USA > New York > Cortland County > Gazetteer and business directory of Cortland County, N. Y., for 1869 > Part 12
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Mr. Conrad Delong, the father of Mrs. Daniel Topping, who re- sides upon lot 8, is now living and retains his faculties to a re- markable degree for one of his age. He was born March 4, 1772, in Dutchess County, and is of course a little more than four years older than our Republic. With one exception he has voted at every spring and fall election since he cast his first vote, and greatly regrets that he failed in one instance. He has voted at every Pres- idential election since, and at the last one he rode two miles and cast his vote for Ulysses S. Grant. Ilis hearing is greatly im-
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paired but his eyesight and his memory are good, and with the aid of a staff is able to walk half a mile and return without serious in- convenience.
The pioneers of Homer were religious people, and when six fam- ilies had arrived they assembled together for religious worship on the Sabbath, and from that time (1793) to this there has been only one occasion on which the Sabbath service has been omitted. In 1794 or 1795 a number of families came from Massachusetts and Connecticut, and these formed the germ of the future church. Meetings were held in a log barn in the summer and in a dwelling house in the winter. In the fall of 1793 a grist mill was erected which served the people as a place of worship upon the Sabbath. The first sermon was preached by Elder Peter P. Roots, of the Baptist denomination, in Mr. Baker's barn, from the text, "Faith, Hope, Charity." The second was preached by Rev. Asa Hillyer, of New Jersey. Mr. HI. was in the place on business and attended the raising of a building; when it became known that ne was a preacher he was invited to preach to the settlers, which he did in the open air under a beech tree. In 1799 an organization for sus- taining public worship was formed under the title of "The First Religious Society of the town of Homer," which is the title of the society connected with the Congregational Church at the present time. In December of the same year a house of worship was erected on the north-east corner of the village green. Rev. Dr. Williston, one of the early preachers of this town, says, under date December 15, 1799 : "This is almost the only house in all this western country which has been erected with a principal reference to the worship of God."
The first Congregational Church was organized October 12, 1801, by Rev. Hugh Willis, of Solon. It consisted of fourteen members. The first stated supply was by a Mr. Jones. The first settled pas- tor was Rev. Nathan B. Darrow, who was ordained and installed February 2, 1803. This was the first instance of ordination by the denomination in the Military Tract, and the third installation. By the terms of his settlement he was to receive a salary of $300 a year, one-half of which was to be pail in cash and one-half in wheat, and it was to be increased annually ten dollars until is should amount to $400. The ordination was performed by an Ecclesiastical Council, composed of ministers and delegates from churches in Aurelius, Geneva, Owasco, Lisle, Pompey, Clinton and Cazeno .. a. Mr. Darrow, after serving the church about six years, was succeeded by Rev. Elnathan Walker, October 25, 1809. Mr. Walker continued until his death in 1-20. Rev. John Keep was the next pastor, and Rev. Dennis Platt and Rev. Thomas K. Fessenden were successively pastors of this church. The church now numbers five hundred and fifty. Rov. J. C. Holbrook, D. D.,
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is the present pastor. The present house of worship is an elegant brick structure with stone facings, stained glass windows, and a tower surmounted by a tall and graceful spire, furnished with a bell and clock.
The First Baptist Church was dedicated November 4th, 1827. The number of members at the date of its organization was 130 and the present number 384.
The M. E. Church was organized in 1833, with forty-five mem- bers, under the pastoral labors of Rev. Nelson Rounds. The pres- ent number is 124. Rev. A. M. Lake is the present pastor.
Culcary Protestant Episcopal Church was organized in 1831, and the church edifice erected in 1832. The first rector was Rev. Ilenry Gregory. The number of communicants at the date of or- ganization was twenty; the present number is forty-five. Rev. A. W. Cornell is the present rector.
Among the former residents of this town who have attained a national reputation is MR. FRANCIS B. CARPENTER, the artist who gave to the world the "First Reading of the Emancipation Procla- mation." The history of that picture is told in his " Six Months at the White House." Mr. Carpenter was born in Homer, August 6, 1830, his father having settled here in 1800. His educational ad- vantages were limited to the common school and one term at the academy in his native town. He carly manifested a desire to be- come an artist and of course exhibited a strong aversion to the la- bors of the farm. The fences and out-buildings upon the farm were decorated by the ideal images formed in the brain of the young ar- tist and executed with chalk, brick-dust, lamp-black and any other materials upon which he could lay his hands. The father opposed what he regarded the "boy's nonsense," but the mother sympa- thized with him and at length sat for her portrait, which was so ne- curate a likeness that the father gave up his opposition and became the second person to sit for a likeness. Soon after completing the portrait of his father he entered the studio of Sandford Thayer, of Syracuse, where he remained about five months, receiving assist- ance from that artist and making rapid progress in his chosen avo- cation. While here he made the acquaintance of the artist Elliott, recently deceased, who encouraged him and gave him such instruc- tion as he thought would aid him in his work. In 1846, before he was sixteen years of age, he returned to his native town and opened a studio. Here he received little encouragement at first, the eiti- zens distrusting his ability. As prejudice gradually wore away, he began to receive encouragement, and the field of his operations was gradually enlarged. Hon. Henry S. Randall was one of the first to encourage the young artist by his patronage, having employed him to prepare some drawings for a work which he was about to publish, and subsequently sat for his portrait. In 1850 he located in New York and has been growing in favor ever since.
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The population of Homer in 1865 was 3,856 and its area 29,321 acres.
LAPEER was formed from Virgil, May 2, 1845, and em- braces the south-east quarter of that township. It is situated upon the high ridges west of the Tioughnioga River, on the south border of the County, west of the center. The declivities of the hills bor- dering upon the river are precipitous. "Luce Hill," in the north- west part of the town, is the highest point and is 1,600 to 1,700 feet above tide. The streams are all small brooks. Hunt's Falls, upon Fall Creek, near the south border of the town, is a beautiful cascade about 70 feet high. The soil is a gravelly and sandy loam. A large part of the town is still unsettled.
Hunts Corners (p. o.) is a hamlet in the south part of the town; and
Lapeer (p. o.) is near the center.
The first settlement was made in this town in 1799, by Primus Grant, a colored man, on lot 594. Hc was a native of Guinea and the farm upon which he settled has since been called by that name. Aaron Jennings now occupies the place. Peter Gray, a native of Fishkill, Dutchess County, was the first white settler. He came from Ulster (now Sullivan County) in July, 1802, and settled on lot 70. In 1803 Seth Jennings, from Connecticut, settled on lot 597, where he resided until his death. Mason Jennings now re- sides on the same farm. Simeon Luce, from Massachusetts, settled on lot 57 in 1505. The farm is now occupied by his son, Ebe- nezer Luce. Mr. L. died at an extreme old age, leaving a numer- ous posterity. At the time of his settlement he had no neighbors within four miles in one direction and five in the other. Captain Thomas Kingsbury, a Revolutionary soldier, settled in the south- east part of the town in 1502, on the farm now occupied by E. Evans. Timothy Robertson came into the town about 1803. He was a Revolutionary soldier and was with Montgomery at the storming of Quebec, in 1775. Zachariah Squires and Robert Smith came in 1806, and settled on lot 70. Mr. Smith was a sol- dier of the Revolution and held a commission under Washington. HIe was the father of Abram Smith, now living in town. John S. Squires from New Haven, Conn .. settled on lot 6S in 1807. The place is now owned by Hon. Dan C. Squires. . In 1813 a company of volunteers was organized for the war : Simeon West was Cap- tain, John S. Squires, Lieutenant, and William Powers, Ensign. The members of the company were regarded as minute men, but their services were not required.
Simeon Luce and Rebecca Avers were married in Virgil, in 1805, while on their way to their home on Luce Hill.
The first marriage in the town was that of James Parker and Lucy Wood, who settled where Alford Alvord now lives. The
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first birth was that of John Gray, son of Peter Gray, in 1803. The first death was that of Robert C. Squires, May 9th, 1809.
Sixteen soldiers of the Revolution settled in Lapeer, all but one of whom died here. The following are the names of fourteen of them : Robert Smith, George Tatman, Thomas Kingsbury, Stephen Kelley, Oliver Hopkins, William Parker, David Crowell, Nathan Smith, Henry Turk, Nathan Walker, Timothy Robertson, Samuel Soule, Asa Parker, James Pollard.
Prince Freeman, from Queensbury, N. Y., settled on lot 67 in 1810, on the farin now occupied by Elijah Freeman. Wolves were very numerous at this time and in one night killed twelve sheep for Mr. Freeman. Jabez Hazen, from Windham, Conn., came in 1809, and settled on lot 53, where Luke Hazen now lives.
Simeon Luce erected the first grist mill, in 1827, and Samuel and John Gee the first saw mill, in 1825. . Messrs. Nichols and Turpen- ing were the first merchants, having commenced business in 1834 or 1835. The first postmaster was Royal Johnson, who still holds the office. Ebenezer Luce taught the first school, in 1814. Among the early elergymen of Lapeer were Rev. Mr. Harrison and Dr. Williston, of the Presbyterian order; Rev. Mr. Sheopard, of the Baptist, and Rev. Mr. Densmore, of the Methodist denomination.
A noted camping ground of the Indians was located a short dis- tance north of the present residence of Jerome Squires. It was upon a bluff that overlooks Big Brook, and covered with an im- mense forest of elms, basswood, maple and other timber, in which roamed a multitude of wild animals. From the camping ground the Indians scoured the surrounding country in quest of game and returned at night loaded with the products of the chase. Bears, wolves, panthers, deer and other animals were very numerous.
This town, with a population of about 800, furnished fifty-two for the United States service during the late rebellion, many of whom became distinguished upon the battle-field and sealed their devotion to their country with their blood. We know of no town with the same population that showed a better record. The following are the names of those who died in the service of their country : David M. Turner, Francis E. Verran, Samuel D. Squires, William W. Jennison. Squires S. Barrows, Frederie Wilcox, David W. Parker, Linden Parker, Edgar Freeman, William HI. Parker and John Flanley.
The population in 1865 was 762 and its area 14, 147 acres.
MARATIION was formed from Cineinnatus, April 21, 1818, as " Harrison," embracing the south-west quarter of the mili- tary township. Its name was changed in 1827 in consequence of there being another town in the State of the same name. It lies upon the southern border of the County, cast of the center. It has
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a rugged and hilly surface, the ridges rising fromn 500 to 700 feet above the valleys. The Tioughnioga flows through the western part, in a deep, narrow valley, bordered by precipitous hillsides. Hunt Creek, in the north-west, flows through a narrow, deep val- ley, and Merrill Creek, in the east part, flows through a similar valley. The principal part of the arable land lies along the valleys; the uplands are broken and better adapted to pasturage. The soil is a sandy and gravelly loam.
Marathon, (p. v.) situated on both sides of the Tiouglinioga, is a station on the Syracuse, Binghamton and New York Railroad, and contains three churches, an academy, a newspaper office, two hotels, a large grist and flouring mill, a number of sawmills, a large tan- nery, a number of stores and mechanic shops and about 1,000 in- habitants. The main street extends east and west, and divides the village into two nearly equal parts.
Marathon Grist and Flowring Mill is capable of grinding 500 bushels per day, and gives employment to six or eight men. Deals largely in flour and feed, and has a capital of $40,000 invested.
Burgess' Mill (circular saw) will cut 16,000 feet per day, and Livingston's Mill (circular saw) will cut about 20,000 feet in 24 hours.
Cooperage business gives employment to eight or ten men and turns out about $10,000 worth of work annually.
Marathon Tannery employs eleven men and manufactures about 25,000 or 30,000 pounds annually. The capital invested is 850,000.
Marathon Rural Cemetery embraces about twelve acres, on a rise of ground about one fourth of a mile north-east of the village. It is under the control of an association of which Samuel M. Hunt is President.
Marathon Academy .- This institution is situated on the west side of the river, about sixty rods from the railroad depot. It has a beautiful location on a good sized lot which slopes gradually to the east. It was chartered as an Academy by the Regents of the University in February, 1866. The building, as it then was, had been used and owned by E. S. Weld, an enterprising young man, who, at the call of his country, left his " High School," as it was called, to engage in his country's defense, and who now fills an hon- ored soldier's grave. Its dimensions were the same as now, but it required an expenditure of about $1,000 to bring it to its present condition. This was done by the stockholders the first season af- ter they purchased it. There are forty shares of $100 each in the stock. The present value of the lot and buildings is set down at $1.500. M. L. Hawley, Esq., now editor of the Binghamton Stan- dard, was engaged as Principal during the first two years of its ex- istence as an academy. Mr. Hawley is an excellent teacher and well calculated to advance the interests of a school. The school is
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under the direction, for the present academic year, of Stephen Man- chester, an experienced teacher and a good disciplinarian. The officers of the Board of Trustees are: Hon. Dann C. Squires, President ; Sanford L. Baum, Secretary ; Alanson Benjamin, Treasurer.
An Iron Bridge is being erected across the river in this village, which will cost about $14,000.
Texas Valley, (p. v.) in the north-east corner of the town, con- tains three churches and is quite a flourishing viltage.
The first settlement of this town was commenced in 1794. by Dr. Japheth Hunt and his wife and two sons, James and William, and three daughters. They entered the Tioughnioga Valley from the south, in canoes, and located on lot 93, about a mile south of the present village of Marathon. Dr. Hunt came from New Eng- land, and had served his country in the Revolutionary war as sur- geon. IIe was too far advanced in life to commence a new settle- ment, but his children were of mature age and possessed vigorous constitutions which fitted them for the laborious duties that de- volved upon them. In 1796, John Hunt, the oldest son of the Doctor eame and settled on lot 72. Samuel M. Hunt, his son, born October 30, 1998, was the first child born in the town. John Hunt was appointed a justice of the peace, about the commence- ment of the present century, and held the office until his death in 1815. Ilis widow survived him a little more than half a century and died May 7th, 1866, at the age of ninety-five years and seven months. Abram Brink, with his family, moved into the town in 1800, and located on lot 82. He came up the river in a canoe, opened an inn soon after his arrival, and kept it for more than twenty years. Though he could neither read or write he was ap- pointed the first postmaster in the town. A family by the name of Alford and a man by the name of Lee were among the carly settlers. Among the other early settlers were John S. Squires, Ebenezer Carley and Patrick Mallory. The last named was a brother of Esq. Hunt's wife, and settled one mile north of Marathon village.
The first marriage in the town was that of Nicholas Brink and Polly Alford ; and the first death that of Dr. Hunt, in 1808, at the age of 97. William Cowdrey taught the first school, in 1803; John Hunt built the first sawmill; and Weed & Waldo, James Burgess and David Munroe were early merchants.
In ISOS the father of THURLow WEED removed to this town, and here was laid the foundation of that career which made "T. W." a power in the Empire State. Mr. Weed says, in a communication to IT. C. Goodwin, the Historian of Cortland County : " My first employment was in attendance upon an ashery. The process of ex- tracting lye from ashes, and of boiling the lye into black salts, was
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common-place enough; but when the melting down into potash came, all was bustle and excitement. This labor was succeeded, when the spring had advanced far enough, by the duties of the ' sap- bush.' This is a season to which the farmers' sons and daughters look forward with agreeable anticipations. In that employment toil is more than literally sweetened. The occupation and its asso- ciations are healthful and beneficial. When your troughs are dug out, (of basswood, for there were no buckets in those days,) your trees tapped, your sap gathered, your wood cut, and your fires fed, there is leisure for reading or 'sparking.' And what youthful den- izens of the sap-bush will ever forget, while 'sugaring off, their share in the transparent and delicious streaks of candy congealed and cooled on snow ? Many a farmer's son has found his best op- portunities for improvement in his intervals of leisure while 'tend- ing sap-bush.' Such at any rate was iny experience. At night you had only to feed the kettles and keep up the fires, the sap hav- ing been gathered and the wood ent before dark. During the day we would also lay in a good stock of ' fat pine,' by the light of which, blazing brightly in front of the sugar-house, in the posture the serpent was condemned to assume as a penalty for tempting our great first grandmother, I have passed many and many a de- lightful night in reading. I remember in this way to have read a history of the French Revolution, and to have obtained from it a better and more enduring knowledge of its events and horrors, and of the actors in that great national tragedy, than I have received from all subsequent readings. I remember how happy I was in being able to borrow the book of Mr. Keyes, after a two mile tramp through the snow, shoeless, my feet swaddled in remnants of a rag-carpet." He says he was large, healthy and strong, and ambitious " to keep his row" in hoeing corn and potatoes. The "logging bees" and other gatherings, accompanied by the indis- pensable gallon bottle of whisky, are duly noticed, as clearing the land constituted the principal employment of the early settlers. He says : "Our first acquisition in the way of 'live stock' was a rooster and four hens ; and I remember with what a gush of glad- ness I was awakened at break of day the next morning by the loud defiant voice of chanticleer ; and when, several days afterwards, I found a real hen's nest in a brush-heap, with eggs in it, I cackled al- most as boisterously as the feathered mother whom I had surprised in the feat of parturition." The same writer gives the following amusing account of an expedition to a new store and its results : " I remember the stir which a new store, established in Lisle (some seven or eight miles down the river) by the Rathbones, from Ox- ford, created in our neighborhood. It was ' all the talk' for several weeks, and until a party of housewives, by clubbing with their pro- ducts, fitted out an expedition. Vehicles and horses were scarce,
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but it was finally arranged : A, furnishing a wagon; B, a horse; C, a mare, and D, a boy to drive. Six matrons, with a commodity of black salts, tow cloth, flax and maple sugar, went their way re- joieing, and returned triumphantly at sunset with fragrant Bohea for themselves, plug tobacco for their husbands, flashy calico for the children, gay ribbons for the girls, jack-knives for the boys. crock- ery for the cupboard, and snuff for granny." This expedition was a theme for much gossip. The wonders of the 'new store' were described to staring eyes and open months. The merchant and his clerk were criticised in their deportment, manners and dress. The former wore shiny boots and tassels, the latter a rufile shirt, and both smelt of pomatum ! I do not believe that the word 'dandy' had been invented, or it would have certainly come in play on that occasion. Thirty years afterwards I laughed over all this with my old friend, General Ransom Rathbone, the venerable proprietor of that 'new store.'" The same writer says: "There were neither churches nor 'stated preaching' in town. A Methodist minister came occasionally and held meetings in private houses or at the school house. In the winter there was a school on the river, and the master, who 'boarded round,' must have 'had a good time of it' on johnny-cake for breakfast, lean salt pork for dinner, and samp and milk for supper. There were few amusements in those days, and but little of leisure or disposition to indulge in them. Those that I remember as most pleasant and exciting were 'huskings' and ' coon hunts.' There was fun too in smoking woodchucks out of their holes."
The First Presbyterian Church was organized February 11, 1814, with ten members. The present edifice was erected in 1830. The church now numbers thirty-eight members.
Marathon Baptist Church was organized October 20, 1860, with twenty-five members; the present number is eighty-three. The church is in a flourishing condition with the prospect of a new build- ing. J. H. Sage is the pastor.
The Methodist Church was organized by the formation of a class consisting of four members, in 1830; Orrin Carley was leader. Three members of the original class are still living. viz., Mrs. C. Newton, Orrin Carley and Mrs. Griffin. The church now numbers 170 members. Rev. A. C. Bowdish is the present pastor.
The population in 1865 was 1,485 and its area 15,245 acres.
THURLOW WEED was born in Cairo, Greene County, N. Y., No- vember 15, 1797, and, at the age of eleven, removed with his pa- rents to Cincinnatus, now embraced in the town of Marathon. In the summer of 1806 he was employed as cook and cabin boy on board the sloop Ranger, of Catskill, and on the sloop Jefferson in 1807. In the winter of ISOS his father removed to this County and young Thurlow found himself soon after in an ashery, engaged in
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making black salts. His parents were poor and unable to give him the advantages of a school education. Previous to his re- moval from Greene County, he had worked in the printing office of Macky Croswell, at Catskill, and had acquired the title of "Print- er's Devil." In 1811 he was employed in the Lynx office, at On- ondaga Hollow, and in 1812 he was employed in the office of Thomas Walker, of Utica, and worked on the Columbian Gazette ; and in 1313 on the Herkimer American. From this time until 1815 he was employed at Auburn, Spring Mills, Sangerfield, Caze- novia and Cooperstown. He worked at offices in Utica and Her- kimer for a time, and then went to Albany and New York, work- ing as a journeyman until 1819. At this time he established a weekly newspaper in Norwich, Chenango County, called The Agriculturist. In 1821 he removed to Manlius and established the Onondaga County Republican. From this place he went to Rochester, where, after working two years, he purchased the paper, The Rochester Telegraph. He subsequently published the Anti- Masonic Inquirer, which soon becaine the leading paper of his party in the State. In 1830 he removed to Albany and established the Evening Journal, which was conducted with great ability for more than a quarter of a century, during most of which time he prob- ably exerted a greater influence upon the political affairs of the State than any other man. In 1843 he went to Europe and visited the British Islands and several countries upon the continent. His letters furnished for the Journal during his travels were exceedingly interesting and were extensively copied into other papers and sub- sequently published in book form. Since his retirement from the Evening Journal he has been connected with the Press of New York City.
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