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 35
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The first church edifice of this society was erected in 1818, and stood, not at the Center, but on the road next east and leading to the north. At that time there were a number of Universalists in the town, and they contributed toward the fund with which the church was built. Occa - sionally Universalist services were held in the church, In 1848 the commodious church edifice at the Center was erected. The trustees, Samuel G. Gage, George R. Barden, James Southerland, John Church, and Charles Gilbert acted as building committee. The parsonage prop - erty was purchased in 1856, costing $1, 200.
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HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
Elder Goff began his pastorate in 1800 and served thirty-six years. Next, after a vacancy of two years, Elias Buck was called, remaining two years. William H. Delano came in 1840 and served four years. John W. Wiggins was called in 1845, and Daniel Litchfield in 1847, the latter serving four years. Elder Almon C. Mallory was ordained in 1851, and continued in charge of the church twenty-four years. Sub- sequent to the pastorate of Mr. Mallory the elders in charge have been T. S. Hill, Albert Martin, V. P. Mather and S. D. Works.
Among the earlier members of the Baptist Church at Benton Center can be recalled the names of Samuel Buell, Moses Finch, David South- erland, David Riggs, William Gilbert, Benjamin Fowle, Francis Dean, Simon Southerland, Smith Mapes, Isaac Lain, Elisha Benedict, Eph- raim Kidder, Isaac Whitney, Buckbee Gage, Benjamin Dean, Samuel Raymond, Robert Watson, Jonathan and Jesse Brown, Stephen Wil- kins, David Kidder, David Holmes, David Trimmer, John L. Swart- hout, Stephen Coe, Charles and Joel Gillette, James Southerland, Heman Chapman, Jacob Watson, Henry Nutt.
The Presbyterian Church of Benton, the mother of several other so- cieties of that denomination in the county, was organized through the efforts and influence of pioneer Stephen Whitaker. He was a Presby- terian and laid the foundation of the society in the prayer and conver- sation meetings held at his own house as early as the year 1802. On the 7th of November, 1809, Rev. John Lindsley organized a society at a meeting held at Mr. Whitaker's house. The original members were Stephen and Mary Whitaker, John and Susannah Armstrong, John and Sarah Hall, George and Elizabeth Armstong, John and Sarah McLean, Solomon Couch, William Read, Rebecca Boyd, Terry Owen and wife, and William Roy. The first ordained elders were Stephen Whitaker, John Hall and Solomon Couch. The society had no regular pastor until 1820, when on September 13th Rev. Richard Williams was in- stalled.
In 1816 the full organization of this church was effected, and the name "The First Presbyterian Congregation of the Town of Benton," was adopted. The first church edifice of the society was erected in 1821 on the southwest corner of lot No. 12. Here services were held until January, 1839, and then transferred to the church then recently
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acquired at Bellona. Here they have since been continued, but a good proportion of the old membership and their descendants became united with the church at Penn Yan. In fact it was considered that there was a virtual removal of the old church to the county seat.
The church building occupied by the Benton Presbyterian Society on its removal or transfer to Bellona village was the same formerly oc- cupied by the society of the Dutch Reformed Church. The latter had its organization in 1833, and the church edifice was built the same year at the individual expense of John Pembrook and Jacob Meserole ; but the sale of pews nearly made good the amount expended by them. The society continued only about six years, and the building was sold in 1839 to the Presbyterian Church and society. The latter absorbed the former congregation.
CHAPTER XXII.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF STARKEY.1
T 'HE town of Starkey is situated in the southeast corner of Yates County, and is bounded on the north by the town of Milo, east by Seneca Lake, south by the town of Reading, Schuyler County, and west by the towns of Barrington and Reading. Yates County was or- ganized in the year 1823. The town of Starkey was not included in the organization until the next year, 1824.
Starkey was originally a part of the old town of Frederickstown, af- terward Reading. The name of Frederickstown was changed to Wayne, in honor of General Anthony Wayne, April 6, 1808. Reading was founded in 1808 and included the town of Starkey, which was organ- ized in 1824 by act of legislature.
The early history of the town of Starkey is rather obscure. The pi- oneers have passed away, and their descendants have scattered so that but few if any remain. So far as can be ascertained, the earliest at-
1 By Charles H. Martin.
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HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
tempt at settlement was made by Elnathan, jr., and Benj. Botsford, and a brother-in-law, Achilles Comstock. They bought 400 acres of Charles Williamson, not surveyed, built a log house and made a large clearing in 1798. Their property was destroyed by a forest fire, and a survey deprived them of half of their land. They became discouraged and abandoned their claim and returned to the Friends' settlement in Jerusalem, whence they came. There is a tradition that the first permanent inhabitant was William Eddy. The east side of Seneca Lake was the route of General Sullivan in his expedition against the Indians, and was the first to be settled by the whites. The dwellers on the east side had noticed for some time a column of smoke ascending from a particular place on the west side. Their curiosity was excited, and a party was formed to investigate. On a bright Sunday morning the expedition paddled their canoes across to the Seneca landing, north of what is now Glenora. After landing the familiar sound of a bell was heard. Following the sound it led them to a cow ; and following the cow she led them to the cabin of William Eddy, the first settler of Eddytown, and as believed, the first of Starkey.
William Eddy settled on the farm south of Eddytown now owned by Dennis W. Disbrow, where he remained several years. Later in life he became possessed with the delusion that he had a fortune waiting for him in his native country. He sold his property and returned to Ireland to find, like many other fortune hunters, that his fortune was but a myth. He failed to find a person that had ever known or heard of him. He ended his life in an alms house and died a pauper.
Assuming William Eddy to have been the first permanent white settler, we find the next in order was a colony from Sandgate, Vermont, who lo- cated in and around Eddytown, in the eastern part of the town of Starkey. Among the number were the three brothers, Mathew Royce, Simeon Royce, Reuben Royce, Abner Hurd and his three sons, Timothy Hurd, Aaron Hurd, and Ransom Hurd, all in 1802. Andrew Booth came later, 1811, and was from the same locality as was Moses Hurd, who came in about the same time of the first colony and settled near Rock stream, and gave the early name of Hurd's Corners to that place. New Jersey furnished a large quota. Among the number was David Hay, 1804; Andrew Raplee, 1806; Teval Swarts, 1807; Joseph C.
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Lewis, David Shannon, Stephen Reeder, Joshua Tuthill, James Sprouls, and Hiram Titsworth, who located in different parts of the town, mostly north of Dundee.
Richard Lanning and his three sons came from Wilksbarre in 1802. George Plummer came from the same place in 1807, and located on the hill between Dundee and Eddytown. John Starkey and David Semans were originally from Maryland, but later from Seneca County. Peter Wallace, John O. Cook, Reuben Thomas, Gideon Thomas, Thomas Rozell, and Col. Elisha Ward settled the southwest part of the town.
The mention of Col. Elisha Ward's name recalls the memory of a horrible tragedy with which the family was sadly connected. Colonel Ward lived in the extreme south part of the town on the county line. He was a well-to-do farmer and lived in better style than his neigh- bors. The family consisted of the parents and an infant child. There was boarding with them a man named Baldwin, affected slightly with insanity, but never known to be violent or dangerous. He became ap- parently very fond of the child, and the baby became equally fond of him. Baldwin would quiet the child when the mother failed. On a certain day the child was unusually fretful. The mother gave the child to Baldwin who said he could "still " it. He took it out of doors, laid it on the stump of a tree, and siezing an axe, severed its head from the body. Turning to the mother he said, " the child is stilled." The mother was frantic. She caught the headless body of her child and for a long time refused to relinquish it. Baldwin was afterward cured of his malady and became an able lawyer.
The early settlement of the town appears to have been rapid. The fertility of the soil, the beauty of the scenery, the low price of the land, the easy terms of payment, the kindness and lenity of the land of- fice agents in extending the time of payment in case of sickness or fail- ure of crops, were inducements that favored the rapid development of the county and attracted a very desirable class of settlers.
The land was originally covered with dense forests. That of the eastern portion, sloping towards the Seneca Lake, was timbered in part with fine specimens of oak, maple, black walnut, hickory, red cedar, and other varieties, and in the western portion (the valley of Big Stream) pines of magnificent growth were interspersed with other
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HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
kinds, all of which would have been of great value if retained until a later period, but was then an incumbrance to be removed in the easiest manner. The manner then employed was to chop the trees in lengths of fourteen to sixteen feet, "log" them into heaps and burn them. What would have been worth millions of dollars if kept until later have been thus destroyed.
It is doubtful whether the town of Starkey, after nearly one hundred years of careful cultivation and improvement, is of any more value than it would be could it be restored to the condition it was when abandoned by the Indians.
The principal water course of the town is Big Stream. This stream enters the town on its western boundary, and flowing in a southeasterly direction through the entire breadth of the town, finally discharges its waters over a precipice of more than 100 feet into Seneca Lake, forming a beautiful waterfall. Big Stream, in those early days of which we write, and later, was a splendid water-power, and furnished power for fifteen saw-mills, four fulling- mills, (i. e., mills where wool was carded and cloth was dressed,) two woolen factories, and five grist or flouring-mills. The mill privilege in West Dundee alone furnished power for three saw- mills, one grist-mill, a fulling-mill and tannery. Now in a drouth there is hardly water enough to run a steam engine. The shrinkage of water in the streams is without doubt due to the destruction of the forests. There are now but two saw-mills and two grist or flouring-mills on the stream. The only grist and flouring-mill in the town in running order is the Pecha mill at Glenora. The mill was built by James Barkly of Geneva, N. Y., in the year 1837. Larmon G. Townsend soon after its completion became partner and afterward owner. The original cost of the mill was $16,000. It was sold at auction in the year 1864, and bid off by H. G. Stafford for $1,030. Mr. Stafford sold it for $5,000, after putting on repairs costing $1,500. The present owners have added many new improvements. The Pechas, father and son, are English, and are practical millers, and thoroughly understand their business. The mill has always been in good repute and is a great convenience to the surrounding country. The old Martin stone mill, still remaining, has been abandoned, and of the remaining four mentioned three were destroyed by fire and the fourth was removed. Just across the town
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line in Barrington the late Clinton Raplee built a grist and saw-mill, and his sons have added a large basket factory.
Rock Stream, much smaller than the above, crosses the entire breadth of the town from west to east and empties into Seneca Lake at Rock Stream Point.
The town of Starkey has an excellent soil well adapted to the culti- vation of all kinds of grain, vegetables and fruit. The soil is various, including sand, clay and loam. The cultivation of fruit has become one of the leading (if not the leading) industries of the town. Large vine- yards have been established along the shores of the Seneca Lake, and inland for four or five miles. The acres devoted to grapes and other fruits can be estimated by thousands. Other fruits have not been neg- lected. Apples, pears, plums and peaches are raised in abundance, and the raising and evaporating of raspberries has assumed large pro- portions. Strawberries, black-berries, raspberries, as well as the other fruits mentioned above, are shipped in large quantities in their season. The fruit crop is the main reliance of many families for support, and the freighting is a goodly source of profit to the railroads.
At the first town meeting the contest centered on the office of super- visor. The nominees were John Starkey and Isaac Lanning. The election was hotly contested. Mr. Starkey was the successful candi- date. The next year the same candidates were nominated and Mr. Lanning was elected and held the office for several terms. The Lan- nings were a conspicuous family in the early history of the town. The father, Richard Lanning, was the first justice of the peace appointed by the governor, and was the first elected by the people. Isaac was one of the leading politicians of the town. In later years he was postmaster for several terms. Early in the anti-slavery agitation he became a rigid abolitionist. His house was one of the stations of the "Underground Railroad," and many a poor slave was helped by him on his way to freedom.
Richard Lanning, James Watson and John Starkey were justices of the peace by appointment of the governor when the town was erected. Richard Lanning held the office for several terms. Isaac Lanning car- ried on a large business in blacksmithing for many years in Eddytown.
Starkey has five postoffices, Dundee, Starkey, Eddytown, Glenora
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HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
and Rock Stream. Caleb Fulkerson and Andrew Harrison kept inns in 1808, the first in the town. John Sears built the first grist- mill. It was located east of Eddytown on lands formerly owned by General Hurd, now by Mrs. Youngs. Mr. Sears found the stones used in the mill in a ravine on the same premises, and picked and fashioned them into form himself. So far as known John Starkey built the second grist-mill in what is now Dundee.
The early merchants of Eddytown were Henry Smith, James Hunt- ington, Benjamin Cheever, John Bogart, Isaac P. Seymour, King & Noyes, Harvey G. Stafford, and George W. Summers.
Col. Stafford was for many years the leading merchant of the town. He came to Eddytown in 1822 and engaged with Benjamin Cheever as clerk, and in 1827 became partner, and subsequently purchased the business. He removed to Dundee in 1846, and was partner in the firm of Stafford, Martin & Co. After that partnership was dissolved he engaged in banking and other business. He was postmaster under Fillmore's administration. He lived to the great age of eighty-eight, and died November 10, 1891.
The village of Dundee accupies the space of three-fourth of a mile north and south, and one and one-half miles east and west. It has the old and new pre-emption lines for its eastern and western boundaries. The village is located in one of the most beautiful of the many beautiful valleys of the State. It occupies a central position in the town of Starkey, and is the largest village in the township, and the second in the population in the county. The population according to the last census was a trifle over 1,200. Dundee was incorporated in 1848. Of the 250 voters within the village limits when it was incorporated only four are residents now, and most of the others have passed into another state of existence. The four remaining are Hon. J. T. Andrews, V. Oldfield, C. H. Martin, and Andrew Harpending, all well advanced in years.
The first settlers where Dundee now stands were Isaac Stark, Anson Stark, William Durland, Hendrick Houghtaling, Elias Fitzwater, Jon- athan Botsford, John Walton, Benjamin Potter, Isaac Houghtaling, Lazarus Reed, Joseph Green, residing chiefly on or near Big Streams. Whether Isaac Stark was the first to settle on what is now the site of
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Dundee, or whether the Houghtaling families were here before him, is a mooted question that I have not been able to decide and on which the older inhabitants disagree. It is probable that both families came in the same year. In 1807 Isaac Stark built a double log house on the site now occupied by James Bigelow's residence, corner of Main street and West avenue. (Mr. Stark was grandfather of Mrs. Ernest Daily.) He owned all the land from the corner of Main street east to the village limit and south to Big Stream. Mr. Stark offered the whole tract for a pair of gray horses. The owner of the horses declined to accept the offer. The land was originally so densely covered with pitch pine trees that the older inhabitants used to say a "single ray of sun-light could not penetrate them, and it was dusk at noon." The Houghtal- ings owned 200 acres on the north side of Seneca street. The land was called " pine barrens," and was considered of little value.
Harpending's Corners was the name by which Dundee was known at that time, and the word "corners " fully describes the place. There were then only the four principal streets, viz. : Main, Seneca, Water and Union, if we except Millard street, which was only a country road, and Spring street, then socalled Potash lane, a private alley leading to an ashery located at its western terminus. To say Harpending's Corners was not an inviting or pleasant place to look upon would be to state the question in a very mild form. The appearance of the village was dreary and desolate. The streets were rough and uneven, filled with piles of lumber, shingles and staves, and were profusely decorated with stumps. Cows, pigs, and geese ran at large, and pig-troughs were in front of some of the dwellings. There were no side-walks, no shade trees, no churches, no lawyers, no justices or other town officers, no stages, livery or other public conveyances, and what will indicate the very low grade of civilization, there was not a billiard or gambling room in the village. Not to say that there was not any of the last named business. There was a large amount in a small way, which was usually transacted in the hay- mows of barns and horse. sheds. "Old Sledge" was the game, and the stakes were " a shilling a corner," whatever that might imply. Long rows of unsightly rail fences were on all the streets. There were about thirty buildings, large and small (mostly small), and illy kept, scattered along the four principal streets singly and in small huddles.
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HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
There were no agents or drummers in those early times. The "com- mercial traveler " was not known. The system of selling goods by sample was not inaugurated until many years later. It has come to stay and gives employment to an army of very competent men, and is a matter of great convenience to merchants, many of whom never visit the cities to make their purchases. The merchants "went below " twice each year, spring and fall, and their goods were transported by canal. " Going below " implied a trip to Troy, Albany, and sometimes to New York. After receiving their goods their shelves would be reasonably full. Then there would be a rush of customers for new goods, and as the shelves became empty the goods would be condensed on the lower shelves and a strip of wall paper would be stretched over the empty shelves. In two months after the goods were received the assortment would be broken, and in a month a great many articles could not be obtained. Often there would not be a pound of sugar in the town, and a scarcity of many other articles. Money was scarce and a great por- tion of the business was in barter. " Store pay " was almost considered " legal tender." All kinds of grain and other produce were among the exchanges. Ashes was a very important factor, there being two ash- eries where potash was manufactured. Lumber and staves were taken at low figures-five dollars per thousand bought very good lumber. Shingles were bought in very large quantities. It was not an unusual sight to see large numbers of horse and ox-teams loaded with shingles on the streets, and if there was a woman on the load, as was often the case, it was considered mortgaged.
There was one hotel, owned and kept by Samuel Harpending, grand- father of the present proprietor. Harpending House has been owned by some member of the Harpending family for more than seventy years, and has always been deservedly popular and noted for its good cheer. The original proprietor, " Uncle Sam," as he was familiarly called, was a character in his way. Large and burly of figure, the ideal of a coun- try landlord, clear headed and shrewd in business affairs, kind and gen- erous of heart withal, though tempestuous of temper. When once aroused it was no gentle shower that distilled, but a thunder storm, a hurricane, a tornado. His vocabulary of abusive language was won- derful, and woe to the unlucky wight who chanced to fall under his
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displeasure. He made things lively while the storm raged, but it would subside as quickly as it had been raised, and he would be just as ready in half an hour to do his victim a favor as he was to pour on him his wrath. The old man had always a retinue of dead heads about him, and I believe that custom has been continued by his successors. No one was refused food and shelter at the Harpending House for want of money. He gave liberally to the churches-to the first three built, each a building lot and a subscription equal to that of any of the mem- bers.
In those days Harpending's Corners was a dependent of Eddytown, taking the crusts aud crumbs thrown to it, and eating its humble pie with thankfulness. Eddytown was the favored village, with its five stores, church, two hotels, lawyers, doctors, and a variety of mechanics. It had a daily mail and a daily line of four-horse stage coaches. It was favorably located on the direct stage road between Geneva and Elmira (then Newtown), and was then the principal village on the route, a place of more business importance than Watkins (under whatever alias that village was then known). Real estate in Eddytown commanded nearly double the price that the same kind of property could sell for in this place. The policy of Eddytown toward Harpending's Corners was one of repression, and she used her power and opportunity for that purpose. It had already begun to look upon the upstart as a possible business rival. Eddytown controlled the politics of the town and dis- posed of the political favors, which explains why then there were no town officers located in this place. Eddytown had a monopoly of shows, general trainings, Fourth of July celebrations, etc. Town meet- ings were always held there, and when elections were held on three suc- « cessive days at three different places. Harpending's Corners, although the most centrally located, was always left out in the cold. In order to prevent the elections from being held at the " Corners " they were often held in remote corners of the town. Irecollect that in the election of 1832 (General Jackson's last run for the Presidency), that election was held the first day at Torrence's Tavern, on the farm now owned by Daniel Sproul, the second day at Rock Stream, and the third at Eddytown. This was the usual custom, but it was the last time that it occured. In the spring of 1831 Samuel Kress, a very competent man, ran for the office of jus-
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HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
tice of the peace and was defeated, not from any personal objection to the candidate, but merely on a local issue. There was no pretence that Mr. Kress was not qualified for the office, and he belonged to the party in the majority. The political magnates willed that there should be no justice located fat Harpending's Corners, and it was some years be- fore one was allowed, and then only that Eddytown should furnish the material. They sent James L. Seeley, who was duly elected. They might have done a worse turn. Mr. Seeley was honest and thoroughly competent and acceptable, and became one of the leading citizens. This was doing justice by installments. Following the election of Mr. Seeley a full quota of officers was allowed, although not from choice. Harpending's Corners had tired of acting as tail to the Eddytown kite, and demanded and received as her right what had before been granted as a favor.
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