USA > New York > Chautauqua County > Portland > Historical sketches of the town of Portland : comprising also the pioneer history of Chautauqua County, with biographical sketches of the early settlers > 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
No. 6 was erected substantially with its present boundaries May 21, 1819. But slight alterations have been made. It is the Brocton district and occupies territory immediately around that village, including Brocton station and all lying south of the main track of the Lake Shore R. R. as far east as the west line of John Flanders' land : east on the Main road as far as the town line of Pomfret ; west as far as the west line of the " Coney farm." or the line between lots 19 and 26. T. 5, and south to the line of district No. 4, No. 1 being on the northeast. The first school taught in this district was by a Miss Kimball. 4 It was opened in a small shanty made of
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THE TOWN OF PORTLAND.
rough boards with a board chimney, standing on the east side of the Slippery Rock creek, on the north side of the Main road and on a knoll but a hundred feet east of the bridge. It was built for a dwelling but hired for a school for the summer of 1819. On the first day of school it took fire and burned down. A log house was at once put up by the district on the same spot, the school continued and a school taught in it during the winter of 1819-20 by Jewett Prime. Miss Mary Ann Drake, now Mrs. Edmund Day, of the town of Dunkirk, taught school in this house in the summer of 1823. It was used until the fall of 1823 when a frame house was built a few rods further cast on the corner of a lot immediately in front of the present residence of Mrs. Caroline Hall, north part lot 13. T. 5, and used in winter of 1823-4. It was burned in 1824 and on December 4th following the district resolved to rebuild the house but on a new site, one now occupied as a yard immediately east of the present dwelling of James H. Haight in Brocton. It was completed the first of December the next year but was used for a school during the summer of 1825. This house is still standing and is the back part of the store of R. A. Hall, hardware merchant in Brocton. The present house was built nearly opposite the old one in 1844 by Josiah Hall at a cost of $349; $75 were raised to pay for the site. An addition was built in 1855 at a cost of $400.
No. 7 was erected May 21, 1819. It was first erected in 1817. It suffered largely at the hands of the school officers of the town but it maintained its identity and number through the whole. It lies immediately north of Portland Center and is commonly called the "Harris District." The first school house was built in 1819 or '20 and stood about ten to twenty rods north of the present residence of J. E. Harris on the northern part of lot 32, T. 5. It was used but a short time. It was of course built of logs. A frame house was built by voluntary labor on the same site but was never finished. It was used
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF
until 1838 when another frame was built on a site adjoining the site of the present house on the north, which was used until 1855 when the present one was built on a site adjoining on the south, on the easterly part of lot 32. T. 5. The site was purchased of B. F. Pecor for $50. No. 8 was erected April 28, 1827, and is usually known as the "old brick school house district." and occupies territory south and west of No. 10, north of No. 2, east of No. 3 and south of No. 5. It includes territory first settled in town and the second school house built in town (in 1811) was in this district. Like the rest its proportions have been largely changed. The first school house built in No. 8 proper was a brick one in 1827. Cephas Brainard. Elisha Fay and Wm. Dunn were the first trustees. It was situated on the western part of lot 30, T. 5. The present house was built in 1853 : $50 was raised to enlarge the site.
In 1832 a district was formed from a part of No. 8 and territory along the Main road and the west portion of Centerville and extending north of the Main road at that point, and a house built on the corner opposite and in front of the house of Thomas Quigley on the northwest corner of lot 30, T. 5. It was discontinued after a few years and the house removed to the southeast corner near the house of Stephen Weld and fitted up for a dwelling, and afterward to Center- ville, and is now a part of the dwelling of Mrs. Delia Gator. There are no records of this district and its number has passed from memory.
No. 9 was erected into a district May 17, 1823. It occupies territory north of Brocton district. No. 6. having No. I on the east and No. 7 on the west with the lake on the north. Most of the property of the " Harris Community," so called. lies in this district. The first school was taught by a Miss Willoughby and was continued for two or three seasons. It was a private school. kept in the house of Simon Burton and afterwards in the house of Oliver Spafford previous to the formation of the district. Immediately after the formation of
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THE TOWN OF PORTLAND.
the district a house was built on land of Willard Burton, now owned by T. L. Harris, the central portion of lot 22. T. 5. which was occupied until the present one was built on the northeast corner of lot 21, T. 5, in 1853.
No. 10. This district was formed in 1838 and was then called No. 13, but was changed in 1843 to No. 10. It is the Centerville district and has No. 7 on the north, No. 6 on the east and No. 8 on the south and west. The first school house erected in this district was in 1838 at a cost of $225 including site. It stood on the site of the house of G. W. Munger on the northwest part of lot 25, T. 5. It was removed to the site of the present house in 1843, and is still standing near the road on the farm of Mrs. Mericle south of Centerville. The present one was built in 1854 upon the site of the old one.
No. 11, commonly called the "Howe district," was formed on the 21st of February, 1832, and was principally taken from the No. 4 of May 9, 1816. It occupied territory on the south- easterly section of the town east of No. 2 and south of No. 4 The first house was built in 1832 at a cost of $125, and occupied a site a few rods west of "Howe's corner" ou the north side of the road near the center of the farm then owned by Loren Shattuck but now by H. Parmeter. It was removed to its present site on the "corner" near the residence of Isaac Howe a little south of the center of lot 10. T. 5. and repaired, in 1860.
Joint School Districts .- No. 3. a joint district with West field, has been described as district 3.
No. 5, joint with Westfield, occupies territory south of No. 3. The house stands in Westfield on northeast corner of lot 31. T. 4, R. 14.
No. 8, joint with Chautauqua, occupies territory on the "Chantanqua hill." the house standing in Chautauqua near the "church on the hill." on the northeasterly part of lot 80. T. 4, R. 13.
No. 20. joint with Chautauqua, commonly called the "Ehn
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Flats district." The honse stands in Chautauqua near the church of the "United Brethren." a little west of the center of lot 45. T. 4. R. 13.
No. 19. joint with Pomfret and usually known as " Harmon Hill district." The house stands in Pomfret on the south line of lot 61, T. 5. R. 12.
Salem Acudenty .- In 1832 Jacob Whitman purchased of Moses Joy the farm now occupied by J. L. Hatch and II. A. S. Thompson. north part of lot 19, T. 5. Having a son at college at Clinton, N. Y., whom he wished to establish as a teacher. he concieved the idea of the establishment of a high school to be located upon his own premises and placed under the care of his son when he should return home: This plan was successfully carried out and in 1834 a building was erected and completed at his own expense upon a site a few rods west of the wine house of Ryckman. Day & Co .. where for some years stood the residence of Milton Clements, now removed and owned by Mrs. D. A. Baker. The building was occupied the following winter by Mr. Whitman and afterward by Charles H. LaHatt. son of Rev. Charles Lallatt. pastor of the Baptist church at Salem X Roads. now Brocton. and still later by S. H. Shaw, now a practicing physician in Ripley. this county, and possibly by others, and the school obtained some degree of notoriety and efficiency. Although undertaken as a private enterprise the citizens of the town soon became interested. and for a better and more thorough organization and to secure a greater degree of efficiency, a board of trustees was elected at a meeting held for the purpose, of which board Barzillai Barker was president. and the school became established on a good working basis. The success for a few years was flattering but from causes not known to the writer the interest died ont and the enterprise came to an end. There are now no records to be found of the transactions and nearly every thing definite seems to have faded from the minds of the people with reference to it, the above meagre statement being all the writer has been able to glean. The building was
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THE TOWN OF PORTLAND.
eventually removed by Hubbard Wells to a site on the west portion of the same farm, and is now the main portion of the dwelling of Joseph L. Hatch.
This much for school districts and school houses. The system of education by means of common schools has been appreciated by the people of the town from the first introduc- tion in 1814, and a good degree of pride and good judgment manifested in the erection of suitable houses for the use of the districts. This was as manifest in the earlier days of the settlements before the introduction of the school system as at the present: considering the few facilities then at command schools have been maintained with great promptness and regularity and a standard of education attained second to no town in the county away from the larger educational institutions. and the town may well congratulate itself upon the position it occupies in this respect. In proportion to the population and the facilities for education no town in the county has furnished a larger number of first-class school teachers or those that have obtained a better reputation in their calling.
In searching the records of the various school districts in town, a large amount of shrewdness is seen to have existed and sharp practice resorted to in determining the site for their houses, that might have been no discredit, as far as ability was concerned, to the titled representatives of the same rural constituency. But it is agreeable to know that the right and the best interests of the districts usually prevailed. The houses at this writing are in the main sufficiently commodious and convenient and are a credit to the districts and the town.
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CHAPTER XXI.
Public School Fund .- From what formed and how applied-Town Fund of Portland- How Created and how Apportioned.
The pride and glory of the State is its system of common school educational interests. By it an education to some extent is brought within the reach of every family within the State. The State is divided into eleven thousand districts of greater or less extent, to suit the necessities or the convenience of the inhabitants, and in each a school is taught during some portion of the year. and is accessible to all from four to twenty one years of age. The State has made large provisions for the support of these schools, in part from a fund created for the purpose, and in part by a tax upon the taxable property of towns. It will be at least interesting to note some of the earlier appropriations by the State for the formation and increase of the School Fund :
In 1799, seven-eighths. of four lotteries of $100.00 $87.500.00 1801, one-half of lotteries of $100,000, aggregate 50.000.00
1805, Proceeds of land sold, 500,000 acres.
1805, Stock in Bank, and increased in 1807 and 8
1816, Half of proceeds of Crumhorn Mountain. tract of land 6,944 acres, 5,208
1819, Half the arrears quitrents. 26,690
1819, Exchange of Securities between general and common school funds, by which the school fund gained 161.641
Proceeds of escheated lands in Military tract were added to the school fund.
1822. By the provisions of the constitution all public lands, amounting to 991,659 acres were given,
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THE TOWN OF PORTLAND.
1827. Balance of a loan in 1786. amounting to 33,616.00
.. Bank Stock given, 100.000.00
.. C'anal Stoek owned by the State, 150,000.00
1838. Revenue of U. S. deposit fund, annually, 110,000.00
From the revenue of the U. S. deposit fund $25,000 was annually added to the capital of the common school fund, and by the provisions of the constitution the capital of the fund must remain inviolate.
By various subsequent acts of the legislature. the capital of the school fund became changed in form, and is at present composed as follows :
5 per cent. State stock issued on account of the Astor debt, redeemable at pleasure. $41,753.9]
5 per cent. issued on account of deficiency in the General Fund Debt Sinking Fund, redeemable at pleasure,
188.260.00
6 per cent. issued on account of the deficiency in the General Fund Debt Sinking Fund, redeem- able at pleasure.
905,041.33
7 per cent. issned in pursuance of chapter 325 laws of 1865, and chapter 209 laws of 1866 redeemable Apr. 7, 1877,
30,000.00
Comptroller Bonds. 6 per cent. redeemable at pleasure,
36,000.00 50.000.00
Bank Stock, 1000 shares in Manhattan Company,
7 per sent. Oswego city bonds. issued in pursuance of chapter 500 laws of 1867. and chapter 21 laws of 1868, redeemable from Jan. 1, 1871. to Jan. 1, 1879. 51,400.00 Bonds for land. 214,820.13 215.431.69
Bonds for Loans.
Mortgages for loans under the act of 1840. in charge of the commissioners of the U. S. deposit fund 49,326.00 1,277,547.36
Money in the Treasury.
Total, $3.004.513.55
The reveme arising from this fund. together with nearly two and a half millions of dollars obtained yearly by tax upon the assessed property of the towns of the State. comprises the amount distributed by the State Superintendent to districts
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF
and counties for the support of schools in accordance with provisions of the statute as follows :
After deducting the salaries of school commissioners : a specified sum for each of the Assemblymen from cities: the library money ; a contingent fund : and for support of Indian schools, the remainder is divided into two parts, one part being one-third and the other part being two-thirds. The one-third is divided equally among the school districts in the State, including cities under certain regulations, from which reports have been received according to law ; and the two-thirds are distributed among the counties of the State according to their respective populations. excluding Indians on their reservations. The school commissioners of each county after deducting small sums for certain specified objects, distribute one-half the money apportioned to the county by the State superintendent, among the various school districts and parts of districts in the county according to the number of children in said district between the ages of four and twenty-one years, and the other half they distribute among districts and parts of districts in proportion to the average daily attendance of pupils residing therein, between the ages of four and twenty-one years, at their respective schools during the last preceeding school year. There are some other things taken into account of which I will make no mention. being of minor consideration. as the only intention is to give a general view of the manner of distribution.
In the school law of 1814 the system adopted for the raising of any deficiency for teachers' wages was by Rate Bill, which system was continued under every change of the code for 53 years. It was the occasion of more disputes and bickering's in connection with the affairs of schools. than all other things combined. By the 26th section of chapter 406, laws of 1867. this feature was abolished. and all deficiences ordered collected by tax upon the taxable property within the district. This was an important change and one that ought to have been
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THE TOWN OF PORTLAND.
brought about many years earlier. Thus the principle was ยท fairly acknowledged that as the education of the great body of the people by means of common schools is the only security of our free institutions and the rights to property. that the property should be made to pay the expenses of its own security and enjoyment.
Union Schools were allowed to be established under certain conditions, by act of April 13th. 1853.
Normal and Training Schools, have been established at various points in the State for the education of teachers; the first at the city of Albany, May 7th, 1844, and the first session was opened December 18th. of that year. The others are situated at Oswego. Potsdam. Brockport, Geneseo. Fredonia. Cortland and Buffalo.
Teachers' Institutes were legally established in 1847, although held as voluntary associations for some years previous. The first was held at Ithaca, Tompkins county. April 4, 1843, and in other counties soon after. They were not recognized by the State until they had become a fixed fact.
The town of Portland accepted the provisions of the school law in April 1814. and claimed a portion of the public fund. and ordered the assessment of a school tax. That year the tax was thirty dollars, twice the amount of the public fund from the State. The amount for 1815 is not stated. but for 1816 and 1817 is was thirty dollars each year. and in 1819 sixty dollars. The tax upon the town for school purposes in 1829, the year the town assumed its present proportions. was $84.76. and in 1867 it was $448.21.
The amounts raised each year by tax will be found in the table of taxes. under the head of -Schools."
For the past thirty-eight years the town has had a small but permanent school fund. in addition to the above. the interest of which is yearly drawn and applied as other funds are applied. This fund was created in 1833 from the poor funds in the hands of the overseers of the poor in town. by a vote at
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF
a special town meeting held at the house of Robert K. Barnes. inn-keeper. now owned and occupied by O Jenner Groene. on January 29. 1833. The meeting had been called for the express purpose. The act of the Legislature of April 29. 1829. directing that every town abolishing the distinction between town and county poor, should by vote designate how and for what purposes they would apply the poor funds of the town if any in the hands of the overseers. At this meeting it was deter- mined by a large majority to apply it for the support of common schools, and at the annual town meeting following, it was resolved that the "poor fund. amounting to $460.54 be a permanent fund. the interest only applicable for the support of schools." The amount was immediately loaned by the commissioners of schools and the payment secured by mort- gage upon real estate. The interest is apportioned as other funds are apportioned for the districts of the town. vet separately.
The amount of public funds apportioned to the town from all sources for school purposes in 1971 was $1.386.13.
Early School Teachers. The first school taught in town was by Miss Anna Eaton, a sister of David Eaton. Esq .. on the premises of Capt. James Dunn. in 1810. Miss Eaton came to the wilderness of Portland with her brother and mother in 1896. (See biographical sketches). She was an estimmable young lady and was long remembered by those among whom she spent the carly years of her pioneer life. Previous to this she had taught at the Crossroads. now Westfield. and one term at "Colt's Station." some seven miles south of North-East. Pa .. and one term at what is now Ripley. She followed teaching until 1815. when she married Solomon Nichols, removed to Oneida county. this State, and died there in December. 1834.
AUGUSTINE KLUMPH: Mr. K. taught the first and only school in the small log school-house built in 1810. the first built in the town. and referred to as standing nearly opposite the "okt
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THE TOWN OF PORTLAND.
stone school-house" in the winter of 1810-11. (See biograph- ical sketches).
POLLY PRICE: Taught one termin a small log building, stand- ing in the field nearly in front of the residence of the late David Eaton, in the summer of 181. She also taught in Salem X Roads, (Brocton) one term and in Distriet No. 4 one term. She was the daughter of John Price. the first settler of the farm now owned and ocenpied by Edward MeGarrall. She is supposed to be still living in Iowa.
DAVID EATON: Taught in the log school-house referred to as standing in the orchard of Cullen Burr. on lot 34. T. 5 in part of the house of J. S. West. in the winter of 1813-14. He commenced his school in December, taught one month. then volunteered for a campaign on the Canadian frontier in the war of 1812; was absent two months. returning in March, when he resumed his place in the school and kept through the term. le kept a second term in this house. He was a snecessful teacher.
ErnAN A. FAY: Came from White Hall. Vermont, in 1814. and taught school in the log house on the Cullen Burr farm, in the winter of 1814-15. He returned to Vermont in 1817 or '18.
SILAS DINSMORE: Taught schoool in the log house that Eaton taught in. in the winter of 1815-16. He was nineteen years of age, a woll educated, shrewd and more than commonly intelligent young man. and a little eccentric withal. The next winter he taught in Canadaway. now Fredonia : and was afterward employed by the United States Government as a surveyor of public lands in Alabama and sent to that state with a party equipped for the work to be accomplished. and for a long sojourn in those inhos pitable wilds. He was a young man unyieklingly strict with reference to his language, both in speaking and writing. and indisposed to tolerate in any one no matter what
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his position. the least departure from the rules of syn- tax. or a strict construction of fact. While engaged in the discharge of his duties, he received a letter from the head of one of the departments at Washington, under whose direction the survey was being conducted, asking for information with reference to the progress of his work. and some facts with reference to the country, its soil. surface. streams &e, and amongst other things the secre- tary said : "In your reply to this please be kind enough to inform me with reference to some of the larger streams of that portion of the country, and in particular how far the Tombigber runs up into the state." In the reply of Mr. Dinsmore he said: "I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of yous of the-ult. and to inform yon that the Tombigbee does not run up at all." For this considered to be disrespectful reply, though dictated with no such spirit. he lost his place as surveyor for the government. The secretary wrote him by return mail as follows: "I have the honor to inform you that the United States Government has no further need of your services." The above incident has been related of that inveterate wag Lieut. Derby. alias John Phenix : but the older settlers of Portland well remember the circumstance, and the actor to have been no other than the Portland pedagogue.
Miss - WILLOUGHBY: Taught school in the now district No. 9 before its organization. in the house of Simon Burton and Oliver Spafford in the years 1817-18 and '19.
Miss -- KimBALL: Taught the first school at Salem X Roads. now Brocton in the summer of 1819. [See Description of School Districts. No. 6.] She was the daughter of Kimball. a shoemaker, living in a small house not far from the present house on the "Coney Farm." on northwest part of lot 19. T. 5. The family moved west soon after.
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THE TOWN OF PORTLAND.
LUKE DRURY: Came from Eastern New York, taught school in the frame school house. the first built in town. on the "Bowdish Farm," in the winter of 1817-'18. [See Biog. Sketches, P. Kane.] He was the first teacher occupying that house.
GILLETT BACON : [See Biog. Sketches.] Mr. Bacon taught school in the frame house on the "Bowdish Farm" in the winter of 1818-'19: the third teacher occupying the house.
JEWETT PRIME: Taught school in the log school house on the east side of the creek at Brocton in the winter of 1819-20. [See Description of District No. 6, also Biog. Sketches.]
JOHN NEVINS: Taught school in the frame house on the "Bowdish Farm" on lot 33, T. 5, in the winter of 1819-'20. He came from Forestville in this county.
HIGH LOWRY: Taught in the schoolhouse near E. Saunders' house standing on the northwest part of lot 55, T. 4, nearly in front of the house of Mr. Saunders, in the winter of 1822- 23.
MATILDA HULBURT: Taught in the log schoolhouse on lot 55. T. 4. (See No. 13) in the summer of 1822.
MARY ANN DRAKE: Taught in the log house on the east side of the creek at Brocton in the summer of 1823 She was the daughter of Eli Drake, who lived in one of the very few log houses between Fredonia and Dunkirk on Central Avenue, on the east side and nearly in front of the hotel of A. M. Hunt. She is now the wife of Edmund Day, of the town of Dunkirk.
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