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 37
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Burgess Truesdell's former residence was Columbia County, N. Y., his occupation school teaching. His advent in this place dates from 1826. He bought on the southeast corner of Main and Seneca street a build- ing formerly occupied as a " tavern." The corner room, former bar- room, dimensions about 15 x 20 feet, he fitted up for a store. The room was small but ample for the amount of business.
In 1832 or 1833 he sold the premises to Col. J. J. Smith for hotel pur-
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poses, and built a small store on the corner of Main and Spring streets. Spring street was a private alley leading to an ashery owned by Mr. Truesdell. In 1835, or about that time, he sold his store and business to Cyrus Miller, and was for a short time in business with his brother Al- vin, at Starkey. He then bought the farm now owned by Mr. Brun - dage, in Starkey, where he remained until he removed to Elgin, Ill., where he was one of the pioneers. There he resided until his death, a man of few faults and many virtues. By a fortunate purchase of land in the early settlement of Elgin he became one of the magnates of that city. It has been and still is a puzzle to the later merchants, who have sold ten times the amount of goods sold by these fathers in the trade and hardly make ends meet, to know how it was done -- how so small a business could be made to pay. Small expenses and large profits solves that problem. The business of those times was mostly conducted by the owner and a boy or low-priced young man as clerk. Ten to fif- teen dollars per month was the maximum price ; the minimum price was about nothing at all. The profits were enormous, often 75 to 100 per cent .; $3,000 to $6,000 was a good yearly business.
Myron Hamlin came to Harpending's Corners (now Dundee) in 1830, and was originally from Salisbury, Conn. Previous to his locating here he had been in business at some point on Lake Champlain. He was surprised to find in his business competitor his old school-teacher, Burgess Truesdell. He bought the store on the southwest corner of Main and Union streets (the McLean corner), formerly occupied by Honey & Simmons. He brought with him not much experience as a merchant, but plenty of the proverbial push and shrewdness of the Connecticut Yankee. His business was well managed and prosperous from the outset, and it was here that he laid the foundation of his future success. About this time great questions began to agitate the public mind. The commencement of the temperance movement dates from about 1830, and the anti-slavery movement came to the front at the same time. To Myron Hamlin belongs the honor of conducting the first temperance store in Dundee. It was the custom of those times for country stores to sell liquors, and this custom continued many years later. In 1839 there were nine stores in Dundee, and eight of the nine sold intoxicants. Whisky paid better than any other merchandise.
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For a few months Mr. Hamlin followed the prevailing custom and sold all kinds of liquors ; but becoming convinced of the evil and mis- ery caused by the traffic, he not only banished alcoholic stimulants from his store, but waged a fierce and brave war against the evil. Upon his counters could be seen stacks of temperance tracts and periodicals, and every package that left his store contained one or more of these missives. The passage from temperance to anti-slavery was natural and easy. In the early days of the anti-slavery movement it cost some- thing to be an abolitionist. It cost a merchant in the loss of custom It often cost a minister the loss of his pulpit and living. More than half a century has passed, and the younger generations have but small appreciation of the rancor and hatred bestowed on those who believed in and advocated the right of a man to the ownership of himself, his wife and children. Anti-slavery meetings were broken up, the speakers in- sulted and hustled, and often pelted with ancient and unsavory eggs. The press thundered and the pulpit hurled its anathemas against the "cut-throats and incendiaries." "Cursed be Canaan" was the theme of many a sermon, and the late Dr. Van Dyke preached in Brooklyn that slavery was a Divine institution.
About this time William Lloyd Garrison was mobbed by the solid men of Boston; Lovejoy was murdered and his printing press was thrown in the Mississippi at Alton, Ill., and the office of the anti-slavery paper ed- ited by the Quaker poet Whittier was burned by a Philadelphia mob. Being an abolitionist was no joke in those days. But no personal con- siderations influenced those pioneers in the cause. They believed their cause to be right, and advocated it regardless of personal considera- tions. The party in the village at that time consisted of four members all told -- M. Hamlin, the Rev. E. W. Martin, James Gifford, and Alonzo De Wolf The number was small but there was a wonderful amount of back- bone in that quartette. They never fought on the defensive, partic- ularly Mr. Hamlin, who was intensely aggressive. In the spring of 1835 Mr. Hamlin opened a branch store"on the east side of Main street, occu- pying the building vacated by the Kinnans, with his brother, William B. Hamlin, manager. In 1836 he sold his whole business to his brother and removed to Buffalo, where he remained but a short time, finally settling in Penn Yan, where he remained until his death, having for fifty years been the leading merchant of the county.
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The year 1831 was noted for a new impetus given to building and other interests of the village. The first church (Baptist) was built in 1832, and in the year 1833 the Methodist and Free Church (now Cath- olic) were erected. An old Eddytown merchant once told the writer that the decline in business in that place dates from the building of the churches in Dundee. In the spring of 1831 Samuel Huson erected on the northeast corner of Union and Water streets, on the site of the store now occupied by Wall & Murdock, and others in the Murdock block, a store and dwelling. The land up to that time had been used for farm- ing purposes. Mr. Huson managed his business discreetly and it was a success. His ambition was not so much to do a large busi- ness as to do a paying one. He was very popular with his patrons and well liked by his employees. About two years after commencing business Edwin Lewis was admitted as partner, forming the firm of Huson & Lewis. This firm continued two years when Mr. Lewis re- tired and George W. Simmons was admitted as partner in the firm of Huson & Simmons. This firm did a thrifty business for several years, and closed out their goods to Cosad & Carmon, who removed them to Junius, Ontario County.
Newell F. Murdock's former residence was McLean, Cortland County; his business, tanner and shoe and harness manufacturer. Before coming to Dundee he had been engaged in the mercantile business about four years. He came to what was then Harpending's Corners, in the year 1832, and rented part of the corner store of Myron Hamlin (there were two stores in a building 28x40). Hamlin occupying the other room. In the year 1833 he built a frame store on the east side of Main street, on the site now occupied by John H. Knapp. A peculiarity of his was that he never insured his buildings. Hhis policy worked well for many years, but in the end proved disastrous. In all of the large fires he suffered loss. The loss included three blocks of stores, his private dwell- ing and other buildings, all uninsured. He died in 1861, after a mer- cantile experience of over thirty years, a man universally respected. His death removed one of the landmarks of the village.
Cyrus Miller was a wool-carder and cloth. dresser when most of the family clothing was made at home. He purchased of Burgess Truesdell his store and goods in the year 1834. Mr. Miller was a limited mer-
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chant. His stock was limited, and so were his sales; one-half pound of tea, and other articles in proportion, was the limit he would sell to one person. He " did not want to break his assortment." This was in the early days of his mercantile life. Later he was not so limited. Fire and water ruined him. A canal boat having on board his fall pur- chases sank, and soon after his store was burned. This finished him as a merchant. He, honest man that he was, he surrendered his property to his creditors and began life anew. The last heard from him he was practicing medicine in some western State.
In the spring of 1832 Col. J. J. Smith bought of Burgess Truesdell the lot on the southeast corner of Main and Seneca streets, on part of the purchase now occupied by W. H. Millard's drug store. He erected a frame store, which he rented to William H. and Joel H. Kinnan. The Kin- nans came from North Hector, where their father resided, a wealthy farmer. Some of the family still reside in that locality. The firm ap- peared to sell a large amount of goods, but failed to make their business a paying one, and after a struggle of two or three years they were obliged to surrender. This was the second failure at Harpending's Cor- ners. William returned to North Hector and engaged in farming, and Joel H. removed to Westfield, Chautauqua County, and engaged in his former business, with what success the writer is not informed. Both of the partners have been dead several years.
William B. Hamlin was born in the town of Salisbury, Conn., where he resided until he came to Dundee. His father owned a large tract of land on which William worked in the summer, and taught school in the winter, as was the custom with farmers in Yankeedom in those days. His first experience in mercantile affairs was as a clerk for his brother Myron. This was in 1835. The succeeding year he purchased his brother's business, and for more than thirty years conducted one of the largest business concerns in Yates County. The first years of his business life he pursued a very conservative policy. In the year 1842, six years from the time he commenced business, his sales were only seven thous - and dollars, and he was in a small way making money. If he had con- tinued this policy, the natural outgrowth of his Yankee training, increas- ing his business as his capital increased, his success would have been assured. The next year, 1843, his sales were more than doubled,
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amounting to $16,000. This sudden increase may not have been to his advantage. He became possessed with the idea of selling a larger amount of goods than any other concern in Yates County. He had great energy and was very ambitious. His industry and powers of en- durance were wonderful, and all his efforts were directed to this one object, large sales; profits were incidentals, although really his profits were larger than are now obtained by the merchants. Mr. Hamlin's busi- ness increased further than his capital and he was forced to raise money at ruinous rates of interest. This, with large running expenses, was the cause of his failure. His credit was always of a high order up to the day of his disaster. He had failed, but he had accomplished his pur- pose. His sales had increased every year until they amounted to over one hundred thousand dollars, the largest amount ever reported to the revenue assessor in Yates County. In conversation with the writer after his failure, Mr. Hamlin said in substance: " I have been thinking over the events of my past life, and I am pretty well satisfied I have had things pretty much my own way. I am much better pleased _ " with my career than I would have been if it had been like Mr. - ," mentioning the name of a very successful man whose business had been much smaller with a handsome fortune as the result. C. H. Martin was connected with Mr. Hamlin in business from 1842 to 1864, ten years as clerk and twelve years as partner. The firm was Hamlin & Martin.
Anthony C. Harpending, one of the most successful merchants of Dundee, commenced business in 1835 under very favorable circum- stances ; he had the prestege of the family name and was backed by his own and his wife's family, both wealthy. He had abundance of capital, and unlike most of the older merchants, was never pinched for means to carry on his business. He soon gathered a valuable lot of customers, many of whom he retained through all the years of his mercantile career. He was systematic, looked closely to the details of his business, and kept all well in hand. His business was usually managed with great caution, but he sometimes took risks that resulted in loss. The ques- tion of Mr. Harpending's place as a merchant may be a mooted question by some. I know of no better test than success, and making success the standard would place him in the front rank of the older or younger merchants of Dundee. The result of his business made a better showing
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than that of any who preceded or followed him, that notwithstanding heavy losses by fire and otherwise. Mr. Harpending built a block of three brick stores on the west side of Main street; they were burned in the fire of November, 1860. He then built two frame stores on the same premises. In the same fire he lost almost his entire stock of goods, which resulted in heavy loss. His death, which occurred in 1880, removed one of the most prominent merchants of the county.
This town has eight churches, including Starkey Seminary, with a total valuation of $62,000, viz .: Baptist Church, Dundee, $15,000; Presby - terian, $12,000 ; M. E. Church, Dundee, $8,000 ; Olivet Baptist, $3,000 ; Starkey Seminary, $18,000; Third Presbyterian Church, $3,000; Chris- tian Church, Starkey and Reading, $2,000. Starkey had a population in 1875 of 2,500. As late as 1812 George Putnam shot two deer on the space between the Harpending house and West's clothing store. Joel A. Taylor is the oldest man living that was born in the town of Starkey, his age is eighty two. Henry Smith opened a store in Eddytown in 1809.
The Churches.1-It would be interesting if we could trace the religious movement back to the early times when the settlers, few in numbers and poor in purse, congregated in their log cabins for prayer and praise. and when the larger congregations were gathered together in barns and groves to hear the preached word. Unfortunately the pioneers have passed away. The march of time has wiped out all those old land-marks, and the memory of those times, treasured in many hearts, but scantily recorded, have passed away with them beyond any hope of recovery, and there are few traditions that would give us much light on the hap- penings of those long-ago times. We must begin at a later date and tell what has happened under our own observation.
In the year 1830 we find the Methodists strongly intrenched at Starkey's Corners. Their church edifice, now standing, was built in the year 1821, and from that time the church has flourished and grown until it has become one of the strongholds of Methodism in the county. Among the members were numbered the Tuthills, Van Allens, Hurds,
1 For much of the information contained in this chapter the writer is indebted to a history of the Dundee Methodist Church, prepared by the Rev. S. F. Sanford, on the occasion of the laying of the corner stone of the new Methodist Episcopal Church. .
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Seamans, Truesdells, Hunts, Pierces, and Hyatts, of blessed memory. At that time the village and church were at their zeniths; since then there has been a gradual decline of both. The village has disappeared and the church has been weakened by deaths and other causes until it has become one of the weaker churches in the connection.
What has been said of the Methodist church would in a degree apply to the Presbyterian. They had selected Eddytown as their base and had become a strong body. The Eddytown church was organized in April, 1822, and the church edifice was built soon after. The church was strong in numbers, and among its members were some of the lead- ing men of the county. One of the members, James Taylor, was a leading member of the bar of Yates County, and afterward a resi- dent of Penn Yan. Other names were John O. Cook, John Taylor, James H. Carmichael, Hiram Titsworth, Isaac P. Seymour, Hon. James Norton, P. Broaderic, Harvey Weeks, Clarkson Martin, Benjamin Cheever, Dr. Enos Barnes, Nathaniel Roscoe, Thomas Wilson, Pardon Gifford. The Rev. Charles White officiated either as pastor or " sup- ply." Mr. White was a ripe scholar, and, after his connection with the church was dissolved, was for years principal of Ovid and Prattsburgh Academies.
The first Baptist organization was in 1812, at Eddytown, which at the time was in the extensive town of Reading, and was called the " Baptist Church of Reading," finally re-named the " Baptist Church of Starkey." The church did not flourish there ; it was overshadowed by the Presbyterians, so it drifted away, stopping for a while at Beartown school-house, but finally settling at Harpending's Corners, where it ob- tained a permanent foothold, and there, under a new organization, it has remained. Harpending's Corners at that time was considered of little importance, and for several years its possession was not disputed by other denominations. Elder Samuel Bigelow was a zealous man of great energy, just the man for the times. His ministrations were scat- tered over a great deal of territory, and their effects cannot be as easily estimated as they could be if they had occupied less space. There is a class of unrecognized benefactors ; their service is none the less because it is unrecognized. Elder Simon Sutherland often lent a helping hand. In his old age, with tremulous voice, he loved to tell in his quaint way
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of his journeyings from Second Milo to Eddytown and Harpending's Corners, through the wilderness, guided by marked trees (there were few roads in those days), taking his chances against wild beasts, the terror of the forests, to dispense the everlasting Word. Of the unrecog- nized benefactors Rev. Simon Sutherland deserves a high position. His ministerial labors extended over a series of fifty years, for which he not only never asked but refused to receive any compensation.
The labors of those fathers in the ministry have never been appre- ciated as they deserve. It is a pity that more is not known of them, their privations and hardships. This is a busy world now-a- days, and it does not pause to inquire of what does not concern it. Theirs is a common story, often told. All labor, all self-denial, little else ; a small pittance given grudgingly and called charity. It seemed to make no difference with those pioneer preachers or their labors. They were en - couraged and buoyed up, not by what they had or expected to have here, but by the anticipation of what was to come in the future. Like the great apostle they labored with their hands for their support, and after a day of toil would return to their poor homes, and taking the Bible from the shelf perhaps would read that "It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the king- dom of Heaven," and they would thank God devoutly that they were not rich. Or they might read of the beautiful city with streets of gold and foundations of precious stones. This was their inheritance, this was durable riches. They were positive in these possessions. To others it might be romance; to them it was real, and so they labored and prayed and went to their reward, and the world was better for their having lived in it.
The preaching of those days would not have been acceptable in these times, neither would the present style have pleased the pioneers. They were stalwarts and required strong spiritual food and a good deal of it, including hard doctrinal sermons. There was more fire and brimstone than love in the sermons of those days. It would be curious to know what those patriarchs in Israel would have thought of the churches of the present times, with their entertainments, festivals, fairs, theatricals and private progressive euchre and dancing parties. It would be safe to assume that they would have thought us " all miserable sinners,"
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and that the whole concern was going to the "bow-wows." But who will say that the old way is better than the new? The church has en- larged its functions. It has taken hold of the social as well as the spir- itual life of its members, and what bigotry once denounced as sinful liberality, now tolerates as innocent recreation.
The year 1832 was a notable one in the religious history of the vil- lage. In that year the first church edifice erected in Dundee was com- pleted (the Baptist.) The Presbyterian Church was organized and the first class of the Methodist Church was formed. The Presbyterian Church was a cion from the Eddytown church. Its beginnings were exceedingly small ; a mere handful, so to speak, were organized into a church in that year. The church was supplied with preaching from the parent church. The Rev. William Billington supplied both pul- pits, preaching in the morning here, and in the afternoon in Eddytown.
The proportion of salary paid by the Second Presbyterian Church of Starky (I believe that was the title), was $100 a year. Even this small sum was not raised without difficulty. Mr. Billington was very popu- lar with both congregations, and his removal was generally regretted. He moved to the western part of the State, and a short time ago was living at a very advanced age. So far as remembered the male mem- bers of the church as organized were: John Taylor, James H. Car- michael, Aaron Porter, Mr. Hatch, Joseph Ireton, Thomas Wilson, . and Alonzo De Wolf-a very small number. Mr. Bell was a very lib- eral giver to the church, and among his gifts was the lot upon which the parsonage was erected. Joel A. Taylor, Ezra D. Cook, Benjamin B. Beekman and Baltis Titsworth came into the church a few years later, and were active and efficient members. To the latter two, the late Mr. Beekman and our esteemed citizen, Baltis Titsworth, the church is un- der many obligations. Both have done good service and have tided the church over many difficulties. Without the help and the generosity of these families the present beautiful structure would not have been erected. John Taylor and James H. Carmichael were ruling elders in those early days of the church. How readily the picture of those worthies comes up before me, seated on a bench, one on each side of the preacher's desk, calm, sedate and dignified. A smile in church would to them have been a sin. Grand old men they were, long since gone to their reward.
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During the early years of the church the late Myron Hamlin and Nehemiah Raplee contributed liberally to its support. Soon after the church was organized the present site of the new church edifice was purchased. On the lot at that time was the building formerly built and occupied by John Starkey as a store, an old dilapidated concern, " painted red." The building, repaired and added to and seated with benches, was used on Sundays as a place of worship, and on week days was rented for school purposes. For about ten years it was the meet- ing place of the church, when it was removed, and the building demol- ished about five years ago was erected in its place. The price paid for the lot and building was about $400, and the repairs $150 more, mak- ing an aggregate of $550. From the best information obtainable this · is the only church building that was completed without debt, except the Baptist Church, which was built and donated by H. Shannon. The building was not elegant, but it was comfortable and served the purposes of the church until a better one could be afforded.
Following are the names of the ministers who have served as pastor of Dundee Presbyterian Church, with the date of their terms of service : William Billington, 1832; B. Foster Pratt (first time), David Perry, B. Foster Pratt (second time), Avon H. Powell, 1845-1848; William Bridgeman, 1848-1849; - Frazer, John C. Moses (first time), 1852 -1857 ; J. K. Warner, 1857-1859; W. W. Collins, 1859-1861 ; J. C. Moses (second time), 1862-1871 ; Walter S. Drysdall, 1871-1872; S. A. Rawson, 1873-1874; Nathan Bosworth, 1874-1883; W. H. Tracy, 1884-1887 ; Stanley B. Roberts, 1887-1891.
In the latter part of 1830 the Baptists called the Rev. E. W. Martin, of Geneva, to be their pastor. This pastorate continued until 1841 or '42, and is the longest on the records of the church under its present or- ganization. It would probably have continued longer had it not been for the anti slavery question. During all those years the spirit of peace and harmony brooded over the church. Its membership was largely increased and the foundation was laid for its present commanding po- sition.
In the early months of 1831 the question of building a " meeting- house " was agitated. Such a house had become a necessity, and a subscription was circulated to raise the necessary funds for that purpose.
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