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MADISON COUNTY.
The first church (Cong.) was organized in 1795, and the Rev. Ezra Woodworth, was the first
pastor.1
JVEliSOM—was formed from Cazenovia, March 13, 1807. It is an interior town, lying s. w.
of the center of the co. Its surface consists of a rolling upland. The principal stream is Chitte¬
nango Creek. The Ericville and Eaton reservoirs are in this town. The soil is generally a gravelly
loam. Erieville (p. v.) contains 3 churches and 191 inhabitants, and Nelson Flats (Nelson
p. o.) 2 churches and 146 inhabitants. The first settlement was made- in 1794, by Asa and Jede¬
diah Jackson.2 The census reports 5 churches in town.2
SMITHFIEED—was formed from Cazenovia, March 13,1807. A part of Fenner was taken
off in 1823, and of Stockbridge in 1836. It is an interior town, lying n. of the center of the co.
Its surface is a hilly and rolling upland. The principal streams are Cowaselon and Oneida Creeks.
The soil is a sandy and gravelly loam. Limestone and gypsum are obtained in the N. e. corner.
Near Siloam is a small sulphur spring. Peterboro,3 (p. v.,) on Oneida Creek, near the center,
contains 3 churches and the Peterboro Academy. Pop. 350. Siloam (p. o.) is a hamlet. The
first settler was Jasper Alesworth, in 1795.4 Judge Greene C. Bronson resided in this town for
several years; and Hon. Oerrit Smith now resides in Peterboro. In 1858, Wm. Evans, of Boston,
donated to this town the sum of $10,000, to be invested, and the proceeds devoted to the relief
and support of the destitute and needy.5 There are 3 churches in town.6
STOCKBRIDGE—named from the Stockbridge Indians—was formed from Yernon and
Augusta (Oneida co.) and Smithfield and Lenox, May 20, 1836. It lies upon the e. border of the
co., n. of the center. Its surface is a rolling upland, broken by the deep valley of Oneida Creek,
which extends in a n. and s. direction through near the center of the town. The summits of the
hills are 500 to 800 ft. above the valley. The falls of Oneida Creek consist of a succession of
rapids and low falls, affording numerous valuable mill sites.7 Oriskany Creek takes its rise in the
S. part. The soil is a clayey and gravelly loam. Limestone is extensively quarried from the
ledges that crop out upon the hillsides. Hydraulic limestone is also quarried near the falls of
Oneida Creek. Oypsum is obtained near Cooks Corners. In this town are an ancient burial
place and the ruins of an old fortification.8 Munnsville,9 (p. v.,) on Oneida Creek, contains
1 church and several manufactories.11 Pop. 287. Knoxville12 (Stockbridge p. o.) contains 3
churches, and has a population of 138. CoollS Corners (p. v.) contains 1 church, a plaster
mill, and about 15 houses. The first settlement was made in 1791.13 A mission church was
erected on the Indian Reservation, near Cooks Corners, about 1800.14
SFEEIVAN15—was formed from Cazenovia, Eeb. 22, 1803, and Lenox was taken off-in 1809.
It is the N. w. corner town of the co. Its surface is level in the n. and rolling in the s. The
Cowaselon Swamp extends across the town from Chittenango Creek to the line®of Lenox. South
of • this swamp is the Ylaie, or natural meadow.16 Chittenango Creek flows through the town and
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the bed Of the stream are depressions resembling the footprints
of men, cattle, and horses.
9 The burial place is on the hillside, about 1 mi. s. e. of Munns¬
ville. A small hone image of a woman, iron and steel axes, gun
barrels and fragments of gun locks,' brass kettles, and tobacco
pipes have been found. The axes are hatchet shaped, and are
marked under the eye with three stars. The ruins of the fortifi¬
cation are in the s. w. part of the town.
10 Named from Asa Munn, the first storekeeper in the town.
11 A woolen iactory, a furnace, trip hammer and edge-tool
factory, a sawmill, planing mill, and sash factory, and a gristmill.
12 Named from Herman Knox, an early resident.
13 Among the early settlers were Oliver Steward, Nathan, Cal¬
vin, Barney, John, and Alfred Edson, Wm., Elijah, and Joseph
Devine, Wm. Sloan, Benajah House, Annos Bridge, Jas. Tafft,
Aaron, Jairus, and Matthew Rankin, Jonathan Snow, Isaac
Chadwick, Talcott Divan, Watrous Graves, and Daniel Thurston.
These settlers all located in the s. e. part of the town. The
first marriage was that of John Devine and Polly Edson, in
1793; and the first death, that of Widow Anna Hall, in 1795.
The first saw and grist mills were built by the Stockbridge In¬
dians, on their reservation, about 1794. The first school was
taught by Edward Foster, in 1797.
14 The census reports 5 churches; 2 Cong., Bap., M. E., and Univ.
15 Named from Gen. John Sullivan.
46 The Vlaie is covered to the depth of several feet with muck
or peat underlaid by marl. It is destitute of timber, and sup¬
ports a rank growth of ferns and weeds. “ A ditch cut hy the
side of the road shows vertical stumps 3 feet below the surface,
and then a small growth near the surface; so that it wonld
appear that two forests have existed there.” This land was origin¬
ally covered with water; but it is now partially drained by a
ditch dug by the State. |
1
Tliere are 6 churches in town; 2 M.E., Bap.,Cong., Friends,
and Univ.
2
Buell, Samuel Kinney, and Mitchell settled in the town in
1794; Oliver Stone and James Hinman, in 1795; Joshua Wells,
David Wellington, Israel Patterson, Rich. Karley, Dan’l Adams,
Horatio Simms, Abner Camp, and Lemuel and Eldad Richardson,
in 1796. The first birth was that of Palmer Wells, in 1796; and
the first death, that of Mrs. Bishop, about 1800. Jedediah Jack¬
son kept the first inn, in 1794; Jeremiah Clark built the first
sawmill, about 1800, and Oliver Pool the first gristmill. Daniel
Russell was the first storekeeper. Dea. Dunham was one of the
earliest schoolteachers.
3
8 2 M. E., Bap., Cong., and Hniv. 4 Named from Peter Smith.
4
8 Oliver Trumbull settled in the town the same year. Peter
Smith was the proprietor of the soil, and settled at Peterboro at
an early day. Among the early settlers were families named
Cleveland, Coon, Babcock, Taylor, Messenger, Stone, Rich, Love¬
land, Loomis, Merrill, Spencer, Bump, Northrup, Lathrop, Soper,
Shipman, Howard, Chaffer, Lyons, Moody, Spring, Myers, Brown,
Austin, and Wright. Peter Smith built the first saw and grist
mill, Jas. Livingston kept the first store, and Lewis Cook kept
the first inn. Tabitha Havens taught the first school, in 1801.
5
The provisions of the benefaction are, that the amount shall
be loaned in sums of not over $1000 each, upon good bond and
mortgage security; and that as soon after 1862 as the accumu¬
lated interest amounts to a sufficient sum, a farm, of not less
than 50 acres, shall he bought, and suitable buildings erected
thereon, to be used as a home for the destitute.
6
1 Bap., Presb., and Free,
7
About $ mi. e. of Munnsville, near the center of the town,
8
are several caves, in limestone, which have been explored but
9
partially on account of noxious gases. In the rock that forms
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