We are fortunate in Clinton County to have access to hundreds of original documents at the Clinton County Historical Association (CCHA) and at SUNY Plattsburgh’s Special Collections. And we have the Northern New York Library Network historic newspapers.
One public source of historical information CCHA produces using its document collection, on an ongoing basis, is North Country Notes. First published in November of 1960 and edited by Alan Everest, a CCHA Trustee and SUNY Plattsburgh professor and Charles (Woody) McLellan a CCHA Trustee and owner of the Moorsfield Press in Champlain, this publication continues today.
All 400+ of these newsletters are on the Association’s website. Once discovered, local historians and the interested public can be accused of binge reading them as they are fascinating and cover a wide variety of topics.
From the beginning, it was apparent that North Country Notes would be sharing interesting history. In the first issue, for example, the rules for Plattsburgh’s first library were shared and today we would say what??!!! on many levels. But in 1808, the rule was that “No person shall be entitled to a right in this library unless he is a resident of the counties of Clinton or Franklin and at the same time be a member of the Clinton County Medical Society.”
Additional restrictions were that the loan of the same book to the same person would only be allowed four times during the year. If a member wanted the same book at the same time as someone else, they would bid for that privilege and the book would go to the highest bidder. You would be fined for grease spots and torn pages, and for not returning the book on time.
The second newsletter dealt with temperance, slavery and wolf hunting. While the interesting history of Clinton County continued to be shared, the editors added a feature called “Riddle of the Month.” This was an interactive exchange of history with readers and ran from 1966 through to May 1982. A question was presented one month with the answer given the next.
Try this: Who was a well know county resident before and after he was a Senator in Nevada? The Answer: Alonzo Kellogg (1838 – 1903).
Sylvester Alonzo Kellogg was born in Champlain, graduated from Middlebury College, and studied law in the office of Champlain’s James Averill. Kellogg apparently continued his studies in the Utah Territory and when Nevada first became a state in 1864, he served as the Senator from Storey County in Nevada’s first legislature.
In 1866 he returned to Champlain, married James’ daughter Susan and remained in Clinton County. His long legal career culminated in his election to the Supreme Court of the Fourth Judicial District. He is buried in Champlain’s Glenwood Cemetery next to Susan and his father and mother.
Sometimes the answers to the riddles were challenged. The question of which old church was destroyed in 1969 was posed in January 1970 with the first answer posted in February was the Methodist Church on Oak Street in Plattsburgh. But that was not the only answer.
In the March 1970 issue, Dr. Leonard Schiff reminded the “riddlers” that the Beth Israel Synagogue also on Oak Street, was destroyed that year. This little church was originally built in 1846 for the Universalist Society and from 1853 to 1855; the Saint Peter’s congregation used the church while their church was being built.
Finally, in 1866, the building was converted to a Synagogue, a little church of many faiths not to be forgotten. And the question was not to be forgotten. In April 1970, Dr. George Copeland reminded the editors that the Valcour Church on Route 9, built by Robert Platt for his family in 1810, was also demolished in 1969.
The “Riddle of the Month” series continued to be interesting and interactive. What we might describe today as easy questions, are due to the online resources we have available. The answer to the “riddle” asking about the area’s first Cattle Show and Fair held by the Clinton County Agricultural Society in Champlain is fun to read online today but you need to go to the October 30, 1819 edition of the Plattsburgh Republican at New York State Historic Newspapers to find it.
The article describes the society officers and musicians as wearing wheat cockades and a 165 square foot float (called a car) drawn by 100 yoke of oxen. Does that mean there were 200 oxen?
Awards were given for the best acres of corn, wheat, potatoes and flax. Additional awards were given for the best animals, like milch cows, boars, colts, bulls and steers. The women received awards for coverlets, blankets and linen and woolen cloth. And there was an award for the best plough.
When searching through the riddles in North Country Notes over the years, it is easy to be distracted. In the April 1966 issue, the creation of the Quaker Union Society in Peru to save Quaker records and the cemetery was announced. One can visit the Quaker Cemetery on Union Road today and see the result of the work done by this Society.
Then the riddle, followed by the story of Clinton County’s George Palmer’s involvement at age 19 in Canada’s Rebellions of 1837-1838. George Palmer died at age 98 and is buried in Plattsburgh’s Riverside Cemetery.
Reading about his life on Find a Grave or in his obituary in the New York Sun does reveal his participation in the Rebellions but does describe a fascinating life.
The last riddle posted was never answered. Editors changed and new columns were introduced. The June 1982 issue does nicely recap the contributions of Alan Everest and Woody McLellan but the question still remains.
When and to what location was a serious proposal made for moving the Plattsburgh Barracks to another town in the county? Persons knowing the answer to this question can email director@clintoncountyhistorical.org and we will post the answer in the next issue of North Country Notes.
Photo: George Palmer from the CCHA Portrait Collection.
Recent Comments