History of Cayuga County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 61

Author: Storke, Elliot G., 1811-1879. cn
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason
Number of Pages: 762

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 61

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In 1844 Elder John Jeffries entered upon a second pastorate, which he continued till death closed his labors in 1846. He was succeeded by Elder B. W. Capron, who remained about three years. After the departure of Mr. Capron, the services of Elder E. Dean were secured as a tem- porary supply. About the last of February, 1850, Elder A. Russell Belden was called to aid in a series of meetings, which were continued about four weeks, resulting in about sixty expressing "a hope in the pardoning mercy of God." The next pastor was Elder J. B. Vrooman, who entered upon his labors about the Ist of April, 1850. Under his faithful and judicious labors the pros- perity of the church was largely increased. Hc was succeeded in 1854 by Elder Wm. C: Phillips. Elder Israel Wilkinson was the pastor in 1857 ; Elder J. J. Grundy, in 1861 ; Elder John Rey- nolds, in 1864; and Elder J. A. Howd, in 1866. In 1868 and 1869 the church was without a pas- tor. Elder A. Maynard took the laboring oar in 1870, and continued that and the succeeding

* For the information contained in the above sketch we are in- debted to Mr. Charles L. Wilson, of Port Byron, who has kindly placed in our hands a Ms. history of this church, prepared by himself, evidently with great care.

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year. He was succeeded in 1873 by Elder S. Seigfried, the year 1872 being spent without a pastor, as was also the year 1874. In 1875 EI- der E. Wildman became the pastor ; but in the following year the pulpit was again vacant. El- der Ross Matthews assumed the pastoral care in 1877, in the fall of which year he was succeeded by Elder Ira Dudley, the present pastor. The church has a present membership of 130. The attendance at the Sabbath school is 75.

THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF PORT BYRON was incorporated June 10th, 1850, Daniel McQuigg, Daniel T. Mead, John Ferbush, John A. Taylor and Alex. Gutchess being elected the first Trustees. Rev. H. C. Hall was at that time pastor of a small class, and their meetings were held in the church formerly owned by the Pres- byterian Society, which property was bought by this Society January Ist, 1851, for $850. The following July the church was assigned to the Oneida Conference. In 1854 a parsonage was built, at a cost of $1,500. In 1862 it was moved to a new lot and enlarged and furnished at a cost of $1,000. In 1858 the church edifice was some- what remodeled and repaired at an expense of $1,500 ; and again, in 1872, the entire inner structure was rebuilt in modern style, involving an expense of $7,500. In 1878, the sum of $2,000 was raised, $1,000 of which was applied to the purchase of a pipe organ, and the remainder to liquidating the entire indebtedness of the So- ciety.

The pastors who have served this Society since its incorporation and the date of their service, are as follows: Revs. James Landreth, July, 1850 ; B. R. Pratt, 1851 ; Oran Lathrop, 1852 ; Zachariah D. Paddock, 1853 ; Sylvester H. Brown, 1855 ; Alanson White, April, 1857; Fitch Reed, 1858 ; Albert B. Gregg, 1860 ; Wm. Jerome, 1862 ; David R. Carrier, 1864; George C. Elliott, 1866; Ephraim C. Brown, 1868; Richard R. Redhead, 1870; Henry T. Giles, October, 1873 ; and Reuben C. Fox, the present pastor, in 1876. There are about 170 members and the Society is united and prosperous. There is also a flourishing Sunday-school of over 200 members, of which E. R. Redhead is superin- tendent.

The present officiary of the Church and So- ciety is as follows : Rev. R. C. Fox, pastor ; Revs. Barnabas Wood and Wm. C. Toll, local

preachers ; Tobias Schermerhorn, Charles F. Stiles, Jonathan Myer, G. W. Latham, R. R. Stilwell and E. R. Redhead, class leaders ; Au- gustus Kelly, John Wilson, A. J. Caldwell, L. B. Burritt, D. H. Mills, Andrew Shelter, E. A. Dickinson, Joseph H. Hadden and J. W. Bar- rus, stewards ; John Wilson, Eber M. Treat, H. V. Howland, G. W. Latham, D. H. Mills, C. F. Stiles, Augustus Kelly, Jonathan Myer and J. W. Barrus, trustees.

ST. JOHN'S CHURCH, (Roman Catholic,) at Port Byron, was organized about 1858, the Catholics in Montezuma being largely instrumental in its form- ation. The priests who have officiated are those who have ministered to the church in Montezuma, who have generally been stationed at Weedsport. The Society has never had a resident pastor. Their church edifice was formerly a school-house, which they bought and remodeled.

ST. PAUL'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF PORT BYRON was organized about 1863, though meet- ings were held by members of this denomination about twenty-five years ago, the services being conducted by transient pastors at irregular inter- vals. Among the original members were F. M. King, Charles Hamilton and wife, George B. Gillespie, H. C. Badgley and Mrs. Martha Ken- drick. The first settled pastor was Rev. J. H. Rowling, who continued his ministrations about two years, and was succeeded by a Rev. Mr. Foster, who remained about one year. He was succeeded by a Rev. Mr. Paul. From the time that Mr. Paul severed his connection with the church it has had no settled pastor until about eighteen months since, at which time the ser- vices of Rev. Wm. Lord, the present pastor, were secured. The existence of the Society has been a constant struggle from the beginning, and it has several times languished and revived. The Society is now adapting to its use a building donated to it by Mrs. Frances Matson, wife of Rev. Dr. Matson, of New York, which has been moved to a lot of one and one-half acres, donated by the heirs of Nathan Marble, the father of Mrs. Matson. They have expended $525 in fitting it up and expect that the expenditure of $400 will finish it for occupancy, when it will seat about 100 persons. They held services in this building for the first time June 2d, 1878. Previous to this their meetings have been held in the town hall or in the houses of other denominations.

RES. OF STEPHEN, QUEC

RESIDENCES OF STEPHEN, &. W. W. GUTCHESS. TOWN OF MENTE. CAYUGA CO. N.Y.

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The present membership is about ten, who evince considerable interest in the welfare of the church. They have no Sabbath school, but pur- pose organizing one when the building is com- pleted.

CENTERPORT.

Centerport is a canal village in the east part of the town, containing about twenty families, a district school, and a grain cradle manufactory, the latter of which is owned by Charles Clow, a native of Schaghticoke, Rensselaer county, who came about 1844, and commenced the manufac- ture of grain cradles and gravel forks.

Settlement was begun at Centerport about 1805 or '6 by Benj. Haikes.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

STEPHEN GUTCHESS.

STEPHEN GUTCHESS was born in Chenango county, town of Smithfield, in the State of New York, on the 22d day of February, 1822, and emigrated from Chenango county to Cayuga in 1825, with his mother, who was then a widow, and seven brothers and two sisters, and settled in the town of Conquest, near Conquest Center. They came with a yoke of cattle and covered wagon, driving what little stock they had, two cows. During the month of October Stephen remained with his mother, doing odd jobs for his neighbors until he was fifteen years old. At this time he engaged his services to Henry K. Far- rand, in the town of Mentz, for $6 per month, spending seven months and five days with him that season, for which he received $43.25. A few months previous to the expiration of his time his mother drew $35 ; and at the expiration of the time he carried the balance of what was due him to his mother. He was then employed by David Austin, who owned the property now occupied by Mr. Gutchess, an engraving of which appears in this work. He spent seven seasons with him, at an average of about $ 12 per month. During the winter season he spent his time in cutting cord wood, having no time to at- tend even a district school. His advantages for an education were extremely limited compared with those offered at the present day. For the next ten years Mr. Gutchess was variously en- gaged in canal-boat navigation, commencing first

as a driver and ending with being the owner of one of the finest boats on the canal. He was engaged on the New York and Seneca Falls line of lake boats. January 31st, 1849, he married Miss Sarah E. Willis, daughter of William S. Willis, of the town of Mentz, who was born September 16th, 1822. Mr. Willis was among the early settlers of the town, moving in from the town of Boonton, Morris county, State of New Jersey, where he was born.

Mr. Gutchess was the owner of a small farm of 28} acres, upon which he had built a small house. In this the festivities attending their marriage were held, and their subsequent life spent until 1850. He disposed of this prop- erty for $1,400, moved west fifty rods, where his son now lives, and purchased fifty-one acres, which was increased to one hundred and four, by purchases made at different times. Then com- menced such improvements in the way of fencing, planting orchards, and erecting buildings, as has made it one of the finest pieces of farm property in the town. Many persons from different parts of the town and county have visited it with a view to making similar improvements in their own places. In March, 1874, he deeded it to his only son, Wilber Willis Gutchess, who now owns it and still carries out in every way the plans and habits of his father, keeping up its record as a model farm.

On the 26th day of February, 1876, Mr. Gutchess purchased near his former place, Lewis T. Colby's farm of 108 acres, together with his other landed estate, making the farm now con- sist of 154 acres. He moved on the place in July of the same year, and has again displayed his faculty for beautifying his surroundings by building a very fine barn, remodeling his house and improving his place generally. As a public man Mr. Gutchess has figured, first as a super- visor, in 1865, assisting largely in filling the quota called for from the town of Mentz, going to New York city in person to discharge his duties in this direction as supervisor. He then filled the office of Canal Superintendent, on section 9, un- der the administration of Gov. Dix, which office was held with credit to himself and honor to the State, for the term of two years. Mr. Gutchess, though not a member of any church, has a seat with the Methodists, and he is friendly and liberal to all.

In politics he is a Republican, and was, during the war, one of the most earnest supporters of the administration in suppressing the Rebellion and advancing the cause of freedom. Never having had the assistance of inherited wealth or family influence, Mr. Gutchess can truly be styled a self-made man. In closing this brief sketch of an industrious man's life it is fitting to make mention of his devoted wife, who has aided him in no small degree, both by words and deeds,

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ever advising and doing in the kindest way that which has promoted the welfare and best inter- ests of her family.

WILLIAM ELLERY.

WILLIAM ELLERY is the son of William and Jenefar Ellery, who were natives of, and always lived in England. His father was born in the year 1799, and was by trade a mason. He died about the year 1828. Mr. Ellery's mother's maiden name was Cox. She was born in 1783, and died in 1837.

William Ellery, the subject of this sketch, was born in Wadebridge, Cornwall county, Eng- land, January 31st, 1809. He learned the trade of brick laying and masonry and followed that occupation till he came to America in 1832. The following four years he lived in New York city, still following his chosen occupation. In 1836 he returned to England, and on the 2d day of May, 1837, he married Miss Caroline Trevarton, the only daughter of Richard and Mary Trevarton, residents of the Parish of St. Braock. Her father was of some note, and died March 6th, 1854. Her mother came with her to this country, where she died December 31st, 1868, at a good old age.

In 1837, Mr. Ellery, for the second time, left his native land, and determined to settle per- manently in this country. He first located in Albany, where he was engaged in building enter- prises till 1860. At that time he abandoned the trade he had followed so many years, and, with his family, came to the town of Mentz. He pur- chased 60 acres of fine land on lot No. 72, where he has since resided, devoting his time to the cultivation of his farm.

To Mr. and Mrs. Ellery have been born six children, three of whom are living. Their names are, Joseph, living with his father, Edmond T., of the town of Throop, and Mary J., still at home.

Mr. Ellery is a relative of William Ellery, one of the signers of the declaration of independence. On another page may be seen a view of the El- lery farm.

THOMAS Mc CULLEN.

THOMAS Mc CULLEN was born in the county of Wicklow, Ireland, April 7th, 1834. At the age of thirteen he emigrated to this country, settling at Port Byron, where he arrived on the 14th day of September, 1847. The same season he com- menced chopping cord wood for Daniel McQuigg & Co., and the following summer hired to Daniel C. Austin as farm hand for eight months at $14 per month. During the next fifteen or twenty

years he was variously engaged in farming and boating, acting as superintendent of construction on section 9, under T. H. Hotaling, and manag- ing the running of boats for the American Trans- portation Company, and for G. A. Sprague. April 10th, 1873, he married Elizabeth J. Hen- ry, daughter of John J. Henry, who was born, lived and died on the property now owned by Mr. Mc Cullen. The father of John J. Henry and grandfather of Mrs. Mc Cullen, a native of Ire- land, settled on the same place in 1800, arriving at Port Byron with an ox cart, which contained his family and goods, leading their only cow behind them, settling in the wilderness, having for the nearest neighbor Philip King, living one and one- half miles distant. The same day that Mr. Mc Cullen married, he purchased the farm ( a sketch of which appears in this work ) where he now lives ; the farm on which, through his wife, lives the third generation, the place being now known by many as the old Henry farm.

The present condition of the farm shows Mr. McCullen to be an expert as a farmer and one thoroughly posted in the best modes of making every rod of land produce all it possibly can. April Ist, 1875, Mr. McCullen joined the Pres- byterian church, with which his wife had been connected since she was 16 years old. In politics Mr. McCullen takes but little interest, always voting for whom he considers the best man or men, having no choice in party, preferring principles above them all.

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

TOWN OF BRUTUS.

B RUTUS lies upon the east border of the County, north of the center, and is bounded on the north by Seneca River, on the east by Onondaga county, on the south by Sennett and Throop, and on the west by Mentz. It was formed from Aurelius, March 30th, 1802. Sen- nett was taken off March 19th, 1827.

The surface in the north and west is gently undulating, with an average elevation of ten feet above the river. In the south and east it is broken by ridges and detached, conical- shaped gravel hills, having an elevation of two hundred feet above the river, and from fifty to seventy-five feet above the general level. It is watered by Bread Creek and Cold Spring Brook, the former of which is a canal feeder. Both are

ST. PATRICK'S CHURCH. AURORA, N. Y.

RESIDENCE OF WM ELLERY TOWN OF MENTE CAYUGA CO. NY.

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GEOLOGICAL FORMATION.

small streams, and furnish but a moderate hydraulic power. They unite a short distance before discharging their waters into Seneca River.

Bread Creek is said to have received its name from the workmen engaged in the construction of the canal through here. At one time the vessel which was carrying their provisions to them was delayed two or three days on the river, and they were obliged to rely upon the people of the locality for food. When the vessel finally ar- rived and anchored in the river, they reached it by means of boats down this creek, and from their gratitude for the supply of provisions thus ob- tained, they named the Creek as above .*

It is underlaid by the red shales, the gypseous portion of which crops out in several localities, notably on the farm of John S. Sheldon, where it is five to seven feet below the surface, and was excavated for several years, some twenty-five years ago. A plaster-mill was in operation on this place at that time, but it has gone to decay. Generally the plaster is too deeply covered with drift to possess a commercial value. Recently Mr. Faatz, in excavating for a well in the east part of the town, struck a vein of excellent plas- ter rock but a few feet below the surface. Its thickness was not ascertained. There are sev- eral localities where surface indications of salt exist, principally along the river, notably one in the north-east part of the town, where the early settlers boiled salt at a deer-lick. Brine springs exist near the village of Weedsport. Extensive deposits of calcareous marl exist in the marshy flats bordering upon the river. In 1873 a de- posit of this character covering an area of fully ten acres, of unknown depth, was discovered on the farm of Edmund A. Havens, adjacent to the canal. Here, the overlying peat, its usual ac- companiment, has an average thickness of fifteen inches.

The soil upon the uplands is a good quality of sandy and gravelly loam, intermixed with clay, with a rich alluvion on the flats and in the val- leys of the streams. The ridges are composed largely of clay, and the conical hills, of gravel.

The town is traversed from east to west by the direct line of the N. Y. C. R. R., and the Erie Canal, in close proximity, and from north to south by the Southern Central railroad, which open up

excellent markets for the products of its farms and manufactories.

The population in 1875 was 2,825 ; of whom 2,462 were native, 363 foreign, 2,793 white, and 32 colored.

It covers an area of 12,477 acres ; of which 10,234 are improved, 1,242 woodlands, and 1,001 unimproved.

The first settler in Brutus was Aaron Frost, who was a squatter in the northwest corner of the town, on the river, about 1795. He was en- gaged in fishing, trapping and hunting, and final- ly settled in that locality. He was the first miller in the town. He fashioned stones for a grist mill from rocks obtained in the locality, and put them into the lower part of a saw mill subsequent- ly built by the Hamiltons in the west edge of the town, about 1808 or '9. The stones were put in very soon after the saw mill was built, and the grist-mill was run by Frost. These were the first mills in the town, and have gone to decay. The building stood on the farm now owned by Jonathan Titus, on Cold Spring Brook, the water from which furnished the motive power.

It is not known that any further settlement was made prior to 1800, in which year William Stevens and Sunderland Sweet came in. Ster- ens was from Massachusetts, and settled on the farm now owned by Samuel J. Mack, just south of Weedsport, where his son Ira, the only sur- vivor of his family, is now living. He died there in 1862. He kept a tavern previous to 1814, and for several years thereafter, till the opening of the canal in 1825. His was the first tavern in the town. It is a frame building, and was moved about four years ago to Weedsport, where it now stands, and is used as a tenement house. Bennett Stevens, his son, who was born Novem- ber 13th, 1801, was the first child born in the town. The first death was that of an infant child of Sunderland Sweet, in 1800.

Several additional settlements were made in 1802, in which year Caleb and Jonah Rude, brothers, and Nathan, son of Jonah, came in from Saratoga county. Caleb settled about a half mile south-east of Weedsport, on the farm now owned by Frank Mills, where he died. Jonah settled on the south line of Weedsport, where Frank Mack now lives, and died there. Nathan lived and died on the old homestead. Bateman Rude, also son of Jonah, settled near the Cold

* Statement of Amos Cowell, of Weedsport.

55-2

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TOWN OF BRUTUS.

Spring pump, on the canal, within a quarter of a mile of the east line, where his son Milton now lives, and where he died. Jason Rude, son of Nathan, who was born December 23d, 1808, is the present postmaster in Weedsport. George Rude son of Bateman, is living in Weedsport. Abel Powers, also from Saratoga county, came in with his family the same year and settled in Weedsport, where Royal Mack now lives. He moved away with his family after a few years. John Hamilton came in with teams from Hebron, Washington county, în March, 1802, in company with his sons John Jr., and Wm. and took up lot 64, on which he settled, and died in 1806. John, his son, brought in his wife, Nancy, and daughter, Jane, and settled where Peter Hamilton now lives. All are dead ; Jane, who married Wm. Emerick, dying in the town of Mentz. His sur- viving children are David, who is living one mile west of Weedsport, aged seventy-six years; John, and Nancy, now Mrs. Eli Dixon, in Michigan, to which State the former moved in 1836; and El- vira, who is living with her brother David. Nu- merous of his descendants are living in the Coun- ty, five in Brutus. Wm. settled where Murray Duncan now lives. Two sons of his are living. Wm. Beard, a nephew of John Hamilton, came in company with him from the same place, and settled on the farm now occupied by the wife of his son William. He died on the old homestead about fifteen years ago. Three other children survive him, viz : Levi, who is living in Sterling ; Joseph, in Victory ; and Polly, with her mother.

Dr. James Hamilton, twin brother of John Hamilton, Jr., moved in from Hebron, Washing- ton county, in 1803, and settled opposite to where David Hamilton now lives. He subsequently moved and built the house where his son Eli lives, about twenty rods west of where he first settled. Those of his children who survive him are, besides Eli, Dr. Ira Hamilton of Jordan ; Hannah, now Mrs. David Hanchett, and Nancy, who are living in Michigan; Peter, who lives with his uncle John; and Jane, now Mrs. David Hedges, who lives in Iowa.

The year 1804 was marked by the advent of several settlers, among whom were John St. John, from Connecticut, Edward Horton and Daniel Miller, brothers-in-law, from N. J., Adam Hel- mer, from Herkimer county, and Lewis Putnam, from Hebron, Washington county. St. John

settled a mile east of Weedsport, where he died. He had a large family. Horton came in with his family and took up 100 acres, two miles south of Weedsport, and settled on the farm now owned by Otis Ingalls. His sons John, James and David came in with him, the latter when only three months old. David is now living at Conquest Center, to which town he removed in 1826. Miller settled in the same locality as Horton, a portion of his farm being now owned by Ferdinand Faatz. He removed to Conquest at an early day and died there, together with his wife. Helmer was a Dutchman and a Revolu- tionary soldier. He took up lot 67 as a soldier's grant and settled where Geo. Harris now lives, where he died about forty-five years ago. The family moved from the town some twenty years ago. Putnam took up lot 66 and built a log- house where F. W. Putnam now lives. March 6th, 1805, he moved in his family, the house then, say his sons, being destitute of door, window and floor, a blanket having been made to serve the purpose of a door the first night. His family then consisted of his wife, Nancy, and five children ; three children were afterwards born here. Nu- merous descendants of the family are living in this town. Putnam erected a saw and grist-mill at an early day on Bread Creek. The grist-mill stood just east of Weedsport, and the saw-mill, on the same dam, but on the opposite side of the creek. The grist-mill was burned about 1845, and the saw-mill torn down about fifteen years ago. Samuel Moore, from N. J., settled this same year on lot 86, about a mile south of Weeds- port, on the farm now owned in part by Thos. Bentley. Two of his children are living in Weedsport, viz : John and a daughter, afterwards Mrs. Moses Bradley, now Mrs. Dean. Lewis · Moore, brother of Samuel, settled on an adjoining farm, where he died some thirty years ago.

John Filmore settled in 1804 or '5, on the farm now owned by Harvey Beach, about two miles south-west of Weedsport. He sold out to John Emerick, from Ulster county, about 1815, and re- moved his family from the town. A man named VanDyck, from New Jersey, settled in 1805, about a mile south of Weedsport, on the farm owned by James M. and Joseph Ewins, on which his grandsons, William and Joseph Bennett, now live. Deacon Robinson, Henry Passage, Henry Meach, and David, Archibald and Heman Ward

[Photo by Squyer & Wright.]

Elisa Theloan

JACOB and MARY [SMITH] SHELDON, the progenitors of the Shel- don family in this County, were born in Connecticut, the former in 1753, and the letter about the same time. We can obtain no re- liable data in regard to their early life. They were n arried in Suffield in their native State, August 26th, 1729, and in the year 1790 they settled in this County, very near where the village of Sen- nett is situated, on the road that leads from the latter place to Eibridge, Onondaga county. Mr. Sheldon took up three hundred acres of land that was mostly covered by dense forest, and here he resided, engaged in clearing the land. and keeping tavein, bis abode being a rude double log cabin, until about the year 1810. He then moved into a large frame dwelling situated on the corner of the Elbridge road and the road that now leads to Sennett Station and there he kept tavern two years.

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History of Cayuga County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 61

Author: Storke, Elliot G., 1811-1879. cn Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason Number of Pages: 762

Author: Storke, Elliot G., 1811-1879. cn
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason
Number of Pages: 762