History of Chautauqua County, New York, Part 86

Author: Edson, Obed, 1832-; Merrill, Georgia Drew, editor
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Boston, Mass. : W.A. Fergusson
Number of Pages: 1068

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FREE METHODIST CHURCH .- This organization dates from October, 1871, when five persons were formed into a class by Rev. C. D. Brooks, viz : W. Carpenter, Celestia Carpenter, George McElroy, Elizabeth McElroy, and Mary Wilcox. In March 1874 a church was incorporated, and William P. J. Carpenter, William Shonyo, Henry Hawks and Thomas A. Blanchard were elected the first board of trustees. The membership at this time numbered 27 in full connection, and a number of probationers, with Rev. W. T. Hogg as pastor. The society worshipped in halls and other temporary places for 12 years, during which time they were served a part of the time by a settled pastor, and at other seasons formed a part of the Jamestown and Salamanca, and Jamestown and Gerry circuits. In 1884 the church building which stands on the corner of Lincoln and East Seventh streets was erected. It has a seating capacity of 300 persons, and is valued at $3,000, also a parson- age valued at $1,500. Since Sept., 1883, the church has had pastors regu- larly appointed by the annual conference. John Robinson, September 1883,- 85 ; S. K. J. Chesbro, 1885-7 ; William Jones, 1887-9 ; John O'Regan, 1889- 91 ; E. A. Taylor from 1891. to the present time. The society, though small, is in a prosperous condition, numbering at present 50 members. The board of trustees in 1893 were : Silas Derby, Levi Gifford, Simeon Vincent, John Norling, John G. Tuxford. There is a Sunday school in connection with the church numbering about 60 scholars, and 12 officers and teachers. The superintendent is C. C. Husted ; assistant, John T. Boddy.

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HISTORY OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY, N. Y.

THE ENGLISH EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH OF THE HOLY TRINITY was organized in 1877. During the Easter season of that year Rev. S. G. Weiskotten, then a student at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Phila- delphia, spent several weeks in the city looking into the prospects of estab- lishing an English Lutheran Church. The result of this canvass was that after his graduation from the Seminary in June and his ordination to the Lutheran ministry, Rev. Mr. Weiskotten took up his permanent residence in Jamestown. June 23, 1877, the organization of the church was completed with Rey. S. G. Weiskotten as pastor, and Augustus Johnson, John Love, L. F. Fogg, and P. M. Johnson as deacons and trustees. Regular services were held in Scandia Hall, corner of 3d and Main streets. March 29, 1888, the con- gregation purchased the fine property on the northeast corner of West Fourth and Cherry streets. June 4, 1888, less than a year after the organization of the church, ground was broken for a house of worship. July 23, in the pres- ence of a large gathering, the corner stone was laid with impressive ceremo- nies. Sunday, October 14, 1888, the new church was dedicated, Rev. F. A. Karlıler of Buffalo preaching the dedicatory sermon, the responses being con- ducted by Lutheran pastors of the city. Rev. S. G. Weiskotten was pastor in 1893. The officers were : John Love, P. M. Johnson, Andrew Greenlund, John Dschuden, Gust Stone and Adamı Harcker. The congregation is enjoy- ing great prosperity and is full of earnest zeal. The flourishing Sunday school was in charge of the following officers : President, Rev. S. G. Weiskot- ten ; Superintendent, C. F. Dsebuden ; Secretary, Miss Anna Swanson ; Assistant Secretary, Wilson Laudenslager ; Treasurer, Otto Love ; Librarian, Albion Sampson ; Assistant Librarian, Walfred Sampson.

THE INDEPENDENT CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH SOCIETY* was founded by the Rev. James G. Townsend, D. D., of Brookfield, Ohio, in October, ISS5. The society was organized the same month by electing as trustees Mrs. A. M. Kent, Mrs. M. L. Fenton, Mrs. O. E. Jones, Mrs. J. T. Wilson, and Mrs. M. A. Martin, Mr. H. W. Tew, Edward L. Hall, C. W. Scofield, W. T. Fal- coner, W. W. Henderson, N. R. Thompson, E. F. Carpenter, C. E. Weeks, A. F. Pierce and S. B. Hoyt. The meetings were held in Allen's Opera House for a little more than a year at which large congregations were invari- ably in attendance. The membership was between threes and four hundred. In the summer of 1886 the old M. E. church property at the junction of Second and Chandler streets was purchased at a cost of $5,000, and refitted and furnished at a cost of $8,000, and a large pipe organ added at a further cost of nearly $4,000, making a church property worth at the present time from $18,000 to $20,000. The church is furnished with 500 opera chairs and 200 cane seat for extra seating purposes. The society was legally incorporated in 1887. Rev. J. G. Townsend, D. D., was the pas-

*By F. B. Bush.

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tor for nearly three years until failing health necessitated his resignation ; his successor was the Rev. Henry Frank who for two years or more had been the pastor of the First Congregational church of Jamestown. He continued to be pastor of the church for a little more than two years and resigned, after which the Rev. J. G. Townsend was again called to the pastorate and . remained for nearly a year, when he again resigned and after a long canvass of about six months an unanimous call was extended to the present pastor the Rev. S. H. Squiers, of New Haven, Conn. The church society is unsec- tarian having no creed but simply a bond of fellowship, and allows the utinost liberty of belief ; its aim is the moral elevation of humanity ; it believes in character rather than profession in christianity rather than churchianity, in the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man, and that all religions are essentially for the bettering of our fellow man, also that superstition is gradually being eliminated from all religions. Connected with the society is a flourishing Sunday school using a graded system of lessons ; a large and efficient " Liberal Christain Guild " composed of the ladies of the parish ; a " Society of the Good Shepherd " which does much charitable work in supplying food and clothing to the poor and unfortunate, and a "Terpsichorean Society " composed of young ladies and gentlemen for social and literary purposes.

THE CHURCH OF CHRIST, (Christian Scientist), is a prosperous organiza- tion of some years standing. During the past year a church of very artistic and harmonious proportions has been erected on Fourth street and Prender- gast avenne on a site donated by Mrs. A. M. Kent.

S. S. PETER AND PAUL'S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH had, June 11, 1874, a population in Jamestown of 200. On that date Rev. Father Coyle suc- ceeded Rev. Father Baxter in a charge which covered over 60 miles of dis- tancs, reaching from Steamburg, Randolph and South Valley on the east through Jamestown and all places west to the state line. Through his labors strong churches were built up at various points, and by the growth of this city all his service was demanded here. The congregation had increased to 1,600, June 11, 1894, at the close of the pastor's twentieth year of labor. It has been necessary to twice enlarge the house of worship, and an elegant stone edifice is now in process of completion on West Sixth and Cherry streets. During Father Coyle's pastorate over 1,000 have been baptized, and 250 marriages solemnized.

THE SECOND ADVENTISTS have a small membership, and are building a neat church, seating 300, on Cherry street near Eighth.

LAKE VIEW CEMETERY .- July 18, 1831, James Prendergast deeded to Elial T. Foote, Samuel A. Brown, and Charles R. Harvey, trustees of the "First Congregational .Church and Society " in Jamestown the land lying between Fifth and Sixth, and Cherry and Washington streets in trust "that

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HISTORY OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY, N. Y.

the said land should be used as a church-yard or burying-ground for all relig -. ious denominations." In 1844 the next square north was purchased by the village for an addition to this cemetery. June 25, 1860, the village trustees passed an ordinance prohibiting burials " in the village of Jamestown," which included this old cemetery. In April, 1885, the legislature passed an act authorizing the trustees of the Congregational church to deed this land to the "James Prendergast Library Association," and the association was authorized to remove the bodies to " Lake View Cemetery," which had been developed by an action of citizens in 1858 on account of the crowded condi- tion of the old cemetery. In July, 1858, the village trustees voted $1,500 for a new cemetery, which, with contributions from leading citizens, and the sale of lots after the grounds were laid out, provided the charming City of the Dead known as "Lake View Cemetery." Many costly monuments rise grandly along the winding paths or crown the irregular eminences. A beau- tiful mausoleum here covers all that is mortal of Gov. Reuben E. Fenton, and divides attention with the Prendergast memorial and fountain and the Marvin monument ..

JAMESTOWN ACADEMY .- In the winter of 1835-6 application was made for a charter which was granted April 16, 1836, to a corporation with $3,000 capital. The first section of the act reads : "Elial T. Foote, Samuel A. Brown, Abner Lewis, Samuel Barrett, Abner Hazeltine, Woodley W. Chand- ler, Judson Southland, Rufus Pier, Nathaniel A. Lowry, Adolphus Fletcher, and Horace Allen and their associates, and such other persons as may become members of the corporation, hereby created, are constituted and declared a body corporate, by the name and style of The Jamestown Academy, to be located in the village of Jamestown, in the county of Chautauqua, for the purpose of establishing, maintaining and conducting a Seminary of Learning for the education of youth of both sexes." In May Elial T., Foote was chosen president, Abner Lewis secretary, and Samuel A. Brown treasurer. In July the board decided that the academy should be located " on the east side of Spring street and on the south side of Fourth." In about a year the building was completed and a school in operation with Lysander Farrar as principal. He was succeeded in 1837 by George W. Parker. In 1839 it came under the care of the regents of the state university, and received a share of the lit- erary fund, and in September, 1839, Prof. Edward A. Dickinson became principal. The curriculum was admirably arranged ; the Latin and Greek courses included everything necessary to " fit " a student for any American college, and the department of natural sciences was in charge of a most able instructor, Dr. G. W. Hazeltine. The academy maintained a prestige of high value under excellent principals until it was merged in 1866 with the union school. It did its work well and conferred academic advantages of education on many who attended from an extended area of the surrounding

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country. Many honored names are on its rolls. Much of its good result is due to the character of its principals. The long period of Mr. Dickinson's service is of itself sufficient to show that he was in a most eminent degree an able, conscientious, and successful instructor. He was principal from 1839 to 1863 with but one year's (1855-6) intermission, when Charles Jemi- son was employed. Rev. Rufus King was the last principal, serving from 1863.

JAMESTOWN UNION SCHOOL AND COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE .- The first meeting in relation to the Union School was held July 13, 1863, at Jones' Hall in response to a petition of the inhabitants of districts 1, 2, 3, 6, 10 and 16, of Ellicott. Before this meeting the establishment, of this school was opposed, but the opposition was bravely met by Miss Calista S. Jones, who had taught for 20 years in the county, and realized the necessity of a graded system. Miss Jones, by patient, energetic and persistent work, brought many prominent citizens to agree with her, and at this meeting " a resolution to establish such a school was adopted by a vote of more than two-thirds of those present entitled to vote." August 1, 1863, the board of education organized with Win. H. Tew, president ; Robert Newland, treasurer ; Rev. S. W. Roe, clerk ; S. W. Parks, A. R. Catlin, Alexander Sheldon, Win. Wil- son, and De Forest Weld, members. August 28 the board were instructed to purchase the "Pier property," also to raise $10,000 by taxation for the erection of union school buildings, and the great work was commenced. In 1865, as the efforts made for uniting the academy with the union school were ineffectual, rooms were rented, and the high school and grammar depart- ments were opened in September with Prof. Samuel G. Love as principal. The lower grades retained their district schoolhouses.

The story of the development of the union school has been graphically given in an address by Miss Calista S. Jones. We quote :

Before the organization of our present system of education, there were in this village six district schools, which were sometimes good, but oftener the reverse. Trustees were changed each year, and teachers each term in most schools. In some, algebra, geometry and "a. b. c." were taught in the same room, and one individual was expected to instruct from 50 to 100 pupils, hearing them read, spell and recite twice each day. To one who had decided to be a teacher as long as she staid in this world and hoped to get a position as such in the next, this was not a pleasant outlook. So in the long-ago, when she and the world were thirty years younger, a per- son was seen wandering through the streets of Jamestown, trying to find courage to enter shops, offices and factories to get signers to a petition, asking that a Graded Union School be formed from the mixed schools of the village. Fifteen names of legal voters from each district were required, and if obtained the trustees were obliged to call a meeting to discuss the subject. Plenty of signatures were obtained and a meeting called in Jones' Hall, which I was told was a very lively one. As it was before woman's day only men were expected, and only they were there. But some of the sterner sex did not hesitate to waylay a certain teacher on her way to school next morning, and inquire of her in no very dulcet tones, what she meant by meddling with men's business and raising such a commotion about school ; and why did she presume to select the site now occupied by the High School and say every foot of the land would yet be needed. If she was a little tardy in opening school that morning, she did not feel very bad about it, as she was pretty sure from what she learned through those very angry people, that

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HISTORY OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY, N. Y.

the matter would not rest until a change was produced, and what she had always said of James- town's citizens was proving true. That they were slow in moving ; but when once they had decided what to do, it is well for all to clear the track as they were going in to win and they did. After the subject had been thoroughly investigated and voted upon, a board of education was elected ; a charter for a graded union school obtained ; the land bought and the contract for building the school made.

It was not to be expected that the trustees of the academy would at once give up the control of the institution for so many years under their care, but time softened their objections, and the prosperity of the new system of schools was such that January 9, 1866, when the majority of the stock had been secured by stockholders who were friendly to the Union School they elected these trustees : William H. Tew, Ellick Jones, William Broadhead, S. B. Winsor, A. A. Price, A. H. Loucks, Lewis Hall, R. W. Arnold, Silas Shear- man, Nathan Brown and D. H. Grandin. Silas Shearman was president and Lewis Hall, secretary. January 27, it was " Resolved, That this Board of Trustees pass over, or transfer the Jamestown Academy property to the Board

of Education of the Union Free School No. I, of the town of Ellicott, when- ever this proposition shall be accepted by a vote of said district." March 23, 1866, the union school district accepted the proposition, and resolved " that ' the said academy be hereafter known as the academic department of the said Jamestown Union School and Collegiate Institute.'" The academy building was occupied until the summer of 1867. " The Institute Building " was dedicated in June, 1867, with appropriate ceremonies. This brick building, 62x100 feet, four stories high above the basement, contained everything necessary for a school of the first rank, and cost over $70,000. " The fall term of the academic and grammar departments commenced with 12 teachers, and there were HI teachers in the outside schools. This change in the schools proved a strong factor in Jamestown's growth and prosperity. Many non-resident families sent their children here to be educated. In the first regular catalogue issued are 209 names of non-resident pupils in the prepara- tory and academic departments, and 157 in the grammar and primary schools. Many families from the oil regions soon moved here to educate their children and brought money to invest in homes and business."*

The original " Union Free School District No. 1, of Ellicott," was never the same in territory as Jamestown village. When the village became a city there was a greater difference. It soon became evident that the boun- daries of the city and of the school district should be the same, and, in IS87, the schools were legally organized as " The Jamestown City Public Schools," and the name " Jamestown City High School " given to the academical depart- ment. "Institute Building " was renamed " High School Building."

Prof. Love retired from the superintendency March 22, 1890, and was succeeded by Prof. R. R. Rogers, whose thorough supervision of the schools

*From Miss Calista S. Jones's address.

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is well known and assured by their increasing growth and prosperity. Most truthfully can it be said that the Jamestown schools are the fruitage of long years of toil on the part of Prof. Love. In more than one department of educational progress he has been a leader in the nation, and many schools are availing themselves of the methods introduced first into these schools under his superintendence.

Industrial training was introduced early at the suggestion of Miss Calista S. Jones, who asked Professor Love why sewing, etc., could not be taught in connection with studies. Professor Love caught the idea, and rapidly devel- oped it into a system, thus giving Jamestown the prestige of being the first place in the United States to adopt this admirable feature. Under Professor Love's administration Jamestown's schools were among the first to adopt the school savings bank system. Free text books have been furnished for about three years. The number of pupils registered in the public schools in 1893 was 3,356, with an average daily attendance of 2,515. There is an annual competition for the James Prendergast prizes, for boys only, given from finds provided by Mrs. Mary A. Prendergast. The library of the High School con- sists of several thousand volumes, is well selected, and from this time is to be open during school hours and in charge of a librarian, Miss Calista S. Jones, who was appointed June 21, 1894.

Teachers for school year commencing September, 1894: HIGH SCHOOL, Academic Department, Frank S. Thorpe, principal, Greek and higher Eng- lish ; Mary R. Willard, preceptress, general literature ; Sarah E. Dickinson, natural sciences ; Carrie E. Aiken, mathematics ; Elsie E. Leet, mathematics and history ; Carl La Salle, French and German ; Frances E. H. Flint, Latin and Greek ; Minnie M. Powers, Latin and higher English ; Anna M. Benja- min, natural sciences and German. Preparatory Department, Calista A. Dreager, Vesta Willard, Nellie R. Hand. Special Departments, Calista S. Jones, librarian ; Corrie J. Bradshaw, instrumental music ; Stella L. Bligh, vocal music ; Minnie B. Hegeman, vocal music ; Blanche H. Woodford, supervisor of drawing ; Ruth C. Tousley, gymnastics ; S. Gertrude Harring- ton, assistant gymnastics ; Mary Fletcher, mannal training ; George F. Hale, manual training and military drill ; Lillian M. Badger, elocution ; M. May Briggs, supervisor of penmanship; Mina B. Colburn, supervisor of kinder- gartens ; Mildred R. Falconer, superintendent's clerk. Grammar Schools, Senior, Corrie J. Aiken, Helena Crittenden, Emma V. Kirkland ; Middle, Emma A. Yates, Lizzie A. Bootey, Jennie R. Kellogg, Julia S. Yates, Mary H. Laidler ; Junior, Saralı L. Hall, Ada E. Giles. Principals of district schools : Central district, Louise E. Geer ; No. 1, Annie G. Bucklin ; No. 2, Alice M. Clement ; No. 3, Martha E. Jacobsen ; No. 4, Nettie J. Armstrong ; No. 5, Rebecca Langford ; No. 6, Carrie A Barber ; No. 7, Lucy E. Hand ; No. 8, Elizabeth G. Hartson ; No. 9, Laura F. Sheldon ; No. 10, Lillie G.

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HISTORY OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY, N. Y.

Dickson. There have been a few changes from last year. Miss Calista S. Jones becomes librarian of the High School, Miss Lillian Cook retires, some teachers are promoted and there are some new teachers.

The board of education has ever been composed of the best citizens, and has met the requirements of the rapidly increasing scholarship in a liberal, wise and far-seeing management. Josephus H. Clark was a member from 1870 to 1891. The present board is Frederick A. Fuller, Jr., president ; Charles E. Parks, secretary ; Willis O. Benediet, treasurer ; William S. Gif- ford, Frank W. Stevens, Elof Rosencrantz, Mrs. Daniel Griswold, Mrs. N. R. Thompson.

Calista S. Jones, daughter of Ellick and Louisa (Walkup) Jones, was born in Ellicott, May 25, 1823. She acquired her early education principally at private schools. In 1841 she commenced teaching in this county, and from that time until the present, with the exception of the fall and the winter of 1858-9, she has taught in Jamestown or its vicinity. She considered her education only commenced when she became a teacher and has always kept in touch. with educational advancement by study and reading. "She was the first woman to receive a dollar a day for school work in Jamestown. In one of the districts of the village one of the opposite sex failed in his management of the school and the trustees dismissed him and called upon Miss Jones to take his place. She answered ' Yes, if you pay me the same wages you paid the man.' They demurred and made it clear that it was not the proper thing to pay a woman as much for the same work as a man was paid. 'Very well,' she said, 'I do not take the school.' She go! the position on her own terms." Her faithfulness, persistence and energy are well known, and the honor of establishing the union school is due to her probably more than to any other person. For more than fifty years Miss Jones has performed the arduous duties of a school teacher ably, satisfactorily and successfully. Her work has been appreciated by the community and her birthdays are notable days in school and city annals, being celebrated by fetes, speeches and valuable presents. She was the first woman to vote in the city. During the civil war she impressed upon her male pupils the duty of patriotism and their obligations to the land of their birth. For 22 years Miss Jones has been the principal in the preparatory department of the Union School, and many thonsand pupils have been under her loving watch. fulness, and the influence of her conscientious work and care for her scholars will reach to future generations. And when generation after generation shall have passed away, and this good year of grace becomes one of the dates of antiquity, may there not be any children in the Jamestown public schools to whom the name of this teacher of " Auld Lang Syne " is unknown.

JAMESTOWN BUSINESS COLLEGE .- The Jamestown Business College, the only business college in the county, was organized in October, 1886. E. J.

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Coburn, Esq., the founder, possessed in a marked degree the essential quali- ries for arousing public interest in a new enterprise. After several months of labor the services of W. A. Warriner, Jr., were secured and in December, 1887, a partnership was effected between E. J. Coburn, W. A. Warriner, Fred P. Hall and Frank E. Sessions; the last two gentlemen adding finan- cial strength, and the others remaining in charge of the institution as busi- ness manager and principal. H. E. V. Porter, then a student at Dickenson College, Carlisle, Pa., took charge of the practical department, and Miss K. A. Lambert, a teacher of Arn Prior, Canada, was engaged for theory. A class in shorthand was also organized under the direction of Charles M. Brown, a practical stenographer of the city. Messrs. Coburn & Sessions soon retired and in July, 1888, J. E. McLean, an alumnus of the noted East- man National Business College, was engaged to organize and perfect a school of phonography. Later, J. P. Byrne was engaged for penmanship. For about a year the work of all departments progressed rapidly, but some uncer- tainty of business management developing, Messrs. Porter and Byrne resigned, and in August, 1889, the partnership was made a corporation with capital stock of $5,500. The first board of directors was : W. A. Warriner, Win. A. Hallock, Fred P. Hall, John J. Aldrich, Elliot C. Hall, Eleazer Green, Rob- ert N. Marvin, Edward P. Putnam and Win. H. Proudfit. March, 1890, Mr. Warriner was succeeded by J. J. Crandall, a former school commissioner and member of the bar, as principal, assisted by Prof. F. W. Crossfield. Mr. Porter was recalled to his former position and O. J. Penrose engaged as pen- man. Mr. Crandall remained but one year. Prof. Penrose resigned and J. P. Byrne was again penman. In May, 1892, the school removed to its present desirable location in the Gokey block, where, with new equipment and enlarged facilities, untiring energy has been expended to advance its work. In June, 1892, a new board of directors was chosen, which was followed by the unanimous election of H. E. V. Porter as principal, and J. E. McLean, associate principal. Their assistants have been A. J. Porter, of Pennington Seminary and the Zanerian Art College, Miss Minnie Peterson and Mahlon Penrose. Notwithstanding the depressed state of the country, 34 students have graduated during the past school year and the attendance is now large. In June, 1894, Prof. Porter was again elected president and principal ; J. E. McLean, secretary, treasurer, and associate principal ; Rev. W. A. Hallock, Rev. E. C. Hall, J. J. Aldrich, H. E. V. Porter and J. E. McLean directors. Hundreds of young men and young women have availed themselves of the advantages of this college and its graduates are filling positions of trust.

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History of Chautauqua County, New York, Part 86

Author: Edson, Obed, 1832-; Merrill, Georgia Drew, editor Publication date: 1894 Publisher: Boston, Mass. : W.A. Fergusson Number of Pages: 1068

Author: Edson, Obed, 1832-; Merrill, Georgia Drew, editor
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Boston, Mass. : W.A. Fergusson
Number of Pages: 1068