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 80
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HENRY WELLS was one of the most successful men of the nation, and one who used his great wealth in a truly philanthropic spirit. His name is recorded in the hearts of the many who profited by his charity, and in the titles of the two great in- stitutions known throughout the world -- one of a business, and the other of an educational char- acter. Mr. Wells was born in Vermont, Decem- ber 12th, 1805. In his boyhood his parents moved to Central New York where he afterwards resided. In his early manhood he started the ex- press business, which under his management has grown until now its system seems perfect and its extent is bounded only by civilization. His first venture in that business was to carry a carpet- bag filled with the packages of patrons from Al- bany to Buffalo. His patronage increased, and he associated with himself as a partner Crawford Livingston. After the death of his partner, Mr. Wells and several other gentlemen formed the American Express Company, of which he became president. He retained the position un- til a few years ago, when age and ill-health in- duced him to leave it. He was also interested in several other express companies, being one of the founders of the trans-continental company known as Wells, Fargo & Co.'s Express. Several years ago Mr. Wells founded and endowed Wells Fe- male College, at Aurora, N. Y.
This college has proved successful and is now one of the most popular and best known in- stitutions of its kind in existence. Throughout his long life Mr. Wells was an enterprising and useful citizen, and he is known all over the United States, through every state and territory of which he has traveled.
Mr. Wells retired from business about ten years ago. His health being bad, he spent the greater part of the intervening period in travel- ing. The winter seasons he spent in Italy or the West Indies. He became very sick about two months before his death, and determined to seek renewed health in Sicily. His friends tried to persuade him not to undertake a sea voyage in his precarious condition, but he persisted in his
determination, and started from Aurora Novem- ber 4th, 1878. He sailed from New York city in an Anchor Line steamer November 9th, and ar- rived in Glasgow on the 19th of that month. He received careful attention during the voyage, but upon leaving the steamer was unable to continue his journey to Sicily. The body of Mr. Wells was brought back to Aurora for interment.
This, too, was the home of the distinguished and revered Salem Town, LL. D., who was born in Massachusetts March 5th, 1779, and educated at Williams College. He was an eminent friend of, and laborer in, education, and was endeared to the people of Aurora by a long residence among them, a portion of the time as principal of the academy, which, under his direction, took high rank as an educational institution. The series of school books which emanated from his pen, es- pecially his Analysis of the English Language, was a valuable contribution to didactic literature. His wide experience as a teacher gave him a keen perception of the educational wants of the com- munity. His urbanity and gentle manners won for him universal love and respect ; while his career as a righteous man met the acknowledg- ment of its integrity in all, and found appropriate and graceful expression in his prominence as an elder in the Presbyterian church, an office he held for thirty-four years.
When eighty-two years of age, his fellow-citi- zens gathered around him to do him, as a living man, especial honor, and besides those who per- sonally participated in the interesting event, Mil- lard Fillmore and Edward Everett addressed the meeting by letter. A beautiful memorial por- trait bust by the sculptor Palmer, hangs upon the walls of the Presbyterian Church in Aurora ; and the Masonic fraternity, whose gatherings he honored for many years, have erected to his en- during remembrance in the village cemetery, a plain, massive shaft of Westerly (R. I.) granite, bearing the inscription, "Erected by his Breth- ren.”
Mr. Town was a gentle, kindly, interesting man, worthy of the best memories that the works of art which have been raised concerning him can perpetuate. The Regents of the Univer- sity conferred on him the degree of LL. D., and in the honors of the Masonic Order his position was distinguished. He was Grand Chaplain of the Grand Lodge of the State of New York for
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fifty-one years. He died at Greencastle, In- diana, February 24th, 1864. His wife, Abigail King, who was born October 12th, 1781, died at Gallipolis, O., while on a visit, December 7th, 1840. The remains of both rest in the cemetery at Aurora.
Aurora contains four churches, (Presbyterian, Catholic, Episcopal and M. E.,) is the seat of Cayuga Lake Academy and of Wells College, has one district school, one bank, one hotel, (erected by Col. E. B. Morgan in 1836, and kept by O. F. Van Marter,) two general stores, one hard- ware store, a grocery and tobacco store, a shoe store, a meat market, (kept by W. H. Sadler,) two blacksmith shops, (kept by Polhannes & Van Marter and W. C. Brightman,) and a population of 600.
The village was incorporated May 5th, 1837, but chiefly to secure the name and prevent its appropriation by Aurora, in Erie county. No village organization has been kept up.
The early courts of Onondaga and Cayuga counties were held at Aurora, which was for several years a half-shire town of Cayuga Coun- ty, Cayuga being the other. The second term of the Circuit Court of Onondaga county was held at the house of Seth Phelps in Aurora, Septem- ber 7th, 1795. It was attended by Hon. John Lansing, Judge of the Supreme Court, Seth Phelps, John Richardson, and Wm. Stevens, Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in Onon- daga county. John A. Sheaffer, Wm. Goodwin, John Stoyell, Cyrus Kinne, Hezekiah Olcot, Daniel Keeler, Ryal Bingham and Ozias Burr, Justices, were fined thirty shillings each for non- attendance. The fourth circuit was held at the same place June 12th, 1798, by Hon. James Kent, Judge; assisted by Seth Phelps, Wm. Stevens, Seth Sherwood, Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of Onondaga county. Here was erected the first court house in Cayuga County. It con- sisted of crotched posts set in the ground, and supporting poles covered with brush. In this primitive structure justice was administered for several years. The first court after the erection of Cayuga County, a Court of Common Pleas, was held at Cayuga Ferry, May 21st, 1799, and at- tended by Seth Phelps, First Judge ; Seth Sher- wood, Judge ; and John Tillotson, Assistant Jus- tice. The County seat was established at Au- burn in 1805.
The third newspaper in Cayuga County was established at Aurora in 1805, by Henry Pace, and was published every Wednesday under the name of The Aurora Gazette .* Mr. Pace's brother James is supposed to have been interest- ed in its publication, though his name does not appear in that connection. The Messrs. Pace were of English parentage, and warmly espoused the cause of the mother country in the discussion of those questions which led to the war of 1812, although the majority of their readers did not sympathize with those views. But, being then the only local paper, it monopolized the legal printing. It was published here but a short time, its removal to Auburn being about contempo- raneous with the removal of the County seat to that place. June 7th, 1808, it was changed to the Western. Federalist, and published there some eight years under that name
MERCHANTS. - The first merchant at Aurora was Abiather Hull, who opened a store about 1792, in a log building of small dimensions, which stood a little south of the Presbyterian church. He continued as late as 1798, and removed from the town. Elias Avery, Daniel Avery, brother of Elias, from Groton, Conn., Daniel Foote, broth- er-in-law of Daniel Avery, and probably from the same place, Wm. McCarthy, also from Conn., and Richard and Zebulon Williams were engaged in mercantile business here prior to 1800. The Williamses continued till about 1810; Daniel Avery and Foote, till about 1800; and McCarthy till about 1820, when he was succeeded by his son William, Jr., who continued till about 1825 or '6. Both Avery and Foote had families and died in the town, the former January 30th, 1842. Elias Avery, who had a separate store, continued till about 1810, and died here July 31st, 1837.
Christopher Morgan commenced mercantile business here in June, 1800, in company with Cornelius Cuyler. Their store stood opposite the residence of Richard Morgan, on the Delaney Newton lot. It was a frame building, about 18 by 20 feet. It was superseded about 1802, by a much larger, gamble-roof building, which stood on the site of the Catholic church. Soon after the erection of that building the partnership was dissolved, Cuyler retaining the store, and Morgan
* The earliest copy of this paper which has come under our ob- servation is No. 5 of Vol. I., and bears the date of July 17th, 1805.
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removing to the store previously occupied by Daniel Foote, opposite the residence of Richard Morgan. In 1810, Mr. Morgan built a store just south of Richard Morgan's residence, which he occupied until 1827, when his son, Edwin B. Morgan, succeeded him in the business, and in 1829, erected the building now occupied by his brother Richard, next south of the hotel, discon- tinuing the old store in 1830. In 1831, Edwin formed a cöpartnership with his brother Henry. George, another brother, subsequently acquired an interest in the business, and sold August 9th, 1850, to his brother Richard, who also bought Henry's interest April Ist, 1856, and Edwin's January Ist, 1859. In 1850, the firm name was Morgans, and remained such until 1859, when it became R. Morgan. March 6th, 1863, Richard admitted his son Christopher B. to partnership, and the business has since been conducted under the name of R. Morgan & Son. This, with one exception, is said to be the oldest mercantile house in the State.
Jonathan Swan, a Quaker, from Western, Oneida county, came about 1812, and opened a store, which he continued until about 1820. He continued to reside in the village till his death. Mary, wife of Wm. Wilkinson, of Buffalo, and Joseph R. Swan, an ex-Judge and a distinguish- ed citizen of Columbus, Ohio, are children of his. Charles E. Shepard, a native of the town, son of Daniel Shepard, a lawyer, who settled in the village about 1795, opened a store about 1830, which he continued some ten years, when he read law and removed to Buffalo, where he now resides. Frederick E. Curtis and John Marsh opened a store about the same time as Shepard. They did business some six years and failed. Both are natives of this town, in which their parents were early settlers. Ephraim C. Marsh, father of John Marsh, came from Morris- town, New Jersey, and settled and cleared up a lot two miles south of the village, which was awarded to his father for Revolutionary services, and on which he resided till his death, January 2d, 1842, aged fifty five. Curtis soon after re- moved to New Jersey, where he now resides. Marsh is living on a farm adjoining his father's homestead. Numerous persons did business here for short periods of time, but were not prominent as business men.
Those who are at present doing business in
the village besides the Messrs. Morgan are Sam- uel G. Daykin, proprietor of a shoe store, who commenced here in the spring of 1865, having previously carried on the same business at Scipio . ville since 1852 ; R. Murphy, grocer, who bought out Johnson McDowell in 1872; Wm. Martin, grocer, who commenced in the spring of 1875, having previously resided here since 1867 ; and Arthur Parsons, hardware dealer, who came from Poplar Ridge, in Venice, where he had re- sided some eighteen years, and bought out W. O. Cory in March, 1877.
POSTMASTERS .- The post-office at Aurora was established at Scipio, April Ist, 1795, with Judge Walter Wood as postmaster. Previous to that date there was no post-office in the State west of Canajoharie. Contemporary with the estab- lishment of the office at Aurora, offices were established at Onondaigua, with Comfort Tyler as postmaster ; Kanandaigua, with Thaddeus Chapin as postmaster; at Whitestown ; Geneva, with John Johnson as postmaster. Offices were established at Auburn, as Aurelius, in 1804 ; Canajoharie, March 20th, 1793 ; Schenectady, April 25th, 1793 ; and Lansingburgh, October 9th, 1793. The comparative importance of the settlements at these respective places may thus be seen. "The receipts of the office at Aurora the first year were $39.28. Edward Paine con- tracted to carry the mail from Cooperstown three years at $175 per year. April Ist, 1810, the name of the office was changed to Aurora, and another office was established at Stewarts Cor- ners, (Venice,) also bearing the name Scipio, with James Glover as postmaster.
Judge Wood held the office till his removal to Montville in 1811, when he was succeeded by his son-in-law, Eleazer Burnham, who had been deputy since 1798, and who held the office till about 1822, when Seneca Wood, son of Walter, was appointed and held it till about 1828 He was succeeded January Ist, of that year, by Laz- arus Ewer who held it till his death Sep- tember 4th, 1834. Charles E. Shepard next re- ceived the appointment and held the office until 1841, when he was succeeded by Charles Camp- bell, who held it till January, 1843. Campbell was succeeded by Edward Dougherty, who held the office till 1844 or 5, when John Lincklaen Cuyler was appointed and held it till 1849. Chas. Campbell again succeeded to the office and held
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it till 1853. John Marsh, Cuyler's brother-in- law, held the office from 1853-'61 : Richard Mor- gan, from 1861-'3 ; Ebenezer W. Arms, from 1863-'69 ; Johnson McDowell, from 1869 to June 16th, 1870, at which time Christopher B. Morgan, the present incumbent, was appointed.
PHYSICIANS-The first physician at Aurora, was Frederick Delano, who came from Orange county about 1792, and practiced till his death July 26th, 1825, aged 60. He was one of the original members of the Cayuga County Medical Society, which was organized at the tavern of Daniel Avery in Aurora, August 7th, 1806, a sketch of which is given in connection with the general history of the County. He was a skill- ful physician and an honor to the profession. None of his children are living. John Gridley came in about 1826 and practiced some ten years, when he removed and immediately after became a Presbyterian clergyman.
Alexander Thompson, son of John and Char- lotte Thompson, was born at Sherwood May 2d, 1819, and educated at Cayuga Academy, Aurora. He studied medicine with his father at Sher- wood, and attended medical lectures at New York. He joined the County Medical Society August 7th, 1834, and having practiced a short time with his father, removed to Aurora about 1840 or '41, and practiced there till his death September 21st, 1869. December 24th, 1842, he married Eliza, daughter of Eleazer Burnham. He afterwards married Mary, daughter of Lyman Root of Albany, who survives him. He was a distinguished physician, and enjoyed an exten- sive practice, by which he amassed a handsome fortune. He was for one year president of the State Medical Society. He was not less dis- tinguished in the departments of horticulture and floriculture, especially the latter. His ex- tensive gardens and rare botanical collection formed one of the chief attractions of the village.
Elijah Price Baker was born in Owasco June 12th, 1819, and educated at Skaneateles Acade- my. He studied medicine with his father Dr. Abel Baker of Owasco, and commenced practice with him in that village in 1847. In April, 1848, he removed to Fleming, where he practiced till June, 1862, having joined the County Medical Society January 18th, of the previous year, (1861.) He removed thence to Meridian, and practiced there till November, 1869, when he removed to
Aurora, where he has since practiced. He at- tended lectures aud received a diploma at the Geneva Medical College in 1847.
Elisha Morgan, John N. Clarke and Elisha Leffingwell joined the County Medical Society while residents of Aurora; Morgan, August 7th, 1828, Clarke, August 6th, 1835, and Leffingwell, June 2d, 1843. Clarke came from Danby, Tomp- kins county, about the time he joined the Socie- ty, and practiced here some ten or twelve years, when he returned to Danby. Leffingwell came from Vermont about 1843, and died here February 10th, 1871. Thomas Siveter, an Eng- lishman, came in from London, England, and joined the County Medical Society, August 3d, 1826. He practiced here till about 1840, when he removed to Iowa. Henry B. Fellows came from Sennett in 1865 and removed to Chicago.
BENCH AND BAR. - The early establishment of the courts at Aurora attracted here some of the best legal talent of the county. Silas Marsh, a brilliant counsellor, was the first resident lawyer. He practiced till about 1806, and removed from the town. Judge Walter Wood, who has been noticed in connection with the early settlement of the town, practiced here from 1795, till his re- moval to Montville in 1811. Thomas Mumford and Glen Cuyler practiced here previous to 1798, and were lawyers of marked ability. The former was Surrogate of Onondaga county from Octo- ber Ist, 1797, till the erection of Cayuga County, March 8th, 1799; and the latter of Cayuga County from March 14th, 1799, to February 5th, 1311, and again from February 26th, 1813, to February 28th, 1815, being succeeded each time by Eleazer Burnham. Glen Cuyler was a brother of Cornelius Cuyler. He came from Albany about 1794 and settled in the village, where he practiced till his death, September Ist, 1832. Margaret L., who is living with Mrs. John L. Cuyler, in Syracuse, is the only one of his chil- dren living. Daniel Shepard was born in June, 1771. He came in from Connecticut about 1795, and settled in the village, nearly opposite the residence of Mr. William H. Bogart. He practiced here till his death, September 22d, 1819. He was a highly respected lawyer.
Eleazer Burnham, who has also been noticed in connection with the early settlement of the town, came from Bennington, Vt., in 1798, and entered the office of Judge Wood, with whom he
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formed a law partnership in 1804, which contin- ued till the removal of the latter to Montville. He practiced till about 1825, when failing health compelled him to discontinue. He was an able lawyer, and an estimable citizen. He was Sur- rogate from February 5th, 1811, to February 26th, 1813, and again from February 28th, 1815, to June 7th, 1820. He represented this County in the Assembly in 1826.
Benjamin Ledyard Cuyler, son of Glen Cuyler, was born in Aurora, September 15th, 1797. He studied law with his father, and commenced practice about 1819, continuing till his death, June 30th, 1826. He married Louisa, daughter of Charles H. Morrell, of Aurora, who survives him and is living with their only child, the Rev. Dr. Theodore L. Cuyler, of Brooklyn. He was appointed Surrogate February 14th, 1821, and held that office till his death. He was gifted with talents of a high order, and these had been cultivated by all the advantages which ample for- tune, liberal education and respectable patronage could bestow.
Michael S. Myers came from Auburn, and formed a law partnership with Glen Cuyler. He returned to Auburn, (where further mention is made of him,) on his election as County Clerk in November, 1828. Alva Worden, also from Au- burn, practiced here several years in connection with Isaac and Seneca Wood, till his removal to Canandaigua, where he died. He was a brother- in-law of Gov. Seward. Christopher Morgan, of whom mention is made in connection with the early settlements, practiced here several years in connection with Ebenezer W. Arms, the latter of whom was from Greenfield, Massachusetts, about 1834, and practiced till his death, January 15th, 1877. His wife, who is a daughter of Daniel Avery, is still living in the village. He was elected District-Attorney in June, 1847, and held that office till November, 1850, when he was succeeded by Hon. Theo. M. Pomeroy of Au- burn. Isaac, Thomas and Seneca Wood, sons of Judge Walter Wood, practiced here. David Wright came from Pennsylvania about 1830, and practiced here till his removal to Auburn. Oliver Wood came from Venice, his native town, and practiced till his removal to Auburn.
N. Lansing Zabriskie was born in Flat Bush, L. I., February 18th, 1838, and educated at the Erasmus Hall Academy of his native place. He
graduated at Union College, in 1857, and in 1858 commenced the study of law with Abraham Lott, of Brooklyn. He was admitted to the bar in 1861, and commenced practice that year in Brooklyn, from whence he removed in 1867 to Aurora, where he is still practicing. June 20th, 1865, he married Louise F., daughter of Col. Edwin B. Morgan of Aurora. He has been Jnstice several years. Thomas J. Bradford studied law with N. Lansing Zabriskie at Aurora, and was graduated from the law school of Union University in May, 1876. He was admitted the same year, and has since practiced at Aurora.
FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF AURORA .- At a meeting of persons interested in the organization of a bank at Aurora, held March 4th, 1864, Hen- ry Morgan and Talmadge Delafield were author- ized to call a meeting of the subscribers to its capital stock, and to do whatever was necessary to secure the organization under the above name.
The first meeting of the stockholders was held at the Aurora House March 8th, 1864, and was attended by Henry Wells, Henry Morgan, John Searing, Talmadge Delafield, John E. Williams, Sanford Gifford, Augustine C. Boyer, Alex. Thompson and Mathias Hutchinson. The meeting was called to order by Henry Wells, and Dr. A. Thompson was made chairman, and Oliver Wood, secretary. Articles of asso- ciation were adopted ; the capital stock fixed at $52,000, with power to increase it to any sum not exceeding $200,000 ; the association was to continue till February 25th, 1883, unless sooner dissolved ; and Henry Wells, Samuel Adams, Alex. Thompson, Edwin B. Morgan, Augustine C. Boyer, Talmadge Delafield, Henry Morgan, Sanford Gifford and Leonard Searing were elect- ed Directors. A meeting of the Board of Di- rectors was held at the same place, the same day, and Henry Wells was chosen president, Talmadge Delafield, cashier, and D. L. Parma- lee, book-keeper and teller. Messrs. Thomp- son, Wells and Delafield were appointed a com- mittee on buildings, etc., and the capital stock was increased to $100,000. March 15th, 1864, the building committee were instructed to pur- chase or lease of Henry Morgan, the stone building on Main street, now occupied by the Bank. Thirty per cent. of the capital stock was called in, payable April Ist, 1864. April 6th,
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1864, it was decided to purchase the building above referred to for $1,100, and it was changed to adapt it to its present use. The seal adopted by the Bank is a reproduction of Palmer's Morn- ing, encircled by the name of the Bank. June Ist, 1864, the remainder of the stock was called in, payable July Ist, 1864. January 4th, 1865, the old directors were reelected and James H. Wells and John E. Williams were added, in- creasing the number to eleven. December 4th, 1868, it was resolved to reduce the number of directors to nine, and at the election of January 6th, 1869, the names of Henry Morgan and James H. Wells were dropped. Dr. Thompson died in 1869, and E. T. Brown was elected to fill the vacancy. November 3d, 1870, the office of assistant cashier was created, and Allen Mo- sher received the appointment as such. Feb- ruary 11th, 1871, the office of vice-president was created, and E. B. Morgan elected to that posi- tion. Delafield's resignation as cashier was ten- dered June 13th, 1871, and accepted July 17th, 1871. Allen Mosher was made acting cashier September 19th, 1871, and elected cashier De- cember 4th, 1872. He still holds that office. Mr. Wells resigned the presidency November 3d, 1875. E. B. Morgan was elected to that of- fice the same day, and still holds it. N. L. Za- briskie was elected vice-president to fill the va- cancy occasioned by Mr. Morgan's promotion, and has since held the office. Allen Mosher was elected director January 8th, 1873, in place of E. T. Brown ; N. L. Zabriskie, January 6th, 1875, in place of Leonard Searing, who died that year ; and Henry A. Morgan, January 5th, 1876, in place of Mr. Delafield. January 2d, 1878, the number of Directors was reduced to seven, a reduction to that number having been previ- ously effected by the resignation of Henry Wells, and the death of John E. Williams, in 1876.
The Bank paid a uniform semi-annual dividend of four per cent. from the date of its organiza- tion till August Ist, 1871, except February Ist, 1866, when three per cent. was paid, and Febru- ary Ist, 1871, when three and one-half per cent. was paid. From that date to February Ist, 1876, three and one-half per cent. was paid semi-annually, except February 1st, 1873, and August Ist, 1874, when nothing was paid. Noth- was paid Angust Ist, 1876, and February Ist, 1877 ; but since then three per cent. has been paid semi-annually.
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