USA > New York > Chemung County > History of Tioga, Chemung, Tompkins and Schuyler counties, New York > Part 31
USA > New York > Schuyler County > History of Tioga, Chemung, Tompkins and Schuyler counties, New York > Part 31
USA > New York > Tioga County > History of Tioga, Chemung, Tompkins and Schuyler counties, New York > Part 31
USA > New York > Tompkins County > History of Tioga, Chemung, Tompkins and Schuyler counties, New York > Part 31
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125 | Part 126 | Part 127 | Part 128 | Part 129 | Part 130 | Part 131 | Part 132 | Part 133 | Part 134 | Part 135 | Part 136 | Part 137 | Part 138 | Part 139 | Part 140 | Part 141 | Part 142 | Part 143 | Part 144 | Part 145 | Part 146 | Part 147 | Part 148 | Part 149 | Part 150 | Part 151 | Part 152 | Part 153 | Part 154 | Part 155 | Part 156 | Part 157 | Part 158 | Part 159 | Part 160 | Part 161 | Part 162 | Part 163 | Part 164 | Part 165 | Part 166 | Part 167 | Part 168 | Part 169 | Part 170 | Part 171 | Part 172 | Part 173 | Part 174 | Part 175 | Part 176 | Part 177 | Part 178 | Part 179 | Part 180 | Part 181 | Part 182 | Part 183 | Part 184 | Part 185 | Part 186
School Statistics, 1877 .- For the year ending Sept. 1, 1877, the annual report to the school commissioners makes the following exhibit : There were 186 weeks of school taught by 4 male and 11 female teachers ; attended by 326 scholars from 385 children of the school age in the town. There were 39 volumes in the library, valued at $45. Six frame school-houses with their sites were valued at $3045. The receipts into the treasury were from the State, $875.17 ; from taxes, $967.93; for teachers' board, $96; balance on hand, Sept. 1, 1876, $48.45 ; total re- eeipts, $1989.55. Disbursements : for teachers' wages, $1726.86; for repairs and incidentals, $190.62; total, $1917.48; balance on hand, Sept. 1, 1877, $72.07.
CHURCHIES.
THE CONGREGATIONAL CIIURCH OF BERKSHIRE.
The first religious services were conducted in this section of the country by the Rev. Seth Williston, a missionary
from Connecticut, and were held in private houses and barns until 1803, when a building was crected in what is now Newark Valley, where the brick house owned by Samuel Watson stands. A more complete description of this church and building is given in the history of Congre- gational Churches in Newark Valley.
This building was about half-way between the two set- tlements now known as Berkshire and Newark Valley, and was attended by the people for many miles in all directions. The congregation extended a call to the Rev. Jeremiah Osborne to become their pastor, which was aceepted, and a notice was sent out for an ordination-meeting, which was held at the house of Widow Dudley, near where Asa Ball now lives, Feb. 18, 1806, and consisted of Elders Hezekiah N. Woodruff, of the church in Scipio ; Seth Williston, of Lisle ; Nathan B. Darrow, of Homer; and delegates Dea- con Samuel Seward, of the church in Scipio, Deacon Wil- liam Osborne, of Lisle, and Samuel Hoar, of Homer. After the council was organized, by the choice of Mr. Woodruff as moderator, Rev. Seth Sage, of the church in Windsor, and Rev. Joel Chapin, came in and took their seats. After making the usual examination, the council appointed Mr. Sage to make the introductory prayer, Mr. Williston to preach the sermon and give the right hand of fellowship, Mr. Woodruff to make the consecrating prayer and give the charge, and Mr. Darrow to make the concluding prayer. The council then adjourned to the next day, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 1806, when Mr. Osborne was ordained, and he remained their pastor for many years. In 1833 a eall was inade, and a meeting held at the school-house, in District No. 4, July 24, 1833, pursuant to notice given, for the purpose of organizing a church, to be known as the First Congregational Church of Berkshire; the Rev. Marcus Lord moderator, and Rev. Charles White, of Owego, assist- ant. Prayer being offered, some 56 persons assented to the Articles of Faith and Covenant as their respective names were called by the moderator.
These persons were all from different churches, and had letters of recommendation principally from the church of Berkshire and Newark, except Francis H. Brown, who was examined, baptized, and received as a member by Charles White. Officers were chosen : John B. Royce, Clerk ; Nathaniel Ford, Deodatus Royce, Aaron P. Belcher, Deacons. The society bought a lot of Stephen Ball, and crected a brick church in the summer of 1834, and on De- cember 4 following it was dedicated, in a sermon by the Rev. Charles White, of Owego. The church was supplied by ministers from Owego, Newark, and Ithaca until Janu- ary, 1839, when Rev. William Bradford was ordained and installed as first pastor, and remained until 1841. He was succeeded by the following ministers : P. Lockwood, 1843- 48; O. P. Conklin, 1848-56 ; C. F. Miles, 1856-58; William Bradford, 1859-60; O. P. Conklin, 1860-66; S. R. Griffith, 1866-69; E. S. Palmer, 1869-75; S. A. Whiteomb, 1875, and is the present pastor.
The membership of the church is 128. It is in a har- monious and prosperous condition. The present officers are C. T. Leonard, Luther Andrews, and Asa Ball, Dea- cons ; Stephen S. Ball, Clerk. Deacon Asa Ball was elected in 1848, and has held the office continuously for
128
HISTORY OF TIOGA, CHEMUNG, TOMPKINS,
thirty years. In about 1820, Elisha Scott, Daniel Phillips, and Lewis Leonard gathered children together in the school- house for instruction on the Sabbath. In 1829, John Brown was Superintendent, and until 1834 the school was held in the school-house. The present average attendance is 78. Anson Ball, Superintendent ; G. P. Ball, Librarian.
METHODIST CHURCH.
The first service held by this denomination was by Rev. Geo. Densmore, afterwards by Rev. Jno. Griffiths, and was held in the school-house, near where the church now stands. In 1825 a church was organized, with fifteen members. The church has had 35 pastors during its 52 years of existence, who have served as follows: Rev. Gaylord Judd, 1828-29; David A. Shepherd, 1830-31 ; Silas Comfort, 1832; Matthew Westcott, 1833; John B. Benham, 1834; David Holines, 1835 ; Gaylord Judd, 1836; Selah Stocking, 1837; J. D. Warren, 1838; A. Hamilton, 1839 ; E. G. Bush, 1840-41 ; P. S. Worden, 1842-43; Walter Hare, 1844; W. S. Titus, 1845 ; Young, P. S. Worden, 1848-49; A. C. Sperry, 1850; Asa Brooks, 1852-53; E. Breckenridge, 1854; W. B. Thomas, 1855; T. D. Walker and Thomas Burgess, 1856 ; C. W. Judd, 1857; Rodney Rose, 1838; W. W. Welch, 1861-62; R. Van Valkenburg, 1863; Nelson Rounds, 1864-66; Jas. Madison, 1868; Chas. A. Ward, 1869-70 ; Geo. Peck, 1871; N. S. Reynolds, 1872; E. M. High, 1873; J. D. Bloodgood, 1874; W. B. Kinney, 1875-77 ; R. Varcoe, 1878, and the last is their present pastor. Membership at present, 95. The first class-meeting was called before the church was formed, Heman Smith class- leader, under charge of circuit.
In the year 1827 a frame church was built, and before the completion the funeral of Mrs. Mehitable Torrey, wife of Captain Bill Torrey, was held therein. It was formally dedicated July 4, 1828. In 1829 the Sunday-school was organized. It now numbers 100; S. F. Rockwood, Super- intendent. A cemetery was afterwards added to the church lot, and the first one buried there was Miss Wealthy Val- entine.
A BAPTIST CHURCH
was organized at an early day on West Owego Creek, one mile north of Speedsville, called the Berkshire and Caro- line Baptist Church. It numbers 36 members, but has no minister at present. They have a Sunday-school of 60 members ; S. Goodrich, Superintendent.
CEMETERIES.
The Berkshire Cemetery Association was formed in 1867, H. H. Bidwell, President, and Geo. C. Royce, Clerk. A plot was purchased, laid out, and planted with evergreens, and is called The Evergreen Cemetery. The first burial in it was that of Mrs. Wm. Foote. This is the only asso- ciation in Berkshire. The other cemeteries have been mentioned in connection with churches or early incidents.
THE VILLAGE OF BERKSHIRE
contains two churches, one hotel, three stores, one hardware- and tin-shop, two blacksmith-shops, one wagon-shop, one
harness-shop, one tailor-shop, one grist-mill and feed-store, one jeweler-shop, one post-office, one sole-leather tannery, one axe-factory, one rake-factory, one steam saw-mill, two water-power saw-mills, one school-house, one literary society, and Independent Order of Good Templars. The Southern Central Railroad runs through the village, and forms easy connection with Auburn, Owego, and Sayre.
EAST BERKSHIRE
contains a post-office ; mail carried once a week. Ichabod Brainerd made the first clearing at this place.
WILSON'S CREEK
lies in the south part, east of centre, and contains a post- office ; mail carried once a week.
CIVIL HISTORY.
The territory that comprises the towns of Newark Valley, Berkshire, and Richford was set off from Montgomery County in 1791, and was a portion of Tioga County. March 28, 1806, Broome County was formed from Tioga, and this territory was in the apportioninent of territory to the new county, and so remained until March 21, 1822, , when Owego and Berkshire were annexed to Tioga County. This town was formed from the town of Tioga (Owego), Broome Co., which was a part of the general division of the Boston Purchase, Feb. 12, 1808, and was called Berk- shire, from the fact that most of the settlers came from Berkshire Co., Mass. Newark Valley was taken off in 1823, Richford in 1831, reducing it to its present limits.
At the first town-meeting in and for the town of Berk- shire, held Tuesday, March 1, 1808, Ebenezer Cook was Moderator, and the following officers were chosen : John Brown, Supervisor ; Artemus Ward, Town Clerk ; Esbon Slosson and Ebenezer Cook, Assessors; Henry Moore and Elijah Belcher, Poormasters ; Noah Lyman, Hart Newell, and Samuel Haight, Commissioners ; Peter Willson, Col- lector and Poundmaster ; Jesse Glcazen and Adolphus Dwight, Constables; Asa Bement, Nathaniel Ford, Asa Leonard, John Bement, Lyman Rawson, Elisha Jenks, Fence-Viewers ; Elisha Jenks, Poundmaster.
The following is a list of the Supervisors, Town Clerks, and Justices of the Peace since the organization of the town in 1808.
SUPERVISORS.
1808-9. John Brown.
1810. Edward Edwards. 1845-46. John C. Williams.
1811. John Brown.
IS12-17. Solomon Williams.
1818-20. David Williams.
1821-23. William H. Moore.
1824. David Williams.
1825. Gad Worthington.
1826-27. Wm. H. Moore.
I853. James Chapin.
1828. Gad Worthington.
1829. W. H. Moore.
1830. David Williams.
1831. Joseph Beleher.
1832. David Williams.
1833. W. H. Moore.
1834-36. David Williams.
1866-67. Charles S. Manning.
1868-73. Lucien Horton. 1874. Charles Laning.
1837. Lyman P. Akins. 1838-42. Harris Jewett. 1843. Lyman P. Akins.
1844. Josiah Lawrence (app'd).
1847. J. Tallcott Waldo.
1848. John C. Williams.
1849. F. H. Gould.
1850. Henry A. Payne.
1851. H. G. Leonard.
1852. Harris Jewett.
1854. Henry A. Payne.
1855. John F. Judd. I856-57. Ezekiel D. Smith.
1858-59. John T. Kimball.
1860. Robert H. S. Hyde. 1861-65. J. W. Leonard.
1875-78. Walter Jewett.
129
AND SCHUYLER COUNTIES, NEW YORK.
TOWN CLERKS.
1808-9. Artemus Ward.
1810-30. Ransom Williams.
1831. Elijah Powell.
1859. Charles A. Clark.
1832-36. Ransom Williams.
1860-61. Robert II. Ball.
1837-39. Robert Akins.
1862-63. George C. Royce.
1840-44. John C. Williams.
1864-66. Cyrus E. Livermore.
1845-47. Henry A. Payne.
1867. James E. Northrop.
1848. F. II. Gould.
1868-69. Charles E. Dewey.
1849-50. James Chapin. 1851. George Williams.
1870. James E. Northrop.
1871-78. Charles E. Dewey.
1852. James Chapin.
JUSTICES OF THIE PEACE ELECTED SINCE 1830.
1830-34. David Williams.
1853. N. T. Moore.
Elizur Goodrich.
1855. J. T. Waldo.
1832. W. HI. Moore.
1856. L. P. Akins.
Eli B. Gregory.
A. M. Kimball.
1834. Elizur Goodrich.
1857. Josiah Lawrence.
Elisha Scott.
Stillman T. Legg.
1835. J. Taleott Waldo.
1858. N. T. Moore.
1836. W. H. Moore.
Stillman T. Legg.
1859. Samuel C. Bidwell.
July 18, =
10
Dee. 19,
G
Bounties paid for soldiers $5580
For support of families 696
Total
CHAPTER XXVII.
CANDOR.
THIS town is a part of the long and broad belt extending westerly from Ulster and Greene Counties to Lake Erie, and was formed from township 12, northeast and southeast section of township 9, southeast section of township 10, and south half of township 11, of Watkins' and Flint's Purchase. Prior to the completion of this arrangement certificates of location and certificates of survey had been granted in this town to John W. Ford, 350 acres, Jan. 23, 1794, known as Ford Location ; John Cantine, 800 acres, where Willseyville now is, and known as the Big Flatt, and another plat of 1200 acres; to James Clinton 200 acres ; Nathan Parshall, 200 acres ; these latter having been granted March 7, 1792, and all located on the road leading from the mouth of the Owego River to the head of Cayuga Lake.
TOPOGRAPHY AND WATER-COURSES.
Its surface is high, broad, rolling uplands, separated into ridges by the valleys of streams flowing southerly. Its streams are the Catatonk, Doolittle, and Shendaken Creeks. The Catatonk Creek heads in a small marsh in the town of Spencer, and takes a southeasterly course of twenty miles, uniting with the Owego Creek a short distance above its mouth. The valley along this ereek varies from 2000 to 3000 yards in width.
Shendaken Creek enters the Catatonk at Booth Settle- ment. Doolittle Creek is a small stream that joins the West Owego Creek at Weltonville.
The soil in the valleys consists generally of gravelly loam, and yields fine erops of wheat, corn, etc. The up- lands are better adapted for grass than grain. The hills
MILITARY RECORD.
James Parmenter, 76th Regt. ; diseh. June, 1864. H. H. Church, 109th Regt. ; killed.
Richard Akins, 109th Regt .; died Sept. 1864.
Andrew J. Archibald, 109th Regt.
David Brown, 109th Regt.
Henry S. Collins, 137th Regt .; wounded and deceased at Lookout Mountain. Jackson V. Churchill, 137th Regt .; died. Iliram Cole, 109th Regt. Washington Dony, 109th Regt .; siekened and died at home.
W. J. P. Foote, 109th Regt. Almeron Foote, 109th Regt.
Marens J. Ford, 137th Regt .; deserted.
Marens Ford, 109th Regt .; killed at Lookout Mountain.
Daniel Haight, 109th Regt. ; missing.
Myron Hutchinson, 137th Regt .; died.
Albort L. Johnson, 109th Regt.
Pharcellns Jolinson, 109th Regt .; died at home.
Preseott Jackson, 137th Regt .; killed at Lookout Mountain.
Steplien Lovelace, 137th Regt .; died in hospital. James Lacy, 137th Regt. Aaron March, 109th Regt. Almer G. Newell, 109th Regt. Sewell Pillsley, 137 th Regt. James L. Rightmire, 109th Regt. Lorenzo Roekwood, 137th Regt. Edwin L. Richardson, 137th Regt. William Shaff, 137th Regt.
Charles Spencer, 137th Regt .; deserted. Edgar Winship, 137th Regt. 17
George W. Eastman, 137th Regt. Dwight Eastman; died on shipboard. R. II. S. Ilyde, 109th Regt .; eapt. Sylvester Holland, 109th Regt. Edwin Prentice, 109th Regt .; died in serviec.
Nelson Pittsley, 137th Regt.
Ezra S. Williams, 137th Regt .; killed at Lookout Mountain.
Marvin Olney, wonuded and disch .; re-enl. in 5th Cav.
James Orton, 5th Cav. Dufay Eastman, 137th Regt.
Chas. Eastman, 137th Regt .; returned; re-enl. in 5th Cav. Galen Van Valkenburg, 5tl Cav.
Franklin Johnson, 109th Regt. ; served and re-enl. in regular army.
John Willeox, 109th Regt.
James De Stinnard, 50th Eng. Oglesby De Stinnard, 50th Eng.
Nicholas Zel, 50th Eng. George Romans, 5tl Cav .; died at Andersonville.
Theodore Dykeman, 109th Regt .; died.
William A. Witten, 5tl Cav.
Jolın Witten.
John Smith.
41 men enlisted to fill the quota from abroad. Total eall, 115.
Furnished to July, 1862, by enlistment. 26
Aug.,
July, 1863, by draft 13
July 1, 1864, by enlistment. 20
Isaac Iliteheoek.
1860. Austin Clark.
1837. Seloch Payne. Eli B. Gregory. William Lawrence.
1861. Erastus E. Humphrey. Oscar Gleazen.
1838. Lyman P. Akins.
1862. Oscar Gleazen.
1839. Keith Blackman.
1863. S. C. Bidwell.
Deodatus Royee.
1864. A. W. Kimball.
1840. J. T. Waldo.
1865. Charles W. Benton.
W. HI. Moore.
1866-69. H. II. Bidwell.
Levi Gilbert.
E. E. Humphrey.
1841. Iloratio Collins.
1868. A. M. Kimball.
Lyman Akins.
1870. H. H. Bidwell.
1842. Nathaniel T. Moore.
Reuben T. Legg.
Harris Jewett.
1871. S. C. Bidwell. Henry S. Akins.
1845. Lyman P. Akins. Josiah Lawrence.
1872. A. M. Kimball.
1846. N. T. Moore.
Amos G. Watkins.
1847. J. T. Waldo.
1873. Moses Owen.
1848. J. W. Leonard. Miles Heath.
1874. Junius Collins. George Williams.
1850. F. H. Gould.
1875. Lorenzo F. Rockwood.
L. P. Akins.
1876. A. M. Kimball.
1852. Iliram Bliss.
1877. Moses Owen.
N. T. Moore.
1878. Junius Collins.
1853. L. P. Akins.
1855-56. Gershom A. Clark, Jr. 1857-58. George Williams.
40
115
130
HISTORY OF TIOGA, CHEMUNG, TOMPKINS,
were originally mostly covered with hemlock and pine, and the valleys with heavy growths of pine, oak, becch, and maple. In instances the pines have reached 175 feet in height and 5 feet in diameter, and immense quantities of lumber of fine quality have been manufactured and sent to market at an early day from this valley.
The streams in this town furnish abundant water-priv- ileges for manufacturing purposes, and saw-mills, grist-mills, and tanneries are in active and extensive operation. The farms are largely used for dairy purposes, and the eonnee- tions by the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad and Utica, Ithaca and Elmira Railroad furnish ample opportunities for shipping.
EARLY SETTLEMENTS.
The expedition of General Sullivan through this section of country, in 1778-79, brought to the notice of the sol- diers with him the rich alluvial along the valleys, the heavy timber, and the excellence of the water-privileges. When the time arrived that the whites with comparative safety eould push farther west, these valleys were chosen by a portion of these soldiers for homes. Few, indeed, eom- paratively were the settlements in Western New York before 1800. The early settlers came into these western wilds with the same indomitable perseverance that charac- terized their fathers, the early Pilgrims and Puritans, when they left the Old World and crossed the trackless ocean to eontend with difficulties unknown and unforeseen. As early as 1785 a small settlement was formed near Union. An- other party came by way of Otsego Lake and the Susque- hanna River and settled at Owego, and in 1791 a small band went up the valley of Owego Creek and settled in what is now Newark Valley and Berkshire. These parties located upon the so-called " Boston Purchase."
In the present limits of this town there were several eer- tifieates of loeation and survey granted prior to the com- pletion of the Watkins and Flint Purchase, as before stated, the deed for which latter was granted June 25, 1794, excepting lands previously granted. Captain Joel Smith was employed by Watkins and Flint to survey a portion of this land and divide it into lots, with Isaac Judd as assist- ant. They came out in the summer of 1793, and surveyed township twelve and part of township nine, of which Captain Smith made a map, numbered the lots, and dated the map of township twelve, October, 1793. This map is now in the possession of Daniel Bacon, of this town, together with others of the same and later dates. While they were surveying in the Catatong (now called Catatonk) Valley they eamped one night where Wm. Hubbard now lives. A severe rain-storm eame on, and the water in the ereek rose so rapidly they were compelled to climb trees and wait for its subsidence. They returned home to Ber- lin, Conn., in the fall, and the men who were intending to settle in this portion of the country drew for their lots, containing about 104 acres cach, the price of which was 7s. per acre in New England currency. The deed was given in June, after which four men-Elijah Smith, a brother of Joel Smith, the surveyor, Collings Luddington, a brother-in-law, Thomas Hollister, and Job Judd-came out by way of Owego, followed up the west branch of the
Owego Creek to this valley, and up this valley about ten miles, to where the village of Candor now is. Here in this · valley, surrounded by dense forests, with wild beasts roam- ing the woods undisturbed, they first plied the axe in quick, sueccssive strokes, that marked the beginning of an era of progress, improvement, and civilization. At this time there were Indians of the Onondaga tribe on the bank of the Catatong Creck, and farther up, on the farm owned by the late Solomon Mead. They were friendly, and did not rc- main long after the settlement by the whites. Thus, tract by traet, acre by acre, was the home of the red man yielded up to the palc-face. Where once the savage followed the war-path, held his hideous war-dance around his writhing victims, and made the forest resound with the war-whoop and shouts of triumph ; where the dusky maiden stole away to meet the young brave who had become the object of her forest-born affections; now peace and the arts of civilization have succeeded, with all the blessings that aecompany their train.
There are yet living those who remember the prison, a fort said to have been used by the Indians for their captives, on the bank of the creek near where Peter Carl lives, oppo- site the cemetery. In 1873, at a meeting to organize a Fourth of July celebration in Candor, the matter was dis- cussed as to where to place the cannon, and it was decided to put it on the old " Fort Lot,"* and the dawn of the natal day of our country was heralded by the roar of can- non from the spot where the wail of the eaptive and the shout of the eaptor rang out through the forests a century ago. Amos Draper, an Indian agent, living at Owego, and his brother Joseph, being friendly with the Indians, ransomed some of these captives and sent them back to their friends at Wyoming. Judge C. P. Avery says, in the " History of the Susquehanna Valley" (1854), of this fort and an incident connected with it, " It stood in the midst of a thick hemlock grove, . almost impen- etrable to light, the dark and sombre character of which is well remembered by some of the pioneers yet living.
" It is handed down by tradition, and in some degree eon- firmed, that here lived for several years in an Indian family a young white girl, who had been captured in the vicinity of Wyoming. She is represented to have been singularly beautiful, her eostume rich, and ornamented with brooches of silver, and to have so much aroused the sympathy of the first white settlers upon the Susquehanna that, among oth- ers, Amos Draper endeavored to procure her release. It was not, however, effected ; the reason liaving been, aceord- ing to one account, that her captors deelined acceding to any terms which were offered for her redemption, while it is otherwise stated that the want of success was attributable to her own unwillingness to leave. She probably shared the fate of her captors and removed with them to Canada."
The incident related by Lossing of Frances Slocum, the white eaptive of Wyoming, is thought by many of the old inhabitants here to be the one mentioned by Judge Avery,
# In this lot, for many years, articles of Indian manufacture were plowed up. Deacon J. B. Hart has many interesting relics of this locality. A few years ago a pestle for pounding corn, ahout eighteen inches in length, was found in a sand-har, four feet below the surface, by N. T. Hull.
131
AND SCHUYLER COUNTIES, NEW YORK.
and the circumstances seem to indicate that she was carried through this section, and finally, upon the retirement of the Indians to Canada, went with them.
Elijah Smith settled on lot No. 9, second tier, northwest section township 12, on the hill where Ira MeIntyre resides. Collings Luddington settled first on lot 3, sixth tier, northwest seetion 12, near Smith, on the farm now occupied by - Bangs. Soon after removed to lot 6, second tier, northwest section 12, where Harvey Ward lives. Thomas Hollister set- tled on the lot where the cemetery now is, and this is thought to be the place where they first camped upon their arrival. Jobb Judd settled on lot 2, second tier, northwest section 12, where John Kelsey lives. He was a Revolutionary soldier, and moved to Indiana about 1820.
Daniel H. Bacon eame at an early day, and with others eamped on the lot with Thomas Hollister. At one time Bacon went to Matson's mill, now Cannawanna, to pur- chase flour. Returning, he stopped at Abner Turner's and had the flour made into bread. Placing his loaves in a bag, he shouldered them and jogged on. After a time, becoming aware that a pack of wolves were on his track, he began at once to hasten forward with more rapidity, and outran his pursuers, and so saved (his) Bacon and the bread. Bacon finally settled where Josephus Mead lives. Joseph Booth, living in Connecticut, drew a lot at the same time with the others, in 1793, which was the farm on which Edwin A. Booth now lives, being lot 2, first tier, northeast section 9. The deed was made out to Orange T. Booth, his son, then twelve years old, who did not settle upon it till 1801. Israel Mead, a Revolutionary soldier, from Ben- nington, Vt., came in with his wife and five children, with an ox-team and sled, in March, 1795, and settled in West Candor on lot 10, third tier, northeast section 9, where Truman Scofield lives. His descendants are still living there. His son William was the first white child born in Candor. His first house was built by fastening logs to- gether with stakes, forming a cabin, with an opening for doorway, and using the boards from his sled for roofing, together with hemlock-boughs. Fires were kept burning night and day to keep off wild beasts. One night during his absence, while Mrs. Mead was in bed, a bear entered the eabin and helped himself to a kettle of mush standing near the opening. In 1799 one of his boys found a litter of six young panthers and carried them home, kept them in a pen a few months, and then received a bounty of $2.50 per head from the State. Joel Smith, the junior, returned to this place to settle, in the spring of 1795, with his family, consisting of his wife and five children. The younger, Jared, was born in November, 1794, and was six months old, and is now living on the old housestead, being lot 5, sixth tier, northwest section 12. He was born in 1760, entered the Revolutionary army as a fifer; appointed ensign April 25, 1780, of 3d Connecticut Regiment ; received commission as captain Sept. 5, 1780. The appointment is on parchment, and signed by Samuel Huntington, Pres't, with the great seal of the United States. The commission also is on parchment, and signed by John Jay. These relics are in the hands of Selah Hart, of Candor.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.