The Clarkson Family of

Potsdam

By

Margurite Gurley Chapman

POTSDAM, NEW YORK

i958

f oPewoPd

To the Reader:

I have written this brief story of the Clarksons in Potsdam and their fore-bears in hopes it will answer some of the questions in your mind concerning the family.

I suggest that the reader consult the accompanying geneology frequently as the names are often repeated and it is a problem to keep the various Davids, Matthews, Levinuses, Elizabeths and Ann Marys straight. It will help clarify the different families and their relationships. If you follow the spaces from left to right, you will be able to tell which Clarksons were in the same generation, which ones were brothers or whether they were cousins.

I am indebted to Clarkson College for their cooperation in loan­ ing me material and pictures, to Mrs. Frederick Ramsdell for ma­ terial she obtained for me, to Mrs. Lloyd Keller, curator of the Potsdam Public Museum, for books and loans.

My one regret is that more material is not available, but what there is, I hope you will find interesting.

Marguerite Gurley Chapman

June, 1958.

"Holcroft'' as it was built by John C. Clarkson in 1821-2., before the mansard roof was added. This was copied from a picture on the edge of a map of Potsdam dated 1853. 'Property of L. Clarkson.'

"Hofcroft11 as it appeors today with the mansard roof which was added at somet!me after 1853 by T. Streatfeild Clarkson.

Residence of David L. Clarkson which was built about 1836. It is now the Merritt Apartmenfs, Leroy Street.

"The Homestead" which stood on the Clarkson estate about half way between "Holcroft" and "'Woodstock" was the residence of Thomas S. Clark• son and his descendants. 11 was built in 18.40 and burned 11'1 1909. This picture was token from the 1853 map of Potsdam.

Lavinia Clarkson standing by her brother, Tho~as S. Clark­ son. Seated are their aunt, Lavinia Clarkson, and their mother, Elizabeth who were daughters of Levinus Clarkson.

THE CLARKSON FAMILY IN POTSDAM The Clarkson family whose name is perpetuated in the college which the Misses Elizabeth, Lavina and Frederica founded in mem­ ory of their brother, Thomas S. Clarkson, has played an important part in the development of the town and village of Potsdam.

REV. DAVID CLARKSON-1622-1686 The Clarkson family of Potsdam is descended from the Rev. David Clarkson of Bradford Co., York, England, priest of the Church of England. It is not surprising that the Clarkson family took such an active interest in the Episcopal churches of Potsdam, Colton, Norwood and Lawrenceville. The Rev. David Clarkson mar­ ried Elizabeth Holcroft, daughter of Sir Henry Holcroft of East Ham, Essex, England. (Holcroft was the name given to the first Clarkson home to be built on the hill and still bears the name, al­ though it is now a dormitory for Clarkson students. When John C. Clarkson first built it in 1821-1822 it was called 'The Mansion House'). David Clarkson was a graduate of Trinity College, Cambridge, and was a leading non-conformist of his time.

MATTHEW CLARKSON. DIED-1702 David's son Matthew came to America sometime about 1685 or 1686 and was here for four years. There are several proofs that he was here. One, especially noteworthy, was the following: 'Matthew Clarkson, son of Rev. David Clarkson, was in New York on August 10, 1687, for he signed his name as a witness to a conveyance of land to his friend Chas. Lodwick. Lodwick later returned to Eng­ land. At the time of his death his wife, Margaret, and two daugh­ ters survived him. One daughter, Elizabeth, married George Streat­ f eild of an ancient Kentish family, the name of whose nephew, Thomas Streatfeild occurs many times in the Clarkson family in later generations. Matthew returned to England after four years here. Soon after, the position of Secretary of the Colony of New York became vacant and he petitioned the crown for the appoint­ ment, emphasizing the fact that he had lived in the colony and understood the conditions. The request was granted by William and Mary and in December, 1690, he sailed for America and in 1691 assumed his duties as Secretary of the Colony of New York which • position he held till his death in 1702.

1 On January 19, 1692 Matthew Clarkson married Catharina Van Schaick of Albany. By this marriage Mr. Clarkson became connected with the most prominent families in the Colony, namely, the VanCortlandts, the Van Rensselaers, the Schuylers and Liv­ ingstons. The wedding took place in the Dutch Chapel in the Fort. In 1697 J\,Iatthew Clarkson obtained a patent for a parcel of land in Fletcher Street for which he was to pay the yearly rental of one peppercorn. He built a brick mansion here and his neighbors were Johannes de Peyster on one side and Thomas Pearsall on the other. One of -Clarkson's sons, Matthew, married Cornelia de Pey­ ster and from this marriage are decended the "Philadelphia Clark­ sons", just as the "New York Clarksons~' are descended from Matthew's son, David. The Matthew Clarksons had six children but two of the girls died, leaving three boys and one girl, namely: Da­ vid, Levinus, Matthew, and Anna. In 1702 the parents died of yel­ low fever within a few days of each other and the children were entrusted to the care of a maternal aunt, Margrieta Van Schaick, a successful business woman who made a fortune in the mercantile business. On August 25, 1705 she married Rev. Bernardus Freeman and they had one daughter Ann Margaret Freeman whom David Clarkson (her first cousin) married on January 25, 1724 when he was 30 years old.

MATTHEW'S CHiLDREN, DAVID, LEVINUS, MATTHEW AND ANNA David was born in New York August 19, 1694 and was bap­ tised in the old Dutch Church in Garden Street. Little is known of his childhood but he was apparently sent to England to his rela­ tives there to be educated. He is known to have been living in Lon­ don in 1719. In 1718 the three brothers, David, Levinus and Mat­ thew were established as merchants in London, Amsterdam and New York respectively. At some period within the next succeeding six years David returned to America but the date of his arrival in the Province is not known. Matthew was the only one of his father's family in the city at this time. Levinus and Anna had already gone to reside in Holland. As I mentioned before, David married Ann Margaret Freeman in 1724. It is on record that, 'David continued to trade with profit and advantage in the colony. Besides having a joint interest in other vessels, he owned several of his own and carried on trade principal­ ly in European and East Indian goods.' In 1732 he purchased for 156 pounds ( $390) one of seven lots on 'The Strand'. His lot was

2 on the south-east corner of Whitehall and Pearl Streets. He built a residence there which was the Clarkson home for four generations. The ground is now occupied by the Corn Exchange. David was a member of the Assembly and sat in five successive assemblies dur­ ing the administrations of Clark and Clinton, covering a pP-riod from 1739 to 1751, except for 17 months. He died in 1751 and was buried in the Clarkson family vault in Old Trinity Churchyard.

DAVID'S FOUR CHILDREN-FREEMAN, DAVID, MATTHEW and LEVINUS David and Ann Margaret Freeman had four children:Freeman (1724-1770) who never married and concerning whose funeral I shall relate later in order to show the customs of the day. Dauid (1726-1782) from whom the Potsdam Clarksons are descended, ex­ cept David M. and John C. Clarkson who are descended from the next brother, Matthew. Matthew (1733-11-7.2) married Elizabeth Depeyster in 1758 and their son David M. (1769-1815) was one of the original purchasers of the town of Potsdam in 1802. David M. Clarkson married Mary Van Horne, sister of Garrit Van Horne in 1784. In 1785 two mercantile houses were established. One, "Van Horne and Clarkson" was composed of Garrit Van Horne and his brother-in-law David M. Clarkson. The other, in which the three brothers of General Matthew Clarkson were associated was known as 'Freeman, Streatfeild and Levinus Clarkson'. They were sons of David (1726-1782). David M. Clarkson's son John Charlton Clark­ son was the first Clarkson to come to Pot..c;dam to live.

THE REASON THAT SETTLEMENTS WERE NEEDED I think this is, perhaps, the best time to relate a bit of the early history of Northern New York, how it happened to be settled at this _time and the part the Clarkson family played in it. At the close of the Revolutionary War almost nothing was known about this part of the state, especially north of the Totten and Crossfield Purchase, which line formed the southern boundary of St. Law­ rence and Franklin Counties. Carlton Island and Ft. Oswegatchie (Ogdensburg) were still in the hands of the British. The Tories, under the leadership of Sir John Johnson, had fled to Canada and many had settled on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River. There was a pressing need for a· buffer state to be established to protect the Mohawk Valley and the rest of the state from an in­ vasion from the north. To promote the settlement, the legislature took early measures for bringing into market the unpatented

3 lands. An act was passed May 8, 1785 providing for the sale of land and creating land commissioners to dispose of the land. Following the act, townships of 64,000 acres as nearly square as possible were laid out. Each township was to be divided into mile square lots. In every township a lot was set aside to be known as the 'Gospel and School Lot' and another 'for promoting literature'.

TEN TOWNS CREATED On May 10, 1787 the board passed a resolution creating ten towns, five on the St. Lawrence River and five to the south of these. A notice in the Albany Gazette June 7, 1787 announced the sale at Public Vendue at the Coffee House (corner Water St. and Wall St.-) in New York City, beginning Thursday, July 10, at 11 o'clock. The names of the towns were established by a formal resolution of the _land commissioners on September ·10, 1787, as follows: 1. Louisville. 2. Stockholm. 3. Potsdam. 4. 1'Iadrid. 5. Lisbon. 6. Canton. 7. De­ Kalb. 8. Oswegatchie. 9. Hague. (Morristown). 10. Cambray. ( Gou­ verneur). The principal purchaser was Alexander Macomb who had resided in Detroit for many years and is said to have been a fur trader. In the course of his business he had often passed up and down the St. Lawrence and thus became acquainted with the gen­ eral aspect and probable value of the lands and was no doubt better qualified to judge the value of the land than his associates.

SUBEQUENT PURCHASERS In 1792 Macomb became involved in money matters with men in New York and he was compelled to assign his interest for the benefit of his creditors. Most of the purchase passed to William Edgar ( whose wife was Anne Van Horne) and Daniel McCormick. On the same date Edgar sold to William Constable for 1500 pounds the towns of Madrid, Potsdam, the west half of Stockholm and Louisville. In :L799 Constable had his purchase surveyed. In June of 1799 Mr. Benjamin Wright, a noted surveyor of Rome, N.Y., ar­ rived at the St. Regis River, going by the Mohawk River, Wood Creek, Oneida Lake, Oswego River, Lake Ontario, and the St. Law­ rence River. He took with him a surveying party of six men, Gurdon Smith, Moses Wright, Ebenezer Wright, Clark Putnam, Benjamin Raymond and E. Hammond. Each man had two axe men and· two chain men. In 1800 they returned to finish the surveying.

CLARKSONS BUY TOWN OF POTSDAM-1802 On November 18, 1802, Mr. Constable conveyed to Garrit Van

4 Horne, David M. Clarkson and their associates all the town of Potsdam, except a two mile strip on the north side next to Madrid. The western part of this two mile strip had been sold by Constable to Ogden and was known as the Ogden Tract and the eastern half to Chas. Le Roux and called the Le Roux Tract. Later, in 1821, the Clarkson purchase was conveyed to the following proprietors in separate parcels and by separate deeds as follows: Levinus Clark­ son, Hermon LeRoy, Wm. Bayard, John C. Clarkson, Garrit Van Horne, Thomas S. Clarkson (all cousins or in-laws) and Nicholas Fish (a close friend). Incidentally, the house that stood where Anderson's store and apartment is on Elm Street, which was moved back when the block was built, and which burned on Nov. 22, 1952, was built for this Mr. Fish, although he never occupied it. It was known to the older residents of Potsdam as the 'Fish House'. All subsequent titles in this town have been derived from the foregoing proprietors.

FIRST SETTLEMENT IN POTSDAM In 1803 Benjamin Raymond who had surveyed this territory for Mr. Constable came to Potsdam as land agent for the Clarksons. In May, 1803 he came from Rome with a bateau laden with mill irons and landed at Point Iroquois (where the Iroquois dam has just been built) just above Waddington, cut his way through the forest, ar­ riving at the Racquette River one half mile down the river from where Potsdam now stands. He built a raft and ascended the river to the falls where he built a hut and erected a saw mill, the irons for which, he had brought with him, and got the mill into operation that same year. He also laid out roads, the one from Stockholm through Potsdam to Canton being cleared so as to allow teams to pass. In 1804 Mr. Raymond returned with his family and many more families began to move in and clear the land. In 1804 or 1805 Mr. Raymond built a house on the west side of the river, back of the St. Lawrence Motor Sales not far from Mr. Roy White's shop. It was a story and a half structure 62 feet long with two wings, all forming a Greek cross and commonly called the Fox and Geese House, because of the plan of that game board. It cost about $2,000 and was land office, home, hotel, and general headquarters. On Sun­ days it served as a church. In 1804 the grist mill, 46x28 feet with 2½ stories was built.

POTSDAM GROWS In 1810 the first schoolhouse-church, later known as 'The

5 Academy' was built on Union Street by Mr. Raymond. In 1811 he made arrangements for Mr. Johnson, a graduate of Harvard to come to Potsdam as the teacher of the school and as minister on Sunday. The original letters written by Benjamin Raymond are in the Potsdam Museum. In 1810 Mr. Raymond built his own dwelling on the hill where the Merritt Apartment House now stands. His farm of 508 acres extended from the Stockholm road (now Law­ rence Avenue) to the Union Road (now Market Street). Here he had constructed a unique dwelling for his family. It had a main part and two wings, all on one floor, facing south. The main part was 64 feet long and 19 feet wide. Mr. Raymond also had all the necessary buildings for a farm.

JOHN C. CLARKSON SUCCEEDS BENJAMIN RAYMOND In 1818 Benjamin Raymond resigned as land agent for the Clarksons to go to Raymondville as land agent for Mr. McVickar to improve the settlement, build mills and establish a line of boats to run between Raymondville (at the head of navigation on the Rac­ quette River) and Montreal. He sold the farm with the live stock to the proprietors in 1818 for $11,599.22, and for a while Mr. J. C. Clarkson lived there, occupying the house and thirty acres at a rental of $250.00 a year and leasing the farm part to Timothy Pierce on shares half and half.

JOHN C. CLARKSON BUILT THE HOUSE AT 44 ELM ST., and HOLCROFT On July 1, 1818 Garrit Van Horne gave power of attorney to John C. Clarkson when he came to Potsdam to live. While J. C. Clarkson was living at the Raymond farm he was having a house built for himself at 44 Elm Street, just east of the present Presby­ terian Church. Originally this house was much like the main part of Helen Hosmer's house at 48 Elm Street. Mr. Bonney who owned it in the 1890's added the mansard roof and the wing. In 1821-2 Mr. Clarkson built Holcroft on the hill.

HERMON LeROY BOUGHT THE RAYMOND FARM, LATER SELLING IT TO DAVID L. CLARKSON In 1821 when the proprietors took separate title to separate parts of Potsdam, Mr. Hermon LeRoy bought the Raymond fa_rm along with other property. Mr. LeRoy lived there for a short time, not later than 1834. According to the history of the Episcopal Church by Annie Clarkson, it was rented by the church in 1834 for its first minister, Mr. Bury. About this time David L. Clarkson

6 bought the property. He first built the stone house on what is now Castle Drive and now (1958) owned by Dr. Goldsmith. Dorothy Sisson Castle who formerly owned the stone house told me, that on a beam in the cellar is carved 'Anno Lucis - 5830' which has been deciphered from a code handed down from that period to be '1830', the probable date of the stone house. In 1835 or 1836 the white wooden house built by ·Mr. Raymond burned and David L. Clarkson built the house of Potsdam sandstone which is now known as Merritt Apartments. David L. Clarkson married Margaret DeLongy of Potsdam (her name is among the communicants of the Episcopal Church) and they lived there till 1846 when he sold his interests and returned to New York City. According to a letter which Mrs. F. A. Ramsdell received from the president of the New York Stock Exchange in answer to a let­ ter of inquiry which she had sent, David L. Clarkson was president of the New York Stock Exchange from January 1837 to May 1851 and was a member of the Exchange from July 30, 1822 to late 1867 or early 1868. The David L. Clarksons adopted three DeLongy children name­ ly: Eliza J. DeLongy, M. Josephine DeLongy and Elizabeth De­ Longy and had one son of their own, David A. Clarkson of Garden City, N. Y.

JOHN C. CLARKSON IN POTSDAM, 1818-1835 When John C. Clarkson arrived in Potsdam in 1818, he found that the people had lost interest in the little church on Union Lane. In 1811 Benjamin Raymond had hired Mr. James Johnson, a gradu­ ate of Harvard to come as combined teacher of the academy and minister of the church on Sundays. Mr. Johnson was ordained and installed as pastor by a council of Congregational -Churches on March 10, 1812. He continued his dual role till he was dismissed July 1, 1817, perhaps because of his plainness of speech which at times was somewhat severe. During the next year there was only occasional preaching and there was a lapse in the records. On De­ cember 14, 1818 soon after John C. Clarkson came to Potsdam a meetin5· was held for the purpose of forming a religious society. It was called 'Trinity Church Society', probably in deference to Mr. Clarkson's parish church in New York. John C. Clarkson, Horace Allen, Forest Morgan, Ezra Barnum, Daniel Shaw and Samuel Part.. ridge were chosen trustees. For the next two years there was no

7 settled pastor, the principal of the academy, Levi L. Ives, sometimes reading a sermon, sometimes one of the deacons. On December 16! 1820 the society adopted the name and became the First Presby­ terian Church of Potsdam. Evidently John C. Clarkson attended the Presbyterian Church except at such times as an Episcopal mission­ ary came to Potsdam.

JOHN C. CLARKSON AND TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF POTSDAM As I have mentioned before, the Clarksons were ardent Epis­ copalians and it was only natural that they were interested in hav­ ing an Episcopal Church in Potsdam. As early as 1831 the Rev. A~ron Humphrey, a missionary in Waddington, came to Potsdam to conduct services which were held in the academy building on the square. On October 10, 1834 the few Episcopalians in town, en­ couraged by additions to their number, decided to have more regu­ lar services by having a resident priest. The Rev. Richard Bury had come to Ogdensburg and a subscription paper was circulated to extend to him a call to come to Potsdan1. The money was raised, $700.00 for his salary and $75.00 for rent, the LeRoy house being selected for his residence. On November 11, 1834, Mr. Bury moved to Potsdam. Three fourths of the Sunday services were to be held here and one fourth in Canton. On March 23, 1835 Trinity Church Parish was formed and the following officers elected: Church war­ dens, John C. Clarkson and Augustus L. Clarkson, (a cousin) and eight vestrymen, David L. Clarkson, Zenas Clark, Theodore Clark, Myron Munson, Noble Strong Elderkin, Frederick Miller, Jr., Sam­ uel Partridge, and Aaron T. Hopkins. On April 10, 1835, J.C. Clark­ son wrote the proprietors for their written authorization to convey to the vestry as a gratuity all that part of Fall Island in the village of Potsdam lying south of the turnpike as a site for the church. The request was granted and signed by A. M. Van Horne, A. Norrie, Mary L. Norrie (all children of Ann Margaret Clarkson and her husband Gerrit Van Horne, both of whom were deceased), Thos. Streatf'd Clarkson and Levinus Clarkson, (a brother of Thomas S.). I quote from the grant, "The services of the saw mill for sawing the materials and for the building of the church are gratuitously offered. T. S. Clarkson offers the stone that ~ill be wanted for the purpose of the building to be gathered from his quarry free of charge." The building committee went to work immediately to erect a church 64 by 44 feet, to be built of sandstone after the design of Trinity Church, New York. This con- s eludes the information I have of the family of Matthew Clarkson (1733-1772), third son of David and Ann Margaret Freeman, and the part that his son David M. and his grandson, John C. Clarkson played in the early years of Potsdam.

DAVID CLARKSON 1 S OLDEST SON, FREEMAN CLARKSON. (1724.-1770.) The only reason that I am mentioning Freeman Clarkson, son of David and Ann Margaret Freeman is to elaborate on the funeral customs of his day. Freeman lived in Flatbush, never married and died at the age of 46. The following items for his funeral were taken from the History of the Clarkson family: £ sh. p. 13 gal. Madeira wine 5 4 0 2 barrels-beer 2 8 0 Pipes & tobacco 8 9 Ferryman for f erriage 3 8 50 yards linen at 5/4 13 6 8 1 piece white riband 17 0 Mr. John Sebring bill for funeral 3 15 8 Sexton for burial 1 0 0 Mr. Peter Lott-Ground for burial 4 0 0 For coffin 1 8 0 For candles 12 0 I have been told that many of the Clarksons who are buried in the Clarkson vault in B_ayside Cemetery were wrapped in linen according to the early custom used in this country. Both Freeman and his brother David were sent to England to be educated returning to America in 1748.

DAVID CLARKSON, 1726-1782. An interesting item recorded of David's trip to London fol­ lows: ''While in London he had purchased an Italian chaise, a neat new market twig whip, and a green net for his horse". On May 3, 1749 he married Elizabeth French. They built a house on Whitehall Street which they moved into on October 25, 1752. Many of the fur­ nishings for the house were imported. In 1754 at the age of 28, al­ ready possessed of considerable property, he purchasd in company with Mr. John Riddell, a ticket in the great lottery for the found­ ing of the present colossal British Museum. This was under the sanction of the Royal Parliament and had an authorized capital in

9 shares of 300,000 pounds sterling, two thirds of this amount was to be distributed as prizes; the balance to be appropriated to the pur­ chase of Sir Hans Sloane's Collection and to the erection of a suit­ able building for it and the Cotton Library. It may interest the reader to know what these two collections were. The Cottonian Library consisted of state papers, Biblical and other manuscripts, bequeathed to the nation by Sir John Cotton in 1700 and seriously injured by fire at Ashburton House in 1731. In 1753 an Act of Par­ liament was passed, providing for the purchase of the Sloane and Harleian Collections and for depositing these in a suitable building. The Sloane Collection consisted of books valued at 20,000 pounds and a little ancient sculpture. The lottery ticket was procured through Mr. Thomas Streatfeild, a friend of David Clarkson who was connected with the eminent mercantile house of Pomeroy and Streatfeild of Leaden Hall Street, London. This ticket drew the highest prize and 10,000 pounds sterling ($25,000 gold), one half of the prize, was David Clarkson's share. This added wealth did not change his mode of living. He continued his career of merchant, imported tea, coffee, spices, dry goods and many other commodi­ ties required by the colonists. He also derived a handsome income from under-writing vessels on the high seas, an extensive business. This shipping business accounts for the large holding of the Pots­ dam Clarksons in dockage in New York City. At what period the design of establishing a college in New York City was first seriously entertained does not appear, but as early as October 23, 1746, it was ordered in the Assembly, of which his father David Clarkson was a member, that a bill be brought in for raising by public lottery a certain sum of money for the ad­ vancement of learning and towards founding a college in the Col­ ony. The measure was approved and signed by the Governor; ten trustees were appointed in 1751, seven of whom were members of the Church of England and a number were vestrymen of Trinity Church. In the list of "four and twenty of the principal gentlemen of the city" who were made the first governors of Kings College, now Columbia University, occurs the name of David Clarkson and thus he became associated with his father in founding this institu­ tion. During the Revolution David met with serious losses~ due to trade being suspended. The drunken Hessians amused themselves rifling the houses and were soon directed to the residence of David

10 Clarkson at the time being occupied by a Mr. Bergen. Clarkson was a strong Whig, very outspoken in his views, and the troops evident­ ly vented their spite on him and his principles by destroying his furniture and abusing his premises in a shameful manner. He had imported wines bottled and concealed behind a partition. The guide knowing these facts, told the troops and even assisted them in pro­ curing the wines. However, silver plate, buried on the premises was not discovered. The house was later used as an enemy hospital. On September 21, 1776 a fire which consumed 500 houses and Trinity Church in New York also burned David's house. He died in 1782. David and Elizabeth French had eight children, but we are interest­ ed in only four of them, namely: Matthew, Ann Margaret, Thomas Streatfeild and Levinus.

MATTHEW, ANN MARGARET, THOMAS STREATFEILD AND LEVINUS CLARKSON. Matthew, the fifth child of the David Clarksons, was born in 1758 and died in 1825. Matthew Clarkson was not a general until after the Revolu­ tionary War was over. Early in the year 1775 when he was 16 years old, he became a private in the corps of the American fusileers. In 1776 he wrote John Vanderbilt, member of Assembly, for a com­ mission in the battalions to be raised in the province, but failed to get it, so he attached himself as a volunteer to his brother David's company. David was captain of the 10th Co. in Colonel Josiah Smith's regiment. After the disastrous battle of Long Island, on an order from General George Washington, those surviving members of the company were sent across to New York and Matthew Clark­ son went to his home in Brunswick, N.J., where, sometime later, he met Gen. Nathaniel Greene who wrote him in July, 1777 offer­ ing him a chance to join the army as Major. He accepted the offer and was attached to Gen. Benedict Arnold as aid-de-camp. He set off to join the army under General Schuyler, then retreating before Burgoyne. With a detachment of 160· men he had been ordered to destroy a bridge south of Ft. Edward when they were attacked by a band of Indians and Matthew Clarkson was severly wounded, a ball passing through the muscular integument of his throat. They thought at first that the trachea was wounded but to the amaze­ ment of all he recovered and was sent to Albany to recuperate. On August 20th he was back with his company. On Oct. 17, 1777 Bur­ goyne was forced to surrender. In a large historical painting by ·Trumbull in the rotunda of the Capitol at Washington, commem-

11 orating the event there is, among the portraits, a likeness of Major Matthew -Clarkson receiving the sword of surrender on the 19th anniversary of whose birth, this victory was achieved. On March 19, 1779 Clarkson and Arnold separated after an association of two years. On March 24, 1779 he was appointed aid-de-camp to Major­ General Lincoln, then commanding officer in the Southern Depart­ ment and in that character served as Major in the corps of light infantry during the siege of Charleston. In 1781 he was present at the reduction of the British posts at York and Gloucester, under the command of Lieut.-General Cornwallis. Soon after this, when Ma­ jor-General Lincoln became Secretary of War, Clarkson was ap­ pointed his assistant. On November 25, 1783 Major Clarkson re­ ceived the commission of Lieutenant-Colonel by Brevet, but with the conclusion of the war he retired from the army and returned to Flatbush. In the spring of 1783, a few months before the disbanding of the troops, many of the officers, desirous of perpetuating the mem­ ories of their campaigns met at Verplanck House, south of New­ burg and farmed an association which they named "The Society of the Cincinnati". Matthew Clarkson was enrolled as a member of this brotherhood within the first six months of its organization and was very active all his life in it. To perpetuate the association, it was provided in the constitution, "that the eldest male descen­ dant of an original member should be entitled to bear the order and enjoy the privileges of the Society". Fr8m his ancestor, Matthew Clarkson, Robert L. Clarkson, trustee of Clarkson College, is a member of the Society of the Cincinnati. Following an unsuccessful trip to•France in 1784 to solicit funds for the Regents of New York, he returned to New York on January 24, 1785. On May 24, 1785 he married Mary Rutherford. He was still recognized as Colonel among his friends, though he had resigned his commission in the regular army. In June 1786 Matthew Clarkson was made Brigadier General of the Militia of Kings and Queens Counties with a command of about 2,000 .men. On March 8, 1798 he was commissioned Major-General of the Southern District of New York, the most important of the four districts into which the state was divided. This is how he came to be called General Matthew Clarkson.

12 J'.v1att:1ev1 Clarkson v,as president of the Bank of the City of New York for 21 years, from 1804 till his death in 1825. He was active in all civic, religious and political affairs of the state and city. He was a member of the board of New York Hospital and he introduced the first measure in the legislature for freeing the slaves. Although the measure was lost he started in the next day to press his legislation. His portrait was painted by Gilbert Stuart, the most famous portrait painter of his time . ..A.bout 1785 General Matthew Clarkson was in partnership with John Vanderbilt, trading in Holland with the firm of Daniel Crom­ melin and Sons. Their trade was so successful that they extended business to England, France and Spain. Matthew was also one of the early purchasers of the town of Potsdam. He was twice mar­ ried. His first wife was Mary Rutherford who died in 1796, one year after their marriage, leaving a little girl Mary who later mar­ ried Peter Jay. His second wife was Sarah Cornell. She had two sisters, Hannah who married Hermon LeRoy and Elizabeth who married William Bayard both of whom were members of the Clark­ son Proprietors who purchased the town of Potsdam. The LeRoys lived in Potsdam till about 1834 having purchased the Raymond f ar1n on the site of the present Merritt apartments. Matthew had seven children, two of whom are closely connected with ~otsdam. His third child David (1795-1867) married Elizabeth Streatfeild Clarkson daughter of Thomas S. Clarkson and Elizabeth \ 7an Horne. Their son known as T. Streatfeild Clarkson (1824-1902) married his cousin Anh Mary Clarkson (1831-1895) in 1852 and they lived in Potsdam taking over Holcroft and remodeling it as it is today.

HISTORY OF HOLCROFT AND THE NAMES OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE LIVED IN IT, UP TILL THE Tlf'.E CLARKSON COLLEGE TOOK IT OVER. As I have mentioned before, John C. Clarkson built Holcroft in 1821-2. The first picture of Holcroft in this brochure was taken from the edge of an old map of Potsdam dated 1853 which ~Irs. Mary Clarkson Myers of Tivoli sent to Mrs. Ramsdell. This was before the mansard roof was added by T. Streatfeild Clarkson. Some time after John C. Clarkson left Potsdam in 1835 or 1836, his father's cousin Lavinus (1765-1845) came to Potsdam and lived at Holcroft till his death in 1845. Mrs. Clarkson outlived her hus­ band eleven years and died at Potsdam in 1856. Both are buried in

18 their son Lavinus' vault in Trinity churchyard, New York. Most of their children lived in Potsdam, Lavinia who lived with her sis­ ter Elizabeth till her death in 1881 and is buried in the Clarkson vault in Bayside, Augustus L. who built Woodstock, David L. who built what is now Merritt Apartments, Elizabeth who married Thomas S. and built the Homestead and Levinus who lived here till 1849 when he married Mary Livingston and built his home at Tivoli modeling it after Holcroft. After the family of Levinus Clarkson left Holcroft, Bloomfield Usher of Herkimer, N.Y., who came to Potsdam as the first presi­ dent of the Frontier Bank which was organized in 1851, lived in Holcroft for a short time till he bought his home at 10 Elm Street (The Potsdam Club). After Mr. Usher moved from Holcroft it was occupied successively by W. A. Fonda and Mr. Cool. T. Streatfeild Clarkson took over and remodeled Holcroft sometime after 1853, adding the mansard roof and making other improvements. T. Streatfeild and his wife, Ann Mary Clarkson had two daughters, Miss Annie Clarkson (1856-1929) and Emilie Val­ lete (1863-1946). Emilie was married to William Alonzo Moore at Holcroft, residence of T. Streatfeild Clarkson, on July 31, 1901 by Rev. A. Vallete Clarkson, Groton-on-Hudson, assisted by Rev. Mr. Kirby, Rector of Trinity Church, Potsdam. The Moores lived there for a time, but evidently Holcroft was inherited by Miss Annie Clarkson in 1902 when T. Streatfeild died. In a clipping in the Clarkson scrap book is the following item: "Aug. 31, 1927. It be­ came known today that Miss Annie Clarkson has given to Clarkson College her estate known as 'Holcroft' in ~Iaple Street. Last June Miss Clarksop. deeded to the college all the Clarkson estate in that vicinity comprising about six hundred acres of land. At that time she reserved the residence of 'Holcroft' and about twenty one acres. This she now gives to the college." Notice that four branches of the Clarkson family have, at some time, occupied Holcroft. The other son of Matthew that interests us particularly was William Bayard Clarkson who married Adelaide Livingston, daugh­ ter of Robert L. Livingston, in 1826. Their great-grandson is Robert Livingston Clarkson, at present (1958) a trustee of Clarkson Col­ lege. He married Cora Shields of Philadelphia on June 2, 1903 and they have two sons, Robert Livingston Clarkson, Jr., who married

14 Joan Leroy in 1951, and Bayard Delafield Clarkson. Mr. Clarkson is a member of the fallowing historic societies : 1. Society of Colo­ nial Lords of Manors, 2. Society-Descendants of Signers of the Declaration of Independence and 3. Order of the Cincinnati. This completes the line of Gen. Matthew Clarkson as far as the Potsdam Clarksons are concerned.

ANN MARGARET CLARKSON VAN HORNE. The next child of David and Elizabeth French Clarkson that we are interested in was Ann Margaret ( 1761-1824), their sixth child. She married Gerrit Van Horne in 1784. He was one of the principal proprietors of the Clarkson purchase of the town of Potsdam and his name appears on most of the early deeds in the town. Some­ times the name is spelled Gerrit and sometimes Gerret. The names of their children appe.a.r on the letter and indenture giving the land etc. to Trinity Church mentioned previously. You will notice on the genealogy sheet that four of the Clarksons, either brothers, sisters or cousins married Van Hornes, namely, Ann Margaret, Thomas S., Levinus and David M.

THOMAS STREATf El LD CLARKSON ( 1763-1844). In 1763 David and Elizabeth French Clarkson had a seventh child whom they named Thomas Streatfeild after David's friend in London who had sold him the lucky lottery ticket on the British Museum in 1754. This Thomas S. (1763-1844) married Elizabeth Van Horne (1771-1852), a daughter of Augustus Van Horne, in 1790, the ceremony being performed at the home of the bride in Smith Street, New York City by the Rev. Benjamin Moore, father of Thomas Moore who was made famous by his Christmas story ' 'twas the Night Before Christmas'. This Thomas Clarkson evi­ dently had an unusually good education. He wrote several essays on the slave trade. In this work he "ras thrown frequently into the company of the Quakers who had long been unanimous on the sub­ ject of slavery. Their homes were open to him and he acquired a knowledge of their living manners v1hich no other person, who was not a Quaker, could have easily obtained. As a result there are three volumes, 'A Portraiture of Quakerism' by Thomas Clarkson, published in 1806 in New York by Samuel Stansbury, 111 Water Street. These volumes are in the Potsdam Museum. In the front of _VoluJ!le I is a very good picture of this Thomas Clarkson, the first to bear the name. These volumes belonged to Mrs. Sewall Raymond

15 whose husband was a cousin of Benjamin Raymond and who built his home in 1813 on the corner of Elm and Union Streets. The Clarksons lived at 33 Broadway till his death in 1844 when Mrs. Clarkson moved to 11 West 21st Street. The Thomas S. Clarksons had eleven children, three of whom we, in Potsdam, are interested in. Their fourth child, a daughter Elizabeth Streatfeild Clarkson married David Clarkson in 1822 (mentioned before under Matthew Clarkson's descendants) and their son Thomas Streatfeild known in Potsdam as T. Streatfeild ( 1824-1902) married his first cousin Ann Mary Clarkson ( 1831- 1895) in 1852. She was the oldest sister of Thomas S. for whom the college was named, and they lived in Holcroft all during their married life. Their two children were Miss Annie (1856-1929) and Emilie Vallete (1863-1946) who married William Moore. Their names appear, also, under the descendants of Gen. Matthew Clark­ son. The Thomas S. Clarkson's fifth child was Thomas S. (1799- 1873) who married Elizabeth Clarkson (1810-1883) in 1830. She was the daughter of Levinus Clarkson and Ann Mary Van Horne whose family I will trace next. Thomas S. and his wife Elizabeth came to Potsdam to live in 1840 having previously had their home, known as 'The Homestead' built for them. This house was located about half way between Holcroft and Woodstock on the Clarkson estate. This house burned in 1909. They had six children, Ann Mary (1831-1895) who married her cousin T" Streatfeild Clarkson (1824- 1895) in 1852. They lived in Holcroft and had the two daughters, Miss Annie and Emilie Vallete, mentioned twice before. Ann Mary was the only one of the six children to marry. The others were Elizabeth (1833-1918), Levinus (1835-1876), Thomas S. (Nov. 30, 1837-Aug. 19, 1894) in whose memory the three sisters founded Clarkson College, Lavinia (1842-1926) and Frederica (1846-1909). These Clarksons all lived in Potsdam and I will relate more after I complete the rest of the family. The seventh child of Thomas S. and Elizabeth Van Horne was Frances Selina who married her cousin, Augustus L. Clarkson, (son of Levinus Clarkson) who had built Woodstock in 1827. She died in 1829 and in 1852 he married Emily McVickar. This completes the record of the members of the fam­ ily of Thomas S. and Elizabeth Van Horne Clarkson, who lived in Potsdam.

16 LEVINUS CLARKSON (1765-1845). The fourth and last family to be traced is that of Levinus, the 8th child of David and Elizabeth French Clarkson and brother of the first Thomas S. Clarkson. He was born in 1765 and died in 1845. In 1797 he married Ann Mary Van Horne (1778-1856), the daugh­ ter of Augustus Vallete Van Horne and sister of Elizabeth who had married Thomas S. in 1790. They lived at 11 Harrison St., New York. In a copy of the New York Sun for Sept. 3, 1833 which is on file in the Potsdam Public Museum is an advertisement in which Levinus Clarkson is listed as a director of the Globe Insurance Com­ pany, 27 Wall Street. Levinus moved to Potsdam and took over Holcroft in 1840. A picture of the original house without the man­ sard roof is on an old map of Potsdam dated 1853. He died in 1845. They had seven children, several of whom had much to do with Potsdam. Lavina (1798-1881) was unmarried but lived in Potsdam all of her later years and was buried in the Clarkson vault in Bay­ side. When the recessed chancel was added to Trinity Church in 1858 it was Miss Lavinia Clarkson who gave the beautiful chancel window which was bought at Sharp and Company in New York. Augustus Levinus Clarkson (1802-1885) came to Potsdam some time after John C. Clarkson, and built Woodstock on the hill in 1827. He married his cousin Frances Selina Clarkson who died in 1829. In 1852 he married Emily McVickar. They evidently lived in Potsdam as they are both given in the list of communicants in Trinity Church. Their daughter Frances was baptised in Trinity Church August 28, 1853. She married a Mr. MacLean and lived in England. Augustus L. and John C. were church wardens when Trin­ ity Church was organized March 23, 1835 and David L. was a ves­ tryman. David L. was another son of Levinus -coming, probably, some time about 1834. In 1821 when the Proprietors took separate deeds to land in Potsdam, Hermon LeRoy took over the 508 acre farm formerly owned by Benjamin Raymond which includes all the land from Market Sreet, across Leroy Street to Lawrence Avenue. About 1835 the white wooden house built by B. Raymond burned, and David L. who bought the tract from Mr. LeRoy built the pres­ ent house of Potsdam sandstone, now the Merritt Apartments. He married Margaret DeLongy and they lived here till 1846 when they returned to New York City. I have already related what I know of his personal life and business career. Like the other members of the Clarkson family David L. Clarkson was a deeply religious man. tn 1855 he wrote 'An Aid to Domestic Worship'. It was published

17 and for sale by Thos. N. Stanford, 637 Broadway, N.Y. The copy in the Potsdam Public Museum is inscribed as follows: 'For Bloom­ field Usher, Esq. with the kind regards of the author, David L. Clarkson 1858'. It is a book as large as a pulpit Bible, beautifully bound with tooled leather with gold. The following statement by the publishers is on the first page of the book: 'The Publishers of "The Aid to Domestic Worship and The Christians Companion" would hereby notify the public that the author of these very valuable works edited at an expense of several thousand dollars-has gen­ erously authorized them to use the net proceeds of the sales thereof for their gratuitous distribution in a cheap form to such pious in­ dividuals of all denominations as may be desirous of them, but who may not be able to purchase them them-selves. In preparing them for the press he has been actuated solely by the benevolent motive of benefiting his fellow-creatures, and of promoting the cause of piety and virtue, and not from any desire or expectation of pecuni­ ary profit to himself. The announcement of these facts they trust will serve to augment the circulation of these books, and conse­ quently to promote their usefulness.' The book contains portions of scripture from Genesis to Revelations with reflections thereon, and a prayer for the morning or evening of every day in the year with an appendix of additional prayers for special days. David L. Clark­ son also wrote "The Christian's Companion to the Sick and Af­ flicted" which the Museum does not have. Elizabeth ( 1810-1883) married her cousin Thomas S. ( the sec­ ond T.S.C.). Their family has already been listed and I will treat them mor·e in detail presently. Levinus Clarkson who died in 1861 married Mary Livingston and they had two sons, Edward L. and Robert. Levinus built "Southwood", a duplicate of Holcroft, on the Livingston estate at Tivoli in 1849-50. This house still stands and is the summer resi­ dence of Mrs. Mary Clarkson Myers, daughter of Robert Clarkson. Of the eight children of David Clarkson, only three were living in 1825 and Matthew died that year. Thomas S. and Levinus shared the excellencies of character which distinguished Matthew, but from love of ·retirement were less known and consequently, except among their intimate friends, less appreciated. Thomas Streatfeild and Matthew were almost inseparable in their companionship. All three men were of the highest principles and of spotless integrity, 18 inheriting the virtues of their ancestors and illustrating them in their pure and Christian lives.

THE CLARKSONS and EPISCOPAL CHURCHES The Clarkson family as a whole gave generously to the Epis­ copal churches in Potsdam and neighboring towns. I have already told the part the family played in giving the land and helping to erect the original building of Trinity Church in 1835. When Augus­ tus L. Clarkson died in Dec. 1855, he left $3,000 to the rector and vestry and this bequest formed a nucleus for much needed altera­ tions to the church. Three years later in 1858, a recessed chancel, 24x19 feet was added, the gallery in the rear of the nave was re­ moved, and the old pews replacd by open seats with panelled stan­ dards of butternut. Other details may be found by those interested in "The History of Trinity Church" by A. C. A chancel window bought of Sharp & Co., New York, was given by Miss Lavinia Clark­ son (sister of Augustus L.). In 1855 a year before her death, Mrs. Levinus Clarkson pre­ sented the church with a silver altar service, which has ever since been in use in Trinity Church. The Clarkson men were always on committees when improve­ ments were made in the church property, or anything else connect­ ed with the church. When the black ash Gothic ceiling was to be added, Thomas S. Clarkson (2nd) was on the committee. When the Albany Diocese was formed and delegates sent from this church, T. Streatfeild was one of that number. When it was decided in 1870 to build a stone wall across the island in front of the church, T. Streat­ f eild was one of the building committee. On June 17, 1873, the cornerstone of St. Thomas Church, Law­ renceville was laid. This was an occasion of joy to Trinity, for it had contributed, besides private gifts, over three hundred dollars towards the erection of the church. In the summer of 1882, through the instrumentality of Thomas S. Clarkson and under the supervision of the Rector to Trinity Church, the mission at Colton was revived. In 1883, Mrs. Elizabeth Clarkson, mother of Thomas S., died and in her will she left ten thousand dollars to Trinity Church for the erection of a memorial chapel to be used for school instruction, lectures, etc.; also four thousand dollars as a fund, the interest of

19 which should be applied for the insurance of the church. The Vestry passed a resolution whereby authority was given Mr. Clarkson to erect upon the Trinity Church grounds a memorial chapel to his father and brother, Levinus, under the provisions of the will of his late mother. On July 16, 1883 the corner-stone of Zion Church, Colton was laid with appropriate ceremonies. This church was a free will offer­ ing 'from children in loving memory of a mother's life'. It was to be a sanctuary to the Lord, Zion Church by name, erected to the glory of God and in memory of Mrs. Elizabeth Clarkson, who died on April 29, 1883, and on whose birthday the corner-stone was laid. The church was consecrated on July 16, 1884. Returning to Potsdam after the service in the afternoon, the Bishop laid the cornerstone of Trinity Chapel. This is built at right angles to the nave of the old church and adjoining its walls. In the cornerstone is a metal box containing certain records and a silver plate on which was engraved the story of the bequest that 'Trinity Chapel was erected in the memory of Thomas Streatfeild Clarkson, who died March 10th, 1873, and his son Levinus, who died Oct. 15th, 1876'. The chapel was opened for public worship June 21, 1885. At a meeting of the Vestry in 1885, Thomas S. Clarkson pro­ duced plans drawn by Mr. Johnson, architect, for a new facade to the church, to be erected by him and his sisters, Frederica, Eliza­ beth and Lavinia. On Friday, February 26, 1886, this work was completed by the consecration of the beautiful building to the service of Almighty God. Of the old church that stood at the time of the first consecration in 1835, nothing remained except a portion of the side walls and an occasional timber. The recessed chancel had been built in 1858, the Gothic ceiling in 1870, and now the west wall had been carried out fourteen feet and flanked with towers. The southwest tower extends a little farther than the apex of the nave and is surmounted at one angle by a pinnacle, while the northwest tower rises over one hundred and ten feet. Within the latter is a tablet which is inscribed, "This tower is erected to the glory of God, and in loving memory of Thomas S. Clarkson and Elizabeth his wife, A.D. 1886." In 1890 through moneys left by Mrs. Elizabeth Clarkson, a large pipe organ, made by Messrs. Hook & Hastings, was placed in the church. In 1894, the church received real estate on the north

20 side of Fall Island, conveyed by the heirs of the late Thomas S. Clarkson, there by carrying out his intention expressed in an unex­ ecuted devise. The rents, issues, and profits from this property were to be perpetually paid to the church. In 1894 the income was about $2400. We are indebted to Miss Annie Clarkson for the 'His­ tory of Trinity Church', Potsdam, N.Y., 1835-1896. It not only gives the history of the church, but many side lights on life in the community during those years. Money, that Miss Annie Clarkson left at her death, went to Clarkson College in 1929. In 1934 Mrs. Emilie Clarkson Moore made extensive renova­ tions in Trinity Church which included a new copper roof, new tile floor, organ, 1:.'}.arble altar, new cushions for the pews, prayer books and hymnals, light fixtures, fill for the church yard, the stone wall in front of the church yard, reset in cement and landscaping. She also made extensive gifts to St. Phillips Episcopal Church in Norwood, including the very fine parish house adjoining the church which was built in 1937. This story of the Clarksons and their close connection with Trinity Church would not be complete without mention of the beautiful stained glass windows all from the factory of Louis C. Tiffany except the one over the altar, previously mentioned. Tif­ fany claims that these are among the finest windows ever made by them. Five of the windows were given by the Clarksons. As one en­ ters the church, the first one on the right is known as the 'Chil­ dren's vvindow'. The next one is in memory of Elizabeth Clarkson, April 30, 1833-Jan.7, 1918. The third one, given in 1893 in memory of Aaron T. Hopkins and his wife Betsey Eastman, died 1883, died 1882. The subject of this window is "Christ, the Light of the World" after Holman Hunt's famous painting. The fourth one, given in 1895 in memory of Thomas S. Clarkson who died Aug. 19, 1894. The sabject is "The Good Shepard" after the painting by Plock­ hurst. On the North side (East by the compass) the first one near­ est the front of the church is in memory of Bloomfield Usher, "The Angel of the Resurrection'; (He is Risen). The next one is in mem­ ory of Rev. Dr. Kirby, Rector 1881-1906. The last one, in memory of Frederica Clarkson, June 28, 1846-April 14, 1909. The Rose window in the rear over the door is in memory of Elizabeth Clarkson and Lavinia Clarkson (sisters). A unique feature of this window is the

21 fact that the mullions are of carved Potsdam sandstone. I learned this from Mr. Earl Mc Ilwain who was decorating the church a few years ago and discovered it. A man from New York who was an in­ terior decorator for churches came and could not believe it till he had climbed the scaffolding and seen for himself. In 1895 the vestry saw fit to supply a parsonage for the rector and all future rectors. The present rectory at 49 Elm Street was purchased from Dr. Nichols for $1780.00, ten members of the con­ gregation pledging, the Clarksons giving $850. Many changes have been made; in 1885 an extension in the rear amounted to $885, and in 1890 the addition of a wing on the east side cost over $1,000. The beautiful sandstone lodge and gateway to Bayside Ceme­ tery was erected by the Clarkson family in 1899 at a cost of $22,- 445.00 and a year later they added the wall at right angles at a cost of $1,000.00 Substantial money gifts have also been made to Bayside Cemetery by Thomas S. Clarkson, Mrs. Elizabeth Clarkson, T. Streatfeild Clarkson, Miss Annie Clarkson and Mrs. Emilie Clarkson Moore.

THOMAS S. CLARKSON (1837-1894). Independently wealthy, it is of interest that the men all learned a trade. One was proficient in carpentry, one in metal work and one practised agriculture, in as scientific a way as the times per­ mitted. Of the Clarksons who came to Potsdam to live, there ap­ pears to be none closer to the old time residents than Thomas S. Clarkson for whom the college is named. He was the third son in direct line to bear the name of Thomas S. Clarkson. He was born in New York in 1837 coming to Potsdam three years later when his parents moved to Potsdam, having previously had the "Home­ stead" built for them. He attended St. Lawrence Academy, finish­ ing his education with private tutors. He and his brother Levinus conducted the Clarkson farm of upwards of a thousand acres for several years. Between these brothers existed the kindliest regard and the most affectionate companionship. After the death of Levin­ us in October, 1876, Thomas S. gave up farming and devoted his attention to varioµs business enterprises in Potsdam, especially_ to the sandstone quarries up the Racquette River. Although Potsdam sandstone had been quarried since 1809, it was used quite extensive­ ly after 1821, when the first building, a store on the corner of Elm and Market Street, was built as an experiment to find out if it was

22 really practical for building purposes. The three stone houses at 10, 12 (now torn down), and 14 Elm Street were built in 1823. In the years that followed more houses, stores on Market Street, St. Law­ rence Academy, the David L. Clarkson house on Leroy Street, (now Merritt Apt.) Trinity Church in 1835 (only the side walls of the original building now stand) were built of the sandstone. These houses and buildings were all in the slab and binder type of stone cutting. About 1876 they began cutting the stone in rough ashlar instead of the slab and binder type here-to-fore used. The buildings built at this time were the Potsdam Normal School, Town Hall, Universalist Church (now the Library), the Presbyterian Church and later the first building of Clarkson College, St. Mary's Catho­ lic Church, the chapel and facade of Trinity Church, Bayside Lodge, the New York Central station and Zion Episcopal Church in Colton. The Clarkson cutting sheds were located on Pine Street and shipments of stone went all over the United States and to Can­ ada where it was used in the Parliament buildings. About 50 people were usually employed in the quarry which was located near the present power plant at Hannawa Falls. On May 9, 1880 the follow­ ing item was in the local newspaper: 'The new stone quarry owned and managed by the Messrs. Clarksons is doing a thriving business and bids fair to put the old quarry in the back ground'. And on Feb. 2, 1886 there was a notice that Thomas S. Clarkson had lately secured a large stone contract that would give employment to over a hundred men next summer. On January 1, 1893, the Potsdam Milk-Sugar Company was organized for the manufacture of butter, fancy cheese, and milk sugar. Mr. Clarkson was made president of the company. The build­ ing was erected on the site of the Swan factory which had burned in 1889. During the Civil War, he had been instrumental in helping to raise over a million dollars in St. Lawrence County for the cause of the Union. When improvements were needed in the county, Mr. Clarkson was more than willing to assume public office. He was several times a member of the village board of trustees. In 1886 he helped to install Potsdam's original sewerage system. Although Mr. Clarkson always felt that work was a better gift to the poor than charity, he knew that there are always unem­ ployables in every community. Hence he chose to be a member of the building committee for a new county farm in 1865. He was

23 largely influential in transferring the poor of the county from an old and dilapidated death trap to a majestic structure on the banks of the Grasse River north of Canton. This institution in its day was considered one of the most modern of County Homes. It is still used for county patients that cannot be cared for in private homes. Culture was one of the primary considerations of Thomas S. Clarkson as well as other members of his family. It was Thomas S. and his cousin T. Streatfeild who were prominent in organizing the Potsdam Public Library and Reading Room in the Albion Hotel block. They hired a man to read the newspapers to those men who were unable to read. Adjoining the Reading Room Thomas S. oper­ ated a night school in which the rudiments of mechanical drawing were taught by Mr. Henry A. Watkins, Jr. Tuition was free to any adult interested. This idea of Mr. Clarkson's may well have been the spark that prompted the sisters to give a school of technology in his memory. Thomas S. Clarkson was always keenly interested, not only in the many commercial ventures of his own creation, but also in giv­ ing as many other residents of the village as possible, a chance to help themselves. He gave practically his whole time to various busi­ ness enterprises in Potsdam, his main purpose being to furnish lo­ cal employment. His greatest satisfaction was derived from seeing all who wished employment engaged in some lucrative business. His own pay roll was large at all times. In 1885, Mr. Clarkson purchased the Swan sash, door and blind factory on Fall Island which he operated till it burned three years later. In 1886 The Clarkson Manufacturing Company was organized to manufacture butter tubs and firkins. This business stood near the present Montgomery Ward Store. In 1888 he helped organize the first electric light plant in. Potsdam. From being president of the original company it was only a natural step to being president of the reorganized Electric Light Company in the early eighteen . .,._. n1ne1.,1es. When the Thatcher Manufacturing Company was organized into a stock company in 1889, Thomas S. Clarkson became its pres­ ident. ;i'!.h 1s company was located on Raymond Street. It was one of t.i.1e fc\v companies making milk bottle caps for the sanitary milk bottle invented by Dr. Thatcher soon after 1884 in Potsdam. The accident that caused the death of Mr. Clarkson occurred

24 about 11 o'clock on August 14, 1894. He was working around a 4,600 pound pump in the quarry when it slipped from its blocks onto him, breaking his left leg and no doubt causing internal injuries. He passed away on Sunday August 19, 1894. Excerpts from Josiah Brown's diary for 1894 concerning the accident and death of Thomas ~- Clarkson, show the high regard the ordinary citizen of Potsdam had for Thomas S. Tuesday, Aug. 14, 1894. Thomas S. Clarkson was badly hurt at his quarry this forenoon. His leg was broken in two or three places and he is badly hurt otherwise. We all sympathize with him and hope he will recover. We cannot afford to lose such a man as Clarkson. He would be missed more than any other ten men we have got. Thursday, Aug. 16. Mr. Clarkson is very low, and it is doubtful if he lives through the night. The Band Boys were to give a street concert and had their band stand out but owing to the low condition of Mr. Clarkson they did not play. Nobody feels like enjoying music tonight. Friday, Aug. 17. Mr. Clarkson remains about the same, but there is more hope. It would be a sad thing for this village if he should die. Saturday, Aug. 18. Mr. Clarkson is alive and hopes for his re­ covery grow stronger. They have telegraphed to Montreal for a doc­ tor. I don't know which one, but would not wonder if it was Dr~ Armstrong. An answer from Montreal that the Dr. cannot come. Sunday, Aug. 19. Everybody's best friend is gone. Mr. Clark­ son passed to eternal rest at 5 o'clock this morning. Mr. Clarkson has shown how much good a man can do who has a little money. He has used it to help the village. He employed many men. His men never struck. He never had any trouble. He was not a sharp busi­ ness man. He did not do business so much to enrich himself as to help others. He sometimes continued business at a loss, in order to give his men work. We feel today sorrowful but out of our great sorrow some good may come. We may endeavor in our limited ca­ pacity to do as Mr. Clarkson has done, not live entirely for our­ selves, but try to help others. Thursday, Aug. 23. Mr. Clarkson's funeral was held at Trinity Church at 10:30 this forenoon. All places of business were closed

25 and nearly everybody attended the service. His workmen nearly filled the church. His pallbearers were selected from his farmhands. Mr. Clarkson was a man who respected his workmen and they all respected him.

MEMORIALS TO THOMAS S. CLARKSON One only hears of Thomas S. Clarkson that he was kind, gen­ tle, generous and just. There was no trickery or fraud in his na­ ture. He was honest in every move and walk and turn in life. The first memorial to his name was the Thomas S. Clarkson prize of $100.00, first offered in June, 1895 to a member of the graduating class of Potsdam Normal School for the best thesis on a subject an­ nounced early in the year-usually on a current topic. For instance, in 1909 th~ subject was "Will the carrying out of the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments be to the best interests of the United States?" In the earlier days the topic was more often on pedogogy. It was in September 1894 that the people of Potsdam first be­ gan tp hear talk of the founding of a new school of technology by his sisters to the memory of Thomas S. Clarkson. The first cata­ logue shows the aims of the college, and more particularly the phil­ osophy of Thomas S. Clarkson. "The present plan to carry out his wish to aid young men and young women, who show a desire to aid themselves, will be based upon training for the student for an engineering profession by giv­ ing instruction in such subjects as are found to develop the quali­ ties of self--reliance, sound judgment and logical reasoning. There should be added to the scientific and technical studies, which tend to make men resolute, exact and strong, at least a moderate amount of cultural studies, which tend to make men liberal." Upon the seal of Clarkson College are these words, "A work-­ man needeth not to be ashamed" (II Timothy-2nd Chapter­ Verse 15). This was a favorite Bible quotation of Thomas S. Clarkson in whose memory the college was founded by his three sisters, the Misses Elizabeth, Frederica and Lavinia Clarkson. The words on the seal have very definite meaning when considered in the light of the life of Thomas S. Clarkson. The great central iq.ea of all his life from early manhood until death seemed to be a desire to work and to afford a training for work as well as opportunity for work, to others. When we ponder these striking characteristicf: of this sturdy citizen, the real reasons underlying the founding of

26 Clarkson College become more apparent than ever.

GIFTS MADE BY MISS ANNIE CLARKSON AND MRS. EMILIE CLARKSON MOORE With the death of Miss Annie Clarkson, her sister, Mrs. Emilie Clarkson Moore would have received the life use of an estate of ap­ proximately $1,500,000. This she refused to do, so that the estate went to Clarkson College in 1929 under the terms of Miss Annie's will. This was in the hope of seeing "Clarkson on the hill" a reality. However, the condition of the money market, due to the depression, caused the Board of Trustees to wait for a more favorable time to turn these securities into cash. Mrs. Moore has done much for Pots­ dam, as well as for some of the surrounding villages. Clarkson Col­ lege received a check for $30,000 during its drive for increased en­ dowment. Potsdam Hospital has received $50,000, Trinity Church has had $70,000 ($10,000 over a period of 7 years). These are the large gifts. No one knows about the innumerable small ones.

CLARKSON CREST The"Arms of the Clarkson family" or "Crest" which appears on the cover of this brochure is preserved in the stained glass window over the entrance door at Lewis House, Clarkson Student Union. Originally this crest was in the stained glass window on the landing at Holcroft. Pictures of three Clarkson crests are recorded, but they are all fundamentally the same. The one in Lewis House is the one used by David Clarkson in 1724. He was the son of Matthew, who was commissioned secretary of the Province of New York, and the direct ancestor of the Potsdam Clarksons. This crest was used by Annie Clarkson and Helen Gladys Clarkson. I quote the following from the Memoirs of Matthew Clarkson. ''The Clarkson family is traced to Bradford in Yorkshire, and to the year 1544, in the reign of Henry VIII. There were also Clarksons in the county of Nottingham who had the same Coat of Arms with those of Bradford, and which is still found on the plate and books of the families in New York and Philadel­ phia. Its description in heraldry is: "Argent, on a bend engrailed sable, three annulets, or." The Yorkshire crest is "a griffin's head coupled between two wings, ppr.;" the Nottingham crest is ''an arm in armour, fessewise, holding a sword, from which flows a pennon". They all have the slanting black band with three gold rings on it.

MEMORIES Emilie Clarkson Moore was a talented artist and photograph-

27 er. In the Potsdam Museum are pictures of Holcroft which she took and finished. Also a picture of Margaret Landers Grant when a girl, which is really professional. There is one watercolor painting still in existence that Mrs. Moore did which is owned by Mrs. Julian Heath. To those who can remember back to the early 1900's, one thing many people did on Easter Sunday afternoon was to walk over to Trinity Church to see the flowers which the Clarksons had furnished for the altar and chancel rail, and all the windows were banked with hyacinths, tulips, daffodils and other spring flowers. Whether these flowers came from New York or from their own green house I do not know. There was on the estate a large house called the conservatory, completely furnished, which had a green house attached. There were cabinets in the house filled with preci­ ous articles. I also remember the large concave and convex mirrors, placed where a door might be, with draperies over the top and sides. These made you look very tall and thin or very broad and fat. The Clarkson family at the-Homestead were very generous and at holiday times great baskets of food were sent to needy families. They hired extra women to go to the Homestead to dress turkeys and chickens to put in the baskets and always gave them $5.00 for the day's work which was a lot of money in those days. The Clarksons always had beautiful horses and turn-outs. I re­ member, especially, Miss Annie's beautiful white horse which she drove herself. The grounds were beautifully kept up. It was the show place of town and people were privileged to drive through the estate. There were underground passages connecting Woodstock and the farm and the Homestead. Some say that underground passages led toward the river. This could well be, as the manor houses down the Hudson river had such passages as a means of escape in time of peril. This was a new part of the country and perhaps they did have tunnels built for the same purpose. Woodstock was empty around 1900 and had been for years, probably ever since the widow of Augustus L. Clarkson left ~fter his death in 1855. People called it the haunted house. Sometime be­ fore 1909, the sisters at the Homestead had it redone and refurnish­ ed, but no one lived in it till Clarkson College took it over a few years ago.

28 CLARKSON VAULT In the far eastern part of Bayside Cemetery is the Clarkson vault in which are nine members of the Clarkson family, namely:- Thomas S. Clarkson. Born, Aug. 18, 1799 Died, Mar. 10, 1873 Levinus Clarkson, son of Thomas S. and Elizabeth Clarkson Born, May 3, 1835 Died, Oct. 15, 1876 Lavinia Clarkson, Daughter of Levinus and Ann Mary Van Horne Born, June 28, 1798 Died, Nov. 28, 1881 Elizabeth, wife of Thomas S. Clarkson, daughter of Levinus Clark­ son and Ann Mary Van Horne Born, July 16, 1810 Died, Apr. 29, 1883 Thomas S. Clarkson, son of T. S. Clarkson and Elizabeth Clarkson Born, Nov. 30, 1837 Died, Aug. 19, 1894 Ann Mary Clarkson, daughter of T. S. Clarkson and Elizabeth Clarkson and wife of T. Streatfeild Clarkson Born, Mar. 28, 1831 Died, Apr. 7, 1895 T. Streatfeild Clarkson, son of David and Elizabeth Streatfeild Clarkson Born, Dec. 16, 1824 Died, Sept. 15, 1902 Frederica Clarkson, daughter of T. S. Clarkson and Elizabeth Clarkson Born, June 28, 1846 pied, Apr. 14, 1909 Elizabeth Clarkson, daughter of T. S. Clarkson and Elizabeth Clarkson Born, Apr. 30, 1833 Died, Jan. 7, 1918 Miss Lavinia Clarkson (1842-1926) and Miss Annie Clarkson (1856-1929) are buried in Woodlawn Cemetery, New York, I~.Y. Mrs. Emilie Clarkson 1:Ioore (1863-1946) is buried beside her hus­ band, William Moore in Bayside Cemetery, Potsdam.

29 THE FOLLOWING CLARKSONS WERE ENROLLED IN THE RECORDS OF THE OLD ST. LAWRENCE ACACEMY, PROBABLY CHILDREN OF JOHN C. AND LOUISA M. CLARKSON 1827. Lorsa Clarkson, age 14 1831. Catherine M. Clarkson, age 12. Born 1819 Caroline L. -Clarkson, age 10. Born 1821 1832. Caroline L. Clarkson, age 11. Born 1821 1833. Caroline L. Clarkson, age 12. Born 1821 Mary V. H. Clarkson, age 10, Born 1823

SOURCE OF SOME OF THE CLARKSON NAMES. Holcroft - from Elizabeth Holcroft, wife of Rev. David Clarkson (1622-1686). She was of Royal descent. Levinus - the name came from the Van Schaick family. David's son Matthew married Catharina Van Schaick in New York in 1692 and their third child was named Levinus. Vallete - from the Van Horne family.

SOURCE OF MATERIAL. Clarksons of New York, Volumes 1 and 2. Memoirs of Matthew and Gerardus Clarkson Items taken from an abstract of the estate of Thomas S. Clarkson as prepared by Frank F. Cleaveland History of Trinity Episcopal Church of Potsdam by A.C. Records of Trinity Episcopal Church. Hough's History of St. Lawrence and Frankiin Counties. Gates Curtis's History of St. Lawrence County. Lamb's History of New York City. Copies of Potsdam Newspapers. Letters and Essays-C. E. Sanford. Discourse on Quakerism by Thomas Clarkson-1806. An Aid to Domestic Worship by David L. Clarkson-1855. Articies by Dr. Charles Leete. Clarkson College Bulletin-February-1946.

30 Rev. DoYid C:crk,or, 1622-1686 m. Elizob-eth Holcroft 1624-? do. of Sir Henry Hol­ croft of Eosl Hom, Essex, England l

NOTE I Matthew d. 1702 l THE GENEALOGY OF THE CLARKSON FAMILY OF POTSDAM, NEW YORK Motthew come to New Yor.; in 1691, comm,~­ m. 1692 in New Y-ork sioned by Wm. & Mory a~ Sec'y. of the ProYince Cothari.-.o Von Schoick d. 1702 of New York. 5 children

4 s Elizabeth DoYOd 1694-1751' LeYin1.1s 1695-1769 Matthew 1699-1739 Anno d. 1779 d. 1693 m. 1724 died in Hollond •:Ancestor of the Philadelphia Clorksonsi in Hollond. 79 yrs. Ann Margaret freemci,-. u.-.married m, 1718 unrnorrie-d 1706-1759 Cornelio Depeyster 1895-? 10 diildren, not listed here

, freeman NOTE David 1726-1782' (9) Matthew '1733-1772 Levinu5 1740-1798 Mr. Thomas Streatfeild, in 1754 was o friend of David Clorkson. He was co11nected with 1n4.1no m. 1749 m. 1758 m. 1763 unmarried the eminent merchantile house of Pomeroy & Streatteild of leaden Hall St., London. David E!izobeth French Eliz0be1h Depeyster 1761-1809 Mary Ann Von Horne Clarkson with John Riddell procured o lottery ticket thru Mr. Streatfeild and drew the highe~t 1724-1808 5 cliildren 8 ,h;!dren prize. $25,000 ln gold wos Mr. Clarksan's shore. He named o son for Thomas Streotfeild, hence 8 children the nome in the following generations. 1 1 s 7 ( I • • • • 0 i • • • • • 1r • • • 4 • • • l Freemon 1756-1810 (Gen.l M<:1Hhew M0rgoret ;1761-1824 Thomas Streotfeild 1763-1844 Levinu~ 3-31-1765-9-28-1845 (1) (7) Dov1d M. 1760-1815(1': Charles Henriettci m. 2-25-J 797 ' m. 10-17-1758 - 4-25-1825 NOTE m. 1784 m. 1790 m. 1781 m. m. Henriette1 Clorlcwn m.l. Mory Rutherford 1785 Sisters of Soroh Cornell Gerrit Von Horne {I) E!izobelh Vein Horne {d0. A11gu$h,1s Von H.) Ann Mory Von Horne Mory Von Home 1761-1809 E\iz0beth Freemon Clork_:i,gn Born 4-25-1778 do. of loYinus and 1762-1786 Honn0h m. Hermon lell:oy (Potsdam) (1) (5) 1758-1825 1771-1852 da. of Garrit Van Horne and 5ii;ter of Vanderbilt Ojed 6-23- 18.56 Mory Ann VonHorne 2. Soroh Cornell-1792 Elizabeth m. William Bayard {1) 3 children 11 children Gcirr;I V. H. who m. Ann Margaret C. 1762-1803 Doughier of Augu$tuS V0n Horne, holf brother of 2 children 7 children Gerrit Vcm Horne I l 7 children l • 2 , s 6 7 r , l r • • • s 7 ••• • l 2 4 5 6 7 C0therine Eliz,;;ibeth Catherine • f 1 Mory 11:utherford C. Do..-id' Monhew 1796- Wm. Bayord Clarkron Su~n Sar0h Cornell Mory Elizebeth V. Ann Margaret Mary Joanne' Elizobe1h Streatfeild d. 1886 Thomas S. 1799-1873 (4) fronces Selina d. 1829 Lavinia Ann Mory Augu5t11s' levinus le-virius DoYid l. Elizabeth le~in1.,$ John Chorhon (I) (2) Moria 'Chorlton 1798-1863 do. of 1st marriage 1795-1867 m. 1821 1798-1875 1800-1823 1802-1849 1787-1872 1792-1866 1799-1873 m. 1822 m. 1830 m. Born 1798 Died 1 e27 Died 1806 (6) Som, 7-16-1810 Died 4-14-1861 m. m. m. 1821 1786-1838 m. 1822 Catherine Eliz:. Clarkwn m. 1826 m. 1822 m. S..9-26 m_ 1806 m. 1827 Dovid Clarkson d. 1867 Eli.?.0bfMh Clarkson Avguslus l. Clo,k5Cln Died 11-28-1881 Born 10..13-1802'" Died 1887 Died, -4-29-188'3 :to TivoH, 1849) Louisa M. John L. Holthysen M-:itthew Clorkson m. Peter Joy Elizobeth Streorieild Clorlcson d. 1886 do. of Chorle5 Clarks.on Adelaide livirigston Jomes F. DePeyster 11:ev. Wm. R:ichmond Peter Von Horne Adam Norrie Son of Monhe-w Cl0rbon & Sarah Cornell 1810-1883 so, of Levinvs & Ann Mory Von Horne 16oyside) Died 12-17• l 885 Married Morgoret Delongey Mor. 1830 m. Mory li~ingslon (First Clork~or1 to come ta Potsdam, ,;.s Land 4th son of Matthew da. T.S.C. & Eliz. Van Horne ond Eliz. Vanderbilt da_ of Robert L. Uving5tora do of Levinus and Ann Mory Von Horne Mor. 11) FronC('s Selina Clarkson ThQmos S. Clork5on do. Edw. ?. living5ton Agen! for tfie proprieton ~1.1cceeding Benj. 1 Rcymond in 1818.! 11 children 6 children 2) Emily McVicl,:ar, m. JIJ52. Died 1888 l l 1 l L ,-----..Jl....______, 1 ., s I l Robert li..-ingston Clarkson I T. Streotfcild C/orhon 182-4-1902 IS) I 4 s 6 r I I David A. I 11 , , , I T. Stre0tfeild C1orbon 1824-1902 (8) m. m. 1852 Ann Mory 1831-1895 Elizabeth' Lovin11s' Thomas s. tavinia Frederico m. Died C. 19-47 Edward L. Robert lorsa Catharine Caroline John C. David M. m. 1852 Mory S0nds Aaa Mory Clarkson 1831-1895 m. 1852 i833-191B 1835-1876 b. 11-30-1837 b. 4-6-1842 b. 6-28-1846 Mr. Maclean, England Gorden City, N. Y. No issue {lowyer) b. 1813 b. 1819 b. 1821 b. 183S

Robert livingslon Clarkson Trus!ee Clarkson College m. Cora Shields of Philadelphia LEGEND June 2, 1923 ( 11 Originol p1.1n::haser~ from Co,ntoble- end proprielcrs 0f Potsdom. Also Nichol<:1s Fish. (21 Finl Clorkson to come to Pohdom-1818-Built Holcroft 1821-22. 13) E!11il1 "Woodstock"-1827. (41 Buiil the "Homeueod"-1847-Surned 1909. (5) Owned lorge forrr: and house where Merrin Apt. is now. Bought from Senj. ffoymond. :6) 6uil1 :;lone house-now Merritt Apt. (LeRoy fcarm), (71 Taek over Holuofr In 18'40 from J.C. Clarkson (to N. Y.J COMPILED BY MARGUERITE GURLEY CHAPMAN (81 Tock over Holuch ofter 1853 0nd remodeled it. Robert liYingsron Clarkson, Jr. B0yord Del0field Clarkson 1958 {9) Wimer of lotrery Ticker-!hitish Museum. m. 1451 Joan LeRoy