Craft Masonry in Oneida County, New York - Onondaga and ...

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RECAPITULATION. Total Members, ..... 111 Withdrawn, &c., .... 26 Dead, . . . . . . 4 — - 30 Present Membership, .... 81 Petitioning Members. 40. 1867-68, J. T. Perkins; 1869-73, H. N. Adams; 1870-77- 78, C. H. Moore; MASTERS. 1871-72, M. (J. Blackstone; 1874--7– T. W. Blackstone; 1876, H. L. Babcock; 1879-80, C. H. Dodge. Amicable Lodge, No. 6(54, the youngest of the valley lodges, enters the second decade of its existence with flattering prospects. The signs of the times give promise of a general revival of business, and the recent starting up of the Washington Mills Woolen Factory inaugurates prosperity, and without doubt, New Amicable can celebrate the Centennial Anniversary of Old Amicable, on April 7, 1892,—twelve years hence—with full ranks, harmonious membership and prosperous treasury. Rev. Mr. Magill, rector of St. Paul's ’hurch, Peru, NY, being asked by a lady, the question, "Ar” you a Mason?" r”sponded in the following beautiful lines: Are you a Mason? I am one of a band Who win faithfully stand In the bonds of affect ion and love; I have knocked at the door, Once wretched and poor, And there for admission I stood. By the help of a friend, Who assistance did lend, I succeeded an entrance to gain; Was received in the West, By command from the East, But not without feeling some pain. Here my conscience was taught With a moral quite fraught With sentiment holy and true. Then onward I traveled, To have it unraveled, What Hiram intended to do. Very soon in the East, I made known my request, And "li“ht" b” command did attain; When lo! I perceived, In due form revealed. A Master, a Brother, and Friend. Thus far I have stated, And simply related What happened when I was made free; But I've’"pa“sed" s”nce then, And was "ra“sed" u” again To a sublime and ancient degree. Then onward I marched. That I might be "Ar“hed " “nd find out those treasures long lost. When behold ! a bright flame, From the midst of which came A voice which my ears did accost. Through the "va“ls" I”then went, And succeeded at length The "sa“ctum sanctorum" t” find; By the “signet" I”gained, And quickly obtained, Employment which suited my mind. In the depths I then wrought, And most carefully sought For treasures so long hidden there; And by labor and toil I discovered the spoil, Which is kept by the craft with due care. Having thus far arrived, I further contrived ‘'Mo’g valiant Sir Knights to appear; And as pilgrim and Knight, I stood ready to fight, Nor Saracen foe did I fear. For the widow distressed, There's ’ chord in my breast; For the helpless and orphan I feel; And my sword I could draw, To maintain the pure law Which the duty of Masons reveal. Thus have I revealed, (Yet wisely concealed,) What the "Fr“e & Accepted" w”ll know; I am one of a band. Who will faithfully stand As a brother, wherever I go. Appendix “History of the Town of Paris, and the Valley of the Sauquoit,” by Henry C. Rogers, page 276- http://books.google.com/books?id=tMYqAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA276&lpg=PA276&dq=%22Gardner+Avery%22&source=web&ots=Gefq 6gsLVh&sig=YiYjxRA_rOpfsDHNSVtfm71GdXo&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=8&ct=result#PPA276,M1 Colonel Gardner Avery Col. Gardner Avery was born in Munson, Mass., in 1774. At the age of eight years he was “bound out” until he should arrive at the age of 18, to a Mr. Munn, at the expiration of which he went to Otsego county, NY, near Richfield Springs, and hired out to a Mr. Chamberlain. During his service there the small pox broke out in the neighborhood and raged with great violence, whereupon he went back to his old home in Massachusetts, where it was his intention to go to a pest-house and be inoculated for that dread disease, and thus have it in a mild form as a preventive for future attacks, which was the custom in those old times, and before vaccination or the kinepox was discovered. His father opposed his plan and positively forbade him. But upon arriving at his majority, on his twenty-first birthday he marched to the pest-house, distant some fourteen miles, and went through the course of treatment, at the expiration of which he received a certificate from the surgeon in charge, and returned home. But in such fear was the contagion held, at that early day, that his father refused him admission at first, and until he had exhibited his certificate. Soon afterward he 74
emoved to Albany, N. Y., engaging as steward in the old “Stone Hotel,” the leading house there at that time, and the popular resort of the Assemblymen and other magnates of the Capitol. While here, he married Huldah, a daughter of John Russell, a prominent business man of that city. His wife ere long died, leaving him one child, a daughter, who in time married George Merrifield, of Sam! Lake. At the hotel he developed great energy and business ability, and thereby attracted the attention of Judge Sanger, of New Hartford, the great land agent, who was a frequent guest of the hotel, but more particularly by his courage and skill in the following adventure: During the winter, when the river was frozen over, a passage was readily affected on the ice; but in the spring, when the ice was softened by the thaws, it would become unsafe and impossible to cross until the final “breaking up,” when boats could be used. This unsafe period sometimes lasted several days. During such a period in the spring of 1801, a prominent banker there found it important to send a package of money across the river to Greenbush, but could find no one who would brave the perilous undertaking, although he freely offered one hundred dollars for its accomplishment. The generous offer coming to the ears of young Gardner, he promptly tendered his services, which were accepted. Procuring some long, lithe, strong “hoop-poles,” he strapped them to his body under each arm, the ends projecting fore and aft, and taking a strong pike-pole in his hands, with which to leap over air-holes or weak places in the ice, or pull himself out, if he should break through, the hoop-poles projecting out to catch on the ice and prevent his sinking in such an event, and securing the package on his head, he was ready for the perilous passage. An immense crowd gathered to witness the exploit, to which he boldly advanced and which he successfully performed, the vast gathering of citizens greeting the safe return with rounds of cheers for the hero of the hour. Judge Sanger, who witnessed the exploit, was at that time in need of a man to take charge of the Paris Furnace, then in course of erection at what is now Clayville, and with his keen insight into character, at once selected young Gardner for the responsible position, who, with his characteristic promptitude, accepted the offer. Reaching New Hartford, he mounted a horse, and at once proceeded up the valley to the furnace. Beyond Sauquoitthe road led along the high ground through the Bently neighborhood, thence turning abruptly to the east down into the valley, where the furnace was located. During the last part of his route he was forced to dismount and jump his horse over the fallen trees. Reaching the site at last, the massive frame of the huge building burst upon his view like a gaunt spectre, it having been raised and thus far completed under the supervision of “Judge” Eliphalet Sweeting, who at once resigned command to the new cotuer. They pushed forward the work with great energy, completing it before fall, both sleeping on a horse-blanket during the summer, and when “she went into blast,” “Judge” Sweeting took the position of founder, in which he was greatly skilled, and was considered the best judge of iron ores in the country, hence his sobriquet of “Judge.” Colonel Gardner Avery assumed the general financial management and direction of affairs, and the furnace grew to be one of the most important enterprises in the interior of the State. In 1817 he founded the Lenox Furnace, which added greatly to his duties, driving back and forth, superintending both. In addition to both these extensive furnaces he was the superintendent of the old Seneca Turnpike from Utica to Canandaigua, which compelled him to go over the road once each month to settle up with the gate-keepers. With a spirited span of horses bought for him in Delaware county by ‘Squire Barnett, attached to a light wagon for those days, made by the old wagon-maker, Brainard, he would make the trip and return in five days, bringing with him the silver in large saddle-bags. These he faithfully guarded with a brace of pistols, queer old flint lock weapons, now in possession of his grandson, E. B. Avery, as treasured relics, while made from some of the silver his son James has a large spoon much prized by him. While on one of these trips two important events took place at home. Among the many men in his employ was one named Smith, a stranger, who, although he did his work well, seemed ignorant and stupid. It was afterward, however, ascertained from his fellow workmen, that he was a keen, well educated man, and the stupidity was assumed for some purpose. Taking advantage of the absence of the Colonel, he stole one of his best horses and fled, and no trace of him was ever found The same night of his flight, the sawmill opposite the Avery residence was burned, old Uncle Thompson, the sawyer, who slept in the mill, perishing in the flames. It was generally accepted that the old man, who sometimes “took a little too much,” had blunderingly set the mill on fire, but looking back through the vista of years, circumstances favor the probability that the “stupid” Smith gained his confidence, and ascertaining that he had some funds hoarded up, robbed and murdered him, and, firing the sawmill to cover up his crime, mounted the stolen horse and made his escape. After the Colonel had got well established at Paris Furnace he purchased a farm—where Crook now resides, near the cemetery—-brought forward his father and family from their eastern home and placed them on the farm, where they resided many years until advanced in age. Then he built them a house in the yard near his own residence, the better to look after them, where they passed their declining years in comfort and happiness. United in life they were not separated a day in death, dying within sixteen hours of each other. December 27, 1831, he, aged 81 years, and his wife—Amy Newell—aged 76, having lived together 59 years. The old gentleman was a soldier of the Revolution and served through the whole war. In the building of the Presbyterian Church in the spring of 1811, Colonel Avery and other influential members desired! It to be erected at West Sauquoit, but they were outvoted, and a site selected just east of the residence of the late Wm. Knight, where the foundation was laid, on which the sills were placed and the framing well under way, when, presto!’ in the dull, gray breaking of a spring day morning, the road opposite the site suddenly swarmed with teams and men. The Furnace Company teams, some dozen or more, Theodore and Alyn Gilbert, the dam builders, about as many more, Captain Bacon, John Butler, and others, who favored a change of base, swelled the wagon-train, all under the direction of the energetic colonel, who was a born leader, and in a twinkling, and before the opposition could be rallied against them, the timbers and foundation stones were loaded up and carted over to West Sauquoit, and ere night the “bee” had relaid the foundation and placed the sills thereon, and the building went up on the new site. He and John Butler—the oldest pioneer of the western hillside—ever afterward were the leading influential members of the society, and accorded the post of honor by the congregation, (the large square pews right and left of the pulpit,) which they have ever since occupied with their families or descendants. Soon after coming to- Paris Furnace, he married Betsey Sage, of New Hartford, and in 1810 built his residence, now occupied by his son, Hon. Eli Avery. In the year 1822 he erected a carding and fulling mill on the east side of the road opposite and a little below the present site of the Empire Woolen Factory. When the railroad was constructed the old building was removed to make room for the trestle work (since filled up) where the railroad crosses the creek to enter the village, which passes over the site of the old carding mill. The Paris Furnace was the pioneer manufacturing enterprise of the valley, and attained a volume of business of great magnitude, its potash kettles and hollow ware and other products being sent to all parts of the State then being settled* Their main market, 75
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Craft Masonry in Oneida County, New
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445c Corinthian (Oneida Castle) Ver
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influence in the community where he
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Andrew H. Green, City Clerk. DeWitt
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A fee of twelve and one-half cents
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MEN IN PUBLIC LIFE. W. C. Newberry,
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1867. Henry C. Rogers. 1868. Henry
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1870—Jan 22, Ellis Jones, H. N. S
Page 23 and 24: The Lodge was represented at the la
Page 25 and 26: http://elib.hamilton.edu/cdm4/docum
Page 27 and 28: http://ehistory.osu.edu/osu/sources
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Page 31 and 32: WHEELOCK died of disease in Washing
Page 33 and 34: Grand Lodge requested that the warr
Page 35 and 36: Hedding A. Casswell, Mayor of Rome
Page 37 and 38: Oriental Lodge No. 224, BENJAMIN HA
Page 39 and 40: 6. Daniel Hinckley, b. 30 Aug 1765,
Page 41 and 42: http://books.google.com/books?id=_I
Page 43 and 44: It named as officers: SAMUEL CHERRY
Page 45 and 46: The last representative of old Pari
Page 47 and 48: He leaves his wife; a son, Ralph S.
Page 49 and 50: He never took a very active part in
Page 51 and 52: http://home.comcast.net/~richardson
Page 53 and 54: esult. The archives of the Grand Lo
Page 55 and 56: Aaron Rider, Spaulding Pierce, M.D.
Page 57 and 58: one of whom was Sylvester P. Pierce
Page 59 and 60: Abraham Van Eps was Member of Assem
Page 61 and 62: R. W. Jonathan Barker, Master; W. J
Page 63 and 64: Clinton. It was notarized by DeWitt
Page 65 and 66: October 29, Edwin Webster, Harleton
Page 67 and 68: Isaac J. Doolittle, 1 “ 4 Henry C
Page 69 and 70: Sept. 1, Andrew- Boss. 1857—Feb.
Page 71 and 72: 1877— Feb. 10, John Crawshaw; Feb
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Page 77 and 78: Oliver Collins was a sturdy and ent
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Page 87 and 88: numbered among his kindred. He died
Page 89 and 90: 13 th , 1813, he filled the office
Page 91 and 92: He was a large landholder in Oneida
Page 93 and 94: a State Senator for several years.
Page 95 and 96: conquered by the smiles and innocen
Page 97 and 98: which ended in the surrender at Sar
Page 99 and 100: in, when our sentinels on the south
Page 101 and 102: now and then all night. At every sh
Page 103 and 104: Colonel Gansevoort responded to the
Page 105 and 106: Richardson's contract were present,
Page 107 and 108: to marry his sixth cousin Ruth Rawl
Page 109: Saratoga County. The children of Jo
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