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Jefferson County history pages
New York History
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THE ORIGINAL SETTLERS.
The settlers at Port Putnam and down the river from that point. previous to the war of 1812, are believed to
have been the persons already named-Putnam, Macombs and Sternberg-Jonathan Cummings, Daniel Spinning, Elnatlian
Judd, Norman Wadworth, John B. Esselstyn. who came in 1803 and was prominent in the town for many years, Eddy Cole,
Caleb Lobdell, Avery Smith and another family of the same name, Mr. Phelps, William Hollenbeck, Charles Gillett,
Orison and Zimri Butterfield, Daniel Nicol, Abner Hubbard,-who never tried to tell as good a story as Barret Hubbard
- Sarnuel Brittain and a Mr. Dodd. As late as 1815 only seven houses could be found on the site of Cape Vincent
village, and for many years the forest was left un- broken from a point just below the corner of William street
to Port Putnam. The settlers generally came in by the state, road and only a single cabin was built on the route
between Chaumont and the St. Lawrence river for at least fifteen years. Sometimes, when the road was bad, it would
take thirteen or fourteen hours to make the journey.. Often it was impassable. This log cabin was occupied by Mr.
Soper and his family, and was a very interpreter's house to the pilgrims coming into the new country. In 1815 a
most beautiful grove of eighteen or twenty elm trees was growing on the beach at the foot of Point street, just
beyond the euphonious "Toad Hole." All that beach has since been washed away. On the lot now owned by
Mr. John Grapotte, and also on the lot of Mrs. Pool, were two famous deer licks. The crack of many a hunter's rifle
was heard in the vicinity of these licks sixty-five years ago. In connection with the names of the first settlers,
the names of those on the site of Cape Vincent village should be given. They were: Holieb Phelps, Richard M. Esselstyn,
John Mathews, Uncle Nash, Eber Kelsey, Dr. Ainsworth of Vermont, Nathan Lake and one Proven whose other name cannot
be recalled. These were here in 1812.
From:
A Historical Sketch
of the town of Cape Vincent
Read at the Centennial Celebration of the town,
July 4, 1876
By Elizur H. Pratt, A. M.
Warren W. Ames Printers, 1876
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Jefferson County Biographies
New York History
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