USA > New York > Wyoming County > Gazetteer and business directory of Wyoming County, N.Y., for 1870-71 > Part 13
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The population of the town in 1865 was 2,366, and its ares 22,300 acres.
There are fourteen school districts, employing the same num- ber of teachers. The number of children of school age is 63; : the number attending school, 182; the average attendance, 25 .. and the amount expended for sebool purposes for the year end- ing Sept. 30. 1869, was $5.324.83.
PIKE was formed from Nunda, ( Livingston Co.,) March ". 1818. Eagle was taken off in 1823, and a part of Genesco Fall- in 1846. It lies upon the south border of the County, east of
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- center. The surface is a hilly and broken upland. East Owy Creek flows south, through the east part; and Wiscoy, south-east, through near the center. Enory Hill, the highest point in the town, is one hundred feet above the railroad at serile, and the lowest point, in the south-east part, is 200 feet Ilow the railroad. The soil is a gravelly and clayey loam. There are several quarries of valuable building stone in the
Pike, (n. v.) situated a little south of the center of the town, on West Coy Creek, contains four churches, viz., Presbyterian, Methodist, Calvinist Baptist and F. W. Baptist; Pike Semi- Liry, a bank, a hotel, three dry goods stores, three grocery stores, two hardware and two drug stores, a grist mill, a woolen fac- tory, a saw and planing mill, & cheese box factory, a carriage factory, a cabinet shop, two shoe shops, three blacksmith shops, a Harness shop and about 600 inhabitants.
Pike Seminary was incorporated, and the buildings erected, in 1856, under the name of the " Genesee Conference Seminary?" The buildings cost about $9,000, In 1859 the name was changed. It is pleasantly situated in- the central part of the village, and is under the patronage of the F. W. Baptist denom- ination. The courses of study in the institution have been carefully arranged for those students who wish to pursue a full saninary course, or to secure a thorough preparation for col- levre, while at the same time they admit the widest range for all grades of select courses. Prof. W. W. Bean, A. M., is the pres- ent Principal, aided by a corps of competent assistants.
East Pike, (p. v.) in the north-east part of the town, on East Coy Creek, contains a Methodist church, a hotel, a grist mill, several stores and mechanic shops, and about twenty dwellings.
Pike Five Corners, in the west part, on West Coy Creek,
Griffith's Corners, and
East Coy, on East Coy Creek, are hamlets. .
The first settlement was made in 1806, by Peter Granger, Eli Griffith, Asahel Newcomb, Phineas Harvey and Caleb Powers, all from Whitehall, N. Y.
The first birth was that of Louisa Newcomb, daughter of Asshel Newcomb, August 1800; the first marriage was that of Russell H. Benton and Susanna Olin, February 23, 1809; and the first deaths were those of twin children of Phineas Harvey, in the spring of 1807. Mr. Harvey died during the fall of the same year.
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Abel Townsend, from Massachusetts, settled in Pike in 180%. on lot ?2, on the farm now owned by David Townsend
The first school was taught by Miss Beulah Abell, from Washington Co., in the summer of 1809. Eli Griffith kept the first inn, at Pike village, in 1808; and Tilly Parker the first store, in 1810, at the same place. Eli Griffith built the first saw mill, in 1800, and the first grist mill, in 1810, a short dis- tance above Pike villago. The first church was formed Septem- ber 25, 1821.
The population of the town in 1865 was 1,805, and its area 19,700 acres.
The number of children of school age is 539; the number at- tending school, 417, and the average attendance for the year ending Sept. 30, 1869, was 208.
SHELDON was formed from Batavia, (Genesee County.) March 19, 1808. Attica was taken off'in 1811, and Bennington and Arcade in 1818. The surface is a rolling upland from 400 to 600 feet above the valleys. Tonawanda Oreck flows through the east, and several tributaries of Buffalo Creek through the west part. Cayuga Crock flows north near the Center. The soil upon the hills is a thin dark loam, underlaid by hardpan, and in the valleys a gravelly loam.
Strykersville, (p. v.) situated in the south-west corner of the town, contains two churches, viz: Baptist and Presbyterian, a Hotel, three stores, a grist mill, two saw mills, three carriage shops, two blacksmith shops, two shoe shops, a cabinet shop, two cooper shops, a harness shop, a brewery, a marble shop, a sash and blind factory, a tin shop, and about 300 inhabitants.
Johnsonburgh, (p. v.) on the east border of the town, partly in Orangeville, contains a Methodist church, a hotel, two carriage shops, a grocery, a harness shop, a blacksmith shop and about 30 dwelling3.
Varysburgh, (p. v.) in the north-west part, on Tonawanda Creek, contains two churches, viz: Methodist and F. W. Baptist, two dry goods stores, a hotel, a district school, a select school, a tin shop, two blacksmith shops, a grist mill, a saw mill, & cheese box factory, a carding machine, a cabinet shop, two shoe shops, a tailor shop, a wagon shop, a cheese factory and about 200 inhabitants. About a mile north of the village is a drain tile manufactory.
Sheldon Center (p. v.) contains a hotel, two stores, two wagon shops, two blacksmith shops, a harness shop, two shoe shops, a saloon, an insurance office, a pump factory, a tin shop and about 20 dwellings.
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Straub's Corners is about a mile and a half west of Sheldon Center, and contains a Roman Catholic church, a store, a shoe shop, two hotels, a brewery and about a dozen dwellings.
Humphrey Hollow, contains a tannery, a pump factory, a cooper shop, a blacksmith shop, a saw mill, a cheese factory and a school house.
Dutch Hollow, in the west part, contains a Lutheran church, a blacksmith shop, a steam saw mill, a store, a hotel, a harness shop and a school house.
North Sheldon, in the north part of the town, is a hamlet. About three fourths of a mile east, there is a steam saw mill.
The first settlement of this town was made by Roswell Turn- er, in 1804. Mr. Turner was agent of Messrs. Phelps & Chip- man, the proprietors of the town. Elijah Warner surveyed the town into farm lots, assisted by Roswell Turner, Joseph Sears and Tabor Earl. While engaged in this work their supply of provisions failed, and for five days they lived on fish, wild ber- ries and roots. While attempting to find their way out, some of them nearly exhausted, they were met by Judge Chipman and upplied with provisions. Mr. Turner 'moved his family into chi town in March. The next winter was one of great priva- tion and suffering. He had sixteen head of cattle to winter, chiefly upon browse. The snow was very deep, sometimes pre- wanting the cattle from going into the woods, when the browse Had to be cut and carried in baskets to them. Provisions were brought from Honeoye and the Genesee River. On one occa- sion, Mr. Turner started from the Genesee River with a load up- on an ox sled, and went back and staid the first and second nights. The snow was so deep that his progress was very Now, and proceeding as far as possible the first day, he left his load and returned with his oxen ; this was repeated for two days. He was five days in making the journey to Sheldon, a distance of twenty-five miles. Previous to this, while fording Oatka Creek, a short distance below the village of Warsaw, he froze his fret so badly that he had to be taken back to Honeoye on an ox sled.
Robert Carr and David Hoard were the next settlers, and rame in 1805. The next year the settlement was increased by The accession of Seth Gates, Lemuel Castle, Lovi Street, Marvin Brace. Stephen Welton and Orange Brace. Most of these were Iroto the eastern part of the State. Immigration was quite rapid for several years. Mr. Turner opened an inn in his log rabin. where he entertained the settlers in true pioneer style. In addition to the provisions which he brought with him, he
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brought twenty loads during the first two years, most of which was for the benefit of the new settlers.
The first birth in the town was that of Chipman Phelps Tur- ner, a son of the first settler and a brother of O. Turner, author of " Pioneer History of Western New York." The first schon! in the town was taught by Polly Rolph, in 1807, in a log hous. erected by Mr. Turner. The first marriage was that of Justin Loomis and Polly Rolph, in 1807, and the first death was the: of David Hoard, who was killed by the fall of a limb of a try, in 1805. The first physician was Jolin Rolph, and the next ofr. Benjamin Potter.
Dr. Ziba Hamilton came in 1809 and practiced a long time. being the oldest practicing physician upon the Holland Pur- chase for many years. The mail was carried from Canandaigu .... through Geneseo, Warsaw and Sheldon, to Lake Erie, by Levi Street. The first religious services were held at the house of Roswell Turner, by Rev. Mr. Spencer, of the Baptist denomina- tion.
Among the other early settlers were Joshua Gates, Lodowich. Thomas, Benjamin Joslyn, Uriah Persons and his sons, Uriah. David, Joseph, John, William, Robert, Charles, Hiram, Henry. Elihu and two others, twelve in all; Hubbard Fitch, Simeon Hoard, Joel Harris, Edward Brace, Robert Waters, Jared and Roswell Barber, John Sunderland, and persons named Godfrey, Grinnel, Woodruff, Feagles, Frink and Sherman, Wild animals were abundant, and sheep in all cases had to be varded at night : but the bears, wolves and foxes preyed upon the poultry and the smaller animals to the great annovance of the settlers Deer were abundant, and the hills and valleys of Wyomi ... County were the favorite hunting grounds of the Indians lon after their settlement.
Seth Gates, whose name has already been mentioned among those of the early settlers, came from Connecticut to this town in March, 1806, his house being the third built in the town. He was active in the organization of the Baptist Church, and became one of its deacons. Ile commanded a company of light infantry on the Frontier during the War of 1812, until the Battle of Queenstown had so thinned its ranks that it was con- solidated with another company. He was the father of Chaun- cov C. and Seth M. Gates, of Warsaw.
The population of the town in 1865 was 2.591, and its ar 29,820 acres.
There are sixteen school districts, employing seventeen teachers. The number of children of school age is 1,159; th number attending school, 811; the average attendance, 332, and
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the amount expended for school purposes for the year ending wpt. 30, 1869, was $4,049.71.
WARSAW was formed from Batavia, (Genesee Co.,) March 10, 1808. Middlebury was taken off in 1812, and Gainesville in 1`14. It is an interior town, lying north-east of the center of He County, and is about 250 miles from Albany, 400 from New York City, 45 from Buffalo and about the same distance from Rochester; with all of these places it is connected by railroad. The surface is a broken upland, divided into two ridges by the sally of Oatka Creek, which flows north through the center of the town. "The valley is from half a mile to a mile in width. The declivities of the hills are steep, and from 700 to 1,000 feet chove the valleys. The town is well watered by the Oatka Creek and its branches, upon one of which, Mill Brook, is a hautiful cascade of about one hundred feet in hight. These fills and the surrounding scenery are greatly admired by visit- ors and are pronounced superior in point of beauty and interest to many natural curiosities more widely known. The soil is well adapted to pasturage and raising grain. yielding a fair re- muneration to the labor of the husbandman. A branch of the Trie Railway connecting Buffalo and fornellsville, extends through the town near the center, and the Rochester and State Line Railroad has been located through the town.
Warsaw, (p. v.) situated on Oatha Creek, near the center of the town, was incorporated April 17, 1843. It is the County Sat and contains besides the County buildings, six churches, viz., Presbyterian, Congregational, Methodist, Baptist, Episco- ud and Roman Catholic ; two printing offices, at one of which is issued the " Western New Yorker," and at the other the "Wyoming Democrat " and the " Masonic Tidings;" three ho- ils, a bank, two carriage shops, a tannery, a planing mill, a foundry, a barrel manufactory, a saw mill, two grist mills, the usual number of stores and mechanic shops of various kinds, and about 1,800 inhabitants.
The Fair Ground of the Wyoming County Agricultural So- ciety is located in the south-west part of the village, and con- sists of about fifteen acres.
South Warsaw, in the south part of the town, on Oatka Creek, contains a hotel, a store, several mechanic shops and about twenty dwellings.
Warsaw Depot, about a mile from the village, contains the buildings of the Railroad Company and about a dozen dwellings.
The settlement of this town was commenced in 1803, by Hlizur Webster, from Washington County. The township was
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No. 9, of the First Range of the Holland Purchase, but the in- ternal survey and division into lots had not been made. After a careful exploration of the township, Mr. Webster decided to make a purchase and settle within its limits. Wishing to as- certain the center of the township, and having no surveyor's chain, he made a substitute of elm or bass-wood bark, and start- ing from the center of the south line of Township No. 10, he ran south three miles, and fixed upon that point as the center. Actual survey subsequently ,proved that this point varied but a few rods from the true center. Mr. Webster then proceeded to Batavia to negotiate a purchase, but the agent, Mr. Ellicott, de- clined to make the survey of the township, as there was a large amount of land in other parts of the Purchase already surveyed into lots. Mr. Webster's entreaties were of no avail until the agent learned that he had about a thousand dollars in money. one-half of which would be paid over on the execution of the contract. Hle purchased about 3,000 acres, lying along the val- ley of Oatka Creek, for $1.50 per acre, the minimum price, though the land was the best in the township. His good for- tune was in consequence of Mr. Ellicott not being well in- formed as to the situation and value of the land. He purchased on credit, paying a small sum upon each lot and selling out to others at an advance of fifty cents per acre, those purchasing of him assuming his contract. His contract was dated June 20. 1803. He immediately began a settlement, erecting a log house near the present site of the Baptist church in the village. The house was of the rudest kind, neither nail or board entering into its construction. The roof was of bark, and the floor of basswood plank, split and hewed upon one side. His family was removed to their new home in the following October. II. came with two teams, one of horses, the other of two yoke of oxen. Shubael Morris and Amos Keeney were the drivers of the ox team. They came by way of Le Roy, and the new settle- ment in Middlebury, since known as Wright's Corners. Lyman Morris came abont the same time.
Among the settlers who came in during the year 1804. were Josiah Hovey, Sen. and Jun., with several others of the same family, which numbered thirteen ; Elijah Cutting, Josiah Jew- ett, Nehemiah Fargo, Josiah Boardman, Jonas Cutting, William Knapp, Amos Keeney, Lyman Morris, Sterling Stearns and others. Jonas Cutting came from Vermont and settled in 1801. on the farm now occupied by H. S. Taber, about a mile south .of the village. Nehemiah Fargo came in the same year. He was a native of Connecticut and had resided in several different places previous to his removal to this town. He had eight children, several of whom came with him and settled here.
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-Cas 'C. Fargo, his oldest son, settled here in 1801, and was married to Miss Catharine Whiting, March 2, 1806. This was the first marriage in the town and was solemnized by Elizur Webster, the first Justice of the Peace. Mr. Fargo resided here until 1807, when he removed to Fond du Lac, Wis. David Fargo, another son, located on a farm about one and a. Ralf miles north of the village, and Palmer Fargo located on the firm upon which he now resides, in the north part of the town. Allen Fargo, another son, also came with his father and be- came a resident. The Hoveys also came in and settled in 1801, in the north part. Josiah Hovey, Sen,, was a native of Comecticut, and assisted in forming the first Metho- dist church in this town. He had thirteen children. Simeon Hovey, in company with his brothers, Gurdon and Josiab, pur- chased lot 24, in the fall of 1803, and built a house into which they removed the next March. The three brothers occupied the game house for a time, until the others had time to build. Simeon Hovey resided near the place where he first settled, un- til within a few years of his death, when he removed to Monroe County, where he died in 1862. His widow still resides in the village of Warsaw, with her son. He built, for Judge Webster, the first saw mill, in 1805. Joseph Palmer, from Bennington, Vt .. settled in 1804, near the burving ground. In 1806 there was quite an accession to the population. Among the settlers Were Elkanah Day, from Massachusetts; he was the first black- smith in the town and settled near the site of the Brick Hotel. He was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 1810, and an Assist- ani Justice of the County Court, which offices he held for seve- ral years. Daniel Knapp, from Vermont, settled the same year .. His father, Wm. Knapp, Sen., and his brothers, William and John R., came in and settled a few years later. Lot Marchant settled in 1806, abont a mile east of the village. Lyman Mor- ris settled about a mile north of the village, where he resided until his death, in 1854. His brother, Solomon, Jr., settled in 1806, on the farm now occupied by his son, Luther. He was
for many years the principal surveyor of the town and was eleven times elected Supervisor. Solomon Morris, Sen., settled in 1807, on lot 26. He purchased the grist mill nearly com- pleted by Joseph Mauly; this was the first grist mill in the lown.
Sterling Stearns had previously settled at Wright's Corners, in Middlebury. On his way from that place he stopped over night at Mr. Webster's, where one of his children died of the croup. The body was buried in what is now called the Old Grave Yard, on the hill, in the south part of the village. The coffin was made of a part of a wagon box, zo other boards be-
+
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ing at hand, and the body was buried by Amos Keeney, Elijah Cutting and William Webster. The water in the creek was very high and had to be crossed on a log, the party advancing in singh file, one of them carrying the coffin under his arm. In the fall of the same year another death occurred, that of a son of Nehemiah: Fargo, drowned in the Oafka Creek,
The settlement is said to have had a few additions in 1805, and a large number in 1806.
One of the greatest inconveniences under which the early settlers labored was caused by the want of mills, and the diffi- culty of reaching them on account of the lack of roads. For several years the nearest accessible grist mill was at LeRov. a trip to which required two or three days. A mill at Conesus was sometimes patronized.
The early settlers were from New England, or the eastern part of this State, with but little available means on their arrival except their teams and their own stout hearts and strong arms. The experience of Amos Keeney, as described in the " History of Warsaw," will give a tolerable idea of the hardships of the early settlers.
"Mr. Keeney, as has already been stated, accompanied Judge Webster to Warsaw in October 1803, driving one of his teams. He bargained with Mr. Webster for fifty acres of land, now a part of the farm of Samuel Fisher, 2d, which was to be paid for by clearing ten acres for Webster. The condition of his domestic affairs prevented his staying to build a house, and he traveled back to Hampton on foot, with Lyman Morris, who also had contracted for a farm, He returned in March, built his log cabin, chopped, towards paying for his land, two acres on the north side of what is now Buffalo street, between Main street and the creek, and started again for Hampton, carrying his pro- visions in a knapsack. Crossing Genesee River, he came near losing his life. Having but ten shillings, and over three hun- dred miles to travel, he could not afford to pay the ferriage fee of a shilling, and ventured to ford the stream, feeling his way with a long stick. Being a man of small stature, and stumbling over the stones, he found it difficult to maintain his balance amidst the deep and powerful current. Getting his knapsack replen- ished by a brother in Oneida County, he was enabled to reach Hampton, having the last day morning paid out his last six- pence for lodging."
" In October he and Lvmen Morris came in with their fami- lies: Mr. Keeney having a wife and three children, and Mr. Morris a wife and two children. They had but one wagon. which carried all the household goods of both families, with the women and children. The wagon and the team of two yoke of
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iru belonged to Morris, who had three cows, and Keeney one. When within about ten miles of Warsaw the king bolt of the n goron broke and they had to camp in the woods over night. The next mornig, a second trial of a wooden bolt having failed, company started for their destination on foot, leaving the wagon with the goods standing in the woods. Mr. Morris drove Ms oxen and carried Jonathan, then about two years old, phen Perkins drove the cows and carried George, then nearly Sv .. years old. Mr. Keeney put on his overcoat, and by turning so the bottom formed a kind of a knapsack, in which he carried Jis two oldest children, Betsey and Harry, and his wife carried the baby, about six months old. Mrs. Morris, though she had no child to carry, did not go empty handed. This is probably the only instance known of ton emigrants entering a place, five of them being carried by four of the other five. Morris haring Fot through first and made known their situation, Mr. Webster went to meet the others, and met them a mile and a half north of the village, at the foot of the hill, on the . Old Buffalo Road, then just opened from Leicester. He there relieved Mrs. Keeney of her burden, and escorted the new comers to his hospitable esbin home."
At the time of his arrival, Mr. Keeney owed ten dollars for the transportation of his goods ; while his stock of provisions was reduced to a few pounds of flour and a part of a salt fish. His house was of the rudest kind, having no chimney, the fire place not even having a stone back-wall. Mrs. Keeney parted with a portion of her scanty wardrobe to procure some grain for their subsistence. The corn thus purchased was in Geneseo, and thither Mr. Keeney went with au ox team to procure it, go- ing six miles further, to Conesus, to have it ground. Their meat during the first winter was chiefly venison, supplied by the skill- ful use of Judge Webster's rifle.
The first saw mill was erected, according to some authorities, in 1804, but Mr. Young, in his " History of Warsaw," states up- on what appears to be good authority, that the mill, if com- menced, was not put in operation until the next year. It was located on Oatka Creek, a short distance north of South War- saw, near the present site of Leonard Martin's saw mill. The first grist mill, near the same place, was erected in 1806, but not put in operation until 180f or 1808, by Solomon Morris. The first inn was kopt by Judge Webster, and the first store by Ah. salom Green and Daniel Shaw, in 1800. Their stock of goods appears to have been quite limited in quantity and variety. In 1513, Alinon Stevens, agent for John Dixon, a merchant of Richmond, Ontario County, brought in a stocksof goods and oc-
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cupied what was previously Webster's bar-room. The first phy- sician was Chauncey L. Sheldon ; he came into town in 1808.
For several years after the settlement of the town was com- menced, the people were obliged to go to Batavia for most of their public business, that town being the County Seat as well as em- bracing most of the towns now included in Wyoming County. Amos Keeney and Peter W. Harris were the first jurors from Warsaw. They were gone five days, tried three causes, received seventy-five cents fees and paid two dollars each for board.
The first Town Meeting of the town of Warsaw was held in the spring of 1808; Elizur Webster was chosen Supervisor: Samuel MeWhorter, Town Clerk ; Richard Bristol, Gideon T. Jenkins, Ebenezer Wilson, Assessors; Jotham Curtis and Solo- mon Morris, Sen., Overseers of the Poor.
The early settlers were greatly annoyed by wild animals, so much so that large bounties were offered for wolves, from which the inhabitants were much annoyed. Five dollars was the usual bounty per head, though it was much more at sometimes.
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