A detailed 1864 town MAP showing residents
An 1864 map of The Hamlet of Champion
An 1864 map of The Hamlet of Great Bend
An 1864 map of The Village of West Carthage
1918 TOWN OF CHAMPION FARM MAP
A list of POSTMASTERS in the town in existing and discontinued postoffices.
1810 Census - Town of Champion
1820 Census - Town of Champion
Family sketches from CHILD'S GAZETTEER for the town of Champion.
Child's Business Directory for the Town of Champion.
Haddock's Family Sketches - Town of Champion
Sunnyside Cemetery, Town of Champion
Champion Family Files in Town Historian's Office
1863 Civil war draft and exemption list
Town of Champion 1890 Census of Civil War Veterans
Civil War Soldiers Buried in the Town of Champion
| OFFICE | CONTACT | PHONE | ADDRESS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Town Historian | LYNN THORNTON | (315) 493-3213 | 10 N. Broad St; Carthage 13619 |
| Deputy Town Historian | SUZANNE WILEY | (315) 493-3675 | 10 N. Broad St; Carthage 13619 |
| Town Clerk | Website | (315) 493-3240 | 10 North Broad St; Carthage 13619 |
| West Carthage Village Historian | HAROLD SANDERSON | (315) 493-493-2552 | 61 High St; W. Carthage, NY 1361920 |
| West Carthage Village Clerk | Website | (315) 493-2552 | Village Office; 61 High St; Carthage 13619 |
P.O. Box 504
Carthage, NY 13619
(315) 773-5133
Website
Organized in 1977, this society averages over 600 members, and has microfilmed the Carthage Republican newspaper. The microfilm is deposited in the Carthage Library. They have published books. Their holdings include a working chapel, and a one room school. Carthage lies on the border of Lewis County, so that the society covers part of Lewis as well as the western townships of Jefferson County. The society collects material from three central school districts, the Copenhagen Central, Carthage Central, and Indian River school districts. This area includes parts of the townships of Theresa, Philadelphia, Antwerp, Le Ray, Wilna, and Champion. Their 21 directors represent the various communities within this area.
History of the Town of Champion linked from Shirley Farone's Home Page taken from CHILD'S GAZETTEER OF JEFFERSON COUNTY by HAMILTON CHILDS, published in 1890, transcribed by Shirley Farone.
History of the Town of Champion, taken from A HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK by FRANKLIN B. HOUGH, A. M., M.D., linked from Shirley Farone's Home Page.
History of Champion, Jefferson County, NY Revisited by Durant & Peirce 1878
A List of People who contributed information about the Town of Champion in 1878 to Durant and Peirce's History of Jefferson County
Town History
New York State Legislature created the Town of Champion from the Town of Mexico, now in Oswego County, 14 March 1800, making it one of the earliest townships of Jefferson County. At that time it included all of the Town of Denmark, Lewis County, north of the Deer River. Today's Champion is bounded on the west by Town of Rutland, northwest by Le Ray, northeast by Wilna, and the rest of the border is with Lewis County. Populated areas include Champion village, Great Bend, named for a bend of the Black River, and West Carthage village.
Booklet found in the State Library at Albany, NY
1877
OFFICERS OF THE CHURCH, JULY 1ST, 1877
Wm. T. OSMUN, Pastor, A.
Deacons:
Silas Freeman
Allen Merril
Lester Carter
J.A.
Hubbard, Clerk
Fred C. Carter, Treasurer
Trustees:
Fred C. Carter
Elias Sage
Allen Merril
MEMBERS
| Silas Freeman | Mrs. Mary L. Humpherys |
| Elias Sage | Mrs. Alphonzo Loomis |
| Allen Merrill | Mrs. Elias Sage |
| J.A. Hubbard | Mrs. Hiram Vibber |
| J.A. Hubbard, Jr. | Mrs. Mary J. Babcock |
| Lester Carter | Mrs. Daniel McNeal |
| Fred C. Carter | Miss Data Knowles |
| Clark B. White | Miss Besse Merrill |
| Rev. Wm. T. Osmun | Miss Mary Martin |
| Merritt Smith | Moss Ella Austin |
| Mrs. Silas Freeman | Miss Cornelia M. Johnson |
| Mrs. Barnes Carter | Miss Joana Austin |
| Mrs. Lester Carter | Mrs. Joseph Peck |
| Mrs. Fred C. Carter | Mrs. Merrit Smith |
| Mrs. E.C. Osmun | Mrs. Edward Hubbard |
| Mrs. Clark B. White | Miss Charille Hubbard |
General Henry Champion purchased "Howard", Town #4 of the Macomb Purchase. Noadiah Hubbard, his land agent, and a surveyor, Joel Mix, rafted together down the Black River and staked out their lands.
Hubbard and Mix, along with other single men, built cabins.
In April, Mix's family, the first to settle in Jefferson County, came to West Carthage. In November, Hubbard's family rode in on horseback and settled the center of town. Mix built the first sawmill on the river bank, and Hubbard had a tavern near his cabin.
January 9th, Joel Mix's daughter, Laura Mix, was born, the first birth in Jefferson County. March 14th, the New York legislature passed a bill forming the Town of Champion out of the Town of Mexico, along with the Town of Watertown. Both share the honor of being the first towns in what was later Jefferson County. April 1st, the first town meeting in Jefferson County was held in the home of Justice of the Peace, Joel Mix. Hubbard was elected the first supervisor. The census numbered 153 people.
The First Congregational Church Society was formed and Hubbard put up a log schoolhouse at the town's expense.
A post office opened, the second in the county. The first bridge over the Black River was constructed at Great Bend.
General Champion gave two acres for a village green for naming the town for him. He also promised a bell for the Rev. Nathaniel Dutton's proposed Congregational Church. December 3rd, Rev. Dutton, the first minister to settle in Jefferson County, proclaimed a Day of Thanksgiving.
Captain Noadiah Hubbard and Captain John McNitt formed two militia units and set about training raw recruits.
A second bridge spanned the Black River at West Carthage.
Champion militiamen fought at the Battle of Sackets Harbor.
On Christmas Day the Congregationalists dedicated their church on the village green, the first church in Jefferson County. The bell, having been recast with silver dollars, rang and was heard for miles around the countryside.
The Methodists constructed a wooden church at Francis-Babcock Corners near Great Bend.
The Masons built a two-storied stone academy.
The First Congregational Church was removed from the village green to the valley below for warmth and easier access by carriages.
The Baptists opened a church in Great Bend.
The Congregationalists opened a second church in West Carthage.
The Methodists opened a second church in the hamlet of Champion.
The Episcopalians purchased the Masonic Academy, took it down and using the same stones constructed the one story church and named it after St. John. Great Bend Paper Company opened in Great Bend.
Champion Grange #18 was organized.
With generous donations and help from the Central New York Deaconess, Mary Bradford Sterling Clark, First Trinity Chapel at Great Bend was dedicated by the Episcopalians.
Frank W. Woolworth, a resident of Great Bend from the age of seven, successfully tried ou a five-and-ten-cent counter sale while a clerk in Moore's Store in Watertown. By 1912 he owned a mercantile empire of 596 stores using the same idea.
Fire started in West Carthage and jumped the Black River. It burned most of the business district of Carthage.
The Methodists closed their church at Francis-Babcock Corners and opened a new First Methodist Church in Great Bend.
March 18th, the residents of Wet Carthage voted for the incorporation of their village, and elected Marcus P. Mason as their first president.
March 4th, the West Carthage Fire Department was organized with David Trembly as the first chief.
Family Surname Files |
|---|
|
Allen |
Colvin |
Garrett |
Lewis * |
Potter |
Sterling |
NOTE! Names marked with an asterisk (*) are taken from Edgar C. Emerson's OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE, published 1898.
| ACRES OF LAND | |
| Improved | 18,716 1/2 |
| Unimproved | 7,275 |
| VALUATION | |
| Real Estate | 534,599 |
| Personal Property | 85,623 |
| Total | 620,222 |
| POPULATION | |
| Males | 1,017 |
| Females | 1,009 |
| Number of Dwellings | 390 |
| Number of Families | 427 |
| Freeholders | 315 |
| SCHOOLS | |
| Number of Districts | 17 |
| Children Taught | 761 |
| LIVE STOCK | |
| Horses | 649 |
| Working Oxen and Calves | 1,082 |
| Cows | 1,941 |
| Sheep | 1,082 |
| Swine | 736 |
| AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS | |
| Bushels of Grain | |
| Winter | 4,670 |
| Spring | 48,511 1/2 |
| Tons of Hay | 2,949 |
| Bushels of Potatoes | 23,440 |
| Bushels of Apples | 10,262 |
| Dairy Products | |
| Pounds of Butter | 160,596 |
| Pounds of Cheese | 148,718 |
| YARDS OF DOMESTIC MANUFACTURE | 1,126 |
Names of the early settlers |
|---|
| Alby, Eliphalet Babcock, Jeremiah Babcock, William P. Barber, Armissa Barber, Daniel Barber, John Lansing Barnes, Levi Baudry Buck, Benjamin [Hodad] Boshall, Adam Bradt, John Brizzil, Isaac Brooks, Thomas Brown, Elam Brown, James Brundage, Nathan Buell, Daniel Butler, Simeon Campbell, William Canfield, John Carter, Asa Carter, Jonathan Chamberlain, Ephraim Chamberlain, James F. Chapin, Gardner Church, Eli Clark, Enoch Clarke, Jedediah Clinchmen/Clintsman/Klinnsman, Christopher Coffeen, Daniel Coffeen, David Colburn, Amos Collins, Calvin Collins, Isaac Coughlin, George L. Crandall, Constant Crary, Joseph Crook, Jacob Crowell, William Crowner, Philip Davis, William Derbyshire, William |
Dorain, Andrew Dorwin, Amos Durkee, John Dutton, Nathaniel Earl, Otis Eggleston, John A. Ellis, Martin Farley Fisher, Michael Francis, Thomas FULTON, ELIJAH Fulton, Elijah Gardner, Henry Goodrich, Moses Goodwin, Joseph Graves, Amos Hadsall, John Hadsall, William Hall, Rowland Harris, Asa Hastings, John Hayes, Roswell Henderson, John Holcomb, Laomi Holcomb, Ozias Hopkins, Joseph Hopkins, Thomas Hubbard, Abner Hubbard, Bela Hubbard, Fairchild HUBBARD, Joel Hubbard, Noahdiah HUBBARD, William Hubbell, Wolcott Jackson, Daniel JOHNSON, Caleb Johnson, Steven Jones, Elihu Kemp, Matthew Kent, Moss Kilburn, Allen |
Lewis, Abel P. Lewis, Arnold Lewis, Eseck Lewis, Nicholas Lewis, Rockey Loomis, Jonathan Loomis, Samuel Martin, Joseph Martin, Joshua Maxham, Samuel McNitt, John Merrill, Miner Merrill, Moses C. Miller, Constant Miller, David Miller, Jared Miller, Jonathan Mitchell, Jotham Mix, Joel Moseley, Harrison Mustin, Harvey McNett, James Newton, Ethan North, Darius Paddock, Joseph Pardee, John Parker, Amaziah Parks, John Pearce, Olney Pennock, Wilson Perkins, Solomon Jr Perkins, Sprague Phelps, Roger Pike, Benjamin Pool, Timothy Prentice, John Reed, Jabez Rice, Enos Richardson, Wilkes Rockwell, Zebulon Rockwood, Heuber Rockwood, William |
Rood, Daniel Rudd, Nathan Sage, Elias Saunders, Benjamin Sharp, Peter Simmons, Jacob Smith, Eliphalet Starr, David Starr, Samuel Stearns, Joshua Stewart, Simeon Stone, David Storrs, Henry Studley, Thomas Ten Eyck, Egbert Thomas, George Thompson, James Tifft, Joseph Townsend, Joseph Townsend, Timothy Tripp, Isaac Vrooman, John Wait, Dorastus Waldo, George Ward, Comfort Ward, John Ward, Salmon Ward, Thomas Warner, Andrew Warner, Stoel Whaley, Hannah Wheeler, Cornelius Wheeler, Lewis White, Abner Whitney, Reuben Wilcox, Jeptha Williams, Asher Wilmot, Asher Woerner, Peter Wood, John Wright, Freedom Young, David |
NOTE! Names marked with an asterisk (*) are taken from Edgar C. Emerson's OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE, published 1898.
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