USA > New York > Tompkins County > Dryden > The centennial history of the town of Dryden. 1797-1897 > Part 15
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Of the ten children of the family six lived to manhood and woman- hood. Polly, the oldest of these, married John Van Nortwick, and died in 1823 at the age of twenty-six years. The other surviving daughter married Samuel Mead, and afterwards in 1857 moved to Iowa, where she died at the age of eighty years. It is of the sons that what follows will pertain more particularly.
Samuel and John Giles were twins born in Orange county in 1798. James Giles was born in the same county in 1800. These came with
147
ISAIAH GILES.
their parents to Dryden in 1802, and may be justly classed among the pioneers of the town. Samuel Giles learned the trade of cabinet making, and John served his time as a tanner and currier with Bur- nett Cook, late of Ulysses. It was here that he first saw her who was destined in after years to become his wife. She was then but a child in the cradle, and he a lad in his teens. Samuel and John, having finished their apprenticeships, worked as journeymen for some years. James in the meantime had staid at home with his mother and car- ried on the saw-mill and fulling mill, assisted by an adopted brother, George Van Horn, whose family was in after years well known in the town of Dryden.
About 1823 Samuel and James went west to seek their fortunes, go- ing as far as Indianapolis, Ind. After prospecting for a time and working at intervals, they concluded that while the soil was wonder- fully fertile and the country presented many inducements to young men, the "shakes, " as they termed it, more than offset the advant- ages. So at the beginning of winter they started for Dryden on foot. It was on this journey that their knowledge of mechanics stood them in good stead. They had the opportunity of putting into operation for different parties several carding machines, and when they reached home each had more money than when they started.
It was just after this that Samuel and John decided to build the tannery at Gilesville. This business they carried on with considerable success until 1832, when they built the Tompkins House, a historic hotel in the city of Ithaca. John in the meantime had waited until the child whose cradle he had rocked when an apprentice boy had grown to young womanhood, and in 1828 he was married to her (then Miss Mary A. Cook.) The union was a happy one. Samuel was mar- ried in 1832 to Miss Susan Depew.
In 1843, tired of hotel-keeking, they bought the Eddy property on East Hill, at Ithaca, on which they afterward built them a home, which they occupied until their deaths. These twin brothers during all their lives after beginning the tannery business at Gilesville occu- pied the same house and did business in partnership. John died in August, 1862, and Samuel in July, 1871, and his wife in February, 1872. The widow of John is still living at Trumansburg, N. Y.
James Giles was married to Barbara Raymer and shortly after bought one hundred acres of land on Lot 34, of Dryden. By subse- quent additions thereto he owned three hundred and twenty acres. He was a man of unusual force of character, and possessed rare me- chanical ability. He was a thorough farmer and early turned his at-
148
HISTORY OF DRYDEN.
tention to dairying, and was among the first in the town to realize what was then known as fancy prices for butter. He early saw that machinery must play a prominent part in farming, and he began fit- ting his meadows for the mower, and it was upon his farm one of the first, if not the first, mowers was used in town. For many years he was actively engaged in selling mowers and reapers, and in buying and selling butter, of which article he was long known as being a compe- tent judge. In his good wife he ever found an efficient helpmate and a wise counselor. They were the parents of eight children, one son and seven daughters. In 1867, feeling the weight of years bearing upon them, they arranged to give up the hard work of life, and passed the management of affairs to the son, Capt. J. J. Giles, of Freeville. Mrs. Giles died in November, 1887, and Mr. Giles in October, 1890, at the age of 90 years and 28 days. He had lived as long if not longer in the town of Dryden than any other person. Of the family of James Giles there are still living one son and four daughters.
Sarah Lanterman Giles, the wife of Isaiah Giles died in 1862 at the. age of 91 years and 13 days.
In speaking of the misfortunes that befell the family of Isaiah Giles it may be mentioned that soon after moving to Fall Creek an event occurred that ever afterward cast a shadow over the life of James. It occurred during the time in the year when the latter was engaged in running the saw-mill. The little brother Weyburn, some four or five years old, had been down to the mill, and, as his brother supposed, had gone to the house, as he saw him go down the path and across the foot bridge spanning the race leading from the mill. But it seems that something in the race had attracted the child and he had either climbed down or fallen into the race, just as James hoisted the gate. The rush of the waters and the noise of the mill drowned his cries, but the brother caught a glimpse of his clothing as he was struggling in the water. To shut the gate was but the work of a mo- ment and he rushed to his rescue, but it was too late; as he carried the dripping form to the house he found that life was extinct.
It was when the creek farm was nearly paid for, and at a time when Isaiah Giles had gone to Dryden to make the last payment, the fam- ily home was burned. Little or nothing was saved from the house. Then it was that the family records afore-mentioned were lost.
Ai W. Giles, born in 1810, was the youngest child. When he came to man's estate he worked for and with Samuel and John Giles until they left the Tompkins House. He then took charge of it and for some time conducted the business alone. He at one time had charge
149
ยท
MALLORYVILLE AND McLEAN.
of the tannery at Gilesville for a short period. He was engaged in the shoe business for a short time at Ithaca, and at one time owned and occupied the property known as the Half Way House, on the Bri- dle Road. He was afterward connected with the milling business at Free Hollow, as it was then known, and kept a flour and feed store in Ithaca. He was married in 1846 to Miss Nancy Leach, of Chenango county, N. Y. He died childless in Ithaca in November, 1889. His wife survived him some three or four years.
In matters of politics the Giles brothers were Democrats until 1856, when they became Republicans and remained such until the end. They never took any active part in political matters and none of them ever held any public office save Samuel, who in 1835 was trustee of the village of Ithaca, and in 1845 was supervisor of the town of Ithaca. In 1854 Samuel Giles was named by the Legislature, with Stephen B. Cushing and Horace Mack, as a building committee in the act author- izing the building of the Court House at Ithaca. S. & J. Giles was a firm name known and honored among business men of Central New York. Unlike in temperament, yet they lived and worked together without friction. John died childless and Samnel lived to bury his last child, Miss Sarah Giles, in 1866.
The records of Tompkins county show that the first will proven in the county, September 6, 1817, was witnessed by Isaiah and Sarah Giles, being the will of John Morris, of Lansing, and presumably drawn by Isaiah Giles. The family name has now but one representa- tive, and when Capt. J. J. Giles shall have been gathered to his fathers, a name for nearly one hundred years so well and favorably known in the town will be known only as a matter of history.
CHAPTER XXXV.
MALLORYVILLE AND MC LEAN.
The larger part of McLean being outside of our territory in the ad- joining town of Groton, we include in this chapter what we can claim of it as a part of Dryden. In the year 1820 Samuel Mallory, then 22 years of age, walked from his native place in Sharon, Conn., to Ho- mer, N. Y., and five or six years later he purchased the mill site and water power at the point on Fall Creek, about one mile from McLean, which, from him, was named Malloryville. Here he built a saw-mill an! added carding and cloth dressing machinery as well as a dye- house, and finally established a chair factory, so that in these, their
150
HISTORY OF DRYDEN.
best days, the mills of Mr. Mallory gave employment to twenty-five or thirty men and one-third as many women in the different kinds of work. Some of the products of the chair factory are still in use to- day, indicating that the furniture of that time was. much more sub- stantial than most : of that which we buy in these days. But in 1836 a great fire wiped out the flourishing indus- tries of Mr. Mal- lory and he was so discouraged that he sold out. and removed to a location in Wis- consin. Some years later, about 1845, barrels were manufactured at Malloryville by Wm. Trapp, who invented the first successful ma- chinery for that kind of work. Still later the man- SAMUEL MALLORY. ufacture of tubs. and firkins began to develop here under the firm of Howe & Watson, who later, in 1867, sold out to Rev. E. R. Wade, who conducted the business down to within a short time. Another fire in 1855 and still another in 1875 destroyed the manufacturing plant at Malloryville, but as often as it has been burned down it has been rebuilt, and in spite of the changes in the times the manufacturing industries at Mal- loryville still survive and have a promising future. The mercantile interests of Malloryville center at McLean, beyond our jurisdiction ; but one hotel, the " Dryden House, " of the management of which our town has not always had reason to be proud, the railroad depot,
151
MALLORYVILLE AND MCLEAN.
as well as the creamery of McLean, and one church, of the Roman Catholic denomination, come within our territory. The latter was erected in 1851 at a cost of one thousand dollars, the site and that of the Catholic cemetery near by having been donated by Michael O'Byrne. The society was formed in 1841 and among the first mem- bers were John Keenan, Patrick Corcoran, Matthew O'Byrne, James Walpole, Patrick Donnelly, Thomas and Patrick Kane.
Of the pioneers and leading men of Malloryville we will mention :
HOWE, SOLOMON L., who was born in Groton in the year 1824 and was educated at the old Groton Academy. Having relatives in Cattar- augus county he went there as a school teacher when he became of age and there married Miss Rispa Smith, of Yorkshire, in 1848. Be- turning to Tompkins county he settled at Malloryville in 1853, where he was employed by Howe & Watson, the senior member of the firm, Lemi Howe, being his cousin, in the manufacture of their wares on the contract system, making some practical improvements in the pro- cess of their manufacture. He was of a mechanical turn of mind and for many years, in addition to other duties, was the principal survey- or and civil engineer of the township. Among his other work in this line was the survey for the Dryden village water works and the lay- ing out of the E., C. & N. R. R. through the town. He was at least twice elected commissioner of highways of the town and served two terms as school commissioner of the second district of Tompkins coun- ty. His death occurred July 25, 1895. His three sons are civil engi- neers in the West, his only daughter being the wife of F. J. Per Lee, of Groton. Wherever his duties called him Mr. Howe was always a faithful, upright man and an efficient officer.
MALLORY, SAMUEL, whose portrait is given at the beginning of this chapter and after whom Malloryville was named, was born in Sharon, Conn., April 18, 1798. He first married Nancy Hooper, of Homer, N. Y., who died in 1827. His second wife was Jane, daughter of Deacon Amos Hart, who, with four daughters, survives him. After leaving Malloryville he lived in McLean for a few years, but in 1844 moved to Elkhorn, Wis., where he engaged in hotel keeping in the early days of that country, serving two terms as treasurer of his county. He died in April, 1897, lacking only a few days of being 99 years of age. He was an exemplary man who in his long life made many friends, only a few of whom survive him.
WADE, REV. EDWIN R., was one of the Century Committee of Dryden's Centennial, and died since the writing of this History was commenced. He was a clergyman of the Christian denomination and, in addition
152
HISTORY OF DRYDEN.
to his clerical duties, in the year 1867 he engaged in the manufactur- ing business at Malloryville, which he continued there until near his death. His shop had at one time a capacity of turning out sixty thou- sand tubs and firkins annually, a large amount of the raw material re- quired being, in later years, imported from other states. The changes in the demand for butter packages within the past few years have almost wiped out this industry, which was so flourishing at one time at Malloryville.
Elder Wade, as he was commonly called, came to Dryden from Cay- uga county, where he had served as supervisor of the town of Niles, and in 1874 he was elected to the same office in our town. He was a man who united civil and religious virtues with a practical, honest, useful life. The writer has known him, at a funeral, to conduct the whole service alone, preaching, reading, praying, and finally singing the hymn without assistance or notes. He was everywhere recognized as a sincere Christian and an excellent citizen.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
THE VILLAGE OF FREEVILLE.
Although it is the youngest, and hence the last to be consid- ered among the vil- lages and hamlets of the township, Free- ville now stands fore- most among them in the matter of railroad facilities, and only second in the number of its present inhab- itants. As we have already seen, the grist- mill of Elder Daniel White on Fall Creek, the site of which was FREEVILLE GRIST-MILL. without the present village limits, was the first mill for grinding in the township, and we may now add that the present Freeville grist-mill, which replaced it on a site a short distance up-stream, was originally erected by John
153
FREEVILLE.
White, a son of Daniel, in 1833, and is an old landmark of which we are able to give the accompanying view from a photograph taken some time ago.
Aside from these early grist-mills and some cloth dressing works which included a carding machine, and one or two accompanying saw- mills in the same locality, Freeville had no existence as a village or business center, not even containing a postoffice or church during the first half of our Century Period. The old Shaver Hotel, although im- proved to keep up with the times, is another old landmark, the oldest section of which was built about the year 1840 and was early kept by Erasmus Ballard. When the tannery building was removed from Gilesville a few years later the frame was brought here and used for an addition to the hotel, which is now kept by George I. Shaver, and appears as shown in the following view.
SHAVER'S HOTEL.
There was early built a nice log school house wholly of pine logs on the Shaver homestead, where Wm. J. Shaver now resides, then known as the Lafayette District, in which Henry H. Houpt, Esq., still living in Dryden, was the teacher in the winter of 1835-6. He taught four months of twenty-four school days in a month, for which he received forty dollars, which enabled him to still further continue his educa- tion. In speaking of his experience as a teacher there when he was twenty-one years of age, Mr. Houpt recalls the fact that one of the principal duties of the teacher in those days was to keep the pupils'
154
HISTORY OF DRYDEN.
pens in order, by preparing and sharpening them from goose quills, which were the only pens in use in those times.
The country in and about Freeville is remarkably level for this lo- cality, Fall Creek, above the grist-mill, being now navigable for a mile and a half, as the stream crooks and winds, by a small pleasure steam- boat kept for the use of pleasure parties in connection with Riverside Park. No such level stretch of water is found elsewhere on Fall Creek, which is noted for its frequent water-mill sites, which cannot. exist upon level water.
The M. E. church of Freeville was erected in 1848, and it, together with the mills and hotel already referred to, formed what is now known as "Old Freeville," constituting the only signs of a village which existed here prior to the establishment of a railroad junction at. a point about half a mile east, in the year 1872. Since that time the space between "Old Freeville " and the junction has been built up so as to form the main avenue of the present village; the church has been moved up nearer the center; Lyceum Hall, capable of comfortably seating five hundred people, has been constructed upon Liberal street ; a new hotel known as the Junction House has been built near the railroad depot and several times enlarged into a structure of imposing proportions, as shown in the accompanying view of the railroad sta- tion ; and Freeville has altogether taken upon herself the appearance and all of the essentials of an enterprising, modern village, somewhat. resembling Western towns in her rapid development.
The following is a list of the ministers of the M. E. church who have served the Freeville charge since 1877, the pulpit having been supplied previous to that time by the ministers located at Dryden or Etna : Wm. M. Benger, A. F. Wheeler, Wm. F. Butman, R. L. Stilwell, S. W. Andrews, N. M. Wheeler, C. A. Wilson, James A. Roberts, T. C. Ros- kelly, Frederick E. Spence, J. Brownell Rogers.
About thirty years ago "Old Freeville " possessed a little old red- colored building called a school-house, the subject of repairing or re- building which then became the occasion of a school district quarrel and litigation, which continued for a number of years and involved the district and some of its inhabitants in expenses and judgments amounting in all to several thousand dollars. Since then a new and very respectable school-house has been built and an excellent school maintained.
Like many Western towns Freeville had a "boom, " which arrived about the year 1880, when a great number of city lots were laid out. and many of them sold and a manufacturing enterprise of great prom-
FREEVILLE JUNCTION.
156
HISTORY OF DRYDEN.
ise was launched forth, first as a stove factory, and later as glass works Since that time the community has been recovering from the stimulating effects of the unnatural excitement and the subsequent re- action, until it has now settled down upon a substantial basis of grad- ual growth and merited prosperity.
The village was incorporated July 2, 1887, to include in its limits a square mile of territory, being Lot No. 26 of the town, and now con- tains, according to the recent enumeration, three hundred and seven- ty-four inhabitants.
The following have been the principal officers :
PRESIDENTS.
W. H. Richardson, - 1887-8
Orson Luther, - 1893
Fred E. Darling, -
1889
W. J. Shaver, -
1894
George De Puy,
1890
E. Blackman, - 1895-6
W. J. Shaver, -
1891
W. H. Richardson, 1897
N. H. Thompson,
-
1892
Dr. Homer Genung, - 1898
CLERKS.
G. M. Watson,
1887
J. M. Carr, - 1891-2
E. F. George, -
1888
Chas. W. Parker, -
1893
J. M. Carr, -
1889 W. J. Shaver, - - 1894-5-6
Chas. W. Parker, -
1890 A. C. Stone, - 1897
No map of Freeville has heretofore been published, but it is be- lieved that the one which accompanies this work will be found to be an accurate and complete topographical representation of the village as it now exists.
For so level a location Freeville is very fortunate in its water sup- ply, many flowing wells having been developed in the village which furnish the purest of water in abundant quantities from a depth which prevents danger of contamination from surface drainage.
Riverside Park, on the bank of Fall Creek, although still a private enterprise belonging to Harris Roe, affords a commodious and attract- ive picnic and audience ground which is generously patronized in the summer and autumn months. During the past summer the Central New York Spiritual Association purchased ten acres of land in Free- ville for a permanent camp ground, the location of which is also shown on the map.
KEY TO THE M
-
Mill Street.
3
2 Brewer & Son, grist-mill,
3 Chas. Shultz,
4 Sarah Lisdell,
5 Mrs. Mary Mineah,
6 M. D. Shaver,
7 Byron Brewer,
9 Mrs. A. Ellis,
II George Seager.
Groton Avenue.
V
3 Seneca Smith,
5 David Robinson,
7 Frank Brotherton,
09 Burdette Heffron,
II Edwin Smith.
Brooklyn Street.
2 J. L. Larkin,
4 John Sample,
6 John Brigden,
8 Brigden blacksmith shop,
IO W. R. Tripp.
Main Street.
I Lewis Cole,
2 George Brewer,
3 Mrs. Rhoda Case,
4 Henry Brown,
5 F. Ray Willey,
6 Wm. Dolson,
7 X. B. Carl, store,
8 Chas. Monroe, carriages,
9 George Dolson,
IO Chas. Monroe,
II H Pettibone,
12 Geo. I. Shaver, hotel,
13 J. Pierce,
14 H. A. Strong.
15 Albert Tripp,
16 William Monroe,
17 Luther Greenfield,
18 School-house,
19 M. E. Church,
20 D. M. Peck,
21 M. E. Parsonage,
22 J. M. Carr,
23 Win. Fisher,
24 Sarah Bowers,
25 Will Cady,
26 Freeville Leader,
27 Wm. Skillman,
28 Mrs. C. Chapman,
29 N. J. Ogden,
30 Blacksmith shop,
31 Mrs. Kate Hanshaw, 32 Weaver blacksmith shop,
33 Wm. Dixon,
L
:
-
156
HISTORY OF DRYDEN.
ise was launched forth, first as a stove factory, and later as glass works. Since that time the community has been recovering from the stimulating effects of the unnatural excitement and the subsequent re- action, until it has now settled down upon a substantial basis of grad- nal growth and merited prosperity.
The village was incorporated July 2, 1887, to include in its limits a square mile of territory, being Lot No. 26 of the town, and now con- tains, according to the recent enumeration, three hundred and seven- ty-four inhabitants.
The following have been the principal officers :
-
PRESIDENTS.
W. H. Richardson, - 1887-8 Orson Luther, - 1893
Fred E. Darling, -
1889
W. J. Shaver, -
1894
George De Puy,
1890 E. Blackman, - - 1895-6
W. J. Shaver, -
-
1891 W. H. Richardson, - 1897
N. H. Thompson,
-
1892
Dr. Homer Genung, - 1898
CLERKS.
G. M. Watson,
1887
J. M. Carr, - 1891-2
E. F. George, -
1888
Chas. W. Parker, -
1893
J. M. Carr, -
1889 W. J. Shaver, - - 1894-5-6
Chas. W. Parker, -
1890 A. C. Stone, - 1897
No map of Freeville has heretofore been published, but it is be- lieved that the one which accompanies this work will be found to be an accurate and complete topographical representation of the village as it now exists.
For so level a location Freeville is very fortunate in its water sup- ply, many flowing wells having been developed in the village which furnish the purest of water in abundant quantities from a depth which prevents danger of contamination from surface drainage.
Riverside Park, on the bank of Fall Creek, although still a private enterprise belonging to Harris Roe, affords a commodious and attract- ive picnic and audience ground which is generously patronized in the summer and autumn months. During the past summer the Central New York Spiritual Association purchased ten acres of land in Free- ville for a permanent camp ground, the location of which is also shown on the map.
..
FREEVILLE-
ST
BROOKLYN
TO
Groton Avenue.
3 Seneca Smith,
5 David Robinson,
7 Frank Brotherton,
09 Burdette Heffron,
II Edwin Smith.
Brooklyn Street.
2 J. L. Larkin,
4 Jobn Sample,
6 Johu Brigden,
8 Brigden blacksmith shop, In W. R. Tripp.
Main Street.
I Lewis Cole,
2 George Brewer,
3 Mrs. Rhoda Case,
4 Henry Brown,
5 F. Ray Willey,
6 Wm. Dolson,
7 X. B. Carl, store, 8 Chas. Monroe, carriages,
9 Genrge Dolson, In Chas. Monroe,
II H Pettibone,
12 Geo. I. Shaver, hotel, 13 J. Pierce,
2 John T. Cole,
3 J. L. Larkin,
5 John Yates,
7 Morris Stack.
Union Street.
2 E. A. Savocool, market,
3 Lois Couper,
4 E. A. Sovocool,
5 A. C. Stone,
6 A. Haskin,
7 Harriet A. Hubbard,
8 W. E. Sutfin,
9 E. C. Smith,
Io Lyceum Hall,
If Henry Sevy.
Factory Street.
3I Mrs. Kate Hanshaw,
32 Weaver blacksmith shop, 33 Wm. Dixon,
34 W. E. Sutfin, store, K. of P. Hall, Post-office, 35 H. W. Roe store,
Wood Street.
2 Chas. Parker,
3 Mra. G. Francis,
4 Dubais Cook,
5 L. V. Freight Depot.
Richardson Street.
2 W. H. Richardson, residence and warehouse.
Railroad Street.
2 Mrs. C. Darling,
3 Mrs. A. L. Smiley,
4 J. B. George,
5 George DePuy,
6 Mrs. Mary Puderbaugh,
7 P. T. Reeves,
8 D. G. Howell, mittena, 9 Townley shoe shop, IO Mrs. D. G. Howell,
11 Bert Carr, bakery,
12 Junction House,
14 L. V. Depot, 16 Baggage room,
17 Smith & Blackman, office,
18 Eliza Grinnell,
19 Smith & Blackman, ware- house,
20 John J. Giles,
22 John E. Cady.
Cady Addition.
2 Wm. Barrett,
4 Chl Mericle,
6 Wmn. Smith, 8 C. Tondeur,
In C. Tondeur,
12 Wm. Waldeu.
George Junior Republis.
I Headquarters,
2 Prison,
3 Court-room,
4 Boys' Dormitory,
5 Library,
6 Class-room,
7 Dning Hall,
9 Assembly Hall,
IO Rockefeller Cottage,
II Barn,
12 Laundry.
Miscellaneous.
76 Milk Station.
.
KEY TO THE MAP OF FREEVILLE VILLAGE.
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