History of Cayuga County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 85

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 85

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MERCHANTS .- The first merchants were Joseph Barnes and Melvin Brown, who opened a store about 1808, on the site of the house now owned by Abby Jane Mastin, and did business about two years. They also carried on the potash business, and paid in goods for ashes. Humphrey Howland and Thomas Alsop opened a store about 1817, where John S. Smith's store now stands. In the spring of 1819, Slocum Howland bought the interest of his brother Hum- phrey, and carried on the business in company with Alsop two years, when he bought the latter's

interest. In 1831, he admitted Ledra Heazlett to partnership, and did business with him till shortly before Mr. Heazlett's death in 1841. In 1847, his son William became his partner, and the firm then became and has since remained S. Howland & Son.

A man named King opened a store about 1812, in a building erected that year by Samuel Phelps, and continued three years, when he was succeeded by a man named Parsons, who remain- ed three or four years, and moved west, taking a portion of his goods with him. David P. John- son bought a portion of Parsons' goods, and did business about a year, when he sold to Josiah Bowen, father of Sayles Bowen, who continued it a year or two. Allen Thomas, who came with his father-in-law, Seth Allen, from Wash- ington county, about 1806 or '7, and settled at Aurora, and a year or two after bought the farm now owned by Thomas Collins, one-half mile west of Sherwood, opened a store in 1820, and after two or three years, admitted to partnership George Thomas, a cousin's son, with whom he did business about two years, when George Thomas sold to Arthur Phelps, whose interest Allen Thomas bought after two or three years. Allen Thomas continued the business until his death, in March, 1862. John S. Smith has been engaged some six years in buying and selling poultry, eggs and fruit, which are sent to the New York market. Alexander Robinson keeps a small grocery, which he recently started.

POSTMASTERS. - The post-office was removed from Poplar Ridge and established at Sherwood March 4th, 1822, with J. Winter Branch as post- master. Branch held the office till about April 15th, 1827, when Allen Thomas was appointed and held it till within a few days of his death, till February 24th, 1862, when S. W. Green was appointed, and held it till the winter of 1864. He was succeeded by Sylvanus G. Reynolds, who received the appointment January Ist, 1865, and held the office about a year. S. W. Green was rëappointed January 15th, 1866, and still holds the office.

PHYSICIANS .- The first physician at Sherwood was Dr. Rude, who came in prior to 1800, and after practicing several years removed from the town. Parley Kinney came from Connecticut about 1800, and practiced till his death in 1819. He was licensed to practice by a County Judge

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SCIPIO SUMMIT - ENSENORE.

in December, 1797, and joined the County Medi- cal Society August 7th, 1806. Barnabas Smith, from Washington county, who joined the County Medical Society August 7th, 1806, while a resi- dent of Scipio, probably came here about that time and practiced till his death, about 1813. John Thompson came from Washington county, where he had married Dr. Smith's daughter, about the close of the war of 1812, in which he was a surgeon, and practiced here till 1843, when he retired. He joined the County Medical So- ciety November 7th, 1816. He was born Feb- ruary 11th, 1784, and died December 15th, 1854. He was succeeded by Denison R. Pearl, who was born in Paris, Oneida county, October 9th, 1806 ; educated at Hamilton College ; studied medicine with Drs. Peck and Clark at Whites- town, and with Dr. P. B. Havens at Hamilton, Madison county ; graduated at Fairfield Medical College in 1828 ; commenced practice in May of that year at Northville, where he practiced six years ; and in 1843 commenced practice at Sherwood, where he has since continued, having occupied the interval of nine years in the pursuit of other business.

SCIPIO SUMMIT.

SCIPIO SUMMIT is situated in the south part of the town, nearly equi-distant from Scipio Cen- ter, Scipioville and Sherwood, and is the north- ern terminus of the Utica, Ithaca & Elmira Railroad. It contains two stores, one of which is kept in the basement of a dwelling house, and the other at the station, these being about the only buildings in the immediate locality of the station. The post-office was established here January Ist, 1876. Charles A. Morgan was appointed postmaster, and has since held the office.

MERCHANTS .- The first merchant at Scipio Summit was Charles A. Morgan, who commenced business November 27th, 1872, and still continues. Mr. Morgan also deals in lumber, and, in com- pany with Charles Elliott, in grain, of which · they handle about 75,000 bushels per annum. Mr. Morgan is also agent for the railroad, and for the A. and P. Telegraph Company.

E. S. Miller and John Snyder commenced business under the name of E. S. Miller & Co., in May, 1876. After about a year W. G. Hos- kins, from Auburn, bought Snyder's interest, and

the firm has since done business under the name of Hoskins & Miller.

ENSENORE.

ENSENORE, (Culvers Point p. o.,) is situated on the shore of the lake, and on the Southern Cen- tral Railroad, by which it is about twelve miles south of Auburn, a little south of the center of the east line of the town. This place has gained some notoriety of late as a theatre of aquatic sports. Hotel accommodations are furnished by George Clark, proprietor of the Ensenore Glen House, which stands at the foot of the glen.

At The Square, in the north-west corner of the town, is a small Presbyterian church, which was organized about 1825, in which year their house of worship was built. The pastors who have officiated at this church are Revs. Clark, Avery, Baker, Page, Moses Thatcher, Atherton, Lansing, Porter, Atwood, Gilbert, Ebenezer Squire and Robert Allison, the latter of whom, who left in the fall of 1876, was the last settled pastor. The pulpit has since been supplied mostly by students from Auburn Theological Seminary.

A little east of Barbers Corners is a Friends meeting house (Hicksite) which was built in 1822. The society was formed shortly before and met previous to the erection of the house of worship, in the house of Amos Gifford.

About a mile south-east of Bolts Corners is a grist-mill owned by J. S. Wood & Son, (George,) which was built by James Akin, father of David Akin. It is situated on Salmon Creek, contains three run of stones, and is operated by water and steam.

SOCIETIES .-- Cayuga Lodge, No. 221, F. & A. M., received their warrant June 13th, 1851. The first officers were William Taber, W. M .; Amzi Wood, S. W .; Amos Morgan, f. W. Others of the charter members were Williams Fish, Ben- jamin Lamkin, Geo. Whitfield, Phineas Hurd, M. D., and Allen Thomas. Amzi Wood and George Whitfield are still living, the former in Auburn and the latter in Scipio. The whole number of persons who have been members of the lodge is 180; the present number of members is 87. The present officers are Frank Kenyon, W. M .; Amos E. Hutchison, S. W .; Josiah L. Streeter, f. W .; John Snyder, Secretary; James K. Smith, Treasurer; William S. Degroff, S. D .; William

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TOWN OF VENICE.

Wheat, f. D .; John W. Chamberlain, S. M. C .; John Crawfoot, f. M. C .; Calvin W. Wat- tles, Tiler; Leddra W. Watkins, Chaplain; War- ren B. Tompkins, Marshal; Jonas Wood, Dan- iel Nichols and Franklin P. Poppins, Trustees. Following are the names of other past Masters : George Whitfield, Amzi Wood, John Bowen, Andrew Race, Selah Cornwell, Isaac Jump, War- ren B. Tompkins and Wm. L. Jaquett. Meet- ings are held the first and third Wednesdays of each month at Scipio Center.

CHAPTER XLVII.

TOWN OF VENICE.

V ENICE was formed from Scipio January 30th, 1823, and derives its name from Venice, a city in Italy. It is an interior town, lying in the south part of the County, at the head of Owasco Lake, which borders upon the north- east corner. It is bounded on the north by Scipio, on the east by Moravia and Locke, on the south by Genoa, and on the west by Ledyard.

The surface is a rolling upland, whose summits are 300 to 400 feet above Owasco Lake. The declivities on the lake and west bank of Salmon Creek are steep, though generally the hillsides are long, narrow slopes.

Its waters are Salmon and Little Salmon Creeks and their tributaries, and numerous small streams, which head in the east part and flow east, emp- tying into the lake and its inlet. The Salmon, which heads in Scipio, and the Little Salmon, which heads in the north-west part of Venice, flow south, the former through the central, and the latter, the western portion of the town, through deep valleys, which divide the surface into well defined ridges.

Limestone boulders found upon the surface have been burned, but there are no limestone quarries in the town. There are several slate quarries, the principal one of which is on the farm of P. K. Storms, two miles south-west of Venice Center, which has been worked more or less for fifty years, but more extensively recently than ever before. The strata vary from one to six inches in thickness ; thus furnishing an excellent

flagging stone of almost any desired thickness. Slate also crops out in several places upon the farm of Lyman Murdock, one-half mile south of Venice Center ; upon the farms of William Jack- son and James H. Wallace, the former one and one-half miles south, and the latter two miles south-east of that village ; and other places along the hillsides, upon both sides of the creek, in all of which it has been quarried to some extent. Sand and gravel beds abound in the flats along Salmon Creek, and both are used to improve the roads. The soil is a highly productive gravelly and clayey loam, admirably adapted to grain.

The Utica, Ithaca & Elmira R. R. extends through the center of the town, along the valley and on the east side of Salmon Creek. The Southern Central R. R. crosses the north-east corner of the town and has a station (Cascade) within its limits. The former road is also known as the western extension of the Midland R. R. It is leased by the Utica, Ithaca & Elmira R. R. Co., and was opened in 1872.

The population of the town in 1875 was 1,753; of whom 1,585 were native ; 168 foreign ; 1,739 white ; and 14, colored. Its area was 24,996 acres ; of which 20,956 were improved ; 3,854 woodland ; and 186 otherwise unimproved.

A portion of the tract known as the Indian Fields lies in this town, and has given evidence at various times and in various ways of Indian occupancy. When the railroad was built through the town along Salmon Creek, in cutting through a bed of excellent gravel on the Benjamin Whit- ten farm, three and one-half miles south of Ven- ice Center, a large quantity of human bones were exhumed. The first white settlers found upon the Creek near the center of the town, extensive fields, cleared and cultivated, and near them an Indian burying-ground. Upon the ridge, east of the Creek, near the south border of the town, are the remains of an ancient fortification.

The settlement of Venice was contemporary with the neighboring towns. It is probable that the first settlement was made as early as 1790, although we have been unable to discover any data which fully establish the fact. The town records of Scipio, before the division of that town, show that Luke Taylor settled as early as 1794 ; Henry Hewitt and Samuel Chidsey, as early as 1795 ; Zebulon Taylor, as early as 1796; Zadoc Bateman and Thomas Cannon, as early as 1798;

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EARLY SETTLEMENTS.

and Josiah Beard, as early as 1800, while it is nearly certain that they settled earlier, some of them several years, as well as some whose names do not appear in the town records.

Luke Taylor came in from Massachusetts, in 1794, and settled where Alonzo Stewart, who married Taylor's grand-daughter, now lives, a lit- tle west of East Venice, and died there Decem- ber 4th, 1841, aged 87. Elizabeth, his wife, died March 16th, 1813, aged 57. Two children are living, viz : Mary, widow of Erastus Carpenter, with her son-in-law, Alonzo Stewart, in Venice, and Esther, widow of Asa Sawtelle, in Elba, Genesee county. Zebulon Taylor, a brother of Luke's, came in from Massachusetts, a little ear- lier than the latter, probably in 1793, and settled where James Youngs now lives. The old house in which he lived is still standing in a dilapidated condition, though not used as a dwelling-house. He sold out and removed with his family to Elba, where he died. The house in which he lived was built in 1800. He kept tavern in it several years. His son John is living near the farm upon which he settled in Elba. Luke's grand- children who are living, are : Harvey Mills, son of Caty, wife of John Mills ; Betsey Ann, wife of Alonzo Stewart, and Henry Taylor, children of Abner Taylor, who died February 23d, 1872, aged 81 years and II months ; Lewis E., and William H. Carpenter, children of Mary, wife of Erastus Carpenter, in Auburn ; Eliza, widow of Lyman Hinman and Catharine, wife of Justus Whipple, also children of Caty, wife of John Mills, in Au- burn ; and Julia Ann, wife of Lewis Ludlow, daughter of Rev. Hull Taylor, who died January 27th, 1873, aged 91, also in Auburn. Caty died January 12th, 1811, aged 30 ; and her husband, Capt. John Mills, April 28th, 1852, aged 80. Henry Hewitt came in from Connecticut, a little later than Luke Taylor, and settled a little north of East Venice, where Frederick B. Lester now lives. He removed to Michigan, at an advanced age, to join his children who had previously set- tled there, and died soon after. Cyrus Hampton, a grand-child, and the only one living in this part of the country, keeps the toll-gate a little south of Moravia. Samuel Chidsey settled at Poplar Ridge. Deacon Zadoc Bateman was from Ver- mont. He settled one mile west of East Ven- ice, on the farm now occupied by Benj. P. Cogs- well, where he died September 22d, 1842, aged

80, and Lucy W., his wife, January 8th, 1852, aged 81. He was justice of the peace a great many years. Lucina, his youngest child, who married Daniel T. Reed, and is now living in LeRoy, Genesee county, is the only one of his children living. Thomas Cannon settled one mile west of Venice Center, on the farm now oc- cupied by Isaac Saxon, and died there. John Hutchinson, who was born near Springfield, Mass., came in from Columbia county, (where he married Thankful Whitten,) in 1794, and settled about a mile south of Venice Center, where his son now lives. He died there November 28th, 1855, aged 87, and his wife, December 17th, 1850, aged 81. He had three sons, Warren, who was born in Columbia county, in 1792, mar- ried Betsey McLaughlin in Venice, and in 1838, removed to Summit county, Ohio, where he died in May, 1871, and his wife in May, 1873, leaving four sons and six daughters ; Andrew, who was born in 1791, and still lives on the old homestead in Venice; and Silas, who was born in Novem- ber, 1806, married Almira, daughter of Zephaniah Silcox of Moravia, and settled on a part of his father's farm, where he died in July, 1878, leav- ing a widow and seven children, Franklin, Ann, wife of Charles Crawfoot, Mahala, Amos, John, Caroline, wife of Henry Kenyon, and Alpheus, all of whom reside in Venice, except John, who lives in Scipio.

Amos Hutchinson, father of John, the original settler, moved in from Columbia county in 1800, with his sons Amos Jr., and Obediah. He came with a cart, drawn by four oxen, the journey occu- pying eighteen days. He settled where Eber Edwards now lives, and died there March 16th, 1827, aged 84. Mary, his wife, died March 12th, 1847, aged 99. Other of his children, in addi- tion to those named, were Shubael, who came about the same year as his father, and died Oc- tober Ist, 1834, aged 63 ; Percy, who married in Columbia county, and remained there ; Ann, who married Joseph Breed, who settled in Che- nango county ; and Polly, who married Daniel Brinsmaid. None of them are living. Amos, Jr., died November 15th, 1867, aged 87 years and II months ; and Obediah, July 2d, 1866, aged 81.

David Avery, who was born in Pequonnock, Connecticut, in 1779, started for the Military Tract in 1795, in company with Hezekiah Avery

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TOWN OF VENICE.

and wife, Daniel Avery and wife, Ebenezer Avery and wife, Dudley Avery and wife, Nathaniel Gal- lup and wife, and several young men. They boarded a sloop commanded by Amos Avery, and proceeded to Albany, making headway at flood- tide and lying at anchor at ebb-tide ; the voyage to New York occupying three days, and that up the Hudson sixteen. From Albany their goods were conveyed by wagons to Schenectady, at which point each family bought a bateau, and started up the Mohawk. Before reaching New York, they were joined by a family named Bab- cock, the head of which died on the way up the Mohawk, causing a detention of a portion of the party, who rejoined the advance portion at Little Falls. With difficulty they made the passage of the rapids, being twice forced back by the cur- rent, and arriving at Little Falls, their goods were carried around the falls in wagons and re- loaded, the transfer occupying one day. At Fort Stanwix, (Rome) their goods and bateaux were conveyed by wagons through a dense, uninhabi- ted wilderness of thirty miles to Wood Creek, at the mouth of which they pitched tents, made fires, and cooked meat. They resumed their journey by water the next morning, having, while encamped, rigged sails to their boats, and pro- ceeded by the usual water route to Aurora, hav- ing been forty days in making the journey from New London. David and his brother Benjamin worked out that summer, and in the fall, in com- pany with Captain Daniel Avery and others who joined the company, set out with packs on their backs for New London. His father Benjamin moved in with his family the next spring, coming by the northern water route, and settled at Tal- cotts Corners, (Ledyard,) where he died. He as- sisted in the erection of the first court house at Aurora after the removal of the County seat from Cayuga in 1804. It consisted of posts set in the ground, supporting poles covered with boughs. Daniel Avery had previously settled near Au- rora in 1793. David and Benjamin, Sr., settled at Talcotts Corners, the former in Venice, where Elisha Cobb now lives, and where he died No- vember 27th, 1856, and the latter in Ledyard, in the house next north of the church, and died there January 27th, 1816. Benjamin, his son, who was born November 25th, 1776, succeeded his father to the homestead, and died there Jan- uary 31st, 1866, aged 90. Two of David's

daughters are living, viz : Nancy, wife of Nathan- iel Walker, in Cattaraugus county, and Fanny, widow of I. Johnson Tillottson, in Auburn. The children of Benjamin, Jr., living, are Alfred, in Genoa, Edgar, in Colorado, and Charles, in Venice. None of the elder Benjamin's children are living. Ebenezer Avery settled a half mile east of Poplar Ridge. Shortly before his death he removed to Collins, Erie county, where he and his wife died. Only one daughter of a large family is living, viz: Lucy, wife of Sylvester Richmond, in Mt. Morris. Judge Nathaniel Gallup, who married, Nancy Rogers, a cousin of Benjamin and David Avery, settled in Sempro- nius.

James Stevenson, from Connecticut, settled about 1795, just north of the south line of Venice, where Adelbert Young now lives, in the locality of East Venice, and both he and his wife died there, the former February 24th, 1825, aged 63, and the latter in 1843. They left no children. Mr. Henderson took his grist to Skaneateles to mill, carrying upon his back a bushel and a half of wheat at once, and this he continued until the mill at Montville was built, usually returning within the twenty-four hours. On one such oc- casion he failed to return before the following morning, and his wife, being afraid of the Indians, started towards dark to the house of their near- est neighbor, a family named Strong, who lived a mile south of Scipio Center, a distance of seven miles, with no other road than marked trees. When she returned in the morning she found the house burned to ashes, and their store of provisions either stolen or consumed by the flames which destroyed their dwelling. This was supposed to be the work of Indians.

Joshua Murdock, who was born in Windham, Connecticut, October 9th, 1763, removed with his father's family to Bennington, Vermont, where he spent two years in the clothing business. He afterwards followed the vocation of a farmer. In 1787, he married Eunice Moore, of Athol, Massa- chusetts, and settled at Granville, Washington county, and thence in the fall of 1800, he re- moved to Venice Center, and built a log house on the north-east corner of lot 62, where the State road crosses Salmon Creek. He took up 250 acres on which he moved his family in the winter of. 1801, bringing with him horses, sleigh, two yoke of oxen and an ox sled " wood shod,"

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EARLY SETTLEMENTS.

seven cows, household furniture and a year's pro- visions. His family then consisted, besides his wife, of Pamelia, who married Samuel Beeman, and moved with him to Clarence, Erie county about 1808, where both died ; Salmon, who died with his parents in Venice in 1815, unmarried ; Mary, who married Hezekiah Murdock, and moved to Mesopotamia, Trumbull county, Ohio, where she died ; Lydia, who married Wm. D. Ledger and removed to Lake county, Illinois, where she died ; Huldah, who married Anson Baldwin of Royalton, Niagara county, where she died ; and Ruby, who married Philip Reynolds, removed to Mesopotamia, Ohio, and subsequent- ly went to live with her sons near Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, where she now resides. Lyman, an- other son, was born in Venice, August 8th, 1804, and lived on the homestead farm seventy-two years. He now resides in North Candor.

January, 1801, Joshua Murdock built a log barn on the site of W. R. Cannon's store. In 1802, he built a saw-mill on the south-east corner of his 250 acres. In 1816, he built the family residence, now occupied by his grandson, M. W. Murdock. He died on the old homestead December 13th, 1845, aged 82 ; and his wife, August 21st, 1839, aged 78.

Lyman, his son, has been largely interested in the growth and prosperity of Venice Center, where his father was the first settler, and promi- nently identified with its material interests and enterprises. In 1820, at the age of sixteen, he took the management of the farm. In 1821, he, in company with his neighbors, the Fishes, built a saw-mill on the site of the old one, on the south- east corner of the farm. September 5th, 1824, he married Clarinda, daughter of Captain Alan- son Tracy, of Scipio, and bought 150 acres of the old homestead farm, but continued to work the whole farm. In the fall of 1826, he built an addition to the homestead and commenced keep- ing a public house, in which also the town meet- ings and other elections were held and other town business transacted for many years. That build- ing, which was the first tavern at Venice Cen- ter, forms the east end of the present tavern, and was moved to its present site, in 1835, when the addition was built.

In 1834 he built a grist-mill on the site of the present one ; and in 1835 he built a saw-mill ad- jacent to it. The same year (1835) he built the

present tavern at Venice Center ; and gave one acre of land to Philander Tracy, who built thereon that year, the first store in that village. From 1850, he has been connected pecuniarily and of- ficially with railroad projects, which culminated in the establishment of the road which runs through the central part of the town. Lyman's children are Evanden, who married Margaret Wood, of Venice, who has two sons, Clarence and Lyman, and is living at Cedar Falls, Iowa ; Mary A., widow of Stephen Howard, who has two daughters, Gertrude and Minnie, and is living at Sherwood ; Miss Clarinda R., an artist, residing in Ecouen, France; Lyman T., who married H. Eliza Hull, of Genoa, by whom he has one son, John H., and is living at Venice Center, where he is engaged in farming, dealing in produce, is station agent, and, until the spring of 1877, car- ried on the milling business; Eugene B., who died in 1866; and M. Wellington, who married Mary Lyman, of Venice, by whom he has one daughter, and is living on the old homestead.

Samuel Mosher, from Rhode Island, also came in 1800, and settled two miles north-east of East Venice, where James Heaton now lives. After about ten years he traded his farm for an interest in a grist-mill in the south part of the town, near Tabor & Whitney's saw-mill, below the Willow bridge, which was built about 1808, by Benjamin Beardsley, who came in from Connecticut, in 1801, and settled first a mile north of Venice, afterwards removed to the east part of the town, and subsequently bought the mill property in question. This was the first grist-mill in Venice. It had one run of " rock " stones, which ground wheat, corn and feed indifferently, and was driven by an overshot wheel. It was in operation till about 1835. About 1812, Mosher traded his in- terest in the mill for the farm now occupied by his son Arvid Mosher, in Genoa, where he died May 4th, 1871, aged 90, and Philomelia, his wife, October 16th, 1868, aged 77. Three children are living besides Arvid, all in Venice, viz: Em- ily, wife of Ephraim Andrews, Lovice, wife of Squire Raymond, and Hermon. Benjamin Beardsley died with his daughter, Philomelia, who married Samuel Mosher, June 6th, 1837, aged 83 ; and his wife, Amelia, June 14th, 1849, aged 89. He was a cousin to John and Sher- man Beardsley, the former of whom settled in Scipio in 1808, and the latter in Venice, about

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History of Cayuga County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 85

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