USA > New York > Tioga County > Our county and its people : a memorial history of Tioga County, New York > Part 40
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The Newark Valley Wagon Company was incorporated in Feb- ruary, 1882, with $30,000 capital, and for several years was a lead-
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ing industry, but at last misfortune came and the works were abandoned.
Moore, Cargill & Co., started a saw mill in the village in 1867, and from that time a mill has been operated on the site. The present owners are L. E. Williams & Son. The other manufactur- ing interests of the village may be mentioned about as follows : Burch & Wells' saw, cider, and thresh-mill ; P. P. Moses & Son's grist mill ; Bert Bliss's feed mill ; the Newark Valley wagon shops, C. H. Quick, owner; Moore's wagon works, succeeding Donley Bros.' marble works.
The Northern Tioga Agricultural Society is one of the notable institutions of the town, the villages and in fact of the county. It originated in a proposed basket picnic among the farming element of the town. These worthy agriculturists were desirous of meet- ing to discuss matters of interest in their special pursuit in life, and one suggestion led to another until the subject at last contem- plated an organization of considerable magnitude, and the result was that Frederick W. Richardson proposed an agricultural so- ciety, very much like that which now does so great good in this part of the county. The society was informally organized Nov. 23, 1880, and was incorporated March 2, 1881. From that until the present time it has been a remarkable success and productive of much good in the county. The grounds, which are leased, are ample, and are furnished with all the accommodations of any well appointed fair ground. Annnal meetings are held and all promised premiums are paid in full. The present officers are Stephen L. Ball, president ; J. F. Councilman and George E. Barney, vice- presidents ; G. E. Purple, secretary ; E. F. Belden, treasurer.
The Newark Valley trout ponds and pleasure grounds are purely a private enterprise, but are of such a character that a brief men- tion of them is proper. They are the property of Norman K. Waring, and were begun in 1869 and opened to the public in 1872. The grounds are abundantly supplied with water, well stocked with fish, and good buildings are provided for the public accom- modation. Various proprietors have undertaken the management of the grounds, but they have as often reverted to the founder.
The Newark Valley high school was established in its present
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form in 1896, successor to the Newark Valley union free school, and the latter the result of the generosity of the late Royal W. Clinton. Previous to 1887 all attempts to unite the school districts which included portions of the village were unsuccessful, and in the fall of 1886 such a proposition was voted down, 112 against and 101 for. On February 14, 1887, Mr. Clinton said to the in- habitants of the village that if they would unite districts 2 and 14 of the town, and secure a site, he would cause to be erected and donate to the consolidated district to be established a school build- ing suited to the necessities of the village. The result was the formation of Union free school district No. 2, and on October 25, 1887, the building was formally presented to the board of educa- tion. It is an attractive structure and stands on the site of the old hotel, built many years ago by Otis Lincoln.
The first board of education was elected April 14, 1887, and con- prised Edward G. Nowlan, Robert Donley, Sherwood B. Davidge, E. G. Kinney, and William Cargill. The board organized April 19, 1887, electing Mr. Kinney president ; Robert Donley clerk, and Morris Elwell, treasurer. The first principal was Prof. W. H. Ryan, followed by Profs. J. S. Kingsley, F. P. Webster, Miss Fannie L. Hughes, and J. S. Kingsley, in the order mentioned. The members of the present board are Oscar S. Randall, president ; Myron L. Williams, clerk, and Austin Dickerson, Gilbert E. Purple, and John O. Roberts. Treasurer, Sherwood B. Davidge.
The Newark Valley fire department as now constituted is the outgrowth of the little company formed at a meeting held Sept. 8, 1886. At that time Rescue Chemical Engine Co. was organized, and the engine was purchased with a subscription fund of $600 and the percentage paid by the insurance companies doing business in the village. Old Rescue has retained its identity to this time, but Dec. 14, 1887, the company was divided and Lincoln Hook and Ladder Company, No. 1, was formed from its members. The de- partment was incorporated in January, 1888. The first chief engi- neer was Oscar S. Randall. The present officers are Geo. F. Sher- wood, chief, and Dr. R. S. Fellows, assistant engineer. The officers of the social organization are J. T. Joslin, president ; D. C. Hand, secretary ; John O. Roberts, treasurer.
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TOWN OF NEWARK VALLEY.
Newark Valley lodge, No. 614, F. & A. M., was chartered June 26, 1866, and from that time has been one of the substantial insti- tutions of the village. Its membership at this time is about 70.
Oketa lodge, No. 685, I. O. O. F., was instituted with five char- ter members, January 3, 1894. The present members number 57.
The First Congregational church of Newark Valley, as now known, is the direct outgrowth of the little society formed during the early years of the century through the devoted missionary labors of Rev. Seth Williston, that famed old christian worker un- der the direction of the mother church in Connecticut. Through his efforts on Nov. 20, 1803, a society was formed, and in the same year a church edifice was built in the north part of what is now Newark Valley, then known as Brown's settlement. (The second edifice on the same site was built in 1817.) The constituent mem- ber's were Dr. Waldo, Nathaniel Ford, Jesse Gleazen, Levi Bailey, Beulah Brown, and Caroline Ford. April 4, 1805, the first officers were elected, and October 23 following the Society of Western was fully organized. Dec. 24 of this year Rev. Jeremiah Osborn was called, and began his pastoral labors Jan. 11, 1806. Sept. 11, 1811, the church was admitted to membership in the Cayuga Presbytery, a relation which was maintained until July 2, 1869, when the full Congregational form was adopted. January 12, 1823, eight mem- bers from the old church were dismissed to form a new society in what is now Richford, and September 14 following fourteen other members withdrew to form a church at West Newark. Still later July 24, 1833, the Berkshire church was organized and took from the mother society seventy-two more of her members. In Sep- tember, 1831, it was decided to remove the base of operations of the church from the north part of the town, which was inmedi- ately done and a new edifice was then built in the village on land donated to the society by Otis Lincoln. This building in turn gave way to a more commodious structure in 1867, the latter being ded- icated Jan. 14, 1869. The chapel was built in 1895, and cost $1,500. Notwithstanding the fact that three churches have been formed from the mother society the latter is still one of the strongest churches in the north part of the county and now has a member- ship of 283. This church has been noted for its long pastorates,
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which fact will be shown by reference to the succession of pastors, viz .: Jeremiah Osborn, 1806-18 ; Marcus Ford, Dec. 3, 1820,-April 27, 1859 ; Samuel F. Bacon, 1866-71 ; Samuel Johnson, 1871; Jay Clizbe, Jan. 14, 1872-Dec. 1886 ; J. S. Ellsworth, Sept. 1, 1887,-Jan. 1, 1896 ; A. Y. Wilcox, June 25, 1896.
The West Newark Congregational church was formed Sept. 16, 1823, and in 1832 the church edifice was erected. Rev. Zenas Riggs was the first pastor. A complete church organization has ever been maintained here and in a measure auxiliary to the society at the Valley. However, the branch society has been without a pastor for two years.
The first society of the M. E. church of the town of Newark was set off from Berkshire and made a station in 1842, although in its history in the town Methodism dates back to the year 1822, when Rev. George W. Densmore included this village in his cir- cuit and preached here regularly. The society and class were organized in 1833 and in that year a church home was erected. It answered the purposes of the society until 1884, and was aban- doned for the large brick edifice built in that year, the latter one of the best structures of its kind in northern Tioga. Auxiliary to the society in the village is that at East Newark, which was estab- lished in 1849. The edifice was built about the same time. This society is under the village pastorate, but has an independent officiary. The early ministers who preached on this circuit before Newark Valley was made a separate charge were Revs. G. W. Densmore, Herota P. Barnes, Fitch Reed, and David A. Shepard. The pastors, in succession, have been : Moses Adams, 1833 ; Jesse Peck, 1834; Hanford Colburn, 1835-6; Morgan Ruger, 1837-9 ; C. W. Giddings, 1840-1; H. L. Rowe, 1842-3; Benajah Mason, 1844-5 ; Darius Simmons, 1846; Sylvester Manier, 1847-8; H. Colburn, 1849 ; P. S. Worden, 1850-2; N. S. D. Davison, 1853-6 ; George H. Blakesley, 1857-8; O. M. McDowell, 1859-60; Nelson Rounds, 1861-2; C. V. Arnold, 1863-4; King Elwell, 1865-7; Leonard Cole, 1868-9 ; G. K. Peck, 1870-2 ; C. S. Alexander, 1873; G. H. Blakesley, 1873 : George Comfort, 1874-6 ; Wm. S. Wentz, 1877-8; W. J. Judd, 1879-81; H. M. Crydenwise, 1882; T. P. Halstead, 1883-5; Wilson Treible, 1886-9 ; H. L. Ellsworth, 1889;
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C. H. Sackett, 1890; F. A. Chapman, 1891; A. D. Decker, 1893; J. B. Cook, 1894.
This church in connection with that at West Newark numbers about 320 members. Another M. E. church has an organization in the town, on East hill, which is a part of the Maine charge.
The Baptist church of Newark Valley was organized Oct. 27, 1857, with twenty-six members. The first edifice was built in 1868, and the second, the present large brick structure, in 1869. This church numbers 111 members. The pastors in succession have been as follows : Revs. D. T. Leach, John Branch, Ranson T. Gates, John Ball, Henry T. Leach, Jacob Gray, R. H. Spafford, W. N. Tower, Adam H. Todd, J. S. Aineslie, G. E. Weeks, Ezra Crowell, D. F. Leach, J. G. Dyer, G. E. Benn and E. D. Hammond. St. John's church, Roman Catholic, at Newark Valley was built in 1880, although mass was said in the village at an earlier date. This parish and church are an out-mission from Owego.
A Free Will Baptist church had an abiding place in Newark Val- ley village as far back as the year 1820, and a meeting house was built at the corner of Main and Silk streets. The society, how- ever, passed out of existence many years ago.
The first election of village officers in Newark Valley resulted as follows : President, Edward G. Nowlan ; trustees, Dr. Cornelius R. Rogers, Eli D. Tibbitts, and Levi S. Burch ; treasurer, Edgar E. Chapman ; collector, Fred. W. Barber. The board appointments were : Street commissioner, Daniel H. Miller ; police justice, Lorenzo F. Rockwood ; clerk, Dewitt A. Millen.
The second president was Dr. Hiram L. Knapp, elected in 1895, succeeded in 1896 by Sherwood B. Davidge.
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CHAPTER XXIV.
THE TOWN OF CANDOR.
A FTER the close of the revolution, land operators and specula- tors laid almost constant siege to the legislature and to the land office in their attempts to secure grants or patents, or certificates of purchase and survey, of the most desirable portions of New York ; and about the same time this state and the common- wealth of Massachusetts fell into a controversy which involved al- most the entire area of New York. This, however, was amicably settled by the Hartford convention, but all the territory west of Seneca lake and as well a vast area elsewhere was ceded to the contesting state. Then New York set apart the military tract to compensate revolutionary services, and also made provision for the disposition of the old town of Chemung, then one of the civil divisions of Montgomery county.
Between Chemung on the south, the military tract on the north, the Boston purchase on the east, and the vast Phelps and Gorham purchase on the west, there was in 1791 a large tract of ungranted land lying entirely within which was the town of Candor as after- ward created.
In 1791, John W. Watkins, a New York lawyer, and Royal W. Flint, in behalf of themselves and their associates applied to the commissioners of the land office for a grant of the land described in the preceding paragraph, estimated to contain 363,000 acres, and for which they offered to pay the sum of three shillings and four pence per acre. The proposition was accepted, a survey was made, and June 25, 1794, theso-called Watkins & Flint patent was granted, and then began the history of the town of Candor.
However, while negotiations were pending certificates of loca- tion and survey had been granted to other proprietors covering lands in what is now this town, one of which was to John W.
TOWN OF CANDOR. 419
Ford, for 300 acres, dated January 23, 1794, and known on rec- ords as the Ford location. A second was made to John Cantine of 800 acres, known as the "Big Flatt" tract, including lands where Willseyville is built up. Mr. Cantine also had a 1,200-acre tract elsewhere in the town ; James Clinton, 200 acres ; Nathan Parshall 200 acres, all of which were granted previous to or on March 7, 1792. These were a few of the many patents made.
The entire purchase included twelve townships, and the present town of Candor is made up of parts of numbers nine, ten, eleven and twelve. This vast area was at once subdivided by the pro- prietary and sold at a moderate advance above the original cost and expenses of survey. Yet when settlement was well begun the price increased, and in 1800, when the number of acres under cultivation in what is now Candor was but 390, unimproved lands were selling at front three to four dollars an acre, and in 1825 had advanced to three dollars for the inferior to seven dollars for the best tracts.
In general the lands in Candor were not unlike those in other towns in the region, and the topographical conditions were also much the same, as elsewhere, yet the pioneers were attracted to this special locality by the fact that here the original forest growth was far more dense and luxuriant than in many other places in the county ; and it is said that the pines frequently reached the height of about 200 feet and were five feet in diameter at the ground. Indeed, everything in the early natural condition indi- cated a rich and productive soil, and this it was which attracted the first attention of the hardy New England pioneer.
The honor of having been the first settlers, the pioneers, of this town seems to have fallen to Elijah Smith, Collins Luddington, Thomas Hollister, and Job Judd, Sr., all of whom came from Connecticut to Owego by way of the Susquehanna valley and thence journeyed up Owego creek to the point where the first improve- ment was made during the summer of the year 1793. Hollister, Smith, and Luddington were afterward permanent residents in the town, and while Judd joined in all the improvements of the first year, and for nearly thirty years more, in 1820 he removed to In-
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diana and was one of the first settlers in that western region of country.
These four men were the pioneers of Candor, and to them all the accompanying honor is due, yet mention must also be made of the work of surveyors Captain Joel Smith and Isaac Judd, whose visit here was made during the year 1793. They described to friends and relatives in the east the desirable character of the lands and the timber, and upon their report the coming of the others was in- duced. Again, Abel Hart was a factor in bringing about settle- ment in the town, for as early as 1792 he had visited friends on the Boston purchase and thus became acquainted with the country, although his residence here did not begin until several years later.
Notwithstanding the fact that the Watkins & Flint tract was not ready for settlement as early as some other of the large pur- chases in this part of the state, the Connecticut Yankees proved as energetic colonizers as their neighbors from Massachusetts on the Boston purchase east of Owego creek. In 1793 Joseph Booth pur- chased a lot for his son Orange F. Booth, when the latter was only twelve years old, and on this lot he came to live in 1801, thus founding a settlement by a family which became as prominent in the later history of the town as any within its borders.
Captain Thomas Park an old Connecticut sea captain, priva- teersman, and patriot, came from the east to the Boston purchase among the earliest pioneers, and located first in Vestal, but in 1788, according to George Truman's genealogical record. and 1796 in other but not more reliable records, removed to the southeast part of what afterward became Candor and made the first improve- ment there. The statement has been made that Capt. Park was in fact the pioneer of this town, but whether so or not cannot at this time be determined. He cleared a large tract of land, and had one of the first saw mills in the county. So early, indeed, was his settlement made that when he passed through Owego on the jour- ney to the town there were only four log houses in that settlement.
Joel Smith, Jr., the surveyor of the Watkins & Flint tract, came and made a permanent settlement in 1795, and with him also came his wife and five children. He had served with credit as captain of a company in the third Connecticut regiment during
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the revolution, and was present at the surrender of Cornwallis, in 1781. In Candor Capt. Smith was both farmer and school teacher, and was in other ways identified with early history in the region.
Israel Mead, another patriot of the revolution, came to the tract in 1795 from old historic Bennington, in Vermont, and with him also came his wife and five children. He settled in West Candor, and his son William was the first white child born in the town. Elijah Hart and David Whittlesey also came in the winter of 1794-95, and soon built a small saw mill and also a grist mill on the site where the Ryan saw mill stands. The old mill was burned in 1813. Elijah Hart was the father of Capt. Abel Hart, of whom mention is made in a preceding paragraph. The family came from Stockbridge, Mass., and settled in Broome county in 1792, but four years afterward came up to the Watkins & Flint patent and built a plank house, which was used as a dwelling and tavern, and also as a meeting house for religious worship. In 1810 Capt. Hart built a more pretentious framed hotel, which he conducted several years. Healso built a blacksmith shop, started a distillery, and set up a loom for weaving, in which were made three grades of cloth. In 1806, in company with Thomas Gridley, who had come to the settlement in the meantime, Capt. Hart built a saw mill. He was indeed one of the most enterprising men of the town in its early history and by his works added much to the comfort and convenience of the settlers.
Elijah Smith, of whom mention has been made as one of the four pioneers of the town, built one of the first framed houses and was otherwise identified with early history. His farm contained 200 acres and his descendants are still known in Candor. He had six children, four of whom were sons.
Daniel Bacon was also among the earliest pioneers of Candor, and was, withal, one of the most enterprising men in the new set- tlement, and to him is given the credit of making the first clear- ing in the town. So near as can be determined at this time, Mr. Bacon first came to the town in 1793, with or soon after the pio- neers, and took up a temporary abode with Thomas Hollister, and with him returned to Connecticut in the fall. The next spring he came again, this time in company with his brothers Seth, Cap-
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tain Eli, and John F. Bacon, all of whom were afterward identi- fied with the early events in the region and from whom descended several prominent families in Candor and elsewhere. John F. Bacon first settled and lived for a time in Danby, but soon came to Candor and took up land in the vicinity of his brothers. Daniel Bacon, son of Seth, came in 1805. He is remembered as a civil engineer and millwright, but best, perhaps, as Colonel Bacon, by reason of his connection with the state militia, in which he held a colonel's commission.
Ezra Smith was one of the pioneers in the Willseyville neigh- borhood, but the date of his settlement is now unknown. He was of New England stock but came here from Westchester county. He died in the town in 1818, and left a family of four children, all of whom grew to maturity and married. William Bates came to this town from Owego in 1796.
Jacobus Senich settled on the Big Flatt, or Cantine tract in 1797, but lived in the region only a few years. At his house the first town meeting in Spencer was held.
Abel Galpin is said to have settled in the town as early as 1790, which fact, if correct, would have made him its pioneer ; but it must be remembered that in 1790 no disposition of this region had been made by the state, and if Mr. Galpin came then he was a squatter. Such settlements were occasionally made in the county . but it is doubtful if any were made in this remote territory. How- ever, Abel Galpin was a pioneer in the town and a very worthy man as now recalled. He came from Stockbridge, Mass., married with Mary Wright, and had a family of thirteen children.
Jared Smith, Hiram Williams, and Jasper Taylor, all New Eng- land Yankees, settled in this town in 1795. Jared Smith was the son of Joel and Lydia Smith, and some of his descendants have ever since lived in Candor and are numbered among its thrifty fam- ilies. Hiranı Williams made his first improvement on what has been described as the Ford location. His wife was Abigail Ford, by whom he had six children. Jasper Taylor was an old patriot of the revolution. He located in the Weltonville neighborhood, and the first saw mill there was built by a member of his family. Mr. Taylor married with Maria Edmunds and by her had eleven children.
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TOWN OF CANDOR.
Levi Williams, Joseph Schoonover, and Charles Henderson are also to be mentioned among the early settlers, though perhaps not as pioneers. However, it is thought that they were located in the town as early as 1800. Each took up lands and made the first im- provement on them. Joseph Schoonover and Caleb Hubbard were also early settlers, Mr. Hubbard coming in 1805. He was a car- penter and his work in building houses and barns made him a valu- able man in the settlement. He, too, had a large family, and his descendants are still living in the town. Joseph Schoonover lo- cated on what was afterward known as the Samuel Barrott farm. He was one of the first town officers elected at the organization meeting in 1811, and was otherwise identified with early events in Candor. In his family were ten children. Selah Gridley came from Connecticut in 1803, and settled on lot 12. Elisha Blinn and Beriah Strong settled at and founded "Blinn's settlement " in 1804.
Cornelius Cortright, Sylvester Woodford, and Chauncey Wood- ford came to Candor in 1805. Mr. Cortright being one of the first settlers in the eastern part of the town. The family came from Del- aware county and numbered ten children, nine of whom, however, were born in Candor. The Woodfords were from Farmington, Conn., and Chauncey seems to have been an advance settler for his family, as he came first in 1804 and built a rude log cabin, and in the following year Truman and Ira Woodford, and James North and Mana Hart came to the town. Bissell Woodford, who was prominent in Candor nearly three-quarters of a century ago, came in 1825. In Chauncey Woodford's family were six children. Syl- vester Woodford's family had five children. Jacob Clark also set- tled in Candor in 1805, on lot 1, N. W. section 11.
Walter Herrick was one of the few natives of this state who settled early in Candor. He was born in Dutchess county and came here in 1806, settling in the east part of the town. Solomon Hover came in 1807 from Delaware county, and made an improvement on the farm since owned in the family. Henry Hover came about the same time, and from the same place. Both families had chil- dren, among whom were some of the first men of the town. Sol- omon Vergason settled, in Candor in 1808, coming from Standing Stone, Pa.
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Samuel Hull, a native of Massachusetts, and Daniel Cowles, of Farmington, Conn., were settlers here in 1809. Both had families and were much respected men. Mr. Cowles and his son Rufus were masons by trade and found plenty of employment among the settlers. Caleb Galpin and Ebenezer Lake also settled in the town in 1809, both in the Fairfield locality.
Dr. Elias Briggs, of Massachusetts, Ahira Anderson, a native of Connecticut, and Miles Andrews, from old Wallingford, Vt., came to live in this town in the year 1810. Dr. Briggs practised medi- cine at Weltonville about thirty-five years and was one of the oldest physicians in the town. He died in 1850. Miles Andrews was in the service from this town during the war of 1812-15. Jonathan Andrews, also a Vermonter, came to Candor in 1810, but later on removed to Newark Valley. Ahira Anderson settled on what was known as Anderson hill. He was a tanner as well as a farmer. In his family were ten children, of whom eight grew to maturity. Moses Grimes came from Washington county, N. Y., in 1811, and located in Park settlement.
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