John Wilkinson (Syracuse pioneer)
Encyclopedia
John Wilkinson was a lawyer and first Postmaster
of community known as Bogardus Corners, Cossit's Corners and Salina
in Central New York
. As a young man, Wilkinson took inspiration from a poem about an ancient city and named the new village, Syracuse
just in time for the opening of the Erie Canal
. Wilkinson was a prominent citizen in Syracuse and was an original town planner and helped lay out and name the village streets. He also served as an assemblyman and founded the Syracuse Bank in 1838.
He was a close friend of Unitarian minister, Samuel Joseph May
, the fiery abolitionist. Wilkinson was an out-spoken advocate of the anti-slavery movement. His grandson, also named John Wilkinson
(1868-1951), was chief engineer at H. H. Franklin Manufacturing Company
where he invented the air-cooled motor used in the Franklin automobile which was manufactured in Syracuse
for 35 years.
(1758-1802) and Elizabeth "Betsey" Tower (born 1764). Together, the couple settled in Troy, New York
where they had four children. Seventeen years later, with his wife and children, Wilkinson Sr. left Troy in the dead of winter leading a cow and hiked west 180 miles with ox-drawn wagon (sledge) along the corridor that today roughly corresponds to Route 20.
John Wilkinson Jr. was only five-months old in 1799 and was still being nursed by his mother when the family settled about a mile from Skaneateles Lake
in the Finger Lakes
region of Upstate New York
where they built a farm. He was only three years old in 1802 when his father died after falling from the roof of the family's log barn. His mother remained on the "wilderness" farm and ran it with the help of her sons.
until he was 12 years old. Determined to give her children a good education after her husband's death, Wilkinson's mother enrolled him in Onondaga Academy about 1880. Local residents who remembered Wilkinson recalled that he walked 13 miles from his home to the academy at Onondaga
every Monday morning and would return by foot every Friday night carrying the family food for the week on his back.
in Central New York
where he was a lawyer and the first Postmaster
of Syracuse. He acquired some farm land, extending for some distance around where the Globe Hotel stood.
The land remained in the family until April 1889, when the family sold it to satisfy the creditors of a failed banking endeavor, Wilkinson & Company which was established by his two sons, Alfred Wilkinson and J. Forman Wilkinson and failed on December 9, 1884. At that time, John Wilkinson of Chicago, Illinois filed deeds in the County Clerk's office, conveying to him, the residences of both brothers (on James Street) and the building which "has since become known in court as the Globe property." Both sons died untimely deaths. J. Forman died two weeks after the land was sold and Alfred had passed a short time before.
.
In 1819, the same year he was admitted to the bar, Wilkinson helped survey the Walton Tract which was the "nucleus" of Syracuse. That same year, he opened a law office at South Salina and West Washington streets on his property which was later the site of the Globe Hotel, and some time afterwards the E. W. Edwards Department Store. In the early days, "many of his friends considered the location too far out of the village."
who was the mayor of Syracuse twice), Belden, Forman and Van Duyn.
John Wilkinson was married to Henrietta Wilhelmina Swartz on February 24, 1825. Together, they had eight children (three daughters and five sons) who were all born in Syracuse, New York
;
was known from 1806 to 1809 as Bogardus Corners, from 1809 to 1812 as Milan, from 1812 to 1814, as South Salina, from 1814 to 1817 as Cossitt's Corners. Salina
, now constituting the north part of the city, was incorporated as a village on March 12, 1824 and continued as an independent corporation until 1847 when it was merged into Syracuse
.
The most recent name, Cossitt's Corners, occurred when Sterling Cossitt of Marcellus
bought the local tavern located in the area later known as Clinton Square
. The area was largely avoided by settlers because of swampy living conditions. In 1818, the village of Cossitt Corner's enlisted Joshua Forman to act as agent to develop the tract. "He advertised the advantages of the area including the location of the Great Western Canal and the Seneca Turnpike, the proximity to the salt works, and water power from Onondaga Creek
where three mills were already in operation."
Local settler, James Geddes, had surveyed the land and made design plans several years earlier; however, so many changes had been made, the land needed to be resurveyed. Forman had his younger brother, Owen Forman and John Wilkinson, who studied law with Joshua Forman, complete the task and laid out the streets in the new village. Some of the original street names were Turnpike (Genesee), Water Street (Canal Street) and Dock Street (later called James Street).
Syracuse's low, swampy land was ideal for canal construction. The Erie Canal
opened in 1825 and quickly established the city's dominance over nearby settlements. As a result of the boom of the early canal years, the villages of Salina
and Syracuse merged to become the City of Syracuse
in 1848.
on February 24, 1820 of the area that included several small towns and villages, including; Bogardus Corners, Cossit's Corners and Salina
. The post office was a small business. Postal receipts were only $10 a quarter, or $40 a year, as contrasted with the receipts for 1952; $4,440,543.
The village was so small and there were so few patrons of the post office in the early days that Postmaster Wilkinson carried the mail about in his hat and delivered it to friends whom he "chanced to meet."
There are two different accounts of the first post office in the city. The more picturesque of the two states that it was literally a hole in the wall, situated in the store of General Granger on the present site of the Syracuse Savings Bank Building
. Others have recalled that it was in Judge Forman's office in the Forman House, where Water Street crosses Clinton Square
.
Wilkinson soon decided a change in location would be advantageous and the post office was moved to the drug store of Henry W. Durnford in East Washington Street, later the site of Lincoln Bank. This was the first change in location of the of the post office; for several years it was moved virtually at the "will" of the postmaster. When he moved the office to new quarters, Wilkinson carried all the equipment on his shoulders and was "forced" to make only one trip.
The original settlement was a conglomeration of several small towns and villages and hence did not get recognition from the United States Government. There was a delay in establishing the post office because the settlement did not have a name. Joshua Forman wanted to name the village, Corinth
, however, when John Wilkinson made an application for a post office in that name in 1820, it was denied because the same name was already in use in New York State in Saratoga County.
Wilkinson had read a poetical description of Syracuse, Sicily (Siracusa), which described that city and told of its place in ancient history. Wilkinson saw many similarities between the two areas. There were the gentle hills sloping to the beautiful lake, the lake itself, of similar size and form to Onondaga Lake
and salt springs that had both "salt and fresh water mingling together."
The poem was from a book of Oxford University prize poems written by Edward Stanley, Lord Derby, (namesake of the derby hat). The poem had won the Chancellor's prize and was translated from Latin. It was an epic about the Island of Ortygia, long before the foundations of Syracuse in Sicily
, a city on a lake fed by cold springs. A nearby town was mentioned named Salina. In addition, the Roman statesmen; Cicero, Marcellus and Messina were mentioned which were all names of towns in the area.
The typographical similarity was remarkable. "The view from where is now Long Branch
on Onondaga Lake
back to the encircling hills, with the bowl between and low lying salt lands of Liverpool
and Geddes
fringing the foreground is duplicated in a picture of the basin in which the city of Archimedes lived and worked. In addition, the marshes it faced were saline; it was on the highway of travel and nearby was a town called Salina. These material things are said to have led John Wilkinson to say to our city 'I baptize thee Syracuse.'"
On February 4, 1820, thirteen men which entailed all citizens (women were not counted as citizens) of the community met to choose a name. Suggestions included: Algiers, Wales, and Barbara. Wilkinson soon proposed the name Syracuse to fellow townsmen and it was accepted as the name of the village and as the name of the new post office.
Syracuse
received its village charter in 1825. At the time of incorporation the village had 15 merchants, one newspaper, a fire department, several small industries and a total population of 600. The new village was the union of Cossit's Corners (formerly Bogardus Corners), Walton Tract, Milan, Salina
, Onondaga Valley and another small settlement called Geddes
.
He also was president of the Syracuse City Water Works Company, a public utility, and built the reservoir on Onondaga Hill which long supplied Syracuse
with water. The Wilkinson Reservoir (now called Hiawatha Lake in Onondaga Park) was named for him.
and gave the salt industry
early impetus.
In 1842, Wilkinson was offered presidency of the old Utica & Syracuse Railroad which later merged with the New York Central Railroad. In order to accept, he felt ethically he should give up his former position and on January 25, 1840, after 20 years of service, the city's first Postmaster resigned. During his tenure, he had served under four presidents, James Monroe
, John Quincy Adams
, Andrew Jackson
and Martin Van Buren
.
Wilkinson was considered one of the pioneer railroad magnates in the United States
. After serving as president of the Syracuse & Utica Railroad, he became a director and counsel of the New York Central Railroad. He later served as president of the Michigan Southern and Northern Indiana Railroad company's board of directors and was elected to that office on April 23, 1857 in Adrian, Michigan
. He was also a member of the board of director's for the Terre Haute, Alton & St. Louis Railroads.
Wilkinson later donated to the New York Central Railroad Company a tract of land between Geddes and West Street and the Erie Canal
for the railroad's shops and yard; "As a promoter of railroad interests."
minister, Reverend Samuel Joseph May
, the fiery abolitionist, Wilkinson became prominent in the anti-slavery movement.
Unitarian Universalism
was the religion of choice for generations of the Wilkinson's. In the early days, Wilkinson was on the committee that welcomed May, the to Syracuse
in 1843. The pastor's daughter, Charlotte May, later married Wilkinson's son, Alfred Wilkinson.
Postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
of community known as Bogardus Corners, Cossit's Corners and Salina
Salina, New York
Salina is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 33,290 at the 2000 census. The name of the town is derived from the Latin word for "salt."...
in Central New York
Central New York
Central New York is a term used to broadly describe the central region of New York State, roughly including the following counties and cities:...
. As a young man, Wilkinson took inspiration from a poem about an ancient city and named the new village, Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
just in time for the opening of the Erie Canal
Erie Canal
The Erie Canal is a waterway in New York that runs about from Albany, New York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal contains 36 locks and encompasses a total elevation differential of...
. Wilkinson was a prominent citizen in Syracuse and was an original town planner and helped lay out and name the village streets. He also served as an assemblyman and founded the Syracuse Bank in 1838.
He was a close friend of Unitarian minister, Samuel Joseph May
Samuel Joseph May
Samuel Joseph May a radical American reformer during the nineteenth century, championed multiple reform movements including education, women’s rights, and abolitionism. He was born on September 12, 1797 in an upper class Boston area...
, the fiery abolitionist. Wilkinson was an out-spoken advocate of the anti-slavery movement. His grandson, also named John Wilkinson
John Wilkinson (Franklin automobile)
John Wilkinson was born in Syracuse, New York. He invented the air-cooled motor which was used in the Franklin produced by H. H. Franklin Manufacturing Company where he was chief engineer and designer from 1902 to 1924.He was a native of Syracuse and a member of an established, respected, wealthy...
(1868-1951), was chief engineer at H. H. Franklin Manufacturing Company
Franklin (automobile)
The Franklin Automobile Company was a manufacturer of automobiles in the United States between 1902 and 1934 in Syracuse, New York. Herbert H. Franklin, the founder, began his career in the metal die casting business before establishing his automobile enterprise.Franklin founded the H. H. Franklin...
where he invented the air-cooled motor used in the Franklin automobile which was manufactured in Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
for 35 years.
Biography
John Wilkinson was the son of John WilkinsonJohn Wilkinson (American colonist)
John Wilkinson was born in Rhode Island, United States. He was a direct descendant of Lawrence Wilkinson who fled the oppression of Oliver Cromwell in 1652 and settled in America and the son of Roger Wilkinson, an early colonist, who settled in Rhode Island where Roger Williams offered a...
(1758-1802) and Elizabeth "Betsey" Tower (born 1764). Together, the couple settled in Troy, New York
Troy, New York
Troy is a city in the US State of New York and the seat of Rensselaer County. Troy is located on the western edge of Rensselaer County and on the eastern bank of the Hudson River. Troy has close ties to the nearby cities of Albany and Schenectady, forming a region popularly called the Capital...
where they had four children. Seventeen years later, with his wife and children, Wilkinson Sr. left Troy in the dead of winter leading a cow and hiked west 180 miles with ox-drawn wagon (sledge) along the corridor that today roughly corresponds to Route 20.
John Wilkinson Jr. was only five-months old in 1799 and was still being nursed by his mother when the family settled about a mile from Skaneateles Lake
Skaneateles Lake
Skaneateles Lake is one of the Finger Lakes in central New York in the United States. The name Skaneateles means long lake in one of the local Iroquoian languages. The lake is sometimes referred to as "The Roof Garden of the Lakes" because its altitude is higher than the other Finger Lakes. It...
in the Finger Lakes
Finger Lakes
The Finger Lakes are a pattern of lakes in the west-central section of Upstate New York in the United States. They are a popular tourist destination. The lakes are long and thin , each oriented roughly on a north-south axis. The two longest, Cayuga Lake and Seneca Lake, are among the deepest in...
region of Upstate New York
Upstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
where they built a farm. He was only three years old in 1802 when his father died after falling from the roof of the family's log barn. His mother remained on the "wilderness" farm and ran it with the help of her sons.
Education
He attended school in SkaneatelesSkaneateles (village), New York
Skaneateles is a village in the town of Skaneateles, Onondaga County, New York, United States. The village is named from and located on the shores of Skaneateles Lake, one of the Finger Lakes. The village, as of the 2000 census, has a population of 2,616 residents. The main highway through the...
until he was 12 years old. Determined to give her children a good education after her husband's death, Wilkinson's mother enrolled him in Onondaga Academy about 1880. Local residents who remembered Wilkinson recalled that he walked 13 miles from his home to the academy at Onondaga
Onondaga, New York
Onondaga is a town located in Onondaga County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the town had a population of 21,063. The town is named after the native Onondaga tribe, part of the Iroquois Confederacy....
every Monday morning and would return by foot every Friday night carrying the family food for the week on his back.
Onondaga valley
Wilkinson Jr. settled in the area on the Southside of Onondaga LakeOnondaga Lake
Onondaga Lake is a lake in Central New York located northwest of Syracuse, New York. The southeastern end of the lake and the southwestern shore abut industrial areas and expressways; the northeastern shore and northwestern end border a series of parks and museums. Although it is near the Finger...
in Central New York
Central New York
Central New York is a term used to broadly describe the central region of New York State, roughly including the following counties and cities:...
where he was a lawyer and the first Postmaster
Postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
of Syracuse. He acquired some farm land, extending for some distance around where the Globe Hotel stood.
The land remained in the family until April 1889, when the family sold it to satisfy the creditors of a failed banking endeavor, Wilkinson & Company which was established by his two sons, Alfred Wilkinson and J. Forman Wilkinson and failed on December 9, 1884. At that time, John Wilkinson of Chicago, Illinois filed deeds in the County Clerk's office, conveying to him, the residences of both brothers (on James Street) and the building which "has since become known in court as the Globe property." Both sons died untimely deaths. J. Forman died two weeks after the land was sold and Alfred had passed a short time before.
Law practice
Wilkinson was acquainted with Joshua Forman, one of the patrons of the Onondaga Academy, and entered the law office of Forman & Sabin where he studied law. He was admitted to the bar in New York State in September, 1819 and was the first lawyer to settle in Syracuse, New YorkSyracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
.
In 1819, the same year he was admitted to the bar, Wilkinson helped survey the Walton Tract which was the "nucleus" of Syracuse. That same year, he opened a law office at South Salina and West Washington streets on his property which was later the site of the Globe Hotel, and some time afterwards the E. W. Edwards Department Store. In the early days, "many of his friends considered the location too far out of the village."
Personal life
The Wilkinson family were from a distinguished line of families in the Syracuse area including; Leavenworth (Elias W. LeavenworthElias W. Leavenworth
Elias Warner Leavenworth was an American lawyer and politician.-Education:He attended the Hudson Academy and graduated from Yale College in 1824...
who was the mayor of Syracuse twice), Belden, Forman and Van Duyn.
John Wilkinson was married to Henrietta Wilhelmina Swartz on February 24, 1825. Together, they had eight children (three daughters and five sons) who were all born in Syracuse, New York
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
;
- John Swartz Wilkinson (August 8, 1827 - July 25, 1836) - Died in Syracuse, New YorkSyracuse, New YorkSyracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
at age 7. - Joshua Forman Wilkinson (June 12, 1829 - May 4, 1889) - Graduated from the Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteRensselaer Polytechnic InstituteStephen Van Rensselaer established the Rensselaer School on November 5, 1824 with a letter to the Rev. Dr. Samuel Blatchford, in which van Rensselaer asked Blatchford to serve as the first president. Within the letter he set down several orders of business. He appointed Amos Eaton as the school's...
as a civil engineer. He was a railroad man before the war, served in the New York 149th during the war, later was a Syracuse banker - Died at his home on James Street after a short illness of pneumonia, buried in Oakwood Cemetery. He was named after Judge Joshua Forman, founder of Syracuse and a personal friend of the family. His son was John WilkinsonJohn Wilkinson (Franklin automobile)John Wilkinson was born in Syracuse, New York. He invented the air-cooled motor which was used in the Franklin produced by H. H. Franklin Manufacturing Company where he was chief engineer and designer from 1902 to 1924.He was a native of Syracuse and a member of an established, respected, wealthy...
(1868-1951), inventor of the air-cooled motor used in the Franklin (automobile)Franklin (automobile)The Franklin Automobile Company was a manufacturer of automobiles in the United States between 1902 and 1934 in Syracuse, New York. Herbert H. Franklin, the founder, began his career in the metal die casting business before establishing his automobile enterprise.Franklin founded the H. H. Franklin...
. - Alfred Wilkinson (August 17, 1832 - July 7, 1886) - Syracuse banker - Married to Charlotte May, the daughter of Reverend Samuel Joseph MaySamuel Joseph MaySamuel Joseph May a radical American reformer during the nineteenth century, championed multiple reform movements including education, women’s rights, and abolitionism. He was born on September 12, 1797 in an upper class Boston area...
. - Maria Hermans Wilkinson (born December 15, 1834) - Married F. C. Welsch and died in GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. - Theodosia B. Wilkinson (born July 16, 1837) - She married Joseph Kirkland.
- John Wilkinson (born February 14, 1840) - He married Mary Ware Fogg and was later of Chicago, Illinois.
- Janette Lee Wilkinson (September 1, 1841 - October 8, 1842), died in Syracuse, New YorkSyracuse, New YorkSyracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
at age 13 months. - Dudley P. Wilkinson (born October 1, 1843) - Later from Chicago, Illinois.
Swamp land
The area by Onondaga LakeOnondaga Lake
Onondaga Lake is a lake in Central New York located northwest of Syracuse, New York. The southeastern end of the lake and the southwestern shore abut industrial areas and expressways; the northeastern shore and northwestern end border a series of parks and museums. Although it is near the Finger...
was known from 1806 to 1809 as Bogardus Corners, from 1809 to 1812 as Milan, from 1812 to 1814, as South Salina, from 1814 to 1817 as Cossitt's Corners. Salina
Salina, New York
Salina is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 33,290 at the 2000 census. The name of the town is derived from the Latin word for "salt."...
, now constituting the north part of the city, was incorporated as a village on March 12, 1824 and continued as an independent corporation until 1847 when it was merged into Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
.
The most recent name, Cossitt's Corners, occurred when Sterling Cossitt of Marcellus
Marcellus (town), New York
Marcellus is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 6,319 at the 2000 census. The town was probably named after Marcus Claudius Marcellus, a Roman general, by a clerk interested in the Classics....
bought the local tavern located in the area later known as Clinton Square
Clinton Square
Clinton Square, in downtown Syracuse, New York, was the original town center and first came into existence in the early 19th century where roadways from north and south convened...
. The area was largely avoided by settlers because of swampy living conditions. In 1818, the village of Cossitt Corner's enlisted Joshua Forman to act as agent to develop the tract. "He advertised the advantages of the area including the location of the Great Western Canal and the Seneca Turnpike, the proximity to the salt works, and water power from Onondaga Creek
Onondaga Creek
Onondaga Creek is a major tributary of Onondaga Lake which is located in Onondaga County, New York. The headwaters of the creek originate south of the city of Syracuse near the hamlet of Vesper, New York...
where three mills were already in operation."
Local settler, James Geddes, had surveyed the land and made design plans several years earlier; however, so many changes had been made, the land needed to be resurveyed. Forman had his younger brother, Owen Forman and John Wilkinson, who studied law with Joshua Forman, complete the task and laid out the streets in the new village. Some of the original street names were Turnpike (Genesee), Water Street (Canal Street) and Dock Street (later called James Street).
Syracuse's low, swampy land was ideal for canal construction. The Erie Canal
Erie Canal
The Erie Canal is a waterway in New York that runs about from Albany, New York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal contains 36 locks and encompasses a total elevation differential of...
opened in 1825 and quickly established the city's dominance over nearby settlements. As a result of the boom of the early canal years, the villages of Salina
Salina, New York
Salina is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 33,290 at the 2000 census. The name of the town is derived from the Latin word for "salt."...
and Syracuse merged to become the City of Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
in 1848.
Postmaster
John Wilkinson was appointed PostmasterPostmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
on February 24, 1820 of the area that included several small towns and villages, including; Bogardus Corners, Cossit's Corners and Salina
Salina, New York
Salina is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 33,290 at the 2000 census. The name of the town is derived from the Latin word for "salt."...
. The post office was a small business. Postal receipts were only $10 a quarter, or $40 a year, as contrasted with the receipts for 1952; $4,440,543.
The village was so small and there were so few patrons of the post office in the early days that Postmaster Wilkinson carried the mail about in his hat and delivered it to friends whom he "chanced to meet."
There are two different accounts of the first post office in the city. The more picturesque of the two states that it was literally a hole in the wall, situated in the store of General Granger on the present site of the Syracuse Savings Bank Building
Syracuse Savings Bank Building
Syracuse Savings Bank Building, also known as Bank of America building, is a historic building in Syracuse, New York designed by Joseph Lyman Silsbee, then aged 26....
. Others have recalled that it was in Judge Forman's office in the Forman House, where Water Street crosses Clinton Square
Clinton Square
Clinton Square, in downtown Syracuse, New York, was the original town center and first came into existence in the early 19th century where roadways from north and south convened...
.
Wilkinson soon decided a change in location would be advantageous and the post office was moved to the drug store of Henry W. Durnford in East Washington Street, later the site of Lincoln Bank. This was the first change in location of the of the post office; for several years it was moved virtually at the "will" of the postmaster. When he moved the office to new quarters, Wilkinson carried all the equipment on his shoulders and was "forced" to make only one trip.
Syracuse is named
.The original settlement was a conglomeration of several small towns and villages and hence did not get recognition from the United States Government. There was a delay in establishing the post office because the settlement did not have a name. Joshua Forman wanted to name the village, Corinth
Corinth (village), New York
Corinth is a village in Saratoga County, New York, USA. The population was 2,474 at the 2000 census. The village gets its name from the Greek city of Corinth.The Village of Corinth is by the east town line of the Town of Corinth...
, however, when John Wilkinson made an application for a post office in that name in 1820, it was denied because the same name was already in use in New York State in Saratoga County.
Wilkinson had read a poetical description of Syracuse, Sicily (Siracusa), which described that city and told of its place in ancient history. Wilkinson saw many similarities between the two areas. There were the gentle hills sloping to the beautiful lake, the lake itself, of similar size and form to Onondaga Lake
Onondaga Lake
Onondaga Lake is a lake in Central New York located northwest of Syracuse, New York. The southeastern end of the lake and the southwestern shore abut industrial areas and expressways; the northeastern shore and northwestern end border a series of parks and museums. Although it is near the Finger...
and salt springs that had both "salt and fresh water mingling together."
The poem was from a book of Oxford University prize poems written by Edward Stanley, Lord Derby, (namesake of the derby hat). The poem had won the Chancellor's prize and was translated from Latin. It was an epic about the Island of Ortygia, long before the foundations of Syracuse in Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, a city on a lake fed by cold springs. A nearby town was mentioned named Salina. In addition, the Roman statesmen; Cicero, Marcellus and Messina were mentioned which were all names of towns in the area.
The typographical similarity was remarkable. "The view from where is now Long Branch
Long Branch Park
Long Branch Park is a public park in Onondaga County outside of Syracuse, New York, located in the town of Liverpool on Long Branch Road near NYS Route 370 and John Glenn Boulevard...
on Onondaga Lake
Onondaga Lake
Onondaga Lake is a lake in Central New York located northwest of Syracuse, New York. The southeastern end of the lake and the southwestern shore abut industrial areas and expressways; the northeastern shore and northwestern end border a series of parks and museums. Although it is near the Finger...
back to the encircling hills, with the bowl between and low lying salt lands of Liverpool
Liverpool, New York
Liverpool is a village located in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 2,505 at the 2000 census. The name was adopted from the city of Liverpool in the United Kingdom...
and Geddes
Geddes, New York
Geddes is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 17,740 at the 2000 census.The Town of Geddes is west of the neighborhood of Far Westside of Syracuse. The town is a western suburb of Syracuse.- History :...
fringing the foreground is duplicated in a picture of the basin in which the city of Archimedes lived and worked. In addition, the marshes it faced were saline; it was on the highway of travel and nearby was a town called Salina. These material things are said to have led John Wilkinson to say to our city 'I baptize thee Syracuse.'"
On February 4, 1820, thirteen men which entailed all citizens (women were not counted as citizens) of the community met to choose a name. Suggestions included: Algiers, Wales, and Barbara. Wilkinson soon proposed the name Syracuse to fellow townsmen and it was accepted as the name of the village and as the name of the new post office.
Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
received its village charter in 1825. At the time of incorporation the village had 15 merchants, one newspaper, a fire department, several small industries and a total population of 600. The new village was the union of Cossit's Corners (formerly Bogardus Corners), Walton Tract, Milan, Salina
Salina, New York
Salina is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 33,290 at the 2000 census. The name of the town is derived from the Latin word for "salt."...
, Onondaga Valley and another small settlement called Geddes
Geddes, New York
Geddes is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 17,740 at the 2000 census.The Town of Geddes is west of the neighborhood of Far Westside of Syracuse. The town is a western suburb of Syracuse.- History :...
.
City leader
Wilkinson was an important city leader from the early days. He was named village clerk in 1825 and served as assemblyman in 1834 and 1835. He also was president and helped organized the Bank of Syracuse in 1838 with Horace White.He also was president of the Syracuse City Water Works Company, a public utility, and built the reservoir on Onondaga Hill which long supplied Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
with water. The Wilkinson Reservoir (now called Hiawatha Lake in Onondaga Park) was named for him.
Railroad president
Wilkinson was a major proponent of railroads and it was his efforts that enticed many railroads to the city who soon built lines that "radiated" out of SyracuseSyracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
and gave the salt industry
Salt industry in Syracuse, New York
The salt industry has a long history in and around Syracuse, New York. Jesuit missionaries visiting the region in 1654 were the first to report salty brine springs around the southern end of "Salt Lake", known today as Onondaga Lake...
early impetus.
In 1842, Wilkinson was offered presidency of the old Utica & Syracuse Railroad which later merged with the New York Central Railroad. In order to accept, he felt ethically he should give up his former position and on January 25, 1840, after 20 years of service, the city's first Postmaster resigned. During his tenure, he had served under four presidents, James Monroe
James Monroe
James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States . Monroe was the last president who was a Founding Father of the United States, and the last president from the Virginia dynasty and the Republican Generation...
, John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams was the sixth President of the United States . He served as an American diplomat, Senator, and Congressional representative. He was a member of the Federalist, Democratic-Republican, National Republican, and later Anti-Masonic and Whig parties. Adams was the son of former...
, Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
and Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren was the eighth President of the United States . Before his presidency, he was the eighth Vice President and the tenth Secretary of State, under Andrew Jackson ....
.
Wilkinson was considered one of the pioneer railroad magnates in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. After serving as president of the Syracuse & Utica Railroad, he became a director and counsel of the New York Central Railroad. He later served as president of the Michigan Southern and Northern Indiana Railroad company's board of directors and was elected to that office on April 23, 1857 in Adrian, Michigan
Adrian, Michigan
As of the 2010 census Adrian had a population of 21,133. The racial and ethnic makeup of the population was 84.1% white, 4.4% black or African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 5.9% from some other race and 4.0% from two or more races...
. He was also a member of the board of director's for the Terre Haute, Alton & St. Louis Railroads.
Wilkinson later donated to the New York Central Railroad Company a tract of land between Geddes and West Street and the Erie Canal
Erie Canal
The Erie Canal is a waterway in New York that runs about from Albany, New York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal contains 36 locks and encompasses a total elevation differential of...
for the railroad's shops and yard; "As a promoter of railroad interests."
Unitarianism
A close friend of UnitarianUnitarian Universalism
Unitarian Universalism is a religion characterized by support for a "free and responsible search for truth and meaning". Unitarian Universalists do not share a creed; rather, they are unified by their shared search for spiritual growth and by the understanding that an individual's theology is a...
minister, Reverend Samuel Joseph May
Samuel Joseph May
Samuel Joseph May a radical American reformer during the nineteenth century, championed multiple reform movements including education, women’s rights, and abolitionism. He was born on September 12, 1797 in an upper class Boston area...
, the fiery abolitionist, Wilkinson became prominent in the anti-slavery movement.
Unitarian Universalism
Unitarian Universalism
Unitarian Universalism is a religion characterized by support for a "free and responsible search for truth and meaning". Unitarian Universalists do not share a creed; rather, they are unified by their shared search for spiritual growth and by the understanding that an individual's theology is a...
was the religion of choice for generations of the Wilkinson's. In the early days, Wilkinson was on the committee that welcomed May, the to Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
in 1843. The pastor's daughter, Charlotte May, later married Wilkinson's son, Alfred Wilkinson.