Some days since it was announced that Mr. Lyman Coats of the town of Oswego, would exhibit to the public his collection of agricultural implements and articles, used by his fathers and his forefathers, which he has preserved with great care, the like of which W"J believe, cannot be found elsewhere. At an early hour in the afternoon designated the curious visitors began to arrive, and the whole number who went through his buildings and over his premises during the hours designated by him, could not have been less than one hundred and fifty- one hundred of whom registered their names in a book Mr. Coats had prepared for the purpose, A large number of persons from the city and from Scribe, Hannibal and Sterling were among the visitors.
The first thing to which Mr. Coats led the attention of his visitors was a complete file of almanacs from 1815 to 1885 - 70 years; next he showed a record of the weather upon the day during which he was born. Then the cradle in which he and his brothers and sisters were rocked and the children upon the place before his father purchased it, still In good condition, which was tested by several youngsters getting into it; the little arm chair made for him, still without scratch or blemish; the block he used to sit on before the chair was made; the top he received with the chair, and still twirls for the amusement of his little visitors; his slate and all his school books; his first watch chain and key; a cedar cane which he carried when he was in his "teens;" a penknife which he bought in 1834, to use in school for pen making, which a half dozen or so of his old pupils readily recognize; also his license to teach in any town in Oswego county granted him in 1842, by Dr. O. W. Randall, deputy superintendent of common schools for Oswego county.
While Mr. Coats was exhibiting the articles referred to, Mr. J . M. Hurt of this city, formerly a well known merchant, enquired "Well Mr. Goats, I have no doubt you can produce the gloves I sold you to be married in?"
"Certainly I can," said Mr. Coats, and he went to a drawer and immediately produced them, still in a good state of preservation1 although the wedding must have occurred thirty-nine or forty years ago.
Mr. Coats then called attention to his old wooden clock, over seven feet high, which has stood in its present corner fifty- eight years, and still ticks out excellent time; also the dash churn used in 1814, still in good order; a wash tub made by the late Dr. Beckwith of the town of Oswego for Mr. Coats' mother in 1818, with two of the original wooden hoops upon it and good for service yet.
A tin lantern, a looking glass, two iron candlesticks, sugar bowl, pewter plates, and a pewter platter 10 inches in diameter, all over 70 years old were exhibited. Also a lather box and shoe blacking brush made by Mr. Coats' grand father over 100 years ago, were exhibited.
The ancient fire place with the accompanying brick oven, and its appurtenances were objects of much interest to the young people. The iron "crane," the "pot hooks," and "trammel," the huge "andirons," the long handled iron "shovel and tongs," the five pail kettle of iron anvil another kettle of brass were all there, just as they were sixty or seventy yearn ago; and to make the thing more natural Mr. Coats had put in the "back log" and the "fore stick," supported by the andirons, with the "kindling" all laid ready to touch off when a fire was needed. As the day was a warn one the fire was not "touched of." The old fashioned "tin oven" was also placed before the fire place, the whole reminding the older people present of the kitchen and surroundings of their boyhood.
Mr. Coats' preservation of "antiquities" in his barns and outhouses were no less remarkable than those in his residence. Among his "exhibits," were two sleds shod with wooden shoes, a dirt or road scraper over fifty years old, a wagon hay rack made in 1820, strong enough to carry two tons of hay, a plow made in Oswego in 1840 by Talcott and Underhill, a corn fan used to clean grain before there was a fanning mill in the town, a second hand two horse wagon bought of Walton & Willett for $60 in 1827,a flintlock musket with cartridge box and bayonet used in the revolutionary war, etc.
Among Mr. Coats' valuables are an ox cart with iron hubs, with four inch felloe and tyre, that was "imported" from Connecticut about the year 1830, and if used now would probably out last a dozen carts of modern make. It ranks high in Mr. Coats' inventory of curiosities.
Among other visitors was Samuel Frost of Wayne, now an engineer on the N. Y Central railroad. He worked, for Mr. Coats when a boy, in 1851, and said when he read of this gathering he was immediately possessed of an irrepressible desire to see once more the famous ox cart which he drove on the farm thirty years ago, and he desired another taste of the sap vinegar made in 1819. He found the original barrel with the same wooden hoops which had been on it sixty-six years.
Among the ancient articles brought by visitors, was a picture of Oswego as it was one hundred or more years ago, showing the old forts located here at that time with soldiers, etc., at the mouth of the river. This picture was contributed by Mrs. L. Brewster and was a present to the late Judge Brewster from Martin Van- Buren. Mrs. Brewster also exhibited an Ancient creamer, sugar bowl and cup of very quaint design.
Mr. Blodgett of South West Oswego, contributed a wooden revolutionary canteen, or small barrel, of the capacity of about a pint, which has come down uninjured through the ages.
Dr. Walker exhibited a "warming pan" said to be 200 years old.
James M. Hart of this city exhibited an account book of David Crocker for the years 1820-31, which was in a good state of preservation. Crocker's store, we learn on inquiry, was on the corner of West Seneca and Water street. From an examination of its pages we infer that business was done chiefly on "tick" in those days. The names of some of Oswego's early prominent men appear frequently in the book, among them Joel Turrill, Alvin Bronson, J . H. Lord, Edwin Bronson, William Lewis, (father we suspect of Esquire Lewis) Henry Eagle, Robert Cooley, (father of J . C.) and many others, but, although these entries were made only sixty-four years ago, in the entire book we do not find the name of a single person now living. One noticeable thing about this old account book was the fact that every thing seemed to be "charged" in days, and the entries range all the way from a suit of clothes, to a three cent plug of tobacco. The entries for "whisky," were found on nearly every page.
Mr. Coats callers on this occasion, as we have said, numbered over 150, and, old and young, greatly enjoyed the treat he afforded them.