USA > New York > Tioga County > Historical gazetter of Tioga County, New York, 1785-1888. Pt. 2 > Part 9
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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
*For much of this sketch we are indebted to Mr. J. H. Palmer, of Spencer. 29.
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concessions have shorn the parent town's territory to an area of only about 29, 136 acres, 20,000 acres of which is improved land.
Topography .- The north-eastern portion of the town forms the water-shed between the Susquehanna river and Cayuga lake. The ridges have a general north and south direction, their declivities steep, and their summits broad and broken. Catatonk creek, flowing east, breaks through these ridges at nearly right angles, forming a deep and narrow valley. This is the principal stream, though there are numerous small tributaries to it. The soil is a gravelly loam in the valleys, and a hard, shaly doam upon the hills. Dairying, stock-raising, and lumbering are the chief pur- suits of the people.
SETTLEMENT AND GROWTH.
Benjamin Drake, in connection with Joseph Barker, made the first settlement in the town of Spencer, in the year 1794. The place of his nativity is not known, and as none of his descendants are now living here, nothing of his early life, previous to settle- ment here, can be ascertained. He settled on the site of Spencer village, or what was for many years the village, the lower cor- ners, as the north and west portions of the village have mostly been built up in comparatively a few years. Mr. Drake's first cabin was built of logs, poles and bark, near the bank of Cata- tonk creek, half, or three-quarters of a mile east of the village. His time was occupied in clearing his land, and when, after the labors of the day were over, and the shades of night had gathered around the humble home of the settlers, and they had retired to rest, their sleep was often disturbed by the howling and snarling of the wild beasts that inhabited the wilderness around them. Tradition says that Mr. Drake builtthe first frame dwelling-house in town, a part of which is standing on the spot where Andrew Purdy formerly resided, and known for many years as the "Purdy tavern," and now owned by the estate of Hon. Abram H. Miller. He also built the first grist-mill. How long he resided here, and the time or place of his death, is not known. His daughter, Deborah, was the first white child born within the present town limits.
Joseph Barker, as stated above, came to Spencer in the year 1794, from Wyoming. Pa. He settled on the place now owned by C. W. Bradley, a little north of the center of the village of Spencer, his land extending south of and including the old
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cemetery, which he partially cleared off and gave to the town as a public burial-place. At that early day there was no town organization, and consequently no town officers, common interests prompting the settlers to friendliness and a general effort to build up good society, and also to extend a cordial greeting and wel- come to those who came to settle and make a home among them. But as their numbers increased, the necessity of forming such an organization became apparent, and it was effected in 1806, and the first town meeting was held April Ist, of that year, Mr. Barker being elected justice of the peace, an office he held till the election of Israel Hardy, in 1830. The first school was organ- ized in Mr. Barker's house, but the date is not known. Many of his descendants are still living in this and adjoining towns. He was a man of strict integrity, and was respected and honored by all around him.
Edmond and Rodney Hobart, brothers, came from Canaan, Litchfield county, Conn., in the year 1795. Edmond settled on the farm now owned and occupied by James B. Hull, his brother Rodney going about a mile farther north, where he resided for many years, the place now being owned by Benjamin F. Lewis, excepting about four acres where the house stands, that is now owned by Mr. E. Signor. Edmond Hobart is said to have put in and harvested the first crop of wheat, and he also built the first saw-mill. His family consisted of seven children, five boys and two girls, and their conveyance from Yankee land to Spencer was a wagon drawn by oxen, and they were seventeen days on the road, making the third family in the town. Their oldest son, Prescott, while using the axe-the principal and most useful tool the settlers had-received a slight cut which terminated in lock- jaw, the first year they were here, his death being the first one in town. Charlotte, the oldest daughter, married Daniel McQuigg, of Owego, who purchased the homestead of the heirs, in 1815, (Mr. Hobart died in ISOS) and it was kept in the family many years, his son Daniel occupying it till about the year 1844, when it was sold to Deacon James B. Hull, who now lives on it. Esther, the youngest daughter, married Horace Giles, of Owego, in 1814, and in a few months moved to Spencer, where the widow lived till her death, in 1832. Mr. and Mrs. Giles lived on the same farm for fifty-five years. He died December 16, and she, December 18, 1870, aged eighty and seventy-seven years, respectively. Two daughters and one son are now living, one, Charlotte Giles Converse, occupying the homestead.
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Others came soon after the settlement was begun, but the ex- act date cannot now be ascertained. John and George K. Hall, from Westchester county, N. Y., came about 179S, and settled on a part of what for many years has been known as the John McQuigg farm. Soon after the year ISoo, the arrivals became more frequent. Among them may be named the following: Joshua Ferris, from Westchester, Doctor Holmes, from Connect- icut, and Stephen Bidlack, from Wyoming, in 1800; Henry Miller, Andrew Purdy, Thomas Mosher, C. Valentine, John and Leonard Jones, David and Richard Ferris, from Westchester county, N. Y., and George Watson, from Canaan, Conn., between that date and 1805; Truman, Joshua, Abram and Benjamin Cowell, brothers, came from Connecticut about 1807 or 1808 ; George Fisher and family, from Albany, N. Y., in ISIo; Thomas Fisher and family came soon after, and settled in what has long been known as Fisher's Settlement, his wife being the first per- son to drive a horse from the settlement (now the village), through the woods to their home ; Solomon Mead, Joseph Cowles, Alvin Benton, Thomas Andrews, H. Lotze, Joel Smith, Benjamin Jennings, Moses Reed, Levi Slater, Ezekiel Palmer and his son, Urban Palmer, came prior to 1815; Shubael Palmer and wife, with a family of six children, came in February, 1817, bringing both family and goods by oxen through woods and over hills, with roads such as is usually found at that time of the year. The next few years arrivals were numerous, and among them may be found the names of Dodd, Lake, Lott, Dean, Garey, French, Sackett, Riker, Vose, Harris, Bradley, Wells, Benton, Nichols, Adams, Casterline, Scofield, Swartwood and Butts.
Isaac, William and Daniel Hugg, brothers, came from Canaan, Conn., the first two in ISoo, and Daniel four years later, and set- tled in that part of the town known for many years as Hugg Town, now called North Spencer. Isaac settled at the head of the pond, his land extending to the road leading from Spencer to Ithaca ; but built his house and resided till his death, in 1837, where Horace Furman now lives. This family consisted of eleven children, six girls and five boys. The youngest daughter, Sophia, is still living, and is in good health for one who has seen eighty- four years.
William Hugg settled on the farm afterwards occupied by his brother, Daniel. His family consisted of twelve children, eight daughters and four sons, none of whom are now living. He only
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resided here three or four years, moving to West Danby, where he and his wife were both buried.
Daniel Hugg arrived in Spencer, in 1804, and settled on the farm previously occupied by his brother, William, where Frank Adams now lives, and resided there till the death of his wife, in 1849, after which he lived with his children till his death, in 1855, having been a resident of Spencer for fifty one years. His family of six daughters and one son are all dead. At the organ- ization of the First Congregational church, Daniel Hugg and Achsah Hugg, his wife, were two of the original members, and he was one of the first deacons, a title he retained till his death. The descendants of these three brothers can be counted by the score, and are not only to be found in Spencer and surrounding towns, but in several different States of the Union, and as far as known are honored and respected members of the communities in which they reside.
Rev. Phineas Spalding was born in Woodstock, Vermont, in 1759. While a mere boy he enlisted in the revolution, was pres- ent at the surrender of Burgoyne, saw him deliver his sword to his captors, and was one of the guard placed over the prisoners taken at that time. Afterwards, in the darkest hours of that terrible struggle, he joined that portion of the army with Washington, late in the autumn of 1777, and when the inclemency of the weather rendered it necessary togo into permanent winter quarters they marched for eight days, leaving marks from their bleeding feet upon the frozen ground, till they came to Valley Forge, where they spent the winter. Their cabins were made with the boughs of trees hung on sticks or poles, under which they would build their fires, and gather around them, poorly clothed, and many without blankets, coats or shoes, and often obliged to feed on horse meat, which, in consequence of their extreme hunger, seemed to taste sweeter than any meat they had ever eaten before. After leaving the army he married a Miss Rebecca Jacques. by whom he had three children, Rebecca, Phineas, and Polly. the latter of whom was only a few weeks old when Mrs. Spaulding died. After marrying again (Miss Susanna Hotchkiss), he re- moved to Whitehall, N. Y., where Nancy, Amy, and William were born. About 1796, he came to what was then called Tioga Point, and lived for one year on a place called the Shepard farm, during which time his son James was born. While living here, he came to Spencer and selected the place upon which he atter- ward settled his family, in the year 1798. The place has been
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known for many years as the John McQuigg place. Here, in the woods, the sturdy pioneer erected his log cabin, cleared his land, and made him elf and family a home, and soon had the sat- isfaction of seeing the growing crops, and also neighbors settling around him. Here three more children were added to Mr. Spal- ding's family, viz .: Susanna, Jesse, and Joseph. As neighbors increased,and he being the only male professor of religion in the town,he was impressed that duty called him to preach the gospel to those around him, and yielding to these convictions, he preached, in his own house, the first gospel sermon in the town, in 1799. At the organization of the Baptist church, in ISto, he was chosen deacon, licensed to preach, and in 1813, was ordained, and was for many years pastor of the church. Previous to this he removed to a farm about two miles south of West Danby, where he lived several years, and here Ebenezer and Betsey were born. Mrs. Spalding died there in 1832, after which he lived with his children. He died in 1838, aged seventy-nine years, at the residence of his daughter Amy (Mrs. Barker), at West Danby, and his remains repose in the old cemetery in Spencer. Three of his children are still living, Mrs. Amy Barker, at West Danby, N. Y., aged ninety- four years; Ebenezer, in Wisconsin, aged seventy-nine years ; and Mrs. Betsey Cowell, at North Spencer, aged seventy-seven years. Those who have died lived most of them to be old, and were useful and honored citizens. Phineas died at Havanna, aged eighty-six years. Polly, the next oldest child, was married to John Underwood, and this was the first marriage in town. She died in Spencer, aged seventy-five years. Nancy moved to Ohio at an early day, and died in 1838. James died at West Danby. Joseph died in Washington, and William, where he had lived for many years, at Mottville, aged eighty-two years.
Stephen Bidlack, son of James, came to Spencer, from Athens in 1800, and made the first settlement on the farm now owned by Ransom Bidlack. He married Lois, daughter of Capt. Samuel Ransom, and reared eight children, only one of whom, Ransom, is living.
Richard Ferris came from Peekskill, in 1805, and located on land now owned by Elmer Garrott. He reared a family of nine chil- dren, only one of whom, Mary, is living. The latter was born March 22, 1787, and has lived here since she was eighteen years of age. She is the widow of John Forsyth, who was a pensioner of the war of 1812.
Truman Cowell, one of the early settlers, came from Coxsackie,
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about 1806, and made the first settlement on the farm now owned by Edward Cowell. He had born to him two sons and eight daughters, viz .: Nathan, James, Naomi, Eunice, Anna, Roxy, Polly, Rhoda, Della, and Harriet.
Nathaniel Scofield, an early settler, located on the farm row owned by Luther Blivin, about 1806. His son Horace married Naomi Cowell, and six children were born to them, as follows : Betsey M., Nathaniel, Mary A., Truman, Roxanna and Horace.
William Loring, son of Abel, was born in Barre, Mass., November IS, 1780, and moved from there to Granville, N. Y., when quite young. He married Hannah, daughter of Theophilus Tracy, of Norwich, Conn., October 8, 1808, and nine children were born to them, viz .: Horace, William T., Lucena, Wealthy, Susan, Sarah, Louisa, Mary, and Harriet. Mr. Loring located in this town in February, 1811. Lucena Loring married James B. Hull, and has one son, Loring W.
Arthur Frink was one of the early settlers here, and located on the farm now owned by William Ransom.
Peter Signor came from Greenville, N. Y., in March, 1812, and purchased the farm which was settled by Bartley Roots, in 1810, and which is now owned by Albert Signor. He married Lorena, daughter of Adonijah Roots, and had born to him three children, Albert, Adonijah, and Anna, widow of Jehiel House, of Danby. Albert was born in Greenville, May 12, 1803, married Anna, daughter of Levi English, and has two children, Adonijah and Mary A. (Mrs. Ira Patchen), of Danby. In 1834 he purchased the farm where he now lives, which wa's then a wilderness, with no building except an old saw-mill, built a few years previous, and which he has re-built, and has cut from 100,000 to 400,000 feet of lumber annually.
One of the first settlers of what is known as the Dean Settle- ment, was Nicholas Dean, who came from Westchester county, in June, 1816, and built the first house on the place now owned by Mary Deyo, in October, 1817. Among other early settlers who came to this location were Elisha Sackett, from Peekskill, in 1820, locating where Jasper Patty now lives, John Williams, who settled on the farm now owned by George Pearson, and Eli Howell, who settled on the farm now owned by W. H. Fleming.
Maj. Tunis Riker came from New York city, in 1817, and located on the farms now owned by O. P. Riker and Antoinette Riker. He served as a major in the war of 1812. He was a car- penter by trade, which occupation he followed here. He mar-
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ried Eleanor Moore, of New York, and reared a family of twelve children.
Edward Bingham came from Jay, Vt., about 1819, and located on the farm now owned by his grandson, I. A. Bingham. He served in the war of 1812. Ira, one of his twelve children, mar- ried Sally, daughter of Elisha Holdridge, and five children were born to him, viz .: Eliza, deceased, Sarah, Mary, I. Augustus, and Seth H.
Edward Hobart, an early settler, made the first settlement on the place now owned by James B. Hull. It is said that the first piece of wheat raised in the town was grown on this farm.
Elisha Holdridge came from Bridgewater, Pa., in the spring of 1822, and purchased a farm, now owned by Dr. Norris, where he lived until 1837 or 1838, when he removed to Genoa. He married Mary Shaff, and reared nine children, only two of whom, Amos, of Spencer, and Samuel, of Hillsdale, Mich., are now liv- ing. Amos was born in Bridgewater, Pa., July 13, 1813, and was nine years of age when he came here. He married Wealthy, daughter of William Loring, of Spencer, and has two children, Edgar P., of Cortland, and William A., who lives here.
Lewis Van Woert, son of Jacob, was born in Cambridge, N. Y., December 5, 1794: married Tabitha Gould, and settled here on the farm now owned by Lewis J. Van Woert, in 1827. He reared five children. namely, William G., Lewis J., Eleanor M., Lydia E., and Mehitable, deceased.
John Brock came here in 1830, and purchased the farm now owned by William Lang. He was a farmer, and was also engaged in droving until within two years of his death, which occurred in 1872. He married Mary, daughter of A. Whitney, of Maryland, N. Y., and seven children were born to them, viz .: William, de- ceased, Ethiel, Ann E., wife of Seth Bingham, of Danby, John, Adaline, widow of Stockholm Barber, Thomas, and Dewitt C.
Benjamin Coggin located here, on the farm now owned by his grandson, George E. Coggin, in 1832. He married Phebe Vose, and six children were born to him, as follows: John, Loama T., Albert, Rachel V., Mary V., and Eveline C.
Solomon Davenport, son of Martin, was born at Port Jervis ; lived in Caroline, N. Y., several years, and located here, on the farm now owned by Mrs. Valentine, in 1836. He married Ann, daughter of Samuel Snyder, of Caroline, and eight children were born to him, viz .: Henry, Sherman, Mary C., Jane A., Charlotte. Emma E., Sarah and Harriet A.
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James Hagadorn came from Cherry Valley, in 1840, and set- tled on the farm now owned by his son David B. He married Lockey Genung, and five children were the fruits of this mar- riage, namely, Horace, who served as major in the late war, in Co. H, 3d N. Y. Infantry, and was killed in front of Petersburg, June 15, 1865, Rebecca, wife of Henry C. Shaw, Emma, wife of William Stone, of Curtis, Neb., Aaron, also of Curtis, and David B.
Jacob T. Shaw was an early settler of Flemingville, and located here, in 1840, on the farm now owned by William A. Shaw.
Alonzo Norris, son of Matthew N., who was an early settler of Erin, Chemung county, was born in Erin, October 2, 1833, stud- ied medicine with E. Howard Davis, of Horseheads, for three years, and graduated from Jefferson Medical College, of Phila- delphia, Pa., March 12, 1860. He began practice at Halsey Val- ley, where he remained about a year, and then located in this town. He has two children, John N. and Olive K., both residing at home.
Dr. Ezra W. Homiston was born in Brooklyn, N. Y., June 10, IS59. He studied in the public schools, and with his father, Joseph M., and graduated at the Bellevue Hospital College in March, 1883, and began practice in Brooklyn. In August, 1885, he came to Spencer, and has practiced here since. He married Adele Bumsted, of Jersey City, in 1882.
Rev. Luther Bascom Pert, son of Thomas Pert, was born in this town October 12, 1819. When fifteen years of age, he left home to prepare for college, at Cortland academy. He entered Hamilton College, and graduated, in the class of 1843. From 1849 to 1869 he practiced law in New York city, and in April, 1870, he was licensed to preach by the third New York Presbytery and continued a faithful minister to the time of his death. He was pastor of the Presbyterian church at Raisin, Mich., from 1870 10 '74. at Londonderry, N. H., from 1874 to '79. In 1843 he mar- ried Miss Ellen P. Smith, of Spencer, by whom he had one daugh- ter, Helen M., wife of Rev. W. W. Newman, Jr., who are now living abroad. Mrs. Newman has three sons, viz .: George Ken- nedy, a student in Williams College, William Whiting, now of Colorado, and Oliver Shaw, who is traveling with his parents. Rev Mr. Pert died at Bergen Point, N. J., May 29, 1881, and his remains were brought to the home of his boyhood for inter- ment.
Stephen Vorhis, son of Jotham Vorhis, was born in this town
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in 1812. His preparatory education was received in Owego ; he entered Hamilton College and graduated in 1836, and from Auburn Theological Seminary in '38. He was pastor of the Presbyterian church at Akron, O., for two years, at Danby, N. Y., fourteen years, Phoenix, N. Y., five years, Hammondsport, N. Y., eight years, and at Spencer fifteen years before his retire- ment. He married A. Louisa .Ward, of Allegany county, N. Y., by whom he had three children, viz .: Mary H., Lillian, who died at the age of six years, and Harry S. Mr. Vorhis died July 17, 1885.
Dr. J. H. Tanner was born in Virgil, Cortland county, N. Y., October 17, 1834, and lived in that town some thirty years. He studied medicine with Dr. Knapp, in Harford, and graduated at Buffalo, N. Y., in 1862, when he returned home and formed a partnership with Dr. J.H. Knapp, which continued only for a short time. In October, 1863, he moved to Nineveh, Broome county, N. Y'. In May, 1864, he married Cornelia G., eldest daughter of James Heath, of Harford. He continued his practice in Nineveh until January, 1865. He bought out Dr. Knapp, of Harford, and late in January, he removed to that place, where he continued his practice until the summer of 1866, when he sold out to Dr. Knapp, and moved to Weltonville, Tioga county, where he con- tinued to practice until October, 1877. Here he buried his wife. In the fall of 1878, he married his second wife, and settled in Spencer, Tioga county, N. Y., where he now resides. He has one son, J. Henry.
Samuel Bliven, of Westerly, R. I., was a soldier of the revo- lution, and married Mary Green, by whom he had eight children. Among them was Luther, who married Rebecca Cook, by whom he had nine children. Of these, Samuel G., was born in Hart- ford, N. Y., January 1, 1799, lived there until he was a year old, when his people removed to Fort Ann, N. Y. When twenty-four years of age he came to Spencer, and has since resided here, -- a period of over sixty-two years. He married Rebecca, daugh- ter of Phineas Spalding, by whom he has had six children. He has been engaged principally in farming, and now lives retired in the village of Spencer. Mrs. Bliven died September S, 1885, aged seventy-five years.
Capt. John Fields was another of the very early settlers of this town, and who in his early years was a member of the Queen's Rangers, a regiment of the British army. When his time of enlist- ment expired he asked for his discharge, but it was denied him.
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Hleawaited his opportunity, and deserted, coming to this country, and in the war of 1812 took arms against the British, and served the American cause faithfully. He was taken prisoner at the battle of Lundy's Lane, and after a period of confinement was dis- charged. When the war closed he retired to his farm, in the eastern part of the town of Spencer, where he spent the remainder of his life. His wife was Lydia Bates, who died, leaving no children.
Joshua Tompkins was born in Oxford, England, September 22, 1815. On April 30, 1836, he left Liverpool in the packet " Napo- leon," and arrived in New York the following month. He came direct to Spencer, where he located on the farm now owned by his brother James, and this town has been his only home in America. He married Susan, daughter of William and Hannah Lorring. He is now engaged in farming, and in building opera- tions within the corporation of Spencer village. Mr. Tompkins is probably one of the oldest foreign born citizens of the town.
James Silke was born in Cork, Ireland, and for thirteen years after his arrival in this country he was in the employ of Halsey Brothers, of Ithaca, who were running one of the largest flour- ing mills at that time in Central New York. In 1874, he came to Spencer to take the management of A. Seely's mill, which posi- tion he still holds. He married Mary Wasson, of Ithaca, and has four children.
Dr. G. W. Davis was born in Trenton, Dodge county, Wis., May 29, 1851. When he was only seven years old his parents removed to Ithaca, N. Y., where he received his education. He entered the office of Dr. John Winslow, of Ithaca, and also the office of Dr. M. M. Brown, and Dr. P. C. Gilbert. He graduated from the University of Buffalo, in 1882. He located first in New- field, Tompkins county, where he remained one year, and since then he has been located in Spencer village. He married Eva, daughter of Holmes Shepard, of Van Ettenville, by whom he has one child.
Truman Lake came to this town from Greenville, Green county, N. Y., in 1815, and settled on the farm now owned and occupied by Fred W. Lake. He married Clarissa, daughter of Rufus Brown, of New Malbury, N. Y., by whom he had six children, viz .: Betsey, wife of Erastus Meacham, of Owego, Maria (Mrs. Jacob Vorhis), Harvey, Rachel (Mrs. Joshua Philo), Hiram and Rufus, all deceased except Mrs. Meacham, who is now in her eighty-fifth year, and resides in Owego.
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