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 62
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On the 20th of March, 1853, a church organization was formed, with the following members, viz. : Stephen P. Sturdevant, Harriet P. Sturdevant, Sarah Waters, Joseph Ashley, Ann Ashley, and Henry Ackers. Joseph Ashley, Stephen P. Sturdevant, and Peter Myers were chosen eld- ers ; Joseph Ashley, clerk of session.
Oct. 19, 1853, a call was extended to Rev. George Spaulding, who accepted, and was installed pastor, Feb. 7, 1854. He was sueeeeded, October, 1860, by Rev. I. F. Laine. Rev. J. II. Brown, present pastor, assumed charge in February, 1874.
A bell was procured in 1856, and a spire ereeted in 1868. In 1877-78, the church was remodeled and enlarged at a cost of $4500.
A Sunday-school was organized at the beginning, and has continued prosperous. Present number, 225; church membership, 112. Present trustees, H. S. Beebe, M. L. Taylor, John E. MeCaig, William Riddell, Henry Carter, L. P. Weed.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
Rev. John B. Hudson was the pioneer Methodist preacher in Canisteo, about the year 1800. Ile preached in nearly all the houses in the settlement, but chiefly at the residences of Jeremiah Baker and Jedediah Stephens. There was a revival under his ministry, and a class was formed, of whom Jedediah Stephens and Abigail, his wife, Mrs. Cory, mother of Mrs. Abigail Stephens, Jeremiah Baker, Sr., and Anna, his wife, Benjamin Crosby, father of Richard and Reuben Crosby, and his wife, were mem- bers; and later, Daniel Upson and Rachel, his wife, Elijah Stephens and Abigail, his wife.
This early class continued in existence till the present organization was formed. Jedediah Stephens and Jeremiah
Baker were the earliest class-leaders. The class in those days consisted chiefly of women. Mr. Baker used to go to meet his class to what is now the town of Howard. Jede- dial Stephens was ordained deaeon in 1808, and minister in 1812. Jeremiah Baker, now living, son of Jeremiah Baker, Sr., was converted in January. 1818, and united with the church, and was elected steward, and has held the office ever since-a period of sixty-one years. He was also elass-leader twelve years subsequently to joining the church.
About the year 1850 a society was organized and a par- sonage built. Trustees, Jeremiah Baker, Stephen Taylor, John II. Consalus, E. L. Gray, C. P. Chamberlain, and William B. Jones.
In 1853 measures were taken to erect a ehureh building, which was finished and dedicated in 1857. Jeremiah Baker, as one of the trustees, had charge of the erection of the edifiee. At that time Rev. Chandler Wheeler was preacher in charge. The original cost of the church was $4000. In the summer of 1875 it was enlarged at a cost of $3000. Rev. C. E. Millspaugh was minister in charge.
The ministers who have officiated since the building of the church are the following: Rev. Chandler Wheeler, 1856-57; Rev. L. L. Rogers, 1858; Rev. J. M. Park, 1859; Rev. J. Turton, 1860; Rev. W. A. Bronson, 1861-62; Rev. A. S. Aldridge, 1863; Rev. Isaac Everetts, 1864-65 ; Rev. N. N. Beers, 1866; Rev. Wesley Cochran, 1867; Rev. F. D. Blakeslee, 1868; Rev. J. H. Blades, 1869-71; Rev. James Landreth, 1872-73; Rev. C. E. Millspaugh, 1874-76 ; Rev. D. D. Cook, 1877-78; Rev. D. W. Gates, present pastor.
The church at present numbers 150 members. Value of church property, $8000; attendance at Sunday-school, 150.
BAPTIST CHURCH.
The first church of this faith and order organized here was a branch of the Baptist Church of Hornellsville.
On the 30th of November, 1876, previous notice having been given, a meeting was held in Riddell's Hall for the purpose of organizing a Baptist Church in Canisteo, Rev. D. Van Alstine presiding. It was resolved that "we whose names are hereunto subscribed do now organize ourselves into a regular Baptist Church, to be known as the Baptist Church of Canisteo."
T. K. Brownell, Mrs. A. M. Delaney, Mrs. Lima Covert Sherman, Mrs. L. T. Crane, Mrs. Rosetta Comfort, Mrs. Polly M. Cook, Mrs. Alice Jameson, Le Roy Riddell, Mrs. Emeline Pratt Riddell, Mrs. Elmira A. Pratt, Mrs. Clarissa Wood, Miss Diantha Bertrom, Rev. C. K. Bunnell, Mrs. M. J. Bunnell, Mrs. Adeline Cooley.
Rockwell H. Comfort and Dr. Le Roy Riddell were elected deacons, and T. K. Brownell elerk.
Rev. C. K. Bunnell has been pastor of the church sinee Dec. 1, 1876.
The Sunday-school was organized in December, 1876, William La Croix, Superintendent. The Sunday-school numbers 80 members ; church membership, 50.
The first trustees were Rockwell H. Comfort, Le Roy Riddell, J. W. Allen, T. K. Brownell, John N. Jeffers, John W. Brown, M. S. Parkhill, Lyman A. Cook, and William La Croix.
29
226
HISTORY OF STEUBEN COUNTY, NEW YORK.
The following constitute the present board : R. II. Com- fort, Le Roy Riddell, T. K. Brownell, J. N. Jeffers, M. S. Parkhill, Norman Roblee, Elmer Walker, B. McKeen, and J. W. Allen.
J. N. Jeffers, Superintendent of Sunday-school.
MASONIC HISTORY.
Evening Star Lodge, now No. 44 (of Hornellsville), was organized in Canisteo about 1816. Its first Master was Rev. Andrew Simpson, who used to travel the forest twelve miles from his home, in Jasper, for a period of about four years, to be present at every regular communi- cation of the lodge. The lodge was subsequently removed to Almond, and thence to Hornellsville, where it still re- mains. (See history of Hornellsville. )
After the removal of Evening Star Lodge (we are not informed exactly at what date), Morning Star Lodge, No. 421 (which is now No. 65, its number having been changed upon the reorganization of Masonry, about 1840), was formed at the house of Col. William Stephens, who was chosen the first Master.
The lodges of Canistev and Hornellsville were the only ones in the county which maintained their charter during the period of the Morgan excitement. The archives of the lodge in Hornellsville were saved by a fortunate conjunc- tion of circumstances by Col. Jolin R. Stephens, who happened to be passing when they were thrown from the window of the lodge-room by some zealous anti-Masons. Col. Stephens picked them up and saved them. He and Maj. Thomas Bennett and Bazey Baker met under Maj. Bennett's sign-post for several years, and made their re- turns to the Grand Lodge. In this way they preserved their charter.
Morning Star Lodge, No. 65, F. und A. M., of Canisteo, has at present the following officers : H. C. Green, W. N .; Elias Stephens, S. W .; Walter Crandall, J. W .; C. M. Coston, S. D. ; Thomas Dawson, J. D. ; H. E. Buck, Sec. ; L. A. Waldo, Eli Soule, and C. M. Coston, Trustees.
ANCIENT ORDER UNITED WORKMEN.
The following officers of Canisteo Lodge, No. 29, were installed Monday evening, Jan. 7, 1879, for the ensuing year, viz. : II. C. Beckwith, P. M. W .; W. M. Crandall, M. W .; H. W. Johnson, G. F .; Daniel Rice, Overseer ; G. J. Kinney, Recorder ; R. Whitaker, Financier; Jerry Burnham, Receiver; James Roblee, Guide; Lewis Neely, I. W .; F. F. Thomas, O. W .; Harrison Crane, Represen- tative to Grand Lodge ; and Smith Eason, Trustee.
MILITARY RECORD OF CANISTEO.
James Bennett, capt., Co. G, 86th Regt .; must. Nov. 12, 1861. Nathan S. Baker, Ist lient., Co. 6, 86th Regt .; must. Nov. 19, 1861. John Fulton, 2d lient., Co. G. 86th Regt .; must. Nov. 20, 1861. Amos B. Stanton, Ist sergt., Co. G, 86th Regt .; must. Oct. 7, 1861. Kassel B. Taylor, sergt., Co. G, 86th Regt .; must. Sept. 28, 1861. Phineas S. Baker, sergt., Co. G, 86th Regt .; unmust. Sept. 28, 1861. Elisha S. Jones, sergt., Go. G, 86th Regt .; must. Oct. 7, 1861. Harvey M. Bennett, sergt., Co. (, 86th Regt. ; must. Oct. 7, 1861. Franklin Hallett, corp., Co. G, 86th Regt .; must. Sept. 28, 1801. Luther 11. Pierce, corp., Co. G, 86th Regt .; must. Sept. 28, 1861. William Thomas, corp., Co. G, 86th Regt. ; must. Sept. 28, 1861. Hiram Crosby, corp., Co. G, 86th Regt .; must. Sept. 28, 1861. Nathan II. Crosby, corp., Co. G, 86th Regt. ; must. Sept. 28, 1861. David Hadley, corp., Co. G, 86th Regt. ; must. Sept. 28, 1861. Reuben W. Millard, corp., Co. G, 86th Regt .; must. Sept. 30, 1861.
Lewis Burgess, private, Co. G, 86th Regt .; must. Sept. 28, 1861. James F. Baker, private, Po, G, 86th Regt. ; must. Oct. 19, 1861. Robert O. Carr, private, Co. G, 86th Regt .; must. Sept. 28, 1861. Wallace Chandler, private, Co. G, 86th Regt. ; must. Sept. 28, 1861. Ilascal B. Grahams, private, Co. G, 86th Regt. ; must. Sept. 28, 1861. Samnel ITall, private, Co. G, 86th Regt .; must. Sept. 28, 1861. Jolın Hall, private, Co. G, 86th Regt .; must. Sept. 28, 1861. Addison Hallett, private, Co. G, 86th Regt .; minst. Sept. 28, 1861. llenry Hadley, private, Co. G, 86th Regt .; must. Sept. 28, 1861. Nathan V. Hallett, private, Co. G, 86th Regt. ; must. Sept 28, 1861. Jefferson Hadley, Jr., private, Co. G, 86th Regt. ; must. Sept. 28, 1861. James Kilberry, private, Co. G, 86th Regt. ; must. Sept. 28, 1861. George P. Mattison, private, Co. G, 86th Regt .; must. Sept. 28, 1861. Alexander Moore, private, Co. G, 86th Regt. ; unist. Sept. 28, 1861. James A. Jones, private, Co. F, 179th Regt .; must. May 25, 1864. Andrew McConnell, private, Co. F, 179th Regt .; must. May 25, 1864. Aaron R. Sherman, private, Co. F, 179th Regt .; must. May 25, 1864. Chauncy Foot, private, Co. F, 189th Regt .; must. Sept. 30, 1864. Leander A. Pickhard, private, Co. B, 86th Regt .; must. Sept. 13, 1861. Edwin E. Baker, private, Co. B, 86th Regt .; must. Sept. 10, 1861. lliram Hallett, private, Co. K, 86th Regt .; must. Ang. 30, 1861. Charles E. Ordway, private, Co. K, 86th Regt. ; must. Sept. 10, 1861. Frederick B. Kinner, private, Co. F, 107th Regt. ; must. Aug. 7, 1862. Almon W. Burrell, sergt., Co. K, 107th Regt. ; must. July 31, 1862, Merritt F. Smith, wagoner, Co. K, 107th Regt .; must. Aug. 12, 1862. Charles E. Baker, private, Co. K, 107th Regt. ; must. July 31, 1862. Asa M. Clark, private, Co. K, 107th Regt. ; must. July 31, 1862. Sylvester Cole, private, Co. K, 107th Regt .; must. July 31, 1862. Philander Dawley, private, Co. K, 107th Regt .; must. July 31, 1862. James Fuller, private, Co. K, 107th Regt .; nuist. Ang. 8, 1862. Edward I. Gay, private, Co. K, 107th Regt. ; must. Ang. 13, 1862. Ebenezer W. Helmes, private, Co. K, 107th Regt .; must. July 31, 1862. James A. Japhet, private. Co. K, 107th Regt. ; must. Ang. 8, 1862. Perry Nicholson, private, Co. K, 107th Regt. ; must. July 31, 1862. Levi B. Overhiser, private, Co. K, 107th Regt. ; must. Aug. 13, 1862. Martin Sage, private, Co. K, 107th Regt .; must. Ang. 13, 1862. Shelden G. Tayler, private, Co. K, 107th Regt .; must. Ang. 8, 1862. John Van Dyck, private, Co. K, 107th Regt. ; must, Ang. 8, 1862. Samuel Punches, Jr., private, Co. G, 14Ist Regt .; must. Sept. 11, 1862. William A. Rronson, capt., Co. H, 141st Regt .; must. Sept. 11, 1862. David W. Langley, Ist sergt., Co. H, 141st Regt. ; must. Sept. 11, 1862. De Witt C. Hamilton, sergt., Co. H, 141st Regt. ; must. Sept. 11, 1862. George P. Burnham, corp., Co. HI, 141st Regt .; must. Sept. 11, 1862. Willard T. Preston, corp., Co. 11, 141st Regt .; must. Sept. 11, 1862. Edwin E. Baker, corp., Co. H, 14Ist Regt .; must. Sept. 11, 1862. Charles C. Austin, private, Co. HI, 141st Regt .; must. Sept. 11, 1862. Jeremiah Archer, private, Co. H, 141st Regt .; must. Sept. 11, 1862. Ilenry Abbe, private, Co. II, 14Ist Regt .; must. Sept. 11, 1862. William Barkalow, private, Co. II, 141st Regt .; must. Sept. 11, 1862. Joseph M. Brown, private, Co. H, 141st Regt .; must. Sept. 11, 1862. Albert Butler, private, Co. II, 141st Regt .; must. Sept. 11, 1862. Benjamin B. Buck, private, Co. HI, 141st Regt .; must. Sept. 11, 1862. William D. Brayman, private, Co. II, 141st Regt. ; must. Sept. 11, 1862. Matthias Converse, private, Co. H, 141st Regt. ; must. Sept. 11, 1862. Thomas Crusen, private, Co. II, 141st Regt .; most. Sept. 11, 1862. Jacob T. Converse, private, Co. 11, 141st Regt. ; Inst. Sept. 11, 1862. Ezra Conrad, private, Co. HI, 141st Regt .; must. Sept. 11, 1562. William E. Codington, private, Co. H, 141st Regt. ; must. Sept. 11, 1862. Alfred Downs, private, Co. H, 141st Regt .; must. Sept. 11, 1862. Erastus Dickey, private, Co. H1, 141st Regt. ; must. Sept. 11, 1862. Alfred S. Dascam, private, Co. Il, 141st Regt .; must. Sept. 11, 1862. Warren T. Downs, private, Co. II, 141st Regt .; must. Sept. II, 1862. William L. Fox, private, Co. H. 141st Regt .; must. Sept. 11, 1862. Jefferson Fox, private, Co. II, 141st Regt. ; must. Sept. 11, 1862. Jacob Gress, private, Co. H, 141st Regt .; must. Sept. 11, 1862. Joseph Howland, private, Co. HI, 141st Regt .; must. Sept. 11, 1862. Jacob Howland, private, Co. H, 141st Regt .; most. Sept. 11, 1862. John Hallett, private, Co. II, 141st Regt. ; must. Sept. 11, 1862. Simeon P. Maride, private, Co. H, 14Ist Regt. ; must. Sept. 11, 1862. William Moore, private, Co. II, 141st Regt. ; must. Sept. 11, 1862. Moses L. Monhart, private, Co HI, 141st Regt. ; must. Sept. 11, 1862. Erastus l'reston, private, Co. II, 141st Regt .; must. Sept. 11, 1862. Elisha W. Preston, private, Co. II, 141st Regt .; must. Sept. 11, 1862. Adelbert Rosa, private, Co. H, 141st Regt. ; must. Sept. 11, 1862. John Stephen, private, Co. II, 141st Regt. ; must. Sept. 11, 1862. Hardee Stephens, private, Co. H, 141st Regt .; must. Sept. 11, 1862. Seueca Thompson, private, Co. H, 14Ist Regt. ; must. Sept. 11, 1862. Abraham Wampole, private, Co. H, 141st Regt .; must. Sept. 11, 1862. Augustus Wells, private, Co. H, 141st Regt. ; must. Sept. 11, 1862. Albert Colgrove, private, Co. H, 161st Regt .; must, Sept. 18, 1862. The following men enlisted from the town of Canisteo under the several calls of the l'resident during the years 1863 and 1864:
FIRST CALL.
William Ellison, must, Dec. 31, 1863. James Kilbury, must. Dec. 31, 1863. David H. Bruce, must. Jan. 4, 1864.
MRS. C. B.TRAVIS.
C. B. TRAVIS.
CHARLES B. TRAVIS.
Amasa Travis, the father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Dutchess Co., N. Y., Sept. 29, 1770. He married Dec. 14, 1800. Phœbe Travis, his wife, was also born in Dutchess County, Dec. 25, 1783. Of this union were born twelve chil- dren, three males and nine females, nine of whom lived to ma- turity. In May, 1801, they moved to Bergen, N. J., staying there four years ; thence to Sheshequin, Pa., where they remained one year. At this place Charles B. Travis, their third child, was born, March 22, 1805. From Sheshequin they moved to Howard, in this county, in 1806. Coming through Chimney Narrows, at Corning, they were in great peril, their horses losing their footing in the rapid water, which was several feet in depth on the narrow roadway. Mrs. Travis says : " I held my babes, Charles, a year . old, and Absalom, three years, and my husband reined the horses safely to land." They were the second family settling in Howard, where they occupied a place which had been in the possession of a Mr. Hovey. He had chopped about three acres, and had put up a log house, which had only one gable end boarded up; a floor had been laid, except around the fireplace ; no ceiling, no doors. Mr. Travis had to return for another load of goods, so they put up a quilt for a door, and rolled a barrel on the bottom of it to keep it secure. Here she remained alone with her babies until the return of her husband, with no neigh- bors within miles of her. In the night scarce a sound was heard save the shrill, piercing cry of the hungry panthers.
They stayed in this place about one year, and then removed to Howard Flats, where they lived frou: 1806 to 1818, twelve years. Mrs. Travis was a woman of wonderful genius and physical energy, and literally almost provided for and sustained a large family by her own labor, while her husband was felling
the forest-trees and clearing a place for a home. She cut and made the coat worn by Seth Rice, the first supervisor of the town of Howard. Knowing her superior abilities as a spinner and weaver, Judge Hornell said to her that if she would spin and weave a piece of cloth to compete for a premium at Bath, and it took the premium, he would make her a present. She made the cloth ; it took the premium at the fair, and the judge made her a present of a two-year-old heifer.
Mrs. Travis still resides on Travis Creck, in Canisteo, with her daughter, in good health, at the advanced age of ninety-five years.
Chas. B. Travis was married Jan. 28, 1834, to Sylvia Crosby, daughter of Richard Crosby and Hannah Baker, sister of Hon. Jeremiah Baker. This marriage was blessed with eight children, -Solomon, Amasa, John C., Wesley, Cynthia M., Eleanor M., Samuel, and Nelson C.
Mrs. Hannah Travis was born April 6, 1811. Mr. and Mrs. Travis settled on Travis Creck, in Canisteo, in an unbroken wilderness, and the flourishing settlement on the creek bearing their name is the result of their hard labor-unintermitting labor-and praiseworthy economy.
Mr. Travis and his sons now own about nine hundred acres in the vicinity of the old homestead. Mr. and Mrs. Travis, in the possession of health, enjoy the fruit of their industry on their well-tilled farm in the pleasant valley. Both have been consistent and active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church for over fifty years, and their house has ever been the home of the itinerant.
Mr. Travis in carly life was a Jackson Democrat, but latterly has been identified with the Republican party.
227
TOWN OF CANISTEO.
Joseph Williams, must. Jan. 4, 1864. Samuel A. Stephens, must. Jan. 4, 1864. Newman Harding, must. Dec. 4, 1863. Hiram Hallett, must. Nov. 25, 1863. Lewis J. Quant, must. Dec. 4, 1863. Jeremiah J. Baird, must. Jan. 4, 1864. Miles Hallett, must. Jan. 1, 1864. David C. Osborn, must. Jan. 1, 1864. William H. Baker, must. Jan. 4, 1864. John H. Colier, must. Jan. 5, 1864. James A. Allen, must. Dec. 31, 1863. Franklin Hallett, must. Dec. 31, 1863. William G. Brady, mnst. Dec. 31, 1863. Van R. Ellison, must. Dec. 31, 1863. Oxcar Swarthout, must. Dec. 31, 1863. Nathan 11. Crosby, must. Jan. 5, 1863. John Hadley, must. Dec. 31, 1863. John S. Campbell, must. Dec. 31, 1863. David Loughery, must. Jan. 4, 1864. George B. Sherman, must. Jan. 4, 1864. Adelbert Buck, must. Dec. 31, 1863.
SECOND CALL.
Foster Gregory, must. March 14, 1864. Luther Mattison, must. March 14, 1864. Wm. W. Sanford, must. April 8, 1864. Nathan Thomas, must. Feb. 20, 1864. Jesse Campbell, must. Dec. 31, 1863. George W. Thomas, must. Feb. 20, 1804. Sanford Downs, must. Dec. 17, 1863. James H. Stewart, must. Feb. 22, 1864. Homer Stewart, must. March 9, 1864. Larry Ireland, must. Feb. 22, 1864. James B. Chilson, must. Dec. 26, 1863.
THIRD CALL.
James S. Williams, must. May 13, 1864. James Arpel, must. May 13, 1864. William Kilfer, must. May 13, 1864. William Brower, must. May 13, 1864. Charles Brayman, must. May IG, 1864. Oliver Clark, inst. May 9, 1864. George Archer, must. March 31, 1864. James A. James, must, March 23, 1864. Henry Cole, must. March 16, 1864. Aaron R. Shearman, must. March 17, 1804. Andrew M. Cornell, must. March 14, 1864. Wm. Armstrong, must, March 5, 1864. J. W. Robinson, M.D., minst. March 16, 1864. James Wood.
FOURTHI CALL.
Lemnel H. Curtiss, must. Aug. 20, 1864; substitute. Albert B. Baan, must. Ang. 17, 1864; substitute. Horace P. Butler, must. Ang. 17, 1864; substitute. Commodore Thurber, must. Aug. 19, 1864; substitute. John H. Reynolds, must. Sept. 2, 1864 ; substitute. Albert H. Ordway, must. Sept. 20, 1864. Elias S. Baker, must. Sept. 27, 1864; discharged. N. F. Rosa, must. Sept. 26, 1864. Simeou C. Turner, must. Sept. 21, 1864. Marshall Hallett, must. Sept. 26, 1864. Edwin Taylor, must. Sept. 28, 1864. William H. Marvin, must. Sept. 30, 1864. Lorenzo B. Linsey, must. Sept. 28, 1864. James E. Wilson, must. Sept. 30, 1864. Jesse Bovier, must. Sept. 30, 1864. Jesse W. Yaw, must. Oct. 8, 1864. Charles Millard, must. Sept. 28, 1864. Curtiss D. Cross, must. Sept. 21, 1864. Trnmau C. Shaver, must. Sept. 21, 1864. Ilosea Bruner, must. Sept. 30, 1864. Edwin P. Augell, must. Sept. 28, 1864. Warren Denning, must. Sept. 21, 1804. William II. Olmsted, must. Sept. 21, 1864. John J. Arnold, must. Sept. 21, 1864. Cassius M. Hadley, must. Sept. 28, 1864. Joseph Cunningham, must, Sept. 28, 1864. Wilson Robinson, must. Sept. 28, 1864. Isaac Vorhis, must. Sept. 28, 1864. Alonzo Ilamer, must. Sept. 28, 1864. Milton E. Crane, must. Sept. 30, 1864. Argus Seram, must. Oct. 4, 1864. Chester Monroe, must. Oct. 3, 1864. Michael Higgens, must. Oct. 13, 1864. Daniel A. Griswold, must. Oct. 3, 1864. Chauncey Foot, must. Sept. 30, 1864. Benjamin Clark, mnst. Oct. 3, 1864.
Theodore Tourney, must. Oct. 1, 1864. Benjamin Greeley, must. Oct. 7, 1864. William Mathews, must. Sept. 30, 1864. A. T. Shoemaker, must. Oct. 3, 1864. John Gibson, must. Sept. 28, 1864. Stephen l'. Marsh, must. Sept. 26, 1864. HIenry Swarthout, must. Sept. 27, 1864. George S. Wilson, must. Sept. 27, 1864. Jonathan Van Schover, minst. Sept. 26, 1864. Edward W. Marsh, must. Sept. 26, 1864. J. M. Kanna, must. Sept. 24, 1864. John S. Colbreth, must. Sept. 30, 1864. John Mattison, must. Sept. 26, 1864. Martin L. White, must. Sept. 28, 1864. Jos. R. Wilson, must. Sept. 27, 1864. Moses Ilurderden, must. Dec. 29, 1864.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
NATHAN STEPHENS.
Nathan Stephens was born in Harderstown, N. J., Dec. 8, 1783.
According to history, Henry Stephens, whose father, Nicholas, was an officer in Oliver Cromwell's army, after the death of the " Protector" emigrated to America, first settling in Stonington, Conn., 1660, with his two brothers, Thomas and Richard.
The line of descent from Henry Stephens to Jedediah Stephens, the first settler of this branch of the Stephens family in the Canisteo Valley, is as follows: (1) Henry ; (2) Henry; (3) Jedediah ;* (4) Jedediah 2d, the first set- tler of Steuben County of this branch ; born May 11, 1757, at Canaan, Litchfield Co., Conn., married in Goshen, Orange Co., N. Y., to Abigail Corey, Jan. 1, 1778; was a volunteer soldier of the Revolutionary war and served six years ; was in the Indian battle of Wyoming, July 3, 1778, where his brother, Rufus, was killed. He owned a farm at Wyoming ; was taken prisoner by the Pennamites, under Gen. Plunket, but after a few days released.
In May, 1790, with his wife and family of five children, Abigail, Silas, Nathan, Sylvina, and Cynthia, removed from Wyoming and settled on lot No. 10, in the town of Canis- teo, on the place now owned by his grandson, Joshua C. Stephens, the property having been in the family sinee. Ile purchased six hundred acres of timbered land, some fifty acres of which he cleared prior to his death, Jan. 26, 1830. He was a man of little book knowledge, but pos- sessed of much native ability, and upon settling in the new country was soon recognized as a worthy eitizen. While Canisteo belonged to Ontario County, in 1793-94 he rep- resented his town as supervisor. In early life he was a member of the Congregational Church. About 1800 he became a member of the Methodist Church, and from 1812 to the time of his decease, was a local preacher of that denomination.
# Jedediah Stephens, Sr., married Mary Rathbone. Their children were Joshua; Anna, born March 17, 1753; Eunice, horn June 12, 1755 ; Jedediah, born May 11, 1757 ; Ira, born July 18, 1759; Rufus, born May 2, 1762 ; Sylvania, born Jau. 14, 1764; Nathan, born Aug. 4, 1766; Cynthia, born Sept. 26, 1768.
Joshua Stephens married Oct. 27, 1767, Christiana Dutcher : Anna Stephens married Jeremiah Baker, Sr. ; Eunice Stephens married Elijah Rude ; Jedediah Stephens married Jan. 1, 1778, Abigail Cory ; Ira Stephens married Sibyl Ransom ; Cynthia Stephens married Fruucis Saturlec.
228
HISTORY OF STEUBEN COUNTY, NEW YORK.
His sixth child, Olive, born Nov. 10, 1790, in Canisteo, was the first white child born in Steuben County. The other children born here were Joshua, Ilila, and Pamela. The mother died Aug. 28, 1825.
Nathan Stephens, familiarly called Capt. Nathan Ste- phens, was seven years of age when the family came to this valley; was brought up to know and experience all the hard- ship of the pioneer ; was married May 14, 1804, to Rachel Gilbert, of Addison (her father, Elisha Gilbert, being one of the first settlers of that town), and for some eight years resided in that town, on what was known as the Gilbert estate, now owned by Col. Henry Baldwin. The remain- der of his life was spent on the old homestead in Canisteo, where he erected commodious buildings and made many other improvements, among which was the " Methodist
The father died April 3, 1862; the mother having died Feb. 7, 1850.
Joshua C. Stephens, youngest son, born May 30, 1816, received a fair education in the counnon school, in Howard and Alfred Academies; was a teacher for several terms. Aug. 3, 1845, he married Hannah, daughter of Harris Abbe, of Howard. She was born Sept. 30, 1823, in Enfield, Conn., from which place her parents removed about 1806, and settled in Howard about 1825. Their children are Ira G., James A., Harris M., Nathan J., Mrs. James H., Stewart, of Howard, Emma H., and Mary M.
He has resided on the old homestead his whole life and carried on farming, and to some extent has carried on lum- bering. He has been closely allied to the best interests of his town, and over interested in all its local improvements,
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