HISTORICAL SKETCH O F TH E Y . A F AYTO . V I LL GE O CL N , N I S TO R Y ’ Mary s Parish - B Y A R A N D . G P . R EV . S 1 0 2 . S E PTEMB ER , 9 “ R R . S P INTE , CLAYTON N Y N I H I L O BSTAT T H EN R Y N E . BISH O P O F OGD N S BU RG , Y G V F D D . R E H N R Y G R E LS . RI HT . AB I , , P R E F A CE The object of this sh ort history of the village of Clay ’ f ton and of St . Mary s parish is to revive memories o to s to the past , pre erve valuable facts that were soon fall into oblivion and to resurrect as it were , hundreds of names and facts all but forgotten by the ol d people and utterly unknown to the present generation . In presenting this h umble volume to the public , I do not pretend to have written a complete history of the village of of Clayton , but a simple sketch its primitive condi t ion , its modest beginnings and its gradual development ’ As far as th e history of St . Mary s parish is concerned the author has written it as completely and accurately as he could with the material at his command , giving the names and characteristics of all the priests w h o have ministered to the spiritual wants of the Catholics o f h f or th e Clayton , w at they did parish , and the names of those whom they baptized , married and buried as far b ack as the parish records will carry us , which is to the arish o n e rs n ot year of 1 854 . The p themselves have been forgotten , and whatever was found to their credit in the parish books or could be gleaned from the testi of mony reliable persons , has been faithfully put down in this unpretentious work . In preparing this historical sketch , the writer has studied all the histories of Jeffers on county and h as consulted many of the ol d people who had any remem brance of the h umble beginnings of Clayton and the ’ gradual formation of St . M ary s parish . This history , n o c therefore , makes pretention to ompleteness and d au extensiveness , but it oes claim to be accurate and th e n tic , as it is based upon the best historical documents available and information supplied by the most trust worthy living wi tnesses . Imperfect as this booklet may appear to many , it is with pleasure , that the author dedicates it to his dearly of beloved people , as a token gratitude and esteem for ’ all they have done for God s church and his own humble self . TH E AUTH OR . I N DEX ; PART FI RST Preface . e Chapt r I . of —I t The Primitive State Clayton . receives its First We - -in h -ra O u -e n - -re Name , ter g te I I Chapter I I . — Clay ton Receives its Second Nam e It is Vi sited By White People for the first time 1 6 Chapter III . 7 of Y — “ . The First hite Persons Clayton , N , Captain — Bartlett and the French Trapper . The Squatters and of n Smugglers of the Early H istory Clayto . 2 0 Chapter IV . First Lumber Business Legally Started in the Vicini — ty of French Creek A Sm all Conflict of the War of 1 — 1 8 2 . This Village is Laid Out into Building Lots and a — Receives its Third Name , Corneli First Settlers at f 1 1 — French Creek after the War o 8 2 . Washington Island B e comes Inhabited Chapter V . of a — Rapid Growth Corneli Its Successive Industries . — an d Our Village Receives its Fourth Last Name , — f 1 8 1 . o Clayton , in 3 The Town Clayton is Formed . The first Town M eeting and the first Town Election . Cla y ton Village is Incorporated in 1 8 7 2 and Holds its first Village E lection s . 2 6 Chapter VI . The first ch urch built in Clavton . The district — f I — s o 8 . 6 school The Patriot War 3 7 The fire of June , 1 — 1 1 85 6 . The civil war of 86 . 3 2 PART S ECO N D . ’ — List of Priests who attended St . Mary s Parish . 3 5 3 6 Chapter I . f ’ — o . Ca issy The origin St M ary s parish Fathers , — Gilbride and Daly . 3 7 3 8 Ch apter I I . — i . The first church is buil t Rev . Fr . Franc s Guth The seminary a t Lafargeville . Chapte r I I I . — The church is completed Dedicatio n of the new ’ n M l a ke —R church by Bishop joh c C s y . e v . john O Dowd 4 7 r Chapte IV . “ of Cl a o a a th e r Father M . Guth takes charge yt ‘ —A n l o t o f . u Maurice Sheehan Watertown third , b ildi g — by e R a . r n is given Vincent L y The re cto y , bar and — ’ Catholic school house are buil t S t . John s church at —Th e Lafargevi lle is erected in 1 849 . first Catholic — — m r . c e e te v is bought . The famous bel l Part of the presen t cemetery is purchased — Th e first baptismal and marriage records 6 1 6 ’ Chapter V . e — R e v . Fr . M ichael Clark The church is repaired — a n d the cemetery enlarged Stations of the cross are placed in the church 6 7 Chapter VI . Rev Fathers Van Cam pe n h a n t and Luke Harney 7 2 Chapter VI I . ’ — . r Father James J . Sherry s first term The chu ch and — rectory are repaired A wel l is dug. and a wooden fence is bui lt around the 7 8 Chapter VI I I . Father Paul de S au n h ac . parish is incor — - pora te d The deeds for the church House and school lots are se cured from Vincent L e R ay an d recorded in ’ -A the county clerk s offi ce . fourth building lot is pur e n l ar e d A chased and the rectory g .f bel l fund is start ed 90 Chapter I X . — A re n ts . Re v . Father Peret and Apple trees are plant ed around the rectory and church . 99 Chapter X . Rev . Fath er John Craven Chapter XI . m e W . Rev . Fathers Rossit r and M J Brown Chapter XII . ’ — l . d . o Father J . J Sherry s second term The church — moved to where it n ow stand s A building and a win — ’ d F r . O N e il dow fund are starte athe s Thos Plunkett , ” — r and Caraher . Ho se sheds are built 1 1 8 Chapter XI II . M M rr . Rev Father James Smith and Charles L . c o ow 1 1 9 Chapter X I V . — — . d A Rev E . G . Bric e The rectory is repaire kitch — ’ a t t. en , barn and new horse sheds are buil S M ary s new church is constructed am idst numberless diffic u l t ie s — of of Ceremony the laying the corner stone , of the dedication and of the blessing of the n e w bel l 1 2 0 1 5 4 Chapter XV . M a . E . y Rev P S Garand , J Derome and H er — The indebtedness on the church is paid in full . The rectory and church are repaired — The church grounds — are improved . A cement walk is built . N ew stations of the cross , stained glass windows , statues , vestments and a pipe organ are presented to the church 1 5 5 - 1 89 Chapter XV . ’ h h — of Consecration of St . Mary s c urc List Bishops and Priests present 1 89 - 2 0 2 Chapter XVII . Rt . Rev . Bishop Theophilus Mayer , Rev . Richard — f r . o Fitzgerald and Rev . Sister St . Gab iels Close this H istory 2 0 5 -2 1 6 PA RT F I RST . f o . Historical Sketch the village of Clayton , N Y CH A PTE R I . f —I t The Primitive State o Clayton . receives its first - - m b-ra -e n - - re We Gu . name , ter i g te To form an accurate idea of the primitive state , the humble beginnings and gradual formation and develop m of ent the town of Clayton , let the re ader picture to his imagination an immense wilderness that extends from the river St . Lawrence as far back as his fancy will carry him . Nature is here in its rudest and most a . s vage state There is not a clearing nor a plain , nor a hum an habitation . In all directions we see but vast fields of high timber , thick brush and wooded marsh . Scarcely do we discern here and there trails beaten F or u n down by wild animals . centuries , this is the disturbed haunt of the birds of the forest and of wild animals of every d iscription . This boundless forest is inhabited not only by the panther , the bear , the deer and other ferocious beasts known to us , but also by a of m n ow family mammoth ani als extinct , but whose skeletons , unearthed here and there in the county , point to their existence , in this region at some period long past .