Rouses Point, N. Y., August 23, 1898 Mr.Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen:In response to an invitation from Miss Margarette S. Hubbell, to prepare a paper to be read at an entertainment to be given Tuesday evening, August 23rd, 1898, for the benefit of the Presbyterian church, I have prepared the following imperfect sketch of men who lived in Chazy, (Sharzee), and of events which occurred there during my childhood, boyhood and early manhood: I can say what probably no other living man can say, that I was present at the raising of the Presbyterian church in Chazy, which took place I think in 1820, possibly 1819; but the only incidents that I can remember were my Mother who was a member, was there and took with her a pan fall of 'baked beans for dinner. I presume my father was there too, but I have no recollection of it. The only other incident was, I saw Pliny Hubbell climb up a rope to a beam, when a man standing on the beam reached down and pulled him up, Pliny was about my age, perhaps a year older.
The next important event that I can remember, was hearing the Declaration of Independence read on the Fourth of July, 1826, in the Presbyterian church; Bela Edgerton read it. He was a brother of' Fillmon and his two sons were wealthy and highly honored citizens of Ohio. John Adarns and Thomas Jefferson, both ex-Presidents of the United States, died that day; but we did not hear of it that day, nor the next, We had no telegraphs then.
Among the professional and business men of the early settlers in Chazy as I remember them, were the following: Dr. Nathan Carver, who was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1812, and was appointed county judge in 1823; Bela Edgerton was Member of Assembly in 1827-28 and 29; Dr. Miles Stevenson, Member in 1833 and 1834; Julius C. Hubbell, postmaster for many years, and Member of Assembly in l843-4. Mr.Hubbell was a sound lawyer and an honest man.
The following were law students of Mr. Hubbell: Lemuel Stetson, Member of Assembly in 1835-36-42-62, Representative in Congress in 1843-45, Member of Constitutional Convention in 1816 and 1866, County judge from 1847 to 1851.Lafayette Carver, settled in Aurora, N. Y.; Charles Severence, Member of Assembly from Erie county in 1848; Rufus Heaton, Member of Assembly in 1817-48; A. G. Carver in 1849.
Merchants:-Alexander Scott, E. A. Scott, Geo. Lesley, Matthew Pitcher, (he was afterwards Lieutenant in the Navy). Augustus Pitcher and Montgomery Pitcher, sons of ex-Lieutenant Governor Pitcher of Sandy Hill, were clerks for E. A. Scott at different times. Mr. Scott was there uncle. Mr. Lesley had been clerk for his uncle Robert McPherson and succeeded him in business, Wm. Saxe and Geo. Severence were clerks for Mr. Lesley. W. H. Brockway was Custom House officer for many years and was a shoemaker by trade. Harvey Horton was pettifogger, and a good one. Esq. Harry Graves was a wheelright; Esq. Shernan was a blacksmith; Orrin Hinman was a hatter; Mr. Hall and Amass Ransom were harness makers; Andrew McCollough was a tailor, and could argue with ability on many subjects. Mr. Byington was pastor of the Presbyterian church. Deacon David Douglass and Chauncey Graves were millers; Mr. Merritt carded rolls and dressed fall cloth; Solomon Fiske tanned hides and sold leather; Frank Kingsley was a shoemaker, and captain of militia; Mrs. Fillmore and Mr. Kimball kept "tavern;" Shubell Burdick was constable and deputy sheriff; Alexander H. Prescott was principal of the High School in 1834-5, and as a teacher he had few equals and no superiors.
Among his scholars were: A. G. Carver, David and John Douglass, Russell and Lemuel North, Ezra and Aaron Thurber, Rufus Heaton, Hiram Taylor, Geo. Stevens, Matthew Scott, D. D. T. Moore, Morris and Titus Perry, Joshua Moore, Joseph Platt, Henry Gilliland, Nelson Fisk, and John Van Ornum, a poor man's son of Chazy, who studied law with Mr. Hubbell, and afterwards made him-self famous as a criminal lawyer in Michigan.
For fear I am taking too much time, I will close.
Remaining, yours truly,
R. HEATON.Return to Chazy
