USA > New York > Wayne County > Landmarks of Wayne County, New York, Pt. 1 > Part 36
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The Wayne County Gazetteer and Directory (1866) states that Elias Converse and Joseph, Mosher made the first settlements in Savannah in 1812, but according to information furnished by II. H. Wheeler, of South Butler, and printed in a subsequent publication, it is evident that settlers were living within the borders of this town as early as 1808. In that year Eli Wheeler visited this region, and in ISTO located on a farm of 200 acres in Butler. Stephen Titus was living in Savannah, three miles east of Harrington's Corners, in 1808, and. Noah Starr and Eph-
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raim Burch were residents of that neighborhood in 1810. Silas Winans located one-half mile east of Harrington's as early as 1812.
In 1811 Prentice Palmer moved hither from Butler to care for the then idle establishment of the old Galen Salt Works. He was originally from Massachusetts, and in 1815 he removed to the town line one-half mile west of South Butler. For many years he was justice of the peace, con- stable, and collector.
Daniel Harrington, the grandfather of the late resident of that name, located at the junction of the Muskeeto Point and Galen roads prior to 1815, and from him the place was long known as Harrington's Corners. His sons were John, Nehemiah, Theophilus, Ira, and Peter. The same year Noah and Horace Peck (Brothers), Aaron Hall, and Peter Blasdell settled on the south side of the State road in the northwest part of the town.
The first settlers between Harrington's Corners and the old Galen Salt Works were Michael Weatherwax and Job Cushman in 1818. David, son of the latter, married Polly Ann, the eldest daughter of Prentice Palmer, and died in town; his widow married John Gorham, and their daughter became the wife of George Wilson, who settled on the Cush- man homestead. Orrin Wellman, whose father, Paul, was a Revolu- tionary soldier, married Hannah, another daughter of Mr. Palmer, and resided on lot 39 under a lease from Jacob Winchell. . This property for many years was celebrated in the annals of litigation. About 1820 Charles Clapp settled on a farm south of Mr. Weatherwax, and Howell Bidwell, his brother-in law, on the place subsequently occupied by By- ron G. Clark. Horace Bidwell, a brother of Howell, located there with him and married Rhoda, youngest daughter of Paul Wellman.
Joseph Mosher and George Vredenburgh settled on the road from Weatherwax's to Crusoe Creek in 1812. From a landing place at the junction of this road and the creek there was prosecuted for many years a small commercial business in row boats. Mr. Mosher became well known for his numerous swarms of bees.
Settlements on Crusoe Island, in the southern part of the town, com- menced about as early as those already mentioned. Smith Ward came in by water from Montezuma to May's Point, and thence to a locality on the Montezuma turnpike since known as Penstock. In 1818 Nehe- miah Bunyea settled near the north end of the island and erected a dwelling on the site of the old Soule homestead; in 1819 George Vre- denburgh and Elias Converse (father-in-law of Bunyea) moved over.
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Mr. Vredenburgh afterward married Sally, youngest daughter of Mr. Converse, and to them a child was born, being respectively the first marriage and the first birth in town. Mr. Bunyea finally moved to the Kingsbury farm and built thereon the first barn on the island; he event- ually went to Montezuma, where he erected for Dr. Clark and Jethro Wood the two conspicuous dwellings, long since landmarks, and for the Montezuma Turnpike Company the first bridges across the Cayuga and Canandaigua outlets. His father-in-law, Dr. William May, from whom May's Point was named, was the first physician at Montezuma.
Titus Lockwood, a one-legged Revolutionary soldier, settled on the State road in the extreme northwest corner of the town in 1819; about 1825 he sold to John M. Cobb. Jerry Mead came in from Cayuga county about 1819, settled south of Lockwood, and died a few years later. His successor was John Caywood, who came from Galen and who died on the place, aged 102 years.
In 1820 Leonard Ferris, with his father, Caleb, and mother, Judah, and Richard Ryan, his brother-in-law, settled in the northern part of thetown, and Amos Winnegar on the farm adjoining that of Silas Winan. Henry Winnegar, a brother of Amos, located about 1830 on the place afterward occupied by his son James R. In 1822 Philip Cook located west of Crusoe Lake and about the same year Henry O'Neil settled near by. In 1827 James Stiles came in, at which time Medad Blasdell, son of Peter, sr., and Samuel Gilbert were residents. The latter was suc- ceeded by Hubbard Hamlin, and he by his son-in-law, Mansfield B. Winnegar. Ashley Hogan, Russell Palmer (brother of Prentice), and Luther Chapin became settlers between 1823 and 1825. Russell Pal- mer was active in town affairs and served as supervisor, justice of the peace, etc. Mr. Chapin was elected to the Legislature in 1828.
On a road leading from the turnpike across the island to Crusoe Creek , Henry Taylor built a house in 1824, near where the Central depot now stands. He died in October, 1893. About the same year George F. Torry, Channecy Ives, and Garry Burnham settled in the neighborhood.
In the northwest part of the town Edward Bivins and Benjamin Hall, brothers-in-law, settled in 1818; about 1819 Richard Rice started an ashery in Savannah on the old State road at a point then called " In- dian Camp." Thomas Hall, from Saratoga county, the father of Joshua, Benjamin, Elias, Stephen and Peter, was an early settler. Another Thomas Hall, a Baptist preacher from Junius, Seneca county, held the first religious services in the town. He was father in-law of Richard
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Rice, and the successors to his homestead were John Sedore, William Robinson, John Gorham, and William Reed. A Mr. Stackus erected a log house on the west side of Fort Hill at an early day and got out quan- tities of oak staves and heading for market. Royal Torrrey, father of George F., built the celebrated Crusoe House in 1824; it stood north of Crusoe Creek and one-half mile east of Crusoe Lake, on the Savannah and South Butler road and for many years was the only tavern in the town. In it were held the carlier town meetings and the public gath- ings. When the railroad was completed in 1854 it ceased its career of usefulness. Mr. Torrey built the first saw mill in town in 1824, a mile east of his hotel.
To the foregoing list of early settlers may be added the names of Benjamin Seeley, John Green, Abner and Ezra Brockway, Henry Myers, Sampson MeBane, Alexander and Martin Lamb, and John Brockway.
Prominent among those now living are Albert Williams, Jacob and Abner Wurtz, George, George A., and Ebenezer Farrand (sons of B. C., who died in May, 1894), Benjamin F. Gage, John H. and Charles G. Wood, Richard S. and John T. Crandall, James B. Wiley (ex-super- intendent of the poor), John B. and Henry Carris, Rev. Philip Swift (brother of the late Rev. Nathan M.), George Safford ( for many years the conductor of the only Cheddar cheese factory in the county, and which is now used for an evaporator), Simeon Titus (contractor), Rev. D. D. Davis, Jacob S., George W., and Frank Taylor (sons of Henry), Wel- ling C. and Ernest C. Soule (sons of William G.), Herbert C. Soule (son of Rowland), George Lockwood, Ebenezer Harrington, Aaron F. and Andrew S. Hall, O'Connell Ferris, James M. Hadden, John A. Munson (ex-supervisor, ex-assemblyman, and son of Archibald), Ensign L. Adams, Ammon S. Farnum (clerk of the board of supervisors), Horace W. and Addison R. Smith, Hutchings E. Newton (proprietor of the Newton House), Adelbert Hungerford, Arthur W. Evans, Dr. W. H. Sweeting, D. J. Cotten, Adam and Sylvester Secor, H. Owen Bagley, Norman and George D. Springstead, Jeduthan E. Tallman, E. M. Clark, and Benjamin Southwick.
Moses Cook, a son of the pioneer, Peter, died here in September, 1891. Rev. Nathan R. Swift, born in 1821, settled on a farm in Savan- nah soon after 1811, and died there in December, 1890. He was one of the founders and president of Adrian College, of which he was long treasurer and for twenty-five years a trustee. F. M. Johnson, a native
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of this town, died here in 1891. Dr. W. H. Smith, father of Horace WV. and Addison P., and for twenty-five years a practitioner in Savan- nah village, died in California in 1891; Sylvester A. Farnum, father of Hon. A. S., died here in February, 1892.
In 1858 Savannah had 951 males and 811 female inhabitants, 343 dwellings, 349 families, 212 frecholders, and 11,251 acres improved land. The real estate was assessed at $455,362 and the personal prop- erty at $8,000. In 1890 the population was 1,788, or seventy-nine less than in 1880. In 1893 the real estate was assessed at $623, 690 (equal- ized $636,500); village and mill property $122,679 (equalized $115,- 824); railroads and telegraphs $257,259 (equalized $233, 120); personal property $246, 425. Schedule of taxes 1893: Contingent fund, $1,- 222.19; poor fund, $300; roads and bridges, $550; school tax, $1,074.16; county tax, $2,570.06; State tax, $1,416.24; State insane, $365.36; dog tax, $74. Total tax levied, $8,135.88; rate per cent., .00710134. The town has two election districts and in 1893 polled 367 votes.
During the Rebellion the town contributed 158 volunteers to the Union forces. Its obligations in that long conflict were cheerfully and promptly met, and its citizens may well feel proud of Savannah's ex- cellent war record.
The first school house in Savannah was erected on the site of the present Evans Cemetery as early as 1816, and the first teacher therein was Loren Brown, who received five dollars per month. On what was then Big Hill, where now stands an old orchard, a log school house was built in 1822; the first teachers in it were Maria Westcott and Austin Roc. In Savannah village a union school was established sev- cral years since by the consolidation of two districts, and a brick school house erected at a cost of $5,000. In 1892 this was replaced by the present frame structure at an expense of $8,000; this was opened in February, 1893. It has four departments, a library of 500 volumes, and employs five teachers, the present principal being Howard N. Tol- man. Although nominally a graded institution, it affords all the privi- leges of a High school and is governed accordingly. It was placed under the Board of Regents of the State mainly through the efforts of C. G. Plumb, M. D., now of Red Creek. The trustees elected in August, 1893, were D. J. Cotten, president; J. A. Munson, secretary ; and E. M. Clark. The town has twelve school districts with a school house in each, employing seventeen teachers, during the year 1892-93. The number of children attending these schools is 458. The school 45
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buildings and sites are valued at $16,760; assessed valuation of districts $1,248,646; money received from the State, $2,133.23; amount raised by local tax, $11,217.99.
The first saw mill has previously been mentioned. Following that came another on Crusoe Creek, near the plank road crossing, which was erected by Kendrick Bixby. It was operated by steam, and about 1850 was sold to Othniel Palmer, son of Prentice, in whose possession it burned. A. Wise built a steam saw mill near the west town line, with which he converted a fine grove of hemlock on the farm of Charles A. Rose into lumber. Archibald Munson built another saw mill near Fort Hill and sawed up a large quantity of oak, hickory, chestnut, and whitewood timber. Gideon Ramsdell erected one near the site of the old Galen Salt Works some twenty-five years since, which facilitated his extensive lumber operations for the railroad. A saw mill near South Butler was the last one of the kind in town. It was built by Samuel B. Tucker and O. H. Wheeler in 1839, and finally passed into the possession of Bradway & Crofoot, who conducted it several years. They also carried on a large business in manufacturing shingles and cooperage. Capt. William B. Dodge built and conducted at the depot in Savannah village a flouring mill, cider mill, saw mill, and wheel- barrow manufactory; these were operated about three years, when they burned. Hiram Dieffendorf, about 1864, erected a large barrel, stave and heading manufactory near the depot, which was destroyed by fire in the fall of 1866; it was rebuilt and soon burned again.
Hill & Munson's flouring mill west of the depot, was built by Hill & Bradley in 1889. In February, 1890, John A. Munson purchased Mr. Bradley's interest. This contains the full roller process, and is the only grist mill in town. Mr. Munson also carries on the coal, grain, and lumber business that was established by his father, Archibald, in 1858, and which was conducted by the latter until his death in December, 18:3.
SAVANNAH VILLAGE. - This is the only village, post-office, or railroad station in the town, and its corporate limits include nearly the whole of military lots 64 and 65, of township 27. These lots contain 600 acres each, and were set apart and reserved for the support of the gospel. When the railroad was completed and the depot built in 1854 this place comprised only Michael Curry's grocery store and Henry Taylor's resi- dence. In 1867 it was legally incorporated and the first officers elected were: Board of Trustees, Hiram Dieffendorf (president), Peter J.
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Powell, Nicholas C. Vaught, and Patrick McCullum; police justice, Joseph Renyon ; assessors, William R. Stults, John Evans, Horace Wadsworth; collector, Hezekiah Stults; clerk and treasurer, Edward Luce; street commissioner and police constable, M. Quackenbush. The succeeding presidents have been :
W. E. Smith, 1868,
Peter J. Powell, 1869-70,
Charles Wood, 1871, Cyrus Andrews, 1872, Delos Betz, 1873, Andrew J. Holdridge, 1874, Charles II. Hamlin, 1875,
Charles Wood, 1876. Records inaccessible, 1877 to 1885,
A. Gregg, 1886,
C. B. Jepson, 1887-88, Ammon S. Farnum, 1889-91,
A. S. Hall, 1892-93, A. S. Farnum, 1894.
The village officers for 1894 are: A. S. Farnum, (president), Horace W. Smith, Ensign L. Adams, Charles B. Jepson, trustees; O. Clate Silver, clerk; E. M. Crandall, collector; Hiram Ellis, police justice; William H. Fitch, police constable; L. C. Sherman, treasurer; J. Wy- man Joslyn, street commissioner; Dr. William HI. Phelps, Andrew J. Holdridge, John A. Munson, assessors.
Archibald Munson settled on a farm here in 1825 and erected the sec- ond house on the site of the village; Henry Taylor, previously men- tioned, preceded him in 1824. The first regular store was opened by John Evans in 1854 near the railroad; in 1855 he went into partnership with R. W. Evans and moved to a larger building erected by Winans Winnegar, where business was afterward prosecuted by R. W. Evans alone, William R. Stults, and W. G. Smith. The Savannah Hotel was built by Archibald Munson in 1858 and opened by Bela Smith and A. J. Squires, lessees, February 20, 1859. This subsequently had several landlords. The first blacksmith shop was built and kept, by Joseph Remer in 1854. . Putnam & Co.'s barrel factory was started by them in 1893. In 1888 A. J. Conroe began the manufacture of a Chinese laun- dry bluing; in October, 1893, the business was sold to C. H. Betts, of Wolcott, who organized the present Consolidated Bluing Company. A few years since the manufacturing of flag salt, a proprietary medicine, was commenced; this was developed into quite an extensive business under the direction of Dr. W. H. Sweeting. Besides these the village con- tains six general stores, one hardware store, a jewelry store, two hotels and liveries, two newspapers and printing offices, a meat market, two coal, lumber, and produce dealers, one millinery store, a grist mill, two churches, a graded school, three physicians, the usual shops, etc., and a population of 505.
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The Savannah Fire Company No. 1, was organized July 26, 1887, and reorganized February 6, 1893. It is equipped with a hand engine, hose cart, ladders, hose, etc. The officers for 1894 are: Michael McGinniss, president ; George W. Cooper, vice-president ; O. Clate Silver, secretary ; Horace W. Smith, treasurer; W. C. Soule, chief engineer; D. B. Remer and Addison P. Smith, foremen.
May's Point, in the south part of the town, contains a store and a half dozen dwellings. A half mile north is the jewelry establishment of William Farrand.
CHURCHES .- The Presbyterian church, of Savannah, was organized by Revs. Wilson and Young, from Lyons, in 1864, in the district school house, with seventeen constituent members. The first pastor was Rev. George W. Warner and the first elders and deacons were Moses Treat and John North. Their house of worship was built at a cost of about $5,000, and was dedicated August 18, 1864, by Rev. Horace Eaton, D.D., of Palmyra. The first superintendent of the Sunday school was Archibald Munson, and the last pastor of the church was Rev. E. B. Fisher. The society finally grew weaker in members and influence, and is now virtually disbanded. The edifice though stillowned in the name of the board of trustees, was converted into a cold storage in 1893.
The Methodist Episcopal church, of Savannah, was organized about 1867 and their frame edifice was completed and dedicated in November, 1870. This church owes its foundation largely to Archibald Munson, who contributed $1, 000 towards the lot and building, and who was other- wise influential in sustaining and promoting its interests. The society's parsonage was erected in 1883-84 at a cost of about $1,500. The pres- ent pastor is Rev. G. E. Campbell.
St. Patrick's church (Roman Catholic), of Savannah was built in 1875- 76, and cost about $2, 500. Fulfilling the wishes of Mrs. Michael C. Curry the lot on which it stands was donated to the parish by her daughter, Mrs. Andrew MeDade, of Rochester. The church is in charge of the resident priest in Clyde and is served from there. It owes its founda- tion to the Rev. P. W. O'Connell, D. D., assisted by Edward Flinn.
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CHAPTER XXIV.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF ARCADIA.
Arcadia1 was set off from the western part of Lyons on the 15th of February, 1825. It originally comprised a portion of the old district of Sodus (which see), from which the town of Lyons was formed March 1. 1811. It lies immediately west of the southern center of Wayne county, and is bounded on the north by Sodus, on the east by Lyons, on the south by Ontario county, and on the west by the counties of On- tario and the towns of Palmyra and Marion. The town has an area of 30,944 acres, and lies wholly within the bounds of the old Pultney estate, of which Capt. Charles Williamson was the local agent or pat- entee.
The surface is diversified by drift ridges, basins, and valleys, and was originally covered with a heavy growth of timber. The soil is very fertile and easily cultivated, being mainly a sandy or gravelly loam ad- mixed with more or less clay. Gypsum exists in the southwest and marl near the center. Outside of Newark village the chief industry is agriculture, in which the town has ever maintained a foremost position. Wheat, oats, corn, barley, hay, apples, small fruits, tobacco, potatoes, vegetables, peppermint, etc., are grown extensively and with profit. In the production of peppermint and the shipment of oil the town is one of the most important in the United States.
The principal stream is Ganargwa Creek, which flows easterly through the town and receives a few small tributaries. Trout Run, flowing northward through Marbletown and a corner of Newark vil- lage, courses thence easterly into Lyons. In 1799 the Legislature passed an act making Ganargwa (Mud) Creek a navigable stream, and dams could not be constructed without locks. This afforded the earli- est communications with eastern markets, and until the completion of
1 According to Pausanias, an eminent Greek geographer and historian, the word Arcadia is derived from the eponymous hero Areas, the son of Calisto, and in Greece is applied to the largest county in the Peloponnesus. Why or by whom the name was given to this town has never been definitely determined.
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the Erie Canal in 1825 was the principal route of transportation. The opening of the canal had a marked influence upon the development and subsequent growth of this section, and especially imparted to Newark a decided impetus.
In 1854 the direct line of the New York Central Railroad was com- pleted and opened, and assured to the town a future that has more than fulfilled expectations. In 1852 the Sodus Point and Southern (now the Sodus branch of the Northern Central) Railroad was incorporated, a route was surveyed, and grading was commenced, but in 1857 the work was suspended. In 1870 the work was revived, the road was com- pleted, and the first train passed over it July 4, 1872. It has stations at Newark, Fairville, and Zurich. To aid in the construction of this the town was bonded September 1, 1870, for $122,000, of which sum $114,- 400 remained unpaid January 1, 1894. The railroad commissioners are Clark Phillips, J. G. Pitts, and Peter R. Sleight. The West Shore (orig- inally the New York, West Shore and Buffalo) Railroad was completed and formally opened January 1, 1885.
The first road leading to Phelps was laid out from Newark south- ward to the outlet, and the earliest effort to improve the highways was the building of bridges across the Ganargwa. In 1804 a bridge was erected at the " Excelsior" mills of Howell & Reeves, and others fol- lowed until the construction of the plank road over the flat, which was done by subscription, the prime movers being Messrs. Bartle, Miller, and Blackmar. It was known as the Newark and Sodus road, and Mr. Bartle was president of the company. Travel avoided it, however, to escape the toll and the road was given to the town. In 1825 forty-nine road districts were formed and as many overseers were chosen.
The first town meeting was held at William Popple's coffee house in Newark on April 5, 1825, and the following officers were elected: James P. Bartle, supervisor; Theodore Partridge, town clerk; Heze- kiah Dunham, Joseph Luce, Andrew Finch, assessors; Hiram Sover- hill and Joseph Mills, overseers of the poor; Henry Cronise, Edmund T. Aldrich, Durfee Sherman, commissioners of highways; Hiram So- verhill, William Terry, James McCain, constables; Caleb P. Lippett, Artemus Doane, John L. Kipp, commissioners of common schools; George W. Scott, Artemus Doane, Joseph A. Miller, inspectors of com- mon schools; Samuel Soverhill, pound master. The keeping of the town poor, being sold to the highest bidder, was awarded to Abraham Loper for $199; the next year it was given to Peter Foster for $143,
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and in 1827 to Mr. Loper again for $114. May 25, 1825, Rufus A. Roys was chosen marshal to enumerate the legal voters, and on November :, Truman Hart received 357 votes for senator and Ambrose Hall, 333 and A. Kipp 341 for members of assembly. The following have served as supervisors :
James P. Bartle, 1825-27, George W. Scott, 1828, John L. Cuyler, 1829-30, Joseph A. Miller, 1831-32, Edmund B. Bill, 1833, Esbon Blackmar, 1834,
James D. Ford, 1855-59, Elon St. John, 1860-62, Artemas W. Hyde, 1863-65,
Elon St. John, 1866,
Henry Cronise, jr., 1867, George H. Price, 1868,
James P. Bartle, 1835, James Miller, jr., 1836-37.
Tie vote between James W. Ford and Silas S. Peirson, 1869,
James P. Bartle, 1838,
Oliver Crothers, 1870,
Charles W. Stuart, 1871-72,
Silas Peirson, 1839, Vincent G. Barney, 1840, Joseph A. Miller, 1841, Ezra Pratt, 1842,
Jacob Lusk, 1873.
Edwin K. Burnham, 1874,
James H. Miller, 1875-76,
Abraham Fairchild, 1843,
Perry G. Price, 1844,
George H. Middleton, 1845,
J. Dupha Reeves, 1881-82,
E. K. Burnham, 1883 -84,
W. II. Nicholoy, 1885,
Henry J. Peirson, 1886-87,
Carlos A. Stebbins, 1888,
Clark Mason, 1850'
Ezra Pratt, 1851, Esbon Blackmar, 1852,
James D. Ford, 1853, Albert F. Cressey, 1854,
J. Dupha, Reeves, 1889 -94, Henry J. Peirson resigned in the fall of 1887 and E. K. Burnham was appointed to fill the unex- pired term.
The town officers for 1894 are : J. Dupha Reeves, supervisor; T. Davis Prescott, clerk; Clarence Conklin, B. C. Williams, R. F. Randall, and Dr. J. W. Barnes, justices of the peace; Emor E. Burleigh, Richard Van Dusen, and Charles O. Smith, assessors; William II. HI. Hebbins, collector; Christopher C. Lusk, overseer of the poor ; Charles J. Schwartz, highway commissioner; Harvey E. Shurtleff, Oliver A. Eggleston, and Hanson A. Gardner, constables; Godfrey Geuthner, game constable.
More than one hundred years have passed since the first white settle- ment was made within the present limits of Arcadia. Time and toil have transformed a primitive wilderness into productive fields and pleas- ant homes. The rude log cabins have long since been superseded by spacious residences, and the little church and school house have given
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