(JCJ 1/26/1949) - More About Ellis Village

In a previous story it was noted that the 1st white man known to have visited the Town of Ellisburg was Samuel de Champlain, who crossed the western border of the town in 1615. About 70 years later De la Barre held a treaty with the Onondaga Indians at the mouth of Sandy Creek. Again, in 1921, Father Charlevoix, a French missionary, spent some time at or near the mouth of Sandy Creek. While there he carefully noted the surroundings and wrote letters about the country.

None of the 3 visitors mentioned the fortifications for which the Sandy Creek valley became famous. It seems reasonable to suppose, therefore, that none of the defenses was built before Father Charlevoix came to the region. First mention of Indian defense works was made by the Rev. John Taylor in 1802. It will be recalled that he made a missionary journey in that year, from Redfield to the lower Sandy Creek valley, then up the creek to the site of Ellis Village, to Rural Hill, and eventually through Belleville to Adams. He described an Indian fort where the cemetery is now located in Ellis Village, on the north side of Sandy Creek.

Although Father Charlevoix's activities are not well understood, it is not unreasonable to suppose that he may have travelled up Sandy Creek to the present site of Ellis Village. In 1721 the creek was navigable for flat-bottomed boats to within a mile of the village. It can be assumed, therefore, that the Indian forts were erected about 1725 to 1735 fir defense against the French and the Canadian Indians. Since the line of defenses extended across the entire town along the creek, it is probable that the fort where the cemetery now stands was built about 1730.

The 1st white settler to build a house in Ellisburg was Lyman Ellis, for whom both the town and village were named. Since he started constructing a dam and sawmill in 1797, down the creek about ¾ of a mile from the present sit of the village, he probably built his house at about the same time. It is known that the house was built on the northeast corner where the brick store building now stands. The dam was washed out and the mill was destroyed by high water in the spring after it was built. Ellis immediately set about rebuilding, but his effort met with disaster again in the spring of 1799. After its 2nd washout, Ellis decided to build farther upstream, and in a few years a considerable settlement grew up there. The mills were again destroyed I 1813, that time by fire. The loss was a serious handicap to the owner.

Nearly every business venture of Lyman Ellis was beset by misfortune. In spite of misfortunes, however, he was long remembered as a generous and enterprising man, interested in enveloping the village and town. He was chosen one of the assistant judges and was thereafter called Judge Ellis. It is said that he was noted for fair and impartial decisions of case brought before him. He gave land for the cemetery, and for the school, which was built in 1805. A post office was established at about that time, and he became postmaster. Another of his enterprises was an oil mill, built in 1818.

In 1810 the village contained 15 dwellings, a schoolhouse, sawmill, gristmill, fulling mill, and distillery. Early settlers were industrious, active people. They established stores, mills, and small manufacturing plants at a rapid rate. As early as 1812 a hotel, the Central House, was opened. Sometime later the Cottage Hotel was built. It was eventually named Empire. About 1819 another distillery was built; a 3rd was built in 1824. After a few years the 4th distillery was erected and operated as such only a short time, when the building was converted into a malthouse. A potash works and tannery were established about 1820 to 1825, as well as a carding mill and chair factory. A furnace was erected in 1830. It continued in business for 40 years and was finally abandoned. One of the most important and most permanent industries was the edged took shop started by Amos Hudson in 1820. A gristmill was built in about 1825 on the upper dam in Sandy Creek, was changed to a plaster mill, and in 1870 the furniture manufacturing business of George S. Hudson and Son occupied the building. Everybody in and about Ellisburg has known, or heard of, the W.A. Denison seed house.

The Town of Ellisburg had a railroad for about 10 years. Traces of the cuts and fills are still visible in 1949. The abutments that supported the bridge where the railroad crossed the creek in the outskirts of Belleville are still recognizable.

The railroad was 1st incorporated under the name Trenton and Sackets Harbor Railroad Company, in 1837. Nothing was done about it, however, until its successor, the Sackets Harbor and Ellisburg Railroad Company, came into existence in 1848. The road was opened June 1, 1851, between Sackets Harbor and Pierrepont Manor. It was abandoned in 1862.

I have been told that the only man to make any money out of that railroad was he who bought the rails for old iron. I cannot, of course, vouch for that statement. As a boy I was curious about the railroad, and my curiosity has never been satisfied. That it was well engineered and well-constructed, I am sure. Some of the ties on which the rails were laid were grown from the finest red cedar, grown on the limestone land a short distance west of the right-of-way. One of those ties was used as a corner post in a barnyard fence on the Albert Mather farm in the town of Henderson. The farm is now owned by Mrs. Grace Mather. When I knew it in 1925 the post was weather worn but otherwise as sound as it was the day it was cut from a red cedar log 18 inches in diameter. It had been in use for more than 70 years.

Adelbert Scott, whose farm was situated at Scott's Corners in the Town of Henderson, told me that farms thereabout grew barley for malt, and shipped it by way of the railroad to malt house farther south. Possibly south of the barley was marketed at the distilleries and malt house in Ellis village.

The name "Ellis Village" has been used here because it has been recognized by inhabitants of Southern Jefferson County during most of 150 years since it came into existence. In 1895 the people realized that comfort, convenience and public welfare required that the village be incorporated. Incorporation was accomplished October 25, 1895, under the name Ellisburg. The post office bears that name.

Ellisburg was settled by a strong and cultured people. Review of some of the names of early industrialists and farmers will strike a familiar note in the minds of people who now live in southern Jefferson County. Lyman Ellis lived in Ellis Village until his death, March 13, 1847. He was highly respected throughout his entire life of 87 years. His name will be remembered as long as the Town of Ellisburg and the village exist. The names Millard, Gillette, Hopkinson, Waite, Denison, Hyde, Scott, Crandall, Morley, Griffin, Whitney, Hudson, Wilds, Bonner, Chamberlain, Eastman, Wood, borne by descendants of early settlers, will persist for many years. There are many others which cannot now be mentioned for lack of space.

Since its earliest days Ellis Village has had few economic upsets. Its trend has been steadily upward for a hundred years. While there has been a leveling off in its economy during the last 20 years, probably due to the use of automobiles, it is still important to the town as an industrial center. Situated as it is in the center of a rich farming and dairying region, the type of soil and wealth of farms are responsible, in large measure, for the long industrial life of the village.