Atwell, Christine O., 1928, Cazenovia, Past & Present,
A Descriptive and Historical Record of the Village. Florida Press,
Inc., Orlando, FL
Christine Orange Atwell (1887-1939)
was born in Cazenovia and is descended from a Joseph Atwell who had taken
up land in the Pompey Hollow (Onondaga County Military Tract). Joseph
and some of his pioneering neighbors were camping at the outlet of Cazenovia
Lake when John Lincklaen and his crew first came to the site of the what
was soon to be the new community of Cazenovia. Later generations
of the family were prosperous merchants and active citizens of the village
and town.
Atwell's book is a wonderful
unparalleled history of Cazenovia which contains many items that are not
recorded elsewhere. The text is based on many years of research by
Miss Atwell and several close friends and is compiled and drawn from numerous
sources. The author spent many years pouring over the records of
early Cazenovia, and talking with many of the older generations.
As with any history research
project the work is never done. As new information and sources come
to light and as older material is looked at from a different perspective,
the interpretations of earlier authors will (hobpefully) be superceeded
by new interpretations, and such it has been with Atwell's work.
A few of the things that Miss Atwell wrote about so many years ago are
in need of clarification or comment. In a few cases she was caught
unknowingly passing on false legends that have so pernisiously become implanted
in our local history, such as her discussion of the Native American past
and dugout canoes in the lake, industries, cemeteries, and taverns.
Since these topics have been of particular interest to me I have made a
closer look at the infomation and context and found that things are not
quite as previous historians have written. It thus becomes necessary
to add in a few commentary notes regarding what I have found to be changed
or in need of clarification. Not wishing to interrupt the flow of
this text I have provided this seperate compilation discussing some of
the material and information that has since come to light and which changes
what Atwell wrote so many years ago.
Some spelling corrections have been made and a few notes to update or
clarify the text are added in square [ ] parentheses. Atwell's
Footnotes and my Comments and Notes follow at the
end of the text.
I Founding & Settlement
II
Roadways
III
Waterways
IV
Industries and Institutions
V
Religion
VI
Education
VII
Culture
Atwell, Christine O., 1928, Cazenovia, Past & Present,
A Descriptive and Historical Record of the Village. Florida Press,
Inc., Orlando, FL
pages 1 to 9
<:1> Cazenovia, New York,
the center town on the western border of Madison County, was founded in
1793.
Until after the close of
the Revolutionary War, the territory embraced in the present Chenango and
Madison Counties was included in the indefinite Indian domain. In
1788, Governor Clinton effected a treaty with the Indians whereby their
title to the major portions of the two counties was extinguished.
The next year the Legislature passed an act directing the Surveyor- General
to lay out and survey twenty townships. After the completion of the
survey, the Commissioners of the Land Office were to select five of the
choicest of these twenty townships, which were to be sold only for gold
or silver or to redeem certain bonds which the State had issued in the
form of bills of credit. They were further required to affix to the
lands such price as was best calculated to effect a ready sale, and at
the same time ensure the greatest revenue to the State Treasury.
The commissioners were required to give three months' public notice of
the contemplated sale by advertising in the papers published in the cities
of Albany and New York, in the latter of which the sales were to take place.
The sales took place, but owing to the brief notice and the imperfect means
of travel and communication, they were lightly attended, and the towns
in many cases fell naturally, easily and unavoidably into the hands of
jobbers and wealthy capitalists, who were in attendance upon legislative
action, and always on the alert for lucrative investments, and who immediately
advanced the price from three to twenty shillings per acre.
Due to a misapprehension
in the survey, there was left between the west line of the Twenty Townships
and the east line of the Military Tract a strip which was named the Gore.
Two tracts, one of 15,000 acres and one of 41,000 acres were sold off.
These two tracts were known as the Road Township. from the fact that
the proceeds arising from its sale were to be applied to the construction
of roads. This, together with the previous tract, soon after came
into possession of the Holland Land Company.
John Lincklaen, Esq., of
Amsterdam, Holland, under the patronage of Peter Stadniski, President of
the Holland Land Company, was sent into the United States to explore the
new countries, and to make a purchase of a tract of land if he should find
a suitable situation. Accordingly <:2> in the year 1790, he came to
America with letters of instruction to the Company's Agent, Theophilus
Cazenove, then residing in the city of Philadelphia.
Inspired with zeal for his
mission Mr. Lincklaen in the month of September, 1792, having completed
his preparation for a tour in the wilderness, employed two hardy woodsmen
to accompany him and set out. He ascended the North [Hudson] River
to Albany, thence by the Mohawk river to old Fort Schuyler. He then
steered off in a westerly direction in the back parts of [what was then]
Herkimer County. His object was to explore the tract of about one
hundred thousand acres, being the strip lying between the Military Townships
and the tract called the Governors' Purchase of 20 Townships, distinguished
on the map of the State of New York as the Road Township, the Gore and
No. One of the 20 townships.
In this wilderness the enterprising
young Hollander continued with his little company eleven days, enduring
all the hardships and privations which such hazardous expeditions are subject
to, with only raw pork and bread to subsist upon, and many miles from any
inhabitants. He kept a journal of his journey, which, having been
translated from the French in which it was originally written, relates
that on the afternoon of Thursday, October 11, 1792, he arrived at the
foot of the beautiful lake in Cazenovia where his party encamped for the
night. As the result of a reconnoiter he wrote: "The situation is
superb and the lands are beautiful."
Pleased with the tract and
situation, after his arduous undertaking, he returned to Philadelphia and
reported to Mr. Cazenove in so favorable a manner the result of his expedition,
that the tract was immediately bought and Mr. Lincklaen became the agent
with an interest in the purchase (Footnote
I-1).
The earliest authentic version
of the founding of the village is contained in an address made by Mr. S.S.
Forman, clerk of the Holland land Company, on the occasion of the forty-eighth
anniversary of the settlement of this section of the Empire State, celebrated
on the eighth day of May, 1841. At that time he said:
"Messrs. Cazenove and Lincklaen
made me proposals to accompany Mr. Lincklaen to commence his settlement
on this tract of land. The negotiation was soon confirmed.
Mr. Lincklaen requested me to meet him in New York in April then next.
When we met, he gave me his plans fully, and requested me to purchase a
complete assortment of goods such <:3> as I deemed suitable for a new
settlement in order to give every facility to the emigrants, observing,
that the profits on the goods was of no consideration; but the grand object
was to promote the settlement of the lands - that I must not be afraid
of buying too much of useful article that the company had appropriated
$20,000 for the purpose. He added, that if I knew of any mechanics
or others who would like to go with us to engage them - I accordingly engaged
one carpenter (John Wilson) one mason (Michael Day) one teamster (James
Smith). When the North [Hudson} River opened, I shipped all the goods
and farming utensils on board of an Albany sloop commanded by Capt. William
Schenck, a most worthy Revolutionary officer. Also myself and four
hired men I took along. From Albany I sent the men on to old Fort
Schuyler (now the city of Utica); the goods I transported by land to Schenectady
and then shipped them on board of bateaux and accompanied them myself to
old Fort Schuyler. I took passage with them in order to learn how
the boatmen managed, and try to discover whether any plan could be devised
to prevent pilfering, but alas! there were too many temptations to become
rogues if they were ever honest. This was a tedious and vexatious
journey of several days - no stage had yet ever started on these roads.
At old Fort Schuyler the goods were all stored with John Post, Esq., the
only merchant and tavern-keeper at that place, and then only two framed
houses. From that place we brought the goods to the Road Township
(now Cazenovia) as occasion required and we had a place for them.
"At Ft. Schuyler we hired
seven additional men as foresters, viz: James Greene, David Fay, Stephen
F. Blackstone, Philemon Tuttle, David Freeborn, Gideon Freeborn and Asa
C. Towns. I believe wages were $10 per month and board. I also
bought a yoke of oxen, a cart and provisions. On the morning of leaving
Utica I weighed out some raw pork and bread to all the men to carry in
their knapsacks and an axe apiece to ten of them - and started them and
the magazine team on their pilgrimage, on the Great Genesee Road, via the
Dean Road to so called - Shortly after Mr. Lincklaen and myself started
on horseback - I believe we all stayed the first night at Wemple's Tavern
at the Indian Mills, near the Oneida Castle. Our journey this day
was about twenty miles. The country new, roads bad, much of the way
was what is called corduroy road. The next morning we started on
our way, continuing on the Genesee road until we crossed Chittenango Creek,
about twelve miles - here we turned south and continued about one mile
up the creek when we came to a beautiful flat settled by German squatters
from the Mohawk River and some Indians. Here we left all settlements
and took a blind Indian path bearing westwardly up a steep hill.
Now commenced the tug of encountering the dense forest - the axe men commenced
opening a road so as to let the cart pass along. By the time that
we had ascended the summit of the hill the sun was <:4> nearly down;
of course time to prepare for the night. By the side of our path lay a
trunk of a large tree which had blown down - under the lee of this, with
a large fire in front a few paces off, we thought we could be made comfortable.
Our cattle and horses being secured and taken care of, we all then repaired
to our magazine cart; out with our jack-knives and commenced supper on
raw pork and bread - each one helped himself in his own way, some cut long
sticks and sharpened one end and put the pork on it and toasted the pork
in the fire - After this operation was finished each one wrapped himself
in his blanket and stretched himself on the ground by the side of the tree
with his feet toward the fire.
"The next morning, 8th of
May, 1793, at daylight we arose, brushed the cobwebs from our faces, ate
our breakfast on the same sumptuous fare as our supper. It was thought
advisable to have another pair of oxen; accordingly one man with my horse
was dispatched to Whitestown (upward of 30 miles) to buy and bring on as
soon as possible another pair. Mr. Lincklaen now proposed to me that
he and I would take his horse and ride and tie (as the new country phrase
is) (Footnote I-2) and
go on to the outlet of the lake, by following the Indian path, distant
about seven miles, supposing by night that all the company would fetch
up with us. When we arrived at the destined spot, we had the pleasure
to meet with three men who came there for the purpose of fishing.
Their names were Charles Rowe, Joseph Atwell (Footnote
I-3) and Phineas Barnes, all then living in Pompey Hollow, a
few miles to the west of this place. The outlet of the lake was so
small that a man could step across it. The Indians had constructed
a wear to catch fish as they run out of the lake; they had also erected
a bark hut near by. On our arrival at this place, we took off the
saddle and bridle and portmanteau from the horse and turned him out to
feed on the oak plains. It is the practice with the Indians to fire
the woods in the Spring of the year, which hastens vegetation and brings
early and tender herbage and induces wild beasts to come upon their hunting
ground - here the horse found good pasture. In the evening we five
collected in the bark hut. Our people and team did not make their
appearance, we two travelers consequently were not provided for with provisions,
the three Pompenians discovering our destitute situation, kindly shared
their excellent bread and raw pork with us. By this time a friendly
introduction took place and they were made acquainted with the object of
our business, so a mutual exchange of expression of kind feelings passed.
We then set about to arrange affairs <:5> for the night lodging in the
little hut. Our saddle and portmanteau served for our pillows.
By the dawn of the morning our three friends disappeared. About seven
o'clock Mr. Lincklaen observed to me, that he had best go back; perhaps
some misfortune had befallen our people - that he would leave the horse
and dog (old Lion) with me. About ten o'clock my stomach admonished
me I had best make back tracks too - for the $500 in specie in the portmanteau
would not buy me a breakfast, nor was there a human being within several
miles of me to my knowledge and alone in the wilderness rendered my situation
rather unpleasant. I saddled my horse and had not lead him far before
I gladly met Messrs. Jedediah Jackson and Joseph Yaw, although they were
entire strangers to me. They were sent out from the State of Vermont
as an exploring committee of a company to try to find a tract of land to
settle. These gentlemen had met Mr. Lincklaen on his returning to
the people, and he directed them to me. They inquired the way to
Township No. 1 (now the Town of Nelson) I directed them the way and proceeded
slowly and solitary on my way. The cause of our people's delay was
the axle-tree of the cart broke which was a great damage to us. when
the whole company arrived on the Patent, Mr. Lincklaen had his marquee
pitched for his own family and a very large tent for his hired men - the
spot was near the oaks at the south end of the lake.
"The first work was to build a large log dwelling
house and store under one roof, and another large house for the work people;
both were set in the white oak grove, a little distance apart. Soon
after, a warehouse was built in front of the store. The lands were
to have been surveyed and laid out in 150 acre farm lots before this time
but was not begun. Mr. Lincklaen dispatched James Greene through
the wilderness to Oxford, 50 miles off with only a pocket compass for his
guide and bread and pork in his knapsack, to bring Mr. Lock, the surveyor,
to do his work. By this time some land hunters had come, they were
very fortunately employed by Mr. Lock as axemen, chain bearers, etc.
This gave them a fine opportunity of sizing the land and selecting lots.
The land sales commenced at $1.50 per acre, $10.00 to be paid down - balance
in 10 years with interest yearly - the purchaser to clear and sow or plant
10 acres and build a comfortable log cabin on his lot the first year.
Mr. Lincklaen gave out word that the first ten families should have one
hundred acres each for $1.00 per acre. Two miles were reserved off
the north end of the Road Township and laid out in ten acre lots for the
benefit of the villagers. The village plot was not laid out until
the next summer, 1794. The first job of clearing land, Mr. Lincklaen
let 10 acres to James Greene and David Fay, over on the farm now owned
by Mr. Tillotson on the west side of the lake (Footnote
I-4).
<:6> "Emigration from
the neighboring towns was not contemplated, but supposed they would come
from ‘Down East' but terms were too favorable for the keen Yankee eye to
let slip, and before the lots were surveyed and even before the workmen
had time to finish their log house for themselves, several respectable
families from the towns through which we passed coming from Utica came
on as settlers without having previously provided any shelter for their
families - our men kindly gave up their tent to their families and sheltered
themselves as well as they could in their unfinished house.
"We were informed that some
of these families were young married people, who had abbreviated their
courtship in order to avail themselves of this favorable opportunity to
commence the world. This was Yankee prudence and foresight, without
any trick about it. For several weeks our baking and washing was
done at old Mrs. Schuyler's at Chittenango Flats. One day Mr. Lincklaen
returning from there, brought home with him in his surtout pocket, a kitten,
which was the first and only one for a long time. There were no other
domestic animals in the settlement except horses, oxen, and two or three
dogs.
"The horses and oxen had
bells put on them and were turned on the oak plains; toward evening they
would all run in from the woods to shelter themselves in the smoke of the
settlement to get away from the large horse flies, they were so plentiful
that it seemed sometimes they would devour the creatures. This circumstance
is well impressed upon the memory, because their stamping and shaking their
bells all night under our windows kept sleep away from us. The Holland
Company sent to Mr. Lincklaen eight head of Dutch cattle, six of which
were cows the size of our oxen; their colors were clear black and white
- not spotted but large patches of the two color - very handsome bodies
and straight limbs, horns middling size, but gracefully set. Their
necks were seemingly too slender to carry their head - their disposition
mild and docile. For some reason or other, they did not do well and
entirely run out. Some supposed that the country was too new, the
pasturage different from what they had been accustomed to. The company
went to an enormous expense with these cattle, a groom was sent along for
the express purpose of taking care of them.
"For several days flights
of pigeons (not quail) came over our camp a little before sunset, their
flights were so low that we shot them with guns and pistols, and knocked
them down with poles and club - they were fine ingredients with our pork
and made a dish fit for epicures.
"When the surveyor commenced
his work, the emigrants followed him so closely that as soon as two sides
of a lot could be ascertained and the number known, they would run to the
office to have it entered and perhaps <:7> a person would have to name
several before he could get one. We were obliged to suspend the sales
at one time for fear of making mistakes by reason of the competition.
The land sales closed the first season I think at $2.00 per acre, on the
Road Township, now Cazenovia.
"It was some time after
our first arrival before we could be prepared to receive the merchandise
which was stored at Utica, and owing to the badness of the roads there
was great risk in carting liquors - one time in particular Mr. Lincklaen
was in Utica and engaged a respectable trusty farmer to bring out a Hogshead
of spirits, the transportation of which cost $10.00. At that time
this article was considered as almost indispensable in a new country -
we had no faucets, but I tapped the hogshead and put a quill in it, and
drew the contents out through the quill as occasion required.
"The first winter I had
business in Whitestown and Utica and went in a lumber sleigh, our Jersey
teamster, James Smith, drove. On our return we traveled all night
being in a hurry to get back. When we arrived at the head of the
lake, at the first dawn of the morning, we stopped to examine the ice -
it was perfectly transparent - we took our axe (a necessary tool to take
along in those days) we cut through the ice and concluded that we should
be safe. After we drove on the lake the ice cracked and radiated
from the horses' feet in every direction, the horses became frightened
- we almost repented our temerity, the driver kept the horses on a good
steady trot, we arrived safe at the settlement where we found all the people
on the bank of the lake watching with much anxiety for our safety, after
they could ascertain what we were. Our first appearance astonished
the spectator - some supposed us to be a large bear, some one thing and
some another. This probably was the first time that a sleigh and
pair of horses was ever driven on this lake.
"In 1794 the village of
Cazenovia was laid out by Judge Wright of Rome and Calvin Guiteau of Utica.
It was Mr. Lincklaen's wish to have the village laid out on the bank of
the lake, and to have a street running on the bank. This it was thought
would give a better appearance to the village; but the Company did not
own far enough north to adopt that plan. The first sales of village
lots were at $5.00, upon certain conditions to build and improve the lots;
but they shortly rose higher. Mr. Lincklaen wished to call the village
Hamilton - he was a great admirer of General Hamilton, who was at that
time Secretary of the Treasury, under George Washington, but the settlers
in one of the adjoining townships had named their settlement Hamilton,
so the name of Cazenovia was established in honor of Theophilus Cazenove,
the Holland Land Company's Agent (Footnote
I-5).
<:8> "In 1795 I believe
it was, Mr. Lincklaen built his first house, about 50 feet square and handsome.
The roof of this house was at one time all covered with sheet lead, but
it had not the desired effect of keeping it from leaking so it was taken
off. The house took fire twice; the second time it was destroyed
together with many books and papers containing the early records of the
company and a great deal of elegant furniture (Footnote
I-6). (The site of Mr. Lincklaen's dwelling on the bank
of the lake was a picturesque spot and its selection evinced the good taste
of its owner. When the house burned in 1806, he chose another site
at the foot of the lake, where he erected in 1807 a substantial brick house,
commanding a beautiful view of the entire length of the lake. It
is still standing, occupied by Mrs. Charles S. Fairchild, who calls the
place ‘Lorenzo.' Mrs. Fairchild is a descendant of the adopted son
of Col. John Lincklaen. Mr. Fairchild, who was Secretary of the United
States Treasury under the Cleveland administration, died in 1924.
Mr. and Mrs. Fairchild entertained President and Mrs. Cleveland at Lorenzo,
where the flower gardens have long been noted for their beauty.)
"A person who never commenced
to settle in the wilderness can have but a faint idea of the difficulties,
privations and hardships attending such a life. No doubt but the
children of Israel had bard times. This settlement commenced under
the most auspicious circumstance - the land cheap, credit long, a fatherly
patronage almost; no one of these settlers was ever reduced to the necessity
of going from home for the necessaries of life. This was no ordinary
beginning, it has been providentially a felicitous one; happiness has generally
reigned throughout. In all our meetings, whether of a public nature
or for innocent amusement and recreation, the utmost harmony and decorum
ever prevailed. Coming together as we did from all points of the
compass, the intelligence of the American character was at all times conspicuous.
In our little gatherings a dignity and propriety of conduct was observed
that would have been creditable to a more polished society.
"Where can we find a better
country in all respects than this which we now inhabit - scarcely a 150
acre lot but what is well watered with delightful streams - the soil good,
country healthy, turnpikes and town roads in every direction and kept in
good order, rendering travel safe and pleasant. The village is so
happily situated from the great thoroughfares of the railroads as to be
free from the demoralizing effects of corrupt populations which are to
be found in such places. This place is so situated that it has no
rival to contend with - in short, this section of country seems to be a
little world by itself and each one seems to be contented with his own
business.
<:9>
Footnote I-1
The Village of Cazenovia lies only partially in the tract originally
purchased by Mr. Lincklaen, the center of Seminary Street being the north
line of that purchase. Afterwards, when it became desirable to use
land to the north of this for the village plot, some 10,000 acres of the
New Petersburg Tract were purchased. The southern part of the purchase,
however, was not as favorable for cultivation as the northern; it was more
liable to frost, and the soil different. It lay, too, out of the
direction of the tide of emigration that was then lust beginning to roll
with great strength and velocity toward the western part of the state.
Footnote I-2
"Riding and tying;" i.e. one rides ahead, and gets off, and ties the
horse to a bush and walks onward; the one left behind walks until he comes
up to the horse, then mounts and rides ahead; and so on alternately.
Footnote I-3
The writer is a descendant of this Joseph Atwell, who had brought his
family the year before from Connecticut where they had lived some time.
One of Joseph's grandsons, George H. Atwell, moved his family from Pompey
Hollow to Cazenovia, purchasing a home on Sullivan Street, where he lived
nearly forty years.
Footnote I-4
This farm was purchased in 1810 by Ephraim Tillotson and in later years
known as the Burr Wendell farm. The writer's grandmother, Orange
Tillotson Atwell, was born on and married from this farm.
Footnote I-5
The name "Cazenove" appears on a silver name plate on a pew in Christ
Church, Alexandria, Virginia, where George Washington worshipped.
Footnote I-6
The John Lincklaen marker, just inside the entrance to the Owahgena
[now Cazenovia] Clubhouse grounds, indicates the location of this first
house.