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 56
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S. Wilkins became their pastor in July, 1840, remaining till October, 1842. In the second year of his pastorate thirty-five members were added. C. VanLoon succeeded Elder Wilkins and remained one year. J. Woodward assumed the pastoral care in October, 1843, and during the second year of his pastorate a revival was experienced and forty-five added to their number. He was succeeded in January, 1846, by George W. Mead, the first three years of whose pastor- ate " were seasons of declension," resulting from agitation of questions connected with the anti- slavery cause. A large number were dismissed and a new church formed. In the fall of 1849 a reconciliation was effected and was followed by a revival, which resulted in adding sixty-one by baptism. Elder Mead closed his labors in January, 1850, and was succeeded by A. Angier, who commenced his labors the first Sabbath in April of that year. His resignation was accepted March 12th, 1853.
W. D. Hedden, of Rochester University, com- menced his labors with them May 9th, 1853. He
received a call June 5th, 1853, which he accept- ed June 12th, 1853. He was ordained October 13th, 1853, and remained till early in 1855, in June of which year he was succeeded by Stephen Wilkins. B. F. Garfield became pastor January 13th, 1856, and was dismissed December 4th, 1858. During the first year of his pastorate six- teen were added by baptism. December 18th, 1858, D. E. Holmes was invited to preach, at $8.00 per Sabbath, till a minister could be got. January 19th, 1859, and some weeks thereafter, Elder A. Wilkins preached. In this year thirty- two were added by baptism. J. S. Webber was the pastor April 9th, 1859. July 29th, 1860, he preached his farewell sermon and became an agent of the Bible Union. A call was extended to Elder I. Wilkinson, of Port Byron, March 9th, 1861. He remained till April 9th, 1864. An- drew Lindsay commenced his labors April 24th, 1864, and after preaching a few Sabbaths he ac- cepted an invitation to serve as pastor. The sec- ond year of his pastorate fifteen were added by baptism. His resignation, to take effect April Ist, 1869, was accepted February 7th, 1869. W. L. Goodspeed was the pastor April 9th, 1870 ; and Rev. J. D. Smith, February 11th, 1871, the latter of whom is the present pastor. A Mr. Townsend preached for them the December and January previous to Elder Smith's coming. In the second year of Elder Smith's pastorate a re- vival was experienced and thirty added to the membership by baptism.
March 10th, 1877, the church was reorganized under the new State law of May 13th, 1876, and the present name was adopted. The present membership is 144; and the attendance at Sab- bath school, about 125. Their church edifice was erected in 1829, and was enlarged, moved and the galleries taken out in 1857. A session room has since been added and other repairs made. Four churches have been formed by mem- bers dismissed from this, viz : Hannibal, First Lysander, Victory and Ira.
THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH AND SOCIETY OF MERIDIAN was organized February 2d, 1836, as the First Presbyterian Church and Society of Cato, (the name having been changed April 22d, 1867,) with the following named members : Abner Hol- lister and wife, Chas. Hoyt and wife, Nehemiah Hoyt and wife, Lewis Hoyt and wife, Clark Hoyt and wife, Madison E. Hollister and wife, Alonzo
[Photo by Squyer & Wright.] JOHN TURNER KNAPP.
JOHN TURNER KNAPP is the second child of Uz and Abigail [Sherman] Knapp. His father was born in Vermont and his mother in Connecticut. They moved from Vermont and set- tled in the town of Moreau, Saratoga county, N. Y., about the year 1797. They remained there, his father following the trade of shoemaker, until 1810, when they removed further west, to the town of Cato, Cayuga County. His father here was engaged in the manufacture of boots and shoes and leath- er until his death, which occurred in the year 1816, one year after the death of his wife, in 1815. There were born to them five children, viz : Sallie, John T., Abigail, Betsey and Mary, all of whom are now dead, except John T., who was born May 19th, 1802, in the town of Moreau, Saratoga county, and came with his parents to Cato. As soon as his strength would permit he was put into service in his father's tannery grind- ing bark, and when not employed in that capacity he was en- gaged in fitting boots and shoes: and at the time of his fath- er's death, being only fourteen years old, he was so skillful as to be able to make and finish a pair of boots or shoes in a manner nearly equal to that of some of the best workmen in his father's employ.
The facilities for obtaining an education were meagre in those times and young Knapp was able to attend school only during the winter months, which he did with the exception of one year, up to 1816, about eighteen months all told. After his father's death he lived with his half brother for about two years, working summers at his trade and going to school win- ters. In the year 1818, being anxious to finish his trade of tanner and currier, he went to Oswego and engaged with Shopley & Card, with whom he remained a little more than one year.
In 1820 he went to what was then Cato, now Victory, Cayu- ga County, and was engaged there from that time until 1854, in the manufacture of leather, boots and shoes and lumher, owning and operating a steam saw-mill, and carrying on a gen- eral country store.
In 1853 he was elected sheriff of the County. Owing to the sudden death of Sheriff Fancher, Mr. Knapp was appointed December 7th, 1853, by Governor Seymour, to fill the unex- pired term of Mr. Fancher, and moved to Auburn and took possession of the County building on the first of January, 1854.
In the spring of 1858 Mr. Knapp moved to the village of Cato, where he now resides, and engaged in farming, which business he has followed up to the present time.
In politics Mr. Knapp was a Free Soil Democrat until the adoption of the Buffalo Platform by the followers of Martin Van Buren, and upon the formation of the Republican party he joined its ranks and has ever been an earnest supporter of its principles and objects. During the late war he was a special detective for two years, having received his appoint- ment from the Provost-Marshal-General. Ahont this time he was appointed by Governor Seymour to the position of re- cruiting agent for the station at Anburn.
Mr. Knapp has also held other offices of trust and respon- sibility, among which may be named that of postmaster at Victory for fifteen years, and Justice of the Peace for the same length of time and at the same place.
In 1823 he was joined in marriage to Theoda, daughter of John and Theoda [Hunt ] Newcomb, of Cayuga County. She was born in Lebanon, now Columbia, Conn., in 1805. She died February 19th, 1874. She was a pure-minded, large- heart .d. Christian woman, with malice towards none and chari- ty for all, and loved and honored by all who enjoyed the favor of her acquaintance. There have been born to them ten children, named in the order of their birth : Submit Jerusha, born March 20th, 1824, died December 19th, 1840 : John N .. born November 3d, 1826 : Lovinia Eliza, born May 26th, 1828. died February 26th, 1829 : James G., born November 26th, 1830 : Edward N., horn September 6th, 1832, who was a Cap- tain in 52d Illinois infantry, and killed at the battle of Shiloh. April 7th, 1862 : Harriette E., born March 25th, 1835, died January 28th, 1861, wife of Dr. Henry Parker : Charles H., born January 12th, 1837 : Theoda Abigail, born August 10th, 1838 : Dwight B., born April 12th, 1840, died December 16th, 1840 : George P., born March 4th. 1843.
295
VILLAGE OF CATO.
Taylor and wife, Barber Allen and wife, Lucius M. Hollister, Abraham Kells, Nancy A. Bradt, Eliza Jenkins, Sophronia Furman, Miranda Pal- meter and Daniel C. Mc Clenten and wife. It is an emanation from the Church at Ira, (which was organized July 8th, 1807, by Rev. Francis Pomeroy,) and Rev. Wm. U. Benedict, who was then the pastor of that Church, acted as a supply for this for three years. January 5th, 1839, Hen- ry Boyington became a permanent supply, with a salary of $400, and remained three years. Jan- uary Ist, 1842, James T. Hough, M. D., be- came the permanent supply and remained four and a half years. In August, 1847, Wm. G. Hubbard, a licentiate, became a supply, under the patronage of the Presbytery, and remained one. and a half years.
He was succeeded in March, 1849, by Simon S. Goss, the first pastor, who was ordained and installed February 19th, 1850, with a salary of $500, which was increased two years after by the use of a parsonage. He was dismissed May 7th, 1862, on account of ill health.
The second pastor was Samuel B. Sherrill, who commenced his labors in the summer of 1862, and was ordained and installed pastor Feb- ruary, 14th, 1863, with a salary of $600 and par- sonage. He was dismissed February 3d, 1868. He was succeeded by Wallace B. Lucas, the pres- ent pastor, who commenced his labors in the spring of 1869, and was ordained and installed pastor September 26th, 1869, with a salary of $900 and parsonage.
For the first four years they worshiped in the village school-house. In the summer of 1839, the present fine, substantial brick structure was erected at a cost of $3,685.60, the site having been given by Judge Hollister. It was dedicated in December of that year. In the summer of 1854, it was enlarged and a tower erected at a cost of $2,000. In 1872-'3, it was repaired, en- larged, a session room built over the vestibule, a new tower erected on the corner, and the inside entirely remodeled, at a cost of $6,690.32. Since then the pastor's study, a dining room and library have been fitted up at various times. In June, 1876, a $1,000 pipe organ was put in.
The Church has enjoyed several interesting re- vivals. In 1840, 26 were added ; 24 in 1844 ; 38, in 1857; 29, in 1859; 12, in 1866; 26, in 1872; 14, in 1874 ; and 23, in 1878. The pres-
ent membership is 188; the attendance at Sab- bath school, about 150.
SOCIETIES .- Meridian Lodge No. 142 of the Ancient Order of . the United Workingmen was organized with twenty members, the present number, March 26th, 1878. The first and pres- ent officers are D. L. Spoor, P. M. W .; G. O. Burk, M. W .; O. S. Dudley, G. F .; James Tack- ney, O .; C. L. Hickok, Rdr .; F. M. Hunting, F .; C. A. Bloomfield, R .; Jno. Bell, G .; W. S. Cornell, I. W .; Jacob Strickland, O. W. Meet- ings are held the first and third Tuesdays of each month at their rooms in the Lawrence Block. It is the second lodge of the kind in the County, the first being at Union Springs. The chief object of the society is to secure to its membership the benefits of life insurance at the minimum cost. It has also charitable and social aims.
CATO.
Cato is an enterprising village of five hundred inhabitants, situated in the north-west part, lying partly in this town and partly in Ira. It is on the S. C. R. R., eight miles north of Weeds- port, and is the natural center for shipments on that road of a large section of fertile country, abounding in fruit, grain and other products. The business at this station is said to exceed that at Weedsport on the same road. There is a sharp competition among its merchants for a vil- lage of its size, and it exhibits corresponding ac- tivity. It has many of the elements of an at- tractive village. It contains three churches, (Reformed, Campbellite and R. C.,) a union school, four stores, three cigar shops, a steam saw and grist-mill combined, a foundry and machine shop, two cabinet shops, of which D. J. Acker & Son and Joseph Girard are proprietors, two shoe shops, of which J. R. Allen and Wm. C. Rose are proprietors, two carriage shops, kept by Frank Brown and Wm. Devoe, three blacksmith shops, kept by Harvey Root, P. P. Brown and Frederick Kitner, two milliner shops, kept by Mrs. Margaret Dutton and Mrs. Nettie Morey, two hotels, and two barber shops, kept by A. J. Munroe and David Vine.
Settlement at Cato was commenced in 1805, by Platt Titus, who remained only two or three years. The first permanent settler was Dr. John Jakway, who came from Vermont, in com-
296
TOWN OF CATO.
pany with John Hooker, the latter of whom set- tled in the Ira side of the village. They came about 1809, and were preceded by some squatters, whose improvements Jakway bought. The village was long known as Jakway's Corners, a name it derived from the fact of Jakway's settlement there.
MERCHANTS .- The first merchants at Cato are supposed to have been Andrus P. Preston and Augustus Ferris, who kept a store about 1820, which they continued till about 1842, when they closed out, Preston removing to Red Creek, and Ferris remaining in Ira till his death about 1848. Benj. B. Conger opened a store about 1830. About 1834 Samuel Hale became a partner with him and continued about three years, when David R. Conger, a son of Benjamin, was admitted to partnership, and the business was conducted by them about five years, when they sold to Moore and Reuben P. Conger, who did business about three years. Benj. B. and Reuben P. Con- ger then formed a partnership, which continued about four years. Dr. John Jakway opened a store about 1838, which he kept some seven or eight years, when he sold his stock to Wm. H. Nobles, who kept a store four or five years. The- ophilus Daniels opened a store about 1840, and kept it about three years. David Cook and Da- vid R. Conger kept a store about two years, and sold to Gilbert & Green, who kept it about a year. Wm. Fields bought their stock and kept store · about a year. A union store was started about 1855, which was run about a year. Evarts & Da- ratt bought their stock and continued about two years. Knapp, Barrett & Co., opened a large store in 1856 and failed in 1860. H. M. Wright bought their stock and continued till 1868. Hun- ter Bros. opened a store in 1870, and were burned out in 18,6. David Mack opened a store about 1845 and kept it about ten years, when he sold his stock to G. A. Benedict, who did business till about 1866. J. M. Dutton & Co. opened a store in 1865. After some three or four years Mark Wright bought Dutton's interest, and the business was conducted by Turner & Wright till about 1875, when J. W. Hapeman bought Wright's interest. Hapeman sold in February, 1877, to M. M. Hunter, and the business is still conducted by Turner & Hunter. In 1866, Geo. R. Rich built a store, which was occupied by his son Jno. E. Rich till January 9th, 1869, when he was burned out. A. C. Bartlett kept a store
from 1860-'5. Hapeman & Hunt opened a hard- ware store about 1865, and in 1868 they sold to S. J. Chase, who, in 1870, admitted Henry S. Hunt to partnership. In April, 1878, R. W. Cole bought the interest of Mr. Hunt, who open- ed, the same month, the store he now keeps. S. J. Chase and R. W. Cole still carry on the busi- ness, under the firm name of Chase & Cole. T. Jorolemon, general merchant, commenced in the spring of 1874, the business in which he is now engaged.
POSTMASTERS .-* The first postmaster at Cato was Augustus F. Ferris, who was followed by Andrus P. Preston, William H. Noble, Judge Humphreys, Reuben P. Conger, George H. Carr, E. G. Allen, Amos Bartlett, George P. Knapp, Elias Richards, R. W. Cole, John E. Rich, Lewis Donius, J. W. Hapeman and S. J. Chase, the latter of whom, the present incumbent, re- ceived the appointment in 1870.
PHYSICIANS .- The first physician at Cato was John Jakway, who practiced till his death in 1844. The next was John Hoxie, who prac- ticed with Jakway till 1833. Ezra Parker came in from Fort Ann, Washington county, about 1833, and practiced with Jakway some ten years, when he removed to Wisconsin. Robert T. Paine came in from Washington county about 1835 and practiced about fourteen years, when he removed to Jordan, where he died. J. B. R. Martin, from Victory, studied with Paine, and practiced from about 1842 till his death, about 1852. Dr. Hedger, from Cato, practiced with Martin about two years and then moved west. A. J. Brewster, from Jefferson county, came about 1850 and practiced till 1875, when he re- moved to Syracuse, where he is now practicing. Dr. Ogden succeeded Martin and remained one year, when he went west. Lucius Hooker, allo- path, came in from Victory about 1855, and is still practicing here. James D. Benton came in from Ira Corners in 1865 and practiced till 1874, when he removed to Syracuse, where he is now practicing. Frank Murphy, from Wayne county, came in 1876 and practiced about six months, when he removed to Yates county. C. A. Groat, from Wayne county, came in 1876, and is still practicing here. He belongs to the allo- pathic school of medicine. E. S. Everts, homeo- path, came from Auburn in the spring of 1878, and is still practicing here.
[Photo by Squyer & Wright.] GEORGE R. RICH.
GEORGE R. RICH is the sixth child of Jolin and Sarah [Eastman] Rich, who were natives of Connecticut, both of whom were born about the year 1778. His father was a farmer, and brick-maker by trade. In 1802, his parents moved from Connecticut and settled in Fort Ann, Washington county, N. Y., where his father resided until his death, which occurred in 1821.
George R. was born in Fort Ann in 1809, and in the year 1834 came with his mother to Ira, Cayuga County, where, in 1869, she passed from carthly life at the advanced age of ninety-one years.
The subject of this brief sketch had hut few advantages for an early education. He worked for neighboring farmers by the day and month during the summers, and attended the district schools winters, until he was eighteen years of age. He followed farming, and employed his leisure time in pre- paring himself for his profession, that of the law, until the year 1843, but he was admitted to practice in the County courts in 1842. In 1843 he went into the office of Judge Humphreys, at that time one of the ablest jurists in the State, where he studied until 1848. He was admitted to practice in all the courts that year, and has been concerned in the adjustment of many intricate suits which called into requisition great powers of mind, and thé exercise of supe- rior judgment.
Few have passed through the vicissitudes attending a long practice of the profession with more honor, and given more general satisfaction to both plaintiff and defendant. Being of an iron constitution, he still retains much of that buoy- ancy of spirit which characterized his youthful days.
In 1859 he was appointed by Governor Morgan, Loan Commissioner for the County of Cayuga, which office he held for about eight years,
He has by rigid economy and close application to his busi- ness accumulated a competency which will tend to smooth
life's rugged pathway down through old age. His house has ever heen an asylum for the needy who were thought worthy, and no one was ever turned away empty. In politics, Mr. Rich was a Democrat in his earlier life, but after the formation of the Republican party he voted with and worked for the interests of the latter till the nomination of Horace Greely in 1872, since which time he has voted for the "best man" in his judgment, at every election, regardless of party. For many years he was a member and a liberal supporter of the Baptist Church, but now attends the Disciples' Church.
On the 23d of April, 1834, he was joined in marriage to Margaret Ann [Wood] Wallace, daughter of Ruloff and Maria [Van Alstine] Wood, of Montgomery county. Her mother is yet living, and is a member of Mr. Rich's family. Her age is 87 years.
They have raised a large family of children, of whom they have reason to feel proud, and have given them a good edu- cation, at the same time instilling in their minds the value of industry aud economy. Their names are here given in the order of their births: Frank, now a prominent and successful attorney at Cato, N. Y., who was born February 3d. 1835, and married Frances W. Petty, June 15th, 1859; Letitia, who was born September 28th, 1836, married Stephen Olmsted, Octo- ber 28th, 1855, and died September 6th, 1869; Margaret A., who was born October 30th, 1838, and married Dr. James Benton, November 10th, 1853; George A., who was born November 15th, 1841, and married Julia Tucker, March 21st, 1865; Mary C., who was born February 26th, 1844, and mar- ried Arthur W. Tucker, October 18th, 1864; John E., who was born July 18th, 1846, and married Mary Flagler, August 10th, 1867 ; Gratie, who was born February 11th, 1849, and died September 25th, 1850 ; Charles L., who was born July 26th, 1852, and died April 14th, 1855; Charles, who was born June 17th, 1857, and is now preparing himself for the law with his brother Frank.
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VILLAGE OF CATO.
BENCH AND BAR .-- The first lawyer in Cato was George R. Rich, who came in from Fort Ann, Washington county, in 1832, and com- menced the practice of law in 1840. He was admitted to practice in the County Court in 1845, and in the Supreme Court in 1848. Geo. Humphreys, from Auburn, commenced practicing here in 1844, and with him Rich finished his stud- ies. Humphreys was elected County Judge in No- vember, 1851, when he removed to Auburn. Rich is still practicing here. Frank Rich, son of George R. Rich, commenced practice in. 1855, in which year he was admitted to the bar. Stephen Olmsted, son-in-law of George R. Rich, commenced practice in 1863, at which time he was admitted to the bar. Both the latter are practicing here.
MANUFACTURES .- The Cato Milling Com- pany, (D. J. Lamson, R. L. Whiting and E. D. Crowninshield,) commenced business in 1876. Slate Crowninshield erected the buildings in 1874, and carried on the business until the pres- ent proprietors took possession. The works consist of a grist-mill and saw-mill, connected, both being operated by the same motive power, which is supplied by a sixty-five horse-power en- gine. The grist-mill is a custom mill and con- tains three run of stones. The saw-mill contains one large and three small circular saws, for the manufacture of lumber, staves and heading. Its capacity is 5,000 feet of lumber per day, and 50,000 staves per annum. The capital invested is $20,000, and the number of men employed, six.
The furnace and machine shop, of which E. Q. Dutton is proprietor, was built in 1850, by Brad- ford Cook, on the site of one erected in 1832, by John Rich. In 1875 Mr. Dutton built an addi- tion for the purpose of adding to his business the manufacture of stoves, but that branch was dis- continued after about a year. He is now engaged in the manufacture of agricultural implements, the chief article of manufacture being the " Easy Draft " Plow. Three men and a capital of about $10,000, are employed. It is operated by steam.
Curtis & Harris, (Chas. H. Curtis and Walter N. Harris,) commenced the manufacture of cigars in January, 1867. They give employment to seven persons and make about 15,000 cigars per month.
James B. Hunter commenced the manufacture
of cigars February 21st, 1877, in company with D. S. Coates, whose interest he bought April'Ist, 1878. He gives employment to ten persons and makes 35,000 cigars per month.
Adelbert P. Rich commenced the manufacture of cigars July 18th, 1878. He employs at present only two persons.
HOTELS .- The Central Hotel was built by Cor- nelius Acker, the present proprietor, in 1866, on the site of one built by David Chittenden in 1861 and burned in the spring of 1865.
The Railroad House is kept by Elias Quack- enbush, who bought it of Willard Sturge, pro- prietor of the Willard House, Weedsport, in 1867. The main part of the building was erected in in 1810, by Abner Hollister. The addition was built by John Jakway fifty or more years ago.
SCHOOLS .- The school in Cato is a graded union school, with three departments. The teachers are Wm. Hopkins, principal, Miss Ella Saunders and Mrs. Kate Vanaernum. The school building, which is an unusually fine brick structure for a village of its size, was erected in 1876.
THE REFORMED CHURCH, at Cato, was organ- ized about 1831. Wm. DeForest, Isaac Van- Dorn, - DeLamater, John Wood and Jacob and Martin DeForest were among the first mem- bers. Rev .- DeForest was their first pas- tor. He remained with them about two years. Rev. - Hoffman was the second pastor. His pastoral labors covered a period of twenty years. The third pastor was Rev. -. Knight, who remained about three years. Thomas Watson became the pastor about 1859, and remained till about 1866. He was followed by Revs. Swick, Wilson and VanDorn, each of whom remained a year. Their present pastor, Dr. Wells, came in 1876. Their first house of worship was erected about 1833. It is now used as a tenement house. The present house was bought about 1859, of the Methodist Society, by whom it was built about 1849. The present membership is about thirty-five; the attendance at Sabbath school, about fifty.
THE CHURCH OF CHRIST, (or Campbellite,) at Cato, was organized about 1848, by Rev. John Bartlett, who was formerly a Baptist minister, and was their first pastor. His pastorate covered a period of about eight years. O. C. Petty, the second pastor, remained about two years. The
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