Uri Tuttle (1738 - 1822)

Chapter 41

The Town of Paris

491

Paris as originally constituted embraced a large area. It was set off from Whitestown April 10, 1792, and included what are now the towns of Brookfield, Hamilton, and part of Cazenovia (in Madison county), Sherburne (in Chenango county), Sangerfield, all of which were set off from it in 1794, and Kirkland, which was set off April 13, 1827; a still further tract was added to Kirkland in 1839, leaving Paris with its present area of 18,641. The town received its name from Isaac Paris, a merchant of Fort Plain, who in a time of scarcity and distress in 1789, generously supplied them with corn and other food on liberal credit.

Paris lies on the eastern border of the county and near the southeast corner. Nearly the whole of the western half was in Coxe's patent and the remainder in the Bayard patent, as shown on the map herein. The surface is very hilly, with deep intervening valleys. The highest elevation in the county is Tassel Hill (so called from a Dutchman who settled there) in the extreme southwest corner of the town, which rises 2,100 feet above sea level. The summit of what was the Utica and Chenango Railroad is near the line between Paris and Marshall, and is a little more than 1,000 feet above the station at Utica. This locality constitutes a part of the watershed to the northward and southward of the State. Paris Hill rises 840 feet above Sauquoit. The Sauquoit Creek flows northerly through the town east

At this point it is proper to quote the following paragraphs from a historical sketch of Paris Hill (Oneida County, NY) 493

Hill written many years ago by Hon. Lorenzo Rouse:

My knowledge of the early history of Paris is, of course, somewhat limited as to personal observation, my first acquaintance with it having commenced in the spring of 1816, that is, twenty seven years after the first settlement was made, which was at Paris Hill and vicinity. The first settlement made in the town was in 1789.

The first settler at Paris Hill was Captain Royce; soon after him came Benjamin Barnes and son, Stephen Barrett, Abel Simmons, sr., John and Sylvester Butler, and others who settled near. None of these, however, settled at the present village, but in the vicinity. Tradition says that one of the earliest settlers, if not the earliest, at Paris Hill proper was Colonel Tuttle, who was quite a land owner on the east side of what is now "The Green". Indeed, he gave the east half of the Green for a public park, other parties giving the west half for the same purpose.

Tradition further says that in Colonel Tuttle's day a large pine tree was standing in the upper part of the park, or green. The colonel caught and tamed a young bear, which he used to pet very much. When winter came on the bear disappeared, and the colonel felt the loss deeply, - was inclined to think some one had shot or stolen it, - but on a sunny day in March the bear was discovered coming out of a hole in that pine tree, and he returned to his master, who was greatly rejoiced thereat; he had been hibernating.

The first church erected in 1791, was a plain, barn like looking structure, innocent of paint, and in fact never was finished off inside. After its erections settlers began to come in rapidly, and Colonel Tuttle persuaded the people to sell the building to him, and to build larger, both of which they did. He then removed the first building to the rear of his house, and converted it into a barn. The new church was located near the center of the green, nearest the west side, and was reasonably capacious.

The Episcopal church was erected in 1797. That, too, was a very plain structure, and unpainted. In 1818 it was removed to the west of the church lot, and the present structure was erected. Val Piece was the builder, assisted by his brother; also by Roderick White and others. Russell Brooks, Eli Gilbert, and the Saxton boys did the plastering. The old structure, after its removal, was fitted up and occupied (with some additions) by Rev. William R. Weeks as a residence and school building. Afterwards Chester Cook bought it and occupied a part as a dwelling and the rest as a saddle and harness shop. It subsequently took fire and was burned.

The Methodist church stood on the road going towards Clinton, east of the present burial ground. It had a good congregation when I first knew it; had its regular services by a circuit preacher, and had a number of zealous members. The society afterwards became extinct, and the church was taken down about 1850.

Paris Hill was the third or fourth settlement in order of time in the original town of Whitestown and being the farthest south was generally known as the "South Settlement". When the present village began to manifest itself it was known as "Shax's Borough", but after the new town had been organized, and named Paris, it gradually assumed its present name of Paris Hill.