USA > New York > Tioga County > Historical gazetter of Tioga County, New York, 1785-1888. Pt. 2 > Part 13
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38
The first ferry that crossed the Susquehanna river in this town was owned by John Decker and Gideon Cortright, who lived on Coxe's Patent as early as 1800.
Organisation .- It is impossible to give the exact date of the first town meeting, nor a list of the officers there chosen. The records of the town were taken to Owego in 1834, to be used there to set- tle some point in a law-suit, and were destroyed by a fire that occurred in that village. For this reason we print the following list of officers. The list of supervisors was obtained from the county clerk's office, from 1795 to 1813, as from the town of Owego, and from 1813 to 1828 from the town of Tioga. No record can be found from that time until 1835, since which these officers are given complete :
Supervisors.
1795. Emmanuel Coryell,
1796. Lodowyck Light, ~~
1797. Samuel Tinkham,
1849-52. Gilbert Strang,
1798. John Smyth,
1853. William Ransom,
1799-ISoo. Jesse Miller,
1854. David Taylor,
1801-3. Joshua Ferris,
1855. David Earle,
1804-9. Emmanuel Coryell,
1856. Gilbert Strang,
ISIO-12. Noah Goodrich,
1857-58. Richard Spendley,
1859. Harris Jewett,
1818-20. Emmanuel Coryell,
1860. Richard Spendley,
1821-23. Wright Dunham,
1861. Abel Dubois,
1824. Ziba Miller,
1862-64. Gilbert Strang,
IS25. George Matson.
1865. L. B. West ..
1826-27. Ephraim Leach,
1866-70. W. H. Bristol,
1871-73. Josiah Pickering,
1874-83. Stephen W. Leach,
IS41-43. Erastus Goodrich,
1844. Jesse Turner,
1884-86. Jonathan C. Latimer, 1887. Stephen W. Leach.
Town Clerks.
1835. Charles Ransom, 1836-39. Gilbert Strang, 1840. Robert C. Cole,
1841. Orin Dubois, 1842-47. Gilbert Strang, 1848. Lott P. Luce,
1828. Erastus Goodrich, 1835-40. Jesse Turner,
1845. Israel S. Hoyt.
1846-47. Jesse Turner, 1848. David Taylor,
1813-17. Gamaliel H. Barstow,
4SI
TOWN OF TIOGA.
:849. Nicholas Schoonover, Jr., ; 1856-57. Thos. F. Goodenough,
1850-51. Cornelius D. Hoff,
1858 .. Gilbert Strang,
!3;2. Erastus Hoff.
1859-77. Moses Ohart,
1853. Forman S. Higbe,
1854. Lott P. Luce,
1879-87. Moses Ohart.
Justices of the Peace.
David Jayne,
Solomon Jones,
Luther B. West, John H. Yontz,
David Javne.
Noah Goodrich,
Erastus Goodrich,
William C. Randall,
Robert C. Cole,
John H. Yontz,
Sylvester Knapp,
Noah Goodrich,
Israel S. Hoyt.
Walter C. Randall,
Robert C. Cole,
Luther B. West,
Jared Foot,
Charles E. Ransom,
Amos Canfield,
Noah Goodrich,
Cutler Woodruff,
-
William J. Drake,
Elijah Cleveland,
William W. Giles,
David Earle,
Charles Bonham,
Sylvester Knapp,
Noah Goodrich,
Stephen W. Leach,
William J. Drake,
Israel S. Hovt,
Edgar Taylor,
George L. Light, -
Walter C. Randall,
Stephen W. Leach,
David Earle,
David Earle,
Noah Goodrich,
Joel S. Whitley,
Ira Hoyt.
Israel S. Hoyt,
Walter C. Randall,
Edwin H. Schoonover,
Ira Hovt,
Joel S Whitley,
David Earle,
- Francis F. Miller,
Noah Goodrich,
Israel S. Hovt,
Deloss Goodenough,
Thomas F. Goodenough, Stephen J. Rider, Cornelius C. Yontz.
Peter Turner,
Abner G. Hill.
Internal Improvements .- A ferry was used across the river before 1800, by Decker & Cortright, near where Avery Horton lives. One was started by Caleb Lyons, in 1811, the landing being on the Eli Light farm. A wire ferry was constructed by Col. William Ransom, in 1842. Smithboro & Nichols Bridge Company was incorporated April IS, 1829, and Isaac Boardman, Nehemiah Platt, and John Coryell were appointed commission- ers. The bridge was soon after built, and in the spring following. its erection was washed away. The second was erected March 17, 1865. Three spans were carried away by the Whitneyville
1878. Chauncey J. Goodenough,
1855. Elisha D. Ransom,
482
TOWN OF TJOGA.
mill in a freshet, and it was repaired the same season. On Octo- ber 20, 1865, the new part was entirely blown down by a heavy gale, and was rebuilt in forty days. March 17, 1868, at eight o'clock, A. M., two spans of the south end were carried away by a span of the Owego bridge coming down against it. In 1880, it was again destroyed. and has not been rebuilt.
The Erie and the Southern Central railroads run through the town, following the Susquehanna river, having depots at Tioga Centre and Smithboro.
VILLAGES.
TIOGA CENTER is a small village of, approximately, four hun- dred inhabitants, situated about mid-way of the southern boundary of the town, at the mouth of Pipe creek. It is a station on the New York, Lake Erie & Western and the Southern Cen- tral railways. It has two churches, two hotels, a handsome union school building, a tannery, four stores, a postoffice, two blacksmith shops, a steam flouring mill, three steam saw-mills, two shoe shops, a resident physician and a drug store.
Tanning has been a thriving industry in Tioga Center since 1869. A tannery was built in 1868, by Ransom, Maxwell & Co. for a sole leather tannery. The firm was dissolved a short time thereafter, Col. William Ransom becoming the owner of the property. In June, 1869, he sold the tannery to J. & P. Quirin. who came from Boston and entirely overhauled it and converted it into an upper-leather tannery, and began the tanning of calf- skins. January 3, 1871, it was destroyed by fire ; but through the progressiveness of the citizens of Tioga Center, the structure was again erected by subscription, and by the first of March, 1871, the tannery was again in full operation. October 31, 1871, one of the boilers in the tannery exploded. The explosion oc- curred in the morning, immediately after the blowing of the seven o'clock whistle. The boiler was hurled through the beam- house, which is 150 feet long, and through the lime-house, into an open area, where it fell, upwards of 300 feet from the arch upon which it was resting. A German, Thersal Van Order, was killed outright. Philip Quirin, one of the proprietors, was so badly injured that he died in a few days, and S. Edware Mills was injured so that he is maimed for life. Several others were injured, more or less seriously. The tannery has a capacity for tanning 300,000 calf skins annually. They are tanned here and
#
483
TOWN OF TIOGA.
transported to Boston and finished and marketed. The firm now consists of J. G. Quirin & Co. Owing to commercial depression during the past few years, the tannery has not been operated to anything like its fullest capacity as formerly, and during the last year (1887) very little, if any tanning has been attempted by the proprietors.
The steam flouring-mill is situate upon Pipe creek, on the site where the first saw-mill was erected, by Major William Ransom. in 1792. It was changed to a grist-mill in 1840, and in 1884 it was changed to a steam flouring-mill.
J. C. Latimer's steam saw-mill is located in Tioga Centre, upon the east side of the creek. It was built in 1820, and was a water- power mill until 1873, when it was equipped with steam. It was burned in October, 1879, but was immediately rebuilt. It also contains a feed-run and a shingle-machine. It has the capacity for sawing 2,000,000 feet of lumber annually.
The steam saw mill of John E. Pembleton is also situate in Tioga Centre, about a half a mile up Pipe creek. It was built in 1834, by J. Schoonover and Andrew Todd, and sold in 1838 to Nealy & Smith, and was subsequently purchased by John G. Smith. It was a water-power mill until 1872, when it was changed to steam. It has connected with it lath and shingle machines, and is one of the best equipped mills along Pipe creek.
In 1879, Charles H. Tribe erected a steam planing-mill near the Southern Central railway depot, and afterward added to it a sawing department, so that now it is a complete and fully equipped steam saw and planing-mill.
The standing timber in the town of Tioga, however, has been so depleted that the lumbering industry of the town is rapidly waning, and beyond doubt a few short years hence saw-mills in Tioga will be among the things of the past.
HALSEY VALLEY .- In about 1790, Thomas, Nicholson, a sur- veyor, was employed to make the first partition survey of lands, belonging to the state, lying back from the Susquehanna. He bought 2,000 acres, including what is now known as Halsey Valley. He died in 1792, and a daughter was born to Mrs. Nicholson a short time after his decease, who was the lawful heir to this land. She died at eighteen years of age, and during her life this land became known as "Girl's Flat," a name it held for many years. Mrs. Nicholson became the wite of Zephaniah Halsey, whose children inherited the land by title through their mother; hence the name " Halsey Valley." It was not until
484
TOWN OF TIOGA.
about 1825 that these lands began to be sold and settled upon ; then six hundred acres were sold to Seely Brothers, afterwards to Joseph West and Brother; four hundred to Presher Skillings, Van Nortunk. and others. The village is situated in the north- west part of the town, and partly in the town of Barton, and contains two churches,-Christian and Methodist; the latter being in Barton, -a school-house, a postoffice, three stores, two blacksmith-shops, two cooper-shops, and two physicians.
Luther, B. West has long been a merchant here, and one of the most prominent of the section. It must ever be a pleasure to con- template the life of a self-made man,-one who, by strict adher- ence to a well defined plan of action, converts adverse circum- stances into successful and honorable results. Such, in brief, is that of Mr. West.
His parents, Joseph and Sally (Bliven) West, whose ancestors were active participants in the revolutionary war, emigrated from Fort Ann, Washington county, N. Y., to Spencer, bringing their effects in a large covered wagon, which was drawn by two yoke of oxen and one horse, at a speed of about fifteen miles each day, through the then wilderness country, camping out and sleeping at night in their wagon.
Arriving at Spencer in the fall of ISI8, they began housekeep- ing in rented rooms, in the court-house, but soon after, a home was made south of the village, upon lands purchased by Mr. West, while he worked at his trade, that of carpenter and joiner. In IS26, he rented of Andrew Purdy. and occupied his tavern and farm in Spencer for ten years, and conducted the business until April, 1836, when he removed to Halsey Valley (then called Girl's Flats), on a tract of land purchased in 1832, of Isaac and Enos Briggs and John D. Seeley, upon which he had made some im- provements while living in Spencer. Here he resided, clearing land, lumbering and farming until March, 1857, when he died, leaving a widow who died in March, 1880, and four children, viz .: Charles, Luther B., Sarah J., who was the wife of Nicholas Schoonmaker, and Warren B.
Luther Bliven West, the subject of this sketch, was born at Spencer, April 13, 1823, and attended the district school until thir- teen years of age, when, by accompanying his father who at this time moved to Girl's Flats-then mostly a wilderness-his educa- tional advantages were ended, excepting a few weeks attendance during the following winter.
The pupils of the common schools of to-day may profitably
مقطع
485
TOWN OF TIOGA.
contrast the educational advantages and collateral accompaniments they enjoy, with those furnished by the " People's College " of a halt century ago. To assist in making the comparison, it may be stated that the architectural features of the Girl's Flats school- house were those common to structures of that class throughout the country, viz. : the building was constructed of rough logs, the spaces between which being filled with mud and sticks, a single section of window sash in each of three sides of the build- ing admitting the light, door, swinging on wooden hinges and was opened by pulling a string attached to a wooden latch. A single slab set upon wooden pegs inserted in two-inch holes, con- stituted a seat-no support being given to the pupil's back. Abundant warmth and ventilation were secured by burning logs four to six feet in length, in a large stone fire place and chim- ney, which logs were usually cut by the boys on Saturday afternoons, for use during the following week. The principal text books in use were Cobb's spelling-book and Daboll's Arith- metic. That nature and the school-master were in league was painfully evident to all, for, from the surrounding forest was obtained a never-ending supply of tough young beeches, which, under the skillful guidance of the latter, demonstrated his superiority, inculcated feelings of awe if not reverence, main- tained discipline and were practical definitions of thoroughness and liberality.
Remaining with his father and actively assisting in clearing land and lumbering until the spring of 1844. when, being of legal age, he commenced business for himself by farming land for a share.
On June 9, 1844, he married Martha L., daughter of William and Laura Presher, who were among the first settlers in the Valley, and had to contend for possession with bears, wolves, and panthers that then infested the forest. They raised a large family of children, of whom Mrs. West, the youngest daughter, was born in the town of Barton, June 1, 1824.
Not satisfied with the results obtained by farming, in the spring of 1846, without other capital than energy, and without practical knowledge of the business, he purchased a small stock of goods and opened a store at Halsey Valley. The country being new and money scarce, trade was conducted mostly for barter in staves, shingles and lumber, the outlet to market being either by canal at Ithaca, a distance of twenty-five miles, or by rafting on the Susquehanna river-eight miles distant-to Port Deposit and
1
486
TOWN OF TIOGA.
Baltimore, Md. After many hard struggles, a fair business was established. In 1849, he purchased, and in connection with Eliakim D. Hoyt, put steam-power in a grist and flouring mill, and manufactured flour and sawed shingles in large quantities for market ; also had a saw.mill, and by purchase placed upon the market lumber made by other mills. In 1854, as the country became better settled and improved, the mercantile branch of the business was enlarged, a new store opened, and his two brothers, Charles and Warren B., admitted to a partnership that was soon afterward dissolved. For many years after, he conducted alone a large and successful business, which was gradually closed out as more important matters claimed his attention.
In 1862, he was elected justice of the peace, and continued in office by re-election for twelve consecutive years, when he declined to serve longer. During this period, he was for several terms elected justice of the county sessions.
By special order, No. 528, dated August 15, 1863, issued by the Commander-in-chief. Horatio Seymour, Governor of New York, he was authorized to raise a regiment of infantry of the National Guard in the county of Tioga, and be commissioned colonel thereof, and immediately began the work. After partly organizing several companies he was obliged to abandon it and resign, by reason of the severe and protracted illness of his wife.
In 1864, he was appointed one of a committee to procure vol- unteers, and financial agent to fill the quota assigned to the town of Tioga, under the call of the President for troops. To carry out the work necessitated the issuance of bonds amounting to $10,000.00, which debt was paid the following year, leaving the town free from any bonded debt, such as most adjoining towns were loaded with for years thereafter, and a continual source of annoyance to the tax-payers. The prompt payment of this war debt was largely due to his persistent efforts and advocacy of the principle, that the payment of a debt made when the currency was inflated should not be deferred until the currency became contracted. In this instance, as is too often the case, where individual effort is exerted for the public good, the scheme was for a time bitterly denounced ; but its merits were soon recog- nized and generally acknowledged. He regards this as his masterpiece in financiering.
In 1865, he was elected supervisor of the town of Tioga, and ou January 18, 1865, he, with others, organized the Tioga National Bank, at Owego. Being one of the principal stockholders, he
487
TOWN OF TIOGA.
was elected to a directorship, and in February, 1869, to the vice- presidency-to both of which positions he has been annually re-elected to the present time.
Besides the enterprises before mentioned, he has been for the past twenty-five years extensively engaged in farming and dairy- ing, and latterly is giving much attention to investments in im- proved farms in Kansas and Nebraska. To promoting the school and other interests of his neighborhood he has given much of his time and attention. Has always been identified with the princi- ples of Democracy, and is a practical temperance man. In 1864, he embraced the cause of religion and united with the Methodist Episcopal church at Halsey Valley.
Upwards of forty-two years of uninterrupted enjoyment of mar- ried life had elapsed, when, on November 6, 1886, Death claimed the wife who had witnessed and assisted him in his early strug- gles, and had shared, but too briefly, the fruits of their triumphs over obstacles that would have discouraged others less persever- ing. She was a typical wife, a womanly woman and a mother whose greatest pride was her children, of whom there were five --- three daughters and two sons-their births, etc., occurring as follows : Olive, July 20, 1847, married Charles O. Wood, Novem- ber 2, 1870, and died August 20, 1872 ; Alice, July 20, 1850, mar- ried Dr. Charles E. Hollenbeck, December 29, 1875; Ida, December 31, 1858; Grant M., April 19, 1864; and Norman L., February 16, 1867.
Personally, Mr. West is a man of fine physique, somewhat military in his bearing, easily approached, an entertaining con- varsationalist well informed on all general subjects, and an ac- knowledged authority on all matters with which he has business relations. Trained in the rugged school of self-education, his judgment of events and men seldom misleads him. Self-reliant, sagacious, bold yet cautious, practical, methodical, always using experience to sharpen foresight and over all a marked individual- ism easier recognized than described, are among his prominent traits of character, the judicious exercise of which has brought the abundant prosperity he now enjoys. Life to him seems most. enjoyable, and he is seen at his best when absorbed in a business problem.
Ira Hoyt was of English descent, his ancestors settling at Danbury, Mass., at an early day. His grandfather, Nathaniel Hoyt, was an officer in the revolutionary army, and settled after the war at Winchester, Conn. He was a farmer, and reared a
32.
488
TOWN OF TIOGA.
large family. He died at the advanced age of eighty-eight years. Ira Hoyt, 2d, was born in Danbury, in 1797. He was twice married; and by his first wife were born to him five, by his second wife four, children. He died at the age of seventy-seven, in 1864. Ira, the eldest child of Ira and Anna Hoyt, was born in Litchfield, Conn., September 9, 1821. His boyhood days were passed in attending the common school, and in laboring upon the farms of his neighborhood, until he was twenty-one years of age, when he married Miss Helen M. Roberts. The issue of this union was two children : Charles, who died at the age of five years, and Josephine, who married John Hutchins. Helen Hoyt died in 1862, aged thirty-five years. In 1864, Mr. Hoyt filled the vacancy in his home by introducing therein as his wife Mrs. Hollenbeck, of Barton. In the year 1850, he removed to Tioga county, settling at Halsey Valley, which he has since made his home. Although by occupation a cooper, he owns a small farm, and engages himself mainly in its care, and in the propa- gation of fish. In the latter enterprise he has been very success- ful, and owns a very fine pond, of which he is justly proud. For many years he has also been engaged in the manufacture of butter packages, his factory being operated by both steam and water-power, and employing a number of men.
Dr. Charles Hollenbeck was born in the town of Barton, a son of Richard and Lydia A. (Hyatt) Hollenbeck, June 4, 1850. He studied in the district schools, at Waverly Institute, at Eastman's Business College at Poughkeepsie, beginning the study of medi- cine at Bellevue Hospital Medical College, graduating in March, I874. He immediately began practice at Halsey Valley, where he has since been located. The Doctor married Alice West, daughter of Luther B. West, December 29, 1875.
. SMITHBORO is a small post village located in the southwestern part of the town on the Susquehanna river, and on the N. Y. L. E. & W. and the S. C. railroads. It has a church, a fine school building, several stores, two hotels, mechanic's shops, etc.
Ezra Smith, after whom Smithboro was named, and who held letters patent, covering a large tract of land in this vicinity, came from Bedford, Westchester county, N. Y., in 1791, and settled at Smithboro, in the house on the corner where Walter C. Ran- dall now resides. He afterward sold his property and kept the Half- Way House, a well known tavern, mid-way between Ithaca and Owego. Isaac S. Broadman bought the property of Ezra
1
·
-
.
489
TOWN OF TIOGA.
Sinith, at Smithbord, enlarged the house into a tavern; this was the first tavern at Smithboro, and he the first tavern keeper.
A family named Lyon settled at the ferry a short distance east of Smithboro ; Lyon was the first keeper of the ferry ; his house is still standing, on the west bank of the creek, just back of the house where Mrs. Eli Light resides, to which place it was moved - from the middle of the present orchard. A family named Foun- tain settled in the same neighborhood. The Lyon house and the old Broadman tavern, the latter now much altered and improved, are the oldest buildings now standing in the vicinity of Smith- boro. At a later period Wait Smith came from Wyoming, about 1800, and built the house which stood until 1865, where Houston Platt's house now stands ; Ezekiel Newman came and built the house where Mrs. Zebulon Bowman now resides ; Benjamin Smith came and built the house where Benjamin Lounsbury, Jr., now resides ; James Schoonover, Jr., came and built the house which Amos Lounsbury resided in for several years, and which was recently moved away and mostly torn down to make a place for his new residence ; Mrs. James Brooks, whose husband was a son of James Brooks, of Tioga Centre, who died in the war of 1812, built the house which is still standing on Meeting-House Hill, a short distance east of Smithboro.
Beriah Mundy came about 1787, and settled where Mundy Schoonover now resides ; his house stood near the present house, but was afterward moved westward, across the creek, into the town of Barton, where it still stands, painted a brown color, and has been occupied for many years by the Barden family.
Edward V. Poole. son of Daniel, whose ancestors were the founders of Weymouth, Mass., in 1635, was born April 3, 1826, at Manyunk. a suburb of Philadelphia, Pa. He attended Wyom- ing Seminary, Kingston, Pa., 1849-50. He has been a merchant . and business man nearly all his life ; commenced in the lumber business at Beaumont, Pa., but afterward removed to Center Moreland, Pa. He then removed to Mt. Carmel, Ill., where he did a large mercantile and lumbering business. He then returned to Center Moreland, but soon after removed to Smithboro, in 1865, where he transacted a large mercantile business. He built a large, three-story, double store, which he occupied at Smith- boro, and which was burned. He has been for many years one of the most successful business men of Tioga county. He mar- ried, September 11, 1850, Susan Carey, daughter of Samuel Carey, Esq., of Centre Moreland, Pa. Their children are Charles
490
TOWN OF TIOGA.
F., of Tioga Center; Emily A., deceased; Murry E., a law stu- d'ent and graduate of Cornell University, to whom we are in- debted for many facts in this sketch of Tioga; Clara I. (Mrs. Titus Baker); and Laura F. (Mrs. Thomas B. Campbell).
Walter Crowley Randall was born October 15, 1828, in the town of Owego. He learned the shoemaker's trade, which he followed a great many years, 1835-65. He married, March I, 1850, Amelia Carnochan. He settled first at Vestal, but soon removed to Campville, where he remained only a short time, and then moved to Smithboro, in 1852, when he was appointed bridge- keeper, a position he held until 1883, a period of thirty-one years. He commenced farming in 1865, which he followed three years. He then commenced the mercantile business, which he followed eight years, then commenced farming again, in I880, which he still follows. He was chiefly instrumental in founding the mason- ic lodge, at Smithboro, and was its first master, holding that office several years, and being frequently sent as representative to the Grand Lodge. He has also been a justice of the peace, at different periods, for sixteen years.
STRAIT'S CORNERS is located on a branch of Pipe creek, on the north line of the town, lying partly in Candor. David Strait, from whom the place derives its name, settled here in 1825. The village contains two churches,-Christian and Baptist; the latter being in the town of Candor,-postoffice, school-house, store and blacksmith-shop. Its postoffice was established in 1853.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.