USA > New York > Seneca County > Fayette > Centennial historical sketch of the town of Fayette, Seneca County, New York > Part 3
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Dr. Coventry was twice married-first March 11, 1787, to Miss
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HISTORICAL SKETCH
Elizabeth Butler of Branford, Conn., who was the mother of eleven of his children-seven sons and four daughters, and died Feb. 7, 1815. By a second marriage in 1817, two children, a son and daughter, were added to the doctor's family.
Dr. Coventry died at Utica, Dec. 9, 1831. His wife and large family of children survived him. His youngest son, William, by his second marriage, was recently (1899) still living in Wayne County, N.Y., at the advanced age of eighty years. One son, Dr. Charles B. Coventry of Utica, became President of the State Medical Society in 1854, and at different times a Professor in Berkshire (Mass.), Geneva and Buffalo Medical Colleges, and a son of the latter, Walter B. Coventry, was educated to the med- ical profession of his father and grandfather.
Dr. Alexander Coventry during the greater part of his life, kept a daily journal or diary to which reference has been made, and from which much important data here and elsewhere pre- sented, has been obtained, through the courtesy of his grand- daughter, Mrs. Mary E. Hinckley, formerly of Geneva, N. Y., now a resident of Columbia County, N. Y.
In the fall of 1791, Elkanah Watson of Albany, N. Y., with several associates, visited the region between Cayuga and Seneca Lakes on a tour of observation. The journal of Mr. Watson mentions, that he and his friends reached Skoiyase, Sept. 20, 1791, coming by boats, from the East, and after passing the rapids of the Seneca River there, with some difficulty, re-embarked and · passed up the river, arriving at Seneca Lake at sunset of the same day and proceeded on to Geneva. On the following day, they visited Kendaia (Appletown) by small boat on Seneca Lake, and on the 23d of the same month, Mr. Watson crossed the country through the forest, on horseback, by an Indian trail across Fayette, a distance of seventeen miles to the Cayuga Lake ferry of James Bennett and John Harris, the Western terminus of which, as located, was afterwards numbered as Lot 13, West Cayuga Reservation, in the present town of Seneca Falls. Mr. Watson was very favorably impressed with the locality and gave expression to his satisfaction, in his journal, in words of glow- ing and eloquent description. This trip of Mr. Watson was made
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TOWN OF FAYETTE
only about two months after the overland trip of Dr. Alexander Coventry on horseback, to Geneva, in July, 1791.
It will be noticed that early settlers and prospectors from the east, came with horses and oxen, and occasionally by the water route via the Mohawk River and the portages to Wood Creek, thence to Oneida Lake and River, and through the same to Seneca River and thence up the same to the Lakes bordering this county.
Dr. Coventry, narrates that on Nov. 17, 1892, he saw ten bateaux pass up Seneca River, having on board one hundred and seventy Germans, from Hamburgh, Germany, on their way to Col. Charles Williamson's lands in the Pulteney Tract, west of Geneva.
The Legislature of 1789, already made provision for the open- ing of a road from Fort Stanwix (Rome) to the " Genesee Country " across Fayette, from the Cayuga Lake ferry, already mentioned, to Geneva, and further westward.
Settlers from Pennsylvania, came overland, by four horse wagons, the white, home-spun covering for which, when seen from a distance, caused them to be named "Arks " or ships, and in after years as "Ships of the Prairie." The two horses next to the wagon, were known as "Wheel horses," and the two ahead of them were known as "Leaders." The left wheel horse known also as the "Saddle horse," was usually provided with a saddle, and ridden by thedriver. The horses were often orna- mented with bells and gaily caparisoned.
Sometimes settlers from Pennsylvania, upon arriving at the head of Seneca Lake, transferred a part of their household goods to small boats, plying on that Lake, and the late Alexander Rorison 2d, used to narrate, how his grandfather had completed his journey from Pennsylvania in 1798, by such a transfer to boats, as far as Dey's Landing. The earliest settlement along Seneca outlet or river was that of Samuel Bear, at South Water- loo, in Fayette, then known as Skoiyase, its Indian name, the signification of which, according to Hon. Louis H. Morgan, is "Place for Whortleberries," and was also sometimes called "Long Falls " or "Large Falls." Mr. Bear visited that locality in the fall of 1.792, and early in 1793 returned and located there permanently, and erected the log grist mill which was opened
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HISTORICAL SKETCH
to the public in 1794. Martin Kendig, Jr., soon followed Mr. Bear and became his neighbor at South Waterloo.
James McClung located in 1795, a little east of John Rumsey's, from whom he purchased a part of his lot, and James and Peter Reynolds located a little to the southward.
There were a number of early settlers in the interior of the town and near the center, prior to the erection of the Town of Fayette in 1800, among whom may be mentioned Benajah Board- man, Conrad and Henry Leek, Ithamer Sanders, Leonard Plant, Daniel Barthowser, Guain McConnell, Martin Hogan, Alexander Rorison, Israel Catlin, James Trotter, William Dumond, John Freeman, Garret Sickles, William B. Hall, Michael Vreeland, Gideon Orton, Vincent Runyan, Philip Edington, Thomas Disbrow, Nicholas Wyckoff, Jacob Farman, Robert Buckley, James Sweet, Peter Bush, also John, Casper and George Yost and several VanRiper families.
The United States Census of 1800 shows, that in the year of its organization, the Town of Fayette with its territorial area extending to Lake Ontario, contained only 863 inhabitants, being much less than the population of either Romulus or Ovid, in the same year. A census of voters taken in Fayette in 1801, in the same area, showed only 178 male names of heads of fami- lies, with 228 persons entitled to vote in the three classes of voters then existing-most of whom resided south of the Seneca River.
Soon after the year 1800, and between that year and 1810, population rapidly increased by the influx of settlers from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Eastern New York and New England and Southern States, with a few from foreign countries, so that in the latter year, the enumeration of the town within its present boundaries, reached nearly double that of its first enumeration, under its original boundaries.
Among the settlers coming in soon after the organization of the town in 1800 were William Irland, Hon Robert S. Rose, John Jolly, Peter Dey, Capt. Nathan Cook, Hugh McAllister, Darius Minor, Benjamin Tucker, Robert Gilliland, Enos Tooker William Chatham, Roelof Peterson, Benjamin Moses, Henry Matthews, and families of Chamberlin, Watkins, Hendricks,
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Henion, Marshall, Thomas, Huff, Lowden, Dubois, Hicks, Leddick, Easton and many others, including a number of patriot soldiers of the Revolutionary War.
An important element in population in the early settlement of Fayette, and which still to a marked degree exercises great influence in the direction of its affairs, were the Pennsylvania German settlers of the town, the ancestors of whom came to this country from Germany and Switzerland, prior to the Revolu- tionary War, or just at its close, including some persons of Huguenot ancestry. Most of these settlers came to Fayette in the first quarter of this century, although there were some who settled later, and the greater number came from Northumberland, Lancaster, Cumberland, Dauphin, Northampton, Bucks, Berks and Lehigh Counties in Pennsylvania. Samuel Bear, Martin Kendig, Jr., and the Yost brothers, already mentioned, were of Pennsylvania German ancestry.
Among the pioneer Pennsylvania-German families which settled in town in the first ten years of this century may, be mentioned the names of John and George Pontius, Jacob Riegel, Ludwig Stofflet, Christian Hoster, Anthony Houtz, Nicholas Deisinger, William Gamber, William Reed, Frederick Rathfan, Henry Mauger, Henry Singer, Adam Hofstetter, John Markel, Jacob Alleman, George Bachman, John Emerick, Peter Whit- mer, John Deppen, John and Jacob Frantz, Frederick Hassinger, George Shiley, Daniel Rhoad, Bartholomew Hittel, and the Kuney Brothers, with many others. A list of Pennsylvania German Settlers of Fayette, is published in a volume of " Notes and Queries," issued by Dr. W. H. Egle, State Librarian of Pennsylvania in 1898.
It is to be regretted that no system of registration of vital statistics existed in the early history of this locality.
Of early births within the territory of the present town of Fayette, the date of only a few has been obtained. As far as ascertained, the first male child born in town was George Coventry (son of Dr. Alexander), born August 24, 1792, who died at Utica, N. Y., April 11, 1878. John Coventry, a brother, was born Feb. 12, 1796. Caroline Freeman, daughter of John Free- man, was the first female child born in town of whom any infor-
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HISTORICAL SKETCH
mation is at hand. She was born Dec. 3, 1796, and became the wife of Davidson Mosher of Barrington, Yates Co., N. Y.
Other early births in town were :
John S. Bear, son of Samuel, born Sept. 3, 1797. Sophia Bear, daughter of Samuel, born Sept. 9, 1798. John Rorison, son of Alexander, born Aug. 30, 1798. John B. Kendig, son of Martin, Jr., born in 1798.
A few births after the organization of Fayette, are added : Launcelot Bear, born July 9, 1800. Charlotte Bear, born Jan. 18, 1803. Samuel Bear Jr., born June 27, 1807.
Children of Major Samuel Bear :
Nancy Rorison, born June 14, 1802.
David B. Rorison, born April 24, 1804.
Peter W. Rorison, born Nov. 30, 1806. Children of Alexander Rorison :
Jane VanRiper, daughter of Garry, born July 25, 1801. George Rumsey, son of John, Jr., born Dec. 31, 1801. Timothy Rumsey, son of John, Jr., born June 4, 1804. John Rumsey, son of David, born March 6, 1805. Daniel S. Kendig, son of Martin Jr., born Feb. 19, 1803. Sally Woodruff, daughter of Charles, born in 1803. William Vost, son of Casper, born Nov. 4, 1804. Chester Yost, son of Casper, born May 12, 1806. Mary Catlin, born in 1805.
Jacob Peterson, born Oct. 23, 1806, died Dec. 1, 1895. John H. Tooker, born April 28, 1807, died April 19, 1895. Lewis Woodruff, born 1807, died 1883.
John Lowden, born March 17, 1807, died March 6, 1898. Jacob Gamber born Oct. 26, 1808, died April 11, 1897.
Of early marriages, those ascertained are : Martin Kendig, Jr., to Leah Bear, in 1797. Job Smith to Miriam Gorham, in 1799. William B. Hall to Rebecca Boardman, date not ascertained. James Huff to Jerusha Boardman, Sept. 15, 1804. Daniel Tooker to Sarah Boardman, Nov. 24, 1804. Henry Manger to Maria Pontius, Feb. 4, 1806.
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The Docket of Alexander Rorison, a justice of the peace, in Fayette 1802 to 1804, shows an entry of eleven marriages performed by him during that period. Some of the married couples residing in other localities, and the following, known to have been residents of the town, to wit :
Casper Yost to Rachel Edington, Aug. 22, 1802. Samuel Buchanan to Peggy Trotter, 1802.
John Bear to Jean Rathfang, Jan. 9, 1803.
William Penoyer to Barbara Yost, April 28, 1803.
David Lay to Catharine Jolly, Sept. 28, 1803.
Of early deaths, very few have been ascertained (none of the cemeteries in town containing head-stones with inscriptions dated prior to 1805), to wit :
Betty, a negro slave of Dr. Alexander Coventry, died at his farm, at Seneca Lake, of pulmonary consumption, June 19, 1793, leaving two daughters. She was tenderly cared for by the doctor and his family, and her remains carefully enshrouded and placed in a coffin were interred upon his farm, as noted in his journal.
Other early deaths ascertained are :
John S. Bear, died Sept. 4, 1797, aged one day.
Elizabeth Boardman, died Sept. 22, 1801, aged 14 years.
Elizabeth Phelps, wife of Elisha, died Feb. 21, 1805, aged 53 years.
Rebecca Boardman Hall, wife of Wm. B., died Aug. 12, 1805, aged 22 years.
Lucinda Hall, wife of Wm. B., died Sept. 12, 1808, aged 22 years.
Nancy Rorison, died Sept. 12, 1805.
Peter W. Rorison, died Nov. 10, 1807.
Guain McConnell, died in 1807.
Samuel Bear, died Sept. 25, 1807.
Sophia Bear, died Oct. 23, 1807.
The elevated location of Fayette, between two beautiful lakes, and most of its northern boundary being formed by a river, affords ample drainage. The few marshes existing at an early day, have largely disappeared, with other causes tending to
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HISTORICAL SKETCH
induce malaria, and the temperature and climate in winter is favorably modified by proximity to the lakes. These causes doubtless tend to promote longevity in this and adjoining towns of which there have been some notable instances of persons born in, or who were for a time residents in this town.
Arazina Cone Fleming, daughter of Timothy Cone and Mary Gorham (daughter of Jabez Gorham), was born in the town of Romulus, Oct. 9, 1794. Her first husband, John Leddick, of Fayette, a soldier in the war of 1812, son of Philip Leddick, died in the year 1823. In 1826 she married Robert Fleming of Romulus, who died in Feb. 1858. Soon after his death she removed to South Waterloo where she resided until her decease Sept. 21, 1898, in the 104th year of her age.
Mrs. Orwan (mother of Mrs. John Lowden, Sr.), a native of Germany, who resided with her daughter in Fayette, lived to the age of one hundred years and four months, and died there 70 to 75 years ago.
The age of John Jolly, a pioneer settler in West Fayette in 1800, and who died there in the decade between 1820 and 1830, is variously stated as from 103 to 107 years of age.
John Widner, son of Leonard Widner, the early ferryman at the Seneca outlet at the northwest corner of Fayette, and who lived a number of years at Rose Hill, died at Rochester, N. Y., April 27th, 1880, in the IoIst year of his age.
Other instances of longevity may be mentioned, to wit : Mrs. Jane Hinkley, daughter of Garry VanRiper, born in Fayette July 25, 1801, married Bradford Hinkley and died in Varick, N. Y., Aug. 25, 1898 ; James McClung died in 1839, aged 95 years ; William Chatham died in 1854, aged 96 years ; Henry Moses died in 1880, aged 96 years ; Reuben Lutz died in 1896, in his 96th year ; Frederick Schott died in 1858, aged 93 years.
Michael Hoster, son of Christian, born in Northumberland County, Pa., in 1802 and removed with his parents to Fayette in 1803, where he resided during the greater part of his life, died in Seneca Falls Nov. 13, 1895, in his 94th year.
Charles L. Hoskins, for many years a resident in Fayette, died in Seneca Falls April 17, 1897, in his 98th year.
Solomon Acker, a native of Pennsylvania, who located in
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Fayette in 1825, and resided there many years, died in Varick July 1, 1895, aged 93 years.
John Lowden, son of John Lowden, Sr., born in Fayette July 25, 1807, died in Waterloo March 6, 1898.
Mrs. Margaret Brickley, daughter of Henry Kuney, born in Fayette in 1808, died there March 4, 1899.
(See also Biographical Sketches of Benjamin Woodruff and of Daniel H. Bryant.)
There are living at this time, several present or former resi- dents of the town over ninety years of age, among whom may mentioned :
Mrs. Hannah Pierson, widow of Simeon, born in New Jersey March 20, 1806.
Peter Kohler, born in Pennsylvania April 24, 1807.
Esther Biery Kohler, his wife, born in Pennsylvania Aug. 16, 1808.
William Kuney, born in Pennsylvania April 14, 1808.
Mrs. Elizabeth Riegel, widow of William, born in Fayette May 9, 1808.
Samuel Leddick, born in Seneca County, N. Y., Jan. 13, 1809, son of the Revolutionary soldier Philip Leddick.
In a local history, prominent attention should be given to the early civil history of the locality in question. . During the period from March, 1794, to the official organization of the Town of Washington (Fayette) in 1800 (while still forming a part of the Town of Romulus), considerable progress was made within the present bounds of Fayette, in erecting primitive log houses, clear- ing the forest, and in the opening of roads, etc. A few citizens residing in the Territory of Fayette were chosen to official posi- tions in the Town of Romulus, as the well preserved records of that town show.
Our early settlers, brought with them a proper estimate of the importance and value of an annual assemblage of voters, for the purpose of conferring together and legislating for the public good.
An eminent political writer speaking of the importance of the "Town Meeting," says: "Local assemblies of citizens con- stitute the strength of free nations. Town meetings are to liberty, what primary schools are to science ; they bring it within
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HISTORICAL SKETCH
the people's reach, they teach men how to use and how to enjoy it."
Another well known writer and historian, referring to the above definition, adds : "To say that 'local assemblies' and 'town meetings' constitute the strength of a nation, is to assert in other words, that the people themselves are the source of national strength, which is true. These frequent neighbor- hood meetings, give opportunity for mutual instruction and hence their great importance."
Efforts have been made recently to abolish the Town meeting and to merge the same with the general State election, which efforts have thus far been unsuccessful. In 1898, however, an act was passed, providing for holding town meetings bi-ennially, commencing with 1899, and no town meeting has therefore been held this year (1900).
The act creating the Town of Washington (Fayette), Cayuga (now Seneca) County, of March 14, 1800, directed that the first town meeting therein, be held at the house of Samuel Bear (at South Waterloo) and it was doubtless so held. In the years 1801 and 1802, before the erection of Junius, town meetings were probably held at the same place, in view of the fact, that the territory of the town then still extended north to Lake Ontario.
It is a matter for regret, that the early records of the Town of Fayette, have not been more highly valued, and cared for by some former town officials. On two occasions, unfortunately, the building in which the town clerk's office was at the time located, was partially destroyed by fire with some injury, it is said, resulting to the town books and papers.
After much search and correspondence, to learn something of the first Town Record Book, containing the record of some of its earliest town meetings, and the early surveys and description of highways and school district boundaries, it was by mere accident discovered in the Waterloo Historical Library, where it had been deposited a number of years ago, and had been safely cared for. It was fortunate for the town, that it fell into good hands. It is to be regretted too, that the town board, has on five or six occa- sions, deliberately voted, that the town records and files be clas- sified by a Committee, and that such as are unnecessary or of no value,
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be destroyed. How difficult and delicate a question to determine and decide, as to their value, and the necessity for preserving official records, files and papers !
It would seem to be a matter of great importance, that th' official records and files in every town, be kept at a convenie and readily accessible place, and that a capable and careful c of todian, as town clerk, should be allowed to hold his office f'on- long tenure, since frequent removals and changes in such office, are manifestly not for the public good.
Now that town clerks are elected for a term of two years, it is believed that this enlarged tenure, will lead to greater perma- nency in location, and promote and ensure good supervision and care of the public records. It is to be hoped, too, that the town board of every town will cooperate with its town clerk to effect such result.
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The first Record Book of the town, found as already stated (in keeping of the Waterloo Historical Society), commences with the spring of 1802-the first four pages being lost, which contain the record of town officers elected in 1800 and 1801, and the busi- ness transacted at the town meetings in those years.
After much inquiry and correspondence, it was ascertained through the Cayuga County clerk's office at Auburn, that the first supervisor elected at the town meeting held April 1, 1800, was a patriot soldier of the Revolutionary war, James McClung, who was also re-elected in 1801.
As to the other town officers, elected at the first town meet- ing, it has been ascertained that James Runnells (Reynolds) was elected a commissioner of highways and assessor and also an overseer of the poor, in 1800, also that at the same town meet- ing, Peter Reynolds, and Robert Buckley were elected overseers of roads. The highway record shows that Wilhelmus Myn- derse, James Runnells and David Southwick, were highway commissioners in office in 1801.
The election board for 1800, then consisting of the supervisor, town clerk and three assessors, was composed of Supervisor McClung, James Runnells, assessor, and Samuel Bear and Jacob Farman-the positions, held by the two last named, not being
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HISTORICAL SKETCH
known. The election board for 1801, was the same as in 1800, except that Jesse Southwick served in place of Samuel Bear.
The oath of office taken and subscribed by James McClung, 's supervisor at his first election has been preserved, and is 'orthy to be reproduced here, to wit :
asst do solemnly and sincerely promise and swear, that I will in all things of le best of my knowledge and ability, faithfully and impartially execute and perform the trust reposed in me as supervisor for the Town of Wash- ington, in the County of Cayuga, and that I will not pass any account or any article thereof, wherewith I shall think the said county is not justly chargeable ; nor will I disallow any account or any article thereof, where- with I shall think the said county is justly chargeable.
JAMES MCCLUNG.
Sworn before me, April 5, 1800. WM. BREWSTER, Justice." S
A brief life sketch of Mr. McClung is given from the best data, which could be obtained:
James McClung, son of John and Sarah McClung was born in Penn's Township (afterwards Buffalo Township) in Cumberland (afterwards Northumberland) County in the State of Penn- sylvania Nov. 4, 1744. His parents were of Scotch-Irish birth who came to this country from the north of Ireland. Nothing is known of his childhood or youth. He served honorably in the Revolutionary war in the regiment commanded by Col. James Potter-the portion of the State in which he resided being also open to Indian raids, which required the interposition of military force to repress and punish. It is known that Mr. McClung served in the memorable battle with the British and Hessians at Trenton, N. J., Dec. 26, 1776 and in other engagements.
In December, 1775, Mr. McClung married Jane Strain residing near Philadelphia in his native State.
When the tide of emigration from Northern Pennsylvania set in for the Genesee Country, as Western New York was then called, Mr. McClung in 1795 removed with his family to that portion of Romulus, now in Fayette. The county records show that in February, 1796, he purchased from John Rumsey 300 acres of land, part of Military Lot No. 23, at the east end of said lot and nearly one mile from Seneca Lake, which he cleared and improved, and where he resided until his death.
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In April, 1799, Mr. McClung was elected an overseer of ·hways for the town of Romulus and when the Town of hington (Fayette) was organized in 1800 he was elected its upervisor and was re-elected the following year.
McClung continued to enjoy the confidence and esteem of 'smen and held public positions as long as he would con- a rve. In 1802 and again in 1806 he was named by town Wi as one of the committee selected in those years to peti-
"islature in relation to the desired location of the north
to th
y line of Fayette. He was also repeatedly elected to serve « overseer of poor, assessor and commissioner of highways and in other public positions.
He was the father of six children, three sons snd three daughters, who grew to mature years, and most of them emigrated to western States. The names of his sons, John, Robert and James, appear upon the records of the Town as early officials. One of his sons-in-law, Henry McCartney served with the Fayette Rifle Company in the war of 1812. A grand- son of the same, Prof. Livingstone McCartney, recently held the position of city superintendent of schools at Hopkinsville, State of Kentucky.
After a life, bounteously lengthened out to nearly a century, honored and remembered by his country, which he had served in its darkest hours, and enjoying the repeated endorsement of his fellow citizens, Mr. McClung died in the hope of a blessed immortality, August 16, 1839, in the ninety-fifth year of hisage.
" Sleep soldier ! still in honored rest, Your truth and valor wearing ; The bravest are the tenderest, The loving, are the daring!"
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