Our County and It's People

Chapter 41

The Town of Paris

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Paris as originally constituted embraced a large area. It was set off from Whitestown April 10, 1792, and included what are now the towns of Brookfield, Hamilton, and part of Cazenovia (in Madison county), Sherburne (in Chenango county), Sangerfield, all of which were set off from it in 1794, and Kirkland, which was set off April 13, 1827; a still further tract was added to Kirkland in 1839, leaving Paris with its present area of 18,641. The town received its name from Isaac Paris, a merchant of Fort Plain, who in a time of scarcity and distress in 1789, generously supplied them with corn and other food on liberal credit.

Paris lies on the eastern border of the county and near the southeast corner. Nearly the whole of the western half was in Coxe's patent and the remainder in the Bayard patent, as shown on the map herein. The surface is very hilly, with deep intervening valleys. The highest elevation in the county is Tassel Hill (so called from a Dutchman who settled there) in the extreme southwest corner of the town, which rises 2,100 feet above sea level. The summit of what was the Utica and Chenango Railroad is near the line between Paris and Marshall, and is a little more than 1,000 feet above the station at Utica. This locality constitutes a part of the watershed to the northward and southward of the State. Paris Hill rises 840 feet above Sauquoit. The Sauquoit Creek flows northerly through the town east

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of the center, and in a distance of six miles descends nearly 400 feet, affording excellent water power. The soil of the town is sandy calcareous loam. The town has been noted for its manufactures.

The first town meeting in Paris was held April 2, 1793, at the house of Moses Foot in Clinton, and the following officers were chosen:

   Supervisor, David Ostrom, esq;
   town clerk, Henry McNiel,;
   assessors, Joshua Holiburt, Joel Bristol, Dan Chapman, Benjamin Barnes, Ithamar Coe, Joseph Farwell, William Babbott;
   commissioners of roads, Amos Kellogg, Simeon Coe, Stephen Barrett;
   poor masters, Timothy Tuttle, Levi Sherman;
   constables, Jesse Curtiss, Amos Dutton, Nathan Marsh;
   fence viewers, Barnabas Pond, Joseph Plumb, Borden Wilbur, Joshua Preston;
   pound master, Amos Kellogg.

The first settler in this town was Maj. Amaziah Royce, who located near Paris Hill in 1789, on the old road from Sauquoit to its intersection with the Oxford turnpike, north of Paris Hill. In December of that year John and Sylvester Butler, and Asa Shepard settled on the same road about half a mile west of Sauquoit; while in the same month Phineas Kellogg settled in the valley and was followed to the same locality the next spring by Theodore Gilbert and family, who located at the Burning Spring, West Sauquoit. The first settler on the "Moyer Road" between Sauquoit and Paris Hill was William Babbitt in 1790. In the next spring Lieut. Spencer Briggs became the first settler at East Sauquoit, and at the same time Simeon Coe located on the Moyer Road east of Sauquoit. Capt. Abner Brown settled in the spring of 1791 at West Sauquoit and his son Kendall, born July 5, 1791, was the first male child born in Sauquoit.

To the Paris Hill region Benjamin Barnes, sr., and his son of the same name and John Humaston, followed Mr. Boyce within a few weeks, and Henry McNeil settled early in that vicinity; he became a prominent citizen, served in the Legislature first in 1798, and taught school early at Paris Hill. Luther Richards became a settler in that vicinity about 1792; he was the father of William Richards. Aaron Simons and his brothers, Adam and Abel, came in here early from Rhode Island and located west of the village of Paris Hill. Darius Scovill and his sons, Isaac, Seabury and Edward, located about 1801, coming from Watertown, Conn. Isaac Scovill was father of J.V. Scovill, long a prominent citizen at Paris Hill. At this point it is proper to quote the following paragraphs from a historical sketch of Paris

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Hill written many years ago by Hon. Lorenzo Rouse:

My knowledge of the early history of Paris is, of course, somewhat limited as to personal observation, my first acquaintance with it having commenced in the spring of 1816, that is, twenty seven years after the first settlement was made, which was at Paris Hill and vicinity. The first settlement made in the town was in 1789.

The first settler at Paris Hill was Captain Royce; soon after him came Benjamin Barnes and son, Stephen Barrett, Abel Simmons, sr., John and Sylvester Butler, and others who settled near. None of these, however, settled at the present village, but in the vicinity. Tradition says that one of the earliest settlers, if not the earliest, at Paris Hill proper was Colonel Tuttle, who was quite a land owner on the east side of what is now "The Green". Indeed, he gave the east half of the Green for a public park, other parties giving the west half for the same purpose.

Tradition further says that in Colonel Tuttle's day a large pine tree was standing in the upper part of the park, or green. The colonel caught and tamed a young bear, which he used to pet very much. When winter came on the bear disappeared, and the colonel felt the loss deeply, - was inclined to think some one had shot or stolen it, - but on a sunny day in March the bear was discovered coming out of a hole in that pine tree, and he returned to his master, who was greatly rejoiced thereat; he had been hibernating.

The first church erected in 1791, was a plain, barn like looking structure, innocent of paint, and in fact never was finished off inside. After its erections settlers began to come in rapidly, and Colonel Tuttle persuaded the people to sell the building to him, and to build larger, both of which they did. He then removed the first building to the rear of his house, and converted it into a barn. The new church was located near the center of the green, nearest the west side, and was reasonably capacious.

The Episcopal church was erected in 1797. That, too, was a very plain structure, and unpainted. In 1818 it was removed to the west of the church lot, and the present structure was erected. Val Piece was the builder, assisted by his brother; also by Roderick White and others. Russell Brooks, Eli Gilbert, and the Saxton boys did the plastering. The old structure, after its removal, was fitted up and occupied (with some additions) by Rev. William R. Weeks as a residence and school building. Afterwards Chester Cook bought it and occupied a part as a dwelling and the rest as a saddle and harness shop. It subsequently took fire and was burned.

The Methodist church stood on the road going towards Clinton, east of the present burial ground. It had a good congregation when I first knew it; had its regular services by a circuit preacher, and had a number of zealous members. The society afterwards became extinct, and the church was taken down about 1850.

Paris Hill was the third or fourth settlement in order of time in the original town of Whitestown and being the farthest south was generally known as the "South Settlement". When the present village began to manifest itself it was known as "Shax's Borough", but after the new town had been organized, and named Paris, it gradually assumed its present name of Paris Hill.

When I first saw the place, nearly sixty two years ago, and for a few years after, it was a more important point than at present, and a place of much more business. It had three

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churches, two taverns (as they were then called), two stores, two blacksmith shops, two saddle and harness shops, several carpenters' and shoemakers' shops, one wagon shop, one spinning wheel maker's shop, two tailors' shops, two asheries or potash establishments, and two cooper shops for the making of barrels, to be used for pork, cider, potash, and for whisky, the latter being manufactured on the premises now occupied by J. Van Valkenberg. The whisky was mainly sold to the farmers in the vicinity, at from twenty five to thirty cents per gallon. No doubt there were other manufactures; shops not recollected, but Chester Cook's silver plating shop must not be overlooked. A turnpike, running through the village for some years, connected the place, and all south and southwest of it, as far as Oxford, with Utica, by means of intersecting the Seneca Turnpike at New Hartford. A toll gate stood a little north of the Episcopal church. The turnpike, not proving a profitable investment, soon shared a fate similar to that of the plank road, which succeeded it at a more modern date, and was abandoned, to the stockholders' loss.

A grist mill was standing when I first knew the place, on the east side of the road, opposite a portion of the present Episcopal cemetery. It was originally intended to be operated by horse power, the horses to travel in the inner circumference of a large wheel, nearly or quite thirty feet in diameter. This wheel revolved with an axle, or shaft, which furnished the motive power to the machinery. The builder of this novel grist mill was a Mr. Simister. The working of it proved too destructive to horseflesh to be profitable, and it was there fore abandoned. Subsequently an attempt was made to utilize the building by putting in a steam apparatus, but as the construction of the stationary steam engines was then but little understood, that plan was also abandoned, and the building was demolished about 1820.

Sixty years ago the green was very convenient as a parade ground, two, and sometimes three, military companies mustering for a parade and inspection at the same time - usually the first Monday in June, the 4th of July, and the first Monday in September. The two or three companies strove to outdo each other in the precision and skill of their evolutions. In some cases a battalion consisting of six or seven companies assembled there. In one instance, at least, the whole regiment met there in September for "general training", as it was called.

Among the prominent individuals residing in the village at that time may be mentioned: General Henry McNiel, ex judge and the member of assembly; Elnathan Judd, M.D., the leading physician of the place; Theophilus Steele, esq., the town clerk; Samuel H. Addington, merchant and justice of the peace, and Martin Hawley, landlord and landowner. Esquire Addington's store was then the building on the west side of the green, with a brick front, now converted into a blacksmith shop. It was previously occupied as a store by Stanton & Hawley, and was used as a hotel or tavern. A curbed well was directly in front of it, in what is now used as a traveled roadway. Other prominent citizens living in the vicinity of the village, but not in it, were: Capt. John Wicks, John Strong, Ephraim Walker, Timothy Hopkins, Deacon Bailey, Adam and Abel Simmons, Captain Ebenezer and Esquire Charles Smith, Esquire Uri Doolittle, David Stiles, Fobes Head, Jonathan Head, Abiel Saxton, Luther Richards, and several others. The succeeding merchants at Paris Hill were Haywood & Blair, Steele & Wicks, Tompkins & Doolittle, Mott & Reynolds, Andrew Mills and Jesse E. Thompson.

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General McNiel was postmaster from time immemorial, but always had the business done by a deputy - usually a merchant or innkeeper. He was removed about 1830, under Jackson's administration, and Germond Mott was appointed to his place. In the earlier days the people were content with one mail per week, and that was carried by the "post rider" on horseback, he delivering the Utica newspapers to subscribers on his route at their doors,, carrying them in his saddle bags, and the letter mail in his pockets. This method of carrying the mail continued till about 1820, when the post rider changed his conveyance to a one horse wagon, thus securing higher pay, and occasionally a passenger. Soon after a mail stage was started, with one pair of horses, making two trips each way per week; afterwards three, and finally daily trips each way, with four horses.

Other early settlers in this part of the town were Stephen Barrett, Luther Richards, Fobes and Jonathan Head. A post office was early established, with Henry McNeil as postmaster. Capt Uri Doolittle, Capt. Gideon Seymour, Eli Blakeslee, Jesse and Dr. Gurdon Thompson, were also early settlers here. Justus and Julius Munson, Isaac Welton, Erastus Weber, John J. Wicks, Leander Richards, Lysander and Harvey Head, John Bailey, and William Richards were prominent farmers south of the Hill, and Anson Hubbard, Porter and Smith families north. There were two distilleries early at the Hill, one by Samuel Addington and one by a Mr. Haywood. George W. Head was a noted merchant here many years and was succeeded by Porter C. Huntley; Daniel Kelley and William Wooden were also former merchants. In recent years the business of the place has not been large.

Other prominent farmers of the town not already named, and who have passed away were: Deacon Charles Allen, Stephen Chapman, Elias F. Green, Chauncey S. Butler, Stephen Thomas, Joshua P. Tompkins, and Erastus Webber; some of those of later date are J.M. Risley, Charles H. Thomas, C.L. Chapman, O.D. Head, H.W. Anderson, Freeman Bartlett, Samuel G. Ryder.

Clayville. - This is an incorporated village situated on the Sauquoit Creek southeast of the center of town. The place was originally called Paris Furnace, and a post office was established with Col. Gardner Avery post master; he was succeeded by Deacon Joseph Howard.

Judge Eliphalet Sweeting was the pioneer here in 1800 and began building the Paris furnace on the site of the lower Millard works. Col. Avery came in the year 1801 and took charge of the completion of the furnace and management of the business. A Mr. Hill built the first log house for a boarding house, and Thomas built the next one in 1802. Col. Avery erected his residence in 1810, and about the same time Judge Sweeting built his and erected a saw mill on the site of the Empire Woolen Factory. Joseph Howard had already built a brewery and a grocery near by and Mr. Scollard erected a tavern opposite and west of the furnace; this was long kept by Horace Luce and was ultimately converted into a residence by David Millard. Col. Avery built a saw mill about 1810 opposite his residence, which burned a few years later and he built another on the site which stood until recent years. In 1822 he erected a carding mill a little above, which was long operated by 'Squire Albert Barnett, who came to the village about that time and passed his long life here; his father, James Barnett, was a pioneer of the town, and William Barnett, brother of Albert, and father of Mills and William H. Barnett, was long a prominent citizen.

The second merchants at Clayville were Bacon & Collis. To them William Barnett sold the Sweeting saw mill which he had acquired, and on its site they began the erection of a woolen factory, which passed to Frederick Hollister and was finished by him in 1842-43. Present merchants are J.S. Green, O.M. Buchanan, James A. Jordan, and C.L. Chapman & Son.

David J. Millard, born in 1804, came to the Sauquoit valley early in the century with his father, Charles Millard. On the site of the old Quaker factory at Sauquoit the father and his brother Amasa placed the machine ship trip hammers and began manufacturing scythes in a primitive manner. David J. learned the trade of wool sorting and by evening study obtained a good education. He later became agent for the Furnace factory at South Sauquoit and about 1840 removed to Clayville with his brother Sterling A. engaged in manufacturing scythes, hay forks, etc., on the site of the Cobb & Robinson shovel factory, which was built in 1814 and converted into a scythe shop by Davis & Bowles in 1818. Sterling A. Millard soon withdrew from the business and erected his scythe works farther up

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stream. The Millard Scythes were probably the best made in the whole country and attained wide celebrity. David J. Millard was a leading citizen of the town and was supervisor several years. The S.A. Millard works were sold on a mortgage held by the Oneida County Bank, March 6, 1896, and bid off by J.M. Butler, president of the bank, who has since become sole owner. The works are now running full time, manufacturing forks, hoes and rakes. The D.J. Millard works, which formerly existed under the style of the Paris Furnace Company, were sold by the same bank March 17, 1896, were bid off in the same manner and also passed to Mr. Butler. Until quite recently this plant was used for the manufacture of axes under the name of Hubbard, Babcock, Millard Ax Company, and is now temporarily idle. One section of the plant is rented to the Pratt Chuck Company, which is in successful operation.

When Fredrick Hollister came to Clayville from Utica, as before noted, he purchased the partly built woolen factory, and finished it and put it in operation. He also bought largely of lands which included water power and finished building lots, opened a street across the creek at the upper mill and northward along the foot of the western hillside to intersect the main road at the old carding mill; this road he named Canada street, and thereon he built seventeen double tenement houses, and about the same number on the west side of the old maid road; he built also a block of stores near the upper mill. In 1843 he began the erection of the large stone factory, which was ready for the machinery in the fall of 1844. It was used for a great Henry Clay meeting, which has led to the statement that the great statesman was present; this is not true, but Clay did visit the place five years later. Mr. Hollister built also a frame block for stores and a hotel (the Hollister House, later the Murray House), and a gas manufactory for lighting the mills. About the same period David J. Millard opened a new street and built houses and made other improvements. The operations of these two men advanced the place from a hamlet to a thriving village, and drew other business enterprises hither. A machine shop and foundry was established, two other hotels were opened, and various shops and stores followed. The crash from this abnormal growth came in 1850 with the failure of Mr. Hollister. "Millardville" above, however, continued active for some years, but ultimately share the same

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fate. The woolen factories were run for short periods afterwards. In January, 1861, the Empire Woolen Company was organized, with James J. Murray, president; George Innis, vice president; and A.J. Williams, treasurer. This company purchased the entire woolen factory plant and made the necessary repairs and changes to put it in operation. Soon afterwards Mr. Murray died and A.J. Williams purchased his interest and also that of Mr. Innis, leaving the property in control of Mr. Williams and his four sons; the company was reorganized with A.J. Williams , president; A.G. Williams, vice president; and these two, with I.A. Williams, James H. Williams, and N.A. Williams, trustees. The capital was made $250,000. Further improvements were made and a successful business inaugurated.

The Union school in Clayville was opened in 1871, and in 1876 a large two story brick school building was erected at a cost of $6,000. Clayville was incorporated in 1887 and the first officers were elected in September of that year. W.J. Millard served as president until the following March, and was then re elected for one year. He was succeeded by C.B. Gormond, and in 1890 A.J. Rhodes was elected and has served ever since.

Sauquoit. - The earliest settlers on the east and west sides of the creek where grew up the little villages of East and West Sauquoit have been briefly mentioned. In early years the west part became know as "Savage's Corners", and the east part as "Methodist Corners", and "Bethelville". When the post office was established in 1820 (with Hobart Graves, post master) the place was officially named Sauquoit. Mr. Graves was a merchant in the east village, and a few years later the post office was removed to the other side and Stephen Savage made post master; he was succeeded in 1832 by his son, Frederick S. Savage. The earliest settlers were followed by William Babbitt, William M. Winship, David Ostrom, Captain Abner Bacon, Charles Cooledge, Zenas Merrill, and Camp Parmalee, in or near the west village' while on the east side settled Lieut. Spencer Briggs, Baxter Gage, and on the hill, Simeon Coe, Elisha Wetmore, Moses Campbell, jr., and Elkanah Hewett, and northeast of the village, Josiah Hull, Nathan Robinson, Moses Campbell, sr., and Howe Nichols. At South Sauquoit came in 1789-90, Titus Gilbert, sr., Allyn

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Gilbert, and Theodore Gilbert, 2d, and Ephraim Davis. This particular locality was early known as "Davis's Forge", or "Farmer's Factory". Captain Bacon first kept the tavern in the valley, and the first store was kept by Drs. Dick and Jack Perkins, who were succeeded by Judge James Orton; he added a store and sold out to Stephen Savage in about 1806. Mr. Savage built a store about 1812 on the southwest corner of the Presbyterian church lot; he also owned the grist mill at one time and in partnership with Naaman W. Moore established the paper mills. His old store was later kept by R.E. Kaple, Peter Kneaskarn and Solomon Rogers. The old Savage hotel was kept in later years by Paul R. Miner, Stephen Medbury, and Joseph Mason, and was burned April 5, 1862, and rebuilt by Mr. Mason on the present site. The first merchant in East Sauquoit was Martin Hawley, and Henry Cram opened a store soon afterwards. Mr. Hawley removed to Paris Hill and was succeeded by Hobart Graves, later by Hobert Grave, jr., who had for partners at different periods, John Milton Butler, William W. Hickox and Ezra C. Southard. Other merchants were Mills & Hale, Solomon Rogers (with different partners), J.M & A. Gray, sons of Jordan Gray, Erastus Everett, M.L. Hungerford, Davis & Day, Birdsall & Hull, William H. Royce, James Moulton, Miller & Nichols and others.

In 1828 Austin Graves built the hotel at the Burning Spring, South Sauquoit, designing the establishment for a watering place. After passing through several hands it was burned March, 1859. Major William Gere built the first tannery at East Sauquoit, which a few years later passed to Josiah Mosher who, with his sons, George W. and S. Emerson, operated it some years. Major Gere afterwards operated the tannery built by John Curtiss. These have passed out of existence. Major Gere was also a partner with A. Jenks in an oil mill at South Sauquoit. Deacon Abijah Hubbard manufactured wagons many years opposite the tannery, and a little south of his shop was the organ factory of Oliver Prior, who was a pioneer in the invention of the early reed organs. Other shop keepers in the two villages were: Asahel Curtiss, Ezekiel Hawley and General Gates, saddlers; the Royces, James Seaton, George and Daniel Griggs, H. Norton Robinson, John Olmstead, Major Gere, Zabine Luce, Samuel Robbins, George Tinker, M.L. Antisdel, and Samuel Cheeney,

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shoemakers; Stillman Wells, Nehemiah Walton and David Loring, cabinet makers; D. Sheldon Marsh, Hiram and Titus Gilbert, Roswell Eastman, George W. Holman, Alpha Smith and John Seaton, millwrights; Daniel Wells, Capt. Knight, T.L. Switzer, blacksmiths; U.T. Harvey, Elkanah Hewitt, A.L. White, Daniel Bacon and Benjamin Allen, tailors. At one time there were eleven distilleries in this town, four at Cassville, tow at Paris Hill, one at Holman City, and a brewery at Clayville. John Butler was the pioneer distiller. Among early physicians in the town were Amos G. Hull, Elnathan Judd, Seth Hastings and David Larrabee, at Paris Hill; Dick and Jack Perkins, Spaulding Pierce, Leverett Bishop, Rufus Priest, Aaron B. Bligh, Jeremiah Knight, Ansel and Asa Tyler, C.N. Palmer and C.A. Ostrom, at Sauquoit; Barzilla Budlong at Cassville, where some of the others also practiced.

William L. Mould, an Englishman, came to this town early and for a few years operated the "Farmer's Factory Mill", between Sauquoit and Clayville. His sons, W.F. Mould & Brothers, bought the grist and saw mills of Henry Gilbert January 1, 1853, and made extensive repairs and improvements. What was known as the Friendly Woolen Company was formed about 1812 by a company of Quakers who came to Sauquoit, purchased the Abner Bacon saw mill which they rebuilt and added other shops. They then built a woolen mill and began its operation. It did not prove remunerative and the property passed to Thomas Dean. In 1824 it was purchased by Kellogg Hurlburt, Abner Brownell and John Chadwick (who were then proprietors of what became the Chadwick Mills in the edge of New Hartford). They converted it to a cotton factory and change the name to Franklin Mill. in 1827, after one year's operation, the firm divided and Hurlburt and Brownell continued the business. Later, in 1877, while being conducted by Mr. Brownell's sons, the factory was burned and not rebuilt.

Between 1840 and 1845 A. Brownell & Co. built a cotton factory just below Sauquoit village, which was operated at the same time with the Franklin Mill. In 1873 the machinery was removed and the Sauquoit Silk Manufacturing Company was organized, which put in new machinery for the manufacture of certain silk products. Nearly 100 hands were employed and the factory was prosperous many

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years. It was closed in 1895 while being operated by Stelle & Son, who had long been connected with the business.

An academy was established in Sauquoit, by raising a fund by subscription, and a contract made with L.W. Thomas to properly fit up the building, the school to be held meanwhile in the basement of a church. It was intended that the academy should be an advance upon the select school that had been held in the upper story of the old school house. A meeting of the subscribers to the fund was held on April 9, 1844, and seven trustees elected. The building was in due time occupied. The teachers were Professor Barber, assisted by his wife and Miss Kate Tuttle, with Miss Kittie Roberts, music teacher, and George W. Eastman, teacher of penmanship and bookkeeping. At the winter term of 1845-46 the school opened with 200 scholars. Professor Barber subsequently went to Texas and the school declined until 1850, when Rev. Moses E. Dunham assumed its management and brought it back to its former standard. After his departure another period of decline came on and the building needed repairs. In 1866 the people raise another fund of about $1,700, put the structure in good repair and engaged Aaron White as principal. The school now opened with over 200 scholars; but this prosperity was not steadily maintained, and various teachers were employed in efforts to keep the institution alive. In 1878 the building was again repaired and T.H. Roberts engaged as principal. Under his management a fair degree of success was attained. The institution was merged in the Union School in March, 1895.

Cassville. - This village is in the southern part of the town and near the junction of the two railroads. The first settlers here were Amasa Burchard, Elias and Mark Hopkins, and Eleazer Kellogg, who came in 1803. The post office was established about 1830 under the name of Paris Hollow, with Dr. Aaron Bligh post master. The name was changed to Cassville in 1835. Elias Hopkins built a saw mill there, on the site of the present grist mill. Amasa Burchard soon after built the present grist mill on the site of the former one, and in 1804 erected a carding mill on the site afterwards occupied by the tub factory and later by a cheese factory. The settlement gradually extended up the bluff southward and a distillery was built on each side of the road up the bluff, one by Thompson Snell and the other by Marsh & Stanley. Michael Foster erected a tavern which was subsequently

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torn down, and Norman Merrill, the merchant, built his residence on the site. East of the village, at Richfield Junction, the railroad station, considerable business is carried on. Among the prominent settlers and residents of this part of the town may be mentioned: Nathan Randall, who settled north of the village in 1807; he was the father of Abel and Bishop T. Randall. The Monroe and the Brownell families were prominent settlers in the vicinity. George Smith and R.A. Webb built a tannery and carding mill in 1826 on the south branch, which long ago disappeared. Farther down stream stood an early saw mill, and below the road to Paris Hill Grove W. Bagg manufactured farmers' implements about 1850. John, Joseph and David Budlong were pioneers north of the village. Deacon Charles Allen settled about 1799, and James Rhodes about the same time. The Budlong family had many descendants and has contributed much to the advancement of Cassville. Calvin A. Budlong built an early store in Cassville, conducted it many years and was succeeded by Norman Merrill, who continued in trade to 1889, a period of forty years. This old store is now conducted by U.L. Loomis. Mr. Budlong built and kept a second store after he sold out to Merrill, and was succeeded therein by Thomas H. Hughes, and he by Abner Seaman in 1876. Bentley & Roberts are now in that store. Lorenzo Palmer was another early merchant.

Justus Childs settled in Paris about 1831 and was an extensive farmer east of Cassville, and a prominent citizen and office holder. West of Cassville Roswell Cossitt was a pioneer distiller and his sons, Stephen and Miles, were prominent farmers. Asa Stanton, Val Pierce, Isaac Walton, and others settled on the Paris Hill road.

Holman city.- This is a hamlet east of Clayville where considerable business was done in early years, when it bore the local title of "Log City". In 1798 Seth Leonard Cutler settled here and started a shop for turning wooden bowls, at the same time working at carpentering. After he moved away Lenthel Eells had a saw mill on the site of Cutler's factory, where J.B. Davis and his son made hubs in later years. In 1812 David Holman settled here and built a grist mill, a saw mill and later a clover mill; the latter was converted into a distillery which was operated many years by George Briggs; it was finally burned. The grist mill

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declined after the burning of the distillery, and William H. Le Roy and Jeremiah Wells built on the site a shop for making draw shaves; hoes were also made there. It was afterwards changed into a batting factory, and later into a cabinet factory, passing through various hands in the mean time. Early stores were kept here by William Holman, George Briggs, and others. In 1830 Tunis V. Le Roy, sr., a skilled mechanic, invented the first upright power drill and began its manufacture here in 1839; it was an important industry.

Hops have been raised in this town to a considerable extent, but not as largely as in some adjoining towns. In later years attention has been more largely given to dairying and the production of milk for shipment to New York. This has been made possible by the building of the Utica and Chenango Valley Railroad through the town in 1869, and later the branch to Richfield Springs and on southward. The town is now divided into thirteen school districts, with a school house in each.

Following is a list of supervisors of this town from its foundation to the present time:

DATE                  SUPERVISOR            DATE       SUPERVISOR
1794                    David Ostrom            1845-49     David J. Millard
1795                    George W. Kirkland   1850-51     Sterling A . Millard
1796-97               Jesse Curtiss             1852-53     William S. Bartlett
1798                    Thomas Hart              1854-55     Eli Avery
1799-1805            Jesse Curtiss            1856          William Gallup
1806-07                Isaac Miller               1857          Justus Childs
1808-17               Jesse Curtiss             1858-59     Barzilla Budlong
1818                    Ebenezer Griffin        1860-62      Harvey Head
1819                   Henry McNiel             1863-64      F.S. Savage
1820-23              Jesse Curtiss             1865           D.J. Millard (1)
1824-27               Othniel Williams         1866          Eli Avery
Apr.13,1827-28     Henry McNiel            1867         Eli C. Green  (2)
1829                    Jared P. Todd           1868-70    Harvey Head
1830                    Henry McNiel            1871-72     Martin L. Hungerford
1831                    Theophilus Steele     1873-75     Harvey Head
1832                    Jeremiah Knight        1876-77     William F. Mould
1833-34               Jared P. Todd           1878-79     Harvey Head
1835-37               Constant H. Wicks     1880-81     A.J. Rhodes
1838                   Jeremiah Knight         1882-83    Seth W. Smith
1839-43               Naaman W. Moore     1884-87    Charles L. Marshall
1844                   George M. Brownel    1888-91    Dr. David A. Barnum
                                                            1892-96   Charles L. Marsh

  (1) Mr. Millard resigned on account of ill health and Harvey Head was appointed   (2) Mr. Green resigned and Samuel B. Rhodes was elected at a special meeting

The first settlers of Paris had scarcely become located in their wilderness homes before they took steps to form a church. A meeting was held at the house of Timothy Tuttle in Whitestown on August 29, 1791, where Solomon and Sibil Wright, Timothy Tuttle and his wife Mehitable, and Reuben Fowler, under direction of Dr.

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Jonathan Edwards, of New Haven, Conn., acting as moderator, formed the Second Church of Christ in White's Town. The first pastor was Rev. Eliphalet Steele, who was installed July 15, 1795; he continued until October, 1817. This church has had an uninterrupted existence and during a part of its career was one of the most prosperous in the county. In later years it was governed under the Presbyterian form.

St. Paul's Episcopal church, Paris Hill, is the oldest of that denomination in this State west of Johnstown. A meeting was held February 13, 1797, of which Gideon Seymour was chairman, at which the following were chosen the first vestrymen of the new society: Uri Doolittle, Thomas Stebbins, George Harden, Noah Humaston, and Silas Judd. The name adopted was St. Paul's Church in Herkimer county. The first minister was Rev. Robert Griffith Wetmore, who performed baptisms on November 14, 1797; there is no evidence that he remained in the parish. Other early pastors who preached occasionally were Revs. Father Nash, Philander Chase, John Urquhart, Mr. Thatcher, and Mr. Judd. From 1809 to 1814 Rev. Amos G. Baldwin preached here a quarter of his time, in Utica one half, and a part of the remainder in Fairfield. The frame church at Paris Hill was built in 1818; but there was an earlier and smaller one, built about 1800, and used later as a dwelling.

The Presbyterian church at Sauquoit was organized at the house of Abner Bacon in January, 1810; but an attempt had been made and preliminary steps taken to perfect an organization in 1795. Between that year and 1810 meetings were held in school houses. The final organization comprised 26 members, and in the spring of 1810 Rev. Ezra Woodworth began preaching as a stated supply. In August of that year the first steps were taken towards providing a church building, and in the spring of 1811 a site was selected on the east side of the location of the present church. The building was not entirely finished until 1814, but was used in its unfinished condition. It stood until 1843 when it was demolished and the present building erected.

The date of the formation of a Methodist class at Sauquoit is lost in the past;

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but a church was in existence which was much out of repair in 1816. In later years it was largely improved and used as an academy. The present brick church was built in 1842.

The Baptist church at Cassville was organized and sometime between burned and the present substantial edifice erected on the site in 1868. A Presbyterian Society existed at Cassville at one period and built a church in the year following the erection of the old Baptist church. The society passed out of existence.

The Clayville Presbyterian society was organized by nine members who were dismissed from the Sauquoit church for that purpose in 1856. In September, 1858, a subscription was started to collect funds for the building of a church, which resulted in the erection of the present building. The first regular pastor was Rev. M.E. Dunham. The society owns a parsonage.

St. John's Episcopal church, Clayville, was incorporated July 9, 1849, with 21 members. Services had been held about two years previously and funds raised for the building of a handsome brick edifice, which was finished in 1849 at a cost of nearly $20,000. Rev. William Baker, then preaching for St. Paul's church at Paris Hill, preached here in 1847, once each month. The first warden were John Wicks and Ezra Brown. The site for the church was deeded by the Empire Mills Company.

The Methodist Episcopal church at Clayville was organized about 1863, and has continued a prosperous existence since.

St. Patrick's Catholic Church, Clayville, was built in 1864 and dedicated in 1865. The first Catholic pastor who visited the place was Father Patrick Carraher, many years before the building of the church. The church was organized by Rev. Father Coughlin of Clinton, who was succeeded by Father O'Reilly. The parish is large and thriving.

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Information that is found in this collection has been donated to Oneida County, NY GenWeb page by Jane Stevens-Hodge. Copyright©2002
Jane Stevens-Hodge