USA > New York > Tioga County > Historical gazetter of Tioga County, New York, 1785-1888. Pt. 2 > Part 5
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TOWN OF OWEGO.
(Mrs. William Mead), Lydia (Mrs. Adelbert Hammond). Mr. Truman has held most of the minor town offices, has been a justice of the peace for the past twenty-four years, and post- master about the same period.
APALACHIN is situated on the south side of the Susquehanna river, eight miles east of Owego village. It derives its name from the town of Apalacon, Susquehanna Co., Pa., where the Apalachin creek rises. Apalacon and Apalachin are, apparently, corruptions of the name Appallachian, the general appellation of the great mountain system, stretching from Maine to Alabama.
There was no village at Apalachin until about the year 1836, when William S. Pearsall came here from Chenango county. Ransom Steele came soon afterward from Owego, to open and manage a branch store for John Hollenback. He afterward engaged in the mercantile business on his own account, and was. for many years also engaged in lumbering.
Four brothers, Nathaniel, Thomas, William S. and Gilbert Pearsall, came together to Tioga county, or at about the same time. They built saw-mills, and owned them in partnership, at Apalachin, Hooper's Valley, and Pea Island, near the Pennsyl- vania line, and also owned a large lumber yard near Baltimore. In the financial depression of 1837, they failed in business. Gil- bert and William Pearsall obtained an extension of time, and afterward resumed business. The brothers at the same time dis- solved their partnership and divided their property. About the year 1840, Gilbert and William Pearsall built grist-mills at Hoop- er's Valley and Apalachin, at a cost of from $5,000.00 to $6,000.00. each.
William S. Pearsall and Ransom Steele were the active busi- ness men of Apalachin, and were the chief stockholders of the bridge, which was built across the Susquehanna river at Apala- chin, in 1849, at a cost of $75,000.00, and which was afterward carried away by a freshet.
The earliest settler of Apalachin was Isaac Harris, a Quaker, who came, in 1786, from Providence, R. I. The next year he returned, and removed his wife (nee Nancy Reed, whom he mar- ried in 1786), and household goods, coming down the river from Cooperstown in a rough boat, which he built for that purpose. Mr. Harris and a partner had made a contract for the purchase of the land known as Coxe's Patent, paving part down. His partner started for Philadelphia to pay the balance, and was never heard from afterward. Mr. Harris settled on the Apalachin creek,
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TOWN OF OWEGO.
on the river road, on what has since been known as the Glann farm and the Pardon Yates farm. The first white child born at Apalachin was their daughter, Phebe, who married Willard Thayer, and settled on the Holland Purchase. Isaac Harris died about the year 1835, aged seventy-four years.
Amariah Yates came from Massachusetts, in 1791, and settled at the mouth of the Apalachin creek. One of his sons, Paul Yates, settled about two miles east of Owego, on the west side of the Little Nanticoke creek.
Caleb Nichols and his son, Simeon Nichols, both revolutionary soldiers, came from Rhode Island, in the latter part of the year 1791. The former died in 1804, and the latter May 16, 1856, aged ninety-three years.
John Bills and his nephew, Abel Bills, came from New Leba- non, N. Y., in 1792.
Major David Barney, a revolutionary soldier, came down the river from Cooperstown, with a large family of children, and was one of the first settlers of the town of Vestal, Broome county. He removed to Apalachin, in 1802, and built the first house on Apalachin creek.
John Hicks Horton came from Rhode Island, soon after Caleb Nichols came, and settled two miles below Apalachin, opposite Campville.
Thomas Tracy came to this vicinity with his wife and infant son, Benjamin Tracy, and settled near the mouth of Tracy creek Broome county, in 1790. The creek received its name from Mr. Tracy. In ISoi, he removed with his family to Caroline, Tomp- kins county, and thence to the Holland Purchase, near Buffalo. His son Benjamin, several years afterward, returned and settled on the Apalachin creek, where he raised a large family of chil- dren, one of whom is Gen. Benjamin F. Tracy, of Brooklyn. Ben- jamin Tracy died January 31, 1883.
John Jewett, with his sons Asaand John Jewett, Jr., came from Putnam county, in the winter of IS16-17, and settled one mile west of Apalachin. He was the grandfather of Harry Jewett, Esq., of Owego. While residing in Putnam county, he had held the offices of county clerk and member of assembly. He died in April, 1849.
Henry Billings settled at Apalachin, about the year 1822, and kept the first tavern here.
Dr. Isaac W. Lewis, of Apalachin, was born in Owego, January 2, 1821. His parents soon after removed to Glenville, N. Y.,
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+
where they resided-till he was fourteen years of age, when they returned to Owego. The doctor attended the common schools there, and after coming here graduated from the Manninton Academy, at Silver Lake, Pa., began the study of medicine with Dr. Ezekill Daniels, and graduated at the Castleton, Vt., Medical College, in 1848. He commenced practice in Silver Lake, Pa., and in 1852 came to Apolachin, where he has practiced since. Dr. Lewis married Ellen Sutton, in 1844, who bore him five chil- dren, three of whom are living, viz .: James A., a physician, of Ithaca, N. Y., Hattie E. (Mrs. William Inderlid), and George B., a practicing physician, of Owego. Mrs. Lewis died in 1874, and in 1876 the doctor married Mrs. Susan A. Catlin, of Tioga, N. Y.
B. F. Tracy & Son's Marshland stock farms here, consist of six hundred acres, on the river road, where they carry on very extensively the business of breeding and raising the best blooded trotting horses. They have been engaged in this business since 1878, and have constantly on hand from one hundred to one hundred and twenty- five head of horses, and employ about twenty- five men. As breeders of superior trotters, the Messrs. Tracy have a wide spread reputation, and their system and equipments for raising and breaking trotters are second to none in the country.
CAMPVILLE is situated on the north bank of the Susquehanna river, seven miles east of Owego. The first settler was Col. Asa Camp. He came from Columbia county, N. Y., to the town now called Vestal, in Broome county, in the spring of 1789, removing thence to Apalachin, in 1792, and subsequently to Campville, in 1800. He was a sergeant in the revolutionary war .* He was a witness of Major Andre's execution, and assisted in digging his grave. He built the first tavern at Campville, in 1800. He held the offices of poundmaster, assessor, commissioner of high- ways, and overseer of the poor, and was supervisor of the town of Owego, in IS17 and 1818. He was eighty-eight years of age at the time of his death, which occurred July 17, 1848. His sons, Roswell and Silvester Camp, were both equally prominent men in that part of the town.
Campville was early known as East Owego, but when Stephen
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* Wilkinson's "Annals of Binghamton" (page SS) says of Colonel Camp: "He served in the revolutionary war, in the capacity of sergeant, four years ; commanded at Fort Frederick, on the Mohawk ; and with fifteen men in the fort effectually repelled two hundred Indians and Tories. When a flig was sent in for them to surrender, Sergeant Camp sent word back, 'that Yankees lived there ; and if they got the fort they must get it by the hardest.' He was in the battle of White Plains ; was in one battle on the sea, near the banks of Newfoundland, and was also at Valley Forge."
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B Leonard was in congress he caused the name to be changed to Campville, in honor of Colonel Camp.
GASKILL CORNERS is a hamlet situated on the Little Nanticoke creek, about five miles northeast of Owego. It derives its name from Joseph Gaskill, who was born at Richmond, N. H., April 22, 1-80, and removed to the town of Owego with his father, Silas Gaskill, March 20, 1789, and to Gaskill Corners, in 1822. He married Mariam Wilcox, January 1, 1803, and became the father of six children. Of these, only Paul and Samuel are living. Mr. Gaskill died here June 19, 1866.
Elijah Walter was one of the first settlers at Gaskill Corners, about 1810. He came from Great Barrington, Mass., and located upon what is now known as the Walter farm. He married Abigail Gifford and had five. children who attained an adult age, only three of whom, Alonzo, Artemas, and Sarah (Mrs G. R. Curtis) are living. Artemas who still lives at the Corners, was boro February 14, 1822, married Frances Hagan, August 21, 1841, and has eight children now living.
The postoffice was established here in July, 1866, and Clark Green was the first postmaster. The present postmaster is Har -. mon Curtis.
SOUTH OWEGO is situated about seven and one-half miles south- cast of Owego, near the Pennsylvania line.
GIBSON CORNERS, situated about four miles south of Owego, was so named from Eli Gibson, who settled there in the spring of 1835. He was born at Stowe, Middlesex county, Mass., June 17, 1795, and died March 12, 1864.
WAIT SETTLEMENT, situated in the southwest corner of the town, was so named from Henry Wait, who purchased 900 acres of land and removed thereon from Saratoga county, in 1819.
The County Poor Farm, on road 40, consists of one hundred acres, upon which is located the County Alms House and Insane Asylum. The indigent ones here are supported at the expense of the town from which they have gained a residence, while tran- sient ones, or those having no permanent place of residence, are supported at the expense of the county at large. The alms house is a large stone structure, built in 1839-40. The insane asylum, ! icated opposite the latter, is a wooden structure, built in 1885- .6. It is very commodious and complete, having accommoda- cons for, and does accommodate, others than indigent unfortu- Lates. It is said to be the finest county asylum in the state. The property was purchased and devoted to the purposes of a poor
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TOWN OF OWEGO.
farm, in 1836. The institution now has about fifty inmates at the alms house, and thirty-six in the asylum. The institution and farm are now under the charge of Daniel Johnson, who was appointed to the position in 1879.
Nathan H. Ellis's Grist Mill, on road 40, was built about 1826. The present proprietor purchased the property July 1, 1885. The mill was purchased by John Pettigrove, about 1854, who owned the property till purchased by Mr. Ellis. In connection with the mill Mr. Pettigrove operated a distillery for many years. The mill has three runs of stones, and one set of rolls. He does cus- tom work.
Homer Searles's Steam Saw- Mill was built by him about 1880. It has a circular-saw, and cuts about 500,000 feet of lumber per year, giving employment to six men. In connection with the mill he has a threshing-machine, and shingle and lath- mill.
Mrs. Margaret Walter's Saw Mill was built about 1874. It is operated by steam-power, has a circular-saw, and does custom work.
Harmon Curtis's Saw and Feed Mill, at Gaskill Corners, was built by him in 1883. It is operated by steam-power, has a circular saw, and also a threshing-machine in connection. The saw-mill turns out about 200,000 feet of lumber per year.
Campbell & Lamphere's saw and planing mill, at Apalachin, was built by Charles Baker, in 1884, and was bought by the present firm in the spring of 1887. The mill has a circular-saw, bench- saws, planer and matcher, turning lathe, etc., being fully equip- ped throughout, and operated by steam-power.
Leonard Foster's saw and feed.mill, on road 27, was built by him in 1870, upon the site of the old Foster mill, built by his father, Daniel R. Foster, in 1836. The present mill is run by steam- power, has a circular-saw, lath-mill, planer, etc., and turns out about 500,000 feet of lumber per year, employing about eight men during the winter season. The feed mill is for custom work.
CHURCHES.
First Presbyterian Church of Owego .- On the 7th day of August, ISIo, the society with which the First Presbyterian Church of Owego is now connected, was formed, and Solomon Jones, Caleb Leach, Abraham Hoagland, William Camp, James Pumpelly, and Eleazer Dana were elected trustees. No church was organized until July 24, 1817. On that day a congregational church, con-
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sisting of eleven members, was organized. The church was taken under the care of the presbytery of Cayuga, in August, 1817, and was transferred to the presbytery of Tioga on the organization of that body. In July, 1831, the church abandoned the Congre- gational form of government and adopted the Presbyterian form of government in full, electing Solomon Jones, William Platt, Eleazer Dana, and William Pumpelly, ruling elders. The first pastor of the church was Rev. Daniel Loring. The present pas- tor is Rev. Alexander C. Mckenzie. Services were held in the school-house on Main street, near McMaster street, until IS19, when a church was built of wood at the northeast corner of Temple street and North avenue. This church was torn down, in 1854, and the present brick edifice erected on its site.
The Methodist Episcopal Church of Owego was regularly organ- ized in 1817, at which time it was taken from the Tioga circuit. At that time Rev. Mr. Payne was the pastor. Through his efforts their first church edifice was built, in 1822, at the southeast corner of Main and Academy streets. Previous to this time meetings had been held in the Main street school-house. The present brick church on Main street was built, in 1870. The present pas- tor is Rev. W. M. Hiller.
The first Baptist Church of Owego was organized on the 20th of September, 1831, by a society of thirty persons, at a meeting held in Daniel Chamberlain's wagon shop, which stood at the south- west corner of Park and Main streets. The meetings were held for a few weeks in the wagon shop, a box placed on the front bench serving as a pulpit. In November, the society obtained the use of Masonic Hall on Front street, where services were held until 1836, when the wooden church at the southeast corner of Church and Main streets, which had been built the year previous, was dedicated. This church was removed, in 1857, and the present brick edifice erected upon its site. The first regular pastor was James R. Burdick, who assumed charge, in June, 1833. The present pastor is Rev. Reuben E. Burton.
The African Methodist Episcopal Church was organized about the year 1843. The first preacher was Rev. Joshua Johnson. Their church, on Fox street, was formerly the lecture-room of the First Presbyterian church, and was removed from Temple street to its present location. The present pastor is Rev. R. H. Shirley.
St. Paul's Episcopal Church was organized February 10, 1834. Services were held in the old Presbyterian lecture-room, which
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TOWN OF OWEGO.
stood on the east side of Court street, adjoining the old acad- emy ground, until 1839, when the present church was built on the south side of Main street. Rev. John Bailey was the first rector of the church. The present rector is Rev. James H. Kidder.
Congregational Church of Owego .- In February, 1850, forty-six members of the First Presbyterian Church withdrew by certifi- cate, and formed the Congregational Church of Owego. Rev. Samuel C, Wilcox was engaged as pastor. Services were held at the court-house until February, 1852, when a wooden church was completed on the west side of Park street. This church was destroyed by fire, in December, 1877, and the present brick church was built on its site in the following year. The present pastor of the church is Rev. Oliver R. Howe.
St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church of Owego was organized about the year 1840. Rev. Father John Sheridan was the first priest. . The church was built in 1847. The present pastor is Rev. Father Thomas D. Johnson. St. Patrick's school-house was built in 1860. The Convent of the Sisters of Mercy was instituted, in 1865, and changed into St. Joseph's Orphan Asy- lum, in 1871.
The Flemingville Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1811, with fifteen members. The church building, a wooden structure erected in 1834, will comfortably seat 300 persons, and is valued, including grounds, etc., at $3,600.00. The society now has 260 members, with Rev. C. D. Shepard, pastor.
The Free Will Baptist Church of South Apalachin was organized in October, 1816, with fourteen members, and Rev. John Gould was the first pastor. A church building was erected in 1844, and gave place to the present structure in 1859. The society now has fifty members, with Rev. William Fuller, pastor.
The South Owego Methodist Episcopal Church was organized about 1830, and Rev. John Griffing was its first pastor. The church building was erected in 1857. The society now ha's fifty members, with Dr. L. W. Peck, pastor.
The Free Will Baptist Church of Apalachin was organized by its first pastor, Rev. H. S. Ball, in 1869. The church building was erected in 1872. The society has at present no regular pastor.
The Whittemore Hill Methodist Episcopal Church was built in 1850-51. The society was then organized. It belongs with the Union, Broome county, charge, and Rev. George T. Price is
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pastor. It is a neat wooden structure, and the land for its site was leased to the society by Isaac Whittemore, for St.oo, "so long as it is used for church purposes," then to revert to the farm.
R ICHFORD# is located in the northeast corner of the county. Its surface is mostly up-land, broken by narrow valleys. The West Owego creek forms the western boundary, and the east branch of the creek forms the principal valley, which runs through the middle of the town, north and south. The northern boundary is the division line between Tioga and Cortland counties, and the south boundary is five miles south of the north line, the lines running parallel, due east and west. The east line of the town is quite irregular, though it is the dividing line between the counties of Broome and Tioga, having been fixed on original lines of certain lots which were numbered in the original survey of the "Boston Purchase," and the lines running north and south, only extended between, running from either parallel to another, so that the north and south lines of lots did not range one with the other, hence there is seven right angles in the east line of the town, some of which turn east and others west. In area, the town comprises ninety-two original lots, averaging about two- hundred and seventy-five acres each, and numbering from lot No. 421, in the south-east corner, to lot No. 431, on the south side ; and on the north side from lot 569, in the north-east corner, to lot 580. The town is from seven to ten miles wide, in an air line across from the east to the west line. On the north border is the highest lands in the county, indeed, the border is on the ridge of the great watershed that forms two sides of the vast lake basin that is drained through the Gulf of St. Lawrence. This summit divides the drainage, the water flowing northward into the basin, and onward into the St. Lawrence, to mingle with the waters that flow southward, through Chesapeake Bay, in the Atlantic. The summits are 2,000 feet above tide. In the creek valley, where the depot is located, the altitude is 1, 090 feet above sea level. 271 feet higher than Owego. This difference in altitude occasions more variation in climate than does the difference in latitude. The highest point in the aforementioned valley is in
* For much of the matter relative to the history of this town, we are indebted to Mr. C. J. Robinson, of Richford.
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Dryden, four miles north of the town of Richford, the elevation being 1,208 feet above tide. Near the northeast corner of the. town, on lot 530, and farm of James Sears, is an elevated point of arable land, from which may be seen, by the aid of a telescope, the waters of Lake Ontario, and eastward, the landscape stretch- ing across the north part of Broome and south part of Chenango and south corner of Otsego counties, into Delaware county, the view extending into eight counties. This high point is the sum- mit of the angle in the watershed, running northward and west- ward, stretching along some six miles south of lake Erie, on ward around the south basin. All along on the watershed ridge, on either slope, the land is arable, and the most elevated lands are equally productive with the valleys, indeed, the best farms in the town lie on the high ranges.
Origin of Name .- The village of Richford first took its name, in IS21, at the time the "public square" was surveyed and granted by deed, for public purposes. The grantors were Ezekiel Rich, who donated the north half, and Stephen Wells, the south half. Both deeds set forth that : "Said land is to be used for a public square, and for no other purpose, reserving to all persons owning or possessing the land around said square the privilege of twelve feet in front of the line of square for piazzas, flagging, shade-trecs, and railing ; but no person to set the front of his building over in front of the square." The deeds bear date October 9, 1821, and they were duly executed on October 13, 1821, by being acknowl- edged in due form before David Williams, who was then a judge of the court of common pleas, in and for the county of Broome, and the deeds were recorded in the Broome county clerk's office, in book of deeds No. 8. page 20, on the 24th day of October, 1821. From Mr. Rich, the village was called "Richford," which ulti- mately became the name of the town. It should be remembered, in this connection, that Broome county was formed from Tioga, March 28, 1806, and that Owego and Berkshire, formerly adjoin- ing towns, were reannexed to Tioga county, March 21, 1822, which made the territory of the town of Richford a part of Tioga county.
Until as late as 1812, the territorial limits of the town of Rich- ford was, practically, an unbroken wilderness of primitive forest. The aborigines had located their camps and hunted here, long before, and some lingered after the settlement began. An open- ing of a few acres in the southwest corner of the town, on lot 423, near the present residence of Widow Jewett, had been made
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by the Indians, leaving traces of cultivation. From no records can the exact date when the first white settlement was begun, nor can it be said definitely to whom belonged such honor. One well versed in the pioneer history of this section, however, has placed in our hands the following article, entitled the
EARLY HOUSEHOLDS OF RICHFORD .*
Evan Harris, if tradition is correct, was the first settler where the village of Richford now stands. He was a weaver, and came from Berkshire county, Mass., but how early, is not known. He was certainly here before 6 Jan., 1808, on which day he earned half a dollar by chopping for Joseph Waldo, of Berkshire. He dwelt in the log house where Nathaniel Johnson afterward lived, north of the spring where Philip Lacy now lives. His wife died 10 Feb., 1812, and was buried in the Brown cemetery, below the village of Berkshire. It is said that she died of consumption, and there is evidence that her passage to the grave was made as easy as possible by the use of paregoric. The names of his chil- dren are not known, with the exception of one son, Evan Harris, Jr., who was badly burned, according to tradition, by falling back- ward into a kettle of hot maple sugar, 10 April, 1812. This was nearly two months after the mother's death, the father was away from home, and the lad helped himself out of the kettle, and did not stop till he reached the house of Jeremiah Campbell, over a mile down the valley, where Mrs. Campbell kindly cared for him dill his burns were healed. Another child was born 17 Aug., INII.
Elisha Harris was in the same region as early as March, ISos, and perhaps was a relative of Evan Harris. He had children :
-, b 24 Dec., 1808. II. - , b 28 Dec., ISII.
It is thought that Elisha Harris lived in what is now called Caroline, N. Y. His name occurrs in John Brown's account book, in December, 1798, and he was taxed, in 1802, in Tioga.
Paul Stevens was an early settler of Richford, on lot 424, one of the south tier of lots in the town. He built a log house, on the side of the way, but the road when properly laid passed directly over the site of it. This place he sold in the spring of 1821, to Gad Worthington, and left the place with all of his family. Hle is remembered as a worthy, pious man, and Mrs. Caroline Rich
* I'rom an unfinished work, in manuscript, entitled the " Folk Book of the Boston Pur- vi que," by D. Williams Patterson, of Newark Valley.
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thought he was a member of the First Church of Tioga, etc. But the records do not reveal his name. He used to go up the valley to lot 533, about three miles above the village, to make his maple- sugar.
Only an imperfect list of his children has been found :
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