USA > New York > Livingston County > Nunda > Centennial history of the town of Nunda : with a preliminary recital of the winning of western New York, from the fort builders age to the last conquest by our Revolutionary forefathers > Part 33
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When Dickens said something like this about New York City he exag- gerated-and so it is not best to enlarge on this subject. However, Nunda was "Queen of the Valley" then, as well as now, only she indulges in a better wardrobe now. Fine kept lawns have taken the place of vegetable gardens, and the hoe and the cultivator have been relegated to the back yard.
Charles W. King, hardware merchant, married Jane Gilmore, sister to Dr. Gilmore, and became a citizen of Nunda in 1838. His children were: John R. King, Henry G. King, Charles King. Emily Gilmore was an adopted niece. Grandchildren : Cora King, daughter of John, married Charles E. Pratt. Their children are : Ralph Pratt and Ward Pratt. at school at Andover, Mass. Henry G. King. 33rd New York. is an invalid and lives at Nunda. Charles King is buried at Oakwood. B. F. King, a nephew of C. W. King, is a manufacturer. His children were : George, Frank and Flora. .
Horatio Packard and wife. Lydia Jones, of Bristol, came to Nunda about 1838. Horatio Packard was born 1808, Lydia Jones Packard in 1811. Elna- than Packard, their only son, was born 1833, came to Nunda in childhood, and almost at once became conspicuous in the early schools of the village. He delighted in debates and was a leader in debating societies of the Nunda Lit- erary Institute. He studied law at Nunda and graduated at a law school at
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Poughkeepsie. He married Martha Leech of New York City. Their only child, Mary Packard, graduated at Nunda Academy, married Charles Rich- mond; Herbert. their only son, married Margaret Scott of Canaseraga ; Her- bert is a jeweler and lives at Kane, Pa. He has a son, born June, 1908, named Orren, of the fifth generation of this small but select family.
Samuel J. Crooks also studied law at Nunda. was admitted to the bar and practiced law at Nunda and Rochester. During the Civil War he recruited two regiments and for a time took the command of both the 8th New York Cavalry and the 22nd New York Cavalry. He died some years ago. The father of S. J. Crooks kept the Nunda House a year or two.
George Chidsey came to Nunda in 1839. He had been a merchant and postmaster at Mt. Morris. He was born in 1810, married Mary M. Woodford and died 1880. Their children were : George S. Chidsey, who lives at the home- stead, married Mary J. Brewer, daughter of Jesse Brewer, children : Allie M. and Charles. Charles married Effie Brewer, granddaughter of Daniel Brewer. The daughters of George Chidsey, Sr., are Lucia and Alice, who live on West Street.
Samuel McCollough, merchant tailor, born in Middletown, Conn., 1818. married Mandana Dayton, born in Canada 1833, married 1854. Children: Delia A., Viola J., Eva L. and Minnie.
Population of Nunda in 1840. 2.635. Portage, including Genesee Falls. had at this time a population of 5.206. The excavating of the Deep Cut and of the Tunnel changed this section into a densely populated locality. Granger had at this time 1, 198, Grove 643.
The improvements in Nunda, in 1840, consisted of a newspaper, an acad- emy and a new church, the Universalist. The trustees of the academy were : Rev. Wales Tileston, A. B., Samuel Swain, Sr., and Gulielmus Wing.
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A FORMER STATE STREET TANNERY
On September 17, 1840, a lot on State Street, east side of Keshequa, near the bridge, was offered for sale, and the astonishing part is, it was formerly occupied "as a tannery." The name of the firm. and the existence of this tan-
ALLEGANY COUNTY.
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Central Part of Nunda Valley Village.
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nery seem to have been forgotten, but one circumstance recalls it to a few old people ; that the building extended over the creek, and "once upon a time" a flood carried away the south side of the building, and many bundles of hides, piled up against this side of the building, were carried down the creek. Ezekiel Gilbert has been named by one person as a member of the firm. Little is known of this man excepting that he joined the Baptist Church in 1833, but as most everybody else did the same thing about that time his record is not exceptional. Indeed there was a well defined doubt in many minds if a man or woman could be a good citizen of Nunda if he had not passed through the waters of the Keshequa.
Other improvements were. better stores, better houses, better home life, better thought, better opportunities for the young, and the spirit of optimism, that the past struggles with poverty and privations were past, and that Nunda was destined to do great things and be great, and the Genesee Valley Canal was to bring to its doors a degree of prosperity never known before. But 1841 was to come, and its coming was not what had been in anticipation, work stopped on the canal, and hundreds of men were out of business.
STIVERS-HAYNES FAMILIES
I. Alexander E. Stivers a tailor, settled in Nunda, after the stores around the public square were built. He employed several men and women, among them his two sisters, Betsy and Janette. Janette, married Robert Haynes : Betsy, married Peter Myers : Abraham Stivers, married Elizabeth Jane Thomp- son. Children of Robert Haynes: Lacey; Corydon ; Randall, a soldier ; Perry, a soldier, who nearly starved to death in Andersonville, and died a few days after reaching home. Rachel and Mary Jane married Samuel Wright, a vete- ran of the Civil War, who died at the Soldiers Home at Bath. Children of Samuel Wright: Lucinda, married Frank Folk; Mary Louise, married Jo- seph Herdendorf, veteran 136th N. Y .: Janette . Hattie ; Carrie ; Charles, mar- ried - Alday: Mary: Flora, married Robert Lippincott, a mason; Clar- ence, married since leaving Nunda.
James Haynes, married Lucinda Preston, daughter of Isaac Preston, James has become deaf ; he lives in Hornell. A daughter of James is a mission- ary in Korea.
LUTHER C. PECK FAMILY
Luther C. Peck, lawyer. lived in Pike, where he was Justice of the Peace for many years, and Supervisor of town for six years. He was elected to Congress and served four years. He married in Washington, Cynthia Fletcher. His son Harrison was born in Washington. was educated in Nunda ; served during the Civil War, as hospital steward, married Delia Lake. daughter of Edwin Lake, and became a pharmacist, was post master of Nunda. and has a drug and book store. with which he has been connected thirty years ; has served several terms as president of the village.
Fletcher C. Peck, born in Nunda, educated at the academies of Nunda, and at Union College. (A. B.), studied law with his father, was U. S. Marshal. during Cleveland's last administration. and is president of the College Club of Nunda, he married Mary Metcalf. daughter of Rev. Whitman Metcalf. A. M. Their children: Marian Gale Peck. a musician: Louise Peck. educated at Nunda and Livingston Park Seminary, Rochester, ( graduate ). married Ernest
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Whitbeck of Rochester; Mary Peck, educated at the same school (grad.) is Mrs. Moulthrop of Rochester: Fletcher W. Peck, A. B., Rochester University, law student at home, Nunda; Alvin, son of L. C. Peck, died in Nunda, 1858, when a young man; Charles F., editor of newspapers, at Nunda and Avon, was the first Commissioner of Bureau of Statistics of Labor; re- ceived his appointment from Governor D. B. Hill, he is now a European tourist agent ; Fanny, married *J. C. McMaster. The brothers of L. C. Peck, who studied law in his office, were: Linus Jones Peck, lawyer and contractor on public works ; George W. Peck. Sons: Luther M., Kirk, Frank and Dorr.
I. Samuel Cooper, farmer (140 A.), born 1808 in Massachusetts, mar- ried in 1840 Hannah Coates, born 1815, in Massacusetts.
# II. John M. Cooper, their son, born in Nunda, 1842, farmer (112 A.), mar- ried Octavia Cooper, born in Massacusetts, 1842.
III. S. Clayton Cooper, born in Nunda, farmer, jeweler, grocer, East Street, Emporium Block, married Ella Dusenbury, teacher N. H. S.
I. Helen Cooper, his sister married Chester Foote, manufacturer.
II. 2. * Nancy E. Cooper, married *Charles T. Metcalf, (marble cutter). The first Mrs. Metcalf was *Madeline Cocraine.
III. 1. Louis Metcalf, Journalist. Attica, N. Y., married Maude Tallman, teacher, from Albany N. College. III. 2. Grace Metcalf, born in Nunda, graduate N. H. S., married Edward Northway, son of F. A. Northway, ( vete. ran of Nunda ; senior member of firm. of Northway Bros.
I. Milton Henry Coates, farmer ( Cooper farm 190 A.), died in Nunda : neither Mr. or Mrs. Coates are living.
II. Henry Milton Coates, farmer (Coates-Cooper farm), married Carrie Schwarts. II. 2. Eliza Coates. married Chapman of Alabama.
III. 3. Edna, married Frank Batterson. IV. Julia Batterson.
I. 2. Lucinda Cooper, married Thomas Lockwood.
1841
The event of the year which was so important that it did away with the former methods of reaching the settlements of Allegany County, and put the Genesee River out of commission as a highway of transportation, was the Genc- see Valley Canal, which was completed as far as Mt. Morris. There was no longer a necessity for polling up the Genesee to Geneseo, or sending lumber and grain by arks to the Erie Canal.
It ended pioneer settlement. in Nunda, for with good roads from Mt. Mor- ris, and canal packets running from Rochester to Dansville and stages passing through. and often owned by Nunda people, a new era had dawned upon the town. Hence cur Pioneer Settlement of Nunda ends, with the opening of navigation on the Genesee Valley Canal. in the spring of 1841. From this time the families that come will be mentioned by reason of their occupation, rather than as early settlers.
There remained hillside forests whose lands had not been considered de- sirable as farm lands, and many a lumberman from the village, made fortunes from these forests, because there was now transporation near. and destined soon to come into the town. In anticipation of the Olean branch of the G. V. Canal, nearly every acre of these primitive forests was purchased.
The author has given about 1.000 pioneers who lived in the three towns of Nunda, with their different dimensions, and while he has unavoidably left out
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as many more (the space for giving this information being limited) he feels satisfied in rescuing from oblivion, the names, and sometimes the special char- asteristics of this hardy race, whose strenuous toil, and adventurous spirit, led them into the wilderness to transform its hills and valleys into landscapes of unrivaled beauty, as well as farm lands of unusual excellence.
The task of securing these facts has been more difficult, than that achieved by those of whom he wrote. Thousands of letters have been written to the sons and grandsons of these pioneers, scattered over the United States, every one of the second generation of pioneers living in the township has been sought and interviewed, but not in vain, and not too soon, for these have nearly all passed away since this task of investigating and recording the past, commenced. Even five years from now this work could not have been done. During the past few years many of those nonogenarians, octogenarians, and residents from childhood, from whom the writer has obtained information, have passed away. Among them : Mrs. Mary Wheeler Clark, 90 years old ; Miss Rachel Bennett, 80; Mrs. Aseneth Brewer Chase, 99 years old ; Jesse Brewer, 82; Mrs. Mary Johnson Brewer, 82: Almiron Paine. 80: Harry Cleveland, 94; Dr. B. Franklin Dake. 76; Mrs. Samuel Swain. 80; Myron Smith. 94; Asa LaRue, 90; Fred- erick Davidson, 82; Mr. and Mrs. B. P. Richmond, 85; John Fitch, 83; Peter Townsend, 81 ; and Vandalia Slater, 78. S. P. Whitcomb, Jennie Grover Craig, Fred Grover, Mortimer Pettit, Heury Shute, Edwin Pettis, and his sis- ter Mrs. Ellis Thompson. Mrs. Ewarts ( 102 years old ). Jacob Cox, Levi Gould and his wife, James Chambers and William Batterson. Just a few remain who have known and lived in Nunda for over 70 years. Mrs. Mary Barrett Barron, 94; Porter Warren, 89: Mrs. Rufus Robinson, 86; Munson Barker, 85; Mrs. Adeline Barker, 80: J. Monroe Cole. 84: Leonard Jackson, 80; Justus Barker, Mrs. Olive Bowen Barker: Mrs. Martha Johnson, Lyman Warren 75; Almira (Shute) Smith, 76; Mrs. M. J. (Craige) Bowhall, 83; Mrs. Minerva Rawson Rathbun, 82; William P. Thompson. Elizabeth Reckard Cree, (who has lived in the village the longest of any 71 years ) : Augusta Bennett Herrick, 77; De- borah A. Hand, 75; Frederick Hark, 79: John Kelley, 76 and Monroe Myers, 77.
EAST STREET-THE KESHEQUA TRAIL
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In the village, besides those mentioned, there are not more than one or two who have lived here most of the time for even sixty years. Harrison Peck has lived here since 1841, he was the last of the pioneers born before coming to Nunda in 1841, he has always lived here. His brother F. C. Peck, not a pioneer, by the 1841 limit to pioneer days, is probably next on the list of long residence. The writer thinks of no others that have lived in the village 65 years or more, that are here now.
How limited would have been the sources of personal information con- cerning the first half of our century, after a few years more had passed. The advent of newspapers into the town from 1841 to 1859, though irregular in publication, have given some facts that would otherwise have been forgotten. To the late James Swain we must give the credit of preserving files of these, 'and to C. K. Sanders, for buying these at the cost of $25. (just the price once paid for Manhattan Island) and for loaning them for historical purposes to the local historian. His own files of the Nunda news from 1859 to present time is the best history that could be furnished of the modern town though exceedingly inconvenient for general reading purposes. The existence of this source of in- formation, from 1859 to present time, renders the history of this period less dif- ficult.
DIBBLES, BELLS AND DAVIDSONS Presbyterians
Mrs. Dr. Dibble, mother of Mrs. Alfred Beli. * Alfred Bell settled about 1840, with his wife, #Juliette ( Dibble) Bell. He became Supervisor and As- semblyman. His wholesale lumber business caused him to move to Rochester. Fred H. Bell, born 1844, died at Madison, N. J .; Katie, married *- Lewis, resides in Buffalo, N. Y. The family of A. Bell were Republicans. Alvan H. Dibble, veteran, 33rd. lost arm in Civil War, died as a result of wounds, Sarah Dibble, his sister, attended school here.
The Davidson family were Democrats. I. James E. Davidson, born 1792, died 1882, aged 92; Jane Emerson, born 1792, died 1871, age 79.
II. Frederick Davidson, married Charlotte M. Hurd, both reached old age. Mr. Davidson came to Nunda in 1847, was a merchant and clothier. Davidson, and son (F. U.) were his successors. Frank U. Davidson continues the business.
III. *Charles, born 1838, died 1860; Frank U. (merchant), married Paul- ine Scott, resides on Seward Street. Nunda, N. Y.
The Bells and Davidsons were cousins. They were Presbyterians. Mr. Bell was a liberal contributor to the building of the second Presbyterian Church building, he became very wealthy.
A LOST INDUSTRY
Philip G. Slocum advertises in a newspaper of 1841 as a Coverlet Weaver. and Dyer at Mechanics Hall, opposite Eagle Hotel : this must have been in the second story of Empire Block. He also wove striped woolen carpets, double or single coverlets, "with figures, equaling those imported." The very handsome patterns of coverlets, made by this skillful weaver, are indeed things of beauty The white counter pane of to-day, has superseded them in use, but many of them can still be found used as draperies, and are handsome still.
The striped yarn carpets, so much nicer than those made of rags, that once graced the parlor floors, are now mostly worn out, and it is next to impossible
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to find any of them to-day. They lasted for about a half century in the rooms only used when distinguished guests called, or visited, and were pleasing to the eyes that liked bright colors. The ingrain carpet, soon took their places. Philip G. Slocum, married Fanny Seaver.
II. Adello Slocum, his son, editor, married Adella Havens, a poetess : Almantha Safford, a ward, married Leonard Seaver, son of John; Clemment Slocum was a younger brother of Adello.
THE REIDS SETTLED IN NUNDA 1841
This family came to Nunda, just in time to be classed with the pioneers of Nunda Valley.
An excellent letter of A. J. Reid, not only tells so very modestly, the story of the success of his brother and himself, but also tells of others. They have visited Nunda since it was written, and everyone who remembers them, was de- lighted to renew their acquaintance. What he says of Dr. Charles Chittenden. son of our pioneer dentist. that he stood at the head of his profession, is very important, especially as we now have to say, the late Dr. Charles Chittenden. He also visited Nunda about four years ago, and enjoyed his short visit very much.
As to Justice John B. Winslow, of whom he speaks, who was born on Massachusetts Street while his father, one of the best of teachers was in charge of the then New Institute, is also of great interest. "Justice of the Supreme Court of Wisconsin," is certainly a high distinction for a man still on the sunny side of sixty.
The writer has secured him as a member of our College Club, and an eler- trotype of himself and of his son, Horatio Gates Winslow, one taken when the Justice was receiving this third degree LL. D., and his son his first at the Uni- versity of Madison. The writer has not failed to secure plates of the Reid Bros., who have hewn out for themselves, such paths of usefulness and honor.
MASSACHUSETTS STREET
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The School House~
FIRST LOG SCHOOL HOUSE AT PIKE-NUNDA Built 1809. Miss Beulah Abell, Teacher
BOOK III
DEPARTMENT I
SCHOOLS
From cabin to mansion, Log school house to college,
A century expasion
In wealth, fame and knowledge,
Time's horologe turns back And gives the whole story,
From the Cashequa trail,
To this Century's glory.
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION TO HISTORY OF THE SCHOOLS AND SCHOLARS OF NUNDA.
W HO ought to live in History. The Pioneers out of whose strenuous struggles we have our famous farm lands? Yes. these should live. The soldiers who gave and those that preserved our liberties, their names should be emblazoned on the records of Fame.
Are there no others who should have a perpetuity of grateful remembrance? An army of men and women, with books as weapons, and brains burnished by study and knowledge obtained from books, nature, wise instructors, at institutions for furnishing mental equipment, rise before me and ask, have we no place in your history and in your hearts? Was our life work of secondary importance? Who lifted the mass of young humanity out of ignorance, and out of indifference an | bred in it hunger for knowledge? Who equipped four generations for life, with the power to think intelligently and stimulated mental growth and vigor? Who, next to parents, have done most for the youth of the last eight decades in Nunda ? Have the hundred or more teachers who have lifted growing humanity above the achievement of the muscular and physical into the realm of thought and mental vigor, no place in your memory or your gratitude ?
These inquiries are pretinent and convincing. Now that we have a mental inheritance, should we forget the Gamalials at whose feet we sat? No class of men and women have done more for humanity than our teachers, and no class have been so easily forgotten. Even the school records that should tell who taught,
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whose instruction repaid the expenditures, so well utilized, tells who received them, every trustee, clerk, committee, is on record, but the teacher's name does not ap- pear. Ask a dozen men who were their teachers in their youth and not one of the dozen can name more than two or three. We have had Academies or High Schools here since 1840, who can name more than a dozen of the instructors? Buck, Winslow, Barrett and Evans cover the field with nine-tenths of the people and some of later date who did not know these, say, Fairman, Dana and Welles, were teachers worth remembering. These were, so were the others, so were all of those who made us think, or who imparted knowledge, or created a desire for it.
In gratitude to all whose love of knowledge, or whose possession of knowl- edge quickened life, from under the very ribs of indifference and mental inertia, we write these records of those we esteem and rank as the greatest of public bene- factors-Our Teachers.
HISTORY OF THE SCHOOLS OF NUNDA
Our primitive township, now a hundred years old. though once as large as a county, and now forming an important part of three counties, was destitute of even a single school, cr school house during the first year of its existence.
Naturally its largest settlement furnished pupils sufficient for its first school and so the Whitehall settlement had the first school in the spring of 1809, with Miss Beulah Abel for teacher. It is honor enough to be the first teacher, but what chance had a pretty, accomplished young lady in a pioneer settlement of remaining a teacher when wives were in such demand, and so it proved. Miss Abel was no doubt able to teach well, but she was not "able" to resist the persuasions of Mr. "Abel" Townsend, and so she became a wife and a few years later a mother, and in course of time a grandmother. Now what can be expected of a historian 99 years after the advent of Teacher No. I.
To tell all he knows that will connect this distant past with the present-in due course of time a daughter, Emeline, of Mr. and Mrs. Abel Townsend, grew to womanhood, married Dr. James Gilmore, brother to Pioneer Dr. John Gilmore of Nunda ( 1831), and of Mrs. C. W. King, and another family of children came into the world, and one, the loveliest of them all, came into the household of her aunt, Mrs. C. W. King to live, and at least one thousand who will read these records knew and esteemed Emily Gilmore, as a rare spirit, beautiful and interesting, a lady in refinement so pronounced that it must have been born with her. Years after- ward the aged parents came to live in her home and then all knew why Emily Gil- more McNair, was so nearly perfect.
In the same year. 1809. Maria Bellenger taught a school near Portageville. She was a daughter of John Bellenger, who took up lands that year, that he after- wards bought ; years afterward a family of that name came to reside in Nunda, and a son of the family has proven his inherited love of knowledge.
Though in the backwoods with the most rustic of rustics to teach, these schools were not like those in Kentucky-"Blab-Schools"-where everyone studied aloud, and all as loud as they chose. Nor were they taught by master or mistress Wav- back who were only proficient in Reedin', 'Riten and 'Rethmetic, the three R's, that the most of us have heard about. A Mr. Jason Goodell taught in winter on tlie Gore and Miss Bellenger taught this school the next summer, for bad boys were a little more incorrigible on frontier settlements than elsewhere, and winter schools required muscular skill.
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The next school we hear of was at Mills Mills, where the various Mills fami- lies from Montgomery County had a settlement. A new barn served as a school house, and Miss Caroline Russell from Montgomery County was the teacher in the summer of 1812. Her brother Samuel, a lad of 12, attended the school and became one of Allegany's great lawyers.
Perkins B. Woodard of Centerville, became one of a committee to subdivide the 12x24 township in 1813 into 12 school districts, he did his work so well that the one new district that gains recognition was near his own home and he was the teacher. The system of employing male teachers in winter when the big boys at- tended was thus early introducted.
Evidently there was one school, District No. I in Nunda, near the Sparta line where a few brave Spartans had crowded over to choose for themselves "a lodge in some vast wilderness" where game abounded. Oak Hill had a school in 1817, and Horace Miller was the teacher, followed next summer by Maria Bellenger, who seems to have been much sought after. Oakland was not far behind and probably one of the Strongs, a race of teachers, taught the school. Hunts Hollow had its log school house on the hillside not far from the residence of Dr. Amos Parmalee, and the list of teachers that taught in that school would surprise any one who knew the conditions of pioneer settlements. Two celebrated teachers, both with the degree of A. B., taught all who came, anything they were capable of learning. Backwoods though it was, these were not backwoods teachers. It may seem incongruous that an A. B., should teach the a, b, c's, but certainly Stephen Fuller, fresh from Dartmouth, and Franklin Hosford from Oberlin, did teach that school, and here Washington Hunt and Major Edward Hunt and all the other Hunts, and Bennetts, and Coes, and Cobbs, and Parmalees, and Booth Nichols at- tended the school. A slab with legs to it serving as a seat.
I have a letter from C. L. Parmalee, who, since the death of Vandalia Slater. April, 1908, is the oldest of the pioneer youths of that time who mentions various teachers, his father's brother, Fred Parmalee, Horton Fordyce, Daniel Averill. Probably long before this time they were housed in the old long red school house
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