History of Tioga, Chemung, Tompkins and Schuyler counties, New York, Part 98

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 98
USA > New York > Schuyler County > History of Tioga, Chemung, Tompkins and Schuyler counties, New York > Part 98
USA > New York > Tioga County > History of Tioga, Chemung, Tompkins and Schuyler counties, New York > Part 98
USA > New York > Tompkins County > History of Tioga, Chemung, Tompkins and Schuyler counties, New York > Part 98

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 family of Mr. McHenry are Abram, born July 4, 1848; Sarah Frances, born Aug. 9, 1850; Nattie, born July 21, 1852, and died Dec. 21, 1858. His son Abram married (Feb. 28, 1872) Saralı Ward, and have three chil- dren, viz., Nattie, born Dec. 11, 1872 ; Lanra, born May 2, 1874 ; and Bertie, born Sept. 4, 1876,-all living.

All his life Mr. McHenry has followed the avocation of his father,-that of farmer,-and now in the prime of life is enjoying the result of his years of labor, but greatly miss- ing the faithful companion of those years of toil, whose loss he has so recently been called to monrn. She departed this life March 23, 1878, aged fifty-eight years.

Mr. McHenry has held the offices of town clerk, assessor, and supervisor, each for a term of years, having been favored by his townsmen in this regard almost continuously since 1844. He was also for many years a director in the old Elmira and Southport Bridge Company, and has always taken a lively interest in the affairs of his town.

CHAPTER LVI.

VETERAN.

THIS town lies on the north line of the county and west of the eentre. The surface is principally upland, broken by the deep ravines of the streams. The highest lands are from 400 to 700 feet above the valleys, and from 1300 to 1600 feet above tide-water. It contains 22,743 aeres, of which 16,853 acres are improved, and has a population of

# Abram Miller was the first judge of the old county of Tioga after its erection in 1791. He served with distinction as a captain in the Revolution. He also crected, on a branch of Seely Creek, the first saw-mill in the town of Southport.

+ Elmira Gazette, March 29, 1878.

DAVID TURNER.

PHOTO. BY P J. WARD

PHOTO. RY P. J. WARD.

MRS. JULIA ANN TURNER

357

AND SCHUYLER COUNTIES, NEW YORK.

2371 inhabitants, according to the eensus of 1875. The soil is a clay and gravelly loam of good quality. The principal stream is Catharine Creek, which rises in the northern portion of the town, and flows southerly through the centre and into Horseheads, and enters again near the western boundary, and flows northerly along the west line, passing out on the north near the line between this town and Catlin.

In early times lumber was largely manufactured; and in the prosperous days of the Chemung Canal, boat building was carried on largely along the eanal from Upper Pine Valley to below Millport, but in latter years the attention of the inhabitants is mainly directed to agricultural pursuits.

Although it is evident that this region had for ages afforded a rich hunting-ground for the wild men of the forest, no Indian history or legend of that race in this section has been preserved ; yet there are abundant indica- tions showing that the deep valley running through the western portion of this town was once the home of numer- ous savages, who roamed at will over these hills, and shel- tered themselves from the rude winds of winter in the deep valleys among these mountains.

The large quantities of arrow-tips which are found in certain localities indicate that these were fields on which the natives of the forest had frequently met in deadly strife. In exeavatiog a cellar, in the spring of 1842, Mr. Roswell Wheeler found, a few rods southeast of the Meth- odist church in Millport, the skeleton of an Indian, buried in a sitting position, with a small brass kettle placed by the side of the head, in which was found his brass jew- elry and other trinkets, together with the claws of some large and powerful animal. The bones were quite decayed, except those in the immediate vicinity of the kettle; these were in an almost perfect state of preservation.

EARLY SETTLEMENTS.

The men who first settled here have long since passed away, leaving few traees of their existence, and not often a stone to mark their final resting-place ; yet enough remains in the memory of a few of their descendants to establish the fact that they were men of great endurance and in- domitable courage. The first white man who settled in this town was Green Bently, who was born in Rhode Is- land, and emigrated with several other families to Warwick, Orange Co., in 1775, with a view of settling in the Wyo- ming Valley ; but, fearing difficulty with the Indians, they remained at Warwick, when he joined the Revolutionary army, and served as an officer through that long struggle for independence.

At the close of the war, with the others who emigrated with him, they removed to the Wyoming Valley, where they remained three years (when the Pennamite trouble arose), and, with sixteen other men, built a boat, on which they placed their families and effects, and pushed and poled up the river, while driving the cattle and horses along the river-banks. After a long and fatiguing journey of thirty days they reached the place now known as Wellsburg. Here Bently purchased three hundred acres at this point, where the creek, since known by his name, enters the Chemung River. Here he remained until 1798, when he

sold out, and bought three hundred acres of land, on a part of which Millport now stands, and built a log house on the west side of the highway, directly opposite the old house afterwards built by his son, Green Bently, Jr., where Mrs. Oliver Greene now lives.

Ilis remains now rest in a little burying-ground on the old Bently farm, a short distance below Millport.

In 1799 a man by the name of Hubbard, from Connecti- cut, settled on the spot where the old Parsons tavern stood for many years, now owned by Chauncey Taylor, and built a log house and died there alone, and when found his body was nearly devoured by wild animals. The stream from the west which enters Catharine Creek at that point has since been known as " Hubbard's Run." Green Bently, Jr., next built a log house south of where P. S. Tanner lives.

From this time the settlement spread to the southeast. In 1803, Abiard Lattin, with his two sons, came from Fairfield Co., Conn., and settled on the farm now owned by Harvey Turner. In 1805 a settlement was commenced east of Millport, on the middle road, by emigrants from Connecticut and Vermont, among whom were Elder Mal- lory, where B. B. Parsons now lives, Daniel Parsons, Gusta Lyons, David and Asa Coe, Luther Coe, John Daley, Hawkins Fanton, John McDougal, David and Eli Banks, Nathan Bedient, and Zaccheus Morehouse. David Banks, Bedient, and Morehouse married daughters of Daniel Par- sons. In this neighborhood were built a school-house and two distilleries, one of them having been built prior to the sehool-house. In this settlement the first frame houses were built, two of which are now standing, B. B. Parsons living in one built by his father in 1805, and the other built by Gusta Lyon, near John St. John, about the same time. Very little change oceurred in these settlements up to 1823, when Myron Collins, from Sherburne, Chenango Co., N. Y., came to Millport and built a carding- and cloth- ing-mill, since used as a bedstead-factory, and the old build- ing is now standing. . He was followed in 1825 by James T. Gifford, who purchased eighteen acres of the Bently farm, on which he built a house and tannery, and laid out a village plat, calling it Millvale .*

About the same time, Elijah Sexton, also from Sher- burne, came in and settled at what is now known as Lower Pine Valley, about a mile south of Millport, and applied for and obtained a post-office. The prospect of a canal through the Catharine Valley called the attention of those desirons of finding new homes in the direction of Millvale, and considerable numbers had been added to its population when, in 1829, thevemal bill was passed, and when this fact reached the place a general gathering took place, at the store of Erastus Crandall, to celebrate the event. Speeches were made, and powder and brandy were freely used, the powder being burned and the brandy drank, of course. At this meeting the name of the village was discussed, and a resolution was offered and carried to change the name to Millport. by which name it has since been known. Be-

# Mr. Gifford, in 1835, removed to Illinois and founded the now flourishing city of Elgin, and was one of the most prominent citizens of Kane County, in that State, till his death, which oceurred in 1851, from cholera.

358

HISTORY OF TIOGA, CHEMUNG, TOMPKINS,

tween the years 1825-30 there were large accessions to the town.

On the Ridge Road were Eber and Amos Crandall, David, John. and Harvey Turner, Wm. Van Duzer, and Allen Kendall. On the middle road were Welcome Mo- sher, Welcome Mosher, Jr., and Morris Hewitt, all farmers.

In the valley at Millport, Myron Collins, clothier, James T. Gifford, tanner, Henry Crandall, lumberman, Richard Dearborn, shoemaker, John Egbert, carpenter, P. S. Tan- ner, carpenter and boat-builder, Erastus Crandall, and Benjamin and Jeremiah Hackney, merchants,* Ebenezer Longstreet. tailor, Horton Frost, blacksmith. and Horace Scaman, physician. A little later came J. D. Mandeville, Jervis Langdon (who afterwards removed to Elmira and became prominent there), and Win. H. Philips, merchants, and Patrick Quinn, tanner. Mr. Quinn came with his father when a boy seven years of age from Ireland, and settled in Tyrone, Steuben Co., where the parents of Chas. O'Conor and Francis Kernan reside. Here the boy grew to manhood, learning the trade of a tanner. His oppor- tunities for an education were limited, but in general intelligence and brilliancy of intellect he was superior. Few men were better versed in the political issues of the day than he. Iu politics he was a Democrat, but early took sides with the anti-slavery movement, and was one of its strongest advocates till slavery was abolished. He was an eloquent, witty, sarcastic speaker. He came to Veteran in 1835, and bought the Gifford tannery, which he con- ducted many years. He was justice of the peace for several terms. His brother, Edward Quinn, was a noted lawyer of Chemung County. He removed to Cattaraugus County, and died in 1871 or 1872.

The first settlers in Pine Valley were Wm. Bently, Jabez Bradley, and Elijah and John L. Sexton (the latter is still living at Big Flats). About 1830, Daniel and B. B. Parsons built the Pine Valley Hotel, then the largest and best house between the head of Seneca Lake and El- mira. As late as 1830 the town was little changed from its primitive condition. With the surrounding country, it was largely covered by the dense forests, and in many places the principal highways were so overshadowed by the lofty trees on either side, that noonday would resemble the twilight of evening. At this time the people were largely engaged in lumbering and hauling the lumber to Havana, selling their best pine for $4 per thousand feet.

The construction of Chemung Canal, commenced in 1830, required about three years for its completion, and during this period the people, contrary to their expectations, were so ficeced by the sub-contractor that they found themselves much poorer than when it commenced,

At the height of its prosperity, Millport contained about 1000 inhabitants, and did a large and prosperous business. But the numerous saw-mills and the boat-building interest, encouraged by the construction of the canal, soon swept away the grand old forests, and left to the present popula- tion the heritage of the uncovered hills, exposed to the bleak winds of winter, and the more direct rays of the summer sun.

Instead of a lumbering town, Veteran has become an agricultural one, which will compare favorably with most others in the county. The log structures have given place to more substantial framue buildings, and where the sullen gloom of the forest once prevailed, the earth is now often covered with green meadows and fields of waving grain.

INITIAL EVENTS.

The first land-grant in this town was Preserved Cooley, of 60 acres, where C. W. Sleeper now lives, March 23, 1791. The first settler was Green Bently, in 1794, who built the first log house.

In 1808 the first distillery was built, near where Heze- kiah Banks now lives.

Where Elder Mallory settled, he cut the first fallow, and one Sunday, while he was preaching in his house, his sou Charles set the brush on fire, and it was suspected that the elder knew of it, thinking while they were all together they could watch it. At any rate the elder utilized the gather- ing to fight the fire, and it was with difficulty they kept the house from being destroyed. This occurred in the year 1806, and Ransom Latter, yet living, remembers it well, and the eclipse of that year. Having no almanacs, they thought the " great day" had surely come.

The first school-house was built near the distillery, and the first teacher was Simeon Squires.

The first frame house was built by Daniel Parsons, in 1805, where B. B. Parsons now lives. He also kept the first tavern.

The first saw-mill was built by a Mr. Teal, of Geneva, about 1805, on Catharine Creek, near what were afterwards known as the Arnot Mills, and the second about 1820, by Green Bently, Jr., near Allen & Banks' flouring-mill. From this time they soon multiplied, and in 1832 there were over twenty saw-mills in the valley.

The first grist-mill was built by David Coe and Thomas McArty, in 1823, on the site where Hoffner & Sherman's mill now stands.

This year Myron Collins came in and built carding and cloth works, where the chair-factory now is.

James T. Gifford, in 1825, built the first tannery in the village of Millport.

The first road was built by General Sullivan, in 1779, when marchiing through the Catharine Swamp, as it was then called, and some traces of it are still to be seen. The first recorded road is what is now known as the middle road, and was built about 1800, and started from the valley road, near Mark Fall's house, running northeast- erly to Johnson Settlement, and was for many years the only road east of the valley.

Two post-roads were established as early as 1825 ; one running from Elmira over the old turnpike-road, through

៛ The Hackneys were of German descent. born in Schoharie County, in 1805 and 1807 respectively. and came to Millport in 1830. They were very enterprising and conscientious men. They removed to Aurora, Kane Co., Ill., in 1846 or 1847. Benjamin was for years a leading man in his village, now a city of 15,000 inhab- itants. He served one or two terms as a member of the Legislature from his district, and contributed largely to the establishment of the Free Methodist Academy in his town, of which society 'he was a prominent member. He was a very conscientious man, and yet accumulated a large property. The same may in truth be said of his brother, Jeremiah. They are now dead.

SOUTH VIEW OF RESIDENCE:

RESIDENCE OF REUBEN TI

PHOTO. BY P. J. WARD

MRS. SALLY TIFFT. ( DECEASED.)

Reuben Tifft

Mrs Lucinda OM Siffle

TIVETERAN, CHEMUNG COUNTY, N. Y.

LITH. BY L. N EVERTS PHILADA

PHOTO.DY C.M.MARSH

S.R.PAGE.

RESIDENCE OF S.R. PAGE, MILLPORT, NEW YORK.

LITH .. BY L H. EVERTS, PHILADA

359

AND SCHUYLER COUNTIES, NEW YORK.

the Catharine Valley, to the head of Seneca Lake, with the office at the publie-house of Daniel Parsons, of which Elijah Sexton was first postmaster; the other, starting also from Elmira, left the northern route at Horseheads, and followed the ridge road to Johnson Settlement. The office was at the public-house of Wm. Van Duzer, and he was postmaster.

The first religious serviees were held by Elder Mallory and John MeDougal, who were both ministers in Con- meeticut. The first ehureh was built by the Methodists, in 1832, where it now stands.

The first physician was Dr. Horace Seaman, who is still living.

The first eanal-boat was built by Jonathan Thomas, in 1834, north of Munson Hall's house.

The first brick building was built by P. S. Tanner. Erastus Crandall kept the first store at Millport, before 1826.

EARLIEST GRANTS.

Certificates of location were granted to Preserved Cooley of 60 aeres, called the first traet (where Chas. W. Sleeper now lives, and who has the original deed, dated March 23, 1791, in consequence of a location made by him, and signed Governor Geo. Clinton, which deed was assigned to Chas. Annis in 1793), and of the same date, the second and third traets, each containing 223 acres. Aug. 8, 1793, to John Pazley three lots, each containing 200 aeres. Jan. 28, 1794, to John Carpenter and Henry Wisner, 200 aeres near the Big Swamp. Nov. 15, 1792, a return of survey to John Nicholson of 700 aeres (now in the towns of Veteran and Catlin). All of these traets are on the road leading from Newtown to Catharinetown. July 25, 1794, all the remaining lands in this town were included in the Watkins and Flint Purchase.

THIE METHODIST CHURCHI.

Elder Mallory and John McDougal came in this town in 1805, and both held serviees and preached occasionally, but it was not until Dee. 31, 1832, that a church was regularly organized. John MeDougal and wife, David Banks and wife, Ira Miles and wife, John Daly, Oliver Greenoe, and Dedrick Shafer were among the first members.

The church was built in 1833-34. John McDougal supplied the pulpit part of the time. This church was part of a eireuit ineluding Havana, Millport, Horseheads, and Johnson Settlement, and the preachers in charge were Wm. Goodwin, David Fellows, John Champion, and Ralph Bennet, until 1843, when it became a regularly-appointed station, and E. Colson was the first preacher, sueeceded by Henry Wisner and Austin Chubbuck. Robert Townsend is the present pastor. The church now numbers about 170 members, and the Sunday-sehool in connection with it shows an average attendanee of 85 seholars and teachers.

A elass was organized of Methodists at Pine Valley in 1858, of about 15 members, under the charge of the Millport Church. Services were held at the Baptist church in this place.

In 1832 a elass and church were organized at Sullivan- ville, and were composed of Dedrieh Shaffer, Leader, Sarah Shaffer, Ezra Mallory and wife, and soon after Peter and

Anty Compton. Rev. Mr. Piersall was the first pastor, in 1832, and was sneeeeded by Revs. Goodwin, Case, Fellows, McElheny, Settus Day, Jorolemen Blades, Matteson, Giles, Northway, Gardner, Canfield, Cochran, Watts, and T. J. Whitney, who is the present pastor. A meeting-house was ereeted in 1855, thoroughly repaired in 1877, and on June 27, 1878, was rededieated by Rev. M. S. Hard, Rev. Dr. Queal preaching the sermon from the 63d Psalm, 1st verse.

THE BAPTIST CHURCH AT MILLPORT

was organized Dee. 24, 1844, at the house of P. S. Tanner, and was called the Millport Baptist Church. Rev. P. D. Gillette was the first pastor. The Council was composed of delegates from the Big Flats, Southport and Elmira, and Elmira and Fairport Churches, and the church was constituted with 17 members. P. S. Tanner, Chas. C. Coston, and Chauncy Palmer were chosen deaeons.

They have had thirteen pastors in the thirty-four years of their existence, as follows: Rev. P. D. Gillette, E. A. Iladley, G. M. Spratt, S. M. Brokeman, Wm. Sharp, Richard Hultze, B. F. Capron, T. E. Phillips, Wm. Brown, Whitney, T. F. Dean, L. D. Worth, and D. D. Bab- eoek, who is pastor at present. Services were held chiefly at the churches of the Methodists and Presbyterians until 1867, when P. S. Tanner purchased the Presbyterian church, and repaired it at a cost of about $1100. Ser- vices were held in this church, and in March, 1871, the Baptist society was legally organized, and purchased the property of P. S. Tanner for $1000, he subseribing $600 of the amount, and the building was thoroughly repaired at a eost of $800, Mr. Tanner contributing $300 of that amount, and Sept. 27, 1871, it was dedicated, Elder J. B. Pixley, of Albion, preaching the sermon.

THE VETERAN RIDGE FREE-COMMUNION BAPTIST CHURCHI

was organized Nov. 19, 1836. The men sitting in eouneil to organize this church were Ephraim B. Kendall, Levi Mallet, Silas Bates, Philip Aber, Erastus Andrews, Jared Stayt, Joshua Kendall, and Elder Samuel Dean. In 1837 the church was built, and Mareh 24, 1838, it was first oceupied. March 30, 1840, the society was incorporated, and John Turner, Uriah Hall, and Jaeob N. Weller were chosen trustees. Sam'l Dean was the first pastor, and he was sueceeded by O. L. Brown, S. C. Weatherby, Beebe, J. W. Brown, J. J. Hoag, S. S. Lee, E. B. Rol- lins, J. S. Brown, W. HI. Russell, James Kettle, and E. B. Collins, who is the present pastor. They have 46 mem- bers, with a Sunday-school of 75 members, and distribute 30 copies weekly of the Sunday-sehool paper. G. W. Stone, Superintendent.

THE BAPTIST CHURCH OF PINE VALLEY

was organized in October, 1867, at the house of Henry Burroughs, with eight members, under Rev. E. C. Rollins, who was the first pastor. - Johnson, S. C. Weatherby, and O. S. Brown succeeded him. They have no pastor at present. A church was built in 1871.

360

HISTORY OF TIOGA, CHEMUNG, TOMPKINS,

A PRESBYTERIAN CHIURCII

was organized at Millport, about 1836. Myron Collins and Jervis Langdon were leading members. Rev. Mr. Jaek- son, a brother of General Jackson, still living at Watkins, was the first pastor. The church was built by them, and used for a few years, that is now occupied by the Baptists. The leading members removed to other places, and they disbanded. As early as 1827, Rev. Mr. Ford preached at Sullivanville, and was succeeded by Revs. Washburn, Williams, Pratt, Pieree, Riley, and Carr until 1835. In the winter of 1877-78 a church was organized, Rev. Mr. Linsley preaching every Sabbath. Services are held in a public hall.

At East Grove a Sunday-school was organized a few years ago, under the supervision of the Veteran Sunday- School Association. It contains about 30 members and 3 teachers.

CEMETERIES.

The first cemetery was on the old Bently farm, where many of the old settlers were buried.

Another was on the farm now owned by John St. John. Abiard Lattin is buried there, the first settler in that part of the town. Another one is near the Daniel Parsons farm. Soon after Millport was settled, a plat of land, containing one acre, was bought of Erastus Crandall for $100. Feb. 27, 1841, it was deemed advisable to purchase more land, and another acre was added, and Nov. 18, 1870, the Mill- port Cemetery Association was incorporated, and two aeres were purchased, adjoining the cemetery, making the present cemetery four acres. Asher R. Frost is the president, and Chas. W. Sleeper the secretary.

A cemetery is incorporated near the Very neighborhood, and is used in connection with the Free-Will Baptist Church.

SOCIETIES.

Old Oak Lodge, No. 253, F. and A. M., was chartered June 7, 1852. Chas. Benson, first Worthy Master. Lo- eated at Millport. Contains 96 members. John C. Tan- ton, W. M. ; Dexter White, Sec.

Millport Division, No. 23, Sons of Temperance, organ- ized Sept. 23, 1873. Has at present 74 members. W. P. Horning, W. P .; Dexter White, See.

Fidelity Lodge, No. 811, I. O. of G. T., is located at Pine Valley. Was organized Feb. 5, 1868. J. W. Dill- more, G. P.

Order of the Eastern Star, No. 6, is located at Pine Valley. Was organized in 1871. Contains 26 members. Mrs. Margaret Thompson, Matron ; Thos. Dillmore, Patron.

SCHOOLS.

According to the report of the county superintendent for 1876, the town is divided into seventeen distriets, which have 867 children of school age. School has been held 469 weeks. They have 12 male and 21 female teachers, and 717 pupils, and a library of 445 volumes, valued at $160. 15 frame school-houses, valued with site at $8623.

Balanee on hand, Sept. 1, 1876 $14.23

State appropriation. 1951.00

Taxes ..

2307.42

Other receipts. 266.48

Total $4539.13

Paid teachers' wages $4012.92 School-house repairs ... 158.61

Other expenses. 359.43

4530.96

Balance on hand

$8.17

State appropri ation, 1878. 2007.55

MILLPORT

is situated on the west line of the town, in the valley of the Catharine Creek, and contains two churches (Methodist and Baptist), hotel, post-office, Masonic Hall, school-house, two dry-goods stores, two groceries, two blacksmith-shops, two grist-mills, saw-mill, two shoe-shops, chair-factory, drug-store, pump-factory, and four physicians.

Banks & Allen's grist-mill is situated on the Catharine Creek, has three runs of stone, was built about 1835, by Henry Crandall.

Heffner & Sherman's mills were built by David Coe and Thomas McArty, about 1825, rebuilt by John Burch about 1838, and became known as the Arnot Mills; were pur- chased later by the present proprietors, and increased ; they now have three runs of stone.

PINE VALLEY

is situated on the west line of the town about two miles south of Millport, and contains a church, hotel, post-office, store, school-house, shoe-shop, two blacksmith-shops, car- riage-shop, ereamery, grist-mill, and saw-mill.

The creamery is owned by Hoke & Wheeler, was com- menced in 1867, manufactures 226 pounds of butter per day, and 8 cheese, averaging 38 pounds, and uses the milk of 300 cows.

SULLIVANVILLE

is situated in the southeast part of the town, contains a church, hotel, school-house, two stores, post-office, black- smith-shop, wagon-shop, shoe-shop, and saw-mill.

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History of Tioga, Chemung, Tompkins and Schuyler counties, New York, Part 98

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