History of Tioga, Chemung, Tompkins and Schuyler counties, New York, Part 111

Author: Peirce, H. B. (Henry B.) cn; Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Ensign
Number of Pages: 1112

USA > New York > Chemung County > History of Tioga, Chemung, Tompkins and Schuyler counties, New York > Part 111
USA > New York > Schuyler County > History of Tioga, Chemung, Tompkins and Schuyler counties, New York > Part 111
USA > New York > Tioga County > History of Tioga, Chemung, Tompkins and Schuyler counties, New York > Part 111
USA > New York > Tompkins County > History of Tioga, Chemung, Tompkins and Schuyler counties, New York > Part 111

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Benjamin Pelton, who owned all that portion of lot 94, on May 26, 1813, conveyed to Phincas Bennett, of Jericho, Chenango Co., 170 acres from the north end of the lot.

In 1814, Mr. Bennett erected a grist-mill on Fall Creek, a little east and south of the site of the present mill of A. M. Hull, and a plaster-mill where the brick paper-mill now stands.

The water to run these mills was originally conducted in a wooden flume, suspended on a frame-work mor- tised into the face of the rock along the south wall of the gorge, from a point above the main fall, and extending as far down as the present spoke-factory, where a channel through the rock carried it to the mills below.

A mortgage had been given by Mr. Bennett for $4000 purchase money, which was assigned by Mr. Pelton to George Wells, who eaused its foreclosure. Jan. 11, 1817, David Woodcock bid off the property for $3200.

Mr. Bennett and his son Phineas, Jr., seem to have ae- quired again an interest in the property, for we find that Dec. 14, 1816, they conveyed to Abner Howland the land on which stood a chair-factory belonging to the latter, to- gether with " water from the falls" sufficient to run the same.

July 14, 1819, the Bennetts conveyed to Barney Mc- Gloffin and Ancel Bennett, for $1600, " All the plaster-mill and carding-room in same, for and during the time the same shall stand."

April 22, 1817, Mr. Woodcock and others conveyed to Frederick Deming and Jonathan F. Thompson, for the sum of $600, a piece of land 50 feet square, immediately cast of the bridge across Fall Creek. Messrs. Deming & Thomp- son erected an oil-mill upon this land, to which, soon after, was added a distillery, probably by Thompson & Porter, successors of the first proprietors in 1820-21. The latter firm had organized an extensive mercantile business in Ithaea some time prior to 1819, which they conducted with

* This was a low building, with three stores. The west end was occupied by William Lesley, a merchant, the east end by Miles Sey- mour, and tho central portion by Aekleys & Hibbard.

t Between the years 1820 and 1826, the business of the plaee was extended westward along Owego Street, and the junctions of Tioga and Cayuga with Owego Street became activo centres of trade. Jere- miah S. Beebe built the briek store on the northeast corner of Caynga and Owego Streets in 1820; Henry Ackley the store on the southwest corner (now owned by R. A. Crozier), in the year 1824. Opposite the latter, on the northwest corner, stood the Columbian Inn, condueted by Jacob Kerr.

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vigor, even their advertisements cvineing taet and enter- prise .*

In June, 1822, Mr. Thompson sold his interest in the store to his partner, Solomon Porter, and prosecuted the business of distilling on a larger scale, advertising at one time for 100 head of eattle for stall-feeding.

This distillery was probably at what is widely known as the " Nook," a short distance north of Fall Creek.

Above the oil-mill was a saw-mill, which had been re- built by Mr. Bennett about the year 1816-17. It was doubtless built before the time of Mr. Bennett's purchase, in 1813.

A dam erected aeross the main channel of Fall Creek, at a point just above the saw-mill, received the waters dis- charged from the plaster- and grist-mills of Mr. Bennett, through a flume in the roek, which may now be seen.

In 1822 a small foundry, owned by Origin Atwood and Sylvester Roper, stood near the saw-mill. The enterprising proprietors used a potash-kettle as a smelting furnace, and obtained the "blast" by hydraulie power, the water being led in a tight trunk to an air-chamber, and there ingeniously utilized for eondensing the air. }

The foundry, saw-mill, and oil-mill, in the order named, used the water from the dam for their needed power.

Nov. 9, 1827, Jeremiah S. Becbe purchased of David Woodcock 125 aeres of land, including the grist-mill. The mill then had two "runs" of stones, and was carried by an overshot wheel. At the time of the purchase the plaster-mill was under lease for five years to Gere, Gunn &

# We select from Solomon Porter's announcement of August 12, 1822, consisting of nineteen quartlets, the following :

" CASSIMERES, and Broad Cloths, Blue, black and bottle-green, (Exempt from rents and moths), And fine as c'er was seen.

" And Thread to please the lasses; For dandics ( Pshaw ! I hate 'em), Corslets and quizzing glasses, Court-Plaster, and Pomatum.

" Worsted and Cotton Hose Shoe bind and ' Garter Stuff;' To ' stimulate the nose,' Maccaboy and Scotch SNUFF.

" Cotton balls and slacks;

Bed screws and tenter hooks : Beers' (' so-call'd') Almanacks, And Cobb's new Spelling book.

"IRON, by ton or pound ;

Wafers and Holland quills ; DYE-WOODS, in stick, or ground ;

King's patent Coffee mills.

"Wool Cards, and Clothiers' Jacks ; Thimbles and Hooks and Rings ; Five groce Shoemaker's Tacks, And one of fiddle strings.

" Bridle Bitts, and Mouse-traps, (For less than half their worth ; ) Iv'ry combs and lease traps; Awls, Awl Hafts, and so forth. ! "

+ The trunk becoming at one time obstructed, Mr. Roper sought the cause, and found an otter wedged in the upper or horizontal por- tion of the flume. The obstruction netted him about $12.

Nichols, and the distillery-in the " Nook"-leased for ten years to Gere & Gunn.

Mr. Beebe continued to run the mill, without marked alterations, until 1830, when he rebuilt entirely the build- ing used as a grist-mill. In that year hie engaged Mr. Ezra Cornell to conduct the business, and the year follow- ing began the excavation of the " Tunnel." This then for- midable undertaking was carried forward under Mr. Cor- nell's direction, and finished in the summer of 1832. This work, wholly in rock, is about 200 feet in length, with a width and height respectively of 12 and 13 feet, and eost about $2000.

This tunnel was ealled a " stupendous work of art,"{ and was, indeed, more than grand in the practical benefit it conferred. The rickety wooden flume was abandoned, and thenceforward the water from a dam built above the tunnel . was taken through the latter and then, by an open raceway in the solid rock, conducted to the mills below.

Dee. 1, 1838, Horaee Mack, of the firm of Maek & Ferris, and John James Speed, of the firm of Speed & Tourtellot, purchased the grist-mill and power for $26,000, and for one year did an extensive business, without adding proportionately to their fortunes. The old store-house at the Steamboat Landing was that year erected by or for them to facilitate the handling of their grain.

April 1, 1840, Mr. Mack conveyed his interest in the establishment to Chauncey Pratt and Chauncey L. Grant.

In 1840 or 1841 the Ithaea Falls Woolen Manufactur- ing Company purchased the property and enlarged the mill, making it five or six stories high, and put in eostly ma- chinery in abundanee. Stock in this company was taken by farmers, and other citizens of the county, to a large amount. In the later years of its existence it was con- ducted at a loss, the deficiency being made up by assess- ments, until, in the year 1851, the entire building and its contents were destroyed by fire :- an unexpected dividend !

In 1854, Henry S. Walbridge became the owner of the property, and built a new mill on the old foundation, into which he framed a portion of the timbers of the first eourt- house, then in process of demolition.

A. M. Hull now owns the mill and its belongings, and faithfully presides over what may be truly termed one of Ithaca's most venerable, historie manufacturing sites. Of the former millers, none survive.

July 16, 1819, Otis Eddy and Thomas S. Matthewson purchased of Phineas Bennett and others a small piece of land, four rods by five, upon which they built a paper-mill -- the first in the county. Chester Walbridge soon obtained an interest in the business, and continued until April 1, 1822, with Mr. Matthewson. Mr. Eddy retired Aug. 29, 1820.

In October, 1823, an interest in the mill was purehased by Mack & Morgan, then publishers of the American Jour- nal, and proprietors of a book-store on Owego Street. The

į In entering this passage we had more than one association of ideas. We thought of Cacus, and his den of thieves ; of Polyphemus in his cavern, surrounded by his one-eyed monsters; and last, though not least, of Satan, when he

"Stood on the brink of Hell and looked awhile, Pondering his voyage."

--- Views of Ithaca, by Solomon Southwick : 1834.

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AND SCHUYLER COUNTIES, NEW YORK.

mill at that period, and for a long time thereafter, was su- perintended by James Trench, and did a large business in the manufacture of printing, writing, and wrapping paper. The mill finally became the property of Mack & Andrus, and was from time to time enlarged and improved. The briek mill was added in 1851. Under the management of the firms named and their sueeessors* it became a leading enterprise among the many in the town.

Captain Comfort Butler eame to Ithaea some time prior to 1808. He was enrolled as a " farmer" at that date, and afterwards, for several successive years, was elected Overseer of the Poor for the town of Ulysses. Before the year 1811 he put up a tannery, which is now used as a residence, at the southeast corner of Aurora and Buffalo Streets, the latter not then opened. The north branch of Six-Mile Creek passed just east of the tannery.

In 1817 the house which is now the residenee of Alex- ander King, on Aurora Street, was built for Mr. Butler by Otis Eddy. For a time prior to 1821 the tannery was eon- ducted by William Butler and George Carpenter. Aug. 24, that year, they dissolved.

Captain Butler became the owner or master of a boat which plied between Ithaea and Syracuse. He was drowned in Cayuga Lake, Nov. 21, 1821. His children were William (father of Vineent C.), Daniel B., Comfort, Mareus, and a daughter who married Augustus P. Searing. The tannery was leased by Rev. William Brown, April 17, 1822. Judging by his announcement to the publie, this divine seems not to have preached, but to have made tan- ning his sole business. He offered special indueements to gentlemen : " If there should be any gentlemen who wish to have their hides or skins tanned on SHARES, they may rely they shall have justiee done them." The emphasis is his. Joseph Esty subsequently purchased the property.

About the year 1812, Daniel Bates settled in Ithaea, and purchased of a Mr. Gardner a tannery on the east side of Aurora Street, nearly opposite the present residence of William Esty, and on the (then) north branch of Six-Mile Creek. To supply additional power, or water for tanning purposes, Mr. Bates, in 1823, ereeted a dam in Cascadilla Creek, directly south of the Williams Mill, so often referred to, and diverted the waters of that stream into a racewayt excavated at the foot of the hill, and leading southward to near the Unitarian Church property, where it joined the former stream. Mr. Bates was succeeded in the business by Cooper, Pelton & Co.

In 1816, George Blythe ereeted a wool-earding and eloth- dressing establishment on Aurora Street, north of the tall- nery of Mr. Bates, and directly over the ereck. Here a large business was done for a long period. The house then occupied by Mr. Blythe is still standing, with its ponderous chimney, and is the property of Mrs. W. H. Weleh.

May 3, 1820, Mr. Blythe removed his carding establish-

# Mack, Andrus & Woodruff (Charles F.); Andrus, Woodruff & Gauntlett (John) ; Andrus, Gauntlett & Co .; Andrus, MeChain & Co. + Where the waters left the dam, the face of the soft shale bluff was eut away, affording a smooth face, upon which sundry urehins of more than a half-century ago inscribed their names, as n durable memorial of their depredations in the orchard above. Ono name yet remains clear cut, a marked instanco of the resistance of the shale to disin- tegrating forces, viz., " N. Ketchum, Augt. 17th, 1823."

ment to Bennett's plaster-mill, at Fall Creek. In 1826 he transferred his business to the mill owned by Andrew D. W. Bruyn, on Six-Mile Creek.

A Mr. Robison ereeted a grist-mill on the Six-Mile Creek prior to the year 1818, near the west end of the piece of land now owned by Timothy Hollister, on Aurora Street. In the year named, Archer Green was the owner ; the occupant was David Booth Beers, who there had a card- ing-machine. Andrew D. W. Bruyn next held the title, about the year 1825, when it was occupied by Otis Eddy, who used it as a cotton-factory on a small scale. From 1826 to 1831 it was occupied by George Blythe and Phineas Bennett, Jr., as a fulling-mill. The structure was again changed in 1838, under the charge and ownership of Jacob M. McCormick, into an oil-mill, and was so continued until 1841-42. The building stood until about the year 1851, when it was removed or taken down by him, and a flouring-mill erected in its place. The latter was destroyed the year following, by a supposed incendiary fire.

General John Smith, between 1795 and 1801, purchased the farm on east hill which is now owned by Solomon Bry- ant. He seems also to have purchased ten acres within the present corporation, including the site of the late " Halseys' Mill." He occupied a log house, possibly one of the eabins vaeated by the Yaples and Dumond families. It is probable that he built a grist-mill and distillery.} which, prior to 1811, he sold to Judge Sahnon Buell, who in that year owned and operated mills at that place.§

About the year 1814, Judge Buell conveyed the mill or mills to David Woodcock and Daniel Shepard; and they, Sept. 29, 1818, to Phineas Bennett and Phineas Bennett, Jr. Besides the mills the Bennetts purchased land west thereof, with a front of five rods on the turnpike. Dec. 18, 1820, the Bennetts sold a quarter interest in the whole property to Edward Davidson. Before the last date (about Nov. 1819) the three partners joined in an agreement with Daniel Bates, on their part to permit the waters of the Six- Mile Creek to be conveyed by the channel already formed to the tannery of Mr. Bates.

Mr. Bates on his part agreed to defend any suits for damage that should be brought by reason of such diversion.|

THE BREWERY.

In the year 1820, C. W. E. Preseott opened a store on the west side of Aurora, near Owego Street. He removed

# In the town-records of Ulysses for the year 1800, in the list of "jurors," we find "John Smith" entered as a " distiller."

{ Judge Buell employed a miller namel L'Hommedieu.

| The waters of Six-Mile Creek have been the occasion of much difficulty and litigation from time to time. The printed eases of tes- timony in the many suits would fill volumes.

The agreement with Mr. Bates was the cause of the first ontbreak. Mr. Ba'es and Mr. Archer Greeu were contemporaries in the use of the water, which sometimes failed to supply both tho mill and tannery. Green, therefore, in the summer of 1822, put in a dam which kept the water from the north branch. This Mr. Bates removed, and Green replaec 1, and so wrath arose as the tide ebbed, until the parties finally met at the mneh-dammed spot. Negotiation was out of the question and litigation expensive. So Mr. Bates took the law and Mr. Green into his own hands, and threw the latter into the erecek. This opera- tion was designated by the jokers of the period as a new method of tanning a Green hide. Mr. Bates then sought a supply of water from the Caseadilla, as we have described.

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HISTORY OF TIOGA, CHEMUNG, TOMPKINS,

in 1821 to his new store, then lately erected on the corner of Tioga and Owego Streets, the same now occupied by James Morrison, who has improved and added to it. In 1823 he built the "Ithaca Brewery," on the east side of Six-Mile Creek, below Clinton Street. Mr. Prescott also erccted a dwelling-house on Seneca Street, now the property of Mr. S. H. Willett. This house was at one time the residence of Ebenezer Mack, and later of John James Speed, Jr. A log cabin previously occupied this ground.

The brewery, in 1826, passed into the hands of William R. Collins and Wait T. Huntington, who were then doing a mercantile business in the store now occupied by F. W. Phillips, under the style of Collins & Huntington. By another change it became the property of Mr. Huntington, who continued the business many years.

From 1837 to 1844, O. H. Gregory superintended the business for the firm, and also for Mr. Huntington, who meantime became sole proprietor. Since the latter date the career of the brewery has been marked by varied fortunes under the management successively of a Mr. Root, Mr. Hawley (who was drowned), William M. Smith, and Theo- dore R. Sitgreaves (of Easton, Pa.), its last owner, for on the 0th of September, 1878, it was burned to the ground. Ithaca now has one less historic monument, Gambrinus one less temple !

GRIST-MILLS, ETC.

Jonathan Bridges, in 1824, built what was then and subsequently known as the " Eagle Factory," on the north- east corner of Cayuga and Clinton Streets. It was carried by water-power obtained by damming Six-Mile Creek at a point a little north of Clinton Street. In this building Mr. Bridges conducted an extensive business in the manu- facture of woolen goods for many years.

The business was abandoned and the building practically vacant for a long time prior to 1844, except that the " Mil- lerites," of whom there were then a score or more in Ithaca, held there occasional meetings in the upper story, which furnished a very elevated point of departure. In October, 1844, some rogues anticipated the catastrophe, and made a fizzle of the " general conflagration" by setting fire to this structure prematurely. Not enough fuel was left to rekindle their enthusiasm, and the sect died out.

In the year 1832, Mr. Alvah Beebe, who had married a daughter of Francis A. Bloodgood, built a stone grist-mill on the old Spencer road, a short distance from its intersec- tion with Cayuga Street. This mill derived its power, as did the " Eagle Factory," from the Six-Mile Creek, but by means of another dam erected a few rods below the " late lamented" brewery. The head race from this dam was cut in the shale rock on the southerly bank of the creek ; but despite its seeming solidity, all that portion above the Cayuga Street bridge has been obliterated by time and flood. This mill did a considerable business until 1841-42, when it burned down.

The cotton-factory enterprise of Mr. Otis Eddy, on the east hill, was started in 1826. On July 4 of that year the foundation of the dam, still known as " Eddy's dam," was laid by Mr. Eddy, assisted by Joseph Esty, Joel Palmer, Isaac Kennedy, and a half-dozen boys. This dam and the race which terminates in the " Willow Pond" at

Cascadilla Place were finished, and the machinery of the first mill set in motion before 1827. This building was of stone quarried from the ravine near by.

This property is described by Solomon Southwick as em- bracing, in 1834, a cotton-factory, store, and about twenty dwellings. The former contained 1600 spindles, which turned off 1000 yards of cotton daily, employing from sixty to cighty hands.

The mill property was bounded west by the centre line of Eddy Strect (since opened), and extended east along the south bank of the Cascadilla.

In 1829, Ezra Cornell began work in the machine-shop referred to, under an engagement of one year.

The manufacture of cotton goods was abandoned after twelve years, as unremunerative, and the old factories, which had then been long unoccupied save for minor purposes, were removed in 1866, to make room for the stone structure known as " Cascadilla Place," now the property of Cornell University.

Blended with Mr. Southwick's glowing descriptions of Ithaca scenery in 1834, mention is made of other factories on the Cascadilla. He says,-

" I descended the creek again, and determined to take a walk along the northern verge. The first object that presents itself here is Gen- eral Simeon De Witt's grist-mill,# erected twenty years since. It has two runs of stone, is farmed out to Mr. John Browu, and grinds on an average 25 bushels per day, can grind 100.

" Next comes William P. Stone's window-sash, picket, and lath- factory ; here about 50,000 lights are turned out annually. A look- ing-glass factory is the next establishment, not, bowever, in a flourish- ing condition at present.

"Next to this is Jobn J. Hutcbing's chair and turning-factory. Only from three to four bands are employed steadily in this factory, wbich turns out about 1600 Windsor chairs annually. Present price from $10 to $12 per dozen.

"The grist-mill, the sasb- and the chair-factories are carried on by water-power. Immediately above the chair-factory is a large building erected for an oil-mill, and used as such for some time, but is now at a stand."

A bit of contemporancous history will, at this stage of our narrative, give a better idea of Ithaca's condition and progress than whole chapters upon the successive enter- prises of a half-century. We will therefore condense the further statement of Mr. Southwick respecting the trades, manufactures, etc., of the village, as he found them in 1834:

NEWSPAPERS .- The Journal, by Nathan Randall: Chronicle, by D. D. and A. Spencer ; Jeffersonian and Tompkins Times, by Charles Robbins.

Book-stores, 2; dry goods merchants, 23; hardware, 2; jewelers, 3; druggists, 3; groeers, 16.

Of mechanical establishments, there were 36.

From a statement published in July, 1834, uuder sanction of a meeting of mechauics, of which Ira Tillotson was chairman, and R. C. Morse, secretary, it appears that the number of mechanics was as follows: tanners, 12; boot and shoe makers, 31; tailors, 13; carpen- ters and joiners, 46; blacksmiths, 26 ; harness-makers, 12 ; coach and wagon-makers, 17; silversmiths, 11; gunstuiths, 5; copper and tin- siniths, 12; machinists, 10; furnace men, 9; hatters, 14 ; millers, 7; cabinet-makers, 14; turners, 3; coopers, 10 ; chair-makers, 6; print- ers, 12; painters, 14; bakers, 7; book-binders, 4: paper-makers, 7; manufacturers, 30; brewers, 4; plow-makers, 4; stone-cutters, 6;

# Near the mill was also a distillery, owned by Mr. De Witt. The structure used as a grist-mili is now the plaster-mill of Mr. H. C. Williams, but the distillery has not survived the " tidal wave" of time.

Photo. by Frear.

Mussit King

" Who noble ends by noble means obtains, *

* Like Socrates, that man is great indeed."

Perhaps no better exemplification of the sentiment ex- pressed in the above lines can be found within the province of our work than is offered in the character and services of Merritt King. He comes of the pioneer stock of the town of Danby, where his grandfather settled as early as the year 1800, and where his father, Samuel B. King, was born. Merritt King was born Oct. 29, 1838, and is conse- quently in his fortieth year. Though comparatively a young man, he stands among the foremost members of the Tompkins County bar. No one among them all has a larger or more lucrative practice; none whose name is better or more favorably known in the judicial distriet in which he resides ; nor one who possesses in a greater degree the confidence and respect of both courts and litigants. This success and position have been fairly earned, and Merritt King is, if anybody ever was, " a self-made man," as the phrase goes. At an early age he determined upon acquiring a liberal education. To accomplish this he did what most boys do who have a taste and aptness for learning, and are compelled or resolve to obtain it by their own unaided labors. He began as a teacher in a district school; then as teacher in a select school. By these means and the exercise of the strietest economy he was enabled in time to enter an academy, for which he had qualified himself by a close pursuit of private studies during the few leisure hours which the exacting duties of teacher spared him. Soon after his graduation the war of secession broke out. Saeri-

fieing his fondly-cherished hopes with regard to his future vocation, he inseribed his name upon the muster-rolls of that citizen-soldiery which was destined in a brief time to rival in deeds of heroism the grand army of Napoleon, and to become at onee the admiration and wonder of the world. He enlisted Aug. 22, 1862, in Co. K, 137th N. Y. V. I., and served with distinction for three years, participating in twenty-two different engagements. He was deservedly pro- moted by degrees until, when mustered out, he held the rank of major. At the elose of the war Major King found himself again confronted with the old question, " What shall I do ?" He had saved a small sum of money from his pay as a soldier, and finally chose the profession of law. He read law in an office in Ithaca, and attended a regular course at the Albany Law School. From that institution he came forth literally with nothing but honor ; his limited means were all expended, but his great purpose was aecom- plished. He was admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court of the State. Such, in brief, were the humble beginnings of the distinguished and successful lawyer whom the people of Tompkins County twice honored with the position of district attorney-first in 1867, and then again in 1870-two consecutive terms. In the fall of 1875 he received the Republican nomination for Assembly, and, though running ahead of his ticket, was defeated by the University vote.

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History of Tioga, Chemung, Tompkins and Schuyler counties, New York, Part 111

Author: Peirce, H. B. (Henry B.) cn; Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Ensign Number of Pages: 1112

Author: Peirce, H. B. (Henry B.) cn; Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Ensign
Number of Pages: 1112