History of Chautauqua County, New York, and its people, Volume I, Part 87

Author: Downs, John Phillips, 1853- ed. [from old catalog]; Hedley, Fenwick, Y., joint ed. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1921
Publisher: Boston, New York [etc.] American historical society, inc.
Number of Pages: 649

USA > New York > Chautauqua County > History of Chautauqua County, New York, and its people, Volume I > Part 87

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

Ross Grange, No. 305, organized March 11, 1875, with 26 members; present membership. 95.

Stockton Grange, No. 316, organized March 27, 1875; present membership, 275.

Ellery Grange, No. 353; organized 1876, with 25 members; now 145 members.

Sinclairville Grange, No. 401, organized April 20, 1876, with 25 members; now numbers 202 members. Gerry Grange, No. 412, has membership of 140.

Dewittville Grange, No. 480, organized Jan. 14, 1884, with 19 members; present membership, 179.

Kennedy Grange, No. 496, organized with 30 mem- bers; now has 226.

South Harmony Grange, No. 525; present member- ship, 115.

Panama Rocks Grange, No. 526; present membership, 316.

Cherry Creek Grange, No. 527; organized August 18, 1887, with 28 members; now has 265.

Ellington Grange, No. 528, organized Sept. 9, 1887, with 18 memhers; now has 177.

Chautauqua Grange, No. 571; present membership, 237.

Hanover Grange, No. 595, organized Sept. 14, 1889, with 21 members; now has 386.

Villenova Grange, No. 604; present membership, 147. Centralia Grange, No. 612; won Pomona Grange prize membership banner three years in succession, and thereby became its permanent owner. Present membership, 320.

Cassadaga Grange, No. 659, organized March 4, 1890, with 51 memhers; now has 275.

Charlotte Center Grange, No. 669, organized March 29. 1895; present membership, 216.

Harmony Grange, No. 694; present membership, 274. Lombard Grange, No. 714; 121 members.

Busti Grange, No. 909, organized Sept. 25, 1901, with 15 members; now has 188.

South Ripley Grange, No. 1032, organized Feb. 10, 1905, with 40 members; now has 76.

Findley Lake Grange, No. 1129, organized Feb. 21, 1908, with 63 members; now has 276. The grange suf- fered the loss of books, regalia and grange furniture in 1912.

Niobe Grange, No. 1215; present membership, 107.

Arkwright Center Grange, No. 1249, organized 1910; present membership, 188.

Frewsburg Grange, No. 1264, the baby member of Chautauqua County Pomona Grange; has 194 mem- bers.

This completes a total of 34 granges, with a mem- bership of 8830.

Chautauqua County Pomona Grange was organized in Brocton, in 1875, and carries the distinction of being the first "Pomona Grange" to elect a woman to the office of master-Mrs. Bela B. Lord, who was State lecturer of New York State Grange. Her husband, Bela B. Lord, of Sinclairville, also a leading member of the Order. The action of Pomona Grange opened the door for the recognition of other women, and made real that tenet of the Order which declares women are eligible to any office in the Grange. Women equally with men have been benefitted by the Grange, and per- haps the assertion is true that it has been even "more

helpful." "Grange Day" has long been an annual feature of the Chautauqua Institution and has been a factor in the educational uplift of Grange members. Special privileges have been granted them by the officials of the Institution and their welcome to the grounds is hearty and real.

At the Annual Grange Day in August, 1903, the Grange Temple at Chautauqua was dedicated with suit- able ceremonies. The Chautauqua management present- ed a site to Chautauqua County Pomona Grange for a building to serve as headquarters for the order for all time. A member of the Order, Cyrus E. Jones, of Union Grange, No. 244. Jamestown, erected the Temple as a memorial to his father, Rev. Emory Jones, an early Wesleyan Methodist minister of Chautauqua county. In presenting the Temple, Mr. Jones said that "he would rather the tillers of the soil should enjoy its blessings than any one else," and that the gift was also a "token of his appreciation of his boyhood friend and uncle, Thomas H. Gifford, whose work had been helpful to the Order." The Temple was accepted in the name of the Patrons of Husbandry by E. B. Norris, of Wayne county, New York, master of the New York State Grange. Vice-chancellor George E. Vincent wel- comed the Grange visitors to the grounds, Mrs. Bela B. Lord, State lecturer, responding. Aaron Jones of South Bend, Indiana, master of the National Grange, then dedicated the building, and later in the day delivered an address. The Temple is located on Simpson avenue.

At a meeting of Pomona Grange held in Jamestown in July, 1877, the question of organizing a Patrons Fire Relief Association in Chautauqua county was intro- duced by George D. Hinckley, then master of New York State Grange. He offered for consideration the by-laws of a similar association formed in Seneca coun- ty, and later a committee of three, George E. Bates, G. W. Rugg and R. V. Love, to whom the matter was referred, reported in favor of adopting the by-laws of the Seneca County Association. The worthy master, W. H. Scott, then appointed one member from each grange as a director to perfect the organization of the Patrons Fire Relief Association in Chautauqua County.

At a special meeting of Pomona Grange held in Sin- clairville August 24, 1877, officers of the Association were elected: A. A. Stevens of Sinclairville Grange, president ; Walter C. Gifford of Union Grange, James- town, secretary; G. E. Ryckman of Portland Grange, treasurer. The management of the Association is vested in a board of directors, one now being chosen from each grange with the exception of Union Grange which has two. The board of directors elects its own officers. There are about 7,500 farms in Chautauqua county and of these 6,178 or over 80% are insured by the Associa- tion, the forty-third annual report for the year 1919 showing in force January 1, 1920, policies on property of Patrons aggregating $15,931,130. Expenses during the year 1919, exclusive of losses and rebates, did not exceed 38 cents per $1,000 of insurance. The Associa- tion is a member of the New York State Central Or- ganization of Cooperative Fire Insurance. Albert A. Van Vleck is president of the Patrons Fire Relief As- sociation in Chautauqua County ; Jared Hewes now and for thirty years secretary. President Van Vleck is also secretary of Chautauqua Pomona Grange, an office he has held twenty-nine years, 1891-1920.

Although but little over fifty years of age the Order, Patrons of Husbandry, has become a solid national in- stitution. It has met a want of rural communities and has amply justified the hopes of its founders. It has successfully demonstrated the ability of the farmers to organize for mutual benefit and has proved otherwise

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PATRONS OF HUSBANDRY

a blessing, for the Grange spirit is one of love and help- fulness, and its value as an organized force for good cannot be over-estimated. So long as it shall be true to its mission, the moral and educational uplift of its members, and true to its spirit of fraternity, friendship and faith, so long will it flourish and scatter blessings along the pathway of its members. Small in its beginning and of little force, now strong and influential, the Order is becoming more and more the farmers' spokesman. In his address to the State Grange in its 47th annual ses- sion in Rochester, New York, February 3, 1920, Worthy Master Sherman J. Lowell in his peroration said :

"As my parting word let me picture the Grange. It 19 whatever you make it, nothing more. It is your belief in yourself, your dream of what a people may become. It lives a changing life, a life of words and passions, of heart breaks and tired muscles. Some- times it is strong with pride, when men do honest work. Sometimes it is loud and garish and full of pride that blasts judgment. But always it is all you hope it to be or you have the courage to try for. It is your hopes and fears, struggle and panic. It is the

day's work of the weakest and the dream of the most daring. It is the battle of yesterday and the mistake of to-morrow. It is the mystery of those who do with- out knowing why, the birth of ideas and the purpose of resolutions. It is no more than what you believe it to he and all you believe it to be it can be. It is what you make it, nothing more."

The following are the officers of Chautauqua Pomona Grange now in office ( 1920) : Worthy master, John Cal- houn, Mayville; overseer, Rollin L. Cass, Frewsburg ; lecturer, Ernest Engdahl, Sinclairville; steward, Clar- ence Albro, Busti: chaplain, Mildred Kolpien, Ripley ; treasurer, Leonard G. Brainard, Ellington ; secretary. Albert A. Van Vleck, Jamestown; gate keeper, Russell D. Woodward, Stockton ; Flora, Mildred Rhoades, Ell- ington ; Pomona, Nettie Crandall, Jamestown; Ceres, Minnie Albro, Busti; lady assistant steward, Evona Beary, of Westfield. Executive Committee: Alfred H. Blaisdell of Cherry Creek, Elizabeth M. Geiger, of Dun- kirk. Jared Hewes, of Ashville. County deputy, Arthur L. Richardson, of Watts Flats.

CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY BANKS. By C. W. Herrick.

In 1831 there were no banking facilities in James- town or elsewhere in Chautauqua county, and the near- est bank to the county was the branch of the United States Bank at Buffalo, and in all the southern tier of counties there was no bank west of the Hudson, al- though at Lockport in western New York there was a State bank. Jamestown was then a village of one thousand people, but was already looked upon as a com- mercial center for the counties of Chautauqua and Cattaraugus and for a portion of northwestern Penn- sylvania. Therefore the need of a bank was felt in Jamestown, and this, with that other known fact that bank stock yielded good returns, made the organization of the Chautauqua County Bank an easy task for Judge Elial T. Foote and Judge Richard P. Marvin, two most eminent men, who were prominent in organizing that first of all Chautauqua financial institutions. Their efforts were warmly seconded by other leading men of the county, and the stock, $100,000, was largely over- subscribed. At a meeting of the first board of directors held at the tavern in Jamestown kept by Jones & Son, Judge Elial T. Foote, the leading physician of the village a county judge for a quarter of a century, and a capable man of affairs, was elected president, his only salary a fee for signing bank bills. Oliver Lee was elected vice-president, and Arid Joy, cashier. Judge Foote served as president of the bank until June 5. 1835, when he was succeeded by Major Samuel Bar- rett, a former vice-president. who continued the execu- tive head of the bank for thirty-seven years, until his death in 1872. The third president was Robert New- land, who assumed the duties of the office August 4, 1872, holding until he resigned on account of ill-health ini May, 1890. President Newland was connected with the bank fifty-seven years, coming in at the age of twenty-five and serving as bookkeeper, teller, cashier, vice-president, and president. Daniel Griswold suc- ceeded Mr. Newland as president, serving until 1899. Elliot C. Hall was president for a few months, he being succeeded in May. 1899, by Charles M. Dow, the present incumbent (August 1, 1920). The directors present at the first meeting, June 24, 1831, were: Lev- erett Barker, Oliver Lee, Thos. B. Campbell, Wm. Peacock, Daniel Sherman, James Hall, Elial T. Foote, Jedediah E. Budlong, Abner Hazeltine, and Richard

P. Marvin. The first banking hours were 10-12 a. m. and 2-4 p. m., and directors' meetings were held every Thursday at 7 p. m. at Jones & Son's tavern, with finance committee meetings twice a week.

The Chautauqua County Bank existed as a State in- stitution until in October, 1865, it was converted into the Chautauqua County National Bank, and remained a part of the national banking system until June 18, 1896, when it absorbed the business of the City National Bank, and continued operations under the name of the Chau- tauqua County Trust Company. In July, 1899, the capital was increased, and the business of the James- town National Bank acquired, and in 1905 the Chau- tauqua County Trust Company was merged into the present National Chautauqua County Bank organiza- tion.

Since its organization in 1831, the bank has oc- cupied its present location at the corner of Main and Second streets, the temporary structure which first housed the bank having stood on the rear of the pres- ent lot fronting on Second street. Throughout its eighty-nine years of successful existence, the bank has maintained its identity as the "Chautauqua County Bank." It has now a capital of $500,000, and is ably officered by Charles M. Dow, president; Shelden B. Broadhead, Fletcher Goodwill and Howard Dow, vice- presidents ; Arthur W. Swan, cashier ; Walter A. Ed- son, trust officer : C. Lynn Rowley and Harry E. Wil- liams, assistant cashiers.

FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF SILVER CREEK-The second bank organized in the county was in 1838, when the Silver Creek Bank sprang into being with a capital stock of $100,000, Oliver Lee president, he having been the first vice-president of the Chautauqua County Bank at Jamestown. Mr. Lee was the principal stockholder of the bank, and its president until his death, July 28, 1846. He was succeeded by George W. Tew, a lawyer, twice county clerk, and cashier of the Silver Creek Bank, 1841-46. Mr. Tew continued executive head until his death in 1875, the bank being discontinued soon there- after.

After the Silver Creek Bank closed, Theodore Stewart and Carlos Ewell operated as private bankers under the name of the Silver Creek Banking Company, Mr. Stewart having come to Silver Creek a young man of

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CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE

twenty to work in the Silver Creek Bank. They con- tinued until the opening of the State Bank of Silver Creek, May 22, 1899, capital $25,000, R. I. Quale, presi- dent; Theodore Stewart, cashier. Later Mr. Stewart became president. The bank reorganized as the First National Bank of Silver Creek in 1912, Theodore Stew- art continuing president until his retirement from the bank, July 16, 1916. Then he was succeeded by W. W. Chamberlain, who died in August, 1920, and succeeded by H. P. Burgard. The first cashier after reorganiza- tion was V. T. Stewart, succeeded by M. P. Wilson, he by W. M. Buckholtz, and he by the present cashier, L. G. Horton, who came to that office in November, 1919. The officers of the bank are: Henry P. Burgard, presi- dent; C. W. Grasho, vice-president; L. G. Horton, cashier ; H. S. Pratt, assistant cashier. The bank is capitalized at $50,000. Surplus $50,000-has deposits of $675,280.08, and resources totaling $826,300.36.

THE NATIONAL BANK OF WESTFIELD is the successor of the First National Bank of Westfield, which in turn succeeded the original Bank of Westfield. The Bank of Westfield opened its doors for business May 25, 1848, in Squire Smith's little office building, next to the Methodist church on Main street, but soon moved to the second floor of what is now J. H. Kenney's Shoe Store. When the Brewer block was built in 1864 it moved across the street to a room in the northwest corner of the block on Main street and the Common. Since that date its business has been done continuously in the Brewer block. With the increased business of the bank it gradually pushed back, from the little corner room and a small vault, occupying successively two rooms, then three rooms and two vaults and finally the whole ground floor of what was formerly the bank building. In 1916 the bank acquired the Husted building next door east. It let a contract to combine the two buildings and thus secure new, adequate and modern quarters. On December 7, 1918, the bank moved to temporary quar- ters and exactly four months later returned to its re- modeled home.

Officers-Frank W. Crandall, president ; Alburn E. Skinner, G. Patterson Crandall, vice-presidents; Ed- ward D. Reagan, cashier; Frank P. Wolfe, assistant cashier. The bank is capitalized at $50,000; has de- posits, $1,226,821.98 ; resources, $1,399,671.98; surplus and profits, $71,700.

THE JAMESTOWN BANK-Jamestown continued a one bank town until 1853, when the Jamestown Bank was organized, Alonzo Kent, president; J. E. Mayhew, cashier. That bank was succeeded by the First National Bank of Jamestown, incorporated April 5, 1864, with the same officers and Alonzo Kent, Orsell Cook, Reuben E. Fenton, Galusha A. Grow, and Sardius Steward, directors. Alonzo Kent resigned the presidency in July, 1881, and was succeeded by Reuben E. Fenton, states- man and financier, who served until his death, August 25, 1885. Mr. Kent was re-elected president January 4, 1886, and served until his death, May 25, 1888, when Frank E. Gifford was elected president and is still holding. J. Edward Mayhew, the first cashier in 1853, continued in that position under all changes until his death in 1885. He was succeeded by Edward Morgan. The capital stock of the company is $153,300; the officers : Frank E. Gifford, president ; Harry P. Sheldon, vice-president ; Almet N. Broadhead, vice-president ; Frank E. Felt, cashier. The bank building is located on East Third street, Nos. 2-6; deposits, $1,917,422.19; total resources, $2,646,187.22.

THE LAKE SHORE BANK OF DUNKIRK was organized in 1854 by Truman R. Coleman, president, and Langley Fullagar, cashier, with a capital of $100,000. At the

death of Mr. Coleman in 1884, William T. Coleman, his son, became president, and upon Mr. Fullagar's resigna- tion the same year, A. J. Lunt became cashier. In 1883 the bank reorganized as the Lake Shore National Bank, and in 1891, on the death of William T. Coleman, M. L. Hinman became president, serving until 1896, when he resigned, A. H. Marsh then succeeding to the presi- dency. The capital stock of the bank is $105,000. Mr. Marsh was succeeded in the presidency of Alfred J. Lunt, who is still the executive head. Other officers (August 1, 1920) are: Clark. Bloss, vice-president ; Ed- ward Madigan, cashier; Thomas D. Lunt and Shirley T. Coleman, assistants to the cashier; Robert E. Gal- braith, trust officer. Capital stock, $105,000; deposits, $2,099,057.35 ; resources, $2,588,102.00. The bank is lo- cated in its own building at the corner of Third street and Central avenue.

THE FREDONIA BANK was organized in 1856 with a capital of $100,000, Rosell Greene, president; Orson Stiles, vice-president; Stephen M. Clement, cashier ; directors-Rosell Greene, George W. Tew, Joel R. Parker, Edmund Day, Calvin Hutchinson, Philander Sprague, Chauncey Abbey, Orson Stiles, Stephen M. Clement, Henry C. Frisbee, Abner Clark, Charles Bur- ritt. In 1859 Orson Stiles was elected president to suc- ceed Rosell Greene, deceased.

THE FREDONIA NATIONAL BANK was organized with a capital of $50,000, Orson Stiles, president ; Chauncey Abbey, vice-president; Stephen M. Clement, cashier. In 1867 Mr. Clement resigned to accept the position of cashier of the Marine Bank of Buffalo, and was also elected president of the Fredonia National Bank. H. C. Clark was chosen vice-president, and as Mr. Clement elected to give his time to the Marine Bank largely, Mr. Clark was virtually president of the Fredonia National. In 1881 Mr. Clement disposed of his interests in the Fredonia National Bank, and was succeeded in the presi- dency by Chauncey Abbey, the vice-president's office being filled by Aaron O. Putnam. In 1861 the capital was increased to $100,000, and in 1894, at the death of Chauncey Abbey, he was succeeded in the presidency by Aaron O. Putnam, who held that office until his death in February, 1896. Mr. Putnam was succeeded by Ralph H. Hall, and in 1898 Oscar W. Johnson was suc- ceeded as vice-president by Henry W. Thompson, who in 1902 gave way to Dr. M. M. Fenner. The bank continued in business until 1905, when complications arose, and liquidation followed.

THE SECOND NATIONAL BANK OF JAMESTOWN was organized with $100,000 capital in 1865; Thomas D. Hammond, president; William H. Tew, vice-president; George W. Tew, Jr., cashier. President Hammond re- signed in 1869 and was succeeded by William H. Tew, George W. Tew, Jr., becoming vice-president, and Willis Tew cashier. There were several changes in official personnel, and in 1875 the name of the institution was changed to the City National Bank. William H. Tew resigned his presidency in 1879 and was succeeded by Martin L. Fenton, who held one year, his successor in 1880 being George W. Tew, Willis Tew becoming vice- president, Charles H. Tew, cashier. In 1888 Herbert W. Tew succeeded Charles H. Tew as cashier, and in 1893 Willis Tew succeeded George W. Tew as presi- dent. On June 16, 1896, the City National Bank was absorbed by the Chautauqua County Trust Company.

THE MERCHANTS NATIONAL BANK OF DUNKIRK was founded in 1882 with a capital of $100,000, Langley Fullagar, president, John H. Lascelles, cashier. Presi- dent Fullagar was later compelled to resign through ill health, and was succeeded by Stephen M. Clement, cashier, and later president of the Marine Bank of

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Buffalo, and a one-time president of the Fredonia Na- tional Bank. In 1892 Mr. Lascelles resigned to become a cashier of the Marine Bank of Buffalo, of which he is now president. He was succeeded as cashier by Peter J. Mulholland, and he by Henry H. Droege. Stephen M. Clement was succeeded in the presidency by Charles D. Murray, who about 1905 gave way to Robert J. Gross. On January 1, 1919, Henry H. Droege, cashier, was advanced to the president's office, James M. Madigan becoming cashier. The bank is located in its own build- ing, corner of Main and Third streets, which was erected in 1906. Deposits, $3.470.425.41 ; resources, $4,474.757-53. On January Ist, 1920, the capital was in- creased to $250,000. The surplus was made $250,000, and the undivided profits $175,000.

THE JAMESTOWN NATIONAL BANK was organized in 1888 with a capital of $100,000, Charles M. Dow, presi- dent ; Charles H. Gifford, vice-president; M. M. Skiff, cashier. All the officials of the bank continued in office until its consolidation with the Chautauqua County Trust Company July 1, 1899, except Charles H. Gifford, who resigned to accept the presidency of the Farmers and Mechanics Bank. The bank had a successful ex- istence of eleven years, having a surplus of $100,000 at the time it was absorbed by the Chautauqua County Trust Company.

THE STATE BANK OF SHERMAN was organized in 1890 with a capital of $25,000; E. Sperry, president; C. H. Corbett, vice-president : H. F. Young, cashier. Mr. Sperry was succeeded in the presidency by A. J. Dean in 1894, holding until January, 1900, when he resigned. J. L. Thayer was the next president, and the present officers are: [. O. Ottoway, president; L. D. Gale, vice-president ; William H. Phear, Jr., cashier : Jennie D. Ottoway, assistant cashier. The total deposits amount to $601,351.72; resources, $673,918.01.

THE CHERRY CREEK NATIONAL BANK had its beginning in 1890, when E. B. Crissey opened a private bank in the village of Cherry Creek, doing business as E. B. Crissey, Banker. Harlow J. Crissey was associated with this bank for some years as cashier. In 1914 the business was reorganized, and the Cherry Creek National Bank chartered with $25,000 capital. The officers are: Har- old E. Crissey, president; C. L. Edwards, vice-presi- dent; Nora B. Lake, cashier ; Samuel N. Smith, assist- ant cashier. Total deposits of various kinds, $297,- 123.89 ; total resources, $365.895.52.

THE FARMERS AND MECHANICS BANK OF JAMESTOWN was organized and opened for business in February, 1891, with a capital of $100,000, with the following officers : E. B. Crissey, president ; Fred T. Powell, vice- president ; Geo. S. Gifford, cashier ; and W. R. Botsford, assistant cashier. The banking office was in the New Gifford building in Brooklyn Square. In 1892 Charles H. Gifford was elected president. May Ist, 1893, M. M. Skiff became cashier, and in 1894 W. R. Botsford suc- ceeded to that position. In 1897, Newton Crissey was elected president, E. B. Crissey, vice-president, and Harlow J. Crissey, cashier. In June, 1898, the bank removed to its present location at 215 Main street, con- tinuing under the active management of F. B. Crissey until his death in 1908. O. Nelson Rushworth was elected cashier in 1900, and succeeded to the presidency in 1908, a position he still holds (1920). Other officers are : Harold E. Crissey, vice-president ; Albert E. Apple- yai l, cashier : R. E. Miller, assistant cashier.

The capital stock is $600,000, with surplus $200,000, and undivided profits nearly $100,000. Total resources, $5.466,073.05.

THE STATE BANK OF MAYVILLE was organized in 1891, succeeding Skinner, Minton & Company, private

bankers. The capital stock was $25,000. C. C. Minton, president ; J. F. Hunt, vice-president ; C. R. Cipperly, cashier. The present officials (1920) are: F. W. Crandall, president; E. D. Reagan, vice-president ; H. J. Lockwood, cashier; M. D. Fox, F. C. Whitney, as- sistant cashiers.

The bank has deposits totaling $694,078.73 ; capital and surplus Sept. 1, 1920, $71,635.83 ; resources, $779,853.50.

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History of Chautauqua County, New York, and its people, Volume I, Part 87

Author: Downs, John Phillips, 1853- ed. [from old catalog]; Hedley, Fenwick, Y., joint ed. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1921 Publisher: Boston, New York [etc.] American historical society, inc. Number of Pages: 649

Author: Downs, John Phillips, 1853- ed. [from old catalog]; Hedley, Fenwick, Y., joint ed. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1921
Publisher: Boston, New York [etc.] American historical society, inc.
Number of Pages: 649