USA > New York > Cayuga County > History of Cayuga County, New York > Part 34
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From the hillsides and higher parts of the tablelands issue springs, about a dozen in number, with such force as to indicate their connection with the waters of the southern lakes in the county.
GENOA.
Genoa township is the central portion of what was originally organized as the town of "Milton," 1797, ten years prior to the formation of Cayuga County. The population of Milton in 1800 was 3,353. Locke was taken off in 1802; the name changed in 1808, to "Genoa," and in 1810 with its limits reduced by a town- ship, the population was 5,245.
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Genoa lies in the southwest corner of the county, is four miles across in latitude and ten miles long. Cayuga Lake is its western boundary. The land along the shore rising rather abruptly a mile inland, abounds in deep ravines, sporting slender streams whirling and eddying over the shale rock of which the base of the soil is formed. From thence to the summit ridge, the rolling surface rises gradually to an elevation of six hundred feet above the lake, the soil, a rich clay loan, forming pleasant situations and beautiful landscapes.
From the summit ridge still eastward, the declivities appear in rapid succession, often from fifty to one hundred and fifty feet, to Little Salmon Creek. The east branch, Big Salmon Creek, is divided from the west branch by beautifully rolling lands, exten- sively known as the "Indian Fields" the site of an Indian village. The eastern part of the town may be regarded as the third undulat- ing swell of land, still rising from the lake; the soil predominating to a rich, friable, sandy loam.
Genoa village, on Big Salmon Creek, contains two churches, two flouring mills, machine shop, one hotel, a village school, a printing office and several stores, and a vigorous grain and country produce trade. Population about three hundred. Northville (King's Ferry) four and a half miles west of Genoa, in the northwestern part of the town, has two churches, one hotel, one school, and several stores. Population two hundred and fifty. Five Corners, contains a church, a school, and about fifty dwellings; East Genoa and Little Hollow are hamlets. The town has two landings on the lake, King's Ferry and Atwaters. The pioneer history of Genoa has been almost wholly left to pass away with the heroic fathers and mothers, whose memory alone is the stereotype whence we might print, were they still accessible, interesting and reliable sketches, now gone forever. The following notes of the first settlers have been carefully sifted out of the traditions obtained from more than a score of the "oldest inhabitants," now living in the town. All of
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them are sons and daughters of honored pioneer settlers, several were youthful witnesses of the "first ground broken" in their respective parts of the town. John Clark from Washington County, N. Y. was the first settler within the present limits of the town in 1790. Ebenezer Hopkins and Joseph Hadley settled over in what is now Lansing, in the same year ; also the Cases, Gilberts, Thurstons and Jonathan Brownell, and Thomas Manchester settled north of the present town line (now Ledyard) in 1790. Ebin Guthrie, John King, Nathaniel Walker and others came from the Wyoming valley in 1791. David King had first come to Springport, in 1790, where David King, Jr. was born December 16, 1790, the first white child born in the "Settlements." The next year 1791, Governor George Clinton ordered the "squatters" all driven off the Springport Reser- vation, by a sheriff and posse of fifty men. King and some twelve or thirteen other families were turned adrift and their houses burned. Several of them settled over in Genoa; King early in the fall of 179I. Samuel Clark came on to "Indian Fields" over in Venice and his son William was one of the first on the "Fields" in Genoa. William Clark came from Washington County, N. Y., early in the spring of 1792, William Miller Clark at the same time; Daniel Heath also. John Kelsey and his son Ansel from Susquehanna came as early as 1791, and bought two hundred acres where the Presbyterian church in Genoa village now stands, Gamaliel Terry, a soldier in the Revolution, came in 1792, from Salisbury, Conn. Captain Robert Moon who was taken prisoner in the War of the Revolution and sent to England with Colonel Ethan Allen, came in 1793-and drew two military lots; five sons and two daughters came with him. Benjamin Close, John Moe, Jonathan Mead, John Weeks, and Daniel Wilson, came in the same year (1793) and probably the first Presbyterian church of the town was organized soon after at Northville. The years 1790-1-2 and 3 had brought twelve families into the town. In 1794, there were thirty-four families in the town. Jabez Brad-
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ley, the first settler at Northville had come from Lee, Berkshire County, Mass., in 1794, and Dan Bradley was born to him May 1, I794. Dan was the first male child born in the town; Herman Bradley, Elnathan Close, Israel Mead, and Samuel Wilson came in the same year. Paul Barger and William Jessup from England; the Hendersons, Armstrongs, Smith, Tidds, Barreses, Thorps, Woods, Palmers, Wilsons, Bothwells and others came in Lyons, from 1794 to 1800.
LEDYARD.
Ledyard was formed from Scipio January 30, 1823, and was named after Benjamin Ledyard agent and clerk for the apportion- ment of lands in the Military Tract. It lies on the east bank of Cayuga Lake southwest of the center of the county. The surface inclines toward the west, its extreme east border being elevated five hundred or six hundred feet above the lake level. Generally the hill slopes are gradual and the streams are small, rapid brooks, the principal one being Paine's Creek which flows through a narrow ravine in the south part. The soil is very fertile, being a sandy, clayey loam.
Aurora village on the east bank of Cayuga Lake was incorpo- rated May 5, 1837, and is beautifully situated, and commands a view of the most picturesque portions of the lake, which here widens out to about four miles. Among all the villages of this section of the state which are celebrated for their beauty, there is nothing to surpass the little village of Aurora. It contains some of the most elegant country residences west of the Hudson and all that taste and wealth, aided by the lavish hand of Nature can do to beautify the place has been done. With its charming bay, beautiful walks and drives, splendid mansions and cultivated society, we know of no more delightful retreat in the whole circle of states. Here began the first settlement of Cayuga County and, around it as a charmed spot, the best influences of civilization have lingered and lavished their countless blessings.
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HISTORY OF CAYUGA COUNTY
Aurora was the first county seat of Onondaga County and in 1799, when Cayuga County was organized, the Court of Common Pleas was held at Cayuga Ferry (later Bridge) ; but in 1804 the county seat was moved back to Aurora, and here the first court house was erected. It was made of half a dozen posts set in the ground with poles resting on them, covered with brush. The first house in Cayuga County was erected by Captain Franklin and every settler within a distance of fifty miles assisted in the undertaking. They numbered thirteen and were assisted by several Indians. The house was situated a little north of the old residence of Jonathan Richmond and was about fourteen feet square.
Jonathan Richmond settled in Aurora in 1791, Walter Wood, in 1794, Eleazur Barnhanı in 1799, and Christopher Morgan in 1800. The Cayuga Academy was founded in 1799, though not chartered and built till 1801. Under the direction of Salem Town this academy afterward became the pride of the place, and was one of the principal institutions of learning in Western New York. In 1798, Mr. Morgan opened his store which, passing into the possession of his sons at his death was by them conducted, and still later and up to the present time by his grandsons. It is the oldest mercantile house west of the Hudson.
In 1803, an old Indian named John, murdered Mr. Crane, one of the oldest settlers of Seneca County; and after a hard struggle was captured and had his trial at Aurora in 1804, before Judge Tompkins. He was sentenced to be hung. The sentence was car- ried into execution, notwithstanding his desire to be shot. This was the first case of capital punishment in Cayuga County. In 1797, the Free and Accepted Masons formed an organization and in 1819 they erected a fine lodge building. In 1817, Roswell Towsley built a mill in the village, and in the same year the first church was built. About 1822 the first steamer commenced its trips on Cayuga Lake, adding new life and vigor to the place.
Odinin B. Lagano
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Millard Fillmore received his education in Aurora and then commenced the study of law, with Judge Walter Wood. The vil- lage has had the honor of being the residence of such men as Salem Town (of old time spelling book and reader memory), Palmer the sculptor, Henry Wells, founder of the express business, Honorable E. B. Morgan, Rev. Dr. Cuyler, the eminent Brooklyn divine, Dr. Alexander Thompson, a name well known to the hor- ticulturists of New York and a number of others of later date.
"Wells College," the gift of Henry Wells, Esq., to the cause of female education, beautifully situated in the south part of the village, was commenced in April, 1866, and completed in 1868. It is built in the Norman style of architecture with tucked joints, fourteen gables, and two towers. The entrance is through a fine portico, with groined arches and the students' rooms, parlors, etc. are large and convenient. A fine view of the bay and lake may be had from nearly every window in the building.
On August 9, 1888, the main hall was destroyed by fire. This calamity which seemed irreparable at first soon proved itself a blessing in disguise. The real strength and real life of any college is best seen in the character and devotion of its students, graduates and friends. And in this respect, Wells never appeared to better advantage than at the time of this disaster. Scarcely any of the old students failed to return at the opening of the term in September, and of the new ones enrolled, the few who voluntarily withdrew were nearly all in the preparatory grade. For nearly two years the devotion of teachers, students and friends, carried the college through the most critical period of its existence, and planted it on firmer and more generous foundations than it had ever had before. The Village Hotel was chartered by the trustees and re-christened the Wayside Inn. The original Morgan homestead was brought into service as the Tabard Inn. The palatial residence of Mrs. Henry Morgan was occupied for the time as the Annex and Morgan Hall was made to answer most of the needs of instruction.
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The new building which stands on the site of the original edifice was commenced soon after the fire. It was so nearly completed by the spring of 1890, that the commencement exercises for that year were held in its music hall, and in the following September it was fully occupied for college purposes. Complete as was the first structure in all its appointments, the second still better serves the purposes for which it was built, since it was planned not only in the light of twenty years' experience and with the specific aims of Wells fully in view, but after a careful study of the equipment and working of the best institutions for women in other parts of the country. Its cost, which with its furnishings, was upwards of $160,000, was met by the generous contribution of friends.
The village was incorporated May 4, 1837, but chiefly to secure the name and prevent its incorporation by Aurora, Erie County.
The churches are: The Presbyterian, Methodist Episcopal, St. Paul's Episcopal and St. Patrick's Catholic.
MONTEZUMA.
Montezuma was formed from Mentz, April 8, 1859. It lies on the west border of the county, in the northwest angle of the great easterly bend of the Seneca River The great swamp known as the Montezuma Marshes, extends along the river. Cayuga Brook is the principal stream. Brine springs exist along the Seneca River. The soil is mainly a clayey loam.
Montezuma village is in the west part of the town, on Seneca River and is the point of junction of the Cayuga and Seneca canals, Salt was made at Montezuma as early as 1798; but about 1840 the business was abandoned in consequence of the brine being too weak to compete successfully with the springs of Salina and Syra- cuse. But since that time stronger springs have been discovered and the manufacture of salt resumed irregularly. The springs are the property of the State.
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GEORGE MORCAN WARD
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Settlement was first made in 1798, by Peter Clark, from New York City, Comfort Tyler, and Abram Morgan who settled at Montezuma for the purpose of manufacturing salt. The first church was formed in 1819, and the "Church of Aurelius and Mentz" was adopted as its name. The first postor was Reverend Ichabod Clark who was voted twenty-five dollars for his "labors among us in the Gospel." The church took early and strong ground against the practice of dancing, for at a meeting held March 9, 1820, the com- mittee voted adversely and fellowship was withdrawn for indulging in that pastime. February 21, 1820, it was "voted that we believe it to be a disaplinable evil for our brethren to attend a Free Mason Lodge."
St. Michael's Church (Catholic) was organized about 1865.
Montezuma sent over one hundred men into the field during the Rebellion of whom many died. La Due Watting and Mosher died in Andersonville Prison. and Franklin Reed, Harmon A. Mor- gan, George White, Henry Mink and others were slain in battle.
Most counties have , hat is formed "The Banner Town, " but to Old Cayuga is left t: . "rique distinction of having the "Flag Town" of the State. Its location on the edge of what is called the Montezuma Marshes enables it to make the greatest flag display to be seen in any of the inland towns of the country. In fact they have flags to burn during the season of their grand illuminations which are seen for miles around.
MENTZ.
Mentz was formed from Aurelius as Jefferson, March 30, 1802, and its name was changed April 6, 1868. Montezuma and a part of Throop were taken off in 1859. The town lies northwest of the center of the county on the Seneca River, and its surface is generally flat, with a few low sand ridges near the south border. A swampy region borders on the river. Owasco Outlet is the principal stream, and flows through the center. Red shale, gypsum, and limestone
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constitute the underlying rocks. The soil is a clayey, sandy, gravelly loam.
Port Byron (twin sister village of Weedsport), three miles away, is near the center of the town on the Owasco Outlet and Erie Canal, one mile south of the New York Central Railroad, and seven miles north of Auburn, with which it is connected by stage. It is situated in a valley on whose surrounding hills some of the primitive trees are yet standing. It occupies the greater part of lot 73, in the former township of Aurelius, that lot having been the purchase of two brothers, Aboliah and Elijah Buck, who settled on it in 1798. Among other early settlers were Philip King and Seth Higby, from Saratoga County, on lot 72, and Josiah Partridge from Massachu- setts, on lot 73, in 1797; Daniel Loveland from Vermont on lot 49, in 1799; Peter Ransier and Moses Lent from Owego on lot 62, in 1800; James Dixon, Joseph Hamilton, and Ira Hopkins from Wash- ington County and Caleb Hopkins from New Jersey on lot 85, from 1800 to 1804.
The chief natural advantage of lot 73, now Port Byron, was the excellent water power afforded by Owasco Outlet, which is a never- failing stream which here in its course through this lot has a fall from ten to fifteen feet, constituting the only water power in the village. This valuable water privilege was soon transferred by the Buck brothers to one Akin, on condition that he should erect a mill thereon. The condition was fulfilled and the mill duly put in operation, whereupon a thriving settlement was formed under the name of Buckville.
The Erie Canal was built about the year 1815, and its course was directly through this lot, from east to west. This was con- sidered a grand enterprise, and such indeed it was, and it gave a new impetus to the thriving little town of Buckville, as it did to many others along its course. The village soon became one of the best grain markets in that section of the state. Storage and for- warding houses, dry goods stores, groceries, and mills soon sprung
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up and the population began to increase. In 1825, the name of the place was changed to Port Byron and a village charter was granted it under that name March 2, 1837. Churches and school- houses were put up and the population increased to 1,500.
In 1828, Mr. Beach settled in the place, purchased the water power on the Outlet, and built a raceway two miles in length thereby securing a head of twenty feet. Mr. Beach put up a mill with ten run of stone, capable of manufacturing five hundred barrels of flour per day; this was then and for a number of years thereafter, the largest and best constructed mill in the state. The building was one hundred and twenty feet long, fifty feet wide, with a storehouse attached, eighty by forty feet and an overshot wheel twenty-two feet in diameter. It was situated on the west side of the Outlet and on the south bank of the canal, and had a branch canal under a portion of the storehouse, which afforded great facilities for loading and unloading boats. The building cost $60,000, and employed twenty to thirty hands. A cooper shop, two hundred feet long, built of stone, was connected with it and supplied a part of the barrels used by the mill. The employment which this enterprise furnished, and the traffic which it built up was of great importance to the prosperity of the village. In 1833, the place contained three churches, nine dry goods stores and four taverns.
The direct line of the Central Railroad, from Syracuse to Roch- ester, was built in 1851 and operated detrimentally to the interests of the place, by dividing its trade with other towns along the route and carrying much of it to Syracuse. About 1856, the enlargement of the Erie Canal was determined on. A part of the inhabitants of Port Byron advocated enlargement on the existing line, while others insisted it should take a new route through another portion of the village. The latter were finally successful and a new channel was cut directly through the most beautiful part of the village, destroying much of its beauty and injuring its business to
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some extent. The canal is now seventy feet wide, seven feet deep, and its banks are laid up with round stone all through the line, while in the village they are faced with cut stone. There are four iron bridges spanning it at this place, and there is here a large double lock with a lift of about twelve feet.
The first school was established in 1800. In 1857 a charter was obtained for a school under the title of the "Port Byron Free School and Academy" and in 1859, a lot of one and a half acres of land was purchased and a substantial brick building, sixty by fifty feet and three stories high, was erected capable of accommodating four hundred or more pupils.
It cannot be definitely ascertained when the first religious services were held in town; but judging from the following extract from Spofford's Gazetteer in 1824, it must have been at a very early day, of a primitive character, and under somewhat romantic cir- cumstances.
"There is a very large hollow buttonwood tree in this town in which Elder Smith preached to thirty-five persons at a time, and says the tree could have held fifteen more; he says its circumference three feet from the ground is thirty-three feet; and a correspondent informs me it measures more than seventeen feet in diameter."
The First Presbyterian Church of the town of Mentz, located in Port Byron, was organized about the beginning of the present century as early as 1801, as a Congregational church, and was changed to the Presbyterian form of government in 1811, when the Presbytery of Cayuga was formed, and it was not until the year 1843 that they had become settled in a permanent home of their own when their present edifice was dedicated.
The First Baptist Church was organized May 18, 1830, with a membership of forty-eight. The first pastor was Elder John Jefferies, who continued his labors about two years.
The Methodist Episcopal Church was incorporated June 10, 1850. St. John's Roman Catholic Church was organized about 1858.
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Henry Wells, the noted expressman and later founder of Wells College, Aurora, came into town with his father's family after the opening of the canal and for some three years mended shoes for the residents of Port Byron. The Wells family lived in a small wood-colored house, since raised, repaired and modernized. Henry remained in town about three years, and for years after he was bank messenger on Hudson River steamboats between Albany and New York.
Brigham Young the Mormon president was an old-time resident of the 20's, doing all around job work for a dollar a day, also repairer of old furniture in a little shop in the rear of his house.
MORAVIA.
Moravia was formed from Sempronius, March 20, 1833. It lies in the southeast part of the county, upon Owasco Lake and Inlet. The surface consists of a rolling upland, broken by the deep and narrow valleys of Owasco Inlet and its branches. These valleys are three hundred to four hundred feet below the hill summits, and are bordered by deep and in some places, perpen- dicular sides. Upon the streams in the ravines are several beau- tiful cascades furnishing abundance of water power. Mill Brook below its junction with Trout Brook flows over a precipice eighty feet high. Upon the east tributary of the Inlet, near the south border is a cascade known as Dry Falls, from the circumstance that in the summer the stream ceases to flow. A little below the cascade is a circular recess in the face of a perpendicular precipice, forty-two feet deep, and surrounded by a limestone arch fifty-five feet high and about one hundred and twenty-five feet long. Upon this arch rises a lofty hill, covered with primitive forest trees. A large spring of carburetted hydrogen gas, highly inflammable, exists on the lowlands near the lake. Among the hills the soil is a gravelly loam, mixed with clay and in the valleys it consists of a rich loam compound of gravel and disintegrative slate and limestone. In
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this town is one of those numerous valleys which are a peculiar characteristic of the surface formation of Central New York. From its contiguity to the neighboring lake it has been long known as Owasco Flats. The land is elevated some three hundred or four hundred feet at the head of the lake, and the decline to the valley is in some places so precipitous as to make the passage of vehicles impossible. The Flats stretches southward from the lake for a distance of five miles when the valley narrows into a winding ravine thus continuing for many miles, occasionally expanding its confines to give place to a quiet hamlet. These flats were partially culti- vated by the Indians prior to white settlement, and still bear traces of ancient occupation.
In this valley, three miles southeast of Owasco Lake is situated the pleasant village of Moravia It is located on Mill Brook whose rapids and cascades furnish at this point an abundant water power. As early as 1789, several settlers from adjoining townships came to the valley, then mainly a rich meadow, and obtained a good supply of hay. Among them were Gideon Pitts, and Jonathan Brownell, from Genoa, and Jonathan Richmond of Ledyard. The following year the same persons visited the place and planted about eight acres of corn, and afterwards cut another crop of hay. But the first permanent settler was John Stoyel, an enterprising New England farmer who moved to the valley in 1791, and afterwards purchased a large tract of land including the site of the present village of Moravia. Three years after he was followed by his brother Amos, Winslow Perry, and Jabez L. Bottom. In 1794, they were followed by Gershom Morse and Moses Little, and in 1795, by Cotton Skinner. The first birth was that of Seth, son of Winslow and Rachael Perry, in 1794; the first marriage that of Jonathan Eldridge and Sally Perry, in 1795; and the first death that of Cynthia Wright, April 5, 1796. The first school was taught by Levi Goodrich, in 1797. Zadoc Cady was the first inn-keeper, in 1801, and David Wright the first storekeeper. John Stoyel built the
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first mill. In the town of Sempronius, a district ten miles square, in January 1794, were twenty-six persons; in 1810, 3, 137; in 1820, 5,033.
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