Town of Otisco History
The town of Otisco was created by glaciers during the last ice age, about one thousand years ago. Native Americans came to the region first. There are no known permanent Native American settlements in the town; however, the Native Americans most likely hunted the region and fished in Otisco Lake. Amber residents Frank Traub and Ernest Bouttelle found Native American artifacts on their properties, but the locations of their findings have since been covered by lake water when the level of Otisco Lake was raised by the various dams. Town ancestors also spoke of several places in Amber where there were "large round black places" in the ground that were thought to be places of Native American campfires.
The first white settler to the town of Otisco is believed to have been Oliver Tuttle. Tuttle came to the northern end of Otisco Lake with his sons and cleared land in 1798. When he became ill, he and his sons returned to Cincinnatus. Four years later, Oliver returned with his family to his clearing only to find a small rugged settlement.
In 1801 came the next Otisco settler was Chauncey Rust from South Hampton, Massachusetts. Chauncey built a log cabin on Route 80 near the Wright Road intersection on land that was part of the Roy Bardwell farm . Chauncey's wife, Silence Hanum, gave birth to the first resident born in the town, Timothy, on March 22, 1803.
The first Church was built on Otisco Valley Road, just north of the creamery around 1806 or early 1807. The church's first members were Charles Merriman, Rachel Merriman, Phinehas Sparks, Oliver Tuttle, Abigail Tuttle, Solomon Judd, Samuel French, Benjamin Cowles, Ebenezer French, Amos Cowles, and Luther French.
The actual Town of Otisco was formed from parts of Pompey, Marcellus, and
Tully. The town was officially created on March 21, 1806. The first town meeting was held on April 1, 1806 with Judah Hopkins, supervisor, and Joseph Barker, town clerk. The town was about 5 miles long, and a little over 5 miles wide. The highest elevation in the town was Bear Mountain at 1700 feet and the lowest point is Otisco Lake at 722 feet.
The first log school was built in the town in 1804, with Lucy Cowles as the
teacher. The first post office was in service in the town in 1814. Dr. Luther French was the postmaster. Telephone service appeared in the town in 1909. In 1916, telephone operator, Jacob Kamm, claimed to have been partially paralyzed by lightening which he alleged came through the telephone wire and into his house. He sued the telephone company for $25,000.00. Electric service for came to the town in 1917 and 20 years later, in 1937, the entire town had service.
Early travel to the town of Otisco could be made by a turnpike road which was started in 1806 and connected Tully to Skaneateles The road was most likely parts of Route 80, Oak HIll and Otisco Valley Roads. Otisco Lake also had a boat service with the ship Fonteny. The railroad cane to the north end of Otisco Lake in 1907.
The town's two fire departments were officially formed in December 1949. Clifford Bond was the first chief of the Amber Fire Department. Stanley Bardwell was the first chief of the Otisco Fire Department. Amber Fire Department's first truck was a 1949, 6 cylinder Ford which carried 500 gallons of water with a pumping capability of 500 gpm.
Old Home Days (which we now referred to as Field Days) was very popular in the town. A parade, music, food, and games were the main attractions. Amber's 1940 softball team members were: Stan Patterson, Ray Wheeler, Bob Cross, Frank Watkins, Kenny Watkins, Harley Bishop, John Head, Bernard Gardner, Joe Ryan, Vernon Bush, Stan Stopyro, ,Joe Stopyro, and Stanley Russell.
The town was not without crime with two interesting murder cases. The first occurred on Patterson Road in1904 and involving a love triangle where the husband and wife, Fred and Claudia Mason separated. Claudia returned to her father's farm where she befriended the hired man, John Hess. The husband came to the farm and accused the father, David Wilson, of hooking up the hired man with Claudia. He shot the father in the chest with a pistol. Fred fled and hid in Jake Schindler's barn in Amber. Sheriff Marvin came out the next day and formed a posse and the suspect was caught after he gave himself up to Mrs Schindler. During the murder trial, the father's body was exhumed and his vest showing the bullet holes was shown as evidence in the courtroom. Fred Mason was convicted of manslaughter and served 12 years and 4 months in jail. The hired man, John Hess, fell to his death down a well in August 1950.
Two interesting events occurred at the Hackett Hotel/House, which was located on Otisco Lane and Otisco Valley Road near the John Bishop farm. The hotel operated from 1900-1910 by inn keeper, Frank Casler. ln 1910, Mr. Casler had a spell of insanity causing him to slash his throat and wonder about the hotel until he collapsed and died.
Around 1912, the Hackett House (also called the Hosley house) was being demolished when two skeletons were found in a cistern. One of the skeletons was
believed to be that of Henry Wirth because of a piece of clothing and an earring that were identified as belonging to Wirth. Wirth disappeared 12 years prior and it was rumored by
some that he was buried in the causeway which was under construction at the time. Others rumored that Wirth got into an argument with Hackett Hotel bartender, Don McEvoy. McEvoy apparently struck Wirth over the head with a bottle, killing him. Oddly, no mention is made about the second skeleton.
The town's history is varied and interesting. Agriculture has always been a large industry in the town with wheat, oats, corn, and barley being the main crops. Also grown we hops(for brewing beer), tobacco, and thistles (for cleaning cotton). Other industries in town were mills, the Addison Newman foundry, a creamery and a clock maker ( Amber clocks are rare antiques) a gold digger. To follow the path to the present, you've had a look into the past, which may give you a glimpse into the future, as history has a way of repeating itself.
This information was provided by Otisco Town Historian.
