History of Cayuga County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 65

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 65

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

It is underlaid by gypsum and limestone rock. Gypsum underlies the north part, and crops out on the side hills in the south-east part in various localities. Limestone is obtained in the south- ern and central portions, in the latter of which it crops out on the surface and covers several acres. The ledge extends in a north-east and south-west direction, and is exposed in various localities, notably on the farms of Almeron Phelps, Dr. C. C. Cady, Joseph Glass and Emerson Webster, on the latter of which it was formerly burned. It is a good quality of building stone, and is used principally for that purpose. As usual, in this formation, mineral springs exist in various parts of the town. In the village of Sennett, on the property owned by the heirs of Peckham Smith, near the cheese factory, is a chalybeate spring strongly impregnated with sulphate of iron. In the south-east corner of the town, on the old Mandeville place, is a strong sulphur spring ; and on the hotel property of L. Tyler, in the village, is one of less strength, which is said to have been a flowing spring when first discovered.

The soil is a deep, fertile, sandy and gravelly loam, intermixed with clay, which predominates in the south. It has been brought to a high state of cultivation, and is one of the best agricultural towns in the County.

The Auburn branch of. the N. Y. C. R. R., extends diagonally through the town from north- east to south-west ; and the Southern Central extends along the west border, crossing the west line twice.

The population in 1875 was 1,655 ; of whom 1,294 were native, 361 foreign, 1,651 white, and 4 colored. The area was 18,077 acres ; of which 16,070 were improved, 1,801 woodland, and 206 otherwise unimproved.

The first settlements were made on lot 21, in 1794, by Deacon Ebenezer Healy, Joseph At- well, Thomas Morley, Sr., and Thomas Morley, Jr. Healy came in from Newton, Mass., by In- dian trail from Utica, and settled about three- fourths of a mile south-west of Sennett village, on the place now owned by Philo W. Healy. He mar- ried Eunice Crossman, sister of Deacon Phineas Crossman, in Mass., December 31st, 1793, and brought her in with him. Both died on the old homestead, he September 22d, 1857, aged eighty-nine years, and his wife, September 16th, 1810. Of his children, only two are living, viz : Col. George Healy, a civil engineer, now City Surveyor in Rochester, Minn .; and Eliza H., widow of Henry Davis, now living with her nephew, P. W. Healy, in Auburn. When Mr. Healy came in there was no grist-mill nearer than Penn Yan. The barn built by him, about the first in the town, is still standing. In it the Cay- uga Baptist Association was formed in 1801. Joseph Atwell settled one mile south of the vil- lage, and removed at an early day to Brutus, to the place where Nathan Hopkins now lives, about a mile south of Weedsport, where he died. While here he kept the first tavern, in 1795, in the rear part of the present hotel in Sennett village. The Morleys came in from Conn., and settled, the elder, a mile north of the village, where Abel Godfrey now lives, and where he died September 20th, 1795, aged 71 years, his death being the first in the town ; and the younger, in the village, the second house west of the tavern, where Goodwin Webster now lives, on the farm owned by Wm. Sheldon. The latter died in the town March 2d, 1813 ; and his wife, Nelly R., Sep-

[ Photo by Ero ,berg :r & Ray.,

MOSES MORELAND.

The subject of this sketch was born November 13th, 1800. He is the son of Stephen and Sally [Msrsb] Morelaod, natives of New Jersey. They were born, the former in 1766 and the latter in 1i71. They moved from New Jersey about the yesr 1795, and settled in Ballston, Saratoga county, where they remained until 1806. From thence they moved to Cayuga County, town of Brutus, now Sen- nett, and located on lot 49. Hers they followed farming and also kept & public house ten years, between 1808 and 1818. In 1820, they moved to the town of Scipio and kept a public house where Bolts Corners now ia, ahout ten years. From thence they moved to Au- burn. Hers the mother died on the 18th of March, 1833, and the father went to live with his son Moses, who wae then living in the town of Sennett on lot 22. The old gentleman died on the 22d of August, 1848. at the advanced age of 82 years. They had seven children that reach- ed maturity, as follows : Polly, Betsey, Moses, Caleb, Stephen, Wil- liam snd Harriet, only two of whom are living, Caleb and Moses

Moses made the home of his parents his home until he was thirty years of age. His advantages for an education were such as were afforded by the common schools of the town, and of these he did not fully avail himself, having something of a truant dispo- sition. He commenced to learn the trade of carpenter and joiner when eighteen years old. On lesroing that, he was employed in dif- ferent places st that business until he was twenty-four, at which time he went to work for Clark Camp, of Auburn, who was quite Isrgely engaged in building and repairing milla. He worked for him four years. He then engaged in the same business on his own account, his reputation as a millwright securing him jobs in dif- ferent parts of the State. This business he carried on more or less extensively during his active life. He also built and operated & saw-mill on his farm. He took hold of several other enterprises which required his best energies, some of which proved successful, others not. While thus engaged in these various occupations, he managed his farm most carefully, feeling sure of that as s safe harbor in case of disaster to his outside business.

Among the old men of this County, few if any can look back upon s life of so much hard Ishor as Moses Moreland. By economy, in- dustry snd perseverance, he has made life a success, and stsods foremost among the substantial men of his towo.

Io politics Mr. Moreland was a Whig up to 1840, but since that time has been a Demoerst ; but he invariably votes for the best men, as he believes, regardless of party. He never bas been s member of any religious denomination, but for many years sttended the Presbyterian Church in Sennett.

In the year 1830, the 25th day of February, he was united in mar- riage with Nancy Putnam, daughter of Lewis and Nancy [Wilson] Putnsm, of the town of Brutus. Her father was born in Vermont, August 22d, 1769, snd her mother in Salem, town of Hebron, Wssh- ington county, N. Y., February 15th, 1773. Her parents were mar- ried January 11th, 1794, and died, the father Jsouary 10th, 1832, and her mother March 18th, 1845.

Her father settled in Brutus about 1804. He was a wool carder snd cloth dresser before he came to Brutus. In this County he carried on milling, owning and operating one grist-mill and two saw-milla, and also farming very extensively, owning at one time 640 acres of land. He was s Justice of the Peace for shout twenty years, sod was one of the representative men of his town until he died. The now numerous family of Putosms in Brutus sprung from him.

The names of his children sre ss follows : Anna, born August 10th, 1796, died October 12th, 1851; Asa, born December 2d, 1797, died Augnat 3d, 1872; Robert, born September 12th, 1799; Jane, born August 18th, 1801; Lewis, boru July 6th, 1803; Parley, boru February îth, 1806, died March 18th, 1875, at Niles, Michigan; Nancy, boru August Gtb, 1809; and Melissa, born July 23d, 1814. All that are now living are residing in Cayuga County.

Mr. and Mrs. Moreland hsvs had eight children, six of whom are living, namely: Melissa J., horn December 1st, 1830, married Robert Matteson of Sennett March 18th, 1851; Lewis P., born July 9th, 1832, married Harriet Danlels of Skaneateles, New York, Septem- her 25th, 1856; Ann E., horn November 21st, 1834, married Willard Daniela of Skaneateles, New York, November, 1856: Parley W., born October 14th, 1836, married Aurelia Clapp of Skaneateles, New York, November 29th, 1860; Nancy A., boro April 26th, 1811, died March 24th, 1842; Theodore M., born March 10th, 1SH; Alfred J., born May 13th. 1846; and Lester E., born October 22d, 1949, died January 6th, 18:2.

[Photo by Squyer & Wright.]

Rev

Keyes Cobran

The subject of this sketch was born July 23d, 1803. He is the third child of Solomon and Rachel [May] Coburn. The father was born in what is now Lowell, Mass., in the year 1760, and the mother, in Stoughton, Mass., in 1780. They had nine children, as follows : Silas, Isaac, Keyes, Rhoda, John May, Orrin, Ziba, Esther and Sol- omon, only three of whom are now living, John May, Esther and Keyes.

The father was a farmer in humble circumstances, and was only able to give his children such advantages for an early education as were afforded by the common schools of his town. His large family nf wife and helpless little ones was suddenly deprived of his protect- ing care and support by his untimely death, which occurred by drowning on the 10th of June, 1816, at Braintree, Orange county, Vermont, where he was living.

About the year 1819, Mrs. Coburn married Amns Hood, nf Chelsea, Vermont. The result of this union was two children. viz : Albert Orlando, now living in Vermont, and Thomas M., residing in Mich- igan. Mrs. Hood died in Chelsea, on the 7th day of January, 1850, aged seventy years.

Keyes left home at the age of thirteen y eare. For several months he had no permanent home, but in 1817 he was bound nut to a farmer by the name of Nathaniel Hutchinson, of Braintree, with whom he lived until he attained his majority, working on the farm and attending school three months during the winters. After the expiration of the time for which he was bound to Mr. Hutchinson, he attended the academy at Randolph Center, Vermont, a summer term of three months, the expenses of which he paid with money he had esved up during his term of service. The following winter he taught school, and went to the academy referred to, another term the next summer. He was careful of his little store of money and paid his expenses by working at anything he could get to do, when not in school. In 1826 he came west as far as Niagara Falls, and soon after located at Lyons, Wayne county, N. Y., where he taught school thres months. He went back to Vermont, where he remained until 1828. In that year, the 28th of December, he came to Sennett, in company with the Rev. Joseph Badger, of the "Chris- tian Church," with whom he had traveled and worked in the cause of religion, and here in January, 1829, he delivered his first sermon in a school-house in the ' Pine Woods." From that time he preached on a circuit embracing the villages of Camillus and Plainville. in Onondaga county, and Cato and Sannett, in Cayuga County.

On the 4th day nf August, 1830, Mr. Coburn was married, and or-

dained and publicly installed a minister of the "Christian Church" in open air, in the "Pine Woods," in Sennett, the same ceremony being performed in the interest of two or three of hie fellow work- ers at the same time and place.

From that time for the next fifteen years Mr. Coburn preached here and at other places in Csyuga and Onundsga counties. Lat- terly he has preached occasionally, but has had no established cir- cuit. It is proper to say that Mr. Coburn never received a stated salary for his Christian work. his only remuneration being free of- ferings and contributions, and consequently his demande required his efforts in other directione to obtain the necessary mesne by which he lived.

On the 4th of August, 1890, as referred to above, he wse married to Hannah Woodworth, daughter of Josiah and Hannah [Andrews] Woodworth, nativee of Albany county, N. Y. She was born May 1st, 1804. Her parents settled in Sennett, about the year 1814.

Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Coburn. Their names are given in the order of thelr birth : Millard B., born May 28th, 1831, was married to Lydia C. Cook, of Elbridge, Onondaga county, the 6th of September, 1865. Candace Letitia, born January 7th, 1835, died January 29th, the same year. J. Marvin, horn Septem- ber 26th. 1836.

Mrs. Coburn died March 17th, 1864. Of all the trials incident to a long life, the early part of which was attended by privatione and hardships, and the remainder with anxious care and toil, none was Bu severe for Mr. Coburn to meet and bear aa the loss of hie be- loved companion of thirty-four years. She was a considerate and loving wife and mother, and most admirably fitted by nature to render the assistance her husband needed in his life struggle. She was sympathetic, kind and humane, and ahe daily practiced and exemplified those lovely christian virtues which created sunshine wherever she moved.

Mr. Coburn at this time is living on his small farm, near the village of Sennett. He posseases in a remarkable degree his powers of mind and body. As his busy life, now already lengthened several years beyond the allotted three score and ten, is drawing towarda ite close, he has the eweet consolation of having performed its duties and fulfilled its obligations with that honesty of purpose that springs from a heart filled with love and reverence for the Supreme Being, and a desire that the world should be better for his having lived in it.

341

EARLY SETTLEMENTS.

tember 13th, 1863, aged eighty-eight years. His daughter, Mrs. Samuel Warn, is living with her son, Lewis Warn, in the south-east part of the town. In this year (1795,) the first marriage was contracted by Nehemiah Smith and Minde- vill Morley. The first child born in the town, Sally Smith, in 1795, was the issue of this mar- riage.

Settlements were made in 1795, by Judge Daniel Sennett, Amos Bennett, Jacob, Rufus and Daniel Sheldon, and Thomas Barnes. Judge Sennett settled on the farm now occupied by Joseph Farrell. About 1825 he moved to the village, and died there. He was a Justice of the Peace a good many years and an early Side Judge of the Circuit Court. Judson Sennett, a grandson of his, is living in Syracuse. Bennett settled on a farm joining Judge Sennett's on the east, where Elvin Sunderlin now lives. He and his wife died on the old homestead. His family are all dead. The Sheldons were from Suffield, Connecticut. Jacob settled on 300 acres, a half mile east of Sennett, on a portion of which his youngest son, Enos, now lives. In 1810 he sold out and removed to Brutus, to the locality known as Fericho, in the south-east part of the town, and settled on a farm now owned by his grandson, Erwin M. Sheldon, where he died August Ist, 1821. Enos, who was born in Sennett in ISoo, is the only one of his family of six sons and one daughter living. Thirty-one grand-children are living. Daniel Sheldon came in with Jacob and helped him to build a log cabin. He settled about a mile south-west of the village, where Clark Phelps now lives, and where both he and his wife died. Hiram Sheldon, his son, is living in Sennett village. Rufus Sheldon came soon after Jacob and settled in the village, where Dr. Curtis C. Cady now lives. He built the lower part of that house in 1801, and died there March 10th, 1828, aged fifty-six years. Butler Sheldon, a harness maker in Auburn, is a son of his. Thomas Barnes was also from Connecticut, and Augustus, Chester, Amos and Warren were sons of Thomas. He settled first at Tyler's spring in Auburn, where he took up twenty acres, and after three or four years moved to where Warren now lives, in Sennett, about a mile west of the village, where he took up 100 acres, for which he paid $200. Chester is also living in Sennett, near the old McMaster tavern stand. Augustus,

a son, and Sarah, wife of Horace Johns, a daugh- ter of Thomas Barnes, are living in the north- east part of Throop, to which town Augustus re- moved in 1818, and settled where he now lives. He has two sons and three daughters living in that town. In this year (1795) the first school was taught by Betsey Morley ; and the first store opened by Sheldon & Lathrop.

In 1797, settlements were made by Jacob Hicks and Benjamin Miller, Revolutionary sol- diers, Jabez Remington, Hezekiah Freeman and Jeremiah Johnson. Hicks drew lot 99, and set- tled on the farm adjoining Amos Bennett's on the north, where Deacon John C. Whitman now lives, and where he died March 3d, 1808, aged fifty-five years. His family removed from the town long ago. Miller settled on lot 17. Rem- ington, who was from Vermont, settled on lot 21, and subsequently removed to where Nathan Hopkins now lives, where he died. Hezekiah Freeman, also from Vermont, a shoemaker, set- tled about a mile east of Sennett, where Emerson Webster now lives, where he died. Johnson, the pioneer hatter, came in from Rensselaer county, and settled three-fourths of a mile east of the vil- lage, where Bryant Smith now lives. He re- moved to Ohio about 1830, and died there. None of his descendants are living in the town. Man- asseh French, the pioneer preacher, settled on fifty acres, about a mile south-west of the village, where Almeron Phelps now lives.

Deacon Wm. Tanner came in from the eastern part of the State before 1800, and settled on lot 99, on the north line of Sennett, where his son John now lives, and where he died March 18th, 1873, aged ninety-six years. His children living, besides John, are Selden, Deacon Wm., and Na- than B., in Brutus ; Cyrus, in Sennett ; and the widow of Daniel Stanton, in South Butler, Wayne county.

Settlements were made about 1800, by Deacon Phineas Crossman, brother-in-law of Deacon Ebenezer Healy, Nathan Bullock, Chas. and Archibald Greene and the Soules. Crossman was from Connecticut, and settled on fifty acres on lot 21, where Chas. Phelps now lives. He subsequently removed to where Hiram Sheldon, his son-in-law, now lives, and died there. His children living are Hiram and Sarah, wife of Hiram Sheldon, in Sennett ; Harvey, in Alexan- der, Genesee county ; and Charles, in Sterling.

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342

TOWN OF SENNETT.

Bullock, who was born April 16th, 1754, came in with his family and settled on lot 10, where Ed- ward Waldron, now lives, and died there Feb- ruary 10th, 1819. His wife, Hephsibah, was born June, Ist, 1754, and died December 9th, 1825. Amos, his only son, came in with him. He was born April 6th, 1793, and died March 12th, 1813. Nathan Bullock, son of Amos, is living in Michi- gan ; and Mrs. Newton Chamberlain, daughter of Nathan, and grand-daughter of Amos, is living in Elbridge. She is the only one of the Bul- locks living in the State. The Green's came from the eastern part of the State and settled on lot 21, Chas., where Porter Phelps now lives, and Archibald, on the farm still known as the old Greene farm, which is now owned by Dr. C. C. Cady. Chas., none of whose family are living, died here, and Archibald, in Mentz, where his son Archibald, who resides in Port Byron, is a prominent politician. The Soule family consisted of Howard, Lyman, Jno. Elijah, and Geo., and two sisters, one of whom was subsequently the wife of Jno. Everts, who is living in Auburn, and the other the wife of Elijah Townsend, who is living in Sennett, on a part of the Soule home- stead, where Geo. and the two girls died, and which is still in the hands of their descendants. Howard Soule, died April 24th, 1875, aged eighty- five years. Lyman is living in Auburn ; and Jno. and Elijah, twins, in Victory.

Peter Douglass settled prior to 1804, in the north-west corner of the town, where his dangh- ter, the widow of James Calhoun, now lives, and died there. His farm lay partly in Brutus. Mrs. Calhoun is the only one of his children liv- ing. Douglass contracted the first marriage in Brutus, January 12th, 1804. His wife was Polly Hamilton, daughter of Jno. Hamilton, one of the pioneer settlers in Brutus.

Edmund B. Fellows came in from Massachu- setts in 1804, and bought lot 98 of his uncle, who bought a soldier's grant, and in 1805 moved in his family. Edmund died May 20th, 1841, aged sixty-six years. In 1816 he erected the front part of the present hotel in Sennett, and he and his family kept tavern there over forty years, from 1805. His son Henry and grandson Fred- erick P., kept it in turn. Eight grand-children are living.

Jno. G. Skadan came in previous to 1805, and settled near the County house, where Elon Shel-

don now lives, and died there March 9th, 1824, aged fifty-four years. His children living are, Mrs. Elon Sheldon, on the old homestead ; Catharine, wife of Wm. Webber, on the farm originally taken up, opposite the old homestead ; Mary, wife of Almeron Phelps, on the old Man- asseh French place; Samuel, in Michigan ; and Mrs. Harvey Crossman, in Alexander, Genesee county. Alanson Eldridge came in from the eastern part of the State about 1805. He took the south-west section of lot 8, and settled where Jno. R. Page now lives. His children, Horace, John and two daughters, one the wife of John Hoagland, all became Mormons.

John Wetherby came in as early as 1809, probably a few years before. Of his family of ten boys and one girl, only three are living, viz : Dr. Samuel P. Wetherby, a practicing physician, in Menomonee, Wisconsin ; Samuel, a sash and blind maker, in Victory; and David, a merchant, in Auburn. His son John, who was born in Sennett, June 10th, 1809, died July 10th, 1878, at Victory, of which town he was a resident for sixty years, and where for forty-seven years he was a tanner and currier, and was also a manu- facturer of and dealer in boots and shoes. Weth- erby removed to Victory about 1819. Three sons and two daughters of John Wetherby, Jr., are living in Victory, viz : Addison B., postmas- ter at Victory village, John C. and Daniel B., farmers, the latter on the homestead, Sarah Jane, wife of Stephen Holt, and Frances, wife of David Wilson; one son, Benjamin F., in New York; one son, Henry Clay, a printer, in Auburn ; and another, William H. Seward, who is a jeweler, at Clyde.

Joseph Arnold and Martin Bowen, from Mass- achusetts, and Nathan Fisher, came about 1810. Arnold setttled a half mile west of the village, where Freedom Chatfield now lives. He died here July 18th, 1845, aged seventy-five years. -None of his children are living. Bowen settled a mile and a half north-east of the village, where Myron Sheldon, who married his grand-daughter, now lives, and where he died about 1854. His son Spencer is living in Sennett village, and daughter, Amanda, wife of Artemas Glover, in Michigan. Fisher settled on lot 10, where Robert Briscom now lives. He subsequently removed to the village and died there December 30th, 1851, aged seventy-seven years.

[Photo by Squyer & Wright.] H. Sundeclin

In tracing out the early surroundings of some of our best repre! sentative men, we often find that chilling adversity companioned their youth, and that hard labor was their lot in early life. Fre- quently the only school attended was that of experience, where severe masters taught severe lessons. This was truly the case with the subject of this memoir. the late HORACE SUNDERLIN. Perhaps the name of no man in the town of Sennett falls more pleasantly on the ear than his.

Mr. SUNDERLIN, who was always a farmer, was born in Middle- town, Rutland county, Vermont, April 1st. 1797. He was the seventh child in a family of twelve children. His parents were John and Esther [Clark] Sunderlin. The former was born in Vermont and the latter in Connecticut. But little information can be obtained as to their early life and characteristics ; but it is known that they were farmers, and Horace, while living at home, was engaged in that occupation. Heattended the district schools of his town, which were the only facilities he ever enjoyed for an education.

In 1817, Mr. Sunderlin came from Vermont to what was then Brutus, now Sennett, where he arrived without money enough to pay for a night's lodging. He remained here, working by the month for the farmers, about one year, perhaps longer, and then went back to Vermont on a visit to his father and mother. He then re- turned to Broths, coming the entire distance on foot, bringing all his worldly goods, which consisted of a few articles of clothing and an ax. Here he remained, engaged in farming, until 1821 By this time he had acquired means sufficient to warrant his taking a wife, and in that year (1821) he was united in marriage with Ruth Ben- nett, daughter of Amos and Susannah Bennett. of the town of Brutus She was born on the 25th of February, 1801.

In 1822, Mr. Sunderlin moved to the town of Clay, Onondaga county. N. Y., where he lived four years. employed in clearing land and farming. Ho then returned to Brutus and settled on the farm of his wife's parents. On this farm he remained until his death. the farm having passed to his ownership.

To him by this wife were born five children, as follows : Juliette. horn November 17th, 1823; married July 29th, 1813. to Alexander Everts, now living in Jordan, N Y. Edwin, born July 20. 18 5; died in infaney. Ursula, born March ith. Ise7; died Ortaber 13th, 1870. Romina C., born July 31st. 1829. Orson B .. born December 1st. 1831; married February, 1855, to Elizabeth Warn, now residing in Syracuse, N. Y.

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History of Cayuga County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 65

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