USA > New York > Wayne County > Landmarks of Wayne County, New York, Pt. 1 > Part 28
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24th inst., his Zoological Institute Association, Menagerie and Aviary, and also his paintings and Serpant," in consideration of the payment of $10. The first band of musicians in Clyde was organized in 1839 under the leadership of Major Gilbert, of Palmyra; he was succeeded in 1840 by Major Pitman, who was paid a salary of $400 a year. This band dis- banded about 1854. In 1860 the Wells Cornet Band was organized, and in 1848 the Saxton Band was formed.
The Clyde Fire Department was instituted January 2, 1836, by the appointment of sixteen persons as a hook and ladder company. In 1841 the Cataract hand engine was purchased for $1,000 and the first engine company was then organized. . October 20, 1857, the old Cataract com- pany was reorganized into the Niagara Fire Company No. 2, to man the engine Niagara, which had been purchased October " at a cost of $1,000; this engine and hose were destroyed in the glass works fire July 24, 18:3. The old Cataract engine, long since disused, is still in possession of the Ever Readys. In 1822 two dams were constructed in the Eric Canal to retain water for use at fires. In September, 1863, the village purchased a Silsby steamer and 1,000 feet of hose for $5,000, and in the same year the Protectives Hook and Ladder Company No. 1 was organ- ized. In June, 1886, a fire bell was placed in the town hall. In May, 1889, a new truck costing $1,000 was purchased for the Protectives, and a new chemical extinguisher was bought for the Ever Ready Hose Com- pany No. 2.
Among the more disastrous fires that have visited the village may be mentioned the following: July 24, 1873, glass factory, loss about $55, - 000; in September, 1824, same place, loss $3,000; in October, 1814, the Newman House, loss $8, 009; March 28, ISTS, Barse block, loss $10,000; September 11, 1883, Clyde Hotel, St. John's Episcopal Church, Gillette blocks, etc., loss $25,000; January 17, 1889, on Columbia street, loss $12,000; January 8, 1890, same street, loss $7,000; January 16, 1890, on Glasgow street, loss $7,000.
The project of providing an adequate water supply for Clyde was agitated in 1883, and on January 17, 1885, the Clyde Water Works Com- pany was organized. Nothing was done, however, until 1887, when the matter was revived. On May 14, 1888, the present water works com- pany was formally organized and in the same month a contract was signed with the Bassett Brothers to construct the existing system. The village bound itself to pay $1, 600 annually for five years for water for fire protection. Twelve wells were sunk on the N. G. Moore farm in
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the western part of the corporation, and a steel water tower with a ca- pacity of 200,000 gallons, was erected on Rees hill. A pumping sta- tion equipped with two boilers and a compound duplex engine was erected and the system went into operation in the fall of 1889. Albert W. Van Buskirk was appointed the first superintendent and engineer, and held the position until he resigned in September, 1891, when the present incumbent. E. M. Ellinwood, took charge. Since the inception of the water works the engines and steamer have been superseded, in case of fire, by hose attached to the hydrants.
The Clyde Board of Trade was organized in 1890, and has since been the means of materially advancing the commercial growth of the village.
The gas works of Clyde were started about 1856, and have continued to supply the village and individuals with gas since that date. The works are situated on the south side of the canal, west of the upper bridge, and are now in charge of George Tuffts ..
The Clyde Electric Company was incorporated September 20, 1890, by E. Fred Stoetzel (president), Charles II. Ford (vice-president), E. M. MeIntyre (secretary and treasurer), Calvin Melntyre, and J. George Kaelber, with a capital of $25,000, which has remained un- changed. The plant was erected that fall and placed in operation December 25, in a brick building between the canal and the Central Railroad, west of Sodus street. It is the only plant burning 2, 000 candle power are lights in streets between Syracuse and Rochester. They have thirty-eight are street lamps and about 500 incandescent lamps, and a wired system of fourteen miles. The present officers are: D. M. Wright, president; Nathan Shaw, vice-president; E. M. Melntyre, secretary and treasurer.
The banking interests of Clyde date from 1837, when Miller's Bank was established through the influence of Messrs. Briggs, Ford, Chap- man, Smith, Griswold, Redfield, and De Zeng. Stocks were issued to farmers in exchange for mortgages, which became the securities under the State law. The bank did a large business, but it failed in 1843, spreading disaster in every direction. January 7, 1851, Isaac Miller organized the Commercial Bank of Clyde; but he failed in 1869 with heavy liabilities. In 1865 Mr. Miller, father of Isaac, established the First National Bank of Clyde, he filling the office of president, and William H. Miller, son of Isaac, cashier. This bank also failed in 1869. Charles Hamilton, who was born in Steuben county in 1819, came to
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('lyde about 1859, and for several years prior to his death ( February 23, 1893) conducted a private banking business.
The Briggs Bank of Clyde was incorporated in 1856, under the State law, as the Briggs Bank, with Samuel $. Briggs, president, and William H. Coffin, cashier and principal manager. Its capital was about $20,000, and among its stockholders were Messrs. Briggs, Coffin, Redfield, and Ketchum. In 1859 Mr. Briggs became by purchase the . sole owner. January 28, 1860, Aaron Griswold bought a one-half interest, and at the death of Mr. Briggs in September, 1865, he sold out to Samuel H. Briggs, son of Samuel S., who also acquired his father's interest. In the same year S. HI. Briggs sold a part of the business to Lewis HI. Palmer, and in the fall of 1866 its circulation was called in, its securities in possession of the State redeemed, and it became a private bank under the name of Briggs & Palmer. In March, 1880, it closed business under this title, and April 19 following began anew as the Briggs National Bank with paid in capital of $50,000, and with these officers: Samuel H. Briggs, president; Lewis H. Palmer, vice- president; J. W. Hinman, cashier; W. A. Hunt, assistant cashier. .These, and W. S. Hunt and George W. Cowles, constitute the Board of Directors.
In March, 1869, Aaron Griswold and Charles E. Elliott purchased the office fixtures of the defunct First National Bank and started a private bank on the corner of Columbia and Glasgow streets; in the next year it was removed to the corner of Glasgow and Ford streets. The firm name of Griswold & Elliott was soon changed to Griswold, Elliott & Company, and subsequently to Griswold & Gurnee. In May, 1874, Mr. Griswold retired and the firm became Gurnee & Streeter, but on June 1, 1846, Aaron Griswold repurchased the entire business and conducted it until his death in February, 1883, when it was discontinued.
In 1832 a company consisting of eight men was formed in Clyde for the purpose of manufacturing salt. . A well 400 feet deep was sunk and $1,800 were expended in promoting the enterprise. Brine was obtained in small quantity, but when exposed to the air it turned red. An artesian well was put down near the glass works which emitted gas and produced a weak brine. In May, 1887, a company was organized with a capital of $3,000; the trustees were: W. D. Ely, J. M. Streeter, A. II. Smith, W. H. Groesbeek, and George O. Baker. On September 13, a well was commenced on the vacant lot near the glass works; at a depth of 340 feet the Niagara formation appeared, at 675 feet the Clinton
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group, and at 758 feet the Medina sandstone, and at 1,792 feet work was suspended. At 110 feet mineral water was found, and at 145 feet salt water was struck ; at 685 feet a pocket of gas was encountered; this was burned for some time, but was never utilized.
The Clyde mineral springs were analyzed by Professor Hadley, of Geneva College, in 1844, and found to contain the following ingredients: muriate of soda, 55 gr .; muriate of lime, 30 gr. ; sulphate and muriate of magnesia, 12 gr. ; a gallon of the water contains 288 grains of saline matter. In 1893 a well was sunk in the middle of the public square which produces water strongly impregnated with mineral substances.
About the year 1820 William S. De Zeng purchased a tract of land within the present limits of Clyde, and with James R. Rees founded the present glass works in 1827. It was then simply a window glass factory, and the corner stone was laid March 27, 1828, under the superintendence of Major Frederic A. De Zeng. The proprietors since that time have been as follows:
William S. De Zeng, James R. Rees (De Zeng & Rees); Charles S. De Zeng; Dr. Hiram Mann; Lawrence De Zeng, Abner Burlingame, Theodore Hinman (De Zeng & Co.); James II. Stokes; James HI. Stokes, William C. Ely (Stokes & Ely); James HI. . Stokes; II. H. Stevens, Isaac Miller (Stevens & Miller); H. H. Stevens, Isaac Miller, C. E. Elliott, II. G. Groesbeck (Stevens, Miller & Co.); Isaac Miller, George Rowell, Cornelius Miller (Miller, Rowell & Co.); William C. Ely ; Dr. Linus Ely ; Orrin South- wick ; Orrin Southwick, Charles W. Reed, John Schindler, George H. Hoyt (South- wick, Reed & Co.); William C. Ely, Charles W. Reed, John Schindler, George II. Hoyt (Ely, Reed & Co.); William C. Ely, Charles W. Reed, George H. Hoyt (Ely, Reed & Co.).
From 1828 to 1864 the window glass factory alone was run. In 1864 the bottle factory was started, the first firm being Southwick & Woods (Orrin Southwick and Almon Woods); then Southwick & Reed (Orrin Southwick and Charles W. Reed). Afterward both factories were under the management of Southwick, Reed & Co.
On July 24, 1873, the establishment was burned, but was at once re- built. In 1878 the buildings underwent repairs and the old corner stone was replaced by a new one August 10. In 1880 Mr. Reed retired and the firm became Ely, Son & Hoyt, by the admission of Charles D. Ely. William C. Ely died September 20, 1886, since which time the firm name' has been William C. Ely's Sons & Hoyt (Charles D. and William D. Ely and George II. Hoyt.) Window glass and bottles, fruit jars, etc., are made, and the product is sent to all parts of the country.
In 1831 Condit & Van Buren established a foundry in a wooden build-
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ing; and a little later the firm became Whiting, Humphrey & Co., who, in 1843, sold to Dolph, Humphrey & Co. The latter erected a stone building and added the manufacture of machinery and here the business has ever since been conducted. Among their successors were A. S. Field, Humphrey & Wood, Millard Olmstead, F. Humphrey, Wood & Chandler. December 1, 1866, S. W. & S. HI. Wood purchased the con- cern and carried on business until the death of S. H. Wood, when S. W. assumed the business. In 1887 the latter admitted his son Henry I. as partner under the style of S. W. Wood & Son. They make traction, portable, and stationary engines, iron and brass castings, and do a gen- eral machine business.
In 1866 the First National Paper Manufacturing Company of Clyde was organized, with Dr. Darwin Colvin, president, and erected a build- ing with a weekly capacity of nine tons of manilla wrapping paper. The next year the Clyde Paper Manufacturing Company, of which Aaron Griswold was president, began making printing paper. After running about two years, at a heavy loss, both mills were closed. One of the buildings was afterwards used by T. P. Thorn as a malt house, and in August, 1877, it was burned with a loss of $11,000.
Isaac Scott, a Quaker, is said to have started the first tannery in Clyde. William Andrews became his partner and when Roberts & Rose assumed the business Mr. Scott established another on the north side of the river. The tannery of Roberts & Rose was finally converted into a dwelling and occupied by Asahel Tichnor, Ezra Furman, and others, and eventually was torn down. Root & King also had a tan- nery here at an early day, and failed about 1835.
In 1818 William S. De Zeng's father built a dam across Clyde River west of the lower bridge, and the son erected a grist mill on the north side of the stream just west of the site of the mineral spring. In carly days another mill was built west of the lower bridge and a carding mill on the north side of the river below that bridge. The first steam grist mill was erected by Ford & Smith where the lumber yard is now situated. It was purchased by Aaron Griswold, Charles S. De Zeng, W. C. Ely, and H. G. Groesbeck in 1851, who sold it in 1854 to Briggs, Coffin & Co., by whom it was converted into a distillery. It burned and was not re- built. Mr. Griswold and Fredus Chapman purchased in 1843 two grist mills and a saw mill which at that time constituted the milling interests of Clyde, and the two men also engaged in mercantile business. Mr. Griswold subsequently sold his interest to Luther Redfield, jr. In 1851
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Cornelius Miller erected a brewery and malt house which his son, John C., transformed into a grist mill, and its proprietors have since been James H. Congdon, 1857; Zina Hooker, 1863; Louis Strumm and John Hartman, 1864; Mary Hartman, 1874; and Wood & Keesler since 1883. The latter have enlarged and remodeled the mill and substituted the roller process for stones. S. Skinner built a steam saw and grist mill on the south side of the river which subsequently passed to Joel Thorn. It was demolished in 1883 to make room for the West Shore Railroad.
The malting business, though carried on in a quiet manner, forms one of Clyde's most important industries. In 1854 Cornelius Miller erected a brewery and malt house previously mentioned; upon the death of Louis Strumm it was leased for four years by A. H. Smith. Capacity 12,000 bushels. Charles E. Elliott had a malt house near the present foundry, and his successors were Reed & Elliott, A. H. Smith, and Charles R. Kennedy, since 1880. Capacity 30,000 bushels. Mr. Ken- nedy also leases a malt house of C. W. Reed. In 1860 Charles Gordon converted one floor of his warehouse into a malting establishment with a capacity of 8,000 bushels. S. D. & J. M. Streeter purchased the building, and in 1866 increased its capacity to 60,000 bushels. In 1891 S. D. Streeter sold his interest to George. B. Greenway, who one year later became sole proprietor, enlarging its capacity to 100,000 bushels.
John Stevens & Company started a malt house capaple of carrying about 15,000 bushels. Thomas P. Thorn succeeded as proprietor and also to that of the Newlove brewery adjoining, and in 1867 he enlarged the latter, making the combined capacity 100, 000 bushels. Thorn & Fox started a malt house in the old paper mill on the south side of the river about 1864, but abandoned it some four years later. In 1868 the Nichols warehouse was converted into a malt house with a capacity of 12,000 bushels. Upon the death of Mr. Nichols, Charles W. Reed bought the property, enlarged it to a capacity of 60,000 bushels, and excepting two years, when he was in partnership with A. H. Smith, has since conducted it. McIntyre & Warner's malt house was built as a storehouse by Calvin McIntyre. Its capacity, formerly 35, 000 bushels, was increased in 1889 to 158,000 bushels. Thomas Smith built a malt house in 1856 with a capacity of 8,000 bushels, which he increased, until in 1867 it was 100,000. In 1884 he associated his son Arthur HI. in a partnership styled T. Smith & Son, which continued until 1888, when J. K. Souther, a Boston brewer, and A. H. Smith bought the concern as the Smith Malting Company. In 1890 Mr. Souther purchased his
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partner's interest and continues the business under the above name. In 1890 Arthur H. Smith bought the site of the old Franklin House ad- joining the Central Railroad and erected his present malt house; capacity 100,000 bushels.
George A. Brown opened a harness shop in Clyde in 1872, and from that year to the present gradually increased the business, employing now about fifty-five hands in making harness for the trade and turning out $90,000 in goods annually. He has occupied his present quarters since 1864, and also deals in carriages, wagons, etc.
The canning factory of Hemingway & Company was started in the old paper mill building in 1878. They have since erected a large plant and carry on an extensive business.
The Clyde Creamery Company was incorporated in the summer of 1894, and a factory placed in operation in August of that year.
Of the merchants in Clyde thirty years ago Ambrose S. Field, Jacob Strauss, and Sylvester J. Childs are the only ones who still continue business. Chester A. Ward opened a general store in 1838, and after- ward had George M. Closs as partner; on the death of the latter the business was closed out. Mr. Ward was elected sheriff on the Whig ticket, moved west, and died in Michigan in February, 1892. Among other old-time merchants in the village were: Frisbie & Nichols, A. Mundy, Isaac Miller, Halsted & Clark, Luther Redfield, jr., Frederick Bellamy, J. D. Stone, S. J. Sayles, Edward Canfield, Ely & Mead, Scott & Dickinson, and J. C. Atkins. Jacob Zearfoz, a German bach- elor, had a hat factory here in early days.
The Clyde marble and granite works of Edward B. Wells was estab- lished by him in 1860. In 1873 he represented the First Assembly District of Wayne county in the Legislature.
The S. S. Briggs brick block, one of the oldest in the village, was erected in 1851; the A. E. Adams block, three stories, in 1869; the Adams block, two stories, in 1882; and the L. W. Burton brick build- ing, also in 1882. Other handsome and imposing brick blocks have been erected from time to time, giving the main street (Glasgow) of the village quite a metropolitan appearance.
Clyde village now contains three dry goods stores, three hardware stores, seven groceries, three boot and shoe stores, five millinery stores, two jewelry stores, three clothing stores, three drug stores, one news room, a photograph gallery, three furniture establishments, one furniture repair shop, two printing offices and newspapers, two hotels, three
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liveries, two flouring mills, seven malt houses, three coal dealers, one lumber yard, one produce dealer, five lawyers, six physicians, three dentists, four meat markets, two marble works, one warehouse, a machine shop, two cooper shops, a district graded school, a high school, five churches, and a population of 2,638.
LOCK BERLIN. - This place was first settled by Solomon Ford in 1805. He bought one hundred acres of land mainly on the south side of the canal, which five years later became a prosperous farm. In his neighbor- hood in 1812 James Showers, John and MeQuiller Parish, and John Acker each purchased one hundred acres and settled. The last survivor of these families was Mrs. Delia Gernard, daughter of John Parish. The first frame house was built by David Ford in 1814 on the farm owned by the heirs of Daniel Jennison. David, William, and Benjamin Ford erected and opened the first store in 1824, and in connection therewith conducted a distillery, a brick yard, a cooper shop, and an ashery. Aaron Griswold and William Ford started a second mercantile business here in 1831, but a year or two later Alfred Griswold, brother of Aaron, purchased Mr. Ford's interest, and the two continued trade until March, 1836. N. B. Gilbert, father of W. H. Gilbert, came here in 1837 and engaged in carpentering ; in 1849 he began making carriages, which he continued until his death in 1875.
It has generally been claimed that the post-office was first established in William Ford's store, and it is probable that he was the first post- master. The present incumbent is James Dunkley. James Larned and Seth Brown, the first road commissioners of Galen, were prominent residents of the hamlet; and Samuel Broekner was one of its earliest blacksmiths. In 1838, and for many years before, a tavern furnished entertainment for travelers. ", William Griswold had the lock grocery at an early day and went to New York each fall and spring to buy goods, purchasing generally from forty to fifty casks of whisky and a liberal supply of rum, gin, and brandy. At that time the place contained about seventy-five inhabitants. The temperance movement long since suppressed the large number of bar rooms and has given to Lock Berlin a respectable reputation. Situated on the canal and the Central Rail- road, in the west part of the town, the little hamlet now contains a store, post-office, evaporator, district school, church, and the usual shops.
MARENGO .--- This little village is the site of the first settlement in Galen. It is situated in the southwest part of the town on lot 95, on
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the Montezuma turnpike, a half mile north from the county line. Thomas Beadle, of Junius, Seneca county, originally owned the land, and in 1800 settled his son Laomi upon it. The latter erected the first house and the first saw mill, and Edward G. Ludlow started the first store in 1818; this was in charge of his agent, Cyrus Smith, who was in that year appointed the first postmaster; the present official is David II. Perry. About 1818 Edward Wing built and opened the first tavern, and Nathan Blodgett started an ashery. The village was rapidly sur- rounded by thrifty farmers, most of whom were Quakers, who long im- parted to the community an influence for good. They carly established a church of their sect and have maintained their simple doctrines and quiet reserve through the intervening years to the present day.
ANGELL'S CORNERS, three miles east of Marengo and half a mile north from the county line, is a small rural hamlet of a few farm houses.
MEADVILLE, or LOCKPIT, is a little settlement on the canal near the southeast corner of the town. It has a grocery and a few dwellings.
CHURCHES .-- The oldest religious organization in this town is the Galen Preparatory Meeting of Friends, which was formed in 1815 into a regular monthly meeting to be held alternately in the towns of Junius and Galen. Among the first members from this town were: David Beadle, Stephen Y. Watson, James Tripp, Daniel and Nathan Strang, Mathew Rogers, and Henry Bonnell. Five years prior to this they had organized the above society in conjunction with Junius, and until 1812 meetings were held occasionally in a log meeting house near Marengo; in that year their present house of worship was built one-fourth of a mile west of that village. After several years' experience as a regular monthly meeting the organization changed back to the Galen Prepara- tory Meeting of Friends, which title it still retains.
The First Presbyterian Church of Clyde was organized by Rev. Francis Pomeroy, of Lyons, and Rev. Hippocrates Roe, of Palmyra, July 8, 1814, with these members: Samuel Garlic, William Diddie, Ezra and Nabby Lewis, John and Sally Grow, and Erastus Wilder. On the following day the Presbyterian form of government was adopted, and Samuel Garlic, Erastus Wilder, and Ezra Lewis were chosen elders; Erastus Wilder, deacon; Rev. Francis Pomeroy, stated moderater; Samuel Garlic, clerk. At this meeting Tamar, wife of Erastus Wilder, became the first member admitted to the society, and on July 10, Huldah and Charlotte Grow, Lydia Elizabeth Wilder, and John A. Addison were christened and baptized into the church by Rev. Mr. Roe. The
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church was attended by supplies until July, 1820, when Rev. Charles Mosher was made the first pastor; he was succeeded among others by Maltby Gelston, Joseph Fisher, S. J. M. Beebe, J. W. Roy, John Ward, Robert E. Wilson (sixteen years), J. R. Young, A. C. Roe, and W. H. Bates (twelve years). The present pastor is Rev. J. C. Mead, and the society has about 200 members. The society worshiped a few years in the school house south of the river, and then in the upper story of Sylvester Clarke's store, the same now occupied by his son Sylvester H. as a dwelling. The first house of worship stood on the corner of Lock and Caroline streets; was of wood and cost $5, 500; its corner stone was laid in August, 1829. In 1870 it was superseded by the present imposing brick edifice, the corner stone of which was laid August 20. The church cost about $30,000. It was dedicated November 30, 1871. The parsonage was donated to the society by General Charles P. Kings- bury of Watertown, Mass., as a memorial to his mother, who was long one of its members.
On the 4th of April, 1821, the Galen Sabbath School Society was organized at the house of Ephraim Marsh with the following officers: Rev. Charles Mosher, superintendent; Dea. John Leavenworth, vice- superintendent; James Humeston, secretary ; Dr. John Lewis, treasurer; Oliver Whitmore, Joel Blakeman, Sylvester Clarke, Capt. Jerry Darrow, and Asahel Tickner, trustees. It had thirty-two teachers and was attended by children of all the church-going families in the village and its vicinity. Shortly afterwards it was merged into the Presbyterian church and among its subsequent superintendents was Jacob T. Van Buskirk from 1859 to 1843, who increased its membership from fifty- seven to over 300. It now has an average attendance of 125, with G. A. Brown, superintendent.
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