Dr. James Pratt - Eaton's First Physician & Teacher

In 1797 Eaton’s first teacher and physician made his way to Eaton.  At that time Eaton was no more than a “log city” with promise for the future.  Dr. James Pratt and three brothers settled in Eaton and Dr. Pratt, though eminently qualified to teach at a college level, commenced to teach school for the settlers’ children.

The schooling would take place at the homes of different prominent men in the area, with the students boarding at that house while school was in session.  The first month it was at Joseph Morse’s house (the first Morse house at the foot of what is now Hamilton Hill Road), the next at the home of Joshua and Waitstill Leland at Leland’s second house at the pond, and the third at the Thomas Morris residence in Morris Flats (which become Morrisville).

James Pratt was a member of the Madison County Medical Society and in 1806 was its’ Treasurer.  In 1808 he became the Justice of the Peace and was an early member of the Congregational Church.  This church, established in 1805, was located in Eaton Center Which no longer exists.

One of the young Morse students he taught was later to become his much younger wife.  Eunice it is said, took a long time to transform herself in the Doctor’s eyes, from student to wife.  Theirs was the first marriage in the new Stone Morse Mansion and they resided in the red house on Route 26 which,  was noted by a New York State Historic marker, both house and the marker have disappeared from history.

     It is believed that Dr. Pratt was killed by robbers while traveling with a large amount of money and word of his death took much time in arriving because he was traveling in disguise, as many wealthy people did in those days, to prevent such an occurrence.

     Humorously, in reading certain historic records it is important to make sure that you are reading about the right person.  This is true in the early Eaton record books as in Eaton at the same time, 1807, there was indeed another James Pratt.  James Pratt was a tavern keeper in the village from 1805-1807.  This James Pratt was a Juror in 1828, and was a member of the Anti-Mason delegation in 1829. Since we know that this James Pratt died in 1836, at the age of 68 and is buried at Madison Lake, we feel that we are right in assuming that Dr. James Pratt was the man killed by thieves, especially with Eunice’s letter to her family from the west saying, “…that it is true about my poor husband.”

     Dr. Pratt’s three brothers, one of whom he taught and who traveled with him during the school year, were all Physicians.

Up Coming Memorial Day, Museum and History plus Fun

Well...while thinking about the upcoming Memorial Day Holiday I was struck by the fact that this year will really be unlike so many before.  Our little Museum crew was going to do a celebration for the 25th Anniversary of the Neighbors for Historic Eaton the group that started this whole history of Eaton gig.  Doesn't seem possible but its been 25 years. But the Covid 19 has ended these thoughts for this year.

What started as a parade and cake in 1995 has now expanded to two museum buildings, websites and history research area, as well as a place in the historical community of New York State.  There is much work to be done though, especially on getting our research work labeled, setting up cleaning for old documents and sorting etc, ...for this we will need volunteers,,,but that must wait just like the Memorial Day Celebration this year.

In a week I will start a series on the Revolutionary War and the early settlers of Eaton who served in that war and I am hoping to do a presentation on video of the cemetery and the man who we have chosen to honor this year.  He has a famous name... Myles Standish, and yes he is a direct descendent of Myles Standish of the Plymouth Colony.

So while wandering around the Cemetery I came across the grave of Melville Landon, better known as Eli Perkins.  He was a Civil War Veteran, a Major and helped set up defenses for Washington DC before the War.  His later life made him a lecturer and comedian.  So to cheer us up a bit I am going to include a piece of humor he wrote on one of Eaton's past residents...a real businesses man whose store was on Main Street across from today's gas mart.

Uncle Hank

Uncle Hank Allen was perhaps the smoothest and most accomplished liar in central New York. There were other ordinary country post-office liars in the beautiful village of Eaton, New York, where I was born but Uncle Hank could lie like a gifted metropolitan. 

Every night Uncle Hank’s grocery was filled with listening citizens, all paying the strictest attention whenever the good old man spoke. When Charley Campbell or John Whitney lied nobody paid much attention because they were clumsy workmen. Their lies would not hold water like Uncle Hank’s.

Why, the old man’s lies were so smooth, so artistic, that, while listening to them, you imagined you were listening to Elder Cleveland’s Bible stories.

One day they were talking about potato bugs in Uncle Hank’s grocery:

“Talk about potato bugs,” said Dr. Purdy, “why, up in my garden there are twenty bugs on a stalk.”

“Twenty bugs on a stalk! Only twenty!” mused Charley Campbell contemptuously, “Why..they ate my first crop of potatoes two weeks ago and they are now sitting all around the lot on trees and fences waiting for me to plant them all over again.”

“Why you don’t know anything about the ravenous nature of them potater bugs!” exclaimed Uncle Hank. “You may call me a liar, but I’ve had potater bugs walk right into my kitchen and yank red-hot potaters right out of the oven! ‘Waiting around for the second crop,” exclaimed Old Hank with sneer. “Waiting? Why, by gosh and blast your souls, I was up to Townsend’s store yesterday and I saw potater bugs up there looking over Townsend’s books to see who bought seed potaters for next year. I did, by gum!”

The whole grocery was still when Uncle Hank finished. You could have heard a pin drop. Finally, a long lean man from Woodman’s Pond raised himself up. The stranger, evidently a new-comer and not acquainted with Mr. Allen, pointed his long finger at Uncle Hank and exclaimed with a hiss “You are a liar!”

Uncle Hank looked over his glasses at the stranger long and earnestly. Then holding out his hand, he inquired with a puzzled look:

“Where did you get acquainted with me?”

A special history, a Stray, and Winston Churchill's love of Cats

Here the story of home and a famous cat called Jock!

Winston  Churchill’s mother was Jennie Jerome, a beautiful American who actually has great ties to CNY.  The Jerome Family farms were in CNY and the land that my family built its house on was part of the Jerome Farm…home of Jennie’s grandmother.  

Thoughts of the Jerome farm led me to ponder the fact that for Christmas one year I gave my brother the gold watch dad had given me...he had found the old gold watch in the family garden as a young man...a garden that would later become the family compound of homes.  Repaired and running, I thought it was a great family history piece and a great present.

Picture I took on a trip to London
of Churchill's statue with
Big Ben in Background

Churchill was supposed to come to speak at a family reunion in Syracuse once, but had to turn back because of the presence of U Boats...he did send a telegram to the family group assembled…a piece of history I learned from the Wood-Eaton sisters who visited me years back in Eaton.  They were relatives and were to be at the reunion and remembered the trip.   They had come to Eaton to visit their great grandfather Allen Nelson Wood’s house, the house I live in.  Isn’t it strange how life is full of so much serendipity?

Mr. Wood was named Allen Nelson Wood...Nelson for Lord Nelson a hero his family honored with the name for many generations…and then suddenly my grey cat Rascal jumped in my lap…hint …one o f Winston Churchill’s most famous cat’s  (grey) was named Nelson to honor Lord Nelson.

Churchill was a cat lover, actually an animal lover.  Winston and his wife Clementine signed their love letters to each other with little drawn pictures…he a dog (Pug) she his cat...and their daughter the PK or puppy-kitten.

His cat stories are famous and many can still picture him speaking with a drink in one hand and the grey cat next to him. One story I love is... after one of his famous speeches (he had a lisp as well as drank) a woman MP in Parliament said, “Sir, you are drunk!”  His replay was “Madame that may be true, but in the morning I shall be sober whereas you will still be ugly!”

His favorite cat in later life cat was a ginger-marmalade colored cat he called  “Jock”, named after Sir John Coville his secretary who gave it to him.  Churchill loved the color and the cat so much that after giving his home Chartwell to the National Trust… he stated in his will that it should always have a ginger colored cat in residence…and to this day it does…and always named appropriately “Jock”.

Great piece of history...please help find this new stray cat a home or its owner!

Eaton History Day better known as Eaton Day, Memorial Day and Me!

It is May and as I do every year I work on the upcoming Memorial Day Monday Eaton Day event.  As usual I try to put into words the importance of a "Community Day"... yet trying to word it to entice even those not from the immediate community to come out and join their neighbors.  I have put on 20 of these, give or take a year.  So with that in mind I invite you to circle Memorial Day Monday, May 30th, on the calendar and come to our town and see what "rural small town America" still has going for it.   So with that thought in mind....... 

Tommy Hoe playing at last years event!

On Memorial Day Monday, May 30th, the Friends of the Old Town of Eaton Museum will be hosting the 21^st Annual “Eaton Day”. 

The day, which is held in the Hamlet of Eaton on Route 26, is an opportunity for the Town of Eaton residents past and present to enjoy history, memories and good homemade bake goods with special activities thrown it!

The theme of this years event is "Preserving the Past for the Future" a statement that is a perfect description of the importance of the Old Town of Eaton Museum that is proud of the many artifacts and stories that are preserved within its 200 plus year walls.

The Friends of the Old Town of Eaton Museum hold “Eaton Day” in an effort to raise money for the upkeep the museum building and to put on and fund the event each year.  The mission of the group being to responsibly sustain the museum building and contents as a significant evolving repository of local history and artifacts through fund raising, tours, and celebrations of which “Eaton Day” each year is an important part.

The group feels it is important for the citizens of the Town of Eaton to recognize that the artifacts housed within the walls of the Eaton Museum, those heirlooms that may come to us in the future and those people, both living and dead who form the tapestry of our community are, in fact, our inheritance.  Also, by engaging the community, on Eaton Day, they hope to protect the Town’s shared heritage and leave a legacy for the future and the future of the Old Town of Eaton Museum.  

The “Day”, that  features, a huge bake and pie sale, tours of the museum, food, crafts & rummage tables, basket raffles, as well as entertainment and history, with its theme of Preserving the Past for the Future, is a perfect explanation of the museum’s goals.  Eaton Day starts at 9am and goes to 4pm, with special presentations starting after the parade, which this year is in Morrisville.

Come join the Eaton Community for an old fashioned day of fun and community pride, Eaton Day!

Some clips from the past!

Eunice Bigelow Morse, Deidamia Chase MD, and all the pioneer ladies who settled our land!

Eunice and Joseph Morse

This week working on the book for the Eaton Village Cemetery as a “fund Raiser” I had the opportunity to think about a great number of women who survived the arduous journeys from other Northeastern areas to Eaton in the times of settlement.  Women, who bore children, took care of the family and worked side by side with their husbands clearing land and starting a new life.

Certainly among the most famous is Eunice Bigelow Morse of the famous Stowe-Bigelow -Morse families of Natick, Massachusetts.  Eunice came with her husband Joseph, and young children to a place that would become not only home to her but to generations of her family.

A relative Harriet Beecher Stowe in a book titled “Old Town Folks”, forever immortalized Eunice’s family.  Many believed the story was written by Harriet's husband Calvin Ellis Stowe for his family… the Stowe’s… However, when Harriet married Callvin she married into the same family as her grandmother. * It is interesting to note that the Eaton Museum has the first edition of Hearth & Home with the first installment of that book inside…a newspaper kept untouched by Eunice Morse. 

The museum also has Eunice’s rocker and the cradle she used for what became the famous Morse brood.  The Natick crowd (Old Town Folks) also included other Morses…crab (Hezekiah Morse”, Grandpa Stowe of Eaton’s Stow Tavern…. and many more.

From Luna Hammond’s History in part:   

 Joseph (Eunice)  removed to Eaton in 1796 from Natick… Joseph Morse was the founder of Eaton village, and his sons have been identified with nearly all of its business interests. These sons were named as follows: Ellis,  whose biographical sketch appears in the chapter relating to Eaton, Joseph, who moved to Pennsylvania served in the Legislature of that State, and also became judge of the County Courts; Calvin, who was an elected member of the Legislature from Madison County in 1842, and has held municipal offices in town and county; Alpheus, who has been a merchant and scientific farmer, and for many years past, manufacturer, being proprietor of the Alderbrook Woolen Mill; and Bigelow, who was a respected citizen of Fabius, Onondaga County. Eunice, the eldest daughter of Joseph More, married Dr. James Pratt the pioneer physician of Eaton.   After her husband's death, she with her family removed and began pioneer life again in Palmyra, Mo.  She was a woman of indomitable will and great energy of character.

     The descendants of Joseph (and Eunice) Morse have, many of them, distinguished themselves in various positions. Gen. Henry B. Morse entered the late war as Captain of the 114th Reg. N. Y. V., was promoted to the office of Colonel, and subsequently, for meritorious services, was breveted Brigadier-General in the army of the southwest. He is grandson of Joseph Morse; as also is the Rev. Andrew Morse, who as a young man was a missionary to Siam and then become the Chaplain of the U S Treasury and friends with Abraham Lincoln,. Gardner Morse, who was member of the Legislature in 1866, Walter, a member of the manufacturing firm of Wood, Tabor & Morse, George E., a prominent citizen interested in the schools and who founded the Eaton Village Cemetery Association, and Alfred, who bravely gave his life for the Union cause at the battle of Winchester,Va. ; all these being sons of Ellis Morse. Darwin and Frank B. Morse, merchants at Eaton village, Allie Morse Burchard whose husband formed the Chenango Breeder’s Association, Children of Bigelow, are grandsons of Joseph Morse. Two grand-daughters, Belinda and Eliza, daughters of Calvin, have been conspicuous as teachers, the latter being now assistant Principal of Vassar Female College.

     Hezekiah Morse, the third of the pioneer brothers, came to Eaton in 1806. His children are scattered and many of them dead.   One of his sons. Alpha was for many years a prominent manufacturer of Eaton.  Another son, Elijah, who is now dead, was a wealthy farmer of Eaton. A grand-daughter is wife of  Rev. John Raymond, President of Vassar Female College, Poughkeepsie, N. Y. Albert H. Morse, a prominent citizen of Eaton is also a grandson, being son of Elijah. H. B. Morse, youngest son of Hezekiah, is a scientific and successful farmer of Norwich, N. Y. (and this is just and excerpt)

What a family… and that isn’t all of them and their accomplishments.  The very road today’s Eaton Village Cemetery is located on (Landon Road) was once the Great Skaneateles Turnpike a road that it is claimed would not have been built except for Joseph and Ellis who controlled 51 percent of the stock investment… an investment they made of $30,000 in 1810… think about it.

Come out to Eaton Day on Memorial, Day Monday… tour the cemetery…by a book, make a donation to support the Eaton Village Cemetery Association and help Eaton celebrate History and  “Happy Mother’s Day” to all of those pioneer women whose husbands and children made our area a wonderful piece of rural Americana! 

*Interestingly Luna Hammond the historian and her famous mother Deidamia Button Chase (the first female physician of Madison County) and her famous brood are also buried in the cemetery. Almost all of the Morse family is buried in the Eaton Cemetery including the Morse – Motts. Did you know that Luna's brother Julius was the historian for the US Treasury in Washington DC.

Genesee Country Museum, Madison County History, and the country poet!

The fall in all of its colors has started to envelop Central New York and for fun my little "history circle" of history friends... took to the highway to take advantage of the Smithsonian Magazines "free day" at a museum.

The ride took us to scenic Mumford, NY and the Genesee Country Village.  The village is a living history museum on its own, that includes tons of historic houses, businesses and buildings that have been moved to the site and restored.  The village also contains and Art Museum and a Nature Center and I assure you you can not see it all in one day.


The barns and shops scream history and you can actually picture yourself walking around in the Disney movie Pollyanna.  The collection includes houses and buildings from the 1790's to the Victorian Age.... and has everything from farms to the local Post Office, all taken back to how they looked when they were built and used.

I so wish Madison County with all of its historic buildings in decay would realise the need for preservation and laws prohibiting the removal of historic structures that in the worst case are replaced by cheap trailers.

This week  also brought Madison County Historian Matt Urtz and hardworking Bruce Burke up to my historic building favorite... the Old Town of Eaton Museum.... to film "a historical insights" piece for the PAC 99 station in Oneida, that will air this week on Tuesday!

The museum building is the oldest stone building in the Town of Eaton, and it is a prime example of a structure that cannot be replaced..it is a rubble building..once mistakenly called a canal era limestone building.

This makes me think of a poem I did many years ago that I include here for your enjoyment. (I hope!)

Small Country Town

Small country town, your praises I sing!

Up with what is old!

Buried in your graveyard,

Now moss covered and fallen,

Is an age of birth,

Back to our nation’s beginning.

As I gaze at the town below,

I can see the old stage

With its old driver bent, riding away.

The town’s bustle now a mere hum,

Cars rolling by one by one.

Your people I salute, for they still persist,

As their past on the cemetery hill sits.

Families untouched by time, still close,

Though taken away by work,

And returning again at dusk.

I praise your farmer,

Who works from dawn to dark,

Full knowing his family heritage,

Has given way to progress,

Yet continues to plod along.

Hold on! For we need you as a nation!

Hold on for all that is good and fine!

To the preacher and his Sunday flock,

Whose church can only stay as a community faith.

To the small businessman who must make his word good,

For he faces each man day after day. 

Bless them Lord

And give them strength to continue,

So the country shall not want.

Memorial Day Weekend ...Remembrance...and its history!

Re-enactors at the Eaton Museum

Well what a holiday weekend…the weather was unbelievable.. .Snow…Rain…Hail…wind…Frost!

Monday turned out to be a celebration for some to just get out of the house.  To those who turned out for the different parades and celebrations you are to be congratulated.  Memorial Day definitely has its sad and happy moments. In Eaton we celebrated and remembered our Revolutionary War Veteran's.

Dick Leland with Col. Joshua
 Leland's Revolutionary War
Sword! 

The stories on the original start of Memorial Day are numerous but in New York State we think it is Waterloo.

Many younger people do not realize that May 30th was the original Decoration Day, which became today’s Memorial Day. Now set on the 4th Monday in May, its history is forever linked to Waterloo, New York, a village that on May 5th, 1866, closed its doors to business to allow its citizens to put flowers and flags on the graves of its Civil War dead.

The town’s local druggist Henry C. Wells put the idea forth originally and Civil War General John B. Murray, who picked up the idea a year later, joined with him to make the original celebration a reality. The village held ceremonies with a somber march to the cemetery while martial music played and in Waterloo, it became a yearly tradition.

By 1868 the observance was recognized by General Logan the Commander-and-Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic and was moved to May 30th.

This tradition perpetuated itself until the day was officially made a National Day of Remembrance for all those that fought and died for the United States, and today more than ever before it has become a community day that brings people together to watch parades, attend official cemetery ceremonies to remember our soldiers, and to reflect on all that is good in America.

For Waterloo, the history of the day is enshrined in the Memorial Day Museum on Waterloo’s Main Street. The museum contains information on the first Memorial Day and much information on the men who worked tirelessly to make it a National Holiday of importance and a yearly reminder of the great price we have paid through the years to not only keep our nation as one, but to keep it FREE!