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 62
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About the year 1812, he purchased two hundred and fourteen acres of land where Erwin M. Sheldon now resides, in the town of Brutus, and settled thereon, and was engaged in clearing the land, operating two saw-mills that he had erected, and farming until 1821. Here on the 1st of August of that year, (1821,) he suddenly died of internal injuries received while endesvoring to ride & frac- tious colt. Mary, his wife, died September 3d, 1814.
Jacob and Mary Sheldon reared & family of seven children. Their names, dates of birth, and death are as follows : Sylvester, horn July ?th, 1780 ; died May 21st, 1861. Cephas, born November 10th, 1783 ; died in September, 1837. Mary, born January 25th, 1789 ; died May 13th, 1857. Jacub, born August 27th, 1790 : died July 18th, 1860. Daniel, horn April 15th, 1794 ; died April 9th, 1868. John, born November 17th. 1796 ; died October 20th, 1814. And Enes, born February 7th, 1800 ; now living.
Jeceb in his domestic relations was a kind and loving father, teaching his children by his own example the value and importecce of industry, economy and virtue, and inspiring them with the wor- thy ambition to be men and women in the loftiest sense of the word. Perhaps no man was more prominently identified with the early growth and development of Cayuga County then he. He wae generous and humane, and proved one of the most valuable of ueighbors and staunchest of friends.
The children older than Daniel, before their marriage and settle- ment near the old home, aided their father in clearing the land and developing the farm, receiving such schooling as could be obtained in those early times.
Daniel remained at home, giving his parents most valuable aid in their battle with the giant forest. and taking an active and im- portent part in the management of his father's business, until the latter's death. He then came into possession of the homestead, and there he resided until he died. His education was fair, con- sidering the advantages he enjoyed. The excellent training be re- ceived from his father was of great practical use to him in the management of his own affairs, and thoroughness and peraever- ance were prominent characteristics that marked every transac- tion of his life. The fact that at the time of his death he was the owner of about six hundred acree of land, nearly all of which Was under & high state of cultivation, is sufficient to attest that he mede life a success.
Mr. Sheldon was strict in exacting what was his due. but exceed. ingly lenient towards those who were unfortunate and unable to
pay, and especially so with his tenants. The poor ever found in him a friend, and those in dietress were sure of his sympathy and assistance. In politics Mr. Sheldon never took a prominently &c- tive part. He voted with the Whigs until the formation of the Re- publican party, of which he hecame a member. He was elected to the office of Supervisor for one term, and although earnestly sellci- ted by his friends to accent positions of truet and responsibility at their hands, he always declined to do so. with the exception abeve referred to, because he had no aspiration for political honore. He was modest and retiring in hie disposition, and preferred the quietude of his home and the companionship of his family and a few chosen friends, to the dieturhances of an official life.
In religious sentiment, Mr. Sheldon was a Presbyterian, and an honored member of that church in Sennett for many years. He gave liberally on all occasione when money was needed to further the interest of his church and the cause of religion.
In all the affaire of life, the honorable example. as shown in the career of Daniel Sheldon, is one eminently worthy of emulation by those who would have, as did he. the esteem of all men.
On the 9th of April. 1868, Mr. Sheldon aruse frem hie bed feeling well in health and spirits, and went to his sew-mill to superintend his Affairs there, when he was taken suddenly ill. He returned to his house and died in an hour of heart disease.
In 1815, the 12th day of November. Daniel Sheldon was united in marriage with Eliza, daughter of Nathan and Elizabeth Merritt, natives of Connecticut, then residente of Brutus She was born April 2d. 1798. Mrs. Sheldon possessed all those lovely traits of character that are seen in the faithful. leving wife, and affectionate mother. She united with the Presbyterian Church in Sennett at an early day, and was, until she died. a zealous and coneletent member thereof. She was ever mindful of the pressing needs and sufferings of the unfortunate pocr, and the aged and helpless ap- pealed not in vain to her for succor and sympathy. Her acts of charity were prompted by a heart filled with compassion for all in distress and need, and a desire to fulfill the teachings of Him who hath said, " He that giveth to the poor lendeth te the Lord." She died January 21st, 1869.
Mr. and Mrs. Sheldon reared and trained to lives of ueefulnese and honor, & large family of children, whose names, dates of birth, &c., are here given : John S., born August 10th, 1816 ; married Ann Sayles of Brutue, October 25th, 1838; he died May 15th. 1875, Elize Jane, born January 11th, 1819 ; died April : 0th, 1822. Willlam. born August 31st, 1821 : married Eleanor P. Burritt, of the town of Ira, the 6th of November, 1844. Lydia Ann, born May 28th, 1825 ; married John W. bibbins, of Brutus, the 27th of January, 1847. Harriet N., born September 15th, 1828 ; married Sylvester Wright, of Brutu-, February 27th, 1850 : died May 2d, 1878. Erwin M., horn June 11th, 1832 : married Addie D. Hill, of Sennett, May 22d, 1861. Frances Eliza, born August 30th, 1886 ; married Gilbert J. Stevens, of Brutus, October 19th, 1859 ; died April 30th, 1872.
Fraternity is written in golden letters over the hearts of these children. They keep up a pleasant family Intercourse which has never been marred. but is increasing in intensity ae the yeare roll by. They have placed before their children the advantages for ob- taining & liberal education, and a glance will show that their efforts have not been fruitless.
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were early settlers ; Robinson, in the south part ; Passage, in the north-east part, where he has numerous descendants living ; Meach, in the south-east part, where numerous of his descend- ants are living ; and the Wards, in the north- east part.
Robert, David and Henry Hopkins and Moses, David,'Capt. James and John Dixon (the last two settled in Mentz,) came in from Hebron, Wash- ington county, in 1808, and settled in the west part. These two families married and intermar- ried and have numerous descendants living in that locality. Moses Dixon settled where his son Edwin now lives, a quarter of a mile west of Weedsport, where he died in June, 1876. Thos. Dixon, brother of Moses, also from Hebron, came in 1810, and settled on the place now owned by Philip Martin, about a mile south-west of Weeds- port. He subsequently removed to the place now owned by - Titus, where he died. Adol- phus St. John, nephew of John St. John, from Connecticut, settled about 1814, on the river, near the crossing from Weedsport to Cato.
Elihu and Hulbert Atwell, brothers, the former of whom settled in the south part, where Daniel H. Robinson, his son-in-law, lives, and the latter, where Willis W. Sittser lives, and Jacob Pen- noyer, who settled in the south-west part, where Jonathan Titus lives, were early settlers. Pen- noyer sold out about 1836, and moved east, from whence he came.
Rev. Samuel Bibbens came in from Saratoga county with his family in 1816, and settled one and one-half miles south of Weedsport, where Ferdinand Faatz now lives, where he died Janu- ary 6th, 1836. Mr. Bibbens was a Methodist minister about forty years.
TOWN OFFICERS .- The first town meeting was held at the house of Thomas Wright, March Ist, 1803, and the following named officers were elected: Rufus Sheldon, Supervisor ; Thomas Wright, Clerk ; Elisha Baldwin, William Hamil- ton and Nathan Tibbets, Jr., Assessors ; Stephen Dwinnels, Jacob Sheldon and Nathan Tibbets, Jr., Commissioners of Highways ; Jacob Sheldon and Stephen Close, Overseers of the Poor ; Joseph Leonard, Collector; Daniel Gun and Daniel Sheldon, Constables ; Joseph Cleft, David Rem- ington, Silas Sheldon, Thomas Wilson and Isaac Hays, Fence Viewers and Pound Keepers ; Isaac Hays, Asa Heath, Daniel Curtis, Stephen Rogers,
Allen Worden, Stephen Dwinnels, John Miller, H. Atwell, Amos Bennett, Martin Remington, Warren Freeman, Asahel Treat, Abraham Bur- ret, Asa Wilson, Timothy Hatch and John Ham- ilton, Jr., Overseers of Highways.
The following town officers were elected 1879 : Supervisor-Leonard F. Hardy.
Town Clerk-David W. Shaw.
Fustice of the Peace, (full term,)-John R. Rotch.
Fustice of the Peace, (for vacancy, )-Darwin C. Knapp.
Assessor, (full term,)-Levi T. Hamilton.
Assessor, (for vacancy,) -- Myron H. Hill.
Commissioner of Highways-Philip Martin.
Overscer of the Poor -- Henry A. Brackett.
Inspectors of Election-George H. Weyant, Elisha H. Mack.
Collector-Peter Y. Christian.
Constables-Jacob T. Faatz, J. Munroe Ben- nett, Peter Y. Christian, William M. Bradley, Michael Rice.
Game Constable-G. B. Whitman.
WEEDSPORT.
WEEDSPORT is situated a little north-west of the center of the town, on the line of the Erie Canal, and at the junction of the direct line of the New York Central and Southern Central Rail- roads, by which it is distant four miles east of Port Byron, eight miles north of Auburn, the . county seat, and twenty-two miles west of Syra- cuse. Bread Creek flows through the village, and the limited water power it furnishes is pretty well utilized. It is eligibly located, and has some nicely-graded, well-kept and handsomely-shaded streets. Its private and public buildings are gen- erally plain, but neat and substantial, and their general appearance does not differ greatly from Solomon Giles' description of them in 1863, when he writes of the dwelling houses as being "neat and comfortable," conspicuous for " the absence of both very fine or very poor " ones. "Very few villages of its size," he says, " but have some bet- ter buildings in it, and perhaps nonc can be found with so few that are not well located, neat- ly finished, painted and fenced, so that the town presents an uncommonly comfortable ap- pearance." The population is 1,500.
It contains five churches, (Methodist Episcopal, Presbyterian, Baptist, Episcopal and Roman
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Catholic,) all comely buildings, a union graded school, with academic department, three good hotels, four general stores, eight groceries, two hardware stores, three drug and book stores, three clothing stores, three jewelry stores, one furniture store and undertaking establishment, one boot and shoe store, two millinery stores, two newspaper offices, ( Weedsport Sentinel and Ca- yuga Chief,) two private banks, a flouring and grist-mill, two saw-mills, the Weedsport Bending Works, a pump factory, a foundry and machine shop, four carriage shops, a cigar factory, three malt-houses, a brewery, and three ware-houses.
The first settlements on the site of Weeds- port were made in 1802, by Jonah and Nathan Rude and Abel Powers, near the south line of the corporation, in the locality known subse- quently for many years as Macedonia. In 1817, when the construction of the canal was begun, the settlements which had centered at Macedonia were diverted to the line of that great highway ; and when this section was completed in 1821, Elihu and Edward Weed, sons of Smith Weed, a wealthy merchant of Albany, settled on the site of the village, constructed a basin on the south side of the canal, and erected a store- house. From them the settlement acquired the name of Weed's Basin, and in 1822, a post-office was established by the name of Weed's Port, and Elihu Weed made postmaster. With the advent of the Weeds and the development of their bus- iness projects, an impetus was given to the growth of the place which continued un- checked till the opening of the Auburn and Syra- cuse R. R., in 1836, and the Auburn and Roch- ester R. R., in 1840. Weedsport was the canal landing for Auburn, and a large business was done in the transfer and carriage of goods be- tween these two places. The principal public buildings were store-houses erected to accom- modate this business, and the chief vocation of the people was that of attending to the receipt, shipment and carrying of merchandise to and from Auburn and contiguous places.
The village was incorporated April 26th, 1831, but owing to the destruction of the records by the fire of December 14th, 1871, we are unable to give the names of the first village officers. The present officers (1878) are : Henry D. Brew- ster, President; William Watson, Clerk; Philip Sturge, Treasurer ; and Henry Stickles, C. C.
Adams, A. S. Holcomb and L. D. Faatz, Trustees.
The opening of the railroads before referred to was a serious blow to Weedsport, and took from it a prestige which it has required years of sustained energy and patient industry to recover. They diverted almost its entire storage, forward- ing and carrying business, and having been built up almost entirely thereon, that diversion took away its life. "The ware-houses that had al- ways been crowded to their utmost capacity," says the author before quoted, " became tenant- less, except by the rats, and the town looked de- serted, as though it had been built upon specu- lation, and the investment had proved a failure. Its reliance then became the natural business of the town * * supported by the country * around it, without any unnatural stimulus." But being surrounded by no less than five villages and the city of Auburn, all within a radius of eight miles, and each a formidable rival, the ter- ritory of its natural growth is not only very cir- cumscribed, but is less fertile than that of a majority of its competitors. Its growth though slow has been steady, and it has more than made up for the losses sustained by the diversion of its carrying trade. In 1871 it sustained a severe loss by fire, which destroyed the two entire busi- ness blocks bounded by the canal, and Brutus, Furnace and South streets, with the exception of the cabinet shop of William Watson and the residence of William Billey on Brutus street, and the residences of Nicholas Bucher and Mrs. Carrie Stevens and the engine house on Furnace street. Very little insurance was held; but the burnt district was immediately rebuilt, and the former buildings replaced by those of a better class. The canal is spanned by two iron bridges.
THE WEEDSPORT FIRE DEPARTMENT consists of two engine and one hose companies. Ira D. Brown is Chief Engineer, and A. W. Morehouse, Assistant Engineer. Joseph Pfohl is foreman of Volunteer Engine Company, No. 1 ; W. J. Bar- ker, of Black Crook Engine Company, No.2 ; and J. M. Bennett, of Brutus Hose Company, No. I. The apparatus consists of two hand engines and 650 feet of hose.
MERCHANTS .- The first merchant in Weeds- port was Walter Weed, brother of Elihu and Ed- ward Weed, who opened a small hardware store in 1822, which he continued till 1828. Woolley
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& Champlain commenced as general merchants and forwarders in 1823 or '24, and continued till 1828, when Phineas F. Whiteside bought Cham- plain's interest. George Cramer acquired a half interest with Whiteside in March, 1829, and Whiteside & Cramer did business about two years, when Paine Freer, from Port Byron, bought them out, and after two or three years sold to a Mr. Woodruff, who continued some two years. Henry Van Tyne, from Onondaga county, opened a store about 1825, and Chamberlain & Mason, about 1829. Each kept them about two years. Smith & Fellows opened a general store and commenced a forwarding business in 1825 and discontinued in 1827, at which time Alonzo L. Smith carried on forwarding and opened a drug store, which he kept about twenty years, and which was the first of its kind. William Buttre kept a small hardware store from 1825 to 1830. Maltby & Stone kept a general store about 1823, and were the principal merchants at that time. Stone died in 1826, when Harper J. Rogers, from Hoosick, N. Y., became a partner with Seth Maltby. Rogers died after about three years. About 1831, Seth Sheldon was as- sociated with Maltby, and did business with him about a year, when Maltby, who is now living in Oswego, went to Oriskany, and Yost C. Fink be- came a partner with Sheldon. After about three years they dissolved, and Yost C. Fink, Orlando Gault and Asaph S. Kinney commenced business, They continued under different titles about ten years. About 1840, Fink, who, during the lat- ter part of his stay, was in partnership with his son Edmund, removed to Allegany county. At the same time Gault & Kinney were doing busi- ness in another store.
About 1853 a store known as the "community store ", was started by a joint stock company com- posed mostly of farmers, with a capital of $ 10,000. They bought grain and sold goods. Samuel Hopkins, who originated the movement, had its management the first year. He was succeeded by Orlando Gault, who was the manager six years, till he removed to Wisconsin. H. W. Bliss man- aged it about two years, and C. C. Adams one year, when it closed, about 1861.
D. C. Stewart opened a store about 1850, which he kept from two to three years, when he removed to Cato. Bentley & Ives did business about two years, and Ives, alone, some five or six years.
James and Julius Henderson, brothers, opened a store in 1833, and in 1846 they sold out to Durkee, Gault & Co. In 1847 they recom- menced business, and in 1860 they sold out to William Henderson and Frederick T. Munson and went west and were in the lumber business three years. Henderson & Munson did business till 1864, when the latter bought out the former's interest and continued the business alone two years. In 1864, William and Julius Henderson, and Samuel J. Mack opened a store and did a large business, under the name of Henderson & Mack, some three years, when Julius bought the interest of his partners. In 1870, his brother, James Henderson, and son Edwin M., were ad- mitted to partnership, each to a third interest, and the business has since been conducted under the name of Henderson & Co. This firm now occu- pies three stores, all connected.
Aaron Bayless, then living in Cato, built a store-house about 1823, and bought grain till about 1850. About 1846 he opened a store, which he kept four or five years. He was one of the most enterprising business men of Weeds- port, and was to this section of the country what Robert Muir was to Auburn and the farmers in that locality, in regard to handling grain. By ventures in which he alone assumed the risk, he sacrificed himself financially in their interest. John Drake kept a drug store before the war. He joined the army and was killed there.
The merchants at present doing business in Weedsport, in addition to Henderson & Co., are as follows :
Donovan & Mack (Wm. J. Donovan and E. H. Mack,) general merchants. O.W. Burritt & Bro. (H. E.,) hardware dealers. Hugh Riley, grocer. Beach & Bro., (George A. and Charles J.,) drug- gists and book sellers, commenced business in November, 1862. Chas. J. went out of the firm in December, 1875, but the name is retained. Both were born in the town. G. A. Benedict, clothier. A. E. Ure, from Jordan, grocer. A. W. Stone, boot and shoe dealer. S. E. Miller, dealer in groceries, flour and feed. S. B. Gilder- sleeve, grocer. Philip Sturge, general merchant, from Meridian, opened his store about 1871. He was associated with J. Smith Sheldon as partner three or four years, till the spring of 1878. Harvey Robbins, grocer. Bryant & Kevand, (J. C. Bryant and J. Kevand,) groceries and dry
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goods. Horace L. Burrill & Co., (Ambrose O. Remington,) drugs and books. Bronson Taylor, canal grocery. James Kanaley, grocer. Joseph Kaufler, clothier. Mrs. P. B. Bonta, milliner. Mrs. Cornelia Bibbens opened her millinery store in September, 1877. Chas. Coyle, grocer. Wm. Watson, furniture dealer and undertaker, was born in Yorkshire, England, in 1810. He came to Weedsport in 1827, and in 1828, removed to Auburn, where he remained till 1841, when he removed to Rochester. In 1843 he returned to Weedsport and commenced his present business. He has held the office of justice of the peace twenty-four years, and in 1878 was elected for another term of four years. G. W. Hall, jeweler. Julius E. Rude, jeweler, a native of Weedsport, commenced business in 1818. A. H. Rose, jew- eler. A. B. Harmon, hardware dealer, and M. F. Diegelman, clothier.
POSTMASTERS. - The first postmaster was Elihu Weed, who was appointed in 1822, and held the office several years. He was succeeded by Alonzo Smith and he by Orlando Gault, each of whom held the office about four years. The next was Samuel Bibbens or Manning Henderson, the former of whom held it about two years and the latter four. Dexter E. Havens' held the of- fice eight years and was succeeded by C. C. Ad- ams, who held it four years, and James Kernan, about two. Elizabeth Kernan was appointed in 1867, and was succeeded by Ebenezer W. Turn- er in 1871, who held the office a little over two years. Jason Rude, the present incumbent, was appointed in 1873.
PHYSICIANS .- The first physician was Dr. Gale, who practiced prior to 1825, in which year he left. The next was Dr. Swett, who also removed before 1827. Henry Follett practiced from 1825-'35, and went to Michigan. Dr. Hale- man practiced from about 1825-'31, and Wm. W. Williams from 1826 till his death about 1852. Dr. Briggs came about 1835 and took Follett's place, remaining about ten years. He was suc- ceeded about 1848 by O. C. Clark, allopath, who is still practicing here. Geo. Coon came from Dryden about 1858, and practiced about fifteen years. Drs. Boyd and Whitman (Thompsonian,) practiced about six years, and Dr. Peterman, (eclectic,) two years, some twenty-five years ago. The present physicians, besides Dr. Clark, are Geo. Parsell, homeopath, and Ira D. Brown, al-
lopath, who commenced practice about 1868 ; Hiram Mc Carthy, allopath, who commenced about 1840 ; and E. Weed Bibbens, a native of Brutus, and Mrs. Mary E. Little, both eclectic, the former of whom commenced practice in 1869, and the latter about 1873 or '4.
MEMBERS OF THE BAR .- Patten R. Cook was probably the first lawyer. He was practicing in 1827 and left about 1830. James Luckey prac- ticed from about 1823 to 1830. Theodore Pop- ple came in from Elbridge about 1827 and prac- ticed till his death, about 1840. Wm. I. Corn- well came in from Dutchess county in 1830, and commenced to practice in 1836. He is still prac- ticing here. He was a member of Assembly in 1846 and '47 ; was a member of the State Sen- ate in 1848 and'49; Canal Appraiser from 1852-'6; and Auditor of the Canal Department from April, 1855, to January, 1856. John S. Jenkins, from Jordan, came in about 1840 and practiced some ten years. The present lawyers, in addition to Mr. Cornwell, are A. W. Shurtleff, who came from Canada in 1849 and commenced practicing in 1857 ; Darwin C. Knapp, who came from Cato in 1863 and commenced practice in 1866 ; Frank M. Parsons, Special County Judge, who came in from Memphis in 1871 ; L. B. Little, Police Jus- tice, who came from Michigan in 1874; and C. M. Elliott, who came from Port Byron in the fall of 1876.
BANKS .- There are two banks in Weedsport, both of which are private institutions. S. W. Treat & Co., (Sylvester W. Treat, Wm. Hender- son and Harvey C. Beach,) commenced business in September, 1869, in company with Samuel J. and Frank M. Mack, under the firm name of Mack, Treat & Co. The present firm bought out the interest of the Macks after a year and a half, and have since conducted the business un- der the above name. Edgar C. Bryant is the cashier. This firm occupy the building of the old Weedsport Bank, which was organized in [854, with a capital of $100,000, and failed in July, 1866. Mack Brothers, (R. L., W. W. and S. J. Mack,) commenced a banking business and were incorporated April Ist, 1872.
MANUFACTURES. - The manufactories of Weedsport are the following :
BRUTUS MILLS (flouring, grist and saw,) were built, the saw-mill about 1830, by Phineas White- side and George Cramer, and the grist-mill in
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1838 and '39, by Messrs. Healey & Cramer. They contain three run of stones and one up- right saw, and are grinding thirty-five bushels of wheat per day, custom work, and forty bushels, merchant work. The motive power is furnished by Bread Creek, with a fall of twelve feet, there being two gates, the upper one of five feet fall and the lower one of seven. They are owned by LaDue & Son, (Harrison and Harrison, Jr.,) the former of whom acquired a fourth interest in 1871, and the remaining interest in 1875. He admitted his son to partnership in 1876. Har- rison LaDue, Jr., and Edwin W. Fenlon are the millers.
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