Landmarks of Steuben County, New York, Part 11

Author: Hakes, Harlo, 1823- ed; Aldrich, Lewis Cass. cn
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason & Co.
Number of Pages: 1180

USA > New York > Steuben County > Landmarks of Steuben County, New York > Part 11

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The pioneer of this town was Job B Rathbun, a native of Connecticut, but a former resident of Dansville in this county. Mr. Rathbun moved into what is now Fremont in 1812 and built the first dwelling house in the town, and from his settlement the locality soon became known as " Job's Corners." About the same time Abel H. Baldwin moved in from Otsego county, exchanging one hilly region for another. Next came Thomas Buck and family from Washington county. John A. Buck married Rebecca Baldwin, and their son, Charles E., born Novem- ber 12, 1816, was the first birth in the town. The first death was that of the wife of Amos Baldwin, December 12, 1815.

Among the other early settlers may be recalled the names of Ira Travis, in the valley of Big Creek; Solomon and Jacob Conderman, from whom has descended several prominent men in the county ; John Bartholomew, in the southeast part of the town; Lemuel Harding, in 1816; Oliver Harding, a patriot of the Revolution ; Samuel Sharp, who

Houghton

105

THE CIVIL DIVISIONS OF THE COUNTY.

located west of Harding's. Harding's Hill was so named from the fam- ilies just referred to. Elisha Strait was the first settler in the north part of the town, coming here in 1815, and was followed in 1816 by Edward Markham and Francis Drake, who located south of him. In 1819 Jerry Kinney, George Nutting, Barnet Brayton, Henry Cotton, and Leonard Briggs made a colony settlement at the head of the west branch of Neil's Creek. Here they found a camp of about twenty Indians, who were engaged in hunting and fishing. Alexander Kelly made the first clearing where Haskinville is located.

Other and later settlers, yet worthy to be mentioned in these annals, were James Rider and William Haskins, from Saratoga county, also William Holden, Gideon Maynard, Silas Benjamin, Stephen Holden (1816), Lewis Canfield, Daniel Upson, Michael G. Helmer, Edward Pat- terson, Elisha G. Stephens, founder of the village called Stephen's Mills, Richard Timmerman, and others who were in some manner iden- tified with the history of the town while its territory formed a part of the older divisions.

As we have noted the town was organized as a separate jurisdiction in 1854, then having a population of about 1, 100 inhabitants. The first town meeting was held in Mr. Stephen's hotel at the Center, on Febru- ary 13, 1855, at which time these officers were elected: Elisha G. Stephens, supervisor ; Franklin Dart, town clerk; Jason Ranger, Solo- mon Gates, Ebenezer H. Mason, justices of the peace; Randall F. Beecher, Isaac P. Haskins, Morrison Harding, assessors; Hiram Culver, Norman Eldridge and William Haskin, highway commissioners; James R. Babcock, collector; Cornelius Conderman, overseer of the poor.

The town officers for the year 1895 are M. J. Harding, supervisor ; E. R. Kilbury, town clerk ; J. M. Kelly, Seymour Jones, D. D. Wild and Melvin Nipher, justices of the peace; A. D. Huvener, assessor; E. H. Helmer, collector; R. C. White, overseer of the poor; Clark Haight, highway commissioner ; Smith E. Harding, A. D. Osborn and Levi B. Evans, excise commissioners.

The supervisors of Fremont have been as follows: Elisha G. Stephens, 1855-56; Lorenzo N. Rider, 1857-59; Jason Ranger, 1860-61 ; Oth- niel Preston, 1862-63 ; Samuel E. Haskin, 1864; William B. Stephens, 1865-66; W. B. Rathbun, 1867; William B. Stephens, 1868; Esek

106

LANDMARKS OF STEUBEN COUNTY.

Page, 1869-72 ; Ira Carrington, 1873-74; De Merville Page, 1875; Calvin Bullock, 1876; L. H. Benjamin, 1877-78; W. H. Bowen, 1879- 80; S. S. Cotton, 1881-82; C. K. Mason, 1883; S. S. Cotton, 1884; M. J. Harding, 1885-86 ; Joel Killbury, 1887 ; G. S. Van Keuren, 1888- 89 ; Harrison Russell, 1890-91 ; S. S. Cotton. 1892; M. J. Harding, 1893-95.

In 1855 Fremont had a population of 1, 119, and in 1860 had 1, 117. In 1870 the number of inhabitants was again 1, 119, and in 1880 had increased to 1,274, but in 1890 had fallen to 1,047. In 1892 the popu- lation was 1,088.

This is peculiarly an agricultural town, and as such compares favor- ably with other adjoining divisions; and while there has been made some attempt at manufacture this pursuit has never added materially to local prosperity. In the growth of hay, grain, potatoes, apples, and dairy products lies the success of the people of Fremont.

Unlike many towns of the county, Fremont has not suffered seriously from disturbing causes. To be sure the anti rent conflict had an effeet somewhat prejudicial to local interests, yet at that time settlement was not far advanced and the territory of the town belonged to the older divisions of the county. The sturdy agriculturists steadfastly ad- hered to their legitimate occupation in life and gave small heed to the annoyances of the period. However, during the war of 1861-65, a truly martial spirit pervaded the entire community, and Fremont sent into the service no less than one hundred and three men, who were scattered through the different companies organized in the county. This was certainly a remarkable record, especially when we consider the fact that in 1860 the population of the town was but I, II7.

Previous to 1855 the school interests of Fremont were a part of the history of older towns, but in the year mentioned, under the local com- missionership of George Collins, jr., the town was divided into districts, nine in number, while the children of school age numbered 457. From this beginning the present school system of Fremont has developed. The districts now number ten, and the children about 300. Ten teach- ers were employed during the last current year. The value of school property is $4,395. The town received of public moneys, $1, 183.78, and raised by tax $1,431.61.

107

THE CIVIL DIVISIONS OF THE COUNTY.

Among the several named hamlets or settled localities of Fremont, that known as Stephen's Mills or Fremont Center, is the largest. It is located near the center of the town. Haskinville is in the northeast part, Niel's Creek is in the southeast part, Big Creek in the south part, and Job's Corners in the east part of the town. Big Creek is a post- office station, D. D. Weld, postmaster. Neil's Creek is also a post- office, Matthew N. Silsbee, postmaster. Here also is the feed and cider mill of P. Pettis. Job's Creek has a grocery kept by B. R. Chubbuck. Haskinville and Stephen's Mills and also the churches of this town are elsewhere mentioned in this volume.

GREENWOOD .- This town was formed from Troupsburg and Canis- teo, January 24, 1827, and included all that is now West Union as well as Greenwood. The former was taken off in 1845, and a part of Jas- per was annexed in 1848. As at present constituted Greenwood con- tains 24;700 acres of land, the greater part of which is rolling upland. Bennett's Creek flows northerly through the east part of the town, in a valley from two to six hundred feet below some of the hilltops. The soil is a clayey and gravelly loam,

When the land proprietors began to develop this region, for the pur- pose of inducing settlement in what was then supposed to be an unin- viting wilderness of forests, they cut a road up the creek through this town to the Pennsylvania line. However, no settlement was made im- mediately after the completion of the work, nor until after the construc- tion of the highway leading from the Thomas neighborhood to the then famous salt spring in the town we now call Greenwood. The In- dians made salt at this spring long before the advent of the whites and the locality was a favored spot in the aboriginal period ; and the spring was no less prized by the white-faced pioneers, and at an early day an attempt was made to manufacture salt here by Ezekiel Burger and a Mr. Matthews.

The second road was cut through in 1820, and in the spring of the next year we find Alexander H. Stephens and Anson Robinson clear- ing land and building a saw mill within the limits of the town. This was the pioneer settlement, though the family of our chief adventurer, Mr. Stephens, did not come till the mill was completed. Ezra and John H. Stephens next came up the valley to the town, after which

108

LANDMARKS OF STEUBEN COUNTY.

settlement progressed rapidly, for the lands were cheap and well tim- bered, and the soil fertile. In 1823 the family of Deacon Daniel Man- ning came, and in the same year Eleazer Woodward became a settler, and built a small tannery near the Stephens mill. Both of them came from New Hampshire.

The next settlers were Dennis Sanford, Seth Norton, Stephen Powell, all along the ridge, and Hiram Putnam, John H. Hayt, Joseph and Josephus Batchelder and Jacob Manning, along and near the creek. Guy Wardwell settled on the strip annexed from Jasper. Collating and noting briefly some of the other early families we may recall the names of Levi Davis, Ira and Randall Pease, Christian Cobey, John Holt, James Henshaw, Daniel Ward, Benjamin Chamberlain, Hugh Carr (whose wife taught the first school), Phineas Stephens, Uriah F. Stephens, Col. John Stephens, Enoch Ordway, Ezra Lovejoy, Amos Lewis, Josiah Richardson, Stephen, Lyman, Amos and Jesse Wilmot. Lyman Wilmot built a grist mill at the place called Rough and Ready. Still later comers were George Updike, Benjamin Edwards, William Atkins, John Rogers, John J. Ducher, Enos Smith, John Balsby, Rich- ard Krusen ( a pioneer tavern-keeper and also land agent, and withal a man who did much to bring settlement into the town), Ezekiel and Hiram Burger, William Burrows, Joshua Goldsmith and others, all of whom were located in the town as early as 1830.

So rapid indeed was early settlement in this extreme portion of the county that the convenience of the inhabitants demanded a separate organization and a new town, and the result was the division of Canis- teo and Troupsburg and the creation of Greenwood, comprising orig- inally the territory we have previously described. The population of the new formation at that time did not exceed 700, notwithstanding the extent of territory, about 55,000 acres.

The first town meeting was held at the house of Levi Davis, on March 6, 1827, and the following officers were elected : Levi Davis, supervisor ; Anson Cook, town clerk; David Murray, Randall Pease, and Uriah F. Stephens, assessors ; Richard Kruzen, Uriah Ingley and Aden Lewis, commissioners of highways; Jacob Manning and Jacob Bess, overseers of the poor ; Abram V. Olmsted, Joseph Batchelder, Thomas Johnson, commissioners of schools; Francis Strong, Josiah

109

THE CIVIL DIVISIONS OF THE COUNTY.

Haywood and Moses Clausen, inspectors of schools ; John H. Stephens, collector. The town was named by Alexander H. Stephens, one of its most influential early citizens, and through his efforts the strip from Jasper was annexed to Greenwood.

Referring briefly to some of the important early events of town his- tory, may be mentioned the first mill, built by Alexander Stephens in 1821-23 ; Levi Davis built a log house in 1824, and opened tavern in 1825. He also kept a small stock of goods, and dispensed good whis- key at twenty cents per gallon. The first post-office was in Mr. Davis's store, and mail was brought from Hornellsville on horseback. This was about 1828 or '29. Mr. Davis was for a time partner with Ira Davenport. In 1830 David Foote and Redmond Ferguson began the manufacture of furniture and coffins, and in the same year B. F. Brundage built a carding and fulling mill. This was burned in 1846, and was replaced with the flouring mill. In 1835 James (" High Jimmy ") McCormick shipped to market the first butter from Green- wood. Alvin Mead is said to have brought the first wagon into the western part of the town, in 1827. Daniel McCormick built a grist mill at Rough and Ready about 1832. The first birth was that of Charles C. Stephens; the first marriage that of Hiram Putnam and Lucinda Stephens; the first death that of Ezra Cobey.

The supervisors of Greenwood have been as follows : Levi Davis, 1827-29 and 1831-32 ; Thomas Johnson, 1830; Randall Pease, 1833 ; Anson Cook, 1834-36 ; Jos. Davenport, 1837-38 ; John J. Holt, 1839- 40; Alex. H. Stephens, 1841-47 ; Elijah Guyon, 1848-51 ; John Davis, 1852-54, 1856-59, 1864, 1869, 1872-73 ; Augustus Mallory, 1855 ; Israel M. Brundage, 1860, 1862-63, 1870; Daniel Manning, 1861 ; H. H. Mallory, 1865-66, 1875-81 ; R. H. Sheffield, 1867-68 ; John S. Hartrum, 1871; Merrit F. Smith, 1874; P. A. Mead, 1882; Valentine Reiman, 1883-85; G. D. Woodward, 1886-87; N. E. Coston, 1888. 1890; M. F. Smith, 1889; John S. Young, 1890-91 ; L. G. Burton, 1893-95.

Town officers, 1895: Lynn G. Burton, supervisor ; Eugene Brun - dage, town clerk; John S. Young, George M. Woodward, John K. Miller and Edward H. Ferris, justices; H. W. Young, J. D. Northrup and W. H. Taylor, assessors; Willis Scribner, collector; John N.

110

LANDMARKS OF STEUBEN COUNTY.

Hovey, overseer of the poor; Dudley B. Ersley, highway commis- sioner; Ira Clark, Reuben Stephens and Freeman Rogers, excise com- misioners.

There has been little change in the population of Greenwood during the last half century, and the number of inhabitants has not increased or diminished to the extent of two hundred in the last thirty- five years. In 1830 the town had 899 inhabitants, and 1, 138 in 1840. Ten years later the population was 1, 185, and in 1860 was 1,306. In 1870 the number was 1,394, and 1, 386 in 1880. It was 1,312 in 1890, and 1,241 in 1892.

Three years after the separate organization of Greenwood, the people of the region were much disturbed and directly affected by the anti- rent conflict and the discussions of its period. In the convention at Bath in January, 1830, we find as delegates from Greenwood a num- ber of her leading men, among them Levi Davis, Thomas Johnson, Anson Cook, William J. Strong and Randall Pease. Mr. Davis was one of the committee appointed to prepare and present to the agents of the proprietary the memorial for the relief of the distressed settlers.

During the war of 1861-65, Greenwood furnished a total of seventy- five men for the service. A history of the various companies to which belonged volunteers from the town will be found in another department of this work.

In the course of its history there has been built up and established one thriving and pretty little village, and also two hamlets of less note, known, respectively as West Greenwood and Rough and Ready. The first mentioned village, and its institutions, will be treated especially in the municipal history, in this volume.

HARTSVILLE .- On the 7th of February, 1844, the town of Hornells- ville was divided, and township No. 3, of range 6, Phelps and Gorham purchase, was erected into a separate town by the name of Hartsville. Either by design or mistake this township was originally sold by Oliver Phelps to the company of proprietors who purchased Canisteo and Hornellsville. These purchasers sought to secure Nos. 3 in the fifth and 4 in the sixth range, but through some cause the deed of convey- ance described townships three in the fifth and sixth ranges. However, before many improvements were made in this town the error was dis- covered and corrected.

111

THE CIVIL DIVISIONS OF THE COUNTY.

Geographically, Hartsville is located on the western border of Steuben county and south of the center. It contains 23,200 acres of land and is regarded as one of the best dairy towns of the county. The land sur- face is generally hilly and somewhat broken, though there is compara- tively little waste or useless land in the town. Bennett's Creek flows northerly through the east part and Purdy Creek has its course from west to east across the north part and discharges into Bennett's Creek in the town of Canisteo.

The first settler in this locality was Benjamin Brookins, who made an improvement in the year 1809, but, becoming discouraged, left for other parts before the pioneer in fact of the town made his beginning. Joseph Purdy, an earnest and hard working Irishman, located in the north part in 1810, and for a time occupied the cabin abandoned by his predecessor ; and records inform us that Purdy was the only settler in this then remote region until the year 1819. Still, during this period the pioneer made a good beginning and cleared a good farm. His name is worthily preserved in the town, by the name of the principal stream and also the name of the post office at the Center. In 1819 Jesse Palmater, Perry and Andrew Potter and William D. Burdick came to the town, settling in the northwest part. Daniel P. Carpenter came in 1822, driving with an ox team, and located half a mile south of the Center. Frank Powell came the same year and settled near the site of the cemetery as afterward established. The settlers in 1823, as near as can be determined, were William Hudson, John Granger and Ebenezer and Robert G. Martin, while in the next year came Joseph and James Thompson. John Hood came in 1826, and is remembered as having been and old " war of 1812" survivor. He organized the town militia company and was its captain; Nathaniel Williams was its lieutenant, and Oliver Coon ensign ; Ferris Clawson, sergeant. General training day was a notable occasion, and Carpenter's lot was the scene of many a hard fought battle against the common foe-Yankee ginger-bread and hard cider.

In 1825 William Allison, the head of a numerous and prominent family in the county during later years, settled near the Carpenter place. James Howell and John Martin joined the settlement in 1828. Othniel Call came during the same year and located on what was named for

112

LANDMARKS OF STEUBEN COUNTY.

him " Call Hill." He was followed later on by Joseph, David and Orlando Call, thus creating the Call settlement. Francis and Micah Kennedy came in 1829, and James Classon, John Henry, and David Whiting in 1830. Among the later settlers were Henry Acker, Reu- ben and Charles N. Hart, Simeon Baker and his sons James, Ephraim and Simeon, jr., Thomas Stout, Ralph Amidon, George L. Puffer, David Phelps and others, all coming in gradually and adding to the settlement until the lands were quite well taken up. Many of these settlers gave their first attention to clearing the lands, hence were engaged more or less extensively in lumbering ; and it has been claimed that between 1825 and 1840 there were no less than fourteen saw and shingle mills in operation in the town. The forests were reasonably well cleared about 1850, after which Hartsville became an agricultural district. To this end nature has favored the people here, for the soil, a shale and clay loam, is good and yields well in return to proper cultivation. The lands are especially adapted to grazing and the growth of hay, hence here we have an important dairy town in this part of the county ; and the village of Canisteo and the city of Hornellsville are always good markets.

According to conceded authority, the first events of town history in Hartsville were these : the first birth, that of Sarah A. Carpenter; the first marriage, that of Robert G. Martin and Mary A. Gleason ; the first death, that of an infant child of Ebenezer Martin, all in 1823. The first school was taught by the daughter of Joseph Purdy. Daniel P. Car- penter opened a store in 1825, and built the first saw mill in 1827. Robert G. Martin built a mill, where the recent Allison mill stood, in 1832, and soon afterward William Allison built another. R. F. Allison put in the first steam power in the town. The first tavern keeper was Henry Frisbee, 1849; the second, Joseph Henry, in 1851. The town was organized in 1844, and in 1845 had a population 759, or just twenty-three less than the population as shown by the census of 1892. The greatest number of inhabitants was in 1860, being 1154.

Hartsville was so named in honor of Charles N. Hart, for many years one of its foremost men and identified with its best history. The first town meeting was held in February, 1844, and the officers elected were Charles N. Hart, supervisor; Erastus S. Beard, town clerk ; James

113

THE CIVIL DIVISIONS OF THE COUNTY.

Beard, Jonathan Pettibone and Elizur Sage, assessors; Silas Palmater, Jonathan B. Purdy, Reuben W. Willard and Henry Acker, justices of the peace ; Israel Adams, Edmund Cook and Levi C. Henry, highway commissioners.

The supervisors of Hartsville, in succession, have been as follows : Charles N. Hart, 1844-45 ; James Beard, 1846-47 ; Edmund Cook, 1848-49; Erastus Beard, 1850; Francis Kennedy, 1850-51; James Beard, 1852-53; E. Cook, 1854; Jas Beard, 1855; C. C. Purdy, 1856; Jas. M. Cook, 1857-58; Shepard Amidon, 1859-60; Richard F. Allison, 1861-66; Silas Palmer, 1867 ; R. F. Allison, 1868 ; Lyman A. Cook, 1869-70; R. F. Allison, 1871-72 ; James A. Almy, 1873 ; Joseph Vickers, 1874-75; James B. Hendee, 1876-77; Langford Whitford, 1878 ; Milo M. Acker, 1879-80 ; James A. Almy, 1881-82; Charles Amidon, 1883 ; Jacob Vickers, 1884-85 ; S. B. Van Buskirk, 1886; Wm. Clark, 1887-88 ; Wm. C. Acker, 1889-90; N. P. Flint, 1891-92 ; Wm. C. Acker, 1893-95.

The officers for the year 1895 are as follows : William C. Acker, supervisor ; Floyd E. Carney, town clerk ; Aaron Kennedy, R. Clark, Scott Van Buskirk and M. S. Amidon, justices of the peace ; James A. Almy, Fremont Hendy and W. A. Vickers, assessors ; J. W. Norton, highway commissioner ; M. D. Westcott, collector ; Leroy Johnson, overseer of the poor; Alexander Todd, Eli Woodworth and Charles Comstock, commissioners of excise.

The martial spirit with which Captain John Hood inspired his citizen soldiers during the good old days of general training seems to have been enduring and to have awakened a spirit of patriotism truly com- mendable, for we find that during the war of 1861-65 the town of Harts- ville contributed a liberal quota of men. They were attached to several regiments formed in the county, and a more complete record of their services will be found in another chapter.

When first formed from Hornellsville the schools of this town were a part of the system then in operation, but after the separation was re- arranged in districts to suit the convenience of the inhabitants. The districts were nine in number, each provided with a school. As at present arranged Hartsville has eight districts, and the total number of children in the town of school age is about 225. Eight teachers are 15

114

LANDMARKS OF STEUBEN COUNTY

employed during the school year. The value of school property is $3, 190, and the assessed valuation of the districts is $251,535. In 1893-94 the town received from the public school funds the sum of $907.26, and raised by local tax $1, 027.67.

HORNBY .- About the closing years of the war of 1812-15, a few families of limited means, yet filled with determination and energy, sought to make a settlement in the extreme eastern part of the town of Painted Post. Asa and Uriah Nash, former residents of Otsego county, came to this region in the year 1814, and located in township number 3, of the first range, thus founding what became known in later years as the "Nash settlement." This part of the town was then supposed to contain much undesirable land, for which reason sales were slow and few indeed were the pioneers who cared to undertake its settlement and improvement. However, the Nash families began their improvement in the north part of the township, and after testing the quality of the land it was found wholly desirable, although hilly and rolling. Other settlers soon came in, among those of the year 1815 being Edward Stubbs, Samuel Adams, Ezra Shaw and Jesse Underwood. In the same year the " Platt. settlement " was founded in the southwest part of the town, the settlers in which locality being Jesse Platt, John Robbins and Amasa Stanton. In 1816 the "Palmer settlement" was likewise established, its pioneers being Aden Palmer, James Gardner and Ches- ter Knowlton.

In this manner these pioneers, and their followers soon afterward, made not only a complete settlement of what is now Hornby, but also succeeded in developing the natural resources of a comparatively unde- sirable region, making many good farms and comfortable homes. This beginning had the effect to attract others to the vicinity, and dur- ing the next few years there came Benjamin and Hiram Gardner, Isaac Goodell, John St. John, Aaron Harwood, John Sayer and Jacob Good- sell with his two stalwart sons Daniel and Henry. Still, these determ- ined pioneers had to contend against many difficulties. Theirs was a wild region, the habitation of wild animals of many kinds, some of which were particularly destructive to growing crops and yard fowls and occasionally to cattle. To exterminate them the settlers devoted much time to hunting and from this region has been handed down many

118

THE CIVIL DIVISIONS OF THE COUNTY.

famous stories of wonderful achievements on the part of local nimrods. However, after the forests were cleared and farms opened the more an- noying animals disappeared and only the ordinary obstacles of pioneer life were to be overcome.

Referring still further to the subject of early settlement, let us recall the name of pioneer Hodge in the eastern part of the town, and also in the same locality the later comers, Samuel Lilly, Wm. W. Cole, Martin Lane Benjamin Lewis, jr. Other early comers, equally worthy of mention, were Theodore Hendrick, John Harrison, Wendall Rhoda, Seneca Burnap, Thomas Jewett, Parnach Haradon, Marcus Gaylord, John Bixby, Josiah Wheat, Caleb Gardner, William Easterbrook, Jonas Ward, Andrew B. Dickinson, Henry Gardner, all of whom were settled previous to the division of Painted Post and the formation of Hornby. This was done in 1826, the original town comprising all that is now Hornby and Campbell, the latter being set off from the former in 1831, taking half its territory. As then and since constituted, Hornby con- taining 25,200 acres of land, an excess over the thirty- six square miles supposed to be included in township 3, range I.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Landmarks of Steuben County, New York, Part 11

Author: Hakes, Harlo, 1823- ed; Aldrich, Lewis Cass. cn Publication date: 1896 Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason & Co. Number of Pages: 1180

Author: Hakes, Harlo, 1823- ed; Aldrich, Lewis Cass. cn
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason & Co.
Number of Pages: 1180