EARLY SETTLERS AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE TOWN OF MANLIUS
Submitted by Kathy Crowell
Source: Dwight H. Bruce (ed.), Onondaga's Centennial.
Boston History Co., 1896, Vol. I, pp. 769-801; 805-806.
Settlement on Manlius territory had progressed considerably prior to the
civil organization of the town and began only two years after Asa Danforth
and Comfort Tyler made their first permanent white man's settlement in
Onondaga county at Onondaga Valley, excepting that of Ephraim Webster.
This fact and the advancement made in the town during the closing years
of the last century and first quarter of the present century give to its
history a prominent place in the records of the county.
Benjamin Morehouse was the first settler in the original township, but in the present town of Dewitt, on the Morehouse flats. He came in 1789, almost coincident with Danforth and Tyler, and kept the earliest tavern in the county, in which many public gatherings were held...In the next year (1790) David Tripp migrated from Ballston, N.Y., and made the first permanent settlement within the present limits of the town. He built his log cabin about a mile northwest from the site of Manlius village. His aged father came in with him, died in 1792, and was buried near by the home: this was the first death and burial in the town. Mr. Tripp's nearest neighbors were Morehouse, Danforth, and Tyler, and he suffered many privations while waiting for the first fruits of his labor to come from the ground. Hunger lingered near the door and the family is said to have lived three months on wild roots, milk, and a bushel of corn; the latter Mr. Tripp carried home from Herkimer on his back.
But the pioneer soon had nearer neighbors. In 1790 James Foster settled on the site of Eagle Village, where he at once opened a tavern; and in 1791 Joshua Knowlton and Origen Eaton located on the site of Fayetteville and began clearing their lands. They were followed in the same locality in 1792 by Cyrus Kinne, who at once opened a shop in which he followed his trade of blacksmithing, to the great convenience of his fellow pioneers.
Conrad Lour (or Lower) settled in the neighborhood of Mr. Tripp in 1792 and the same year built the first frame house in the town. A part of his lumber he brought from Palatine, and the remainder he obtained at Asa Danforth's little mill on Butternut Creek. His son lives in Fayetteville. Mr. Tripp's son tramped to Oriskany for nails and carried back forty-six pounds.
In 1792 John A. Shaeffer made the first settlement on the site of Manlius village, where he built a log house near the site of the Episcopal church. He was a German and soon utilized his dwelling for a public house. It was at this house that Baron Steuben stopped over night in 1794, while on his way eastward from Salina, and was kept awake by commotion in the house to such a degree that he roundly abused his host in the morning for permitting it. When a nurse brought before the Baron a new-born babe, son of Mr. and Mrs. Shaeffer, he was deeply chagrined and profuse in apologies. The delighted parents thereupon agreed that the child should be named Baron Steuben Shaeffer, upon which the Baron gave his namesake a deed for 250 acres of land. This child was the first one born in the town.
Nicholas Phillips was a settler on the Manlius village site before 1793, and on the 14th of January of that year was married to Caty (or Katy) Garlock, thus solemnizing the first marriage in the town. They were both of German extraction and lived long in the community, the husband surviving until 1854, when he died at eighty-three years of age. He retained his vigor until near the end and in the fall previous to his death plowed the land and sowed a field of wheat. His wife died in 1824 (1).
Col. Elijah Phillips came to Manlius undoubtedly as early as 1792, for in that year or the next he appears to have leased the property known as the "old mills," at Edwards Falls, and adjacent land, etc., of a Mr. Hamilton, of Albany, for a term of sixty years. In association with David Williams, Aaron Wood and Walter Worden, he at once erected a saw mill, which was the first one in the present town. Mr. Williams soon traded his one-fourth interest in the mill to Phineas Stevens for sixty acres of land. Around these mills were soon established other industries. Mr. Hamilton had already provided mill stones and gearing for a grist mill, and in 1796 Butler & Phillips built a mill. Deacon Dunham afterward established a cloth works and an oil mill; William Warner opened a store and a Mr. Jones another.
At other points, too, settlement was increasing and infant industries and trading places were coming into existence. In the early years the site of Eagle Village was an attractive one for settlement, long rivaling Manlius. Charles Moseley opened a store there where Giles Everson (the later successful Syracuse merchant) afterwards lived, and a Mr. Staniford began keeping a tavern there. Mr. Moseley closed his store ere long, removed to Manlius village, and was long in trade there.
With the simultaneous erection of the county and the town in 1794, steps were taken to set in motion the simple machinery of the town government. The first town meeting was held at the house of Benjamin Morehouse on the 1st of April, 1794. Cyrus Kinne was chosen chairman, and Levi Jerome, secretary. It was resolved to choose a supervisor and a town clerk by ballot, and the remaining officers by holding up the right hand. Forty-two voters were present, probably very nearly every person entitled to a vote from the then large territory of the town. As a result of the balloting Comfort Tyler (the prominent citizen of the town of Onondaga after its later erection) was elected supervisor and Levi Jerome town clerk. In the further proceedings of the meeting the following officers were chosen: David Williams and Benjamin Morehouse, overseers of the poor; Charles Merriam, Elijah Phillips and Rial Bingham, commissioners of roads; Reuben Patterson, Ichabod Lathrop, Isaac Van Vleck, William Ward, and Timothy Teall, assessors; Caleb Pratt and David Baker, constables and collectors; Libbeus Foster, William Ward, Ichabod Lathrop, Reuben Patterson, Cyrus Kinne, Rial Bingham, Jeremiah Jackson, Gershom Breed and Lemuel Hall, overseers of roads; Aaron Wood, Elijah Phillips, John Danforth and Jeremiah Jackson, fence viewers.
The town records of Manlius, unlike those of many of the towns of the county, are all in existence and well preserved; but for many years a few lines in a small book sufficed to record the acts of the officials. One of the most difficult problems the pioneers had to solved was the extermination of the numerous wild animals, especially the wolves, which made havoc among the domestic animals long after the coming of the first settlers. At the first town meeting it was voted "that an additional bounty of three pounds be given on each wolf killed within the town--full grown wolf, and thirty shillings on each whelp." Besides this, the State was paying a bounty for the same purpose. The amount of the wolf bounty was frequently changed, probably as their annual depredations were more or less destructive, but it remained apparently large during many years, when the scarcity of money is considered. As late as 1815 it was $20.
A large share of the attention of the early town officers was necessarily given to the construction of roads. It must be borne in mind that when the first settlers came in there were almost no thoroughfares. Indian trails crossed the country in various directions, one of the more important of which extended east and west across this town, about a mile south of the Manlius village site, thence over ground now covered by the north end of the Jamesville reservoir, up the gulf west of the old stone school house, and so on towards Onondaga Creek across lands on which Major Danforth located, and on west. The first attempt to make a white man's road to run across this town was by a party of emigrants in 1790 or 1791, and extended from Whitestown to Canandaigua, most of the way through a dense wilderness. It was little more than an opening cleared of trees and brush, but afterwards improved and became known as "the old State road," and later as "the Genesee road," although the route was considerably changed from the one first followed. It ran through Eagle Village and Manlius village, crossed the Butternut Creek near the site of Jamesville, and on westward. Under the acts of the Legislature of 1794 and 1796 about $5,000 were expended under direction of commissioners in improving this highway within the limits of Onondaga county, and of course Manlius received its share of the benefit. Between 1800 and 1810 the Seneca Road Company prosecuted its operations, a part of which were devoted to the construction of the turnpike which crosses this town from east to west and passes through Fayetteville, thus giving immigrants to the town reasonably easy access to the lands for those times. In 1797 the town was divided into seven road districts, the resolution continuing, "if the reservation is not set off as a town, divide it into two districts, the north bridge for the division." The number of road districts in Manlius in 1806 was thirty, with a pathmaster chosen for each; and this number was increased from time to time until in one year it reached seventy-four, after which the number was gradually reduced. This small army of pathmasters, moreover, found the duties of their office sufficiently exacting until the system of roads in the town reached the proportions of recent years. Among the names of the early surveyors of this town we find those of Enos Cushing, A. C. Bliss, Isaac W. Brewster, A. Yelverton, jr., Jonathan Worden, and James Olcott. About 140 roads or separate surveyed sections had been laid out down to 1835; changes since that time have been comparatively few.
After a few years the place for holding town meetings was changed. Thus, in 1797, the people met "at the house of John De Lany," Comfort Tyler still remaining supervisor. In 1800 Timothy Teall, one of the earliest physicians, father of Oliver Teall, later a prominent citizen of Syracuse, was chosen town clerk and held the office several years. In 1800 John Sweeting, supervisor, and Dr. Teall were by vote directed to take charge of the gospel and school lands on lot 74, with a view to leasing them to settlers; but the result was not very remunerative, and the lot was ultimately sold by the town May 2, 1814, for $12,114.42. Of this sum Dewitt received $7,752.42 when that town was erected.
The inhabitants of Manlius began early to provide means for educating their children. The first school commissioners were chosen in 1797 in the persons of Charles Moseley, Daniel Campbell, and Isaac Van Vleck, the latter of whom was one of the very early and later a large salt manufacturer at Salina. To act with these in the division of the town into school districts a special committee was appointed, consisting of Gershom Breed, Elijah Phillips, Jeremiah Jackson (the prominent Jamesville pioneer and miller), and Caleb Pratt. The early school records, if any were kept, are not now in existence, and it is only known that an imperfect division of the town was first made in 1810, after Onondaga had been set off. But schools existed almost from the first. Samuel Edwards was teaching a school in the town in the building where Ebenezer Calkins sold goods to the settlers and the Indians before 1798, and in that year the first log school house in the town was built on the site of Manlius village. At about the same time, probably a little earlier, he taught in James Foster's barn at Eagle Village. The town meeting of 1804 was directed to be held "at the school house near Cyrus Kinney's; as he had settled on the site of Fayetteville, we know that there was a school house there in that year; it stood near the site of the present Blackman dwelling. There was not much system in the conduct of the schools until 1835, although the number of school houses had considerably increased. In 1836 the sum of $300 only was raised in support of the schools of the town. The districts in the town in 1837, as described in the records, were as follows: No. 1, southeast corner; No. 2, Oran; No. 3, Eagle Village; No. 4, Fillmore's (the records name a second No. 4 at North Manlius); No. 5, East Manlius; No. 6, Middle Manlius; No. 7, West Manlius; No. 8, Nettleton's; No. 9, High Bridge, No. 10, West Fayetteville (consolidated with No. 11 in 1839); No. 12, East Fayetteville; No. 13, David Collin (also consolidated with No. 11 in 1840); No. 14, William Walters; No. 15, Hartsville; No. 16, Jonathan Worden's; No. 17, Kirkville; No. 18, Satan's Kingdom; No. 19, Manlius Center; No. 20, West of Center; No. 21, Stone School House; No. 22, Matthew's Mills; No. 23, Asa Cook's; No. 24, Northwest Corner (changed to No. 12, and in 1844 made a joint district with No. 9 in Dewitt).
At the present time the number of districts in the town is twenty-one.
While these measures were in progress for the general advancement of the town, other pioneers were added to the few already located, and soon the wilderness began to assume the appearance of civilization. On the site of Manlius village Charles Mulholland, a native of Ireland, settled next after Mr. Shaeffer, built a log house, and later became a considerable landholder, including the greater part of lot 98, while a Mr. Leonard purchased a large part of lot 87, which was occupied by Aaron Wood. The northeast corner of lot 86 was occupied by a Mr. Cunningham, and William Ward owned the whole of lot 97. Jabez Cobb came in early, purchased 150 acres in the southwest corner of lot 87, and kept the tavern for Mr. Shaeffer a number of years. Mr. Cobb sold to Charles Moseley (2) in 1802-03, and from him later owners purchased the greater part of the lots on Pleasant and Seneca streets east of the line of the original lot. A Mr. Dickout opened the first permanent store in the village in 1795 in the first frame building erected. Dr. Sturtevant settled in the village in 1796, and Alvan Marsh, the first lawyer, in 1798. Other lawyers after Marsh were R. R. Phelps, Abijah Yelverton, James O. Wattles, Nathan P. Randall, and Samuel L. Edwards, and later H. C. Van Schaack and N. R. Chapman.
To Charles Mulholland is given the credit of naming the little hamlet "Liberty Square" (3) in 1800, and the first post-office was established in the same year under this name and with Luther Bingham, postmaster. He was succeeded by Robert Wilson (4) in 1803, and he and Dr. Hezekiah L. Granger, Nathan Williams, D. B. Bickford, Joseph Rhoades, John Grinnell, and others. The name "Liberty Square" did not please the people long, and the place soon became generally known a Manlius Square, a name which still clings to it to some extent. In the first year of the present century there were only six dwellings in the place, with one store and a few shops; but the next decade saw far more rapid progress in all parts of the town.
Sylvanus Tousley began blacksmithing in 1800, and Merritt Clark and
Moses Johnson opened stores in or before 1806. Mr. Tousley contracted
to do the iron work on the old court house at Onondaga Hill. He was
supervisor of Manlius in 1808, and 1812 was a judge and justice of the
peace. Later in his life he removed to Syracuse and built a brick
dwelling on the site of the John Crouse residence. He was prominent
in the early militia, and in 1809 was promoted from ensign to captain,
and later was a paymaster.
In
1807 Azariah Smith settled in the village and during forty years was the
foremost citizen of the town. He was a native of Massachusetts, and
in April, 1807, went to Onondaga Hill, where he served a few weeks as clerk
for his cousin, Calvin Smith. He then received a proposition from
John Meeker, who had stores in several places in the county, to open another
in Manlius, for Meeker was to furnish the capital and Mr. Smith have charge
of the business and share in the profits. On the 3d of June the store
was opened on the south side of the turnpike nearly opposite the brick
store afterwards built and long occupied by Mr. Smith, and which is still
standing. This partnership continued until 1810, and was so far successful
that at the end of that period Mr. Smith found himself with sufficient
capital to start in business for himself. In August, 1811, he married
Zilpha Mack, and about that time opened the store which he conducted many
years. Later he engaged in the manufacture of cotton goods at Manlius,
which he continued to about the time of his death. He was a man of
strong mental powers, the highest integrity, untiring energy, and outside
of his own varied affairs identified himself with all public matters that
promised benefit to the community. All of the local churches, the
academy and many other institutions were practically promoted by him.
He was a presidential elector in 1824 and a member of the Legislature in
1838, 1839, and 1840, serving in the first named year on the committee
on claims. Mr. Smith died November 12, 1846, while seeking medical
aid in New Haven, Conn. Dr. William Manlius Smith, now of Syracuse,
is a son of Azariah.
A local paper of 1809 gives account of a disastrous flood in this town, caused by long and copious rains. Not a bridge was left standing on Limestone Creek, and mills and dams were swept away. The account says that the dam and part of the grist mill of Mr. Sayles were destroyed and the grist mill and saw mill of Clark & Jackson near Manlius village were partly wrecked.
In 1805-6 Manlius village contained about thirty houses, and from that time until the opening of the Erie Canal it grew quite rapidly in population and business activity; the same statement applies with a little less force to other parts of the town. In 1806, at a time when, for some inscrutable reason, the village was given the name "Derne," the first newspaper published in Onondaga county, called The Derne Gazette, was issued in the village by Abram Romeyn, of whom or his paper very little is now known. He was an ardent Federalist and his journal unpopular by publishing partisan articles and closing his columns to the opposite party. The paper lived a little more than a year. It is believed that the unpopularity of the paper with the name of "Derne" attached to it, and its final extinction were largely instrumental in changing the name of the village to Manlius. The inhabitants of the town were not long without a newspaper, for the first number of the Herald of the Times was issued on May 24, 1808, by Leonard Kellogg; it was a sheet about 10 by 17 inches in size, and Mr. Kellogg evidently profited by the error of his predecessor, for he gave up one page to the effusions of the Democrats and another to the Federals. This plan might not succeed with a modern newspaper, but with Mr. Kellogg's enterprise it was a fortunate stroke. When Thomas Crittenden Fay started his newspaper, The Lynx, at Onondaga Valley, in 1811, Mr. Kellogg changed the name of his journal to the Manlius Times. Mr. Kellogg was a man of broad ideas and made his paper an influential factor for those times. He commanded an independent rifle corps in the war of 1812, which won distinction at Queenston; most of its members were from Manlius. Mr. Kellogg ultimately took James Beardsley into partnership, and finally retired and was succeeded by Seneca Hale. Soon afterwards the office was transferred to Daniel Clark, whose first number was dated October 28, 1818, with the name of Onondaga Herald. It was continued about three years longer, a part of the time under the name of The Times. On June 21, 1821, the first number of the Onondaga County Republican was issued by Thurlow Weed, who had learned his trade at Onondaga Valley and was destined to become one of the leading journalists and politicians of the country. On the 27th of October, 1824, William L. Dewey took the paper, but after a few numbers it again changed hands and name, the first number of the Manlius Repository being dated January 12, 1825. Luman A. Miller was the publisher until October, 1830; Leonard Stillson took it for a year and sold to L. A. Miller & Co., who continued the paper until July 9, 1833, when Mr. Miller took it alone and discontinued it about two years later. On March 20, 1835, James J. Fonda issued the first number of Our Flag, but it died a few years later. C. W. Mason & Co. started the Manlius Star on October 14, 1835, but how long its publication was continued can not be determined. The next paper established in Manlius was the Weekly Monitor on August 7, 1879, by S. A. Bryant. He was succeeded by Frank Clark, who had been employed in the office. The publication died at the close of the volume. On the 21st of December, 1887, F. L. Maine, a practical printer, who had managed the Fayetteville Recorder five years for a stock company, issued the first number of the Manlius Eagle, which he has since published with gratifying success. Mr. Maine is a native of Madison county, is a graduate of the university at Ann Arbor, Mich., and fitted himself for the law. He practiced only four years with N. R. Chapman of Fayetteville. He was for one term "side justice" in the County Court.
Hezekiah L. Granger, a physician and brother of Gen. Amos P. Granger, a prominent early citizen and business man of Syracuse, was an early settler in Manlius and became prominent in public and private life. He was president of the village in 1816, was member of assembly in 1815, and was appointed sheriff of the county in 1819. An old shinplaster dated May 16, 1816, bears Mr. Granger's signature as village president, and agrees that the corporation will "pay the bearer six and a quarter cents in current ban(k) bills, on demand." The letter "k" was inadvertently left off from the word "bank," another of the many peculiar errors of the press. The old document is signed by J. O. Wattles, treasurer. He was an early settler in the village, a good lawyer, and a respected citizen. He held the office of judge of the Court of Common Pleas, removed to Indiana about 1823, and was there appointed circuit judge. His brother, Simeon D. Wattles, also an early settler in Manlius, joined the frontier army in the war of 1812 and was killed at the Fort Erie sortie, September 17, 1814, at the age of thirty-three; he held the post of captain. Jasper Wood, another Manlius pioneer, was also on the Niagara frontier in 1813-14.
Physicians who came in after Dr. Sturtevant were Drs. James Jackson, Walton Colton, William Taylor, H. B. Moore, and Deodatus Clark; the latter was in Manlius in 1812, but afterwards removed to Oswego and became prominent. Dr. William Taylor was not only a leading physician of the county, but was conspicuous in public affairs. For six successive years he was a member of the Legislature and he received other evidence of the confidence of his fellow citizens. Miss Laura Taylor, now of Syracuse, is a daughter of Dr. Taylor.
Other early residents in or near Manlius village who are entitled to mention were John Grinnell, who was an early postmaster and took part in local politics, died January 26, 1862, being the father of John Grinnell, jr., who lives in the town; Ashbel Norton, a carpenter and a settler near the beginning of the century, died August 31, 1861, at the age of eighty-one, at which time he was the oldest citizen of the place; Benjamin Darling, a Revolutionary soldier, died March 2, 1851, aged ninety; Jesse Smith, a farmer, died June 12, 1864, aged seventy-eight; Samuel Wilcox, a Revolutionary soldier who fought at Bunker Hill, settled in the town in 1798, on land that is now in the town of Dewitt, near Lyndon, and died in 1827, having a son Asel, who was father of Asel F. Wilcox, a well known citizen; John Calvin Worden, father of Palmer who occupies the homestead, died in 1878; Joseph Williams, born in 1799, a farmer and many years keeper of a temperance house on the Cazenovia road two miles from Oran, died in 1874; Isaac Carhart, born 1789, came to this town in 1827, was a tanner, and his son Peter, born 1826, was a millwright and inventor; Henry Harter, came to Manlius with his father, Lawrence, in 1802, where the latter bought 300 acres on lot 46, and died in 1832. Henry Harter held various town offices and was father of James, born in 1822, and now living on the farm which he has occupied thirty-eight years.
Among prominent settlers of a later period were Levett Sherwood, Orrin Goodrich, Charles Mead, A. H. Morgan, Allen H. Avery, Reuben Butts, William Blanchard, David Hinsdale, John Wilkie, Rufus Dunham, Andrew Morehouse, John Persy, nearly or quite all of whom were leading farmers and men of energy and public spirit. Judge Samuel L. Edwards was long a distinguished citizen of the town.
The firm of James & Cummings began trading as merchants in 1805 and continued several years. One of their clerks was William Malcolm, later a successful business man of Syracuse. The building in which James & Cummings carried on business, and in which Elijah Tryon was a merchant in 1850, was erected by Moses Johnson, who built also the Red Mills in 1804. His interest in these mills passed to William Gardner, well known as "Deacon" Gardner. He was an active and energetic citizen, purchased the right under a patent to manufacture nails by machinery, and built quite an extensive factory, in which he was succeeded by his sons, William and Charles. Another son, Addison, was lieutenant-governor of the State in 1844, and a daughter married Elijah Rhoades.
Arnold Remington was born in Warwick, R. I., in 1795, and married to Nancy Lewis of Lynn, Conn., in 1816. He was one of the four brothers who came to Manlius in 1821, and resided there till his death in 1885. He was engaged in the cotton manufacturing business for several years, afterwards in the mowing machine business, and still later in a foundry and machine shop. He was a reliant, methodical man, whose word could always be trusted, and whose advice in business was often sought; was a member and officer in the M. E. church for over fifty years, a Mason and treasurer of Military Lodge for a long time. In later years he retired from all business, and died at the advanced age of ninety-one. Of his immediate family only one is now living, Mrs. Theodore Stevens of Syracuse.
Joshua V. H. Clark, historian of Onondaga county and long a resident of this town, was born in the town of Cazenovia, N.Y., February 6, 1803. He was a son of Thomas Clark, whose ancestor of the same name probably came from England to Plymouth in July, 1623. Joshua passed his boyhood and early manhood on the parental farm, his education being gained in the district schools, a short term in Pompey Academy and six months in the Geneva Academy. This was broadened by wide reading and close observation, and he became especially well versed in theoretical knowledge of agriculture, as well as in its practical application. This led him to become a welcome and frequent contributor to the leading agricultural journals. When twenty-five years old he removed to Eagle Village, about which time he was married to Phoebe A. Sims of Simsbury, Conn. Here he was attracted to historical research and all the remainder of his life he devoted much of his leisure to gathering material and writing. In 1847, after having collected much data, he purchased from Rev. John Watson Adams, of Syracuse, for $100, the material accumulated by the latter in anticipation of publishing the "Annals of the Onondaga Valley." With this as a foundation Mr. Clark began his labor on the historical work which constitutes his best and most enduring monument. The work appeared in 1849 and caused the author considerable loss in money. He was the pioneer in local history, and his volumes have always been a storehouse from which all classes of writers have drawn, some of them giving him grateful credit and many taking the results of his painstaking toil without recognition. Besides his history of this county Mr. Clark published "Lights and Lives of Indian and Pioneer Life," a work of real value; he also wrote voluminously upon local history and other topics for the public press. He was nearly thirty years a trustee of Manlius Academy, to which village he removed in 1838; was a member of the Legislature in 1855; was several years president of Manlius village and the first president of the Onondaga County Historical Association; he was also corresponding member of other historical bodies. He was a sincere Christian and after several years of suffering from cancer died on June 18, 1869. Two of Mr. Clark's sons were educated in Geneva College, and his daughters, one of whom is now a resident of Syracuse, were educated in Manlius Academy and at boarding school.
The first Masonic lodge in Onondaga county was organized in Manlius, on June 30, 1802, and numbered 93. The first officers were Caleb B. Merrill, W. M.; Timothy Teall, S. W.; David Williams, J. W. The first meeting under the charter was held November 4, 1802. After Azariah Smith erected his building in the village in 1816, the lodge meetings were held there under a perpetual lease of one grain of barley annually. On the 25th of December, 1830, when opposition to Masonry was sweeping over the country, this lodge was closed and the property was walled up in brick in the building where the meetings were held. There the valuables remained in safety until March 25, 1851, when they were taken out and the lodge was opened with Illustrious Remington, W. M.; Lloyd Remington, S. W.; S. J. Wilcox, J. W. The lodge was rechartered as Military Lodge No. 215 on the 6th of June, 1851, and on June 26, 1877, the old number was restored. It still occupies the old brick building.
One of the early State Gazetteers, published in 1824, gives the following description of this town:
The south part is moderately hill, the north part more
level and the soil of the whole is very fertile of grain, grass, fruit,
&c. In this town are abundance of mill seats, on Limestone, Chittenango
and Butternut creeks, and a great number of mills...The inhabitants are
immigrant Yankees, or German and Dutch, from the Mohawk river, industrious
and prosperous...There are four post-offices and five "villages" known
by local names. Manlius, a Post borough (or incorporated village
with a post-office of same name,) is situated on Limestone creek at the
junction of three or four turnpikes. It contains 100 dwellings, and
about 200 buildings of all kinds, 3 churches, a Masonic Lodge, a printing
office, a cotton factory, and has a great deal of hydraulic, mechanical
and trading business. The Post Village of Fayetteville, 2 miles north
of Manlius, on the north branch of the Seneca turnpike, has 25 houses.
The Post Village of Orville, 5 miles northwest of Manlius, on the same
turnpike, has about 20 houses, a church, and a side cut to the Erie canal.
Eagleville, 1 1/2 miles east of Manlius, has about 20 houses. The
Post Village of Jamesville, 5 miles west of Manlius, is on Butternut creek
and has mills and about 35 houses...Within two miles of Manlius village
(which is on the border of a deep gulf, through which flows Limestone creek)
are four grain mills, 5 saw mills, 2 fulling mills, 2 carding machines,
2 nail factories, an oil mill, and a cotton and woolen factory.
It is an evidence of the prospective importance of Manlius village, that in March, 1816, a memorial was presented to the State Senate asking for the location of the State prison here, which finally went to Auburn. Nicholas P. Randall was one of a committee who went to Albany to promote the object, and he wrote back to Azariah Smith: "If the business had been timely attended to, I have no doubt we might have prevailed in our application, and I am now not without strong hopes of success...I feel almost certain that Utica cannot get it." Thus Manlius was early in direct competition with Utica and Auburn.
One of the noted landmarks of the town was the so-called "stone house," in Manlius village. It was erected in the early years for business purposes and between 1820 and 1830 was fully occupied with stores and offices and was the principal business building in the village. As its name indicates, it was built of stone in the rough and was two stories high. In 1824 it was transformed into the academy.
The opening of the Erie Canal in 1825, as we have before hinted, was paralyzing to the village of Manlius, but in a general way was of inestimable benefit to the town at large. Upon the banks of the new water way sprang up settlements at Hull's Landing, Manlius Center, Kirkville and Fayetteville, and much of the business of the town soon centered at those points. Transportation of farm products, theretofore done by land, now chiefly found their way eastward by water, inspiring the agricultural community to greater zeal, while numerous packet boats found liberal passenger patronage from this section.
One means of possibly reviving and retaining business in Manlius village was the procuring of an act of legislature May 14, 1828, providing that Azariah Smith, Sylvanus Tousley, Nathan Williams, Thomas J. Gilbert, John Sprague, and Nichols P. Randall, all foremost citizens of the town, and others who might associate with them, should be a corporate body under the name of the Manlius Canal Company. The six men named were made commissioners to receive subscriptions to stock, and when $15,000 were subscribed, nine directors were to be chosen. The object of the company was to provide for slack water navigation between the Erie Canal and Manlius village in or near Limestone Creek. This project was prominently favored with subscriptions, but for some unexplained reason it was permitted to die. Fayetteville was at that time noticed as a "village having four taverns and no meeting house."
Again in 1830 a notice was published in the Manlius Repository of December 18, that application would be made at the next legislative session for an act to incorporate a company to build a railroad from the canal to the village. It was this company that constructed the Fayetteville feeder from the canal to Fayetteville, which has since been used for boating purposes.
In 1828 was held in Manlius village the first public meeting in the United States at which, in advance of the great presidential contest of that year, De Witt Clinton was put forward as a presidential candidate. The meeting was held in Bickford's Hotel, and Dr. Taylor, Nicholas P. Randall and Col. John Sprague were the principal participants. The proceedings of this meeting were given a national circulation. A few weeks later Governor Clinton died in Albany, and many of his former supporters went over to Jackson.
At that time the voting in this State occupied three days, and the whole town of Manlius was one election district. On Monday morning the polls were held at Jamesville, in the afternoon at Orville, on Tuesday at Britton's Settlement (now Collamer), in the afternoon at Manlius Center, Wednesday morning at Manlius village, and in the afternoon at Fayetteville. This method gave opportunity for much fraudulent voting.
In 1834 prominent citizens adopted measures for the establishment of
an academy. The project crystallized in the appointment of a temporary
board of trustees, consisting of Azariah Smith, Nicholas P. Randall and
Dr. Taylor. An act of Legislature was procured under date of April
13, 1835, incorporating the Manlius Academy with the following trustees:
The three above named and Silas Williams, Peter R. Reed, Algernon S. Hollister,
Carlos Smith, David Bellamy and R. Houghton; the last four were clergymen.
A sum of money was raised by subscription, and the grounds were purchased
and the "stone house" transformed, to some extent, to adapt it to its new
purpose. Azariah Smith was the foremost beneficiary of the institution,
paying off indebtedness and enabling it to come under jurisdiction of the
Board of Regents. Instruction began in May, 1835, with fifty male
and sixty female students. The academy was very prosperous for a
number of years,
and in 1840 had 274 students. Ultimately the same causes that
have caused the decline and extinction of so many other academies, conspired
against this one. Multiplication of similar institutions, consolidation
of school districts and the establishment of graded schools, increased
salaries demanded by good teachers, and other causes were sufficient to
cause the abandonment of the school.
Under the graded school system Manlius village was fortunate. Hayden W. Wheeler, a former resident and a supporter of the academy, who became a business man of New York city, donated in 1870 about $1,800 for the enlargement and improvement of the Union School building, and later gave it a valuable collection of philosophical apparatus.
An act of Legislature was passed April 8, 1834, which authorized the commissioners of the land office to "Release the site owned by the State for a gun house in the village of Manlius, whenever the captain or commandant of the company having charge of the gun for which said gun house was erected, shall select a suitable site for the said gun house and procure a title of the said site to the people of the State."
The old cotton factory, erected in Manlius in 1813, was burned in later years, and about 1830 a paper mill was built in which a part of the foundation of the cotton factory was utilized. This mill was operated a number of years by Edwin Russell and by Charles Tremain, and later by Candee & Wells in the manufacture of straw paper. It was soon afterward closed up, and since burned. It stood about on the site of the present store of Frank P. Emmons, and connected with it was a store, long conducted by Franklin May and his nephew, Elijah May.
The stone mills were built in 1827 and were burned in 1850. Three years later they were rebuilt. They have been operated at different times by Ewers & Rowling, John Rowling, Hamlin & Son, and by the father of the present proprietor, who is William J. Phillips. The latter took the mills about ten years ago.
The early tannery which stood on the site of S. Cheney & Son's upper foundry was owned by Roger Stilwell, and later by his son Leonard; it was subsequently burned.
On the site of E. U. Scoville's present works was formerly a foundry which was established by Sumner Whitney. He sold in 1844 to Alvah Woodworth, who settled in Manlius in 1837, and who continued the business until 1875, when he sold to Scoville.
In 1863 K. H. C. Preston began manufacturing the Preston harvester in Manlius, and ten years later established his own factory. This was burned, and on the site S. Cheney & Son built their present upper foundry. At a later date they purchased the lower foundry, where in early years stood a brewery, and later a cotton factory, which was operated many years by Azariah Smith. Soon after the organization of the Star Foundry Company it passed to Cheney & Son, who now carry on the three establishments, in the extensive manufacture of furnaces, stoves and general work, employing 200 men.
In 1876 the Wood Manufacturing Company, of which C. W. H. Wood was proprietor, was removed to Manlius from Pompey, where the works were established in 1844, for the manufacture of wagonmaker's and carpenter's tools. The business is still in existence.
In 1872 Russell Morgan established the Empire Yarn Mill, where for a time about 30,000 pounds of knitting yarn was made annually. The business was ultimately closed up and the building now constitutes the lower foundry of S. Cheney & Son.
The cement and lime works, situated about a mile from Manlius village, and now a part of the James Behan estate, were established in 1872 by George J. Champlin and Henry N. Burhans.
Edwin P. Russell was a native of this town, son of Anson Russell. He was a builder by trade, and carried on the furniture business in Belleville, Canada, about ten years. Returning to Manlius he and Porter Tremain purchased the rights to the Preston mower and manufactured it in what is now Cheney & Son's lower foundry. Later he manufactured clothes wringers. He died in Manlius in September, 1877.
Among the postmasters of Manlius have been Mr. Bickford, John Grinnell, Dr. Horace Nims, who carried on a drug business forty years and is succeeded by his son, Hiram Smith (twelve years), Abner Duell, William Candee, John O'Neil, and the present official, Frank P. Emmons.
Among early merchants of the village were Elijah and Joseph Rhoades, Azariah Smith and his son, John, Franklin and Elijah May, Robert Gilmor, and a Mr. Farr, jeweler. Later merchants are Wattle Smith, son of Joseph, the Fox Brothers, Whitney & Hibbard, succeeded by Theodore Simons and he by Adsit & Fowler now in trade; Frank P. Emmons, G. M. Bell, Charles Cole, John O'Neil, and Charles Brown, now in trade.
St. John's Military School for Boys was founded in 1869 by the Right
Rev. F. D. Huntington, S. T. D., Bishop of the Diocese of Central new York.
The religious services and teaching conform to the order of the Episcopal
church. The buildings are located near Manlius village in the center
of one hundred acres of beautiful woodlands, having a splendid elevation.
Twenty acres of the tract have been laid in a highly artistic manner, in
lawns and parades, and specially graded grounds for foot ball, base ball,
lawn tennis, and other athletic sports. The buildings are constructed
of brick and stone. The main building is 100 by 70 feet, four stories
high. The gymnasium is 120 by 60 feet. Another building, erected
for the primary department in 1894, is 115 by 37 feet in size. These
afford ample accommodations for schools and boarding purposes. The
school is under the direct patronage of the War Department, and the secretary
of war details an officer of the Army on full pay to take charge of the
military department. Special honors are conferred upon the graduates.
The names of such students as have shown special diligence in their work
are sent by the adjutant-general of the army to the adjutants-general of
the different States. The names of the three most distinguished students
are inserted on the United States Army Register and published in "General
Orders" at Washington. The courses of study in the academic department
are five: Civil engineering, classical, special, practical business,
and brief business course. One of the very enjoyable features of
St. John's School is the summer session, which has been in vogue for eight
years. It begins in June and is open for three months. Col.
William Verbeck, president of the institution, is a man of ripe scholarship
and deep culture, and his successful management of boys has won for his
school a name in every part of the country.
Hiram Fleming, 1842; Hiram Hopkins, 1843; Jonathan G. Rowling, 1844; J. V. H. Clark, 1845-46; E. E. May, 1847; Edward Boylston, 1848; Lloyd Remington, 1849-51; A. H. Jerome, 1852-54; Robert Gilmore, 1855; Joseph Baker, 1856; E. P. Russell, 1857-62, inclusive; D. Higley, 1863-64, E. P. Russell, 1865; A. H. Jerome, 1866-67; A. A. Wood, 1868; R. Rotenbury, 1869; E. P. Russell, 1870-71; Henry Whitney, 1872; E. P. Russell, 1873; Joseph Baker, 1874; E. U. Scoville, 1875; George J. Champlin, 1876-77; G. J. Champlin, 1878; Charles Hubbard, 1879-81; Charles Hart, 1882-83; Walter W. Cheney, 1884-85; John W. Boylston, 1886-87; Frank P. Emmons, 1888-89; Elijah U. Scoville, 1890-91; Wesley E. Ackerman, 1892-93; W. J. Phillips, 1894-95.
Of the foregoing list of presidents of the village, Edward Boylston was a farmer, brother of John W.; Hiram Hopkins was a wagonmaker; Jonathan G. Rowling was in the stone mill; Elijah E. May was a merchant and son of Franklin, also a merchant; others are living and noticed elsewhere.
At an adjourned meeting of the trustees held May 7, 1842, J. V. H. Clark was chosen clerk; Abner Duell, John Merritt, fire wardens; Joseph Smith, treasurer; William Warner, collector; Lyman Benson, pound master, and it was voted "that his yard be a pound for the village." The fire company was placed on a more efficient basis by the appointment of twenty members, among whom were Jonathan G. Rowling, N. N. Phillips, Hiram Remington, Stephen V. Barnes, E. E. May, A. H. Jerome, H. D. June, Israel Remington, Jonas P. Ellis, and William T. Washburn. The name of the company was Torrent No. 1. A reorganization took place in April, 1877, and a new engine purchased. Associated with the fire company was Eagle Hose Company.
The new village government began the inauguration of various other improvements for the general welfare of the place. In May, 1843, the slaughter house on Limestone Creek, occupied by William H. Warner, was declared "a nuisance." Several new streets were opened and many sidewalks laid within a few years after the incorporation. In June, 1850, the village was divided into four fire districts, and the trustees were required to visit each district to inspect any deficiencies in protection against fire that might be reported by the fire wardens. At about the same time a fire engine house was erected.
The corporation expenses for the first year were $317.48; they were only about $400 in 1874, $280 of which was for fire purposes. From these figures they have gradually increased, until now they are about $1,400.
At a public meeting held April 25, 1882, a committee previously appointed on a new charter reported that the report was accepted. Walter W. Cheney and J. Baker were appointed as a committee to procure the new charter. On May 16 the re-incorporation was effected under new by-laws through a special election, at which the vote was 101 in favor and 95 against the measure.
A fine water supply system for the village was put in operation in 1894, for which bonds to the amount of $20,000 were issued. The water is taken from springs about one and one-half miles south of the village. This gives the inhabitants an ample supply of pure water and under such pressure as to make it available in case of fire.
An opera house was completed in the village early in 1895 by F. D. Gardner, an enterprising citizen who feels a deep interest in the development of the place.
An electric light system for the village has recently been completed by W. J. Phillips.
While these various energetic pioneers were building up the village of Manlius and giving it the position which it held many years of the leading business center of the county, or clearing the lands on contiguous homesteads, similar growth was noticeable at other points in the town. Following the first settlers on the site of Fayetteville, already mentioned, Carey Coats opened a tavern there in 1801 and applied for a license. John Delamater opened a store in 1802 and the little hamlet that gathered about them took the name of "the Corners," or "Manlius Four Corners," which it held until the establishment of the post-office, when it was given its present name. Gershom Breed settled there at an early date and was a prominent citizen. Others who located near by were Daniel Campbell, Lewis Sweeting, John Jones, Zopher Knowlton, William Allen, Palmer Breed, Washington Worden, the Collin family, and others. David Collin, a native of Dutchess county, bought a large tract of land near Fayetteville in 1797 and the family have been prominent in the town ever since. His grandson, also named David, was given 400 acres, which, with large additions, he has transformed into a splendid property and still occupies it. Reuben Bangs settled in Fayetteville in 1813 and began manufacturing lime in the vicinity of Eagle Village; he took part in the war of 1812, was a large contractor on the canal and in 1824 was appointed a division superintendent on one division. He married in 1815 Clarissa Teall, daughter of Dr. Timothy Teall, and died in 1872. Dr. Teall settled in the town about 1791, soon after which his wife died, leaving him with two sons and four daughters. His son, Oliver, subsequently prominent in private and public life in Syracuse, remained on the home farm until he was about eighteen, after which he was engaged in making lime, in the tanning and currying business, and other undertakings; he commanded a company in the war of 1812, which marched to Oswego when that port was threatened.
Col. John Sprague was a prominent early settler at Fayetteville, a successful farmer, and a respected citizen. He also commanded a company at Oswego and afterwards through promotion earned his well known militia title. He was connected with the Bank of Fayetteville many years and died on May 30, 1861, aged eighty-one years.
It is well known that the parents of Grover Cleveland lived at one period in Fayetteville. The father's name was Richard F. Cleveland and the family residence was across the street from the old academy. There were four sons, two of whom, Fred and Cecil, were drowned while on their way to Florida. The others were William and Grover. The family removed to Holland Patent.
Hervey Edwards was an early merchant on the corner of Salt Springs and Manlius streets. Most of the early business interests were located at the upper end of the village. A Mr. Stillson had a prosperous mercantile business about 1840 on the site of the Tremain property. At the lower end in what is now the Matthews block (built about 1824), Flint & Platt, and Elijah Paine were located. The Raymond Hotel stood just east of the present Tremain house, and was burned with the store about 1840. At that time there were three other hotels at the upper end--The Goodrich House, where is now the Wands House; the Cottage Hotel, on the site of the new school house and the site of the former Kinne tavern. The Cottage Hotel was early known as the Ward tavern. The old Eagle Hotel, of which Walter Worden, Samuel Luce, and others were proprietors, stood on the site of the Catholic church.
There was an early brick yard on the flats of what is now the Palmer farm, where most of the brick used in the village were made. Another was on the Huntley farm, on the opposite side of the road; both were long ago discontinued.
In early years there was a wool carding and cloth dressing mill conducted by Darlin Thompson, about on the site of the present Snook knife factory. After doing business many years it was torn down. Later Mr. Thompson built another similar mill, which subsequently became the grain cradle factory of Russell Morgan.
There have been four tanneries in Fayetteville. Of these, one on the site of the Beard block, operated by Thomas Starr, who made boots and shoes in connection; one on the site and south of the present Tillotson grocery, which was operated by George L. Taylor many years; he had also a shoe factory and store there and employed quite a number of hands. Abandoning this place, he built quite an extensive tannery on Bishop's brook, just below the Morgan cradle factory, where he continued some years and was succeeded by others; it finally went to decay.
One of the early asheries stood on the east line of the Tremain lot, just in the rear of the present house.
Just above Thompson's first fulling mill, Riley (John G.) & Treat had a saw mill, which is still standing and was bought by Burhans & Blanchard who established a planing mill there. Another saw mill was situated where the Bangs & Gaynor plaster mill now is, and there was a small grist mill there at one time. A mill is now operated by C. L. Collin on the Ledyard canal.
Some of the Fayetteville merchants of the past have been Jewett & Blanchard, and H. H. Gage (husband of Mrs. Matilda Joslyn Gage), both in the Beard block. Nichols & Austin, succeeded by Volney H. Nichols & Son, who are still in business. Snell & Smith, across the street from the Beard block, burned out in 1893. John McViccar, drugs, for whom Grover Cleveland was clerk about a year. Walden Tibbits, who was succeeded by Coon & Potter, now in trade. Beach C. and Huntington Beard, who built the Beard block and were in trade many years.
Others who have been in business or mechanics in Fayetteville are a Mr. Logan, an early tailor at the upper end. Henry Ecker, tailor, whose shop was on the site of the Beard block, later in that block; he was long postmaster and his shop became known as Tammany Hall, on account of its popularity as a place for political discussion; he was father of John Ecker, the present popular postmaster of the village. Blacksmiths were Benson and Kieff at the upper end; John Allen, who became proprietor of the Allen House at Oneida; Anson Young at the lower end; Graham Brothers, who were also wagon makers; Deacon Robert Stewart, wagon maker opposite the Presbyterian church. Harness makers, Daniel Griffin till shortly before his death; Van Slyke & Frazer; Abraham Hoag, who was succeeded by Mr. Bristol, now in business.
The Worden family has been a prominent one in Fayetteville. Capt. Walter Worden, born in 1757, came into the town of Manlius and to Fayetteville from Hoosack, N.Y., about 1803-4, and settled adjoining the northwest corner of the present village cemetery. He died of fever near Buffalo, September 20, 1814, while on service in the war of 1812. He raised a company for the army, of which he was captain; they marched on foot to the Niagara frontier. He married Lucretia Hicks, born 1756 and died May 10, 1834. Their children were Major Walter, born 1778, died April 25, 1820; Jonathan, born March 20, 1780; Major Jesse, born October 14, 1781, was at Oswego in the war of 1812, died February 10, 1853; James, born April 15, 1783, died in his native town; Washington, born September 26, 1785; Jabish, born May 15, 1787; Mrs. Lucretia Halsted, born 1789, and died in Michigan; Mrs. Hannah Park, born in 1790, and died in 1814; Varnum, born August 20, 1791; Danforth, born March 30, 1794, and Weed H., born in 1799, and died in 1836, in Camillus where he was a clothier.
Jonathan Worden served several years as a magistrate; built the grist mill on Pool's Brook at Kirkville and operated it several years, where he had also a saw mill.
Maj. Jesse Worden was a millwright, and married Catharine Halsted, who died in 1807, leaving two children, Morgan L. and Polly M. He married second Abiah Sweeting, who settled in town with her uncle, John Sweeting, in 1794. Their children were Sweeting W., De Witt C., Tompkins D., and Monroe P.; the latter is still living in Fayetteville.
A large business has been done in the vicinity of Fayetteville in past years in the manufacture of cement. The works of Bangs & Gaynor, which were first founded in 1818 in the outskirts of the village are still in operation, with a capacity of more than 1,000 barrels a day. A cooper shop is in connection in which barrels are made for shipment of the product. In February, 1878, the Onondaga Gypsum Company was organized for the manufacture of crude plaster. Several prominent citizens were members of the company, but the manufacture was not long continued. T. W. Sheedy has a plaster mill about a mile north of the village.
In 1851 John McViccar built the grist mill known in later years as the Pearl Mills. R. C. Hatch took the property in 1854 and ran the mill many years. It was finally burned and a feed mill now occupies the site. Pearl barley was manufactured, besides the regular milling business. The so-called Fayetteville mills, for making pearl barley and flouring, as established in 1863 by Edward Johnson and were afterwards operated by Northrup & Johnson. The mill was burned and succeeded by the Snook knife factory.
The old paper mill, which has had a varied career under different owners and occupants, is now operated under lease to the Fayetteville Paper Company, which took possession October 23, 1894, from the Beard estate. M. B. Kelly, and J. W. Hurlburt constitute the active company. The mill was long operated by Beard, Crouse & Co.
Burhans & Blanchard carried on a large business in the manufacture of sash, doors, and blinds for many years. The business was founded in 1855. The establishment is now idle.
The National Bank of Fayetteville was organized as a State bank in 1854, with a capital of $115,000. Hervey Edwards, president; Porter Tremain, vice-president; Hiram Eaton, Cashier. It was converted into a national bank, with a capital of $140,000 in 1865. In 1887 the capital was reduced to $60,000, and O. D. Blanchard was chosen president; M. L. Peck, vice-president; R. W. Eaton, cashier. In December, 1894, the bank went into liquidation, P. H. Smith being chosen cashier.
The Farmers' Bank, a State bank, was organized in 1870, with capital of $100,000. Myron Bangs was president, and F. M. Severance, cashier. The institution failed and was closed up.
In the Beard block, to which reference has been made, is and has been many years the Beard Hotel; it is now conducted by Morris Griffin. On the site of the Grove Hotel a public house has been kept many years and by various proprietors. Horace Grove took the property in 1874 and ten years later rebuilt the house in its present form, and still conducts it.
The Fayetteville Recorder was established in 1866 by F. A. Darling. In 1874 it passed to possession of the Recorder Printing Association, and was edited and managed by various persons until June 1, 1894, when H. C. Beauchamp became its owner, and has continued its publication to the present time, making an interesting and useful newspaper, well patronized and thoroughly satisfactory to its patrons.
The village of Fayetteville was incorporated by act of Legislature May 6, 1844. It was reincorporated under the general law of April 2, 1807, and January 28, 1871. The first Board of Trustees were John Sprague, president;
Porter Tremain, Frederick Pratt, jr., George S. Taylor, and Joseph Fitch. For the years following to the present time the following have served as presidents of the village board: Porter Tremain, 1845; John Watson, 1846; Caleb Whitford, 1847-49; Reuben H. Bangs, 1850-51; William Parker, jr., 1852; James Mead, 1853; Jeremiah Decker, 1854; John G. Reilly, 1855; Hiram Eaton, 1856; Nathan Seward, 1857; Hiram Eaton, 1858; R. H. Bangs, 1859; Hiram Eaton, 1860; R. H. Bangs, 1861-62; Hiram Eaton, 1863-64-65; Lewis H. Eaton, 1866-67; Joseph L. Mathews, 1868; Daniel Burhans, 1869-70; Henry L. Beard, 1871; Daniel Burhans, 1872; William Hurd, 1873; F. M. Severance, 1874-75-76; Edward Collin, 1877-78; Charles Baker, 1879-82; T. E. Quinby, 1883; John L. Boynton, 1884-86; Thurlow W. Carr, 1887; T. E. Quinby, 1888-90; Elisha Stedman, 1891; William Austin, 1892; Henry J. Knapp, 1893; Abram Salg, 1894; Amos W. Close, 1895. John Ecker has been village clerk since 1883.
On May 3, 1892, the village voted to bond for $29,000 for a water supply. An excellent plant was established, the water being taken from living springs about one and one-half miles east of the village. The system was placed in operation in the fall of 1892. The village is now supplied with forty-four hydrants and the schedule of rates to consumers is made so reasonable that the water is freely used.
A fire company was organized in the village August 30, 1845, and was reorganized as Fire Company No. 1 in January, 1854. Hydra Fire Company (fire and hose) was organized in 1861, and sufficed for fire extinguishment until the organization of the new water system.
The village of Fayetteville is in Union School district No. 11, the boundaries of the district extending somewhat outside the village. The present commodious and imposing brick school building was erected in 1889, the village bonding itself for $20,000 for the purpose. This sum was afterwards increased, as the building and lot cost about $26,000. Frank J. House is the principal and is assisted by nine teachers.
With the opening of the Erie Canal a hamlet began to gather on the site of Kirkville. In 1822 Edward Kirkland, son of Joseph Kirkland, a prominent early citizen of Utica, settled on a farm a little northeast of the hamlet, and in 1824 was appointed postmaster. Both the office and the hamlet took their name from him. He was an enterprising man, and constructed the canal basin at his own expense, put up a large store, and carried on considerable trade. A hotel was opened by a Mr. Cunningham, and in course of time churches and other institutions were established.
Among early settlers in the vicinity of Kirkville were Austin Smith, a little southwest of the village, and Eliakim Smith, his brother; David Wilcox, Silas Bell, Edward French, Oliver Mabie, Mr. Cunningham, father of Cortland Cunningham; David Dominick, Stephen Wilcox, Patrick Harter, David Bartlett, Liberty and America Worden (brothers), and Leander Worden, Asahal Bell, brother of Silas; Parsons Halstead, Jacob Phillips and David Hess. Many other families of this and other sections of the town are noticed in later pages.
One of the early merchants here was Lorenzo Adams, whose widow is still a resident. In later years his store building was used as a wagon shop, and is now occupied as a dwelling by Asa Ballou. A grocery, hotel and canal barn were kept by Pardon Austin. Both of these were on the old Erie Canal, and were the principal business concerns until after the canal was straightened. Later Joseph Hoag had a shoe shop many years. When the new canal was constructed Benson, Wakely & Davis opened a store, which was subsequently occupied by George Brown & Son, and still later by James A. Brown, son of George; it was burned, and rebuilt by Mr. Brown, who is still in business. Others who have carried on business there are Duane Kent, Northrup & Johnson, William B. Dean and Byron Cobern, grocers; Joseph Hoag, boots and shoes, succeeded by his son, Charles Hoag, who is still in business; E. C. Walrath, who built and occupied the store now conducted by L. A. Hakes; Sackett & Worden, Orrin Dean and L. M. Bartlett & Son.
On the tow path of the present canal a hotel was kept early by a Mr. Steele, who was succeeded by Daniel McNeil, and he by James Snow, under whose conduct it was burned and rebuilt as at present. After passing through several changes in proprietors it was taken, and is now conducted by Charles Plopper. The Carr house was built by William Denny in 1886, and kept by him a few years; it is now owned by Mrs. Carr. The Kirkville House as built in 1895.
On Lake Brook, near the Central Railroad, was an early saw mill, run by a Mr. Hibbard; it was long ago abandoned. Near by its site Joseph Greiner built his present cider mill.
Blacksmithing has been carried on at Kirkville by a Mr. Folts, Thomas Brown, many years; Lawrence Delaney (who was the first station agent there), and Andrew Bloss. The Moses brothers were wagonmakers.
A post-office has been in charge of Joseph Hoag, Charles Hoag, A. D. Moses, Charles Hoag, again; James A. Brown, Charles Hoag, the third time; James A. Brown, and now Mr. Hoag.
Dr. Avery was an early physician at Kirkville, and Dr. George W. Palmer has practiced continuously about fifty years, and is still in active business. Dr. Milton A. Curtis began practice in 1878, and still continues.
On the 14th of March, 1836, the Fayetteville Hydraulic Company was incorporated by David Collin, Albert Neeley, John Watson, Hervey Edwards, John McViccar, Jacob De Puy and John Yelverton. The purpose of this company was to "conduct the waters of the Limestone Creek, in the town of Manlius, the county of Onondaga, from a place called Hall's Mills, or any point below the same, on said creek, to the village of Fayetteville, for supplying said village with water and for hydraulic purposes." The capital of the company was $70,000. The result of this legislation was the construction of what is known as the Ledyard Canal, so named from one of the men connected with its building. The canal has a fall of about 100 feet, and gives extensive waterpower. It is now the property of Edward and Charles L. Collin.
Eagle Village early assumed considerable business importance, and during quite a period was an active rival of Manlius and Fayetteville. The tavern before mentioned was kept by James Foster in 1790, was succeeded by one kept by Libbeus Foster in 1794, which became famous over a large section. In the building was a Masonic Hall, and it was afterwards used as a dwelling by Gershom Sherwood. Jared Ludington was shoemaking there in 1800, and in 1804 Charles B. Bristol opened a store. During the war of 1812 he acted as distributing commissary, and in 1809 built a stone distillery, set up the first thrashing machine in the county, and for many years was one of the foremost men of the town. Amos P. Granger, many years a leading citizen and prosperous business man in Syracuse, first began trade at Eagle Village. A Mr. Walker opened a law office there in 1804, and Asa Rice another a little later; with the latter James R. Lawrence served as clerk. Early physicians were Dr. Ward, Dr. T. A. Moore, Dr. Fisk and Dr. Washburne. The healthy advancement of the village is indicated by the establishment of the Eagle Village Library in 1811, and its incorporation. About 250 volumes were purchased, and some additions were made. The library continued in existence nearly fifty years (5).
The opening of the Syracuse and Utica Railroad in 1839 gave a new impetus to the hamlet of Manlius Station, which in 1836 comprised but two or three log cabins and a blacksmith shop. Its principal growth, however, has occurred within more recent years. Among the prominent business men may be mentioned J. H. Fisher, general merchant; Joseph Helfer, grocer and hotel keeper, who died in January, 1896; Edward Weaver, druggist; Ephraim E. Woodward and R. W. McKinley, postmasters, and the late Hon. Conrad Shoemaker, once a member of Assembly and an enterprising man in his wide business relations.
Before concluding the general history of this important town, it is necessary to mention briefly many other settlers who have contributed to the growth and prosperity of the community.
James O. Rockwell, who became distinguished, was an early resident of the town. He learned the printing business, became assistant editor of a Boston journal and later sole editor of the Providence Patriot. He died in Providence, June 4, 1831. He was a poet of ability and at his death received a tribute from Whittier. Augustus Rockwell, brother of James O., became a portrait painter of celebrity and lived in Buffalo.
David Hibbard was a prominent farmer who was born in the town of Pompey in March, 1803, and settled on the farm where he long lived about 1828. He was connected with the two banks in Fayetteville, and was largely instrumental in promoting the building of the town hall in Manlius village.
Ambrose Clark was a native of Dutchess county, N.Y., where he was born in September, 1809. He settled on the farm near Fayetteville, where he passed the remainder of his life, in 1835. He was a prominent citizen and father of Ambrose, jr.
Garrett Cole was an early resident of the town and father of Charles M. Cole, who was born in Manlius in 1821. He learned the mason's trade and afterwards kept a grocery in Fayetteville. Later in life he followed farming in the vicinity of Kirkville. His wife was Catharine Maybee, whose father, David Maybee, was an early resident of the town.
Reuben Hallet Bangs was born at Williamsburg, Franklin county, Mass., in the year 1788; died December 10, 1872; a descendant from ancestors who came to this country from Chichester, England, in one of the Pilgrim ships named Anne, in the year 1633. When about twelve years of age his father removed with his family to Hanstead, Canada, where he remained until coming to the town of Manlius in 1813 and engaged in business. January 1, 1815, he was married to Clarissa Teall, daughter of Dr. Timothy Teall; she was a native of the town of Manlius; born May 13, 1793 and died November 8, 1877. To them were born five children: Anson Bangs, born October 15, 1815; died August 22, 1880. Caroline L. Bangs, born January 10, 1821. Celestia Bangs, born May 28, 1823; died December 31, 1892. Myron Bangs, born August 7, 1824. Eli T. Bangs, born December 29, 1825. Eli T. Bangs is the well known contractor of Fayetteville.
William L. Knapp, who was born at Onondaga Hill, was a son of Joel Knapp, a hatter, and settled early in Manlius as a farmer. His son, Henry J., who has been in the furniture business in Fayetteville since 1869, now owns the homestead.
Jabez Lewis came early from Montgomery county, became owner of a large tract of land and carried on a store at Manlius Center. He held the offices of assessor and supervisor, and was father of Edward, an engineer on the Central Railroad.
David Maybee, before alluded to, came to Manlius with his father, Abram Maybee, and settled early at Hartsville (Mycenae), where he purchased 100 acres of land. Oliver Maybee, born in 1826, was a son of David. The family has been prominent in the community.
John Everson, whose ancestry came from Holland, was one of the earliest settlers in the town. His son, David, was born here in 1799, and was father of David, who now lives on a large farm on lots 89 and 79.
John Snook and family settled in Manlius in 1800, where his son, Clark, was born in 1813. The latter is one of the leading citizens, a large land owner, conducted a plaster mill forty years, and has wielded considerable influence in local politics.
Lorenzo W. Adams, born in Pompey in 1813, settled at Kirkville in 1835, and died in 1858. He was a merchant, and held the office of supervisor and other positions.
Amasa Scoville, who was born in Pompey in 1800, was father of Elijah U. Scoville, who settled at Manlius village, where he bought an interest in the agricultural works, and afterwards in 1879 became sole proprietor. He carries on the manufacture of a patent faucet of which he is the owner. He has been president of the village three terms, and is now president of the Board of Education.
Socrates Townsend was born in Manlius in 1810, his father being a pioneer. He died in 1880 and was father of Lemuel S.
There have been a number of prominent lawyers who practiced in this town, most of whom have already been mentioned. N. R. Chapman, who is still in practice in Fayetteville, and the oldest practicing attorney in Onondaga county, was born in 1809, studied with Nicholas P. Randall, and is a graduate of Hamilton College. While pursuing his law study he taught school, and for two years was principal of an academy in Fayetteville.
Among the prominent physicians of the town were Dr. Judson H. Graves and Dr. Horace Nims, both of whom are properly noticed in the chapter devoted to that profession.
Some other prominent citizens who can only be mentioned are Frederick Clement, who was father of Ozias and lived near Manlius Station; Caleb Pratt, a settler of 1793, one of the first constables and a captain in the early militia; Peter Wormwood, who died recently; Beach C. and Huntington Beard, of Fayetteville; Rowland Cadwell, Daniel C. McClenthen, John Wilkie, Henry W. Ewers, A. B. McClenthen, Richard H. Hopkins, Charles Williams, Charles C. Richardson, J. V. H. Clark, historian of Onondaga county, Joseph Williams, Elihu Ewers, D. B. Bickford, and Mr. Warren, tavern keeper at Manlius; the Remington family and others.
In late years the character of agricultural pursuits had changed to a considerable extent, as it has in most other towns of the county.. The chief interests are now hops, tobacco, small fruits and milk and butter. Several of the finest fruit farms in the county are in this town, a business in which Samuel J. Wells, O. H. Perry, Mortimer and Palmer Worden, George Putnam, William Collin, and others are prominent. Other leading farmers are Oliver and D. W. Gridley, Duane Kent, Clark Snook, Eli T. Bangs, Allen H. Avery and others.
The people of Manlius joined heartily with those of Pompey and Dewitt in celebrating the County Centennial, the ceremonies taking place on May 30, 1894. A parade was held in the forenoon, and in the afternoon the following programme of exercises was carried out: Martial music. Prayer. Singing, America. Manlius history, Rev. Theo. Babcock, Rev. C. P. Osborne. Music, band. Dewitt history, H. K. Edwards, W. H. Peck. Music, band. Pompey history, W. W. Van Brocklin. Music, band. Reminiscences by old people. Singing, Star Spangled Banner. Benediction. "A Song of Ye Olden Time" written for the occasion by Mrs. Cordelia Young Willard was also rendered.
The following were the officers in charge of the celebration: President, E. U. Scoville. Vice-presidents, Manlius--A. C. Palmer, Alvah Woodworth, Dr. Horace Nims, D. Collin, N. R. Chapman, O. D. Blanchard, Charles Peck, A. F. Platto, Clark Snook and George Brown. Dewitt-Charles Hiscock, C. C. Bagg, P. P. Midler, Henry Dixon, Samuel Sherwood and Elbridge Kinney. Pompey--M. R. Dyer, Victor Birdseye, C. C. Midler, S. C. Lewis, R. Murray, Homer Billings, Mathias Ackerman; secretaries, H. C. Beauchamp, F. L. Maine, J. L. Kyne and M. W. Russell. Committee on decorations--George Cadwell, A. B. Knight, George Fowler, Horace Nims, James Tuttle, jr., Arthur Allen, George Armstrong, jr., and Joe Topp...
The population of the town at various dates from 1830 is shown as follows:
In 1830, 7,375; 1835, 5,594; 1840, 5,509; 1845, 5,602; 1850, 6,298; 1855, 6,228; 1860, 6,028; 1865, 6,276; 1870, 5,833; 1875, 6,340; 1880, 5,954; 1890, 5,453; 1892, 5,518...
The town of Manlius is not remarkably strong in historic characteristics. On coming from the east travelers found the first stopping-place at Manlius village, which, as has already been said, promised at one time to be, as it was then, the more important village in the county for some time to come. It had the advantages which one of the earliest turnpikes conferred on places through which they passed; but when the "north branch" of the Genesee turnpike was constructed it lost much of the travel from the east to the west, of course crippling its resources to some extent, for these stage lines gave much of life and thrift to the villages through which they passed. There was less of early settling, too, in various parts of the towns than was the case elsewhere, the main part of the population seeming to prefer life in communities. Then, too, there were other localities which were then deemed more desirable, which was a mistaken idea, and to those the adventurers more generally went and the growth of the town was therefore rather slow. The lands in the northern part were covered with dense swamps, wholly uninviting, and not until within more recent years were they habitable, after they had been in large degree cleared to supply wood to the locomotives of the Syracuse and Utica Railroad, for which Conrad Shoemaker was a very extensive contractor. He was also at one time largely interested in the Syracuse and Chenango Railroad, and president of the company, to aid in the construction of which the town, through which it passes, was heavily bonded. The town of Manlius has always been a strong and prominent factor in both the civil and political affairs of the county, and some very able men have died in or gone out from it.
FOOTNOTES
1. I knew Nicholas Phillips well, having had an acquaintance with him for twenty years. He was a man of great simplicity of character in every point of view; and probably had a much larger share of the virtue which is said to be a distinguishing trait of his Dutch ancestry than ordinarily falls to the lot of unsophisticated man.--"History of Manlius Village," by H. C. Van Schaack.
2. Mr. Moseley at one time held a conspicuous and honorable place in the military service, having been commissioned in 1810 as captain of a company of riflemen in Col. Thaddeus M. Wood's regiment, afterward the 147th. In May, 1812, a battalion of riflemen was organized in the 27th Brigade, of which Captain Moseley was commissioned major-commandant, and in July of that year was placed in command at Oswego of that battalion, which was engaged during the entire summer and autumn in the defense of that important post. He continued in the service for two years and was succeeded by Capt. C. B. Bristol. He lived in Manlius village and owned a valuable part of the site of that place, which was laid out by him into village lots and sold at a large profit on the original purchase.
3. It was at the raising of Mr. McLaren's barn. After the frame was up those who assisted at the raising paraded themselves on the front plate, named the village Liberty Square, gave three hearty cheers, and threw off a corked bottle of spirits. This is what was called in those days the christening of a place or building.--(Clark's Onondaga.)
4. Robert Wilson was also a justice of the peace, and one of his old subpoenas is extant, directed to Joel Huntington, Reuben Squires, Thomas McClenthen, Sylvanus Tousley, and Youngs Ledyard. Wilson was a nephew of Captain Gregg and was with him at Fort Schuyler in the Revolutionary war. Wilson was then only thirteen years old. Captain Gregg was shot and scalped while Wilson was in the fort. At eighteen Wilson was appointed ensign, was promoted to captain, and served through the war.--(Clark's Onondaga, p. 215.)
5. At this place occurred one of the most singular weddings on record. It was upon a training day, first Monday in June, 1795. A company training was held at Foster's tavern. The company was paraded in the open yard in front of Foster's house, a hollow square was formed, within which the wedding party marched and stood, and Cyrus Kinne, esq., united in the bonds of holy wedlock Mr. Billy McKee and Miss Jenny Mulholland. Considering the simplicity of the times, the rare occurrence of such an event, the elevated position of the high contracting parties, and the practices then prevalent on such occasions, we cannot but infer that the witnesses and all present must have had a most splendid jollification.
Submitted 30 July 1998
Updated 21 August 1998