HISTORY OF

SARATOGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

by NATHANIEL BARTLETT SYLVESTER

1878

--------------------

HISTORY OF THE VILLAGES AND TOWNS OF SARATOGA COUNTY.

HADLEY.

-------------------------

I. - GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION.

HADLEY is the east one of the two northernmost towns of the county. It is bounded, north and east by the county line, south by Corinth, and west by Day. It includes 9737 acres of improved land, 7760 of unimproved, and of this last amount 3995 are woodland. The population, in 1875, was 1063. Hadley contains a part of the twenty-fourth allotment of the Kayadrossera patent, and also a part of the patent granted to John Glen and others, also a part of the Palmer purchase, and a part of the Dartmouth patent.

In the revised statutes of the State is the following legal description of this town and the definition of its boundaries:

"The town of Hadley shall contain all that part of said county bounded, northerly and easterly, by the bounds of the county; southerly, by Corinth; and westerly, by Day."

------------------------------

II. - NATURAL FEATURES.

The Hudson river borders the town upon the east. The surface of the country is very hilly and rough, the soil sandy and light, with many large boulders. The hills are generally thickly wooded. In the southeastern part of the town stands the "iron mountain" (Mount Anthony), which rises to a considerable height. It is the highest peak of the Kayadrossera range. Its western face rises quite abruptly, and is rough and rocky, while the eastern declivity is much gentler and more thickly wooded. There is a bed of hematite iron ore in the mountain, but the ore is not rich enough to render working the mine a profitable business, and it has long been abandoned.

There are no lakes wholly in the town, but a small part of Livingston's lake projects across its western border from the town of Day. The Sacandaga river runs in a very crooked easterly course across the southern part. The high hills shut down close to the river on either side, making the valley narrow and rather gloomy.

There are no creeks of any size. The largest is Wolf, which runs across the northern part of the town, and empties into the Hudson about three miles above Hadley station.

------------------------------

III. - EARLY SETTLEMENT.

The first settlements in Hadley were about 1788. A man named Richard Hilton is credited with being the first settler. Further than his name nothing is known concerning him.

In the spring of 1790, Alexander Stewart settled on the banks of the Hudson, on lot 9, river division of the small Dartmouth patent. His farm consisted of one hundred and fifty acres of fine river-bottom lands, and was densely covered with a heavy growth of extremely fine white-pine timber. From May to December he cleared up fifteen acres without the aid of horses, cattle, or men. He sowed his first wheat in 1791, and every year after that had wheat to sell. He died in May, 1823, aged seventy-seven years. His wife, Elizabeth, lived till 1835, and died in her eighty-fifth year. He had nine children, Nancy, John, Neal, David, Charles, Daniel, Betsey, James, and William. Daniel is the only one now living. He resides at Luzerne, at the age of eighty-six years, and his wonderful memory and extensive experience enabled him to give us valuable assistance in collecting the facts for this work. Enjoying the peaceful pleasures of a quiet and healthy old age, may he still live many years. The only other descendant of Alexander Stewart, living in this vicinity, is Daniel A. Stewart, a son of Charles. He lives in Hadley, a little north of the depot. Neal Stewart was a very strong man, and is said to have carried a barrel of pork from the river to his father's house, a distance of eighty rods, stopping to rest but once. The feat seems to be a well-authenticated fact. David Stewart was a popular surveyor, and nearly every road survey bears his signature. He was accurate and skillful. Daniel was the first child born in the town. He was born in 1791.

David Dayton settled on lot 10 of the Dartmouth patent in 1796. He had five sons, Joel, Henry, Telam, Orange, and Erastus. He died in 1807. Telam still lives in Hadley, on the old homestead.

Elijah Ellis, formerly from Shaftsbury, Vermont, came from Warren county to Hadley in 1800. He first settled on the southern side of the Sacandaga, near its mouth, and subsequently removed to lot 3 of the Glen patent, near the western foot of Mount Anthony. He built a saw-mill about a mile farther up the river, where a small creek enters from the south. He lived till 1855, when he died, surrounded by family and friends. His wife died in 1875, and lacked but a few months of being one hundred years old. Elijah Ellis had eleven children. Of these, seven are still living. Three, Anna, Sybil, wife of David Hyde, and Sarah, wife of W. H. Flansburgh, live in Hadley.

Joseph Gilbert, a soldier of the Revolution, settled on Hadley Hill from 1800-2. He died in 1839, and his son John succeeded him on the farm. He died in 1872, and the homestead is now occupied by his son, James Gilbert.

Henry Blackwood, with his five sons, settled on Hadley Hill in 1802. One of the sons, Charles Blackwood, is still living in that neighborhood. The place is quite commonly known throughout the vicinity as "Pluck Hill," in recognition of the plucky nature of some of its early inhabitants.

Indissolubly connected with the history of the town is the name of Jeremy Rockwell. Coming into the town at an early period, he at once assumed a prominent position in social, political, and business affairs, and until his death was constantly engaged with all the energy and ability at his command in conducting public affairs, manifesting a laudable public spirit, and amidst all conducting his various business schemes to a successful issue. He rapidly acquired property, and became the largest land-holder in the town. He held many offices of trust and responsibility. As early as 1809 he was serving in the capacity of justice of the peace, and continued to act as such till about 1830. From 1816 to 1819 he was town clerk. Elected to the office of supervisor in the spring of that year, he continued to hold that office for fifteen successive years, and in 1835 was again chosen to that office, and held it at the time of his death. He also held the offices of associate judge, member of Assembly, and was a member of the convention that framed the constitution of 1821 for this State. He was seventy years old at the time of his death, Aug. 14, 1835. He first married a Miss Miller, of Ballston, and by her had one child, a son. After her death he married Betsey Bird, and by her had twelve children. They were named respectively James, Henry, Harmon, Charlotte, Hiram, George T., Jeremy, Jr., Celina, Emeline, Caroline, Charles, Maria, and William W. Of these, Harmon and Charles live in Hadley; George T., in connection with his son, George H., runs the deservedly-famous "Rockwell House" at Luzerne; Celina Levens and William W. are living in Warren county. Harmon has held the office of justice of the peace for eight terms. Was town clerk six years, and supervisor eleven years. In 1843 he built the Cascade House at Hadley. It is a fine building, and from its broad piazza commands an unrivaled view of river and mountain scenery. The rest of the children are dead. The Rockwells trace their descent from a Norman knight, Sir Ralph de Rocheville. The first of the name in America was Deacon William Rockwell, of Dorchester, who came from England about 1630. Jeremy's father was Joseph Rockwell, of Salisbury, Conn., and he was a great-grandson of this Deacon William Rockwell.

The Jeffers family were among the early residents. The first representatives of the family came from Wales, and settled in Massachusetts. They were the great-grand-parents of Manlius, Sidney, and Jefferson Jeffers. David Jeffers was the son of those people, and married and raised a family in Massachusetts. Both he and his wife did valuable service for the cause of independence, he serving in the army and she ministering to the needs of the sick and wounded in the hospitals. Their eldest son, Deodatus, came to Hadley about 1800, and settled at Jessup's Landing, at what is now the town of Corinth. He lived there until about 1804, when he removed to Hadley and bought some land of Jeremiah Rockwell, on great lot 2 of Palmer's purchase, being a subdivision of what is known as the Nixon lot, and bordering on the north bank of the Sacandaga river, about two miles from its mouth. Deodatus Jeffers was a man of iron constitution, wonderful strength, and great vitality. It was a boast of his that he never knew a qualm of sickness or a pang of pain from disease during his whole life. He never employed a physician till his first and last sickness came upon him. He was a lumberman by profession, and held first rank among that hardy class of citizens. He worked many years for Jeremy Rockwell, cutting off the splendid pine timber along the rivers, and died in 1854 from the effects of a cold taken while witnessing the building of a dam at Luzerne, at the age of eighty-eight years. Eunice, his wife, died in 1845 of slow consumption. Deodatus left three sons, Sidney, Jefferson, and Manlius, all of them still living in this town.

Among the other early settlers were Jonathan Flanders, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Richards, Mr. Delane, Mr. Hazard, David Lawton, Abel Houghton, Enoch Gray, John Johnson, and Stephen Kenyon. The first frame house in the southern part of the town was built by Stephen Gray about 1830. Jonathan Flanders kept the first inn. It was near the ferry on the Rice farm. Drafting for the War of 1812 was conducted at this tavern.

Alexander H. Palmer came to Hadley in 1848 as agent for Gordon Conkling. He was supervisor two terms, was elected member of Assembly in 1852, and is now a United States inspector in the New York custom-house. Kenyon's blacksmith-shop at Hadley, in 1818, was about the first one in the town.

In 1846 the town voted for no license by a vote of eighty-five to forty-two. In 1847 the vote on the same question stood, against, eighty-four; for, fifty-six.

The Conklingville bridge was built in 1852, and was carried off by high water about 1860. In 1861, Luke Kathan, Robert Humphrey, and David Wait, acting in behalf of the town, built a new bridge at a cost of $1400.

In 1866 a road was surveyed, the location of which was determined by the surveyor in the following novel manner. The record reads: "Beginning at a point in the middle of an old road on the line between the town of Day and Hadley, and from which point the apex of the roof of the house of Widow Shippey bears south fifty-seven degrees west, and runs thence," etc.

In 1827 money to the amount of $30 was paid by the overseer of the poor for the support of "one Pixley, a porper."

At one time justices were elected for "long and short turms." One citizen tendered his resignation from office because he was "about to leave the town for an indiffinate period." There is a road in the town, one part of which, if we believe the assertion of the surveyor, runs "tangintially."

In 1848 a minister named Benson, a Second Adventist, held meetings in a private house in Conklingville. The first clearing on the south side of the river, near Conklingville, was done by Thomas Ralph in 1828. He worked about one-half day and then crossed the river in a canoe. In returning, the canoe was upset and he was drowned. The body was recovered some time after and was buried on the river-bank, near the present saw-mill.

The Adirondack railroad runs through the eastern part of the town parallel with the Hudson. This company's bridge across the Sacandaga river, near its mouth, is quite an imposing structure. It is a square truss-bridge, built of wood, thoroughly bolted and braced. It rests on solid piers of cut-stone, and, is made up of four spans. The main or river-span is nearly two hundred feet in length. The tops of the rails are about ninety feet above the river at low water. The bridge was built in 1860. The bridge at the mouth of the river was built by Obadiah Wilcox in 1813, and still stands. It is supported by three arches, and is covered. It has a double roadway, and is about two hundred feet long.

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IV. - ORGANIZATION.

The town of Hadley was formerly a portion of the town of Greenfield. In 1801 it was erected into a separate town, and comprised the present towns of Hadley, Corinth, and a portion of Day. In 1819 it was reduced to its present dimensions.

Jeremy Rockwell was the first supervisor of the present town, and served in that capacity fifteen successive years. The records of the first town-meeting, and all others previous to 1820, are not to be found.

In the winter of 1829-30 bounties were paid for the killing of thirty-five foxes. The next town-meeting repealed the by-law authorizing the payment of such bounty.

In 1841 the town was divided into eight school districts.

 

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LIST OF TOWN OFFICERS.

{The records are lost for list of town clerks prior to 1805, and for collectors previous to 1821.}

 

Supervisors.

Town Clerks.

Collectors.

1801.

Benjamin Cowles.

 

 

1802.

"

 

 

1803.

"

 

 

1804.

"

 

 

1805.

"

Daniel Church.

 

1806.

"

"

 

1807.

"

"

 

1808.

"

"

 

1809.

"

"

 

1810.

"

Elisha Bruce.

 

1811.

"

J.W. Taylor.

 

1812.

"

Orlando Boardman.

 

1813.

"

"

 

1814.

"

Elisha Wilson.

 

1815.

Timothy Brown.

"

 

1816.

Benjamin Cowles.

Jeremy Rockwell.

 

1817.

"

"

 

1818.

"

"

 

1819.

Jeremy Rockwell.

H.T. Carpenter.

 

1820.

"

"

 

1821.

"

Henry Rockwell.

David Stewart.

1822.

"

"

"

1823.

"

"

"

1824.

"

"

"

1825.

"

"

"

1826.

"

"

"

1827.

"

Harmon Rockwell.

"

1828.

"

"

"

1829.

"

David Stewart.

"

1830.

"

Orange Dayton.

George T. Rockwell.

1831.

"

George T. Rockwell.

Liberty Butler.

1832.

"

Harmon Rockwell.

Henry Blackwood.

1833.

"

"

Decalvas S. Graves.

1834.

Charles Stewart.

"

" elect.

David Stewart.

1835.

Jeremy Rockwell {Died in office.}

H. Rockwell. app.

Hiram A. Perry {Died in office.}

D.S. Graves, app.

"

1836.

Charles Stewart.

"

" elected.

George Kenyon

1837.

David Stewart.

Peter Butler, App.

Thomas Butler.

1838.

Harmon Rockwell.

"

"

1839.

"

Canni Lindsay.

" elected.

William Mallory.

1840.

"

N.M. Houghton, app.

Gordon Jenkins.

1841.

"

"

William Mallory.

1842.

"

David Stewart.

"

1843.

"

"

James Myers.

1844.

"

Truman D. Stewart.

Daniel A. Stewart.

1845.

"

"

James P. Burnham.

1846.

Wm. W. Rockwell.

Daniel B. Ketchum.

Aaron Houghton.

1847.

"

Manlius Jeffers.

Levi Sturdevant.

1848.

Harmon Rockwell.

"

Manlius Jeffers.

1849.

"

George Kenyon.

John W. Sayre.

1850.

Jefferson Jeffers.

Canni Lindsay.

John Johnson.

1851.

Alex. K. Palmer.

George Kenyon.

John W. Sayre.

1852.

Manlius Jeffers.

"

Joseph Washburne.

1853.

Robert Humphrey.

John Cameron.

Briggs Gray.

1854.

"

David Wait.

Henry Wilcox.

1855.

David Wait.

George Kenyon.

Samuel Blackwood.

1856.

Jefferson Jeffers.

"

Alexander Graham.

1857.

Manlius Jeffers.

Abner D. Wait.

David Sturdevant.

1858.

"

"

Joseph Washburne.

1859.

Robert Humphrey.

David Wait.

Anderson Holden.

1860.

Alex H. Palmer.

Stephen Kenyon, Jr.

Henry S. Jenkins.

1861.

John J. Wait.

"

James H. Mills.

1862.

G. Conkling, Jr.

George Kenyon.

John H. Wagar.

1863.

Manlius Jeffers.

John J. Wait.

Caleb Graham.

1864.

G. Conkling, Jr.

"

Joseph Smith.

1865.

John J. Wait.

Chas. W. Reynolds.

Hugh Aldrich.

1866.

"

George Kenyon.

Rollin L. Jenkins.

1867.

William H. Palmer.

Grove H. Moore.

James H. Mills.

1868.

Benjamin Pickens.

Martin H. Wilcox.

Edward Scovill.

1869.

"

A.J. Rockwell.

Joel Loveless.

1870.

Manlius Jeffers.

Stephen Kenyon.

Jonathan D. Ford.

1871.

William H. Palmer.

John A. Kathan.

John Johnson.

1872.

Stewart Early.

Joseph E. Morris.

John C. Palmer.

1873.

John A. Kathan.

"

James Boyce.

1874.

"

William P. Bushnell.

Alex H. Palmer (2d).

1875.

Lewis E. Wait.

Warren Johnson.

"

1876.

Darius Martin.

James F. Austin.

Monroe Kathan.

1877.

John J. Wait.

Charles H. Mills.

"

1878.

"

Clark Early.

George W. Jenkins.

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JUSTICES OF THE PEACE ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE.

1830.

Joel Dayton.

1855.

John A. Kettell.

1831.

Stephen Gray, long term.

U.H. Kendall, short term.

1856.

Harmon Rockwell.

1832.

Harmon Rockwell.

1857.

R. Humphrey, long term.

G. Kenyon, short term.

1833.

Stephen Gray.

1858.

Manlius Jeffers.

1834.

Decalvas S. Graves.

1859.

Elijah Ellis.

1835.

Uriah H. Kendall.

1860.

George Kenyon.

1836.

David Stewart.

1861.

Robert Humphrey.

1837.

Stephen Gray, long term.

Thomas Frost, short term.

1862.

Manlius Jeffers.

1838.

H. Rockwell, long term.

Thomas Frost, short term.

1863.

J.A. Kettell, long term.

A.H. Palmer, short term.

1839.

"

1864.

Harmon Rockwell.

L.D. Sabin, appointed.

1840.

David Stewart.

1865.

"

1841.

Stephen Gray.

1866.

Manlius Jeffers.

1842.

Harmon Rockwell.

1867.

C. Kennedy, long term.

M. Beattie, short term.

1843.

Thomas Frost.

1868.

George Kenyon.

1844.

David Stewart.

1869.

Lemuel D. Sabin.

1845.

John B. Aldrich.

1870.

H.S. Jenkins, long term.

J. Gilbert, long vacancy.

D. Martin, short vacancy.

1846.

Ariel C. Loveless.

1871.

H. Rockwell, long term.

A.H. Palmer, short term.

1847.

Harmon Rockwell.

1872.

G. Kenyon, long term.

J. Johnson, short term.

1848.

Zina H. Cowles.

1873.

Solon Bingham.

1849.

R. Humphrey, long term.

Otis Kiblin, short term.

1874.

David H. Yates.

1850.

M. Jeffers, long term.

A.C. Loveless, short term.

1875.

M.H. Wilcox, long term.

Mark Beattie, short term.

1851.

", long term.

John Gilbert, short term.

1876.

Joseph Dunn, long term.

Joel Loveless, short term.

1852.

Harmon Rockwell.

1877.

S. Bingham, long term.

J. Scovill, long vacancy.

J. Gilbert, short vacancy.

1853.

Robert Humphrey.

1878.

George Dunkler.

1854.

Manlius Jeffers.

 

 

 

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V. - VILLAGES AND HAMLETS.

HADLEY is a small hamlet at the mouth of the Sacandaga river. It contains about a dozen dwellings, two hotels, two stores, and a school-house. It is really a part of the village of Luzerne. It was commenced in 1790, by Henry Walker, who first settled there. The first saw-mill was built, in 1791, by Delane & Hazard. The first grist-mill by Jeremy Rockwell, in 1803. The first store was kept by Rockwell, in 1807.

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CONKLINGVILLE lies on the western border of the town, on both sides of the river. It was started by Gurdon Conkling, who came there in 1848, and built a large tannery, a store, a hotel, and several dwellings. Previous to this there had been two saw-mills erected, one on each side of the river. The first dam in this town was built in 1828, by Johnson & Wait. It was about forty feet above the present one. That dam, with the mill at its south end, built by Isaac Barber, in 1831, was carried away by high water in 1848. It was then built where it now stands. The first school-house in Conklingville was built in 1849. Miss Mary A. Andrews was the first teacher. Perry Burton, Joel and Silas Dayton were also among the first teachers there. Conklingville at present consists of about fifty dwellings, two churches, four stores, two blacksmith-shops, one tannery, one woodenware-shop, one collar-box factory, one hotel, one wagon-shop, one saw-mill, and a school-house. It has about three hundred inhabitants. The first store was kept by David Wait, about 1840. The building stands near the wooden-ware-works, and is used for a dwelling. William Wright was the first blacksmith there.

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VI. - SCHOOLS.

A man named Wilson taught the first school, in 1791. The first school-house in the Stewart neighborhood was built at a very early day. It was made of pine logs, and when short of kindling-wood it was the practice to hew off a piece of the sides to get some. The seats were wooden slabs, with legs made of round sticks, and there were no desks. The floor was of loose boards. The house was near the ferry, at what is now the Rice place. A man named Pitcher taught there.

Previous to 1820 there was a log school-house in the Ellis neighborhood. John Johnson and Walter Knott were early teachers there.

 

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COMMISSIONERS' APPORTIONMENT, MARCH, 1878.

District

Number of Children between five and twenty-one.

Equal Quota of the Public Money.

Public Money according to the number of Children.

Public Money according to average attendance.

Library Money.

Total Public Money.

No. 1

23

$52.14

$15.82

$17.10

$0.77

$85.83

" 2

23

52.14

15.82

26.25

.77

94.98

" 3

No house, no report.

" 4

39

52.14

26.82

19.82

1.30

100.08

" 5

40

52.14

27.51

29.30

1.34

110.29

" 6

96

104.28

66.03

69.53

3.20

243.04

" 7

52

52.14

35.76

51.64

1.73

141.27

 

273

$364.98

$187.76

$213.64

$9.11

$775.49

 

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VII. - CHURCHES.

THE FREE-WILL BAPTIST CHURCH OF HADLEY.

In the year 1826 the first organization of the Baptist denomination in the present town of Hadley was formed. Rev. ------ Chandler was pastor. John Loveless and John Jenkins were deacons. It was an open-communion society, and existed for several years. The meetings were held at the residence of John Loveless. The Free-Will Baptist church was organized in the summer of 1841, at the present residence of Elder David Hyde. In 1844 the first church edifice was built by Mr. Hyde. It was a cheaply-built houses intended for but temporary use, and cost the trifling sum of $300. The membership was small at first, but has gradually, spite of times of trial and depression, increased until the present number is thirty-nine. In the year 1869 the present church was built. Its cost was $2600. It is a building about thirty by fifty feet on the ground, with a square belfry and tower. Commodious sheds are attached. This house was dedicated January 20, 1870, by Rev. George T. Day, of Dover, N.H. Rev. John H. Loveless was the first pastor of the church. He was succeeded by Rev. David Hyde, who has remained pastor, with the exception of an absence of nine years in Rensselaer county (where he had charge of a church), till the present time. The church during that time was under the charge of Rev. John H. Loveless and Rev. David Smith. Rev. Joseph Tripp was pastor for one year since that time. The present officers are Richardson Woodcock, deacon; Mrs. Anna Bingham, clerk. The Sabbath-school connected with the church was organized in 1844, with a small membership. The average attendance during the past year was forty-one. Rev. David Hyde has long acted in the capacity of superintendent. There is a pleasantly-located and finely-inclosed cemetery near the church. Over the gate is the inscription, "Lynwood Cemetery;" on the inner face is the legend, "Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?"

The first religious meetings in the neighborhood were held at the house of John Loveless, on the northern part of great lot 4 of the twenty-fourth allotment of the Kayadrossera patent, about the year 1825. Services were held at the residence of Rev. David Hyde until the church was built in 1844.

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WESLEYAN METHODIST CHURCH OF HADLEY.

The Wesleyan Methodist church was organized in 1844. Walter R. Sutliff was class-leader. Among the first members were Walter and Sarah Sutliff, Riel Loveless, Anna Johnson, Dennis Townsend, Mrs. Joseph Smith, Mrs. Dennis Townsend, Mrs. Tilly Houghton, Laney Gray, Lucy Houghton, Ira Gray, and Robert Johnson. There was a class of about twenty-five members. This church is one of a circuit, and the ministers in charge at its organization were Rev. S.H. Foster, Rev. James Dayton, and Rev. William H. Hawkins. Changes have been made at different times, and the following ministers have been connected with the circuit, Rev. Enos Putnam, Rev. S. Abbott, Rev. William P. Ray, and Rev. W.H. Flansburgh. The membership has sometimes been as high as fifty, but is now about twenty-five. There has been a Sunday-school connected with this church, which was organized in 1845. Walter R. Sutliff was first superintendent. The average membership has been about forty scholars. The church edifice was built in 1845. It is a plain wooden structure, without blinds or tower, unpainted and quite badly out of repair, with a gallery on three sides of the room. Size about thirty by forty feet. First cost was $2000.

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CONKLINGVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

Previous to the year 1854 religious meetings were held at various times by Rev. David Lyon, of Northampton, and also by Rev. Mr. James, a Dutch Reformed minister of the town of Day. These meetings were held in the hall on the second floor of the residence of Colonel Gurdon Conkling, and also in the school-house. On the 26th of September, 1854, a committee appointed by the presbytery of Albany, consisting of Rev. J.T. Backus, D.D., Rev. S.E. Lane, and Rev. John Woodbridge, met in the hall above mentioned for the purpose of organizing a Presbyterian church. Rev. J.T. Backus acted as moderator. Ten persons were admitted to membership and constituted the original society. Of these, Gurdon and Caroline Conkling, Mrs. Sarah Conkling, William S. Young, Orlando Barnes, William Farquar, William Wittington, and Perry Burton joined by letter, and Henry and Lucy Wilcox on profession of faith. William S. Young was elected clerk of the session. The sacrament of the Lord's Supper was administered, and the first meeting of the Presbyterian church of Conklingville ended.

June 1, 1825, C.H. Skillman, a licentiate of the presbytery of New Brunswick, was delegated by the board of missions to take charge of the church. January 9, 1856, he joined the presbytery of Albany, and on the 17th of the same month was ordained to the ministry, and settled as the pastor of the church. He remained connected with the church in this capacity until June 1, 1860, when he relinquished his charge. He was succeeded by J.K. McLean, a licentiate of Albany presbytery, who supplied the pulpit until October of that year. From October to December the pulpit was vacant. December 16, 1860, Rev. J.A. Patterson, an evangelist of the presbytery of Huntington, became stated supply for a time. During the years of 1861 to 1866 there was no regular supply for the pulpit, and only occasional meetings were held. The church, however, was used by the Methodist denomination and meetings were held by Rev. J.K. Wager during those years. April 14, 1867, an effort having been made to revive the somewhat dormant church, Rev. David Edgar became stated supply, and remained about six months. Another period of quiet, and then on the 21st of July, 1871, Rev. George Craig became stated supply. Again for a long time the pulpit was vacant, until in June, 1874, J. D. Countermine, a student at Princeton College, supplied the. pulpit for about three months. The pulpit was then left unoccupied until July 1, 1875, when Rev. George S. Bell became stated supply, and remains in that capacity at present.

In the fall of 1856 steps were taken to bring about the erection of a house of worship, and the work was carried along so far as to have the building inclosed and a lecture-room finished off by the 28th of November. On that day a preparatory lecture was delivered by the pastor, Rev. C.H. Skillman. This was the first service held in the church. For ten years following the church remained in an unfinished state, services being held in the lecture-room, and, when demanded by the size of the audience, in the unfinished room. Notably was this the case when, in April, 1865, that dark and gloomy wave of grief and horror swept over the land, darkening every hearth, and throwing the chilled life-blood back upon the fainting hearts of forty millions of people. When the terrible news of the assassination of that best-beloved President America ever possessed, came on the wings of the lightning, the people here, as elsewhere, were grieved, shocked, and almost stunned. And on that day, when a sorrowing nation, from Maine to California, and from the northern lakes to the boundaries of the defeated south, met to pay tribute to the worth and wisdom, the justice, generosity, kindness, and statesmanship of the departed, and to manifest their appreciation of his many virtues, and to mourn not only the country's loss but a loss which each one felt to be a personal bereavement, the citizens of Hadley in common with the hosts of their fellow-countrymen met to hold a memorial service. The meeting was held at the unfinished church, which was crowded full, and was addressed by Rev. J.K. Wager, a Methodist Episcopal minister, who, standing on an upturned dry-goods box, delivered a powerful and touching sermon. In 1866 the church was finished off, and the dedicatory services were held in the fall of that year, Rev. John Woodbridge, of Saratoga, preaching the dedicatory sermon. The building is a plain structure, about thirty by sixty feet in size, and surmounted by a square tower. It is painted white, with green blinds, and presents a neat and tasty appearance. The Sunday-school connected with this church was first organized as a Union Sabbath-school in 1853 or 1854. The sessions were held in the hall in the second story of Colonel Conkling's house. Miss Mary Hedges was the prime mover in this enterprise, and was the first Superintendent. Mr. Albert Conkling, Mrs. Caroline Conkling, and Mrs. A.H. Palmer, were among the first teachers in the Sunday-school. The school was not very large, but has been continued since, and is now in excellent condition. The present number of names on the roll is one hundred and twenty. There are one hundred and forty volumes in the library. The present officers are D.H. Yates, superintendent; John King, assistant superintendent; Martin H. Wilcox, secretary; E.G. Dunklee, treasurer.

The membership of the church has varied considerably from time to time, and is now about thirty-five.

The following is a list of the elders of the society since its organization: William S. Young, Orlando Barnes, William Farquhar, Cleaves K. Hutchinson, William Parker, Isaac Noyes, Jr., and David H. Yates. The present session is composed of Rev. George S. Bell, pastor, and Elders Isaac Noyes, Jr., William Parker, and David H. Yates.

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ST. JOHN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH, CONKLINGVILLE.

Late in the fall of the year 1868, in response to the request of several individuals, the Rev. C.T.V. Eastman, rector of the Church of the Redeemer, Northampton, Fulton Co., N.Y., came to Conklingville for the purpose of organizing an Episcopal church. The meeting was held in the Presbyterian church, was well attended, and the society was successfully organized with twenty-four members. Among them appear the names of Thomas and Ann Gillespie, Samuel and Anna Kinnear, James and Mary Parker, William W. and Eliza A. Foulks, Joseph and Mary J. Ross, Edward and Susan Godsell, John and Ann Hall, Elizabeth McConhie, John, James, and Edward Keagan, Thomas Jones, and Thomas Evans. The first officers of the church were Thomas Gillespie and Samuel Kinnear, wardens; James Parker, John Hall, Sr., Thomas Evans, and William W. Foulks, vestrymen; Joseph Ross, treasurer. Rev. C.T.V. Eastman continued to hold services in the Presbyterian church and in the school-house for about a year. Benjamin Webb then became rector, and continued in that capacity till 1871. He was followed by Rev. Joseph Ritchie, who conducted services for but a few weeks, and was in turn followed by Rev. Mr. Moran, who served about three months. The church was then without a rector for about four years. Services were, however, held during the summer seasons of 1872 and 1873 by Rev. Montgomery Hooper, who passed the summers in this locality. June 24, 1876, Rev. Anson J. Brockway entered upon the rectorship, and continues to hold that relation to the church at present. He resides at Luzerne, Warren Co., and has charge of a church there also.

The church edifice, which is a neat, yet plain structure, twenty-two by fifty-five feet, with a vestry eight by sixteen feet, was built during the fall of 1870 and the winter following. It was finished off in the spring of 1871. The ceremony of laying the corner-stone occurred on the 17th of September, 1870. The Rt. Rev. William Crosswell Donne, S.T.D., bishop of the diocese of Albany, performed the ceremony, which was witnessed by a large concourse of people. The church was the result of the efforts of poor men dependent upon day labor for the means of providing food for themselves and their families, as well as for the means to build churches. The hard times came on, wages were reduced., and the members of the church have found it impossible to fully pay all the obligations incurred by the erection of the building. As a consequence, the church has not yet been formally dedicated. The cost of the building and site was about $2400. It is pleasantly situated near the Sacandaga river, in the eastern end of the village. At present the number of members is about twenty-five. The present officers of the church are Thomas Gillespie and John Keagan, wardens; James Gillespie, John Parker, James Davison, David York, vestrymen; Joseph Ross, treasurer; James Keagan, clerk of vestry; William Cameron, collector. Rev. Benjamin Webb organized a Sabbath-school in connection with this church in the year 1870, with about twenty-five scholars, he acting as superintendent. The school has been continued up to the present time. The present superintendent is the rector, Rev. A.J. Brockway.

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VIII. - BURIAL-PLACES.

The first burial was that of Betsey, a daughter of Alexander Stewart, in 1796. She was but three or four years old, and was buried in the Stewart burying-ground. The school-teacher, Pitcher, died of consumption, and was buried there a few years later.

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IX. - SOCIETIES.

An Odd-Fellows' lodge was instituted at Conklingville in 1851. Hon. A.H. Palmer, N.G.; Charles Hale, V.G.; Robert Humphrey, Sec.; John Todd, Treas.; James Pinkerton, F. Sec., were the first officers. The meetings were held in the hall in Gurdon Conkling's house. The lodge had about fifty members. In 1858 the charter was surrendered.

A lodge of Good Templars was instituted by Dr. Chauncey Boughton in 1869. D.E. King, W.C.T.; Mary S. Palmer, W.V.T.; Jacob Palmer, W. Sec.; and M.H. Wilcox, L.D., were the first officers. The lodge now numbers thirty-five members.

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X. - PLACES OF HISTORIC INTEREST.

There are no places of particular historic interest in this town. Some Indian relics are found occasionally in the valley of the Hudson. At the falls near the Hadley bridge, it is reported that some troops crossed on a plank during the Revolution, and one man, in his haste, was said to have leaped the chasm. The distance across it is some twelve or fifteen feet. The water beneath is said to be over sixty feet deep. A young man was crossing the river above the falls in a canoe in 1805, when he became frightened, lost control of the boat, and, drifting over the falls, was drowned. "Indian rock," so called, is a large rock in the bed of the Sacandaga river, just below the curve known as the "horse-race." It is so called, because a legendary Indian brave was wrecked by it while passing down the river in his canoe.

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XI. - INDUSTRIAL ENTERPRISES.

There is considerable land devoted to agriculture, notwithstanding the rough, mountainous nature of the country. Yet lumbering, manufacturing, and similar work largely engross the attention of the people.

Lynwood tannery was built, in 1848, by Gurdon Conkling. It passed through several hands, and in 1863 was bought by Henry Poor & Son, of Boston, who still own it. The buildings are forty by seven hundred feet, two stories high, with a rolling-room forty by sixty feet, an engine-house twelve by eighteen feet, and an oil-house, built of stone, thirty by fifty feet, attached. The hide storehouse is thirty by fifty feet. There is also a fine office. The capital invested is about $100,000. The power is furnished by five water-wheels, of five feet diameter, and a thirty horse-power engine.

The tannery uses about four thousand five hundred cords of hemlock bark each year, and twenty thousand hides. The bark is mostly obtained in the town of Day, and is drawn down the river on scows by a small steam-tug owned by the company. The hides come from Texas, Mexico, and South America The annual product of the tannery is about three hundred and fifty tons of sole-leather, valued at $150,000. The pay-rolls contain the names of about forty workmen.

The paper collar-box factory, owned by James L. Libby, of New York, was started in 1872. The buildings are forty by one hundred and forty feet, two stories and a basement. Theodore Franklin is the agent in charge of the shop. The shop is driven by a sixty horse-power engine with two boilers. It employs from sixty to eighty hands. The capital invested in buildings and machinery is about $15,000. The shop uses about ten thousand beech, maple, and birch logs every year. The proprietors own some four or five thousand acres of woodland up the river, and the logs come from that source. The articles manufactured are bent boxes of all kinds and descriptions. The machinery is built with special adaptation to the work required, and turns out the boxes with great rapidity. The value of the yearly product is between $50,000 and $75,000.

The Conklingville woodenware-works, Benj. R. Jenkins, agent, is a mammoth shop. The building is L-shaped, and the dimensions of the respective parts are forty-five by eighty-three and forty by one hundred and eleven feet. The whole building is two stories high (twenty-eight-foot posts) with a ten-foot basement underneath. The power is furnished by three turbine water-wheels of six-foot diameter, one central discharge water-wheel, about the same size, and one thirty horse-power engine. The articles manufactured are covered wooden buckets in nests, clothes-pins, barrel-covers, grain-measures, wash-boards, and wooden bowls. The annual consumption of logs is about ten thousand. They are beech, maple, birch, ash, oak, elm, spruce, basswood, pine, and hemlock logs, and mostly procured from three thousand acres of woodland in Day, owned by the proprietors. From seventy-five to one hundred hands are employed in this shop. There is from four hundred to five hundred feet of shafting used.

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XII. - MILITARY.

The town of Hadley did not exist at the time of the Revolutionary struggle, and of course none of its citizens participated in the privations of that fateful contest for freedom. But several of the heroes of that war, after its close, came to Hadley and settled here, and their names attach a share of the glory of the Revolution to the history of this town. Following is a list of those Revolutionary heroes whose names we have been able to obtain: Thomas Reed lived in the town of Hadley, near Jessup's Landing, and died there; John Johnson, Sr., served seven years in the Revolutionary war, lived in Hadley several years, died in Day, Nov. 25, 1836; Joseph Gilbert died in Hadley in 1839; Edward Sherman died in Hadley; Abel Houghton died in Hadley; Asel Gray served throughout the Revolution, removed to Hadley, and died there in 1827; David Jeffers died in Hadley.

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The War of 1812 called forth a few of Hadley's sturdy sons. So far as can be ascertained, none of them ever saw active service. They went to Plattsburg in 1814, and the war ended before they were brought into conflict with the foe. Those who went from the present town of Hadley were John Gilbert, who was a famous drummer, died in Hadley in September, 1872; James Delong, still living at Conklingville at the age of eighty-four years; Rufus Wells; Harry Burke, now living in Hadley; 'Squire Lawton, who died in Hamilton county in November, 1876.

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Turner Gray, a son of Enoch Gray, Jr., served in the Mexican war. He is now living in Illinois.

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This brings us to that great and momentous struggle for national existence that was ushered in by the guns fired at Fort Sumter in April, 1861. In the long, fierce, and desperate struggle that followed that event Hadley sent many of her noblest sons to battle for the integrity of the flag, the perpetuation of American ideas, and the maintenance of the national existence. Some of them shed their blood and laid down their lives in the performance of the sacred duty. Others passed through the fiery trial and escaped unhurt. All are worthy of a lasting remembrance in the hearts of the people, and their names will render this page lustrous and radiant with the glory of their achievements. As far as can now be ascertained, the following is a correct record of the names and deeds of the citizen soldiery of 1861-65 from this town:

Warren Baker, priv., Co. E, 169th N.Y. Inf.; disch. with the regiment; living in Philadelphia, Pa.

Amasa Bartlett, priv., 115th N.Y. Inf.; enl. 1861; killed in battle.

Charles Blackwood, priv., 16th H. Art.; disch. with the regiment; living in Hadley.

George N. Blackwood, priv., 115th N.Y. Inf.; enl. 1861; disch. with the regiment; riving at Luzerne, Warren Co., N.Y.

William Blackwood, priv., 115th N.Y. Inf.; enl. 1861; taken prisoner, and died of starvation at Andersonville, Ga.

Edward Blower, priv., Co. G, 30th N.Y. Inf.; enl. 1861.

John Brown, regiment and company unknown; died in the service.

Joseph Campbell, priv., Co. G, 30th N.Y. Inf.; enl. 1861; wounded, Aug. 30, 1862. at the battle of Bull Run, and died in hospital, Sept. 1862. at Alexandria, Va.

Dennis Costello, priv., Co. B, 96th N.Y. Inf.; enl. 1861; disch. with the regiment; living in Hadley.

William Dingman, priv., 115th N.Y. Inf.; enl. 1861; killed at the battle of Drury's Bluff, Va.

John W. Dubois, priv., 115th N.Y. Inf.; enl. 1861; killed during the seven days' fight before Richmond, Va.

Samuel Ellis, priv., Co. G, 115th N.Y. Inf.; enl. 1861; mustered out with the regiment; living in Hadley.

Elam Evans, priv., 115th N.Y. Inf.; enl. 1861; killed at the battle of the Wilderness, Va., in 1864.

George Evans, priv., Co. C, 115th N.Y. Inf.; enl. 1862; died in the service.

Samuel Evans, priv., U.S. Regulars.

John J. Flanders, company and regiment unknown; living at Stony Creek, Warren Co.

Jonathan Flanders, company and regiment unknown; living at Stony Creek, Warren Co.

John Gilbert, priv., 115th N.Y. Inf.; enl. 1861; mustered out with regiment; living at Batchellerville.

Briggs Gray, priv., 115th N.Y. Inf.; enl. 1861; mustered out with regiment; living in Hadley.

George Harrington, priv. 12th U.S. Regulars; lost an arm, end died in hospital from effects of wound.

Eugene Holland, sailor, on board U. S. Frigate "Hartford,"

John Holland, sailor, on board U. S. Steamer "Buckingham."

Charles Jeffers, 2d N.Y. Vet. Cav.; mustered out with the regiment; living in Hadley.

Rollin Jenkins, priv., Co. E, 169th N.Y. Inf.; mustered out with the regiment.

Joel J. Loveless, priv., Co. E, 169th N.Y. Inf.; disch. on account of sickness; living in Iowa.

William Mahar, priv., Co. F, 115th N.Y. Inf.; enl. Aug. 13, 1862; mustered out with the regiment; living in Fulton county.

------ Maloney, killed at the battle of Stone River.

John McCormick, priv., Co. G, 30th N.Y. Inf.; enl. 1861; disch. with the regiment, June 15, 1863; living in Albany.

Zabin Mills, priv., Co. E, 169th N.Y. Inf.; enl. 1862; died in hospital at Washington, D.C.

William Newton, priv., 115th N.Y. Inf.; enl. 1862; killed by the explosion of mine at Fort Fisher, N.C.

Charles H. Palmer, 1st lieut., Co. E, 169th N.Y. Inf.; died in hospital at Portsmouth, Va.

Mandelbert J. Palmer, corp., Co. E, 169th N.Y. Inf.; died in service, Oct. 10, 1863.

Wm. H. Palmer, priv., Co. B, 12th N.Y. H. Art.; mustered out with regiment; living in Philadelphia, Pa.

John Peart, com. sergt., Co. A, 21st N.Y. Cav.; lost his left leg at battle of Ashby's Gap, Va., in 1864; discharged for disability; living in Hadley.

Joseph Reed, priv., 115th N.Y. Inf.; enl. 1862; lost an arm; disch. for disability; living in Hadley.

Frank Rice, priv., -- N.Y. Cav.; killed in battle.

Wade Rice. Priv. 2d N.Y. Vet. Cav.; enl. 1862; mastered out with regiment; living in Hadley.

Joseph Ross, priv. Co. G, 30th N.Y. Inf.; enl. 1861; mustered out with regiment; living at Conklingville.

Samuel Rosa.

Edwin Ruthven, priv., Co. G, 30th N.Y. Inf.; enl. 1861; mustered out with regiment; living at Conklingville.

------ Saulsbury, enl. 1861; killed Aug. 30, 1862, at battle of Bull Run.

Wesley Scovill, enl. 1862; discharged; living in Fulton county.

Edward Sherman, priv., 22d N.Y. Inf.; enl. 1861; wounded at Bull Bun; disch. with regiment; living at Pithole, Pa.

Zabin Shippey, priv., 115th N.Y. Inf.; enl. 1862; mustered out with regiment; living in Hadley.

Irving Simpson, priv., Co. F, 115th N.Y. Inf.; enl. Aug. 13, 1862; disch. with regiment; died at Conklingville since the close of the war.

Charles Stewart, priv., 2d N.Y. Vet. Cav.; discharged.

Daniel A. Stewart, priv., 93d N.Y. Inf.; disch. with regiment; lives in Hadley.

Truman B. Stewart, priv., 93d N.Y. Inf.; enl. 1861; discharged.

Walter Sutliff, priv., Co. F, 115th N.Y. Inf.; enl. Aug. 13, 1862; disch. for sickness; recently removed from Conklingville.

Henry Townsend, priv.; died in the service.

Cassius Varney, priv., Co. E, 169th N.Y. Inf.; died in rebel prison at Andersonville, Ga., in 1864.

Obadiah Varney, priv., Co. E, 169th N.Y. Inf.; died at Davey's Island, near New York, Aug. 6, 1865.

Simeon Wait, priv.; died in hospital.

Michael Ward, priv., Co. G, 30th N.Y. Inf., enl. 1861; living in Albany.

Frederick Washburn, priv., 5th U. St. Reg. Cav.; mustered out at close of the war; living in Hadley.

Henry Washburn, priv., Co. G, 30th N.Y. Inf.; enl. 1861; disch. with regiment; lives at Conklingville.

Ira Washburn, priv., Co. F, 115th N.Y. Inf.; enl. Aug. 13, 1862; died att Hilton Head, S.C., in June, 1863.

Elbridge Wheelock. priv., Co. :E, 96th N.Y. Inf.; enl. 1861; killed at the battle of the Wilderness, in 1864.

Wm. Wheelock, enl. 1861; discharged.

Ariel Loveless, priv., Co. C, 77th N.Y. Inf.; enl. Nov. 22, 1861.

Richard M. Sprague, priv., Co. G, 115th N.Y. Inf.; enl. July 29, 1862.

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Residence of Manlius Jeffers (with portraits)

Property of Lewis E. Wait (with portrait)

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