USA > New York > Tioga County > Our county and its people : a memorial history of Tioga County, New York > Part 36
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Stephen Bidlack came to Spencer in 1800 from Tioga Point, Pennsylvania. He was born at Windham, Conn, in 1772 or '73,
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and was the son of Capt. James Bidlack, Jr., and the grandson of Capt. James Bidlack, senior, the former a victim of the massacre at Wyoming during the revolution. The senior Capt. Bidlack married for his second wife Esther Lawrence Ransom, widow of Captain Samuel Ransom who also was killed at Wyoming. After the massacre, the widow of Capt. Bidlack, Jr., with others sinii- larly distressed, and their families, fled down the river, wading in the water to conceal their trail, and lived for several days on ber- ries and the milk of a single cow, which was taken along with then. The pitcher in which the cow was milked is now in posses- sion of Blanche Louise Bidlack, the only living descendant of the family in Spencer. Stephen Bidlack was a farmer and a noted hunter. His wife was Lois Ransom, and to them were born these children : Abigail, who married Simon Lee McQuigg ; Sarah, who married Samuel Overshire ; Sybil, who died young ; Celistia, who married Samuel Mckinney ; Marinda, who married John T. Morse ; Harriet, who married Peter M. North ; Emily, who married Moses Bertrand ; Ransom, who married, first Lavina D. Van Vorhis, and second, Delia Van Vorhis. Stephen James Bidlack was the son of the second marriage, and was born August 16, 1844 ; married June 16, 1868, Carrie Amelia Davis, daughter of Naaman Davis, of Brook- lyn, N. Y. Of their three children only one, Blanche Louise Bid- lack, is now living.
In 1798, Rev. Phineas Spaulding added his family to the new settlement. He was a native of Vermont, and an old revolution- ary patriot, but on leaving Vermont he moved to Tioga Point and came thence to Spencer, settling on what was afterward called the McQuigg farm. Elder Spaulding was an earnest, industrious citi- zen and labored zealousły for the spiritual as well as temporal wel- fare of scattered inhabitants. He was deacon of the Baptist church on its organization in 1810, and in 1813 was ordained its pastor. His wife died in 1832, and he in 1838.
John Underwood was a native of Connecticut and came to Spencer in 1798, settling on a farm about half way between the village and North Spencer. His wife was Polly, the daughter of Rev. Phineas Spaulding, and their marriage was the first event of its kind in the town. The family name is now unknown in
.
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Spencer, but Mrs. Dr. Geo. W. Davis is the great granddaughter of the pioneer. Susan and Joseph Underwood were children of John, but both moved west many years ago.
John McQuigg, of whose name frequent mention has been made in this and other chapters of this work, came to Spencer about 1798, possibly earlier according to local history. He was the son of John McQuigg who came to Owego settlement in 1788, but the cause which impelled him to leave home and hazard the hardships of this then remote region is not known. When a child John McQuigg was lost in the woods and a full week elapsed before he was found. In Spencer he attained considerable prominence, was elected to the legislature in 1842, and though not conspicuons in public af- fairs he was regarded as one of the foremost men of the county in his time. He built the splendid residence now owned and occupied by Charles E. Butts. The records disclose the fact that Mr. Mc- Quigg was town clerk four years. Daniel McQnigg may also be mentioned among the early settlers, but trustworthy record of his personal life is indeed meagre.
In 1800 Isaac and William Hugg came from Canaan, Conn., and settled in Spencer ; and four years later their brother Daniel was added to the settlement. From this family the locality called "Hugg Town " was named. Isaac settled near the head of Spencer lake, but the region of their places of abode and improvement, for they and their descendants have ever been thrifty persons, is called North Spencer. The family is still numerous in the town, though the older members are all resting in town burial grounds. Isaac Hugg had eleven children, William had twelve, and Daniel had seven. Daniel Hugg and his wife Achsah, were original members of the Spencer Congregational church.
The settlers mentioned on preceding pages were located in the town as early as or previous to the year 1800, except as otherwise indicated. That there were still others cannot be doubted, and while the names of a few have been forgotten others were but temporary residents and left for other parts. Soon after 1800 set- tlement became more rapid and between that year and the organ- ization of the town the local population increased several fold. Indeed, so rapid was this growth that in the year 1810 Spencer as then constituted contained more than 3,000 inhabitants.
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Sanmel Giles came from Wethersfield, Conn., in 1803, and set- tled in this town. At that time Horace Giles, son of Samuel, was only thirteen years old.
Judge Henry Miller came to Spencer in 1805, and was one of the associate judges of the old common pleas court. He came from Westchester county and in the new settlement was a person of mich importance.
Abram H. Miller, son of Judge Miller, was born in Spencer, Dec. 11, 1818. He was educated at the Owego academy and Caz- enovia seminary, and then entered mercantile life in Spencer, and was so engaged until 1855, when he sold his store to Fisher Broth- ers. Five years later he removed to Owego, and was in active business from 1864 to 1876. He died in Owego March 2, 1882. As the town civil list shows, Mr. Miller was supervisor and town clerk. He was postmaster at Spencer several years, beginning in June, 1853. He represented the county in the assembly in 1856, and was one of the original board of five commissioners, appointed by Gov. Hoffman, to build Elmira reformatory. In politics he was a strong democrat.
Andrew Purdy enjoyed a like distincton and gained an early prominence as builder of the court house when Spencer was the county seat. But Mr. Purdy fell into a dispute with the supervis- ing commissioners and was delayed in collecting his pay for several years. He was one of the earliest, possibly the first, hotel keeper in the town, and as a host his reputation spread throughout the region, particularly during the period in which Spencer was the shire town. The old Purdy house still stands, occupying a con- spicuous corner lot in the village, and is still substantial though much worn with age and the action of the elements.
Richard Ferris came in the same year, 1805, from Peekskill, and settled in the town. He was kinsman to Joshua Ferris, and also raised a large family. David Ferris came in from Westchester county in 1805, as also did George Watson, of whom previous mention has been made. Other settlers of about the same time, but of all of whom reliable data cannot be obtained (while several of them are fully mentioned in the department devoted to personal chronology, were Thomas Mosher, whose descendants are still in
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Spencer, Leonard and John Jones, each of whom in his labors in life helped to build up the town in its early history.
In 1806 or '7 there came to Spencer from Connecticut, and set- tled in the north part of the town, four brothers surnamed Cowell, from whom the locality and settlement called Cowell's Corners was named. They were Truman, Joshua, Abraham and Benjamin Cowell, men of physical and mental strength, well equipped for the hardships of pioneer life, and from whom have descended a line of worthy representatives, men and women, many of whom are still in the county, while others have removed to other fields of action.
General George Fisher was one of the most prominent of the early settlers of Spencer, although he is hardly to be classed with the pioneers. He was born in Philadelphia, November 18, 1782, and was the son of Lieut. Leonard and Susannah Fisher, the father an officer in the American army during the revolution. In the course of his business life Lieut. Fisher became possessed of a large tract of land in the town now called Spencer, and his sons George and Thomas were sent here to develop, improve, and dispose of it to the best advantage ; therefore, in the fall of 1810, General George Fisher, and his brother, Thomas, were added to the popu- lation of the newly erected town. At that time General Fisher's family comprised his wife, Lucinda South Fisher, and three chil- dren : Susan, who became the wife of Philo Whitmore ; George Leonard, who married with Angeline Leach; and Louisa, who became the wife of Joshua Ferris. Other children were born to them in Spencer, viz .: Mary Ann, who married with Tunis Riker ; Henry Phillip, who died in Illinois ; Charles James, now living in Spencer ; Catharine, who married with Dr. John B. Benton ; William Luther, who died in 1888 ; Olive Ida, who died in infancy; and Olive Henrietta, who became the wife of William H. Cook. Soon after coming to Spencer, General Fisher purchased a small store and stock of goods and at the same time operated an ashery, and was in business in the village until about 1845, when he re- tired. He died July 21, 1872. He was appointed major of the 95th regiment of infantry, March 4, 1817, and was promoted brig- adier-general of the 18th brigade, June 8, 1827. General Fisher
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became a mason about the year 1821. In politics he was a demo- crat, and was elected to the assembly in 1835. He was associate judge in 1840.
Thomas Fisher, next younger brother to George, was the fourth son of Lieut. Leonard Fisher, and was born in New York city, October 1784. About the year 1805 he went to sea and was pro- mnoted to first mate on a vessel plying between New York and the West Indies. He also made a voyage to China. He quit the sea in 1807, returned home, and in January, 1808, married with Olive White Hodges. In the fall of 1810 he came to Spencer and settled on the tract of land in the north part of the town which his father had purchased in 1805, comprising 7,200 acres. In the southeast corner of this tract Mr. Fisher, assisted by John McQuigg, then a boy, built a log house, in which the family lived until 1824, when a framed house was erected, (the same now owned and occupied by his youngest son, Robert H. Fisher, one of the most substantial farmers of northern Tioga county). Since 1824 this part of the town has been called "Fisher settlement." About 1825, Thomas Fisher purchased from his father 375 acres of land, and the re- mainder of the tract was divided among the heirs of Leonard Fisher. The children of Thomas Fisher were Leonard, for many years a successful merchant in Spencer ; Alfred, who died in the west ; Caroline, who married with Timothy Hutchings ; Cornelia, who married with Smith Hall ; Catharine, who married with Lewis Post ; Thomas, who died in Ogden, Wyo .; John Philip, of Spen- cer ; George, who died in Scranton, Pa .; Robert H., of Spencer ; and Louisa Henrietta, wife of John Q. Shepard. Thomas Fisher died in Spencer, August 2, 1864, and his wife March 6, 1878.
John Avery Nichols was born at Athens, Pa., and came to Spen- cer in 1815. He was self-educated, studying law by himself, and was admitted to the bar. He was one of the most public spirited men of the village for many years, and was a prominent factor in building up business interests in the village. The civil list will show the town offices he held, but in addition he was twice loan commissioner, and was the democratic candidate for distriet attor- ney in 1865 and '67. He was one of the first directors of the G., I. & S. railroad and so continued to the time of his death. He was
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twice married and left a wife and eleven children. Mr. Nichols died at Spencer, November 18, 1885.
One of the prominent early settlers on West hill was Daniel Brooks, who came from southern New Jersey about the time Spencer became a county seat. In his family were these children : Zebulon, Harris, George, David, Daniel, Polly, and Patience, a number of whom moved to and died in the west. Daniel, Jr., still lives in this town. Zebulon married Amanda Bull and had five children : Edmund, George, Almira, Daniel C., and Amanda.
In the same manner we may recall to mind and briefly mention the names of other old-time residents of Spencer, not as pioneers, nor yet as early settlers, but for many years identified with local growth and prosperity, therefore its best history, and naturally entitled to at least some brief mention in these pages.
Nathaniel Scofield came to Spencer about 1806, possibly three or four years later, and settled on what has since been called the Luther Bliven farm. Samuel G. Bliven, an older generation of the family so named, came here in 1823. He married with a daughter of Rev. Phineas Spaulding.
Captain John Fields came to Spencer before the second war with Great Britain, and in that struggle he served with credit on the American side. Indeed, in the revolution this doughty old veteran also saw service as one of the "Queen's rangers " in the British army, but at the expiration of his term of enlistment he asked for and was refused a discharge, upon which he deserted and came to America. At Lundy's Lane, during the war of 1812, he was made prisoner. His wife was Lydia Bates.
William Loring came from Barre, Mass., to Granville, N. Y., and thence in 1811 to Spencer. His children were Horace, Wm. T., Lucena, Wealthy, Susan, Sarah, Louisa, Mary and Harriet. James B. Hull, who removed from Candor to Spencer and settled on the McQuigg farm in 1844, married with Lucena Loring, and Loring William Hull, present supervisor of Spencer, is the only surviving descendant of that union.
Bartley Roots settled in the north part of the town in 1810, on the farm which was afterward purchased by Albert Signor. Two years later Peter Signor, the founder of a numerous and thrifty
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family in Spencer, came to the same vicinity, and, by his mar- riage with Lorena Root raisesd up this family, prominent among whom were his sons Albert and Adonijah, and his danghter Anna, widow of the late Jehial House, of Danby. The surname Signor has ever since been prominent in Spencer social and industrial his- tory, and some of its representatives are the most substantial men 1 of northern Tioga county.
Dean settlement was named in allusion to Nicholas Dean, who came to Spencer from Westchester county, in 1816, and who is remembered as having been a thrifty farmer and worthy resident. In the near vicinity Elisha Sackett settled in 1820, coming to Spencer from Peekskill, on the Hudson. He, too, was the head of one of the prominent families in the town.
Truman Lake came from Green county in 1815, and was a sub- stantial farmer in the town. His wife was Clarissa Brown, by whom he had six children.
In the same manner mention is also to be made of Jotham Vor- his, who came in theearly years of the century. Of his children Rev. Stephen Vorhis attained prominence in the Presbyterian min- istry. He was born in Spencer in 1812, graduated at Hamilton in 1836, and at Auburn theological seminary in 1838. He died July 17, 1885.
Major Tunis Riker was one of four brothers who settled on Riker's Island, in New York. From there Tunis went into the service during the war of 1812-15, holding commissions from both James Madison and James Monroe. He was in the historic battle at Plattsburgh, and by an accident in being thrown from his horse was disabled to such an extent that he was pensioned for life. In 1816 or '17 he came to East Spencer and took up a farm about two miles from the village. Here he married the daughter of Gen. Fisher. He was a man of means, an architect, draftsman, and artisan, and in New York, before coming to Spencer, was con- nected with the shrievalty. He was progenitor of a large family, his children being Abram, Maria, Eliza, Anthony, Jacob, James, and Oliver Perry, the last mentioned alone surviving. James Riker became a clergyman of the M. E. church. He married Cyn- thia Vose, who bore him three children-Ella L., George, and Ladorna.
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Major Elihu Butts, who was in many respects one of the fore- most men of this town in his day, was born in New Berlin, Che- nango county, Sept. 17, 1792, and was by trade a tanner and cur- rier. He came to Spencer in 1818, and established a little primi- tive tannery in the village, a little south and east of the Presby- terian church. The old building still stands and is owned by Judge Butts, son of the pioneer. Major Butts was connected with the tanning industry in Spencer from 1818 to 1851, and during a part of this time was also interested in a tannery and saw mill at Van Etten. His chief product was sole and upper leather and calf skins. In 1851, A. P. Butts & Bro. (Andrew P. and Charles E. ) succeeded their father in business, and three years later Charles retired and engaged in other enterprises. A. P. Butts operated the tannery about three years more ; then leased it to Brown & Estey, but about 1864 it was closed. Maj. Butts lived in the village until his death. July 21, 1870. His wife was Sarah M. Banks, a native of Fairfield county, Conn. She died April 11, 1882. Their children were Eliza, who married with William Post, an early merchant of Spencer ; Susan, who died in infancy ; Hyatt D., who died in Spen- cer ; Susan Maria, who married with Thomas Fisher, Jr .; Andrew P., of Spencer ; Charles E., of Spencer, and Myron, who died in 1855.
Edward Bingham came from the town of Jay, Vt., in 1819, and settled in the northeast part of the town. He, too, was a veteran of the war of 1812, an honorable and upright citizen, and the head of a large worthy family in Spencer.
Captain Jacob Vose, son of Lieut. James Vose, was born in New Hampshire, December 15, 1771, and settled in Spencer in 1819. He died in the town in 1854, and his wife died in 1826. She was Persis Dickerman. They had a large family of eleven children. Capt. Vose's second wife was Betsey Bassett, by whom he raised a family of eight children, of whom Thomas and Joshua are dead, and Mary, Rachael, John, George, David and Olive live in the west. Betsey Bassett Vose died August 29, 1865. Sumner Vose is the only one of the first children now living. He was born in Bedford, N. H., in 1813, and came to Spencer in 1819. He mar- ried Amanda Holcomb and raised a family of six children : Nancy,
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Gilbert S., Lemuel D., Othniel J., Dr. Franklin J., and Enoch L. Vose.
Jeremiah Bassett came to Spencer from New Hampshire about the year 1820, and settled in the north part of the town. He had a family of nine children, five sons and four daughters.
Abel Beard came from Bedford, N. H., about the year 1820, and settled in the north part of the town. He removed to Illinois in 1843. In his family were five sons and seven daughters.
Elisha Holdridge came from Bridgewater, Penna., in 1822, but in 1838 removed to Cayuga county.
Lewis Van Woert, who was the son of Jacob Van Woert, of Washington county, N. Y., came to Spencer in 1827, and settled in the northeast part of the town, the farm purchased from W. G. Verplank, of still older residence here, but now owned by Lewis J. Van Woert. Lewis Van Woert had a large family of chil- dren, three of whom were born before the settlement in Spencer. They were Eleanor, who married with John Coggin ; Lydia E. and William G., of Spencer. The other children were Lewis J., of Spencer, and Mary M., who married with E. S. Willett and is now dead. Lewis, the pioneer, died in 1879, and his wife about 1871. He was prominently connected with the Presbyterian church for many years.
John Brock came to Danby from Delaware county about 1826, and two years later removed to Spencer, where he afterward lived and died. He was a good farmer and left a fair property to each of his children. They were William, Etheal, Ann Eliza, John, Adeline, Thomas, and DeWitt C. Brock.
Alvah Austin came to Spencer from Long Meadow, near Spring- field, Mass .. in 1828, and located in Brook street, where he ever afterward lived. He was a farmer, but for one year was partner with Deacon Cooley in a tannery in Owego street, east of the town hall. His wife was Mary Cooley. She died May 22, 1871, and Mr. Austin, May 13, 1874. Their children were Walter, who died at 15 ; James A., late of Chattanooga, Tenn., who died October 22, 1878 ; Mary E., who married with Robert Bell, and, after his death, with Rev. Albert Livermore ; and Laura, who died at the age of six years.
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Dr. Christopher Maine was a native of North Stonington, Conn., born November 5, 1812. He came to Spencer in 1840, and with the exception of a few years spent at Geneva, was a resident med- ical practitioner in this town until his death in November, 1881.
Referring briefly to other prominent old families of Spencer, mention may be made of the late Rev. Luther Bascom Pert, who was born in the town, October 12, 1819, and was the son of Thomas Pert, a highly respected townsman. Luther graduated at Hamil- ton college in 1843, practised law from 1849 to 1869 in New York city, and in April, 1870, entered the ministry in the Presbyterian church. He died at Bergen Point, N. J., May 29, 1881. His wife was Ellen P. Smith, of Spencer, by whom he had one daughter, Helen M., who married with Rev. W. H. Newman, Jr.
ORGANIZATION AND CIVIL HISTORY .- The pioneer and early set- tlement of Spencer was accomplished while the territory of the town formed a part of the original jurisdiction of Owego. Indeed, all this vast region was settled at about the same time, and by pioneers chiefly from New England, with a few from Pennsylva- nia and New Jersey. The settlers were occupied in clearing their lands and had little time to consider whether they were at any inconvenience by being compelled to travel long distances to the annual town meetings. However, when settlement was fairly progressed and the lands were well populated, the question of a new town was much discussed ; and the result was an act of the state legislature, passed February 28, 1806, entitled " An act to divide the town of Owego, in the county of Tioga," providing as follows :
" That from and after the passing of this act, all that part of the town of Owego, in the county of Tioga, lying north of the old Che- mung line shall be and hereby is erected into a separate town by the name of Spencer."
The town was named in honorable allusion to Ambrose Spencer, who at that time was one of the associate justices of the supreme court of the state, and afterward its chief justice. Judge Spencer was then one of the foremost public men of New York, and the perpetuation of his name in the manner indicated was an entirely worthy act. At that time Spencer included a vast area of territory,
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and from out of it these towns have been created : Candor, Caroline, Danby, and Newfield were set off and cach made a separate town, February 22, 1811, and Cayuta was set off March 20, 1824. Asnow constituted Spencer has an area of 29, 136 3-4 acres.
The first town meeting was held at the dwelling house of Jacobus Shenichs, but just where that worthy old pioneer then lived is quite uncertain, and his house, probably, was not within the boundaries of Spencer, as now outlined. To the south and west of the town was a considerable settlement of Germans, and it is gen- erally understood that Herr Shenichs was among them. However, at the time mentioned the first town meeting was held and officers were elected as follows :
Supervisor, Joel Smith ; town clerk, Joshua Ferris ; assessors, Edmund Hobart, Daniel H. Bacon, Levi Slater ; commissioners of highways, Moses Read, Benjamin Jennings, Joseph Barker ; over- seers of the poor, Lewis Beers, and Sanmel Beckwith ; collector, Isaiah Chambers ; constables, John Shoemaker, Nathan Beers, Win. Curran, John Murphy, Isaiah Chambers ; overseers of high- ways, Jesse Smith, Orange Booth, Jacobus Shenichs, Robert Dur- land, John Manning, John Dumond. Elias Deyo, Daniel Cassell, Stephen Bidlack, John Fields, Andrew Purdy, Thomas Andrews, John Miller, John Cantine, Moses Reed, Joel Rich, Prince Tracy, Robert Durland, Phineas Spaulding, Jr., James Westbrook, Jacob Swartwood, Emanuel Ennes. Harmon White, Benj. Chambers. Wakeman Bradley, Thomas Parks, Abraham Everidge : pound masters, John F. Bacon, John McQuigg, John Mulks, Jacob Swart- wood ; fence viewers, John J. Speed, John English, Joseph L. Horton, Jacob Herinton, Alexander Ennes. Lewis Beardslee.
EXTRACTS FROM TOWN RECORDS .-- The early records of the town recall many interesting reminiscences, and from them we discover an element of population of which no previous mention has been made, and they also carry us back in memory to the days when slavery was tolerated, though not then lawful in this state. Of date February 15, 1807, this entry in the town minute book ap- pears : "I, Robert Hyde, an inhabitant of the county of Tioga. and town of Spencer, had sometime about the middle of January two children born entitled to service, one a male child named Richard, the other the female child named Judy."
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