USA > New York > Erie County > Gowanda > Historical sketch of the village of Gowanda, N.Y. : in commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of its incorporation, August 8, 1898 > Part 7
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
Our citizens and people from the adjoining towns, to the number . of 800, followed in procession, making a long line of carriages, and thus attended, the gallant Co. A left the associations and blessings of home and peace for the startling adventures incident to the stirring times of war.
At the battle of Fair Oaks Gen. O. O. Howard, then in command of a brigade, was severely wounded. At this time Maj. - Gen. Nelson A. Miles, then a lieutenant, was one of his staff officers. Col. T. J. Parker of this village was in command of the 64th Regiment, and after Gen. Howard was wounded Col. Parker was placed in command of Gen. Howard's brigade for a time, and for about a month Gen. Miles was one of the staff officers of Col. Parker.
ـة النهـ
E 2 23
ندا
٣٣٣٣٠٣٣٢١
LODI MANSION HOUSE- SEELY BLACKNEY, PROPRIETOR. BURNED APRIL. 30. 1856.
85
HISTORICAL. SKETCH OF GOWANDA, N. Y.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF GOWANDA.
BY REV. J. EMORY FISHER.
T HE writer is informed that Ralph Plumb, who came here in 1823, was the first Presbyterian to locate in "Lodi" ; others of this denomination. in the persons of Joseph Plumb, the Grannises and Curtisses, and others, soon followed. It is not known who preached the first sermon, but the service was held in the room over Mr. Plumb's store, or in the school house on the site now occupied by Peter Rink's store.
Joseph Plumb organized the first Sabbath School in the summer of 1826, which has continued down to the present time.
The first society of this church was organized July 1, 1827, with the following members :
Joseph Plumb, Caroline Plumb, David Grannis, Lola Grannis, Ralph Plumb, Perthenia Plumb, Ira Curtiss, Ruth Curtiss, William Farnsworth, Ruth Smith, Electa Pierce, and David Grannis, Senior.
The society adopted the name, "The Presbyterian Society of Lodi," and at the same time elected William R. Pierson, Phineas Spencer, Lewis Edwards, Albert Burke and Joseph Plumb, trustees, and Joseph Plumb, Elder.
The church, as a part of the Presbytery of Buffalo, at once assumed its ecclesiastical duties, and was represented for the first time by Joseph Plumb, in its meeting of January 28, 1828.
Rev. Erastus J. Gillett was the first regular minister, and the services were held in the school house.
The growth was slow, only one uniting in 1828, four in 1829 and six in 1830 ; but 1831 was a year of good things - eight united by letter and fourteen by profession, and the twelve original stars had now become forty-five.
On January 31, 1832, the church and village were honored by a meeting of the Presbytery of Buffalo, as the record reads, "At the school house in the village of Lodi."
Under the pastorate of Rev. T. S. Harris, the church experienced a great revival, receiving during the year sixty-six new members, of whom fifty-four were converts.
·
86
HISTORICAL. SKETCH OF GOWANDA, N. Y.
Among the names are those of Mr. and Mrs. James Locke, Mr. and Mrs. A. L. Chaffee, Mr. and Mrs. E. W. Henry.
John B. Preston was the first installed pastor. The church gave the call January 28, 1835, and he was installed June 28th, with prayer by Rev. William Bradley, sermon by Rev. Erastus J. Gillett, and the installation prayer by Rev. Timothy Stillman.
The first church building was erected and dedicated in 1835, the first year of Mr. Preston's pastorate, and was burned February 13, 1842, the last year of his pastorate. The church was totally de- stroyed, together with the minutes of the session up to that time. The pastor was teaching in the basement when the fire broke out. The erection of a new building was commenced soon after and when nearly completed, and about five o'clock on the evening of March 3, 1843, it was discovered to be on fire, but was extinguished before serious damage was done.
Rev. Sylvester Cowles became pastor the same year, and held ser- vice in the hall of the hotel at the corner of Perry and Buffalo streets while the church was being completed.
In 1886, the building erected in 1843 was entirely rebuilt and ex- tended, through the generosity of Mr. Franklin F. Spencer of Chicago, a former resident and merchant of this village, at an expense of about $12,000, who also established in connection with it a free library, called the Mary Spencer Library, in memory of his daughter.
The building was dedicated February 24, 1887; the ceremonies, among other things, consisted of the dedicatory sermon by Rev. Albert H. Plumb, D. D., of Boston, Mass., a former member of the Sunday School of this church, and the presentation of the church and the delivery of the keys to the trustees, by Mr. Spencer, on behalf of the children of Phineas Spencer and Zebedee A. Macomber.
The following is a list of the ministers who have served this church, with the terms of their pastorate :
ERASTUS J. GILLETT, 1828-1832. 1832-1834.
T. S. HARRIS, .
JOHN B. PRESTON, 1835-1842. SYLVESTER COWLES, 18442-1844.
L. A. SKINNER, 1844-1846.
R. S. GOODMAN,
1847-1848.
J. H. RICE,
1849.
J. C. KNAPP, 1850.
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF GOWANDA, N. Y.
87
L. S. MORGAN, 1851-1854.
S. G. ORTON,
1854-1857.
A. COOPER,
1857-1859.
C. B. LORD,
S. WARREN,
1860-1865. 1866.
SYLVESTER COWLES, 1867-1874.
J. V. C. NELLIS, 1875-1878.
W. W. NASON,
1878-1879.
JOHN A. WELLS, . 1879-1881.
M. F. TRIPP, 1882.
1882-1883.
ALBERT B. ROBINSON,
1884-1892.
FRANK H. COFRAN, 1893-1895.
J. EMORY FISHER, 1895 to the present time.
O. L. WHITE, .
--------
88
HISTORICAL SKETCHI OF COWANDA, N. Y.
THE GOWANDA METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
T O COVER a period of seventy years of church history in a short article is something hardly to be thought of.
Records are not always carefully kept, and the recollections of per- sons are sometimes at fault, hence a correct record covering so long a period is a practicable impossibility.
What here appears is as nearly correct as can be obtained, the data for the same being taken from an article published in the Gowanda Herald April 12, 1889, written by the Rev. J. W. Wright, then the pastor, and from information received from the Rev. J. B. Country- man, the present pastor.
Although the corner stone in the present church bears the date of 1832, yet the official records do not go farther back than 1835.
At that time the charge was known as Lodi Circuit. The first place of worship was a school house, that stood on the north end of the same lot on which the church now stands.
The first quarterly meeting was held in a barn, near where the Union Hotel now stands.
The following are some of those who composed the church at that time : Nathan Cass and wife, Josiah Cass and wife, Leonard Johnson and wife, Dr. Merritt, the mother and sister of the late Francis H. Root of Buffalo, Mrs. Moffit, Mrs. Lee, Miss Anderson and Miss Ruba Chaffee.
The first quarterly conference of the Lodi Circuit was held January 24, 1835. Wm. Babcock was the preacher in charge, and Rev. Mr. Yeager, Presiding Elder.
There were evidently other Methodist preachers that preached through this section before that, but the record does not give their names.
During 1836 Wm. Babcock and J. H. Whalan were still the circuit preachers, as they were called.
At the conference held in that year, Hugh Ealy was sent on as the preacher in charge.
RESIDENCE OF J. E. VAN DEUSEN, CHAPEL STREET.
RESIDENCE OF GEORGE H. SWIFT, JAMESTOWN STREET.
89
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF GOWANNDA, N. Y.
About this time Amasa L. Chaffee, James Locke and Titus Roberts appear as new names on the official list.
In 1837, Gustavus Hines became the preacher in charge, and in 1839 H. N. Seaver, and it would appear as though Alpha Wright was also on the circuit at that time.
It was during this year that Titus Roberts was first licensed as a local preacher. The next minister in charge was F. Atchinson, and he, in turn, was followed by J. P. Kent, about 1842.
. The conference of 1843 brought Porter Mckinstry on the field.
The regular church records from 1844 to 1852 were burned in the fire of 1856, but it appears that James Whited was the preacher in charge in 1845, W. S. Tuttle in 1852, who was followed the same year by James Kinard, and following him came James McClelland.
: In 1853, D. Fields was put in charge here. He was a Vermonter, and was familiarly known as Father Fields. In 1854 came Alonzo Newton.
The conference of 1856 brought Rev. Mr. Moran, or Morgan, as pastor. He was, in turn, followed by Rev. Isaac Foster ; he, by Charles Strong, and he, by C. D. Brooks. During 1859 the name of E. E. Chambers appears, but what his relation to the charge was is not clearly stated. He is reported as pastor, and in March of the same year Walter Gorden is referred to as being in charge. It may be there was a change made during the year, as that sometimes occurs. In October, 1860, came the Rev. W. D. Buck, who recently died in Buffalo.
It will be remembered that at about this time occurred the great schism in the church, which resulted in the formation of the Free Methodist Church.
In the fall of 1863 A. P. Ripley was appointed Presiding Elder of the district, and M. H. Rice, preacher in charge. In 1864 came J. J. Roberts, and in 1868, C. D. Burlingham, at which time W. S. Tuttle, a former pastor, was made Presiding Elder, but retired soon after, on account of poor health, and made his home in Akron, where he died February 11, 1889.
In the regular exchanges, Rev. Harris Peck was at this time sent on the charge and E. A. Rice on the district.
In 1873, W. D. Buck was returned a second time as pastor : fol- lowing him came E. A. Rice as preacher in charge, and R. L. Waite as Presiding Elder.
Next came J. W. Sanborn, who did good work, especially among
-----------
90
HISTORICAL, SKETCHI OF GOWANDA, N. Y.
the Indians. He was initiated into the Seneca tribe, being given a name which means " Light from the sky."
In 1879, Dr. D. W. C. Huntington was appointed to the district, and W. B. Cliff as pastor here.
In October, 1882, A. N. Fisher came on to the district and T. T. Rowe was appointed to Gowanda, remaining two years. He was fol- lowed in the fall of 1884 by G. M. Harris. It was during the third year of Mr. Harris' pastorate that the present church was begun, and which was finished the following year.
In the fall of 1887 came J. W. Wright, who was succeeded in 1890 by A. A. Craw, who remained one year, being followed in 1891 by Charles H. Norris, and he, in turn, was succeeded by J. B. Country- man, the present pastor, in 1896.
The present membership of the church is 164.
The present church building was erected in 1887 and '88, by Silas Vinton, contractor, at an expense of about $12,000. It was built largely through the generosity of Francis H. Root, late of Buffalo, a former resident of this village. The church is a commodious struc- ture, covering a ground space of 3,823 square feet, and has a tower 105 feet in height.
The church was formally dedicated February 29, 1888, by Bishop Hurst. An extended account of this interesting event appears in Our Public Interests, the paper published here at that time, in its issue of March 1st, which also contains a fine cut of the building.
Among the old-time ministers, in addition to the above, the dates of whose pastorates cannot be given, were - Seager, - Bunson, Soleman Judd, Amos Wooster, John Bowman and Chaucy Baker.
The Board of Trustees of the church at present is as follows :
O. B. VanDeusen, President ; Truman D. Keyes, Secretary ; W. H. Britton, Jr., Treasurer ; Philander Hurd, A. T. Johnson, F. D. Hall, B. R. Johnson, W. D. Nagle and Charles W. Gauger.
91
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF GOWANDA, N. Y.
THE FREE METHODIST CHURCH OF GOWANDA.
BY REV. WILLIAM JONES.
T HE Free Methodist Church, as a denomination, was organized by a convention of laymen and ministers, which met at Pekin, N. Y., on the 23d day of August, 1860.
The Free Methodist Society of Gowanda was organized in 1861, and their first meetings were held at the residence of Ashbel R. Sellew. The society was composed of from twenty-five to thirty members, prominent among which were Titus Roberts, Samuel C. Springer, William T. Smallwood and John B. Knowls.
The present church building was erected soon after, and on the 13th day of March, 1862, was dedicated by its founder, the Rev. Benjamin T. Roberts, who was elected general superintendent at the first general conference, which position he held to the time of his death, which occurred a few years ago, at Cattaraugus, N. Y.
Rev. B. T. Roberts received his academic education at Lima, N. Y., and his collegiate course at the Wesleyan University, Middle- town, Conn.
The first minister in charge of this church at Gowanda was Charles Hudson, in 1861, and his successors were as follows :
D. M. SINCLAIR, 1862.
WILLIAM JONES,
1863.
J. B. FREELAND, .
1864.
WILLIAM JACKSON,
WILLIAM MANNING,
1866, '67.
A. N. MOORE, .
J. W. MCALPINE, .
1870, '71. 1872, '73.
J. C. WHITE, . 1874.
M. H. MONROE, 1875.
R. W. HAWKINS, 1876.
1865.
C. D. BROOKS,
1868, '69.
------ -- -
92
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF GOWANDA, N. Y.
A. B. MATTHEWSON, . 1877,'78.
A. A. BURGESS,
1879, '80.
WILLIAM JACKSON, 1881, '82.
W. W. BROWN, 1883.
A. C. LEONARD,
1884.
A. H. BENNETT,
1885, '86.
M. O. MERRIOTT,
1887, '88.
C. C. EGLESTON, .
1889, '90.
E. C. BEST,
1891, '92, '93.
JAMES BRADBROOK,
1894.
THOMAS SLOCUM, .
1895, '96.
The charge has since been supplied by William Jones.
1
4
93
HISTORICAL SKETCHI OF GOWANDA, N. Y.
THE LUTHERAN CHURCH OF GOWANDA.
BY REV. L. ULMER.
E FFORTS were made some twenty-eight or thirty years ago to start a society of this church here, but without much success.
The present society was organized in 1877 by the Rev. J. Heiniger of Dunkirk, N. Y., then president of the Lutheran Immanuel Synod.
The organization was completed Sunday, June 12, 1887 : eleven Lutherans were present and took part in the organization.
The society chose as a name " Evangelical Lutheran Trinity Con- gregation of Gowanda, N. Y." At this meeting a constitution, written by the Rev. J. Heiniger, was adopted, and an executive board, consisting of J. P. Brueck, Fr. Ley and G. Thene, were ap- pointed to extend an invitation to all German Lutherans to join the congregation.
July 10, 1887, the congregation decided to extend a call to Rev. Fred Possin to be its pastor.
The next Sunday a board of nine officers were elected, including three elders, three deacons and three trustees. J. P. Brueck was made president of the congregation, and the board : G. Flogous, vice-president ; Fred. Wiegand, treasurer, and C. Andrus, secretary.
In September, 1887, it was voted to purchase a site for a church, and the present site on the north-east corner of Erie Avenue and Park Street was bought and the present church building built thereon, which was dedicated November 25, 1888.
The entire expense of buying the lot and building the church was about 82,300, of which a debt of $1,300 was incurred. This entire sum had been paid by December, 1896, leaving the church property free from debt.
The corner stone of the new church was laid June 3, 1888, by the Rev. J. Heiniger, who delivered the sermon : remarks were also made by the Rev. Albert B. Robinson, pastor of the Presbyterian Church, extending the congratulations of the oldest church in Gowanda to the youngest.
94
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF GOWANDA, N. Y.
The dimensions of the church are thirty by fifty feet. The dedica- tion of the new church took place Sunday, November 25, 1888, and was conducted by the Rev. L. Ulmer, assisted by Rev. A. B. Robin- son of the Presbyterian Church.
The membership at present is twenty-two. The Young Ladies' Society, connected with the church, was organized in 1891, and now has a membership of seventeen.
During the past ten years fifty-nine young men and women have been confirmed here.
The church has a prosperous Sunday School, consisting of about sixty children and nine teachers.
Since 1888 thirty-eight funerals have taken place in this congrega- tion ; the Lord's Supper has been administered forty times, to about 1,000 communicants.
January 29, 1888, the writer became the pastor of the church. Was installed, April 18th, in the Free Methodist Church, by the President of the Lutheran Immanuel Synod, Rev. J. Heiniger, assisted by Rev. W. E. Rommel of Salamanca, and has continued such pastor down to the present time.
DRUGS& MEDICI
ALLEN BROTHERS' DRUG STORE, JAMESTOWN STREET.
GOWANDA CANNING COMPANY, COMMERCIAL STREET.
95
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF GOWANDA, N. Y.
ST. JOSEPH'S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.
T HE PRESENT church building, on the west side of Erie Avenue, was built in 1887.
For about twenty years prior to that time services were held in Peter Rink's Hall, over his store, on the west side of Buffalo Street ; during the latter part of the time by Father J. H. Leddy. For about , one and a half years, just before the church was built, services were held at the house of William Kennedy.
The building committee of the new church were: Peter Rink, Joseph Nabor, Jr., William Kennedy, William Smith, Cornelius Collins, Peter Freeman and Henry Salzler.
Since the church was built, the following priests have been in charge here :
O. Hogenforst, J. Wilber, John Nash, - Adolph, - Daly, Thomas Harrack, John Tracey. Father Tracey being now in charge.
The Holy Cross Cemetery, in connection with the church, con- sists of one acre of land on the hill east of the village, and was deeded for that purpose October 10, 1884.
Peter Rink, who is a liberal supporter of the church, assisted materially in building the church, and advanced all the money, some $200, with which to purchase the land for the cemetery.
96
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF GOWANDA, N. Y.
THE LEGAL FRATERNITY IN GOWANDA.
AT ONE time and another there have lived and practiced their profession in this village thirty-eight lawyers. Many of them have died, others have moved away, and are now living at other places, and six are here yet, to wit : J. M. Congdon, Fred J. Blackmon, I. R. Leonard, Ward J. Wilber, G. M. Congdon and Theodore F. Welch.
The list of those who have been here at some time is as follows : Albert G. Burke, Chester Howe, L. H. Hewett, Ashbel H. Hurd, D. C. Bailey, John W. Turner, Ira E. Irish, Chas. S. Macomber, J. M. Parker, A. M. Brown, William Woodbury, C. C. Torrance, M. T. Jenkins, J. W. Deuel, A. A. Bruce, Mark W. Fletcher, George B. Wood, Julian C. Converse, Henry F. Allen, Frank S. Smit , Frank A. Newell, Hudson Ansley, Charles W. Blackney, J. M. Congdon, George M. Rider, Hudson H. Parke, E. M. Sanger, I. R. Leonard, E. Cook, Fred J. Blackmon, H. W. Allen, O. D. Sprague, G. M. Congdon, Ward J. Wilber, F. S. Thorpe, J. K. Brown, David F. Urmy and Theodore F. Welch.
97
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF GOWANDA, N. Y.
THE MEDICAL PROFESSION IN GOWANDA.
IN POINT of numbers the lawyers seem to have the better of the doctors, but on the theory that possibly one doctor can do as much good as two lawyers, perhaps the proportion is all right.
Twenty-seven doctors have practiced their profession in Gowanda, of which the following are now living and practicing here : Horace Babcock, Corydon C. Johnson, J. G. Rugg, Albert D. Lake, John D. Zwetsch, Burnell R. Johnson and Walter Vosburgh.
The list complete so far as known is as follows : Sands Niles Crumb, Phipps Lake, T. P. Whipple, - Benjamin, - Merrick, Seth Field, - Merritt, - Fritts, Stephen B. Green, - Dav- ison, Samuel G. Ellis, John S. Shugert, Horace Babcock, Corydon C. Rug. Corydon C. Johnson, John F. Allen, George W. Barr, George C. DeLamater, Harley L. Atwood, J. G. Rugg, R. E. Moss, Ernest Von Schulenburg, F. D. Pierce, John D. Zwetsch, Albert D. Lake, Burnell R. Johnson and Walter Vosburgh.
Since the above was written, and on June 6, 1898, Dr. Corydon C. Johnson has died, and it seems appropriate some mention should be made of that fact here.
Dr. Johnson has practiced his profession continuously in Gowanda since 1864, and had a deservedly large practice. For many years he was president of the Board of Education, and in many other ways was identified with the welfare and prosperity of this village.
Three sons and a daughter mourn the loss of a kind father, and the village one of its best citizens.
.
98
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF GOWANDA, N. Y.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
BY J. P. BRUECK.
F IRE causes more or less damage in all thickly settled communi- ties, and this village is no exception to that rule.
Probably, our most destructive fire was the one that has since been referred to as " The Great Fire of 1856," in which from $100,000 to $125,000 worth of property was destroyed.
The Chronicle, published here at the time, was completely burned out, and so far as appears was never published afterwards.
However, a detailed statement of the fire was printed in the New Yorker of Gowanda, under date of November 24, 1857, from data furnished by James M. Joy. From that article, and from an article by William H. Stuart, published in the Gowanda Herald, May 8, 1891, this statement of the fire is made up.
The origin of the fire is a matter of doubt. It may have been the work of an incendiary, but it is generally believed that it originated from sparks from the chimney of A. R. Sellew's furnace on the east side, falling into combustible materials in the tub factory of Gideon Webster. This was about 1 o'clock P. M., April 30, 1856.
The fire spread rapidly and soon communicated to the foundry ; thence, the sparks were carried by a northeast wind across the creek and communicated with the barn of Dr. S. G. Ellis, on property afterwards owned by L. S. Jenks, and now by H. R. Gaensslen.
Soon the bridge, a wooden-covered structure, was on fire, and the draft was so great that the flame shot through and struck the Mansion House, then kept by Seley Blackney, on the corner of Main and Jamestown streets. This was a magnificent building, with three stories and a basement, and was totally destroyed. Almost at the same time the Lodi House, kept by M. H. Barker, on the corner of Main and Water streets (the present site of the store of Arnold & Wallace), was on fire and was also burned.
At the time of the fire there were buildings on the creek side of Water Street, all of which were burned. Beginning at the bridge. and going up stream, there were the tailor shop of John Wilbor, in
99
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF GOWANDA, N. Y.
which from 1845 to 1849 was kept the post-office ; H. Palmer's har- ness shop, Z. Hanford's tailor shop, T. J. Parker's tailor shop. Below. the bridge the grocery of L. N. Gardner and J. P. Roller's meat market.
The following buildings were burned :
H. N. Hooker's store, dwelling house and barn ; the Lodi House . and barn, M. H. Barker, proprietor ; William Woodbury's law office, also occupied by J. M. Joy as a dwelling ; the Mansion House and barn ; two stores, including the post-office, dwelling house and barn, property of D. N. Brown, postmaster ; John Pierce's house and barn ; E. Dake's shoe shop ; house owned by Porter Welch, and T. How- ard's bakery, all lying between Main and Jamestown streets ; E. S. & J. S. Griswold's grocery ; Hiram Palmer's harness shop; John P. Roller's meat market ; N. Blackney's grocery ; T. J. Parker's cloth- ing store ; Porter Welch's dry goods store, storehouse and barn ; Odd Fellows' Hall; Zimri Warner's clothing store ; Gideon Webster's building, occupied by A. Needham as a shoe shop ; A. L. Chaffee's dry goods store ; Sellew's Block, including his hardware store, milli- nery store of Miss Eliza G. Agard, and the Chronicle office ; Charles Rollinson's furniture store and a large quantity of lumber ; M. F. Crandall's gun shop ; grocery, dwelling and barn of L. Orr; H. K. Dawson's wagon shop, and a lot of lumber ; William Dauber's black- smith shop; dwelling of H. M. Morgan. On the east side, A. R. Sellew's furnace ; Gideon Webster's pail factory ; Asahel Camp's woolen factory, dry house and boarding house ; the Webster Block, occupied by Gideon Webster as a dry goods store, and E. N. Warner as a grocery ; E. W. Henry's store, house and barn ; the old grist mill and saw mill of Ralph Plumb; the veneering shop of McMillen & Bugbee, and the wooden bridge.
The fire raged from one till four ; by that time every business place on the Erie side was destroyed except the Plumb Block, the old wool carding mill and saw and flour mill ; on the Cattaraugus side, on Main Street, all buildings on the north side to the old brick office, now the site of Phelps' drug store, and on the south side to Adelia Water- man's house, now owned by J. F. Matthews ; all buildings on James- . town Street, to B. Davis' shop, now Frank Davis' shop, on that side, and to the present residence of S. L. Stebbins, near the livery stable on that side : on Water Street, up stream, to Hiram Palmer's house,
.
.
100
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF GOWANDA, N. Y.
nearly opposite the Enterprise Building, and down stream to the house above the Fields House.
Probably the next largest fire was that of October 12, 1875, which burned the Barker House and barn, the Hanford Building and the store and dwelling of H. N. Hooker. and other property.
From time to time the propriety of procuring fire protection had been discussed, but without results.
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.