History of Utica, (Oneida County) New York United States of America

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Local History Notes:

UTICA, a handsome city of Oneida county, New York, on the Mohawk river, Erie canal, and Central railroad, 95 miles W. N. W. from Albany, 56 E. of Syracuse, and 383 from Washington. Lat. 43? 6' 49" N., lon. 75? 13' W. It is pleasantly situated on the S. bank of the Mohawk, and is regularly laid out. The site is nearly level, with a gentle declivity towards the N. The greater part of the public buildings and mercantile houses are situated on Genesee street. The streets are wide, and the houses mostly well built, of brick or stone. Among the principal hotels are Bagg's hotel, the National, the Franklin, the Central, the Eagle, and the Broad-street House. A new city hall, of Milwaukee brick, is in course of erection on Genesee street. The city contains about 20 churches, of the various denominations, several flourishing academies and seminaries, 1 or 2 public libraries, and a mechanics' association. Four daily and five weekly newspapers are published here, besides several monthly periodicals; in addition to the above, 4 weekly papers are issued from the offices of the dailies. There are 5 banks, with an aggregate capital of $1,610,000, and several insurance offices. The state lunatic asylum, situated 1 mile W. from the centre of the city, consists of several large and expensive buildings of stone. The number of patients on the 1st January, 1851, was 449, of whom 226 were males, and 223, females. The streets, stores, &c. are lighted with gas. The Erie canal, here 70 feet wide, and the Central railroad, pass through the centre of the city, connecting it with Albany and Buffalo. The Chenango canal, 97 miles long, extends from Utica to Binghamton; the Utica and Black River railroad, commenced in 1853, is in course of construction to Clayton, on the St. Lawrence river, and another railroad is extending from Utica to Binghamton. Plank-roads and turnpike-roads radiate towards all parts of the surrounding country. Handsome bridges cross the canal at several points in the city. Utica is surrounded by a highly productive and populous country, and is a place of extensive trade. The manufactures of the city are also important and flourishing. There are 2 cotton factories, several woollen factories, 1 rolling mill, 1 large manufactory of locks, employing about 200 hands, several iron foundries and tanneries, and a manufactory of railway cars. In 1794 there were only 3 or 4 houses in the place. It was incorporated as a village in 1817, and as a city in 1830. Pop. in 1820, 2972; in 1830, 8323; in 1840, 12,782; in 1850, 17,565, and in 1853, about 20,000.

Biographies:

Thomas Samuel Hastings, educator, was born in Utica, N.Y., Aug. 28, 1827; son of Dr. Thomas and Mary (Seymour) Hastings. He was graduated from Hamilton college, A.B., 1848, A.M., 1851, and from the Union theological seminary in 1851. He was married in July, 1852, to Fanny De Groot of Brooklyn, N.Y. He was resident licentiate, 1851-52; was ordained by the 4th N.Y. presbytery, July 7, 1852, and was pastor at Mendham, N.J., 1852-56, and New York city, 1856-82. He served on the board of directors of the Union theological seminary, 1864-81; was made professor of sacred rhetoric in 1882, and was president of the faculty, 1887-97. He received the degree of D.D. from the University of the city of New York in 1865, that of LL.D. from the College of New Jersey in 1888 and that of L.H.D. from Hamilton in 1897. He assisted his father in preparing Church Melodies (1857), and published numerous essays and addresses.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Daniel Butterfield, soldier, was born at Utica, N. Y., Oct. 31, 1831; son of John Butterfield. After graduating from Union college in 1849 he became engaged in business as general eastern superintendent of the American express company. He joined the 71st regiment N.G. S., N. Y. in 1851, transferred to and had risen to rank of colonel of the 12th regiment in 1860, which regiment he took to Washington, D. C., in April, 1861. For his valuable services and ability he was commissioned lieutenant-colonel in the regular army and brigadier and major general of volunteers. At the head of his New York citizen regiment, he led the advance over the Long Bridge into Virginia, and afterwards at Hanover Court House he took the first trophy guns captured by the army of the Potomac. He was present at Mechanicsville, at Gaines' Mill, and at all the battles fought by McClellan and Pope in August and September, 1862. With his famous brigade he was sent by McClellan across the James at Harrison's Landing to cover the withdrawal of the army of the Potomac when it changed base to join Pope's columns. In November, 1862, he was promoted major-general of volunteers, and in July, 1863, he became colonel of the 5th U. S. infantry, commanding the 5th army corps in the battle of Fredericksburg, covering the withdrawal of the Union army across the river. At Chancellorsville and at Gettysburg he was chief of staff of the army of the Potomac, and he also acted as marshal of the field at the latter battle, during which he was seriously wounded. Subsequently transferred with the 11th and 12th corps to the army of the Cumberland, he served as chief of staff under General Hooker at Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge. In the Georgia campaign which followed he commanded a division of the 20th corps, under Generals Thomas and Hooker, at the battles of Buzzard's Roost, Resaca, Dallas, and New Hope church, and at Lost and Kenesaw mountains. At Resaca he captured the only rebel guns Sherman became possessed of before the fall of Atlanta. For gallant and meritorious conduct he was brevetted brigadier-general and major-general of the regular army, and he received the nation's medal of honor for especial heroism at the battle of Gaines' Mill, where he was wounded. He was stern and severe in drill and discipline; his valor and fearlessness, as he dashed forward to an attack, captured the hearts of his men, who stood ready to follow his lead. After the close of the war he had charge of the recruiting service of the U. S. army, with headquarters at New York, and he had command of the forces at Bedloe's, Governor's and David's islands in New York harbor from 1865 to 1869, when he accepted the position of United States sub-treasurer at New York city. Later he resigned office, and travelled in Europe for several years. He was the originator of the system of corps badges, flags, and insignia adopted in the army of the Potomac and in others, afterwards worn by all veterans. After the war his organizing powers were frequently called into requisition on the occasion of great public demonstrations and parades, notably the Sherman funeral, and the Washington centennial celebration in New York city, May 1, 1889, when he organized one hundred thousand civilians into companies and divisions and planned and organized the military and civic procession that welcomed Admiral Dewey to the city of New York, Sept. 30, 1899. He received the degree of LL.D. from Union in 1892. He died at Cold Spring, N. Y., July 17, 1901.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Edward Dafydd Morris, educator, was born in Utica, N.Y., Oct. 31, 1825; son of Dafydd Edward and Anne (Lewis) Morris, immigrants from Wales. In early life he was employed as a clerk; studied at Whitestown, N.Y., seminary, and was graduated from Yale, A. B., 1849, A.M., 1852, and from the Auburn Theological seminary in 1852. He was ordained by the presbytery of Cayuga in 1852; was pastor at Auburn, N.Y., 1852-55, and of the second church at Columbus, Ohio, 1855-67; professor of church history at Lane Theological seminary, 1867-74; professor of systematic theology, 1874-97, and was made professor emeritus in 1897. The honorary degree of D.D. was conferred on him by Hamilton college in 1868, and that of LL.D. by Maryville college, Tenn., in 1885. He was moderator of the Presbyterian general assembly, 1875, and filled other places of prominence in that denomination. He was twice married, first in 1852 to Frances Elizabeth, daughter of Dan and Fanny (Rowe) Parmelee of Fair Haven, Conn., and secondly in 1867 to Mary Bryan Treat of Tallmadge, Ohio. He is the author of: Outlines of Theology (1880); Ecclesiology (1885); Scripture Readings (1886); Salvation after Death (1887); and Theology of the Westminster Symbols (1900).

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Harold Frederic, author, was born in Utica, N.Y., Aug. 19, 1856. In 1858 his father was killed in a railroad aocident, and at the age of fourteen Harold was obliged to leave school to find employment. He was employed successively by a dentist, a druggist and a confectioner until 1873, when he obtained a position as a retoucher of negatives. His eyesight failed in 1874, and he returned to Utica. He was employed on the staff of the Utica Herald, 1876-80, and was editor of that paper, 1880-82. He was editor of the Albany, N.Y., Evening Journal, 1882-84, and London correspondent of the New York Times, 1884-98, meanwhile visiting all the countries of Europe. His books, which attained a high degree of popularity, include the following: Seth's Brother's Wife (1887); In the Valley (1890); The Lawton Girl (1890); Brother Sebastian's Friendship (1891); Young Emperor William II. of Germany (1891); New Exodus (1892); The Return of the O'Mahony (1892); The Copperhead (1893); Marsena (1894); Illumination (London, 1896), republished in America as the Damnation of Theron Ware (1896); March Hares (1896); Mrs. Albert Grundy (1896); The Deserter and Other Stories (1898); Gloria Mundi (1898); and The Market-Place (1899). He also wrote a Memorial Monograph of Edgar K. Apgar. He died at Henley, England, Oct. 19, 1898.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor