History of Tioga, Chemung, Tompkins and Schuyler counties, New York, Part 83

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 83
USA > New York > Schuyler County > History of Tioga, Chemung, Tompkins and Schuyler counties, New York > Part 83
USA > New York > Tioga County > History of Tioga, Chemung, Tompkins and Schuyler counties, New York > Part 83
USA > New York > Tompkins County > History of Tioga, Chemung, Tompkins and Schuyler counties, New York > Part 83

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).

THE WELLSBURG BAPTIST CHURCH,

known at different times by the names of Chemung, Elmira and Chemung, Southport and Chemung, and Wellsburg, was organized on the 2d day of September, 1789. The few hardy pioneers in the then town of Chemung constituted themselves a gospel church, adopting a covenant and regu- lations, as expressed by themselves in the following language : " Whereas, We, a number of members belonging to different Baptist churches, having our lot cast in this wilderness land, in the town of Chemung, do find ourselves bound under the obligation of the gospel of Christ, being far distant from the privileges of any gospel church, we give up ourselves to the watch and care of each other, and covenant to walk together in the rules of the gospel ; and agree to meet on the first Tuesday of every week for conference, and on the first day of every week for the public worship of God, ac- cording to the doctrines of the gospel of Christ."

Their place of meeting at this time is not definitely known, but it was most probably in the neighborhood of the Chemung Mills, perhaps a school-house across the river. A record was first commenced on the 3d of February, 1791, at which time Elder Roswell Goff was recommended by the Baptist Church of Christ at Pittstown (evidently Pittston, Pa.), as " one having a measure of the dispensa- tion of the gospel committed to him ; and we, having had opportunity with him, do give him the right hand of fel- lowship therein." He was ordained as pastor of the church, which then consisted of 21 members, of whom eight were received from the Pittstown Church, dismissed for this purpose; seven by evidence of baptism, certificates of ad- ministrators, and otherwise ; and six by letter from War- wick Church. In 1794, William Buck, T. Bennett, and T. Keeney were ordained to the office of deacons. In 1797 there was a great revival, the number of baptisms for that year having been 61, and the church membership 91. In 1812, Elder Goff closed his pastorate with the church, although he continued to supply them at times until his death, in 1825. He was a man eminently fitted, both by his piety and manly virtues, to be pastor of a pioneer church. He was very generally beloved by the old settlers of all religious denominations, and passed to his rest greatly lamented ; but verily, " his works do follow him." During the same year of Elder Goff's withdrawal from the pas- torate a subscription of $500 was sceured for the purpose of erecting a church edifice, and on the 12th of June of that year the frame of the building was raised on the present site. The first trustees were Abner Wells, Stephen Brown, Jesse Moore, Henry Wells, Jacob Comfort, and David Burt. The old building stood as originally raised until 1860, when it was enlarged and remodeled, and sub- sequently painted, and having also been supplied with a cabinet-organ and appropriate furniture, it is now quite a

comfortable building and an honor to the members of the first church in the Chemung Valley.

The present pastor is Elder P. S. Everett; Trustees, Asa Parshall, Job Robbins, Horace Brown, Joel More- house, Daniel A. Gillett, and Isaac Bennett ; Deacons, Asa Parshall and Job Robbins ; membership, 55 ; number of teachers and scholars in Sabbath-school, 68; Superin- tendent, Ira R. Collins.

THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

at Wellsburg was organized as a class in 1839, under the leadership of Henry Watson. The meetings were held in the old school-house, alternately with those of other denomi- nations. The original members were Henry Watson and Clarissa his wife, Jerusha Comfort, Elizabeth Brown, Lesley Brown, Betsy Brown, Silas Simpkins, Elizabeth Simpkins, Jesse Simpkins and wife. Of these but one now remains with the church, namely, Mrs. Clarissa Wat- son, the others having united with the church triumphant, some of them long since, others more recently. The first pastor of the church was Rev. Charles Davis. The church was organized into a society during the ministration of Rev. John Caine, in 1847. The first church building was erected while Rev. D. Leisening was pastor, in 1849, the Revs. Moses Crow and W. H. Goodwin conducting the dedicatory services. The old building served the congrega- tion until 1874, when it was removed to give place to the present commodious and handsome edifice, the corner- stone of which was laid with appropriate ceremonies on the 1st of September of that year, by the Revs. I. Alabaster and A. C. George, of Elmira. During the thirteen months' interval between the demolition of the old and the entry into the new building, services were held in the hall of H. W. Young. The new church cost $7500, which, with the lot, makes the value of the property $8500. It will comfortably seat 375 persons. Present pastor, Rev. E. W. Smith ; Trustees, I. P. Griswold, H. B. Lindsley, A. I. Decker, H. W. Young, William Hanmer, Sandford Mc- Donald, and R. C. Lockwood ; present membership of the church, 110; number of teachers and seholars in Sunday- school, 139 ; Superintendent, A. I. Decker.

CHRIST PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH

at Wellsburg was organized in 1869, during the reetorship of Rev. William T. Hitchcock. He was succeeded by Rev. Dr. Paret, and he by Rev. F. D. Hoskins (then and now rector of Grace Church, Elmira), who served the parish from 1869 to 1875. The next rector was the Rev. John Scott, who remained until January, 1877, when he was suecceded by the present incumbent, Rev. George W. G. Vanwinkle. The church edifice was erccted in 1869 ; corner-stone laid July 29 of the same year ; building occu- pied in July, 1870, and consecrated in November following. A bell weighing 1000 pounds was added in 1876. The present value of the church property is $5000; communi- cants, 43; number of teachers and scholars in Sunday- school, 56 ; Superintendent of Sunday-school, Rev. G. W. G. Vanwinkle ; Church Wardens, E. H. Goodwin and George W. Griswold; Vestrymen, M. A. Sherman, Samuel Mitchell, John V. Fishler, and James M. Hapman ; Church Clerk,

308

HISTORY OF TIOGA, CHEMUNG, TOMPKINS,

Frank Hammond. Episcopal services were held at Wells- burg as carly as the winter of 1866, and a society was formed the following year, out of which grew the present prosperous parish.

EDUCATIONAL AND GENERAL.

As stated on a previous page of this work, educational matters received the attention of the old settlers imme- diately subsequent to their arrival here. As nearly as can now be ascertained, the first school attended by the youth of what is now Ashland was located in the town of Chemung as at present constituted. But as early as the year 1803 a school was taught by Caleb Baker (afterwards county judge). The building, a primitive log structure, stood on the elevation now occupied by the Baptist church. As the settlements increased more substantial buildings were erected, and the germ from which sprung our excellent common-school system was planted by the pioneers, many of whom lived to hail its grand fruition.

The present number of schools in the town is 4; num- ber of children of school age, 301; number of weeks taught, 125 ; teachers, 4 males and 9 females ; number of children attending school, 196; number of volumes in library, 253; value, $90; number of school-houses, 4; valuc, with sites, $6150. Receipts: State appropriation, $702; raised by tax, $1190. Payments : Teachers' wages, $1527; all other expenses, $350.

The population of the town as given in the last State census, for the lustrum ending in 1870, was 1016 ; for that of 1875, 1080 ; showing an increase of 64 for the five years.

THE TOBACCO PRODUCT.

The cultivation of tobacco was first introduced into Ash- land less than twenty years ago, and has since developed into quite an extensive business. From those best quali- fied to judge, we learn that during the year 1877 from 50,000 to 60,000 pounds were grown and prepared for mar- ket from within the present limits of Ashland. Among the principal and largest growers are William Lowman, Ham- mond Matthews, James Carpenter, R. C. Lock wood, and Lyman Fincher.

An interesting feature about the town is the pretty names given to the homesteads, such as Sunrise, Sundown, Pleas- ant Hill, Fruit Homestead, Mt. Vernon, Pleasant Corner, Pleasant View, Pleasant Grove, and similar appropriate names,-for many of the places are really beautiful.

- The data from which the above history of the town of Ashland was prepared has been furnished by the following persons and authorities, to whom and which we acknowledge ourselves indebted : Horace Brown, William Lowman, James Carpenter, Thomas Decker, Jud Smith, Jacob Low- man and his brother, George Lowman, of Chemung; Mrs. Brewer, widow of David Brewer; Mrs. Orpah Decker; R. C. Lockwood, Supervisor; James S. Sprague and A. I. Decker, Town and Corporation Clerks; J. V. Hishler, and other pioneers. To Disturnell's, French's, and Dr. Hough's Gazetteers of the State; Hamilton Child's and Galatian's Historical Directories, and to a series of articles in the Athens Gleaner of 1871-72, furnished us by Asa Parshall, Esq., of Chemung.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

RICIIARD CATON LOCKWOOD.

The ancestors of Mr. Lockwood are of Scotch descent, two brothers having at a very early day settled in Connecti- cut, from one of which he is descended, although it is impossible to trace the successive generations, the records having been lost or destroyed. But of his father we have quite a full account. Colonel Edmund Lock wood was born at Watertown, Litchfield Co, Conn., Nov. 24, 1769. He there married Nancy Judson, by whom he had two chil- dren,-Caroline, who married Samuel Simons, and Charles J., who married a lady named Cook, and had two children, Caroline and Nancy. May 19, 1797, he was commissioned captain in the 8th Regiment of Militia by Governor Oliver Wolcott. May 28, 1802, he was promoted to the rank of major by Governor John Trumbull. May 10, 1810, he received his commission as colonel of the same regiment from Governor John Treadwell. He obtained a contract, with other parties in Connecticut, to construct a macadam- ized road from Baltimore to Washington, and he went thither to superintend the same, taking oxen and carts from Connecticut to do the grading. While thus engaged he made the acquaintance of Charles Carroll of Carrollton, and was finally persuaded to enter his service as practical farmer, superintending his plantation. He was soon after appointed agent for the sale of the Carroll and Caton* lands in Bradford, Tioga, and Steuben Counties. He faithfully looked after the interests of the owners, and re- quired of his purchasers that they should not cut off the val- uable pine timber only so fast as they cleared and cultivated the lands. His successor was not so particular, he allowing the lands to be stripped of the timber, so that they sold for a mere nominal price.

While engaged in the sale of these lands, Colonel Lock- wood formed the acquaintance of Anna, widow of Dr. Russell,; whom he married March 13, 1816. She was born March 8, 1793, and was the daughter of Isaac Cash and Sally Gore, and granddaughter of Judge Obadiah Gore, who came to Sheshequin from Wyoming in 1784. Judge Gore had three brothers and two brothers-in-law killed at the Wyoming massacre. Her mother, Sally Gore, died March 22, 1813, and her father, Isaac Cash, a few weeks later, April 12. Colonel Lockwood purchased the Cash family homestead in Old Sheshequin, of four hundred and twelve acres, and took up his residence there, and there ended his days, Jan. 16, 1834, aged sixty-three years. The home farm was divided among the children, eight in number, six of whom survive, namely, Edmund, born Nov. 12, 1816; Abigail Crassa, born Sept. 14, 1818; Richard Caton, our subject, born Sept. 19, 1820; Samuel Simons, born Feb. 22, 1823; Mary Ann, born November 7, 1825 ; Phoebe Maria, born March 2, 1830; two others, Francis and Charles Huston, died young.

# Richard Caton, son-in-law of Charles Carroll.

+ Dr. Robert Russell was a surgeon in the New York State forces during the war of 1812. He is supposed to have been killed during the war, as he was never heard from afterwards. The only child of Robert and Anna Russell was a daughter,-Miami,-who married John M. Pike, and now resides at Athens, Pa.

309

AND SCHUYLER COUNTIES, NEW YORK.

Richard Caton Lockwood, son of the above, was born in Ulster, Bradford Co., Pa., Sept. 19, 1820. At the age of thirteen years he struck out for himself, soon after his father's death. He went to Towanda, Pa., and commenced his business career (for he had a leaning toward a mercan- tile life) as a clerk with his uncle, David Cash, of the firm of Cash & Warner, merchants,-agreeing to stay one year in their service for his board. After a nine-months' expe- rience in his uncle's store, he concluded that it was not only very hard work, but a very slow way of making money, and he soon after engaged with Guy Tracy, a merchant in Ulster, as clerk, at the salary of eight dollars per month. He continued with him until 1841. His educational ad- vantages were those of the district school, and three months subsequently at the Athens Academy. But he was quite a proficient scholar, sufficiently so to take charge of a dis- trict school when but eighteen years of age, while in Mr. Tracy's employ, and with his consent. He taught the same for one term. It was soon after this that he made his first business venture,-purchasing a raft of lumber, which he ran down the river and sold at quite an advance.

In 1841 he moved to Wellsburg, Chemung Co., and en- tered into the mercantile business, in partnership with Guy Tracy, his former employer, who had so much confidence in young Lockwood's integrity and business tact as to fur- nish the capital and give him entire charge of this store, while Mr. Tracy operated his store in Ulster. In those days goods were sold on long credits, taking lumber in pay- ment, and running it down the Susquehanna to Port De- posit and Baltimore. He continued this business until 1854, at which time his store, with nearly all its contents, was consumed by fire, with a loss of $2000 over the insu- rance. Mr. Lockwood then took the stock that had been saved from the fire, and gave his partner $10,600 for his interest, after reimbursing him the capital invested in the business. From this date Mr. Lockwood continued the business in his own name, rebuilding the store in 1856, on the site of the one so recently burned. This conflagration was the work of incendiaries, and Mr. Lockwood had the satisfaction subsequently of seeing the perpetrators brought to justice,-being himself largely instrumental in breaking up a thoroughly-organized gang of horse-thieves, which then infested this vicinity. Mr. Lockwood did a successful business until 1865, when he sold his stock and rented his store to Messrs. Kress & Evans. He has since been en- gaged in farming, and in connection carries on the lumber and coal business, and also a planing-mill.

He was the originator of the movement for the formation of the town of Ashland, and the ardent supporter of the same in despite of strong opposition. He continued his efforts indefatigably until he secured the passage of a bill by the Legislature in 1867, setting off the town from the territory of the old towns of Southport, Elmira, and Che- mung. He was very fitly clected in 1867 its first super- visor, and was re-elected cach successive year until 1871, again in 1876, and is the present incumbent. He also held the office of postmaster of Wellsburg for several years. In politics, Mr. Lockwood was formerly a Whig, but since its organization has acted with the Republican party, of which he has for years been an active worker.

In 1855 he married Susan Fishler, who was born Jan. 21, 1821, and was the daughter of George Fishler and Joannah Van Scoder, both of German extraction. Her father was born April 9, 1797, in Bucks Co., Pa .; removed to Wallpack, Sussex Co., N. J., and thence to Wellsburg, N. Y., in 1835. Her mother was born in 1801, in Sussex Co., N. J., and died April 28, 1843. The children of George and Joannah Fishler were Susan, born Jan. 27, 1821 ; John Van Scoder, born Oct. 20, 1822; Nathaniel, died in infancy ; George Washington, born Aug. 22, 1827 ; Mary, born Oct. 3, 1829; Eliza, born April 22, 1832; and Joanna, born March 22, 1835. Eliza Fishler died Feb. 3, 1846; Mary died Oct. 16, 1850. Mr. Fishler is a carpen- ter and joiner by trade, and although now in his eighty- third year, is hale and hearty, and quite active for his years. Mrs. Lock wood takes special delight in the culture of flow- ers and plants. To Mr. and Mrs. Lockwood have been born three children, viz., Ulilla May, born June 6, 1856 ; Roc, born Aug. 4, 1857 ; and Edmund C., born April 3, 1864. Roe died Dec. 15, 1862.

Mr. Lockwood is pre-eminently a self-made man,-one who, by indomitable energy, has achieved success in what- ever he has undertaken. Whether in business or in social life, the rule of his conduct has ever been that of the strictest integrity,-his word is as good as his bond.

CHARLES E. COFFEY.

Ferdinand Coffey, father of the subject of this sketch, was a native of Orange Co., N. Y.,-born in the town of Cornwall in 1814. He moved into Chemung County in 1856, and purchased a farm in what is now the town of Ashland, which is now occupied by his son. Charles is the eldest of eight children, of whom seven are living. He was born in Cornwall, N. Y., in the year 1834. He went into the employ of the New York and Erie Railroad as a fireman, in 1851, and the following year as an engineer. He has been continuously in the service of the Eric road ever since, with the exception of four years (from October, 1856, to September, 1860) spent in the employ of the Chicago, Alton and St. Louis Railroad. He has spent what might be considered an ordinary lifetime upon the " iron horse," and in the twenty-seven years upon the "rail" he has run a locomotive about 900,000 miles ! He super- intends his farm, which he makes his home,-a property of which he is justly proud, as being entirely paid for out of his earnings as an engineer, the result of his persevering industry and economy.

A fine view of his home may be seen on another page, in connection with the history of this town. In 1857 he married Miss Malinda A. Conner, a resident and native of Mount Hope, N. Y. The result of this marriage is one daughter, who is living at home with her parents.

OLIVER COMFORT

was born in the town of Deer Park, Orange Co., N. Y., Feb. 13, 1803. He was the third child of Jacob Comfort, who

310

HISTORY OF TIOGA, CHEMUNG, TOMPKINS,

was born June 8, 1775; died Sept. 21, 1812; his wife was Lydia Owens, who was born Sept. 26, 1774 ; died Nov. 3, 1811. The father of Jacob was Richard Comfort, who was born Aug. 15, 1745; his wife was Charity Perkins, born Nov. 17, 1747. The Comfort family is of English extraction, the original members of which, in America, came over prior to the war between England and France. Jacob Comfort and his family removed from Orange County in the month of January, 1805, when Oliver was but two years

lock with Myrtilla, daughter of Jeremiah Coleman, she hav- ing been born in the same place as her husband, Aug. 27, 1805. This union was blessed with nine children, namely, William R., Robert E., Lydia, Mercy, Jacob, Myrtilla, Harriet, Oliver Tyler, and Hannah, six of whom are living ; Oliver Tyler being the only one remaining at home, and he attends to the business of the farm, on the old home- stead. Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Comfort are both living in the house into which they moved three weeks following their

Photos, by Larkin.

Oliver Comfort

MRS. OLIVER COMFORT.

old, and settled in Chemung (then Tioga) County, and the following spring moved to that part of the town of Elmira now included within the limits of Ashland, and settled on the farm now in the possession of the principal subject of this brief memoir. Jacob Comfort purchased 83 acres, for which he paid twenty shillings per acre. The farm was one of the first settled in the town, taxes having been paid thereon as early as 1794.

On the 31st of May, 1826, Oliver Comfort united in wed-

wedding, and where they have continued to reside for fifty- two years. In politics Mr. Comfort is a Republican, he having an abiding faith in the integrity of the successor of the old-time Whig party. He never sought political pre- ferment of any sort, and never held any office except that of road commissioner. He lays no, claim to any particular distinction, only assuming the attributes which his life and character have so fully earned,-those of an honest and up- right citizen and a Christian gentleman.

CHAPTER XLIX.

BALDWIN.

THIS town is situated southeast of the centre of the county, with a narrow strip, extending to the east border, between the towns of Chemung and Van Etten.

It contains an area of 16,454 acres, of which 10,125 acres are improved.

According to the census of 1875, it had a total popula- tion of 1006 inhabitants, of which 979 were native, and 27 foreign born, 1004 white, 2 colored. There were 523 males and 483 females, aliens 15. A voting population of 286, of which 271 were native, and 9 naturalized citizens,

6 aliens. Males of military age, 203. Persons of school age, 143 males, and 128 females. Number of land-owners, 175. Persons over twenty-one years of age unable to read or write, 24.

The surface is a hilly upland, broken by the deep valleys of Baldwin and Wynkoop Creeks, which creeks are also the principal water-courses.

The soil is a gravelly loam in the valleys, and a clay loam upon the hills, well adapted to tillage and grazing. As in most other sections of the county, the people here are chiefly engaged in farming. The farms are in a good state of cultivation, and the stock and agricultural implements in use are of the best and most improved kind.

311

AND SCHUYLER COUNTIES, NEW YORK.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

Charles and Warren Granger, brothers, made the first settlement in the territory now known as Baldwin township, in the year 1813. They settled on the site of the village of Hammond's Corners. Warren built a house where John Hammond now resides, and Charles ereeted one on the corner formerly owned by Elisha Hammond. As they remained here but a very few years, little else is known of them.

The next family to arrive was that of Henry Tiee, a sol- dier of the Revolutionary war. He came from Ulster County, this State, and settled in the southern part of Chemung township, in the year 1800. In 1814 he re- moved to Baldwin, taking up the lot now oceupied by the widow of Reynolds Elston. He lived to be ninety years of age. Of a family of twelve children, three are still surviving, as follows : Mrs. Mary Collson, aged eighty-two years, John Tiee, aged seventy-eight years, residents of the town of Baldwin, and Jacob Tiee, who resides near Elmira, aged seventy years.

Jason Hammond and his sons, Elisha, James, David, Robert R., and Cornelius, eame from Ulster Co., N. Y., in 1815, and settled at the corners, purchasing the property owned originally by the Granger brothers. Elisha, the oldest son, was a soldier of the war of 1812, an active and prominent eitizen in the settlement, and one who did mueh towards inereasing the population of the new distriet, rais- ing up a family of fifteen children, all of whom grew to be men and women.

William Hammond, another brother of Elisha, was also a soldier of 1812; was wounded in an engagement with the enemy, taken prisoner, and died in their hands.

Robert R., the fifth son of Jason, still resides on the farm owned formerly by his father. The same year (1815) there eame a Mr. Marshall and Francis Drake, who also settled at Hammond's Corners.

In 1816, Charles Dunn and Thomas Baldwin eame up from the southern part of Chemung and settled at the cor- ners, while Peter MeCumber, from Providence, R. I., set- tled on Baldwin Creek, two miles down the stream from the corners, and a Mr. Haywood and Simeon Kent settled on the ridge in the southwest corner of the town. Phineas Blodgett also located at Hammond's Corners the same year.

According to the statement of Jeremiah MeCumber, Esq, the population of the town was largely inereased during the year commeneing with the spring of 1817, by the arrival and settlement here of twenty-seven heads of families, all good, substantial citizens, from the States of Vermont, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and the eastern part of this State. Prominent among them was Jeremiah MeCumber, from Middletown, Rutland Co., Vt., who settled on lot No. 50 of the Lenox Traet. Mr. MeCumber was soon after appointed sub-agent for the sale and eare of this traet, and continued as such for many years. He has been a very active man in matters relating to the welfare of his town, and during their lifetime was the intimate friend and associate of Judge MeDowell and Isaae Shepard, while they were all citizens of the old town of Chemung, and county of Tioga. In the early years of

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.

History of Tioga, Chemung, Tompkins and Schuyler counties, New York, Part 83

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