USA > New York > Livingston County > History of Livingston County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 48
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The following received one thousand dollars bounty: Abram Swartz, Allen Conkling, William Stuffy, Edward Brennen and John Dexter (substi- tutes).
In 1862 the following volunteers received a town bounty of $50 each: Andrew Conkling, 130th Regiment ; D. D. Dunn, 130th Regiment, wounded by explosion of shell ; Phillip Gilman, 130th Regiment, blind from effects of the war; Edson C. Marshall, 130th Regiment; Har- mon Gilman, 136th Regiment; Henry K. Need- ham, 136th Regiment; David Langley; John Young, died in army; William J. Hampshire, George Snyder, Andrew McWhorter, Archibald Simpson, Sidney E. Roberts, Laban Upthegrove.
In 1863 the appended number received a bounty of $50 and $75: Thomas Van Scooter, Martin S. Hampshire, Henry C. Kiehle, George Swartz, Eli Gilman, Martin Sandey, William P'ifer, John Kiehle, R. M. Lozier, Solomon Swartz, J. Deiter,* 136th Regiment ; Milton Flory, Prosper A. Smith, Rensselaer Cranmer, Cady Smith, 130th Regiment ; William A. Miller, Joseph Emo, 21st New York Cavalry ; Monroe Conkling, John Curtis, Abraham Kiehle, killed at the second battle of Bull Run, old 13th Regiment; Horace Curtis, 13th Regi- ment, wounded in the head, from the effects of which he died; Mark Hall, wounded ; John Dunn, George Sutton, Harrison Clemens, James M. Kiehle, W. B. Strickland, David Wambole, George
* Shot through the lungs.
66
Rockwell M. Lozier.
1875. John Logan,
Photo. by Belts, Dansville.
MR. & MRS. JOHN GALBRAITH.
JOHN GALBRAITH.
John Galbraith was born May 8, 1826. His father, Patrick Galbraith, came from the north of Ireland about the year 1820, and a few years later settled in Sparta, on the farin where Robert Ross now lives, and where John was born. He was the fifth of a family of ten children, six sons and four daughters, three of whom are now living, as fol- lows :- Jane, wife of James Gilman, of Groveland, Lizzie Galbraith, living in Mt. Morris, and Mary L., wife of P. G. Kelley, of the latter place.
John remained with and assisted his father until twenty-one years of age, when he and his brother Samuel B., bought their father's farm and worked it together for a few years, when John sold his in- terest to Samuel. Soon after this he bought a farm in the town of Groveland, built there a new · house, and February 9, 1854, was married to Lydia, daughter of Henry Driesbach, Sr., of Sparta. This farm he sold in 1857 or 58, and moved to Mt. Morris, where he engaged in business in a flouring mill, which he conducted till 1862, when he entered the army, having enlisted and been appointed First Lieutenant in company F, of the 136th Regiment. After his return from the army he engaged in farm- ing, his principal occupation until his death which occurred Feb. 23, 1880, at the age of fifty-three.
In politics he was a Democrat, and held the office of highway conimissioner a number of years, as also that of Supervisor of Sparta for several terms. In religious views he was a Presbyterian.
John Galbraith, though a man of few words as well as modest and retiring, naturally won the esteem
and confidence of all with whom he come in con - tact. In all his business transactions he was hon- orable, direct, and in every sense reliable, and throughout the whole history of his life there has nothing occurred that detracts in the least from a uniformly honorable record.
He took a deep though unobtrusive interest in public matters. He was always proud of the high agricultural fame of Livingston county, inheriting from his Scottish ancestry that love of liberty, that devotion to free institutions, that independence which characterize the Scottish people wherever they may be. When the late rebellion broke out, his love of country was exhibited in his enlistment into her armies, where he faithfully served as First Lieutenant. He was generous to a fault, and his liberality was proverbial, and yet many of his most liberal acts were unknown to all but him and the recipients of his kindness. In every sense Mr. Galbraith was one whose life though unostenta- tious, was in every way worthy to be recorded in the history of Livingston county.
Mrs. Galbraith has been a member of the Ger- man Reformed Church over seventeen years. The married life of Mr. and Mrs. Galbraith has been a happy one. They had nine children, three of whom died in their youth. Those who are living are Mary E., Lydia D., now Mrs. John A. Cul- bertson, of Sparta, Henry D., John, Jennie M., and Anna W. Mrs. Galbraith and Henry D., con- duct the large farm of three hundred acres, in a successful and creditable manner.
MR. & MRS. GEORGE H. JOHNS.
GEORGE H. JOHNS.
George H. Johns was born in Catawissa, Columbia county, Pa., May 23, 1818. His father, Abraham Johns, was born in the same town in 1785 and died in 1830, aged 45 years. His mother, a native of the same town, was born in 1789 and died in 1871, aged SI years. They had seven children, as follows : Lavina, (dead,) Angelina, living in Shamokin, Pa., Stacey, (dead,) Mary Ann, wife of Isaac Traxler, and living in Dansville, N. Y., George H., (our subject,) Hiram, (dead,) and Sarah J., living in Bloomsburg, Pa., the wife of Freas Brown. George lived at home till twenty-one years of age. Having bought out the remaining heirs after his father's death, he operated the home farm until he was twenty-five years old, when he came to Sparta, and May 23, 1843, married Susan R., daughter of Erhard and Susan (Kidd) Rau, who was born September 20, 1822.º He then returned to his home in Pennsylvania, and remaining there about ten
months came to Sparta, locating where he now lives, on the farm he bought of George Cole. He held the office of Justice of the Peace twelve years, Assessor six years, In- spector of Election six years, and in 1878 was appointed Notary Public, being re- appointed in 1880. In politics, " Squire " Johns is a Democrat, but formerly an old line Whig. He is a member of the Lutheran church in Sparta Centre, having united with it in 1845, and his wife has been a worthy member of the same since 1841. They have had four children, Saloma A., born October 26, 1844, wife of George Kercher, now living in Kalamazoo county, Mich .; Sabina Adelia, born May 28, 1846, married William Dries- bach, and now living in Sparta : Mary A., born September 15, 1848, wife of John Foster, now Town Clerk of Sparta; and Heman H., born February 23, 1852, married Emma R. Shafer, of Sparta, and now living at home.
229
SPARTA - CHURCHES.
Coon, William Sorg, Charles P. Hilts, George M. Reed, James W. Roberts.
CHURCHES .- Early in the history of this section of country the pioneers began to take measures to establish the worship of God. The first people to form a permanent society for religious observances were the Presbyterians. The origin of the church of this denomination is involved in considerable obscurity, owing to the loss by fire of all the papers that could have given authentic information on the subject.
The beginning of its existence may be safely dated from the time when the first settlers entered the township, which, as before stated, then included what is now known as the towns of Sparta, West Sparta, Groveland and North Dansville.
The first settlement in this region appears to have been at a place called Williamsburgh, now in the town of Groveland, where certain Presbyterian families made choice of a home, about the year 1795.
These people were supplied with sermons occa- sionally by the Revs. Daniel Thatcher, John Lind- sley and others ; these ministers being missionaries under the care of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church. There is no record extant of any church having been organized at Williams- burgh, but the names of certain elders are given as having been connected with the church there, and the Lord's Supper must have been dispensed among the settlers who had previously been connected with the Presbyterian body as early as 1800. The settlement at Williansburgh having been broken up, its component elements afterward constituted the churches of Groveland and Sparta.
At about the time that Williamsburgh was occu- pied, a settlement was also formed near to the place where the Second Presbyterian Church of Sparta now stands. The settlers principally having been members of that church in Pennsylvania, from whence they emigrated ; and many of them being of Scotch or Irish origin, their first concern, after choosing their location, appears to have been to have the ministrations of religion dispensed among them. Various ministers are mentioned as having occasionally preached to them, but for many years they had no settled pastor. The Rev. Andrew Gray of the Dutch Reformed Church, who went to Alle- gany in 1795, took charge of the churches of Almond, Angelica and Dansville, all in connection with that denomination. This call was dated November, 1803. and was sustained by the Classis of New Brunswick in September of the following
year. He continued his labors in this connection until the year 1807. At that time the church in question was known as the "United Congregation of Ontario and Steuben."* About the year 1804 or 1805, this society received valuable additions from the settlement at Williamsburgh, which had been discontinued. As a consequence of these acces- sions, the church appears to have formed a connec- tion with the Presbyterian denomination. This is supposed to have been in the year 1806, but no record of the exact date is preserved. In the year 1807, June 18, a call was presented to the Rev. Andrew Gray from the above society, which states that " they had changed their situation from under the direction of the Dutch Synod, and had cast themselves under the jurisdiction of the General Assembly of Divines, and had chosen themselves a body of trustees according to law." This call stipulates that Mr. Gray shall leave the Dutch Reformed Church and connect himself with that of the Presbyterians. Mr. Gray did not accept the call ; but in December, 1807, he was appointed by the New York City Missionary Society to establish a mission among the Tuscarora Indians at Niagara, to which field he removed with his family in the fol- lowing spring. From this time the church appears to have depended for a number of years on mis- sionaries from the General Assembly, and on stated supplies, for the ordinances of religion. Public worship continued to be held occasionally in a small log school house a mile or so north of the village of Dansville, and also in a barn-still standing- belonging to William D. McNair in Sparta, the worshippers coming long distances in various prim- itive conveyances, or on foot.
In the fall of 1807 subscription papers were put in circulation to raise money for the erection of a church edifice. These papers are still preserved, and testify to the liberality of the pioneers and to their appreciation of religious privileges. These papers contain the names of all the residents of the neighborhood, with very few exceptions, and the subscriptions are in sums of from five to twenty dollars in cash, or "merchantable wheat or lumber." One of the conditions of the papers is that the site on which to build shall be chosen by lot. Subse- quently, a meeting having been called for that pur- pose, and the lots prepared, the drawing was made by a small boy present who was called upon by the chairman of the meeting to perform that duty. This boy was the late Charles Clayton, f of Sparta,
* Livingston County had not then been formed.
t Mr. Clayton died in 1879, at the age of eighty-six.
230
HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
a grandson of John McNair. The two proposed sites were, one in the village of Dansville and the other on land owned by David McNair, in Sparta. The latter site was chosen, and on it the year fol- lowing a church building was erected and en- closed, but the funds being insufficient it was not finished. This is believed to be the second church edifice erected in the State west of Cayuga Lake.
A year or two later another effort was made to finish the building, which resulted in ceiling the in- terior with very knotty pine lumber, and in fitting it up with loose boards, resting on blocks, for seats, a small table for a pulpit, and a stove for warmth in cold weather. Thus furnished, it was thought to contain all the really necessary fixtures for a sanctuary, and was used for that purpose for sev- eral years. Among the papers of that time still pre- served is an earnest appeal, bearing date of May 20th, 1809, and addressed to the General Assem- bly of the Presbyterian church of the United States, setting forth the destitution of religious privileges, and asking that a missionary be sent by that body to labor in this region. The names appended to this paper are: Samuel Bauer and William Mc- . Cartney, Elders; and John McNair, Sr., David McNair and others, Trustees. Whether in re- sponse to this request or not, Rev. T. Markle came in the following year and preached for a season. An old paper dated 1811 is also preserved, bear- ing the names and subscriptions of all the promi- nent members of the Society for the support of the Rev. Mr. Glasgow. It is not known how long he ministered to the people.
Rev. Silas Pratt was the next stated supply, but the date of his entering upon the work is unknown. He preached in the old church in connection with other places while residing in Dansville, and was thus engaged when, in 1814, Rev. Andrew Gray, having been burned out by the British during the war, returned from the lines to his farm in Sparta. Some of Mr. Gray's friends and former parishioners were in favor of reinstating him in his old position as pastor ; others declined and adhered to their support of Mr. Pratt. The consequence of the controversy which then sprang up was that the church became divided, and for some time both ministers held service at different hours in this same church ; and the difference soon resulted in the complete division of the Society, those favoring Mr. Pratt continuing to meet in this church, and in the village of Dansville, and those adhering to Mr. Gray holding services at Havens' Corners, where the First Presbyterian church of Sparta now
stands, and in the "Gully School House" in the town of Groveland, near the burying ground. Here for several years Mr. Gray supplied the pul- pit until increasing age and infirmities led him to retire from the active duties of the ministry.
In 1825 the village of Dansville increasing in population, the members of the church presided over by Mr. Pratt, residing in and about that vil- lage, decided to have a separate organization. This separate existence of the Dansville church appears to have interfered with the prosperity of the congregation of Sparta to such a degree that measures were taken to change the location to Havens' Corners and form a union with those wor- shipping there, and those who worshipped at the "Gully School House." A meeting to effect this object took place on the 28th day of April, 1827, at which meeting it was stated that "on account of the weakened state of the church by the departure of some of the members to Dansville, and consid- ering that it would be highly injurious to join the church there, they resolved in the future to meet at Havens' Corners." The organization, according to the law of the First Presbyterian church, occurred January 18, 1828. Its ecclesiastical origin, how- ever, must be assigned to a period prior to the date of the call to Rev. Andrew Gray, and proba- bly took place in 1806, as before stated. Imme- diately after its legal organization, measures were taken to build the present house of worship, and a deed of the ground on which it stands was obtained bearing date February 19, 1829. A substantial and commodious edifice was erected in the course of the year. This measure resulted in the amal- gamation of the two parties known as the adher- ents of Mr. Gray and the adherents of Mr. Pratt. which was consummated at a meeting of the Pres- bytery of Ontario, held at Sparta, April 10, 1830. The Rev. Silas Pratt continued to sign the minutes of session until January 24, 1829. The Rev. S. Gaylord then became stated supply, and was suc- ceeded by Rev. Amos P. Brown, who signed the first minutes of session September 11, 1830. He was installed as pastor August 24, 1831, and dur- ing his ministry the church appears to have en- joyed a season of great awakening, many being added to the roll of communicants. On the 22d of January, 1834, he was dismissed on account of ill-health, and was succeeded by the Rev. S. Hall.
In 1837, March 5, the Rev. H. Snyder became the stated supply for several months, and during his pastorate the church resolved to join the Old School General Assembly.
Photo. by Betts, Dansville.
MR. & MRS. JOHN SHUTT.
JOHN SHUTT.
John Shutt, a native of Moore township, Northamp- ton county, Pa., was born March 10, 1798. IIe lived at home until twenty-six years of age, assisting his father to work a small farm, and occasionally helping in weaving the cloth used among the hardy pioneers. His father came to Livingston county to visit some friends, and thinking he could better his prospects in life, purchased the farmn of 115 acres, where William J., a grandson, now lives. He died December 24, 1833, and the farm and per- sonal property were willed to John, who came there with him, with this provision, that he should pay his brother $250, and his sisters each $150, also a claim in the land office, making the farm cost him eleven dollars per acre.
In 1819 he married Christine Weldy, of Northamp- ton county, Pa. The result of this marriage was thirteen children, eleven of whom are now living. Mr. Shutt was a hard working, industrious man, but assisted his children so much with his money that at the time of his death, which occurred Jannary 9, 1875, his large property was considerably reduced. He and his estimable wife were members of the Reformed church for nearly sixty years,
always ready to aid the church, and at one time spending nearly eight hundred dollars in the good cause. In politics he was a Democrat, sustaining his party with his help and influence, but never accepting an office even when nrged to do so. He left a will similar to his father's, his property going to his son, Wm. J., with the proviso that he pay the other heirs their portion men- tioned in the will. This he has done and now owns the old homestead where he was born. He is the seventh child of the family and was born March 10, 1832. April 3, 1862, he married Maggie MeFetridge. They had five children, four of whom died in their youth : the only surviving one being Freddie E., who is now in his tenth year. At his father's death, Wm. J. found his estate re- duced to a mere nothing. He went to work with a will, determined to keep the old home, and to-day sees what perseverance and industry combined with the work of a wife who is able and willing to assist his every effort, can effectually accomplish. He writes this as a memorial to his parents, whom he remembers as indulgent and loving to their family and steadfast in their regard for others.
(Photo. by Betts, Dansville. )
MR. & MRS. BENJAMIN KIEHLE.
BENJAMIN KIEHLE.
Benjamin Kiehle was born in Lehigh county, Pa., Feb. 23, 1816, being the seventh child of a family of ten children. His father, Abraham Kiehle, was born in the same county in 1782, and in 1817, with his wife, Elizabeth Hughes, left Pennsylvania, and after a long and tedious journey settled in Sparta, taking up the one hundred and eighteen acres where Benj. now resides, where he died Feb. 12, 1868. His wife survived him six years and died Sept. 24, 1874. Feb. 28, 1839, Benj, married Salome, daughter of Abraham and Hannah Zer- fass, of Sparta, by whom he had seven children as follows: Abraham I., James M., Hulda V., Fran- ces M., William H., Rosabella C., (dead,) and George M., the latter of whom lives on the farm near the old homestead. During the late war Abraham I. enlisted in the old 13th Regiment and was killed at the second battle of Bull Run, and James enlisted in the 136th Regiment and died in Washington of typhoid fever contracted from ex-
posure. Hulda is still living, but Frances died in April, 1871. Jan. 12, 1871, Mrs. Kiehle died from paralysis. She was a devoted member of the Luth- eran church, a kind mother and a loving wife. Mr. Kiehle afterward married Vienna Zerfass, a sister of his first wife, and both are members of the Lutheran church of Sparta, having joined that organization a number of years ago. Benjamin, after the death of his father, bought out the re- maining heirs, and now owns and lives on the old homestead, and is probably surpassed by none in knowledge relating to a proper cultivation of the soil.
Although his education was confined to the common schools of his early day, by the improve- ment of the opportunities afforded him by inter- course with others, he, to-day, ranks among the most intelligent farmers of his town. In politics he has always been a Democrat, and is now filling the office of Assessor for the fifth term.
23I
SPARTA-CHURCHES.
The name of Rev. Alfred White appears on the minutes of session as Moderator, February 18, 1838. He officiated as stated supply for about six months, when the congregation first invited Rev. George Morris, and then the Rev. Hugh Mair, D. D., to become their pastor, but neither of them accepted the invitations.
Rev. Thomas Aitken * was extended an invita- tion April 23, 1839, and was installed pastor Au- gust 15, 1840, his installation having been deferred to this time on account of the Assembly's rules re- specting foreign ministers.
The membership of the church is forty-nine, still presided over by Mr. Aitken.
Second Presbyterian Church .- The building near the burying ground, which was abandoned by those who went to Havens' Corners to worship, having become much dilapidated, was in 1837, re- paired, fitted with permanent seats, platform, desk and circular table enclosing an area in front of the platform, and was used by debating and literary societies, singing schools, and for political and other meetings.
On the 28th of December, 1847, a meeting was held there and preliminary steps taken to organize the Second Presbyterian Church of Sparta.
The following Board of Trustees was elected : John Culbertson, Samuel Sturgeon, Hugh T. Mc- Nair, John W. McNair, Jacob Knappenburger, David McNair. In May following the organiza- tion was effected by a committee of the Presbytery of Steuben, and the following persons enrolled themselves as members :-
Joseph Knappenburger, James McNair, Hugh T. McNair and wife, Samuel McNair and wife, Jacob Knappenburger, William D. McNair and wife, Mrs. Anne McNair, Mrs. Catharine Knap- penburger, John W. McNair, Mrs. Nancy Culbert- son, Frances McNair, Jane McNair, Mrs. Ann Shafer, James Sturgeon, Samuel Sturgeon and wife, Mrs. Margaret McNair. James McNair, William D. McNair and Samuel Sturgeon were chosen elders. Rev. Jesse Edwards was stated supply for two years. Rev. James E. Miller became pastor in 1850 and remained until 1854. In 1852 the church building was renovated and re-dedicated, the serinon being preached by Rev. Mr. Miller. A call to the Rev. Thomas Aitken, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Sparta, was presented at the Presbytery in April, 1855, and was sustained. Since that time the two churches have been pre-
sided over by Mr. Aitken. The church has a mem- bership of forty-five.
German Lutheran and German Reformed Church .- This church is located in the eastern part of the town, and is vacant at present, the con- gregation scattered, and the society will probably soon be extinct. From such records as could be found it is learned that the congregation was or- ganized in 1837, and the church edifice erected in 1839. The trustees and principal members are, John Kiehle, Caleb Smail, Catilp Light, Conrad Clinetop.
The present membership is about fifty.
The pastors have been : Rev. A. Bayer, of German Reformed church, Rev. Abraham Berkey, of German Reformed church, Rev. Daniel Lautz, of German Reformed church, Rev. S. S. Klein, of Lutheran church, Rev. Edmund Erb, German Re- formed church.
St. John's Lutheran Church is situated at nearly the center of the town. The congregation was or- ganized in 1837. The church edifice was erected in 1840. The principal members are: Erhardt Rau, Barnard Hamsher, Peter Trexler, Daniel Lichard, Charles Lorish, Jeremiah Kuhn, Isaac Trexler, S. G. Roberts, John Kohler, Peter Kuhn, Abraham Artman, Michael Klein, George H. Johns.
Among the first officers chosen were: Peter Kuhn, Barnard Hamsher, Peter Trexler, Michael Klein, Erhardt Rau and John Kohler.
The following have been pastors :-
Revs. M. L. Stover, Levi Sternberg, D. D., John Selmser, F. W. Brauns, C. H. Hersh, L. L. Bau- nell, D. Swope, Albert Waldron, E. H. Martin and Rev. P. A. Strobel, the present pastor, from whom is derived the facts concerning this and the Ger- man Reformed church.
Church of the Baptists and Evangelists .- This is a union church situated at what is known as Reed's Corners, a mere settlement containing this church, a school house, blacksmith shop, and some twelve or fifteen houses.
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