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 6
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I have hitherto written nothing of the production of fruit. The remarks on this branch of our subject must be confined mostly to apples and pears, as the climate is not favorable to the production of peaches. It is said, however, that grapes may be successfully cul- tivated by those who have the requisite skill in this branch of horti- culture .. There are several orchards of considerable extent, which have produced a sufficient amount of apples for home consumption, and often considerable to be spared for export. In one instance a single orchard produced, in one season-that of 1858-so many, that two hundred barrels were exported, besides- supplying a lively home demand. Some pears have been exported; the amount, how- ever, has been small.
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NUMBER V.
A S the writer of these articles has dwelt somewhat fully on the productions of our Town, in the line of agriculture, horti- culture and the dairy, it will be appropriate to deal in this number with the enterprise of the people in promoting their social and moral well-being.
It is understood, of course, that the practice of intemperance pre- vailed here in common with other Towns, and the country generally. To illustrate the low state of public sentiment on this subject, I will allude to a fact which occurred under my own observation. I was present at a prayer and conference meeting, one evening, some miles from my residence, when, after a while, a professor of religion liv- ing in the vicinity, came in and participated in the exercises. To- wards the close, the exercises took the form of free conversation and individual experiences. The individual alluded to stated that he did not enjoy his mind very well, having had a "falling out " with one of his brethren that afternoon. The fact was that each owned a distillery in the same neighborhood, and they could not run har- moniously in such proximity. The circumstance produced no great sensation. At present such a state of things cannot exist. Public sentiment, low as it is, would frown down such procedures. The subject of temperance took tangible shape on the 4th of July, 1829, when, after a very appropriate temperance address by Michael Frank, a young man of the vicinity, "The Virgil Temperance So- ciety " was formed of twenty-one members, mostly young men, who subscribed to the constitution and pledge. The pledge only requir-
ed the members to abstain from drinking distilled liquor. As tame as was this pledge, it caused great excitement, and objections were raised that would not now be thought of, or cherished for a moment, even by those who are life-long opponents of the cause. Two very common objections, long since obsolete, were these: First-what shall we do with all the rye and corn ? That is, in the event of the success of the cause. Most of us would know, at this late day, what to do with these productions. Second-the success of this cause in- volves the union of Church and State. Much effort of temperance speakers was expended on these two objections. Time and the progress of things have obviated these long since.
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About the time of the organization of this Society, it was remark- ed that there were in the Town, six distilleries, and only one skele- ton of a church edifice. In a few years it was said that there were no distilleries and three church buildings. Now it may be said that we have no distilleries and eleven church buildings on the same ter- ritory.
Owing to that characteristic of the Town set forth in a previous number, the area is distributed in separate communities, consequent- ly several of these buildings are moderate in size and pretension. They are, however, such as furnish sufficient accommodation for the neighborhoods and communities where they are located. Here the lovers of God and his cause may assemble, worship him according to the dictates of their own consciences, and " sit together in heav- enly places in Christ Jesus." It may, however, be justly claimed, that several of them are respectable in size, and finished in a manner creditable to the liberality and taste of the respective societies to which they belong.
Now the people of our Town have the assurance to look upon these undeniable facts as indicative of their fidelity to strong moral principle, and their persevering energy directed to securing these desirable results.
NUMBER VI.
TN place of my ordinary weekly letter I give the report of the trustees of the Virgil Cheese Factory Association, for the year 1873, received, adopted and published by vote of the Association.
REPORT.
The trustees of the Virgil Cheese Factory Association congratu- late the stockholders and patrons, in view of the success attending the workings of the same, for the season of 1873, of about five months, commencing May 12th, and ending October 14th.
This success is very much owing to the eminent skill of the man- ufacturer, Mr. E. D. Harris, in producing an article of superior quality, and also to his vigilance and fidelity in caring for and pre-
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serving the cheese while maturing, and until sold and removed. The figures and statements below will abundantly vindicate the correct- ness of our introductory remarks.
LBS.
Milk brought to factory in May, 44,575
Milk brought to factory in June, 160,856
Milk brought to factory in July,. 185,043
Milk brought to factory in August, .
161,888
Milk brought to factory in September, 113,025
Milk brought to factory in October, 32,017
Total, 697,404
First sale of cheese, May and June, including that sold to patrons and others in small quantities, as was
done in every sale afterwards, made 20,062 lbs. at 12}c., .. $2,507 75
Second sale, July, 17,863, lbs. at 12¿c.,. 2,277 52
Third sale, August, 16,122 lbs. at 134c., . 2,136 16
Fourth sale, Sept. and Oct., 14,908 lbs. at 14gc. 2,105 75
Total,. $9,027 18
Paid Harris 1c. per pound,. $689 55
Due stockholders 1c. per pound,. 689 55
$1,379 10
Leaving to be divided among patrons,. $7,648 08
The number of cheeses made during the several months are as follows :
May,. 73
June,. 277
July, . 300
August, . 252
September, 182
October,.
57
Total, 1,141
Total number of pounds manufactured, 68,955 Average weight of cheese, .. 60.4
Due stockholders as above,. $689 55
Expenses, findings, taxes, etc.,. 539 55
To be divided among thirty shares $5 each,. 150 00
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The debts heretofore resting upon the Association are all pro- vided for, and the prospect for success hereafter is promising. . In the Spring of 1872 the hope for success was slender, and only through the perseverance of comparatively few patrons, and the skill and constancy of the manufacturer, has success been achieved. And it is due to the purchasers to say that they exhibited much skill and discrimination in appreciating the merit of a fine article, thus en- abling the patrons to realize an advanced price in the several sales which have been made.
NATHAN BOUTON,
GEORGE TYLER, Trustees. RUFUS E. HOLTON,
NUMBER VII.
H AVING dwelt in a previous number, somewhat. at length, upon the rise and progress of the temperance interest in our Town, also upon the building of churches, their number and the vital interests clustering around them, it will not be considered for- eign from our design to spend a number upon the burial of the dead, which is an inevitable duty of every generation of our mortal race.
When the settlement of the Town commenced, the fulfillment of the primitive sentence pronounced upon man after the fall, " Dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou return," was visited upon its in- habitants. The first to pay the debt of nature was a stranger, who, attempting to go from a point near the Cayuga Lake, on the State road, so called, to Chaplin's on the Tioughnioga river, lost his way and perished. He was found soon after and buried by the few people of the Town, in a manner as respectable and appropriate as practi- cable. He was buried near where he was found. Only a few fam- ilies at this time (1798) resided in the Town, which extended over ten miles of territory. There was no public burying ground, and it was not possible to know where it would be located. It was ten to twelve years afterward that a public burying ground was commenced near the intersection of roads, afterwards called the " Corners, " and
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recently the " Village." Families buried' their dead on their own premises, and others, strangers and transient persons were permitted to be laid in these family grounds. Ultimately, it came to pass that one or more of these grounds came to be considered public, in a sub- ordinate sense. There was a large number of these which continued in use after the public ground was opened, as before described. It turned out that its locality was not generally satisfactory, and within a few years a place has been secured for a Cemetery, on lands for- merly owned by Hon. J. Reynolds, and where he had buried his dead. A Cemetery Asssociation or organization, was formed according to the law in such case made and provided. Additions have been made since the first purchase, and it now consists of about six acres with more suitable ground contiguous, which can be acquired when it shall be needed. And it may be said that whether villages pros- per, railroads succeed, or any other temporal interest shall be ad- vanced, this " city of the dead " will spread abroad on the right and on the left. Whether commerce, agriculture or any other occupa- tion of men prosper or not, the current of mortality will constantly sweep, like an over-flowing stream, the children of men into the " hollow gaping tomb," and " the mourners go about the streets." Soon these mourners will fall victims to the king of terrors, and their remains will be laid to rest in the insatiate grave, and other mourners will lament and grieve; and so in constant succession, as saith the scripture, " One generation passeth away and another gen- eration cometh."
The cemetery referred to is not in a romantic place, such as is frequently chosen for the final resting place for the dead, though in portions it is gently undulated, easy of access and very neat, com- modious and respectable in appearance, and very creditable to the piety, intelligence and refinement of the people of the Town, and all interested as having relatives here entombed. Here are more than thirty monuments of very respectable appearance, belonging to the families of the Town, and others, varying in cost from one hun- dred to three hundred dollars. As has been remarked, it was a long time before the public mind became thoroughly united on this local- ity, during which, other and smaller grounds were, of necessity, be- ing filled up. Recently, it has been the case, that families have been collecting the remains of friends from those scattered localities
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where they had been interred, and depositing them together in a family plate, here procured for that purpose. This process is con- stantly going on, and this central and principal cemetery is absorb- ing the contents of those scattered in different parts of the Town. Here is the place where persons of a contemplative state of mind may pass through and read the inscriptions and epitaphs on monu- ments erected to perpetuate the memory of cherished friends, and be admonished to prepare for a like event to themselves. This may be accounted like going to the house of mourning, concerning which the scripture saith, "It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting; for that is the end of all men, and the living will lay it to his heart."
NUMBER VIII.
T HE subject of Agriculture, or cultivation of the earth, has al- ways been considered indispensible to the proper sustenance and development of our race. In agreement with this proposition, it is said in the Scripture that " the king himself is served by the field." It is also indispensable to the progress and prosperity of a community, that the several branches of industries, or trades, be prosecuted for the mutual benefit of all, and no one occupation can well prosper without the co-operation of a great share of the occu- pations in which the respective individuals of a successful communi- ty are employed. Hence, if one of the many different employments is successful in a community, others must be comparatively success- ful also. So that there is a mutual connection and dependence of the several callings or occupations pursued by its members. There are, however, particular localities where one kind of manufacture will take the lead, owing to the different circumstances and facilities which are there prevalent.
In our Town circumstances indicate clearly that the occupation of agriculture, and other employments closely connected with it, should employ the energies of the great majority of the people. It has been
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a problem with the thoughtful and sagacious, how the energy, in- dispensable to the success of this calling, could best be developed. Much information was necessary to guide, judiciously, this energy when brought out, that the best results might be realized. The principle of the proverb, that "Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend," was finally adopted, and Agricultural Societies were formed for mutual encouragement and information. In this county of Cortland an Agricultural Society was early formed, and has continued with varied success to the pres- ent time. Some individuals from this Town attended its Fairs with profit, but the distance was such that few only could be induced to attend. It occurred to a few minds that it might be practicable to hold a Fair to this Town, thus bringing the benefits of the institution home to the people here. It is said, I believe, with truth, that the two Lincolns, Theron and Wait, were the originators of this plan. When spoken of, it very soon awakened a great and prevailing in- terest on the subject, which resulted in the formation of the Virgil Agricultural Society early in 1854. The members were generally inexperienced in the matter, and other embarrassments tended to re- tard operations, but the adage, "Where there is a will there is a way " proved true, and though it was a season of drouth, a success- ful Fair was held, and several agricultural men from other towns came to wonder and admire. The Fair was a success. The un- quenchable ardor and indomitable enthusiasm of a large portion of the people prevailed, and creditable Fairs were held till 1863, mak- ing the number of ten Annual Fairs.
After two or three years it was thought best to procure a piece of ground where they might be held in successive years with con- venience and security. A very suitable locality was secured on a lease of years, to the amount of four acres, in a square form, and surrounded with a substantial fence of boards set upright, and eight to ten feet high, and a building of unassuming pretension reared in the centre for a "Floral Hall." At first it was impossible to pro- cure sufficient funds from membership and other sources, to pay the premiums. At length it was proposed that we proceed to make a large cheese, to awaken more interest in attendance upon our exhi- bitions. A cheese was made and pressed in a cider mill, in a hoop supported by the tire of a wagon wheel, and afterwards turned by a
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machine of ingenious contrivance, and presented at the Fair. The interest to see the cheese was great, and the premiums of that Fair were fully paid.
After the cheese became mature it was divided among those who had furnished the curd, and the aggregate wait was more than five hundred pounds. The example and success of our Fairs awakened an interest in other towns around; and other societies were formed which had the effect to draw from the interest of this, and owing to this fact, and also to that of a constant current of opposition raised by certain individuals, who kept up a constant clamor against it, charging the administration with favoritism, etc .; and it having had the desired effect of awakenening an all-controlling and widely extended spirit of vigilance and enterprise on the subject of agricul- ture and kindred employments, it was thought best, on general con- sultation, to disband and profit by what we had learned, and by what we might yet learn from other Fairs held near us.
Of those who held the office of President, the names are as fol- lows: N. Bouton, S. G. Jones, Josephus Gee, C. A. Hotchkiss, J. G. Tyler, Martin Luce and Wait Lincoln.
The following are the names of those who held successively the offices of Secretary: S. G. Jones, C. B: Gleason, W. A. Wood, Orrin C. Dann and A. Mahan, all of whom performed the duties of their offices with ability and fidelity.
It will not be proper to close this article without a tribute to the ladies, who were constant in their aid, rendered with much skill, fidelity and zeal, through the whole existence of the Society.
NUMBER IX.
I T seems to your correspondent that it may be in order, at pres- ent, to give some evidences of the enterprise of our inhabitants in the direction of roads and means of transportation. The time was, in the memory of the writer, when all transportation between this Town and the Hudson river, or New York, was by wagons.
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Teams were dispatched with produce for Albany, Newburg or Cat- skill, and returned with merchandise. Some were loaded with but- ter, and made their way direct to New York, and would be gone three or four weeks and return freighted with family supplies for the year. An effort was early made to get a Turnpike Company chartered from Norwich or Oxford to the head of the lake, or to Itha- aca, as it has since been named. This project, however, failed, to the great gratification of the petitioners, as they afterwards saw that it was impracticable. Partial relief soon came on the completion of the Grand Canal. Much expense has been sustained in the Town in the construction of roads and bridges. The Tioughnioga passing through the east part of the Town, required an expensive bridge, which, at the early day in which it was built pressed heavily upon the people; also other bridges over rapid streams which were fre- quently carried away with high water, and had to be replaced with others, which were promptly built with the recent improvements embraced. Soon after the completion of the Grand Canal, the sub- ject of Railroads began to occupy the attention of the people. Such roads were constructed in England, and short pieces were built in this country-particularly one between Schenectady and Albany, of about fifteen miles.
The Grand Canal traversed the north part of our State, and was a State work. It was felt by all impartial minds that equity ro- puired that something should be done for the southern tier of coun- ties, or as they were sometimes termed, "the secluded counties." What it should be was not so readily seen. It was very certain that it could not be a Canal.' The face of the country rendered it im- practicable. It occurred to a citizen of this Town that a railroad might be constructed from New York to a point on Lake Erie. So much was his mind impressed with the feasibility of this plan, that he took a journey to New York and examined the route for a railroad from that place to Binghamton, and returned with the firm impression that the route so far was pacticable. He had previously become acquainted with the route from Binghamton to Tioga Point, (now Elmira) and was satisfied with it.
Having a son wishing to move to Cattaraugus county, he took an ox-team and a load of goods and went along and near so much of his contemplated route as lay between his residence and Hinsdale,
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of the above named county. He thus had an abundant opportunity to examine and locate a route so far. He proceeded to inquire and inform himself respecting the territory intervening between that place and Dunkirk, on Lake Erie, where he proposed that the road should terminate. He returned firmly assured of the practicability of the whole route.
The next work in order was to present this plan to the public. It was important that it be done with much care and propriety. Hav- ing been reared in the years just following the Revolution, when schools were poor, he could not wield the "pen of a ready writer." He invited his son, the writer of these articles, to aid him in this work. He gave the data, and by our labor for a week or two, in writing, erasing, substituting and altering, a piece was written em- bodying the plan in such language that we thought it would do to be printed. Every idea was closely scanned; every sentence and every word thoroughly weighed. We well understood that the whole matter would be looked upon as impracticable and visionary. This, however, had not the least effect to shake the confidence of the projector. He secured the publication of the article in the Cortland Observer, a paper published in Homer, in this county of Cortland. A few extras were procured. One of them was taken to Angelica, in Alleghany county, and this article was copied by the paper of that village. An effort was made to get the plan published in the Journal of Commerce, of New York, but failed.
Soon, however, the project became known, and the people inter- ested became aroused to the importance of the subject. Conventions were held, and though the work was slow, having innumerable ob- stacles to overcome, yet it was accomplished, and the New York and Erie railroad is a living reality. This is the great Trunk Line, and the writer cannot pretend to say how many branch lines are depend- ent on this for their existence.
The article referred to was published in February, 1828, forty-six years since. The projector lived so long that in his life time the road was completed to Binghamton, and while in his last sickness, and within a few days of his death the cannons were booming, and rejoicings were had over the event, in the latter part of 1846, nearly nineteen years after the publication of the plan. The writer of these articles is not very nervous, but when in Binghamton, stand-
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ing near the convergence of the several roads that come in there, he sees the acres of tracks and hears the whistles of the numerous trains as they come in and go out with the numerous labels indicating the extreme points connected by them, and reflects on the obscure and feeble origin of all this as no other living person can reflect, he must acknowledge his sensibilities to be deeply stirred with the scene.
NUMBER X.
I T has been the intention of the writer of these articles to close up each subject dwelt upon, in one number. It has been felt, however, by myself, at least, that some of the numbers have been longer than would be desirable, and it was found that the last num- ber would be much too long if the subject were to be closed up in it, so another is devoted to it.
The enterprise of the people here was put to a very significant test when the proposition for the construction of the Syracuse & Binghamton road was made. Though it was to pass only through one corner of the Town, the call was responded to by the payment of $11,100 to its stock, as I learned upon inquiry of the lamented David Hale. It is needless to say that this whole amount was lost by those who paid it. This sum was paid with the slender hope of advantage that could be entertained under the circumstances, while other towns had the road passing through them centrally, where the people paid nothing. Within a few years, those residing in the west part have been called on, very urgently, to aid in the construction of the Southern Central, passing through the hither part of Dryden, and considerable sums have been paid for that road. Both these roads have been carried through, but neither of them has a station nearer our village than six miles, so that the advantages of such roads are not brought very near to us. There is, however, one consideration left for us that is rather gratifying, which is, that our Town is not bonded for railroads nor any other great object. Our Town issued bonds for the payment of bounties in the time of the late civil war,
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which were felt to be an embarrassment while they remained, and an evident feeling of relief prevailed when the last of these were redeemed; and they were brought together at a meeting of the Auditing Board, and one of the Justices asked aloud, if any one had any objection to offer why they should not be destroyed ? No one raised any objection, and they were all placed in the stove, and every one seemed to breathe easier.
Much has been done here in the construction and support of com- mon roads and bridges. More, probably, than in most other towns around, in proportion to space and population. The alteration of the State Road, so called, so as to take most of the travel from Snider Hill, so called, through Gridley Hollow, has caused a great expense, especially to the people in the vicinity, and also to the Town at large ; yet as this road is so located as to avoid most of the hills which abound in this portion of the Town, it has been adhered to, and the considerable expense involved in sustaining bridges, etc., has been borne with as much quietude and resignation as could be · reasonably expected. We now assume that the credit of our people, for enterprise on the subject of the different classes of roads and bridges, should rank as high as that of any other town in this vicin- ity, or anywhere else.
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