USA > New York > Wayne County > History of Central New York : embracing Cayuga, Seneca, Wayne, Ontario, Tompkins, Cortland, Schuyler, Yates, Chemung, Steuben, and Tioga Counties, Volume I > Part 32
USA > New York > Cayuga County > History of Central New York : embracing Cayuga, Seneca, Wayne, Ontario, Tompkins, Cortland, Schuyler, Yates, Chemung, Steuben, and Tioga Counties, Volume I > Part 32
USA > New York > Seneca County > History of Central New York : embracing Cayuga, Seneca, Wayne, Ontario, Tompkins, Cortland, Schuyler, Yates, Chemung, Steuben, and Tioga Counties, Volume I > Part 32
USA > New York > Ontario County > History of Central New York : embracing Cayuga, Seneca, Wayne, Ontario, Tompkins, Cortland, Schuyler, Yates, Chemung, Steuben, and Tioga Counties, Volume I > Part 32
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The Park Church, Congregational, was organized in 1845, the original members coming from the First Presbyterian Church.
Space will not permit mentioning the other churches, German, Jewish, Italian, Polish, colored and other nationalities. In all there are over fifty places of worship in Elmira.
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While there are no existant records relating to the early schools of Elmira, early historians tell us that the first school was on Lake Street, a little above Cross (what is now called Market) Street, on the west side, just above the Masonic Temple location. It was succeeded by one erected on William Street where the sheriff's residence is. There was also a select school over Francis Collingwood's jewelry store on Lake Street, about where Car- roll Street crosses. Then there was later on a school which stood near the Park Church location. This building, after its useful- ness as a school was over, was moved to the north side of Second Street a little east of College Avenue. This was succeeded by one built on Church Street, a little east of the old Hedding Church.
There was a select school taught by the Misses Cleeves, on West Water Street near College Avenue. Miss Clara Thurston came to Elmira in 1847 and for a number of years conducted a seminary for young ladies, on Main Street a short distance below Third Street.
Shortly after the Thurston Seminary closed the Elmira Col- legiate Seminary was established, the name of which, by act of legislature April 13, 1855, was changed to "Elmira Female Col- lege," whose history is sketched in another chapter.
In 1859 the legislature passed a law providing for a Board of Education to have charge of the public schools of the city. The first commissioners were Erastus L. Hart, John Arnot, Orrin Rob- inson, Elijah N. Barbour, Ariel S. Thurston, Stephen McDonald, Archibald Robertson, Civilian Brown and Shubael B. Denton. Erastus L. Hart was president and S. R. Scofield secretary and superintendent.
The old academy in 1836 occupied a building on Baldwin Street, which had been previously a part of the old Presbyterian Church, and had outlived its usefulness. In 1860 a lot on East Clinton Street was purchased upon which to erect a new Free Academy. The building was completed in 1862. In 1868, No. 1 School on Sullivan Street was built. The following year No. 2 was erected at the corner of Davis and West Second Street. School No. 3, on the south side of the river, was first occupied in 1871. The present No. 4 School was built in 1872, but previously occu-
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pied a brick building, near the Lackawanna station, which later housed the vocational school. No. 5 School was erected on West Washington Avenue in 1873. Other schools to be built since that time are Nos. 7, 9, 10, 11 and 17. No. 8 was originally Primary No. 1.
The Southside Junior High School was erected in 1923, and formally opened January 28, 1924. It was the outgrowth of crowded conditions in the grammar schools and the academy, which had existed for several years. This school is considered one of the best.
Two new schools were added to the list in 1930-1931, each costing about $325,000: the George M. Diven School replacing old No. 4, and the Parley Coburn School replacing old No. 3. The Diven School was dedicated November 12, 1930, and the Parley Coburn School April 30, 1931.
The first cemetery was on land belonging to Stephen Tuttle, near the junction of Sullivan and East Water streets. In 1802 the Baptist burying ground was opened. This was our present Wisner Park.
In 1838 the Second Street Cemetery was established, which was used for burial purposes until but a few years ago.
Beautiful Woodlawn Cemetery was opened and dedicated Oc- tober 11, 1858, the ceremony being very impressive. The body of Col. John Hendy was taken up from the Baptist burying ground and reinterred with Masonic ceremonies and military honors, the inaugural address being made by Rev. David Murdoch, D. D. The cemetery comprises over 100 acres and is considered one of the most beautiful and well-kept in the state.
Other cemeteries are the Catholic cemetery on upper Frank- lin Street, also the Jewish cemetery in the same locality. The Catholic cemetery comprises about ten acres.
The Arnot Art Gallery was founded by Matthias H. Arnot and opened to the public in May, 1913. The purpose of this gift of Mr. Arnot was to encourage and develop the study of the fine arts, and the policy is to give the public free access at all reason- able times.
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Paintings of the Barbizon school, Millett, Breton, Troyon, Rousseau, Diaz, Ruysdael, Schreyer, Knaus, Meyer von Breman, Verboeckhoven and others give the visitor an opportunity to see Belgian, Dutch and German paintings of note.
In addition to the permanent collection there is shown each month a loan exhibition of paintings, water colors, prints or etch- ings of noted painters, and loans from the Metropolitan Museum of New York City have been on exhibition. An attractoscope or daylight stereopticon is one of the special features.
In the latter part of the year 1864, the ladies of Elmira, seeing the wives and children of many soldiers and the discharged sol- diers themselves suffering for the necessities of life, planned relief for the needy, and formed an organization called the "El- mira Ladies' Relief Association," whose object was the care of needy soldiers, their wives and children. At the first a building on the corner of Magee and Third streets was rented and occupied for about two years. In 1866 the property on the southside of the river was procured, and the present brick structure was erected in 1877. The Association later decided to exclude adults and admit children only. In 1868 the name was changed to the Southern Tier Orphans' Home.
The institution is now known as the Southern Tier Children's Home. Mrs. Joseph Pierce is president and Carolyn Hall secre- tary. Mrs. Alice G. Fisher is the superintendent.
The "Home for the Aged" was the next public institution to be established, largely due to the efforts of Mrs. Richmond Jones. The first meeting of the society was held in the parlor of her home, in 1874, and three years afterward the building, near Eldridge Park was begun. It was ready for occupancy in 1880.
The Chemung County Historical Society was the outgrowth of interest in local history, and was organized November 22, 1923. Dr. Arthur W. Booth was elected president; Harry N. Hoffman, first vice-president; Mrs. George A. Palmer, second vice-president; Captain Louis S. VanDuzer, third vice-president; Harrison S. Chapman, secretary ; George W. Brooks, treasurer; William H. Arnold, historian.
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Meetings are held monthly, the programs consisting of papers and addresses of a local historical nature. There are over two hundred members. The present officers are: President, William H. Arnold; first vice-president, Mrs. George C. Jones; second vice- president, Abner C. Wright; treasurer, George W. Brooks; secre- tary, George Pickering; historian, William H. Arnold.
The Steele Memorial Library was the gift of Mrs. Esther Baker Steele, widow of Joel Dorman Steele, a prominent Elmiran and educator, and author of a number of educational books, in whose memory the Library was dedicated. On August 1, 1899, the library was opened to the public. When it was dedicated there were on its shelves, 5,323 volumes. In 1932 there are 43,845 volumes in the adult department and 6,981 in the chil- dren's department.
In 1931 the total circulation was 293,149 as against 98,956 in 1923. The Chemung County Library was inaugurated Octo- ber 1, 1923, with ten stations, which have been increased to thirty-four.
The beautiful library building was erected in 1923, and dedi- cated February 8th of that year. Mrs. Kate Deane Andrew has been in charge of the library since its inception, thirty years ago.
Newtown Battle Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution, was formed in the summer of 1898, with a charter membership of twenty-five, Sutherland DeWitt, Frederick Barker, Irving D. Booth, Charles L. Nichols, Theron A. Wales, H. H. Ford, Chaun- cey S. Carey, Gabriel L. Parkhurst, James B. Cahoon, Henry P. Gates, Hovey E. Copley, Arthur W. Booth, W. W. Hamilton, Nor- man J. Thompson, William H. Lovell, Gabriel L. Smith, Henry M. Clarke, Herbert M. Lovell, John F. Parkhurst, John James Bush, Fred Paul Fox, Isaac Jennings, John H. Gray, John M. Diven and Lorenzo Howes.
The chapter has been interested in the building of Sullivan's monument on Monument Hill, and on June 27, 1908, placed and dedicated a marker of the Newtown Battleground, at the intersec- tion of the Lowman highway and the road leading to Wellsburg, on land donated for the purpose by Edward M. Lowman, Florence Myers, Lillian Lowman and Bertha Lowman Hoffman. A steel
WAYNE COUNTY BUILDING, LYONS, N. Y.
DRUGS SODA
HOSPITAL, SODUS, N. Y.
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flagstaff was raised by the side of the marker, in June, 1913, and a large flag flung from it. Hon. Harry N. Hoffman is president and Charles G. Lay is secretary.
Chemung Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, was instituted by Miss Mary Park, on January 14th, 1897. The first officers were Miss Mary Park, regent; Miss Margaret Gray, first vice-president, Mrs. Eugene Partridge Diven, second vice- president; Mrs. J. D. Fletcher Slee, treasurer ; Miss Harriet Leach Gates, secretary; Miss Julia S. Bush, registrar; Miss Julia Olivia Langdon, historian. A meeting of the Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution was held in the Auditorium, on Sunday afternoon, August 29, of that year, the 118th anniversary of the battle of Newtown, and an address made by Hon. Gabriel L. Smith. The present officers of the society are: Fred E. Potter, regent; Dr. F. E. Woodhouse, first vice-regent; Mrs. Hazel Howell Quick, second vice-regent; Mrs. R. E. Emerson, treasurer ; Mrs. Samuel A. Pulford, registrar.
Vincent Mathews came from Orange County and was one of the first lawyers locating at Newtown. He became assemblyman, state senator and representative in Congress.
William Maxwell devoted several years to the study and prac- tice of law. He gave up practice to become a cashier in the Che- mung Canal Bank. He died in 1858.
William H. Wisner studied law with Vincent Mathews, was an eloquent speaker and a powerful advocate. He studied for the ministry and held several charges, one of them in the village of Ithaca, where he was much esteemed.
Grant B. Baldwin and William Maxwell formed a partnership in 1815. Mrs. Baldwin's father kept a tavern below Elmira, and had been an officer in the expedition of General Sullivan. Mr. Baldwin was at one time postmaster and also served as member of Assembly.
Theodore North came from Connecticut in 1823 and was a lawyer, one of the most profound in the profession. He was also one of the finest writers of this locality.
Elmira is noted for her beautiful parks and squares, some of which occupy considerable areas of land within the city, affording the citizens magnificent breathing and recreation spaces.
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The principal one is beautiful Eldridge Park, situated in the northern part of the city, containing eighty-nine acres, including a beautiful natural lake, and many shady drives. Hoffman, Wis- ner and Riverside Parks give Elmirans an opportunity for recrea- tion after a day of toil. About two miles west of the city is one of nature's beauty spots, Rorick's Glen, one of the most attractive resorts in the United States.
The most recent acquisition in the way of parks is Mark Twain Park, laid out within the past two years, on the City Farm, for recreation purposes, and which is fast becoming the recrea- tion center of the city.
Sly Park has been popular to tennis enthusiasts. Brand Park, near by, is beautifully laid out with flowers and shrubs.
West Side Park contains two horse-shoe courts, also courts for volley ball, tennis and basketball, and playground equipment for youngsters. Washington Park, on Washington Avenue, has a fine baseball ground and bleachers, swings, merry-go-round and other recreation facilities.
Elmira's financial institutions are among the strongest in the state. The Chemung Canal Trust Company was organized in 1833, as the Chemung Canal Bank, therefore it is nearly one hun- dred years old. The Second National Bank of Elmira is another of the up to date banking institutions.
The First National Bank and Trust Company was recently formed, combining the Second National Bank and the Merchants National Bank. Branch banks are located, one on the south side of the river and another at Elmira Heights. The First National Bank of Horseheads is also a part of the organization.
The Elmira of 1932 has 12,000 families, only 375 of whom live in apartments and the rest in detached homes. Federal fig- ures show 2,441 Elmirans filed income tax returns in 1928. The native born whites of the city comprise 88.4 per cent of the popu- lation ; negroes, 1.2 per cent; foreign born, 10.4 per cent. Elmira sends 11,000 young people to her ten public grade schools, one high school, one junior high school, six parochial schools. The city has four Baptist churches, one Christian Science, two Congrega- tional; three Episcopal, four Hebrew, eleven Methodst, six Pres- byterian, seven Roman Catholic and nine miscellaneous.
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According to the last Federal census of manufacturers in 1929, Elmira had 5,700 wage earners for the year. They drew annual wages of $8,110,540 and manufactured products valued at $31,877,717.
ELMIRA HEIGHTS.
In October, 1892, was organized the Elmira Industrial Asso- ciation, by a number of public spirited, enterprising men of El- mira, whose object was to increase activity in business, com- mercial and manufacturing circles. These men secured options on about 400 acres of land just north of Eldridge Park. In all $100,000 in capital stock was disposed of.
In a short time factories were being erected, the principal industries being the manufacture of window glass, furniture, bridges, etc. The building of homes kept pace with other con- struction. The Industrial Grounds, as the plot was called, ex- ceeded the expectations of the promoters.
Elmira Heights, with a population of 5,261, was incorporated as a village in 1896. It has several churches, among which are those of the Baptist, Episcopal, Methodist and other denomina- tions. There are two high schools and three grammar schools.
Among the present manufacturing concerns now in operation are the American Bridge Company; Eclipse Machine Company, Ltd., makers of Eclipse Bendix Drives; Eclipse Textile Devices, Inc .; Field Force Pump Company, Inc., manufacturers of force pumps and spraying devices. A branch of the United States Cut Flower Company is located in the eastern part of the village.
The Bank of Elmira Heights, a branch of the First National Bank and Trust Company of Elmira, has been recently instituted in the village for the convenience of Elmira Heights industries, merchants and citizens in general.
HORSEHEADS.
No village in Central New York boasts a more unique name, acquired through more unusual circumstances, than does Horse- heads, Chemung County, a village of 2,428 inhabitants. The community's history and name as well dates back to the Sullivan
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expedition of 1779. While the army was encamped at this place, some thirty or forty worn out horses were shot. The Indians afterward gathered the heads and arranged them on the sides of the trail, so that the locality became known as Horseheads.
On a Sullivan marker, recently erected, is this inscription : "In 1779 near this spot Gen. John Sullivan mercifully disposed of his pack horses, worn out by faithful service, in the campaign against the Six Nations of Iroquois."
The first settler in this largest village of Chemung County was John Breese, who in 1789 with his family erected a log cabin facing what is now known as the Lake Road and within the pres- ent village limits.
Several hundred descendants of this sturdy family now re- side in this vicinity while many more have sought and found fame and fortune elsewhere. The Breese Family Reunion now per- petuates the accomplishments of the Breeses. Meeting annually at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Jackson in Horseheads, within a few hundred feet of the site of the John Breese cabin, several hundred descendants pay tribute to their ancestors.
John Breese, first settler of Horseheads, was a son of John and Dorothy Riggs Breese, natives of Shrewsbury, England, and a grandson of the Rev. Samuel Breese. With two brothers John Breese, first, came to America in 1735 and settled in New Jersey naming the place Shrewsbury in honor of their old home in Eng- land. John Breese 1st, and Dorothy Riggs were married in 1737 and became the parents of five sons and four daughters. He was a soldier of the Revolutionary war. His sons, John 2nd, Henry, Stephen and Samuel were Revolutionary soldiers.
John Breese, 2nd, was born in New Jersey, 1738, married Hannah Gildersleeve January 30, 1769, and became the parents of eleven children.
Mr. Breese served in Capt. William Bond's Company in the Fourth Battalion, Second Establishment, New Jersey Continen- tal Line. He was a member of the expedition commanded by Gen. John Sullivan against the Six Nations, participating in the Battle of Newtown, and passed over the ground now the location of the Village of Horseheads, September 1, 1779.
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In the spring of 1787, accompanied by his wife and nine chil- dren-two being born later-they came to the Chemung Valley with two yoke of oxen attached to a lumber wagon. They had a brood mare and four cows. A portion of their goods they carried on a flat boat, which they poled up the river. They placed milk from the cows in a churn, which sat over the rear axle of the lum- ber wagon, and at night they took butter from the churn. They were six weeks making the journey.
They stopped and intended to locate on the bank of the Che- mung River just below the present City of Elmira, now known as the Hammond Flats. It was there that the first white child of permanent settlers was born in the Chemung Valley, for Mrs. Breese in February, 1789, gave birth to Sarah Breese, who later became Mrs. Sarah Jackson.
The same year they moved to Horseheads and constructed their log cabin. About two years later John Breese purchased 370 acres of land, on a portion of which is now located the New York State Nursery on the Breese Road.
John Breese, 2nd, died January 15, 1844, and beside his wife is buried in the Maple Grove Cemetery at Horseheads.
Henry Breese, a brother of John Breese, 2nd, also moved from New Jersey to Chemung County and settled on the Horseheads- Ithaca road just west of the intersection of the Ithaca and Brees- port roads. This was in the summer of 1818.
Henry Breese was a Revolutionary soldier in Capt. Henry Luse's Company, Second Battalion, New Jersey Line, also in Captain Stillwell's Company, Fourth Regiment Hunterton Com- pany, also in the State Troops.
At the Battle of Newtown Henry Breese served under Col. Israel Shreeve and celebrated his twenty-sixth birthday anniver- sary by aiding in General Sullivan's successful battle against the Indians. He died June 3, 1835, and is buried beside his wife, Ruth Pierson Breese, in the private Breese burying ground at Barbour's Corners, just north of Elizabeth Inn on the Horse- heads-Ithaca road.
Two years after Breese came to Horseheads, Jonathan S. Conkling, John, James and Ebenezer Sayre, Nathaniel Hunting-
H
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ton, Asa Guildersleve and a family named Gilbert arrived. Soon after a company from Orange County purchased a tract of 1,400 acres covering the site of the village and settled on it.
Vincent Conkling, son of Jonathan, kept the first tavern in 1822 and the first grist mill was erected by Lewis Breese. Dis- tilleries, mills and tanneries were the first industries. Horse- heads was incorporated May 15, 1837, as Fairport and its name was changed April 18, 1845. The postoffice had previously been established about 1822, with Jonas Sayre first postmaster.
Horseheads is the home of Eugene Zimmerman, better known as Zim, the cartoonist.
MILLPORT.
Millport, a village of 389 inhabitants, is situated on the west line of the town of Veteran, Chemung County, in the valley of Catharine Creek. Steadily it has shown an increasing population since its incorporation in 1923. In early days the community was in the heart of a lumbering district, when virgin forests occupied what was once the hunting ground of the Indian. That Millport was the site of Indian occupancy is indicated by numer- ous relics found in the vicinity. In excavating a cellar in 1842, Roswell Wheeler found a few rods southeast of the Millport Methodist Church the skeleton of an Indian, buried in a sitting position, with a small brass kettle placed by the side of the head, in which was found brass jewelry and other articles, together with animal claws.
In a little burying ground on a farm a short distance from Millport lie the remains of Green Bentley, who in 1798 bought 300 acres of land on a part of which Millport stands. In 1805 a settlement was commenced just east of Millport by emigrants from Connecticut and Vermont. There was little development, however, until in 1823 Myron Collins came from Chenango County and built a carding and clothing mill. He was followed in 1825 by James T. Gifford, who built a house and tannery and laid out a village plan, calling it Millvale. Gifford in 1835 went to Illinois and founded the city of Elgin and became one of the
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most prominent citizens of that section until his death in 1851 from cholera.
In 1829, the bill for a canal through the valley was passed, citizens celebrated with speeches, powder and brandy and voted thereupon to change the name of the community from Millvale to Millport. At the height of its prosperity, Millport contained about 1,000 inhabitants. But the numerous sawmills and the boat building industry, encouraged by construction of the canal, soon swept away the forests and left uncovered hills now de- voted to agriculture.
The Baptist Church at Millport was organized December 24, 1844, and the Presbyterian Church in 1836.
Millport, in its early days, was plagued by epidemics. Scarlet fever swept the community in 1841. The next year women of middle life suffered from crysipelatous inflammation. But the mortality in these two scourges was trifling compared to that in 1849 when cholera broke out soon after opening of the new earth in excavations for laying the tracks of the Chemung Railroad. Laborers, most of them from Europe, were stricken first. It is estimated that inside seven weeks along the line of the road, principally in the town of Veteran and centered in Millport vil- lage, 378 persons died of the disease, or an average daily of eighteen during the peak of the epidemic. People dropped dead while walking in the streets.
Nature again visited its wrath on Millport in the flood of Catharine Creek in 1857. On the morning of June 17, the rain, which had fallen for several days, began to increase. Finally the creek waters poured upon the settlement to a depth of four or five feet. Houses, barns and other buildings were swept away. Terror held throughout the night.
VAN ETTEN.
Van Etten, a village of 369 population, in the town of Van Etten, Chemung County, occupies a site owned originally by Joshua and James Van Etten, who settled here in 1798. Joshua Van Etten built the first house the year he came and kept the tavern in 1813. James Van Etten built the first frame house in
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1818 and Edward Hall opened the first store in 1833. By 1840 the only families residing in the place were those of James B. Van Etten, Guy Purdy, Daniel Clark, John Hill, Lambert Mat- tice, Elijah Dimon, Edward Hall and Jacob Allington.
The village growth was slow until 1868 when J. F. Hixson & Company's extract works was built. The following year a saw mill was erected and further impetus to growth was given by completion of the Geneva, Ithaca & Sayre Railroad in 1871, the steam sawmill of Hoff, Thayer & Company in 1873 and the Utica, Ithaca & Elmira Railroad in 1874. The village was incorporated in 1876.
The Methodist Church of Van Etten was organized about 1839 and reorganized in 1857. The Baptist Church was formed in 1841, with fourteen members.
WELLSBURG.
Wellsburg, a village of 581 inhabitants in the town of Ash- land, Chemung County, was incorporated August 28, 1872. It is located on the south bank of the Chemung River, on the Erie Railroad, and is about six miles from Elmira.
Wellsburg was settled at an early date, the first pioneer, Green Bently, locating there in 1788. Others who came subse- quent to the arrival of Bently were Ebenezer Green; Abner Wells and three sons, Abner, Henry and Benjamin, who came from Orange County, New York. Other well known families came about this time. The village received its name from the Wells family.
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