USA > New York > Genesee County > Our county and its people : a descriptive and biographical record of Genesee County, New York, v. 1 > Part 27
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A number of the leading citizens of Stafford met in 1870 and organ- ized the Stafford Benefit Association, a mutual insurance association. The institution was reorganized in 18:1 and incorporated according to the laws of the State of New York in ISS1. The society soon became one of the most prosperous in the State, and its officers have been the most highly esteemed residents of the town of Stafford.
In the summer of 1875 Le Roy was again visited by a destructive fire, which laid in ashes the Starr block, with an adjacent block, con- taining stores, offices and the publie library. The loss of the latter could not be replaced, as it contained many rare books of value.
The Rochester and State Line Railroad Company secured a charter from the State of New York October 6, 1869, to build a railroad from Rochester, the northern terminus, southwest through the Genesee and Wyoming valleys to Salamanca, a distance of one hundred and eight and one-half miles. The section between Rochester and Le Roy, twenty-four and one-tenth miles, was opened for business September 15, 1874. At this time the following officers and directors were in charge: President, M. F. Reynolds; treasurer, G. E. Mumford; sec- retary and assistant treasurer, D. McNaughton; engineer and superin- tendent, C. S. Masten, all of Rochester; directors, M. F. Reynolds, C. F. Smith, Thomas Leighton, G. H. Perkins, Edward Harris, George Darling, George E. Mumford, of Rochester; D. D. S. Brown, Seotts- ville, N. Y. ; Oliver S. Allen, Mumford, N. Y. ; William Bristol, War- saw, N. Y.
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
The line to Salamanca was completed and opened for traffic May 16, 1878. When originally commenced the intention was to build to the bituminous coal fields of Western Pennsylvania. The city of Roches- ter put $600,000, and the towns along the line $500,000, into the enter- prise. In 1870 the Vanderbilts acquired the control of the road, in- tending to make it a connecting link between the old Atlantic and Great Western Railroad (now Chicago and Erie Railroad) and the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad. The authorities of the city of Rochester concluding that the Vanderbilts were responsible for the company, and that the original intention of building to the coal fields had been abandoned, brought action against the company and the Van- derbilts for upwards of one million dollars, and at the same time the contractor commenced legal proceedings for a large amount. These actions were tried and dismissed by the court.
Finding that it was impossible to obtain an undisputed title to the property without long and tedious litigation, the Vanderbilts abandoned the road, and default being made on the bonds, a foreclosure was com. menced, and Mr. Sylvanus J. Macy appointed receiver February 23, 1880. In January, ISS1, the property was sold under foreclosure pro- ceedings, and reorganized as the Rochester and Pittsburgh Railroad Company.
With this change disappeared all connection of local men with the road. In ISS4 the road again passed into the hands of a receiver by reason of a default on its second mortgage bonds. Sale under fore- closure proceedings took place in October, 1885, when the property was. purchased by Adrian Iselin of New York, and associates, and reorgan- ized under the name of the Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railway Company, its present title. The road now operates four hundred and eighty-nine miles of track.
Practically the entire business portion of the village of Bergen was destroyed by fire on the night of Sunday, February 29, 1880. The buildings burned comprised thirty-one business houses, seven residences and five barns. The principal sufferers and the amount of the loss on the part of each was as follows:
S. K. Green, dry goods and groceries, $18,000; Samuel C. Tulley, hardware, $17,000: George H. Church, hardware, $6,000; Mrs. Har- ford, Brennan hotel building, $4,000; John Walker, dwelling house, barn and two tenement houses, $8,000; H. S. Andrews, grocery, $1, 400: L. A. Pratt, store, $1, 000; H. A. King, grain warehouse, $5,000; Harvey
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FROM 1865 TO 1898.
Mullen, boot and shoe store, $1,500; Southworth & Tone, grain ware- house and barn, $10,000; V. C. Calkins, drug store, $3,000; William P. Munger, King warehouse, $2,650; F. M. Merrill, printing office, $4,000; G. F. Buell, grocer, $2,000; E. E. Spencer, grocer, $1,800; A. T. Southworth, house and barn, $2, 800; Miss Chalker, millinery, block and stock, $1,000; Morey and Son, empty block, $2,300; S. Car- penter & Son, clothing store and Fisher drug store building, $6, 800; Parish block, $1,000; A. S. Fisher, drug store, $1,500; Mrs. B. M. Hall, dwelling and contents, $2,000; Morton Bros., clothiers, $2, 500.
Soon after the fire Benedict Harford erected a hotel on the site of the Brennan hotel, now known as the Harford house. The new hotel was at first conducted by Patrick Brennan, then by John Brennan, then Mr. Eckler, and finally by Benedict Harford, who has been proprietor since 1885. The Walker house on the opposite corner was also erected in 1880 by William C. Walker, who has been its proprietor since that year.
The New York, West Shore and Buffalo Railroad was opened through for traffic in January, 1884. Its line passes through the north- ern tier of towns in Genesee county. December 5, 1885, the property was transferred to the newly organized West Shore Railroad Company, and on the same date the line was leased to the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad Company for four hundred and seventy- five years.
The village of Bergen having been a great sufferer by fire in preced- , ing years, the agitation in favor of adopting a system affording better protection against the ravages of the destructive element resulted in the organization of the Bergen Fire Department on November 17, 1886. The first officers elected were: George O. Emerson, president : Michael F. Bergin, vice-president; Daniel S. Thompson, secretary; Homer L. Gage, treasurer; William A. Bowen, chief engineer. Fifty one origi- nal members signed the department roll. Of these, Charles T. Good- win, W. T. Bergin, S. J. Getman, Richard Haley, Eugene Snyder, Grant W. Buell, Harvey Boyce and E. L. Fisher were selected as mem- bers of the hose company. The remaining sixty-three members of the department were assigned to the engine company. Grant W. Buell was chosen foreman and Charles T. Goodwin assistant foreman of the hose company, and N. A. Eckler was chosen foreman and Myron H. Parmelee assistant foreman of the engine company. The apparatus of the department has always consisted of a hand engine and a hose cart.
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
Three reservoirs, located at convenient points throughout the village, furnish the supply of water for use at fires.
The chief engineers of the department have been as follows: William A. Bowen, elected in December, 1886, died in office April 12, 18SS; James R. Mckenzie, elected December, 1888; Myron H. Parmelee, 1SS9; John W. Day, 1893: John S. Gleason, 1894; George M. Gillette, 189S. The first secretary, D. S. Thompson, was succeeded by Mr. Emerson, who in turn was succeeded in 1895 by Daniel J. McPherson, the present secretary.
A terrific thunderstorm occurred in Genesee county on the afternoon of Tuesday, July 2, 1889. In Batavia it is recorded as having been the worst in the history of the county seat. Streets were flooded, cellars were filled with water, and the sewers, inadequate to the extraordinary demands made upon them, overflowed. In several business places in town stock in cellars was ruined or badly damaged by the flood, and considerable damage was done by lightning. The electric fluid also shocked many individuals, but none was injured seriously. The year 1889 was also marked by the incorporation of the Buffalo and Geneva Railroad.
A catastrophe accompanied by the loss of three lives occurred De- cember 31, 1890. Workmen were employed on the Lehigh Valley Railroad extension on the farm of John Simmonds near Morganville, in the town of Stafford. During the discharge of a heavy blast large quantities of earth and stone were thrown among the body of laborers, three of whom-Andrew Hunt, John Nosky and Andrew Hoodock --- were either instantly killed or died soon after the occurrence, by reason of the injuries received. The Buffalo extension of this road was completed the following year and opened for traffic September 1, 1892.
The Le Roy Business Men's Association was formed August 22, 1890. The first officers, chosen on that date, were as follows: President, Ed- ward Rogerson ; vice-presidents, Thomas B. Tuttle, Charles F. Pren- tice, J. B. Gillett ; secretary, William E. Humelbaugh; treasurer, George II. Wells; directors, C. N. Keeney, Dennis Scanlon, John Wiss, D. Jack- son Bissell, S. Loucks.
The Lehigh Valley Railway Company was organized June 23, 1890. This road was formed by the consolidation of sundry roads outside of Genesee county, and of the Buffalo and Geneva Railroad, projected to run from Buffalo to Geneva, N. Y., and to traverse the county, and or-
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FROM 1865 TO 1898.
ganized about May 1, 1SS9. The Lehigh Valley Railway was com- pleted and opened for business about September 1, 1892. The road runs from the Pennsylvania State line north of Sayre, Pa., to Buffalo, N. Y., and through the towns of Le Roy, Stafford, Batavia, Pembroke and Darien. The Lehigh Valley Railway was leased to the Lehigh Valley Railroad Co .- a Pennsylvania corporation-January 1, 1891, and has since been operated by the latter company.
July 26, 1801, a disastrous fire occurred in the village of Oakfield, cansing a loss of about seventeen thousand dollars. The flames orig- inated in the basement of J. C. Doolittle & Co.'s bakery in the north end of Seymour Reed's brick block. The other business places burned were C. H. Griffin's store, in the Reed block ; J. C. Black & Co.'s meat market, A. C. Dodge's harness store, and Warner H. Smith's blacksmith shop, in the building owned by Charles H. Chamberlain. August 31 of the same year the plant of the Le Roy Salt Company at Le Roy was damaged by fire to the extent of thirty thousand dollars, but the estab. lishment was soon rebuilt. In the following October the East Elba M. E. church, a structure which had been built sixty-one years before, was destroyed by fire. It was at once rebuilt, the dedication taking place May 5, 1892. January 19, 1894, the plant of the Matthews Malting Company at Le Roy was damaged by fire to the extent of thirty thou- sand dollars.
An accident attended by the loss of the lives of five persons, which occurred near the village of Le Roy on Sunday, August 20, 1893. brought sorrow to the hearts of the inhabitants of Genesee county. Lorenzo J. Bovee of Le Roy, accompanied by his wife, Mrs. Adelia Bovee; his daughter, Miss Ola Bovee; and Miss Emma Bowden of New York and Miss Lena Wicks of Le Roy, was driving from his home near the village to services in the Le Roy Presbyterian church. On the Lake road crossing of the Lehigh Valley Railroad the vehicle was struck by an express train and all five persons were instantly killed. Mr. Bovee was fifty-eight years of age and one of the best known residents of eastern Genesee county. He had for several years carried on an extensive lumber business at Tonawanda, and was the owner of large tracts of timber land in Michigan.
The village of Oakfield, was again visited by a most disastrous fire on May 11, 1895. The flames originated in the rear of Harris & Cha- pin's hardware store in the Chamberlin block, owned by Charles 11. Chamberlain. In this block were located, beside Harris & Chapin's
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
store, Dr. Pugsley's drug store, Eugene T. Chamberlin's dry goods store, and the offices of Dr. A. G. Zurhorst and B. F. Hawes, justice of the peace, all of which were destroyed. Beside these the following were burned: L. A. Weaver's furniture store, R. B. McVea's store, both located in a building owned by the former; H. C. Martin & Son's store, with the office of I. J. Stedman, justice of the peace, located in the same building; Callan & Gilmore's meat market, John B. Arnold's hotel and barns, and two private dwelling houses. August 28 of this year the Le Roy Power and Milling Company of Le Roy was incorpo- rated with a capital stock of sixty-five thousand dollars, and these directors: Charles F. Prentice, Dr. C. H. Prentice, Calvin E. Keeney, John P. Sampson, William F. Huyck. The Le Roy Hydraulic Electric Company was incorporated on the same day.
May 15, 1896, a number of the leading business men of Bergen or- ganized the Bergen Board of Trade, having these officers: President, D. J. McPherson; vice-president, C. N. Carpenter; secretary, A. A. Roberts; treasurer, J. S. Gleason.
In 1897 an event of considerable note occurred in Le Roy in the the death of William Lampson, the wealthiest resident of that town and for many years the president of the Bank of Le Roy, on February 14. When his will was opened it was found that the bulk of his estate, valued at about six hundred and fifty thousand dollars, was bequeathed to Yale University, of which he was a graduate. Mr. Lampson was a son of Miles P. Lampson, founder of the Bank of Le Roy, and for many years was one of the most prominent men in Genesee county.
In November, 1896, a number of the fruit growers of Genesee county met at Batavia and organized the Genesee County Fruit Growers' Union, with these officers: President, Nelson Bogue; vice-president, J. G. Fargo; secretary and treasurer, D. L. Dodgson ; executive com- mittee, N. II. Green, George Douglass, W. H. Chaddock.
The Citizens' Bank of Le Roy was incorporated as a State institution in November, 1896, and was opened for the transaction of business January 1, 1897. The charter directors were Wilbur F. Smallwood. Frederick R. Green, Thomas B. Tuttle, Mathias Muller, William F. Huyck, John P. Sampson and Edward H. Butler, and the capital stock is fifty thousand dollars. The present officers of the bank have held office since its organization. They are: President, Wilbur F. Small- wood; vice-president, Thomas B. Tuttle: cashier, Frank E. Chaddock.
Two events of importance to the village of Le Roy occurred in 189 ;.
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FROM 1865 TO 1898.
March 30 the taxpayers of the corporation of Le Roy voted in favor of corporation ownership of the electric light plant in that village. The village therefore purchased for $26,150, of General C. Fitch Bissell, owner of the gas and electric light plants of Le Roy, that industry. The Supreme Court subsequently decided that the action of the tax- payers of the village was illegal and ordered the corporation to turn the property over to the original owner. General Bissell refused to accept the title to the concern, and the case was carried to the Court of Ap- peals, where it now lies. The charter of the village of Le Roy was . amended by the Legislature in 1897, one of the principal features of the act being a provision for the election of the village president di- rectly by the people. Prior to that time the presiding officer had been chosen by the trustees from among their number. The first person to serve as village president under the amended charter was L. T. Will- iams, who was chosen at the corporation election in 1897.
September 8, 1897, while workmen were making excavations in a swamp on the farm of General C. Fitch Bissell of Le Roy, located on the Alexander road a short distance south of the village of Batavia, por- tions of the remains of a prehistoric animal, probably a mastodon, were unearthed. The day following additional relics were found. These in - cluded large tusks of ivory, portions of ribs, a jaw bone holding two enormous teeth, vertebrae, etc. Prof. H. L. Ward of Rochester, a naturalist, expressed the opinion, after investigating the remarkable discovery, that the bones had been under the earth from three to six thousand years, and that the weight of the animal, when alive exceeded five tons. Twelve or fifteen years before this discovery, the antlers of a prehistoric animal were unearthed on Dr. Horn's farm on the State road. The remains of the mastodon found in 1897 are now on exhi- bition in the Holland Land Office in Batavia.
A new era in the agricultural development of Genesee county began in 1896, when about one hundred and fifty of the farmers of the county began the culture of sugar beets. Expert authorities expressed the be- lief that the soil of this county is unusually adapted to the culture of this product. Though the industry is still in its infancy, the outlook is that the culture of sugar beets eventually will become a most important factor in the agricultural interests of the county.
The Genesee County Volunteer Firemen's Association was organized in Batavia January 12, 1595, at which time these officers were chosen: President, Stanley M. Smith of Le Roy; first vice-president, James A.
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
Le Seur of Batavia; second vice-president, D. J. McPherson of Bergen ; secretary, Edward A. Short of Batavia; treasurer, L. W. Stuber of Le Roy: executive committee, Anthony Harsch of Batavia, J. S. Gleason of Bergen, Wilder E. Sumner of Corfu, John S. Brown of Le Roy, Warner Smith of Oakfield, and Dr. W. O. Burbank of Pavilion.
When President Mckinley issued his first call for volunteers to serve in the war with Spain in the summer of 1898, Genesee county re- sponded promptly to the summons. Patriotism was instantly apparent on all sides, but unfortunately the volunteers from this county were destined to get no nearer the scene of conflict than Virginia or Tennes- see before the peace protocol was signed and the order for the return home of most of the troops was issued.
The total number of residents of Genesee county who were connected with the armed forces of the nation during this brief war was thirty- nine. Of these thirty-six served in the army and three in the navy. The largest delegation went with the Two Hundred and Second Regi- ment, N. Y. Volunteer Infantry, which eventually was in service in Cuba. In the Two Hundred and Second Regiment were the following from Genesee county:
Batavia .- William Cope, Burnett F. Crowell, Frederick W. Griffis, Joseph A. Michaels and Mortimer E. Stringham of Company K; David L. Parsons, Otto Ackerman and Peter Crowley of Company H; Harry W. Dodge and Willis J. Rumsey of Company I.
Alexander .- Corporal Lucien B. Greene, George Harrison and Charles C. Baldwin of Company L; Howard Carroll of Company H.
Elba. - William H. Baube and Harvey Merrills of Company F; John F. Duggan of Company K.
Oakfield .- Charles L. Pinder, Zonoah Reed and Alfred Watts of Company I.
Pembroke .- Robert D. Owen, F. A. Redman and Peter Wolf of Company I.
Alabama .- Stanton E. Barrett of Company K.
Le Roy .- Charles H. Valentine of Company K.
Residents of Batavia who entered the Sixty-fifth Regiment, N. Y. Volunteers were: Frank S. Holden, quartermaster's clerk ; Robert D). Wallace, John B. Roy, James A. Boyd, J. F. Haller, George W. Fotch, privates, Company D; Roger Donoghue, cook, Company K; William H. Coon, flute player, regimental band. Elba was represented by George Swartz, company clerk, and Frank Eckert, private. Albert
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FROM 1865 TO 1898.
Murray Steel of Batavia was a corporal in Company H of the Third New York. Arthur Beals of Alabama and Morton S. Rundel of Oak- field were also members of the Third Regiment. Stephen Moll of Batavia, John D. Toll of Bethany and Richmond L. Rathbone of Oak- field served in the navy, the latter as an assistant engineer, with the rank of ensign. Miss Minnie E. Bates of Batavia went out as nurse, and for some time was located at Fort McPherson, Ga.
Former Genesee county men who served in the Sixty-fifth Regiment were: J. Wesley Jewell, William Bentley, Harry W. Diepold, William A. Town, formerly of Batavia; Captain George H. Norton, formerly of Pembroke; James McPartlin, formerly of Bergen; Lieutenant Nel- son T. Barrett, formerly of Alabama. Other former Genesee county men who served in the army were: Roscoe D. Ives, formerly of Batavia, Seventy-first Regiment N. Y. Vols. ; Peter Reagan, formerly of Bata- via, First Battalion of Engineers. Cleveland, O., Grays; Charles L. Brockway, formerly of South Byron, captain of Company F .. First Regiment, South Dakota Vols. ; Frank N. Robinson, formerly of Bata- via, second lieutenant, First Separate Battalion, District of Columbia Vols. ; Charles Anthony, formerly of North Oakfield, Thirteenth N. V. Vol. Infantry. Arthur Carlisle of Le Roy accompanied one of the ex- peditions to the Philippine Islands as a soldier in the infantry. Joseph F. Hall of Batavia accompanied the Sixty- fifth Regiment as a newspa- per correspondent. Color Sergeant Richard Silvey of the Marine Corps, who had the distinction of being the first to plant the American flag on Cuban soil at Guantanamo bay, was born in Oakfield.
There was great disappointment over the sudden termination of the war on the part of many of the zealous patriots who evinced such anxi- ety to see actual service. Not only was the disappointment experienced by those whose connection with the army has been noted, but also by hundreds of other inhabitants who stood ready to respond quickly to their country's call. April 1, 1898, Captain Lina Beecher of Batavia received instructions from the War Department to receive the names of men who desired to enlist in the Volunteer Cavalry Regiment to be organized in Genesee. Orleans and Monroe counties. April 11 he opened a recruiting station at No. 3 Jackson street in Batavia. A few days later the counties of Niagara, Wyoming and Allegany were em- braced in the order. So enthusiastic were the young men of Genesee over the project that by April 20 three hundred and seventy-five names had been enrolled. April 20 a second recruiting station was opened in
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
Pembroke by First Lieutenant George W. Thayer. The whole num- ber enrolled exceeded two thousand, who were offered either as cavalry or infantry. As early as April 6 the services of this organization had been tendered the adjutant-general of New York State by letter. April 26 Senator Humphrey of Warsaw, Wyoming county, went to Albany to urge the adjutant-general to accept the services of the com- mand, but as the supply of men greatly exceeded the demand, the ten- der could not be accepted. The field officers in command of the regi- ment at this time were: Colonel, Lina Beecher of Batavia; lieutenant- colonel, W. B. Tallman of Perry; majors, M. J. Woodworth of Warsaw, J. A. 'Smith of Attica; surgeon, Dr. H. A. Morse of Batavia; assistant surgeon, Dr. B. F. Showerman of Batavia.
An accident resulting in the loss of eight human lives occurred on the New York Central Railroad at Winspeare bridge, near Corfu, on the morning of Tuesday, December 13, 1898. A body of men shovel- ing snow from the tracks stepped from one track to avoid a freight train, and an east bound passenger train dashed among them, instantly killing eight men and injuring four others. Those killed were John Warner and Henry Gunnison of Buffalo, and six men supposed to be Poles. All resided in Buffalo.
Churches .- During the entire period of the Civil war but three relig. ious societies were organized. These were an Evangelical church in Batavia, one of the same denomination in Pembroke, and an Advent church in Darien.
A society of the Evangelical Association was organized in the village of Batavia, by the Rev. M. Pritzinger, February 20, 1862. The first church building was erected on the corner of Ellicott and South Liberty streets, and was dedicated March 15, 1863, under the pastorate of the Rev. J. Siegrist. In the year 18:1 this edifice was sold and the present brick structure erected on the corner of Center and School streets and dedicated September 28, 18:2, the Rev. Theodore Schneider having charge at the time. During the pastorate of the Rev. C. A. Wiessemann 18:0- 81, a parsonage was built on Center street next to the church. Both the church and parsonage have undergone extensive repairs. The following ministers have had charge of the church: M. Pfitzinger, F. Klein, Theodore Schneider, C. F. Boller, Philip Bahn, J. Siegrist, J. Greneback, Philip Miller, C. A. Wiessemann, G. Gelser, L. Hermann, William Mentz, F. E. Her, G. F. Buesch, S. B. Kraft, H. A. Schneider.
The Advent Church of God was organized at North Darien, Jannary
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FROM 1865 TO 1898.
16, 1864, by Elder C. W. Low. The original membership was forty. The Rev. A. C. Newell served the congregation as its first pastor. In 1867 the society built its first house of worship, which has since served for the purposes for which it was intended.
A church of the Evangelical Association was established at Indian Falls, in the town of Pembroke, in 1865, chiefly through the efforts of the Rev. John Siegrist, a member of the association. It began with sixteen members, and at the end of its first year built a church edifice at an expense of $1,100. The society has enjoyed a steady growth since its formation. The Church of the Disciples of Christ was organ- ized at Richville, in Pembroke, in 1867, by J. C. Goodrich. It started with seventy-five members and the Rev. W. H. Rogers as the first pastor. A house of worship was erected in 1868.
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