History of Steuben county, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 118

Author: Clayton, W. W. (W. Woodford)
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia, Lewis, Peck & co.
Number of Pages: 826

USA > New York > Steuben County > History of Steuben county, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 118

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Myers, Martin J., private, 86th Ill. Inf .; enl. Oct. 8, 1864.

Mack, Willuun Jefferson, qm .- sergt., 2d Vet. Cav., Co. G; enl. Sept. 1863, three years; died of sickness, at Baton Rouge, Ang. 16, 1864.

Benedict, George II., capt., 2d Pa. Inf .; en]. Oct. 1862; died Nov. 11, 1864, at Andersonville.

Prentice, Martin S., private, 141st Iof. ; enl. Aug. 21, 1862 ; Kalarama Ilospital, D. C., Dec. 9, 1864

Schoonover, Thomas, private, 141st Inf., Co. G; en). Aug. 21, 1862, three years ; wounded at battle of Peach-Tree Creek ; died at Atlanta, July 22, 1864.

Cummings, Daniel, private, 107th Inf .; enl. Ang. 4, 1862; died in hospital at Aquia Creek.

Ilurd, Byron B., private, 141st Inf .; enl. Sept. 10, 1862; mortally wounded in battle of Resaca, Ga .; died in hospital at Chattanooga.

Wright, Lyman, private, 141st Int .; enl. Sept. 1u, 1862; killed in battle, May 15, 1864, at Resaca, Ga.

Aldrich, James, private, 188th Inf. ; enl. Sept. 27, 1864, one year ; wounded be- fure Petersburg, and died of his wounds at Alexandria, Va.

Lemunyan, Milo D., sergt., 34th Inf., Co. E; enl. May 28, 1861, two years ; re- enl. in 2d N. Y. Vet. Cav., Co. G; pro. to ord .- sergt .; died of disease at New Orleans, March 8, 1864.

White, Daniel, private, 34th Inf, Co. E; en]. May 28, 1861, two years ; killed at battle of Antietam.

Grey, Peter, private, 2d N. Y. Vet. Cav., Co. G; enl. Sept. 3, 1864, one year ; died in hospital, Jan. 24, 1865.

Buck, John R., private, 34th Inf., Co. E; enl. May 27, 1861, two years ; died on David's I-land, N. Y., June 9, 1862, of wounds received in battle.

PIemly, David S, private, 2d N. Y. Vet. Cav., Co. F; enl. Jan. 1863, three years ; died Ort. 28, 1864, at New Orleans General Hospital.

Pensioner, Lewis, prvaite, 34th Inf., Co. E; enl. May 28, 186] ; two years. Hatch, William, private, 107th Inf., Co. F; en]. July, 1863, three years; killed in battle of Chancellorsville.

Bills, Abel, private, 34th Inf., Co. E; enl. Oct. 1861 ; killed on picket duty near Alexandria.

Manley, Luther B., private, 34th Inf., Co. E; eul. two years.

Cummings, Richard, private, 34th Inf , Co. E; en]. July, 1861 ; disch. June 30, '63. Gibbs, Albert V., private ; cul. June, 1861, two years ; disch. June, 1863.

Mack, Clark Eugene, private, 34th Inf., Co. E; enl. May 22, 1861, two years ; died of disease in hospital at David's Island, N. Y., July 22, 1862.

Wright, Edson, private, 141st Inf .. Co. G ; enl. Ang. 22, 1862, three years ; disch. for disability, Sept. 19, 1804.

Weeks, Alvn, musician, 2d l'a, Vet. Cav., Co. G; ent. Jan. 2, 1862, three years ; disch. Dec. 16, 1803; re-enl. Dec. 16, 1863.

Trim, George, private, 34th Inf., Co. E; enl. July 20, 1861, two years; disch. at expiration of service.

Fenton, Jesse Warren, private, 2d Vet. Cav., Co. G; enl. Dec. 1863, three years ; disch. Nov. 8, 1865.

Shumway, Uri, wagoner, 86th Inf .; enl. Ang. 17, 1861, three years; disch. May 30, 1861.

Butler, George, private, 2d Vet Cav., Co. G; enl. Sept. 2, 1834, ona year; disch. Ang. 23, 1865.

URBANA.

GEOGRAPHICAL SITUATION.

THE town of Urbana is situated near the northeast part of the county, in latitude 42° and 30' north, and about 15º west from the meridian of Washington. It is bounded north by Pulteney and Prattsburgh, east by Wayne and Bradford, south by Bath, and west by a part of Bath and the town of Wheeler.

PHYSICAL FEATURES.

The surface of the town is divided into two nearly equal ranges of highlands by the valley of Keuka Lake and Pleasant Valley, which lies at its head. The lake and valley are skirted by hills which rise at first quite abruptly, and then more gradually, until at a distance of from one to three miles they attain an altitude of nearly a thousand feet. The lake is twenty miles in length from Peun Yan to Hammondsport, from half a mile to a mile in width, and lies in a northeast and southwest direction. There is also another head to this lake at Branchport, six miles dis- tant from Penn Yan; this branch lies nearly north and south, and is about eight miles long and half a mile wide. It is bordered by the same abrupt hills on each side, and is divided from the foot fork of the lake by Bluff Point, which, at or near the point, attains the width of a mile and gradually widens to two or a little more, and rises to the height of the corresponding hills on either side of the lake. The extreme elevation of Bluff Point is reached about half a mile from the point which divides the waters of the lake, and is seven hundred feet high ; yet the slope is so gradual, not only of Bluff Point, but of all the lands skirting the lake, that it is tillable to the water's edge.

Pleasant Valley is bordered by the same range of high hills, which make a turn at the head of the lake, so that the valley lies nearly east and west. At the head of the lake it is only half a mile wide, but gradually opens to a mile and a half at a distance of three miles up. The land of this valley is an unbroken level of heavy clay, but upon exposure to the atmosphere and frost slakes into a fine dark mould or loam. It is very strong and productive either under the plow or for meadow-land, for which it is mostly used.

The lands of this town have ever been celebrated for their very fine quality of winter wheat, and not only the certainty of a crop, but the extraordinary high flavor and perfection of almost all kinds of fruit. Both the soil and elimate of this peculiar lake-basin, especially on its northern rim, render it emphatically a fruit section. The sloping lands on the north side of the valley and lake are the favored localities of the grape. The soil is a loose, gravelly loam, with a slight mixture of clay. In some places the gravel is round and elean, mixed with coarse sand and a

slight portion of lime, which often adheres to the sand and gravel till the whole becomes a solid mass of concrete. The land is extremely dry, loose and porous, and without any hard pan, resting upon a slate rock formation. This rock occasionally crops out upon the surface, but is generally covered with several feet of the porous soil, which is ad- mirably adapted, not only to the growth of the vine, but to the perfect ripening of the most valuable varieties of the grape.

The climate is mellowed by the cold, deep, and pure waters of the lake, and by the particular form and height of the hills, which so break up and destroy the currents of cold, sweeping winds, that so cripple everything in their ouward sweep over the more elevated and exposed localities not far distant. The average temperature of the thermometer is several degrees higher here than at any other locality in this county, and will compare favorably with that of the city of New York. Fog, also, which is the great enemy of the vine, as well as of the grape, is not known in this locality, while almost every clear morning its distant line is easily traceable along the valley of the Con- hocton River, only eight miles distant. This is probably caused by the fact that the lake and its tributaries are fed almost exclusively by clear, cold spring water. Cold Spring Brook, which forms its inlet, flows mostly from a limestone rock, and gushes up pure, cold, and sparkling. It is only five miles long, and yet it has been sufficient to propel two run of stone almost constantly for over seventy years. It used to be celebrated for its fine speekled trout, till the line of the angler had so thinned their ranks that few have been taken of late years .*

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

In the spring of 1793 the first permanent settlers came to Pleasant Valley,-William Aulls and his son Thomas, from Reading, Pa.,-and settled on the south side of the valley, and about one mile up from the lake. They cleared a piece, put it into corn, and raised sixty bushels from a single acre, being the first land cultivated in this valley. In the fall, Mr. Aulls returned to Reading, and brought his family via Blossburg, Lawrenceville, Painted Post, and Bath, with a two-horse wagon, following the road then just being cut through the forest.

The same fall, Mr. Aulls was followed by Samuel Baker, Richard Daniels, and Amos Stone. The last three were actually the first who pitched their tents, as they had made their purchases before Mr. Aulls came.

Richard Baker, Samuel Daniels, and Amos Stone were originally from the vicinity of Hudson, on the North River,

*Sec history of grape culture, in general chapter.

407

408

HISTORY OF STEUBEN COUNTY, NEW YORK.

as it was then called. They settled at or near the mouth of the Cowanesque River, in Pennsylvania, only a few miles south of our State line, in 1787. The land on which they settled had not yet come into market, and they chose to change their location rather than risk further improvements when any doubt rested with the title.

Mr. Daniels was of Dutch origin, small of stature, but tough and hardy, while his wife (whose name was Hoose) was tall and erect, and carried a mark of dignity in her every movement. Mrs. Baker was a daughter of Mr. Daniels, and the very image and pattern of her mother.

Samuel Baker was a native of Connecticut. When fif- teen years of age he was taken by the Indians, and re- mained a prisoner till released by the surrender of Bur- goyne at Saratoga. He afterwards enlisted in Col. Willett's corps, and served for a time in the army. He was a large man, not particularly tall, but his shoulders were high, and a large head set on a short neck, so that he was generally called a tall man. In his more advanced years he became corpulent, and his weight was something over two hundred pounds. They reared a family of six sons and six daughters, all of whom married and reared families. One son, Thomas, stood six feet four inches in his stockings, with the same high shoulders of his father, and when in tolerable working condition weighed two hundred and fifty pounds.

Amos Stone was unmarried when they settled on the Cowanesque, but soon after married a Miss Ives, of New- town. These three men and their wives all lived past ninety years, except Mrs. Stone, who died about thirty years after their settlement in this valley. All these first families occu- pied the farms on which they first settled until they died.

Samuel Baker died in 1842. He was prominent in the early settlement of the county, and for several years held the office of associate and first judge of the county court.

Mr. Daniels took the farm on the north side of the inlet, at the head of the valley ; and Mr. Baker on the south side adjoining, while Mr. Stone took the next farm below Mr. Baker, on the same side of the stream; Mr. Aulls next below Mr. Stone. This location had been selected by Judge Baker, while ou a trip to Canandaigua, which he made through the woods by following the township line, which line, in crossing the valley, now forms the western boundary of the Hammondsport corporation.

These were soon followed by William and Eli Read, Capt. John Sheathar, John Faulkner, and James and Abram Brundage, all of whom became fixtures except Capt. Sheathar, who located on the lake, and soon after gave place to Lazarus Hammond.

Mr. Faulkner sold to Cornelius Younglove in 1807, and took a new farm about midway between the lake and Bath, on the Two-Rod road. This was a road eut as nearly in a direct line as the land would allow from Bath to Pratts- burgh. Capt. Stone paid for his farm in cutting this road.

The most of the farms of those above mentioned are yet in the possession of their descendants. This is quite un- usual ; for men who settle a new country are more inclined to fall in love with the excitements attendant upon early settlements and follow their drift, than to tame down and run into the quiet habits and plodding way of the everyday old country farmer.

Capt. John Sheathar was the original purchaser and first settler on lands where the village of Hammondsport now stands. He bought of Charles Williamson 145 aeres, de- scribed as follows : " Beginning at a post on the bank of the inlet of Crooked Lake; thence north two degrees east one hundred and sixty perches to a post ; thence west one hundred and forty-four perches and five links to a post; thenee south two degrees west to a thorn-tree on the bank of the inlet ; thenee down along said inlet of the lake to the place of beginning." The deed of conveyanee from Charles Williamson bears date Sept. 25, 1796. Capt. Sheathar also bought at the same time a portion of land adjoining this, in what is now the town of Wayne, which he conveyed to .his son, James Sheathar, Feb. 20, 1800.

The premises on which Capt. Sheathar lived were sold at sheriff's sale, and Sheriff Wilson conveyed the same to William Root, of New York, in a deed bearing date Oet. 30, 1802. The premises are described in the deed as " All that plantation or farm on which the said John Sheathar now resides, being partly in township number five in the second range and partly in township number five in the third range." This place, containing 170 acres, and described as " all that part of lot number twelve in the tenth range of lots west of the inlet of Crooked Lake," was conveyed by William Root to Lazarus Hammond, June 9, 1807. Mr. Root did not complete his title, but sold his interest in the premises to Mr. Hammond for "ten dollars, lawful money of New York." Mr. Hammond completed his title to the above land, and 50 acres in lot twelve in the eleventh range of lots, Aug. 18, 1826.

Capt. Sheathar, like most of the first settlers in this sec- tion, had been a Revolutionary soldier. He held a com- mission as captain of dragoons, and had the reputation of being an excellent offieer and a favorite with Gen. Wash- ington. Ile lived on his farm at the head of Crooked Lake in good style, and fared sumptuously. He was a generous, hospitable man and a true patriot. He was a stout, portly figure and made a fine appearance on horseback, dressed in his Continental regimentals, as he used to appear on all celebration occasions. Some of the early settlers still living at Hammondsport have a distinct recollection of him, or of the descriptions given of him by their parents and those who were his contemporaries.

For many years the settlement in Pleasant Valley was the most prosperous, and one of the most important, in the county. The soil was very productive and yielded a supply for the inhabitants, and furnished much food also for the less fortunate inhabitants of the Pine Plains, as Bath was called. An old settler of Pleasant Valley gives the follow- ing account of the relation of the valley to Bath in those early days :

" If it had not been for the valley the pine plains would have been depopulated. After eourt had been in session two or three days, you would see a black boy come down here on a horse, and with a big basket, foraging. He would go around to all the farms to get bread, meat, eggs, or any- thing that would stay life. Bath was the hungriest place in all creation. You couldn't trust a leg of mutton to any- body but the land-agent."

The Brundages were early settlers in Pleasant Valley.

M.d. Babcock

DR. M. T. BABCOCK is a native of Washington County, born April 30, 1825.

He is the son of Oliver and Chloe Babcock. Ilis ancestors on the paternal side were for several generations residents of Vermont ; on the maternal side, of Connecticut.

His father took up his residence in Washington County about 1820, where he was married. About 1829 the family settled in Steuben County, in what is now the town of Read- ing, Schuyler Co., and a few years later removed to the town of Jerusalem, Yates Co., where the parents died.

Dr. Babcock was reared on the farm, and attended district school until he was sixteen years of age, followed by several years as a student at Franklin Academy, and a teacher in Steuben and adjoining counties. He read medicine with Dr. P. K. Stoddard, of Prattsburgh, and during the same time learned dentistry. In 1852 he was graduated M.D. at Geneva Medical College, having been admitted to the lecture courses of that institution the year previous.

The same year of his graduation he established an office in Hammondsport, and during the winter of 1854-55 attended a course of lectures at the Buffalo Medical College. After three years' practice in Hammondsport he attended a second course of lectures at Buffalo, and resumed his practice of medicine, which he continued until the fall of 1862, when he was ap- pointed assistant surgeon in the 141st Regiment New York Volunteers, which position he held until the close of the war, and was honorably discharged. The following bears testi- mony of his valuable services as a surgeon :

HEADQUARTERS IST DIVISION, 20THI ARMY CORPS. OFFICE SURGEON-IN-CHIEF, NEAR WASHINGTON, D. C., May 30, 1865.

To all whom it may concern :

Assistant Surgeon Moses T. Babcock, 1.1st Regiment New York Vol- unteers, has been on duty at division hospital since July, 1864, and has shown marked fidelity in the performance of his duties as a medi- cal officer.

In operative surgery he has been very successful, both in amputa- tions and in excisions. During the long and ardnous campaigns of Savannah, and from Savannah to Goldsboro', his services at division hospital were regarded as indispensable.

Always on duty, he has ever been ready to second and assist in carrying out any suggestions of the surgeon in charge.

11. Z. GILL, SURGEON U. S. VOLUNTEERS, BREVET LT .- COL. And CHIEF IST DIV., 20THI ARMY CORPS.

FIELD HOSPITAL, IST DIVISION, 20TH ARMY CORPS. NEAR WASHINGTON, D. C., June 4, 1865.

To whom it may concern :

Assistant Surgeon M. T. Babcock, 141st New York Volunteers, at present on duty at hospital, Ist division, bas been connected with said hospital during the campaigns of Atlanta, Savannah, and Golds- boro', during which time he has given gratifying evidence of his skill as a surgical operator by the success which followed. As a surgeon in charge of wards he always showed marked fidelity in administer- ing to the wants and comfort of the sick, and always prompt in the performance of his duties. Ilis wards were always in a first-rate con- dition. Always on duty, and ever ready to promote and assist in the welfare of the sick and the duties which were required at a general field hospital, he was regarded as one of the most valuable officers.

P. F. FLOOD, SURGEON 107TH NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS,

Formerly in charge FIELD HOSPITAL., IST DIV., 20TH ARMY CORPS.

At the close of the war he resumed his practice in Ham- mondsport, and has a large ride in this and adjoining counties. Since 1865 he has been associated with his brother, Dr. O. H. Babcock, who is a graduate of Buffalo Medical College, but gives his attention largely to the practice of dentistry.

Dr. Babcock has been a member of the County Medical Society for many years, and was elected president of the same in 1877, which position he held for one year. He has been an outspoken Republican since the organization of that party.

Polo. M. Jaggert 10

JOHN W. TAGGART was born in the town of Middleburgh, Sehoharie Co., N. Y., in 1811.

His grandfather, William Taggart, resided at Newport, R. I., during the Revolutionary war; was married twice, his wives being sisters-MeComber.

His children were thirteen, nine by the first wife and four by the second. One son was killed in the war for independence.

His father, Henry Clark Taggart, was born Jan. 27, 1786, and was youngest of the children; was married first to Miss Williams, of Newport, R. I. His second wife was Catharine, daughter of William Almy, of which union were born one son, John W., and two daughters, Mrs. H. N. Walter and Mrs. Bennett.

Mr. John W. Taggart settled in Steuben County forty-five years ago, and sinee his residence here has filled many places of trust and responsibility with

integrity, and ranked among the staunch citizens of the town of Urbana.

His occupation during the most of his life has been that of a farmer. For some four years he has rep- resented his town in the Board of Supervisors of the county; has been president of the Steuben County Agricultural Society, and in 1863 repre- sented the First Assembly District of the county in the State Legislature.

He has been twiee married. Of his first mar- riage there were born three daughters,-Elizabeth, Catharine (deceased), and Cynthia.

His second wife, Ella, is the daughter of Martin Brownell, of Bath, and was a widow of the late Erastus Farr. Their marriage oceurred Oet. 23, 1877. Her children by her first marriage are John, James, and Ella ; by her present marriage with Mr. Taggart, one son.

RESIDENCE OF JOHN W. TAGGART. URBANA, STEUBEN CO., N. Y.

409

TOWN OF URBANA.

The original Brundage family in this country came from Wales and settled in Pennsylvania, near Wilkesbarre. In the year 1799, James and Abram Brundage came with their families to this county, and located at Painted Post, taking up their abode in a double log house, where they lived four years, when they removed with their families to Pleasant Valley, in this town, arriving there in April, 1803.

James, the eller of the two, located where is now the residence of his youngest son, James M. Brundage. Abram Brundage settled about two miles farther up the valley, on what is now the farm of his son, Hiram Brundage.

About the year 1807, Benjamin Brundage, the father of James and Abram, came from Pennsylvania to visit his sons, and while here died and was buried in the cemetery in Pleasant Valley.

The family of Abram Brundage consisted of his wife, whose maiden name was Polly Sims, and ten children, as follows : Benjamin, William, James, Jesse, Charles, Mat- thew, Hiram, Alfred, Almira, and Abram S. Of these there are still living James, Charles, Matthew, Hiram, and Abram S., all residing in this county.

Abram Brundage, Sr., was born in 1775, and died in September, 1861. During the war of 1812 and 1814, at the head of an independent company, organized in his im- mediate vicinity, he entered the army, and served during the greater part of the war on the northern frontier, and a por- tion of the time in Canada. During the remainder of his life he was familiarly known as Capt. Brundage.

Of the descendants of Capt. Brundage who served during the late Rebellion were Addison Brundage, now of Cold Springs, in Urbana, who enlisted in Co. G, 22d New York Cavalry, in November, 1863, and served until the close of the war.

Monroe Brundage enlisted on the 23d of April, 1861, as a private in what was afterwards known as Co. 1, 34th Regi- ment New York Volunteers, to which further reference is made in this work.

The family of James Brundage consisted of his wife (whose maiden name was Mary Hoffman) and fourteen children, as follows : Philip, John, Abraham, Benjamin, Polly, Sally, Henry, Samuel, George S., Catherine, Eliza- beth, Daniel, James M., and Anna. Of whom there are still living Sally Read, in Seneca Co., Ohio; Anna Acker- man, in Waterloo, N. Y .; James M. and Daniel, on the old homestead ; and George S., on an adjoining farm.

The elder James Brundage was born in 1765, and died in 1839 ; his wife died in 1815; he subsequently married Love Blakeslee, who survived him. Philip Brundage served during a part of the war in the company of which his uncle, Abram, was captain; he was taken sick, and re- turned home,-his death following in a short time. Abra- ham Brundage (second) was drafted towards the close of the war, and the company to which he was assigned was ordered to Buffalo; but by the time they reached Dansville the war came to a elose, and the command was returned home and disbanded. Azariah C. Brundage, son of Abraham Brundage (second), enlisted on the 25th of April, 1861, in what was Company 1, 34th Regiment of New York Volunteer Infantry, and on the organization of his company was elected a corporal, which position he held

until the battle of Fair Oaks, Va., May 31, 1862, in which engagement he was wounded by a bullet in his neck, which he still carries. In consequence of this wound he was dis- charged from the service on the 30th of July, 1862. In the year 1877 he was elected to the Legislature from the First district of Steuben, and in the following year was re-elected by an increased majority.

Cold Spring Valley was occupied by Gen. George McClure in 1802. He erected mills, and kept them in operation till 1814, when Henry A. Townsend took possession of the valley, and resided in the "Cold Spring House" till his death, in 1839. Mr. Townsend removed from Orange County to Bath in 1796, was elected county clerk in 1799, and continued to hold the office till 1814. He was one of the most respected, useful, and influential of the early citi- zens. Upon the organization of the town of Urbana, in 1823, he was elected to the office of first supervisor, and by successive elections held the office till 1832.

Mr. Lazarus Hammond, the founder of Hammondsport, removed from Dansville to Cold Spring in 1810. He after- wards settled at Hammondsport, where he resided till his death. He was the first town clerk, elected upon the organ- ization of the town in 1823. Ile was sheriff of the county in 1814, and afterwards associate judge of the county court.

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History of Steuben county, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 118

Author: Clayton, W. W. (W. Woodford) Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Philadelphia, Lewis, Peck & co. Number of Pages: 826

Author: Clayton, W. W. (W. Woodford)
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia, Lewis, Peck & co.
Number of Pages: 826