his father’s shop. Dec. 15th the Baptist
Ladies’ Society held its first fair in the Congregational hall.NOTES OF OTHER DAYS IN SKANEATELES
29
The Auburn Bucket Company came over and attended, in
showy uniforms. They completely eclipsed the village
beaux. Those were the days of the leather fire buckets, a
few specimens of which remain as curios.
Col. Vredenburgh’s widow died April 23, aged 82; Mrs.
Anna Randall, May 2, aged 64; Joseph Rhoades, July 8,
aged 78, and Joseph Leonard, Aug. 31, in his 74th year.
Jan. 5, 1843, the Congregational ladies had a fair in the
same place. On the 15th there was another temperance
celebration, with a torchlight procession of boys. The
torches were rude sticks, made from boughs of trees, wound
with tow at one end and this dipped in turpentine. As the
line of march was short the effect was quite fine.
Phrenology and animal magnetism had begun to claim
public attention. I took much interest in these and saw
some curious things in both, with yet remaining doubts as
to how much of the latter was real.
Jan. 31st, Silas Gaylord, a prominent agriculturist,
died. Feb. 23d, the new Baptist Church was opened.
March 9th two stage horses were drowned in the lake by
breaking through the ice.
March 22d, there was an Association meeting held in
Congregational hall, which was the foundation of the Skane-
ateles Community. Several pure, upright and sincere
persons were conected with this, but the evil element pre-
vailed, and they were speedily driven out, sadder and wiser
men. On the 30th, Edward DeZeng was ordained in the
St. James’ Church, the present Bishop of Connecticut
preaching the sermon. April 14th Edward B. Coe started
for sea. On the 13th the engine at Crosby’s steam sawmill,
on the shore of the lake, was put in motion, and there
was some kind of an explosion there, June 5. On the 14th,
Dr. Samuel Porter died, aged 65 years. He was one of the
earliest and most esteemed physicians in the village, and
long lived in what is now the Roosevelt place. His funeral
was largely attended. On the 22d, William H. Jewett’s
house was raised. The Fourth of July saw the first boat
race, and another took place on the 28th, the Julia having
been launched by the Messrs. Roosevelt.
About this time there came a new interest in public
schools. In the village the district school was not in high
repute, but young Thomas Condon took charge of the old
brick schoolhouse west of the bridge, got the pupils to plant30	THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
flowerbeds and beautify the place, and found himself sud-
denly famous. This led to the Union School. He afterward
became a Presbyterian minister, and was for many years
State Geologist of Oregon.
Joel Thayer was made postmaster July 5th, succeeding
Charles J. Burnett, who had held it for many years. The
change stirred up the wrath of my Quaker friend, James
Rattle. I saw him ride—well, much like the riding of
Jehu—into town, and vigorously rebuke Mr. Thayer, in the
style of the Hebrew prophets, for taking another man’s
office. The change, however, brought improved conditions.
On the 17th, Samuel Litherland died. He was an
estimable man, of ability and humor, and sometimes
preached in the Baptist Church. He reached the age of 83.
Isaac W. Perry, landlord, died Feb. 7, aged 53; Justin A.
Howard, Sept. 6, aged 51; Joanna, widow of Reuben Delano,
Oct. 3, in her 88th year, and Nehemiah Cleaveland, Oct. 26,
aged 80 years.
Nov. 6th, the District or Union school opened in the
Academy with Elijah W. Hager as principal. He afterward
entered the Episcopal ministry.
Feb. 22, 1844, there was another temperance celebra-
tion, held in the Baptist Church. March 1st, E. Sherman
Keeney became editor and publisher of the Democrat, by
lease. On the 20th, the Rev. Samuel Bush was installed as
pastor of the Presbyterian Church, a position he held for
many years with credit. The 27th, Thomas Dove had his
back broken by the falling of a dye-vat on him.
Preliminary to the Presidential campaign, a Clay club
was organized April 12th, and a Democratic association on
the 20th. On May 24th my father got out the first number
of the Minerva, a small monthly, which he continued for
two years. In its pages I first appeared in print, not realiz-
ing how much I would do later. June 17th, old Bishop
Chase preached in St. James’ Church. He was the only
man I ever saw wear a skullcap in the pulpit.
A Democratic liberty pole was raised July 8th, and a
fine exhibition of fireworks was made at Mr. Brainerd’s on
the 17th. Aug. 17th, another hickory pole was raised and
on the 20th the Whigs got up two poles. On the 24th came
the great Democratic convention, at which Silas Wright
spoke; 20,000 people were estimated to be in Skaneateles
that day, and the processions were remarkably fine, andNOTES OF OTHER DAYS IN SKANEATELES
31
had many unique features. The great banners of some
could be seen miles away. That year I was on the com-
mittee of arrangements for the 4th of July. There was a
picnic in Austin’s grove, but we made fires to keep warm,
and there was a fine young1 folks’ concert in the evening, in
which I took part. July 9th, Asa Hatch died, in his 78th
year. He and his father came from Vermont.
Considering political conditions and probable candi-
dates, we were much amused by a primary school recita-
tion of town names. “Clay and Van Buren! Clay and Van
Buren!” rang out cheerily.
About this time Captain Fowler organized a new com-
pany, called the Skaneateles Guards, having an armory, and
frequent drills. It speedily became a fine organization.
Nov. 3d, Rev. J. T. Clarke preached his farewell sermon.
He went to Jamaica on business and died there July 17,
1845, aged 46 years.
The election of Mr. Polk was celebrated by a grand
illumination, bonfires, etc., Nov. 8, and the great Spafford
buggy, built of hickory, was on hand for the fete. Then
politics became quiet.
The first days of 1845 saw a great excitement in regard
to the Skaneateles Community matters. John A. Collins
had carried things with a high hand and some of the
members undertook to reclaim some of their property, and
expose Collins. Between the contending parties there were
some violent and disgraceful proceedings, and the whole
scheme eventually was given up. Community Place then
acquired the name of “No God.”
In February, Robert Owen of Lanark gave an address
at Community Place. At this time Lamb’s hotel was called
the Houndayaga House, and the Skaneateles Guards held a
ball there in January, and in later days there were some
balls in the same place under the auspices of the Sons of
Temperance. Temperance matters were in a troubled con-
dition at this time, but recovered after awhile.
Rev. Charles Seymour took charge of St. James’
Church, March 2d, On the 27th Joseph Dascomb died. His
bent form and keen words will be remembered by many
of the old inhabitants. “In my mind’s eye I see him now,”
with cane, coat and hat, as of yore.
This spring my father resumed the publication of the
Democrat for a few months. May 23d, Hall & Porter made32
THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
an assignment. They were the old carriage making firm,
of which Seth Hall had been a partner, and had a small
store in connection with their manufacturing business,
opposite the Lake House. In those days almost every part
of a carriage was made in Skaneateles; spokes, felloes, bows,
springs, plating, etc., and these gave employment to a large
number of men. This has all changed. The plating-room
of Hall & Porter’s shop, then under charge of H. B. Dodge,
was a favorite resort of Charles Elliott, the eminent painter,
and just outside I saw him carve a fine head out of a snow-
ball. It ornamented a corner of the platform for many
weeks. In the same establishment Perley P. Cleveland
wielded a not inartistic pencil.
The same month a new story was added to the Lake
House. I do not remember when the Potter brothers first
came to Skaneateles and took up their residence next south
of A. Lapham’s present home, but their sailboat capsized
July 17th, 1845. They were deservedly prominent after-
wards in the naval chronicles of the lake, cool, brave and
skillful, and universally beloved.
July 23d, the new bell was placed in the tower of the
Baptist Church, the first having been cracked in ringing.
This was their second. For years Ebenezer Archer rang it
at morning, noon and night, calling the villagers to work
or rest. Before this only the Episcopal Church had a bell;
the Presbyterian was bought soon after. Mr. Archer was
a good and simple hearted man, with some love affairs on
his mind and on which we greatly enjoyed advising him.
CHAPTER VIII.
Training Days—Peter Pells—Paper Globes—School Papers
—Market Prices—Temperance—Odd Fellows—Other
Societies—Glen Haven—State Fair—Regattas—St.
James’ Church.
Sept. 3d, I believe, was the last of the old-fashioned
general trainings. Let me enlarge on these a little. Officers’
drills, for two days, came comparatively early. These meant
business. Company training followed, after an interval,
and in the un-uniformed companies was a season of irre-
pressible fun. There were all kinds of apparel, and arms,
as well as no arms. Discipline was just what the company
chose to make it. If one insubordinate citizen-soldier was
ordered under arrest in a comer of the fence, he and hisNOTES OF OTHER DAYS IN SKANEATELES	33
jovial guardians only made matters ten times worse. It
was no use for the captain to stand on his dignity. If he
got creditably through the day, it must be by shrewd com-
mon sense. But things were better on general training
days. Discipline was tolerably strict. It was inspection
day, too, and arms had to pass examination. The fun could
not be unbounded, or there would be a courtmartial in pros-
pect. The last of these old-fashioned gatherings, before the
un-uniformed companies went out of being, was held at
Marcellus, under Colonel Lamb. I was on the spot early, so
as to lose none of “the pomp and circumstance of war.” We
used to watch the incoming soldiery with intense interest,
and the first white frock of the artillery elicited boundless
admiration. Then there was some interest attached to those
who came in plain attire, with rifle or with musket; for
shotguns and broomsticks would not pass at general train-
ing. But when the peddlers’ carts and gingerbread wagons
and all the other etceteras came in the interest deepened.
That incomprehensible, but palatable, gingerbread which
we saw only on general trainings, would be bought and
eaten. We would wander around with a card of it under
the arm, eating and seeing, like young Franklin in
Philadelphia. And those other wagons, not only would they
dispense their treasures, but, when the regiment was dis-
missed for dinner, we always hoped, and not in vain, to see
them rushed helplessly around the streets by the jovial
crowd. And then to see the soldiers go hippety-hop into
the ranks just as though they were not dignified soldiers;
or the ceremonies of receiving, returning and saluting the
regimental colors. There was one strain of martial music
which I heard but once a year, and then with mingled
pleasure and regret. Like that of the dying swan was the
strain which announced the end of the pomp of the day.
Three long toots of the fifes, three long rolls of the drums,
as the colors were given up, and then there were some
measured strains which we heard at no other time. Then
the soldiers, floodwood and uniformed, were thanked and
dismissed. And then some hastened to their homes, while
others were not as wise. And the boys went off, to look
forward to the next annual muster, and to wish for the days
when they could be soldier lads, too. Sadly has that wish
been fulfilled for many of them.
There were many humorous incidents connected with34	THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
these trainings. The regimental colors were two large flags,
bearing the arms of the State, and the name of the regi-
ment, and other things that I do not recollect. The stars
and stripes were never carried. Two men bore these flags,
and a single man, as color-guard, marched between them.
Now one of the odd conceits sometimes carried out was to
select the tallest men that could be found to bear the
standards, and to place the shortest man in the company
between them. In . the marching the boys all rushed ahead
with the music. How the drummers gracefully and enthusi-
astically plied their drumsticks and the fifers tooted, and
the solitary bugler put in an occasional note. When we
got abreast of Peter Pell we were satisfied. With what
dignity he marched and drummed, and how his drumsticks
left his hands, whirled in the air, and were caught by him
in precise time for the next note. Oh, he was a wonderful
man in the eyes of all the boys, no less than in his own; and
he might have made the reply that a prominent man once
did, on being taunted with having been only a drummerboy:
“But didn’t I drum well? Eh! Didn’t I drum well?” Peter’s
drum was his solace, as long ago as I can remember him,
and he dignified his calling. Once he told me of going to
Syracuse to see a noted drummer, adding, “But he'couldn’t
touch me; he couldn’t touch me!”
One of the inseparable accompaniments of training day
was old Sol Foster, a mysterious man in our juvenile eyes.
Pie shouldered his stick and danced and marched after the
rest, to our great delight. Strange tales were told of those
white teeth that could bite a ten-penny nail in two. I never
saw him except at military displays, but never failed there.
I do not know that I can recall every feature of an
old-fashioned general training. Men came from all parts
of the regimental districts, and were called out in the morn-
ing in companies. Very queer companies some of them
were. After some separate practice, there were regimental
exercises, and an inspection of arms, during which some
rested on their posts. Then there was a grand review, when
all marched around the great field, saluting the staff officers,
as they sat on their war steeds. Hard work some of them
had to sit there, too. Occasionally there was a scattering
of boys, when some unruly horse bore his helpless rider
away.
At this particular time the Skaneateles Guards took theNOTES OF OTHER DAYS IN SKANEATELES
35
brass band with them, dismounted at the forks of the road
just west of Marcellus, and marched into the place. A gal-
lant appearance they made, with their gray uniforms and
bright bayonets, as they came down the winding road with
many picturesque evolutions. Of course, I rejoiced in the
admiration they excited. My only military deed was per-
formed that day. For full half an hour, in the corner of a
room, I guarded the banner of the Guards, and I felt the
importance of the trust. The organization did not last long,
however. The change in the military law broke up most
of the existing companies, and the primitive general train-
ings passed away. Captain Fowler removed from the vil-
lage in 1848, and died the same fall; Jason Reed had already
given up his command of the rifle company, and there has
been little of the holiday military spirit in Skaneateles
since.
In those days James S. Hawley taught in the Union
School or old academy. For a time there were three
departments; one in the basement for the young pupils, one
above for the boys, and one still higher for the girls. After
awhile the arrangement was changed; three departments
were continued, but boys and girls were placed in the same
room. Of course we older boys liked this, and I am sure it
had a good effect on studies and conduct. While the first
arrangement continued, four or five of the boys made two
large paper globes, easily inflated with air. This was done
under my father’s supervision, who had a patent for the
same. The first and plainest of these was purchased by
Bishop Alonzo Potter of Pennsylvania, then Presideht of
Union College, Schenectady. The other we presented to
Mr. Hawley. This estimable man afterward became a
physician and also a chemist of note. The boys enjoyed his
chemical experiments and we had some narrow escapes in
trying them by ourselves.
At that time great was the literary taste of the school.
On alternate weeks were read the Gleaner, by the girls, and
the Literary Star, by the boys. My first efforts appeared
in the later, where I sheltered my bashfulness under a nom
de plume. It seems to me in no other way would I have
dared to read a composition of my own. Our advance was
so great that we soon added the Rosebud and Hobby Horse,
and afterwards the Humorist, to the list of our publica-
tions; and some copies of them are still in existence.36	THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
It is worth while to look at local market quotations.
In Syracuse in November butter was worth 10 to 11 cents,
and cheese 4 to 5. In May, 1844, Skaneateles quotations
were:	Butter, 9 to 10 cents; cheese, 6 to 7, and eggs, 8
cents a dozen.
Nov. 18, 1845, a Juvenile Temperance Society was
formed, with Chester Moses as president, Augustus
Edwards as chorister and my father as secretary. It was of
short duration, but during its existence several of the school
boys publicly gave advice, and that undoubtedly wise and
good, to the inhabitants of the surrounding country. Seri-
ously, however, I doubted then, and do yet, the propriety of
placing in children’s hands religious and moral work that
ought to be done by older persons. We went in sleigh loads
to various school houses and had a lively time. I have never
heard that any one was converted by my first temperance
speech, but we had lots of fun.
Dec. 7th, George Elphick was buried with an imposing
display of Odd Fellows and Sons of Temperance. Most of
the former were of Onondaga Lodge, Syracuse. It was
their first appearance in Skaneateles, though there was a
flourishing lodge, as well as an encampment, soon after-
ward. Elphick was a shoemaker, very studious, and of
fine mathematical acquirements.
I find the first record of the “Farmers’ Meeting,” Janu-
ary 3, 1846. These were kept up for a time, dropped, and
then resuscitated by the Farmers’ Club. The same day the
Odd Fellows got in their furniture, and on the 7th opened
their lodge. This was held in the upper part of the old
Parsons’ building, where Parsons & Rust for several years
carried on an extensive cabinet business. Their trade
afterwards went to Auburn in connection with the prison.
The Odd Fellows flourished for awhile, and had one grand
celebration and display, but the luxurious appointments of
their room had too heavily burdened them, and the lodge
gradually failed and died out.
On the 19th the Skaneateles Bible Society was formed,
in which my father was on the Executive Committee. The
first meeting was held in the Methodist Church. January
24th the Sons of Temperance had a parade and Mr. Lund of
Palmyra gave them an address in the Presbyterian Church.
They were then strong in numbers, but a little later a
strict construction of the cider question, by which someNOTES OF OTHER DAYS IN SKANEATELES
37
were suspended for drinking sweet cider, thinned their
ranks sadly. It has seemed to me the tendency to make
such organizations feeble by over strictness in such things.
March 20th, W. H. Jewett bought the Democrat office,
and E. S. Keeney again became publisher and editor. On
his death, August 27th, it came into Mr. Jewett’s hands
again, but was subsequently published by J. C. Keeney
and afterwards by H. B. Dodge. I was at work in the office
at the time E. Sherman Keeney died, and also when the
present proprietor purchased and took possession of the
paper. We were much amused at his selection of copy, but
he soon made a good paper.
March 27th, the Lake House, kept by M. W. Fay,
became a temperance hotel and “all was lovely” for awhile.
Total abstinence influences prevailed. At a special town
meeting, May 19th, the vote was five to one for “no license.”
The next year there was 69 majority the same way, and
then it was much as before. This summer Dr. Adoniram
Judson, the celebrated Baptist missionary, was here several
times, visiting Ralph Hall, whose daughter was his second
wife. I had the pleasure of hearing him preach and of
noting what an Oriental character his face had acquired.
Aug. 28th, Francis Baber was buried in somewhat of
an English style. The bearers wore long scarfs and hat-
bands, and rode on horseback. He died Aug. 26th, away
from home. Two of the bearers were William A. Fiske and
Sumner Fuller. Jonathan Wyckoff died Nov. 19, aged 63.
Deacon Hall built the house this year which was pur-
chased in 1847 for the Glenhaven Water Cure. I was there
during the building and made faithful sketches of the place
and the falls in July, making my first camp, July 8th, at Fall
Brook Point.
The State Fair was held in Auburn in September,
where I exhibited some of my first drawings, and obtained a
diploma. There, too, I had my first view of a live ex-Presi-
dent, Martin Van Buren. Many went in various ways. I
walked over one day, starting at 6 A. M., just as the
Skaneateles cars left. After seeing the show; at 5 P. M. I
went down the Auburn streets and met the passengers
coming up. They had been waiting and pushing cars all
day. The railroads used the old flat rail still, and had
small locomotives and cars. Sometimes a rail came up
through the floor and speared some hapless person.38	THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
Dec. 18th, the Burnetts opened a bookstore. The three
brothers were among the most promising of the Academy
scholars, and one of them became afterwards a member of
the Iowa Legislature. I remember their father as among
the noteworthy citizens of the place.
Jan. 18, 1847, a fire broke out in the Odd Fellows’ Hall,
attended with many droll incidents. It was a windy day,
but the fire being kept under the roof, there was the most
damage done by water. Fragile furniture was thrown out
of the windows, but shovels and tongs were carried down
stairs.
During this winter a Lyceum was in operation, with
occasional lectures by villagers.
June 24th, Skaneateles boats for the first time attended
a regatta at Aurora. I sailed the schooner Fashion, but
there was little wind. The Quaker and Ellen Douglass came
from Aurora to the Skaneateles regatta, July 29th, when
the latter swamped and the former capsized in the gale.
St. James’ Church was renovated this fall, and in the
interval services were held from Aug. 1st to Oct. 10th, in
Temperance Hall, formerly Congregational Hall. The
tower was stripped of its rails and pinnacles, and assumed
quite another appearance. The church had formerly three
windows on a side, no recessed chancel, and possessed a
pulpit perched high on the wall, over the reading desk.
This was reached by a stairway in the vestry room and a
door in the wall. In the basement there had been a school
room, where I imbibed the rudiments of knowledge under
several “school marms,” and where I saw the rescue of one
of the schoolgirls from drowning by Harvey Platt. The
church was reopened for service Oct. 10th, and very grand
the chancel window was thought to be.
James Cannings Fuller died Nov. 25th. He had
always been prominent in the temperance and anti-slavery
movements, and had spared neither money nor labor to
further their interests. He was 54 years old, much
younger than his wife Lydia, who died Dec. 12, 1857, aged
73. Mrs. Amy Willetts died Oct. 29, aged 72. William,
her husband, had died Aug. 6, 1841, aged 78 years.
Skaneateles Encampment, I. O. O. F., was fully organ-
ized May 28, 1847, with William H. Jewett as its head.
That year there was a registration of births, deaths and
marriages in each school district, and for two years I had39
NOTES OP OTHER DAYS IN SKANEATELES
full charge of this in the village. In 1848 Syracuse and
Auburn became cities.
Notable persons who died in 1848 were John Green-
man, Feb. 27, aged 92, a Revolutionary soldier; Elizabeth,
widow of John Wilkinson, another soldier, and mother of
Alfred and John. She died May 16th, in her 84th year;
Joseph Shotwell, head of the Shotwell family, Sept. 14, aged
61, and Thomas W. Allis, the veteran teacher, who died
June 29th, in his 76th year.
I have put little to record of 1848, except the building
of the steamboat “Skaneateles,” which began her trips
July 4th and was run by Hecox & Reed quite successfully,
until the following year, when the “Homer” was built, with
Rishworth Mason as captain. She was launched May 24th,
1849, and made her first trip June 30th. In her interest
there was quite a celebration on the 4th of July, the Auburn
Guards and the Syracuse Citizens’ Corps being present.
CHAPTER IX.
Col. Livingston—Masonic Lodge—Bloomers—Toll Gates—
Smallpox—California and Australia—Lyceum—E. R.
Smith—President Fillmore-—Politics—John Legg and
Other Pioneers—Caloric Boat—Hall Family.
Dyer Brainerd died suddenly, aged 75 years, June 24,
1849, having been a resident of Skaneateles for many years.
His old home, with its fine thorn hedge, was long one of the
most noticeable near Skaneateles, and many were the
pleasant entertainments that occurred there. This was
formerly Col. J. W. Livingston’s residence. His daughter,
Adele C., was married there June 26, 1831, to Mr. Joseph
Samson of New York city by the Rev. Samuel W. Brace.
Colonel Livingston was U. S. Marshal of Northern New
York and came to Skaneateles in 1815.
Spencer Hannum’s shop, which had been rebuilt in
another spot, was burned down again January 6, 1850.
Samuel Rhodes, an old resident, died March 28th, and his
funeral was largely attended.
Aug. 24, 1850, the first Skaneateles railroad was
closed and a plank road took its place. It was a pity this
should have been, as iron rails had been laid within a short
time, and the plank road was anything but a good substitute.
Sept. 1849, I was at the State Fair at Syracuse, and
'heard Henry Clay speak.40
THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
Nov. 4, Col. Arnold P. Humphrey died, aged 80 years.
He was an officer in Connecticut in the War of 1812, and
was another of the old landmarks, and many a delicious pie
have I eaten in his little store. One of his sons yet visits
Skaneateles periodically and one, his sailor boy, sleeps on
the hill beside his father. The old Skaneateles Division of
the Sons of Temperance closed its existence Dec. 13th, and
the Skaneateles Indian Queen Division was instituted
Christmas day. This had not a very long life, and after its
demise it had one of two successors. I filled several offices
in the Indian Queen Division, presiding one term, and know
there is a good deal of unwritten history in the rise and
decay of these organizations.
Ebenezer Warner died Feb. 15, aged 80 years, another
pioneer. Samuel Rhodes died March 25th. He was in his
74th year, and one of a large family of pioneers. Major
Samuel Pierce also died May 29, aged 79 years, and Tunis
Waldron, April 10, aged 58 years, all men of note.
In March, 1851, several persons held a meeting pre-
paratory to the forming of a Masonic Lodge. It was appar-
ently in full operation the same year under the title of
Corinthian Lodge, and had variable fortunes for awhile,
and finally gave up its charter. At a later day the present
lodge was instituted. While on this subject I may say that
I presented to the Skaneateles Lodge an old charter which
my father had and which, if I remember rightly was given
to an older lodge in Skaneateles, yet.
In March, George Thompson, then a noted and elo-
quent radical member of Parliament, visited Mrs. J. C.
Fuller and spoke in Skaneateles. The Fullers were the
means of bringing many men of note to the place, of some
of whom I have not spoken. June 12th, there was a great
excursion to Glen Haven on the steamer Homer. Ossian E.
Dodge, the comic singer, Mrs. Stanton and other ladies in
the new bloomer costume, were there, together with many
so-called reformers. They had a happy time, but Captain
Mason did not like it when he lost his chain cable overboard.
June 21st, Mr. Patterson accepted the rectorship of
St. James’ Church. He had bought the former rectory,
which is now the Loney place. A man of high culture and
genial manners, he died at Jamaica Plains, Mass., late in the
60’s. Aaron Keeler, a Revolutionary soldier, died Aug. 8,
aged 87 years. One of his sons used to keep what wasNOTES OF OTHER DAYS IN SKANEATELES
41
afterwards Compton’s tavern, two miles south, on the lake
road. He must have been one of the old settlers. On the
28th was a regatta, one of the prizes of which hangs in my
study. I pass over these, because some of them have been
mentioned before. Sept. 6th was a hot day and Barnum’s
show came to town, attracting an immense crowd. Nov. 9th,
Luther Lawrence, another old inhabitant, then in his 73d
year, was found dead in the morning, having gone out to
milk. He lived half a mile east of the old tollgate on the
road to Marcellus, so long kept by Amaziah Howe; No one
who ever saw him will forget the remarkable figure of the
latter. His strongly marked face is connected with some
funny stories, but he was a good man, dying April 12, 1868,
aged 83 years. He was long the sexton of the Presbyterian
Church and drove the hearse at funerals. His tall figure
seated on the small hearse, which was drawn by his gray
horse, is indelibly impressed upon my mind, especially as it
went up the steep ascent to the cemetery. It must be
remembered that the entrance to that was formerly immedi-
ately opposite J. C. Fuller’s residence, now the home of
James A. Root.
Another tollgate was kept, I believe, on the Cherry
Valley road, near Alfred Wilkinson’s. The latter was a man
of mind and of marked appearance, and by some of his
young admirers was termed the Socrates of Skaneateles.
Morton S. Wilkinson, his son, was once United States Sen-
ator from Minnesota, and Joab, another son, used to keep
the country alive with his droll scrapes.
In November smallpox invaded the village and made
a dull place of it for the winter. Dec. 4th, Nelson Hawley’s
family left. He had long been a prominent business man
of the place and with his brother Nathan composed one of
the two business firms that were not burned out in 1835.
He spent some years in Troy, and then removed to Kenosha,
Wis., where his brother-in-law, Sam. Francis, settled and
has recently died.
February 17th, 1852, ten Skaneateles men started for
California. They were neither the first nor the last, but
made quite a body. March 26th Corinthian Lodge, F. & A.
M., received a dispensation from the Grand Lodge, though
it seems to have been at work before. On the 29th, Col.
Warren Hecox died suddenly, aged 77 years. He served in
1812, was a veteran Free Mason, and an early pioneer, for42	THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
he came to Skaneateles in 1797. In 1799 he sent to Scipio
for a bushel of wheat which cost $2.50, all the money he
could raise. Then it had to be sent to the other side of
Sempronius to be ground. The brick block on the bank of
the mill pond was called the Hecox Block, and in one
corner of it was his shoe store. His tannery was on the
west side of the mill dam. I was standing by the Hecox
Block when Tom Anderson's child fell out of the upper story
in the rear. The mud suffered, but the child was uninjured.
March 29th, there was a citizens' meeting about estab-
lishing a female seminary. One was afterwards opened in
the Beach house, by Mrs. Haven, but it was not very
successful.
Then came a series of tragic events. J. H. Earll, in the
delirium of fever, cut his throat, April 1st, but lived for
some time. William Keeler was drowned at Five Mile
Point on the 11th. On the 14th Francis M. Potter was
found dead in his bed and was deeply mourned by all. May
15th, Captain De Cost was stricken with palsy, from which
he never entirely recovered. He had lived in the village for
many years, but previously on the Shotwell farm. A party
of six left for Australia on Christmas day, of whom but
two reached home again. In New York they were held up
for some weeks, waiting for their vessel.
At this time Rev. Seldeh Haines was pastor of the
Presbyterian Church. He was a fine preached but had a
troubled time. Before him I recollect Messrs. Brace and
Bush; after him Messrs. Mandell, Dada and Preston. In
the Baptist Church there had been Rev. Messrs. Amasa
Smith and Elliott, and afterwards Messrs. Teeple, Relyea,
Roney, Bowen and others with whom I have had no
acquaintance. Samuel Litherland preached often at an
earlier day.
In the winter of 1852 there were two good courses of
lectures. Dr. Benedict, at his own expense, gave one
course on Anatomy and Physiology, and the resuscitated
lyceum also had a course. I had the honor of delivering my
first public lecture in this, Feb. 15, 1853, on the Iroquois,
always a favorite subject with me. In the same course
Edmond Reuel Smith lectured on Chili, having recently,
returned from that country. He was a brilliant writer and
a good artist. Sometimes he wrote farces for us, which all
greatly enjoyed. The most elaborate of these was, “TheNOTES OF OTHER DAYS IN SKANEATELES
Fright of the Old Dominion,” just after John Brown’s raid.
This was given March 13,1860, at the Lake House Hall, and
for it I wrote a prologue in verse. Just after he came here
Mr. Smith’s “Letters From Our Village,” in the Home
Journal made quite a sensation. They were fine.
March 23, 1853, H. B. Dodge purchased the Skaneateles
Columbian, and incorporated it with the Democrat. Milton
A. Kinney had previously sold it to George M. Kinney, by
whom it had been for some time published.
July 20th, old Moses Loss died. He came to Skane-
ateles in 1797, and was one of the village notables for his
age, deafness and strong voice.
Sept. 29th was the wedding anniversary of Mr. Charles
J. Burnett. I believe he and his wife had lived in the same
house ever since their marriage, and some of the first Epis-
copal services were held there. He often officiated as lay
reader. At one time he had mercantile interests in the
village and was postmaster from 1817 until July, 1843. He
died Feb. 16, 1856, aged 82 years, his wife dying April 24,
1876, aged 91, a genial pair.
Young Fred Porter was drowned May 23, back of the
stores. I saw him but a moment before he capsized, but
turned away to answer a sudden call, and saw his over-
turned boat a few minutes later.,
Peter Hoagland died Sept. 20, aged 84 years, another
pioneer. Feb. 5, 1854, a young man named Mason was
drowned off Apple Tree Point, and the body recovered four
days later. June 3d, the old Academy was sold for the
Union School. I have a sketch of the old building. It stood
at the upper end of State street, and once had a large rec-
tangular yard, when it was supposed the village would go
no farther in that direction. Then a street was laid out on
the east side, and then a corner was cut off and there was a
sad destruction of the old locusts. I helped set out some of
the trees on the lot, while Mr. Hawley taught. The building
was of brick and surmounted by an open cupola, in which
the bell was hung; that bell which tolled so unaccountably in
the night when Bradshaw was principal. The present build-
ing was erected in 1855 and school commenced in it Dec.
10th of that year under Dr. Hammond. He married Miss
Austin, was School Commissioner, and had a drug store in
Skaneateles for some years.
July 30, 1854, N. I. Roosevelt died, aged 87. He had44	THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
long been one of the wardens of St. James’ Church, and was
a perfect type of the gentleman of the old school. Would
that there were more of them. In early days he had been
interested in schemes of public improvement elsewhere,
and there are passages in his life that ought to be preserved.
In August, ex-President Fillmore, with his daughter,
came to re-visit the scenes of his youth. He had spent
much of his boyhood on the Sempronius hills, carded wool
there, fished and bathed in Skaneateles lake, and taught
school at its head before he had even seen a geography. In
later days he was fond of telling of his early life there, and
attributed his aged vigor to a continuance of the simple
habits there acquired.
The folowing winter presented many attractions to
lecture goers. Besides others, there were Samuel J. May,
Whipple, J. G. Sax,e, Cassius M. Clay, Rev. Dr. Todd, Dr.
Gregory, Dr. Elder and Hon. Chas. Sumner.
Dec. 30, 1854, the Farmers’ Club was formed, Mr.
Townsend being one of the leading spirits. W. M. Beau-
champ was secretary, an office he filled for many years.
This year Jacob Griffin died, Sept. 24, 1854, aged 67 years.
He was a Quaker of note and village surveyor. George
Clapp had died Jan. 25th, in his 84th year, and was one of
the early English settlers.
Feb. 6, 1855, was a remarkably cold day, the mercury
going down to 32 degrees below zero, and not rising above
19 degrees below all day. The next day was 20 degrees
below. During this cold spell Charley De Witt’s horses got
into the lake through the ice. February 28th, George F.
Leitch died. He was once a prominent citizen, but long
continued illness and financial disasters had kept him out of
sight for many years. I did not mention the death of his
father-in-law, Judge Daniel Kellogg, May 4, 1836. The
various branches of the family were all prominent. Sept.
28, 1855, the first fair of the Farmers’ Club was held and
proved a great success. They have been continued ever
since, now more than twenty years. October 17th, Rev. Mr.
Teeple of the Baptist Church died. I think Rev. Mr. Bowen
also died while pastor of the same society.
In October I made and published a lithographic view of
the village, taken from the Mile Point, with Jack Ross in
the foreground.
May 3, 1856, William Hall died in his 86th year, one ofNOTES OF OTHER DAYS IN SKANEATELES
45
a large family of brothers. He was an old settler, living
east of the village and well known as “Uncle Billy.” A little
while before Mr. Weller of the same neighborhood died. He
was another old citizen. Nov. 14th, my father took a
diploma to Mrs. Cleveland, for some work exhibited at the
fair. I believe it was her 100th birthday and she was quite
active for several years after.
Two sleighs, loaded with Glenhaven patients, came
down on the ice, Feb. 28th, the women wearing bloomers
and boots. I was not at home at the time.
Colonel Fremont was nominated and a ratification
meeting was held July 3d, in Furman’s Grove. Hon. Joshua
R. Giddings of Ohio made a Free Soil address Sept. 2d, and
Frederick Douglass at other times. The latter was often
here. I find that Hume, the noted spiritualist, lectured in
Skaneateles. April 26th, 1857. I was in Iowa then. May
27th, two Glen Haven patients were drowned, coming down
the lake in a gale. It was a foolhardy undertaking, but
nothing could dissuade them from the trial. Two were
saved, but Mr. and Mrs. Crain of Ohio lost their lives. Her
body was found.
Oct. 24, 1857, James Hall, better known as “Capt.
Jim,” died, aged 65. He was another of the old and influ-
ential inhabitants, having been largely engaged in the busi-
ness and political interests of the place. Hall & Miller had
succeeded to the old carriage business, which was closed a
little later.
Dec. 19th, another of the old manufacturers passed
away. John Legg was found dead in the street, having
fallen in a fit. He is mentioned in the list of those who
came in 1797 and was in his 75th year. For many years he
had adverse fortunes, but there came a turn and he became
not only one of the most noted carriage makers, but one of
the most substantial men of the place. He was strong in
his likes and dislikes, and no man could be kinder when he
chose.
Some other old citizens died about the same time;
among the rest, Mr. Furman, who passed away the same
day. He was of quiet, studious habits, and led rather a
retired life. At one time he was Justice of the Peace. He
was in his 78th year.
Freeborn G. Jewett, Judge of the Court of Appeals,
died January 27th, 1858. He was another old resident and46	THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
his unpretending house and small law office long stood just
east of the Lake House. He had just replaced the former
with the present fine mansion, when he was taken to his
long home. A man of dignified bearing and great legal
knowledge, he was a political power in the State. Many of
the old editorials in the Democrat came from his pen. He
was but 67 years old, and many eminent men were at his
funeral.
Capt. Nash De Cost died the same day. His was no
unmeaning military title, but one acquired by hard service
at sea which he had crossed scores of times in the packet
service. He was 75. Alpheus Weller, another old resident,
died Oct. 31, aged 74 years.
I omitted to speak of the older lawyers; as J. C. Beach,
who was killed on one of the Sound steamers in 1856, and
Edward Sandford, who was lost in the Arctic. Lewis H.
Sandford, afterwards Vice-Chancellor, lived in what is now
the Barrow house, and James S. was for some time superin-
tendent of the Episcopal Sunday School. They were law
partners of Kellogg until 1834.
Edward Bisdee, a substantial farmer on West Hill, near
Marcellus, had died February 18, 1850. He had done much
towards the improvement of sheep. In November, 1831,
he purchased Nathan Kelsey’s farm, since then John
Davey’s. At this time Nathan K. Hall, afterwards Post-
master General under Fillmore, worked there, having been
adopted by Mr. Kelsey. He was very studious and became a
successful lawyer. Dec. 1, 1857, old Dr. Snook died. He
had acquired quite a property in England, where Snook’s
pills are yet used. He built the house since remodeled by
Charles Pardee. My impression is that Skaneateles is
indebted to him for the introduction of the teasel, as it cer-
tainly is for some other things.
Rev. Mr. Patterson resigned his rectorship May 15,
1859. On the 24th Nehemiah Smith, died, aged 76. He was
another old resident and had a tinshop on Jordan street for
a great many years. June 7th, the cornerstone of the
present Methodist Church was laid. It was built by David
Hall, with free seats, but this condition was soon with-
drawn. It was dedicated Jan. 12, 1860. The old one stood
where the Friends’ meeting house does now.
July 8, 1859, Dr. Case’s caloric boat began running,
and continued through the fall, when it was taken to St.NOTES OF OTHER DAYS IN SKANEATELES	47
Louis. My brother had charge on her regular trips. Aug.
1st, Dr. Dioclesian Lewis, since of temperance fame, lec-
tured. August 29th, William H. Jewett died. His warm
heart brought him many friends. Peleg Slocum died Sept.
10th, and Philander K. Williamson Oct. 12th. The latter was
a well known harness maker and very zealous in sailing
matters. Another harness maker, who died in Cayuga
county in 1865, was Noadiah Kellogg, who built the brick
house next to the Presbyterian parsonage. His black eyes
and round face were always full of hope. Field & Kellogg
were others of the craft. It must be said that Kellogg,
though the quietest in speech, would keep his partner awake
nights with his French horn. The other notable harness
maker was Nathaniel C. Miller, never a half-way man in
anything he undertook. His bam was a resort for all the
boys and many a game I have had there. He was a leading
Abolitionist.
Mr. J. V. H. Clark, the historian, made the address at
the town fair, Sept. 25, 1859, and there was a regatta, Oct.
18th. About this time the Skaneateles Horse Thief Society
became the Skaneateles Detective Society, dropping its odd
but time honored name.
Noah Peck died Feb. 3, aged 68 years. The Pecks were
an early and notable family.
June 27, 1860, Ralph Hall was buried in the new ceme-
tery. This was projected by David Hall, his brother, and
was far down Railroad street. The plan was afterwards
abandoned. Ralph Hall was not as prominent as his
brothers in business matters, but he was especially honored
in being the father of Mrs. Sarah Boardman Judson, who
sleeps at St. Helena after a noble earthly life. He was 87
years old. Two of his boys were twins, commonly called by
us Twinney Halls. We used to delight to have one of them
tell how he lost two fingers. He wanted the hatchet with
which his brother was chopping on a block. He put his
hand there as the hatchet was uplifted. “Take away your
hand or I’ll chop off your fingers!” The hand remained
but the fingers did not. Down came the blow and off they
flew. The conclusion was:	“’Spose I was going to take
away my fingers? No, sir!” One went into the popcorn
business and became known as Jimmey Popcorn, capital
corn it was, too.48
THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
CHAPTER X.
Civil War—Old Settlers—Village Topography—First Organ
June 27th, the Rev. Edward Moyses took charge of St.
James’ parish. On the 17th an earthquake was felt and
again in July of next year. Slight shocks are not rare and
others have occurred in this section since.
March 16, 1861, Milton A. Kinney died. He was for
many years editor of the Columbian and an esteemed and
conscientious member of the Presbyterian Church. April
5th, Captain Thomas was buried, aged 86 years. Although
an old citizen, I know little of his history. His son-in-law,
L. S. Worden, was an extensive carriage maker in the place.
A man seeking him once described him as “the quick step-
ping man with the pink whiskers.” He found him. With
him James Gilman was associated in business.
June 4th, S. H. Greenman was buried. On the 14th
Mrs. Cleaveland died, aged 104 years and 7 months. She
was a widow of a Revolutionary soldier who lies in the
Skaneateles cemetery, and was notable for retaining
much of her vigor until the last. Her picture was annually
taken after she was 100 years old and the series is very
interesting.
Civil War events may be summarized. I think the
town furnished 375 soldiers. A Soldiers’ Aid Society was
formed and its second entertainment was given Dec. 12,
1862. But for sickness I would have had a prominent part
in this. Mrs. Harvey Platt is still honored for her part in
this great work. I think the first Memorial Day was in
1868, but, happening to be in town five years later, I was
called to open the exercises with prayer.
For awhile I shall do little more than record deaths of
old inhabitants, as current events will be readily recalled
by others. Feb. 16, 1862, Col. Dorastus Lawrence was
buried, aged 76. He was the son of Col. Bigelow Lawrence,
who came to Marcellus not far from the year 1796. The
old pioneer’s eight sons settled within sight of each other,
four on the east hill and four on the west hill, on either side
of Marcellus. The division of the town placed Dorastus in
Skaneateles and my father attended a raising which he had
in May, 1831.
Chester Moses died July 11, 1862. He filled many
offices in the town and was active in agriculture and educa-NOTES OF OTHER DAYS IN SKANEATELES
49
tional matters as well as in reform movements, at an early
day. He established the first milk route. For years before
he commenced I had to go every morning for milk, and
Others did the same.
The sad death of young Gale, who broke through the
ice, March 19, 1863, deserves a passing notice. Scarcely a
boy of the old skaters but has a tale of some escape from a
like fate. The only wonder is that we survive. For when
the ice was breaking up we were never content with the
good skating we might have had, but went on the swaying,
crashing cakes, as near the edge as possible.
Hezekiah Earll died Oct. 30, 1863. His father came to
Onondaga in 1794’, and the Earlls became a powerful family
in their many branches. In good health he was a large,
corpulent man and well did he “fill the chair” in the public
meeting where I last saw him presiding.
James Tyler was buried Oct. 4, 1864. Prompt, cour-
ageous and witty, he was not the least noticeable of the citi-
zens. I remember him first as a stage agent, sitting under
the sign of “Stage Rendezvous,” the said sign being embel-
lished with a magnificent painting of a stage and four in
full career. He was a prompt and obliging business man in
all he afterwards undertook. November 29th, William
Fuller died. As we had two prominent Fullers, they were
known respectively as “Yankee” and “British” Fuller just
as the two Thaddeus Edwards were called “Red” and
“Black” Thad. Mr. Fuller was Member of Assembly in
1840, and, if my memory serves, once was President of the
State Agricultural Society. He was prominent in agricul-
tural matters, especially the improvement of stock, and
took a warm interest‘in education.
Jan. 26, 1865, Samuel Francis died, aged nearly 93
years, In earlier days he did a large hat, cap and fur busi-
ness and employed a large number of men and women. His
face is the more impressed upon me because of his always
facing about in church, and looking over his spectacles at
the singers. This was not customary in the Episcopal
churches though it was always done in the Presbyterian,
where Howard with his double bass and Knight with his
flute and the sundry other musicians, wind and stringed,
and vocal, were always well observed. No wonder that
gallery curtains were needed in those days. Mr. Francis’
eccentric and humorous son Sam, sometime doorkeeper of50
THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
the New York Assembly and Secretary of the Skaneateles
Navy, was one of the best story-tellers of the day and well
known everywhere.
May 24th, Jerrat Smith died in his 83d year. He was
an outspoken and eccentric Englishman, who lost one eye in
teasel-cutting and “wouldn’t have lost the other for five
dollars; no, nor yet for ten!” His indignation was often
aroused and humorously expressed.
His cow got into the village pound and he said, “A
purty land of liberty it wur, where a man’s cow couldn’t run
in the streets.”
"June 4th, David Hall died. He was better known as
“Deacon,” a name given him while building the Presby-
terian Church. He was a man of iron will and noble appear-
ance. At one time he had a large tract of land at Glen
Haven and I have partaken of his hospitality there. We
found out that he was a capital cook and his little office no
bad resort. Very jolly times we used to have up that way
when we camped out as school boys. He lived to be 79
years old.
Oct. 31st, Alfred Hitchcock died and on the 12th Russell
Frost was buried. Both these deserve special notice, but
I merely mention them now.
It may be well to mention some other pioneers. In
1862, William Clift died, Oct. 18, in his 85th year; Elijah
Parsons, Oct. 26, aged 82; Archibald Douglass, Nov. 28,
aged 79; in 1865, Caleb N. Potter, July 25, in his 76th year;
in 1867, Samuel Briggs, aged 80; David C. Burdick, June
24, aged 77; Ashbel Moses, Sept. 14, aged 83; in 1868,
Warren Kneeland, Jan. 18, aged 97; in 1871, Capt. Rich-
worth Mason, March 5, aged 77; Augustus Kellogg, Oct. 30,
aged 68; in 1873, Windsor S. Nye, April 16, aged 73; in
1874, George Francis, April 26, aged 67; Peter Thompson,
Oct. 16, in his 81st year; in 1875, Star Greenfield, July 23, in
his 80th year; Nathaniel Miller, March 16, aged 79, and Dr.
Evelyn H. Porter, aged 74.
To these notable persons should be added Charles B.
Isbell, March 24, 1866, in his 63d year. He was the best
builder Skaneateles ever had, and a man of high character.
In May, 1866, the Roman Catholic Church was burned
and Aug. 5th, the Ben Porter was launched and made her
trial trip the next day. Daniel Platt, another old settler,
died Oct. 31st, and the folowing April, E. E. Austin. WeNOTES OF OTHER DAYS IN SKANEATELES	51
hunted in Austin’s woods and played in Austin’s fields as
boys and even as men, but now they are becoming things
of the past. I have omitted mention of several business
men, such as Dorastus Kellogg, R. I. Baker, Brinkerhoff
and others, and have not time to speak of them particularly
now.
Some other things may be briefly mentioned. The
Cornet Band had its first masked ball in 1866. Judge
William Marvin came here in 1867, having married the
widow of William H. Jewett. Two years later the people
became somewhat interested in the Cardiff giant.
In 1870 the village had a Driving Association, and the
Lake House was burned July 19th. Aug. 24th, the employees
of Sweet, Barnes & Co. had a picnic at Mile Point and
Reuben Wood catered for 250 persons. In September there
was a Teachers’ Institute, in which I lectured on art in
public schools. Charles H. Platt Chapter, No. 247, R. A. M.,
organized Dec. 10, 1869, was formally dedicated Feb. 16,
1870.
The members of St. Mary’s church celebrated St. Pat-
rick’s day in 1871, the procession being led by the Mottville
Band. A sad accident occurred at Willow Glen, Nov. 22,
1875, three men being killed in a gravel pit.
For a few minutes I will turn to some points of village
topography.
Half a mile up the east side of the lake were the
two limekilns where, at some earlier day lime was made
from boulders. Our swimming resorts were from Burnett’s
boat house, back of James E. Porter’s, up to H. L. Roose-
velt’s south line. Two fine streams entered the lake close by.'
the Episcopal Church, one of them crossing the street,
having found its way from the woods., through Burnett’s
field. Around St. James’ Church great logs and stones
partially defended the ground. The bridge over the outlet
was long and had fourteen wooden piers. In the spring its
sides were lined with men and boys with flat nets. Suckers
and eels, perch and bullheads, and sometimes a muskrat or
a trout, rewarded their toil. The stream sawmill dock
remains, but Crosby’s sawmill is gone. At one time it was
our naval headquarters. Farther on, on the lake side, but
not as far as E. Reuel Smith’s, was Allis’s potashery, where
Horace Cornell and his brother Perry were constantly
drawing ashes. Just beyond was the Aspinwall brook, a52	THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
famous place for minnows. Beneath the bridge were the
remains of the old dam. On the southwest side of the
present dam was an extensive tannery and on the other
side the flouring mill, the sawmill which was afterwards
Hann urn’s machine shop, and Kellogg’s factory with all its
accessories. This was about the limit of the village in that
direction, and our favorite swimming place in the creek was
far out in the country, at the Sink, some distance south of
the Elizabeth street bridge. That street was then unthought
of. E. Austin’s house was quite out in the country, too.
Gray’s thrashing machine shop was on Jordan street, and
on the same street Fuller & Francis did quite a foundry
business. I used to get my firecrackers by selling old iron
to them. Several cooper shops were on this street. An
open space, once occupied by a tavern, I believe, extended
from Mr. Jewett’s almost to Mr. Pardee’s old house. There
was a red blacksmith shop where the Baptist Church now
stands, and shops and other buildings occupied quite a
space east of the Episcopal Church. Thaddeus Edwards’s
harness shop was east of H. L. Roosevelt’s. Behind C.
Pardee’s old store there was a pork packing establishment,
and the Presbyterian parsonage was just at the edge of the
woods. The tombstone of Winston Day, first merchant, yet
stands in the cemetery.
In 1854, St. James’ Church had a new organ, and the
old one went to Owasco. It had a picture on it that was the
marvel of my childhood; a rosy angel with a dark blue dress,
flying through the clouds, with a golden harp in her hands.
I shall never look on Raphael’s masterpieces with half the
admiration that obtained.
Among the Methodist ministers in Skaneateles, I recall
the names of Bibbins, Meacham, Cross, Coryell, Cuykendall,
Hessler, Cobb and some others whom I remember, without
retaining their names.
These notes are given as somewhat suggestive, being
generally correct as far as written, but not as full as some
others might make them, in many respects. They preserve,
however, some things not easily accessible, particularly in
the way of dates. Many matters of personal interest have
been omitted, especially some concerning intimate friends.
Those given, it is hoped, will somewhat illustrate the his-
tory of the town.
Of two men who deserve high mention for their quiet53
NOTES OF OTHER DAYS IN SKANEATELES
usefulness, I think I have said nothing. The one was John
Harrow, with whose personal friendship I was honored, and
the other was old Mr. Allis, long a teacher in the village,
but never, it chanced, a teacher of mine. Some characters
he helped to frame, but perhaps his best monument is the
lives of his children. Of many living persons I have said,
as seemed proper, little or nothing. I can only add that my
own father, to whom I owe most of the above dates, if not
incidents, died Aug. 28, 1867, in perfect peace. To the
paper which he founded I have sent these notes of other
days.
CHAPTER XI.—NOTES LEFT OUT.
Topography, Indian Stories and Visitors—Taverns and
Stages—Lake Scenes.
To the original papers I added others with the above
title, and I am asked to revise these under the date of 1913.
Some space will be taken up in this way, and then the notes
will be continued as originally written.
However hurried, the genial Benjamin Petheram was
sure to say, when a good story was told, “that reminds
me,” and a better one followed. Some one ought to be
reminded now. I find mention of the Petherams at Mr.
Snook’s, in June, 1831. Mr. Snook, father of Captain
Mason’s wife, took my father to see James Rattle, half way
between Skaneateles and Auburn. There he met George
Clapp, one of the old time English notables in Skaneateles,
and they were many. Mr. Clapp was a loud talker and not
very popular. His frequent theme was the superiority of
England, but he was silenced one day when asked why he
did not go back; he was not wanted here.
Doctor Snook, I believe, came in 1832, and his son John
and my father straightway went fishing. Dr. Snook did
much to make teasel raising profitable, and I have been
much interested in the recent account of that industry. My
father lived on the east side of the lake, and took his canoe,
May 25, 1832, and crossed the lake to see Mr. Nipper, the
pioneer teasel man. I suppose he also must have been inter-
ested in this,, for before he left Orange County he leased
his teasel patch on shares. In June, 1830, he spoke of weed-
ing this.
I have mentioned the old beach which the Indian trail
followed. This extended from St. James’ Church- to the54	THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
southwest angle of the lake here, and was overflowed when
the old dam was built. The trail came from the west along
what was called Aspinwall’s brook. At the lake the name of
Furman’s grove replaced this in my childhood.
J. M. Aspinwall sold all this April 30, 1835, and the
brook and locust grove were mentioned. The brook was a
resort for minnows for bait, and I caught many there. This
overflowed land was still real estate, and my father had a
deed for a large water lot in the rear of his store. The
water is much shallower there now than then, and the bar
at the cove at the Mile Point has disappeared. Inside of this
the herons stalked, bullfrogs roared and the water teemed
with bullheads and water lizards. Many a warm night have
I sat and listened with delight to the “frog concerts,” heard
over the waters. They were free.
The old Red House near Willow Glen factory was
famous in Ireland eighty years ago, and had local celebrity.
At that time every village had its distillery, and others,
more retired, had a brisk business. The Indians called the
creek Hananto, from the hemlocks which marked its course
and which furnished tan bark later. One curious and
almost forgotten feature was the leakage of the stream at
the limestone ledge. A large proportion of the water
passed into crevices of the rocks, in dry seasons leaving
but a succession of pools below that spot. S. P. Rhoades
once told me how the fish died there in the summer. When
the water was needed for the canal the State filled the
crevices, so that the waste is now but small.
Dug out canoes were quite in fashion in my younger
days, and I often rode in them. An Indian canoe is said to
have been dug out of the beach, and some early fishing huts
were credited to Aspinwall’s brook. Mr. John Barrow (not
my artist friend) placed a village at Mandana in his story
of “Skaneateles.” The story is humorous as well as tragic,
and should be revived. At Mandana lived the great chief
Skaneateles, with his six wives, his many sons and only
daughter. Mr. Barrow called her Hoky Poky, which no
Onondaga could have pronounced, but he was a newcomer
when he wrote the tale in 1839, and names were a little
mixed. It did not mean the White Pigeon, either, and I
much doubt if the Indians had then seen such a bird. But
“what’s in a name!” Hoky Poky will answer present needs.
The old chief brought home a captive Algonquin whomNOTES OF OTHER DAYS IN SKANEATELES	55
White Pigeon pitied—good girl; and then loved—foolish
maid. But “pity is akin to love.” She cut his bonds with a
hatchet—not Washington’s little one—and then, because she
could not tell her father a lie, she eloped with the young
chief. The stern and angry parent pursued. The light
canoes danced over the moonlit waves; the distance between
lessened; the old warrior rose and drew an arrow to the
head. Another moment and the love story would have
sadly ended, when lo! a great trout “rose up under the
stern of the canoe, pitched the bow under, and toppled the
old chief into the yawning waters.” Wherefore let those
who go trouting beware of standing up in the boat. The
lovers disappeared in the woods near Borodino, took Horace
Greeley’s advice to go west, and peopled White Pigeon
prairie in Michigan. Of course the lake was called after the
old chief.
The Columbian rose to the occasion and in its issue of
Jan. 31, 1840, had a story also headed “Skaneateles.” A
little girl suggested to her grandpa that A stood for Arrow
and B for Barrow, to which he replied that Mr. Barrow’s
story had no foundation. Skaneateles meant beautiful
squaw, as any one could see, and no chief would take such a
name as that. He would tell a true story.
He joined Colonel Willett’s memorable sleigh-ride expe-
dition against Oswego in February, 1783. It suffered ter-
ribly from the cold. A party of Cayugas had raided a
village near Fort Stanwix and carried off a beautiful girl.
The narrator, with others, went in pursuit. At Howlett
Hill the trail was plain, and the hill had its name from the
howling of many wolves there. At Skaneateles the Indians
took a canoe, though how it went over the ice was not
explained. The pursuers divided and followed either shore.
He was lucky. The Indians landed at Willett’s brook, the
girl was rescued and grandma of course ends the tale, to
which is appended a long string of verses.
The other prominent legend is that of Brant’s biogra-
pher, and is called “The Grave of the Indian King.” It was
founded on Count Frontenac’s invasion of Onondaga in
1696. An old Onodaga, left behind by his friends at his own
request, was cruelly tortured by his foes. In Colonel Stone’s
legend his bones were gathered up and buried on a hill over-
looking the lake. I remember the spot in the old “Burnett’s
field,” though the name only remained. Alas for the legend!56	THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
In 1829 a great traveler, visiting the village, planned to
secure relics from Thurensera’s grave, and repaired to the
spot one moonlit October night. Crowbar and shovel made
the dirt fly, but a rocky bed beneath showed that no grave
had ever been there. Some said that Colonel Stone shaded
in the disappointment. In later days his son changed the
dates and other features, and published it as a legend of
Saratoga lake.
Aiden T. Corey, who died in Skaneateles, Feb. 12, 1845,
aged 65 years, was highly esteemed by the Indians and had
taught bn the reservation. A deputation came from Onon-
daga to his funeral. I have heard that he was a soldier in
1812. He warmed up in his preaching. Hat, collar, coat
and vest were discarded in turn, when the spirit moved him.
Indians were then often seen in Skaneateles, and a widow
whose house had been burned made her petition last for
many years, and then some neighbor used it. The women
carried their pappooses on boards or in baskets on their
backs; the men often wore broad silver bands on their hats;
the boys shot at pennies, and all were thankful for cold
meats. Once I saw them throw the snow snake in the
village. It is a long, straight stick, with one end hardened
and turned upward, held at the other end and tossed from
the hand, it glides to a great distance, like a swiftly moving
serpent. Aunt Dinah and Aunt Susannah were well known
and picturesque figures among the women. Parties often
had comfortable lodgings in “British Fuller’s” big kitchen.
Genial John would build a good fire, get a row of Indians oh
the floor, feet to the fire, tuck in their blankets, put a pipe in
each mouth, and each willing soul was in a state of bliss till
morning came.
At an early day the Indian Queen tavern was a noted
house, and perhaps strengthened the error that Skaneateles
meant the beautiful squaw. On the west side of the bridge,
on the site of the Packwood House, was Sherwood’s tavern,
replaced by Lamb’s tavern or the Houndiyaga House. Some
used to make merry over the sign, “A. Lamb.” I have
before alluded to Isaac Sherwood’s famous stage lines. The
first tavern was built by James Porter in 1797. Stages for
short routes lingered on for many years. William Lee ran
a line, and Allen T. Ontis was famous in his day, going from
Cortland to Auburn. Goodwin ran an Auburn stage
afterward.NOTES OF OTHER BAYS IN SKANEATELeS	57
There used to be a tumble down log cabin on the east
side of the Mile Point and the cellar in the bank could be
seen for fifty years. I have been told that it belonged to
the Mr. McMillan already mentioned, but others say it was
Mr. Gregg’s. The primitive backwoods life lingered long
toward the head of the lake and nothing interested the boys
more than the rafting. The first raft on the lake was in
1797, if tradition is true, but in my childhood I used to
watch them floating and sailing down before the south
wind. Boards and boughs and sails were used to catch the
wind, and they were miniature forms of the great Missis-
sippi rafts. Sometimes there was a small shanty, for it
took weeks to get them ready. When they reached the
village the real peril began. To keep them off the shore, to
get them near the dam, required skill and then the boys
had their fun. The gates were opened and the great logs
plunged into the stream below, a pretty sight, now locally
unknown.
Wood scows navigated the lake and were sometimes
wrecked. My father recorded such an event. The three
men were saved, but the boat went down. For long years
the bottom of one lay just off Leitch’s dock. On it was the
bottom of a stove, legs upturned, which meant firecrackers
to me. At last I found a partner, pulled it up, sold it at the
foundry, and had a jolly Fourth of July that year.
The familiar lake flies were objects of interest as they
came in long and dense procession over the waves, or pat-
tered like raiii in still evening hours, or darkened trees and
houses with their brown forms. Once I saw a cloud of
white ones, which came in such numbers that people could
not pass the bridge, and afterward it looked as though it
had been snowing. Years in the water, a day in the air;
such is their history.
CHAPTER XII.
Fish and Fishermen^—Birds—Squirrels and Raccoons—
Early Animals—Spring Holes and Ice—Ice Boats—Old
Settlers —Revolutionary Soldiers — Saul Foster —
Politcal Parties.
The old fishermen must not be forgotten, though I
cannot recall all their names. I was fishing off a dock one
day when Richard Loss passed me and held up a sixteen
pound trout. “Dick” Loss had an unpainted boat of thin58	THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
oak boards, not stylish, but an excellent craft, of his own
make. He was fond of fish and fishing, and there was a
report that he was so 'full of fish bones that he couldn’t get
his clothes off. He always had them on when I saw him.
Tom Anderson caught a beautiful trout afterward
which weighed sixteen and a half pounds. That was the
day his child fell out of the upper rear story of the Pardee
block. Who remembers Tom Anderson? He was one of
infinite jest, steam doctor, ventriloquist, tinsmith and
inventor; in every sense of the word a character. His
initials were T. K., and he was often called Tea Kettle
Anderson. The practice was to give steam baths for all
kinds of disease, on the theory that if the pores were opened
the body would be in normal working condition and all
poison would naturally pass away. A good theory, but
with limitations. When Anderson’s little boy fell from the
upper rear floor of the Pardee block and was taken up unin-
jured, Dr. E. H. Porter remarked to me that though its life
had been spared Tom would probably steam it to death.
Steam houses or baths were universally used by our
aborigines and white Indian doctors took kindly to them.
I still have a copy of “Dr. Dodimus Duckworth, the Steam
Doctor,” written by Asa Greene and published in 1833.
J. S. Furman’s great trout was twenty pounds in
weight, and was of the short kind. The others were
longer. I have heard of other large trout—some not caught
of course—but have seen none larger than these. Randall
fished at the head of the lake; Windsor Nye about four miles
up, and Huxford, Forshee and others went out from the
village.
Perch were very abundant. When eight years old I
used to fish with my father and caught many. My largest
perch, some years later, weighed 22 ounces. We used to
chase the great schools around under the ice and spear
them while skating, as perhaps boys do yet. We went to
the woods and chopped rotten stumps for white grubs when
we fished through the ice. Great schools of suckers would
come along but not to bite. Bullheads were freely caught
from the docks after rains, and many a dark night did we
take them in quantities at the Mile Point cove.
Bald eagles were no uncommon winter visitors, sitting
for hours on the ice near the village, and I have seen them
frighten flocks of ducks away, while circling over head inNOTES OF OTHER DAYS IN SKANEATELES
59
spring and fall. Loons were often shot, notwithstanding
their quickness, as well as the small divers or grebe. I was
fishing one day from our dock when the fish came rushing in
in a panic. Not a dozen feet from me up comes a great loon
with a fish in his mouth. He looked at me and I looked at
him, and then he went down suddenly. Woodcock were in
wet groves just outside the corporation, and plover were
in plenty on both sides of the lake Great flocks of pigeons
filled the woods and turned the stubble fields blue. I have
seen branches break under their weight at the Mile Point
and along the creek. Many were caught in nets. On Easter
day, April 4, 1847, they flew all the morning along the
southern horizon, and about noon turned and flew over the
village. They were abundant all that spring.
Squirrels were in good supply. Austin’s woods were
full of black, gray and red ones, and I saw my father shoot
a black one south of Academy street. In my latter days I
was with David Hall, 2d, when he shot a raccoon near the
center of Austin’s woods and sometimes went out “cooning”
at night. At the Democratic mass meeting when Silas
Wright spoke, there was a great show of raccoons in
Skaneateles. They were in pokes, in log cabin traps, in
canoes going up Salt river, on their backs, up trees and in
every conceivable way that had political meaning. In two
days that year I saw more coons than I have seen in all
my life beside.
There was larger game. Deer were sometimes taken
in the lake, though I never saw this done. Bear Swamp was
no misnomer, and one of my friends used to tell me how
she saw a bear pursued along the road two miles south of
the village. Bear stories abounded and a once famous cave
on the creek was linked with one. Slaves were still held
here in my early childhood, and I used to read the tale of
one who ran away from his master at Cayuga Bridge. In
the darkness he went through the great gulf east of Skane-
ateles, and heard a panther on one hillside answering one
on the other. They were probably owls, but I did not know
it. I could tell snake stories, but refrain.
I suppose there must have been beavers near by, on
account of the Beaver Meadows, down the creek, and it was
said the Waters of Mud lake, toward the Shepard Settle-
ment, were turned by a beaver dam. Brook trout were00	THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
found in streams where they are now extinct and I have
seen them caught in the lake.
There are some who know more than I do about deep
holes and springs in the lake. The old trout fishermen, of
course, are well informed and tell wondrous tales. Captain
Lee’s map gave only the regular soundings and said nothing
of these. I once had a little experience in the matter. The
iee was fine, but snow had come and lay in winrows upon it.
Between these were long lanes Which we used. I was lead-
ing a troop of boys and saw a nice smooth place ahead. Too
late I saw it was water, and down I went. I shouted to the
rest to keep away and in a few minutes was out and on
my feet again. My handsome turnover skates I bought for
their beauty, but they did me good service that day.
We sometimes had bonfires on the ice, but shooting
matches for turkeys were always expected there at the
winter holidays. The hapless gobbler was tied on a stool at
the proper distance, and the marksmen tried their skill at so
much a shot. At a later day there were horse races on the
ice. The first iceboat I remember was made by Joseph
Burnett and Robert Charles. It had fore and hind axles
like a wagon, with steering ropes for the front axle. Com-
mon skates were used. An iceboat of the usual type
appeared the same winter.
Later I will speak of old Burdick, one of our village
characters, who died in 1867. He used to tell me of the
“shiverees” he had attended at unpopular weddings, and
had a peculiar way of telling stories. I wish I could repro-
duce some of them. The style was something like this:
“As I was saying—saying—saying, I went down to the lake
—the lake—lake, and there I saw a man fishing—fishing-—
fishing,” etc. Besides his son Whitman, old Burdick had a
buxom daughter, large, smiling and fair. When she was
fourteen a young man wanted to marry her, but his
family objected. Her father resented this and told me one
day that “Josephine was as good as any of them. Better
than some, for there was more of her.” Which was very
true.
Very natural things sound oddly after the lapse of
years. While the Skaneateles Telegraph was published
William H. Seward (it was Bill Seward then) and others
wrote for it. A substantial farmer once told me that he
sometimes took a hand with the future statesman. TheirNOTES OF OTHER DAYS IN SKANEATELES
61
special aim was to stir up Judge Kellogg. The Squire would
get the paper, read the article and angrily exclaim, “Bill
Seward or Dave Hilliard wrote that* and I don’t know
which.” It has been said that Seward had a young man’s
reasons for visiting the village.
I would like to see a file of those old papers, so many
things have perished with them. While preparing a list of
local revolutionary soldiers I find that half of our pioneers
.sleep in unknown graves. No record was kept of burials.
Every family knew its own lot, buried its own dead and
went its way. Lake View Cemetery had no record of early
burials until Mr. Weeks compiled what he could from the
stones. I personally know of many not on the register,
some of them prominent citizens. This is the case through-
out the county.
In giving some notes on revolutionary soldiers who
have lived or been buried in Skaneateles I will use the cus-
tomary abbreviations, and enumerate by cemeteries where
possible. The pension list of 1840 gives those in Marcellus
and Skaneateles under the head of the former town. In
applications before the division it is not always clear where
the veteran belonged. Stephen Hagar (’60-’23) may have
been in Skaneateles, and also Jonathan Howard, born ’53,
and 70 when he applied for a pension, but their location is
uncertain. One curious and unusual feature in Lake View
cemetery is that no stone speaks of a Revolutionary soldier,
though many are buried there. Of course a number have
no stones at all, but the following veterans have, and some
were pensioners :
John Briggs, ’57-’39; Nehemiah Cleveland, ’53-43;
Bethuel Cole, ’51-’28; Abraham Cuddeback, ’19-’96; Abra-
ham A. Cuddeback, ’58-’31; Thaddeus Edwards, ’63-’32;
Simeon Edwards, ’55-’30; Solomon Edwards, ’52-’34;
Nathaniel Eells, ’48-’15; Thomas Greves, ’46-’02; Asa
Hatch, ’42-’13; Moses Legg, ’52-’15; Nathan Leonard,
’42-’13; Jared Patchen, ’50-’26; Charles Pardee, ’60-’25;
Captain Samuel Rhoades, ’37-’23; Joseph Root, ’49-’13;
Joseph Stevens, ’49-’36; W. J. Vredenburgh, ’60-’13; Jona-
than Weston, ’53-’28; Jabez Wilder, ’36-’13; John Wilkin-
son, ’58-’02. Those without stones are: Capt. John Beach,
’64-’44; Sylvester Cortwright, bom ’48, and living east of
the lake in 1803; Samuel Eggleston, ’44-’40; Aaron Keeler,
’64-’51; Elijah Seymour, ’44-’06; Simeon Skeels, ’59-’23, and62
THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
perhaps William Webber, born 1763, and Samuel Whipple,
born 1751. Those with stones who may have been veterans
are:	Samuel Beebee, ’56-’12; John Briggs, ’57-’39; Eli
Clark, ’63-’35; Joseph Clift, ’50-’27; David Hall, ”44-’16;
Asa Hatch, Jr., ’66-’44; Daniel Ludlow, ’50-’14; Benjamin
Nye, ’64-’30; Joseph Rhoades, ’64-’42; John Ten Eyck,
’63-’17, and Ephraim Thomas, ’44-’33. I would place
William Dascomb here, but his wife’s tombstone alone
appears.
In the Friends’ cemetery at the Octagon school house
rests Jeremiah Spalding, ’61-’47, a veteran who died in
Spafford. In the Peck cemetery there rests Oliver Peck,
’59-’29, and probably a soldier. Benson street follows the
line blazed through the woods by Stephen Benson in 1796.
On the east side of this is a neglected cemetery, where the
stone of John Walch, ’39-’26, a veteran,, lies broken on the
ground. John Moffett, ’54-’30, rests there, and seems to
have been a soldier.
The Owasco Rural cemetery is in Skaneateles and is
used for both towns. Stephen Benson, ’42-’23, and Elkanah,
’65-’44, are two veterans there. Martin Cuykendall, ’64-’4S,
was a pensioner. The others who seem probable are Abijah
Baker, ’61-’15; John Conover, ’57-’33; Barret Conover,
’31-'23; Wilhemus Cuykendall, ’54-’43; Cornelius D. DeWitt,
’60-’45; Daniel Ennis, ’44-’38; Abraham Stryker, ’34-’16;
Peter Tallman, ’59-’26, and Roosevelt Van Houtten.
Near Mandana lived the veteran David Welsh, who
came there in 1798, and there was also John Greenman,
’65-’48. I have not seen their graves, but they may have
been buried in Niles, not far away. The veteran Edward
Barber was on the Lawton farm, and Barnabas Hall owned
the Mile Point, sometimes called Barney’s Point. They
probably removed.
Mottville makes a good showing of soldiers. Joseph
Billings, ’59-’36, was one, and the three Earlls were notable
men. Gen. Robert, ’59-’33; Daniel, Sr., ’30-’17, and Jonas,
’53-’47, represented the family here. Thomas Wait, ’53-’26,
was another, all these having stones. There may be those
having none. The veteran Isaac Trowbridge, ’58-’22, buried
his wife here, but he died in Brutus. Daniel Vail, ’45-’32,
also lived west of the village, but died in Elbridge. Reuben
Farnham, ’49-’26, also settled in Skaneateles and was a pen-NOTES OF OTHER DAYS IN SKANEATELES
63
sioner. Jesse Kellogg, ’60-’13, also lived in Skaneateles, but
was buried in Marcellus.
In the Shepard Settlement John Burroughs, ’52-’33,
was probably a soldier. His wife’s father, Zaccheus
Granger, ’34-’ 12, is buried there, and either he or his son
Zaccheus was a soldier. The latter was born 1760, lived in
Skaneateles, but went west. Joseph Coy, ’38-’23, was a pen-
sioner. His wife’s stone reads McCoy. John West was
another who lies there, and Benjamin Bush, ’45-’30, may
have been a soldier.
At Thorn Hill was buried Elijah Bowen, ’07. His
brother Benajah, born 1762, also lived in Skaneateles, ’59-
’17, when he went to Lysander. Both were soldiers. Of
the many veterans who have stones there David Earll, ’52-
’18, is the only one I would assign to Skaneateles.
There remain a few who cannot be assigned to any
cemetery here. Col. Seba Brainerd, ’63-’45, went hence to
Genesee county, and the family history makes him a
Revolutionary soldier; possibly an error. John Bristol, a
pensioner, was 83 in 1825. Silas Pease, ’60-’34, lived for a
time in Skaneateles. Isaac Staples was a pensioner, aged 75
in 1840. James or Jacobus Ennis came to Skaneateles in
1795, but I cannot give exact age. Richard Lord, ’65-’32,
another veteran, went from Skaneateles to Michigan.
There were doubtless others now absolutely unknown.
At every Fourth of July celebration carriages were provided
for these veterans, and many of the toasts in their honor
are extant, but in no case has a list of those present sur-
vived. In fact, in my early boyhood, it was no great dis-
tinction to be a Revolutionary soldier, and none at all to
have served in 1812.
It was our boyish belief that old Saul Foster was a
Revolutionary soldier, but as some called him Sol or Solo-
mon and I did not know his age, I did not look for his
record. Later I have not found Saul Foster in any rolls,
while Solomon is frequent. The latter was his name, as it
appears in his deed of 1801. Polly, wife of Saul Foster,
however, died June 7, 1838, in her 76th year. This would
show that he might have served, and probably did. I am
tempted to quote two stories of him. One was sent to the
Democrat by the venerable Timothy Owen of Borodino in
1876, and the editor was evidently doubtful of its local char-
acter, saying:	“It is new to us that the founders of the64	THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
village had a pair of stocks, wherein were imprisoned indi-
viduals who had committed some trivial offense, and that
Solomon Foster had been incarcerated in them one night,
and the following night he came with a yoke of oxen and
hitched to them, and carried them where they were never
found. To those of our readers who knew Mr. Foster, or
as he was more familiarly known, ‘Old Sol Foster,’ the
anecdote will be duly appreciated and readily believed.” I
am inclined to think it an escapade of his earlier days,
“away down east.”
The other story is from a letter of Samuel Edwards to
Mr. E. N. Leslie. There was trouble about the country
schoolhouse. “Sol didn’t believe in such a wrangling set of
trustees, which led him to have not only a spite 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 spite-
fully, by demolishing the whole inside of the schoolhouse.
After that the trustees were obliged to agree to build a
schoolhouse in a more desirable place.” As he lived near
the east line of the town he was probably buried at Thorn
Hill. When his wife died his recorded consolation was that
now he could spit where he pleased.
I observed that I said little about the Free Soil party.
There was an early Anti-Slavery Society and it had some
trying experiences. An old Columbian has a card from
James Cannings Fuller, thanking those who escorted him
home after speaking, and protected him from violence.
Meetings were kept up until the Barnburners’ split when
Van Buren was again nominated and Cass defeated in a
triangular fight. History repeats itself. A word on party
names. Locofoco matches came into use in my childhood.
A Democratic meeting was held in New York and a faction
put out the lights to break up the meeting. Pleased with
success they left, but their opponents sat still in the dark-
ness until they were gone, when they took out their matches,
relit the candles, went on with business and acquired a new
name. The progressive Democrats wanted their share of
offices, but the old hunkers stuck to the public crib. An
honest old Pennsylvania Dutchman was bothered with rats.
To get rid of them he fired his barns. It was a great success.
Not a rat survived, nor a barn either. So the BarnburnersNOTES OF OTHER DAYS IN SKANEATELES	65
split the party and got the Old Hunkers out of office, and the
Whigs joyfully took their places.
The Free Soil party gained form and strength, so that
when Fremont was nominated there was firing of cannon
in the village, June 19, 1856, and a ratification meeting in
Furman’s grove July 2d. The party had taken the name
of Republican. Four years later came Lincoln’s nomination.
A ratification meeting was held of a quiet kind. The old
line Whigs did not like the failure of Seward’s nomination,
but a committee was appointed on resolutions. I was one,
Hon. George Barrow another, and W. W. Raymond, now a
clergyman, was the third. We retired and consulted, for we
were not Seward men. Luckily the others did not know
this, and our resolutions were unanimously approved.
Services were held at the Baptist Church on the day of
Lincoln’s funeral, as a general expression of sorrow and
respect. April 26 his body was borne through Syracuse.
The Wide Awake companies of 1860 were but a prelude
to the military companies of the next year. There was a
fine gathering of torch-bearers Oct. 16, 1860, several com-
panies coming from other places. Abundant Roman candles
made brilliant the scene. With hearty cheers but sober
faces we said adieu to a dozen young men, the first to start
for the front, April 23, 1861. The first soldier’s funeral,
that of Irving Brownell, was held Jan. 8, 1862, but that of
Maltby Cleaveland, on the 24th, was very impressive. Sixty
carriages and over a hundred footmen formed the proces-
sion on a wintry day.
Before the war closed there was a short resumption
of home military companies. June 15, 1864, one of these
paraded the streets, and in August of the following year
shared in an encampment at Messina Springs. The civic
military spirit soon died out. We had seen enough of real
swords and guns.
The old Academy had long been used for a public
school, and was sold for this May 3, 1854. On May 12th of
the following year the work of taking this down began.
Dec. 7th the bell was hung in the new building behind the
old, and in this school commenced Dec. 10th, under Dr.
Hammond.66	THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
CHAPTER XIII.
Glen Haven—Politics—Fraternal Societies—Churches—
Funerals—Matches and Fires—Pioneer Features■—
Currency—Postage—-Camping—Inscriptions.
Before and after the opening of the Glen Haven Water
Cure I made several accurate sketches of the spot. In one
of these a pretty Bloomer appears. They were not all
pretty. Sometimes they came down the lake on the steam-
boat. In a paper published about that time, Glen Haven
rates were five and six dollars a week. But then they had
not meat at every meal.
Three fraternal societies only existed here in the early
part of the last century, if we except St. Tammany. The
Cincinnati was of Revolutionary officers, and the Washing-
ton Benevolent Society of a somewhat doubtful character,
but most men of standing were Free Masons. So Skane-
ateles had the first lodge of the latter in the present county,
and Village Lodge, No. 80, was warranted Jan. 8, 1799.
Lodges then commonly celebrated St. John Baptist’s day
by a parade and banquet. These probably were features
when the Rev. Thomas Robbins preached before it June 24,
1802. The lodge went out of existence in 1818, but was
revived in 1826. Many of the later members I remember
well. In a family history Col. Aaron P. Humphrey, who
came to Skaneateles in 1822, is called master of this lodge,
which may have been, or it may have been a lodge of the
same name in Connecticut. His son Correl came in 1827 and
had his Masonic degrees that year. The father was an
officer in the war of 1812, and Correl served in the Florida
war, often telling me stories of this. It was a notable
family and I saw a great deal of the members.
People now know little of the old raising of the frames
of buildings. The large timbers were hewed out with axes,
mortices and tenons were cut, and all were put together on
the ground. Then a small army was summoned, armed with
pike-poles, and by main strength the frame was raised into
a vertical position and pinned together. When the present
Baptist Church was built, though the large timbers had
been used before, it took weeks to prepare the frame. I
think this was the last large frame raised in the village.
St. Mary’s Church was burned Aug. 26, 1866, but one
of the members cheerfully said to me, “Perhaps we’ll have aNOTES OF OTHER DAYS IN SKANEATELES
67
better oneas they did. I like an optimistic spirit. The
present Methodist Church was dedicated Jan. 6, 1860,
Bishop Janes preaching. The corner, store of the new St.
James’ Church was laid May 3, 1873, and it was conse-
crated Jan. 6, 1874, Bishop Huntington preaching on both
occasions. All these edifices are a great contrast to what I
saw as a child. There was an earlier day. In a gazetteer
published in 1823, Skaneateles is said to contain “about
100 houses and a handsome church, and is a flourishing
place.” This was the church on the hill, with two rows of
windows and a great gallery.
After this interpolation my notes continue as they were
written in 1876. It seems unnecessary to give a more exact
history, though this might be done.
Churches are not warmed as they were. In my early
days St. James’ church had a stove passing through the par-
tition between the vestibule and the body of the church.
This was found dangerous, and it was then removed to the
great stove seat within, where hemlock leaves often crack-
eled on the stove, causing the older people to look around
and see what the boys were doing. Good John Shallish
would shake his head, but there was not much anger in his
good natured face. The Presbyterian Church had two great
stoves in the vestibule, beside each door. Conductors and
tin pails were suspended from the long pipes under the gal-
leries, to catch the sap which distilled plentifully from the
green wood. They were useful but not ornamental.
Footstoves were then largely used, being filled with
coals, and carried to special seats before the service com-
menced. In St. James’ Church a collection box was placed
on the gallery pillars on either side, and I was often lifted
up to drop my penny in. For a long time churches had no
lights, the second service being held in the afternoon. The
Presbyterians had an hour’s nooning, sometimes two, but at
St. James’ Church the bell tolled at 3 P. M. In that church,
however, on Christmas eve the windows were often filled
with candles in rows—a simple yet fine illumination. It was
the only place where Christmas was observed.
This church also had six square pews, with seats all
around and a table in the middle. Paterfamilias thus had
an eye on the whole family, and this was pretty well
brought up. Underneath was a schoolroom, part of the
basement being partitioned off for this, and there I first68
THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
went to school. The dark unfinished part on the east side
we called the dungeon, where the girls never ventured,
though the boys had no fears. Of course, it was a primary
school. In it was a dunce-block, obsolete now. It was a
great block with three solid pegs for legs, on which scholars
were sometimes placed as a punishment or an example for
the rest.
When the dunce-block was not at hand, in summer the
stove answered just as well, until one day one poor fellow
was set on it while it was tolerably warm. The teacher had
forgotten that there had been a fire in it, and we were
almost convulsed as one bare foot was drawn up and then
the other, in trying to keep cool.
Funerals, in the olden time, were very simple. Generally
there was no hearse, and I think no box for the coffin.
Straw was thrown upon it, and the grave filled while the
friends stood by. Coffins were of cherry, stained red, and
I occasionally meet yet with the black bier, with its four
handles, on which they are borne to the grave. At a later
day a plain hearse was bought by the village. The Quakers
erected no monuments, but of late years have adopted some
of a simple kind. Their graves occupied a distinct part of
the cemetery. Even a generation has produced great
changes in our modes of life. It seems but yesterday that
we could sit in the chimney comers and look up the great
chimney at the stars overhead. Fires were covered up at
night, that there might be something to kindle them with
in the morning. When it came my turn to make the fire at
school, I was provided with a fire pan full of coals, and
carried them carefully through the streets. The first Loco-
foco matches used in the village were retailed at 25 cents
per box by my father, and for home use children dipped
splinters into brimstone. Great brass warming pans filled
with coals were no bad device for preparing beds for winter
occupation, and we never thought feathers unhealthy. With
puffing bellows we blew up our fires, and some were skillful
enough to kindle them with flint, steel and tinder. Brass or
iron andirons supported the great sticks that formed our
fires, and they were often of elegant or fanciful design. In
Sandford’s law office they represented some marching
soldiers. Certainly these iron warriors were brave, for they
stood fire firmly and well. A swinging iron crane, with its
hooks of various lengths and sizes, brought pots and kettlesNOTES OF OTHER DAYS IN SKANEATELES	69
into proper position over the fire, and perhaps was no
harder to manage than our modern stoves. The old brick
oven has never been surpassed for baking bread, which is
more than can be said of its ancient substitute, the baking
kettle. This was heavy and deep, and the cover had a large
rim so that when the kettle was set on the coals, coals could
also be heaped high on top. Meat was generally cooked
before the fire, and somebody devised tin reflectors to set
behind the roast, and the pans of biscuits. I have sat by
the hour turning and basting turkeys and chickens, which
were suspended by strings from the mantelpiece. Stoves
have changed all that, and I have heard that the cost of the
first one in Skaneateles was a fine village lot.
Among the features of early life were corduroy roads,
where logs were laid across the track, and brushwood
placed on these, with earth covering all. This was done only
in marshy places. Another striking object was the primi-
tive well-sweep, where a long tapering pole was placed in
the upright crotch of a tree trunk. From the small end
depended a slender pole with a bucket beneath. By means
of the latter pole the bucket was lowered into the well and
drawn up again, the longer and heavier pole keeping it in
place when empty. An arch with a large kettle for boiling
soap and feed, or for scalding hogs, was another farmyard
feature, and quite frequently the corn crib, standing on
posts. The potash leach and the smoke house were quite fre-
quent in villages, where also the woodhouse or woodpile
kept a year’s supply of fuel ahead. Provident people bought
green wood one winter and burned it dry when winter
came again.
My father dealt largely in goose quills, buying them by
the dozen, clarifying them by scraping, and selling to
dealers less ingenious. All scholars were taught to make
goose quill pens. Those of steel had not yet come.
Tent, camp or high post bedsteads, as they were called,
were in use, curtained all around, and often canopied above.
All had cords instead of slats or springs. One plunged out
of sight in the great down beds, heated by the warming pan.
A high backed settle before the fire was a comfort. Other-
wise the face might roast while the back nearly froze.
The silver currency of those days was Mexican and
Spanish, mostly the latter, with the pillars of Hercules. By
halving we had quarters, shillings and sixpences, and though70	THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
the coins have disappeared the names still remain. Occa-
sionally they are dug up and I have had them brought to
me to know what they were. United States coins were
rarely seen, for we had no silver mines. Merchants often
issued due bills, and villages some times did the same. The
distinction of store pay in trade was well understood. I
was in a country store one day when a girl came in for a
sheet of paper. It was produced; she handed out an egg,
took the paper and went her way.
High postage was a feature of early life. It was a
great advance when letters could be sent for five cents
under 300 miles and for ten cents for over that distance.
Captain De Cost always sent family letters to New York by
way of Homer, that being within the limit. It took skill to
fold a letter then. I keep a few specimens.
We burned whale-oil and candles, and sometimes lard-
oil for lights. Part of my winter’s work was to draw in the
wicks in the candle moulds, or to dip those that were
intended for ordinary use in a great kettle of melted tallow,
and every boy had so many cords of wood to saw and split.
As a beginning of housekeeping in 1857, I bought a
plain kerosene lamp for $1.50, and a gallon of oil for nine
shillings. It was soon fifty cents higher.
It is hardly worth while to tell how some tailors steadily
went around, doing the work of family after family, just as
dressmakers do now. Then there were the bees of all kinds,
apple-paring, quilting, husking, raising and chopping. It
was to one of the later that “Low” Bodine—“Old Jarsey”
we sometimes called him—was invited. It was for the
benefit of a talented, self-denying and benevolent minister.
Bodine refused the invitation. You wouldn’t catch him
chopping for any “priesty.” But when he saw the good man
shouldering his ax and starting for the woods himself,
“Low” grasped his own axe and started too. He was going
to chop for him, anyhow.
Peaches were abundant then, and of less account than
apples. Wild plums of good quality grew within the village
limits, and we had not far to go for delicious strawberries,
raspberries and blackberries.
Rewards were often offered for the return of inden-
tured apprentices, and these varied from one to six cents.
The occasional advertising of deserting wives often brought
very vigorous replies.NOTES OF OTHER DAYS IN SKANEATELES
71
The barber’s occupation was left to the colored race.
He was a very independent white man who first dared erect
a barber’s pole in Skaneateles. He was a Canadian, named
Symonds, and worked as a bookbinder for my father. The
stores kept almost everything. Wheelheads for spinning
were always conspicuous. So were the long rows of loaf-
sugar, suspended from the ceiling in purple paper wrappers.
On summer evenings the clerks went out into the streets
and played ball, with ax-helves for clubs. Baseball was a
more formal game, and was generally played in the large
open field, then reaching from the Academy down Elizabeth
street as far as the Van Dyke house. In the same field we
played fox and geese, and from the fence dove into the great
snow-drifts in winter.
Old Mr. Warren Kneeland used to come along from
time to time, with a double leather bag, something like a
mailbag, slung over his shoulder. At my father’s store he
always stopped to replenish his stock of primers, almanacs,
children’s books and notions of all sorts. There he was
always ready to enter into an argument on religious, slavery
or temperance subjects with anybody. He was a man of
intelligence and great force of character, and delighted in
this wandering life. He had both a fine and picturesque
head, and few faces are more impressed on my memory.
Some of his children are well known and prominent persons.
Joseph Brown was both liverykeeper and auctioneer.
At an earlier day he was in Hall & Porter’s store, and had
all the quickness, decision and humor needed in the auc-
tioneer’s character. Naturally he was well known far and
wide.
Nehemiah Smith, besides his regular business, kept a
boarding house, well patronized by lawyers, clerks and
teachers. In the Seymour house, opposite the present
Baptist Church, many of Legg’s hands boarded. Two of
Seymour’s sons were among our bright scholars, and one of
them afterwards became a Presbyterian minister. Legg’s
old red blacksmith shop stood on the site of the Baptist
Church, and when it ceased to be used I am afraid the
Academy boys were responsible for its broken windows. A
magnificent sleigh for use in Buffalo was built by John Legg
nearly forty years ago. A fine appearance it made when
drawn by elegant horses through the village streets. Even
in those days of cheap labor, it was said to have cost $1,000.72	THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
And here let me say.that if prices of labor were then low,
hours of labor were long. In winter all mechanics worked
until 8 P. M., and commenced early, too. After the burning
of the old flouring mill, John Legg built the present one of
stone. Before the machinery was set up, the second story
was suitably prepared, and a grand ball held therein.
I know little of the history of other mills in the town.
A sawmill at the outlet was naturally one of the earliest
enterprises, and frame houses were built almost from the
outset. Up the lake, at Apple-tree Point—the old Indian
apple tree was gone long ago—there has long been another
saw mill. Terwilliger built one three or four miles south
of the village, on the west side of the lake. Besides these
and others there have been some steam sawmills. But the
most picturesque of all for situation was in the Gulf, about
half-way between the north and south roads to Marcellus.
I used to go there for berries when a child, and it was almost
in ruins then. Half a mile west of it was a beautiful water-
fall, and when we were tired of berry picking the old dam
was a pleasant place to bathe or fish, and the old race, cut in
the slate rock, and always dry, was just the spot for a frolic
or a pleasant walk.
On the lake shore there was always something delight-
ful for boys. We turned over the stones as we waded along,
looking for crabs, and mercilessly pounding their heads to
get their precious eye-stones. Every one was not furnished
with these, and we sometimes captured many in vain. Then
came camping-out, which was not quite so luxurious then as
now. At first our boats were small, and tents were
unknown. We verily went into the wilderness when we
went up the lake, but later we improved on these things in
some respects. Sailboats multiplied, and the other end of
the lake became less of an unknown country. I have, how-
ever, a journal in Biblical style, written in 1846, by my old
friend, the Rev. Joseph M. Clarke of a trip made that year
by a party of five to the head of the lake. Two of these
started after the rest, and in the night saw the distant camp
fire while delayed by an adverse wind. So “they took
courage and some biscuits/’ and sailed on. At the camp
they “spread a table in the wilderness. And they had buf-
falo skins for couches, and towels had they for table cloths,
and they had water from the living spring, and the food
came from well filled baskets. And in their journeyingsNOTES OF OTHER DAYS IN SKANEATELES	73
they did eat bread and flesh in the morning, and flesh and
bread in the evening, and at noon they did likewise; and for
lunch they had gingerbread. And they drank coffee in
the morning, and tea in the evening, and at noon made
lemonade.” This was early camp life.
They sailed home “in a violent calm . . . after a peril-
ous voyage of three nights and four days.” How often we
“scratched the mast,” or “whistled for a wind” in these
long calms.
It was in the fall of 1850 that a party of four was in
camp at Staghorn Point. One was John G. Ellery, a Skane-
ateles boy just appointed State Geologist of North Carolina.
He was after cup corals, of which we secured a fine lot.
John D. Barrow, my artist friend, was another, and the
eccentric Lewis B. Brainerd was a third. He basely deserted
us on the way home, getting tired of tracking in the calm,
and so did we at last, tying up at some flat rocks below Hall’s
Landing. Of course we cut our names and the date, which
are still there. Two years later I accompanied Mr. Barrow
on a rowing excursion around the lake. We kept close to
the shore, sketching every point of interest all the way.
CHAPTER XIV.
Yachts and, Regattas—School Exhibitions—Cattle Driving
—Millerites and Comet—Odd Characters.
I have been asked for a list of the sailboats which have
been placed at various times on the lake. Some of these may
be mentioned. Bishop Burnett’s was the first I ever saw,
though her name is not recalled. She was a large flat bot-
tomed keel boat, handsomely rigged with mainsail, jib and
flying-jib. Sometimes she was unrigged, and used as a
pleasure boat, with awnings. For those days she must have
been costly. She was laid aside and went to decay thirty-
five years ago.
The Essex, Capt. Furman, was built in Skaneateles
about this time, a keel boat, with jib, flying-jib, mainsail
and topsail. After many years’ service, and some changes of'
owners, if not of name, she went to pieces. The Onkahye,
brought from New York by the Roosevelts, became the
Experiment, Nation and Sea Gull. Dr. Lord owned her most
of the time. The Potters owned the Gazelle, a Whitehall
boat, which they sailed on the first regatta; but they soon
afterwards bought the Jilt, built by Fish of New York. Rev.74	THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
Mr. Patterson afterwards bought her, changed the model,
and she became the Naiad. She yet sails the lake under an-
other name still. The Julia was brought from New York
by H. L. Roosevelt, and was owned by him until sold up the
lake. I believe she has passed away. The Leslie was
brought to Skaneateles by E. N. Leslie, and afterwards
became the schooner Fashion, under Zalmon Furman and
P. Williamson, and was several times remodeled. I used to
tend jib on her, and sometimes sail her. The Isabella was
built by John Davis, and was a swift boat; she became the
Rover, under the Beauchamp brothers, and afterwards was
the property of John B. Marshall. The Growler was built
and owned by John B. Furman and John D. Barrow, and
went to decay when a larger class of boat was built. William
Jones and the Shallishes built a small boat which sailed in
the regatta of 1850, but the name has escaped me. Another
boat which can hardly be classed among true sailboats, was
entered as a schooner at the same regatta. Some of the boys
experimented with her awhile as a steamboat. Four new
boats took their places in the regatta of 1852, but the Island
Queen beat them all.
In October a second regatta was held, but only the
Ashland came. There was a heavy northwest wind, and
before it we all went for the stake-boat on the east shore.
The Ashland tacked, but every succeeding boat wore, with
a bound that seemed to lift it from the water. Sand-bag in
hand every man jumped for the other side, and the big
boom went over with a rush. An evening race in a storm
was another great event of the day. The season closed, but
the Island Queen had not been defeated. The four new
boats follow: The Amazon was built by J. D. Barrow and
the Beauchamps, and went to pieces some years later. The
Tempest was built by John B. Furman, and I think shared
the same fate. The Alida was built by William Jones and
the Shallishes, and the Blue Bell by a company. She was
very successful while sailed by Edward Potter. Afterwards
Williamson bought her, and she was finally sent to the
Madison lakes in Wisconsin. The same company built
another, I think called the Flurry, and likewise sailed by
E. Potter. I believe she, too, went west. The Ashland was
brought from Cayuga lake by Ingersoll, and was afterwards
owned by William G. Ellery, and sold at South Bay, Oneida
lake. She was a New York boat. The Island Queen wasNOTES OF OTHER DAYS IN SKANEATELES	75
built from the Ashland’s model, only larger, and was once
the most celebrated boat in Western New York.
The Island Queen was built and owned at Union Springs,
and brought to Skaneateles by Dr. Case. I think he took
her to St. Louis. The Flying Cloud was brought to Seneca
Falls from New York, to beat the Island Queen, but failed.
Captain Eckhardt bought her and called her the Emma.
She also left the lake after the captain’s removal from
Skaneateles. The Laura was built for H. L. Roosevelt by
Charles F. Hall, after a model by Steers. The Minnesota
was owned by Captain Furman, and is now on Onondaga
Lake. The Wild Wave was brought. to Skaneateles by
E. N. Leslie; and of the others I am scarcely competent to
speak. I shall not say anything of the pleasant excursions,
reviews and picnics on which some of these were employed.
Some were very full of interesting incidents and the old
voyagers love to tell of them yet.
In our school days we sometimes went to Austin’s
woods to declaim, “and the sounding aisles of the dim woods
rang” with the speeches of the free schoolboys. Perhaps
the quotation is not quite right, but it will do. In school
Galusha Burnett used to give us Latin orations, “Quosque
tandem,” etc., and we often called on Blanchard for “In
her bower the widow dwelt.” David Hall, 3d, took to the
tragic, and thrilled us with “The Maniac,” and like efforts.
At my first exhibition I was fortunate enough to bring down
the house with
“As I’m a glutton,
I really thought that G. F. M.
Meant Good Fat Mutton.”
Julius Squier at the same time made a good hit with
“The night before Christmas.” How many remember how
Mortimer Rhoades strutted the boards as Goliath, and
shook his spear at little Sam Squier, who, as David,
whirled his sling in which a smooth, round marble was
safely sewed. Down came the giant as the curtain fell, and
Mort always insisted that his fall caused the placing of the
iron rods which brace the walls of the Presbyterian Church.
Alas, almost all these are gone, having acted their parts in
life, and passed behind the scenes.
In one of these exhibitions I had the part of a corpulent
man, and any one who has seen me and him will know that
I required some stuffing when I had John Davey’s clothes76
THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
on; but the laugh came in when my respected friend,
William Porter, now Superintendent of the New York Insti-
tution for the Deaf and Dumb, rubbed his eyes by poking
his fingers through his glassless spectacles. But such inci-
dents are frequent on all like occasions.
Not so frequent is it for a minister to receive such a
donation as was once made in Skaneateles, when a young
man brought in his father’s finest ram, and set it down in
the midst of the company. It may be questioned whether
those old time donations were always either pleasing or
profitable.
Great cattle droves were often passing through the
village. The teaming and drovers’ business afforded some
trade to the country taverns, like Clift & Hatch’s, two miles
west of the village. The boys turned out and helped drive
the cattle through town. Generally, at the head, a majestic
ox bore his driver’s portmanteau fastened to his horns.
Sometimes, when thirsty and heated with long and dusty
travel, the whole herd would come plunging into the lake.
I was just going out with Peter Pratt, when about ten years
old, when such a thing happened. The south wind was
blowing, and we were not clear of the shore when there
was a stampede right for us. Among the rest a huge black
ox leaped from the dock above our heads, barely missing our
boat, and it required some lively exercise to keep him from
poking his horns through the boat as he rose from his
bath. Portmanteaus were in common use by horsemen,
and the doctors always carried saddlebags at their horses’
necks, or across their arms, or in the sulky when that was
used.
Who that lived in those days has forgotten the Millerite
excitement? One morning a man came down the street
from the east, uttering an occasional loud cry. He stopped
in front of Snook’s store, and commenced a discourse.
People soon made up their minds that he was drunk or
crazy, and a pail of water was emptied over him; but as this
made no difference, he was marched off to Judge Jewett,
who charged him to create no disturbance. There was no
special interference with him afterwards, except as the boys
used to snowball him. He walked around at intervals of
weeks and months, smoking and preaching, and when a well
directed snowball from Clinton Brainerd took the pipe out
of his fingers he took no notice of it. But he stopped justNOTES OF OTHER DAYS IN SKANEATELES
77
.after, and pointing to the stores opposite, said', “Boys, if the
world should come to an end, what a smashing of glass there
would be.” This was the ridiculous side. One cold winter’s
night it did not seem so ridiculous. We were sliding down
hill. The tail of the comet, the head of which we never saw,
was streaming half way across the sky. The moon was
shining, and the northern lights were up. They were much
as usual at first, but soon began to float all over the sky in
fantastic forms, and with changing colors. They drew up
abreast of the moon, and deployed in line, and turned blood
red. And in the midst of all, in the still evening hours, the
voice of the preacher would burst out here and there in the
streets, denouncing a swift destruction to the earth and the
inhabitants thereof. It was a scene to make a deep and
thrilling impression.
Better to our youpg tastes, perhaps, were the exhibi-
tions of ordinary fireworks, and if we could throw a fire-ball
without burning our fingers, our pleasure was complete.
Then came, as now, the circuses and menageries, which all
the boys resolved to despise, and which few of them did.
Nelson Flink was generally around at such times. He was
a great double-jointed negro, who felt that he had a certain
claim on the friendship of the Cuddebacks, because his
father had been a slave of theirs. One circus carried two
cannon to be fired off on the breast of their strong man; one
weighing 400 lbs., the other 1,000. Nelse wanted to bet he
could shoulder either of them, so I went to see the trial. He
shouldered the 400 pounder at once; the other he lifted clear
of the ground twice, but that was all he could do. He would
take hold of a barrel of flour with his teeth and lift it, but
injured himself by such useless exhibitions of his strength.
No one will forget old Burdick and his son Whitman.
They were both notable characters, especially the former,
who was quite an important man when soap-boiling was to
be done. As he went along the street with his sturdy, but
bowed, form and upturned face, his hands folded behind
his back, and his slouching step, he would be at once
remarked. But he resented any proposition for taking his
picture. Equally odd was he in his mode of speech.
I saw two or three sights in 1844. Hickory and ash
poles were abundant with their gay flags. For a considera-
tion Deacon Hall offered to bring a fine hickory tree down
the lake for the Democrats. It was a noble stick, over 10078
THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
feet to the first crotch, and bore a very heavy flag. The
Whig pole, by Hall & Porter’s shop, was a slender, spliced
pole of ash, of much greater height. Then some malicious
tricks were played on the hickory poles, the halyards of
two being pulled from the blocks. Jonathan C. Keeney
climbed up and replaced them. The night before election
the Whig halyards were cut, and it was no easy or safe task
to reeve them again. Some one volunteered, and climbed
the lofty, slender pole. It swayed and bent fearfully when
he drew near the top, but he was successful, and friends and
opponents were alike glad to see him down again. It was
a terrible risk but there were not many things like this to
disfigure party strife.
CHAPTER XV.
Quakers or Friends—Conclusion.
The west side of the lake, for several miles, was
mainly settled by members of the society of Friends. One
of the most prominent and influential of these was Russell
Frost, who was buried Nov. 12, 1865. He must have been
one of the early settlers of the town, though I do not know
when he and his co-religionists came into Skaneateles. He
was not only a good farmer and earnest in promoting
general agricultural improvements, as I believe all the
Quakers on that side of the lake were, but had good business
abilities in other ways, and was universally esteemed. My
impression is that he held strong and yet sensible political
views, as his few but weighty words on such points were
always heard with deference. Naturally, however, men of
this quiet, solid character have fewer eccentricities to be
recorded than some others of less usefulness.
The same thing is true of another whose death I men-
tioned in my former notes. Silas Gaylord had the model
farm of Skaneateles, on the smooth fields of which I used to
look with admiration. His word was authority bn agri-
culture, and yet he was so simple, upright and unostenta-
tions, that his name made less noise in the world than that
of many an inferior man.
The Quakers long ago, perhaps, even more than now,
were prominent in Skaneateles, and had much influence on
the character of the place. There was a tier of noble farms
between Skaneateles and Mandana, occupied by them, and
their example unquestionably gave the needed impulse toNOTES OF OTHER DAYS IN SKANEATELES	79
many improvements. I have not time to dwell on their
many good qualities as citizens, but recall with pleasure my
early acquaintance with some of them. They had, long ago,
two meeting houses in Skaneateles, the Hicksite and the
Orthodox. Now I am not learned in the differences between
them, or how these affected their silent meetings. In ordi-
nary life one Friend was like another to me; the same plain
speech and broad-brimmed hat, the same quiet pleasant
manner and thorough integrity. Still, I suppose there is a
difference invisible to us, for Bayard Taylor hints at it as
interfering with matrimony. His heroine got her father’s
consent, but “ 'Twas not the least of shocks. For Benjamin
was Hicksite and Father Orthodox.” So the same old meet-
ing house, which stands now near the Octagon school,
received the Hicksites, and the little meeting house near the
village the Orthodox. The first meeting house of the latter
stood opposite the present residence of Anson Lapham; then
another was erected a little further northwest; at last the
present one was built in the village. In the second of these,
I believe Mel. Benedict officiated as sexton. Whoever it was
he was fond of something exhilarating, and looking in at
one of the week-day meetings, and thinking he saw nobody,
for he failed to see double, he locked the door on the quiet
congregation, walked off and left them.
Speaking of marriage reminds me of my father’s young
Quaker neighbors. They had both married “out of meet-
ing,” and were liable to expulsion if they did not say they
were sorry. First day came and James started for meeting
alone, for his wife was not prepared to come into the fold.
Fearing what he might do she called after him:	“James!
James! If thee says thee is sorry I will make thee so!” As
they lived happily after this I conclude he expressed no
sorrow.
Lydia Mott lived for a time with her son Arthur, in the
house nearest the Octagon, on the east side of the road.
“The Hive,” her boarding school for young ladies, stood on
the site of Simon Cuddeback’s house. Some valued friends
of mine were married in the dining room years ago, and to
them I am indebted for much of this information.
I briefly relate one incident. The girls were very fond
of “Aunt Lydia” and always greeted her warmly on her
return from any visit. One day they were surprised at her
early return from yearly meeting, but flew out to meet and80	THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
kiss her as usual. The salute was returned with unusual
fervor by her son Arthur, arrayed in his mother’s bonnet
and gown. They forgave him.
Mr. Mekeel, a Quaker teacher of note, superintended
the studies. He was of quiet, but quick speech, very gentle-
manly, and his broad-brim was of unusual breadth. There
was a matron, and sometimes Mrs. Mott assisted in the
school. This must have been fifty years ago, and I have met
many of the scholars, or their descendants, in various parts
of the State. “The Hive,” as a school, ceased to be long
since, and the building was removed not far from 18 years
ago.
Mrs. Mott built the “Mott Cottage,” where the Potters
used to live, south of A. Lapham’s. Next to her was R.
Tallcott’s house, on the north. This was taken down and
rebuilt in the village, and the present house erected by
R. L. DeZeng.
Valentine Willetts also lived near the Octagon, and
was another old resident. Twenty-two years ago I attended
a large and pleasant picnic in his woods on the shore. His
place was famous for flowers and fruit, and neither were
lacking at this time. Some young men knew that in his
house were attractions even greater than these. South of
his house was Russell Frost’s, of whom I have already
spoken. This was the home of Mrs. Lapham’s childhood,
and the view near there is one of the finest on the lake.
I am not sure that Abner Lawton, another Quaker,
was the oldest resident that I knew on that road, but he
lived there long, and died in his old homestead, Jan. 20,
1855. I went to school with his children, but they are all
scattered now.
Aiden Corey was much nearer Mandana, and John
Milton Arnold, at the end of the Quaker settlement, owned
the Irish farm, south of Mandana. Mr. Arnold went into
the foundry business in Skaneateles, with William Willetts,
in 1843. The latter was the son, if I am right, of William
Willetts, who lived near Liva Peck’s, not far from the
Octagon.
I might speak of several other old Friends, in the vil-
lage and out, but their names and faces will be readily
recalled. The daughter of one was married to Dr. Pease of
Syracuse, Jan. 26, 1858, in the Baptist Church. It was the
first wedding there, and the Episcopal service was used.NOTES OF OTHER DAYS IN SKANEATELES
SI
One of the odd incidents which I recall, was in connec-
tion With our Lyceum lectures of 1853. To our surprise and
consternation one of our “down-east” lecturers announced
as his subject an apology for the Puritans, for hanging the
Quakers and burning the witches! I think the lecturer
must have been appalled that night. In the front seats,
before and on either side of him, was a row of sturdy men,
each with his staff in his hand, and his broad brim on his
head. Behind these was an equally portentous row of plain
bonnets. But we never heard the whole of that lecture.
Many pages were turned over unread, and the speaker
should have given us a discount. John Barrow afterwards
answered this. He was very fond of history, as well as
general literature, and was an accomplished writer. For
many years he was Supervisor, and missed, by four votes,
An election to the same Assembly of which his son Edmund
was a member from New York city. I recall, with peculiar
gratification, my acquaintance with this estimable man,
Which many circumstances conspired to make more than
usually intimate. Very pleasant to me always were the
frank and simple manners of those so well called “Friends,”
and among the loveliest pictures of old age is that of some
placid, neat old Quaker lady, guiltless of dust and disquie-
tude, and whose brows are almost as unwrinkled, and cheeks
as blooming as in girlhood.
Formerly Friends at funerals wore their hats in
churches, as I have often seen them. Their customs have
changed since. James C. Fuller was at my grandfather’s
funeral, and just as the service was over I glanced across
the open grave at him. His face was flushed and swollen,
his whole frame quivering, and then he burst forth in a
strain of touching eulogy, “as the Spirit gave him utter-
ance.” I remembered this vividly when myself saying the
last words over his son and grandchild. Liva Peck had a
large farm near the Octagon, which he is said to have
cleared barefoot. He was well off, but his property was
soon scattered after his death. His youngest son Jack, after
doing such foolish things as lighting cigars with $5 bills,
became a hostler in the village.
Besides these Were many families of Cuddebacks, some
of them only remotely connected. There was a “Cuddeback
Hollow,” further south. I remember Isaiah Cuddeback,
who was one of nine brothers; as well as others of the name.82
THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
Abram Cuddeback, an old man and one of the oldest settlers,
lived on the Hunsiker place, and there is a long row of the
family tombstones in the Skaneateles cemetery.
I have said little of the grist mill. The first was built
by Judge Sanger, who had the Seneca turnpike laid out
through the village. About fifty years ago it was owned
by Turneur, who died not far from 1837, and was buried in
the Wilkinson burial ground. I do not know how long he
ran the mill, but it was for many years. Under other pro-
prietors the Hilliards were long employed in it.
I may mention among the Judges of Onondaga county,
from Skaneateles, William J. Vredenburgh, and Warren
Hecox, and perhaps some others. Among the Surrogates,
James Porter and Freeborn G. Jewett. Several names are
found among the Sheriffs. In Congress there were James
Porter, F. G. Jewett and two of the Earlls; and in the Legis-
lature of New York a fair proportion.
These notes are not a full history of my early home, nor
have I by any means exhausted my personal recollections.
Yet they may have some value as a contribution to memo-
rials of the past. I might have written of current supersti-
tions, of early games, of sailing adventures and hair-
breadth escapes, of which I had my full share. I personally
knew of many things which are better forgotten. In but
few instances have I suggested the quaint features of old
time friends, though this is a tempting field. There was a
personality belonging to almost every one, such as we do
not find now. Angular characters were not polished by
travel and wide reading. I have never met so many strik-
ing characters, in appearance and expression, as in my early
days in Skaneateles and Marcellus.
That these notes have been so well appreciated is of
course a great pleasure. As they went through the press
they called forth kindly expressions; one from the editor
to whom I sent them. In calling attention to them he said of
me: “He recalls vividly to mind scenes and incidents which
many of the readers of the Democrat will peruse with much
interest. In reading it we felt like living our days over
again.” And he was a pioneer.
Note on Chapter 13.—Nov. 11, 1900, Mr. Barrow and
I added a new date to the 1850 inscription at Hall’s Land-
ing. He died Dec. 7, 1906, aged 82 years. Aug. 25, 1910, I
went there alone and cut another date.TIMOTHY COLLINGWOOD CHENEY