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468 ONEIDA COUNTY.
U. R. R. It contains 6 churches, the Holland Patent Academy, and 353 inhabitants. Pros¬
pect, (p. v.,) on West Canada Creek, above the Falls, contains 2 churches, Prospect Academy, an
extensive sawmill, a tannery, and 60 houses. Stittsville, (p. v.,) on the line of Marcy, in the s. w.
corner of the town, contains a church, cotton factory, sawmill, 2 tanneries, & about 40 houses. It is
a station upon the B. R. & U. R. R. Settlement was commenced in 1793, by Gerrit Boon, from
Holland.1 The first church (Presb.) was formed soon after; Rev. — Fish was the first pastor.2
UTICA3 —was incorp. as a village April 3, 1798. It was
formed as a town, from Whitestown, April 7, 1817, and was
incorp. as a city Feb. 13, 1832. It lies upon the s. bank of the
Mohawk, on the e. border of the co. A wide intervale extends
along the river; and from it the surface rises in gradual slopes
toward the s. w. It lies upon the Erie Canal, and is the n.
terminus of the Chenango Canal. It is an important station
upon the N.Y. C. R. R., and the s. terminus of the B. R. &U. R. R.
It is the center of one of the best agricultural sections of the
State; and its trade is extensive. It is largely engaged in manu¬
factures, among which are cotton and woolen goods, millstones,
screws, musical instruments, telegraphic apparatus, and a great
variety of other articles.4
The City Hall is a fine, large, brick building on Genesee St., s. of the canal. It contains a large
public ball, common council room, and rooms for the several city officers.
The Public Schools are under the charge of a Superintendent and Board of Education. They
are graded, and include all departments from the primary to a thorough academic course. They
employ 45 teachers,—6 males and 39 females. The whole number of children between the ages
of 4 and 21 is 8,000, of which 3,226, or 40 per cent., attend school during some portion of the
year. The total expenses of the schools for 1858 were $15,546.82. The number of volumes in
the district libraries is 3,018.
The Utica Academy, long an independent school, now constitutes the High School of the public
school system of the city.
The Utica Female Academy is a flourishing institution, situated between Washington St. and
Broadway, near Genesee St. It was founded in 1837, and its property is valued at $25,000.
The Academy of the Assumption is under the care of the Brothers of the Christian Schools.
The State Lunatic Asylum is located upon a large lot on an eminence near the w. line of the
city. It receives insane persons subject to co. charge, where there is a reasonable prospect of
relief, and such others as its accommodations will admit. Until recently it has received ingane
convicts; but this class will hereafter be sent to the asylum built for that purpose at Auburn.
The average number of inmates during the last 16 years has been 381 annually.5
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The Utica Millstone Manufactory and Plaster Mills give em¬
ployment to 50 men, and turn out $60,000 worth of products
annually.
The city also contains extensive manufactories of starch,
flour, clothing, organs, pianos, castings, machinery, stone ware,
fire brick, carpets, oilcloths, leather, lumber, beer, and cigars.
5 An asylum of this kind was recommended by the Governor
in 1830, and was annually urged by its friends, until an act was
passed, March 10,1836, appointing 3 commissioners to purchase
a site not exceeding $10,000 in value, and to contract for build¬
ing. N. Dayton, C. McVean, and R. Withers were appointed;
and in 1837 a firm of 130 acres was bought at the joint expense
of the State and the citizens ;of Utica, ($6,300 of $16,300,) and
in that year Wm. Clarke, Francis E. Spinner, and Elam Lynds
were appointed commissioners to erect buildings. The first
plan (prepared by Clarke) embraced 4 buildings, each 550 feet
long, facing outward, connected by open verandas, and in¬
closing a court of about 13 acres. The main building was
erected and the foundations were laid, when the plan was re¬
duced and attention given to finishing the main building.
By act of April 7, 1842, the asylum was put in charge of 9
managers, appointed for a term of 3 years each by the Gov.
and Senate, a majority of whom must reside within 5 mi. of
the asylum. Dr. Amariah Brigham was chosen Superintendent,
and upon his death (Sept. 8,1849) Dr. Nathan D. Benedict suc¬
ceeded. The present Superintendent is Dr. John P. Gray, who
was appointed in 1853.
The building was partially destroyed by a fire set by one of
the inmates July 14, 1857. The walls remained standing, and
the premises have been refitted without interruption of opera¬
tions, and with improvements far exceeding in safety and con¬
venience those that were destroyed. ’ The sum of $68,742 was
granted in 1858 to rebuild the premises; and the labor is now |
1
Boon was an enterprising pioneer and agent of the Holland
Land Company, the same that purchased in Western New York.
Alone, or with Le Boy, Bayard, McEvers, and Busti, he purchased
in trust for that company 46,057 acres of Outhoudt’s Patent,
6,026 of Steuben’s Patent, 1,200 of Machin’s Patent, and 23,609
of Servis’s Patent. The last named, lying mostly in this town,
was granted in 1768 to Peter Servis and 24 others for the benefit
of Sir Wm. Johnson. This tract was conveyed by the trustees
above named to the Holland Company in 1801. Among the
other early settlers were Col. Adam <1. Mappa, Dr. Fr. A. Vander-
kemp, Judge John Storrs, Col. Robert Hicks, Peter Schuyler,
John P. Little, Cheney and John Garrett, Wm. Rollo, Col. Thos.
Hicks, Edward Hughes, and Hugh Thomas. Boon returned to
Holland, where he died, many years after. The first child horn
was Adam Parker, in 1796; the first marriage, that of Jacob
Joyce and Widow Peck; and the first death, that of Nelson,
in 1795.
2
The census reports 15 churches; 4 M. E., 3 Bap., 2 Presb.,
(O. S.,) Bap., Cong., Calv. Meth., Prot. E., Union, and Unita.
3
8 The Indians called the locality Ya-nun-da-da-sis, or U-nun-
da-ga-ges, “ around the hill.” After an old stockade, built in
early times, was razed, it was called Teva-dah-ah-to-da-gue,
“ ruin of fort.”
4
The Eagle Mills give employment to 120 hands, and produce
1,500,000 yards of .cotton cldth annually.
The Utica Steam Cotton Mills employ 330 hands, and produce
1,100 yds. of cotton cloth daily.
5
The Utica Woolen Mitts employ 180 hands, and use 350,000
lbs. of wool in the manufacture of cassimeres annually.
The Utica Steam Woolen Co. gives employment to 250 hands,
and uses 1,800 lbs. of wool per day.
The Utica■ Screw Manufacturing Co. employs 50 hands, and
turns out goods to the amount of $60,000 annually.
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