USA > New York > Broome County > Gazetteer and business directory of Broome and Tioga Counties, N. Y. for 1872-3 > Part 23
USA > New York > Tioga County > Gazetteer and business directory of Broome and Tioga Counties, N. Y. for 1872-3 > Part 23
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PERRYVILLE is a hamlet in the north-west part, on Shan- daken Creek, about one mile south of Willseyville .*
On the farm of Isaac D. Van Scoy, in the north-east part of the town, a subterranean lake was discovered a few years since, while an excavation was being made for a well. At a depth of twenty-two feet a layer of rock was met with, which, when per- forated, allowed the drill to drop down as far as its size would admit. Subsequent investigation proved the existence under this layer of rock, of a strong current of water, of unknown depth. All attempts to fathom it have thus far proved futile, but whether from its supposed great profundity or the velocity of the current we are unable to state. At certain seasons the water is of a milky color, and that of about one hundred springs 'which are supposed to originate from this source presents a similar appearance. The excavation is made on high ground.
The first settlement in the town was made by Thomas Hol- lister, Elijah Smith, Collings Luddington and Job Judd, from Connecticut, in 1793. Joel Smith, brother of Elijah, came the following spring and settled on the Catatunk, on the farm now owned by Jared Smith. Elijah Smith was a well known and accomplished surveyor, and many plots surveyed by him at an early day are not unfrequently referred to at the present time to establish boundary lines and settle disputes relative thereto. Job Judd was a Revolutionary soldier, and had in his posses- sion articles and accouterments used by him during that war. Israel Mead, a Revolutionary soldier, came from Bennington Co., Vermont, March 17, 1795, and settled near West Candor, on the farm now owned by Wm. Gridley. Abel Hart came from Stockbridge, Mass., in December, 1796, and located on the farm known as his homestead. Four or five years previously he visited some of his old townsmen who had emigrated to the " Brown Settlement," and seems to have been so well pleased with the country that two years subsequently, in the month of
* Strait's circular saw mill, located on the Ithaca & Owego turnpike and Cayuga Division of the D. L. & W. R. R., three miles north-west of Can- dor, operates one saw five feet in diameter and four smaller ones, employs about twenty persons and is capable of sawing 5,000,000 feet of lumber and the same quantity of lath per annum. A planing machine and bark grinder is attached to it.
Booth's saw mill situated on Catatunk Creek, "about two miles from Candor Corners," is owned by Lorin Booth. It contains one large circular saw, a "mully " saw, a lath saw, a cross-cut saw and one for cutting sid- ing, and is capable of sawing 1,000,000 feet of lumber per annum. It has a planing and matching machine attached.
Three mills have been erected on this site; the first was built in 1829, by Orange F. Booth and Chas. Gridley, the present one, by Lorin Booth.
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February, he came with sleds drawn by oxen to make a perma- nent settlement. He did not however come immediately to this town. He first settled about five miles below Binghamton, not far from Gen. Stoddard's. In 1797 he went to Ithaca, to supply himself with a barrel of salt, which he brought from that place on a cart, run on two low wagon wheels, and drawn by oxen. The road was located upon an Indian trail all the way from the Susquehanna to Cayuga Lake. Ithaca then contained but one frame house, and between that point and his residence there were but few log cabins. Mr. Hart was preceded in his settle- ment by families named Collins, Sheldon, Marsh, Wm. Bates, (who settled on what was subsequently the homestead of John B. Dean) and Richard Ellis, (who then occupied the premises afterwards occupied by Ebenezer Woodbridge.) Capt. Daniel R. Park settled in the south-east corner of the town, on the farm he now owns, May 3, 1797. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, and is now eighty-eight years old. Hiram Williams came here the same year (1797) and settled on the " Ford Loca- tion." He was one of the first to locate in that part of the town. Seth and Capt. Eli Bacon were early residents of the town in the latter part of the last century. The father of Rus- sel Gridley came with his family, from Hartford Co., Conn., in May, 1803. The Messrs. Booth and Caleb Hubbard were also early settlers, the latter in 1805. Jacob Clark also became a resident in 1805. He came from Orange county. He was the father of eleven children, eight of whom are now living, but only two in the town-Hiram Clark and Rachel Lake. Elias Williams, who was a Revolutionary soldier, and Alexander Graham, who was a noted hunter and trapper, came about 1806.
Among other early settlers were Moses Grimes, who came from Washington county in 1811 and settled on the farm now owned by his son, J. M. Grimes, was one of the first mem- bers of the Presbyterian Church in Owego, held several public offices and whose life of usefulness exerted an influence which is still felt; Hon. Jacob Willsey, who came from Fair- field (Herkimer Co.) and settled in the north part of the town in 1815, who held the office of County Judge eight years and filled other responsible positions for many years, and who gave his name to the village on whose site he located ; John Whitley, who came from Vermont about 1816 and settled in the north part of the town, on the farm now owned by Andrew J. Whit- ley ;* Joel Robinson, who settled on the farm he now occupies,
* Mr. Whitley was pressed into the British army in 1778 and after serv- ing four and one-half years, during which time he participated in the battle of St. Augustine, he effected his escape while the English were on Long Island.
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CANDOR.
near Candor village, in 1816, who built the first Methodist church in the town and the grist mill near his place, now owned by U. P. Spaulding, and who is now in his eighty-seventh year; and Israel Barnum, who was one of the first settlers in the north-east part of the town, in 1822. Bissell Woodford, a Revolutionary soldier, resided here during the last years of his life.
"It is said that Wm. Goodwin, who afterwards lived at Lud- lowville, made the first journey with a team, from Owego to Ithaca, over a road then first widened from the Indian trail."
When Mr. Hart commenced his residence here, on the lot where Thomas Gridley, a Revolutionary soldier, formerly resided and near the site of the mills of John J. Sackett, was a fort which was said to have been used by the Indians as a fort or prison for captives. It was overgrown with moss, but, with the exception of the roof, was in a fair state of preservation.
C. P. Avery, in The Saint Nicholas, 1854, says of it :
"It stood in the midst of a thick hemlock grove, almost impenetrable to light, the dark and sombre character of which is well remembered by some of the pioneers yet living.
"It is handed down by tradition, and in some degree confirmed, that here lived for several years, in an Indian family, a young white girl, who had been captured in the vicinity of Wyoming. She is represented to have been singularly beautiful ; her costume rich and ornamented witlı broaches of silver ; and to have so much aroused the sympathy of the first white settlers upon the Susquehanna, that, among others, Amos Draper endeavored to procure her release. It was not, however, effected, the reason having been, according to one account, that her captors declined acceding to any terms which were offered for her redemption; while, it is otherwise stated, that the want of success was attributable to her own un- willingness to leave. She probably shared the fate of her captors, and re- moved with them to Canada. Many Indian relics have here been found. Indications of caches still exist: hatchets, arrow-heads, maize-pounders, a pipe of handsome workmanship, and all the usual evidences of Indian oc- cupancy, have been disclosed upon the surface, from time to time, by the plough and in excavations."*
Elisha Forsyth and Thomas Parks were early settlers in the east part of the town, near Owego Creek. The father of For- syth was a settler in the Wyoming Valley under a title derived from Connecticut. In the massacre of July, 1778, he lost everything in the shape of property, valuable documents, deeds, &c., but fortunately escaped with the lives of himself and family. He subsequently returned to Wyoming and passed through the perils of a residence there until peace was de- clared ; soon after that happy event he moved to Towanda, and from there to Choconut, then the name of a locality a little
* Deacon Jonathan Hart, who resides about one mile west of the village of Candor, has a valuable collection of curiosities, which embraces relics of this locality.
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CANDOR.
above the village of Union, previous to Elisha's settlement here. At the time of his removal from Towanda, (prior to 1787) there was living at Tioga Point, by which he passed, but one white man, whose name was Patterson. Capt. Thomas Parks achieved a reputation for great energy and prowess upon the sea, during the Revolutionary war; and, under letters of marque and reprisal, brought in numerous prizes.
The first inn was kept by Thomas Hollister; the first store, by. Philip Case ; the first grist mill was erected by Elijah Hart; and the first school was taught by Joel Smith, in a log house near where his brother lived. The nearest postoffice was Owego.
The first preacher was Rev. Seth Williston, who came to this locality as early as 1797-8. Rev. Jeremiah Osborne was the first settled minister ; and the name of the first church or- ganization was the Farmington Society .*
West Owego Creek Baptist Church, located at Weltonville, was organized with ten members,t in 1802. Rev. Levi Baldwin was the first pastor; Rev. R. A. Washburn is the present one. The church edifice, which will seat 300 persons was erected in 1842, at a cost of $2,000. The present number of members is fifty- eight. The church property is valued at $3,500. The Fairfield Union Church was partially composed of members from this church ; also the Newark Valley Baptist Church.
The Congregational Church, at Candor, was organized with nine members, in 1808, by Rev. Seth Williston. The first church edifice was erected in 1818; the second, in 1825; and the present one, which will seat 700 persons, in 1867, at a cost of $4,000. Previous to 1818 meetings were held in barns and other places in which it was most convenient to congregate. The first pastor was Rev. Daniel Loring; the present one is Rev. Geo. A. Pelton. There are 223 members. The Church pro- perty is valued at $16,000.
St. Mark's Church, (Episcopal) at Candor Village, was organ- ized April 23, 1832, by Rev. Lucius Carter, its first pastor. The number of communicants at its organization was three. The church edifice was erected in 1836, at a cost of $1,500; and was altered and repaired in 1868. It will seat 200 persons. The present number of communicants is thirty ; the present pastor is Rev. A. Rumph. The Church property is valued at $4,500.
* The Saint Nicholas, 1854. French's State Gazetteer says, Rev. Daniel Loring was the first preacher.
+ The following are the names of the original members: Louis Mead, Lovina Mead, Jasper Taylor, Catharine Taylor, John Bunnell, George Lane, Sarah Lane, Abram Everett, Deborah Everett and Hannah Bunnell.
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CANDOR-NEWARK VALLEY.
Candor Village Baptist Church was organized with twenty- five members, in 1855, in which year their house of worship, which will seat 300 persons, was erected, at a cost of $5,000. The society numbers 120 members, who are under the pastoral care of Rev. I. A. Taylor. The value of Church property is $8,000.
Fairfield Union Church, at East Candor, was organized abont Dec. 7, 1858, by Baptists, Methodists and "Christians." Their house of worship, which was erected in 1854, at a cost of $1,500, and repaired in 1870, will seat 200 persons. The society is composed of about eighty members. The Church property is valued at $1,500.
The Anderson Hill M. E. Church erected its house of worship in 1860, at a cost of $750. It will seat 150 persons. The first pastor was - - Burgess; the present one is Rev. J. K. Peck. There are about thirty members. The Church property is valued at $1,000.
NEWARK VALLEY* was formed from Berkshire, April 12, 1823.+ It lies upon the center of the east border of the County, and covers an area of 29,382 acres, of which, in 1865, according to the census of that year, 18,116}, were im- proved. Its surface is broken by hilly uplands, which attain a mean elevation of about 1,200 feet above tide, and which are traversed by the narrow valleys of small streams tributary to Owego Creek, the east and west branches of which creek form its principal streams. The east branch of Owego Creek runs in a southerly direction, west of the center ; the west branch, forms the west boundary of the town.t. The soil in the valleys consists of a fine gravelly loam, which is fertile and yields abundant returns for the labor bestowed on it; on the hills it consists largely of an unproductive hardpan. Dairying and
* It was formed as Westville. Its name was changed to Newark, March 24, 1824, and to Newark Valley, April 17, 1862.
+ At the first town meeting, which was held at the house of Otis Lincoln, March 2, 1824, the following named officers were elected: Solomon Williams, Supervisor; Beriah Wells, Town Clerk; Francis Armstrong, Ebenezer Pierce and Benj. Walter, Assessors; Anson Higbe, Abram Brown and Reuben Chittenden, Commissioners of Highways; Wm. Slosson, Collector; Lyman Legg, Constable; Henry Williams, Win. Richardson and Otis Lincoln, Commissioners of Common Schools; Benj. Walter, Wm. B. Bennett and Geo. Williams, Inspectors of Common Schools; Peter Wilson and Ebenezer Robbins, Overseers of the Poor; Joseph Benjamin, Sealer of Weights and Measures.
¿ The streams, says Wm. W. Ball, who was the first white child born in this section, in his recollection, abounded with fish and the forests which then adjoined them, with game. He has, he says, shot many a deer near his present residence. He was born Sept. S, 1794, and is now residing in the north part of the town.
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NEWARK VALLEY.
lumbering are the chief pursuits of the people. Butter is the chief product of the dairy ; it is packed in pails and shipped daily to New York. The lumbering interests, which are now important, are increasing with the increased facilities for reach- ing a market which are afforded by the Southern Central R. R.,* which traverses the town along the valley of the east branch of Owego Creek. The timber is principally hemlock.
The town, in 1870, had a population of 2,321. During the year ending Sept. 30, 1871, it contained thirteen school dis- tricts and employed fifteen teachers. The number of children of school age was 796; the number attending school, 633; the average attendance, 343; the amount expended for school pur- poses, $4,729 ; and the value of school houses and sites, $5,900.t
NEWARK VALLEY (p. v.) is located west of the center of the town, on the west bank of the east branch of Owego Creek, and on the S. C. R. R., ten miles north of Owego. It contains three churches, (Baptist, Congregational and M. E.) two hotels, three stores, a telegraph office, a U. S. express office, two saw mills, a grist mill, a tanneryt and several other minor . shops and offices incident to a village of its size. It is a pleasant and thriving village, containing many fine residences and about 700 inhabitants.
The Newark Valley Trout Ponds and Picnic Grounds, designed to accommodate picnic and pleasure parties, are a new and promise to be an attractive feature.§
The Cemetery Association of Newark Valley was formed Aug. 28, 1867, under the rural cemetery laws of the State. A por-
* The town is bonded in aid of this railroad to the amount of $45,600. The bonds were issued in 1867, '8 and '9, and draw seven per cent. annual interest. They are exempt from taxation for ten years from date of issue. The first bonds become due in 1877, and the last in 1887, one-tenth matur- ing each year after '77.
+ Oct. 12, 1870, a Union free school district was organized from districts Nos. 2 and 14, and is now known as district No. 2. It is designed to form a graded school, but as yet there are no suitable buildings erected.
¿ This tannery is owned by Davidge, Landfield & Co. It employs thirty- five persons, contains 130 vats and 12 leaches, uses spent tan for fuel and manufactures from 36,000 to 40,000 sides of sole leather per annum. The motive power is supplied by a forty-five-horse power engine. It was es- tablished about 1845; and was burned and rebuilt in 1857.
Belonging to the same company is a steam circular saw mill, which runs a five feet saw, operated by a sixty-five-horse power engine, and is capaci- tated to saw 3,000,000 feet of lumber per annum.
The saw mill of Moore, Cargill & Co., also located here, gives employ- ment to ten persons, uses a circular saw four and one-half feet in diame- ter, which is run by a forty-horse-power engine, and has a capacity for cutting about 2,000,000 feet of lumber per annum.
§ These grounds were opened to the public June 6, 1872. N. K. Waring and John Davidge are the proprietors.
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NEWARK VALLEY.
tion of the enclosure has been occupied since 1820, as a public burying ground .* The association is composed of the owners of lots.
The Newark Valley Lodge No. 614, F. & A. M., organized June 28, 1866, with eight members, and Geo. H. Alison as first Worshipful Master, now numbers sixty members.
KETCHUMVILLE, (p. v.) located in the north-east corner, con- tains one church, (Reformed Methodist) one hotel, one store, a blacksmith and wagon shop and about 100 inhabitants.
JENKSVILLE, (p. o.) situated in the north-west corner, on the west branch of Owego Creek, contains one church, (M. E.) one store, a saw mill, a grist mill, a blacksmith shop, a creamery and cheese factoryt and about fifty inhabitants.
WEST NEWARK (p. o.) is a hamlet on the west branch of Owego Creek, two miles south of Jenksville. The post office is kept in a private house. It contains one church (Congrega- tional.)
The settlement of the town was commenced in 1791, by Elisha Wilson,t from Stockbridge, Berkshire Co., Mass., who, on the 23d of February in that year, in company with Daniel Ball,§ son of Josiah B. Ball, one of the patentees of the Boston Pur- chase, Abram and Isaac Brown, || grandsons of Samuel B. Brown, the leading proprietor, John Carpenter, Daniel Carpenter, who came in the employ of the Browns, - Dean and - Norton, all of whom were from the same county, left the cultured asso- ciations of his native town to accept the hardships and per- plexities of a frontier life, in an unbroken wilderness. Most of
* The first burial was made Aug. 24, 1820. The remains of Mrs. Rachel Williams, Jacob Everett and Linus Gaylord were the first interments.
+ This factory, of which Wm. H. Armstrong is proprietor, was built in 1867, and manufactures into butter and cheese the milk received from be- tween 300 and 400 cows. The milk is set in coolers and skimmed before it sours. The cream is churned in dash churns by the aid of steam power. The milk after being skimmed is made into cheese in the ordinary way. In 1871 about 500,000 lbs. of milk were received, and from it about 15,000 1bs. of butter and 27,000 1bs. of cheese were made. The average price of but- ter at the factory was 32 cents per pound, and of cheese 7 cents.
¿ Wilson purchased land of Elisha Blin, one of the sixty proprietors, who then resided at great Barrington, Mass., in 1790, on lot 184, after having visited, with a party of surveyors, the tract included in the Boston Pur- chase, for the purpose of examining it and correcting errors in an original plot.
§ Ball settled in Berkshire, on the farm subsequently occupied by Bar- nabas Manning.
# Isaac Brown settled in Berkshire, on the farm on which his son of the same name subsequently resided.
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NEWARK VALLEY.
these settled in the valley of Owego Creek. The journey occu- pied thirty-seven days .*
In 1793, Enoch Slosson and his son Esbon, with their fami- lies, also from Stockbridge, settled at what was then and for some time afterward known as Brown's Settlement. Esbon came the year previous to make prepations for settlement. He built the first frame house and kept the first inn and store in town, in 1800. A portion of the house forms a part of the hotel now kept by Edward B. Lincoln. Asa Bement Jr., one of the sixty proprietors, settled in 1794. " He was a man of sub- stantial worth of character, and contributed much, together with the other settlers from Berkshire county, to give to the region in which he settled, the good name and character it has ever since enjoyed."
The first settlers upon the west branch of Owego Creek were Michael, Laban and Elisha Jenks, Jonas Muzzy,t Captain
* Their means of conveyance was two sleds drawn by yokes of oxen. Their route. was direct from their homes to the Hudson at Coxsackie, thence through Durham, across the Catskills, through the old towns of Harpersfield and Franklin to the Susquehanna, at the mouth of the Ou- le-out, and down the Susquehanna to Oquaga. Thus the tedium of the journey-mostly through a wilderness and over a road not deserving the name of highway-was relieved only by the sight of log cabins at intervals varying from ten to twenty miles. At Oquaga they crossed the river, tak- ing with them only such of the stores and movables as were indispensable, and pursued their journey across the highlands which separate the Sus- quehanna and Chenango rivers, to avoid the circuitous route by the Great Bend. They reached the Chenango about one mile above its mouth, but for several days were unable to cross it, owing to the unsafe condition of the ice. When the ice broke up canoes were procured and the whole party, except Mr. Wilson, embarked and proceeded towards Owego, where they, (except young Dean and Norton, who parted company at Choconut to make a permanent settlement there,) again joined Wilson, who remained to care for the oxen and sleds, which he left for safe keeping, until they could be conveniently sent for, with Gen. Stoddard, a short distance be- low, and proceeded to Owego by land. After enjoying the hospitalities of Owego, which then numbered six families, they commenced the laborious task of cutting a road from there, through the forest, to a point about three miles above Newark Valley, where they arrived the first day of April. The season being favorable, Mr. Wilson and his three companions made the necessary preparations for making sugar, and notwithstanding the limited facilities, were very successful. Their camp was established upon the homestead of John Harmon, now deceased. Within three days after their arrival three of the party started back for the goods left at Oquaga and the teams and sleds left at Gen Stoddard's. The journey there and back occupied eleven days, and on their return Mr. Wilson regaled them with the sight of 150 pounds of sugar, as one of the fruits of his labors dur- ing their absence.
Wilson kept bachelor's hall until 1797, when he was joined by his mother and sister, and having no one to share with him the fruits of his labor he did not sow wheat the first year. The Messrs. Brown made the first clear- ing for wheat, and on the new ground the yield was abundant; twenty to forty bushels per acre was an ordinary harvest. In December, 1799, Mr. Wilson married Electa Slosson, daughter of Enoch Slosson.
+ From the statement of Calvin Jenks of Berkshire we learn that Mr. Muzzy was the first to settle on the West Branch. Mr. Muzzy was from Spencer, Mass.
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NEWARK VALLEY.
Scott and Thos. Baird. Michael Jenks built a saw mill on the West Branch, about 1803, and a grist mill on the same stream in 1814. These were the first mills erected on that creek and were located at Jenksville.
The first school was taught by David Master, part of the time in this town and part of the time in Berkshire .* The whole was then included in the town of Union.
The record of the part taken by this town in the suppression of the Rebellion is a very creditable one and will be referred to with just pride by the descendants of those who were residents of the town during that eventful period. About 125 men were furnished for the army, and the enlistments were made prin- cipally in the 50th Engineers and 109th and 137th regiments of Infantry. Of this number about twenty-five were killed or died from wounds and diseases contracted while in the service. Capt. Oscar Williams was the first to enlist. He joined the 44th. Infantry, the celebrated "Elsworth's Avengers," as private. He was taken sick while in the field and returned home, where, after regaining his health, he took an active part in raising a new company, of which he was elected captain. It was desig- nated Co. G. of the 137th Infantry. He was instantly killed at the battle of Gettysburg, July 3, 1863. The town raised $5,000 by the issue of town bonds, and always filled its quotas promptly.t
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