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 8
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There are in our Village three, octogenarians, or those whose ages will average about eighty, in a distance of sixty rods, who do not use the article referred to, who are able to manage the affairs of a household, and are taking part in active life. Their names are Henry Vunk, Jonas Owen and Daniel Price. There are others of the same class in Town, as B. B. Hubbell, Barnabas Baker and John Tyler, whose ages will average more than eighty, all in reasonable health for men of their years. Doubtless there are others whom we do not know well enough to venture their names .. Are there as many who answer to this descriprion, who indulge in this practice ?
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I am aware that two or three of my last letters may not have been very captivating ; but I thought that if I evaded these points, I could not claim to be an impartial historian ; hence their insertion in our course.
NUMBER XVI.
I now proceed to name individuals who have either distinguished themselves in Town, or have done honor to the place of their nativity in other localities. The first name which I shall mention, is that of George Frank, a son of John M. Frank, a soldier of the Revolution, and the second settler of the Town. With great diffi- culty and delay, he arrived in November, 1795, and settled on lot No. 43, which he drew as bounty land, in consequence of his ser- vices in the army. The subject of this notice was five or six years of age on the arrival of the family at their new home in the wilder- ness. All will agree that his circumstances for acquiring an educa- tion were far from flattering. He had no aid in his study of the English language from his parents, as they were unacquainted with it, being of German origin, and there being no school in the vicinity till 1798, some of his best school days must have passed without opportunity. Notwithstanding all this, he was found on arriving at mature years, to have a respectable common school education, which fitted him to fill some important offices in Town. He was Justice of the Peace for several years. He was a good writer and a very acceptable reader. While the Congregational church was without a minister, he was chosen to read sermons at their meetings on the Sabbath, for some ten or more years, which duty he performed to the satisfaction of all concerned. Having been associated with him as a school officer for a year or two, I once asked him how he had been able to make such attainments in education. His answer was that he availed himself of such means as the place afforded, and sometimes he visited the place of his birth near the Mohawk, where he gained all that he could.
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Here is an example for those of meager opportunities to imitate. He was an exemplary citizen and died in a good old age, revered and lamented.
William Hunter, whose birth occurred in 1801, was brought into Town by his parents, an infant, and had his rearing here with the slender advantages of the times, and grew up a lover of education, and was qualified to teach on arriving at the proper age. He chose the profession of medicine and pursued the proper studies, reciting to Dr. Bronson, of this place. While occupied in his studies he taught our village school five winters in succession. His pactice was in Jasper, Steuben Co., where he acquired the reputation of a skillful physician. He was twice elected to the State Legislature. He has gone to "that bourne whence no traveler returns." His two brothers, Charles and Hiram, became somewhat distinguished. Charles went to Jasper, studied medicine with William, became a physician, practiced in that vicinity a while, and died. Hiram en- gaged in the study of the law, with an attorney who spoke highly of the capacity of his mind, and of his acquisitions. He was a teacher of considerable ability ; but his health failing he abandoned the law, and afterwards the business of teaching ; and after a lin- gering illness he died. All the means for mental improvement that could be made available were put in requisition. Winter after winter witnessed the formation of a lyceum or debating society, where the great. questions of public interest were investigated, and all the research that could be had was exercised, and the results brought out for the instruction and mutual benefit of all. These meetings inspired much interest. The comparative merits of Bona- parte and Washington, as Generals, was set forth; the respective abilities of Hannibal and Cæsar; the comparative benefits derived from Dr. Franklin and Columbus; from the art of printing and the magnetic needle; the comparative damage sustained by our race from fire and water-by slavery and intemperance, etc. Much tal- ent and research were displayed in these discussions. They not only elicited information, but inured those participating in them for effective labor in those important causes soon to come before the people, such as temperance, etc. These debates were from A. D., 1822 to 1826. Those enlisting in them were the Hunters, Woods, Grows, Franks, Greens, Roes, Hydes, Edwards, Reynolds and others not recollected or too numerous to mention.
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The first Temperance Society was formed on the Fourth of July, 1829, composed mostly of young men. It was soon followed by an efficient Female Temperance Society, which embraced a noble band of intelligent, decided and ardent friends of the temperance cause. These societies mutually aided and supported each other. The ad- vocates of strong drink were numerous and determined. But the talent and argument were on the part of the advocates of the tem- perance cause. After the first address, by Michael Frank, the . speakers were mostly from other places for a while, but it was soon seen that need for addresses was so great and urgent that domestic talent must be put in requisition, and the needed men were found. The effect was a general one. In many instances loads of friends would be taken to distant school-houses, and one of the number would give an address, and however few from the vicinity would come in, we were sure of an enthusiastic meeting, for we had the material with us. In this way the cause was advocated and pro- moted in all the school districts around, and we all had frequent opportunities to listen to our young men in support of this noble cause.
The following are some of them : Rev. W. J. Bradford, Michael Frank, Frederick Hyde, William E. Gee, P. F. Grow, and subse- quently George Graham. Many who were not classed as public speakers were very useful in supporting the speakers, and in individ- ual influence among the people, and many opponents soon became firm friends.
1151699
ANOTHER VOICE FROM VIRGIL.
H OW glad I am that there is such a town as Virgil. How gratifying it must be to you to know you live in a county with such a remarkable town in it. I live in Virgil; but when I think of the wonderful events that have occurred here, I have to hold my breath. Why, we have men here that know all about " World-Making"-that calls everybody fools but just us. And
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they can do lots of things that no other one ever thought of doing. And are full of knowledge that no one would ever need. We have some of the most brilliant scholars and railroad projectors, and, in fact, everything that is necessary to make a town great and glorious. Just take in account the number of rats killed in one barn, and then count the barns in town and suppose they don't average any better than that barn ; you can see at a glance that it has some notoriety in regard to the production of rats. Mr. Editor, I must close, as I have to make out other copies of this article to the other editors of this county.
P. S .- As I have a little more time my mind is so full I can't stop here. Suppose each rat is worth ten cents; from that income alone-say nothing about butter and cheese-in a very short time we could project and build a railroad from Messengerville west, passing through Gridley Hollow and the village I live in, Froghud- dle, Hutchingville, and so on to Dryden, intersecting there with the Southern Central.
Mr. Editor, it may seem strange to you that Dryden would ever be let out into the world this way, but it looks reasonable to the smartest of us. I hardly know how to stop without mentioning some other things that are occuring in our town, but I must close, and I will. Letter No. 1. N. B .- Please print soon and oblige the third voice from Virgil.
March 14th, 1874.
NUMBER XVII.
TT was my design to pass rather briefly over what remained of my plan respecting our Town of Virgil; but I find in your issue of the 17th of March, a fresh illustration of a fact set forth in my third letter and alluded to in my eighth, as one reason why our agricultural fairs were given up. In the third letter it is said that " a portion of our population, embracing men of property and in- fluence, have failed to harmonize with the efforts made for the pro- motion of plans for the elevation of the Town in the scale of mor-
·
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ality, education or agriculture, causing the wheels of progress to roll heavily." And in the eighth number, it is said, speaking of some of the reasons for giving up our agricultural fairs, "that of a con- stant current of opposition raised by certain individuals who kept up a continual clamor against it, charging the administration with favoritism, etc." The communication above alluded to is entitled " Another Voice from Virgil," written in a manner to caricature our Town and what has been written to the credit of the same. What has been written in this piece harmonizes in and with the facts alluded to above, and shows that the energy and thrift of the people have always had a strong undercurrent of opposition to meet when any important enterprise or improvement was proposed.
It is in accordance with all nature that every good has its oppo- site. Wheat has its smut. Corn has to contend with the cut-worm and wire-worm. The apple tree has its borer and caterpillar; the plum its curculio; the currant its bug, and so on endlessly, and when any efforts are put forth for the diffusion of needed informa- tion, it has its opposite ; hence, " Another Voice from Virgil."
The name of the writer of these articles has been subscribed to each, that the public may know where to look for the responsibility ; and much care has been taken to gain assurance of all the facts in- serted, and to see that no representation should be overdrawn. The writer is held in law and equity to answer for all the statements here made. There can be but one of two reasons for withholding the writer's name from such a production as the one before alluded to. The first is that he is ashamed of it. The other is that if his name be given it will diminish from its effect.
I now proceed to name some other individuals deserving special notice : Carlo M. Woods, son of Dr. Hervey Woods, who died when he was very young, leaving him a slender child to struggle with poverty and the various difficulties incident to his condition. He was a studious and successful scholar, learned the trade of printing, went to Illinois, set up a paper published in Quincy, which contin- ned several years. He has since been Clerk of Adams county, and afterwards Clerk of the Supreme and District Courts of Quincy District.
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John B. Benton spent most of his early life here; was a student of medicine under Dr. Bronson, and has practiced his profession in Spencer, Tioga Co., with a good degree of eminence. George Gra- ham also spent his early life here, evincing great taste for education, soon became a teacher, ultimately removed to Kansas, where he has filled several Legislative offices, and also that of State Treasurer. H. M. Sheerar had his rearing and education here, became a teacher, afterwards Town Superintendent of Common Schools, ultimately removed to Wellsville, Alleghany county, N. Y., and is there prac- ticing dentistry with success, and enjoys a large share of public con- fidence, which is evinced by his being frequently chosen to fill im- portant positions of honor and trust. Garret House spent most of his childhood and youth, and made his acquisitions in education in this Town. He afterwards engaged in the manufacture of church organs, taking up the trade without an instructor, as he said to me in words like the following, " I dug it out myself." He now has a large establishment for the manufacture of church organs in Buffalo, and makes sales of the article from Massachusetts to St. Louis.
Wesley Hooker, Esq., editor of the " Standard and Journal," published in Cortland village, resided with his brother, Culver Hooker, in Virgil, from the age of thirteen to twenty-one, and at- tended school about three months each winter, where the most of his acquisition in education was made. He, however, attended the Ithaca Academy a portion of two terms; engaged two years as teacher, when he commenced laboring in the Ithaca Journal office. Afterwards he was engaged in other printing offices as foreman, publisher or editor. He then returned to Ithaca, engaged in the Journal office as foreman ten years, then editor and business mana- ger ten years, six years of which time he was County Treasurer, when he came to Cortland nearly two years since, procured the union of the two papers, the Standard and Journal, and has pub- lished the united paper successfully since, procuring large accessions to the number of subscribers, materially enlarging the same, and now issuing a paper equalled by few in talent, mechanical execution and influence.
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NUMBER XVIII.
I proceed with the list of names of those meriting notice in this connection.
Gideon Messenger was a step-son of Joseph Chaplin, the first settler in Town. I have heard him say that he had been through on the State Road, so called, from Chaplin's on the Tioughnioga, to its termination, on the Cayuga Lake in Milton, since Genoa and now Lansing, when there was not a house on the road in the whole distance. He was elected to the office of Supervisor of the Town several successive years, when the numerical strength of the party. against him was greatest. Of course he had the confidence of his constituents. He died a few years since at an advanced age.
Moses Rice was an early settler, and a man of reading and intel- ligence. He was appointed Justice of the Peace and elected Sup- ervisor in several successive years, and mostly while this Town was a part of the county of Onondaga. He died long since in a good old age. It is due to his memory to say that in the discharge of his duties as Justice of the Peace he was prompt, intelligent and impartial.
We have with us, Sanford Bouton, long an acting Justice of the Peace, performing the duties incident to that office with readiness and impartiality, and was also Supervisor of the Town several years.
Hiram Bouton, born in this Town in 1799, long since a resident in the adjoining town of Dryden, was a Justice of the Peace there several years, and until recently, when age and infirmity admonished him to retire.
Nathaniel Bouton, Jr., was born and reared in this Town. He early went to Marathon-was long since elected to the office of Justice, which he has now held for fifteen years, more or less, and has recently been elected President of the Corporation in the village of Marathon. A few only of our distinguished townsmen can be named in our list. The intention is to be impartial, and it is earn- estly hoped that none will think the writer invidious. A few sep- arate individuals will now be named in addition to those already noticed.
The writer was once in conversation with Dr. Holbrook, pastor of the Congregational Church in Homer, when the subject turned
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upon this Town, and he remarked that in his previous pastorates, the best deacon he ever had was from Virgil. With me the ques- tion was, what should be his name ? His answer was, that it was William C. Chamberlain. I had known him as a well disposed boy, with frank, open countenance, but this announcement met me with gratified surprise. He is a brother of N. Chamberlain, of Cortland.
We found in the Standard last winter, a eulogistic notice of Dr. J. Sheerar, of Vermont, and formerly from Cortland county, with the remark that it was greatly to the credit of Cortland county to have sent such a young man out to make his mark in the world. In a later issue of the same paper is a laudatory notice copied from the Albany Argus, of the same individual, stating for substance that a solo tenor of celebrity, from New England, Dr. J. Sheerar, by name, would make his debut-would sing, etc. And in a subsequent issue of the Argus, it is said, "Dr. J. Sheerar made a decided sensation with his fine tenor voice and refined and artistic manner." So New England has the credit of this performance and Cortland county had it previously. Suppose we trace back this distinguished person- age a little, and we shall find his birth occurring and his childhood and early youth spent on the banks of Cunningham creek, in Virgil, a small unpretending stream in general, but sometimes rather noisy.
It has been announced that one of our townsmen had been a Mem- ber of Congress. Several have been members of our State Legisla- ture. The time was when Cortland county was entitled to two Members of Assembly. This was the case in 1825. The two par -. ties made nomination of two Members each. The parties were rep- resented on their tickets each by a Member from Preble and Virgil. The parties were very nearly balanced. The result was that those elected were both from Virgil. Their names were James Chatterton and Josiah Hart. Since that time six Members have been elected from Virgil. Their names were Nathan Heaton, Timothy Green, Platt F. Grow, J. H. Knapp, Nathan Bouton and Dan C. Squires. Rufus Edwards of this Town was appointed a Judge of the County Court, and officiated till the office was abolished. In less than a year since it was said that three of the most important offices in our county were held by men born and reared in Virgil, as it is since its divis- ion, to wit : Judge, Sheriff and District Attorney. When the First
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National Bank was organized in Cortland, and its nine officers elected, it was seen that four of that number were born and reared in the Township of Virgil.
NUMBER XIX.
I N referring to the history of our Town brought out in connection with the." Festive Gathering of the Early Settlers and Present Inhabitants of the Town of Virgil," I find references to individuals which I feel justified in reproducing for the present occasion. Wait Ball settled in the Town in 1798 with a large family, and being a man of respectable education and good ability, he soon became known in Town and abroad, as one in a good degree distinguished. He was soon appointed Justice of the Peace, the duties of which office he was eminently qualified to fulfill, and continued to hold the same sixteen years. He was also one of the Judges of the county several years. He died at an advanced age in about the year 1837.
Joseph Reynolds settled in Town in 1808, and from small begin- nings arose to the office of Justice of the Peace, which he held sev- eral years ; was Member of Assembly in 1819, was County Judge, Member of Congress and Brigadier General of Militia. He died some years since at his residence, in Cortland.
Joseph Chaplin, son of the first settler of the Town, was distin- guished in the locality where he resided as a man of intelligence and integrity, was chosen a Justice of the Peace by the people, and a Major in the Militia, and was generally and familiarly known as " Major Chaplin.". He removed to the West some years since and died.
It was stated in a former number that there was no heavy stream of water passing centrally through the Town, which might be ap- plied in propelling mills and machinery. It must not be inferred from this, however, that there have been no manufacturing estab- lishments set up among us. There was a beginning made in the
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business of stone-cutting and preparing grave stones, many years since, by Caleb Whiting, Jr., which increased very much with the years that passed, and many hands were employed and sales made far and wide, and though commencing with common quarry stone, it soon became an extensive manufactory of marble. This business has passed through several hands, and for a few of the last years the superintendency has devolved upon Charles Williams, and many ex- quisitely wrought grave stones and monuments have been carried from his shop to Dryden, and to other places, and many have been set up in our own neat cemetery. Mr. Williams has recently moved to Dryden, where he is employed in the same calling.
We have two extensive establishments for the manufacture of wagons and carriages and sleighs, employing each a considerable number of hands, and making sales over a wide extent of territory. The names of the proprietors are respectively, E. Perkins and E. Crain, each having a large building for the storing and exhibition of wares. We have three churches in the Village, with sittings suf- ficient for the accommodation of all the population residing within a convenient distance, and a minister for each. Also three stores of sufficient capacity to supply the ordinary needs of the whole pop- ulation, and shops corresponding with the wants of the people. It is not the intention of the writer to represent all or any of the dis- tinguished individuals of our Town, or those who have removed from here, as being faultless, as saith the,scripture, (" for there is no man that sinneth not.")
Large numbers of our citizens have arisen from small beginnings to the possession of ample estates, some of whom have left their na- tive place, braved the rigors and hardships of a new country, and in their age, may congratulate themselves with the possession of abundant means to meet every temporal want, reflecting that the acquisition has been made by honest industry and good economy, without any lucky hits, verifying the saying that " the hand of the diligent maketh rich and addeth no sorrow with it." I might men- tion names, but the difficulty would be to know where to leave off safely, so I will not beging the count. I am well assured that we have poor pay-masters among us, but I feel justified in saying here, that I have been told by a merchant of great experience and inti-
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mate acquaintance with the subject, that he finds a smaller percent- age of loss in debts against men from this Town than any other town with which he deals in his extensive business of farmer's sup- plies.
NUMBER XX.
I proceed to cite a few facts which I might be excused from in- serting, inasmuch as they have reference to parts of the orig- inal Town, but now embraced in the towns of Harford and Lapeer. In a former number reference is made to the name of Nathan Hea- ton, as having been a Member of Assembly from our Town, which was in 1841, and before the division. He was taken sick in his term of service and returned home and died before the term closed. He had been active in public matters, and was especially instru- mental in establishing the cemetery in the present town of Harford. I proceed to mention two other names, especially with a view of bringing forward the efficacy and value of moral principle in pro- moting the welfare of those exercising it. At the commencement of the temperance interest, Francis Morton was an inebriate, and with his family in poverty and wretchedness. He became a sober man, embraced religion and reared a family of respectability and usefulness, and himself exhibiting the appearance of great humility and deep devotion.
Theodore E. Hart was first postmaster in that portion while it was yet Virgil, and being an extravagant user of tobacco came total- ly to abstain, which is more to his credit than to be a banker in Canandaigua. I derive these facts from Mrs. Heaton, now of Cort- land village, a part of which is corroborated by my own knowledge.
Jesse Storrs, long an inhabitant of our Town, in that portion now embraced in Lapeer, was a teacher of some eminence, had a small property, engaged in rearing fruit trees on a very small scale, in- creased considerably, ultimately sold out and removed to Painesville, Ohio, continued the business, entered into a partnership, the title of which is "Storrs, Harrison & Co." They occupy much space in
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the cultivation of their trees, new, rare and beautiful plants, shrub- bery, etc., and have issued a spring catalogue of plants, including roses, green-house and bedding plants, etc., a description of which fills a pamphlet of sixty pages. I state these facts not to forestall some writer who may be induced to write up these towns, but to set forth the power of moral principle and persistent energy, when em- ployed in enterprises eminently laudable and useful.
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