USA > New York > Livingston County > Conesus > History of the town of Conesus, Livingston Co., N. Y. : from its first settlement in 1793, to 1887, with a brief genealogical record of the Conesus families > Part 10
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when it was used one year by Alex. Green, as a blacksmith and wagon shop together. It is now owned by Thomas Griffin.
The next blacksmith shop, and one built for that purpose, is the dwelling house of Mrs. Elizabeth McVicar, and stands south of the Sherwood's shop. This was built soon after the latter, by a man named Bisbee, who ran the same for a short time, and then it was con- verted into a dwelling house.
Foot's Corners at an early day, was a noted place for amusements. Here the early settlers held their horse-races, shooting-matches, train- ings, and other amusements. The road run- ning west across the flats, was their race-course. Here some of the most noted trotters and run- ning horses of the country, was placed against eachother. Evenings and Saturday afternoons was seldom missed without some of these doings. Training days, would fill the place from far and near, and oftimes many of them would come, simply to get a piece of a loaf of ginger-bread, ten or twelve feet long, baked on a board. Shooting-matches was all of the toast, which consisted of shooting at a mark for a deer, or some other kind of game. At night, the sound of music was heard in the ball-room of the hotel, where the merry couple were trippling a waltz, schottische or quadrille, until the dawn of morning.
SCOTT'S TOWN.
This Village, is known to but a few of the town's people. It was nothing more than the immagination of one person's mind. And it was thus :- Among the original land own- ers were Rebecca Scott, who came here at an early day, to make her home on the eastern slope of Turkey Hill, a little west of the late residence of Lewis Carroll. Here, a little south of the orchard, she employed a Surveyor, and
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THE HISTORY OF CONESUS.
laid out a large piece of ground into lots, with streets running through it, for a village. The lots she tried to sell to the early settlers, but no one seemed to fancy her undertakings, and the scheme at length fell through ; and the vil- lage to be called "Scott's Town," never arose above its birth.
HEAD OF THE LAKE VILLAGE.
This village at one time consisted of about half a dozen houses, and among them an hotel and a blacksmith shop. The village was situ- uated in the western part of the town, upon lot No. 49, and at the head of Conesus lake. The first settlement was made here by James Henderson in 1793.
The first tavern kept here, was by Clemons, in a log house, that stood north of the residence of MeMillin & Bro., on the north side of the Mill creek. Another tavern was kept by Merrett Havens, in an old building, that now stands at the forks of the road, south of McMillin & Bro. Another where they live. Another was kept by Russell Taylor in what is now the dwelling house of Alanson Coller, on the road leading across the flats. The date and history when these taverns were in operation, we have not. We find in the town book, that Taylor applied for license in 1820. How much earlier we can not say, as this part of the town before this, belonged to Groveland.
The hotel, that used to stand on the west side of the flats, was built by Moses King, but of what date we have no record. It was owned at different times, by different men, and among them was Davenport Alger, Try Cole, Wil- iard Cole, and was destroyed by fire, while in possession of George Pridmore, in 1881.
The blacksmith shops of this village, we have but a little record. They were not in opera- tion here, at any length of time in success-
ion. A man would come and work at his trade a short time, and then move away; and in a few years, another one, and he would do the same.
At the present day, there is nothing left here to mark this place as once a small village.
CLARK'S STATION.
Clark's Station was situated about one-half of a mile south of the north line of Conesus, on what is now the New York, Lake Erie & Wes- tern Railroad, and now known as the Conesus Post Office. This place was never of any size. When the Corning & Buffalo railroad was built, Adams Clark built a large grain store-house of 30 x 70 feet square, and engaged in the grain market. In one end of the building, it was done off in a setting-room and ticket office, and the Railroad Company, made it one of their stopping places. They also had a watering- tank on the east side of the track, on the north side of the public road, for their engines, which they obtained a supply from a spring, east of the residence of Mrs. Harriet King, on the lands formerly owned by Hector Hitchcock,- but now owned by Andrew Kuder.
In 1855, Adams Clark died : and the busi- ness that once looked forth with every prospect of success, vanished, and in a few years, the Company took up the side-tracks, and the place ceased to be known as a station.
The warehouse stood on the west side of the track, and on the south side of the highway, and after it ceased to be used for grain, the setting-room and office was rented to Thomas Griffin, for a dwelling house. On Sunday morning of August 24th 1862, he and his wife rose early, and with out any fire, went to church at Livonia Centre, and returned at dark that night. Having let one of the children take the key in the morning, and sent them to
4 -
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THE HISTORY OF CONESUS.
a friend to stay until they returned. So hav- ing no key, they were obliged to enter the building through a window, and went to bed. The next morning they were awakened from their sleep and startled by hearing a fearful cracking noise in the other part, and to find their room full of smoke. They arose hastelly, and without sufficient time to dress, they made their way out of the burning building. In less then one-half of an hour, they saw all their goods they had in this world, reduced to ashes in a firey furnace.
At this place there was a Post Office estab- lished in 1852, and Hiram Boyd was appointed the first postmaster. The office was kept at the residence of Joseph H. Rowland, near by on the south side of the public road, and west of the railroad. He is still postmaster at this place.
ERRATA.
On Page 77, we have stated that George K. Vincent was the first person who opened a store or drugs-store in Stark's building, south of the Universalist church. This is wrong; the store was built by parties from Springwater in 1873
or '74. In 1874 or $75, T. T. Thrall opened a dry goods and grocery store, and continued in business until 1878, when he failed, and it came in possession of George Vincent, as we have stated.
We also forgot to give a sketch of the Har- ness shops, that has existed at Conesus Center. The first one we have any record of, was opened by a man named Busbee, in a building that stood a little south of Alger's hotel. This was about 1831 or '32. In 1834 or '35, Daniel Clark bought the same, and continued busi- ness until 1852. The next shop we have any record of, was that of George K. Vincent, who opened one in 1871, in what is now Alger's ho- tel building, and on the 17th of March, 1873, sold out to William Miller, who remained here until the Summer of 1874, when he moved into the building now owned by John Webster, as a wagon shop, and remained here until in April of 1884, when he moved into the building he now occupies, on the west side of the street leading into the village from the north, and in a south-west direction from the Universalist Church, in a building that was built by Luman Baldwin for a meat-market in 1882.
- CHAPTER XI. -
The Churches and Religious Denominations.
HOW far different it is at the present day, than it was at seventy years ago, in keeping of the Sabbath Day. No
person in those days what attended regular service every Sabbath, regardless of the storms, or what else might happen. Many times, when there was no Church near by, they would make the appointment at some settlers house, and then, and there, the old, the young, and all must attend. Sermons oftimes two hours long : yet they did not complain. At the present day, these times are different, and among us are many, who are seldom seen to enter the Church door.
For many years after the first settlement of the town of Conesus, the "pioneers" were without any regular organized religious society, and were dependent on local ministers, for the ministration of the Gospel. In the northern part of the town for a time, the nearest place of worship, was what was called " Buel's Hill," in the town of Livonia, where service was held by the Presbyterians. About this time (1800) the Baptists held their meetings in the south part of the town, at private houses, under the guidance of Rev. Goodale, who has the honor of being the first minister to preach in the town.
The first minister who came and made a per- manent home here, was in 1808, by the Rev. Ingham, of the Baptist persuation.
In 1806, the nearest place of service to the early settlers in the northern part of the town, was held by the Presbyterians in an old frame school-house, near Austin Woodruff's, in the town of Livonia. In 1812 the Methodists be- gan to hold meetings at John Miller's on lot No 6., and in 1816, the Baptists began their meetings at South Livonia.
In 1818, there was a Society formed at Foot's Corners (called then May's Corners), known as the "Christians," which only exsisted for a few years. The Rev. Sylvester Morris was of this order. (See his Biographical Sketch.)
One of the most noted early ministers of the town, was Baldwin Wright. This man seemed to have been very personal in his remarks. The following incident of this venerable man, transpired near the village of Honeoye Flats. at an early day, and came to my notice in an old newspaper which was printed a few years after, in that (Ontario) County. And in the same it reads as follows :-
" It is well known to the first settlers of On- tario county, that in the vicinity of Honeoye
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THE HISTORY OF CONESUS.
lake, there was many of those reptiles called " Rattlesnakes." It so happened, that among the poor and very rough inhabitants of this new region, there was a family by the name of -, consisting of a father, mother and several grown- up boys, all of which were grossly intemperate, vulgar and profane-a perfect nuisance to civ- ilized society."
"On a certain occasion and on a certain time, one of the sons above aluded to, was so unfortunate as to receive a severe bite from one of his neighbors and associates-a rattlesnake. The bite was supposed would soon prove fatal to the lad, and he, together with the rest of the family became excessively alarmed in the prospect of the future destiny that it was sup- posed awaited the invalid. He became alarmed to such an extent that he appeared to manifest symptoms of repentance of his past crimes and misdemeanors, and it was agreed by the family to send to Elder Wright, to come and converse and pray with him who was bitten."
" The Elder came forthwith, and having con- versed a short time with the young man, be- came satisfied that he had been " born again," and was pretty sure of heaven if he did not live too long. The Elder therefore "went to prayer ;" and in his address to the throne of grace, he laid before the Lord all the circun- stances of the case, so clearly and definitely that he could not be mistaken, portraying in the mean time, the atrocious characters of each member of the family, after which he used the following feeling and effecting language in tones of thunder. 'O, Lord ! do send more snakes into the neighborhood. Jo has been bit, and it has brought him to a sence of his sins, and to repentance-Lord, send more rattlesnakes! O Lord, let them bite the old man, and the old woman. Thou knowest who and what they are. O, Lord, send snakes and let them bite Jonath-
an; let them bite Jim; let them bite ALL THE FAMILY ; then and not till then will they repent and turn to thee. AMEN.'"
Among the early settlers was many strange things that has transpired at their Sunday ser- vices. Among them were two incidents, which we deem too worthy to let them pass, without giving them a notice in this book, and they are as follows :-
On a certain time, at an early day, when the settlers of the town were holding a series of meetings near the spot, that is now the resi- dence of the late Ephraim Cole, on lot No. 25. At this time one of the settlers allowed a young puppy, to accompany his master to the meeting. Through the service, it was the custom for many of the congregation to fall upon their knees, and join in prayer. On this day, there happened to be a young man-though poor perhaps-who had attended the same bare- footed, kneeled down with the rest, and began to give vent to his feelings, in a prayer to his maker. While thus praying, the puppy noticed a movement of the young man's foot, and at once began to play with it, by biting and snapping at the heel. The young man would try to drive the puppy away by pushing him off with his foot; but the more he moved, the more playful made the puppy, and more inter- rupted was his remarks.
In this way he proceeded through his prayer, and at the close of the meeting some of his friends asked him, why he did not make a bet- ter prayer. "How could I," said he, "when a person had a puppy at his heels?" This re- mark, was a by-word of the settlers for a long time afterwards.
The other incident transpired upon the Mar- rowback hills, a number of years ago. At this time, a series of meetings was being held at what is now called the Webster's school-house.
85
THE HISTORY OF CONESUS.
Two worthy members of the society, who lived near by and tended meeting here, became deep- ly enraged at each other, over some dogs be- longing to one, which had killed some sheep for the other. When these two men would happen to meet, they would cast all the ven- gence of language against each other. Not on- ly at business places where they would meet, but at last they carried it in the midst of their Sunday services. So, one Sunday in the midst of the services, when the members were ex- pressing their repentances for their bad doings through the week, these two men arose to do the same, but was soon drawn into a bitter dis- course of words, and each accusing the other of the misdeeds in his past life.
At this time there happened to be a brother member in the congregation, whose misfortune in life, it was to be deaf, and seeing his broth- er's motions, and by the same saw what he took to be an earnest supplication in the behalf of the Lord. He arose from his seat, and commenced to address the congregation as fol- lows :- "Brothers and Sisters! I am so hap- py to-day to see the interest, that our two be- loved Brothers, are taking in the behalf of the Lord." This was enough; and the two angry men dropped into their respective seats, as if a cannon-ball had fell into their midst; and for years afterwards they lived in peace.
In the early days of the town, it was not singular to see all the ministers use liquor before going to Church, as they thought in those days, that it helped the service, by en- lightening their intellect, and gave them smart- ness in speaking. Whenever there was ap ordination, or any important ceremonies to take place, the " little brown jug " was also found there to assist them. It was not an unusal thing to see a minister under the influence of the same. Those days are now gone. and with
them, many queer notions of the past.
THE METHODIST CHURCH.
Rev. John Hudson became a resident min- ister at Conesus Center in 1815 : and in 1816, the Methodists organized a society here, and he became their pastor. The records of this church from this date, up to building of the first church in 1837, are now lost. The dedi- cation of their first church, took place the 27th day of that year, under the guidance of James Hemmingway the Presding Elder, and a board of trustees consisting of Thomas Young, Jes- sie Gray, and Justis Allen. The builders of the church was C. M. Crego and Samuel Mc- Ninch. This church was erected upon the sight of the new church, and was a large square building, and in front of the same was the an- teroom, and stairs going from the same to the galleries. Inside of the service room, was with pews on the lower floor, and a gallery above them on three sides of the building, with the center opened, facing the pulpit, which was on the back end of the house. It had a tall square steeple. The same in after years was torned down, and a small bell-tower used in its place.
This building was destroyed by fire, Decem- ber 30th, 1871 : yet, the origin of the fire has never been discovered. There had been ser- vice the evening before, which had lasted until 10 o'clock, and at mid-night, it was discovered to be on fire, by a young man who was spending the evening with a lady friend near by, and gave the alarm, but to late to save the noble structure, from the fate that awaited it.
After the church was destroyed, the society held their meetings in the school-house at Co- nesus Center, for nearly two years; and then in the basement of the Universalist church, at that place. In the Summer of 1876, they built the New Church, which was dedicated
86
THE HISTORY OF CONESUS.
November 15th, of that year. This church is situated upon the street leading into the village from the north. It has a basement, and the service room is above the same, with a anteroom as you enter the building. The architect and builder, was Rev, Marean-a Baptist minister -of South Livonia. The board of trustees consisted of David Coleman, Samuel Maring, William L. Perrin, Orville Chapin, and Daniel Trescott. The structure cost the society $4.000, which was raised by public subscrip- tion, of which a large portion of the same was donated by members of other denominations.
In 1880 or '81, there was an attempt, by some miscreant, to destroy this noble edifice, by setting the samne on fire. This evening there had been an entertainment at the Universalist church, and a young man, who had attended the same, had left his horse hitched under the sheds of this society, and about 11 o'clock that night, when he went to get his horse to go home, he discovered fire breaking out through the clapboards on the gable end, upon the back side, and immediately gave a alarm, which was quickly responded to by several other persons and with their aid, succeeded in extinguishing the fire and save the church, which if it had not been for the timely discovery, it would have been beyond their control. On entering the building, they found a tallow candle set in a wooden block, and around the bottom, there had been rags dipped in kerosene, and rapped a short distance from the blaze, so it would give ample time for the incendiary to make his cs- cape, before the burning of the building. Af- ter the fire had been extinguished, they found the candle as described, which had been placed in the garrett, where it had been consumed, and the smoking rags found around the same. The damage to the church, was but little, ex- cept a few burnted clapboards on one end.
This society is now in a prospering condition under the pastorship of Rev. Arther Newton, and the regular service hour, is held at 11 o'clock, A. M., each Sunday.
The following ministers has been in charge of the society since 1836, namely ;-
1st. E. Thomas, Year of 1836.
2nd. Jacob Scott,
66 1837.
3d. William Jones, 1838.
4th. Garlos Gould,
1839.
5th. Chandler Wheeler, 66 1840.
6th. Shelden Doolittle, 66 1841.
7th. C. L. Brown,
1842.
8th. Wesley Cochrane, 66 1843.
9th. John Wiley, 66 1844.
10th. E. O. Hall, 66 1845.
11th. George Wilkeson, 66
1846.
12th. Theodore McElhaney, " 1847-8-9.
13th. Hiram Sanford,
1820.
14th. Veranus Brownett,
1851-2.
15th. Z. L. Buck,
1853.
16th. W. M. Haskell, 1854.
17th. James Dodge,
1855.
18th. Samuel McGurald,
1856.
19th. Otis B. Weaver,
1857.
20th. Myron DePuy,
1858.
21st. Isaac McMahon, 66 1859-60.
22nd. James Knapp,
1861.
23d. L. J. Rodgers, 1861-2-3.
24th. E. Lattimer,
66 1864.
25th. Robert E. Hancock,
1865.
26th. John Parker, 66 1866-7.
27th. D. Hutchins,
28th. Blakesley, S 1868.
29th. T. J. O. Wooden,
1869-70.
30th. G. J. Duboise,
1871-2.
31st. J. Duncan, 66 1873.
32nd. J. W. Blanchard, 1874.
33d. A. M. Bancroft, 66 1875.
34th. Robert T. Hancock, 66 1876.
35th. J. D. Recqua,
1876-7.
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THE HISTORY OF CONESUS.
36th. J. W. Barnet,
1877-8.
37th. Porter McKinstrey,
1879.
38th. A. E. Tanner,
1880.
39th. Hawkens,
1881.
40th. A. J. Abbott,
1882-83.
41st.
Cowmans
1884.
12th. Arther M. Newton, 66 1885-6.
The following is a list of the Officers, Teach- ers, and Scholars, of the Methodist Sunday School, January 1st, 1886. This school was · organized October 1st, 1885, and is held at the church of the society, every Sabbath after the day service, and is in a prospering condi- tion.
OFFICERS.
Rev. A. M. Newton, Superintendant.
Rancehann Gray, Assistant Superintendant. Miss. Roma Gray, Librarian.
Grace Losey, Assistant Librarian. Daniel Trescott, Secretary.
Mrs. Clara Darrow, Treasurer.
CLASS A., Rancehann Gray, Teacher. (Bible Class,)
James Patterson.
Mrs. Jane Northrup.
William Whiteman. 66 Wm. Whiteman.
Roy Coleman.
James Patterson.
Mrs. Clara Darrow.
Frank Mann.
" David Coleman.
Alice Fox.
CLASS B., Mrs. - Losey, Teacher.
Sally Ingelow.
Arvilla Brown.
Kate
Matie Gray.
Alice Dean.
Nellie «
CLASS C., Mrs. Oscar Chapin, Teacher.
Velma Chapin.
Bert Mann.
Elmer Orr.
Charles Magee.
Charles McMillin.
Jessie Gray.
Katie Gray.
CLASS D., Miss. Grace Losey, Teacher.
Mary Jacobs.
Luke Jacobs.
Nettie Orr. Mattie Fox.
Grace Darrow. 2 Patterson Girls.
THE FIRST UNIVERSALIST CHURCH.
In 1835, there was a large number of Uni- versalists in town, who had no place of wor- ship. On the 19th of December, they formed themselves into a society, to be known and called the "First Universalist Society of Co- nesus." Among the members of this organ- ization, was Joshua and H. J. Huntington, Gardner Arnold, Hosea Gilbert, Davenport Alger, Alexander Patterson, Enoch Wilcox, Robert Baylas, Solomon Hitchcock, Timothy Degraw, Lewis Clark, David Gilbert, Samuel Buckley, Abial Stevens, Hiram Boyd, Darias Morris, Jarvis Beach, who subscribed liberal toward the society.
Soon after the forming of the organization, they at once commenced the building of a church at Union Corners, which was completed in 1836.
The old building-after standing the storms of fifty years-is still to be seen to-day stand- ing at the head of the street, leading into the village from Foots Corners, in a dilapidated condition. This church has been the scene of many large congregations, who so often in the past has assembled for worship. Those days are now past; and to day it stands with its wooden pews and galleries around the build- ing, like some lonely sentinel, who had been deserted by all of his comrades, and left to perish.
Among its venerable Pastors of the years gone by, we find upon the roll, the names of Rev. O. Roberts, Thompson, O. R. Clark, J. Sage, J. Dobson, who pored forth their elo- quence within its walls. To-day, there is no service held here, and the prosperous Sunday School, under the guidance of that venerable
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THE HISTORY OF CONESUS.
worker, Mrs. L. B. Annis, has been moved to the new church, at Conesus Center.
THE SECOND UNIVERSALIST CHURCH.
In the year of 1868, Gardner Arnold died, and bequeathed property toward the erection of a new church, to be situated at Conesus Cen- ter. Under this arrangement, the first society became divided, and part went and joined the new church, and part remained with the old. This division, has proved almost the destruction of both societies ; as at this church there are but few in attendance at Sunday service, while at the other, there is none, of what was once a large and prosperous society.
The church was erected by. the new society in 1873, and was dedicated by Rev. W. B. Randoll in 1874. . It is a large square build- ing, of two story in hight, the upper one being used for the service room, and the lower story or basement, for donations or church festivals. The church is situated upon the street leading into the village from the north, and upon the sight of the Conesus hotel, that was burned on the eventful night, of August 26, 1871.
The first pastor of the church, was Rev. G. W. Montgomery, who presided for three years; then Rev. Baker for one year more; then Rev. Nelson Shnell for another year; then Rev. John C. McInerney, who came in 1880, and pre- sided for two years. He was followed by Rev. Shnell in 1885, who is now the present pastor, and holds service here every other Sunday. At this church, they have a re-organized Sun- day School, (the first school was organized in the old church May. 24, 1868, with O. W. Morris and Mrs. L. B. Annis as Superintend- ants and fifteen scholars,) and the following are a list of the Officers, Teachers and Scholars. This re-organziation took place, May 24, 1885 and holds its session every Sunday.
OFFICERS.
Mrs. L. B. Annis, Supt.
" I. Havens Thomas, Asst. Supt.
" John Mc Vicar, Sect. & Treas. Miss. Romilla Gray, Librarian.
CLASS A., Mrs. George F. Coe, Teacher . (Bible Class.)
Mrs. John Webster. Miss. Jennie Allen.
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