USA > New York > Tioga County > Our county and its people : a memorial history of Tioga County, New York > Part 49
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Peter Perry came from Massachusetts at an early day and settled in the west part of the town. He had the first "still," but such industries have long since passed out of use. Mr. Perry died in July, 1866. Elijah Gilbert was the originator of the custom of padlocking doors in the town, but his chief notoriety came from locking down the cover to his watering-trough on account of some trouble with his neighbors. Isaac C. Smith settled in Richford in 1823. He married with Sally Pryor and raised a family of eight children. Horace Goodrich came from Durham, Conn., soon after 1820, but later removed to Newark Valley where he died in 1829. John M. Greenleaf, who was later a prominent figure in mercan- tile life in Owego, settled in Richford village in 1822 and in 1826 removed to the county seat. Lemuel D. Polley, a native of the old bay state, but a former resident of Dryden, came into Rich- ford in 1825. In the same year Jacob Ayers, a native of New Jersey, came to the town. In the same connection, though of a later date, may be mentioned the settlement of James Brigham, John
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TOWN OF RICHFORD.
Hamilton, Dioclesian Sears, Hotchkiss T. Finch and others, all of whom were in some manner identified with the town in the period of its early history.
ORGANIZATION AND CIVIL HISTORY .- In 1830 this northern part of Berkshire had about 800 inhabitants and with the several inter- ests then at their height in Richford Village and its immediate vicinity, and with such men as Ezekiel Rich, Dr. Powell, Ezekiel Dewey, and others of like stamp and business activity, it was only natural that a new town organization should be proposed and accomplished. The inhabitants were entitled to the separation and every consideration of justice demanded it. Therefore the legislature was besought when John G. McDowell and David Will- iams were in the assembly, and on April 18, 1831, an area of 21,835 acres of land was set off from the north end of Berkshire and called " Arlington ;" but why so named no present authority as- sumes to explain. However, on April 9, 1832, the name was changed to Richford. and so called in honorable allusion to Ezekiel Rich, then conceded to be the foremost man within the limits of the town.
As provided in the original act, the first town meeting was held Tuesday, March 6, 1832, at Mr. Rich's hotel, at which time these officers were elected : Supervisor, William Dunham ; town clerk, Jolın C. Stedman ; assessors, William Belden, George P. Simmons, Jesse Moore ; commissioners of highways, Lorain Curtis, Hub- bard F. Wells, Heman Daniels ; commissioners of schools, Jacob Burgett, Elijah Powell, Tower Whiton ; school inspectors, Simeon R. Griffin, Israel Wells, Edward W. Surdam ; overseers of the poor, Nathaniel Johnson, William E. Raymond ; collector, Obediah L. Livermore ; constables, Hiram W. Tyler, Henry Talmadge ; justices of the peace, Platt F. Grow, Eri Osborn, David C. Gar- rison.
The subsequent civil history of Richford is briefly told, and is written in the progress and development of the town and its ter- ritory from that until the present time. From a population, in 1830, of 800 or less there was a continuous and healthful increase until the year 1880, when the maximum was reached, but since that time there has been a gradual and steady decrease both in
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
population and business interests. However, we may turn to the census reports and note the fluctuations in population as indicated by published records. In 1835 the inhabitants numbered 882 ; in 1840, 939 ; 1850, 1,093 ; 1860, 1,404 ; 1870, 1,434 ; 1880, 1,477 ; 1890, 1,267, and in 1892, according to the count made in that year the population of the town was 1,252, a less number than at any time in its history since 1860.
During all the years from the time of the first settlement down to the outbreak of the war of 1861-65, no untoward event marred the quiet and peace of the inhabitants and in that time all local interests were fostered and promoted to such an extent that Rich- ford was regarded as one of the substantial towns of the county and of the region. In 1865, the Lake Ontario, Anburn & New York railroad company was incorporated, and was authorized to build a railroad from Fair Haven to Athens, the line of which passed through this town. The work was begun in 1869 and was completed in 1879. This was, perhaps, the most important im- provement ever proposed to benefit Richford, unless a possible exception may be made in favor of the old Catskill turnpike, which was built through the town in 1816, and which had more to do with the early settlement of the region than any other single event. Taverns were located along the road about every six to ten miles, and with immigrants constantly passing along in search of places for settlement, and the old mail and passenger coaches making their regular trips, the line of the turnpike indeed was a scene of constant and busy activity.
However, in the railroad enterprise, Chauncey L. Rich was the potent factor in producing substantial results for Richford. He was connected with the road in an official capacity for twenty years, and at times stood responsible for its expense account when his private affairs needed his attention.
During the period of the war of 1861-65, this town, according to Mr. Belden's narrative, sent into the service one recruit for each three voters, a record seldom equalled in any town in the state. Captain William Henry Powell and lawyer Calvin J. Robinson recruited Co. E of the 76th infantry, took the men to Cortland and thence to Albany. This, however, was not the only command
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TOWN OF RICHFORD.
having Richford recruits in the ranks, as a glance at the military chapter shows that volunteers from the town were in nearly every regiment recruited in the county ; and in addition to the general contribution of men and means, Richford bonded and otherwise pledged its credit to the extent of about $50,000.
SCHOOLS .- Previous to the separate organization of Richford, the schools were a part of the system in operation in the mother town of Berkshire, but after the separation the commissioners and inspectors of schools at once set about organizing districts suited to the interests of the inhabitants. However, the early records refer more particularly to the compensation to be paid the inspectors and commisioners rather than the measures adopted for establish- ing and supporting schools. Yet it is a known fact that the schools of Richford have been as well supported as in other towns simi- larly situated.
As now disposed the territory of Richford is divided into 15 school districts, of which Nos. 2, 5, 6, 7 and 13 have no schoolhouse within the town, but are joined with other towns. According to the county commissioner's report for the year ending July 31, 1896, the amount of public money apportioned to Richford was $1,340.88, and the town raised by tax $1, 647.46. The school population was 291, for whose instruction seventeen teachers were employed and were paid $2,480.80. The school buildings are of frame material, and with sites are estimated to be worth $4,170. The assessed valuation of property in the town was $359,282.
RICHFORD VILLAGE .- This pretty little hamlet is pleasantly situ- ated near the central southern part of the town, in the valley of the west branch of Owego creek, and although it has never attained to the dignity of a corporate character the time has been when Rich- ford was numbered among the important business centres of the north part of the county.
According to Mr. Robinson, Ezekiel Rich opened the first store, in 1821, while so good an authority as Mr. Belden says that the first merchant was Gad Worthington, who opened a stock of goods in the same year. However the truth may be we know not, neither is it important. Both were early business men and each contrib- uted largely to the early growth of the hamlet. In 1823 Wm.
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
Dunham succeeded Mr. Rich, and the "old abeby" was a busy place for several years.
The public park was donated informally by Ezekiel Rich and Beriah Wells and has ever been used as a common, with little adornment, but still forms a desirable plat in the village centre. Gad Worthington's store building was the first to be used solely for business purposes. It afterward passed into the hands of a Mr. Cook, who continued the business a few years. In 1824 Dr. Powell's large brick store was built, and was the most substantial structure of its kind in the village. The doctor opened a drug stock, and from that time on until recently some kind of business has been conducted there. After a few years Wm. Dunham re- moved his stock to a store built by him on the site of his proposed village, and about 1829 James Robbins opened a stock of goods in the brick building vacated by Dunham ; and here he continued until 1834 and then removed to the new building so long occupied in later years by Mr. Rich. Just before Mr. Robbins began business Doctor Seaman opened a store and also a distillery, the latter a pioneer industry and the only one of the kind in the village.
In 1844, Chauncey L. Rich and William Pierson succeeded to the Robbins store and from that time Mr. Rich was identified with local business life for a period of 40 years. He, with John H. Deming, formed one of the strongest firms in northern Tioga county. Other and later firms in the same building were C. L. Rich & Co., Finch, Ketchum & Co, W. C. Smith & Co., Smith, Allen & Finch, Smith, Krum & Co., and C. G. Krum, the latter the present proprietor.
Among the other merchants, early and more recent, in Richford were S. R. Griffin, in the brick store, followed by C. A. Clark, Nathaniel Moore, W. H. Powell and M. Westcott. Hiram B. Rawley opened there in 1869, and the name is still known to the trade. Other merchants were H. Tane, T. Brainerd. C. H. Swift (established in 1880 and still in business), and Mrs. Delos Yaple.
The old firm of Bayette Bros., cigar manufacturers, is well re- membered. Joseph Bayette was a Frenchman, living in the east part of the town in a log house, and there he made cigars. He removed to Ithaca, thence came to Richford in 1850 and set up a
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TOWN OF RICHFORD.
factory in the village. His sons succeeded to the business and Bayette Bros. were known to the cigar trade all through this part of the state for many years. The firm was succeeded by George and Edward Rich who closed the business in 1877.
The present merchants and manufacturers of Richford are as follows : Hiram B. Rawley, Charles Krum, and Hotchkiss S. Finch, general stores ; Charles H. Swift, hardware ; Wm. Howard & Bro., market; John D. Clark, crockery and notions ; H. S. & C. L. Finch, steam saw mills ; Franklin Bliss, grist mill ; D. MacLachlan, man- ufacturer of paper cutters and pipe wrenches.
Richford was made a postoffice in 1830. The postmasters have been William Dunham, Simeon Crandall, C. L. Rich, John H. Deming, C. L. Rich, Matthew Westcott, C. D. Rich (1866), C. W. Finch, C. A. Clark, Hiram B. Rawley (1889), and C. L. Rich, ap- pointed August 1, 1893.
MILLS .- In 1813 Caleb Arnold built the first mills in the town. In 1821, according to Mr. Belden, and 1823-24, according to Mr. Robinson, Gad Worthington built the grist mill at the village. In 1831 Simeon R. Griffin built a grist mill about 40 rods from the junction of the turnpike with Aurora street. About 1830 Mr. Wells built a saw mill north of the village, which later became the large Deming mills. Wm. Pumpelly built a mill north of the village, about 1830. The Belden Bros'. saw mill was built in 1850, and in the same year another saw mill was built in the north part of the town, where, later on, sash, doors and blinds were also made. The Wm. Andrews steam mill was built in 1853. The large steam saw mill of C. W. & H. S. Finch, near the depot, was built in the fall of 1870. In 1876 Franklin Bliss and H. S. Finch erected feed mills. The Allen mill on road 18 is on the site of the Holcomb mill, built in 1830.
CHURCHES .- The First Congregational church of Richford, as now known, was organized December 23, 1822, as "The Society of Columbia," connected with the Cayuga Presbytery. It became Congregational in 1827, but remained with the Presbytery until 1868. The first meeting house was built in 1823, and the second, the present edifice, in 1854. The pastors, in succession, have been Seth Burt, 1822-25 ; Henry Ford, 1827; Mr. Cary, supply, 1829 ;
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
David S. Morse, 1829-33 ; Revs. Graves and Ripley, supplies ; Rev. Morse, 1835-40 ; Revs. McEwen and Babbitt, 1841-42 ; Mr. Morse. 1844 49 ; Mr. Page, 1850-51; J. Woodruff, 1851-56 ; Richard Woodruff, 1857-63 ; J. S. Hanna, 1863 ; David Gibbs, 1864 ; Mr. Morse, 1866 and '67; George Porter, 1868 ; Mr. Green, 1870-73 ; Mr. Thomas, 1874-76 ; E. W. Fisher, 1878 ; A. D. Stowell, 1880- 82 ; E. P. Dada, 1882; George Miller, 1884-87 ; Chas. Bergen, 1887-90 ; Wm. F. Berger, 1890-91 ; John S. Mitchell, May 1, 1891, the present pastor. This church numbers 180 members, of whom 70 have united under Mr. Mitchell's pastorate.
An Episcopal church and parish were organized in Richford in 1832. A church edifice was erected and Revs. Carter, Bailey and Burgess officiated as rectors, but the church had but a struggling existence and was soon dissolved.
The Richford hill Christian church was organized as a society in 1857, erected an edifice in 1860, and from that time experienced all the vicissitudes incident to a feeble life until the society was dissolved. However, it was revived and for several years enjoyed a fair measure of success. But at length meetings were dis- continued and the assigns of the original owners of the land sought to renew under a forfeiture clause in the deed to the soci- ety, and soon after this, on January 9, 1897, the meeting house was burned.
The first Free Will Baptist church of East Richford was organ- ized in 1864, and in 1870 completed a church home. This society, too, has suffered hardships and many changes during the period of its existence.
SUPERVISORS.
1832-William Dunham. 1848-50-William Pierson. 1864-72-Jolm H. Deming. 1833-Gad Worthington. 1851-52-C. Randall. 1873-75-Hotchkiss S. Finch.
1834-39-Samuel R. Griffin. 1853-John H. Deming. 1876-77-C. D. Rich.
1840-Simeon M. Crandall. 1841-Elijah Powell.
1854-56-C. Randall. 1878-83-II. S. Finch.
1857-Wm. J. Patch. 1858-C. L. Rich. 1889-90-H. S. Finch.
1884-88-George M Geer.
1842-Simeon R. Griffin.
1843-44-Chauncey L. Rich. 1859-Wm. J. Patch.
1891-93-Daniel P. Witter.
1845-46-Chester Randall. 1860-62-John H. Deming.
1894-97-J. W. Allen.
1847-Lorain Curtis.
1863-Wm. J. Patch.
THE OWEGO ACADEMY.
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE. ( PART SECOND.)
A MEMORIAL RECORD.
Something about some of the people, viz : BIOGRAPHIES, SKETCHES AND "MENTIONS" Of some who have aided in adding to the fame, wealth and progress of
TIOGA COUNTY,
New York.
"Out of monuments, names, words, proverbs, traditions, records, fragments of stone, passages of books, and the like, we doe save and recover somewhat from the deluge of Time."
Owego Village and Town, Waverly and Town of Barton, Spencer, Newark Valley, Candor, Tioga, Nichols, Berkshire, Richford.
W. A. FERGUSSON & CO., ELMIRA, N. Y. 1897.
PRESS OF GAZETTE COMPANY, ELMIRA, N. Y.
Our County and its People.
PART SECOND.
OWEGO VILLAGE AND TOWN.
The early ancestors of the Platt family were Britons who inter- married with the Saxons, and their descendants, with their matri- monial alliances with the knightly Normans who were followers of William the Conqueror, originated the stock from which the Platt family of Tioga county has descended. The first American Platt was Richard, who, born in Huntington, England, in 1603, came to New Haven, Conn., in 1638. He is the ancestor of most of the name in the United States, those of this section descending through settlers in Westchester county. Col. Jonathan Platt, of New Bedford, N. Y., was son of Benoni Platt, 2d., of North Castle, and with him served in the historic Sullivan campaign of 1779. Their participation in this doubtless led them to make their home in this county in 1793. Benoni died in 1795. Col. Jonathan was a member of the Provisional Congress of 1775 from New York, and in Lossing's Field Book of the Revolution he is called one of the " distinguished patriots" forming the White Plains committee of safety in 1776. He lived to see a fine plantation owned by his son in this county. Jonathan Platt, Jr., born April 20, 1764, married Anna Brush, of Greenwich, Conn., became prom- inent and influential, acquired a fair property and died in Decem- ber, 1824. His children were Jonathan (3d), born October 13, 1783, Mary, born May 20, 1785, Benjamin, born June 5, 1787, Edward, born August 19 (or 29), 1789, William, born October 29, 1791, Brush, born August 6, 1795, Nehemiah, born July 25, 1797. Char- lotte, born January 25, 1800, Benjamin, born April 2, 1803, Deborah, born August 6, 1805, Charles, born May 11, 1808, Sarah, born May 9, 1811. William Platt, fourth son of Jonathan Platt, Jr., was born in Westchester county, but from two years of age had his
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
home here. His wife was Lesbia Hinchman, of that Long Island family so prominent in the old French wars and in the Revolution. He, was a lawyer, with office at Owego. He died on January 12, 1855, leaving children, Frederick E., Emily (Mrs. Charles Skinner), and Thomas C. Platt.
THOMAS COLLIER PLATT has achieved the greatest political prom- inence of any of the many prominent men who have been born in Tioga county. He is the youngest child of William and Lesbia (Hinchman) Platt, and was born in Owego, July 15, 1833. He was educated at the old Owego academy, and entered the class of '53 at Yale. He was, however, compelled to leave college in his junior year, on account of ill health. He was thus prevented from grad- uating, but he received the honorary degree of M. A. in 1876. After his return to Owego, he purchased the drug store of E. H. Truex in 1855, and in company with Frederick K. Hull continued the drug business until November, 1872, when they sold to Ely Brothers. While thus engaged Mr. Platt became extensively interested in lumbering in Big Rapids, Mich. He was influential in causing the Southern Central railroad to be built, was a director and vice-president of the road, and afterward president from 1879 until it passed into the control of the Lehigh Valley company. He has also been president of the Addison and Pennsylvania railroad from its construction. In 1878 he was elected president of the Tioga National bank, which position he now holds. He was ap- pointed agent and general manager of the United States express company in New York city in July, 1879, and in February, 1880, he was appointed president of the company, a position he has since filled. He also invested in various business enterprises, and in 1889 was elected president of the Tennessee coal and iron com- pany. Mr. Platt early engaged in politics. In 1859, at the age of 26, he was elected clerk of Tioga county, and soon became the leader of the republican party in the county. In 1872, he was chosen to represent the 28th district in congress, and was re-elected in 1874. He declined a third nomination. Possessed of a love for politics, he rapidly became prominent in the affairs of his party in the state, and by reason of his sagacity and shrewdness soon as-
·
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TOWN OF OWEGO.
sumed the leadership. Since that time he has always headed the delegation from this county to the republican conventions, and has also for many years been a delegate to national conventions. He was also several years a member of the national committee. In January, 1880, he was appointed by Gov. Cornell a commis- sioner of quarantine for New York city, which office he held until November, 1889. While holding this office, in January, 1881, he was chosen United States senator, to fill the unexpired term of Francis Kernan, but, owing to dissatisfaction relative to the ap- pointment of collector of the port of New York and for other reasons, Mr. Platt and his colleague, Roscoe Conkling, resigned their offices May 16, 1881. In the fall of 1896, Mr. Platt was urged to accept the nomination for governor of this state, and declined the proposition, but when the legislature met, in the spring of 1897, to choose the successsor to David B. Hill in the United States senate, Mr. Platt was chosen such successor by an almost unani- mous vote of his party. During the past ten years and more Mr. Platt has been the dominating factor in the politics of the Empire state. His commanding influence over men is due to his keen perception of character (an indispensable prerequisite of a political leader) and to his sound practical sense in placing his men in line of battle on the chessboard of politics. His political life has been unselfish so far as obtaining official positions for himself is con- cerned, his efforts in that direction having been mainly directed to the strengthening of his party organization through appointments of others to office. He maintains his position as a great party leader to-day, in the midst of a discord of bitter criticism on the one side, and of applause and approbation on the other, while he, himself, is apparently the most unconcerned observer of the strange controversies to which his action gives rise. He it was, who, with overwhelming odds against him, caused the " sound money " plank to be inserted in the platform of the St. Louis convention in 1896, upon which issue the republican party elected its president. De- cember 12, 1852, Mr. Platt was married with Ellen Lucy Barstow, daughter of Charles R. Barstow, of Owego. Their sons are Ed- ward Truex Platt, now manager of the United States Express company in Washington, D. C. ; Frank H. Platt, now the junior
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
member of the law firm of Tracy, Boardman & Platt, in New York city ; and Henry Barstow Platt, now the general manager of the United States Guarantee company.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN TRACY was born April 26, 1830, in the town- ship of Owego, Tioga county, New York. Toward the latter part of the last century, his grandfather, Thomas Tracy, moved from New England and settled in New York, first on Tracy creek in Broome county and later in Tioga. Here his son Benjamin was born in 1795, and lived until his death in 1882. Benjamin Tracy, while still a lad, served in the army in the war of 1812, and on his return settled down as a farmer. His farm and homestead, nine miles from Owego, became the birthplace of his son, Benjamin F. Tracy. Young Tracy was reared on the farm until he was sixteen years old. He received his education in the common schools, and at the Owego academy. At the age of nineteen he began the study of the law in the office of Davis & Warner, at Owego, and was admitted to the bar in May, 1851, immediately after he came of age. In a short time Mr. Tracy attained a marked position at the bar of Tioga county, which then contained many men of emi- nence. During the ten years following his admission, Mr. Tracy took an active part in public affairs and party politics. His father had been an earnest and active supporter of Henry Clay. Young Tracy, when only eighteen years old, represented his town in county conventions as a free-soiler. In November, 1853, he ran for district attorney of Tioga county on the whig ticket, and was elected, although the rest of the ticket was badly defeated. Dur- ing the three years following Tracy's election as district attorney, that readjustment of parties in New York was in progress which resulted in the formation of the republican party as a separate and permanent organization. Mr. Tracy took an active part, be- · came the acknowledged leader of the republicans in that section, and projected and carried through the first of the mass meetings held in the state to elect delegates to the Saratoga convention (subsequently adjourned to Auburn) of 1854, which was the first tentative movement toward the formation of the republican party in New York. At the close of his three years' term as district
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TOWN OF OWEGO.
attorney, in 1856, Tracy was renominated on the republican ticket and re-elected after a severe struggle. His democratic opponent was Gilbert C. Walker. In 1861 Mr. Tracy was elected to the assembly. He was made chairman of the railroad committee in the assembly, and later of a special committee on precedence of legislation, which virtually directed the course of business of the legislature. He was also a member of the judiciary committee, and chairman of the republican cancus. During the session great efforts were made to consolidate the republicans and war demo- crats. Committees were appointed, but could not agree. Finally, Mr. Tracy, in connection with George Dawson, editor of the Al- bany Evening Journal, succeeded in bringing about harmonious action. The result was the issue of a joint call which established on a firm footing the republican war party, and became the founda- tion of the present republican organization in the state. It had been Tracy's intention to stand for the assembly the next year, but the events of the war made a change in his programme. The disasters of the peninsular campaign in the spring and summer of 1862 led to new calls for troops. Governor Morgan accordingly divided the state into thirty-two recruiting districts corresponding to the senatorial districts. Mr. Tracy was designated, July 22, 1862, to raise a regiment in the district which included the counties of Broome, Tioga and Tompkins. Early in August he reported the regiment (109th N. Y. Volunteers) full, and was assigned to the command as colonel. He immediately asked for authority to raise another regiment, which was granted, and on the 22nd of August, just one month after he had entered on the work, he re- ported his second regiment (the 137th) as being also full. He asked permission to raise a third, but this was not granted. The regi- ment was mustered in and Tracy was commissioned as colonel August 27, 1862. Proceeding to Washington, it was first assigned to duty in connection with the defenses of Washington, and later in northern Virginia. Subsequently it was assigned to the 9th army corps (Burnside's), in Hartranft's brigade of Willcox's di- vision, and took part in the Virginia campaign of 1864 under Grant. At the battle of the Wilderness, on the 6th of May, Hartranft's brigade was on the extreme right and saw some of the heaviest
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