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 74
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Dr. Asa Cooley, the first physician in the town, settled three miles west of Fleming Hill, where George Baim now lives, and where he died, prior to 1798. His son Asa is living in Sennett. A family named Tyler and a man named Wise, father of William and George Wise, settled prior to 1798, the former on Fleming Hill, and the latter where the widow of his son Wil- liam, and George, a bachelor, now lives, and where he and his son William died.
Settlements were made about 1798, by Orrin Wilkinson, Johnson Scoville and Josiah Chat- field. Wilkinson settled east of Gen. Fleming,
on an adjoining farm, about three miles south- west of Fleming village, where he lost his wife. He remarried and removed to Seneca county, leaving his sons Orrin, Lyman and Lemuel, the latter of whom remained on the farm till a few years ago, and is now living in Sennett. Orrin and Lyman moved west, the former some fifty years ago, and the latter six or eight years ago. Scoville was from Connecticut and settled where John Wheaton now lives, about a mile and a half north-west of Fleming, where he hung him- self about 1820, while suffering from aberration produced by religious excitation. Chatfield was from the Eastern States, and settled on Fleming Hill, where the widow of Hugh Van Ness now lives, and where he died. He is believed to have been the first to settle on the site of the village. His family have all removed from the town.
John Baker came from Connecticut to the Mohawk country and thence to Fleming about the beginning of the present century. He set- tled on Fleming Hill, where his son Artemas kept a blacksmith shop. His first house was burned, when he built the one in which Dr. Samuel Gilmore now lives, which is only a few rods from the site of the first.
Parley Wheeler, brother of Edward Wheeler, came in from Fairfield, Connecticut, in 1805, and settled on lot 87, about three miles west of Fleming, where his son, Edward P. Wheeler, now lives, and where, in 1807, he built a hotel, which he kept a great many years. He and his brother died here at a very advanced age. An- other son of Parley's, Erastus, is living in Flem- ing, about a mile east of the old farm.
Aaron Bowen came in from Massachusetts in 1810, and settled where his son, John Smith Bowen, now lives, and where he died in 1839. Amy Bowen, his daughter, who came in with him, is living with John Smith Bowen, aged eighty-two years.
TOWN OFFICERS .- The first town meeting was held April 15th, 1823, and the first town officers were Luman Loomis, Supervisor ; Amos Gould, Clerk; Elijah Sheldon, Semi Babbit and John G. Paul, Assessors ; Amos Gould and Elijah Wheeler, Overseers of the Poor; Ephraim Ham- mond, Mathew F. Gregory and Ebenezer Gould, Commissioners of Highways ; Luther Hamilton, Collector; Joseph Farmer, Luther Hamilton and John G. Burroughs, Constables ; Orange Wilkin-
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son Asahel Cooley, and Stephen Lombard, Gom- missioners of Common Schools ; Luther Hamil- ton, Ephraim Hammond, and Levi Farnsworth, Inspectors of Common Schools.
The present officers (1878) are :
Supervisor-H. E. Brannon. Clerk-George Wyckoff.
Fustices-John Robinson, Wm. R. Tryon and David B. Post.
Assessors -- Geo. S. Post, Daniel P. VanLiew and Timothy Brigden.
Commissioner of Highways-Aaron Bowers.
Overseer of the Poor -- L. S. Barker.
Inspectors of Election-Geo. Crofoot, T. Perry and C. S. Pease.
Collector-Howard Tryon.
Constables-Vincent Adams, John Smith, Jacob R. Post and Richard Geraghaty. Game Constable-Vincent Adams.
Excise Commissioner-Henry VanArsdale.
FLEMING VILLAGE.
Fleming is beautifully situated upon an ele- vated plateau, a little south-east of the center of the town, five miles south of Auburn, and three miles west of Wyckoffs Station. It contains two churches, (Baptist and M. E.,) a district school, one hotel, (of which Wm. Geer, a native of Fleming, has been proprietor since June Ist, 1878,) two stores, two wagon shops, (L. S. Baker and Romenzo Mabey, proprietors,) three black- smith shops, (Sandford Davis, G. F. & B. W. Mabey, and Charles Crawford & Son, proprietors,) and a population of about 200.
The first settlement on the site of the village is believed to have been made by Josiah Chat- field, who came in from the Eastern States before 1798. The house in which he lived and died is now occupied by the widow of Hugh VanNess. His family have all moved from the town. A family named Tyler settled here about the same time. But settlements were made prior to this on the hill north of this, known as Grover's Hill, from the Grovers who settled there. That lo- cality had become quite a business center, with store, hotel and post-office, before any consider- able settlement was made on Fleming Hill. A sharp rivalry existed between these two localities for the supremacy, with the chances largely in favor of the latter. But the opening of a store in 1828, on Fleming Hill, by Stephen Thornton,
and the change of the post-office to that locality two years later, permanently decided the question in favor of the present village, which, though small, the business being confined to the natural requirements of the country in its immediate vicinity, has since enjoyed the distinction of be- ing the village of the town. Possessing no natural advantages to tempt the investment of capital in manufacturing enterprises, its growth has been slow, as its contiguity to Auburn on the north and Union Springs on the west, has divert- ed much of the business which otherwise would naturally center here.
MERCHANTS. - The first merchants on Flem- ing Hill were Stephen Thornton and his son Wm. P. Thornton, who, in 1828, opened a store, which stood where Mabey's blacksmith shop now stands. They dissolved after seven or eight years, and Francis, another son of Stephen's, became his partner. About 1844, Stephen withdrew and Francis continued alone till about 1847, when Allen D. Morgan, a son-in-law of Stephen Thorn- ton's, became associated with Francis. After three or four years Francis withdrew, and Mor- gan conducted the business alone about four years, when he sold to Francis and Seymour Thornton, brothers, who did business about five years, when Seymour bought Francis' interest, and about 1862, sold to John Hammond and James Rheubottom, who did business two or three years and then closed out.
William P. Thornton, immediately after dis- solving partnership with his father, formed a cö- partnership with Isaac Hammond. They erect- ed the brick building now occupied by H. B. Gaston and did business some five or six years, when they dissolved, Thornton removing from the town, and Hammond, to a farm in the town. Ebenezer Dunning and Harvey Beach kept a store some five or six years from 1832, in the building now occupied as a wagon shop by L. S. Baker. William Sheldon opened a store about 1836 and kept it about twelve years, when he burned out. He subsequently built the store now occupied by John Hale, but it is not remem- bered that he put in a stock of goods. A union store was started in 1855, by a stock company, composed mostly of farmers, with a capital of $6,000. It was continued till 1858.
The present merchants are, H. B. Gaston, who keeps a general stock. He is a native of
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Fleming ; but he came from Owasco in 1865, and in the spring of 1866, opened a store in com- pany with Johnson Tallman, whose interest he bought after nine months. John Hale com- menced the grocery business in 1865, in company with his brother Luther Hale, whose interest he bought after a little over two years. The post- office is kept in his store.
POSTMASTERS .- The first postmaster was Dr. Isaac Brown, who moved the office from Grover's Hill about 1830. Dr. Samuel Gilmore was ap- pointed in 1836, and was succeeded by William P. Thornton, who held the office five or six years. Francis Thornton succeeded him and held the office till about 1847. E. P. Baker held the office during the last two years of Millard Fillmore's administration. He succeeded Elias Thorne and was superseded by William H. Carpenter. W. W. Sheldon was subsequently appointed and held it four years. Allen Morgan next held the office about five years, and Abel Hasbrouck, about four. Luther Hale received the appoint- ment in 1865, and held the office till January Ist, 1867, when John Hale, the present incumbent, was appointed.
PHYSICIANS .- The first physicians who prac- ticed in the town were Drs. Asahel Cooley and Jacob Bogart, probably as early as 1800. Cooley lived three miles west of Fleming, where George Baim now lives, and where he died in 1828. Bo- gart settled at the foot of the lake. But the first physician who settled at Fleming village was Isaac Brown, from the Eastern States, in 1816. In 1831, he formed a copartnership with Samuel Gilmore, a native of Schuyler, Herkimer county, who came in 1830 from Throop, to which town he removed with his father in 1808. In 1836, the partnership was dissolved and Dr. Brown removed to Michigan. In 1848 Dr. Gilmore sold his practice to E. P. Baker, from Owasco, and removed to Auburn and subsequently to Aurelius, where he remained on a farm till 1865, when he returned to Fleming and resumed prac- tice, which he still continues. From September 18th, 1874 to June 30th, 1875, he was associated with Charles O. Baker, who is now practicing in Elbridge. Dr. Gilmore has been a resident of the County over seventy years and a practicing physician nearly fifty years. He is a man of rare qualities of head and heart, honored and trusted by all that know him. He has kept him-
self fully informed in the advancing literature of his profession, and has also actively participated in the political, religious and educational progress of his time, in all of which relations he has been an honored and an honorable standard bearer. E. P. Baker, who is now practicing in Aurora, remained here about seven years, when he sold to a Dr. Peck and removed to Ira. Dr. Peck remained till 1865, till the return of Dr. Gilmore. Frank Hoxie came in from Owasco in the fall of 1877, and is still practicing here.
FLEMING BAPTIST CHURCH was organized as the First Baptist Church in Aurelius, with twenty- two members, June 4th, 1796, by Elder David Irish, the pioneer preacher of Cayuga County, who commenced his labors in this town the previous year. It is the second church organ- ized in Cayuga County. Elder Irish, who was then in charge of the church in Scipio, preached to this Society at stated periods till 1800, in which year he resigned his charge in Scipio and became the pastor of this church, and remained such till his death, September 13th, 1815. In the years 1801, '2 and '5, about one hundred were added to the membership, and in 1806, a most remarkable revival was experienced and ninety-seven were added.
During his pastorate their first house of wor- ship was erected. Their second pastor was Jonathan Hascall, who commenced his labors with them June 6th, 1817, and closed them at the end of the year ; the church having experi- enced a revival during his stay by which thirty- five were added to their numbers. He was suc- ceeded in 1818 by William Witter, who re- mained one year. Their fourth pastor was Henry R. Clark, who entered upon the duties of his office in 1821, and remained five years, dur- ing which time two revivals were enjoyed, and sixty-nine added to their number by baptism. He was succeeded by Samuel M. Plumb, August 6th, 1827. In the first years of Elder Plumb's pastorate the evil effects arising from the discus- sion of the questions of Free Masonry and Tem- perance which were so prevalent throughout the churches were manifest in this; but in 1831 their religious apathy disappeared and they ex- perienced a revival which added sixty-two to their number by baptism, and was followed in 1832 by a protracted meeting of nine days' dura- tion, by which 'twenty-seven were added and a
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spirit of religious activity awakened. Elder Plumb closed his labors in April, 1833, and was succeeded by A. Clark that year. Elder Clark served a pastorate of two years, and was suc- ceeded in 1836 by J. C. Holt, who remained one year.
L. Farnsworth assumed the pastoral care April Ist, 1838, and remained till January, 1842. During his pastorate the church purchased a lot in the village and erected a new and commodious house of worship, partially from the material used in the construction of the old one. It was dedi- cated in 1840. Soon after its completion a re- vival was experienced, by which forty-seven were added by baptism and letter. S. S. Wheeler be- came their pastor in 1843, and added eighteen to their number. He was succeeded in 1845 by H. Cady, who remained two years. From this period till the spring of 1850, when J. M. Shaw was called to the pastorate, the pulpit was sup- plied by Brother Justus Ask, of Springport, and Elder George Plummer. Elder Shaw was or- dained December 27th, 1850, and served them till 1851. He was followed the third Sabbath in May, 1852, by T. H. Green, who closed his labors with them April Ist, 1854. Ezra Dean, of Auburn, supplied the pulpit till May 5th, 1860. E. Smith entered upon the pastoral charge the third Sabbath in May, 1860. He tendered his resignation August 3d, 1861, and was granted a letter of dismission February Ist, 1862. He was succeeded May 3d, 1862, by C. A. Smith, who remained till 1867. E. Dean served them again as a supply till March 7th, 1868. William L. Goodspeed commenced his labors with them May 2d, 1868, and closed them January Ist, 1870. He was succeeded March 5th, 1870, by James H. McGahen, who continued his pastoral labors till March 2d, 1872. G. D. Downey served them a short period from May 22d, 1872. D. Conley became their pastor June 15th, 1873, and remained four years, till the summer of 1877, when sickness, which re- sulted in his death, compelled him to discontinue his labors. He was succeeded in June, 1877, by L. Brasted, the present pastor.
During the summer of 1876, their church edi- fice was repaired at a cost of $1,400, so that it now presents a very neat appearance. The pres- ent number of members is eighty-one ; and the attendance at Sabbath school, about thirty.
SAND BEACH CHURCH .- This church is situ- ated two miles from the city of Auburn. It was founded on the 10th of March, 1807, when a meeting was held at the house of Mr. Asa Jack- son, and after prayer, George Burnett was chosen moderator, and Jacob Bogart, clerk. It was then resolved that Andrew Van Middlesworth, Fred- erick VanLiew and Peter VanLiew be appointed to fix a site for a meeting-house, said house to be built on land belonging to, and granted by Asa Jackson, at whose house a meeting was held on the 19th of March, 1807, when Asa Jackson, An- drew VanMiddlesworth and George Burnett were appointed managers for building said house, which was to be 44 by 34 feet, with galleries. The building of the house was delayed, and on the 13th of January, 1810, another meeting was held at the house of Asa Jackson, when it was resolved to go on with the building of a house of worship, and that the managers previously ap- pointed, erect a house of worship 40 by 36 feet, with galleries on three sides.
On June 5th, 1810, a meeting was held at the house of Mr. Asa Jackson, when further meas- ures were taken for selecting a suitable site for the church building. The first pastor of the Sand Beach Church was Rev. Conrad Ten Eyck, who remained in its service until the year 1826. After the close of Rev. Mr. TenEyck's ministry, the church applied to the secretary of the Mis- sionary Society of the Reformed Dutch Church, in the city of New York, asking to have a mis- sionary sent to them. In response to this re- quest, Rev. Benjamin Westfall was sent. He entered upon his mission June 5th, 1826. From that time to the present, (1826 to 1879,) the Sand Beach Church has had seventeen pastors ; their names are as follows : Rev. Henry Hur- mans, 1828 ; Rev. I. G. Tarbell, 1831 ; Rev. Leonard Rogers, 1833 ; Rev. Robert Kirkwood, 1836; Rev. John Mole, 1839; Rev. R. W. Knight, 1842 ; Rev. A. B. Winfield, 1844 ; Rev. S. R. Brown, 1851 ; Rev. Seth Hastings, 1859; Rev. John Garretson, 1862 ; Rev. Mr. Schenck, 1865 ; Rev. S. R. Brown, 1868 ; Rev. Mr. Hunt- ington, 1869; Rev. Mr. Rice, 1871 ; Rev A. Dean, 1872 ; Rev. Geo. Mckinley, 1876 ; Rev. E. C. Lawrence, 1877 ; Rev. Charles Anderson, 1878-'79.
During the ministry of Rev. S. R. Brown, about the year 1853, measures were taken to
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erect a substantial brick edifice on the site of the old Sand Beach Church. This building was com- pleted and dedicated to the service of God on the 26th of July, 1855. The cost of the new church was about $6,000. This building is still in good repair, and a beautiful house of worship. The present number of members is about fifty-five. The Sabbath School is very flourishing, and averages an attendance of from thirty to fifty. The usefulness of this church, planted in the wilderness by the pioneers of Cayuga County, cannot be estimated by its numbers. The light of its altar fire still illuminates this region of country, and God has not forsaken the church dedicated to his Holy Name .*
THE FIRST SOCIETY OF THE METHODIST EPIS- COPAL CHURCH OF FLEMING .- In 1832 the Rev. Gardnier Baker, who was then the pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Auburn, occa- sionally preached at Fleming and formed a class as follows : Samuel Gilmore, Leader ; Daniel K. Culver and wife, Henry Whitbeck and wife, Em- ory Ingalsby and wife, Daniel Shaw and wife, Mrs. Lydia Wyckoff, Mrs. Abigail Culver and Mrs. Sabrina Forbes.
During May and June, 1832, Revs. Baker and Coryell held a protracted meeting of several weeks duration, in Elliott Howell's barn. Such assemblages being then a novelty, were largely attended, deep interest was excited and more than one hundred persons hopefully converted. The need of a house of worship at once was urgent, and a legal organization of the "First So- ciety of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Flem- ing," was perfected June 19th, 1832, of which the first trustees were: Dr. Samuel Gilmore, Henry Whitbeck, Daniel K. Culver, Emory In- galsby and Daniel Shaw. The church edifice was commenced that year and dedicated in May, 1833. The first pastor was Rev. Darius Sim- mons, succeeded by James P. Ellsworth and Ross Clark. Among their later pastors have been many men who became eminent in their profes- sion, including Doctor Lamkin, John E. Robie, A. Cross, B. I. Ives and others. The present pastor is the Rev. Pratt T. Hughston.
Their present fine edifice was completed and dedicated June 8th, 1876. The present trustees are Ovid A. Baker, Hiram Thornton, Henry Whitbeck, Elliott Howell and William Clarke.
* For the history of this church we are indebted to Mrs. C. W. Martin.
The present number of members is 90, and the attendance at Sabbath School, 45.
WYCKOFFS STATION.
WYCKOFFS STATION, (Owasco Lake p. o.,) is situated on the S. C. R. R., on the shore of the lake, seven miles south of Auburn. It contains neither church, store, hotel, nor shop, the post- office being kept in the depot. The first post- master here was David Chamberlain, who was appointed in 1850, and held the office three years. He was succeeded by Christopher G. Post, who held it nearly thirteen years, and was followed by John Knox, the present incumbent.
FOUR MILE HOUSE .- This hotel is beautifully situated on one of the pleasantest coves on the west shore of the lake, four miles south of Au- burn. The proprietor, Mr. A. Brown, keeps a supply of sail and row boats for the accommoda- tion of his guests. In 1876, he added further to the attractions of the place by the erection of a large summer house for picnic and dancing par- ties. This is one of those charming spots which nature and art combined have made inviting to the weary ones seeking rest and recreation, and under the efficient management of Mr. Brown has won a much deserved popularity.
MANUFACTURES .- Mosher's Mills are located three-fourths of a mile west of Fleming, and oc- cupy the site of a saw-mill erected as early as 1820, by Amos Gould, and run by the Goulds a good many years. The present proprietor, Amos Mosher, added a feed-mill in 1873, and in 1876, a cider-mill. It is a frame building, and contains a circular saw and one run of stones. It was operated by water power until 1878, in which year a steam engine was put in.
In the west part of the town is a water-power saw-mill, owned by Asa Cornell, which has been in operation a great many years.
CHAPTER XLIV.
TOWN OF OWASCO.
O WASCO was formed from Aurelius March 30th, 1802. It lies upon the east border of the County, a little south of the center, at the foot of Owasco Lake, which, together with its
RESIDENCE OF JAMES CHAMBERLAIN. OWASCO, CAYUGA Co. N.Y.
SOLOMON CUYKENDALL,
SOLOMON CUVKENDALL was born in Minisink, Orange County, N. Y., December 6th, 1789 and was the first of a family of thirteen children of Mertin and Anna [Cole] Cuykendell, natives of that place, where his father was born February 18th, 1764, and his mother, August 3d, 1769. His parents were married February 16th, 1789, and pursued farming in their native county till 1801, when they removed to the town of Aurelius, now Owesco, and bought a large tract of land on lot 100, near the site of Owasco village, upon which they resided till their death. Martin Cuykendall built, on the site of the present mille near Owasco, a grist and saw-mill, which were destroyed by fire about fifteen years ago. He operated these mills many years in connection with his farming operations, for he pursued the vocation of a farmer after his removal to this county. He was a representative man, thoroughly identified with the important interests of his town and an active participant in the administration of its affaire. He was a man of strict integrity. good executive ability and enjoyed in a marked degree the con- fidence of his townsmen, who honored him with many offices of trust and responsibility, among them that of Justice of the Peace, an office he held for many years. He was a prominent member of the Dutch Reformed Church of Owasco, and not only gave the ground upon which the edifice erected by that society stands, but also con- trihuted largely in money and material in aid of its erection. He was a member of that Church for many years and until the division which occurred in that body in 1821, when he. with others, seperated to form the True Reformed Dutch Church of Owasco, the house of worship for which society he also helped to build. He held the office of ruling elder in these churches more than forty years and faithfully discharged the duties of that office.
Martin Cuykendall died December 14th. 1843, and his wife. Feb- ruary 1st. 1844 He, together with his wife. two sons, two daugh- ters-in-law and a grand-daughter. were stricken down within the short period of fourteen weeks with typhoid erysipelas, a malig- nant disease, more commonly known es "black tongne," which was then prevalent. Mr Cuykendall was universally esteemed. He was the firm friend of the Bihle cause, of Evangelical missions. of temperance, and of every gond work. He was ever ready with his counsel, prayers and property to minister to and ameliorate the sufferings of the afflicted. " His death was peaceful. He depart- ed relying not on any work he had ever done. but exclusively on the merits of a crucified Savior." His son Cornelius, together with his wife Betsey. who died March 13th, 1844, aged 50, and infant daughter, Caroline Austin, who died February 29th, 1844, aged 3 years, were among the victims to this disease. Cornelius was a man of more than ordinary talents and acquirements. He enjoyed the confidence of his fellow citizens, and places of trust and responsibility were cheerfully confided to him. He held the office of magistrate for many years ; was Member of Assembly in 1834 and '35: and held many other important offices, in all of which he acquitted himself honorably. In social and domestic life both be and his wife were uniformly kind, affectionate and cheerful, and sought to promote the happiness of all around them.
The children of Martin and Anna Coykendall were, in addition to Solomon, Cornelius, who was born June 24th. 1791, and died March 4th. 1844 : Leah, who was born July 5th, 1793. and died in April, 1857 : Elizabeth, who was born August 25th, 1295, and died Novem- her 10th, 1796 ; Moses who was born August 11th, 1797, and died May 20th, 1804: Ezra, who was born October 30th, 1799, and died February 10th, 1843 ; Peter, who was born November 17th, 1801. end is still living in Rioon, Wisconsin ; Wilhelmus, who was born March 5th, 1804, and died November 17th, 1813, with the black tongue ;
Levi, who was born March 7th, 1806, and died November 23d, 1806 ; Elias, who was born January 3d. 1808, and died December 10th, 1876; Catherine, who was born January 18th, 1810, and ie now living un- married in Elmira, N. Y. ; Martin, who was born January 23d, 1812, and died December 23d, 1812; and John, who was born October 31st, 1814, and died July 25th, 1874.
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