from Onondaga; or Reminiscences of Earlier and Later Times by Joshua V. H. Clark. Syracuse: Stoddard and Babcock, 1849, Vol. I, pp. 230-240. Onondaga; or Reminiscences of Earlier and Later Times by Joshua V. H. Clark. Syracuse: Stoddard and Babcock, 1849, Vol. I, pp. 230-240.
DeWitt - This town was originally a part of the township of Manlius, and was set off from it in the spring of 1835, and named after Moses De Witt, Esq.
The first settler in this town was Benjamin Morehouse from Fredericksburg, Dutchess County, New-York. . .
Mr. Morehouse's nearest neighbors were Asa Danforth and Comfort Tyler, at Onondaga Hollow, seven miles distant.. .
Jamesville and vicinity was settled during the years from 1790 to 1800, by Moses De Witt, Daniel Keeler, Dr. Holbrook, Jeremiah Jackson, William Bends, Stephen Angel, Stephen Hungerford, Jeremiah and James Gould, Roger Merrill, Caleb Nortrup, Benjamin Sanford and others. The village was at first called Sinai.
Jeremiah Jackson erected the first dwelling entitled to the name of frame, in 1797. Joseph Purdy opened the first blacksmith's shop about the same time. In 1798, Matthew Dumfrie built a distillery, malt house and brewery, and manufactured the first beer and whiskey made in the county. Oliver Owen erected a saw mill in 1795. Mr. Trowbridge kept the first tavern at Jamesville, in 1804, afterwards kept by David Olmsted, in 1806, then considered the best tavern west of Utica. Benjamin Sanford built the mills in 1803. Mr. Hungerford started clothing works about the same time. "The Jamesville Iron and Woolen Factory" was chartered in 1809, and a Post Office established same year, Thomas Rose, Post Master. Moses D. Rose succeeded him. The name of Jamesville was adopted at the time the Iron and Woolen Factory was incorporated; the name was given by the Legislature, and was first published and proclaimed at a great fourth of July celebration, held at Jamesville, 1810. First schoolhouse for Jamesville was erected east of the village in 1795, Polly Hibbard, Teacher, succeeded by Susan Ward. The first school in Jamesville, was in 1806.
