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Excerpted from
HISTORY OF ONONDAGA COUNTY NEW YORK,
By Professor W.W. Clayton, 1878, Published by D. Mason & Co., Syracuse,
N.Y.
[SPAFFORD] [BORODINO] [SPAFFORD CORNERS] [SAMUEL H. STANTON]
[OTISCO] [OTISCO VILLAGE]
[AMBER]
SPAFFORD.
pp. 344-346. HISTORY OF ONONDAGA COUNTY, NEW YORK, BY W.W. CLAYTON,
1878.
Spafford lies upon Skaneateles Lake and is the western town on the south
line of the county. It was erected from portions of the townships of Sempronius, Marcellus and Tully, April 8, 1811, and the boundaries have
since been materially altered. Parts of
Marcellus and Skaneateles were taken off in 1840. At present it
comprises eight lots lying east of Skaneateles Lake, being part of the
original township of Sempronius; sixteen lots of the northwest part of
the township of Tully, and thirteen lots of the south part of the
township of Marcellus. It is about ten miles long by three broad,
running from northwest to southeast, in lines nearly parallel with the
lakes between which it lies—Otisco Lake on the northeast, forming a
portion of its central boundary, and Skaneateles, on the southwest,
along its entire line. The lake front of this town, as well as the
scenery in the opposite direction, over-looking the Otisco, is most
beautiful and picturesque. The
surface consists principally of a high ridge between the two lakes,
somewhat abruptly descending to the valleys on each side and gradually
declining towards the north. The highest summit, Ripley Hill, is also
the highest point in the county, being 1,982 feet
above tide water, and 1,122 feet higher than Skaneateles Lake. The
Otisco inlet is a small stream flowing through the valley which extends
south from Otisco Lake. The soil is chiefly a sandy and gravelly loam,
productive, and under a high state of cultivation.
This town received its name from Horatio Gates Spafford, LL.D., author
of a Gazetteer of New York. It was first settled by Gilbert Palmer, who
located on Lot 76, township of Marcellus, in the fall of 1794. Mr.
Palmer was a Revolutionary soldier, and served for the lot on which he
settled. He came from somewhere in Southern New York, Dutchess or
Westchester County, and lived in Spafford till his death, about 1830.
Clark, in his Onondaga, vol. 2d, page 348, relates the following
affecting experience of this pioneer and his son:
“In the fall of the year 1794, soon after his arrival, Mr. Palmer and
his son, a youth of some sixteen years of age, went into the woods to
chopping, for the purpose of making a clearing. Sometime in the
afternoon, they felled a tree, and as it struck the
ground it bounded, swung around and caught the young man under it. The
father at once mounted the log, cut it off, rolled it over and liberated
his son. Upon examination one of his lower limbs was found to be badly
crushed and mangled. He thereupon carried the youth to his log hut,
close at hand, and with all possible diligence made haste to his nearest
neighbors, some three or four miles distant, desiring them to go and
minister to
his son’s necessities, while he should go to Whitestown for Dr. White.
The neighbors sallied forth with such comfortable things as they thought
might be acceptable in such a case; but amidst the confusion, the dense
forest and the darkness of night which had just set in, they missed
their way, and after wandering about for a long time, gave over the
pursuit and returned home, leaving the poor sufferer alone to his fate.
Early the next morning all hands again rallied, and in due time found
the young man suffering the most extreme anguish from his mangled limb,
and greatly benumbed with cold. They built a fire, made him comfortable
with such palliatives as could be procured in the wilderness,
and waited in patience the return of the parent. In the meantime he had
proceeded rapidly on his journey on foot, and found Dr. White at
Clinton. Here he engaged an Oneida Indian to pilot them through the
woods by a nearer route than to follow the windings of the old road. Dr.
White and Mr. Palmer were at sundry times fearful the Indian would lose
the way; and upon every expression of doubt on their part, the Indian
would exclaim
‘me know;’ and told them he would bring them out at a certain log which
lay across the outlet at the foot of Otisco Lake. The Indian took the
lead, and within forty-eight hours after the accident had happened, the
Indian had brought them exactly to the log, exclaiming triumphantly ‘me
know.’ Here Mr. Palmer arrived on familiar ground, and at once proceeded
to the cabin where he had left his son, whom he found greatly prostrated
and writing under the most intense suffering. No time was lost. The case
was thought desperate—the limb was amputated at once, half way from the
knee to the thigh. The youth bore the pain with heroic fortitude,
recovered and lived many years afterward, always speaking in the highest
terms and praise of Dr. White.”
In that part of the town taken from Tully, Jonathan Berry was the first
settler, a short distance south of Borodino, in March, 1803, and in
April, of the same year, a settlement was made by Archibald Farr on the
southwest corner of Lot No. 11. Mr. Farr was assisted in arriving at his
place of destination by Mr. Berry, who sent his team and men to open a
road. This is believed to have been the first road of any kind made
within the limits of the
present town. It is the same that now leads from Spafford Corners to
Borodino. In 1804 Isaac Hall settled on the farm since owned by Asahel
Roundy, Esq., near Spafford Postoffice. The road was cleared out from
Farr’s lot to the Corners, or Spafford Postoffice, in 1804, and in 1805,
Elisha Sabins and John Babcock, from Scott, cleared out a road from that
town to the Corners, and moved in their goods on sleds. In 806 several
families scattered themselves over different parts of the town. Peter
Knapp, Isaac Hall, John Babcock, Samuel Smith, Elisha Sabins, Otis Legg,
Moses Legg, Archibald Farr, Jethro Bailey, Elias Davis, Abel Amadown,
Job Lewis, Daniel Tinckham, John Hullibut, and others, were among the
first settlers on the road from Borodino to the town of Scott. In other
parts of the town ere Levi Foster, Benjamin Homer, James Williamson,
Cornelius Williamson, Benjamin Stanton and John Woodward.
In September 1806, Isaac Hall drove a wagon from Spafford Corners to
Scott Corners for a load of boards, which was the first wagon that ever
passed over that road. The Corners
were first settled in 1807 by Asahel Roundy and James Bacon. Elias
Davis, an old settler near the center of the town, made his way thither
from Skaneateles up the lake in a skiff.
The following are names of persons who settled in Spafford previous to
the war of 1812 and who have died in the town since 1845: Samuel Prindle,
a Revolutionary soldier; Hon. Joseph Prindle, Elijah Knapp, Peter Knapp,
Capt. Asahel Roundy, soldier of 1812; Cornelius Williamson, soldier of
1812; Samuel G. Seeley, soldier of 1812; Kelly Case, soldier of 1812;
Jabez Melvin, soldier of 1812; William Dedrick, soldier of 1812; Russel
Tinkham, soldier of 1812; Stephen Applebee, soldier of 1812; Samuel
Parker, soldier of 1812; Jonathan Ripley, Joseph Enos, Elias Davis,
Lewis C. Davis, Leonard Melvin, Miss
Melinda Melvin, John Grout, Ebenezer Grout.
The following
still living in the town, became residents from 1812 to 1818: Daniel
Wallace, Joseph Enos, Uriah Roundy, W. W. Legg, Hiram Seeley, Rathbun
Barber, Geo.W. Crane, Seymour Grinnell, J.L. Mason, Harvey Barnes, John
L. Ripley, S.H. Stanton, Mrs. Bridget McDaniels, Mrs. Clara Weston, Mrs.
Maria Mason, Miss Semantha Melvin, Allen J. Stanton, Reuben Palmer, Wm.
Churchill, A.M. Churchill, Alanson E. Colton and Nelson Berry.
The first frame dwelling was erected by Samuel Conkling in1807, on Lot
number seventy-six, Marcellus. The first Religious Society was organized
in the Marcellus portion of the town in 1800. The first school house was
built of logs on the northwest corner of Lot number seventy-six,
Marcellus, in 1803. Miss Sally Packard was the first teacher. The first
school at Spafford Corners was kept in a log house in 1808, by Miss
Hannah Weston, (afterwards Mrs. Roundy) who used to ride out on horseback
from Skaneateles, and return in the same manner at the close of her
school each day. There was no wagon road then from the Corners to
Skaneateles.
Dr. Archibald Farr, in 1808, erected the first grist mill in town. The
first saw mill was built in 1810 by Josiah Walker; the next by Judge
Walter Wood in 1811. These mills, if we mistake not, were on Cold Brook,
the largest tributary of Otisco Lake. Jared Babcock and Lanson Hotchkiss
were the first merchants—the first in 1809, and the second in 1810. Dr.
Archibald Farr was the first practicing physician, and kept the first
tavern on lot number eleven, Tully, in 1808. Other physicians were
Jeremiah B. Whiting, Zachariah Derby, John Collins and others.
The first town meeting was held at the house of Elisha Sabins, in 1812.
John Babcock was chosen Supervisor; SylvesterWheaton, Town Clerk;
Benjamin Stanton, Asahel Roundy, Adolphus French and Jonathan Berry,
Commissioners of Highways. The second town meeting was held at the same
place, April 13, 1813. Asahel Roundy, Supervisor, and Asa Terry, Town
Clerk.
A postoffice was established at Spafford Corners in 1814. Asahel Roundy,
Postmaster. He was succeeded by James Knapp, Joseph R. Berry, Thomas B.
Anderson and Dr. Collins, in the order names. The mail was first carried
through the town in a wagon in 1827. James H. Fargo had the contract for
the route from Jordan to Homer, Cortland County. Previously the mails
had been carried on horseback.
Spafford is well watered by springs and small brooks. Excellent blue
limestone, suitable for building purposes, is quarried in the town, at
the highest elevation on which building stone is found in the county.
BORODINO
p.346. HISTORY OF ONONDAGA COUNTY, NEW YORK, BY W.W.
CLAYTON, 1878.
The village of Borodino is situated in the northern part of the town of
Spafford. It contains forty-two dwelling houses and a population of some
two hundred. It contains one M.E. Church, town hall, postoffice, two dry
goods stores, proprietors Messrs.
Churchill & Eadie, and Grinnell & Howe; one hardware store, C.M. Rich;
one clothing store, Wm. Quick & Son; one wagon shop, Cyrus Streeter; two
blacksmith shops, O.F. Eddy and A. Griffin; one cabinet shop, E. Eldrige.
Stephen Huffman is proprietor of the hotel. There is a shoe shop kept by
A. Manley & Son; tin shop, C.M. Rich & Son; carpenters and joiners,
Charles Nichols, Albert Applebee, Miles Brott and J. L. Maynard. W.W. Legg
is Postmaster, and Dr. Van Dyke Tripp, physician. TRUE
REFORM LODGE, No. 664, I.O. of G.T., at Borodino, was organized May 29,
1877, with twenty-six members.
The present officers are—Albert Applebee, W.C.T.; Mrs. W.H. Bunnell,
W.V.T;
Frank Harvey, W.S.; W.H. Bunnell, W.C.; Elenor Stanton W.F.S.; Eva Bass,
W.T.;
George Goodrich, W.M.; Lilian Milkins, W.I.G.; George Tripp, W.O.G.;
S.A.Wallace,
W.A.S.; Eva Olmsted, W.A.M.; Emma Sweet, R.H.S.; Mary Streeter, L.H.S.;
Otis Cross,
L.D.
M.E.CHURCH, BORODINO—The first meetings of this society were held in the
house of John C. Hillibot; the organization was effected in 1809. The
first church edifice was built at Skaneateles and subsequently removed to Borodino. The church
numbers twenty-five members. Sunday School part of the time: attendance
about twenty. Present pastor—Rev. William H. Bunnell. Trustees—A.
Grinnell, President; Otis Cross, O.K. Morton, William T. Wilbur, Isaac
Eglin, E.P. Grinnell, Van Dyke Tripp, William Bass and Geo. Crane. Ansel
Grinnell, Class-leader.
SPAFFORD CORNERS
pp. 346-347. HISTORY OF ONONDAGA COUNTY, NEW YORK, BY
W.W. CLAYTON, 1878.
Spafford Corners, in the southern part of the town, has a population of
about two hundred. It contains a postoffice, Uriah Roundy,Postmaster.
Roundy & McDaniels, and James Churchill, merchants; C.B.Lyon, shoemaker;
George Hazard and Alex. Green, blacksmiths. The place has one
church—Methodist Episcopal, and one practicing physician, H.D. Hunt,
M.D. The only hotel in the place is kept by G. H. Anthony.
LAKE VIEW LODGE, No. 659, I.O. of G.T., was instituted by John Lorton,
in May, 1877, with thirty-one charter members. H.D. Hunt, W.C.T.; P.A.
Norton, W.S. The lodge is in a flourishing condition.
UNION CHURCH, Spafford Corners—Religious services by the Baptists and
Methodists were first held in this vicinity in school houses prior to
the erection of the church in 1838.
At the latter date the Union society was formed, James Woodworth,
(class-leader,) Samuel Seely, Edwin S. Edwards, Hiram Seeley, Dr. John
Collins, Sylvanus Eddy and wife, David Coon and wife, were among the
original members.
The church edifice cost about $1,200 and is supplied with a bell and a
cabinet organ.
Present membership, thirty-five; Sunday School sixty-five. Present
pastor, Rev. Wm. H. Bunnell, who also supplies the M.E. Church at
Borodino.
Present Trustees—Uriah Roundy, President and Secretary; Edwin S.
Edwards, Millard Doty, Joseph Cole and Seymour Norton.
Luke Miller came from Connecticut and built the first house on Cold
Brook, (a log cabin) about seventy years ago, or in 1808. David Norton
came from Connecticut in 1814.
There is a grist mill on Cold Brook owned by John P. Taft, with one run
of stones. A mill was built here in 1830, by Dr. David Mellen, from
Hudson, N.Y. It was burned in 1852, and rebuilt by the present
proprietor in 1863.
Mr. Wm. H. Lawrence has a saw mill on Cold Brook. The mill was first
built in December 1828, by Peter Picket. It was operated till 1848 by
B.W. Taft. The mill was rebuilt in 1872. In connection with the same
mill Mr. Lawrence also operates a flax mill. The flax is broken into
what is known as “green tow” and is shipped in that form to market.
Mr. Lawrence has also the largest cider mill in the town of Cold Brook,
and ships largely of its product to Syracuse and New York.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, Cold Brook—
The society was organized over sixty years ago, Richard English and old
Mr. Caleb Haight were among the earliest members. Rev. Isaac Puffer, a
celebrated divine, was one of its first pastors. The early records of
the church were lost. The present edifice of the church was built in
1852; a fine, commodius structure, seating capacity between two and
three hundred. Cost about $1,200. Present pastor, Rev. C.D. Smith.
Residence, Scott, Cortland county, N.Y. Present membership twenty-five.
Flourishing Sunday School, J.N. Knapp, Superintendent. Scholars in
attendance, about thirty.
Trustees—J. Noxon, President; J.N. Knapp, Secretary; John P. Taft, H.E.
Underwood, W. A. Lawrence, Lyman Churchill and Sylvester Churchill. Rev.
O.N. Cuykendall, deceased, was in charge when the church was built.
SAMUEL H. STANTON
^
pp. 347-348. HISTORY OF ONONDAGA COUNTY, NEW YORK, BY
W.W. CLAYTON, 1878.
Benjamin Stanton, father of the subject of this sketch, was born in
Rhode Island, January 14th, 1780. When quite young his father moved from
Rhode Island and settled in Bennington county, Vt. In 1802 Benjamin
removed to New Berlin, Chenango county, N.Y., where he married, August
15th, 1802, Sally Sheldon, by whom he had one child, viz: Sally S., who
was brought up by her grand-parents from the death of her mother,
which occurred about one year after marriage. January 12, 1806, Mr. S.
was married to his second wife, Amy Perkins. In February of the same
year, he purchased fifty acres of wood land in the town of Spafford,
upon which he cut the first tree and erected a log house on the same
spot where the fine farm residence of the subject of this sketch, now
stands. Returning for his wife, the two commenced a pioneer’s life in
the woods. In July, 1806, he carried upon his back one bushel of corn to
a mill twenty miles distant, situated on Onondaga Creek, within the
limits of what is now the city of Syracuse. In the fall of the same year
a mill was built, by Dr. Farr, at the head of Otisco Lake. They had
children as follows: Sheldon P., born July 12, 1807, living in Alleghany
county, N.Y.; Malenda, born March 2, 1808; Sherman H., born February 15,
1810, died April 1813; Allen J., born February 15, 1812, a farmer living
in Spafford; Juliana, born July 21, 1814, married to Sylvanus Grant,
died March 9, 1849; John S., born February 7, 1817, physician, living in
Madison, Wis.; Mary, born July 26, 1819, married to Samuel Sherman;
Samuel H., subject of this sketch, born April 10, 1821; Rhoda, born
April 26, 1823, wife of Delos W. Billings, living in Alleghany county,
N.Y.
Mr. Stanton, besides working on the farm, carried on the blacksmith
trade. He was one of the first assessors of the town of Spafford. He
died February 5, 1871. His wife survived him a little more than a year.
Her death occurred March 31, 1872. Both are buried near the spot where
they lived, a fine monument having been erected over their graves.
The subject of this sketch has always lived on the same place in
Spafford where the father first settled; he coming into possession of
the homestead. Receiving his education in the common schools of Spafford,
when seventeen years of age he commenced teaching school, and taught
three successive terms. He was united in marriage, October 8, 1844, to
Sarah T. Patterson, daughter of Calvin and Sarah Patterson, who were
among the first pioneer settlers of Spafford. Mrs. S. was born July 15,
1825, in Spafford. They have had ten children, as follows: Calvin P.,
born June 12, 1846, married to Emma Babcock, living in Luddington, Mason
County, Michigan; Emmett E., born October 30, 1849, married Josephine
Burton, living in Spafford; Annette, born July 3, 1851, married F.W.
Fairbanks, a farmer living in Mason county, Michigan; Frank, born
February 15, 1855, died March 25, 1876; Laura, born September 17, 1857,
living at home; Samuel, born November 8, 1858, died an infant; Mark,
born March 1, 1859, living at home; Elmer E., born August 8, 1860,
living at home; Alice, born May 23, 1862, married to John
Purchase, living in Spafford; Benjamin, born September 28, 1866, died an
infant.
Mr. Stanton has added to his lands until at the present time he is the
owner of over three hundred acres. In politics he is a Republican. He
has filled the offices of Inspector of Election, Supervisor in 1870 and
’71, Highway Commissioner in 1869, ’75, ’76 and ’77, Assessor and Notary
Public. In 1876 he rebuilt his house, which commands a fine view of the
surrounding country, including the whole Otisco Lake.
A view of his home, together with portraits of Mr. and Mrs. S., appear
on another page of this work.
OTISCO.
^
pp. 348-350. HISTORY OF ONONDAGA COUNTY, NEW YORK, W.W.
CLAYTON, 1878.
Otisco was formed from Pompey, Marcellus and Tully, March 21, 1806. It
is an interior town, lying southwest of the center of the county. Its
surface is principally occupied by the high ridge between the valleys of
Onondaga Creek and Otisco Lake. The declivities of the hills are
generally steep, and the summits rolling and elevated from eight hundred
to a thousand feet above the valleys, and from 1,600 to 1,700 feet above
the ocean. Otisco Lake is 772 feet above tide. It lies upon the west
border of the town, in a valley 1,000 feet below the summits of the
hills. Bear Mountain, named from the great number of bears which
infested it when the country was first settled, is one of the principal
elevations. It is in the northeast part, and overhangs the valley of the
Onondaga Creek. The soil is generally a sandy and gravelly loam, mixed
with clay and well adapted to wheat and grazing.
In the year 1798 Oliver Tuttle and his son Daniel, (and possibly his son
William) came on horseback from Cincinnatus, in what is now Cortland
county, and made the first improvement by underbrushing for a small
clearing on Lot 97, near the head of Otisco Lake. While thus engaged the
father was taken very sick and was taken care of by Daniel till able to
sit on his horse when they returned through the woods, there being no
roads, to
Cincinnatus, the first house on the route being at Homer, fifteen miles
from the lake.
It was four years before they returned to Otisco, and they then found
several families of settlers. Oliver Tuttle built the first frame house
in 1804. Mr. Tyler Frisbie, who had the statement directly from the sons
of Daniel Tuttle, and also from the sons of Mr. Alpheus Bouttelle, who
settled in Otisco in 1804, from the town of Pompey, has no doubt but Mr.
Tuttle was the first settler of the town.
Chauncey Rust, said by Mr. Clark to have been the first settler, moved
his family from LaFayette in April, 1801. Mr. Rust was from Northampton,
Mass. During this year and the following a large number of settlers
arrived, principally from Massachusetts and Connecticut, and the whole
town filled up rapidly.
Among the first settlers were Jonathan B. Nichols, Charles and Benoni
Merriman, Solomon Judd and Lemon Gaylord, in 1801; Otis Baker, Noah
Parsons, Nathaniel Loomis, Amos and Isaac Cowles, in 1802; and Benjamin
Cowles, Josiah Clark, Daniel
Bennett, Elias and Jared Thayer, Henry Elethrop, Samuel, Ebenezer and
Luther French, Jared and Noah Parsons, and Erastus Clapp, soon after.
Lucy Cowles, afterwards wife of Rev. Geo. Colton taught the first school
in 1802. The first white child born in the town was Timothy Rust, son of
Chauncey Rust, March 22, 1802; and the first death that of Nathaniel
Dady, Jr., killed by the falling of a tree, July 1802; Michael Johnson,
the first store in 1808; and Charles Merriman built the first grist mill
in 1806. Jesse Swan and Josiah Everett were also among the first
merchants, and
Benoni Merriman kept a log tavern near Otisco Center in 1804.
The first practicing physician who settled in town was Dr. Jonathan S.
Judd, in 1806. Dr. Luther French, in 1818. Thomas Judd was the first,
and it is supposed the only lawyer in town; he remained but a short
time, and removed to Cortland.
The first town meeting was held at the house of Daniel Bennett, April 1,
1806. Dan Bradley, of Marcellus, was chairman. Judah Hopkins was chosen
Supervisor, Josephus Barker, Town Clerk, and Noah Parsons, Lemon Gaylord
and Josephus Barker, Assessors. An extra town meeting was held in the
month of August following, at the school house near Daniel Bennett’s
tavern, at which a committee of three was chosen to ascertain the
center of the town, in order to centrally locate the public buildings.
A postoffice was established here in 1814, Dr. Luther French,
Postmaster.
This town is noted for being the birthplace and residence of several
persons of distinguished literary reputation. Willis Gaylord, widely
known as the editor of the Genesee Farmer and Albany Cultivator, and as
a refined and graceful contributor to the scientific and magazine
literature of his day, came into the town with his father from Bristol,
Connecticut, in 1801. He was then nine years of age, and he resided here
until a few years before his death, which occurred in 1844.
Willis and Lewis Gaylord Clark, twin brothers, were born in this town
April, 1808. The former is known as a poet, the author of “Ollipodiana,”
and as the editor of the Philadelphia Gazette, and the latter has
obtained a national reputation as the editor of the
Knickerbocker Magazine, a position which he held for many years. Willis
died in 1841. Their father was Eliakim Clark, an officer in the
Revolution, and their mother a sister to Willis Gaylord. Rev. George
Colton, father of Owen Colton, author of a series of Greek text-books,
and of George H. Colton, founder and editor of the American Review, was
many years a resident of this town.
MAPLE GROVE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, Otisco.—As early as 1832 a class
was organized at the Seeley School House, consisting of twenty-eight
members, by Percy Case, a class-leader and local preacher. This was at that time part of
the Cardiff charge presided over by three preachers and consisting of
six congregations. Among the prominent members at that time were Polly
Case, Solomon Robinson, Nancy Robinson, Matilda Lewis, Louisa Jarvis,
Charlotte Jarvis, Nathaniel Hudson, Nancy Hudson, Jonathan Balls,
Abraham Hudson, Hannah Mervin, Sophia Williams, Jesse Leverich.
This class continued to hold meetings every Sunday until 1850 in the
school house, when they erected the present church at a cost of $800,
the site being donated by Amos Abbott. On the 27th of February, 1850,
the society was duly incorporated, Warner Abbott, John Case and Lewis
Peckett, Trustees.
The church was erected under the pastorate of Rev. Z. D. Paddock, who
was instrumental in awakening a deep religious feeling and adding
largely to its membership. About 1870, Rev. B. F. Andrews came and
labored three years with success. Rev. L. Northway is the present pastor
of this and of the Cardiff M.E. Church. The present membership is fifty;
attendance at the Sabbath School, forty.
The church was rebuilt and rededicated in 1876. The present Trustees
are: Royal Burt, Erastus Miller and V.L. King; Class-leaders, C.M.
Robinson and John C. Case. The church is situated in the northeast
corner of Otisco, four miles west of Cardiff.
AMBER RELIGIOUS SOCIETY.—On the 18th of August, 1824, at a meeting of
the citizens of Amber at the Lake House, then kept by David Moore, the
Amber Religious Society was
organized. And on the 5th of September following another meeting was
held, and the Building Committee, consisting of Miles Bishop, Barber
Kenyon and Samuel Kenyon, were empowered to select a site and erect a
church. In addition to the Building Committee, Robert Kenyon and Isaac
Briggs were elected Trustees, and the society was incorporated. The
committee than proceeded to erect the church edifice at a cost of
$1,300, and it was dedicated “to the true worship of God,” by Revs.
Messrs. Wilcox, Selkirk and Worden. The society is composed of different
denominations and the house is open and free to all; the Methodists only
keeping up regular services. This and the society at Navarino form one
charge. The church was rebuilt in 1866 at a cost of $1,450. E. Jarvis,
pastor.
ST.PATRICK’S CHURCH, Otisco.—Meetings were held at the residences of the
different parishioners as early as 1853 and holy mass celebrated by
Father Hackett of Salina. In the year 1870 they erected a church in
Otisco village under the auspices of Rev. F.J. Purcell, of Skaneateles,
he presiding over this as a joint mission, and also officiating
occasionally at Marcellus. After him came Rev. J.J. Hayden, who was
succeeded by the present pastor, Rev. B.J. McDonough, who has this and
Marcellus as one mission.
Among the original members were John Flanagan, George Fitzgerald, John
Kinney, William Tobin, William Gauntley, John Leroy, Michael Ryan and
Thomas Larkin. Their church is a beautiful frame edifice, costing
$6,000, and the society is strong and healthy with over two hundred
communicants.
Prior to the erection of the church in 1866, the society purchased the
present site and occupied a frame house for four years under the
pastorate of Rev. William McCallian, who organized the Jordan, Marcellus
and Skaneateles societies.
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, Otisco.—The first religious meeting held in the
town of Otisco was in September, 1801, at the residence of Mr.
Chauncy Rust, and from thenceforward meetings were regularly maintained,
and on the 9th of May, 1808, Rev. Hugh Wallis of Pompey, presiding,
Charles Merriman, Rachel Merriman, Samuel French, Benjamin Cowles,
Phineas Sparks, Oliver Tuttle, Abigail Tuttle, Ebenezer French, Jr.,
Amos Cowles, Luther French and Solomon Judd, organized the
Congregational Church of Otisco. During the first forty-seven years of
the history of this church there were received into its communion seven
hundred and forty-one persons, and in 1850 the church membership was two
hundred and forty-three. In the autumn of 1805 Rev. George Colton, of
Hartford, Conn., was called, but remained only a few months. December 7,
1807, Rev. Wm. J. Wilcox was called and remained until March 15, 1821,
laboring very acceptably, and conducting two very ernest revivals—one in
1810, the other in 1817. In July, 1821, Rev. Charles Johnston was
called, who immediately entered upon a revival productive of much good
and many accessions: he remained until September 3, 1823. November 15,
1824, Rev. Richard S. Corning came, who conducted two interesting
revivals—on in 1826, the other in 1831. May 1, 1934, Rev. Levi Parsons
came and supplied the charge for one year, who was succeeded by Rev.
Levi Griswold as a stated supply for one year and then he became a
resident and remained two years longer.
April 1st, 1839, Rev. Sidney Mills was employed as stated supply and
remained until May 3, 1841. In December following Rev. Thaddeus Pomeroy
was obtained as the next minister for the term of two years. Then in
April, 1844, Rev. Clement Lewis was engaged and continued to supply the
pulpit until the spring of 1846. In June of 1846, Rev. Addison K. Strong
was invited to supply, and afterwards became a regular pastor.
In 1858, Rev. Medad Pomeroy was called and remained five years; he was
succeeded by Rev. J.O. Betts, who remained until 1872; since which time
there has been no regular pastor, the pulpit being supplied by transient
ministers. The present church, a large frame structure, was erected in
1820 at a cost of about $6,000. The present deacons are William N.
Tuttle, I.T. Frisbee, S.M. Cowles, B.J. Cowles. Trustees—I.T. Frisbie,
O.W. Rice,
W.S. Hurlburt, John N. Smith, Lester Judson and N. Rice. The present
membership is eighty. Sabbath School attendance one hundred and
twenty-five. The membership has of late years been greatly depleted by
deaths and removals.
OTISCO VILLAGE. ^
pp. 350. HISTORY OF ONONDAGA COUNTY, NEW YORK, BY W.W.
CLAYTON, 1878.
Otisco village is a hamlet of about twenty-five houses, containing one
hotel, kept by Lyman K. Henderson, two stores, and two churches. It is
situated on a high ridge of ground near the center of the town, about
eight miles northwest of Tully Station, between
which places a daily stage runs in connection with the trains on the S.,
B. & N.Y. R.R. As early as 1809, Jesse Swan opened a store and tavern
about one mile south of the present village. About 1820, Mr. M. Johnson
built and kept a tavern in the present village near the site of the
Catholic Church.
The oldest man now living in the county resides a little north of this
village—Charles Clark. He came to the farm on which he now lives in
1809, being then twenty-seven years of age; erected a saw mill, and
conducted his farm, all of which are under his
personal supervision, although he is now ninety-six years of age.
There are two flouring mills in this town—the Gamble mill, located in the
southwestern part of the town, and the mills located near the foot of
the Bucktail at the head of Otisco Lake.
^
AMBER.
pp. 350. HISTORY OF ONONDAGA COUNTY, NEW YORK, BY W.W.
CLAYTON, 1878.
This beautiful little hamlet has acquired, because of its location and
scenery, quite a reputation as a resort for summer pleasure-seekers. The
village consists of about forty dwellings, a church, two stores, one
hotel and one planning mill. The village is situated
in the northeast corner of the town at the foot of Oak Hill, on the bank
of Otisco Lake. Among the most prominent citizens is Mr. A.J. Niles, the
oldest merchant and one of the earliest settlers, who, by strict
attention to his business and the wants of his customers, has attained a
handsome competency. Mr. Alexander Bouttelle, proprietor of the Lake
House, is one of the genial hosts who know how to add to the attractions
of this romantic little hamlet. A daily state carries the mails and
passengers in connection with the N.Y.C. & H.R.R.R.
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