USA > New York > Tioga County > Historical gazetter of Tioga County, New York, 1785-1888. Pt. 1 > Part 9
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James N. Harding, son of Charles, was born near Montgom- ery, Orange county, N. Y., and in 1833 came to this town and located on Tallmadge Hill, upon the farm now occupied by his son, C. N. Harding. He married Susan Tenney, and reared five children, viz .: Gilbert, Horace T., Clara, Charles E., and Cor- nelius N. Horace T. married Elizabeth, daughter of Jacob Swain, of Chemung, by whom he has had eight children, viz .: C. Willis, Theodore M., Fred, Charley, Bert, Mamie, Arthur, and Ella, who was born October 7, 1878. C. Willis married Nel- lie, daughter of H. Burt, and has two daughters, Grace and Ethel. · Theodore M., married Nettie, daughter of George Edg- comb, and has one child, Marion. Charles E. married Julia E., daughter of Galaliel Bowdish, of Montgomery county, N. Y., and has had four children, viz .: James O., Robert E., Charles L., and George A.
John Harding, son of Reuben, came with his parents from the town of Minisink, Orange county, N. Y., when he was about six years of age. He married Nancy, daughter of Ezekiel Swartwood, rearing two children, Amelia H., wife of Rev. F. P. Doty, of Thompson, Pa., and Frank, who resides on the homestead. The latter married M. Ella, daughter of Zalmon Barden, of this town. Reuben Harding settled on Tallmadge Hill, on the farm now oc- cupied by Elliott Harding.
James Madison Sliter, son of Peter, was born in Coeymans, Albany county, N. Y., September 11, 1815. When three years of age his parents removed to Guilford, Chenango county, where they remained two years, and then removed to Bainbridge, N. Y., where he resided until November 1, 1834, when he came to this
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town and has since resided here. He purchased first some tim- ber property and afterward the farm now owned by Orson Dick- erson. On April 30, 1839, he married Elizabeth A., daughter of Rev. Henry Ball, a Baptist minister of this town. In 1842 he re- moved to his present home. They had born to them nine chil- dren,-S. Emily, Jefferson B., of Athens, Pa., inventer of the Bonner scroll wagon-spring. Clarissa, Alice, wife of Harrison Lewis, Anna, wife of Frank W. Phillips, of Waverly, Estell, Julia, Katie, wife of Marshall Brown, and Eveline G., wife of Amos Harding. Mrs. Sliter died June 10, 1886.
David Boardman Cure came from Hector, Schuyler county, N. Y., about IS35, and located on Hector Hill, upon the farm now owned by John Brewster, where he purchased one hundred and fifty acres of land. He married, first, Achsa Hubbell, by whom he had three children, Jackson, Adliza and Phidelia. His second wife was Maria Shipman, by whom he had seven children, viz .: Elizabeth, David E., Sarah, Amos, James, Franklin E. and Delphine.
Sheldon Morgan, son of Theodore, a Quaker, of Horseheads, N. Y., married Abigail, daughter of Samuel and Abigail (Stephens) Warner. They had ten children born to them, viz .: Francis, November 22, 1833, died December 6, 1835 ; Charles H., of Wells- borough, Pa .; George B., of Waverly; William W., who was killed at the battle of Lookout Mountain, May 1, 1864; Frances A., born October 17, 1843, and died April 27, 1866; Theodore T., August 7. 1846, served four years in the Union army, was for nine months a prisoner in Andersonville, died February 3, 1874; John W., a member of Co. I, 109th N. Y. Vols., now of Waverly, born Janu- ary 27, 1849 ; Joseph S., February 11, 1852, of East Waverly, and Calvin P., May 15, 1855, now of Parsons, Kas. John W. married Nora W., daughter of James Bogart of the town of Barton. Frederick S. Morgan, a member of Co. H., 109th N. Y. Vols., en- listed August 3, 1863, and was mustered out July 21, 1865 ; was wounded in the battle of Spottsylvania, May 12, 1864. He mar- ried Emma R., daughter of Enos Genung, March 23, 1871, and by whom he has three children, Bertha D., Howard and Harry G.
Daniel J. Lum, son of Lyman, was born in New Berlin, N. Y., May 26, 1821, and in 1840 came to Factoryville, where he re- mained about six months and then removed to Tioga Center, where he engaged in lumbering and farming for about twenty years. He returned to Factoryville in 1874, and from thence removed to Waverly, where he has since resided. He married
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Orpha W., daughter of Rev. Henry Primrose, September 3, 1845. Four children were born to them : William Durella, October 19, 1846, died in Harewood Hospital, Washington, D. C., June 13, 1864; Mary T .. October 14, 1848 ; Henry E., September 25, 1853, died June 15, 1878; and Mattie Captola, June 27, 1860. Mr. Lum enlisted December 21, 1863, in Co. A, 14th Heavy Artillery, N. Y. Vols., and also on the same date his son William Durella enlisted in the same regiment and company, but was afterward transferred to the 6th N. Y. Heavy Reserves. Mary T. married Melvin J. Baker, February 4, 1871, and there have been born to them three children,-Ola Corrinne, April 21, 1875, died April 13, 1879; Myron Elmer, February 6, 1877, died April 18, 1879 : and Edwin Durella, born September 29, 1880.
John Solomon came from Orange county, N. Y., about 1840, and located on West Hill, upon the farm owned by Mr. Kennedy. He married Phœbe Valentine, by whom he had six children- Maria, John V., George, Sarah, William, and Catherine Louise. John V. married Ann Amelia, daughter of B. O. Van Cleft, by whom he has one daughter, Carrie, wife of Horace Steward.
Jacob Andre, son of George, came from Sussexshire, England, when he was eighteen years of age, and settled first in Delaware county, where he married Deborah, daughter of Sterling Hub- bell, of Delhi. In 1844 he came to this town and settled on the farm now owned by George Georgia, which he cleared. His children were Isaac, of Factoryville; Jacob N., of Montrose, Pa .; William, deceased; A. T., of Lockwood; George, of Factory- ville ; John H .; of this town ; Newton, deceased; and Angeline, wife of Charles Smith, of Waverly.
Lewis Mulock, son of William and Rebecca (Seybolt) Mulock, was born in Mount Hope, N. Y., November 11, ISO8. He mar- ried Mary, daughter of Peter Corwin, in 1832. About 1850 he came into this county and located on Tallmadge Hill, where he engaged in farming for several years. His children are Theo- dore, now of Athens, Pa .; Albert ; Angeline, wite of Jacob Cole- man ; Gabriel, of Waverly ; Mary A., wife of Rev. A. B. Scutt Coe, of Lancaster, Pa .; and Corwin, of Waverly .. For the pur- pose of securing for his children superior educational advantages, Mr. Mulock removed to Waverly when his family was young, and has since resided there. He has been a justice of the peace here two terms of four years each.
Thomas B. Hunt was born in Cooperstown, N. Y., October 23, 1830, came to this town in 1851, and afterward purchased a farm
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in Smithboro. He married Barbara, daughter of Absalom Bow- man, by whom he had two children: Sanford E., born Septem- ber 13, 1857, died in 1859, and William W., of this town, born December 17, 1860.
Allen LaMont, son of David, was born in Schoharie county, N. Y., June 22, 1825, and at an early age came to Tioga Center, where he was engaged in lumbering during his early years. In 1860 he came to Waverly and purchased a farm on the Shepard's creek road, engaging also in the produce business in Waverly village, during the latter years of his life in partnership with S. D. Barnum. He married Mary, daughter of Amos Canfield, of Tioga, by whom he had two daughters, Grace and Ellen. He died February 28, 1884.
Jacob D. Besemer, son of James, was born in Caroline, N. Y., in 1820. He married Harriet, daughter of Daniel Vorrhis, by whom he had five children, viz .: Kate, wife of William Frisbie; Daniel V .; James, and George of this town; and Annie, wife of S. Hubbell, deceased. Mr. Besemer came to this town and located on the farm now owned by his son Daniel V. The latter married Delphine A. Hubbell, by whom he has two children- Gracie J., born December 11, 1878, and Reed V., born August II, ISSI.
Dr. Ezra Canfield, son of Amos, was born on the homestead in Smithboro, February 13, 1854. He received his early education there and at Waverly and Binghamton. He entered the office of Dr. O. A. Jakway, of Breesport, N. Y., and that of his brother, Dr. Enos Canfield, of VanEttenville. He graduated from the Medical University of New York City in 1879. His first location was at VanEttenville, where he remained until 1882, when he came to Lockwood, where he has since practiced. He married Emma, daughter of Bishop Kline, of Allentown, Pa., in 1874.
The comparative growth of the town may be seen by the fol- lowing citation of the census reports for the several enumerations since its organization : 1825, 585 ; 1830, 972 ; 1835, 1,496: 1845, 2,847 ; 1850, 3,522 ; 1855, 3,842 ; 1860, 4,234; 1865, 4,077; 1870, 5,087: 1875, 5,944; 1880, 5,825.
Initial Events .- Ebenezer Ellis built the first house, harvested the first crops, and his son Alexander was the first white child born here. The old brick church in Factoryville, now occupied by the Old School Baptist Society, was the first brick building erected. Elias Walker built the first tavern. The first postoffice was established at Factoryville, in 1812, and Isaac Shepard was
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the first postmaster. Deacon Ephraim Strong was the first teacher. He was a gentleman of culture, and, in addition to teaching his own large family taught the children of his neigh- bors in his own house. The Emery Chapel (Methodist Episcopal) at Ellistown was the first church edifice erected. Ebenezer and Samuel Ellis built the first saw-mill, on Ellis creek. George Walker, Sr., erected the first grist-mill, in 1800, on Cayuta creek, at Factoryville. Josiah Crocker and John Shepard built a full- ing-mill on Cayuta creek, near the state line, in 1808, and Isaac and Job Shepard erected a woolen-mill near it, in 1810. Dr. Prentice, from Connecticut, was the first physician, William Giles the first lawyer, and Rev. Valentine Cook the first preacher.
Organization .- The first town meeting was held at the house of Gilbert Smith, April 27, 1824, when the following officers were elected : Gilbert Smith, supervisor ; John Crotsley, town clerk; Jonathan Barnes, A. H. Schuyler, and William Hanna, assessors ; William Crans, Frederick Parker, and John Giltner, commission- ers of highways; John Parker, constable and collector; John Hanna, jr., and Seeley Finch, overseers of the poor; Gilbert Smith, Eliphalet Barden, and Nathaniel Potter, commissioners of common schools; James Birch, Ely Foster, Joseph Tallmadge, Samuel Mills, and Jonathan Barnes, inspectors of schools ; George WV. Johnson, Abraham Smith, and Joseph Tallmadge, fence-view- ers; John Hyatt and Joel Sawyer, poundmasters.
BUSINESS CENTERS.
WAVERLY VILLAGE .- This village, one of the most important business centers in this section, and, next to Owego, the largest village in the county, has had a phenomenally rapid growth and prosperous business career ; for it is practically only since the completion of the Erie railroad, in 1849, that it has sprung into importance.
Situated upon the east bank of the Chemung river, in the ex- treme southeastern corner of the county, surrounded by a delight- ful region of hill and valley, Waverly's location is extremely pleasant. While viewing its busy streets, its rows of business blocks, its manufactories, fine residences, and pleasantly shaded avenues, it is difficult to conceive that its site only a few years since was a cultivated farming region. But such is in reality the case.
Among the early settlers and principal owners of what is now
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the village site, was Isaac Shepard, whose father, in 1796, as pre- viously stated, bought 1,000 acres of land, at $5.00 per acre, em- bracing the sites of both Waverly and East Waverly, and much valuable territory north and south of these villages. In 1819 Deacon Ephraim Strong purchased 153 acres of this tract, a strip nearly 100 rods wide, extending northward nearly through the center of the present village. The first house here was built by Mr. Strong, probably in that year, although it has been stated that it was built in 1810. It was located near the site of Dr. Frederick M. Snook's residence, and apple trees now standing on Mr. Snook's place were planted by the deacon in those early days.
In 1821 the Chemung turnpike (Chemung street) was laid out, and in 1825 Isaac Shepard built the pioneer hotel of the place. It stood on the site of the present Charles Shepard residence, on West Chemung street. In the following decade the number of settlers was greatly augmented. Owen Spalding, with his brother Amos, came in 1831. The latter occupied a small log house near the site of the present residence of Mrs. Harriet Tan- nery, until 1833, when he built what now constitutes the rear part of J. Dubois' house, opposite C. E. Merriam's residence, and moved into it. Owen Spalding occupied a plank-house on the present site of Dr. Snook's residence. This was probably the house built by Deacon Strong. In 1833 Mr. Spalding built a house on the site now occupied by Hon. R. A. Elmer's residence. This house was afterward removed to the southwest corner of Chemung street and Pennsylvania avenue, where it now stands, and where Mr. Spalding died.
In March, 1833, Joseph Hallet, Sr., came up from Orange county, and purchased of Valentine Hill, 100 acres of land near the present residence of J. E. Hallet, and extending northward from Chemung street, for which he paid $1,100.00. He was accompanied by his sons Gilbert H. and Joseph E. The latter settled upon the above mentioned farm, his house standing upon what is now Fulton street, between the present residences of Mrs. Fritcher and E. G. Tracy. At that time there were but fifteen buildings in the place, namely : one hotel, one distillery, one blacksmith shop, one log dwelling, one plank dwelling, six small frame dwellings, and four barns. These were Isaac Shepard's hotel, Jacob Newkirk's distillery and dwelling, Thomas Hill's house, and another small house, all near the Shepard residence ; the dwelling of Elder Jackson, a Baptist minister, whose house
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stood just west of the present residence of W. F. Inman, and the Elder's blacksmith shop, which stood where now stands the Slaughter residence ; Amos Spalding's house, and Owen Spald- ing's plank house, and the log house into which Gilbert Hallet moved, and O. Spalding's, Jackson's, Newkirk's, and Shepard's barns, the latter the large red barn now standing on Pine street, the only remaining land-mark of those early days.
Gilbert Hallet moved into the log house vacated by Amos Spal- ding, and the following year built and removed into a house that stood where now stands H. L. Stowell's brick house. In the next year, 1835, he purchased Elder Jackson's house above referred to, together with forty-five acres of land, paying therefor $1,000,00. This place and the one hundred acres bought by Joseph Hallet were purchased by Jackson and Hill, respectively, of Isaac Shep- ard. Three years prior to this time, Elder Jackson, who was very anxious to return to Orange county, had offerered the place to Jesse Kirk for $500.00. The land lay south of Chemung street, the east line passing near E. J. Campbell's residence, southward through Slaughter & Van Atta's and E. G. Tracy's drug stores to the 60th mile stone, thence west along the state line to the center of Dry brook, thence north, following the center of Dry brook to Chemung street, and west along Chemung street to the place of beginning, comprising what is now the business portion of the village.
At this time Harris Murray lived in a small wooden house where " Murray's stone house " now stands, in South Waverly, and Mr. Murray offered to sell to Mr. Hallet one hundred acres there for $1,000.00. These sales illustrate how lightly the land in this valley was valued at that time.
While these settlments were being made along the Chemung road, other pioneers were pushing on beyond and locating on the hill northwest of the village, now called " West Hill."
This portion of the Susquehanna valley had been the scene of many forest fires, lighted either intentionally or carelessly by hunters, and had been so frequently burned over that but little save second growth pines remained, and this is said to have been the reason why many of the early pioneers refused to locate here, they thinking that land that would produce naught but "scrub pines " was of little value, and accordingly pushed on to the high- lands beyond, believing that the heavy growth of timber there indicated a fertile and productive soil.
Among those who settled there first, probably during the years
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1830-35, Piere Hyatt, Paris and Robert Sanders, David Carmi- chael, Jonathan Robins, G. W. Plummer, Jacob Swain, Nathan Slawson, and Steven Van Derlip ; after these came Daniel Blizard, David Mandeville, Sr., Peter and Lewis Quick, S. T. Van Derlip, W. A. Lane, Jesse Kirk and others. Of these we believe none are now living and but few of their decendants remain on the old homesteads.
Between the years 1837 and 1850 the number of settlers in the village increased rapidly, among the new comers being Captain · Benjamin H. Davis, F. H. Baldwin, H. M. and W. E. Moore, Richard A. Elmer, Sr., and his sons Howard and Richard A., Jr., Jacob Reel, E. J. Brooks, J. A. Corwin, Sylvester Gibbons, R. O. Crandall, the first physician, Peter Wentz, the first justice, George Beebe, the first lawyer, and many others.
The street running from Charles Sawyer's residence on Che- mung street to the hotel at East Waverly, was laid out in 1835, and in 1843 Pennsylvania avenue was laid out south as far as the present residence of Levi Curtis, and in the same year Waverly street was opened down as far as the present Aplin residence. On the avenue Charles Howard built a house where Levi Curtis' residence now stands, Isaac Drake built one on the site of the Mrs. Bucklin residence, Milo Hulet built one where H. S. Butts' residence now stands, and Frank Sutton one on the corner of Penn- sylvania avenue and Park Place. The latter was torn down by Mr. Elmer, a few years since.
In 1842 G. H. Hallet and Andrew Price built a foundry on the northwest corner of Chemung and Waverly streets, where A. I. Decker's residence now stands. A short time afterwards Daniel Moore opened a cabinet shop in the second floor of this building. Later the foundry was changed into a hotel and bore the name of the Clarmont House.
In 1843 J. E. Hallet built a house on Waverly street, for one of the employes of the foundry. This was the first house on the street. In the same year Edward Brigham built a hotel on the present site of the M. E. church, and Robert Shackelton built a store and dwelling house combined where now stands the Metho- dist parsonage.
The first store was kept by Alva Jarvis, or " Squire Jarvis " as he was called, in the spring of IS41, in a wooden building between the sites of the present residences of Mrs. Fritcher and A. I. Decker. In the following fall G. H. Hallet opened a store just west of H. L. Stowell's present residence.
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In 1843 was begun the construction of the the Erie railroad, an event that proved a great impetus to the growth of the ham- let, an impetus whose force is not yet expended. There were then here probly two or three hundred inhabitants. Poor manage- ment, and other causes combined to retard the progress of work on the new railroad, and it was was not until 1849 that the road was completed. In the mean time Waverly Village was steadily growing.
About the time the railroad was completed, Broad street was laid out, and cross-streets connecting Broad and Chemung streets quickly followed. Houses sprang up like magic on every side, and on Broad street there was a strife to see who should erect the first buildings and be the earliest to embark in business. .
The railroad passed through lands owned by Owen Spalding, Captain Davis and Isaac Shepard, and each gave the right of way. A part of the land given by Captain Davis was that on which the Erie buildings are now situated. The depot was built and opened about the time of the completion of the road, and was the first building in that part of the village. Mr. Ely was the first station agent, but was soon succeeded by J. S. Smith. While the depot was in process of erection, William Peck erected a small build- ing on the bank, a little west of where now stands the Warford House, and opened a saloon. Afterwards the building was en- larged, a basement built, to which the saloon was removed, and a general store opened on the ground floor. In 1855 or 1856, the building was again enlarged and converted into a hotel. It was first known as the Waverly House, and later as the Courtney House. During the year 1849, a little after Peck opened his saloon, Captain Davis built and opened a saloon and boarding- house between the Waverly House and the present site of the Warford House. A year or so later this building was enlarged to nearly double its original size, and opened as a hotel. It was afterward sold to Stephen Bennet, who for several years prior to this time, had been engaged in blacksmithing on West Chemung street. In the fall of 1856, Cyrus Warford bought the house, and in 1857 it was burnt down. The property was uninsured, and was a total loss to Mr. Warford.
While the hotels were being built, several stores were in course of construction on Broad street, and in November William Gib- bons opened a store. Amos Spalding had erected a large wooden block on the site of the present brick block, and in this Hiram Moore opened a store about Christmas, and nearly the same time
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T. J. Brooks opened the third store, and John A. Corbin the fourth store, the last three being in the Spalding Block. Follow- ing these, others were opened in quick succession. Isaac Shep- ard erected the Shepard Block, corner of Clark and Broad streets, and in the store now occupied by G. B. Witter, opened a dry goods store, while in the room now occupied by Gerould & Co., Charles Shepard and J. I. Reeve opened a hardware store and tin shop. In 1850 Hiram Moore built a foundry near the present site of Slawson's furniture store. This was afterwards changed into a saloon, and later into a hotel, and bore the name of the Central House. In this year John Hard opened a jewelry store, the first in the place. It was located where now stands Row- land's liquor store.
With these buildings springing up so rapidly on Broad street, the parties who had opened stores on Chemung street discovered that they must get " down town " if they would secure a share of the business, and accordingly moved, not their goods alone, but their buildings also. Chamber's furniture store, that stood near the present site of W. F. Inman's residence, was moved to the cor- ner of Broad and Clark streets, and is now occupied by J. H. Hern as a grocery. George Hanna purchased G. H. Hallet's store, and moved it down near the present site of the Van Velsor Block, where it was occupied by Hiram Payne as a furniture store. Cyrus Warford had a store on the present site of Mrs. Orange's residence, and this he moved down and it is now oc- cupied by Nelson's harness store.
In 1852, B. P. Snyder built the hotel for many years afterward known as the Snyder House, now called the Hotel Warford. In 1855 Cyrus Warford purchased the house, and still owns it, although he retired from its management in 1873.
The name Waverly was not officially applied to the village until the year 1854. Until about 1840 or 1845, the little settle- ment on Chemung street was called " Villemont," a name given it by Isaac Shepard. After this the village was called by this name, " Waverley," " Loder," etc., to distinguish it from Factory- ville, until the final organization, in 1854. For several years after this even, the name was spelled "Waverley." Application for incorporation was made December 12, 1853, and the question was put to a vote of the citizens on the 1Sth of January following, which resulted in 114 votes for and forty-four against. The name Waverly was given at the suggestion of Mr. J. E. Hallet, by whom it was borrowed from the immortal works of Sir
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Walter Scott. Several other names were proposed, among which were "Shepardsville," "Davisville," and "Loder," the latter being in honor of Benjamin Loder, vice-president of the then recently completed railway. The first election of village officers was held March 27, 1854, at which the following officers were elected, viz: Francis H. Baldwin, William Gibson, Hiram M. Moore, Peter Dunning, and Alva Jarvis, trustees; Squire Whit- aker, John L. Sawyer, and B. H. Davis, assessors; William P. Owen, collector; Owen Spalding, treasurer; P. V. Bennett, clerk ; Morris B. Royall, Absalom Bowman, and W. A. Brooks, street commissioners ; David E. Howell, poundmaster.
Captain Davis was the first postmaster, and received his ap- pointment in 1849, from President Fillmore. He kept the office for a short time in Cyrus Warford's store, and afterwards in a small building adjoining " Squire " Jarvis' store on the west. This building he afterward moved down to near the present site of the Commercial Hotel. In 1852 the Captain built the " Davis Block," the brick building now known as the Exchange Block, and re- moved the postoffice into it, in the store now occupied by H. M. Ferguson & Co. In 1852 the Democrats elected their first Presi- dent, Franklin Pierce, and on the principle that "to the victors belong the spoils," he appointed Squire Jarvis, a Democrat, to the position of postmaster, an office he held until 1861, when Abraham Lincoln appointed William Polleys to succeed him.
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