Landmarks of Steuben County, New York, Part 16

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 16

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teacher, in 1809), Elihu Cady, Maj. Samuel Cady, Squire and Andy Reynolds, Lewis Hayes, Jonathan Rogers, Capt. George Martin (who built an early grist mill on Troup's Creek). Zadoc Bowen, Elder David Smith, Alanson Perry, Richard Phillips, James Carpenter, John Miller, and others now forgotten. All these were in some manner identified with early town history, many of them having descendants now living in the county, enjoying the fruits of the toil and example of their pio- neer ancestors. A cotemporary writer has said : The early settlers of this region were drawn hither by all the variety of motives which in all parts of the country induce the pioneer to seek the frontier; but the great prevailing motive was cheap land and long payments. The Pulte- ney and other estates were crowding their lands upon the market, and inducing settlement by low prices and long credit. Twenty shillings cash or three bushels of wheat per acre was the standard price of the land, with ten years, or longer if desired, for payment. After 1809 the migration was quite rapid and the lands were rapidly put under con- tract, the settlers finding it about all they could do to support their families and pay the taxes, and very few of them did more.

However, the changes of four score years have indeed been wonder- ful. The old pioneers are all gone ; the troublesome times have passed away, and on all sides is seen the appearance of comfort and thrift; fine and well cultivated farms, and tasty dwellings, good out-buildings and splendid orchards, all unmistakably tell of the energy and perseverance of the sturdy pioneer and the equally industrious descendant.

As we have stated, in 1808 the few inhabitants of this then extensive region founded a town, and named it Troupsburg. The first election of officers was held at the house of Daniel Johnson, in what is now Woodhull, in March, and these persons were chosen : Daniel Johnson, supervisor ; Samuel B. Rice, town clerk; Stephen Dolson, Brown Gillespie and Elijah Cady, assessors; Uri Martin, Wm. Worley and Nathaniel Mallory, commissioner of highways ; Rezen Searse, collector and constable ; Daniel Johnson, overseer of the poor; Elijah Cady, second poormaster ; Caleb Smith, fence viewer.

The supervisors of Troupsburg, in succession, have been as follows : Daniel Johnson, 1808-12 ; Charles Card, 1813-19; Samuel Cady, 1820- 22; Adna B. Reynolds, 1823-25 ; Asher Johnson, 1826-27 ; Samuel

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Griggs, 1828-33 ; Wm. Card, 1834 ; Joshua Slayter, 1835 ; Wm. Card, 1836; Orange Perry, 1837-38 ; Alexander Tucker, 1839; Levi Grin- olds, 1840-42 Samuel Griggs, 1843 ; Bradshaw White, 1844; Nath- aniel Mallory, 1845 ; Alexander Tucker, 1846; Levi Grinolds, 1847-48 ; Wm. Ten Broeck, 1849-50; Levi Grinolds, 1851-52 ; Wm. Ten Broeck, 1853-54; James B. Murdock, 1855-58; Eleazer Fenton, 1859-60 ; Samuel Olmstead, 1861 ; Wm. Carpenter, 1862; Eleazer Fenton, 1863 -64 ; James B. Murdock, 1865 ; Eleazer Fenton, 1866; John G. Lozier, 1867-71 ; W. N. Griggs, 1872-73 ; Nathaniel M. Perry, 1874-75 ; Willis White, 1876-77 ; W. N. Griggs, 1878 ; Alfred Williams, 1879-80 ; Wm. H. Perry, 1881-82; W. N. Griggs, 1883-84; Thomas R. Park, 1885-86 ; Charles Marlatt, 1887-88 ; Hiram Olmsted, 1888-90; D. W. Hober, 1891-92 ; N. M. Brooks, 1893-95.

In 1810, two years after its organization, this jurisdiction had a total population of only 292 inhabitants, but during the succeeding ten years the number increased to 650. In 1830, then being somewhat reduced in area by other town formations, the inhabitants numbered 666, and 1,171 in 1840. In 1850 the population had still further increased to 1,754, and in 1860, to 2,096. Ten years later it had reached 2,281, and in 1880 was 2,494, the greatest number in its history. The popu- lation according to the census of 1890, was 2,174, and in 1892 was 2171.

During the period of local history known as the anti-rent conflict, the inhabitants of Troupsburg were not only much interested in occur- ring events, but were directly concerned for the safety of their lands, and if local tradition be reliable, here was a veritable hotbed of dissatisfaction and discontent, though the excitement of the time did not carry the peo- ple beyond a vigorous discussion of the several measures proposed for their relief. In the notable Bath convention the Troupsburg delegates were Samuel Cady, Samuel Griggs, Joshua Slayter, Jesse Wilden and Nathan S. Hayes. Mr. Griggs was one of the committee chosen to present to the proprietary the claims of the suffering settlers.

Another noteworthy fact in connection with the history of this town, was the record made by its volunteers during the war of 1861-65. The roster discloses the fact that Troupsburg furnished for all branches of service a total of 222 men, who were chiefly distributed among the sev-

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eral regiments recruited in this county, while a number enlisted in other localities and a few in Pennsylvania.

Gleaning from old records, we learn that the first child born in this town was Polly Young; the first marriage that of Zebulon Tubbs and Sarah Rice, and the first death that of Jeremiah Martin. Lieut. Rey- nolds opened the first public house, four miles from the Center, and Ichabod Leach kept the first store two miles from the village. George Martin built the first grist mill at the village. Through the same chan- nel we also learn that the first school was taught by Abner Thomas, a little east of Troupsburg village. This mention naturally leads us to speak of the school system of the town at large, although imperfect records preclude the possibility of reliable information on this subject. Again, the several changes and reductions of territory necessitated fre- quent rearrangement of the old districts, no record of which seems to be preserved. As at present constituted, the town has eighteen school districts, including the academic school at Troupsburg village, in which were employed during the last current year, twenty teachers. The whole number of children attending school was 644. The value of all school property is $6,910. The town received public moneys to the amount of $2,276.78, and raised by local tax $1,595.24. Forty trees were planted during the school year.

Troupsburg has been called the town of many villages, but this is in no sense surprising when we consider the topographical features of the region. From the very earliest settlement the inhabitants established trading centers to suit their convenience, and in so large a town, and one so broken by valleys and ridges, the founding of frequent hamlets was but an act of prudence. Troupsburg village, or Center, is of first importance and is situate near the center of the town, while the West, South and East villages occupy the situations suggested by their re- spective names. High Up is the post-office name for West Troupsburg, and Young Hickory is in the southwest part of the town.

TUSCARORA .- In many respects Tuscarora resembles Lindley in natural physical features, the one being crossed from south to north by Tuscarora Creek, while the Tioga River has the same course through Lindley. Both towns have the same character of hill ranges, the soil generally is much the same, and each has the advantages of a line of

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railroad intersecting its territory. Yet the early settlement of these towns was quite dissimilar, Lindley by a well equipped colony and Tuscarora by a pioneer with limited means and no companions, but an abundance of determination and energy that stood him in good stead in after years.

According to conceded authority, the pioneer of township I, range 2, was William Wombaugh, a former resident and native of New Jersey, who came to the Tuscarora valley in 1804 and purchased 187 acres of land. He engaged in lumbering quite extensively for the time, and also cleared a tract of land and raised grain. The latter commodity was much sought by later settlers, and the neighborhood of Wom- baugh's Mills early became a place of importance in local annals. In 1806 pioneer Wombaugh built a grist mill on his land in the valley and this, in connection with his other enterprises, made him in all respects the leading man of the region ; a prominence well earned by an honest and industrious life, and all honors which came to him were worthily bestowed. In truth, the Wombaugh family were for many years millers and farmers, later generations succeeding the pioneer in his chosen pursuit.

Among the early settlers in the valley of Tuscarora Creek were Amos Dolph, who located at the place called Carrtown, and still later as Addison Hill, in the southwest part of the town. Amos Towsley settled between Wombaugh's and the Hill in 1816. Jesse Rowley came in 1804, a few months after Wombaugh, and settled at the " forks " of the creek. In the Rowley family were thirteen children, three of whom were natives of this valley. Jemima Rowley was the first child born in the town, the date being February, 1806. She became the wife of John Plimley. In 1816 Samuel Colgrove settled above Wombaugh's.

About this time, from 1814 to 1818, settlement in this locality was quite rapid, and among the families who came during the period several may be mentioned. Still, a few came at an earlier date. Daniel Strait, an old Revolutionary soldier, carne in 1809. Asabel Thomas came in 1816; Joseph Gile settled on the Hill in 1824; John C. Orr located in the northeast part of the town about 1816. Other members of the Orr family soon followed and from them the name "Orr Settlement " was given. They were an earnest and hard-working family and deserved

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the position they held in the community. In the Mine Creek neigh- borhood Daniel Burdick and Andrew Crowl were early settlers. Rev. David Short, remembered for his zeal and earnest sincerity in endeavor- ing to promote the welfare of the Close Communion Baptist church, settled in 1823 near the State line, in the south part of the town. The Northrup settlement was made in 1825 by Warren and Benedict Northrup. Among the other early settlers in the south part were Rev. Aaron Baxter and family, also Alfred Nichols and Simeon Freeman, all members of one household. About 1830, Elder Baxter succeeded in gathering a number of settlers and forming the so-called Chenango county colony, and, still further, in forming a religious society with forty- six members. In his colony were James Sprague, Migeman Taft, David Hart, Samuel and Enoch Mack, Eliba Albee, David Hart and Samuel Smith, all of whom were welcome comers to the sparsely settled town and by whose labors the lands were cleared and good farms opened. The same statement may be made of Justus Wright, John Webster, Capt. Joseph Manley, and others whose names are lost with the lapse of years.

These early inhabitants of the Tuscarora valley were a hardy and determined set of men, to whom the ordinary privations of pioneership were not a discouraging obstacle. At that time their township formed a part of the older jurisdiction of Addison, the village being several miles distant, while the county seat was at least twenty-five miles away. However, glancing back into the early history of the mother town, we find frequent mention of residents in township I, range 3, some of whom attained positions of prominence in local affairs. A visit to the valley of Tuscarora Creek will at once convince the observ- ing traveler of the fact that the settlers here built "from the stump," and "builded firmly." Indeed, it was no small loss to Addison to be bereft of these lands as part of her jurisdiction, yet necessity and the public convenience demanded a division of the mother town. How- ever, before this was done Tuscarora passed through many periods of civil and political disturbance, notably the war of 1812, and still later the anti rent controversy, though local interests were little affected by either event.

The proposition for the new town came regularly before the Board of

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Supervisors on the 13th of December, 1859, and, meeting with no serious objection, was carried, and the new creation was called " Orrville." This name, however, was soon changed to "Tuscarora," in allusion to the sixth nation of the Iroquois confederacy, who were received by Indian adoption in 1712. By designation, the first meeting of electors in the new town was held on the 14th of February, 1860, at the dwelling house of Oliver Moore, at which time officers were chosen as follows :

Jesse W. Rowley, supervisor ; George W. Webb, town clerk ; Myron M. Manley, James Lemunyan and Charles W. Robinson, justices of the the peace ; Lorenzo Wettenhall, Joseph Oakden and Lansing Hand, assessors ; Philip W. Perkins, commissioner of highways; G. H. Free- man, collector.

In 1860, the year following that in which the town was formed, the inhabitants of Tuscarora numbered 1,566, the greatest number attained during the period of its history. In 1870 the population was 1,528; in 1880 was 1,534 ; in 1890 was 1,438, and in 1892, as shown by the State count made that year, was 1,393.

The succession of supervisors (chief town officers) in Tuscarora has been as follows: Jesse W. Rowley, 1860; Nehemiah Manley, 1861 ; Jesse W. Rowley, 1862; William Wombaugh, 1863-74; Mordecai Casson, jr., 1875 ; Jesse W. Rowley, 1876; George Freeman, 1877-80; C. H. Rowley, 1881-82 ; Edward Young, 1883 ; A. S. Hamilton, 1884- 85 ; J. E. Lemunyan, 1886; G. H. Freeman, 1887-89 ; Edward Young, 1890-91 ; A. S. Hamilton, 1892-95.

The officers of the town for the year 1895 are A. S. Hamilton, super- visor ; Atwood Weeks, town clerk ; Cornelius J. Smith, Jason McMinds, John Casson and Frank Baxter, justices of the peace ; William Murray, Henry Smith and Charles Bottum, assessors; James Simpson, collector ; Edward Young, overseer of the poor ; Albert Lemunyan, commissioner of highways; Austin Benedict, A. Andrews and Hugh McTamany, commissioners of excise.

The educational system of Tuscarora previous to the formation of a separate jurisdiction of course was a part of the system then employed in Addison from which this town was taken; but after the separation the new town was divided into districts and a school maintained in each.

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LANDMARKS OF STEUBEN COUNTY.

As now constituted the districts are fourteen in number, and the whole number of children in the town is 323. Eleven teachers are annually employed. The total value of all school property is $4,440, and the assessed valuation of the districts in 1894 was $430,585. The town contains 22,400 acres of land. In the year last mentioned Tuscarora received of public school moneys $1,318, and raised by school tax $1,228. Seventeen trees were planted by pupils in 1894.

During the period of the war of 1861-65, Nehemiah Manley, Jesse W. Rowley and William Wombaugh held the then very responsible and difficult position of supervisor, and, during their respective terms of office, were intimately identified with the war measures adopted by the town. Tuscarora was known as one of the loyal regions of the county, and responded freely and promptly to every call for volunteers, exhibit- ing a truly loyal and martial spirit. The town furnished for the service a total of 155 men, scattered through the several regiments recruited in the county, while a number joined Pennsylvania commands.

CHAPTER XI.

THE CIVIL DIVISIONS OF THE COUNTY.

URBANA .- In the spring of the year 1793, William and Thomas Aulls left their former home in Lancaster, Penn., determined to establish for themselves and family a permanent abode in the new yet widely known Genesee country. They visited Geneva and Bath, both of which were primitive settlements, and finally made their way toward the head of famed Lake Keuka. This journey naturally led the travelers into the beautiful Pleasant Valley country where they found lands suited to their wishes, and here the senior Aulls located his purchase and built a cabin on what has been known as the Decker farm. This was the first civil- ized settlement within the present town of Urbana, although the country had been frequently traversed between Bath and other southern settle- ments, and Geneva and Canandaigua. Through the valley was the principal Indian trail leading to the head of the lake and thence down

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THE CIVIL DIVISIONS OF THE COUNTY.

the same on both east and west sides After clearing and planting suf- ficient for the necessities of his family during the coming winter, the senior Aulls returned to Pennsylvania and brought the other members of his household to their new home.

In the fall of the same year (1793), Samuel Baker also built a cabin and made an improvement in the locality, and in the spring of the fol- lowing year, brought his family to the valley, accompanied or closely followed by Richard Daniels and Amos Stone William Read came about the same time and has been mentioned as the third settler in the town. Other pioneers were Abram and Jonas Brundage, John Faulk- ner, Captain Shether and Eli Read. The Faulkner improvement was purchased in 1807, by Cornelius Younglove. Captain Shether pur- chased and located on the site of the present progressive village of Hammondsport, his deed bearing the date 1796, and his lands embrac-

ing 146 acres. The property was afterward transferred to William Root and by the latter to Lazarus Hammond, and from the last men- tioned we have the name-Hammondsport.

Recalling briefly the names of other early settlers and residents in this locality, may be mentioned Daniel Bennitt, Robert Harrison, Caleb Chapman, the proprietor of the first log tavern at North Urbana, Stephen Kingsley, Abram Depew, John Walters, Obediah Wheeler, Reuben Hall, Andrew Layton, Erastus Webster, David Hutches, Samuel Drew, John Daniels, Samuel Townsend, Joseph Rosencranz, and others whose names are now lost. Many of these early settlers were natives of New England and several of them had served during the Revolutionary war, a few as officers in the service. The first birth in the town was that of Samuel Baker, jr .; the first marriage that of Jonathan Barney and Polly Aulls in 1794; the first death that of John Phillips, 1794 ; Eliphalet Norris taught the first school in the valley in 1795 ; Caleb Chapman kept the first tavern at North Urbana; Henry A. Townsend opened the first store at Cold Spring in 1815; John Shether built the first saw mill in 1795, and Gen. George McClure built the first grist mill in 1802.

From what has been stated the reader will at once discover that the the early settlement of this part of the county was accomplished rapidly. In truth, in all the vast area of land in Steuben no portion possessed

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greater beauty or more natural advantages than did this locality at the head of the lake and extending thence up the fertile Pleasant Valley. This prominence has continued to the present day, although the character of the occupancy and the pursuits of the inhabitants have materially changed. Urbana has become a vineyard and fruit township, and as such enjoys a State-wide and enviable reputation. Even to the tops of her highest hills, some of which have an altitude of a thousand feet, the vineyards extend, and in all localities are fine farms and inviting places of abode and pleasure. These natural advantages have combined to make this town one of the most valuable and also one of the most interesting in the whole Genesee country.

Indeed, so rapidly were the lands taken up by early settlers that in 1825 there dwelt in the town no less than 966 inhabitants, and at that time the hamlet we now call Hammondsport was only a scattered settle- ment, while lake traffic was so limited as to be hardly a factor in local growth. On the 17th of April, 1822, the town of Urbana was set off from Bath and given a separate organization. In 1839 a part was re- annexed to Bath, while in the same year a portion of Wheeler was an- nexed to Urbana ; also a small part from Pulteney on April 12, 1848. As now constituted this town contains 25,200 acres of land, and has a population (1890) of 2,590.

The organization meeting was held in the school house in Pleasant Valley, on the first Tuesday in March, 1823, at which time officers were elected as follows : Henry A. Townsend, supervisor; Lazarus Hammond, town clerk; Andrew Layton, Henry Griffin and Abram Brundage, assessors ; Obediah Wheeler, Reuben Hall and Abram Brundage, com- missioners of highways ; Samuel Baker and William Read, overseers of the poor; Caleb Rogers, Stephen Kingsley and William H. Ennis, constables

In this connection it is also proper to furnish the succession of super- visors, as follows : Henry A. Townsend, 1823-31 ; John P. Popino, 1832 and 1835-37 ; William Baker, 1833-34; Amasa Church, 1838; Jacob Larrowe, 1839; Obediah Wheeler, 1840-41 and 1844; Peter Houck, 1842-43 ; Wm. Baker, 1845 ; Aaron Coggswell, 1846; J. J. Poppino, 1847-48 and 1850; John W. Davis, 1849; John Randel, 1851-52 ; A. S. Brundage, 1853; M. Brown, 1854; Orlando Shepard, 1855-56;

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John Randel, 1857 ; John W. Taggert, 1858 and 1860-62 ; Joseph A. Crane, 1859; Benjamin Myrtle, 1863-65 and 1869-71; Absalom Hadden, 1866-68 and 1872; G. W. Nichols, 1873-75 ; R. Longwell, 1876; Charles L. Bailey, 1877-78 ; B. F. Drew, 1879-80 ; Adsit Bailey, 1881-85 ; H. J. Moore, 1886-87 ; J. H. Keeler, 1888 ; George H. Keeler, 1889-90; H. J. Moore, 1891-93 ; H. M. Champlin, 1894-95.

The town officers for the year 1895 are Harry M. Champlin, super- visor ; Lemuel J. Benham, town clerk ; Benjamin J. Wright, Frank H. Hunt, George W. Hubbs and David Longwell, justices of the peace ; Joseph Smith, collector ; George Austin, overseer of the poor ; Robert L. Snow, highway commissioners; Theodore Hamilton, George Vrooman and Eugene La Rue, excise commissioners.

In the preceding portion of this chapter there has been narrated a brief account of the civil history of the town of Urbana. It began that history with the organization in 1823, and from that to the present time the record of the town has been one of almost con- tinuous and uninterrupted progress. Noting its gradual growth, we may state that in 1825 the population of the town was 966, and in 1830 had increased to 1,288. During the next ten years the inhab- itants increased in number to 1,884, and in 1850 to 2,079. In 1860 the number was 1,983, and 2,082 in 1870. Ten years later the pop- ulation was 2,318, and still further increased to 2,590 in 1890. Ac- cording to the enumeration made in 1892, the town had a population of 2,542.

During the famous anti-rent conflict in 1830, and about that time, the inhabitants of this town were quite seriously affected by the dis- cussion of the period, and some of the men of Urbana were prominently identified with the proposed measures for relief. The delegates to the Bath convention were Henry A. Townsend. John Sanford, jr., John Powers, Elias Ketchum and Dyer Cranmer.

Again, during the war of 1861, the record of the volunteers from the town forms a bright page in local history, for no less than 200 men of Urbana were enlisted in all branches of the service. At that time the population was 1,983, and the records show that fully ten per cent. of the whole number were contributed to the town's quota.

No less interesting is the history of the educational system of the

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town at large, for the fact is well authenticated that the inhabitants of Urbana have ever made generous provision for the support of public schools. As early as the year 1823 Edward Townsend, Franklin Baker and William Read, commissioners of common schools, divided the town into school districts, seven in number, and a school was at once es- tablished in each. In 1827 the town received of public moneys $59.76, and a like amount was raised by local tax. In this manner the system was established, and from it the present condition of schools has grown. As now constituted the town has twelve districts, and each has a suitable school house. During the last current year eighteen teachers were employed. The value of school property in the town is estimated at $19,450. The amount of public moneys received was $2,219.75. and the town raised by tax the additional sum of $5,440.83.

Still further referring to the subject of early schools in Urbana, we may quote briefly from Mrs. Bennitt's narrative: "In 1795 the agent of the Pulteney estate gave to William Read, Amos Stone and Samuel Baker, and their heirs, fifty acres of land for school purposes. After- ward by an act of the Legislature, it was made over to the trustees and their successors in office, and at the present time is doing the work in- tended by Charles Williamson. The first school house was built in 1795, and Eliphalet Norris was the first teacher. Mr. Williamson's offer of land for school purposes was made to other districts to induce settlement, but Pleasant Valley people were the only ones who took legal measures to secure the land."

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Landmarks of Steuben County, New York, Part 16

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