HISTORY OF

SARATOGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

by NATHANIEL BARTLETT SYLVESTER

1878

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CHAPTER XXI.

COUNTY SOCIETIES.

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The act of the Legislature to provide for the formation of county agricultural societies was passed May 15, 1841. The friends of the movement were prompt in Saratoga County to commence action in accordance with its provisions. The county clerk, Archibald Smith, issued a call, and the first meeting was held at the court-house June 24, 1841, but little more than a month after the act had received the executive approval. Howell Gardiner, of Greenfield, was appointed chairman, and Archibald Smith, of Ballston Spa, secretary. The following resolution was adopted, after ample consideration had been given to it:

"Resolved, That an agricultural society be formed in this county, pursuant to the provisions of said statute."

A committee of five, consisting of Calvin Wheeler, A.J. Chadsey, Judiah Ellsworth, Increase Hoyt, and J.A. Corey, was appointed to draft the constitution and by-laws. The first officers chosen were -

President. - Howell Gardiner, Greenfield.

First Vice-President. - Calvin Wheeler, Providence.

Second Vice-President. - Jacob Denton, Saratoga Springs.

Treasurer. - Hiram E. Howard, Milton.

Corresponding Secretary. - Archibald Smith, Ballston Spa.

Recording Secretary. - John A. Corey, Saratoga Springs.

An executive-committee was also constituted, consisting of two members from each town in the county:

Ballston. - Isaac Curtis, Stephen Merchant.

Charlton. - John Low, Henry Ostrom.

Clifton Park. - Abijah Peck, Jr., Henry Palmer.

Corinth. - David Rogers, Edward Edwards.

Day. - E.M. Day, Amos Hunt.

Edinburgh. - Samuel Batcheller, Ira Beecher.

Galway. - Jesse H. Mead, Jeremiah Whitlock.

Greenfield. - Joseph Daniels, Henry Lincoln.

Hadley. - Charles Stewart, Harman Rockwell.

Half-Moon. - N.G. Philo, Stephen R. Smith.

Malta. - John Tallmadge, Seneca Hall.

Milton. - Seth Whalen, George B. Powell.

Moreau. - Thomas S. Mott, G.P. Reynolds.

Northumberland. - Walter Doty, Coles Golden.

Providence. - William V. Clark, Seymour St. John.

Saratoga. - Henry D. Chapman, William Wilcox. ,

Saratoga Springs. - P.H. Cowen, John H. Beach.

Stillwater. - Lewis Smith, Yates Lansing.

Waterford. - John Knickerbocker, John Cramer (2d).

Wilton. - John Morris, Duncan McGregor.

The successive presidents of the society have been Howell Gardiner, 1842; Elisha Curtis, 1843; Joseph Daniels, 1844; David Rogers, 1845; Henry D. Chapman, 1846; Samuel Cheever, 1847: Samuel Young, 1848; Jesse H. Mead, 1849; Seth Whalen, 1850; Lewis E. Smith, 1851; William Wilcox, 1854; Seneca Daniels, 1855; Chauncey Boughton, 1856; Nathaniel Mann, 1857; Oscar Granger, 1858; Isaac Frink, 1859; William Wilcox, 1860; Joseph Baucus, 1861; Sherman Batcheller, 1862; James Thompson (to fill vacancy), 1862; Samuel J. Mott, 1863; Edward Edwards, 1864; Chauncey Boughton, 1865; Isaiah Fuller, 1866 and 1867; Frank D. Curtis, 1868; De Witt, C. Hoyt, 1869; John Titcomb, 1870; John P. Conklin, 1871 and 1872; William Lape, 1873; Henry C. Holmes, 1874; Joseph B. Enos, 1875; A.B. Baucus, 1876; Charles Leland, 1877; B.F. Judson, 1878.

The recording secretaries have been John A. Corey, 1841 to 1854; Edmund J. Huling, 1855 to 1859; Frederick S. Root, 1860; John A. Corey, 1861; John H. White, 1862; John A. Corey, 1863 to 1869; Jonathan S. Howland, 1870 to 1871, died in office, and B.S. Robinson appointed to fill vacancy; B.S. Robinson, 1872 to 1877; John W. Shurter, 1878.

The annual fairs were held for two or three years at Ballston Spa, and then for ten years consecutively at Mechanicsville. At the expiration of this period the society located permanently at Saratoga Springs, purchasing grounds and erecting the necessary fixtures. These were sold about 1870, and in 1871 the society secured a lease for twenty years of the beautiful grounds at Glen Mitchell. No fair was held in 1866, on account of the fact that the State Society held its annual fair at Saratoga Springs.

Among those delivering annual addresses before the society have been Col. Samuel Young, 1842; Daniel Shepherd, 1844; Wm. I. Gilchrist, 1845; Gen. E.F. Bullard, 1847; John W. Fowler, 1851; John A. Corey, 1853; Hon. James H. Titus, 1855; Hen. James B. McKean, 1857; E.L. Fursman, 1860; Hon. Wm. A. Sackett, 1861; Hon. Augustus Bockes, 1862; Hon. Reverdy Johnson and A. B. Conger, 1863; Gen. B.F. Bruce, 1865; Hon. Horace Greeley, 1867; Hon. Horatio Seymour, 1868; Hon. Charles S. Lester, 1869; X.A. Willard, 1870; Hon. Fernando Wood, 1871; Hon. Martin I. Townsend, 1875; Hon. L. Bradford Prince, 1876.

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The formation of the American Bible Society will ever be regarded as a most remarkable era in the history of Bible Societies in this country. But before that was formed nearly sixty local societies already existed, thirty-five of which united in forming the American Bible Society, on the 8th of May, 1816.

The Saratoga Bible Society was organized on the 24^th of August, 1815, nearly one year before the formation of the American Bible Society, and only seven years later than the formation of the Philadelphia Bible Society, which was the first society formed in the United States.

To give anything like a detailed history of the county society, for these sixty years and upwards of its existence, its steady progress and wide, extended usefulness, however pleasant it might be, would be wholly inconsistent with the designs and limits prescribed to this volume.

The following is an exact copy of the minutes of the first meeting, at which the society was organized, and of the constitution as presented and adopted at that meeting:

"Agreeably to previous notice, a large and respectable number of the inhabitants of the county of Saratoga assembled at the courthouse, for the purpose of forming a Bible Society in said county.

"The Rev. Samuel Blatchford, D.D., was chosen chairman, and the Rev. Gilbert McMaster clerk.

"The occasion of the meeting was briefly and appropriately stated by the chairman, who then opened it by prayer.

"It was moved and seconded that a Bible Society be formed in the county; which motion, after an interesting discussion of the subject, was unanimously agreed to.

"A draft of a constitution was read, and the several articles thereof, after various amendments, were adopted, with the following preamble:

"Impressed with a deep sense of the value of the Holy Scriptures, and their salutary influence upon society, not only in correcting the morals of men, and restraining their vicious propensities, but also in forming their characters for eternity, and convinced that many individuals and families in this county and its vicinity are destitute of those heavenly means of instruction, we, the subscribers, have agreed to form ourselves into a society for the gratuitous distribution of the Holy Bible."

Sixty-eight names were subscribed to the constitution then adopted, in the order below given.

At that meeting the following officers were chosen:

President. - Rev. Samuel Blatchford, D.D.

Vice-Presidents. - Rev. Dirck C. Lansing; Rev. James Mairs.

Corresponding Secretary. - Rev. Gilbert McMasters.

Recording Secretary. - Rev. Reuben Sears.

Treasurer. - Elisha Powell, Esq.

Managers. - Samuel Child, Greenfield; Parker Adams, Waterford; Isaac B. Payne, Northumberland; John Taylor, Charlton; Ezra Nash, Milton; George Palmer, Stillwater; John W. Taylor, Ballston; John Dunning, Malta; Amos Hawley, Moreau; Jeremy Rockwell, Hadley; William Foster, Galway; Rev. Abijah Peck, Half-Moon; James Brisbin, Jr., Saratoga; Guert Van Schoonhoven, Waterford.

Elisha Powell, Reuben Sears and James Thompson were appointed a committee to publish the constitution of the society, with an address to the inhabitants of the county.

The foregoing constitution was revised and amended in 1827, and again in 1844, but it is substantially the basis upon which the society has operated through all the eventful years of its successful career.

The first president of this society, Rev. Samuel Blatchford, D.D., was one of the honorable sixty members of the convention which formed the American Bible Society, nearly a year after the Saratoga County Bible Society was organized.

The following were the first presidents of the society in order, and their respective terms of service:

Rev. Samuel Blatchford, D.D., two years in succession.

Rev. James Mairs, nineteen years in succession.

Rev. Francis Wayland, one year.

Rev. Darius O. Griswold, three years in succession.

Rev. John Clancy, four years in succession.

John House, Esq., one year, 1846.

Thomas Lowe,. Esq., one year, 1847.

R. R. Kennedy, Esq., one year, 1848.

Jesse H. Mead, Esq., one year, 1849.

Lebbeus Booth, Esq., one year, 1850.

Abraham Marshall, Esq., one year, 1851.

John Lowe, Esq., one year, 1852.

Howell Gardiner, Esq., one year, 1853.

From the above statement it will be seen that for the first thirty years and upwards clergymen were uniformly chosen to preside over this society, since which time, laymen, with two exceptions, have been the presiding officers.

The following is a list of presidents of the Saratoga County Bible Society since 1853:
 
 

Henry Doolittle was secretary from 1841 to 1868, since which time H.A. Wilson has been the continued secretary, and is so at present.

The organization of two of the town auxiliaries is mentioned in the society's centennial memorial, 1876.

That of Ballston was very early, as shown by the following notice and record:

"The members of the Bible Society of Saratoga County, residing in the town of Ballston, are requested to meet at the Presbyterian meeting-house in said town, on Monday, the 2^d day of October next, at two o'clock in the afternoon, for the purpose of organizing a Department Society for said town. Dated September the 25^th , 1815.

At a meeting of the members of the Bible Society of Saratoga County, residing in Ballston, held on the second day of October, in the year 1815, pursuant to public notice, for the purpose of organizing a Department Society for said town, the following members were present: John W. Taylor, Lloyd Wakeman, O. Hubbell, John K. Davis, Joseph Taylor, Samuel Young, James McCrea, Nathaniel Booth, David Bacon, D.L. Palmer, Samuel Demarest, Edmond Lacy, Sarah Garnsey, John Gibson, J. Peter Dibble.

Samuel Young was then chosen chairman, James McCrea, assistant chairman, Joseph Taylor, clerk, and John K. Davis, treasurer, who, together with Onesimus Hubbell, Lloyd Wakeman, and Peter Dibble, compose the committee of charity.

The Northumberland Bible Society was organized December 18, 1821, four years after the formation of the American Bible Society. A constitution and by-laws were presented and adopted, to which twenty inhabitants of the town affixed their signatures, not one of whom is now living. With but few exceptions, yearly meetings have been regularly held, and the organization has been, from the first, kept in a healthy working condition.

As far as can be ascertained, this society has raised and paid to the Saratoga County Bible Society, and to the parent society, one thousand five hundred and seventy dollars, averaging thirty dollars a year. The town has been thoroughly canvassed several times, the last time in 1869, when twenty-one families were found destitute and supplied.

The society has had eleven different presidents. John Craig, its first president, served fourteen years. It has had only three secretaries. Hon. Abraham Marshall is the present incumbent, and has held this office almost forty years, being now upwards of seventy years of age. This noble veteran in the Bible cause, with the exception of only two or three times, has been present at all the anniversary meetings of the county society. In the various capacities of president, secretary, and collector, he has served the Northumberland Bible Society for nearly forty-five years, and has been president of the county society several times.

The American Bible Society during the past few years has received the following liberal legacies from individuals deceased, late of this county, viz.:
 
 

The sixty-second anniversary, held in the Presbyterian church, Ballston Spa, Jan. 26, 1876, was a meeting of unusual interest, occurring as it did in the centennial year of the republic.

The meeting was called to order by the president, Rev. A. Proudfit, of Saratoga. The session was opened with the reading of a part of Psalm CXIX. by the president, and prayer by Rev. J.B. Ford; of Bacon Hill.

Minutes of last meeting read and approved.

The chairman of the executive committee presented the following annual report, which was adopted:

"Upon the return, this day, of another anniversary of our county Bible Society, our friends no doubt are looking for the annual report of the executive committee. In laying this before them, we would be glad if we possessed some specially interesting matter for their gratification and encouragement; but so few of our auxiliary associations have presented their annual reports, that we have but little to lay before you; and as our plan continues to work as favorably as any other that has been suggested, we have nothing new in this respect, in the way of change, to propose for your consideration.

"We are satisfied that this plan, if we are only seconded by the persistent and active support of the friends of the Bible cause throughout our county, and especially by the faithful supervision of our vice-presidents in their various localities, would prove more and more successful in advancing the noble work in which we are engaged.

"We congratulate our friends in meeting them once more on this occasion, and under circumstances so favorable. While, from the peculiarity of the times, all our benevolent operations have been carried on amidst much difficulty and embarrassment, the Bible cause, we trust, still maintains its strong hold upon the affection and support of its friends, its grand mission recognized by the community at large, and its claims liberally responded to."

The following is a list of the officers of the Saratoga County Bible Society at the present time:

President. - Hon. Abraham Marshall.

Vice-Presidents. - Henry Clark, Elisha Curtiss, John Skinner, Mathew Owens, Wm. H. Van Vranken, Lucius M. Smith, Jas. H. Clark, Jas. H. Paine, I.J. Flansburg, Winslow E. Snow, G.R. Crouch, Charles D. Gardiner, John J. Best, R.H. Barber, Frederick Dodd, S.B. Howland, Wm. H. Coon, Geo. H. Thompson, C.S. Skinner, B.F. Edwards, J.H. De Ridder, Alfred W. Gray, John C. House, Henry Kieler, and Geo. H. Traver.

Treasurer. - E. W. Lee.

Corresponding and Recording Secretary. - H. A. Wilson.

Executive Committee. - Rev. A. Proudfit, Paolia Durkee, Rev. W.R. Terrett, Rev. Giles P. Hawley, and Rev. Abram Viele.

Chairman of Executive Committee. - Rev. A. Proudfit.

Secretary of Committee. - H. A. Wilson.

We add the following valuable tabular statements:

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The Saratoga County Medical Society was organized at the court-house in Ballston Spa, the first Tuesday of July, 1806.

Wm. Patrick was chosen chairman of the meeting, and John Stearns secretary.

In attendance were Drs. Daniel Bull, William Patrick, John Stearns, Asa C. Barney, Elisha Miles, Samuel Pitkin, Wm. C. Lawrence, Billy J. Clark, Thomas S. Littlefield, Daniel Hicks, Elijah Porter, Alpheus Adams, Ephraim Childs, Jesse Seymour, Grant Powells, Samuel Davis, Isaac Finch, Francis Pigsley.

The meeting being in order for business, the following officers were elected for the ensuing year:

President. - Dr. Daniel Bull.

Vice-President. - William Patrick.

Secretary. - John Stearns.

Treasurer. - Samuel Davis.

Censors. - Elijah Porter, Asa C. Barney, Samuel Pitkin, Billy J. Clark, Ephraim Childs.

Delegate to the New York State Medical Society. - John Stearns.

Elijah Porter, John Stearns, and Asa C. Barney were appointed a committee to draft by-laws for the future regulation of the society.

In addition to those before mentioned the following are among the earlier and active members of the society, and were distinguished for their zeal and energy in the advancement of not only every interest connected with the successful pursuit of the profession of their choice, but the advancement of every philanthropic enterprise. They were of the strong men of the age in which they lived, viz.: Daniel Hicks, Northumberland, now Wilton; Beroth Bullard, Saratoga Springs, now Greenfield; John H. Steel, Saratoga Springs; Josiah Pulling, Galway; Nathan Thompson, Galway; Oliver Brisbin, Schuylerville; Samuel Freeman, Ballston Spa, afterwards Saratoga Springs; John D. Bull, Stillwater; Henry Reynolds, Northumberland, afterwards Wilton; William Tibbitts, Mechanicville; Silas Wood, Abel Baldwin; Darius Johnson, Greenfield; Francis Pixley, George Burroughs, Gideon Thompson, Isaac Young.

President. - B.W. Noxon, M.D.

Vice-President. - I.G. Johnson, M.D.

Secretary and Treasurer. - C.C. Bedell, M.D.

Delegates to State Medical Society. - No vacancy.

Delegates to American Medical Association. - W.H. Hall, M.D., F.M. Boyce, M.D., S.N. Rowell, M.D.

Censors. - R.C. McEwen, M.D., F.M. Boyce, M.D., J.G. Bacon, M.D., C.C. Bedell, M.D., T.G. Parkman, M.D.

Committee of Revision. - J.G. Bacon, M.D., F.M. Boyce, M.D., W.H. Hall, M.D., C.C. Bedell, M.D.

Committee of Publication. - J.G. Bacon, M.D., F.M. Boyce, M.D., T.B. Reynolds, M.D., C.C. Bedell, M.D.
 
 

ALPHABETICAL LIST OF MEMBERS FROM THE ORGANIZATION OF THE SOCIETY IN 1806.

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This society was organized in 1863. Its annual meetings are held on the second Tuesday in July.

B.F. Cornell, Fort Edward; Zina Clement, Saratoga Springs; S.J. Pearsall, Saratoga Springs; Thomas E. Allen, Saratoga Springs; J.F. Doolittle, Ballston Spa William E. Rogers, Rexford Flats; A.G. Peckham, Waterford.

President. - B. F. Cornell.

Vice-President. - J. F. Doolittle.

Secretary and Treasurer. - A. G. Peckham.

Censors. -J.F. Doolittle, S.J. Pearsall, A.G. Peckham.

Delegates to State Society.--Thomas E. Allen, J. F. Doolittle.

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