USA > New York > Delaware County > Delaware County, New York, history of the century, 1797-1897, centennial celebration, June 9 and 10, 1897 > Part 32
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Masonville.
By A. F. Getter.
T THIS town was formed from Sidney, April 4, 1811, and was named after Rev. John M. Mason, who in the right of his wife, a descendant of Gen. Jolm Bradstreet, was owner of the greater part of the Evans patent, which laid in this town. This patent was surveyed in 1786 by Wmt. Cockburn.
A few words will explain the physical features of the town. The Bennett brook rises in the eastern part of the town, runs an easterly course and empties into the Susquehanna in the town of Bainbridge. Cold Spring brook rises two and a half miles south of Bennett brook, runs south and discharges into the Dela- ware near the Stiles settlement. Two ridges extend on either side of these brooks their whole length. They are broken, how- over by numerous lateral ravines through which flow small streams. The highest summits are from five to six hundred feet above the valleys, and about eighteen hundred feet above tide water. The surface is stony: the shaly loam only fairly productive.
The village of Masonville is situated on Bennett brook, a little west of the center of the town. The first permanent settlement was made here in 1795, on what is known as the Cockburn gore, a strip of land running across the west end of the town.
The first settlers were mostly from Massachusetts, among whom we note William and Adin Wait, Samuel Whitman, Daniel Scranton, Enos Goodman, Justin North, Perez Moody and his son Moses, Asa Terry and Caleb Monson. The first birth was that of Sally Wait, August 10, 1787. The first death was that of William Wait during the same summer.
In 1797 the State road was built, ending at Jericho, now Bain-
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
bridge. Other settlers came soon after, Darius Smith, Timothy Eastman, Bernice Hazor, Sylvester and Ebenezer Smith. Dr. Eli Emmons taught the first school; Simeou Wells kept the first in, where the old Baptist parsonage now stands. The site of the first school house is now occupied by the barn of the late JJohn M. Parker. The first store was kept by Fitch and Phelps, in 1808. Joseph Bieknell built the first grist and saw mill in 1802, about. half a mile west of the present village. Hazor, Ebenezer Smith, Dr. Pliny and Darius Smith settled near the center of the town. Collins Brown settled a little east of the center; Silas Kuceland on Beech Hill; Wearam Willis settled about two miles south of the center on the Delaware road. He was well educated and a man of good judgment. He was the first supervisor of the town and land agent for John M. Mason for many years. Malcolm Allen and John McKinnon came abont 1800 and settled on the Sidney road one and a half miles northwest of the conter. L. MeQuain, the two Eloner brothers and Thomas B. Pahner came in 1800: Joseph Bieknell, Ira Balcom, Lovi Wells, Elijah Whit- man and George Clayhom came about 1801; Elijah Whitman and Win. Bolt came from Saratoga county. William McCrea, a relative of the Jane MeCrea who was murdered by the Indians in 1777. also came from Saratoga county. There was a tragedy enacted at the residence of this MeCrea, in which one Pangbourne, a laborer for McCrea, murdered his wife. There was also a case of murder in 1819 by Nathan Foster, who poisoned his wife. The trial was conducted at Delhi and created an intense excitement. Martin Van Buren was present and assisted the District Attor- neys. Foster was convicted and hung. Mrs. Martha Bradstreet rame to Masonville in 1819 and commenced suits to recover lands of the Evans patent in Masonville and Tompkins. She was successful in some instances; but at the present date all these suits have been discontinued, as upon further investigation it was held that the claim was not established. This claim and the litigation arising out of it had much to do in retarding the set-
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TOWN OF MASONVILLE.
tlement of the town. The village of Masonville is a part of Lot 13, in the Evans patent, the whole lot containing 1,067 acres. It was all claimed by the heirs of Mrs. Martha Bradstreet. Most of the occupants have settled with the claimants by paying $5,000 to the late William Youmans, counsel for the claimants.
In 1798 Timothy Eastman took a lease embracing the site of Masonville. This lease was assigned to Reuben Bump, and by him to a man by the name of Nash, and by Nash to Darius Smith, father of the late Stillman Smith, in 1801. These parties and their heirs have hell possession ever since. The people purchased land from them in good faith and made improvements without any knowledge of a trust deed until in 1859. The settlers there- fore felt that they had been greatly wronged and that this deed should be cancelled.
The eastern part of the town, known as East Masonville, was settled a little later than the western part. The soil is better adapted for agriculture than the rest of the town. The farmers have the advantage of the Ontario & Western railroad which gives them an outlet for their produce.
ORGANIZATION OF THE TOWN.
Agreeable to a vote of the inhabitants and an act of the Legis- lature, March 1, 1812, the tirst annual town meeting was held at the house lately occupied by Samuel Whitman, and was adjourned to the school house near Collins Brown. The following persons were elected to office: Supervisor, Wearam Willis; town clerk, Pliny Smith: justices of the peace, L. Liverly, Uzziel Taylor: assessors, Lucius Scofiell, Abner Graves; commissioners of high- ways, Thomas B. Palmer, William McCrea, Erastus Goodman; collector, Robert W. Foster; constables, R. W. Foster, Job Elmer; fence viewers, William S. McCrea, Moses Shaw, Farrington Parker: pound keeper, Joseph Bieknell.
At this meeting the following resolutions were passed: Res- olved. That the overseers of the poor of the aforesaid town give their notes on interest to the supervisor and justice of the peace
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
for all moneys received. Voted, that fences four and one-half feet high shall be deemed a lawful fence. Voted, that horses and hogs shall not run on the common land. Voted, that the dainages done by horses and hogs shall be the penalty without any regard to the fence; said damages to be appraised by the fence viewers, the owners to pay all the costs.
We had prepared a list of the persons who had been sent to the Legislature, and who had served as supervisors of the town, but fearing that this sketch may be too much extended, wo omit these names.
The census of 1880 showed about 21,000 acres of improved land and of unimproved about 9,000 acres. The number of acres under the plow was 2,418, the pasture land something over 10,000 acres, mowing land nearly 8,000 acres. The last report of farm lands does not vary much from report of sales of 1874, falling a little below. At the last census the inhabitants numbered abont 1,600, the slight decrease from year to year being caused by emigration to the west.
There are now about 2,500 cows on the farms of the town. Dairying is the principal industry. One hundred and five years ago the town was all forest through which wild beasts roamed at will. Seventy years ago there was on an average about one cow to a clearing; the tinkle of the cow bell could be heard from every hill and valley. As I have stated, we are now largely engaged in dairying. About 475,500 pounds of butter are pro- duced annually. In the western part of the town there is a choose factory managed by Ernest Bilby. F. W. Smith owns two cream- eries, one in the village and one at Jericho. W. A. Gifford owns one at East Masonville and one at Tacoma. J. C. and P. W. Willis own one at Beaver Lake. The patrons of the creamery all use separators, and the butter ranks with the best sent to market, but at the present time the price is so low it leaves but a small per cent. to the farmer.
The lumbering interest in Masonville was of vast proportions
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TOWN OF MLASONVILLE.
from 1820 to 1850. Little else was thought of except to out logs, haul logs, saw logs and build rafts. Had the people followed farming with the same tenacity and zeal as they did the lumber- ing business the town would be much better off to-day. In the winter time it was no trifling matter to get up at four o'clock of a frosty morning, the mercury away below zero, feeding teams. loading sleighs with lumber and then starting off for the river, twenty. thirty, and often times a greater number in procession. It was exciting, truly, but it was dry work. So they would stop at the corners, as they called it, to take a drink to warm them- selves: two and a half miles further on, at the height of the grade, they would rest their teams, and being weary themselves would stop for refreshments at what is now known as the Bryant place. Again about two miles further south at the forks of the Cold Spring brook they would step in to see how " mine host " was getting along this cold morning. Arriving at the river they would feed their teams, take a drink of whiskey, eat the lunch they had with them, unload the lumber and then start for home. This is not an overdrawn picture. The writer, then but a little boy. has often driven a team in such a train and has often been urged to drink with the rest.
On the return of Spring these lumbermen would figure up their loss and gain. Many of them would find a balance against them for the corn and oats they had bought. To saw this vast amount of lumber no less than seventeen saw mills were kept running. It is necessary to enumerate them. They were im- portant enterprises when lumbering was in vogue; but now their usefulness is mostly gone. Besides these sawmills there was one place where the pioneers carried their apples to have them man- fartured into cider and vinegar. There were cooper shops, planing mills and shingle machines, and wagon and carriage manufactor- ies. It is needless to extend our enumeration of the places of business, the factories and the residences which have been erected in the town.
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
REMINISCENCES OF NELSON GRAVES. *
In 1812 we had a very cold summer; it froze every month of that year. The corn all rotted in the ground; in June we planted a second time. I went out with my father to see him plant and came near freezing my hands and feet. It froze so hard that night that in the morning I went out and slid on the ice with my bare feet. Again in 1816 it was very cold, it snowed every month in the year; no corn was raised, potatoes were no larger than birds eggs; grain of all kinds was a failure, there was neither hay nor fruit. In June it froze ice one inch thick; in July we had a hail storm or rather an ice storm which covered the ground with ice. Many sheep and yearlings were killed. I shall always remember it as the starving time. The inhabitants suffered much for food; almost all the cattle died. What kept the people from starving was that they had grain left over from the preceding year, which was a year of plenty. Fish and game were also abundant. The years 1820 and 1821 were almost as bad as that of 1816. Had we not secured a small crop of rye we must have starved. In 1826 we had continuous sleighing from November first to May fifteenth of the next spring. Other re- markable seasons were 1843, 1845 and 1850. We think the times hard now and the profits small, but they are flush times com- pared to those early years of trial.
In 1814 the ground where the Presbyterian church now stands was all covered with logs. They made a logging bee and cleared it up in one afternoon.
Wild animals were very plentiful. It was a common thing to have encounters with or see bears, wild cats, panthers and wolves. Once when I was a lad, driving a pair of oxen, I was attacked by what I supposed was a big grey dog, which I beat off with my ox gad. The animal proved to be a grey wolf. Mr. McCrea went out one morning to his sheep pen and found three sheep killed by wolves. He found the tracks of five wolves which he * Mr. Graves died in 1898 nearly ninety years of age.
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TOWN OF MASONVILLE.
followed over to his next neighbor's. Here they had killed two sheep. The neighbors were notified to turn out and hunt them; They followed them for some distance without killing them.
An amusing story is told of Peter Couse, who was threshing buckwheat, when suddenly a big bear was seen approaching from the woods. He gave a loud shout, turned and ran for the house. His dog was as scared as himself and kept close at his heels. Unele Peter, thinking it was the bear at his heels, was too frightened to look back, and ran, ont of breath, to the house. The bear being frightened also by Peter's shout ran as fast as he could the other way.
It would be possible to gather up many interesting tales of adventures with wild animals in these early days; but it is not possible to take the space here.
CHURCHES OF MASONVILLE.
The first Baptist church in Masonville was organized Jannary 27, 1810, by the adoption of articles of faith and a church covenant, with eight members, namely: Caleb Bennett, Collins Brown, Joseph Sanders, John Balcom, Darius S. Smith, Louis Balcom, Zelphia Smith, and Sally Welsh.
The first church was built in 1819 about one mile east of the present church. They had no facilities then for warming the house and each one carried a foot stone to keep them warm during the service, The church was recognized and reevived into fellowship in 1812. The same year the church united with the Franklin Bap- tist association, in which it remained until 1854, when it joined the Deposit association to which it now belongs. The successive pastors have been: Orange Spencer, John N. Ballard, Simeon P. Griswold, Henry Robertson Eight, E. L. Benedict, James Aimer. Henry Sherwood, E. Baldwin, E. T. Jacobs, E. H. Corey, B. L. Wel- man. N. Ripley, L. W. Jackson, W. E. Howell, R. Cary. M. Berry, W. S. Perry.
The church that was built in 1819 was simply enclosed. In this they hold their meetings for seven years before they were able to
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
finish the interior; and it was three years after this before stoves were set up. Here they worshipped for twenty years. Then a building was erected in a more convenient location near the center of the village where they continued until 1884. A large and beautiful church was then built on the main street seating about three hundred and fifty people. Several churches have been formed in whole or in part from this oklest church. Its present member- ship is 128.
The second church in Masonville was the Congregational, formed June 18, 1818. The Rev. Caleb Wright was moderator of the council. A meeting was held March 14, 1821, for the purpose of taking into consideration the erection of a meeting house. It was voted to build a house forty-five feet long by thirty feet wide, fifteen feet posts. September 13 the society met and resolved that this society raise a sum not to exceed 8150, to be laid by tax on such members as shoukl agree to be taxed, taking the town appraisement as a guide; to be taxed not more than thirty per cent. on all taxable property that is not encumbered; such money to be used to pay a preacher one-half of his time. The first sale of slips netted $98,50.
In 1820 the Rev. John M. Mason and his wife of the Bradstreet family granted a lot of 112 acres of land for the support of the ministry of the church. A Presbyterian society was formed to receive the grant under the law providing for the incorporation of religious societies, under the name of First Presbyterian Society of Masonville. The farm and the parsonage are about one mile south of the village, the proceeds are used for the benefit of the society. It is a good piece of land and suitable for farming aud dairying.
The following have been the successive pastors: Egbert Roosa, John Fish, Charles Chapman, Daniel Manning, Moses Fatcher, Harvey Smith. In 1847 the church was changed into the Congre- gational form, succeeding which were the following pastors: George Evart, Mr. Ketcham, A. H. Fullerton, Summer Mandeville, P. B. Wilson, Mr. Perry, C. E. Cary, John Hutchingson, Josiah Still, J. D. Cameron.
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Village of Meredith
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Villa je
Eist Meredith
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TOWN OF MLASONVILLE.
The church edifice was built in 1822 and 1843. It was remod- elled in 1852. The church has been connected with Susquehanna Association and the Chenango Presbytery, and is now connected with the Binghamton Presbytery. It has always been feeble as to numbers and money, and has had to depend in a great measure upon home mission funds for support. The Bradstreet claim for a long time hampered it and caused anxiety .*
A Methodist Episcopal church was organized in Masonville in 1822. Until 1851 the meetings were held principally in the school house, at which time a commodious church was erected, which was enlarged and modernized in 1873. In 1864 a parsonage was pur- chased with a lot containing two acres of land. This property being inconveniently situated was sold and a parsonage on the main street near the church was bought. Preaching has been maintained in this church since its organization. The names of the preachers can be given, but they will occupy too much space for this history. The church has had a steady growth from the first. Out of it has been formed churches at Bennettsville and at Tacoma, which have drawn from the strength of the parent society.
MASONVILLE LONGE NO. 606, F. & A. V.
This lodge was organized July 11. 1866, by electing J. C. Bourne, W. M .: Hiram Scofield, F. W .; A. C. Bailey, Jr., W. There were twelve charter members. The lodge has prospered from the beginning and is now in a satisfactory condition. It has forty-two members in good standing. The Sidney Lodge took a number of the brethren from Masonville Lodge as charter members.
MILITARY.
It would be interesting to give in detail the military move- ments which took place in this patriotic town. The following persons are believed to have been engaged in the Revolutionary war, and who ought particularly therefore to be held in grateful
" At the request of Mr. Getter Rev. J. D. Cameron, pastor of the Presby- terian church, has prepared a few pages relating to the recent history of the church. It is of great interest, but for want of space must be here omitted.
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
remembrance: Ezekial Upsen, Jonathan Hale, Asa Gillett, Case Van Tice, Abram Honghtaling, Elijah Whitman and Collins Brown.
Another list of those engaged in the war of 1812 consists of Ambrose Bennett, Miner Wheaten, John Honghtaling, Nathan Shaw, Abraham Scott and Joseph Clark.
In the Civil war, 1861 to 1865, the part of the county in and about Masonville was notably patriotic. It is impossible to dis- tribute the names of those who entered the army with certainty among the localities from which they went. The town of Mason- ville, the town of Sidney and the towns of Tompkins and Deposit, together with localities on the Susquehanna river, not in the county, were all enthusiastic in the work of supplying soldiers for this war. Not less than 150 persons could be enumerated as volunteering from these towns.
Meredith.
By Josiah D. Smith.
. . .
1 attempting to write this history two serious difficulties con- front the writer. Some years ago the building in which the town records were kept was destroyed by fire, and much that would no doubt have been of material aid in making up this record was forever lost. Again, within a few years many of the older inhabitants from whom valuable data could have been ob- tained have passed away. Our main dependence has been such historical facts as are already on record, together with items of interest furnished by present or former residents of the town How living.
Meredith was formed from Franklin and Kortright, March 14, 1800, and named from Sammel Meredith of Philadelphia. Its boundaries have remained the same as at its organization. except that in 1878, at their own request. a number of land owners iu the town of Davenport, whose farms are situated along the Ouleout valley, were set off and are now included in the town of Meredith.
The first settlement was made by Joseph Bramhall in 1787. Captain Amos Bristol settled in 1790, Clark Lawrence in 1791. followed by Moses and Nathan Stilson and Nathaniel Stewart: the last three settling on a tract of 1,000 acres in the western part of the town that was purchased at one dollar per acre. In 1793 Caleb Strong, Oliver Dutton, Daniel North, David Bostwick and Truman Stilson joined the settlement. Caleb Strong settled on the farm now owned by his grandson, Lewis B. Strong, and so far as the writer has been able to learn this is the only farm in town that has been owned and occupied by a direct descendant of the family since its first settlement. The original deeds given
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
to Caleb Strong, bearing date of May, 1805, are still in the posses- sion of the present owner. Oliver Dutton was a Sergeant in the war of the Revolution, and took part in the battle of Bunker Hill. David Bostwick was the grandfather of Hon. Milton Bostwick who meets with us to-day at the advanced age of eighty-nine years. Hon. Samuel A. Law, popularly known as Judge Law, came from Cheshire, Conn., in 1796, and settled at the Square as agent and part owner of the Franklin Patent, making the first surveys of farms in this section. Largely through the influence of Judge Law Meredith Square became and for a long time was the most important point along the Catskill turnpike, or in Dela- ware county. Judge Law was influential in causing quite a large immigration from New England, and the town assumed much of the characteristics of a Connecticut town. Judge Law built the first saw mill at Meredith Hollow. He died December 28, 1845.
Daniel Dibble settled on the farm now owned by Philo F. Bene- diet in the year 1799, which he bought of Daniel Smith who then owned the farms now occupied by Edmund Rose, John T. Me- Donald and Alex. McDonald. Daniel Dibble was a Revolutionary soldier, and was present at the surrender of Burgoyne. The entire list of Revolutionary soldiers who settled in town were, Silas Brooks, Eleazer Wright, Daniel Dibble, Oliver Dutton and Cap- tain Riley. The last two were pensioners.
The following named gentlemen served in the war of 1812: Truman Smith, William Cramer, George Howland, Simon Knowles, Dennis Rice. J. Carrington, Simeon Crane, C. Couse and Jacob Hunt, who settled in different sections of the town. The three Mitchell brothers, Aaron, Pierce, and David, settled on upper Elk Creek in 1802. Families of the names of Thornton and Peaster were early settlers in the eastern portion of the town. David Bostwick settled on what has since been known as the Wiard place in 1794. The first frame house built in town by Clark Lawrence, the first school taught in same by Lucy Austin, near where the dwelling of Hon. Milton Bostwick now stands. Joseph
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Village of Meridale.
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TOWN OF MEREDITH.
Bramhall kept the first hotel, and the first birth and death occurred in his family. Rufus Bunnill kept the first store at the Square in 1799. David Spoor built the first grist mill at Meredith Ilol- low. now Meridale, at the raising of which a man came near losing his life from falling.
If space permitted the writer would gladly make mention of those who came on to take the places of the older settlers already mentioned. The Dibbles, Mitchells, Elder Sears, Deacons Lake and Carr, Jonathan Benedict, Deacon Josiah D. Wells, the Porters, Deans, Duttons, Shavers, and many others who took an active part in town affairs, and in the organization and building up of the churches.
The Baptist church at Meredith was constituted Angust 22, 1811. February 1, 1818, it was decided to divide the Church and two Churches were formed, viz: the East and West Meredith Bap- tist churches. A report made to the Association June 1, 1816, gives the number of members as eighty-four and the name as East Meredith Baptist church. Benjamin Sears was invited to become pastor April 1, 1818; Oliver Dutton and Isaac Lake wore chosen Deacons.
Nathan Stilson preached in West Meredith before the church was built. Ammon Bostwick went to Kent, Conn., and brought Elder Crane, who became the first pastor of West Meredith church. After a time there arose a division and a large number withdrew and formed the Croton (now Treadwell) church. The church which was built in 1828 was finally destroyed by tire in 1812. Forty-eight members of the East Meredith Baptist church were dismissed to unite with the Delhi Baptist church. (By East More- dith is meant Meredith, and not the East Meredith of to-day.)
The present Baptist church at Meredith was created in 1848 and remodeled in 1893. The Congregational or Presbyterian church at Meredith Square was organized in 1815. the first trustees being Samuel Moody and Simeon Griswold, and the clerk Bildad Curtis. The present church was built in 1828, and William Fisher
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
was the first settled pastor. The church interior was remodeled in 1857. Later the Free Will Baptists built a church at East Meredith, now owned and rebuilt by Presbyterians; also the Methodists have a church at Meridale. Special mention should be made of that Father in Israel, Rev. George F. Post, who was called as pastor of the Meredith Baptist church three different times, and served as pastor for a period of abont twenty-one years, the total number of baptisms being 135. He is still living at eighty-two years of age, but in feeble health.
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