History of Wyoming County, N.Y., with Illustrations, Biographical Sketches and Portraits of Some Pioneers and Prominent Residents, Part 51

Author:
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: F.W. Beers & Co.
Number of Pages:

USA > New York > Wyoming County > History of Wyoming County, N.Y., with Illustrations, Biographical Sketches and Portraits of Some Pioneers and Prominent Residents > Part 51

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).

One Fitch was the first blacksmith in Eagle. He carried on the business in the eastern part of the town. Among the early blacksmiths was a Mr. Crosby, who carried on the business at Hydeville, having his shop partly over the mill race. It was afterward occupied by Tubal Bascomb, after whom Joshua Nichols worked at the business until the shop was burned. It was rebuilt, and is now occupied by Jasper

Smith. In 1845 James Yule came from the town of Free- dom, Cattaraugus county, built a shop and carried on black- smithing until about 1858. This shop was afterward run by Mr. Markham and Mr. Fisher. S. N. Naramore pur- chased it in 1861, kept it three years, and sold to James Rossney, who now carries it on.

Amos Huntly operated the first distillery, located in the eastern part of the town. He commenced about 1820. His distillery had quite a patronage from the Indians. Richard Pardy next went into the business of distilling, at Lyon's farm. Soon afterward P. T. Beardsley began it a short distance east of Bliss Station. Martin Whipple, be- tween Bliss and Lyon's, was the next distiller. None of these did a very heavy business. Part of the time from 1845 to 1850 Elijah Godfrey distilled oils and essences a mile north of Eagle Village, from herbs and boughs.

Harrington Hewett was the first physician in the town. He resided about a mile and a half east of Hydeville, in a log house. He lost the use of an arm by being thrown from a horse while racing on the causeway, or corduroy road, just east of the inn kept by Timothy Buckland Washington W. Day was the next physician. He settled on the southwest corner lot in the town, now occupied by Mil- ton Husted. He came in 1836 or 1837. He practiced there about two years, and removed to Hydeville; remained there until about 1860, when he removed to Arcade. Dr. Bogart came and stayed about a year; Dr. McArthur a few years. He was succeeded by Dr. Eli Woodworth, who still remains. In the spring of 1875 Dr. Z. J. Lusk came from Clarence, Erie county. He practiced three years, and re- moved to Warsaw. Dr. Ballou has taken his place.

The early preachers were Messrs. Kendal, Cady, Harvey and Nathaniel Hills.

The first post route was established from Pike Hollow to 'Arcade, about 1820. G. W. Knapp was the first postmaster. He was followed by James Baker. The next was Oliver Phelps. The post-offices were kept in different parts of the town, in the postmaster's dwelling. About 1843 the second post-office was given to the town, namely, the Eagle Village post-office. The first was located at or near the center of the town, or at Bliss.

The first post rider was Harlow Huntly, who continued for a number of years. Morris Walradt followed him.

VILLAGES OF THE TOWN.

EAGLE VILLAGE is located in the southwest part of the town, at the mouth of Spring glen. It contains a church edifice (Methodist Episcopal)-a wooden structure, thirty by fifty-two feet, with moderate sized spire and belfry; a school-house with two departments-a wooden building, fifty by twenty-eight feet, with vestibule eight by fourteen feet, with belfry and bell, situated near the church on Pearl street, a short distance from Main; a dry goods store, a grocery, a hardware store, a millinery establishment, a wagon shop, two custom blacksmith shops, a boot, shoe and harness shop and store, a hotel and a cheese factory.

The first owner of land where the village now stands was Elijah Hyde. The place contains twenty-nine dwellings. It has a good, durable water power, unused at present; a steam saw-mill, with planer, in the eastern suburbs; a feed and cider mill a short distance south.

BLISS STATION, on the Rochester and State Line Rail-

Digitized by Google

188

HISTORY OF WYOMING COUNTY, NEW YORK.

road, near the center of the town, is a hamlet built since the State Line road was located. It consists of a dry goods and grocery store, a blacksmith shop, a wagon shop, a hotel, erected during the past season, a steam saw-mill nearly completed, nine dwellings and a station house, with a school-house near. The first owner of the land where Bliss Station now stands was Justin Loomis, who owned four . quarter sections. He became insane, and the Court of Chancery appointed Strong Hayden to sell the land for the support of the Loomis family. Sylvester Bliss bought the land where the station now stands, and it is now occupied by his son Stephen, except such portion as he has sold for railroad purposes and building lots.

LYONSBURG is a hamlet. It contains a manufactory of wooden articles, such as broom handles, pump logs, etc., a saw-mill, and about ten dwellings. Its condition is nearly the same as thirty years ago. It has a school-house near by, and a chair factory within half a mile. The first owner of land at Lyonsburg was Amos Huntly.

CHURCHES.

The first church organization in the town was at Eagle Village, and of the Free Will Baptist denomination. Among the leading members were Deacon Ephraim Dennis, Martin and Marvin Shepherd, Calvin Chamberlin, Ralph Graves, two or three brothers named Campbell, and a Mr. Holt. Elders Jackson, Chaffee and Carter were the first preachers, followed by Elders Kellogg, Ward, Strickland, Rycart and Campbell. Elders Kellogg and Ward became unsound in doctrine, and preached Universalism. About 1853 most of the members removed to Pike, built a school, and have been successful in sustaining it.

Tlfe real estate upon which this church edifice was built was deeded to them by Charles H. Denman, on condition that if they ceased to be a society the property should fall to any other denomination having evangelical views. Ac- cordingly it fell into the hands of the Methodist Episcopal church. The edifice was built in 1842-a wooden struc- ture, thirty by forty feet, and thirteen feet high inside, with no steeple or belfry. It was built by the community at large, irrespective of religious views. In 1870 the Method- ists moved the house from its first location into the village, added twelve feet to its height, put on a belfry and spire, reseated the audience room, and raised it to sixteen feet inside.

About the time the Free Will Baptist church was formed the Congregationalists organized a church; but they were unable to sustain preaching, and disbanded after a year or two. Rev. Mr. Danforth was pastor. A portion of its mem- bers joined the Methodists on the organization about 1854.

At Eagle Valley is a church edifice belonging to a Method- ist society with a considerable membership.

The first Sunday school was held in the east part of the town, near Lyonsburg. Alvin Howes was the superintend- ent. This school was held in 1825. The next was kept in 1829 or 1830, south of Eagle Village, near the southwest corner of the town, in a barn near Eagle lake. Elder Cady was the superintendent. None of these schools have existed to the present, yet most of the time Sunday-schools have been kept in the town. There were five in the summer of 1879; one at Eagle Village, one at Eagle Valley, one at Lyonsburg, one at the center of the town and one on Wing

street. These are summer schools, except that at Eagle Village, which is kept up summer and winter.

SOCIETIES.

A division of the Sons of Temperance was organized about 1852. Among the prominent active members were John J. Watson, Joseph W. Gledhill, Walter Shay, Gilbert G. Prey, Albert P. Watson, Hiram Beach, Stephen Jones, J. H. Bailey, D. L. Shields, Rhinaldo Jones and others.

After a number of years the Sons of Temperance were fol- lowed by the Good Templars, who maintained their organi- zation several years. They disbanded for a time and were reorganized, but for only a short time.

Since then there has been no secret organization until the autumn of 1879, when a lodge of the " Ancient" Order of United Workmen was instituted, which has a membership of about 30, and is gaining. James Dempsey holds the high- est office in the lodge.

EAGLE'S MILITARY RECORD.

Philip Baker and Jether Grover were soldiers of 1812 while residing in Vermont, previous to becoming residents of this town. Ebenezer Dutton was also a soldier of 1812. William S. Agett has a commission as captain in the State militia at a later day.

We give below records of the soldiers of 1861-65 from this town:

Alvah Lard ; wounded twice ; captured once; discharged ; promoted lieu- tonant. Austin N. Richardson: promoted captain: discharged. John Tabor; captured ; discharged. Levi Vanauken ; lost foot. Captain Stephen Wing ; rosigned. Lieutenant Nelson Wing ; promoted captain ; resigned. Andrew Andrews; killed. Joseph Phillips ; lost foot. Ira Parker, Harvey Pike and Eugene Sparks, disobarged. William Akin; discharged in the spring of 1883. Harvey Akin ; discharged in April, 1862. Clark and Stephen Helmer, killed. Washington Helmer; discharged. Charles Cathin and Frank Lincola; killed. Anson Clement, Stanly Merrell, Albert True, Albert P. Watson, Robert Watson, Richard Jackson, George Roes, Gideon Huriburt, Reuben Hamasor, William Wait, James Wait, Darwin Wait and C. P. Dutton, discharged. Henry J. Spencer ; died. Job 8. Hicks, jr., and Charles Lyon; discharged. Seymour Sykes ; died in prison. . Job and Joel Austin ; discharged. P. Met- calf ; died. George Metcalf and Eugene Pratt ; discharged, Nicholas Zola ; died. Ennis Barnes; killed. Samuel Barnes, Hiram Merville, Herbert Che- ney, Frank Cheney and George W. Dutton ; discharged. George H. Smith, lust a finger : discharged. Dwight Abrams, Henry Thompson and Tyler Cole; disobarged. John Campbell ; killed. Madison Merville, Ambrose Spencer, Vertulan Baker, John F. Dutton, James Maber and Avery Bager; discharged. Thomas Nelson. Henry Wing ; died. Aaron Walker ; dis- charged. William Rouse ; died. John Cummings, Daniel Wood, William Bracy, Elisha Bracy, John Walton, Washington Whitney, Riley Huriburt and Henry Huriburt ; discharged. Lyman Huriburt ; killed. Philex Gilles- pie, James Gillespie, Edwin D. Morgan, John Ward, John Drake, Sidney Richardson and Albert Gage ; discharged? Augustus Sieson ; killed. 80as Atwood; killed. Timothy W. Buckland ; died in prison. Colonel Gilbert (. Prey, 104th infantry. Norman Patridge, Lyman Crowley, Harvey Pierce, Stephen Pierce, Samuel Taylor, Charles Wing, Austin Wing, Judson Metcalf and Engene Grover ; discharged. Charles Whitney ; killed. Cariton Whit- ney; killed at Buttalo before leaving the State. George Brainard and Ornon Houghton ; disobarged. Michael Redding ; killed. William Redding; dis- charged. Sperry Merville ; killed. Butler Wood, James Bager, Chauncey Osborn, Henry Rugg, James Letson, Monroe Zimmer, Albert French, Her- man Lawson and Jonas Grover; discharged.

ROCHESTER AND STATE' LINE RAILROAD.

In 1872 the Rochester and State Line Railroad was located through the town. The financial depression of 1873 sus- pended operations on the road, and nothing was done until 1877, when work was resumed, and in February, 1878, track laying was completed. The two gangs of hands, one working from the north, the other from the south, met and joined rails in this town, just south of Eagle Village station, on Mitchell's dump; so called. The road has done a thriving business. Over two hundred car loads of different articles have been shipped yearly from this town.

Digitized by Google

189

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES, TOWN OF EAGLE.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

WILLIAM AKIN was born in Delhi, Delaware county, December 24th, 1821. He was married June 14th, 1845, to Mies Lucetta, daughter of James H. Raw- son, an carly settler and prominent man in Nunda, Livingston county, where he died in 1879. His father, Lewis Akin, settled in Genesee Falls in 1828, became well known there, and died in 1864 on the farm now owned by his son Charles. His mother, who died in Genesee Falls in 1806, was a daugh- ter of R. Tallman, an early settler in Castile. Her christian name was Lydia. Mr. Akin enlisted in the 5th N. Y. cavalry in September, 1861 ; was trans- ferred to Company C, 104th infantry, and served in the quartermaster's department one year. His sons Harvey and Eugene were also in the service. The former enlisted in 1861 in Company C, 104th infantry, and was discharged for disability ; the latter in 1864 in Company B, 2nd mounted rifles : was present at Lee's surrender, and was discharged from the service in 1806.

E. H. BALLOU, M. D., was born August 28d. 1868. at Gainesville Creek. He is a ton of Rev. John M. Ballou. In 1878 be graduated at Parker Institute, at Clarence, Erie county. He then read medicine with Dr. Lapp, of that place, and attended lectures at the Cincinnati and Buffalo medical colleges, and took the degree of M. D. in the spring of 1878. He immediately entered upon an independent practice at Gardensville, Brie county. July 1st, 1879, he located at Eagle Village.

JAMES DENPERY. manufacturer of boots and shoes and dealer in the same at Eagle Village, was born November 17th, 1844, in Waverly, Cattaraugus county, and was married November 17th, 1865, to Miss A. Donovan, daughter of John Donovan, of Arcade.

NORMAN HOWES. son of Alvin and Wealthy Howes, was born at Richfield, Otsego county, April 2nd, 1806. In 1817 be removed with his parents to Cov- ington. In 1824 they came to Eagle and bought a farm of fifty sores. At the age of twenty-one Mr. Howes was elected school commissioner. He has been supervisor twelve years, and was at one time county superintendent of the poor of Allegany county, besides bolding the offices of assessor, high- way commissioner and justice of the peace. At the taking of the census of 1856 be was census enumerator for the town of Eagle. He was married in 1827 to Cornelia Hulbert, daughter of Barzilla and Lovina Hulbert, of Weth- ersteld, Conn.

LEWIS M. HUSTED Was born in Western, Oneida county, May 16th, 1837. He was married December 24th, 1802, to Miss Desdemona F. Crane, daughter of Ulysses P. Crane, of Freedom, Cattaraugus county, who died May 20th, 1867. October 20th, 1809, he married his present wife, Miss Louise J. Fox, daughter of Charles M. Fox, of Sheldon, who died March 21st, 1864. Mr. Husted came to Eagle in 1840 with his father. Silas Husted, a native of Half- moon, Saratoga county, and located on the farm be now owns.

STEPHEN JONES was born January 28d, 1828, in Eagle, and died May Stad, 1868. He was married March 21st, 1847, to Charlotte Fox, who has two children, William 8. and Ada C., the latter being the wife of Edward W. Kellogg.

JAMES MCELROY was born in Albany county June 22nd, 1830, and was married June 22nd, 1848, to Serene D. Beach, daughter of Dan. Beach, of Eagle. The latter came to the town in 1810, and kept tavern in a log house. Mr. McElroy is a well known farmer, and has served four years as town clerk, three as highway commissioner and now holds the office of excise comm tesioner.

8. N. NARAMORE was born in Coeymans, Albany county, October 10th, 1829, and was married in 1868 to Miss T. D. Moorey, daughter of Joseph Moorey, an early resident of Warsaw, who died in September, 1802. Mr. Naramore's father, Elibu Naramore, of English descent, was a native of Albany county. He came to Bagle in 1832, and engaged in the dry goods and grocery trade. From 1864 to 1867 Mr. Naramore was the proprietor of a hotel at Eagle. In the fall of the latter year be purchased the store where be now does business. He has been notary public for twelve years, and has beld the office of supervisor and other positions of trust and responsibility.

ALBERT NEWKIRK, farmer, was born in Ashford, Cattaraugus county, January 17th, 1828. His father, Francis Newkirk, a Schoharie county farmer (born in 1789), bad located there at an early day, and died in 1847. He mar- ried Maria Alden in 1849. Mrs. Newkirk's father was Moses W. Alden, de- ceased, of Freedom, Cattaraugus county. Her mother, whose maiden name was Amanda Borden, now lives with Mr. and Mrs. Newkirk, at the age of seventy-seven.

ZALMON PLATT was born in Bredport, Vt., June 16t 818. September 84, 1884, he married Sarah Bemis, daughter of Silas Bemis, a native of Vermont and a settler in Pike in 1817, now living at the age of ninety-one in Cube. Allegany county. Mr. Platt's father, Eljlah Platt, was a native of Peru, N. Y. He was a soldier in the war of 1812-14. He removed to Eagle, accom-

panied by his family, from Palmyra, Wayne county, in 1882, and died in Mich- igan in 1865. Mr. Platt is a farmer, and has worked at his trade of carpenter many years. He moved on to his present farm in 1806.

BYRON POWELL, son of Israel Powell, who came from Locke, Cayuga county, to Arcade, was born April 27th, 1838. July 8d, 1861, be married Sarah Husted, daughter of Silas Husted, deceased, an early and well known real- dent of the town, and came from Centerville and located where he now lives during that year. He is a farmer.

COLONEL G. G. PREY was born in St. Andrews, New Brunswick, in 1822. March 19th, 1848, he married Jane Ann Buck land, daughter of Timothy Buck- land, a native of Connecticut and a settler in 1816 in Centerville, Allegany county, who removed to Eagle subsequently and engaged in hotel keeping and farming, and died at the age of eighty-four, February 4th, 1866. Colonel Prey bame to Eagle with his father, John Prey, a native of Scotland, in 1889. He is a carpenter and joiner.

JOHN QUACKENBUSH was born in Ashford, Cattaraugus county, in 1844. and was married July 4th, 1867, to Miss Lucinda Willis. His father, John Quackenbush, sen., is a native of Herkimer county, and was an early settler at Ashford, Cattaraugus county. At the time of their marriage Mr. Walter D. Willis, father of Mrs. Lucinda Quackenbush, was a resident of Ashford, Cattaraugus county. He died in Hume, Allegany county, in 1871. Mr. Quackenbush, who is a farmer, came from Ashford, Cattaraugus county, to Bagle March 20th, 1876.

DAVID VAN DYKE was born in Otsego county, November 12th, 1806, and died September 10th, 1872. His father, William Van Dyke, was of German descent and was born in 1763. He came to Eagle from Otsego county in 1818, accompanied by his sons William, John, David and Lewis, all of whom lived out their lives in the town, where the family lived for many years, identified with leading interests. January 1st, 1838, Mr. Van Dyke was married to Lu- cinda Griggs. Her father, Philip Griggs, was a native of Vermont. He set- tied in Pike in 1816, and lived there until his death, in 1808. Mr. Van Dyke has held positions of importance.

WILLIAM W. VAN DYKE, farmer, was born on the old Van Dyke home- stead, in Eagle, January 20th, 1851. He was married March 19th, 1876, to Miss Libbie Cross, daughter of Alonso Cross, a farmer well and favorably known in the town.

ALBERT P. WATSON was born at New Baltimore. Greene county, in 1880. He was married March 4th, 1800, to Miss Clarissa Guilds, daughter of the late Thomas Guilds, of Perry. She died March 21st, 1809. September 12th, 1809, be married Amelia Pratt, daughter of Alaneon Pratt, in his time an indu- ential farmer and leading citizen of Centerville, Allegany county. His father, John J. Watson, a native of Allegany county, came to Eagle in 1848, and located at the village. He died at Cowlesville November 11th, 1864. Mr. Watson was the first volunteer for military service in the Rebellion from the town of Eagle. He enlisted May 6th, 1861, and was mustered into Com- pany F. 88d N. Y. volunteers. May Sind. He participated in all engagements in which the regiment took part. and was wounded at Chancellorsville. He was discharged June 2nd, 1868, and enlisted January 6th, 1664, in Company B, 2nd N. Y. mounted rifles. He was captured by the enemy after receiving a wound at Poplar Spring Grove, October 14th, 1864, and confined four months in Libby prison. He was promoted to the office of commissary, and dis- charged in August, 1806.

WASHINGTON W. WHITNEY was born in Eagle November 18th, 1887. No- vem ber 2nd, 1832, be married Mies Susan Clement. daughter of Bewell Clem- ent, from Vermont, who located in Eagle in 1837 and died there. Joshua Whitney, a Revolutionary soldier and a native of Massachusetts, grandfather of Washington W. Whitney, and Joebus Whitney, jr., a native of New Hampshire, son of Joshua Whitney, and father of Washington W. Whitney, located in this section in 1812. In 1884 Joshua Whitney, jr., moved on to the farm where Washington W. Whitney now lives, and died there in 1809. He was a man of prominence in town affairs, and served as assessor and over- weer of the poor. Washington W. Whitney enlisted in Company B of the Sod N. Y. mounted rifles January 4th, 1864, and after participating in four- teen engagements, including the battles of Spottsylvania, the Wilderness and Cold Harbor (where be was wounded), was discharged in June, 1866.

E. D. WOODWORTH, M. D, was born in Fenner. Madison county, in March, 1835. He was educated at the academies of Rushford. Allegany county, and Fredonia, Chautauqua county ; began studying medicine in 1867 ; attended lectures at the University of Michigan in 1868, and at the University of New York, where he was a student of Dr. T. Gaillard, in 1800-61, graduating in the spring of the latter year. In December, 1861, he enlisted in Company K of the 105th N. Y. infantry, as second lieutenant, and July 10th, 1882, was promoted to first lieutenant. In March, 1864, he was discharged and ap- pointed assistant surgeon of the 2nd N. Y. mounted rides, which omce be beid until discharged in the fall of 1806, when he was brevetted major by Governor Reuben E. Fenton. He came to Eagle Village, in 1868, from York- shire, Cattaraugus county, where he lived for twenty-five years. In 1870 be was married to Miss Jennie W. Shields, of English descent, daughter of Mrs. D. F. Shields, of Eagle Village.

Digitized by Google

THE TOWN OF GAINESVILLE.

HE original name of this town was Hebe. It was formed from Warsaw, February 25th, 1814, and took its present name from General Ed- mund Pendleton Gaines. It is township 8, range 1, of the Holland Purchase.

There are three cheese factories; one at Gaines- ville, one at East Gainesville, and one near Rock Glen. The annual sales of cheese aggregate about $50,000. Very few sheep are kept. Cattle are the principal stock raised. These are mostly native breeds crossed with Dur- ham. Neither horses nor hogs are raised, except to supply the wants of the people. Next after dairy products, pota- toes are the leading product.

An extensive bed of yellow ochre has been opened some two miles northwest of the Centre. It is now owned by a company organized in Rochester.

At Rock Glen are extensive and valuable quarries of the famous Gainesville sandstone. This stone has been exten- sively introduced, and has come to be prominent among building materials.

SETTLEMENT AND GROWTH.

Within the memory of men now living the agents of the Amsterdam merchants first offered for sale this portion of the three million six hundred thousand acres they pur- chased of Robert Morris July 20th, 1793. Three years after the land office was opened at Batavia, William Bristol, in the year 1805, an unmarried man from Columbia county, N. Y., joined a surveying party in charge of William Peacock, and engaged in surveying this town. After a journey of twenty-nine miles he reached the O-is-ki. The primeval forest of deciduous trees, with patches of pine and hemlock, was unbroken. The graceful elm, the towering maple, the stately beech, here attained enormous size. Indian trails were the only paths. Bears, wolves and deer roamed at will.

The rich bottom land was inviting, and Mr. Bristol selected a tract on both sides of the creek, on which he lived more than half a century, and where his remains were deposited in 1859.

His brothers, Richard and Charles, from Columbia county, and Elnathan George, from Vermont, also settled here in 1805. James Cravath and John Patterson settled here in 1806; Willard Thayer in 1807; William Broughton in 1810. Solomon Morris and James Reed surveyed the highways of the town.

The following is a statement, from the original books of the Holland Company, of the names of the original pur- chasers of lands in this town, the dates of their contracts,

with the numbers of the lots and parts of lots purchased by each during the first five years after its survey:

1806 .- William Bristol, lots 16, 26, 27 and 36; Elnathan George, lot 5º James Cravath, lots 57, 59, 60, 61; Benjamin Morse, lot 40; David Hardy, part of lot [8.

1806 .- John Patterson, part of lot 58; Reuben 'Orris, part of lot 42; John Grant, Jot 18; Barzilla Yates, lot 23; Pearl Flower, lot 43; Dwight Noble, part of lot 8: Stephen Perkins, part of lot 8; Russell Post, part of lot 31; Hosea Shemeld, part of lot 81; William Blanchard, part of lot 31; Ebenezer West, part of lot 81; William Fuller, part of lot 22; Wheelock Wood, part of lot 23; William Thayer, part of lot 7; Lewis Wood, lot &2.

1807 .- Nebemiah Park, lot +7; Appleton Bailey, lot 28; Ithuriel Flower. part of lot 49; Manton Davis, part of lot 44; Willard Thayer, part of lot 15; Daniel W. Bannister, lot 5.

1806 .- Archelaus Price, lot 36; Benjamin Cole, part of lot 8.

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 Wyoming County, N.Y., with Illustrations, Biographical Sketches and Portraits of Some Pioneers and Prominent Residents, Part 51

Author: Publication date: 1880 Publisher: F.W. Beers & Co. Number of Pages:

Author:
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: F.W. Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: