History of Tioga County, Pennsylvania, Part 74

Author:
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: Harrisburg : R. C. Brown
Number of Pages: 1454

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The office of justice of the peace has been filled by the following-named per- sons: William Adams, 1862; re-elected, 1872, 1877, 1890; Lyman Beach, Jr., 1862; re-elected, 1867; Edward R. Webster, 1867; J. W. Wilhelm, 1872; O. D. Goodenough, 1876; B. R. Bailey, 1880; re-elected, 1890, 1895; N. A. Elliott, 1882; Mart King, 1885; F. W. Clark, 1886; S. G. Rhinevault, 1887; J. A. Moody, 1891; re-elected, 1896.

FIRE DEPARTMENT.

The Mansfield Hook and Ladder Company, No. 1, was organized December 27, 1880, and chartered December 24, 1883. It is officered as follows: Frank

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MANSFIELD BOROUGH.

W. Clark, president; W. A. Rowland, vice-president; W. D. Husted, treasurer; J. A. Elliott, secretary; Charles S. Ross, foreman, and M. S. French and T. H. Bailey, assistant foremen.

A. M. Pitts Hose Company, No. 2, was organized July 22, 1893, with the following officers: Frank Lawrence, president; Eugene Hall, vice-president; Herbert Griggs, foreman; Arthur Brown, assistant foreman; D. L. Miller, second assistant foreman; Jerome Mann, secretary; Mort Johnson, assistant secretary; Clarence Kohler, treasurer; Fred. Gaige, Eugene Hall and Warren Baynes, trustees.

Allen Hose Company, No. 3, was organized August 1, 1893, with the follow- ing officers: Ray C. Longbothum, president; George H. Weeks, vice-president; John Shaw, secretary; W. A. McCausland, treasurer; N. Leon Buck, foreman; E. M. Dorsett, first assistant, and Burt J. Bixby, second assistant foreman.

Each of these companies is handsomely uniformed, and is made up of an active, enthusiastic and efficient membership. The department is under the com- mand of Judson A. Elliott, fire chief of the borough.

POSTMASTERS, PHYSICIANS AND LAWYERS.

A postoffice was established at Canoe Camp in 1822. The first postmaster was Amos Spencer. A few years later it was removed to Mansfield, and Asa Mann appointed postmaster. He held the office until 1839. It has been a difficult mat- ter to secure the names of his successors in the order of their service. The follow- ing, however, is believed to be an approximately correct list: Simeon F. Utter, Oliver Whittaker, Philemon Doud, Apollos Pitts, Benjamin Bailey, Michael Col- ville, O. H. Phelps, Mrs. Mary Ruckman, Dr. C. V. Elliott, V. R. Pratt, M. L. Clark, Col. N. A. Elliott, J. A. Elliott and the present incumbent, John L. Cum- mings, appointed August 16, 1894.

The first physician to locate in Mansfield was Dr. Stillman Cannon, who came in 1813. Dr. Dexter Parkhurst came in 1824, and had an office near the entrance to Smythe Park. He remained until 1830, and then removed to Maines- burg. Dr. Harmon Whitehead located here about 1832. Dr. H. G. Smythe was here as early as 1838. Dr. C. V. Elliott came in 1847; Dr. William M. Barden, the pioneer homeopathist, in 1852, and practiced till his death, September 30, 1884; Dr. J. A. Cole, in 1868, and remained a number of years. Dr. John M. Barden, son of Dr. William M. Barden, practiced here from 1881 to 1895, when he removed to Roseville. The profession is now represented by Dr. Benjamin Moody, Dr. Wentworth D. Vedder, Dr. Fred. D. Elliott and Dr. Frederick Green Wood. The profession of dentistry is represented by Oramel Newell.

The first lawyer to locate in Mansfield was F. W. Hazard, who was here before 1840. Henry Allen came in 1854, and practiced till his death, in 1888. William Adams moved from Tioga township in 1855, and practiced law and served as justice of the peace over forty years. S. B. Elliott was admitted but did not practice. J. H. Handy was here a short time. A. J. Webster came in 1870 and remained three or four years. J. C. Horton came later remaining two years. B. J. Cosky came in 1890 and remained until 1894. Douglas H. Griffin came from Canton in April, 1895, and formed a partnership with Leon S. Chan- nell, which continued until Mr. Griffin's death, from accidental shooting, in

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HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

October, 1895. The present members of the bar of this borough, are Frank W. Clark, admitted to practice February 5, 1866; John W. Adams, admitted in No- vember, 1867, and Leon S. Channell, admitted June 3, 1893.

HOTELS.

About 1827 Barrett Clark erected a building on the northeast corner of Main and Wellsboro streets, in which Asa Mann kept hotel for a short time. In 1828 Capt. Samuel Hunt, who came from Madison county, New York, bought the property and carried on the hotel for a number of years. The house was burned in 1849, Aaron Ingalls being the landlord at that time. In the following year the house now occupied by B. R. Baily as a farm implement warehouse, was built for a hotel by Capt. Samuel Hunt and Gurdon Fuller, who kept it for several years. In 1850 Oliver W. Phelps erected a hotel building on the west side of Main street, south of Corey creek, in which he kept hotel until his death in 1863. The building now known as the Hotel French, was originally a private residence. When first used for hotel purposes it was known as the Fuller House. It has had many landlords. In December, 1896, the property was pur- chased by M. S. French, for several years landlord of the Allen House, and was remodeled and occupied by him in the spring of 1897. A brick building on Sher- wood street, near the railroad, originally a private residence, was transformed into a hotel about 1877, with P. V. Clark as landlord, and was known as the Grand Central Hotel. The Allen House, used for several years after its erection for the Soldiers' Orphan School, is now owned by Thomas H. Bailey, ex-county commissioner, who purchased it of Mrs. Jane M. Allen in December, 1896. In April, 1897, Mr. Bailey took charge of the hotel and is the present landlord.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

During the winter of 1821-22, a school was taught by Susanna Allen, a . daughter of Lieut. Jacob Allen, in the dwelling house of John Kelts. This was the first school within the borough limits. Between 1822 and 1826, her sister, Philena Allen, taught in a house, built in 1815 for a dwelling by Alpheus Button, near the entrance of Smythe Park. In 1826 a plank school house was built, a few rods south of Wellsboro street, on land now embraced in the right of way of the railroad. The first school was taught here during the winter of 1827-28, by W. C. Ripley. In 1838, after the taking effect of the public school law, a two-story frame school building was erected on the southeast corner of Academy and Wellsboro streets, and used for school purposes until 1881, when the present graded school building was erected. The old building is now used as a dwelling. The new building, including grounds, furniture, etc., cost over $13,000. It is a handsome brick edifice, beautifully located south of Wellsboro street, near the river. The school is now practically conducted as a department of the State Normal School, the grades below the High School being carried on as a model school of that institution.

MANSFIELD CLASSICAL SEMINARY.

To the late Col. Joseph S. Hoard belongs the credit of first suggesting the establishment in Mansfield of an institution of learning of a higher grade

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MANSFIELD BOROUGH.

than the average country academy. It was made in May or June, 1854, to Dr. Joseph P. Morris, Rev. H. N. Seaver, Alvin Gaylord and a few others. The first to give encouragement was Dr. Morris, who joined Colonel Hoard in creating a sentiment in favor of the proposed school. The matter was brought before the quarterly conference of the Methodist Episcopal church, July 9, 1854, during a camp-meeting held at L. D. Seeley's farm, in Sullivan township, where the friends of the enterprise gathered in Col. R. C. Shaw's tent. The conference not being prepared to act, a meeting was appointed for the following Monday in the Methodist Episcopal church in Mansfield. At this meeting it was resolved to hold a public meeting in the same church July 26, 1854. This meeting was an enthusiastic one. The nature of the enterprise was explained, and a paper presented for signatures, proposing the formation of a stock company with shares at $50 each. There was a stipulation that the school should be under the pat- ronage of the East Genesee Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, but in no sense, was it to be a church or sectarian school. The principal was, how- ever, to be a member of that church. A committee, consisting of Colonel Hoard, Rev. William Manning, Alvin Gaylord, R. C. Shaw, Hon. D. L. Sherwood, Lyman Beach, Jr., and others, was appointed to solicit subscriptions.

On August 8, 1854, the subscriptions having reached $5,000, a committee was appointed to present the claims of the enterprise to the East Genesee Con- ference. This was done, and the conference appointed five commissioners, with discretionary powers to investigate and decide whether support should be pledged. In the meantime, citizens of Wellsboro concluded that such an institution would be a good thing for their village. The result was a warm contest between the two places. The commissioners, however, decided in favor of Mansfield.

A charter was secured for the "Mansfield Classical Seminary," the first meeting under it held December 1, 1854, and the following officers and trustees elected: Col. J. S. Hoard, president; Dr. C. V. Elliott and R. P. Buttles, vice- presidents; Dr. Joseph P. Morris, recording secretary; B. M. Bailey and S. B. Elliott, corresponding secretaries; Lyman Beach, Jr., treasurer; William M. John- son, librarian, and Rev. William Manning, T. L. Baldwin, G. R. Wilson, Rev. A. Sherwood, Rev. Richard Videon, Joseph Hubbell, Lyman Reynolds, Hon. D. L. Sherwood, Dr. Joseph P. Morris, William K. Kimball, J. B. Clark, B. M. Bailey and Lyman Beach, Jr., trustees.

At the first meeting of the trustees, held February 15, 1855, a plan for a brick building, four stories high, 100 feet front, with two wings, each seventy- eight feet high, was adopted, and the building erected under the supervision of Col. J. S. Hoard, Hon. D. L. Sherwood and Amos Bixby. April 17, 1856, the board elected Rev. J. E. and Mrs. H. L. Jaques, principal and preceptress, at a combined salary of $900 per annum. The seminary was formally opened January 7, 1857, with 105 students. The building when finished and furnished repre- sented an outlay of nearly $20,000, with an indebtedness of $6,000.

The second term of school began April 16, 1857, with 150 students. Six days later the building burned to the ground, the fire occurring about 10 o'clock in the morning. It was insured for $12,000. The night following the fire, the friends and promoters of the institution held a meeting, resolved to rebuild, and

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HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

subscribed $4,000. Work was at once begun, and by September 1, the greater portion of the first story of the south building was erected. The panic of that year, the refusal of one insurance company to pay, and the collapse of another, rendered the trustees unable to meet payments. Work was suspended and a long struggle with financial difficulties ensued. Finally, an enthusiasm, born of despair took possession of the people, even to women and children, and at a picnic held August 20, 1858, over $4,000 was subscribed, the subscriptions being payable in labor, board, grain, provisions, sewing, lumber, cattle, everything merchantable, in sums from twenty-five cents to $100.

August 25, 1858, the trustees resolved to proceed with the building, but to incur no indebtedness. P. M. Clark, William Hollands and S. B. Elliott were appointed a building committee. Work was begun and carried forward under many difficulties. Though incomplete, the institution was re-opened Novem- ber 23, 1859, with thirty students. Rev. James Landreth was principal, and Miss Julia A. Hosmer preceptress.

In November, 1859, S. B. Elliott was elected president. Professor Landreth resigned in July, 1860, and was succeeded by Rev. William B. Holt, with Prof. E. Wildman, assistant. At the annual election all but four of the old officers were retired and a new building committee elected. Rev. N. Fellows was chosen president, and Rev. R. A. Drake, treasurer. January 19, 1861, Mr. Drake was appointed general agent and manager, and all assets, subscriptions and debts were assigned to him. Troublous times followed, and the friends of the institution had a struggle to keep it from falling into the sheriff's hands: They finally suc- ceeded. Professor Holt resigned April 4, 1861, and was succeeded by Professor Wildman. At the annual election in November, the old officers were, for the most part, restored. Rev. W. Cochran was elected president, and Professor Wild- man, treasurer. Mr. Drake resigned as manager. At this time Mr. Drake, Rev. Richard Videan and J. C. Howe who had been misled and nearly ruined, financially-held a number of judgments against the institution, which they had purchased, and repeated attempts were made to sell it at sheriff's sale. In the face of these obstacles, the work of completing the buildings was carried on by the trustees.

In the meantime a proposition to make the institution a State Normal School had been discussed, and during the winter of 1861-62, S. B. Elliott, who was in the state legislature, worked zealously with that end in view. July 2, 1862, the trustees, by unanimous vote, made application to the State to have the in- stitution changed to a State Normal School. December 11, 1862, the examiners appointed by the governor, and by Dr. Burroughs, superintendent of common schools, met at Mansfield, and, after examination, reported favorably, and on De- cember 12, the Mansfield Classical Seminary passed out of existence and was suc- ceeded by the State Normal School of the Fifth district, being the third in the State to be recognized, Millersville and Edinboro preceding it.

THE MANSFIELD STATE NORMAL SCHOOL.

The change of the Mansfield Classical Seminary to a State Normal School, did not immediately relieve its financial embarrassment, and "sheriff's tracks

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could be seen approaching it from all directions." January 20, 1864, through the efforts of Rev. W. Cochran, William Hollands, Dr. Joseph P. Morris and S. B. Elliott, Hon. John Magee generously loaned the institution $6,500, and on January 1, 1867, made the trustees a New Year's present of $3,332.50, the un- paid balance of that amount. The first legislative appropriation, made in the winter of 1863, amounted to $5,000, since which time the State has dealt generously with the institution.

Rev. W. D. Taylor was elected principal March 19, 1863, and held the position until July 13, 1864, when he was succeeded by Prof. Fordyce A. Allen, elected for five years. Under Professor Allen's administration the school prospered. He and the president, S. B. Elliott, who had succeeded Rev. W. Cochran, de- voted themselves to its upbuilding and to the work of placing it on a firm financial basis. February 16, 1869, Professor Allen resigned, and on May 20, 1869, Prof. J. T. Streit was chosen to succeed him. He died November 13, 1869, and January 7, 1870, Prof. Charles H. Verrill was elected principal. He was suc- ceeded in September, 1873, by Prof. J. N. Fradenburgh, who served until Sep- tember, 1875, when Professor Verrill was again elected. In September, 1877, Prof. Fordyce A. Allen was again made principal, and in November, Prof. John H. French, LL. D., was elected associate principal. He resigned September 6, 1878. Professor Allen died February 11, 1880, and Prof. J. C. Doane filled out the remainder of the school year. In September, 1880, Prof. D. C. Thomas was elected principal. He resigned February 1, 1892, to take effect at the close of the school year, and was succeeded by Prof. Samuel H. Albro, the present prin- cipal, who is assisted by a faculty of able and experienced educators.

After the change to a State Normal School, the work of completing the un- finished buildings was pushed forward. Since then old buildings have been re- modeled and new ones erected, until the institution is one of the best in the State in respect to the character and extent of its buildings. The buildings recently completed and those in contemplation will place it, so far as architecture and appropriate equipment can do so, in the very front rank of the normal schools of the country. The seminary building, accepted by the State, was the main portion of the present South Hall, a brick structure 150x50 feet, and four stories high. It was remodeled and enlarged in 1889. In this building are the gentle- men's dormitories, six recitation rooms and the text book library. The North Hall is 270x100 feet, and five stories high, and cost $150,000. It contains the office of the principal, an elegant dining room, finished in oak, with a seating capacity of 500, the kitchen, bakery, etc., dormitories, for the ladies, reception rooms, suits of rooms for the art department, and the Normal School of Music. The Normal School of Music, which is in charge of Hamlin E. Cogswell, has grown to be an important department of the institution, and has a special faculty devoted to vocal and instrumental instruction. Two stories of an "L," project- ing from the northeast corner of the North Hall, are set apart as an infirmary, and are furnished with every appliance for the sick. The Alumni Hall-named for the Alumni Assocation-is located midway between the North and South Halls. It is 117x54 feet, and three stories high. It contains the model school rooms, recitation rooms, the society rooms, and a concert hall, which occupies one

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HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

entire story. It was completed in 1886, at a cost of $25,000. The bell which swings in its tower, and which cost $550, was given by the Alumni Association in June, 1886. All the buildings named are of brick, and the style of architecture is sightly and attractive. The gymnasium is a frame building, 130x50 feet, situated in the rear of the South Hall. It contains a large drill hall, a library and reading room, one for the military company, one for cabinet specimens and a ladies' dressing room. It was erected in 1888, at a cost of $7,000. The grounds embrace ten acres, and are beautifully laid out in lawns, and covered with a great variety of forest trees. In 1895 the value of grounds, buildings, furniture, library, etc., amounted to a total of $305,000. The State aid to 1895 amounted to $245,000, making a total, with stock and subscriptions, of $268,050.

The management of the institution is confided to a board of trustees, eighteen in number, twelve of whom represent the stockholders and six the State. Four of the former and two of the latter are elected each year. Those representing the stockholders are J. C. Howe, Charles S. Ross, Joseph S. Hoard and Volney Ripley, whose terms of office expire in 1899; A. M. Spencer, J. A. Elliott, Dr. John M. Barden and H. F. Kingsley, whose terms expire in 1898, and D. H. Pitts, Dr. W. D. Vedder, E. L Sperry and F. E. Van Keuren, whose terms expire in 1897. Representing the State-Benton E. James, Montrose; Lee Brooks, Canton; whose terms of office expire in 1899; Hon. H. B. Packer, Wellsboro, and Dr. F. G. Elliott, Mansfield, whose terms expire in 1898, and David Cameron, Wellsboro, and F. M. Allen, Mansfield, whose terms expire in 1897. The honorary trustees are Hon. S. B. Elliott, Hon. C. V. Elliott, Peter V. Van Ness and Albert Sherwood. The officers of the board are, D. H. Pitts, president; J. A. Elliott, secretary, and Edward H. Ross, treasurer.

The Alumni Association of the State Normal School of Mansfield was chartered February 11, 1871. Its object is "to encourage and foster among the graduates of the State Normal School," "the spirit of friendship and self-improvement by an annual re-union." The present officers are, W. W. Allen, president; C. J. Beach, vice-president; Jennie Farrer Avery, secretary; Joseph S. Hoard, treasurer, and F. M. Allen, Anna Peck Capell, Maud Gates, Mary L. Shaw and Lucy Ransom Longstreet, executive committee.

SOLDIERS' ORPHAN HOME.

This institution was founded by Prof. F. A. Allen, who opened it October 1, 1867, having previously made application to the superintendent of Soldiers' Orphans for twenty-five boys and twenty-five girls. The school was first kept in an old store building, but later larger and better buildings were secured, one of them being the present Allen House. The attendance the first year was sixty- three pupils. Each year witnessed an increase, until there were over 200 pupils in the school. In 1872 a farm of 150 acres near the borough was purchased, in order to give employment and instruction to the boys. After Professor Allen's death, in 1880, his widow carried on the school, assisted by Vine R. Pratt, who had been connected with it almost from the beginning. In 1890 the school was moved to Hartford, and J. Miller Clark, of Mansfield, appointed superintendent.

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MANSFIELD BOROUGH.

BUSINESS COLLEGES.

The Mansfield Business College was opened in the spring of 1882, the officers being Rev. J. T. Brownell, president; C. S. Ross, secretary; E. D. Westbrook, principal of penmanship department; C. V. Ireton, principal of department of telegraphy; Hugh Ross, principal of department of phonography. In 1886 T. P. Jones succeeded to the management. He was succeeded by J. N. Smoot, who carried it on until 1894, when it was discontinued.

The Allen Business College was opened in May, 1882, by F. M. Allen, who carried it on for two years, when he became connected with the Williamsport Commercial College and discontinued his school here.

LATER INDUSTRIES AND ENTERPRISES.

The Mansfield Tannery, the oldest manufacturing enterprise in the borough, was established in 1840, by Capt. Ezra Davis. In the fall of 1865 Ralph R. Kingsley acquired a half interest in it, and in 1868 became sole owner. He associated with him his son, C. S. Kingsley, and the firm continued as R. R. Kings- ley & Son, until the father's death, December 26, 1893, since which time C. S. Kingsley has carried on the business. It is devoted to the tanning of upper leather, has a capacity of 80 to 100 sides per day, and gives work to ten employes.

The Sun Milling Company-the principal proprietary interest being in Charles S. Ross-operates the roller grist-mill in the western part of the borough. This mill was established as a water-power, buhr-mill, in 1850, by Terrence Smythe. In 1857 it was purchased by Clark W. Bailey, and operated by himself, his sons, T. H. and J. W. Bailey, and lesees, until 1890, when it passed into the hands of the Sun Milling Company. It is now a full roller-mill, has a capacity of seventy-five barrels a day, and is devoted to merchant and custom work. Water and steam power are both used. A. W. Stephenson is manager, and H. B. Breon, superintendent.

The Tioga Iron Works, for many years Mansfield's most important manufac- turing enterprise, was established in 1854, by a company with $50,000 capital, con- sisting of John F. Donaldson, Dr. Joseph P. Morris, S. F. Wilson and William Bache, for the purpose of manufacturing pig iron from ore obtainable three miles west of the borough. The furnace was erected by Charles F. Swan. The plant afterwards became the property of Schaaber & Johnston, of Reading, who operated it until about 1870, when it was shut down. In 1883 Col. N. A. Elliott was appointed the agent of the owners to dispose of the plant and real estate, which he has since sold.

Bailey's Steam Saw-Mill was erected in 1860 by Clark W. Bailey. In it was used the first circular saw seen in this section. In 1866 Mr. Bailey sold it to his sons, T. H. and J. W. Bailey. It was burned in 1877 and rebuilt and burned again in 1889, and not rebuilt.

Edward Doane & Company have, since 1881, operated a planing-mill, sash and door factory in the old woolen-factory building near the depot. This enterprise was started in 1868 by S. B. Elliott, with whom M. L. Clark was afterwards asso- ciated.

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HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

Mart King's Furniture Factory was built in 1869, on the west side of the rail- road, northwest from the depot, by Mart King. It was first devoted to the manu- facture of bedsteads. On December 24, 1870, it was destroyed by fire, rebuilt in the following spring, and a general line of furniture manufactured. July 4, 1884, it was again destroyed by fire, but was not rebuilt. At this time Mr. King was operating, in connection with it, a steam laundry, which was doing a large business.

The Banking House of Ross & Williams was established May 24, 1872, by Andrew J. Ross and Philip Williams. Mr. Ross remained the senior partner until his death, August 18, 1875. In the summer of 1878, having become of age, his oldest son, Charles S. Ross, who had previously been employed as a clerk, entered the partnership as the representative of his father's interest. Mr. Williams died in July, 1894, and Mr. Ross carried on the business until January 1, 1895, as sur- viving partner, when he became sole proprietor. The use of the old name is con- tinued. This bank is ably and conservatively managed and is regarded as one of the strongest and soundest financial institutions in this section of the State.

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History of Tioga County, Pennsylvania, Part 74

Author: Publication date: 1897 Publisher: Harrisburg : R. C. Brown Number of Pages: 1454

Author:
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: Harrisburg : R. C. Brown
Number of Pages: 1454