A Matter of History Bits and Pieces

By Ramona Salmon

     I was visiting with someone the other day that is also a history buff. We talked about many topics, eventually geting around to my story last week about the Indians and Lewis County. What I discovered first had from this person, from a book put out by the 3-G Fire Department years ago, and additional research on my part, enlightened me to many more interesting facts about the Indians in Lewis County.
     This week's title of 'Bits and Pieces' I thought was quite apropos. You can research until the cows come home, but it isn't until you just happen to be at the right place, at the right time, talking to the right person, that you obtain the most important bits and pieces  of information relevant to your story.
     In the Hamlet of Glenfield, one of the streets is named Oliver Place, after the Oliver family who owned all of that area. One of the OPliver family's daughters was the grandmother to the person I was visiting with, and she passed down the following story to her grandson. The exact dates these events took place are unknown, but using the 3-G Fire Departments book as a guide, the timeframe would be approximatley the late 1800s.
     Every summer the Indians, including women and childrem traveleld to Lewis County. Upon arriving they would knock on the Oliver family door and ask to camp on their land. The men would head up to the Brantingham area to hunt and fish, and the women and children would plant and harvest vegetables such as corn and swuash. At summer;s end, the men would return adn, taling the game and harvest, the Indians would leave Glenfield and travel south to Oneida. One year as a thank you to the Oliver family,m the Indians left a large woven basket on the porch, which is still in the family today.
     The Fire Department book is the history of Glenfield, Glendale, Greig and Brantingham. The contributors were Deforest Burdick, Maude Burke, Clarence Johnson, Roland Reed and Lloyd E. Tiffany. The book verifies the firsthand account of the Indians coming to Lewis County for the summer, going even further to say additional gropiups of Indians camped along the Independance River, as well as along the Black River near what was then called the Villiage of Greig.
     Additional pieces of important information connecting the Indians to Lewis County that I've happened upon come from old maps drawn prior to 1795. On the maps, the northern part of New York is named Irocoisia, which means 'The Land of the Iroquois.' The maps do not show the existance of the Black River, but rather notes the area as 'Deer hunting grounds of the Five NAtions.' The Oneida Indians were , in fact, the sole owners of Greig and Brantingham. However, by formal treaty signed at Fort Stanwix in 1788, they ceded most of this land to the state, excepting certain reservations, including a tract 1/2-mile wide on each side of Fish Creek. The early 1800's  history states that IUndians reported that a big fire had swept over Brantingham and ruined most of the first growth timber. The names that the indians face to our lakes, rivers and creeks are: Ga-na-ga-to-da for Deer River, Ne-ha-sa-ne for Beaver River, Da-Ween-Net for Otter Creek, Te-ca-hun-di-an-do for Moose River, Ta-ga-so-ke for Salmon River, and O-je-quack for Indian River.
     A good historical story is more than just facts from books,. It is enhanced ten fold when it includes the knowlege of local people. I would be grateful for any informatuion, memoris and stories you have about our southern Lewis County towns.

Ramona Salmon lives in the Town of Watson (in Lewis County) and enjoys writing about North Country people and places that peaks the interest and brings back foind memoris for the readers.

From the Boonville Herald October 19, 2011
Page 12

new blog

there is a new blog for me. i moved everything over to joestown.com/blog. u can now go there to see all of them.

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The Civil War Letters of Charles Harvey Hayden pt 6

     In this letter Charles shows continued concern for his sister Laura’s health. His acceptance of a Devine plan for all that has happened is reflective of the United States Christian Commission’s work and the general revivalist movement in the 1860’s. It was written about two weeks before the Battle of Gettysburg. At that point Northern States are highly embroiled among themselves in an anti-war movement lead by Democratic politicians called ”Cooper Heads.” The former mayor of Utica, New York, Horatio Seymour, is a strong proponent of a negotiated settlement with the South, and now is Governor of New York State. No doubt, Charles is aware of the political climate, because he writes about Democrats, Republican, Christians and the damage being inflicted to the war effort by “Northern Rebels.”

                                        Fredrick City June 12, 63
     Dear Sister,
     I hasten to answer your letter which I received in due time – I am sorry to heat that your health is so poor and I hope that you may not lose your voice, but whatever God may appoint in his providence let us try to receive as from an all wise and merciful Father and let us pray that our afflictions may (come) from our greatest affliction.
     You tell me to be patient I have no cause to be impatient when I think of the promises of God, he has said that al things shall fork for the good of the right spirit may prove blessings to us – all that we may suffer here will soon be past. We cannot always see the hand that leads us but let us cast ourselves into his care and he will care for us. But if we are ashamed of him before man he will be ashamed of us before his father and the holy Angels – Elise wishes me to be a Democrat. I wish she may be a Christian if she is not. Then she may be a Democrat or Republican. She may err in judgement but she will not err in principle. She will aim to be right and do right – we should not think more of a party than our country – I would rather the names Democrat and Republican would link to us no more than that we should lose our free institutions. I would that we had a party without the imperfections of either but as they are made of imperfect men they will be imperfect. And, we should choose the best and will – should they think of it – You there at home never can know what men are suffering for this country. To know it must be seen and felt and the man (men) that would for money or for offer weaken the efficiency of our army by work or deed are aiding to the extent to which they go. To carry on the rebellion I am sorry that we have so many rebels north. They may prolong the war. I believe that is all that they can do. I believe that the union of these states will be established.
     I have not received any pay here. I did not get here in time to muster and have a year’s pay due me the first of next month. Perhaps I may be paid in July. I sent to Lysander last fall (when I expected to come home) and got fifteen dollars and I have about ten shillings left. I think that you need part of it more than I do so I enclose a dollar to you.
                                   Write soon direct – Fredrick City
                                   General Hospital Barrack “O”
                                   From your Brother C H Hayden
     Write particularly how you get along. My health is rather improving. I have but little pain and rest well nights. And plenty of plain foods mostly bread. Meat once a day, not often butter, sometimes applesauce for supper, tea and coffee for break fast and supper.
                                                  C H Hayden