Town Histories Adams Alexandria Antwerp Brownville Cape Vincent Champion Ellisburgh Henderson Houndsfield Le Ray Lyme Lorraine Orleans Philadelphia Rodman Rutland Theresa Watertown Wilna Worth Incorporation. -Sackets Harbor is the oldest incorporated village in the county. The creating act by which it was brought into municipal existence was passed April 15, 1814. Its territory comprised great lot No. 22 and the west half of No. 54; suhdivisi6n lots Nos. 1 and 2 in great lot No. 52 and a narrow strip off the north side of No. 23, of Hounsfield. By an act passed April iS, 1831, all that part of the village north and east of Mill creek was restored to the town. Unfortunately, in Sackets Harbor the village records have been imperfectly kept and not carefully preserved, hence much which might be of historic interest has thus been lost. The fire department, which has been one of the enduring institutions of the village, had its inception in the primitive bucket brigade which was formed soon after the war of 1812. The village trustees subse. quently resumed authority over the company, and in Nov., 1817, ordered all persons who had not furnished themselves with stout leathern fire buckets to provide the same immediately. The old apparatus served the requirements of the time, and at length gave way to more modern equipment. In 1843 a disastrous fire occurred, after which a hand engine was secured. From these beginnings the present department has grown, but the absence of reliable record prevents better detail to our statements. In 1889 the trustees purchased a good Clapp & Jones steamer, which, with the hose cart and the old brake engine, comprise the present department apparatus. A mention of the fire department naturally suggests an allusion to some of the more disastrous fires which have visited the village in the past. The first fire of serious consequence was that which accompanied the battle of May 29, 1813, in the burning of the military storehouse with the captures of York. This, however, was not an accidental nor incendiary fire, but was started to prevent recapture of the stores by the British. May 23, 1838, Colonel Camp's paper mill was burned; loss from $7,000 to $10,000. August 21, 1843, a fire originated in a storehouse on the wharf and caused the destruction of nine buildings on the north, and eight on the south side of Main street, besides many other structures to the total number of about forty. In the fall of 1851 the Ontario house, barns and several stores on Main street were burned. Six weeks later Buck & Bert's large general store was burned, together with nearly half the square on which it was located. During the next thirty years the village was occasionally visited with a fire of minor importance, but no serious conflagration occurred until June U, 1883, when the large Clark & Robbins storehouse, well filled with grain, was destroyed. January 3, 1886, a fire started in an unoccupied building on Main street, and burned Stokes' hardware store, the Robbins block (Lane's dry goods store, Ontario hail, etc.), Dennison's malt house, McEvoy's grocery and much other property. May 29, 1886, a fire destroyed the historic old warehouse built by the government during the war of 1812-15. The old building had been variously occupied throughout its existence; by the navy; a bethel house for seamen, 1828; Knickerbocker howling alley and sail loft; Hooker & Hopkins, merchants; steam flouring mill; warehouse and sail loft, and finally as a skating rink and band practice room.' August 11, 1889, a fire started in the Boulton store, adjoining the maithouse walls, and burned McEvoy's store, Conlin's store, Hastings' saloon, Clark & Bowe's fish house, railroad passenger and ticket office, telegraph and telephone offices on Main street, Rowison's store and dwelling, Jeffrey's store, a dwelling and boat house, Drake's store and dwelling, Madigan's saloon, the McGuire block, Eveleigh's stone stores (hardware and meat market), warehouse containing grain and other prop. erty; Hooker & Crane's warehouse, the custom house, market house and town hail. This disaster led to measures to increase the efficiency of the fire department, and resulted in the purchase of the steamer. Another of the important local institutions, and one which antedated the village incorporation, was the Public school. The first school here is said to have been taught by one Mitchell in his dwelling house about 1807 or '8. No school house was built in the village until after the close of the war, when a one story building was erected on the present academy site, and was used as school, church, lecture room and for public gatherings. The old structure stood the wear of years, but about 1840 was replaced with the large, comfortable brick building which, with subsequent modifications and repairs, is still in use. For many years the village has maintained an excellent union free school (District No. 1 of Hounsfield), and in 1896 was taken under the supervision of the state regents. About 200 pupils are now enrolled, and five teachers are employed. The present board of education comprises L. W. Day, James A. Wilson and H. J. Lane. The hotel interests of the village are also worthy of mention. They have been few in number, but of much importance. As we have stated, the first village hotel stood on Main street, and was built and opened previous to 1805 by pioneer Ambrose Pease. About the beginning of the war one Kelsey bought the property and run it as Kelsey's hotel. The old building was finally burned, and after about twenty-five years the sons of Capt. Daniel Reed purchased the site and erected store buildings. About 1806 one Lanning, whose firstname is not recalled, came to the village and began the erection of a hotel on the present Eveleigh house site, but before it was completed Stephen Simmons bought the property, finished the work, and kept the house several years. The Eveleigh house was built by Ambrose H. Dodge in 1843, and was opened the next year. The Earl house was built in 1817 by Elijah Field (one of the prominent characters of the village), and was opened in December of that year, with considerable formality. The occasion was a memorable one, and Capt. Reed, who then run the packet boat between the harbor and Kingston, was charged with the important duty of bringing the whisky from Canada to the village in time for the celebration. The Eveleigh house and the Earl house are yet in existence and are excellent public houses, although during their time many repairs and alterations have been made, and the management has frequently changed. Another old and prominent hotel was that built in 1817 by Frederick White. It was of stone, a large substantial building, and within its walls President Monroe was hospitably entertained in August of that year, on the occasion of his visit to the northern frontier. The house was originally called Union hotel, and afterward Mansion house, but in later years the name was frequently changed. It was finally discontinued as a hotel and passed into the ownership of the local masonic societies, by whom it is now occupied. in this connection it may be stated that Frederick White, who built the hotel, was at the time reputed to be one of the wealthiest men in the county, but subsequent excesses led to his downfall. At one time he was president of the Jefferson county bank. One of the early institutions of the village, and one which was productive of much good in its time, was the Union library, which was organized September 13, 1815, and included in its managing board Justin Butterfield, Elisha Camp, Amos Holton, Daniel McGiven, James Goodhue, Andrew B. Cook and Samuel Bosworth. Notwithstanding the laudable objects of the society, it survived only a few years and was then (April 10, 1827) succeeded by the Hounsfield library, in which Alexander W. Stowe, John McMillan, Nathan Bridge, T. S. Hall and Dr. Samuel Guthrie were the leading spirits and trustees. This society accumulated a library of about 500 volumes, but after running a course of several years it was dissolved. Then followed the old and still remembered Watertown and Hounsfield library, which was organized Jan. 11, 1831, with Eliphalet M. Howard, John C. Herrick, Chauncey D. Morgan, Obediah Brainard and Oliver Grow as trustees. This was a partially village institution and continued in existence less than fifteen years. The Young Men's Association for Mutual Improvement was a social and benevolent rather than literary institution, and was incorporated March 2, 1843, by Augustus Ford, M. K. Stow, Walter Kimball, Edward M. Luff, Jonathan W. Tuttle, John O. Dickey, Edward S. Robbins, Roswell C. Bosworth and Wm. H. H. Davis. The association continued only a few months. In writing of the early institutions of the village mention must be made of some of the more important fraternal bodies which have had an existence here. Indeed, Sackets Harbor was the pioneer home of free masonry in the county, old Ontario lodge having held its first meeting in the village April 4, 1805, although we have no data by which the date of organization can be fixed. At the time mentioned, the officers were Augustus Sacket, master; J. Seaman, S. W.; "Brother" Pike, J. W.; B. Allen, treasurer; Isaiah Massey, secretary; Hart Massey, J. D., and A. Bassinger, tiler. According to imperfect data obtainable, the lodge was a strong organization, and included in its membership many of the leading men of the county at that time. Among them was General Jacob Brown, also B. De Witt, Wm. Waring, Col. Gershom Tuttle, Giles Hamlin, Abram Lippett, Squire Read, J. Simmons, C. Mills, Joseph Perry, Daniel Potter and others, many of whom were men of influence in the early years of the county's history. In 1805 (Dec. 27) the lodge resolved to place the first unappropriated $100 of its moneys toward the erection of an academy at Sackets Harbor, and designated Brothers Merrick and Waring to see that the fund be duly appropriated. However, this useful old pioneer organization suspended operations during the excitement of the war of 1812-15. Athol lodge, No. 308, F. & A. M., was instituted at the harbor in 1818, and was a virtual revival of the old lodge. Hiram Steele was the first master, but all other knowledge of the lodge history is clouded in obscurity, the records having been lost or destroyed. The organization was maintained and meetings were held until 1827, when, on ac count of the anti-masonic feeling, the lodge was forced to suspend. Among the members may be recalled the name of David Millington, a once well known personage at the harbor, he having settled here in 1814; Leonard Dennison, who came here in 1812; John Walling, who came in 1819, while a later prominent member was Capt. Daniel Read, who lived many years in this vicinity. Sackets Harbor lodge, No. 135, F. & A. M., followed Athol lodge and was organized May 12, 1848, when these officers were elected: Samuel Lyons, W. M.; John S. Hall, S. W.; Chester C. Simonds, J. W.; Elijah Field, treas.; and Isaac Van Vieck, secretary. From that time the lodge has been in continuous existence, although in 1858 a difficulty arose which was not finally settled until 1861. During a portion of this time work was done under the temporary charter of Hounsfield lodge, No. 495, and was continued until June, 1861, when the charter of the old lodge was restored. The lodge occupies rooms in the old hotel building mentioned on a preceding page. This property was purchased by the masonic bodies of the village during the winter of 1864-65. The present lodge membership is 146. Since 1848 the masters of Sackets Harbor lodge have been Samuel Lyons, Jason Phelps, Isaac Van Vieck, Thos. T. Gurney, Wm. Puffer, Richard Hooper, Stephen W. Flower, Norman Gurney, Geo. E. Butterfield, Stephen Washburn, Elisha C. Soule, Edwin C. Knowlton, Warren Walsworth, John T. Hooper, James Boyd, Henry J. Lane, James A. Wilson, Richard Washburn, John G. Eveleigh, E. H. Chamberlain, B. C. Scroxton. Sackets Harbor chapter, No. 68, R. A. M., was organized February 8, 1820, on the application of a number of the leading masons of the village, among whom were Commodore Melancthon T. Woolsey and Captain John Clitz, of the U. S. navy, and also William King, a civilian of prominence. Corn. Woolsey was the first high priest; Wm. King, king; John Clitz, scribe; Leonard Denison, treasurer; Henry Smith, secretary; Asahel Smith, C. of H.; George W. Jenks, P. S.; Alvah Kinney, R. A. C.; Capt. Wm. Vaughn, M. 3d V.; Zeno Allen, M. 2d V. Hunter Crane, M. 1st V. The chapter maintained a flourishing existence for several years, but at length, through some lack of interest, its affairs were neglected and the organization was virtually dissolved, but never wholly lost its identity. In 1849 it was revived and a new and permanent interest was awakened among its members. From that time the chapter has been one of the strong masonic bodies of the county, and in its membership has been found some of the foremost men of the region. The present number of members is 96. In succession the high priests have been Malancthon P. Woolsey. William King. John Clitz, Asahel Smith, Alon Kinney, Hiram Steele, William Tyron, Thomas S. Hall, Samuel Lyons, Jason Phelps, Isaac Van Vieck, Theodore Gurney, Norman Gurney, L. H. Humphrey, George E. Butterfield, James Boyd, Edwin C. Knowlton, James A. Wilson, John A. Baldwin. As residents in one of the growing and progressive villages of northern New York, the people of Sackets Harbor early realized the importance of establishing manufacturing industries within the corporation; but unlike the majority of villages, this possessed no rivers or creeks, the waters of which were sufficiently strong to furnish motive power. This was the one serious obstacle which worked against Sackets Harbor during the period of its early history, and the best means to supply this much needed auxiliary was long a subject of earnest discussion among the leading business men and capitalists. The harbor was one of the safest and largest on the lake front, and it was believed that an abundant water power for manufacturing purposes would result in the rapid growth and increased commercial importance of the place. As early as 1823 it was suggested that the waters of Black river be diverted from the lower pond (or level) in Watertown, and conveyed by a raceway to the harbor and there discharged into Pleasant or Mill creek. The matter was presented to the attorney general for an opinion as to the legality of such a proceeding, and while that officer decided that private lands could be taken for purposes such as this, a further agitation of the question met with such determined opposition from prominent persons through whose lands the ''sluice-way" was proposed to be opened, and also from Brownville citizens, who saw the possibility of their village being injured by the growth of the harbor, that a bill before the legislature was defeated. In 1825 another attempt was made to procure an incorporating and enabling act, and on April 20 a bill was passed authorizing Joseph Kimball, Amos Catlin and David Hall, jr., to divert the surplus waters of Black river into Pleasant and Stony creeks (in the town of Adams, Hounsfield and Henderson), for hydraulic purposes, and appointed Egbert Ten Eyck, Clark Allen and Joseph Hawkins commissioners to assess the damages to lands through which it was proposed to convey the water. But the act was coupled with a condition that the water should not be taken away from any clam then existing "without the written consent of the owners," which effectually defeated the measure so far as existed a possibility of procuring a water supply from any point below Watertown. Notwithstanding these obstacles the projectors of the scheme were determined, and on April 17, 1826, procured an amendment to the act of 1825, but did not remove all of its objectionable features. In this year (1826) congress passed an act appropriating $3,000 to clear out the harbor, and two years later authorized a further expenditure of $3,000 for harbor improvements. These things, all Qf which were for local as well as public benefit, stimulated still .further efforts in behalf of the water power enterprise, and it was suggested (to remove the objections) that a navigable canal be constructed between Carthage and the harbor. Accordingly, on April 15, 1828, the Jefferson county canal company was incorporated, with $300,000 capital, by Vincent Le Ray, Philip Schuyler, Egbert Ten Eyck, Elisha Camp, Jason Fairbanks, Levi Beebee, Arthur Bronson, John Felt and Joseph Kimball, but even under the energetic action of these influential men nothing substantial was accomplished. However, about this time it was learned that Col. Camp would assume the work of construction, at his own expense, but subject to certain conditions. On Dec. 30, 1829, a public meeting was held in Watertown, and substantial encouragement was offered in behalf of the work. This was followed by an act (April 28, 1829), authorizing a special tax on all Sackets Harbor real estate, and also on the mill sites on Pleasant creek (amounting to $3,000 in two years) to be assessed in proportion to benefits received. With the fund thus created Col. Camp began the construction of the canal (20 feet wide at the top, 12 feet at the bottom, and 4 feet deep) and completed the work during the next two years. It began near Huntington's Mills, about two miles above Watertown, and extended thence following the level in the south part of the village by the most convenient route to the harbor. Water was turned in for power purposes in 1832 and immediately thereafter the milling and manufacturing industries previously built by Col. Camp were largely increased in importance and value. Then our little village became one of the thriving places of the county. However, difficulties soon arose; the course of the canal at its source lay along the river, where the banks were subject to annual wash, and only by great care and large expense were they kept from continual breaks. At the same time the act was found to be so loosely framed that much litigation followed the construction of the canal, and after about ten years the enterprise was abandoned at considerable expense to its proprietors. Nevertheless the project was a worthy one, and attested the public spiritedness of Col. Camp, in allusion to whom in derision the canal was commonly known as "Camp's ditch." In 1838 Colonel Camp's paper mill was burned, and in later years the other old industries passed out of existence, not having the requisite propelling power for machinery. In 1843 McKee & Hammond started a foundry which has been maintained to the present time. McKee became sole proprietor about 1858 and carried on the works until succeeded by the firm of David McKee & Son, the present owners. The building now occupied as a planing mill by James A. Wilson was formerly run by Sloat & Greenleaf. Still earlier it was a distillery. In a corner of this building the workmen caused the traditional bottle of whiskey to be securely "walled in;" and unless broken by the action of the elements is yet probably intact. The Sackets Harbor bank was incorporated April 28, 1834, with $200,000 capital, and with Thomas Loomis, Jesse Smith, Daniel Wardwell, Thomas J. Angell, Azariah Walton, Joseph Sheldon, Woodbridge C. George, Henry H. Coffeen and Noadiah Hubbard commissioners to receive subscriptions to the stock. This was quickly done and in a few weeks the bank began business. It was a successful institution, hut in the early part of 1837 charges of irregularities and malfeasance on the part of managing officers were made, and an application was made to the legislature for a repeal of the charter. This was vigorously opposed, and the alleged wrong action was fully explained, yet on May 12, 1838, the charter was repealed, and the directors were made trustees to settle the business. The charter, however, was soon afterward restored and business was continued until 1852 (March 25) when the bank was removed to Buffalo. The State Bank at Sackets Harbor, of which Edgar B. Camp was managing owner, began business May 17, 1852, with a capital of $50,000. It failed Nov. 1, 1856, and its bills were redeemed at Albany Union bank until Nov. 11, 1862. During the last 40 or 50 years there has been little material growth in population and business interests in Sackets Harbor, except as one generation has succeeded another and as one proprietor has followed in the tracks of his predecessor. However, Sackets Harbor is to-day a quiet, healthful, well-ordered and prudently governed village of between 1,000 and 1,100 inhabitants. As a place of residence it is not surpassed in the county, and on every side are seen the substantial old buildings and structures to constantly remind the observer of the historic associations of the locality. Indeed, in no other village in the county have the people shown the same care in preserving recollections of the past as in Sackets Harbor, and all the scenes, localities and buildings which thus remind us of by-gone days and times, and the men and families of former years, are refreshing and entertaining to the student of history, and especially to the descendants of the substantial old families for which this village has been noted. Among the religious societies which have had an existence in the village, only four remain. It is said that the first service of public worship was held by Edmund Luff, of the colony of English pioneers, who built at his own expense a substantial meeting house, and conducted services there several years without pay of any sort other than the consciousness of doing good. This house still stands on Broad street although converted into a dwelling. Mr. Luff was a Restorationist, approaching Universalism in his teachings, and was in all respects a worthy and upright man. He generously opened his meeting house to all denominations who sought its use, but much of the time during the war of 1812-15 all services were irregularly h&d. Mr. Luff died at the harbor in 1822. In 1820 a sect of Unitarian Immersionista held meetings and formed a temporary society. It did not become permanent, however, and passed out of existence in a few years. A Universalist society was organized about 1822, and continued several years. The Sackets Harbor Presbyterian church is perhaps the oldest and most historic religious body in the town, dating back to January 12, 1816, when a public meeting was held in the village to discuss the subjebt of such an organization. Corn. Woolsey and Enoch Ely were chosen as presiding and returning officers of the meeting, and chiefly through the efforts of certain prominent army and navy officers then stationed here a society was formed at the time indicated. The first trustees were Corn. Woolsey, Samuel Bosworth, Samuel F. Hooker, Elisha Camp and Enoch Ely. Rev. Samuel F. Snowden was employed as minister and began his services March 1, 1817. In the same year Thomas L. Ogden donated a site for a house of worship, and immediately after ward a building fund was created. The "raising" took place Sept. 2:3. 1819, and the old edifice stood until the disastrous fire of 1843, when it was destroyed. For a time the society occupied the Episcopal church edifice for service, but in 1840 the new brick edifice at the corner of Broad and Main streets was completed. It cost $6,000, and although more than fifty years old is still an attractive, comfortable and substantial structure, and one of the interesting landmarks of the village. The beautiful chime bells which now hang in the tower were the generous gift of Mrs. Marietta Pickering Hay, of Tarrytown, and were presented by her in memory of her father, Capt. Augustus Pickering, who commanded the first vessel that ever visited Chicago (the Ariadne, which carried a cargo of pork and flour) and was sailed from this village. The presentation ceremonies were held February 23, 1894. The church has a present membership of 77 persons, and in its Sunday school are about 50 pupils. During the period of its history the pastors of the church have been as follows: Samuel F. Snowden, 1817-26; J. Burchard, 1826-27; J. R. Boyd, 1827-30; E. Spencer, 1830-31; J. W. Irwin, 1831-35; J. R. Boyd, 1835-36; G. Wilson, 1836-39; S. Sturgis, 1839-41; E. G. Townsend, 1841-49; L. E. Sawyer, 1849-54; G. F. Brownson, 1855-57; W. W. Warner, 1858-59; A. J.Young, 1860-64; Henry Hickok, 1866-82; A. W. Allen, 1882-86; Lewis R. Webber, 1886-94; Bailie Brown (licentiate), 1895-96; William H. Niles, Sept. 26, 1896, the present pastor. The Methopist Episcopal church at Sackets Harbor was organized May 9, 1831, with fifteen members, but in its history the church dates to about 1820, when Samuel Lyon at a meeting of the then existing Christian society expressed a desire to establish a Methodist church in the village. A class was soon afterward formed, and among its members were Elijah Field, John Waling, Alvah Kinney, Asahel Smith, and their wives, and others. The class continued until it developed into the church in 1831. A reorganization was effected in 1834, and in 1841 the church edifice on Main street was erected, at a cost of $3,000. The building was materially repaired in 1881. In numbers this is the strongest church in the village, having 113 members and 16 probationers. It is under the pastoral care of Rev. W. E. Reynolds. Christ's church (Episcopal), of Sackets Harbor, dates back in its history to May 14, 1821, when an informal meeting was assembled to discuss the subject of a church, and when Elisha Camp, Samuel 0. Auchmuty, William Kendall, Robert M. Harrison and John McCarty were chosen a committee to look to the interests of the proposed society until a vestry should be regularly constituted. The legal and formal organization was accomplished August 6, 1821, the wardens being Zeno Allen and Elisha Camp; the vestrymen, Robert M. Harrison, Samuel O. Auchmuty, William Kendall, John McCarty, Hiram Steele, Thomas J. Angell, Hiram Merrill and Thomas Y. How. Bishop Hobert held services here in September, 1821, and subsequently meetings were held regularly in the Presbyterian church, and in the school house, until the occupancy of the stone edifice in 1826, the corner stone being laid May 26. The structure was fully completed in 1832. From that time the church has maintained a continued existence, although the number of communicants never has been large. The present number is 70. The wardens are E. P. Evert and B. C. Scroxton. Rector, Rev. Burr M. Weeden. The Roman Catholic church and parish of Sackets Harbor were organized in 1886, under the charge of Rev. Eugene I. V. Huiginn, but has not advanced beyond the condition of a missionary station. It is at present under charge of Rev. Father John Corbett. In closing the present chapter it is proper that there be made at least a brief allusion to some of the prominent men and families of Houndsfield. who, while perhaps not pioneers nor early settlers, were nevertheless so closely identified with the subsequent history of the town and village as to entitle them to recognition. One of these conspicuous characters was Dr. Samuel Guthrie, of whom mention is made at some length in the medical chapter, but who was of such marked prominence in the profession in this town that some mention of him in this connection seems necessary. Dr. Guthrie came to the harbor during the war of 1812, and was an army surgeon. He had previously given some attention to the manufacture of gunpowder and other explosives, and, in a small way, he continued making them in this village. After the war the doctor continued his residence in the town, and was the owner and occupant of a fine residence on the road leading to the county seat, about a mile east of the village. The large brick house still stands, while on the opposite side of the highway, and some rods back therefrom, is an excavation in the hillside where once stood his laboratory, and wherein he brought fame to this county in his discovery of chloroform and the invention of percussion caps. These alone place the name of Samuel Guthrie among the foremost men of his time. This worthy man lived in the village and town until his death, Oct. 19, 1848. Another prominent figure in the early history of Hounsfield was Samuel F. Hooker. He was a lineal descendant of Rev. Thomas Hooker, who in 1634 founded the Connecticut colony. He came from Hartford, Conn., and settled in Sackets Harbor in 1810 where for many years he conducted a very extensive mercantile business. He also had large contracts with the U. S. government for army and navy supplies during the war of 1812, was an extensive land holder and was otherwise identified with the principal business interests of the locality for nearly half a century. He married Martha Smith Brewster, who was a lineal descendant of William Brewster who came over in the Mayflower and was a leader among the Pilgrim fathers. Mr. Hooker was an old style country gentleman and a generous entamer. His home is said to have been proverbial for the hospitality and good cheer which reigned within. In fact, all through the war of 1812, he kept an open house to the many officers of the army and navy who were stationed at this placc. He died at Sackets Harbor in 1864, but the family name is still prominent in our county. He was grandfather of George S. and Harold L. Hooker, now well known lawyers of Watertown. George Camp was the head of one of the most worthy and prominent families of the town and county in later years, but when he came to the harbor in the early part of 1817 it was as a journeyman and practical printer, whose aim was to establish a newspaper in the then flourishing village. On March 18, 1817, Mr. Camp issued the first number of the Sackets Harbor Gazette, a noted paper in its day, federalistic in sentiment, but generally devoted to the interests of the county and town. Mr. Camp was in all respects a worthy and upright citizen. His sons were Talcott H. Camp, who was for many years identified with banking interests at Watertown, and particularly as president of the Jefferson County National bank; George Hull Camp, a prominent manufacturer, living in the south; and Walter B. Camp, more frequently known as Col. Camp, organizer of the 94th N. Y. Inf. during the war of 1861-65, and identified with every measure which has for its end the welfare of both the town and county. Col. Camp was born in Sackets Harbor, Oct. 1, 1822, and his whole life has been spent there, excepting the time he has devoted to travel in quest of pleasure and health. He has been actively identified with various public enterprises, beginning with the building of the railroad from Sackets Harbor to Pierrepont Manor, and continuing thence to the present time. Throughout the general chapters of this work (both civil and military) the name of Walter B. Camp is found mentioned with various important undertakings, hence to repeat them here is unnecessary. John M. Canfield was one of the early lawyers of the village, a former yet temporary resident of Watertown, and a native of Connecticut. Mr. Canfield was made collector of customs at this port in 1819 and held the office until 1828. He afterward lived at the harbor but was not actively engaged in professional business, His wife was Fanny Harvey, by whom he had eleven children. Of these children Theodore Canfield alone survives. He was born at Sackets Harbor March 6, 1823, and for a period of more than twenty-five years after reaching his majority was closely identified with business and political life in the village. Every worthy enterprise found in him an earnest supporter. He was supervisor several times; served in the assembly in 1866, and was for eighteen years one of the directors of the Carthage, Watertown & Sackets Harbor railroad. In the same manner may be recalled the names of John R. Bennett, who in later years gained a position of prominence in judicial circles in Wisconsin, and who was also a native of this town: D. M. Burnham, a native of Adams and for many years a successful lawyer at the harbor; John Pettit, another native of Hounsfield, who went to La Fayette, Ind., and ultimately became chief justice of the Supreme court of that state; Sanford A. Hudson, who began life as a blacksmith, but afterward made a mark as a lawyer; George H. Harlow, a native of the town, who became secretary of state in Illinois. There may also be recalled the names of such men as Cornelius W. Inglehart, Merrick M. Bates, Daniel McCulloch, Jay Dimmick (in the assembly in 1869-70), Enoch Barnes, the family of Heman Petit (William S. and John Petit), Newman H. Potter, Nathan Ladd, Benjamin Maxon, Lebbeus F. Allen, Bernard Eevleigli, Richard M. Earl, David McKee, Henry J. Lane, Albert Metcalf and a host of others equally worthy of notice, perhaps, and of whom mention will be found in the department of this work devoted to personal and family history.

Part 1 Houndsfield Part 2 Organization Part 3 Sackets Harbor Part 4 Incorporation Part 5 Supervisors 1806-1899