HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SKANEATELES

HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SKANEATELES

Town of Skaneateles

Submitted by Sue Goodfellow

Source:  Past and Present of Syracuse and Onondaga County by The Rev. William M. Beauchamp.  NY: S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1908, pp. 421-431.


Skaneateles has its name from its lake, the word meaning long lake, a slightly differing form of which appears elsewhere.  It was set off from Marcellus February 26, 1830, and a small part of Spafford was annexed March 18, 1840.  It now includes forty-one military lots, or twenty-four thousand six hundred acres.  The town records were burned in 1836.

John Thompson has had the credit of being the first settler in 1793, on Lot 18, a little northwest of the village.  It now appears that, while he owned land there and elsewhere in 1794, he was not a resident there for some years later, his deeds giving his residence as Stillwater, Saratoga county, New York, in 1801, 1806 and 1819.  In 1794 he bought fifty acres of Lot 18, and sold this January 12, 1821, giving his residence as Marcellus for the first time.  In 1810, however, there is a record of John Thompson and Charlora Adams of Marcellus, administrators.  In no deed is his wife included, and he probably had none.  Clark said:  "Mrs. Thompson was the first white woman who came to this town, and lived here nearly a year without seeing a white person except her own family."  Mr. E. N. Leslie patiently went through all the records, and established the facts above, making him a non-resident bachelor.

Abraham A. Cuddeback came from Minisink, New York, arriving at Skaneateles June 14, 1794, with his wife and eight children.  He was forty-three days on the way, and brought cattle.  He did not at once buy lands, but leased from De Witt, purchasing later, on the west side of the lake, where he left many descendants.  Elijah Bowen came the same year, settling on Lot 39, and purchasing part of this May 22, 1800.  Mr. Leslie says that Elijah Bowen came in the spring of 1793, with a yoke of oxen, selected his land and did some clearing, made a temporary shelter, building a cabin the next year and bringing his family in the summer of 1794.  Why he does not make him the first settler, instead of Cuddeback, does not clearly appear.  Benajah Bowen settled near his brother, at a distance from neighbors, and the road leading there was known as the Bowen road.  The Bowen log house became headquarters for all new comers.

Winston Day was the first merchant in Skaneateles in 1796, on the north line of the present village, on the road to Mottville, but in 1797 he had a second store on the Lake House site.  He was supervisor of Marcellus in 1798, and senior partner of several firms at various times.  For thirty-five years he was a stirring business man, dying September 5, 1831, aged sixty-four years.

Nehemiah Earll came from Onondaga in June, 1796, settling near what was afterward called "the Red House."  Nearby his father, Robert Earll, had a tannery by the creek in 1797.  He is said to have been the first tanner in the county.  The family became large and influential, and lived for some distance along the line of the creek.  Robert Earll is credited with a saw and grist mill on the outlet about 1797.

William Clift came in 1795, and his house was a tavern for nearly sixty years.  Jacob Annis settled on the west side of the lake, at the village, in 1795.  Lovell Gibbs built the first frame house at the village in 1796.  Dr. Hall came that year, and erected the second frame dwelling.  James Porter came in 1797, and built and opened the first tavern in town.  The timbers are said to have formed the first raft on the lake.  David Welch located on Lot 73, in 1798, building the first frame barn in 1800.  Benjamin Nye came in 1798 and opened the first brick yard.

Jedediah Sanger purchased land and made improvements, building the first dam at Skaneateles village in 1797, and a grist and sawmill there about the same time.  There is some confusion of dates or facts.  Clark says these were built in 1796, but then says that Warren Hecox, in 1799, sent a boy eighteen miles to Mottville in Sempronius, to get a bushel of wheat ground.  The date of Colonel Hecox's coming is a little uncertain.  He was s shoemaker in Skaneateles in 1807, but then it is said "he learned his trade of David Seymour, on the west side of the lake."  The latter statement may be doubted, as he was colonel of the one hundred and fifty-ninth regiment in 1812, and a lieutenant in 1801.  He died March 29, 1852.  It is said also that this David Seymour settled on lot 37, about 1804, and it is not likely he would have learned then.  October 12, 1801, Judge Sanger sold Hecox a lot on the west side of the outlet, where he afterward always lived.  He was a portly man, of much force of character.

The Seneca Turnpike company built the first bridge over the outlet in 1800.  It was twenty-four rods long, twenty-four feet wide, and stood on fourteen wooden piers.  It was a fine place for fishing with lines or flat nets.  In 1843 the length was reduced to twenty-four feet, and the State built an iron bridge in 1871.  When the Moravians were there in 1750 they crossed as best they could.  The Genesee turnpike was one and a fourth miles north of the lake; the Seneca turnpike ran through the village, where the Cherry Valley turnpike intersected it, so that it was a center for stages.

General Robert Earll built a schoolhouse near his home soon after he came, Miss Edith Williams being the first teacher in this.  Clark says there was a private school in the village, taught by Ebenezer Castle before 1798.  In that year the first frame schoolhouse was built, Nicholas Otis being the first teacher.  The Skaneateles Academy was incorporated April 14, 1829, and a brick building was erected.  This became the Union School in 1844, and in 1855 a new schoolhouse was built, and afterward enlarged.

The Skaneateles Telegraph was published by William H. Child, July 28, 1829, and became the Skaneateles Columbian, published by John Greves, in 1831.  Milton A. Kinney became proprietor in 1833, and was editor till 1853.  Part of the time it was owned by Pratt & Keeney, and by George M. Kinney.  Pratt & Keeney, and afterward Pratt & Beauchamp, published the Juvenile Depository for a time.  The Skaneateles Democrat was started by William M. Beauchamp, January 3, 1840, and, after some changes, came into the hands of Harrison B. Dodge.  He leased it to Will T. Hall, January 1, 1890, who conducted it till his death.  It was suspended for a time, and then resumed by Wheaton & Dodge.

Mr. Beauchamp issued the Minerva, May, 1844, continuing it for two years.  The Communitist was also published for a time, in 1844, at Community place, Skaneateles Falls.  The Skaneateles Free Press was started March 21, 1874, by J. C. Stephenson, under whose able management it has been a great success.

April 19, 1833, Skaneateles village was incorporated,  Freeborn G. Jewett being president.  The corporate limits were enlarged in 1870 to about one mile square, and in 1855 the village was reincorporated under the new state law.

In March, 1863, the Lake Bank was organized, Anson Lapham, president.  In 1866 it became the First National Bank, and was finally merged in Charles Pardee's private banking business.  The Skaneateles Savings Bank was incorporated April 16, 1866, John Barrow, president, and is still doing business.  The Bank of Skaneateles was incorporated under the state law, June 10, 1869, Joel Thayer, president.  This also is well sustained.

The most prominent hotels have been the Indian Queen in the center of the village at an early day; the Lake House, which succeeded, and which was burned July 19, 1870; the Sherwood house, west of the bridge, afterward Lamb's Hotel or the Houndayaga House, and later called the Packwood House; a tavern at the east end of the village, kept by Fuller & Rooks, and burned April 9, 1841.  Several horses perished.  Skaneateles has had many disastrous fires, the worst being that which destroyed most of the business places, September 28, 1835.  Next to this was that of February 5, 1842, when the woolen factory, machine shop, flouring mill and storehouses were burned.  A stone mill, which replaced the old one, was burned in its turn, and milling in the village has long been abandoned.

The Skaneateles Water Company was organized August 11, 1887, George Barrow, president.  Water is pumped from the lake to a stand pipe.  Electric light comes from Elbridge.  The lake also supplies water to Syracuse and the Erie canal.

The Skaneateles Library Company was incorporated March 2, 1806, and lasted till 1840.  There was a Mechanics' Library, 1834-42, with a literary association.  William M. Beauchamp had a circulating library, 1833-50.  There was also an anti-slavery library, and a fine library belonging to the school.  The Skaneateles Library Association was incorporated October 20, 1877.  In 1880 the commodious stone building was erected.  It has a good cabinet, many fine pictures, and an art gallery, built, filled and presented by John D. Barrow, the artist.  Charles L. Elliott painted many fine pictures here.

Several men of note came about 1800, as Jesse Kellogg, who owned mill property; Eli Clark and Asa Mason, Amos Miner the inventor, who built factories for his wares at several points; Colonel William J. Vredenburg, who gave the place an impetus when he came in 1803.  He bought the unsold parts of Lot 36 from Judge Sanger, and some land nearly opposite St. James' church, where Levi Sartwell then kept a small tavern.  Colonel Vredenburg's own mansion--a palatial one for those days, was on the hill farther east, and was long known as the Kellogg place.  On the land were sixteen graves without headstones.  The remains were transferred to the present cemetery.  In April, 1804, he became the first postmaster, and died May 9, 1813.

The Halls, some of them noted carriage-makers, came in 1806.  John Legg, successful in the same business, came in 1804.  Aaron Austin came in 1796, establishing the first fulling mill in the county.  Joseph Root came in 1804, Elijah Parsons in 1805, and Nathaniel Miller in 1807.  Isaac Sherwood, the great stage proprietor, came at an early day, and owned a tavern.  He built the Auburn house and died in Auburn, but was buried in Skaneateles.  It is said of the men of his family that any three would weigh a thousand pounds.

Charles J. Burnett, postmaster 1817-43, married Colonel Vredenburg's daughter, and was a merchant.  Warren Hecox was a tanner and shoemaker, and a leading man.  John Snook, of Snook's pills fame in England, came in 1832, and promoted the teasel industry.  His son John was a stirring and influential man.  Charles Pardee was a prominent early merchant.  William M. Beauchamp opened a bookstore in 1834 and afterward a printing office.  Dorastus Kellogg was long a woolen manufacturer in the village and town.  William Gibbs, John S. Furman, Judges Kellogg and Jewett, the Sanfords, R. S. Wolcott, Phares Gould, Stephen Horton, C. W. Allis, Samuel Francis, Joel Thayer, Parsons & Rust, the Hawleys, etc., were men of early prominence in the village.  Dr. Munger was the first physician, succeeded by Dr. Samuel Porter at a very early day.  Dr. Judah B. Hopkins came later, and was succeeded by Dr. Levi Bartlett, respectively the grandfather and father of Judge Edward T. Bartlett, who was born in this village.  Dr. Michael D. Benedict was a later noted physician.

Nearly two miles south of the village, on the west shore, was the "Friends Female Boarding School," known as the "Hive," established by Lydia P. Mott, soon after 1818.  It had a high reputation, but was discontinued about 1838.  Many amusing stories are connected with it.  Mrs. Mott died in the village April 15, 1862.

Many temperance societies flourished and died out, and several literary and educational societies had the same experience, in which also various schools shared.  There was an early agricultural society of brief duration, 1836-39.  Another followed in 1845, merged into the Farmers' Club December 30, 1855.  This flourished for many years.  During the civil war a Ladies' Aid Society did excellent work, and a soldiers' monument was unveiled September 4, 1895.  A soldiers' tablet is also in St. James' church.

In 1846 an Odd Fellows lodge was formed, lasting for some years, and there is now Skaneateles Encampment, No. 107, in place of an earlier one.  In later years Elbridge Lodge, No. 275, has met here.  Village Lodge, Marcellus No. 80, F. & A  M., was warranted January 8, 1799, Ebenezer R. Hawley, W. M.  It was the first lodge of the county and he was the first justice of the peace in Skaneateles, and was sheriff of the county in 1801.  The Rev. Thomas Robbins, by request, preached before it on St. John's day, June 24, 1802, and had a five dollar fee.  In the Free Masons' Monitor for 1802 this lodge is eighty-second in order.  It was never represented in the grand lodge, and its number was given to another lodge in 1819.

Skaneateles Lodge has a framed certificate of membership issued by a lodge at Canton, Conn., September 19, 1827, to Correl Humphreys and addressed to Village Lodge, No. 29.  He is said to have demitted from the latter lodge, December 1, 1868, and affiliated with Skaneateles Lodge on the same day, but on neither of these dates was Village Lodge in existence.  This remarkable man died October 17, 1885, aged eighty-one.  In a letter he said that he became a Free Mason in 1827, and came to Skaneateles that year.  In Leslie's History of Skaneateles is a good picture of him, wearing his antique Masonic apron.

Corinthian Lodge received a dispensation March 26, 1852, and lasted for some years.  Skaneateles Lodge, F. & A. M., was chartered June 12, 1862, John H. Gregory, W. M.  December 10, 1869, Charles H. Platt Chapter, No. 247, R. A. M., was organized, Henry J. Hubbard, H. P.  The present H. P. is Frederick J. Humphreys.

Paper mills, woolen factories, lime kilns, chair factories, distilleries, breweries, foundries, machine shops, etc., have flourished along the outlet forming several hamlets.  Willow Glen or Kellogg's Factory was one; Glenside another, and Hartlot another still.

Mottville was often called Sodom, and was named after Arthur Mott, who had a woolen factory here about 1820.  S. L. and H. B. Benedict, and Alanson Watson were successful merchants here.  Skaneateles Falls has become a thriving place.  Near this was the old Community Place, once called "No God," from the atheistical views of its people.  Mandana, named after the mother of the great Cyrus, is a small place in the southwest part of the town.  The Shepard settlement, in the northeast part, has its name from early settlers.

The Society of Friends was well represented on the western shore, where the Willetts, Frost and Lawton families were prominent.  Silas Gaylord and Aiden T. Corey were influential men.  The Talcotts, Fullers, Barrows, Laphams, Allis and others maintained the high standing of the Quakers in the village.  A society was organized about 1812, and a meeting house was built near the octagon schoolhouse.  In the division of 1828 the Hicksites retained this, and the orthodox party built another near the village.  This was torn down in 1873, and another erected in a central spot.

Church services were held in the Burnett homestead, and the "Red House," a mile north in 1803.  St. James' parish (P. E.), was formed January 4, 1816, and reorganized April 19, 1829.  Rev. Augustus L. Converse presiding.  A church was built in 1827, enlarged in 1847, and made way for the present fine stone church, consecrated January 6, 1874.  Rev. Frank N. Westcott has long been the rector.

The Universalist church at Mottville was built in 1831, Rev. Jacob Chase being the first pastor.  In 1834 a Methodist church was built at Skaneateles, and enlarged in 1853.  The present brick church was built in 1859 as a free church, a character it did not long maintain.  In 1869 it was remodeled and enlarged.  At Skaneateles Falls a Methodist society was formed, and a church built in 1877.  The edifice was dedicated February 6, 1878.  The Methodists also fitted up an old schoolhouse for services in 1872 at Mottville, which was dedicated January 24, 1873.  A new church was dedicated September 10, 1885.

After services began about 1845, the Roman Catholics commenced a church in Skaneateles village in May, 1853, which was consecrated September 7, 1856.  This was burned May 23, 1866, and a new brick church was consecrated June 30, 1867.  This is St. Mary's of the Lake.  Rev. William McCallion was the first pastor.  Rev. F. J. Purcell succeeded him in 1865, and had an extremely long and useful pastorate.  St. Bridget's chapel at Skaneateles Falls, was dedicated September 20, 1874.

Steamboats were not at first successful on the lake.  The Independence, the first one, made her trial trip July 22, 1831.  She at last became the schooner Constitution.  The Highland Chief followed, with a like fate.  The Skaneateles, 1848, was fairly successful, but the Homer, 1849, proved a losing investment.  The propeller Ben H. Porter, 1866, had a longer existence.  The Glenhaven, Ossahinta and City of Syracuse have had a large trade, and now there are many launches and motor boats on the lake.

There was some early attention to yachting, but regattas in which several lakes participated, did not come till 1847.  The sport ran high for a number of years.  In 1854 the Skaneateles Model Yacht Club was organized, with a code of signals, reviews, etc.  Edwin E. Potter was commodore.  This passed away with the dawn of more important events.  A few years since interest partially revived, a yacht club on a broader basis exists, and there are some exciting contests.

Skaneateles had early plans for railroads, and its first railroad company was incorporated May 16, 1836.  Construction began in 1838, and it was opened to Skaneateles Junction September 30, 1840.  The rails were of wood, and the motive power was a horse.  The first depot for passengers was opposite the Packwood House.  The road was getting in fair shape when the plank road mania broke out, and it was abandoned.  Later it was resumed with fair earnings as a steam road, and thus it is continued.  Since the coming of the successful electric road its passenger traffic is less.

Captain Benjamin Lee, father of Bishop Alfred Lee of Delaware, lived two miles south of the village, on the east shore.  In early life he had been a British midshipman and had a remarkable escape from death by court-martial.  Between 1824 and 1827 he made many accurate soundings of the lake, of which a chart is preserved.

Nathan K. Hall, postmaster-general under Fillmore, was born in the town, and Fillmore himself had worked here.  Freeborn G. Jewett, chief justice of the court of appeals, was a notable man, and Judge Marvin no less so.

The Skaneateles Religious Society was organized October 29, 1801, by Rev. Aaron Bascom.  It was a Congregational society till 1818, when it became Presbyterian.  The first church on the hill at the east end of the village, was dedicated March 1, 1809.  A new brick church was built on the present site in 1830, and rebuilt in 1891.  This had a high steeple with a fish for a vane, afterward replaced by a dome.  The one on the hill was sold to the Baptists, who after a time rebuilt it on the present site in 1842.  Their society was organized about 1832.  The old church was thought a fine edifice in its day.  April 26, 1841, a later Congregational society was organized, which occupied Congregational Hall for a few years.

In the middle of the last century Skaneateles had no more venerated citizen than Nicholas J. Roosevelt, some of whose notable descendants make the village their summer home still.  He died there July 30, 1854, at the age of eighty-seven years, after a residence of about eighteen years.  Up to his coming he had led a busy life, and it has been said that none of his children were born at home.  Among other things he became interested in steam navigation, and was at the trial of Fitch's boat in 1796.  Two years later he launched a small steamboat on the Passaic river, and made a trial trip with invited guests.  Chancellor Livingston proposed a partnership to him in December, 1797, and the result was an agreement between Livingston, Stephens and Roosevelt to build a boat propelled by steam.  The trial then was a failure.  Some years later Mr. Roosevelt, accompanied by his wife, made the first descent of the Ohio river by steam, a memorable trip in many ways.  As he first proposed the use of steam engines for motive power on boats, he was asked why he did not anticipate Fulton in the application of these; it seemed he was too busy a man, and replied:

"At the time Chancellor Livingston's horizontal-wheel machine failed, I was under a contract with the corporation for supplying the city of Philadelphia with water by means of two steam engines; and, besides, I was under a contract with the United States to erect rolling works and supply the Government with copper rolled and drawn for six 74-gun ships that were then to be built."

In his placid and dignified old age, no one would have thought him such a stirring man of affairs.  His wife, who was much younger, had as delightful a character as her husband.  The Roosevelt windows in St. James' church are striking features of that beautiful building.

A noted early resident of Skaneateles was an English Quaker, James Cannings Fuller, who came there April 20, 1834, dying there November 25, 1847.  He was indefatigable in anti-slavery and temperance work, sometimes barely escaping being mobbed in the former.  Before he died the scale turned, and Skaneateles even eclipsed Syracuse as an anti-slavery town.

We sometimes complain of unseasonable weather.  The cold year of 1816 has been mentioned; here are some facts from a Skaneateles diary of later date.  May 13, 1834, the frost was severe; ice formed half an inch thick, and the young people of the village had a sleigh ride.  January 11, 1836, the stage was twenty-three hours coming from Auburn to Skaneateles, the snow being four feet deep.  The snow was three inches deep September 28, and October 8 it snowed all day, a disastrous time.  June 11, 1842, there was snow on the Sempronius hills, near the head of the lake.  There is little warmth in the subject.

King David had an encounter with a lion and a bear when a shepherd boy, so that it was very natural that John Shepard, a settler of 1797, should have a bear experience if true to his name.  Bears like pork, and when he heard his hog squealing in the woods the pioneer knew what it meant.  A pitchfork was the handiest weapon, and this was hurled at the bear but missed him.  It was now the bear's turn and Shepard went up a tree, crying for help.  His brother-in-law came, but declared that Shepard was hugging the tree and trembling, and not a bear in sight.

Skaneateles had its full proportion of odd characters, and perhaps no one attracted more attention than James Cannings Fuller, mentioned above.  'British Fuller," as he was often called to distinguish him from another of the name.  His costume was of the most antique English Quaker kind, and he used to tell his wife she wore the costliest bonnet in town.  It came from London and had "to be just so!"  There were many marked English characters, mostly from Somerset.  One was a bow-legged, loud-voiced little man, whose cow got into the village pound.  "A purty land of liberty this wur," he said, "where a cow couldn't run in the streets."  He lost an eye while cutting teasels, and in telling of it afterwards said he "wouldn't have los un for five dollars; now, nor yet for ten."  Another was always running down America, till asked why he did not go back; he would gladly be spared.

Old Peter Pell, odd, honest and independent, was of good Hudson river stock, and delighted in his bass drum.  He used to usher in the greater days with bass drum solos.  He had a trick of throwing up his drum sticks with a twirl, and catching them in time for the next stroke.  Didn't the boys think him a wonderful man?  He thought so himself.  In 1860 he went to a Syracuse parade to hear and see a noted drummer.  He said to the writer:  "I've seen what they call the best drummer in New York, but I tell you he can't touch me; he can't touch me."  Nor could he.

Of all the genial, ingenious, eccentric men that ever lived in Skaneateles, no one surpassed in some ways Dr. Lord, the dentist.  He was a great boatman, always just missing a prize at a race.  His friends thought this a pity, and the club got up a scrub race in which he was to take the purse, though that was a secret.  It worked famously one way, but the home stretch was before the wind.  Two boats were in danger of passing him, and the genial German captain of one said:  'Vot shall I do mit mine Plue Pell?"  The other was running wide of her course and having trouble with her sails.  By towing pails and great strategy the desired end came.

Among "good livers" no one was more noted in his day than "Sam Francis," perhaps the best humorous story teller of his time.  His inimitable look and manner added to the zest of every story, but the conclusion of his chipmunk tale may be enjoyed by some.  The boys were late at school, for Gust Kellogg had persuaded them to go and catch four hundred chipmunks in a huge woodpile.  They got but three, and Sam tore his trousers and was given one animal without a tail.  Beside he had not learned his lesson, but Gust told him to learn just his own answer.  The chipmunks escaped in school, and Sam may tell the rest:

"I thought if the master only understood the circumstance he would favor me.  I told him that the one with the tail off was the only one I was to have, and that Gust said we would get at least four hundred chipmunks.  'Not another word out of your head,' said the master.  'Come up here, Gust Kellogg.'  'And,' said I, 'Add and Gurd Porter said we would get three hundred and fifty sure--' 'Not another word out of your head,' says the master.  'Come up here, Add and Gurd Porter.' 'And,' says I, 'Jo and Charley Burnett said we could get three hundred chipmunks certain--'  Says the master, 'Not another word out of your head, sir.'  And called up Jo and Charley, and placed us all in a row, and as I was the shortest, he put me at the foot, licked me first, and so on up to Gust, whipping him almost to death, and then we took our seats.  The master asking if we had our grammar lesson I said promptly, 'Yes, sir.'  And he asked me, 'What is a pronoun?'  I replied, 'A verb is a word that signifies to be, to do or to suffer.'  'What is a pronoun, sir?'  Says I, 'You must begin at Gust Kellogg, and we can all say it through.'  And with that he called us all out, and licked us all over again.  I couldn't understand why he licked us, but, on going home, Gust licked me so that I understood all about it."

John Legg was an early settler of Skaneateles, who commenced as a blacksmith, became a carriage maker of wide reputation and an influential citizen.  He got quite a start in the war of 1812, when a troop of cavalry stopped to have their horses shod.  He soon had every blacksmith for miles around on the job.  But there were trials ahead, and some years later he was feeling pretty blue, while his old mother told him it was always darkest before day.  In the night there was a hail, and another blacksmith shouted that there was a chance for them.  A large quantity of shovels was wanted for canal work at Jordan, and John Legg was the man to take hold of it.  And he did.

In old times apprentices were regularly indentured, with mutual responsibilities.  It was a frequent thing (not always easy) for apprentices to run away.  To clear himself the master was then required to advertise the delinquent.  Such notices were common seven years ago, and a reward might run from one cent to a dollar.  One of these follows:

"One Cent Reward.  Ran away from the subscriber on or about the 24th ult. an indented boy to the farming business, named Norman Hodges, aged 14 years.  Whoever will return said boy to the subscriber shall receive the above reward.  All persons are forbid harboring him or trusting him under penalty of the law.

        JOHN CARPENTER."

Marcellus, Jan. 11, 1830.

It has been often lamented that the block of shops and stores along the lake front should have been placed there, but there seems no help for it now.  When Colonel W. L. Stone was there September 24, 1829, he scored this severely.  After eulogizing the lake and most of the village, he burst forth:

"One would have supposed that even the Goths and Vandals would have had genius enough to have preserved an open view to the lake, by having a smooth lawn or greensward planted, with locusts and the willow between the road and the lake!  But contrary to every principle of taste or beauty, one of the churches and several blocks of stores and artisans' work-shops have been erected upon the shore, which in most cases intercepts the water prospect.  But for the privilege of taking now and then a sail, or a mess of fish, the good people might as well have had no lake at all."

Fire companies were formed soon after the erection of the town, and there are now two hose companies and a hook and ladder company.  The Skaneateles Guards, Captain Fowler, were the pride of Skaneateles at one time, and bands of music, many in number, have come and gone.  In the old days when champagne flowed freely the Skaneateles and Auburn bands made a day of it at the Mile Point, and the mellow horn was the favorite of every musician.

The old country taverns have been mentioned, and Myron Clift recently wrote of that of his father, two miles west of Skaneateles village, back in the '30s, where travelers and neighbors met and discussed the news, farming, business, politics and the Bible, or played checkers.

"The furnishings of the old bar-room consisted of fifteen splint-bottomed chairs, a twelve-foot bench and a good sized table made by a local carpenter.  At one side of the room was a short shelf, upon which was always kept ready three or four tin lanterns, and at one end hung the conventional boot-jack, made from a short board having a V shaped niche cut in one end.  The shovel, tongs and andirons stood in their accustomed place by the large old-fashioned fireplace, in which we kept a glowing fire of four-foot wood, making the old bar-room especially comfortable and inviting during the winter season.  Above the fireplace was a large board, about a foot and a half wide and ten feet long, closely plastered in the wall."  This was for handbills, etc.

One of these was a rhymed tavern notice, in which the traveler had good advice:

                      "Don't worry yourself nor drive to far--
                      I keep refreshments, hay, oats and tar,
                      My house is quiet; no games nor betting;
                      Brandy and rum, if you want some,
                      Or any other kind of wetting.
                      Don't fail, my friend, come in and see--
                      Your first visit is perfectly free."

The "hay, oats and tar" he thus explained:  'Tavern keepers were expected to supply their patrons with wagon grease or tar, and some of them were provided with large 'jacks,' with which very heavily loaded wagons could be raised, and the greasing done with little difficulty."  A horse was fed for sixpence, in some cases, and a team for a shilling.  Large and wide tired wagons had reduced rates of toll.

Skaneateles village in 1836 had a Presbyterian, Baptist, Methodist and Episcopal church, academy, public library, grist mill, sawmill, woolen factory, foundry, Milton A. Kinney's printing office; A. & C. Bates, N. Hawley & Company, Gibbs & Burnett, B. S. Wolcott, I. W. Perry, John G. Porter, merchants; Richard Talcott & Company, grocery and hardware; John Snook's drug store; Lawton & Stillson, leather and shoe store; A. M. Gaylord, millinery; W. M. Beauchamp, book store and library; Augustus Fowler, clothing store; two large carriage shops, many artisans and mechanics, two hotels and about two hundred and fifty dwellings.  In 1886 were enumerated five churches and a Quaker meeting house, three hotels, three millinery stores, four lawyers, one artist, two hardware stores, two confectioners, four clothing stores, three small carriage shops, two livery stables, two undertakers, five meat markets, one stationer and news dealer, two shoemakers, three dry goods stores, one bakery, three insurance agents, three shoe stores, one furniture store, two photograph galleries, six dressmakers, four harness makers, two barbers, two weekly newspapers, two brick and tile yards, three billiard rooms, two jewelry stores, two lumber yards, two drug stores, two dentists, two banks, three blacksmith shops, six groceries, six physicians, two dealers in agricultural implements, notion store, flour and feed store, restaurant, plumber, library, marble shop, etc.

Mottville in 1836 had two churches a grist and a sawmill, stone quarry, lime kiln, foundry and about thirty dwellings.  In 1886 it had two general stores, two blacksmiths, two paper mills, shoe shop, hotel, grocery, foundry and machine shop, woolen mill, flour and feed store, coal yard and chair factory.  There are many mills and factories scattered along the creek, and good quarries as well.  This stream has picturesque features from the lake almost to the river.


Submitted 10 December 1998