USA > New York > Cortland County > Virgil > Festal gathering of the early settlers! and present inhabitants of the town of Virgil, Cortland County, N.Y., 1853 > Part 11
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I shall not, in this number, enlarge on the list of individuals from this Town deserving to be noticed with credit, though I might do so without exhausting the subject, but proceed to inquire for the main cause why we have so enviable a record to present. Allusion has been made to some facts connected here; but the main one has not been presented. All the advance which our race has made in intelligence and morals is traceable to the influence of the Gospel or the Christian religion.
Would any one presume to say that without this instrumentality numerous individuals would rise above the mass, and make such a showing in the world ? It is the church and the school-house to which we must refer when searching for these eminent and desir- able results.
A young friend of the writer returned from a series of services which he had rendered in the construction of the railroad connect- ing the two oceans at the Isthmus of Darien, laboring on depots and bridges; and stated, in the account of the people in that local- ity, that they had no meetings or schools and were very much de- based. So it would be in any locality without the means alluded to. This is not said ostentatiously, as though I would represent the
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religious or scientific privileges here ever were remarkable. Far from it. The commencement was made amid great disadvantages, and the progress has been with weakness, difficulty and sacrifice. Very few Sabbaths have passed since 1802, when religious services were not held. Rev. Seth Williston was early on the ground to watch for the spiritual interests of the sparse population. He was here in 1802, and called together those who were favorable to the interests of religion, and proposed to them the question, whether they would choose to have religious services on the Sabbath, and whether they would endeavor to sustain them. He was a mission- ary, and could not be present very! frequently. He must see to matters of the kind in other places, as Homer, Dryden, Lisle, etc. The people responded to the suggestion, and agreed to assem- ble on the Sabbath and hold services, having obtained the consent of James Wood, of Dryden, and Prince Freeman of this Town, to be present and offer prayer, and James Glenny to read sermons. The few who attended gathered from an area of some eight to ten miles. They heard and united with the prayers of those devoted men, listened to the reading of the sermons, and were edified, and united in singing the praises of God, led by that practiced and able singer, Moses Rice, Esq. The interest became such that Mr. Wil- liston considered the time to have come to unfurl the standard of the Cross, and he proceeded to organize a church of eight members, three of whom lived in Dryden, four to five miles distant from the place of meeting. This was done on the 28th of February, 1805, styled/the First Congregational church in Virgil. The church was without stated preaching several years. They felt severely their destitute condition, which will be seen by the following vote, passed December,!1806: "That the church will see to the/satisfying of Rev. W. Darrow, for two Sabbaths' service a year, at five dollars a Sabbath, to attend on. Sacramental occasions, and also to take the oversight of the church for the present."
"The following are the names of some of the early fathers who have long since gone to their rest : Silas Lincoln, Jonathan Ed- wards, Jotham and Benjamin Glazier, Benjamin Cleaveland, John E. Roe, Eli Pickit, Simeon Luce, Jeptha Branch and Thomas Luce. Some of the mothers in Israel were Charlotte Roe, Lucinda Ed- wards, Hannah Sheldon, Hephzibah Osborn, Lydia" Glazier and
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Prudence Bouton. The church struggled on through various difficul- ties, with preaching part of the time, meeting in various places where they could, after the "Center School-house" was burnt in 1818, till the present meeting-house could be used for that purpose. This was put up in 1821. It was two or three years before it was enclosed and made comfortable, and it was not seated till 1831. Its location, near the old burying-ground, was found inconvenient, and it was removed to its present site in 1834. About 300 mem- bers have been added to the church, the greatest share of whom have passed away or removed, so that its number of resident mem- bers is less than thirty. . In 1871, thorough repairs were put upon the church edifice. It is now respectable in appearance, and is very comfortable and convenient. The ministers who have preached statedly in the church are Rev. Messrs. Wallace, Hitchcock, Dun- ning, Robertson, Bradford, Bliss, Chaffee, Headley, Walcott, Thacher, Bonson, Bates, Otis, Kinney, Burgess, Marshall, Ray- mond, Humphreys and Knieskern.
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NUMBER XXXI.
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T now proceed to give some facts in the history of other churches " in our Town. A/Baptist church was constituted in August, 1807. They held meetings in private houses, school-houses, barns, etc., and had preaching from Elders Whipple, Bennet, of Homer, Peter and William Powers and Robinson, till about 1826 or '27, when it was disbanded, and re-organized June 23, 1830. In 1831 they built a very respectable church edifice. The progress of the church was with much labor and sacrifice, and in several periods the prospects were dark; but the church has continued with varied scenes of adversity and prosperity till the present time ; and during the last year, the church edifice has been so thoroughly repaired as to be as good as new, and was dedicated in February last. It [pre- sents an imposing appearance to the traveler approaching from the north or east, and its internal structure corresponds with its outward
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appearance. The church has the labors of its resident minister, Elder Phillips, with a good attendance, and appearances are en- couraging. The early fathers and mothers in the church were eur- nest and persevering. They assembled from Sabbath to Sabbath, and heard preaching, when they could have it, and otherwise, the time of service was improved in devotional exercises of prayer, sing- ing and conference. The writer remembers the singing with much interest, when such of their number as Peter Powers and Jesse Johnson and their wives would engage in singing psahns and hymns in such tunes as Mear, Old Hundred, Windham and Coronation, with their honest faces directed upward with earnest devotion, while they dwelt with emphasis on the long notes peculiar to such tunes. Some of the fathers were Samuel Kingman, living where Robert Purvis now resides in Harford, and Prince Freeman, living where his son Elijah now lives, on Luce Hill, who were the deacons. Rob- ert Ryan, living on the State road, John Snyder, on Snyder Hill, Moses Olmsted and Nathan Foster, about a mile westerly from the Corners, and Juba Smith and others in different directions around. The Sabbath was sure to find them gathered from their distant homes to some place agreed upon, where they would hold their services and impart to each other words of encouragement, admoni- tion and consolation. All these, having served their generation. have long since gone to their rest, yet their names have left a savor behind which will remain with the present generation so long as any shall live to retain a remembrance of them.
The ministers preaching statedly since its re-organization have been Elders Andrews, Robinson, Clark, Ainsworth, Cole, Jones, Lyon, De Witt, Mann, Stark, Crosson, and perhaps others. Two of the ancient men came to their death very suddenly, each by the fall of a tree,-Deacon Kingman, in the early part of 1516, and Elder Robinson, about forty years since. It is estimated that their present number is about forty.
The Methodists held meetings frequently, and had preaching from Rev. G. W. Densmore and others, previous to 1830. In that year there was much religions interest among them, and many were ad- ded to their number. In 1831, their present church edifice was built. Previous to 1830, they held meetings at Mr. Hannah's and at Win. Keech's. Afterwards, their meetings were at Esq. West's,
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and at Thomas Mott's. The numerous meetings held in 1830 were had in the Presbyterian church, then standing near the old burying-ground, and in school-houses. Some of the fathers in the church were Hannahs, Palmontere, West, Baker, and Mott. Some principal leading men since have borne the name of Hutchings, Mott, Bloomer, and others. This church has also shared in the changes and trials incident to the commencement and growth of a church. Its present condition may be said to be rather prosperous. It is more numerous than either of the other churches, though we cannot state its numbers. The preachers laboring with them since 1830 have been Rev. Messrs. Mason, Wood, Bronson, Harris, Mineir, Worthing, Hamilton, Porter, McDowell, Fox, Wire, Mynard, Hew- itt, Torry, Ercanbrack, Hyde, House, Hinman, Bunnell, Luce, and Steele.
A Free Baptist church, in the west part of the Town, was organ- ized in 1822, with six members. They held meetings in " Ball's School-house," so-called, till they built their present meeting-house, often called the "West Meeting-house," in 1838. Its preachers have been Elders Daniels, Hills, Darling, Gardner, Dodge, Moul- ton, Krum, Crandall, Griffiths, Russell, Davis, and doubtless some others. Some of the leading men and fathers have been Oliver Tyler, John Hill, Amos Daniels, all of whom have passed away, but are remembered with affection by their survivors in the church, and in the community. With our present means, we shall be unable to state the number of members.
A small church of Congregationalists was formed in the east part of the Town, in 1830, by Rev. Eleazar Luce. It was ministered to by Rev. Messrs. Luce, Axtell, Chaffee, and others. In 1837, it had thirty-one members. It has since been dissolved, and the members have joined other churches. The Methodists have also long had a branch of their church in East Virgil, and have had preaching there a portion of the time by the same who ministered at the village.
There have been seasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord, in which all the churches have participated. The years 1813, 1820, 1830, '31 and '32 were characterized as such. In 1831, the Baptist and Methodist churches were built, and the Presbyterian church was seated.
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NUMBER XXXII.
B EFORE I proceed farther, I will say that a few names more should have been mentioned in the list of Methodist minis- ters preaching here since 1853. The names to be added are Barnes, Howland, and two different men by the name of Brown.
We have now come to a chapter of inferences. The efficient in- strumentalities have been set forth. To the church and the primary school, we owe the enviable showing we have been enabled to make, of distinguished individuals reared in our Town, and are not through yet, as there are numerous others that deserve notice equally with those referred to heretofore, which will occupy our next number, notwithstanding the encouragement derived from what has been written about closing up that department.
In looking over the hasty sketch of the churches given in the last number, and of the schools in previous numbers, it will be apparent to every considerate mind, that the progress of each of these depart- ments has been with much difficulty, weakness and embarrassment ; yet the motto has been throughout, "faint," yet, by the help of God, "pursuing," It has often been clear, in our religious history, that "man's necessity has been God's opportunity." "When brought low, God has helped us." And though it has often been prophe- sied that one and another of the churches must disband, they yet remain. All have ever been much weakened by emigration. Many have left, assuring themselves that they would thus better their con- dition, and others have been persuaded away, frequently to their hurt, though it may be acknowledged that there has not been room for the expansion desired. Yet if a place is sold, there must; of necessity, be a buyer; and the changes have been mostly to the disadvantage of the moral interests of the Town. It has been said that our churches are nurseries to churches in more populous places ; and, indeed, it has been remarked that those churches depend largely upon the rural churches to supply their waste, by death, removals, and apostasy. In connection with their own labors, and the aid thus received from the rural churches, those in villages can live and prosper; but what of the feeble churches, constantly exposed to this process of exhaustion ? Is it not a mutual interest that is to be
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sustained ? Is not the cause a common one ? What if the " feeble churches," so called, be suffered to languish and die ? When the streams are cut off from a river, what becomes of the river ?
There is another view of the general subject that is painful, which is this-that our youth go out of Town to procure their education. It will be noticed that those who have signalized themselves by their ability and success, have derived their education from the slender means enjoyed here. Before it was the practice to attend foreign schools, or those out of Town, the youth availed themselves of the means in their reach, and turned every opportunity to the best ac- count. It may almost be said that they were "self-taught." There was a time when no opportunity was enjoyed-in school or out of school-to gain any systematic instruction in writing compositions. In these circumstances, some among our most intelligent and aspir- ing young people conceived the idea of having a Commonplace- book, to be circulated, in which compositions should be written by those who would undertake to do so. It is impossible to say how much this device had to do with the success of the several able ed- itors of newspapers, that have arisen in our Town, and had no means of making their acquisitions, except such as could be had inside of old Virgil.
The great advantage enjoyed by the youth here fifty years since, over the present generation, was that they were associated together in making their attainments, whereas our present youth are effectu- ally dis-sociated. Formerly they were mutual aids and stimulants to each other ; now they are separated, attending different schools, and return to spend their vacations at different times, so that they scarcely retain a knowledge of each other, and the motive and the means for mutual improvement are wanting.
Something is done by institutes and school conventions, which, it would seem, might, in part, obviate this difficulty ; but a convention of schools once in the year is a very insufficient means to accomplish or secure the desired result. Doubtless much advantage is supposed to be derived to those villages where such advanced schools are held. The most enterprising youth of the adjacent towns are gathered, and the meetings and lectures are numerously attended, and the resident population exult in their prosperity, and though their success is thus promoted, the effect on the population of the rural towns is very
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adverse-and this effect, so much to be deplored, will not be re- moved until schools are established in every town, of sufficient mer- rit to enable the youth there to make all the acquisitions necessary to fit them for intelligent merchants, tradesmen and farmers, or even newspaper editors. This is an unnatural state of things ; when it is to be remedied, we cannot foresee. It is partially done now in some places, by what are termed Graded Schools. It is to be hoped that success may attend these efforts ; and that the evil, so much to be deplored, may be removed.
NUMBER XXXIII.
T HE writer of these articles has supposed that his labors in this direction were ended, and felt a kind of relief in the reflec- tion that a respite might now be had from this laborious work. In this I was, however, mistaken. You recollect that you gave me a slip from a paper called the " Daily Journal," published, as I under- stand, in Jamestown, Chautauqua Co., in this State, calling in ques- tion the substance of one of my articles published in your paper early in February last, respecting the origin of the Erie Railroad. The article referred to seems to be editorial, as no name is sub- scribed to it, and it does not present the appearance of being the production of a correspondent.
Having been led to state many things relating to events transpir- ing in the history of Virgil, in the county of Cortland, my native Town; as an impartial historian, it was incumbent on me to set forth, before the general public, what has long been known in this vicinity, to wit-that the New York & Erie Railroad was projected by one of the citizens of this Town. The fact was fully known in a small circle at the time, and was fearlessly published by those familiar with it everywhere, and at all times, and never heretofore questioned, to our knowledge. To sit down deliberately to prove and confirm this fact to the people in central or southern New York would be like attempting to prove that coal was to be found in Pennsylvania, or that the sun rises in the east. However, for the
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benefit of any candid minds that might be staggered by the consid- erations set forth in the article referred to, a few facts will be pre- sented. It is not understood that any one complains, who claims in his own person or for his friend that he is the projector of this work, but that it is "fishy" or "improbable " that " two years before the feasibility of a railroad had been demonstrated either in England or in the United States, Mr. Bonton was looking up a line of railroad from New York city through the southern tier of counties." It is also said, " The article of Mr. Bouton looks like an attempt to falsi- fy the facts of history, and to turn a good deal of credit where none is due." No one living at the time when this project was first set forth, would have thought, from the reception it met with then and for years afterward, that the credit would be worth contending for. It is not easy to conceive, at this late day, how much of sport and ridicule was consequent upon the publication of the scheme. The most respectable appellation employed was, that it was extremely visionary. Great stress is laid on the fact, that we claim the plan to have been set forth so early, and it was said that the locomotive was not in use so early, and that railroads were not then in success- ful operation in England or in. the United States, etc. So far as the locomotive is concerned, it is entirely foreign to the subject. The railroads in England were operated by horse-power, as they are now in our cities, and it was conceded that a railroad was prefera- ble to a wagon road. The writer goes on to give dates of the es- tablishment of different railroads. In a work published in Hartford, in 1873, by J. B. Burr & Hyde, compiled from the writings of Horace Greeley, Leon Case, John B. Gough and other eminent writers, it is said on page 534, " Horse railroads were increasing in numbers in England-five having been chartered by act of Parlia- ment in 1805, sixteen in 1815, and thirty-two in 1825." The first railroad in the State of New York, from Albany to Schenectady, was chartered in 1828, though not completed till 1831. The dis- cussions which led to this act were progressing at the time when the plan for the Erie road was published by us. The article published in the Cortland Observer, setting forth the same, came out in the same number that recorded the death of Governor Clinton, and in black lines, on account of that mournful event, which we considered a dark omen, and supposed that it might put an end to the plan. I
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believe it is generally understood that the death of Governor Clin- ton occurred on the 11th of February, 1828. Any one who will consult the published proceedings of the festive gathering of early settlers of Virgil, in 1853, will find in the address of W. E. Gee, on page 39, an extended reference to this subject, fixing the date at 1828. This was in the immediate vicinity and in the hearing of those personally acquainted with the facts. I took the pamphlet containing those proceedings, to Albany early in 1858 and presented it to Dr. Woolworth, the Secretary of the Board of Regents and keeper of the State Library, saying to him that in reading it he would find an account of the origin of the Erie railroad. He asked, at what time. I answered, in 1828. He said they had been able to trace it back only to 1829. He said that he wanted it, that he might place it in the State Library, and I presume it is there now, saving from oblivion this fact claimed at present to be rather im- portant. Dr. Woolworth had been Preceptor of the Cortland Academy and an old acquaintance of mine. I then stated, perhaps unnecessarily, that though the pamphlet was an unpretending one, yet the facts contained in it were authentic. He replied that he had no doubt of it. It is but reasonable to suppose that the writer of the production under consideration has access to. the " Gazeteer of the State of New York," embracing a comprehensive view of the his- tory, etc., of every county, city, town, village and locality, by J. H. Frecnh, published in Syracuse, N. Y., by E. Pearsall Smith, in 1860. In this volume, on page 255, will be found, in a note near the bottom of the left hand column, this entry, connected with other facts in the history of Virgil :
"As early as 1828, in a series of articles in the Cortland Observer, Nathaniel Bouton, a farmer in this Town, thoroughly advocated the construction of a railroad through the southern tier of counties." Both this notice and that in the address of Mr. Gee were without the knowledge or suggestion of the writer. It seems to be wondered at that Mr. Bouton, years before the line of the road was located, could have been looking up a route to terminate at Dunkirk. This Mr. Bonton was early in advocacy of the Erie Canal, and all other in- ternal improvements, such as churches, school-houses, roads and bridges, and was, in general, a man of sagacity and forecast, and never an afternoon man.
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As the veracity of the writer of these articles is questioned, it may be well to refer the writer of the article under consideration to the members of Assembly from Chautauqua for 1858: Hon. Henry Bliss, Sherman P. O., and Hon. Charles B. Green, Ellington P. O. They may not be living in those places now, but if they are it would be well to ask them if they knew the member from Cortland, ac- cupying, as will be seen by the diagram of the Assembly Chamber, seat No. 114.
·When the projector of the road had become assured that it would succeed, he said, "The road will go, and now it is time to produce fruit to be carried on it." He had an orchard, but he had but few kinds of apples fit for market. He had the Road Island Greening, English Streak, Seek-no-further, and Romanite. The Greening would not constitute an assortment, and the others had not merit enough to justify their cultivation. He found a tree about. seven miles off, that produced fruit which he thought, from all the knowl- edge he could get, would answer his purpose. It was from a cion brought from Massachusetts. He proceeded to take cions from this tree, and grafted them on about eighty trees. Not a very great number it is true, but considerable for the time and place. These trees produced a full crop in 1846-the same year in which the road was completed to Binghamton, and in which he died ; but the apples were carried to market on that road, and brought, it is said, five dollars per barrel. After his death, the writer, bought the farm of the heirs and realized a large amount of fruit from these trees. In- quiry was made for the name of this apple. At length a nursery- man came and examined them, and said that it was the Roxbury Russet, and that it was very gratifying to know that such an apple had obtained such a foothold here. My father had started a nur- sery of grafted fruit in 1809, pasting the wound with blue clay, mixed up in a sap trough. He also sowed a quantity of seeds to grow a nursery of natural- fruit. In this nursery the writer was employed in cleaning out and cultivating the young seedlings, when they had attained the third leaf. He has followed the same through the several stages of growth, change and decay, till a few years since they were removed that they might not longer cumber the ground. The writer has outlived those trees, and is still vigorous and able to meet and refute a calumny. It need not be expected that any fur-
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ther attention will be given to such criticisms till some man shall come forward and claim in is own person, or that of a friend, the authorship of this project.
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