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 72
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J. Denton, M. D., came to Moscow in 1879 and succeeded to the practice of T. A. Denton, who located here in 1876. He was graduated from Bellevue Hospital Medical College, New York city, in 1879.
D. Thompson, general store; business estab- lished in Moscow, January, 1856.
C. O. Atherton, general store, drugs, etc .; com- menced business in 1864, and succeeded to the business established by his father, Oliver Atherton, in 1838 soon after his settlement here.
Edmund W. Sears commenced the boot and shoe business in 1842, and has since carried it on in this village. He is the son of Franklin Sears,
who came to Groveland in :816. Mr. Sears came to Moscow in 1828 ; he has been postmaster since May 1, 1865, succeeding Erastus Brooks.
St. James Hotel was built by Henry Bush in 1836 and was opened as a temperance house, but was not financially successful. Catharine Rail now owns the property. E. J'. Hill has been land- lord since February, 1880.
There are three blacksmith shops, kept by John McMahon, Mathew Shirley and Wm. Grant; also two wagon shops, kept by Anthony Shaler and Wm. Grant. Leander Rowley keeps a shoe shop.
CHURCHES-The Presbyterian Church of Mos- cow was organized in June, 1817, by Rev. Abra- ham Forman of Geneseo, with the following origi- nal members :- Asahel Munger, Eunice Munger, Asahel Munger, Jr., Lydia Munger, Hinman A. Boland, Amanda Munger, Asa R. Palmer, Abijah C. Warren and Bathsheba Warren. Asahel Mun- ger, Abijah C. Warren and Asa R. Palmer were chosen the first elders. Previous to the organiza- tion of this Church, Moscow had been favored for some time with opportunities for religious wor- ship though not regularly. Rev. Mr. Wheelock is recollected as being the first one to preach the "Word of God" in the village ; coming at inter- vals from Mt. Morris, where he then resided. The first resident pastor was Rev. Elihue Mason, who came in 1816, from Barkhampstead, Mass., and remained here two years. He came here under the patronage of the Congregational Missionary Society of Connecticut, an organization that did much to render the life of the hardy pioneers brighter and their physical burdens easier to bear from the religious teachings and associations of those early missionaries. Rev. Mr. Mason after- wards moved to Mt. Morris, where the last sixteen years of his life were spent. The first person added to the Church was Mrs. Polly Dutton, the daughter of Capt. Joseph Smith, spoken of previously as the first white female child born west of Utica. She was married to Justin Dutton, who died in Mos- cow in 1815.
At the time of its organization the society wor- shipped in the chapel of the Moscow Academy, and continued to hold their meetings therein until their present church building was finished in 1832. This building was erected at a cost of $3,000, and was repaired in 1868.
Rev. Elihue Mason was the first pastor after the organization of the society. Rev. S. T. Mills fol- lowed him in July 1820, though what interval in- tervened between him and Rev. Mr. Mason, is not
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VILLAGE OF MOSCOW-CHURCHES.
definitely known. He remained till 1826. Rev. Ames P. Brown filled the pulpit from May, 1827
till 1829 ; Rev. J. Walker, 1829-1833. After Rev. Mr. Walker, Rev. Mr. Schaffer filled the pulpit for a short time, and was succeeded by Rev. Samuel Porter from November, 1833-1835. The first settled pastor was Rev. John H. Redington, who remained from September, 1835, till his death Sept. 15, 1841. It was during his pastorate that a divi- sion of the church occurred between the old and new schools-so-called. The "new school" party retained possession of the church, and Mr. Red- ington with the " old school" faction were obliged to seek accommodations elsewhere. They ac- cordingly built a small church on the east of the the park. After Mr. Redington's death, Rev. J. W. McDonald succeeded to the pulpit Sept. 19, 1841.
In the "New School" branch Rev. Mr. Gilbert officiated from 1838 to 1841, and Rev. E. H. Stratton from February, 1842, till 1845. It was in the latter year that Mr. Stratton succeeded in uniting the two branches into one harmonious church. After the consolidation, Rev. J. W. Mc- Donald officiated as pastor till 1848. From July, 1849, till July, 1856, Rev. L. Leonard served as stated supply. Rev. Walter V. Couch then sup- plied the pulpit for three months, and was followed by Rev. J. M. Harlow, January 25, 1857-64 ; Rev. F. DeW. Ward, D. D., two months; Rev. G. R. Howell, March, 1864, to fall of 1865; Rev. W. D. McKinley, January, 1866, to April, 1873; and Rev. F. Gutelius, the present pastor, since July, 1874.
The present membership of the church is ninety ; of the Sunday-school, one hundred and forty. M. H. Crosby is the superintendent of the Sunday-school.
Rev. Herman N. Barnum, son of D. T. Barnum, and formerly of this church, has been a missionary at Harpoot, Turkey, for twenty-four years. Miss Sarah Dales, daughter of John B. Dales, D. D., went from this church, some years since, to Cairo, Egypt, where she is now located. Elam H. Walk- er, Wm. Wilder, Charles Ferry, John B. Dales, D. D.,-who is now located in Philadelphia, and who is a prominent divine-and George Lane, have all been ordained ministers from members of this church.
The Methodist Episcopal Church of Moscow .- The Methodists at an early day in this vicinity were sufficient in number to warrant the formation of a church organization and they were accordingly placed on a circuit though the date cannot be as- certained. In 1829 they built a church edifice.
The succession of pastors since 1840 has been as follows :-
Revs. Richard Wait, Selleck, and Richmond, in 1840; Fellows, Hood and Baker, in 1844; Asa A. Abel and G. W. Barney, in 1845 ; J. W. Hinds, 1846 ; J. B. Jenkins and Z. Hurd, 1847; Ç. D. Burlingham, 1848 ; G. Hines, 1849 ; H. May and G. W. Terry, 1850; J. J. Gridley, 1851 ; W. C. Kendall, J. A. Wells and J. H. Wallace, 1852-53 ; Wm. D. Buck and J. P'. Kent, 1854-55 : J. G. Mil- ler, 1856 ; A. W. Luce and D. Nichols, 1857 ; Geo. W. Terry, 1858 ; A. Newton, 1859; A. Kendall, 1860-61 : E. Thomas, 1862-63; J. Hager, 1864; J. H. Rogers, 1865; L. L. Rogers, 1866; H. F. Osborne, 1867; J. C. Whiteside, 1868; J. W. Vaughn, 1869; W. D. Buck, 1870; John Irons, 1871; -- King, part of 1872; C. D. Rowley, 1873; E. C. Hermans, 1874; R. F. Kay, 1876 ; W. V. Cliff, 1878; B. F. Hitchcock, 1879; Isaac Harris, 1880.
This church is one of three on the circuit sup- plied by Mr. Harris, the other two being Greigs- ville and Fowlerville, in the latter of which places Mr. Harris resides.
The present membership of the church is about 35, with about the same number in the Sunday- school. E. W. Sears is the Superintendent of the Sunday-school. The church edifice was repaired in 1848, and again in 1872-73 ; the latter time at an expense of about $1,300.
The First Baptist Church of Leicester was or- ganized in 1843, Elder O. D. Taylor officiating as the first pastor. Their house of worship was erect- ed the following year. This church has experi- enced various vicissitudes during its existence and has been quite irregularly supplied with pastors.
As near as can be ascertained, the following have filled the pulpit at the times stated; although as the records are lost it is impossible to verify the dates: The first pastor, Mr. Taylor, was succeed- ed by Rev. Mr. Kneeland, and he by Rev. Mr. Wadsworth, who supplied them about two years. He was followed by Rev. Mr. Leggett, who only remained a short time, after whom there was no regular pastor for several years. In 1857, Rev. R. Marien took the charge as the next regular pastor and remained about two years, The pulpit was then vacant, except occasional preaching, until 1861, when Rev. J. Coley came and remained two years. Rev. Bela Palmer came in 1864, and re- mained three years. Prof. Waterbury, of Gene- seo, supplied the pulpit from 1870 till 1872. Rev. Mr. Delano, who came soon after and remained
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
two years, was the last regular minister. Since then only occasional services have been held. The church membership has been largely merged with that of the Mt. Morris church. At its organiza- tion the membership was about twenty-five, and at one time was over ninety. The society still owns the building in Moscow.
Mrs. Sarah Jenkins was one of the first settlers in the vicinity of Moscow, and was the wife of Gideon T. Jenkins, who moved from Auburn in 1807 to the Holland purchase, stopping over night on his way at Dennison Foster's, who then kept tavern in the house where Rev. George W. Lane now lives. In 1815, Mr. Jenkins kept hotel in the house where one of his daughters, Mrs. Clarinda Jones now lives. He was the first Sheriff of the county, and the first person from the village elect- ed to the State Legislature.
Jerediah Horsford was born in Charlotte, Vt., 1791. He came to Moscow from Mt. Morris in 1817, and kept public house in the house at the foot of the square, now occupied by Mr. Austin Weaver. He was a member of Congress in 1856. Ile died in January, 1875.
CUYLERVILI.E.
Cuylerville is situated on the old Genesee Valley canal, between Geneseo and Moscow, and owes its origin to the construction of the canal which stimulated business at this point. It derives its name from Col. Cuyler, who settled here about 1833, and who took a prominent part in laying out the village in 1840.
The first ware-house at Cuylerville was built by Seymour Phelps in 1841, and now stands next to the canal bridge. Col. Cuyler built one very soon after. Col. Cuyler built the large distillery in 1851, and in 1855 it was burned. He rebuilt it the same year, but failed in business soon after. His son, George Cuyler, and Stephen Slocum after- wards operated it about two years. It was then idle till about 1873, when George Cuyler again placed it in operation and continued it about two years, since which time it has been idle.
Cuylerville reached the height of its prosperity in 1848, in which year it was incorporated as a vil- lage. At about this time there were four ware- houses located here, owned by Lyman Odell, A. Baker, Bowman & Burt and Col. W. T. Cuyler. H. Truesdell, A. Baker, Jos. Wheelock and Mr. Gordon were conducting mercantile business here at about that time. The old building just south of Mr. Wheelock's was built in 1846 by Mr. Fish
as a storehouse and store. It was converted into a malt-house about 1858, and was operated as such by Thomas Copeland for a few years. It was last in operation in 1874 under a Mr. Curtis.
The Cuylerville Mill, situated just east of Cuy- lerville, was built by Col. Cuyler in 1844. Wm. Marsh operated this mill as early as 1856, but since 1878 it has been run by his son, David Marsh. This mill was for some time idle on ac- count of the mill dam being torn down by the State. The dam was replaced in 1878.
The present business consists of J. S. Wheelock, general merchant, commeneed business in 18.45, keeping then a canal grocery; M. S. Wheelock, general store, commenced in 1856, in 1858 relin- quished business till 1868, when he resumed ; Sco- ville House, W. B. Scoville proprietor, was built as the " National Exchange " in 1841 by Chas. Phin- ney, and opened by Truesdell Lamson, who kept it five years, operated since 1871 by Mr. Scoville ; Farmer Hotel, John Black, proprietor ; Alanson Decker, blacksmith.
J. S. Wheelock has been postmaster since 1863 and succeeded Melvin Dales.
Cuylerville is located upon the site of Little Beard's town, the most prominent of the Seneca villages elsewhere spoken of.
The United Presbyterian Church of Cuylerville. -About 1840, at the time Cuylerville commenced springing up into existence, there were no facilities offered to the inhabitants for religious worship at this place, with the exception of occasional visits from Rev. A. Blakie, of the York Church. A par- tial church organization was effected soon after, and a supply furnished by the Synod. In the spring of 1844 efforts were made to erect a house of worship which was completed in 1846. At the same time application was made for a church organ- ization to the Presbytery of Caledonia.
A committee met July ist, 1845, for the pur- pose of organizing a church with the following named members: Hugh Sales, Margaret Sales, Eliza Sales, James Hutton, Henry Van Vecten, Ann Van Vecten, Andrew Rome, Jane Rome, James Niven, Clarissa Niven, John D. Fraser and Sarah Fraser. The church organization was not completed, however, till April 7, 18.47, when the election of elders took place, John Kennedy, Matthew Crawford and Hugh Rippey being elected to that office. John Kennedy is still living.
Rev. James B. Scouller was called November 4, 1846, and commenced his labors in January, 1847,
Dychin Years /hoge
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347
GIBSONVILLE- JOHN SEARS ROYCE.
but was not installed till April 7, 1847. He left in April, 1852. Rev. W. C. Somers commenced June 1, 1853, and remained a little over three years. Rev. F. M. Proctor's name appears first upon the records March 7, 1859, and last October 28, 1865. Rev. John Rippey, the present pastor, commenced December 26, 1866.
The present membership of the church is about So, and of the Sunday school about 95. The Sun- day school superintendent is Wm. B. Wooster.
The present elders are John Kennedy, now 90 years of age, and who has been elder since the or- ganization of the church, John McKercher, David Donnan, Joseph N. Rippey, Wm. B. Wooster and John F. McKercher.
GIBSONVILLE.
Gibsonville is a post village and lies in the south- ern portion of the town, south-west of Mt. Morris, and is situated on the outlet of Silver Lake. It was named in honor of Henry B. Gibson, of Canan- daigua. Ebenezer Allen was the first settler here in 1792, and while here built the first saw-mill in the town.
The Silver Lake Paper Mills are located here, and are operated by water power. Geo. H. West is the proprietor. The buildings cost four thousand dollars; capacity of mill, 3,000 pounds per day; ten men employed. They manufacture rag, hard- ware, manilla and tea papers.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
JOHN SEARS ROYCE.
About the year 1815 a man who during his life was widely known as " Deacon Samuel Royce," in company with his good wife, Betsey Reed Royce, emigrated from the town of Lyme, New London county, Conn., to Leicester, Livingston county. There Mr. Royce purchased a tract of timbered land from John Gregg, and with the aid of his sons in due time converted it into a productive farm. Upon this same homestead which he had created, Deacon Royce died on July 12, 1850. He could look back upon a life well spent, adorned with Christian virtues, commanding the respect of many friends and the love of the family. He was a member of the close communion Baptist church, and the father of eleven children, ten of whom are now living.
Among these children was one named John Sears Royce, the subject of this sketch, who was born in Leicester July 15, 1819. His boyhood and youth were passed on his father's farm, and although young Royce found much hard labor be- fore him, he battled manfully with it till eighteen years of age, when his father became convinced that his son was born with an inventive genius that would not contentedly brook the narrow restraints of farm life.
Fortunately for John, his father desired the happiness and future welfare of his children as much as the immediate advancement of his own affairs, and cheerfully allowed his son to act at will. and bade him God-speed in the broad field of in- vention.
The young inventor's first work was a threshing machine, the entire drafting and pattern making for which was done by himself, and the result was a better machine than any in existence at that time. When twenty-two years old, Mr. Royce in- vented and perfected a plow, which was a favorite with many farmers of that day, and was widely known as the Genesee Valley Plow. He then took out his first patent on a metallic spoke sus- pension wheel for carriages, which was followed by improvements in portable steam engines, and afterward by his great work on mowers and reapers.
In the year 1849, when thirty years of age, Mr. Royce was married to Louisa M. Boom, of Litch- field, Herkimer county, N. Y., and in thus select- ing a life partner he was most fortunate, his wife proving a true helpmeet in all his labors. Mrs. Royce is spoken of as endowed with caution and prudence, combined with good business capacity, and prominent in the social circle in which she moves. She is looked up to and respected by a large circle of acquaintances and many valued friends. Seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Royce, (of whom six are now living) viz : Ida A., Samuel J., (deceased, ) Cora I., Jennie L., J. Byron, Carrie M., and Eva D. This family have been nurtured to habits of industry and characters of respectability.
In the year 1850, Mr. Royce took out a patent for a Rockaway carriage, which proved successful and in the manufacture of which he was engaged for nearly ten years, when he began the work which was destined to become the crowning achievement of his life-the invention of the com- bined mower and reaper, known as the Empire Harvester. During that era this was a successful machine, and Mr. Royce continued its manufac- ture till the year 1870. These combined machines weighed from 1,200 to 1,500 pounds, and the practical-minded inventor readily perceived that farmers were injuring their horses in causing them to draw these great weights of moving machinery over the soft fields, and immediately employed his mind in constructing a plan for a machine which should require less power than the ones then in use and yet do the work so successfully ac- complished by a man with a slender "cradle."
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348
HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
The result was the machine known as the Royce Reaper, and the first one constructed weighed 370 pounds. It was a perfect success and possessed ample weight and power for cutting the heaviest grain.
During the years 1871, '72, and '73, a few of these machines were made, well tested by farmers, some improvements made, and in the year 1874, Mr. Royce took out patents in the United States, and Canada, covering nine claims. This machine worked a revolution in that branch of business, and still continues in almost universal use.
It was a proud triumph for Mr. Royce when his reaper secured, as it did, the first prize for simplicity, ease of draft, lightness and quality of the work done by it, at the great three days' trial of the Centennial exhibition. Since that time, the Royce Reaper has invariably been awarded first prize whenever exhibited in competition in the States and Canada, and it is not exaggera- tion to state that Mr. Royce has made more valuable improvements in reapers than any other inventor.
Not satisfied with the success already achieved, in the year 1878, Mr. Royce invented and patent- ed two other reapers, differing widely from each other, as well as from the first. One is known as the Centennial reaper, and the other as the Little Joker, the patent for which covers thirty-two claims, and which has never been presented before the public, but will, we trust, in due time make itself favorably known.
Mr. Royce's last work is the invention of a header, thresher, cleaner and bagger, which, pre- diction says, will work an entire revolution in har- vesting and reduce the cost of it to a nominal sum. It is expected that this machine will cut and prepare for market twenty acres of grain in a day, and its weight is not to exceed Soo pounds. For this great work all farmers will forever be grateful to the inventor.
In speaking of Mr. Royce's characteristics it should be noted that he combines with his inven- tive genius, great energy and executive ability; otherwise he never could have reached his present measure of success. He is a born inventor, has loved the solution of mechanical problems from boyhood, and his mechanical ideas always possess originality and simplicity-two great elements of success. The influence of his genius has left its impression upon many branches of industrial sci- ence. The light reaper that bears his name is the pride of his life, an honor to its inventor, and, like many others, the work of his life will live after him.
Mr. Royce is radically temperate in all respects, and earnest and industrious in his habits. He possesses generous impulses, and has never turned a deaf ear to the wants of mankind. Being social in his nature, he is ever ready to promote the wel- fare and happiness of his family and those sur- rounding him. Now, while living, he is respected by all who know him, and when his work is done he will be mourned by many.
WILLIAM WHITMORE.
William Whitmore was born in 1802, and came to Livingston county with his father, George Whit- more, who took up land at what is now known as Jones' Bridge, in the town of Leicester, and there kept the first hotel in that part of the county. He was the second son of a family of eight children, and lived at home until he was twenty-one years of age, working on the farm and attending school winters. He then bought a farm near what is now known as the "High Banks," forming a nucleus for the large fortune he afterwards accumulated, owning, at the time of his death, eight hundred acres of land.
About the time of his first purchase he was mar- ried to Nancy L., daughter of Jedediah and Tri- fosie Richardson, of Leicester, who came from Massachusetts at an early day; Mrs. Richardson being an aunt of the late Charles Sumner. This marriage proved a very happy one, and of the eleven children born to him, four are still living. Daniel W., is a farmer in Ashland, O., but has been honored to some of the most important offices in his county. Sally Ann was the wife of Samuel O. Roberson, of Geneseo. ] He was a mill- wright and farmer, and died in Leicester, where he came to reside a year before his death, which occurred February 4, 1865. His wife survived him fifteen years and died December 23. 1880, leaving one son, William W. Roberson. Miss Emily Whitmore, who resides on the Col. White farm, is the only daughter living, and it is through her generosity that the portraits of her father and mother appear in this work.
George W., was married to Sarah Jane Ostrom, of Leicester, by whom he had two children-Wm. H., who resides in Leicester, on the old Ostrom homestead, and Nancy L., who resides in Paris. France. John is married and resides in Jersey City, N. J. William, Jr., is married and resides in Farmer City, Ill. He and John together own the old homestead on the " High Banks."
In politics, Mr. Whitmore, Sr .. was a Democrat, but never thrust his views on others, and allowed every man to vote and think as he pleased.
James M., the youngest son, when about twenty- one years of age, went to St. Louis, and at the close of the war was a book-keeper in Benton Bar- racks. Since that time his relatives have heard nothing from him, and mourn him as one who is dead.
CHAPTER XXV.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF GROVELAND.
G ROVELAND, the central town in Livingston I county, is bounded on the north by Geneseo, on the east by Conesus, on the south by Sparta and West Sparta and on the west by Mt. Morris,
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GROVELAND-EARLY SETTLERS.
It was formed April 6, 1813, from Sparta, and con- tained in 1875 a population of 1,366.
In its physical characteristics it is one of the finest towns in the county, both as regards the fertility and value of its farming land, and the many picturesque views that greet the eye. Near- ly three- fourths of the town consists of an elevated table-land that slopes gradually, as the boundaries of the town are neared, to the valley of the Cana- seraga on the south and east and to the inlet and head of Conesus lake, on the west.
To Groveland belongs the honor of having had located within its borders the first village in the county-Williamsburgh-which was situated mid- way between Mt. Morris and Geneseo. Nothing so strongly illustrates the erroneous ideas in relation to the future of this section held by the early hold- ers of the large tracts of western lands, as they were then called, than the founding of this village, which, commencing under such influential patron- age, soon reached the zenith of its prosperity, and then, giving away to the march of events, gradually lost its prestige, so that now not a build- ing remains to testify to its original prosperity.
The first purchasers of the Indian territory between the Genesee River and Seneca Lake had sold an immense estate to Robert Morris, of Philadelphia, who in turn offered his lands for sale in the principal cities of Europe. The repre- sentations of his agents gained much attention from men of capital, and three gentlemen of Lon- don, Sir William Pultney, John Hornby, and Patrick Colquhoun, purchased that noble estate which has since borne the name of the English haronet. Their agent, Captain Charles William- son, visited America, and excited by the reports transmitted by him, the associates indulged in brilliant dreams of the destiny of the wilderness which had fallen into their hands.
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