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 42
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63
In 1839, March 21, the Methodist Episcopal society of Dresden was organized according to law. The trustees then chosen were Daniel Dean, Russell Brown, sr., Smith Beers, Lewis N. Beard, John R. Mc- Lean and H. H. Hazen. The society made an effort to purchase from Aaron Remer the church built by the Bogarts, which had passed to Remer by purchase, and for this purpose several hundred dollars were collected together; but Pastor Beers absconded with the money. Mr. Remer, however, gave permission to the society to use the church. This society continued with varying success and strength until 1841, when it became practically extinguished.
A Baptist society was organized in the town about 1845, with Josiah C. Swarthout, Alpheus Veazie and Seymour Tracy as trustees. They bought the old Bogart church from the Remer estate. Rev. A. Valen- tine was the first pastor of the society. But the Baptist Church of Dresden and Torrey was also of short life.
The First Methodist Episcopal Church of Dresden was duly organ- ized on the 21st of March, 1848, being in part a revival of the old West Dresden society above referred to. The new trustees were Henry Lar- zelere, Daniel Castner, Luther Harris, William E. Bellows, George W. Graves, Caleb J. Legg and A. H. Condit. The society first leased and occupied the Presbyterian Church, but in 1849 the trustees purchased the Baptist Church property at a cost of about $450. The next year the church building was completed at a further cost of $400. In 1851 the edifice was dedicated. In 1854 the parsonage was purchased. In 1867 arrangements were made for repairing and reseating the church. The building committee for this work comprised Daniel Dean, W.
56
442
HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
Longwell, J. D. Jacobus, L. B. Dunning and C. W. Brown. Funds to the extent of $1,500 were raised for the work. All was accomplished ยท and the church rededicated on May 20, 1868. The cost of the recent work was $3,800.
The Presbyterian Church of Dresden, or, as organized, the First Pres- byterian Church of West Dresden, is the almost direct outgrowth of the mother church known as the First Presbyterian Church of Benton. The latter was formed through the efforts of Stephen Whitaker during the latter part of the year 1809, and numbered in its membership many of the substantial residents of what is now Torrey. In January, 1823, the members voted for a division of the society, a part coming to the Penn Yan church, while about eight of its membership formed a Con- gregational society in Torrey in November, 1830. In 1834 the First Presbyterian Church of West Dresden supplanted and superseded the Congregational organization, and has since been one of the institutions of this town. The first house of worship was erected in 1834, and dedi- cated on November 24 of that year. In 1868 it was materially enlarged and improved, at an expense of about $3,000, and was rededi- cated December 24 of the same year. The office of pastor has been filled by these incumbents; Linus W. Billington, George T. Evert, J. Petrie, Stephen Porter, D. A. Abby, Robert McMath, Calvin Chase, C. H. Chester, Frederick Graves, Allen Traver, E. W. Brown, David A. Blose, John Cairns, H. H. Lipes and Samuel C. Garlick.
St. John's Church and parish were the outgrowth of the early mis- sion services conducted first about 1860, by Rev. Timothy Wardwell, during his rectorship of the church at Penn Yan. The parish was or- ganized and the church erected about 1869 or 1870. It is of brick, and has a seating capacity for 180 persons. In the parish are thirty-two families, while the church has about forty-one communicants. A parish building was erected in 1889, costing about $600. The rectors of St. John's Church have been Rev. Timothy Wardwell, Cameron Mann, William Atwell, H. S. Dennis, H. B. Gardner, Jeremiah Cooper and William H. Lord. Since 1885 the parish has been without a rector, services being held during the time from that until the present under the direction of the Convocation, either by a clergyman or lay reader.
443
TOWN OF BARRINGTON.
CHAPTER XXV.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BARRINGTON.
A MONG the towns of Yates County, Barrington occupies a position on the south. As a part of the Phelps and Gorham Purchase, the survey into townships brought Barrington as number six in the first range; from which it may be inferred that the eastern boundary of the town was the pre-emption line, and that between its south boundary and the Pennsylvania north line were five other townships, each being approximately six miles in north and south measurement. The origi- nal survey of Barrington, under the Phelps and Gorham ownership, brought three of its lots, Nos. 73, 74 and 75, to the westward of Lake Keuka; and these were annexed for convenience to Jerusalem. There- fore the township of Barrington, exclusive of the part of the lake within its survey and the three lots west of the lake, includes considerably less than thirty-six square miles.
The town of Barrington was one of the parcels conveyed by Phelps and Gorham to the New York Genesee Land Company, or to its repre- sentatives, in compromission of the pretended claim of the company to right of possession under the long lease made with the Six Nations ; and like most of the other towns, Barrington was lotted and drafted by and among the persons interested in the company. The lot drawn by each represented an interest in the company of a shareholder. This process was maintained by the company through all, or nearly all, of the towns deeded to it by Phelps and Gorham. But it appears that a portion of the lands of this town in some manner passed into the own- ership of the Pultney estate, represented by Agent Charles Williamson, . while still another part passed to the Hornby estates, and that but few of the lots originally drawn for by shareholders in the lessee company were sold by them directly to settlers within the town, but the titles in some way passed to the Pultney and Hornby estate, and the lands were subsequently acquired by actual settlers from the agents of the estates or associations.
-
444
HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
Barrington was not an original town of Yates County. On the 18th of March, 1796, Steuben County was erected, and included within its boundaries all that is now called Barrington, and Starkey as well. Upon the organization of Steuben, and the formation of its territory into townships, all that is now Barrington, together with what is now called Starkey and Tyrone, Wayne and Reading, comprised the origi- nal town of Frederickton, so named after Frederick Bartels, or Bartles, a Dutchman employed by Charles Williamson, and who built a mill on the outlet of Mud Lake, in 1793. The town of Reading was after- ward set off, and Wayne organized, including Barrington. In 1822 Barrington was organized, its first town meeting being held in 1823, on the 24th of February, when officers were for the first time elected.
Still the town remained a part of Steuben County until January I, 1826. On the 5th of April, 1824, the Legislature passed an act, pro- viding " that from and after January I, 1826, all that part of Steuben County including Barrington," etc., shall be annexed to Yates County.
The town of Barrington has its entire western boundary on Lake Keuka, a most desirable possession, for here is the very garden of the grape and fruit growing industry. Once an agricultural town of some prominence in the county, but now its tillable lands are turned into vineyards, and its meadows into orchards. In agriculture the town was rich, but in fruit growing it is still more productive. In this respect the town is second to none in the county. Still the town has its farm- ers, and thrifty, progressive and forehanded they are, too.
The surface of the land in the town is peculiarly adapted to the use to which it is put. Lying on the east side of the lake, the hillsides find ample protection from the severe western winds in the moderating in- fluences of the lake waters. The ascent back from the shore is nearly a mile long, sometimes greater than that, while the elevation attained va- ries according to locality from 300 to 800 feet. The greatest altitude attained is at Barrington Summit, where the elevation is 880 feet above the waters of the lake. Crystal Springs, a resort of great fame, is 315 feet higher than the lake.
The center of population and improvement in what we may call Yates County proper, during the first fifteen or twenty years of its history, was in the vicinity of Seneca Lake, the place pitched upon by the
445
TOWN OF BARRINGTON.
Friends. Here was the central point of settlement in this region, and from thence it spread throughout the surrounding country, following the courses and occupying the lands which the pioneers considered best for personal interests. But Barrington appears not to have been touched or settled to any extent until the closing years of the first dec- ade of this century. In fact, the pioneers of the region, in searching out the most desirable lands for their homes, appear to have given no thought of the elevated lands of this town as valuable for agriculture, but they turned toward Jerusalem, and Milo, Benton, northern Torrey, Starkey, and even Potter to a limited extent, as preferable to the ridge and gulleys, and dense woodlands of Barrington. True it is that the lands of Barrington offered no special inducements, no inviting future prospects to the pioneer, but the belief that the lands were poor or un- productive was an error, for there were and are as highly productive farms in this town as can be found in the county.
The pioneer of the town, according to common understanding and consent, was Jacob Teeples, better known as Colonel Teeples, who lo- cated in the town during the year 1800, and on what was known as Charles Williamson's road, leading from Bath to Geneva. Jacob Tee- ples was a pioneer, and a good and worthy citizen. He turned his hab- itation into a hotel, and kept public house for some years. Neighbors he had none for some time, but his house was an important point on the old stage road. Colonel Teeples was himself a worthy man, for he served two terms in the Assembly, representing Steuben County, and was also sheriff of the county one term. He was succeeded in the own- ership of the hotel by Daniel Rapalee, after which he left the town. The latter continued for many years as landlord, as the first town meeting was held at his place in 1823.
From the time of his settlement in 1800 to 1806, Colonel Teeples was practically alone in the town, but the year last named witnessed the ar- rival of a number of families, among them being those of William Oven- shire, Oliver Parker, Thomas Bronson, Joseph Finton, William Cool- baugh, James Finley, James and Nehemiah Higby, John Carr, and possibly others whose names are not recalled. . William Ovenshire came to Barrington in 1806, a young man with his wife, both determined upon making a home in the unoccupied township. He did this and more,
446
HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
he became an influential man in the region ; was for many years con- stable and justice of the peace, and likewise a prominent church mem- ber. He was twice married and left a numerous family of children, who with their descendants are worthy residents of the town to-day.
Joseph Finton, one of the pioneers of 1806 in Barrington, was an old Revolutionary soldier. He made his settlement in the northeast sec- tion of the town, on the so-called "poor lands," but he succeeded in building up a fine farm. Like William Ovenshire, Mr. Finton raised a large family of children, ten in all, viz .: Mary, Phebe, Eleanor, Stephen, Charity, Isaac R., Joseph, Catharine, Susan and Amelia. The surname Finton is not now numerous in the town, but such as are here are among the respected and enterprising families of their locality.
Matthew Knapp, also a pioneer, was one of three brothers, the others being John and Charles, who cleared farms and established homes in Barrington. Matthew came to this locality from Orange County. To himself and his wife, Mary Knapp, were born several children : Hannah, Sally, Christiana, Eliza, William, Levi and Jesse. The family name is still worthily represented in the town.
David Sunderlin was the head of a family of ten children who became residents of Barrington. The first visit to the town by the pioneer was made in 1813, and in the next year settlement was made by him and followed by his family. He located in the part of the town that has ever since been known as Sunderlin Hollow, and so called in honor of the pioneer. David Sunderlin was from Putnam County, and his settlement in this town was directly instrumental in bringing to the Hollow and its locality a number of other families from the same place. The children of David were Dennis, Joseph, Daniel, Tippett, Ira, Eli, Anna, Lydia, Elizabeth, and Polly or Mary. The late Delazon J. Sun- derlin was the son of Dennis Sunderlin, by his marriage with Nancy Finch. Delazon became one of the most influential men that Barring- ton ever produced. He was a lawyer of ability, and at one time dis- trict attorney for the county, in 1851-52. His wife was Louisa Swart- hout, by whom these children were born : Ursula, Emila A., Martin J., Edward D., John L. and Nancy E. Tippett Sunderlin built the first saw-mill on Big Stream ; Dennis built the second.
John Wright came to the town from old Putnam in 1812 or there-
447
TOWN OF BARRINGTON.
abouts. He married Lydia Sunderlin, who bore him these children : Maria, Martha, Lydia, Erasmus and Alzada.
Lodowick Disbrow was one of the Putnam County contingent that settled Barrington. He came in 1813. His wife was Elizabeth, daugh- ter of David Sunderlin, by whom he had seven children : Dennis, Wat- son, Ira, Daniel, Anna, Maria and Mary Ann.
John Boyce married the widow of Justus Bassett, and came to make their future home in this town in 1812. Polly, Julia and Allen Bassett, children of Justus Bassett, came with them. Their settlement was made on lot 16, in the eastern part of the town. John Boyce and Beulah (Bassett) Boyce had three children : Clorinda, Chauncey and Harriet.
That locality of the town commonly known as East Hill was settled about 1814 by Orange Hollister. Subsequent settlers in the vicinity were Daniel Winters, Julius Stanton, Benjamin Osborn, Isaac H. Maples, Jonathan H. Taylor and others, perhaps, whose names are for- gotten.
The surname Crosby stands not only for thrift and enterprise in Bar- rington, but as well for pioneership. Nathan Crosby came from Put- nam County in 1812, and settled in Sunderlin Hollow, near what after- ward became known as Crystal Spring. After two years he went to Delaware County, but only to return again to Barrington some years later. His children were Selah, Mariam, Esther, Sarah, Abigail, Peter H. and Cyrus. Peter H. Crosby married Catharine Finton. Their children were Emelia, Alanson, Joseph, Selah, Druzilla and Isaac. On Lake Keuka is a little hamlet called Crosby's, deriving its name from the industries built up by the sons of Peter H. Crosby. A succeeding portion of this chapter will furnish a more extended account of this locality.
Besides those already mentioned as being pioneer families of Barring- ton, there are perhaps others equally deserving of notice in this chap- ter. In the town to-day there are natives and descendants of early families, among whom may be recalled such names as Andrews, Baley, Bain, Bellis, Bullock, Chapman, Chase, Clark, Coons, Cornell, Edwards, Eggleston, Ellis, Fish, Florence, Freeman, Fry, Gardner, Gasper, Gibbs, Guthrie, Harpending, Horton, Houck, Jones, Kenyon, Lazear, Lee, Lewis, Lockwood, McDowell, McIntyre, Merrit, Millard, Miller,
448
HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
Mosher, Morse, Nangle, Rapalee, Robinson, Shannon, Shaw, Sherwood, Smith, Snook, Sornberger, Stanton, Steadwell, Stoughtenburg, Struble, Swarthout, Swarts, Taylor, Thayer, Townsend, Tupper, Tuttle, Van- gorder, Walton, Watson, Warren, Welker, Wheeler, Winters, Wixson, Wortman and Wright, each of whom has in some manner by his or their acts contributed toward the building up and establishing the con- dition of prosperity which the people of the town at this time enjoy. But to take from the above list each individual and family and furnish separate genealogical records for them would involve the writer of town history in a maze of difficulty and perplexity ; in fact, it would be a task well nigh impossible of accomplishment, and would extend the volume of this chapter beyond all reasonable proportion.
The civil and social history of Barrington has been made in the every day life of its people ; in the establishment of its churches and schools, and in the passing away of those who have finished their course. The present generation of dwellers in the town is engaged in the pursuits of agriculture and fruit-growing, to which occupations reference is made on succeeding pages. The town has its hamlets and settlements, but none of these has population to warrant incorporation or the adoption of any form of municipal government.
The first town meeting of the freemen of Barrington was held in 1823 on the 24th of February, at the house of pioneer Daniel Rapalee; at which time officers were elected as follows : Supervisor, Richard Eddy ; town clerk, Daniel Rapalee ; collector, Joseph McCain ; commissioners of highways, James A. Swarthout, Jeremiah Shaw and Lodowick Dis- brow ; commissioners of schools, Ephraim Bennett, Matthew McDowell and Robert Armstrong ; assessors, Tippett Sunderlin, Ira Church and Matthew Knapp; overseers of the poor, Victor Putnam and Ezekiel Blue ; constables, Elijah Baker, Joseph McCain and Peter Putnam, jr. ; inspectors of schools, Dennis Sunderlin, Ira Sunderlin, Richard Eddy ; poundmaster, Daniel Rapalee.
. It seems to be conceded that the chief officer in each town is the su- pervisor ; and it has become an established custom to furnish a succes- sion of the incumbents of this office from the organization of the town to the date of compilation. Conforming to this rule, the appended record gives the succession of supervisors of the town of Barrington, as.
449
TOWN OF BARRINGTON.
follows : Richard Eddy, 1823; Alexander Patten, 1824-27 ; Ephraim Bennett, 1828; Asher Spicer, 1829; James A. Swarthout, 1830-31; Stephen Robinson, 1832-33; Ezekiel Blue, 1834-35; John Spicer, 1836-37 ; Levi Knox, 1838-39; Lodowick Disbrow, 1840-42 ; George W. Wolcott, 1843-44; Martin Holmes, 1845 ; John Wright, 1846-47 ; Archibald Campbell, 1848-49; Chauncey Boyce, 1850; Daniel Dis- brow, 1851-52; William Kinne, 1853 ; Martin Holmes, 1854; Sam- uel V. Miller, 1855; Daniel Disbrow, 1856; Joseph F. Crosby, 1857 ; Samuel Williams, 1858; George N. Wilson, 1859; Abel Ward, 1860 ; Peter H. Crosby, 1861 ; Jonathan Taylor, 1862 ; Asa P. Fish, 1863-64 ; Delazon J. Sunderlin, 1865-66; Benson Smith, 1867; Jesse C. Knapp, 1868; Sackett B. Wixson, 1869; William McDowell, 1870; George Hels, 1871; Isaac Crosby, 1872 ; William S. Ellis, 1873 ; Benjamin F. Freeman, 1874; Robert Robson, 1875-76; Asa P. Fish, 1877 ; Isaac Crosby, 1878 ; George Hels, 1879; Gilbert Hopkins, 1880; Julius Stanton, 1881; Cyrus A. Lawrence, 1882; Henry Bullock, 1883 ; William Winters, 1884-86; Albert Ovenshire, 1887-88 ; Cyrus A. Lawrence, 1889 ; Jesse C. Knapp, 1890; John A. Gibbs, 1891.
Crystal Springs .- In the spring of 1865, when the country was crazy with oil speculations, a deer-lick on lot 50 in Barrington affording rich appearances of this sort, a company was formed in the vicinity to bore for oil. At a depth of forty-three feet the water came up so abundantly it was difficult to go farther. This was soon found to have medicinal virtues for which it has acquired a great fame. Erasmus Wright and Benson Smith, becoming proprietors of the location, erected in 1867 a house of four stories, 100 feet long and 42 wide, with a two-story wing 70 by 32 feet. The place has become a very popular resort and very many people who have tested the virtues of the water have believed themselves much benefited by its use. The flow of water is sufficient to fill a two-inch tube constantly. A house was opened at the spring by Sylvester Bowers in 1866, before the larger structure was built. Shortly after this mammoth hotel had become popular it was completely destroyed by fire, but the waters of this immense spring had become so popular, building lots had been laid out and some of them had been built upon. A post-office had been located, a mail route established, a store built and in operation ; real estate began to boom, consequently
57
450
HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
the hotel was rebuilt, but it had scarcely been finished before it met a similar fate and was completely destroyed. Although this looked gloomy and discouraging, the spring had built up quite a little village, and the call was for another hotel, which, in the course of a year, Mr. Smith had well nigh built. A noted M.D. Deborah built a large sani- tarium with all modern improvements, hot and cold baths, steam baths, etc., which was attached to the springs. This called a number from abroad for treatment. A park was laid out and wealthy men from a distance built cottages for summer resorts. Here the genial Fred Fur- nace held forth with his private grounds, cottage and curiosities. A pavilion was built and things looked booming, when for a third time the hotel was destroyed by fire. This finished up the old proprietor, and the property went into the hands of a Mr. Rathbun, of Elmira, who en- larged the sanitarium, remodeled it, converted it into a hotel, and it was thrown open again to the public under the supervision of Colonel Baker for two seasons ; this last season of 1891 it flourished under the man- agement of E. Gulick, of Starkey.
In the summer of 1891 a church building was erected at the Springs and dedicated in September of the same year, said church to be a union church for the use of those of all or of no denomination that chose to repair there for worship Sunday afternoon. The trustees were elected from different denominations, the pulpit to be supplied from the Baptist, Presbyterian and Methodist Churches of Dundee.
Church History of Barrington .- The only Methodist Church ever or- ganized in Barrington, was organized in 1810. The Rev. B. G. Pad- dock gave them the first preaching. Among those admitted to church fellowship were William Ovenshire and Mary his wife, Joseph Gibbs and Mary his wife, Joseph Kanaan and wife, Peter Putnam and wife, Mrs Mary Norris, Mrs. Dean, Mrs. Shoutts, Mrs. Barnes, and. James Taylor and wife. Among the early preachers were George Harman, Palmer Roberts, P. Bennett, R. Farley, L. Grant, J. Gilmore, William Snow, W. Kent, F. Draper, R. Parker, John Beggarly, and others; of a later period, Asa Story, J. Chamberlin, Ira Fairbanks, A. Steele, J. Dodge. The preaching was at Mr. Ovenshire's house for about fif- teen years ; afterwards at a near school-house until 1842, when the present church was erected, but a short distance from his own house.
451
TOWN OF BARRINGTON.
W. Ovenshire was the class-leader about thirty years; he was then fol- lowed by his son Samuel. The church has had 150 members at one time. Some of the preachers still later were Rev. Mr. Graham, Rev. Mr. Hall, Rev. Mr. Lamon, also the Rev. Messrs. Walgermoth, Land- reth, Edgar, J. Jarman, Dutcher, Weaver. At this time the Methodist people centered at a small village called Warsaw, near the middle of the town, and it was quite desirable that the house of worship should be as convenient as possible, and after some consultation it was decided to move it. Cousequently in the summer of 1878 it was moved about one mile west to Warsaw, where it still flourishes. Since this time its pastors have been Rev. George Moxey, Revs. Brown, Chubbuck, Hin- man, Ward, and Jeroloman. The present pastor is N. A. Depew ; the class-leader, Benjamin Freeman, who succeeded S. Ovenshire. Crans- ton Hewitt, John Ovenshire, R. Plasted, B. Freeman, Morris Ovenshire, A. J. Sargent, M. Bellows, E. Sprague, A. Bane, S. Lamont, and others have served as trustees in later years. L. Ovenshire, Morris Ovenshire, and John Ovenshire have served as clerk. The latter is still clerk. The present number of church members, about seventy-five ; congregation from fifty to 150. Valuation of church property $1,200.
In 1819 there was a Free Will Baptist Church organized by Elders Zebulon Dean and John Mugg. In consisted of eleven persons-Mat- thew Knapp, J. B. Retan, Mary Knapp, J. West, J. Swain, Margaret Swain, Hannah Knapp, Sarah Knapp, Christiana Knapp, Electa West, and Catharine Sales. John West was chosen clerk; Matthew Knapp elected deacon. The records previous to 1827 were destroyed by fire. At that time Elder John Stewart was their preacher. In 1828 Cyrus B. Feagles was expelled for drunkeness and profanity. In 1829 Zebulon Dean was their pastor and a John Pratt and Miss Ben- ton became members. In 1830 H. Wisner and wife, T. Tuttle and wife, E. Feagles, and others also became members. The church continued to prosper until in 1833. They erected a meeting-house in 1834. The church voted that Matthew Knapp have license to preach. In 1835 the society voted that J. Pratt have license to preach; this same year Elder J. Bignal baptized several members. In 1837 Elder E. Crane preached and baptized several persons. In 1841 Elder Beebe was the preacher. Regular meeting was kept up until 1847 ; soon after, the church was totally disbanded, and the building turned to other uses.
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.