Oswego County

iistorical Society

R.ef

1963 Twentu-Sixth Publication

of the Oswego County Historical Society

1963 » cm-"Jt7

LIST OF OFFICERS

President H. Fred Bartle

Mrs. Hugh Barclay John C. Birdlebough Dr. Johnson Cooper F. Hosmer Culkin Charles A. Denman Grove A. Gilbert Fred S. Johnston Arthur C. Mengel George M. Penney Francis T. Riley Frank Sayer Mrs. Charles F. Wells Wallace F. Workmaster Vice Presidents

Recording Secretary Richard Daley

Executive Secretary Anthony M. Slosek

Treasurer Adele De Santis

Curator , Anthony M. Slosek

Program Chairman Dr. Charles M. Snyder

Board of Managers

Thomas A. Cloutier Mrs. Francis M. Dann Ralph M. Faust Dorothy Mott Dr. W. Seward Salisbury Dr. Charles M. Snyder Officers of the Society II Table of Contents ._, III & IV Annual Report of the President V Dedication , -frOfl-35Cfl^VO-i»- VI & VII HI . TABLE OF CONTENTS Officers of the Society Annual Report of the President Table of Contents Indication BEFORE THE SOCIETY IN 1962 THE OSWEGO RIVER IN ITS NATURAL STATE presented by Albert P. McCarthy, January 16, 1962 10 AVON CALLING presented by George DeMaas, Jr., February 20, 1962 17

TIMES HAVE CHANGED, LIFE IN OSWEGO TOWN AT THE CLOSE OF THE 19th CENTURY presented by Ellen Sivers, February 20, 1962 23

THE WAR OF 1812 AND THE LAKE ONTARIO THEATER presented by Wallace F. Workmaster, May 15, 1962 28

THE HCth OSWEGO COUNTY INFANTRY IN THE CIVIL WAR presented by Rev. Mr. James Nicolson, October 16, 1962 40

THE 147th OSWEGO COUNTY INFANTRY IN THE CIVIL WAR presented by John Flower, November 20, 1962

BEFORE THE SOCIETY IN 1963 THE PREHISTORIC INDIAN CULTURES IN THE OSWEGO COUNTY AREA AS REVEALED BY ARCHEOLOGICAL DIGGINGS AND ANALYSES, presented by George W. Perkins, January 15, 1963

AN OSWEGO BOY AND THE FAMOUS RAID OF PANCHO VILLA presented by Howard E. Johnson, February 19, 1963

CIVIL WAR ESSAY CONTEST presented by Oswego County Civil War Centennial Committee, April 16, 1963 52

OSWEGO FIRES presented by Anthony M. Slosek, March 8, 1963 53

HISTORIC SITES IN NEW YORK STATE presented by Anna K. Cunningham, May 21, 1963

HISTORY OF ST. MARYS CHURCH OF OSWEGO, presented by the Rev. Mr. Robert Hall,, October 15, 1963 73

HANNIBAL'S HISTORIC HIGHLIGHTS presented by Gordon Sturge, November 19, 1963 81

Necrology ... . 91

IV OSWEGO CITY LIBRARY Dedication Charles McCool Snyder

On March 18, 1947, Charles M. wego, at the University of Penn­ Snyder read a paper, "Story of sylvania and at Washington College the Oswego Canal," to the Oswego In Chestertown, Maryland. Since County Historical Society. The fol­ coming to Oswego in 1946, he has lowing year his name, spelled in­ been active in many public activi­ correctly we note apologetically, ties and has served with consider­ appeared in the Society's yearbook able distinction on the faculty of among the list of members of the State University College. His first Program Committee. In 1951, he book, published in 1958. was a study became Recording Secretary, In of Jacksonian politics in Pennsyl­ 1952, Program Chairman, and In vania. 1954, President of the Society. He We dedicate this yearbook to Cool retired as President in 1963 to be­ with our thanks for his leadership, come both a member of the Board scholarship, his energy, his kind­ of Managers and, again, Program ness, and his Interest in our coun­ Chairman. ty's history. We dedicate this year­ During this same time he has book to him as a small acknow­ published more than a dozen arti­ ledgement for the devotion he has cles on Oswego County's history. long given to the best interests of He has also published a biography the Society. Yet It is not really of Dr. Mary Walker and is the enough to say that we dedicate author of the Society's 1962 year­ this yearbook to" Cool because of book. Oswego County in the Civil his past (and future) services, rath­ War. He is currently1 at work' oh er we must Indicate that some por­ $et another volume of local history, tion of this dedication is to him one which will trace the history because he is a cordial example of the Oswego River valley. of the kind of person local history Dr. Snyder is a native of Miff- most needs. His many-faceted In­ linburg, Pennsylvania. He earned terests relate the details of local a B.A. degree from Bucknell Uni­ history to the broad patterns of versity In 1930, and an M.A. from our regional and national heritage. the same school in 1933. His doc­ The Board of Managers of the So­ torate is from the University of ciety Is itself honored to be able to Pennsylvania. He has had high school dedicate the twenty-sixth annual teaching experience in Pennsylvania yearbook of the Oswego County and taught, before coming to Os Historical Society to Dr. Charles McCool Snyder. Annual Report

A society Is many people. Any During the past year Headquarters attempt to list the names of the House has received some useful at­ members and officers who have tention. The roof and chlmnleswere contributed time and energy to the sealed and rebuilt where necessary, Oswego County Historical Society's and most of the wooden exterior was activities this past year would sure­ painted. During the coming year ly founder in incompleteness. How­ several changes are planned. A new ever, it would be even more gre- caretaker's apartment will be> con­ vious to fall to thank Dr. and Mrs, structed on the ground floor' of the Charles M. Snyder for their com­ building, thereby making available bined efforts. Both have given so a new room for display purposes generously to the Society in the on the second floor and three rooms past that we shall feel no hesi­ on the third floor for storage, lib­ tancy calling upon them In the fut­ rary and office space. This will ure. Special gratitude should also substantially Increase the capacity be extended to Mr. Frank Sayer, of the building to suit the Society's who has been a cordial volunteer future needs. The room on the in his capacity as Chairman of our second floor which has been used Headquarters House Committee. Ot­ for the display of colonial kitchen her officers and members of the items will be re-opened as a chil­ Society — Anthony Slosek, Adle De- dren's room where selections from Santis, Richard Daly, Grove Gilbert, the Society's collection of dolls John Blrdlebough, Mrs. Hugh Bar­ and toys will be assembled. clay, Dr. and Mrs. Charles Wells, Dorothy Mott, Ralph Faust, Alfred On Saturday, August 17, 1963, Tucker, Mrs. Elizabeth Bates Bow­ the Society's annual tour was con­ les (by mall), Miss Anna Post, Mrs. ducted, this past year to Sackets Harold Dann, Wallace Workmaster, Harbor in commemoration of the Seward Salisbury to name only a 150th anniversary of the battle there. few—have been equally helpful to a Although rain marred the morning, freshman president. The prosperity approximately sixty-five members of the Society is certainly assured of the Society left Headquarters as a result of their continuing In­ House to rendezvous at the block­ terest. house on the Sackets Harbor battle­ field. Brigadier General G. Stanley In October 1963, Mrs. Glenn Ran­ Smith, U.S. Army, retired, conduct­ dall announced her retirement as ed a tour of the battlefield. Mr. the caretaker at Headquarters Ralph Dodge Johnson, President of House. For seventeen years she the Jefferson County Historical So- had given the Society exemplary city, greeted the Society at the service. Our property was secure Pickering - Beach Historical Mus­ in her hands. We hope eventually eum, near the battlefield. The mus­ to fill Mrs. Randall's position with eum's curator, Mrs. Georgia Reed, a person who could be a resident assisted by a number of volunteer curator at Headquarters House. As ladles from Sackets Harbor, show­ the number of our artifacts in­ ed Society members through the creases, greater care and main­ museum, the home of former New tenance of them is reqired and York State Lieutenant Governor Al­ a resident curator would contribute len C. Beach; not only are Beach significantly to the vitality of our artifacts on display, but so are museum.

VI many relics of the War of 1812, Mrs. Smith, Mr. Johnson, Mrs. Keed, mementoes of General U.S. Grant's and the Jefferson County Histori­ tour of duty at Madison Barracks, cal Society and the Pickering - and other material of local Inter­ Beach Museum for making the trip est. Mrs. Reed also showed the a successful one. group a number of military items The meetings of the past year recently recovered from Lake On­ have been well-attended; our col­ tario by skindivers. Following a lection of historical memorabailia tour of the museum, six old homes has been broadened through the in Sackets Harbor were opened to generosity of the County's citizens; us: the Elisha Camp House, through our membership has increased, al­ the courtesy of General and Mrs. though we would certainly be pleased G. Stanley Smith; the Augustus Sac- to have more members; our summer kett house, oldest home in Sackets tour was a pleasant one. May I Harbor, courtesy of Mrs. Francis take this opportunity to extend an Joynt; the Brewster house, cour­ eager invitation to all persons In­ tesy of Mrs. Basil VanCamp; the terested in the County's history to Holden house, courtesy of Mrs, visit Headquarters House and to Elizabeth Phillips; the Amos Ro­ participate in the Society's activi­ berts House, courtesy of Mrs. Char­ ties. It is the Society's purpose les Stoddard; and the home of Mr. to serve the people of Oswego and Mrs. Alexander Calhoun. After County by preserving and honor­ seeing these fine old homes, the ing a portion of their historical members were invited to see Christ heritage. To this end we seek the Church Parish House. The Society help of all Interested persons. Is deeply indebted to General and Fred Bartle, President

VII O.MA1UO,

\^\\XV(V() AD \y

!\ ,)\ t'urrcij uf ti,c ISLANDS in** OnerdaLake a

c tie 0:n(nKiat s-o ami Oswego Rivers The Oswego River In Its Natural State

Presented by Albert P. McCarthy, January 16, 1962

Since this paper is really a study centuries, because it provided the in historical geography, perhaps it assets, and the liabilities, on which should start with a word about the most future activity along the river subject. Historical geography was to be based, and because It studies the geography of the past. provides the datum, or departure To do this we select a significant point, for studying changes along period in the past and try to recon­ the river through history. struct the geography of that period. The broad, smooth Oswego river If a region has undergone a number as we know it today is an artificial of major changes, we can do a stream. It consists of six pools number of these studies for re­ of slack water Impounded by the presentative periods, giving us, as dams at Oswego, Minetto, Fulton it were, a number of horizontal and Phoenix. It Is the Oswego river cross-sections through history. which lies beneath these pools which This provides the material for is the subject of this study. This is the study of geographic changes approximately the river which would through time, the effect of history be restored if the dams were re­ on geography. This last point is moved. This river would be narrow­ important because one school of er than the present stream, shallow­ thought, environmental determin­ er, and, above all, much more viol­ ism, considered historical geo­ ent. graphy to be the study of the effect We are well-provided with material of geography on history. Although for our reconstruction; the accurate this view is no longer held by his­ quantitative data of official surveys torical geographers, there are still provide the skeleton, which may be some people teaching it, not only fleshed out with descriptions from in geography, but in other social the journals of many competent ob­ sciences. servers. Apparently the idea of doing Four or five such stages are dis­ the same job over and over is not a cernible in the history of the Os­ recent invention of the bureaucrats: wego river, and this paper will deal in 179 5 Benjamin Wright was author­ with the earliest stage; the river ized to survey the islands In the in its natural state. This is the river, and in 1806 James Geddes river as it was at the arrival of was authorized to survey them again; the first white man, Fr. Poucet, a in 1808 the Legislature authorized Jesuit, before man had made any the same Geddes to make a survey appreciable changes in the river of the river to determine its suit­ or. its banks. ability for a canal, and in 1819 The river at this stage is impor­ authorized a surveyor named Bates tant because it provides the setting to perform the same task for the for the missionary, fur-trading, and same purpose. For my purpose military activity of the 17th and 18th the results are salutary, since the

10 surveys can be used to check one current canal maps show it as Sto- another, and each contains some in­ well Island, and the state historical formation not included in the other. marker calls it Treasure Island. The most important single fact The east bank had a notable grove about the Oswego river is that of pine trees from which the place it falls more than 113 feet in 23 1/2 got its Indian name, Kuhnataha, miles, and in its original condition "where pine trees grow." (5) it had not fewer than 14 identifi­ The site of Phoenix was a favorite able rapids in addition to the Os­ Indian fishing place. There were wego Falls. camps on the east and west banks De Witt Clinton made a trip down of the river and on the islands. (6) the river and back up with some of Beauchamp refers to this as a "sunl- the other canal commissioners in mer fishing village"; this descrip­ 1810, and he described as tion is supported by the fact that "majestic" the river formed at the Fr. LeMoyne mentioned a fishing junction of the Oneida and Seneca village there in August, 1654, (7), rivers. (1) He also said that the but apparently there was none in point between the Oneida and the March, 1658, when the refugees from Seneca was elevated but the other Ste. Marie de Ganentaha stopped two points were low and marshy. here. (8) There was evidently little Indian settlement along the river, I will concentrate on the descrip­ and none below Mooney's Bay. There tion of the rapids, but please keep was a recent find between Phoenix in mind that the flow was swift and Hinmansville, a settlement on between the rapids, even though the west side about a mile north it was smooth. Remember also that of Hinmansville, and another on the the surface of the stream was sev­ west side about a mile south of eral feet lower than it is today, so Fulton. There was a semicircular the banks were relatively higher, earthwork at the east end of the and they were completely wooded. Falls, the Bone Hill burial place Three quarters of a mile below near West 1st and Broadway in Ful­ Three Rivers was the first white ton, and many camps around Lake water, at Drury's Bar; (2) this was Neahtawanta, "lake hiding from the not a hazard to navigation, but John river." Bartram, the naturalist, who visited the area in 1743, (3) reported that Bartram, in 1743, mentioned a it carried him forward "with prodi­ "little town" of about four of five gious swiftness." Half a mile below cabins on the east side a mile below a more impressive rapid was en­ the falls, whose inhabitants sub­ countered, but its fall of about six sisted by fishing and helping "the inches would hardly seem to have Albany people" haul their bateaus merited its name of Knock-em-stiff. and goods around the faLs. He said Three quarters of a mile further, the Indians there gave him water­ two islands were encountered near melon and corn, so there may have the east bank. The southern one was been some agriculture at this site. about four acres in "extent and the Bradstreet, in 1758, spoke of camp­ northern about one and a half acres.- ing in an Indian-old-field on a plain Geddes (4) reported the northern one at this site. (9) There is no trace had <«a noal near 30 feet high." of Indian settlement along the river In both Wright's and Geddes' sur­ below here. veys, these islands were designated Let's return to Phoenix and our by the unwieldy names of Three description of the river Itself. Just River Rift Upper Island and Three below the islands the Three River River Rift Lower Island. J.V.H. Reef began, a violent rapid with a Clark mentions Baldwin's Island fall of more than five feet in less 'lere, and Churchill says it was form- than a half a mile. (The terms ierly called McGee's Island. The rapid, reef, riff and rift were used

11 Interchangeably.) One can still get a At the foot of the rapid the river glimpse of this rapid below the Phoe­ turned to the right and began its nix dam. Clinton called this Three longest stretch of continuously Mile Rapid, but said it was two smooth flow, 5.2 miles of gently miles from Three Rivers Point. winding course with a fall of only He said the salt boats unloaded half 20 inches. their cargo to shoot the rapid. Half Ox Creek is one of the larger trib­ a mile beyond was Three River utaries of the river, and Wilcox Bar, and then three-quarters of a Island was in the mouth of Ox mile of smooth water. Even here Creek. It was four acres in area, the current was swift, as there was but was very low, and was covered a fall of four inches to the mile. with trees. It was drowned out by Next came Smooth Rock Rapid, the Barge Canal, but the stumps of falling twenty inches in 2000 feet. the trees are still visible. Geddes The rapid made a sharp bend of call this Ox Creek Island. A mile more than ninety degrees to the left and a half below Horseshoe Rapid around a high point, almost immed­ was a wooded island of about 17 iately turned ninety degrees to the acres in midstream. It was low and right around a lower point, and end­ flat on all sides, but the central ed a quarter mile below. The high part, comprising about half the area, point inside the left bend acquired was elevated nearly 20 feet. This the name of Fiddler's Elbow. (10) was Big Island, also known as Gale When the Barge Canal was con­ Island. structed, It cut across the base of A quarter of a mile further was a this point, and Fiddler's Elbow low, elongated island consisting of 4 became Walters Island. acres of good meadow, but can still Below Smooth Rock was a straight, be indentified by a large patch of narrow, and swift passage of more cattails in midstream, called Little than a mile. The river in its nat­ Island. It was drowned out by the ural state was nearly as straight Barge Canal, Geddes referred to as it appears today, because widen­ these as Newkerk's Upper Island ing the stream has eliminated many and Newkerk's Lower Islands, and of its bends. Christian Schultz (11) Wright (14) described them as mentions one hazard to which I "Against C. Newkerk's location." can find no other reference: "About After another mile the river turn­ five miles below the point our boat ed to the left and immediately back very narrowly escaped being stove to to the right around an island close pieces, by being forced upon what to the right bank. The island had an is called the Pilot Rock." area of about three and a half acres At the end of this stretch the and consisted of "a poor ridge of stream turned abruptly to the left, thin land." The channel between and there was a fall of 5 inches the island and the east shore was in a quarter of a mile. This was less than one hundred feet wide and Horseshoe Rapid, the site of Horse­ very shallow in time of low water. shoe Dam on the original canal, Geddes called this Upper Landing which was a straight dam, (12), Island, and it later was called Yel- although many people assume it was verton Island. curved. The island near the left The stream flowed swiftly but bank, which has also received the smoothly as it fell about four inches name Horseshoe, is an artificial in less than half a mile. A roaring island. In the late 1820*8, Paine and could be heard, and suddenly the Geer cut off the point with a race smooth sheet of water shot over a for their sawmill to take advantage ledge and dropped as a vertical of the fall, (13), and this channel white wall ten feet high. The ledge was widened when the level was extended the whole width of the river raised for the Barge Canal. except for a channel about twenty

12 feet wide near the middle, through veyed down the rifts, to a cove, which the water shot at an angle of where the water is still and smooth, about 40 or 45 degrees. Clinton about a mile distant. Those who are reported, "Loaded boats cannot with so fortunate as to keep the channel, safety descend the falls, but light and avoid touching the rocks, are boats may. Pilots conduct the boats generally about three minutes pass­ over for $1 each." When Cooper ing this distance. Thro' the want recounted the passage of Pathfind­ of experienced navigators, several er, Eau Douce and Cap over the batteaus were driven against the falls in a canoe, he added in a rocks, fill'd with water instantly, footnote, "Lest the reader suppose others by the violence of the force, we are dealing purely in fiction, were split asunder and sunk, and with the writer will add that he has difficulty their crews reached shore. known a long thirty-two pounder car­ These twelve miles (to Oswego) ried over these same falls in perfect we passed in about an hour and a safety." (15) half." The Indian name for Oswego Falls About a mile below the falls there was Kaskungsaka, "Many falls was an island a little more than following," and this was an accur­ an acre in extent near the west ate prediction of what to expect on bank. Geddes called this Lower the rest of the river. There were Landing Island, and Wright just several lesser ledges below the located it, "against the line of G. falls, and there was a continuous Newkerk & C. Steen." Today's maps violent rapid for more than a mile call it Montagu Island. On the east and a quarter, with a current of side, opposite this island, was a twenty miles an hour. The Oswego cove with still, smooth water. The Falls Rapid was full of great rocks, cove marked a break in the grad­ and "the roaring of the troubled ient of the stream, but the rapid waves was terrific as the foaming continued violent with a fall of about stream dashed furiously against the three feet in the next mile. rocks on all sides." The total drop A little below the cove and very in the mile below the falls was close to the east bank lay Water- about twenty-seven feet. Bartram house Island, about nine acres in said, "Then they launch again into area and covered with rather good the river (below the falls), and down meadow. One state map calls this the foaming stream that furiously Grass Island. on all sides dashes one half against Half a mile below was an island the rocks, near a mile before they sixteen acres in area near the right come to still water, and indeed, it bank. The northern half of the island runs pretty swift all the way to was meadow, and the southern half Oswego." was an elongated knoll of thin soil There are many other accounts over thirty feet high covered with of the hazards of this rapid, of beech trees. Wright simply designa­ which Bradstreet's description, ted this island as being "against given in 1758, is representative: Cluett's," but Geddes called itVan- "The river below is full of rocks, Valkenburg's Large Island. It was and a succession of rifts for near a commonly call Van Buren's until mile in length, which makes the 1889 when it became Pathfinder. navigation both difficult and hazard­ In midstream, just below this island ous; the batteaus and whale boats was another of about two acres. are drawn by hand over the carry­ Geddes called it VanValkenburg's ing place, about fifty yards, to Little Island. If this island was where the force of the water, which where Wright shows it, it must descends the precipice, is somewhat have been dredged away when the abated. Here they are again launched Barge Canal was built, or joined into the river, and Dy lour men con­ to Pathfinder at that time by spoil.

13 Holmes Hutchison's map of 1884 sage, and Smooth Rock Rapids feU shows two islands in Mooney's Bay, three feet four inches in the next one just below Lock 11 and a larger mile. Half way down the rapid, one farther down near the west Bundyville Creek entered the river shore. This would be near the mouth from the right. One hundred and fifty of Tannery Creek, opposite John yards below the creek, a notable Taylor's location. The 1912 map spring issued about halfway up the calls this Frenchman's Island, but right bank. the current one shows it without a Three quarters of a mile below name. Smooth Rock the river plunged into a Beyond Pathfinder Island the river series of rapids which extended changed to a broad sweep of placid almost to Its mouth. The fall was water resembling a lake rather than almost six feet In the first 3400 a river. This expanse, called feet constituting Devil's Horn Reef. Mooney's Bay, was over a mile There were differences In gradient long and more than a 1000 feet and violence of water below here, across at its widest part. There but there was no more smooth was almost two miles between rapids water until the lake level was reach­ with a total fall of two and a half ed. Geddes said in the report on inches. Around the mouth of the his canal survey of 1808, "Indeed, creek was the second of only three the last four miles deserves not the small swampy areas in the whole name of a valley; It Is more pro­ length of the river, despite Oliver perly a rocky ravine, through which Goldsmith's line, "Wild Oswego the river is precipitated with the spreads her swamps around." velocity produced by a fall, which, As the stream narrowed again, it in one place, is nearly eight feet curved sharply to the left just below in half a mile." Bates' survey lists Black Creek, and Braddock's Reef the rapids below here as : Devil's ended the long reach of smooth Horn Reef. Six-Mile Reef. Horse­ water. The rapid was 3400 feet long race reef, Little Smooth rock reef, with a fall of five feet. About two- rapids of Little Smooth rock, and thirds of the way down the rapid Oswego reef; but Clinton lists them was an island, within a hundred as: the Devil's Horse, Six-mile rift, feet of the west shore and less than Little Smooth Rock Rapid, the an acre in area, consisting of a Devil's Warping Bars, the Devil's knoll more than twenty feet high. Horse Race, and Oswego Rift. Geddes called it Millseat Island, and With regard to toponomy, a couple it later had a starch factory on it, of observations may be in order. so it appears on some maps as Literacy was far from universal, Factory Island. Logically this would and there is likely to be confusion be Frenchman's Island, if the story about place names as long as they is true. are transmitted orally; they become At the foot of the rapid was another fixed only when they are written island of about five acres with a thin, down, especially on a map. Also, dry soil timbered chiefly with beech. it would be interesting to know how Wright and Geddes called it Broad- much influence the eighteenth cen­ street's, and it was also known as tury fad for diabolism had in the Braddock's. In recent times it has naming. been called Battle Island. To me Six-Mile Reef fell three feet in the most interesting thing about the next 1700 feet. Oddly enough the battle is the fact that the river the following 4200 feet had no special was so shallow that the combatants name in Bates' survey, although it could charge back and forth across had a fall of more than five feet. the river. Horse-race Reef plunged more than Half a mile below Battle Island nine feet in 3200 feet, and in the next the river entered a gorge-like pas­ half-mile Little Smooth Rock Reef

14 fell five feet in eight-tenths of a gravelly points that had been form­ mile, and the next half-mile had a ed with surprising regularity by the fall of three feet three inches. counteracting forces of the northerly Here the river made a sweeping winds and the swift current, and bend to the left and plunged forward which, inclining from the storms even more rapidly over a bottom of of the lake, formed two coves with­ smoot!, solid rock. The river con­ in the river. That on the western tinued straight for more than half side was the most deeply indented, a mile, made another bend to the and as it also had the most water, right and continued another half- it formed a sort of picturesque little mile between high banks before port for the post. It was along the reaching the smooth water of the narrow strand that lay between the harbor at lake level. This last ra­ low height of the fort and the water pid was the Oswego Reef, and its of this cove, that the rude buildings falls was fourteen feet nine inches in had been erected." a mile and three tenths. Cross (17) recorded that "theves- Christian Schultz thus described ells" were built on that side in his passage of the Oswego Reef: 1756. He also said that he "sounded "When you arrive within one mile the mouth of the harbour and found of the town, you suddenly perceive eight feet of water." a rapid increase of motion, occa­ In 1758 Bradstreet reported, "The sioned by what 'are called the falls harbour is very commodius, form'd of Oswego. The town and its shipping by a point of land, projecting from are now in sight; the current hurries each shore, at the mouth of the forward almost with the rapidity of river. Here vessels may lie in the an arrow; and, although the water greatest safety; tho' by a sandbar, is perfectly clear and transparent, which extends across the harbour's the bed of the river a smooth solid mouth, no large shipping can be ad­ rock, and the water so shoal that mitted; vessels drawing about ten you frequently feel the boat rub or eleven feet of water, are the against the bottom, yet you are largest which can cross it." wafted along with such extreme When DeWitt Clinton visited the swiftness that you can scarcely get port with the canal commissioners a glimpse of the bottom as you in 1810, he wrote in his journal, glide over it; and, before you can "The river at Oswego is twelve imagine it, find yourself unexpect­ chains wide. The bar in this river edly among the vessels at Oswego." is eight and a half feet deep, the Cooper figured three minutes to channel is about two rods wide, and shoot the Oswego Reef, or better the mouth of the bar is about one than twenty miles an hour. hundred and fifty feet. Where the The best description of the mouth river enters the lake, its course is of the Oswego occurs in The Path­ to be traced by the blackness of its finder by James Fennimore Cooper, waters. The lake water is green, who had traveled the river him­ transparent, and fit to drink." self and had spent some time in This was the Oswego river in its Oswego. Although it occurs in a natural condition, as it was before work of fiction, the following des­ man made any appreciable changes cription is in exact agreement with in it. This was the setting for all maps of the period: "The Oswego the activity from the appearance of threw its dark waters into the lake the first white man until the build­ between banks of some height; that ing of the Oswego canal. This was on its eastern side being bolder and the natural endowment, both assets projecting ^further north than that and liabilities, which man has ex­ on its western. The fort was on ploited for over two centuries. the latter." "There were two low, curved,

15 Footnotes (1) Campbell, William W., "Clin­ Museum, No. 32, Vol. 7, Albany, ton's Journal," THE LIFE AND 1900 WRITINGS OF DEWITT CLINTON, (7) JESUIT RELATIONS, XLI,p. 125 New York, Baker and Scribner, (8) O'Callaghan, E.B., (Ed.), DOC­ 1849. UMENTARY HISTORY OF THE (2) Distances, falls, and names of STATE OF NEW YORK, Vol. I, p 53 features in the river are taken (9) Bradstreet, John, AN IMPAR­ from Bates' survey, LAWS IN RE­ TIAL ACCOUNT OF LIEUT. COL. LATION TO THE ERIE AND CHAM- BRADSTREET'S EXPEDITION TO PLAIN CANALS, p. 490 FORT FRONTENAC, Rous and (8) Bartram, John, OBSERVATIONS Mann, Ltd., Toronton, 1940 MADE IN HIS TRAVELS FROM (10) The Oswego canal from a sur­ PENSILVANIA TO ONONDAGO, OS­ vey by Holmes Hutchison, 1834, WEGO AND THE LAKE ONTARIO, Plate 29 London, 1751 (11) Schultz, Christian, Jr., TRAV­ (4) Geddes's Return of Islands in ELS ON AN INLAND VOYAGE, Vol. 1 the Seneca and Oswego Rivers, fil­ New York, Isaac Bailey, 1810 ed March 3, 1807. (12) Hutchinson, op. cit., plate 32 (5) Beauchamp, William M., INDIAN (13) ibid., Plates 31 and 32 NAMES OF NEW YORK, Fayette- (14) A Survey of the Islands in the ville, 1893. All references to In­ Oneida Lake and in the Onondago dian Names are to this work or to and Oswego Rivers, by Benjamin ABORIGINAL PLACE NAMES OF Wright, 1795 NEW YORK, NYS Museum Bulletin (15) Cooper, James Fennimore, THE 108, Albany, 1907, by the same PATHFINDER, New York, Hurd and author. Houghton, 1869 (6) Beauchamp, William M., ABOR­ (16) Goldsmith, Oliver, THE TRAV­ IGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW ELER, 1756 YORK, STATE, Bulletin of the NYS (17) Cross, Stephen, UP TO ON­ TARIO

16 My Uncle Mac DAVID HALL McCONNELL

17 Avon Calling "MY UNCLE MAC" Presented by George DeMaas, Jr.. February 20, 1962

INTRODUCTION liam McConnell. David had an older brother William R., born in 1855. The family name of McConnell He served for many years as fore­ Is a good old Irish name, mean­ man for the New York Central ing world mighty. The family came Railroad shops at Oswego. He died to Southwest Oswego over 100 years in the early 1930's. His younger ago, and became a prominent family brothers and sisters were Joseph P. in that area, helping to build that (1860-1930), Margaret Ann McCon­ community and the Township of Os­ nell Groat (1862-1939), George J. wego. (1864-1957, and Hattie I. McConnell Today all the older McConnell McMillen (1870-1946). brothers and sisters are gone, The McConnell family had moved George McConnell being the last to to the United States and had settled pass away in 1957 at the age of 93. at Southwest Oswego, New York, in But descendants of the older McCon- the year 1856. They had left County nells still reside in the same house Cavan, Ireland, and had come to at Southwest Oswego which was seek a new life in America. James bought from Dan Timerson over 90 McConnell, our subject's father, years ago by James McConnell. was a farmer and brickmaker by Mrs. Nettie Wiltsie McConnell, trade and he worked hard on his widow of Joseph McConnell and sis­ new farm. David went to the local ter-in-law of our subject, lives schools and later attended the Os­ there today at the grand young age wego Normal School. There is no of 93. She resides with her son and record, however, of his having grad­ his wife, Ernest and Irene McCon- uated from that school. He did, how­ nel, and their daughter, LaVerne. ever, donate the chimes in 1928 I am going to talk tonight about for the handcarved clock, made by one member of the McConnell fam­ Uldrick Thompson of the class of ily and the story of an industry, 1886. The clock now stands in Park It is the story of a young man who Hall on the campus. David is said started with nothing and yet through to have been the "seat writer" in hard work and perseverance became the little red school house, his alma founder of one of the world's largest mater, which was near his home. industries — Avon Products Inc. He later taught in that little old red school house. In 1871, the Mc- The birth of the California Perfume Connells moved into the old Timer- Company (later called the House of son house on top of Lewis' Bluff. Avon) and its living principles, came During David's summer vacation he to pass in Southwest Oswego with worked for a book company, and in the birth of David Hall McConnell, 1878, he left Southwest Oswego, on July 18, 1858, on what is now the after having spent his boyhood days Sabin Road. His parents were James there, and after having worked hard McConnell ( June 1, 1825-July 14, on his father's farm. Yes, he left 1909) and Isabella Hall (1829-Sept. his humble home here in Oswego 9, 1899.) His grandfather was Wil­ Town to sell books, but he was

18 destined to become "Perfume King" its origin from Mr. McConnell's of the United States. great friend, his former employer, As he served as a book agent, he who had moved to California. He developed a.faculty for talking. This had written Mr. McConnell and had he found very helpful. After canvass­ told him of that beautiful state of ing for two years, he became the California. David McConnell's first General Traveling Agent for the office was located at 126 Chambers book company. While he was the St., New York City. He only had occupant of this office, he traveled but one secretary, and he, himself, in almost every state east of the acted as bookkeeper, cashier, cor­ Rocky Mountains. This gave him a respondent, shipping clerk, office vast knowledge regarding the boy, and manufacturing chemist. country and a good insight into human Women were eager for the oppor­ nature. He traveled to Chicago, to tunity of accepting his plan for New York, to Atlanta, back to Chica­ direct selling, which this new pro­ go and to New York. He appointed duct opened up for them. There and drilled agents and General was a demand for more products, Agents and kept in contact with both, after the first ones were introduced helping and advising them. While into the consumers' homes. CPC doing this he said, "I learned to be became a name for fine quality. practical." When he returned from Even after the name was changed, Chicago,' he purchase the book com­ people still seemed familiar with pany, which he then was working for. Avon products, because a few of Through all his experiences he had them had already appeared in the learned how to sell products to the CPC Catalog. On some of the cos­ consumer. As he was canvassing, he metic bottles he placed the name of was moved by the way women were "Geddings," his chemist at one struggling to "make ends meet." time, instead of McConnell. As there They could not spend any money was an increasing demand for more except for necessities. Mr. McCon- of this perfume, women could now nell thought that by a direct-selling earn a little extra money for their method a woman could earn some families. extra money for the little extra His profit which he made on the things and for educational purposes. first batch of perfume didn't even To accomplish his objective, he cover one-half of the actual cost of thought that a perfume prduct would the goods. Mr. McConnell later be the most practical and most added to his line of perfume, Witch dignified for a lady. Thus the beg­ Hazel Cream, Shampoo cream, Al­ inning of a bright promising, new mond Cream Balm, and Toothpaste. industry was born. The first General Agent for the At the age of twenty-eight, David first six months was Mrs. P.F.E. Hall McConnell started his little Albee from Winchester, New Hamp­ business in a space scarcely larger shire. She had also served under than an ordinary kitchen pantry. Five him as a book agent. She carried odors of perfume were first manu­ her first perfume kit, "Little Dot." factured: Violet, White Rose, Helit- Mrs. Albee was given the honorary rope, Lily-of-the-Valley, and Hya- title of "Mother of the California cin. Mr. McConnell named his com­ Perfume Company." pany the California Perfume Com­ Mr. McConnell always kept In the pany, or more commonly known as closest touch with all of his General CPC. In 1936, this name was changed Agents and Depot Managers (now the to Avon Products, Inc. It was a Avon Representative). He even did shorter name and it represented the so in the book business, when he diversified line of products, which was a General Agent. Mr. McCon­ it now offered. The former name nell wrote: "Our aim is to keep of California Perfume Co. received in the closest possible touch with

19 you; to enter right into your every­ looked to Avon. They knew the hign day work, and in the letters we quality of the products. Mr. McCon­ send you we try to convey our un­ nell certainly had faith in his pro­ tiring efforts and interest, giving ducts because of his Avon Guarantee. you the benefit of my experience He said, "The Avon Guarantee in every way, so that your work stands as a symbol of our own faith will bring you the best possible in our products." returns." These letters which he In 1896 he established branches wrote to the Depot Managers grew in San Francisco and Dallas. Also Into the Avon booklet, "Outlook." in 1896 Alexander D. Henderson, And now Avon also has Campaign joined the company, and served as Folders and "Make Yourself Vice-president and Treasurer of Know" folders to help their re­ the firm. In 1897, William Scheele presentatives. joined the staff. He served as Secre­ In 1895, David McConnell built his tary and General Sales Manager. laboratory in Suffern, New York. Then Mr. McConnell established His home was also at Suffern. This branches In Montreal and Kansas laboratory had nine additions. In City. 1903, the building was 120 ft. long. Yes, CPC or Avon began to grow. The main building was 50 ft. wide In 1905, the Avon "Outlook" came and the wing, 30 ft. wide. It had into existence. And in 1906 the Avon four working floors, each 4,800 Catalog described 177 different arti­ sq. ft., and it contained the latest cles. In 1915, the company won the machinery. In 1896, Mr. McConnell, Gold Medal for the quality of their after being the manufacturer for ten products and the beauty of the pack­ years, employed a perfumer, who aging of their products at the Pana­ had a reputation of making the fin­ ma Pacific Exposition. The following est perfumes on the American mar­ is a list of the head officers of the ket. In order to gain his services, Avon Cosmetic Company in 1915. Mr. McConnell had to buy out his David Hall McConnell-President, business and close it up. He said Alexander D. Henderson- V. Presi­ in 1903 that the hours in his fac­ dent-Treasurer tory were comparatively easy and William Scheele-Secretary-General everything had been done to make Sales Manager the work pleasant and agreeable. Also in the same year, Mr. McCon­ MANAGERS nell had 125 employees, and 48 Gen­ Alonzo. E. Williams Western Divi­ eral Agents. He also had over 10,000 sion Depot Managers, while in the first P. Henry Brockmann- Southern six months of the company, he had Division only 100 Depot Managers. Mr. Edward L. Helmig-EasternDivision McConnell once said that this em­ George J. McConnell-San Francisco phasizes what energy and fair deal- Branch ings with everyone can accomplish. Philip J. Morgan-Kansas City He also stated that the limit is Branch measured only by the amount of Judson D. Tiffany - Luzerne, Pa. hard work and energy that one puts Branch into his work. Charles C. Stewart- Canada, Lim­ The products of Avon began to ited, Montreal, Quebec. increase. In the early 1900's the In 1921, the Color-Plate Catalog, sets for Christmas giving came which contained actual size color into being. They were beautifully photographs of the Avon Products, lithographed in pretty colors. In was introduced. This way the De­ the 1920»s when cosmetics began to pot Manager didn't have to carry flourish, lipstick, compacts, and nail his little wooden suitcase of the polish came into existence. People products with him. In 1936, their

20 first advertisement in a magazine as the home base for each Avon appeared in Good Housekeeping. In Representative in that district. This 1937, Mr. McConnell passed away is where the representative sends and his son David Hall McConnell her order for the Avon products. Jr. became President. Also in that These centers also keep in close year, the old laboratory at Suffern contact with each representative, was torn down and a more modern as the Founder of Avon loved to do. establishment was built. The home But the Avon Company has said that office had moved to 30 Rockefeller each center helps to form one big Plaza, New York City, where it family tree. They work together for still stands today. In 1941, on the the good of all. In 1956, there were death of David Jr., Mr. John A. about 90,000 Avon Representatives. Ewald became President. The Avon When Mr. McConnell started Avon, Company worked for the Armed For­ the products were shipped from Suf­ ces during World War II. But after fern to New York City by horse- the war they were able to make new drawn van. Today the shipments products and to have better packa­ of the products are sent from the ging for them. In 1956, Avon made laboratories to these different cen­ its first appearance on television. ters by modern means. Uncle Mac, On Jan. 1, 1962, Mr. Russel Rooks as he was known in the family, said became President. He passed away that both his life and that of his January 31,' 1962 after serving for company had become very identical. only one month. In 1886, the same year that he found­ Today, Avon has three modern ed Avon, he married Lucy Hays. laboratories. They are located at They had three children , Edna Suffern, New York; Morton Grove, McConnell Clar, New York City, Illinois; and Pasadena, California. Doris McConnell Faile, Southport, The laboratory in Morton Grove, is Conn, and David Hall McConnell, the largest cosmetic laboratory in Jr. married a Miss Anderson of the world. This was completed in Fort Worth, Texas, and after her 1956. These three laboratories pro­ death he married the Baroness Hu­ duce more than two hundred pro­ bert Von Pantz of New York and ducts. Only the finest Ingredients Paris. Today there are twenty-two are used to produce these products. great-grandchildren of Mr. McCon­ The chemists are the foremost in nell. their field and the Avon Company Uncle Mac attended the Methodist makes their own formulas. After Church and was a Sunday School each batch of perfume ect. is made, teacher. During World War I, he it is checked for its quality. All headed the Rockland County draft the checking and re-checking that board. About 1920-34, he served goes into the products is for the as treasurer of the Rockland Re­ most precious product- "Customer publican Committee. In 1892, he Confidence." The raw materials are was Superintendent of Schools in always watched, because that does Suffern and served on the Board help make up the quality of the pro­ of Education. He was treasurer duct. At Avon, only the best raw of G.W. Carnick & Co. of Newark, materials are used. Its reputation New Jersey. This company dealt with was sustained by Edward Jarmus pharmaceutical supplies. Uncle Mac who was chief chemist in 1956. served as director of Holly Hill Avon today has six service and Fruit Products Co., Davenport, shipping centers. They are located Florida. He was one of the founders at Newark, Delaware; Rye, New of the Suffern National Bank, which York, Kansas City, Missouri, Mor­ later merged to form the Suffern ton Grove, Illinois; Atlanta, Geor­ National Bank and Trust Co. He gia; and Pasadena, California. Each served as President of the bank and once of these service centers acts as Chairman of the Board of Dir-

21 ectors. Uncle Mac was a member ed how to work with your heart as of the Union League Club of New well as your hands. He once said, York, Houvenkopf Country Club, Ar­ '•We have proven by our growth what eola Country Club, and the Ormond honesty and fair dealings can Beach Country Club. David Hall Mc- achieve." Connell passed away Wednesday, Today, one out of every three wo­ January 20, 1937, at the age of 79. men use an Avon product. It is today He had lived to see the 50th anni­ a multi-billion dollar industry. The versary of the company, which he quality standards have increased. had founded. His funeral was on New methods and materials have Friday, January 22, 1937.

THE PRINCIPLES OF AVON To give to others an opportunity To share with others the blessings to earn, in support of their happi­ of deserved growth and business ness, betterment, and welfare. success. To serve American families with To depend with full confidence on quality products that will bring sat­ the men and women of Avon, and isfaction to all users. on Managers and Representatives, for their individual and collective To render a service to customers contributions toward success. that is highly outstanding in its helpfulness and courtesy. To cherish and retain the friendly spirit of Avon. BIBLIOGRAPHY PRIMARY SOURCES SECONDARY SOURCES 1. Oswego Palladium Times, Jan. 21, 1. THE STORY OF PERFUMERY 193T. AND THE CPC, by William Scheele, 2. Great Oak, by David Hall Mc- 1915. Connell Sr. 1903, Avon Products Inc. 2. Avon "Outlook", Campaign 5,1961 3. Oswego County Census-1865, 3. Avon "Outlook", Campaign 10, Town of Oswego. 1961. Anniversary Jubilee Edition, 4. Mrs. Nettie McConnell 1886-1961. 5. Mrs. Vernice McConnell Glerum 4."Parents Magazine," by B.D.An­ 6. Mrs. Luella McConnell Dudley derson, 31:24-, April, 1956. 5. DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN 7. Mr. Dewitt C. Groat Sr. FAMILY NAMES, by Elsdon C. Smith 8. Mrs. Tressa M. King 1956, Harper Bros., New York, New 9. Mrs. Irene McConnell York.

22 Times Have Changed LIFE IN OSWEGO TOWN AT THE CLOSE OF THE 19th CENTURY Presented by Ellen Sivers, February 20, 1962

While I was in the process of greater in 1892 than it is today. finding a phase of New York State The following expenses recorded history that interested me, I had by Mrs. Coats prove this statement: the good fortune of being able to bread $.02, 2 lbs. beef, $.25, 1 lb. acquire a diary kept by Mrs. Ly­ codfish, $.10, 1 lb. steak, $.10, man Coats. I have used for the 1/2 watermelon, $.10. one doz. ban­ basis of my project one year of anas $.15, one lb. sausage, $.08 her life, although she kept a jour­ 1/4 lb. of mustard, $.06, 2 loaves i nal every day for many years. of homemade bread, $.10, soap, $.05, Mrs. Coats was not herself an lamp chimney, $.05, sixteen and a important figure in the history of half pounds of telephone wire for Oswego but it's what she represents grape vines, $.69, one roll of wall­ that's worth remembering. I will, in paper $.08, one box stove parts, my report, try to use Mrs. Coats $.10, one pound putty $.03, rubbers, as an example of how farm people $.50, one pair buckskin-lined mit­ lived approximately seventy years tens, $.40, one calico dress, $1.00, ago in Oswego Town. 4 pairs of black stockings, $.54, First of all I think it is essential one ton of coal $5.00, 1/2 bushel that you become familiar with the timothy grass seed $1.10, Church type of person Mrs. Coats was. supper, $.50, subscription to Phren­ Aurora Borealis Walker, sister of ological journal $1.50, money order, Dr. Mary Walker, married Lyman $.05, stamped envelope, $.03, shoe­ Coats in 1848. They maintained ing horse for $.25. a farm on the Rural Cemetery Eighty cents would supply Mrs. Road. They were blessed with one Coats with three loaves of bread, child, Vesta. In 1890 Mr. Coats one pound of steak, one pound of died leaving the management of the sausage, onions, one pound of crac­ farm to his wife, Aurora. kers, cookies and one gallon of At the age of forty, Vesta married oysters. Consider how many of these Charles Fenske, and they lived in articles could be bought today for the house with Mrs. Coats. eighty cents. The year I am about to refer to was 1892. Mrs. Coats was sixty- CROPS AND LIVESTOCK seven years old September 21,1892, and in May of 1893 she weighed Mrs. Coats' livestock consisted one hundred sixty-one pounds. of a horse named Barney, a cow, This farm was Mrs. Coat's only and a pig which she sold for six source of income. Out of it came dollars. Seventy years ago people her living. Nowadays, if a widow worked hard for a living. If there of sixty-seven were left with a was something that needed attending farm of this size, she would most to on your farm, for the most part, likely sell it and move to a smaller you did it yourself or it just didn't place and draw Social Security. get done. There wasn't very much The value of a dollar was far money to be thrown around.

23 Mrs. Coats grew all her own peach­ One Monday she got up in the night es, grapes, tomatoes, potatoes to make four loaves of bread because raspberries,- strawberries, corn, it got too hot during the day. wheat, beans, pears, and apples. Her Sunday dishes were left until In June Mrs. Coats planted fifty Monday so she wouldn't have to do hills of sweetcorn, sixty hills of them on the Sabbath. beans, one hundred fifty hills of In the fall she pared apples for yellow corn, and set out eight peach applesauce and made pork into sau­ trees. sage. In the month of September she Charles, her son-in-law , sowed made vinegar and sold it for fifty winter wheat in September. The cents a jug. spring wheat was threshed in Octo­ The coming winter meant boards ber. That fall she hoed thirty-seven to be chopped Into kindling, and wood hills of potatoes. brought in for the fireplace. She In November she trimmed grape­ made frequent trips to the coal- vines and topped the raspberries house to bring in barrels of coal carefully so they'd yield abundantly for the stove. Mrs. Coats sewed the following summer and early fall. trousers, mended stockings, made Over winter the crops lay in the pillow cases, clips and sheets during ground getting ready to sprout up the winter afternoons. in the spring. All the woodwork in the parlor Much was to be done in April was washed in April. She also made when everything became green cornhust mats and a quilt that Spring. again. New oats were planted, the In May she cleaned and watered the berries were trimmed, and new let­ stable, swept the barn' floor, and tuce was sown. The currants and white-washed the parlor. The carpet raisins were picked over and the was cleaned by hanging it on a line raisins were rubbed in meal, put and beating the dirt out of it. through a colander and washed so the stems would fall off. In order to cut her black raspberries, Mrs. LAUNDRY Coats borrowed Herman Pease's raspberry cutter. In warm weather laundry was boil­ In May the tomatoes and lettuce ed in a brass kettle, washed in were transplanted. During this rainwater, rinsed and spread on the month she hoed forty currant plants, grass to dry so the sun would bleach set out onions, hoed gooseberries, the garments. and planted the potatoes under the In February she made some bluing grapevines. with 1/4 pound of Borax, one ounce Prussian blue, and one gallon of wa­ ter. We have our choice of any CHORES AND DAILY TASKS kind of bluing we want, all made and bottled, ready to use-. During the summer months and To remove ink stains Mrs. Coats most of the year long Mrs. Coats washed clothing in boiled new milk and churned cream into butter. She had salt. Today most people would re­ to milk the cows. This was the only move ink stains with a stain remover way people could get butter and sold in any grocery store. We mustn't overlook the fact that a lot cream as there weren't any delivery of ink is also washable. men from a community dairy. Oc­ casionally she would make some ice cream. ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS The lawn was kept mowed with a scythe and shears. Most of Mrs. Coats' time was It was not unusual for her to taken up during crop weather with arise at five a.m. to start the day. taking care of her farm as was with

24 most farmers of that time. However, energy seemed unfailing! on May she did have time for some activit­ 29th she got up at four o'clock in ies. the morning to bake a cake. In the summer of 1892, she went to a meeting of Masons from all VISITING over the state, held in Oswego. The public buildings were beautifully One day in good weather Mrs. decorated. Coats drove her horse and buggy The school picnic was at the lake, to church. Afterward she went home Beach Ontario. Her horse and buggy along the Washington Boulevard to served as transportation for such see a friend. She remarked that purposes as this. her friend happened to be looking On the 4th of July it was all the rather ill so she had Dr. Walker style to drive along the Boulevard go to see what was wrong. Most (now Washington Boulevard) In a doctors now will hardly ever come trolley car. She couldn't go this to one's home, one always has to particular year because of a sever­ go to the office because they're so ely sprained ankle. busy. While she was convalescing, her She invited people in for tea quite neighbors sometimes came in to often and they sometimes stayed read or sing to her. for the night. She went to other In the winter she stayed in a lot peoples' homes also. Tea consisted because of bad weather. One of her of oysters, beefsteak, potatoes, winter afternoons was spent thusly: bread and butter, cake, honey, apple she played checkers with a friend, pie, cookies, crackers, and tea. sewed on some shirts and trousers, As you can see tea was rather a pared apples and potatoes, mended large meal and not just dainty sand­ her stockings, swept the floors, wiches and cookies. washed the dishes, read, brushed her hair into a french twist, and crocheted. Aside from these things, PEOPLE MRS. COATS EMPLOYED she also made pillows, mended vari­ ous things and made a scrapbook. Rose Decker, a neighbor, worked For Christmas Eve she invited half a dav for Mrs. Coats. She Vesta and her husband over to play washed mopped the kitchen checkers. She treated them to pep­ and swept the parlor. She permint candy, Brazil nuts, raisins, did all this for twenty- and cookies. five cents! A man worked one and Unlike the highly commercialized a half hours setting three grapevine Christmas of today, Christmas at posts, sawing kindling wood, and their house was just a quiet day bringing In eight pails of water with a sleigh ride in the afternoon. from the spring. He received fif­ The only mention of presents was teen cents and his supper for his a cornhusk mat Mrs. Coats had services. made to give to Vesta and Charles. January 31, 1893, she was invited John, a friend of Mrs. Coats, to attend the Normal School examin­ worked five and one half hours ations. patching and plastering the parlor In May she was asked to speak and bedroom. He charged twenty in the schoolhouse. Later in that cents an hour. A plasterer now re­ month she attended to a sick neigh­ ceives at least three dollars an bor woman. She gave the lady a salt hour. bath, washed her dishes, bandaged a Mrs Robinson papered some of the swollen ankle, and combed her hair. parlor and charged one dollar. Mrs. The woman paid her with six eggs Coats paid Levi Pullen fifty cents and a small loaf of bread. Her for helping her cut potatoes.

25 MEALS AND FOOD Rev. Barrows, the minister, (1st Presbyterian, Oswego) two pounds Summer meals consisted mostly of butter and some flowers for the of beef, potatoes, coffee, turnip church. She never missed a Sunday soup, beans, biscuits, custard pie, unless she was sick or unable to get rice, boiled dinner, pears, rasp­ there. When she was sick she would berries and strawberries. Straw­ read in her Bible every Sunday. berries were very common and used Sunday School was held in the after­ a ereat deal in the preparation noon. This particular year Mrs. of summer meals. Picking straw­ Coats decided to give one hundred berries was done almost daily in dollars to the Presbyterian Church strawberry season. One quart of (this is the one to which she be­ strawberries was sold for as much longed). This one hundred dollars as sixty cents a quart! A shopping was to be her legacy. She gave it list for August included: two pounds while she was living so she could of raisins $.12, one pound of coffee, see how much good it was going to $.30, 1/2 a pound of tea $.15, two do. pounds of rice, $.13, twenty pounds MEDICINE of white sugar at 5 1/2 cents a pound, one package of yeast $.08, one cake yeast, $.02, 2 pounds of Most of the cures administered raisin cormrieal at $.10. The aver­ to people with various aches and age housewife of today goes to the pains were homemade. Only rarely super market at least once a week. would people call in a doctor as Today we take such things as cake they had much faith in their home­ and cookie mixes, minute rice, in­ made remedies. stant pudding and synthetic deter­ A bread and milk poultice was gents for granted, but seventy years Applied to a swollen face due to a ago these things were prepared by toothache. Horeradish was taken hand. for Coughing. Salt and water or milk In 1893, people made almost every­ and peppermint were applied to a thing they needed In the home and sore eye. only bought the necessary things: When Mrs. Coats suffered from a sprained limb she applied spirits, those that they couldn't make. The of turpentine and linament. only transportation they had was the horse and buggy or going on Dr. Marsh's bill for treating Mrs. foot. Therefore, when they went to Coat's limb came to $3.75 for three town, they bought enough to last a visits and $.50 for two kinds of month or more. medicine In winter they ate canned fruits and vegetables that had been pre­ pared in the summer and fall. READING A typical lunch might be sweet potatoes, coffee, bread and butter, Mrs. Coats had read the Bible applesauce, crackers and tea. thirty-eight times when she began Breakfast was much different than again on "Genesis." She also read what we might eat. It was more in the Daily Times ($.02 a copy) like a lunch or dinner would be. and the Sandy Creek News. While staying at the Griffens one She subscribed to the Housekeeper day, Mrs. Coats had a breakfast of Magazine. beefsteak, potatoes, bread and butter and catsup. TAXES

CHURCH Mrs. Coats' taxes came to nine dollars and sixty-three cents and In the summer, Mrs. Coates gave her school tax was forty-five cents.

26 BARGAINING, BORROWED, AND Ira Pease for him to use her past­ LENDING ure. The cost was to be thirty dol­ lars, fifteen to be paid on August Instead of giving each other money 1st and the balance on December for services the people would trade first. He would have use of the back and forth for some of the barnyard, pump, well, stable and things they needed. Mrs. Coats lent eighteen new rails if he so desired. Mr. Robarge her horse; he cut two If her cow wasn't sold by May cords of wood for her in return. tenth and in good condition, he'd Mrs. Coats gave a music lesson give her thirty-five dollars. occasionally and was paid with a However, she could sell it before dozen eggs. May if she had the opportunity. If she furnished the material for Charles Fenske (son-in-law) trad­ fencing her pasture he was at liberty ed a cow with M. Pierce and Mr. Pierce gave him $14.00 besides. to take it away at any time, but In the fall Mrs. Coats gave Ella he was to make the necessary re­ Walker two gallons of vinegar so pairs and run the risk of the stock Ella would heip her hang paper damaging or breaking through the fence. sometime. Mr. E. Marsden raised the house This is how they took care of and kitchen. Instead of paying him debts. Mrs. Coats was a very con­ cash as one would today, she paid scientious person. Once she men­ him $5.50, one bushel of potatoes, tioned paying a debt of thirteen and $4.00 worth of hay. cents, and she also paid W. Coats Mr. Robarge owed Mrs. Coats one cent she owed him! some money. Rather than paying Endless comparisons could be her, he fixed two doors and picked made between life as it was then a box of strawberries for her. She and life as it is now. I hope I allowed him fifty cents on his have given some contrast as to the account. extreme differences that have oc­ curred in a mere seventy years. In the spring, Mrs. Coats had given Vesta a barrel of potatoes. In the I would like to conclude by saying fall Mrs. Coats needed potatoes so Mrs. Coats died on May 13, 1900, Vesta gave her a barrel in return. in her seventy-fifth year. She died as she had lived—hard at work Mrs. Coats made a bargain with doing her chores.

27 The War Of 1812 And The Lake Ontario Theater

Presented by Wallace F. Workmaster, May 15, 1962

Wars rarely are considered to be precepts established by its founder, fortunate occasions. By necessity Thomas Jefferson, and to reverse wars are times of widespread sac­ its pre-war attitude on many funda­ rifice and suffering highlighted by mental national policies. The other examples of valor and cowardice, major political party, the Fed­ exertion and inactivity, capability eralists, committed figurative sui­ and ineptitude. The fascinating and cide through the Hartford Conven­ terrible drama of deadly armed con­ tion amidst rumors of seccession flict includes both mankind's finest and dissolution of the Union. Even and basest capacities. The study of the Treaty of Ghent that ended military history—only recently un­ the war merely restored the status popular among professional his­ quo ante bellum in most items of torians—enlarges our understand­ major concern and the treaty made ing of the shortcomings and strengths no mention of the issues that had of human character in times of trial been cited the arguments that just as does the examination of forced the United States into war. other aspects of man's experience The avowed basis of Madison's war in the past. message in 1812 has been righteous The War of 1812 perhaps more indignation over the impressment than any other war fought by the of American seamen and the inter­ United States was a war of mis­ ference with commercial privileges fortune. The reasons so loudly trum­ of a neutral nation's vessels on the peted for its declaration were used high seas. These grievances had to cloak the real aims and ambitions been ofseriousconcernsinceaBrit- of its champions. A large portion ish admiralty court ruled against of the ostensible complaints just­ "broken voyages" by merchant ves­ ifying the opening of hostilities were sels in 1805. They were compounded being removed by the British govern­ after a United States Navy frigate, ment almost as the American Con­ the Chesapeake, was fired upon and gress endorsed James xviaaison's forcibly detained by the British fri­ request for a formal declaration of gate Leopard in 1807. First the war. The military establishment, Jefferson and then the Madison ad­ weakened by extended inattention ministrations had sought to prevent from Democratic-Republican poli- further encroachment and to secure tlcans, was unprepared to wage war recognition of American rights by and the extended contest revealed legislative acts restricting trade— extremely serious deficiencies in the Embargo Act, the Non-Inter­ transportation facilities, financial course Act, and Macon's Bill No. stability, and manufacturing enter­ 2. The effectiveness of these acts prise. had been offset somewhat by ille­ As a result of the war the Demo­ gal but widespread smuggling, a cratic-Republican party was com­ crippling of the American Merchant pelled to depart from many of the marine, and a diplomatic impasse

28 arising from the Erskine Treaty, tral rights on the high seas. Oppo­ the Cadore Letter, and settlement sition to the war was especially of the President-Little Belt affair. strong in New England where Bos­ In requesting a declaration of war ton greeted the news of the declara­ Madison undoubtedly took into ac­ tion with flags flown at half-mast. count a rising tide of Western re­ A number of states formally re­ sentment against Great Britain that fused to permit their militia to be was represented politically by a sworn into Federal Service for duty segment of the Democratic-Repub­ outside their state borders. DeWitt lican party known as the War Hawks. Clinton of New York, Madison's Led by Henry Clay of Kentucky, Federalist opponent in the presi- Felix Grundy of Tennessee, Richard dental campaign of 1812, formula­ M. Johnson of Kentucky, and Peter ted his campaign to take advantage B. Porter of New York, the ultra- of the support of anti-war Democra­ nationalist War Hawks siezed con­ tic-Republicans and Federalists. trol of the Twelfth Congress which The Tsar of Russia—whose own met late in 1811 in special session. hands were occupied with Napol­ Clay, only a freshman Representa­ eon's invasion—offered to medi­ tive, was elected Speaker of the ate, but the harassed administration House. The War Hawks used every in Washington refused and the United opportunity—including the outstand­ States entered "Mr. Madison's ing grievances over impressment War." and freedom of the seas—to ad­ The naval and military forces avail­ vance their real aims of destroy­ able for the war effort were pain­ ing British influence over north­ fully inadequate due to the paring western Indian tribes and annexing of defense budgets and outright neg­ Canada. When William Henry Harri­ lect that had taken place during son reported after the battle of Jefferson's two administrations and Tippecanoe in 1811 that Tecumseh's Madisons first administration. The Shawnees had been armed with Brit­ naval force consisted of less than ish muskets and that captured twenty ships, frigates, and armed powder kegs bore British markings brigs in varying states of repair War Hawk pressure on an already plus 165 gunboats designed for shaken President was re-doubled. harbor defense and incapable of ven­ When discussing the forces that turing into open water without being led the United States into war in swamped. With the exception of a 1812 it is significant to note that single brig this force was assigned members of Congress from the to Atlantic home ports and a portion seaboard constituencies most dir­ of it was on the distant Mediter- ectly affected by resentment over ranian station. The brig, Oneida, the issues of impressment and free­ mounting sixteen 24-pounder guns, dom of the seas generally opposed comprised United States naval Madison's request for a declaration strength on Lake Ontario and not of war. Representatives of western a single vessel was available on constituencies less affected by the upper Great Lakes. Naval com­ maritime considerations but more mand personnel fortunately was of infected with fear of British-inspir­ fairly high potential and included ed Indian attacks and dreams of such proven captains as Isaac Hull, territorial conquest were the de­ William Bainbridge, Stephen De­ claration's most ardent champions. catur, and James Lawrence. After some debate Congress voted The United States Army consisted to declare war on June 18, 1812. of ten half-strength regiments scat­ Five days later, June 23, the Brit­ tered all over the country on garri­ ish government rescinded the most son duty plus unfilled "paper" units objectionable portions of their of thirteen new regiments of Orders in Council relating to neu­ Regulars, 50,000 volunteers, and

29. \ 100,000 militia to be detached from to the mark. Of the other general the various states and to be sworn officers and administrative heads into the Federal service. Figured in the War Department, only one among these latter troops are the appears to have commanded even a same ones the state governments unit as large as a regiment during were forbidding be made available wartime. to the Federal government. The The military and naval operations stroneest military post in the North­ in the Lake Ontario theater during west was Fort Detroit. In the South the War of 1812 were closely re­ posts at Amelia Island, Fort Stod- lated to other campaigns on the dert, New Orleans, and along the northern frontier. American mili­ Red River were exposed to possible tary strategy at the outset of the British penetration through Span­ war envisioned a main invasion ish holdings. The Atlantic seacoast directed toward Montreal via the forts were few and scattered as well Lake Champlain gateway under as in generally poor repair. Posts Dearborn's personal supervision. in the lower Great Lakes were in Subsidiary advances were to be made equally poor condition. Several into Canada from Fort Niagara and forts, such as Fort Ontario, con­ Fort Detroit. Stephan Van Renssel- tained emergency forces of unre­ ear, a major general of New York liable state militia and little was State militia, was given command being done to put them into de­ at Niagara and William Hull, a pol- fensible condition. itican newly appointed a brigadier Army command personnel, especi­ general of Regulars, was ordered to ally in the higher echelon, was shock­ Detroit. ingly deficient in essential quali­ Before major military moves could ties of leadership. The senior be executed, a small naval engage­ major general was Henry Dearborn, ment opened the war on Lake On­ a sixty-one year old former deputy tario. The Navy's Lieutenant Mel- quartermaster-general of the Con­ ancthon T. Woolsey, commanding the tinental Army, colonel of a New brig Oneida, had moved his vessel Hampsire regiment after the Rev­ from Oswego to Sackets Harbor. olutions ry War, politically expedient There, on the morning of July 19, Secretary of War in Jefferson's Woolsey was found by Commodore administration, and most recently Earle of the Royal Navy. The holder of the profitable political Oneida's sixteen 24-pounder guns plum known as the collectorship of were confronted with between the Port of Boston. The other major seventy-eight and eighty-two guns of general was Thomas Pinckney, who unknown size carried by the British at sixty-three had served in .the lake fleet of six vessels—the Royal southern guerilla campaigns and on George, the Prince Regent,the Earl Horatio Gates' staff during the Rev­ of Moira, the Duke of Gloucester, olutionary War and had followed the Seneca and the Simcoe. With political inclinations to become a help of local militia under Briga- judge, an ambassador, and a Con­ dier General Jacob Brown, Woolsey gressman. The senior brigadier anchored his brig in close to shore, general was James Wilkinson who moved the guns from the shore side had just been before a court-mar­ of the vessel to a spot on land tial board on charges of being a commanding the harbor entrance, pensioner of Spain, having been and supplemented this battery with a engaged in treasonable conspiracy 32-pounder nicknamed "Old Sow" with Aaron Burr, and being guilty as well as three old 9-pounders. of insubordination, negligence, was­ Despite shortages of ammunition tefulness, and corruption—charges and being outnumbered, the mixed of which the board acquitted him naval and militia force drove off but that subsequent historical re­ Earle's fleet after inflicting some search has proved to have been close superficial damage. 30 Woolsey began to add to the Unit­ but fallen apart. Hull, after an ed States fleet on Lake Ontario. overly cautious advance in the dir­ Within a short time he bought five ection of Fort Maiden on the Can­ schooners the Hamilton , the adian side of the Detroit River, Governor Tompkins, the Growler, had allowed his courage to evapor­ the Conquest, and the Pert. ate and had fallen back on Fort and equipped them with a total of Detroit. His able British opponent, twenty-one guns. Another schooner, General Isaac Brock, quickly sur­ the Julia, was captured and out­ rounded Hull's force. Now totally fitted-with a long 32-pounder and paralyzed, Hulll capitulated with­ two 6-pounders. out fighting on August 16. It was an On September 1, Captain Isaac unconditional surrender undertaken Chauncey, a supposedly promising entirely on Hull's personal respon­ officer, was appointed to command sibility not a gun had been fired on the Great Lakes. Chauncey prom­ in defense of Detroit and Hull did ptly demonstrated his organizational not bother to consult his officers on and administrative ability by dis­ the matter of surrender. The un­ patching Henry Eckford, a master fortunate general subsequently was shipwright of very considerable tal­ tried by court-martial on charges ent and experience, plus officers, of treason, cowardice, neglect of seamen, naval stores, and ship's duties, and conduct unbecoming an carpenters to Sackets Harbor. Chau­ officer. Acquitted of the treason ncey chose wisely when he picked count he was found guilty on the Eckford to superintend the creation other charges and sentenced to be of a large naval force on Lake shot. A presidential remission of Ontario. Like Daniel Dobbins on the death sentence followed the Lake Erie, Eckford literally per­ court's recommendation for Madi­ formed miracles in shipbuilding. son's mercy, but William Hull's A shipyard had to be constructed name was removed from the Army and wood, rope, iron fittings, sail rolls. canvass, nails, tar, and guns had Stephen Van Renesselear's cam­ to be transformed into naval ves­ paign from Niagara was hardly more sels. Great quantities of materials successful, although it did not re­ had to be transported to Sackets sult In the surrender of a complete Harbor from inland areas via the army and a key post or in a sen­ Mowhawk-Oneida- Oswego route. sational court-martial. Organiza­ Construction was quick and wood tional problems in co-ordinating and was unseasoned, but Eckford creat­ handling raw militia units plagued ed a respectable fleet to meet the Van Rensselear. Using a small nu­ wartime emergency. The Madison, cleus of Regulars and reliable mil­ a square-rigged vessel mounting itia, he attempted an .attack across twenty-four 32-pounder carronades, the Niagara River on Queenstawn; was built in forty-five working days however, unavoidable delay had al­ to become Chauncey's flagship. lowed Brock to transfer most of Chauncey arrived at Sackets Har­ his forces to the eastern end of bor late In October and on November Lake Erie after their capture of 8 he chased the Royal George Into Detroit. When Van Rensselear's Kingston. Action was broken off at landing party required support of dark because of protection afforded additional New York State militia the British vessel by land-based to maintain their foothold at Queen- troops. A blockade was>maintained stown the unblooded militia on the by four of the schooners until the United States side of the Niagara end of November when navigation River refused to cross into Can­ closed for the year. ada on supposed constitutional In the meantime, military plans grounds. The British commander, for the invasion of Canada had all Brock, was killed early in the en-

31 gagement but Ms forces pressed Lake Erie to permit free movement their counter-attack. The American of men and supplies necessary for force on the Canadian side of the the complete elimination of Ameri­ river was overwhelmed. Van Ren- can posts in the old Northwest sselear roundly condemned the In­ Territory. tractable militia and resigned in Chauncey had dispatched Captain disgust. Oliver Hazard Perry from his base Command on the Niagara front de­ at Sackets Harbor to assemble a volved upon a Virginian, Alexander United States naval force on Lake Smyth, who made a few hesitant Erie. Perry remained technically feints and issued a great many bom­ under Chauncey's authority, but In bastic proclamations before order­ fact he exercised an all but indep­ ing the volunteers to go home and endent command. Tremendous exer­ the Regulars into winter quarters. tions in the spring and summer of A situation approaching mutiny fol­ 1813 by Perry and his sailing-mas­ lowed and Smyth summarily depart­ ter, Dobbins, created a fleet of nine ed for Virginia after being fired vessels mounting a total of fifty-four upon by his own troops. He was guns. The British fleet on Lake Erie, still at his home when his name commanded by Captain Robert H. was removed from the Army rolls Barclay, consisted of six vessels for failure to stay with his command. carrying sixty-three guns. Perry's At the eastern end of Lake On­ complete victory in a fleet action tario minor raids in the Ogdens- off Put>ln-Bay known as th» battle burg and St. Regis areas gave some of Lake Erie firmly established encouragement to the American American control of that lake In cause, but the British also succeed­ September. British hopes of cap­ ed in capturing two officers, forty turing the remaining military men, and four boats at the mouth posts in the old Northwest Terri­ of the Salmon River on November tory were destroyed, and an Am­ 23. erican force assembled under Wil­ Dearborn's debacle in abandoning liam Henry Harrison was offered an the main invasion attempt through opportunity to recover the post at the Lake Champlaln gateway climax­ Detroit. ed American military misfortune in In the fall of 1813 Harrison, avet- 1812. Despite a considerable num­ eran frontier fighter, forced his erical advantage over British for­ British opponent, Proctor, to a- ces protecting Montreal, Dearborn bandon Detroit. He then penetrated delayed forward movement until Upper Canada and through the battle November and gave up in the In­ of the Thames destroyed British vasion after a confused skirmish in capability of immediately recaptur­ ing Detroit. Leaving a garrison at which American troops fired into the recovered fort, Harrison was their own ranks in a frantic attempt ordered with 1,300 of his troops to disengage from the British after to reinforce yet another attempt darkness fell. to invade Canada from the Niagara Late in 1812 and during the first frontier. half of 1813aseriesofminoractlons The victories of Perry and Harri­ was fought near the western end of son greatly improved the American Lake Erie—Fort Harrison and Fort position in the upper Great Lakes Wayne resisted British attacks , an area, but the 1813 campaign in the American force was captured and immediate area of Lake Ontario massacured at Frenchtown, Fort was in the hands of Dearborn, Chau­ Meigs and Fort Stephenson survived ncey, and Wilkinson. According to British assaults. The clear Impres­ plans laid at the outset of the cam­ sion emerged that the British would paign Dearborn was to gather 3,000 have to secure full naval control of men at Buffalo and 4,000 men at

32 Sacekts Harbor. Wilkinson was se­ factor partially compensated for by cond in command of the military for­ the greater speed and maneuverabil­ ces, and the prime objective of oper­ ity of the British vessels. ations was to be the British base Following the revised campaign at Kingston. Chauncey was to trans­ plan, Chauncey disembarked Dear­ port the troops from Sackets Harbor born and Brigadier General Zebulon to Kingston, and to burn two ships Pike with 1,600 men at York on being built at York (near Toronto) April 27. Pike was killed but the while conveying the troops from town of York, the provincial capi­ Kingston to the concentration at tal, and its forts were captured. Buffalo. Within a few hours the public build­ Dearborn and Chauncey reported ings, most notably two government on March 20 to Washington that buildings, were burned. Dearborn Kingston was held by 6,000 to 7,000 subsequently maintanined this wan­ British troops and they recommend­ ton distruction was the work of ed that the plans for the campaign a subordinate, but the British aven­ should be changed to permit the raid ged this event a year later when they on York to take place first and to burned government buildings in allow attacks on Fort George oppo­ Washington. site Fort Niagara and on Kingston Chauncey's naval vessels were to follow. Accepting the appreciation detained in port for a week after of the theater commanders at face the capture of York by bad weath­ value, the administration re-drew er. On May 8 the troops were dis­ the orders and agreed to use the embarked at Niagara for an attack forces to be concentrated near Buf­ on Fort George. Further delays falo in the later strike at Kingston were caused by illness among the that Dearborn and Chauncey recom­ troops following their extended con­ mended. finement on shipboard and by Dear­ In reality, Sir George Prevost, born's uncertainity as to how to then in command at Kingston, had proceed with the attack on the enemy less than 450 men. How Dearborn fortification. When Dearborn became and Chauncey allowed themselves sick himself temporary command to be deceived so completely as to fell upon the shoulders of Winfield the strength of the British garri­ Scott and Fort George promptly was son has never been made clear; captured and destroyed. Dearborn however, Dearborn and Chauncey did recovered his health sufficiently to allow their Imaginations full range resume command of the military in conjuring obstacles to prevent forces and the British garrison their attack on the key British base. was allowed to make good its es­ Chauncey particularly was concern­ cape. ed over British naval strength on While Dearborn and Chauncey's the lake and he continually urged forces were occupied at the west­ the Navy Department and Eckford ern ena of Lake Ontario, Prevost- to greater efforts to build more and —now heavily reinforced—utili­ larger American naval vessels for zed Yeo's fleet to move from the his use. The Royal Navy squadron British base at Kingston against on Lake Ontario had received a the dangerously exposed base of new commodore, Sir James Lucas Dearborn and Chauncey at Sackets Yeo, and its strength early in 1813 Harbor. Only by the most vigorous stood at six vessels mounting ninety- exertions were Jacob Brown's mil­ two guns. Chauncey's force at the itia and Alexander McComb's small same moment consisted of fourteen unit of Regulars able to repulse vessels carrying one - hundred- a British landing party under Col­ twelve guns. The American naval onel Edward Baynes. force was greatly superior to the British in long-range armament, a Failing at Sackets Harbor the Pre­ vost-Yeo military and naval force 80035 moved on to test the defenses at constructed of timber and earth was Oswego. A major transhipment point forty years, and even putting the for the transfer of goods and mat­ most favorable light on the British erials to lake vessels bound for repairs of 1782 meant that some Sackets Harbor after their shipment portions of the works were seriously from the Mowak Valley via Lake On­ in need of a military engineer's at­ eida and the Oswego River, Oswego tention. Works of identical design— was recommended for a British at­ --Baltimore's Fort McHenry for tack because of its strategic impor­ example—proved to be adequate de­ tance. Perhaps cutting or disrupting fenses for the military technology of the flow of supplies to Sackets Har­ the War of 1812, but good repair bor at their point of transfer would and an adequate garrison were re­ serve the British purpose almost as quired. well as capturing the main base it­ Working quickly, Cass managed self. erect some breastworks west of the McComb, sensing the danger after town, to locate and to make ser­ the repulse of the attack on Sackets viceable a few vintage artillery pie­ Harbor, detached Major Lewis Cass ces, to issue arms and ammunition of the 16th Infantry Regiment with to the militia, and to secure the a poygot force of 300 men of the active co-operation of the Navy's 22nd and 23rd Infantry Regiments Woolsey with the armament and crew for Oswego's defense. Cass made a of the schooner, Growler. A naval forced move to Oswego and called bombardment from Yeo's six vessels for the aid of central New York was answered by Cass' batteries Militia and volunteers to augment at Fort Ontario and the west side his tiny unit. The chief surviving redoubt as well as by broadsides defense at Oswego, Fort Ontario, from the five gun Growler. Dis­ was in extremely poor condition. couraged by the response of the The works standing in 1813 had been defenders and by obvious prepara­ erected by the British in 1759, part­ tions to receive a landing party, ially destroyed by American forces the British sailed further west, in 1778, temporarily repaired by the raided Sodus, and returned to King­ British in 1782, and allowed to fall ston. The mixed military, naval, Into disrepair again during the pre­ and militia forces at Oswego re­ sence of its last British garrison mained on alert for several days the was removed in 1796. A short and then returned to their regular occupancy by American regulars duties. between 1796 and 1803 or 1804 Chauncey did not try to come to did not involve any major renova­ grips with Yeo until the middle of tion. State militia occasionally quar­ August. A few shots were fired tered in the fort to enforce the between the American and British policy of "peaceful coercion" be­ fleets during four davs of fruitless fore the war probably did not even maneuvering off rort Niagara. Fin­ make use of the crumbling older ally on September 26 the two naval buildings because temporary bar­ forces met in York Bay and Chaun­ racks to accommodate 700 men were cey attacked, but Yeo fled after only erected shortly after hostilities superficial damage to one of his opened . The construction of these vessels. The Julia and the Growler temporary quarters was undeniably which had falTeiTalmost by default poor because of the haste involved. into Yeo's hands during the August Various militia units were called on maneuvering were recaptured by in 1812 and early 1813 to occupy Chauncey on October 5 following a the post but no thorough, substantial blockade of Kingston. improvement or repair of the actual The land war in the northern defensive workswas undertaken. depaftment during the last half The usual life expectancy of defenses of 1813 was ineffective. Personality

34 disputes, jealousies, and inactivity heartedly commit their forces to crippled the American army. After decisive fleet action and each com­ Prevost's sorties against Sackets modore hoped to amass a suffi­ Harbor and Oswego, Dearborn ciently strong naval force to compel sent Wilkinson to assume -command the other to wlnthdraw from the at Sackets Harbor. This officer's contest without a battle. Stores, taste for combat might be judged rigging, guns, and other essentials from the fact it took him three continued to flow through Oswego months to arrive at the scene of for Eckford's yard at Sackets Har­ his new command. He immediately bor. The Superior, a sixty-two gun became embroHed in personal dis­ frigate, TEe Tefferson, and the putes with Wade Hampton, another Jones, twenty-two gun brigs, and brigadier, andSecretary of War John the Mohawk, a forty-two gun frigate Armstrong who had established his were examples of Eckford's work own field office at Sackets Harbor. that eoualed any comparable ves­ Some progress was made when sels on the high seas. Yeo's ship­ Dearborn was retired. masters, equally beset by supply problems, turned out the new Prince Months of indecision and argument Regent, fifty-eight guns, and the resulted In a "too little, too late" Princess Charlotte, forty-two guns, campaign launched in October from in similar efforts. The naval con­ Sackets Harbor up the St. Lawrence struction race became a focus of River. Although the St. Lawrence effort for 1814 with Chauncey and Valley was the undoubted life-line Eckford even envisioning fabrica­ of British control of Upper and tion of aship-of-the-line. In this Lower Canada and was dangerously atmosphere open supply routes were exposed to American operations, essential. Wilkinson simply was not the com­ mander to exploit the opportunity On May 3 Yeo loaded between Battles at Chrystler's Farm and 1,080 and 1,750 troops under the Chateauguay brought no glory and command of Lieutenant General Sir personalities again flared. Troops George Drummond and left Kingston had been drawn away from Niagara for another attack on Oswego. Alert­ to support the St. Lawrence advance ed to the intent of the British, and the British took the initiative Izard sent Lieutenant Colonel George to capture Fort Niagara and to send E. Mitchell of the 3rd Artillery devistating raiding parties against from Sackets Harbor on April 30 American settlements. Caught in a to defend the key transshipping point. campaign he could not seem to press As an attacking force Drummond to success and he could not aband­ had available one company of the on without great loss of personal Glengary Fencibles under Captain prestige in his quarrels with Hamp­ McMillon, two companies of the ton anH Armstrong. Wilkinson de­ DeWatteville Regiment under Cap­ manded a court-martial. When that tain DeBersey, a battalion of Royal was refused, he attempted an attack Marines under Lieutenant Colonel on Montreal to re-coup his fortunes. Mai com, and a special landing party Ineffective to the last, Wilkinson of two hundred Royal Navy seamen failed in his desparate attack and under Captain Mulcaster. The am­ in March, 1814, he was replaced by phibious portion of the attack was to General George Izard. be supervised directly by Lieuten­ While the inconclusive fighting ant Colonel Fischer. of 1813 had been going on, the Am­ Mitchell's defending force was verv erican and British shipyards had much smaller. He had a small detach­ been busily building vessels to break ment composed of four partial com­ the stalemate over naval supremacy panies of the 3rd Artillery— on Lake Ontario. Neither Chauncey —Boyle's, Mclntire's, Pierce's, and or Yeo seemed willing to whole­ Ansart's—equipped to fight as ln-

35 fantry and numbering only 290 ef­ that vessel herself carried addi­ fectives. A party of seamen under tional ordnance as armament. A Lieutenants Pierce and Woolseywas masked battery consisting of one obtained from the schooner Growler old 12-pounder was set up near the that was once again in the Oswego fortification to command the pro­ harbor loading supplies for Sackets bable landing place. Harbor. As in 1813 a desperate call Yeo's fleet arrived off Oswego was made for assistance from local on the morning of May 5. A naval militia, but the response was much bombardment was directed at Fort smaller than it had been in the Ontario as well as the wooded area preceeding year. to the east where the bulk of Mic- Mitchell and the United States hell's small force was concentrated. supply agent, Alvin Bronson, re­ About 1:00 p.m. fifteen boats carry­ moved a portion of the stores from ing the first wave of the landing the town, hiding some and starting party started toward shore, but the rest back to the depot at Oswego the masked 12-pounder served by Falls (now Fulton). To create a Boyle's company forced them to temporary battery the Growler was return to the warships. The Brit­ scuttled with her partially loaded ish fleet got under weigh and ac­ cargo of ordnance, but apparently counts differ concerning the pos­ she went down in water too deep sibility of a storm having forced to permit her use for that purpose them to seek a more protected and it is possible that the step was anchorage. If indeed there was a taken to deny the vessel and her storm it was not severe enough to cargo to the British in the event scatter the vessels of the Royal of their success. Tents from the Navy or to cause the mixed Am­ stores were hastily pitched on the erican military, naval, and mil­ west shore near the village to give itia force to abandon their defen­ the impression of a large force sive attitude. Mitchell posted pic­ present at the spot and all troops kets and the defenders spent the actually available were concentrated night at their posts under arms. on the east side of the river near At dawn on May 6 Yeo re-ap­ the almost indefensible Fort On­ peared and a three hour cannonade tario. There is no indication of was maintanied between the fleet any effort to utilize the breast­ and the shore defenses. Hot-shot works or redoubt that had been from the fort and grape shot from erected in 1813 on the west side of the fleet affected some damage on the town; however, it is assumed both sides and the landing party that the tents previously mentioned established itself on shore. Mit­ gave the impression these works chell had left only a small group were occupied. to hold the fort proper while he A most important defensive lack contested the actual landing with his main force. Thirty minutes of was an adequate quantity of artil­ hard fighting ended with Mitchell's lery. Mitchell had five guns, three orderly withdrawal down the river of which had no trunnions and could to cover the supply depot at Oswe­ not be mounted for use. As an artil­ go Falls. Meanwhile the group in­ lery officer Mitchell must have side the fort was engaged in a strug­ realized the consequences of this gle over the flag in one of the bas­ serious deficiency, but it is not tions, but they were forced to break clear whether or not he had time, off the fight and abandon the forti­ he did not utilize to mount addi­ fication when Mitchell's retreat ex­ tional artillery pieces from the posed their flanks and rear. naval stores that had been present, when he arrived. The Growler, it: The British searched the town, may be recalled, had been loading raised the Growler, and destroyed artillery pieces or naval guns, and what few servicable structures re-

36 mained at the fort. At least four ly completed and Yeo raised schooners and the guns aboard the the blockade. After a six weeks de­ Growler were captured or burned lay in the sailing of the American together with about 2,400 barrels of fleet Yeo was blockaded in turn by flour, salt, and pork. Had Drummond Chauncey at Kingston for forty-five been able to pursue Mitchell to Os­ days. The naval war on Lake On­ wego Falls much more serious dam­ tario reached a low point of ini- age would have been done. The Brit­ ative and daring, risk and counter- ish re-embarked about 3:00 a.m. risk. It richly deserved the com­ on May 7 taking a few prisoners ment of a contemporary author, with them. Some fleet units return­ "What perserverance was ever ed to check the harbor a few days more indefatigable then Chauncey's later but no further landings were (Sic), in pursuit? unless indeed made. that of his adversary, in patience." Yeo and Drummond sailed to Sac­ Major military activity in the nor­ kets Harbor where a blockade was thern department during 1814 was established. To complete the frigate limited largely to the renewal of Superior and reverse the balance activity along the Niagara frontier of naval power Eckford needed guns by Jacob Brown and WInfield Scott. and twelve cables—one of which The battles of Chippewa and Lundy's was twenty-two inches in circum­ Lane along with the siege of Fort ference and Weighed 9,600 pounds. Erie reflected credit on American Woolsey sheparded a convoy of nine­ improvement after two years of teen boats carrying the necessary fighting but the results of these materials from Oswego on May 28. engagements did not yield mater­ One of the boats containing several ial strategic advantages. British guns and a small cable was captur­ General Prevost did attempt an in­ ed by a British patrol vessel thus vasion through the Lake Champlain revealing the movement of the other gateway but the success of Lieu­ vessels but the remaining eighteen tenant Thomas MacDonough of the boats reached the mouth of Big Navy at the battle of Plattshurg Sandy Creek safely by noon of May Bay on Lake Champlain denied the 28. One of the boats containing British use of that traditional in­ several guns and a small cable vasion route. Alexander McComb's was captured by a British patrol tiny American army thus was saved vessel thus revealing the movement from being overwhelmed. of the other vessels but the remain­ Izard frittered away any chance ing eighteen boats reached the mouth of capitalizing on Brown's and of Big Sandy Creek safely by noon Scott's successes along the Niagara on May 29. Yeo sent three gunboats, River and became immobilized at three cutters, and a gig under Cap­ Buffalo after Chauncey's fleet with­ tains Popham and Spilsbury with drew from Kingston on Sacket's 180 men to apprehend Woolsey and Harbor in early anticipation of the his supply convoy. Forewarned and winter. Yeo had received a new sev­ joined by 120 riflemen and some enty-four gun ship-of-the-line and Oneida Indians under Major Appling, a new frigate from his yards at the Americans withdrew into the Kingston and the American eagle mouth of the creek and turned the had withdrawn to avoid hazarding tables by ambushing the British and the fleet and to permit the British capturing them. By now the lion uninterruped season on the lake. blockading British fleet was thor­ Drummond, Prevost, and later Sir oughly alerted and the supplies were George Murray used the winter to ardously transported overland to amass an overwhelming force and Sackets Harbor. to prepare plans for yet another With the arrival of the supplies attack on Sackets Harbor in the Chauncey's new vessels were quick­ spring. Izard stayed close to win-

37 ter quarters in Buffalo with no ap­ operations—indeed, most of the ves­ parent plans for the coming year's sels of the Navy were bottled up campaign. Fortunately for Ameri­ in Atlantic ports by the blocka­ can arms the Treaty of Ghent end­ ding British fleet in 1814. On the ing the war signed on Christmas Great Lakes and Lake Champlain, Eve, 1814. Although word did not of course, fleet operations were reach America in time to spare carried on and these operations Jackson and Packenham their battle bore considerable relationship to at New Orleans in Januarv. news the success of American arms in of the peace followed closely by these areas. news of a major American land Another source of the new nat­ victory near the mouth of the Mis­ ionalism was Jackson's success sissippi River arrived on thenorthern at New Orleans in pitched battle frontier before further hostilities with disciplined British veterans took place. of the Napoleonic Wars. Jackson's The United States emerged from victory in the Battle of New Or­ the War of 1812 with a new and ram­ leans was due in large measure pant feeeling of nationalistic pride— to his opponent's tactical stubborn- —vessels in foreign roadsteads ess in directing frontal assaults more willingly acknowledged the against prepared breastworks, but presence of American ships and the it did erase the memory of such abilities of their masters and crews, incidents as the flight of Ameri­ foreign nations did not again seek can forces at the battle of Bladens- to exercise the controversial right burg during the British raid on of impressment, trouble over the Washington. It is only fair to point rights of neutral vessels on the high out that American militia had dem­ seas and the enforcement of block­ onstrated their willingness to stay ades lapsed, and American attention and fight if given cover on other turned inland to the development of occasions as well, and that Ameri­ a continent. Madison's message to can Regulars had learned to face Congress in December, 1815, broke direct British fire before the battle with many of the elements of the of New Orleans. In all events, Jack­ Jeffersonian pre-war policies when son's victory came after the peace he recommended the establishment treaty had been signed and there­ of a second Bank of the United fore too late to influence the politi­ States, adoption of a protective tar­ cal and diplomatic terms for settle­ iff, and development of internal ment of the war. improvement projects. All of these The last major source of nation­ steps, revoluntionary for Demo­ alistic pride after the war was the cratic-Republicans, were designed fact that major British invasion to remedy deficiencies that had be­ from Canada had been thwarted come apparent during the war. Henry and that the British had not been Clay's American System embodied in possession of sufficient United much of their spirit. States territory at the time of the To a large degree the new sense peace negotiations to compel any of nationalistic pride rested on pre­ cession of land. Even if a some­ mises that were not altogether val­ what negative point of view when id; nonetheless, the new nationalism compared with the dreams of an­ was a powerful force even if based nexing Canada at the beginning of on false impressions. One source the war, this was undeniably true. of the nationalistic spirit was the As has been demonstrated in this brilliant record established by the paper American success in his re­ United States Navy in individual ship spect was achieved on a slender actions. The United States Navy margin. The Lake Ontario theater simply did not possess the strength and the related campaigns in the on the high seas to permit fleet northern department were the real

38 crux of military and naval oppor­ misfortunes, hesitations, per­ tunity in the War of 1812. The sonality conflicts, supply shortages, United States did not achieve real­ and inadequate preparation that man­ ization of the aims that had driven ifested themselves in campaigns the country to war because of the in this area.

39 The 110th Regiment of Oswego County

Presented by Rev. James Nicolson, October 16, 1962

On July 10, 1862 General McClel- On July, 24, 1862 the citizens lan's peninsula campaign was draw­ committee assembled and conduct­ ing to a disastrous end. Over 15,000 ed a demonstrative meeting in Doo- men had been lost, and to no avail; little Hall. All civic leaders were unless one consider that the awaken­ present and several prominent per­ ing of the north to the truth of the sonalities addressed the gathering. President's warning that the rebel­ The next day's "Commercial lion was "not going to be suppres­ Times" carried an account of the sed by strategy but by tough fight­ proceedings under banner headlines, ing where people were going to get "Great War Meeting", "All Os­ hurt," be considered as gain. Lin­ wego Awake" and "Littlejohn Our coln's first appeal for troops, on Colonel." The meeting was opened April 15, 1861, had been for 75,000 by Elias Root who nominated Delos men from the various state militia DeWolf to preside. After remarks for a period of nine months. Now, from some of the guest speakers by the Conscription Act of 1862, and town representatives the Hon- a call was going out for 300,000 o rable E. B. Tal cott arose to express recruits between the ages of 18 the committee's conviction that a and 45 years, with quotas to be man of outstanding qualities was designated for each state and filled needed to head the new regiment under the supervision of the Govern­ and, amidst thunderous applause, ors, eitner through enlistments vol­ announced that it had unanimously untarily made or through a draft. agreed upon a man of great person­ In keeping with the President's plan al sacrifice who was to give his Governor Moran Seymour of New answer that night -Dewitt C. Little­ York appointed a committee of pro­ john. Littlejohn, thus introduced, minent citizens in Oswego, New spoke as follows: York to initiate the recruitment "Fellow citizens - My heart is of a new regiment from their coun­ almost too full for utterance at ty, and named the Honorable Ellas this expression of your wishes Root chairman of the group. and confidence. I have often said As each community prepared in private conversation that when to answer the call to arms it was the time came that it was neces­ established as a policy that first sary to rally the forlorn hope to efforts were to be for the enlisting uphold our government and insti­ of volunteers, and then for defic­ tutions, in the hour of darkness iencies to be supplied by conscrip­ when it was .ftecessary to put tion. On a national scale volunteer­ forth still greater exertions, I ing was not successful in provid­ was prepared to go forth, af the ing quotas, but in Oswego enthusi­ call of my country; but until that asm was at fever pitch and no con­ hour came, the sacrifice was too scription was necessary for the great for me to make. When your 110th regiment. committee apprised me of their

40 wishes, I took a few hours to felt everywhere as the program consider before I gave my reply. of recruitment progressed. What shall be my reply? Without Ten days after the initial meet­ military education or knowledge, ing in Oswego, about seventy-five, you call me to this responsible less than one half of that city's trust, and place in my keeping quota of 200, had enlisted. Although the lives of your own sons. I this was termed "doing tolerably feel deeply this expression ofyour well" there were urgins to the young confidence, and a profound sense men to "bestir themselves or be of my responsibility. I have ever drafted." August 15th was held it to be the duty of a man ports began to drift in that the to respond to the plainly express­ regiment would be filled with en­ ed wishes of his fellow citizens, listees. Progress was slowed and and that theory compels me now matters complicated somewhat by to say I accept the position ten­ the desertions of men who, after dered me. (Great applause) But receiving their first $27, were ex- I accept it with a condition. It caping by steamer to Canada. In is that within the next 30 or 60 Mexico and Pulaski great days you send forth one thousand successes were reported. Their of your most athletic young men quotas were filled, recruits were to battle for their country. You still enlisting and they were on their have thrown upon me a great way to old Fort Ontario. On Aug­ labor, and you must begin to learn ust 13th Col. Littlejohn issued a to be a soldier. I do mean to be report that nine full companies were a soldier, and if God spares me assembled and that a tenth, from my life, you shall be able to Constantia, was expected momen­ point with pride to the man you tarily. They arrived on August 15, have selected." 130 strong, with five flags, bring­ The active work of enlistment ing the total of the new regiment began in Oswego on July 26, 1862. to 1225 men. So thrilled was every­ Officers from the Oswego48th acted one with the promptitude and zeal as recruiters among whom were with which the 110th was organized Col. James Doyle, Cap't William that it was suggested that another P. McKinley and Lt. Col. H.C. regiment might be raised immed­ Devendorf of Central Square. Other iately and the draft be escaped per­ organizers included a butcher nam­ manently. The Board of Supervis­ ed Thomas Kehoe and a William ors, at the suggestion of Elias Rasmussen of the old Oswego guards Root and the members of the cit­ who used his "old, crusty office on izens' committee, and following the E. 1st St. near the starch factory" example of the other countries, as a recruiting station. War meet­ voted $50 each for the enlistees. ings were conducted on successive As of August 16, 1862 the com­ days in the neighboring towns of position of the 110th Regiment at Mexico, Sandy Creek, Pulaski, Phoe­ Fort Ontario was as follows: - nix, New Haven, Scriba, Fulton, Hannibal, Central Square, Constan- Col. DeWitt C. Littlejohn, Os­ tia and Cleveland. Littlejohn was wego, New York present at every meeting, an inspir­ Lt. Col. Clinton H. Sage, Wil- ation and challenge to all. One year liamstown, New York before he had been offered by the Maj. Charles Bartlett (late Cap't President the consulship to Liver­ of the 12th Inf.) pool, England, one of the most Quartermaster Warren D. Smith lucrative posts of its kind. He de­ Qtr. Sgt. F. Comstock, Albion clined because it would interfere Adjutant Harvey D. Tolcott, Os­ with his business, yet with per­ wego, New York sonal and patriotic sacrifice was Surgeon A.C. Livingston, Fulton 41 Chaplain Rev. Mr. Lord, Fulton his men. In conclusion he added, 1225 men, well equipped. "Should anyone desert, let him be driven forth from you in contempt; The greatest assembly in but when one returns with honor, Oswego's history paid tribute to take him by the hand." His audi­ these latest volunteers at a mam­ ence was deeply moved and tears moth demonstration in West Park were seen to flow from even the on August 20th. Speeches, includ­ strongest men. ing an extract from the funeral dis­ On August 25, 1862 the 110th as­ course on ex-President VanBuren, sembled for departure. The ten aroused patriotic fervor. The Regi­ companies, with their officers, were ment was officially numbered UIP escorted to the Oswego depot at 110th Infantry. Donations oi every 8 P.M. by the U.S. Regulars sta­ description were pledged and given tioned at Fort Ontario, the Oswego to the officers and men. One hun­ National Guards, the German Light dred businessmen gave $10 each Guards, the Washington Guards and to a fund, and another $200 for the the Fremont Guards. All business purchase of a horse. Swords were was suspended and over 6000 people presented to Cap't McKinley, Thom­ gathered for the send-off. Their as Kehoe and E.P. Allen. The war immediate destination was Camp fever was on the rise. At another Patterson at Baltimore. They pro­ spectacle, the lion of the hour, Col. ceeded south to Syracuse and then Littlejohn, was the recipient of a on to Albany by train, where they magnificent sword and trappings arrived at 9 A.M. on the 26th. from the Oswego Board of Trade, At Albany they boarded a trans­ and Theodore Irwin presented him port for Amboy, from whence they a splendid horse fully equipped for travelled again by train to Phila­ war. The Rev. Dr. Condit donated delphia, and then to Baltimore. At $50 for soldiers' pocket books and the latter two places ladies of the Rev. Mr. Post gave to Cap't James Soldiers' Relief Association provid­ Doyle, formerly of the 48th, a sword. ed lunches and by their willing ser­ On this gala occasion practically vices to these young recruits kept the whole city turned out to honor alive the spirit of enthusiasm that Col. Littlejohn. He was not a mil­ characterized this regiment from itary man, but he certainly was an the beginning. For them, army life inspiring leader. Once again he was had been, and for a time would lauded for having raised the regi­ continue to be, one great experi­ ment in two weeks. In an eloquent ence devoid of any real hardship. response he ascribed any success Bands, speeches and flag waving he had attained to his "determina­ had been their diet for two weeks. tion to practice industry, temper­ Arriving at Camp Patterson on Sep­ ance and honesty." Now, about to tember 1st they were joined by Col. leave, he asked that his parting from Littlejohn on the 5th. Because of his city and old associates be as previous difficulties encountered by from friends with all. "If. in. Uw Union Soldiers entering Maryland excitement of political activity I Littlejohn supplied ten men from "have uttered any harsh or unkind each company with rifles and three word, I desire to be forgiven," shots; officers loaded their re­ he said. As to the credit for rais­ volvers and put on swords. Fort­ ing the regiment, he stated, that unately, no incident occurred. the committee who set the plan in motion, and the generous peo­ During their stay of about two ple who responded, were the ones months at Camp Patterson they were deserving of the praise. In the given their "boot" training. A Cap­ days ahead he expected a life of tain Preston of the 24th Regulars, extreme sacrifice, for himself and also from Oswego, was one of their drill masters. Four hours a day

42 they drilled, said Henry Wheeler in to cnurch, and much to their sur­ a letter to his parents in Mexico, prise, heard a fine sermon and a New York, "and it was plenty." strong prayer for the union. They Some of the nights were so warm were free to travel the river for that they didn't need their great short trips and were much impres­ coats, so the days must have been sed by the natural beauty of the very hot. As was the case in most terrain, but were equally shocked of the camps, conditions were not at the manners and customs of too sanitary, nor healthful. Peter the people which were "fifty years Kitts of Fulton wrote that several of behind the time." When rebel pris­ the boys had rheumatism, but they oners went through the men were went swimming and were cured - a aghast at their appearance. "Such doubtful diagnosis, to be sure. looking specimens of humanity I "Camp distemper" and "bilious never saw", wrote Wheeler. The colic", and such kind of diseases magnetic General McClellan also "common in the army of the Unit­ passed by and all thrilled to see ed States" were prevalent. Appar­ him. ently, the food was satisfactory, Jessie Miles of Co. A, writing Although there were the usual com­ to S.F. Case in Fulton described ments about it. There was plenty a drill in loading and firing their of meat, they reported, more then newly issued Enfield rifles. they had at Oswego; coffee twice a day, potatoes and hard bread "It was real laughable to see some crackers. Sugar, beans and rice of the men manoevre. One of were served regularly. Comment­ the boys put in four charges but ing on the hard bread one fellow was so excited he didn't know if wrote, "The boys threw it at a his piece discharged or not. Some barrel that sits on top of the chim­ would shut their eyes and fire. ney, and knocked out two staves Others would get them half cocked the first time they hit it." Lean- and swear because they wouldn't der Tullar of Mexico was one of fire. They were, of course, much the cooks and took good care of his excited." friends. A traveller observing the lipth admired "their snug camp Yet, despite their lack of skill, house life." j the men figured it was about time While, af Camp Patterson, along to meet the rebels anyday. with military training, there were One day word spread around the many diversions- many laughs and camp that they were going to guard numberless rumors. One day the prisoners captured at second Bull men were surprised to find that Run. There was great excitement they had visitors from home, the as this would be their first con­ 147th Regiment from Oswego, en- tact with "real rebs." Another route to Camp Chase near Washing­ repoVt said that Stonewall Jackson ton. So enthused were they that they was coming with a large force to gave up their tents to their guests take the city (Baltimore.) He never and slept in the open themselves. arrived, but such rumors envened Co. E from Mexico was stationed camp life. Col. Littlejohn was then for about three weeks at Perry- said to be about to resign in order ville, a small village on the Sus­ to run for Senator. This was a bit quehanna River opposite Havre de premature. Grace, to guard the Railroad and All things considered, life for the ferry. This was a pleasant diver­ 110th at Camp Patterson was far sion for the barracks were new and from unpleasant. There was a small the food exceptionally good. On at disturbance on September 8th in least one Sunday a large group of Baltimore, and Martial law was the boys went to Harve de Grace proclaimed. However, other than

43 being confined to camp there were ler. At the former place they were no further inconveniences involved. greeted by 2000 contrabands, mostly As the daysoftrainingweredraw- women and children, but all around t«g to a close (quartermaster Smith was desolation. They found the wrote to Prof. E.J. Hamilton of President's home occupied by 17 the Young Mens' Christian Union negro families. A straw vote on the a letter commending the men of candidates for Governor of New the 110th Regiment for their high York favored Wadsworth, the Re­ morals. People had praised them as publican nominee over Seymour 583 the most orderly regiment, with no to 63. It was noted that Co. E cast "drunkeness, gambling, and less no vote whatever for Seymour, the profanity than in an equal number Democratic candidate. of men at home. "Smith said that The long wait was finally ended Col. Littlejohn was determined that when, on Dec. 4, 1862, the fourteen their sons would not go back to be jvessels carrying 10,000 troops went pests of society. "No better man off Fort Henry and headed south. could have been sent with us for This force, including the Oswego camp life, and if we go on the field 110th, had been assigned to the we can trust him there." Such Dep't of the Gulf where they were was the compliment indicative of to serve under General Nathaniel the splendid influence exerted by Banks, successor to General Ben this fine officer upon his men. Butler in New Orleans. As on the Around the 1st of November trip from Baltimore rough seas word was received that the regi­ were encountered and to bring fur­ ment would soon board transports ther delay the "Thames" sustained and embark under sealed orders. a broken propeller and had to be The camp was astir with cheers towed into Port Royal. The 110th and excitement. This rumor proved then proceeded to Ship Island and to be true and in a few days they after nine days departed for New found themselves aboard the "Eric­ Orleans which they reached on sson" headed for an unrevealed Christmas Day 1862. They were destination. Was it to be Yorktown, ordered into camp at Carroll- New Orleans, Mobile, Charlestown, ton, La.,Camp Mansfield, one half New York, Texas? Each of these mile from the river. Even though was a possibility, the men thought. they were in Union held Territory As it turned out they went to Fort­ they sensed a spirit of scorn for ress Monroe which they reached on them, especially among the ladies November 6th. The sea journey of New Orleans who defiantly wore from Baltimore was a rough one. red and white roses on their bonnets Wintry weather confined them for to indicate their confederate loyal­ a while to Petapsco Bay and later ties. A sprig of blue singled out the "Ericsson" went aground. Upon the rare Union sympathizer. reaching Fortress Monroe the ship Companies A & D of the regi­ rode at anchor waiting to be join­ ment were sent up the river to ed by fourteen others that would guard rebel property and to pre­ accompany it to New Orleans. It vent the negro slaves from join­ was almost a month before this ing them. This assignment was very fleet was assembled, yet the 110th disillusioning to one of the group, continued in high spirits. In the an unnamed correspondent who bay of Fortress Monroe they saw wrote the following to the Oswego the wrecks of the "Congress" and paper: the "Cumberland" which had been "What will the people of Oswego sunk by the ironclad "Merrimac." think? If the boys had known this Some of the men also were invited a few months ago it would have to inspect the union "Monitor." required more than the eloquence Trips were made to Newport News of our noble colonel to have brought and to the home of President Ty­ out the men of these companies.

44 The owners are at war - irom saint on the 27th of February he did ten­ parishes on the river - but from der his resignation and then, in an what we can see they are great address to his soldiers gave his reasons. Chaplain Lord sent a sum­ sinners themselves." mary of this speech to the "Ful­ ton Patriot." As the regiment form­ He went on to predict that if a ed a square about him Littlejohn negro insurrection should break out stated that he thought an explanation our men would shoot high. He was was due to them. Business in favor of arming the negroes to complications were a minor con­ "make one grand desert of this sideration. The Colonelcy, he said, land as the army moves," "to was very limiting, affording him burn every building and hang every slight opportunity to do anything man unless they take the oath and more than simply follow higher of­ help put down the rebels. If we ficers. He objected to the policy take care of the property, and bind of conciliation adopted by the De­ down the slaves while the master partment of the Gulf, and felt that and his sons are fighting against all the slaves should be freed. Since us, we cannot succeed." he was shut out from all policy General Banks arrived at New making he was unable to express Orleans on December 14, 1862 to his ideas or make any contribu­ assume his new command. The en­ tion to the solution of problems. tire Army of the Gulf now number- Hence, we was determinded to re­ "ed 30,000 men and was designated turn to a special session of Con­ the 19th Army Corps. The 110th gress and to do all in his power Oswego Regiment was brigaded with to arouse the North to action. In the New York 114th, 116th, 128th, his successor, Lt. Col. Sage, he 135th, and 150th, plus the Massa­ was confident they would find a chusetts 38th, under General Emory. gallant leader. The resignation of Banks object in Louisiana was three­ Littlejohn occasioned many com­ fold; to regulate the civil govern­ ments. Some were bitter in their ment, to direct the military move­ denunciation but many seemed to ments against the confederates in understand and accept his decision. that state and in Texas, and to One loyal member of the regiment co-operate in the opening of the wrote: Mississippi by the reduction of Port "I notice some very severe and Hudson. All of these goals were ul­ unjust articles against the Honor­ timately attained. able D„C. Littlejohn, late Colonel. In the meantime, around the mid­ He will live, however, in the dle of Februar y 1863, a report memory of the people of Oswego was circulated that Col. Littlejohn County when the authors of such was going to resign due to busi­ articles are dead and forgotten. ness pressures. A member of the" Let those condemn who are most regiment, recruited by the Colonel's interested and know all the circum­ eloquence, wrote to "Times": stances of his resignation, next "Every hour of the day is the those who have done as much as indignation of the men expressed he has for country and county." at such talk, and reference made to the language he used at Sandy Creek The military post of Port Hudson and other places when raising the was situated on the east bank of regiment. I presume you remember the Mississippi River twenty five it, about sinking into the -ground if miles above Baton Rouge. In March he should leave them and come 1863 General Banks had concen­ home." trated 25,000 men at the latter The paper expressed disbelief town, and on March 13th began to in the rumor, unless there were a move toward Port Hudson. Grover's question of failing health. However. Division was in the lead, then Em- 45 ory's, of which the 110th was a lor. As the Union army approached, part, and finally, General Augur's. Taylor retired to the newly con­ This land advance was intended structed Fort Bisland. Then in an as a diversionary activity to as­ amphibious flanking movement sist Admiral Farragut to run the Banks sent Gen. Grover with his batteries at Port Hudson. However, division up the Grand Lake which since an earlier reconaissance, paralleled Bayou Teche. This was those batteries had been multiplied on April 12th. The next day this and strengthened considerbly, so division landed in the rear of Tay­ that the opposition encountered was lor's command forcing him to much greater than they expected. evacuate Fort Bisland and to re­ On March 14th Farragut advanced treat. Meanwhile, Banks was push­ from anchor five miles below the ing forward in front, vigorously batteries. In his fleet were 8 war­ pursuing Taylor. In this pursuit, ships and some smaller vessels. the 110th, under Col. Sage, had some His flagship, the "Hartford", with contact with the enemy at Fort Bis­ a gunboat passed without difficulty land and N. Centreville in the form but the remainder of the fleet were of skirmishing but in the sharpest knocked out by most accurate fire. encounter another brigade under Some slight skirmishes in which Emory suffered some casualties there were no casualties were the while the 110th merely took the extent of the action seen by the 11 Oth field, and were not engaged. Banks on this occasion. General Banks continued 200 miles up the west was criticized for having made only side of Bayou Teche through Cen­ a demonstration against Port Hud­ treville, Franklin, New Iberia, St. son in Support of Farragut. Gen­ Martinsville to Opelousas. In re­ eral Hallaeck was of the opinion treat Gen. Taylor destroyed many that a reduction of the city and supplies, and several ships load­ fort would have been easy at this ed with ammunition. At New Iberia time if only Banks had attempted two regiments destroyed a salt mine it. However, 18, 000 were garri­ most necessary for the confeder­ soned in Port Hudson and probably acy, and captured a cannon foundry. would not have capitulated without On April 20th the Union forces fierce resistance. moved in to Opelousas and gun­ boats occupied the Atchafalaya Riv­ The 110th regiment returned to er to establish contact with Adr the vicinity of New Orleans and miral Farragut who was at the encamped at Algier. General Banks mouth of the Red River to cut off turned his attention to the borders supplies to Vicksburg. At the con­ of the Bayou Teche. (A bayou is clusion of the campaign Banks re­ a stream or channel with practical­ ported 2000 prisoners captured, 2 ly no current that serves as an transports, 20 guns, plus a large inlet or outlet to a river.) A few and valuable number of horses, weeks previously, Gen. Weitzel had mules and cattle, and occupation of been repulsed in an effort to ad­ all Louisiana west of New Orleans, vance North west toward Opelousas. south of the Red River to the Texas Since then Fort Bisland had been border. constructed on the west side of the bayou, and was held by several It was now May of 1863. Gen. thousand confederates. This region Banks put his army in motion a- along the Bayou Teche was the gainst Port Hudson. A s many as richest in the state and General possible he sent by water and the Banks devoted himself to its re­ rest he marched down the west clamation from the enemy. The bank of the river during the night 110th reeiment was part of the of May 23rd. On the morning of force that he sent out under Gen. the 24th the siege began which Emory and Gen. Weitzel toward the was to end on July 8th with the rebel commander, Gen. Dick Tay­ surrender of the Fort. While Banks

46 approached from the north, Gen­ Banks were of the opinion that an eral Augur invested from the south. immediate operation should be The two armies joined hands after launched against Mobile, but, for a short encounter between Gen. Au­ political reasons, they were over gur and the enemy, and the grip ruled in Washington and direct or­ on Port Hudson was tightened re­ ders were sent to Hallaeck to Banks sulting in the enemy's retiring with­ to occupy "some Portion of Texas." in the outer line of entrenchments. Tt was left to this commander to choose his own objective. His first On May 27th an attempt was made choice was Sabine City, a small to carry the works by a combined town at the outlet of Sabine Lake, naval and land assault. The Navy the estuary of the Sabine River, and had some success but the land side the boundary line between Louisiana was a complete failure. The 110th and Texas. About 4,000 men of the was not in action. The battle was 19th Corps were sent on this ex­ severe, lasting six hours; but Fed­ pedition under the command of Gen­ eral troops were poorly handled, eral Franklin. Apparently some of commands were understaffed, and the 110th regiment were in this apparently, the defenses underrat­ operation. From Baton Rouge Henry ed. Negro troops fought for the Wheeler wrote on September 28, first time in this assault. National 1863, "that some went on an ex­ losses were 1842, including 293 pedition to Sabine Pass but that they killed. Rebel losses were negligi­ couldn't get into the bay." After ble. the fall of Port Hudson the 110th On June 13th Banks ordered a was widely scattered, and different second, all-out assault, which was groups were reported in various to be preceded by heavy bombard­ hospitals and camps, and as taking ment. On this occasion, the 110th part in several minor assignments was represented by companies A, such as guard duty. As for the B, E, & I under Maj. Charles Sabine enterprise, it was a com­ Hamilton. The fight, a most des­ plete failure. The attack was to perate attack, lasted 8 hours. As have been made on the 7th of Sep­ on May 27th, the attack was not tember, the land forces having been coordinated and after early success­ previously landed under the protec­ es the Federals were compelled to tion of the gunboats. So poor had fall back. Union losses totalled 700. been the reconnaissance that the Among the casualties were 37 mem­ troops were landed on ihe edge bers of the 110th regiment. One of­ of an impassable swamp and were ficer and four men were killed; 2 unable to organize for assault. The officers and 21 men were wounded, burden of reducing the fort was 9 me n were missing. After this fu­ then thrown upon the gunboats but tile attempt Gen. Banks renewed they quickly discovered that, in­ the state of siege which he continued stead of being protected by two until the fall of Vicksburg. With that thirty-pounders, the pass was de­ fortification in the hands of Gen. fended with 8 large caliber guns. Grant, the rebel commander of Port The small fleet was no match for Hudson, Ge. Gardner, recognized the the fire power directed against it folly of further resistance and sur­ and was fortunate to withdraw two rendered on July 8th. The whole of its four ships. These two con­ campaign in Louisiana, of which voyed the transports back to Bra- the 110th was a part, netted 10,584 shear City. prisoners, 73 guns, 6000 small After a protracted delay at Bras- arms, 3 gunboats 8 other boats, hear City, the troops under Gen. and immense stores of cotton and Franklin moved forward to Frank­ cattle. lin, La. and Vermillionville. Here Following the capture of Fort they met sharp resistance on the Hudson both Gen. Grant and Gen. enemy in a hasty retreat. Later the 47 fame day the remainder of the 19th acterized the peoples' preparations 9th of October but drove the 19th, for Christmas. "Fire crackers and and the whole of the 13th Corps, rockets... and the sidewalks are joined them at Camp Vermillion. lined with silks and finery, and the General Banks now established a places of amusement are doing a supply depot at New Iberia, 20 great business." miles below Vermillionville, and Shortly after Christmas our cor­ began preparations for his grand respondent, H. Wheeler, reported expedition. Franklin moved on to that he had been on a long journey Opelousas, found no opposition, and to Dry Tortugas and Key West, returned to New Iberia. On Octo­ as a guard for 15 prisoners. He ber 27th, 20 transports, with three spent one day at each place. "Tor­ gunboats, set out for the Texas tugas Is nothing but a small reef coast. Four days later they an­ with a high wall all around the chored off the mouth of the Rio outside, close to the water, and is Grande, and on November 1st. land­ about a mile around it. There are ed without opposition on Brazos Is­ a few orange, lemon and cocoa land. From this point they occupied trees inside." Tortugas It turned Brownsville, and then proceeded a- out, was to be the home of most long the coast, leaving garrisons of the 110th during their final year at strategic points. These were In service. too small to attempt any offensive, The troops quartered at New I- but their presence did serve to a- beria began a march down to New rouse the Rebels to place in West­ Orleans on January 7, 1864. They ern Louisiana a force sufficiently covered 12 miles the first day in formidable to cope with Banks ar­ frigid weather, the road being coat­ my. Hence, no conquest of Texas ed with 2 inches of ice. Upon ar­ was effected at this time. rival they were assigned to guard During the last two months of duty and also to the construction 1863, and the early part of 1864, of a bridge across the bayou. Lea- from 20,000 to 30,000 troops lay nder Tuller, a cook in Co. E, re­ idle in Louisiana waiting for the sumed work at the bakery. On Feb­ next movement. Henry Wheeler ruary 16th he commented in his wrote from New Orleans on Dec­ diary that the regiment had been ember 9th saying that, although out foraging. On the 19th they took the 110th was still at New ft>eria, a boat for Brashear City and then he might as well stay in New Or­ the cars to Algiers, from whence leans until they return. they embarked on the "Merrimac" at 12 midnight, February 24th, bound for Tortugas. In another diary kept "Officers are thicker than toads by Harrison Burgess Herrlck of the after a shower. They are getting 110th the writer refers to being big pay and good living, and what sent, together with 15 others, to do they care how long the war relieve members of the 97th in sea­ lasts as long as they can stay rching incoming ships and checking here; and I have come to the passengers to make sure that none conclusion myself that there is got off "without they had the 'oth of, no use of fretting the cattle;. Aleagance'." Herrick met the men There is no news of any con­ who had just returned from New sequence...except a court mar­ Iberia and learned from them of tial now and then of some of­ their orders to Tortugas. ficer that the others find fault About one month later Herrick with because he can steal more and his companions were relieved than they can." by members of the 26th Massachu­ setts and on the 27th of March He also spoke at this period of boarded the "Ericson" with 68 the Fourth of July spirit that char­ prisoners, also bound for the pri- 48 son camp at Dry Tortugas. three gun tiers, designed for 450 In the meantime Banks had set; guns, and a garrison of 1,500 men. out on the famous Red River ex­ It is a half mile in perimeter. pedition, one of the most elaborate Federal troops hurriedly occupied episodes in the river war, but a Fort Jefferson on January 19, 1861, costlv fiasco for the Union side. as tension was mounting between It was a hug_e land and water oper­ the states. During the war it was ation under General Banks and Ad­ used as a prison and it was here, miral Porter, whose main object under tropical sun, in the deadly was to secure West Louisiana and monotony of sameness, that the East Texas, and perhaps arrest the "Old 110th» passed its final days ardor of Napoleon III in his Mexi­ as a regiment. can schemes; another purpose was The ordinary occupations of the the seizure of quantities of cot­ camp were guard duty, to which ton. The army units in this exped­ all were assigned, many hours of ition numbered about 30,000. The drill and bayonet practice (undoub­ 19th Corps was involved and most tedly necessary to provide exer­ likely a part of the 110th regi­ cise, occupation and discipline), and ment. The entire movement, from the sursuance of hobbies. In the onset to conclusion, extended from diaries of Harrison Herrick and March 12th to May 21st., 1864. Leander Tuller there are constant Banks had encountered insuperable references to all kinds of diver­ obstacles and "considering the am­ sions to which the men became bitious nature of the enterprise, attached; and it seems to me that its conclusion presented a sorry there is a very humorous side to anti-climax." "The treacherous na­ all these activities and to the gen­ ture of this crooked, narrow, and eral life that these soldiers had to turbid stream, whose high banks live on this desolate Island. Here furnished the most favorable posi­ are men who two short years ago tions for artillery and fox the dead­ could not wait to "get at the re­ ly sharp-shooter" contributed bels." Now they are trying to pre­ mightily to the defeat. The mem­ serve their sanity by just keeping bers of the 110th who were part busy at anything. of this expedition returned to Al­ As would be expected, prisoners giers and embarked for Fort Jef­ were always trying to escape. Some ferson to join those who had gone were successful in stealing official there in February and March. boats and In these crafts were able The final chapter of the history to sail to freedom. However, many of the Oswego 110th Regiment tells were caught, especially those who the story of a long and restless depended on the home-made boats tour of guard duty in the Union of the guards. At any rate, the Prison camp at Fort Jefferson, constant threat of escapes, and the on Dry Tortugas, the westernmost occasional succesful attempts, island of the Florida keys. This were topics of prime interest. Ap­ coral island was named by its dis­ parently the main punishment for coverer, Ponce deLeon, 'Las Tort­ escapees, when re-captured, was to ugas' — the Turtles - because be tied up for several hours in- of the great number of turtles that the severe heat. breed there. The later name, Dry Collecting turtle eggs, shells, and Tortuguas, warns the mariner that pressing moss were the hobbies there is no fresh water there. This to which the men devoted most fort was originally built to control of their time. The eggs, which were navigation in the gulf, and was the edible, were found on East Key. largest link in a chain of seacoast Tuller speaks of "a lot of us" defenses from Maine to Texas in starting out a 3 a.m. to spend the the early 1800's. Its 8-foot thick day "egging." The group returned walls stand 50 feet high. It" has on that occasion with 26 dozen 49 eggs. The sea shells were cleaned plus the egging, shelling, and press­ and made Into knick-knacks, such ing - all these and many other as buttons, trays, and also kept as diversions did not make the mem­ shells simply for their coloring, bers of the 110th happy at Tortu- formation, etc. Herrick was always gas. It was a long, hard stuggle sending home huge boxes of shells, for the men to keep their balance. so the others probably were too. On August 8, 1864 Tuller wrote, The pressing of moss and fern and "It is as dull as a jack knife; flora into artistic patterns seems to two years ago today I enlisted. have been a real accomplishment, I made a fool of myself." Many and a lucrative one. In the files of of the others must have felt the Fort Jefferson they still retain sev­ same way. eral books of pressed marine plants Before the time arrived for their which were made during the Civil departure news came that they were War. The plants are still (I960) going to be released ahead of sche­ in near perfect condition. They were dule. However, when the regiment arranged in patterns to form designs., arrived which was to relieve them, and some were used to form fram­ it was colored. This created a es for hand-drawn sketches. Each terrible stir. To say the least, page* was "made and then formed they were not welcome. It was into a book. The process appears further considered dangerous to to have been achieved by placing leave them in any authority. "We damp plants on paper, and then have had a fuss with the regiment pressing from the back toward a of Niggers; our boys shot at one smooth,, flat surface. Extremely and ran the bainet in one." heavy weights must have been used Another negro was shot and because the stems of the plants are killed for not obeying orders. The totally flat. The designs are often colored regiment arrived January spider-web thin, yet they have held 26th and left February 18th. up for 100 years. A Mrs. torDes, April 20, 1865 brought the news viewing these books of oceanic flora of Lee's surrender. An officer wrote in December 1959, wrote "I looked to the Mexico, N.Y. Independent: over three enchanting books (1864) beautifully bound, with their pressed "Lee's surrender was celebra­ flora - seaweeds, exquisitely press­ ted with a salvo of 200 guns. ed - and placed on different pap­ The Cap»t of the 'Ella Morse' ers, some blue, some white, some which plies between Key West pink. I wish I knew their techni­ and our island had a piece of que of pasting as the job has been bunting flying to indicate good so neatly done, and is so artis­ news. Yesterday, when he hove tic. And the colors, I feel, are in sight, it was sung out, "Good still true. "Day after day Leander news coming!", as all the bunt­ Tuller recorded in his diary that ing could be seen. But on the he and others were pressing moss. near approach of the steamer It must have really fascinated It was noticed that the flag the men, for he wrote was at half mast... You can on Jan. 2, 1865, "To Long Key imagine our feelings when it after moss; I have moss on the was announced from the deck brain." In April he said they had of the steamer, "President Lin­ pressed 150 specimens and the he coln is dead! Fell by the hand had sold some for $31, certainly of an assassin.".... Some pris­ a good price in those days. oners expressed themselves, Ships coming and going, new pris­ glad... and wished it had been oners arriving, a few promotions, done four years ago. They soon fights, bets, fishing, boat build­ found themselves confined in ing, a few social events, some a dungeon on a diet of bread drinking, debates (and arguments) and water. Some of our sold-

50 lers... would have administer­ sympathy for them, although it was ed justice without mercy and hard to see them suffering. Some sent them to their long home. wanted to shoot them; others want­ One of these prisoners was ed to hang them, and if the officers tried for murder, found guilty, had not interfered, they would have and sentenced to be hung, but done it. the President commuted his At 4 p.m. on August 16, 1865, sentence to life imprisonment, the men embarked on the steamer and that was his gratitude." "Tonawanda" bound for New York. There was a short stop at Key Some of the prisoners who hurrah­ West. It was a rough Journey but ed were tied up with their hands it brought them home. They ar­ behind them and drawn up so that rived in Albany on the 24th of they could just touch the ground. August, and the next day, three They soon came to time and begged years to the day from their de­ and cried and stormed and prayed parture, they were mustered out and cursed but no one had any of the service of the United States.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

THE 110th OSWEGO REGIMENT —1862-63 8. History of Oswego County -1877 Published by L.H. Everts & Co. Philadelphia, Pa. 1. Letters from Henry Wheeler, 9. History of New York State Regi­ Mexico, N.Y. Co . E, 110th Regi­ ments Philisterer, Vol. 1 ment to his parents. 10. Harper's History of the Great 2. Letters of Peter Kitts (110th Rebellion—Vol. 11 1868 N.Y.V.) to S.F. Case, Fulton, N.Y. 11. History of the Civil War in 3. Letters of Jessie Niles, Co. A. the United States, John S.C. Abbott, 110th Regiment, N.Y.V. toS.F. Case, 1866 Fulton, N.Y. 12. Folder from the U.S. Dept. of $. Diary of Leander Tuller, Mexi­ Interior Fort Jefferson National co, N.Y. Co. E 110th Regiment Monument 5 Diary of Harrison B. Herrick, 13. Letter from Richard M. Ward, in Oswego County Historical Soc­ Chief Park Ranger, Fort Jefferson. iety's Sixteenth Publication, 1953 14. Letter from Mrs. Allyn B. 6. Mexico "Independent" March Forbes, Cambridge, Mass. 23, 1865 15. The Civil War and Reconstruc­ 7. Oswego "Commercial Times" tion, by Randall

51

•W0& /»i^K^-

Oswego Fires

(Presented by Anthony M. Slosek, March 19, 1963)

The scene of July 6, 1853, re­ at an auction two years ago for minded the people of Oswego of "only a few dollars." Their his­ the eloquent passage from Carlyle: toric importance was recognized "When I gaze into the stars, not only to the newspapers and they look down upon me with pity photographers but also to the city from their serene and silent spac­ of Oswego. On the back they bore es, like eyes glistening with tears the named of "Barnard", trade­ over the little lot of men. Thous­ mark of George N. Barnard, an ands of generations, all as noisy Oswego Daguerretftypist, who ser­ as our own, have be&n swallowed ved as a Civil War army photo­ up by Time, and their remains grapher. no record of them any more. Yet The fire photographs are tech­ Arcturus and Orion, Sirus and Ple­ nically unusual with action in them iades, are still shining in their arrested. According to Mr. New- courses, clear and young, as when hall, the originals are only 2 1/4 the shepherd noted them in the Plains X 3 1/4 inches, but so detailed of Shinar.*' it was possible to make 8 X 10 There appeared in the newspapers enlargements showing even fuller on Sunday, February 18, 1962, two details. photographs of a fire in Oswego, Forerunner of modern photography New York, on July 5, 1853. (1) was the daguerreotype developfta These two rare daguerreotypes that by Louis J.M. Daguerre, a French­ turned up in Rochester, New York, man in 1839. The process produc­ are believed to be the earliest known ed an image on a silver plate spot news photographs of an action or a silver-covered plate, made event taken in America. Beaumont sensitive by iodine. Newhall, director of Eastman House, who had acquired the pictures, stated II that were taken a month earlier One of the most destructive fires than a daguerreotype previously that ever took place in the city considered the first news photo broke out about half past ten o'clock made in this country. That one, he in the morning in Fitzhugh &Co.'s said, shows a train wreck on the flour mill. (2) Aided by a strong Providence & Worcester Railroad wind from the west, the flames near Pawtucket, Rhode Island, on spread with astonishing and unpar­ August 12, 1853. alleled rapidity, sweeping every­ However, publication of photos thing before it until the Second Ward by line-drawing engravings, did not was a mass of ruins, covering about get started until 1855, and use of 50 acres. The heat across the river, actual photo engraving reproduction a distance of seven hundred feet, did not come until 1880. was so great that it was feared the opposite side would catch, but The action lire pictures were the wind blowing strong in the op­ brought to Eastman House by James position direction prevented it. Cady, an artist, who purchased them 55 The section of the town consumed Number 5 did herself proua. The is bounded on the west by the river, day passed off as it should, to the on the south by Bridge Street, on satisfaction o* all." the east by Sixth Street, on the On the following day, three entries north by Fort Ontario grounds. were found, one proving Number 5 Every mill and warehouses were was not so proud. The first entry: lost, except Randall's Elevator, the "July 5, met at 8 o'clock to es­ Second Methodist Church and a half cort our brethren from Auburn to a dozen dwellings. (3) The loss was the cars. They left amid cheers estimated to be about one million long and loud." The next page was and a half dollars. dated the same day at 11 o'clock, • It was first believed that the fire presumably morning: originated from friction in a smut "A fire broke out in the mills machine of Fitzhugh & Co.'s flour on the East side which spread so mill. The miller, Mr. Brown, stated rapidly the engines were of little that that was not so. (4) He was in use, not enough having hose to the mil when the fire broke out, place them where they could be and discovered it, when it was con­ worked to advantage. We were driv­ fined to an area not larger than a en from our first position by the hogshead. It broke out in the north­ intense heat. Took our machines west corner of the mill on the low­ on Ames' dock, played a few min­ er floor, next to the water, and not utes, found the fire was too hot, near the machinery of the mill. tried to get back but could not as It was accounted for in two ways: the fire was so hot that it blister­ either by a fire cracker having been ed the men's faces and hands and thrown in the basement and remain­ compelled them to drop the drag ing there until the fresh breeze of ropes. the morning fanned it into a flame; "We backed the engine down a- or from an incendiary. A person gain, took suction, turned the stream would be inquisitive about a fire as on the men and machine to keep large as an area of the size of a from burning up. Played so some barrel, with a man present, could time in hopes of getting a boat to get out of control and spread so us to take our engine off. Saw that rapidly. The fact is that a flour the boat was not going to get up mill or an elevator is full of dust in time and not wanting the name and the building being off wood of our machine burn, we let her lends itself to disaster almost im­ take a dive in the river where she mediately. lay till the next day when we went and got her out. Volunteer firemen had a busy "After we put our engine in the day of it according to a vivid ac­ river we went and got old 5 but count of the fire in the volunteer's found so out of order that we could minutes kept by the Secretary of not use her. Drawed her to one the Fire department, J.E.B. Cur- side, took the hooks and ladders rey. (5) Fourth of July celebrations and done what we could. The city on the day preceding the fire in­ telegraphed for help. Three compan­ cluded a firemen's demonstration ies from Syracuse and two from by the local company and one from Fulton came but were too late to Auburn recorded as fellows: do much good. The fire burned "July 4, company met pursuant out about half of the East side up." to adjournment. The department went to thenars to receive Niagara A study of the map will show No. 3 of Auburn, after which we that all of the elevators and flour joined the celebration and had a good mills fronting the river from the time. At 2 o'clock we all repaired lower bridge north to the basin to the canal on the East side of or Smith's Cove. The list is as the river to try our machines. follows: Fitzhugh & Co., flour mill, 56 loss $20,000, insured $12,000; Sy­ motion of J.C. Wright a committee lvester Doolittle, mill and stock, of five was appointed on subscrip­ loss $45,000, insured partially; A- tion, whose duty it was to raise mes & Brothers, grain elevator, money and other necessaries suf­ loss $20,000, insured $12,000, and ficient to relieve distressed in a $50,000 on grain in store, owners manner honorable to the general mostly abroad, insurance unknown; feelings of the citizens. Luther Howlett, Gardner & Co., provisions Wright was appointed treasurer, Al­ store in basement, $15,000 insured fred Mix, Rev. Mr. Cook, Rev. Mr. for $13,500; H.M. Ames plaster mill Butterfield and John W. Smith, whose and two stores on First Street, duty it was to examine and make a $10,000, insured for $7,500; Pen- proper and judicious distribution field, Lyons & Co., flour mill and of funds to be raised. stock of grain and flour, $40,000, All of the victims of the fire were insured $30,000; T. Wyman, flour temporarily provided for: hundreds mill, building and contents entirely were quartered in the hotels and destroyed, loss unknown; J.L. Hall other public buildings. & Co., grain elevator, loss on build­ A call went out to the ladies ing $28,000; Fitzhugh & Littlejohn, of Oswego to meet at the City Hall warehouse and office, large loss; for the purpose of supplying fami­ Talcott & Canfield, Iron Foundry lies destitute by the fire with cloth­ & Machine Works. A large list ing. Those who had articles of cloth­ describing the varied and different ing to spare were requested to send types of business establishments them to the City Hall. (6) The Rev. was published in the local press Mr. Gallagher was appointed chair­ for several days. man and John W. Smith, secretary. About 2,000 people were without On a motion of Mrs. Crocker, a shelter. The streets and Public committee of six ladies from each Square were crowded with groups ward were appointed whose duty it of homeless women and children was to collect clothing, bedding, with their property. It was neces­ furniture, and other materials. sary to appoint guards to patrol The Common Council met July the area to prevent theft. First 6th and passed a resolution of thanks reports in the local press did not to Fulton and Syracuse for sending mention any casulties but later one two fire engines; a resolution to man was reported missing. There pay a reward of $1,000 for the ap­ is no doubt that this disaster was prehension and conviction of the one of the worst ever visited the fire incendiarist; and took measures town. to increase the efficiency of the In view of the great calamity, a Fire Department. (7) meeting of a large number of.citi- Several minor incidents kept the zens took place at 5 o'clock the citizens in a state of uneasiness; a same day at the Court House. Wil­ few here are mentioned. liam Lewis was called to the chair The jail, a stone building, came and William S. Malcolm appointed very near set ablaze. A cinder flew secretary. On motion of A. P. Grant into the window and set some straw a committee of fifteen was appoint­ on fire and it spread with great ed to ascertain the wants of the rapidity in the rooms. The prisoners distressed and devise temporary were liberated and took hold with relief. On the committee were: Hon. energy and saved the building. A.P. Grant, Mayor Colver, John Still another fire was discovered B. Edwards, Erastus Jones, Jacob the same night about one o'clock Richardson, J.L. Lake, D.B. Blair, in the roof of the brick block owned George Alford, M. Carpenter, Por- by John Carpenter on the corner tius P. Parsons, J. C. Hugunin, Alvin of West First and Market Streets. (8) Osborn, R.G. Wellington, Rev. Mr. The whole upper story seemed to Butterfield, and Rev. Mr. Cook. On be threatened with considerable des- 57 truction. It was averted by a fort­ W.G. Thompson Lancaster, 240.00 unate circumstance. Twocampanies H.P. Brewster London 100.00 from Syracuse remained overnight "Sufferers friend" by the 40.00 and saved the building. Since the hand of F. Ramsdell 100.00 upper story was unoccupied, there Citizens of Oswego 30000 was no doubt that this was the work Total Amount Received of an incendiary. 686T.50 Also the City Hall on Water Street In addition to the above a com­ was set on fire the same night. mittee of Ladies procured a lar- It was discovered my mere acci­ ged quantity of clothing and bed­ dent. The large upper room was ding which was placed subject to filled by the poor houseless people. the orders of this committee. The evidence left no doubt that it With these means the committee was an incendiary. has relieved 230 families, compris­ Report of the committee appointed ing 830 individuals. by the Citizens of the City of Oswe­ go for the distribution of the fund raised for the relief of the sufferers by the fire on July 5, 1853 was The task imposed upon the com­ made on September 5, 1853 by its mittee had been arduous and deli­ secretary John W. Smith. (9) The cate, requiring much care and in­ different sums, placed at the dis­ vestigation. To do justice to all, posal of the committee, have been it had been necessary to estimate made as follows: losses of each, his age, condition in life, number of dependents and pecuniary prospects as compared From with those of others; and the vari­ Powell & Co. New York $200.00 ous situations had been such, that Jonathon Sturgess " 100.00 no two exactly parallel cases had Emanuel Burckle " 100.00 been found. Robert F. Sage " 100.00 As a consequence of the calamit­ Suydam Reid & Co. " 100.00 ous fire the Common Council, in Miss Shutes " 40.00 a special meeting, discussed the inadequate fire department . (10) Joseph Fowler " 2 5.00 In a sombre statement it took notice "Sufferers friend" by the hand that the need of an effective appara­ of Mrs. Mary Carring- tus and materials was apparent. A ton, New York 20.00 large portion of the equipment was J.B. Murray " 20.00 old and worn state was destroyed. Mrs. Cady " 5.00 Houses of engine company No. 3 J.B. Plumb Albany 1150.00 and Hook and Ladder Company No. 2 Rufus H. King " 150.00 burned; implements and hose des­ troyed. Much of the equipment Joel Rathbun " 100.00 proved unserviceable and useless. Thurlow Weed " 50.00 A large addition in the force and niinghast & Co. Troy 50.00 material was needed. There was no J.C. Osgood " 50.00 doubt of incendiaries; additional pol­ Dean Richmond Buffalo 100.00 ice force and temporary watch were Gerritt Smith Peterborough 1,000 • Horace White Syracuse 100.80 required. Since a well disciplined Hamilton White " 100.00 and efficiently equipped fire depart­ Samuel Mead " 20.00 ment was absolutely essential; and Judge Pratt " 10.00 since the Common Council had no means of defraying such expenses, Citizens of the Village of 715.25 estimated at $5,000; it decided to Fulton hold a special election for a bond­ Otis Bigelow Baldwinsville 100. ing issue. J.D. Ledyard Cazenovia 100.00 j! Gillette Cleveland, Ohio 100 Citizens of Toledo, Ohio o A study of the map will show was the first mill, the "old yellow what the burned out portion of Os­ mill", in Oswego originally erected wego looked like in 1851 . (11) by Bronson & Morgan in 1826. Starting from the basin or Smith's (16) About 1835 it was destroyed by Cove and proceeding south from fire and rebuilt in 1837 by C.J. East Schuyler Street, block 45 con­ Burckle and named the Phoenix tained lots 1, 2,3,4,5,6. Each lot Mills. It was replaced in 1847 by a was 66 feet wide and varied in new structure, owned and operated length due to the contour of the riv­ by Fitzhugh & Littlejohn. Later this er banks; the regular lots were 66 mill was owned by Luther Wright, by 200 feet. The streets were 100 Lathrop, Smith & Co., Howlett, Gar­ feet wide. Block 63 contained lots dner & Co., The Oswego Milling Co., 7,8,9,10,11,12; block 81 contained Dunston & Royce. lots 13,14,15,16,17,18. The map is Sylvester Doolittle's Empire Mill notable in that it describes and lo- and Elevator was erected in 1843-4 cates most businesses and own­ on lot 14. Jenkins & Doolittle ac­ ers. (12) quired them in 1864 and sold Another consequence of the fire them to Benjamin Doolittle in 1874. was the immediate rebuilding of not When fire destroyed them, he re­ only the elevators and mills on a built them with a reduced capacity. much larger scale but also much of George and Cheney Ames erected the east side downtown area. Some the Reciprocity Mills and Elevator unknown artist made a sketch of on lot 13. They subsequently passed the new elevators from the lower into the hands of Cheney Ames. bridge northward to Seneca Street, About 1837 a saw mill occupied evidently from the same location the site; and about 1846 the mill of the Barnard daguerreotype. (13) was used to saw timber and lumber Using the sketch and condensed for an elevator. The saw mill was table as a guide and reference, a then demolished and an elevator history of the east side milling in erected in its place. It was the se­ dustry follows. cond elevator in the city. EAST SIDE ELEVATORS AND Cayuga Street intervened between MILLS the above named structures and the ones on block 63 7 througn 12. A fire in 1879 had destroyed the Lake William J. Pardee's Congress Ontario, Empire, and Reciprocity Mill on lot 18 was destroyed by mills and elevators and were not the 1850 fire and was not rebuilt; rebuilt. A photograph shows the area the map shows the lot vacant. Lewis empty after that date from Cayuga and Rathbun's Empire Elevator was Street south to the lower bridge. on lot 17. The map and sketch shows Next north was Wright & Little­ lot 16 vacant because the Henry john's Continental Elevator. It was Matthew's Express Mill, although erected after the fire in 1853. built of stone, was destroyed by The Ames plaster mill, next to the 1850 fire and yet not rebuilt. the Continental, was built in 1842. This was the site of the second An advertisement in a local paper mill built in Oswego in 1828 by of that year stated that the plaster Henry Fitzhugh & Co. (15) About mill was unaffected by the fire five or six years afterwards it was (1842) and when completed will serve destroyed by fire and in 1837 re­ the public with the best material built by Talcott & Bond and sub­ and workmanship. It was one of the sequently purchased by Henry Mat­ most extensive mills in the United thews. He had been engaged in the States. In 1862 Henry Ames replac­ express business and named it the ed the plater mill with the Corn Express Mills. Exchange Elevator. The sketch Next on lot 15 was Fitzhugh & shows the plaster mill and the photo­ Littlejohn's Lake Ontario Mills. It graph, the elevator. 61 In 1831 or 1832 the fourth mill In 1828 when Oswego had been incorporated as a village a fire is Oswego was built by Dr. Cole department organization was es­ and Luther Wright on the site north tablished through formal action of of the Corn Exchange. In 1842 the the Village Board. (20) At the out­ newly founded firm of Penfield, set its functions were aimed es­ Lyons & Co. built the Washington pecially at prevention of fires rath­ Mills and elevator. Next norm was Truman Wyman's er than at perfecting means for Columbia Mill and Elevator. Moses extinction and control after they Merick and Jesse Hoyt purchased had developed. the mill in 1860. The came the site Four wardens were choien by of Oswego's third elevator, erected the electorate each year who ;e duty by Bond & Ulhorn. It was afterwards was to inspect not only business owned by J.L. Hall & Co. and ac­ buildings but dwellings as well from cording to one source was the standpoint of existing fire haz­ rebuilt by Beniamin ards. There was not a chimney in hagamon but the 1856 City Direc­ the village that was not looked tory lists William H. Herrick as over at least once a year to make the owner of the Frontier. It was certain that it was in proper con­ last known as Merchants Elevator dition. In the absence of fire en­ with Smith, Murdock & Co. as its gines and a water system even a proprietor. fire seemingly of a trifling nature All mills and elevators in block might easily develop into a conflag­ 63 from the Continental to the Mer­ ration which could cancel out in a chants were wiped out by the fire few minutes all of the progress in May 1892 and were not rebuilt. which might have been built up in Thus ended what was left of Oswe­ the little community in the past go's milling industry. decade. Not only were chimneys Across Seneca Street is block inspected on the visit of the fire 45 with lots 1 to six inclusive. warden but the occupants of dwell­ The third mill erected about the year ings were called upon to produce 1830 by R.L. DeZeng was probably fire buckets with which each house­ on lot 6. From the map it appears hold ordinance was required to poss­ that this might have been the site; ess and keep in good functioning for, the location seems to have condition for use in "bucket brig­ been "on a lot for many years ade" whenever a fire should arise. past had been occupied by the old Some of these household buckets, Fitzhugh & Littlejohn ware­ frequently of leather construction, house." (17) Afterwards the Marine were ornate in nature and bore on Elevator occupied the site until the exterior the name of the owner destroyed by the 1892 fire. (18) and frequently some form of sten­ The first elevator in Oswego for ciled or other decoration as well. handling grain was built in 1844 They were supposed to be kept or 1845 by James Piatt and for handily near the front entrance to years it was known as the "Piatt the household ready to be snatched Elevator." (19) It was located on up and borne away to the scene the east side on Smith's Cove (ba­ of the fire whenever the occasion sin), foot of East First Street. It should arise. had storage room for 75,000 bus­ At the fire the wardens would be hels and elevate 1,000 bushels per very much in evidence as they had hour. Some time later is was pur­ the duty of directing the methods chased by J.B. Edwards and Eras- .to be adopted in fighting the fire, tus Jones and leased to Harvey the setting up of long queues of Clark of Fulton. Later it was pur­ persons leading from the nearest chased by Randall Bros, and was supply of water to the scene of the known as the "Randall Elevator" fire from which hand-to-hand pass­ until it was destroyed by fire in ed the water buckets until they the fall of 1865. reached the location of the fire

62 where a group of specially exper­ were added to the department at ienced men would take over the that time. The Village Board of duty of casting the contents judi­ Trustees approved applications for cially upon the flames while a- membership as well as resignations nother equally long queue of men in the fire department. After the formed to pass the empty buckets 1853 fire, apparatus of an approved back once more to the point where type was added to the equipment they could be filled. This endless of the fire department based on the procedure was kept up until the fire experience gained in fighting the had been distinguished, the build­ serious fires along the water front. ing had been destroyed or until On April 12, 1855 the Oswego Fire the danger of the fire spreading Department was incorporated. The to nearby buildings had been elim­ end of the volunteer fire department inated. era came to an end in 1876 when it Each warden was distinguished at was reorganized on a paid basis. a fire through the fact that he bore The fire department in 1852 con­ in his hand a long pole painted red sisted of a Council to which the with words "Fire Warden" appear­ Chief Engineer, his first and second ing prominently near its top. The Assistants, Secretary and Treasur­ fire Warden's orders had the force er were members; delegates to the of law during the progress of a council were selected, two from each fire just the same as the fire chief's of the four fire companies. Each commands had in a city fire de­ company had its own organization partment today. with the following officers: Fore­ The first organized Oswego Fire man, Assistant, Secretary, and Company was equipped with buckets Treasurer. The names of the fire and other primitive means of fire companies were: Empire, No 2, fighting and had its headquarters Motto; "Excelsior"; Niagara No. 3. in Water Street, near Market Street. Cataract No. 4, Motto, "Prompt In 1833 there was built a special to Obey When Duty Calls"; Wash­ engine house for this company when ington No 5, Motto, "We'll Try"; a building was erected just north of Hose No . 2, Motto, "Try Us"; the Market House (City Hall) where Hose No . 3, Motto "Rough and a hand "pumper" and other appara­ Ready"; Hose No. 4, Motto, "Cro- tus were installed. ton"; Hose No. 5, Motto, "Onwards." Oswegonians witnessed their first After 1825 the fire alarms were serious fire on Friday, October 1, sounded from the tower of the First 1830. (22) The entire block, bounded Presbyterian Church which stood by West first, Cayuga, Second and at that time in West Park. Then Seneca Streets, being at that time after 1838 the alarms were sound­ in the main business section of the ed from the first town clock on community, was entirely consumed top of the old Market House. by fire. In 1837 Fitzhugh & Co»s Moses P. Hatch was the first flour mill (Lot 17) on the east Chief Engineer appointed to have side was lost. The First Presby­ supervision at the scene of a fire terian Church, at that time in West in directing the work of all the vol­ Park, was set on fire in 1841. unteer fire companies. (21) He took The citizens of Oswego were suf­ over the duties formerly performed ficiently incensed to petition the by the fire wardens and the respon­ President and Trustees of the Vil­ sibilities for fighting fires was lage "to offer a reward of $750 therefore under control of a single for the apprehension and conviction head or individual for the first time of the person or persons concerned in Oswego. in setting fire to the Presbyterian In 1842 the Oswego Fire Depart­ Church on the night of the 24th ment was reorganized under pro­ of October, 1841." (23) It might vision of a state law then recently be noted that the culprit (s) was passed. Additional fire companies never found. 63 The first disastrous fire to pla­ think the bridge will be in its gue the east side docks was on place in three weeks. I guess not. November 24, 1842. It started at Mrs. Weeks offered to build a foot 4:30 A.M. in the Fitzhugh & Co.'s bridge in one-half a day for the mill. It consumed the mills of Tru­ toll. man Wyman and Luther Wright, Tuesday, January 19-1 pay for warehouse of Colonel T.S. Mor­ crossing sometimes three cents gan, Boigeol's machine shop, Ames and sometimes six just as they feel. plaster mill, the Cross blacksmith There has been a boat rigged as a shop, in addition to the dwellings ferry. A rope is attached to the of T.S. Morgan, Simeon Bates, and mast head which reaches to a two belonging to Jesse Bennett. The pier in the bridge and thus mech­ estimated loss was $100,000. anically swing across the river. Another fire, of an incendiary There are many small boats also, origin, broke out on January 16, all sorts of prices. 1847 in the warehouse of Merrick, Thursday January 21 - A fire Davis & Co. on Water Street. (24) broke out in a large store block A strong wind from the north spread in West Oswego which was soon the fire to the Commercial Hotel extinguished before it had done and Dickinson & Co.'s warehouse. much damage. The firemen work A spark set the lower bridge, 200 just as though they know how. It yards away, on fire and destroyed was done by an incendiary.None four lengths and the wooden abut­ can doubt. But who can be the ments. It caused a considerable in­ person that does it? Five hundred convenience to the people before dollars reward has been offered the bridge could be repaired. A for his detection. few excerpts from the diary of Friday, January 22 - The taber­ teacher Samuel P. Cole reflected nacle was set on fire tonight. the feelings of the residents: (25) Saturday, February 13 - Found Saturday, January 16, 1847- the bridge passable for footmen Very stormy. The cry of fire is now raised in the street and the On the morning of December 1, wind is blowing so fear it will 1848 at about 2:15 a fire was dis­ do a great deal of damage. I covered in the Methodist Episco­ must see. pal Church, situated on the Pub­ Sunday, January 17 - Great qom- lic Square, West Side. (26) The motion on all hands today, the building was entirely consumed. "We only connection between the two understand," according to the lo­ villages, is destroyed while the two cal press "that a meeting was held warehouses and the tavern were in the basement last night and that burning last night, the sparks flew care was taken on leaving the build­ and caught the bridge and burned it ing to guard against fire. We learn, except 1 or 2 abutments on each also, that the fire was discovered end. Now all the passing is done in the upper part of the Church, re­ in a small boat and it is diffi­ mote from the stove or stove pipe. cult as that the current is so The general impression seems to swift. be that the fire was an act of an Monday, January 18 - The con­ incendiary. The building was in­ nection between the villages being sured for $1,000. We understand destroyed caused a great deal of that about the same time, an at­ trouble for the population in gen­ tempt was made to fire the Taber­ eral and me in particular. I cross nacle, on West Second Street." only morning and night at 6 each A fire broke out about 2:30 trip...great talk about building a on the morning of July 30, 1850 bridge. There was an attempt to in a large building at the east fire Willis' (139 West FirstStreet) end of the toll or lower bridge store but not successful. They standing on the canal and occup- ied for various manufacturing pur­ erected over the canal by Jesse poses and filled with machinery of Bennett. At this point Engine Co. various kinds. (27) The fire com­ No. 2 was caught between two fires municated with the adjoining flour and after a desperate effort to save mills of William J. Pardee and Hen­ their engine, they were compelled ry Matthews on the north, which were by the intense heat on Bridge Street consumed with a considerable to abandon it and it was burned. amount of flour and wheat. The The fire spread on the south side wind being favorable, blowing a of Bridge Street with great speed, light breeze from the north, the and the whole block lying between fire was arrested in this direction the river and First Street was a at the next adjoining mill of Henry heap of ruins. Fitzhugh & Co. by the efficient The building of Congress Mills, aid of the powerful force pumps owned by William J. Pardee were in the mills and by the well dir­ worth $12,000, in which was burned ected efforts of the firemen. 1200 barrels of four and 400 bus­ The fire was arrested to the sur­ hels of what estimated at $6,500, prise of everybody, at mills of both building and stock insured. Henry Matthews, by the force pumps Henry Matthews Express Mills were in the mills Fitzhugh & Co., and estimated at $18,000 in which he Doolittle & Mollison and Engine lost 1,000 barrels of flour and No. 4 (28) The hose belonging to 12,000 bushels of wheat, estimated trie pumps in these mills, and En­ value $17,000, building partially in­ gine No. 4 were run so as to pour sured but not on stock. About one- a continued flood of water over the third of the bridge was burned with mills of Fitzhugh & Co., which stood a loss of $1,500. Schooners T Wy- nearly in contact with the Express man, Seneca and Liverpool took Mills of Mr. Matthews. The mills fire and sustained some damage. stood on the river front and were A fleet of a large class of vessels difficult of access by engines on were saved through the energetic ef­ the river side, but they did good forts of resolute men led on by service from the canal in the rear. such fearless and determined men as It was therefore owing chiefly to Captain Iago of the Cayuga and Mr. the efficient application of the force Ramsdell of the steamboats. The pump that the fire was arrested total loss sustained by the fire will where it was, and three of the lar­ not vary much from $90,000. gest and most valuable mills in the This 1850 fire was only a prelude city saved. If this good fortune had to the great disaster of 1853, nor prevailed in the 1853 fire, the sad was the city spared from future and costly fire would not have been fires, for in 1858 Carrington's so extensive. Ontario (steam) elevator, the lar­ The flames were carried from the gest one on the lakes, at the foot Crocker building across the street of West First Street, was des­ on the south, set the east end of troyed. Other mills and elevators the bridge on fire and communica­ took their turn as noted previously. ted with the new block of stores

65 The special election was held on in 1852. The "watch" was police­ August 2, 1853 and the voters were men or night watchmen who were in favor of the Common Council's employed to patrol the streets at request to borrow the necessary night to maintain order, lock store funds. and factory doors that had been In this year, a "light and watch" carelessly left unlocked by their district was established. The owners and see that they were car­ "light" was to provide for the ed for, and keeping constantly on lighting and extinguishing of the the watch to discover fires while gas light contracted for by the they were yet in their incipient city. Artificial gas was establised stages.

66 THE PHOTOGRAPHER George N. Barnard, the Connecti­ cut-born photographer took up the profession in 1842, three years after Daguerre disclosed the pro­ cess. (29) One of the earliest re­ ferences to the photographer's pre­ sence in Oswego was in 1847 when an enthusiastic admirer remarked that "Mr. Barnard, at his rooms in the Palladium Building (south­ west corner of West First and Cay­ uga Streets), is taking some of the finest pictures, we have ever seen. They seem to be fully equal to Plumbe's (prominent New York City

67 photographer). Mr. Barnard is one to the foot of West Cayuga Street of our most meritorious citizens, near West Oneida Street, lookin and we hope those wanting anything northeast. Mr. Barnard advertised in his line will give him a call." from July 12 to August 1 that (30) Again in 1848 reference is made "pictures of the late fire taken to "Mr. Barnard who has taken up while burning" could be obtained. a permanent residence in this city These pictures are copied from (Oswego) executes Daguerreotype large pictures, and are fauthful likenesses at his office in the Wood­ representations of the different ruff Block (southwest corner of stages of the fire as it appeared West First and Cayuga Streets), on the 5th. Also views of the ruins with life-like truth and fidelity. (31) as they now appear." (35) In 1851, George N. Barnard "res­ In 1854 Mr. Barnard formed a pectively informs his friends and the partnership under the name of Bar­ public generally, that he has removed nard & Nichols, practicing their to his new rooms, fitted up expressly art from 7 o'clock A.M. and 6 for taking DAGUERREOTYPE PIC­ P.M. at their rooms over the City TURES, over E.P. Burt's store Bank. (36) A card informed the (137 West First Street, the present public that Mr. Barnard has re­ Coe's Laundry). He has perfected covered from his sickness and has a powerful sky-light, yet so mellow just returned from New York with that he has enabled to take the like­ a large variety of goods. He is nesses of children and all others, listed in the Syracuse directories in a few seconds, with perfect ease of 1854, 1855, 1857, the first two to the sitter; retaining a natural years at 4 Franklin Building, now expression." (32) c. 128 East Genesee Street. (37) In 1853 Mr. Barnard resided at There was no 1856 directory. In 105 East Fourth Street and his studio 1854 the firm of Barnard & Nic­ was located on the third floor of the hols is given, but no photographer City Bank, 147 West First Street, of Nichols is listed as an in­ on the southeast corner of West dividual , 1853-1857. First and Cayuga Streets. (33) It was demolished in September 1962. Isaih Taber and B.F. Howland took He advertised himself as a dag- over the location in 1857. Mr. Bar­ uerrean who took pictures in every nard's listing, if there was one, style and in all weather; he, also, was not located in the 1855 census. had a large assortment of gold Barnard's ambrotype gallery was and plated lockets, plates, cases at 6 South Salina (no. 8 Wiething frames, chemicals etc., constantly Block) in p857. He does not ap­ on hand, wholesale and retail. "We pear in the 1859 book. H. Lazier took occasion to visit him in his advertised at the Wieting Block new quarters and were highly pleas­ ed with all his arrangements" wrote address in 1858, J.ri. French lists a reporter. (34) An elaborate account G.N. Barnard as one of three art­ of the premises included a descrip­ ists who assisted on his State Map tion of the Reception, Operating and Gazetteer. (Title verso, 1859). Room, Toilet Room, and other apart­ He subsequently was employed by ments for the convenience of the Matthew B. Brady in his New York patrons and the sales of wares, studio. The first week of February, chemicals, etc. There was no doubt 1861, Mr. Brady sent for two of that the facilities for operating were his best photographers, G.N. Bar­ not excelled this side of New York, nard being one, to come from New and Mr. Barnard's reputation and his York to Washington to help him with ability to please as an artist was preparation to cover Lincoln's in­ established. auguration. (38) It was from these quarters that George N. Barnard was among he took his cumberdome camera the first persons to photograph 68 scenes of the Civil War Dattles After his short visit to Oswego, and campaigns. Brady, a studio he was appointed as the United Sta­ portrait photographer, had myopia tes Army's official photographer as early as 1851 and was unable "on Sherman's "March to the Sea" to do studio work by themid-1850's; and the later campaign in the Car- therefore, Brady depended upon field olinas. In 1866 he published an photographers to take the many Civil album of views taken in Tennessee, War pictures for which he was later Georgia, and the Carolinas in 1864 credited. A large number of photo­ and 1865 that sold then for $100 graphs heretofore credited to Brady a copy and is "now so excessively have proved to be photographs by rare that few collectors or institu­ Barnard. tions have copies." According to Manuel Kean, Phil­ Mr. Barnard is listed in the adelphia pictorial archivist, "It has 1864 directory as "engineer, de­ been an article of faith with many part, govt, photographer," no bus­ historians that any photograph show­ iness address, home 228 Townsend. ing a Civil War scene is a Brady. This home address is continued in Yet whenever it has been possible 1866, 67 and 68. He is "photo­ to check out a so-called Brady, it grapher" the first two years, "ar­ has been established that is was tist" the third and that was the last made by someone else. In my op­ listing there. In 1867, his only inion the greatest of the Civil War daughter, Miss Mary Grace Bar­ photographers was George N. Bar­ nard (born November 19, 1849) Is nard His work is noteworthy for shown as a boarder at 228 Town- the fact that he was concerned send. On September 22,1867 she was with the terrain over which wars married by Rev. S.J. May to Edgar are fought. In Barnard's photo­ O. Gilbert. graphs people are secondary and, From Syracuse he went to Char­ when present, are subdued to the leston, South Carolina before mov­ composition." (39) ing to Chicago. In 1871 he was Mr. Barnard came to Oswego out in the Great Chicago Fire but for a brief stay in 1862. A notice returned the following day to docu­ in a local newspaper stated that ment the fire's destruction with "having secured the services, for a photographs. In 1883 he helped limited period, that celebrated ar­ George Eastman introduce dry-plat­ tist, George N. Barnard (formerly es which eliminated the cumbersome of this, and late from Brady's Gal­ wet-plate process and revolution­ lery Washington).....will find Mr. ized photography. His last known Barnard at Gray's Gallery at the studio was in Painsville, Ohio, east end of the Iron Bridge (south­ between 1884 and 1886. Barnard west corner of East First and Bridge died during a bad snow storm at Streets), where he will be pleased his son-in-law's farm in the Town t o see his old customers and for­ of Onondaga, just south of Syracuse, mer acquaintances and friends." on February 4, 1902. (40)

69 Charts Of Elevators That Burned

Name of Run of Barrels peif When Elevator Proprietor Stone day Value built

Lake Ontario Fitzgugh & 6 6UU $4U,U0U 1847 Mills Littlejohn Empire Mills Doolittle, Irwin 5 600 $30,000 1844 & Wright Reciprocity Ames & Holly 4 400 $14,000 1851 Mills Washington Penfield, Lyons 5 500 $40,000 1843 Mills & Co. Eagle Mills T. Wiman 5 500 $40,000 1843 Express Mills* Henry Matthews 6 600 $30,000 1847

Name of Bu. elev. Storage " When Elevator Proprietor per hour room bu. Value Built

Empire Lewis & 5,000 250,006 $45,600 1853 Rathbun Lake Ontario Fitzhugh & 2,500 100,000 $25,000 1854 Littlejohn Doolittle Doolittle, 2,500 75,000 $20,000 1854 Irwin & Wright Reciprocity Ames & 3,000 150,000 $33,000 1854 Holly Continental J.C.Wright 5,000 300,000 $50,000 1854 & Co. Washington Penfield, 5,000 300,000 $30,000 1854 Lyon & Co. Eagle T, Wiman 3,000 200,000 $30,000 1854 Frontier W.H. Her- 5,000 300,000 $50,000 1844 rick Express * Henry 2,500 150,000 $20,000 1853 Matthews l j

*Burned in the fire of 1850 yet not rebuilt.

70 APPENDIX

Board of Trustees Proceedings, Oc­ water in buckets.... forfeit...ten tober 15, 1828. dollars. Digest of Fire Section VIII... It shall be the duty Ordinances of all persons. ..to obey....fire war­ Section I That each and every fire­ den or trustee... forfeit., two dollars. place, hearth, oven, chimney, stove, Section IX...It shall be the duty of stove-pipe, boiler or kettle...shall President, trustee, a fire warden to be kept clean...forfeit...fivedollars. remove and keep away from fire... Section II....Chimney or stove-pipe ...idle, disobedient or suspicious shall be swept or burnt out clean persons... and if (they) not keep once every three months....forfeit away....forfeit .... three dollars. ....three dollars. Section X.... There shall be organi­ Section III No person shall carry zed a fire company consisting of or keep....any lighted candle or lamp not to exceed thirty-able-bodied in any livery or other stable....un­ men.... the office of Captain shall less enclosed in a lantern or lamp be elected by ballot...shall hold his forfeit three dollars. office during the pleasure of the Section IV Every occupant of a... Board of Turstees. building....two or more stories in Board of Proceedings, April 4,1831. height shall have a door in the roof S e ction XI.... There shall be provided with stairs or a ladder leading ...a staff for each fire warden as a badge of office...seven feet in len­ thereto forfeit.....three dollars. gth, painted red with the words Section V....Occupant (s) shall keep.. fire warden thereon...forfeit...ten ...fire buckets containing not less dollars. than eight quarts with the owners name printed on each bucket...shall Section XIIL..Trustee ... shall be keep the same hanging up...in the distinguished by a white cloth worn front of such building...forfeit.... around his hat.... five dollars. Board of Trustees, March 1, 1837. Section VI....Fire shall break out.. Section 73...Erect building in West ...it shall be the duty of each per­ Oswego...unless ....constructed of son to take his fire bucket (s) stone or brick with...fire walls... to such fire....forfeit.... twodollars. east of Second and north of Bridge.. Section VII....Duty of firewardens... Section 76... (No) pipe of any stove. attend... any.... fire... and be pro­ ...be conducted into a chimney made vided with a staff as badge of office of brick or stone and to command the persons to aid Section 85...The fire department in extinguishing such fire and pre­ ....shall consist of Chief Engineer, servation of property and to see that one Assistant Engineer, four Fire lines are formed to the passing of Wardens, and

71 (1) These Associated photos appear­ (22) Oswego Free Press, October 6, ed throughout the United States and 1830. See also James R. Jackson, in the Oswego Palladium Times, "A Century of Fire Fighting in February 24, 1962 Oswego", Yearbook, Oswego County (2) Oswego Daily Times, July 5, Historical Society, 1946, pp. 38-53. 1853. (23) Board of Trustees Proceedings, (3) Map of Oswego, Surveyed and October 24, 1841. Published by John Bevan, 1851. (24) Oswego Palladium, January 19, (4) Oswego Daily Times, July 6, 1847: 1853. (25) Samuel P. Cole, Diary, Janu­ (5) J.E.B. Curry, Minutes, cour­ ary 16, 1847-February 13, 1847. tesy Albert R. Salladin, Oswego, Courtesy of Oswego County His­ New York torical Society. (6) Oswego Daily Times, July 7, (26) Oswego Times, December 1, 1853 1848. (7) Common Council Proceedings, (27) Oswego Commercial Times, July 6, 1853; proclamation in 51^ July 30, 1850. wego Daily Times, July 8, 1853T~ (28) Oswego Commercial Times, (8) J.E.B. Curry, Minutes. July 31, 1850. (9) Manuscript in John W. Smith's (29) Donald F. Eddy, George N. handwriting lists the name of the Barnard, (Rochester Institute of recipient, number in the family, Technology, March 6, 1963) quoting manner of relief and amount fur­ Beaumont Newhall, Notes in George nished. Courtesy of Oswego County Eastman House Files (Rochester, Historial Society. New York, 1962). (10) Common Council Proceedings, (30) Oswego Palladium, March 9, (11) Bevan Map, 1851. ' 1847. (12) See also the Sanborn Map (31) Oswego Times, November 20, of 1883. This book of maps was 1848. specially made for the insurance (32) Oswego Daily Commercial companies and has exact measure­ Times, July 1, 1851. ments of buildings and other per­ (33) Oswego City Directory, 1852 tinent information. & 1853, p. 127. (13) Courtesy of Oswego County (34) The Photographic Art-Journal, Historical Society. vol. 5, January 1853, p. 63 quoting (14) Oswego City Directory,1856- the Oswego Palladium. 1857. (35) Oswego Daily Times, July 12, (15) Oswego Commercial Advertiser 1853. & Times, February 19, 1870. (36) Oswego Times and Journal, (16) Oswego Commerical Times, June 24, 1854. March It, 1859; Crisfield Johnson, (37) Courtesy Richard N. Wright, History of Oswego County, (L.H. President of Onondaga Historical Everts and Company, Philadelphia, Association. Mr. Wright gathered Pa., 1877), p. 172 states that date the information of Mr. Barnard's was 1828. activities not only in Syracuse but (17) Oswego Commercial Advertiser elsewhere. & Times, February 19, 1870. (38) James D. Horan, Mathew Brady, (18) See Sanborn Map of Oswego, (Bonanza Books, New York, I960), 1883. p. 36. In a discussion with this (19) Oswego Commercial Adver­ writer, Manuel Kean, of Phila­ tisers & Times, February 19,1870. delphia, expressed doubt that Mr. (20) Board of Trustees Proceedings, Barnard was one of the photograp­ October 15, 1830. See also revised hers. ordinances, passed on April 4, p831 (39) Oswego Palladium-Times, June and on March 1, 1837. 1, 19"6T (21) Board of Trustees Proceedings, (40) Oswego Commercial Times, April S, 1837. September 23, 1862. 72~ History of St. Mary's Church Presented by the Rev. Mr. Robert Hall, October 15, 1963

The history of the Catholic Church's New York State and he did come religious services held in the com­ to Oswego to conduct services. Actu­ munity of Oswego must certainly ally arrangements were made to have begun during the times when have services held every three the French occupied Fort Ontario months and these were held in a and other positions around the city. private home on the West side of Although we do not have any actual the river, but as to where this records of services being held, home was and who owned it Is not we do have records of names of designated. chaplains that accompanied the The first actual Church to be French forces since they were pre­ erected in Oswego was St. Paul's. dominantly Catholic. Thus, we have It was built on a lot purchased to leave this to the imagination of from the late Honorable Jerritt the individual. For certainly if Chap­ Smith. It consisted of a building lains accompanied the armed forces, 20 feet by 24 feet. This building there must have been services held. was used until 1840 when plans But we do know that on August 14, were made to erect a newer and 1756, when Oswego was captured larger building to accommodate the by Montcalm, there is a record of growing needs of the Catholics in Catholic services having taken place the community. under the direction of Father Claude In 1842 a cornerstone was laid Godfrey who was the Chaplain of for a building which measures 65 Montcalm's forces. From that date ft. by 100 ft. This was done by until 1813, however, there are no the late Rev. Father Rogers who records of any Catholic services at that time was the priest in charge or priests being in the vicinity of of this particular territory. This Oswego. church was located on the site of We do know, however, since 1830 the present St. Paul's Church and there were probably some 15 or 16 was the forerunner of the succeed­ Catholic familes who had settled ing churches that occupy that parti­ here in this vicinity, bearing such cular spot. Thus St. Paul's parish names as O'Connor, McCarthy, etc. became the first Catholic Church There was no regular clergymen in and parish in the city of Oswego. charge of Oswego, but we do find This remained the only church until in the records that a Rev. Father 1849 when St. Mary's parish was Donahue, who had charge of Au­ formed. burn, Rome, and other villages of Even though St. Paul's parish was Central New York, was invited to the first actual church erected in the visit Oswego and to offer Mass and city of Oswego, it was in St. Mary's take care of other religious ser­ parish, on the westside of the river, vices. Actually the parish of Father that Mass was first held for the Donahue consisted of the whole upper small Catholic Community. It is

73 .SAI.NI MAKY'S CHTRCH

74 interesting to note tnat even thougn tor of St. Mary's Parish. He came the Catholic people of Oswego were here, primarily , at the request all united by a common faith, never­ of a Frenchman by the name of theless, certain cultural and emo­ Joseph Recadue who was apparent­ tional ties separated them. Then, ly very well-educated and of some with the growing French population means and felt that the French and they no longer wished to be as­ French Canadian families who had sociated with St. Paul's parish so settled in Oswego should have a they organized a parish of their own priest of their own nationality which was to be St. Mary's parish. to care for them. Thus St. Mary's in its origin was However, once Father came and a French parish. This parish was began the erection of the Church first originated in 1848. The corner­ and parish, i t was found that the stone, however, of the church which number of French people were too was to be erected, was laid on poor and too few to give the neces­ March 24, 1849. At this time Father sary help and so Father Foultier Foultier, who was to become the solicited in the community of Am­ first pastor of the parish, was a erican and Irish Catholics who were native of France and preached the also anxious at the time to have a sermon in French. A Father New­ church on the westside of the river ton of Syracuse preached in Ger­ which then would give them closer man which gives evidence of the fact access than going all the way over' that there must have been German to St. Paul's . According to the Nationals here present. However, records, when St. Mary's was open­ St. Peter's Church which was in the ed in 1850, more than half of the Center of the German population, pews were assigned to English was not built until 1866. Also at the dedication, a Father Kenny prea­ speaking. At the same time a school ched in English. The church was was started in the basement of the completed the same year and dedi­ church with two English speaking cated in 1850 by His Eminence Car­ teachers named Halligan and Gil- dinal McCloskey, Bishop of Albany. man employed. At that time the Diocese of Al­ The first Baptism to be per­ bany extended from what is now the formed in St. Mary's parish was city of Yonkers thru the whole of that of John McClair July 10, 1849 upper New York State as far west and the first marriage was that of and including the city of Buffalo. Mac Koll and Mary Corby, Nov. 11, The structure that was built at 1849. St. Mary's measured 110 ft. by But apparently this mixed con­ 52 ft. with a towering steeple of gregation, due to differences in tem­ 135 ft. in height. perament, custom, and tradition, During this erection services were proved rather discouraging to held for three years in what is call­ Father Foultier who, after having ed the tabernacle hall which was the started the church and its dedica­ only large assembly place on the tion, remained only one year and in west side of the river. Where its discouragement, due to differences exact location was, I was not able that had arisen among the congre­ to find out. Father Foultier who said gation, in July 1851 he left and went that First Mass in this tabernacle to New Orleans where he became chapel was served by a man by pastor of St. Vincent De Paul'si the named of Jules Boardway, & Church. French Canadian, and at that time After Father Foultier left appar­ there were approximately 300 people ently it was felt that perhaps a present at the first Mass that was priest of Irish nationality would be offered. Since, we have noted that able to satisfy both nationalities and Father Foultier was the first pas­ accordingly a Rev. James Keveny

75 succeeded Rev. Foultier, but ap­ crowded for the evening service. parently he had little more success During the service a section of than Father Foultier and In 1852 the Church floor in the front part he left and went to St. Peter's of the Church gave way and plung­ parish in Troy, New York. He was ed people into the basement. There succeeded by a Rev. Joseph Guer­ were none killed in the fall, but in det a native of France. Father Guer­ the excitement and panic that result­ det apparently was able to unite ed with people seeking to rush out the different nationalities and during of the church, one man and 4 women his administration much was ac­ were killed, due to the lack of complished. He brought the Sisters enough exits to handle such a situa­ of St. Joseph here to teach in the tion. However, the Church was re­ parochial school which now was paired and despite the irageay growing and now occupied a house St. Mary's continued to grow. as well as the basement in church During Father Guerdet's reign where it began. The Sisters of St. many improvements were made. Joseph arrived here from St. Louis, It is interesting to note that a which was then their head-quarters, large bell was purchase from at that time. St. Mary's, thus, was Menelli BeU Works In Troy, N.Y. the first mission house of the Sis­ This bell still hangs In the present ters of St. Joseph east of the Miss­ St. Mary's Church. The story is issippi River. They traveled here told, how much is true cannot be by boat, by wagon and by train, verified, but it certainly bears out and arrived here in 1858 to begin the fact that there were still feel­ their work in the teaching of St. ings despite Father Guerdet's ef­ Mary's school where they still re­ forts, between the French and Irish main to this day. Thus St. Mary's people of the parish. The story is is the oldest establishment in the this "that the bell arrived by barge East of the Sisters of St. Joseph, and that the members of the con­ whose mother house is now located gregation went to unload the bell at Latham, N.Y. A house was pur­ from the barge. The group was chased for the Sisters on 6th St. composed of both French and Irish. which was turned into a Convent. When they arrived, they found that Several additions were made to this on the bell ( which was erected in house, and to make room for one the Church Sept. 22, 1852) was the of these additions, it was necessary inscription "Praise Be the Lord— to move the Rectory, which was My name is Patrick." When the located next to it on 6th St., to French saw this, they refused to a lot in the rear of the Church on unload the bell from the boat and Cayuga St. This remained the Rec­ left it to the work of the Irish. tory until the new St. Mary's But, never-the-less thru the efforts Church was built. It is interesting of Father Guerdet the parish con­ to note that in those days the Rec­ tinued to grow and to prosper. Fin­ tory was owned personally by the ally in 1867 Father Guerdet was priest who either bought it or built promoted to St John's the Evan­ it. Now, however, all of these are gelist Church which was to become owned by the parish. At the time eventually the Cathedral of the Dio­ Father Guerdet moved the Rectory cese of Syracuse. from 6th St. to Cayuga St., it was When Syracuse was erected as purchased by the parish from him the Diocese in 1886, Father Guer­ for the sum of $3,000. det was succeeded in St. Mary's St. Mary's parish continued to Parish in Oswego by the Rev. Louis grow and to thrive. However, it was Griffa, who was a native of Italy, not without incidents. For March and at one time had served as an 10, 1859, a Mission was being con­ assistant at St. Mary's under Father ducted in the Church which was Guerdet.

76 Father Griffa immediately began For almost 18 months the two groups his work at St. Mary's and the haggled over what was to be done first thing he did was to add anoth­ and how the division was to be er large addition to the school which made in regard to finances. Finally by that time had grown to a size of the trustees of St. Mary's agreed 300 students, and the number of that they would purchase Mead Hall Sisters residing at St. Mary's, who on the east side for the cost of instructed them, had grown from $7,000 and give another $500 to the original 3 to 8 in number. By help to be fitted to use as a church. this time the congregation to St. So in Dec. 1871 the French left Mary's had become extremely en­ St. Mary's Church was inaugurated larged owing to continued immigra­ St. Louis's Church. tion of French-Canadians. Three of Thus, at that time, the congre­ the present Churches in Oswego gation of St. Mary's, which had been can trace their origin to St. Mary's. composed of English speaking Catho­ In 1863, while Father Gueraet lics, mostly Irish descent and was pastor of St. Mary's, the Ger­ French, now, or for the first man members of the congregation, time, alone, without their French organized St. Peter's parish on the brethren, and St. Mary's parish, East side of the River. And with which had originally been started the large immigration of French as a French Church, became pri­ to the city of Oswego, the French marily an English Church or I population of St. Mary's gradually suppose we could say Irish, since increased in growth, and with the most of the members were of Irish growth, of course, there resulted origin. At that time, with the loss many differences of opinions and of both St. John's Church and the ideas between themselves and the French Church, St. Mary's parish Irish. Due partly to this growth dropped to a low of only 150 fam­ of French, the Irish and English in ilies. Actually the condition of St. the Ward left St. Mary's and in Mary's Church were not too good 1869 St. John's parish was formed. after leave of the French congre­ When this group left. St, Mary's gation. However, the Church con­ became predominantly French. In tinued to struggle along and Father 1867 there were only 54 French Griffa worKed very hard to try and names listed at St. Mary's. In 1859 maintain the school and the other there were over 400, As a result, things that had been started. He was Father Griff a, to try to satisfy particularly active in founding their need, in 1870 obtained the Father Mathew Temperance Society assistance of a Father James Pel- here in Oswego and was its director letier of Quebec, who came to St. for a number of years. Mary's with the original intention of serving the means of the French In 1885, however, Father Griffa population. This created a division left and he went to Chatam, N.Y. in the parish, with Father Griffs where he became a pastor of a taking chrage of the English speak­ Catholic Church there. He was suc­ ing members and Father Pelltier ceeded by Father M.j. Fourniex. of the French, and each group had Father Fournier continued the work a different time for Mass on Sun­ of the parish but things remained day. Thus we had a situation of actu­ more or less in a "status quo." ally two different and s eparate His health not being good during groups working within one parisn, the time he was pastor, he finally went South for his health, and in using the same facilities. Needless Dec. 1901 he died. During the time to say, many difficulties arose. of Father Fournier's sickness tlje As a result, it was decided that parish was in charge of assistants,. the French should leave St. Mary's and a new parish would be started. principally Father John Fair and Father William McCormack. One

77 of the principle things that Father was built, capable or nousing 700 Fournier did during the time in pupils. which he was pastor of the Church, Father Hopkins also immediately was to renovate the Church. Which, purchased additional property for a when he came, he found, first of convent for the Sisters and a rec­ all that the church steeple was un­ tory for the priests. He established safe and had to be taken down. a free public library and opened Thus this was removed. The Church a Mission from St. Mary's Church was renovated and new stain glass at Southwest Oswego, which now is windows, Stations of the Cross, taken care of by the pastor at Hanni­ statues and electric lights were bal and a church on the Snake installed; and the Malcolm property, Swamp Road which is stiU ser­ adjoining the parish house, was pur­ ved in the summertime by St. chased, which gave the Church the Mary's. Shortly after the school whole full length of Cayuga St., was built, Father Hopkins also built as well as a frontage on 7th St., a convent which is still in use where it was hoped in time a new today, although many renovations Church would be erected. and repairs have been made in it. With the death of Father Four­ Probably the greatest monument nier in 1901, Father Joseph A. to his zeal and effort at St. Mary's Hopkins, who at that time was the is the present St. Mary's Church, assistant at St. John's parish, in which, not only is an edifice of the city of Oswego, was appointed great beauty, but also represents the pastor of St. Mary's parish a pecular local endeavor as far as on Jan. 2, 1902. This really mark­ both its construction and the ef­ ed the beginning of a new phase forts of the people are concerned. in the history of St. Mary's . At St. Mary's Church had its begin­ the very outset, Father Hopkins, ning on Monday, May 14th, 1916 with a great deal of energy, began when Father Hopkins celebrated the to rebuild the parish that needed last Mass to be said in the Church. rebuilding beyond any question or Immediately after Mass the work doubt. For, when Father Hopkins of tearing down was done entirely arrived in St. Mary's , he found by the parishoners who razed the that conditions were very discour­ building to the ground. Ground for aging. Not only was the Church over­ the new Church was broken in 1916 crowded and in need of repair, the and the cornerstone laid in 1917. rectory was unsuitable for dwell­ During this period of construction ing and the school, which at that and a time when the Church was time had only 70 students, and had begun and completed in 1925, the fallen far below any standard of people attended Mass, first in the efficiency and the property itself school hall and then subsequently was heavily in debt and the mort­ in the basement of what is now St. age was over $11,000, which had Mary's Church and what is known been unpaid for over 30 years. as Hopkins Hall. This was the beginning that Father Delay in the construction of the Hopkins found himself faced with. Church for over 10 years, was due I t was only thru his zeal and ef­ t o the advent of World War I, as forts that things began to take well as to the necessity of the shape. Father Hopkins first began Church collecting sufficient funds the job of remodeling the school to continue with the work. It might and to bring it back to its former be mentioned that the parishoners capacity of attendance of 300 stu­ were responsible for all the exterior dents. So successful was he, that stone of the Church. They brought the structure soon became too small it in from the countryside and the and 1905 the old school was de­ stones were cut on the spot by molished and the present school stonecutters and put in place. Thus

78 all the stone of St. Mary's is wood. It is Interesting to note that stone, native to the surrounding all of the wood carvings in the territory of Oswego. It was said Church, which, if they are exa­ that after St. Mary's Church was mined in detail, can be seen to be built there wasn't a stone-fence of excellent workmanship, were all left in the whole county. executed in Cologne, Germany. To The present Church was dedicated incorporate something from the old by His Excellency Patrick Cardinal Church into the new, over 35 perch Hayes of New York on Sept. 8, of stones from the old church were 1925. The Consecnetation of the used as a foundation for the main Church coincided with the Diamond altar. The seating capacity of the Jubilee of the parish. Thus making Church is 1032 people on the main it a double celebration. At the floor and an additional 140 can be Consecretation of St. Mary's there seated In the gallery in the rear were probably more dignataries of of the Church. the Church present in Oswego_ than The Church from the time of ever before or ever since. Num­ its dedication was completely free bering among the high clergy, who from debt and was built at the were present, were, besides Car­ cost of over $350,000. The same dinal Hayes, 4 Arch-Bishops and building today, in an insurance ap­ 7 Bishops from as far away as praisal, is now listed at $1,300,000. California and Florida. Also pre­ It is interesting to note, that each sent were hundreds of priests and time, during the course of the monsignories from all over the building of the Church , a $1,000 Eastern part of the United States. was raised, a flag was flown, thus It was truly a memorable event signifing to the people the fact for the people of St. Mary's and that that amount of money had for the city of Oswego. been reached in the last week or While we are speaking of the two whatever It might be. Church, it might be interesting to Certainly St. Mary's Church stands know that the Church is 65 feet as one of the outstanding pieces of wide and thru the knave 89 feet architecture in the city of Oswego, wide, thru the tranceps 186 feet and certainly a lasting memorial long. The style of the Church is to the energy, zeal and the taste Thirteenth Century English Gothic. of Father Hopkins. For 26 years The entire exterior of the Church Father Hopkins served the people is of field stone; while the inter­ of St. Mary's The last ten years, ior is of roman brick. The Cross of course, was spent In the build­ on the top of the spire can be ing of the new Church. He cery seen from the whole countrv side tainly taxed health to the de­ and is 184 feet high from the gree that he never fully recover­ pavement. The pillars of the in­ ed. He died on Friday Nov. 2, terior of the Church are molded 1928 at the age of 64. stone; the panel ceiling, the trusses Father Hopkins was succeeded at and the hammered beams are of St. Mary's by the appointment of Cyprus. More than a mile of gold- Father William Dwyer, who came leaf is used in the decoration of the to St. Mary's Jan. 15, 1929 from Church ceiling, and in the 348 pan­ St. Mary's Church in Clinton, where el, which cover the knave and the he had been pastor for ten years. apse of the Church, one mile of Father Dwyer, due to ill health, molding was used. The Altars of remained only about a year and the Church are made of Indiana a half at St. Mary's when he re­ limestone, and the rerdos, the sec­ turned to Clinton. tion behind each Altar, is all of He was replaced by Father Wil­ carved oak. All of the statues in liam Moore on Sept. 27, 1930. Fat­ the Church are carved from linden her Moore remained as pastor of

79 St. Mary's for five years and then has It ever been cleaned as far he was transferred to St. Agnes as the actual cleaning of woodwork Church in Utica. and the like in the upper reaches In his place Father Edward Quaid of the Church since its original came as Pastor of St. Mary's on building and yet, the painting, the March 2, 1935. This was some­ gold leaf and the like remains clear what In the nature of a home-com­ and distinguishable throughout the ing for Father Quaid who had been Church. The Church is filled with an assistant to Father Hopkins for symbolism. Almost every place that nine years. Father Quaid still re­ you turn you will find symbolism mains today as the pastor of St. displayed; on the floors where there Mary's and under his leadership are symbolic tiles placed; in the the Church, the school, the con­ windows; the Stations and all vent have undergone extensive re­ throughout the whole Church. It has pairs and improvements; as well been said that St. Mary's Church as additional property has been in Oswego i s one of the finest purchased thru the years to be used for examples of mid-century English a parking lot and for the future Gothic Architecture to be found expansion and growth of the par­ in the whole Eastern United Sta­ ish and the school. tes. If one wer« to visit St. Mary's This is the history of St. Mary's Church today, they would be struck Parish. I am sure that many pages with the continuing excellence of will be added to it In the years the Interior construction. The Chur­ to come. ch has never been redecorated, nor

7> ^

80 Hannibal's Historic Highlights

(presented by Gordon Sturpe. November 19. 1963)

HOW HANNIBAL WAS FORMED Military Tract surveyed, and of course was called Township No. 1. At the close of the Revolutionary In 1786, Hannibal was within the War, our freed colonies found them­ area of Montgomery County, in 1791 selves in poverty, debt and distress. Herkimer, 1794 Onondaga and was The poorly paid army of the. set off as a part of Oswego County seven years struggle seemed cast when that county was formed in off without that substantial sym­ 1816. In 1794, when it was set up pathy that common justice, at least, as a township, it included the towns should indicate. of Granby, Oswego, Sterling, Hanni­ The state of New York, to show bal and the west side of Oswego its gratitude and partially to com­ City. Pioneer Asa Rice, in 1797, pensate the heroic band of its own was the first settler a few miles participators in the great contest, west of Oswego at what was then set apart a tract of land in its known as Union Village, now Fruit "Western Wilds,", to be parceled Valley. At that time this section was out in bounties to its neglected, a part of the Town of Hannibal. but patient defenders. During the summer of 1797 only This territory, called then, and four families lived in what is now now, "Military Tract," commen­ the city of Oswego and only one cing on the southern shore of Lake family permanently located there. Ontario, at the mouth of the Oswe­ The next year this township was go River, embraced the portion of united with Lysander and Cicero Oswego County, lying west of the in the formation of one supervis­ river, Cayuga, Onondaga, Seneca, ory district and Asa Rice was sup­ Cortland and portions of Wayne, ervisor. He reported for the three Tompkins and Schuyler counties. townships the number of 15 in­ One hundred lots of 640 acres habitants and the valuation of tax­ each were laid out in 1790 by the able property at $1500. This gives authority .of the Commonwealth by us an Idea of the primitive wild­ Simeon Dewitt, State Surveyor. erness of the country near the The initial of this survey comm­ turn of the century. enced on the lake shore, some half- Most of us remember the tales dozen miles above the mouth of the of the nine year old lad who sol­ Oswego River, and ran due south emnly swore on the altar of the about eleven miles to the present gods an eternal hostility to the line of Irat Cayuga County, thence Romans. This was the Carthaginian east a few miles, thence north a General Hannibal who, with his distance, thence east to the river elephants, (the tanks of ancient war- in the vicinity of Oswego Falls, far) battled Rome In the Second thence down the river to the Lake, Punlc Wars when Rome and Car­ and south-westerly along the lake- thage were bitter enemies. This is shore to place of beginning. This the source of the name given to was the first Township of the State the town of HannlbaL 81 THE FIRST SETTLER ced himself as a resident of a neighboring county from whence he There is a always strong desire had been hearing the noise for over to know more of the first man who a year without being able to pre­ dared the dangers of the frontier viously to discover his neighbors. life to found for himself and family During this time Mr. Sprague and a permanent home. his sons were successful in their The first pioneer in a land, as efforts to enlarge their clearings little known and as full of perils and wrest a living from the wilder­ as was this locality 161 years ness. The nearest mill was at El- ago occupies in history the place bridge, the route being found by of an advance guard of civilization the aid of marked trees. Two days and his name is invested with an were occupied by the journey, a interest which is enduring. halt being made at night which The man has the distinction of was spent around the campfire. being the first settler in what is This campfire had to be constantly now the Town of Hannibal was Thom­ replenished to keep off the wolves as Sprague whose descendants re­ which were numerous and venture­ sided for many years on the terri- some. Other wild animals were chosen by him. Mr. Sprague was born common and were a perpetual men­ at Ballston, Saratoga county, N.Y.. ace to the settlers and their stock. State, in 1751. He was a man The first marriage was that of past the meridian of life when in Prudence Sprague and Daniel Tho­ 1802 he and his family turned west­ mas in 1803. Carr Sprague, born ward and sought a home in a strange in 1805, was the first white child land. On arriving here, he took up born in the Town of Hannibal. The 640 acres of land on what is now death of Thomas Sprague, Jr. in the southern boundary of the town 1808 was the first in the town of and built a log cabin. At that time Hannibal of which we have any there was only one cabin between record. His death was followed by this vicinity and Oswego, a dis­ those of his father and mother who tance of about 16 miles. In the died on the same day, February 1st, same year his two sons, Thomas 1813. They were laid to rest in Jr. and Jonathan, came with their the same grave. Thus the tireless families. Jonathan and his wife came and energetic pioneer and his faith­ from Saratoga county on horseback, ful and diligent wife who had labor­ she carrying a three-month old ed together to establish a home in baby. For two years the Spragues the wilderness, were not parted in dwelt In the solitude of the forest death. without white residents in the town. At the death of Thomas Sprague, Even the Indians were rarely seen Jr., one son survived, Samuel A. as this locality was at a distance father of Joel M. Sprague and grand­ from their usual haunts. It Is re­ father of Edgar Sprague whose death lated by a descendant of Thomas occurred a few years ago, thus mak­ Sprague that his cattle were only ing an unbroken line of five genera­ allowed to graze when accompanied tions who have resided on the same by one of his sons, and, on account homesite, something rare in this of the danger of becoming lost changeable country. In the wilderness, a loud sound­ It was not until 1805 that the Spra­ ing horn was blown from time to gues had neighbors. In that year a time at the settler's cabin to pre­ number of pioneer families from vent herd and watcher from stray­ the eastern states settled at Hanni­ ing too far. In the stillness of the bal Center, two miles south of the almost unbroken forest the sound village, where Orren Cotten, a mill­ penetrated to a great distance and wright in company with Watson Earl, on one occasion a stranger appeared in 1806 built the first grist mill at the Sprague clearing and announ­ in town. It was located on Nine

82 mile Creek which furnished good under side of the left ear. Cor­ water power. The above named Mr. nelius Wiltse's mark for sheep, Cotten was a lineal descendant of cattle and hogs: A hole in the cen­ Dr. John Cotten, the celebrated ter of the right ear and a slit on Puritan preacher of Boston. the end of the left ear, recorded The history of the settlement Feb. 25, 1843 by E.L. Ormsby.town of Hannibal has presented a strong clerk. The following are 4 notices contrast with that of most new of stravs: countries, which as a rule are rap­ "The widow Grey has given no­ idly improved and populated whqn tice that on the 12 December, 1813 immigration once sets in. Hannibal she took up a stray cow with a on the contrary, was settled slowly, white face, bob tail, a piece cut the early pioneers being few and out of her right ear, and her hind scattering but persistent in their ef­ hoofs turned up supposed in con­ forts to reclaim and improve the sequence of being frozen. country. The settlement progress­ Jan. 10, 1814." ed slowly until after the War of "Came into the enclosure of the 1812-14 when the arrivals began subscriber a stray yearling bull red to multiply and a foundation was lined back on the 10th day of Nov­ made for the future prosperity of this ember Inst. Hannibal, Nov. 18th, region as a rich farming country. 1834. Signed David Austin." By the endurance and perseverance "Came into the enclosure of the of its pioneers most hardships subscriber about the 30th of Novem­ and obstacles were overcome and ber, last five stray ewe sheep three Hannibal took its place, in the front of said sheep marked with a square ranks of

83 In the same year Abram Sturge veyors were Samuel Barrow, J.W. from Washington County cleared the McFadden, Peter Schenck and Ben­ land and built a log cabin on the jamin F. Gifford. Hannibalville post- old Sturge homstead. His grandson office was established in 1816 with Charles C. Sturge resided there for Asa Dunton, Post Master. About many years. 1815 Amos Field, from Vermont W.W. Brackett, a native of Wash­ built the first frame hotel which he ington County, was the first mer­ kept for many yeas. In 1820 Tow- chant at Hannibal Center, in 1830, sley and Dunton established a fulling and remained in that business and mill and John Brill a tannery, both other Industrial pursuits 46 years. being the first of the kind in town. He erected a peppermint distillery Thomas West, John Toppen, and at that place and also kept a store Trumbell Kent were early black­ in Hannibal village. smiths while Moses Farnham was The first building in the village the pioneer carpenter. Field and of Hannibal was erected of logs, Dunton were proprietors of the first nearly on the site of an old Indian distilleries. camp or wigwam, in the year 1808. It was kept as a hotel by Henry EARLY SCHOOLS Jennings. In the following year, 1809, Ar- The first school was held at vin Rice, a son of Asa Rice, the Hannibal Cjenter in 1810 with Miss pioneer of Union Village, comm­ Laura Kent as teacher. The first enced a clearing on lot 67, near schoolhouse cost $60.48 and the tea­ Hannibal village. He set out the chers wages amounted to $14.00 first orchard and raised the first for 2 months during the winter barn without the use of liquor. session. Mr. Rice also brought into town In 1829 a school boy, a lad of the first iron plow to supersade nine years, wrote the following es­ the old one-handled "bull plow." say, which was regarded as a true It was manufactured at Schenectady, sketch of the village of Hannibal at N.Y., and was known as the "Clute that time: The village of Hannibal plow." This was universally con­ contains two churches, two schools, demned by the people before being two taverns, two stores, two asher- brought into use. eryin use the other is at liberty; Among the early marriage was one brickyard is In Use; the other that of Alvin Rice and Polly Cotten, is at liberty; the tailors live op­ March 18, 1812. posite each other. The first house erected without The early settlers for the most the use of liquor was built by part worked under very difficult Isaac Kinne settled at what is now circumstances eking out a living. Kinnie's Four Corners on Route They knew the value of a dollar 104 . James B. Adams erected a and in their dealings always drove cabin at Fairdale and Gad Daniels hard bargains as shown by the soon afterwards built one a mile following excerpts taken from the farther east. During all this time minutes of some of the rural school the new country was infested with meetings in various districts ferocious animals, mainly wolves, (North Hannibal, Wiltseville and which created at times no little Dist. No. 12) havoc among the fields and sheep pens of the settlers. In 1809 the 1845- Resolved that 7 cords of authorities offered a bounty of $10 wood be furnished the ensuing win­ for, each wolf scalp taken, a resol­ ter by David C. Farnham at 1 ution which remained in force sev­ dollar per cord fitted for the stove eral years. and corded in the woodhouse. Mea­ Silas Crandall built the first saw surer Alanson Blodgett. The wood mill in town in 1811. The first sur­ to be hard and good body wood. 84 Resolved unanimous that we have possible 70 day attendance period a school this winter. the following list shows a sam­ 1850- Resolved that we raise forty pling of the number days actually dollars for school purposes this attended- (no compulsory attend­ year, five dollars for repairs, the ance law then) Teachers made their remainder for teachers wages. own attendnace registers. That H. Wiltse and George Hall receive the library money to pay Elizabeth Wiltse, 13; Sarah Frost, for the globe($11.75) as fast as it 67; Charles Wiltse, 24; Alzada Wil­ comes and no faster. liams, 54; Benjamin Fineout, 69; 1877-A call for a dictionary for John Wiltse, 50 1/2; Hannah Wilt­ the schoolhouse-subjects taught this se, 16; Letta Hall, 5; Joseph Hall, year Reading, Higher Spelling, Geo­ 62; George Demott, 54; Amy Loo- graphy, Grammar, Algebra, Pen­ mis, 9; Isabelle Wiltse, 18; Cephas manship, Drawing and Philosophy. Kent, 62; Silas Polly, 27 1/2. April 14, 1838 - Resolved that we raise by tax $190 for building a To get an idea of the type of schoolhouse, for furnishing a stove books found in some rural school and pipe, and for purchasing a site libraries for children in grades for said schoolhouse. (Evidently, 1 thru 8, here is a representa­ the building wasn't constructed un­ tive list- til 1866 when costs were much LIBRARY BOOKS USED IN DIS­ higher as a result of the Civil War) TRICT NO. 9 (1850-1851) Nov. 1840- Resolved that $10 be raised by taxation for the purpose The Life of General Jackson, of building a privy for the school- Mcintosh's Book of Indians, Lights house (reconsidered) and Shadows of Africa's History, 1847- J. P. Storms furnish 12 cords Manners and Customs of Natives, of hard wood stove length at 56 Lives of Celebrated Women, Lives cents a cord. of Celebrated American Indians, 1850-Resolved that we raise $25 Enterprise Industry and Art of Man, for teachers wages, $1 for repairs Life of Lafayette, Elements of and $1 for contingent expenses. That Meteorology, Wonders of Geology. the teacher board with the scholars Two series of Clockmaker, two the ensuing year. The wood was series Farmer's Daughter, two ser­ bid off by George Saunders at sixty ies of My Own Story, two series and a quarter cents a cord. Girl's Manual, Venns-Duty of Man, 1866-The cost of the new building Bible Not of Man, Nelson on In­ was $865.34. The meeting voted to fidelity, Books for Children and raise the amount of indebtedness by Youth Volumes 1-2-3, Memory of tax. H. Martin, Alphabet of Animals, 1868-Resolved that we have the Tales About the Heather, Golden schoolhouse insured and also that Steps for the Young, The Young we pay Miss Phelps 50? per week Lady's Book, Lives of Mary and in addition to wages we agreed to Martha Washington, The New pay her. Clerk's Assistant. 1869-Resolved that the teacher board -Commissioner Isaac W. Marsh- around the district or board hired on the most reasonable terms that The following interesting com­ can be obtained. ments are taken from his diary 1901-Some talk of a new coal stove concerning visits to schools under 1919- It was finally decided that his jurisdiction in the first Oswe­ we would have to pay more for a go district during the early 1870»s. teacher for thg coming year. The district of that day included In Wlltseville (Dist. #1) during the towns of Oswego, Volney, Gran- the term commencing Dec. 4, 1848, by, Scriba, Hannibal and New Hav­ and ending March 10, 1849 with a en. Mr. Marsh was grandfather 85 of Mrs. Winifred Marsh Petrie and cher. Thirty-three on register, 25 Miss Cassle Marsh, retired teacher present. First rate order and re­ in Oswego High School. citations good, methods fair except that the teacher prompts too much. January 3,1873--Vlsited school Think she will do better in that at j North Hannibal, D.D. Metcalf, respect in the future. Staid with teacher. Found about 50 scholars Mr. Wiltse over night, was cor­ there. dially entertained, and next morn­ Wednesday, Jan. 8, 1873 — "Vfs'i* ing started for home, it being very ted the school in District 11, South stormy and rough, when I arrived Hannibal. William C. Curtis, tea­ about 11 a.m. and staid. cher. Sands N. Gardner, trustee. Wednesday A.M., March 5, 1873- Found 22 scholars present. Seemed Vlslted No. 16 Hannibal (Dennison to be learning tolerably well. Dist.) This district was No. 15 la­ P.M. —visited the school in the ter. Miss Mary Bryant, teacher, McCausey district, Hannibal, Miss Licence, 2 grade. Charles Thomas, Farnham of North Hannibal, tea­ trustee. Only six present. The school cher; Alexander Scott, trustee. Is not in need of and can not pay Found school quite small, only 15 a very superior teacher. present but in good order and doing Wednesday A.M. March 5, 1873- well. Pupils small and young. No Visited No. 12 Hannibal. Grace £. grammar taught. Suggested forma­ Mattison, teacher. License, second tion of class in grammar which grade. Cornelius Adamy, trustee. seemed to take well; am very much School in very good order. Went encouraged to hop e It will be done. from there at 11 a.m. to visit No. A.M. Friday, Jan. 10, 1873 4, village of Hannibal. Stayed till Visited the school in District No. school closed at night. Three de­ 13, Hannibal (Gifford Distirct). partments, four teachers, viz: Ro­ Charles Case, teacher; Robert Gif­ bert Simpson, principal; Miss Mor- ford, trustee. Nineteen present. j-ell, assistant: Miss Fradenburg^ School In good order, most of the intermediate; Miss Mack, primary. pupils doing well though some of The school was in as good order the larger girls might do better. as I ever saw. Miss Fradenburg's P.M.— Visited the school in No. good, Miss Mack's fair. Taken al* 7 Hannibal. David S. On, teacher together, it is a first class school, and Levi Brackett, trustee. (Han­ a credit to the village and to the nibal Center) school in good order. teachers. Closing exercises next Recitations first rate, about 35 pre­ week Friaay. schulbert Band in sent. A very interesting school and evening. well taught. Thursday, Feb. 20 1873— Visi- THE PIONEER BULLEN FAMILY ted No. 2, Hannibal (Stone School- house). C.H. Storms, teacher. About Among the prominent early set­ 40 present. School in good order tlers of the town of Hannibal was and seemed to be doing nicely. the Bullen family. The immigrant A good teacher and has had con­ ancestor of this family was Sam­ siderable experience, is entitled to uel Bullen who lived in 1636 as a first grade certificate. Went with young man In Watertown, Massa­ Miss Vera Haven and teacher to chusetts, later moving to Dedham her father's (Dr. Cyrus Haven), and Medford. It Is believed that the we took dinner. She wants to teach father of John Bullen ST., was a this coming summer and I judge captain In the Revolutionary War. she will pass a good examination John Sr., was born in Ware, Mass­ and teach a good school. achusetts May 20, 1783 and moved Thursday, P.M., Feb. 20, 1873- with his father to Clarks Mills, Vlsited Ho. 1 Hannibal (Carson Wll- Oneida County In 1787, being one tse Dlst.) Miss Sarah K. Green, tea­ of eight pioneer families that com-

86 menced the first settlement John on the site of the present Com­ BuUen Jr., was born in Oneida munity Church Manse, facing the County on May 16, 1803, and in east with its broad side facing the 1821 father and son moved to Hanni­ street. The upper room of the frame bal where they became prominent building was reached by an outside in the then new village in its chur­ stairway. ch, business and fraternal affairs. Captain Bullen was a signer of HANNIBAL BUSINESS ACTIVITIES the application for the incorpora­ (BULLEN F"AMILV) tion of the Congregational Society of Hannibal along with Bela Scott, Members of the Bullen family Abram Watson, Job C. Conger, Wa­ owned a grist mill at an early date ters Townsley and Alvin Rice. which was sold to Otis Skinner. During the earl y days of the Con­ Hastings Bullen kepts a store where gregational Church organization up the late John McFarland and William to 1824 there is no mention of VanFleet hardware was located on the members having met elsewhere the corner of the village square, than in a schoolhouse. This school- since purchased by Mr. Joseph house was situated across the stre­ Murphy. They were engaged in mer­ et from the present Community chandising, farming, milling, manu­ Church and somewhat nearer the facturing of potash and shipping. village square. During this period, Much of their business activities however, it was customary for the utilized the Oswego-Erie Canal, sen­ congregation to gather every Sun­ ding goods to Albany from Oswego. day. Sometimes a wandering mis­ In these pursuits both father and sionary or preacher would be pre­ son amassed good fortune. sent and preach. In case no regu­ John Jr., received 110 votes for lar minister could be secured, ser­ Member of Assembly from Hannibal vices went on in the following man­ voters in the 1822 election. He was ner: Alexander M. Kent (common­ appointed post master July 23,1822, ly called "Milton") would lead the singing. Cephas S. Kent (other wise "Deacon Kent") would offer pray­ and also on December 16, 1834. er, and Captain John Bullen, the Through his efforts the name of storekeeper, a good reader, would Hannibalville was changed to Han- read a sermon. nibaL From 1823 until 1828 he ser­ Church records show that John ved as town supervisor as did Wil­ Bullen was chosen a trustee on liam Bullen in 1835. John was also June 30, 1825. He owned lot No. Justice of the Peace and an In­ 67 in the Hannibal Cemetery under spector of Elections in Hannibal date of April 28, 1828. On Nov. from 1823 until 1828. 20, 1826 he purchased seat No. 5 In 1824 he was Commissioner of in the "meeting house" for $4.50 common schools and the number of and seat No. 4 at $50.00; No. 31 children taught in the town was to Smith Lockwood, grandfather of approximately 375. the S.R. Lockwood for $28.00 Julia John and David Bullen were a- Bullen was dismissed from the mong those who were instrumental church August 16, 1831. William in forming a Masonic Lodge is Han­ William Bullen was a trustee of nibal. The petition for a lodge was the Society as of June 22, 1832. granted through the cooperation and Alfred and David Bullen were also recommendation of Oswego Lodge members of the church. No. 326. John Bullen was the first It is believed that the Masons held Master and David Bullen was the their first meetings on the second first Senior Warden when the or­ floor of a building constructed in ganization officially opened in 1825. 1826 conjointly with the Congre­ It was known as No. 419 and was the gational Society. It stood nearly fifth lodge chartered In Oswego County. The present one, No. 550 a building jointly owned by the F& AM, made the late Howard Presbyterians and Masons), a con­ Ellithorpe and J. Hilbert Baker hon­ stitution drafted by Rev. Jason Lo­ orary members many years ago. throp was presented and discussed by the throng which attended. Late THE WESTERN in the winter, presumably Febr­ EMIGRATION COMPANY uary, 1835, an organization was per­ fect and the name Western Emigra­ John Bullen Sr., and son John tion Company was assumed. The Rev. Jr., were instrumental in bringing Peter Woodin, a Baptist clergyman about the settlement of the mid- of Hannibal, was chairman and John western city of Kenosha, Wiscon­ Bullen, Sr., was named Secretary. sin. The city is the 5th largest, The constitution outlined a plan for today, with a population of about raising a capital of $8,000 by sub­ 70,000. , . scriptions of $10 each. With these The circumstances that led to the funds a suitable site for a town was founding of Kenosha, Wisconsin, took to be purchased in the West, and place in Hannibal, N.Y. in the month investors were to profit from the of December, 1834. A group of per­ increase in land values when the sons who were acquainted with the settlement grew. Men and women of accounts of travelers such as all ages and from all walks of life, School craft and who had expressed and even unmarried women employ­ more than a casual interest in the ed as servants in the homes of West were invited to supper at the Hannibal, culled enough from their home of John Bullen, Sr. Included meager savings to become share­ among the guests were Charles holders, either in the hope of moving Turner, Waters Towsley, James west or realizing enormous profits Scott, Dr. B.B. Cary, Rev. Jason from the sale of their unowned Lothrop, Hudson Bacon, Rev. Peter land. Sufficient funds-were raised Woodin, Alfred and Orlando Foster, so that an ( exploratory; committee William Bullen, George Bennett and composed of Waters Towslee, C.W. Sydney Roberts. As the tales glean­ Turner and Sydney Roberts was ap­ ed by various guests were unfold­ pointed as the advance guard to ed, the group visioned a glowing stake out a suitable claim In the panorama of beautiful, rolling pra­ name of the Western Emigration iries, fertile soil and bright sunny Company. They left Hannibal for skies and the thought of emigration the golden west, March 25, 1835. took definite form. As the enthus­ Dissatisfied later with the work iasm of the party grew, a plan was of the committee, the company in formed for the organization of an the spring of 1835 appointed John exploratory group which would set­ Bullen, Jr., its sole agent and tle a colony is some selected spot secretary and sent him west to take in the Great Lakes country, prefer­ over the duties of the committee ably along the west shore of L. which had already made a deal with Michigan sharing basis, with all Gilbert Knapp for his holdings at gains and losses to be absorbed Root River, now Racine, Wiscon­ by members of the company. sin. In order to spread out the fin­ ancial burden and at the same time JOHN BULLEN, JR. DESCRIBES to give all possible pecuniary stren­ TRIP WEST gth to the venture, it was agreed to hold a public meeting, at which I started in company with Wil­ time the cooperation of all inter­ liam BuUen and E.C. Hart, from ested citizens of Hannibal would be Hannibal, N.Y., in April 1835. Our inited. At the latter gathering, held baggage was hauled by one horse in the Masonic hall ( second story and wagon. We traveled overland of the Presbyterian meeting house, to the mouth of the Grand River 88 in Michigan. Leaving the horse and people who came were Deacon Weed, wagon, we went on board a schoon­ the Fosters, Dolittles, Caldwell and er, commanded by Capt. Clark (for­ family, A. Kellogg, David Crosit, merly from Oswego) to Chicago. O. Jerome, Elder Lothrop, Nathan We then hired a French Indian, F. Allen, S. Resique, H. Bacon, named Wilmot, by the day with dou­ A. Grattan, Waters Towslee and E. ble wagon, and traveled to west of R. Huginin. Some of these were Racine. We then dismissed Wilmot, members of the Emigration Com­ and explored on foot, and on June pany and some were not. Bullen 12 arrived at what is now Keno­ hired H. Bacon to hold the claim sha." At Root River, Bullen and next north of Pike Creek at $1500 his two companions met Turner and Gardner Wilson the next still and notified him that he had been north at $2,000. These claims were discharged. Then, the Knapp deal reported by agent Bullen to the com­ having fallen through, Turner and pany. He built the first frame the group went southward stopping building. The next month Bullen re­ at Pike Creek where they were met ceived a cargo of merchandise from by Hudson Bacon, Gardner Wilson, the East, opened the first store, and Cephas Weed from Hannibal. employing Allen as Manger. Bullen They staked out four claims. Bullen then left Allen in charge and left held one of these for the company, for Oswego County, stopping at Chi­ two other men, whom Bullen had cago where he sen1 back ten barrels hired, held the others. Turner, con­ of flour to sustain the settlers with­ siderably disgruntled, had built a out which they would have been short cabin on a claim he had staked on of provision during the winter. Pike River. Turner hired Dr. B.B. Arriving In Oswego, John and his Cary of Racine to stay in the cabin brother William who had returned and protect the claim while he re­ previously from the West, purchas­ turned to New York on business. ed the 100 ton schooner "Martin Unexpectedly detained, he did not Van Buren," and loaded it with return until the following Spring. seeds, provisions and implements, Shortly after Turner's depart­ dispatched her to Pike Creek. On ure, Bullen forcibly evicted Dr. his return West he went to southern Cary, thinking that Turner's claim, Illinois bought a herd of cattle which which adjoined the company's would he drove overland to Pike Creek, make a valuable addition to the where he arrived on May 8, 1886 company's holdings. He head that the same day that the "VanBuren" Turner had no right to stake out a sailed into port. In six weeks, Bul­ claim in his own name while he len sold the cattle for over $7,000 still was a member of the com­ cash besides what he sold on time. pany. Bullen then had Turner's Immediately after this, emigration land surveyed into streets and lots to Southport (Pike Creek) increased and during the summer and fall work­ greatly. ed diligently to build up a com­ munity. THE RETURN OF TURNER The next settlers were J. Gard­ ner Wilson and family. Mrs. Gar­ Turner had by this time return­ dner Wilson, a great aunt of the ed to Pike River, where he learn­ late Grant Burton Wilson, was the ed that his claim had been seiz­ first white woman in Kenosha. Her ed. Realizing that he would be husband, James Gardner Wilson, helpless to recover it singlehanded, was a twin brother of Milton Wil­ he went to Milwaukee and obtain­ son, who was a great uncle of ed a writ of ejectment. Thus arm­ the late Grant B. Wilson. Accord­ ed he returned to Pike Creek, re- ing to John Wilson, another rela­ informed by the sheriff and a body tive, there were lots of Indians of deputies. They found the Turner around Kenosha. Other Hannibal cabin strongly fortified and garri-

89 soned by several armed men who WESTERN EMIGRATION COMPANY threatened violence to anyone at­ UNPROFITABLE tempting to take possession. After a long parley, during which Turner The company turned out to be an agreed to submit the controversy unprofitable venture and was dis­ to a duly constituted claim tribun­ solved in the winter of 1836-7. al, the sheriff persuaded the gar­ John Bullen Jr., stayed on at Pike rison to evacuate. The case was Creek, and in 1841, and again in eventually decided In Turner's fav­ 1848, was a member of the Board or. He than sold a number of lots, of Trustees of Southport as Pike and for three or four years a rival Creek was named in 1841. From town, with several dwellings, stor­ 1839-1857 he engaged successfully es, mechanius' shops and ware­ in mercantile and real estate enter­ houses, flourished a mile north of prises, acquring a considerable for­ Pike Creek. However, as the Pike tune. Creek settlement grew, all of these In the West he was again active buildings were dismantled or moved in Masonic circles, helping organize intact to the larger community. Kenosha Lodge No. 47, Free and GENERAL JOHN BULLEN'S Accepted Masons, January 24,1853, WISCONSIN ACTIVITIES and Southport Chapter Royal Arch Masons No. 3, March 30, 1846. John Bullen, father of John Jr., Of this chapter he was the first high emigrated two years later to Wis­ priest. consin in 1837 but did not step After the panic of 1837, which ser­ in the lakeshore settlement. He and iously embarrassed him, he moved his large family purshed on about 20 to Elba, Minnesota, where he be­ miles further west and made their came a • merchant and farmer. In headquarters on the banks of the 1864 he was chosen chairman of Fox river in the township to whjch the Winona County board of com­ he gave the name of Salem. Here missioners and in 1871 he repre­ he built a large house which ser­ sented the county in the Minnesota ved as an inn and also built at legislature. his own expense a bridge over the In the centennial edition of the Fox river. In 1838 he was com­ Kenosha Evening News of June, missioned a Brigadier General in 1935, we find this tribute to him: Wisconsin and commanded the mili­ "The acknowledged founder of Keno­ tia of that territory. sha, John Bullen, Jr., left a posi­ Caroline, a daughter, became the tion as postmaster in the town of wife of Joseph V. Quarles and the Hannibal, Oswego County, New York, mother of United States Senator to travel to the wilds of Wisconsin J.V. Quarles of Wisconsin and ano­ Territory and establish a colony ther daughter Sophia married Wil­ for the Western Emigration Company liam Warner who was United States of which he was secretary and the Senator from Missoui. Rev. Peter Woodin, a Baptist cler­ gyman, was president. In 1843, Mr. Bullen sold some of his land and moved to Southport, Mr. Bullen died May 9, 1884 another name for Kenosha, where survived by his wife, a daughter he conducted an inn later known as and three sons. He was interred the National House. He was an ar­ with Masonic honors at a largely dent temperance worker and very ac­ attended funeral. An imposing monu­ tive in the work of the Underground ment is erected to his memory Railroad. His hotel served as a in Green Ridge Cemetery in Ken­ convenient stopping place for many osha just inside the Sheridan Road former slaves being smuggled north gate. The inscription reads: "In and then sent by boat to Canada. memory of John Bullen who located Kenosha, June 12, 1835, and was one He died in 1850 and is buried in of its founders." Green Ridge cemetery in Kenosha.

90 BIBLIOGRAPHY

I Johnson's HISTORY OF OSWEGO Commissioner Isaac Marsh 1873 COUNTY 1877 VL Records of the Wisconsin His­ II Churchill's LANDMARKS OF OS­ torical Society, Madison, Wise. WEGO COUNTY 1895 VII Newspaper Items from the Keno­ HI Hannibal Town Clerk's Journal, sha Evening News and Kenosha 1807 Union of May, 1884. IV Record Books of District Schools Vm Letter from Miss Ruth H. Dun- lop of Cedar Falls, Iowa, a dir­ V. Notes from the Diary of School ect descendant of the Bullen family.

OSWEGO CITY LIBRARY

91 MEMO

OSWEGO CITY LIBRARY