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 60
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John Dixon, also from Hebron, Washington county, came in 1804, and settled upon fifty acres of the tract taken up by James Dixon and Maj. Wilson, and died there in 1876, aged ninety-two. Edwin S. and Edwin J., (twins,) Polly, (now Mrs. George B. Thomas,) and Marcha, (now Mrs. Ira Peck,) children of James Dixon, are liv- ing in this town, both boys on the old homestead. John C., son of John Dixon, and father of T. Fayette Dixon; the President (1878) of the vil- lage of Port Byron, is the proprietor of the flour- ing and grist-mill in that village ; and Samantha, (now Mrs. James Robinson,) and Minerva, (now Mrs. Hiram Crossman,) daughters of John Dixon, are living in the town of Sennett.
Other early settlers were Martin and James Harker, from New Jersey, who located on the site of the village ; Reuben Lent and family, from Washington county, who located on lot 62, a little west of Traphagen's grist-mill, about 1806. Lent claimed to have served in the Revolution for that lot, which he twice sold previous to his
settlement on it. After his settlement he sold portions of it to other settlers, and was finally ejected with his victims by Jacob Tremper, to whom he first sold it and by whom the title was held. Tremper, who lived in Kingston, Ulster county, never settled here, but his widow came in 1823 or '4, and located where John T. Smith now lives, in the village. John Seymour, a Methodist preacher, came with his family about 1806 or '7, and settled on lot 62, a little north- west of Elijah Buck's. He was probably the first preacher in the locality of Port Byron and in the town. Joseph Hamilton and Ira Hopkins, from Washington county, and Caleb Hopkins, from New Jersey, settled on lot 85 previous to 1804.
John Adams Taylor, who was born in Hart- ford, Washington county, settled in the north- west part of the town, where Mrs. J. S. Pratt now lives, April 14th, 1817. He bought a State's hundred, for which he paid $7 per acre, rather than become involved in the perplexities arising from defective titles to the soldiers' grants, which many of the settlers bought for a nominal sum, and from which they were subsequently ejected. Mr. Taylor had prospected this section of coun- try in 1815. He came on horseback, and bought of Edward Luck, who was obliged to leave on account of fever and ague, which prevailed here to an alarming extent, but diminished with the increased settlements and the clearing of the lands.
The bridge at Mosquito Point was built in 1815, two years previous to his settlement. "Moscheto Point," says Spafford, "is well named,"* and we think the luckless traveler of to-day will testify that the name is well merited. Mr. Tay- lor added to his 100 acres till he held deeds cov- ering 700 acres.
Both he and his wife, aged respectively eighty- four and eighty-two years, are still living in the town, with their daughter, Mrs. Lucy T. Hayden.
Daniel Mintline, a native of Albany, came in from Canajoharie, April 11th, 1805, and located on the farm now occupied by William and John D. Buckingham. He was the first settler in this locality and from him it derives the name of Mintline settlement. He was born in 1773, and died in the old homestead December 3d, 1839. Daniel Rairden, a Mr. Buckingham and Andrew
*Gazetteer of the State of New York, 1824.
RESIDENCE OF E. B. ERITY, MENTZ, CAYUGA Co. N. Y.
·
315
EARLY SETTLEMENTS.
Myers were early settlers in this locality. Myers was from Dutchess county, and settled on the farm now occupied by E. Waldron. He died in Port Byron February 21st, 1874, aged seventy- eight years. Jonathan, his son, still lives in the town.
The completion of the Erie Canal, October 26th, 1825, gave a new impetus to the business of the village, rapidly increased its population, and soon made it one of the principal grain markets in western New York.
In 1828 the most important enterprise con- nected with the prosperity of Port Byron, was developed. In that year John H. Beach moved into the village and bought the water-power. He built a race-way two miles in length, thus se- curing a thirty feet head of water, and erected on the west side of the Outlet and the south bank of the old canal, what was then and for many years thereafter the largest and best constructed flouring-mill in the State. It was 120 feet long and 50 feet wide. Connected with it was a store- house, So by 40 feet, under a portion of which a branch canal was conducted to facilitate the load- ing and unloading of boats. It contained ten run of stones, driven by an over-shot wheel twenty-two feet in diameter, and was capable of grinding 500 barrels of flour in twenty-four hours. The building cost $60,000, and gave em- ployment to twenty to thirty persons. Belong- ing to the mill, but not in its immediate vicinity, was a stone cooper shop, 200 feet in length, which gave employment to fifty persons, but furnished only a portion of the barrels used in the mill. Most of the wheat used in the mill was brought from the west.
Beach's mill was burned in 1857, and not re- built.
Henry Wells, the noted expressman, came into the town with his father's family after the open- ing of the canal, and for some three years mend- ed shoes for the residents of Port Byron. The Wells family lived in a small, wood-colored house, which now stands diagonally opposite the resi- dence of Mr. William Hosford, having since been raised and repaired and modernized with addi- tions and a coat of paint. Henry remained in the town only about three years. His sister Harriet, (now Mrs. C. B. Newton,) who is remem- bered as a beautiful woman, a fine singer and a devout Christian, became a missionary to Lahore,
North India, a field which still engages her la- bors.
In 1851 the direct line of the N. Y. C. R. R. between Syracuse and Rochester was built, 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 Syra- cuse.
In 1856, while the enlargement of the Eric canal was in progress-a measure which was or- dered May 11th, 1835, begun in August, 1836, and finished in September, 1862, and by which the water surface was increased in width from forty to seventy feet, and the depth from four to seven feet-a difference of opinion arose among the residents of Port Byron as to the course it should take through the village. Some advoca- ted the enlargement along the old circuitous route ; others, a new and more direct route. The will of the latter finally prevailed, and the pres- ent channel was cut through the most beau- tiful part of the village. This change, while it vastly improved the canal, impaired the beauty of the village and proved disastrous to its busi- ness interests, by destroying in a great measure its water power. The State built a dam across the Outlet and diverted the water from Beach's race-way to the new canal,by means of a pipe forty rods in length, laid underground. The canal is spanned at this point by four iron bridges, and has a large double lock, with a lift of about twelve feet. The village at one time had a population of fully 1,500.
The first hotel in the village was built and kept by George Daniels, probably very soon af- ter the opening of the King's inn. It stood on the site of the National Hotel, the land there being then low and marshy, and though it was a framed house, it was denominated an "inferior inn." It was burned during Daniel's occupancy, and re-built by him on a little larger scale. The present brick building on that site was built by Mr. Lytle, the second building erected by Dan- iels having also been burned. Contemporary with, but a little later than Daniels, were Amos Parks and the late James Pine, the former of whom kept a " better hotel," on the south-west corner of Main and Rochester streets, and the latter, one on the site of Mr. Lewis Houghtaling's residence, near the corner of Main and Pine streets.
316
TOWN OF MENTZ.
MERCHANTS. - James Bennett and Willard Whitney were the first merchants in the village. Bennett came in from the town of Brutus and Whitney, from Washington county. They opened a store in company about 1815 or '16, in a building erected by Cornelius Dellemater for a distillery, which stood on the south side of the old canal, about where Kendrick's old wooden building now stands. They did business some two or three years and separated. Roswell Beards- ley came in from the south part of the County, about 1819, and opened a store a little south of the other. He remained till his death, doing a very nice business. Joseph E. Smith came in soon after Beardsley died and opened a store on the north side of the canal. He did not prosper, and after three or four years failed and left.
D. B. and Walter H. Smith, brothers, from Orange county, opened a store in the building previously occupied by J. E. Smith, in the fall of 1824. After four or five years successful business they separated, the former continuing the old store, and the latter removing to one across the way, both keeping the same line of goods, which was a general stock. D. B. Smith became wealthy and continued the business till about 1858, when, on account of age and infirmity, he was succeeded by his son, John T. Smith, who still carries on the business. Walter sold goods for several years, without marked success, till about 1851, when he removed to Chemung county.
Dry goods were sold in the Davis & Dickey cigar store building a short time, about 1818-'20, by Matson & Landon, and subsequently by Hor- ace Perkins, neither of whom succeeded.
Benj. B. Drake, a native of Orange county, who had previously published a paper at Water- loo, opened a store about 1823, on the corner of Main and Rochester streets. He did not suc- ceed, and after about two years sold out and left the town.
Nathan Marble came in from Schaghticoke, Rensselaer county, in the spring of 1825, and opened a store in the building which stood on Main street, a little south of the printing office, which had been erected a few years previously for a store-house and was connected with the canal by a slip large enough to float the boats of that period. He succeeded admirably and con- tinued the business till his death five or six years since. A Mr. Holmes, also from Rensselaer
county, and distantly related to Marble, came in about the same time and opened a like store on the corner of Main and Rochester streets.
Mr. Stilwell, from Oswego county, father of R. R. Stilwell, opened a dry goods store about 1865, in the building now occupied by the latter, who succeeded him after about two years.
Wm. Cooper, from Mexico, Oswego county, came in the spring of 1865 and opened a stock of dry goods in the barber-shop south of his present store, into which he moved after about a year.
Chauncey Sears opened his grocery about a year ago.
John G. Kick opened his grocery about two years since.
Wm. Tatgenhorst, commenced the grocery business some five or six years since ; and George Schottz, about three years since.
Geo. Somers is an old resident, having come to the town with his father from Vermont, as early as 1809 or '10. He was for some two years in company with R. R. Stilwell in the grocery business, and bought the latter's interest the present spring.
Oscar Kent started a grocery about three or four years since.
About 1852 or '3 a drug store was opened by Hiram Schoonmaker, from Ulster county, who remained only two or three years. Richard H. Hoff opened the present one about the beginning of the late war.
PHYSICIANS .- The first physician was Dr. Nathan Wood, who came in the fall of 1799 and located in the Ward Settlement, in the present town of Throop; but the first one in the town of Mentz as at present bounded, was Harman Van Vechton, who came in about 1817 or '18 and lo- cated in the village, where he built some time after, the house next north of Masonic Hall.
The present physicians are Dr. Wm. S. Hoff- man, who came in from Cayuga, about 1848 ; Hiram D. Eldridge, who is a native of Aurelius, and came to Mentz about 1823 or '24; and Daniel A. Force, who has lived here only a few years, is quite aged, and does not practice much. All be- long to the allopathic school of medicine.
ATTORNEYS .- The first lawyer was Hiram Rathburn, who came to the village at an early day, but remained only a short time. Dennison Robinson, from Onondaga county, came about 1830, and practiced law until his death in 1856.
317
CHURCHES.
The present lawyers are Horace V. Howland, who came from Herkimer county, about 1850, and has since continued to practice here. He finished his studies with the late Hon. Wm. H. Seward, of Auburn, and has distinguished him- self in his profession by his learning and ability. Charles R. Berry, Howell B. Converse and Cal- vin R. Aldrich, all of whom read law with Wil- liam Howland, and the latter two of whom are justices, are the other lawyers.
Port Byron possesses a remarkable case of longevity. Mrs. Lydia Graham, who is now liv- ing in the village with her son-in-law, Alfred Mead, has reached the advanced age of 103 years. She is vigorous mentally and physically, and has a retentive memory, especially in regard to early events.
MENTZ GRANGE was organized in January, 1874, with twenty-five members. Oscar Gut- chess is President, and W. H. Rott, Secretary.
CHURCHES .- It cannot be definitely ascertain- ed when the first religious services were held in the town ; but judging from the following, it must have been at a very early day, of a primitive character, and under somewhat romantic circum- stances :
" 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 circum- ference, 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 cen- tury, 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. The first meetings, and indeed for several years, were held in Ward's set- tlement, where the organization was perfected. A school-house, no longer standing, located near the site of the Mentz meeting-house in Monte- zuma, was the first public building used for re- ligious services in that locality. This school was used on formal occasions, the meetings generally being held in private houses, till 1818 or '19, when it was destroyed by fire. The Society maintained a feeble existence, without a regular
pastor or much accession to its membership till 1818, in which year the services of the Rev. Oli- ver Eastman were secured and meetings held regularly in the school-house. Meetings were afterwards held in the school-house at Forshee's Corners, until the removal soon after of the So- ciety to Port Byron, which was then a prosperous village of 500 to 600 inhabitants, "as yet unoc- cupied by any religious body."
May 8th, 1820, soon after the removal to Port Byron, the church was first incorporated, as The First Congregational Society of Mentz, the meet- ing for that purpose being held at the house of James Pine. The first meetings in the village were held in the barns of Mr. Pine and Roderick Mattson. After the first summer the meetings were held for two years in the ball room over the open shed attached to the Eagle Hotel, which Mr. Pine generously threw open to them, re- ceiving in payment such voluntary offerings "as the church from time to time could make." In 1822 the meetings were transferred to a building in Nauvoo, near the western extremity of the park. The first minister who regularly officiated in this house was Rev. Abner Benedict, who staid about a year. September 5th, 1824, the Presbyterian form of government was again adopted, although the corporate name was retain- ed, and a board of elders chosen, consisting of Lyman Grandy, John I. Wilson, John Dixon, Wm. Van Vleck and John S. Willis. Before the close of the year Rev. Birdsey Gibbs came to the church as a stated supply. During his pastorate the first Sunday-school was organized, Mrs. Sarah Osburn, to whose exertions it was largely due, and Miss Emeline White being the first teachers. "The first pupil and the only one on the first Sabbath was Mrs. E. P. Ross, of Auburn." July 26th, 1826, Mr. Gibbs was dis- missed from the church, and " was succeeded after an interval of a year and a half by Rev. William Williams, who labored as a stated supply in 1828-'9, under the patronage of the Home Mis- sionary Society."
November 15th, 1830, the Society was rein- corporated and the present name, symbolizing its form of government, adopted. With the opening of 1831 Rev. Justus S. Hough commenced his ministry, and before its close had added fifty-one names to the list of membership. He closed his labors the following year. For five years, with
* Horatio Gates Spofford, LL. D., Gazetteer of the State of New York, 1824.
54-2
318
TOWN OF MENTZ.
the exception of a few months in the early part of 1835, when the Rev. Isaac Bliss performed the duties of that office, the church was without a pastor ; but the pulpit was supplied by students from Auburn Theological Seminary.
In 1833 the Society erected a new house where the Methodist church now stands; but late the following winter it was burned, when meetings were again held in the old church. Within two years from the dedication of the one burned, an- other was erected on its site and occupied. In the spring of 1837 Rev. James T. Hough, brother of Rev. Justus S. Hough, assumed the pastorate for one year, during which forty members were added. He was succeeded early in 1839 by Rev. John Gosman, D. D., of the Dutch Re- · formed Church, Classis of Philadelphia.
A few years previous to this many persons had been admitted to membership from the Dutch Reformed churches in Eastern New York, and while " they strengthened and built up the church of their adoption," they retained strong prefer- ences for the " methods and associations " of the Reformed Church. This preference, which had hitherto been latent, this year developed an open and bitter opposition between them and the Pres- byterians, resulting in the selection of Dr. Gos- man, and ultimately in a divison and exhausting litigation in the civil courts for the possession of the house of worship, which the Reformed party held. The Presbyterians chose Rev. D. C. Hopkins, of Brutus, for their pastor, and with- drew to the school-house then occupying the site of the old church in Nauvoo, which had burned down two years before, the Reformed party retain- ing the services of Dr. Gosman. The courts decided in favor of the Presbyterians, or new- school party, who, in July, 1842, were put in possession of the church, which they occupied till their dissolution. This violent separation broke the rising strength of the new-school church and established the other under unfavor- able circumstances. Mr. Hopkins' connection with the church was severed near the close of 1843, when Rev. Lemuel W. Hamlin became their pastor and remained about six months. During his brief pastorate thirty-three were added to the church on confession. For three years they were without a pastor. In 1846 Rev. Thomas M. Hodgeman began a pastorate of two years. He was the last minister whose stated services they enjoyed.
September 7th, 1850, their church building was sold to the Methodists, who still use it, hav- ing a few years since repaired and greatly im- proved it. May 24th, 1850, the society dissolved.
July 29th, 1840, the old-school party assumed the corporate name of the joint societies, and chose for their pastor Dr. Gosman, who secured his dismission from the Classis of Philadelphia, and was admitted to membership in the Presbytery. November 17th, 1841, they incorporated under the name previously assumed, and from this time till the dissolution of the other society, both organ- izations bore the same name. Dr. Gosman's pasto- rate was terminated at his request in February, 1842. When compelled to surrender their house to the other society, meetings were held tempo- rarily in a public hall connected with the Eagle Hotel ; and, notwithstanding their resources had been severely taxed by the litigation in which they were involved, measures were at once taken to purchase a site and erect an edifice which was dedicated August 17th, 1843.
Rev. Robert Finley, then a recent graduate from Princeton Theological Seminary, succeeded to the pastorate, and was installed this same year. August 17th, 1845, Mr. Finley was released from his charge by act of the Presbytery. Septem- ber 9th, 1845, Rev. Wm. Theo. Van Doren, who had spent several years as missionary on the isl- and of Java, accepted a call. The IIth of Au- gust, 1848, a joint request of the pastor and con- gregation was prepared asking for his release.
Geo. C. Heckman, who had just graduated from Princeton, was now recommended to the Church, and on the 23d of October following, a unanimous call was extended him. His pastor- ate witnessed the liquidation of the remaining debt of $763 on the church building ; the pur- chase from Archibald Green of the old parson- age near Masonic Hall, with its grounds and out- buildings, for $1,600, and the extinguishment, April 26th, 1854, of the indebtedness thus in- curred; the repairing and enlargement of the church edifice in 1855, at an expense of $1,800 ; and the addition of not less than 107 persons to the membership. He dissolved his relations in November, 1856, having accepted a call from the Church at Portage, Wisconsin. He was suc- ceeded in July, 1857, by Rev. A. P. Botsford. April 23d, 1861, he was released from his charge, and Rev. Franklin D. Harris was installed pastor.
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L
JOHN J. HENRY
RESIDENCE OF THOS. MCCULLEN, MENTZ, CAYUGA Co. NY.
319
CHURCHES.
Mr. Harris resigned his charge in the summer of 1866. Rev. A. C. Reed followed and infused into the languishing energies of the Church a new vitality. During his pastorate The Ladies' . Christian Association of the Presbyterian Church of Port Byron was organized by his wife, with five members, November 27th, 1872, and “is still maintained with excellent results."
During the year ending April 7th, 1868, the old parsonage and its grounds were sold ; and the eligible grounds now occupied were purchased of Ira Peck, and a new and commodious parson- age erected, the whole costing $4,500. In the autumn of 1871, the house of worship was re- paired, altered and refurnished, at a cost of $4,329, only about $700 of which remains unpaid.
In the summer of 1873, Mr. Reed relinquished his charge, much to the regret of his people.
The present pastor, Rev. V. A. Lewis, com- menced his pastoral labors near the close of 1873.
Mrs. C. B. Newton, a former member of this church, has now charge of a mission school at Lahore, North India.
The present membership of the church is 138. The number enrolled in the Sunday school and Bible classes at the last report to the Presbytery was 250. There are in the permanent church library eighty-five volumes ; and in the Sunday school library, 300 volumes. The whole amount on record contributed by the church for foreign missions is $1,761.40; for home missions, $928.50. *
THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH IN PORT BYRON was organized May 18th, 1830, with a member- ship of forty-eight ; forty-one of whom were dis- missed for the purpose from the church in Throopsville, and the other seven, as is sup- posed, for a like purpose, from other churches. Of the original members only three are living, viz : George W. Milliner and wife, Fanny, and Mrs. Caleb Wood, all in Port Byron. The first pastor was Elder John Jeffries, who continued his labors about two years. During the second year of his ministry forty-three were added to the membership. The second pastor was Elder Roswell Osburn, who took the pastoral care in 1832, and remained one year. He was succeed- ed by Elder Isaac Bucklin, either as pastor or
temporary supply, probably the latter, as he was soon after excluded from the church in Sennett. In October, 1834, Elder T. H. Green assumed the pastoral relation, remaining one year. In this year a lot was purchased near the center of the village, and a brick edifice, 40 by 52 feet, was erected, at a cost of $2,806. In 1874 about $500 was spent in refitting and modernizing it. It will seat about 400 persons. Previous to this the meetings of the society were held in a build- ing known as the " Old Boat House, " situated in the west part of the village.
The next pastor was Elder L. J. Reynolds, who entered upon his labors in 1836, and re- mained till his death, nearly two years after. Ile was succeeded by Elder S. Knapp, who re- mained two years, and was followed in 1840 by Elder H. F. Davis, in the commencement of whose labors the church was blessed with a re- vival, by which fourteen were added by baptism and thirteen by letter. In 1842 Elder W. R. Webb became the pastor. During his ministra- tions the membership was considerably increased by baptism and letter. Elder W. Frary suc- ceeded him in 1843, and also remained one year. Under his labors the church experienced "the most extensive and powerful revival ever enjoyed during any period of her history. Sixty-three were added by baptism and seventeen by letter."
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