USA > New York > Tioga County > Historical gazetter of Tioga County, New York, 1785-1888. Pt. 2 > Part 4
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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
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where Paige street now is, to Temple street. Another lane was extended from Main street north, along the line of W. L. Hoskins's residence to a point about where East Temple street now runs. These were all the streets in the village at that time.
Village Incorporation .- The village of Owego was incorporated by an act of the legislature, dated April 4, 1827. The popula- tion of the town of Owego, at that time was about 3,000 and of the village 750. The first election was held in June, 1827, at the court-house. The first trustees elected were James Pumpelly, Eleazer Dana, Harmon Pumpelly, William A. Ely, and Jonathan Platt, Jr. The board organized by choosing Mr. Pumpelly president of the village, and Ezra S. Sweet, clerk. In 1854, an amendment to the charter provided for the division of the village into five wards, and the election of the president by the people direct. William F. Warner was the first president elected under the amendment, in 1855.
The charter of 1827 provided that the village limits should confine all that part of the town of Owego then included within the jail limits of the eastern jury district, or as such jail limits should be established at the Court of Common Pleas at its next session, in the following May, and should contain not to exceed three hundred acres of land. The territory under this charter comprised all the land bounded south by the river, north by Temple street, west by William street, and east by Ross street. The village boundaries were again enlarged by act of the Legis- lature, April 9, 1851, and were subsequently enlarged by acts dated April 15, 1854, April 15, 1857, and April 3, 1872.
Village Park. - On the 28th of February, 1797, James McMaster sold to the people of the settlement of Owego, for the sum of ten pounds sterling, a little more than three acres of land for a village park. The piece comprised all the ground now occupied by the village park and Court street, and the land on which the county jail, the old county clerk's office, and the old academy building stand. To hold this land, McMaster, in the deed conveying it, named Capt. Mason Wattles, John McQuigg, and Capt. Luke Bates as " Trustees of Owego Settlement." On the 4th of Sep- tember. 1813, Eleazer Dana and John H. Avery, were chosen to succeed Bates and McQuigg, who had died a short time previous. Gen. Anson Camp was chosen to succeed Captain Wattles upon the latter's removal from Owego soon afterward, and Messrs. Dana, Avery, and Camp continued to act as trustees until the incorporation of the village, in 1827. That portion of the park
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occupied by the jail and old clerk's office was sold by the trus- tees to the supervisors of Tioga county, October 29, 1822. The old academy lot was sold to the trustees of the Owego academy, April 8. 1828.
First Village School .- The first school in Owego was taught by a man named Quincy. And I here make correction of a blunder, founded in misinformation and made permanent through the gross stupidity of a superanuated and incompetent manufacturer of catch . penny history.
French's "Gazetteer of the State of New York" is remarkable particularly for its many blunders. Among others, in a foot note on page 652 (edition of 1860), it. says that "the first school was taught by -- Kelly, in 1792."
In 1872, one Hamilton Child published a "Gazetteer and Busi- ness Directory of Broome and Tioga Counties," in which the blunder of French's Gazetteer was reproduced, Mr. Child, as a matter of course, repeating the statement that " -- Kelly" was the first teacher.
In 1879, what purports to be a "History of Tioga, Chemung, Tompkins, and Schuyler Counties," was printed in Philadelphia. In compiling this remarkable aggregation of blunders, a genial and fossiliferous old gentleman named Dr. Everhart, was sent here to write the history of Owego. He soon accumulated a vast fund of rich and varied misinformation. The writer of this sketch, in casual conversation, incidentally informed Dr. Ever- hart that Quincy was the first school teacher and that if he would go to Mrs John Carmichael (at that time the oldest living resident of the village, and the only survivor of Quincy's pupils), he could learn all the particulars he might desire. He did so. A few days afterward he came to the writer, in high glee, saying that in looking over some papers in the old Pumpelly land office he had come across the name, "John Kelly," and that as there were few settlers here at that early period he was sure that he had discovered the full name of the teacher. So, assuming that Mrs. Carmichael was mistaken in regard to the teacher's name, the statement that John Kelly was the first teacher went into the "History," and Mrs. Carmichael was quoted as authority. The truth is, that John Kelly was not a school teacher at all, but a farmer, who lived in the neighborhood of Campville, six miles distant from Owego. His name will be found among those ordered to do highway duty, in 1791.
Quincy taught school in the small log house, which stood on
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the east side of Court street, where the old Academy building now stands. He had a scar on his face, which disfigured him badly. It was said that he had been disappointed in love, and had shot himself in the mouth in an attempt to commit suicide, the ball breaking the jaw and causing his mouth to be twisted to one side.
At a late period there was an old log school-house on the south side of Main street, a little west of where St. Paul's Episcopal church now stands. This was torn down and a frame building erected in its place. The latter was two stories high, and the second floor was occupied as a lodge room by the Masonic fra- ternity. Isaac Lillie and Erastus Evans were at different peri- ods teachers of the school. The latter was the teacher when the building caught fire, one day, in the summer of 1835, while school was in session, and burned to the ground."
The question of building an academy in Owego, was agitated as early as 1817. Nine years later, by act of the legislature, James Pumpelly, William Camp and John H. Avery were ap- pointed commissioners to sell the " gospel lot" and apply the proceeds to such school purposes as should be directed by a vote of the inhabitants of the town. On the 19th of December, 1826, at a special town meeting, it was unanimously voted to appropri- ate the yearly income of the interest arising from the sale of the "gospel lot" to the endowment of an academy. On the 8th of April, 1828, the trustees of Owego Settlement, deeded the old academy lot, on Court street, to the trustees of the Owego Acad- emy. The academy was built in 1827, on a contract, by Col. Amos Martin, and Abner Beers had charge of its construction.
James Pumpelly was president of the first board of trustees of the academy, which was composed of Rev. Aaron Putnain, Col. Amos Martin, Dr. Joel S. Paige, Latham A. Burrows, Ele- azer Dana, Gurdon Hewitt, Rev. Joseph Castle, Charles Pum- pelly, Jonathan Platt, Anson Camp, and Stephen B. Leonard. Rev. Edward Fairchild was the first principal of the academy. Sixty male, and sixty-one female pupils attended the first term.
The several school districts in the village were consolidated by act of the legislature, dated April 23, 1864, and the academy was merged into the "Union Schools of the Village of Owego," as a free school, under control of a board of school commission- ers, elected by a vote of the people.
The present academy, at the southwest corner of Main and Academy streets, was built in 1883, at a cost of $25, 000.
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First Mills-The first saw-mill in Owego was built by James McMaster and Amos Draper some time previous to the year 1;91. It stood on the east side of the Owego creek, a little above the present Main street bridge. The first flouring-mill was built by Col. David Pixley, in 1793. It stood on the west side of the Owego creek, in the town of Tioga, opposite the In- dian spring. Colonel Pixley was one of the earliest settlers of the present town of Tioga. He was one of the proprietors of the Boston Purchase, and came from Stockbridge, Mass, in 1791, at the age of fifty-one years. He was a colonel in the Colonial army, and fought in the battle of Quebec, under General Mont- gomery. He was treasurer of Tioga county from 1798 to 1803. Some time previous to the year 1800, he removed to Owego vil- lage. He owned a large tract of land on the west side of the Owego creek, which he sold to Eliakim and Judge Noah Good- rich, Jr., in 1802. He died in Owego, August 25, 1807.
Of the present mills and manufactories of the village, that of Gere, Truman, Platt & Co., is the most extensive. This factory, known as the " Drill Works," is conducted in the old Bristol Iron Works property, and the business is the continuation of that established by George W. Bristol and others, in 1866. The pres- ent firm employs a large force of men in the manufacture of "Champion " farm wagons, grain and fertilizer drills, harrows, etc.
Dorwin, Rich & Stone, at Canawana, are extensively engaged in the manufacture of flour.
Shaw & Dean, whose mills are located on Central avenue, are also extensive merchant millers.
Sporer, Carlson & Berry, on North avenue, are well-known manufacturers of pianos, and dealers in musical merchandise. This business was started in May, 1857, by E. Hosford, dealer in pianos. In the fall of 1861, a firm was organized, consisting of H. Norton, F. Sporer, and O. M. Carlson. They subsequently asso- ciated with them Mr. J. Berry, and again the firm became as it exists at present. In 1867, they were burned out, but started again in 1868.
Moore & Ross, extensively engaged in the manufacture of car- riages, wagons, and sleighs, began business here April 1, 1859.
The Owego Cruciform Casket Company conducts a large busi- gess in the manufacture of burial caskets.
Arba Campbell, extensively engaged in tanning sheep skins, built his tannery here in 1871, and began business under the firm 26*
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name of A. Campbell & Co., January 1, 1872. The tannery has twenty-four vats, and the capacity for turning out five hundred sheep skins per day, and employs about eighteen hands.
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H. N. Dean & Son's tannery had its beginning in a small way, many years ago, when Elihu Parmenter built a small tannery in connection with his shoeshop, on the opposite side of the street from the present site. He increased its capacity from time to time, and moved the tannery to the site now occupied. In 1860 he disposed of the property to Alanson P. Dean, of Berkshire county, Mass:, who in turn increased the capacity. His brother, · H. Nelson Dean, becameinterested with him, and finally, with his : son, Ransom B., bought the whole property. H. Nelson died in August, 1872, and the whole property reverted to Ransom B. and his brother, Isaac N. The latter soon after disposed of his interest to Ransom, who still owns the tannery, retaining the firm title of H. N. Dean & Son. The tannery has sixty double vats, ten liquor vats, seven lime vats, five " soaks," three " baits," and two " pools," making in all, eighty-seven vats; gives employment to twenty-five men, and turns out about 25,000 sides per year, prin- cipally of card and russet leather, using about a thousand cords of bark. Albert H. Upton is superintendent.
L. & G. Brown's apiarist's supply manufactory, located off North avenue, was established by them in 1881, where they man. ufacture hives, boxes, foundations, &c. The factory is run by a six horse-power engine.
Alexander J. Thomas's green-houses, on Main street, were erected by him in 188 ;. He has several hundred square feet under glass, and does a large business in cut flowers and plants.
Banks .- The First National Bank of Tioga, located on Front street, was organized January 6, 1865, to supercede the old Bank of Owego, a state institution, organized with $200,000.00 capital. The First National Bank's capital is $100,000.00. The charter was renewed in 1885, for twenty years. The first officers were Lyman Truman, president ; John B. Brush, cashier. The pres- ent officers are George Truman, president; Arba Campbell, vice-president ; William S. Truman, cashier ; Francis E. Brock- way, teller.
The Tioga National Bank, located on Front street, was organ- ized in January, and began business April 1, 1865, with a capital of $100,000.00. In January, 1865, the charter was renewed for twenty years. The first officers were T. C. Platt, president ; W. S. Lincoln, vice-president ; F. E. Platt, cashier. The present
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officers are T. C .- Platt, president; L. B. West, vice-president ; F. E. Platt, cashier ; E. W. Stone, assistant-cashier.
The Owego National Bank, located on Lake street, was organ- ized May 10. 1883, with a cash capital of $50,000.00. On May 29th the first meeting of stock-holders was held, when the follow- ing officers were elected, G. B. Goodrich, president; C. E. Parker, vice-president; A. J. Kenyon, 2d vice-president ; Clarence A. Thompson, cashier. On August 6th the bank was opened for business. The present officers are Charles E. Parker, president ; R. B. Dean and A. J. Kenyon, vice-presidents ; C. A. Thompson, cashier ; and James A. Bassett, teller. The capital has not been changed since organization, and the bank has a sur- plus fund of $7,000.00.
Physicians .- Dr. John Frank was born in Virgil, Cortland county, N. Y., September 3, 1797. He received his early edu- cation there, studied medicine, and for nine years was a practi- tioner in that place. He received diplomas from the Eclectic Medical Colleges of Albany and Syracuse. He came to Owego in 1837, where he has been in active practice ever since. He married Sally, daughter of Jacob Price, of Virgil, by whom he had two daughters, viz .: Catherine and Diantha, both deceased. Catherine married Albert Thomas, by whom she had one child, Kate, wife of Joseph B. Ball, of Cleveland, O. Diantha married Isaac Hall, and had one child, Emma, wife of S. B. Wellington, of New York city. Although in his ninetieth year, the Doctor still has a large and successful practice.
Dr. John T. Greenleaf was born in Owego, January 26, 1847, and received his education in the schools of this place. He grad- uated from the New York Homeopathic Medical College in 1867. After six months spent in Candor, he removed to Owego, where he has since continued to practice. He has been three times married, his present wife being Hattie, daughter of P. W. Meeker, of this village.
Dr. Warren L. Ayer was born at Little Meadows, Pa., June 6, · 1843, a son of Isaac and Mary A. (Thurber) Ayer. He studied in the district schools, and when ten years of age his parents moved to Apalachin, and he there studied in the private school taught by John E. Barnaby, and subsequently by A. N. Alvord, preparing for college, expecting to enter during the autumn of 1762 ; but instead he enlisted in Co. H, 109th N. Y. Vols., remain- ing in this regiment till July, 1864, when he was commissioned captain of Co. G, 127th U. S. C. Vols., and was finally mustered
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out in December, 1865. Immediately on his return, the Doctor began the study of medicine with Dr. E. Daniels, of Owego, and graduated from the Long Island College Hospital, in June, 1868, served a year in the Hartford City Hospital, became assistant to Dr. John G. Orton, of Binghamton, for three years, and in June, 1872, began practice in Owego, where he has since resided. Doctor Ayer married Sarah A. Dwight, of Binghamton, De- cember 21, 1871, and has three children, daughters.
Dr. Merritt T. Dutcher was born in Somerset, Niagara county, N. Y., December 17, 1843. He was educated in the graded schools of his native village, and on September 6, 1862, enlisted in Co. K, 151st Regt., N. Y. Vols., Infantry. He served until June 1, 1865, when he was mustered out. November 12, 1873, he married Mary Stoutenburg, of Duchess county, N. Y. The Doctor isa graduate of the New York Homeopathic Medical College.
Dr. C. R. Heaton is a native of Newark Valley, born in 1842. He graduated at Geneva Medical College, in 1864, and began practice at Newark Valley, and soon moved to Maine. He after- ward returned to Newark Valley, and in 1876 permanently located in Owego. Doctor Heaton belongs to Friendship Lodge, No. 153, and is Past Master of Newark Valley Lodge, No 614, Past High Priest of New Jerusalem Chapter, No. 47. He has been a member of Malta Commandary, of Binghamton, for twenty-one years. Dr. Heaton is known as one deeply interested in the advancement of the place. He is treasurer of the Cruci. form Casket Company, and director in the Owego National bank. He holds the position of medical director in the Owego Mutual Benefit Association, and that of director of the Mutual Relief Society of Rochester. He is a member of the County and State Medical Societies, and his professional and business duties make his life a very active one.
Dr. Charles L. Stiles was born in Sussex county, N. J., Oc- tober 24, 1837 ; studied medicine with Dr. S. M. Hand, now of Norwich, N. Y., and graduated at the Geneva Medical College, in February. 1865, began practice at Gibson, Pa .; came to Owego in May, 1868, and has been in practice here since. Dr. Stiles married Marietta Archibald, May IS, 1864, and has three chil- dren, a son and two daughters.
Dr. A. F. Crans was born in Dwaar's Kill, Ulster county, N. Y., July 24, 1841. He received his education at the Middletown Academy, in Orange county, N. Y., and when fifteen years of
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age he removed with his parents to Candor, and subsequently to Owego. He studied medicine with Drs. Armstrong and Daniels, of Owego, attended the University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, and subsequently the Eclectic College, of New York city, from which institution he graduated. He practiced for a short time in Halsey Valley, and at Carbondale, Pa., for seven years. From there he removed to New York, where he remained in practice six years, and in March, 1877, came to Owego, where he has since resided. He married Martha Embodee, by whom he has one child, Mattie.
Dr. Andrew T. Pearsall was born in Florence, Lauderdale county, Ala., April 22, 1839. When he was four years of age his father returned to Tioga county. which had previously been the home of the family, and the doctor received his education here, and at Hobert College, Geneva, N. Y. He entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York city, from which in- stitution he graduated in 1861. He was brigade surgeon in the Confederate service three years during the war; after which he settled in Montgomery, Ala., where he practiced medicine until 1876, when he returned to Owego, where he has since continued in practice.
Dr. James M. Barrett was born September 1, 1841, in Duchess county. N. Y. With his parents he moved to Tioga county, when nine years old. His mother died when he was twelve years old, at which time he left home to find one for himself. May 21, 1861, he enlisted in Company K., 26th N. Y. Vols., and served in the army of Virginia until his discharge, in December, . 1862, on account of wounds received at the second battle of Bull Run, on August 30, 1862. He attended the Owego Academy for the four years following his discharge, then taught school until 1871, when he entered the medical department of the University of Michigan, from which he graduated, in the class of 1874. He practiced medicine, in Pennsylvania, for the first eight years after his graduation. In the fall of 1881 he moved to Owego. where he now resides. He held the office of U. S. Examining Surgeon for pensions, under President Arthur. He is now serving his second term as coroner of the county, and is secretary of the Tioga County Medical Society.
Dr. George B. Lewis was born at Apalachin, December 9, 1865, a son of Dr. Isaac W. and Ellen (Sutton) Lewis. He studied in the high school of his native village and at the Owego Academy, beginning the study of his profession with his father, and after-
D
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ward attending lectures at the University of Vermont, graduat- ing at the medical department of the University of the City of New York, in 1884, after which he was in Bellevue Hospital about a year and a half, and immediately began practice in Owego, where he has since been located.
FLEMINGVILLE is situated at the junction of the east and west branches of the Owego creek, five miles north of Owego, and derives its name from one of the early settlers, Captain David Fleming, who was also the first postmaster. Captain Fleming came from Newton, Sussex county, N. J., to the town of Nichols, in this county, in 1806, removing thence, two years afterward, to Flemingville. He served in the war of 1812 as captain in the third company of the third regiment, heavy artillery, and fought in the battles of Sackett's Harbor, Lake George, Erie, etc. He died at Flemingville, February 4, 1862, aged eighty-two years.
His son, General Robert L. Fleming, was seven years of age when the family settled at Flemingville. At the age of twelve he accompanied his father with the Federal army, as his waiter, and was a witness of the battles in which his father was engaged. After the war he organized a company of state militia, of which he was chosen captain. About the year 1835, he was elected, by a vote of the field officers, a brigadier-general, in command of the Ninth Brigade of New York State Artillery. In the war of the rebellion he assisted Colonel Kane in organizing his "Buck- tail regiment," in Elk county, Pa. He was elected sheriff of Tioga county in 1840, and served four years. He died on the 26th of February, 1877.
The earliest settler of Flemingville was, probably, Asahel Pritchard. He was born in Connecticut, May 28, 1763. He came into the Wyoming valley with his step father, and after the mas- sacre, in July, 1778, he came to Nichols, in this county. Soon afterward he came to Flemingville, where he settled on the East Owego creek, and engaged in deer hunting. He bought the farm on which his grandson, Asa Pritchard, now resides, about a mile north of the Flemingville church, and paid for it in the game he shot, and without doing a day's work on his farm himself, he hired others to clear it, and paid them from the proceeds of his hunt- " ing. Soon after coming to Flemingville, he returned to Con- necticut, where he married Polly Stedman, on the 22d day of August, 1790, returning at once, accompanied by his wife, who rode all the way on horseback. He died at Flemingville, Septem- ber 24, 1 840.
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Mrs. Stedman's brother, Amzi Stedman, was born in Connecti- cut, January 14, 1783. He was seven years of age when his sister was married, and he accompanied her to Flemingville. He became the owner of the farm next above the Pritchard farm, on which his son, Lyman Stedman, now resides. He died at Flemingville, February 21, 1854.
Daniel Ferguson and Daniel Ferguson, Jr. came to Flemingville sometime previous to 1791. The elder Ferguson was a soldier in the revolutionary war. Judge Avery, in his "Susquehanna Valley" papers, (St. Nicholas, p. 361) says :
" During the early progress of the war, then a young man, he was taken captive upon the Delaware, by the Indians, and brought by them to the present site of the village of Owego, where he was detained as a captive through the winter, and for a larger proportion of the year. The Indian family by whom he had been adopted, and with whom he lived, occupied their bark lodge near where Paige street intersects River [Front] street. Upon his subsequent settlement in this town he was able to des- ignate its precise locality, by its proximity to the Indian burial mound, near or upon the homestead premises of the late Eleazar Dana, Esq., which retained its peculiar shape long after the village was settled. The sunimer next after his capture, he accompanied his foster-father upon an expedition to the Delaware, and by an in- genious stratagem escaped in the night, and made his way to a white settlement at Port Jervis, in Orange county, where his friends resided previous to his capture. In relating the incidents of his captivity, he uniformly made mention of the considerate kindness, exhibited by the Indian family toward him at all times."
Jeremiah Brown and his son, Benjamin Brown, were early settlers near the present village of Union, Broome county, some time previous to 1791. They removed to Flemingville, in 1796. None of their descendants reside here, but Solomon Brown, a son of Benjamin, lives at Union.
Another early settler was Richard Searles, who was born in 1753, and who came from Bedford, Mass., to Nichols, in 1791, removing thence to Flemingville, in 1795, where he built a saw- mill. He died September 9, 1849.
Charles E. Truman, of Flemingville, was born in Candor, November 1, 1807, and located upon the farm now owned by his son, Charles F., in 1816. He married Harriet Webster, May 26, 1836, who has borne him nine children, all of whom are living, and in 1886 they celebrated their golden wedding. The children are Aaron B., Adelaide (Mrs. Henry W. Blewer), Adeline (Mrs. Frank J. Blewer), Helen, Lyman B., Elias W., Charles F., Lucy
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