USA > New York > Wyoming County > Warsaw > History of the town of Warsaw, New York, from its first settlement to the present time; with numerous family sketches and biographical notes > Part 10
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1834, or 1835, Thomas J. Sutherland came to this town; practiced a few months. He was afterwards a General in the Canadian Patriot war.
1841, James R. Doolittle and Linus W. Thayer commenced a partnership of four years. In 1851, Mr. Doolittle removed to Racine, Wis. Mr. Thayer is still in prac- tice here.
1847, W. Riley Smith, from Attica, commenced practice here, being County Judge at the same time. After the expiration of his official term, lie removed to Milwau- kee, where he died.
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IHISTORY OF WARSAW.
1847, Wm. S. Crozier commenced practice, and continued a short time.
1848, Leonard W. Smith commenced practice, and continued until 1868. From 1860, to Jan., 1867, he was a part- ner of L. W. Thayer.
1850, Charles W. Bailey commenced practice. He remains in town.
1850, Harlow L. Comstock commenced practice here, and continued until 1868. The first year he was a partner of James R. Doolittle. He removed in 1868 to Can- andaigua.
1853, Charles Henshaw commenced practice as a partner of L. W. Thayer, and continued until Oct., 1855, when he removed to Batavia, and became associated with Judge Taggart. He is now County Judge of Genesee county.
1853, Alonzo W. Wood commenced as partner of Judge II. L. Comstock, and continued as such a few years, and removed to Iowa.
1858, Henry C. Page commenced a partnership with L. W. Thayer, and, after a year or two, retired.
1857, Byron IIealy, commenced as a partner of Judge Com- stock, and continued as such until January, 1866. He was elected County Judge in Nov., 1867, which office he now holds.
1858, Elbert E. Farman commenced practice, and continues to the present time. The first two years he was a part- ner of F. C. D. Mc Kay, and from 1861 to 1865, of B. N. Pierce. After an absence of two years in Europe, he resumed practice, and was appointed District Attor- ney in the place of Byron Healy, elected Judge. He was elected to the same office in 1868.
1860, Myron E. Bartlett commenced practice, and continues. 1863, I. Sam Johnson, commenced with M. E. Bartlett. Removed to Arcade.
1865, Beriah N. Pierce, with M. E. Bartlett till 1868. Re- moved out of town.
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BANKS.
BANKS.
FOR many years after the first settlement of the town, there was little occasion to do business with banks. When such business became necessary, it was done chiefly at Canandai- gna, nearly fifty miles distant from Warsaw. The merchants purchased goods at Albany and New York twice a year. They bought on credit, and sold on credit, few of them being able to buy for cash. Their practice was to pay, as nearly as possible, when going to make their purchases, for the goods last bought. Ilence a general collection from their customers became necessary every spring and fall. These collections commenced several weeks before "going to New York." Failing, as they often did, to raise the necessary funds, they were obliged to apply for bank loans, which application, how- ever, was many times unsuccessful.
The establishment of banks at Geneseo and Batavia was a great convenience to our business men, especially the Bank of Genesee at Batavia, with which most of the business was done. Stages running directly through to that place daily or tri-weekly, the driver was the agent through whom the busi- ness was generally transacted. The increase of our population and consequently of business, suggested the establishment of a bank in this place; and about the year 1838, a bank, to be called the "Bank of Warsaw," was partly organized, but never went into operation.
WYOMING COUNTY BANK.
In December, 1851, Joshua II. Darling, of this village, es- tablished, under the general banking law of this state, an individual bank, ,called "Wyoming County Bank," with a capital of $50,000. This bank supplied a want long felt in this community, and was managed in a manner satisfactory to the merchants and business men generally. Mr. Darling was its President during the entire period of its existence.
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HISTORY OF WARSAW.
which terminated in 1865. Its Cashiers during this period were E. Maynard, Charles Mosher, H. A. Metcalf, J. Harri- son Darling, and Henry B. Jenks. The building used for a Banking House was built of wood on the ground now occu- pied by the new bank. It was burned at the time of the great fire in 1867.
In 1865, the present National Banking system was estab- lished by act of Congress, which virtually abolished the state banks, and compelled those who desired to continue the banking business to organize new banks in conformity to the provisions of the national banking law. Accordingly, the
WYOMING COUNTY NATIONAL BANK OF WARSAW
was organized in 1865, with a capital of $100,000. Joshua H. Darling, Augustus Frank, Henry B. Jenks, Lloyd A. Hayward, and Artemas Blake, have been its Directors from the time of its organization; and during the same time Joshua II. Darling has been President, and Henry B. Jenks Cashier. The new Bank building on the site of the old one, is one of the best of its kind.
NEWSPAPERS.
THE first newspaper within the territory comprised in the county of Wyoming, was established in Warsaw in 1828, by Levi and Warham Walker. It was for three months neutral in politics. The Anti-Masonic excitement having become intensified by the facts elicited on the trials of Masons con- cerned in the abduction of Willian Morgan, the publishers turned the influence of their paper against Masonry. This caused the withdrawal of patronage to such extent as to com- pel them, a few weeks after, to relinquish the publication of the paper.
In May, 1830, Andrew W. Young commenced the War- saw Sentinel. The masses of the settlers being still deeply
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NEWSPARERS.
in debt for their lands, and comparatively poor, extra efforts were necessary to give it circulation. Carriers were employed on several different routes, one of which extended west to Aurora. The experiment proved that the establish- ment of a paper in this place was premature; and the Senti- nel was discontinued at the close of 1831, and on the first of Jannary, 1832, merged in the Republican Advocate, of Batavia.
In the spring of 1836, the American Citizen was established here under the anspices of the Genesee County Antislavery Society, as the organ of that Society, and as an advocate of the general abolition of slavery. A. W. Young was chosen as its editor, and conducted it during the first three months. Jonathan A. Hadley was employed as publisher, and con- tinued as such to the end of the first year. It was then removed to Perry, chiefly for the convenience of its editor, the late Josiah Andrews, who, though he resided in Perry, had been its principal editor during the last nine months of its publication in Warsaw. Its publishers in Perry were for a time Mitchell & Warren. Mr. Mitchell contimed its publisher until January, 1841, when it was removed to Roch- ester.
The Western New Yorker was removed to Warsaw from Perry, in 1841. It had been commenced by John II. Bailey in January of that year. In the ensuing summer it passed into the hands of Barlow & Woodward. The county of Wyoming having just been formed, and the county seat lo- cated at Warsaw, this was deemed the more suitable place for a county paper; and it was accordingly removed by its publishers, Barlow & Woodward. After its removal to War- saw, it was published by Barlow & Woodward, Barlow & Blanchard, and S. S. Blanchard, and after his death by H. A. Dudley. During the lingering illness of Mr. Blanchard, and for some time after it came into the hands of Mr. Dudley, (from January 1, 1849, to September, 1850,) the paper was edited by Charles W. Bailey, Esq. Mr. Dudley published it
9
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IHISTORY OF WARSAW.
from September, 1850, to April, 1858, when it passed to Elijah W. Andrews. After this it was published successively by Andrews & Harrington, Harrington & Farman, Morse & Merrill, and then by William H. Merrill, until its union with the Wyoming County Mirror in October, 1864, under the present firm of Dudley & Merrill.
The Wyoming Republican was commenced in Warsaw in 1844, by Edwin L. Fuller, and continued until March, 1847.
In March, 1848, Alanson Holly commenced the Wyoming County Mirror, as proprietor, publisher. and editor, and con- tinned its publication until the summer or fall of 1849, when Harwood A. Dndley, his foreman in the printing from its con- mencement, became a partner in the concern. The partner- ship of Holly & Dudley continued until Septembr, 1850, when, after the death of Mr. Blanchard, Mr. Dudley pur- chased the Western New Yorker, and Mr. Holly became again sole proprietor of the Mirror. In May, 1855, Mr. Holly sold out to E. L. Babbitt and R. S. Lewis. In March, 1857, Mr. Babbitt retired, and Mr. Lewis became sole proprietor. In March, 1835, W. H. Merrill became a partner with Lewis. January 1, 1859, H. A. Dudley again purchased the Mirror, and published it until October, 1864, when it was united with the Western New Yorker, then published by W. II. Merrill. The New Yorker continues to be published by Dudley & Merrill.
The Wyoming Democrat was established in Warsaw, by John Ransom, its present publisher, in March, 1863.
Masonic Tidings was commenced, also by John Ransom, in October, 1865. It is published semi-monthly, on the 1st and 15th days of each month.
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WYOMING COUNTY.
WYOMING COUNTY.
THE question of dividing the county of Genesee, and the formation of a new county of which Warsaw should be the county seat, was agitated at an early day. Application was made to the legislature for this object before the formation of Orleans from Genesee. The first application contemplated the taking of a few towns from Allegany county, in order to give the county sufficient population.
Prior to 1840, the project had slumbered for many years. The legislature of that year authorized the raising of money to build a new court-house and jail in the county of Genesee. Commissioners were appointed to fix the site; and Batavia was again selected.
A mass meeting of citizens of the southern towns was held in Orangeville to express their disapproval of the act of the Commissioners. Resolutions were passed in favor of remov- ing the county seat to a more central part of the county, or of dividing the county.
In accordance with this proposition, a bill was introduced in the legislature of 1841, for the division of Genesee county, with a provision requiring that the question of the removal of the county seat be submitted to the vote of the people of the county; and if the question should be decided affirma- tively, the division was not to be made. Fearing the result of the submission, the member representing the interests of the Batavians, preferring a division to a change of location of the county buildings, moved to strike out the provision for submission. The motion prevailed; the bill passed the house with few dissenting votes, and in this shape became a law.
The law named as Commissioners to fix the site for the county buildings, Peter B. Reed, of Onondaga, John Thomp- son, of Steuben, and Davis Hurd, of Niagara. The Commis- sioners visited every town in the county, and after due
-
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HISTORY OF WARSAW.
deliberation, the village of Warsaw was agreed on as the place for the county buildings.
The building commissioners appointed by the Board of Supervisors, were John A. McElwain, of Warsaw, Paul Rich- ards, of Orangeville, and Jonathan Perry, of Middlebury. The ground, except the small lot on which the jail was built, was a donation from Hon. Trumbull Cary, of Batavia. The jail was built in 1841; the court-house in 1842-all, including the clerk's office, for the sum of $10,000. The contract for the crection of the court-house and clerk's office, was let to Josiah Hovey. They were built under the superintendence of his son-in-law, P. Pixley.
The special election for choosing county officers was held in June, 1841. The first county court was held at East Orange- ville. Courts were thereafter held, until the court-house was completed, in the second story of the school-house, on the south side of Genesee street, nearly opposite the residence of J. A. McElwain, afterwards bought by Isaac C. Bronson, and removed to Main street, and fitted up for stores or shops, where it was destroyed by the fire of 1867.
The propriety of a division of the County of Genesee, could scarcely be seriously questioned. Nor could a county well be in a better condition for a division. Its breadth, east and west, was about twenty six miles; its length, not including China, thirty-six miles, forming almost a perfect oblong; which, centrally divided east and west, would make the two counties almost exactly the same in shape and size, exclusive of China in the western tier of towns, which extended its whole breadth of six miles further south than the south towns of the other three tiers or ranges. The present length of Genesee is about twenty-six miles, cast and west, and its breadth eighteen miles; and so nearly central are the county buildings, that the geographical center of the county would probably be found, by exact measurement, to be within the limits of the village of Batavia.
Ja. C. Ferris. Sketch, p. 260.
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AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.
By the division, the town of Covington was divided; the southern portion retaining its former name. The northern part, which fell to Genesee, was named Pavilion; but being of diminutive size, a portion of Le Roy was annexed. The two counties were also nearly equal in population.
In 1846, the towns of Eagle, Pike, and the part of Portage lying west of Genesee river, and now called Genesee Falls, were taken from Allegany county and annexed to Wyoming, which now contains sixteen towns, in four ranges or tiers of four towns each. The town of Genesee Falls containing less than half of the town of Portage before its division, a tier of lots from Pike was added to its territory.
AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.
THE Wyoming County Agricultural Society was formed soon after the organization of the county. Although a county institution, its relation to this town in particular seems to de- mand notice in a "History of Warsaw." The society was organized in this town; and in it the annual Fairs have been held, with a single exception, for a quarter of a century.
In October, 1843, pursnant to previons notice, a meeting of the Farmers and Mechanics of the county was held at the Court House for the purpose of forming a County Agricultural Society. Calvin P. Bailey, of Perry, was chosen Chairman, and James L. Sanford, of Castile, Secretary. A committee of six was appointed to report a constitution; and a commit- tee of one from each town to report officers of the society. The following officers were elected:
President-JAMES C. FERRIS, of Middlebury.
Vice President-DR. AUGUSTUS FRANK, for Warsaw, and one for every other town.
Secretary-LINUS W. THAYER, of Warsaw.
Treasurer-JOHN A. MCELWAIN, of Warsaw.
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HISTORY OF WARSAW.
There was also chosen one Manager for each town-New- bury Bronson, for Warsaw; and a Town Committee of three for each town-Isaac C. Bronson, George W. Morriss, and Elijah Norton, for Warsaw.
The first Fair was held at Warsaw, September 30th and October 1st, 1844. A large number of persons became mem- bers during the year, some for life, and others yearly members. The display of stock and other farm products, and of mechan- ical and household productions generally, at each successive Fair, was highly creditable to the county.
It was believed by many, that the objects of the Society would be best promoted by fixing a permanent place for the holding of the annual Fairs, and by procuring suitable grounds for the purpose; and at a meeting of the Society held in the Court House, September 27, 1855, to " propose a plan for pur- chasing and fitting up grounds for the Society," the President, Hugh T. Brooks, of Covington, appointed a committee of eight to "make inquiry as to the cost of leasing or purchasing grounds, and to report at the next meeting in February." The committee consisted of John A. McElwain, Frank Miller, James C. Ferris, Uriah Johnson, Samuel Fisher, 2d, Newbury Bronson, William Bristol, Jr., and E. C. Skiff.
At a meeting of the Executive Committee at the Court House, February 20, 1856, the committee appointed at the previous meeting having in charge the selection of the Fair Ground, reported in favor of purchasing a lot in the south part of the village of Warsaw of David McWethy. To en- able the Society to purchase and hold real estate, it was necessary that the Society should be reorganized; and a con- mittee, consisting of O. V. Whitcomb, Edwin L. Babbitt, and Truman Lewis, was appointed to draft a certificate to com- plete the new organization. A report was made and adopted, and the certificate was signed by thirty gentlemen present from all parts of the county.
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AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.
The Society at this meeting elected, as officers for the ell- suing year, the following :
President-HUGH T. BROOKS, of Covington. Recording Secretary-II. A. DUDLEY.
Corresponding Secretary-JOHN L. CLARK. Treasurer-JOHN A. MCELWAIN.
Nine Directors of the Society were also chosen.
On motion of O. V. Whitcomb, of Pike, seconded by Alfred S. Patterson, of Perry, it was
" Resolved, That Warsaw be designated as the place for permanently holding the Fairs of this Society."
At a meeting held March 26, 1856, to take final action in relation to purchasing grounds, a proposition from Samuel Fisher, 2d, to sell ten or fifteen acres of land lying near the corner of Brooklyn and Liberty streets, in the village of War- saw, was submitted for consideration. After due deliberation the proposition was accepted. The land was purchased, and the President, Secretary, and Treasurer, were authorized to sign the necessary papers in behalf of the Society.
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HISTORY OF WARSAW.
OLD FOLKS' FESTIVALS.
MEETING AT DR. FRANK'S.
THE first of these Pioneer festivals was held in February, 1850, at the house of Augustus Frank, who had previously issued invitations to all persons, male and female, residing within the limits of the corporation, and not under fifty years of age. The number of guests who attended this entertain- ment was fifty-five, of whom twenty-four were males, and thirty-four were females. After some hours of refreshing and exhilarating social intercourse, upon invitation they paid their compliments to the Doctor at his well provisioned table. The Rev. A. T. Young invoked the Divine blessing, and the company satisfied themselves with the rich provisions before them.
After the repast, the company, (remaing at the table,) were addressed, successively, by the worthy host, the Rev. Mr. Young, and Messrs. Jonas Cutting, Silas C. Fargo, Lyman Morris, Julius Whitlock, Dea. John Munger, and Samuel Whitlock. Some interesting facts and reminiscences were given concerning the early settlement and growth of the town. Mr. Morris came to this town in 1803; Cutting, Fargo, and others, the year following. There was then but one acre of ground cleared within the limits of the township. The route from here to Genesco, for wagons, was by the way of Le Roy, and was accounted a three days' journey. Mr. Fargo, with his father, was the first to pass on the old Buffalo road, ( now so called,) with a wagon. A number of others enter- tained the company with similar remarks on pioneer life.
Dismissed from the table, the company amused themselves and each other as they listed, until the strains of some "good old fashioned music" arrested the attention of all; and all who could ever sing, joined their voices as if by a common impulse. The harmony of feeling was not less conspicuous
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OLD FOLKS' FESTIVALS.
than the harmony of voices. In this state of feeling, after an appropriate prayer by Rev. Mr. Young, the company separated. The oldest male guest was Mr. Archibald David- son, a native of Scotland, who entertained the company with a characteristic song. The oldest female was 82 years. The average age of the company was about 64 years; not one of them was a native of Warsaw.
A guest writing to the Mirror, said : "Expressions of grati- tude to the kind host were numerous, frequent, heart-felt, and well deserved; of which his excellent lady, who was so unassumingly conspienous in her efforts (efforts which never fail ) to make her guests happy, received her full share. The Doctor expressed to the company his sense of the honor they had conferred on him in accepting his invitation; and thus it appeared that all were highly satisfied with the entertainment. The occasion was a serious 'cantion' to all abortive attempts to ape the fashionable follies of the day-they can never afford such pure and elevating enjoyment."
The thought would naturally be suggested to those present, that, among so large a number of persons so far advanced in age, deaths would soon occur. It is worthy of notice, that the first death was that of a member of the Doctor's house- hold, Mrs. G. P. Barnett, a sister of Mrs. Frank, who died in November of the same year. The second was that of Dr. Frank himself, one of the youngest present. He died in January, 1851, aged 59 years.
MEETING IN 1860.
This festive gathering took place in the yards of Messrs. Frank and Edwin B. Miller, in pursuance of the invitations publicly issued. At 2 o'clock the meeting was called to order by George W. Morris, Esq., and was organized by the choice of officers as follows:
President-HON. JOHN A. MCELWAIN.
Vice Presidents-Amos Keeney, Nicholas Cleveland, Joel Pratt, Valentine Parker, Elam Perkins, William Webster,
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HISTORY OF WARSAW.
Willard T. Warner, Cyrus Tanner, Samuel Salisbury, James Richards, Lorin Seeley, Daniel HI. Throop, John F. Clark, George Snyder, Chester Hurd, William Robinson, Willard Stearns, William Smallwood, Elisha W. Scovel, Nye Stevens, Henry Woodward, Julius Whitlock, William Walker, John Munger, Peter Patterson, Amos Chapman, Elijah Norton, George W. Morris, Isaac Matthews, Rufus Morris, William T. Hatch, Palmer Fargo, William Fluker, Cyrus Capen, Brough- ton W. Crane, Samuel Bedow, Welcom Arnold, Elisha Barnes, Ira Wilcox, Robert Barnett, Frank Miller, Joshua H. Darling, William Bingham, Robert R. Munger.
Secretaries-EDWIN B. MILLER, SETH M. GATES.
Prayer was offered by Rev. J. E. Nassau.
The meeting was then entertained for a short time with . vocal music by the united choirs of the several churches in the village, accompanied by the voices of the multitude, and alternated with instrumental music by the O-at-ka Band of Warsaw.
S. M. Gates was then called upon by the President, and addressed the meeting, and related some interesting incidents of carly life on the Purchase.
The President announced a recess of one hour for partaking the refreshments prepared by the ladies.
After recess, the President again called the assemblage to order around the platform.
Deacon Samuel Salisbury (aged 73) was called upon, and addressed the meeting. IIe said he was one of the pioneers in the settlement of this town. He thought he had cleared more land with his own hands than any other man now living in town. He was once passing through some woods with two men, being a little in advance of them, when they alarmed him by the cry of "Bear! Bear!" He soon discovered the bear in a tree, making its way down. Having a brush-hook in his hand, he ran towards the tree, intending to be ready for the bear when it reached the ground. But the bear, per- ceiving his object, let go its hold, and fell to the ground. They
Julius Whitlock. Sketch, p. 352.
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OLD SETTLERS' FESTIVALS.
then had a race, (Mr. S., brush-hook in hand, being the pur- suer,) which terminated in the escape of the bear, and also of the speaker. Mr. S. related other amusing incidents of pion- eer life, and some of hardship and peril, and closed with acknowledgments of the protecting care of Divine Provi- dence.
William Webster (aged 73) next addressed the meeting. He said he came to Warsaw in 1803, with his brother Elizur Webster. In that year he and his brother cut a road into this town. In 1808, he entered upon the farm he now occu- pies, and has made it what it is. He was not the oldest man, but he believed he was the oldest settler of the town now living. He had never been troubled, as some young men of the present day seem to be, to find enough to do. IIe had worn himself out, and would soon be gone.
Mr. Elam Perkins (aged 77) said he wanted to bring for- ward a different subject, although he had been interested in what had been said. Ilis subject was religion, personal religion. He related his conversion in 1797, and his Christian experience; and closed with an exhortation to all to come to Jesus.
Mr. Julius Whitlock was called for. IIe came to Warsaw in 1810, and took up his farm. War came on soon after. Buffalo was burnt, and the alarm spread. Word came here that the Indians were coming down upon us. He was then a young man, but had some people living in the house with him who were much frightened. At one time he drove his cattle into a swamp where he thought the Indians could not find them; moved his pork barrel into the woods; and all hands left the house, he carrying a child, and remained in the woods all night. After that he belonged to a company of Cavalry which was sent to Canada. The company fell into an ambush and were fired upon by the Indians. His horse was wounded, and the company fled, leaving him behind. William Bristol came back and rescued him. Mr. Bristol was a friend indeed.
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