Rome Free Academy - De O Wain Sta Yearbook (Rome, NY)

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THE DE-O-WAIN-STA 11 making. A foot race was run by representatives of each of the Six Nations. To everyone's surprise, Paul, a slim, lithe Oneida lad, won the prize of 215250 in gold. During the Revolution the settlers who lived around Fort Stanwix had gone down the valley, and it was not until 1785 that our city was re- settled. About 1786 Dominick Lynch, a wealthy New York merchant, bought much land in this section, and about ten years later he laid out a village site, calling the village Lynchville, which name was subsequently changed to Rome. In 1797 Wood Creek and the Mohawk River were first connected by a canal, for canoes and bateaux, dug by the Inland Lock and Navigation Company. Rome's first road to the West was the Genesee Turnpike, which was opened, too, in 1797. On July 4, 1817, the first spadeful of earth in the Erie Canal con- struction was dug at Rome by Joshua Hathaway, and two years later the first canal boat was drawn between Rome and Utica. The canal was com- pleted in 1825. ln 1825, also, Lafayette passed through Home on his triumphal tour of the then twenty-four states of the Union. The Utica-Syracuse Railroad, which passed through Rome, was opened in June, 1839. This was the first railroad in this section. Rome grew slowly until within the last quarter of a century. Since then, our population has increased enormously. When we reflect that our population is nearly 33,000, we see that our city has progressed much since the time when there were about a dozen families living around Fort Stanwix. Our city has had a glorious past. We have had a resplendent heritage passed on to us. The brave deeds of Gansevoort, Willett and Herkimer should make us more conscious of our duty to our nation and city. Let us be inspired with the spirit of 'these heroes and help Rome to live up to its traditional lofty standard. H. D. W.,'26.

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10 THE DE-O-WAIN-STA riots of the lower Mohawk Valley, who were on their way to relieve the besieged Fort Stanwix, and who were commanded by General Nicholas Herkimer, were attacked at Oriskany by the enemy, hiding in ambush. A terrific battle ensued. The earth reeked with blood. Herkimer received a fatal wound in his leg, but nevertheless, calmly smoking his pipe, directed the battle from his saddle, which was propped underneath the shade of a beech tree, his horse having been shot. The enemy was finally overcome and the patriots, having suffered a great loss of men, withdrew to the lower Mohawk Valley. The garrison at the fort had been informed by messengers that Her- kimer was marching to its relief. While the battle at Oriskany was raging Colonel Willett made a sortie to the British camp, where he captured much booty, among which were some British flags. On his return the British flags were hoisted on the ramparts of the fort UNDER the Stars and Stripes. The siege continued till the twenty-second with almost constant fight- ing every day. On the twenty-third, St. Leger and his troops, induced by a combination of circumstances, among which was the deception of Han Yost, ingloriously beat a hasty retreat to Canada. The next day General Benedict Arnold, with his troops, arrived. Now the fort was safe, St. Leger defeated, and the great victory at Saratoga made possible. Consider for a moment what the consequences might have been had Fort Stanwix fallen and the Mohawk Valley been laid waste. Doubtless New York would have been conquered, the colonies overcome, and the United States unknown. During the Revolution the only tribes of the Iroquois which did not remain loyal to King George were the Tuscaroras and the Oneidas. It was largely due to the efforts of their Great Chief, Skenandoah, and Sam- uel Kirkland, the Indian missionary, that these tribes favored the cause of the colonies. Oneida warriors served as guides and spies for the colonial armies and on some occasions engaged in battle. Kirkland and Skenandoah, fast friends, were estiniable men and they deserve much honor and praise. After the Revolution George Washington visited Fort Stanwix to see with his own eyes the scenes where far-famed deeds had been performed. He was also interested in the future construction of an inland canal in this section. At Fort Stanwix in 1784 a peace treaty was negotiated by which the Six Nations ceded to the United States the whole Northwest Terri- tory and gave up their war captives. Lafayette was present at this negotiation. The last Indian treaty was that of 1788, by which the Iroquois gave up their lands in New York State, with the exception of their reservations. Much jollification attended this treaty DOMINIUK LYNCH

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12 THE DE-O-WAIN-STA General William Floyd F ' William Floyd was born at Mastic, Long Island, December 7, 1734. Floyd played an important part in the Revolu- tiong first as commander of a Suffolk regiment and later as a member of the Provincial Assembly, from which in 1774 he was sent as a delegate to the First Continental Congress. As one of New York's delegates to the Second Continental Congress, Floyd signed the Declaration of Independence, the act which has made him so well known. 1 Throughout the Revolution he served in the State Legislature and the Conti-- nental Congresses. During the war his GENERAL WILL!-UI FLOYD large estate on Long Island was con- fiscated and despoiled by the British. His family fled to Middletown, Con- necticut, for safety. As a Presidential Elector in 1792, 1800 and 1804 he exercised his influence for Jefferson, whom he greatly admired. In 1784 Floyd purchased a tract of land in Oneida County and in 1803 he moved on to his purchase where he built a village known as West- ernville around his home. This village is about eight miles north of Rome. On August 4, 1821, Floyd died. He is buried in the cemetery of the Pres- byterian Church at Westernville. About five miles east of Floyd's last resting place is the grave of an- other illustrious Revolutionary hero, Baron Steuben, Hthe Drillmaster of the Revolution. Steuben, too, had a tract of land in Oneida County and he is buried on a portion of it. In addition to the heritage of the many events of note that have occurred in Oneida County this section has the distinction of containing the graves of these two renowned men, Floyd and Steuben. This generation can pay no better tribute to the pioneers of the Mohawk Valley, than to rescue from oblivion the true import of the deeds they did. -Page 2 Memorial of the Centennial Celebration of the Battle of Oriskany, August 6, 1877.