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 35
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384
HISTORY OF ONTARIO COUNTY.
Naples has been the home of several newspaper publications, among which may be mentioned the Free Press, founded January 1, 1833, by Charles P. Waterman, and was continued about two years. The Nea- politan was started in 1840 by David Fairchild. In 1845 it was sold to - Phelps, who changed its title to the Naples Visitor, and soon afterward the paper suspended publication. The Naples Journal was published in 1853 by R. Denton. The Naples Record was started in January, 1870, by Mr. Deyo, who was its sole publisher and proprietor until February 1, 1873, when he sold a half interest to R. M. McJan- nett, who was a partner until July 1, 1877, when he sold to Mr. Deyo. October 1, 1878, Mr. Deyo leased the office to Miles A. Davis, who published the paper until November, 1879, at which time Mr. McJan- nett purchased and ran it until February 1, 1884. January 1, 1880, Mr. Deyo established the Neapolitan, which paper he continued to publish until February 1, 1884, at which time he purchased the Record of Mr. McJannett and consolidated the two papers under the name of Neapolitan Record. The paper continued under this name and man- agement until October 1, 1887, when it again changed hands, and the old name, Naples Record, was restored."
May 1, 1890, Rev. F. P. Leach, then pastor of the Baptist church, began the publication of an eight page church paper called the Naples Church Union. Mr. Leach continued its publication until he removed from town-January, 1891-when the publication ceased. The work on this paper was done in the Record office.
The Naples Academy was the outgrowth of an ineffectual attempt to form a Union school in 1858. Following the failure of the Union school enterprise, a subscription fund of $12,000 was raised in the village, and in 1860 the academy building was erected, the corner- stone being laid June 12, and the building soon afterward completed, with capacity to accommodate two hundred pupils. The first principal was M. M. Merrill, succeeded by Charles Jacobus, P. V. N. Myers, L. G. Thrall and others. In the course of time, however, the academy property was transferred to the Board of the Union School District, the latter including parts of three town districts Nos. 2, 9 and 15. The principal of the Union school is Burr W. Mosher.
While there has not been made any attempt to organize an elaborate fire department in the village, the enterprising citizens have provided a
385
TOWN OF NAPLES.
good serviceable engine, hose cart, truck, and an abundance of buckets. This equipment in the hands of interested residents and all working unitedly, has thus far proved equal to any emergency. The truck is in charge of " Morgan Hook and Ladder Company, No. I," an organ- ization which was incorporated June 22, 1885.
The church and religious history of Naples has an interest equal to its civil and political records, yet may be briefly narrated. The town now has three and possibly four active church societies, the fourth being St. Januarius Roman Catholic, which had it organization soon after 1880, but has had a resident pastor only a short time. Father Ege is the present incumbent. The church edifice stands on Tobey street, in the north part of the village. The other churches referred to are the Presbyterian, Methodist Episcopal and Baptist.
The present Presbyterian church and society of Naples are the out- growth of the still older Congregational society, the latter dating its history back to the pioneer days of the town. That indefatigable Chris- tian worker and organizer, Rev. Zadoc Hunn, conducted religious serv- ices in this town as early as 1792, but not until 1800 was there any formal organization. On February I of that year, Rev. Samuel Fuller completed the organization with these members : Nathan and Sarah Watkins, Edward and May Kibbe, Timothy Madden, Mary Clark, Mrs. Parrish, Samuel, Susanna, Mark and Lydia Watkins, Lemuel Barber and Martha Cleveland. Rev. Mr. Fishals preached for a time. Rev. Solomon Allen was the first regular pastor, installed December 15, 1803, and was followed in the same capacity by Revs. Silas Hubbard, Lyman Barrett, John C. 'Morgan, John Burbank, Mr. White, John C. Morgan, Henry Morgan, Mr. Everett, G. T. Everest, Mr. Roulette, F. S. Gaylord, B. F. Millard, Miles B. Gilston, W. L. Austin and B. F. Millard, the latter being the present pastor.
The first services were held in a log barn and afterward in the log school-house on the square. In 1823 the society began raising a fund for the erection of a church home, and in December, 1825, the edifice was completed and dedicated. However, during the course of its history this church changed its form of government and became Presbyterian. In 1850 a new edifice was built, but was burned in March, 1874. It was soon afterward replaced by the handsome structure now in use.
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386
HISTORY OF ONTARIO COUNTY.
This church has a membership of one hundred and fifty-one, and a Sun- day- school of two hundred and seventy pupils.
Methodist Episcopal services were first held in Naples as early as 1826, but not until several years later was a class formed and an organization effected. A church edifice was first erected for the society in 1851, at the corner of Vine and Main streets. From a small beginning this society has grown into one of the most numerous and influential in the region. Rev. E. G. Piper is the present pastor.
The Naples Baptist church was organized in 1843, yet as early as 1826 preaching service of this society was held in the town. After or- ganization the society purchased the Congregational edifice, and being thus provided the Baptist society became one of the permanent institu- tions of the town. Elder Cole, an aged Baptist minister, had much to do with the carly history of this society, and among others who followed him in pastoral work were David Olney, M. Tuttle, E. A. Hadley, H. Ingraham, Amos Chase, Edward Tozer, W. F. Purington, R. H. Tozer, S. J. Douglass and others. The present pastor is Rev. Eugene Anthony.
The Christian church of Naples is now a thing of the past, the society having forfeited its property and the same reverted to the general con- ference. The church in Naples was organized in 1826, the first meet- ings antedating that event by several years. The society transferred to the village and reorganized in 1842, and Rev. J. J. Brown was its first pastor at the latter place. The church edifice was built in 1845, and removed to its present location in 1875.
In the same connection mention may also be made of the Methodist Episcopal church and society at Garlinghouse in the township, of which D. A. Parcells is pastor ; of the Free Will Baptist church society, which is under charge of Rev. Lindsay, and of the Methodist Episcopal society at Hunt's Hollow, over which Rev. E. G. Piper exercises pastoral care.
The early school records of the town of Naples are indeed meagre, but well grounded tradition has it thatthe education of the youth of the town was begun very soon after the first settlement. The first frame school-house was built on "the square " in 1797, and here Isaac Blan- chard and Caleb Abernathy were first teachers. As the population increased the town was divided into school districts, and these have been changed from time to time to suit the convenience of the inhab-
387
TOWN OF FARMINGTON.
itants. At the present the town has sixteen districts, two of which, Nos. 12 and 16, have no school-house. In the town is a school population of seven hundred and forty-eight (census of 1892), and there are em- ployed thirty three teachers, at an annual expense of $5,380. In 1892 there was received from all sources school moneys to the amount of $7,243.46. The Union school building at Naples village is of brick, and all others in the town and village are of frame, and the total value of all school property is placed at $34,225.
CHAPTER XXI.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF FARMINGTON.
IN 1788, in pursuance of the authority conferred by the act creating - Ontario county, the Court of Sessions formed the townships now known respectively as Farmington and Manchester into one town, and to the same was given the name of Farmington. Of this, however, it must be said there is no present positive record to prove the foregoing assertion, but it is nevertheless an accepted fact. Within the territory of the original township, were numbers eleven in the second and third ranges, each containing presumably thirty-six square miles of land. In 1821 number eleven in the second range was separated from the mother town and organized under the name of Burt, but subsequently changed to Manchester.
The first township sold by the Phelps and Gorham proprietary was number eleven in the third range, and its purchasers were a company of Massachusetts citizens, then residing mainly in Berkshire county, who were members of the old and honored society of Friends, whose desire was to leave their former home and take up their abode in a then wild, uncultivated and almost unknown region called the Genesee country. The purchasers of number eleven were Nathan Comstock, Benjamin Russell, Abraham Lapham, Edmund Jenks, Jeremiah Brown, Ephraim Fish, Nathan Herendeen, Nathan Aldrich, Stephen Smith, Benjamin Rickerson, William Baker and Dr. Daniel Brown.
388
HISTORY OF ONTARIO COUNTY.
Nathan Comstock and Benjamin Russell appear to have been the leading spirits of this enterprise, as the conveyance of the town was made to them individually, and the lots were afterward chosen by draft, a New England custom, and agreeable to the results of the allotment the deeds were given. The purchase being completed pioneership at once began, the honor of being first settler falling to Nathan Comstock, and his sons Otis and Darius, and Robert Hathaway, all of whom, dur- ing the year 1789, came to the town, made a clearing and sowed a small field of wheat, built a cabin, and thus accomplished the first per- manent settlement in the town. Closely following this little party, however, came pioneer Nathan Aldrich, who brought seed for planting and sowing, but when winter approached all save Otis Comstock re- turned to their New England homes.
On the 14th of February, 1790, Nathan Comstock and his large fam- ily, accompanied by pioneers Nathan Aldrich and Isaac Hathaway set out upon their journey to the town, and on the next day Nathan Her- endeen and his family, comprising his son Welcome and his sons-in-law, Joshua Herrington and John McCumber, with their wives and children, likewise set out for the new country. These pioneers were united at Geneva, and from thence journeyed together to Farmington, which name was given in allusion to the town of Farmington in Connecticut.
Referring briefly to first events, we may note the fact that Nathan Comstock and his party built the first dwelling and made the first clear- ing of land. Nathan Aldrich is credited with building the second dwelling, while Nathan Herendeen followed as third in the same im - provement, and was first to raise a barn, this being in 1794. In 1790 a son was born to Joshua Herrington and wife. It was named "Wel- come," after its uncle, but the surname was afterward changed to Her- endeen. Otis Comstock and Huldah Freeman were married in 1792. Elijah Smith died in 1793. Jacob and Joseph Smith built the first grist-mill in 1793, and the first saw-mill in 1795. The first wheat was harvested in the town in 1790. In this connection we may state the claim to building the first barn by Annanias McMillan for Isaac Hath away in 1793. The grist- mill was built the same year by McMillan for the Smiths on Ganargwa Creek. The first physician was Dr. Stephen Aldridge.
389
TOWN OF FARMINGTON.
The greater part of the pioneers who are named above settled in the general southeast portion of the town, in what afterward became school district number one. In the same locality, and sufficiently early to be numbered among the early settlers, there came in 1790 John Payne, Jonathan Reed (the pioneer blacksmith), Samuel Mason (cabinet maker), John Dillon, Adam Nichols and Joseph Wells. Joseph Smith and James Fish started an ashery in this locality in 1793, and in 1800 Thomas Herendeen had a tannery in operation. In the region just west of that last mentioned Jacob Smith settled in 1791; Jonathan Smith in 1790, and at now unknown dates came Ichabod Brown, Abi- ather Power, George Jenks, John Young, Mr. Shotwell and Ebenezer Wells. In the southwest part of the town lived pioneers Isaac Hatha- way, from whom Hathaway's Corners took its name, Asa Wilmarth, who run an ashery, Levi Smith, Arthur Power, Moses Power, Robert Power, Eseck, Jesse and Willis Aldrich, and Samuel Cooper, were also early settlers in this locality. Levi Smith and William Dailey were in in the same neighborhood, though farther south. Still farther west along the town line, in 1793, Annanias McMillan built the pioneer mill for Jacob and Joseph Smith, and two years later a saw-mill was built in the same locality. Both were operated until about 1840. The Smith families came to this vicinity in 1791, and other early settlers were Jephtha Dillingham, Richard Thomas and David Smith.
In the west part of the town the earliest settlers were Jeremiah Brown, one of the original purchasers of the town tract, and near him were Gideon Grinnell, Peter Smith, and others named Harris and Pratt. In this general neighborhood also were David Brown, Otis Comstock, William Smith, David Gillis, Zurial Brown, Nicholas Brown, Hezekiah Lippett and others now forgotten. The settlers last mentioned were early residents of what was known as the Brownsville district, a locality which at an early day was of much note as a center of trade. In this vicinity David and Stephen Brown had a distillery and an ashery, while Stephen Brown and Elias Dennis started a carding and cloth mill. Other early manufacturers hereabouts were James Van Vleck, and the Haskinses, Amos, James and John. Reuben Smith was in trade, as also, later on, were Paul Richardson, Abner and Stephen Brown and Albert Nye. Peter Cline is remembered as an old tanner, and Otis
390
HISTORY OF ONTARIO COUNTY.
Brown a blacksmith. Joseph Jones made hats for the early settlers. The pioneer of Brownsville is said to have been David Gillis.
East of Brownsville was the pioneer abode of Dr. Stephen Aldrich, the first physician of the town, and in this district we may name as early occupants of the land Gideon Herendeen, Elisha Gardner, Turner Aldrich, Ebenezer Horton and others of later date. Here, too, was made an attempt to found a hamlet, for in the locality pioneers Talcott and Batty started an ashery in 1817 ; Reuben Hoyt built a tannery ; John Sheffield kept hotel; Augustus Bingham had a blacksmith shop, and other trades were also pursued in the neighborhood. In the north part of the town, about where the quiet little hamlet of Farmington or New Salem is situated, pioneer Nathan Comstock and his family made their first settlement. With him came his sons, Otis and Darius, also Robert Hathaway, and later on four other sons, Nathan, jr., Jared, Joseph and John, were added to the settlement. Otis Hathaway was the founder of the village and its first merchant. S. Pattison built the saw-mill on the creek. Other early settlers in this locality were Hugh Pound, Isaac Lapham, James Brooks and Benjamin Rickerson.
The central and eastern portions of Farmington were not settled as early as many other sections, the marshy character of the land at that time making them not specially desirable as a place of residence. These localities, however, had their pioneers, and among them we may mention John and Elijah Pound, Stephen Ackley, James Hoag, Calvin Whipple, Job Howland, Major Smith, Jonathan Archer, William Dillon, Pardon Arnold, George Smith and Ahez Aldrich. In the northeast part of the town Moses Power settled in 1798, and later on there came Isaac Price, Simpson and Benjamin Harvey, Peter Pratt, Lawrence Mc- Louth, Perez Antisdale, Samuel Rush, Benjamin Peters and others now forgotten.
In this connection the statement may be made that the foregoing brief mention of the pioneer families is not intended to be a sketch of each, for such notices are reserved for another department of this work. However, in recording the early history of the town, at least a passing notice is due to the pioneers, and for more detail of early and late fam- ilies the attention of the reader is directed to the personal and family sketches.
391
TOWN OF FARMINGTON.
From what has been stated in this chapter it will be seen that Farm- ington was settled generally as early as other towns of the county, and was accomplished as early as elsewhere. Prior to 1821 its civil history was associated with Manchester, although the general characteristics of the inhabitants were radically different, yet all were worthy, industrious and self- sacrificing people. The settlement of this town was completed about 1820, and Manchester was set off from it in 1821. From the year last mentioned to the present time there has been no material vari- ation in population, but there appears to have been less tendency toward vacating the town in favor of other localities than is noticeable in the history of the towns of the county generally. By referring to the census reports of each decade we may get a fair idea of the changes in population since 1830. In that year the population was 1,773 ; in 1840 was 2,122; in 1885 was 1,876; in 1860 was 1,858; in 1870 was 1,896; in 1880 was 1,978 ; in 1890 was 1,703.
As we have already stated, the original purchasers and pioneer set- tlers of Farmington were of the once extensive Society of Friends ; ear- nest, honest, faithful and patient Christians and workers, whose every- day walk in life was in full accord and keeping with their religious be- lief and teachings. From the time of their first settlement, beginning in 1790, the Friends held regular meeting services, and although wholly devoid of display or demonstrations of any sort, the members were none the less zealous or devoted. Ostentation was foreign to their character- istics and repugnant to their doctrines ; and it is a serious question whether these sturdy plodders were not the first settlers in the county to hold and conduct religious services, although the Friends themselves made no claim to this honor, as it did not become them to do so. When they came as pioneers to the Genesee country their action was disap- proved by the body of the Friends' society in the east, and being with- out consent and approbation, the emigrants were for a time cut off from the parent society ; but when, a few years later, representatives from the east made a visit to Ontario county and discovered the happiness and progress everywhere discernible in the Farmington colony, the er- rors and faults of the former separatists were condoned and forgiven, and the factions became united. Throughout several of the towns in this part of the State there dwelt families of the Friends, and by them
392
HISTORY OF ONTARIO COUNTY.
regular meetings were held at various places. In Macedon there were many families of the society ; in Farmington about thirty families, and in Palmyra about forty-five. In 1796 the first Friends' meeting- house was built of logs in the north part of Farmington, near the hamlet called New Salem. In December, 1803, the building was destroyed by fire, and in 1 804 was replaced with a larger building, of frame construction, but per- fectly plain in exterior and interior finish. The first speaker of the Friends in this town was pioneer Caleb McCumber, who died in 1850. From its first humble beginning the society increased in numbers, influence and usefulness for a period of about twenty- five years, when, in 1828, Elias Hicks, an able and eloquent speaker, was moved to so teach and preach sentiments not at all in harmony with previous usages, and the result was in a division in the society, a large number of the people flocking to the standard of the new doctrinal expounder, and thenceforth the se- ceders were called Hicksites, while those who remained faithful to their old allegiance at the same time became known by the name of Ortho- dox Friends. About the year 1816 the society had erected a new meeting house of greater proportions than the older structures, the build- ing committee comprising Darius Comstock, S. Pattison, Ira Lapham, Nathan Aldrich, and W. Herendeen. The Hicks tes took possession of the new building, and the Orthodox members returned to the old meeting house, still standing in the same vicinity. The committee charged with the erection of the meeting-house of 1804 was comprised of pioneers Nathan Herendeen, Caleb McCumber, Stephen Aldrich, John Sprague. Nathaniel Walker, Nathan Comstock, Hugh and David Pound, Isaac Wood, H. Arnold, and Jesse Aldrich.
In the course of time the house of meeting occupied by the Orthodox Friends was burned, and to replace it the members built a neat and commodious modern structure, the first services therein being held in June, 1876 In addition, it may be stated that another Friends' meet- ing-house was built in the southeast part of the town, between lots 21 and 22, in which preparative meetings were for many years con- ducted.
Having due regard for the educational and physical welfare of their children, the Friends established what has been called a Manual Labor School, in which the youth of the town might acquire necessary educa-
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TOWN OF FARMINGTON.
tion, and pay therefor in manual labor on the lands connected with the institution. On March 19, 1838, Daniel Robinson, Isaac Hathaway, and Asa Smith conveyed lands to the extent of 12. 14 acres to trustees Gideon Herendeen, Asa B. Smith, and John Ramsdell, in whom the management of the school was vested. It must be said, however, that notwithstanding the worthy character of the institution, it failed to pro- duce desired results, and therefore enjoyed not more than a brief ex- istence.
As must be seen from what is stated in this chapter, the majority of the early settlers and nearly all the pioneers of Farmington were Friends, and as such, possessing distinguishing traits and characteristics, they made their spiritual life a part of the temporal by erecting houses for meetings, and giving strict attention to attendance and discipline ; and although a century has passed since their work in the town began, the present generation of inhabitants seems to possess much of the old and worthy spirit of their ancestors, and still remain a majority in the town. However, many of the later of the early settlers were not of the Friends' religious convictions, and when their numbers became strong enough they established churches of their own denominations. As early as 1817 a Presbyterian society was organized in Farmington, under the fostering care of the Geneva Presbytery, but its members were few and it passed out of existence after about fifteen years of vicissitudes.
The Farmington Wesleyan Methodist Church and society was organ- ized January 12, 1846, and enjoyed a prosperous life of about forty years. The first trustees were Lewis Lumbard, Wm. Pound, Benjamin Haight, Wm. Plum, and Rufus Holbrook, and the first pastor was Thomas Burrows. The church edifice was built at New Salem, on prop- erty originally deeded to the trustees by Joseph C. Hathaway. The parsonage property was the gift of Miss Fanny Robson, and the ceme .. tery lot was deeded to the society by Benjamin Soule and wife. Not- withstanding these and other benefactions, the society was destined to dissolution, but not until within the last three years did it finally cease to exist. The church edifice was sold to the trustees representing Farm- ington Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, who took possession of the prop- erty in 1892.
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394
HISTORY OF ONTARIO COUNTY.
New Salem is the name of a small hamlet situated in the extreme north part of the town, in the locality where pioneer Nathan Comstock made the first improvement. The early settlers of this place and the various business enterprises established by them are sufficiently stated in a preceding paragraph, hence need no repetition here. The hamlet hardly retains its old importance, but the name " Pumpkin Hook," ap- plied in derision, still clings to it. The post-office name of the place is Farmington. Its present business interests comprise the stores of Mrs. A. E. Nichols and C. H. Betz, the latter being also postmaster. About half a mile west of the " Hook " is the grist. mill of Warren Young The Hicksite and Orthodox Friends' meeting-houses are about half a mile east of the hamlet.
The hamlet of West Farmington, as originally called, but Mertensia, as more recently known, is situated in the southwest part of the town, in school district No. 6, and has little importance, except as a station on the Central road, and the possession of one or two small stores.
Farmton is the name of a station on the Lehigh Valley road, and was established in 1892, on the completion of the road. Industries and interests it has not, and the possibilities of the future are not proper sub- jects for discussion here.
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