USA > New York > Ontario County > History of Ontario county, New York : with illustrations and family sketches of some of the prominent men and families > Part 27
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Trustees, classified with the dates of their election :
The Rt. Rev. The Bishop of Western New York, ex officio.
The Rev. The President of the college, ex officio.
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TOWN OF GENEVA.
1893 The Hon. James C. Smith, LL D.,
Canandaigua, 1855
The Rev. W. W. Battershall, D.D.,
Albany, 1879
The Hon. Sterling G. Hadley,
Waterloo, 1883
William J. Ashley, A.M.,
Rochester, 1883
1 894 The Rev. John Brainard, D.D.,
Auburn, 1888
The Rev. H. R. Lockwood, S.T.D.,
Syracuse,
1876
The Hon. James M. Smith, LL.D.,
Buffalo, 1884
The Hon. S. H. Hammond, D.C.L.,
Geneva,
1874
1895 P. N. Nicholas, A.M.,
Geneva,
1884
William B. Douglas, esq.,
Rochester, 1856
..
William H. Walker, esq.,
Buffalo,
1890
William H. De Lancey, A.M.,
New York,
1880
1896 The Rev. Morgan Dix, S.T.D., D.C.L., New York, 1863
Thomas McBlain, esq.,
Geneva, 1891
66 Arthur P. Rose, A.M.,
Geneva,
1871
.6 The Rev. Lewis Halsey, D.D.,
Oswego,
1891
1897 Douglas Merritt, esq.,
Rhinebeck,
1885
Alexander L. Chew, esq.,
Geneva, 1868
66
Arthur G. Yates, esq.,
Rochester,
1892
John McDonald, A.M.,
New York,
188 1
Douglas Merritt, esq., Rhinebeck, chairman ; P. N. Nicholas, A. M., Geneva, secretary, bursar and treasurer.
Geneva Medical College .- In 1834 an act of the Legislature author- ized a medical department in the college, and in 1836 the middle col- lege building was erected for the use of the medical faculty. In 1841 a new medical building was erected on the east side of Main street, and the middle building was thereupon devoted to the use of the literary department. The State contributed $15,000 towards the fund for the erection of the new medical building. The medical department of Ho- bart College was discontinued in 1872, and the building itself destroyed by fire in 1877. Its period of greatest prosperity was from 1840 to 1850; its total number of graduates, six hundred and thirty-two.
The De Lancey Divinity School .- In the year 1861 Bishop De Lancey called James Rankine to Geneva to assume charge and direction of a theological and training school which the bishop was then about to
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HISTORY OF ONTARIO COUNTY.
establish, and which was then to be known as the " Diocesan Training School of Western New York." However, in 1865 Bishop De Lancey died, and in honor of his splendid life and services, the name of this institution was changed to "The De Lancey Divinity School."
The confidence in Dr. Rankine which was shown by the bishop in calling him to the charge of this school was most worthily bestowed, for since its inception in 1861, there has been no change nor desire for change in its principalship. This silent though thorough institution attracts but little attention in the village, and only for the grand results here achieved, we would hardly know of its existence. Briefly stated, the object of the De Lancey Divinity School is to prepare for the sacred ministry and church work such persons as from age and pecu- liar circumstances cannot attend the general theological seminaries.
In 1836 relations were established with Hobart College by which the use of the facilities of the college, including the chapel and the library, and instruction from members of the College Faculty were se- cured to students connected with the Divinity School.
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF GENEVA BEFORE 1839.
The first public school law enacted by the Legislature of the State of New York was that of 1795, which simply provided for an annual ap- propriation of $50,000 for five years, apportioned at first to the several counties according to their representation in the Legislature, and later according to the number of assemblymen; to the towns according to taxable population, and to the school districts according to the number of days' instruction.1 It has already been pointed out that for the five years during which this act was operative, the freeholders of the town of Seneca annually elected commissioners of schools to receive the money apportioned under it The names of the first commissioners chosen by the town were James Rice, Oliver Whitmore and Phinehas Pierce, selected May 3, 1796. There are no records to show what action, if any, was taken by these commissioners or their successors in office under the act, or how much money was received by them. An inquiry addressed to the Department of Public Instruction at Albany has elicited the information that in the report of school returns to the
1 See N. Y. S. Educational Exhibit pamphlet, " The Schools of New York " (p. 30), Albany, 1893.
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TOWN OF GENEVA.
Legislature of 1798, no returns whatever were received from Ontario county, and that the appropriation for that year averaged one cent per day to a scholar. The official report of 1798, the only one made during the five years of the life of the act, was, however, confessedly incom- plete ; but even if it had contained a report from the town of Seneca, it could have shown little more than the number of schools in the town, and the number of children in school attendance, though official in- formation on these points would have been interesting and valuable, particularly in settlement of the question whether there was more than one school in Geneva at that early date.
In 1805 the common school fund was created by a legislative act, but no distribution of the annual revenues arising from that fund was made till 1815. Meanwhile, June 19, 1812, an act was passed by the Legis- lature which became the basis of the present common school system of the State of New York. Acting under this law, the freeholders of the town of Seneca at a special town meeting held September 29, 1813, at Powell's Hotel (the present Water Cure building), elected three com- missioners of common schools, viz .: Valentine Brother, Nathan Whit- ney, David Cook ; and six inspectors of common schools, viz. : Seth Whitmore, Joseph Hart, Foster Sinclair, Caleb Rice, Polydore B. Wis- ner, John Collins. Unfortunately there are no records either in Geneva or in Albany to show when the original division of the town of Seneca into school districts was made, or what the boundaries of the school dis- tricts as first organized were. The first report of the first superinten- dent of common schools, the Hon. Gideon Hawley, merely shows that out of thirty towns in Ontario county, twenty-four, representing one hundred and eighty seven school districts, reported, no town being especially mentioned. The report further shows that the school districts reporting received for the year from the State $3,873.92, and that the attendance of pupils was ten thousand six hundred and ninety -eight. Whether the town of Seneca reported, and what its report was, must remain matters of conjecture.
In 1839, when the Union School of Geneva was formed, the corporate limits of the village comprised two school districts, Nos. I and 19. The difference in the district numbers seems to indicate that in the original division of the town of Seneca into school districts, the village of Ge-
300
HISTORY OF ONTARIO COUNTY.
neva was made district No. I, and that at a later date a second school district, No. 19, was set off within the village limits. This view is strongly supported, if not confirmed, by the language of a document bearing date January 15, 1822, in which the trustees of the Geneva Academy present the old academy building to "The Trustees of the District School in the village of Geneva "-language incompatible with the theory that there were then two district schools in the village. School district No. 19 must have been created, however, only a few months later, for the census of Geneva the same year enumerates two district schools
No records exist to show that teachers taught in these district schools or what buildings the schools were kept in; but tradition and inci- dental references to the schools in old newspapers and documents have preserved to us not a little information on these points A petition ad- dressed to the trustees of Geneva Academy under date of September 27, 1821, speaks of " the District School " as being then kept in their building. Later, as is well known, district school No. I was kept on Geneva street, and district school No. 19 on Pulteney street. Of the earlier district school teachers, the names most frequently mentioned by the older inhabitants, are those of Peter B. Hard, J. Brown, and D W. Keeler.
The Union School of Geneva was the pioneer institution of the kind in the State, and its plan was first suggested by Francis Dwight, who submitted the proposition to Charles A. Cook, Perez Hastings and Aaron Young. The proposed system being at length submitted to the taxpayers, met with much opposition, but the advocates of the measure finally overcame all obstacles and established for Geneva a grand union school which afterward served as a foundation for many other similar institutions throughout the State On the 24th of April, 1839, School District No. I of the town of Seneca was formed from the older Districts Nos. I and 19, which comprised the village corporation. The sum of $3,600 was voted by the district with which a site on Milton street was purchased and a suitable school building erected. It was completed in 1839, had four rooms and accommodations for 300 pupils. At first five teachers were employed, Isaac Swift being the first principal.
In 1842 an addition to the building was erected, being the east wing, and in 1853 a further addition was made to the building, the west wing ;
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TOWN OF GENEVA.
also in the last mentioned year three branch schools were established in the village, known as the North and South branches and the Colored School. The Middle Branch, on Lewis street, was erected in 1854. In 1891 the Prospect avenue branch school building was erected at an expense of $9,000. The instruction of colored students in a separate building was abolished in 1863.
In 1853, by an act of the Legislature passed April 15, the Geneva Union School was incorporated and authorized to establish and main- tain a classical department, and also to instruct a normal class under the supervision and control of the State Board of Regents. On March 16, 1869, its corporate title was changed to "The Geneva Classical and Union School." Of its history Mrs. Bradford says : "It has fitted many young men for college, many for teachers, and has sent abroad many more to occupy places of trust and honor. As it was the first institution of its kind in its organization, so now it is one of the first in moral and intellectual improvements."
On the 17th of December, 1868, the academy building on Milton street was destroyed by fire, and with it was also burned a large quan- tity of valuable school apparatus, books, pictures and other desirable property. Immediately following the fire, measures for rebuilding were adopted, and the work was done during the years 1869 and '70, the building being ready for occupancy in October of the year last men- tioned. The new building was erected on the site of its predecessor, and cost, with furnishings, about $42,000. Extensive repairs and im- provements have recently been made, and in particular in the summer of 1892 an extension to the south two stories in height was erected at an expense of $10,000, with ample accommodations for a chapel on the first floor and a laboratory and additional lecture rooms on the second.
The trustees of Districts I and 19, at the time of consolidation in 1839, were as follows: No. I, Aaron Young, Wm. W. Green and S. S, Green ; of No. 2, Clark Morrison and Wm. Barker. The first trustees of Consolidated District No. I were Bowen Whiting, Richard Hogarth and Francis Dwight.
The public schools of Geneva at the present time comprise the High School and Senior, also the East and West Junior Departments on Milton street; and the Primary schools on Lewis, Cortland and High
302
HISTORY OF ONTARIO COUNTY.
streets and Prospect avenue. The present Board of Education is as follows: M. S. Sandford, Philip N. Nicholas, Samuel D. Willard, Arthur P. Rose and Chas. R. Mellen.
The first principal was Isaac Swift, 1839 to 1852 ; J. E. Dexter, 1852 to 1855 ; E. M. Hutchins, 1855 to 1857; B I. Bristol, 1857 to 1859 ; Wm H. Vrooman (principal and superintendent) 1859 to 1879; Henry K. Clapp, 1879 to 1889; Geo. W. Pye, 1889 to 1890; W. H. Trues- dale, principal from August, 1890, to August, 1891, since which time he has filled the offices of principal and superintendent.
St. Francis De Sales, Catholic.1- In connection with this church is a parochial free school, erected 1874, and opened for school purposes September, 1875; taught by the Sisters of St. Joseph ; cost $17,000, furniture included. The Catholic children of the village are gathered in this school and there are 543 scholars enrolled, the average attendance being 470. The St. Francis De Sales Convent and school are in charge of the Sisters of St. Joseph. The property on which the church, con- vent and school is situated comprises the entire block fronting on Ex - change street, between State and Toledo, and in the rear by Center street. The St. Francis De Sales Society is incorporated under the laws of the State of New York. The pupils of this school pursue a thorough graded course of studies and take the Regents' examinations, in which, as the records show, the most of them receive the honor mark for high standing. All expenses of the school are met by the voluntary contributions of the parishioners, who at the same time are taxed to educate the children of their wealthier neighbors.
The De Lancey School for Girls .- Thirty- seven years ago the Misses Bridge opened a select school in Geneva, in the house on Main street now occupied as a residence by George W. Nicholas, and at a later date removed to the dwelling on the same street now occupied by Mrs. E. H. Hurd About the year 1868 the Misses Bridge left Geneva for a time, but returned about 1878 and in 1880 established the present De Lancey School, using for a time the George W. Nicholas house, then buying the Admiral Craven property, also on Main street. Here the school was continued until 1890 under the care of the Misses Bridge. At this time the present principal, Miss M. S. Smart, suc-
Furnished by the Rt. Rev. Father McDonald.
303
TOWN OF GENEVA.
ceeded to the school, and in 1891 secured for its use the " Foot Place." The school was incorporated in 1888. It has six instructors, an aver- age of forty pupils, and is under the religious instruction of the Protes- tant Episcopal church.
In addition to the educational institutions already described as at present existing in Geneva, there are two excellent schools of primary grade, the one kept by Miss Gray, successor to the Quincy School ; the other by Miss Smith.
The Geneva Lyceum .- This once notable institution was founded in 1831 by Rev. Miles P. Squier, D. D., its purpose being "to prepare young men to enter higher literary institutions, and especially to fur- nish facilities for pious young men who are contemplating the gospel ministry to lay a broad and solid foundation in the various fundamental branches of learning, for subsequent higher attainments."
The Lyceum buildings were erected in the west part of the village, the funds therefor being raised among the generous people of the region, upon the personal application of Dr. Squier. Although not intended to be specially denominational, the Lyceum was generally recognized as having Presbyterian leanings, a statement which finds confirmation in the fact that Mr. Squier offered the buildings and grounds to the Synod of Geneva ("on terms every way advantageous ") for the pur- pose of founding a college. The offer was seriously discussed for a time, but at lengthi was abandoned, after which the Lyceum passed out of existence about the year 1842.
The Walnut . Hill School, an institution designed for the especial work of educating boys, was established in 1852 and was located at the south end of Main street, on the site now in part occupied by the resi- dence of Wm. J. King. Of the history of this once popular school, but little reliable data is obtainable, though it is known that the course of study was thorough and the discipline excellent. During most of its career its principal was Rev. Dr. T. C. Reed, who was assisted by three competent teachers. The school was discontinued in 1875.
Other schools famous in their day were Mr. Eddy's, the opposition school when the Geneva Academy was reorganized in 1821; William Kirkland's, 1828-18351; Walter T. Taylor's, 18351-1852; Professor
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HISTORY OF ONTARIO COUNTY.
David Prentice's, 1850-1855; Geneva Grammar school, 1866-1870 ; Geneva Academy, 1869-1873; Quincy school, 1879-1891; and for girls, Mrs. Plum's, 18221-18251; Mrs. Aikin's, 1823-18271; Geneva Female Seminary, Mrs. Ricord, principal, 1829-1842; Geneva Female Institute, Mr. Chapin, principal, 1846-1849; Mrs. Titus's, 18491- 18551; The Misses Field's, 1856-1873; Mrs. Bradford's, 1862-1868 ; Mrs. Hopkins's, 1868-1872; The Misses Black's, 1873-1880.
In the earlier time notable primary schools were kept by Mrs. Young, Miss Lowthrop, Miss Lewis and Miss Martha Tillinghast.
CHURCHES OF GENEVA.
The First Presbyterian Church .- On the 16th of July, 1798, a meet- ing of citizens was held at the Geneva Hotel for the purpose of organ- izing a church or religious society in the village of Geneva. By a plurality of votes the following persons were elected trustees by the name and style of "The Trustees of the Presbyterian Church of Geneva," to wit: Oliver Whitmore, Elijah Wilder, Septimus Evans, Ezra Patterson, Samuel Latta, William Smith, jr., and Polydore B. Wisner. The first elders were Oliver Whitmore and Elijah Wilder. The organization was accomplished largely through the efforts and under the direction of Rev. Jedediah Chapman, who was the first pas- tor of the society.
The first church edifice was erected in 1809, and was succeeded by another of larger proportions and more iniposing appearance, built in 1839. In 1877 the present large and attractive edifice was built. The church property consists of the main edifice at the corner of the Park and Washington street, a large session-room building standing just north of the church, and a pastor's residence on Washington street in rear of the church.
The First Church now has 420 enrolled communicants and a Sun- day school of about 325 pupils. The present church and society officers are Arthur Hammond, Frank O. Kent, William H. Smith, William H. Dobbin, David H. Henry, Edw. B. Richardson, Solomon E. Smith, Eli A. Bronson, Isaac L. Seely and Lucius Van Slycke,
1 This date is perhaps not absolutely accurate.
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TOWN OF GENEVA.
elders ; John L. Bennett, M S Sandford, George Travis, F. S. Bron - son, James N. Kipp, David H. Patty, Charles H. Darrow, Henry W. Foster and Thomas E. Rippey, deacons ; D. H. Patty, T. J. Skelton, William H. Vrooman, Joseph S. Lewis, David H. Henry, Eli A. Bron- son, and Solomon E. Smith, trustees.
The succession of pastors has been as follows : Jedediah Chapman, 1800-1812 ; Henry Axtell, 1812-29; Eliakim Phelps, 1830-35 ; Philip C. Hay, 1836-46 ; William Hogarth, 1847-56; Hubbard Winslow, D.D., 1857-59; A. Augustus. Wood, D.D., 1860-73 ; Henry A. Nelson, D.D., 1874-85 ; Halsey B. Stevenson, 1887-89; William W. Weller, 1890.
The North Presbyterian Church of Geneva was formed by a union of the members of the United Presbyterian Church with the Bethel Society of Geneva. The latter was an organization of faithful mis- sionary workers whose field of labor lay especially among the boat- men of the lake and canal and with others who had no fixed church house. By this society a chapel was erected on Exchange street, north of the railroad, and here the meetings were held until the union mentioned was formed. The Bethel Society was organized in 1839, and in 1866 began to maintain preaching in their chapel. Soon after the year last mentioned the members of the United or Scotch Presby- terian Society proposed a union with the Bethel members, which, being accepted, the former secured a dismissal from its connection and asked for admission to the Presbytery of Geneva, which was granted Novem- ber 1, 1870. The result was the organization of the "Second Pres- byterian Church of Geneva," and which afterward became known as the North Presbyterian Church.
The early meetings were held in the Scotch Church edifice, and in 1876 the large and elegant stone edifice was erected at the corner of Genesee and Lewis streets. Its cost was nearly $40,000, about one- half of which was contributed by Thompson C., Henry E., and Joshua I. Maxwell.
The North Church numbers 430 members, with 500 pupils in the Sunday school. The elders of the society are John Mackay, James S. Sears, Thompson C. Maxwell, Stephen W. Hopkins, Theo. S. Hub- bard, Charles K. Scoon, John H. Daniels, E. M. Maynard, and George X. Smith. The deacons are John P. Vail, E. B. Van Houghton, Will-
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HISTORY OF ONTARIO COUNTY.
iam M. Gates, C. W. Haviland, Charles H. Webster, Harry J. Loy, Watson E. Stubbs, Frank P. Skuse, and E M. Maynard.
The first pastoral supply was Henry P. Collin, 1870-71, succeeded by stated supply Alfred C. Roe, the latter remaining two years. Dr. William Hogarth was called to the pastorate in July, 1873, and installed in November. He remained thirteen years and was followed in 1886 by Paul Van Dyke, who retired in 1888, and was succeeded by the present pastor, Rev. Dr. Ninian B. Remick, the pastorate of the latter beginning in 1890.
Trinity Church. - The parish and society of Trinity Church were organized on the 18th of August, 1806, by former members of the Protestant Episcopal Church of older places. The incorporators were John Nicholas, Daniel W. Lewis, James Rees, James Reynolds, David Nagle, Robert W. Stoddard, John Collins, Robert S. Rose, Samuel Colt, Ralph T. Wood, Richard Hughes, William Hortsen, Thomas Wilbur, Richard M. Bailey, William Tappan, Levi Stephen, Thomas Wood, Richard Lazelere and Thomas Smith. The first wardens were John Nicholas and Daniel W. Lewis, and the vestrymen Samuel Sheckel, John Collins, Robert S. Rose, Richard Hughes, Ralph T. Wood, David Nagle, James Rees and Thomas Powell.
Although the parish and church were not organized until 1806, still earlier services were held, beginning in 1803, under the missionary labors of Rev. Benjamin Phelps, who afterward became the first rector, and who baptized seven children in 1805. The early services were held in the district school-house, and in 1809 the Trinity parish was provided with a church -house. This edifice served the purpose of the society for a period of thirty- six years, and in 1842 the erection of the present splendid edifice was begun, the work being finished in 1844. It was consecrated by Bishop De Lancey August 15, 1844. The edi- fice has been occasionally repaired, and some improvements have also been made to it, and it stands to day, notwithstanding its age, one of the finest of the many beautiful church edifices of Geneva.
Trinity has 560 communicants, and its Sunday school has 227 pupils. The present wardens are Alexander L. Chew and James P. Mellen ; vestrymen, O. J. C. Rose, Henry Slosson, S. H. Hammond, Samuel Southworth, H. Dennison, P. N. Nicholas, Thomas Smith.
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TOWN OF GENEVA.
The succession of rectors has been as follows: Davenport Phelps, missionary and rector from 1803 to June 27, 1813; Orrin Clark, Au- gust 17, 1814, to 1828 ; Richard S. Mason, D.D., July 6, 1828, to April 26, 1830; Nathaniel F. Bruce, August 4, 1831, to July, 1835 ; Pierre P Irving, October 26, 1836, as deacon, and as rector May 27, 1837, to 1843; Samuel Cook, D. D., 1843 to 1845; John Henry Hobart, D. D., 1845 to 1847. William Henry Augustus Bissell, D.D., next succeeded to the rectorate as the successor of Dr. Hobart, and was himself succeeded by William Stevens Perry, D.D., LL.D. The next rector of Trinity was Rev. Dr. Henry W. Nelson, whose first ser- vice in the church began on Thanksgiving Day, 1876.
St. Peter's Church .-- The Rt. Rev. William Heathcoate De Lancey was elected bishop of the Diocese of Western New York in 1838, and in the next year moved to Geneva. He retained a residence in the village until the time of his death, April 5, 1865, and in honor of his life and good works in the mission field and church, St. Peter's was founded and organized as his memorial. As early as 1850 Bishop De Lancey began missionary work in Geneva and soon established a pros- perous mission in the north part of the village. In 1852 he began holding services in a small chapel on Genesee street, and becoming owner of the building, he named it St. Peter's in honor of his old par- ish church at Philadelphia, in which he was advanced to the Episco- pate. In 1861 the bishop called Dr. James Rankine to Geneva to assume charge of the Theological Training School, and the latter soon found himself also engaged in the mission work, holding full Sunday service in the chapel. However, it was not until 1867, two years after the death of Bishop De Lancey, that St. Peter's parish and church were organized. The chapel was replaced with a large and elegant stone edifice, the funds therefor being raised by voluntary contribution, and the chief actor in accomplishing all that was done was Dr. Rankine. The church was begun in 1868, and was consecrated May 10, 1870. The tower was built in 1878. The first rector was Dr. James Rankine, who has filled that office until the present time, with the exception of about one year, during which he was president of Hobart College. In this interval Dr. Maunsell Van Rensselaer was rector of St. Peter's.
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