USA > New York > Yates County > History of Yates County, N.Y. : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of the prominent men and pioneers > Part 30
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The Chestnut street school, so-called, likewise originally formed a part of the Milo district No. 4, and became a village institution by ab- sorption in 1879. Its patronage is derived from the residents east of the railroad. The union district erected the school building in 1879, the cost of the entire property being more than $3,000. The first vil- lage school east of the tracks was established by the board in 1876, but prior to that, and as early as 1845, old district No. 4 had its school, and a prominent institution it was. Among the teachers there at an early day were Jethro Bonney, Benjamin L. Hoyt, B. F. Cook, and William P. Gaylord.
The several institutions heretofore referred to as being schools inci- dent to the village had their origin in the district arrangement of the town of Milo, and afterward became schools of the village, or more properly the union district. But in this narrative no mention has yet been made of that leading institution, the Academy, the chiefest of the educational interests of the village, and one with which there is con- nected more history, perhaps, than with all others combined. A de- scription of the academy, its origin, growth, and value, together with mention of the persons connected with it in various capacities, is re - served for the closing pages of this branch of municipal history. But in the present connection there should properly be made some refer-
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ence to other educational institutions of the village than its public and district schools ; those that are and have been commonly called private or select schools. With these the village of Penn Yan has in times past had an abundant supply.
The first school of the kind of which there appears to be any record was that managed by John W. Willey, who also was a lawyer and after - ward attained some distinction as the first mayor of Cleveland, Ohio. Thomas J. Nevins taught public and private schools, and it was largely through his efforts and influence that the academy was founded. Jane S. Bellows and her sister Martha Bellows were also select school teach- ers in the village, the former in 1825 and the latter afterward. In the same connection mention may also be made of Mary Jones, Charity Sheldon, Reuben P. Lamb, Dan. B. Bradley, Uriah Hanford, Orra An- drus, Jason Andrus, Asa P. Norton, Samuel H. Northrup, Jerusha Kinney, Roscius Morse. These are said to have been teachers prior to the founding of the academy. John Brown, said to have been a superior teacher, conducted a select school near the rear of the Baptist Church. Among the other teachers in the same building were Robert Murray, Artemas Bigelow, Evan W. Evans, Charles Hopkins, William H. Lord. Other select teachers, whose school buildings were in various parts of the village, were Joshua E. R. Abbott, L. P. Paddock, Nathan W. Ayer, John Owen, Mrs. William L. Porter, Helen M. Chamberlain, Mrs. Robinson, Miss Ryckman, Sarah Wisner, Maria Lathrop, Louise West, Miss Hubbard, Maria Benham, Adelia Benham. Miss Minor, Ann Arnold, Miss Teall, Elizabeth Philbrick, Celinda Soper, Jane Stark, Sabra Lapham, Isabella Sherman, Sarah Welles, Josephine Ellsworth, Henrietta Starkweather, and others whose names among the multitude of teachers from time to time conducting temporary schools in the vil- lage may possibly have been forgotten or overlooked.
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St. Michael's School .- A Catholic parochial school was started in Penn Yan in October, 1883, under the general supervision of the Rev. Father Eugene Pagani, the worthy priest in charge of the local parish. The school building and property are conveniently situated in the west- ern part of the village. The lot cost $1,200, upon which was erected a commodious school- house at an additional expense of $6,400. Interior improvements and fixtures increased the total cost to $10,000. St.
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Michael's school is conducted by several faithful sisters of the Order of St. Joseph, and is in all respects a useful and worthy institution. Being a denominational school, the expense of its maintenance is borne by the parish.
The Penn Yan Academy .- The present superior educational institu- tion of the village, known and distinguished by the name of Penn Yan Academy, was founded and established during the year 1857, and al- though then an original conception and consummation, it was indirectly the outgrowth of one of the ancient educational interests of the village and locality. But the plan upon which it was proposed that the new academy should be started and maintained was so complete and elaborate, and contemplated so radical an improvement over a preceding institution, that between the two and their systems of management there was no resemblance whatever. The first was one of the infant interests of an un- organized village in a newly erected county, while the later was designed to be a modern school, founded for the purposes of higher and more ad- vanced education, upon a broader and more liberal scale. In fact the establishment of the Penn Yan Academy in 1857 was a grand onward movement, a long stride in the work of advancement and progress ; but like all such reformations, the subject was not discussed nor the work itself accomplished. without some opposition and bitterness of feeling, encouraged and fostered by the same element of population that in every community invariably opposes each and every proposition, no matter how worthy the object, that calls for an unusual expenditure of means or a departure from ancient customs. However, the academy was founded and put in operation by the voice of a good majority of the people, and despite the efforts of its opponents, and not one person lives to-day, whether in favor of or opposed to the plan at the outset, but that realizes that what was done was for the best interests of the village and locality, and of the greatest value to the people of the county. But as we are supposed to refer to events, so near as may be in their order of occurrence, the attention of the reader must first be di - rected, briefly however, to the old academy.
It was during the time in which Thomas J. Nevins was conducting a school in the village that the prominent men of the place began dis- cussing the advisibility of establishing an academic school to the end
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that the youth of the locality might be given the advantages of thor- ough education in the English branches. The result was an applica- tion to the State legislature of 1828, followed by an act passed by that body incorporating the Yates County Academy and Female Seminary. The first board of trustees designated by the act, were: Cornelius Masten, Samuel S. Ellsworth, Thomas J. Nevins, George Sherman, Ebenezer Brown, Ira Gould, Henry Bradley, James C. Robinson, Eben Smith, Joseph Ketchum, Aaron Reamer and Andrew F. Oliver. These persons, leading and influential men of the village and locality, organ- ized and established the school in accordance with the provisions of the act. The academy building was opened for pupils on the first Monday of January, 1829, with Gardiner Kellogg, a graduate of Bowdoin, as principal. The building occupied for the academy was the old Hol- comb hotel structure, standing then where Charles C. Sheppard after- ward lived. Attached to the building proper was a boarding house for young ladies, with accommodations for about forty persons. Mrs. Kel- logg, mother of the principal, had charge of this department of the in- stitution.
But the old Yates County Academy and Female Seminary proved to be a rather short- lived affair, but just what causes led to its decline and final downfall is now difficult of determination. Principal Kellogg, too, remained its master but a year or two when he and his good mother took their departure, he being succeeded by Seymour Gookins who presided over its affairs for nearly six years. During the principalship of Mr. Gookins the academy reached the height of its glory, the cata- logue for 1834 showing the attendance of 202 male and 139 female pupils. James Taylor, Miles Benham, Charles Hubbard and Samuel Wise were then members of the board of trustees, while David Malin, Bachelor of Arts, was announced as senior tutor and classical teacher. Likewise, Richard Taylor was junior tutor and mathematician ; Charles S. Davis, teacher of English ; Chloe Parmele, preceptress ; Mary Niles, assistant preceptress ; Clarissa Hagaman, teacher of music ; Sarah Hill, primary teacher. In 1835 the total attendance was 315, of which 185 were males and 130 females. This year the primary department was discontinued.
After Mr. Gookins left William H. Schram and wife conducted the
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school for a time, but were in turn succeeded by W. H. Schenck and wife. Daniel B. Wakefield next followed as principal for a short period, but was superceded by Richard Taylor and Joseph Bloomingdale, under whose joint efforts an attempt was made to re- establish the in- stitution on a paying basis, but without substantial success ; the Yates Academy, so-called for brevity, was doomed and its fall was inevitable. Its whole career covered a period of about eleven years.
From about the year 1840 down to the founding of the present Penn Yan Academy, the village was without an institution of academic char- acter other than could be discovered in the select schools from time to time started, but only to run a short course of existence. At last, dur- ing the fifth decade of the present century, the progressive men of the village and immediate locality were awakened to the necessity of hav- ing a high school for the better and more advanced education of the youth of the village ; an institution that should furnish knowledge to its pupils beyond the limited course afforded by the common village and district schools. Therefore recourse was again had to the State legisla- ture, with result in the formation of the Penn Yan Union School District, embracing then, as it does now, a larger area than is contained within the village limits proper. The original board of trustees was as follows: Ebenezer B. Jones, Charles C. Sheppard, Benedict W. Franklin, Levi O. Dunning, Darius O. Ogden, George Wagener, Jeremiah S. Gillett, Martin Spencer, Daniel W. Streeter. The organization was perfected April 30, 1857, with Ebenezer B. Jones as president.
For the purpose of erecting a school building the trustees purchased land on the west side of Main street, at an expense of about $2,000. On this lot contractor Charles V. Bush, following the plans prepared for and adopted by the board, erected the academy at a cost of $8,000. The work of construction was completed during the summer of 1859, and the building made ready for occupancy the same year.
While it is not within the province of this chapter to comment upon the character or value of any of the village institutions, the writer never- theless feels constrained to reproduce for the reader's benefit the words of a recent contributor to the pages of the annual school catalogue for the years 1883-84, as follows : " Founded upon a system of permanence and sure support, it has been a prosperous school. It has been of in-
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calculable worth to the village and the surrounding country, and has given opportunities of advanced education to hundreds of pupils, to whom they would have been largely inaccessible if this school had not existed. The wisdom of its projectors has been abundantly vindi- cated. The primary schools were declared free upon the organization of the district, and the academy was made a free school to all the res idents of the district in 1875.
As a preceding chapter of this work has referred at length to the educational institutions not only of the county at large but as well those of the village of Penn Yan, it is not deemed prudent in this connection to enter into a more extended narrative of the local schools, nor even to furnish a succession of the trustees who have from time to time been chosen to office. But it is entirely proper at this point that there should be recorded the names of persons who have been called to the position of principle of the academy, and as well the persons who have held the honorable offices of president and secretary of the board of trustees.
The present members of the board of education are these : George R. Cornwell, Benjamin L. Hoyt, John S. Sheppard, John T. Andrews, 2d, George R. Youngs, Perley P. Curtis, Edson Potter, Silas Kinne, and Stephen B. Ayers. Officers of the board : George R. Cornwell, pres- ident ; George R. Youngs, secretary ; Morris F. Sheppard, treasurer ; William P. Gaylord, collector.
Succession of Principals .- Rev. Otis L. Gibson, 1859-1861 ; Willard P. Gibson, A.M., 1861-1863; Winsor Scofield, A.M., 1863-1866; Cicero M. Hutchins, A.M., 1866-1868; Rufus S. Green, A.B., 1868- 1869; John T. Knox, A M, 1869-1870; Samuel D. Barr, A.M., 1870- 1872; Burr Lewis, A.B., 1872-1873 ; Rudolphus C. Briggs, A. B., 1873-1875 ; Francis D. Hodgson, A. M., 1875-1883 ; Henry White Callahan, A.M., 1883-1890 ; F. Theodore Shultz, A.M., 1890 -.
Presidents .- Ebenezer B. Jones, 1859-1861; Charles C. Sheppard, 1861-1863. 1865-1873 ; Benedict W. Franklin, 1863-1865 ; Darius A. Ogden, 1873-1876, 1880-1889; Levi O. Dunning, 1876-1877 ; Staf- ford C. Cleveland, 1877-1880; Benjamin L. Hoyt, 1889-1891 ; George R. Cornwell, 1891 -.
Secretaries .- Daniel W. Streeter, 1859-1860; Jeremiah S. Gillett, 1860-1863, 1865-1866; Lyman Munger, 1863-1865 ; John T. Knox,
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1873-1874; Benjamin L. Hoyt, 1874-1877 ; George R. Youngs, 1877- 1880; Reuben A. Scofield, 1880-1882 ; Fred S. Armstrong, 1882- 1884; George R. Youngs, 1884 -.
Church History of Penn Yan .- The first religious services in the county of Yates were those conducted by the society of Friends, although the claim has been made that Catholic missionaries said masses in the region at an earlier day. The Friends came in numbers in 1788, and worshiped in their own peculiar manner during that same year. Four years later the Methodist circuit riders appeared and labored in the region, and planted the seed of their afterward prosperous church so - cieties. As there was no settlement within what afterward became the village of Penn Yan earlier than 1800, it is not expected that religious services could have been held here prior to that time. But such mea- ger records as do now exist, most of them being founded on unreliable tradition, and still less trustworthy memory of man, leave us in some doubt as to whether Methodist or Presbyterian services were first to be conducted within the afterward named village of Penn Yan. The Gen- esee Conference was organized in 1810, but there appears to have been no local church organization prior to 1826. However, common con- sent has generally accorded to the Presbyterian society the honor of having been the first to plant their church within the environment of the village.
The Presbyterian Church and society of Penn Yan was the almost direct outgrowth and branch of the older society of the same denomin . ation in Benton. As early as the year 1819, in the month of June, Rev. James Hotchkins preached in the little old school- house in this village, at a time when there were but two female and no male mem- bers of the church within its limits; and these persons were then mem- bers of the Benton society. During the summer of 1820, at the invi- tation of local residents, Rev. Richard Williams came here to reside, and thereafter preached in the village in the morning and at the Ben- ton church in the afternoon. In 1821 the session of the Benton church held a meeting in Penn Yan, and examined Maria Masten, Sarah Corn- well and John Hatmaker, who were afterward received into the church on confession of faith. These were the first persons to be received into the Penn Yan branch of the church, and John Hatmaker was chosen its first elder.
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With the constant increase of village population other persons ex- pressed a preference for the Presbyterian doctrine and form of worship, and in February, 1823, Mr. Hatmaker, as duly authorized delegate, presented a petition to the Presbytery, asking for the organization of a separate and distinct church. On this petition appeared the names of thirty-eight members of the Benton church. The request was granted, and the society was organized on the 3d Tuesday in Feburary of that year ; an organization that was made fully complete on the 2d day of September following. Dr. John Hatmaker and Silas Lacy were chosen elders, and Henry Knapp and Mr. Lacy were elected deacons. For a period of four years from the first preachings by Mr. Williams the new society had no church home, but in 1824, the same year in which the Benton society erected its church, the local edifice was erected. It was a small, unpretentious building of frame material, but sufficient for the purposes of the society at that time. Its location was on the east side of Main street, near and just above the residence of T. F. Wheeler. From the time of the organization of the society down to the year 1841, the Presbyterian church maintained a steady and healthful growth, both in membership and influence, but in the year last mentioned there occurred a serious division among its members, growing out of a dis- cussion relative to church action and doctrines, and increased in feeling by the divided sentiment over the question of slavery. The result was the withdrawal of a majority of the members from their church con- nection, in which action they were counseled and followed by the pas- tor, the Rev. Ovid Miner. The dissenters not only severed their rela- tions with the mother society, but organized for themselves, and built a church edifice at the corner of Main and Chapel streets, the same building, though now enlarged, at present occupied by the society of the Methodist Episcopal church.
In this connection it may be stated that the new society, which by the way styled themselves Congregationalists, and adopted that form of church government, never acquired any substantial strength. They built the edifice now owned by the Methodist society, in 1841, but in years afterward themselves became involved in a controversy, with re- sult in the dismemberment of their organization. A portion of their membership formed a new society styled the Wesleyan church; some
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HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
returned to the mother society which they had deserted, while still others drifted into other churches or remained unallied to any religious organization.
Notwithstanding the serious blow against the welfare of the church, caused by the withdrawal of the majority of its members, the society in about four months secured the services of the Rev. James Richards, and agreed to pay him an increased salary. Also they determined upon radi- cal changes and improvements in the church edifice, which were accom- plished, but at the expense of a heavy debt which hung over the society for many years. But with the lapse of time and the return of many of the former members the church again assumed her former position among the influential societies of the village. In 1864 the building was again subjected to repairs and enlargement to meet the requirements of the society, and on the 22d of October of that year the church was re-
dedicated. However, fifteen years more of increasing strength demon- strated that the old church home was no longer sufficient for the society's uses, and the building of an entirely new and more spacious and elegant modern house of worship became imperative. The site chosen was at the corner of Main and Clinton streets, upon which was erected by far the most beautiful edifice in the county. It needs no other description on these pages. Conspicuously carved on the corner stone are the years " 1824-1879," denoting the time of erecting the first and the latest churches of the society.
The succession of pastors of the First Presbyterian church of Penn Yan has been as follows: Richard Williams, from September, 1820, to February 19, 1825; Chauncey Eddy, 1826 to September 19, 1831 ; Samuel A. Allen, October 8, to December 8, 1831 ; Stephen Crosby, February, 1832, to August 1, 1836 ; Ovid Miner, April 1, 1837, to Feb- ruary 17, 1841 ; James Richards, June 8, 1841, to November 18, 1847 ; William W. Robinson, from early in 1848 to November 14, 1850; James Eells, September 23, 1851, to October 27, 1854; W. W. Taylor, Decem- ber, 1854, to April 1, 1860; L. S. Fine, October 1, 1860, to June, 1862 ; Frederick Starr, March 1, 1864, to May, 1865; David Magie, 1865 to 1872; William Lawrie, 1872 to 1873; D. Henry Palmer, 1873 to the present time.
The Methodist Episcopal church in Penn Yan was not regularly organ-
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ized until the year 1826, at which time the village society was made a distinct appointment. Although there may be no record by which the question can be acurately determined, yet there is reason to believe that Methodist services were held and conducted in the village several years earlier than the organization. As a matter of fact Methodism in the county, or what afterward became the county, dates back to 1792, and al- though there could not have been services in the village until after the latter was founded, there is good reason to suppose that class services at least were held here soon after the year 1805, or about that time.
In 1826 Abram Prosser, the first known class leader, caused to be erected for the M. E. society a frame church. Its site was on Chapel street, in rear of the present edifice of the society, and about where the horse sheds now stand. Becoming too small for the requirements of the congregation, the old building was vacated, and the church property of the Congregational society, located at the corner of Main and Chapel streets, was acquired by purchase. This occurred in 1857, but two years later it was found necessary to enlarge the building. Additional altera- tions and enlargements were again made in 1881. The old first church building was removed from its original site to a lot just east of the land- ing place of the old line boats.
Numerically, financially, and in influence and good works, the Metho- dist Episcopal society is strong. In 1828 the church had a membership of but thirty persons ; in 1891 the number is found to be four hundred and thirty. As a regular appointment the first services were con- ducted by John B. Alverson, who continued in charge three years, the last year being made nominally supernumerary, so as not to conflict with the church rule. Commencing with Rev. Alverson the succession of pastors of the church has been as follows :
John B. Alverson, 1826-28; Abner Chase, 1829; Manley Tooker, 1830; Chester V. Adgate, 1831-32; Wilbur Hoag, 1833; Robert Parker, 1834; Thomas J. Champion, 1835; Seth Mattison, 1836; Thomas J. Champion, 1837 ; Allen Steele, 1838 ; Freeborn G. Hibbard, 1839; William P. Davis, 1840; F. G. Hibbard, 1841-42 ; Clinton W. Sears, 1843; Isaiah McMahon, 1844-45 ; William H. Goodwin, 1846- 47 ; Alpha Wright, 1848-49; Israel H. Kellogg, 1850-51; Daniel Dana Buck, 1852-53; Thomas Tousey, 1854-55; Nathan Fellows,
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HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
1856-57; John C. Nobles, 1858-59; Sanford VanBenschoten, 1860- 61 ; Charles W. Bennett, 1862-63 ; D. D. Buck, 1864-65 ; Thomas Tousey, 1866-68 ; James E. Latimer, 1869; William R. Benham, 1870 -71; M. S. Leet, 1872-73 ; J. P. Farmer, 1874-75 ; K. P. Jervis, 1876-77; A. N. Damon, 1878-80; E. M. Mills, 1881-83; J. H. McCarty, 1884-86; J. V. Benham, 1887-89; L. F. Congdon, 1890. Rev. C. N. Adgate died during his pastorate in 1832, and Rev. Schuyler Seager was appointed to fill out the term. Rev. J. P. Farmer resigned in 1875, and the term of appointment was filled by Rev. F. S. Stein.
Baptist preaching in this locality was conducted by Elder Simon Sutherland and Rev. Samuel Carpenter as early as 1811, but it was not until the year 1829 that any movement was made in the direction of establishing a Baptist society in Penn Yan. In the year last named about eighteen or twenty former members of the old Second Milo church severed their relations with the mother society for the purpose of founding a Baptist church in the village. Among the persons so with- drawing from the old society are remembered these: Stephen and Polly Raymond, Gideon Burtch, Thomas, Lydia and Mehitable Benedict, Samuel and Isaac Raymond, William and Lucy Freeman, Pond and Pamelia Curtis, Eunice Randall, Artemas Enos, Sister Youmans, Sally Nash, Mary Telford and Sister Firman.
The early meetings of the new society were held in residences of members, in old Masonic hall, schools, the court-house, and in the printing office of Brother Bennett. In April, 1831, a meeting was held in the old academy, at which time were chosen these trustees: Morris Earle, Stephen Raymond, and Abraham H. Bennett. At a meeting held February II, 1834, it was resolved to build a brick church on Main street, to be in size forty feet front and sixty feet deep. At the same time the society chose a building committee, as follows: William M. Oliver, Morris F. Sheppard, Elipha Peckins, Abraham H. Bennett, Will- iam Babcock, and S. S. Barker. The first house of worship occupied the same site as the present church of this society. It was a plain brick building and cost $9,000. It was occupied by the society until 1870, and then torn down to make room for the elegant edifice to be erected the next year. The new church was built by Moses E. Buck, at an ex- pense of $15,000, besides the material in the old building. The entire
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