USA > New York > Genesee County > History of the Genesee country (western New York) comprising the counties of Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Chemung, Erie, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Ontario, Orleans, Schuyler, Steuben, Wayne, Wyoming and Yates, Volume II > Part 26
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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 | Part 64 | Part 65
CHAPTER XXXIX.
LIVINGSTON COUNTY : BANKS.
The sixteen banking houses of Livingston County have a com- bined capital in excess of $725,000 and total deposits well over $10,000,000, facts indicative not only of the strength of the county's financial institutions, but of the character and thrift of the population.
When the county of Livingston was formed, there were no banks within its borders, and very soon the need of such institu- tions became acute. In the year 1823 the first effort was made to establish a bank at Geneseo. The judges and supervisors of the county signed a petition which was presented to the Legislature in March of that year, praying for authority to organize a bank. Nothing came of this effort nor one in 1825. Livonia, Avon, Mount Morris and York wanted a bank. But not until 1830 was favorable action by the Legislature obtained. In that year a law to incorporate the Livingston County Bank was passed. William H. Spencer, Allen Ayrault, W. H. Smith, D. H. Fitzhugh and William Lyman, the commissioners named in the act, opened the subscription books May 31st at the residence of C. Hamilton, in Geneseo; in three days the entire capital stock of $100,000 was subscribed. On June 25th the stockholders met to complete the organization and elected the following directors: John Greig, H. B. Gibson, Nathaniel W. Howell, Abraham M. Schermerhorn, James K. Guernsey, Charles H. Carroll, Hezekiah D. Mason, Felix Tracy, Owen P. Olmsted, Eli Hill, William Lyman, William H. Stanley and Allen Ayrault. The last named was elected presi- dent, and Watts Sherman cashier. A brick banking house was soon erected in the center of the village of Geneseo and the doors opened for business. For twenty-five years this bank operated successfully, paid dividends, and when the books were closed the full amount of the capital stock was returned to the investors.
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The Genesee Valley Bank, of Geneseo, was organized in 1851, when the need of another banking institution became apparent, and particularly as the charter of the old Livingston County Bank had but a few years to run. On April 21st the following men were elected directors of the new bank: James S. Wadsworth, D. H. Fitzhugh, Alvenus Cone, Henry Chamberlain, D. H. Abell, Charles Colt, D. H. Bissell, Peter Miller and William Cushing. General Wadsworth was made president, and William H. Whiting cashier. The bank began business May 23, 1851, and has con- tinued until the present day. It became a national bank in 1865. Other presidents have been Dr. D. H. Fitzhugh, James S. Orton, James W. Wadsworth and Theodore F. Olmsted. Rodney Whit- ney succeeded Mr. Whiting as cashier, then followed James S. Orton, Theodore F. Olmsted, and William M. Shirley, the present cashier. Mr. Olmsted entered the bank in 1858 as bookkeeper and teller and has occupied all positions up to the presidency.
The Genesee River Bank of Mount Morris, now the Genesee River National Bank, was organized in the spring of 1853 with a capital of $130,000. The first directors were John R. Murray, R. P. Wisner, Calvin Norton, Jesse Peterson, Henry Swan, John Vernam, Allen Ayrault, H. P. Mills, R. Sleeper, William Whit- more and Lyman Turner. John Vernam was the first president. The bank commenced business in November, 1853. John F. Con- nor is the president of this bank, and H. R. Porter cashier.
In 1869 Charles L. Bingham formed a partnership with his brother, Lucius C. Bingham, and Sears E. Brace, as private bankers, under the style of Bingham Brothers & Brace. This firm was dissolved after seven years; Brace retired, and the Bing- ham brothers continued the business. In 1884 Charles W. Bingham, son of Charles L. Bingham, entered the business, and Lucius Bingham's death in 1889 left the bank with the father and son. Charles L. Bingham died in 1892. In February, 1915, the business was incorporated by the name of the Bingham State Bank, with a capital, as before, of $50,000. Charles W. Bingham is president, and Frank E. Van Dorn, who has been in the bank since 1885, cashier.
The Nunda Bank came into existence in the year 1873. F. G. Olp is the president, having succeeded John E. Mills in 1910. B. E. Jones is cashier. The capital stock of the bank is $50,000, and the deposits exceed one million dollars.
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The village of Dansville had two bank failures, which sub- jected the whole community to great financial embarrassment, but the memory of these calamities has faded with the knowledge that the village now possesses two of the strongest banks in western New York. The first failure was of the Bank of Dansville, in 1884. This was the earliest bank in the village, incorporated February 16, 1839, capitalized for $50,000, and officered at the beginning by James Faulkner, president; Justus Hall, vice presi- dent; A. A. Bennett, cashier, and David D. McNair, teller. It was a private institution. Reuben Whiteman was appointed receiver for the bank in May, 1884. The amount owed to de- positors was approximately $200,000, but they received nothing.
On April 25, 1887, the First National Bank of Dansville closed its doors, with $200,000 of the depositors' money gone. The account books also were taken away or destroyed. Charles L. Bingham of Mount Morris was appointed receiver. The de- positors eventually, after much litigation, received about one-fifth of the amount owing to them.
However, Dansville was not long without a dependable bank. On September 22, 1887, twenty-three of the leading citizens met at the law office of Noyes & Noyes and perfected plans for a new institution. A capital of $50,000 was paid up, and on the 28th of September the following men were elected directors of the new Citizens' Bank: Frank Fielder, James H. Jackson, John J. Bailey, James Krein, James W. Wadsworth, George A. Sweet, Elias H. Geiger, John H. Magee, Fred W. Noyes; and for officers George A. Sweet became president, James W. Wadsworth vice president, and Frank Fielder cashier. Mr. Sweet died in the fall of 1912, and, in 1913, Mr. Fielder succeeded him as president. F. H. Johantgen was made cashier in 1916.
On December 9, 1890, a charter was granted to the Merchants and Farmers National Bank of Dansville, and on the 20th of the same month it was opened for business. The capital was originally $50,000, and the first officers were William T. Spin- ning, president; C. D. Beebe, vice president; D. O. Batterson, cashier. William T. Spinning died August 25, 1899, and was succeeded in the presidency by William Kramer, the latter having been vice president since a short time after the organization. Mr. Batterson was succeeded as cashier in 1896 by James M. Ed- wards. William A. Spinning is vice president.
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The State Bank of Avon was organized in the year 1892 by Aaron Barber, W. J. Weed, William Markham and Professor Wallace with a capital of $30,000. Aaron Barber has been presi- dent from the beginning. W. J. Weed is cashier.
The First National Bank of Caledonia was organized October 4, 1900; the first officers were James C. Tennent, president, and S. W. McDonald, cashier. It was the outgrowth of the McDonald Brothers private bank. In January, 1918, the banking business of William Hamilton & Son was merged with it, and W. V. Hamil- ton became president, with George T. Ball cashier. Others inter- ested in the original formation of the bank were John Coffey, Charles Place, Charles W. Blackman, W. C. Page, John C. Howk and W. J. Williams. The capital is $50,000.
The Bank of Lima was formed March 22, 1905, by Horace C. Gilbert, S. L. Parmele, George W. Atwell, Samuel Bonner and Charles D. Goodrich. Mr. Gilbert was the first president, and Mr. Parmele cashier. The latter afterward became president, and he was succeeded by Charles R. Pierce. Alexander Martin is cashier. The capital of this bank is $25,000.
The Livingston County Trust Company was organized in 1915 and is now capitalized for $100,000. P. C. Euchner is presi- dent of this institution, and H. C. Milks secretary.
The Groveland Banking Company was established in Novem- ber, 1917, with a capital of $15,000. On September 15, 1923, it became the Groveland State Bank, with its capital increased to $25,000. The officers in 1917 were: M. L. Gamble, president; Gamble Wilson, vice president; Charles A. Brown, cashier; Wil- liam M. Shirley, Albert J. Slaight, M. E. Ross and O. C. Lake, directors. James E. Donley later became vice president; the other officers remain the same, with the exception of a few changes in the directorate.
The Livonia State Bank was instituted in 1919, with a capitalization of $25,000. J. W. Wadsworth is president, and Arthur J. Straub cashier.
The Springwater State Bank was also organized in the year 1919; capital, $25,000. E. E. Doty is president, and E. Robinson cashier.
Livingston County has four private banks at the present time which have stood the test of years. The oldest of these institu-
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tions is the banking house conducted by Alexander N. Stewart at Livonia. Mr. Stewart began his banking connection in 1871 and this has been maintained uninterruptedly since. His brother, the late Charles N. Stewart, founded the Stewart Bank at York, in 1906. In 1925 the business of this bank was taken over by the Livingston County Trust Company. DePuy's banking house at Nunda was started in 1895. I. J. DePuy remains president, assisted by his sons, Perry and Earl. The Dalton Banking House was established May 1, 1900, by C. D. Whitenack, Charles E. Maker, M. J. Aylor, Alonzo D. Baker and Washington Moses; the latter was first president; Mr. Baker, vice president; Mr. White- nack, cashier, and Maker and Aylor, additional directors. Mr. Baker became the next president, buying out the bank on Mr. Whitenack's death in August, 1906. This continued until 1910, when G. E. Moses, E. W. Moses and G. W. Hill bought out Baker. G. E. Moses became president; E. W. Moses, vice president, and Mr. Hill, cashier.
CHAPTER XL. LIVINGSTON COUNTY : NEWSPAPERS.
The first newspaper in the county was The Genesee Farmer, established at Moscow (Leicester) in January, 1817, by Hezekiah Ripley. Later Franklin Cowdery (publisher of the Cuylerville Telegraph in 1847) acquired an interest in the Farmer ; the sheet was enlarged, and the title changed to the Moscow Advertiser and Genesee Farmer; Ripley again became sole owner and continued the publication under the different titles of The Moscow Adver- tiser and The Livingston Gazette and Moscow Advertiser until January 8, 1824. Then James Percival bought the paper, moved the office to Geneseo in July following, and changed the name to The Livingston Register. The paper shifted its political affilia- tion frequently; it espoused the "bucktail" cause, then became anti-Masonic after the Morgan affair, and later identified itself with the Whig party. In 1829 Anson M. Weed and Allen Warner were the owners. Weed died in 1831, and Percival again became sole proprietor. Beginning in 1832, Elias Clark published it for two years; then it was sold to William H. Kelsey and Richard M. Miel, the latter taking it over the following year, when the paper became Democratic. From this time on it lost support. D. S. Curtiss, Hugh Harding and John Kempshall were publishers at different times, and it was during the latter's control in 1840 that the paper was discontinued, the plant sold to Peter Lawrence and moved to Perry.
The Livingston Journal had its birth in Geneseo in 1822 with Chauncey Morse, editor, and it represented the Clintonian and National Republican party, but later became Democratic. Asahel Hovey was associated with the paper for a time; in 1829 Levi Hovey became editor. In 1831, Benjamin C. Dennison removed from Dansville to Geneseo, purchased the Journal, and changed the name to The Livingston Courier. The firm of Evans & Wood-
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ruff next controlled the sheet, then Henry F. Evans directed its affairs to the end in 1834. Just before the election of 1835, David Mitchell and William H. Kelsey bought the plant of the defunct Journal and began The Livingston Democrat. Mitchell soon with- drew, and Kelsey ran the paper until 1837, when it died.
The Livingston Gazette began in Moscow April 17, 1823, and continued for about one year.
The first paper published in Dansville was The Village Chron- icle, which was started April 19, 1830, by David Mitchell and Benjamin C. Dennison; the late B. W. Woodruff was one of the first compositors on this paper. The paper itself, a six-column quarto affair, was printed on a wooden Ramage press. In about a year Dennison withdrew and Mitchell changed its name to The Dansville Chronicle, with the subhead "and Steuben and Allegany Intelligencer." It had a very short existence.
The Mount Morris Spectator was begun January 4, 1834, by Hugh Harding. The Livingston County Whig was first issued at Mount Morris November 30, 1843. James T. Norton was editor and publisher. From June 22, 1846, to August 15th following, Norton published a daily, called The Mount Morris Daily Whig. Norton and Harding consolidated the Whig and Spectator Feb- ruary 2, 1848, under the title of The Livingston Union. Norton withdrew in December, 1849, to assume control of the Republican, at Geneseo, and Harding continued until the Union was absorbed by The Union and Constitution, in 1862.
D. C. Mitchell started The Dansville Times in 1835; nothing more is known of this sheet.
The first newspaper in Nunda was The Genesee Valley Re- corder, which appeared September 17, 1840, with Ira G. Wisner as proprietor. On November 11, 1841, the name was changed to The Independent Gazette; the next year the publication stopped, all of the time having been owned by Wisner.
The Western New Yorker was started at Dansville January 13, 1841, by A. Stevens & Son. Shortly the title was changed to The Dansville Whig, and George W. Stevens, son of A. Stevens, became publisher. Charles W. Dibble bought the paper in 1846, but Stevens again had the management a year later. In 1848 he again changed the name to The Dansville Courier, and in 1851 sold to Henry D. Smead, who once more changed the name to The
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Dansville Democrat, which continued for four or five years. The plant was then sold to George A. Saunders, who moved it to Geneseo, in 1855, where he issued the renovated Democrat.
The Dansville Republican was established in January, 1842, by David Fairchild, and conducted by his family during its career.
In 1843 the Geneseo Democrat was started by Gilbert F. Shankland, but was removed to Nunda in 1848, and published there for awhile as The Nunda Democrat.
The Truth-Teller was established at Dansville in May, 1844, by Rasselas Fairchild, but lasted only sixteen weeks.
The Avon Reporter, a summer resort medium, began in July, 1847, under the editorship of John Smith, and continued four or five years.
The Cuylerville Telegraph was begun November 16, 1847, by Franklin Cowdery; in 1848 Peter Lawrence became editor and soon after the paper expired.
The second newspaper in Nunda was The Nunda Democrat, which was brought from Geneseo in 1848 by Gilbert F. Shankland and Milo D. Chamberlain, but after a short experience in Nunda the publication was taken to Ellicottville, Cattaraugus County.
ยท The Dansville Chronicle was established in June, 1848, by E. G. Richardson & Company, the latter being George H. Bidwell, of Bath. Bidwell sold his interest in 1850 to Charles G. Sedgwick, who took editorial charge for seven months, then sold out to Rich- ardson. The paper was discontinued the next year. Richardson worked on The Dansville Herald until he enlisted in the Civil war; he never returned, and it is supposed he died from wounds re- ceived at Fredericksburg.
The Fountain, a temperance sheet, established in 1849 at Dansville by I. R. Trembly, existed two years.
The Nunda Telegraph, started in 1850 by Charles Atwood, survived one year.
The Nunda Times, established in 1851 by N. T. Hackstaff, was burned out in July, 1852.
The Lima Weekly Visitor, started in 1853 by A. H. Tilton and M. C. Miller, was afterward called The Genesee Valley Gazette and issued by Raymond & Graham, and S. M. Raymond. It sus- pended in 1856.
The Chimes was the name of a publication started in Dansville
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in August, 1853, by Orton H. Hess. It was issued but a short time.
The New Era, started at Hunts Hollow in 1854, by David B. and Merrit Galley, lads in their teens, was moved to Nunda the next year as The Young America. The year 1856 saw its end.
The Livingston Sentinel, Dansville, lasted from October, 1857, to the spring of 1860. H. C. Page, founder, and later W. J. LaRue, were proprietors.
The Geneseo Democrat, successor to The Dansville Democrat, and the second paper of the name, was started at Geneseo by George A. Saunders April 4, 1855. In October, 1857, it was dis- continued there and resumed in Dansville as The Livingston Sen- tinel, mentioned above.
The Letter Box, later called The Laws of Life, was a monthly health publication started at Glen Haven, N. Y., in 1857, and in 1858 brought to Dansville by Dr. James C. Jackson. It was dis- continued in 1893.
The Dansville Daily Register, inaugurated June 20, 1859, by W. J. LaRue and H. C. Page, had been preceded May 28, 1859, by The Dansville Daily Times, under the same management. This was the second daily in the county, but there were only a few issues. The editors started The Valley City Register after the suspension of the above; this was discontinued December 31, 1859.
In September, 1860, The Constitution was begun at Geneseo by J. A. Z. McKibbin, who was an advocate of Stephen A. Douglas for the presidency. This sheet was sold in March, 1862, to Mr. Harding and merged with the Union at Mount Morris, under the title of The Union and Constitution. David Frysinger, of Penn- sylvania, bought the paper in 1871, and he, in turn, sold to Wil- liam Harding, son of Hugh Harding. The latter, in November, 1881, sold to Ellicott & Dickey, who published it as The Mount Morris Union. Ellicott retired in 1896, and John C. Dickey con- tinued it alone until 1918, when it was absorbed by The Picket Line Post.
The Dansville Advertiser, during its half century of existence, was a powerful newspaper and edited by one of the foremost newspaper men of New York state during practically the entire period. It was established by A. O. Bunnell August 2, 1860, as a small advertising sheet. However, the turbulent political condi-
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tions of the war period definitely changed the policy of the paper, and it became a strong Republican organ and so continued throughout the years. In make-up, in interest, in editorial strength, and in its diversified features, the Advertiser was a notable paper, reflecting the journalistic genius of its popular editor. Mr. Bunnell continued the paper forty-nine years, issuing his last number September 1, 1908, then retired, and within a few years after his leave taking the paper suspended. Joseph W. Burgess was the publisher in this interval. The Advertiser has recently been revived and is now published weekly by Ernest E. Quick.
The career of A. O. Bunnell is worthy of mention in this con- nection, for he was an important and influential figure in the com- munity life of Livingston and in the larger field of state and national editorial connections. He was born at Lima, New York, March 10, 1836, and died at Dansville December 1, 1923. He came to Dansville at the age of fourteen and two years later be- came a printer's apprentice. Then, in 1860, as stated above, he established the Advertiser. Professor Joseph Jones and W. S. Oberdorf were his partners at different times. Otherwise he was sole proprietor and made of the paper a conspicuous success. His ability and personal worth were widely recognized. For fifty years he was secretary and treasurer of the New York State Press Association. He was also chosen secretary and treasurer of the Republican Editorial Association of New York State upon the organization of that body in 1894. In the same year he was elected president of the National Editorial Association. He was chosen secretary and treasurer of the National Republican Edi- torial Association, organized in 1900. He also served as president of the Livingston County Press Association, and was one of the founders of the Livingston County Historical Society. At the time of his death he was the oldest living past grand master of the Odd Fellows in the State of New York. He performed the duties of his manifold local official and business connections with the thoroughness and earnestness which characterized all his activities. Mr. Bunnell was one of the five children of Dennis Bunnell, who was one of the seven sons of Jehiel Bunnell, of Cheshire, Connecticut, a Revolutionary soldier; his mother was Mary Baker, descended from three Methodist circuit riders-
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Revs. Robert, Samuel and John Parker. Dennis Bunnell died in 1885; his wife had died earlier. Mr. Bunnell married Anna M. Carpenter April 9, 1863. Two sons and a daughter were born of this union, of whom only the daughter, Mrs. Albert Hartman, of Dansville, survives.
The Valley Gem was begun at Geneseo April 3, 1866, by Ferdinand Ward, who was in after life a business partner of General Grant, and continued for one year.
The Livingston Democrat, which was started in Nunda in January, 1868, and lasted until November 4, 1876, had as editors H. M. Dake, C. F. Peck, Shepard & Holly, and C. L. Shepard.
The Genesee Valley Herald was started at Geneseo February 13, 1868, by James W. Clement, who continued it until November, 1869, when he secured The Livingston Republican.
The Avon Springs Journal was established in July, 1868, by Charles F. Peck, and had an existence of several years under different proprietors.
The Livonia Advertiser, a monthly, was begun in 1869 by W. A. Champ and was in existence but one year. H. D. Kingsbury was editor during a part of the time.
The Dansville Daily Herald, published by George A. Sanders, existed for a brief period some time after 1861.
Beginning in 1871, The Avon Reporter was issued for two or three years by C. F. Peck, of Nunda, and others.
The first issue of The Livonia Courier and Advertiser ap- peared May 7, 1868, under the editorship of a tramp printer named Henry Ben Newell. This was a joke sheet, printed on a small hand press, with ludicrous make-up. A newspaper which ran such advertisements as "fRank coAL seLLS cOLE in HIS coLeSheD" could not long draw the breath of life, and this in- stance proved no exception to the rule.
The Union Citisen was published at Livonia from July 29, 1876, to April 1, 1879, by Dr. Alanson L. Bailey. The plant was then moved to Geneseo, where the paper was continued until 1885, when the Doctor left the county. In 1882, in connection with the Citisen, as he invariably spelled it, he issued a daily, The Geneseo Daily News, for about six months. A recent account says of the editor: "The Doctor was a dentist, the newspaper venture being a side issue. The composition was done by his young son and
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daughter, and it was a rather respectable appearing weekly. It was as a dentist that the Doctor chiefly attracted attention. He was but four feet three inches in height, wore a number eight hat and was as bald as Bill Nye in his baldest days. His lack of stature made it awkward for him to reach a patient in the dentist chair, but he overcame the difficult by mounting a stool, fastening the forceps firmly to the offending tooth, and jumping off. He had a muscular grip and invariably the molar came with him."
The Avonian appeared at Avon April 2, 1875, and lasted until the early '80s. B. H. Randolph was the first publisher, with T. E. Wilson & Company editors. D. Pruner and E. B. Reed were later associated with this paper.
The Young Enterprise was published for four months during the summer of 1877 by M. H. Fowler and John Faulkner.
From November, 1878, to May, 1879, The Invincible was issued at Dansville by David Healy, as a Greenback paper.
Occasional was the name of a paper printed at Dalton in October, 1880, by W. S. Orcutt. In 1881, A. D. Baker became a partner and the name of the sheet was changed to The Dalton Era. In later years it was known as The Dalton Enterprise, The Dalton Freeman and again the Enterprise.
The Geneseo Argus, a monthly, lasted nine months from July, 1891, under the editorship of William E. Booth.
The Geneseo Business Item was started by Charles Carpenter November 27, 1895, and continued for a year and a half.
The Livingston County Despatch was begun at Avon May 11, 1898, by Oscar J. Connell. The name was later changed to The Genesee Valley Courier, and in 1903 it was absorbed by the Herald.
Truth was established at Nunda May 8, 1902, by Lester B. Scott and Edward W. Koppie, but had a short existence.
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