REMINISCENCES
(copied from THE ADVERTISER, An Eight-Page Weekly -
Union Springs, NY)
UNION SPRINGS AND ITS PEOPLE IN THE EARLY DAYS
We are
indebted to Mrs. Sarah M. Sleeper, eldest daughter of Philip Winegar, deceased,
for the excellent sketch of the appearance of Union Springs; its business and
people in the early times. When
the reader bears in mind that the writer is aged nearly seventy-five years,
they will marvel at the clearness of her memory and her apt expression of it,
which was written in a plain, uniform, and exceptionally legible hand, upon
half-note sheets, plainly numbered, and in all respects first-class copy, by
her own hand. We are very grateful
to her for the kindly interest shown and have no doubt that the feeling is
shared by the many readers of the Advertiser.
Kalamazoo, Mich., December 7th, 1886.
James B.
Hoff -- Dear Friend:
Thank
you for your communication and paper which were duly received. Union Springs in my early recollection
was quite a different town from the present. My father bot the mill property he owned so many years of
James Barker, a brother of Mrs. Elihu Eldredge, in 1816, and came in August of
that year to your place. That was,
of course, before my recollection,for I was but a few months past three years
old.
I
remember the pond when it was about half its present size, My father raised the
dam several times in my recollection; and it extends much farther south. The old mill as I remember it was a one
and a half story frame building, situated a little to the north of the centre
of the pond as it is at present, with a basement, where the fulling and dyeing
was done; the big wheel that carried the machinery was there too. The first floor above was the finishing
room; the upper room was where the carding was done. It was reached by a flight of stairs outside on the south of
the building. The saw mill was
still farther north; and the flume which carried the water to the wheel was
between the buildings.
I
can remember when there were but two streets (roads they were then called)
leading east out of town, one at the head of the north spring, the other
leading to the Friends Meeting House.
Orrin Winegar built the first house on that street. It was next east of the widow
Shank’s residence. Neither
were there but two on the west of Main street, one leading to the grist mill in
the north part of the town, and the other to the mills my father owned. There were three houses on that as long
ago as I can remember, one where Capt. Finch lived, which was back and a little
east of where you live, and is now, I think, west of your house. Another was the one your father lives
in; and the other was owned by a Mr. Carr that was always called
“Jake,” It must have been about where the street that goes to Basin
Street now is.
The
rest of the town was on Main street, reaching from Captain Cozzens’ place
(afterwards Mr. Arnold’s) to John Yawger’s tavern, which was on the
site of the brick house afterwards built by Daniel Yawger. There were four dry goods stores, (no
groceries), the first north by Asa Burnham on the southwest corner of the
street leading to the grist mill, in a stone building. He lived in the same building; another
kept by Isaac Valentine, about half-way between Burnham’s and one kept by
Laban Hoskins, which was nearly opposite his residence; the fourth was John
Mosher’s which was about on the site of the Baptist church. There were two hotels, or taverns as they were then called,
one at the north end of the town, before mentioned, the other at the head of
what was called the big spring, that is the north one. It was on the southwest corner of the
street east, and was called the ‘Lucky house,” I don’t know
why. Both were large two-story
buildings. As to the people, I
think they were more intelligent and refined than of most small towns at that
early day. They were mostly from
the far east and Quakers, especially the south part. William Burling, who owned the north mill property, was from
New York City, born and bred there; and I think Capt. Barney Earl, too. Their wives were sisters and real
ladies, too. Several families were
from New Bedford and Rhode Island.
I
forgot to mention Daniel Mersereau’s store in the north part of the
town. I think it much have been
opened about 1823, as my mother bought quite a large bill of goods there about
that time. Groceries, crockery and
hardware were kept by all of the stores.
“Tim”
Bush was the village blacksmith.
His shop was south of Burnham’s store, afterwards owned by Mr.
Barnes. Mr. Choat had a cabinet
shop north of the Burling house, afterwards Mr. Fowler’s. Later Isiah Fish had one in the north
part of the town. His son married
Janet Winegar, Uncle Ashbel’s daughter.
Stephen
Mosher was the only practising physician.
His cousin, Dr. John Mosher, did not practice, after my
remembrance. Stephen constructed
the basin, afterward sold his practice to Dr. Dodge, his property to
others. I think my brother, Caleb,
was the first lawyer in town. I
suppose you know of the Cayuga Tocsin, that was printed by Royal Chamberlin at
an early date. It was before my
remembrance but I recollect the building very well. It was a long, low building
between the Episcopal and Presbyterian churches. Thrulow Weed worked in that office when a boy.
The
only church for many years was the Quaker, on the hill. It must have been built very soon after
my father moved there, as he gave the site, or he and my grandfather, Esek
Mosher, did. I don’t think
there was steady preaching service in town until about 1831. The meetings were held in the building
formerly used by Isaac Valentine for his store. Mr. Clark was the first minister. He was the father-in-law of George Ham, of Hamburg, and a Presbyterian. Before that date there was a church of
that denomination north in the Thompson neighborhood, which afterwards removed
to the Springs, at just the time I don’t know, but services were held in
the old store for several years, as the present church was not build but a
short time before I moved to Michigan, which was in 1842.
The
Methodists held meetings occasionally in the district school house. It was north, in the southeast corner
of John Yawger’s yard. It
was so far that I went to school there but little, but to a private school
taught first by Miss Sophia Gidding, a niece of Mrs. Laban Hoskins, afterwards
by Miss Cynthia Southwich, a sister of Mrs. Hoskins. But my brother, Esek, got all the schooling that he ever had
in that old stone school house.
The district, in time, was divided and my sister and younger brothers
went to school in the school house built in the south part of the town.
My
father bought quite a large tract of land with his mill property, but
considered it of but little value.
Money was scarce and wheat but two and sixpence a bushel. I heard my father say that a farmer
went to Hoskins’ store to buy a piece of rope for a halter. He would trust him for it, but would
not take wheat for pay; but my father took wheat or anything he could use for
his work. One farmer wanted to
bring honey and asked father how much he should bring. Father said he
wasn’t particular,” bring what you are a mind to,” and he
brought sixty pounds. Mother said
she wasn’t troubled to dispose of it. They had a large family and boarded all their workmen. Father kept two sets of hands. In the carding season the machines were
kept running night and day, the same with the saw mill when there was water
enough.
The
wheat my father took for his work was stores in a long building standing on the
bank about where the grist mill now is and was called the dry house; and in the
winter he took it to Albany in sleighs, sold it and bought his dye stuffs or
whatever he couldn’t get nearer.
When in the course of time the materials he needed to use in his
business could be had at Utica he thought he was highly favored, and that would
be thought slow business in these fast times. At that time there was no canal or railroad in the great
State of New York, or in fact, anywhere.
It is hard for us to realize the difference between then and now.
My
father built the first canal boat that was built at the Springs. It was built south of the basin (there
was no basin there then,) in the year 1826, I think. It was quite an event in the quiet town when she was
launched. Silas Ludlow was the
builder. Her name has gone from
me, but the next one he built was the P. Winegar. At that time they used sails to take them to the
bridge, if the wind was right.
Otherwise, they had to pole down.
The only way to get down the river to Montezuma was to pole, untril the
canal was made from that place to the bridge.
Then
the family shoes were made up in the house, the householder furnishing the
materials, the shoemaker the work; and tailoring was done in the same way.
The
houses had large yards. The rest
of the land was used for farming purposes. The only flax I ever saw growing was on the corner opposite
the Sanitarium, reaching to your house.
That was, I think, in 1825.
In 1827 the corner store of the block was built, where Mersereau’s
is. The rest of the block was
built some years later.
In
the spring of 1828 Dr. John Mosher and my father opened a store there. He closed his store and put his goods
in the new one. He stayed but one
year, after which brother Esek managed the store. The two upper stories were used for storing grain, which our
people either bought of, or stored and shipped for the farmers.
After
farmers began to trade their wool for cloth, father began making cloth in a
small way. The first
spinning-jenny he bought had eight spindles and was worked by hand. Cousin Sepronia Winegar was one of the
first to spin on it, and could spin more yarn in a day than any one who ever
run it.
Father
gradually increased his facilities for manufacturing, enlarging the buildings,
but in November, 1835, the factory took fire and was burned to the ground with
most of its contents. The stone
factory was built the next summer, and is now doing duty as a grist mill.
I
have heard my mother say when they first lived there, the people were all on
visiting terms, not calling, but neighbors took their work, spent the afternoon
and stayed to tea. But as the
village increased, all this was changed.
Some
of the first inhabitants were Captain Cozzens, Aunt Amy, then the widow White,
and her mother, Aunt Lizzy Mosher. They had a row of poplar trees in front of
their house, (about the only shade trees the village could boast),
Dr. John
Mosher, Uncle Esek Mosher, Barney Kirby, a brother Joseph Kirby, Dr. Stephen
Mosher, James Barker, Lurad Chamberlin, Jake Carr, Abel Finch, Laban Hoskins,
Captain Earl, (Earl and Cozzens were retired sea captains), Wm. Burling, Isaac
Valentine, Tim Bush, Asa Burnham, Elisha Southwick (he lived north across the
street from Burnham’s store), Isiah Fish, John Tayger.
My
father lived in a small story and a half frame house * on the site of the
Sanitarium, which was moved off in the spring of 1829 to make place for the new
brick dwelling which was built that summer, and we moved in in October. The next spring the old house was
repaired and brother Esek moved into it, remaining there until he moved to
Auburn.
* Present
postoffice building. -- Ed.
* * *
In Memoriam
Obituary
Sarah M.
Winegar was born April 16, 1813, in Galway, Saratoga County, N.Y. In 1816 she removed with her
father’s family to Union Springs, Cayuga County, N. Y., which was her
home for nearly 30 years. In 1836
she married John Sleeper. In 1842
they came to Michigan and settled on a farm in Comstock, Kalamazoo County. This farm remained in possession of the
family for 45 years. Their home
was in Kalamazoo from 1849 to 1861 when they returned to the farm. In 1865 her husband died. In 1884, on the death of her youngest
son, she came to this city to spend her remaining years with her daughter, Mrs.
C. L. Rounds, who with two sons, Henry S. Sleeper of Lansing, and Esek W.
Sleeper of this city, is called to mourn the loss of a devoted,
self-sacrificing christian mother.
Busy and helpful to the last, in full possession of her faculties, her
work being done, and well done, she lay down like a tired child and went to
sleep. At night she went to sleep
on earth, and on the morning of March 9, 1889, she awoke in heaven. Beautiful ending to a beautiful
life.
Excerpts
from
TRAVELS THROUGH THE WESTERN
COUNTRY
IN THE SUMMER OF 1816
by
DAVID THOMAS
Page 3
- The village of Union Springs, six miles north of Aurora, derives its name from two
fountains, fifty rods apart, with streams sufficient for mills. The lake road passes near them on the
east, and forms the principal street.
There are twenty dwelling houses three stores of merchandise, and a post
office. It was first regularly
laid out into lots in the year 1813.
We
were detained half an hour at this village, by a thunder shower from the
south-west. I believe no instance
of these storms from the north-west is known, except when the atmosphere has
been previously loaded with vapour.
The latter wind is destitute of sensible moisture. Frequently, however, it condenses the
exhalations from our lakes, and of those which have been wafted hither from
other points of the compass.
Rains, from that quarter, result from such retrograde movements, and a
clear sky generally attends the calm that succeeds.
Salt
and sulphur springs rise
adjacent to this village, but none of these are deemed valuable for mineral
properties, and would scarcely merit notice, except as characteristics of the Limestone
Ledge. Plaster, of the cockscomb kind, though
white or transparent, is found plentifully on the beach after high winds, it
having been washed by the waves from the bank where it lay embedded and, by
digging, it may be procured at a considerable distance from the shore. The rose colour of the French
cockscombs is ascribed to iron.
Notes
to Page 3 - (on Page 243).
The
importance of these springs to the surrounding country will be appreciated by
the following statement:
On
the smaller spring are erected a fulling mill, which in the present season of
1816-17, dressed 15,000 yards of cloth, - carding machines which wrought into
rolls last summer, 18,000 pounds of wool, - and a saw-mill (assisted in its
motion by a brook turned into the basin of the spring) which sawed 60,000 feet
of boards and scantlings.
On the larger spring is erected a grist-mill, thirty by forty-four feet, three and a half stories, with two run of stones, and the necessary apparatus. It is stated to be capable of grinding 200 bushels of grain per twenty-four hours and as this stream, with the other, suffers no material diminution in drowths, or increase in heavy rains, and no obstruction from ice in winter, it is the main-stay of the surrounding country in extraordinary seasons. In the present extreme severity of frost, grists from a distance of twenty-five miles in almost every direction. [2mo. 15, 1817.]