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 84
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In 1841 he was a candidate for State Senator in the old Sixth District, including Allegany and Livingston coun- ties ou the west and running east on the southern tier and including Broome and Chenango counties ou the east. In this contest he was defeated by James Faulk- ner, of Dansville, the Democratic candidate. He was elected as delegate to the Constitutional Convention which convened April 22d of that year and adjourned on the ninth of October following, serving npon several im- portant committees. In 1817 he was elected to the State Senate from the Twenty-ninth District ( Ont trio and Liv- ingston conaties) but resigned after serving one session.
Mr. Ayrault was President of the County Bible Society fourteen years-always manifesting a deep interest in its success and good work In religions sentiment he was an Episcopalian, and a member of St. Michael's church in Geneseo, and gave liberally frons his means for the support of church interests and any enterprise looking to the advancement of education among the rising genera- tion and the establishment of good society.
September 9, 1522, Mr. Ayrault was united in marriage to Bethiah, daughter of Rev. Wm. Lyman. She was boru July 12, 1792, at East Haddam, Conn. Her father was born in 1765 and died June 5, 1833. Her mother was born in 1767 and died June 22, 1858 at the great age of ninety-one years, and their remains lie buried at Arcade, Wyoming county. They had eleven children, seven of whom are yet living, the youngest at the age of seventy- two years and the oldest ninety. Mrs. Ayrault is still living, now in her eighty-uinth year, in possession of her tuenlties to a wonderful degree. Alleu Ayrault died at Geneseo, N. Y., February 4, 1861. They have had no children.
395
GENESEO VILLAGE-MANUFACTURERS, BANKS.
MANUFACTURERS .- Geneseo has never been an important center of manufacturing interests. The river at this point affords a limited water-power, and the fall is meager. In 1837 the Geneseo Hydraulic Company was incorporated for the pur- pose of creating a vast water power on the Gen- esee at this point; but the great expectations awakened by its organization were never realized.
The Geneseo Planing Mills were built in 1877, by Josiah Curtis, the present proprietor, who also deals in coal, lumber, lime and cement. The mills are located near the depot. They are oper- ated by steam.
The saw-mill in Geneseo, owned by E. W. Hud- nutt, occupies the building near the foot of Main street, known as the "Big Tree Iron Works," which was erected in 1855 for a machine shop, by E. W. Hudnutt and Elias P. and Chauncey Met- calf. In November, 1862, James J. Cone, Hurl- burt L. Johnson and Scott Lord, formed a co- partnership, for the manufacture of the Brincker- hoff mowers and reapers. They rented the " Big Tree Iron Works."
The Geneseo Manufacturing and Croquet Co. was organized and merged with the American Cro- quet Co., composed of Judge Scott Lord, Samuel Finley, J. J. Jones, John Rorback, Harvey G. Baker and Charles Jones, which commenced operations in 1861. The consolidated company did business about a year, until 1865, when they removed the machinery to South Bend, Ind. In 1875, Mr. Hudnutt again took possession, put in a circular saw, and has since been engaged in the manufacture of lumber.
In the spring of 1871, Baker & Barclay (Har- vey G. Baker and George P. Barclay) rented of Finley & Co. a portion of the building for the manufacture of the machine-cut clover rasp, which is used for threshing out clover seed. In 1877, Harvey G. Baker sold his interest to his son, Merritt H. Baker, and the business is still con- ducted under the same firm name. It requires a capital of about $2,000, and usually the employ- ment of two additional hands a part of the year.
Messrs. Kendall & Shattuck have a branch cooper shop at the depot in Geneseo. Their principal business, which is quite extensive, is conducted at Piffard, in the town of York. They employ two men in the shop at Geneseo and from eight to fifteen at Piffard.
The Big Tree Mills, (flouring and grist, ) situated on the east bank of Genesee River, just north- west of the village limits, were built about forty
years ago by Mr. Bailey. Thomas Gilmore is the present proprietor. The mills comprise four runs of stones, which are operated by water from the Genesee, which has a fall of five feet. Mr. North, during his ownership, built a saw-mill on the opposite end of the dam. It was torn down by the present proprietor four or five years ago.
Clark's Mills, named from Leman Clark, their present proprietor, are located in the north-east corner of the town, on the outlet of Conesus Lake, a mile below Lakeville. They occupy the site of the old Bosley mills, which were erected in the latter part of the last century, by John Bosley, who came to this country in 1792 or '3. The present mills were erected in 1836. by Lucius F. Olmsted, who bought the property of Mr. Bosley in 1835. The mill is a wooden structure, and connected with it is a saw-mill, which was built by Mr. Olmsted the same year on the site of a former one, which was built at an early day at the foot of the pond forming the outlet of the lake. The grist-mill contains four runs of stones. This locality is an interesting one from its proximity to the remains of a fortified Indian village. The excavations made both by Mr. Bosley and Mr. Olmsted disclosed numerous and varied relics, in- cluding human remains. Metal implements were found in sufficient quantity, it is said, to iron the first mill.
Messrs. Ayrault & Co., (Lyman Ayrault and A. A. Cox,) who are located at the depot, do a gen- eral storage and produce business. The business was established some ten or eleven years ago, by L. Ayrault, who, six months later, associated with himself A. A. Cox. These gentlemen were the first of importance of a modern period, to buy grain for storage and shipment.
BANKS .-- The first bank of issue in the county was the Livingston County Bank in Geneseo, which was incorporated under the Safety Fund Act, April 7, 1830, with a capital stock of $100,000. Various pre- vious efforts had been made, both in this town and others in the county, to secure a charter for a bank -in Geneseo soon after the erection of the county -- but all were alike fruitless. The subscription books were opened in Geneseo on the 31st of May, and within three days from that time the entire capital stock was subscribed. The organization was per- fected on the 25th of June by the election of the following named directors :- John Greig, H. B. Gibson, Nathaniel W. Howell, Abraham M. Scher- merhorn, James K. Guernsey, Charles H. Carroll,
396
HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
Hezekiah D. Mason, Felix Tracy, Owen P. Olm- sted, Eli Hill, William Lyman, Wm. H. Stanley and Allen Ayrault. The latter gentleman, who was an able financier, and the principal stock-holder during the existence of the bank, was chosen Presi- (lent, and held that office during the continuance of its charter. Watts Sherman, afterwards a mem- ber of the well known banking house of Duncan. Sherman & Co., of New York, was chosen cashier. An office was opened in the upper story of the building on the east side of Main street, now oc- cupied by A. W. Butterway as a cabinet shop. The following winter the bank took up its quarters in the brick building erected for its accommodation, located on the west side of Main street, opposite the American Hotel. It is now vacant, except in the upper story, which is occupied as a law office by James B. Adams. The charter of the bank ex- pired July 1, 1855. Scott Lord and Allen Ayrault became trustees, by virtue of the statute, for closing up its business. The bank was very ably managed and highly prosperous, returning to its stockholders at the expiration of its charter an unimpaired capi- tal, besides having paid an average annual dividend of a little more than fifteen per cent. on the capital stock.
The Genesee Valley National Bank was organ- ized as the Genesee l'alley Bank, April 21, 1851, with a capital of $120,000, in shares of $100 each. The capital was increased Feb. 20, 1855, to $150,- 000.
The first Directors werc :- James S. Wadsworth, A. Cone, D. H. Abell, C. Colt, W. Cushing, D. H. Bissell, H. Chamberlin, D. H. Fitzhugh and Peter Miller. James S. Wadsworth was elected Presi- dent ; W. H. Whiting, cashier; Danicl H. Fitz- hugh, Jr., teller.
The present officers are :- President, James W. Wadsworth ; Cashier, James S. Orton ; Teller, Theodore F. Olmsted.
The bank commenced business May 1, 1851, on the first floor, the north room, under Concert Hall, which was left when the building now occu- pied was erected in 1865-6. March 14, 1865, it was changed from a State to a National bank, and authorized to commence business as such at that time. At the latter date the surplus of the bank was $25, 114.27 ; and a semi-annual dividend, varying from 3₺ to 6 per cent. had been paid. One year during the war a 14 per cent. dividend was paid. Since it became a National bank $266,- 250 have been paid in dividends, which is an aver- age annual dividend of nearly 12 per cent. In
addition to this, the surplus has been increased to $59,087.64. This statement sufficiently reflects its efficient management.
On the expiration of the charter of the Living- ston County Bank, Allen Ayrault, who then held nearly all its stock, conducted a private bank in the same building till his death, February 4, 1861, aged sixty-seven. Mr. Ayrault was born in Sandis- field, Mass., October 30, 1793, and removed to the Genesee Valley in 1812. He was one of the most prominent, influential and highly cultured of Geneseo's citizens during nearly the whole period of its commercial importance. He was a brother to Nicholas Ayrault, the early merchant in Mos- cow. H's widow still resides in Geneseo. Eph- raim Cone, who had been for many years Mr. Ayrault's cashier, continued the bank in his own name till his death, April 27, 1868, aged sixty-two years. James J. Cone succeeded to his father's business and continued the bank till his failure, November 1, 1878, having been associated with W. H. Olmsted from 1868 till December, 1870.
In 1856, Orton & Walker (James S. Orton and William Walker,) established a private bank in the upper part of a building which stood directly north of the present bank. When Mr. Orton became cashier in the Genesee Valley Bank, December 12, 1857, he sold his interest to Charles Colt, Jr., who died April 9, 1860, leaving Mr. Walker to continue the business alone, which he did till his death, February 9, 1871. January 6, 1864, the building was destroyed by fire, and Mr. Walker removed to the store next south of John Rorback's hardware store, which was recently occupied as a jewelry store, but is now vacant, Mr. Walker was asso- ciated for a short time with Wm. H. Whiting. Af- ter Mr. Walker's death, G. D. Mercer continued the business till within about two years, when he failed, being involved in the failure of Duncan, Sherman & Company, of New York.
John White opened a private bank in the build- ing afterwards occupied by Orton & Walker about 1852 or '3, but soon failed.
THE GENESEO GAS LIGHT COMPANY was organ- ized in 1859, with a capital of $9,000, in shares of $100 each, which was reduced March 11, 1864, to $4,500, the present capital. The works were built in 1859. About one and one-half miles of mains are laid, extending entirely through Main, Second, Center, Wadsworth and Bank streets. There are 26 gas street lamps. Gas is furnished at $2.50 per thousand feet.
HOTELS .- The American Hotel, which has been
397
GENESEO VILLAGE- HOTELS, WADSWORTH LIBRARY.
kept since October, 1879, by Clarence S. Youngs, occupies the site of the old Pierce tavern, which was built prior to 1809, by Col. John Pierce, a Southern man, who kept the stand for many years, and acquired no little notoriety for the excellent ac- commodations furnished his guests. It was a one- story frame building, made conspicuous at an early day by a coat of yellow paint, and now forms the front sitting room to the right of the main entrance of the American Hotel, and the room in rear of it, but has nearly lost its identity in the subsequent additions made to it. Deacon Frederick W. Butler says it was twice enlarged before 1817; and that the third addition, which put it in its present exterior form, except the piazzas, which were added three or four years ago, was made by him in 1825.
The Wallace House, kept by Wallace & Son, who took possession May 30, 1880, was built by Col. William Frost, about 1822 or '3, on the site of the old Colt tavern, which, Dr. Bissell says, was in a dilapidated condition in 1809. The Wallace House was formerly known as the Robinson House. The third hotel, the Globe Hotel, has been kept some eight years by Isaac J. Stratton.
THE WADSWORTH LIBRARY was established as the Atheneum Library through the munificence of Jas. Wadsworth, who in 1843, erected for its accom- modation a one-story brick building, which now forms the wing to the Methodist parsonage, and the same year deeded in trust for its maintenance to James S. Wadsworth, William W. Wadsworth and Elizabeth Wadsworth, of Geneseo, and Martin Brimmer, of Boston, Mass., seven different tracts of land, to be leased, with the exception of two of the village lots, and the proceeds arising therefrom to be annually applied, in such proportions as they should deem fit and proper, "to the follow- ing and no other purposes whatever, viz. : to the payment of the necessary expenses of executing the trust hereby created, to the procuring of periodical or occasional lectures to be delivered in the Livingston County High School, and in the village of Geneseo * *, to the purchase of useful books, philosophical apparatus and speci- mens of minerals to be deposited in said Atheneum building, for the use of the public-such books to constitute a library to be denominated the Ath- eneum Library-to the purchase of books, philo- sophical apparatus and specimens of minerals for the said High School, and to the repairing of the buildings, fences, and enclosures on the premises hereby granted, but not to the erection of any new
buildings. The books of the said Atheneum Library shall be open and free for the gratuitous use as well of the teachers and scholars of the said High School as of the inhabitants of the county of Livingston."
Five of these tracts are village lots. The first denominated the Atheneum lot, was designated as the site of the Atheneuin building ; the second, de- nominated the Temple Hill Grove Lot, was to be forever held and occupied " as a public ground," and appropriated "to the use of the public for purposes of ornament, exercise and recreation ;" the third, denominated the North Temple Hill Lot, and the fourth, denominated the South Temple Hill Lot, each contain about two acres ; the fifth is the lot on the corner of Center and Second streets. The sixth tract is denominated the Kneeland farm, and the seventh, the "Yellow House" farm, the for- mer containing 152.51 the latter 114.78 acres .*
The library was continued under an informal management till the last of the legal trustees (James S. Wadsworth) died in 1864, and some years later under informal appointments, till, having lapsed and reverted, the heirs of the Wadsworth estate consented to and Jan. 16, 1869, deeded the prop- erty to new trustees, who became incorporated un- der the name of "The Wadsworth Library" April 21, 1869. Martin Brimmer, Charles F. Wads- worth, Craig W. Wadsworth, Wm. A. Fitzhugh, Charles P. Bowditch, James Wood, John Rorback, James S. Orton and James W. Wadsworth were the incorporators.
The present library building is an ornate one- story brick structure, situated on the corner of Center and Second streets. It was erected in 1867, by the Wadsworth heirs, at a cost of about $12,000.
The present trustees are :- Charles F. Wads- worth, James W. Wadsworth, Martin Erimmer, A. J. Abbott, James Wood, John Rorback, Wm. J. Milne and James S. Orton, the latter of whom has performed the duties of Secretary and Treasurer since the incorporation. March 25, 1880, Mrs. E. H. Shepard was elected Librarian in place of Mrs. Olmsted, deceased.
The income of the Library for the year ending Dec. 31, 1879, was $1,386.55, and the expenses,
* Feb. 7, 1876, the trustees sold to the Methodist Society who had previously leased it, the land on which the church and parsonage stand for $1,400, March 24, 1876, the farm of 114 78 acres was sold to Geo. W. Heth at $65 per acre ; and April 1, 1870, the farm of 152.51 acres was sold to Jacob Clapper for $10, 140. In part payment of the former they took the house and lot on South street lately occupied by J. C. Merrell as a residence at $2,000. Nov. 15, 1$73, three acres of the Temple Hill Grove lot were conveyed by direction of the legislature to the Temple Hill Cem- etery Association for $800.
398
HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
including the cost of 221 new books added during the year, $295.97, were $1,045.25.
The Genesee Reading Rooms were established in 1866, by Mrs. William Wadsworth, who fitted up rooms in the Rorback Block, and contributes $200 annually towards their maintenance. Her son, Wm. Austin Wadsworth, contributes a like amount. An- nual subscriptions are also solicited for the same object.
The Livingston County High School, afterwards the Geneseo Academy .- On the Ist of June, 1826, several gentlemen residing in this county associated themselves "for the purpose of establishing in the village of Geneseo, upon a lot of two acres of land to be given for that purpose by Messrs. William and James Wadsworth, a Collegiate Institution on the Monitorial System," which was incorporated by the Legislature as the Livingston County High School," March 10, 1827, and by the Regents, Feb. 7, 1829. The incorporators were William and James Wadsworth, William and Daniel H. Fitzhugh, John H. Jones, Charles H. Carroll, Geo. Hosmer, James Faulkner, William H. Spencer, Philo C. Fuller, John Colt, Henry P. North, Leman Gibbs, Orlando Hastings, Augustus A. Bennett, William Finley, Moses Hayden and Jeremiah Riggs, of whom Henry P. North is the only one now living.
Soon after the incorporation a site was selected on "Temple Hill," and two commodious brick buildings erected by subscriptions, the walls of which remain the same, though the internal arrange- ments are different, and the buildings themselves are debased to mere tenements.
The name of the school was changed to the Geneseo Academy, May 13, 1846, and early in 1849 went under the care of the Synod of Buffalo. It was conducted under the auspices of the Pres- byterians of Western New York, until the over- shadowing influence of the State Normal School in Geneseo sapped its vitality. The academy is still the property of the Synod of Western New York, (Presbyterian.)
The Geneseo Normal and Training School was established in 1867, as The Wadsworth Normal and Training School, and its name changed by Act of the Legislature, March 15, 1871.
Soon after the passage of the Act (April 9, 1866,) authorizing the establishment of five additional Normal Schools in the State, Geneseo exerted herself to secure one of them. August 13, 1866, the village trustees were requested to inform the Commissioners charged with the duty of locating
them, that Geneseo would raise the necessary funds, not to exceed $45,000, exclusive of the site, which they would also furnish, to secure one of them. Col. Craig W. Wadsworth, Hon. Scott Lord, A. J. Abbot, Esq., and Col. John Rorback were appointed a committee to confer with the trustees and assist them in their correspondence with the Commissioners. August 14, 1866, the trustees directed the Clerk to forward to the Com- missioners a communication embodying the above proposition. Sept. 10, 1866, Col. Craig W. Wads- worth, was delegated to proceed to Albany and lay before Commissioners the claims of the village in this particular. Nov. 16, 1866, that gentleman, in conjunction with Lockwood L. Doty, Hons. Wm. H. Kelsey and Jacob A. Mead, and Gen. James Wood, Jr., were charged with a like mission and authorized to increase the offer previously made by $10,000 if necessary. But notwithstand- ing these vigorous exertions, the school, which at one time seemed likely to be established in Gen- eseo was located at Brockport, owing, it is alleged, to the bad faith of a certain official. This adverse decision created much dissatisfaction, so that, out of respect for the distinguished services of Gen. James S. Wadsworth and the generous spirit manifested by the family in aid of such a school, in 1867, the Legislature passed a special Act authorizing the establishment of one in Geneseo, to bear the family name of the Wadsworths. John Rorback, Lockwood L. Doty * and Craig W. Wadsworth were appointed a commission to pro- cure the ground and erect the building.
Sept. 24, 1867, a special town meeting was held, and by a vote of 321 to 176, $45,000 were appro- priated to aid in erecting and furnishing a normal and training school. At a special village meeting held June 8, 1868, it was resolved by a vote of 72 to 5, to raise by assessment on the real and per- sonal property of the village, in fifteen equal an- nual installments from March 1, 1868, $15,000 in aid of the same object. This action was taken pursuant to an Act of authorization passed by the Legislature May 5, 1868.
The site selected for the school contains 6.73 acres, for which the Commissioners paid $2,019. The building was erected in 1869; but the $60,000 thus far contributed was not sufficient to complete it. In 1870, the Wadsworth heirs con- tributed $10,000 in furtherance of this object.
The amount was still inadequate for the com-
* Mr. Doty resigned July 15, 1868, and James S. Orton was chosen his successor.
399
GENESEO VILLAGE-SCHOOLS, CHURCHES.
pletion of the building; and March 7, 1871, the electors of the town passed a resolution requesting the Senator from this District and Member of As- sembly from this County, "to procure the passage of a law by the Legislature, changing the name of ' The Wadsworth Normal and Training School' at Geneseo, to that of 'The Geneseo Normal and Training School ;'" and to request an appropria- tion of $20,000 for the purpose of completing the building. March 15, 1871, the desired change in name was made, and $18,000 which had been appropriated in 1870 for the maintenance of the school, was authorized to be applied to the com- pletion of the building and grading of the grounds and putting them in the condition required by law to be accepted by the State.
'The school was first opened Sept. 13, 1871, with Wmn. J. Milne as Principal and Professor of Moral Philosophy and Didactics.
In 1876-7 an addition, known as the As- sembly Room, was made on the north end of the original building at a cost of $25,000. Over the cloak rooms in front of the Assembly Room is a room which is used for instruction in drawing and painting. The basement of this addition is used for instruction in calisthenics. The buildings are three stories high, besides basement and attic. They are constructed of brick, heated with steam and lighted with gas. The buildings and grounds present a very ornate appearance. They occupy a lower terrace than the main part of the village, and lie between it and the river, whose beautiful valley presents a charming landscape from their rear. The grounds and buildings are valned at $106,000 ; the furniture, at $5,500 ; the library and apparatus, at $7,750.
The receipts of the school for the year ending Sept. 30, 1879 were :- State appropriation, $18,- 400.87 ; tuitions, $1,402.60; total, $19,803.47. The disbursements were $19,801.35. The atten- dance during the year was : - Normal Department, 312; Academic Department, 108; Intermediate Department, 156 ; Primary Department, 185; total, 761. The primary and intermediate departments are composed of village pupils, who receive instruc- tion from pupils practicing the principles of teach- ing. The number of graduates in 1879 was 29; the number from the organization of the school, 180.
Union Free School District No. 5, of Geneseo was organized Feb. 19, 1867, and the trustees-A. J. Abbott, Wm. A. Brodie, E. N. Bacon, James S. Orton, E. F. Curtiss, John O. Vanderbelt, John
Rorback and David O. Toole, met at the office of Col. John Rorback, Feb. 27, 1867, and organized as a Board of Education, by the election of A. J. Abbott, President, and Wm. A. Brodie, clerk. Wm. Walker was appointed treasurer and Alanson Ran- ger, collector. J. B. Gorham was employed as Principal.
The number of children of school age residing in the district Sept. 30, 1879, was 636, of whom I42 attended district school some portion of the year. The average daily attendance was 67 48-189. The number of volumes in the district library was about 624, the estimated value of which was $300. The school-house and site were each valued at $1,500. The assessed valuation of the taxable property in the district was $1,312,795. The num- ber of children between eight and fourteen years of age, residing in the district was 244.
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