USA > New York > Madison County > Our county and its people : a descriptive and biographical record of Madison County, New York > Part 57
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The village now contains two churches, Baptist and Methodist. The former was organized in 1800, with Elder James Bacon, pastor; a log meeting house was built in 1802, and a little latter joined with the Presbyterians in building a frame edifice, The Baptists erected a larger church of their own in 1816. This old society has ever since main- tained its existence. The Methodist Church was organized in 1830.
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554
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
The Town of De Ruyter.
This is one of the five towns that were formed previous to the erec- tion of the county and was set off from Cazenovia March 15, 1798; it then contained the territory of the present towns of German, Lincklaen, Otselic and Pitcher, in Chenango county, and Georgetown in Madison county. The town received its name in honor of Admiral De Ruyter, of the Dutch navy. It is the southwest corner town in the county. It presents a hilly surface which is broken by the valley of the Tiough- nioga River, which with numerous small tributaries, drains and waters the town. The soil is of a general good quality, sandy and gravelly loam on the hills and rich alluvium in the valleys. The village of the same name as the town is situated in the southwestern part of the town ; it was incorporated in 1833. There are only two post-offices in the town-De Ruyter and Sheds (Shed's Corners.) The population of the town as shown by the census taken at various dates from 1835 was as follows :
1835
1840
1845
1850
1855
1860
1865
1870
1875
1880
1890
1892
1,562
1,799
1,829
1,931
1,921
1,817
1,820
2,009
1,609
1,584
1,500
1,480
The principal occupation of the farmers of the town is dairying to which general farming has largely given place in recent years. Some twenty- five years ago, when the manufacture of cheese in factories was made a prominent industry, five factories were established in the town; but there are only three now in operation-one a mile and a half north of the village, one four miles north of the village and one at Shed's Corners. Large quantities of excellent butter are made by individual farmers throughout the town. The raising of potatoes for market has taken on considerable importance within quite recent years and at fair prices are a profitable crop. The numerous saw mills of early times are nearly all idle. Considerable hardwood lumber is still cut, most of which goes to the Bryant Furniture Company, which operates a steam saw mill in the village and has a large factory in Truxton.
The destruction of the records of this town renders it impossible to give the date and proceedings of the early town meetings, and doubt- less deprives us of much important and interesting material. The town constitutes a part of the second school commissioner's district of the county and is divided into ten school districts with a school house in each, in which are employed fifteen teachers in 1897, to teach a total of 340 children. The present value of school buildings and sites is nearly
555
GAZETTEER OF TOWNS-DE RUYTER.
$10,000. An excellent high school is conducted in the village of De Ruyter, which is the direct successor of the old De Ruyter Institute, founded in 1836 by the Seventh-Day Baptists. It became a Union free school in 1874, and the name, De Ruyter Union School and Academy was adopted in 1877. The present faculty includes Irving Smith Sears, principal; Jennie Van Demark Sheely, preceptress, and four assistants. The attendance at the present time is about 270.
As at present bounded the town lies wholly within the Gore, de- scribed in an early chapter. Settlement began in 1793 by Elijah and Elias Benjamin and Eli Colegrove. Both the Benjamin brothers had families, members of which and their descendants have been prominent in the community. Joseph Messenger, Samuel Thompson, and William and Thompson Burdick became settlers in 1795, and Daniel Page, Gid- eon Foster and Eleazer Gage a little later. In 1800, or within a year or two thereafter, Matthew Wells, Jonathan Shed, Darius Benjamin, Samuel Bowen, Levi Wood, Sylvester Crumb and probably a few others located in different parts of the town. Among other settlers previous to or about the time of the formation of the county in 1806 were Joseph Rich, Jonathan Bentley, Benjamin Merchant, Job Webb, Benjamin Stratton, Abram Sutton, John Shepard, James Hunt, Na- thaniel Wright, John Pierce, Reuben Burnard, John Gifford, Ephraim Arnold, Beman Hoag, David Wood, John Hewitt, Joseph, Thomas and Benjamin Mitchell, Dr. Ephraim Otis, Stephen Bogardus, Benjamin Wybert, Enos and Amos Peasley, Elijah Cornell, Joseph and Benjamin Tripp, and Joseph Underwood. Many in this list were Quakers, who established a Meeting about 1806, and have always been numerous and influential in the community. These and the settlers who came in later soon cleared parts of their farms, built saw mills and grist mills, opened roads, established the schools and churches and gradually sur- rounded themselves with the comforts and advantages of the older set- tled localities further east.
De Ruyter Village .- This village is pleasantly situated on the Tiough- nioga on the western border of the town and is a station on the Lehigh Valley railroad. The early gathering at this point was due mainly to the building of a saw mill immediately after the arrival of the first settlers; this was soon followed by a grist mill, and in 1800 Samuel Bowen opened the first store. Two or three other merchants began trading before the erection of the county in 1806. The post-office was established in 1810. Ephraim Arnold established an early tannery, and
556
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
-
Daniel Page built the first public house in the corporation as early as the beginning of the century. Later merchants were Nathan B. Wil- bur, James Benjamin, Eli Spear, Col. Elmer D. Jencks, Sylvester Aylsworth, John Elmore, Martin Spear, Crandall & Alvord, H. A. & F. C. Dillaye, Bradley Merchant, Noah T. Coleman and others. The present merchants of the place are H. B. Griffiths, started in 1883; F. S. Mitchell, drugs, began in 1882; Hardy & Orvis, dry goods, 1894; H. C. Blanchard, clothing, 1895; C. E. Maxson, jewelry, 1893; M. R. Smith, clothing, 1881; E. S. Norton, hardware and groceries, bought the A. M. Purchase store in 1894; W. W. Rainey, harness, 1893; Eugene Ryder, varieties, 1895; W. G. Weed, baker, 1870; F. L. Haskins and G. M. Foster, meats; W. B Ryan, general store, 1895; H. S. Walker, hardware, in trade more than thirty-five years; E. H. Lee, general store, 1874; S. W. Fiske, grocer; R. F. Clark, grocer, 1898; E. M. Stanton, general store, 1895; F. M. Russell, groceries and hardware, 1887; A. W. Francis, flour and feed, 1885; R. E. Smith, furniture and undertaking, succeeded J. H. Crumb, 1886; Thompson & Church, mill- ers; Stanton & Nichols, millinery, 1898; J. D. Allen, plumber; M. E. Tallet, produce, lime and coal; H. P. Mitchell, insurance, 1881; E. D. Benjamin, photographer, 1883; the Cazenovia Coal and Lumber Com- pany carries on business here. John Rice Rider established a banking business in 1864, and in 1870, E. B. Parsons and E. B. Crandall opened the E. B. Parsons & Co.'s bank, with $15,000 capital. This institution subsequently failed. In 1889 the De Ruyter Banking Company was organized by B. S. Bryant, president; M. E. Teller, vice-president; F. S. Mitchell, treasurer and cashier. The capital is $10,000.
The village fire department had its inception in 1833, when the first engine was purchased, and measures adopted for building an engine house and town hall; the latter was erected in 1839 and was sold in 1855 and a new one built. The department now consists of a hose company and engine company of seventy men. A system of water works was established in 1897, which supplies the public with pure spring water and gives a pressure in pipes of 134 pounds to the square inch; twenty eight hydrants have been set in the village, thus rendering the fire en- gine substantially useless.
Physicians practicing in the village are Drs. Silas Clarke, Edwin M. Coon, James E. McClellan, C. P. Monro, and J. H. Shaffer, the latter a dentist. De Ruyter has had two or three lawyers of more than or- dinary ability and repute, who are noticed in chapter XXV. The
ELISHA PAYNE.
557
GAZETTEER OF TOWNS-DE RUYTER.
present attorneys are Wallace E. Burdick, J. H. Poole and H. D. Mes- senger.
De Ruyter has had several newspapers which are now extinct. The first was the De Ruyter Weekly News, started in 1862 by J. E. N. Backus; it lived about two years. The De Ruyter New Era was founded by John R. Beden in 1870. The De Ruyter American was es- tablished in December, 1896, by N. E. Bugbee and was discontinued in November, 1897. The De Ruyter Gleaner was established September 18, 1878, by W. W. Ames; it absorbed the New Era in 1889 and is still continued as a healthy, ably conducted journal.
The Taber House, built in 1849, is now conducted by John Coye; the Central Hotel was changed in name to the Park Hotel and much im- proved and is now conducted by W. W. Owens. The De Ruyter Hotel was built for a dwelling by M. R. Merchant; it passed to Isaac Samson, who sold it to M. W. Baldwin; he changed it to a hotel in 1893.
There are four churches in the village-Congregational, organized in 1897 and built an edifice in the same year; Baptist, organized in 1798; Seventh- Day Baptist, formed within a short time after settlement be- gan; Methodist, organized before 1817.
De Ruyter village was incorporated April 15, 1833; reincorporated December 7, 1847, and again February 18, 1878, under the law of April 20, 1870. A list of the officers from its incorporation to the present time is given in chapter XVIII.
Shed's Corners .- This is a mere hamlet in the northeast part of the town on the Tioughnioga, which took its name from Jonathan Shed, the pioneer of that locality. The post-office, which has been in exist- ence there many years, was changed in name recently by the Depart- ment, to Sheds. There was formerly a Universalist church which has become extent; a Methodist church has been in existence many years. A hotel was kept by Allen Randall, which was burned and not rebuilt. One of the cheese factories and milk stations of the town is in opera- tion here, and one store.
Following is a list of supervisors from 1807 to the present time: 1807-09, Jeremiah Gage; 1810-13, Eli Gage; 1814-17, James Nye; 1818-19, Nathan B. Wilbur; 1820-23, Jeremiah Gage; 1824-26, Elias P. Benjamin; 1827, Hubbard Smith; 1828, E. P. Benjamin; 1829-30, Abraham Sutton; 1831, John Hewit; 1832-34, Le Baron Goodwin; 1835-36, Bradley Merchant; 1837, Benjamin Enos; 1838, Abraham Sut-
558
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
ton; 1839-40, Ira Gage Barnes; 1841-43, David Maine, jr. ; 1844-45, Jonathan Brainard; 1846-47, Dwight Gardner; 1848-49, Abijah N. Annas; 1850-51, Lewis Sears; 1852-53, William Hunt; 1854, John R. Rider; 1855, Albert G Burdick; 1856, Ira Spencer; 1857, J. Henry De Lamater; 1858, Simeon Rider; 1859, David Maine; 1860, William C. Crumb; 1862, Daniel Q. Mitchell; 1863, H. C. Miner; 1864, Daniel Q. Mitchell; 1865-66, J. W. Merchant; 1867-68, Newell Reeve; 1869-70, A. N. Annas; 1871-73, Alverson B. White; 1874-76, Daniel Q. Mitch- el1; 1877-80, Joseph H. Crumb; 1881-83, Charles H. Maxson; 1884, Edward B. Parsons; 1885-86, Charles F. Maxson; 1887, George F. Annas; 1888-91, Byron S. Bryant; 1892-93, John Hunt; 1893-97, War- ren W. Ames.
The Town of Eaton.
Eaton was formed from Hamilton on February 8, 1807, and is one of the five towns organized in that year. It is situated near the center of the county and is bounded on the north by Smithfield and Stockbridge, on the east by Madison, on the south by Lebanon, and on the west by Lebanon. When organized its area was placed at 28,000 acres, but the assessed area in recent years is placed at less that 26,000. The surface of the town is composed largely of the valley of the Chenango River which flows across the town from northwest to southeast, through a beautiful valley which is bordered by picturesque and fertile slopes. On the hillsides the soil is gravelly or clayey mixture, while in the bot- to n lands it is a lighter loam. In the north part of the town the gen- eral slope is northward towards the St. Lawrence River. No rock is accessible for quarrying that is valuable. A number of mineral springs are found near Eaton village, their principal constituent being sulphur. The whole town is well watered with springs and brooks of pure water, and in early years the natural water power was used at many points for running the pioneer mills. The largest stream other than the Che- nango, is called Alder Brook, which has been given wide notoriety through the writings of Fanny Forrester; it rises in Nelson and flows easterly through the southern part of Eaton and empties into the river at Eaton village. Leland's Ponds and Woodman's Lake, once favorite fishing resorts of the Oneidas, are situated in picturesque locations at the divergence of the Chenango and Oriskany valleys and are the head- waters of one of the branches of the Chenango. These ponds were util- ized in 1836 as one of the sources of supply for the Chenango canal,
559
GAZETTEER OF TOWNS-EATON.
which extends in a curve into the southeastern part of the town. Hatch's Lake is a beautiful body of water in the southwest part, and once con stituted the headwaters of one of the Otselic branches, its outlet being at its western end. When the canal was constructed this outlet was closed and the water directed through Bradley Brook reservoir to the canal. The lake covers about 136 acres and is almost wholly fed by springs in its bed. Eaton reservoir is on the west border of the town and covers 284 acres; from this flows Alder Brook (or Eaton Brook), through a narrow valley, supplying in its fall numerous mill sites.
At the present time and for three-fourths of a century, dairying has been the principal industry of Eaton, while at the same time it has long been one of the most important in the county, particularly in early years, in a manufacturing and commercial sense. Previous to about 1850 cattle raising was quite extensively carried on and mixed farming, the raising of cereals, was an important part of the agriculture of the town; but in more recent years these features have greatly declined. Eaton first introduced into the county the cheese factory and creamery system, which within a few years created a revolution in the farming industry. The first cheese factory was established at Eaton village, in 1861, by George Morse, and at one period later on there were eight fac- tories in successful operation in the town. This town also was the first to witness the use of horse hay rakes and mowing machines, as else- where described.
Settlement began in 1792 with the arrival of John and James Salis- bury, who came from Vermont in the fall, made a clearing in the south part, which they abandoned on account of extreme cold weather and did not return. Joshua Leland was the first permanent settler, coming in 1793; he at once began clearing a farm, and was soon joined by John H. and Benjamin Morris, who aided him in his work. He brought his family in the spring of 1794, the Morrises having improved his place during the preceding winter. This settlement was made on lot 94, on what has been known as the Dunbar farm. The Leland Ponds took their name from this pioneer. 'In his early home he kept the first tav- ern in the town and one of the first in the county. He also built and operated the first grist mill at the foot of the upper lake; that was done in 1795, and in the same year he added a saw mill, to the great conven. ience of the incoming settlers. Mr. Leland was killed in 1810 by fall ing from a load of potash near Cherry Valley, the barrels rolling upon him. He had seven sons and three daughters. He was the means of
560
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
several other settlers coming in at that time, among whom were Ben- jamin Morse, Simeon Gillett, Levi Bonney, Elijah Hayden, and a few others, who took up land in the vicinity of E iton village site. Simeon Gillett died in 1796, the first death in the town, and in the same year his daughter married Lewis Wilson, a newcomer, which was the first marriage in the town.
Settlers of 1796 were Samuel Sinclair, Joseph Moss, William Mills, Humphrey Palmer, Deacon McCrellis, and several others whose names are not known. Thaxter Dunbar came in 1799 and lived to nearly a hundred years old. Benjamin, Windsor, Stephen and Ziba Coman settled in 1797 in the vicinity of the Center, and many others arrived during the early years of the century, whose pioneer labors, as far as known, have been described in earlier chapters. Bennett Bicknell came to the town in 1808 and became one of the leading business men of the town, and was honored with high office. David Darrow was also a set- tler of that year. Thomas Lumbard, a Revolutionary soldier, came in 1803, and the town thenceforth rapidly filled up with an excellent class of settlers from the New England States, whose sturdy labor amid privations in the wilderness laid the foundations of the later prosperous community.
The first town meeting was held March 3, 1807, at the "school house near James Pratt's," and the following officers were elected: Robert Avery, supervisor; David Gaston, town clerk ; Martin Roberts, collector ; Josiah Wilcox, poundkeeper; Ziba Coman, Benjamin Morse, and John Hall, assessors; Hezekiah Morse and Abram Ellis, poormasters; Seth Hitchcock, John Pratt, and Robert Avery, highway commissioners; Martin Roberts and Nathan Mixer, constables.
In this list are the names of several other pioneers who have not be- fore been mentioned. Following is a list of supervisors of Eaton from the time of its formation to the present with the years of their service : Robert Avery, 1807; Joseph Morse, 1808-09; Hezekiah Morse, 1810-15; Bennett Bicknell, 1816-17; Windsor Coman, 1818; Bennett Bicknell, 1819; Rufus Eldred, 1820-1821; Samuel W. Osgood, 1822; Stephen Fitch, 1823; Artemas Ellis, 1824-25; David Gaston, 1826-27; Robert Henry, 1828-31; Uriah Leland, 1832-1835; Perley Munger, 1836; George Ellis, 1837; Windsor Coman, 1838; Ichabod Amidon, 1839-41; Moses Bicknell, 1842-43; Windsor Coman, 1844; Yale Leland, 1845-46; Ellis Morse, 1847-50; Hiram D. Cloyes, 1851-52; Ambrose Y. Smith, 1853-54; Calvin Morse, 1855-56; Francis H. Stevens, 1857; Albert W.
561
GAZETTEER OF TOWNS-EATON.
Morse, 1858-59; Benjamin F. Coman, 1860-61; Edward C. Philpot, 1862-63; Horace M. Kent, 1864; George E. Morse, 1865-66; Alexan- der M. Holmes, 1867-99.
The population of Eaton is shown in the following figures by the census taken in the various years named :
1835
1840
1845
1850
1855
1860
1865
1870
1875
1880
1890
1892
3,758
3,409
3,444
3,944
4,061
3,871
3,861
3,690
3,644
3,799
3,121
2,875
The town of Eaton, with Brookfield, De Ruyter, Georgetown, Hamil- ton, Lebanon, Madison and Nelson, constitute the First School Com- missioner District of the county. In this district are 119 school dis- tricts, eighteen of which are in Eaton, all having school buildings. Morrisville has a Union School, the organization of which is described in chapter XXIV. In the school year of 1897-98 the number of teachers employed in the town was twenty-six, and the whole number of chil- dren attending school was 602.
There are five post-offices in Eaton-Morrisville, the county seat, Eaton, West Eaton, Pratt's Hollow, and Pine Woods. Morrisville is the largest village in the town and since 1817 has been the county seat, which in that year was removed from Cazenovia. The village was named from its founder, Thomas Morris, and in early times previous to its incorporation as Morris Flats. The first incorporation took place under special act of the Legislature passed April 13, 1819. The first village president was Deacon Abel De Forest, who, it is related, built the first sidewalk in the place and was rewarded with the office of presi- dent. The village records under the first incorporation are lost, it being supposed they were carried away by the last clerk, Alexander Donald- son, jr., who died many years ago in New York city. Mr. De Forest was kept in the office of president ten years, after which the charter and the village government was permitted to fall into disuse. Under the general act for incorporating villages Morrisville was re-incorporated in 1848, and the following were elected as the first board of trustees: A. B. De Forest, B. Tillinghast, Franklin T. Maybury, Luman E. Cole and E. Norton. A. B. De Forest was chosen president of the board ; James Norton, clerk; A. S. Sloan, treasurer.
David Gaston kept the first store in Morrisville, which he opened in 1804. Bennett Bicknell began trading in 1808. Present merchants are W. P. Chambers, general store, established in 1850 and the oldest mer- chant in the town; H. P. Mead, drugs and medicines, succeeded Wind-
36
562
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
sor Coman in 1873, with H. E. Chapin as partner, who retired in 1884; M. L. Field, furniture, established 1895, succeeding George Wilbur; E. N. Dexter, department store, established 1887; James Hollenbeck, gen- eral store since 1890; W. B. Stewart & Son, bakery; P. A. Hart, market; Burden & Poyle, market; E. M. & F. Sanford, variety store; J. H. Parker, hardware and tin; W. P. Jones, general store, succeeded H. G. Phelps in 1878; C. M. Seymour, general store, succeeding Storrs & Seymour (Otis Storrs); John Reidy, harness shop, succeeding Edwin Barnard in 1877; C. M. Seymour, clothing and furnishings (under man- agement of F. H. Southworth), established in 1895; Mrs. B. Wiltse, millinery; W. R. Kimball, general store, began in 1883, succeeded his father, B. N. Kimball.
The first hotel in the village stood on the site of the new Reidy block and was established in 1815; it was partly burned in 1859. John Far- well was proprietor, and Thomas Farwell resided in the house after the fire, it having been repaired. The Bicknell House was built on the op- posite corner, and is now the Burden House, with John Burden pro- prietor. The Exchange Hotel was built for a store by Samuel Shepard, and was converted into a hotel about 1826; it has had a number of pro- prietors and is now conducted by B. A. Wilbur. The old Madison County Hotel stood on the site of the Barker House and was burned in 1868. The present structure was built in 1872 by Edwin R. Barker, who kept the house several years. After several changes it passed to the present proprietorship of Charles Beekman.
The post-office here was opened about 1808. The successive post- masters have been as follows: Bennett Bicknell, Moses Bicknell, John Farwell, Hiram Lewis, F. T. Newell, James Norton, E. Norton, J. W. Hatch, W. H. Pilch, M. M Chubbuck, W. P. Cleveland, B. F. Coman, P. B. Townsend, Wilbur Henderson, John H. Reidy, and John H. Broad, the present incumbent.
About 1815 Lonson Stillwell began tanning leather and manufactur- ing shoes near the site of the later tannery, which passed to possession of Clark Tillinghast and Dr. Isaac Hovey, who purchased the old build- ing and operated an ashery. Stillwell returned from Manlius whither he had removed, and built another small tannery a short distance west of the first one. In 1830 Bradley Tillinghast bought his brother's ash- ery and established a tanning business which grew to large proportions, and made and dealt in boots and shoes. The business was finally abandoned and a wagon and blacksmith shop occupies the building.
563
GAZETTEER OF TOWNS-EATON.
The buildings of the silk factory, noticed here, were purchased by Stephen Coman and in the spring of 1862 were converted into a cheese factory. After a few changes in ownership, J. B. Wadsworth purchased the factory in 1880; it was subsequently burned. At the present time the only cheese factory in the village is owned and operated by D. A. Hopkins and R. D. Champlin, who purchased it in 1898; it was built in 1894 by a stock company.
The old saw mill, now rapidly going to ruin, was owned by the sons of William R. Jones. It was built by Abel De Forest about 1830 and was sold to Mr. Jones in 1860; it is now owned by Thomas Green. The other mill is operated by William Field. Other industries of the past in Morrisville were the silk factory established about 1853 and continued about five years; the Bicknell comb factory, continued to about 1840; the distillery of Bicknell, Coman & Norton, built in 1836 and discon- tinued in 1860; the grist mill built in 1830 and long operated by Ben- jamin Graham, later by his son and now by F. Cook; Nathan Shepard's woolen mill of 1836, which failed in 1850; Torrey's machine shop, built in 1841; the saleratus manufactory operated a number of years previous to 1840 by Babbitt & Darling, and the foundry built by Jefferson Cross in 1830, afterwards carried on by his sons, Jefferson and George, in the manufacture of stoves, etc. ; is now operated by D. C. Bennett in cus- tom work.
The Congregational Church in Morrisville was organized in 1805 and built a meeting house in 1817, which has on several occasions been greatly improved. Rev. Thomas A. Fenton is the present pastor. The First Baptist Church was formed in 1809 and a small meeting house was soon built. A more suitable site was given the society in 1826 by Bennett Bicknell and to that the building was removed and enlarged. The present edifice was erected in 1848 and the old one sold. The present pastor is Rev. Enoch Powell. The Methodist Church of Morris- ville was organized in 1834 and built its house of worship in the follow - ing year.
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