Stage Coach and Plank Road
Days In Northern New York
First Mail Route Came Through the Black River Valley
and Was Started in 1804 - One Round Trip a Week
From Utica to Brownville - Daniel Gould, the First
Carrier, Was Replaced by Rueben Chase.
____
By RICHARD C. ELLSWORTH.
The writer acknowledges with gratitude assistance in the preparation of this article from Mrs. Nora W. Cruikshank, Curator of the Jefferson County Historical Society; Miss Margaret Gillis, Librarian of Ogdensburg Public Library; the late Mr. Henry Miller and Mr. L.F. Hutchinson of Malone; Mrs. John Pierrpont Constable of Constableville; Mrs. Mrs. George Tuttillo of Plattsburgh; Mr. John K. Mills of Canton; Mr. Harold B. Johnson and Mr. Harry F. Landon of Watertown; Mr. S. Vigilante of the American History room in the New York Public Library, New York city, from officials of the New York State Library at Albany, and many others.
Four o'clock in the morning. Perhaps it is a bright and sunny morning in June, perhaps it is cold and dark, a morning in December. But whatever the month, whatever the season, the stagecoach is ready and waiting. Sleepy passenger emerge from the tavern, a sleepy driver climbs up to his place, cracks his long whip, and the stage is off.
Not always, to be sure, would the coach leave at this early hour. But it frequently did, frequently enough to stamp it as a characteristic of stage-coach days, in Northern New York, as well as elsewhere. Elise Lathrop, in her "Early American Inns and Taverns," says, speaking of the stage line between New York and Albany, "Three days were required for the trip in summer and four or more in winter, a day's journey lasting from five o'clock in the morning until ten at night." Traveling by stage-coach for eighteen or nineteen hours a day, journeying over roads only in name, closely confined within the compass of wagon-box, must have been inconvenient and uncomfortable, even though it was far in advance of traveling on horseback, which in turn marked a step forward in transportation from traveling on foot.
Having referred to the Boston stage and to the condition of the roads, it may not be amiss to quote a distinguished New Englander on both, Josiah Quincy, in 1784, described his trip from Boston to New York as follows: "I set out from Boston on the line of stage lately established by an enterprising Yankee, Pease by name, which at that day was considered a method of transportation of wonder expedition. The journey to New York took up a week. The carriages were old and shackling and much of the harness was made of rope. One pair of horses carried the stage eighteen miles. We generally reached our resting placed for the night, if no accident intervened, at ten o'clock, and after a frugal supper, went to bed with the notion we should be called at three the next morning, which generally proved to be half past two. Then, whether it snowed or rained, the traveler must rise and make ready by a horn lantern, or a farthing candle, and proceed on his way over bad roads. Then we traveled eighteen miles a day, sometimes obliged to get out and help the coachman lift the coach out of a quagmire or rut, and arrive at New York after a week's hard traveling, wondering at the ease as well as the expedition of our journey."
Although stages age said to have been running as early as 1733 between New York and Philadelphia, it is not until 1756 that there is authentic record of such a line, and it is not until 1785 that stages were running regularly between New York and Boston. It was not until some time after 1800 that stage lines penetrated northern New York. The reason of course, is not far to seek. With the exception of a few Indians and a feeble settlement of whites at Ogdensburg, a thin line of pioneers along the Black River valley, and scattered clearing here and there, there was neither roads nor commerce in northern New York. Mr. Ford, with the assistance of D.W. Church, had, indeed, at the cost of much money and more labor, put through his new Ogdensburg road, supplanting the old Oswegatchie road, and thee was a road from Plattsburgh through the Military Tract and across country to Ellenburgh and Malone, though Mr. Ford stoutly maintained that is road was better than the one through Chateaugay, as the old maps render the present-day Chateaugay. In1814, writing from LeRaysville to George Parish, then in Philadelphia, Pa., V. LeRay de Chaumont says: "Mr. DeLaunay and myself went yesterday to Sacket's Harbor. We left here after an early morning breakfast in my little waggon, tandem, remaining five hours in the village, during which we saw the fleet, the fortifications, dined with the Commodore, and were back here for supper.We were 9 1/2 hours on the way (48 miles including stops, which proved that are roads are not yet impassable." This would work out to about five miles an hour, and indicated that while the roads had improved over those of 1800, there was yet some distance to go. Note that three horses were used.
But in 1800 Macomb's great purchase was in the process of dissolution and the country was rapidly filling. William Constable, Gouverneur Morris, LeRay de Chaumont, Daniel McCormick, the Pierreponts, the Harisons, the Clarksons, Gerritt Van Horne, all owners each of them, of thousands of acres of land in Northern New York, were selling off farms and locating settlers. Watertown had begun its existence. Sacket's Harbor was a naval post of growing importance, and destined, in a few years, to play a large part in the coming war with Britain.
Mills had begun to appear at the Long Falls, now Carthage, and at Ogdensburg, and the Parishes, also land owners, would soon be building their iron works at Rossie and their distillery at Parishville. Civilization, or, if you prefer settlement, advances in waves, and so it is to be expected that the first stage lines into Northern New York would start from the settled Mohawk valley and advance up the Black River valley. So it was. The first mail route into Northern New York was through the Black River valley from Utica, and was established in 1804. Daniel Gould was the first mail carrier, and the fore-runner of the postal service of today.
Gould was soon succeeded by Reuben Chase. Chase performed one round trip each week between Utica and Brownville, for Brownville was then a place of major importance, as the home of Jacob Brown and as a mill and trading point. Chase lasted for several years, and the phrased is used advisedly. It was a task calling for herculean effort, this journey each week over the Trenton hills to Boon's in the town of Trenton. (Boon's was not the Boonville of today, but the house at Holland Patent of Gerritt Boon, agent for the Holland Land Company, though Boon did later give his name to Boonville.)
Beyond Boon came Storm's, now the site of Boonville, then came the High Falls, known today as Lyons Falls, then the level stretches of Turin and then the long up-hill into Martinsburg. Here Postman Chase could see Walter Martin's new house in building for Walter Martin, later General Martin was that year beginning to the erection of the stone house which still stands on top of the hill at Martinsburg, a witness to the sturdy qualities both of our forefathers and of their buildings.
This house, it is interesting to know, was modeled on the stone house of Sir William Johnson at Amsterdam, called Fort Johnson, which house had appealed to Martin, who had once spent a night there. Indeed, so anxious was he to reproduce the Johnson house in all its details that he sent his builder, David Waters, all the way to Amsterdam to make measurements and to copy the plan.
The mail rider no longer passes the General Martin house on his weekly trips and the many thousands who now travel the high grade in front of it, few know its historic association with Sir William Johnson.
But we are forgetting Reuben Chase. Leaving Martinsburg, soon to become the county seat of Lewis county (which indeed in 1805). At what is now Lowville, Nicholas Low, on one of his visits to his lands, was waiting for the post. In any event he must have heard the first rumblings of the county seat war, whereby Lowville, in 1805, tried to win the distinction from Martinsburg. The attempt was unsuccessful, and Lowville had to wait for the coming of the railroad, when the change was made almost overnight.
After Lowville, came Denmark, then Champion, then the Rutland hills and finally Watertown. Amos Lay's map of Watertown, New York published in 1812, a copy of which, once owned by William Constable, is still preserved at Constable Hall in Lewis county, bearing Mr. Constable's autograph signature on the cover, and the date, 1812, shows plainly the road these tireless postmen followed - and suggests, as well, the sparse population and primitive conditions through which they traveled.
Barnabas Dickinson, who succeeded Chase, was the progenitor of the stage line. He placed a two horse wagon in service, and carried both mail and passengers. About 1812, the roads having been improved, Parker and Company, for a year or two, ran a weekly stage over the route, but of them no more is now known. The Sackett's Gazette of October 8, 1818, says, "A new line of stages from Utica to Sackett's Harbor, through Adams and Rome is now advertised," but a copy of the paper containing this item contains no advertisement of the stage line. It will be noted that the line was to follow the western route, rather than the eastern one through the Black River valley. In 1824 there appeared upon the scene two or three men destined to play a large part in the transportation of northern New York for many years to come. These were Ela Merriam, N.W. Kiniston, E.W. Backus and a little later S. Backus. Merriam was the son of Nathaniel Merriam of Leyden. In January, 1824, Mr. Merriam, in company with Mr. Backus, M. Kiniston and John McElwaine, whose connection with the business seems to have been of brief duration, began the carrying of the Utica-Watertown mail. In connection with the stage route, and Mr. Merriam, at least, continued in the business for over forty years.
In the Jeffersonian for October 12, 1826, it is announced that a new line of post-coaches from Sackett's Harbor via Adams and Rome to Utica, a distance of 91 miles, leaving Sackett's Harbor on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, arriving the same day in Utica, had been established. The line had been so arranged as to meet the steamboat Ontario and Kingston Packet at Sackett's Harbor, the Syracuse stage at Adams and the canal packet boats at Rome. This was not the only way of reaching Utica from Sackett's Harbor. In the Jeffersonian for November 20, 1826, N.W. Kiniston and Company announced that the "Old Line" of stages from Sackett's Harbor to Utica, by way of Watertown and Lowville, run through every day, and that Kingston may be reached by a line of stages from Watertown to Cape Vincent. And in these advertisements come the first suggestion of a line to Syracuse. Kiniston and Company advertise Watertown and Syracuse stages leaving Watertown every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, returning Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, "through in one day, when the roads will permit."
Significant, that last clause, and reminiscent of Quincy's note on New England roads, already quoted. And in 1828, A. Russell, proprietor of the Eagle hotel and stage house, in Adams, announces that stages leave his house for Syracuse and Oswego every morning, and for Watertown and Ogdensburg every evening. Western business has evidently picked up in the two years since 1826, when the Syracuse stages run three times a week. Mr. Russell also announces that the Utica and Sackett's Harbor stages leave his house for Utica on Monday, Wednesday and Friday in the morning and for Sackett's Harbor Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday in the evening.
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Johnstown (N.Y.) Republican
August 23, 1820
Johnstown (N.Y.) Republican, August 23, 1820
Expert Driving: - The following is one of the most remarkable instances of presence of mind that we ever heard: -
As one of the stages belonging to Mr. Powell, was on the way from Utica to Albany, about two weeks since, and was on the point of turning a curve of the road, which was dug from the edge of the bank of the river (a short distance below Palatine Bridge,) on the summit of a hill, and very narrow, it was met by a six horse team, which was passing diagonally across the rod, in order to ascend the hill with less difficulty.
The horses in the stage were going at a round trot, and came in contact with those of the large wagon on the lower side, and in such a manner that it was impossible for the driver to stop the horses quickly enough to prevent the stage interlocking with the large wagon, and inevitably overturned down the bank of the river which was very steep, and descending about thirty feet. At this juncture the driver very promptly wheeled his leaders, gave them the whip, and drove in a straight line down the bank into the river, which at this place was quite shallow.
This act in all probability, saved the lives of the passengers, and the horses. Maj. Gen. Scott, of the U.S. Army, who was one of the passengers, immediately presented him with five dollars, as a reward for his great resolution of mind, and skill as a driver.
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Ononadga Register, May 7, 1823
The Seneca Turnpike Road Company declared on the 20th inst. a dividend of one dollar on a share, for the last six months, the usual semi-annual dividend; and also at the same time, a surplus dividend of one dollar on each share of said stock. Previous to the completion of the middle section of the Erie Canal, the proprietors of the road apprehended a great diminution in the value of their stock, by the effect the canal would have upon this road - which runs its whole length, 112 miles, parallel to the canal.
The experiment has proved to be very beneficial to the interest of the Road Company. The heavy teams with six to eight horses are now mostly removed from the road, in consequence of the reduced price of transportation, and the light travel increased by the natural increase of business, produced by the facility of intercourse with New York. The repairs of the road are much lessened by the absence of the heavily loaded wagons.
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