USA > New York > Livingston County > History of Livingston County, New York, from its earliest traditions to the present together with early town sketches > Part 94
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Cabinet makers --- Samuel Gardner and J. F. Butler.
Chairmaker and painter-Moses Hunt.
Carpenters-Cyrus L. Warner and Frederick W. Butler.
Stone Masons-Medad Curtiss, Grandison Curtiss and Calvin Church.
Plough Makers-Colt and Nowlen and Len Goddard.
Livery-Harry Metcalf.
Hotel Keeper-Comfort and Hamilton kept the American; John Fitz, the Geneseo Hotel, Jesse P. Button, the Eagle, and Chauncey Watson, the Farmer's Inn.
The Livingston County Bank was incorporated in 1829 and its officers were Allen Ayrault, President; Watts Sherman, Cashier;
983
HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY
Ephraim Cone, Teller. The office was in the upper story of the build- ing now occupied by F. W. Hollowell as a saloon on the east side of Main street. In the year 1831 it was removed to the building erected for the purpose and now used as the post office.
In 1835 there were in the village eighty-three families comprising 736 people. There were then but three streets running north and south, viz: Main, Second and Temple Hill; and South, Center and North running east and west.
In the Genesee valley in 1804 grain was often put into the ground without plowing, being dragged in by a harrow. Yet this cultivation often yielded twenty bushels of wheat to the acre. Many of the inhab- itants made from 500 to 1,000 pounds of maple sugar here in a season.
Deer weighing 500 pounds were shot here; and hunting parties to destroy squirrels were formed, which killed as many as 2,000 in one day.
The earliest merchants of the village were Minor & Hall. Mr. Hall died in 1805 at Oneida Castle, while on his way to New York to pur- chase goods. The pioneer physician was Dr. John P. Sill. who came here in 1798. He died here in 1808. Dr. Chauncey M. Dake, the first homeopathist, located here in 1848.
The first postoffice was established in Geneseo in 1806. Major William H. Spencer was the first postmaster. Postal facilities were then very few. As far back as 1792 private enterprise had accommo- dated the people in some measure. But when mail was received once in two weeks it was considered ample. It was not until 1825 that Geneseo enjoyed a daily mail.
The first practicing lawyer of Geneseo was James Wadsworth. He was admitted as attorney and counsellor in 1791, by Oliver Phelps, the First Judge of Ontario county, "to enable persons to sue out writs and bring actions, which, at the present, for want of attor- neys, it is impossible to do." The first regular practitioner is said to have been Philo C. Fuller.
An event of the village worthy of record was the purchase by W. W. Wadsworth on March 27th, 1845, of the famous stallion "Henry Clay." He was bought of G. M. Patchen for $1,050, and as his weight was 1,050 pounds he cost one dollar per pound. He was paid for in gold. He was sold on January, 13th, 1852, to N. Thompson for $550. In 1854 the foundation of a herd of short horn cattle was
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY
laid by the Wadsworths, which became one of the celebrated herds of the State.
Geneseo village has been preserved from many or large fires; partly owing to its efficient fire department. Probably the most disastrous fire was that of January 6, 1864, when the losses amounted to $13,000 in the business part of the village, on Main street, and a score of tradesmen and professional men were sufferers.
The following is a newspaper account of that fire:
Geneseo, ever noted for exemption from the ravages of the devour- ing element, since Big Tree held his Indian councils, and the pale face entered his dominions, was visited by a destructive conflagration on Wednesday evening, 6th, consuming the entire blocks and range of wooden buildings, and the Ayrault store, on Main, opposite Centre street, comprising the Ayrault store, Arcade offices, Daguerrean block, Hunt's block, and the Howard building. The Stillwell building was also torn down. Mr. N. W. Rose removed his goods, but his fine brick store was saved, scorched but without much injury.
The fire originated about 9:30 p. m., in Mrs. Moody's millinery es- tablishment, caused by burning shavings and heating a stove pipe. The weather was cold, with a light northwest wind, but the time in the evening was favorable for the removal and saving of property. The water works were out of order in the vicinity, but the two en- gines and their men, were in good condition and worked efficiently. Mr. Wagstaff, the architect upon HI. L. Johnson, Esq's. new house, rendered great assistance.
The buildings burnt measure about 250 feet front. The streets Thursday morning were incumbered with goods.
The following are the sufferers :-
Isaac Newton, dry goods, etc., stock removed, with loss estimated about $500-insured.
Wmn. Walker, Banking Office, his safe in the ruins-slight loss.
Mrs. Bristol, milliner, total loss $400.
J. R. Park, grocery, loss about $800.
WVm. Champ, daguerrean, loss $300.
Miss Hardy, milliner, stock mostly saved, loss about $200. Shelly, restaurant, $100.
Ilendee & Adams, attorneys, $50.
G. J. Davis, attorney, $100.
-
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY
W. H. Kelsey, attorney, $50.
Miss Vickers, dress maker.
Josiah Thatcher, dwelling house, $200.
J. O. Vanderbelt, harness store, $60.
Howard & Burt, grocers, stock removed, $500-insured.
W. V. Ranger, daguerrean, considerable.
A. Stillwell, building unoccupied, slight.
N. W. Rose, at whose brick building the fire was got under control, removed his goods with slight loss.
The buildings destroyed were owned as follows:
Ayrault estate, $2,500-not insured.
J. D. Crank, daguerrean block, $1,500.
J. Thatcher, Hunt block, $3,000 -- insured.
A. Howard. $1,000.
A. Stillwell $200.
The lots are the most valuable and eligible in the village.
It is estimated that the loss of personal property will approximate about $3,500. On buildings, $8,200.
Parties known to be insured we have reported.
The citizens and firemen worked nobly, doing all in their power to subdue the devouring element. The ladies, especially, all honor to them, were heroic and worked gallantly at the brakes and in the sav- ing of property. About two o'clock, after over four hours of inces- sant and exciting labor, the citizens retired, leaving nought but bare walls and smoking embers to mark the spot which but yesterday was occupied by some of the most successful business men of Geneseo.
Geneseo was supplied with water between 1845 and 1887 from springs in the east part of the village at an altitude of 104 feet above Main street. In 1887 a new system was constructed at a cost of about $95,000 all told, the original outlay being $70,000. The water was brought from Conesus lake, and a reservoir for it, which holds 1,500,- 000 gallons was built two miles from the village. Into this the water is pumped from the lake through an eight-inch main. The reservoir is about 200 feet above the village and gives a pressure of ninety pounds to the square inch on Main street. A very thorough system of public sewerage has been constructed for the village at a cost of about $20,000.
It is known that Geneseo, apart from the more distinguished sol-
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY
diers which she furnished, did her share in the war of 1812 and the war of the Rebellion, but the records have not been carefully preserved.
The list of the supervisors of the town of Geneseo is as follows:
Jolın Ganson 1791
Chauncey R. Bond 1845-46-53-54-55
Thomas Lee. 1792
Daniel H. Bissell.
1847-48-52
Amos Hall
1793-94-95
Charles R. Vance.
1849-50-51
Solomon Hovey
1790
James T. Hall .1850
Win. Wadsworth.
Walter E. Lauderdale
1797-98-99-1800-1-2-3-4-6-7-8-9-10 11-13-14-15-16-17-18-19
James Shearer. 1805
C. W. Wadsworth.
1867-68
Joseph W. Lawren 1812
Wm. Finley.
1820-22-23-24-25-26
Win. H. Spencer.
1821-27
Charles F. Doty
.1871-72
Eben N. Buell
1828-29-30
James W. Wadsworthi 1873-74 75
John Young
1831
Jolin R. Strang 1876-77-85-86
Russell Au-tin.
1832-33
Russell A. Kneeland 1878
Chauncey Metcalf.
1834-35
Win. A. Wad-worth. 1881-82-83
Charles Colt. 1836-37
Kidder M. Scott .ISS4
Gurdon Nowlen
.1838
Richard A. Riley 1 887-88
Frederick W. Butler
1839-40
Otto Kelsey . 1889-90-91-92-93
Allen Ayrault
1841-42
Richard M. Jones. 1894-95-90-97-98
Ambrose Worthington
1843-44
Lockwood R. Doty 1899-00-1- - 3-4
Assessment valuations and tax rates have been as follows:
Assessed Valuation
Tax Rate on $1000
Assessed Valuation
Tax Rate on $1000
Assessed Valuation
Tax Rate 011 $1006
1860
1,802,713
6.27
1875
2,784,586
10.15
1890
3,525,271
6.43
1861
1,896,540
6.47
1876
2,624.478
8.08
1891
3,586,200
4.39
1862
1,813,439
9 40
IS77
2,602,280
11.74
1892
3,469, 110
5.63
1863
1,592,410
12.12
1878
2,590,512
5.19
1893
3,499,219
1864
1,673,518
18.20
I879
2,499, 194
6.62
1894
3,321,678
4.89
1865
1,676,338
35.30
1880
2.487.837
5.70
1895
3,432,879
5.53
1866
1,701,213
28.60
1881
2,635,602
4.46
IS96
3,380,31I
6.06
1867
1,764,438
22. 18
1882
2.793,867
1897
3,481,313
5.08
1868
1 1,696,052
19.07
1883
3,035,594
5.06
1898
3,453,438
5.33
1869
1,733,326
12.73
1884
3,129,360
4.65
1899
3,434,880
5.71
1870
1,750,654
16. 60
1885
3,051,424
4.53
1900
3,521.219
5.50
1871
1,559,572
15.27
ISS6
3,154,158
5.43
1901
3,492.709
4.61
1872 1873
1,500,156
19.31
1887
3,160,973
5.04
1902
3,499,017
2.99
IS74
2,770,203
10.57
1889
3,408, 160
6.11
1903
3.512,105
3.24
1,521,692
16.66
ISSS
3,537,983
4.81
The original Temple Hill cemetery embraced three acres and four perches, and was deeded by James and William Wadsworth on the 9th of October, 1807, to the people of the town without charge, the con- sideration named being "good will"' to the people of Geneseo. Cephas Beach, David Kneeland, Daniel Kelly, Joseph W. Lawrence, Simeon Sage, Lemuel B. Jennings, Abraham B. Dioffenbacher and Ariel S.
3
1857-58-59-60-61-62-63-64
Amos A. Hendee. 1865-66
Nelson Janes ..
1809
Andrew J. Willard
1870-79-80
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY
Lindsley were named as trustees, and they were to enclose it as "a burying ground for the inhabitants of Geneseo and for such other persons whose friends may request their interments in said burying ground, and also, if the said trustees think proper, as a pasture for sheep, but for no other animals." The trustees were "to cause a sur- vey into small allotments, reserving a space one rod wide to extend through the middle of and parallel with the west line, and a space twelve feet wide on each side to be used for passage." They were to "deliver to each family a certificate or release of one of the allotments for its exclusive use," and an allotment made for strangers, and a rec- ord of all to be kept.
There is every appearance that persons were buried upon this plot before it was formally deeded to the trustees above named; and it is also believed that interments were made in the vicinity and upon ground now devoted to other purposes. If so, there are no monuments or even mounds by which the locality of graves can be determined.
The first addition to the original lot was made in 1858, when the late Gen. James S. Wadsworth purchased two acres of the Foreman estate, for which he paid four hundred dollars. He also incurred an expense of $437.60 for surveying, fencing and grading and from this purchase sold lots, the sums realized being credited to the fund. On the organization of the association a deed was given to the tris- tees by General Wadsworth, they assuming the balance unpaid for the sale of lots.
The next addition was made by the purchase of three and one half acres from Mr. W. A. Foreman. Another addition of three acres has since been made, and thirty feet added to the west side. The south fence has also been moved toward the road, in order to make room for a passage on that side without intruding upon the graves. The whole, therefore, must make a lot of a little over twelve acres. A gateway and lodge were constructed at the west entrance of the cemetery and other improvements made in 1873 at an expense of $6,000.
In 1866 William McBride was appointed superintendent and under his management new walks were made in the old part, where it was practicable. The new association was organized December 1, 1865, and deeds for all the grounds given from the old to the new trustees.
On the Wadsworth lot is the grave of Mrs. Esther Wadsworth, who died October 6, 1799, aged sixty-seven years; she was the mother of
988
HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY
the pioneers, James and William Wadsworth, and the monument at her grave bears record of the death of the father at Durham, Conn., in 1787, at the age of fifty-five. Others buried here are: Major General William Wadsworth, who died March 8, 1833, aged seventy- two years; James Wadsworth, who died June 7, 1844 aged seventy-six years; Mrs. Naomi Wadsworth, wife of the last named, who died March 1, 1831, aged fifty-four years; William W. Wadsworth, who died July 21, 1852, aged forty-two years; Livingston, son of the latter who died in 1865, and Mrs. William W. Wadsworth, who died in 1885; Brigadier General James S. Wadsworth, who was mortally wounded in the battle of the Wilderness, May 6, 1864, and died two days later in the enemy's hands aged fifty-six years; Mrs. General James S. Wadsworth, who died in June, 1874; Major Montgomery Ritchie, son-in-law of General James S. Wadsworth, who died November 7, 1864, from disease contracted in the military service of the United States; Brevet Brigadier General Craig W. Wadsworth, U. S. Vols. who died January 1, 1872, aged thirty-one years; Mrs. Craig W. Wadsworth, who died January 27, 1886; and Charles F. Wadsworth, Brevet Major U. S. Vols., who died November 13, 1899.
Just south of the Wadsworth enclosure is the grave of Hon. Calvin H. Bryan, who died May 27, 1863, and was long identified with the courts and bar of this county ; and east of the same grounds is the lot of Dr. Bissell, where himself, his wife and several children are buried. A little further south and east is the beautiful monument of Governor John Young, who died April 23, 1852, aged forty-eight. His wife is buried by his side. His father and mother, who resided and died in Conesus, are buried in the same lot, the former having died in 1855, and the latter in 1865. Not far from this is the grave of Hon. Philo C. Fuller, who died in 1855, aged sixty-eight. Upon the same lot is the grave of Mrs. Fuller and of her father Asa Nowlen, who died in 1813, and of her brother, Major Gurdon Nowlen.
The following is an extract from the journal of Bishop Frederick Cammerhoff of 1750, relating to a visit to Geneseo, called by him Zonesschio, an Indian village then located south of the present village of Geneseo :
Bishop Frederick Cammerhoff and David Zeisberger visited Onondaga in 1750, and went to the Genesee valley while waiting for their answer from the grand council. Leaving Honeoye July 1, they
989
HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY
said: "We crossed a creek named Nochuta (meaning hemlock), flow- ing from a lake of the same name, surrounded by high mountains. After progressing a little farther we crossed another creek and rested. Having been refreshed by our rest we made considerable progress on our way, and reached another lake, named Ohegechrage (Conesus lake), going some distance along its shores. We were obliged to ford it at its outlet, where it is very deep."
The next morning they were at Zonesschio, or Geneseo. This name was used farther south than now. "The village consists of 40 or more large huts and lies in a beautiful and pleasant region. A fine large plain, several miles in length and breadth, stretches out behind the village. The river Zonesschio, from which the town derives its name, flows through it."
The Indians were mostly drunk and disorderly, but they found two chiefs whom they had met before, and who greeted them warmly. One was Garontianechqui, meaning the horse, and the other was Hagaskae. Business was out of the question and their lives were in peril. The chief's wife placed them in her garret, and gave them a guard. It was hot, and Cammerhoff was sick. Zeisberger went to get him water from some distance. Twice he was interrupted, but tried it again in the evening, when he was attacked by drunken women. "Some of them were nude, and others nearly so. In order to drive them away he was obliged to use his fists, and deal out blows to the right and left. He climbed up a ladder, but when he had scarcely reached the top they seized it and tore it from under his feet, but he gained our retreat in safety."
This was their second night there. July 4 they left very early in the morning, and got out of the upper story. "David was obliged to jump out of the opening, and search for the ladder, which the Indians had removed. We then wished to throw out our packs, but David's was so large that he found it necessary to open it, and cast down its contents singly." All was still. "Even the dogs, numbering nearly 100 in the whole village, were all quiet, wonderful to relate, and not a sound was heard. A dense fog covered the town so that we could not see 20 steps before us. A squaw stood at the door of the last hut, but she was sober and returned our greeting quietly. * * * Our feelings on climbing the hill on which the town lies can be more easily
990
HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY
imagined than described. * * * David and ] will certainly never, as long as we live, forget our sojourn in Zonesschio."
They "reached Lake Ohegechrage, went through the creek, and made a fire to prepare some food, for we were very hungry. David boiled some Cittamun in water, as we had nothing else. With this we re- freshed ourselves, and rested ourselves after our trials. * * * At noon we reached Lake Nochuta, encamped there on account of the great heat, and refreshed ourselves with Cittamun, and cold water from a brook." In the evening they were at Honeoye.
GENESEO CHURCHES.
The first religious services in this town, it is believed, were con- ducted by missionaries sent out by the Missionary Society of Connec- ticut, the first of whom, Rev. Aaron Kinne, penetrated the wilderness of Western New York as far as the Genesee river in 1794 and preached to the scattered settlements in the valley. The first settlers in the eastern part of the town were persons of Scotch-Irish descent from Pennsylvania, with strong Calvinistic sentiments, and warmly attached to the Presbyterian form of Government. Among these principally, though its members were drawn from the entire town, was organized in the fall of 1795, by Rev. Samuel Thatcher,I a missionary in the employment of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian church, "The First Presbyterian Church in Geneseo," which was, with the exception of the one organized by the same agency the same year at Charlestown (Lima), the first in this county. The organization was effected at the house of John Ewart, who, in conjunction with Daniel Kelly and James Haynes, all from the same neighborhood in Penn- sylvania, were the first Elders.
The Church first met in private houses, at Mr. Ewart's, at a house near Bosley's mills, and at what was afterwards known as the Field's farm, on the lower road to Dansville. "To these widely separated places would those settlers walk, men, women and children, through the woods and along Indian trails, for the privilege of meeting their
1. Rev. John Mitchell in a Centennial Discourse, containing the history of the First Presbyterian church of Geneseo during its first eighty-one years, and Rev. George P. Folsom, D. D., in a Histor- ical Discourse on the fiftieth anniversary of the dedication of the 2d Presbyterian church of Geneseo, make this name Samnel Thatcher; while Hotchkin and other authorities consulted give the name Daniel Thatcher.
991
HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY
neighbors in the worship of God."1 After the "town house" was erected in 1797, they worshiped occasionally in it.
The church, says Hotchkin, "was for a number of years in a low state, and for most of the time destitute of the preaching of the gos- pel and living in the neglect of stated public worship; but it after- wards revived, and its circumstances were more prosperous."" Its first pastor, Rev. John Lindsley, was installed by the Presbytery of Geneva, Jan. 29, 1806. Soon after its organization other settlers, who were Congregationalists, mostly from New England, came in, and though they worshiped with the Presbyterians for a few years, they could not harmonize, and a separation took place in 1810. The Pres- byterians then removed their place of worship to the east part of the town, meeting in the school-house in winter, and frequently in sum- mer in Benjamin Wynn's barn. In 1843, their first house of worship was erected, and the old building is still standing opposite its former site, though converted to other uses. In 1855, the present church edifice was undertaken, and for convenience of access, was located just over the town line, in the village of Lakeville. During the first thirty years the progress of the Church was slow, for in 1825 the num- ber of communicants on the roll was only thirty-two; in 1836 the number had increased to 155, and in 1846, to 180. In 1864 the num- ber was 140. Since that time the number has somewhat decreased through deaths and removals, yet there have been some members added to the church every year.3 The church still retains its original name, notwithstanding its removal to the town of Livonia.
THE SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF GENESEO was organized May 5, 1810, by Rev. Daniel Oliver, a missionary of the Massachusetts Home Missionary Society, and was composed of twenty- one persons, who being mostly Congregationalists, severed their con- nection with the First Presbyterian Church in Geneseo, because they could not affiliate with them, viz :- Elizabeth Reed, Mary Rew, David Skinner, David Kneeland, Mercy Kneeland, Cephas Beach, Dolly R.
1. Historical Discourse, by Rev. G. P. Folsom, D. D.
2. Hotchkin's History of Western New York.
3. A Centennial Discourse, by Rev. John Mitchell, 1876.
992
HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY
Beach, Delight Finley, Lucy Finley Abigail Case, Jerusha Skinner, Alice Skinner, Betsey Finley, Candice Beach, Sylvia Kneeland, Annie Alvord, Russell Lord, Nabby G. Kneeland and Sibhil Law- rence. David Skinner was chosen moderator; Samuel Finley, clerk, and David Skinner and Cephas Beach, deacons.
Without any settled pastor they enjoyed, for several years, the ser- vices of transient ministers and missionaries, among whom were Messrs. Daniel Oliver, John Lindsley, Aaron C. Collins, Robert Hub- bard, Wheelock, Pratt, Mills, and Bubrick; and in the absence of these listened to sermons read by Deacon Beach. In 1814, they adopted the Presbyterian confession of faith and united with the Geneva Presbytery on what was called the "accomodation plan." In 1817 they adopted the Presbyterian form of government in full and took the name of the "Second Presbyterian Church of Geneseo."
The town house, which had been moved to "Temple Hill," came under the control of the church, and was arranged with pews and a gallery, the former of which were taxed for the support of the church. In 1811, a novel method of providing for the support of the gospel was inaugurated. It consisted of a fund -denominated the "sheep-fund" -to which a certain number of sheep were contributed, the increase and wool of which were to be applied to that object. The flock began with 48 sheep, to which the Wadsworths donated 20; W. H. Spencer, 3; Mr. Kneeland, 3; and others 2 and 1. In 1817 it had increased to 324 sheep and lambs. In 1830 the proceeds of the sheep, as sold, began to be invested in landed security, and in 1826 amounted to about $300. which was finally used in building the church session-room, located on Center street, where the house of Dr. W. E. Lauderdale now stands.
Sept, 11, 1815, the Society connected with this church was incor- porated as the "Geneseo Gospel Society," and Joseph W. Lawrence, Samuel Finley, Isaac Smith, Wm. H. Spencer, Samuel Loomis and Timothy P. Kneeland were elected trustees. April 13, 1816, the society received from Mr. James Wadsworth a deed of 100 acres of land. In 1816, the subject of erecting a meeting house was agitated. The foundation was laid early in the spring of 1817, the house raised in June, 1817, and completed in December of the same year. Its en- tire cost was $6,000. It was dedicated Jan. 1, 1818, the sermon being preached by Rev. Daniel C. Axtell, of Geneva. The site was given by William and James Wadsworth, opposite the public square near the
Old American Hotel, Geneseo; burned March 20, 1885.
993
HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY
south end of Main street. This building, known for two generations as the "White Church," was enlarged one-third in 1854, and again greatly improved in 1870. The last service within its walls was held December 4, 1881, and in 1884 it was taken down. September 3, 1834, the church, which during the pastorate of Dr. Bull had followed the Congregational form of government, formally adopted the Presby- terian form of government, and elected the following Board of Elders: -Charles Colt, Cyrus Wells, Jr., Jacob B. Hall, Samuel A. Hubbard, Chauncey Parsons, Levi Goddard, Truman Hastings, Wm. H. Stanley and Owen P. Olmsted.
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