Our County and It's People

Chapter 31

The Town of Camden

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This town is situated on the western border of Oneida county, near the northwestern corner, and includes in is present area the whole of township 7 and about half of township 8 of Scriba's patent.

The town was formed from the great town of Mexico on the 15th of March, and then included what was then Florence (set off February 16, 1805), Vienna (set off April 3, 1807) and a part of Annsville which was taken off in 1823, leaving Camden with its present area of 31,438 acres. The west branch of Fish Creek flows through the town towards the southwest and unites with Mad River near Camden village, the latter steam flowing down from the north. Little River forms part of the southern boundary and joins Fish Creek near the southeast corner of the town. These streams are rapid, in many places furnishing excellent water power which has been extensively utilized. Many small tributaries contribute to drain the town. The surface is rolling, gradually rising towards the north where it is broken into a hilly region. The soil is a sandy loam, gravelly and stony in some places.

The settlement of this town began in 1796-7, probably, with the arrival of Judge Henry Williams. Jesse Curtiss had already been in the town and built a saw mill, but he did not permanently settle until later. It is probable that other families came in with Judge Williams or about the same time, but if so they returned for their families, remaining away through the ensuing winter. Among the earliest arrivals were Levi Matthews, Daniel Parke, Seth and Joel Dunbar, Aaron Matthews, Thomas Comstock, Jesse and Elihu Curtiss, Samuel Royce, Noah and Andrew

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Tuttle, Benjamin Barnes, sr., and his son Benjamin, Philip Barnes, Israel Stoddard and a Mr. Carrier. Of these Judge Israel Stoddard came into the town in 1793 and purchased a farm on which was a small house. He then went back to his former home for his family, returning with them in 1799. He was astonished to find a funeral in progress in his house, over the bodies of a Mrs. Bacon and her child who had been drowned while crossing Mad River in a canoe. These were the first deaths in the town. Noah Tuttle, mentioned above, located half a mile southwest of the village site. His son, Daniel, born April 22, 1788, was the first white male child born in the town, and the first birth of a white child of either sex was a daughter of Judge Williams. The marriage of Elihu Curtiss and Anna Northrup was the first in town. Mr. Curtiss died in January, 1815, at the age of fifty nine. Jesse Curtiss erected the first frame house in the town and owned ten acres of land in what is now the heart of the village, and including the mill privilege on Fish Creek. There he built a saw mill just above the site of the grist mill and made other early improvements. He died in 1821 at the age of eighty eight years. About 1800 Manning Barnes, from Connecticut, settled on the site of West Camden, and built a log house on the site of the later hotel and afterward added to it a frame portion. Being requested to entertain many travelers and settlers, he made his dwelling a public house and kept it as such many years. He was accompanied into the town by his brothers Whiting and Lyman Barnes, who took up farms and afterward brought on their father, Zopher. Other sons of Zopher Barnes were Zopher, Street and Pliny. The family has been prominent in the history of the town.

Elijah Perkins came from Connecticut in 1803 and settled in the south part of the town where James Nisbet lived in recent years. He brought with him besides his wife, two sons, Elijah and Woodard. The former and his brother Lyman served in the war of 1812. Woodard Perkins was a farmer on the road between Camden village and West Camden.

A school was being taught on the site of Camden village in 1803, in a frame building, which was probably built a few years earlier. About 1810 a school house was built in the Perkins district, where Clark Crofoot taught; he lived in Florence and a part of that town was included in the district. In Manning Barnes's

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log house at West Camden a school was kept soon after the war of 1812 by Rachel Hungerford. After this schools multiplied rapidly.

Measures were early adopted by the pioneers to establish a church, which resulted in the organization of the First Congregational church of Camden February 19, 1798, by Rev. Eliphalet Steele, pastor of the church at Paris Hill. The organization was effected at Paris, and included the following eight members: Benjamin Barnes, sr., and his wife Thankful; Philip Barnes and Laura, his wife' Marshall Meriam and Benjamin Barnes, jr., all of whom were dismissed from Mr. Steele's church. Rev. Joshua Johnson, of Redfield, preached the first sermon. A little rivalry in early years between the sol called east and west villages led to the withdrawal from the First church of a number of members, and the organization in 1803 of the Second Congregational church of Camden. According to the agreement, meetings were to be held in the Second church one fourth of the time. A building was erected and enclosed in 1807, and furnished with rough benches; it was not finished until 1816, was repaired in 1836 and burned in the great fire of June 22, 1867. The present church was erected immediately afterward.

Eldad Smith came to this town from Connecticut in 1800 with an ox team and was two weeks on the way. He settled east of West Camden and was the father of S.L. Smith. John Bryan came from Watertown, Conn., about 1805, driving a yoke of oxen and a horse, and bringing his family. He settled on the Taberg road in the east part of the town. His daughter married Amos D. Mix, father of J.W. Mix.

Col. Israel E. Stoddard came to the town in 1798 and in the following year went back and brought in his family, settling about two miles north of Camden village, where his son Israel E. now lives. A year or two later he sold out and located one half mile north of the village on the farm owned by his son John N. He died there April 4, 1859. His children were Cyrus, Samuel, Mrs. Huldah B. Judson, Joanna P., Martha P., Israel E., Cynthia C., and John N.

John D. Penfield was born on a farm north of the village in 1813, where his father settled, and is probably the oldest living native of the town. He located

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in the village in 1836, where he has long been connected with the milling business and prominent in all public affairs (See biography and portrait in this volume.)

Joel Dunbar settled a little west of the village on the Mexico road, where he had the old Dunbar mill. He was a brother of Horace Dunbar, and died December 31, 1827.

Other very early settlers who can only be briefly mentioned were Allen Sperry, father of Clark, Anson, Andrew, and Sherman Sperry, who settled on Sperry, or Wolcott Hill; the Prestons, Caleb, who died in February, 1813, and Abner (died November 24, 1833), William R. (died August 4, 1834), and Noah (died April 4, 1835). It was from these and others of the same name that Preston Hill took its title. Herman Byington, who settled on a farm one half mile from Camden village and had sons, Rufus and Ira; he died in September, 1831. Henry Peck, who settled on Wolcott Hill, and died February 24, 1833. Deacon Bennet Cobb, settled on the Taberg road, where H. Giles now owns, and died April 8, 1870, aged eight four years. Sylvanus Wilson lived on a farm about two miles north of the village, and died March 17, 1833. Seth Dunbar, father of Horace and Edwin S. Dunbar. Dr. Whitman V. Ransom, died November 3, 1817. Jonah Sanford, died November 15, 1824. Oliver Cook, died December 30, 1838, at the age of eighty three years. Isaac Stone, died November 2, 1839. Bartholomew Pond, a Revolutionary soldier, who died in 1850 at the age of ninety five years. Martin Stevens, died in 1832. Andrew Tuttle, died October 19 1829. Lemuel Warner, died July 23, 1824. William S. Spencer, died August 23, 1831. Eliphalet Johnson, died March 2, 1818. Elijah Bailey, died August, 1838. Other names will appear in the official list and accounts of industries, etc.

These men and their descendants laid the foundation for the later prosperity of this town. As a farming community it has been prosperous, a considerable dairy interest having been developed in recent years. There are now several cheese factories in the town. The opening of the Rome and Watertown Railroad through the town, and later the E., C. & N road gave the inhabitants excellent facilities for reaching the markets, and inaugurated a marked impetus in Camden village, under which it sprang into prominence as one of the most active and most enterprising

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communities of Central New York. While many other town have stood still or retrograded in population, Camden has steadily advanced. From 2,114 in 1835, it reached 3,187 in 1860, and in 1892 and 3,675. The number of school district with school houses is fourteen, as it has been for many years.

Camden village was incorporated May 2, 1834, and the first election of officers took place June 27 of that year, resulting as follows:

Humphrey Brown, president; Lyman Curtiss, Hubbard Tuttle, Ammi Hinkley, and Aaron Stone, trustees; Rufus Byington, David Johnson, and George Trowbridge, assessors; Martin H. Stevens, collector; Robert H. Burr, treasurer; A. Trowbridge, clerk.

Year    President                   Year        President
1835    Humphrey Brown        1867-68   Stephen Cromwell
1836    A. Stone                    1869        P.H. Costello
1837-8 A. Trowbridge           1870        Stephen Cromwell
1839-40 Richard Empey        1871        George Abbott
1841    A. Trowbridge            1872        P.H. Costello
1842    Lyman Curtiss            1873-74    Thomas D. Penfield
1843    H. Tuthill                    1875         Benjamin D. Stone
1844-46 Jefferson Colton       1876        A.J. Stone
1847    Edwin Rockwell         1877        Lewis J. Conlan
1848    William R. Paddock   1878       John G. Dorrance
1849    Baldwin Tuthill           1879-80   Robert Frazier
1850    R. Empey                 1881       E.A. Harvey
1851-53 A.W. Ransom          1882-83   Eugene H. Conant
1854    Thomas D. Penfield   1884       J.C. McDonald
1855    Joshua H. Tracy        1885       Egbert More
1856-57 Ambrose Curtiss      1886       Robert Frazier
1858-59 A.W. Ransom          1887-88   Thomas D. Penfield
1860    A. Curtiss                  1889-90   B.D. Stone
1861    J. Munroe                 1891       A.C. Woodruff
1862-63 A. Stone                  1892       W.H. Stansfield
1864    Stephen Cromwell     1893       Theron A. Farnsworth
1865-66 Thomas D. Penfield 1895-95    D.T. Wood
                                           1896        T.A. Farnsworth

Camden village has long been the center of a large manufacturing interest. In 1832 James Barber and Horace McIntyre established the first foundry. About five years later it was sold to G.W. and Josiah Wood and Albro Phelps. During their proprietorship the foundry was burned. Meanwhile, in 1859 the firm of Tripp & Fifield established the Eagle foundry and machine shop on Fish Creek. the Wood foundry was not rebuilt after the fire, but the firm acquired the Fifield foundry and began business there, the members at that time being Wood Brothers, and Percival, William G. Percival having acquired an interest in the business with Augustus and Henry Wood, sons of G.W. Wood. Later, in 1894, a stock company was formed with a capital of $24,000 in which I.D. West was a member. One of the chief articles of manufacture is turbine water wheels.

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In the early history of the town there were, of course, numerous saw mills built on the various streams, which were kept busy in cutting up the timber of the forests which covered the land. As these disappeared many of the mills fell into disuse. A saw mill has existed continuously for many years in the village and is now operated by Herbert Giles, who took it recently from A. Raymond who had owned it for many years. It was built very early and probably by Timothy Wood. Another mill is located about a mile northwest and outside the corporation which is run by Walter Russell. It was owned years ago by H.S. Waterman who sold it to Curtiss Covill and he transferred it to Mr. Russel. Another saw mill known as the Dunbar mill is on Fish Creek and was long owned by Horace Dunbar; it was last operated by George Swanson.

A woolen factory was established in early years by John Norton; it was burned and the same fate was shared by a second which was erected. C.T.E. Huyck then built a third one, which was operated many years after 1866. It was finally converted into a planing mill by Wakefield & Gardner, and is now operated by George Dana.

Another planing mill was built by Stone & Hammond about 1839. In 1844 Cyrus Allen purchased a half interest and in 1850 became sole owner. It was subsequently burned and rebuilt, and in 1891 was purchased by Lewis Perrin who now uses it for the manufacture of desks. The planing mill now run by Horace Rush was built for D.P. Cox about 1853, was burned ten years later and rebuilt by Cox & Stone. the firm afterwards became Stone, Williams & Co. and later Williams & rush, Jacob Rush being the partner. Mr. Williams retired and Horace Rush succeeded his father.

The Camden Knitting Company carries on one of the largest and most important industries in this section. It had its origin with Willard J. Frisbie (see biography and portrait elsewhere in this work) and William H. Stansfield, former successful dry goods merchants in Camden, who in 1883 established a knitting factory of small capacity in the building now occupied by the Corbin Lock Company. Their business increased and in 1887 they started a yarn factory on the premises formerly occupied by the tannery of P. & P. Costello. In this branch of the industry Charles F. Kendall had an interest and it was carried on under the name

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of Charles F. Kendall & co. The old building burned in March, 1893, but meanwhile, in 1891, the knitting industry was removed to the same locality, where new and commodious brick buildings were erected and the name Camden Knitting Company adopted. About 200 hands are employed chiefly in the manufacture of ladies' and childrens' ribbed underwear. The same company have factories in Syracuse and in Utica. The tannery above mentioned was established in 1847 and was long an important industry; but the disappearance of bark led to its final extinction. A still earlier tannery was operated by Reuben Bettis and afterwards by Orange Drayton. What are known as the Grove Mills, on the east side of the river, were built by John Lambie and Levi Wilcox just before 1860. From them they passed to James P. Owen and quite recently from him to Thomas Jackson. The building of the first saw mill here by Jesse Curtiss has been described. A distillery formerly existed below the saw mill and a grist mill was erected on the site of the present Camden mill. The later was built by Lyman Curtiss on the site occupied by the old one erected by his father, Jesse. This property was acquired by Thomas De. Penfield (see biography and portrait elsewhere in these pages) and Thomas Stone and was operated by them until 1860, when Mr. Stone died. The mill was conducted by the surviving partner until 1867, when Benjamin D. Stone, son of Thomas, acquired an interest, the firm name continuing the same. One of the most prominent industries of Oneida county is the chair works of F.H. Conant' Sons. This business was established in 1851 by F.H. Conant, who is succeeded by his sons, E.H. and George F. Conant. About 175 hands are employed. The firm of Start & Boehm began the manufacture of wagons and sleight in Church street in 1864. In 1881 Mr. Boehm retired and in the fall of that year James Stark bought his present shop of J.P. Owen, who had previously carried on the same business there for about ten years. The firm of Boehm Brothers was formed and now carry on a large business in the same line. Camden has for many years been the center of a large canning industry, devoted

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to the preparation of sweet corn for the market. This business is also extensive in other parts of the county. The first factory in the county was established at Camden about 1855 by Edgett Brothers, and ten years later J.W. Mix began the business and for a number of years was extensively engaged. Godfrey & Stoddard built a factory in 1878 on Mad River, which subsequently burned. The Camden Packing Company was formed and established two factories, one a mile and a half west of the village, which had been built in 1874 by J.E. Woods, and the other below the village, built by Stephen McCall in 1872. The latter was operated in 1872 by S.S. McCall & Co., and in 1874 by J.P. McCall & Co. It was then taken by the Camden Packing Company. A factory was built by James Gerow in 1878, and within a few years of that time others were started by Godfrey & Stoddard, Pliny Phelps, Byron Phelps, W.I. Stoddard, and Paddock Brothers. The factories now in operation are those of Tuttle & Stoddard, east of the village, and that of L.P. Haviland. The Corbin Cabinet Lock Company began a branch of its industry in Camden in 1891, its principal business being the manufacture of government furniture for post office equipment. The wood work only is done here, the other branches being located at New Berlin, Conn. The press of Camden village is most worthily represented by the Advance-Journal, a local independent newspaper of high character and influence. The first newspaper in the village was the Camden Gazette, started by E.C. Hatton in 1842. A few years later it passed to E.M. Higbie and closed its existence under him. The next paper was the Northern Light, which shed its effulgence on the world only a short time. Ira D. Brown published it six months in 1852, when Merritt & Stone took it, and employed N.B. Stevens as editor. In 1853 this paper was succeeded by the Camden Courier, E. O'Farrell, proprietor; this paper had only a brief existence and was followed by the Camden Freeman, started by Wesley Henderson and suspended in 1863. In March, 1864, Jarius H. Munger established the Camden Journal and continued its editor and proprietor until his death in 1878. Meanwhile in 1867 the Camden News was started by Giles & Franklin, which was removed to Coxsackie a year later. On July 24, 1873, W.C. Stone established the Camden Advance, which he successfully conducted until January, 1885, when he bought out the Journal (above described) and consolidated the two papers under the name of the Advance-Journal.

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In 1887-88 Mr. Stone built the brick block in which he is now located, adapting it for a modern country newspaper, and a book and stationery store, both of which he now conducts. The Camden Library Association was formed in 1891 by a number of women in the village. The first president was Mrs. E.T. Pike and the first secretary Miss Tessie M. Durr. The present president is Mrs. J.G. Dorrance and the secretary and librarian is Mrs. E.C. Case. About 1,300 volumes have been accumulated and pleasant rooms fitted up in the new Town Hall. The institution is accomplishing much good. Some of the men and firms who have been conspicuous in Camden mercantile business during the past half century are Frisbie & Stansfield, dry goods; J.G. Dorrance, general store; C. Curtiss & Son, F &F Fifield (later Fifield & Dorrance); G.S. Wetmore, drugs; E.A. Harvey, grocer; W.C. Carman, grocer; Orth & Tracy, clothiers' Olmsted & Meacham, clothiers; Samuel B. Hinckley (father of Briggs T. Hinckley), Ammi Hinckley, Don A. Gatchell, and E.A. Harvey. Later and present prominent merchants in various lines are Williams & Norton, George H. Smith, A.G. Robson, W.H. Dorrance & Son, L. Hornung, D. Crimmins, G.J. Williams, W.I. Stoddard, D.E. Kennedy, C.O. Biederman, Chas. E. Hendley, C.A. & A. C. Phelps, Robert Aird, B.A. Curtis, Charles E. Orr, Charles J. Durr & Co., S.L. Harding, J.N. Nichols, W.E. Tiffany, Briggs T. Hinckley. The first hotel in the village was kept by Elihu Curtiss on what is now Minor avenue, and it is said that the old well of the house is now under the foundation of the Whitney House. The house stood about one half in what is now the street, and was opened as early as 1803. Jefferson Colton kept an early hotel about on the site of Churchill & Tibbit's market; he is remembered s a fine type of the old time landlord. His house was called the Park Hotel, and was burned June 22, 1867. The Seymour House was an early hotel and stood on the site of B.D. Stone's residence; it was burned about 1860. Another hotel was early in existence at the lower end of the village. The Commercial Hotel was built about ten years ago by John Olden, who kept it until his death a year later. He was succeeded by Morse & Farmer, and others. The present proprietor, C.L. Roberts, purchased the property six years ago.

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The Whitney House was built by Moses L. Whitney, who had previously kept the Park Hotel, and was kept by him about five years. The present proprietor, D.J. Crimmins, bought it in 1876, and practically rebuilt the house. The Empire House was built by William Moses after a former house on that site had been burned. The present proprietor, P.E. Malone, took the house in 1889. The Erwin House is kept by M.G. Ronan. The bank was in existence in Camden under the State law in early years, of which Gen. Lyman Curtiss was at one time president. This institution failed previous to the war of the Rebellion, and Hastings Curtiss then opened a banking house about 1860, which passed to the proprietorship of Curtiss & Carman; they failed in 1876. The private bank of D.G. & J.G. Dorrance was established in 1876 and continued as such until January, 1880, when it was made the First National Bank of Camden, with a capital of $50,000. D.G. Dorrance continued president of the bank until his death, on March 26, 1896, and the office has not yet been filled. (See biography and portrait in this work.) J.G. Dorrance has been cashier from the first. Edwin A. Harvey is vice president, and Daniel G. Dorrance, son of J.G., is assistant cashier. The entire village of Camden is now embraced in Union Free School District No. 1, and a commodious brick building built in 1855, on the site of one burned two years earlier, accommodates the pupils. A high school and academic department have been inaugurated, below which there are nine grades. Following is the Board of Instruction in 1895-96: D.D. Van Allen, M.A., principal; Frances J.H. Van Allen, preceptress; associate teachers: Misses Sarah Davis, Clara E. Curtiss, Emma Gardner, Josephine Lewis, Nellie I. Moore, Minnie Sanford, Lelah J. Sanford. The Board of Education consists of the following: Mr. John M. Young, president; Counselor A.C. Woodruff, secretary; Robert Allen, B.A. Curtiss, D.G. Dorrance, M.A., G.F. Morss, James P. Owen, Benj. D. Stone, Geo. J. Williams. Camden village street lights consisted of oil lamps until 1888 when the Camden Electric Light Company was formed, with M.P. Osborne, manager. He is now practically the owner of the plant which was put in operation, and the streets are properly hung with large incandescent lamps.

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Public water works were established by the village corporation in 1886, water being brought from Emmons Brook, giving about 175 feet head. About fifty hydrants are placed in the streets and main laid throughout the principal streets, making an effective agency for extinguishing fires. The village was bonded for $40,000 to build the system. A fire engine had long been owned in the village, for which a company was organized in 1857, and in the following year A.J. Stone was chosen chief engineer, and two assistants. From that time forward the department was kept on an efficient basis. When the water system was placed in operation the engine was sold. The two most notable fires in the village occurred June 28, 1856, and June 22, 1867. In the latter three churches were destroyed, a hotel, and a number of stores on Main Street. A handsome opera house was completed in 1894 by a stock company at a cost of over $20,000. In 1894 the village was bonded for $10,000 for a new town hall. It is a handsome brick structure and accommodates the fire department, the library, a large hall, offices. etc. The small village of West Camden is situated in the northwest part of the town on the railroad. The early settlement here of Manning Barnes, and the opening of the tavern have been described. Wilburt Barnes opened the first store in the place and continued in trade a number of years; he was a son of Manning Barnes. The post office was established in 1832, with Merrit Munson, probably as the first postmaster. A small mercantile business has existed here many years and at the present time a store is kept by J.C. Leigh. The saw mill and chair factory is carried on by Mott Brother, and another chair factory established by A.S. Gibson, is now operated by Cummings Brothers. The next church organized in Camden succeeding the one described on a preceding page was the Methodist Episcopal. A class was formed in the town before 1805, consisting of seven persons, and another a little later at West Camden. The

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Methodist Episcopal society of Camden was organized in 1820 and in 1831 Camden was made a station. A frame church was organized prior to 1840, but disbanded in 1854. A Free Methodist society was organized in August, 1887, and purchased the frame church formerly owned by the Wesleyan Methodists. It was remodeled in 1895. The first Presbyterian church in Camden was organized in September, 1867, with thirty two members who were dismissed from the Congregational church for the purpose. The first meetings were held in Curtiss Hall. The corner stone of the present brick church was laid June 30, 1868, and it was dedicated in March of the next year. The total cost was about $18,000. Trinity Episcopal church of Camden was organized about 1842 with Rev. E.D. Kennicott the first rector. The frame church was erected which was one of the three burned June 22, 1867, and the present brick edifice was built immediately afterwards on the site; its cost was about $8,000. The Baptist church of Camden was constituted in 1839. In 1844 it became a branch of the society at North Bay and was finally absorbed by the latter. A Baptist society was organized in early yeas at Hillsboro in the west part of town, which subsequently disbanded. On December 30, 1870, the First Baptist church of Camden was organized at that place and a frame church was built in the following year. The second Congregational church at West Camden was organized November 5, 1851, with sixteen members, and Rev. Samuel Sweezey, pastor. He had preached there for some time previous. A frame church was erected in 1858. This building was also occupied by the Methodists of that place. St. John's Catholic church of Camden was formerly affiliated with St. Mary's of Florence, under which is was a mission for many years. The church society acquired the old Methodist edifice which it used until recent years when a new frame building was erected. Following is a list of supervisors of this town from its organization to the present time:

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YEAR     SUPERVISOR         YEAR   SUPERVISOR
1800-01 John W. Bloomfield 1854     Edwin S. Dunbar
1802     John Rogers             1855     Jairus H. Munger
1803-5 John Humiston          1856-57 Horace Dunbar
1806-08 Israel Stoddard         1858     Alfred Chamberlain
1809-10 Elihu Curtiss             1859     Thomas D. Penfield
1811-12 Phineas Tuttle           1860     Albert Bickford
1813-16 Seth Dunbar             1861     Thomas D. Penfield
1817-24 Israel Stoddard         1862     Pliny Phelps
1825     Seth Dunbar              1863-66 P.C. Costello
1826-28 Israel Stoddard         1867-68 Henry S. Waterman
1829-31 Seth Dunbar             1869-70 Benjamin D. Stone
1832     Israel Stoddard         1871-72 Curtis J. Wright
1833     no record                 1873-74 Spencer J. Upson
1834     Lyman Curtiss           1875-76 B.A. Curtiss
1835     Garrit Smith               1877-82 Thomas D. Penfield
1836     John Smith                1887-88 Jabez Ford
1837-38 Samuel B. Hinkley    1889-90 Andrew W. Craig
1839     Seth Dunbar              1891-92 Orson C. Woods
1840     Don A. Gatchel         1893-95 W.H. Gifford
1841-42 Junius Woods          1896     William S. Peck
1843     Samuel B. Hinkley     1844-45 Horace Dunbar
1846-47 Ambrose Curtiss       1848-49 Edwin S. Dunbar
1850     George W. Wood     1851-53 Thomas D. Penfield

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