USA > New York > Seneca County > History of Seneca Co., New York, with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, palatial residences, public building and important manufactories > Part 42
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Of secret societies the village has full representation. Of Masons, there is the Salem Town Chapter, No. 173, at whose first meeting, under dispensation, John Morse was High-Priest; James McLean, King; E. G. Tyler, Secretary. The following members were present : S. S. Van Sickle, Daniel L. Kendig, William Loundshury, L. T. Moore, Charles A. Whartenby, John Basset, A. G. Goffe, and R. Addison. The society organized June 2, 1860. The first charter was dated February 7, 1871. The present Higli-Priest is J. R. Littlejohn ; King, J. W. Beebe; and Secretary, S. B. Hopkins. The present membership is sixty-two.
Pocahontas Lodge, No. 211, was originally organized about 1851. The lodge-room and papers were destroyed by fire on January 16, 1869. The present officers are William Walker, M. ; W. Frank Hoster, S. W .; Andrew H. Ked- dell, J. W .; Moses Rumsey, T .; and A. W. Newton, S. The present member- ship is one hundred and forty. The Knights of Pythias, the Rechabites,-Camp and Tent,-the Grand Army of the Republic, are noted in County history. On August 13, 1828, a meeting was held to form a society to promote temperance. The association was called the "Seneca Falls Society for the Promotion of Ten- perance." Of the officers were: Luther F. Stevens, President; Linnaeus P. Nobles, Vice-President ; and Uriah H. Dunning, Secretary.
The Village Schools of Seneca Falls have not until recently assumed that rank commensurate with other evidences of progress. The want of proper accommo- dations resulting in crowding large numbers in limited space is a bar against efficiency. In the spring of 1832 Colonel Mynderse donated a lot for an academy. A company was formed, and subscriptions were taken to erect a building. The work was done, and Cotton M. Crittendon, the first principal, commenced teaching. Miss Lueretia Wilson was his assistant. The academy was incorporated in 1837. Colonel Mynderse, at his death, made a bequest to the academy of two thousand dollars. On December 21, 1838, the number of students attending was fifty-nine. It long continued to prosper, and furnished good instruction to many now active in public life. We have earlier spoken of schools as erude and elementary. The frame then alluded to was moved away and used as a dwelling, while upon its site, just west of the academy, the brick known as the Union School was ereeted. Lot Ilam- ilton was the first teacher in the old (then new) building, in 1817. About 1830, Lewis Bixby opened what was termed the " Franklin Institute," on Bridge Street, on the site of the Saekett Block. Mr. Bixby was a graduate, a good scholar, and taught the various academical branches; later he went to Cayuga, where he erceted a building, which he used as a boarding-academy and as a reaidenee. About 1833 a school-house was built on William Street, just west of Bridge, in South Seneca Falls. This old briek is remembered as the place where the meetings of the " Washingtonians" were primarily held. A brick house was erected in the Fourth Ward, on the site of the present building; it became old, dingy, and unfitted for use, and on August 2, 1868, was burned by an ineendiary, and the way opened for improvement. By an Aet passed by the Legislature on April 16, 1867, a single educational distriet was formed from Districts 1, 2, 3, and 8 of Seneca Falls. The first Board of Education was formed of seven members, namely : Josiah T. Miller, President ; Simeon Holton, B. B. Boardman, Gilbert Wil- coxeb, John Cuddeback, Oliver S. Latham, and William Beary, Village Presi- dents. The trustees of the academy were authorized to rent the building to the school trustees for the sum of three hundred dollars annually, on condition of their maintaining therein a classical and academical department. The building has been rented since that time, and it is now desired to purchase the property of the academy, and upon the site erect a suitable high-school building. The days of academies are of the system of the past, and this fact being recog- nized, the village will before long do itself justice in bringing school edifices to a
par with its ehnrehes. A report being called for, gave this result : No. I school, J. N. Hammond, Principal, with four assistants, had enrolled three hundred and seventeen ; average attendance, two hundred and forty-five ; seats for two hundred and thirty. No. 2, taught by Frances Carl and Hattie Eastman, enrolled two hundred and twelve; average, one hundred and twenty-five, and seats for one hundred and six. No. 3, Fanny Facer ; a small school ; wages four dollars per week. No. 8, Mrs. M. L. Barrett and two assistants; roll, one hundred and seventy ; average, one hundred and twenty-four. The vestry of the Baptist church was seeured and used for a school, as was also the building used by the Adventists.
On September 4, 1868, four thousand dollars, in bonds, were authorized and issued to build a new house in the Fourth Ward. The work was finished, and the house ocenpied in the spring of 1869. The Third Ward now took in hand the erection of a school-house, and constructed a fine building at a cost of over eleven thousand dollars. It was completed and occupied in April of 1871. Additional frame structures have been huilt: one in Rumseyville, in 1872; another on Clinton Street, in 1873. These new houses have been supplied with the latest and best styles of improved furniture. The statistics of 1875 give the total receipts and previous balance at seventeen thousand eight hundred and thirty-five dollars and thirty-seven cents; expenditures, fourteen thousand two hundred and sixteen dollars and seventy-two cents; teachers' wages, eight thousand seven hun- dred and thirty-two dollars and seven eents; balance, three thousand six hundred and eighteen dollars and sixty-five cents. The President of the School Board is J. M. Guion; J. N. Hammond is Superintendent and Secretary. The Principals of schools are: Ezra B. Faneher, of the Academy; Jennie M. Wieks, of the First and Second Wards; J. D. Avery, of the Third Ward, and N. L. Benham, of the Fourth Ward. Mr. Avery is an old and experienced instructor, aud full thirty years in the past was identified with school-teaching in this village. The entire number of teachers now employed is twenty-three. The number of pupils that attended school was one thousand six hundred and seventy-five. The.number of school age in the village is two thousand and thirty-one. The schools are reported in good condition, and ably managed. The Catholic School in South Seneca Falls is expected to open in the fidl, within the fine structure now (1876) in process of erection. The County School Report gives the number of licensed teachers, employed at the same time, for the year ending September 30, 1875, in the town of Seneca Falls, as twenty-eight; number of school children, two thousand three hundred and twenty-seven. Total number of teachers licensed during the year, thirty-three; of whom six were males and twenty-seven females. Total attending during the year, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-four. The number of volumes in the District Library is one thousand five hundred and ten, arranged in six cases, and valued at one thousand one hundred and seventy-three dollars.
The town contains thirteen school-houses; four of these are framed, and nine are of brick. School-house sites are valued at four thousand six hundred and fifty dol- lars. The value of school-houses and sites is twenty-three thousand six hundred and fifty dollars. The assessed valuation of taxable property in the town ia two million one hundred and fifty-seven thousand and sixty-five dollars. The text- books in use are of the hest and most approved character. Teachers are qualified, and there is a fair field for a full realization in this locality of all the advantages claimed by the advocates of the free school system. The cost ineurred by State education of its youth is elaimed by some to exceed its necessity; while others fully indorse the whole.
IHISTORY OF THE CHURCHES.
THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH was organized in the frame baru of Colonel Daniel Sayre, on August 10, 1807, by the Rev. Jedediah Chapman, of Geneva, as the "First Presbyterian Church of Junius." Ruling elders were ordained, likewise deacons, and seventeen members enrolled. Rev. John Stuart was installed pastor on August 20, 1808, followed by Rev. C. Mosier and Rev. Shipley Wells. Rev. T. M. Wheelock preached from 1815 to 1818, when Rev. William Bacon occupied the pulpit till 1822. Rev. A. G. Orton commenced his pastorate of this church in 1823, and labored acceptably with the society for twelve years. Orton's successor, in 1835, was Rev. William Gray, who filled the pastorate till October, 1838, when Rev. Aaron Judson 'filled the pulpit about eighteen months. Rev. H. L. Vail sueeceded Mr. Judson in 1840, and preached acceptably to the church till the spring of 1843, when the services of Rev. H. P. Bogue were made avail- able io lahors for this' society till 1849. Rev. Alexander McCall began his ministration September 2, 1849, and conelnded it in May, 1851. Rev. Josiah Hopkins entered next upon his work in this church on May 18, 1851, and was followed by Charles Ray, who officiated from May 6, 1855, till June, 1836. William J. Jennings began his pastorate on November 4. 1857, and finished the same May 1. 1862. Dr. A. D. Eddy came to this church, in September, 1862, and remained with it till October, 1864, and was succeeded, in October, 1865, by
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HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
Rev. Josephus D. Krum, who has been remarkably efficient, and remains the pastor at this time. There have occurred vacancies of months between terms of pastorate. These have been filled by Professors of the Theological Seminary, of whom the most prominent were Matthew I. Perrine, D.D., Jonathan Condit, D.D., Josiah Hopkins, D.D., and Edwin Hall, D.D. This church and congrega- tion had for years occupied a school-house as a place of worship. This house stood a few rods south of the present beautiful shrine of publie worship. In the year 1817 a meeting-house was built by the society, and dedicated on September 17. It stood on the ground occupied by the present church edifice, and was a frame structure, with steeple. It was sold in 1842 to Gill & Allport, and by. them removed to State Street, where it has been known as " Concert Hall," and is now used by Mr. Sanderson, undertaker. It was succeeded by a new brick building, which stood thirty years, and finally, in the march of improvement, was torn down in 1871, to give place to the present handsome structure, which is the third the society have erected on the same lot, which was a donation by Colonel Mynderse for this special purpose, made at an early date in village history. The first church was built by Jacob Hovey and Jabez Stark ; the second by William Latham, and the third by Ruel Taylor. The corner-stone of the present church was laid September 12, 1871, under direction of Rev. J. D. Krunr. and finished in 1873. This edifice is built in modern English-Gothic style, of pressed brick, and eut stone arches. The front is flanked by a large and a small tower, the large tower being one hundred and sixty-six feet in height, and the small tower ninety fect. The entrances, in these towers, open into a spacious vestibule, from which are stairs to the basement, to the auditorium, and gallery across the front. The front presents a Gothie gable, with corbeted coping and beam tracery corresponding with the interior roof-work. In the tympanum of this gable is an elegant rose window, thirteen feet in diameter, filled with intricate tracery. The flanks accord with the front, the walls being pierced with deeply recessed windows ornamented with stained glass. The basement includes the session-room, forty-two by fifty-seven feet ; two parlors, twenty-four by twenty-eight feet each ; kitchen, forteen by eighteen feet ; furnace cellar, fourteen by thirty-one feet, all twelve feet high. The auditorinm is fifty-seven by eighty-four feet. twenty-four feet high at the sides. the whole being covered with an open, timber, Gothic roof, finished with ash. showing the timbers of the roof richly moulded and filled with tracery. The apse is recessed and finished with a grained ceiling of ash, and the walls are richly frescoed. The gallery and choir in front is well arranged, and the pastor's study is placed in the tower, on the same floor. Pews are of neat design and comfortable, and effectual agencies are employed for heating. ventilation, and lighting. While securing to themselves a spacious and valuable place of worship, the Presbyterians, the oldest religious body in the village, have likewise added a noble monument to the liberality of the citizens and the Christian morality of the village of Seneca Falls.
THE BAPTIST CHURCH of Seneca Falls dates existence from 1828. A Bap- tist society was organized in the school-house on South Park Street, June 5. 1828, with ten members, namely : Abner and Elizabeth Cary, Harris Usher, L. P. and Harriet Noble, Polly Wheeler, Charlotte Long, who is the sole survivor at the age of seventy-seven, and resides one and a half miles out on the Blackbrook Road, Phoebe and Mary Ann Cross, and Huldal Silsby. Deacon Abner Carey was Chairman, and L. P. Nohle, Clerk. It was resolved to be exqu client to form a con- ference preparatory to being constituted a church. On June 28, Orsamus Allen, a licentiate, was received as a member. August 28, Articles of Faith and the Cov- enant were adopted. October 8, a council of delegates from the churches of Mentz, Aurelius, Springport, Junius, Ovid, Romulus, Geneva, Lodi, Scipio, and East Romulus, nineteen in number, met at the village of Seneca Falls. After due deliberation as to the necessity of a Baptist association in the place, it was resolved, " That, in our opinion, their members and abilities are sufficient to justify their constitution as a church, and that they have our fellowship as a gospel church." Orsamus Allen was ordained as pastor. The ordination services were held in the Presbyterian church. Shortly after the removal of Mr. Allen to this place, he built a house on Bayard Street, later owned by John McCurdy. The first cove- nant meeting of the church was held October 28, 1828. The first baptism in the church was that of Nelson Payne, on the same day. Meetings were held on Saturday, and no Sabbath meetings were held until March 27, 1830. January 1, 1832, the pastor addressed the church in behalf of the Burmah Missions, and twenty-seven dollars' collection was raised and paid over to Ansel Shay, Treasurer of the Baptist Foreign Missionary Society. In 1832, Rev. John I. Latham be- came pastor of the church, and O. Allen went to Gorliam. Elder Henry C. Fogel became pastor in 1833. During his term, Harris Usher, John King, James Rus- sell, and David Lightbody were appointed and constituted the first deacons, and L. P. Noble, the first clerk. Elder Jeffers was the next pastor, by whom in 1837 sixty were baptized. The same number were baptized by L. Freeman in 1838. The society had now one hundred and seventy-two members, and a Sabbath-school attended by three hundred scholars. In 1841, the continued prosperity of the
church is evinced by the baptism of fifty-nine persons. Politics entered the church in 1842, and a resolution was adopted excluding pro-slavery ministers from the pulpit. Rev. N. Baker was in charge during this year. Elder Pinney, who had served this church in 1841, returned in 1843. The subject of the Second Advent engrossed attention, and the minister changing his views to Millerism, led with him a portion of the church. The faction, small in number, hold reso- lutely together and incet weekly. The church, staggered by the secession, main- tained existence, and gradually began to recover under the three-year terms of H. H. Hoff; Elder Leggett, who elosed his labors in 1853; I. B. Pitman, Ira Smith, Henry Harter, and William Race, served from 1862 till 1867. Succeeded by Ira Bennett and B. F. Garfield, each three years brings the record to W. R. Wright, the present pastor, who began here in 1873, and is the seventeenth pastor since organization. The statistics of the society are tabled in County history; it. remains only to refer to places and houses of worship. The First Baptist Church was a frame structure, built in 1829, and stood in South Seneca Falls, on the back end of the lot on which the present building is situated. When ready to build a new, the old house was sold to Albert Jewett, who moved it down by his woolen- factory by the canal and put it to use as a barn. In 1869 the society made creditable exertion, and succeeded in completing the brick edifice standing on the: corner of Bayard and Centre Streets. The dedication services took place on March .4, 1869. The dedication sermon was preached in the morning by Rev. Mr. May- nard, of Auburn ; afternoon address by the Rev. J. B. Smith, of Geneva, and evening by Rev. Mr. Pettingill, of Palmyra ..
. THE TRINITY. EPISCOPAL SOCIETY was organized January 13, 1831, "at a meeting held at the Franklin Institute," in the building on Cayuga Street, later occupied as the printing-office of the Seneca Farmer and Reveille. On motion of' Gary V. Sackett, it was resolved that the meeting proceed to take legal measures. for incorporation, and to elect church-wardens and vestrymen. The Rev. Reuben Hubbard, who was present, and chairman of the meeting, was selected as Rector ; Lewis Rixby and John Isaacs, Church-wardens; Gary V. Sackett, Samuel Payne, John Morgan, Senter M. Giddings, Anthony Dey, George E. Freeman, Stephen B. Gay, and Chauney F. Marshall, Vestrymen. A certificate of these proceed- ings was drawn up, signed by R. Hubbard, Abner N. Beardsley, and Stephen S. Viele, and recorded, March 25, 1831, in the office of the County Clerk. The pioneer meetings of the society were held in the school-room of Mr. Bixby, in Mechanics' Hall. On Saturday, April 7, 1831, the Rev. Bishop Ouderdonk, of the Diocese of Western New York, administered the rite of confirmation, for which purpose service was held at the Baptist church. On the 6th of March, 1832, Rev. Renben Hubbard closed his labors as rector of the parish ; and, soon after, Rev. Seth Davis began to supply the pulpit, preaching one sermon each Sunday. He was succeeded by Rev. Jesse Pound, on July 13, 1833. Mr. Pound resigned on April 22, 1835. Rev. Robert Campbell, receiving and ac- cepting a call, remained with the church from February 22, 1836, till the 1st of October following. A week later, Rev. Henry Tullidge became rector, and offici- ated as such from October 9, 1836, to January 9, 1839. Rev. Charles G. Ackly. next followed, commencing June 3, 1839, and continuing till August 19, 1844, when the Rev. Benjamin Franklin accepted a call, and began his labors with tho church. Ill health caused his resignation, which was accepted, and the Rev. Rufus Murrey entered on a term which continued from July 28, 1845, till Sep- tember 10, 1849, when he resigned. Rev. Malcolm Douglass served as rector two years. Then Rev. Charles Woodward entered on his reetorship in the Trinity Church on December 23, 1851, and resigned May 1, 1855. The Rev. John M. Guion, D.D., of Connecticut, was ordained a rector in 1830, came west as chap- lain of Auburn prison, where he received an invitation to address the Trinity Society at Seneca Falls. He accepted, was invited to remain, and did so. Mr. Guiou continued rector of the church from May, 1855, till May, 1876, when he retired, and the Rev. Warren C. IInbbard, who had been ordained in the spring of 1874, and for two years officiated as assistant minister, entered on the rector- ship, and is the present ineumbent. John Fitch, one of the oldest villagers, became vestryman in 1835, was elected senior warden in 1844, and has held the office down to the present time. Au organ was purchased in 1836 from Freeman Brooks, of Waterloo. A new organ was bought on April 7, 1856, from Henry Eibeu, of New York City, the price being equal to one thousand dollars. The first organist, with the new instrument, was Emma Schell. A good bell was obtained in 1832. At a vestry meeting, held in January, 1833, it was resolved to build a church edifice, and the committee appointed to secure a location pur- chased a lot for five hundred dollars from Ansel Baseom. It was first resolved to build a stone church, but this was rescinded, and it was decided to build a stone basement and a wood superstructure. The corner-stone was laid on the 18th of. November, A.D. 1833, the Rev. Jesse Pouud officiating, assisted by Rev. J. C. Rudd, D.D. The mason was Asa Miller; the architect, Peleg T. Marshall. The. building committee were A. Dey, A. Bartlett, Jr., J. Isaacs, and J. Sheather ..
PLATE XLIII
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CAYUGA ST.SENECA FALLS. N.Y.
RES. OF SENATOR WILLIAM JOHNSON,
PLATE XLIV
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HON, WILLIAM JOHNSON.
WILLIAM JOHNSON was ciceoly identified with the material interesta of Seneca Falla and Seneca County for a quarter of a century. To a high degros poseessed of attractive qualities, and well informed upon practical questiona, he was in favor with all classes, and io public capacitias was highly honored. He was of English descent, aod the son of David and Olive S. Johnson. The place of hia na- tivity is Williamstown, Berkshire County, Mass. While yet a child hin parecia moved to New York, and settled at Frankfort, Herkimer Coonty. The father, dying, left the mother and a family of children in poverty. In May, 1820, at the age of nine, he left home to work at farmiog, attended the district winter schools, and at fourteen attempted to galo a knowledge of mercantile routine, and entered upon a study of mechanics. At twenty-five he came west and be- came a resident of Seneca Falls. He became a contractor upon the canal, and from 1849 to 1856 way recognized as a leading canal and rallroad man. Later, he engaged io woolen manufacture, which business was cootioued till 1862. Dependent on himself, he had early formed lodoatrious habits, which secured to him an iodepoo- dence. He was a practical, self-made man. His political career be- gan in the fall of 1860, when he was elected Member of Assembly from @obeca Conoty, and quickly gained prominence among leading members of that hody. He was a life-long Democrat, and attasted hy valuable services his love of conotry. He was appointed, io 1862, a member of the War Committee for Senecs County, hy Governor Morgan, and actively engaged in recruiting for tha army. Later, the War Committee selected him to the command of Camp Swift, and the choice was confirmed by the Governor, and authority given him to raise a regiment. At a sacrifice the offer was accepted ; business at Seneca Falle waa closed up io one day, and on the next he was fond at the camp in command. Io sixteen days a regiment
of lofaotry-the One Hundred and Forty-eighth New York-wss recruited, moetered into service of the United States, and ready for transportation to the front. Io two weeks the regiment was on the way to the field with a complement of twelve hundred men.
In the fall of 1871, Mr. Johnson was pat in nomination for Sen- ator, io the Twenty-sixth District, comprising Ontario, Seueca, and Yates Conoties. Io a minority, hy party vote, of fifteen hnodred, hia popularity is showo by his election hy pearly a thousand ma- fority. As a soldier, he is remembered an always regardful of the Welfare of his meu, and as a Senator, he vigilantly attended to the loteraste of his constitueota. A flueot and ahle speaker, he exerted no alight lofloence among his fellow-senators. He was on the Stand- jag Committees on Manufacturas aod Canals, aod was Chairman of the Special Committee appoiotad to iovsstigate the charges against William M. Tweed. The record of Mr. Johoson was so satisfactory duriog bia first term, that he was re-Dominated noanimously aod by acclamation for a second. A closely-cooteated canvasa followed, and he was returned to the Senato by a handsome majority over his Republican opponent. He was placed upon the Committeea on Ca- Dale, Mauofactures, and the Militia. Senator Joboaco married, lo 1855, the daughter of Hou. Jacob P. Chamberlalo, and at the time of his death was a resident of Seneca Falls. Hia illness was brief, and his death occurred on October 11, 1875. He left behind him. two sona, to cheer their corrowing mother. At his funeral, many distinguished visitors were present. The Savioga Bank of which he was President was draped in mourning, and at the Island Worka busigaas was suspended. The outline of his career reveals the eio- mente of anccess, whether engaged io mannfacture, the construction of a railroad or canal, encouraging enlistment, advocating on the Senate-floor measures of public utility, or among friends and io ao- ciety. Mr. Johoson was always found courteous, caroest, and con- slateot, and at his decease Seneca County lost a valuable citizen, and the country an ardant patriot.
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