USA > New York > Monroe County > Landmarks of Monroe County, New York : containing followed by brief historical sketches of the towns of the county with biography and family history > Part 40
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The Methodist Episcopal church of West Sweden was organized in that part of the town about 1835, mainly as the result of the efforts of Rev. S. M. Chase of Brockport. The trustees were J. Cook, William Warn and Nathaniel Fox. The church building, thirty by forty feet in size, costing twelve hundred dollars, was erected in 1836. The first pastor was the Rev. Philo E. Brown. It is impossible to obtain a com- plete list of those who officiated as pastors of this church, but among those who were located here were : Wallace Lock, Rev. Mr. Fellows, Reuben Frost, Rev. Mr. Fillmore and the Revs. Judd, Anderson, Kings- ley, Abell and Baker. The Sabbath school organized at the time the
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church was completed was in the charge of Truman Richmond. There was a good library in connection containing about one hundred volumes. The society was dissolved in 1855 owing to a modification of the relig- ious belief of Methodist societies generally. The Free Methodist church of West Sweden was organized by those who seceded from the orig- inal society. Iu 1860 the church property of the old society was trans- ferred to it and meetings were held in it in connection with the church of Brockport, the same minister preaching in West Sweden in the morn- ing and in Brockport on the afternoon of the same day. The first min- ister was the Rev. John Wells.
The Baptist church of Sweden and Bergen was organized January 7, 1835, in the school house at West Sweden by delegates from the Baptist churches in Brockport, Byron, Holley, Sweden, Ogden, Le Roy, and Parma. Rev. D. Eldridge was moderator, Rev. Zenas Case, clerk. . The first sermon was preached by the Rev. Mr. Crane of Le Roy. Tne The first members were William D. Potter, Seneca Anderson, Edmund Spencer, Guy Chapell, John Jennings, James N. Hollister, Lyman Davis, Gerge Davis, Curtis Cook, Shubael H. Reed, Alfred Robinson, Horace Lord, Timothy Baker, Horatio Reed, Susannah Potter, Lucy Anderson, Wealthy Spencer, Cornelia Spencer, Clarissa Chapell, Mary Jennings, Elizabeth Jennings, Eleanor Miller, Julia Davis, Mary Davis, Abigail Churchill, Sally Adair, Betsey Cook, Sarah H. Reed, Almira Robinson, Melissa Lord, Sally M. Langdon and Jane G. Reed. The first trustees were John Jennings, Edmund Spencer and Mr. Troup. The first and only deacons were Seneca Anderson and James H. Walker. Horatio Reed was the first clerk. serving in that capacity for four years, James H. Hollister fifteen years, Horatio Reed was the last clerk.
The present church building was erected in 1835 at a cost of about $2,400. It was located at West Sweden and is still standing. John B. Potter, the first pastor, served two years.
THE VILLAGE OF BROCKPORT.
The village of Brockport, in the town of Sweden and about eighteen miles west of Rochester, on the Niagara Falls branch of the New York Central Railroad is the largest village in Monroe county. It was in
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early days the most important village west of the Genesee River and is to day a prosperous, thriving place, with a population of about 4,500. At the time the Erie Canal was in the prospective only it was foreseen that wherever the canal should intersect the lake road there would be an important business centre. As soon as the exact location of the canal became a certainty enterprising men purchased the land in the vicinity and laid the foundation for future prosperity.
Brockport is indebted for its name to Hiel Brockway, a native of Lyme, Conn., who came to Sweden shortly after the war of 1812 and purchased that portion of the village lying west of the lake road. The purchase was made from John Phelps and the price paid was at the rate of twelve to fifteen dollars per acre.
The east part of the village, from the town line to Market street, was bought by James Seymour of Rufus Hammond at a uniform price of seven dollars per acre. The southeast corner, from Market street to Parkes farm was bought of Benjamin Knight by James Seymour, Abel Baldwin and Myron Holley. The land bordering the road was sur- veyed into village lots in 1822 and building operations begun by Hiel Brockway, James Seymour, Joshua Fields, Luke Webster, John G. Davis, and Charles Richardson. Hiel Brockway was a man of great energy and was the largest owner of village land. He made liberal offers to those who would establish homes, and gave largely for the purposes of educational and religious interests. Mr. Brockway was also extensively interested in packet boats, and in his capacity and industry in this direction infused new life into the enterprise. Brockport was of steady and uninterrupted growth and after the completion of the canal was the centre of packet boat operations in the west.
The village was incorporated and a charter adopted in 1829 by virtue of an act of the Legislature passed on the 6th of April of the same year, but who served as its officers is not now known, as the records of the first election were lost. In 1852 the charter was revised and under it a board of five trustees constituted the village government. In 1872, on the 25th of June, the present charter was adopted and the first elec- tion under it held July 26, 1872, the following officers were chosen : President, Luther Gordon ; G. H. Allen, Edgar Brown and Samuel Johnson were trustees; J. H. Kingsbury, treasurer ; John Short, col-
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lector ; W. G. Raines, clerk ; B. H. Halsey, street commissioner ; and David Bennett, police constable. In 1823 it was designed to make Rochester the western terminus of the Erie Canal, until the rock cutting at Lockport was completed, but through the efforts of James Seymour it was extended twenty miles to the westward and Brockport made the terminus. This gave the village two years of commercial prosperity. In 1825, when the canal was opened through to Buffalo, Brockport was an important manufacturing and business center. The manufacture of agricultural implements was one of the early enterprises, and a few words regarding the growth of so important an industry is of interest.
At an early a date as 1828 an iron foundry was established in Brock- port on State street by Harry Backus and Joseph Ganson. In 1830 they removed their plant to grounds north of the canal on Main street, and the firm name changed to Backus, Webster & Co. Balch, Webster & Co. soon succeeded and later the firm became known as Backus, Burroughs & Co., but a change was again made to Backus, Fitch & Co., who were the pioneers in the manufacture of improved threshing machines. At this time the stationary machine run by horse power was the only kind in use.
In 1844 Cyrus McCormick was induced to make a trial at Brockport of his recently and rudely constructed reaper. This trial was appar- ently successful .and Backus, Fitch & Co. received from McCormick an order for the manufacture of one hundred reapers. The machines did not, however, meet the requiremeets of the purchasers and were nearly all returned. Experience suggested a remedy for the failure of the first attempt and in after years the firm manufactured a machine that was a complete success. This was the beginning of a new era for the farmer, not only in this immediate vicinity but throughout the whole civilized world. The early reaper was not the perfect machine it was destined to become and as the enterprise grew in years it also increased in the effectiveness of its productions.
In 1846 Mr. Backus, who had been at the head of the business since its beginning, retired and the business firm was changed to Fitch, Barry & Co., who were succeeded by Stillman, Bowman & Co., a few years later. The firm was again changed to Ganson, Huntley & Co., who were in- terested largely in the making of reapers of the Palmer & Williams pat-
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tern. This was the first reaper of the self-raking type used in this sec- tion and was a combination of the quadrant platform invented by W. H. Seymour, and the sweep rake patented by Aaron Palmer was the first successful automatic reaper known.
Since this time much has been done to increase the efficiency of har- vesting machines and the perfection of the modern self-binding machine stands as a monument to the ingenuity and enterprise of men who established themselves in Brockport.
In 1868 the shops passed into the hands of Samuel Johnson and Byron Huntley. The Johnson harvester was made by them, at first, in a moderate way, but sales increased rapidly, and in 1870 a stock com- pany was formed with a capital of three hundred thousand dollars, under the corporate name of the Johnson Harvester Company. Samuel Johnson was president, and B. E. Huntley was secretary and treasurer. Five hundred machines were made during the year following organiza- tion. The demand for machines in Europe was so rapidly increasing that B. E. Huntley was sent abroad as general European agent, and F. S. Stebbins was made secretary and treasurer.
Sixteen hundred machines were manufactured in 1872, and in 1877 nearly six thousand were made. The Johnson Harvester plant was entirely destroyed by fire in June, 1882, and was not rebuilt in Brock- port, the company removing to Batavia, N. Y., taking with them a large number of the hundred men employed by them previous to the fire.
A second foundry and machine shop was established in Brockport in 1844 by William H. Seymour and Thomas R. Roby. Mr. Roby's interest in the firm was purchased by Dayton S. Morgan, and the man- ufacture of stoves and farm implements began in a modest way.
In 1846 the making of the McCormick reaper was undertaken, and one hundred machines of this type were built and put upon the market. These machines were in every way a success, and were the first hundred reapers that were successful machines known to have been made in the world. In 1849 an improved machine styled the " New Yorker," was made, and various other improvements were patented by Mr. Seymour, the most notable of which was the "quadrant " platform.
In 1852 a self-raking reaper was built by Seymour & Morgan, and another by Palmer & Williams. Both machines were manufactured by
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THE TOWN OF SWEDEN. .
Seymour & Morgan, and each possessed the essentials of a perfect ma- chine, though differing somewhat in the plan of construction. The patents were subsequently united in one machine, each party holding specific interests in the enterprise. In 1853 George H. Allen acquired an interest in the business, and the firm was then styled Seymour, Morgan & Allen.
In 1873-4 a new reaper of a greatly improved pattern was made, which was an embodiment of all the good points of the older machines, together with several additions not heretofore used. The new produc- tion was called the Triumph, and was the result of years of experience and a thorough appreciation of the requirements of reaping and har- vesting machines. The D. S. Morgan Company which succeeded, con- tinued to manufacture "Triumph " harvesting machinery until the fall of 1894, when the firm retired, and at this time their large plant is idle, with little prospect of being revived.
Brockport has always been a manufacturing town, and has at the present time several important industries affording employment to a large number of skilled mechanics. As a place of residence it is all that could be desired, offering advantages not often obtainable in a village of its size.
The Business Men's Association has been instrumental in increasing the commercial importance of the place. Through the influence and energy of this organization several extensive manufacturing concerns have been established. The life of the association dates from 1893, and a vast amount of good has been done by it. The president is T. H. Dobson; secretary, John N. Drake; vice presidents, George C. Gor- don, J. H. Kingsbury, A. W. Fowler, L. T. Underhill, B. F. Gleason, F. F. Capen, John Owens, M. A. Cleveland ; treasurer, Henry Har- rison.
The Brockport shoe factory furnishes steady employment for about two hundred hands, and is the largest and most important industry in the place. It was established as the Moore-Shafer Manufacturing Com- pany in 1881, with a capital of thirty thousand dollars, and a reserve fund of forty thousand dollars. A fine grade of shoes for woman's wear is made, and its product is in demand in all parts of the United States. The factory is located on Park avenue a short distance from the 53
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New York Central Railroad, and is equipped with the latest and most improved machinery. It has a capacity of about six hundred pairs of shoes daily, and adds largely to the commercial prosperity of the vil- lage. F. F. Capen is the president, and Wilson H. Moore is manager.
The Brockport Piano Company was established in 1893, and is one of the progressive institutions of the place. A high grade instrument is made, that is successful both front an artistic and a business standpoint. A number of skilled workmen are employed. The president is F. F. Capen ; vice president, William Daily ; secretary and treasurer, R C. Hull; superintendent, George Ropelt.
Amongst the many and varied industries of the village may be men- tioned the Gleason Cooling Board Company, manufacturing valuable appliances for undertakers' use ; the Brockport vinegar factory, the mill- ing interests, and many enterprises of progress and success.
The social element is active in the village, and there are a large number of societies the officers of which are as follows :
Monroe Ladge No. 173, F. & M .- W. M., A. G. Chriswell; S. W., J. N. Drake; J. W., G. E. Locke; S. D., W. B. Conkling ; J. D., J. R. Bush ; S. M C., C. L. Lawton; J. M. C., John Read ; Tyler, H. Boyrst ; chaplain, Charles W. Smith ; marshal, L. D. Trimmer ; treas- urer, A. W. Fowler ; secretary, B. C. Ketchum.
Monroe Lodge No. 88, I. O. O. F .- N. G., Henry Hurley ; V. G., Edgar Knowles; recording secretary, D. C. Hines ; treasurer, J. B. Sweeting ; permanent secretary, Fred Meinhardt.
Hope Rebecca Lodge No. 10, I. O. O. F .- N G., Mrs. H. Richard- son ; V. G., Mrs. Ed. Knowles; recording secretary, Mrs. D. C. Hines ; treasurer, Mrs. Charles Guelph; permanent secretary, Mrs. Miles Upton.
Royal Templars of Temperance .- Select councilor, H. C. Hener ; vice councilor, Mrs. E. Knowles ; past councilor, J. Wendover ; chap- lain, May Thompson ; recording and financial secretary, Frank Consaul; treasurer, H. D. Chapman ; herald, E. Knowles ; deputy herald, Mary Warner ; guard, Judson Robinson ; sentinel, Hugh MacLachlan ; trus- tees, Messrs. Frost, Wendover and MacLachlan.
Cady Post No. 263, G. A R .- Commander, B. C. Ketcham ; senior vice commander. Edwin Losee; junior vice-commander, E. R. Peck ;
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adjutant, W. H. Pererson ; sergeant, George A. Knowles; chaplain, David Hathaway ; quartermaster, Leonard Krausey ; officer of the day, Peter Guelph ; officer of the guard, Christian Miller; sergeant- major, Gustav Baker; quartermaster sergeant, D. J. Butler.
Soldiers' Monument Association. - President, S. P. Frost; vice presi- dents, Daniel Holmes, George C. Gordon, M. A. Cleveland, Harry Smith and E. W. Briggs ; secretary, P. Swart ; treasurer, H. N. Beach ; trustees, S. P. Frost, H. N. Beach, T. C. Berry, Andrew Boyd, E. A. Maynard, T. S. Hinton, D. Richards, L. Krausey, P. Swart, John Owens, C. H. Bellinger and F. A. Winne.
Young Men's Christian Association .- This organization is in fine working order, and, under the secretaryship of Mr. Keeler, is produc- tive of much good. The average daily attendance is thirty four.
W.C. T. U .- President, Mrs. E. A. Benedict.
Y. W. C. T. U .- President, Georgietta Palmer ; secretary, Gertie Page; treasurer, Nellie Ives.
The educational possibilities of Brockport are of the highest order of excellence and the large number of students of both sexes who attend the Normal School from year to year attest the superiority of the in . stitution. The Brockport Normal School is the outgrowth of the Brock - port Collegiate Institute, a Baptist organization of early days.
In 1832 the Baptist Association of Western New York determined to establish a college at some point west of Rochester. The characteristic generosity and energy of Hiel Brockway secured to the village, in the face of much competition, the location of the school and his gift of six acres of land and $3,000 in cash greatly assisted the promoters of the scheme in the furtherance of their plans. The Baptist people in West- ern New York responded liberally to the petitions circulated asking for aid, and in 1834 a sufficient fund was raised to warrant the erection of the building. The work was pushed rapidly forward and in 1835 or 1836 a portion of it was completed and opened as a school, with Pro- fessor Morse as principal.
Progress to* this point was not made without incurring a considerable debt, and as the financial condition of the country was strained, the association was greatly embarrassed by those who held mortgages against them and who were persistently pressing their claims. In 1836
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the building, by reason of the failure of the association to meet their obli- gations, came into possession of Philemon Allen by virtue of fore- closure proceedings instituted by him. This state of affairs proved disastrous to the further continuance of the school and it was closed and became, as an authority puts it, "a habitation for wild beasts." As the Baptist Association of Brockport had now gone into bankruptcy and the school property had passed into the hands of the assignees of Allen, who had also met with reverses, the further maintenance of the college as had been originally designed seemed to be hopeless. The citizens of Brockport were unwilling to permit so valuable an adjunct to their progress to fall into decay, and on the 19th of August, 1841, ยท called a meeting to consider the advisability of purchasing the grounds and buildings which had been advertised for sale at $3,800. A stock company was created and shares to the amount of $3,950 were disposed of. On the 12th of September, 1841, a board of twenty- four trustees were elected and a resolution passed to the effect that if at any time within ten years the Baptist Society could raise sufficient funds to take up the stock held by the citizens and to maintain a church college, then the property should be transferred to them. A loan was obtained and a subscription raised to improve the grounds and buildings and the in- stitution incorporated as a collegiate institute.
On the 2d of April, 1854, when the school had attained considerable reputation and was firmly established on a substantial basis, fire broke out and in three hours the edifice was completely destroyed. The trustees were not disheartened, however, and on the day after the disaster, determined to rebuild, which they did, and on the 27th of November, 1855, school work was resumed under the supervision of N. B. Stanton, A. M. The new building was dedicated December 23, 1856.
In 1886 the Legislature passed an act authorizing the establishing of four Normal Schools. After much competition Brockport was selected as the location of one of the schools. Fifty thousand dollars was raised by the village and the buildings purchased and deeded to the State, reserving, however, a portion as an academic department. The Normal School was formally opened April 17, 1867, with Malcolm McVicar as principal. Professor McVicar was succeeded by C. D. McLean in 1868.
Chalsom Leave
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THE TOWN OF SWEDEN
During the twenty seven years following Professor McLean has been at the head of the school, which is under the supervision of a local board composed of some of the most influential men and women of the village. The Normal School building is an imposing structure of red sandstone, of about 400 feet front and 200 feet deep The six acres of land on which the buildings stand are tastefully laid out and are an ornament to the village. The average number of pupils is about 900.
Besides the Normal School there are three district schools. Miss Casey is principal of the north district, Miss Crofoot of the east dis- trict, and Miss Knowles of the west district. There is also a parochial school in connection with the Roman Catholic church.
The fire department is well organized and efficient and is officered as follows: Chief, Fred Schlosser, jr .; first assistant, Howard Matson ; second assistant, F. W. Consaul.
Byron Huntley Steamer Company .- President, A. S. Lewis ; secre- tary, M. S. Stewart ; treasurer, J. H. Kingsbury ; foreman, P. F. Swart. Silsby Hose .- President, T. S. Dean ; secretary, Willis Matson.
Harrison Hose .- President, Thomas Kavanagh; secretary, John Collins.
Capen Hose -President, T. J. Peckham ; secretary, W. G. Holbrook. Protectives .- President, George Guelph; secretary, William Burns.
Hook and Ladder Company .- President, Henry Scram ; secretary, Albert Bronson.
The efficient protection against fire afforded by the fire department is greatly increased by the splendid system of water works in use. Hy- drants are placed 500 feet apart throughout the village and there is an average pressure of seventy- five pounds to the square inch in the mains. The supply comes from three flowing wells at Holley and is abundant and of the purest quality. The water works is not owned by the village, but is the property of the Brockport Water Works Com - pany, of which W. N. Winslow is superintendent.
The Town Hall, an imposing structure, was built in 1884. In it are a number of fine offices and quarters for the fire department.
The Brockport Free Press was the first newspaper established in Brockport. It made its appearance on the 6th of December, 1827, and was edited by Thomas H. Hyatt and owned by Harris and Hyatt.
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The Brockport Recorder was the second paper and was first issued Jan- uary 9, 1828, and was edited by Abithar M. Harris.
The Monroe Republican was first issued on the 30th of May, 1833, and the Jeffersonian at Clarkson village on the 17th or June, 1835. The Branchport Sentinel appeared June 17, 1843, and the Brockport Watchman in 1844. The Brockport Weekly Journal was first issued September 3, 1852, and the Brockport Gazette, October 30, 1858. There are at present two weekly papers published in the village, the Brockport Republican and the Brockport Democrat. The Republican was first issued October 9, 1856, and was owned and edited by Horatio N. Beach. The paper is at present owned and edited by Mr. L T. Beach, is the organ of the Republican party and has a large circulation.
The Brockport Democrat was started July 21, 1870, by Williams and Brink. It is the Democratic organ of the village and is owned and ed- ited by P. J. Wilson.
There are two banks in the village, the First National and the private banking house of John Kingsbury.
There are three cemeteries, the oldest of which is within the village limits and is owned by an association of lot owners. Lake View Cem - etery, situated on the summit of Beach Ridge commands a fine view of the lake and surrounding country. The Rural Cemetery is east of the village and contains the fine monumental tower erected to the memory of these who participated in the late war. The tower was dedicated September 1, 1894, and was erected by a society organized for the pur- pose. The Roman Catholic Cemetery is also east of the village.
The Methodist Episcopal church was organized December 10, 1827, by the Rev. John Copeland. Previous to this time meetings were held in private houses, the hotel and later in the academy. The church building was erected in 1828 and was the first church building erected in the village. It was of brick and was located on Market street. The present structure was built in 1876, the corner stone having been laid on the 8th of August of the same year and during the pastorate of the Rev. John Dennis.
The Presbyterian church of Brockport was organized as a Congrega- tional Society on the 7th of August, 1827. In 1834 the first elders were chosen and the society united with the Rochester presbytery.
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Two of those who were members of the original society are alive at this date, William H Seymour and George F. Barnett. At the present time the church has a large membership, a Christian Endeavor Society, a ladies' missionary, and an art circle, the members of which are pledged to the raising of funds for church improvement. The pastor is George Reichal.
The Second Baptist was organized largely by those who had form- erly been connected with the first Baptist society of Brockport and which disbanded in 1839. On the same day that the First Baptist so- ciety dissolved, the 10th of March, 1839, the Second church was or- ganized and the property of the original society was purchased. In 1863 the old edifice was taken down and a new and more modern build- ing erected, the cornerstone of which was laid September 23, 1864. The church at present has no pastor.
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