USA > New York > Broome County > Gazetteer and business directory of Broome and Tioga Counties, N. Y. for 1872-3 > Part 22
USA > New York > Tioga County > Gazetteer and business directory of Broome and Tioga Counties, N. Y. for 1872-3 > Part 22
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The principal streams are Cayuta and Ellis creeks, both of which are tributary to the Susquehanna, which forms the south
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BARTON.
part of the east border and divides this town from Nichols. Cayuta Creek enters the town in the north-west corner and rnns south through the west part; and Ellis Creek rises in the north part of the town, near North Barton village, and flows south through the center. The Chemung River forms a very small portion of the west border, in the south part.
The Erie R. R. extends through the town near the south border, passing through Barton, Factoryville and Waverly ; the Ithaca & Athens R. R., near the west line, along the valley of Cayuta Creek, and connects with the Lehigh Valley road ; and the Southern Central runs close to the Erie track to a point a little east of Factoryville, when it turns south into Pennsylva- nia. These roads cross each other at right angles and afford a ready transit for passengers and goods to points north, south, east and west.
The population of the town in 1870 was 5,087; of whom 4,697 were natives and 390, foreigners; 5,030, white and 57, colored .*
During the year ending Sept. 30, 1871, the town contained nineteen school districts and employed twenty-three teachers. The number of children of school age was 1,518; the number attending school, 1,025; the average attendance, 428; the amount expended for school purposes, $9,501; and the value of school houses and sites, $17,161.
WAVERLY, (p. v.) located in the south-west corner, on the east bank of Chemung River, partly in this State and partly in Pennsylvania, is a station of considerable importance on the Erie and Lehigh Valley railroads, and is distant one mile west of the Ithaca & Athens R. R., with which it is connected by hacks connecting with the trains.t It was incorporated in 1854, and had a population in 1870, of 2,239 .¿ It contains six churches, (M. E., Presbyterian, Episcopal, Baptist, Old School Baptist and Catholic) one Union school,§ (public) four hotels, !!
* In 1850 there was only one colored person in the town; in 1860 there ere 67.
+ A very large freight business is done at this station. For the week ending Aug. 20, 1872, there were transferred from the Erie to the Lehigh Valley road 214 cars, or 2,105 tons of freight, and from the latter road to the former 1,185 cars, or 15,047 tons. The total number of cars transferred was 1,399, and the tons of freight 17,152.
¿ Of this number 2,008 were natives and 231, foreigners; 2,192, white and 47, colored.
§ The Union graded school system was adopted in 1871, at which time the academy which formerly existed here was merged into it and is now the academic department of the Union school.
Il A very fine hotel is now in process of erection and will be ready for oc- cupancy in the spring of 1873.
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BARTON.
two banks,* (one national and 'one private) two weekly news- papers, ( Waverly Advocate and Waverly Enterprise) two sash, door and blind factories, one of which manufactures all the parts (wood) needed in the erection of a house, one foundry, two cigar manufactories, a manufactory of mouldings and cor- nices from plaster paris, one express office, (U. S.) and three public halls, one of which is an opera house. A building is now in process of erection, nearly completed, for the manufac- ture of boots and shoes on a large scale ; and the Cayuta Car Wheel Manufacturing Co. are erecting works south-east of the village for the manufacture of car wheels, and expect to com- mence operations in the fall of 1872.
FACTORYVILLE, (p. v.) located in the south-west corner and bordering on the east line of Waverly is a station on the Ithaca & Athens railroad. Cayuta Creek runs through the village. It is a very pleasant village of 318 inhabitants. It contains one church, (Baptist) one dry goods store, two groceries, one hotel, one tannery, one grist mill, one paper mill, two carriage shops, two blacksmith shops, two shoe shops and a sarsaparilla and soda manufactory.
BARTON CITY (Barton p. o.) is situated near the south-east corner, on the Erie and Southern Central railroads, and on the north bank of the Susquehanna, and contains one church, (M. E.) one school, one hotel, five stores, one saw and grist mill and about 160 inhabitants.
BARTON CENTER (p. o.) is, as its name implies, located in the center of the town, and contains one school, one saw mill and about six houses.
NORTH BARTON, (p. o.) located in the north part, near the head waters of Ellis Creek, contains one church, (Union) and one school. It is a hamlet.
BINGHAMS MILLS, (p. o.) named from the father of J. & G. W. Bingham of Waverly, is located a little north of the center of the west border, on Cayuta Creek, and the Ithaca & Athens R. R., and contains one store, one shoe shop, two saw mills, one grist mill and one plaster mill.
* The First National Bank of Waverly was incorporated Feb. 13, 1864, with a capital of $50,000. The officers are, Howard Elmer, President; R. A. Elmer, Cashier ; O. E. Hart, Teller.
The Waverly Bank (private) was organized April 1, 1872. The officers are H. T. Herrick, President; Geo. Herrick, Cashier; H. T. Sawyer, Teller.
+ Of this number 289 are natives and 29, foreigners; 313, white and 5, colored .- Census Reports, 1870.
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BARTON.
HALSEY VALLEY (p. o.) is located near the north of the east line, in the town of Tioga, in the history of which a descrip- tion of it will be found .*
The first settlement was made in 1791, by Ebenezer Ellis and Stephen Mills, near the mouth of Ellis Creek. Both had previously settled in Nichols, the former having come there from Wyoming in 1787. Nearly, if not quite contemporaneous with them was a man named Aikens, who located near Barton City, upon a tract of nine hundred acres which was afterwards purchased by Gilbert Smith. Ezekiel Williams, an early settler, located, on what was subsequently known as the Williams lot; and a family named Curry lived in this town at an early day, but soon removed to Pennsylvania. John Hanna, William Bensley, Luke Saunders and James Swartwood came here at an early day, the former from Wyoming, about 1795. He lived to the age of 101 years. Charles Bingham, Layton Newell, Lyon C. Hedges, Philip Crans, Justus Lyons, John Manhart and Reed were pioneers upon Cayuta Creek ; and Silas Wool- cott, upon Ellis Creek. Geo. W. Buttson settled at Barton City, on the creek which passes through that village and bears his name,and erected there the first saw mill in the town. Gilbert Smith, who formerly lived in Nichols, made a permanent settle- ment here after his purchase from Aikens, and his name is in- timately associated with the early history of the town from the transaction of business connected with extensive land agencies and otherwise.
The Tioga & Barton Baptist Church, located near Halsey Val- ley, was organized with nine members, Feb. 20, 1796, by a dele- gation, consisting of a portion of its own original members and of the members of the Baptist Church at Chemung, appointed for that purpose. It was organized as the Baptist Church of
* The Barton City Steam Saw Mill is capable of sawing 6,000 feet of lum- ber per hour; Barton Center Saw Mill, 5,000, in the same time ; Bingham's Mills (saw and grist) are capable of sawing 6,000 feet of lumber per day, (the grist mill contains three runs of stones;) Lott's Mills, (G. W. Lott, prop.,) located on Cayuta Creek and the I. & A. R. R., three and one-half miles south of VanEttenville, is capable of sawing 1,000 feet of lumber per hour; Reniff & Sons' Saw Mill, situated on the I. & A. R. R., about eight miles north of Waverly, is capable of sawing 10,000 feet of lumber per day, con- nected with it is a shingle and lath machine which manufactures from six to seven thousand shingles and from six to ten thousand lath per day, and adjacent to it is a stone quarry owned by the same persons, A. B. Reniff & Sons; Dean Creek Steam Saw Mill, located on Dean Creek, about nine miles north of Waverly, contains one circular saw fourteen feet in circum- ference and is capable of sawing 20,000 feet of lumber per day of twenty- four hours, connected with it is a planing and matching machine which is capable of turning out 11,000 feet of matched and planed stuff in the same length of time ; and Manning's Mill, situated on the I. & A. R. R. about six miles north of Waverly, is capable of sawing 6,000 feet of lumber per day.
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BARTON-BERKSHIRE.
New Bedford, but the name of Tioga was after substituted for that of New Bedford, and in 1847, the name was again changed to that it now bears, to correspond with its location. The first pastor was Rev. David Jayne; at present there is no pastor, the pulpit is supplied by Rev. Ira Thomas. The society worshiped in dwelling and school houses until 1848, in which year the church edifice was erected, at a cost of $800. It has since been repaired and somewhat altered. It will seat 300 persons. There are fifty members. The Church property is valued at $3,500.
The North Barton M. E. Church was organized with eighteen members, in 1869. The following year the church edifice, which will seat 160 persons, was erected at a cost of $1,565. The first pastor was Rev. Wm. H. Gavit ; the present one is Rev. John B. Davis. The number of members is eighteen. The Church property is valued at $2,000.
The First Presbyterian Church of Waverly was organized with twenty-two members, June 8th, 1847, by Revs. Messrs. Thurs- ton, Carr and Bachus, a committee from the Chemung Presby- tery. Their house of worship was erected in 1849 and rebuilt in 1860 .* Its original cost was $1,500. The present building will seat 400 persons. Rev. Nathaniel Elmer was the first pas- tor; Rev. W. H. Bates is the present one. There are 170 mem- bers. The Church property is valued at $10,000.
BERKSHIRE was formed from Tioga, Feb. 12, 1808.t Newark Valley was taken off April 12, 1823, and Richford, April 18, 1831. It lies upon the east border, north of the cen- ter of the County, and covers an area of 17,434} acres, of which, in 1865, according to the census of that year, 11,125, were im- proved. The surface is broken by hills, which have a mean elevation of from 1,200 to 1,400 feet above tide; the highest lies east of the center and its declivities are steep. The streams are the east and west branches of Owego Creek, and their trib- utaries. The former flows south through the center of the town, and the latter forms the west boundary, dividing the town from Candor, and Caroline (Tompkins county.) In the valleys the soil is a sandy and gravelly loam ; upon the hills it is a tough clay and hardpan.
* This Society contemplates the erection of a new church worth $30,000. + At the first town meeting held March 1, 1808, the following named officers were elected: John Brown, Supervisor; Artemas Ward, Town. Clerk; Esbon Slosson and Ebenezer Cook, Assessors; Henry Moore and Elijah Belcher, Poormasters; Noah Lyman, Hart Newell and Leonard Haight, Commissioners; Peter Wilson, Collector and Poundmaster; Jesse Gleason and Adolphus Dwight, Constables; Asa Berment, Nathaniel Ford, Asa Leonard, John Berment, Lyman Rawson and Elisha Jenks, Fence Viewers; and Joseph Waldo, Sealer of Weights and Measures.
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BERKSHIRE.
In 1870 the town had a population of 1,240 .* During the year ending Sept. 30, 1871, it contained six school districts and - employed seven teachers. The number of children of school age was 418; the number attending school, 361; the average attendance, 207; the amount expended for school purposes, $2,955 ; and the value of school houses and sites, $3,450.
The Southern Central R. R. crosses the town, following the general course of the East Branch of Owego Creek, which stream it crosses near the center of the town. This road opens an easy communication with Owego, the County seat, and the Erie R. R., with which it connects at that point, on the south, and Auburn and intermediate places and the N. Y. C. R. R. on the north.
BERKSHIRE (p. v.) is centrally located on the west bank of the East Branch of Owego Creek, and on the S. C. R. R. It contains two churches, (Presbyterian and M. E.) one hotel, one school, four stores, one grist mill, one saw mill, one tannery, an ax factory, a rake factory, two blacksmith shops, one car- riage shop and about 125 inhabitants.
EAST BERKSHIRE (p. o.) lies in the east part, a little north of the center, and contains three houses, in one of which the postoffice is kept.
WILSON CREEK (p. o.) lies in the south part, east of the cen- ter, three miles south-west of East Berkshire. There is no considerable settlement, the houses being about eighty rods apart. The postoffice is kept in a private house.
Brookside Seminary, located about one mile north of Berk- shire, was founded by Rev. Wm. Bradford of the New York Evangelist. No school has been kept here since the Rebellion.
The first settlers were Daniel Ball and Isaac Brown, who, in company with Elisha Wilson and others, emigrated from Stock- bridge, Mass., in 1791. Wilson settled in Newark Valley.t Ball settled on the farm subsequently occupied by Barnabas Manning; and Brown about two miles south of Berkshire, where his son, Isaac Brown, Jr., is now living. Mr. Ball lived but a short time to enjoy the fruits of his toil. He died before the beginning of the present century. Stephen Ball came here in 1793 and settled upon the lot he subsequently occupied ; Samuel, his brother, and Peter Wilson, brother of Elisha, the pioneer, came in company from Stockbridge upon foot, carry-
* Of this number 1194 were natives and 46, foreigners; 1237, white and 3, colored.
+ Fuller and more interesting particulars relative to the journey of these men will be given in the history of the town of Newark Valley.
.
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BERKSHIRE.
ing upon their backs their valuables and the supplies which were to sustain them upon the journey. They pursued the route taken by Elisha. Wilson to Wattles Ferry, and from that point crossed direct to the Chenango, through "Jones Settle- ment," striking that river some distance above Binghamton. They followed a line of marked trees and emerged from the forest in sight of Elisha Wilson's cabin, where they were wel- comed as only " brothers and schoolmates" could be " after such an eventful separation, and under such circumstances, upon this extreme frontier-then one of the outposts in the march of civilization." Josiah Ball, one of the Boston proprie- tors, and father of the Messrs. Ball before named, came with his family from Stockbridge, Mass., by means of two sleds drawn by horses and one by a team of oxen, in the winter of 1794, and settled upon the farm upon which he resided until his death at the age of 68 years. Judge John Brown, Capt. Asa Leonard, Ebenezer Cook, Daniel Carpenter, Consider Lawrence, Judge David Williams, Ransom Williams, Judge Joseph Waldo, who came in October, 1800, Nathaniel Ford, Abel, Azel and Nathaniel Hovey, Jeremiah Campbell, Samuel Collins, who came in 1805, and Caleb and Jesse Gleazen, all from Berk- shire county, Mass., were early settlers in this town. The last two moved to Richford, within whose present limits they were quite early residents. Judge David Williams, who was from Richmond, Mass., moved to Tioga in June, 1800. Speak- ing of Judge Williams, C. P. Avery, in The Saint Nicholas for March, 1854, says of him :
" The discharge of many important official duties, and trusts has de- volved upon Judge Williams in the course of his long and useful career. He served upon the Bench of the Court of Common Pleas of Broome county, as one of the Associate Judges, from the year 1815 to * * * 1822, and with the exception of one year, he held the position continuously, from the first day of his service until 1826; having been transferred to the Bench of the Tioga Common Pleas, by appointment, after the change of boundaries. For three years while his town was within the limits of Broome, and for six years after it had been surrendered to Tioga, he was its Supervisor; and for many years, commencing at an early date, he dis- charged the duties of many minor offices, with exactness, good judgement and ability.
"In 1827 and 1831, Judge Williams represented his county in the Legis- lature, and from the various posts which he has been called upon to fill, he has always retired with the increased regard and respect of his consti- tuents.
" Methodical in his habit of thought, firm in his adherence to what he has deemed rules of right, and of uncompromising integrity-he will leave to those who are to follow him, an example of moral worth, and an im- pressive illustration of what may be achieved by fixed purpose, steady effort and well regulated life."
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BERKSHIRE.
Joseph Waldo built the first house in town. It is now standing about one mile south of the village of Berkshire. He was the first physician who settled in this vicinity. Ichabod Brainerd made the first clearing at East Berkshire, near where Jeremiah Jones now resides. The first death was that of Isaac Brown .* W. H. Moore kept the first inn and store, and David Williams erected the first mill.t The first male teacher was Rev. Gaylord Judd, and the first female teacher, Miss Lydia Belcher.
On the farm now owned by Lyman Aikens, in the west part of the town is a sulphur spring which, in early times, was a noted deer lick. Here the early settlers were accustomed to lie in ambush to shoot the deer which congregated at the spring. On one occasion a hunter, whose name we failed to learn, was concealed beneath a heap of bushes, and was suddenly alarmed by an object which leaped upon the bushes and commenced tearing them away. He drew his large hunting knife and struck at random. The object bounded off into the bushes and after a few struggles, all was quiet. By the aid of a light he discovered a very large panther which a fortunate blow of his knife-entering its heart-had killed. The skin was stuffed and was, for many years, on exhibition at the fur store of Mr. Ackley in Ithaca. Wild animals were quite numerous at an early day, and extreme vigilance and the enactment of bounty laws were necessary to rid the country of them and afford protection to domestic animals. Isaac Brown, who was the second child born in the town, who was born on the farm on which he now resides, and occupies the first barn erected in the town, had a flock of fifty sheep killed by wolves and panthers.
The first religious services were conducted by Rev. Seth Wil- liston, a Congregational missionary from the east.
The M. E. Church, located at Berkshire, was organized with fifteen members, about 1825. The church edifice was erected in 1828, at a cost of about $1,500. It has since been repaired, and will seat 300 persons. The first pastor was Rev. Gaylord Judd ; the present one is Rev. N. S. Reynolds. The number of mem- bers is about one hundred. The Church property is valued at $6,000.
*Statement of Deacon Royce of Berkshire.
+ Freuch's State Gazetteer.
¿ Statements of F. H. and Isaac Brown. French says Miss T. Moore taught the first school.
179
CANDOR.
CANDOR was formed from Spencer, Feb. 22, 1811 .* It lies in the center of the north border of the County, and is the second largest town in the County. It contains 51,750} acres, of which, in 1865, according to the census of that year, 31,384, were improved. Its surface consists of high, broad rolling up- lands, divided into ridges by the narrow valleys of streams flow- ing in a southerly direction. The declivities of the hills are generally abrupt, and their summits are to a considerable ex- tent covered with forests. Its streams are Catatunk and Doo- little creeks; the former enters the town about the center of the west line and flows east to Candor village, when it turns and flows south-east, leaving the town at the village of Cata- tunk; the latter rises in the north-east part of the town and, flowing in a south-east direction, discharges its waters, at the village of Weltonville, into the west branch of Owego Creek, which forms the east boundary of the town. In the valleys the soil is a very fertile gravelly loam, and upon the hills it is moderately so.
The Cayuga Branch of the Delaware, Lackawanna & West- ern R. R. passes through the town along the valley of Cata- tunk Creek and its northern branch, passing through the vil- lages of Willseyville, Gridleyville, Candor, South Candor and Catatunk.
The population of the town in 1870 was 4,250, of whom 4,105 were natives and 145, foreigners; 4,233 white, 10, colored and 7, Indians.
During the year ending Sept. 30, 1871, the town contained twenty-three school districts and employed twenty-six teachers. The number of children of school age was 1,444; the number attending school, 1,182; the average attendance, 613; the amount expended for school purposes, $8,234; and the value of school houses and sites, $15,504.
CANDOR, (p. v. ) centrally located on Catatunk Creek and on the Cayuga Branch of the D. L. & W. R. R., contains four churches, (Baptist, Congregational, Episcopal and M. E.,) a
* The first town meeting was held March 5, 1811, at the house of Capt. Abel Hart, and the following named officers were elected : Joel Smith, Supervisor; Asa North, Town Clerk; Wm. Scott, Orange Booth and Sam- uel Smith, Assessors ; Nathaniel Sackett, Seth Bacon and Charles Taylor, Commissioners of Highways; Truman Woodford, Constable and Collec- tor; Abel Hart and Asa North, Overseers of the Poor ; Edward Picket and Daniel R. Parks, Constables; Joseph Delind, Charles Taylor, Eli Bacon and Job Judd, Fence Viewers and Damage Appraisers; Wm. Taylor, Joseph Schoonhover, Thomas Baerd, Daniel H. Bacon, Joseph Kellsey, Jacob Clark, Alex. Scott, Jacob Herrington, Seth Bacon, Oziru Wood- ford, Geo. Allen, Daniel Cowles and Reuben Hatch, Overseers of High- ways; and Thos. Parks, James McMaster and Ezra Smith, Pound Masters.
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CANDOR.
Union school,* one bank,t three hotels, a woolen factory,į two flouring mills,§ two blacksmith shops, a tannery,| two wagon-repair shops, a foundry, several stores of various kinds, and a population, in the limits of the proposed corporation, T of 1,050.
WILLSEYVILLE, (p. v.) named from Hon. Jacob Willsey, is situated on the north branch of Catatunk Creek and on the Cayuga Division of the D. L. & W. R. R., in the north-west part. It contains one church, two stores, one shoe shop, two blacksmith shops, two saw mills, a dental office, thirty dwell- ings and about 120 inhabitants.
CATATUNK, (p. v.) located on the south line, on the Catatunk Creek and the Caynga Division of the D. L. & W. R. R., con- tains one tannery, ** (G. Truman & Co.'s) one blacksmith shop and two saw mills, (Beer's and Sackett's.) Most of the houses are occupied by the tannery employes.
EAST CANDOR is located in the east part on Doolittle Creek.
WELTONVILLE (p. o.) is located on the east line, on the West Branch of Owego Creek, seven miles above Owego. It was for- merly a thriving village, but its business has declined and it now manifests little or no enterprise.
WEST CANDOR (p. o.) is located on the west line, a little south of the center, four miles west of Candor. It contains a hotel and tin shop.
* The Candor Union School and Free Academy, of which Prof. L. D. Vose is principal, was established in 1868. The building was erected that year, and, with the grounds, cost $9,000. It has accommodations for 250 pupils, and has at present an average daily attendance of 180. Four teachers are employed. A normal class is taught during the fall of each year. The school has a library containing nearly four thousand volumes, and philosophical apparatus, to both of which yearly additions are made. It is under the supervision of the Regents of the University.
+ The First National Bank of Candor was organized in 1864, with a capital of $50,000, and the privilege of increasing it to $100,000. It is lo- cated at the corner of Kinney avenue and Main street. Jerome Thomp- son is cashier.
# Candor Woolen Mills are situated on Catatunk Creek. They give em- ploynient to ten persons and are capable of manufacturing 30,000 yards of cloth per annum. Wm. Ward is proprietor.
§ Sackett Flouring Mill, leased by U. P. Spaulding, contains four runs of stones and is capable of grinding 300 bushels of wheat per day.
| Humbolt Tannery, owned by E. S. Esty, of Ithaca, and Hoyt Bros., of New York, gives employment to thirty men, consumes 4,000 cords of bark and is capable of manufacturing 40,000 sides of leather per annum.
T Efforts are being made the present year (1872) to effect the incorpora- tion of the village.
** Catatunk Tannery was built by Sackett & Foreman in 1852. In 1864 it was purchased by the present proprietors, G. Truman & Co. It gives em- ployment to about thirty-five persons, annually consumes 3,000 cords of bark and tans 40,000 sides of sole leather. It is located on Catatunk Creek, four and one-half miles above Owego.
181
CANDOR.
GRIDLEYVILLE is a hamlet on Catatunk Creek and Cayuga Division of the D. L. & W. R. R., about one mile above Candor.
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