History of Tioga, Chemung, Tompkins and Schuyler counties, New York, Part 93

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 93
USA > New York > Schuyler County > History of Tioga, Chemung, Tompkins and Schuyler counties, New York > Part 93
USA > New York > Tioga County > History of Tioga, Chemung, Tompkins and Schuyler counties, New York > Part 93
USA > New York > Tompkins County > History of Tioga, Chemung, Tompkins and Schuyler counties, New York > Part 93

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).

Timothy Wheat, father of Alfred M. Wheat, eame in from Sullivan County in 1832, and settled on the farm now occupied by Simeon Fish. Captain William Wood, who died in May, 1878, at the advanced age of ninety-one, came in many years ago. Richard Hetfield, father of Charles K. IIetfield and husband of the first white woman born in the county, was an early and prominent settler. The Ormistons, Bennitts, Huletts, Bowmans, Burritts, Marriotts, eame later, but are prominent eitizens.

INITIAL EVENTS.

The first house ereeted within the present limits of the town was by John Brees, in 1789. It was built of hewn logs, and was located on the east side of the road leading from the river to Seneca Lake, on the farm now oeeupied by Menzo Brown, a short distance south of the village.

The first birth in the town (or county) was that of Sarah, daughter of John Brees, who subsequently became the wife, and is now the widow, of John Jackson. She was born Feb. 18, 1789, and is consequently in her ninetieth year, and is remarkably well preserved. The next birth was that of Susanna Conkling, Feb. 3, 1793.

The first marriage is generally believed to have been that in which William Dunn and Merey Sayre were the con- traeting parties. We were unable to get the exact year, but it was probably about 1790-91.

The first death was that of Susanna Conkling, which oe- curred March 3, 1793.

# See under head of " Initial Events."

JOSEPH LIVESAY.

MRS. JOSEPH LIVESAY.

PHOTOS. BY P. J. WARD, HORSE HEADS.

RESIDENCE OF JOSEPH LIVESAY, HORSE HEADS, N. Y.

LITH BY L # EVERTS, PHILA DA

YMOT

LITH. BY L. H EVERTS, PHILA.

RESIDENCE OF BENJAMIN WESTLAKE, HORSEHEADS , N. Y.

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HON. CHARLES HULETT was born in the town of Reading, Windsor Co., Vt., Feb. 19, 1805. His ancestors were of English descent, and the emigrants are supposed to have come to America about the year 1620; leaving England on account of religious intolerance, and came to this country that they might enjoy larger religious freedom.

His great-grandfather settled in Hadley, Mass. His grand- father settled in Wallingford, Rutland Co., Vt., was a farmer by occupation, and raised a family of six sons and one daughter, viz. : Nehemiah, John, Amos, Asahel, Mason, Thomas, and Phebe.

His father, John, lived in Reading until the year 1827, when he came with his family and settled in the town of Veteran, Chemung Co., where he died at the age of eighty, in the year 1847, Jan. 12.

His mother was Martha, a daughter of Deacon Clark, of Weathersfield, Vt., at which place she was married. She died also in the town of Veteran, in her forty-ninth year. Their children were Laura, Guy, Clark, Asahel, John Madison, Charles, Almira, Martha, Mason, Nehemiah, Marcia, and George W. and Benjamin F. (twins), of whom five only are living.

Charles spent his minority at home on the farm, receiving only a limited opportunity for any education from books. At the age of twenty-one he came to the town of Veteran, this county, and in connection with his brother Guy (who was afterwards associate judge of Chemung County), who was then a practicing physician in that town, bought one hundred and two acres of land, which was held by the brothers for some six years ; when Mr. Hulett received by division one- half of the land which was paid for, to which he made a small addition, with buildings thereon. From this time until the time of writing this sketch he has gradually acquired property, and has spent a life of activity and industry as an agriculturist.

In the year 1844 he removed to the town of Elmira, where he has since resided. This was prior to the division of the town of Elmira. Previous to his removal from the

town of Veteran he was elected justice of the peace, which office he filled for some seven years, and resigned that the people might fill the vacancy at the coming election. The same year of his removal to Ehnira he was elected justice of the peace in that town, and held the office from the following January after his election until the year 1862, when the great fire at Horseheads not only consumed the business part of the town, but his docket for his entire justiceship.

Mr. Hulett has always been an unswerving Democrat, casting his first vote for president of the United States for Andrew Jackson. In politics he has been an ardent, active, and influ- ential man, and prominent in the councils of his party in advocating its principles. During the late Rebellion he was a stanch supporter of the Union cause, and acted on the war committee of this district with Charles Cook, General Diven, Dr. Beadle, and others.

In the year 1860, Mr. Hulett represented Chemung County in the Charleston Convention for nominating a candidate for President of the United States. In 1863 he represented his county in the Legislature of the State, and for several years has represented Veteran, Horseheads, and Elmira as supervisor, and for some two years was president of the Agricultural Society of the county.

In the year 1833 he married Nancy, daughter of - MeDowell, of Erin, this county, who died just two years from the day of her marriage, leaving a daughter,-Martha, after- wards Mrs. Rollin R. Smith, of Addison.

For his second wife he married Ann Elizabeth Munson, about 1836, by whom he had four children,-Mrs. John Arnot, Jr., of Elmira; Edward Munson, of Fort Scott, Kansas ; Mrs. Edward Comstock, of Rome, N. Y .; and Sophia, who died at the age of twelve years.

Mrs. Hulett died in 1859. Mr. Hulett again married, being united in matrimony with Eliza P. Hulett, daughter of Thomas Hulett, of Rutland Co., Vt. By this union there were born five children, none of whom are living. The mother of these children died in April, 1863.

HON. PETER WINTERMUTE.

Peter Wintermute was of Dutch and English descent. His grandfather immigrated to this country, and settled in Sussex Co., N. J., at which place, on the 20th day of August, 1806, the subject of this sketch was born. The father, whose name was also Peter Wintermute, was a farmer, and brought up his sons to follow the same occupation, and they received, as most other farmers' boys at that time, only a common- school education. The father died in New Jersey in 1837. The son having evinced a decided aptitude for trade, upon reaching his majority entered upon the mercantile business at Ridgebury, Orange Co., N. Y., and was reasonably successful. In 1841 he was married at Warwick, in that county, to Miss Emcline Lain, daughter of Deacon David Lain. She still survives him. Soon after their marriage they started for Chemung County, and upon their arrival at Horseheads, Mr. Wintermute entered into a copartnership with his older brother, Isaac, who had preceded him in business at that place. He continued in trade at the same place, with different part- ners, for about twenty years.

In the fall of 1858 he received the nomination (by the Republican party of Chemung County) of member of Assem- bly, and although the county politically was opposed to his views, he was elected ; and faithfully and intelligently repre- sented his constituents in the Legislature of this State during the session of 1858-59. His efforts during this session to remedy the unequal assessments for tax purposes, though un- successful, will be remembered as an honest effort to aecom- plish a much-needed reform.

In 1860 he purchased a large property near Van Ettenville, and removed there and took charge of its management. He remained there three years, when he sold out and purchased the farm now owned by H. M. Seers in the town of Veteran, and removed there. His habits and liking for trade, culti- vated by so many years in mercantile pursuits, led him to sell

his farm, and in 1865 he returned to Horseheads and opened a boot and shoe store, which he continued until 1868, when, wishing to relieve himself from that active and continuous labor which had characterized him during a long and success- ful business life, he transferred his stock to his only sons, Thomas J. and L. M. Wintermute, who are still leading and enterprising dry-goods dealers in the village of Horseheads. Besides the two sons, he had one daughter, Mrs. Anna M. McDanolds, now residing at Branchville, New Jersey. For two or three years prior to his death, which occurred on the 4th day of May, 1876, it became evident that the secds of discase had been too thoroughly implanted to be eradicated ; and during the long weeks and months which preceded his death, it was the source of his greatest enjoyment to converse with his old friends and associates. To the last he retained his strong intellectual faculties, and a deep interest in the political affairs of the county, and a calm, unfaltering trust in a happy future, which could only be born of a well-founded, intelligent Christian hope.

Mr. Wintermute, during a long business career, was known for his integrity ; and his tact in making collections without prosecutions has been seldom equaled. While he always had very positive opinions and tenaciously maintained them, no one who had ever met him in conversational debate doubted the honesty of his convictions. The confidence of his immediate neighbors and friends in his ability and in- terest in the local affairs of the village induced them to fre- quently place him in positions of trust and responsibility, and during the thirty years of intimate acquaintance there has never, to the knowledge of the writer, been brought against him a charge of dereliction of duty. Mr. Wintermute was a devoted husband and father, warmly attached to his friends, and a useful member of the community in which he so long resided.

AS Wochen

JONATHAN BRANDT MOSHER was the eldest of a family of eleven children, five only of whom still survive: Luthan Mosher, of Iowa; William, of Illinois ; Oliver, of Millport; Walter and Herman, of the village of Horseheads.

The father, Joseph Mosher, was born in Rhode Island, and was a descendant of Hugh Mosher, who was one of three brothers who came from England. A short time prior to 1808 the father left Rhode Island, and coming to the State of New York, settled in the town of Scipio, Cayuga Co., at which place the subject of this sketch was born, on the 7th day of December, 1808. His advantages for education in early life were limited to what he could obtain at the district school by attendance during the winter. He carly acquired habits of industry, and intuitively grasped the details of business.

By the time he arrived at full age he had acquired a reputa- tion as a master-builder which insured success.

On the 25th of October, 1831, he married Millie T. Daggett, daughter of Clark Daggett, late of the town of Ulysses, Tompkins Co.

Soon after their marriage they settled on a farm in the town of Veteran, about one and a half miles east of Millport. In the spring of 1842 he removed to the village of Millport, and in the fall of the following year commenced at that place the mercantile carcer which he continued to follow until his death, on the 30th day of May, 1876.

At the time of commencement of business in Millport the Chemung Canal was in full tide of prosperity, and boat-build- ing one of the leading industries of that place. Mr. Mosher, while carrying on successfully the mercantile business, was also largely interested in the construction of canal-boats.

In April, 1855, desiring a larger field for his enterprise, he removed to the village of Horseheads, and soon after eom- inenced trade in the corner store of the old brick block erected by the Horseheads Building Association. He continued busi- ness at the same place until the 12th of August, 1862, when the building, together with the whole business portion of the village, was destroyed by fire. In the mean time Mr. Mosher had become the owner of a large portion of the stock of the building association. After the fire a meeting of the stock- holders was called to take into consideration the rebuilding of the block of stores. Most of the stockholders not desiring to invest more means in the enterprise, Mr. Mosher, in eon- nection with John E. Westlake, in 1862-63, rebuilt the present

building known as Mosher Block, on the completion of which he recommeneed trade, which he actively and successfully continued during the remainder of his life. In 1857 he pur- chased of the late Samuel D. Westlake the vacant land lying west of Railroad Street, and erected a fine brick residence, where he resided at the time of his death.

Besides his large commercial transactions, he was quite largely interested in real estate in Chemung County, and also in the State of Michigan, regarding that class of property a safer investment of capital than personal assets, so liable to destruction by fire. One of his characteristics was that he always improved the property he owned.

Few persons had more extensive business relations in the locality where he resided. To the casual observer he appeared somewhat cold and unsocial, but his intimate friends well knew he possessed a warm heart, and many are they who cheerfully bear witness that, but for his aid, financial ruin must have stared them in the face.

His business habits were such that he had no time and little taste for anything like amusement or even recreation, and it was his pride that during the forty years of active business life his paper never went to protest. Whatever he undertook he gave to it an energy and perseverance that could only bring success. He had no sympathy with the idle, indolent, or spendthrift. Although he had decided political opinions he never sought political preferment, choosing to live in his business, and spend the hours not necessarily occupied there- with with his family and immediate friends. To his enter- prise and capital the village of Horseheads is much indebted for its prosperity. Though reared under the influences of a father who was attached to the faith of the Quakers, and having the greatest respect for their convictions and general rectitude of life, he never adopted their peculiar views or habits, but was an attendant and supporter of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

The father, Joseph Mosher, died at the village of Horse- heads, at the advanced age of eighty-eight years, on the 9th day of December, 1876.

The wife, Mrs. M. T. Mosher, is still living, as are also four of the nine children, viz., Mrs. Hannah M. Curtis, wife of De Witt C. Curtis, Esq .; Bernice Tober, wife of Charles F. Tober ; Miss Millie T. Mosher, and Jonathan B. Mosher, Jr., all of the village of Horseheads.

COMFORT BENNETT.

MRS. COMFORT BENNETT.

COMFORT BENNETT.

Among the active business men who gained a prominent and influential place in the affairs of this section, may be mentioned the gentleman whose name heads this biographical notice.

Comfort Bennett was born Jan. 18, 1781, in War- wick township, Orange Co., N. Y. He was the son of Abraham Bennett, who was a farmer by occupa- tion. When eight years of age his father dicd, leav- ing a family of eleven children.

Educational advantages in those days were limited; but at the common school he succeeded in laying the foundation for a successful business career. When eighteen years of age he came to Chemung County (then Tioga), and for eight years gained an honest living by working on a farm; and also with his brother, who was a carpenter and joiner.

Nov. 3, 1806, he married Abigail, daughter of Alexander Miller, of Horseheads, formerly of Orange Co., N. Y.

His portion of his father's estate amounted to two hundred and fifty dollars, which was spent for farm improvements and housekeeping utensils in partner- ship with his brother John. After three years this partnership was dissolved, and Mr. Bennett began life independently. He first located at Big Flats, on Sing Sing Creek. Being possessed of indomitable

will and industry, together with rare good judg- ment, he gained a wide reputation as being the lead- ing spirit of the community in which he resided.

He reared a family of twelve children, six of whom are now living. The names of the children are as follows: John, George, Daniel, Sally, Charles, Hor- ace, Nancy, Chester, Morris, Clarinda, Mary, and Andrew J. As the children grew up he gave each a comfortable home within a radius of six miles of the old homestead.

At the time of his death he was known as the wealthiest farmer within five adjoining counties, all having been acquired in agricultural pursuits, never entering any field of speculation. The latter part of his life was pleasantly passed, and yearly reunions of the family were held on his birthday, which were very enjoyable events.

Mr. Bennett was an active and progressive farmer, harvesting in one year, when reapers were not known, five hundred acres of winter grain. In politics he was a stanch Jacksonian Democrat, but never a seeker after official honor. The deep interest he took in the politics of the day marked him as a strong party man, whose judgment could be relied upon. He died Aug. 12, 1864, and his wife sur- vived him until Feb. 27, 1872.

341

AND SCHUYLER COUNTIES, NEW YORK.

The first school was taught in a small log house by Miss Amelia Parkhurst, daughter of John Parkhurst, in 1793. This was among the first schools taught in the county. Israel Catlin and Seneea Roland followed Miss Parkhurst as teachers.

The first church edifice was erected by the Presbyte- rians the same year of their organization, viz., in 1832.

The first grist-mill was erected by the elder John Brees, about 1798. It stood on Newtown Creek, about two and a half miles east of the village. It was a primitive affair, the bolt for the cleansing process being turned by hand.

The first saw-mill was built by Nathan Teal, about 1805. It stood near the old Conkling mill, now owned by Kline, Hall & Company.

The first tannery was erected by Solomon More, in 1808. It oceupied the site upon which now stands the tannery owned and operated by A. C. McCumbers.

CIVIL ORGANIZATION.

Horseheads was formed from Elmira, Feb. 8, 1854. The first town-meeting was held at the house of Waterman Davis, on the 14th of February following, at which the following officers were elected : Samuel Maxwell, Super- visor; Ebenezer Mather, Town Clerk ; Hiram S. Bentley, Superintendent of Common Schools; David Edwards, Joel Heller, and George H. Taylor, Justices of the Peace ; John Ross, Lewis Carpenter, and Daniel Bennitt, Assessors ; Joseph Rodburn, Commissioner of Highways; David P. Brees, Collector ; William Reynolds and Abner K. Shap- pee, Overseers of the Poor; David P. Brees, A. D. Loo- mis, Moses P. Brees, Asa J. Jackson, and Hiram HI. McConnell, Constables; Lewis H. Turner, Zeno Carpenter, and John C. Jackson, Inspectors of Election.

Those who have held the office of supervisor from 1854 to 1878, inclusive, have been as follows : Samuel Max- well (3 years), John N. Brees, Cyrus Barlow (3 years), Daniel Bennitt (3 years), Israel McDonald (2 years), Ulysses Brees (2 years), Israel McDonald (2 years), Henry C. Hoffman (2 years), M. V. B. Bachman, An- drew C. MeCumber, William H. Vansenzer, Josiah H. Marshall (2 years), Andrew C. MeCumber, John Roblyer, present incumbent.

Clerks, Ebenezer Mather, Peter Wintermute (2 years), Charles Wintermute (2 years), Walter L. Dailey (3 years), Samuel C. Taber, Hiram H. McConnell, Elbert Thorn (2 years), Austin H. Whiteomb, Charles W. McNish, Jonah H. Marshall, Charles H. MeNish (2 years), Thomas J. Wintermute, Collins L. Hathaway, John Eagan, Isaac Dennis (appointed to fill vacancy, Dee. 16, 1873), Isaac Dennis (3 years), William Park, W. H. Egbert, present incumbent.

Justices of the Peace, Charles Kline, Cyrus Barlow (vacancy), David Edwards, Cyrus Barlow, Robert Stuart (vaeaney), John Nichols, John N. Brees, Hiram II. Me- Connell, Charles Wall, John Nichols, Cyrus Barlow, and Samuel H. Maxwell (vaeaney), Joel Heller, Hiram S. Bent- ley, John C. Cowan (vacancy ), H. HI. MeConnell, W. D. Adams, H. S. Bentley, M. G. Shappee (vacancy), R. F. Stewart, M. V. B. Bachman, Walter L. Dailey (vacaney), H. H. McConnell, Henry A. Treat, Theodore V. Weller,

John P. Brees (vacancy), Civilian Brown, H. H. McCon- nell, John P. Brees, Theodore V. Weller, Joseph B. Rip- son (vacaney), Henry C. Hoffman, M. V. B. Bachman.

The present town officers, except those given above, are William Armstrong, Marcus D. Snyder, and Hiram M. Root, Assessors ; E. B. Warner, Road Commissioner ; N. Van Duzen, J. J. Brees, and Benjamin Westlake, Audi- tors ; William K. Sly, Overseer of the Poor ; Vincent Conkling, Collector ; George W. McCumber and Isaac M. Ballard, Inspectors of Election District No. 1 ; George W. Harding and Charles S. Freer, for District No. 2; De Witt Staring, Samuel M. Perry, John Hogan, John B. Alling, and David L. Harding, Constables.

HORSEHEADS VILLAGE.

The carly history of the village of Horseheads, together with that of its subsequent development, form an interest- ing feature in the general history of the Chemung Valley. It dates back to the time of the Indian occupancy of Cen- tral and Southern New York, when the powerful Confeder- ation of the Six Nations held almost undisputed sway over a large portion of the surrounding country. Soon after the expedition of General Sullivan, the white pioneer ar- rived and erected his rude log cabin, and tilled the fertile soil with the primitive agricultural implements of the time. Thus we see the advent of the succession hereabouts of a race of people more enlightened than the aborigine, if not more happy. The cares and vicissitudes attending pioneer settlements do not constitute the happiest period of the life of the early settler, although the broad hospitality, the earnest friendship, and the general sharing by all of the precarious existence incident to new settlements, tended in a very large measure to alleviate the necessary trials, to in- still good feelings, and to foster contentment. The earliest settlers on the present site of the village were Jonathan Stoddard Conkling, James Sayre, Jolin Sayre, Ebenezer Sayre, and Nathan Teal, who purchased of William Seeley, and he of Ezra L'Hommedieu.

The first house was erected by Jonathan S. Conkling, and stood on the site of Hulett's Block ; the next by John Winkler, on the present location of the residence of Judge Darius Bentley.

The first tavern was opened by Vincent Conkling, in the house originally built by his father. He continued in the business six years, when Charles Dunn succeeded him, and kept the house one year, after which Richard Hatfield, familiarly known as " Uncle Dick," became proprietor.

The first store was opened by George Whitman and Elias Culver, whose stock consisted of a small quantity of groceries and a few dry goods. The store was a small building, which stood on the south side of Franklin Street. Two years later, Vineent Conkling and Jacob Westlake opened a more pretentious mercantile business in a wooden building, near where the grocery-store oceupied by Thomas Lawrence now stands.

The first church edifice erected in the village was by the Presbyterians, in 1832. It stood upon a lot donated by II. Hutchinson, C. Rowe, and J. Westlake, and upon which is now the residence of J. B. Mosher.

The first grist-mill was ereeted by Captain Vincent

342

HISTORY OF TIOGA, CHEMUNG, TOMPKINS,

Conkling, in 1837. It is the one now owned by Kline, Hall & Company.

VILLAGE INCORPORATION.

In May, 1837, the village was first incorporated under the name of Fairport, which it retained until April, 1845, when the original name was restored. In 1850 the village began to extend on the north side of Steuben Street, which, up to this period, was not included in the old plat surveyed by Holmes Hutchinson, and extended in July, 1841, so as to include the lands of Colonel J. Westlake and Chauncey Rowe. About this time, Rev. C. C. Carr laid out some lots on the south side of Steuben Street. He was followed in this enterprise by Captain Vincent Conkling, and he by Fleteher Matthews, and the south part of the corporation thereupon began to improve rapidly.

In 1855, D. W. C. Curtis prepared a new charter for the village, which passed the Assembly April 14 of that year. Several amendments have since been made thercto, notably that of March 8, 1873.

On the 12th of August, 1862, a destructive conflagra- tion visited the village, in which the records of the cor- poration were burned. Subjoined we give a list of the presidents of the village from 1863 to 1878, inclusive, to- gether with the entire officiary for the latter year :

Presidents, Hiram S. Bently, Jonathan B. Mosher (2 years), F. C. Bloomer (2 years), Charles F. Taber, Charles Kline (2 years), J. H. Marshall, A. D. Loomis, Robert Colwell, Joseph Putnam (2 years), C. F. Taber, Hiram M. Root (2 years), present ineumbent; Trustees (1878), H. M. Root, Henry Boone, Thomas Hibbard, John L. Car- penter, and A. C. McCumber; Clerk, Marquis D. W. Curtis ; Treasurer, Will Park ; Assessors, Robert Colwell, Peter P. Howell, and Charles Hathaway ; Collector, Nathan Van Duzen ; Chief of Police, De Witt Staring.

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History of Tioga, Chemung, Tompkins and Schuyler counties, New York, Part 93

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