USA > New York > Steuben County > Pioneer history & atlas of Steuben County, N.Y. : compiled from historical, statistical & official records > Part 6
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The Baptist Church was first organized as a branch of the Savona church in 1870. The new house of worship was erected in 1873.
The Catholic Church was completed in 1870. Service was offered by the Rev. Father Col- gan of Corning.
The largest industry in the early days was the manufacture of lumber. There were a number of saw mills in the township. There was also a
Campbell
-
RIVER
43
large tannery, manufacturing hemlock sole lcath- er. This tannery was operated by John D. Hamil- ton. From 1857 to 1877 there were 670,000 hides tanned,-the value of which was three million dollars. This tannery exported leather direct to England, Scotland and Germany. There was also another tannery at Curtis in this town of Camp- bell, operated by the Curtis family.
There were the usual number of stores and shops to be found in the town as were found in other towns of the region in the early days.
In the early days a brick kiln was in opera-
tion south of Curtis. The Campbell Union Free School building was erected in 1931, at which time there were 10 teachers employed. In 1938 it became a high school and today has a faculty of 17. The pupil registration is 350. Upon becoming the Campbell Central Rural School it possesses an athletic field and instructor. The capacity of the auditorium is 450 and the athletic field and ac- commodations embrace about 10 acres.
The Campbell Central Rural School as an in- stitution is a monument to the foresight of a cap- able Board of Education.
44
SCALE OF MILES
0
0
12
13
4
O
2
CANISTEO
SADRIAN
CANISTEO
RIVER
0
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13
Colonel
1
CANISTRO
STIGLE
72270
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CANISTEO
Canisteo was formed in March, 1796. It is an interior town laying southwest of the center of the county. The surface is mostly a hilly upland broken by the deep valleys of the streams. Canis- teo River flows eastward through the north part of the town. Its valley is about 1-2 mile wide and is bordered by steep hillsides 400 feet high. From the south, the river receives Bennett and Colonel Bills Creeks, which also flow through deep valleys bordered by steep hills.
The principal village is Canisteo on Bennett Creek, in the northwest part of the town, where it is a station on the New York and Erie Rail- road and contained in 1850 two churches, a flour- ing mill, a tannery and 60 houses. First settlement was made in 1789 by Uriah Stephens, Sr., from Connecticut. The first preacher was the Rev. George Spaulding, who settled in the town in 1805. Solomon Bennett built the first grist mill and kept the first store, and Jedediah Stephens kept the first inn and in 1793 was elected the first supervisor.
Solomon Bennett was one of four scouts who spied out the Canisteo Valley and one of the orig- inal purchasers who bought the township tracts and on division of land drew lot No. 12, on which now stands most of the village of Canisteo. The
R
E
TBANO 1 ₹
2ど
45
first settlement was called Bennettsville. He built a log house at the corners and the first mill on Bennett Creek. Solomon Bennett built a brick ho- tel, the Canisteo House, in 1826.
The original settlers found an Indian apple orchard.
In 1793 the region was divided into two parts, Painted Post and Williamson. One Indian trail was up the valley to Arkport then down the Canaseraga Creek to Dansville, thence to Little Beards Town, (now Cuylerville,) on to Geneseo, and from this point there was a fair road to Can- andaigua, a distance of 70 miles from Canisteo.
In 1868 Canisteo had a boot and shoe fac- tory, manufacturing pegged boots and shoes,- employing 100 to 110 persons. There was also a factory manufacturing fine shoes for ladies, misses, and children.
In 1868 there was a planing mill and sash, door and blind factory. Also a chair factory turn- ing out some 40,000 chairs annually.
H. Carter & Son operated a large foundry and machine shop,-producing agricultural im- plements, boilers and steam engines.
The four scouts, early in 1788, Solomon Ben- nett, Captain John Jamison, Uriah Stephens and Richard Crosby came from Wyoming Valley in Pennsylvania on an exploring expedition up the Susquehanna, Chemung and Conhocton Rivers. Finding no land that suited them,-they crossed over the hills to the Canisteo Valley. They were well pleased with this valley and decided to pur- chase two townships on the river. Early in the summer of 1789 a company was sent to the flats to cut and stack the hay for the cattle which were to be driven in, in the fall. The four sons of Uriah Stephens drove the cattle along the shores of the rivers. The rest of the settlers conveyed their pro- visions, baggage and families from Newtown, (Elmira,) on a 7-ton boat.
They were frequently compelled to cut away obstructions in order to proceed on their journey. On arrival they proceeded to erect a log house, 26 fcet by 24 feet,-with only one room below. Four fireplaces were built, one in each corner.
The two families of Uriah Stephens and Richard Crosby occupied this log palace the first winter. In the Spring two other families joined them, each occupying a corner of the log cabin.
In the spring of 1790, Solomon Bennett, Ur- iah Stephens, Jr., and Colonel John Stephens with their families joined the new settlement.
Until Solomon Bennett built the first grist inill on Bennett Creek in 1793 the settlers carried their grain to Shepards Mill on the Susquehanna, a distance of nearly 100 miles. The Bennett mill burned and the next mill was erected at Hornell. The settlers were so impatient for its erection that they voluntarily turned out and prepared the timbers for its erection.
James McBurney of Ireland came first to Canisteo as a peddler. He bought a great lot and then went to Ireland and on his return settled some of his countrymen on his lands.
Some of the early settlers frequently recog- nized among the returning Indians some of their old antagonists.
It was customary for the Indians of Squa- kie Hill to visit Canisteo several times a year with all their families, children, dogs and horses, to carry on races and sports. They conducted them- selves with great civility, giving their hosts no cause for complaint. They sometimes numbered 300 warriors.
In 1820 a road was opened up Bennett Creek as far as the "Salt Spring."
The Presbyterian Church was first formed in 1836. In 1857 it was decided to have regular preaching. The society was organized March 20, 1852, and the church was dedicated February 15, 1853. The Rev. John B. Hudson was the pioneer Methodist preacher in Canisteo about 1800, preaching in nearly all the homes in the settle- inent. The society was organized about 1850 and the church was dedicated in 1857. The Baptist Church of Canisteo was organized on November 30, 1876. Previously it was a branch of the Bap- tist Church of Hornell.
The Roman Catholic Church in Canisteo is served by the priest of the Rexville parish ..
KANESTIO CASTLE
The expedition of Silur de Villiers into the Genesee Country in 1688, crossed from Canada across Lake Ontario and entered the mouth of the Genesee River. The party, in canoes, made their
(Continued on page 47, column 2)
46
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194
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SCALE 12
CATON
March 28th, 1839 the legislature of N. Y. passed an act by which "all the part of the town of Painted Post and the County of Steuben, being township No. 1 in the first range," shall consti- tute a new town by the name of Wormley. How- ever, on the third of April, 1840, the erecting act was amended and the town name was changed to Caton, in memory of Richard Caton, one of the original land proprietors. The first name, Worm- ley, was given to the town in allusion to Samuel Wormley, first innkeeper and also first post- master at the office having his name.
The town is situated in the extreme south- east corner of the county and contains 22,700 acres of land. The surface is rolling uplands yet more nearly level than most land in the county. Its soil is a clay and shaley loam and the streams are small brooks flowing northward.
At an early day lumbering was extensively carried on in the town, and the forest was not generally cleared away until a comparatively re- cent date. From that time the chief pursuit has been farming and sugar making and as an agri- cultural town, Caton ranks well among the divisions of the county. The farms as a rule in 1855 were well cultivated, the buildings neat and attractive and the general appearance of things throughout the town indicated thrift, prosperity, energy on the part of the people.
A temporary settlement was made in 1814 by Joseph and Charles Wolcott. In the same year other woodsmen made clearings in the town.
The first permanent settler was Isaac Raw- ley, a native and former resident of Bradford County, Pa. in 1819, though previous to locating at Caton he had lived in Lindley. In 1819 this doughty pioneer cut a road from over the Penn- sylvania line into the southwest part of Caton to the point where he made his location.
Steven and Simeon Hurd settled in the town in 1821. Solomon Tarbox in 1822, and E. P. Babcock, Edward Robbins and Henry Miner in 1823. Bennett Breese built the first grist mill. Samuel Wormley kept the first inn, W. D. Gil- bert the first store, and Edward Robbins taught the first school. The first church was Presby-
HA
1340
1 3 7
ATON CENTER
47
terian, organized in 1832. The first settled pas- tor was Rev. Benjamin Harron.
The township was first named Wormley as was also Caton Center. Extensive sawmills were located at Caton Center. Up to about 30 years ago there were two creameries and three cheese factories in the township, one at Caton Center, one at Browntown, and one at West Caton. Caton Center at one time had three stores, three blacksmith shops, one woodworking wagon and carriage shop, two churches, and three resident physicians.
Caton has the honor of sending more men to the Civil War than any other town in Steuben County.
At West Cation was a pail factory and also a chair factory.
It was at West Caton that George Davis who operated the chair factory, made the first electric chair in the United States, to be used in the electrocution of criminals at New York State prisons. He used storage batteries for current and experimented on small wild animals till the operation of the machine was a success, where- fore he had it patented. It is in use in prisons today.
The first church was the Presbyterian. They held meetings in Gilbert's mill and H. D. Smith's barn until 1833 when their church was completed. This organization ceased to exist in 1854.
The Methodist Church formed its first class in 1833, in the old east schoolhouse (now No. 4) where the first meetings were held. In 1839 meetings were held in the Presbyterian Church.
The old Methodist Church was dedicated in 1842. In 1868 the new church was built.
The Free Methodist Church was located at Barnards mill.
The Caton Baptist Church was organized at the home of Nelson Wolcott August 23, 1832 as the First Baptist Church of Painted Post.
In 1842 the church was made a separate charge.
CANISTEO
(Continued from page 45)
way up the Genesee River to the present site of Mt. Morris, then turned into Canaseraga Creek. In 1690 and for more than a century after, this creek was of sufficient volume to afford a water- way for boats of 10 tons volume. They continued up Canaseraga Creek to the present site of Dans- ville, then shouldering their canoes they climbed the heights to the source of the Canisteo River. Descending this stream through a wide valley bordered by forest and patches of cleared land they came to a settlement of a score or more of log houses. From the cabins, as the French drew near, poured as disreputable a group of individ- uals as the French leader had ever before seen.
Account of this expedition, "De Villiers said a more worthless lot of renegades and villains who had no hope of heaven or fear of hell, he never saw."
Had he not had a considerable force with him, he probably would have been wiped out. In- stead he calmly took possession of the place, re- ported as named Kanisteo Castle.
CANISTEO CENTRAL SCHOOL
It is a well known fact that about 1,800 a small school was opened in the village. When the town was divided into school districts good school houses were provided for each district.
Canisteo Academy was organized in 1868 and opened in 1871, costing $17,500. This later became Canisteo High School in 1891.
The Central School District was established October 25, 1935, by vote. This centralized dis- trict includes 26 school districts. It became oper- ative July 1, 1936. The building cost $435,000. The registration in 1941-42 was 930 pupils, with a faculty of 39 teachers. Besides the regular courses in the grades and high school the school has a vocal and instrumental department, (band, orchestra, and choruses,) agricultural, home making, shops and kindergarten. The gymnasium seats 500, and the auditorium capacity is 902. Approximately 350 pupils are transported in 9 school buses owned by the district.
This is one of the large central schools in the state, and excells in scholastic training.
48
ONTO
AT TS BURG
SSL NORTH COHOCTON
BIVENS CONS .
ATLANTA
-
A
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130 11
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OHOCTO
12
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COMOCTON
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1200
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COHOCTON
Cohocton was formed from Bath and Dansville, June 18, 1812. A part of Avoca was taken off in 1843, a part of Wayland in 1848, and a part of Bath was annexed in 1852. It lays on the north border of the county, west of the center.
The surface is separated into ridges by deep and narrow valleys. The principal streams are the Conhocton River flowing southerly through the center, with its tributaries. The soil is gen- erally a slatey and gravelly loam.
Joseph Biven in about 1794 was sent by Colo- nel Charles Williamson of Bath to erect a tavern on the Pulteney Estate at what was known as 22 Mile Tree. After roads were laid out it was called Bivens Corners, until a post office was established here in 1828 with the name of North Cohocton. The "22 Mile Tree" was where the Van Riper Hotel stood for many years.
Bloods Station (Atlanta) on the Conhocton River is a station on the Corning and Rochester division of the Erie R. R. This is an important
station on the R. R. because of its connection with the Canandaigua Lake route. In 1855 a daily line of stages ran to Naples at the head of that lake, and a steamer plied daily between the latter place and Canandaigua.
Atlanta ( formerly Bloods) was named from Calvin Blood, an early settler. This hamlet is located a mile from North Cohocton.
The first settlement was made in 1796 by Richard Hooker and Joseph Biven. The Rev. Elisha Brownson was the first settled minister (Baptist) in 1811.
The census in 1855 reports four churches in the town, three Methodist Episcopal and one Presbyterian.
It appears from old records that about 1807 "public worship on the Sabbath was set up" by a few families.
Jonas Cleland built the first saw and grist mill in 1808.
James Woodard settled in the town in 1802. His son settled on what later was the David Waite place. Naples was the nearest settlement.
North
R Cohoct
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4
6
CORSI.
0 / 2 SCALE OF MILES
LIBERTY
1410
49
The house of Joseph Shattuck at "Liberty Bears and wolves roamed through the forest. Corners" (Cohocton village) was one of the earliest hotels in Cohocton village.
Before Mr. Cleland built the grist-mill the settlers had to travel on horseback with their grists to either Naples or Dansville. The roads of that date did not admit of travel with any wheeled vehicles.
The first tannery was built by William Wal- ker about 1816, and was operated for about 25 years. The tannery was located about one and one-quarter miles north of Liberty.
Albert Lent was the first settler on Lent Hill.
Abram Lent's wife was the oldest daughter of Samuel Hartwell and Elizabeth Wilkinson, sister of the celebrated Jemima Wilkinson, the "Friend" prophetess.
Matthew Hatch settled on Lent Hill in 1812.
Trippknock at the west end of what is now the main street of Cohocton village was first settled by Jerard Barr about the year 1807. Afterwards the Tripps settled there and kept a hotel. There was once a brewery at Trippknock.
On Potter Hill, Gideon Potter, Sr., and An- thony Crosby were the first settlers.
A paper mill was operated for several years in Cohocton.
The Larrowe Mills, located at Cohocton, at an early day as well as today, was a large flour- ing mill. A large cooper shop making flour barrels was operated in connection with the mill.
Beeley Streetey operated a foundry in Co- hocton manufacturing plows, rollers, etc.
There was a large cheese factory just north of Liberty village across the river and at the foot of the hill.
When Mr. Cleland came to Cohocton in 1805 and for quite a number of years after- wards,-Indians used to come to hunt, fish and to trade their articles of native manufacture. They had a very neat lodge covered with hem- lock bark. The lodge was about 60 rods below the Davis mill on the bank of the river. Other lodges were scattered along the river. Game was plentiful, the river and other streams abounded with fish. Deer crossed the paths of the settlers and even entered their dooryards.
In lot No. 10 at the old Beecher farm in Blackrick Hollow there was a "deer lick".
The name Blood Station was changed to Atlanta in 1892.
Just east of the business section of Atlanta was a cheese factory in early days. A flouring mill was located on the Harry Pierce farm. Duty Waite settled in the north part of Cohocton July 4, 1814 on 104 acres of land. David Waite, his son, added to this till he had some 600 acres.
Atlanta had two corduroy roads, one across the valley from the Waite Corners and the other east across the low land to the Wayland-North Cohocton road.
There was also an ashery in the north part of the town.
Sunday, October 8, 1809 a regular church was formed of the Congregational order. The meet- ing house was dedicated February 3, 1830. April 10, 1823 the church assumed the form and order of the Presbyterian.
The Methodist Episcopal Church of the town of Cohocton is mentioned as early as 1829 and it appears that a chapel was built in 1823.
In 1873 the church was set off as a separate charge and called Liberty charge.
The Universalist Church people of Cohoc- ton held their first meetings at their own homes or at some schoolhouse in the town. They also used the Methodist Church.
September 19, 1859 a regalar church organi- zation was formed. This church was dedicated in September, 1863.
North Cohocton and Atlanta Union High School
The first school was held in a log house situated opposite the Wolfanger General Store in North Cohocton. Another school was held near the present residence of A. E. Rex. The third school was in a frame house which was later remodeled for a residence and is now oc- cupied by Edward Eaton, North Cohocton. This school was in operation during the 1850's and
(Continued on page 51)
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STO DANSVILLE
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NOWE.
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STEUBEN COUNTY NEW YORK SCALE OF MILES
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ROAOS: STATE COUNTY RAILROADS ++++ TOWN LINE -- COUNTY LINE -. SCHOOLS CENTRAL RURAL SCHOOL (SWONA) @ S.C.R.S. BRANCH OF CEN, RURAL SCH. # Br. S.C.R.S. NION FREE SCHOOL (WAYLAND) . W.U.F.S COMMON SCHOOL DO 6 Dist. No's shown near schools
BCRS
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DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENTS OF SCHOOLS
PUBLISHED BY W.B THRALL MAP & SURVEY CO. PERRY, N.Y
Calvin U. Smith lat Supervisory Dist Winfred Morrow 2nd ·
Henry M. Brush 5th
Otto J. Stewart 3rd
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Guyon J. Carter 6th
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COHOCTON
(Continued from page 49)
was used until the present building was built as it is today. This school was registered as a high school by the state in 1897. The faculty now numbers 10 with a total registration of about 160 pupils. It has always had an athletic instructor of late years and has supported baseball and basketball teams. A large athletic field with hard and soft ball dia- monds and tennis courts are available to the school and community.
Today Cohocton has a Central Rural School established in July, 1942. The building is a splendid structure, modernly equipped. It is situated in the southwestern part of the village with a large area of level land surrounding it. affording ample ground for the athletic field and other outdoor sports including one-quarter mile track, two hard top tennis courts, softball, base- ball and soccer field. The corps of teachers num- bers 15, with a registration of 350 pupils. The auditorium has a seating capacity of 600.
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51
W
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52
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SCALE OF MILES
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1700
011
500
KNOXVILLE
18
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18
THING
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KING
PORNING
CHEMU
905
MOSS GLEN
14
121
CATON
CORNING
In the latter part of the year 1789 Frederick Calkins and Ephriam and Ichabod Patterson made the first settlement in the town of Corn- ing. Frederick Calkins, a Vermonter, had the summer before, made an improvement of what is now Erwin, but soon learned that he was on Colonel Erwin's land, consequently he left that locality and built a new cabin opposite the Chim- ney Narrows on the south side of the Chemung, thus was made the pioneer settlement in the present town of Corning, although many years elapsed before the present name was applied to this region.
In the spring of 1790, an association was formed for the purpose of purchasing from the Phelps and Gorham proprietary a large tract of land in this part of Ontario County. The mem- bers comprised Frederick Calkins, Caleb Gard- ner, Ephriam Peterson. Justus Wolcott, Peleg Gorton and Silas Wood. All of these purchasers, excepting Mr. Wood, settled on the land which is the present town of Corning or township 2 of range 1, and began improvements as early as the year 1792. Purchase price was 8c per acre. However, there appears to have been some dis- satisfaction in the company growing out of what was said to be unequal division of land. On the 15th of March, 1792, a number of the members reconveyed to Mr. Phelps 10,000 acres, and on April 4, following Peleg Gorton likewise deeded to Mr. Phelps 2,000 acres of land in that town.
Ichabod Patterson built the first sawmill and James Henderson the first grist-mill, both in 1793. Benjamin Eaton kept the first store in 1791 and Benjamn Patterson the first inn in 1798. The first school was taught by Samuel Colgrove in 1793. Record and tradition alike are almost silent regarding the early schools in this important town and the unfortunate loss of the town's books leaves us quite in the dark as to the time when the town was first apportioned into school districts.
The act authorizing the construction of the Chemung canal was passed April 15, 1829, and the work of building was finished in 1833. A state dam was built across the river at the lower end of the village of Corning and a feeder was
or ning
O REN
R
3
53
constructed to Horseheads, a distance of 15 miles.
The first settlement was made near the vil- lage of Corning in 1788 by Frederick Calkins and Benjamin Eaton. Benjamin Eaton bought the first goods for his store at Unadilla and transported them by canoe.
Corning in the very early days had one sawmill, one grist-mill, one store, one inn, and one school.
In 1840 a printing office was opened and a newspaper was established called the Corning and Blossburg Advocate. The paper was es- tablished by Charles Adams. The Corning Journal was established in 1846 by Thomas Mes- senger.
In 1839 the first locomotive traveled the Tioga Valley.
Bridges were built across the river and roads were built connecting Corning with Big Flats and Knoxville, and Painted Post on the north.
After the completion of the Blossburg R. R.,-hotels, banks, stores, shops and various offices were erected.
It is a matter of record that in 1849 Corn- ing stood third on the list of shipping ports in importance in the state.
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