Watertown Herald, Saturday, November 30, 1901

Theresa, a hundred years ago was a howling wilderness. Its sand capped hills were covered with a fine growth of majestic pine trees, affording an abiding place for bears, wolves, panthers, and phebe birds. The Indian River rushes over the rocks twenty-five feet and a short distance below it shoots over a precipice sixty feet high and then developes (sic) into a sluggish stream for 18 miles coursing through and over flowing extensive marshes making a home well adapted for the breeding of fur bearing animals, making a trapper’s paradise for capturing the otter, fish mink, and muskrat. The river was teaming with rare fish. The gamey muskollonge weighing from 40 to 40 pounds was quite an extraordinary catch. In many places can be traced the handiwork of the faithful beaver in constructing huts for their homes. The inoffensive deer roved over the country like sheep, and were the last to abandon their forest homes. Long before the encroachments of civilization, following the tread of the white man, disturbed the virgin forest, the Indians of six nations in making their annual excursions for hunting and trapping had a well beaten trail from Evans Mills along the bank of the river to Rossie. They came in spring in bands with their squaws, pappooses (sic), traps, rifles, cooking pots and a scanty amount of bedding. The big bundle of luggage would be loaded on the back of the squaw. She would stoop over like a camel with a strap around her forehead to hold the bundle, as big as a load of hay, in its place, and they would travel all day long with a burly old indian walking along with no bundle but his rifle on his shoulder, and smoking his pipe. I have never seen American ladies travelling under such conditions, and I think it must be out of fashion, for I understand that fashions do change. These Indians would come to a halt in some convenient place and erect a tent by setting up poles in a circular form, with a hole in the top for smoke to escape and covered with hemlock boughs, a hole in the side for an entrance, and they had an abiding place which to them was equal to the palace of a king. They build a fire in the center of the tent for cooking food and toasting their shins (sic). They snore and sleep on the edge of the tent with feather beds made of hemlock boughs. They would dig out large pine logs and form them into canoes, which they would propel with a paddle for trapping. I have spent many hours when a boy hearing the swarthy Indian relate the thrilling accounts of his hunting and marauding expeditions.

There were other old hunters who followed these Indian trails for years, in hunting game and trapping furs. I well remember old Uncle Sixbury who spent his whole life in the woods with his rifle and dog as his choice companions. He entertained an inveterate hatred of an Indian, and when talking about them his eyes would snap and flash like fire brands, and he would rise to his feet when thinking of the atrocities committed by these savages upon his father’s family. It was sure death for an Indian to pass within sight of the muzzle of his rifle. He pointed to the place in the river below the falls where an Indian was peddling his canoe, he saw him roll over the side of the craft into the water, and was never seen afterward. The crack of the old hunter’s rifle was the last sound he heard. During the later days of his life he was compelled to stub around with a wooden leg, which was rather unwieldy for the timely movements of a hunter. I have spent many hours by the light of his campfires when he was engaged in his fishing season hearing him relate some thrilling incidents of his hunting life. Sixbury died at the youthful age of one hundred and four years, passing through a career not far removed from the life of a savage.

During the early settlement of this country the yelping wolves could be heard in every direction. Singly they were sneakish and inoffensive, but in packs they were fearless and very destructive to all domestic animals, and were a source of great annoyance to a scarce population. The large bounty offered by the state was a great inducement for hunters to aid in exterminating these pests. In 1816, James Rich, a noted hunter set his traps for wolves near Hyde Lake, about three miles from Theresa, on making his rounds to examine his traps, on coming near one of them he saw a panther spring up and run with a trap hanging to one of his hind legs. He fired his rifle but missed his mark and the game made off into the thicket. He went to the home of Phillip Hosner, a mile distant for assistance and returned with a little dog. He espied the head of the panther and one shot from his rifle killed him instantly. On examination he found it was not the one in the trap. The dog meanwhile had engaged the other panther. He loaded his rifle and fired the charge into the animal only wounding him. The rain prevented him from reloading, he threw down his gun and sprang upon the beast with his hatchet. During the fearful struggle he lost his hatchet and grappling with the infuriated panther he succeeding in getting him under with one hand in his mouth, and with the other hand he drew his knife from his pocket, and opening it with his teeth, he ended the struggle by cutting the throat of the ferocious animal. The hunter was badly lacerated, but with great effort, he crawled to Hosner’s house, and after many weeks, he was able to return to his home in Watertown. He carried the scars of the conflict to his grave. John C. Roof, in plowing up the spot many years afterward, found the hatchet which is now in the possession of the family. The history of this encounter can be found in the back part of the English Readers published by Knowlton and Rier, more than sixty years ago. In order to encourage the settlement of the wild country, LeRay, in 1810, opened the Alexandria road from Carthage, by the way of Theresa, to Alexandria Bay, constructing a bridge across the Indian River at the falls. He also made a road passable for ox sleds from Evans Mills, following the Indian trail along the bank of the river to Theresa, and the name, nine mile woods, was given to that stretch of wilderness. He also made a clearing of forty acres on the clearing of the Douglass farm, about one mile from the falls, which made a good breeding place for the howling wolves. He erected a frame barn and a log house in which Capt. John Hoover, his overseer made his home. In 1815 he constructed a dam on the falls, and put up a saw mill, and a mill house which was the first house in the village. The principle adopted by LeRay in utilizing this fine water power by placing the wheel above the head instead of below, is still in operation. He made a contract with Abner Cheeseman to manufacture the stately pines into pine lumber. Some of this lumber was sold in Ogdensburg, and some used by the settlers, and a large part rotted on the ground. Anson Cheeseman moved here the same year, to aid his brother in the mill and in his family was born Tommy, the first white child in the town of Theresa. In 1816 the government caused the construction of the military road from Brownville to Ogdensburg. About one hundred and fifty soldiers were employed in cutting down trees, grubbing out stumps and grading and turnpiking the entire distance, making it passable for the transportation of troops and supplies. The road was located within one mile of the falls. In 1817 the town began settling very rapidly. Benjamin Barns, a man of peculiar energy purchased a tract of land not far from the upper falls. He soon enjoyed the comforts of a log shanty. He was a stone mason, and commenced making brick and burning lime. He was a preacher, and in his rough manner would generate much force and great enthusiasm. He would leave his work at any stage to officiate at a funeral, proving a most acceptable and valuable member of society, as he was peculiarly adapted for any emergency in a new county. He brought John Pettit from Sackets Harbor riding behind him on horse back. Young Pettit was a resolute, vigorous and limber tongued young man in his teens. A life of hard work did not prove congenial to his thrist for great achievements. He packed up for the west, and in a few years he became one of the leading lawyers in Indiana. He forged his way to Congress, and in his efforts to abolish the office of chaplin in Congress he was dubbed the Indiania Infidel. He made Governor of Kansas. A few years ago I saw him in Lafayette, Ind., and he remembered well the six months of his life working for Ben Barnes. Musgrove Evan surveyed a tract of land of one thousand acres for LeRay called the thousand acre lot, as a reservation for the village which he named Theresa, after his only daughter. In 1818, a school house was built on the top of the sand hill, in which all meetings both public and religious were held for twenty years. In 1818, to meet the demands of his increasing population, LeRay erected a grist mill on the bank of the high falls, and Noah Ashley was the first miller. He also built a two story frame tavern on the North corner of the square, which was burned before it was completed and cremated a colored girl, whose body was the first interred in the old grave yard. The site was purchased by General Fisher who erected a two story brick hotel, an imposing structure for those days. Ben Barnes furnished the brick and laid them in the wall at $4.50 per thousand. There were three log taverns in town at that time, one owned by James Shurtliff about one mile and a half from the falls, on the Evans Mills road, one owned by M. B. Ashley on the military road about three miles from the falls and one owned by Lodawick Salsbury on the military road half way to Redwood. It was at this log tavern that the first town meeting for the town of Alexandria was held. The town of Theresa was then a part of the town. James Shurtliff was elected the first supervisor of the town. Mr. Shurtliff was elected in 1807 the first supervisor of the town of LeRay, and held the office for seven years, until he removed to Theresa. Ebenezer Lull, a young man of much business enterprise, lured by the great prospects of the Black River country, left his native home in Otsego County, with some money and his head well stocked with brains, decided to locate at Theresa High Falls. He built the first store in Theresa, a frame building, and stocked it with goods drawn with teams from Utica. He manufactured potash and pearlash which created created a much needed market for the sale of black salts, and ashes produced by the poor pioneers in cleaning up their land. The receipts from the sale of black salts aided very much in driving the wolf from the door. In company with Azariah Walton, they manufactured large quantities of square timber during the winter of oak, pine and elm, and drew it to Alexandria Bay. In the spring it was floated on rafts to Quebec for the English markets. They also manufactured West India staves, for the West India market. Mr. Lull married the thrifty village school ma-am and in one of his trips to Quebec with his rafts, he contracted a fatal disease which ended his useful career in 1828. The first blacksmith shop was erected by Artemas Baker on the corner where the town hall now stands.

In 1813 a tri-weekly mail was established by the Government running from Watertown via Theresa to Hammond. The mail was carried on horse back. Postage in those days was made payable in Spanish currency at the following rates: 6¼ cents under 30 miles. Over 30 miles and under 100 miles, 12½ cents. Over 100 miles and under 300 miles, 18¾ cents, over 300 miles and under 500 miles, 25 cents. In 1822 Nathan M. Flower, a strong, well-built and fine looking man, reared from boyhood in the profession of wool carding, and cloth dressing, with a wife ready and willing to share the hardships and privations of a lonely life in the wilderness, inspired by favorable reports from the Black River country, were induced to leave their home and friends in Cherry village, in a double wagon drawn by two horses with some necessary articles of house hold goods, and a full determination to make a stand at Theresa, High Falls. After six days of heavy jolting over corduroy roads and passing the nine mile woods between Evans Mills and Theresa, they found themselves enjoying the comfort of log the tavern and a genial and good tempered landlord, whose family was reduced to seven little girls and two small boys. Mr. Flower bought seven acres of land and a water privilege of Azriah (sic) Walton, on the north side of the high falls, and erected a mill for carding wool into rolls and cloth dressing. This proved a much needed industry and as very highly appreciated by the noble women who were relieved of much of the hard labor in making up their wool into cloth. They were proud when appearing in a gown of glossy flannel, well suited for all special occasions. Mr. Flower proved to be a valuable acquisition to the little hamlet, where he had selected his future home. He was a chosen leader in all religious exercises and was foremost of the Presbyterian faith in organizing a church in 1825, and foremost in keeping it in the line of duty. He was the leading singer in all religious services for many years. He freely gave his time, means and influence to maintain the Sabbath services. In his social relations he was kind, cheerful and considerate. He was always caring for the poor, sympathizing with the afflicted, and with the open hand of charity, giving aid and comfort to the needy. In politics he was an active whig of the Seward wing of the party, for he detested slavery in all its conditions. Mr. Flower was elected justice of the peace for fourteen years, when the democratic party ruled by great odds, this giving him the power of adjusting the difficulties arising between his neighbors. He closed his useful career in 1843 in the 47th year of his age. Mr. Flower was a pure Christian and beloved by all of his associates, both in church and counsel. He left a wife and six sons, and two daughters, all young in years but grew up to be masters in the field of finance, and were able to cope with the figure heads of Wall street. They amassed a fortune of many millions, and were ever ready with open hands or human kindness, to render aid and comfort to those who in the race of life were subjects of misfortune. The writer is competent from personal experience to attest the greatness of soul of this family. They have expended large amounts of money in building churches, one of which the people of Theresa can look upon with pride and thankfullness (sic), as a beautiful monument to the memory of the respective heads of that noble family. Roswell P., the third son after filling a term in Congress from the city of New York, was made governor of the State of New York, and discharged the duties of the office, with great satisfaction to the people of the Empire State. Geo. W. Flower enlisted in the Union army in the suppression of the rebellion and was made a major, and was a gallant and distinguished officer. On the organization of the city of Watertown, he was elected the first mayor. The whole family exception Nathan M., the oldest son, and Anson R., the youngest son, have gone to their eternal sleep. The family plot in Oakwood cemetery is marked by a fine granite shaft, and enclosed by a granite coping.

In 1821 Sylvester Bodman, a man of industrious habits and unquestioned integrity, with a wife of marked intelligence, and great physical endurance, who was willing to share with her husband the hardships and privations of a pioneer life, left their home in Massachusetts, with a few hundred dollars in money and three small children. They rode on horseback with one child in a basket fastened to the pommel of the saddle. The cart drawn by a pair of oxen on which was loaded two of the children, with their household goods and other necessary articles of use in a new country, and driven by Mr. Bodman after two weeks of diligent movements, they found themselves safely landed at Shurtliff’s log tavern. He bought a lot about one mile East of the falls, and in three days with the aid of the good people he was able to occupy a palace. Mr. Bodman was of great aid to the few Christian people of the colony in keeping up religious services on the Sabbath. He was a well educated bass singer, with a tone so heavy and yet musical, that the windows in the old school house would fairly jingle. Mrs. Bodman was from the family of Berts, by her mother’s side when was related to the Poeroys (Pomeroys ?), and her cousin, the Kansas Senator of that name, came to Theresa to deliver the address, and relate the family history, on the occasion of her one hundredth birthday. She lived to be one hundred and four years old and in full possession of all her faculties except that she was blind. A near neighbor to the Bodman’s lived John Starks, of Carthage, who became famous for making fine axes. In 1832 Mr. Starks sent a nicely polished ax with a hickory helve, as a present to old Hickory Jackson, then President of the United States. A worthy notice was made of the event by Major Jack Dorning, a distinguished chronicler of matters of interest about Washington. During the winters of 1831 and 1832, Henry Hooper, of Quebec, would take an army of Canadian wood choppers on to the pine plains, and manufacture square timber from pine, oak and elm, put it into the Indian River at Hall’s mill and run it to Ogdensburg, where it would be tied up in rafts, and floated to the Quebec market. Large quantities of white oak staves were taken from the forests and drawn to Alexandria Bay, and rafted to Quebec for the West India market. Theresa grew very rapidly for a number of years, but its growth of late years has been somewhat retarded, from the lack of enterprising business men.

JOSEPH FAYEL

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