We now come to the financial founder of the village of Skaneateles, a man whose individuality and marked influence gave the place a decided impetus. This was Col. William J. Vredenburg, who was born in New York city, April 13, 1757. He was an officer in the Revolution and a merchant in the place of his birth, and as early as 1791 was a large dealer in soldiers' claims on the Military Tract, visiting this section first in 1799. He removed to Skaneateles village in May, 1803, with his wife, four daughters, and two sons, stopping first under a large elm tree near the corner of Jordan and Academy streets. He purchased the house and lot subsequently occupied by Charles J. Barnett, from Levi Sartwell, a carpenter, who had bought the site of Judge Sanger in January, 1800, built the dwelling and kept it as a tavern. Soon afterward Colonel Vredenburg- purchased of Judge Sanger the unsold portions of military lot 36, upon which the village stands, and selected a commanding eminence of twenty acres for a future residence. This site was then the village cemetery, and contained about sixteen graves, all without headstones. The remains were transferred to the then private burying ground of John Briggs (whose wife was buried there in 1802), which was purchased by the Skaneateles Religious Society in 1812 for a public burial place. In 1804 the colonel began the erection of his mansion, which he finished about 1806. The
floors were being laid on the memorable "dark day" (June 16) of that year. His dwelling was a veritable palace for those times, and the raising of the frame was the occasion of a vast demonstration. Invitations were sent to all the inhabitants for miles around. The colonel surrounded his house with one of the finest gardens west of the Hudson
River, procuring first a Mr. Dullard, and afterwards Samuel Litherland, professional gardeners, for the purpose. He was a man of large means, a liberal, kind-hearted citizen, and an active promoter of the general welfare. At first he had to send to Marcellus twice a week for his mail, but, dissatisfied with this arrangement, he wrote to the postmaster-general and procured a post-ofifice in Skaneateles in April, 1804, in which he was appointed the first postmaster. He was a member of assembly in 1804-06, and died here May 9, 1813, leaving a large landed
estate of several thousand acres in Central New York. His homestead passed to Daniel Kellogg, after whose death it was occupied by his daughter, Mrs. G. F. Leitch, until her decease. The house finally burned down in 1873. Colonel Vredenburg was succeeded as postmaster by John Ten Eyck, who was followed by Charles J. Barnett, who held the office from 1817 to 1843.
floors were being laid on the memorable "dark day" (June 16) of that year. His dwelling was a veritable palace for those times, and the raising of the frame was the occasion of a vast demonstration. Invitations were sent to all the inhabitants for miles around. The colonel surrounded his house with one of the finest gardens west of the Hudson
River, procuring first a Mr. Dullard, and afterwards Samuel Litherland, professional gardeners, for the purpose. He was a man of large means, a liberal, kind-hearted citizen, and an active promoter of the general welfare. At first he had to send to Marcellus twice a week for his mail, but, dissatisfied with this arrangement, he wrote to the postmaster-general and procured a post-ofifice in Skaneateles in April, 1804, in which he was appointed the first postmaster. He was a member of assembly in 1804-06, and died here May 9, 1813, leaving a large landed
estate of several thousand acres in Central New York. His homestead passed to Daniel Kellogg, after whose death it was occupied by his daughter, Mrs. G. F. Leitch, until her decease. The house finally burned down in 1873. Colonel Vredenburg was succeeded as postmaster by John Ten Eyck, who was followed by Charles J. Barnett, who held the office from 1817 to 1843.
We now come to the financial founder of the village of Skaneateles, a man whose individuality and marked influence gave the place a decided impetus. This was Col. William J. Vredenburg, who was born in New York city, April 13, 1757. He was an officer in the Revolution and a merchant in the place of his birth, and as early as 1791 was a large dealer in soldiers' claims on the Military Tract, visiting this section first in 1799. He removed to Skaneateles village in May, 1803, with his wife, four daughters, and two sons, stopping first under a large elm tree near the corner of Jordan and Academy streets. He purchased the house and lot subsequently occupied by Charles J. Barnett, from Levi Sartwell, a carpenter, who had bought the site of Judge Sanger in January, 1800, built the dwelling and kept it as a tavern. Soon afterward Colonel Vredenburg- purchased of Judge Sanger the unsold portions of military lot 36, upon which the village stands, and selected a commanding eminence of twenty acres for a future residence. This site was then the village cemetery, and contained about sixteen graves, all without headstones. The remains were transferred to the then private burying ground of John Briggs (whose wife was buried there in 1802), which was purchased by the Skaneateles Religious Society in 1812 for a public burial place. In 1804 the colonel began the erection of his mansion, which he finished about 1806. The
floors were being laid on the memorable "dark day" (June 16) of that year. His dwelling was a veritable palace for those times, and the raising of the frame was the occasion of a vast demonstration. Invitations were sent to all the inhabitants for miles around. The colonel surrounded his house with one of the finest gardens west of the Hudson
River, procuring first a Mr. Dullard, and afterwards Samuel Litherland, professional gardeners, for the purpose. He was a man of large means, a liberal, kind-hearted citizen, and an active promoter of the general welfare. At first he had to send to Marcellus twice a week for his mail, but, dissatisfied with this arrangement, he wrote to the postmaster-general and procured a post-ofifice in Skaneateles in April, 1804, in which he was appointed the first postmaster. He was a member of assembly in 1804-06, and died here May 9, 1813, leaving a large landed
estate of several thousand acres in Central New York. His homestead passed to Daniel Kellogg, after whose death it was occupied by his daughter, Mrs. G. F. Leitch, until her decease. The house finally burned down in 1873. Colonel Vredenburg was succeeded as postmaster by John Ten Eyck, who was followed by Charles J. Barnett, who held the office from 1817 to 1843.
floors were being laid on the memorable "dark day" (June 16) of that year. His dwelling was a veritable palace for those times, and the raising of the frame was the occasion of a vast demonstration. Invitations were sent to all the inhabitants for miles around. The colonel surrounded his house with one of the finest gardens west of the Hudson
River, procuring first a Mr. Dullard, and afterwards Samuel Litherland, professional gardeners, for the purpose. He was a man of large means, a liberal, kind-hearted citizen, and an active promoter of the general welfare. At first he had to send to Marcellus twice a week for his mail, but, dissatisfied with this arrangement, he wrote to the postmaster-general and procured a post-ofifice in Skaneateles in April, 1804, in which he was appointed the first postmaster. He was a member of assembly in 1804-06, and died here May 9, 1813, leaving a large landed
estate of several thousand acres in Central New York. His homestead passed to Daniel Kellogg, after whose death it was occupied by his daughter, Mrs. G. F. Leitch, until her decease. The house finally burned down in 1873. Colonel Vredenburg was succeeded as postmaster by John Ten Eyck, who was followed by Charles J. Barnett, who held the office from 1817 to 1843.
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