Jefferson County New York Genealogy

John Cowles Cooper and his residence A complete history of the town of Adams, or even the county of Jefferson, cannot be written without assigning a prominent place therein to John Cowles Cooper. In the best sense he was public-spirited. His clear views, practical good sense, and energy made him a leader in all those enterprises of a public nature affecting the community or involving the affairs of the church with which he was connected. He lived seventy-six years, and full fifty-five of these were spent in active business pursuits. Until his last sickness, preceding his…

Lyman Arms Lyman Arms was born in Deerfield, Massachusetts, August 30, 1796. He removed with his father, Lemuel Arms, to the State of New York, in October, 1804, and made a permanent settlement on the farm now owned by Elisha Rogers, in the town of Adams, where the subject of this sketch resided for many years. Lyman Arms married Caroline Arms, by whom he had six children, namely, Louisa, Julia, Emily, William D., Henry, and Caroline, and also one still-born. His wife died on November 30, 1836. On the 8th of July, 1836, he was married…

Daniel Fox (2d) is the fourth of the eleven children belonging to Samuel Fox and Lucy Williams. He was born in the town of Adams May 16, 1808, and has been a resident in it all his life. His boyhood was spent on his father’s farm until he attained his sixteenth year, when he was apprenticed to the carpenter’s trade. Having mastered this, he became an active workman, and scores of buildings in the town are the result of his handicraft. When the Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburgh R. R. was built through Adams Center he received the appointment of station…

Samuel Fox The subject of this brief sketch, Samuel Fox, was a brother of Daniel Fox, the celebrated centenarian farmer. He was born at Groton, Conn., August 15, 1781, and spent the early years of his life at that place. His youth was attended by the usual privations of those times, and he was deprived of even the meager educational facilities then existing. Upon attaining his manhood he removed to Oneida county. New York, where he was noted for his skill as a woodman and his great power of endurance, often spending six months at a time…

Albert Silverman GreeneChief Engineer in the U. S. Navy The subject of this sketch, Albert Silverman Greene, was born in Adams, Aug. 3, 1838. He attended select school at Adams Seminary, autumns and winters, until 1855. In November, 1855, he entered the “Rensselaer Polytechnic College,” of Troy, N. Y., in advance standing, graduating with the degree of Civil Engineer in June, 1859, number five in a class of twelve graduates, and which had numbered, from the time of his entrance, over one hundred individual members. Among the graduates in the same class were A. J. Cassatt, V.…

General Hungerford, whose history is so intimately connected with that of Jefferson County, and especially of the town of Adams, belongs to a family whose genealogy can be traced for at least two centuries. Thomas Hungerford came from the parish of Shetford, England, thirty or forty miles from London, and went to Hartford, Connecticut, before the year 1639. Mention is made of a descendant of the same name in the Hartford State Records, and in looking over the American Archives we find that one John P. Hungerford was an officer in the Revolution, and member of Congress from 1813 to…

1864 Map of Adams Village New York The location of this large and thriving village of 2000 inhabitants is on Sandy creek, one and a half miles from the Rodman town-line, and extending on its south to the towns of Lorraine and Ellisburg. The principal part of the village is in the valley of the creek, mostly on its north bank, although some of the private residences are on the terraces along the stream, giving the place an elevated appearance beautiful to behold, and admitting the display of much fine taste. The streets are wide, graded…

The First Congregational Society of Adams was formed Aug. 28, 1805, with Jacob Kellogg, Eliphalet Adams, Elijah Fox, and Simeon Meacham, trustees. About 1818 they erected a church, 30 by 40 feet, which was used seven or eight years, when it was sold to the Methodists. In 1825 the present church was commenced, and completed for dedication July 26, 1826. Its original cost was 17000, and it was enlarged and remodeled in 1858, and subsequently at a cost of about 14000. The building is a well-preserved frame, with an audience-room having 400 sittings. The present trustees of the society are…

The Presbyterian Church of Adams village was organized as the “First Congregational church of Adams,” by the Rev. Ebenezer Lazell, July, 1804, and consisted of the following six members: Joshua Reals, Jacob Kellogg, Abram Griswold, David Comstock, Betsey Griswold, and Asenath Cooper. Divine worship had been established on the Sabbath, in 1801, at the house of Jacob Kellogg, and in 1802 the first sermon was preached by the Rev. Woodward, a missionary. From the time of the formation of the church services were conducted according to the ordinances of the Congregational church, until 1821. January 27, 1821, while the Rev.…

A proposition to organize an Episcopal church having been made to Bishop De Lancey, his consent was secured Jan. 22, 1849, and on the 4th of February the notice to form a congregation was duly read by H. B. Whipple, lay legally formed, the Rev. J. M. Bartlett being rector. Henry B. Whipple and William Morton Johnson were chosen wardens; and John McCarty, David Gaylord, Hiram Salisbury, Philip R. Ward, John Wright, Justus Eddy, Charles W. Rogers, and Thomas Dobson, vestrymen. Steps were at once taken to erect a chapel in the Gothic style, to cost not more than $2000.…

The Baptist Church and Society at Adams village was organized March 30, 1837, with Jesse Wright, Hannibal Miller, and Spencer Woodward, trustees. Meetings were held in the schoolhouse, and in the building now used as an engine-house, until 1847, when a frame church was erected, costing $3500, which was dedicated in January, 1848. This was used until 1871, when it was removed to give place to the present edifice, and it has since been transformed into a furniture warehouse. The same year, A. J. Brown, H. O. Kenyon, and A. W. Ingraham were appointed a building committee, and under their…

Members of Methodist Episcopal lived in the town at an early day and classes were formed in different localities prior to 1828; but in that year they were formed into a circuit, and there-after supplied with a regular preacher. The members living principally at Adams village. The First Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Adams was formed at that place October 24, 1828. The trustees elected were Laban Ross, Philip Younge, David Wright, Zephania Jacker, Chester McKee, Daniel Dikeman, and John Adams. This board was reorganized in 1838, when John C. Cooper, Timothy Lawrence, William E. Whitney, Andrew Blackstone,…

Hungerford Collegiate Institute Photograph This thriving institution of learning is located at Adams village, whose inhabitants early felt the need of better facilities for education than the common schools afforded; accordingly efforts were made at different times to found an institution of learning of a higher grade; but, owing to local jealousies and the powerful opposition of the friends of the Black River Institute, located at Watertown, and Union Academy, at Belleville, they were not successful. In the year 1852 an effort was made to establish a graded school, but it resulted in failure. In the…

Adams Collegiate Institute As early as 1802 a school was taught at Smith’s Mills, which was attended by pupils living several miles around the place. A fair-sized two-story frame house was erected at an early day, and was used for school purposes until the wing of the present edifice was built. The old house was removed and transformed into a furniture-factory. In 1876 the site of the school-house was changed to a point east of the institute, and the present commodious structure erected at a cost of 14000. There are four well-arranged rooms, accommodating 200 pupils.…

“Rising Sun Lodge, No. 124, F. & A. M.,” was organized, probably in 1806, with Robert Merrick as the first W. M. Regular meetings were held until the anti-Masonic times of 1827, when the lodge was suspended. In March, 1851, it was resuscitated with the same name, the number being changed to 234. The officers and charter members were B. Wright, W. M.; J. C. Cooper, S. W.; J. Griswold, J. W.; Dennis Waite, Almanson Tibbetts, Herman Strong, J. H. Whipple, Elijah Wright, and Titus Bassett, members. The present membership is more than 200. An elegant hall was formally dedicated…

The Censor, an Anti-Masonic sheet, by Theron Parsons, was the first paper published at Adams. Its first issue bore date July 1, 1828, and its publication, at this place, was continued until June 13, 1829, when it was removed to Watertown. Owing to its bitter hostility to Masonry, its enemies named it The Cancer, which soon caused the title to be changed to The Anti-Masonic Sun. The Jefferson County Democrat was the next candidate for public favor, appearing June 27, 1844, under the control of J. C. Hatch, who three years after sold to E. J. Clark. It was a…

1864 Map of Adams Village New York The Manufacturing Interests of the village date from 1800. That year David Smith built and got in operation a saw-mill near where the present mill stands. It did a great deal of work, yet it was not able to supply the demand for lumber, and even the slabs were used in building. From this circumstance the village was sometimes called ” Slab City.” A larger mill replaced the first one, which has long since been destroyed. In the western part of the village there is a good saw-mill, owned…

1864 Map of Adams Centre New York This pleasant village, of 500 inhabitants, is situated on the upper lake ridge, which here forms a plain, three miles north of Adams, and ten miles by railroad from Watertown. The location is very favorable, and, being surrounded by a rich farming country, the place has become noted for its many comfortable homes, substantial business men, and beautiful streets. Settlement in this’ locality was first made in 1816, by Luman and Hiram Arms, who opened a farm just north of the village site. The place was densely timbered with…

Picture of H. C. I. as it was Published in the Annual of 1923 The following is a list of graduates from the Hungerford Collegiate Institute during the years of 1870 – 1899. Class of 1870 Charles R. Babcock Emma Whitcomb Class of 1871 Austin Kent Hale Isaac L. Hunt, Jr. H. A. Merriam H. R. Stafford M. M. Williams E. F. Whitcomb Class of 1872 Frank D. Barbur J. S. Clark Ella Coughlan D. L. Davis C. H. Dilley Henry Merrill Charles S. Millington Florence Peck A. S. Potter Miss Rasbach K. T. Rhodes I.…

Historic Photo of the Seventh Day Baptist Church Adams Centre NY The Seventh-Day Baptist Church of Adams dates its origin to 1817, when several families of that faith removed from Berlin, N. Y., to Adams Center, and soon held meetings. June 9, 1822, the church was formally organized, with a membership consisting of Rev. William Greene, Charles Greene, Jared G. Potter, Joseph Greene (2d), James Main, Ethan Greene, Elisha Crosby, Russel Greene, Sela Burdick, Mercy Greene, Roswell Saunders, Amy Greene, Olive Sweet, Martha Greene, Mary Saunders, Sarah Crosby, Amanda, Betsey, Cynthia, Clarissa, and Mercy Greene (2d).…

1864 Map of Adams New York clearly shows Smithville Village on the left side of the map. Smithville Village, which was founded by Jesse Smith, is partly in Henderson. The portion lying in Adams is on lots 9 and 17, on Stony creek, which here affords excellent water-power. Settlement was begun here in 1804 by Daniel Hardy, although a little east of this point Chauncey Mills, from Connecticut, took up land in 1803. In 1805 he built a saw-mill on Stony creek, the first in the west part of town. He lived here until his death,…

1864 Map of Adams New York shows East Adams, or State-Line as the town of Honeyville. East Adams, or State Road. Some of the first settlers of the town made homes in this locality, many coming prior to 1805, and some in 1801. Among these were the Heath, Grommon, Loveland, Truman, Harris, and Talcott families, representatives of which yet remain near the place where their sturdy ancestors first broke the solemn quiet of the forest wild. In later years the Davis family settled in this neighborhood, and one of the sons, Joseph, built a store at…

The Second Congregational Church of Adams was formed at the house of Roger Read, by Rev. D. Spear, November 1, 1809, and consisted of Timothy Betts and wife, Simon Reed and wife, John Patrick, Elizabeth Miller, Esther Price, John Barnard and wife, Ebenezer Foot and wife, Lydia Read, and Sally Lyon. Meetings were held in school-houses for several years without having a settled pastor. On December 5, 1816, a society was formed at the house of Asher Robbins, having the same name as the church, of which John Barnard, Asher Robbins, and Ruel Pearsons were trustees. January 28, 1817, Simon…

1864 Map of Adams New York clearly shows the village of North Adams and its residences at the top of the map Among those who came at an early day to this locality is Roger Read, from Vermont, in 1806. He was a well-own citizen, and reared three sons who became identified with the interests of Jefferson County. Asahel Read, now an aged man, resides at Watertown; Heman Colton, then a young man of 19, came from Otsego county and opened a large farm here. He still lives in the town, being almost a centenarian, and…

1864 Map of Adams New York shows the Greene Settlement in the middle of Adams. The ancestry of the numerous Greene families, now residing in Adams, whose members number more than three hundred, belonged to Rhode Island, where one of them, Charles Greene, served during the Revolution, and afterwards removed to Rensselaer co., N. Y. Here he reared a family, which, in 1805, immigrated to Lewis co., and in 1810 several of them became citizens of Adams, at a place which has since borne their name. Of the elder Greenes, Charles was prominent in securing the…