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 34
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The Herald is the name of a newspaper published at Victor village, under the sole proprietorship of Wm. W. Gillis. The Herald is an in- dependent paper, devoted to the interests of the county in general and of Victor in particular. It is the only paper published between Canan- daigua and Rochester, or in northwestern Ontario county. The paper is in all respects a worthy and enterprising publication, and deservedly enjoys its large circulation and a good advertising patronage.
CHURCH HISTORY.
The pioneers of Victor were not wholly unmindful of the spiritual welfare of the community, and at a very early day provided for relig- ious instruction according to the New England custom. They first acted as a united people, and secured the services of a minister of the gospel to conduct services for the benefit of all the inhabitants, and a little later on (1804,) raised by contribution enough money to purchase a lot and build a meeting-house. This was known as the "Proprietors' Church," from the fact that nearly all the then land owners of the town contributed to its erection. At length, as the population increased, each denomination prepared to conduct services according to the rules of the church favored by it, hence withdrew from the use of the union edifice and built for themselves. In another part of this chapter will be found the names of the contributors to the Proprietors' Church.
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HISTORY OF ONTARIO COUNTY.
The First Presbyterian Church of Victor is the outgrowth of early meetings inaugurated by Rev. Reuben Parmele as early as 1798, al- though the life of the society from the time of its origin has been one of many vicissitudes. Mr. Parmele began holding Congregational meetings in 1798 at the request of the inhabitants of the town, and on the 10th of February, 1799, a society was organized with twenty mem- beis. In January, 1828, a majority of the members determined to adopt the Presbyterian form of church government, which resulted in a division of sentiment in the society. However, in 1832 the factions were reunited and an independent Congregational church was organ- ized, and was so conducted until March 8, 1858, when a Presbyterian government was adopted, and the "First Presbyterian Church of Victor" was formally organized, and thenceforth superseded the older society. The first church edifice of this society was built in 1837, at a cost of $3,500, and was substantially enlarged and repaired in 1844, and again in 1860. The parsonage was built in 1868. The pastors of this church since its original founding have been as follows: Reuben Parmele, Philander Parmele, Ebenezer Raymond, Jabez Spicer (supply), John Taylor (supply), Richard Kay, Jarius Wilcox (supply), Charles E. Fur- man, Charles Merwin, A. V. H. Powell, C. Waterbury, C. C. Carr, Wm. H. Webb, G. P. Nichols, Henry T. Miller, W. B. Marsh, Robert Ennis, Thomas E. Babb, C. W. Backus and Charles Noble Frost, the latter, the present pastor, having been installed in November, 1889. The church membership numbers 197 persons, and the Sunday school has 200 pupils.
The Methodist Episcopal Church .- The history of Methodism in Vic- tor dates back to the early years of the century, and to the primitive meetings occasionally held by Joseph Jewell, Amos Jenks and James Kelsey, which resulted in the formation of a class in 1807, followed by a permanent church organization. The first meetings were held at con- venient places, one of which, the Ladd school-house, was especially devoted to the use of the society.
In 1820 a small church edifice was built, and so far completed as to be dedicated in August, 1821, although it was not entirely finished until 1829. It was enlarged in 1832, and five years later the society purchased a parsonage. The large edifice superseded the old church in 1870, and was completed during the fol-
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lowing year, and dedicated June 15. The church has a present mem- bership of about 220 persons, a Sunday- school with 100 pupils, and is under the pastoral care of Rev. Richard W. Copeland.
The First United Universalist Society of Victor was organized by the compact signed by its members in 1834, although Universalist teaching and preaching was conducted in the town as early as 1825, under the ministerial labors of Wm. J. Reese. The early meetings were held in the M. E. and Proprietors' churches, the latter of which afterward be- came the property of the Universalist society, and was used by it until the erection and dedication of the large brick edifice in 1857. Univer- salism in Victor had a beginning as humble as any other of the town's institutions, but continued to grow and spread until it became one of the leading churches, both in members and influence. The pastors, in the order of succession, have been as follows: James Cook, S. W. Fuller, L. L. Saddler, Olin Ackley, Geo. W. Montgomery, Stephen Miles, Daniel R. Biddlecome, Kneeland Townsend, James Cook, J. R. John- son, Charles S. Skinner, Thos. Bartholomew, Thos. Whitcomb, W. W. Dean, Charles D. Fluhrer, Rev. Goodenough, Thomas Borden, Rev. Peck, Stephen H. Roblin, G. L. Leland and Charles Legal, the latter being the present pastor, who entered upon his duties July 1, 1891. The church has 100 members, and the Sunday-school about 125 pupils.
St. Patrick's Church at Victor was an out mission attached to Pal - myra, from 1850 to 1857, and was attended by Fathers Kilbride, Walsh and Casey. In 1857 East Bloomfield received a resident pastor, and Victor was made one of its out-missions, being attended during the next four years by Father P. Lee. In 1859 the church was built. Father Wm. Hughes succeeded Father Lee, and in 1882 the Victor church was given a resident pastor, the first being Rev. Angelo Lugero, who was the successor to Father Hughes. On October 20, 1888, Rev. J. J. Don- nelly was appointed pastor. In St. Patrick's parish are 170 families, numbering about 875 persons.
The Episcopal Church, or mission, at Victor village was erected in 1873, and named " Church of the Good Shepherd." It was consecrated in September, 1874. The parish has but few families and the church ever maintained a struggling existence. It has no regular rector, being supplied with occasional services by clergymen from other parishes.
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HISTORY OF ONTARIO COUNTY.
In an earlier part of this chapter we have referred to the early settle- ment in the locality where is now the little hamlet called East Victor, which was originally known as Scudderville. Among the villages of the town this place has acquired little importance, except in connection with early settlements to which we have referred. The New York Cen- tral road passes half a mile south of it, and the Lehigh Valley is still nearer, yet East Victor remains about the same in business importance. During the greater part of a century this has been a milling locality, but the present industry in that line is substantially confined to operations at the Winans Mills.
Fisher's Station we have also referred to, and to the early mills in the northwest part of the town. At the station at the present time the busi- ness interests are the grist and saw- mills of Kingsley Brownell, the gen- eral store of George E. Prosseus, and potato storage of C. W. Ford & Co., the latter an industry of much note.
Town Organization .- On the 26th of May, 1812, the town of Victor was formed from the still older town of Bloomfield, and in October fol- lowing the inhabitants held a meeting and determined to call their new formation " Victor," after and in honor of Claudius Victor Boughton, who had rendered great service to the people in the early events of the war then in progress. The first meeting of the freemen was held April 6, 1813, and these officers were elected: Supervisor, Jacob Lobdell ; town clerk, Eleazer Boughton ; assessors, Nathaniel Boughton, Ezra Wilmarth, and Sellick Boughton ; commissioners of highways, Ezekiel Scudder, Elisha Williams, Joseph Brace ; overseers of the poor, James Upton, Rufus Dryer ; constable and collector, Solomon Griswold ; poundmaster, Joseph Perkins.
Schools of Victor .- In 1790 the inhabitants of the Boughton Hill lo- cality built a school house, it being the first in the town. The East Victor neighborhood had a school before 1800, and District No. 8 had one in 1798. In due time the township was divided into districts and school accommodations were provided for each. There are now four- teen districts in the town, three of which (Nos. 11, 13 and 14) have no school-houses, hence are joint districts with others. The reports for the year 1892 inform us that the school census is 688 children, and that the value of school property is $21,650 ; that there are eight frame, one
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brick, and two stone school buildings; that seventeen teachers are em- ployed, to whom is paid annually $5,637.22, while the amount of school moneys received from all sources, for the year mentioned, was $9,- 504.80.
Succession of Supervisors-Jacob Lobdell, 1813-14; Andrew Colton, 1815; Jacob Lobdell, 1816-18; Jared Boughton, 1819-20 ; Jacob Lobdell, 1821 ; Eleazer Boughton, 1822-23; Samuel Rawson, 1824; Jacob Lobdell, 1825 ; Samuel Rawson, 1826-28 ; Nathan Jenks, 1829 -30; Orin Miller, 1831-33 ; Henry Pardee, 1834-35 ; Samuel Rawson, 1836; Jacob Lobdell, 1837 ; Samuel Rawson, 1838 ; Azariah Bickford, 1839; Henry Pardee, 1840; Joseph Rawson, 1841 ; Thomas Embry, 1842; Henry Pardee, 1843 ; Thomas Embry, 1844; Lauson Dewey, 1845 ; Wm. C. Dryer, 1846-48; Peter S. Bonested, 1849; Wm. Ball, 1850; Lauson Dewey, 1851 ; Levi B. Lobdell, 1852-53; William S. Clarke, 1854-56; Josiah Upton, 1857-58 ; Lauson Dewey, 1859-67 ; Wm. C. Dryer, 1868; James Walling, 1869-77; Gilbert Turner, 1878 -79; Bolivar Ellis, 1880-82; Marvin A. Wilbur, 1883-86; Stephen Van Vorhis, 1887; John Colmey, 1888-89; Wm. B. Osborne, 1890 -91 ; Willis D. Newton, 1892-93.
CHAPTER XX.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF NAPLES.
O N the 20th of March, 1789, the Phelps and Gorham proprietary conveyed by deed to certain representatives of a Massachusetts company, the tract of land now known as Naples, being township 7, in range 4, for the consideration of 1,056 pounds Massachusetts currency. However, there is a little history back of this apparently plain transac- tion which is worthy of narration. According to the records, written and traditionary, during the year 1789 (the true date is believed to have been 1788) a company of Massachusetts residents was formed for the purchase of a township of land in the Genesee country from Phelps and
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HISTORY OF ONTARIO COUNTY.
Gorham. For the purposes of the company, which numbered sixty persons, a committee of eleven was chosen, and the latter delegated their authority to a smaller committee, comprising Edward Kibbe, Na- than Watkins, and William Cady.
In September, 1789, the committee set out upon the journey to the Genesee country, and in three weeks arrived at Canandaigua. They at once visited Gen. Israel Chapin, who represented Phelps and Gorham, and informed him of the purpose of their presence, and by him they were directed to examine township 9, in range 2 (Gorham), which they did, and at once decided upon its purchase. However, before the ne- gotiations were completed, this town was purchased by an agent of a Dutchess county company, whereupon the committee of Yankees were referred to township 9, in range 5 (Richmond), with a request to ex- amine its lands. This being done, and the town proving satisfactory to the visitors, its purchase was agreed upon at the price of 1,056 pounds, but, either through error or design on the part of the grantors, the deed of conveyance described township 7, in range 4, which the grantees accepted. There does not appear any evidence to show that the grantors manifested any disposition to correct the error, wherefore the purchasers were at liberty to accept the township described or take none at all.
Notwithstanding the evident fraud practiced upon them, the purchas- ยท ers of the town accepted the situation, and at once made preparations to settle and improve the lands of the town. The pioneers of the town were Samuel, Reuben and Levi Parrish, who with their families started for the western country in January, 1790, and four weeks later reached the head of the lake, and thence proceeded to the site of the present village, where they built a small log-house. Soon afterward Levi Par- rish built a second house in the same locality. But the Parrishes were not altogether alone in this then wilderness region, as the Seneca In- dians were still in the neighborhood and watched the operations of the white pioneers with evident interest, but made no attempt to molest them. In April or May following other pioneers came to the town to the number of thirty, and among them were Capt Ephraim Cleveland, Colonel Wm. Clark, Nathan and William Watkins, John Johnson, Jona- than Lee, and their families. The newcomers built the third dwelling-
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house in the town, and during the summer Capt. Nathan Watkins built the fourth, Captain Cleveland the fifth, and Colonel Clark the sixth. In 1793 Captain Watkins built the first framed barn, and the honor of building the first framed house fell to pioneer Isaac Whitney, in 1794, Captain Watkins also was the pioneer hotel keeper in the town.
The persons and families mentioned above were the first settlers in the town, but they were soon afterward followed by others, whose names are also worthy of mention in these pages. Captain Edward Kibbe came in 1793; Dr. Thomas Maxwell in 1796; Otis Fuller in 1813. Mr. Sutton very appropriately arranges the names of early set- tles in Naples, from which we extract the following: In district No. I the pioneers were James Lee, Richard Hooker (1811), John Sibhart (1812). In district No. 2 were Wm. James, Asa Perry, Paul Grimes, Guy Hinckley and E. Stiles. In district No. 3 were Rev. Thomas Peek, John Powers and Seymour Gillett. In district No. 4 were Peter Whit- ney, Wm. Oakley, Amaziah Cornell, Nathan Tyler, Abijah Shaw and Israel Meads. In district No. 5 were Zacheus Barber, Oliver Tenney, Lemuel and John Barber, the latter in 1798. The settlers of No. 6 were Abraham Sutton (1811), John Sutton (1812) and Samuel Shaw, Jacob Dagget, Nathan Clark and Russell Parrish, all in 1812. In No. 7 the first settler was Aaron Hunt, who built the first grist- mill in the neigh- borhood. Others in this vicinity were Jacob Holdren, Jonas Belknap, Gail Washburn and Wm. Sullivan. In No. 8 were Stephen Garling- house, Jesse Peck, Mr. Tallman, Wm. West, sr., and Joseph Grant; of No. 9 were Isaac Whitney, Benj. Clark, Simon Lyon, Stephen Storey and Dr. Newcomb ; in No. 10 were Isaac Sutton, Thomas Blodget, John Blodget, Thos. Bentley, Wm. Bush, David Fletcher; in No. 11 were Alanson Lyon, Elisha Sutton, Chas. Wilcox, Bushnell Cleveland, Uriah Davids ; in No. 13, Deacon David Carrier, Pitts Parker, Ichabod Green, Samuel Stancliff, John Cronk, Ithamer Carrier and Michael Keith; in No. 15 were Reuben Parrish, Peabody Kinne, Robert Wiley, Nathan and Wm. Watkins, and the already mentioned Clark, Cleveland and Kibbe, John Johnson and Levi and Samuel Parrish; in No. 17 were John Hinckley, Nathan Goodell, Ami Baker, Joshua Lyon, Joseph Bat- tles, Hiram and Stephen Sayles.
One of the first duties which engaged the attention of the proprietors of this town was the proper survey of its lands and the division of the
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HISTORY OF ONTARIO COUNTY.
lots; and this seems not to have been done previous to 1793. The whole area was surveyed into 195 lots, each having 108 acres. Fif- teen of the best lots were first selected and each was divided into four parts, a total of sixty, one of which parts was allotted to each of the sixty original proprietors. Then followed a general drawing of lots, according to the established New England custom, and while many of the pioneers held their lots for their children, very large tracts were sold to speculators of the East.
In 1795 and '96 the inhabitants began the work of laying out and opening roads in various directions from the center of the town. Pre- vious to this time the chief thoroughfare of travel was to the head of the lake, thence down the same to whatever point was desired. The road to Rushville was surveyed in 1794; the Bristol road was partly constructed in 1795 ; the road to the Indian landing from Reuben Par- rish's was made in 1796.
Having referred at some length to the pioneer and early settlement of the town of Naples known as No. 7, in range four, attention may now be turned briefly to the early civil history of the same territory. As originally formed by the Court of Sessions in January, 1789, the district included all its present area, also all that is now Italy and part of Spring- water. The earliest name applied to this district was " Watkinstown," and so called in allusion to pioneer William Watkins. This naming is believed to have been done in January, 1788, at which time the terri- tory of the county was divided into districts; however, in 1785, the year in which the town was organized, Watkinstown was dropped and Middletown adopted in its stead. The next year, on April 5, the organ- ization of the town was made complete and town officers were then elected. The change of name to Naples was accomplished at a later date, on April 6, 1808. Italy was taken off in 1815, and a part of Springwater in 1816, and by these separate creations Naples was re- duced to its present area.
At the first town meeting above mentioned the following officers were elected : Supervisor, William Clark; town clerk, Joel Watkins ; asses- sors, Jabez Metcalf, Edward Kibbe and Edward Low; highway com- missioners, Nathan Watkins, Wm. Dunton and Elijah Clark ; poor mas- ters, Wm. Watkins, Ephraim Cleveland, Robert Wiley ; constable, Elisha
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Parrish ; pathmasters, Levi and Reuben Parrish, John Mower and Isaiah Post; fence viewers, John Johnson, Benjamin Hardin and Isaac Whitney ; poundmaster, Jabez Metcalf
The patriotic military spirit of the early settlers of Naples is shown in the fact that the town furnished a militia company for the frontier serv- ice during the War of 1812-15 ; and it is worthy of special remark that this is one of the few towns in which the roll of militiamen has been pre- served. The names are as follows : Elijah Clark, captain ; Joseph Clark, lieutenant ; and privates, Fisher Metcalf, Elias B. Kinne, Levi Watkins, Otis Pierce, Jonathan Pierce, Wm. Danton, - Kimball,
Matoon, Dodge, - Wheeler, John Cronk, Pitts Parker, Daniel Parker, Ichabod Lyon, Benj. Johnson, Edward Low, Jacob B. Sutton, Zelotus Sackett, Captain Wm. Watkins, Henry Porter, Robert Vickery, Ephraim W. Cleveland, John W. Hinckley, Amos Johnson, Amasa S. Tift, Loring Pottle ; sergeant, Lyman Hawes.
Equally honorable, also, was the record made by Naples soldiery dur- ing the war of 1861-65, in which the town is credited with having sent more than two hundred men into the service ; and many of them never returned. In memory of the faithful performance of their duty and of the specially brave deeds of many the generous town's people caused to be erected a memorial townhall, a building both useful and ornamental, in lieu of the customary soldiers' monument. Land was purchased in 1869, at the corner of Main and Monroe streets, and thereon at an ex- pense of several thousand dollars a large two- storied and basement brick building was erected. It was completed November 16, 1872.
The Village of Naples .- The history of Naples village is a part of the history of the town itself and with difficulty are the subjects separated. The pioneers of the township located within the limits of the village proper, and from this central point all subsequent operations were con- ducted. One of the first improvements which called for attention from the pioneers was the need of a water supply to furnish power for mills. To provide this the people made a united effort and constructed a race from " below the falls," by which mill sites and abundant power were afforded. On this stream pioneers Benj. Clark and Jabez Metcalf built the first saw-mill in the town. Reuben Parrish also built a saw-mill in 1796, at the " mouth of Parrish gulley," and in the same year Benj.
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HISTORY OF ONTARIO COUNTY.
Clark built a grist-mill where O. M. Woodruff's Ontario Mills now stand. Likewise Jason Goodrich built a cloth and carding mill, Paul Grimes built a woolen mill, and Perry Holcomb a fulling mill in the vicinity, all at an early day.
The pioneer tradesman of the settlement was a Holland Dutchman named Hesselgesser, who was noted for the large price rather than the extent of his wares. Later merchants were Warren Clark (also dis- tiller and owner of an ashery), Pardon T. Brownell, Robert Fleming and Calvin Luther. Paul Grimes was the proprietor of the first public house, and another early representative of the same business was Joseph Clark. Joshua Abbey was the village blacksmith, and Jabez Metcalf, Jason Goodrich, Oliver Tenney, Amaziah Cornish and Charles Wilcox were the first carpenters and joiners. The first distillers, in succession, were Reuben Parrish, Warren Clark and Zacheus Barber. Phineas P. Lee, son of Col. James Lee, is also said to have been the first white child born in the town, while the first death of which there is a record was that of the Seneca Indian, Kanesque, at the unusual age of one hundred years. Benjamin Clark married Thankful Watkins in 1795, and Susanna Parrish taught the first school, in 1792, which were also first events of this kind in the town.
Naples is the largest unincorporated village in Ontario county, and while the subject of incorporation has frequently been discussed the necessity for such action has not been apparent. In fact, between the inhabitants of the village and those of the town at large there has ever existed perfect friendliness, and neither seems inclined to oppose the projects of the other. The result is that the numerous public improve- ments, both in and outside the village, are paid for by the whole town. And in the matter of improvements there has been no backwardness on the part of Naples's people, for both village and town are far advanced in this respect as any locality of the county, and on every side the view of the interested visitor is rewarded with a general appearance of neat- ness and progress.
In 1890 the total population of the village and town was 2,455, more than one-half of which is within the village proper. The public prop- erties of the latter are four church buildings, the Memorial hall, the Union school, formerly the academy, and these added to the several
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TOWN OF NAPLES.
mercantile and manufacturing interests, and the many residences built along Main street on both sides of the business center, all combine to make Naples one of the most attractive villages in the county. Previous to 1892 communication with the outside localities and the county seat was had only by wagon travel and steamboat, but in the year men- tioned the Middlesex Valley Railroad was completed, thus affording rapid connection with the large villages of the region. This is a boon which the people of the town fully appreciate, as they have for many years paid interest on a large bonded indebtedness, created to aid the construction of the road, and for which they had previously received no return whatever.
The present business interests of Naples are not numerous, neither are they of great magnitude; but all are important and contribute to the prosperity of the town. There are three well- equipped flouring mills, known, respectively, as the Ontario Mills, O. M. Woodruff, prop. ; the Naples Mills, N. W. Clark, prop. ; and the mills of J. C. Morgan. E. A. Griswold is owner of a saw and planing mill and basket factory. J. H. Loveland has a planing and shingle mill and basket factory. Z. F. Knapp has a basket factory. W. B. Ensworth is the present pro- prietor of the knife factory.
The principal merchants in trade during the early spring of 1893 are the firm of Lewis Brothers and G. C. Dill, dry goods and general stores ; grocers C. G. Everitt, D. J. Doughty, C. M. Lyon, A. W. Durston, Mrs. E. R. Thornton, George Stoddard, the latter also dealing in drugs Storey Bros. are dealers in boots and shoes ; J C. Morgan is the druggist ; F. W. James, stationer and bookseller, also postmaster ; W. H. Tobey, merchant tailor and clothier; M. B. Reed, merchant tailor ; S. R. Sutton and Charles Peck, jewelers; O. W. La Valley and J. P. Richardson, harness makers and dealers ; E. Wells & Co. and Doo- little & Graham, hardware dealers; J. H. Tozer, furniture dealer ; Mrs. Tyler and Johnson & Stetson, milliners; E. E. Lafler and Rowland, meat markets. The hotels are the Naples House, M. Brown, prop., and the Luther House, S. S. Luther, prop.
The banking house of Hiram Maxfield was established in 1877, and it is no fulsome compliment to say that this is one of the safest and strongest private banking institutions of Ontario county.
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