History of Ontario Co., New York, Part 92

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An old-time resident of town was Oliver Mitchell, who took up his abode on lot 16, where now Mark A. Case resides, and there remained many years.

Rufus Whitmarsh was a settler from Dighton in 1806, upon lot 17. His old farm is now the property of N. W. Randall, who occupied a house whose main part was erected by Whitmarsh fifty-seven years ago. The office of justice of the peace was bestowed on Whitmarsh in 1810, and held by him till his death in 1831, at the age of sixty years.

The sons of Gamaliel Wilder, partaking of their father's spirit, looked through the public welfare to find their own prosperity. Jonas Wilder, some years after his arrival at Wilder's point, went out and located on lot 18, where E. H. Allen lives. He was made supervisor of the town, raised a large family, and died on the farm advanced in years. A similar record was that of his brother Joseph, who came out to Ontario in 1789, and afterwards took up the farm on lot 19, and now known as the William Packard place.

James Case came to Bristol about 1800, from Massachusetts, and located where D. M. Phillips lives, on lot 34. He raised a large family, most of whom have passed away. Two daughters, Mrs. Abner Reed and Mrs. Asa Jones, are resi- dents of the town. Two years subsequent to the settlement by James Case, John J. Case came to the same lot, and there engaged in clearing and farming. His townsmen elected him supervisor, and he received the appointment of justice of the peace. His old farm is now the property of Erastus Case, his son. Bil- lings T. Case, another son, is a resident of town.

Captain Alden Sears came from Massachusetts at an early day, and purchased that part of lot 36 now the farm of his grandson, D. C. Sears. He remained upon the place through life. Aaron Wheeler, purchasing and building in 1798 on the Dusenberry place, was an old neighbor to Mr. Sears, and was content to end his days upon the farm which he had cleared. A son resides in Michigan. A third settler on the lot in question was Samuel Torrence, who came from Con- necticut about 1800, and bought the farm now owned by Charles Waldron. A son, Sheldon Torrence, afterwards moved to Livingston county.

James Austin, also of Connecticut, came to South Bristol in 1790, and after- wards settled and worked the farm on lot 19 formerly owned by Artemus Briggs, and afterwards by Jesse Allen. Mr. Austin died far advanced in years. The farm is now occupied by Byron Tiffany.

Aaron Hicks was a pioneer of 1795, and took up his residence on the farm of lot 37, where now resides his great-granddaughter, Mrs. Seth Paul. Mr. Hicks followed the general and imperative custom of the day in the construction of a log dwelling, which was his home for years. He died on the farm.

As early as 1792, John Simmons, of Dighton, had begun improvements upon lot 38. Years went by, and, as he grew old, a large family reached maturity around him, one only of whom was a daughter. He died full of years, and is represented in the town by a grandchild, Mrs. B. Case.

John Kent located about 1797 on the lot 37, and his son Phineas is a promi- nent and enterprising townsman at present. Five years after the arrival of Mr. Simmons on lot 38, Seth Jones purchased and improved the land now the heritage of his grandson, Leonard Jones. Mr. Jones engaged in tavern-keeping at Baptist Hill in 1816, but the business is not followed by his son Elijah, who still resides in the town, at the age of fourscore. In the earliest settlement of this region, individuals and small parties came out to select their farms, put in a small patch of ground, and made some preparation for housing the family, which was brought

on in the spring. At a later period, it was found that the journey could be better made in winter, with sleds. William Francis chose the winter of 1800 to come west, and brought with him on the ox-aled his family and household goods. The place where Stephen Francis lives is the same as that which first knew careful tillage by his ancestor. A large family grew up on the farm and scattered. A son, Gilbert, is a resident of the town, and is well advanced in years.

: John Kent came out from New Jersey in 1795, on horseback. He was by trade a shoemaker, and cleared his land by hammering sole-leather and driving pegs for George Codding, paying for two days' chopping on his clearing upon his farm on lot 38 by each day's labor at the bench. He married Abigail Sears about the year 1797, and moved on the farm now owned by Mercy Barringer. Phineas Kent, born in 1805, is the only son living. He has served as sheriff, under- sheriff, and taken an active part in county affairs. Solomon Goodale came about 1802 to Bristol.' He was a veteran preacher in the Baptist. churches, and min- istered for over forty years in one place, where he remained till his death, which did not take place till but five years were lacking of a life-time numbering a cen- tury. At such an age, it may well be thought that, in view of religious and material growth noted along the pathway he had trod, he might have said, " Let thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen in verity what my soul desired."

In the early day, Mr. Goodale was an experienced surveyor. His first settle- ment was in Phelps, in 1795, to which he had come from Brookfield, Massachu- setts, where he was born in 1767. He was the first resident minister in Phelps, and preached in school and private houses. During his ministry his memoranda show that he married four hundred and fifty couples, and baptized over one thou- sand persons. He died November 7, 1862, in his ninety-sixth year. Luther Phillips, of Massachusetts, located in 1803, where Phineas Kent now resides. He was a shoemaker, and plied his trade in a small shop, which was the pioneer of its class in the hamlet now designated Baptist Hill. He died here, and his descendants went west. Several of the family were mutes. The earliest settler upon lot 39 was Job Gooding, in 1794. Four years later, two men became settlers upon the same tract,-Joshua Reed and Nathaniel Cudworth. The former plied his trade as a shoemaker, and died on his place; the latter located west of Baptist Hill, where his son Ezekiel lives, well advanced in years. Mr. Cudworth died in Farmington. One of the town's earliest settlers was Samuel Andrews, who, in 1791, settled upon the farm on lot 40, where his grandson, George Andrews, now owns. The pioneer passed his life on the farm. In 1795, Benjamin Andrews settled on the same lot. Descendants are residents of the town.

Zephaniah Gooding came to Bristol in 1798, and located on lot 41. Mr. Gooding, brother to Elnathan and William, lived on the place several years, and died in town. A daughter, Mrs. P. Kent, is a resident of Baptist Hill. About the year 1800, the northwest corner farm of the lot was settled by John Phillips, for many years a deacon in the Baptist church, and a life-resident in town. His son, B. Phillips, resides near the homestead. Thomas Gooding was another of an estimable family, which gave character to the early settlement. He came out from Massachusetts in 1802, and located where Mr. Briggs resides. Of a large family raised by him, but one, a daughter, survives, and resides in Michigan.

Lot 42 was first settled by David Simmons, in 1798. His land was the farm now owned by Albert Treat. Brothers named Ephraim, Simeon, Benjamin, Rich- mond, and Constance became residents of the town contemporary with him, and approved themselves reputable, industrious, and prosperous townsmen. David died here during the epidemic, which finds frequent historic mention as having prevailed throughout this country in 1813. . Eliakim Walker settled on the farm now owned and occupied by H. H. Marsh. He was a genuine back woods- man, and loved the forest and its associations. A log cabin, a small clearing for vegetables, contented him, and his chief enjoyment was hunting. The present, from the absence of a stimulus, is an age of decadence in rifle practice, but in that day a wonderful accuracy was acquired by constant use. Among the best shots, and an acknowledged Nimrod of the section, Walker brought down many a fine deer, and when his favorite game grew scarce and shy removed to the pine forests of Michigan, where he died.

Daniel Smith moved into the town about 1800, and purchased a farm of ample proportions from the west end of lot 43, where his son, P. S. Smith, resides. The pioneer died upon his place. A daughter married Seth Tubbs, and lives near the old homestead. A son, Stephen, lives in the town.

Tisdel Walker came about 1802, and bought land on lot 42, where Aaron S. Marble resides. He died young, leaving a small family, who have become resi- dents of the west.

The pioneer settler upon lot 44 was John Mason, of Massachusetts. He lo- cated in 1801, on the farm now owned by his son, Francis, whose son, Oscar, is at present county judge. Mr. Mason lived long in the town, and finally, as was the case of many another worthy citizen, was summoned away "to join the innu-

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merable caravan" moving ever and continuous to the pale realms of shadow and of rest. Sylvanus Jones and John Crandall came in about 1802. The former moved upon the then wild land now included in the property of Mrs. Simmons. He was a major in the military service, and exercised some influence in town affairs. At his death the place was sold, and his descendants moved west. Mr. Crandall's land joined Jones' on the same lot. He was a man of enterprise, as is shown by the facts that he kept a tavern for several years, and ran a four-horse stage at an early day. He died in town. Another of the pioneer settlers on this lot was Aser Jackson, who, in about 1803, made a purchase and settlement of the farm where J. F. Pool lives. Several of the family yet reside here. A brother, Elias, lived and died on the place now owned by H. P. Simmons.

Jere. Bowen, of Massachusetts, became a resident in 1800 on the Daniel Jack- son place, on lot 45. He had but a small farm.

Constant Simmons settled on lot 46, about 1803. His son, Henry P. Sim- mons, is an owner not only of the original homestead but of considerable addi- tional lands. ·

Benjamin Simmons, brother to Constant, lived near him, on lot 47. He was a justice of the peace, and a leading citizen of that day.

Asa Jones came in about the same time as his brother Sylvanus, from Massa- chusetts, and settled on lot 47. The farm partially cleared by him is now owned by F. Fitch. At his death he was buried on the farm.

Constant Simmons, cousin to him just mentioned, came to Bristol in about 1797, and located on lot 49, where at the present day John Johnson resides. He erected a log house, which in its day took precedence as the finest in town. A tavern was opened, and continued for several years. Father and children passed their lives in the town.

Philip Simmons located in 1805 on lot 50. He is remembered as a trader as well as farmer. He moved to Michigan, where he died and his family reside. His old farm is now owned by N. W. Thomas.

On lot 51 Captain Amos Barber was a settler in and subsequent to 1796. George Reed came about 1805, from the Bay State, and located on lot 52, where his son Seymour resides. He was an industrious farmer, and the present fields are the results of his early labors.

Contemporary with Mr. Reed, Ephraim Jones came upon a portion of lot. 53, where his son, A. G. Jones, now resides. He was an early militia colonel and an active man. His death took place some years since.

BRISTOL CENTRE.

Ephraim Wilder moved from his farm on lot 14, and located at the Centre about 1793. Here he put up a log house; later he built a one-story frame, which has since been enlarged, and is at present occupied by James Mckinney. Wilder bad both a distillery and a tavern for several years. Abijah Spencer was an early settler where Edward Gooding lives. Major Jones was an early resident of this locality, where John H. Crandall now lives.

The convenience of the settlers required a store nearer home, and for their ac- commodation Horace and Allen Hooker opened the pioneer store of the place, in the ball-room of Timothy Wilder's hotel. Mr. Bradbury was a subsequent store- keeper at that place. The Hookers received sufficient encouragement to warrant their erection of the large house now standing on the corner and used as a store. George Gooding succeeded the Hookers, and transformed the store to a tavern.

A man named Larnard Johnson was the early blacksmith, and had his shop near the Gardners' house.

A tannery was run south of the Centre, by Isaac Mason. He had continued an experience begun at Muttonville, farther down the creek. Abijah Warren ran a tannery west of the Congregational church at an early day. It was discon- tinned before the memory of the present oldest inhabitant. Warren went from the "Centre" to Muttonville, and there opened a tannery, and in connection car- ried on shoemaking.

Zanus Briggs was an early sattler near the cemetery, and was a life resident of the place. His children, who had grown up around him, moved west, where some at present reside. His oldest son was the well-known tavern-keeper west of Canan- daigua at an early day. Mr. Pool and Antony Low were former residents of the neighborhood. A man named Warrells was an early cabinet-maker north of the " Centre." His services were valuable, as the machinery of the present day was unknown, and the work was done by hand.

From time immemorial the various needs and inclinations of men have led to diversified pursuits. The growth of a partial necessity and supported by general nenge, distilleries were run by prominent and worthy citisens, and were abandoned when fostering influences gave way. To ward off disease and to enable men to do hard work, liquor was invoked to give its aid. The abuse of whisky, and not its use, was the cause of the ruin which it wrought. Abstinence is the present

safe ground taken by temperance advocates. In the early day a distillery was operated by E. Wolcott, on Mud creek. It stood on lot 1, north of the road near the bridge. Cyrus Wheeler and a man named Williams were subsequent distillers. John Sears and Benjamin Waldron were early tavern-keepers in " May Weed," one on each side of the road. A thriving business was done for some years. Ward Parks had a store in " May Weed" in the early day, and a store was con- tinued there for twenty-five years. David Niles was the owner and operator of a forge, and his shop was well patronized. Where now Daniel Sisson lives was the wagon-shop of Enoch Miner. He did a fair business for years.

Muttonville is a hamlet of Bristol, and derived its name from the establishment of a tallow-chandlery there, about 1845. Thirty thousand sheep have been slaughtered in a single year. Abijah Warren and Isaac Mason had tanneries for dressing the pelts. Asahel Gooding was the originator of this enterprise, which was continued for several years. The carcass was boiled and pressed to extract the tallow, which, with the pelts, was sold, and created a temporary lively business. There is nothing of business character done at the place now.

The first store in Baptist Hill was kept by a man named Hunt, in about the year 1810. His stock was kept in a small frame, which stood just west of the present store of Wheeler. Joel Park afterwards kept a store in the same building. Dr. Jacob Gillett sold goods in the same building afterwards, and at the same time practiced medicine. The first brick building in town was erected by Dr. Gillett. It has been destroyed by fire. The pioneer blacksmith at Bap- tist Hill was Aaron Van Orman. The shop stood north of the old Baptist church. A tavern kept by Luther Phillips was the pioneer of the hamlet, and among the first in the town. Of eight saw-mills, two remain. A few initials close this por- tion of our history. The first frame building was built and occupied as a store and tavern by Stephen Sisson. Its erection dates from 1793. The first death occurring after settlement had commenced was that of Miss McCrum. A school was started in Bristol as early as 1790, almost simultaneous with settlement ;. Thomas Hun was the teacher. The first saw-mill was that of Wilder, built in 1806, south of Bristol Centre, near the shop of William Doty. Other events of this character have been noted.

THE FIRST TOWN MEETING.

Gamaliel Wilder and George Codding had been appointed justices of the peace, and were superintendents of the first town meeting, held on April 4, 1797. The following officers were elected : William Gooding, supervisor; John Codding, town clerk ; Faunce Codding, Nathan Allen, and Nathaniel. Fisher, assessors; James Gooding, Jabes Hicks, and Moses Porter, commissioners of highways; Amos Barber, Nathan Allen, and Alden Sears, Jr., constables; George Codding, Jr., and Stephen Sisson, overseers of the poor; Peter Ganyard, Eleaser Hills, Theophilus Allen, Elnathan Gooding, John Simmons, and Amos Barber, overseers of highways; Aaron Rice, Ephraim Wilder, and Nathaniel Fisher, school com- missioners; and Amos Barber and Nathan Hatch, collectors. At this meeting it was voted to raise fifty dollars to defray town expenses.

CHURCH HISTORY.

The FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH of Bristol was organized in January, 1799. Public worship has begun with settlement. Professors of religion united with the church at East Bloomfield. In 1793, Rev. Zadoo Hunn, visiting west- ern New York, held meetings at different settlements, and finally met the Bristol settlers and preached to them. Rev. John Smith occasionally preached to them. The Rev. Seth Willisten had been sent out by New England churches to perfect church organization. He assisted Mr. Hunn to establish the church, with the fol- lowing membership : Isaac Hunn, George Codding, Sarah Codding, Ephraim and Lydia Wilder, Nathaniel and Hannah Fisher, Chauncey and Polly Allen, Marcius and Amerilus Marsh, William and Lydia Gooding, Samuel and Phobe Mallery, Selah Pitts, Mr. Foster, James Gooding, Alden Sears, and Thomas Vincent. Others soon joined the society from the families represented. In July following Rev. Joseph Grover visited the society, and preached to them as a missionary. He received a call to become their pastor, in October, and accepted. He came to the town with his family February 24, 1800, and was installed June 11. Mr. Grover performed pastoral duty about fourteen years, and having become incapaci- tated for service by infirmity, was relieved, on his own request, from preaching, but remained a nominal pastor till his death, July 11, 1826, aged eighty-three years.

In June, 1814, Rev. Esekiel Chapman began his labors with the church, and was installed colleague pastor October 13. The ordination sermon was preached by Rev. Griswold. Rev. Chapman remained pastor till March, 1820, when, at his own request, he was dismissed. A year or two passed without a regular

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pastor. Rev. Aaron C. Collins met with them frequently. Rev. Archy B. Laurence supplied the pulpit from May, 1822, for a brief interval. Other preachers were Revs. Edwin Bronson, Warren Day, and S. C. Brown. Ebenezer Raymond began his labors October, 1824, and continued as stated supply till 1830. In the spring of that year William P. Jackson began, and after a short time was succeeded by Edwin Bronson, and he by Rev. Bryson. Rev. Jackson was installed pastor February 19, 1834, and dissolved pastoral relation August 23, 1836. Rev. Eliphalet A. Platt continued his ministration till April, 1841. Rev. Hiram Harris, beginning April 25, 1841, closed in 1843. In the fall of 1843, Rev. E. C. Winchester preached to the society. He became their pastor, and so continued till March, 1846. In August, 1846, Rev. Timothy Stowe began his. ministration. He was followed, in April, 1850, by Rev. H. B. Pierpont, who preached one year .. The succession of pastorship is further shown as follows : Rev. Tyler, 1851; Rev. Lewis P. Frost, 1852-54; Rev. Silas C. Brown, one year; Rev. Jeremiah Woodruff, one year; Rev. Harry E. Woodcock, one year ; Rev. A. Spencer, May, 1858, to fall of 1859; Rev. Ezra Jones, October, 1859, till 1861; Rev. Milton Burtolph, from April, 1862, till same month, 1866; Rev. S. M. Day, 1867-69; Rev. Nathaniel T. Yeomans, 1869-74. In June, 1874, Rev. William Devey began, and still continues his pastoral charge over the church.

First deacons and succession have been George Codding, James Gooding, chosen 1803 ; Samuel Crosby, 1806; Marshus Marsh, 1815; Theodore Brown and Stephen A. Codding, 1832; J. Ingraham, 1837 ; Ezra Luther, 1838. David C. Sears was chosen May, 1872. In 1823 the church was in care of the Ontario presbytery ; in 1844 it withdrew, and joined the Ontario association of Congrega- tional churches. In 1804 it numbered seventy-eight members; in 1825, sixty-eight; in 1834, one hundred and fifty ; in 1836, one hundred and twenty-five. Revivals added extensively to the church, while wholesome discipline reduced the number to about thirty-five. Hotchkin says, " The first edifice exclusively for the wor- ship of God in the Genesee country was erected by this church. It was a log building, constructed of unhewn logs raised to a sufficient height to admit of a gallery, and furnished with a very plain desk and seats." It stood on lot 5, be- tween the lands of Faunce and George C. Codding. In the year 1811 it was decmed advisable to build a new meeting-house; it was finished in 1814, and on October 13 the dedicatory sermon was preached by Rev. E. Jackson. The dimen- sions are forty-five by fifty-two feet. A permanent sale of pews was made, and those below the gallery brought five thousand eight hundred and seventy-five dollars; gallery, nine hundred and ninety-nine dollars. Totul, six thousand eight hundred and seventy-four dollars. The latest death of original pew-owners was Artemus Briggs, of Richmond. The building, standing on ground (one and a half acres) donated by Anthony Low, was refitted in 1832, and again in 1846 was thoroughly repaired. The society has a parsonage, to which is attached a small lot of land. A Sabbath-school was organized about 1814, and has been sustained till the present. The church took strong anti-slavery ground in 1842, and bore a leading part in the cause of temperance from 1831.

The BAPTIST CHURCH of Bristol has experienced considerable transformation. Among the early settlers of Bloomfield and Bristol were individuals who had belonged to Baptist churches in New England. They held meetings, and deemed it advisable to form a church. A council was held June 13, 1799. Elder Daniel Irish was moderator, Solomon Goodale, clerk. A statement was made, and re- ceived with favor. A church was organized as the First Baptist Church in Bloomfield, with seventeen members, part of whom were from Bristol. . Preach- ing was done at residences by Elder Farnum and others. During 1803 . log meeting-house was built on land now owned by A. C. Hathaway, about one mile north of Baptist Hill. In February, 1805, the Bristol members requested a letter of fellowship and dismission for the purpose of organizing a church in that town. The request was granted.

The FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH of Bristol was organized February 7, 1805, with the following members : Elder S. Goodale; Jabez and Elizabeth Hicks; Asher and Esther Coburn; John and Mary Gregg; James and Betsey Case ; Jonathan Phillips; Simeon, Gamaliel, Lydia, Matilda, and Abigail Simmons; Aaron and Otis Hicks; Lydia Bowen; Betsey Boyd; John, Betsey, and Sallie Chapman ; Lucy and Jonathan Colburn ; Sally, William, Jr., and Rebecca Francis; Irena Dunmore; Hannah, Luther, and Priscilla Phillips; Luscomb and Polly Codding; Samuel and Esther Gorse; Delano Sears, Deborah Briggs, Polly McCromb, Lovina Reed, May Kimbel, Sally Bodden, and Phoebe and Margaret Crandall ; Rev. Solomon Goodale became their pastor, and held regular and stated meetings in different convenient localities. Numbers increased. The remaining members of the Bloomfield church joined them, and in 1807 the log meeting-house in Bloomfield was sold to Lyman Isbell. They now built a log church near the present site of the Universalist church. In a few years it was moved to a site just north of the present Baptist church. During 1812-14 the present church

edifice was erected, and has been from time to time repaired. In November, 1805, John Chapman, Jabez Hicks, and Jonathan Hicks were chosen deacons, and were ordained as such during the month following. In 1808, about forty members of this church, residents of Pittstown (Richmond), asked a letter of fellowship and dismission for the purpose of organizing a Baptist church in that town. The request was granted, and a church organized in May, 1808.

A SECOND BAPTIST CHURCH of Bristol was organized in 1821, from the first, with Elder Eli Haskell and twenty-four members. The elder met with this church and held meetings for a year or so, but so many moved west that the re- mainder reunited with the Fourth Baptist church. The oldest living member is Mrs. Lucy Hicks. The oldest male member now living in town is Gilbert Frances.

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History of Ontario Co., New York, Part 92

Author: Publication date: Publisher: Number of Pages: 391

Author:
Publication date:
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 391