Sunday, March 13, 1808
In Highgate (Saxe's Mills), Vt., died John Sax the pioneer and ancestor of all
of that name in the valley. Born in 1732 in Langen, Saltzo in Hanover (now
Prussia), bereft of father at fourteen he made his way to Amsterdam and from
there, with a companion, came to the "British province of Pennsylvania in
America." Later he settled in the Province of New York remaining
loyal to the king. Here (Rhinebeck) he was suspected of giving aid and
comfort to the enemy, was arrested and thrown into prison at Esopus (now
Kingston). Though threatened with death, he, conscious of his integrity,
declared defiantly "There is not a rope in Esopus strong enough to hang
me." After many months he was released there being no evidence
against him. He then disposed of his property and, in June, 1786 sought
the Champlain Valley. Soon after coming to America he had applied himself
with all diligence to mastering the English language but all his life enjoyed
reading his German Bible and the services of the Lutheran church were held at
his home where gathered all his German neighbors of the same faith. He was
particularly anxious for the welfare and education of his children and it was
the grandson, John G. Saxe, the poet who wrote:
Is learning your ambition...
There is no royal road;
Alike the peer and peasant
Must climb to her abode;
Who feels the thirst of knowledge,
In Helicon may slake it
If he has still the Roman will,
"I'll find a way, or make it!" -John G. Saxe.
The pioneer remains rest in the cemetery at Philipsburg, Canada.
Friday, April 8, 1808
The name of Malone was changed to "Ezraville," from Ezra L'Hommedieu
of Suffolk Co., L. I., but in 1812 the former name was resumed.
L'Hommedieu was also one of the proprietors of Plattsburgh.
Saturday, April 16, 1808
At his home on Rugar street, died Gideon Rugar, a soldier of the Revolution, of
the Albany County militia, Fourteenth Regiment, and an early settler of
Plattsburgh.
Monday, May 16, 1808
The birthday
of Andrew Witherspoon, D.D. "one of nature's noblemen." Born in
Leith, Scotland, he came with his father's family to Mooers, N.Y. and spent the
greater part of his life in the Troy Conference. At Keeseville, before a
session of that body, being called to answer the charge of writing articles for
the press arraigning the Church for countenancing American slavery, although no
proof of his authorship could be produced, he arose and said: "But there is
another tribunal before which we all stand, and to which all hearts are
open," and with uplifted hand, he turned to Bishop Morris, adding,
"Before God I dare not say that I am not the author of those
articles." Then followed a masterly defense of his anti-slavery
principles, and he lived to see them vindicated.
Saturday, June 4, 1808
Casper Otto with his family, refugees from
Hamburg, arrived at Baltimore in the last ship sailing from Toningen and
reaching the United States before the famous Embargo Act went into operation.
This ship was the Perseverance, Fisher, master, of Martha's Vineyard.
Casper Otto had been a prosperous merchant, but when Napoleon's army, 18,000
strong, under Davoust, was quartered upon the peaceful citizens and the Bank of
Hamburg seized, only financial disaster could come to the Otto family and they
determined to emigrate to America.
-Life of Bishop Hopkins
Saturday, June 25, 1808|
The
revenue cutter was stolen from under the eyes of the government officers who were guarding
Windmill Point. Judge Hicks, deputy of Champlain, was waylaid while in the performance of
his duties and told to prepare for death. A large bateau called the Black Snake with a
crew of desperate men engaged in smuggling, gave a great deal of trouble.
Wednesday, August 3, 1808
Conflict on the Onion river near Winooski between the "Blake Snake",
a large bateau commanded by Samuel J. Mott of Alburgh with a crew of seven
desperate men engaged in smuggling, and he revenue cutter "Fly" under
Lieut. Farrington (who was wounded in the fight) and a crew of militiamen, two
of whom were killed with one of the smugglers.
Tuesday, September 27, 1808
Birth
of Lucretia Davidson in a "small, neat cottage," with old-fashioned piazza,
"shaded with vines and honeysuckle" that stood on the banks of the Saranac, in
the little village of Plattsburgh. Lucretia attended the Academy with its cupola
"representing the Temple of Science surmounted by a weather vane, representing an
angel blowing the trumpet fame, which was the conception and creation of her versatile but
eccentric father, Dr. Oliver Davidson." This cupola suggested to his eleven year old
daughter the "Allegory of Alphonse in search of Learning."
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