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Old Houses of The North Country
-No. 454
—Photo and Caption by David F. Lane
DANIEL ACKERMAN HOUSE ON PILLAR POINT
it for an investment inasmuch as he never resided there.
I It was on Jan. 3, 1835, that Daniel Ackerman, one of
the earliest settlers in the town of Brownville's Pillar
Born at Hartwick, N. Y., Sept. 8, 1814, Mr. Bradford
Point area, purchased a plot of 40.49 acres of land from learned card making and blacksmithing as well as beThomas W. Ludlow and Thomas Ludlow Ogden of New coming an expert machinist. Locating first in Clayton
York city for $243.42. On Nov. 17, 1836, he paid Wash- he removed to Watertown in 1838, had charge of the
ington and Stephanie Coster of New York $178.48 for an George Goulding & Company machine shop for several
adjoining parcel of 50.17 acres. These two parcels con- years until 1850, there conceived the idea of a portable
stitute the small farm, upon which this low native lime- steam engine, built two, took Charles B. Hoard into partstone house stands.
nership in the name of Hoard & Bradford and organized
The house now vacant for some time was built about the Watertown Steam Engine company. In 1858 he was
the time of purchase of the land by Ackerman, and on elected to congress.
Mr. Bradford died April 4, 1885, and on Dec. 11, 1895,
Dec. 24, 1853, he and his wife, Elizabeth, disposed of the
place to Joseph Swart for $3,000. There was included in George W. Knowlton as executor of his estate sold this
that transaction a third parcel referred to in the deed as Pillar Point stone house and farm to Andrew Taylor,
a fishing ground which Ackerman had purchased from native of England, who, with James A. Reeves, formed
William and Eleanor Gladwin May 6, 1846, but this was the firm of Reeves & Taylor, which built a large cheese
disposed of separately at a later date.
, factory on Pillar Point in 1885.
Mr. Taylor, whose daughter, Ella M., married Judge
Joseph and Catharine Swart kept this house and the
two original parcels aggregating 90.66 acres only five George W. Reeves of this city, Pillar Point native, died
years. On Nov. 15, 1858, they sold the property to John I.July 6, 1900, willing life-use of this farm to his son,
D. Ingerson and on Dec. 31, 1858, John D. and Mary In- lFrank M. Taylor, and then to his grandchildren, Floyd
gerson conveyed it to William G. Phillips of the town of
E. and Mildred E. Reeves, Andrew K. Taylor and Angie
Hounsfield.
iT. Gardner, Dexter.
Henderson Tuttle, Watertown, bought this farm from
Frank M. Taylor died Nov. 13,1931, and Dec. 29 of that
Phillips on April 22, 1862, and on June 19 of the same -year the grandchildren of Andrew Taylor sold this
year Tuttle and his wife, Sophronia, transferred the place propertv to the late Mrs. Nellie E. Poole, first wife of
to his brother, Theodore F. Tuttle, also of Watertown Arthur W. Poole of Dexter. On Feb. 3, 1944, Mrs. Poole
village. On March 11, 1871, Theodore F. and Abby Tuttle sold this place to Ross F. Savage and wife, Elizabeth, the
sold this farm to James Drury for $3,500 and it has since present owners, who added it to the adjoining 101.40 acre
been much referred to as the "Drury" farm.
Gould farm, which they had purchased from the estate of
The Drurys occupied the property for a decade and on Morris J. Gould April 5,1921, and upon which they reside.
Jan. 1, 1881, disposed of it to Gilbert Bradford, prominent They are considering rehabilitating this sturdy old stone
Watertown citizen and industrialist, who apparently took house as a home for their son.
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