
Canton Census 1800 (dated May 1801)
Click here
for very early 1800s Canton news
clippings.
.....................................................................
Published by Arcadia - By Linda Casserly, Julie Sherman Grayson & Judith Liscum
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Jackman's Hotel 1858 - Stephen P Jackman Proprietor
Etching from 1858 Map from Actual Surveys by AE Rogerson CE - Published by JB Shields - Minor St, Philadelphia

Lewis County Banner 1856
According the the Canton 1860 Census, SP Jackman was 31 yrs old, born in NY. His wife was either Rouetta or Rosetta: children were Julia, Fanny, Isa. Living with them was Frank Smith, the bartender!
In 1850 census John Shull is an Innkeeper of a large hotel that might be this one.
According to Canton Village History from Ray's Place, http://www.history.rays-place.com/ny/canton-2-ny.htm
The American Hotel was originally built in 1825 by Sartwell Prentice, and was known as the Prentice Hotel until about 1840, when it passed to title ownership of Henry Foote, and from him to the Bridge brothers and was kept by S.D. Bridge.
According to "Canton - The Town Friendliness Built by Judith Liscum & Students, it was once known as the Prentice House. Henry Foote bought it in 1845 and it became The Old Tavern. It had many owners. The Getman brothers, Edward, Edgar & Edson operated it until 1904. Eventually it was named the American Hotel. It was torn down in 1916.

St. Lawrence Plaindealer ("50 Years Ago")
Jan 6, 1931

American Hotel
From a 1962" Plaidealer" article by Howard Guyette, owners of this hotel were as follows:
Jan 1, 1825 - Sartell, Ezra, Nathaniel & John Prentices
1835 - Silas Hicock
1839 Henry Warner
1845 Henry Foote
1856 Henry died - left hotel to his children
1859 Stephen P Jackman (moved to Watertown)
1862 Mott
1860 Simeon & Raselas Bridge? dates?
1867 David Roulston
1877 Barzillai Hodskin
1880 Dick Bridge
1894 Kate Prescott
1897 Edgar, Edward & Edson Getman
1904 Fred, Sargent & Eugene M Larue
1906 James E Johnson
Joseph Flanagan (from Malone)
Thomas & Mary Burke
1909 Wriley N Beard
1916 Demolished

St. Lawrence Plaindealer April 17, 1862

SD Bridge - American House 1888

St. Lawrence Plaindealer - March 2, 1943 - "50 Years Ago"
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From Potsdam Courier Freeman 1862:

From 1861 Ogdensburg Advance:

Canton Plaindealer 1867:


St. Lawrence Plaindealer Feb 13, 1940

American Hotel

American House - The Oldest Hotel in the State - Opened to the Public Jan 1, 1823

Canton Commercial Advertiser 1934

Celebration 1905 - Williams Bros Liver to the left of the American Hotel

Canton Commercial Advertiser 1932

Post Office - 1940s - now stands where the American Hotel once stood

PO from the Park

Alms House

St. Lawrence Plaindealer - Dec 5, 1878

St. Lawrence Plaindealer Dec 5, 1944

Benton Library - around 1907


Benton Library Interior 1912
Library's history link:
http://www.nnyln.org/canlib/history.htm

Public Library early 1900s

St. Lawrence Plaindealer Feb 26, 1907

Benton Library around 1910 - 1911

Iron Bridge & Main Street

Rapids from the Concrete Bridge

Fishway, Dam in Grass Rive

Bridge Over Grasse River & Hotel Harrington - 1945

Bridge Over DeGrasse River

Bridge West Channel

Concrete Bridge

DeGrasse River Bridge

The New Bridge 1910
According to "Canton, The Town Friendliness Built" by Judith Liscum & Students, this bridge replaced a covered bridge (pg 6)

Grass River Looking Upstream From Bridge - 1909

Little River

Ladies in a Canoe 1911

New Bridge 1917

Canton Banner Car

Cascade Inn 1961

Erwin House 1909
Stevens House - Lewis E Stevens, Commercial House - Orson W Wheeler & Abner Wells, Erwin House, Hotel R - Russet - owned by Louis Rousette and then John E McCarthy - Later the St Lawrence Inn was built on this property
1880 Canton Census has John Erwin - 53 yrs old from Ireland, wife Sarah, children Sarah, Emma, John, Clara & Frank
From a Plaindealer article ...this property was originally built as a residence by Darius Baker for his son-in-law Robert Clark. As a hotel it suffered from 3 major fires. One was in 1915. The property was destroyed by the final fire on March 4, 1950. The St Lawrence Inn was built in it's place - now also gone.

Old Fire Station on Court Street behind Miner Bock
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From an old Plaindealer article -Canton's
Fire Department returning from a fire in 1914when Charles Cook was
Chief. Sidney Rushton whose father was JH Rushton, ran the boat
shop on Riverside Drive, is pictured bringing the volunteers and their
loose hose back to the headquarters. From left to right are Ira
Ingalls, Herb Morgan, who handset type for the Plaindealer, Carl Lytle,
who lived on the Morley Road, Roy Morrow, John Cotter, George Wheeler,
Stan Barber, Guy Eldridge and Edward Bushaw. Behind were Bell's
Sheds and the frame house where the St Lawrence Inn once stood.
The Canton Volunteers had a steam pumper titled the "Silas Wright" and
two two-wheel hose carts.

Fire Trucks - Copeland & Kipp Photographers and Thomas Miller Furniture, MS Heffernan

Canton Commercial Advertiser, April 22, 1903
(1900 Census - Mary Ann Heffernan )
According to Images of Canton, the book above, this building was built by Dr. Alfred Drury in 1897 from Canton Marble from a quarry on Miner Street Rd. Later this building becomes the Canton Savings & Loan Assoc.
From a March 26, 1921 Plaindealer article "Stillman Foote's Marble Industry" "....Another quarry, on the S.H.Nickerson farm.....Dr. A.C. Drury secured the material for Marble Block, now the home of the Canton Savings and Loan Association"
1920 Canton Census: Benjamin M Kipp, 38 b NY Photographer living at 17 Chapel St, Beatrice W wife 45, Harriett M sister 58, Welthia B daughter 10
Harry P Copeland, 46 b NY, Salesman living at 5 Powers St, Mable 27 wife, Jane S mother-in-law 87
1880 Canton Census:
|
1880 Brooklyn NY Census:
| Name | Relation | Marital Status | Gender | Race | Age | Birthplace | Occupation | Father's Birthplace | Mother's Birthplace |
| George COPELAND | Self | M | Male | W | 52 | NY | Dry Goods Clerk | VT | NY |
| Jane S. COPELAND | Wife | M | Female | W | 49 | NY | Keeping House | NH | NH |
| Frank C. COPELAND | Son | S | Male | W | 24 | NY | Dry Goods Clerk | NY | NY |
| Harry P. COPELAND | Son | S | Male | W | 7 | NY | NY | NY | |
| Samuel W. SMACK | SonL | M | Male | W | 23 | NY | Dry Goods Clerk | NY | NY |
| Minnie A. SMACK | Dau | M | Female | W | 25 | NY | NY | NY | |
| Mary MURRAY | Other | S | Female | W | 23 | NY | Domestic Servant | IRELAND | IRELAND |
| Frank C. SMACK | GSon | S | Male | W | 2M | NY | NY | NY |
1860 Census - Albert Kipp - Blacksmith
1830 Canton Census:
William Kipp & famly
1961 Plaindealer article - "Four Kip Generations contribute to Series" by Atwood Manley Hendrich Henderickson Kipp or De Kyppe came to this country in 1637 from Holland. He was a descendant of Ruloff DeKyppe of Alencon Bretagnne France. He became one of Peter Stuyvestant's Nine Men in New Amsterdam. His son Jacob Hendricksen Kip became the owner of Kips Bay Farm & Kips Bay Mansion on Manhattan Island(26th & 42nd street) with Kips Bay on the East River. This is where the British landed following the Battle of Brooklyn Heights. Albert Ryckman Kip born in NY in 1794, an iron worker and blacksmith, came to canton from Watertown prior to 1840.

Canton Savings & Loan Association
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Canton's St Lawrence Plaindealer

BG Mangin Fruit Stand - American Express - notice the plank sidewalks & dirt roads...I am not sure what year this picture was taken. The research I have so far is on the American Express Co. This looks like the Plaindealer building in the newspaper clipping below.
1909 obituary from the "Canton Commercial Advertiser" states that Josephine, wife of BG Mangin, age 56 yr of age (b 1853) born in Genoa Italy, came to the US 45 years ago (1864) to Canton with her husband who conducted a candy & peanut business on Main Street.

St. Lawrence Plaindealer 1896
s

Potsdam Herald 1898
From the History of St. Lawrence County by LH Everts 1878 - pg 219 ''The American Express Company have an office in the village, Messrs. Judd & Bonney being the agents. Mr. Judd has been so connected with the company at this place for the past ten years. The Montreal telegraph company's lines run through the village, Messrs, Judd & Bonney also being its agents. Miss JW Ormiston is the operator."
From 1873/4 Child's Gazetteer: "Judd, H. H., Canton, Wholesale and retail dealer in books and stationery, general ticket and A. M. U. Express agent, and manager for Montreal Telegraph Co, "
In the Canton 1870 Census, Henry H Judd from Ma., 47 yrs old, is Keeper of a Bookstore. There are two Bonney men in Canton at this time, both farmers, Walter B - 36 yrs old and Harry S - 47 years old.
1880 Census - Walter & family still in Canton - farmers

Grasse River Above High Falls 1909

Logging on the Grass river - 1908 - below the Railroad Bridge

Grasse River Below Cold Springs 1905

Grasse River 1920s

View of DeGrasse River & Town

Grasse River above Railroad Bridge

Grasse River across from Basset's Woods

U-Auto-Go on the Grasse River early 1900s
According to "Images of America - Canton" by Linda Casserly, Julie Sherman Grayson and Judith Liscum, the U-Auto-Go operated from 1905 to 1930 and was operated by Winnie Taylor. Their book has more information on this.
1920 Canton Census:
Winfield E Taylor 45, born in NY, Boat L*****, wife Ada 33, daughter
Mary W
Union Block - 1855 - O. Page Boots & Shoes - B. Hodskin Co Treasr - Butter & Cheese
Etching from 1858 Map from actual Surveys by AE Rogerson CE - Published by JB Shields - Philadelphia
Etching by E.K Hough, Daguerrean Artist - over B. Hodskins Store
(etching - not a post card - Union Block was on Water Street which is now Riverside Drive - Union Block was destroyed by fire possibly set by a mentally effected employee of Gage and Gilmore in 1869.) Here is a poem written about the fire by Daniel Reynolds. It was reprinted 100 years later by the Plaindealer in Dec 1969. There was a second fire in Union block 1882.
"CANTON'S BIG FIRE
On the fourteenth of August, About three o'clock, A fire had started In Union Block,
Where Theodore Caldwell His fortune was making, !In exchange for his goods Many 'stamps' he was taking.
"The devouring flame'; Appeared bent on destruction, The 'brakes' were put down, In a workmanlike manner, But all to no purpose The Block was a goner.
"The Plaindealer office Was brought to the level; It went to destruction In spite of the Devil;
Type, paper, and presses Were consumed in a minute It fell to the cellar I With everything in it.
'"In spite of our efforts I The fire still rages, I And goes for the furniture Stored up in Gage's;
When this was disposed of It took a re-action And went for the butter Of Benton & Jackson,
"From here it took shoemakers. Weavers and tailors, Tinkers and jewelers, Saddlers and nailers:
It brought them to grief In a double-quick manner, And next made a raid On the store of Frank Tanner.
"Where the best of good whiskey And Syracuse ale, Was passed through the crowd In a laree wooden pail. '
At the sight of the whiskey The boys were delighted,— Good Templars and topers For once were united!
"Harry Smith's store Was the next thing in order Where drugs might be found To cure any disorder;
He also kept candy, And tip top cigars, And the best of French bran
dy.Put up in glass jars. At Everest's meat-shop It went like a glutton, And in less than a giffy Devoured all his mutton."
Daniel Reynolds"
Occupants of Union Block
Geo C Bogue - Deal in Butter & Cheese,
O Page Boots, Shoes, Trunks
______Cadwell & Goodn___ Dry Goods, Hats, Caps Minnors block
HL Sackrider Hardware & Cutlery
Chapins & Simms Stoves & Tins
S Baldwin Justice of Peace
B Hodskin Co. Treasurer
WB Goodrich Editor & Publisher
WB Goodrich Atty at Law
EK Hough Daguerrean Artist over B Hodskins Store
References
Storrs & Mathews Store
Perkins & Hal______ Stove Store
HH & JR Conkey's Shoe Store
LEB Winslows Drug Store
Packards Dry Good Store
HA Post Grocery Store
JC Preston MD Office
GW Goodrich Dry Goods
Clark's Saloon Conkey's Bar
According to "History of St Lawrence Co. NY" LH Everts, Philadelphia 1878 - pg 218-219 "The Union block, built in 1850, contained the first public hall aside from the town-hall, in the village, It was erected by B. Hodskin, and was destroyed by fire in 1869. The Hodskin Opera-House is situated on Hodskin Street and has a seating capacity of 300, it has a stage and was opened as a public hall in 1876....(note this is not the Town Hall as it was not erected yet)..Simeon D. Moody erected in 1835 a brick block, to which Union block is adjoined"
Barzillai Hodskins and his father Nathaniel came to Canton in 1827.
Read more here:
Canton Village History from Ray's Place, http://www.history.rays-place.com/ny/canton-2-ny.htm
"...Simeon D Moody, built part of the Union Block which was burned"
O. Page is probably Orville Page born in 1818 and died in Canton in 1878, the son of Elias C Page & Dolly Shaw Page. Click here for Rootsweb info: http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=refinnigan11&id=I28722

St. Lawrence Republican 1854

Gouverneur Press 1882


St Lawrence Plaindealer 1864

St Lawrence
Plaindealer 1867

Looks like it says "Hardware Co" on sign over store on right - this may be Union Block, I'm not sure..

Canton Commercial Advertiser - 1939

Proctor House?
I'm not sure which Proctor owned this house or if my memory serves me correctly. I do remember a house that was around the park around the corner from the church in the center of Canton that looked like this and I vaguely remember it being called the Proctor House. It burned down in the 1960s I think. Here is the Rootsweb link for Israel Proctor who came to Ogdensburg and his family: http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:3214707&id=I3912
Also William Lawrence Proctor, born in East Washington, NH 1837, died in Lakewood, NJ 1877 - cemetery link for Proctors in Ogdensburg: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~stlawgen/CEMETERY/Ogdensburgh/Ogdensburghnr.HTM
1860 Ogdensburg Census (pg214) lists William Proctor, age 24, as a Lumberman
Articles from the Ogdensburg Advance talk about William Lawrence Proctor and Henry Israel Proctor, two brothers who came to Ogdensburg in the mid 1800s and were involved with lumbering and Mill work. Their descendents built the business further. The Dairy buildings at Canton's Ag Schools were built by the Proctors. No doubt this house above belonged to one of their descendents.

Presidents Residence SLU

Rollin Ellsworth Cleveland Cold Storage West Street F
(lineage: Frederic Cleveland Jr. - son Francis Cleveland- owner of Marble Business - two sons, Frank Nash Cleveland and Rollin E Cleveland) Frederick Cleveland married a daughter of Tubal Nash. Rollin lived at 44 Court Street - died 1938. Frank Nash Cleveland was Secretary of SLU for 30 years - died in 1922.
St. Lawrence Plaindealer Aug 14, 1951 - "Fifty Years Ago " 1901:

From Canton Commercial Advertiser 1938:

1860 Canton Census - Possibly the family... pg 201, family 488 F Cleveland 36 b NY boarding house, Harriett 31, Frank 5, Rollin E 3, Helen E 1,
1870 Census - Francis 48(Farmer), Harriett,41, Frank 15, Rollin 13, Helen 11
1901 Canton Commercial Advertiser:


RE Cleveland Cold (Coal) Storage West Street

University Inn

University Inn (Treadway) - Golf Club

Northern Pine Inn

Blue Mountain House & Cottages

Elm Street

Chapel Street 1909

Silas Wright Home 1932

Tea Cozy - Silas Wright Homestead - 1936

Photo Park Studio - home of Dwight Church - home demolished in 2003
Dwight was born 1891 - died 1974. He took many of the photographs you will see in Post Cards on this North Country web site. He took black & white shots and used clear tape with white typed print. He had a plane and used to fly around the north country taking pictures. You will find many of his sky views of towns on my site. Dwight was a descendent of Canton's pioneer Daniel Church. According to an old Plaindealer article, Daniel was "a millwright who came with Stillman Foot from Vermont in 1800 traveling by water by way of Lake Champlain, the St. Lawrence River and Grasse Rivers bringing by boat the iron for Canton's first mill."

For any kind of aerial service D P church, Photo Park, Canton NY -
Licensed Pilot and Plan
St. Lawrence Plaindealer May 31, 1938

St. Lawrence Plandealer 1957

Harvesting a Field 1907
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This picture came from an old Plaindealer article dated 1964. It was taken in 1891 of "an old planing mill which was the center of Canton's Industry near where the new Village Street Department garage has been built. Standing on the load of lumber is Charles Gillett who was only 14 years old then and now 87.....the driver is Mike Cunningham..."

The Kennedy House

St. Lawrence Plaindealer May 11, 1943
Torn down in 1969 - built by Egbert Henry Southworth 1872
- on Canton Pierrepont Road (Rt 68) directly across from SLU's
Elsa Gunnison Appleton Riding Arena
- next to the Evergreen Cemetery.
I was about 14 when this home was torn down and my friends Lynn Flanagan
Lawrence, Teresa Smith and I sadly watched it fall to a pile of
bricks.
1880 Census: Egbert H Southward 52, b NY, Parents from Vt, Silva E 57, Henry B son 22, Elizabeth M 20, Martha A 18, Tracy P 16.
1870 Census: also has older daughters Mary Jane - 16 b Ct, Marion 14 b Ct
click here for more info:

River Flood 1900

Edward John Noble Hospital
Who was Edward John Noble? From Wikipedia, "1882-1958) ...was a US Broadcasting and candy industrialist originally from Gouverneur, NY. He co-founded the Life Savers Corporation in 1913. He founded the American Broadcasting Company when he purchased the NBC Blue Network in 1943 following the FCC's decree that RCA divest itself of one of its two radio networks. In 1912chocolate manufacturer Clarence Crane from Cleveland, Ohio invented Life Savers as a "summer candy" that could withstand heat better than chocolate. Since the mints looked like miniature life preservers, he called them Life Savers. After registering the trademark, Crane sold the rights to the peppermint candy to Edward Noble for $2,900. Noble created tin-foil wrappers to keep the mints fresh, instead of cardboard rolls. Pep-O-Mint was the first Life Savor flavor. Since then many different flavors of Life Savers have been produced. The five-flavor roll first appeared in 1935. Sometimes Ed would sneak a wintergreen Lifesaver or two, turn out the lights, and shock his staff by creating sparks from his mouth. That is how the early days of spark gap radio were started. Edward also had 3 hospitals and a foundation named after him."
His parents were Harvey H Noble and Edna Wood Noble. Harvey ran a coal, wood & building supply company in Gouverneur (see Gouverneur photos for a picture of the store)and he was an agent for the Rome & Watertown RR. Edward went to Yale. He also served on the Board of Trustees for SLU.
Harvey may have been the son of Reuben Noble and Mary Hale - all buried together at Riverside Cemetery in Gouverneur:
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~stlawgen/CEMETERY/GRiverside/GRiversideN.HTM
Rootsweb link on Reuben: http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=lucinda&id=I7468

Canton Creeper

New York Central Depot - 1909

NYC Station
(What do you know? The Hoot Owl really was once a train station....)

Train - 1956

1907...but this is ageless.....

First National Bank 1930s

St Lawrence County National Bank

1910 St. Lawrence County National Bank

St. Lawrence County National Bank
Click here to read about the organization of banks in Canton including the St. Lawrence County Bank:
Canton Village History from Ray's Place, http://www.history.rays-place.com/ny/canton-2-ny.htm

Ogdensburg Advance 1861

Gouverneur Press 1868

Quarter Way House - Tavern - between Canton and Ogdensburg - Stage Stop - bought by George Woodbridge in 1844.
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Home with Horse & Buggy 1890s

Sherwins Mill, River View, Old DeKalb Road

St. Lawrence Republican 1876

Canton 1842
"Historical Collection of the State of New York" by John W Barber & Henry Howe

Canton - 1885
Click here for detailed close-ups

Close UP - Court, Pearl, Hodskins - 1885

Hodskins House around 1865 - became Haven House and then Hotel Harrington - Main & Miner Street Corner

Canton Commercial Advertiser Aug 29, 1922

St. Lawrence Republican 1839
Malone Gazette 1850

Massena Observer March 13, 1929


About the Young Hotel - before Hodskin House - around 1856 - Canton Commercial Advertiser - by Richard C Ellsworth - May 15, 1928

J.F. Havens - one of Canton's Village Presidents - 1864 - click on following link:
According to Canton Village History from
Ray's Place, http://www.history.rays-place.com/ny/canton-2-ny.htm "Captain Lucius Moody,
who was born in the Village in 1806, was a son of Medad Moody (came to Canton in 1804), who bought two acres of ground
including the site of the present Haven House, and there built a dwelling,
for which a larger one was substituted in later years...he built a square
frame hotel on the site of the Haven House in 1820, which was destroyed by
fire several times and rebuilt, the last destruction being in the fire of
1862, after which he did not rebuild. .....Barzillia Hodskins (son of
Nathaniel came to Canton in 1827) ..built Haven House in 1864...at a cost of
$25,000 and conducted it for a time.....J.M. Haven purchased it in 1889"
According to an old "Plaindealer" article celebrating Canton 101 years ago, "The Sally Moody Tavern was the first building erected by Medad Moody as a hotel on the present site of the Harrington House, so long known as the Hodskin House. A Mr. Farr gave a public ball at this house on February 22, 1830"
According to "Canton - The Town Friendliness Built" by Judith Liscum & Students, the first hotel here was built in 1820 by Medad Moody, father-in-law of Silas Wright. His property burned several times. He sold it to Barzillai Hodskins in 1864. Over the years it had many names and proprietors. In 1920, then called the Haven House there was a roof fire. Michael Harrington purchased it in 1920.
The Canton 1855/8 map on this web site shows "Hotel - W. Young" on this site. By 1873/4- this site was called the Hodskin House with David Wood & Son Props

St. Lawrence Plaindealer Aug 4, 1859
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Etching of Hodskin House & Miner Inn from "The History of St Lawrence County" -LH Everts

Hodskin House


Gouverneur Times 1868

Gouverneur Press 1882

Massena Observer, Feb 25, 1897

Ogdensburg Advance Nov 8, 1900
(Delia Hodskins Gale)

St. Lawrence Weekly Democrat Jan 17, 1901

Hotel Harrington 1920s - Main & Miner Street Corner

Hotel Harrington Lawn

Hotel Harrington

Hotel Harrington

Hotel Harrington

Hotel Harrington on the Buffalo Montreal Highway

Hotel Harrington - 1930s

Main & Hodskins - M.M. Matlaw
barber pole in front of sidewalk - man in the window

(1885)
Maurice M Matlaw in 1900 Canton Census - Dry Goods b 1860 in Germany, wife is Etta born 1867 in NY.
1904 Canton Commercial Advertiser has an ad for MM Matlaw - Reliable Clothier, Furnisher & Shoe Dealer 34 Main Street - across the street from this store. Various articles from this paper states that Henry Matlaw came to canton first in 1880s. In the Springo of 1890 he opened Matlaw's One Price Clothing Store which he then sold to his brother Maurice Their name had been Matlofsky before
it was shortened. Henry moved to Gouverneur and then NY. Maurice took over the store and got into a pinch years later in buying/losing in stocks. He sold the store in 1907/8 to Jay Benton (nephew of Walter Benton) and moved to NY.
1920 Manhattan Census has Maurice & Etta born in Poland but parents from Germany and they were only 10 years older than the 1900 census in Canton.
Canton Commercial Advertiser 1900 & 1904:



Jay Wesley Benton Clothier, Furnisher -1912
1920 Canton Census: living at 11 Elm St. Jay W Benton, age 42, born in Iowa, father (Rimmon) born in Vt, mother (Amy McFadden) born in NY, Proprietor Dry Goods Store; Isabell Benton, 32, born NY, parents from Ireland; Katherine Benton, 3, born NY - see more on the Bentons on left..
Jay Benton's father Rimmon died in Iowa when he was a child. His mother moved back to Canton and married Nathan Barber in 1891. He graduated from SLU in 1899, was a member of Alpha Tau Omega, worked at Remington's Clothing Store and then purchased Matlaw's Clothing (above) where he worked until he sold it in 1924 to John R Fitzgerald. He married Isabell Dunphy from Canton in 1915 and had two daughters Katherine and Joan. Jay was a trustee, treasurer and controller of SLU. (info from Canton Commercial Advertiser 1941) Jay Benton took over Matlaw's store in 1906.


Ice Cream

Main Street 1960s

Main Street 1960s

Main Street 1960
(Saidels, Buck & Reds, A&P, ESSO, Mobile)

Main Street

Main Street
Dompnier, Leonard - Real Estate, Insurance - St Lawrence County National Bank - Drug Store - Pearls, Sugar Bowl and Bing Stevens Book Store.
Who was Bing (Sykes) Stevens? Click here for Rootsweb link:
http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:563615&id=I03

Main Street - notice posts holding up awnings

Main Street 1907

Main Street

This photo is from an old Plaindealer article dated 1962 that talks about the First National Bank's 75 year. It was built on this site. Here we have the 4th of July Parade with the Fire Department hose cart. The two story building where the bank is built is eventually built is Henry Bullis' grocery store. Next door, in the low buildings were Ernie Arquit's barbershop and Margaret Forbes millinery shop. DM Jordan's Clothing Store was in the next building .

Merry's Band from Ogdensburg at a Canton Parade - 1915

Main Street - Town Hall

Here is a much earlier view of Canton's Main Street probably taken from the Town Hall. The St Lawrence Plaindealer is on the bottom left. The street has not yet been paved. The Town Hall was built in 1880 so this picture must post date that. I'm not sure when Canton's streets were first paved. There are posts holding up the awnings. There is a horse and Buggy on the street in front of Miner Block.

Ogdensburg Advance July 10, 1877

Early 1950s Sky View Business Section

Skyview of Business Section - 1960s

Main Street Horse Fountain - Brooklyn Side

Town Hall - Opera House

Town Hall & Opera House
From an article by Atwood Manley written in 1962 for the Plaindealer - the building was approved by the legislature to be built in 1877, completed in 1880, Contractor - Harrison, Architect from NY - Vary - destroyed by fire Feb. 1962 The Ellsworth house is behind the trees to the left. This building was made of Potsdam grey sandstone. This building was built on the site of Dr. Campbell's house.

Ellsworth House

1906 - Canton Town Hall & Opera House - Miner Inn on right corner -Ellsworth House on left behind trees


Plaindealer 1960



Town Hall & Miner Inn

Town Hall and Miner Inn around 1910
Miner Inn was built for Dr. Daniel Campbell (who died in Canton April 16, 1821) and became an annex for Hodskin and Harrington Hotels according to Images of America - Canton by Linda A Casserly, Julie Sherman Grayson and Judith C. Liscum
Daniel Campbell's daughter, Eliza Gracia Campbell, married Ebenezer Miner on Mar 2, 1829 in Canton. Daniel Campbell is on the 1810 & 1820 Canton Census.
Rootsweb Link for Daniel Campbell:
http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=gmb633&id=I03354
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The Night the Town Hall Burned - Picture
from the Plaindealer - Feb 1962
Click to read about other Canton Fires


Main Street

Main Street 1907

Main Street 1908

Same corner as above, 20-30 years later, Post Office where the American Hotel used to be, American Theater, Sugar Bowl, Town Hall down the street

Lower Main 1908

Main Street 1910

Winter Main Street 1910

Canton Commercial Advertiser 1950

Main Street 1914
Canton Clothing Company sign on Miner Block - notice 3 chimneys
WE Dunn & Sons
H ___ Witmars____

Main Street 1920

Garage on Left - taken from Bridge

dup

Same view but earlier - Blacksmith shop on left, road not paved....says C (Charles) W Rich? - Groceries, Crockery & Glassware - Lamps of all kinds, Cigars & Tobacco, Flour, Pork, Lard Fish Salt, Fertilizers - Millinery shop up the street on the left

Canton Commercial Advertiser Jan 4, 1910

Canton Commercial Advertiser 1950
Main Street, Sugar Bowl & Miner Block(rt) & PO & American Theater & Town Hall (lt)

Main Street in the snow - Newman's on Rt.

St. Lawrence Plaindealer April 26, 1956

Post Office & American Theater
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$70,000 "Moving" Theatre erected by Byron H. Rogers - 1921
1920 Canton Census - Byron Rogers age 63 born NY, father from Ireland, mother from Vt, dealer of Coal & Wood, wife Edith 43, born in Canada, living at 50 Miner Street

Park 1905
Land given to the Presbyterian Church by Silas Wright and Joseph Barns and deed to be used as "public commons"


Park 1907

Soldier's Monument & Park
Monument erected in 1898, designed by L.W. Eldridge of Canton - Soldier at "Parade Rest" - honors Civil War, World Wars and the Koran War

Park Fountain 1911

Eagle Mills - 1865 - SB Clark Prop.
According to "Images of Canton" book shown above, this mill was built in 1842 by Henry van Rensselaer. It was also know as Bullis Mill. Link to Henry Van Rensselaer: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Van_Rensselaer son of Stephen Van Rensselaer : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Van_Rensselaer and http://www.galafilm.com/1812/e/people/step_rensselaer.html
A 1959 article from the "Plaindealer" stated that the mill
was considered dangerous and was burned down under the supervision of the
fire department. It had been built in 1842 by Henry Van Rensselaer.
Van Rensselaer sold the mill to Sard Clark. Other owners included
George Robinson and Somner W Lassell and the Bullis brothers and then John
Coakley. From his sons it passed to Garrison Barcomb..jpg)
Eagle Mill - Lasell & Jewett
Possibly these Canton families:
1870 Canton Census:
Laselle Luman W. 32 M Farmer Vermont
Laselle Susan 29 F Keeping House New York
Laselle Alfred 2 M New York
Laselle Harriet 5/12 F New York
Barrows Prosper 66 M Vermont
(cabinet maker in 1850 census)
Laselle Hepsibah 77 F Vermont
Laselle Lemuel 39 M Farm Laborer Vermont
Jones Ella 19 F Domestic Servant Canada
Laselle Miron S. 54 M Farmer Vermont
Laselle Mary 47 F Keeping House Vermont
Laselle George 23 M Farm Laborer Vermont
Laselle John B. 20 M Farm Laborer Vermont
Laselle James M. 20 M Farm Laborer Vermont
Jewet Jacob 54 M Farmer
REMARKS: Handwritten page number 54, PO or Morley
Jewet Martha 58 F Keeping House Vermont
Jewet Sarah 28 F Teacher New York
Jewet Jacob 26 M Teacher New York
Jewet Martha 24 F New York
Jewet George 18 M At School New York
Jewet Sandord 15 M At School New York
Jewet Eva 85 F New York
Grasse River Looking Down Stream from
the Bridge

Sherwin's Mill - 1910 - Mill Flour, Feed & Farm Seed
According to "Images of America' book shown above this mill was built in 1860 by Captain Lucius Moody (Brother-in-law of Silas Wright) and it was also called St. Lawrence Mill. Daniel Webster Sherwin was a Civil War Veteran.

Sherwin's Mill Flour, Feed, Farm Seed

St. Lawrence Mills - Horace D. Moody was the son of Capt. Lucius Moody who owned the Mill (before Sherwin). On the 1870 Census Horace D is listed as a custom miller. His father is 64. His uncle, Horace Moody was once Secretary to Silas Wright and his aunt was Clarissa Moody Wright, wife of Silas Wright. This picture could have been taken in Canton before the 1869/1870 fires that razed Main Street. The building looks like the N (Nathan) L Stone Photography building shown on page 38 of "Images of America - Canton" by Linda A Casserly, Julie Sherman Grayson and Judith C. Liscum. Per Nathan's Obit, he came to Canton in 1870/72 and established NL Stone & Son Gallery. He lived in Potsdam. This photo is from this web site: http://ogdensburg.info/Region/Canton/canton.html

Ogdensburg Advance March 5, 1861

Ogdensburg Advance - March 22, 1861

Ogdensburg Advance - March 29, 1861
Rootsweb Link for Daniel W Sherwin - possibly owner of this mill - born in Fowler 1845, died in Canton 1929. Also in 1920 Canton Census:
http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:1496522&id=I1706
Click the button for more info on Daniel Webster Sherwin and William "Billy" Edward Sherwin

Mills - Eagle on left, Sherwins on Rt - on Grasse River 1914



Covered Bridge (1863-1904) - Pictures from Plaindealer- Logs in Grasse River
...and a covered bridge story....

...from the Commercial Advertiser and reprinted in the Adirondack News March 19, 1898

Court Street Looking South

Court Street Looking South early 1900s

Canton Club House

Canton Club House
(built around 1886 - once home of Dr. Elijah Baker and Fred Tisdale)

St. Lawrence Gazette 1826

St. Lawrence Gazette 1846

The Club & Billiard Room 1911

Canton Commercial Advertiser - by Richard C Ellsworth - May 15, 1928

Agriculture & Technical College 1969

Goodrich Street

1855 Masonic Hall - E. Miner's Block -
Etching from 1858 Map from Actual Surveys by AE Rogerson CE - Published by JB Shields - Minor St, Philadelphia
Etching by E.K Hough, Daguerrean Artist over B Hodskin's Store
CW Goodrich Dry Goods - WC Cooke's Law Office - Tinware - Cadwell & Goodno Dry Goods
Miners Block is where Pearls Store was on the corner of Main and Court St. -Destroyed by fire in 1858.
Click here for more information about this etching:

Canton Plaindealer 1864

Plaindealer 1959

Cavalry War Maneuvers 1940

1940 Army Maneuvers - 144 Infantry

Greetings

1885 Map - Fairground along Water Street (Riverside Drive) lower left and homes along State Street - right

Gouverneur Press 1882

Harness Track - the County Fairgrounds once were on Riverside Drive on land across from the Catholic Church to Riverside Drive

Harness Track
.jpg)
Fairground - Photo from Plaindealer
.jpg)
Fairground - Photo from Plaindealer
.jpg)
Fairground - Photo from Plaindealer
.jpg)
Fairground - Photo from Plaindealer
Octagonal
Floral Hall

Gouverneur Press 1889

Birthplace of Frederick Remington at 55 Court Street
Click here for more on Remington:
http://www.spanamwar.com/remington.htm
Visit the Remington Museum online here:
http://www.fredericremington.org/


Canton Commercial Advertiser 1943

Stereoview

Stereoview

Baseball Team

Canton-Massena Football Championship Game 1912

Canton 1805
St. Lawrence Plaindealer, July 26, 1893

Canton in Winter 1930s