Historical gazetter of Tioga County, New York, 1785-1888. Pt. 1, Part 11

Author: Gay, W. B. (William Burton)
Publication date: 1887
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : W.B. Gay & Co.
Number of Pages: 762


USA > New York > Tioga County > Historical gazetter of Tioga County, New York, 1785-1888. Pt. 1 > Part 11


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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enterprises, and in everything that was calculated to advance the interests of the village. He died suddenly June 26, 1883.


Richard D. Van Deuzer came from Orange county, N. Y., to Waverly, in 1852, when there were but four or five hundred inhab- itants in the village, and has been connected with public enter- prises here ever since. He built the Waverly steam flouring-mill. and conducted it until it was destroyed by fire. He built also, a planing-mill in Waverly, and a steam saw-mill on Shepard's creek. The former was twice destroyed by fire. Previous to his con- nection with manufacturing projects, he was engaged in merchan- tile pursuits, and conducted the first coal-yard in Waverly. He was one of the incorporators of the old Waverly Bank, also of the First National Bank, and was the first president of the latter institution, which office he held seven years. He was one of the first stock-holders, and helped organize the G. I. & S. R. R. company, and in connection with John Sawyer, secured the right of way from the village to Dean's creek, a distance of seven miles, for one dollar. Mr. Van Deuzer was president of the village cor- poration at the opening of the Lehigh Valley R. R., and in honor of the occasion a banquet was given at the Snyder House, at which he presided. Mr. Van Deuzer married Harriet Everson, by whom he had five children, viz .: Fanny, wife of W. H. W. Jones, Howard C., Mamie, C., Annie L., and Richard D., Jr. Howard C. mar- ried Kittie Towne, of Rockford, Ill.


Guidon G. Manning was born in Berkshire, N. Y., December 30, 1825. He was educated in the common schools, and attended the Owego academy. He then taught school several years, went to Owego as a clerk for Truman, Stone & Buckbee, where here- mained six years. In 1856 he went into the dry goods business with C. E. Schoonmaker. In the latter part of IS60 he was elected county treasurer, and sold his interest to his partner, and in 1861 removed to Factoryville, where he entered the mercantile trade again, in company with Silas Fordham, In 1876 he removed to Waverly village, and since January, 1886, has held the office of justice of the peace. Mr. Manning married Sarah A. Adams, October 23, 1851, and has had born to him three children, viz .: Lucius R., a banker of Tacoma, W. T., Charles E., an assistant engineer in the U. S. Navy, and Jennie S., wife of James P. Nevins, of this town.


Ambrose P. Eaton was born in the old town of Union, now Chenango, Broome county, N. Y., June 4, 1826. He was edu- cated in the public schools of his native town, studied law with


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Hon. Charles E. Parker, of Owego, was admitted to practice at Binghamton, in 1868, and has been in practice in Tioga county ince. Mr. Eaton married Mary H., daughter of Calvin John- son, March 13, 1851, and has one child, Mary E., wife.of James 1. Roberts, of Tioga. Mr. Eaton's home is in Smithboro, though his office is located in Waverly.


William Fiske Warner, one of Waverly's lawyers, has been prominently identified with the later growth of the village, and is widely known as a writer and student of local history. In Owego, his former home, we print a biographical sketch of this gentleman.


Benjamin Genung was an early settler in this vicinity. Jean Guenon, one of the exiled Hugenots who took refuge in Holland, set sail from Amsterdam, April 2, 1657, in the ship " Draetvat," Captain John Bestevaer, and came directly to New Amsterdam (New York). The next year he settled at Flushing, L. I., where he acquired some land, and remained until his death, in 1714. His wife was Grietie, or Margaret Sneden, of Harlem, whom he married August 30, 1660, and who survived him about thirteen years. They left besides daughters, two sons, John, born in 1669, and Jeremiah, born in 1671. From these it is believed, have de- cended the entire, and now widely scattered family of Genung, in this country. Benjamin Genung, a soldier of the revolution, settled in New Jersey, and at an early day came to Dryden, Tompkins county, when that county formed a part of Tioga. He had six children,-Barnabas, Aaron. Rachel, Philo, Peron and Timothy. Barnabas married Susan Johnson, by whom he had twelve children who arrived at maturity-Lydia, Nathaniel, Abram, Harrison, Ann, Rebecca, Sally, Enos, George, Merilda and Barnabas. Abram married Martha, daughter, of James R. Dye, by whom he has two sons, John Franklin and George Fred- erick (twins), the former professor of rhetoric in Amherst college, the latter professor of Greek, Latin and political econo- my in Benedict Institute, Columbia, S. C. Enos H. was born February 26, 1825, and has lived principally in Tioga county since 1852. He married Sarepta, daughter of George Earsley, of Caroline, N. Y., April 7, 1850, and by whom he has six children, viz .: Emma (Mrs. Fred Morgan), George D., the well known journalist of this village, Dell (Mrs. George Gardner), Priscilla Mrs. George Stevens), Luella (Mrs. William Ewen) and Reuben E. Mrs. Genung died September 18, 1882. Salmon A., son of Nathaniel, was born January 27, 1841, married Mary E., daughter


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of Asa Doty, of Towanda, Pa., September 21, 1861, and is now a resident of Waverly. George D. Genung married Mary A. Van Derlip, a daughter of S. T. VanDerlip, of Waverly, June 16, 1876. Three children have been born to them, Arthur, deceased, G. Leyland M. Lucille.


Squire Whitaker was born in Deckertown, N. J., June 1, 1808, and came with his parents to this town in 1816. He walked the entire distance, which in those days was not considered a re- markable feat, and assisted in driving a cow. In 1832 he mar- ried Sally, daughter of John Hanna, and for about two years re- sided in Ellistown. They afterward moved to the farm on Tall- madge Hill now owned by his son Lewis, then an unbroken forest. He set up a temporary house on crotched sticks, which the family occupied while his log-house was building. He subsequently built a framed house, which was burned, and his neighbors kindly aided him to re build, and in nine days had his house ready for occupancy. Their children were Horace, Jane (Mrs. D. D. Knapp), Pheobe (Mrs. Hatfield Hallett), Lewis, James, William and Frank (Mrs. Wilbur Finch). Lewis married Frances, daughter of James Parker. In 1849, the family removed to Wa- verly and took up their home at the homestead in Chemung street, where Mr. and Mrs. Whitaker continued to reside to the time of their death. Mrs. Whitaker died about fifteen years ago, and Mr. Whitaker on May 15, 1887. He was appointed captain of the state militia by Governor Marcy. In 1844 Tioga county of- fered a banner to the town that would bring to Owego the larg- est delegation in favor of Polk and Dallas. Mr. Whitaker was at the head of the greatest number, and took the prize.


Banking Institutions .- The Waverly Bank was organized in 1855, with John C. Adams, president, and George H. Fairchild, cashier. The business was at first opened in the north west room of the Snyder House, and a year or two later, upon the comple- tion of the bank building corner of Broad and Loder street, re- moved into it. In about 1865 it was changed to a National bank, and in IS71 was moved into the building now occupied by the Citi- zens Bank.


About the first of April, 1872, a private bank was opened in the same building, H. T. Herrick, president ; George Herrick, cashier: H. T. Sawyer, teller. They also held the same positions in the National Bank, and within a month after the organization of the private bank, the National went into the hands of a receiver. J. S. Thurston, of Elmira, was the first receiver appointed, and at


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the end of a month he resigned and was succeeded by J. T. Sawyer, who served for about three months and resigned. J. B. Floyd was then appointed and closed up the business. In May of the follow- fing year, 1873, the HerrickBank also suspended, and J. . T. Saw- ver and R. A, Elmer were elected assignees and effected a settle- ment of the business.


The First National Bank was organized February 13, 1864, with a capital of $50,000.00. Its first officers were R. D. Van Deuzer, president ; R. A. Elmer, vice-president ; H. Elmer, cashier. In February, 1884, their charter was extended twenty years. The present officers are Howard Elmer, president; N. S. Johnson, vice-president ; F. E. Lyford, cashier.


The Citizens Bank was incorporated under the banking laws of the state of New York, June 18, 1874, and commenced business on the first of July following, with a capital of $50,000.00. The' first officers were J. T. Sawyer, president; M. Lyman, cashier. The present officers are J. T. Sawyer, president ; S. W. Slaugh- ter, vice-president ; F. A. Sawyer, cashier.


Gas Light Company .- The Waverly Gas Light Company was organized January 7, 1873, with a capital of $50,000.00, and the works were completed August 15th of the same year. They were constructed by Deily & Fowler, engineers of Philadelphia, and cost the company $50,000.00. The village was first lighted with gas July 24, 1873. The first officers of the company were William F. Warner, president; Frederick W. Warner, secretary ; E. W. Warner, treasurer. William F. Warner is still president, and Henry G. Merriam, secretary and treasurer.


Waverly Library and Museum .- A library and museum was opened on Park avenue, June 10, 1885, due mainly to the efforts of Prof. Riker, seconded by the generous co-operation of the citi- zens. The library contains some 2,500 volumes and 1,000 pam- phlets, and has a circulating and a reference department, the latter embracing many rare and valuable works. It is made free to the public, excepting the circulating department, for the use and increase of which an annual fee is charged. It has worked well and given great satisfaction in the short period of its exis- tence.


FACTORYVILLE .- The name "Factoryville " was originally ap- plied to all the territory now included in both Waverly and East Waverly, and took its origin from the number of factories and mills erected along Shepard's creek in the early part of the cen- tury. The village is pleasantly located, but its prosperity de-


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parted when, in 1849; the completion of the Erie railroad caused Waverly to spring up on its western border, and while the latter has advanced rapidly in population and in commercial and man- ufacturing interests, the former has made but very slight pro- gress. The village now contains one church (Old School Bap- tist), three stores, two hotels, one tannery, one steam saw-mill, wagon shops, blacksmith shops, etc., a fine school building, belong- ing to the graded school system of Waverly and East Wa- verly, and has about 500 inhabitants. Waverly in her growth has pushed out in all directions, but particularly towards Factory- ville, until now the two unite and practically constitute one vil- lage, the name Factoryville even locally having given way to " East Waverly," and doubtless within a few years both will be comprised within the corporate limits of Waverly, and " Factory- ville " will exist only in memory and in history.


A survey of Factoryville was made in 1819, by Major Flower. John Shepard owned the land on which the village is now located, and he divided it into large lots, and sold them to Thomas Wil- cox and Moses and Elisha Larnard, who divided them into village lots, which were sold, and neat and comfortable buildings were erected upon them, some of which are now standing. The post- office was established here in 1812, with Isaac Shepard as post- master. The office was first located in the woolen. mill, and later in Mr. Shepard's store on the Owego road (Chemung street). The establishment of mail and stage lines over the newly con- structed turnpike, made the "tavern" a necessity, and in 1824 one was erected by Isaac Shepard, on the lot where now stands the C. H. Shepard residence, and a few years later John Shackel- ton, Sr., built a tavern and stage-house at East Waverly.


At a very early date in the history of the town, mills and fac- tories were erected here. In the year 1800 George Walker built a grist-mill, and in 1808-09 John Shepard, of Milltown, and Josiah Crocker, then recently removed from Lee, Mass., erected a full- ing-mill, carding-machines and saw-mill. Later, Isaac and Job Shepard, sons of John Shepard, the former the father of Charles and William Shepard, erected a woolen factory, which was after- wards bought and enlarged by Alexander Brooks, an uncle of C. C. Brooks. This building was destroyed by fire in 1853. It was rebuilt by Mr. Brooks' sons, William and Gilbert, as an agri- cultural implement factory. It was afterwards again destroyed by fire, and rebuilt in part by William Brooks. In 1863 C. C. Brooks bought a half interest in the concern of William Brooks,


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and they enlarged the buildings, added a foundry, machine-shops, etc. In 1870 Messrs. Brooks sold the establishment to A. B. Phillips, who again converted it into a tannery. In 1879 A. I. Decker purchased the property, and in August, 1882, .the build- ings were again destroyed by fire. Mr. Decker at once com- menced rebuilding, and in January, 1883, was again ready for business.


About the year 1824 Jerry Adams built a tannery near the state line, and later he sold the industry to one Norris, who in IS34 sold to Luther Stone, father of William and James Stone. In 1842 Mr. Stone removed the building and put up a much larger and better one. In 1860 this was burned down, but was rebuilt the same year. In 1866 Luther Stone died and his sons continued the business until 1868, when James sold his interest to J. A. Per- kins, and two years later William also sold to Mr. Perkins, and the latter continued the business for several years. In 1883 the Sayre Butter Package Co. leased the building, which for a few years preceding this time had been unused, and now it is the scene of this important industry.


BARTON is a post village situated near the southeast corner of the town of Barton, on the north bank of the Susquehanna river, and is a way-station on the N. Y. L. E. & W. railroad. It con- tains one church (M. E.), one school-house, one hotel, two gen- eral stores, one feed and saw-mill, and about two hundred inhab- itants. . Of the early settlers in this vicinity we have already spoken. The village is about five miles from Waverly.


RENIFF is a post village situated near the northwest corner of the town. The postoffice was established here in March, 1881, with Willis E. Gillett postmaster, who has continued in office to the present time. The village contains a school-house, saw, plan- ing, shingle, and feed-mills, creamery, general store, blacksmith- shop, and about a dozen dwellings. The patrons of the post- office are about 200. The mills are owned by W. E. Gillett, as is also the store and blacksmith-shop, and he owns a half interest . in the creamery. Mr. Gillett is largely engaged in farming, and employs upwards of thirty men. Although comparatively a young man, he has shown remarkable enterprise and energy in establish- ing and maintaining most of the business interests of the place, and Reniff owes almost its entire existence to him.


LOCKWOOD is a post village situated on the western border of the town, about seven miles north of Waverly, on Shepard's creek, and is a station on the G. I. & S. R. R. The postoffice was


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established in 1869, as Bingham's Mills, with G. W. Bingham postmaster. The name was afterwards changed to Lockwood. The population is about 200. The village has one church (M. E.), a school house, custom and flouring-mill, two saw and planing- mills, two blacksmith-shops, two turning, scroll-sawing, and wagon-shops, one hotel, two general stores, and one grocery and meat market. It is exceedingly bright for a place of its size, and is remarkable for its industry and thrift.


NORTH BARTON postoffice is located in the northern part of the town, near the head-waters of Ellis creek.


HALSEY VALLEY is a post village extending from the town of Tioga partially over into the northeastern corner of Barton town- ship. A description of it may be found in the history of Tioga.


MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES.


The Novelty Furniture Works of Waverly were established by Hall & Cummings, in 1873, in South Waverly. In 1876 the works were removed to' Athens, Pa., where, under the present firm of Hall & Lyon, the business prospered and grew until it ranked among the largest and most successful in the state of Pennsylvania. In June, 1884, the works were completely de- stroyed by fire. The people of Waverly, wisely realizing the im. portance of manufacturing as an element of growth and prosper- ity, made a very liberal proposition to Messrs. Hall & Lyon to re-build their works in their beautiful and thriving village. The proffer being accepted, the works were re-built, on a much enlarged basis, and were ready for operation in the autumn of 1884. At the present time the works consist of three main brick buildings, besides a brick boiler and furnace'house, and a large dry-kiln capable of thoroughly kiln-drying three million feet of lumber annually. For convenience of arrangement, thorough equipment and facility for receiving the raw materials and ship- ping the finished product, these works are not surpassed by any similar institution in the whole country. Now more than 72,000 feet of floor space is utilized, and constant employment is afforded to 125 workmen, with a promise of constant growth and expansion in the near future. Messrs. Hall & Lyon now maintain a large sales room in Philadelphia, and their product finds market also throughout New England, New York, and Pennsylvania.


D. H. Eaton & Son's Refrigerator, Butter and Oyster Pail Manu- factory was established in July, 1885, by the above firm who are


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the patentees. The pail is made of tin, with a jacket of sheet or galvanized iron so fitted as to allow a free circulation of air be- tween the pail and jacket; the latter being perforated at the top and bottom. There are sizes for holding five, ten, fifteen, twenty and fifty pounds of butter. By thorough tests it has been proved of surpassing coldness for the transmission of butter, and they may be returned to the shipper and re-used many times. The works are situated in East 'Waverly, on Main street, under the supervision of the firm.


The Sayre Butter Package Company was established by Richard D. Van Deuzer, who secured the patent in July, 1882, and who erected the buildings and put in the machinery necessary for their manufacture. In October of the same year he entered into partnership with James A. Clark, which partnership was con- tinued until 1884. The factory is situated on Main street, in East Waverly, and is run by both steam and water-power. They make the first tin butter package with wooden jackets and covers ever manufactured in this section, and Mr. Van Deuzer was the first to introduce them into New York, Pennsylvania, New Jer- sey and the New England states. The tub is made of tin with an elm jacket, bottom and top hoops and wooden cover. There are three sizes made, holding twenty, thirty and fifty pounds. There are thirty-five hands employed, and the capacity is 1,000 pack- ages in ten hours. The present proprietors are R. D. & H C. Van Deuzer, of Waverly, and F. T. Page, of Athens, Pa. This firm has recently added the manufacture of baskets of all varieties, made of staves and splints, and the entire management is under the supervision of R. D. Van Deuzer.


The Decker Tannery, located at Factoryville, has already been spoken of in connection with the sketch of that village. The tannery gives employment to twenty-five hands, and has the capacity for turning out 50,000 sides of leather per annum.


C. M. Crandall's Toy Manufactory, on Broad street, was estab- lished here by him in 1885. He came from Montrose, Pa., where he had carried on the business a number of years. He manu- factures about $40,000.00 worth of toys per year, employing fifty hands. His goods consist of a vast number of ingenious me- chanical toys, all of which are invented and manufactured by himself. The production is disposed of entirely to New York jobbers, orders for a single style of toy often amounting to several thousand dollars.


John C. Shear's Grist and Flouring-Mill, on Broad street, was


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built by Weaver & Shear, in 1878. Since 1882 the mill has been owned and operated by Mr. Shear. It is operated by steam- power, has four runs of stones, one set of rolls, four brakes, and other modern machinery to correspond. Mr. Shear employs four men, and grinds about 200 bushels of grain per day, with the capacity for turning out 450. He does principally custom work.


James Lemon's Foundry and Machine Shop, on Broad street, was originally established by him in 1850. He located on Broad street then, about where Clark's hardware store now is, his being the third building erected on the street. Mr. Lemon continued in business at this point until 1856, when he sold to H. M. Moore, and moved to about what is now No. 150 Broad street. About twenty years ago he located at the site he now occupies. He manufactures plows, stoves, plow and agricultural fixtures, etc.


The Reniff Mills were built by Isaac Barnes and George Newell, upwards of fifty years ago. The present mill was built about forty years ago, but has been enlarged and extensively improved by the present owner, Willis E. Gillett. Its capacity for saw- ing and planing is 2,000,000 feet per annum. There is also a feed and shingle-mill in connection.


The Gillett & Decker Creamery was established in the spring of 1887, by W. E. Gillett and A. I. Decker. It is situated at Reniff, is run by a-six horse-power engine, and is equipped with all the most improved machinery known to the manufacture of butter. It runs this year about 175 gallons of milk per day.


The Cayuta Creamery was established in 1883, at Barton Center, and was known as the "Barton Center Creamery." In the win- ter of ISS; it was removed to East Waverly, near the Geneva & Sayre R. R. depot. Its capacity is for 1,000 cows, employs five men, and runs delivery wagons for supplying private families with milk products. It was established by F. A. Schuyler, and was run by him until the spring of 1887, when H. T. Harding entered into partnership with him, and it is now run under the firm name of Schuyler & Harding.


The Lockwood Flour and Custom Feed. Mill was established in 1853, by Charles Bingham, and is now run by Bingham Brothers. It is situated in the village of Lockwood, on Shepard's creek. It is run by steam and water-power, has four runs of stones, and good facilities for grinding buckwheat. Its capacity is about 200 bushels in ten hours.


The Lockwood Saw, Planing, and Lath Mills, are run by the Bing- ham Brothers. The present mills were built by Bingham, Lyons


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Co., in 1879. They are situated on Shepard's creek, are run by a forty horse-power engine, and have the capacity for 10,000 feet of lumber per day. The head sawyer is J. A. Stever.


A. V. C. Vail & Co.'s Steam Saw and Planing-Mill is situated at Lockwood village, near the G. I. & S. R. R. It was removed there from road 2, in 1880. Its capacity is 5,000 feet per day.


A. Brook's Turning ond Scroll-Sawing Works, at Lockwood, are fitted with a four horse-power engine, a variety of circular and scroll saws and lathes, and all equipments necessary to do the finest work in that line. A specialty is made of the manufacture. of church seats, where a variety of styles and patterns may be seen. The business was established in 1880.


C. H. Coleman's Turning, Scroll-Sawing, Wagon and Blacksmith Shops are situated near Bingham's mills, in Lockwood. The works are run by an eight horse-power engine, have a planer, various saws, etc., also facilities for doing all kinds of repairing at short notice.


C. F. Hanna's Circular Saw-Mill is situated on Ellis creek, about one mile from the River road, and is run by steam-power. It was built by the present proprietor in November, 1884. Its capacity is from 5,000 to 8,000 feet in ten hours. The first mill on this site was built by Foster, Newland & Smith, about 1859.


CHURCHES.


The Tioga and Barton Baptist Church .- After the Revolution, when immigration began to set in from the Eastern states, the Congregational denomination of Connecticut sent out the Rev. Seth Williston as a missionary, and we find him holding religious services in different places in the county as early as 1795. The earliest religious organization formed in the county was on Feb- ruary 20, 1796. Several families from Bedford, Mass., settled along the river between Tioga Center and Smithboro, calling their settlement "New Bedford." Among them was a Baptist minister, the Rev. David Jayne. Assisted by a deputation from the Baptist church at Chemung (now Wellsburg), a church was organized, comprising nine members, and styled the "Baptist Church at New Bedford," Rev. D. Jayne being the first minis- ter, and so continued for fourteen years. Subsequently, as the settlement extended further north, a portion of the society formed a new organization at Tioga center, and the old society became established near Halsey Valley, and took a new nanie, calling




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