History of Hammond [St. Lawrence Co., NY]
By Alexander Allen 

THE EARLY DAYS
  When the Revolutionary war closed in 1783 and for thirteen
years afterwards, the British held possession of the only little
settlements and fortifications located in the extreme northern
part of New York, namely: Carlton Island in the St. Lawrence
River and Oswegatchie at the mouth of the Oswegatchie river.
These places were held principally as a rendezvous for their
soldiers coming in Northern New York by the way of the St.
Lawrence river. Although according to a treaty made at the close
of the war, these fortifications were dismantled, yet they still
remained in possession.
  Very little was known about this locality except along the
south side of the river; back of that for hundreds of miles was
one vast wilderness. All this part of the country had not been
conveyed to any one by the British government; therefore it
belonged to the United States and was a part of the state of New
York. The Mohawk Indians, who claimed title to all this land,
surrendered that title to the United States at a treaty held with
them at Albany, but not until March 29th, 1795. But previous to
this, and as early as in 1785 by legislative enactment, the state
of New York had made provision to dispose of the unappropriated
lands of the state to individuals, and accordingly the surveyor-
general was directed to survey off and make a map of two ranges
of townships on the south side of the St. Lawrence River for
sale. These were afterwards known as "The Ten Towns."
  These towns were to be as near as possible ten miles square,
therefore would contain 64,000 acres each, and were to be
subdivided into square mile lots for convenience in selling to
individuals of limited means.
  The front towns included Louisville, Madrid, Lisbon,
Oswegatchie and Hague, now called Morristown, but have since been
divided and subdivided. Two years later they were conditionally
offered for sale at Albany and bid in by individuals, the
principal buyer being Alex. Macomb, hence the term so often used
in your deeds: "Part of Macomb's purchase." Several transfers
were made during the preceeding years and many actual settlers
took up lands, and the ten towns had petitioned to be made a part
of Clinton county, but that would make a great inconvenience in
transacting county business, therefore a further petition was
presented to the legislature on Feb. 8th, 1802, and
signed by nearly every actual settler, asking for the erection of
a new county, which petition was speedily granted, and the act
passed March 3rd, 1802, whereby St Lawrence became the largest
county of the State, almost an empire of itself, more than twice
as large as the state of Rhode Island, and larger also than the
state of Delaware, with the town of Hammond and 5,000 acres
added, it having an area of 2,880 square miles.
  When the county was surveyed and laid out, there was a long,
narrow (and uneven on one side) strip of land on the western side
of the county not named, and which was placed under the
jurisdiction of the town of Oswegatchie, and later, in 1807, when
the town of Russell was organized, it was included in that town.
 By a vote of the freeholders of that town it was released Jan.
1st, 1811, with the intention of being annexed to the town of
Gouverneur, but resulted in the formation of a new town named
Rossie which was organized in 1813.
  A settlement was made in the part of the town which is still
Rossie in 1805, but not a Rossie village until 1810, and the
blast furnace was started in 1813, and put in blast in 1815. Some
histories claim this furnace to be the first one in Northern New
York, but I have been informed that the first furnance built and
operated in New York State was built at Alpine in the town of
Diana, at the outlet of Lake Bonaparte, and was erected by Joseph
Bonaparte, but operated by his son-in-law, Mr. Zebulon Hoel
Benton. The Gazetteer of New York State (1860) gives the date of
the "Alpine" furnace as 1847, and the builders Suchard &
Farvager. A furnace was built in 1833 at Sterlingbush (then
Louisburg) on the outlet of Lake Bonaparte. These are the only
furnaces on record in Lewis county. The building of the iron
works at Rossie led to the opening of an outlet in the St.
Lawrence River, which was done by the construction of a road over
the hills and across Black Creek, through that part of the town
which is now Hammond, there intersecting the military road which
led to Ogdensburg and later on by a shorter route to the river by
going to Chippewa Bay, where Mr. Parish, the owner of the iron
works, had built a wharf and erected a large warehouse in 1817.
  We have referred to land being sold in large quantities to
Alex. Macomb, a merchant of Detroit, Mich., who had passed up and
down the river several times and was enchanted with the beautiful
scenery, which led him to purchase so extensively, nor do we
wonder at it. He had sold quite a large tract to David Ogden and
Ogden in turn sold it, or a part of it, to his brother-in-law
named Abijah Hammond, a merchant prince of New York City, but,
poor man, he never knew what he possessed, for without ever
feasting his eyes on the sight of his northern possession, he
sold 28,871 acres to David Parish in 1814 for a paltry profit of
a few dollars, perhaps never realizing what he had lost.
  The nominal price of land sold by the state in those days was
twelve and one-half cents per acre. The middle man made a profit
and Mr. Parish's established price was five dollars per acre, but
on unusually favorable terms.
  The first actual resident in Hammond is said to have been
William McNiel, who resided in a cave in the sandstone ledge at
Chippewa Bay, quite near to where the warehouse was built. He is
said to have come there previous to 1812. A few settlements had
been made at various places, but the first land contract was made
by Wm. Wiley in 1818 for a piece of land where Hammond village
now stands. Mr. Wiley and McNiel, as well as some others, came
from Vermont, but it is not stated whether they "abandoned" their
farms to emigrate here. Isaiah Wiley, son of Wm. Wiley, was the
first white child born in the town. We know but little of his
history save that he spent nearly all of his life here and died
at a good old age.
  As no one resided here at the time of the war commencing in
1812, it was not the scene of any strife, but the British built a
block house and a small fortification on Chimney Island directly
opposite to Chippewa Bay and about eighty rods from the Canadian
shore. The chimney still remains standing as a monument of that
struggle. The creeks and bays along the shore afforded a hiding
place for a gang of thieves who made incursions into the country
and appropriated to their own use cattle and horses. Nor were
their raids confined to one side of the river, for what they
stole on one side they took to the other side and sold or hid
away. Various stories are related of how thy even seized the
British army's paymaster, and captured the money chest and
secreted the same on Chippewa point or sunk it in the waters of
Chippewa creek. But all these have been thoroughly ventilated in
previous histories.
  The boom to develop and open up this part of the country, which
was planted immediately after the close of the Revolutionary war,
now began to bear fruit at the close of the 1812 war. Mr. Parish
opened a land office at Chippewa and installed Loren Bailey as
his agent, who came to the place July 31st, 1818. During that
same year, several Scotch families whose destination was upper
Canada, and who came by the way of Montreal in sailing vessels
and up the river in Durham boats, had stopped at Prescott to
obtain other means of transportation. There they were intercepted
by Mr. Parish's agent, Joseph Rossel, who offered them strong
inducements to cross the river and go up to Rossie to visit the
Scotch settlement, which they did, but being far more favorably
impressed with his possessions near the river, they accordingly
decided to take up land and form a settlement about one mile west
of Hammond village. Of those who settled there during that year
were Peter Allen, John and David Gregor, John Baird, Wm. Cowin,
John and James Hill; all of these had families except the latter
two. For a temporary residence, until they could build shanties
for their families, they took up their abode in the large
warehouse built by Mr. Parish the year previous.
  Peter Allen selected the farm where John Nicol now resides,
John Gregor the farm directly opposite, and the Hills immediately
adjoining them. David Gregor engaged with Mr. Parish as overseer
in some of his work at Rossie, where he removed his family.
During the following year there were large additions to this
settlement, as well as other settlements being made. Andrew Nicol,
with a large family, James Rodger, Robert Morris, Robert and
Andrew Shiell, and Thomas Dodds, all of the above located on the
Bay Road; also Samuel Webster and Wm. Tappan, from New Hampshire,
located at South Hammond. In 1820 Jonathan King built a tavern at
the Military Road, where his son and later his grandson lived,
and where now lives his great-grandson, Myron King. In the same
year (1820) quite a few families came from Rome, N.Y., to the
southwestern part of the town (Calabogia); of these were Joseph
J. Denner, Ira Taplin, Hazen Taplin, George Martin, and later
Robert Taplin, Henry Smith, Ephriam Wilson, and Abraham, Reuben
and Jonathan Reynolds. The former party came through the
wilderness in carts drawn by oxen, the time consumed in coming
being about six days. It may be interesting to the reader to know
how others came to Hammond.
  The emigrants from Britain crossed the ocean in sailing crafts
by way of Montreal, where they were transferred to Durham boats
to navigate the river. The Durham boats were rudely constructed,
having neither sail or spar, but had an enclosed cabin in which
the emigrant might eat and sleep They were sometimes drawn by
horses, and sometimes were rowed or poled along. Sometimes the
men took a pull at the hawser. As they did not travel by night,
the time usually consumed in making the trip to Ogdensburg, a
distance of 140 miles, was seven days. Thompas Phillips who came
from Trenton, N.Y., in 1819, came on foot. Christopher Phillips
came also from Trenton in 1820 with his wife and one child on
horseback. He was the first blacksmith in town, and his shop
stood where Mr. Stiles' store now stands, and his log house where
the American Hotel was located. There was a small store, and a
tavern and three or four houses comprised the whole. About this
time a few settlements were made across Chippewa Creek at and
near Oak Point, and a bridge was made across the creek. We have
no knowledge of when or by whom this bridge was built. The
settlers were Samuel Morse, Ira Allen, Reuben Allen, and George
Eliott. The latter sold his improvements to a Mr. Cowin, who
opened a store in 1824. There also lived at Oak Point at that
time a Mr. Jones who opened a liquor store. Frederick Thatcher
had a grocery store. Mr. Marvin a general store. Mr. Battel and
Mr. Atwood also came prior to this. In the same year came Abram
Schermerhorn, Mr. Garret and Mr. Hicks, who came from Trenton,
Oneida Co., and drove their own teams, the three teams bringing
all their household effects. Mr. Schermerhorn opened a hotel and
also built a tannery and a shoe shop, also a distillery.
  About this time came also Daniel Schermerhorn, who built and
operated a tannery at Chippewa Bay.
  In the spring of 1826 there moved into North Hammond, and was
perhaps the only one living there who came in that decade, Ethan
R. Hammond, who, with his wife, drove from Plattsburg, N.Y.,
leaving there late in the winter, when there came the spring
break up. They exchangd the sleigh for a wagon, and were nine
days making the trip. Mr. Hammond at once took up a farm and
began clearing. The first winter was spent in a pioneer shanty.
They had no glass in the windows and hung up blankets to keep out
the cold and the storms. Mr. Hammond was born Oct. 5th, 1805, and
is therefore in his one hundredth year. He voted at fifteen
presidential elections, including the last one, at the age of
ninety-nine years. Otis Gardner, who is a native born resident of
the town, is seventy-seven years of age and is living on the same
farm where he was born.
  By an act of the State Legislature passed March 30, 1827, the
town of Hammond was erected and became the twenty-first in number
in the county, ranking the twentieth in population and twenty-
second in area, and containing 35,815 acres. There are also about
160 islands and shoals lying opposite to and under the
jurisdiction of the town.




THE CANDLELIGHT PERIOD.

  The illumination of the pioneer's house began in many places
long before the moulded candle had an existence there. the most
primitive light in use was the pine knot, or the light from the
fire of the burning logs on the fire place grate. Many a favorite
book has been read, many a hard lesson learned, kniting and even
sewing done, and if a few neighbors called in, a friendly chat
was had around the old fire place, lighted only by the blazing
light from the hearth.
  Then came the dip light--a fat deer has been killed and from it
a hard, white tallow, not unlike mutton tallow, but harder even;
perhaps there is more than is required for cooking purposes, so a
portion of it is melted in a small basin, and into it a strip of
cotton cloth which has been dipped into the melted tallow, is
placed over the edge of the dish, and is then ignited. Then by
capillarity it continues to feed itself until the tallow is
exhausted.
  But mankind is a progressive being, so the dipped candle takes
its place. The wick is dipped into the melted tallow and allowed
to cool, then redipped again and again, until a candle has been
formed. For a candlestick a piece of board or a block is
procurred, an augur hole is bored into one side, the candle is
inserted and is ready for use. But man is an inventive creature
also, and a candle mould has been invented, and the neighborhood,
perhaps five or six in number, join together and buy a candle
mould, which will mould three, six or twelve candles at once.
  Beef tallow is now quite plentiful, or even the family can
afford to kill a sheep, and from it procure a quantity of tallow,
so a quantity of candles are moulded and the moulds are then
passed to some other joint owner in the settlement, and the same
process is there gone through.
  The family can now afford metal candlesticks, and with many,
fancy brass ones were brought from the old country and are now
brought into use. Another essential article is a pair of
snuffers, and the candle light period is now at zenith. 
  With the best regulated families the whale oil lamp is brought
into use, in which wick is used but no chimney or globe is
necessary.
  Later came the camphene lamp, in which the article used is
nothing more or less than a rectified spirits of turpentine, and
it was used more in stores and public places.
  Petroleum was discovered and first used for lighting in 1859,
but was not brought into general use in our town until about
1863, when a common, tin, one gallon can, filled with refined
petroleum or kerosene oil, could be obtained for one dollar and
fifty cents.
  The same outfit today can be procured at a country store for
from twenty-five to thirty-five cents. An improvement on the
above now used in our homes is acetylene gas.
  



THE SETTLEMENT OF THE TOWN.

  The year 1830 began a new era in the history of the town. The
first census being taken showed a population of 767 and in the
following five years no other town in the county showed such a
gain. The state census for 1835 reported a population of 1327 or
a gain of seventy-three per cent. Some towns decreased;
Gouverneur increased 16 per cent and Rossie gained five in number
only. It was during those five years that so many Scotch
emigrants came, besides more from Vermont and a great many more
from Trenton, though Isaac Forester, Benjamin Soper and Sidney
Soper with their families all came from Canada. From Scotland
there came William Rodger and a family of eight sons, four
daughters and one son-in-law. The Brodie family, James W. Hoag
and brothers, Mr. Cuthbert, Sr., and family, William Smith, wife,
three daughters and three sons-in-law, three sons and their wives
and children also came. The sons were William, Robert and John.
The Smith family settled in the northern part of the town and
each son had three sons named respectively: William, Robert and
John. Robert, however, had five sons, and they afterwards removed
to Morristown. The three sons of the elder Smith, as well as
himself, were all tradesmen of no mean order, having served their
apprenticeship in Scotland.
  The old people took up a home and lived in a log house standing
midway between John A. Taylor's and James Leadingham's farm
houses, where he did undertaking, furniture and other carpenter
work, and perhaps no man ever came into town who added so much to
the material comfort of the early settler as he. Scarcely a house
in the whole town was without either chairs, tables, beds, a
wooden clock, spinning wheel, flax-wheel or a reel, or farming
implements for out-of-door use and to this day many of these may
be found and in use, although Mr. Smith has been dead for upward
of sixty-five years.
  During this decade came the Canadian Rebellion in 1836, but
none of our town's people took any part. The loyal people of
Canada were worked up to a high pitch against the American people
and made many threats. At one time during a religious service in
the Bay road schoolhouse, a man rushed in to the house and
reported that an armed band were crossing the river to attack our
people and burn their homes; the result was the meeting was
broken up and the people dispersed to their homes by the false
report.
  One young man who was sent on an errand to Hammond was accosted
by a couple of recruiting officers for the Patriot Army and
induced to enlist. Without consulting his parents he decided to
go at once lest they should object. The officers left him by the
fireside at the hotel while they went to dinner and he being
hungry this angered him so much that, on serious reflection, he
concluded to arise and go to his father which he accordingly did.
During the Civil war the same "boy" served nearly three years in
the Union Army. It was during this decade that so many stone
houses were erected, yet Thomas Dodds built the first one in
1820. It has since been remodelled but it stands today and is
occupied by his great grandson; four generations occupy it.
  During the period alluded to forty dwellings, one church and
seven school houses were constructed of sandstone, some of them
have served their day and are replaced by wooden structures.
  In 1840 the census report showed a population of 1845, or a
gain of over 240 per cent in ten years, and during the next ten
years each had been quietly attending to his own affairs,
clearing the forests to make more fields and clearing the older
fields of decaying hard wood stumps, to be ready for the coming
mowing machine. During all that period all the farm work was done
by hand. It was no uncommon sight to see eight or ten men in the
hay field, in tandem, keeping stroke as they swung their scythes
through the heavy grass.
  The grain was cut with cradles and one good man could rake and
bind and keep up with a cradler.
  The Mormon excitement occurred during this period, when a few
of our people were proselyted to that faith and joined the others
on their journey to Nauvoo, Ill. One old man and his wife, also
one young man and his sister were among the converts. The old
gentleman died there, and later the widow returned to her home
and kindred. The young man and sister went on to Salt Lake City
where he became a latter-day saint and apostle, and married
eleven wives. The sister secured a one-sixth interest in a
husband and they both spent their remaining days in Utah.
  With 1850 came the mowing machine. A.P. Morse brought the first
one into town, the "Ketchum," a one wheel, side-draft, combined
so as to reap by affixing a large wooden rim around the driving
wheel, thus raising the cutter-bar high enough to cut the grain.
The following year two "Manny" combined mowers and reapers and in
1852 thee was added fifty-seven more of the same. Later came the
two-wheeled mower and the old Manny was dubbed the "Horse
Killer," although it served its day well and saved a great deal
of labor in cutting the immense fields of wheat produced during
the fifties.
  It would be impossible to give the acreage, but forty bushels
per acre was accountd a fair yield, and in one instance eighty
bushels were produced from an acre.
  From 1850 to 1860 there was added to the population of the town
149 when it reached high tide mark and began to wane. The Civil
war coming on a good many enlisted, some began to move away
because new and improved farming tools did not require so much
farm help.
  The self rake attachment where by an automatic attachment the
bunch of grain sufficient for a bundle ready for the man to bind
was thrown off was a saving of one man for every reaper in town.
Then later came the binder, the improved horse rake, the hay
fork, all of these silently warned the laborer that his services
were no longer required. About one man out of twelve inhabitants
enlisted in the "war for the Union," or 162 men. Of these about
twenty gave up their lives for the cause; one died in
Andersonville rebel prison, two were killed in battle, some died
of their wounds, and perhaps one-half died of disease.
  At home, the people although busy with avocations, were not
indifferent to the calls for men and money to prosecute the war.
Rather than allow more drafts to be made on our people, money was
freely subscribed and one thousand dollars bounty offered to
volunteers.
  Two drafts had already been made, some were allowed to enlist
and many who could not be spared commuted; others sent
substitutes. At the close of the war the census returns showed a
population of 1819, or a loss of 149 in five years, and in 1870
it fell to 1757, or nearly one hundred less than there was in
1840; but the people took on new energy and went on with their
work. Then the prospects were good for a railroad to run through
the town to Ogdensburg and an effort was made to bond the town to
aid in its construction. It required a majority of the free
holders. The effort was made and barely succeeded, but strong
resistance was offered by the "anti-bonders" who did not want to
mortgate their farms to benefit a corporation and they also
declared that the railroad was a foregone conclusion and would be
completed without the town's aid. The bonding party held the fort
and commissioners were appointed who were authorized to execute
bonds for sixty thousand dollars payable in thirty years with
interest payable semi-annually at seven per cent, for which the
town was to receive a like amount of stock in the railroad. The
anti-bonders secured an injunciton on the proceedings of the
commissioners, proving that they had proceeded illegally; when
the other party went before the legislature and secured an act
legalizing the illegal acts of the R.R. commissioners of the
town, thus carrying the day, and at the first meeting of the
board of supervisors a tax of four thousand two hundred dollars
for interest on the bonds and one thousand dollars as a sinking
fund were levied on the town. It seemed like a great burden on
the people for about that time or soon afterwards the legal rate
of interest was reduced to six per cent.
  At the first collection of taxes some even refused to pay their
tax until their chattels were levied upon. And at the first annual
town meeting, like one or two former ones, town politics ran up
to fever heat; two candidates for supervisor were in the field;
after a hard day's fight the board announced that there was no
choice, the vote being a tie; therefore, another town meeting was
called and it is said that every man over twenty-one years of age
and a few under that age residing in town voted that day. The
vote resulted in sustaining the present incumbent, who had
allowed the tax to be made against the town, by a very small
majority, thus settling the question for all time.
  After the road was completed to Ogdensburg the railroad bonds
were placed on the market and found ready sale at par, and with
the money received the bonds were redeemed, the great burden of
tax was thrown off and the people were again happy; new life was
instilled and a market for all our produce was brought to our
door.
  Shortly after this debt was discharged the people by a vote of
the taxpayers incurred a dept of $3,500 to erect a Town Hall
which is quite an ornament to the town. The debt for the above
has since been liquidated.



POSTOFFICES AND MAIL SERVICE.

  The first postoffice established in town was at Hammond village
in 182-, and Arnold Smith was postmaster. His salary the first
year was $15.90. Prior to that date, letters were usually
directed to Ogdensburg in the care of Joseph Rossel, or to
Morristown, and from there were forwarded by chance or a
messenger dispatched for the purpose. The old time letter was
written on a large, unruled sheet of paper, very much like the
old foolscap, or school-cap paper, and written on three pages,
then neatly folded so that the writing was all enclosed and the
address placed on the back or unwritten page, hence the use of
the term or request "Will you back my letter." The letter was
then sealed with a wafer or with colored sealing wax. A box of
colored wafers was an indispensable article beside the old gray
goose quill pen and the bottle of homemade ink. No envelopes were
used until about 1837, no postage stamps until 1847 to 1850. And
so late as the 50's ink made from soft maple bark with a small
piece of cupperas, was used in the common schools, and to that
date it was a part of the teacher's duty to sharpen the quill pen
and set the copy, and sometimes to rule the unlined paper in the
copy-book.
  The postage on early letters to foreign countries was fifty
cents, and on domestic letters as high as twenty-five cents, but
the cost was regulated by the distance sent. Within my
recollection, ten cents was charged on a letter to California or
the Pacific coast, and twenty-five cents to Britain or other
foreign countries, and ten cents to Canada. A letter coming from
Canada was often paid in part and postage due collected on
delivery from six to ten cents.
  The records of mail carrying prior to 1836 are incomplete on
account of being destroyed by fire. But the first route we know
of was from Jan. 1, 1829 to Jan. 1, 1833, from Denmark, Lewis
Co., by Carthage, Wilna, Antwerp, Rossie, Hammond to Ogdensburg,
62.50 miles, contractors Parker and Sherwood of Utica, paying
$4,748.60 per annum.
  Later than this the mail was carried by Theresa and South
Hammond, Hammond to Ogdensburg, three times a week. In 1837 the
mail service required only one round trip a week from Theresa to
Hammond.
  Back in the 50's the old four horse coach was used and the line
was owned by Mr. Reuben Nott of Somerville, sheriff of the county
in 1853-5.
  When the stage came within one-fourth of a mile from the
postoffice a horn was blown to announce its coming, the mail bag
was hurriedly carried in and the contents of the pouch were
emptied on the floor, and the Hammond mail sorted out, then the
balance together with the outgoing mail were replaced in the bag
without delay and carried to the stage.
  Usually a good many passengers and some freight was carried,
sometimes crowded; but like all stages there was always room for
one more.
  A postoffice was established at South Hammond in 1833 with
Jonathan King, P.M., and one at Oak Point in 1840. Both of these
were afterwards discontinued. At North Hammond in 1861 by Asa T.
Barber, P.M.--these offices were supplied by a carrier from
Hammond who usually made the trip on foot twice a week.
  The postoffice at Chippewa Bay was established in 1880 with
Alex. Allen, P.M., with three mails per week.
  Soon afterwards the Oak Point, No. Hammond and Chippewa route
was consolidated into one, and still later it became a daily mail
route. Mr. Allen held the office for 13 years, when W. Backus the
present incumbent took the office. The office at Hammond has been
held by Henry Butrick, Abel P. Morse, Peter McCrady, Orange G.
Waldo, David Moyer, Alida Sherman Palmer, E.S. Ketchum, Benjamin
Franklin and Daniel D. Moyer.
  For several years two daily stages were placed on the
Ogdensburg and Antwerp line, running alternately in opposite
directions, but not until 1876 was the office supplied by
railraod, and then only one mail from the east and one from the
west each day.
  The stage route was then changed to run between Hammond and
Gouverneur, supplying the intermediate villages. 
  In 1899 a rural free deliery route from the Hammond office was
established, supplying the Bay Road, Chippewa Bay and triangular
road, each morning, and in the afternoon to Pleasant valley River
road, Oak Point and North Hammond, the office at Oak Point and
No. Hammond being discontinued, but he office at Chippewa was
retained on account of a large mail to the islanders and
cottagers at the river. There is a postoffice at South Hammond,
Mrs. Anna F. Billings is P.M.


ROADS AND BRIDGES.

  Compared with adjoining towns the expense for bridge
construction and maintenance has been very light, there being but
two bridges of any size; one across Black creek leading to
Rossie, and one over Chippewa creek to North Hammond. The latter
bridge was first built in 1851 by James S. More and Robert Welsh.
It was since rebuilt above water, and later an iron structure,
built about 1890, has taken its place. Several years ago the
bridge across Black creek was rebuilt and a long bridge, which
ran across the marsh bordering the creek was removed, and an
attempt made to fill in with stone and refuse from the quarries.
The town sunk a large quantity of stone (and also of meoney) and
every spring for a few years found an excellent place for a ferry
from the end of the bridge to the high land. It was finally
remedied by laying down trees and long logs crosswise of the road
and placing the stone thereon. About twelve years ago the town
procurred a stone crusher, and that being brought into use
freely, backed up a large quantity of stone which had accumulated
at the numerous quarries and in fence corners, together with a
liberal town appropriation, and the commutation of the highway
tax instead of statute labor, very great improvement has been
made on the highways of the town.
  A special town meeting was very recently held at the polling
place, to vote on an appropriation of $1,300 to procure a new
stone crusher and outfit. The appropriation was carried by a
majority of 34 votes, so that new and much needed improvements
will soon be the order of the day.


FINANCIAL CONDITION OF THE TOWN.

  The assessed valuation of the town is $832,900 and the town is
practically out of debt.
  Considering the fact that the town, only a few years ago, built
a fine town hall at an expense of $3,500, and also later
appropriated quite a large sum for highway purposes, all of which
have since been liquidated, goes to show that Hammond is in a
prosperous condition.
  

THE PRESS.

  Our town can boast that we have a newspaper published within
our borders, the Hammond Advertiser, which was first printed in
1886 on a job press, one page at a time. It has four pages, 11 by
16 inches.
  David Moyer was the founder and the editor; and Wm. B. Burton
was the foreman. At the end of the second year Mr. Burton
purchased the outfit and became the editor, manager, foreman,
devil and mailing clerk. He discarded the job press and purchased
a Washington Hand Press and enlarged the paper to a six column
folio. The hand press did service for five years, when he
purchased an up-to-date cylinder press and engine. The paper is
now being printed on the same press, but has been reduced to a
four page paper, and the press is driven by the latest make of
gasoline engine. The plant is valued at about $5,000.
  The circulation is rated in Roswell's Newspaper Directory as
less than one thousand, but it extends into nearly every state in
the Union and many Canadian points.
  Although the paper has been in existence for upwards of
nineteen years, Mr. Burton and some members of his family have
done the entire work and have never missed an issue, except
during the winter of 1902, when he suffered from a severe illness
and the office was closed. The "Advertiser" has outgrown its
quarters four times. The paper is republican in politics, but
quite independent, and is the organ of any party or creed who
wish to express their views on any subject in a reasonable
manner. Its size often makes it a subject of ridicule compared
with the immense sheets now offered at the same price, but it is
the home paper and is gladly welcomed as a friendly visitor by
those who have removed to distant places, and its discontinuance
would be a severe loss to the village and the town. But the
little village paper is a success and not an experiment.


HAMMOND VILLAGE.

  The Village of Hammond was incorporated Aug. 29, 191-, (the date
the election was held). The officers were: W.T. Stiles,
President; W.D. Evans and Fred Mayer, Trustees; Byron A. Evans,
Treasurer; C.C. Forester, Clerk. The present offices, C.C.
Forrester, President; Fred Mayer and D.E. Eustis, Trustees; W.T.
Stiles, Treasurer; A.M. Stiles, Clerk. The census in 1901 was
339. Present census, 400. The valuation $110,000. The Evans Mfg.
Co. and the Wm. Soper Mfg. Co. have small dynamos which they
light their plants with. Mr. Soper lights two stores with his
electric machine, W.T. Stiles and J.T. Rodger. The other stores
and hotel are lighted with acetylene gas. 
  The following are the merchants of the village in 1905:
  W.T. Stiles, Brown Bros., hardware; C.C. Forrester, dry goods;
J.T. Rodger, clothing; W.R. Wilson, I. Franklin, W.J. Ireton &
Co., grocers; W.D. Evans, harnesses, carriages, furniture and
farm implements; A.E. Woodside, boots, shoes and harnesses; E.J.
Murphy, boots and shoes; Geo. H. Wyllie, druggist and jeweler;
Lena Dygert, Mrs. Woodsworth, milliners; Fred Mayer, Wm. Gibson,
blacksmiths; James Scanlon and D.G. Bacon, barbers; Guy Taylor,
meat market; R. Evans, flour and feed; Donald Bros., undertakers;
D.D. Moyer, postmaster; H.K. Kerr and Geo. H. Rodger physicians;
W.B. Burton, editor Hammond Advertiser. Secret societies:
Independent Order of Foresters, established in 1890, Court
Hammond, No. 545, membership now 137; Comp. Court Rhesa No. 80,
membership 45; Modern Woodmen of America, established 1903, Camp
Hammond, No. 11156, membership 52; Knights of Macabees,
established 1904, Tent No. --; Independent order of Odd Fellows,
established 1904, Hammond Lodge, No. 9, membership 100. Rebekas
have been granted a charter and organize this month. Eastern Star
has been organized (1904) and prospects are that we will soon
have a Masonic Lodge.
  Mr. Stiles has established a telephone line in village and
town. Many of the farms have taken advantage of it and some of
our merchants can talk with the farms five miles out.
  We also have the Central New York Telephone and Telegraph Co.
line, Great North Western Telegraph Co., New England Telegraph
Co., Citizen's Telegraph Co., American Telegraph and Telephone
Co. The Citiens Line Telegraph was organized and put up from
Chippewa Bay to Hammond, three miles, in 1890, at an expense of
$400, which was subscribed for at five dollars per share. A good
share of the amount was taken by laboring men who worked out
their interest in the same. Although a small affair it paid a
good dividend to its owners and is the same lien mentioned above.


SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION. 

  The first school house erected in town was during the year 1819
on the Bay road, and in the following winter a school was taught
by Dr. James Scott of Lisbon. Later, seeral log school houses
were built in various sections of the town. And during the stone-
house period seven substantial and commodious ones were built,
two of which after serving their day and generation, were torn
down and replaced by modern wooden structures. The old "Block
school house" a small structure which stood on the Silas Robinson
farm very near where the cheese factory is now located, was used
for school purposes until 1852. It remained there for a long time
afterwards, as if all were loath to destroy the "Alma Mater" of
so many of our towns people.
  The town now has thirteen districts, the Hammond Union Free
School (Number 1) being under the management of the State
Regents, and has four departments taught by four teachers of whom
Mr. Lewis is principal.
  The town received $2,000 this year from the State and has a
surplus of $500 on hand from the School and Gospel fund.


THE CHURCHES.

  Although the Methodists had held services at an early date, no
church was organized until 1832. In 1835 a church was built near
Hammond village which served their use until 1873 when the
present church was erected at a cost of $7,000. Their present
pastor is Rev. Mr. Andrews.
  The Universalist church was organized in 1870 and a church
edifice erected the same year. The first pastor was Rev. D.L.R.
Libby. At present only occasional services are held.
  An effort is being made to establish a Roman Catholic church.
Mrs. Kate Donald has presented the society with a church site.
  The First Presbyterian church of Hammond was organized April
1st, 1821, and was named The First Union Pres. Society of Rossie.
Rev. James Sanford of OxBow was pastor. The first members were
Peter Allen, James Rodger, John Hill, Thomas Dodds, John Mercer,
David Gregor, James Hill, Robert Sheill, John Gregor, Alpheus
Talcott, John Baird, Agnes Baird, Janet Stewart Allen, Margaret
Rodger, Janet Dodds, Helen Sheill, Janett Allen Gregor, Patty
Talcott, Mary Gregor, 19 in number. The elders were James Rodger,
David Gregor, John Hill. There was added also James Hill, Alpheus
Talcott. The trustees were Loren Bailey, Thomas Dodds, Nathaniel
Ives. Rev. James Rodgers, who was also one of the elders, was the
first pastor. He was licensed by the Presbytery of Ogdensburg
March 6th, 1823, and served as pastor for six years.
  Rev. John M. McGregor, who came from Scotland in 1830, was soon
afterwards licensed as pastor and served as such until 1852.
During the same year Rev. James Gardner, D.D., who was a teacher
in the St. Lawrence Academy of Potsdam, succeeded him and served
as pastor until 1869.
  Rev. Harry B. Swift, of Indiana, and Rev. Andrew Milne,
formerly of Canada, each served the church for one year.
  Rev. Daniel A. Ferguson, D.D., the present pastor, was
installed June 16th, 1875, and his thirtieth anniversay has just
been celebrated by the church.
  Church service was first held in the barn of Thos. Dodds,
afterwards in the school house at Chippewa Bay and at private
houses around town. In 1833 a movement was made to build what was
afterwards known as the Stone Church, which was completed and
dedicated in 1838 and during the pastorate of Rev. J.M. McGregor.
In 1871 the church building was torn down and the present
structure built, and was dedicated Jan. 17, 1872. It has since
been refitted inside and a handsome organ worth $1,800 placed in
it. With the parsonage built in 1876, the entire property is
valued at $14,000.
  There was added to the church membership during the pastorates
of Rev. James Rodger 20 members; John M. McGregor, 128; James
Gardner, 166; D.A. Ferguson, 392. The church now reports 276
membes with 45 on her Absentee and Inactive Roll. 
  All the pastors who have served the church are now deceased
with the exception of the Rev. James Rodger, Farmington, Minn.,
and the present pastor. When Mr. Ferguson preached his
anniversary sermon lately he said that he had baptised on an
average of six infants a year, and that on an average eleven
persons had been received on confession of faith each year. Of
the 392 persons received into the church only 55 were received
from other churches. Of the 312 persons on the active and
inactive list only 44 were members thirty years ago. He has
officiated at 214 weddings and 311 funerals and has preached 
upwards of 3,500 sermons.
  The church has sent out into the ministry: Rev. James G.
Rodger, Ph.D., Ocean Beach, Cal.; Rev. James F. Brodie, D.D.,
Fish Univ., Nashville, Tenn.; John Leadingham, Theological School
at Honolulu, Sandwich Islands; Rev. Thomas C. Miller, of New York
City; Rev. Alex. Wouters, Memorial Church, Syracuse, N.Y.; Albert
L. Evans in Auburn Theological Seminary. The church has also been
a large contributor to the working force of churches in different
portions of our land. The Ladies Foreign Missionary Society
connected with the church has contributed over $2,000 in 28
years. The Ladies Home Missionary Society $1,300 in 24 years. The
Ladies Improvement Society $1,500 in 13 years.
  The growth of the church has been continous and healthful. The
number of families represented in it has nearly doubled in twenty
years, thus showing its growing influence. Mr. Ferguson is Stated
Clerk of the Presbytery of St. Lawrence, and Permanent Clerk of
the Synod of New York, both responsibile positions which require
a mailing list of correspondents of from six to seven hundred
letters per year besides printed circulars. He has not been
absent a single Sabbath on account of illness in all those thirty
years and but few on vacation except in 1895 he took an extended
trip to the British Isles. Thirty years ago the church gave for
benevolent objects $101. Last year it gave $659. During the
thirty years it gave $11,350 for benevolence and $34,967 for
local support.


THE CEMETERIES.

  There are several burying places in the town, the oldest
perhaps, being the Hammond church ground located by custom near
the Presbyterian church. This ground is filled, however, and not
used, but is kept up and neatly fenced at the expense of the
town. The Rarick ground was opened in 1829 and contains upwards
of eight hundred graves. It is located at South Hammond. The
Butrick ground is near the railroad track and Hammond village on
the farm once owned by Sylvester Butrick, and is beautifully
located. A little cemetery and church lot was given to the village
of Oak Point years ago by George Eliott, a merchant of that
place. There are several graves in that ground, but when it
failed to be kept in proper order, the remains of many were
removed to other grounds. The Pheasant Valley cemetery was opened
in 1839. Previous to that date a man named Ripley took up a piece
of land that is now a part of Robert R. Wilson's farm, and began
a clearing on top of the hill. One day when he had gone to the
woods his wife took her little son and climbed the hill to where
the father was at work, guided by the sound of the blows made by
the ax. She went through the woods until within sight of him when
the little lad in great glee ran from his mother toward his
father, just as a tree was toppling to fall. The mother called to
the child but he being ignorant of the danger, rushed on. And
there the parents stood as if riveted to the spot, compelled to
witness the life crushed out of their little one midway between
them. They having no burial lot it was arranged to make his grave
on a gravelly piece of land near the roadside out far from their
home. This was the first grave made at what is now Pleasant
Valley. In the early fifties the writer knew every grave in the
lot. Today there are upwards of three hundred graves. There are
several private grounds and many are buried outside of the town.


ACCIDENTS.

  The first fatal accident recorded in the history of the town
was the falling of a tree that killed Wm. Cowin, one of the early
pioneers. Mr. Parish with his usual generosity, paid the fare of
his widow to the old country.
  A little son of Andrew Nicol was drowned in Chippewa creek,
while on an errand up the creek where his father was at work. He
was not missed until his father returned at night.
  Robert Jepson was drowned while crossing Crooked creek on the
ice in 1857.
  In the winter of 1854 Joseph, son of Robert Riddell, while
cutting down a tree with his father, was struck by a small piece
of the dead top of the tree and instantly killed. The accident
occurred just over the line, and only a few feet from where the
Ripley child was killed.
  In 1863 Boone Hicks, a stranger who was visiting in town, was
drowned while crossing Chippewa creek on the ice.
  A boat load of people while crossing the river from Oak island
to Canada, in attempting to change seats, capsized the boat and
two or three were drowned. One woman clung to the boat several
hours until insensible, and was finally rescued.
  The steamer Buckeye while passing up the river and not far from
the American shore, struck a rock or shoal during the night of
September 16, 1865, and sunk in a few moments. The boat had on
board 20 passengers besides a crew of about thirty. Three women
passengers were drowned. The remaining passengers and crew all
safely got into three or four life boats and went ashore. The
boat was afterward raised and repaired.
  Along this line it is worthy of mentioning the absence of
drowning accidents and collisions among the many pleasure boats
on the St. Lawrence River. There have been several accidents on
the railroad to town's people employed in railroad service.
Robert Jepson, William Bowen and Henry Delong, all young men and
acting as freight brakesmen, were instantly killed at different
times, and a Mr. Grant had the misfortune to lose both arms by
falling under a train in motion.


TRANSPORTATION.

  The facilities for shipping produce out of town and bringing
merchandise in, before the railroad entered our town, were not of
the best. Several commodious steamers stopped at Oak Point and
conveyed passengers to and fro, during the summer months, but
this manner of transporting hay, grain and lumber was too
expensive. About 1850 Robert Allen constructed at his own home,
now Allen's Park, the sloop Industry, which ran in connection
with the new railroad just built to Ogdensburg, carrying freight
to the upper ports of the river. Large quantities of lumber were
made and hauled to Chippewa Bay for shipment. James Denner
purchased two small schooners for freighting purposes. The "Mary"
of 130 tons burden, was built at Sackets Harbor, and the S.P.
Johnson of 150 tons. They plied between Lake Ontario ports and
Ogdensburg in the lumber, grain, and salt trade, for several
years. The Johnson finally went ashore near Big Sodus, the owner
sold the wreck which was rebuilt and taken to Lake Erie. The
schooner Mary sailed out of Oswego during the fall of 1861 with a
cargo of coal, crossing the lake and while at anchor in Picton
Bay, Ont., during the night was run into and sunk and all on
board were drowned, or at least never heard from. Her topmast can
still be seen in a clear day near the surface of the water.
  Mr. Denner later purchased two larger sailing craft, the
schooners Volunteer and Billow, which sailed the lake and river
during and later than "war time," and were profitable property
but proved unfortunate to the owner. The Volunteer went ashore in
Mexico Bay in 1869 laden with fruit and all on board were
drowned.
  During the seventies this class of vessels was superceded by
steam barges which carried larger cargoes and were not hindered
by adverse winds, and the railroad then running into our town
took large quantities of freight formerly carried by water. Some
smaller steamers were put on both as freight and passenger
carriers. The steamer John Harris, a new boat built for Morristown
parties, was put on the river in 1874, and the same year the
Stranger from Alexandria Bay to Ogdensburg, made daily trips
touching both at Chippewa Bay and Oak Point, and were both
successful. Later the Cygnet owned by parties in town, and the
Guide owned and run by Capt. Frank Dana, were put on the line,
but both proved "too slow" for this age and were sold. Capt. Dana
purchased the Massena, which proved to be a staunch craft and
profitable to the owner.
  Capt. Dana was a resident of the town but removed to Alexandria
Bay, the terminus of his route. The Massena was burned at the
dock at Ogdensburg in 1903, after which he purchased the
Riverside, which is still on the old route. Capt. Dana died
during the present year, but the boat is still owned by his
family. 
  Most of the exports of the town now find a way to market by
rail, except cheese, which finds a ready market at Brookville,
Ontario, from thence by boat to Montreal, where it is shipped to
England after being branded as Canadian goods. Not that the brand
is superior but that the English markets discriminate in favor of
our neighbor's product. 


POLITICAL ASPIRATIONS.

  If any of our town's people ever had any political aspirations
their ambitions have certainly never been gratified farther than
to represent their own town at the county seat, except that
Sylvester Butrick represented the Assembly district as a member
of that body at Albany in 1833 and 1834.
  Our aged townsman M.L. Laughlin was elected School Commissioner
for the First Commissioner District in 1860 and held the office
for four terms of three years each. While he held the position he
brought the condition of the charge of its own schools and worked
independently of others. Teachers' associations were not known so
there was a lack of system. Mr. Laughlin with his colleagues did
much to establish a needed uniformity in school books, and to
bring the teachers together to discuss methods of teaching. 


MANUFACTURERS.

  The first machine shop or manufactory of any kind in town was
carried on by John Taplin who came to town in 1830 and resided
where W.S. Cuthbert now lives. He was the inventor and maker of a
sweep horse power for threshing and sawing purposes.
  Later than this Robert Sheill, one of the pioneers of 1818, at
his farm began the manufacture of "The Highland Mary" plow, wheel
horse raker, butter workers, and other farm implements, which met
with ready sale.
  There are five cheese factories engaged during the summer
months making English cheese which finds a ready sale in
Brockville and also in New York markets.
  The Wm. Soper Manufacturing Co. are engaged in the manufacture
of all kinds of lumber, shinges, sash, doors and planing and
custom grinding of provinder. They also have an electric light
plant by which they generate light for their own establishment
and light several stores in the village.


EXPORTS AND OTHER RESOURCES.

  When the pioneers first found their way to town and had
provided themselves with houses to shelter themselves, they found
an abundance of fish and game for subsistence, but the surplus if
any did not find a market whereby they could procure money with
which to meet incidental and necessary expenses such as taxes,
postage, doctor bills, etc. The first commodity that brought the
ready cash was Black Salts, which was simply a concentrated lye,
and found ready sale at from three and one-half to four cents a
pound at the stores in town, but more often was sent to
Brockville. But finally there was a glut in the market and other
means had to be resorted to. Then came a demand for oak pipe
staves which were riven out of red oak logs cut five feet in
length. These had a cash value on the river shore and were
shipped by boat down the river to Montreal thence to the West
Indies. At nearly every hamlet or village where there was a
store, an ashery was erected for the manufacture of potash, which
differed from black salts in being prepared by leaching lime and
ashes. The ashes were bought by the merchant who generally owned
the ashery and paid for in "store pay." They were formerly
delivered at the ashery but later the merchant sent a team around
to gather the article which then had a cash and a trade price:
ten and twelve cents per bushel.
  Fall wheat found a ready market later and steers and other
young cattle two and three years of age were bought by dealers
and taken away in droves, the wintering of which would require
twice the sum today that the seller procured at the time for the
stock sold.
  In certain portions of the town especially in the valley of
Chippewa creek and a narrow strip of about forty rods on the
lodge on the north side of the creek was an immense pine forest
of large sized trees, also through all the broken and hill
portions of the town. The most of the lumber was sawed up at
home, but a quantity of it was shipped or rafted whole to be used
as spars of vessels which required the soundest and straightest
trees. Many of these trees were of immense size as the old stumps
standing today will testify, measuring five and six feet across.
Some of these stumps have stood the test of time for seventy-five
years.
  And yet these trees sold at a very low price and the
manufactured lumber at home sold for five and six dollars per
thousand. During the 1830-1840 period cord wood began to be a
salable article commanding seventy-five cents per cord on the
bank; then rising in price step by step until during the Civil
war it brought in 184 $5.00 per cord. at nearly every available
place on the river shore wood docks were erected where steamers
could "wood up," taking on from twenty to seventy-five cords at
one loading. The old time tugs of Calvin and Breck, which towed
the great rafts of logs covering acres of the river, would often
clean out a dock and the surrounding yard until they resembled a
floating island.
  In later years the N.T. boats used immense quantities of wood
from our town until bituminous coal came into use. Charles Lyon
owned nearly all the land lying between Chippeway Bay and the
county line a tract of twelve hundred acres. At one time he lost
one thousand cords of steamboat wood by a forest fire.
  Later, dairying began to be one of the chief industries, the
farmer packed away the summer make of butter in large tubs or
fickins; then usually buyers came around and bought it up. In the
fall of 1861 it brought from nine to twelve and one-half cents
per pound.
  Prior to the war wheat was one of the staples; afterwards
barley was a salable commodity. Not until about 1870 was any
cheese made in factories although several farmers made dairy
cheese which commanded a fair price wehn properly made. Since
1870 the dairy interests have received greater attention and the
greater quantity of milk is manufactured into cheese. For a few
years past the winter milk is sold at the milk station and finds
a market in New York city. So that winter dairying is receiving
more attention than formerly. And from the above date hay is one
of the chief exports. The same attention is not given to the sale
of dressed hogs as formerly; but the farmer finds it less labor
to sell by live weight. Other staple products of the farm are
veal calves and fat cattle and lambs. Poultry receives its share
of attention. All of these articles find ready buyers at home or
he may ship it to the cities and take his chances of securing a
better price.
  Immense quantities of hay are also shipped out of town each
year, being bought up principally by local dealers.

[Entered as a data file for O*C Genealogy BBS, July 1, 1993.-LRB.]