A history of old Tioga Point and early Athens, Pennsylvania, Part 68

Author: Murray, Louise Welles, 1854-1931. 4n
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Athens, Penna. [i.e., Pa.] : [s.n.]
Number of Pages: 726

USA > Pennsylvania > Bradford County > Athens > A history of old Tioga Point and early Athens, Pennsylvania > Part 68

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

July 21, 1834, Richard Caton, for reasons now unknown, trans- ferred the agency of his own and many of Carroll's lands from Col. Lockwood to Horace Williston Jr.,14 the son of Judge Williston ; who must have already shown himself a man of merit, as the appointment

13 The inhabitants of Athens, with many others, were greatly alarmed by the famous meteoric shower of 1833, several accounts of which have been given to the writer; the most interesting being from the hand of the late Frances Welles Stuart. At this date, November 23d, Gen. Henry Welles was very ill (his death occurring a few days later, a great loss to the town), and the entire family were up most of the night. The daughter Frances described the occur- rence, as did all who saw it, as though the air was as full of falling stars as it would be of snow flakes in an ordinary storm. It lasted from about 1 A. M. to 6. Frances Welles saw it from 4 A. M., and while much alarmed, as soon as daylight came she went out of doors to investigate, saying the ground was sprinkled with black flecks, appearing like burnt paper, which, however, fell to pieces at a touch. Probably there were no more terrified young people than the party of youths returning from a dance near Chemung, who found themselves suddenly enveloped in a shower of flame, and thought the end of the world had come indeed.

14 Horace Williston, Jr., son of Judge Williston, was born at Chenango Point, Aug. 7, 1813, d. at Athens April 13, 1878; came to Athens in 1819, was educated at the Academy; m. Jane White, sister of Esther White (Saltmarsh), who d. in 1839. In 1849 m. Catherine R., dau. of Robert Barber of Lancaster. Children, Anna B. (m. Lucius A. Sherman), decd .; Kath- arine M., unmarried, decd .; Horace, now a Methodist minister.

"From the settlement of his father in 1819, until his death, General Horace Williston was a resident and an honored citizen of this borough. Descended through both his parents from fam- ilies who were among the earliest colonists of New England, he inherited those qualities of stern morality, unflinching integrity, Christian charity and conscientious devotion to duty which so' strongly marked his character. In few men of the present generation are these heroic virtues of our puritan ancestors so strikingly manifest as in him. He was in the strongest sense of the term a positive man; possessing a deliberate and sound judgment, and a keenly discrim- inating sense of right and wrong; his conscience pointed out to him the right path, and no arguments, influences or allurements could swerve him; whatever his conscience dictated as right, was right, and there he stood: not quick to make friends, his confidence once gained he stood by a friend at all hazards: possessing a physiognomy on which rectitude was plainly writ-

495

GENERAL HORACE WILLISTON

was made before he attained his majority, and power of attorney given by Mr. Caton and Mr. Car- roll's daughters in 1835. This stew- ardship continued for twenty-five years, proving that no mistake was made in the selection ; 15,897 acres were committed to his care. He had both salary and commissions on sales at first, then commissions, and within a few years he was able to purchase about 4,500 acres of this land in Athens and Ridgeberry townships, which he had surveyed into small farms and sold to set- tlers. Horace Williston, with the exception of a few years, was a lifelong and active resident of Ath- ens, and that he ever commanded the love and respect of the com- munity is shown in the annexed sketch, written by an unknown hand and found in an old scrap book. In 1842, when about thirty years old, he was elected and commis- sioned Brigadier General of 2nd Brigade, 9th Division Pennsylvania Militia, including that of this vicinity. His portrait, here given, will not be a familiar one to those who remember him in later life, a stalwart man with the peaceful face, so long familiar on our streets ; but we rejoice to show him as the brisk young man in uniform. For this portrait, and many valuable papers relating to his career and to Athens history, we are indebted to his only son, Rev. Horace Williston, of Port Townsend, Washington.

HtWilliston

General Williston in 1849 purchased the plot which had been David Paine's, from Island Lane to Ferry Road (including the island), and erected on the north portion a fine residence, now entirely altered from its original appearance. He was extensively engaged in large

ten few ever solicited him to encourage a project of doubtful character, and none did a second time. Reared by pious parents, surrounded from infancy by religious influences, exercising a broad charity with his characteristics, he was of necessity a Christian man, yet not until within a few months before death did he publicly profess his devotion to his Saviour; and when this was done it was in that positive and emphatic manner which none could doubt.

"Such a character, when years have proved that it is the real and natural one, must attract the admiration and devotion of all good men, and such was his fortune. There was no office within the gift of his circle of acquaintance that he could not have had, had he been willing to accept it; but to such a man official station had no allurement which would compensate for entering the political arena.

"In his boyhood, elected to the military station which gave him his title, and filling every office in the town and borough-not because he wanted them, but because his neighbors wanted kim, he had no ambition beyond: always ready to work for the political advancement of his friends, for himself, never! Our churches, our schools, our cemetery, our temperance societies, our public improvements, whatever advanced the prosperity of the community in which he lived received a great portion of his time."

August, 1908. His son, who recently visited Athens, has proven himself worthy of ali the attributes of his sire.

496

OLD TIOGA POINT AND EARLY ATHENS

lumbering transactions, and in 1859 relinquished his stewardship of Carroll and Caton's lands to look after a timber tract in Virginia, being absent more or less for two years.

General Williston was an early abolitionist and one of the first advocates of teetotalism; he is said to have been "the first man rash enough to attempt raising the frame of a large building without the use of liquor. Such work was done by a bee, and the old hands at that sort of business laught in their sleeves at his coming failure in raising a large mill. But as the time approached good Deacon Tracy of Smith- field heard of it and told his family it would never do to leave a man in the lurch like that, so he was on hand with his strapping boys, and with the help of a few other real friends the great mill was raised, the smoothest raising ever known, and free from the accidents that often occurred by reason of someone's intoxication." When only a lad, General Williston was present at the raising of a sawmill on the island, close to the boat landing, an enterprise of J. C. Brockway, and built by one of the Spaldings. As soon as the frame was up, following the custom of the times, a man climbed to the peak of the rafters with a jug of whiskey wherewith to christen the building. First taking a pull from the jug, as was his privilege, he dashed it to the ground be- low, calling out: "Spalding's Gain and Brockway's Ruin;" the name proving prophetic, as the mill scarcely sawed a stick, and was left to decay or destruction by the floods. General Williston accumulated wealth, but very much of it was lost to his family because of his friendly habit of indorsing large notes for various men, which he was obliged to meet, thus involving him in disaster from his own unselfish- ness. The house built and long occupied by him still stands opposite the old Williston homestead. After his death, his family removed from Athens. It is a source of regret to all who have known them, that none of Judge Williston's family are to-day residents of Athens.

Sometime during this decade (1830-1840) there came another en- terprising young man, who assisted largely in the development of Athens, Chauncey N. Shipman,15 first associated with Lemuel Ellsworth in the brick stores already mentioned, as general merchant. He married Helen, the daughter of Judge Herrick and Celestia Hopkins. Judge Herrick gave his daughter a lot, called "a fine piece of woods," adjoin- ing the brick stores, for a home, but she died in 1839. Soon afterwards Mr. Shipman purchased an adjoining lot of Judge Herrick and cleared both of trees, thus making a fine property. September 27, 1841, he married again, Nancy Louise Goodrich, who with her mother, brother and sister had come to Athens from Owego in 1832.16

15 Chauncey N. Shipman, son of Samuel Shipman of New Britain, Conn., was born at Cooperstown, N. Y. His progenitor was Edward S. Shipman of Nottinghamshire, England, who came to America in 1639. Mr. Shipman had five children b. in Athens: by first wife, Helen (m. Peter Field) ; by second wife, Mary (m. Samuel Howe), Frederick, John and Florence, all unmarried, and living in Chicago, where the family removed in 1859.

16 No women of lovelier character than Nancy Louise and Sarah Goodrich ever lived in Athens, and to this were added charms of person. Mrs. Chauncey Shipman was known a few years later as "the most beautiful woman in Athens, as well as the loveliest," and the writer is proud to record that she bears the name of "Louise Shipman" from this gracious lady.

497

ANNALS OF EARLY ATHENS

Mr. Shipman now be- gan the erection of the fine colonial residence which stands to-day almost un- altered.17 The house being completed, the young cou- ple gave a royal "house- warming," the first social function of the sort known to the town. Many invita- tions were issued, in and out of town, to a "Recep- tion, June 14, 1843." A large number attended, an orchestra was provided, music and dancing being a feature of this gala occa- CLOVER CROFT Erected by Chauncey N. Shipman, 1841 sion. The festivity, how- ever, was marred by a sad occurrence, Mr. Scott, of Towanda, being stricken with apoplexy while standing quietly looking on. He was quickly carried to the Exchange and restoratives administered, but he died within a few hours, casting a gloom over the community. When Mr. Shipman left Athens, in 1859, this house was sold to Charles F. Welles Jr. It was occupied for several years by his cousin and partner, Henry S. Welles. It was then purchased by Harris W. Patrick, who occupied it for many years. After his removal it was rented or vacant until it became the property of Susan Perkins (McCurdy), who did much to beautify the house and grounds and gave to it the name it now bears.

Many others settled in Athens between 1830 and 1840. Chester Park, more fully mentioned in a later chapter, came from Sheshequin in 1835, and began the mercantile business carried on by himself and his son for over fifty years. It was said of him, "a man as near sinless as any in the community," a just tribute. He and his wife (Lemira, daughter of Jabez Fish) raised a family of five children, all well known in the community ; Harriet, Dana,18 Horace, Lemira and Mary. Lemira, married to Charles Chapin Tracy, has been a devoted missionary for over forty years. Both Chester Park and his son Dana held many town offices. They left their impress upon the life of the community, and a goodly heritage of right living to their descendants.

Another merchant of this period was Horace Carner, son of Silas Carner of Sheshequin. He had purchased a home from the Leray tract in

17 Known to modern Athenians as "Clover Croft," the home of Hon. O. D. Kinney. It seems not amiss to record that the present owner, when a small boy attending the Athens Academy and boarding at the Exchange, chose this house as the ideal castle of his dreams, and thought its owner the handsomest man in Athens. Haunting memories of these ideals were never absent, until he realized his air-castles, as do few, in the purchase of the old Shipman home in 1905.

18 Dana F. Park, b. Jan., 1836, m. Oct., 1855, Kate, dau. of Rev. Henry Ball, a beautiful woman and accomplished musician, still well remembered. They had one son, Irving K. Park, now resident in Athens. Mrs. Park d. 1859, and some years later Dana m. Lydia M., dau. of Horace Carner, a bright and talented woman. They had three sons; William K., Robert B. and Charles D .; only the third survives, now resident in New York City.

498

OLD TIOGA POINT AND EARLY ATHENS

Litchfield, but at this time settled in Athens and began business at the corner of Elm and Main Streets, where later was erected the building, with a commodious hall, long known as "Carner's Hall," around which circle many pleasant memories. "Deacon" Carner and his wife, Azuba Atkins, were active Christians, highly esteemed by all who knew them. Their children were: Lydia, Sarah, Julia, Horace and Henrietta, of whom only Julia now survives. The Karners were originally of German origin; the first known ancestor was Lodowick, of Rhinebeck, N. Y., who moved to Sheffield, Mass., in 1730. His grandsons (by son Jacob) Lodowick and Silas settled at Sheshequin as early as 1800; Lodowick was the father of Luther, who m. Wealthy Spalding; their son Henry resides in Athens to-day. Silas m. Lydia Morgan and had Orson, Amanda, Horace, Sophia, Jay and Silas, whose descendants are well known hereabouts.

Athens and the surrounding country were greatly encouraged over their prospects at the opening of the decade 1840-1850. The North Branch Canal seemed to be nearing completion, and the Erie railroad, the first in this locality, was well under way. While they are to-day unknown, it is evident that outside capitalists were interested in this locality and the favorable outlook possible if a route was opened to the north from the coal fields of Pennsylvania. Although to be more fully treated in a later chapter, it is appropriate here to introduce both the project and the projector, Charles B. Stuart. This young man came as the engineer of the Erie road in this section; and while his residence here was comparatively brief, he was an energetic and enthusiastic worker along all lines, and was generally successful. From the win- ning of a bride still in the school room to the building of a church rep- resenting his own faith, he stopped at nothing, generally with the benefit of the community in view. No doubt it was under his supervision that the first newspaper ever published at Athens was started. It was called "The Athens Scribe and Advocate of New York and Pennsylvania Im- provements," first issued in August, 1841, the editor being O. N. Wor- den, a son-in-law of Dr. Huston. The first number contained a long article from the New York Courier and Inquirer of July 21, headed "Tioga Point Railroad-Important Improvements-Coal and Iron- Project for a Short Railroad at Tioga Point to connect the North Branch canal and the Erie railroad." The article stated that a charter had already been obtained to build this road only four miles long, the route was surveyed, requisite plans and maps made, and cost estimated at $50,000. Apparently the capitalists did not "catch on."

The editor of the Scribe added a few words, praising "the uncom- mon natural advantages of the Point," saying that it was destined to be the great natural highway for coal and iron, and return trade in salt and gypsum, and that no rival could successfully compete with it. The New York Courier represented Tioga Point as "situated at the open- ing of the valley of Wyoming, at the confluence of the Chemung and Susquehanna Rivers," and mentioned Athens as a flourishing village situated at the Point.

499

EXTRACTS FROM THE SCRIBE

Great effort was now made to boom the town, and as the story is only known to-day from the complete file of the Scribe, now in Tioga Point Museum, quotations from it will be freely used ; yet it tells little, for there was no local column, and one must piece together the stray bits. Doubtless the following article is from the able pen of Major Stuart, who, having married Frances, daughter of Henry Welles, was now living with his young wife in the house still standing, called the "Peach Blow Cottage," being painted pink. Major Stuart feeling him- self a citizen, now appeals to the pride of the people as follows :

"Athens! the very name is classic, and all the witchery of winding stream, extended plain, and towering mountain makes its situation picturesque, romantic. But-Athens is not all poetry and moonshine. It begins to have attractions for those of the pure utilitarian school, and to be a place of business. Buildings are rapidly springing up, and this is favorable, for each elegant building now erected in this village is so much added to general stock in which every Athenian has an interest. As business and elegance of appearance increase, property will rise in value. But there is one thing especially wanting at present to which we wish to call attention. It is the erection of a boarding house. Those who have any inter- est in the Academy will at once see the necessity of this step. A literary institu- tion besides raising the standard of literary taste, is a source of pecuniary profit to every village-but the impression has prevailed that board is obtained here with difficulty-parents will never place boys in a public house .- Let a commodious house be erected accommodating 50, a man of taste and energy manage it, and we would warrant it soon filled, and the cash that such an establishment would bring is worthy of attention. 50 permanent scholars from abroad would bring in more than $6000, which through the Boarding House would pass directly to grocers, merchants and farmers of the vicinity. Others beside students of the Academy require a boarding house. Shall it be erected? Some are building to rent, why not continue in well-doing. We will say no more. A word to the enterprising is sufficient." S * * * er, Dect 29, 1841.

Strange to say, the above appeal, printed in the Scribe, passed un- heeded for awhile, and soon after the old Academy burned.

Just previous to this an article, purporting to be from a visitor in town, mentions the fine brick mansion of Mr. Shipman in course of erection, the canal dam, and the projected bridge across the Susque- hanna. Naturally, real estate was expected to be in great demand. In an early number of the Scribe was a long advertisement setting forth the desirability of "One hundred valuable building lots belonging to the estate of the late Gen. Henry Welles in central part of the flourishing village of Athens * * eligible locations for stores or shops. To such as will erect buildings liberal arrangements will be made * "." A few months later a little different railroad project seems to be on, evidently a road to extend to Cayuga Lake. Judge Herrick is our only informant in an advertisement, as follows :

"For sale, 500 valuable building lots on pool of dam of Chemung river-at the head of navigation of North Branch Canal, and at the termination of the Athens and Ithaca R. R. which will intersect the Erie four miles north of this borough. The lots are generally large enough for house and store or shop, and to those that will build a credit of ten years will be given if desired."

Judge Herrick at this time had purchased the property long known as the Herrick Plot. It may be noted that the Erie railroad was long in completion, the canal not opened until 1856, and the Athens and Ithaca road built in 1871. But the Canal Boom was on; for very soon

500

OLD TIOGA POINT AND EARLY ATHENS

PATRICK'S BLOCK, 1841

John Spalding 2nd advertised 225 acres for building lots on the west side of pool of the dam, terms similar to Judge Herrick's. Their hopes, however, were blasted, for in February, 1842, "a terrible flood, the worst since 1807," seriously injured the new canal bed. The following spring, after the burning of the old Academy, there appeared a series of "Home Talks by Qui" (evidently Major Stuart), having not only the rebuilding of the Academy, but the town's interests at heart. Plans prepared by Engineer Stuart for an Academy on an enlarged scale, built of brick, and having a Town Hall in the basement, were now on exhibition. "Qui" was strong for the Hall, anticipating "the interests of a densely populated valley." He urged the inhabitants of the town- ship as well as the town to examine plans and manifest their interest by building an Academy that would excel anything in Towanda, Owego or Elmira. But this air castle fell, like some others proposed ; the plans were discarded as too expensive, and the Town Hall and the Model Boarding House were still only dreams. However, the latter materi- alized in the "Mansion House," built the next year on the site of the old Red Tavern by Elias S. Matthewson. And the building boom surely arrived, for in October, 1842, in an article headed "Good for Sore Eyes," Editor Worden thus tells the story of improvement :

"Yesterday a block of NINE DWELLING HOUSES was raised on Chemung Street, on the property of Williston and Patrick. At the end of the row may be seen the spire of nearly completed Episcopal Chapel. Opposite the Eagle Bldg. is the large and elegant new block of stores recently completed. And besides many buildings improved there are TEN OR TWELVE new dwelling houses erected within the year. We hope this spirit of enterprise may steadily continue on."

December 14 chronicles :

""'Extensive Crash.' A heavy snow storm proved too great a weight for the roofs of the NINE DWELLINGS which fell in with a tremendous crash."

It was well the accident occurred before the houses were occupied. Doubtless they were completed in more substantial fashion.

501

ANNALS OF 1840

THE HAYDEN HOMESTEAD

These "nine dwelling houses" composed the famous "Barracks Row" on Chemung Street, later called the Catch-All; and be it noted that we have no record of the opening of Chemung Street. The first mention of it is in an early number of the Scribe, which tells that General Williston has just erected a building (1841) on the north cor- ner of Main and Chemung, called the Eagle Building, and occupied by G. A. Perkins with a new stock of drugs and dry goods. This build- ing was on the corner of present property of S. R. Payne, and was oc- cupied by stores, law offices, etc., until very recent years. Barracks Row was a curious arrangement of houses in twins at the bottom, with alleys between, and continuous in the second story ; according to tradi- tions it made a most curious appearance. The elegant block of stores was the first "brick block," shown in the accompanying illustration, as also is the Eagle Building. Most of these buildings seemed to have been erected by Gen. Williston and H. W. Patrick, a young man who came to town in 1836 as preceptor in Academy. He purchased a large block of the Carroll lands, which he sold to the Irish laborers who had come to engage in constructing the canal and the Erie Rail- road. From this he made a handsome profit, which he used largely in erecting buildings. He also erected on South Main Street the house now occupied by Mrs. E. H. Perkins (1908), and made his residence there. There were many new industries now in the town, as shown in the business advertisements in the Scribe. Several tailors : Moses Sawyer (later of Waverly), Stephen Goodrich from Owego, Aaron Tibbitts and Geo. Wheeler; Jake Harder the gunsmith; H. C. Gallop, first hardware merchant ; Dick Durbin, first livery stable ; the Misses Dewitt and Showers, first milliners, "Main Street and Public Square" (this was in the Hollenback store, utilized for this purpose for many years, as the ladies were succeeded by Matilda Smith) ; Rob. McGeorge, the first baker; Ezra Pelton, first cabinet maker; Sidney Hayden,19 who

19 Sidney Hayden, b. March 1, 1813, at Colebrook, Conn., son of Luke Hayden and Ruth Humphrey, both Connecticut people, was descended from William Hayden, who came from

502

OLD TIOGA POINT AND EARLY ATHENS

first manufactured brick here, and was a large contractor and builder throughout the county ; his own residence, erected in 1840, being a fine specimen of work done under his supervision, and one of the most interesting old homesteads now standing.

About this time (1840) many new people came in, whose descend- ants are here or well known here to-day: John E. Canfield from Orange County, who spent the rest of his life here, as did his only son, Clarence. Mr. Canfield was a lawyer and insurance agent, as was also his brother-in-law, Joseph B. Reeves ; and both were long identified with the town as men of ability and integrity. William Shapley, a famous clock maker and jeweler, came about this time, and his daughter, Mrs. Frank Gillette, still resides on his homestead purchase on South Main Street. Frederick R. Lyon, a Connecticut man, a cabinet maker by trade, who still has descendants in the valley, came at this time. There are many beautiful specimens of the handiwork of Mr. Lyon still in existence.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

A history of old Tioga Point and early Athens, Pennsylvania, Part 68

Author: Murray, Louise Welles, 1854-1931. 4n Publication date: 1908 Publisher: Athens, Penna. [i.e., Pa.] : [s.n.] Number of Pages: 726

Author: Murray, Louise Welles, 1854-1931. 4n
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Athens, Penna. [i.e., Pa.] : [s.n.]
Number of Pages: 726