History of Steuben county, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 71

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 71

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the river. The main stage-route from Big Flats to Bath, via Painted Post, ran on the east side, passing the Chimney Narrows, and crossing the mouth of Post Creek. But Corning was equal to the emergency. Bridges were thrown across the Chemung two and three-fourth miles below ; roads were opened connecting them with Big Flats on the east, and Knoxville and Painted Post on the north. It might be well to here mention some of the enterprising citizens of Corning in 1839, 1840, 1841, 1842, and later. Among them were Col. H. W. Bostwick, manager of the Corning Company ; Dr. Win. Turbell, Thomas A. Johnson, Esq , Laurin Mallory, P. J. Mallory, Wm. M. Mallory, Maj. S. B. Denton, Nelson L. Somers, H. G. Phelps, B. I'. Bailey, John A. Parcell, B. W. Payne, Daniel D. Com- stock, Geo. T. Spencer, E. P. Rogers, S. T. IIayt, Hiran Pritchard, William J. Arnokl, and Charles Clark, besides many others, distinguished for their public spirit and enter- prise. Ilotels, banks, stores, shops, and various offices, after the completion of the Blossburg Railroad, were im- mediately erected. A printing-office was opened in 1840, and a newspaper established by Charles Adams called the Corning and Blossburg Advocate. The people of Corning had scarcely realized the completion of the Blossburg Rail- road, when, in 1840, the advance-guard of the New York and Erie Railroad made their appearance in Corning. The State of New York had loaned its credit to assist the com- pany in the sum of $3,000,000, and from Piermont, in Rockland Co., N. Y., to Dunkirk, on Lake Erie, gangs of workmen were engaged in driving piles for the road-bed, and spanning rivers and streams with bridges.

Corning received a considerable share of the money ex- pended by the Erie Company in driving piles, building bridges, etc. Then, to add to the general enthusiasm, the politieal campaign of 1840, with all its concomitant ma- chinery, made Corning, with its stirring and active popula- tion, an overflowing town, brimful of business. Specula- tion was rife. Corner lots were above par. From Chemung, Tioga, Broome, and Otsego Counties capitalists were locating at Corning, the El Dorado of the Southern Tier. Mechan- ies of all kinds were in great demand. Lumber was a cash commodity, and bill-timber of every kind brought a high price. Yet there were thousands of' feet of lumber in the log burned up by the settler who wished to clear a spot for a shop or dwelling, and could not wait to have his lumber drawn to the mills at the head of the feeder, to be manu- factured. From the incipient step, in 1835, to the first era of their progress, in 1840, all had been prosperous. From this latter year through 1841 and 1842 there followed a financial depression. Yet comparatively few of the busi- ness men of Corning were seriously or permanently erippled by the general bankruptcy which pervaded the country. Many, however, suffered by the failure of the New York and Erie Railroad Company. Many of the business men and lumbermen had taken stoek in part payment for timber and materials furnished, and had suffered thereby. But the recuperative qualities of Americans are proverbial ; and the citizens of Corning were not an exception. The ranks of the business men were strengthened in the intervening years, from 1842 to 1854, by a strong and active class, who took hold and gave a new impulse to business.

# See Chas. H. Erwin's history of Painted Post.

256

HISTORY OF STEUBEN COUNTY, NEW YORK.

The Erie Railroad Company had compromised their claims, and a new set of men were at the helm, who pushed the road to completion in 1851. At the close of 1849, it was finished to Corning. Large appropriations from the State had enabled the Corning people to improve the highway through the Narrows, and to afford better facilities for canal navigation. The Blossburg Coal Com- pany were shipping a large amount of coal from their wharves, and the lumber dealers were flooding the Eastern markets with the choicest Chemung flooring, etc .; so that by reference to the canal reports we discover that, in 1849, Corning stood third on the list of inland shipping-ports in the State of New York. The Erie Company had located their depots and yards at the upper or west end of Corn- ing. This for a time seemed to draw business in that direction.

D. A. Fuller, father of George W. and Dwight L. Fuller, of the Dickinson House, erected a hotel called the Waverly, near the present stock depot of the Erie Railway. The demand of the traveling publie compelled him to enlarge his accommodations. In 1850-51 the Waverly spread into the Terrett House, Mr. Fuller continuing the lessee or owner. About this time the Dickinson Honse was com- pleted by the late Hon. A. B. Dickinson, of Hornby, and Col. H. W. Bostwick, of Corning. There were now four well-conducted hotels in Corning, viz., the Dickinson IIonse, by S. B. Dennis, succeeded by Mayor Field, and lastly by the Fuller Brothers ; the Corning House, by Capt. E. Pier, and others ; the Terrett House, D. A. Fuller, pro- prietor ; and the Railroad House, by Maj. P. P. Cleaver.

Foundries were established, churches were erected ; Dyer and Concert Blocks were completed ; the village through its corporate officers was making many necessary and desirable improvements.

The village then contained about 3000 inhabitants,- with the town, 4372. The Corning Journal had been established in 1846, by Thomas Messenger, and in the year 1851 had passed into the hands of A. W. McDowell and Dr. G. W. Pratt. Good schools were in session ; the pul- pits were filled by able ministers ; and a full corps of com- petent physicians and lawyers were located at Corning ; in fact everything that was desirable in an enterprising, first- class business town.

We now approach the second era in the history of Corn- ing,-the era of fire. She had previously been visited with the element. The terrible conflagrations which occurred in the next six years are familiar to every inhabitant of the Chemung Valley. It will be recollected that the year 1852 was a comparatively mild epoch in political affairs. Few mass-meetings were held in comparison to former presiden- tial campaigns. Yet the citizens of Corning had not for- gotten the exciting times of 1840, 1844, and 1848, and were determined to keep alive the political spirit which had animated them in the early stages of their history.

In the year 1850 a railroad was projected, called the Buffalo and Conhocton Valley Railroad, with such men as Ilon. John Magee, of Bath, enlisted in the enterprise. By the terms of the charter, which was obtained in 1850, the southern terminus was at Painted Post. But this would benefit Corning, as it connected with the Erie. Corning

was most fortunate in this new project. It would give her a thoroughfare through to Rochester and Buffalo by the Con- hoeton Valley. This project was only fairly inaugurated when another, and, as it has proved, a more lasting and sub- stantial work, was to seek an outlet by the way of Corning. We allude to the purchase, by Hon. John Magee, of the interest of certain members of the Corning Company in the old Blossburg Railroad, who had became the debtors of Mr. Magee. He took possession of the road in 1851, and im- mediately made arrangements for widening the gauge, and relaying the tracks with desirable T-iron. The Pennsyl- vania stockholders consented, and during the year a sub- stantial railway, with all the modern improvements, was opened to the public. Mr. Magee had also purchased the lease of the coal-mines at Blossburg. This was the initial step in developing the vast coal region now operated by the Fall Brook Coal Company, the Arnot or Blossburg Coal Company, and the Morris Run Coal Company. Thus it seems that every adversity on the part of Corning had been overcome through some new avenue of prosperity.

About this time Corning was strengthened by the advent of two bankers, George W. Patterson, Jr., and John N. Hungerford, who came to identify themselves with the busi- ness interests of the place. Mr. Patterson remained con- nected with the George Washington Bank, as president, till within a quite recent date. Mr. Hungerford is still bearing an important part in the financial transactions of the village.

The Corning Sun, a weekly newspaper, was published in 1853 by Mark M. Pomeroy and P. C. Van Gelder, and continued about a year, when it was purchased by Rev. Ira Brown, who published a paper in the interests of the farmers and horticulturists. In the mean time a lodge of Freemasons and Odd-Fellows had been established, the new lodge of Masonry taking the name of Painted Post Lodge, No. 117, and counting among its members some of the most intelligent and reliable of the citizens. Corning is now the centre of Masonic attraction, the whole upper story of Concert Block being used as lodge-rooms for the Blue Lodge, No. 117; Chapter, No. 190; Council of R. and S. M., No. 53; A ... and A .. S ... Rite; Lodge of Per- fection ; Council Prinees of Jerusalem; Corning Chapter Rose Croix, and Corning Consistory. Corning has many able representative men in various vocations, in whom she may feel an honorable pride : such men as George B. Bradley, S. T. Hayt, John N. Hungerford, C. C. B. Walker, Austin Lathrop, Jr., D. F. Brown, Chester S. Cole, B. Graves, William D. Turbell, C. II. Thomson, Iliram Pritchard, B. W. Payne, A. H. Gorton, Q. W. Willington, C. F. Houghton, Henry Goff, G. W. Pratt, F. B. Brown, Charles G. Denison, E. Clisdell, William Walker, C. E. Corbin, C. D. Sill, Dr. A. D. Robbins, and numerous others deserving of mention.

Corning is distant from New York 291 miles, from Buf- falo 142, from Rochester 94, from Ilornellsville 42, from Bath 20, from Dunkirk 168, from Blossburg eoal regions 40.48, and from Elmira 18 miles. It is a picturesque and healthy region, and surrounded by a rich agricultural and fruit country. It is the half-shire of Steuben County, the courts being held alternately here and at Bath. The present population of the village is about 7000. IIer rail-

Henry B. hayes

257

TOWN OF CORNING.

road facilities are ample,-one branch of the Erie winding up through the rich valley of the Conhocton to Rochester, another traversing and bringing into elose communication the inhabitants and towns of the Canisteo; thence westerly to Dunkirk and Buffalo. The connections made by the Corning, Cowanesque and Antrim, Tioga and Blossburg, streteh out to the coal regions, and penetrate the agri- cultural and lumbering interest of Northern Pennsyl- vania, thus insuring connections of high importance to its permanent growth. Nearly a million tons of bituminous coal find an outlet within her limits, many thousand tons of which are reshipped to various towns and cities East and West.

INCORPORATION AND OFFICERS.

The petition for the incorporation of Corning was made in behalf of the people by Horace G. Phelps, James C. Davis, and Joseph Herron on the 31st of August, 1848. The petition was granted by Hon. David McMaster, county judge, Sept. 6, 1848, he appointing S. T. Ilayt, William Hood, and John P. Shapley, inspectors of election, to take assent of the electors for incorporation. The vote taken Oct. 25, 1848, showed 118 in favor of incorporation and 5 against it. The first charter election occurred Jan. 12, 1849, and resulted in the choice of the following Board of Trustees : Horace G. Phelps, Laurin Mallory, George T. Spencer, Aaron H. Foster, and James S. Robinson. At the first meeting of the board, Laurin Mallory was elected President, and Thomas Messenger Clerk. At the regular election in March following the same trustees were elected, and Mr. Mallory was re-elected President.

The Board of Trustees selected their presiding officer until the charter was amended, in 1858, when the president of the village became eleetive by the people. The following are the names of the presidents of the village from its incorporation, and the years they served :

1849. Laurin Mallory.

1864. Cyrus D. Sill.

1850. G. T. Spencer.

1865. Chester S. Cole. .

1851. J. B. Graves, M.D.

1866. Austin Lathrop, Jr.

I852. A. H. Foster.

1867. Austin Lathrop, Jr.

IS53. A. II. Foster.

1868. Henry Goff.

1854. Merrill Colby. 1869. Alonzo H. Gorton.

1855. Merrill Colby.

1870. George Hitchcock.

1856. Alexander Oleott.

1871. Chas. G. Denison.

1857. Robert Oleott.

1872. Chas. G. Denison.

1858. G. D. Williams.

1873. Lewis C. Kingsbury.

1874. Chester S. Cole.

1859. Jacob H. Lansing.

1860. Jacob H. Lansing.

1875. John Hoare.

1861. Hiram Pritchard.

1876. Joshua B. Graves.

1862. lliram Pritchard.

1877. Chas. G. Denison.

1863. Chas. G. Denison.

1878. Edwin Bannister.

CORNING POST-OFFICE.

About the year 1840, Mr. Philo P. Hubbell, afterwards elerk of the county, removed the " Painted Post" post-office from Centreville to Corning. Soon after the inauguration of President Harrison, in 1841, the name was changed to Corning Post-office, and Maj. S. B. Denton was appointed postmaster. Under the administration of President Polk, in 1845, Maj. Denton was superseded by the appointment of John McBurney. The successors of John McBurney were George P. Loveland, Philo P. Hubbell, W. B. Whi- ting, Thomas Messenger, aud D. B. Cumpston, uutil the

spring of 1853, when George W. Dyer was appointed post- master. Mr. Dyer commenced a thorough and complete renovation of the office and its appurtenances, making it in appearance and convenience more commensurate with the progressive spirit of the village and the growing wants of the citizens. He erected the commodious building in which the office remained till 1856, putting therein 500 boxes and drawers in place of the 190 boxes of the old offiec. After several other changes of location, the office was removed to its present convenient quarters in Brown Block, in 1873. The postmasters since George W. Dyer have been C. C. B. Walker, D. A. Fuller, C. II. Tomson (twelve years), George W. Pratt, and E. Clisdell, the present incumbent.

FIRE DEPARTMENT.

On the 4th of January, 1851, the Board of Trustees adopted a resolution that two fire companies be formed. Jan. 10, 1851, Rescue Fire Company No. I, Rescue Hose Company No. 1, and Rough and Ready Fire Company No. 2, and Rough and Ready Hose Company No. 2, were or- ganized ; D. B. Cumpston and Thos. W. Adams, foremen of the first two, and Alexander Olcott, of the latter respect- ively. The name of Rough and Ready was afterwards changed to Neptune. In 1857, Alliance Hook-and-Ladder Company No. 1 was organized, with John Bulmer, fore- man.

In 1862 the fire department was incorporated with Al- fred Jones as President, and George W. Pratt, Secretary. C. H. Thomson succeeded Mr. Jones, and William Walker, Mr. Pratt.

The department is now organized as Alliance Hook-and- Ladder Company No. 1, Pritchard Hose Company No. 1, Olcott Hose Company No. 2, and Sherwood Ilose Company No. 3; A. H. Gorton, President ; C. G. Denison, Viec- President; Thomas H. Thomson, Secretary ; Frank Kingsbury, Treasurer; F. W. Jeuners, Chief Engineer ; H. S. Edsou, First Assistant Engineer ; and R. E. Cole, Sceond Assistant Engineer.

CANAL COLLECTORS AT CORNING.

1845-47, Thomas MeBurney ; 1848, A. M. Fridley ; 1849, D. D. Comstock ; 1850-51, HI. Thurbur ; 1852-53, Thomas McBurney ; 1854-55, E. Dodge; 1856-57, J. S. Robinson ; 1858-59, J. H. Lansing ; 1860-61, George W. Pratt ; 1862, E. P. Rogers ;* 1862, Thomas McBurney ; 1863-66, George W. Pratt; 1867, Luzerne Todd; 1868- 69, Frank B. Brown; 1870-71, Peter Rease; 1872-73, Truman S. Pritchard; 1874-75, Charles G. Denisou ; 1876-78, Nelson L. Somers.

RAILROADS AND BUSINESS.

The railroad and shipping enterprise of Corning is a large item in its business. The main line of the Erie Railway was completed to Corning in December, 1849, and was opened for business in January, 1850. Mr. J. A. Red- field, of this village, afterwards superintendent of the Northern Central Railroad, was the first agent. Mr. A. T.

# Rogers was removed and MeBurney appointed in his place tbe 25th June, 1862.

258

HISTORY OF STEUBEN COUNTY, NEW YORK.

Cochrane was his clerk, and in April of the same year was appointed by Benj. Loder agent, and has continued to act in that capacity through all administrations up to the pres- ent time,-about twenty-nine years. This is the very best evidence that he has been a faithful and competent officer.

In 1852 the Buffalo, Corning and New York Railroad, now the Rochester branch of the Erie, was completed to Corning, giving an outlet to a vast agricultural and Inmber distriet. The statistics for 1873 show that Corning, ex- ceeded in tonnage any other station on the road except Jersey City and Buffalo. The tons of freight forwarded were 830,891, amounting to $503,170.20. Tons of freight received, 31,221, amounting to $122,768.96. Total freight business of the station, $625,939.16. Passenger tickets sold, 74,506; receipts for the same, $72,098.46. Total business of the station, 8698,037.62. Since the opening of the Syracuse, Geneva and Corning Railroad, which is now the great avenue for the transportation of coal to the New York Central and the Erie Canal, the freight of this station has materially diminished, but it is still, with its natural increase during the past four years, retained in Corning and only transferred to another office.

SYRACUSE, GENEVA AND CORNING RAILROAD.

This road, connecting at Corning with the old " Corning and Blossburg," now the Corning, Cowanesque and An- trim Railroad, forms a continuous line from Antrim, in the coal regions of Pennsylvania, to its connection with the four-track New York Central at Lyons. N. Y., and with the Erie Canal. The several divisions of this line are the Corning, Cowanesque and Antrim, from Antrim to Cor- ning; the Syracuse, Geneva and Corning, from Corning to Geneva; and the Geneva and Lyons road, from Geneva to Lyons, the northern terminus. This route, including branches from Lawrenceville to Elkland, Pa., and from Blossburg to Fall Brook, is owned and controlled by the Fall Brook Coal Company, which has one of its principal offices at Corning, and is operated jointly by the Syracuse, Geneva and Corning, and Lehigh Valley Railroad Com- panies, carrying the celebrated MeIntyre coal from the mines to the Central Railroad, at Lyons. The Fall Brook Coal Company deliver 400 tons per day of their own coal, and run a freight train each way daily, for general mer- chandise. The whole number of miles from Antrim to Lyons is one hundred and twenty-five; distance from Cor- ning to Lyons, seventy-two miles.

The Syracuse, Geneva and Corning Railway Company filed their articles of association Aug. 27, 1875. The first board of directors consisted of the following gentlemen : Patrick Lynch, Wm. T. Hamilton, Frank H. Hiscock, Syra- euse, N. Y. ; Darius A. Ogden, Penn Yan, N. Y .; George J. Magee, Daniel Beach, John Lang, Watkins, N. Y .; Alonzo H. Gorton, Alexander Olcott, Chas. C. B. Walker, Stephen T. Hayt, Corning, N. Y .; Edgar Mun- son, Williamsport, Pa .; Alexander G. Cattell, Merchants- ville, N. J.

Careful surveys, and a thorough examination of eight different routes between Corning and Geneva, during the months of September, October, and November, 1875, re- sulted in the selection of the present route, which was de-

cided on by an overwhelming vote of the board of directors during their meeting at Watkins, Dec. 30, 1875. It was principally due to the unanimous vote of the Corning di- rectors that this one route was selected ont of the eight ; and experience has shown already that their course of ae- tion was a wise one in every respect.

The work of building the road was let Jan. 14, 1876, to Vibbard, Ball & Stuart, of New York, who sublet it to different parties. Work on the whole line was commenced early in March, 1876, and continued until May 1 of the same year. Then it became evident that Vibbard, Ball & Stuart were not able to fulfill their obligations to the sub- contractors, and work was stopped on the entire line, all the foremen, laborers, teamsters, etc., were paid off by the company from funds advanced by the Fall Brook Coal Com- pany, and the whole work suspended until October, 1876. Gen. Geo. J. Magee had then decided to take himself the contract to build the road. Hle consequently resigned his position as director and member of the executive committee, and relet the work, mostly to the same parties who had held contracts under Vibbard, Ball & Stuart. Col. Austin La- throp, Jr., of Corning, received the contract for building the timber foundation and masonry for the Corning bridge, also for the construction of all bridges, trestles, etc., on sections 1 to G, both inelusive. Wm. C. Gibbons, of Corning, had the contract for the earthwork of sections I to 6, both inclusive. During the winter of 1876-77 the work was pros- ecuted with all possible speed. Track-laying was commenced at Corning early in April, 1877. On July 4, 1877, a grand excursion from Watkins Glen to Corning had been ar- ranged, and about 500 persons enjoyed the ride over the new road and celebrated the day in Corning. July 5, the work of track-laying and ballasting was commeneed at Geneva. The last rail was laid Oct. 11, 1877, and the work of ballasting progressed repidly, so that on section 3 the road could be opened for freight and coal traffie and for passenger transportation Dee. 10, 1877. It has been in sue- cessful operation ever since, and is a grand monument to the enterprise and sagacity of the Fall Brook Coal Company .*

The engineer corps consisted of the following persons : A. Hardt, Chief Engineer ; R. H. Canfield, Division En- gineer, South Division ; J. G. Baker, Division Engineer, North Division, succeeded by Edward Canfield, Nov. 20, 1876. John Lang, of Watkins, N. Y., is now the Presi- dent and Treasurer of the Syracuse, Geneva and Corning Railroad ; Alexander Olcott, of Corning, its Secretary ; and J. H. Lang, of Watkins, its General Auditor. The present Superintendent is A. II. Gorton ; H. A. Horning, General Passenger and Freight Agent; G. R. Brown, Superintend- ent of Telegraph ; Michael Claney, Track Master ; all resi- dents of Corning. The Syracuse, Geneva and Corning Railroad connects at Himrod's with the Northern Central Railroad ; at Geneva, with the Auburn branch of the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad, at the same point, with the Lehigh Valley Railroad, and with the Geneva and Lyons Railroad ; affording a direct route to

# The total cost of the road and equipments was $2,430,988.78. The capital stock of the company is $1,200,000. Amount of stock sub- scribed $1,193,700.

HON. STEPHEN T. HAYT.

Simeon Haite (as the name was originally spelled) emigrated from England in 1629, and settled at Charlestown, Mass., and finally settled at Stamford, Conu. He died in 1657, leaving three sons,-Nicholas, Walter, and Benjamin. Walter removed from Stamford, Conn., to Norwalk, Conn., in 1650, and died in 1699, leaving two sons,-John and Zerubbabel, who died in 1738, leaving three sons,-Daniel, Caleb, and Joseph, the last of whom died in 1730, leaving four sons,-Zerubbabel, James, Moses, and Joseph.

Zerubbabel, eldest son of Joseph, left Norwalk about 1749, and settled in Bedford, Westchester Co., N. Y., where he died in 1794, leaving four sons,-Stephen, Moses, Justus, and Zeph- aniah. Stephen served in behalf of England, in the French war, and was born in 1730; married Miss Martha Els, of New Canaan, Conn., and died in 1770, leaving four sons,-Stephen, John, Samuel, and Zephaniah. Stephen, the eldest son, was born in 1760; served in the Revolutionary war as private in the 2d Connecticut Regiment from 1777 to 1783, when he was discharged by order of General Washington, and was honored with a badge of merit for his six years of faithful service. He was married to Miss Hannah Delavan, of North Salem, N. Y., and died in 1834, leaving five sons,-John C., Charles, Harry, David, and William. John C. removed from Patterson to Ithaca, Tompkins Co., N. Y., in 1826, removed to Corning, Steuben Co., N. Y., in 1833, and died in 1854, having had five sons,-Samuel T., James A., Stephen T., William W., and Daniel M.

Hon. Stephen T. Hayt, third son and fifth child of Dr. John

C. and Martha Hayt, was born in Patterson, Putnam Co., N. Y., June 5, 1822. His father was a physician by profession, but was principally engaged in the lumber and milling business. On the 1st of May, 1833, his parents and family settled in Corning. Stephen attended the common school when young, and after- wards received an academic education. From 1840 to 1843 he was clerk in a store at Elmira, since which time he has re- sided in Corning. From 1843 to 1850 he was engaged in the mercantile business ; from 1851 to 1869, in the lumber trade, with a yard in Albany. Since 1869 he has been engaged in the manufacture of flour and feed, and has one of the most substantial mills in the county, and does an extensive business.

He married Miss Margaret C., daughter of Edwin Townsend, of Palmyra, N. Y., Nov. 19, 1856. Of this union nine children have been born, namely : Stephen T, Martha T., Daniel H. C., Margaret C., Charles W., James T., Isabel W., Jessie K., and Robert O., all of whom are now living.

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History of Steuben county, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 71

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