USA > New York > Ontario County > A history of Ontario County, New York and its people, Volume I > Part 33
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woolen factory was built by Cephas Hawkes, at first a success, but later a failure. The factory building was finally converted into a grist mill, whose career was terminated by fire. A little later than Hawkes's woolen factory, Vreeland's carding and fulling mill, near the outlet, was established. These woolen or fulling mills in their day promoted the interests of the two great farms. Today, the two farms, the Rose Hill under Martin H. Smith, and the White Springs under Alfred G. Lewis, have as their specialty dairy products, and both excel; but in addition, Mr. Lewis is successfully renewing the reputation of the White Springs farm for stock breeding.
A Third Farm.
The same year, 1803, that the two great historic farms were established, a third farm, hardly less famous than the others, was established in the northern part of Geneva. It is best known to local history as the Burrall place. Here, from 1814 to 1856, Thomas D. Burrall, one of Geneva's honored and distinguished citizens, lived, his home a social center noted for a refined and generous hospitality. The farm, originally of 370 acres, was established in 1803 by Robert Scott, who came to Geneva in 1798, and later was connected with the land office of the Pulteney estate. Two of his granddaughters, Mrs. Thomas B. Reed and Miss Hall, are still residents of Geneva in the house which Mr. Scott's widow erected not long after the sale of the farm to Mr. Burrall in 1814. In her history of Geneva, Mrs. Bradford characterizes Mr. Scott as "a very agreeable Scotch- man, of fine wit, and cultivated literary taste" and mentions that he was an intimate friend of John Greig, of Canandaigua. Suc- ceeding owners of the farm were: William Black, Colonel Eliakim Sherrill, later killed at Gettysburg, and successively the brothers, Reuben S. and the Hon. Samuel H. Torrey. It then passed to Mr. William Smith and was broken up, one portion of it becoming, in 1891, Torrey park. During the ownership of Mr. Burrall, Joseph Smith ("Joe Smith") was for a while a foreman, but in the end being ignominiously discharged as an arrant rogue and a con- scienceless swindler, the future prophet vindicated himself by discovering the "Golden Plates of Mormon" and becoming the founder of a new religion.
An Early Romance.
From farming to romance is only a step. Father Conover, the Herodotus of Geneva, patient in research almost beyond belief,
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died, alas! without knowledge or suspicion of the romance which attended the brief life of the Mile Point house. In 1800, Mr. William Pulteney Dana, nephew of Sir William Pulteney, came to Geneva. He met Ann Fitzhugh, daughter of Colonel Peregrin Fitzhugh. He fell in love, his suit prospered, the twain were married, and for two years beginning in 1802, they lived right royally in the Mile Point palace. The young wife died sud- denly, but an infant daughter survived her. In 1805, overcome with grief, Mr. Dana, after entrusting his infant daughter to her mother's kindred at their earnest request, to be reared, returned to England, but, ah! the pity of it ! his daughter he was fated never to see again.
Reverting to the first horse race and first dancing school, it throws light on the ideals of our forefathers that the advertise- ments close respectively as follows: "All dogs that appear on the ground will be killed"; "The waltzes will not be taught except with the consent of parents or guardians."
Decade, 1810-1820.
The events of the next decade, 1810-1820, though not as fun- damental as those of the decade just reviewed, are none the less quite as interesting. 1812: This year came to Geneva its first great captain of industry, Thomas D. Burrall. For sixty years, apart from the inspiring example of his public-spirited and indus- trious life, his career as an inventor and manufacturer of agricul- tural implements sheds honor upon the municipality. It is not too much to say that his corn-sheller, the invention by which he is best known, like England's drum beat, followed the sun 'round the world. It was his reaper, also, that in 1852 took first prize in the celebrated competitive trial of reapers of different United States makes-a trial held in Geneva.
Female Bible Society.
1813: The Female Bible Society of Geneva, an organization equally remarkable and efficient, was formed and its roster pre- sents in their own signatures the names of all the women who made Geneva society notable in its early years. The roster is on deposit in the library of Hobart college, and while the number of names is too great for recital here, the enumeration of the first dozen or more may be allowed if for no other reason than their felicity: Jennet Mckay, Maria Wisner, Dolly Bogert, Ann Colt, Eunice
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Hall, Elizabeth Rees, Sarah Gordon, Susanna Lawson, Sarah Stoddard, Margaret Rose, Anne Nicholas, Jane L. Rose, Agnes Barton, Hannah Gregory, Sally Barnard, Frances Wilson, Sarah Rubpert, Hannah Axtell, Asenath Noble, Eleanor Naglee, Jane Scott, Hannah Field, Cynthia Stow, Elizabeth Henry, Sally Carter, Hannah Cook, Julia M. Hogarth, Roxalinda Goundry, Theodora Phelps, Barbara Black, Theodosia Hall, Sally Lum.
1815: The first public school in Geneva under the act of 1812, creating the common school system, was apparently established.
1816: The foundations of Geneva's fire department were securely laid in the organization of the first fire company, the best men of the town who were able bodied becoming members. But the true beginning of the fire department was probably in 1811, when a village ordinance provided that on or before May 1st of that year, every householder must procure and have ready for use, one bucket for one fire-place, two buckets for two or three fire- places, three buckets for five or six fire-places, and four buckets for seven fire-places or more.
This year, 1816, Bowen Whiting established himself in Geneva and began his successful and distinguished career as a lawyer and judge. He became District Attorney in 1823, was a Member of the Legislature, 1824-1825; County Judge, 1838-1844, and Judge of the Supreme Court, 1844-1850. He was a member of the first board of trustees of Hobart College and was a man of influence in all public matters. His son, John Nicholas Whiting, after a brief practice in Geneva, became a prominent member of the bar in New York city.
The First Bank.
1817: This year occurred the most important event of this decade, the founding of the Bank of Geneva, now the Geneva National Bank-most important because it attracted to Geneva a great man, the Reverend Henry Dwight, who as president of its first bank brought into its administration the highest and purest methods, as well as a business intelligence of extraordinary acumen and force. The Bank of Geneva under his goverance made Geneva famous throughout the State, and to this day the traditions of the bank are preserved in their integrity by its present president, Samuel Hopkins ver Planck. Indeed, the noblest monument to the Rev. Henry Dwight, whose life was many sided and always influen- tial, is the high level which under the stimulus of his example
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banking in Geneva has attained and maintained. Today, 1911, there are in Geneva beside the Geneva National Bank (i. e. the Bank of Geneva), established by Mr. Dwight, two other banking institutions. One of these is "The First National Bank of Geneva," organized in 1863, which stands beside the "Geneva National Bank" in its reputation for solidity and success, representing the financial genius and integrity of Mr. Alexander Lafayette Chew. The other bank- ing institution is the private bank- ing house of Samuel Southworth, established in 1868, which has al- ways enjoyed public esteem as conservative and safe.
In company with Mr. Dwight came in 1817 his step-son, William Eaton Sill, born in Utica, 1806, destined to become an exception- ally esteemed and valued citizen of Geneva. In his chosen profes- sion, the law, he rapidly rose to a place in the front rank and finally achieved for himself an absolutely unique position and reputation as a referee, insomuch that his ser- vices as referee were widely sought, and as the highest com- pliment to his success it came to be considered inadvisable to appeal REV. HENRY DWIGHT. from a decision made by him. It Rev. Henry Dwight, the founder of the Bank of Geneva, now the Geneva National Bank, was born in Springfield, Massachu- setts, June 25, 1783; graduated from Yale College in 1801 and later from the Prince- ton Theological Seminary; pastor of a church in Utica, N. Y., 1813 to 1817, following which he retired from the ministry and moved to Geneva; President of the Bank of Geneva for twenty-two years; one of the founders of the American Home Missionary Society, and its President, 1837 to 1857; died at Geneva, September 6, 1857. is eminently characteristic of him, both as attorney and referee, that he never charged for his brilliant services other than the most mod- est fee and that his persistent ad- vice to persons appealing to the law was to settle without suit. Mr. Sill was president of the Bank of Geneva, August, 1854, to January, 1857.
1818: The Methodist church was organized; and the next year Geneva's first church bell, the prized property of the Presby- terian church, pealed on the banks of the Seneca. In 1859, when
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church bells had multiplied, the Reverend Hubbard Winslow, D. D., pastor then of the First Presbyterian church, happily wrote, but, of course, without ecclesiastical prejudice : "There are several fine bells in Geneva, and they do good service. Especially the deep alternate tones of the Dutch and Methodist bells, chimed into by the distinct silvery notes from the Presbyterian tower, all in close proximity, together with the majestic thumps upon the great iron kettle on the Episcopal tower, make the going to church on Sunday morning, in Main street, anything but a stupid affair." The year 1818 marks also the establishment on William street, by Mr. Eli Eddy, of Geneva's first private school for boys. The year 1819 saw the publication in Geneva by Colonel James Bogert of an edition of Watt's Psalms and Hymns, possibly Geneva's first ven- ture in the publishing field.
Lovers of music will be delighted to learn that to this decade belongs not only our first church bell but also the Handelian band, which we may conjecture was the first brass band to gladden Genevans' hearts, Perez Hastings, secretary.
During this decade and the decade immediately preceding and the decade immediately following, many accessions to Geneva's noted families were made: Dox, Field, Hogarth, Lum, Mckay, Hastings, Hortsen, Colonel John Sweeney, Tippets, Barnard, Pease, Pow, Doane, Cole, Cannon, Cook, Axtell, Carter, Low- throp, Burns, Rubpert, Watson, Prouty, Tillman, Rev. Dr. Orin Clark, Schermerhorn, Parke, Holly, Woods, Whiting, Ayrault, Stow, Porter, Truman Hart, envied for his family of beautiful daughters, McLaren, Parker, Langdon, Rumney, Balmanno, Ricord, Kirk- land, Seelye, Webster, Hopkins, Shathar, Mizner, Bronson, Sover- hill, Skaats, Coddington, Merrell, and last the Kip family, an old family one of whose forbears, erected for himself in New York in 1641 what is supposed to have been its first brick residence.
Decade, 1820-1830.
The decade that we now enter upon, 1820-1830, is peculiarly notable. In 1821, John Johnston purchased the farm next south of Rose hill and originally a part of it, and was the first to introduce into this country tile draining, with a result that made his farm a Mecca for scientific agriculturists. An authority on agri- culture, writing in 1893, says: "The Johnston farm and Rose hill
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are together perhaps the most important historic spot in American agriculture."
Hobart College.
In 1822, Geneva, now Hobart College, successor to the Geneva Academy incorporated in 1813, but in existence unincorporated for a number of years before that, received from the University of the State of New York, a provisional charter, and February 8, 1825, a permanent charter, the conditions of the provisional charter hav- ing been complied with. Never a large institution, but always an institution noted for the dignity of its aims, the severity of its standards, the encouragement extended to the pursuit of the class- ical languages and literatures, and for the high character of those whom it called to its professorial chairs and its presidential control, Geneva or Hobart College has been an active factor in giving Geneva its ideal distinction, a factor whose importance can- not easily be exaggerated. It is due also to Geneva, or rather to the prevalence throughout the Genesee country including Geneva, of certain views as to the fundamental relation of colleges to the higher educational wants that the charter of Geneva (Hobart) College, issued only on the condition that the college should pledge itself to maintain, in addition to the usual classical course, an Eng- lish or scientific course in direct reference to the practical business life, thus making Geneva (Hobart) College the pioneer, though in a humble way, in an educational movement which since that time has metamorphosed the curricula of universities and colleges alike.
The history of Hobart College is an important chapter in the history of Geneva, but too long for presentation here. It must suffice to mention two or three facts in the opening of the story. The first professor elected by the college corporation in 1825, who was at the same time made the first acting president of the college, was the Rev. Daniel McDonald, S. T. D., to whose energy and perseverance and executive ability the college is largely indebted for its formation. Another professor elected by the corporation the same year, 1825, was one who both for himself and his family has ever been very dear to the people of Geneva, Horace Webster, M. D., LL. D., whose distinguished career as an educator covers fifty-one years: seven years at the West Point Military Academy, twenty-three years at Geneva (Hobart) College, and twenty-one years as president of the College of the City of New York. The
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first president of the college was the Rev. Dr. Jasper Adams, a man of varied attainments, who, in 1826, resigned the presidency of Charleston College, South Carolina, to accept the presidency of Geneva (Hobart) College.
Today, 1911, under a leader of power, the Rev. Langdon Cheves Stewardson, LL. D., Hobart College is steadily and surely widening its sphere of influence and honor, and strengthening its claims to the active sympathy and co-operation of Geneva.
Also in 1822 the first school in Geneva for young ladies was opened by Mrs. Plum, a fit beginning of a class of schools which have made Geneva famous.
1824: This was the year of the great Washington ball held Monday, February 23rd, in Faulkner's assembly rooms, A. Burns, C. A. Williamson, D. C. Hall, J. V. Vredenburgh, managers. Man- ager C. A. Williamson, be it noted, was the son of Captain Charles Williamson.
This same year, 1824, settled in Geneva, as junior partner of the Hon. Bowen Whiting, Charles Butler, lawyer and philan- thropist, learned and highbred, who made his life illustrious by his intelligent and assiduous devotion, not to the law alone, but to the larger questions of social life, charities, education, and religion. Of him after his death. Carlyle said: "He was the truest gentleman I ever knew." He was a citizen of Geneva for ten years and while in Geneva built for himself on Main street a stately mansion best known later as the Prouty house. He died in New York, in 1897, at the age of ninety-five.
The year 1825 opened with an event of no little local import- ance, the formation of the "Geneva Atheneum," a general reading- room for ladies and gentlemen. This movement appears to have been largely inspired by Mr. Charles Butler-at least he drew up its constitution and by-laws. The lofty aim of the "Geneva Atheneum" may be inferred from the fact that its list of domestic and foreign periodicals and newspapers included the Edinburgh, London, and Westminster Quarterly, North American Quarterly, etc.
Lafayette's Visit.
Lafayette, the friend of Washington, made this year, 1825, his memorable visit to Geneva. It has a felicitously personal interest to Genevans, if I may be permitted to reveal it, that on this trip, far
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off in New Orleans, Lafayette, as godfather, held in his arms and presented for Holy Baptism the infant form of him who is today one of Geneva's noblest and most honored citizens-Alexander Lafayette Chew.
A detail or two of the interesting story of Lafayette's visit to Geneva will not be without value. It was the morning of June 8th, when at Ball's tavern, seven or eight miles west of Geneva, the official committee of Geneva, accompanied by a cavalcade of Genevans, received from Canandaigua's committee of escort the care of Lafayette and his suite. The distinguished guests having been transferred to carriages in waiting, Lafayette to a splendid new barouche furnished by Mr. William S. DeZeng and drawn by six beautiful gray horses, the cavalcade retraced its steps eastward along the great State highway till it reached the Old Pre-emption road, and Lafayette looked down from the edge of the plateau over which he had been traveling upon the "silver Seneca," two miles away and two hundred feet below, sparkling in the morning sun. Immediately a signal gun broke to expectant Geneva the glad news that Lafayette was come, and at once nearly a dozen military companies and a great body of citizens who had marched out to this point to await the arrival of the friend of Washington, fell into line, and the procession thus formed moved in state down Hamilton street and down Main till it came at last to the public square (Pulteney park), where there were arches adorned with wreaths and flowers and inscriptions of welcome. At the public square, a vast concourse of people had gathered from far and near, and from the windows of every building about the square eager eyes looked forth and handkerchiefs and flags were waved. The multitude, with heads uncovered, parted in twain to let the procession move through to where a stage had been set in the midst ; and as Lafayette and his suite passed from their carriages to the stage, maidens dressed in white strewed flowers in their way and sang an ode composed for the occasion by one of their number, a daughter of Doctor Lummis, in the fourteenth year of her age. As soon as the honored guests were in their appointed places and all upon the stage were seated, a great silence fell; and after Major Rees had introduced General Lafayette and his suite, an address of welcome was deliv- ered by Colonel Bowen Whiting, to which with feeling General Lafayette appropriately replied. And as he replied, he beheld, conspicuous in the varied circle of his listeners, a venerable body of
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soldiers of the Revolution distinguished by badges. The ceremonies at the square ended, General Lafayette and his suite, after inspect- ing two trophy cannons displayed on the grounds, the one from Yorktown, 1781, the other from St. John's 1775, were escorted to the Franklin House, a magnificent hostelry newly opened, of which Geneva was duly proud. Here an elegant breakfast had been prepared, with two hundred covers for distinguished citizens who had been invited to meet the "Nation's guest." At one o'clock P. M., amidst acclamations, Lafayette and his suite departed on their way eastward, the "Nation's guest" departing as he had come, seated in the splendid new barouche and drawn by six beautiful gray horses. Nine years later, when the death of Lafayette was announced, Geneva held in his honor a public memorial service, at which an eulogy was pronounced by Samuel Miles Hopkins, Esq.
1826: The Baptist church and the United Presbyterian church and the Free church for colored people were each organized, and also in this year was published a volume of poems by William Ray, Geneva's first poet-laureate.
In 1827, the slaves brought by Mr. Nicholas and Mr. Rose to Geneva having been freed by act of the Legislature of the State, the colored settlement was formed. In this connection, it were an unpardonable oversight to omit enumeration of several of the settle- ment's most delightfully extraordinary characters that Geneva or any other place ever had: Jupiter, colored Democrat and psycho- logic crux ; the Rev. Major General Brown, the human telephone ; Brigadier General Burdy, the orator, and last, not least, Sammy. Dog-in-the-well, servitor of the janitor of the Geneva Medical College, and the small boy's bete-noire.
1828: The first steam boat, the Seneca Chief, was built by the Rumney brothers, to be followed, twenty-one years later, by the wonder of the finger-lake region, the great Ben Loder, the master- work of John R. Johnston, whom Genevans will ever remember, not only for himself as a valued citizen and as the author of perhaps the most astonishing Fourth of July poster ever produced in the United States, also for the fascinating daughters who survived him. 1829: The Cayuga and Seneca canal was opened and connection established with the Erie canal, which had been opened in 1825. It is deemed unquestionable that the suggestion which led to the Erie canal was made in 1805 by Jesse Hawley, a Genevan.
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Decade, 1830-1840.
The decade, 1830-1840, finds Geneva making a very satisfac- tory advance in every direction, with a population grown from 325 in 1806 to 3,029 in 1833, and with business interests becoming rapidly diversified and enlarged.
This decade is specially memorable as bringing to Geneva a number of men whose names and lives and families reflected an enviable reputation upon the municipality. In 1829 came General Joseph Gardner Swift, the first graduate of West Point and a military and civil engineer of national reputation. followed years later by his son, Commodore J. Williams Swift, and by his son-in-law, Peter Richards. In 1831 came Charles James Folger, then a boy, but later to be the Chief Judge for many years of the Court of Appeals of our State, and later still Secretary of the Treasury of the United States. The same year, 1831, came Rozee Peyton and his family from Staunton, Virginia, a family represented later by two granddaughters who married respectively General A. B. Wells and Major E. A. Ellis. In 1832 came Samuel M. Hopkins, a remarkably accomplished man, versatile and charming, well reputed both as a member of the bar and as a member of Congress. In 1836 came as president of the college, the Rev. Benjamin Hale, D. D., who equally with his successors, Jackson, Rankine, Van- Rensselaer, and Potter, to name only those of longer residence among us, illustrated in his high office the immense value of courtesy and learning combined. In 1839 came the Rt. Rev. William Heath- cote Delancey, the first Bishop of the Episcopal diocese of Western New York, the great Bishop, who made his diocese a model through- out the country, and lastly, in 1847. came Samuel A. Foot, many years a distinguished member of the New York bar and one time Judge of the Court of Appeals of our Empire State.
Beside the men and families above named, this general period is notable for other distinct additions to Geneva's social list. 1836: Judge Sutherland, a man of elevated and winning personality and equally a lawyer and jurist of commanding reputation: 1837, the Rev. Theodore Irving, a finished scholar and an attractive writer, who came to assume a professorship in Hobart College; again in 1836 the brothers, William N. and D. Lawrence Clark, who at once took rank among Geneva's notably esteemed and respected citizens, and were followed in later years most welcomely by the Schieffelins
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and Harrimans, relatives of theirs. A daughter of William N. Clark still later married Dr. James H. Stebbins, long a leading and greatly beloved physician. In 1833, Peter Myndert Dox, son of the Hon. Abraham Dox, was graduated from Hobart College and entered upon a distinguished career as lawyer, judge, and Representative in Congress.
During the decade now under review (1830-1840), the large accession to Geneva's notable men and families was not the only happening of interest and importance. Four of Geneva's churches were established : 1831, the Dutch Reformed church; 1832, St. Francis de Sales; 1834, the Universalist church; 1839, the Bethel society, which combining with the United Presbyterian later (1870) constituted the North Presbyterian. In 1830, the Geneva Courier, for many years recognized as one of the leading weekly papers of Western New York, in politics at first Whig and afterward Repub- lican, was founded by H. C. Merrell. It reached its meridian of influence and reputation under James Mallette, as editor and proprietor, 1876-1891, and a few years after its sale by him to other parties ceased to be published. In 1832, the cemetery on Washing- ton street was laid out. In 1833, the opening of the Crooked Lake and Chemung canals, which to a certain extent made the Susque- hanna approach to the Genesee country tributary to Geneva, was hailed as an event of no small moment, but the development years later of competing railroads caused the closing, 1875, of these canals.
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