USA > New York > Tioga County > Our county and its people : a memorial history of Tioga County, New York > Part 29
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INCORPORATION .- The old pioneer surveyor, Amaziah Hutchin- son, laid the foundation for a village settlement in Owego in 1788 and '89, when he surveyed and subdivided into parcels lot twenty- three of the West half-township; and David Pixley assisted in the same work by completing the survey in 1789 and '90. About twelve years later James Pumpelly enlarged the limits of the settle- ment by his survey, and from that time until the act of incorpor- tion was passed he. as one of the leading men of the time, labored earnestly to bring about that result. However, in 1810 the popu- lation within the limits of the village as afterward established did not exceed three hundred persons, and the only merchants then doing business were William and Nathan Camp, General Laning, Major Ross, John Hollenback, Charles Pumpelly, Gen. Hunting- ton, and General Camp. During the next twenty years the name
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and fame of Owego as a business centre had become known throughout the east, and the result was a steady and substantial growth in commercial interests and in number of inhabitants ; and with the increased importance of the hamlet there came a demand for at least a partial separation from the surrounding township, that the county seat might have the necessary improved condition of affairs that was to be obtained only in a corporate character. To this end James Pumpelly, Eleazer Dana, Jonathan Platt, Wil- liam A. Ely, and their fellow townsmen and associates, had re- course to the legislature, and the result was an act passed April 4, 1827, by which all that part of the town of Owego " now included within the gaol limits of the eastern jury district of said county, or as the said gaol limits shall be established by the court of com- mon pleas of said county at the next May term of said court, and shall not exceed three hundred acres of land, shall be called, known and distinguished by the name of ' the village of Owego.'"
Among other things the creating act directed that the freehold- ers and inhabitants of the village should meet at the court house on the first Monday in June, following, and there proceed to elect five discreet freeholders to be trustees. The trustees elected were authorized to make prudential by-laws for the government of the village, and " such in particular as may relate to restraining swine, horses, and cattle of any kind, from running at large." They were also authorized to assess, levy and collect taxes to defray village expenses, and were also declared to be fire wardens, in case of fire. Authority was given to appoint not to exceed twenty fire- men, "who shall be willing to accept," and to regulate the time and place of meeting of said company of firemen. The primitive fire company and organization brought into being through this authority, was the nucleus of the present splendid fire department of Owego.
Under the authority of this act of the legislature, a formal though somewhat incomplete municipal organization was effected ; but it was sufficient for the time, and by virtue of the authority of its provisions the foundation was laid for the establishment of all the institutions of the village in later years. As population and business importance increased, it became necessary to enlarge
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the corporate power, and also the extent of the village area, there- fore amendments to the act of incorporation were made in the years 1835, '37, '40, '42, '44 and '47, each defining or increasing the authority and powers of preceding acts, until the act of 1851 grant- ed to Owego a formal charter.
The act of April 9, 1851, provided that the village officers should be a president, one trustee for each ward, one treasurer, three assessors, one collector of taxes, one clerk, one police constable, one street commissioner, one chief engineer and two assistant en- gineers of the fire department, one or more fire wardens (not ex- ceeding three), a pound master, a sexton, and a keeper of the village hall. The trustees, treasurer, assessors, collector and street commissioner were to be elected by ballot. The territory of the village was also to be divided into five wards, each to have one trustee. However, in 1854, by an act passed April 15, the office of president, in addition to those enumerated in the act of 1851, was made elective by the people, and not by the trustees, as in all previous years.
Notwithstanding the fact that the charter of 1851, with the amendments of 1854, made ample provision for all departments of local government, it soon became necessary to still further amend, and for this purpose the legislative power was besought in the years 1857, '59, '60, '61, '63, '64, '65, '72, '79, and '90. The material changes of 1890 were the results of the work of a non-partisan commission, appointed January 13, by the village trustees, and comprised Howard J. Mead, Martin S. Lynch, William A. Smyth, LeRoy W. Kingman, Watson L. Hoskins, and Patrick Maloney. Still further amendments to the charter were made by chapters 301 and 302 of the laws of 1893. By the amendment of 1890, which went into effect at the annual charter election in January, 1891, the number of wards was reduced to three, each to have two trus- tees, elected alternately and for two years. Therefore the board of trustees consists of a president and six members.
The act of 1854 also provided for the election in the village of one supervisor, to have the same power and authority as town supervisors.
The first election of village officers was held at the court house in June, 1827. The board of trustees comprised James Pumpelly,
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Eleazer Dana, Harmon Pumpelly, William A. Ely, and Jonathan Platt, Jr. On the organization of the board James Pumpelly was elected president, and Ezra S. Sweet, clerk.
The succession of village presidents has been as follows :
1827-31-James Pumpelly.
1865-67-William Smyth.
1832-33-Anson Camp.
1868-Thomas I. Chatfield.
1834-Jonathan Platt.
1869-Frank L. Jones.
1835 -- Harmon Pumpelly.
1870-James Bishop.
1836-39-Latham A. Burrows.
1871-Hiram A. Beebe.
1840-Sylvanus Fox.
1872-Charles M. Hay wood
1841-John R. Drake.
1873-Frederiek K. Hull.
1842-James Wright.
1874-Ephriam H. House.
1843-45-John R. Drake.
1875-Asa N. Potter.
1846-49-Isaae B. Ogden.
1876-James Wilson.
1850-Thomas Farrington.
1877-Frank M. Baker.
1851-Charles R. Barstow.
1878-80-Foster N. Mabee.
1852-Hiram A. Beebe.
1881-William Smyth.
1853-Chauneey Hungerford.
1882-84-Stephen Chamberlain.
1854-George W. Hollenback.
1885-John Jones.
1855-57-William F. Warner.
1886-Judson B. Winters.
1858-Nathaniel W. Davis.
1887-89-Henry Billings.
1859-John J. Taylor.
1890-John G. Sears.
1860-Nathaniel W. Davis.
1891-William E. Dorwin.
1861-Isaac S. Catlin.
1892-94-Theodore D. Gere.
1862-Henry L. Bean.
1895-96-James Forsyth.
1863-64-Charles Platt.
1897-Orin T. Gorman.
The supervisors, in succession have been as follows :
1854-55-Dr. Ezekiel Lovejoy. 1878-Burr J. Davis.
1856-Franklin Slosson.
1879-Dr. Theodore S. Armstrong.
1857-Thomas C. Platt.
1880-Ephraim HI. House.
1858-59-Thomas I. Chatfield.
1881-John Jones.
1860-61-Watson L. Hoskins.
1882-83-Aaron Ogden.
1862-Charles C. Thomas.
1884-85-Charles M. Haywood.
1863-71-Daniel M. Piteher.
1886-Stephen Chamberlain.
1872-Harry Jewett.
1887-90-Charles M. Hay wood.
1873-Daniel M. Piteher.
1891-George F. Andrews.
1874-William H. Corey.
1892-95-Edwin Stratton.
1875-Thomas I. Chatfield.
1896-97-Orlando G. King.
1876-77-Dr. Theodore S. Armstrong.
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS. So far as record and tradition furn- ish any reliable information, the first school within the limits of
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VILLAGE OF OWEGO.
Owego Village was opened in a little log house standing on the east side of Court street, about on the site of the old academy building, but when and by whom built we cannot say. So far, however, as inference and conclusions tend to establish facts, the statement may be made that this log school house was probably built about the time James McMaster deeded the park tract to the trustees of "Owego Settlement," in 1797. The first teacher in this school was Mr. Quincy.
At a little later period another log school house was built on the south side of Main street, just west of where the rectory of St .- Paul's church now stands. In still later years this old structure gave place to the more substantial two-story framed building, which was occupied for the purposes of school and Masonic lodge rooms, the lodge rooms on the upper floor. Isaac Lillie taught in this old building, as also did Erastus Evans, and during the term in which Mr. Evans was teacher, in the summer of 1835, the school house was burned. This was a somewhat notable building in early local annals, for here were held all public meetings, and the Masons met there at a time when such assemblages were viewed with suspicion.
THE OWEGO ACADEMY. The subject of an academy in Owego was discussed by the people of the settlement as early as 1817, although it was not until ten years afterward that such an insti- tution was in fact founded. In the south part of the town was the "gospel and school lot," so called, at that time unoccupied, unimproved and of no benefit to any cause. This was a tract of land reserved by the state for the use and benefit of such schools as should thereafter be established, and for the support of the gospel in the town. This reservation was authorized by an act of the legislature, passed in 1782, and the tract of land so reserved in what is now Owego, lay in the south part of the town, in the old Hambden township and on the south boundary of Coxe's patent.
On April 12, 1826, the legislature passed an act by which James Pumpelly, William Camp and John H. Avery were appointed commissioners to take charge of the gospel and school lot, and were authorized to sell the same and apply the proceeds to such
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school or literary purposes as the inhabitants of the town in meet- ing assembled, should agree. In accordance with this authority, a special town meeting was assembled in Owego on December 30, 1826, and it was there resolved that the yearly income, or the an- nual interest arising from a sale of the gospel and school lot be appropriated to the "indowment" of an academy to be erected in the village of Owego. At the same time Anson Camp was ap- pointed commissioner to succeed William Camp, who was killed by the explosion of the boiler of the steamboat Susquehannah.
April 8, 1828, the trustees of Owego Settlement-Eleazer Dana, John H. Avery and Gen. Anson Camp, deeded to the trustees of Owego academy the tract of land on which the building was erec- ted, on the east side of Court street, a portion of the land deeded by James McMaster to the trustees of the settlement in 1797.
This conveyance by the trustees of the settlement did not meet the approval of the heirs of James McMaster, and soon after John J. Taylor came to practise law in Owego (1835) they asked him to bring an action to recover the land or its value. At that time Mr. Taylor was a young lawyer and did not feel inclined to sue the most influential men of the village, although he knew his clients had "a good case." He finally told them that for a $100 cash retainer he would bring suit, but the money was not paid, hence the matter dropped.
The first trustees of Owego academy were James Pumpelly, president, and Rev. Aaron Putnam, Col. Amos Martin, Dr. Joel S. Paige, Latham A. Burrows, Eleazer Dana, Gurdon Hewitt, Rev. Joseph Castle, Charles Pumpelly, Jonathan Platt, Anson Camp and Stephen B. Leonard. The academy building was erec- ted during the year 1827, by Col. Amos Martin, contractor ; Ab- ner Beers, superintendent of construction. The first principal was Rev. Edward Fairchild, A. M., and his assistants were Ham- ilton VanDyke, A. B., and Joseph Pattee. The tuition was two, three and four dollars a quarter according to the studies pursued. During its first term this notable old institution had one hundred and twenty pupils, sixty of whom were males. In 1851 the trus- tees enlarged the academy building by adding in rear of the main structure three large rooms.
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VILLAGE OF OWEGO.
From this time the history of Owego academy was a record of continued and increasing success for a period of nearly a quar- ter of a century, but with the introduction of our state free schools, followed in 1853 by the union free academic system, with all its increased advantages over the tuition schools and academies of the period, then came a gradual though certain decline in inter- est and profit in the affairs of the academy, and the result was its final dissolution, so far as its corporate charter was concerned, and · in 1864 it was merged into the more modern system under the name of the "Union Free Schools of the Village of Owego." Dur- ing the period of its existence the principals of the Owego aca- demy were as follows :
1828-Rev. Edward Fairehild.
1830-Joseph M. Ely.
1844-J. N. Jenner. 1847-Theodore F. Hay.
1835 -- A. Clarke.
1849-William Smyth.
1836 -- R. M. Stansbury.
1854-James M. Burt.
1837-Isaac B. Headley.
1856-A. B. Wiggins.
1844-Joseph M. Ely.
1860-Leopold J. Bæck.
1863-Joseph A. Prindle.
The present admirable system of schools in the village, more perfect than at any time in its history, was established by an act of the legislature, passed April 23, 1864, which with the amend- ments of 1865, declared that all school districts and parts of school districts lying within the corporate limits of the village of Owego, be consolidated and incorporated into one school district, to be called the "Union School District of the Village of Owego." Fur- ther, the act provided that the schools be designated the " Union Schools of the Village of Owego," and for their control and gov- ernment created a " Board of School Commissioners," of six mem- bers, one from each ward ( by the act called sub districts), and one from the village at large.
The first board comprised Thomas I. Chatfield, at large, and Rev. Charles H. Everest, John L. Matson, Andrew Coburn, William Smyth and H. D. Pinney, representing the five sub-districts in the order named. The system established under these acts was continued without substantial change until 1890, when by the radical revision of the charter the sub-district feature was abol- ished, and provision made for the election of six commissioners
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from the village at large, to comprise the "Board of School Com- missioners."
This consolidation of districts brought to the new jurisdiction several school buildings and other property, yet the transition from the old system to the new was not accomplished without difficulty and opposition. The old Owego academy, says a contemporary account, was found to be the greatest obstacle to the new system, but after two years of prolonged and needless trouble, it was made the academic department of the union system ; principal Prindle retired, and the school commissioners took possession. The old building was thereafter used for school purposes until 1883, when the splendid new free academy was completed and ready for occu- pancy, and was then sold to Charles A. Clark. However, from the union district established there has grown and developed the present satisfactory condition of educational interests in the vil- lage, the buildings now numbering six, and designated as the academy, the grammar school, Temple street, Main street primary, Talcott street primary, Front street, and Southside schools.
The principals of the free academy, since the retirement of Prof. Prindle, have been as follows :
1869-Jonathan Tenney. 1881-Henry A. Balcam.
1871-Theophilus L. Griswold. 1884-Henry Edick.
1873-A. J. Robb.
1886-Ezra J. Peck.
1879-A. M. Drummond.
OWEGO POST OFFICE .- From the best sources of information it is believed that Owego was made a postoffice sometime during the year 1800, although the department records show no reports from the office previous to January 1, 1801. Down to this time the settlers went to Union for their mails, but the appointment of pioneer David Jones as postmaster at Owego Settlement relieved the inhabitants of this locality from much inconvenience. The succession of postmasters at Owego has been as follows :
1801, Jannary *1-David Jones. 1864, June 30-Charles Stebbins.
1802, April 28-Eleazer Dana.
1871, February 17-Frank L. Jones,
1816, May 11-Stephen B. Leonard.
1879, March-Daniel M. Pitcher.
1820, May 15-Dr. Jedediah Fay.
1887, March 17-Frederick O. Cable.
1842, February 4-James Ely. 1889, Sept. 16-William Smyth.
1849, April 18-Charles R. Barstow.
1893, June 28-Jonas Shays.
1853, May 4-Hiram A. Beebe.
1894, August 30-W. J. Atchison.
* Date of first report.
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VILLAGE OF OWEGO.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT .- The seventh section of the act incor- porating the village of Owego authorized the board of trustees to organize a fire company and to appoint not to exceed twenty mem- bers. In accordance with this authority, on August 25, 1828, "The Owego Fire Company " was duly organized, the first institution of its kind in the county, and one of the first in the region. The company was organized by David Riddle, a student in Farrington & Johnson's law office. The members worked with buckets, no engine being used until nearly two years later. Through some misfortune no record of the original members of this old pioneer company has been preserved, but the names mentioned below are known to have been among the early members, and at least four- teen of them were charter members.
1. John M. Greenleaf. 8. George J. Pumpelly. 15. David A. Allen.
2. Printice Ransom. 9. Alvah B. Archibald. 16. George Kent.
3. George W. Hollenback.
10. Henry W. Williams.
17. Samuel Babcock.
4. David Riddle.
11. William Barnes.
18. Eleazer Valentine.
5. Thomas Farrington.
12. Francis Donlevy.
19. Daniel Farnham.
6. Ezekiel B Lovejoy. 13. Robert Manning.
20. Joseph Bartlett.
7. Frederick H. Pumpelly. 14. P. II. Ball.
The first foreman, or captain, or leader, for by all these titles was he called, was probably Thomas Farrington, while Mr. Green- leaf was known to be secretary of the company for several years, and later on was captain. About the time Rescue engine was purchased, in 1838, the name of Owego Fire Company was changed to Neptune, No. 1.
The first fire engine used in Owego was built by Ephraim Leach, in 1830. The brass and copper work was brought from New York ; the iron for brakes was purchased at Gurdon Hewitt's store, and manufactured by Erastus Meacham and Samnel Babcock. The engine was built at Leach's mills, and was indeed a novel machine, when in use being supplied with water carried in buckets from the nearest well or cistern. The suction hose and attachment was not put on the engine until 1840, and then to the great disgust of many "old heads," who knew the machine could not both "snek and squirt " water at the same time. The engine was kept in the old cannon honse, in the southeast corner of the academy lot, where the first village burying ground was laid out ; and it was the in-
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terference of the headstones with the proper handling of the en- gine that prompted the trustees, in 1833, to build an engine house in the southwest corner of the same lot, near the street. The new engine house was used by Owego fire company, and by its succes- sor, Neptune engine company, until September, 1849, when it was torn down to prevent the destruction of the academy building during the great fire.
The first Hook and Ladder company was organized by the trus- tees in pursuance of a resolution adopted February 12, 1835, and comprised twelve men ; but there is no record to show who the members were, or their officers. However, the equipment of the company was quite novel, comprising four ladders made from small pine trees by Capt. Sylvenus Fox, and a set of poles with hooks, the handiwork of Harlow Norton. But this primitive ap- paratus soon grew into disfavor, and on June 22, 1837, the com- pany reorganized for more effective duty, with more improved appliances. The members of this company were as follows : George W. Thurston. Lambert Beeeher. Abner T. True.
David Goodrich.
Andrew H. Calhoun.
William H. Platt.
Isaae B. Ogden.
Edward W. Warner. William Dunean.
George W. Fay.
Nieholas Kittle.
Robert Cameron.
Hammon D. Pinney.
George Truman.
James Cameron,
George Arnold. Lucius Truman.
John Gorman.
The apparatus first used by the reorganized company also con- sisted of hooks and ladders of imperfect construction, heavy and cumbersome to handle, but were in use for nearly ten years, when, June 6, 1846, the trustees made arrangements for a new equip- ment. This was secured in 1847, when Captain Fox made new and better ladders, hooks, chains, and poles. James Conklin & Co. contracted to build a hook and ladder wagon-the first fire truck-at an expense of fifty dollars, but for some unknown rea- son the wagon was not built, and the company carried their ap- paratus until the hooks and ladders were finally burned in Gen. Ogden's cabinet shop, in February, 1854.
In the latter part of 1839 the trustees purchased a new fire en- gine, at a cost of about $550. This became known as the "coffee mill," and a company was organized to operate it, known as En- gine company No. 2, but all records of the organization are lost.
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VILLAGE OF OWEGO.
However, the company was reorganized at a later day under the name of "Rescue No. 2." In the fall of 1841, No. 2 petitioned the trustees for a hose cart to run in connection with their engine, and the request was granted. In the next year No. 1 made a like re- quest, which was granted, and thus two more elements were add- ed to the fire department.
From this time on the history of the Owego fire department was a record of frequent changes, the companies being disbanded al- most yearly, and as frequently reorganizations were effected. Therefore, having referred to the pioneer companies, and their members, the purposes of this sketch are fully served by mention- ing only the name of subsequently formed companies, with the date of organization of each, and such other facts of history as will best inform the reader in search of fire department chronology.
Rescue Engine company No. 2, reorganized May 25, 1842, with 24 members.
The first parade of the Owego fire department took place Octo- ber 10, 1842.
The Fire Bucket company was organized November 25, 1842, with 16 members. The name was soon changed to Deluge Bucket company, No. 3.
On October 6, 1842, a new fire engine was purchased for Rescue Engine company, No. 2 ; cost, $615.
"Firemen's hall" was built on the county property, north of the clerk's office. It was built by William Duncan, and accepted by the village April 30, 1844.
Rescue Engine company was disbanded January 5, 1844, and reorganized as Croton Engine company, No. 3, with 30 members.
Rescue, No. 2, was reorganized by the trustees, February 2, 1844. On January 15, 1847, Rescue Engine company was disband- ed by the trustees, and on January 27, reorganized with 15 mem- bers.
Croton Engine company disbanded November 5, 1847, and on the 11th of the same month reorganized with 19 members.
About three o'clock in the morning of September 27, 1849, there occurred the most disastrous conflagration in the history of Owego. There had been little rain since the month of June preceding, and
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every condition was favorable to rapid ignition. The fire broke out in the Sons of Temperance hall, over James & Wm. A. Ely's store, on the south side of Front street, and within a very few hours the entire business portion of the village was destroyed, only three stores remaining uninjured. By this fire one hundred and four buildings, exclusive of barns, were burned, entailing a loss of about $300,000. All the buildings on both sides of Front street, from Church street to the park, and all on Lake street to the Central house on one side, and Jared Huntington's residence on the other, were burned. The bridge across the river was also partially destroyed.
In the spring of 1851 engines Nos. 1 and 2 were exchanged for Susquehanna No. 1, and old Rescue Engine company passed out of existence. In May of this year the engine house on the county property was removed to the north side of Main street, near North avenue.
Susquehanna Engine company, No. 1, was organized May 13, 1851.
Wave Hose company, No. 2, organized May 31, 1852.
Hope Hose company. No. 4, organized September 13, 1852.
January 5, 1853, the engine house in Main street, with engine No. 1, and the cart of Wave Hose company, No. 2, was destroyed by fire. New apparatus was at once secured to replace that which was burned.
June 15, 1853, a contract was made with T. I. Chatfield to build a village hall and engine house in Main street, at a cost of $4,500. The building was completed and accepted by the trustees on the first of November following.
Croton Engine company disbanded August 15, 1853, and a new company of the same name was organized August 20, to take charge of engine No. 3 and hose carriage No. 4.
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