USA > New York > Madison County > Our county and its people : a descriptive and biographical record of Madison County, New York > Part 41
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The Methodist society here is a branch of the Stockbridge church and is in a flourishing condition. The church edifice was built in 1896.
The Mile Strip Methodist Church was organized as a class in 1839 by Rev. Isaac Puffer. Meetings were held with regularity many years in the school house. The society is still in existence.
The Methodist Church of Peterboro was organized in 1854, mainly through the efforts of Avery H. Forte, then class leader. Services were held in various places until 1858 when a small frame church building was erected. The first pastor was Rev. A. L. York. Although this society was small in numbers and scattered in its early years, it has gradually grown and is now in a flourishing condition under the pastor- ate of Rev. George W. Reynolds. The church building has recently been much improved.
The so named Church of Peterboro was formed in 1843 upon the theory of Gerrit Smith that the true church should be free from eccle- siasticism and creed obligations. Through widely circulated literature
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his views received extended notice and drew from the sectarian organi - zations many members. In 1847 he built a chapel in Peterboro and opened its doors to preachers of all denominations. The first stated pastor was Hiram P. Crozier, who remained two years, when he was requested to resign, as his teachings were radically atheistic. Other pastors followed for indefinite periods, while the pulpit was occasionally occupied by men of fame. The expenses of the services were defrayed by collections, but Mr. Smith had frequently to make up deficiencies from his own purse. In recent years the church has been occupied as a dwelling.
The town of Fenner, the early settlement of which has been described in Chapter IX, has seen few changes since the organization of the county aside from the gradual clearing of the lands and improvement of farms, with such municipal growth as has centered at the village of Perryville. The fact has already been noticed that a valuable limestone crops out on the northern line of this town, from which an excellent quality of lime has been manufactured many years, the works being situated just over the line of Sullivan. Marl lime was also made some years ago in the northwest corner of the town on the farm of Charles Keeler, who still resides there, but has discontinued his operations in that direction.
Hop raising has been followed in Fenner to a less extent than in many other towns in the county, more attention having been given to mixed crops and to dairying. The celebrated Hess barley was originated by David Hess, of this town, but it is not now grown to any extent. With the introduction of the factory mode of cheese making, Fenner farmers took up the business with enthusiasm, and at one time there were five factories in operation. One of these was at Perryville, which was built in 1868 by Webster C. Hill. Another was on the Mile Strip three miles from Perryville, built a little later by Monroe Lownsberry; both of these were owned during a period by the firm of Avery & Wadsworth. Another was at Fenner Corners and was built by William P. Lowns- berry about 1865. A fourth factory was located a mile southeast of the Center on what is known as the Hutchinson Corner. Another was on the Peterboro and Cazenovia Turnpike and was operated for some time by William Richards. Every one of these factories is now idle and the dairying interest of the town is chiefly confined to the domestic manu- facture of butter. There is, however, a cheese factory at Perryville, but just over into the town of Sullivan, which is operated by a stock company.
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The village of Perryville is pleasantly situated on the north line of the town of Fenner and is partly in this town, partly in Sullivan and partly in what was the town of Lenox before the recent division. The east and west road through the village is the town line. What was origin- ally the Cazenovia and Canastota Railroad, and later the Erie, Cortland and Northern road, passes through the village, and with other causes operated in comparative recent times to make it the business center of the town, drawing away from Fenner Corners most of the industrial and mercantile interests that promised in early years to make that a business center. The excellent water power of the Canaseraga Creek at this point has been also an important factor in the growth of the vil- lage. The first grist mill here was built soon after 1800 by Richard Card, and around it the settlers gathered and stores and shops were opened. The old mill was superseded in 1822 by the present one, which in passing years was owned and operated by various persons. For some years past it has been operated by J. A. Armstrong and is used largely in grinding buckwheat flour and feed.
A carding and cloth dressing mill was established here in 1815 by Alpheus Britt, who had settled in Lenox about 1810, coming from Ver- mont. In that town he carried on the same business until his removal to Perryville In 1831 he transferred the business to his son, Sergeant, who continued about twenty years and until it became unprofitable. The last building in use was erected about 1835. In later years it was used by Mr. Britt for a cider mill. In 1861 E. S. Hamblin purchased the property and converted it into a saw and planing mill, carrying on the business until 1877, when he sold to E. G. Crosby. Two years later he sold out to Abram Colyer and subsequently it passed to Fred W. Hodge, who uses it in connection with his stone industry. Alpheus Britt purchased a farm of 115 acres from the Peter Smith lands, which also passed to his son.
A tannery was established at an early day by a Mr. Glass, to which Oren S. Avery succeeded and wherein he established a boot and shoe manufactory. The business was long ago discontinued and the tannery building was demolished. Eli Blakeslee established a carriage manu- factory many years ago, but it was discontinued about 1836.
In 1886 Fred W. Hodge, who had previously been engaged in wagon making, established a land plaster, water lime and cement works, in connection with a large quarrying and stone crushing business. After continuing his operations ten years, developing an extensive industry,
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he was killed in 1896 by an explosion of nitro-glycerine. The business has since been conducted by his widow, Mrs. Hattie Hodge. Long leases are held for several quarries in the vicinity and crushed stone is sold to cities and villages under contract. Mrs. Hodge also operates a saw mill. These works are within the town line of Sullivan. About a mile north of Perryville, within the Sullivan bounds, Cyrus Worlock conducts a similar industry on a stili larger scale.
The first merchants at Perryville was the firm of Tyre & Cole, who located there about 1811 and occupied a building standing near the bridge, which was later converted into a dwelling. About the close of the war of 1812 the Weeks Brothers opened a store in the building now occupied by John Hill as a hop house. Capt. Justus Durkee and a man named Bowen were merchants a little earlier than the Weeks Brothers, but they remained only a short time. William Doolittle came from Paris, Oneida county. about 1820 and continued in trade until 1828, when he failed and removed to Chittenango. Samuel Hill and a Mr. Stillson, who came from Jamesville, traded about three years after Doolittle. Leonard Gough, from Plainfield, Conn., came to the village and opened a store, in connection with farming, about 1835 and con- tinued during much of the time untill his death about 1850. John Hill, who had kept an early tavern on the Peterboro road a little east of Perryville, opened a store in the village about 1839 and continued in trade about twenty years, carrying on also an ashery, distilling and milling a part of that period. He was associated in his store with his brother-in law, Mason Annas, and also at another time with Webster C. Hill; the latter succeeded to the store and continued in business to 1875, with the exception of a few years while he was engaged in mak- ing cheese. John Hill was a son of Daniel Hill, a pioneer in Lenox, who afterwards settled in Fenner on the well known Hill farm. John Hill purchased the Perryville mills in 1837, of Enoch Dykeman, and sold them about five years later to Lobdell & Rich. H. L. Keeler opened a store in 1864 and in 1876 sold it to Paul S. Maine, a native of Fenner and present clerk of the county; he is still in business and is the only merchant, aside from the stock of groceries kept by Mrs. William Cross. S. E. Marshall & Son carry on wagon making and blacksmithing.
The Perryville post office was established about the year 1816 with Oren S. Avery, postmaster. He held the office until his death in 1836. During that long incumbency he was one of the most prominent and
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enterprising citizens of the town and identified with various industries and business operations. He operated the old tannery and employed a number of hands in the making of boots and shoes. He was succeeded as postmaster by Silas Judd, whose successors have been Leonard Gough, Ira Bates, Silas Judd again, Orrin J. Woodworth, Joseph V. Wells, Webster C. Hill, H. L. Keeler, John Hill, Paul S. Maine, Leon Berson, Duane Chapman, Paul S. Maine again, James Wells, and again Paul S. Maine, who is the present incumbent.
A hotel called the Perryville House was built about 1825 by Simeon Jenkins, who kept it a few years. After several changes it passed to William T. Cross in 1857, who conducted it until his death in January, 1899. He was succeeded by F. F. Hamilton.
During the period of medical practice of Dr. John Didama in Perry- ville, which extended from about 1812 until after 1840, when he went to live with his son Edward at Ovid, N. Y., Dr. Reed and Dr. N. C. Powers practiced about a year in 1833-34. Dr. Powers subsequently removed to Peterboro and from there to Syracuse, where he died. Dr. Powers R. Mead settled here about 1835 and practiced to about 1852, when he removed to Nelson. Dr. Theodore Mead, a native of New Hampshire, practiced in Auburn, N. Y., and in Nelson and settled in Perryville in 1851 and practiced until 1874, when he removed to Caz- enovia. From there he went to Oneida. Other later physicians were Drs. John H. Ramsey, Sylvanus Guernsey, George B. Munger, Ben- jamin Rush Mead, George W. Miles, M. R. Joy, and the present phy- sician, Dr. Nelson O. Brooks.
The first religious organization of Perryville was the St. Stephen's Episcopal Church which was formed on September 18, 1816. It was the third church of this denomination in the State west of Albany. The society was always small in numbers and was served by numerous pas- tors, the records of whose terms are fragmentary. The parish was re- ported in 1851 as being old and feeble and in 1868 there were only nine communicants. There were frequent periods when the church was closed. The edifice was erected not long after 1830 and was conse- crated in 1833. It is now in use for the Union school, as elsewhere noticed.
The Methodist Episcopal Church of Perryville was organized as a class under leadership of Charles Blakeslee in 1831, at which time there were only four of that denomination in the place. The early meetings were held in the school house and later in the upper story of Eli Blakes-
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lee's wagon shop. The church building, which is still in use with sub. stantial repairs at various times, was erected in 1839. A parsonage was built in 1867, and is still in use. This church is connected with the one at Chittenango Falls, and Rev. T. F. Harris is pastor of both.
The town of Fenner was early divided into school districts, of which there are now eleven. There was little change for many years. In 1897 the Union School of Perryville was incorporated, uniting the ad- joining districts of the towns of Fenner and Lincoln forming District No. 1 of the towns of Fenner, Lincoln and Sullivan. The Episcopal society gave to the school authorities their old church building and site which was extensively remodeled and improved. The first and present Board of Education consists of Henry Hakes, Frank Blakeslee, Henry Stafford, John Hill, Edwin D. Ransom, John Armstrong, Charles Cooper, Jefferson Howard, and Willis P. Huyck. The present prin- cipal of the school is F. Reid Spaulding, who has two assistants.
Fenner Corners is a mere hamlet in the central part of the town, where it was originally supposed the business interests would be estab- lished. Martin and Daniel M. Gillet opened the first store, and Charles F. Kellogg, from Cazenovia, succeeded them for a short period. Hiram Preston and Martin Woodworth traded each a short time in early years. Perry Tibbitts was a merchant in 1875 and Augustus Daniels in 1878. Benjamin Pearlman now keeps the only store.
The first post-office here was established some time between 1820 and 1825, with Ebenezer Dunton, postmaster. Later officials were Elias Munger, Anthony Barrett, William Barrett, Caroline Barrett and Charles Barrett, who held the office until 1865; Alanson Roach, Frank W. Dewey, Lawrence Young, Joseph Mathers, Van Buren Stafford, William Lownsberry, Alfred Loomis, Walter K. Smith, Perry Tibbitts, Andrew Jackson, Theodore McAlpin, Mrs. McAlpin, and Sanford Murray.
The only resident physician of the Corners was Dr. Powers R. Mead, who practiced about two years before his removal to Perryville. Dr. Daniel Pratt, brother of Dr. Jonathan Pratt, the pioneer physician in Madison, settled in Fenner in 1814 on a farm a mile and a half north of Fenner Corners. There he practiced many years and was a prominent and respected citizen.
The Fenner Baptist Church was organized August 23, 1801, by Elder Thomas Tuttle, with seven members. The first baptism in the young
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church took place April 25, 1802, when eight candidates received the ordinance. This society has already been further described in Chapter IX
.
The hamlet of Chittenango Falls is situated on the western line of the town. In early years there was considerable manufacturing here, which has substantially disappeared. A paper mill was in operation many years ago, wrapping paper being extensively made from straw. With the introduction of wood pulp the industry became unprofitable and was abandoned. A cheese factory on the Cazenovia side of the line (where the paper mill was also situated), was operated a number of years, but is now closed and there is very little business in the place. There was formerly a saw mill here, the unoccupied building still standing, and an old carding mill, a mile and a half south, is now going into ruins. The Chittenango Falls Park Association is a recent organi- zation formed for the purpose of improving a beautiful park, which lies all in the town of Fenner. It is well laid out and provided with drives and shade trees, and affords a fine view of the Falls.
Previous to the organization of the Methodist Episcopal Church at the Falls, meetings had been held in 1843-4 by Rev. Jesse Watson, and forty or more were converted. The church was organized June 4, 1844, and the house of worship built the same year. The building has since been greatly improved. This church is now in a thriving condi- tion and is under the pastorate of Rev. T. F. Harris of the Perryville church.
It will thus be seen that the town of Fenner in recent years is a quiet, peaceful agricultural community, the business interests of which are small and not likely to ever be much greater. It is proper here to mention some of the many prominent farmers who have labored for the good of the community at the same time that they struggled for the welfare of their families. Among them are Philander Blakeslee, Or- lando Allen, Dr. G. B. Munger, L. Vander Hess, Loren Ransom, O. B. Hamblin, David Hamblin, N. B. Hill, Calvin Mead, Levi Brown, Alanson Burroughs, Garrett Blakeslee, Orrin Ransom, Eli Ransom, James Marshall, John Woodcock, and Abraham Wermuth.
Among the leading farmers of the town in more recent years may be mentioned Melvin Woodworth, Newell Hyatt, Orlando Hyatt, Kendall Cody, Irving Banyea, Frederick Barrett, Merton Allen, F. A. Hyatt, P. J. Huyck, Lysander Woodworth, George Brown, William Hamblin, Lucian Hamblin, Charles Hyatt, and others.
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
CHAPTER XXII.
PROGRESS OF IMPROVEMENT IN TOWNS CONTINUED-STOCKBRIDGE.
In tracing the detailed history of the various towns of the county we have now reached the latest one organized, which is Stockbridge, formed May 20, 1836, the early settlement of which down to the date of county formation is described in Chapter V. Among settlers not there noticed who came in at a little later date may be mentioned John Gregg who came from Augusta in 1812 and leased one of the Indian lots on West Hill. One of his sons was Absalom Gregg who settled later at the foot of the hill on the west side of the Oneida valley, where his son David afterwards resided. Taylor Gregg was a cousin of John and set- tled on the hill east of Munnsville and his sons were prominent citizens.
Abner Warren, son of John, came from Augusta in 1816 when he was seventeen years old and through his father's agency a farm was leased of the Indians on West Hill for three years, after which he leased the same from the State at $30 a year until the State purchased a tract including the farm, when he bought it. The father and son improved the place and made it one of the best farms in the town.
Thomas Rockwell settled on East Hill in 1813, purchasing the small improvements made by a previous settler and buying the land of the State at $7 an acre. The farm included the Council Ground of the Stockbridge Indians. It will be remembered that these Indians pur- chased their lands, comprising a tract six miles square, lying partly in Stockbridge and partly in Vernon, in 1784, and sold it to the State in various parcels in 1818, 1822, 1823, 1825, 1826, 1829 and 1830. These tracts are named to some extent in the public records as the West Hill Tract, the East Hill Tract, the Mile Strip, the Oneida Tract, the New Guinea Tract, etc. The Stockbridge Indians originally numbered about 450 and were taught in religion and the customs of civilization by the Rev. John Sargent, who came on with them from their former home in Stockbridge, Mass. They had thus become considerably advanced in morals and agricultural methods before the advent of white settlers. Within three years after the first permanent settlement was made they
,
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had built a grist mill and saw mill on Oneida Creek near the site of the later mill at Valley Mills. Their numbers increased for a period and their homes were thickly scattered all through the valley of the Oneida. Thus it became necessary for the pioneers to deal with these people by way of leases, or otherwise, for the occupancy of the lands, until the State acquired its ownership, a fact that operated to postpone settlement to a later date than in many other parts of the county.
The man who opened the first store at Munnsville did not arrive in the town until 1817, in the person of Asa Munn, who came from Au- gusta. From him the settlement took its name. It is delightfully sit- uated centrally in the town, in the lovely valley of the Oneida and is a station on the Midland Railroad, now the Ontario and Western. Mr. Munn occupied at first an Indian cabin, but soon built a small store where he traded about ten years. He also carried on distilling and other business undertakings. He was succeeded as a merchant by Charles Chandler and Henry Chandler, nephew and son respectively of Winthrop H. Chandler. A year or two later Matthew Pratt and another man took the business and conducted it about two years. Hiram Whe- don was the next merchant and continued in business about thirty years. Sometime in the war period he sold to William O. Sumner, who leased the store building to a Mr. Seeley who carried on business about two years while the railroad was being built; he had also a store in Oneida, where he subsequently committed suicide. Lorenzo Frost and James H. Lillibridge were in business here a few years, and George Colburn between one and two years, when he sold to Charles W. Dex- ter, a native of this town. In 1870 he enlarged and improved the building (which was the old Munn store), and in 1871-72 had as part- ner John Northrup. About 1890 he took as partner Clark W. Davis and the firm of Dexter & Davis has since conducted a large business. Mr. Dexter is postmaster at the present time, succeeding George R. Fryer, and is a prominent citizen.
William J. Lynden began trade as a druggist and grocer soon after the war and was succeeded in 1886 by George F Griner. F. L. Van Slyke was a former merchant and was succeeded by W. T. Webber in general merchandise. James Lowe began trade in 1879 and was suc- ceeded by his son, C. H. S. Lowe, in 1897; the latter had been a partner with his father several years, a part of the time in association also with Henry Freeman. A. H. Owen & Son are in the hardware business as successors of the senior of the firm who began trade in 1866. Dr. S. P.
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Moore, who has practiced in the village since 1873, conducts a drug store, and Mrs. George Cook a variety store.
The grist mill in the village was built in 1822 by Sheldon and Sol- omon Parmalee. The site and 100 acres of land were purchased by them of one Dennison, who bought the tract of an Indian who had built a saw mill on the south side of the creek on the lot later occupied by the woolen factory; that saw mill burned and a second one was built by him. The Indian's name was Jacob Konkerpot; he had built also a frame of a grist mill, but its site was not satisfactory to the Parmalees, who built their mill on the site of the saw mill and later erected another saw mill a little farther down. The mill was owned by Gregg & Barr in 1878 at which time E. K. Gregg sold his interest to D. J. Merrill, who in the next year purchased Sherman Barr's interest. In 1880 J. B. Maynard acquired an interest in the property. J. H. Merrill was the next owner and in 1898 was succeeded by C. M. Merrill & Son.
About the year 1824 a saw mill was built on the site of the Munns- ville Plow Company's works by Jairus Rankin and Robert Barr. The mill was subsequently owned by William H. Chandler who built an edge tool factory and manufactured scythes. That business was aban. doned and the making of axes taken up. Sometime between 1840 and 1850 the business passed to Daniel Holmes, who continued it until 1853, when William Stringer, Solomon Van Brocklin and R. S. Barr acquired an interest and the manufacture of various agricultural implements was begun. The firm name was Holmes, Stringer & Co. A few years later Van Brocklin sold his interest to his partners, and in 1861 Holmes also disposed of his interest and the firm of Stringer & Barr continued. In 1866 William H. Stringer, son of William, became a partner and the style was changed to Stringer, Barr & Co. Upon the death of both Mr. Stringer and Mr. Barr their two-thirds of the property was bought by C. W. Dexter and Lewis Coe, Charles Stringer taking the remaining one-third, the firm name becoming Stringer, Dexter & Co. In 1892 J. E. Sperry bought Mr. Stringer's interest and soon afterward the Munns- ville Plow Company was incorporated with a capital stock of $50, 000, and C. W. Dexter, president, who was succeeded by Mr. Sperry; W. R. Paul, vice-president; W. F. Bridge, secretary and treasurer. In 1894 Mr. Dexter sold his interest to W. F. Bridge. The product consists of plows, various kinds of cultivators, hop and fruit evaporating stoves, etc. About thirty-five men are employed.
The saw mill before mentioned as having been built by the two Parm-
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alees was demolished by Eben and Whedon Blakeman and a woolen fac- tory erected on the site. This was in turn taken down in 1884 and the timbers used in two dwelling houses which are on the site. A still earlier woolen factory stood there which was burned.
About the year 1822 Henry Stewart built a wool-carding and cloth dressing factory on the site occupied in late years by the creamery. About two years later he sold it to Orrin Wright, who enlarged the facilities and operated it about ten years. He sold to Robert Turner, who again enlarged the building and added more machinery. About 1854 the building was burned and at once rebuilt, Sanford Turner, brother of Robert, taking an interest at that time. They operated the factory to about the close of the war. Avery Wadsworth & Co. con- verted the building into a creamery about 1879. The building is now used by George Frost & Son as an evaporator. This firm also conduct a cold storage business in the building.
A Mr. Buck had a tannery in Munnsville at an early day, which was subsequently operated by James Hazeltine, who had worked for Mr. Buck, and from about 1840 to 1860 by James Lowe. On this site is the residence of Mrs. James Perkins.
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