Legislature Celebrates County’s 200th Anniversary

by Steve Yablonski | March 12, 2016 8:41 am

OSWEGO, NY – County Legislator Shawn Doyle gave his peers a brief history lesson at the March legislature meeting. The lecture was part of the celebration of Oswego County’s bicentennial.

The earliest proposal (1804) to form the new county would have had Redfield as the county seat. Nothing came of this, however, Doyle said. Then, in 1807 a petition from residents and landowners in Camden, Redfield, Florence, Mexico, Williamstown and Fredricksburg was circulated. Nothing came of this as well.

In 1810 residents of Oswego formed a drive to create a new county. In 1813, serious discussions began again.

“Finally, on March 1, 1816, the New York State Legislature adopted the plan,” Doyle said. “As a compromise, two county seats would be named, Oswego and Pulaski.”

The first officials appointed to govern Oswego County in 1816 included the nine town supervisors, the Judge of Common Pleas, the six associate justices, sheriff, undersheriff, county clerk, Surrogate Judge and treasurer.

Three of the supervisors, David Easton, Henry Williams and Elias Brewster also served as judge.

It is unknown who served representing Constantia, as the records were destroyed by fire in 1853, Doyle noted.

The lives of these men have been researched as part of the bicentennial to try to learn a little more about who they were and where they came from.

Some commonalities that emerged include the fact that of the 16 men, all but two were from New England (Mooney and Davis were from New Jersey).

Of the New England men, nine were from Connecticut and three from Massachusetts (two of whom, the Hawks, were first cousins).  Two were from Canajoharie, NY.

“On face value, it seems in their earlier lives, some of these men knew one another and their families could have migrated into our area together, or followed later on.  Chain migration is not unusual in the westward movement of peoples in our nation,” Doyle said. “As their lives moved on, 11 of these men stayed here and ended their lives within our borders, Judge Williams died in Crawford County, Pennsylvania. Huginin, Dunlap, and Davis struck out for the west early on. Hugunin lived in Wisconsin where many of his family relocated. Dunlap led a number of men and women to Peoria County, Indiana. A glance at census returns for Peoria shows many familiar names as scores followed Dunlap and his friends, the Hale brothers from Pulaski, there where they became leading men of the city of Peoria. Sheriff John S. Davis and his family left for Michigan, and the hardships were too much for him as he died within a short period there.”

There is little to tell us what happened at the first county meeting.

“The records are lost from 1816 to 1846. All we have is what’s passed down in the common history,” Doyle said.

His research is still ongoing, he added.

Williamstown was first known as “Franklin.”

Henry Williams was born August 8, 1765, in East Haddam, Connecticut. Williams fought in the Revolutionary War, enlisting at the age of 14 to serve as a substitute for his father. He was serving in an artillery company at war’s end. Williams was instrumental in Franklin town affairs for many years. The town took Judge Williams’ name in honor of his distinguished service.

County treasurer by board of appointment, Peter Pratt of Mexico, was another popular fellow, Doyle said.

Pratt was later the second Sheriff of Oswego County and went on to the New State Assembly in 1821-22 for a term. He was Mexico Town Supervisor 1821, 1823-28.

“They named a village after him, Prattham (or Prattville), which is on Route 104 between Mexico and MapleView. Not much to see these days,” Doyle said.

Several area historians were present for Thursday’s meeting. They were recognized prior to the start of the meeting. Then everyone adjourned to another room for a bicentennial cake and other refreshments.

The bicentennial committee is putting together a book, he added.

“We hope it will be out in July,” Doyle said. “Everybody has had a part in the book.”

He cited all the historians, and everyone else, who has helped with the county’s anniversary.

The Oswego Independence Celebration in July will have a bicentennial theme.

“After the parade on July 3, there will be a community picnic at Fort Ontario. The day before, there will be a commemorative postal cancellation at the historic fort,” he said.

Helping the legislature commemorate the anniversary was Assemblyman Will Barclay as well as representatives from the offices of other state officials that represent Oswego County. Also on hand were Oswego Mayor William Barlow, Fulton Mayor Ron Woodward and various town supervisors and county officials.

“There have been a lot of changes in the county over 200 years. The one thing I’m very sure about is that there were great people that founded this county and we continue to have great people lead this county,” Barclay said.

“From the original board of supervisors to the current county legislature, Oswego County continues to be known for exemplary leadership that helps to foster the continued success and growth of the region,” Sen. Patty Ritchie wrote in her proclamation.

Even Gov. Andrew Cuomo sent his congratulates, which, in part read, “… and those with the good fortune to visit (Oswego County) know that they too have discovered a very special place.”

For more information, go to www.visitoswegocounty.com/bicentennial

Source URL: https://oswegocountytoday.com/news/oswego/legislature-celebrates-countys-200th-anniversary/

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