USA > New York > Seneca County > Fayette > Centennial historical sketch of the town of Fayette, Seneca County, New York > Part 4
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In the spring of 1802, Col. Wilhelmus Mynderse, residing at the falls of the Seneca River (in the territory of the present Town of Seneca Falls), was elected supervisor of Fayette.
The Town Record Book to which reference has been made, shows that there were at this time fifteen road districts in the town for which overseers were chosen at this town meeting. A life sketch of Col. Mynderse will appear in an appendix.
At the town meeting in 1803, after the division of the town
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HISTORICAL SKETCH
(and the erection of the Town of Junius) when the town meet- ing was directed by the act of division, to be held at the house of Vincent Runyan, at the locality on Military Lot No. 29, known as the "Burgh "-Benajah Boardman, then residing at Canoga Springs, was elected supervisor. The record shows eleven overseers of highways, after the town division.
In the spring of 1804, Israel Catlin was elected supervisor, and continued to hold the office by annual re-election up to his death, May 8, 1813.
When the County of Cayuga was divided and Seneca County was organized, March 29, 1804, extending from Lake Ontario to the head of both Seneca and Cayuga Lakes, the act erecting the new county, while not directly naming the place of location of the county buildings, was so worded as to practically make the location at Ovid a necessity. This act met with disfavor on the part of citizens of Fayette.
At a special town meeting held July 7, 1804, at the house of Vincent Runyan, it was
I. "Resolved, That the supervisor of the said Town of Wash- ington be recommended to admit of no tax, or any other means, to take from the people of this town any monies for the purpose of erecting a court house and gaol in the place appointed at the last session of the Legislature, so that the good people of this county may have an opportunity of laying their aggrievances before the Honorable Legislature at their next session, praying for the aforesaid buildings to be erected in a more central part of the county.
2. Resolved, That James Sweet, Alexander Rorison and James Woodruff be a committee to pray the commissioners appointed for the purpose of determining the place for the aforesaid build- ings, to omit the business, until the Body of the County may have an opportunity of laying their aggrievances before the Legislature at their next annual session."
At the session of the board of supervisors of Seneca County, held at Ovid, Oct. 25, 1804, Supervisor Lewis Birdsall of Junius moved "that no money be raised the present year for building a Court House in the County of Seneca." This motion was seconded by Supervisor Catlin of Fayette, and received the votes
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of supervisors Birdsall, Catlin and Archer Green of Ulysses. The supervisors voting in opposition to this motion, were John Sayre of Romulus, Silas Halsey of Ovid and John Livingston of Hector. The result was a tie vote, but before the board adjourned, the sum of one thousand dollars was voted for build- ing a court house and jail, with no location named or fixed therefor. The vote upon this action is not given in detail in the record.
The Legislature of 1805 failed to undo or amend its work, and the county buildings were erected at Ovid, which remained the sole county seat until 1818, when the county seat was removed to Waterloo. In 1822, however, the county was divided into two jury districts-north and south, by the south line of Fayette, with half shire court houses at Ovid and Waterloo, which arrangement still continues-Fayette being in the north district.
In 1844 and again in 1854, the question of the location of the county buildings came up before the board of supervisors, but no change was effected. A resolution introduced by supervisor Alanson Woodworth of Fayette, in November, 1854, to locate the county buildings at Bearytown, in Fayette, was lost: Ayes six, nays four, lacking one vote of the two-thirds vote required for removal.
It will be appropriate perhaps, to notice here other special action taken by early town meetings affecting public questions, and the local administration of affairs. As already stated, the town meeting in 1802 took action favorable to a division of the town, and designating the Seneca outlet as the north boundary line between Fayette and the proposed new town. The Legislature having, in establishing the south boundary line of Junius, in 1803, disregarded the wishes of the people, the matter was again brought before specially called town meetings in 1805 and 1806, and later on in 1825, but the petitions and requests for relief were in each instance denied by the Legislature. Since the division of the Town of Junius in 1829, no further attempt has been made to change the north boundary line of the town.
The town meeting as early as 1802 determined upon the heighth and manner of construction of a lawful fence, and
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HISTORICAL SKETCH
imposed restrictions as to the running at large of certain animals.
In 1803 a town bounty of five dollars was voted for the scalp of every wolf killed in the town, and later on in 1834, a bounty was voted for each crow killed in town. Early attention was given to sanitary regulations, and in 1805 a penalty of five dol- lars was imposed upon every person who shall allow any dead animal to remain within forty rods of his neighbor's house for 24 hours after such animal dies. Already in 1812 a penalty of $2.50 was imposed by town meeting upon any person who shall allow Canada thistles to go to seed upon his land,
The poor were not forgotten, and as early as 1806, at a special town meeting, fifty dollars was voted in support of the poor, and frequently in subsequent years, appropriations were voted for like purpose, until better provision was made for the poor, under a general system. In 1827 and again in 1828 the town meeting voted that the supervisor use his influence in the county board for the erection of a county poor house. As early as 1813 the people of the town represented in town meeting, voted that the supervisor have power to raise by tax for public schools, "a sum equal to what shall come to this town from the school fund."
The town meeting of 1828 voted to accept from Vincent Run- yan a piece of land upon Military Lot No. 29 for cemetery pur- poses, and now forming a part of the "Burgh Cemetery." It was conveyed by deed by Vincent Runyan to the Town of Fay- ette May 7, 1828 (recorded in Liber W of Deeds, Seneca County Clerk's Office, page 258). One of the first roads laid out by the Town of Romulus, March 23, 1796, extended from Lancaster (Willard) to Boardmansburg, followed Nov. 10, 1798, by a road from the last named place to Skoiyase. These roads, and one laid out April 29, 1802, running north from the south town line, preceded the laying out of the Reservation road several years, and passed Boardman's Burgh and the Burgh Cemetery on the way to Skoiyase. A part of this road, leading from the south to the cemetery still remains.
John Watkins, of South Waterloo, was elected supervisor at a special town meeting held in the spring of the year 1813, in
V f a t 1 1
th a
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the place of Israel Catlin, deceased. Mr. Watkins was re-elected annually until and including the year 1816.
From this time forward in the history of the town, super- visors have generally been elected for a short term of service, frequently for a single term. The list of supervisors given in appendix, with dates of election and terms of service, show that the office has been held by forty-nine different persons in the one hundred years of the official existence of the town; of which number, thirty-five are deceased, and brief life sketches of whom appear in appendix.
It will be seen that the list of supervisors from 1800 to 1900 includes the names of many of the persons who were elected from Fayette to the State Legislature, and to serve as county officers or in other important positions.
It addition to the supervisors thus honored a number of other inhabitants of the town have been elected to Legislative positions in the persons of Hon. Robert S. Rose, Hon. Daniel Rhoad, and Hon. Jacob G. Markel. The list of members of the Legisla- ture for Seneca County includes also Hon. Daniel S. Kendig, who was born in Fayette, although elected while a resident of the town of Waterloo. Among the county officers elected from Fayette were William U. Smith, and the brothers, Chauncey L. Becker and Charles D. Becker, to the office of county clerk. William Hogan was several times chosen to the office of county school commissioner and James Rorison and Warren E. Lerch were elected to the office of sheriff .*
A number of residents of Fayette were elected to other county offices, for data as to which service, reference is made to a "Civil List " appearing in appendix.
In the Legislative halls of other States several sons of Fay- ette have obtained seats, in the persons of Hon. Chester Yost, Hon. Millard F. Frantz and Hon. Charles F. Irwin, and doubt- less others.
*It is a noteworthy fact that the only capital executions for murder ever occurring at the court house at Waterloo were during the terms of the two Fayette sheriffs,-that of George Chapman, May 28, 1829, for the murder of Daniel Wright, and that of Charles Johnson, Nov. 15, 1888, for the murder of John Walters. Both murders were also committed in the Town of Waterloo.
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A number of persons born in, or residents for a time in Fay- ette, attained prominence in other localities, either in public life or otherwise, of whom some notice will be given elsewhere.
The Town of Fayette has long enjoyed the reputation of being one of the best agricultural towns in this State, from its fertile soil and favorable location and several of its farms have taken state premiums.
A group of farmers settling in and near the northwest corner of the town upon estates almost manorial in extent, attained a wide and prominent distinction in this county and State, of whom some mention will be made elsewhere.
Many other successful farmers, owning fine farms in all parts of the town, have well sustained their part, in maintaining the proud reputation of the town in the agricultural ranks.
Since the organization of the order known as Patrons of Husbandry, the farmers of Fayette have been largely represented in its membership. Several granges of this order have in the past twenty-five years been organized in this town. Rose Hill Grange No. 116, has removed its meeting place from Fayette to the Town of Waterloo, although many of its members are still residents of the first named town.
East Fayette Grange No. 40, now the only grange in the town, was instituted Jan. 9, 1874, with Myron H. Cosad, as Worthy Master. In its early history its meetings were held at the residences of some of its members residing in the Burgh and in the eastern part of Fayette, but its place of meeting was changed a number of years ago to Bearytown where its grange hall is now located. It recently had 98 members upon its roll.
While farming has been a leading pursuit in town, a number of its citizens have been educated to learned professions.
The first physician to locate in town, as already stated, was Dr. Alexander Coventry, of whom a life sketch has been given elsewhere.
Other early physicians (perhaps in the order mentioned) were Dr. Joseph Hunt, living two miles northwest of Bearytown ; Doc- tors David Harkness, Daniel Hudson, Samuel B. Chidsey, and Lewis Oakley, all located in West Fayette; and Doctors Aaron
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Davis, James A. Hahn and Norman Eddy, at Canoga, Bearytown and in other parts of the town.
At the present date, eleven practising physicians born in Fayette are known to be living, of whom only one is now practising his profession in his native town.
Of lawyers, few ever located in this town, except for brief periods, and principally at South Waterloo.
As prominent members of the legal profession, who were born in Fayette, and arose elsewhere to high Judicial or Legislative positions, mention must be made of Honorables Henry Riegel, Charles F. Irwin, Martin L. Stover and Daniel Morris.
At the present time, twelve lawyers, who were born in town, are still living, although only one of the number now resides in Fayette.
A number of teachers of both sexes, born in town, have taught in the higher educational schools in this or other States, among whom may be mentioned Prof. Charles Woodruff of Ypsilanti, Mich .; Miss Hannah Esterly-afterwards wife of Hon. John McIntosh of Cayuga (and whose son-Hon. John E. McIntosh, has recently served as Mayor of Auburn, N. Y.) ; Miss Frances P. Hoskins (daughter of Charles L. Hoskins, Esq.), afterwards wife of Thomas Fatzinger, Esq. of Waterloo, and Miss Elsie Chatham, now of Cornwall-on-the-Hudson.
The first clergyman, so far as can be ascertained, who settled in the town, was Rev. Anthony Houtz, upon Military Lot No. 29, at the Burgh. He was born in Germany Aug. 14, 1758, and came to this country with his parents when ten years of age, locating in Lebanon County, Pa.
In the year 1787, he was licensed and ordained to the ministry of the German Reformed Church in the United States, and served pastoral charges at Harrisburg and Carlisle, Pa. In 1804 he removed to Fayette, and while residing there, preached in the German language at the Burgh schoolhouse, and at the residence of Henry Singer at Bearytown, as a result of which preaching services, the Bearytown Reformed Congregation was formed Dec. 26, 1809. He also served a congregation at Markel's schoolhouse in West Fayette, from which (Zion's) Jerusalem Church was formed Aug. 3, 18II.
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After a residence of several years in Fayette, Rev. Houtz removed with his family to a German settlement in the County of Tompkins, N. Y., while contiuing his pastoral services for a time in Seneca County. He died at Etna, now in Tompkins County, April 2, 1813.
Rev. Lot Merkel, a native of Germany, also preached in Fayette, in the German language as early as 1809. While preaching here he was connected with the Lutheran synod or ministerium of Pennsylvania and adjacent States, as a catechist and missionary. After ordination heremoved to Albany County, N. Y., in 1816, and preached there until 1828. Removing from this State in 1831, he died at Philadelphia, Pa., in December, 1833. Efforts to obtain further data as to his life and labors have been unsuccessful.
John Pulfrich, a native of Germany, served the German Reformed Congregation worshipping in the log church at Bearytown, as missionary and teacher in the German language during the period, 1813-1820. He died July 29, 1845, in the 75th year of his age.
At the present time, only four or five clergymen born in Fay- ette, are known to be living, none of them being now residents of the town.
The early settlers took prompt action to erect church edifices and to organize churches.
In 1896 a " Manual of the Churches of Seneca County," was published by the Courier Printing Company, Seneca Falls, which gives much information as to the churches in this town.
In view of the detailed sketches therein contained, it will only be necessary to mention the early church organizations and to briefly recapitulate.
The earliest church edifice in town, was erected as a union church for German Reformed and Lutheran residents, under an organization of Dec. 26, 1809, and a log church was soon after- wards erected at Bearytown, which was replaced with a stone edifice in 1824, and which is still standing and known as "Christ Church." The services for the first half century after 1809, were conducted largely in the German language.
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The Lutheran * Congregation formed under the jurisdiction of the Lutheran synod or ministerium of Pennsylvania and adjacent States, which formerly worshipped (during a portion of the time) in Christ Church has not continued and maintained its separate organization since 1856, and having also had no pastor for 45 years past, has become merged with the Reformed congregation.
The Reformed Church of Bearytown, worshipping in Christ Church has been maintained continuously since the organization of 1809. Material changes in the stone church edifice was made in 1883, now the oldest church building in the town (Liber 117 of Deeds, Seneca County Clerk's Office, page 142).
One of its pastors served Christ Church a consecutive term of sixty years and eight months, from April 1821 to January, 1882.
A list of the existing churches of the town, with date of organization, now supported and maintained, will include the following :
1809, Christ Reformed Church. Bearytown 1846, Second Evangelical Lutheran Church, Hartwick Synod. Beary town
1816, Methodist Episcopal Church . Canoga
Jan., 1825, First Presbyterian Church. West Fayette June, 1825, Second Presbyterian Church. . Canoga
1875, Grace (Protestant Episcopal) Church
Willowdale, Seneca Lake
There were formerly several other religious organizations in town, which had churches, the doors of which have been closed for religious services for many years and some of which may perhaps be regarded as substantially extinct.
Jerusalem Church in West Fayette organized as Zion's Church, Aug. 3, 1811, and occupied as a Union Church, German Reformed and Lutheran (Liber I 2 of Deeds, Seneca County Clerk's Office, page 39), and in which services were conducted in the earlier years in the German language, has not been used for church purposes
*A congregation of Lutherans, organized under the jurisdiction of Hart- wick Synod, erected a new Brick Church at Bearytown in 1846.
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to any extent, by either of those religious demoninations for several years past.
The "Burgh Church " of the Evangelical Association or Albright Methodist denomination was organized in 1816, and for forty years of its history, its services were chiefly conducted in the German language. There has been no pastor employed therein, for the past ten or twelve years.
In the earlier years of this church, camp meetings were occasionally held in a grove in the neighborhood, northeast of the church. Rev. Christian Wolf and Rev. Jacob Riegel, Jr. residents of Fayette, occasionally officiated in the pulpit of this church in its early years.
A church was organized Oct. 21, 1844, at South Waterloo, under the auspices of Hartwick synod, by the corporate name of the "Evangelical Lutheran Church of South Waterloo," the same being the first religious organization established in the town, by that synod. The church edifice of that corporation was sold in course of time to the Baptists, and this Lutheran congregation became extinct.
A Baptist congregation, which formerly worshipped at South Waterloo, removed to the north side of the river in the town of Waterloo, and recently (in February, 1899), completed a hand- some, new church edifice in that town.
A church organization of the date Nov. 11, 1845, named "the First Baptist Church and Society of Fayette," in 1846, erected a church edifice in that part of Bearytown, which is in Varick. This church was sold in 1859, to a Methodist Episcopal congre- gation, now owning and occupying the same, and this Baptist church organization became extinct.
St. John's Church, a German Evangelical Church organization formed at South Waterloo, Jan. 2, 1855, had a brief existence and is numbered among the extinct religious societies of the town.
A chapel erected in South Waterloo, by the Presbyterian Church of the Town of Waterloo, about twenty-five years ago, was taken by the Seneca County Railway Company, for railroad purposes, three years ago.
Sunday schools have been established and maintained by the several churches of the town, in the past fifty or sixty years, or still earlier, as well as in a few school houses.
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One of these was established at the Burgh schoolhouse in or about 1819, by the late Deacon Hugh McAllister, which was undoubtedly the earliest Sunday school conducted in the town.
The chief province of the local historian is to give a statement of facts and events relating to his locality, leaving criticisms thereon, to others.
The Mormon church which has arisen to prominence at the present time, was first organized at the house of Peter Whitmer, a Pennsylvania German farmer (residing upon a farm in the southeast corner of Military Lot No. 13, in Fayette), April 6, 1830.
The founder of this church was Joseph Smith, born at Sharon, Vermont, Dec. 23, 1805, who in 1815 removed to Western New York with his parents. In after years, he made it known, that as early as Sept. 22, 1823, he had discovered certain plates, known as the " Golden plates," buried in a hill, in the Town of Manchester, Ontario County, N. Y., about four miles south of Palmyra, which plates however he did not remove from their place of deposit, until four years afterwards. These plates contained inscriptions in unknown characters or letters, which soon after he had exhumed them, in Sept. 1827, he began (while living at the home of his wife, in Harmony, Penn.) to trans- late and transcribe into English, with the aid, as he alleged, of certain mysterious Seer Stones, which he called Urim and Thummim.
In June 1829, Joseph Smith removed from Pennsylvania to the residence of Peter Whitmer, where the work of translation progressed, assisted by Oliver Cowdery and David and John Whitmer (sons of Peter), and the "Book of Mormon," called also the "Mormon Bible," first printed by Egbert B. Grandin at Palmyra, N. Y., was issued in the year 1830.
The organization of April 6, 1830, alluded to, was perfected by Joseph Smith (then known as "the Prophet" ) and five others, to wit : Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, Peter Whit- mer, Jr., Hyrum Smith and Samuel H. Smith.
As early as June 1829, David Whitmer and Hyrum Smith were baptized by Joseph Smith by immersion, in Seneca lake, and one (John Whitmer), was baptized there by Oliver Cowdery.
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The first public meeting after the organization referred to, was held at the house of Peter Whitmer, April 11, 1830, at which Oliver Cowdery preached. On the same day Hiram Page, Catharine Page, Christian Whitmer, Anna Whitmer, Jacob Whitmer and Elizabeth Whitmer were baptized, and on April 18, of the same year, Peter Whitmer, Sr., Mary Whitmer, William Jolly, Elizabeth Jolly, Vincent Jolly and Elizabeth Ann Whitmer were baptized.
In June, 1830, nine converts in addition to those named, were baptized in Fayette, and a number of others were from time to time baptized by immersion in Seneca lake, Seneca river, Thomas and Kendig creeks, and other streams not far from the Whitmer farm.
Preaching services were held in 1830 and 1831 at Peter Whit- mer's house, and at Whitmer's school house, in District No. 17, Fayette (northeast from Whitmer's near Martin Miller's, and the junction of Military Lots 3, 4 and 13). This school district was annulled in 1841, Mand te school house has since been removed.
Another preaching point was at the school house in school district No. 15 (now No. 7), in the locality known as "The Beach," in northeast Fayette.
The first Conference of the Mormon church was held in Fayette, June 1, 1830, at which thirty members were present.
The second General Conference held in Fayette, Sept. 1, 1830, continued for three days, and a third Conference was held in this town, Jan. 2, 1831.
Joseph Smith removed his family from Harmony, Pa., to Peter Whitmer's, the last week in August, 1830.
Sidney Rigdon and Orson Pratt (who, with Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer were prominent in the early development of the Mormon church), came to Fayette late in the year 1830.
In the latter part of January, 1831, Joseph Smith and wife, Sidney Rigdon and others, removed to Kirtland, Ohio. The Whitmer and Jolly families accompanied, or soon after followed there. A brief mention will be made of subsequent movements, especially as relating to former residents of Fayette. At Kirt- land, Ohio, a temple was erected and in 1834, Joseph Smith was chosen President of the Mormon church. In 1838, the Mor-
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mons then remaining at Kirtland and vicinity, decided to remove to Missouri-whither a large colony had preceded as early as 1831, locating at Independence, in Jackson County, and after- wards in Clay County in that State. The Whitmer family were included in the number which removed early to Missouri, but a part of the Jolly family is understood to have remained in Ohio.
Meeting with much opposition in Missouri, the Mormons removed in May, 1839, to Nauvoo, Illinois, on the Mississippi River. Here a city was founded, of which Joseph Smith was several times elected mayor.
A temple of great proportions and indeed a magnificent structure, was here erected and the membership of the church increased-many foreign converts being of the number of addi- tions. Here again a conflict arose with the local authorities and in 1844, Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum were incarcerated in the county jail of Hancock County, at Carthage, Illinois, where both were killed by a mob, June 27, 1844.
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