Village of Adams

Village of Adams

1) The Dwight Block,120 years a prominent fixture in the village of Adams, comes down (2005)

2) Revolutionary War Veterans buried in the Village of Adams

3) Adams, NY - A Brief Description of the Village (JCJ 8/12/1874)

4) Adams Business Firms in 1882

5) Village Presidents - Mayors

6) Graduates of Hungerford (Adams) Collegiate Institute

The Dwight Block was built in 1885 on the corner of Main Street and Railroad Street (now W. Church St.) and has been a prominent building site for 120 years. On July 11, 2005 the site will be torn down due to structural problems from neglect for the last 12 years.

The history of the block follows:

On August 28, 1884 most of the west side of Main Street, in the village of Adams, burned to the ground. This included the Cooper House Block which occupied the corner of Main and Railroad Streets. Businessman DeAlton A. Dwight, the owner of the property, hired master builders, William H. Wheeler and David Gaylord, of Adams, to build a new block on the same site. The Dwight Block was a three stroy brick building, measuring 53'x64' and was completed in October 1885. The first floor has three stores with full plate glass windows and a stairway to the upper floors. The first businesses to occupy the building were: Lucy Bullock's Millinery Shop (1885-1913), which had a corner store. The next store to the south was Sewell Barney's Jewelry Store (1885-1902), followed by E.C. Bersie's Grocery Store. On the second floor was J.W. Penny's Insurance Office in the southwest corner, Clara Andrus' Dressmaking Shop, Dr. R.T. Kirkland's Dental Office was in the northeast corner and there were two apartments. On the third floor was the Photo Studio of Adelaide Johnson.

Other businesses to occupy space in the block over the years had been:

Dwight & Eddy Bookstore (1890-1894)

Dr. Marquis Manville, DDS (1901-1910), followed by Dr. Harry Tyler, DDS (1910-1934)

Dr. Ross A. Clark, DDS (1906-1917)

Dr. Harry L. Richmond, DDS (1918-?1920's)

William E. Wright's Grocery Store (1907-08), followed by Daniel F. Griggs (1908-1910), followed by Percy Thornton (3/1910-10/1910).

The Rock Bottom Grocery Store (1890-1895)

Frank J. Garvin's Grocery Store (1907-1914)

'Babcock & Potter' Grocery Store (1897-1903), continued by Henry Babcock (1903-1912).

A&P Grocery Store (1928-1929)

Frank J. Williams Jewelry Store (1906-1929)

Wiliam Scott Jewelry Store (1930-1935)

Herbert I. Pierce's Dry Goods Store (1894-1911)

Huested Photo Studio (c.1890-1923)

Mark Flansburg's General Store (1924-1938), followed by Ring's Department Store (1938-1986), in 1946 Alan & Fred Ring expanded the store to cover the entire first floor of the block. Ring's Department Store was followed by the Blue Merlin Department Store (1986-1989). This was followed by Fassett's Market (1989-1990). The building has been vacant ever since 1993. The ravages of time coupled with no repairs on the roof for over a decade, have caused the building to deteriorate to the point that it was structurally unsound and was a hazard to the public. After 120 years the building had to come down.

Revolutionary War Veterans buried in the Village of Adams

Rural Cemetery, Adams -

Abiel Carpenter (6/20/1750 - 1840)

John Carpenter (2/2/1739 - 1/12/1805)

Peter Doxtater (12/25/1750 - 12/1/1842)

John Mandeville (10/11/1753 - 4/17/1827)

John Merriman (1/17/1756 - 12/14/1843)

Jabez Moore (dates unk.)

Ammiel Penny (7/18/1743-2/16/1816)

Preserved Redway (7/14/1764 - 4/25/1837)

Edward Salisbury (9/6/1733 - 3/29/1829)

Jacob Weaver (3/7/1760 - 3/9/1852)

Carmi Wright (1853 - 7/3/1833)

Moses Wright (1750 - 7/5/1830)

Westwood Wright (4/20/1757 - 4/9/1826)

Elmwood Cemetery, Adams -

Jonathan Lamson (2/20/1755 - 12/6/1807)

Alpheus Dwight (4/7/1870 - 9/7/1845)

Adams, NY - A Brief Description of the Village - The Hungerford Collegiate Institute - The Faculty of the School - Mr. White's Stables, His Fast Horses, &c. - The Jefferson County Journal - Hotels, Business and Leading Business Men. (From the Jefferson County Journal - 8/12/1874)

Adams is one of the liveliest and most pleasant villages in Northern New York. It has a population of two thousand, and is having a steady healthy growth.

The Main Street Adams

is a beautiful street. It is wide and clean and on either side are a number of large and fine brick blocks. Nearly all branches of trade are represented here.

There are in Adams four dry goods stores, ten grocery stores, three watch and jewelry stores, five shoe stores, one cabinet shop, one book store, two harness shops, one grist mill, two tanneries, one malt house, two wagon shops, three livery stables, two hardware stores, two millinery stores, one barber shop, three clothing stores, two daguerrean galleries, one sash and blind factory, and one large boarding house.

There are four Christian churches here - the Presbyterian, Baptist, Methodist, and Episcopal. There is one public hall - the 'Saunders Hall'.

There is a very good farming country lying all around Adams village, and it is mostly devoted to dairy purposes.

which is nearly as large as many streams called rivers, passes through the village. This creek constitutes a fine water power. There are a number of mills and manufacturing institutions on this stream and room and power for many more.

The Hungerford Collegiate Institute

is a very important institution of learning established here. This school was founded in 1864, and was eminently successful until the buildings were destroyed by fire in the winter of 1867, but another building, of magnificent appearance has been erected on a new site, and the school is at present in a prosperous condition. The buildings are not only large and fine, but the site upon which they stand is one of unsurpassed beauty. These buildings are located near the centre of the village, and are on an eminence and surrounded by most pleasant grounds shaded with trees. The liberality and enterprise of the people here in the cause of education is exhibited, in the fact that over $50,000. has been raised by voluntary subscription for building and fitting up this institute. The new building is built of brick, and its size is 129 by 97 feet and four stories high, and from the building you have a fine view of the whole village which surrounds the institute. The building is filled up with all the modern improvements and is heated by steam and lighted with gas. They have a boarding department where the teachers and students all board together. This is an admirable place for parents to send their children to school. It is a healthy quiet locality, free from the vices of city life. There are very good people in this country.

Albert B. Watkins, A.M., Principal, teacher of metaphysics and higher mathematics.

Orlo B. Rhodes, A.M., Vice-Principal, teacher of Greek and Latin.

R.S. Bosworth, A.M. teacher of natural sciences.

Prof. HH. Taylor, teacher of the commercial department and penmanship.

Prof. Herm Hayden, instrumental music.

Charles D. Larkins, telegraphing.

Mrs. H.N. Butterworth, preceptress.

Mrs. L.B. Woodward, English Department.

Mrs. A.B. Watkins, Spanish and English.

Miss E.M. Chatfield, oil painting and drawing.

Miss Hannah Bacon, elocution.

Officers of the Institute.

General S.D. Hungerford, president; Hon. Wm. A. Gilbert, vice-president; A.W. Ingraham, secretary; Hart Grenell, treasurer.

Rufus P. White's Stables

is one of the most attractive institutions of this village. Mr. White has got the best horse barn in the State, and probably as good a one as can be found anywhere. He has at the present time seventy of the best of horses. His business is the breeding of trotting and running horses. He has nearly every family or breed of horses represented here. Here you find the Rysdeck, Hambitonian, Ethan Allen, Patchen and thoroughbreds, and a number of others the names of which I do not remember. He has one six years old, known as "Buzz," with a record made a year since of 2:28 1/2. He has a horse "Continental" that took the first prize at a late State fair as the best horse "for all purposes," where there were eighty competitors. He exhibited to me as fine a stallion as I ever saw, which he claims is the best in the State, and can trot two miles in five minutes before a wagon. He has "George Clark," one-half thoroughbred, four years old, that can make 2:40 time. He has a colt "Rough," two years old, that can make a quarter mile in forty seconds, besides many other fast horses.

is 152x92 feet and built in as fine style as many dwelling houses. The buildings are kept warm by steam pipes in cold weather, and the food for horses is cooked by steam. I noticed that he has ascertained that liberty is best for horses as well as for men. No horse is tied, but each has a large, square stable in which to walk around, stand or lay down, and each stable is ventilated by a large window. These stables are kept cleaner than many bedrooms are, and much better ventilated and the occupants are kept as clean and sleek as are the most fastidious ladies and gentlemen of the human species. There is a fine park in front of the barn known as "Maple Grove," and Mr. White will soon place a fine fountain in the centre of this park. He has a half mile trotting course of his own where his fast horses are exercised daily. This is a very interesting place to visit.

The Jefferson County Journal

If there is anything of which the people of Adams have reason to be proud, it is their village paper. There is but one weekly in Northern New York that has so large a circulation as has the Jefferson County Journal. It is a quarto sheet, gotten up in the best style and edited with rare ability. The paper has a large circulation outside of its own town and county. The Journal is edited and published by Messrs, Hatch & Allen.

There are two here and both so good that I can make no distinction. I can assure any one that at which ever they stop, they will be well cared for.

Business and Businessmen.

Mr. J.E. Cook provides groceries and provisions for the good people of Adams who call for them at his large, pleasant grocery store, opposite the Cooper house.

The Hungerford National Bank

is one of the firm and popular moneyed institutions of Northern New York. S.D. Hungerford is president, G.W. Bond, cashier, and R.H. Huntington, teller. It has a paid up capital of $125,000. The principal life and fire insurance office of Adams is located in this bank.

Dr. M.D. Manville is the popular dentist of Adams and vicinity. The doctor has very pleasant rooms on the corner of Main and Church Streets, and has the reputation of being a good workman. I learned he was doing a good business here.

Mr. R.F. Steele is the man who keeps the pleasant watch and jewelry store on the corner of Main and Church Streets. Here he keeps a splendid variety of watches, clocks, jewelry and silverware, and everything in his line of trade. Mr. Steele is a polite, agreeable business man.

Messrs. H.J. & C.M. Brimmer's large store is where all the fashionable young men of Adams and vicinity go to get their "nobby" suits, hats and caps, and anything else they may need in the line of gentlemen's furnishing goods. If they can't get pleased here, there is no use going further.

Messrs. John Waite & Co. announce that they will sell anything in the line of stoves, hardware, tin and copperware, and agricultural implements as cheap as any other store in the country. And judging by the way the farmers all rush for their store when they come to town, I think they mean what they say.

Messrs. Withington & Kneeland are the proprietors of a large and pleasant drug store on Main Street, where they keep everything in the line of that trade. Here is the place to get drugs and medicines, glass, paints and notions, and they have the best soda fountain in the village.

Boot and Shoe Manufacturing Establishment.

Mr. N.L. Burdick is the enterprising proprietor of this establishment. Here he employs some ten or a dozen hands, and turns out weekly some $300. worth of boots and shoes. He also does custom work and sells leather and findings. Mr. Burdick is an honorable, straight forward business man, whose word can be trusted.

is a private banking house, of which Messrs. W.A. Gilbert and E.D. Babcock are the proprietors. The bank is centrally located, and these persons are substantial business men, who are doing a very respectable and profitable financial business. It is a sound institution.

Mr. S.P. Armsbury is the photographer here, who has just procured a patent known as "Armsbury's improved back ground," which he claims will make a revolution in picture taking. He can take a picture without taking the background.

Messrs. Bond and Stevens have a large, pleasant store on Main Street, well filled with the best variety of plain and fancy dry goods. The store is a favorite place of resort for the people of the village and vicinity, who are the best judges of goods. This mercantile firm has been established here for over thirty years.

Messrs. Ripley & Sparks are the boys who furnish the good people of Adams with everything in the line of meats. This market can not be beat.

Mr. H.H. Hose is the polite and agreeable gentleman who is taking those fine photographs at his gallery in the centre of the town. He can make you a good picture I can assure you.

Mr. Daniel McDougal has as pleasant a barber shop as can be found in any country village, and better than a great many in our large cities. This is a pleasant place to get shaved.

Mr. G.S. Dodge will never dodge the responsibility he owes his large class of respectable customers in providing them with the best groceries and provisions to be found in the market. He keeps a "tiptop" grocery store, and makes a speciality of fresh and pure teas. He also keeps a large variety of crockery ware constantly on hand.

Dr. S. Buckley, M.D., who for the last fifteen years has maintained the first rank among druggists of Jefferson County is determined to keep up the well established favorable reputation of his store. He has recently taken as a partner, Mr. Frank M. Howard, his son-in-law, from the west, an energetic young man of experience in the drug trade, who is to remain permanently with the Doctor. This young man brings with him high recommendations from the town he left.

The Adams Planing Mill.

This is one of the manufacturing establishments of Adams that is doing a good business. Mr. W.H. Wheeler is the proprietor. He does all kinds of planing by machinery, and is also an extensive lumber dealer. Mr. Wheeler is considerable architect. He has the charge of a number of large buildings that have been erected here, and those who know say he will rank in knowledge with many of far more pretentious.

Messrs. Chandler & Lamson are the energetic business men of Adams who have charge of that large, well filled boot and shoe store on Main Street, where you will always see such crowds of people coming in and going out. I suspect the reason is they can get the best of work at "bottom prices."

The Adams Carriage Manufacturing Establishment.

Mr. E.T. Littlefield is the man who runs this institution. This is the best institution of the kind in the village, and the one that the leading "horse men" and farmers of the county patronize. You can get the best carriage and wagon here or custom work done in "short notice."

Mr. S.A. Barney is the popular watch and jewelry merchant of Adams. He has the longest experience at the bench of any man in the county. He has the best of goods in his line, and here is where people go to get their watch plated and replated in gold and silver, and their watches, jewelry, spectacles and clocks neatly repaired. He makes the repairing of complicated watches a speciality.

Adams Business Firms in 1882:

On Rome, Watertown & Ogdensburg Railroad, Population 1,250; Telephone, American Express, Watertown - 13 miles.

Allen, W.J., Printer & Publisher (Jefferson County Journal)

Andrus, C.H., Livery

Arms & Hungerford, Dry Goods and Clothes

Armsbury, Stiles P., Photographer

Barney, S.A., Jeweler

Bond, Samuel N., Dry Goods

Brown, James O., Groceries & Crockery

Brown, James S. & Son, Furniture & Undertakers

Bullock, Miss Lucy J., Millinery

Carpenter, George L., Painter

Chandler & Lamson, Boots & Shoes

Cleveland, Artie B., Wholesale Seeds

Coit, James E., Groceries

Cook, James E., Groceries

Dixon, William, Gunsmith

Dwight & Eddy, Books, etc.

Fish, Lester & Lewis G., Blacksmiths

Fox, Henry E., Drugs & Groceries

Fox, Miletus H., Carriagemaker

Frasier, George, Miller

Freeman, J.M., Carriage Factory

Gardner, Rufus D., Sewing Machines and Music

Gilbert, John H., Clothes

Gilman, A.W., Flour, Feed, etc.

Gilman, Martin D., Sewing Machines and Music

Horth, G.W., Boots & Shoes

Hodge, M.L., Harness

Horth, Mrs. G.W., 5 Cent Store

Huestus, W.D., Blacksmith

Hungerford's Bank, Solon D. Hungerford, President

Hungerford & Wardwell, Wholesale Seeds

Huson, Arthur B., Hotel

Ingraham, A.W., Produce

Ingraham, Bertram, Drugs, etc.

Ingraham & Whitford, Cheese Mfrs.

Johnson, Adelaide, Photographer

Johnson, William M., Hardware

Kellogg, A. & S., Malsters

King, William & Son, Hardware

Kirkland, R., Dentist

Landon, Luftus J., Blacksmith

Lewis, John S., Tanner & Currier

Lewis Bros., Staves & Cheese Boxes

Lockwood & Huson, Livery

Lovelee & Kilby, Clothing

McNeil, Helen, Millinery & Dressmaking

Manville, Marquis D., Dentist

Maxon, T.V., Seed Grower

Phillips & Marriott, Carriage Makers

Pitcher, Seymour H., Grain & Flour

Potter, J.H., Boot & Shoe Maker

Puffer & Shepard, Bakers & Restaurant

Ripley, Loren, Harnessmaker

Ripley, Orrin, Butcher

Ripley, Rufus & Son, Hats, Caps, Bppts & Shoes

Saunders, Thomas P., Foundry

Snow, C.W., Billiards

Spicer, E.D., Soap & Candle Factory

Stone, Cyrus K., Flour & Feed

Taylor, D.E., General Store

Thompson, Isham, Wagonmaker

Thompson & Little, Stoves & Hardware

Totman, C.M., Livery

VanWormer, Rufus, Blacksmith

Wagner, A.F., Groceries & Saloon

Waite, W.A., Malster

Wardwell, N.M., Malster

Weaver, J.F. & Co., Tanners & Curriers

Webb, F.C., Furniture

Wheeler, W.H., Carpenter & Builder

White, D.W., Carriage Painter

White, F.P., Tobacco, etc.

Williams & Boomer, Jewelers

Withington, W.H., Drugs & Groceries

York, P.E., Boots & Shoes

Village Presidents - Mayors

From 1852-1928 The chief executive officer of the Village of Adams was the Village President. Beginning in 1929 he was the Mayor.

1887 - 1890 - James Cleveland

1891 - William D. Arms

1892 - 1894 - Thomas Saunders

1895 - 1896 - Frank S. Kenyon

1898 - 1899 - Fred Webster

1901 - 1902 - C.W. Williams

1903 - 1904 - George Hannahs

1905 - 1906 - Eli J. Seeber

1907 - Horace H. Norton

1908 - 1909 - Arthur L. Rice

1911 - Willliam J. Allen

1914 - 1917 - Floyd Overton

1918 - 1919 - Frank Redfield

1921 - Clarence A. Whittier

1925 - 1928 - Clarence A. Whittier

1929 - 1930 - Clarence A. Whittier

1931 - 1948 - Wm. O. Walton

1949 - 1952 - Avon E. Greenley

1953 - 1954 - Isadore Belloff

1955 - 1956 - A. Clark

1957 - 1968 - G. Elliott

1969 - 1980 - Roy Simpson

1981 - 1985 - Stanton Hamilton

1986 - 1992 - Charles Peck

1993 - 1996 - Gary Sweet