USA > New York > Cayuga County > History of Cayuga County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 49
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The first saw-mill in Fair Haven was built by Seth Turner, some twenty-five years since, who sold it after three or four years. It has passed through several hands, and is now owned by Mrs. Bottsford, whose husband acquired possession of it some four years since.
R. S. Welch built the saw-mill now owned by him about four years ago.
Both mills are located at the head of the Bay.
Jacob Hemingway and Wm. Van Hoesen com- menced the manufacture of brick a little south of the village, on the line of the railroad, in the spring of 1877. They give employment to eight or ten men, and make 15,000 per day.
Floyd Kelsey, of Auburn, was the first to make brick in this locality. He commenced about 1856, and continued four or five years. Nothing more was done till about four years ago, when David Lester, now of Oswego, manufactured for
about one year. The works then remained idle till operations were resumed by the present pro- prietors.
Messrs. Reed & Conger built an ice-house of large capacity at the Point in the winter of 1877- '78.
C. W. Austin and the S. C. R. R. are jointly building a steam transfer elevator at the Point, with a storage capacity of 30,000 bushels, and a transfer capacity of 3,000 bushels per hour.
Peo & Rice are engaged in shipping foreign fish, and are doing an extensive business. Sev- enty-five tons of fish were entered at this port in 1877, when several parties were engaged in the business.
Several coal companies are doing business at this place, viz: Moser, Hoole & Co., organized in April, 1878, with headquarters at Buffalo ; the Lehigh Valley Coal Co. ; the Butler Colliery Co., with headquarters at Elmira; Wheeler & Co., with headquarters at Oswego ; for all of which C. W. Austin is shipping agent ; and E. M. Ford, with headquarters in Oswego, for whom C. L. Bloodgood is shipping agent. The railroad company have a coal trestle at the Point, with a stock capacity of 45,000 tons, and a pocket capac- ity of 1,300 tons. They also own the steam tug E. P. Ross, which is named after the president of the road.
The following statistics showing the magni- tude of the business done at this port were kindly furnished by Mr. George P. Knapp, Deputy Col- lector of Customs of Fair Haven : The receipts at this office from June 30th to December 4th, 1877, were $24,000; and from March 20th to June 8th, 1878, $729. There were received and forwarded during the year 1877, 140,000 bushels of barley, 1,500,000 feet of lumber, 75 tons of fish, 2,000,000 lath, 1,000 cords cedar posts, 3,000 tons of iron ore, and 65,000 tons of coal. From April IIth to December 4th, 1877, the number of vessels coming into the port was 360, with an aggregate tonnage of 68,516 tons.
Little Sodus Harbor is naturally a good one, and has been improved by the general govern- ment and the residents of the place. In 1828 Congress appropriated $400 for making a survey and examination of the southern shore of Lake Ontario, .between Genesee and Oswego rivers, with a view to the improvement of the most ac- cessible and commodious harbors on the frontier.
257
FAIR HAVEN.
Capt. T. W. Maurice, Corps of Engineers, was placed in charge of the survey, and com- menced work in October, 1828. His report, submitted in January, 1829, adjudged Little Sodus to be of secondary importance, but recom- mended its improvement and submitted a plan therefor.
The entrance to the bay was closed, except at two narrow openings, by a gravelly beach, out of water. The plan proposed to make this beach answer the purpose of a breakwater, to con- struct two channel piers, each 290 yards long, and close one of the openings by a dike 130 yards long, the whole work to be done at an estimated cost of $32,327.59.
A rësurvey was made in 1845, when the en- trance was found to be in about the same condi- tion as in 1828. With this exception, nothing was done till 1852, when the first appropriation of $10,000 was made; but the beach which cross- ed the entrance and formed the basis of the plan had been swept away since 1845, thus necessi- tating a new project. Another survey was made in 1853, and it was decided to build piers from the crown of the bar to deep water, and to connect the south ends with the adjacent shores by rip-rap. Work was begun in 1854, and sus- pended in 1858 for want of funds. In 1858, the people locally interested formed a company, known as the " Ontario Bay Harbor Improve- ment Company." It proposed to aid the general government in improving the harbor, and had on hand $6,000 in money and materials, with which to build, under the supervision of the engineer in charge, 300 feet of pier. It is presumed that this was carried out, for in 1866, 284 feet of pier was still in existence, although a portion of the outer end had evidently been destroyed. Nothing further was done till 1866, when Congress made a further appropriation.
The following appropriations have been made for the improvement of this harbor :
In 1852, there was appropriated 10,000.00
In 1866, =
.4
33,840.41
In 1867,
50,000 00
5,000.00 In 1870,
In 1871, '2,'3 and '4, in each $15,000 60,000 00
In 1875, there was appropriated 10,000.00
In 1876,
5,000.00
The total appropriations to date are, $173,840.41
At the close of the year ending June 30th, 44-2
1877, there had been constructed of the west pier 1,070 feet ; of the west breakwater 500 fect ; of the east pier 512 feet ; and of the east break- water 780 feet. The only work remaining to be done under the original scheme of improvement is the connection of the inner end of the east pier with the shore. The unexpended balance of ap- propriations available for that purpose was $5,856.57.
Revenue collected during the fiscal year ending June 30th, 1877 $ 3,154.68
Value of imports 22,544.00
Value of exports 86,111.00
Number of vessels cleared 226
Their tonnage, tons. 18,258
Number of vessels entered 213
Their tonnage, tons 13,417
The harbor is lighted by a fixed white light of the fourth order, placed near the head of the west pier. A vessel drawing twelve feet can en- ter the harbor and go up to the coal docks of the " S. C. R. R .*
The first physician to locate permanently at Fair Haven was Dr. Crounce, who practiced a good many years. Hle removed to Guilderland, Albany county, some twenty years ago. The next was Byron Dewitt, who came about 1850 and practiced till about 1859, when he removed to Sterling Center, and subsequently to Oswego, where he is now practicing. Truman F. Brink- erhoff succeeded Dewitt and remained several years. He moved to Fulton some fifteen years ago, and subsequently to Auburn, where he is now practicing. Some ten years elapsed, during which there was no physician here. Dr. R. S. Fields came in 1873 and remained about a year. He was succeeded by Dr. Oliver Bloomfield, the present physician, who came about 1875.
Dr. Marsh came to the village in the spring of 1878.
The first lawyer was A. R. Willey, who was born in the town of Victory, and moved into this town some forty years ago. He was admitted to the bar about twenty years ago, and is still prac- ticing in the village.
Geo. I. Post, a native of Fleming, in this County, who came into the town from Auburn some sixteen years since and has acquired distinction in his profession, is living at the Point. He was elected District Attorney in
* Annual Reports of the Chief of Engineers, U. S A., for 1876 and '77.
258
TOWN OF STERLING.
November, 1859, and was Member of Assembly in 1863, 1876 and 1877.
Thomas C. Bridges, ex-Supervisor of the Town of Sterling, was born in the eastern part of the town, and in the spring of 1878 moved into the village, where he is reading law with Mr. Post.
STERLING VALLEY.
Sterling Valley, (p. o.,) locally known as Pelham, is situated on the north branch of Little Sodus Creek, one and one-third miles north of Sterling Valley station. It contains one church (United Presbyterian), a district school, one store, a flouring and grist-mill, two blacksmith shops, two saw-mills, a shoe shop, tailor shop, wagon shop, and a population of 107.
John Hunter, John Cochran and James C. Hunter opened a store in 1859, under the firm name of John Hunter & Co., in the building built by John Cooper and previously occupied by him as a tavern. In 1862 John Cochran sold his interest to the Hunters, and in 1863, James Hunter sold his interest to his brother John, by whom the business was carried on alone till 1867, when James C. Hunter again acquired a half interest, and the firm became and has since remained James C. Hunter & Co. The post- office is in the store, and James C. Hunter has been postmaster since 1861.
A. Allen and Andrew Daggert, proprietors of the grist-mill, commenced the milling business here about four years since, under the firm name of A. Allen & Co. The mill was built in 1869, by William Stevenson, who sold it to the present proprietors. It stands on the site of the original mill built here by John Cooper, and is the third mill on that site, two having been burned. It contains three run of stones. The motive power is furnished by water from the creek, which has a fall here of fourteen feet.
MARTVILLE.
Martville (p. o.) is situated in the south- east part of the town on Little Sodus Creek, and on the S. C. R. R. It contains two churches, (M. E. and Adventist, only one society having a building,) a district school, a hotel, (kept by Nor- ton S. Snyder,) one store, a saw-mill, a grist- mill and saw-mill combined, a tannery, (which is not in operation,) three blacksmith shops, one wagon shop, a shoe shop, and 124 inhabitants.
The first store in Martville was opened by Robert L. Lay, about 1825, in the hotel now kept by Norton Snyder. He remained about three years, and was succeeded by Daniel Mc- Gilvrey, who remained about a year. A Mr. Lyon next kept it a year or two, when William Hawley rented the building and put in a stock of goods. Hawley continued about six years, and was succeeded by Benjamin Conger & Son, who bought the building and stock, and sold to Snyder, Conger & Reed, who then owned the mill property. The store was discontinued when they sold the mill property, but Hough, who bought that property, opened a store, which he continued till he disposed of the mill property, when it was closed out.
Lay also opened an ashery, the first one here, and about two years later he opened the first tav- ern in the house where George A. Desbrough now lives. Hough started a distillery at the time he owned the mill property. It was burned after being in operation about five years. A distillery was in operation about 1828, kept by Nathaniel Watts, and stood where Hiram C. Curtis' gar- den is.
Floyd F. Allen opened a general store in 1872, in the building erected about 1861 or'62, by Miles Allen, who died a few years after, and was suc- ceeded in the business by his son Charles, who carried it on about two years, till his death. Stiles Allen, his brother, succeeded him, but re- mained only a few weeks, when the property came into the hands of Miles' widow, now Mrs. Norton Snyder, who conducted the store about a year, when she sold to the present occupant, who is a nephew of Miles.
Miles Allen commenced business about 1855, in the store erected by Abram Van Auken, some few years previous. Van Auken rented the store to a Mr. Comstock, who carried on business about two years, when he sold his stock to Ste- phen Tilford, who, about 1855, moved the goods to Sterling Valley.
The tannery at Martville, owned by Hiram C. Curtis, was built about 1849, a previous one in the same locality, of small capacity, having been pulled down by reason of decay.
The grist-mill and saw-mill stands on the site of one 'built in 1823, by Chauncey Hickock and Timothy Austin, from Marcellus, who were the first to settle on the site of Martville, in that
259
EARLY SETTLEMENTS.
year. In 1840 it was burned, and in 1841 Wil- liam C. Hough erected the present structure. The grist-mill is built of stone, is 30 by 40 feet, four and one-half stories high, and contains two runs of stones. The saw-mill is a wooden addi- tion, built, at the same time. Charles N. Ross now owns and leases the mill to George A. Des- brough', the present occupant, for a term of five years. The creek, which furnishes the motive power, has, at this point, a fall of eleven feet.
A man named Colton, started a carding and cloth-dressing mill about 1828. Josiah Bidwell started similar works on the site of Barnes' saw- mill. About 1835, he built a new mill on the opposite side of the creek and sold to Amasa P. Hart about 1840. Lot Lannson and Ira A. Pease followed for five or six years, when they sold to Alvah Lund, who took the building down and sold the machinery.
The first physician in Martville was Dr. Uriah Beder, who came to the village about 1826. The present physicians are W. M. Wells and Wm. Kyle.
STERLING JUNCTION,
Sterling Junction, (p. o.) in the north-west part of the town, about one and three-fourths miles south of Fair Haven, at the junction of the S. C. R. R. and L. O. S. R. R., contains a store, owned by Frank German, and established by him some five years since, and a storehouse, erected in 1874, by Allison J. Albring and Floyd H. Kevill, produce dealers. Both Albring and Kevill are employed by the two railroad companies, the latter as station agent.
NORTH STERLING,
North Sterling, in the south-east part of the town, on the old State road, is a hamlet con- taining a district school, a small store, kept by Wm. Pasells, a hotel, blacksmith shop, and two or three houses.
STERLING VALLEY STATION,
Also known as Crockett's Station, is on the line of the L. O. S. R. R., in the north-east part of the town .
THE FIRST SETTLEMENT in Sterling was made at the Valley, by Peter Dumas, a Frenchman, who came to this County with LaFayette and served
through the Revolution. He drew lot 13, and set- tled on its south-west corner in 1805. The Dumas' family were in destitute circumstances, and so se- verely did they feel the rigor of pinching want, that their son, Ezra, who was convalescing from a fever and had recovered his appetite, died of starvation, while members of the family were absent in search of food. This death, which occurred July 21st, 1806, was the first in the town. Dumas died in the town in 1825. His sons Peter, John, Na- than and Jasper, resided in the town many years. Peter, the eldest, lost four children, all he then had, under peculiarly distressing circumstances. While he and his wife had gone to his father's one Sunday evening to milk for his mother, who was sick, their house caught fire, and it, together with their four children, were consumed. Dc- scendants of the family still reside in the town.
Captain Andrew Rassmusen settled the same year near the lake, in the north-east part of the town. He was killed on board an American vessel on Lake Ontario in 1812. His wife died in the town many years ago. His children were Andrew, who died in the town some ten years ago ; William, who removed to Michigan after a residence here of many years ; and Mary, now Mrs. John Ireland, who is living with her son in the north-cast part of the town.
A family named Hoppins settled in the south- west part of the town in this or the following year, and many of their descendants still live in the town. Isaac M. Hoppins, who was born March 16th, 1807, was the first white child born in the town. He is still living about one and one-half miles north-west of Martville. He is the father of Hoppins recently tried for murder in this County and acquitted.
Francis DeCamp settled near Martville in 1806. He was a bachelor, and his sister Nancy, who came with him, kept house for him. Both have long since passed away.
William Devine settled on the farm now occu- pied by Augustus Green, near the center of the north border of the town, in 1807. He had a large family, none of whom are living in the town. Joseph Devine, brother of William, set- tled adjoining him the same time. He, too, had a large family, but they, like William's, mostly removed to the west at an early day. Nathan Wilmot settled on the farm now occupied by Joshua Cosbut, in the north central part, and
260
· TOWN OF STERLING.
Jehial Parks in the same locality, in 1807. Wil- mot and his wife died in the town at an early day. Nathan, his son, removed west soon after his father's death. Parks bought fifty acres on lot 26, about 1820, and lived there for many years. He afterwards went west, with his fam- ily, which was quite numerous, and there died.
Jacob Wilsey, from Saratoga county, settled in the north-west corner of the town, in 1808.
John Cooper, John Dusenberry, Curtis Stod- dard and John McFarland and his sons, William, Robert, James and Thomas, came in from Wash- ington county, in 1810. Cooper settled at the Valley, which was for many years known as Cooper's Mills, from the saw and grist-mills built there by him. It is not certain in what year these mills were erected, as authorities differ, but there is no doubt that these were the first mills of their kind built in the town. Both were burned. Cooper built the house now occupied by James Hunter & Co. as a store. It stands near the site of his first log hut, in which, the same year, he opened a tavern, which was the first in the town. This old cabin contained but one room, which answered the purpose of kitchen, bar-room, dining-room and family sitting-room, sleeping-room and parlor ; but many of the early settlers enjoyed its rude, accommodations while their own homes were being built. William and George Cooper, brothers of John, settled, the former on the farm now owned by Mr. Fry, and the latter, from Saratoga county, in 1812, on the opposite side of the road, a little west of him, on the farm now occupied by Frank Duel. The Coopers have numerous descendants living in the town. Dusenberry settled at what is known as Galey's corners, and died in the town. Stoddard, who was an Englishman, settled in the east part, where Thomas Manning now lives. He removed long since to Ohio. The McFarlands settled on lot 27. John died in the town, about 1813, of typhoid fever. William is living in Illinois. Robert, who served in the militia in the war of 1812, was drowned in Nine Mile Creek, a little west of Oswego, while returning home with his company. The water in the Creek was high and the current strong. Thomas Vaughn, also a resident of this town, was drowned while try- ing to rescue him. James removed to Illinois, where he died in the winter of 1876. Thomas is living about half a mile south of Sterling Center.
Of McFarland's daughters, who came with him, Margaret, afterwards Mrs. Alexander Beattie ; Nellie, afterwards Mrs. Samuel Stevenson; Isabel, afterwards Mrs. Charles Crawford and later Mrs. Charles Williams ; and Jane, afterwards Mrs. John Daniels ; all are dead.
John and Matthew Harsha also came from Washington county in ISI0, and settled at Mart- ville. John died in Oswego, to which place his children removed ; and Matthew removed to Michigan, where he died. The marriage of Matthew Harsha to Charity Turner, was the first marriage celebrated in the town.
Joseph Bunnell and John Turner, from Long Island, settled in 1811, the former a little west of Peter Dumas, and the latter at Fair Haven. Turner traded his possessions in L. I. for a farm of 140 acres in Sterling, in 1804, and induced his son, Isaac, who was then becoming of age to ac- company the family in making the settlement. They came on in February, on the ice from a point one and one-half miles west of Sterling Val- ley, where the road terminated, and where they stopped several days with an acquaintance who had preceded them. The family found, shelter from the bleak winds in a shanty with bark roof and split floor which had been erected on the premises by squatters. At this time a family named Ramsdell resided at the head of the Bay ; and Peter Simmons' family and two others named Myers and Wiltsey, on the shore of the lake in the vicinity. All were squatters, and subsisted mostly on fish and wild game, both of which were abundant.
The nearest grist-mill was at Oswego, and the most convenient route by water, as there were no public highways, nothing but paths through the woods along lines of blazed trees. Ofttimes the settlers would get out of provisions, the rough waters of the lake making it too perilous to at- tempt to reach Oswego in their white-wood ca- noes. While returning from one of these jour- neys to Oswego, Isaac Turner was overtaken by a storm, which compelled him to pull his canoe and grist to the shore and make his way home on foot. When he reached home he was taken sick, and the next day his father and younger brother set out to recover the cargo. When they reached thelocality where it was stored they observed several deer, which, taking alarm, plunged into the lake, were pursued and four captured. They
JAMES H. RWIN.
MRS. JAMES H. JRWIN.
JAMES H. IRWIN.
Among the large land owners and prominent agriculturists of the town of Sterling. Mr. Irwin occupies a conspicuous place. His father, James G. Irwin, was born in Washington county, in 1790. In the year 1817, he moved to the county of Oswego, and settled on one hundred acres of Government land, on lot No. 30, in Oswego town.
His wife, Mary White, who was also a native of Washington county, accompanied him to Oswego county, and shared with him the trials and privations of pioneer life. He was a soldier in the war of 1812-'14, and died upon the . old homestead, March 6th, 1863. His widow still survives him. To them twelve children were born, six of whom are still living.
JAMES H. IRWIN was the third child of James G. and Mary Irwin. He was born March 25th, 1820, and passed his childhood with his parents in Oswego county. In 1845. he married Miss
Mary Ann Armstrong, daughter of Robert and Rebecca Armstrong, natives of Washington county. Mr. Armstrong died at DeKalb, Illinois, in 1872. Mrs. Armstrong is still living at the advanced age of 76 years.
The same year of his marriage, Mr. Irwin removed to Sterling and settled on lot No. 5, where he has since resided.
Mr. and Mrs. Irwin have had nine children, named in the order of their ages as follows : Mary B., (deceased,) born March 17th, 1846; Emerson S., born June 14th, 1847; Alice A., born October 28th, 1850; Emerette, born May 9th, 1856; George A., (deceased,) born June 18th, 1858; Jane E., born March 15th, 1860; William D., born November 15th, 1862 ; Robert B., born November 8th, 1864; Clara L., born November 17th, 1866.
On another page of this work may be seen a view of Mr. Irwin's home.
.THE OLD HOME
-
1
«
RESIDENCE OF JAS. H. IRWIN . STERLING N.Y.
261
EARLY SETTLEMENTS.
were thus able to take home with their grist a bountiful cargo of venison. Isaac was a soldier in the war of 1812. He has filled nearly every town office ; and seen nearly every improvement which the last sixty years have produced.
Benjamin Clark taught the first school in 1812.
June 19th, 1812, the town was set off from Cato. The first town records are lost : hence we are unable to learn the names of the first officers.
Town officers elected at the Spring election of 1879 :
Supervisor-E. Randolph Robinson.
Town Clerk -- Daniel C. Sanford.
Fustice of the Peace-James C. Irwin.
Assessors-L. Nathan Calbert, Hersen J. Lewis, to fill vacancy.
Overseers of the Poor -Harman Van Petten, George A. Cleaveland.
Commissioner of Highways-Orville E. Curtis. Collector-William Stevens.
Inspectors of Elections-Shelden D. Cole, Isaac Borst, Frank Jones, appointed to fill vacancy.
Constables-Christopher Huntley, Wm. But- ler, Ira Ward, Edward Floyd Snyder and H. J. Coalman.
Game Constable-Lewis Tebedo.
Town Board Fustices of the Peace-Wm. Ke- vill, A. S. Douglass, James C. Irwin.
John Ingersoll, from Scipio, came in 1812, and settled where James Bennett now lives. Silas and Elijah Marsh and a man named Bothel were among the first settlers at Fair Haven. Bothel kept a small tavern there a good many years.
William Miller, Samuel Stewart and Alexander McFadden, from Argyle, Washington county, and Benjamin Lyons came in 1815. Miller came in the fall, and settled in the south-west corner of lot 26. He is now dead. Stewart also came in the fall, and settled on lot 27. He subsequent- ly removed to Michigan, where he died. Lyons settled on the State road from Oswego to Fair Haven. Hehas numerousdescendants living in the town. McFadden settled on lot 26, a little south- west of Sterling Center. He brought with him his wife, Jane, and seven children, viz : William who died on the old homestead in 1834 ; Mary S., who is living with her brother, John H., in Sterling Center ; Margaret, afterward Mrs. Daniel Hoy, with whom she removed to Mis-
souri, and on whose death she returned here, and subsequently became Mrs. Robert Hume, and who died in the town May 5th, 1869 ; Jane, who is also living with John H. ; Sarah, the widow of William Calvert, with whom she removed to Cortland county, where she now lives ; and Al- exander, who is now living in Lexington City, Missouri. Thomas McFadden, who was born after the family moved into the town, is living in Michigan.
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