USA > New York > Madison County > Our county and its people : a descriptive and biographical record of Madison County, New York > Part 36
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soon afterwards died. Dr. Ira Spencer was in practice from 1839 for nearly half a century and until his death. Dr. James Whitford was his partner about two years. Dr. Russell Ballou began practice about 1835 and continued until his death.
Dr. Silas Clark, a native of Brookfield, born June 17, 1824, studied his profession with Dr. Spencer and graduated from the medical de- partment of the University of New York in 1848 and at once began practice here, which he has continued to the present time, a period of more than fifty years.
Dr. E. S. Mumford came from New Woodstock in 1862 and practiced in partnership with Dr. Ira Spencer five years, when he removed to Schuyler county. A few years later he returned to De Ruyter and practiced until 1870, when he removed to Syracuse, where he died. Dr. Edwin N. Coon is a native of Brookfield and a graduate of the homoeopathic department of the University of Michigan in 1872; he at once began practice here and has continued ever since. Dr. Adelbert W. Truman, a graduate of the Eclectic Medical College of Philadelphia, practiced in De Ruyter from 1876 to 1895, when he removed to Roch- ester. Dr. James E. McClellan began practice here in 1885. C. P. Monroe also is in practice, and J. H. Schaffer dentist. A number of other physicians have practiced in the village for brief periods.
The legal profession has been ably represented in past years in De Ruyter, as the reader will more fully learn in the chapter devoted to the Bench and Bar. The first attorney in the village was Abraham Payne, son of Elisha Payne, the prominent pioneer of the town of Hamilton. Abraham Payne settled in this village about 1824 and practiced about ten years, removing then to Seneca Falls where he became prominently identified with the milling business; he subsequently died in Ohio. Martin P. Sweet practiced from 1832 to 1836 and Lorenzo Sherburne studied with him and practiced here from about 1834 to 1839, when he removed with James W. Nye, his student, to Hamilton. Sherwood's brother Luman was in partnership with him from 1834 to 1839. Zadock T. Bentley was not only an able lawyer, but a prominent citi- zen in every way. A native of Washington county, he studied law with Alonzo G. Hammond, at Berlin N. Y., beginning in 1829. He was admitted in Madison county in 1833 and until 1836 was a partner with Martin P. Sweet. Mr. Bentley continued in practice until 1844 when he removed to Morrisville, having been elected county clerk. He practiced in Morrisville after his term expired until about 1862, when he removed to Oneida and died there July 4, 1870.
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George P. Stone came from Homer about 1836, just after his admis- sion, and practiced in partnership with Mr. Bentley until 1839, when he removed to Georgia on account of failing health; he died about a year later. Artemas V. Bentley was born in De Ruyter and was a brother of Zadock T., with whom he studied law. He was admitted in 1841 and practiced until 1861, when he was appointed postmaster and held the office more than twenty years. Andrew Scott Sloan, son of Judge Andrew S. Sloan of Morrisville, practiced in De Ruyter from 1844 to 1854, when he went to Wisconsin. His younger brother, Ithamar C., studied with him and was in practice a number of years. David J. Mitchell and Henry C. Goodwin both studied with A. V. Bentley, and practiced in Hamilton as partners until the death of Mr. Goodwin in 1860. Mr. Mitchell subsequently became a leader of the Onondaga bar at Syracuse and died there.
Other attorneys who have practiced in De Ruyter are Harris C. Miner, a man of fine natural qualifications, who was in partnership with his brother, R. L. Miner, from 1859 until the death of the latter in 1863, and with L. B. Kern, a prominent citizen, member of assem- bly four years and also district attorney one term, from 1864 to 1870, all of whom are deceased. Daniel O. Mitchell, a brother of David J., practiced more than twenty years and is deceased. Sidney T. Holmes began practice here in 1864. Wallace E. Burdick began practice in 1868 and still continues, and H. D. Messenger, who has been in prac- tice about three years, and J. H. Pool and H. D. Preston, who began about five years ago.
At about the close of the Civil war, when business interests of all kinds were at high tide, banking facilities were needed in De Ruyter and John R. Rider opened a private banking business. This was the only institution of the kind until E. B. Parsons & Co. opened their bank with the firm name in January, 1870, the partner being E. B. Crandall. In the winter of 1875-76 Mr. Parsons purchased his partner's interest and at the same time took his father, Cyrus Parsons, as partner. The capital was $15,000. After a number of years of successful business the bank failed and was closed.
The fire department in De Ruyter village dates from the incorpora- tion of the place in 1833 when, on August 8, the trustees were author- ized to purchase a fire engine and equipment, and to supply a house in which to keep them. The engine was bought at a cost of $207. In the village by-laws governing the village after the first incorporation, the
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
customary regulations were incorporated regarding the placing of fire buckets in taverns, stores and dwellings. In December, 1834, the trus- tees were directed to purchase "forty feet of fire engine hose and pro- vide a ladder for the use of the fire company." The first engine house was built in 1839; it must have been a small affair, as only $100 was appropriated, and part of that was to be expended for sidewalks.
An ordinance was adopted July 1, 1841, for the organization of a fire company with twenty-four members, with a captain, foreman, mate and one chief engineer and two assistants. The members were required to provide themselves with a leather or oil cloth cap and a linen or "tow cloth " coat. The first officers of this company, as far as can be ascer- tained, were Lindley M. Sutton, captain; William I. Ayer, foreman; D. F. Talbot, mate; William B. Blye, chief engineer; H. A. Dillaye and Luke Burdick, assistant engineers.
A second fire company, called Tioughnioga Fire Company No. 2, was organized January 19, 1855, with fifty members. In that year an en- gine was purchased costing $650, with considerable additional l.ose. On March 26, 1855, arrangements were perfected by the town and vil- lage for the erection of a town hall and engine house combined and the purchase of a site, the town agreeing to pay $780 and the village $300 of the cost. The old engine house was sold in April 1855, for $22.25, and was burned December 26, 1878, while some of the fire department apparatus was stored in it. Another structure was erected on the site in 1879. In the burning of the town hall most of the town records were destroyed, to the great loss of every one interested in the history of the locality.
The fire department continued in substantially the same condition down to recent years, and at the present time consists of a hose com- pany and an engine company, although from this time forward the latter will probably find little to do, as the new water system is ade- quate for the extinguishment of fires.
The new water works were commenced in the spring of 1897, the supply being taken from springs, and a concrete reservoir was con- structed about a fourth of a mile south of the village at such an eleva- tion as to give a pressure of 134 pounds and with 500,000 gallons capacity. There are now twenty-eight hydrants placed in the village, and the supply for them is separate from that for drinking purposes. The cost of the works was about $15,000. The first board of commis- sioners consisted of A. W. Francis, president; E. N. Coon, secretary ; E. H. Lee, treasurer; H. C. Blanchard, and W. W. Owens.
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IMPROVEMENT IN TOWNS-GEORGETOWN.
The only church in the village not elsewhere noticed, is the Congre- gational, which was organized in 1897 and is now enjoying a healthy existence. In the year of its organization a neat church edifice was erected.
The De Ruyter Institute, for many years a somewhat noted educa- tional institution, was founded in 1836 by the Seventh Day Baptist relig- ious sect, of whom there were many in this section. This institution, which was finally merged in the Union School of De Ruyter, is ade- quately described in Chapter XXIV., as is also the Union School now in existence.
De Ruyter had one of the early Masonic lodges of the county. It was established probably as early as 1816, and continued in active life until 1827, when it surrendered its charter with the hundreds of others that were overwhelmed in the Morgan anti-Masonic crusade. The existing Lodge, No. 692, was organized December 28, 1868, with the following as the first officers: I. H. Babcock, W. M .; George W. Blod gett, S. W .; William J. Mills, J. W .; Carlos Bennett, treasurer; Charles Mudge, secretary; A. M. Kibbie, S. D .; Bishop Bennett, J. D .; Frank Taylor, S. M. C. ; M. R. Merchant, J. M. C .; George W. Haight, tiler.
The settlement in the northeast part of the town that took the name of Shed's Corners, from the pioneer family of that name, has always been the center of a few small business interest. The post-office name has recently been changed to Shed's, and there is a store and a milk station there on the railroad, and a blacksmith. Allen Randall for- merly kept a hotel, which was burned and not rebuilt. John Daniels has a blacksmith shop where he succeeded his father, Stephen.
The adjoining town of Georgetown was a part of De Ruyter until April 7, 1815, when it was set off and organized as described in Chap- ter VIII. The territory of this town was quite fully settled long be- fore the formation of Madison county by a sturdy class of pioneers, who cleared away the heavy forests, cultivated the land, built churches and school houses, and made comfortable houses for themselves and their posterity, while at the same time they incidentally fought the wild animals that roamed in this section to a later date than in almost any other part of the county. It is an authenticated fact that a large wolf was killed on the Muller farm as late as 1847 by Mr. Sisson. Some of his sheep were killed and when he and his neighbors became con- vinced that it was done by a wild beast, they turned out in great num- bers and surrounded a large tract of forest in which it was believed the
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
animal was hiding. Slowly and carefully contracting their lines the wolf at last made a break for liberty, but as he approached the line of men was quickly dispatched. This was the last wolf killed in the town, if not in the county. In the early years deer and other species of wild game were very abundant, as well as fish in streams and lakes, both of which contributed largely to the food supply of the settlers. It is told that Isaac Purdy and William Drake, on one occasion went out before breakfast and killed four large bucks near their homes south of the village. A panther was heard and seen in this town as late as 1843. With increasing inhabitants and the warfare that never ceases between civilization and savagery, all these accompaniments of the pioneer's life have passed away.
Among settlers in this town not already mentioned and who came in after the formation of the county, should be noted Deacon Hanford Nichols, who was the first collector of Georgetown; John Pritchard, Deacon Pitt Lawrence, who was one of the first assessors; Elijah and David Williams, who settled in the south part of the town; Elijah Shepard, William Rhoades, Capt. Samuel White, one of the first school commissioners; Elijah Jackson, settled in the northern part and was one of the first overseers of highways; John Brown, the second town clerk; John Jackson, brother of Elijah; Jesse Jerrold, settled on lot 35 in 1816; John Gibson, on lot 48; Nathan Benedict, on lot 21, about 1812, and S. B. Hoffman, who was supervisor in 1827.
Around the first saw mill built by Eleazer Hunt and Joseph Bishop in 1805 and the grist mill erected by the same men in 1807, began to gather the nucleus of a hamlet soon after settlement began, which later developed into the village of Georgetown. It is situated a little south- east of the center of the town in the pleasant valley of the Otselic, about two and three-fourths miles from the station of the same name on the Chenango Valley branch of the West Shore Railroad.
The first grist mill stood on the site of the later one burned in 1875, and the saw mill near by. A number of other saw mills were built in early years in various parts of the town where water power was avail- able, most of which have gone to decay. One of these was situated about two miles south of the village and was built by Manning Drake, who sold it several years later to Gideon Peckham. Five or six years later Wheeler Dryer bought it and while in his possession it went to ruin. A shingle shop was established in the mill by Charles De Clercq while Mr. Peckham owned it. Dryer sold the mill privilege to Jonathan
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IMPROVEMENT IN TOWNS-GEORGETOWN.
Robie, who built another mill in 1841 and operated it many years, transferring it to his son Harry, who built a grist mill near by about 1865 and sold both to Henry Wadsworth in 1872. These mills became well known as the Wadsworth mills. In 1879 he sold them to Richard Bliss, from whom they passed to the present owners, E. W. Brown & Co .; they are conducted by W. F. Cossett, and have been put in good repair, and are now in successful operation, manufacturing buckwheat flour, feed, etc. ; a saw mill, cider mill and shingle mill are connected.
It is related that the name of Slab City was bestowed upon George- town village at the raising of the first saw mill, by Apollos Drake, who remarked at that time that there were three slab houses in the place, which entitled it to the appellation that has clung to it to some extent ever since. Bradford Payne built a saw mill half a mile north of the village in 1852. It was burned about 1858 and rebuilt in the same year by Mr. Payne, who operated it a few years and after his death it was sold to Eber Salisbury, who conducted it about fifteen years and sold it to Edward Hart, who also operated the grist mill at that point. During Eber Salisbury's ownership it burned but he rebuilt it. In very early years there was a small wool-carding factory there.
Cutting lumber from the forest trees in this town has continued to be profitable to a later date than in most other towns of the county and has given occupation to several mills in recent years. A steam saw mill one-half mile south of the village is operated by E. W. Pease; another in the southeast part by Van Ness Baldwin; another near the Otselic town line in the southeast part by M. C. Aiken; and still another at the railroad station, in connection with a stave mill, was established by W. H. Lynn and is now owned by E. E. Collins, of Fayetteville; no business has been done at the latter in late years. There are also three water mills remaining in the town -- one west of the village, oper- ated by a Mr. Northrup; one by E. C. Hart, and one by Warren and E. V. Brown.
William Bostwick built a tannery in the village about 1834 which he conducted upwards of twenty years. It passed from him into the possession of J. W. Dryer and was subsequently burned. Mr. Dryer rebuilt it in 1859. In 1875 it came into possession of Christian Hartjen who occupied it until his death in 1879. His widow then continued the business a few years when it was closed. The building is now oc- cupied as a blacksmith shop by George Jackson.
The first store kept in the house of Bethel Hurd, who was a pioneer
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on lot 68, near where his sons, Benjamin, Daniel, Ezra, David and Ste- phen, lived on farms, was conducted by a Mr. Truesdale. The first merchants in the village were Messrs. Dudley & Bemis, who began trading soon after the first settlement in the lower story of a building which stood opposite the site of the Methodist church. In 1817, this firm having quit business, John F. Fairchild came from Sherburne and opened a store; he also kept a tavern many years and was the first post- master. He subsequently removed to Cazenovia, where he published the Republican Monitor. He was father of Sidney Fairchild and grandfather of Charles Fairchild.
Ira B. Howard opened a store about 1825 and carried on a successful business about ten years when he sold to Samuel and Charles Wickwire and removed to Michigan. The Wickwire brothers came from Hamil- ton, whither Charles returned after about a year, selling out to his brother; the latter soon took as partner Zinah J. Moseley. The firm of Wickwire & Moseley continued about seven years when Samuel Bal- lard, from Lebanon, became a partner and the firm of Wickwire, Mose- ley & Ballard conducted the business nearly two years, when they sold to Elnathan Ellis. He took as partner J. L. Hare and they subse- quently closed the business. When they vacated the store it was occu- pied by Nelson Parmalee and Enoch L. Savage, who came from Caze- novia about a year before and began trade. Soon afterward Parmalee sold his interest to John Clough.
The storehouse now owned by A. C. Stanton was formerly a store where John Northrop, Northrop & Wray, Northrop & Priest, Northrop & Henry, and Jerome A. Norton carried on business, most of them for only short periods. About 1873 Zinah N. Dutton, a native of George- town, brought a stock of goods from Canastota and after trading here about two years, removed to Oneida. In December, 1877, Jerome A. Norton, in company with Mrs. Nancy Norton, his brother's wife, occu- pied this store, which business was continued for a time by Mr. Norton after Mrs. Norton's death.
W. A. Hare, dealer in boots, shoes, drugs and groceries, was suc- ceeded April 1, 1893, by J. J. Parker & Co. Dwight Whitmore began dealing in groceries and furnishing goods in 1874. Albert C. Stanton came from Otselic in 1842, where his ancestors were pioneers, and for some years was engaged in carpenter and joiner work, carriage making and the boot and shoe business, began the flour and feed business in 1876 and is now retired. George M. Griffith established a flour and
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feed business in 1886, with which he connected insurance. He was formerly engaged with S. M. Faulkner in cooperage business, begin- ning in 1861. Faulkner retired in 1872. Floyd Currier started in a general store in 1892, which he conducted a number of years. In 1897 Currier succeeded J. Q. Hawks in the undertaking business, which he now conducts. J. F. Stoddard opened a general store in 1884, and in the same year H. J. Evans established a hardware and tin business. E. D. Halbert has a meat market which was opened in 1894, and in which he had as partners for a time E. C. Hart and Van Ness Peckham. S. G. Holmes conducts a flour and feed store; C. H. Rice a livery stable and Mrs. C. H. Rice a millinery store. L. Edgerton has carried on blacksmithing several years.
It is not known just when the post-office at Georgetown was estab- lished, but John F. Fairchild, who was undoubtedly the first postmas- ter, was succeeded by David Parker, and he by Dr. Epaphroditus Whit- more, who held the office nineteen years. Since his incumbency the office has been administered by Zinah J. Moseley, William W. Hare, James Hare, William H. Johnson, Harry Robie, William Way, W. A. Hare, A. A. Stoddard, and W. A. Hare again. Charles Wagoner is postmaster at the station.
A hotel was built very early in the century, probably by 1810, on the site of what became known as the Blakesley House, and now as the Stewart House. The present building was erected as early as 1840 by Ebenezer Hall, and has had a great many landlords. It is now kept by Oscar M. Stewart & Son.
The first physician of Georgetown, and a man who was prominent in in other ways, was Dr. Epaphroditus Whitmore, who was a native of Haddam, Conn., whence he removed to Hamilton about 1804 and there studied medicine with Dr. Thomas Greenly. He was licensed in 1810 and established himself in Georgetown, where he continued in practice until his death in 1851. Dr. Whitmore taught the first winter school in the town in Seth Smith's kitchen. A summer school had been pre- viously kept in John C. Payne's house. Succeeding or contemporary with Dr. Whitmore were Drs. Guthrie, Blakeslee, Truman, and Elliott Stewart, none of whom remained long; Dr. Truman was located at Ot- selic. Dr. George W. Harris practiced many years and until his death; with him was associated at one period Dr. Reynolds. Dr. Benjamin Franklin practiced many years and until his death; Albright Dunham for a few years, and Charles M. White since 1884. The only other physician is Dr. E. F. Lamb, who has practiced here several years.
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
On the 19th of December, 1849, the inhabitants of Georgetown and Otselic met and made the necessary arrangements for forming an or- ganization to build a plank road from Georgetown village to Otselic. A committee was appointed to receive subscriptions to the capital stock, which was $4,400. The first board of directors was composed of Owen Thorpe, Elijah W. Brown, William H. Amsbry, and Elijah Moore. This was one of the early plank roads of Madison county.
A convenient town hall, which is used for entertainments, was erected in 1894, by Minor & Thorpe, at a cost of about $2,000. What was known as Brown's Free Hall, now occupied as a residence by John Cur- rier, is a curious example of architecture which was built by Timothy Brown between 1870 and 1875. He claimed to have built the structure under the influence of spirits and for the benefit of spiritualism and free speech. Although not a carpenter and unused to their tools and trade, it is said he erected an excellent frame and executed all the work of the building with his own hands excepting the doors and sashes. On the upper floor was a hall thirty-five feet square and he and his wife occu- pied the lower part. In 1874 he purchased the old Presbyterian church building, placed it in the rear of his building, built a piazza, laid a floor to divide it into two stories, and by throwing the upper floor of the whole structure together obtained a hall 35 by 70 feet in area.
Only two churches have been organized in Georgetown since the early formation of the Presbyterian, which has been noticed; this society erected its church in 1824. In 1874 it was sold to Timothy Brown and went into his Free Hall.
The Methodist Church was the outcome of work performed by Rev. J. M. Snyder about 1830, when he was invited to come from Earlville and hold services in the Atwood school house, about two miles north of the village. A class was soon formed and the work went on, resulting in the formation of another in the village. In 1841 they were united. Their church building was erected by the Free Church which was formed in 1845 by a division in the old Presbyterian society and was purchased by the Methodists for $650. Several years ago the building was greatly improved with new seats and other modern conveniences, and the society is prospering under the ministration of Rev. E. E. Benson.
The Georgetown Baptist Church was formed as a branch of one es- tablished in Ostelic in 1813, and mainly through the conversion and in- fluence of Pitt Lawrence. R. H. Benedict, who was then pastor in De
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Ruyter, did missionary work here, and Elders Cooly and Mealthy also preached and baptized. Other preachers who are mentioned were Jona- than Wade, Jacob Knapp, J. L. Moore, Allen B. Freeman. The church was formally organized on November 12, 1831, with twenty one mem- bers. An edifice was built in 1834 and used many years, when it was sold to Clark Sanford and removed to another situation, where it was used for a time as a shop and subsequently burned. The present frame church was built in 1885. The present pastor is Rev. George Bowler.
A newspaper called the Georgetown Mutual was established in 1877 by L. D. Blanchard, who sold to Edward Van Valen. While under his management the paper was discontinued.
CHAPTER XIX.
PROGRESS OF IMPROVEMENT IN TOWNS CONTINUED-BROOKFIELD AND LEBANON.
The reader has been given in Chapter IV a very full account of the settlement of the town of Brookfield-the building of the first mills at Leonardsville, at Button's Falls, and other points, the early distilleries, the opening of several early taverns, the organization of churches and opening of schools, all of which proclaimed the energy and progres- siveness of the pioneers of that large town. Early in the century Brookfield became of more than ordinary importance in a manufactur- ing sense, as well as in its agricultural operations. There was ample water power on the Unadilla, Beaver and Mill Creeks, which was im- proved at Leonardsville and other points and many industries were founded which during a considerable period were largely instrumental in increasing the wealth and population of the community. As the years passed the competition of larger establishments in more populous business centers could not be met here; mechanics and their families moved away and the local manufacturing conditions were revolution- ized. The large lumber industry of early years declined with the dis- appearance of the forests until now it is insignificant and confined to the cutting of comparatively small quantities of hemlock in the few re . maining mills. From the great cedar swamp near Clarkville, which
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